Comparing the Effectiveness of an Indigenous Marital Life Enrichment Educational Package Based on the Lived Experiences of Successful Couples and Compassion-Focused Couple Therapy on Couples’ Family Cohesion

Abstract

The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of an indigenous marital life enrichment educational package based on the lived experiences of successful couples with compassion-focused couple therapy on family cohesion among couples. This study employed a quasi-experimental design with pretest, posttest, and three-month follow-up assessments alongside a control group. The statistical population included all couples referring to counseling centers in Shahrekord during 2023. A total of 45 couples were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned into three groups of 15 couples, including the indigenous marital enrichment group, the compassion-focused couple therapy group, and the control group. Data were collected using Olson’s Family Cohesion Scale. The indigenous marital enrichment intervention was conducted in 9 sessions, while the compassion-focused couple therapy intervention was administered in 8 sessions. The control group received no intervention. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance and Bonferroni post hoc tests in SPSS-26. The results of repeated measures ANOVA indicated that the effect of time on family cohesion was significant (F=159.897, P=0.001, η²=0.737). Moreover, the interaction effect of time and group was statistically significant (F=37.276, P=0.001, η²=0.567). Bonferroni post hoc comparisons revealed that both intervention groups showed significantly higher family cohesion scores compared to the control group at posttest and follow-up stages (P=0.001). However, no significant difference was found between the two intervention groups (P=0.543). The findings also demonstrated the stability of treatment effects during the follow-up stage. The findings demonstrated that both the lived experience-based marital enrichment program and compassion-focused couple therapy were effective in improving family cohesion among couples. These interventions can therefore be considered practical and effective approaches for enhancing family relationships and reducing marital difficulties.