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ABSTRACT This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral interventions with married couples experiencing marital dissatisfaction. The research design of the study was experimental. Fifty (50) married couples were randomly allocated into two equal groups: the experimental group (the couples received the treatment) and the control group (waited for behavioral interventions). Demographic information was obtained from participants in experimental and control groups. Both groups were assessed for marital adjustment by completing the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) and the Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale (KMSS) before (pre-intervention) and after (post-intervention) the cognitive behavioral interventions. The cognitive marital techniques used in the study were adapted from Dattilio (1989). The data was analyzed by using MANOVA and t-tests for post-hoc comparisons.
Findings of the study indicated that couples who received cognitive behavioral interventions showed significant reduction in marital dissatisfaction. Study findings have more important implication for the clinicians who are dealing with marital issues.
Keywords: Resolution of Marital Dissatisfaction, Pakistani Couples, Cognitive Behavioral Interventions INTRODUCTION Marriage is a universal human activity which takes place in every society. Harmonious marital relationships are not only required for the psychological wellbeing of both the partners but for the progression of society as well. Disturbed and unsatisfying marital relations lead to increase emotional disturbances and chaos in marital life.
Marital satisfaction is defined as how affectionately an individual feels about his/her marriage (Diener, Sandvik, and Pavot, 1991). This is intricately woven with one's psychological health (Horwitz, Mc Laughlin, and White, 1998). Those who have found happiness and peace in their marriage, are said to have better immunity (Kiecolt-Glaser and Newton, 2001) and their sexual lives are also more active than the unmarried population (Laumann, Gagnon, Michael, and Michael, 1994) and this lead to decrease in the rate of divorce among couples (White and Booth, 1991). Satisfied couples think about their relationship and its maintenance as a shared challenge and express a sense of shared goals, affection, commitment and respect within the relationship (Carrere, Buehlman, Gottman, and Ruckstuchl, 2000). In contrast, distressed couples focus on their individual desire and express dissatisfaction and sense of chaos in their married life.
Marital dissatisfaction on the other hand is associated with employing more negative and less positive techniques to solve conflicts (Coyne, Thompson,...