The effectiveness of positive psychotherapy on emotional regulation of couples

Authors
sana heydari
farshid ebrahimi
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of positive psychotherapy on emotional regulation of couples. This study was conducted with a semi-experimental method and a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The statistical population of the research included couples who referred to the counseling centers of Kermanshah city in 1404, from among them 20 couples were selected by available sampling method and randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups. The experimental group participated in 8 positive group psychotherapy sessions, while the control group did not receive any intervention. The data collection tool was Garnevsky et al.'s (2001) Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. The data was analyzed using the statistical method of covariance analysis. The results of covariance analysis showed that positive psychotherapy has a significant effect on emotional regulation of couples (P<0.05). Specifically, this intervention increased the adaptive components of emotion regulation, including acceptance, positive refocusing, refocusing on planning, positive reappraisal, and perspective-taking, and reduced maladaptive components, including self-blame, rumination, catastrophizing, and blaming others in couples in the experimental group compared to the control group. Research findings show that positive psychotherapy with an emphasis on positive emotions, giving meaning to experiences, identifying capabilities and Positive cognitive restructuring plays an effective role in improving couples' emotion regulation strategies. By reducing negative cognitive patterns and strengthening adaptive strategies, this approach helps couples to manage conflicts and pressures of married life in a more effective way. Therefore, positive psychotherapy can be used as an efficient intervention in couple therapy and family mental health promotion programs.
Keywords
positive psychotherapy
Emotion regulation strategies
Couples
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