The Effectiveness of Emotion-Focused Therapy on Psychological Resilience and Marital Burnout in Couples with Psychological Distress Related to Socioeconomic Uncertainty

Authors
parisa kolahi
arsalan barakat
taiebe delshad
soheila rahmani
amineh jalali
leyla sadat modarresi
Abstract
The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) on psychological resilience and marital burnout in couples experiencing psychological distress related to socioeconomic uncertainty. This research was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest–posttest design and a control group. The study population included couples experiencing psychological distress related to socioeconomic uncertainty in 2026. Among them, 30 couples were selected using convenience sampling and randomly assigned to an experimental group (15 couples) and a control group (15 couples). The inclusion criterion was scoring above the cutoff point on the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10). The experimental group received 8 sessions of 90-minute Emotion-Focused Therapy, while the control group received no intervention. The research instruments included the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) and the Couple Burnout Measure (CBM). Data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA/MANCOVA). The results showed that Emotion-Focused Therapy significantly increased psychological resilience and significantly reduced marital burnout in the experimental group compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The findings suggest that Emotion-Focused Therapy, through enhancing emotion regulation, restructuring maladaptive interaction patterns, and strengthening emotional security between partners, can mitigate the adverse effects of socioeconomic uncertainty. Overall, Emotion-Focused Therapy is an effective intervention for improving psychological resilience and reducing marital burnout in couples experiencing psychological distress related to socioeconomic uncertainty, and it is recommended for use in counseling and mental health services for couples exposed to chronic socioeconomic stressors.
Keywords
Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT)
psychological resilience
marital burnout
psychological distress
Socioeconomic Uncertainty
Couples
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