The Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Couple Therapy on Emotional Intimacy, Psychological Flexibility, and Marital Satisfaction among Couples with Chronic Conflicts

Abstract

The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Couple Therapy on emotional intimacy, psychological flexibility, and marital satisfaction among couples experiencing chronic marital conflicts. Chronic marital conflict is commonly associated with repeated patterns of emotional avoidance, mutual blaming, ineffective communication, and reduced relationship quality. If such patterns continue over time, they may lead to marital burnout, emotional distance, and decreased intimacy between partners. Acceptance and Commitment Couple Therapy provides a process-based therapeutic framework that focuses on acceptance of internal experiences, cognitive defusion, reduction of experiential avoidance, clarification of relational values, and commitment to constructive interpersonal behaviors. The study employed a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population consisted of couples referring to family counseling centers. Eligible couples were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received eight sessions of Acceptance and Commitment Couple Therapy, whereas the control group received no psychological intervention during the same period. Data were collected using standardized measures of emotional intimacy, psychological flexibility, and marital satisfaction. Multivariate analysis of covariance was used to analyze the data. The findings indicated that Acceptance and Commitment Couple Therapy significantly increased emotional intimacy, psychological flexibility, and marital satisfaction in the experimental group compared with the control group. These results suggest that helping couples accept difficult emotional experiences, reduce defensive reactions, and act in accordance with shared relational values can facilitate the reconstruction of emotional bonds and improve marital functioning. The findings also highlight the importance of psychological flexibility as a central mechanism in reducing rigid interactional cycles and enhancing adaptive responses to conflict. Therefore, Acceptance and Commitment Couple Therapy can be considered a useful intervention for couples experiencing persistent conflicts and emotional disconnection.
Keywords: Acceptance and Commitment Couple Therapy, Marital Satisfaction, Emotional Intimacy, Psychological Flexibility, Marital Conflict