Volume 8, Issue 2 (Summer 2006)                   Advances in Cognitive Sciences 2006, 8(2): 12-20 | Back to browse issues page

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1- Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract:   (2450 Views)
Objective: This study examined the effectiveness of couple therapy using the systemic– behavioral approach on reducing depression and increasing marital satisfaction of wives with dysthymic disorder. 
Method: In this repeated measures clinical trial, of 78 married women with dysthymic disorder who referred to psychiatric and consultation clinics in  Tehran , 39 (together with their husbands) were eligible for the study. Twenty couples were then randomly selected and were randomly assigned to couple therapy and pharmacotherapy groups.  The couple therapy group attended 10 weekly sessions of couple therapy with systemic–behavioral approach. Women in the pharmacotherapy group were administered antipsychotics by their psychiatrist. Both groups were tested for depression and marital satisfaction before therapy, before the sixth session of couple therapy, after the tenth session, and two months after completion of therapy. 
Results: ANOVA with repeated measures showed that both methods could improve depression, however, the couple therapy was superior to pharmacotherapy. Couple therapy increase martial satisfaction, while pharmacotherapy had no effect. 
Conclusion: Systemic–Behavioral Couple Therapy seems to be effective on improving depression and marital satisfaction in women with dysthymic disorder.
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Type of Study: Research | Subject: Special
Received: 2006/03/18 | Accepted: 2006/04/21 | Published: 2006/06/22

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