Journal of Applied Psychological Research

Comparing the Effectiveness of Integrative Couple Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment-Based Couple Therapy on Forgiveness in Conflicted Couples Experiencing Marital Infidelity

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

sharareh kashipaz tehrani 1
maryam nikoi 2
abdolvahid davodi 3

1 PhD student, Counseling Department, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Qom, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor, Counseling Department, Faculty of Humanities, Kangavar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kangavar, Iran.

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Society and Media, Qom Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qom, Iran.

https://doi.org/10.22059/japr.2026.394806.645242
Abstract
The present study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of of integrative couples therapy on marital empathy and forgiveness in conflicted couples experiencing marital infidelity. The present research method was semi-experimental with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group and a two-month follow-up period. The statistical population of the present study consisted of conflicting couples who experienced marital infidelity and referred to counseling centers in District 4 in Tehran during the summer quarter of 2024. 25 couples (50 people) were selected through purposive sampling method and randomly accommodated into experimental and control groups (13 couples in the experimental group and 12 in the control group). The experimental group received rational- emotive behavioral therapy (8 sessions) during eight weeks. The applied questionnaires in this study included Marital Empathy Scale (EMS) and Forgiveness Scale (FS). The data taken from the study were analyzed through mixed ANOVA and Bonferroni follow-up test via SPSS23 software. The results showed that integrative couples therapy is effective on the marital empathy (F=41.56; Eta=0.46; P<0.001) and forgiveness (F=60.98; Eta=0.56; p<0.001) of the conflicted couples experiencing marital infidelity.

Keywords

Conflicted Couples
Forgiveness
Integrative Couples Therapy
Marital Empathy
Marital Infidelity
Journal of Applied Psychological Research

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 26 July 2026

  • Receive Date 06 May 2025
  • Revise Date 10 September 2025
  • Accept Date 04 October 2025
  • First Publish Date 26 July 2026
  • Publish Date 26 July 2026