Journal of Counseling Research

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The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of Collaborative Language Systems Therapy on Self- efficacy in Students .Method of research was quasi-experimental with pretest - posttest and control group design. The statistical population involved all referred couples to university counseling centers in Tehran. The sample of study consisted of 28 subjects(14 couples)that were randomly selected and allocated into experimental and control groupe.The experimental group participated in 8 sessions of collaborative Language Therapy. The measurement instrument was Coping self–Efficacy Scale (CSE) and Demographic Data Questionnaire. The results were analyzed with covariate using SPSS software. The result indicated that Collaborative Language Systems (CLST) Therapy, increased self-efficacy and enhanced subscales of Self-efficacy.

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The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of Imago Therapy techniques and life skills training program in communication' Patterns for young couples. The population in this study was young couples who have referred to counseling centers in Bushehr. The sample consisted of 90 subjects (45 pairs) and they were replaced into two experimental groups and one control group. After the pre-test, each group for 10 sessions (one session per week) exposure to life skills education and training of Imago Therapy techniques. The research instrument was the questionnaire of communication pattern. For data analysis, covariance and regression analyzes were used. Results showed that both Imago Therapy techniques and life skills training was effective on improving couples' communication patterns. With comparing the two methods,( Imago Therapy techniques and life skills training) life skills training, is more effective in improving couples' communication patterns.

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Besharat, M. A - Salehi, M - Rostamian, A - Ghorbani, N The aim of this study was to design and test the effectiveness of a couples oriented emotional-cognitive-behavioral intervention model and patient-oriented cognitive-behavioral intervention model of sexual problems in women with rheumatoid arthritis. The research used a quasi-experimental design with pretest, and post-test, and a 3 month of follow-up. The research samples consisted of 90 women with rheumatoid arthritis recruited from Imam Khomeini hospital’s rheumatology corridor as well as 2 rheumatology medical offices in northern and central Tehran. They were divided to three groups, including the first experimental group (intervention based on the couples-oriented emotional-cognitive-behavioral model), the second experimental group (intervention based on the patient-oriented cognitive-behavioral model), and the control group. The measuring instrument used was Golombok Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction (GRISS-F) which was filled by participants at the pre-test, post-test, and 3-month follow-up stages. The inflammatory marker (CRP) levels also were measured through blood tests before and after interventions. The result of repeated measures analysis showed that both models can be effective, but in comparison with the patient–oriented intervention, the couple–oriented intervention seemed to have a more significant positive impact on the reduction of sexual symptoms. However, there was still no difference in the level of the inflammatory marker (CRP) in pre and post tests of the 3 groups. According to the findings, it can be concluded that the couples-oriented emotional-cognitive-behavioral intervention can be used as an effective intervention to reduce sexual problems in patients with rheumatoid arthritis even though it does not seem to have any impact on the inflammatory marker (CRP).

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Ronak Eshghi - Fatemeh Bahrami - Maryam Fatehizadeh - Amir Keshavarz Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) or Frigidity is one of the most common female sexual dysfunction (FSD) that can cause marked distress and interpersonal difficulties. This condition may significantly damage the marital relationship and as such weaken family life. Hypoactive sexual desire disorder may have roots in lack of knowledge or insufficient awareness, or incorrect attitudes towards sexual relationship. The purpose of this investigation was to study the effectiveness of couples sexual cognitive-behavioral therapy on improvement of HSDD symptoms and its dimensions (behavioral, cognitive, emotional, and physical) in women who suffered from this condition in city of Isfahan. This research was quasi-experimental with pretest and posttest, with control group. The sample in this study were 18 couples who had referred to counseling centers in Isfahan, who were randomly selected and assigned to experimental and control groups. Researchers used a modified version of female frigidity scale consisting of written and visual items (Eshghi & Bahrami, 2005). The experimental group received 8 sessions of couples sexual cognitive-behavioral therapy, while the control group was received no intervention. The results of covariance analysis indicated that the specific counselingintervention was effective in women's total frigidity scores (P=0.0001) and its subscales: behavioral subscale (P=0.00), cognitive subscale (P=0.003), emotional subscale (P=0.0001), and physical subscale (P=0.003). The results of the present study showed that couples sexual cognitive-behavioral therapy appears to improve female sexual desire through improvement of couples sexual knowledge, sexual attitudes and beliefs, sexual skills, and sexual self-disclosure.

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Aminnasab, z - Farahbakhsh,k Developing a stable professional identity, especially in counseling is a time-taking process. The goal of this study was to analyze the experiences of graduates in helping professions on the way of becoming professionals, so that the obtained data be used to clarify, in teaching, and for career supervision. The research method was qualitative in nature (phenomenological) with purposeful sampling. The sample population consisted of 23 counseling graduates with average of 4 years of working experience. The interviews were semi-structured in which the participants shared their experience of becoming professionals. Following data collection, coding and sentences related to their most important experiences (feelings of professional identity, expectations involved, counseling metaphors, and perspectives about rewards in counseling jobs) were drawn and analyzed. Responses showed indicated that participants seemed to be aware of profession's requirements and posses a sense of worth and effectiveness in the profession. Results of this study show the strengths, risks, and areas in need of growth in process of training counselors, which can be useful for academic programs in counseling.

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Aim: life’s quality is a broad term that encompasses all aspects of a person's current life. Reduction life’s quality can have a lot of problems for people. For this reason, the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of couple therapy combining cognitive-behavioral and Structural upon life’s quality of couples who are divorcing. Methods: This study was semi-experimental with pretest-posttest and nonequivalent control group. The study's sample composed of all couples having conflicting referring to family counseling center of Sanandaj Justice in 1391. 32 Person of couples conflicting were selected by random sampling in both experimental and control groups (each group of 16 Person). The instrument of data collecting was life’s quality Questionnaire of World Health Organization(WHOQOL-BREF).. Couples of experimental group received 10 sessions cognitive-behavioral and structural therapy. The data were analyzed by using covariance multivariate analysis . Findings: Results showed that combining couple therapy could have increase life’s quality and its aspects in experimental group in compare to control group (p≤0/05, F=3/554). Conclusion: Results of this study have emphasized the role and effect of couple therapy combining cognitive-behavioral with structural on life’s quality of couples divorcing.

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Aim: This research has been made in order to study the ways of effects of personality traits, communicative features and cultural contexts on emotional belonging in couples.  

Method: The research methodology was correlational and the statistical population included all couples living in Tehran, Iran, in 2015. From this population, 954 persons (451females and 503 males) were randomly selected via multi-stage cluster sampling from 5 areas of Tehran municipality. Measurement material included the successful marriage inventory. Data analysis was done using AMOS software and path analysis was employed.

Result: Analyzing data indicated that personality traits and the cultural contexts have both direct and indirect (by effect on communicative features) significant effect (p<0/05) on emotional belonging. Also communicative features have significant (p<0/01) direct effect on emotional belonging. 

Conclusion: Findings of this research indicated that emotional belonging in couples has been affected by various factors. These results may be useful for marriage counseling and opening new ways in solving marital problems.

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Aim: The present study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of training integrative behavioral-systems couple therapy on psychological wellbeing of maladaptive couples. Method: The present study was applied in case of purpose and quasi-experimental with pretest, posttest and control group, follow-up design in case of method. The statistical population of the study included all the couples referred to Siavashan, AvayeMehr, Kamran consultation centers and specialized neuropsychological center in the city of Tehran in 2015.24 couples (48 people) of the clients of these centers were selected through available sampling method and they were randomly put into experimental and control groups in order to do the study. The research instrument included Riff’s (1967) 84-question psychological wellbeing questionnaire. Before administering training intervention, both group members were assessed through pretest and then 10 sessions of therapy design (once a week) were implemented. After finishing therapy sessions, posttest and two-month follow-up stages were administered. The collected data were analyzed via mixed ANOVA and Bonferroni follow-up test via SPSS 24 software. Finding: The data analysis results showed that behavioral-systems couple therapy has led to the significant increase in the mean score of experimental group couples at posttest and follow-up stages (p<0.001). Conclusion: Considering the lowness of maladaptive couples psychological wellbeing, according to the findings of the present study, behavioral-systems couple therapy can be employed to improve their psychological wellbeing.
 

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Goal: this research has carried out with the aim of compering the effectiveness of face to face and virtual Cognitive-behavioral Couples Therapy on the Post-traumatic stress disorderin Extra-Marital Relations .

Methods: the method was a semi-experimental plan with Pretest and post test Implementation, among all the couples who were coping with Marital infidelity (Women betrayed) and visited counseling  and Psychological clinic in Qazvin,36 couples who have the qualifications to participate in the curing sessions has been selected Accessibly and they divided into 3 groups with 12 members with the methods of  random alternative (tow experimental group and one The control group). Subjects of the face to face and virtual Cognitive-behavioral Couples Therapy, each one have 12/1:30 hours sessions and The control group received no interruptions. Data collection tools, including post-traumatic stress disorder scale Mississippi. datas has been analyzed with the method of Multivariate analysis of variance.

Datas: the results indicates that among the couples in experimental and control groups in The dependent variable (clues of Post-traumatic stress) there is a meaningful difference. also results claim that, although both methods have their meaningful effect, the face to face method is much more successful.

Conclusion: the results can be used in Cognitive-behavioral intervention, in both face to face and virtual methods for couples who are coping with post-traumatic stress disorder caused by extramarital relationships

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The purpose of the present study is to develop and evaluate psychometric properties of the Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Skills of Couples Scale (IISCS). In terms of testing, the research method was of descriptive type and the sampled statistical population included married men and women living in the city of Tehran, Iran. In this respect, 470 Iranian married men and women (277 women and 193 men) volunteered to participate in the given study.
The resulting scale in this study was the Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Skills of Couples Scale (IISCS). To develop this scale, the first step involved planning for the subject matter of the test and the second step contained designing a questionnaire based on theoretical foundations and reviews of existing questionnaires. The given scale was implemented in two stages and the final questionnaire was analyzed in order to assess its construct validity through measurement methods including internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha coefficient), Pearson correlation coefficient, test-retest method, exploratory factor analysis, as well as confirmatory factor analysis.
 According to the findings of this study, Cronbach’s alpha coefficients (internal consistency) were from 0.65 to 0.78 and the results of the test-retest method confirmed the correlation coefficients between 0.54 and 0.81. In this regard, the results of confirmatory factor analysis revealed a goodness of fit index (GFI) equal to 0.95. Likewise, the goodness of fit index (GFI) was 0.95 and the adjusted goodness of fit index (AGFI) was equal to 0.91 which showed a favorable goodness of fit for the model. The normed fit index (NFI) and the comparative fit index (CFI) were respectively equal to 0.93 and 0.95 indicating the desirable goodness of fit for the model. Furthermore, the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) was 0.43 which suggested a favorable goodness of fit for the given model. The results of this study showed that the Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Skills of Couples Scale (IISCS) benefited from sufficient reliability, validity, and goodness of fit to measure such constructs among Iranian samples.

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Aim: This research was conducted with the aim of determining the effectiveness of couples coping enhancement training on improving marital relations. Method: In this research with quasi-experimental design, a randomized controlled trial with baseline, post-treatment, and follow-up assessments along with placebo and control group was conducted. 36 couples by convenience sampling selected from couples referring to court of shahr e kord in the spring of 1396 due to marital problems and randomly assigned to either the experimental group (n = 12; under administration of couples coping enhancement training based on cultural tailoring in 9 group sessions once a week), placebo group (n = 12; under administration of mere meeting with therapist in 9 group sessions once a week) and control group (n = 12). All couples completed an ENRICH Couple Scales in three phases of baseline, post-treatment, and follow-up. Data were analyzed by SPSS and descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Results of analysis of variance with repeated measures indicated that the couples receiving the couples coping enhancement training based on cultural tailoring reported significant difference in the mean of marital relationship scores compared toplacebo and control group couples in post treatment (2 months after the baseline assessment) and follow-up (8 months after the baseline assessment) periods (F=8/105, P<0/001). Conclusion: According to the results, couples coping enhancement training is an effective method on improving marital relations.

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Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of educational package for enrichment of marital life based on emotional focused therapy (EFT) on the improvement of couples’ communicational patterns. Methods: The research method of the study was pseudo-experimental in which pre-test and post-test for the two control and experimental groups were used. To do so, 30 couples were selected purposefully from the population of couples who referred to the counseling centers in the city of Gorgan, Iran for improving their relationship. They were then randomly assigned to control and experimental goups. The experimental group participated in 8 three-hour sessions of group education, while the control group on the waiting list did not receive any particular intervention. In order to assess the dependent variable, Communication Patterns Questionnaire (Christensen & Sullaway, 1984) was used. The data were analyzed using covariation analysis. Findings: The results of the data analysis indicate that education based on EFT was more effective in improvement couples’ communicational patterns for participants in the experimental group, than those with no such intervention in the control group (p<0/01). Furthermore, post-hoc test shows that the effect of education in enrichment of marital life based on EFT was stable and no significant difference was identified between the averages of pre-test and post-hoc test stages (p<0/01). Conclusions: The results approve influence of education about enrichment of marital life based on EFT on improvement of newly married couples’ communicational patterns

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Aim: The purpose of this study was to present a model to explain the evolution of Weness in couples. Method: Hence, based on the specific characteristics of Weness structure, qualitative research approach and grounded theory method was applied. The population of this study consisted of all couples living in Tehran who, according to their own statements, had a successful married life. The method of sampling was purposeful sampling and The number of participants in this study, after theoretical saturation, was 7 successful couples who were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was performed based on three techniques of open coding, axial coding and selective coding. Findings: The results showed that Weness structure includes two categories of intera- and extra-marital interaction strategies. Weness impelling factors also include three categories of cognitive, supportive and motivational impelling. The Weness consequence also occurs in the form of two central components of egocentrism in the couple's identity and the preservation of individuality in the couple's identity. Conclusion: There are three categories of cognitive, motivational and supportive factors that move couples towards Weness. Couples also use two categories of intramarital and extramarital strategies in process of becoming We. If these factors are properly combined and interconnected, Weness process in couples will be fulfilled, according to which, prevention of egocentrism in the couple's identity and the preservation of individuality in the couple's identity will be seen as a result.

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Aim: The purpose of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of emotional-focused couple therapy and imago relationship (Imago) Therapy on the marital conflicts of couples referring to counseling centers in Tehran city. Methods: Research method was a quasi–experimental with pre and post-test and o control group. The statistical population consisted of couples who had are to ten years of marriage experience and had at least one child. The sample included 30 couples who were selected by chance among couples volunteered to participate in this study and 10 couples randomly assigned to experimental and control groups, while each couple was considered as one unit for analysis. Sanaie and others (2008) revised marital conflicts (MCQR) questionnaire which has 54 items and assess decreased cooperation and sexual relationship, increased emotional reactions, increased children support, increased relationship with their own relatives, decreased relationship with spouse relatives and friends, separation of financial affairs, and decreased effective communication used to assess marital conflicts of couples. Data analysis was done by covariance analysis method. Findings: Emotional - focused couple therapy and Imago therapy decreased couples marital conflicts, but there was no meaningful difference in their effectiveness on couples marital conflicts. Conclusion: Both emotional–focused therapy and Imago therapy are effective in reducing couples marital conflicts and can be used to help couples with marital conflicts

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Aim: The goal for this research was to assess the effectiveness of the two approaches in couples therapy, one being based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and the other being Imago therapy (IRT), on couple’s sexual intimacy. Methods: Quasi-experimental method with pre and post-test and control group were used. Total of 45 couples from among those who used counseling centers in city of Kermanshah during the year 2019 participated voluntarily in this research. They were randomly assigned to three 15-couple groups of ACT, Imago Therapy, and control. Eight 90-minute sessions were conducted using ACT with one group and Imago Therapy with another group. Data was collected using sexual intimacy questionnaire that was adapted from Enrich scale. Findings: Covariance analysis showed (p>0.05) couples therapy based on ACT and Imago Therapy techniques were effective in improving sexual intimacy in couples. These findings showed utilizing techniques in ACT-based couples therapy, cause psychological acceptance about mental experiences and decrease ineffective controlling behaviors.

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Aim: Intimacy is a basic human need and one of the principals of marital life. This study aimed to investigate the factors enhancing couple’s intimacy. This research was conducted qualitatively, based on grounded theory. Methods: The population included all married individuals from Shiraz who were married for at least one year. Ten of them were interviewed using semi-structured questions until data saturation was reached. The main question of the research was "In what ways couples may enhance their intimacy?". Findings: According to the findings, the main categories were: constructive criticism, constructive and non-judgmental conversation, conversational skills, support and reliability, mutual respect, fun, interpersonal character, harmony in different aspects, relationship with surrounding systems, boundary, growth and development, respect for desires and interests, mutual understanding, acceptance, task allocation, caring to mutual needs, knowing each other and individualization, and core categories were: effective communication and understanding of differences. Conclusion: In the present study, two categories of factors are effective in promoting the intimacy of couples. These factors include both intra-family and extra-family concepts. Accordingly, it is suggested that improving effective communication skills as well as comprehension and acceptance skills in couples, promote their intimacy.

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Aim: Intimacy among couples is an important factor in sustainable marriages. If couples' intimacy fades, it will affect their tendency toward extramarital relations. Individuals' style of attachment form during childhood and exert a notable influence on the formation of their marital intimacy during adulthood. Therefore, the goal of the present research was to study the mediating role of marital intimacy in relation between attachment styles and attitude of  Methods: This research is a descriptive-analytic study of correlational type. The statistical population is comprised of all married men and women of Tehran in the Iranian year of 1396. The study's sample was chosen from the population using the convenient sampling method. Data collection tools included Mark Whatley (2006) Q Attitude Toward Transnational Relationships Questionnaire, Collins & Read (1990) Attachment Style Questionnaire, and Thompson and Walker (2002) Marital Intimacy Questionnaire. The total population size of the sample was 650 couples, consisting of 357 women and 293 men.   Data analysis was done using the path analysis method and the AMOS statistical software from SPSS company. Results: Analyzing the correlation coefficients and their standardized values, in addition to the related t-test values, indicated that the direct effect of the anxiety-driven attachment style on marital intimacy is meaningful (P≤0/05). Furthermore, the indirect effect of marital intimacy on tendency toward infidelity is meaningful (P≤0/05). Conclusion: Since marriage and choosing a partner is one of the most important decisions in life, considering the predicting role of unsafe attachment style and the role of marital intimacy in individuals' tendency toward infidelity, the necessity of analyzing these two variables as it applies to premarital counseling and parental training about child education and attachment styles, must be emphasized.

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Aim: The purpose of this study was to extract the lived experiences of working couples from marital conflicts. Methods: This study was conducted with a qualitative approach using interpretive phenomenology. In this study, researchers interviewed 12 working couples with marital conflicts using purposeful sampling. Interviews were analyzed using interpretive phenomenology. Findings: Analyzing the data from the interviews led to the identification of the 14 main themes: financial conflict, inappropriate interactions in social media, lack of participation in house chores, ineffective communication, inability in reciprocal empathy and expression,  lack of time management,  conflict of roles and responsibilities, cognition vulnerability, adherence to gender stereotypes, inability to manage tasks at job and work environment, work-family conflict, power struggles, ultra-personal destructive factors and belief and ethical problems, 55 primary and 12 secondary themes in the lived experiences of working couples from marital conflicts. Conclusion: A dual-career family is a place where couples are more likely to enter into marital conflicts if they do not realize fairness in various areas of family and work. The results of the present study showed that the families of career couples may be a high-risk group in terms of conflict, and this factor indicates the need for a negotiating role in the relationship between this type of couple. This highlights the need for special couple therapy for these couples. The results of the present study also showed that ineffective communication, cognitive vulnerability, work-family interaction, financial conflict and lack of participation in home affairs, were the most common causes of marital conflict; so it is recommended that preventive and educational programs for couples include the abovementioned factors.

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The aim of the present study was to compare and evaluate the effectiveness of Contextual Therapy fair-centered (CT) (based on Ivan Böszörményi-Nagy) and Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) on increasing Marital Intimacy and reducing Marital Burnout in couples. The method was semi-experimental with a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population included all couples who in 2017-2018 referred to the Sanam private office of counseling and psychological services (under the supervision of the Psychology and Counseling Organization of Iran) in the city of Urmia. Among them, 24 couples who have referred to this center due to marital conflicts, after matching the subjects and the criteria for entering and leaving the research, were purposefully selected and randomly assigned to three groups (Eight pairs in each group), which are two experimental groups and one control group. After performing the pretest, the Contextual Therapy group were performed 10 sessions and Emotion-Focused Therapy was 9 for each pair. The questionnaires used included Walker and Thompson's intimacy scale and Pines 's Burnout Scale. To analyze the data and hypotheses, the statistical test method of “repeated measurement variance analysis” and SPSS software were used. Findings showed that the effectiveness of Emotion-Focused Therapy in increasing intimacy was significantly (p < 0.001) than the Contextual. But there is no significant difference between the two approaches in reducing “marital boredom”, Also, the findings showed that, over time, the effectiveness of the Contextual Therapy approach to the Emotion-Focused Therapy in “marital burnout” is more stable. Conclusion: In comparison Emotion-Focused Therapy a more effective effect in increasing intimacy and the effectiveness of the two approaches in reducing marital burnout is the same,but in the long run, the Contextual approach has shown better therapeutic stability in improving Marital burnout.

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Aim: The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of Imago-Therapy and Transactional Analysis in improving communication skills, conflict resolution, and rejection sensitivity of couples referred to Masjed Soleiman counseling centers. Methods: The method of this experimental study was pre-test and post-test, with follow-up, on an experimental and control groups. The statistical population of this study included all couples who referred to Masjed Soleiman counseling centers in 2019. Four counseling centers were selected randomly from the statistical population, and then 20 couples (40 persons) were randomly assigned into two experimental groups (10 couples for each group). Experimental groups were trained for ten 1.5 hour sessions. To collect the data, Quinn Dam Communication Skills Questionnaire, Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire (RSQ), and Marital Conflict Questionnaire (MCQ) were used. Multivariate repeated measures analysis of variance was used to analyze the data. Findings: The results of the analysis showed that Transactional Analysis was more effective on the variables of communication skills, conflict resolution and rejection sensitivity than imago-therapy (P<0.05). Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, it can be said that imago-therapy and transactional analysis effective on communication skills, conflict resolution, and rejection sensitivity of couples, but transactional analysis was more effective than imago-therapy.