Comparison of the Effectiveness of Schema Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Shame and Marital Intimacy in Women Experiencing Emotional Divorce
Keywords:
Schema Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Shame, Marital Intimacy, Emotional Divorce, WomenAbstract
Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Schema Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in reducing shame and improving marital intimacy among women experiencing emotional divorce.
Methodology: This randomized controlled clinical trial employed a pretest–posttest design with a five-month follow-up and was conducted on 45 women experiencing emotional divorce who were referred to family counseling centers in Tehran in 2025. Participants were randomly assigned to a Schema Therapy group (n = 15), a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy group (n = 15), and a control group (n = 15). Each intervention group received ten weekly 90-minute group therapy sessions, while the control group was placed on a waiting list. Measures of shame and marital intimacy were administered at three time points. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc tests in SPSS-27.
Findings: Repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant main effects of time, group, and time×group interaction for both shame and marital intimacy (p < .001). Bonferroni post-hoc comparisons indicated that both interventions significantly reduced shame and increased marital intimacy; however, Schema Therapy produced significantly greater improvements than CBT in both variables (p < .01).
Conclusion: The findings suggest that although both therapeutic approaches effectively improve emotional and relational functioning in women experiencing emotional divorce, Schema Therapy yields stronger and more sustained effects on reducing shame and enhancing marital intimacy.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Abolghasem Yaghoobi, Asma Eftekhari, Fatemeh Asgari, Samaneh Meysam, Mehdi Ebrahimkhani (Author)
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