The Effectiveness of Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy Training (Hold Me Tight) on Couples' Emotional Abuse

Faeze Elahi; Hossein Ahmad Barabadi; Ahmad Heydarnia; Hadi Abbassi

doi:10.18502/qjcr.v22i88.15453

Faeze Elahi MA in Family Counseling, Faculty of Humanities, University of Bojnord, Bojnord, Iran.
Hossein Ahmad Barabadi PhD Counseling, Assisstant Professor, Department of Educational Science and Counseling, Faculty of Humanities, University of Bojnord, Bojnord, Iran.
Ahmad Heydarnia PhD Counseling, Assisstant Professor, Department of Educational Science and Counseling, Faculty of Humanities, University of Bojnord, Bojnord, Iran.
Hadi Abbassi PhD Assessment and Measurement, Assisstant Professor, Department of Educational Science and Counseling, Faculty of Humanities, University of Bojnord, Bojnord, Iran.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/qjcr.v22i88.15453

Keywords: Emotional Couple Therapy, Hold Me Tight, emotional abuse

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of Emotional Couple Therapy Training (Hold Me Tight) on couples' emotional abuse. Methods: The current study was an experimental ABA single-subject design investigation. The statistical population consisted of all couples who had attended counseling centers in city of Bojnord (Iran) during 2021. From this population, three couples who had met the inclusion criteria were purposefully selected. The Emotional Abuse Scale (EAS) was used to collect data in three stages (baseline, intervention, and follow-up). The intervention consisted of the emotional couple therapy training (hold me tight) that was administered in eight 120-minute sessions for each of the 3 pair of couples. Data analysis primarily included visual analyses, such as level, trend, and variability at three stages of baseline, intervention, and follow-up, both as within-condition, and between-condition layers. Findings: Results showed that the emotional couple therapy training (Hold Me Tight) is effective in reducing emotional abuse. The effectiveness of the results lasted for two months after the intervention. Conclusion: Given the effectiveness of emotional couple therapy, therapists are recommended to draw on this protocol to help couples struggling with emotional problems such as abuse and violence.