The Effectiveness of Post-Traumatic Paradoxical Couple Therapy on Marital Satisfaction among Couples Affected by Marital Infidelity

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Objective: The present study was designed and implemented with the aim of evaluating the effectiveness of post-traumatic paradoxical couple therapy on marital satisfaction among couples affected by marital infidelity.
Method: In this study, 4 subjects (two couples) with a history of marital infidelity trauma and low marital satisfaction were selected using a single-case method (A B A design) with two baseline and follow-up levels as available and underwent post-traumatic paradoxical couple therapy intervention during 8 sessions. The research tool included the ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale. The findings were analyzed using the visual analysis of graphs and effect size.
Results: The findings showed that the total marital satisfaction score in subject 1 (female) increased from 10% to 65% and in subject 2 (male) from 25% to 80%. Also, the total marital satisfaction score of subject 3 (female) increased from 10% to 65% and in subject 4 (male) from 30 to 70. In addition, the effect size of the average scores of marital satisfaction of the subjects in the three assessment stages indicates an improvement in marital satisfaction.
Conclusions: According to the findings of the present study, it can be said that achieving marital satisfaction among couples who are affected by marital infidelity is a process that goes through the path of emotional regulation and creating balance and equilibrium in the relationship, roles, and emotional bond of the couples. This model can be helpful for couple therapists who carry out clinical and counseling activities in the field of extramarital relationships.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

Abrahamson, I., Hussain, R., Khan, A., & Schofield, M. J. (2012). What helps couples rebuild their relationship after infidelity? Journal of Family Issues, 33(11), 1494–1519. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X11424257
Asayesh, M. H., & Golpasha, E. (2022). Relationship quality between partners following infidelity in the absence of renewed love. In T. DeLecce & T. K. Shackelford. The Oxford handbook of infidelity. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197502891.013.25
Asayesh, M. H., & Parsakia, K. (2025a). Paradoxical Timetable Therapy and Psychological Problems: Mechanisms of Change and Implications. Mental Health and Lifestyle Journal, 3(3), 1-21. https://mhljournal.com/index.php/mhlj/article/view/93
Asayesh, M. H., & Parsakia, K. (2025b). Paradoxical Therapy in Couple and Family Therapy: Mechanisms of Change and Implications. KMAN Counseling & Psychology Nexus, 3, 1-14. https://journals.kmanpub.com/index.php/psychnexus/article/view/4466
Atkins, D. C., Eldridge, K. A., Baucom, D. H., & Christensen, A. (2005). Infidelity and Behavioral Couple Therapy: Optimism in the Face of Betrayal. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 73(1), 144–150. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.73.1.144
Atkins, D. C., Marín, R. A., Lo, T. T., Klann, N., & Hahlweg, K. (2010). Outcomes of couples with infidelity in a community-based sample of couple therapy. J Fam Psychol, 24(2), 212-6. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0018789
Barraca, J., Polanski, T., Duarte‑Díaz, A., & Perestelo‑Pérez, L. (2025). Acceptance and commitment therapy for couples: A systematic review and meta‑analysis. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 35, 100867. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcbs.2024.100867
Carson, G. D., Reubens, P., & Shapiro, S. (2022). Integrative trauma treatment: Expanding the psychoanalytic frame. International Journal of Integrative Psychotherapy, 13(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.24926/ijip.v13i1.205 integrative-journal.com
Christensen, A., & Doss, B. D. (2017). Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy. Curr Opin Psychol, -(13), 111-114. doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2016.04.022.
Feyzi, F., & Anasseri, M. (2025). The Effectiveness of the Paradoxical Timetable Cure on Self-Objectification and the Experience of Close Relationships in Women with Low Psychological Capital Diagnosed with Anuptaphobia. Iranian Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders,4(1),21-7. doi:10.61838/kman.jndd.4.1.3.
Fife, S. T., Gossner, J. D., Theobald, A., Allen, E., Rivero, A., & Koehl, H. (2023). Couple healing from infidelity: A grounded theory study. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 40(4). https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075231177874
Fincham, F. D., & May, R. W. (2017). Infidelity in romantic relationships. Current Opinion in Psychology, -(13), 70–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2016.03.008
Frederick, D. A., & Fales, M. R. (2014). Upset Over Sexual versus Emotional Infidelity Among Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Heterosexual Adults. Arch Sex Behav, 45(1),175-91. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-014-0409-9
Gall, M. D., Borg, W. R., & Gall, J. P. (1996). Educational research: An introduction. Longman: gettextbooks.
Garcia-Sanchez, M., Rodriguez, P., & Martinez, L. (2024). Cultural dimensions of marital satisfaction: A 20-nation study. Cross-Cultural Research, 58(1), 45-67. https://doi.org/10.1177/10693971231198765
Goldenberg, I., & Goldenberg, H. (2023). Family therapy: An overview . Cengage Learning.
Gordon, K. C., Baucom, D. H., & Snyder, D. K. (2004). An Integrative Intervention for Promoting Recovery From Extramarital Affairs. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 30(2), 213–231. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-0606.2004.tb01235.x
Gordon, K.C., Baucom, D.H., & Snyder, D.K. (2005). Treating couples recovering from infidelity: an integrative approach. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 61(11), 1393-405. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.20189
Hashemizadeh, F. S., Atashpour, H., & Farhadi, H. (2024). Differential Effects of Existentialism Paradox Time Table Cure (PTC) and Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) on Family Adaptability and Emotional Self-Regulation. RJMS, 31(1),1- 17. URL: http://rjms.iums.ac.ir/article-1-8486-fa.html
Heintzelman, A., Murdock, N. L., Krycak, R. C., & Seay, L. (2014). Recovery from infidelity: Differentiation of self, trauma, forgiveness, and posttraumatic growth among couples in continuing relationships. Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice, 3(1), 13– 29. https://doi.org/10.1037/cfp0000016
Irvine, T. J., Peluso, P. R., Benson, K., Cole, C., Cole, D., Gottman, J. M., & Schwartz Gottman, J. (2023). A Pilot Study Examining the Effectiveness of Gottman Method Couples Therapy Over Treatment-as-Usual Approaches for Treating Couples Dealing with Infidelity. The Family Journal, 32(1), 81- 94. https://doi.org/10.1177/10664807231210123 (Original work published 2024)
Jesus, S., & Garrido, P. (2024). Therapeutic paradox in family therapy: A return to symptom prescription. Open Access Library Journal, 11, e12495. https://doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1112495
Joudari, R., & Anasseri, M. (2024). Effectiveness of Paradoxical Couple Therapy on Self-Differentiation and Marital Intimacy in Couples with Marital Conflict. Applied Family Therapy Journal (AFTJ), 5(5), 218- 226. https://doi.org/10.61838/kman.aftj.5.5.25
Kachadourian, L. K., Smith, B. N., Taft, C. T., & Vogt, D. (2015). The impact of infidelity on combat‐exposed service members. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 28(5), 418- 425. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22033
Knight, A. (2010). Gender differences in defining infidelity. A thesis presented. In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree master of arts. https://scholarworks.calstate.edu/downloads/fb494b67x
Maldonado-Duran, J.M., Sauceda-Garcia, J.M. (2025). Paradoxical Interventions and Cybernetic Interactions in Family Therapy. Handbook of Child and Adolescent Development and Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-98319-1_27
Možina, M., & Verbnik, Š. (2021). Common factors in couple and family therapy. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/354089915_Common_factors_in_couple_and_family_therapy
Olson, D. H. (2000). ENRICH couples inventory: A guide for couples assessment and development. Life Innovations.
Onsy, E., & Amer, M. M. (2014). Attitudes Toward Seeking Couples Counseling among Egyptian Couples: Towards a Deeper Understanding of Common Marital Conflicts and Marital Satisfaction. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 140, 470- 475. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042814033813
Peluso, P. R. (Ed.). (2007). Infidelity: A practitioner’s guide to working with couples in crisis. Routledge.
Salamino, F., & Gusmini, E. (2025). Case Report: Keeping the Milan approach legacy alive? Paradox and counterparadox working therapeutically with non-suicidal self-injury. Frontiers in child and adolescent psychiatry, 4, 1657395. https://doi.org/10.3389/frcha.2025.1657395
Schmeing, J., Beisel, S., & Kessler, H. (2013). Neural activity during free association to conflict-related sentences. Psychodynamic Psychiatry, 41(3), 380- 405. https://doi.org/10.1521/pdps.2013.41.3.380 PubMed
Song, J. Y., Enright, R. D., & Kim, J. J. (2025). Definitional drift within the science of forgiveness: The dangers of avoiding philosophical analyses. Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology, 45(1), 3–24. https://doi.org/10.1037/teo0000278
Sun Chung, M. (2014). Pathways between attachment and marital satisfaction: The mediating roles of rumination, empathy, and forgiveness. Personality and Individual Differences, 70, 246- 251. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2014.06.032
Teymori, Z., Mojtabaie, M., & Rezazadeh, S. M. R. (2020). The effectiveness of emotionally focused therapy on emotion regulation, anger rumination, and marital intimacy in women affected by spouse infidelity. Caspian Journal of Health Research, 5(4), 78-82. https://cjhr.gums.ac.ir/article-1-177-en.pdf
Townley, G., Brown, M., & Sylvestre, J. (2018). Community Psychology and Community Mental Health: A Call for Reengagement. Am J Community Psychol, 61(1-2),3-9. https://doi.org.10.1002/ajcp.12225
Wade, N. G., Hoyt, W. T., Kidwell, J. E. M., & Worthington, E. L., Jr. (2014). Efficacy of psychotherapeutic interventions to promote forgiveness: A meta-analysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 82(1), 154-170. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035268.
Walravens, G., & Rober, P. (2024). Relational recovery after infidelity as a dual process: A model based on the experiences of female injured partners. Fam Process, 63(1),151-162. doi:10.1111/famp.12857.
Wang, D. (Adam)., Hagger, M. S., & Chatzisarantis, N. L. D. (2020). Ironic Effects of Thought Suppression: A Meta-Analysis. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 15(3), 778- 793. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691619898795 (Original work published 2020)
Worthington, E. L. Jr., Nation, J. A., & Wertheim, E. H. (2018). Evaluation of an online self‑help version of the REACH forgiveness program: Outcomes and predictors of persistence in a community sample. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 74(6), 819-838. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22557

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics