The effectiveness of self-differentiation training on improving family process and content in demanding couples of contested divorce

Aim: The purpose of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of self-differentiation training on improving family process and content in demanding couples with contested divorce. Methods: A quasi-experimental design with pre-test, post-test and two-months follow-up with control group was used. The statistical population included couples who mutually consented for divorce, and had referred to the counselling clinic of Behravan in Qazvin in 2018. Ten couples (20 participants) were selected through purposeful sampling and assigned in experimental and control groups. Research tools included Samani’s (2008) family process and content questionnaire. Self-differentiation was administered for the experimental group in 10 weekly 90-minute sessions. The changes of family process and content was measured in posttest and follow-up and data were analyzed by repeated measurement. Results: Results indicated that self-differentiation significantly have promoted family process (P<0.01, F=21.14) and family content (P<0.01, F= 23.32). This effect was observed in follow-up, and four couples gave up the divorce requests (P>0.01, t= 0.01). Conclusion: self-differentiation training, thorough empowering couples, helps in moderating between reason and emotions; while differentiaton of self from original family, affects the functions of family process and content. Therefore, it can be used as an efficient psycho-educational package for improving the functions of family process and content in divorce demanding couples, and may helpprevent divorce.