Comparison of the effectiveness of enhanced cognitive-behavioral couple therapy on emotional self-regulation and couple burnout of self-assigned and court-referred incompatible couples

This study aimed to investigate the comparative effectiveness of enhanced cognitive-behavioral couple therapy (ECBCT) on emotional self-regulation and couple burnout in incompatible couples. The study hypothesizes that ECBCT is efficacious in emotional self-regulation and marital burnout of incompatible Iranian couples (self-assigned and court-referred) visiting counseling centers. Twenty-eight Iranian couples were divided into four groups (two self-assigned and court-referred experimental groups and two self-assigned and court-referred control groups) who were selected using the available sampling. The experimental groups were subjected to ECBCT, while the control groups received no therapy. Over time, there was an improvement in emotional self-regulation and marital burnout in experimental groups compared with control groups. This intervention was more efficacious for the self-assigned couples of the experimental group according to the Eta coefficient, which was 71 for emotional self-regulation and 66 for marital burnout. ECBCT helps couples improve their emotional self-regulation and couple burnout.