Comparison of the Effectiveness of Compassion-Focused Therapy and Domestic Violence-Focused Couple Therapy on Marital Burnout and Emotion Regulation in Women Affected by Domestic Violence in Dezful

Mohammad Hossein  Sabzeghaba; Fariba Hafezi; Fatemeh  Sadat Marashian

Authors

Mohammad Hossein Sabzeghaba Department of Psychology, Ahv.C., Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0009-0001-3786-2638
Fariba Hafezi Department of Psychology, Ahv.C., Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran Corresponding Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7453-8327
Fatemeh Sadat Marashian Department of Psychology, Ahv.C., Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0009-0004-6316-7040

Keywords:

emotion regulation, domestic violence, marital burnout, couple therapy, self-compassion

Abstract

The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of compassion-focused therapy and domestic violence-focused couple therapy on marital burnout and emotion regulation among women affected by domestic violence in Dezful. This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest–posttest control group. The statistical population consisted of all women who had experienced domestic violence and attended psychological centers in Dezful in 2026. A total of 45 participants were selected through convenience sampling and subsequently assigned, using simple randomization, to two experimental groups and one control group. The first experimental group (n = 15) received compassion-focused therapy, the second experimental group (n = 15) received domestic violence-focused couple therapy, and the control group (n = 15) received no intervention. The research instruments were the Marital Burnout Measure (Pines, 1996) and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (Gross & John, 2003). Data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analyses of covariance (ANCOVA and MANCOVA) and the Bonferroni post hoc test. The findings indicated that both therapeutic interventions had significant effects on marital burnout and emotion regulation (p < .001). The results of the Bonferroni test showed that domestic violence-focused couple therapy produced a greater effect on marital burnout (12.12) than compassion-focused therapy. Likewise, the Bonferroni test indicated that domestic violence-focused couple therapy was more effective than compassion-focused therapy in improving emotion regulation (2.92). The findings underscore the importance of implementing both therapeutic approaches to reduce marital burnout and improve emotion regulation among women affected by domestic violence.

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