Comparison of the Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Couple Therapy and Intensive Solution-Focused Couple Therapy on Intolerance of Uncertainty and Generalized Anxiety in Infertile Women

Sara Banafshe Ghouchan Atigh; Ahmad  Mansouri; Mustafa  Bolghan-Abadi

Authors

Sara Banafshe Ghouchan Atigh Ph.D. Student, Department of Psychology, Ne.C., Islamic Azad University, Neyshabur,Iran Author https://orcid.org/0009-0000-9240-8588
Ahmad Mansouri Department of Psychology, Ne.C., Islamic Azad University, Neyshabur, Iran Corresponding Author https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3944-4082
Mustafa Bolghan-Abadi Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran. Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5916-8217

Keywords:

generalized anxiety, intolerance of uncertainty, solution-focused therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, infertile women

Abstract

Objective: The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral couple therapy and intensive solution-focused couple therapy in reducing intolerance of uncertainty and generalized anxiety among infertile women.

Methods and Materials: This experimental study employed a pretest–posttest–follow-up design with a control group. The study sample consisted of 45 infertile couples attending Milad Center in Mashhad in the spring of 2025. Participants were selected using convenience sampling and were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups using a lottery method. Cognitive-behavioral couple therapy was administered in ten 2-hour sessions, whereas intensive solution-focused couple therapy was delivered in six 90-minute sessions. The research instruments included the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale developed by Spitzer et al. (2006) and the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale developed by Carleton et al. (2007). Data were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Findings: The results indicated that both cognitive-behavioral couple therapy and intensive solution-focused couple therapy were effective in reducing intolerance of uncertainty; however, no significant difference was found between the two therapeutic approaches. Regarding generalized anxiety, participants in the intensive solution-focused couple therapy group demonstrated a significant improvement at posttest compared with the control group; however, this effect was not maintained at follow-up (p > .05). Therefore, the findings indicated that intensive solution-focused couple therapy was effective in reducing generalized anxiety among infertile women, although its effectiveness was not sustained over time. Cognitive-behavioral couple therapy, however, did not demonstrate a significant effect on generalized anxiety.

Conclusion: Based on the findings, both cognitive-behavioral couple therapy and intensive solution-focused couple therapy had positive effects on reducing intolerance of uncertainty. Intensive solution-focused couple therapy was effective in reducing generalized anxiety, whereas cognitive-behavioral couple therapy had no significant effect on generalized anxiety.