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:: Volume 35, Issue 2 (summer 2025) ::
MEDICAL SCIENCES 2025, 35(2): 180-190 Back to browse issues page
The effectiveness of emotion-focused couple therapy on sexual intimacy and life satisfaction of couples with spouses with breast cancer
Roya Rashidi zadeh1 , Masoumeh Roshany Golanbar1 , Hadi Smkhani Akbarinejhad2
1- PhD Student in Family, University of Tehran Aras International Campus, Tehran, Iran
2- Department of Psychology, University College of Nabi Akram, Tabriz, Iran , hadiakbarinejhad@yahoo.com
Abstract:   (243 Views)
Background: Facing breast cancer has a negative effect on couples' relationships. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of emotion- focused couple therapy (EFCT) on sexual intimacy and life satisfaction in couples with a spouses with breast cancer.
Materials and methods: This study was semi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest and follow-up with a control group design. The statistical population of the study was made up of all women with breast cancer in Tabriz and their spouses who visited at Al-Zahra Hospital in Tabriz in 2023. In total, 16 couples were selected by targeted available sampling method, and randomly divided into two experimental (8 couples) and control (8 couples) groups. The intervention group received EFCT in 10 sessions of 1.5 hours (two and a half months, one session per week) as a group; but the control group did not receive any intervention. Both groups answered the Bagaroozi's 30-question sexual intimacy and the Diener et al's 48-question life satisfaction questionnaires at before, after and 4 months after the intervention. Data were analyzed with repeated-measures analysis of variance.
Results: The results showed that the EFCT increased the sexual intimacy and life satisfaction in couples with a spouses with breast cancer in the post-test compared to the control group (P<0.001). The effect of EFCT on sexual intimacy and life satisfaction was lasting in the follow-up phase (P<0.001).
Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that emotion- focused couple therapy has increased sexual intimacy and life satisfaction in couples with a spouse with breast cancer.
 
Keywords: Emotion- focused couple therapy, Sexual intimacy, Life satisfaction, Breast cancer
Full-Text [PDF 866 kb]   (66 Downloads)    
Semi-pilot: Semi-pilot | Subject: psychology
Received: 2024/05/13 | Accepted: 2024/06/8 | Published: 2025/05/31
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Rashidi zadeh R, Roshany Golanbar M, Smkhani Akbarinejhad H. The effectiveness of emotion-focused couple therapy on sexual intimacy and life satisfaction of couples with spouses with breast cancer. MEDICAL SCIENCES 2025; 35 (2) :180-190
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Volume 35, Issue 2 (summer 2025) Back to browse issues page
فصلنامه علوم پزشکی دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد پزشکی تهران Medical Science Journal of Islamic Azad Univesity - Tehran Medical Branch
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