The effectiveness of couple therapy based on the Emotional Integration System (EIS) model on marital infidelity tendency, parenting stress, and emotional flexibility in women with experience of spousal abuse

To determine the effectiveness of Couple therapy based on the emotional integration system model on marital infidelity tendency, parenting stress, and emotional flexibility in women with a history of intimate partner violence

A randomized controlled clinical trial with parallel groups and no blinding will be conducted on 30 married women

This study will be conducted in Ahvaz County among married women with a history of intimate partner violence who meet the inclusion criteria. Thirty participants will be selected and randomly allocated, using a random number table, to two groups of 15 participants each, namely an experimental group and a control group. Given the nature of the intervention, blinding will not be implemented in this study. The experimental group will receive couple therapy based on the EIS model, while the control group will remain on a waiting list.

Inclusion criteria: being marriedو obtaining a score of 39 or higher (cutoff) on the Intimate Partner Violence Against Women Questionnaire by Balali and colleagues (2007). Exclusion criteria: Having severe psychiatric disorders, and simultaneous participation in other similar educational or therapeutic programs.

The intervention group: couple therapy based on the emotional integration system model; in the present study, they will receive the intervention based on Johnson's (2004) approach in eight 90-minute sessions, once a week. Control group will receive no intervention.

emotional flexibility

First, a list of all eligible participants who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria for participation in the study will be prepared. The sample size will be selected, and the participants will be randomly allocated to two groups of 15 participants each: an intervention group and a control group. Each participant will then be assigned an identification code according to the order of enrollment. The identification codes will be assigned sequentially, starting from 001. After the participant list is finalized, an independent researcher who will not be involved in participant recruitment, intervention delivery, or outcome assessment will be responsible for conducting the randomization. For this purpose, a random number table will be used to determine the random sequence of the participants’ identification codes. Specifically, numbers will be selected sequentially from a predetermined point in the random number table, and the numbers corresponding to the participants’ identification codes will be extracted. Repeated numbers or numbers outside the range of the participants’ identification codes will be discarded, and this process will continue until all participant codes are arranged in a random, non-repeated sequence. According to the 1:1 allocation ratio, among the 30 participants, the first 15 codes in the randomized sequence will be assigned to the intervention group, and the remaining 15 codes will be assigned to the control group. For example, if the randomized sequence is 018, 004, 027, 011, and so forth, the codes appearing in the first half of the sequence will be assigned to the intervention group, while those appearing in the second half will be assigned to the control group. Therefore, each participant’s assignment to the intervention or control group will be determined according to the randomized position of their identification code in the allocation sequence, rather than on the basis of individual characteristics, order of enrollment, researcher judgment, or participant preference. After the allocation sequence is finalized, the group assignment for each participant will be placed in an opaque, sealed, sequentially numbered envelope, and the envelopes will be arranged according to the participants’ identification codes. Each participant’s envelope will be opened only after completion of the baseline assessment and final confirmation of enrollment in the study, at which point the assigned group will be revealed. Thus, the person responsible for the baseline assessment will remain unaware of the participant’s group assignment until completion of the enrollment process. This procedure will be implemented to maintain allocation concealment, prevent prediction of subsequent group assignments, and minimize the potential for selection bias.

Compliance with ethical research standards and ensuring participant data confidentiality.

As a Master’s thesis

From 2026/09/23 onwards

Other contributors

To advance scientific knowledge and address existing research gaps

Thesis Office, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz Branch

Referring to the Vice Presidency for Research of Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz Branch to obtain the relevant permit, followed by referring to the Thesis Office

Overall, this study is a thesis conducted to obtain a Master’s degree, and its results will be published and made available in the form of a thesis.