The effectiveness of Integrative Couple Therapy via Diamond Method on the Quality of Marital Sexual Relationship and Parental Stress in Couples with Children under Three Years’ Old

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Jamshid Shojaei ¹
• Amin Koraei ²
• Zabihollah Abbaspour ³

¹ PhD student, Department of Counseling, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran

² Assistant Professor\Department of Counseling, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran

³ Invited teacher, Department of Counseling, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran / Assistant Professor, Department of Counseling, College of Educational and Psychology, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

10.22067/tpccp.2021.68151.1016

Abstract

Purpose: The transition to parenting period is often accompanied by experiencing joy and fun; however, this stage leads to many changes that may affect individual and marital functions. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of integrated couple therapy via diamond method on the quality of marital sexual relationship and parental stress in couples with very young children.
Methodology: The research method was quasi-experimental with pre-test and post-test design and a control group. The study population was all couples with children less than 3 years’ old who had referred to counseling centers in the city of Behbahan during the year 2020. The sample consisted of 20 couples who were selected by purposive sampling method and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (10 pairs in each group). The members of the experimental group received six 90-minute sessions of the integrative couple therapy via diamond method. Data collection tools included Quality of Marital Sexuality Scale and Parental Stress Scale. Data were analyzed by multivariate and univariate analysis of covariance statistixal method.
Findings: The results showed that there was a significant difference between the two study groups in the variables of marital sexual relationship quality and parental stress. This indicates that the integrated couple therapy with diamond method increases the quality of marital sexual relationship (F=485.944, P<0.05) and reduces parental stress (F=274.647, P<0.05) in couples with very young children.

Keywords

• integrative couple therapy via Diamond method
• Quality of Sex
• Parental Stress

20.1001.1.22516352.1400.11.1.4.2

---

References

Abbaspour, Z., & Chubdari, A. (2020). The Effectiveness of Integrative Couple Therapy via Diamond Method on Psychological Well-Being and Marital Conflict after the Birth of First Child. Journal of Family Research, 16(2), 183-198.

Abbaspour, Z., Salehi, S., & Choobdari, A. (2019). The effectiveness of integrative couple therapy via Diamond method on marital harmony and parenting competence after the birth of first child. Family Counseling and Psychotherapy, 8(2), 97-114.

Abidin, R. R., & Brunner, J. F. (1995). Development of a parenting alliance inventory. Journal of clinical child psychology, 24(1), 31-40.

Bash, A. R. (2016). A treatment model for marital satisfaction in couples with young children. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology,

Ben-Zur, H., Zeigler-Hill, V., & Shackelford, T. (2019). Transactional Model of Stress and Coping. In: Zeigler-Hill V., Shackelford T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences, (pp:  1-4), Springer, Cham.

Berry, J. O., & Jones, W. H. (1995). The parental stress scale: Initial psychometric evidence. Journal of social and personal relationships, 12(3), 463-472.

Cheng, C.-Y., & Li, Q. (2008). Integrative review of research on general health status and prevalence of common physical health conditions of women after childbirth. Women's Health Issues, 18(4), 267-280.

Christensen, A., Atkins, D. C., Yi, J., Baucom, D. H., & George, W. H. (2006). Couple and individual adjustment for 2 years following a randomized clinical trial comparing traditional versus integrative behavioral couple therapy. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 74(6), 1180-1191.

Da Costa, D., Danieli, C., Abrahamowicz, M., Dasgupta, K., Sewitch, M., Lowensteyn, I., & Zelkowitz, P. (2019). A prospective study of postnatal depressive symptoms and associated risk factors in first-time fathers. Journal of affective disorders, 249, 371-377.

Darvill, R., Skirton, H., & Farrand, P. (2010). Psychological factors that impact on women's experiences of first-time motherhood: a qualitative study of the transition. Midwifery, 26(3), 357-366.

De Goede, C., & Greeff, A. (2016). Challenges couples face in managing family routines after the transition to parenthood. Social Work, 52(3), 313-331.

Delicate, A., Ayers, S., & McMullen, S. (2018). A systematic review and meta-synthesis of the impact of becoming parents on the couple relationship. Midwifery, 61, 88-96.

Doss, B. D., & Rhoades, G. K. (2017). The transition to parenthood: Impact on couples’ romantic relationships. Current opinion in psychology, 13, 25-28.

Erol, B., Sanli, O., Korkmaz, D., Seyhan, A., Akman, T., & Kadioglu, A. (2007). A cross-sectional study of female sexual function and dysfunction during pregnancy. The journal of sexual medicine, 4(5), 1381-1387.

Gottman, J. M., & Gottman, J. S. (2008). And baby makes three: The six-step plan for preserving marital intimacy and rekindling romance after baby arrives: Harmony.

Halford, W. K., & Snyder, D. K. (2012). Universal processes and common factors in couple therapy and relationship education. Behavior Therapy, 43(1),1-12.

Hasanzadeh, S. (2012). Parenting stress in mothers with deaf children. Journal of Psychology and Education, 42(1), 51-62.

Jones, D. E., Feinberg, M. E., Hostetler, M. L., Roettger, M. E., Paul, I. M., & Ehrenthal, D. B. (2018). Family and child outcomes 2 years after a transition to parenthood intervention. Family relations, 67(2), 270-286.

Margolin, G., Gordis, E. B., & John, R. S. (2001). Coparenting: a link between marital conflict and parenting in two-parent families. Journal of family Psychology, 15(1), 3-21.

Martins, C. A. (2019). Transition to parenthood: consequences on health and well-being. A qualitative study. Enfermería Clínica (English Edition), 29(4), 225-233.

McBride, H. L., & Kwee, J. L. (2017). Sex after baby: women’s sexual function in the postpartum period. Current Sexual Health Reports, 9(3), 142-149.

Mohtashami, T., Dehkordi, M. A., Chimeh, N., Alipor, A., & Ofoghi, H. (2012). The effect of training of pivotal response treatment to mothers of autistic children on family functioning. Journal of Family Research, 8(3), 273-289.

Neves Carvalho, J. M. d., Ribeiro Fonseca Gaspar, M. F., & Ramos Cardoso, A. M. (2017). Challenges of motherhood in the voice of primiparous mothers: initial difficulties. Investigacion y educacion en enfermeria, 35(3), 285-294.

Ngai, F.-W., & Ngu, S.-F. (2013). Quality of life during the transition to parenthood in Hong Kong: a longitudinal study. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology, 34(4), 157-162.

Post, C. N. (2015). Changes in relationship satisfaction across the transition to parenthood: Baby-proofing marriage through couples therapy: Widener University.

Sadeghi, L., & Samani, S. (2011). Components of couples sexual relationship: A moral perspective. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 30, 1616-1619.

Schlagintweit, H. E., Bailey, K., & Rosen, N. O. (2016). A new baby in the bedroom: Frequency and severity of postpartum sexual concerns and their associations with relationship satisfaction in new parent couples. The journal of sexual medicine, 13(10), 1455-1465.

Sevil, Ü., & Özkan, S. (2009). Fathers’ functional status during pregnancy and the early postnatal period. Midwifery, 25(6), 665-672.

Snyder, D. K., & Balderrama-Durbin, C. (2012). Integrative approaches to couple therapy: Implications for clinical practice and research. Behavior therapy, 43(1), 13-24.

Tallese, D. (2008). Maternity Leave and Employment Patterns of First-Time Mothers: 1961-2003. Current Population Reports US Census Bureau, 70-113.

Vinayak, S., & Dhanoa, S. (2017). Relationship of parental burnout with parental stress and personality among parents of neonates with hyperbilirubinemia. Int. J. Indian Psychol, 4(2), 102-111.

Vismara, L., Rollè, L., Agostini, F., Sechi, C., Fenaroli, V., Molgora, S., . . . Trovato, A. (2016). Perinatal parenting stress, anxiety, and depression outcomes in first-time mothers and fathers: a 3-to 6-months postpartum follow-up study. Frontiers in psychology, 7, 938.

Yıldız, H. (2015). The relation between prepregnancy sexuality and sexual function during pregnancy and the postpartum period: a prospective study. Journal of sex & marital therapy, 41(1), 49-59.