Comparison of Effectiveness of Systematic Motivational Counseling and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Conflict Resolution Styles of Incompatible Marital Woman

Abstract

Aim and Background: Systematic Motivational Counseling (SMC) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), with emphasis on motivational structure modification, and the acceptance of life’s problems, can improve conflict resolution styles of incompatible marital women. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of SMC and ACT on conflict resolution styles of incompatible marital women. Methods and Materials: The method of this study was semi-experimental method with pre-test and post-test design and three-month follow-up. The statistical population of the study consisted of all incompatible women who referred to counseling centers in Arak city in 2018. Therefore, 36 participants were selected and randomly assigned to two test groups and one control. Data were collected in the pre-test, post-test and follow-up stages with Rahim Organizational Conflict Inventory-II (ROCI-II). The experimental group members participated separately in 10 SMC sessions and 12 ACT sessions after running the pre-test. For data analysis, analysis of variance with repeated measures test were used. Findings: The results indicated that the effect of SMC and ACT on conflict resolution styles was significant and stable (p<0.05). Furthermore, there was significant difference between the effectiveness of SMC and ACT on avoidance and compromise styles (p<0.05). Conclusions: SMC and ACT interventions can be effective in improving the conflict resolution styles of incompatible marital women.

Keywords

• acceptance and commitment therapy
• conflict resolution
• systematic motivational counseling
• women