The Efficacy of Mode Inactivation Therapy in Reducing Marital Burnout and the Intent to Divorce among Spouses of Men Recovered from Addiction

Objective:The objective of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of mode inactivation therapy on marital burnout and divorce intention in wives of men who have recovered from addiction.Method This quasi-experimental study employed a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design, including a control group.The study population consisted of all wives of men who had recovered from addiction in Isfahan, Iran, in 2023.From this population, 40 individuals were selected using purposive sampling and randomly assigned to two groups: the experimental group (n=20) and the control group (n=20).Participants in both groups completed the couple burnout measurement and the separation tendency scale at the pre-test, post-test, and follow-up stages.Mode inactivation therapy was administered to the experimental group in eight 90-minute sessions, with one session conducted each week.Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance.Results: The results indicated a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of marital burnout and divorce intention.Specifically, mode inactivation therapy resulted in a reduction of marital burnout and divorce intention in the experimental group, with treatment effects sustained at the follow-up stage.Conclusion: It is recommended that mental health and addiction specialists implement this intervention as an effective strategy for alleviating psychological issues in wives of men who have recovered from addiction.