A Comparative Analysis of Emotionally Focused and Solution-Focused Couple Therapies: Impact on Intimacy and Emotional Empathy in Marital Conflict Resolution

Background and Objective: Marital conflict significantly impacts couples' well-being, and both intimacy and emotional empathy are vital components of healthy relationships, thus necessitating effective therapeutic interventions. The present study aimed to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFCT) or Solution-Focused Couple Therapy (SFCT) in improving intimacy and emotional empathy among couples experiencing marital conflict. Materials and Methods: A quasi-experimental design, utilizing a pretest-posttest control group methodology, was employed in this study. The target population encompassed all couples presenting with marital conflict and seeking services at family counseling centers within Ahvaz City, Iran, during 2024. Participants, a total of 45 individuals, were recruited via convenience sampling and subsequently randomized into experimental or control groups (n=15 per group). Experimental groups received either EFCT or SFCT, each administered in eight 90-min sessions. Data were analyzed through the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) using the SPSS (version 26) software. Results: The results demonstrated that both EFCT and SFCT yielded significant improvements in intimacy and emotional empathy among couples with marital conflict at the post-test assessment, relative to the control group (P<0.01, η²=0.30 for intimacy, η²=0.31 for emotional empathy). Moreover, a comparative analysis of the two therapeutic modalities revealed statistically significant differences in their effects on changes in intimacy and emotional empathy, with EFCT exhibiting a greater magnitude of effect across the measured variables (P<0.01). Conclusion: This study confirms that both EFCT and SFCT significantly improve intimacy and emotional empathy in couples with marital conflict, with EFCT demonstrating a greater effect size. While both therapies are clinically applicable, these findings suggest EFCT may be particularly effective for fostering deep emotional connection, and future research should explore the specific mechanisms and long-term effects of these treatments.