Premarital intervention based on attachment and differentiation improves communication and conflict management in Iranian couples

This study examined the effectiveness of a premarital intervention based on the Attachment-Differentiation Premarital Model (ADPM) in enhancing communication patterns and conflict management skills among Iranian engaged couples. The engagement period is a pivotal stage for future marital quality, yet many couples-particularly in collectivist societies like Iran-lack access to structured relational education. In this quasi-experimental study using a pretest-posttest control group design, 40 participants (20 couples) were selected from a university-affiliated counseling center and randomly assigned to either the experimental group (10 couples) or control group (10 couples). All participating couples resided in a married student dormitory and represented various cultural regions of Iran. The experimental group received 8-10 structured ADPM-based sessions, while the control group received no intervention during the study period. Communication patterns were measured using the Couples Communication Patterns Questionnaire (CPQ), and conflict management styles were assessed using the Rahim Organizational Conflict Inventory-II (ROCI-II). Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) revealed significant post-intervention improvements in integrating (F = 21.90, p < 0.001), obliging (F = 19.49, p < 0.001), compromising (F = 8.73, p < 0.01), and dominating (F = 9.53, p < 0.01) communication styles, alongside a significant reduction in avoidance (F = 42.16, p < 0.001). Improvements were also found in constructive conflict communication (F = 8.13, p < 0.01), and reductions were observed in avoidance (F = 13.21, p < 0.001) and demand/withdrawal styles (F = 9.28, p < 0.01). These findings suggest that the ADPM offers a theoretically grounded and culturally responsive framework for premarital education, particularly in contexts where relational autonomy and emotional expression are constrained by traditional norms.