Effectiveness of Couple Therapy by Hendrix Imago Therapy Method on Improving communication patterns and Reducing Emotional Divorce

Introduction: The family is meeting the needs of its members and divorce applicant couples have many problems especially in communication patterns and emotional divorce. The aimed this research was determine the effectiveness of couple therapy by Hendrix imago therapy method on improving communication patterns and reducing emotional divorce. Methods: Present research was a semi-experimental with a pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The research population was included divorce applicant couples referring to court counseling center of Bushehr city in the autumn season of 2017 year. The research sample was 40 couple that were selected by available sampling method and randomly assigned to two equal groups (each group 20 couple). The experimental group trained couple therapy by Hendrix imago therapy method for 10 sessions of 90 minutes (two sessions a week). The groups responded to communication patterns and emotional divorce questionnaires in pre-test and post-test phases. To analyze the data was used from multivariate analysis of covariance method. Results: The findings showed there was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in communication patterns and emotional divorce. In other words, couple therapy by Hendrix imago therapy method led to increase constructive communication pattern and decrease avoidance and demand/retiring communication patterns and emotional divorce in divorce applicant couples (p<0/05). Conclusions: The results indicate the effectiveness of couple therapy by Hendrix imago therapy method on communication patterns and emotional divorce in divorce applicant couples. Therefore, counselors and therapists can be used from couple therapy by Hendrix imago therapy method to improve communication patterns and reduce emotional divorce of divorce applicant couples.