Effectiveness of group counseling based on choice theory on increasing intimacy and marital satisfaction and reducing marital conflicts in married women

Introduction: Marriage is described as the most important and the most basic human relationship. Increasing intimacy and marital satisfaction and reducing marital conflicts are among the most important components of a stable marriage. Counselling and therapies based on choice theory have been used as one of the effective methods on improving stable marriage components. This study was performed to determine the effect of group counselling based on choice theory on increasing intimacy and marital satisfaction and reducing marital conflicts in married women in the city of Bandar Abbas. Methods: This research was semi-experimental, with pre-test and post-test design with control group. The statistical population included married women referred to consulting centers in Bandar Abbas and volunteered to participate in group counselling. So, 45 of these individuals, after personal interviews, were selected, and randomly placed in the experimental and the control groups. The two groups were subjected to research questionnaires (including marital intimacy, marital satisfaction, and marital conflicts questionnaires), before the experiment. Group counselling based on choice theory sessions were held, and after eight weeks, the questionnaires were filled by both groups again. Data was analyzed using single - and multi-variable covariance analysis test and the Tukey post hoc test. Results: Findings showed that group counselling based on Choice Theory caused an increase in intimacy and marital satisfaction, and a decrease in marital conflicts in married women in the experimental group compared to the control group (P<0.01 and P<0.05). Conclusion: According to the results, it can be said that group counselling based on Choice Theory has a considerable effect on the improvement of marital relations between couples.