The Effect of Integrative Therapies Based on the Regulation of Cognitive, Emotional, and Behavioral Mediators on Marital Adaptation: A Systematic Review

Context: Marital adjustment is necessary for ensuring the well-being and continuity of mutual relationships. It encompasses a wide range of experiences required for cohabitation, such as satisfaction, agreement, and expressing emotions. The importance of marital adjustment has been the focus of various therapeutic approaches, and it has been long considered by researchers in the context of communicative skills. Evidence Acquisition: Due to the inter-theoretical and multi-dimensional nature of marital communication and adaptation, this study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of integrative therapies based on the regulation of the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral mediators on marital adaptation. Data Sources: In this systematic review, English articles published from March 2005 to March 2021 in databases including Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were extracted. Also, to find the articles published in Persian, databases including Scientific Information Database (SID) and Magiran were searched from January 2021 to April 2021. Results: A total of 20 studies were included for analysis. The results of the systematic review showed the usefulness of integrative couple therapies with the continuation of therapeutic effects in more than two months of follow-up. Conclusions: Although the effectiveness of integrative approaches in improving the couple s adaptation and communication components were confirmed in the reviewed studies, most of the studies provided no evidence regarding the effective variables in the therapeutic interventions and the related procedure. Therefore, more precise studies are required to make a more accurate judgment on their credibility.