Protocol summary
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Study aim
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Determining the Effectiveness of Emotion‑Based Cognitive‑Behavioral Therapy on Marital Burnout, Marital Stress, and Intimacy in Couples with Marital Conflicts
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Design
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A phase II randomized, double‑blind, parallel‑group clinical trial with a control group will be conducted on 30 couples with marital conflicts. Randomization will be performed using the RAND function in Microsoft Excel.
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Settings and conduct
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In this study, a field experimental research method with a pretest–posttest design and a control group, using parallel groups and a double‑blind procedure, will be employed. The study will be conducted in family counseling centers in Ahvaz. All clinical caregivers and evaluators who interpret the data will be blinded to group allocation, and all information will be kept confidential, with code names assigned to the participants.
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Participants/Inclusion and exclusion criteria
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Inclusion Criteria:
Be between 25 and 50 years old.
Have been married for at least 3 years.
Have marital conflicts.
Have at least a high school diploma.
Be willing to cooperate and participate in the couples therapy sessions.
Exclusion Criteria:
Have psychiatric disorders and use psychiatric medications.
Have physical problems that interfere with the intervention process.
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Intervention groups
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Intervention: Emotion‑Based Cognitive‑Behavioral Couples Therapy approach, in the present study, was designed based on the Emotion‑Based Cognitive‑Behavioral Couples Therapy approach and by integrating Dattilio’s (2010) comprehensive cognitive‑behavioral model and Johnson’s (2008) Emotion‑Focused Couples Therapy protocol. This intervention will be delivered to the couples in the experimental group in 15 sessions of 60 minutes each.
Control group: They will not receive any intervention.
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Main outcome variables
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Marital Burnout; Marital Stress; Intimacy in Couples.
General information
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Reason for update
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The reason for the update is to revise the code of ethics number and its date.
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Acronym
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IRCT registration information
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IRCT registration number:
IRCT20260511069352N1
Registration date:
2026-05-18, 1405/02/28
Registration timing:
prospective
Last update:
2026-06-08, 1405/03/18
Update count:
1
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Registration date
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2026-05-18, 1405/02/28
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Registrant information
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Recruitment status
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Recruitment complete
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Funding source
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Expected recruitment start date
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2026-06-10, 1405/03/20
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Expected recruitment end date
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2026-07-11, 1405/04/20
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Actual recruitment start date
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empty
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Actual recruitment end date
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empty
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Trial completion date
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empty
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Scientific title
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The Effectiveness of Emotion-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy on Marital Burnout, Marital Stress, and Intimacy in Couples with Marital Conflicts
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Public title
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Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
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Purpose
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Education/Guidance
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Inclusion/Exclusion criteria
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Inclusion criteria:
Be between 25 and 50 years old.
Have been married for at least 3 years.
Have marital conflicts.
Have at least a high school diploma.
Be willing to cooperate and participate in the couples therapy sessions.
Exclusion criteria:
Have psychiatric disorders and use psychiatric medications.
Have physical problems that interfere with the intervention process.
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Age
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From 25 years old to 55 years old
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Gender
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Both
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Phase
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N/A
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Groups that have been masked
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- Care provider
- Outcome assessor
- Data analyser
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Sample size
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Target sample size:
60
More than 1 sample in each individual
Number of samples in each individual:
2
Each participant is in fact a couple consisting of one man and one woman.
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Randomization (investigator's opinion)
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Randomized
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Randomization description
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In this study, in order to achieve completely random allocation and to eliminate any researcher interference or bias, a simple randomization method will be used. First, a complete list of couples referring to the counseling center who meet the inclusion criteria of the study will be prepared. Then, an initial numerical identification code will be assigned to each couple. These codes will be entered into a Random Number Generator software. The software will generate a unique random number for each couple. After the numbers are generated, the participants will be listed in ascending order based on their random numbers. Subsequently, in sequence, the first fifteen couples on the list will be assigned to the experimental group and the sixteenth to the thirtieth couples will be assigned to the control group. This procedure will be designed in such a way that the order of entry or the researcher’s familiarity with the participants will have no role in the allocation process, and the group assignment of each participant will not be predictable before the completion of the randomization process.
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Blinding (investigator's opinion)
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Double blinded
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Blinding description
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In this study, in order to reduce bias, blinding will be performed at the level of clinical caregivers, the outcome assessor, and the data analyst. The list of participant allocation to the study groups will be accessible only to the researcher responsible for allocation or to a person who will not be directly involved in the process of outcome assessment and data analysis. Therefore, the clinical caregivers who will provide routine care will remain unaware of the allocation of participants to the study groups. In addition, outcome assessment will be conducted by an individual who will not participate in the group allocation process and will not have access to the allocation list. This assessor will collect and record the data related to the variables under study solely on the basis of participant identification codes, in such a way that he or she will not be aware of each participant’s assignment to the intervention or control group. Furthermore, the data will be coded before entering the statistical analysis stage, and the groups will be identified using neutral labels such as A and B. The statistical analyst will receive the data in the form of these codes and will remain unaware of the actual assignment of the codes to the intervention or control group until the end of the statistical analysis. Unblinding of the groups will be carried out only after completion of the preliminary data analysis.
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Placebo
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Not used
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Assignment
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Parallel
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Other design features
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Ethics committees
1
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Ethics committee
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Approval date
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2026-04-15, 1405/01/26
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Ethics committee reference number
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IR.IAU.AHVAZ.REC.1405.038
Health conditions studied
1
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Description of health condition studied
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Marital conflicts between couples
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ICD-10 code
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Z63.0
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ICD-10 code description
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Problems in relationship with spouse or partner
Primary outcomes
1
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Description
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Marital Burnout
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Timepoint
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before performing the intervention and two weeks after completion of the intervention
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Method of measurement
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Paines’ Marital Burnout Questionnaire (1996)
2
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Description
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Marital Stress
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Timepoint
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before performing the intervention and two weeks after completion of the intervention
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Method of measurement
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Orth‑Gomér et al.’s Marital Stress Questionnaire (2000)
3
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Description
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Marital Intimacy
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Timepoint
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before performing the intervention and two weeks after completion of the intervention
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Method of measurement
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Bagarozzi’s Couples Intimacy Questionnaire (2001)
Intervention groups
1
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Description
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Intervention group: The emotion‑based cognitive‑behavioral couples therapy intervention consists of 15 sessions of 60 minutes each, designed with the aim of improving marital interactions, modifying dysfunctional cognitions, and increasing couples’ awareness and regulation of emotions. This program is implemented by integrating Dattilio’s comprehensive cognitive‑behavioral model (2010) and Johnson’s emotion‑focused couples therapy protocol (2008). In the first session, an effective therapeutic relationship is established with the couples, the framework and goals of the treatment are explained, and an initial assessment of marital problems is conducted. In the second session, the main issues and conflicts affecting marital dissatisfaction are identified and the vulnerable and growth areas in the couples’ relationship are determined. The third session is devoted to teaching the interaction between cognition, emotion, and behavior and their role in shaping couples’ communication patterns. In the fourth session, adaptive behavioral skills are taught in order to increase positive interactions and reduce negative interactions. In the fifth session, couples’ expectations, attributions, assumptions, and dysfunctional cognitive distortions are identified and modified. The sixth session examines attachment schemas and internal working patterns and their relationship with couples’ current cognitions and behaviors. In the seventh session, maladaptive attachment schemas and their effects on couples’ emotional, cognitive, and behavioral interactions are modified. The eighth session is devoted to increasing emotional awareness, identifying primary and secondary emotions, and encouraging couples to express authentic emotions. In the ninth session, skills for tolerating and regulating emotions in marital interactions are strengthened. The tenth session addresses the identification of cognitive factors influencing the experience and expression of emotions in the marital relationship. In the eleventh session, cognitive errors affecting mood and marital relationships are corrected through cognitive restructuring. The twelfth session is devoted to teaching communication and problem‑solving skills for managing marital conflicts. In the thirteenth session, the skill of emotional expression and the cognitive and behavioral barriers to effective communication are examined, and strategies for preventing the decline of intimacy are taught. In the fourteenth session, the learned cognitive, behavioral, and emotional skills are practiced and generalized. In the fifteenth session, the therapeutic process is summarized, the extent of couples’ changes is evaluated, and strategies for maintaining the improvement of marital relationships are presented. This therapeutic program will be implemented for the couples in the experimental group in 15 sessions of 60 minutes each.
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Category
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Behavior
2
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Description
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Control group: They do not receive any intervention or treatment.
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Category
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N/A
1
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Sponsor
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Grant name
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Grant code / Reference number
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Is the source of funding the same sponsor organization/entity?
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Yes
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Title of funding source
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Islamic Azad University
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Proportion provided by this source
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100
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Public or private sector
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Private
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Domestic or foreign origin
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Domestic
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Category of foreign source of funding
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empty
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Country of origin
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Type of organization providing the funding
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Academic
Sharing plan
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Deidentified Individual Participant Data Set (IPD)
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No - There is not a plan to make this available
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Justification/reason for indecision/not sharing IPD
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Participant data is completely confidential and I do not intend to publish it.
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Study Protocol
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Undecided - It is not yet known if there will be a plan to make this available
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Statistical Analysis Plan
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No - There is not a plan to make this available
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Informed Consent Form
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Undecided - It is not yet known if there will be a plan to make this available
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Clinical Study Report
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Undecided - It is not yet known if there will be a plan to make this available
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Analytic Code
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No - There is not a plan to make this available
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Data Dictionary
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No - There is not a plan to make this available