The effect of communication skills training on marital intimacy and marital conflict among young couples: An experimental study

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of communication skills training on improving marital intimacy and reducing marital conflicts among young couples using a cognitive behavioural therapy approach. Data were collected from a sample of 20 couples in Iran who were selected by purposive sampling method. To select them, first, they had to complete at least 2 years of marriage and, second, they should be willing to voluntarily participate in our training course. The selected sample was divided into experiment and control groups using the random assignment method based on a pre-test–post-test plan. The experimental group was trained in communication skills training via 8 weekly based sessions. During this period, no intervention was given to the control group. The hypothesis analyses using the covariance analysis showed that the communication skills training enhanced marital intimacy and reduced marital conflicts in all levels. The findings showed that CBT-based communication skills training can positively affect the family relationship between young couples.

Keywords: Communication skills, marital intimacy, marital conflicts, couple, training.