Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
Department of Counseling, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
Abstract
Mentalizing is a fundamental capacity for understanding one's own and others' mental states, playing a crucial role in the formation of romantic relationships. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Mentalization-Based Intervention (MBI) and Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) on mentalizing capacity and emotional style in couples. A single-case research design was employed, and the sample consisted of six couples, selected voluntarily, who were then randomly assigned to either the mentalization-based intervention or emotionally focused therapy group. Data were collected using the Mentalizing Questionnaire by Dimitrijević et al. (2017) and the Emotional Style Questionnaire by Kesebir et al. (2019) and analyzed through visual analysis, Reliable Change Index (RCI), and percentage improvement formula. The results indicated that both interventions were effective in enhancing mentalizing capacity and emotional style in couples; however, the mentalization-based intervention had a greater impact on mentalizing capacity, whereas emotionally focused therapy showed a stronger effect on emotional style. The findings indicated differences in the pattern of effectiveness of the two interventions across the cognitive and emotional domains of couples’ relationships.
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