The Effect of Solution-Focused Couple Therapy on Communication Patterns and Flexibility in Divorce Applicant Couples

Introduction: Satisfactory marital relations are the basis of the proper performance of families; it leads to qualification development, increased compatibility power, and adaptability among family members.  Objectives: The present study aimed to determine the effect of Solution-Focused Couple Therapy (SFCT) on communicational patterns and flexibility in divorce applicant couples. Materials and Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test/ post-test and a control group design. The statistical population of the present study included all divorce applicant couples referring to the Marham clinic of Sari City, Iran, in the second half of the year 2017. Of them, 32 people were selected by purposive sampling method. To collect data, we used the Communication Patterns Questionnaire (CPQ) by Christensen and Sullaway (1984) and the Flexibility Inventory of Dennis and Vander Wal (2010). as the obtained data we analyzed using descriptive statistical methods, including frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. Besides, we employed the Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) and t-test to investigate the hypotheses in SPSS. Additionally, the Scheffe posthoc test was used for the two-by-two comparison of the groups.  Results: The present study results revealed that the experimental and control groups significantly differed in the solution-focused technique, and the male demands/female withdraws (t=2.44, P≤0.000) and mutual constructive communication (t=8.39, P≤0.000) subcomponents. The effect of training solution-focused technique on flexibility (F=55.63, P<0.001), alternative (F=57.85, P<0.001), control (F=17.27, P<0.001), and alternatives for human behavior (F=26.56, P<0.001) of the study subjects was statistically significant.  Conclusion: SFCT affects communicational patterns and flexibility in divorce applicant couples. It is suggested that SFCT be the priority of clinical interventions to increase communicational patterns and flexibility in divorce applicant couples.