The Effectiveness of Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy in Restoring Emotional Bonds, Reducing Defensiveness, and Enhancing Attachment Security among Couples on the Verge of Divorce
Keywords:
Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy, emotional bond, defensiveness, attachment security, divorce, qualitative research, thematic analysisAbstract
Objective: This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of couples on the verge of divorce regarding the effectiveness of Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy in restoring emotional bonds, reducing defensiveness, and enhancing attachment security.
Methods and Materials: This qualitative study was conducted using thematic analysis. The participants included 18 individuals, representing 9 couples, who had referred to family counseling centers in Tehran due to severe marital conflict, relational burnout, or divorce intention and had experienced Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy. Participants were selected through purposive sampling, and recruitment continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. Data were collected exclusively through semi-structured individual and couple interviews. Each interview lasted approximately 45 to 75 minutes. After obtaining informed consent, interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using NVivo software. To enhance trustworthiness, member checking, peer review, analytic memoing, and constant comparison of codes were applied.
Findings: Data analysis resulted in four main categories: “recognition of attachment needs and restoration of the emotional bond,” “reduction of defensiveness and exit from the blame–withdraw cycle,” “enhancement of emotional accessibility, responsiveness, and engagement,” and “reconstruction of trust and informed decision-making about the relationship.” Participants reported that Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy shifted their focus from accusation, control, and self-protection toward vulnerability, emotional needs, and empathic responsiveness. The most salient perceived outcomes included reduced defensive reactions, increased ability to identify and express primary emotions, and reframing conflict as a protest against emotional disconnection rather than evidence of relational failure.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy may provide a therapeutic context in which couples on the verge of divorce can transform defensive interactional patterns into vulnerable emotional dialogue, mutual responsiveness, and renewed attachment security.
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