EFCT Vs. BCT for Depression and Anxiety in Married Couples

Launched by BEYKOZ UNIVERSITY · Mar 21, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how effective two different types of therapy are in helping married couples who are dealing with depression and anxiety. The researchers want to compare Emotion-Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT) and Behavioral Couples Therapy (BCT) to see which one helps reduce symptoms of these mental health issues better. They are looking for married couples aged 18 to 65 who have been married for at least a year and are experiencing high levels of depression and anxiety. To participate, couples must not be currently receiving any other psychological treatment and should be able to commit to weekly therapy sessions for 12 weeks.

If eligible, couples will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: one receiving EFCT, one receiving BCT, or a control group that won't receive therapy. Participants will complete assessments before starting therapy, after the sixth and twelfth sessions, and again three months later to measure their progress. This study aims to provide valuable insights into which therapy might be more effective in improving mental health for couples facing these challenges. If you think you or someone you know might be interested in participating, this could be a great opportunity to get support together.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Married couples aged between 18 and 65 years
• • Married for at least one year
• • No current psychiatric diagnosis or history of psychiatric treatment
• • Not receiving any form of psychological therapy at the time of recruitment
• • Ability to provide informed consent
• • Willingness to participate in all therapy sessions and assessments
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Current or past psychiatric diagnosis (excluding mild transient conditions)
• • Ongoing psychological therapy or psychiatric treatment
• • Severe mental health disorders (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder), Substance abuse or dependency
• • Severe medical conditions that may interfere with participation
• • Refusal to participate in follow-up assessments