Efficacies of Integrative Behavioural Couple Therapy (Ibct) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Cbt) in Reducing Marital Distress among Pentecostal Christian Couples in Central Region, Ghana

Abstract

The level of marital distress in Ghana has become an issue of concern to stakeholders as distressed couples are resorting to separation or divorce. The purpose of this study was therefore to ascertain whether using Integrative Behavioural Couples Therapy (CBT) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (IBCT) as intervention strategies could reduce marital distress of Christians in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana. The study was carried out using the pre-test, post-test, control group design, a type of quasi-experimental research. The researcher selected 60 respondents who were severely distressed out of 215 married couples using a compendium of instruments on Conceptualising and Measuring “Healthy Marriages” for Empirical Research and Evaluation Studies (Task One Part II), developed by Carreno, Cleveland, Bronte-Tinkew and Moore (2003). Participants were put into three groups of 20 each, two for the treatment groups (CBT and EBCT) and the third one for the control group. A purposive sampling technique was used to select married couples while simple random sampling procedure was used to place the respondents into the three groups. Data was analyesd using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study revealed that IBCT and CBT therapies were found to be effective in reducing marital distress in the Cape Coast Metropolis. Also, it was found out that the level of marital distress of participants reduced further with Integrative Behavioural Couples Therapy (IBCT) as compared to using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). The study recommended that marriage counsellors should resort to the use of Integrative Behavioural Couples Therapy (IBCT) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in assisting married couples out of marital distress and other challenges confronting married couples. The Ghana Psychological Association, the Ghana Psychological Council, the Counsellors Association of Ghana and the Christian Council of Ghana should intensify the use of Integrative Behavioural Couples Therapy (IBCT) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in assisting clients out of challenges.