Systemic Couple Therapy for Marital Dynamics and Mental Health
25 de julio de 2026 actualizado por: Tamkeen Saleem, Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University
Systemic Couple Therapy for Enhancement of Marital Dynamics and Mental Health Among Individuals With Depression: A Mixed Method Approach
The goal of this clinical trial (randomized controlled trial within a mixed-method study) is to learn whether Systemic Couple Therapy (SCT) can treat depression and improve relational functioning in married couples where at least one partner is experiencing mild to moderate depression and relational distress.
The main questions it aims to answer are:
- Does Systemic Couple Therapy improve relationship quality, marital communication, dyadic coping, interpersonal functioning, and overall mental health?
- Does Systemic Couple Therapy reduce depressive symptoms compared to Treatment-as-Usual (TAU)? Researchers will compare Systemic Couple Therapy (intervention group) with Treatment-as-Usual (control group) to see if SCT leads to greater improvements in mental health and relational outcomes and greater reduction in depression.
Participants will:
- Complete standardized psychological assessments at baseline, post-treatment (8 weeks), and 3-month follow-up
- Participate in 8 weekly Systemic Couple Therapy sessions (intervention group)
- Receive Treatment-as-Usual such as routine couple therapy services or medication (control group)
Descripción general del estudio
Estado
Aún no reclutando
Condiciones
Intervención / Tratamiento
Tipo de estudio
Intervencionista
Inscripción (Estimado)
48
Fase
- No aplica
Contactos y Ubicaciones
Esta sección proporciona los datos de contacto de quienes realizan el estudio e información sobre dónde se lleva a cabo este estudio.
Estudio Contacto
- Nombre: Tamkeen Saleem, Phd
- Número de teléfono: 923325412281
- Correo electrónico: tamkeen.dcp@stmu.edu.pk
Criterios de participación
Los investigadores buscan personas que se ajusten a una determinada descripción, denominada criterio de elegibilidad. Algunos ejemplos de estos criterios son el estado de salud general de una persona o tratamientos previos.
Criterio de elegibilidad
Edades elegibles para estudiar
- Adulto
Acepta Voluntarios Saludables
No
Descripción
Inclusion Criteria:
Inclusion criteria
- Participant must be 18 years or older to participate in the study.
- At least one partner must meet the diagnostic criteria for depression (mild to moderate) as defined by the DSM-5 TR.
- Participants must be married for at least a year to ensure adequate context for systemic couple therapy.
- Both partners must agree to participate in the study, showing their willingness to engage in the intervention and complete all required assessments.
Exclusion Criteria:
• Participants with severe depression, psychosis, bipolar disorder, or active substance use disorder will be excluded from the study due to potential interference with therapy.
- Participants currently engaged in ongoing individual psychotherapy during the study period will be excluded to avoid confounding treatment effects.
- Additionally, couples will be excluded if there is presence of domestic violence or abuse, as identified during the initial screening or clinical interview, to ensure participant safety.
- Couple who will be undergoing legal separation or divorce proceedings will not be eligible to participate, as the focus of the systemic couple therapy is relational commitment and stability.
Plan de estudios
Esta sección proporciona detalles del plan de estudio, incluido cómo está diseñado el estudio y qué mide el estudio.
¿Cómo está diseñado el estudio?
Detalles de diseño
- Propósito principal: Tratamiento
- Asignación: Aleatorizado
- Modelo Intervencionista: Asignación paralela
- Enmascaramiento: Triple
Armas e Intervenciones
Grupo de participantes/brazo |
Intervención / Tratamiento |
|---|---|
|
Experimental: Systemic Couple Therapy
|
Systemic Couple Therapy for Depressive Sample
|
|
Sin intervención: TAU
Treatment As Usual
|
¿Qué mide el estudio?
Medidas de resultado primarias
Medida de resultado |
Medida Descripción |
Periodo de tiempo |
|---|---|---|
|
Relationship Quality
Periodo de tiempo: Assessed at baseline (after enrollment and prior to intervention), immediately after completion of the 8-week intervention, and 3 months after completion of the intervention.
|
Relationship quality will be measured using the Relationship Quality Scale, a 9-item self-report questionnaire assessing participants' perceptions of the quality of their current relationship.
Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).
Total scores range from 9 to 45, with higher scores indicating better relationship quality.
Assessments will be conducted at baseline (August) after enrollment, post-intervention (8-weeks )(September), and the 3-month follow-up (December).
|
Assessed at baseline (after enrollment and prior to intervention), immediately after completion of the 8-week intervention, and 3 months after completion of the intervention.
|
Medidas de resultado secundarias
Medida de resultado |
Medida Descripción |
Periodo de tiempo |
|---|---|---|
|
Depression
Periodo de tiempo: Assessed at baseline (after enrollment and prior to intervention), immediately after completion of the 8-week intervention, and 3 months after completion of the intervention.
|
Depression severity will be measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, a 9-item self-report questionnaire assessing the frequency of depressive symptoms experienced during the previous two weeks.
Each item is scored from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day).
Total scores range from 0 to 27, with higher scores indicating more severe depressive symptoms.
Assessments will be conducted at baseline (August) after enrollment, post-intervention (8-weeks )(September), and the 3-month follow-up (December).
|
Assessed at baseline (after enrollment and prior to intervention), immediately after completion of the 8-week intervention, and 3 months after completion of the intervention.
|
|
Marital Communication
Periodo de tiempo: Assessed at baseline (after enrollment and prior to intervention), immediately after completion of the 8-week intervention, and 3 months after completion of the intervention.
|
Marital communication is defined as the verbal and nonverbal sharing of information among spouses.
Marital communication will be assessed using the Dyadic Communication Assessment Scale.
The scale consists of 16 items, each rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (Rarely) to 5 (Always).
Total scores range from 16 to 80, with higher scores indicating better and more effective marital communication.
Assessments will be conducted at baseline (August) after enrollment, post-intervention (8-weeks )(September), and the 3-month follow-up (December).
|
Assessed at baseline (after enrollment and prior to intervention), immediately after completion of the 8-week intervention, and 3 months after completion of the intervention.
|
|
Dyadic coping
Periodo de tiempo: Assessed at baseline (after enrollment and prior to intervention), immediately after completion of the 8-week intervention, and 3 months after completion of the intervention.
|
Dyadic coping is the process by which couple assist each other when one or both are under stress.
Dyadic coping will be assessed using the Dyadic Coping Inventory.
The inventory consists of 37 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (very rarely) to 5 (very often).
Total scores range from 37 to 185, with higher scores indicating more effective dyadic coping between partners.
Assessments will be conducted at baseline (August) after enrollment, post-intervention (8-weeks )(September), and the 3-month follow-up (December).
|
Assessed at baseline (after enrollment and prior to intervention), immediately after completion of the 8-week intervention, and 3 months after completion of the intervention.
|
|
Interpersonal relationships
Periodo de tiempo: Assessed at baseline (after enrollment and prior to intervention), immediately after completion of the 8-week intervention, and 3 months after completion of the intervention.
|
Interpersonal relationships will be assessed using the Interpersonal Relationships Rating Scale.
The scale consists of 18 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (completely inconsistent) to 5 (completely consistent).
Total scores range from 18 to 90, with higher scores indicating better interpersonal relationships and interpersonal functioning.
Assessments will be conducted at baseline (August) after enrollment, post-intervention (8-weeks )(September), and the 3-month follow-up (December).
|
Assessed at baseline (after enrollment and prior to intervention), immediately after completion of the 8-week intervention, and 3 months after completion of the intervention.
|
|
Mental Health
Periodo de tiempo: Assessed at baseline (after enrollment and prior to intervention), immediately after completion of the 8-week intervention, and 3 months after completion of the intervention.
|
Mental health will be measured using the Mental Health Inventory-38, a 38-item self-report questionnaire that assesses overall psychological well-being and psychological distress experienced during the previous month.
Responses are recorded using 5-point or 6-point response options depending on the item, and scores are summed to produce a Mental Health Index ranging from 38 to 226.
Higher scores indicate better overall mental health, reflecting greater psychological well-being and lower psychological distress.
Assessments will be conducted at baseline (August) after enrollment, post-intervention (8-weeks )(September), and the 3-month follow-up (December).
|
Assessed at baseline (after enrollment and prior to intervention), immediately after completion of the 8-week intervention, and 3 months after completion of the intervention.
|
Colaboradores e Investigadores
Aquí es donde encontrará personas y organizaciones involucradas en este estudio.
Patrocinador
Fechas de registro del estudio
Estas fechas rastrean el progreso del registro del estudio y los envíos de resultados resumidos a ClinicalTrials.gov. Los registros del estudio y los resultados informados son revisados por la Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina (NLM) para asegurarse de que cumplan con los estándares de control de calidad específicos antes de publicarlos en el sitio web público.
Fechas importantes del estudio
Inicio del estudio (Estimado)
1 de agosto de 2026
Finalización primaria (Estimado)
1 de octubre de 2026
Finalización del estudio (Estimado)
31 de diciembre de 2026
Fechas de registro del estudio
Enviado por primera vez
19 de julio de 2026
Primero enviado que cumplió con los criterios de control de calidad
25 de julio de 2026
Publicado por primera vez (Actual)
30 de julio de 2026
Actualizaciones de registros de estudio
Última actualización publicada (Actual)
30 de julio de 2026
Última actualización enviada que cumplió con los criterios de control de calidad
25 de julio de 2026
Última verificación
1 de julio de 2026
Más información
Términos relacionados con este estudio
Términos MeSH relevantes adicionales
Otros números de identificación del estudio
- 484-25
Plan de datos de participantes individuales (IPD)
¿Planea compartir datos de participantes individuales (IPD)?
INDECISO
Información sobre medicamentos y dispositivos, documentos del estudio
Estudia un producto farmacéutico regulado por la FDA de EE. UU.
No
Estudia un producto de dispositivo regulado por la FDA de EE. UU.
No
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