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Systemic Couple Therapy for Marital Dynamics and Mental Health

25 juli 2026 bijgewerkt door: 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)

Studie Overzicht

Toestand

Nog niet aan het werven

Conditie

Interventie / Behandeling

Studietype

Ingrijpend

Inschrijving (Geschat)

48

Fase

  • Niet toepasbaar

Contacten en locaties

In dit gedeelte vindt u de contactgegevens van degenen die het onderzoek uitvoeren en informatie over waar dit onderzoek wordt uitgevoerd.

Studiecontact

Deelname Criteria

Onderzoekers zoeken naar mensen die aan een bepaalde beschrijving voldoen, de zogenaamde geschiktheidscriteria. Enkele voorbeelden van deze criteria zijn iemands algemene gezondheidstoestand of eerdere behandelingen.

Geschiktheidscriteria

Leeftijden die in aanmerking komen voor studie

  • Volwassen

Accepteert gezonde vrijwilligers

Nee

Beschrijving

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.

Studie plan

Dit gedeelte bevat details van het studieplan, inclusief hoe de studie is opgezet en wat de studie meet.

Hoe is de studie opgezet?

Ontwerpdetails

  • Primair doel: Behandeling
  • Toewijzing: Gerandomiseerd
  • Interventioneel model: Parallelle opdracht
  • Masker: Verdrievoudigen

Wapens en interventies

Deelnemersgroep / Arm
Interventie / Behandeling
Experimenteel: Systemic Couple Therapy
Gedragsmatig: Systemic Couple Therapy
Systemic Couple Therapy for Depressive Sample
Geen tussenkomst: TAU
Treatment As Usual

Wat meet het onderzoek?

Primaire uitkomstmaten

Uitkomstmaat
Maatregel Beschrijving
Tijdsspanne
Relationship Quality
Tijdsspanne: 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.

Secundaire uitkomstmaten

Uitkomstmaat
Maatregel Beschrijving
Tijdsspanne
Depression
Tijdsspanne: 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
Tijdsspanne: 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
Tijdsspanne: 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
Tijdsspanne: 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
Tijdsspanne: 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.

Medewerkers en onderzoekers

Hier vindt u mensen en organisaties die betrokken zijn bij dit onderzoek.

Sponsor

Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University

Studie record data

Deze datums volgen de voortgang van het onderzoeksdossier en de samenvatting van de ingediende resultaten bij ClinicalTrials.gov. Studieverslagen en gerapporteerde resultaten worden beoordeeld door de National Library of Medicine (NLM) om er zeker van te zijn dat ze voldoen aan specifieke kwaliteitscontrolenormen voordat ze op de openbare website worden geplaatst.

Bestudeer belangrijke data

Studie start (Geschat)

1 augustus 2026

Primaire voltooiing (Geschat)

1 oktober 2026

Studie voltooiing (Geschat)

31 december 2026

Studieregistratiedata

Eerst ingediend

19 juli 2026

Eerst ingediend dat voldeed aan de QC-criteria

25 juli 2026

Eerst geplaatst (Werkelijk)

30 juli 2026

Updates van studierecords

Laatste update geplaatst (Werkelijk)

30 juli 2026

Laatste update ingediend die voldeed aan QC-criteria

25 juli 2026

Laatst geverifieerd

1 juli 2026

Meer informatie

Termen gerelateerd aan deze studie

Aanvullende relevante MeSH-voorwaarden

Andere studie-ID-nummers

  • 484-25

Plan Individuele Deelnemersgegevens (IPD)

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Informatie over medicijnen en apparaten, studiedocumenten

Bestudeert een door de Amerikaanse FDA gereguleerd geneesmiddel

Nee

Bestudeert een door de Amerikaanse FDA gereguleerd apparaatproduct

Nee

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