Seyedeh Taraneh Alavimoghadam - Department of Psychology, Bojnourd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bojnourd, Iran.
Abdollah Mafakheri - Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Payame Noor University, Iran, Tehran.
Ali Jahangiri - Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran

Introduction: Extramarital affairs or marital infidelity can be considered one of the most complex and traumatic emotional problems between couples. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of emotion-focused couple therapy in burnout, marital forgiveness, and communication styles of couples affected by extramarital relationships. Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted based on an applied research method and pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population included all people referred to counseling centers in Sari, Iran, with extramarital affairs between April and June ۲۰۲۰. The study sample consisted of ۳۰ individuals selected by convenient sampling method and randomly divided into an experimental (emotion-focused couple therapy; n=۱۵) and a control group (n=۱۵). The data were collected using the Couple Burnout Measure (CBM), Forgiveness Questionnaire, and Communication Styles Questionnaire. Subsequently, the obtained data were analyzed in SPSS software (version ۲۲) through univariate analysis of covariance. Results: The findings showed that emotion-focused couple therapy had a statistically significant effect on the subjects regarding the Mutual Constructive Communication (F=۷.۶۴; P<۰.۰۰۱), Expectant Male/Female Sidetaker (F=۷۴.۱۸; P<۰.۰۰۱), Expectant Female/Male Sidetaker (F=۴۷.۱۱; P<۰.۰۰۱), Mutual Avoidance Communication (F=۵۹.۹۷; P<۰.۰۰۱), Forgiveness (F=۸۰.۱۵; P<۰.۰۰۱) and Marital Boredom (F=۳۴۷.۹۲; P<۰.۰۰۱). Conclusion: It can be concluded that emotion-focused couple therapy was effective in burnout, marital forgiveness, and communication styles of couples affected by extramarital relationships.

Couple Therapy, Emotions, Extramarital Relations, Forgiveness, Marriage