A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Positive Psychology Intervention and Existential Therapy on Meaning in Life among Conflicted Couples

Abstract

Introduction and Aim: Marital conflicts are among the major factors threatening family mental health and may reduce couples’ sense of meaning and purpose in life. The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of positive psychology intervention and existential therapy on meaning in life among conflicted couples.

Methodology: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with pre-test, post-test, and three-month follow-up along with a control group. The statistical population consisted of conflicted couples referring to counseling and psychological service centers in District 2 of Tehran in 2025. After the initial screening, 36 couples were randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group. The first experimental group received positive psychology intervention, while the second experimental group underwent existential therapy. The control group received no intervention. The research instruments included the Marital Conflict Questionnaire developed by Barati and Sanaei and the Meaning in Life Questionnaire developed by Steger et al. Data were analyzed using mixed analysis of variance and Bonferroni post hoc test.

Findings: The results of mixed ANOVA indicated that both interventions significantly increased the presence of meaning and search for meaning compared to the control group (P<0.0005). In addition, the interaction effect of time and group was significant for both dimensions of meaning in life. Bonferroni post hoc results demonstrated that existential therapy showed greater effectiveness than positive psychology intervention during the post-test and follow-up stages, and its effects were more stable over time.

Conclusion: Both positive psychology intervention and existential therapy were effective in improving meaning in life among conflicted couples. However, existential therapy demonstrated deeper and more stable effects due to its emphasis on responsibility, self-awareness, and reconstruction of existential meaning. Therefore, existential interventions may serve as an effective therapeutic approach for enhancing marital relationships and reducing marital conflicts.