Nazanin Haghighatbayan - PhD in Clinical Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Rudehen Branch, Tehran, Iran.

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT, typically pronounced as the word "act") is a form of psychotherapy, as well as a branch of clinical behavior analysis. It is an empirically based psychological intervention that uses acceptance and mindfulness strategies along with commitment and behavior-change strategies to increase psychological flexibility. This approach was originally termed comprehensive distancing. Steven C. Hayes developed the treatment starting around ۱۹۸۲ in order to create an approach that integrated both key features of cognitive therapy and behavior analysis, especially behavior analytic data on the often negative effects of verbal rules and how they might be ameliorated. There are a variety of protocols for ACT, depending on the target behavior and setting. For example, in behavioral health areas, a brief version of ACT is called focused acceptance and commitment therapy (FACT). The present study aims at investigating the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy on sexual satisfaction of couples in Shiraz. Methods: A pre-test, post-test methodology with one control group and one experimental group is used to examine the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy on sexual satisfaction of couples. ۴۰ couples were chosen purposefully from the statistical population of all hurt couples who referred to psychological clinics in Shiraz. The sample size of ۴۰ couples was put in to two groups consisting of a control group and experimental group. The required data was gathered through Larson Sexual satisfaction questionnaire and an acceptance and commitment therapeutic protocol of ۱۲ therapy sessions. The data and hypothesis were analyzed via SPSS-۲۲, using multivariable analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). Results: The results of the study show that acceptance and commitment therapy has a meaningful effect on increasing sexual satisfaction of couples.

Acceptance and commitment therapy, sexual satisfaction, ACT, couples.