Effects of prarthana (prayer) healing approach and rational emotive therapy on marital relationship and irrational beliefs

• Main Author: Poruthukara, Pushpa, C.H.F.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 1997
• Subjects: Healing > Religious aspects; Rational emotive behavior therapy; Marital psychotherapy; Belief and doubt; Prayer; Interpersonal relations; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_doctoral/784
• Institution: De La Salle University

This study investigates the effects of Prarthana (Prayer) Healing Approach and Rational Emotive Therapy on marital relationship and irrational beliefs.The pretest-posttest waitlist control group design was used for this study. The subjects were 21 couples selected from 37 couples, based on the low positive couple agreement scores they obtained in ENRICH and other client variables, namely: educational attainment, number of years married, and age. Two instruments, Evaluation and Nurturing Relationship Issues, Communication and Happiness (ENRICH) and Irrational Beliefs Test (IBT), were used as outcome measures of the elements of marital relationship and traditional beliefs. All data were subjected to one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and t-tests.The findings showed that there was a significant improvement (p .05) between the pretest and the posttest scores in the elements of marital relationship and irrational beliefs of the PHA and RET groups as measured by ENRICH and IBT however, there was not significant change in the control group. A significant difference (p .05) was found specifically in personality issues, religious orientation, sexual relation, conflict resolution, raising children, family and friends, and family finance on ENRICH in the PHA and RET groups. On IBT, a significant difference (p .05) was found in high self-expectation, blame proneness, emotional irresponsibility, anxious over-concern, problem avoidance, and perfectionism. At the delayed posttest of the PHA group, a significant change (p .05) was found in all elements of ENRICH, while in the RET group, a significant difference (p .05) was found in the elements of communication, recreation, sexual relationship, and raising children. On IBT, the results of the PHA group revealed a significant difference (p .05) in demand for approval, frustration reactivity, emotional irresponsibility, and perfectionism, while in the RET group, significant changes (p .05) were found between their posttest and delayed posttest scores in demand Based on the findings, the general conclusion drawn was that both PHA and RET are effective in enhancing marital relationship and reducing irrational beliefs of the couples of Kerala, India. However, the Prarthana Healing Approach was found to be somewhat more effective than Rational Emotive Therapy.