Impact of Reflective Dialogue Intervention on Marital Metacognition and Marital Conflicts

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a Reflective Dialogue Intervention on enhancing marital metacognition and reducing marital conflicts among married individuals in Nigeria. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 30 married participants (15 in the intervention group and 15 in the control group) selected from community centers in Nigeria. Participants in the intervention group underwent eight 75–90 minute sessions of reflective dialogue training over an eight-week period, while the control group received no intervention during the study. Data were collected at three time points: pre-test, post-test, and five-month follow-up. Standardized tools were used to assess marital metacognition and marital conflict. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc tests via SPSS-27, with significance set at p < .05. Results showed a significant main effect of time and group, as well as a significant interaction effect for both marital metacognition (F(2,54) = 26.91, p < .001, η² = .51) and marital conflict (F(2,54) = 28.74, p < .001, η² = .50). Bonferroni post-hoc comparisons indicated significant improvements in marital metacognition and reductions in marital conflict from pre-test to post-test (p < .001), with no significant regression at follow-up (p > .05), confirming the sustained impact of the intervention. The Reflective Dialogue Intervention proved effective in significantly enhancing marital metacognitive awareness and reducing conflict intensity over time. These findings suggest that fostering reflective communication and cognitive-emotional insight within couples can lead to lasting improvements in relationship quality, particularly in culturally diverse contexts such as Nigeria.