Terapia de aceptación y compromiso en la satisfacción, intimidad y resolución de conflictos en parejas: artículo de revisión sistemática bajo el protocolo PRISMA

Abstract

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), part of the third-wave therapies, has emerged as a promising approach for addressing relational difficulties in couples by promoting psychological flexibility. The main objective of this systematic review was to analyze the existing scientific evidence on the efficacy of ACT in enhancing marital satisfaction, emotional intimacy, and conflict resolution in couples. A comprehensive search was conducted in high-impact indexed databases such as PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Web of Science, covering empirical studies published between January 2013 and December 2023, in English or Spanish. The identification, selection, and critical appraisal of the articles rigorously followed the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. After a meticulousscreening process, 10 studies meeting the pre-established criteria were included. The results indicate a positive and consistent trend of ACT in improving relational quality, manifested in increased marital satisfaction, improved emotional expression and intimacy, and a reduction of dysfunctional patterns such as experiential avoidance and emotional reactivity. Psychological flexibility, empathy, and the clarification of shared values emerged as key mechanisms of change. However, a notable scarcity of culturally contextualized studies in Spanish-speaking populations is evident, which limits the generalizability of these findings. It is strongly recommended to conduct controlled, longitudinal, and methodologically rigorous research that considers specific sociocultural variables in these contexts to validate and adapt ACT protocols