Exploring the Effectiveness of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy in Reducing Marital Conflict Among Couples in Katsina State

Marital conflict in Nigerian households is a pervasive psychosocial problem with implications for spousal mental health, child development, and family stability, yet evidence-based brief therapeutic interventions remain insufficiently evaluated in the North West context. This study explored the effectiveness of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) in reducing marital conflict among couples in Katsina State, North West Nigeria. An experimental pre-test and post-test design with a control group was used, with 60 couples experiencing moderate to severe marital conflict recruited through family court referrals and community marriage counsellors. Experimental couples received eight SFBT sessions delivered by trained counsellors, while control couples received only standard marital advice. The Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) and the Marital Conflict Scale were administered at pre-test and post-test. Analysis of covariance was applied. Results demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in marital conflict and improvement in dyadic adjustment among SFBT participants compared to controls. The miracle question and scaling techniques were rated most helpful by participants. Gender did not moderate treatment outcomes. The study contributes evidence for SFBT's cross-cultural applicability in Northern Nigerian marital counselling contexts. Recommendations included training of family counsellors in SFBT, integration of SFBT into state family support services, and collaboration with Islamic scholars to contextualise counselling frameworks within Hausa-Fulani cultural norms. Keywords: solution-focused brief therapy, marital conflict, couples counselling, Katsina State, family therapy.