Journal of counseling research

Qualitative Study of the Factors Affecting Marital Satisfaction from the Viewpoint of Divorced Women: Comparing the Attitudes of Women Before and After Marriage

Raziyeh amini

The purpose of the present study was to qualitatively study the factors on marital satisfaction from the viewpoint of divorced women before and after marriage. Methods: A qualitative study design based on grounded theory was used. Among the women who referred to the family court of Meybod city and were separated from their husbands, 12 women were selected to participate in the study. The sample size was selected based on theoretical saturation and data was obtained using a semi-structured deep interview. Findings: Results show divorced women before their marriage, either had specific and postmodern viewpoint toward marital satisfaction, or had idealistic and superficial viewpoint about marital life considering a minimal number of problems. After divorce, they believed in concrete and specific criteria for achieving marital satisfaction. The factors affecting marital satisfaction from the viewpoints of the participants before their marriage were classified in concepts such as idealism, superficial, attitudinal understanding , non-specific attitude; after divorce these factors were classified in concepts such as behavior and emotion control, personal and family fitness, rational-intellectualism, management of relationships, and accountability. However, before marriage, divorced women believed in logical criteria, which were retained after divorce. Conclusion: Based on the results, it can be concluded that change in postmodern, unrealistic, and idealistic ideas about marital satisfaction and the tendency to accept the realities of marital relationship can play an effective role in preventing divorce.

Mediating Role of Relationship Attributions and Marital Forgiveness on the Relationship between Neuroticism, Attachment Styles and Marital Satisfaction

Zabihollah Kaveh Farsani

This research investigates mediating role of relationship attributions and marital forgiveness on the relationship between neuroticism, attachment styles and marital satisfaction. Methods: The research method was descriptive-correlational and used path analysis. Total of 240 male and females were selected among all married males and females in Shahrekord city using purposive sampling method according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. They responded to Quality of Marital Index (Norton), Relationship Attribution Measurement (Fincham & Bradbury), the Neuroticism Subscale (Costa & McCrae), Behavioual Systems Questionnaire (Furman & Wehner), Experiences in Close Relationship (Wei & et al), and Interpersonal Forgiving in Close Relationships (McCullough, & et al.). Findings: The results showed that evaluated structural model had good fit. The relationship attributions, marital forgiveness, neuroticism, attachment styles directly affected the marital satisfaction (p<0.001); also indirect effect of attachment styles through relationship attributions and marital forgiveness on marital satisfaction (p<0.001). Finally, indirect effect of neuroticism of through only marital forgiveness on marital satisfaction. Conclusion: Family counselors and psychologists should help couples whose lives have faced difficulties because of and/or attachment styles (avoidance) to eliminate distorted cognitions and promote forgiveness among them.

Meta-Analysis of Emotional Regulation Training on Reducing the Symptoms of Depression Disorder

Maryam Jalilian

Emotional regulation is one of the areas that has been considered in the epidemiology of depression in the last decade. The results of studies on the effect of emotional regulation training on reducing the symptoms of depression disorder vary and contradictory. Therefore, the aim of this meta-analysis was to determine the effectiveness of emotional regulation training on reducing the symptoms of depression disorder. Methods: For this research, meta-analysis technique were utilized, in which the results of various research studies were integrated in order to determine the size of the effect of parental education programs. To achieve this purpose, the related literature concerning the topic was investigated in dissertations and research articles published in scientific journals from 2006 to 2020 were reviewed. Based on the research inclusion criterion, 17 research studies, including 14 articles and 3 dissertations were considered for meta-analysis. Data analysis and calculation of effect size were performed using the CMA2 software and the Hedges g-index. Findings: The findings from this meta-analysis showed that the random effect of emotional regulation training on reducing the symptoms of depression disorder (1/39) (P< 0/001), which is evaluated in accordance with the Cohen table of the large effect size. Conclusion: It seems that emotional regulation training can be used as a suitable method for reducing depression in educational and therapeutic centers.

Cultural Globalization and Mate Selection Spaces: A Case Study of Girls Under the Protection of Imam Khomeini Relief Committee in Tehran

Ali Entezari

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of cultural globalization in mate selection spaces. Methods: The research method was descriptive using survey and the participants included 1197 married girls under the auspices of the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee in Tehran from 2016 to 2017, which were included by census, online and through the social network. The research tools included the Mirzaei (1400) Questionnaire on Cultural Globalization, and Mate Spaces. Research data were analyzed using SPSS software version 24 using, and Pearson correlation coefficient and multivariate regression was utilized. Findings: The results showed that there is a negative and significant relationship between different components of cultural globalization (media consumption, music consumption, clothing consumption, and individualism) and age with mate selection spaces (p<01.0). Stepwise regression analysis also showed that cultural globalization was a strong predictor for predicting mate selection spaces (R2=56%). Conclusion: According to the present results, cultural globalization causes a change in the mate selection spaces and the actors' relations with space, and leads the act of marriage selection to marriages without intervention or with passive intervention of families and in spaces of control. Therefore, in addition to the possibility of choosing a spouse by young people, this process should be done in an environment with parental supervision and the possibility of evaluating and recognizing people in different dimensions.

Modeling Structural Equations of Relationships between Attachment Styles and Self-Differentiation with Academic Performance of University Students with the Mediating Role of Health Promoting

Omid Hamidi

Aim: The aim of this study was to test the structural equation model of relationships between attachment styles and self-differentiation with academic performance of university students with the mediating role of health-promoting lifestyle. Methods: The method of this research was descriptive and correlation type. The statistical population consisted of all undergraduate students of Shahid Beheshti University (1554 people) in the academic year of 2018-2019. The sample size was estimated to be 308 based on Cochran formula. Eventually 305 questionnaires were finalized. Research tools included the Self-Distinction Questionnaire (Skowron & Schmitt, 2003), the Adults Attachment Inventory (AAI) (Hazen and Shaver, 1987), the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile (Walker, Sichrist & Pender, 1995) and the Educational Performance Test (Pham and Taylor, 1999) were used and data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistical methods (Pearson correlation, path analysis and structural equation modeling) using SPSS 23 and AMOS 26 statistical softwares. Findings: The results showed that attachment styles and self-differentiation have a significant relationship with academic performance and these variables are able to directly predict academic performance (p<0.01). Promotional lifestyles can also play a mediating role between attachment styles and self-differentiation with academic performance (p<0.01). Conclusion: Regarding the relationship between attachment styles, self-differentiation and health-promoting lifestyle with academic performance, special attention to these variables is necessary to improve student performance.

Comparison of the Effectiveness of Contextual Therapy fair- centered and Emotion-Focused Therapy on Marital Intimacy and Marital Burnout among Couples

Hossein Ghamari Givi

The aim of the present study was to compare and evaluate the effectiveness of Contextual Therapy fair-centered (CT) (based on Ivan Böszörményi-Nagy) and Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) on increasing Marital Intimacy and reducing Marital Burnout in couples. The method was semi-experimental with a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population included all couples who in 2017-2018 referred to the Sanam private office of counseling and psychological services (under the supervision of the Psychology and Counseling Organization of Iran) in the city of Urmia. Among them, 24 couples who have referred to this center due to marital conflicts, after matching the subjects and the criteria for entering and leaving the research, were purposefully selected and randomly assigned to three groups (Eight pairs in each group), which are two experimental groups and one control group. After performing the pretest, the Contextual Therapy group were performed 10 sessions and Emotion-Focused Therapy was 9 for each pair. The questionnaires used included Walker and Thompson's intimacy scale and Pines 's Burnout Scale. To analyze the data and hypotheses, the statistical test method of “repeated measurement variance analysis” and SPSS software were used. Findings showed that the effectiveness of Emotion-Focused Therapy in increasing intimacy was significantly (p < 0.001) than the Contextual. But there is no significant difference between the two approaches in reducing “marital boredom”, Also, the findings showed that, over time, the effectiveness of the Contextual Therapy approach to the Emotion-Focused Therapy in “marital burnout” is more stable. Conclusion: In comparison Emotion-Focused Therapy a more effective effect in increasing intimacy and the effectiveness of the two approaches in reducing marital burnout is the same,but in the long run, the Contextual approach has shown better therapeutic stability in improving Marital burnout.

A Comparative Study of the Effect of Group Reality Therapy Training and Group Cognitive-Behavioral Training on Empathy and Self-Control and Marital Satisfaction of Women with Marital Conflict

Hayede saberi

Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the effect of reality therapy and cognitive-behavioral training on empathy and self-control of women with marital conflicts. Methods: The design of the present study was a quasi-experimental with pre/post-test and follow-up, and included a control group. The statistical population of the study included all women with conflict with their husbands who referred to counseling centers in 7^th district of Tehran in 2020. Among them, 60 people were selected by purposeful sampling method and randomly divided into two experimental groups and a control group (twenty individuals in each group). Initially, all three groups underwent a pre-test, followed by 8 sessions of reality therapy for the first experimental group (Glasser, 2012) and 8 sessions of cognitive-behavioral training (Free, 1999) for the second experimental group. At the end, post-test was performed for all three groups and after three months, a follow-up test was performed to confirm the results. Data collection tools included the Sanai and Barati Marital Conflict Questionnaire, the Julif and Farrington Empathy Questionnaire, and the self-control Questionnaire of Tanji et al. Findings: The results of multivariate analysis of covariance showed that both reality group therapy and cognitive-behavioral training had a significant effect on empathy and self-control of women with marital conflict (P<0.01). cognitive-behavioral training has been more effective on self-control than reality group therapy. However, reality group therapy has been more effective on empathy than cognitive-behavioral training. Conclusion: Due to the effectiveness of both methods on research variables, the use of these trainings by psychologists and counselors in the psychological education program for people with marital conflict is recommended. Also, due to the greater impact of each training on one variable, it is suggested that paired training programs be adjusted based on these findings.

Comparing of the Effectiveness of Child-Centered Play Therapy and Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT) on the Affective Style in Children with Separation Anxiety Disorder

Mahmoud Najafi

Aims: The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of child-centered play therapy and (CPRT) on the affective styles in children suffering from separation anxiety disorder. Method: The research method was semi-experimental with pre-test and post-test and control groups. The statistical population of this study consisted of all female students with separation anxiety in the fifth and sixth grades of primary schools in city of Babol, of whom 45 of these students were selected via random sampling, and were randomly divided into three groups: experimental group-1, experimental group-2 and control group. The first experimental group received child-centered play therapy with Axline approach in sixteen 45-minute sessions, and the second experimental group were taught (CPRT) ten 2-hour sessions. The research instruments were questionnaire (form d) of the children Symptoms Inventory (Sprafkin, Lani & Gadow, 1994) and the Affective Style Questionnaire (Hofmann & Kashdan, 2010) . Covariance was used to analyze the data. Findings: The results showed that both interventions play an effective role in improving the affective styles in children with separation anxiety disorder. Moreover, there was a significant difference between the effectiveness of (CPRT) and child-centered play therapy and the (CPRT) was more effective in improving the affective styles there (p< 0/05). Conclusions: CPRT training can be considered as a more suitable alternative in improving the affective styles as well as in improving the psycho-cognitive symptoms of children with separation anxiety disorder.

The Effectiveness of Integraged Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Mindfulness on Marital Conflict and Anxiety in Women with Pathological Spousal Jealousy

Zohreh Latifi

Aim: Pathological jealousy toward spouse is one of the most common complaints of couples referring for couple therapy. The research aimed to study the effectiveness of integrated cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulnes on decreasing of marital conflict and anxiety in women withpathological jealousy toward spouse. Methods: For this purpose, a quasi-experimental pretest, posttest and follow up design with control group was used. The study sample included 34 women with Pathological jealousy who were selected through purposive sampling among women referredto counseling centers in Isfahan. The intervention method included10integrated sessions of cognitive-behaviorla therapy and mindfulness that was implemented for experimental group. In order to assess variables Marital Conflict Questionnaire (Barati & Sanayi, 2000) and State Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger, et al., 1983) were used. The data analysis conducted by multivariate analysis of variance with pretest and control. Findings: The findings showed a significant decline in the mean scores of experimental group, both in anxiety and in marital conflict, in pretest and follow-up stages, but no tangible changes were observed in the control group scores. (p<0.0005). Conclusion: Thus, integration of cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness has been effective in reducing marital conflict and anxiety in women with pathological jealousy toward spouse, and could be used by couple therapists and other psychotherapists.

The Effectiveness of Emotion- Focused Couple Therapy on Mental Well-being and Performance of Couples Referring to Counseling Centers

mehdi Zare Bahramabadi

Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of emotion focused couple therapy on mental well-being and performance of maladapted couple referred to counselling centers. Methods: the present study had a quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest, and a control group. The statistical population of the study consisted of all incompatible couples (n=30 couples) who had referred to counseling centers in shiraz in 1397, which were selected through available sampling method. Out of these 30 couples, 15 couples were randomly substituted as experimental group and 15 couples as control groups; and individuals in both groups were evaluated using questionnaires before performing the intervention in the experimental group. Data collection tools included the Great Oral and Magyar-Moe Welfare Family Performance Scale, the experimental group received ten 90-minute sessions of emotional treatment, while the control group did not receive any treatments. Data were analyzed by one–way analysis of covariance. Findings: The results of one-way analysis of covariance on the mean scores of post-test of mental well-being and family dysfunction of experimental and control groups with pre- test control, respectively (p<0.0001, F=40.77) and (p<0.0001, F=172.59), which indicates the significance of the effect of emotion-focused couple therapy. Conclusion: The analysis showed the effectiveness of emotion-focused couple therapy in increasing mental well-being and performance of conflicted couples.

The Effectiveness of Compassion-Focused Therapy on Distress Tolerance and Feeling of Guilt in Mothers of Children with Physical-Motor Disability

Abdolbaset Mahmoudpour

Aim: The purpose of this research was to determine the effectiveness of compassion-focused therapy on distress tolerance and feeling of guilt in mothers of children with physical-motor disability. Methods: The quasi-experimental research method included pre-test and post-test, with control group. The statistical population of this study consisted of all mothers of children with physical disability who had received education in special schools in city of Saqez during the Persian year of 1398. For this purpose, 24 mothers of physically disabled children were selected from the exceptional schools by convenient sampling method and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (12 in each group). The experimental group received 10 sessions of intervention and no training was given to the control group. The instruments used in this study were the Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS) and the Test of Self-Conscious Affect (TOSCA-2), which were completed in the pre-test and post-test phases. Data were analyzed using covariance analysis. Findings: The findings of this study indicated that there was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in pre-test and post-test in scores of distress tolerance and feeling of guilt. According to these findings, compassion-focused therapy is effective in decreasing feeling of guilt and increasing distress tolerance of mothers of children with physical disability. Conclusion: The results showed that self-compassion, through providing positive experiences, increasing adaptation to stressful situations, and expressing empathy and sympathy can increase distress tolerance in individuals and reduce the level of guilt of mothers with children with disabilities.

Making and survey of psychometric features of lovemaking test in single students

Aim: The aim of present research was making a test of perception of lovemaking between single students and survey of psychometric features of this tool. Methods: The research method was mixed. For this purpose, first during a qualitative study based on data-driven theory using a semi-structured interview technique, 32 students (18 girls and 14 boys) were interviewed. The sampling method was purposeful and based on theoretical saturation. The text of the interviews were identified using MAXQDA10 qualitative data analysis software. Students' coding and perception of lovemaking were identified in three categories: ethics of logical obedience, emotional self-obsession and immoral self-obsession. In the next step, based on the codes obtained from the qualitative part of the research, a questionnaire appropriate to the cultural and educational context of Iranian society was developed to measure the perception of lovemaking of single students and then 560 single students ranging in age from 19 to 33 years. (314 girls and 246 boys) Bachelor's and Master's degrees from 5 governmental and Islamic Azad universities in Tehran (Allameh Tabatabai, Shahid Beheshti, Imam Sadegh (AS), Research Sciences and Amirkabir Universities), which are in a multi-stage cluster method Were selected and answered the test. Results: The results of confirmatory factor analysis showed that the scale of love perception contains 18 questions and includes three confirmed categories of ethics of logical obedience (questions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6), emotional self-obedience (questions 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18) and immoral self-obsession (questions 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12) of lovemaking. Model fit indices in confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the validity of this scale. Conclusion: Therefore, based on the findings, the students' love perception test can be used as a valid and valid tool to measure and evaluate the love perception of single Iranian students.

Developing Coping Strategies for Threats to Mental Health and the Family Structure of the Oil Company's Subsidiary Staff, Emphasizing Third-Type of Change

babak eslamzadeh

Aim: The aim of this study was to develop a strategic model in relation to the factors threatening the mental health and family structure of employees of the subsidiary staff of oil company, with emphasis on the focus of the third type of change. Methods: In this study, a qualitative approach and grounded theory methodology was used. The statistical population included all subsidiary personnel of South Zagros Oil Company and Falat Ghareh. Targeted sampling was started from those who had information about the subject. Then, considering the direction of information, the theoretical sampling continued until theoretical development and saturation was achieved. The sample size was closely related to the saturation level. Data were collected through in-depth, qualitative semi-structured interviews. In addition to the interview, the researchers also collected information by forming a focal group. In this study, analysis of three types of open coding, axial coding, and selective coding was used. Findings: After three-step coding, 74 initial codes, 21 axial codes and final 5 nuclear codes were obtained. The final codes of the research were: job and organizational strategies, family strategies, personal and family functionalism, individual strategies, and metaphysics; the last three codes were based on type-three changes. Conclusion: The model obtained from the results of this study included all three types of changes of type one, type two, and type three, which can eventually be used as a complete reference for developing strategies to deal with mental health threats as an individual dimension, and with family structure as an interpersonal dimention, for the oil company’s satellite personnel.