Journal of counseling research

A Conceptual Model of Sexual Exclusivity Development and Its Role in Preventing Sexual Deviance and Marital Infidelity: A Perspective on Sexual Dispassion

Kiomarth Farahbakhsh

Aim:: Sexual deviance and marital infidelity are among the most significant factors undermining marital stability. The purpose of this article is to present a novel conceptual model termed “Sexual Exclusivity Development”, which explains how healthy sexual growth can lead to the restriction of sexual desire to a committed marital relationship and thereby reduce the likelihood of harmful sexual behaviors. Method: The method of this study is conceptual model construction, based on the author’s three decades of professional experience working with individuals suffering from sexual deviance and marital infidelity, along with the application of relevant theoretical frameworks in this field. Findings: Based on the synthesis of results obtained from working with clients who had a history of sexual deviation and infidelity, it was concluded that sexual maturity is not limited to biological changes. Rather, it represents a multidimensional process encompassing cognitive, emotional, moral, and self-regulatory growth. Drawing upon theoretical literature and the author’s clinical observations, the proposed model outlines ten developmental stages through which incongruent sexual stimuli are gradually eliminated and the individual’s sexual focus becomes centered on a spouse-oriented relationship. This article reviews psychoanalytic, evolutionary, attachment, and learning perspectives on sexual deviance and demonstrates how early sexual experiences and deficiencies in upbringing can disrupt the development of sexual exclusivity, thereby predisposing individuals to future marital infidelity. Conclusion: Finally, the article discusses the implications of this model for premarital counseling and emphasizes the necessity of empirical studies to evaluate its validity and practical applicability.

Factors Influencing Women's Persistence in Stable but Dissatisfactory Marriages

Abolfazl Hatami Varzaneh

Aim: In some marital relationships, although the structural stability of the family remains intact, spouses experience minimal emotional and psychological satisfaction. This study explored the factors influencing women’s persistence in stable yet dissatisfying marriages. Methods: A qualitative research design employing a conventional content analysis approach was used. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 13 women who had remained in their marriages for at least 20 years despite dissatisfaction with their marital lives. Findings: The content analysis identified several key factors contributing to the continuation of these marriages, including economic considerations, children, family influences, cultural and social beliefs, individual personality traits, and spouse-related factors. Among these, financial dependence, concerns about children’s futures, social pressures, lack of essential independence skills, and positive behavioral changes in the spouse were particularly influential. Conclusion: Women’s persistence in stable yet dissatisfying marriages appears to result from an interplay of internal and external factors—economic dependence, the perceived needs of children, familial and social pressures, cultural beliefs, personality traits, and changes in the spouse’s behavior. No single factor alone determines the decision to stay or leave; rather, it is their dynamic interaction that shapes women’s choices. Understanding these dimensions can inform counseling practices and social interventions aimed at recognizing and addressing the needs and challenges of women in such circumstances

Elucidating the Growth and Development Process of Family Counselors:A Qualitative Meta-Analysis.

Masoumeh Asmaeili

Aim: The professional growth and development of counselors is a continuous and lifelong process. Accordingly, this study aimed to elucidate the process of growth and development among family counselors. Methods: This qualitative study employed a qualitative meta-analysis approach. The study population consisted of Persian and English qualitative articles related to the growth and development of family counselors. A total of 107 qualitative studies were reviewed, of which 18 were identified as fully relevant. Relevant articles were selected through comprehensive searches in databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, SID, NoorMagz, and Magiran. Data were analyzed using a systematic review method and the inductive thematic analysis approach proposed by Thomas and Harden, encompassing three stages: open coding, organizing codes into descriptive themes, and generating analytical concepts. Findings: The thematic analysis of the qualitative studies resulted in the identification of four main themes, 13 subcategories, and 230 sub-subcategories. The main themes were: Initiation and Orientation; Activity and Exploration; Transition and Follow-up; and Integration and Synergy. The subcategories included: Non-professional Assistance; Beginner Student and Self-Doubt; Understanding Philosophy and Enhancing Professional Knowledge; Basic Level Performance; Entering the Internship Path and Receiving Supervision; Labeling Oneself as a Professional Specialist; Novice Professional Performance; Contextual Understanding of the Professional Community; Experienced Professional Performance; Deepening Personal and Professional Reflection; Integration of Personal and Professional Self; Self-Transcendence and Self-Enhancement; and Mission-Centricity. Conclusion: The findings indicate that cultivating responsibility and self-confidence during training enables counselors to discover their unique professional voice and achieve a meaningful integration between their personal and professional selves.

Attachment Transformation in the Context of Parental Divorce: A Qualitative Study Based on the Lived Experiences of Adolescent Girls

Mohammad Masoud Dayarian

Aim: Parental divorce, as a complex family event, exerts profound effects on the attachment development of adolescent girls, making the examination of their lived experiences essential for designing effective support interventions. Accordingly, the present study aimed to explore the lived experiences of adolescent girls concerning attachment transformation within the context of parental divorce. Methods: This research was conducted using a qualitative approach and a descriptive phenomenological method. Purposeful sampling was carried out among 28 adolescent girls aged 14 to 16 who had experienced parental divorce within the past five years in Isfahan. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews (averaging 50 minutes each) and analyzed using Colaizzi’s method. The credibility of the analysis was ensured through member checking and peer review. Findings: Data analysis revealed three overarching themes: 1. Pre-divorce phase: Breakdown of secure attachment foundations characterized by emotional instability and family disruption; 2. During the turbulence of divorce: Emergence of pendular attachment marked by emotional fluctuation and loyalty conflicts; 3. Post-divorce period: Search for new attachment sources involving detachment from primary figures and a tendency toward compensatory attachments. These themes illustrate the profound impact of divorce on adolescents’ attachment relationships and emotional identity. Conclusion: The findings suggest that parental divorce initiates a multi-stage and dynamic process of attachment transformation in adolescent girls, accompanied by emotional, identity, and social challenges. The study emphasizes the need for targeted psychological interventions to strengthen emotional security and social support for this population and provides a qualitative framework for a deeper understanding of their experiences and the development of culturally adapted counseling and family support programs

Compilation and validation of the training package for adapting to the empty nest syndrome and its effectiveness on the Defeat and distress tolerance of the elderly

asyie shariatmadar

Aim: The purpose of this study was to develop and validate an educational package for coping with empty nest syndrome and to examine its effectiveness on feelings of failure and distress tolerance among the elderly. Methods: The study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, an empty nest counseling package was developed and validated through content validity assessment. In the second phase, a single-case experimental design (single-subject design) was employed to evaluate the effectiveness of the package. The statistical population included elderly individuals experiencing empty nest syndrome in Tehran during 2022–2023. Using convenience sampling, three elderly women residing in nursing homes in the Shahr-Ara and Qolhak neighborhoods, who scored high on the Feelings of Failure Scale (Gilbert & Allen, 1998), were selected. Data were collected using the Distress Tolerance Scale (Simons & Gaher, 2005) and the Feelings of Failure Scale. The intervention consisted of nine 60-minute sessions, held weekly. Findings: Data were analyzed through graphical analysis, and the percentage of improvement formula was used to determine the effectiveness of the intervention. The results indicated that the adaptation training package for empty nest syndrome effectively reduced feelings of failure and increased distress tolerance among the elderly participants. Conclusion: As the adaptation training package was designed based on the lived experiences of elderly individuals with empty nest syndrome, it can help enhance their distress tolerance and reduce feelings of failure, thereby promoting greater psychological well-being.

Analyzing the Coping Strategies of People Involved in the Empty-Nest Syndrome with High Psychological Well-Being

Mohammad Sajjad Seydi

Aim: Empty nest syndrome refers to the feelings of sadness and loneliness experienced by parents or caregivers after their children leave home. This study aimed to explore the coping strategies employed by individuals with this syndrome who demonstrate high levels of psychological well-being. Methods: A qualitative phenomenological approach was used. In 2023, 137 parents from Islam Abad Gharb, Iran, completed the Spiritual Well-Being Questionnaire (Dahashiri et al., 2013), of whom 23 scored more than one standard deviation above the mean. Based on inclusion criteria, 13 participants were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected via unstructured interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi’s method, following three stages of open, axial, and selective coding. Findings: Analysis yielded 251 open codes, 39 axial codes, and 3 selective codes, reflecting individual, family, and social coping strategies. Conclusion: The use of individual strategies such as self-awareness and positive thinking, family strategies including enhanced communication and empathy, and social strategies such as participation in religious and community activities can help alleviate symptoms of empty nest syndrome and promote better psychological adaptation among parents

Effectiveness of Tactical Defense Management based on Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) in Reducing Depression and Anxiety in Students

Jamshid jarareh

Aim: The present study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of tactical defense management based on intensive and short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) in reducing anxiety and depression in students. Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test measures and a control group. The statistical population included all students enrolled at Shahid Rajaee University of Tehran during the 2023–2024 academic year. The sample consisted of 14 participants selected through convenience sampling following a public call. After completing the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI; Beck, 1996), the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI; Beck, 1988), and an initial clinical interview, participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 7) and a control group (n = 7). Both groups completed the BDI and BAI before and after the intervention. The experimental group attended six sessions of the Tactical Defense Management program based on Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP), whereas the control group did not receive any intervention. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Findings: Results indicated that Tactical Defense Management based on ISTDP significantly reduced anxiety and depression among students (p<.05). Conclusion:
These findings suggest that applying Tactical Defense Management grounded in Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) can be effective in decreasing anxiety and depression among university students.

The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training based on Self-Compassion on Self-Criticism, Shame and Perceived Stigma in People with Drug-Dependence

Mahmoud Najafi

Aim: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of self-compassion-based mindfulness training on self-criticism, shame, and perceived stigma among substance-dependent individuals. Methods: The research employed a quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test measures and a control group. The statistical population comprised all substance-dependent patients undergoing methadone maintenance treatment who attended the Soroush Addiction Treatment Center in Shahrood in 2024. From this population, 32 individuals were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 16) and a control group (n = 16). Participants completed the Self-Criticism Levels Scale (Gilbert et al., 2004), the External Shame Scale (Goss et al., 1994), and the Substance Use Stigma Scale (Loma et al., 2010) in both pre-test and post-test stages. The experimental group received eight 90-minute sessions of mindfulness training based on self-compassion, conducted weekly. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). Findings: The results showed significant differences between the two groups. Mindfulness training based on self-compassion significantly reduced self-criticism components, including self-inadequacy (F = 21.22, p = .001), self-loathing (F = 23.24, p = .001), and self-confidence (F = 31.21, p = .001); shame components, including feelings of inferiority (F = 30.31, p = .001), feelings of emptiness (F = 14.51, p = .001), and shame for making mistakes (F = 8.70, p = .007); as well as the internal stigma variable (F = 9.11, p = .006) among substance-dependent participants. Conclusion: The findings suggest that addiction specialists can utilize mindfulness training based on self-compassion to effectively reduce self-criticism, alleviate shame, and decrease perceived stigma among individuals with substance dependence.