Journal of counseling research

Couples’ Perceptions and Lived Experience of the Causes of Emotional Separation: A Phenomenological Study

Keyvan Salehi

Purpose: The present study was done with an aim to analyze the perceptions and lived experience of couples about the causes of emotional separation. Methods: The present study was of qualitative type, and followed a phenomenological approach. The data, which have been gathered through conducting twenty in-depth and semi-structured interviews with male and female who were either currently or formerly married in two cities of Qom and Tehran, have been analyzed using the theoretical coding.. Based on their married life experience, the individuals in this study described and stated the causes of the development and aggravation of their emotional separation, as well as the ways to prevent and improve such separations. Results: The in-depth analysis of the lived experiences of the interviewees led into the identification of ten minor causes and eventually into the categorization of these minor causes into four larger categories. According to the findings, the major causes of the phenomenon of divorce are categorized into: the psychological and moral challenges, the emotional and sexual challenges, the financial challenges, and challenges related to the information technology. Conclusion: The Results of this research indicate the diversity and the multiplicity of the underlying causes of emotional separation, and suggest that such a phenomenon is affected by a variety of intertwining causes. Furthermore, these results put emphasis on the necessity for the improvement of the individual skills, such as emotional intelligence (EI), effective communication, and problem-solving as the ultimate remedies to this situation.

Developing a Moral Model for Safe and Violence-free Family for Women Based on Naraqi’s ideas

Asieh shariatmadar

Purpose: The aim of this research is developing a moral model for Safe and violence free family for based on Naraqi’s ideas in the book "Jameo' Alsa'adat" (1388). Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using themes analysis and synthesis. For intellectual foundations of the therapy, Naraghi's ideas were used. Themes of moral treatment were extracted from books about morality, especially those of Naraghi's Jameo' Alsa'adat, and for developing the moral treatment model, the moral themes were combined with themese from Norcross and Prochaska's (2007) about processes and stages of change (SOC). Results: Human soul has four drives: intellect, anger, lust, and imagination. If the intellect drive prevails over the other drives, this would lead to moderation. Anger and violence is the result of indulgence in rage. According to studies by Prochaska and Norcross (2007), the changes go through a gradual, predictable and stage-based process. The steps of change in the moral model have been designed based on the stages of change which are: explanation of personality ("sha'akele"), soul drives recognition, consciousness about priority of motives, recognition of barriers to change, limiters to consciousness, mobilization in the dimensions of wisdom, trust and effort, meditation, self questioning, attention to the positions of landslides, reviewing, and continuity. Conclusion: Naraghi explained human nature pathology, mental health, and intellect cultivation, so for controling violence, which is indulgence in rage, one can use and benefit from steps set forth in the ethical treatment model.

Mate selection based on Islamic teachings: Qualitative analysis of Kitab al-Kafi

mariam sadat fatehizade

Purpose: This article is the result of a research entitled "Mate selection based on Islamic teachings: Qualitative analysis of Kitab al-Kafi". Methods: Due to the thematic nature and the qualitative content analysis, no conceptual model or hypothesis was not developed. Instead, based on this method, the main research question was ""How is mate selection in Islam?" Results: In addition to selecting the key points from Islamic scripts, a unique code was assigned to each key point or theme. Then, by comparing the codes, several concepts that pointed to a common dimension of mate selection from Islamic view were recognized. The result of comparing each concept with other concepts yielded subjects which form the triple-based foundations for mate selection from Islam's viewpoint. These activities resulted in design of a pattern for mate selection based on three principles of selection style, selection standards, and selection process. Conclusion: Based on these three principles, in Islamic mate selection, first the requirements, philosophy, benefits, and goals of marriage should be determined. Then, the criterion for correct and accurate selection should be introduced, and in the selection process actions be taken according to the Islamic principles. Because of the importance of customization of premarital counseling models in the country, preparing this model with the existing body of knowledge in Islamic references can be of greater use for those involved in this domain.

Proposing an Integrated Model of Emotionally Focused Approach and Gottman Model and Evaluating its Effectiveness on Feeling of Loneliness in Married Women

Yaser Madani

Background: The aim of this study was to present and evaluate the effectiveness of an integrated model of emotionally focused approach and Gottman model on feeling of loneliness in married women. Methods: For this study, quasi-experimental design with pre-test, post-test, follow up and control group was used. The study population included married women who referred to Tehransar health center. The sample consisted of 26 volunteer participants, which were selected using convenience sampling method, in two groups, including experimental (n = 13) and control (n = 13) groups. All participants were asked to complete the Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale for Adults (SELSA-S). Results: Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) results showed that the integrated model of emotionally focused approach and Gottman model significantly decrease feeling of loneliness and its subscales (romantic loneliness, family loneliness, social loneliness). Additionally, using repeated measures in follow-up conducted one month later showed satisfactory results about the effectiveness of the integrated model in the experimental group. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the specifically designed integrated model of emotionally focused approach and Gottman model can be used to decrease feeling of loneliness in married women.

Comparing the Effect of Positive Parenting Program Training (Triple P) and Parent Management Training (PMT) on Parenting Styles and Emotional-Behavioral Problems in Children

Omid Isanejad

Purpose: This study was carried out in order to compare and examine the effect of Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) training and Parent Management Training (PMT) on the children’s behavioral problems and the parents’ parenting style.

Methods: The present research was a quasi-experimental study using a pretest-posttest-follow up design with a control group. The study population consisted of all children with behavioral problems and their parents, in the elementary schools in city of Sanandaj in 2016. Ninety individuals were selected through multi-steps random sampling method. Participants were administered Conners Children’s Behavior Questionnaire (1990) and the Alabama Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ - 1996) in three phases. Parent management training was done in twelve 40-60 minute sessions, while positive parentling was done in eight 2 hour sessions, both for the two experimental groupsResults: In comparison to Triple P training method, PMT method had a higher effect on conduct, pro-social, psychosomatic, and shame-anxiety problems (p<0.01). PMT treatment had a higher effect on each dimension of positive parenting, warmth and involvement, physical coercion, and poor supervision, compared to Triple P treatment (p<0.01). After one month, the results of the follow-up indicated that there was a difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of behavioral problems and parenting style, and the effectiveness of the two treatment methods on behavioral problems and positive parenting was maintained after one month (p<0.01). Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that PMT method had a higher effect on behavioral problems, and Triple P had a higher effect on dimensions of parenting. These results are useful for psychotherapists and counselors with regard to selecting the type of intervention.

Effectiveness of Couple Therapy based on the Ecological Model in Reducing Desire to Divorce and Marital Conflict

kiiumars farahbakhsh

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of couples therapy based on the ecological model in reducing marital conflicts and desire to divorce in couples. Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental study with control and treatment groups. The statistical population of this study consisted of all of the couples referred to State Welfare Organization in city of Markazi (Iran). The sample consisted of 30 couples who were randomly divided into two groups (15 in the experimental group and 15 in the control group). The data gathering tools in this study were marital conflict scale (Sanaee, 2012) and the Divorce Tendency Scale (Roswelt, Jonson &, Moro, 1986). Results: The results showed that couples therapy based on the ecological model has a meaningful positive effect on reducing marital conflicts and divorce tendency (p<0/05). Conclusion: Based on the findings, it can be concluded that interventions using ecological model is effective in reducing tendency for divorce.

Effectiveness of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) on Correcting Irrational Beliefs and Reducing Cognitive Avoidance of People with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

yusef Ranjbar Sudejani

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to analyze the effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) on correcting irrational beliefs and reducing cognitive avoidance of people with obsessive compulsive disorder. Methods: This research was performed using the semi-experimental method by using pretest/ posttest and a control group. Among all the people who referred to the counseling centers in city ofShahrekord in 2015, thirty two people were selected in the form of voluntary purposive sampling. and through an interview, before randomly being assigned into two experimental and control groups. Obsessive compulsive questionnaire of Yile -Brown (T-Bocs), Jones irrational belief test (IBT), and Sexton and Dugas cognitive avoidance questionnaire (CAQ) were used in the pretest and posttest for collecting information, and data were analyzed using the descriptive indicators and covariance analysis test. The intervention of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy in the experimental group was performed twice a week in 20 sixty minute sessions, but the control group did not receive any interventions. Results: The results of covariance analysis on the scores of pre-treatment, treatment, and followup whowed that after adjusting the pre-test scores between the experiment and control groups for the variables of irrational beliefs (P<0.01) and cognitive avoidance (P<0.05), a meaningful difference was seen. Conclusion: Based on the results of this research, it is concluded that the intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy is a convenient method for correcting irrational beliefs and reducing cognitive avoidance of people with obsessive compulsive disorder.

Comparing Marital Status, Personal and Interpersonal Forgiveness, and Quality of Life in Couples Who are Married for 1-2 and 3-10 Years

hasan heydari

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the marital status, individual forgiveness, interpersonal forgiveness and quality of life between couples who were married for 1-2 and 3-10 years. Methods: The present study was of descriptive and causal-comparative type. To fulfill the purpose of this study, 60 couples (30 couples in each category) were selected based on available sampling from city of Khomein. Participants answered the Marital Status, Individual Forgiveness, Interpersonal Forgiveness, and Quality of Life Questionnaires. Data were analyzed by independent t-test. Results: The results showed that couples who had been married for 3 to 10 years gained higher scores in marital status, individual forgiveness, interpersonal forgiveness, and quality of life, compared tothose who were married for 1 to 3 years (P<0/01). Conclusion: The results of present study shows that the variables of marital status, individual and interpersonal forgiveness, , and quality of life seem to be positively affected by the duration of marriage, and so marriage and family counselors' awareness of these constructs is of importance.

Predicting Educational Decline Based on the Extent of Using Virtual Social Networks and Personal Self-Worth

ebrahim naeimi

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between the extent of using virtual social netorks, self-worth, and educational downfall in girl student of the non-profit middle schools in city of Gorgan. Methods: For this study, descriptive and corelational methodology was used. Statistical population included all girl students in the nonprofil middle school of Gorgan city, totalling1243 people in 2016. Cluster random sampling was used to select 293 for the sample size. Virtual social netorks (2015), Rozanberg Self Respect (1963), and Kavvosi Educational Downfall Questionnaire were used for data collection. For data analysis, peareson correlation and multiple correlation were utilized. Results: The results of the present study demonstrated that there is a significant negative relationship between the extent of using virtual social network and self-respect, and between the extent of using virtual social network and educational downfall. Considering that significance level is smaller than 0/5, there is a significant negative relatioship between self-respect and educational downfall and this hypothesis is confirmed. Moreover , it can be said with 90 percent of certainty that self-respect and the extent of using virtual social netorks can predict students' educational downfall. Conclusion: Schools and families can use better quantitative and qualitative managment of the use of virtual social networks in improving the sense of children's sense of self-worth and decrease their educational decline effectively.