Journal of Counseling Research

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The current research aimed to examine the mediation of attachment behaviors in the relationship between interaction with family of origin with marital quality and depression. The research design was inferential with path analysis method. The statistical population included all female students of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz in 2019-20 among whom 200 were recruited using available sampling method. The Family-of-Origin Scale (FOS; Hovestadt, et al., 1985), Brief Accessibility, Responsiveness, and Engagement Scale (BARE; Sandberg, et al., 2012), Dyadic Adjustment Scare - Revised Form (Busby, et al., 1995), and Beckchr('39')s Depression Inventory (BDI; Beck, 1972) were used to measure the variables. The data were analyzed using Pearson product moment correlation coefficient and path analysis method and SPSS-26 and AMOS-24 software. The results of the correlation analysis showed significant correlation among the variables. The goodness of fitness indices verified the model with one modification index. Furthermore, the results showed that the attachment behaviors significantly mediated the relationship between interaction with family-of-origin with depression and marital quality. According to the results, one can conclude that the type and severity of coupleschr('39') attachment behaviors have a critical contribution in affects of their interaction with family-of-origin on their depression and marital quality.

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Aim: Marriage, as a key social institution, is increasingly confronted by the challenges of modern life, underscoring the importance of premarital counseling. This study seeks to examine existing gaps in premarital counseling from the perspectives of experts, identify its shortcomings, and propose strategies to enhance the quality and effectiveness of these services. Methods: This qualitative, exploratory research utilized thematic analysis. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 15 participants (10 women and 5 men) and continued until theoretical saturation was reached. Thematic analysis was applied to interpret the data. Results: Following the analysis, meaningful statements were categorized into 120 basic themes, 5 organizing themes, and 16 overarching themes. The five organizing themes included: (1) essential components of premarital counseling, (2) enabling contexts for its development, (3) current challenges and deficiencies, (4) necessary strategies and interventions, and (5) the outcomes of premarital counseling. Conclusion: The findings suggest that enhancing the effectiveness of premarital counseling in Iran requires adapting validated international models to local cultural contexts, standardizing counseling services, engaging systemic institutions, leveraging purposeful technology, and addressing cultural and structural barriers. These improvements can help reduce divorce rates and foster more stable and healthy marital relationships in society.

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Aim: This study aimed to predict suicidal ideation based on self-worth, fear of intimacy, and covert relational aggression among women who had experienced marital infidelity. ▌Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional correlational study was conducted among married women who had experienced marital infidelity by their spouses and had attended counseling and psychotherapy centers in Tehran in 2023–2024. Using purposive sampling, 150 women were selected. Data were collected using a demographic information checklist, the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (Beck et al., 1979), the Contingencies of Self-Worth Scale (Crocker et al., 2003), the Fear of Intimacy Scale (Descutner & Thelen, 1991), and the Covert Relational Aggression Scale (Nelson & Carroll, 2006). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis in SPSS version 27. ▌Findings: Self-worth was significantly and negatively correlated with suicidal ideation (r = −0.47, p < .005), whereas fear of intimacy (r = 0.21, p < .008) and covert relational aggression (r = 0.40, p < .002) were significantly and positively correlated with suicidal ideation. Together, self-worth, fear of intimacy, and covert relational aggression explained 38% of the variance in suicidal ideation (R² = .38, p < .001). Emotional withdrawal, a dimension of covert relational aggression, had the strongest predictive contribution (β = .42), whereas piety/virtue, a dimension of self-worth (β = −.09), and social sabotage, a dimension of covert relational aggression (β = .09), had the weakest predictive contributions. ▌Conclusion: Self-worth, fear of intimacy, and covert relational aggression were significantly associated with suicidal ideation among women who had experienced marital infidelity. The findings highlight the potential importance of interventions aimed at strengthening self-worth and marital communication skills and reducing covert relational aggression, particularly emotional withdrawal, in addressing psychological and emotional vulnerability in this population.