Journal of Counseling Research

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Abstract Background:This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of group therapy based on Acceptance and Commitment (ACT) on communication beliefs and marital satisfaction of the incompatible women referred to the counseling center of the Hakim Sabzevari University. Method: This study is quasi-experimental with pretest-posttest With unequal control group. the population in this study contains all incompatible women referred to the counseling center of the Hakim Sabzevari University in the year 93. The sample consisted of 30 women that are incompatible is purposefully selected and divided into two groups, experimental (15 Person) and control (15 Person) were assigned randomly. Members of the experimental group for 8 sessions of 90-minute group therapy were based on acceptance and commitment. for data collection from Enrich marital satisfaction questionnaire (47 questions) and Epstein and Eidelson (1981). communication beliefs (RBI) was used. research data with multivariate analysis of variance were analyzed by SPSS19 software. Results: The results showed that group therapy based on Acceptance and Commitment (ACT) is effecte on communication beliefs and marital satisfaction of the incompatible women and incompatible women in the experimental group compared to the control group in post-test communication beliefs (F= 213/12, P< 0/001) and marital satisfaction (F= 71/19, P< 0/001) showed a significant increase. Conclusion: So, group therapy based on Acceptance and Commitment (ACT) is effecte on communication beliefs and marital satisfaction of the incompatible women.

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Life is purposeful by nature. The universe purposefulness is the first important issue in Islamic ontology. The family serves numerous purposes in different forms. The family function is the concept that directly affects needs, goals, satisfaction, and emotions directly.  

There are numerous functions assumed for the marriage. The purposefulness of such function needs to be investigated. This study adopts a qualitative method to scrutinize the intended variable, i.e. the marriage functions purposefulness, in both satisfied/ dissatisfied couples. All the people who are married for at least three years and have one child participated in this study. They all live in Ahvaz.  24 people were selected using systematic sampling procedure. These people were actually the ones who were referred to counseling center of Ahvaz education office. They scored over 70 and less than 30 in Enrich Marital Satisfaction questionnaire. The relevant data was analyzed using in - depth interviews. Grounded theory was also used to analyze the interview findings.   

The results revealed both satisfied/ dissatisfied couples were similar concerning primary functions of marriage. The difference was noticed regarding social skills, affection, and emotions.  

Regarding ontology, the couples' beliefs and attitudes play an important role in their marital life. Attitudes, behaviors, interactions, and communications follow unique directions based on a specific ontological view.  

Key words: marital satisfaction, marriage functions, purposefulness.

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     The purpose of this study was to test the model of women’s depression and marital satisfaction based on early maladaptive schemas and coping styles of opiate husbands. 199 (398 subject) couple referring of government and private drug rehabilitation centers Torbat Heydareie city were selected by purposive- voluntary sampling method, and completed Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ), Coping Styles (CISS), Marital Satisfaction, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-13) Questionnaires. The model evaluation was conducted by path analysis method, and AMOS/16 software. The final model showed that a good fit to the data has than the hypothesized model. The path coefficients between husbands' early maladaptive schemas with husbands' emotional-centered coping style, husbands' early maladaptive schemas with spouses' marital satisfaction, husbands' early maladaptive schemas with spouses' depression, husbands' avoidant-centered coping style with spouses' marital satisfaction, and husbands’ emotional-centered coping style with spouses' marital satisfaction were significant. On other hand, the path coefficients between husbands' early maladaptive schemas with their avoidant-centered coping style, husbands’ emotional-centered coping style with spouses' depression, and husbands' avoidant-centered coping style with spouses' depression were not significant. Also, indirect path coefficient husbands' early maladaptive schema to spouse marital satisfaction mediating emotional-centered coping style was significant. . So husbands’ dysfunctional cognitions and coping styles increase spouses' psychological problems and decrease their marital satisfaction.

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Aim : This study aimed to investigating the role of Satisfaction with family life and the Quality of family life in the Anxiety and depression in children and other objective was to test the mediating role of parenting stress.
Methods: For this purpose 499 parents of female students were selected by random cluster sampling. They completed the Kansas Family Life Satisfaction Scale Family, Quality of Family Life Scale, Parenting Stress Index - Short Form and  Rutter Child Behavior Questionnaire. Data were analyzed by structural equation modeling.
Results: The results of data analysis showed all paths Satisfaction with family life and the Quality of family life to Anxiety and depression has been significant and negative.
Conclusion: Parenting stress played a mediating role and was a good model fit indices. Either Focus on Quality factors created in family life and Reduce parenting stress to Reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression in children.

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Purpose: The quality of sexual relationship and marital intimacy are important topics of post-marriage experience. Similarly, religiosity is commonly considered as an influential framework for life. Past research has not been able to accurately discover or illustrate the opinions of experts in the area of couples counseling about the relationship between these dimensions. Therefore, this research was conducted to examine the marriage and family experts’ points of view about the role of religiosity in sexual satisfaction and marital intimacy of couples. Methods: Qualitative approach of phenomenological type was used.  For this, ten individuals who were counselors or psychologist with active working experience with couples were interviewed according to qualitative protocols. Data collected from interviews were then analyzed using features available in Microsoft Word software. Results: In the open-coding, 147 initial codes were produced, while the axial-coding based on thematic similarities yielded 24 categorical codes. One of the main questions asked of the participants was “what role can religiosity play in the quality of couple’s relationship?” Overall, according to the analysis of the responses obtained, religiosity plays a positive role in sexual satisfaction and marital intimacy of couples. However, some of the participants mentioned a few points as reservations to be considered which are covered in the current article. Conclusion: Counselors’ and psychotherapists’ perceptions about role and relation between variables of religiosity, sexual satisfaction, and marital intimacy are important. Of the main findings of the present study was interviewees’ describing the prerequisite or complementary context for capitalizing on positive effects of religiosity in sexual satisfaction and marital intimacy. situation was that the interviewees as it is a prerequisite for receiving a positive impact or supplement and religiosity on the significant sex and marital intimacy.

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The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of Premarital Prepare counseling on marital satisfaction of Couples in Engagement Period. The research was quasi-experimental using control group, pre- and post test and follow-up design. Statistical sample was 30 couples in Engagement Period were selected by purposive sampling among couples settled in Yazd (spring 1396), and were randomly assigned into two controls and experimental groups .then the experimental group participated in 7 sessions for Premarital Prepare counseling. Both groups completed marital satisfaction questionnaire (ENRICH) in pre and posttest and follow-up. At the end, the results between 2 groups were compared through mixed analysis of variance .The results showed a significant increase in the mean of marital satisfaction in posttest in the experimental group (p<0.05) .The findings of this research, confirmed the effectiveness OF Premarital Prepare counseling on marital satisfaction of Couples in Engagement Period and it could be effective for determining counseling and educational planning for such couples.

 

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Purpose: This research administrated with the goal of studying the trend of changes in marital satisfaction, sexual satisfaction and subjective well-being in the first 5 years of marital life. Method: So, 200 married women of Sari City aged 40-16 years were selected using convenience sampling. They answered to the scales The Index of Sexual Satisfaction-short‐form, Relationship Assessment scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, and Oxford Happiness Questionnaire-short form. Results: The results indicated that marital satisfaction and sexual satisfaction decreased by linear trend in the first five years of married life, while life satisfaction and happiness decreased by quadratic nonlinear in the first three years of marital life of women, then gradually increases. Conclusion: Focus on the underlying causes of marital satisfaction and sexual satisfaction can guarantee to increase life satisfaction and happiness and lead to continuation of marriage in later years of the couple's life.

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Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between work meanings and subjective well-being through job satisfaction in Isfahan Oil Refining Company Staff. Methods: In this study, 280 stuff members at Esfahan Oil Refinery were selected through sampling of quotas. The participants took job satisfaction, subjective well-being, and work meaning questionnaires. For the data analysis, the descriptive statistics method and structural equation modeling were used.  The mediating role were tested via bootstrapping test. Findings: The results showed that job orientation and career orientation directly influence subjective well-being. Job orientation has significant negative effect on subjective well-being (p<0.05), and career orientation has significant positive effect on subjective well-being (p<0.001). Calling orientation has indirect effect on subjective well-being through job satisfaction (p<0.01). The mediating role of job satisfaction in the relationship between job and career orientation with subjective well-being was not significant. Conclusions: Overall, the findings showed that amongst different meanings of work, providing daily living expenses and to progress, has direct influence on subjective well-being, while career mission through work satisfaction has an indirect effect on subjective well-being.

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Aim: The aim of this study was to explain the relationship between self-differentiation and forgiveness with marital satisfaction based on the mediating role of religious orientation. Methods: The research method was descriptive-correlational and the statistical population included all married teachers working in the sixth and seventh grade in Tehran's 6th educational district, with a total of 4,080 people, among whom 28 schools and 304 volunteer teachers were randomly selected. To collect research data, the following tools were used:  Differentiation of Self Inventory by Skowron, E. A., & Schmitt (2003), Family Forgiveness Scale by Pollard, Anderson, Anderson & Jennings (1998), Religious Orientation Questionnaire by Allport & Ross (1967), and ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale by Fournier, Olson & Druckman (1983) were used. After deleting 10 distorted questionnaires and 3 outliers, structural equation modeling was used for data analysis. Results: In this study, the direct path coefficient between internal religious orientation and marital satisfaction (P<0.01, β=0.337) was positive and significant at the 0.01 level. Indirect path coefficient between self-differentiation and marital satisfaction (β = 0.149, P <0.01) and indirect path coefficient between forgiveness and marital satisfaction (P <0.01, β = 0.129) were positive and significant at 0.01 level. Conclusion: Since internal religious orientation can be effective in improving relationships and marital satisfaction, it is suggested that in marital counseling, strengthening the religious beliefs of couples be used.

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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.

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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.

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Aim: The purpose of this study was to compare the dimensions of intimacy, commitment, and marital satisfaction in couples with and without pre-marrital counseling. Methods: The present study is a causal-comparative study, and the statistical population includes two groups of married people in Tehran between 2018-2019, one of which had experienced premarital counseling while the other group did not have this experience. The sample consisted of two groups of married people using available and convenient sampling method which consisted of total of 60 couples. Three questionnaires of intimacy, commitment and marital satisfaction were applied. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics indices and the mixed variance analysis method using SPSS software. Results: Findings showed that there was a significant difference between the two groups regarding the dimensions of marital intimacy in the dimension of psychological intimacy. And comparing the dimensions of marital commitment in the two groups showed that there is a significant difference in the dimension of personal commitment. Comparison of the dimensions of marital satisfaction showed that the counseling group in the dimension of children and parenting was significantly higher than in the counseling group. Conclusion: Therefore, it seems that pre-marital counseling programs need training and interventions in order to promote intimacy, commitment, and marital satisfaction.

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Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effect of applying the principles of Impact Therapy on problem-solving skills, hopefulness, and life satisfaction in teenage girls living in families with high tension. Methods: This research, in terms of purpose was an applied study using the pretest-posttest control group method. From the community of the 16 to 18-year-old girls from currently divorced parents who had referred to the court during the past 5 years. Individuals were selected through convenience sampling. The life satisfaction questionnaire by Diener, Basadur Creative Problem-Solving and Hopefulness questionnaires were used to collect data. Findings: Intergroup comparison showed that the difference between the mean scores of life satisfaction (p=0.042), problem-solving skills (p=0.049), and hope (p=0.012) between the experimental and control groups was significant. Therefore, administering group Impact Therapy was effective and increased life satisfaction, problem-solving skills and hope of adolescent girls in stressful families. Results: Impact Therapy helped participating teenagers cope with and overcome their stress by promoting resilience. Teenagers from tension-filled families became more determined individuals and gained more control over the events surrounding them. In other words, these interventions helped people to better deal with various issues in life and even consider unpleasant events as opportunities.

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Aim: This study aimed to explain the relationship between personality model and life satisfaction with the mediating role of coping styles and sources of control among Iranian and Armenian students. Methods: The present study population included all Iranian and Armenian students who were studying in Iranian and Armenian universities in the 2009-2010 academic years. For sampling, 768 Iranian and 768 foreign students were selected using a random sampling method. Data were obtained using the NEO (1985) five-factor personality questionnaire, Carver's stress coping (1989), Rutter's control source (1996), and the life satisfaction of Diner et al. (1985). Correlation and structural equation modeling were used to analyze the data. Findings: The results showed that all direct paths in the model except the effect of the agreement on the source of control were significant. Also, all indirect paths except the path of the effect of the agreement on life satisfaction through the source of control and the path of the effect of conscientiousness on life satisfaction were significant with the mediating role of the negative emotion-oriented style. Finally, there was a significant relationship between personality traits and control source, coping styles, and satisfaction in Iranian and Armenian students (P <0.05) and the assumed model had a good fit.
Conclusion: As a result, people should use the source of internal control, conscientiousness, flexible personality, and problem-oriented coping style to increase life satisfaction.

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Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the lived experience of employees of services division from their job and employment status. Methods: The research method utilized was qualitative and descriptive phenomenology. The study population was all employees of Services Division working at the University of Guilan. Participants in the study were also selected in a purposeful and criterion-focused manner. Their number was also selected according to the theoretical saturation of 9 people. The data collection tool was also a semi-structured interview. Results: Findings were analyzed using the Colaizzi method. As a result of the analysis, 5 main themes and 21 subcategories were obtained. The first main theme was injustice, which included the sub-categories of unfair judgment, feeling of discrimination, feeling of injustice, high work pressure, high work expectations, and lack of support. The second main theme of low self-esteem with sub-categories was lack of credibility, not being seen, being humiliated, not being valued, not being respected and not being understood. The third main theme was the lack of motivation for progress, which includes the categories of helplessness and despair from changing the existing situation, lack of promotion and job promotion. The fourth main theme was not benefiting from job privileges, which included the subcategories of insufficient salary, delay in receiving salary, lack of loans, lack of supplementary insurance, lack of leave, and the fifth main theme was lack of job satisfaction, which included the subcategories of lack of motivation, Job insecurity and instability. Conclusion: The findings of the present research showed that service sector employees do not have a positive psychological experience of their job situation. These findings can be used for managers of recruitment companies and employers.

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Aim: This research was conducted with the aim of developing and validating the model of marital satisfaction in pandemics and investigating its effectiveness on psychological well-being being during the coronavirus pandemic. Methods: In this research, a mixed research method was used (in the qualitative part, the systematic method of grounded theory and in the quantitative part, the semi-experimental method and single-subject method with AB design). The research participants in the qualitative part were 24 married women (12 with marital satisfaction and 12 without marital satisfaction) who were selected by following the necessary criteria and the purposive sampling method until data saturation was reached. The target population in the quantitative section was married women aged 25 to 55 with children aged 6 to 13 in Tehran, 3 of whom were selected by purposive sampling and participated in the intervention. The data collection tool in the qualitative part was a semi-structured interview, and in the quantitative part, The ENRICH Marital Satisfaction (EMS) Scale (1993) and Ryff Psychological Well-being (PWB) Questionnaire (1988). The data were analyzed in the qualitative part, using the Strauss and Corbin constant comparison analysis method (in three stages of open, axial and selective coding and in the quantitative part, based on visual analysis indicators. Findings: Data analysis in the qualitative section led to the identification of 79 open codes and 26 axial codes and 4 selective codes including: “communication needs; Personality characteristics; social factors and behavioral strategies". After integrating the categories, the model of marital satisfaction during the coronavirus pandemic was developed and its content validity was confirmed. The results of the research in the quantitative part showed the effectiveness of the model-based intervention on psychological well-being. Conclusion: Based on the results of the present research, the extracted model can be used to conduct counseling interventions in the fields of couple and family to facilitate adaptation to similar crises.

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Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching emotion management strategies based on Emotional Focus Therapy approach on improving marital satisfaction. Methods: The present study is a quasi-experimental study. The statistical population of this study consisted of all couples who referred to counseling centers in Saadatabad region in Tehran during the year 2021. For sampling, all couples interviewed were selected through convenient sampling and had referred to Amin Pajooh and Binesh Counseling Centers.  After conducting an interview based on marital self-disclosure, 47 couples were identified as conflicted, all of whom volunteered to attend treatment sessions. Among them, 32 couples were randomly assigned to the experimental group (16 couples) and the control group (16 couples). To test the hypothesis, analysis of covariance was done using SPSS-22 software. Findings: According to table 4-11, the proportion of F covariance analysis for family functioning (P=0/001 and F=26/2) and for marital satisfaction (P=0/001 and F=37/3) were obtained. The results of the study showed that there was a significant difference in marital satisfaction during pre-test, post-test and follow-up. Eta squared size shows that 31% of intra-group changes can be explained by receiving training in emotion management strategies on marital satisfaction.  Conclusion: According to the findings, it can be said that emotion management strategies have an effect on marital satisfaction. As a result, this training can be used in couple therapy interventions.

 

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Aim: There are many problems in couples who experience infidelity, and one of the effective methods in this area is schema therapy. The present study was conducted with the aim of determining the effectiveness of schema therapy on boredom and marital satisfaction in people who cheat in marriage. Methods: The current research was semi-experimental. The statistical population of the current research included clients who had experience cheating and had visited Sahel Counseling Center in Tehran during the winter and spring of 2022. The sample of 40 people were selected by purposful sampling method and randomly divided into two groups (20 people in each group) including experimental and control groups. The experimental group underwent schema therapy intervention and the control group did not receive any interventions. The measurement tools included the Enrich Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire and the Pines Marital Discomfort Questionnaire. Multivariate analysis of covariance test was used for analysis. Findings: The results showed that schema therapy is significantly effective in modulating all three components of marital dissatisfaction as well as improving all components of marital satisfaction except financial management and relationships with children (p<0.01). Conclusion: In general, the results of this research showed that schema therapy is useful in changing aspects of loneliness and marital satisfaction and can be used to reduce family and psychological problems of people who cheated.