, Abdolbaset Mahmoudpour, Asyie Shariatmadar,
Volume 24, Issue 94 (8-2025)
Abstract
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.
Motahareh Norouzi, Mohammad Sajjad Seydi, Alireza Rashidi,
Volume 24, Issue 94 (8-2025)
Abstract
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
