Applied Family Therapy Journal (AFTJ)

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on internalized shame, marital disaffection, and inclination toward divorce in couples who had experienced infidelity.

Methods: This research was conducted using a quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test and a control group. The statistical population of this study consisted of all couples who, due to experiencing infidelity by their spouses, referred to licensed counseling and psychotherapy centers of the Iranian Psychological and Counseling Organization, the State Welfare Organization, or psychiatrists licensed by the Iranian Medical Council (Anis Andisheh Clinic) in District 3 of Tehran, during the first quarter of 2024. In this study, the sample size for each of the experimental groups and the control group was 16 people (8 women and 8 men), and a total of 32 individuals were selected. According to the quasi-experimental design, they were chosen through convenience sampling from among volunteers and then randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups by lottery. Data collection instruments included the Internalized Shame Scale by Cook (1993), the Marital Disaffection Scale by Kaiser (1993), and the Inclination Toward Divorce Scale by Rusbult et al. (1986). In this study, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy consisted of eight weeks of two-hour sessions based on the mindfulness-based cognitive therapy protocol by Crane.

Findings: The results of data analysis indicated that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy had an effect on internalized shame, marital disaffection, and inclination toward divorce in couples who had experienced infidelity.

Conclusion: Considering the results, it can be stated that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy influences the research variables. It is suggested that further studies be conducted in this area to enhance external validity.

Objective: The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of wisdom-based couples therapy on the sense of coherence, cognitive-affective empathy, and emotion regulation in conflicted couples.

Methods: The research method was quasi-experimental, utilizing a pre-test–post-test design with a control group and follow-up. The statistical population included all couples with less than five years of marital life in Tehran who sought counseling at Andisheh, Athena, and Golchin Raz counseling centers during the summer and fall of 2023 to improve their intimate relationships. For sample selection, an announcement regarding session formation and initial registration conditions was disseminated to clients and consulting colleagues for referrals. After registration, eligible couples were selected through an initial interview based on the inclusion criteria. A total of 40 individuals were selected using convenience sampling and were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 20) and a control group (n = 20). Notably, each group consisted of eight couples experiencing conflict. The research instruments included the Marital Conflicts Questionnaire (Barati & Sanai, 1996), the Sense of Coherence Scale (Antonovsky, 1993), the Empathy Scale (Baron-Cohen, 2004), and the Emotion Regulation Scale (Williams et al., 1997). Descriptive statistics (charts, tables, frequency, percentage, mean, variance, etc.) were used to organize, summarize, and present the collected data. To test the research hypotheses, repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni post-hoc tests were employed for pairwise comparisons among research groups. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 24.

Findings: The results indicated that wisdom-based couples therapy significantly influenced the sense of coherence, cognitive-affective empathy, and emotion regulation in conflicted couples.

Conclusion: Based on the research findings, it can be concluded that wisdom-based couples therapy contributes to the improvement of the sense of coherence, cognitive-affective empathy, and emotion regulation in conflicted couples.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in reducing obsessive-compulsive symptoms and modifying early maladaptive schemas in married women aged 18 to 25 years diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Methods: This research was conducted as a randomized controlled trial (RCT) with a pre-test, post-test, and five-month follow-up design. A total of 30 married women aged 18 to 25 years residing in Tehran were selected and randomly assigned to either the CBT intervention group (n = 15) or a waitlist control group (n = 15). The intervention group participated in 12 weekly CBT sessions (60-90 minutes each), while the control group received no intervention during the study period. Data were collected using the Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form (YSQ-SF) to assess maladaptive schemas and the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) to measure OCD symptom severity. Statistical analysis was conducted using repeated-measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc tests in SPSS-27 to evaluate changes in symptoms and cognitive patterns over time.

Findings: The ANOVA results showed a significant time effect (F = 124.68, p < 0.001) on both OCD symptoms and maladaptive schemas, with participants in the CBT group demonstrating substantial reductions in both variables from pre-test to post-test and sustained improvements at follow-up. The Bonferroni post-hoc test confirmed significant differences between pre-test and post-test (p < 0.001) and pre-test and follow-up (p < 0.001) in both OCD symptoms and schemas, indicating that CBT led to both immediate and long-term benefits.

Conclusion: The results suggest that CBT is an effective intervention for reducing OCD symptoms and modifying maladaptive schemas in young married women, with treatment effects persisting over time.

Objective: The present study aimed to model marital satisfaction and parental problem-solving on children's mental health with the mediating role of parental emotional support.

Methods: The research method was descriptive-correlational and of the structural equation modeling type. The study population included all adolescent girls aged 15 to 18 years along with their parents residing in Tehran in 2024, from whom 258 adolescents and their parents were selected as the sample through convenience sampling. Data collection instruments included the Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire (EMSS, ENRICH, 1987) and the Problem-Solving Styles Questionnaire (PSS, Cassidy & Long, 1996) for parents, and the Emotional Atmosphere Questionnaire (FEA, Hilburn, 1964) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ, Goldberg, 1979) for adolescents. Parents responded to the Marital Satisfaction and Problem-Solving Styles Questionnaires, while adolescents responded to the Emotional Atmosphere and Mental Health Questionnaires.

Findings: The results showed that the proposed model had a good fit. Findings also indicated that the direct path of marital satisfaction, parental problem-solving, and parental emotional support to children's mental health was significant (P < 0.05), and the indirect path of marital satisfaction and parental problem-solving to children's mental health through parental emotional support was also significant (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: These findings suggest that marital satisfaction and parental problem-solving can affect children's mental health through parental emotional support.

Objective: The present study aimed to analyze the role of intimacy-based communication therapy intervention on emotional abuse in betrayed women who seek to improve their relationship with their spouse.

Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test and post-test, including a control group. The study sample consisted of 30 women experiencing marital difficulties due to spousal infidelity, who were selected through convenience sampling from among women referring to counseling centers in Qeshm County. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups of 15 (15 participants in the control group and 15 in the experimental group). The sampling method involved identifying women with marital problems who reported experiencing spousal infidelity. The researcher then assessed their willingness to participate in educational sessions before selecting the final sample. The experimental group underwent an intimacy-based communication therapy intervention, which was conducted in eight 90-minute sessions, held twice a week. Data collection was carried out using the Emotional Abuse Questionnaire developed by Brehimi (2008). The data were analyzed using SPSS software, employing both descriptive statistics (demographic tables and charts) and inferential statistics (covariance analysis).

Findings: The findings indicated that intimacy-based communication therapy intervention had a significant effect on emotional abuse and all its dimensions—except for social restriction—among betrayed women seeking to improve their relationship with their spouse.

Conclusion: Therefore, intimacy-based communication therapy intervention can be effectively utilized for supporting women and girls who have experienced emotional distress.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on the psychological well-being of couples referring to the Dispute Resolution Council in Omidiyeh County.

Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test, post-test, and control group, along with a 45-day follow-up period. The statistical population consisted of couples who referred to the Dispute Resolution Council in Omidiyeh County in 2021. In the initial phase, a purposive sampling method was used to select 30 participants. These individuals were chosen from among those who had been engaged or married for four or five years, expressed a desire for separation, and had sought assistance from the Dispute Resolution Council. They were randomly assigned to either the experimental group or the control group. The experimental group underwent eight sessions of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, while the control group received no intervention and remained on a waiting list.

Findings: The mean age in the ACT group was 33.31 ± 5 years, in the solution-focused approach group was 32.50 ± 3.72 years, and in the control group was 33.68 ± 5.04 years. The results of the mixed-design analysis of variance indicated that the intervention had a statistically significant effect on the dimensions of psychological well-being in the post-test and follow-up stages compared to the control group (p < .05). Furthermore, the results of the Bonferroni post hoc test demonstrated that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy was more effective in improving conflict resolution styles (p < .05).

Conclusion: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy can be considered an effective approach for reducing problems arising from marital conflicts among individuals referring to the Dispute Resolution Council.

Objective: The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT) on marital quality of life and sexual communication intelligence in couples experiencing marital conflicts.

Methods: This study was applied in terms of its objective and employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest structure, a two-month follow-up, and a control group for data collection. The statistical population consisted of all couples aged 25 to 40 who had marital conflicts and visited counseling and psychology clinics in District 13 of Tehran in 2023. From this population, 45 couples were selected using purposive sampling. The research instruments included the Sexual Communication Intelligence Questionnaire (Dehkordi et al., 2021) and the Marital Quality of Life Questionnaire (Babci et al., 1995), which were completed by the couples. One group underwent Solution-Focused Therapy in eight 90-minute sessions, while the other group received Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in ten 90-minute sessions. Data analysis was conducted using repeated measures ANOVA in SPSS software.

Findings: The results indicated that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy had a positive effect on marital quality of life and sexual communication intelligence. Additionally, Solution-Focused Therapy was also effective in improving these two components (p < .05).

Conclusion: The findings of this study demonstrate the effectiveness of both therapeutic approaches—Solution-Focused Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy—on marital quality of life and sexual communication intelligence. A comparison of the two methods revealed that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy was more effective than Solution-Focused Therapy.

Objective: The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of stress inoculation training on emotional regulation, Childbirth Self-Efficacy and natural childbirth anxiety in pregnant women.

Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test–post-test and a control group. The sample was selected using convenience random sampling, and 45 pregnant women experiencing natural childbirth anxiety were recruited from healthcare centers. Participants were randomly assigned to three groups (two experimental groups and one control group). The experimental groups received stress inoculation training, while the control group did not receive any intervention. The research instrument included the Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire (W-DEQ) (Wijma et al., 1998), which was administered during the pre-test and post-test phases across all three groups.

Findings: The results indicated that stress inoculation training had a significant effect on reducing natural childbirth anxiety and increasing positive emotional regulation and childbirth self-efficacy, while negative emotional regulation decreased among women in the experimental groups.

Conclusion: Stress inoculation training can be utilized as an effective approach to reducing anxiety and improving emotional regulation and self-efficacy in pregnant women with natural childbirth anxiety, thereby promoting mental health and facilitating a more positive childbirth experience.

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on internalized shame, marital disaffection, and inclination toward divorce in couples who had experienced infidelity.

Methods: This research was conducted using a quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test and a control group. The statistical population of this study consisted of all couples who, due to experiencing infidelity by their spouses, referred to licensed counseling and psychotherapy centers of the Iranian Psychological and Counseling Organization, the State Welfare Organization, or psychiatrists licensed by the Iranian Medical Council (Anis Andisheh Clinic) in District 3 of Tehran, during the first quarter of 2024. In this study, the sample size for each of the experimental groups and the control group was 16 people (8 women and 8 men), and a total of 32 individuals were selected. According to the quasi-experimental design, they were chosen through convenience sampling from among volunteers and then randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups by lottery. Data collection instruments included the Internalized Shame Scale by Cook (1993), the Marital Disaffection Scale by Kaiser (1993), and the Inclination Toward Divorce Scale by Rusbult et al. (1986). In this study, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy consisted of eight weeks of two-hour sessions based on the mindfulness-based cognitive therapy protocol by Crane.

Findings: The results of data analysis indicated that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy had an effect on internalized shame, marital disaffection, and inclination toward divorce in couples who had experienced infidelity.

Conclusion: Considering the results, it can be stated that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy influences the research variables. It is suggested that further studies be conducted in this area to enhance external validity.

Objective: The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of wisdom-based couples therapy on the sense of coherence, cognitive-affective empathy, and emotion regulation in conflicted couples.

Methods: The research method was quasi-experimental, utilizing a pre-test–post-test design with a control group and follow-up. The statistical population included all couples with less than five years of marital life in Tehran who sought counseling at Andisheh, Athena, and Golchin Raz counseling centers during the summer and fall of 2023 to improve their intimate relationships. For sample selection, an announcement regarding session formation and initial registration conditions was disseminated to clients and consulting colleagues for referrals. After registration, eligible couples were selected through an initial interview based on the inclusion criteria. A total of 40 individuals were selected using convenience sampling and were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 20) and a control group (n = 20). Notably, each group consisted of eight couples experiencing conflict. The research instruments included the Marital Conflicts Questionnaire (Barati & Sanai, 1996), the Sense of Coherence Scale (Antonovsky, 1993), the Empathy Scale (Baron-Cohen, 2004), and the Emotion Regulation Scale (Williams et al., 1997). Descriptive statistics (charts, tables, frequency, percentage, mean, variance, etc.) were used to organize, summarize, and present the collected data. To test the research hypotheses, repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni post-hoc tests were employed for pairwise comparisons among research groups. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 24.

Findings: The results indicated that wisdom-based couples therapy significantly influenced the sense of coherence, cognitive-affective empathy, and emotion regulation in conflicted couples.

Conclusion: Based on the research findings, it can be concluded that wisdom-based couples therapy contributes to the improvement of the sense of coherence, cognitive-affective empathy, and emotion regulation in conflicted couples.