Applied Family Therapy Journal (AFTJ)

Objective: This study evaluated the efficacy of Systemic-Behavioral Couples Therapy (SBCT) in improving relational outcomes among spouses of PD patients.

Methods and Materials: Employing a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest–follow-up design with a control group, 40 spouses attending the Neurology Specialty Department of Firouzgar Hospital, Tehran (2024) were recruited via purposive sampling and randomly allocated to experimental and control conditions (final N = 24; 12 per group). The experimental group underwent six weekly 45-minute SBCT sessions targeting communication enhancement, cognitive restructuring, and interaction pattern modification. Outcome measures included marital satisfaction (Hudson, 1982), sexual intimacy (Batalani et al., 2010), and family emotional climate (Hillburn, 1964). Data were analyzed using ANCOVA, paired t-tests, and repeated measures ANOVA in SPSS 24, with α = .05.

Findings: The SBCT group demonstrated significant improvements across all outcomes compared to the control group (p < .001). Effect sizes were large (η² = .68–.70), and Cohen’s d values were very large to extremely large (2.47–4.33). Reliable Change Index (RCI > 1.96) confirmed clinically meaningful change. Follow-up assessment showed slight attenuation, but post-intervention gains remained substantially higher than baseline.

Conclusion: SBCT represents a robust, clinically meaningful intervention to enhance marital satisfaction, sexual intimacy, and family emotional climate in spouses of PD patients. These findings support integrating SBCT into psychosocial support frameworks for families affected by chronic neurodegenerative disorders.

Objective: Generalized anxiety in children can affect the mental health and emotional functioning of parents, particularly mothers. One effective approach in this domain is reflective parenting, which contributes to improving parent–child interactions. Accordingly, the present study was conducted in 2025 in the city of Isfahan.

Methods and Materials: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest–posttest control group. The statistical population consisted of all mothers of 7- to 12-year-old children with symptoms of generalized anxiety residing in Isfahan in 2025. From this population, 30 mothers were selected using purposive sampling and were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Participants in the experimental group received the reflective parenting program in ten 60-minute sessions, whereas participants in the control group did not receive this intervention. Research instruments included the standardized Meta-Parenting Questionnaire developed by Hawk and Holden (2006) and the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (1999). The collected data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) in SPSS version 27.

Findings: The findings indicated that the reflective parenting program had a significant effect on the total meta-parenting score and the problem-solving subscale (p < .05). Furthermore, the program led to a significant improvement in the future subscale (p < .05). However, there were no significant differences between the experimental and control groups with respect to the appraisal, reflection, and anticipation subscales, the total time perspective score, and the negative past, positive past, present-hedonistic, and present-fatalistic subscales (p > .05).

Conclusion: Therefore, it can be inferred that the reflective parenting program may be used as an effective approach to enhance meta-parenting among mothers of children with generalized anxiety symptoms and to modify their future-oriented time perspective.

Objective: The present study aimed to examine the mediating role of relational ethics in the relationship between emotional maturity and marital burnout with divorce tendency among young couples.

Methods and Materials: This study employed a descriptive correlational design using structural equation modeling. The statistical population consisted of young married individuals residing in Isfahan, from whom 300 participants were selected through cluster sampling; 298 complete questionnaires were analyzed. Inclusion criteria included residency in Isfahan, marriage duration of less than five years, and willingness to participate. Data were collected using standardized instruments including the Emotional Maturity Scale (Singh & Bhargava), the Marital Burnout Questionnaire (Pines), the Relational Ethics Scale (Hargrave et al.), and the Divorce Tendency Scale (Roselet et al.). Data were analyzed at descriptive and inferential levels using SPSS and AMOS software. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated, and structural equation modeling was applied.

Findings: Structural equation modeling demonstrated acceptable model fit. Emotional maturity had a significant negative direct effect on divorce tendency. Marital burnout had a significant positive direct effect on divorce tendency. Relational ethics had a significant negative direct effect on divorce tendency. The direct path from emotional maturity to relational ethics was not significant, and the indirect effect of emotional maturity on divorce tendency through relational ethics was also non-significant, indicating no mediation. In contrast, marital burnout had a significant negative effect on relational ethics, and its indirect effect on divorce tendency through relational ethics was significant, indicating partial mediation. The total effect of marital burnout on divorce tendency was positive and significant.

Conclusion: Emotional maturity and relational ethics function as protective factors against divorce tendency, whereas marital burnout increases divorce proneness among young couples. Relational ethics partially mediates the association between marital burnout and divorce tendency but does not mediate the relationship between emotional maturity and divorce tendency.

Objective: The objective of this study was to develop and validate an integrative family therapy educational package that combines the principles of structural–systemic theory and attachment-based couple therapy to address relational organization and emotional security simultaneously.

Methods and Materials: This study employed a qualitative design using conventional content analysis to synthesize theoretical and empirical texts related to structural–systemic family therapy and attachment-based couple therapy. Relevant sources were selected through predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria until theoretical saturation was achieved. An integrative package was then developed through a multistage synthesis process. Content validity was assessed by seven expert family therapists using structured evaluation forms, and the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) was calculated to determine expert agreement.

Findings: Inferential analysis indicated a high level of expert agreement regarding the relevance, coherence, and applicability of the developed package. The calculated Content Validity Ratio demonstrated strong consensus among evaluators, supporting the adequacy of the package structure, session sequencing, therapeutic axes, and integration logic. Experts confirmed that the package effectively integrates systemic components (boundaries and power) with attachment-based components (emotional regulation, trust, and intimacy).

Conclusion: The findings support the content validity and theoretical coherence of the developed integrative family therapy package. By systematically combining structural–systemic and attachment-based principles, the package provides a comprehensive framework for addressing both organizational and emotional dimensions of couple and family functioning, offering a promising foundation for future empirical testing and clinical application.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of cognitive–behavioral couple therapy (CBT) and intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) in reducing relationship obsessive–compulsive disorder (ROCD) symptoms and improving relationship satisfaction among young couples.

Methods and Materials: The study was conducted as a randomized controlled clinical trial with a pretest–posttest design, a control group, and a three-month follow-up. The statistical population consisted of young couples seeking psychological services due to relationship difficulties. A total of 52 couples (104 individuals) who met the inclusion criteria were selected and randomly assigned to three groups: CBT (18 couples), ISTDP (17 couples), and a wait-list control group (17 couples). The interventions were delivered in ten weekly 90-minute couple-based sessions following standardized protocols. Data were collected using the Relationship Obsessive–Compulsive Inventory (ROCI) and the Couples Satisfaction Index (CSI), with general obsessive–compulsive symptoms (OCI-R) and negative emotional states (DASS-21) included as covariates. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) in SPSS version 27.

Findings: MANOVA results indicated a significant multivariate effect of group on posttest ROCD symptoms and relationship satisfaction (p < .001), with large effect sizes. Univariate analyses showed significant between-group differences for both ROCD symptoms (F(2,101) = 139.75, p < .001) and relationship satisfaction (F(2,101) = 282.32, p < .001). Post hoc comparisons revealed that both CBT and ISTDP significantly outperformed the control group on both outcomes, while no substantial difference was observed between the two treatment groups in relationship satisfaction; ISTDP showed a marginally greater reduction in ROCD symptoms. MANCOVA results confirmed that these effects remained robust after controlling for OCI-R and DASS-21 (p < .001).

Conclusion: Both CBT and ISTDP are highly effective couple-based interventions for reducing ROCD symptoms and enhancing relationship satisfaction, with comparable overall efficacy and strong clinical significance.

Objective: This study aimed to identify the attachment-based resilience processes that enable displaced families in Taiwan to preserve emotional security, cohesion, and intergenerational stability amid conditions of forced relocation.

Methods and Materials: This qualitative research employed an interpretive phenomenological design to explore how displaced families reconstruct attachment and resilience following domestic displacement. A total of 24 participants (13 women and 11 men) aged 27–58 years were recruited through community organizations and social service centers in Taiwan. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews focusing on emotional bonds, family trust, and adaptive coping. Interviews continued until theoretical saturation was reached. All data were transcribed and analyzed thematically using NVivo 14 software following Braun and Clarke’s six-phase method. Credibility was enhanced through member checking, peer debriefing, and reflexive journaling.

Findings: The analysis yielded three overarching themes: (1) Reconstructing secure attachments after displacement, emphasizing the rebuilding of trust, emotional closeness, and symbolic security; (2) Collective coping and family adaptation, highlighting cooperative problem-solving, flexible role negotiation, and reliance on community support; and (3) Intergenerational transmission of resilience, involving modeling adaptive behaviors, maintaining cultural continuity, and reinforcing family identity through shared narratives. Families demonstrated that emotional reciprocity, meaning-making, and intergenerational caregiving were critical in transforming displacement from a source of trauma into an opportunity for relational growth. These results underscore that resilience emerges through relational, rather than individual, mechanisms of attachment repair.

Conclusion: Attachment-based resilience among displaced families in Taiwan reflects a dynamic interplay between emotional reconstruction, collective coping, and cultural continuity. Strengthening attachment relationships, promoting family-centered interventions, and supporting intergenerational communication can enhance psychological stability and social reintegration in displaced populations.

Objective: This study aimed to explore how digital media habits influence family cohesion, communication patterns, and emotional relationships among Colombian households.

Methods and Materials: This qualitative research employed a phenomenological approach to understand the lived experiences of families in the digital era. The study involved 21 participants (12 women and 9 men) from various regions of Colombia, selected through purposive sampling to ensure diversity in family structure and digital engagement. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews focusing on patterns of digital media use, emotional interactions, and family communication. Interviews were conducted until theoretical saturation was reached, recorded with participants’ consent, and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis followed Braun and Clarke’s six-step thematic analysis framework using NVivo 14 software to code and categorize responses systematically. Credibility and trustworthiness were enhanced through member checking, peer debriefing, and maintaining an audit trail throughout the research process.

Findings: Four major themes emerged: (1) digital media as a connector in family relationships, (2) digital media as a source of disconnection and conflict, (3) negotiating family rules and digital boundaries, and (4) digital media as a tool for emotional regulation and identity. Results revealed that digital media enhanced communication and emotional closeness when used collaboratively but created conflict, emotional distance, and generational tension when overused or unregulated. Families that established flexible digital rules and engaged in shared online activities demonstrated stronger cohesion and mutual understanding.

Conclusion: Digital media plays a dual role in shaping family cohesion—both strengthening and fragmenting relationships. Intentional, balanced, and reflective digital engagement can transform technology into a medium for emotional connection and shared growth rather than disconnection. Promoting digital literacy, family dialogue, and adaptive boundary-setting is essential to maintaining cohesion in the digital age.

Objective: This study aimed to identify and describe the lived experiences, relational mechanisms, and developmental trajectories involved in the formation of trust between step-parents and children in Georgian stepfamilies.

Methods and Materials: A qualitative research design with a phenomenological approach was employed to explore participants’ subjective experiences of trust development. The study involved 20 participants from various regions of Georgia, including 10 step-parents and 10 step-children who had lived together for at least one year. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews and analyzed thematically using NVivo 14 software. Interviews continued until theoretical saturation was reached. Data analysis followed Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework for thematic analysis, with member checking and peer debriefing used to enhance credibility.

Findings: The analysis revealed three overarching themes: (1) Foundations of Trust Formation, encompassing emotional availability, communication openness, and behavioral consistency; (2) Challenges and Barriers to Trust, including divided loyalty, miscommunication, role ambiguity, and cultural stigma; and (3) Pathways Toward Mutual Trust, characterized by gradual emotional disclosure, reciprocity, forgiveness, and respect for individuality. Trust development was found to be a gradual, non-linear process shaped by both personal histories and sociocultural context. Participants emphasized that consistent empathy, reliability, and shared activities were critical to transforming emotional distance into mutual confidence.

Conclusion: Trust in step-parent–child relationships emerges through a dynamic interplay of emotional, communicative, and contextual factors. While challenges such as loyalty conflicts and role confusion initially hinder relationship growth, open communication, patience, and mutual respect enable families to reconstruct a sense of belonging and stability. The findings highlight the necessity of therapeutic and educational interventions that support empathy, emotional literacy, and boundary clarity in stepfamilies.