The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Intervention on Grief Experience and Social Isolation Among Martyrs' Spouses

Authors

    Zeynab Keykha Ph.D. student, Department of Psychology, Zahedan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Zahedan, Iran.
    Ali Arab * Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Sistan and Baluchistan, Zahedan, Iran. aliarab@edpsy.usb.ac.ir
    Fatemeh Soghra Karbalai Herofteh Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Zahedan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Zahedan, Iran.
https://doi.org/10.61838/kman.jarac.7.3.12

Keywords:

Mindfulness, Grief Experience, Social Isolation, Spouses of Martyrs, Zahedan

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based stress intervention in reducing grief experience and social isolation among martyrs' spouses.

Methods and Materials: This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population included martyrs' spouses in the city of Zahedan, from which 40 individuals were purposefully selected and randomly assigned to an experimental group (20 individuals) and a control group (20 individuals). Data collection tools included the Grief Experience Questionnaire by Bart and Scott (1998) and the Social Isolation Scale by Chalabi and Amir-Kafi (2004). Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA).

Findings: The results indicated that the mindfulness-based stress intervention significantly reduced the scores of grief experience and social isolation among martyrs' spouses (p < 0.001). Specifically, the mean grief experience score in the experimental group decreased from 111.5 to 47.4, and the mean social isolation score decreased from 92.45 to 34.8.

Conclusion: The mindfulness-based stress intervention is an effective method for reducing grief and social isolation in martyrs' spouses. The application of this approach can help improve mental health and enhance the quality of life for this group.

 

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Alhawatmeh, H., Alshammari, S., & Rababah, J. A. (2022). Effects of mindfulness meditation on trait mindfulness, perceived stress, emotion regulation, and quality of life in hemodialysis patients: a randomized controlled trial. International journal of nursing sciences, 9(2), 139-146. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnss.2022.03.004

Amiri, N., Habi, M. B., Dehaghani, V., Agha Amiri, M. S., & Mousavi, S. A. (2019). The effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on cognitive flexibility in the spouses of veterans. Military Psychology Journal, 39, 51-64. https://jmp.ihu.ac.ir/article_204911.html

Chalabi, M., & Amirkafi, M. (2004). A multi-level analysis of social isolation. Iranian Sociology Journal, 5(3), 30-31. https://www.sid.ir/paper/67441/fa

Chen, L., Liu, X., Weng, X., Huang, M., Weng, Y., Zeng, H., & Chen, C. (2023). The Emotion Regulation Mechanism in Neurotic Individuals: The Potential Role of Mindfulness and Cognitive Bias. International journal of environmental research and public health, 20(2), 896. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20020896

Dolan, N., Grealish, A., Tuohy, T., & Bright, A. M. (2022). Are Mindfulness‐Based Interventions as Effective as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Reducing Symptoms of Complicated Perinatal Grief? A Systematic Review. Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, 67(2), 209-225. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmwh.13335

Guendelman, S., Bayer, M., Prehn, K., & Dziobek, I. (2022). Towards a mechanistic understanding of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) using an RCT neuroimaging approach: Effects on regulating own stress in social and non-social situations. NeuroImage, 254, 119059. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119059

Hosseini, Z. S., Ahmadi, V., & Mami, S. (2021). The effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on cognitive emotion regulation strategies and happiness in methamphetamine users. Family Therapy Quarterly, 2(5), 177-199. https://www.aftj.ir/article_131270.html

Issanejad, O., & Azadbakht, F. (2017). The effectiveness of two approaches, acceptance and commitment, and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, on the psychological well-being of veterans' spouses with post-traumatic stress disorder. Veterans' Medicine Journal, 37, 218-223. https://doi.org/10.29252/acadpub.ijwph.9.4.217

Kohsari, Z. (2021). Social welfare policies of the Foundation of Martyrs for the spouses of martyrs (Qualitative study). Shahed Andisheh Journal, 3, 63-84. https://www.shahedeandisheh.ir/article_135494.html?lang=en

Li, J., Yuan, E., Zhu, D., Chen, M., & Luo, Q. (2022). Effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction on stigma, coping styles, and quality of life in patients with permanent colorectal cancer stoma: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine, 101(1). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8735794/

Malik, S., & Perveen, A. (2023). Mindfulness and anxiety among university students: Moderating role of cognitive emotion regulation. Current Psychology, 42(7), 5621-5628. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-01906-1

Momeni, K., & Radmehr, F. (2019). The effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction on marital adjustment, sense of coherence, and psychological flexibility of veterans' spouses. Military Medicine Journal, 21(2), 12-21. https://militarymedj.bmsu.ac.ir/article_1000797.html?lang=en

Zhu, P., Liu, X., Shang, X., Chen, Y., Chen, C., & Wu, Q. (2023). Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Quality of Life, Psychological Distress, and Cognitive Emotion Regulation Strategies in Patients With Breast Cancer Under Early Chemotherapy-a Randomized Controlled Trial. Holistic Nursing Practice, 37(3), 131-142. https://doi.org/10.1097/HNP.0000000000000580

Zibaei Nejad, M., Borjali, A., Esmaeili, M., & Kalantar Hormozi, A. (2019). The effectiveness of dynamic initiation training with a cognitive-behavioral approach on the grief experience of martyr defenders' spouses in Tehran province. Women and Family Cultural-Educational Journal, 53, 7-25. https://cwfs.ihu.ac.ir/article_206020.html?lang=en

Additional Files

Published

2025-07-01

Submitted

2024-09-01

Revised

2024-11-13

Accepted

2024-11-25

How to Cite

Keykha, Z., Arab, A., & Karbalai Herofteh, F. S. (2025). The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Intervention on Grief Experience and Social Isolation Among Martyrs’ Spouses. Journal of Assessment and Research in Applied Counseling (JARAC), 7(3), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.61838/kman.jarac.7.3.12