Applied Family Therapy Journal (خانواده درمانی کاربردی)

Objective: The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Unified Transdiagnostic Treatment and the Compassion-Based Approach on suicidal ideation and spiritual well-being in women victims of domestic violence. Methods: This study is applied in terms of its purpose and quasi-experimental in nature and method, utilizing a pre-test, post-test, and two-month follow-up design with a control group. The study population comprised all women victims of domestic violence who sought help from social emergency centers and family counseling clinics in Tehran during the second half of 2023. The sample consisted of 51 participants who were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The first experimental group received an eight-session (90-minute each) Compassion-Based Therapy intervention program, while the second experimental group received a ten-session (60-minute each) Unified Transdiagnostic Treatment program at these centers. The control group did not receive any intervention. Data collection tools included the Violence Against Women Questionnaire by Haj-Yahya (2001), the Beck and Steer Suicidal Ideation Scale (1991), and the Spiritual Well-Being Scale by Paloutzian and Ellison (1982). The obtained data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and Bonferroni post hoc test with SPSS 27 software. Findings: The study findings indicate that both Compassion-Based Therapy and Unified Transdiagnostic Treatment led to a reduction in suicidal ideation and an increase in spiritual well-being in the experimental groups. Additionally, considering the mean difference, Unified Transdiagnostic Treatment had a greater effect than the Compassion-Based Approach in reducing suicidal ideation and enhancing spiritual well-being (p < .05). Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, Compassion-Based Therapy and Unified Transdiagnostic Treatment are effective approaches for improving spirituality and reducing suicidal ideation in women victims of domestic violence. Psychologists and family specialists are encouraged to utilize these findings to enhance the quality of family life.

Objective: The aim of this study is to examine the sources that shape mental constructs in the minds of the participants and their strategies for bringing their own lives closer to that of a successful marriage. Methods: This study employs a qualitative method. Research data were collected through 30 in-depth interviews with 15 Tehranian couples. The data were coded using MAXQDA software, version 2020. The number of participants was determined upon reaching saturation. In the first stage of coding, a total of 860 codes or initial concepts were extracted from the interview transcripts. Findings: The findings of the study indicate that mental constructs of marriage are acquired, modifiable, and constructed entities that are the result of family upbringing and parental relationships, the dominant society and culture, and personal experiences after marriage. The strategies provided by participants for maintaining or achieving a successful marriage amounted to 51 suggestions and strategies, with the highest levels of agreement and recurrence around concepts such as patience, mutual respect, learning problem-solving skills, self-restraint, and communication. Conclusion: This study highlights that mental constructs of successful marriage are shaped by family, lived experiences, and societal influences, emphasizing the importance of empathy, mutual respect, and communication for marital satisfaction and stability.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of mindfulness-based therapy and transactional analysis on sexual function and sexual satisfaction in female patients with bipolar disorder. Methods: In this study, 20 women with bipolar disorder who referred to the Gyrus Specialty Neurology and Psychiatry Clinic in Tehran from April to August 2022 were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to three groups: mindfulness-based therapy, transactional analysis therapy, and a control group. All participants completed the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) by Rosen et al. (2000) and the Sexual Satisfaction Scale by Larson et al. (1998) before and after the intervention. The mindfulness-based therapy group underwent eight 90-to-120-minute sessions held twice a week, while the transactional analysis group received treatment in nine 60-to-120-minute sessions held twice a week. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and repeated measures analysis. Findings: The results indicated that both mindfulness-based therapy and transactional analysis therapy had an effect on sexual function and sexual satisfaction in female patients with bipolar disorder. Moreover, a comparison of the effectiveness of the two therapeutic approaches across all dimensions showed that mindfulness-based therapy had a greater impact on sexual function and sexual satisfaction in female patients with bipolar disorder compared to transactional analysis. Conclusion: Therefore, the use of mindfulness-based therapy is recommended in psychology clinics.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Gottman couple therapy and cognitive-behavioral couple therapy in improving marital satisfaction among married students at Islamic Azad University, Hamedan Branch. Methods: The study utilized a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a control group. A total of 45 married students were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned into three groups: Gottman couple therapy (n = 15), cognitive-behavioral couple therapy (n = 15), and a control group (n = 15). The intervention groups received 10 sessions of Gottman couple therapy or 8 sessions of cognitive-behavioral couple therapy, while the control group received no intervention. The ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire (47-item short form) was used to assess marital satisfaction before and after the interventions. Data were analyzed using SPSS-24 software, employing multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to compare the effects of the interventions. Findings: The results indicated that both Gottman couple therapy and cognitive-behavioral couple therapy significantly improved marital satisfaction compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The effect size analysis revealed that Gottman couple therapy had a greater impact (η² = 0.789) compared to cognitive-behavioral couple therapy (η² = 0.721), particularly in areas related to emotional communication, conflict management, and decision-making. However, the ANOVA results showed no statistically significant difference between the two intervention groups (p > 0.05), indicating that both approaches were similarly effective in enhancing marital satisfaction. Conclusion: Both Gottman couple therapy and cognitive-behavioral couple therapy were effective in increasing marital satisfaction among married students, with Gottman couple therapy demonstrating a slightly greater impact. Given the shared principles of these approaches, future research should explore the potential benefits of integrating them to create a more comprehensive intervention for couples.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to analyze the components of enhancing dyadic ego strength (facilitating the transition from "I-ness" to "We-ness" in marital relationships) specifically for married individuals. The research setting included all texts related to the concept of "We-ness." Methods: The method for selecting texts was purposive sampling from among the aforementioned texts or related constructs within the time frame of 2010 to 2025, based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The number of texts was determined according to the principle of data saturation. Data collection involved line-by-line analysis of texts based on questions relevant to the concept of "We-ness." The data obtained from the textual analysis were analyzed using the conventional content analysis method proposed by Hsieh and Shannon (2005). Findings: Content analysis of the texts revealed that dyadic ego consists of four key concepts: (1) essence (with sub-concepts of attention to marital union and dyadic identity); (2) dimensions of dyadic ego (with sub-concepts of cognitive, positive emotional, negative emotional, and behavioral aspects); (3) pathways to achieving dyadic ego (with sub-concepts of generative meaning of the marital bond, family values, and family goals); and (4) obstacles to achieving dyadic ego (with sub-concepts of individualism, lack of self-differentiation, and insecure attachment). Conclusion: Based on these findings, it can be concluded that dyadic ego is a mechanism that transforms the process of "I-ness" into "We-ness," and for its realization, couples must engage in pathways to attain it and overcome its obstacles.

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 aim of this study was to predict and explain happiness and hope for the future based on parental attachment styles among female university students. Methods and Materials: This research was conducted using a descriptive-analytical and correlational design with a predictive approach. The statistical population included all female students of the Islamic Azad University, Garmsar Branch, during the academic year 2022–2023. A total of 274 students were selected using stratified and purposive sampling methods based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were collected using the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, Snyder’s Hope Scale, and Hazan and Shaver’s Adult Attachment Style Questionnaire. After obtaining informed consent, the data were analyzed through Pearson correlation, multiple regression, and path analysis using SPSS and AMOS software. Statistical significance was set at p < .05. Findings: The results showed that secure attachment style significantly and positively predicted both happiness (β = .38, p < .01; R² = .24) and hope for the future (β = .44, p < .01; R² = .31). Avoidant attachment style was a significant negative predictor of happiness (β = –.29, p < .01) and had a weaker, yet still significant, inverse relationship with hope for the future (β = –.11, p < .01). Ambivalent attachment style negatively and significantly predicted both happiness (β = –.17, p < .01) and hope for the future (β = –.30, p < .01). All regression models met the assumptions of normality, linearity, and independence of residuals. Conclusion: The findings suggest that parental attachment styles, particularly secure attachment, play a meaningful role in promoting positive psychological outcomes such as happiness and hope in emerging adults. Insecure attachment styles, including avoidant and ambivalent, are associated with diminished emotional well-being.

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of happiness training based on Lyubomirsky’s model in reducing negative emotions and enhancing cognitive flexibility in this population. Methods and Materials: This study employed a quasi-experimental design using a pretest-posttest control group format. The statistical population included mothers of children with autism who attended the "Golhaye Beheshti" Center in Qom during spring 2024. A total of 30 participants were selected through simple random sampling and assigned to either the experimental or control group. The experimental group participated in eight 90-minute sessions of happiness training. The research instruments included the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the Cognitive Flexibility Scale developed by Dennis and Vander Wal (2009). Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Findings: The results indicated that Lyubomirsky’s happiness training significantly reduced depression, anxiety, and stress levels while significantly increasing cognitive flexibility in the experimental group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Happiness-based intervention can serve as an effective strategy for promoting the mental health of mothers of children with autism by alleviating negative emotions and strengthening their cognitive capacities. Keywords: Happiness training, depression, anxiety, stress, cognitive flexibility, mothers, autism spectrum disorder.

Objective: This study aims to examine the effectiveness of reflective parenting training on emotion regulation and the parent-child relationship in mothers with children under 6 years of age. Method: This is a quantitative study with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design involving an experimental group and a control group. The statistical population includes all mothers with children under 6 years old in Isfahan. For sampling, a purposive sampling method was used by visiting kindergartens in Isfahan, and 30 participants were selected based on the cut-off point of the questionnaires and inclusion and exclusion criteria. They were randomly assigned to two groups: an experimental group (15 people) and a control group (15 people). Subsequently, reflective parenting training sessions based on the Bateman and Fonagy (2001) protocol were conducted for the experimental group, while the control group received no intervention. The research instruments included the Parent-Child Relationship Scale (Pianta, 1992) and the Emotion Regulation Inventory (Shield & Cicchetti, 1995). The collected data were analyzed using appropriate statistical tests (repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc test) and SPSS software. Findings: Given that the calculated F-value for between-group effects (group membership effect), within-group effects (time effect), and the interactive effect of group and time was significant at the 99% confidence level (P < 0.01), these results indicate a significant difference between the two groups. Furthermore, it suggests that this significant difference exists at least at one time point during the intervention among the research groups. The Bonferroni post hoc test results showed differences in adaptive emotion regulation, instability/negativity, and the parent-child relationship scores during the research stages between the experimental groups (P < 0.01). In other words, the reflective parenting intervention had a significant impact on improving the research variables. Conclusions: Therefore, it can be concluded that this intervention was effective on the research variables and confirms that this approach can be used as an effective strategy in improving parental abilities and reducing psychological challenges in mothers during the parenting period.

Objective: The present study aimed to explain the structural model of marital satisfaction based on spirituality with the mediating role of happiness in married women. Methods: The research method was descriptive-correlational of the structural equation modeling (SEM) type. The statistical population included all married women employed in schools in Tehran. The total number was 41,656 in the 2022–2023 academic year. The sample size was calculated based on the PLS method proposed by Barclay et al. (1995), which required a minimum of 70 participants. However, due to the potential risk of participant attrition, a larger sample of approximately 120 individuals was examined. The sampling method used in this study was convenience sampling. The measurement instruments included the Enrich Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire (1989), the Parsian and Dunning Spirituality Questionnaire (2009), and the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (1989). The assumptions were analyzed using SPSS 26 and SMART-PLS statistical software. Findings: The results of this study indicated that the structural model of marital satisfaction based on spirituality, with happiness as a mediator, demonstrated a good and acceptable fit, with a significance level of 0.05. Therefore, it is predicted that the structural model of marital satisfaction based on spirituality with the mediating role of happiness applies to married women. Consequently, spirituality, mediated by happiness, enhances marital satisfaction. Conclusion: Thus, by increasing the level of spirituality among couples, with happiness as a mediator, a higher level of marital satisfaction can be anticipated.

Objective: This study employed an aims to evaluate the effectiveness of SST in enhancing the mental health of couples. Methods: In the quantitative section of this explanatory mixed-method design, a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a control group was utilized. The Mental Health Inventory-28 (MHI-28) by Basharat (2009) was employed to assess couples' mental health before and after the intervention. Data analysis was performed using SPSS22 software, and the findings indicated that SST significantly improved couples' mental health. In the qualitative section, semi-structured interviews were conducted with couples to examine their experiences with this type of therapy through descriptive phenomenology. Findings: According to the eta coefficient, SST accounted for 34% of the variance in the psychological well-being subscale and 17% in the psychological distress subscale, indicating large and medium effect sizes, respectively. The qualitative findings supported the quantitative results, highlighting positive changes such as improved emotional state, increased interest in life, a sense of calmness, feeling loved, hope for the future, and reduced stress and distress one month after the session. These changes aligned with the subscales and questions of the mental health questionnaire, serving as confirmation of the quantitative outcomes. Conclusion: Ultimately, this study emphasizes the importance of SST as an effective therapeutic tool for couples. The findings may be valuable for therapists and future researchers while encouraging clients to seek therapy.