فصلنامه روان شناسی کاربردی
سال چهاردهم شماره 1 (پیاپی 53، بهار 1399)

This study was conducted aimed at comparing the effectiveness of Emotional Schemas Therapy (EST) and Self-Differentiation Method on marital burnout.

Method was a quasi-experimental study with two experimental groups, 1 control group, pretest posttest design and 2-month follow-up. The statistical population consisted of 53 married women referring to Counseling Center of Department of Education, Region 6 of Tehran in 2018 from which 45 qualified women were selected by purposeful sampling method and assigned randomly to three groups, with each group consisting of 15 women. Data collection tools were the Pains marital Burnout Measure (1996), Leahy Emotional Schema Scale (2016), and Bowen’s Differentiation of Self Scale (Kerr & Bowen, 2004). Each program was presented to the experimental groups in eight 90-minute sessions once a week and the data were analyzed using a mixed ANOVA with repeated measure.

According to the results, the effects of Emotional Schemas Therapy and Self-Differentiation Method on marital burnout were (F= 7.71, P= 0.01), (F= 11.55, P= 0.002), on physical exhaustion were (F= 21.34, P= 0.001), (F= 15.86, P= 0.001), on emotional exhaustion were (F= 6.60, P= 0.016), (F= 13.76, P= 0.001) and on mental exhaustion were (F= 8.73, P= 0.01), (F= 14.61, P= 0.001) respectively, and the effects remained stable in the follow-up phase. The results of Tukey’s post-hoc test indicated that there was no significant difference between the two experimental groups.

Emotional Schemas Therapy and SelfDifferentiation Method can help couples to become aware of these feelings and adaptable, and their use can be effective in building close and intimate relationships between couples.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on the feelings of loneliness, shame, and guilt in female applicants for divorce.

The research method was quasi-experimental with pre-test, post-test, three-month follow up and control group. The statistical population consisted of 3823 divorce cases form which 983 cases were referred to Kerman Welfare Counseling and Psychological Services Center for divorce counseling by Kerman Family Court in 2018- 2019. Instrument were Russell, Peplau and Cutrona (1980) Loneliness scale and Orth, Robins and Soto (2006) self-conscious emotions questionnaire. Using convenience sampling, among 98 female respondents, 30 respondents who scored above 60 on the loneliness scale and 12 on the shame and guilt scale were selected and randomly assigned into two groups of 15 experimental and control. Therapy Bach & Moran (2008) Acceptance and Commitment was conducted in the experimental group in 11 sessions of 90- minute once a week and data were analyzed using mixed analysis of variance with repeated measures.

The results showed that acceptance and commitment therapy reduced feelings of loneliness (F = 52.5, P = 0.0001), shame (F = 297.81, P = 0.0001) and guilt (F = 4.187, P = 0.0001) in female divorce applicants and this effect remained stable after the follow-up stage.

Since acceptance and commitment therapy is using metaphors and emphasizing on values, it leads to reduction of feelings of loneliness, shame and guilt in women seeking divorce; so, it can be used to lessen the loss caused by divorce.

The purpose of this study was to predict marital commitment based on basic psychological needs and intimacy with mediation of self-differentiation.

Method was correlation and the statistical population included married women and men referred to counseling and psychological centers of Tehran City in 2018. Among them, using random sampling method, from District Two; Avaye Rahayee Pendare Nick, Varesh, Fahm va Raya, from District Five; Tafakor, Bahare Zendegi, Rahe Noor, Aramesh and sadeghiyeh, from District Seven; Mehrdad, Rahe No, Kavoshe Novin, Rahayee And Iran Andish, from District 12 Refah, Nure Saa’dat, Hemayat, Fasle No and Hamrahan va Hasti and from District 16; Omid, Be’sat, Hami and Me’raj, 248 Women and 155 Married according to Klein (2016) with a Ratio of 10 up to 20 subjects were selected for each variable and probability of sample dropout. Tools were Marital Commitment Inventory (Adams & Jones, 1997); Basic Needs Satisfaction in General Scale (Gagne, 2003); Intimacy Scale (Walker & Thompson, 1983) and Differentiation of Self Inventory (Skowron & Schmitt, 2003). After excluding two distorted questionnaires and one outlier data, data were analyzed by structural equation modeling.

In the present study, the total path coefficient between marital intimacy and marital commitment was positive and significant (β=0.027, P=0.001). The total path coefficient between basic psychological needs and marital commitment was also positive and significant (β=0.087, P=0.001). The indirect path coefficient between marital intimacy and marital commitment (P=0.002, β=0.126) and the indirect path coefficient between basic psychological needs and marital commitment (P=0.001, β=0.186) were positive and significant.

Based on the findings, it is suggested that counseling and psychological centers provide trainings for married couples how to satisfy their spouses' basic needs and ways to increase marital intimacy. It is also suggested to focus on measuring couple’s level of differentiation and its recovery.

The aim was to determine effectiveness of Emotional Schemata Therapy (EST) in comparison with Reality Therapy (RT) on marriage expectations in single girls.

Method was quasi-experimental with pre-test, post-test and a two-month follow-up. Statistical population included 53 single girls aged 35-40 years from three consulting centers of Tehran, in 2018. Tool was Jones and Nelson Marriage Expectation Scale (1996). 45 girls were selected among the volunteers whom were screened and randomly assigned into experimental group I for EST, experimental group II for RT, and control group (15 each). The Leahy Treatment Package (2016) was used for experimental group I for eight 90-minute sessions, once a week. For experimental group II, Duba, Graham, Britzmann, and Minatra Treatment Package (2009) was used in three stages and in six 60-minute sessions, once a week. The data were analyzed using mixed variance of analysis.

The results of EST indicated these effects at the significance level of P< 0.05; on pessimistic expectation (F = 18.03), idealistic expectation (F = 19.52), and realistic expectation of marriage (F = 6.6). The effects of RT were; on pessimistic expectation (F = 25.81), idealistic expectation (F = 16.49), and realistic expectation (F = 5.56). The effects were stable at the follow-up stage in both of the groups. The results also showed that the efficacy of the two therapeutic methods was not significantly different (P = 0.11).

Both of the interventions have led to reductions in pessimistic attitudes and dysfunctional ideal images of marriage expectations in single girls. Thus, these interventions provide the best tool to help the individual to identify a schematriggering situation and the conditions of “Here and Now”. In other words, they are catalysts for individual’s change in the field of marriage.

Aim of this study was to determine the relationship between personality traits and marital satisfaction based on the mediation role of religious orientation.

Method was descriptive-correlational and statistical population included all 4080 male and female married teachers of guidance and high schools in District Six of Tehran Education, in 2018-2019. Using random sampling 28 schools were selected from the North, South, West and East of District Six. In addition, according to Klein's (2016) suggestion, 304 volunteer teachers were selected, as well. Tools: Tools were NEO-Five Factor Inventory of Costa and McCrae (1989); Religious Orientation Questionnaire of Allport and Ross (1967) and ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale of Olson, Fournier and Druckman (1983). After deleting 10 distorted questionnaires and 3 outliers, path analysis has been used.

In this study, the path coefficient between internal religious orientation and marital satisfaction was positive (β= 0.364, P= 0.001). The indirect path coefficient of marital satisfaction and neuroticism factor was negative (β= -0.112, P= 0.001) and with factors of conscientiousness (β= 0.111, P= 0.001) and agreeableness (β= 0.055, P= 0.001) were positive.

Personality traits, as the preconceived forms of engagement by individuals in marital relationships, affect the mediating structures, including the religious orientation of individuals that is dealing with marital problems. Therefore, it is suggested that family therapists with strengthening couple’s internal religious orientation, improve their marital satisfaction and marital affairs.

The aim was to determine the relationship between marital satisfaction based on attachment styles and early maladaptive schemas with mediation of sensation seeking and providing a structural model for it.

Method was correlation and the statistical population consisted of all married women referring to Health Centers in Tehran City in 2018; overally, 1854 individuals. Using multi-stage random sampling, Tehran was first divided into four regions: North, West, East and South and the North region, was selected randomly. From 23 districts, four quarters of Azgol, Araj, Niavaran and Bagh Ferdows of Districts 1 and 2, and 88 women from each Health Center were selected based on Power Sample software. Then, Enrich Marriage Satisfaction Questionnaire (1989), Collins and Reed (1990) Adult Attachment Questionnaire, Early Maladaptive Schemas (Yang, 1988), and Zuckerman Excitement Questionnaire (1978) were completed. Data were analyzed using structural equation of Smart Pls.

Results at 99% level of confidence showed that structural model can predict Marital satisfaction based on attachment style (β=-0.624) and early maladaptive schemas (β=- 0.693) with mediation of sensation seeking and it has a goodness of fit. Direct path of attachment style (β=0.653), early maladaptive schemas style (β=- 0.731) and sensation seeking (β=0.594) on marital satisfaction are Significant and indirect path results showed that attachment styles (β=0.532) and early maladaptive schemas (β=-0.561) with mediation of Sensation Seeking on marital satisfaction had a good effect size.

Recognition of each couple’s emotions, early maladaptive schemas, their types of attachment styles, and confrontation of their intra-psychological elements, improves satisfactory level of marital relationship.

Aim of this research was to determine the structural model of marital commitment based on marital communication beliefs, emotional involvement, and criticism in the family with the mediating role of marital intimacy.

Method was descriptive-correlational and the statistical population consisted all of 746 married clients referred to Tehran counseling centers in 2018. According to Sample Power software, 350 subjects (196 women and 154 men) with convenient sampling method in five councelling centers of Mad, Behraz, Anahita and Talieh and Mehrpad, from districts One, Two and Five were selected. Instruments were Adam and Jones (1997) Marital Commitment Questionnaires, Edelson and Epstein (1982) Marital Communication Beliefs, Shields, Franks, Harp, McDaniel & Campbell (1994) Family Emotional involvement and Criticism Scale, and Bagarozi (2001) Marital Intimacy. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

The findings showed a direct and significant relationship between marital intimacy with emotional involvement (β= -0.23, P= 0.009), received criticism (β= -0.13, P= 0.012), and communication beliefs (β=-0.28, P= 0.006). They also revealed a direct and significant relationship between marital commitment with emotional involvement (β= 0.76, P= 0.001), received criticism (β= 0.30, P= 0.009), and communication beliefs (β= 0.44, P= 0.006). The same relationship was also found between marital intimacy and marital commitment (β= 0.48, P= 0.001). Besides, marital communication beliefs, family emotional involvement and criticism, and marital intimacy can predict 48% of the variance in the marital commitment.

Family counselors are recommended to further focus on pre- and post-marriage counseling to improve couples' relationships and family solidity in creating and developing concious, committed, and intimate interactions.