نشریه روانشناسی خانواده
سال دهم شماره 1 (پیاپی 19، بهار و تابستان 1402)

The crucial role of marital satisfaction in the health of the individual, family, and society has attracted many researchers in the last few decades. Thus, multiple studies have been done on this issue. The current study investigated the factors related to marital satisfaction in Iran. This research was developmental in terms of its purpose. In terms of the nature of the data, it was a meta-analysis. Moreover, to analyze the data, we applied Sandelowski and Barroso’s models to combine the qualitative data. In this regard, according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a sample group consisting of twenty-one articles was selected for analysis. The results of this study led to the identification of four categories, including individual, marital, family, and environmental factors which affected the couples’ marital satisfaction. In addition, the category of marital factors which referred to the concepts related to marital relationship was named as the main category affecting marital satisfaction. The results of this meta-analysis showed that to achieve optimal marital satisfaction, one should pay attention to the individual, family, and environmental factors along with strengthening the marital relationships between a couple. Nevertheless, the factors related to marital relationships had the most influential role in marital satisfaction.

Emotional divorce is a form of divorce in which the couples continue to live together but are cold towards each other, feel isolated, and live separately without obtaining a formal divorce. This study aimed to develop a model which examines the cause of emotional divorce based on emotional aggression and dyadic coping with the mediating role of emotion regulation strategies among couples in Guilan. The research design was descriptive and structural equation modeling. The statistical population of this study included all married individuals living in Guilan in 2021. The sample size was 253 individuals who were selected through the purposive sampling method. Gottman’s Emotional Divorce Scale (EDS), Nelson-Carroll’s Covert Relational Aggression Scale (CRAViS), Bodenmann’s Dyadic Coping Inventory (DCI), and Gross-John’s Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) were used to collect data. The collected data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results showed that the causal model of the relationship between emotional aggression, dyadic coping, emotion regulation strategies, and emotional divorce in couples based on different indicators had a good fit. Emotional aggression, dyadic coping, and emotion regulation had a direct effect on the couple’s emotional divorce. Moreover, emotional aggression and dyadic coping had an indirect effect on the emotional divorce of couples through emotion regulation strategies (P < 0.05). Therefore, emotional aggression, dyadic coping, and emotion regulation strategies play an important role in the rate of emotional divorce of couples; therapists’ attention to these three components can be important in reducing the rate of emotional divorce of couples.

In many research studies, it has been pointed out that parents are effective in raising their children. Parents have always sought to transfer their lives’ values and meanings to their children. But, in the literature of Persian research, there has not been an in-depth study of the way this effect has been done. The present study aimed to analyze how parents play this role through a qualitative research method and an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). To this end, a semi-structured interview was conducted with ten parents of Iranian families. Moreover, data analysis was carried out by Smith’s IPA. The analyses’ results led to two main themes (i.e., “Different strategies of parents to transmit values and meanings to children” and “Affectability of transmission strategies”). Furthermore, the sub-themes included "transmission through verbal and non-verbal behavior", "relationship control as a strategy", "control of the environment as a strategy", "effect of parents’ trust in children in strategy selection", "effect of parents’ personal experience about their parents", "effect of children personality differences in strategy selection", "effect of gradual changes in parents personalities in strategy selection", "effect of child’s developmental stage in strategy selection", "effect of psychological teachings in strategy selection", "parental discord in strategy selection", and "effectiveness of importance of a value in strategy selection". This study’s results revealed that the process of transferring values and the meaning of life was influenced by the content the parents intended to transfer; moreover, the parents’ strategies in the path of transfer were affected by various factors, from the parents’ inner thoughts to the children-related variables.

The objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of emotionally focused couple therapy and Gottman’s couple therapy in commitment in the relationship and the couple’s attachment trauma. The study followed a quasi-experimental research design with a pretest-posttest and a control group. The statistical population of the study included all couples who referred to psychology and counseling centers under the supervision of the judiciary in Tehran in 2020. Among the population, 21 couples were randomly selected and were randomly assigned into the first experimental group, the second experimental group, and the control group. Data were collected using the Adams and Jones’ Dimensions of Commitment Inventory (DCI) and Milkin’s Attachment Injury Measure (AIM). The experimental groups underwent intervention for seven 1.5-hour sessions (once a week) and the control group did not receive any intervention. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance and Bonferroni post hoc test using SPSS software (version 26). Emotionally focused couple therapy and Gottman’s couple therapy (in comparison with the control group) had significant effects on the commitment in the relationship (F = 60.580, P < 0.001) and the attachment trauma (F = 41.875, P <0.001). In addition, emotionally focused couple therapy was more effective in the commitment in the relationship and the couple attachment trauma (P < 0.001). Emotionally focused couple therapy, compared to Gottman’s couple therapy, could be a more effective intervention to improve marital commitment and repair couples’ attachment trauma. The implications of the study regarding determining the effective treatment and future studies are discussed.

The present research was conducted to clarify the causal relationship between family functioning and prosocial behaviors with the mediating role of psychological maturity. This descriptive research was correlational. Its statistical population consisted of adults aged 18 years and older, of which 436 individuals (i.e., 349 women and 87 men) were selected as the sample using the convenience sampling method. The Prosocial Tendencies Measure revised by Carlo et al. (PTM-R), the Family Assessment Device of Epstein et al. (FAD), and the Psychological Maturity scale of Mohammadkhani et al. were utilized to collect data. Given the results of the Pearson correlation test, significant positive relationships were observed between family functioning and intrinsically motivated prosocial behaviors, between the problem-solving dimensions in family functioning and extrinsically motivated prosocial behaviors, between family functioning and psychological maturity, between the social domain of psychological maturity and prosocial behaviors in emotional and dire situations. In contrast, a negative and significant relationship was revealed between psychological maturity and extrinsically motivated prosocial behaviors. The results of structural equation modeling indicated the significant mediating role of psychological maturity in the relationship between family functioning and prosocial behaviors with intrinsic motivation. Generally, it can be said that optimal family functioning can influence the psychological maturity of its members and their growth, leading individuals to adopt prosocial behaviors with internal motivation and higher levels of moral reasoning.

The present study was conducted to predict the attitudes of primiparous pregnant women towards cesarean delivery considering trait anxiety, pain catastrophizing, and perceived stress. The research design was correlational. The statistical population included all primiparous pregnant women who gave birth in Isfahan in 2020-2021 and had a pregnancy record in a comprehensive health service center in Isfahan. By considering the geographical region of the health centers and selecting the sample from all five geographical regions (i.e., North, South, East, West, and Center), it was attempted to include the different cultural and economic backgrounds of the participants. Finally, based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the data of 80 pregnant women were analyzed. The instruments included the Attitude toward Delivery Mode (ADM) questionnaire (Ghadimi, et al., 2014), Speilberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI; Speilberger, 1983), the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS; Rahmati et al., 2017), and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS; Cohen et al., 1983). The results of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test, Skewness, and kurtosis showed that the data were normal. In addition, the Pearson correlation showed that attitudes to cesarean delivery had a positive relation with all of the three variables (i.e., trait-anxiety, catastrophic pain, and perceived stress); an increase in one variable led to a positive attitude towards cesarean delivery. Moreover, the stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that trait anxiety, catastrophic pain, and perceived stress could predict the attitudes towards cesarean, respectively. In sum, these three variables explained 30% of the variance in the attitudes of primiparous pregnant women towards cesarean delivery. Having provided negative emotional experiences, trait-anxiety along with pain catastrophizing and perceived stress was effective in the positive attitudes of primiparous pregnant women towards cesarean.

Parents with disabled children are at the forefront of caring for their children. This research was conducted to analyze the challenges of couples with a teenage child with intellectual disabilities. In the current research, a qualitative method of interpretive phenomenology was used. The population included couples with adolescent children with intellectual disabilities in Tehran in 2021. The participants were selected through the purposive sampling method; 15 couples underwent semi-structured interviews until data saturation emerged. To analyze the data, the Colaizzi Method was used. The result of data analysis led to the identification of 27 initial codes, five axial codes, and two selective codes. The first selective theme, intra-family process challenges, was identified with the sub-theme of the couple’s behavior towards each other, the couple’s behavior towards the intellectual child, and the children’s behaviors with each other. The second selective theme was extra-family process challenges including social and economic problems. In general, it can be concluded that having a mentally intellectual child affects the functioning of the family, especially couples. Considering the importance of investigating marital challenges in different physical, mental, social, and spiritual dimensions and their other effects on the lives of parents of teenagers with disabilities, the findings of this research can be used to develop and strengthen counseling and support services for couples with disabled children.

Family plays an important role in the mental health of its members. If it suffers from conflicts, it can lose its importance as an emotional and psychological base. Marital conflicts have been identified as one of the most common problems in families. The purpose of this research study was to examine the effect of schema-based couple therapy on marital silence and emotional blackmail in women with marital conflicts. The research method was semi-experimental with a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population included all women who referred to Golestan Zendegi counseling center, District 2, Tehran. Among them, 30 women were selected through the purposive sampling method; they were randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups (15 women in each group). Marital Silence (Rasouli & Rezaee, 2019), Emotional Blackmail (FOG; Karnani, 2018), and Marital Conflicts (MCQ; Sanai Zakir & Barati, 2008) questionnaires were used to collect data. Data was analyzed using SPSS software (version 24) and MANCOVA. The experimental group received schema-based couple therapy intervention during 10 sessions. However, the control group did not receive any intervention. The results showed that there was a significant difference between the control and experimental groups in terms of marital silence and emotional blackmail. In other words, the treatment model was effective in reducing the variables. Accordingly, the schema-based couple therapy approach could be used to reduce the problems and conflicts of couples, especially marital silence and emotional blackmail.

Marriage, as one of the oldest links between humans and the origin of the family, nurtures human character; as a small natural group, it has been the focus of many researchers. Among all the important relationships in human life, marital relationship is one of the most important relationships for human well-being. A desirable marital relationship not only fulfills the need for connection but also is an intimate and reliable relationship which creates a deep sense of connection and belonging. The present study was conducted to investigate the relationship between self-esteem and marital satisfaction with the mediation of alexithymia and communication skills. The study’s method was of the correlational type and the statistical population was made up of all married students of Tehran universities who had been married for at least one year. Among the population, 212 students were voluntarily selected through the available sampling method. They filled out Enrich’s Marital Satisfaction Scale (EMS), Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale (SES), Toronto’s Alexithymia (TAS-20), and Queen Dam’s Communication Skills (CSTR). The data was analyzed using the structural equation modeling method (df/X2 = 1.62, CFI = 0.975, GFI = 0.966, and RMSEA = 0.054). The results showed that communication skills had a positive and significant effect and alexithymia had a negative and significant effect on marital satisfaction. Communication skills mediated the relationship between self-esteem and marital satisfaction positively. In addition, self-esteem with the mediation of alexithymia could positively affect marital satisfaction (P < 0.05). It showed that self-esteem had a positive and significant relationship with marital satisfaction. Considering that marital satisfaction is one of the most important determinants of the efficiency and health of the family, paying attention to the factors affecting it can consider the physical and mental health of people as family members.

The quality of sexual life as one of the components of marital life can be influenced by psychological and sexual factors such as subjective well-being and sexual self-efficacy. In addition, subjective well-being can directly and indirectly affect the quality of sexual life. The current research study aimed to investigate the mediating role of sexual self-efficacy in the relationship between subjective well-being and women’s sexual life quality. The current research method was correlational and structural equation modeling was used. The statistical population of the present study consisted of married women in Rasht in 2022. In the present study, 250 women were selected using the voluntary sampling method. They filled out the Sexual Quality of Life questionnaire, the Subjective Well-being scale, and the Sexual Self-efficacy questionnaire. Collected data were analyzed using Spss and Amos software. The research findings showed that all the indicators of the model had valid fit (χ2/df = 2.46, RMSEA = 0.01, GFI = 0.99, AGFI = 0.97, NFI = 0.99, IFI = 0.99, TLI = 0.99, CFI = 0.92) and sexual self-efficacy played a mediating role in the relationship between subjective well-being and the quality of women’s sexual life (P < 0.01, β = 0.14). As the research findings supported the mediating role of sexual self-efficacy in the relationship between subjective well-being and the quality of women's sexual life, increasing the subjective well-being and sexual self-efficacy would result in the improved quality of women’s sexual life. Thus, the family functioning would improve.