درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on negative automatic thoughts and negative affect in depressed women. Methods: The design of this study was applied and quasi-experimental, featuring pre-test and post-test stages with two experimental groups and one control group, followed by a two-month follow-up period. The study population included all women diagnosed with depression who visited a private counseling center in Tehran in 2023. A convenience sample of 30 participants was randomly assigned equally to the two experimental groups and one control group. The Watson and Tellegen (1985) Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and the Hollon and Kendall (1980) Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ) were used for data collection. Data were analyzed using SPSS-26 software, applying three-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni post hoc tests. Findings: Results indicate significant differences between pre-test and post-test scores for both therapies in terms of negative affect and negative automatic thoughts (p < .01), demonstrating the significant efficacy of both treatment modalities. No significant differences were found between post-test and follow-up scores (p > .05). Analysis using the Bonferroni test shows no significant difference in the efficacy of the two approaches on problem-solving components (p > .05). Conclusion: Based on the findings, it can be concluded that both Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy are effective in reducing negative affect and negative automatic thoughts in depressed women, with no significant difference in the effectiveness of these therapeutic approaches.

Objective: The current research was conducted with the aim of studying and investigating the role of tests and tools in the accurate diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders. Methods: A total of 83 children (56 boys and 27 girls) diagnosed with autism or one of the comorbid diagnoses were selected and underwent the GARS-3 scale and the Psycho-Educational Profile Revised (PEP-3) diagnostic test. Additionally, parents were asked to complete a checklist provided by the researcher. The age range of the individuals with autism was between 2 and 7 years, with an average age of 6.5 years. Findings: The results of the statistical analyses of the data from this study indicated a significant role of diagnosis tools. Conclusion: So, the proper and timely use of diagnostic tests plays a significant role in the accurate diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders and also in determining the severity of these disorders.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of sexual cognitive behavioral therapy on sexual awareness, psychological functioning, and self-control in married women. Method: The research method was a quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The study population included all married female students at the Islamic Azad University, Garmsar Branch, in 2023. Based on the population, 30 participants (15 in the experimental group and 15 in the control group) were purposively selected and randomly assigned. Data were collected using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) and the Sexual Awareness Questionnaire by Snell and colleagues (1991), along with Dr. Mehrnaz Aliakbari's sexual cognitive behavioral therapy protocol. Findings: The results indicated that sexual cognitive behavioral therapy significantly and positively affected sexual awareness, psychological functioning, and self-control in married women. Conclusions: Therefore, sexual cognitive behavioral therapy can be used to improve psychological functioning and self-control in women.

Objective: The present research aimed to study the lived experience of mothers on the verge of separation and to explore the phenomenon of separation and divorce from their perspective. Method: It was a qualitative study with a phenomenological method among mothers on the verge of separation in Isfahan city. Semi-structured interviews were used for data collection in this research. Participants included 15 mothers on the verge of separation in Isfahan city in the year 2021, using purposive sampling, and the operations of data collection and analysis were conducted simultaneously. Findings: According to the analysis and the extracted main and sub-categories, the story of mothers on the verge of separation can be narrated within 5 overarching themes. The results of this research, from among 180 thematic sentences from the statements of mothers on the verge of separation about their experiences, eventually classified 5 overarching themes and 15 organizing themes that form the network of themes. The overarching and organizing themes in this research include communication problems (relationships with children, relationships with spouses), parenting (children's financial problems, defective parenting style, child management), emotional and behavioral (emotional and behavioral problems of parents, emotional and behavioral problems of children), psychological, social, and economic support (family, lack of counseling, economic) and exacerbating factors (extramarital affairs, addiction, previous divorce experience, mental disorders, sexual dysfunction). Conclusions: The results showed that mothers on the verge of separation experience emotions that can affect their well-being and mental health. The findings highlight the necessity for psychologists and social workers to deeply understand the lived experiences of these individuals and to offer therapeutic interventions based on the themes emerged from the current study, focusing on improving their emotional state.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to predict distress tolerance in the elderly based on experiential avoidance and spiritual intelligence. Method: This was a descriptive correlational study. The population included all elderly individuals aged between 65 and 80 years who visited community centers in Tehran in 2022, from whom a sample of 300 was selected using cluster sampling. The Emotional Distress Tolerance Scale by Simons and Gaher (2005), the Spiritual Intelligence Scale by King (2008), and the Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire by Gámez et al. (2011) were utilized for data collection. Data were analyzed using regression analysis. Findings: The results indicated that experiential avoidance significantly negatively predicted distress tolerance. Additionally, spiritual intelligence significantly positively predicted distress tolerance. Conclusions: Based on the findings of the current study, it can be concluded that this predictive model could serve as an effective framework in counseling and psychotherapy centers to enhance distress tolerance among the elderly.

Objective: The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of a combined package of Resilient Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy on the sense of coherence and marital interactions in women with marital burnout. Methods: The present study was a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up with a control group. The statistical population included all women aged 25 to 50 years with marital burnout who responded to the call posted in cultural centers in the city of Isfahan in the spring of 2022 and were contacted and received a moderate score based on the marital burnout questionnaire. A total of 45 individuals from the mentioned population were selected purposefully and randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group (15 individuals each). The experimental groups underwent nine 60-minute sessions of the combined package of Resilient Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy, while the control group received no treatment during this period. Data were collected using Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence Questionnaire (1993) and Gottman's Marital Interactions Questionnaire (1999) and analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc test, with SPSS version 23. Findings: The results showed that both interventions significantly affected the sense of coherence and marital interactions in women with marital burnout (p < 0.05). However, in terms of the effectiveness of the two therapeutic methods, the combined package of Resilient Dialectical Behavior Therapy was more effective (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The results indicated that the combined package of Resilient Dialectical Behavior Therapy could be utilized to enhance the sense of coherence and marital interactions.

Objective: Proper sexual functioning is among the factors affecting marital satisfaction. A satisfactory sexual relationship plays a crucial role in individuals' sexual satisfaction, increased life satisfaction, and, consequently, family stability. The aim of this study was to explore the lived experiences of women dealing with sexual separation. Methods: To this end, a qualitative research approach was employed using a descriptive phenomenological method. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with thirteen married women who reported having experienced sexual separation for more than a year and were living with their husbands at the time of the interview. Data analysis was conducted using Colaizzi's method. Findings: Ultimately, two main themes emerged: the nature of sexual separation and the reasons for sexual separation. The nature of sexual separation was divided into two sub-themes: lackluster relationship and wrong path. The reasons for sexual separation were coded into six sub-themes: personal injuries, emotional divorce, emotional wounds, beyond tolerance, unilateral pleasures, and backgrounds. Conclusion: According to the research findings, it can be inferred that sexual separation has different culturally dependent meanings. However, what stands out more prominently in the categories derived from this study is the reduction in frequency and duration of sexual relations and the lack of sexual desire and enthusiasm towards the spouse. Additionally, the factors causing sexual separation are an intertwined set of various reasons, with the most influential being emotional wounds and emotional divorce. The findings of this study indicate that some cases of sexual separation lead to sexual divorce.