مطالب

Objective: The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating couples' perceptions of their reluctance to childbearing. Methods:  The approach of the current research was qualitative and phenomenological. The research participants were 12 couples from Yazd, who were selected as a purposive sample. Interviews were conducted until the point of saturation was reached. The research tool used was a semi-structured interview, and the data analysis method employed was Smith's approach. To establish the validity of the data, the opinions of various qualitative researchers and research participants were sought. Results: Finally, couples' perceptions of their reluctance to have children were obtained, resulting in six main themes and sixteen sub-themes. In response to the question regarding the formation of the grounds for couples' reluctance to have children, the themes of changes and cultural and economic conditions were identified. The theme of replacing pets and friends was also obtained in response to the research, for example, replacements of couples for not having children. Conclusion: The findings of the investigation into couples' perceptions of their reluctance to have children revealed that it is influenced by the realities of life in the present era. To improve the situation of decreasing desire to have children, policymakers should apply solutions based on the facts of couples' perceptions.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of parenting skills training on increasing mothers' control over the performance of children and improving parenting skills in mothers of secondary high school female students. Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest for the dependent group, and its statistical population was all mothers of secondary high school students from Siyahkal city of Guilan province, among them 32 people were selected using an available and voluntary sampling method. Parenting skills training was held in 8 sessions of one hour, and the Alabama Parental Skills Questionnaire (Frick, 1991) and Parental Locus of Control Questionnaire (Campis et al., 1986) were used to collect data. Data were analyzed using SPSS software and a t-test for the dependent group. Results: The results showed that there is a significant difference between the scores of positive parenting, poor supervision, parental efficacy, and parental control in pre-test and post-test (P<0.01). Conclusion: It seems parenting skills training increases monitoring, self-efficacy, and improves maternal control over girls' performance, and it is necessary to use the results of this study in interventions and therapeutic programs for increasing parenting skills and improving parent-adolescent relationships.

Objective: This study investigates maternal gatekeeping behaviors and their relationship with demographic and psychosocial factors among Iranian mothers with children aged 2-5 years. Despite the importance of maternal gatekeeping in child development, comprehensive research on maternal gatekeeping within the Iranian cultural context is lacking. This descriptive-correlational study aimed to identify the predominant type of maternal gatekeeping and examine its relationship with marital satisfaction, employment status, age, and education level. Methods: A sample of 386 mothers, recruited through social media platforms, completed the Maternal Gatekeeping Questionnaire (MGK-P) and ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and one-way ANOVA. Results: Results revealed that the dominant type of maternal gatekeeping in Iran was "Traditional gate blockers." Marital satisfaction showed significant correlations with all gatekeeping dimensions: positive with encouragement (r=0.517, p<0.01) and negative with discouragement (r=-0.341, p<0.01) and control (r=-0.168, p<0.01). Maternal age correlated positively only with the discouragement dimension (r=0.114, p<0.05). Child gender significantly influenced the control dimension (p=0.007), with mothers exerting more control over sons. Employment status and education level showed no significant relationships with gatekeeping dimensions. Conclusion: These findings suggest that marital satisfaction is the strongest predictor of maternal gatekeeping behaviors in Iranian mothers. The prevalence of the "Traditional gate blocker" pattern highlights the influence of cultural factors and gender expectations on maternal roles in Iranian society. This study contributes to understanding maternal gatekeeping dynamics in Iran and informs the development of culturally sensitive family interventions.

Objective: This research aimed to examine the effectiveness of emotion regulation training in enhancing sexual performance and reducing psychological distress among the partners of pregnant women. Methods: A quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest measures was implemented, involving experimental and control groups. The study population consisted of husbands of pregnant women attending gynecology clinics in Tehran in 2023. A purposive sampling method selected 30 individuals, divided equally into two groups of 15 members each. Data were analysed with multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) to compare post-intervention outcomes while adjusting for baseline scores. Results: Data were collected using the Male Sexual Function Questionnaire (Rosen et al., 1997) and the Psychological Distress Questionnaire (Kessler et al., 2003). The experimental group received emotion regulation training over eight one-hour sessions based on Gross’s model, while the control group did not receive this intervention. Results indicated that the emotion regulation training program effectively reduced psychological distress scores and improved sexual function in post-test assessments. Conclusion: Emotion regulation training, based on Gross's model, appears to be a cost-effective and non-pharmacological intervention that significantly enhances emotional-behavioral functions and sexual performance for both women and men.

Objective: This study aims to compare the effectiveness of emotion-focused therapy (EFT) and trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT-TF) on psychological resilience and marital adjustment in women who have experienced domestic violence with self-harming behaviors. Methods: The study used a quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design with two experimental and control groups. The research was conducted on married women victims of domestic violence who were referred to welfare centers in Tehran City, Iran, during the fall and winter of 2024. A total of 36 participants were selected using a purposeful sampling method and were randomly assigned to three intervention groups: an EFT group, a CBT-TF group, and a control group. Data were collected using the Spouse Abuse Experience Questionnaire (Alipour et al., 2019), the Self-Harm Inventory (Sansone et al., 1998), the Resilience Scale (Wagnild, 2009), and the Marital Adjustment Scale (Spanier, 1976). Data analysis was conducted utilizing Mixed Variance Analysis along with the Bonferroni Test, employing SPSS 27 software. Results: The results of a repeated measures analysis showed significant differences between the EFT, CBT-TF, and control groups ( P < 0.05). Specifically, EFT and CBT-TF had significant effect on psychological resilience and marital adjustment ( P < 0.05). However, the two treatments had no significant difference in increasing resilience and marital adjustment ( P < 0.05). Conclusion: Emotion-focused therapy (EFT) and trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT-TF) have proven effective in enhancing resilience and promoting marital adjustment. Therefore, psychotherapists and counselors are encouraged to incorporate these approaches to strengthen resilience and foster interpersonal skills in women affected by domestic violence.