Women

This article presents a theory using an interpretive approach to explore the role of counseling and psychological services in empowering women in management and leadership positions at universities. The study systematically examines this role through data collected from 22 participants, including students, staff, professors, and female university managers, from Kurdistan University in Sanandaj and Salah al-Din University in Erbil. Participants were purposefully selected, and data was gathered via semi-structured interviews. Analysis involved a novel method and continuous comparative analysis through three-stage theoretical coding. This process identified 300 open codes, 35 central codes, and seven selective codes: mental ability, economic ability, political ability, social ability, group ability, physical ability, and academic ability. The findings revealed that empowerment is a process rather than a product. For counseling and psychological service programs to be effective, all individuals involved in the empowerment process must have a clear understanding of its requirements and methods. Ultimately, the success of these efforts is likely determined by the women themselves. While empowerment is crucial within universities, creating a positive organizational atmosphere and a supportive culture that fosters spontaneous empowerment among female students, employees, and managers is equally important. Moreover, establishing empowerment initiatives strengthens the move towards university independence and reinforces the perception of higher education institutions as unique entities with distinct cultures. The study also highlights the importance of context and situational factors in implementing empowerment, emphasizing the need to avoid applying models that do not align with cultural contexts. Finally, university administrators must be personally committed to empowering women in management and leadership roles before any efforts can be successful.

Aim: This study aimed to compare the self-compassion and body image of women from different ethnicities (Azeri, Kurdish, Persian) in Urmia city, and in fact, The goal was to create a fundamental understanding of the phenomenon of the subject of research.Method: This is Causal-comparative research whose statistical population consisted of 342 women who were selected in 2022. Through a Stratified Sampling method, Statistical populations were chosen based on inclusion criteria and randomly assigned (Stratified random sampling). Data collection tools included a demographic checklist NEF(2003) Self-compassion scale (SCS); Cash et al(1990)Multidimensional Body- Self Relations questionnaire (MSRQ). Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was applied by the SPSS-26 program. Result: Therefore, according to the results of the present study, There is no significant difference in the level of self-compassion (F=0.64 and P < 0.05) and body image(F=0.66 and P < 0.05) among different ethnicities. Based on this basic research, it is suggested that psychosocial variables should be investigated more in future research because a better understanding of them, provides a framework by which we can understand how we identify ourselves, and how we interact in groups and in society.

Aim: This qualitative study investigates the challenges faced by women with a history of parental divorce in their marriages. It aims to uncover the emotional, psychological, and relational difficulties stemming from parental divorce and their impact on marital dynamics. Method: Utilizing conventional content analysis, this study conducted semi-structured interviews with sixteen women from Qom Province during winter and summer of 2024 year, who had experienced parental divorce and are in their first marriages. Participants were selected through purposive sampling. Data collection involved recording and transcribing interviews, followed by coding and thematic analysis to identify recurring themes. Findings: The findings indicated six main categories: 1. Unresolved Past Painful Emotions, 2. Marital hurdles of Being a Child of Divorce, 3. Persistent Psychological Insecurity, 4. Deficiency in Skills Due to the Absence of Successful Life Models, 5. The Enduring Echoes of Parental Divorce, and 6. Growth After Experiencing the Trauma of Parental Divorce. Conclusion: Parental divorce profoundly impacts individuals' emotional and psychological well-being, influencing various aspects of their marital lives. The study highlights the need for targeted interventions to address these challenges, emphasizing mental health support and life skills training. Future research should explore gender differences, partner perspectives, and cross-cultural variations to develop comprehensive strategies for improving the marital experiences of individuals with a history of parental divorce.

Objective: Intimate partner violence represents a prevalent issue for women and is strongly correlated with mental health difficulties. Previous research has primarily concentrated on identifying factors that can anticipate intimate partner violence, specifically individual and interpersonal factors. This investigation examines the structural associations between autonomy and IPV among Iranian women who have encountered such violence, shedding illumination on the intricate factors contributing to IPV and potential avenues for intervention. Methods:  The research method is a correlation, and the structural equation modeling method was used to test the proposed model. The statistical population was all women referred to counseling clinics in Bandar Abbas City in 2023. Data were collected from a sample of 306 Iranian women who had undergone IPV via purposive sampling method, utilizing a domestic violence questionnaire (Mohseni Tabrizi et al., 2013), basic psychological need satisfaction scale (La Guardia et al., 2000), and Rosenberg self-esteem scale (Rosenberg, 1979). Results: The findings corroborated the appropriate fit of the proposed model and disclosed that autonomy exerted noteworthy direct and indirect effects on IPV, which were mediated through self-esteem. Conclusion: The findings show that with the increase in women's autonomy, intimate partner violence decreases, and self-esteem plays a moderating role in the relationship between these two variables. These outcomes provide valuable novel insights into the intricate dynamics of IPV and hold promise for the development of targeted interventions aimed at preventing IPV and supporting the well-being of affected individuals.

The uneven capital dis tribution among settlements seems to have contributed to disparities in social classes, empowerment, and satisfaction. Empowerment refers to the expansion of assets and abilities; despite the key role of women in Iranian families, their empowerment has been neglected in s tudies. This s tudy uses an asset-based approach based on the settlement types to measure and compare the level of women's satisfaction. This descriptive-correlational s tudy used a ques tionnaire and observation to collect data from 376 women living in Tabriz's Zafaraniyeh and Rezvanshahr neighborhoods with formal and informal settlement patterns, respectively. The collected data were compared using a t-tes t between settlements regarding research variables, and the effect size was inves tigated using correlation and regression tes ts. The findings indicate that women in formal settlements have more capital, empowerment, and satisfaction than those in informal settlements. There is a significant difference between the women of both settlements regarding the research variables. The capital dimensions play a crucial role in predicting women's satisfaction directly and indirectly through empowerment. In formal settlement, physical capital (ß=1.370) and social capital (ß=0.120) have the highes t and lowes t effects, respectively. In contras t, in informal settlements, social capital (ß=0.560) and economic capital (ß=0.136) show the highes t and lowes t effects, respectively. In conclusion, this s tudy highlights that women with greater access to capital experience more empowerment, which leads to greater satisfaction. Therefore, benefiting more from the capital dimension result in higher levels of empowerment and satisfaction for women.

Purpose: Osteoporosis is a multifactorial disease of the skeletal system and the main cause of fractures and death in elderly people, especially postmenopausal women. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of eight weeks of resistance training on some serum and metabolic markers of bone mass in postmenopausal women. Methods: 24 inactive postmenopausal women with an age range of 46-58 years participated in this study. Subjects were assigned to resistance training and control groups. Before and after the training period, weight, body mass index, alkaline phosphatase, calcium, serum phosphorus and bone density of lumbar vertebrae were measured (by Dexa method). The training protocol consisted of upper and lower body resistance training in 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions for 8 weeks and 3 sessions per week. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 26 and independent t and paired t statistical tests. Results: The results of this research showed that the experimental group had a significant increase in the amount of alkaline phosphatase (p=0.041), serum calcium (p=0.035) and bone density of the lumbar vertebrae (p=0.11) and a significant decrease in weight compared to the control group. (p=0.035, and body mass index p=0.021). The results also showed no significant change in the amount of serum phosphorus (p=0.071). Conclusion: According to the findings of the present study, in order to maintain or prevent the decrease in bone density of postmenopausal women, resistance exercises can be recommended.