couples

The outbreak of COVID-19 has profoundly affected people's daily lives, and caused various challenges. Interactions of spouses has been one of the most important dimensions of life affected by these changes. The aim of this study was to identify the dimensions of women's experience of couple interactions during the restrictions imposed during COVID-19 pandemic. This research was conducted with a qualitative approach and a phenomenological method. The participants included 11 married women in Tehran who, during the restrictions caused by COVID-19, spent most of their time at home with their husbands. Data were collected using semi-structured and in-depth interviews. The data obtained from the interviews were coded and analyzed using the Colaizzi's method. The data were categorized into 18 sub-themes and three main themes. The findings showed that the potential of a couple relationship in crises can be such that individuals spontaneously do things to reduce the tensions in a way that this not only reduces the amount of stress, but also enriches their relationship. Women who had such an experience saw the forced situation of being together as a good opportunity to fix their relationship. But the spouses who did not have a normal couple relationship and did not have the necessary skills to repair the gaps and there has been tension, disconnection or overlapping roles and transgression of boundaries in their relationship, would make the gap in the relationship deeper with inappropriate reactions; therefore, this period has led to more conflicts for them.

Objective:   Marital relationship quality is a very important aspect in the relationship of couples and plays an important role in marital conflicts. Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the mediating role of triangulation with children in the relationship between attachment style and marital relationship quality. Methods:  The research method was descriptive, which was carried out in the form of path analysis. In order to conduct this research, 180 married people were selected from the counseling centers of Ardakan city by simple random sampling and the research tools included marital relationship quality questionnaire, adult attachment style scale and triangulation questionnaire. They answered the collected data were analyzed through AMOS software. Results: The results of the research showed that ambivalent and avoidant attachment styles have a positive and significant relationship with triangulation and triangulation also has a negative and significant relationship with the marital relationship quality. Also, secure (0.567), ambivalent (-0.454)  and avoidant (-0.433) attachment style have a significant relationship with the marital relationship quality. The results of investigating indirect relationships also indicated that the mediating role of triangulation with children was significant in the relationship between avoidant and ambivalent attachment styles with marital relationship quality. Conclusion: attachment style can affect the quality of marital relationship in conflicted couples by influencing triangulation with children. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to the underlying factors of psychological separation between couples.

Objective: This paper expounds the role of family relationships and conflict resolution styles in marital burnout of couples seeking a divorce in Minab city. Methods: This is descriptive and correlational research. The study’s statistical population consists of the total number of married couples in Minab city in 2022 who were applieded for divorce. Using random sampling, 162 people were selected. The participants were asked to fill out the following questionnaires: the Couple Burnout Measure (CBM); The Rahim Organizational Conflict Inventory-II (ROCI II), and The Brief Family Relationship Scale (BFRS. Results: Pearson's correlation coefficient and simultaneous multiple regression were used to analyze the study findings and examine the relationships between research variables. The study results indicated that family relationships and conflict resolution styles are significantly correlated with marital burnout (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Results analysis indicated that there was a significant relationship between family relationships, conflict resolution styles, and marital burnout highlighting divorce as one of the primary family trauma which brings about disintegration on a personal, familial, and social level. Therefore, the identification of the factors contributing to couples’ dissatisfaction and burnout have high significance since it affords us to take effective measures to prevent divorce and improve couples’ marital life.

Background and Aim: It is natural for differences and conflicts to arise between husband and wife. Due to the nature of spouses' activities, it sometimes happens that differences of opinion occur or needs are not met; As a result, spouses feel angry, disappointed and unhappy towards each other. The current research aimed to determine the effectiveness of strength-based counseling on the tendency toward marital infidelity and self-compassion of conflicted couples. Methods: In terms of purpose, the current research was of the applied type and the method of conducting it was quasi-experimental with a pre-test and post-test design with an experimental group and a control group and a three-month follow-up period. The statistical population of the research included all couples referring to a private counseling center in District 10 of Tehran. For sampling, 30 couples were selected and randomly assigned to two experimental groups (15 couples) and a control group (15 couples) using the available sampling method. In this research, the strength-based counseling package compiled by Parsakia & Darbani (2022) was used. Also, in order to collect data, Neff's self-compassion questionnaire (2003) and Bashirpour et al.'s marital infidelity questionnaire (2018) were used. Results: The results of data analysis showed that strength-based counseling significantly increased self-compassion scores (F = 13.08) and decreased the scores of the tendency toward marital infidelity of the experimental group (F = 9.52). Also, Bonferroni's post hoc test results indicated good stability of these effects. Conclusion: Therefore, the strength-based approach can increase the self-compassion of conflicted couples and decrease their tendency toward commit marital infidelity.

Objective: Divorce is one of the social and family problems that all sections of society are affected in some way. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of self-compassion, patience and Islamic optimism on the tendency to divorce couples in Rasht. Methods: The method of this research was correlational and the method of data analysis was practical in terms of purpose. This study was performed on 200 married men and women in Rasht in 2020. The respondents were selected by available random sampling. For data collection, Roosevelt, Johnson & Moro Divorce Tendency Scale, Nef Self-Compassion Questionnaire, Date Patience Scale and Nouri Islamic Optimism Questionnaire were used and then the data were analyzed by SPSS26 software. Results: Findings showed a significant and negative correlation between self-compassion (r = -0.43), patience (r = -0.17) and Islamic optimism (r = -0.32) with a tendency to divorce. Also, there was a significant negative relationship with confidence (P <0.05). The results of regression analysis showed that these three variables predict 23% of the variance of the tendency to divorce (P <0.05). Conclusion: According the results of this study, the couples experience less tendency to divorce with more compassion, patience and Islamic optimism. The study of the degree of self-compassion in couples and also the study of patience and optimism in them, provides a more complete understanding of the factors involved in the phenomenon of the tendency to divorce in couples. It can be concluded that self-compassion and religiosity have an effect on improving the strategies for maintaining the couple's relationship.

Objective:  Covid-19 outbreak changed human being interactions in all of the world, and family as smallest social unit of society had experiences in new situation. Accordingly, the present study aimed to explore the How the Covid-19 pandemic changed the quality of Iranian families’ interaction?Methods: This study examined the quality of family interactions during the COVID-19 epidemic using a qualitative grounded theory approach. The research population was families living in Tehran. The participants were 25 persons including 7 couples and 11 young adults who were selected using purposive sampling in 2021 in Tehran. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with the participants. The collected data were analyzed based on Strauss and Corbin’s approach.Results: The results revealed that COVID-19 affected 5 Axial coding including; “Family interaction challenges”, “Changes in the quality of family interactions”, “Concerns about the occurrence of physical and mental problems for family members”, “the impact of changing working hours” and “economic problems on family interactions”, and the consequences of reconstructing family interactions leading to weak family ties. The COVID-19 pandemic also had consequences such as economic problems, exacerbation of external stresses such as unemployment, disregard for family relationships, and exacerbation of work-family conflict.Conclusion: This study also showed that families rebuild family interactions by turning challenges into opportunities, redefining communication boundaries, rebuilding family interactions, and redefining family roles and functions.

Objective: This study investigates the prediction of marital satisfaction based on attitudes toward gender roles and identity in married couples. Methods: The research method employed for this purpose is descriptive and correlational. Therefore, A cluster sampling method was used to select 350 married individuals from the residents of the second municipality district of Mashhad in 2022, including 150 women and 150 men. Data was collected using the Tagras scale, Smith identity styles, and Enrich marriage satisfaction questionnaire. Correlation and regression models were employed to analyze the data. Results:The findings reveal significant relationships between attitudes toward gender roles, identity styles, and marital satisfaction. Additionally, it is important to note that the significance of these relationships differed among males and females. After analyzing the data using regression analysis, it was found that attitudes towards gender roles and identity styles have the ability to predict marital satisfaction by %26 and %34, respectively and at the p<0.01 significance level. Conclusion: Hence, based on the results, it can be concluded that individuals who hold egalitarian attitudes toward gender roles tend to experience higher levels of marital satisfaction. Conversely, those who adhere to traditional gender roles are more likely to experience lower levels of marital satisfaction. Furthermore, it was observed that an informational identity style positively predicts marital satisfaction, while a diffuse identity style negatively predicts it.

Objective: The current study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of solution-focused couples therapy on psychological well-being and distress tolerance. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study using a pre-test and post-test design with a control group and a follow-up phase. The population consisted of all couples attending counseling centers in Tehran during the last two months of the year 2021. A sample of 30 couples was selected using convenience sampling and randomly assigned to an experimental group (15 couples) and a control group (15 couples). The research instruments included the Ryff Psychological Well-being Scale (1988) and the Simons and Gaher Distress Tolerance Scale (2005). The experimental group received eight sessions of McDonald's (2007) solution-focused training in a group setting, whereas the control group received no intervention. Data were analyzed using covariance analysis with SPSS software version 21. Findings: The results showed that solution-focused couples therapy had a significant effect on the dimensions of psychological well-being (F = 15.78, p = .001) and distress tolerance (F = 12.00, p = .001); these effects were maintained during the follow-up phase (p < .001). Conclusion: Given the results, therapists can employ solution-focused couples therapy to enhance psychological well-being and distress tolerance among couples, which significantly affects the stability and strength of families.

Objective: The current study aimed to examine the effectiveness of Emotion-Focused Couple Therapy (EFCT) on intimacy, marital adjustment, and forgiveness among couples with a history of extramarital affairs. Methods: The research design was a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest with a control group. The study population included all women in Tehran who were affected by their husbands' extramarital relationships in 2022. A sample of 30 women affected by such relationships and visiting counseling centers in District 2 of Tehran was selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group in equal numbers. The research instruments included the Thompson and Walker (1983) Intimacy Scale, the Spanier (1976) Marital Adjustment Questionnaire, and the Rye et al. (2001) Forgiveness Questionnaire. The experimental group received EFCT in eight 60-minute sessions over a month; the control group was placed on a waiting list. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance with the aid of SPSS version 23 software. Findings: The findings indicated that EFCT significantly improved intimacy (p < 0.01), marital adjustment (p < 0.01), and marital forgiveness (p < 0.01). Conclusion: It can be concluded that Emotion-Focused Couple Therapy effectively enhances intimacy, adjustment, and forgiveness in couples with a history of extramarital affairs.

Objective: This study aims to identify the criteria for a successful marriage through a qualitative approach using grounded theory methodology. Methods: This qualitative study employed grounded theory with a systematic approach. Participants included 12 married individuals from Iran, selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews, analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding following Strauss and Corbin’s method. Lincoln and Guba’s criteria for trustworthiness were applied to ensure the reliability of findings. Findings: The study identified five paradigms: central factors, causal factors, contextual factors, facilitating factors, and outcomes, encompassing 11 main categories, 21 subcategories, and 45 initial codes. The central category of "couple interactions" included emotional regulation, mutual understanding, intimacy, commitment, and satisfaction as key indicators of a successful marriage. Causal factors included initial attraction, emotional maturity, and family interactions during courtship, while facilitating factors highlighted family support. Contextual factors such as economic, cultural, familial, and individual aspects were also significant. Conclusion: The findings emphasize that successful marriages are influenced by a combination of individual, relational, and contextual factors. Practical applications include incorporating these insights into premarital counseling, marital therapy, and educational programs to promote emotional well-being, mutual understanding, and satisfaction in marital relationships.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on the psychological well-being of couples referring to the Dispute Resolution Council in Omidiyeh County. Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test, post-test, and control group, along with a 45-day follow-up period. The statistical population consisted of couples who referred to the Dispute Resolution Council in Omidiyeh County in 2021. In the initial phase, a purposive sampling method was used to select 30 participants. These individuals were chosen from among those who had been engaged or married for four or five years, expressed a desire for separation, and had sought assistance from the Dispute Resolution Council. They were randomly assigned to either the experimental group or the control group. The experimental group underwent eight sessions of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, while the control group received no intervention and remained on a waiting list. Findings: The mean age in the ACT group was 33.31 ± 5 years, in the solution-focused approach group was 32.50 ± 3.72 years, and in the control group was 33.68 ± 5.04 years. The results of the mixed-design analysis of variance indicated that the intervention had a statistically significant effect on the dimensions of psychological well-being in the post-test and follow-up stages compared to the control group (p < .05). Furthermore, the results of the Bonferroni post hoc test demonstrated that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy was more effective in improving conflict resolution styles (p < .05). Conclusion: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy can be considered an effective approach for reducing problems arising from marital conflicts among individuals referring to the Dispute Resolution Council.

Objective: The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of couple therapy based on the reality therapy approach on marital empathy and marital forgiveness among couples. Methods and Materials: The research method was quasi-experimental with a pretest-posttest control group design including a follow-up phase. The statistical population consisted of all couples who referred to counseling centers in Tehran in 2023. From among the eligible individuals, 30 couples were selected using purposive sampling and were randomly assigned to two groups (15 couples in the experimental group and 15 couples in the control group). Data collection instruments included the Marital Empathy Questionnaire by Joliffe and Farrington (2006) and the Marital Forgiveness Questionnaire by Rye et al. (2001). The intervention group received nine 90-minute in-person group sessions over two months based on the reality therapy approach, while the control group received standard counseling services. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 24 and repeated measures ANOVA, adhering to statistical assumptions. Findings: The results indicated significant differences in the mean scores of marital empathy and marital forgiveness between the pretest, posttest, and follow-up phases (P < .01). These effects remained stable during the follow-up phase, indicating that couple therapy based on the reality therapy approach significantly improved marital empathy and marital forgiveness. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, couple therapy using the reality therapy approach can be considered an effective therapeutic method for enhancing marital forgiveness and empathy among couples

Objective: The aim of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of psychodynamic therapy on the quality of marital relationships and cognitive emotion regulation in couples experiencing marital conflicts. Methods and Materials: This research employed a quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest and a control group. The statistical population consisted of couples with marital conflicts residing in Babol in 2023. From this population, 28 individuals (14 couples) were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to either the experimental group (n = 14) or the control group (n = 14). Data were collected using standardized questionnaires measuring marital relationship quality and cognitive emotion regulation. The experimental group received psychodynamic therapy over 12 sessions (two 90-minute sessions per week), while the control group did not receive any treatment. Findings: The findings indicated that the posttest scores of both marital relationship quality and cognitive emotion regulation in the experimental group were significantly higher than the pretest scores. Conclusion: Therefore, psychodynamic therapy was found to be effective in improving marital relationship quality and cognitive emotion regulation among couples with marital conflicts.