Divorce

Enhancing marital relations is the aim of numerous educational and therapeutic interventions for couples. By raising awareness, couples can improve their quality of life and mental health.

The purpose of this research was to determine the effectiveness of relationship enrichment on the quality of life and mental health of couples facing divorce in Kerman.

The study employed a semi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test measures, including a control group. The statistical population comprised couples seeking psychological services at Kerman city’s counseling centers, who were referred to judicial centers for divorce in 2022. A total of 30 participants (15 in the experimental group and 15 in the control group) were selected through availability sampling. Data collection utilized quality of life and Goldberg mental health questionnaires, alongside an educational intervention. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and covariance analysis with SPSS version 24, considering a p-value of less than 0.05 as significant.

In the test group, the mean and standard deviation of mental health scores were 36.62±6.98 in the pre-test and 52.25±7.36 in the post-test. Similarly, the mean and standard deviation of quality of life scores in the test group were 38.5±5.55 in the pre-test and 43.25±7.23 in the post-test (P<0.01). The results of the covariance analysis indicated that relationship enrichment positively affected both the mental health and
quality of life of couples facing divorce (P< 0.01).

The findings of this research indicate that relationship enrichment training is an effective intervention for enhancing both the quality of life and mental health of couples facing divorce.

Attitude towards divorce and justification of extramarital relations are among the factors affecting marital satisfaction. The present study aimed to formulate a structural model for predicting marital satisfaction based on the attitude towards divorce with the mediation of the justification of extramarital relationships in the students of the Islamic Azad University of Garmsar Branch.

The research method was descriptive correlation. The statistical population of the present study included all married students of the Islamic Azad University of Garmsar Branch in the academic year of the second semester of 2022-2023, and among them, 246 were selected by non-random and convenience sampling method. The research instruments included demographic questionnaire, "ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale", "Attitudes towards Divorce Scale", and "Justifications for Extramarital Relationships Questionnaire". The validity of the instruments was measured using content validity using a qualitative method and reliability using the internal consistency method by calculating Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS .26 and Amos v.24.

Marital satisfaction is predicted based on positive (β=-0.300, P<0.001) and negative (β=0.549, P<0.001) attitude towards divorce in students of Islamic Azad University of Garmsar Branch. Marital satisfaction is predicted based on the justification of extramarital relationships (β=-0.523, P<0.001) in the students of Islamic Azad University of Garmsar branch. Positive attitude towards divorce (β=-0.200, P=0.001) and negative attitude towards divorce (β=0.191, P<0.001) predict marital satisfaction through the mediation of extramarital relationship justification.

The marital satisfaction is predicted based on positive and negative attitudes towards divorce with the mediation of justification of extramarital relationships in the students of Islamic Azad University of Garmsar Branch. Therefore, it is suggested that family counselors and psychologists focus on couples' attitudes towards divorce in marital relationship in couple therapy.

Divorce is an undesirable social phenomenon and a complex and stressful event for the people involved. The negative consequences of divorce affect both couples, but according to research, women are more vulnerable than men. Among the problems after divorce, economic issues, feelings of anxiety and depression, and reduction in quality of life have been the most significant problems of people, especially women. Therefore, divorce is associated with a wide range of adverse psychological consequences. Expression of emotions plays a crucial role in externalizing negative emotions caused by divorce and helps a person manage the experience of negative emotions. Also, rumination of anger is one of the strong predictors in reducing the mental health of divorced women. Therefore, it is essential to use psychological interventions that help release the emotions of divorced women. The present study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of narrative therapy on emotional self–disclosure and anger rumination of divorced women living in Mashhad City, Iran.

The research method was quasi–experimental with a pretest–posttest and a 3–month follow–up design with a control group. The statistical population consisted of all divorced women referred to psychological counseling and service centers in 2019 in districts 1, 2, and 3 of Mashhad City. Among them, 24 qualified volunteer divorced women were included in the study using the available sampling method. They were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups (12 women in each group). The inclusion criteria were as follows: personal satisfaction to participate in the research, the first experience of divorce, the age range of 25 to 40 years, having at least a diploma education, lacking a serious emotional relationship at the time of conducting the research with the help of the psychologist's diagnosis, and at least three years have passed since the divorce process. The exclusion criteria were as follows: absence of more than two sessions during training, entering into a new emotional relationship, and remarriage. The experimental group underwent group therapy in 8 sessions, and the control group did not receive any intervention. Data were collected using the Emotional Self–Disclosure Scale (Snell et al., 1988) and the Anger Rumination Scale (Sukhodolsky et al., 2001). Next, the data were analyzed using variance analysis with repeated measures and an LSD post hoc test using SPSS statistical software version 26. The significance level of the tests was considered 0.05.

The results showed that the time effect and group effects and the interaction effect of time and group on the variables of anger rumination and emotional self–disclosure were significant (p<0.001). Also, in the variables of anger rumination and emotional self–disclosure in the narrative therapy group, the difference between the average scores of the pretest with posttest and follow–up was significant (p<0.001). In the narrative therapy group, a significant difference was observed between the average scores of posttest and follow–up in the variables of anger rumination (p=0.002) and emotional self–disclosure (p=0.003), indicating the persistence of the effectiveness of the treatment during the 3–month follow–up period.

According to the results of the research, the use of non–pharmacological intervention of narrative therapy is effective in increasing emotional self–disclosure, reducing rumination of anger, and improving psychological problems in divorced women. Therefore, it is recommended to use a narrative therapy program in welfare and counseling centers for divorced women.

In recent years, divorce has become one of the widespread forms of social harm in Iran. Research shows that one of the most important reasons for filing for divorce is a decrease in marital satisfaction. Marital satisfaction becomes a key factor in maintaining the family. Also, the inability to regulate emotions causes the marriage to become aggressive arguments, and the husband and wife deal with severe problems instead of solving the problem in the conflict. Resilience is also one of the influential factors in filing for divorce in such a way that low resilience makes a person unable to bear small problems and think about divorce very quickly when faced with the issues of cohabitation. Dialectical behavior therapy is a therapeutic method whose effectiveness has been confirmed in treating many problems. This treatment method can also be used to improve marital issues. The present study aimed to determine the efficacy of dialectical behavior therapy on marital satisfaction, emotional regulation, and resilience of women applying for divorce in Tehran City, Iran.

The present research method was quasi–experimental with a pretest–posttest and follow–up design with a control group. The research sample consisted of 44 women applying for divorce who were registered in the Tasmim system. They were selected as available and randomly assigned into the experimental and control groups (22 people in each group).
The inclusion criteria were as follows: registering divorce in the Welfare Tasmim system, holding at least a Diploma, without acute personality disorder, and no addiction to opium. The exclusion criteria were as follows: absence of more than one session from intervention sessions and using influential drugs on the individual concerning psychology. The experimental group underwent dialectical behavioral therapy interventions for 8 sessions of 90 minutes based on the dialectic behavior therapy sessions of Marshall Linehan's protocol (2018), and the control group did not receive any intervention. Enrich (1998), Gratz and Romer (2004) emotional regulation, and Corner and Davidson (2003) resilience questionnaires were used to collect data. The data were analyzed using variance analysis and repeated measurement.

Variance analysis with repeated measurement showed a significant difference between factors (pretest, posttest, and follow–up) related to all three variables of marital satisfaction, emotional regulation, and resilience (p<0.001). Also, there was a significant difference between the scores of the two experimental and control groups in these variables (p<0.01). In other words, dialectical behavior therapy has been effective in improving marital satisfaction, emotional regulation, and resilience of women seeking divorce. To investigate the difference between the three stages in terms of the effectiveness of the intervention, an LSD post–hoc test was used. Based on the post–hoc LSD, there is a significant difference in all three variables of marital satisfaction, emotional regulation, and resilience between the pretest and posttest, as well as between follow–up and pretest. However, there was no significant difference between the posttest and follow–up (marital satisfaction p=0.154; emotional regulation p=0.432; resilience p=0.136), so the intervention plan effectively improved both variables. Also, the effects of the interventions remained stable during the two months.

Dialectical behavior therapy seems beneficial in increasing marital satisfaction, improving emotional regulation, and increasing the resilience of divorce applicants. Also, dialectical behavior therapy can be considered an effective way to solve the problems of the divorce applicant.

Considering the effects and negative consequences of divorce at the individual and social levels, especially for women, the need for preventive measures to reduce these damages is evident.

The current research aimed to compare personality abilities and self-suppression in women applying for divorce and non-applicant women.

The current research is applied in terms of purpose and causal-comparative type of descriptive in terms of research method type and the statistical population was all the women who referred to counseling centers in Qom in 2022, from which 30 women who applied for divorce and 30 women who did not apply for divorce were selected using the available sampling method using G*Power software. The research tools were Values in Action Inventory of Strengths by Peterson and Seligman (2003), and Silencing the Self Scale by Jack (1991). To analyze the data, multivariate analysis of variance was used for the main hypothesis and univariate analysis of variance using SPSS26 software was used.

The results showed that there is a difference between personality abilities and self-suppression in women applying for divorce and non-applicant women (P<0.01) and women applying for divorce obtained a higher score in self-suppression and a lower score in personality abilities

The results showed that there is a difference between personality abilities and self-suppression in women applying for divorce and non-applicating women. In order to increase personal abilities, it is suggested to focus on individual abilities such as hope, optimism, creativity and vitality in couple training and couples therapy sessions.

Divorce is not just a single event, but is a long process in which all family members, including children, suffer from a loss and failure, which can lead to intergenerational transmission of instability in the marital life. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to analyze the lived experiences of teenagers with their parents' divorce experience in Yazd City.

The present study was a phenomenological study of lived experiences of twelve teenage participants of Yazd City in 2023 who experienced parental divorce. Data have been extracted and collected via semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Braun and Clarke's method.

The findings of this research showed that Iranian teenagers experience problems in different fields after their parents' divorce that can be classified in seven categories including cognitive, developmental/evolutionary, behavioral/coping, psychological/emotional, family, social and contextual challenges. According to the findings, the continuation of post-traumatic growth in adolescents with parental divorce requires the formulation of multilateral interventions centered on the identified themes.

According to the findings, it can be concluded that divorce has many negative consequences such as cognitive, developmental/evolutionary, behavioral/confrontational, psychological/emotional, family, social, and contextual challenges for family. Teenagers may suffer more emotional and psychological trauma due to being in critical situations.

Divorce is a phenomenon that not only disrupts the psychological stability of the couple but also impacts the emotional well-being of their children and those around them. This study aimed to develop a life skills training program using a solution-oriented approach and to assess its effectiveness on the social skills of children with behavioral problems in divorced families.

This research utilized a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test, post-test, and one-month follow-up, including a control group. The study population consisted of children aged 12 to 18 with behavioral problems, residing in the cities of Rabat Karim and Baharestan, whose parents had divorced between one and five years prior. Thirty participants were selected through convenience sampling and were randomly assigned to either an experimental or control group, with 15 participants in each group.The data collection instruments included the Adolescent Behavior Problem Self-Report Scale (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2001) and the Social Skills Scale (Elliott & Gresham, 1990). The experimental group underwent 10 sessions of a life skills training program (developed by the World Health Organization) using a solution-oriented approach (De Shazer, S). Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance, and Bonferroni's post hoc test at a significance level of 0.05, utilizing SPSS version 26.

The results indicated that the experimental group, that received life skills training with a solution-oriented approach, showed significantly improved social skills in the post-test compared to the control group (p < 0.01). These positive changes were maintained through the follow-up stage (p < 0.05).

The findings suggest that life skills training with a solution-oriented approach is an effective intervention for enhancing the social skills of children with behavioral problems in divorced families, as it provides an opportunity for learning essential skills.

A healthy and vibrant society depends on the presence of citizens with a positive and motivated spirit. Achieving such a society requires that social well-being be realized as a form of mental, individual, and social health in today's communities. Given the novelty of the concept of social well-being, there is yet to be full consensus among researchers on its dimensions and indicators. The widespread interest in social well-being in Iran and globally stems from its conceptual attractiveness as it can delineate prevailing social conditions and serve as a valuable analytical tool for scholars and policymakers in this field. Disorders in social health, such as anxiety, depression, addiction, divorce, and suicide, are crucial issues in contemporary society that warrant extensive study. By investigating their causes and consequences, strategies can be proposed for their prevention and reduction. This study begins with defining the key concepts of social health and the abnormalities resulting from disorders within it. It proceeds to provide statistical insights into these disorders worldwide and in Iran, utilizing keywords such as social health, social disorders, depression, anxiety, addiction, divorce, and suicide, as found in recently published books and articles. The components and indicators of social problems are reviewed, and solutions are proposed for the prevention and mitigation of each social disorder. Research findings indicate that among mortality and disability factors in Iran, depression ranks 4th and anxiety 7th and there is a close relationship between the occurrence of depression, stress, and anxiety in individuals. Globally, 2% of the population suffers from substance use disorders, and the daily smoking rate in Iran is estimated at 10.7%. Moreover, the divorce rate in Iran is reported at 14%, with the highest rates in Alborz, Mazandaran, Semnan, Tehran, and Markazi provinces. Suicide rates in Iran show Ilam, Hamadan, and Kermanshah provinces as having the highest rates. Ilam province is one of the most dangerous regions in Iran, where 28.94 deaths occur due to suicide in every hundred thousand cases. The results indicate significant overlap among these social harms in many aspects, where the occurrence of one can pave the way for another. Thus, preventing social problems such as anxiety and depression can effectively contribute to preventing other social issues such as addiction, divorce, and suicide, thereby enhancing social Health. Therefore, conducting national surveys in this area and making evidence-based decisions can substantially aid in preventing social harm.

The increase in divorce rates in recent decades and its impact on adolescents has highlighted psychological damages, such as depression in research studies. Therefore, the researcher conducted the current study to determine the effectiveness of Meta-cognitive therapy in decreasing depression in male students aged 13 to 18 from divorced families.

This study was semi-experimental research with a pre-test, post-test, follow-up, and control group. The study's statistical population included boys between the ages of 13 to 18 years old in 2 high schools in the 5th district of Tehran in the academic year of 2021-2022. The researcher selected thirty participants through convenience sampling and randomly assigned them to an intervention group and a control group (each group consisted of 15 individuals). Then, the researcher provided Meta-cognitive therapy for the intervention group in 90-minute sessions, weekly for two months. However, the control group did not receive any intervention. Finally, the researcher assessed the participants in three stages: pre-test, post-test, and follow-up using the Adolescent Depression Questionnaire (Maria Kovacs, 1979). In order to analyse data, this study used mixed analysis of variance with repeated measures through SPSS version 26.

The results showed that Meta-cognitive therapy had a positive effect on depression (p<0.001). The post-test average scores were 30.57 for the control group and 16.87 for the intervention group. In the intervention group, there was no significant difference between the depression post-test average scores at 16.87 and the follow-up, at 17.60 (p>0.05).

The results of the study showed that Meta-cognitive therapy was an effective intervention in male students aged 13 to 18 from divorced families. The researcher recommends the use of this therapeutic approach to decrease depression.

Research indicates that parents on the verge of separation experience psychological issues, including difficulties in emotion regulation. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a lived-experience-based educational package on improving emotion regulation difficulties in mothers on the verge of separation.

Methods and Materials:

 The research method was experimental, utilizing a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design with a control group. From among mothers on the verge of separation, referred by the court to counseling centers affiliated with the Judiciary of Isfahan in the first half of 2022, a total of 30 mothers were selected using convenience sampling based on the study's inclusion criteria and were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received 10 sessions of 90-minute training, while the control group was placed on a waiting list. The tools used in the present study included the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (Gratz & Roemer, 2004). Data were analyzed using covariance analysis.

The results indicated a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups in the post-test phase (P < 0.05). Additionally, the follow-up results demonstrated that the lived-experience-based educational package had a positive impact on improving emotion regulation difficulties in mothers on the verge of separation (P < 0.05).

The results of the study suggest that the lived-experience-based educational package was effective in improving emotion regulation difficulties in mothers on the verge of separation. Therefore, utilizing this educational and therapeutic approach is recommended to enhance the psychological health and well-being of individuals on the brink of separation (divorce).

Considering that the category of stability of marriage and reduction of marital problems is important for ensuring the mental health of the family and society, identifying therapeutic interventions that are effective in reducing these problems is very important from a theoretical and clinical point of view. This study aims to compare the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral couple therapy (CBCT) and emotionally focused couple therapy (EFCT) on interpersonal emotion regulation of couples with emotional divorce.

The method of this study was semi-experimental with pre-test- post-test with the control group. The statistical population was formed by couples who referred to Tabriz counseling centers in 2022. In total, 54 people (27 couples) were selected by the purposeful sampling method and randomly (by drawing lots by throwing dice) divided into three groups (9 couples in each group). Members of both experimental groups received their treatment, respectively, in 8 and 10 sessions of 1.5 hours; however, the control group did not receive any treatment. The measurement tools were Hoffman et al.'s interpersonal emotion regulation questionnaires and Gottman's emotional divorce. Data were analyzed by analysis of covariance and bonferroni's post hoc test.

The results of covariance analysis showed that cognitive-behavioral couple therapy 55.39±4.64 and emotion focused couple therapy 55.94±5.03 compared to the control group 43.33±4.56, increased interpersonal emotion regulation in couples after the test (p<0.001).  The effect of these two treatments on increased interpersonal emotion regulation at posttest was not different (p>0.05).

It seems that cognitive-behavioral couple therapy and emotion-oriented couple therapy can increase the interpersonal emotion regulation of couples, so they can probably be a useful therapeutic strategy for improving couples' relationships.