Designing and studying effectiveness of family-based training program on marital satisfaction and mental health of mothers of gifted girls

The purpose of the present study was designing and studying effectiveness of family-based training program on marital satisfaction and mental health of mothers of gifted girls. Study method was quasi-experimental with pre-test, post-test and follow up design with control group. The study population included mothers of gifted girls. Subjects were selected by cluster random sampling method, so that 30 mothers of gifted girls participated in the study. Subjects were divided into two groups randomly (experiment and control group), each of which consisted of 15 subjects. Experiment group received 12 sessions of family based training program each lasting for 90 minutes, while control group did not receive any intervention. The tools of present research were Afrooz Marital Satisfaction Scale (2010) and Goldberg & Hiller General Health Questionnaire (1979). Data were analyzed using mixed variance analysis. The findings showed that there was significant decrease in mental health and subscales mean scores (somatic symptoms, anxiety, social dysfunction, depression) and increase in marital satisfaction mean scores of experiment group in the post-test in comparison with control group (P<0.0001). Also, significant difference among scores in post-test and follow up was not detected (P>0.05). Family- based training program led to improvement of the marital satisfaction and mental health of mothers of gifted girls. Therefore, paying attention to the variables such as marital satisfaction and mental health are essential, and planning for providing family-based training program for this population is of particular importance.