Examining the Effect of Group Religious and Cognitive - behavioral Psychotherapy on Self-esteem and Marital Attitudes of Male Prisoners of the City of Qom

This study aims to introduce and examine the religious group therapy method and compare it with the cognitive – behavioral therapy. The central question is: Does group therapy by way of a religious and cognitive-behavioral method lead to an increase in self-esteem and improvement of marital attitudes of prisoners? Tool: Coppersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (SEI) Form and Marital Attitudes Questionnaire The method used in this questionnaire is a pre- and post-test design. The statistical society includes the male prisoners of the city of Qom in the year 2008. Seventy two samples were accessible of which 42 were at the highest degree of self-esteem, and the samples having the lowest degree of marital attitudes were separated into three groups each consisting of 14 individuals (two test groups and one as evidence group). The test groups unlike the evidence group received religious and cognitive-behavioral therapy for 12 sessions in two months. After the tests were conducted, the data was analyzed through one way variance analysis for the independent groups. The results showed a meaningful effect of group religious and cognitive –behavioral therapy on self-esteem and improvement of marital attitudes of the prisoners: (P<0.05).