Psychology of Woman Journal
Volume:4 Issue: 4, Winter 2024

One of the harms that put families at risk of disintegration is the phenomenon of marital infidelity. The present study compared the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy and compassion-focused therapy in improving rumination and enhancing emotional regulation in women who have experienced marital infidelity.

This was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test-follow-up design and a control group. The study population included women with experiences of marital infidelity, who sought help from counseling and psychotherapy centers and clinics in Tehran in the year 2021. From the mentioned population, 45 women with experiences of marital infidelity were selected based on the entry criteria of the study and were randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group (eachgroup consisting of 15 individuals). The first experimental group received cognitive behavioral therapy intervention, and the second group underwent compassion-based therapy. The control group did not receive any intervention. Data were collected using the Garnefski and Kraaij Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (2006) and the Nolen-Hoeksema et al. Ruminative Responses Scale (1999). Data were analyzed using the analysis of variance with repeated measures and SPSS software version 22.

The results showed that emotional regulation in both the cognitive-behavioral and compassion therapy groups was higher at the post-test stage than at the pre-test, and the scores of rumination in the two groups were lower at the post-test stage than at thepre-test (p < 0.01). Also, the comparison of the two experimental groups showed that the scores of emotional regulation and rumination variables in both cognitive-behavioral and compassion therapy groups significantly differed from each other (p< 0.01).

It can be concluded that cognitive-behavioraltherapy had a greater impact on improving emotional regulation and rumination in women compared to compassion-focused therapy. 

Family is a focal point for affection among family members. However, violence within the family by one member towards others disrupts this function. Violence within the family, which is predominantly on women, causes irreversible and harmful effects on women's spirits and bodies. This study investigated the relationship between religious orientation and mental health of men with domestic violence against women.

The present study was descriptive correlational. The data collection method was field and the statistical population was the clients of Qazvin medical centers. A total of 300 married men were selected by random sampling. Data analysis tools were descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient.

The results of this study showed that subjects whose religious orientation became more internalized and scored higher in terms of mental health, showed less violence against women. Also, religious orientation and mental health interact positively with acts of violence against women.

Internalizing religion, treating personality disorders, and expanding the culture of conversation among family members along with educational measures can penetrate social attitudes that support inequality among members. By reforming and changing these structures, we will also see a change in the space within the family.

Divorce is one of the most significant family damages leading to individual, familial, and social collapse, with emotional divorce being a precursor to formal divorce. The current study aimed to predict emotional divorce based on self-differentiation and marital expectations in women.

This study employed a correlational research method. The population included women who consulted counseling and psychological service centers in the cities of Nowshahr and Chalus. Using a convenience sampling method, 160 samples were selected and respondedto the Gottman Emotional Divorce Scale (1995), Skowron and Friedlander Self-Differentiation Inventory (1998), and Omidvar et al.'s Marital Expectation Questionnaire (2009). Data were analyzed using regression analysis in SPSS 22.

Results indicated that among the components of self-differentiation, "I-position" (β= -0.30; p < 0.001) and among the components of marital expectations, expectations as a friend and supporter (β= -0.20 = β; p < 0.001) were significant predictors of emotional divorce. Additionally, the "I-position" variable had the highest predictive power.

Based on the findings of this study, attention to the role of differentiation and fusion in the spousal relationship, as well as marital expectations, can be crucial in identifying and treating couple issues and preventing emotional divorce

Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes often experience conventional emotions such as anxiety, negative mood, decreased resilience, and quality of life. Therefore, the purpose of the current research was to compare the effectiveness of Schema Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in reducing negative mood, enhancing psychological resilience, and improving the quality of life in women with Type 2 Diabetes.

The research method was applied in terms of objective and quasi-experimental in terms of data collection method. The statistical population of this study included women with Type 2 Diabetes in Tehran during the first half of 2021. The sample size for this part of the research was 30, considering the nature of the study method. The research tools included the Catanzaro and Mearns Negative Mood Questionnaire, the UCLA Psychological Resilience Questionnaire, the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), SchemaTherapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

Based on the findings of the current research, it was determined that Schema Therapy was effective in reducing the negative mood of women with Type 2 Diabetes in Tehran. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy was also effective in reducing the negative mood of these women. Additionally, Schema Therapy was found to be effective in enhancing the resilience of women with Type 2 Diabetes in Tehran, as was Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Both therapies were also effective in improving the quality of life of these women. Furthermore, it was determined that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy was more effective than Schema Therapy.

The findings demonstrated significant improvements in all three variables for both therapeutic approaches. Schema Therapy showed marked effectiveness in enhancing psychological resilience and quality of life, while ACT was particularly effective in reducing negative mood and improving overall well-being.

This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of ParadoxicalTimetable Cure(PTC), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Matrix (ACTM), and Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) on self-esteem and marital burnoutin women experiencing marital conflict.

The research method was quasi-experimental, consisting of three stages: pre-test, post-test, and follow-up. In this study, 45 women with marital conflict were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group, with 15 participants in each group. Each of the experimental groups underwent ten 90-minute training sessions, while the control group received no treatment.

All four groups were assessed before, after, and one month post-interventionusing self-esteem and marital burnoutquestionnaires. The data were analyzed through repeated measures analysis of variance and follow-up tests. The PTC and ACTM treatments were significant for the self-esteem component but were not significantly effective for the emotion-focused treatment. The results showed that PTC, ACTM, and EFT all had a significant difference in the post-test phase compared to the control group in the marital burnoutcomponent, indicating their effectiveness; however, this effect wasmore pronounced for the emotion-focused therapy.

Therefore, it is recommended to use all three treatments to reduce marital conflicts in women, employing PTC and ACTM for self-esteem issues and EFT for marital burnout.

One of the most significant factors that can disrupt family health is the breaking of commitment and exclusivity in emotional and sexual relationships, leading to extramarital affairs, also known as marital infidelity. The current study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of Emotion-FocusedCouples Therapy (EFCT) on sexual function, marital intimacy, and impulsivity in women affected by marital infidelity.

Methods and Materials:

This study is a quasi-experimental research with a pre-test, post-test, and three-month follow-up design, accompanied by a control group. The population studied included all women affected by marital infidelity who sought help at the Yarigar counseling centers and the Organic counseling center in Tehran, who had visited these centers in the first six months of the year 2023. According to the counseling centers' officials, the total number of these individuals was 93. The sample studied consisted of 30 women affected by marital infidelity who visited counseling centers in District 2 of Tehran in 2023, selected through purposive sampling and then randomly divided into experimental and control groups. Data were collected using the Marital Intimacy Scale, the Barratt ImpulsivityScale, and the Female Sexual Function Index. In this study, the experimental group underwent 9 sessions of Emotion-FocusedTherapy (one 90-minute session per week). Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance and SPSS software version 22.

The results showed that Emotion-FocusedCouples Therapy significantly improved sexual function (F=25.29, P<0.001), marital intimacy (F=5.49, P=0.026), and reduced impulsivity (F=39.46, P<0.001) in women affected by marital infidelity.

It can be concluded that Emotion-FocusedCouples Therapy is effective in improving sexual function, marital intimacy, and impulsivity in women affected by marital infidelity and can be used to reduce the psychological problems of these women.

Marital infidelity, which signifies a breach of commitment between husband and wife, leads to varying degrees of emotional and physical connection with someone outside the marital relationship. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on alexithymiain women experiencing infidelity.

Methods and Materials:

The research method was a quasi-experimental design utilizing pre-tests, post-tests, and control and experimental groups. The study population consisted of all women affected by infidelity who sought counseling in Qom (Fardaye Roshan and Shamim Counseling Centers). The sampling method was voluntary with random replacement; thus, among the women affected by infidelity who visited the aforementioned centers, 30 were selected and then randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group based on a list of names. The instruments used in this study included the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (Taylor, 1986). Data were analyzed using multivariate covariance analysis and mixed analysis of variance with repeated measures design in SPSS 27.

The results indicated that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy was effective in reducing alexithymiain women experiencing infidelity (p < .001, F = 14.065).

Consequently, the findings of this study confirm the role and impact of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in reducing the alexithymiaof spouses affected by infidelity.

The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of parent-focused transdiagnostic child treatment with and without maternal acceptance and commitment intervention on mindful attention indices and psychological syndromes in mothers with corona anxiety.

Methods and Materials:

 This quasi-experimental research employed a pre-test-post-test design with two experimental groups and one control group, accompanied by a two-month follow-up period. The population consisted of all anxious second-grade primary school students during the second half of the year 2021-2022 in Districts 1 and 2 of Sari city, whose mothers also had corona anxiety. The transdiagnostic parent-child centered intervention combined with acceptance and commitment therapy for the parent was applied in the first experimental group, while the transdiagnostic parent-child centered intervention without acceptance and commitment therapy for the parent was applied in the second experimental group, and the control group received no intervention. Sixty participants were selected through purposive sampling and then randomly assigned into three groups (Group 1: transdiagnostic parent-child centered intervention with parent acceptance and commitment intervention (20 participants), Group 2: transdiagnostic child-centered intervention without parent acceptance and commitment intervention (20 participants), and Group 3: control group (20 participants)). Data collection for children utilized mindfulness questionnaires, and for mothers, psychological syndrome questionnaires including the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) were used. For implementing the interventions, Ehrenreich-May et al.'s (2019) transdiagnostic intervention (12 90-minute group sessions twice a week) and Eifert et al.'s (2017) acceptance and commitment therapy (12 90-minute group sessions twice a week) were employed. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA with SPSS software, version 26.

The results of the repeated measures ANOVA for children showed that the effectiveness of the transdiagnostic child treatment combined with maternal acceptance and commitment intervention was significantly greater in terms of mindful attention indices than the transdiagnostic child treatment without maternal acceptance and commitment intervention. The results for mothers indicated no significant difference in the effectiveness of the transdiagnostic child treatment with versus without maternal acceptance and commitment intervention regarding psychological syndromes (anxiety, stress, depression, and spirituality; gratitude towards God) and COVID-19 psychological syndromes (obsessive thoughts, quality of life during the corona period, except for corona distress), although both interventions showed significant effectiveness over time.

Therefore, it is recommended that therapists and counselors use this treatment alongside other therapeutic interventions to improve child-parent interactions.

The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of transdiagnostic treatment based on cognitive behavioral therapy, schema therapy, and meaning therapy on psychological well-being and marital burnoutin women experiencing emotional divorce.

 Methods and Materials:

The method of this study was quasi-experimental, with a pre-test and post-test design witha control group. The study population included all female clients who attended counseling centers in Tehran, diagnosed with conditions of emotional divorce in their marital life in the year 2021. The study sample consisted of 30 women experiencing emotional divorce, who were selected through stratified random sampling and placed into the educational group based on transdiagnostic treatment involving cognitive behavioral therapy, schema therapy, and meaning therapy (15 participants) and the control group (15 participants). The measurement tools used in the research included: the Psychological Well-being Scale by Ryff (1989), Marital BurnoutScale by Pines (1996), Marital Conflict Scale by Barati and Sanaei (1999), and Emotional Divorce Scale by Gottman (2008). Data were analyzed using covariance analysis and SPSS software version 20.

The results indicated that the treatment based on transdiagnostic cognitive therapy, schema therapy, and meaning therapy has an effect on reducing marital burnout(F=109.71, P<0.001) and increasing psychological well-being (F=19.44, P<0.001).

Therefore, it was concluded that transdiagnostic treatment based on cognitive behavioral therapy, schema therapy, and meaning therapy is effective in reducing marital burnoutand increasing psychological well-being.

The present study aims to determine the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on family functioning and inefficient attitudes of women in second marriages.

Methods and Materials:

The research method was a quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test with a control group. The study population consisted of women who were in their second marriage and had sought counseling services in Tehran in 2023. From this population, 30 individuals were selected using convenience sampling and randomly assigned into two groups: an experimental group of 15 and a control group of 15. The instruments used for data collection were questionnaires on family functioning and inefficient attitudes. Participants in the experimental group received ACT for 8 weeks, with one 90-minute session per week, while the control group did not receive any specific intervention.

Findings indicated that the mean scores of family functioning and inefficient attitudes in the post-test were significantly improved in the experimental group compared to the pre-test.

Therefore, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy has an impact on family functioning and the inefficient attitudes of women in second marriages

The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on distress tolerance and life meaning in depressed women.

Methods and Materials:

The research method was a quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test with a control group. The population consisted of depressed women seeking help at counseling clinics in Tehran in the year 2022. From this population, 30 individuals were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned into two groups: an experimental group (15 individuals) and a control group (15 individuals); the instruments used for data collection were the Distress Tolerance and Life Meaning questionnaires. The ACT protocol was administered to the experimental group over 8 sessions, twice a week, each lasting 120 minutes, while no intervention was applied to the control group.

The findings indicated that the average scores of distress tolerance and life meaning in the post-test were significantly improved compared to the pre-test in the experimental group.

Therefore, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy has an impact on distress tolerance and life meaning in depressed women.

This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of Emotional FreedomTechniques in reducing symptoms of PTSD among women affected by marital infidelity.

Methods and Materials:

The present research was an experimental case study utilizing a multiple baseline design across subjects. The study population consisted of all women affected by marital infidelity who had sought help at the Mehravar Counseling Centerin Tehran during the fall and winter of 2021 due to various clinical symptoms arising from their spouse's infidelity. A total of 5 women were selected through purposive sampling based on the results of the self-report PTSD symptom scale (Foa, Riggs, Dancu, & Rothbaum, 1993) and clinical interviews. The Emotional FreedomTechnique by Church (2014) was individually administered over 6 sessions lasting 30 to 45 minutes each to the sample group. Data analysis was conducted using visual analysis (charting), theReliable Change Index, and the percentage of improvement formula (percentage increase).

Results, obtained through visual analysis (charting), the Reliable Change Index, and the percentage of improvement formula (percentage increase), showed that the Emotional FreedomTechnique led to a reduction in PTSD symptoms during treatment and follow-up stages.

According to the study's findings, it is possible to reduce PTSD symptoms in individuals affected by marital infidelity using the Emotional FreedomTechnique