Assessment and Research in Applied Counseling
Year:2019 | Volume:1 | Issue:1|Papers Count:7

Aim: The present study aimed to determine the relationship between work-family conflict and marital conflict with a mediating role of psychological capital in Iran Khodro Diesel Company employees. Method: The present study was descriptive and correlational and its statistical population consisted of 5260 employees of Iran Khodro Diesel Company, among whom we selected 360 individuals by simple random sampling and they responded to the Work-Family Conflict Scale by Carlson et al (2000), Marital Conflict Scale by Straus (1979), and psychological capital questionnaire by Luthans and Avolio (2007). We analyzed the data using the correlation coefficient and stepwise regression analysis. Results: The correlation between the variables indicated significant negative relationships between work-family conflict and its dimensions with marital conflict and also significant negative relationships between psychological capital and self-efficacy, hope, resilience, and optimism subscales with marital conflict (P=0. 001). There were also significant negative relationships between psychological capital and self-efficacy, hope, resilience, and optimism subscales with work-family conflict and its dimensions (P=0. 001). Stepwise regression analysis also indicated that work-family conflict and psychological capital were significant predictors of marital conflict. The results also showed that self-efficacy, hope, resilience, and optimism were strong predictors of marital conflict. Conclusion: According to the research results, psychological capital as a shock absorber could weaken the negative impact of family-work conflict and work-family overflow on employees' marital conflicts.

Aim: The present study aimed to determine the relationship between Alexithymia and type D personality with the mediation of stress on the blood pressure of heart patients. Method: The research was descriptive and correlational and its statistical population consisted of heart patients who visited Imam Reza Hospital in Mashhad in the winter of 2014. Sampling was done by a convenience method and 200 out of 623 patients, who visited the hospital, were selected and responded to Perceived Stress Questionnaire by Cohen, Kamarck, & Mermelstein (1983), type D personality questionnaire, and the Persian version of Toronto Alexithymia Scale by Besharat (2007). We analyzed the results using the path analysis model and correlation coefficient. Results: The results indicated that type D personality and Alexithymia, mediated by perceived stress, could predict hypertension. The path analysis pattern was approved, hence, the pathway of personality D to blood pressure with a standard coefficient of 0. 24, and the pathway of stress to blood pressure with a standard coefficient of 0. 22 were significant but the pathway of personality D to stress with an effect size of 0. 11 and the pathway of Alexithymia to stress with an effect size of 0. 02 were not significant. It should be noted that there was no causal effect of personality on stress, Alexithymia on blood pressure, and Alexithymia on stress in the structural pattern, and there was a correlation. Conclusion: The psychological components such as type D personality, Alexithymia, and perceived stress could be effective in increasing chronic physical diseases such as hypertension and other heart diseases.

Aim: The present study aimed to determine the roles of moral intelligence, empathy, and prosocial tendencies in predicting satisfaction with life and belief in a just world in participants in charitable programs in Tehran. Method: The study was descriptive and correlational and selected 240 male and female participants in charitable programs in Tehran using a convenience sampling method. The participants responded to the Moral intelligence Questionnaire by Lenik and Kiel (2008), the Empathy Scale by Jolliffe and Farrington (2006), the Prosocial Tendencies Measure by Carlo, Hausmann, Christiansen, and Randall (2003), Belief in a Just World Scale by Adel Sutton and Douglas (2005), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale by Endicott (1993). We analyzed data using correlation coefficient and Multiple Regression. Results: The correlation results indicated that there were significant relationships between belief in a just world and satisfaction with life with moral intelligence, empathy, and prosocial tendencies. Furthermore, there were significant relationships between belief in a just world and moral intelligence dimensions(responsibility, compassion, and forgiveness) and dimensions of prosocial tendencies. Furthermore, there were significant relationships between belief in a just world with empathy dimensions, and also between satisfaction with life and moral intelligence dimensions (honesty, responsibility, compassion, and forgiveness), and dimensions of prosocial tendencies and empathy (emotional and cognitive dimensions). Furthermore, moral intelligence, empathy, and prosocial tendencies could predict belief in a just world and satisfaction with life in participants in charitable programs. Conclusion: Fair behaviors, empathy, acceptance of others, and rights and responsibilities were the prominent characteristics of people with high moral intelligence and empathy and all the characteristics caused a sense of inner satisfaction in them and ultimately the satisfaction with life.

Aim: The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Marriage enrichment training of Time plan in improving marital burnout. Method: The present study was quasi-experimental with experimental and control groups and a pre-test post-test design. The statistical population consisted of couples seeking counseling from Mehravar Counseling Center in Tehran in 2018. Among them, we randomly selected couples, who obtained higher scores on the Pines Marital Burnout Scale (2003), consisting of a sample of 20 couples in experimental (10 couples) and control (10 couples) groups. Couples in the experimental group received 8-session interventions as a group and couples in the control group were placed on a waiting list. Both groups responded to the marital burnout scale before and after the experiment. We used analysis of covariance to analyze the data. Results: The results indicated that marriage enrichment training (Time plan) significantly decreased the rate of marital burnout (F=17. 40, p= 0. 001). Conclusion: Based on the findings, marriage enrichment training (Time plan) decreased the rate of marital burnout in couples.

Aim: The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Marriage enrichment training of Time plan in improving marital burnout. Method: The present study was quasi-experimental with experimental and control groups and a pre-test post-test design. The statistical population consisted of couples seeking counseling from Mehravar Counseling Center in Tehran in 2018. Among them, we randomly selected couples, who obtained higher scores on the Pines Marital Burnout Scale (2003), consisting of a sample of 20 couples in experimental (10 couples) and control (10 couples) groups. Couples in the experimental group received 8-session interventions as a group and couples in the control group were placed on a waiting list. Both groups responded to the marital burnout scale before and after the experiment. We used analysis of covariance to analyze the data. Results: The results indicated that marriage enrichment training (Time plan) significantly decreased the rate of marital burnout (F=17. 40, p= 0. 001). Conclusion: Based on the findings, marriage enrichment training (Time plan) decreased the rate of marital burnout in couples.

Aim: The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of group reality therapy in improving the self-esteem, uniqueness, and body image of cosmetic surgery applicants. Methods: The present quasi-experimental study was a pre-test-post-test with a control group and a 45-day follow-up period. The statistical population consisted of 150 cosmetic surgery applicants who visited Espadana Cosmetic Surgery Center in Isfahan in 2016. After screening, we selected 30 individuals using convenience sampling and randomly divided them into two groups, control (n=15) and experimental (n=15) groups. The experimental group was treated in 10 sessions for 90 minutes. At the pre-test and post-test stages and the followup period, both groups responded to selfesteem (Eysenck, 1976), body image (Cash et al., 1997), and uniqueness (Ş imş ek and Yale Einstein, 2010) questionnaires. We analyzed data using repeated-measures analysis of variance. Results: The results indicated that group reality therapy had effects on self-esteem (F=20. 10, P=0. 001), uniqueness (F=69. 78, P=0. 001), and body image (F=35. 80, P=0. 001) of applicants for cosmetic surgery and the effect was stable in the follow-up phase. Conclusion: Given the research findings, reality therapy increased the uniqueness and also improved the body image in participants and the therapy was recommended for cosmetic surgery applicants in the Iranian society.

Aim: The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of relaxation training in improving sexual function in women with vaginismus in Tehran. Method: The present study was quasiexperimental and had a pretest-posttest and follow-up design with experimental and control groups and examined 18 women with vaginismus, who visited Mehravar counseling center, and the accompanying group in Tehran in the summer of 2016. Among the participants, we selected 18 women, who had vaginismus based on the sexual function questionnaire by Rosen et al. (2000) and clinical interviews, using convenience sampling, and randomly divided them into experimental (n=8) and control (n=8) groups. Women in the experimental group participated in an individual and group relaxation training course during six 2-hour sessions per week, and women in the control group received no intervention. We collected data and analyzed them using the repeatedmeasures analysis of variance. Results: The results indicated that relaxation training was effective in improving female sexual function (F= 79. 58, P=0. 001) and the effect was stable in the follow-up phase. Conclusion: relaxation training decreased anxiety and fear of intercourse in women with vaginismus after the end of treatment sessions and after a two-month follow-up period.