Assessment and Research in Applied Counseling
Year:2021 | Volume:3 | Issue:2 (8)|Papers Count:6

Background and Aim: Various factors are undoubtedly effective in the occurrence of marital disputes, among which we can point to having irrational expectations and attitudes in married life. Accordingly, the present study was aimed to compare the effectiveness of emotionally focused couples therapy and reality therapy for couples on marital communication beliefs and marital expectations of couples. Methods: The present study is a type of quasi-experimental project with pre-test, post-test, and threemonth follow-up. The statistical population of the present study included all couples who were referred to counseling centers in Tehran in 2018. In this research, 45 couples were selected using the targeted sampling method to form three groups. And 15 couples were randomly selected in the emotionally focused couple's therapy group, 15 couples in the reality therapy group, and 15 couples in the control group. The research tools were the Marital Communication Beliefs Scale of Edelson and Epstein (1982) and the Marital Expectations Questionnaire of Omidvar et al. (2010). Both of the study groups received Johnson's (2012) emotionally focused therapy and Glasser's reality therapy (2016) for eight sessions of 90 minutes. And the data were analyzed using repeated measures mixed analysis of variance. Results: The results of the analysis of the data showed that in comparison with the control group, both couples therapy methods had a significant effect on the destructiveness of opposition, gender differences, and marital expectations in couples (p=0. 05). Also, emotionally focused couple therapy had a greater effect on marital communication beliefs and marital expectations in couples than reality therapy for couples (p=0. 05). Conclusion: The results of the study suggest that emotionally focused couple therapy and reality therapy approaches are a good way to improve and increase marital communication beliefs and marital expectations.

Background and Aim: Emotional release is a new technique based on acupuncture and cognitive therapy that plays an essential role in eliminating energy disorders in the body and helping individual recovery. The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the emotional release technique in reducing anxiety in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder. Methods: The present quasi-experimental study had experimental and control groups with a pretest-posttest and a two-month follow-up design. The statistical population consisted of 486 patients who visited Kerman Nourieh Psychiatric Hospital in 2018 and were hospitalized for post-traumatic stress disorder diagnosed by a psychiatrist. Among them, we selected 30 men with the inclusion criteria using the purposive sampling method and randomly assigned them to the experimental group (15 males) and the control group (15 males). The participants in the experimental group received six one-hour sessions as the Church emotional release technique (2014). All participants were assessed at the pre-test, post-test, and follow-up stages using the Spielberger anxiety inventory (1983). We analyzed data using the repeatedmeasures analysis of variance. Results: The results indicated that state anxiety (F=14. 23, P= 0. 008) and trait anxiety (F=3. 07, P= 0. 031) decreased in the experimental group and the effect remained stable in the follow-up phase. Conclusion: Since the intervention of the emotional release technique decreased anxiety in people with post-traumatic stress by targeting the release of emotions, we suggest clinicians use the emotional release technique to reduce anxiety in individuals.

Background and Aim: The Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an effective way to help those who suffer from problems caused by traumatic experiences, anxiety, unpleasant memories, post-traumatic stress disorder, grief, and other types of emotional problems. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) in reducing anxiety in COVID-19 patients admitted to ICU. Methods: The present study was a single-case experimental design with a multiple baseline design. The statistical population consisted of COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran, and six of them were selected by a purposive voluntary method. The participants were treated individually for six forty-five-minute sessions of Shapiro Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) (2014) and were evaluated at each stage using the Spielberger anxiety inventory (1983). Results: Data were analyzed using the visual drawing method, the reliable change index, and the recovery percentage formula. The results indicated that the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) could have a significant effect on reducing anxiety symptoms in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Conclusion: The Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) could be an effective treatment in reducing anxiety symptoms in facing COVID-19.

Background and Aim: Solution-focused therapy is a branch of the postmodern approach in the field of family and couple therapy and focuses on finding solutions to problems. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of solutionfocused couple therapy on marital satisfaction and adjustment of couples. Methods: The present study was quasi-experimental with experimental and control groups and pretest-posttest and one-month follow-up, and its statistical population consisted of couples who visited Mehravar Counseling Center of Tehran in 2016. After screening with marital satisfaction Scale (Fowers and Olson, 1993) and Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) (Spanier, 1976), we selected 20 non-adjustment couples using the purposive method, and randomly replaced 10 couples in the experimental group and 10 couples in the control group. The experimental group received eight sessions of solution-based couple therapy interventions in a group, and the control group was placed on a waiting list. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to analyze the data. Results: The results indicated that the solution-focused couple therapy significantly increased marital satisfaction (F= 10. 68, P= 0. 002) and marital adjustment (F= 13. 58, P= 0. 001) and the results were stable in the follow-up phase (P=0. 05). Conclusion: Based on the findings, solution-focused couple therapy could be a suitable treatment to increase marital satisfaction and adjustment in couples.

Background and Aim: The educational and psychological status of gifted individuals plays an essential role in the ability to evaluate life; hence, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship between dimensions of wisdom with the academic vitality and psychological well-being in gifted female students. Methods: The present study was descriptive-correlational and its statistical population consisted of all female first-grade high school students at SAMPAD schools of Isfahan in the academic year of 2019-2020, and the research sample consisted of 85 students who were selected by simple random sampling. The research tools included Ardelt's Wisdom Dimensions Questionnaire (2003), the Academic Vitality Questionnaire by Dehghanizadeh and Hossein-Chari (2012), and Ryff's scale of psychological well-being (RSPWB) (1955). Pearson correlation test and linear regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Results: The results indicated positive and significant relationships between dimensions of wisdom with academic vitality (r=0. 15), and psychological well-being (r=0. 50), and the research hypotheses were confirmed (P<0. 01). The results indicated that cognitive and reflective wisdom were predictors of academic vitality. Moreover, reflective and emotional wisdom were predictors of psychological well-being. Conclusion: According to the results, wisdom was a reliable predictor of academic vitality and psychological well-being in gifted students; and wise students had higher academic vitality and psychological well-being.

Background and Aim: It seems that education and awareness of families about domestic violence and its consequences and ways to cope with it can increase mental health in the family and society. The present study aimed to determine the prediction of suicide ideation and psychological helplessness based on domestic violence in women. Methods: The present study was descriptive and correlational and its statistical population consisted of all female victims of domestic violence in Shiraz in 2020. Among the statistical population, we selected and studied 110 women who visited health-medical centers, social emergencies, and family courts using the convenience method. To collect data, we used the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 Items (DASS-21), Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (1961), and Domestic Violence against Women Scale by Tabrizi et al. (2012). After collecting and extracting data, we analyzed the participants' scores using univariate and multivariate regression analysis. Results: The results indicated that there was a significant positive correlation between domestic violence and suicide ideation and psychological helplessness in women (P= 0. 01). The results of multivariate regression indicated that domestic violence could predict suicide ideation and psychological helplessness in women (P=0. 01). Conclusion: The present study indicated the psychological consequences of spousal abuse and violence against women and confirmed the damage to women's mental health due to violence. According to the results, providing supportive factors to reduce domestic violence could be effective in increasing women's mental health.