Seyed Hamid Atashpour’s research while affiliated with Islamic Azad University, Isfahan and other places

The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of sexual cognitive-behavioral education and sexual well-being education on sexual satisfaction and sexual self-efficacy of couples with low sexual well-being. This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up, including experimental and control groups. The statistical sample consisted of 90 participants, comprising 45 couples, selected using a systematic random sampling method and assigned to three groups. The research instruments included the Sexual Well-Being Questionnaire, the Sexual Satisfaction Questionnaire, and the Sexual Self-Efficacy Questionnaire. Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for statistical analysis. The results indicated that the implemented interventions were effective in improving sexual satisfaction and sexual self-efficacy in couples with low sexual well-being, with significant differences observed between the groups in the post-test and follow-up stages (p < .05, p < .01). The findings of this study indicate that both cognitive-behavioral sexual education and sexual well-being education effectively enhance sexual satisfaction and sexual self-efficacy among couples with low sexual well-being. However, sexual well-being education demonstrated greater effectiveness in improving sexual attitude and quality of sexual life.

Objective: The study aimed to compare the effectiveness of an integrative pre-marital training package based on Bowen's intergenerational theory and life design model with the SYMBIS approach on marital choice orientation. Methods: A quasi-experimental research design with a pretest-posttest-follow-up model and two experimental groups and one control group was utilized. The statistical population consisted of university students in Isfahan. The sample included 45 female students selected through convenience sampling based on inclusion and exclusion criteria and randomly assigned to three groups (integrative training group, SYMBIS group, and control group), each containing 20 participants. The experimental groups received eight 90-minute training sessions, while the control group was placed on a waiting list. All three groups completed research instruments at the pretest, posttest, and follow-up stages. The research instrument was the Marital Choice Orientation Questionnaire (Yousefi, 2023). Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA. Findings: Results indicated that both the integrative training group and the SYMBIS group significantly influenced marital choice orientation (F = 15.5, P = 0.001), and this effect remained stable during the follow-up phase (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The findings revealed that both methods had a significant and comparable impact on improving the dependent variable, suggesting their utility in enhancing marital choice orientation.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of emotion-focused therapy on emotional suppression and distress tolerance in divorced women. Methods and Materials: The current study was a quasi-experimental design with pre-test, post-test, and follow-up phases, including a control group. The statistical population consisted of all divorced women residing in Shiraz in 2021, who had been legally divorced for at least 6 months and up to 2 years. A total of 40 individuals were selected from this population based on inclusion criteria using purposive sampling from those who visited the Aban Clinic in Shiraz in 2021. These individuals were randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group (20 participants in each group). The experimental group underwent ten 90-minute sessions of emotion-focused therapy, while the control group did not receive any therapeutic intervention. Data were collected using the Weinberger Emotional Suppression Questionnaire (2010) and the Simons and Gaher Distress Tolerance Scale (2005) and analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA via SPSS software version 23. Findings: The results indicated the impact of emotion-focused therapy on emotional suppression (F=204.1, P=0.001) and distress tolerance (F=48.120, P=0.001), with the persistence of these effects in the follow-up phase. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, emotion-focused therapy can be considered a complementary treatment alongside other therapeutic methods to reduce emotional suppression and increase distress tolerance in divorced women.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Paradox Timetable Cure (PTC), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Matrix (ACTM), and Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) on differentiation and emotional self-regulation in women experiencing marital conflicts. Methods: The research employed a quasi-experimental design with pre-test, post-test, and follow-up stages. The study sample consisted of 60 women with marital conflicts, selected through purposive sampling from an initial group of 154. The participants were randomly assigned to four groups: PTC, MACT, EFT, and a control group, each containing 15 members. The intervention included ten 90-minute sessions for each therapy group, while the control group received no treatment. Data were collected using the Differentiation of Self Inventory and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. Repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc tests were used for data analysis. Findings: The results indicated significant improvements in differentiation and emotional self-regulation across all three therapeutic approaches compared to the control group. ACTM and EFT were found to be slightly more effective than PTC in enhancing differentiation and emotional self-regulation (MACT and EFT p = .000, PTC p = .004 in differentiation; ACTM and EFT p = .000, PTC p = .001 in emotional self-regulation). Conclusion: All three therapeutic approaches—PTC, MACT, and EFT—were effective in improving differentiation and emotional self-regulation in women with marital conflicts. However, ACTM and EFT demonstrated marginally higher effectiveness compared to PTC. These findings suggest the utility of these therapies in clinical settings for addressing marital conflicts.

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of adolescent-specific psychological security training with adolescent-centered mindfulness training on the well-being of adolescents experiencing psychological insecurity. Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with pre-test, post-test, and follow-up phases, involving two experimental groups and one control group. The population included all male students aged 14 to 16 years in the city of Isfahan. Sixty students were selected through convenience sampling and then randomly assigned to the study groups. The research instrument was the Ryff Well-Being Questionnaire (1989). All three groups were assessed at three stages: pre-test, post-test, and follow-up using this instrument. The first experimental group received well-being training, while the second group received adolescent-centered mindfulness training. The control group was placed on a waiting list. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (repeated measures analysis of variance). Findings: The results indicated that both methods were effective in improving the well-being of these adolescents, and there was no significant difference between the two experimental groups in this regard (P = 0.05). Conclusion: It can be concluded that both methods can enhance the psychological well-being of this group of adolescents.

Objective: Ego strength indicates an individual's capacity to endure stress without experiencing crippling anxiety and is related to a sense of competence and self-sufficiency in personal and social domains. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of therapy based on the integrated self-analytic approach on psychological capital, psychological well-being, ego strength, and emotion regulation difficulties in individuals suffering from COVID-19 grief syndrome. Methods and Materials: The present research method was quasi-experimental, employing a pretest-posttest control group design with a two-month follow-up. The statistical population consisted of individuals with COVID-19 grief syndrome in Isfahan during the second half of 2022. Using a purposive sampling method, 30 eligible individuals were selected and randomly assigned equally to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received the integrated self-analytic approach therapy (Atashpour et al., 2021) and the acceptance and commitment therapy (Hayes, 2004), while the control group did not receive any intervention. Data collection tools included the Bart and Scott Grief Experience Questionnaire (1989), the Garnefski and Kraaij Emotion Regulation Scale (2006), and the Ego Strength Scale (PIES). Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (mixed ANOVA with repeated measures) were used for data analysis. SPSS-26 software was used for conducting the statistical tests. Findings: The calculated F-value for the between-group factor was significant at the 0.05 level (P<0.05). Consequently, there was a significant difference between the mean pretest, posttest, and follow-up scores of psychological capital in the experimental and control groups. Bonferroni post-hoc test results also indicated a significant difference between pretest and posttest, and pretest and follow-up scores of ego strength and emotion regulation difficulties in both experimental groups (P<0.05). However, the post-hoc test results showed no significant difference between posttest and follow-up scores of the study variables (P>0.05). The Tukey post-hoc test also indicated no significant difference in the effectiveness of these two approaches (P>0.05). Conclusion: The results demonstrated that both integrated self-analytic approach therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy were significantly effective in improving ego strength and reducing emotion regulation difficulties. These effects were sustained at the follow-up stage, and the effectiveness of the two approaches was identical.

Background: Given the concerning prevalence of suicidal ideation among male students, exploring potential interventions like acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to improve their meaning of life and psychological well-being is crucial. Objectives: This research was conducted to evaluate the impact of ACT on enhancing life’s meaning and psychological capital among male students experiencing suicidal ideation. Methods: The research method was a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test and post-test control group. The statistical population consisted of all male high school students with suicidal thoughts during the 2022 - 2023 academic year in Izeh city. Out of these, 30 individuals were selected through the multistage cluster random sampling method and were then randomly assigned to the ACT group and the control group (15 individuals each). The instruments included the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ) and Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ). Participants in the experimental group attended ACT sessions for 8 weeks (one 75-minute session per week), but no intervention was conducted in the control group. Research data were analyzed using analysis of covariance in SPSS-26. Results: The meaning in life scores for the ACT group were 33.60 ± 8.15 at pre-test and increased to 41.20 ± 6.67 at post-test. Moreover, the psychological capital scores for the ACT group were 68.13 ± 13.28 at pre-test and increased to 79.40 ± 8.61 at post-test. The results revealed significant improvements in both the meaning of life and psychological capital in the ACT group compared to the control group (P < 0.01). Specifically, the ACT intervention led to a significant increase in the meaning of life scores and psychological capital scores among male students experiencing suicidal ideation (P < 0.01). Conclusions: These findings indicate that ACT could help improve life meaning and well-being in students with suicidal ideation. Future studies could examine how ACT brings about these changes and look into its long-term impact.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Matrix (ACTM) and Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) on family adaptability and emotional self-regulation in women with marital conflict. Methods and Materials: The research method was quasi-experimental in three stages: pre-test, post-test, and follow-up. Out of approximately 154 women with marital conflict identified through purposive sampling using the Marital Conflict Questionnaire by Kanth Akman, 45 women were selected and randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group, with 15 participants in each group. Each experimental group underwent 10 sessions of ACTM and EFT, respectively, while the control group received no treatment. All three groups were assessed before, after, and one month following the intervention using the Family Adaptability Questionnaire by Olson and the Emotional Self-Regulation Questionnaire by Hoffman and Kashdan. The data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance and post-hoc tests. Findings: The results indicated that ACTM was significantly effective in the family adaptability component of women with marital conflict (p < 0.05), while Emotion-Focused Therapy did not show a significant effect. Both treatments significantly impacted emotional self-regulation compared to the control group. Conclusion: Therefore, it is suggested to use the ACT Matrix for family adaptability and both therapies for the emotional self-regulation component.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of transdiagnostic therapy and solution-focused therapy on the decision-making quality in married women in Isfahan. Materials and Methods: The research methodology was a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest-follow-up design, and the sample included 48 married women who were purposively selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria and then randomly assigned into three groups of 16 (two experimental and one control group). While the control group was on a waiting list and did not receive any training, the transdiagnostic experimental group underwent 10 90-minute sessions according to the integrated transdiagnostic therapy protocol by Barlow et al. (2011), and the solution-focused experimental group underwent 8 90-minute sessions according to the protocol adapted from 'Key Concepts in Solution-Focused Therapy' by De Shazer (1985). All three groups filled out the relevant questionnaire at three stages: pretest, posttest, and follow-up. The measuring instrument used in this study was the Akhbari Decision Making Quality Questionnaire (2015). The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (analysis of covariance). Findings: The results showed that both therapeutic groups, compared to the control group, improved decision-making quality; however, transdiagnostic therapy was more effective than solution-focused therapy. Conclusion: Thus, both therapies can be used to enhance decision-making quality in married women.