Examining the Effectiveness of a Marital Satisfaction Intervention Protocol on Marital Intimacy (Case Study: Married Female Master's Students of Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch, Tehran city)

Subject Areas : general Psychology

Zahra Afkham ¹ , Shokooh Navvabinejad ² , Aliakbar Khosravi Babadi ³ , Hamid Reza Bahadoran ⁴

1 - Specialized PhD Candidate, Department of Education and Counseling, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran, [e-mail]
2 - (Corresponding Author), Full Professor, Department of Counseling, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran, [e-mail], tell: 09122907535
3 - Associate Professor, Department of Education and Counseling, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran, [e-mail]
4 - - Associate Professor, Department of Education and Counseling, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran, [e-mail]

Received: 2024-10-03 Accepted : 2025-01-12 Published : 2025-01-20

Keywords: intervention protocol, indigenous, the researcher – constructed, marital satisfaction, marital intimacy,

Abstract :

 

© 2020 The Author(s). This work is published by family and health as an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract:

Introduction: This research aimed to investigate the effectiveness of marital satisfaction intervention protocol (constructed by the researcher) on marital intimacy.

Research Method: The research method was a clinical trial study and a pre-test and post-test design with a control group was used. The statistical population of the research consisted of married female students of Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch, who had been married for at least 5 years. The research sample was selected based on Cohen's sample size estimation table and simple random sampling method (15 people in each group). The research tool was the Marital Intimacy Questionnaire of Vandon Brouck and Bertommen. The method of statistical analysis of the data was the univariate covariance test and the t-test of two independent samples.

Findings: The findings indicated that the moderated average of "Intimacy" and "Interest" indices in the post-test was (19.480) and (13.443) in the test group and respectively (14.454) and (7.157) in the control group. Therefore, it can be said that the average index of "intimacy" and "interest" of the post-test in the test group was significantly higher than the average in the control group, and the effectiveness of the intervention protocol was confirmed on these indicators. Regarding the indices of "Couple Agreement", "Honestness" and "Adherence to Commitments", the assumption of homogeneity of the regression slope was not established, so the pre-test scores were subtracted from the post-test scores and the average difference was calculated in the groups using the t-test of two independent samples was compared. between the differences in the indexes of "couple agreement", "honesty" and "adherence to obligations" and the total score of "marital intimacy" of the couples in the test group respectively (4.600), (6.267), (4.733) , (30.267) and the control group (0.133), (0.200), (0.133), (0.400) there was a significant difference and the average difference of agreement between couples in the test group was significantly greater than the average it was in the control group, so the effectiveness of the intervention protocol on these indicators and the total score of marital intimacy was confirmed.

Conclusion: The results of this research can be used in national family policies and family welfare programs in student counseling centers.

References:

1. Goldenberg I. and Goldenberg, H. Family therapy. Translated by Hamidreza Hossein shahibarvati, Siamak. Tehran: Ravan; 1400. (in Persian)
2. Iran Statistics Organization. Annual demographic statistics. 1401] Retrieved on January 12, 1401[. Available from: www.amar.org.ir (in Persian)
3. Robbington, E. and Weinberg, M.S. Seven theoretical approaches in examining social issues. Translated by Rahmatollah Sediq Sarvestani, Tehran: University of Tehran Printing and Publishing Institute; 1382. (in Persian)
4. Czechowska-Bieluga M, Lewicka-Zelent A. Marital satisfaction-a literature review. Family Upbringing/Wychowanie w Rodzinie. 2021 Jul 1(2).DOI: 10.34616/wwr.2021.2.155.172.
5. Dobrowolska M, Groyecka-Bernard A, Sorokowski P, Randall AK, Hilpert P, Ahmadi K, Alghraibeh AM, Aryeetey R, Bertoni A, Bettache K, Błażejewska M. Global perspective on marital satisfaction. Sustainability. 2020 Oct 23;12(21):8817. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12218817
6. Namvaran Germi K., Moradi A., Farzad V., Zahrakar K. Identifying the Dimensions of Marital Adjustment in Iranian Couples: a Qualitative Study, Journal of Health And Care, 2017; 19(3): 182-194. magiran.com/p1761798 (in Persian)
7. Aslani Kh., Jameii M., Rajabi Gh. The effectiveness of imago therapy on marital quality among referred couples to the Behbahan counseling centers, Journal of Applied Psychology, 2016; 9(4): 37-53. magiran.com/p1581016 (in Persian)
8. Tahmassian K., Mootabi F., Chimeh N., Anari A. , Anari R., Taheri Far Z. Situation analysis of Iranian families: concept of healthy family, recognizing features of Iranian healthy family and traumatic factors from the expert's view, J. of Urmia nursing and midwifery, 2017; 15(8): 630-641. Magiran.com/p1774045 (in Persian)
9. Fooladivanda M., Pathology of Family; Analyzing Causes and Effects, Marifat, 2020; 29(3): 45. Magiran.com/p2151373 (in Persian)
10. Hassanvand R., Nabizadeh F., Rashti S. Examining external factors affecting emotional divorce among women. Women and family studies. 2019 Mar 21 7(1):117-37. (DOI): 10.22051/jwfs.2019.16402.1507 (in Persian)
11. Abreu-Afonso J, Ramos MM, Queiroz-Garcia I, Leal I. How couple’s relationship lasts over time? A model for marital satisfaction. Psychological reports. 2022 Jun; 125(3):1601-27. https://doi.org/10.1177/00332941211000651
12. Weisfeld C.C., Weisfeld G.E., Dillon L.S. The Psychology of Marriage: An Evolutionary and Cross-Cultural View; Lexington Books: Lanham, MD, USA; 2018
13. Al-Darmaki FR, Hassane SH, Ahammed S, Abdullah AS, Yaaqeib SI, Dodeen H. Marital satisfaction in the United Arab Emirates: Development and validation of a culturally relevant scale. Journal of Family Issues. 2016 Sep; 37(12) :1703-29. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X14547418
14. Pourmarzi, D., Rimaz SH., Merghati Khoii E., Razi M., Shokoohi M. Comparative survey of youth's sexual and reproductive health educational needs in two stages before and after marriage, Tehran 2011. Razi J. of medical sciences [Internet]. 2013; 20(106):30-39. (In Persian)
15. Rastgo N., Golzari M., Barati Sedeh F. The effectiveness of sexual knowledge on marital satisfaction in married women sex, Quarterly of Clinical Psychology Studies, 2015; 5(17): 35-48. Magiran.com/p1407899 (in Persian)
16. Pourheidari S., Bagharian F., Bahaderkhan J., Dostkam M. The effect of life skills training on sexual and marital satisfaction in young couples. Quarterly Journal of Knowledge and Research in Applied Psychology. 2014; 14(51): 14-22. https://jims.mui.ac.ir/article_15063.html (in Persian)
17. Kazemipour, Sh. The increase in the number of Iranian families in recent years / "Family" still comes first in Iran. 1400 [Retrieved on January 12, 1401] Available from: https://www.isna.ir/news/1400022316296 (in Persian)
18. Iran Statistics Organization Annual demographic statistics. 1400 [Retrieved on January 12, 1401]. Available from: www.amar.org.ir (in Persian)
19. Program and budget organization. General policies of the Seventh Development Plan. 100. [Retrieved on January 12, 1401] Available from: https://www.mporg.ir (in Persian)