Psychology of Woman Journal

A Comparative Study of the Effectiveness of Short-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Communication Patterns in Women Involved in Extramarital Relationships

Masoome Jafari iD , Behzad Ali Gohari ^* iD , Rahim Davari iD

Objective: The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Short-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (STPP) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on communication patterns among women involved in extramarital relationships.

Methods and Materials: This quasi-experimental study employed a three-group design with pretest, posttest, and two-month follow-up assessments. The statistical population consisted of married women with a history of extramarital relationships who attended counseling centers affiliated with the Tehran Welfare Organization and the Iranian Psychological Association in 2026. Forty-five participants were selected through volunteer sampling and randomly assigned to three groups: STPP (n = 15), ACT (n = 15), and a control group (n = 15). The intervention groups received eight weekly individual therapy sessions, while the control group received no structured intervention. Data were collected using the Communication Patterns Questionnaire (CPQ) and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Kruskal–Wallis tests, repeated-measures ANCOVA, Welch tests, and Bonferroni post hoc comparisons in SPSS-27.

Findings: No significant differences were observed among the groups at baseline for mutual constructive communication, demand–withdraw communication, or mutual avoidance communication (p > .05). Repeated-measures ANCOVA demonstrated significant Time × Group interactions for mutual constructive communication (F = 4.379, p = .020, η² = .196) and demand–withdraw communication (F = 12.842, p < .001, η² = .416), indicating superior improvement in the intervention groups compared with the control group. Significant between-group effects were also observed for mutual constructive communication (F = 20.373, p < .001, η² = .531), demand–withdraw communication (F = 136.480, p < .001, η² = .883), and mutual avoidance communication (F = 101.130, p < .001, η² = .849). Bonferroni analyses revealed that STPP produced significantly greater improvements at follow-up in constructive communication and reductions in demand–withdraw patterns, whereas ACT showed the lowest levels of mutual avoidance communication.

Conclusion: Both STPP and ACT were effective interventions for improving communication patterns among women involved in extramarital relationships. However, STPP demonstrated stronger and more durable effects on enhancing constructive communication and reducing demand–withdraw interactions, while ACT was particularly effective in reducing communication avoidance. These findings support the clinical utility of both approaches for addressing communication difficulties and promoting healthier marital interactions in women experiencing relational distress associated with extramarital involvement.

The Effectiveness of Schema Therapy on Self-Esteem, Self-Compassion, and Loneliness in Divorced Women with Depressive Symptoms: A Case Study

Seyed Ali Mosavi iD , Heydarali Zarei ^* iD

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of schema therapy in improving self-esteem and self-compassion and reducing loneliness among divorced women with depressive symptoms.

Methods and Materials: This applied study was conducted using a single-case experimental design with a multiple-baseline structure. The statistical population consisted of divorced women with depressive symptoms who referred to counseling and treatment centers in Khoy, Iran, in 2025. Three participants were selected through purposive sampling based on the inclusion criteria, including elevated depression scores on the Beck Depression Inventory. The participants received a 10-session schema therapy protocol based on Young’s model. Data were collected using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Neff Self-Compassion Scale, and Russell Loneliness Scale. The data were analyzed through visual analysis, including level, trend, stability, immediate change, and overlap indices, as well as quantitative indices including reliable change index, effect size, and mean percentage of improvement.

Findings: The results of visual and quantitative analyses indicated that schema therapy produced clinically meaningful and stable improvements in all target variables. The intervention had a large effect on self-esteem, with an effect size of 3.71, indicating a substantial increase after treatment. Self-compassion also improved significantly, with a large effect size of 1.84. In addition, loneliness showed a meaningful reduction, with a large negative effect size of -1.68. All components of self-compassion, including self-kindness, self-judgment, common humanity, isolation, mindfulness, and over-identification, demonstrated statistically meaningful improvement patterns. The reliable change indices and improvement percentages confirmed the stability and clinical significance of the therapeutic changes across participants.

Conclusion: Schema therapy appears to be an effective psychological intervention for enhancing self-esteem and self-compassion and reducing loneliness in divorced women with depressive symptoms.

Development of a Predictive Model of Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Based on Health-Promoting Lifestyle with the Mediating Role of Illness Perception in Female Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Nooshin Gharibpanah iD , Sara Hashemi ^* iD , Setareh Tehrani iD

https://doi.org/10.61838/

Objective: This study aimed to determine the mediating role of illness perception in the relationship between health-promoting lifestyle and psychosocial adjustment to illness among female patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Materials and Methods: The present study was a descriptive-correlational study using a structural equation modeling design. The statistical population included all female patients with systemic lupus erythematosus who referred to hospitals affiliated with Islamic Azad University in Tehran, including Bou-Ali, Farhikhtegan, and Amir-Al-Momenin hospitals, as well as the Lupus Association, during the first six months of 2025. Based on the inclusion criteria, 280 participants were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale developed by Derogatis (1986), the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile developed by Walker (1990), and the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire developed by Broadbent et al. (2006). Data were analyzed using regression analysis and structural equation modeling through SPSS and PLS software at a significance level of 0.05.

Findings: The inferential findings showed that health-promoting lifestyle had a significant relationship with psychosocial adjustment to illness in female patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. In addition, illness perception was significantly associated with psychosocial adjustment to illness. The results of structural equation modeling confirmed the mediating role of illness perception in the relationship between health-promoting lifestyle and psychosocial adjustment to illness. Accordingly, the indirect path from health-promoting lifestyle to psychosocial adjustment through illness perception was statistically significant, indicating that patients’ cognitive appraisal of their illness plays an important explanatory role in how health-related lifestyle behaviors affect psychosocial adaptation.

Conclusion: The findings highlight the importance of mediating cognitive processes in adaptation to chronic illness and indicate that promoting health-related behaviors alone may not be sufficient. Interventions for women with systemic lupus erythematosus should also focus on modifying patients’ illness perceptions and cognitive interpretations in order to improve psychosocial adjustment.

Machine Learning Prediction of Anxiety Symptoms in Pregnant Women Based on Pregnancy-Specific Stress, Social Support, and Health Literacy

Mahboobeh Karimian iD , Seyed Ali Darbani ^* iD , Maryam Mousavi iD , Mahdis Fatemi iD

https://doi.org/10.61838/

Objective: The present study aimed to develop and evaluate machine learning models for predicting anxiety symptoms among pregnant women based on pregnancy-specific stress, social support, and health literacy and to determine the relative importance of these predictors in identifying women at risk for elevated anxiety during pregnancy.

Methods and Materials: This applied cross-sectional predictive study was conducted among 384 pregnant women attending prenatal care centers and obstetric clinics in Tehran. Participants were selected through multistage convenience sampling and completed a demographic questionnaire, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, a Pregnancy-Specific Stress Questionnaire, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Health Literacy for Iranian Adults Questionnaire. Following data preprocessing and descriptive analyses, machine learning techniques were employed to predict anxiety symptoms. The dataset was divided into training and testing subsets, and several supervised learning algorithms, including Logistic Regression, Support Vector Machine, K-Nearest Neighbors, Decision Tree, Random Forest, Gradient Boosting, and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), were developed and evaluated using cross-validation procedures. Model performance was assessed using accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Feature importance analyses were conducted to identify the relative contribution of predictor variables.

Findings: Correlation analyses revealed a significant positive relationship between pregnancy-specific stress and anxiety symptoms and significant negative relationships between anxiety symptoms, social support, and health literacy. All machine learning algorithms demonstrated acceptable predictive performance; however, ensemble learning methods substantially outperformed traditional models. The XGBoost algorithm achieved the highest predictive accuracy (93%), precision (91%), recall (90%), F1-score (90%), and AUC (0.97), indicating excellent classification performance. Feature importance analysis showed that pregnancy-specific stress was the strongest predictor of anxiety symptoms, followed by social support and health literacy. Together, these findings demonstrated that psychosocial and informational factors could accurately predict anxiety risk among pregnant women and that advanced machine learning techniques effectively captured the complex relationships among these variables.

Conclusion: Pregnancy-specific stress, social support, and health literacy are significant predictors of anxiety symptoms during pregnancy, with pregnancy-specific stress representing the most influential factor. Machine learning models, particularly XGBoost, provide highly accurate prediction of maternal anxiety risk and may serve as valuable tools for early screening, prevention, and targeted intervention within prenatal healthcare settings. Strengthening social support systems and improving maternal health literacy may help reduce anxiety symptoms and enhance psychological well-being during pregnancy.

Modeling Marital Satisfaction Based on Differentiation of Self and Perceived Social Support: The Mediating Role of Psychological Well-Being

Zahra Shafiei Sarvestani iD , Hossein Pourshahriar ^* iD , Omid Shokri iD

https://doi.org/10.61838/

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of psychological well-being in the relationship between differentiation of self and perceived social support with marital satisfaction among married female teachers.

Methods and Materials: The present study employed a descriptive-correlational design using path analysis modeling. The statistical population consisted of married female teachers working in elementary, lower secondary, and upper secondary schools in Shiraz during the 2023–2024 academic year who had at least one child. A total of 378 participants were selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using the ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale, Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale, the Differentiation of Self Inventory, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Data analysis was performed using SPSS-26 and AMOS-18 software.

Findings: The findings demonstrated that the proposed structural model had an acceptable fit (CFI = 0.99, GFI = 0.99, RMSEA = 0.04). Differentiation of self had a positive and significant direct effect on marital satisfaction (β = 0.108, p < 0.05) and also an indirect effect through psychological well-being (β = 0.276, p < 0.05). Perceived social support similarly showed significant direct (β = 0.124, p < 0.05) and indirect effects (β = 0.180, p < 0.05) on marital satisfaction through psychological well-being. Psychological well-being had a strong direct effect on marital satisfaction (β = 0.557, p < 0.05). Furthermore, differentiation of self and perceived social support significantly predicted psychological well-being, with coefficients of 0.496 and 0.323, respectively (p < 0.05). The model explained 45% of the variance in marital satisfaction and 38% of the variance in psychological well-being.

Conclusion: The results indicated that psychological well-being plays an important mediating role in the relationship between differentiation of self, perceived social support, and marital satisfaction.

The Relationship of Self-Handicapping and Mood Disorders with Self-Concept in Elderly Women

Hamidreza Rezazadeh Bahadoran ^* iD , Fatemeh Sadat Mirsarshari iD

https://doi.org/10.61838/

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between self-handicapping and mood disorders with self-concept among elderly women in Tehran.

Methods and Materials: This applied study employed a descriptive-correlational research design. The statistical population consisted of 254 elderly women residing in Tehran. Based on Cochran’s formula, 153 participants were selected through cluster sampling. Data were collected using the Jones and Rhodewalt Self-Handicapping Scale (SHS), the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ), and Rogers’ Self-Concept Questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant characteristics, while Pearson correlation and multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationships among the study variables.

Findings: Inferential statistical analyses revealed significant relationships between self-handicapping, mood disorders, and self-concept among elderly women (p < .05). Pearson correlation coefficients indicated that higher levels of self-handicapping were associated with poorer self-concept. Similarly, mood disorder symptoms demonstrated a significant negative relationship with self-concept, suggesting that increased emotional and mood-related difficulties corresponded with lower levels of positive self-perception. Regression analyses further showed that self-handicapping and mood disorders significantly predicted self-concept and jointly accounted for a meaningful proportion of its variance. The findings suggest that psychological and emotional factors play an important role in shaping self-concept during late adulthood.

Conclusion: The results indicate that both self-handicapping behaviors and mood disorders are significantly associated with self-concept in elderly women. Individuals experiencing greater mood-related disturbances and engaging more frequently in self-handicapping behaviors tend to report a less positive self-concept.

The Effectiveness of Emotional Schema Therapy on Defense Mechanisms, Emotional Distress Tolerance, and Psychosomatic Symptoms in Married Women with Psychosomatic Disorder Symptoms

Zeinab Haghighi iD , Milad Abedi Ghelich Gheshlaghi ^* iD

https://doi.org/10.61838/

Objective: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of emotional schema therapy on defense mechanisms, emotional distress tolerance, and psychosomatic symptoms in married women with symptoms of psychosomatic disorder.

Methods and Materials: This quasi-experimental study used a pretest–posttest design with a control group. The participants were married women with symptoms of psychosomatic disorder in Isfahan. Eligible participants were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group received eight 90-minute sessions of emotional schema therapy, while the control group received no psychological intervention during the study period. Data were collected using the Defense Style Questionnaire-40, the Distress Tolerance Scale, and the Psychosomatic Symptoms Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance and follow-up ANCOVA tests.

Findings: The multivariate results showed a significant overall effect of emotional schema therapy on the combined outcomes, Wilks’ Λ = .246, F(5, 24) = 14.68, p = .001, η² = .75. Follow-up analyses showed significant effects on mature defense, F(1, 28) = 9.73, p = .004, η² = .25; immature defense, F(1, 28) = 6.25, p = .010, η² = .18; neurotic defense, F(1, 28) = 14.90, p = .001, η² = .34; emotional distress tolerance, F(1, 28) = 32.58, p = .001, η² = .53; and psychosomatic symptoms, F(1, 28) = 4.54, p = .040, η² = .14.

Conclusion: Emotional schema therapy improved defensive functioning, increased emotional distress tolerance, and reduced psychosomatic symptoms in married women with psychosomatic disorder symptoms. Therefore, it may be considered an effective intervention for improving emotional and somatic functioning in this population.

Lived Experiences of Couples Regarding Grief Caused by Recurrent Miscarriages in Infertile Women: A Phenomenological Study

Hoda Zaraj iD , Manijeh Firoozi ^* iD , Katayon Vakilian iD , Fatimah Nosrati iD

https://doi.org/10.61838/

Objective: This study aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of couples’ lived experiences of grief caused by recurrent miscarriages in infertile women.

Methods and Materials: This qualitative study was conducted using a descriptive phenomenological approach. Seventeen participants (14 women and 3 men) with a history of at least two consecutive miscarriages and infertility were purposively selected from specialized infertility centers in Tehran and Qom in 2025. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews (individual and couple interviews) and analyzed using Colaizzi’s seven-step method.

Findings: Six main themes emerged: emotional turmoil (shock, anxiety, guilt, chronic sorrow, and hopelessness); continuity of loss (multilayered, disenfranchised, and complicated grief); distorted self-concept (sense of bodily defectiveness, doubts about gender identity, and reduced self-esteem); the relationship under the shadow of loss (mutual empathy, distance resulting from differences in grieving styles, and strengthened bond); coping and adaptation (individual strategies, social support, and the role of healthcare staff); and search for meaning (religious meaning-making, post-traumatic growth, and redefinition of goals).

Conclusion: Recurrent miscarriage is an existential, relational, and culture-based phenomenon. Grief in this context is multilayered, chronic, and often overlooked. A deep understanding of this experience can contribute to the design of couple-centered interventions and enhance healthcare providers’ sensitivity.

Psychology of Woman Journal

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Articles

Prediction of Covert Relational Aggression Based on Early Maladaptive Schemas and Fear of Intimacy in Married Women

Prediction of Women’s Sexual Well-Being Based on Spouses’ Autistic Personality Traits, Alexithymia, and Empathy: The Mediating Role of Loneliness

Effectiveness of Group Training Based on Choice Theory on Family Functioning and Responsibility in Married Women

Lived Experience of Women Applying for Divorce from Marital Life with a Husband Having Cluster B Personality Disorders: A Phenomenological Study

Prediction of Borderline Personality Disorder Based on Attachment Style, Emotion Regulation, and Social Support in Women

The Relationship between Self-Compassion, Interpersonal Emotion Regulation, and Coping Styles with Quality of Life in Women after Mastectomy Surgery

Comparison of the Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Transdiagnostic Treatment on Fear of Happiness in Mothers of Children with Autism

Effectiveness of Schema Therapy on Agreeableness and Sense of Coherence in Women with Marital Conflicts

The Relationship Between Early Maladaptive Schemas and Alexithymia with Emotional Divorce in Married Women

A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Schema Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Experiential Avoidance in Women with Multiple Sclerosis

Modeling Women's Psychological Flourishing Based on Self-Compassion, Emotional Intelligence, Perceived Social Support, and Body Appreciation: The Mediating Role of Psychological Flexibility

Predicting Women's Life Satisfaction Through Self-Esteem, Meaning in Life, Social Connectedness, and Cognitive Emotion Regulation: A Serial Mediation Model

The Relationship Between Childhood Emotional Neglect and Intimacy Avoidance in Women: The Mediating Roles of Rejection Sensitivity, Self-Compassion, and Attachment Anxiety

The Relationship Between Cybervictimization and Depression Among Women: The Mediating Roles of Rumination, Self-Esteem, and Social Support

Predicting Women's Psychological Flourishing Using XGBoost: The Relative Importance of Self-Compassion, Resilience, Emotional Intelligence, and Social Support

CatBoost-Based Prediction of Marital Satisfaction in Women From Attachment Security, Emotional Regulation, Relationship Commitment, and Communication Patterns

Random Forest Prediction of Maternal Burnout Based on Parenting Stress, Perfectionism, Emotional Dysregulation, and Family Functioning

TabNet Prediction of Depression Risk Among Women Through Rumination, Social Isolation, Self-Criticism, and Intolerance of Uncertainty

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A Comparative Study of the Effectiveness of Short-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Communication Patterns in Women Involved in Extramarital Relationships

The Effectiveness of Schema Therapy on Self-Esteem, Self-Compassion, and Loneliness in Divorced Women with Depressive Symptoms: A Case Study

Development of a Predictive Model of Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Based on Health-Promoting Lifestyle with the Mediating Role of Illness Perception in Female Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Machine Learning Prediction of Anxiety Symptoms in Pregnant Women Based on Pregnancy-Specific Stress, Social Support, and Health Literacy

Modeling Marital Satisfaction Based on Differentiation of Self and Perceived Social Support: The Mediating Role of Psychological Well-Being

The Relationship of Self-Handicapping and Mood Disorders with Self-Concept in Elderly Women

The Effectiveness of Emotional Schema Therapy on Defense Mechanisms, Emotional Distress Tolerance, and Psychosomatic Symptoms in Married Women with Psychosomatic Disorder Symptoms

Lived Experiences of Couples Regarding Grief Caused by Recurrent Miscarriages in Infertile Women: A Phenomenological Study