وحید احمدی

Objective: This study aims to compare the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on affective control in pregnant women. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 45 pregnant women from Ilam, Iran, who were randomly assigned to one of three groups: MBSR, ACT, or control. Participants in the experimental groups underwent 8 weekly group sessions of either MBSR or ACT, while the control group received no intervention. Affective control was measured using the Affective Control Scale, which includes subscales for anger, anxiety, depression, and positive affect. Pre-test and post-test assessments were administered to all groups, and data were analyzed using ANCOVA to compare the effects of the interventions across groups. Findings: The results indicated significant improvements in affective control for both MBSR and ACT groups compared to the control group. The ANCOVA showed significant effects for both MBSR and ACT in reducing anxiety, improving positive affect, and regulating anger, with no significant difference between the two experimental groups. The control group showed no significant changes in any of the emotional regulation variables. Both experimental groups demonstrated a large effect size for affective control (η² = 0.53), with smaller but significant effects on anxiety and positive affect (η² = 0.19 and η² = 0.17, respectively). Conclusion: Both MBSR and ACT were effective in improving affective control and emotional regulation in pregnant women, with similar outcomes for both interventions. These findings suggest that both therapies could be useful tools for managing stress and enhancing emotional well-being during pregnancy.

Objective: The primary aim of this study was to integrate the role of social networks and subjective norms into the theoretical framework of the investment model of relationships to predict marital stability among divorce-seeking couples in the city of Ilam. Methods: This research employed a correlational design. The statistical population included all divorce-seeking couples in Ilam during 2019–2020 who visited family courts, counseling centers, and divorce registry offices. A sample of 160 participants was selected using convenience sampling. Data collection utilized the following instruments: the Marital Instability Index (Edwards et al., 1987), the Social Networks in Marital Relationships Scale (researcher-developed, 2019), the Subjective Norms in Marital Relationships Scale (researcher-developed, 2019), and Rusbult’s Investment Model Scale (1980). Data analysis was conducted using path analysis via AMOS version 23. Findings: The findings indicated that the tested model exhibited acceptable fit. Significant positive correlations were found between marital satisfaction and marital commitment, while significant negative correlations were observed between the quality of alternative relationships and marital commitment. Additionally, relationship investment and marital commitment were significantly positively correlated. A significant relationship was identified between marital commitment and marital instability at the level of p<0.05. However, no significant relationship was observed between social networks and marital commitment or between subjective norms in marital relationships and marital commitment. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that marital commitment mediated the relationship between satisfaction with the relationship and marital instability (p≤.05), the quality of alternative relationships and marital instability (p≤.05), relationship investment and marital instability (p≤.01), and subjective norms and marital instability (p≤.05). However, marital commitment did not significantly mediate the relationship between the influence of social networks in marital relationships and marital instability. Conclusion: Based on the findings and the role of subjective norms and social networks within Rusbult’s investment model, the results of this study can be utilized in counseling centers to enhance and prevent the instability of marital relationships.