عباس امان اللهی

Infidelity is an important matter in marital relationships and it has undesired and deleterious outcomes for the family. This study aimed to investigate the lived experience of women in response to their husband’s infidelity. This study employed a qualitative descriptive-phenomenological method to examine women’s responses to their husband’s infidelity in marital life. Nine female participants were recruited using purposive sampling. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews and the data collection process continued until theoretical saturation. The data analysis showed 13 contributing themes related to women’s lived experience in response to the husband’s infidelity: (1) self-harm, (2) deciding to end the relationship, (3) threatening the husband to engage in mutual infidelity, (4) the disruption of normal life, (5) loss of belief in being unique, (6) feeling inferior and humiliated, (7) skepticism about religious beliefs and justice in the world, (8) losing self-confidence, (9) losing contact with the outside world, (10) self-blame, (11) distrust in the world, (12) losing the meaning of life, and (13) aggression and quarreling. The results showed that the women who experienced the infidelity of their spouse showed different reactions based on internal experiences and external reactions. Therefore, considering the effect of marital infidelity on personal and interpersonal relationships, it is necessary to know and understand these reactions.

Objective: The aim of this study is to examine the strategies and consequences of non-marriage among single men. Methods and Materials: The study was carried out using a qualitative approach and grounded theory methodology. The study population consisted of men whose age ranged between 33 and 45 years, considering the average age of marriage for men in the city of Kazerun in 2023 was 30.9 years. All participants were residents of Kazerun County in Fars Province. Sampling was conducted using purposive sampling based on inclusion/exclusion criteria until theoretical saturation was reached (15 participants). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Strauss and Corbin's (1998) grounded theory approach, including open, axial, and selective coding. Findings: In the open coding phase, out of 232 identified codes, 33 open codes related to strategies and 56 open codes related to consequences were extracted. These codes were categorized into different concepts during axial coding. Finally, in the selective coding phase, the main categories and related outcomes of non-marriage were identified. The most significant strategies for not pursuing marriage included improving economic conditions, enhancing mental and physical well-being, developing alternative relationships, and seeking emotional or financial bonds. On the other hand, mental and psychological consequences, objective consequences, and environmental consequences were among the major outcomes associated with prolonged singlehood in men. These included negative emotions such as depression, isolation, wasted time and energy, and economic and social problems. Conclusion: This study revealed that the decision not to marry among men is the result of a combination of psychological, social, cultural, and economic factors that influence individual choices. Based on the findings, it is recommended that social and cultural policies aimed at supporting youth and facilitating marriage are essential. Moreover, identifying and thoroughly examining cultural and social barriers to marriage could help reduce the rate of singlehood and increase the willingness to marry among young people.

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the sexual health of adolescents living in residential centers based on the opinions of experts in the city of Isfahan. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using thematic analysis. The participants included sexual health experts from the city of Isfahan, selected through purposive sampling based on inclusion criteria. These individuals were examined using semi-structured interviews, and data saturation was achieved with 10 interviews. Findings: After data analysis and coding, 94 initial codes, 11 axial codes, and 4 core codes were extracted. The core codes included the experience of negative emotions, various sexual disorders, experiences of neglect and rejection in the environment, and incorrect sexual upbringing. The axial codes were classified as feelings of hatred towards one's body due to sexual exploitation and income, belief in one's own badness due to sexual abuse, sexual problems of abused adolescents, inclination towards same-sex attraction, confusion about sexual orientation, sexual abuse of adolescents living in centers, lack of proper sexual education in the adolescents' families, inability to protect oneself due to the absence of support in situations of sexual abuse, compensating for rejection through non-committal sexual-emotional relationships, sexual vulnerability related to insecure attachment, and incorrect sources of sexual information. Conclusion: Based on the findings, it can be concluded that adolescents living in residential centers face sexual health problems. It is recommended that psychologists and supervisors of these centers use the findings of this study to improve the sexual health of adolescents.