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Objective This study explored how group Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can help improve the mental well-being of mothers who have children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Method The research method was semi-experimental with a pre-post-test design and a control group. Thirty mothers of children diagnosed with ADHD were recruited and randomly divided into two groups: 15 mothers participated in seven weekly ACT sessions, while 15 mothers formed the control group. We measured mental well-being using the Mental Comfort Questionnaire and analyzed the results using ANCOVA to account for initial differences. Results Mothers who attended the ACT sessions showed significant improvements in several areas of mental comfort, including positive emotions, self-confidence in coping, elevated feelings, family support, communication within close groups, and overall mental well-being (all p< 0.05). Effect sizes were moderate to large (η² between 0.12 and 0.65). Social support showed a trend toward improvement (p = 0.07), but no significant changes were observed in mental control or social connection. Conclusions Group ACT appears to be an effective approach to enhance various aspects of mental comfort among mothers caring for children with ADHD, promoting greater psychological flexibility and better interpersonal relationships. However, challenges in mental control and social connection suggest that additional or combined therapies might be necessary. These findings support ACT as a flexible, culturally adaptable method to support caregiver mental health.

Objective: This study aimed to explore how humor functions as a coping mechanism that contributes to marital satisfaction among couples in Slovenia. Methods and Materials: A qualitative design was employed, relying on semi-structured interviews to capture couples’ lived experiences of humor in marriage. Twenty-four participants (12 couples) from Slovenia, married for at least three years, were recruited using purposive sampling. Interviews were conducted until theoretical saturation was achieved, with each session lasting between 60 and 90 minutes. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically using NVivo 14 software. Trustworthiness was enhanced through peer debriefing, member checking, and triangulation with field notes. Findings: Four major themes emerged from the data: (1) Humor as an Emotional Buffer, where couples described humor as a strategy for stress relief, emotional recovery, and conflict de-escalation; (2) Humor and Intimacy, highlighting the role of shared jokes, playful teasing, and affectionate humor in strengthening closeness and trust; (3) Humor as a Communication Strategy, with participants explaining how humor allowed them to soften criticism, indirectly express sensitive issues, and repair conflicts; and (4) Humor and Marital Resilience, where humor facilitated coping with external stressors, fostered perspective-taking, and sustained hope during challenges such as illness or financial strain. Couples reported that affiliative and self-enhancing humor styles were most beneficial, while aggressive humor could undermine satisfaction. Humor was also noted as increasingly expressed through digital interactions, including memes and messaging. Conclusion: The findings suggest that humor is a multidimensional coping resource in marriage, functioning simultaneously as an emotional, relational, communicative, and resilience-enhancing tool. While humor generally promotes marital satisfaction, its effects depend on style and context. These insights highlight the importance of constructive humor in maintaining healthy, satisfying, and enduring marital relationships.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the role of intimacy and sexual knowledge in predicting marital quality, with attachment style as a mediator, among Iranian couples. Methods: This research employed a correlational design using structural equation modeling (SEM). The population consisted of couples referred to psychotherapy and welfare centers in Tabriz in 2023, from which 250 participants were selected via multistage random sampling. Data were collected using the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (RDAS), Intimacy Scale (IS), Sexual Knowledge Questionnaire (SKQ), and Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised (ECR-R). For data analysis, SPSS version 26 was used for descriptive and correlation analyses, and AMOS version 24 was applied for structural equation modeling to test the hypothesized relationships between variables. Results: The sample size was found to be adequate for structural equation modeling (KMO=0.89). Intimacy (β=0.41, P<0.001) and sexual knowledge (β=0.20, P<0.01) had direct effects on marital quality, while attachment style significantly mediated these relationships (P<0.001). The proposed model showed a good fit to the data (χ²/df=2.15, RMSEA=0.06). Conclusions: They suggest that counselors and therapists should prioritize integrating these essential elements into their therapeutic approaches and interventions to promote healthier, more fulfilling partnerships.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of premarital education based on the Interpersonal Awareness and Choice Method in enhancing marital stability and emotional expressiveness among engaged couples. Methods and Materials: A randomized controlled trial design was used involving 30 participants recruited from premarital counseling centers in Tehran. Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 15), which received a ten-session premarital education program, and a control group (n = 15), which received no intervention during the study period. The intervention was delivered in weekly 60-minute group sessions focusing on interpersonal awareness, emotional literacy, and decision-making in romantic relationships. Standardized instruments were used to measure marital stability and emotional expressiveness at three time points: pretest, posttest, and five-month follow-up. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc tests in SPSS-27 to assess within-group and between-group differences over time. Findings: Results indicated a significant interaction effect between time and group for marital stability (F(2, 56) = 14.72, p < 0.001, η² = 0.34), with the experimental group showing greater improvements compared to the control group. Similarly, emotional expressiveness demonstrated a significant group-by-time interaction (F(2, 56) = 17.59, p < 0.001, η² = 0.38), with post-hoc comparisons revealing that the experimental group had significantly higher scores at both posttest and follow-up phases. All assumptions for repeated measures ANOVA were confirmed prior to analysis. Conclusion: The findings suggest that premarital education based on the Interpersonal Awareness and Choice Method is an effective intervention for promoting emotional expressiveness and marital stability among engaged individuals. These results highlight the value of incorporating structured emotional and interpersonal training into premarital counseling services to support relationship resilience and long-term satisfaction. Keywords: Premarital education, interpersonal awareness, emotional expressiveness, marital stability.

Externalizing behavior problems in preschool children may represent part of normal developmental behaviors; however, if they persist, they can lead to serious psychological and social difficulties in the future. Deficits in emotional self-regulation are key factors in the development of such problems. The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a unified program based on transdiagnostic treatment, focusing on teaching cognitive and emotional self-regulation skills, in reducing externalizing behavior problems among preschool children with behavioral disorders. An experimental single-subject design was employed and conducted in a preschool center in Shahrekord. The statistical population consisted of all preschool children aged 5 to 6 years with behavioral disorders who were enrolled in preschools in Shahrekord during the 2024-2025 academic year. Sampling was performed through purposive sampling based on specific criteria. The research instruments included the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (1991) and the Shields and Cicchetti Emotion Regulation Checklist (1997), completed by mothers during the three phases of baseline, intervention, and follow-up. The intervention program was conducted in ten sessions and consisted of two separate sections for children and parents. The parent sessions lasted 45 to 60 minutes, and the child sessions lasted 20 to 30 minutes. The findings indicated that after implementing this program, the children’s behavioral symptoms showed considerable improvement across multiple dimensions, particularly in the externalizing behavior and emotional regulation subscales. The results demonstrated the effectiveness of the unified cognitive and emotional self-regulation program in reducing externalizing behavior problems and improving emotion regulation skills in preschool children.

Objective : This study aimed to assess the relationship between the Big Five personality traits and public speaking anxiety among students at Mizan-Aman Health Science College, South West Ethiopia. Methods : An institutional-based cross-sectional survey design was employed. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select respondents from each stratum, resulting in a total of 320 participants (154 males and 166 females). Data were collected using the Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety (PRPSA) scale and the Big Five Inventory (BFI). Percentages, independent sample t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to address the study's specific objectives. Results : The analysis revealed that the prevalence of public speaking anxiety was 28.1%. The mean public speaking anxiety scores for female students (M = 54.15, SD = 10.99) were significantly higher than those of male respondents (M = 47.90, SD = 11.04), t(318) = -5.07, p = 0.01. Significant mean differences was reported among students with different year level. A moderate to low negative correlation was observed between the Big Five personality traits and public speaking anxiety, except for agreeableness, which showed a positive correlation. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that 20.5% of the variance in public speaking anxiety could be explained by personality traits. Conclusion : The findings suggest that the Big Five personality traits significantly correlate with public speaking anxiety. Gender differences were also reported in this study. Thus, special consideration should be given to female students in speaking classes.