Marital satisfaction

Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Olson's marital enrichment training, Lazarus's multimodal therapy, and Islamic approach-based marital skills training on marital satisfaction and conflicts among couples. Methods: The present study is applied in terms of its objective and quasi-experimental with a pretest-posttest design, involving three experimental groups and one control group. The statistical population included couples who referred to psychology centers and clinics in Isfahan during the second half of 2023. Among them, 80 participants (40 couples) with low compatibility and dissatisfaction with marital life were selected using a non-random convenience sampling method. They were then randomly and equally divided into four groups of 20 individuals (10 couples per group). The measurement tools included the Enrich Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire (Fowers & Olson, 1998), the Marital Conflict Questionnaire (Sanaei & Barati, 2008), and the intervention packages for multimodal therapy based on Lazarus's approach, Olson's marital enrichment program, and Islamic approach-based marital skills training (Salarifar, 2021). Each experimental group underwent eight 90-minute training sessions. Findings: The results indicated that all three educational-therapeutic packages were effective in reducing conflicts and increasing marital satisfaction. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that qualitative research be conducted to identify the factors contributing to marital dissatisfaction and conflicts. Subsequently, any of these three therapeutic and educational approaches can be utilized for more in-depth resolution of couples' issues.

Objective: The present study aimed to model marital satisfaction and parental problem-solving on children's mental health with the mediating role of parental emotional support. Methods: The research method was descriptive-correlational and of the structural equation modeling type. The study population included all adolescent girls aged 15 to 18 years along with their parents residing in Tehran in 2024, from whom 258 adolescents and their parents were selected as the sample through convenience sampling. Data collection instruments included the Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire (EMSS, ENRICH, 1987) and the Problem-Solving Styles Questionnaire (PSS, Cassidy & Long, 1996) for parents, and the Emotional Atmosphere Questionnaire (FEA, Hilburn, 1964) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ, Goldberg, 1979) for adolescents. Parents responded to the Marital Satisfaction and Problem-Solving Styles Questionnaires, while adolescents responded to the Emotional Atmosphere and Mental Health Questionnaires. Findings: The results showed that the proposed model had a good fit. Findings also indicated that the direct path of marital satisfaction, parental problem-solving, and parental emotional support to children's mental health was significant (P < 0.05), and the indirect path of marital satisfaction and parental problem-solving to children's mental health through parental emotional support was also significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: These findings suggest that marital satisfaction and parental problem-solving can affect children's mental health through parental emotional support.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Gottman couple therapy and cognitive-behavioral couple therapy in improving marital satisfaction among married students at Islamic Azad University, Hamedan Branch. Methods: The study utilized a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a control group. A total of 45 married students were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned into three groups: Gottman couple therapy (n = 15), cognitive-behavioral couple therapy (n = 15), and a control group (n = 15). The intervention groups received 10 sessions of Gottman couple therapy or 8 sessions of cognitive-behavioral couple therapy, while the control group received no intervention. The ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire (47-item short form) was used to assess marital satisfaction before and after the interventions. Data were analyzed using SPSS-24 software, employing multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to compare the effects of the interventions. Findings: The results indicated that both Gottman couple therapy and cognitive-behavioral couple therapy significantly improved marital satisfaction compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The effect size analysis revealed that Gottman couple therapy had a greater impact (η² = 0.789) compared to cognitive-behavioral couple therapy (η² = 0.721), particularly in areas related to emotional communication, conflict management, and decision-making. However, the ANOVA results showed no statistically significant difference between the two intervention groups (p > 0.05), indicating that both approaches were similarly effective in enhancing marital satisfaction. Conclusion: Both Gottman couple therapy and cognitive-behavioral couple therapy were effective in increasing marital satisfaction among married students, with Gottman couple therapy demonstrating a slightly greater impact. Given the shared principles of these approaches, future research should explore the potential benefits of integrating them to create a more comprehensive intervention for couples.

Objective: The present study aimed to explain the structural model of marital satisfaction based on spirituality with the mediating role of happiness in married women. Methods: The research method was descriptive-correlational of the structural equation modeling (SEM) type. The statistical population included all married women employed in schools in Tehran. The total number was 41,656 in the 2022–2023 academic year. The sample size was calculated based on the PLS method proposed by Barclay et al. (1995), which required a minimum of 70 participants. However, due to the potential risk of participant attrition, a larger sample of approximately 120 individuals was examined. The sampling method used in this study was convenience sampling. The measurement instruments included the Enrich Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire (1989), the Parsian and Dunning Spirituality Questionnaire (2009), and the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (1989). The assumptions were analyzed using SPSS 26 and SMART-PLS statistical software. Findings: The results of this study indicated that the structural model of marital satisfaction based on spirituality, with happiness as a mediator, demonstrated a good and acceptable fit, with a significance level of 0.05. Therefore, it is predicted that the structural model of marital satisfaction based on spirituality with the mediating role of happiness applies to married women. Consequently, spirituality, mediated by happiness, enhances marital satisfaction. Conclusion: Thus, by increasing the level of spirituality among couples, with happiness as a mediator, a higher level of marital satisfaction can be anticipated.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral interventions using coaching and self-learning methods on marital satisfaction and couple intimacy. Methods and Materials: This semi-experimental study followed a pre-test–post-test design with a control group and two experimental groups (coaching and self-learning). The statistical population consisted of couples who visited family counseling centers in District 8 of Tehran in 2022 and reported low levels of marital satisfaction and intimacy. A purposive sampling method was used to select 45 participants, who were equally divided into three groups of 15. The coaching group received eight 90-minute cognitive-behavioral sessions, while the self-learning group was given a structured 73-page manual to follow independently over two months. The control group received no intervention. Data were collected using the ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire and the Thompson and Walker Marital Intimacy Scale. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) were used to analyze the results. Findings: ANCOVA results indicated that cognitive-behavioral interventions using the coaching method significantly improved marital satisfaction (η² = 0.30, p < .01) and couple intimacy (η² = 0.372, p < .01), compared to the control group. Similarly, the self-learning method showed significant improvement in marital satisfaction (η² = 0.19, p < .01) and intimacy (η² = 0.23, p < .01), although the effect sizes were smaller. Conclusion: Cognitive-behavioral interventions, particularly through coaching, are effective in enhancing marital satisfaction and intimacy. The presence of a coach facilitates deeper understanding, accountability, and behavioral change, making it a more impactful approach compared to self-directed learning.

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 examine the direct and indirect relationships between spousal support and marital satisfaction, with gratitude expression as a mediating variable. Methods and Materials: A descriptive correlational design was employed with 370 married individuals from Armenia, selected based on the Morgan and Krejcie sampling table. Data were collected using standardized instruments for marital satisfaction, spousal support, and gratitude expression. Analyses were conducted in two stages: Pearson correlation analysis in SPSS-27 to examine bivariate associations, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) in AMOS-21 to test the hypothesized mediating model. Model fit was evaluated using established indices, including χ²/df, GFI, AGFI, CFI, TLI, and RMSEA. Findings: Pearson correlations revealed that spousal support was significantly associated with both marital satisfaction (r = .58, p < .001) and gratitude expression (r = .51, p < .001), while gratitude expression was also correlated with marital satisfaction (r = .46, p < .001). SEM demonstrated acceptable model fit (χ²/df = 1.93, GFI = 0.93, AGFI = 0.91, CFI = 0.96, TLI = 0.95, RMSEA = 0.049). Direct effects showed that spousal support positively predicted marital satisfaction (β = 0.37, p < .001) and gratitude expression (β = 0.44, p < .001), while gratitude expression also predicted marital satisfaction (β = 0.29, p = .001). The indirect effect of spousal support on marital satisfaction through gratitude expression was significant (β = 0.13, p = .002), confirming partial mediation. Conclusion: Findings underscore the dual importance of supportive behaviors and gratitude expression in shaping marital satisfaction. Spousal support enhances satisfaction both directly and indirectly by fostering gratitude, suggesting that couples who both provide support and express appreciation are more likely to sustain fulfilling relationships.

Objective: This study aimed to design and validate a structural model of marital satisfaction based on the components of systemic–spiritual couple therapy, with the mediating role of the family power structure. Methods and Materials: The research adopted a descriptive–correlational design with an applied objective. The statistical population included all couples in Isfahan who had been married for at least five years. Using convenience sampling, 384 participants (192 couples) were selected from counseling centers. Participants completed the ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire, the Family Power Structure Questionnaire, and the Systemic–Spiritual Couple Therapy Scale. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation, multiple regression, and structural equation modeling (SEM) with AMOS software. Findings: Results showed that systemic–spiritual couple therapy had a significant positive effect on marital satisfaction (β = 0.54, p < 0.001) and on the family power structure (β = 0.61, p < 0.001). The family power structure also significantly predicted marital satisfaction (β = 0.24, p < 0.01), confirming its mediating role. The overall model demonstrated good fit indices, supporting the hypothesized relationships among variables. Regression analysis also revealed that the components of systemic–spiritual couple therapy and family power structure together explained 25% of the variance in marital satisfaction (R² = 0.25, F = 66.51, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The findings support the effectiveness of systemic–spiritual couple therapy in enhancing marital satisfaction, both directly and indirectly through improvements in family power dynamics. The proposed model underscores the importance of integrating spiritual and systemic interventions with structural family variables to improve relationship outcomes.