Volume 7, Issue 4 (December 2025)
IEEPJ 2025, 7(4): 1-10 |
Back to browse issues page
Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
Firouzi F, Dehqandar A, Azimi Manaviyan F, Bahrami M, Ebrahimi Kia Z, Nikoubakht M. (2025). The Effectiveness of Training Schema‑Focused Strategies on Marital Adjustment and Distress Tolerance in Women Affected by Marital Infidelity. IEEPJ. 7(4), 1-10.
URL: http://ieepj.hormozgan.ac.ir/article-1-1161-en.html
URL: http://ieepj.hormozgan.ac.ir/article-1-1161-en.html
Fatemeh Firouzi *1 
, Akram Dehqandar2 , Farzaneh Azimi Manaviyan3 , Maryam Bahrami4 , Zhila Ebrahimi Kia5 , Maryam Nikoubakht6
, Akram Dehqandar2 , Farzaneh Azimi Manaviyan3 , Maryam Bahrami4 , Zhila Ebrahimi Kia5 , Maryam Nikoubakht6
1- M.A. in Educational Sciences, Payame Noor University, Kerman Branch, Iran , Fatemehfiroozi8900@gmail.com
2- M.A. in General Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, Karaj, Iran
3- M.A. in Family Counseling, Islamic Azad University, Quchan Branch, Iran
4- M.A. in Personality Psychology, Islamic Azad University, North Tehran Branch, Iran
5- M.A. in Clinical Psychology, Ilam Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ilam, Iran
6- M.A. in General Psychology, Payame Noor University, Pakdasht Branch, Tehran, Iran
2- M.A. in General Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, Karaj, Iran
3- M.A. in Family Counseling, Islamic Azad University, Quchan Branch, Iran
4- M.A. in Personality Psychology, Islamic Azad University, North Tehran Branch, Iran
5- M.A. in Clinical Psychology, Ilam Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ilam, Iran
6- M.A. in General Psychology, Payame Noor University, Pakdasht Branch, Tehran, Iran
Abstract: (687 Views)
Objective: The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of training schema‑focused strategies on marital adjustment and distress tolerance among women affected by marital infidelity.
Methods: The research method was quasi‑experimental with a pretest–posttest design including a control group. The statistical population consisted of all women affected by marital infidelity who referred to counseling centers in different districts of Tehran in 2025. From this population, 30 women were selected through convenience sampling and then randomly assigned to an experimental group (15 participants) and a control group (15 participants). The experimental group received a schema‑focused strategy training package in ten 60‑minute sessions, conducted twice a week for five weeks. The instruments used in this study were the Distress Tolerance Scale by Simons and Gaher (2005) and the Marital Adjustment Scale by Spanier (1989). Data were analyzed using univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with SPSS version 22.
Results: The results indicated that after controlling for the pretest effect, there was a significant difference between the control and experimental groups in the posttest stage regarding distress tolerance and marital adjustment (P < 0.001).
Conclusions: Based on the findings of this study, training schema‑focused strategies increased distress tolerance and marital adjustment among women affected by marital infidelity.
Methods: The research method was quasi‑experimental with a pretest–posttest design including a control group. The statistical population consisted of all women affected by marital infidelity who referred to counseling centers in different districts of Tehran in 2025. From this population, 30 women were selected through convenience sampling and then randomly assigned to an experimental group (15 participants) and a control group (15 participants). The experimental group received a schema‑focused strategy training package in ten 60‑minute sessions, conducted twice a week for five weeks. The instruments used in this study were the Distress Tolerance Scale by Simons and Gaher (2005) and the Marital Adjustment Scale by Spanier (1989). Data were analyzed using univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with SPSS version 22.
Results: The results indicated that after controlling for the pretest effect, there was a significant difference between the control and experimental groups in the posttest stage regarding distress tolerance and marital adjustment (P < 0.001).
Conclusions: Based on the findings of this study, training schema‑focused strategies increased distress tolerance and marital adjustment among women affected by marital infidelity.
Keywords: Schema‑Focused Strategies, Marital Adjustment, Distress Tolerance, Women Affected by Marital Infidelity
Type of Study: Original |
Subject:
Evolutionary Psychology
Received: 2025/05/11 | Accepted: 2025/08/18 | Published: 2025/12/1
Received: 2025/05/11 | Accepted: 2025/08/18 | Published: 2025/12/1
References
1. DePaepe, L., & Lindsay, J. (2015). Emotional regulation and distress tolerance in the aftermath of interpersonal trauma. Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 26(4), 289-304.
2. Epstein, N. B., & Baucom, D. H. (2002). Enhanced cognitive behavioral therapy for couples: A contextual approach. American Psychological Association. [DOI:10.1037/10481-000]
3. Fatehi, A., & Heydari, H. (2022). The effectiveness of schema based therapy on increasing distress tolerance and reducing marital burnout among women affected by spousal infidelity. Journal of Family Psychology, 9(1), 45-58.
4. Lachman, M. (2016). Resilience and distress tolerance in women facing marital betrayal. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 42(3), 410-425.
5. Manning, K., et al. (2018). The role of distress tolerance in relationship maintenance and adjustment. Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice, 7(2), 88-102.
6. Nordahl, H. M., et al. (2005). Schema therapy for couples: Clinical procedures and outcome. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 19(3), 251-264.
7. Rokach, A., & Chan, S. H. (2023). Love and infidelity: Therapeutic interventions for emotional and marital betrayal. Routledge.
8. Salehi, S., & Etemadi, A. (2021). Comparison of the effectiveness of schema therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy on marital adjustment among women experiencing the crisis of marital infidelity. Quarterly Journal of Applied Psychology, 15(2), 20-38.
9. Shah Rahmani, H., Jazayeri, R., Etemadi, A., & Fatehizadeh, M. (2023). Exploring the components of marital adjustment among women experiencing spousal infidelity: A qualitative study. Journal of Counseling Research, 22(85), 112-135.
10. Simons, J. S., & Gaher, R. M. (2005). The distress tolerance scale: Development and validation of a self report measure. Motivation and Emotion, 29(2), 83-102. [DOI:10.1007/s11031-005-7955-3]
11. Spanier, G. B. (1976). Measuring dyadic adjustment: New scales for assessing the quality of marriage and similar dyads. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 38(1), 15-28. [DOI:10.2307/350547]
12. Tavares, V., & Asau, M. (2013). Distress tolerance and psychological well being: A study on clinical populations. Journal of Affective Disorders, 148(2), 200-215.
13. Thorson, J. (2017). The psychology of marital betrayal: Understanding the impact of infidelity on the family system. Academic Press.
14. Younesi, J. (2016). Managing the crisis of infidelity in the family: A guide for therapists. Tehran: Danjeh Publications.
15. Young, J. E., Klosko, J. S., & Weishaar, M. E. (2003). Schema therapy: A practitioner's guide. Guilford Press.
Send email to the article author
| Rights and permissions | |
 |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
