Mental Health and Lifestyle Journal

The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of schema therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy in reducing alexithymia among women diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. This applied, semi-experimental study employed a pretest–posttest–follow-up design with a control group. The statistical population consisted of women with multiple sclerosis who referred to the Tehran Multiple Sclerosis Society during 2024–2025. Using an available sampling method, 45 eligible participants were selected and randomly assigned to three groups: schema therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and a control group, each comprising 15 participants. The two experimental groups received ten 90-minute group intervention sessions based on standardized protocols, while the control group received no psychological intervention. Data were collected using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale. Descriptive statistics and repeated-measures analysis of covariance were conducted using SPSS version 26, with pretest scores entered as covariates. Inferential analyses revealed a statistically significant main effect of group on alexithymia scores at posttest and follow-up. Both schema therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy resulted in significant reductions in alexithymia compared with the control group (p < 0.001). Post-hoc comparisons indicated that schema therapy led to significantly greater reductions in alexithymia than acceptance and commitment therapy at follow-up (p < 0.001). The group-by-time interaction was significant, demonstrating differential patterns of change over time. Effect size estimates indicated a large effect for the group factor, and robust HC3 estimates confirmed the stability of the results. Both schema therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy were effective in reducing alexithymia in women with multiple sclerosis; however, schema therapy demonstrated superior and more sustained effects, suggesting its particular suitability for addressing deep-seated emotional processing deficits in this population.

The present study was conducted with the aim of providing a sociological analysis of the lifestyle of employed women with definitive singlehood in the city of Tehran. The research adopted a qualitative methodology based on the grounded theory approach. The study population consisted of 25 employed single women aged between 40 and 50 years who had never married. Sampling was carried out using theoretical and purposive techniques. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was performed based on the three-stage coding process and the five-dimensional paradigmatic model proposed by Strauss and Corbin. Upon completion of the coding process, the final research model—entitled The Modern Single Lifestyle of Employed Women Based on the Dual Feeling of Satisfaction and Loneliness—was developed. This model was organized into five dimensions: causal conditions (economic and occupational satisfaction, life satisfaction, marriage criteria, barriers to marriage, and inclination toward singlehood), contextual conditions (deep social and familial bonds, a supportive family, self-sufficiency, independence, and personal conduct), intervening conditions (economic dissatisfaction, marriage conditions, and social status), strategies (fluid leisure patterns, individual-centered religiosity, relationship management, social lifestyle, criteria-based social interaction, leisure-oriented practices, and time-oriented leisure), and consequences (the advantages and benefits of singlehood, as well as its challenges and limitations).

The objective of the present study was to examine the relationship between attachment styles and marital conflicts with the mediating role of intimacy styles in couples applying for divorce. This study employed a descriptive–correlational design using structural equation modeling. The statistical population consisted of 500 individuals (250 couples) applying for divorce who referred to the Dispute Resolution Councils of Tehran Province in 2025. Participants were selected using convenience sampling. Data were collected using the Revised Adult Attachment Scale, the Marital Intimacy Scale, and the Kansas Marital Conflict Scale. The reliability of the instruments was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients (attachment styles = 0.863, intimacy styles = 0.742, marital conflicts = 0.801). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS and AMOS (Version 24). Model fit was evaluated using multiple indices including CFI, GFI, NFI, RMSEA, and CMIN/DF. The structural model demonstrated acceptable fit (CMIN/DF = 1.439, CFI = 0.980, GFI = 0.972, NFI = 0.980, RMSEA = 0.030). Attachment styles had a significant direct effect on intimacy styles (β = 0.298, p < 0.001) and marital conflicts (β = 0.230, p < 0.001). Intimacy styles exerted a significant negative effect on marital conflicts (β = −0.255, p < 0.001). The indirect effect of attachment styles on marital conflicts through intimacy styles was significant (β = 0.075, p = 0.001), confirming partial mediation, with a total effect coefficient of 0.305. The findings indicate that intimacy styles play a critical mediating role in the relationship between attachment styles and marital conflicts, underscoring the importance of addressing attachment-related emotional processes and enhancing intimacy in interventions aimed at reducing marital conflict among couples seeking divorce.

This study aimed to identify and rank the key components of digital lifestyle that contribute to the development of sleep disorders. This research employed a sequential exploratory mixed-methods design. In the qualitative phase, data were collected exclusively through a comprehensive literature review of peer-reviewed articles, academic reports, and authoritative scientific sources related to digital behavior and sleep health. The extracted data were coded and analyzed using NVivo 14 until theoretical saturation was achieved. In the quantitative phase, a structured questionnaire derived from the qualitative results was administered to 200 participants residing in Tehran. A five-point Likert scale measured the perceived influence of each identified component on sleep disturbance. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS-26, applying descriptive statistics and the Friedman test to rank digital lifestyle components. The Friedman analysis revealed significant differences in the influence of the seven identified components on sleep disorders (p < .05). Digital Engagement Intensity received the highest ranking (M = 4.52), followed by Sleep Hygiene Disruption (M = 4.41) and Physiological Arousal (M = 4.38). Mid-level components included Emotional and Psychological Factors (M = 4.29) and Behavioral Lifestyle Patterns (M = 4.17). Lower-ranked components were Social–Digital Interaction (M = 4.05) and Digital Content Exposure (M = 3.98). These results indicate that behavioral and physiological digital mechanisms exert stronger influences on sleep disturbance than content-related factors. Digital lifestyle significantly contributes to sleep disturbance through behavioral, psychological, physiological, and environmental pathways. The study highlights that high engagement intensity, poor digital–sleep boundaries, and digital-induced physiological arousal are the most critical predictors of sleep disorders. These findings provide a structured framework for designing preventive strategies, digital-wellness programs, and sleep-health interventions tailored to high-risk populations.

Infertility is one of the most stressful and distressing experiences in marital life and can profoundly influence the emotional conditions and relationship quality of couples. The purpose of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of the combined cognitive–emotional reconstruction couple intervention with unified transdiagnostic couple therapy on emotion regulation and affective capital in infertile women. The study employed a quasi-experimental design with pretest–posttest and a two-month follow-up, including a control group. The statistical population consisted of infertile women who sought services at infertility centers in Isfahan during the winter of 2024. From this population, 60 individuals were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to three groups of 20 participants each. The combined cognitive–emotional reconstruction couple treatment and unified transdiagnostic couple therapy were administered over ten 60-minute sessions. The research instruments included the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (Gross & John, 2003) and the Affective Capital Scale (Golparvar, 2018). Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc tests in SPSS version 26. The results indicated that both therapeutic approaches, when compared with the control group, significantly improved emotion regulation and increased affective capital (p < .01). In comparing the two therapeutic methods, cognitive–emotional reconstruction showed significantly greater effectiveness than unified transdiagnostic couple therapy in the reappraisal component of emotion regulation and in affective capital; however, in the emotional suppression component of emotion regulation, both approaches demonstrated similar levels of effectiveness

The aim of the present study was to predict psychosomatic symptoms based on an invalidating environment with the mediating role of alexithymia in individuals with generalized anxiety disorder. The research method was descriptive–correlational using a structural equation modeling design. A total of 300 individuals with generalized anxiety disorder who had referred to counseling centers in Tehran in 2025 were selected through convenience sampling and completed the Patient Health Questionnaire, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, and the Childhood Invalidating Environment Scale. Data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling in SPSS 26 and AMOS 26. The findings indicated that the relationship between an invalidating environment and psychosomatic symptoms was positive and significant (β = 0.35, p < .01). In addition, alexithymia played a mediating role in the relationship between an invalidating environment and psychosomatic symptoms (β = 0.30, p < .01). Therefore, it can be concluded that an invalidating environment affects psychosomatic symptoms in individuals with generalized anxiety disorder both directly and indirectly through the mediating role of alexithymia. It is suggested that psychologists and therapists apply appropriate therapeutic interventions, including dialectical behavior therapy and emotional self-regulation training, to reduce alexithymia and, consequently, mitigate the impact of childhood invalidating environments on psychosomatic symptoms.

The aim of the present study was to examine and compare the effectiveness of Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) on self-esteem in female breadwinner mothers. This applied study employed an experimental method with a pretest–posttest design and a three-month follow-up, including a control group. The statistical population consisted of female breadwinner mothers residing in District 14 of Tehran, from whom 45 individuals were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to three groups of 15 participants (two experimental groups and one control group). The experimental groups received eight weekly 90-minute treatment sessions. Data were collected using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and analyzed through repeated-measures analysis of variance. The results indicated that both interventions were effective in improving the variables under investigation. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that psychological interventions grounded in compassion and mindfulness can be utilized as effective approaches for enhancing the mental health of female breadwinner mothers. Therefore, employing these approaches in supportive and counseling programs aimed at empowering this segment of society is recommended.

The purpose of the present study was to develop and validate a reality therapy educational package and to evaluate its effectiveness on the quality of life and mental health of older adults with diabetes. This study was conducted in two phases using qualitative and quantitative approaches with applied objectives. In the first phase, thematic analysis was used to conduct interviews with experts in the field of reality therapy. The second phase was an experimental study using a multi-group pretest–posttest design accompanied by a follow-up period. The qualitative population included all psychology specialists with a PhD in psychology who were proficient in the reality therapy approach in Tehran in 2023, from which 12 individuals were selected through purposive non-random sampling to validate the reality therapy educational package. The quantitative research population consisted of all older adults with diabetes in Tehran in 2023, from which 50 individuals were selected through convenience sampling. The instruments used in this study included the 28-item General Health Questionnaire (Goldberg, 1978) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Short Form (World Health Organization, 1989). The obtained data were analyzed using SPSS version 27 and R version 4.3.1 (packages: car, jmv, psych, and RVAideMemoire). Statistical analyses in the quantitative phase included multivariate and univariate analysis of covariance, repeated-measures analysis of variance, and the Bonferroni post hoc test. In the qualitative phase, thematic analysis was used to analyze the interviews, and the Lawshe method was used to examine the content validity of the designed protocol. The thematic analysis findings showed that the reality therapy–based educational package consisted of 20 organizing themes and 9 main themes, based on which 9 training sessions were developed. In the quantitative phase, the results indicated that the reality therapy educational package was effective in improving quality of life and mental health in older adults with diabetes. Therefore, it is recommended that psychologists, counselors, and individuals or organizations working in the field of aging use the reality therapy–based educational package to enhance the quality of life and general health of older adults with diabetes.