Health Psychology and Behavioral Disorders

Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) require psychological treatments in addition to medical interventions. Accordingly, the present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Suffering Management Training (SMT) and Emotional Efficacy Therapy (EET) on life suffering and affective capital in individuals with IBS. This research was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest–posttest–follow-up design and a control group. The statistical population included all IBS patients referred to gastrointestinal clinics in Isfahan during the winter of 2025. From this population, 60 patients were purposively selected and assigned to three groups (20 participants per group). The Perceived Suffering Scale (Schulz et al., 2010) and the Affective Capital Questionnaire (Golparvar, 2016) were used to measure the dependent variables at all three stages. The two experimental groups received either SMT or EET in eight sessions, each lasting between 75 to 95 minutes, while the control group did not receive any intervention. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc test via SPSS version 26. The results revealed significant differences between both the SMT and EET groups compared to the control group regarding life suffering and affective capital (p < .05). Specifically, SMT was more effective than EET in reducing life suffering and increasing affective capital. Given the effectiveness of Suffering Management Training in alleviating life suffering and enhancing affective capital among IBS patients, it is recommended that this intervention be integrated into therapeutic practices alongside medical treatments in healthcare settings.

Declining levels of mental health in women with incarcerated spouses can have numerous negative effects on their lives. The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of the Pennsylvania Resilience Program training on depression, anxiety, and stress in women with incarcerated husbands. This research employed a quasi-experimental method with a pre-test–post-test control group design. The study population included all women with incarcerated spouses who were supported by the Prisoners' Support Association in Ardakan during the 2023–2024 period. A total of 34 individuals were selected using convenience sampling and were randomly assigned into two groups of 17 (experimental and control). The research instrument was the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (Lovibond, 1995). The experimental group received the Pennsylvania Resilience Program in ten sessions, each lasting 120 minutes, while the control group received no intervention. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS version 26. The results showed that the mean scores of depression, anxiety, and stress in the experimental group significantly decreased compared to the control group in the post-test phase (p < .05). The findings support the effectiveness of the Pennsylvania Resilience Program in improving mental health indicators in women with incarcerated spouses and suggest its application for enhancing their psychological well-being.

This study aimed to explore the subjective experiences of reintegration into society among individuals with a history of long-term psychiatric hospitalization. This qualitative study employed an interpretive phenomenological approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 30 participants who had been discharged after extended psychiatric hospitalization and reintegrated into society. Participants were purposefully selected from Tehran. Thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo software, and data collection continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. Three major themes emerged: “Redefinition of the Self after Discharge,” “Interaction with the Social Environment,” and “Psychological Coping Mechanisms.” Participants reported identity disruption, efforts toward self-reconstruction, experiences of stigma, social withdrawal, and a variety of adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies. Key factors supporting recovery included hope, social support, outpatient therapy, and future-oriented goals. Reintegration into society following long-term psychiatric hospitalization is a multifaceted and complex experience that requires coordinated psychological, familial, and societal support. The findings underscore the need for culturally sensitive rehabilitation programs, public education to reduce stigma, and enhanced post-discharge mental health services.

This study aimed to explore the psychological narratives of domestic violence survivors during their psychological rehabilitation process, focusing on lived experience, meaning-making, and recovery. This qualitative research employed an interpretative phenomenological approach. Twenty-three survivors of domestic violence in Tehran were purposefully selected and interviewed through semi-structured interviews. Data collection continued until theoretical saturation was reached. Thematic analysis was performed using NVivo software, applying open, axial, and selective coding. Three major themes were identified: (1) Lived experience of violence (persistent fear, imposed isolation, psychological humiliation, physical abuse); (2) Rehabilitation pathway (emergence of awareness, social support, identity reconstruction, self-expression); and (3) Psychological meaning-making and restoration (meaning of suffering, posttraumatic growth, psychological self-care). Participants’ narratives reflected a dynamic progression from psychological collapse to gradual reconstruction of internal stability. The findings suggest that psychological rehabilitation following domestic violence is a complex, multi-stage process centered on redefinition of meaning and identity. Understanding survivors' subjective narratives can inform culturally adapted, narrative-based therapeutic interventions and support programs in the Iranian context.

The objective of this study was to explore intergenerational narratives of family anxiety among adults in Tehran and to identify the mechanisms of transmission and reconstruction of anxiety within family relationships. This research employed a qualitative approach using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 21 participants residing in Tehran. Participants were selected via purposive sampling with maximum diversity. Interviews continued until theoretical saturation was reached. Data were analyzed using NVivo software and a thematic coding approach, including open coding, subtheme development, and main theme identification. Three main themes emerged from the data analysis: "experiential transmission of anxiety across generations," "anxiety as a familial legacy," and "reconstructing the meaning of anxiety in the new generation." The narratives revealed that anxiety is often transmitted through family silence, unconscious roles, and modeled behavioral patterns. Moreover, the younger generation attempts to redefine anxiety through external support, intergenerational dialogue, and psychological boundary-setting with the previous generation. Family anxiety is transmitted not only as a psychological condition but also in meaningful, cultural, and structural forms. Analyzing intergenerational narratives provides deeper insights into the hidden mechanisms of familial anxiety and can inform narrative-based psychological and educational interventions.

This study aimed to explore the hidden dimensions of chronic shame in adolescents with performance anxiety using a qualitative phenomenological approach. A qualitative phenomenological design was employed, using semi-structured interviews with adolescents aged 14 to 18 diagnosed with performance anxiety in Tehran. Participants were selected through purposive sampling. Eighteen interviews were conducted until theoretical saturation was reached. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis with the support of NVivo software. Credibility was ensured through participant validation and peer debriefing. Three main themes emerged from the analysis: (1) internal experience of chronic shame, (2) family and interpersonal dynamics, and (3) maladaptive coping strategies. Subthemes such as negative self-evaluation, negative self-awareness, critical parenting, social rejection, and behavioral avoidance were prominent in participants' narratives. Adolescents described shame as a persistent and internalized experience affecting their identity, performance, and relationships. Chronic shame in adolescents with performance anxiety is a multifaceted construct rooted in both internal vulnerabilities and relational contexts. The findings underscore the need for psychosocial interventions, parent education, and school-based initiatives to create emotionally safe environments and reduce shame in adolescents.

This study aimed to qualitatively explore the lived experience of motivation loss in adolescents with atypical depression and identify its cognitive, emotional, and behavioral dimensions. This qualitative research used a descriptive phenomenological approach. Nineteen adolescents diagnosed with atypical depression from Tehran were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews, conducted until theoretical saturation was reached. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically using NVivo 12 software. Thematic analysis revealed three main themes: (1) Inner Sense of Incapacity (including mental fatigue, meaninglessness of activities, cognitive rumination on failures, etc.); (2) Disengagement from the External World (social withdrawal, indifference to external feedback, detachment from goals, etc.); and (3) Emotional and Cognitive Fluctuations (emotional duality, thought entrapment, discrepancy between desire and ability, etc.). These themes reflected a multilayered experience of demotivation influenced by personal and interpersonal factors. Findings suggest that motivation loss in adolescents with atypical depression is the result of complex interactions between internal and external variables, experienced as mental exhaustion, hopelessness, social isolation, and loss of meaning. These insights may inform therapeutic interventions focusing on emotional awareness, social engagement, and value-based goal setting.

This study aimed to explain the subjective meaning of self-reconstruction in women with a history of psychiatric hospitalization through an in-depth analysis of their lived experiences. This qualitative study employed a phenomenological approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 19 women who had previously been hospitalized in psychiatric settings in Tehran. Participants were selected purposefully, and interviews continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using NVivo software. Thematic analysis was conducted through open, axial, and selective coding. Three main themes emerged from the data: “Redefining Personal Identity,” “Reclaiming Social Relationships,” and “Psychological and Spiritual Rehabilitation.” These encompassed subthemes such as rediscovering the self, acceptance of the past, repairing family ties, redefining social roles, experiencing mental recovery, relying on spiritual resources, and engaging in self-care strategies. Participants described self-reconstruction as a process shaped by inner reflection, meaning-making, and relational experiences. Self-reconstruction in women with a history of psychiatric hospitalization is a complex, multidimensional, and dynamic process involving identity transformation, social reintegration, and psychological empowerment. These findings can inform the development of more effective, gender-sensitive, and culturally responsive therapeutic interventions.