Effectiveness of Compassion-Based Acceptance Therapy and Schema Therapy on Intimate Partner Violence Victims' Psychological Health.

The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of group Compassion-Based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and group Schema Therapy on depression, stress, psychological well-being, and resiliency in female intimate partner violence (IPV) victims in Iran. For this purpose, a sample of 60 women who reported ongoing experiences of IPV were selected. Out of these 60 women, 20 were randomly assigned to the ACT treatment group, 20 to the Schema Therapy group, and 20 to the no-treatment control group. Five participants withdrew from each group. For both the ACT and Schema groups, depression and stress decreased, and overall well-being and resiliency scores significantly increased between pre-test and post-test, and there was not a significant difference in depression levels between post-test and the follow-up for either group. For the control group, depression and resiliency scores did not significantly change between pre-test and post-test or between the post-test and follow-up. Stress scores significantly decreased between pre-test and post-test, but stress scores significantly increased between the post-test and the follow-up. Well-being scores significantly increased between pre-test and post-test and did not significantly change between post-test and follow-up. One-way analyses of variance examining change scores of depression, stress, overall well-being, and resiliency between the pre-test and the follow-up found that the ACT and Schema group's depression and stress levels lowered, and resiliency levels increased significantly more than the control group. There was no significant difference in depression and resiliency change score for the ACT and Schema group. The ACT group's overall well-being increased significantly more than the control group.

Theorizing the Process of Leaving a Violent Marriage and Getting a Divorce in Tehran.

This study utilized qualitative methods to develop a theory regarding the process used by Tehranian women who leave violent marriages to get a divorce. Findings from semistructured, in-depth interviews with nine women in Tehran who left their abusive husbands suggested that there are six stages in this process: "denial," "using cognitive and internal strategies to save marriage," "using behavioral and external strategies to save marriage," "seeking power to end violence," "preparation to leave marriage," and "termination" stage. The implications of this study help therapists working with women in Tehran who are living in violent marriages and provide effective prevention and intervention services that are appropriately targeted to the specific needs of Iranian women.

Intimate Partner Violence in Iran: Factors Associated With Physical Aggression Victimization and Perpetration.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is identified as a human rights abuse which happens everywhere regardless of the society and culture. This study addressed risk markers for physical IPV victimization and perpetration among men and women in Tehran, Iran. Data were collected from 250 participants (111 men and 139 women) in Tehran who reported perpetrating or experiencing IPV at least once in the past year. In this article, we sought to understand risk markers for both male and female physical IPV victimization and perpetration and whether these risk markers differed by gender. We used regression analyses to test two models with males and females separately. Results indicated that for males, physical aggression perpetration was a significant predictor of physical aggression victimization, and physical aggression victimization, psychological aggression victimization, and psychological aggression perpetration were significant predictors of physical aggression perpetration. For females, psychological aggression victimization and physical aggression perpetration were significant predictors of physical aggression victimization, and physical aggression victimization and psychological aggression perpetration were significant predictors of physical aggression perpetration. These results can be helpful in efforts to develop effective interventions for people at risk of IPV in Iran.

The Process of Adjusting to Divorce After Leaving Violent Marriages: A Case Study of Iranian Women.

Despite growing international attention to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), there is little systemic information available regarding the process of adjusting to divorce after leaving violent marriages among Iranian women. Despite the strong religious discouragement and social stigma associated with divorce in Iran, divorce has always been recognized as a possible outcome of marriage. This qualitative study was conducted to understand the process that nine Iranian women who left violent marriages went through after divorce. The data came from two interviews with each participant and interviewer's notes that were taken during the interview. The data were analyzed using phenomenology and themes related to adjusting to divorce after experiencing IPV were identified. The process of adjusting to divorce seemed to occur in phases, that is, "initial experience after divorce," "searching for stability/challenges/resources," and "the process of developing new identity but still not being at peace." Each phase consists of subthemes and boundaries between these phases were fluid and adjustment was an ongoing process. This process was a journey for these Iranian IPV victims, which was dependent on their financial situation, emotional support, having a child or not, and their psychological health. These findings can help Iranian women who are in the process of adjustment to divorce to make sense of their experience. Also, findings provide a framework for researchers and clinicians in their work with female survivors of violent marriages. By testing these findings, researchers will be able to develop a theory regarding healing and disentanglement process. Clinicians need to understand the role of internalized stigma and how they can help their clients who are seeking to adjust after leaving violent marriages in Iran to reduce internalized stigma of divorce and challenge some of negative cultural beliefs against divorced women. Implications and suggestions for future research and clinicians are provided.

The Relationship Between Sexual Aggression Victimization and Perpetration and Other Types of IPV Among Iranian Married Individuals.

This study examined the relationship between sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization and perpetration and other types of IPV among married men and women in Tehran, Iran. Data were collected from 116 males and 121 females who reported perpetrating or experiencing IPV at least once in the past year. Four path analyses were conducted to examine the relationships between different types of violence and sexual aggression. The model explained 57% of the variance in men's sexual aggression perpetration and 44% of the variance in women's sexual aggression perpetration. Also, the model explained 58% of the variance in men's and 45% of the variance in women's sexual aggression victimization. Findings of this study emphasize the importance of understanding how one type of violence can be a context for other types of violence.

Risk Markers for Women's Physical Intimate Partner Violence Victimization in Iran: A Meta-Analysis.

In this study, evidence from 14 studies examines 16 unique risk markers for intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization for Iranian women. Large-to-medium effect sizes were found for emotional abuse victimization, depression, poor mental health, poor physical health, partner's drug use, living in a patriarchal household, and partner having experienced child abuse as risk markers. Higher levels of education and higher levels of household income were significant protective markers against IPV victimization for Iranian women. Partner's education, partner's employment, being employed, being pregnant, age, partner's age, and length of the relationship were not significant risk markers for IPV victimization among Iranian women.

International Adaptation of a Treatment Program for Situational Couple Violence.

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a serious international problem. Stith, S. M., McCollum, E. E., and Rosen, K. H. received funding from the US National Institute of Mental Health to develop and test a program for couples experiencing IPV: Domestic Violence Focused Couples Treatment (DVFCT). This article provides an overview of DVFCT, and presents three case studies illustrating how DVFCT has been adapted for use in Colombia, Iran, and Finland. This article emphasizes the need for adapting treatment models to be culturally informed, provides practice-based evidence for DVFCT as a treatment model, and highlights the importance of careful screening and assessment when working with couples who have experienced violence, no matter the country or location where treatment is being conducted.