چكيده لاتين
The aim of the present research was to explore the life experiences of Afghan women who have suffered from infidelity, formulate a counseling package based on these experiences, and assess its effectiveness on Marital burnout, forgiveness, and Divorce tendency in these women. To achieve this goal, a mixed-methods research approach with an exploratory design was employed. The study consisted of two main parts: a qualitative section using a thematic analysis approach with semi-structured interviews conducted with 18 Afghan women who had experienced infidelity by their spouses, and a quantitative section involving the review and analysis of 10 relevant intervention articles on marital infidelity published from 2003 to 2023. In the qualitative section, six main themes emerged, including the perception of infidelity, perceived types of infidelity, reasons for infidelity, initial reactions to infidelity, coping with infidelity (by the betrayed spouse), and factors influencing the response to infidelity. These themes were further categorized into 19 sub-themes and 230 codes. A three-stage theoretical model for marital infidelity specific to Afghan women who have experienced this phenomenon was developed. In the second part, based on the findings of the review and analysis, a counseling package was developed, incorporating 10 effective interventions tailored to women who have suffered from marital infidelity. The package was structured into three main stages (Turmoil, Grace Period, and Self-Repair and Relationship) and 8 steps (Introduction and Relationship Building, Curiosity and Examination of Emotions and Thoughts about Infidelity, Expressing Thoughts and Feelings to the Spouse, Establishing Empathy, Softening Emotions, Taking Personal Responsibility and Reducing Blame, Establishing Accountability, Restoring Trust) for each stage. In the third part, to assess the effectiveness of the developed counseling package, a single-case A-B experimental design with baseline was implemented. Three women from the research population were selected through convenience sampling and underwent the intervention, consisting of 8 sessions and 6 assessment stages. The assessment utilized the Panis Marital burnout Questionnaire (1996), Resolute Inclination to Divorce Scale (1986), and Forgiveness Scale by Ehteshamzadeh et al. (1389). Data analysis employed visual analysis, percentage improvement determination, and the reliable change index. The research findings in this section indicated that the developed counseling package had a positive impact on Marital burnout, Divorce tendency, and forgiveness in Afghan women who have suffered from marital infidelity. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the counseling package, based on the life experiences of Afghan women affected by marital infidelity, is effective in reducing Marital burnout and Divorce tendency while increasing forgiveness. It is recommended for use as an effective intervention model by counseling centers
