The Effectiveness of a Marital Violence Model on Women’s Psychological Well-Being

Morteza  Koohi; Jahangir Karami; Hasan  Amiri

Authors

Morteza Koohi Ph.D Candidate, Departement of Counseling, Sa.C., Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0009-0006-8722-6249
Jahangir Karami Associate Professor, Departemant of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7325-0922
Hasan Amiri Departemant of Psychology, Ker.C., Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4891-3453

Keywords:

Psychological well-being, marital violence, women

Abstract

Purpose: The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a marital violence intervention model on improving psychological well-being among women experiencing marital violence who referred to welfare service centers in Kermanshah.

Methods and Materials: This applied study employed a quasi-experimental design with pretest–posttest and follow-up measurements including a control group. The statistical population consisted of women exposed to marital violence who had referred to Social Emergency Service centers, counseling centers, and welfare support institutions during 2023–2024. Using purposive sampling, 34 participants were selected and randomly assigned to experimental (n = 17) and control (n = 17) groups. Data were collected using the Haj Yahya Marital Violence Questionnaire (VTWI) and the Ryff Scales of Psychological Well-Being (RSPWB). The intervention consisted of a structured ten-session (90-minute) marital violence training program focusing on awareness of the violence cycle, emotional regulation, communication skills, empathy development, and conflict resolution strategies. The control group received no intervention during the study period. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) in SPSS Version 26.

Findings: Repeated-measures ANOVA indicated significant effects of time (F = 634.665, p ≤ .001, η² = .952), group (F = 454.364, p ≤ .001, η² = .934), and time × group interaction (F = 584.132, p ≤ .001, η² = .948) on psychological well-being scores. Multivariate tests (Pillai’s Trace = .961, Wilks’ Lambda = .039, p ≤ .001) confirmed significant differences between experimental and control groups across measurement stages. Bonferroni post hoc comparisons demonstrated significant improvements from pretest to posttest and pretest to follow-up (p ≤ .001). A significant difference between posttest and follow-up scores indicated partial decline in stability of intervention effects over time.

Conclusion: The marital violence intervention model significantly improved psychological well-being among women exposed to marital violence, suggesting that structured psychoeducational and skill-based programs can effectively enhance emotional functioning, relational competence, and psychological adjustment in vulnerable populations, although continued support may be necessary to sustain long-term outcomes.

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