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1 Examining the Effectiveness of Aggression Control Training with Cognitivebehavioral Approach on Marital Burnout in Mothers with Mentally Retarded Children in Ahvaz Sayede Maryam Basir Kia * M. A. in Department of psychology, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran. Corresponding author Abstract Fateme Sadat Mareashian Department of psychology, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran The present study was conducted with the aim of examining the effectiveness of aggression control training with cognitive-behavioral approach on marital burnout in mothers with mentally retarded children in Ahvaz. All mothers with mentally retarded children in Ahvaz consisted the statistical population of this study. Participants of the present study were selected by cluster sampling method. Among samples, 15 individuals were selected randomly and were assigned into experimental group and 15 individuals were selected randomly and were assigned into control group. Participants of experimental group were exposed to the independent variable for 9 sessions. Marital Burnout Questionnaire (CBM) was the tool of the study. In case of descriptive statistic, mean and standard deviation and in case of inferential statistic, covariance analysis were used in the present study. The results showed aggression control training with cognitivebehavioral approach is effective on mothers with mentally retarded children in Ahvaz. Keywords: Aggression control with cognitive-behavioral approach, Marital burnout, Mothers with mentally retarded children. Page 1531

2 Introduction Birth and presence of a mentally retarded child can be considered as an unpleasant and challenging happening in each family. Although in such a condition all family members suffer but findings show that the problems related to the looking after the child with problem, puts the parents, especially mothers at the risk of incidence to mental problems such as inappropriate marital burnout( Baxter, Comins & Yalitis, 2000). These mothers spend less time for themselves, have lower mood and the level of anxiety and depression, especially marital burnout is higher in them compared to the mothers with normal children because of bearing extreme emotional pressure due to their condition( Ilmaz, Egin & Izaki, 2013). Therefore, today one of the important issues in the field of psychology of retarded children is addressing the issues of these children's families especially their mothers in order to be able to reduce the level of anxiety, marital burnout and other negative predictable emotions in these mothers through using the studies and applying various method and be able to increase quality of life in them through increasing the level of mental hygiene in them ( Ighbali, 2014). Marital burnout is a kind of painful physical, emotional and mental state that affects those individuals who expect that a dreamy love give meaning to their lives. This state appears when they understand that in spite of their efforts, their relationship have not given and will not give meaning to their lives ( Vanplat, 2009). Burnout is a response to the existing issues and appears because of failure in love. Accumulation of mental pressures and small annoyances helps to appearance of burnout and reducing quality of life ( Pines, 1996; Translated by Shadab, 2002). Jacobson, Folit & McDonald( 1982) examined the interactions of distressed couples and calm couples and showed that extreme sensitivity toward the spouses' negative behaviors is common in distressed couples. It seems that extreme sensitivity toward the spouse' negative behaviors and ignoring positive aspects are significantly contributed into feeling anger, harm and alienation of the spouse( Cayzer, 1990). In other hand, in the final stages of the processes of burnout, these negative attributions have important role in individuals' decision for divorcing. It is because the frustrated spouses convince themselves for divorcing by focusing on spouse's negative characteristics that are considered stable( Waygan, 1986). Burnout appears due to the extreme mismatch between expectations and reality. Accumulations of the frustrations and tensions of daily life result into erosion and finally the burnout. Marital burnout appears due to a set of unrealistic expectations and vicissitudes of life. Contrary to the opinion of most clinical approaches that are used in couple therapy, burnout in couples is not because of problem in one or both spouses or because of problem in their relationship. In recent years, the role of factors related to the kind of attitude to the issues in understanding the dynamics of interactions and marital relationships are more attended and of them, constructional, psychodynamic, relationship, behavioral, social learning and the most prominent of all, cognitivebehavioral approaches can be mentioned. Aggression control training is one of the skills that helps individuals to encounter the issues and situations around themselves without aggression and anger that includes cognitive-behavioral events( Sup, 1998; Quoted by Abolghasemi, Beigi & Narimani, 2011). Among different approaches of aggression control in last two decades, cognitive-behavioral approach has been welcomed by the majority( Taghilou, 2005). In this approach, the individuals are helped to learn to evaluate their thoughts and imaginations objectively and test them and correct their cognitive distortions, obtain a new and adaptive cognition about the world and the future and decrease inefficient schemas( Quoted by Page 1532

3 Abolghasemi, Beigi & Narimani, 2011). Cognitive-behavioral theory is based on connection of necessary components of thought, emotion and behavior. The purpose of therapists is increasing the awareness toward initial hostile arousal symptoms and training the skills of controlling on oneself to reduce the possibility of aggressive behaviors( Shakibaee et al, 2004). Rashba( 2009) showed in a research that individuals who have experienced failure, show aggressive emotions in their activities. Therefore, it seems that problematic behaviors are created due to the inefficient coping responses to anxiety and anger, especially showing extreme and uncontrolled anger and anger can play the role of a mediator for launching maladaptive coping responses( Spilberger & Sarason, 2005; Quoted by Oraki, 2010). Based on what is mentioned, the most important issue for the present study is that whether aggression control training with cognitive-behavioral therapy is effective on marital burnout in mothers with mentally retarded children in Ahvaz or not. Methods This research was an intervention. In this study, aggression control with cognitive-behavioral approach was taught and its effect was seen on marital burnout on mothers. Data gathering was semi-experimental and Marital Burnout Questionnaire was the tool of this study. The first step that the researcher has taken was choosing the population and the sample. After identifying the samples and obtaining the needed allowance, the researcher met the participants and gave the necessary explanations to them. After that distributed the questionnaires and then implemented the intervention on participants of experimental group. After finishing the intervention sessions, the researcher implemented post-tests. In this study, in case of descriptive statistics, mean and standard deviation and in case of inferential statistic, covariance analyses were used. Marital Burnout Questionnaire (CBM): This scale is a self-measure tool that is designed for measuring the level of marital burnout among couples. This scale is adopted from another selfmeasure tool that is used for measuring burnout. This scale was designed by Pines( 1996)( Pines and Nanz, 2003; Laes & Laes, 2001). This questionnaire has 20 items and includes three main components such as physical fatigue( such as tiredness, asthenia and having sleep disorders), emotional peter( feeling burnout, disappointment, being entrapment) and mental peter(feelings of worthlessness, frustration and anger to spouse). All these items are answered on a 7-point scale. Level 1 indicates not experiencing the desired item and level 7 indicates high experience of the desired item( Pines, 1996;Translated by Shadab, 2997). Validity and reliability Evaluating the validity coefficient of marital burnout showed that it has internal consistency between variables in the range of 0.84 to Validity is confirmed by negative correlations with positive communicational characteristics. They include the positive opinion about the relationship, the quality of conversation, feeling of security, self-actualization, feeling of having target, emotional attract to the spouse and the quality of their sexual relationship. The versions of CBM that are translated are applied successfully in intercultural studies in Norway, Hungary, Mexico, Spain, Portugal, Finland and Israel (Pines & Nanz, 2003; Laes & Laes, 2001) As it can be seen, CBM has high internal consistency and reliability coefficient and is appropriate for measuring the level of marital burnout. Page 1533

4 The reliability coefficient of test- retest was 0.89 for a one-month period, 0.76 for a two-month period and 0.66 for a 4-month period. Internal continuity for most subjects was assessed by alpha and was between 0.91 to 0.93 (Pines; Translated by Shadab, 2002). In Iran, Navidi( 2005) measured Chronbach's alpha of this questionnaire on 240 samples, 120 nurses and 120 teachers and obtained Sessions: General self The summary of anger management training sessions based on cognitive-behavioral approach Table 1. The summary of anger management training sessions based on cognitive-behavioral approach Sessions Topic Agenda The first Principles of the group Introducing themselves and other The second Anger Becoming familiar with anger and the problems related to it, recording the anger scale The third Training meditation Doing the correct breathing and meditation and practicing them during the week The fourth The physiological role of anger Considering the physiological role of body during the anger by using the drawing of the body, giving tasks of recording physiological aspects during the anger The fifth Anger assessment Assessing the anger by anger thermometer technique The sixth Thoughts and behavior Reviewing the previous session,recoding daily thoughts and behaviors during the anger The seventh Positive self-speaking Using self-speaking and positive sentences The eighth Examining the thought, Examining the thought, feeling,and act,and training self-expressing The ninth Summarizing Summarizing the treatment and follow- up of the previous sessions and required strategies Findings The table below shows mean and standard deviation of marital burnout scores in experimental and control groups. Table 1:Mean and standard deviation of marital burnout scores in experimental and control groups Table 1 Mean and standard deviation of marital burnout scores Variable Experimental group control group Pre-test Post-test Pre-test Post-test marital burnout Mean.4414 Std.498 Mean Std.419 Mean.8424 Std 1479 Mean.5414 Std Page 1534

5 As it can be seen in Table 1, mean and standard deviation of marital burnout score in participants of experimental group in post-test reduced compared to the pre-test. Before testing the assumptions, the assumption of consistency of regression slope and consistency of variances were examined. Table 2 shows the results of examining the consistency of regression slope. Table 2: Covariance analysis test for examining the significance of the interaction effect of membership in group and scores of marital burnout scores in pre-test on marital burnout scores in post-test. Index SS Df Effect size F Sig marital burnout The results of the table above show that the interaction effect of group membership and marital burnout scores in pre-test is significant( P 0.05). Therefore the assumption of the consistency of regression slope is marred but this value is near to the lack of significance. Table 3 shows the results of Levine test about the assumption of the equality of variances. Table 3: The results of Levine test about the assumption of the equality of variances Variable 1fd 2fd F gis marital burnout Considering that the significance level is higher than the desired amount(a= 0.05), therefore, the null hypothesis is confirmed and variances in experimental and control groups are the same in case of marital burnout and the analysis will be continued. Table4 shows the results of covariance analysis test. Table 4: The results of covariance analysis of marital burnout in women variable marital burnout Post-test Source variations SS df Ms F Sig Eta squared Pre-test groups Error The results of table 4 shows that cognitive therapy interventions based on aggression control training through cognitive- behavioral approach was effective on reducing marital burnout in women in post-test Also 77 percent of the variance of the total score of marital burnout in women in post-test is explained by two variable levels of group( experimental and control), with controlling the scores of marital burnout in pre-test. Page 1535

6 Conclusion The aim of the present study was examining the effectiveness of aggression control training with cognitive-behavioral approach on marital burnout in mothers with mentally retarded children in Ahvaz. The findings of the research showed that aggression control training with cognitivebehavioral approach reduced marital burnout in mothers with mentally retarded children. This results were consistent with the results of the study by Sharifi et al.( 2011) entitled" The effectiveness of attribution retraining in reducing marital burnout and the possibility of divorce in couples applicant for divorce ". They also showed in their study that attribution retraining in couples reduced marital burnout and the possibility of divorce and it can have an effective role in identifying the couple therapy strategies. Also, Khodabakhsh Moghadam( 2013) conducted a study entitled" The effectiveness of cognitive therapy based on mindfulness on marital burnout in married women in Tehran" and the results showed that mindfulness training reduced marital burnout. In explaining the results of the research, it can be said that considering the findings, it can be stated that group treatment practices based on aggression control with cognitive-behavioral approach are effective. Aggression control training can help individuals to increase their adaptation skills, have more acting freedom and the level of self-confidence increase. Therefore, it affects individuals' beliefs in facing the problems and individuals learn to try and resist more if they face a problem. In addition, since aggression control training provides an opportunity for individuals to increase their abilities in various aspects such as social and expressive skills, when facing a problem think about all possible reactions, examine the consequences of each aspect, choose the best ways quickly, do not avoid the problems, believe that they can handle the problems, use the skills and take wonderful actions to cope with the obstacles, choose their actions to achieve special processes and desired results and structure them. Also, considering that aggression control training is a skill that individuals can use when they plan to cope the problems of life. Those individuals who apply aggression control skills more, are more successful and efficient and this method helps individuals to adapt with the conditions that become hard gradually. It, in turn, strengthens individuals' confidence, reduces the fear of losing internal control and consequently increases self-confidence. Therefore, it seems that aggression control training with cognitivebehavioral approach resulted into reduction of marital burnout in mothers with mentally retarded children. Page 1536

7 References Abolghasemi, Abbasbeigi, Parvin, Narimani, & Mohammad( 2011). Examining the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy and emotion regulation skills therapy on self-efficacy and academic adaptation in students with exam anxiety, Quarterly of Educational Psychology, No. 22, Seventh year. Baxter, C. Cummins, R., & Yiolitis, L. (2000). Parental stress attribuated to family members with and without disability: Alongitudinal study. Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 25, Jacobson, N. S., Follette, W. C., & McDonald, D. W. (1982). Reactivity to positive and negative behavior in distressed and non distressed married couples. Journal of conselling and clinical Psychology, 50, Ighbali, Ali( 2014). Comparing the effectiveness of emotion regulation training and cognitive therapy based on mindfulness in improving the symptoms of psychological distress and strategies of cognitive regulation of emotion in mothers with mentally retarded children considering the moderating effects of emotional styles. Masters dissertation of Educational Sciences, Tabriz University. Kayzer, K. (1990). The Process of Marital Dissatisfaction: Interventions at Various Stages. Journal of Family Relations, 39, Khodabakhsh( 2013). Examining the effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on marital burnout in married women in Tehran. B.A. dissertation in Counselling, Azad Sciences and Researches University of Tehran. Rashba,EricJ.(2009).Anger management may save your Life.Journal of the American of cardiology,vol.53,no.9. Oraki, Mohammad( 2010). Effectiveness of combined cognitive-behavioral therapy with aggression management on self-efficacy, coping styles, aggression control and reduction in tendency to use drug. Ph.D. thesis Alameh Tabatabaee University. Pines, Ayalamalach( 2002). What we can do to a dreamy love do not result into burnout, Translated by Fatemeh Shadab( 2002), Tehran, Ghoghnoos Publication. Shakibaee, Fereshteh( 2014). Aggression management group therapy with cognitive-behavioral approach in institutional adolescents, Cognitive Science News, sixth year, No. 1 & 2, Isfahan. Page 1537

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