Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences

2 Department of Midwifery, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences

3 Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, and Education Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

4 Department of Biology, Islamic Azad University, Neyshabur Branch, Neyshabur, Iran

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Women make up half of the world’s population and play a critical role in the health
and well‑being of the family and society. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness
of existential psychotherapy on attitude to life and self‑flourishing of educated women homemakers.
METHODS: A quasiexperimental study with the pretest–posttest design is used in this work. The
research population included 68 homemakers with university education who live in Neyshabur, Iran.
Sampling method was available. The women were randomly assigned into two groups: intervention
and control groups. The women in the intervention group participated in 10 sessions of existential
therapy group. The data collection tool was a questionnaire of Life Regard Index (LRI) and Human
Flourishing Questionnaire (HFQ). The data were analyzed by the SPSS software version 21 using
Chi‑square, independent t‑test, and paired t‑test while P < 0.05 considered as a significant level.
RESULTS: Scores of attitude to life and self‑flourishing in educated homemakers before intervention
were not significantly different in the two groups. Independent t‑test showed that self‑flourishing
was significantly increased in the intervention group (90.88 ± 15.27) compared to the control
group (79.64 ± 15.87) (P = 0.004). The attitude to life was significantly increased in the intervention
group (35.79 ± 14.21) compared to the control group (27.50 ± 8.77) (P = 0.005).
CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study emphasize that existential group therapy is effective
in attitude to life, and self‑flourishing of educated homemakers. This therapy can also be used to
enhance individual and social abilities the importance and impact of existential psychotherapy on
enhancing capabilities such as a positive attitude to life and self‑flourishing.

Keywords

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