The Effectiveness of a Proposed Counseling Program in Reducing Marital Burnout According to the Life Design Model and Considering the Specificity of Iraqi Society Among Married Female Teachers

Abstract

The modern era is witnessing fundamental and profound transformations, as contemporary life has become increasingly complex, bringing about a wide range of psychological pressures and social problems. Poor adaptation and the inability to deal effectively with these stresses and challenges lead the individual to experience extreme fatigue and continuous exhaustion. The inability to design one’s life path efficiently and with self-awareness inevitably results in an overwhelming sense of confusion, disorientation, and an inability to define direction or purpose. This necessitates genuine interventions for this phenomenon, namely marital burnout. The present study aims to identify the effectiveness of a proposed counseling program in reducing marital burnout in light of the Life Crafting Model, while taking into consideration the specific characteristics of Iraqi society among married female teachers. To achieve this goal, the researchers selected a sample of 16 married female teachers. The research tools consisted of a marital burnout scale composed of 18 items, each with five Likert-scale options, and a counseling program developed by the researchers comprising 8 sessions. The researchers employed a one-group experimental design with pre-test and post-test measurements. The results, after implementing the counseling program, revealed statistically significant differences in mean scores in the post-test and follow-up assessments. Based on these findings, the researchers proposed a set of recommendations and suggestions.