Journal of Woman and Family Studies

Studying coping styles of women with the challenges of the marriage stage based on their identity style

Document Type : Research/Original/Regular

Authors

1 MSc of Family Counselling, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran

2 MSc of School Counselling, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

3 counseling department,, faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to study the methods of women's coping with the challenges of the marriage stage based on their identity style. The research method was qualitative and phenomenological. Data were collected through a semi-structured in-depth interview. The studied society included married women who had been married for at least five years. Sampling was performed purposefully and interviews continued until data saturation. Before the interview, participants were given Berzonsky's Identity Style Inventory (ISI-6G) and their scores were calculated in three identity styles. The number of participants was 13. The method of data analysis was Colaizzi's seven-step method. By asking questions about how participants cope with challenges, important themes were extracted and coded. The main themes of coping strategy with the challenges for women with an informational identity style were: "dialogue", "problem-solving within the couple's boundaries", "adapting to real conditions", "flexibility in solving problems" and "existential awareness". The main themes of coping strategy with the challenges for women with normative identity style were: "relying on social capital", "following pre-written patterns", "gradual changing" and "direct dialogue through sending the message". The main themes of coping strategy with the challenges for women with diffuse-avoidant style were: "passive solutions", "authoritative solution" and “the inability feeling in solving challenges". According to the obtained themes on how to cope with women's challenges based on identity style, counselors can use the findings of this study in pre-marriage counseling and preparation training.

Highlights

By asking questions about how participants cope with challenges, important themes were extracted and coded. The main themes of coping strategy with the challenges for women with an informational identity style were: "dialogue", "problem-solving within the couple's boundaries", "adapting to real conditions", "flexibility in solving problems" and "existential awareness". The main themes of coping strategy with the challenges for women with normative identity style were: "relying on social capital", "following pre-written patterns", "gradual changing" and "direct dialogue through sending the message". The main themes of coping strategy with the challenges for women with diffuse-avoidant style were: "passive solutions", "authoritative solution" and “the inability feeling in solving challenges". According to the obtained themes on how to cope with women's challenges based on identity style, counselors can use the findings of this study in pre-marriage counseling and preparation training.

Keywords

Main Subjects

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Journal of Woman and Family Studies
Volume 8, Issue 4 - Serial Number 19
February 2021
Pages 21-41