International Journal of Behavioral Sciences

International Journal of Behavioral Sciences

The Effectiveness of Sexual Intelligence Special for Women with Marital Conflicts Counseling-Training Package on Sexual Assertiveness, Interpersonal Circumplex Marital Problems and Sexual Self-Concept

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Zahra Jalali Asil 1
Seyed Hamid Atashpour 2
Hadi Farhadi 3
1 PhD Student in Counseling, Department of Counseling, Isf.C., Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran
2 Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Isf.C., Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran
3 Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
10.30491/ijbs.2026.558906.2285
Abstract
Background and Aims: This experimental study investigated the effectiveness of a sexual intelligence counseling–educational package on sexual assertiveness, sexual self‑concept, and the cycle of marital problems among women with marital conflicts in Shahrekord, Iran, during 2024–2025.
Methods: This pretest–posttest controlled study with a two‑month follow‑up was conducted on 36 women with marital conflicts selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received ten weekly sessions of a sexual intelligence counseling–educational program based on Klein’s (2012) model, while the control group received no intervention. Data were collected using the Halbert Sexual Assertiveness Inventory (HISA), the Snell Multidimensional Sexual Self‑Concept Questionnaire (MSSCQ), and the Horowitz Interpersonal Problem Cycle Questionnaire (IPC‑32). Repeated measures ANOVA was used for data analysis.
Results: The intervention led to significant improvements in sexual assertiveness (η²p = 0.62, P < 0.001) and sexual self‑concept (η²p = 0.58, P < 0.001) compared with the control group. No significant effect was found for the cycle of marital problems (P > 0.05). The improvements remained stable at the two‑month follow‑up.
Conclusions: Sexual intelligence–based counseling effectively enhances women’s intrapersonal sexual abilities, while changes in marital problem cycles may require couple‑centered interventions.
Keywords
Keywords: Counseling Se xological
Marital Conflict
Assertiveness
Self Concept
Interpersonal Relations
International Journal of Behavioral Sciences

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 17 March 2026