The Effectiveness of an Educational Package Based on God-Oriented Spiritual Multidimensional Psychotherapy for Coping with Romantic Breakup in Reducing Its Clinical Symptoms: A Single-Case Study
Assess the effectiveness of an educational package for coping with romantic breakup, based on God-Oriented Spiritual Multidimensional Psychotherapy, in reducing the associated clinical symptoms.
Design
A quasi-experimental single-subject study employing a multiple-baseline design with repeated measurements across baseline, intervention, and follow-up phases; conducted with three participants, each serving as their own control, and assessments performed under assessor-blinded (single-blind) conditions.
Settings and conduct
The study was conducted at Aramesh Counseling Center, Qom. For each participant, a baseline period of 3 to 7 weeks was randomly assigned. The intervention was delivered individually in 14 sessions of 60 minutes.
Participants/Inclusion and exclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: 1- Minimum score of 20 on the Love Trauma Inventory by Ross (1999) 2- Conscious consent and willingness to participate in the training course 3- Belief in the principle of the existence of God
4- Absence of severe psychological disorder
Exclusion criteria:
1- Incomplete responding or discontinuation of consent in responding
Intervention groups
The intervention under study is the “Educational Package for Coping with Romantic Breakup with the God-Centered Multidimensional Spiritual Therapy Approach,” which was delivered individually. This package has a structured format of 14 individual sessions (each about 60 minutes). The “control group” is defined as the baseline period without active intervention. Each participant in the baseline phase was under repeated measurements and then entered the intervention phase step by step; therefore, each subject served as their own control.
Main outcome variables
Clinical symptoms resulting from romantic breakup, such as depression, anxiety, and stress.
General information
Reason for update
Acronym
IRCT registration information
IRCT registration number:IRCT20250820066926N1
Registration date:2025-08-26, 1404/06/04
Registration timing:prospective
Last update:2025-08-26, 1404/06/04
Update count:0
Registration date
2025-08-26, 1404/06/04
Registrant information
Name
Mojtaba Hafezi
Name of organization / entity
Research Institute of Hawzah and University
Country
Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Phone
+98 25 3778 2593
Email address
mhafezi@rihu.ac.ir
Recruitment status
Recruitment complete
Funding source
Expected recruitment start date
2025-09-06, 1404/06/15
Expected recruitment end date
2025-11-06, 1404/08/15
Actual recruitment start date
empty
Actual recruitment end date
empty
Trial completion date
empty
Scientific title
The Effectiveness of an Educational Package Based on God-Oriented Spiritual Multidimensional Psychotherapy for Coping with Romantic Breakup in Reducing Its Clinical Symptoms: A Single-Case Study
Public title
Examining the Effect of an Educational Package for Coping with Romantic Breakup Based on God-Oriented Spiritual Multidimensional Psychotherapy on the Outcomes of Romantic Breakup
Purpose
Education/Guidance
Inclusion/Exclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria:
Obtaining a score indicative of severe symptoms (a minimum score of 20) on the Love Trauma Inventory (LTI) developed by Ross (1999).
Having informed consent and willingness to participate in the educational program.
Belief in the existence of God, which was verified through a clinical interview.
Absence of severe psychological disorders (e.g., receiving a diagnostic code of clinical disorders or severe personality disorders) that could hinder participation in the program; this was assessed through a clinical interview.
No dependence on drugs or alcohol, which was evaluated through a clinical interview.
No history of psychiatric medication use during the past three months.
Not being concurrently involved in another educational or psychotherapeutic program related to romantic breakup.
Exclusion criteria:
Participants who, during the course of the educational program, expressed regret or withdrew their consent to continue participating in the program.
Age
No age limit
Gender
Both
Phase
N/A
Groups that have been masked
Outcome assessor
Sample size
Target sample size:
3
Randomization (investigator's opinion)
N/A
Randomization description
Blinding (investigator's opinion)
Single blinded
Blinding description
In this study, only the outcome assessor was kept blinded. To ensure blinding, the following measures were implemented: 1- All measurement data (questionnaires) were labeled using anonymous numeric identifiers (without names or identifying information), including only the participant ID and assessment number; no labels or text indicating the phase (baseline/intervention/follow-up) were left on the files. 2- Assessment files (forms and numerical outputs) were coded by an independent researcher who was not involved in administering the intervention; the assessor had no access to the session schedule, session reports, or session recordings. 3- To minimize the possibility of recognizing the temporal sequence, the assessments were presented to the assessor in random order or with key temporal markers removed. 4- Participants and the intervention-implementing researcher were aware of the allocation. 5- Prior to study entry, participants were informed about the general method (including the baseline and intervention phases and the data collection process), and no deception or concealment was applied to them.
Placebo
Not used
Assignment
Single
Other design features
Secondary Ids
empty
Ethics committees
1
Ethics committee
Name of ethics committee
Qom University Research Ethics Committee
Street address
Ghadir Blvd
City
Qom
Province
Ghoum
Postal code
3714638460
Approval date
2025-07-20, 1404/04/29
Ethics committee reference number
IR.QOM.REC.1404.013
Health conditions studied
1
Description of health condition studied
Romantic Breakup
ICD-10 code
ICD-10 code description
Primary outcomes
1
Description
Depression score on the DASS questionnaire
Timepoint
The first baseline assessment is conducted at the end of the interview phase and the other assessments are conducted weekly. The first participant completes 3 baseline sessions, the second participant completes 5 sessions, and the third participant completes 7 baseline sessions. After completing the baseline sessions, the clients enter the training package phase in order.At the end of each training package session, weekly assessments are conducted in this phase.
Method of measurement
In studying the effectiveness of the training package for coping with emotional breakdown on reducing clinical symptoms caused by it, the outcome variable can be the DASS Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Questionnaire.
2
Description
Anxiety score in the DASS questionnaire
Timepoint
The first baseline assessment is conducted at the end of the interview phase and the other assessments are conducted weekly. The first participant completes 3 baseline sessions, the second participant completes 5 sessions, and the third participant completes 7 baseline sessions. After completing the baseline sessions, the clients enter the training package phase in order.At the end of each training package session, weekly assessments are conducted in this phase.
Method of measurement
In studying the effectiveness of the training package for coping with emotional breakdown on reducing clinical symptoms caused by it, the outcome variable can be the DASS Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Questionnaire.
3
Description
Stress score in the DASS questionnaire
Timepoint
The first baseline assessment is conducted at the end of the interview phase and the other assessments are conducted weekly. The first participant completes 3 baseline sessions, the second participant completes 5 sessions, and the third participant completes 7 baseline sessions. After completing the baseline sessions, the clients enter the training package phase in order.At the end of each training package session, weekly assessments are conducted in this phase.
Method of measurement
In studying the effectiveness of the training package for coping with emotional breakdown on reducing clinical symptoms caused by it, the outcome variable can be the DASS Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Questionnaire.
4
Description
Romantic Breakup Syndrome Score on the Ross Love Trauma Questionnaire (1999)
Timepoint
The first baseline assessment is conducted at the end of the interview phase and the other assessments are conducted weekly. The first participant completes 3 baseline sessions, the second participant completes 5 sessions, and the third participant completes 7 baseline sessions. After completing the baseline sessions, the clients enter the training package phase in order.At the end of each training package session, weekly assessments are conducted in this phase.
Method of measurement
In studying the effectiveness of an educational package for coping with emotional breakdown on reducing clinical symptoms caused by it, the outcome variable could be the Ross Love Trauma Questionnaire (1999).
Secondary outcomes
empty
Intervention groups
1
Description
Intervention group: The training package for dealing with emotional breakdown is implemented on three people to reduce the clinical symptoms caused by it.
Category
Behavior
Recruitment centers
1
Recruitment center
Name of recruitment center
Aramesh Counseling Center in Qom
Full name of responsible person
Ali Dastjerdi
Street address
Aramesh Counseling Center, Next to Hazrat Zaynab Clinic, Imam Khomeini Street, Qom, Iran
City
Qom
Province
Ghoum
Postal code
3714638460
Phone
+98 25 3660 6085
Email
mhafezi@rihu.ac.ir
2
Recruitment center
Name of recruitment center
Ruhan Counseling Center in Qom
Full name of responsible person
Mahdi Abbasi
Street address
No. 30, West Imam Hossein Street, Shahid Sadoughi Boulevard, Qom
City
Qom
Province
Ghoum
Postal code
3714638460
Phone
+98 25 3290 3645
Email
mhafezi@rihu.ac.ir
Sponsors / Funding sources
1
Sponsor
Name of organization / entity
Research Institute of Hawzah and University
Full name of responsible person
Seyed Reza Hosseini
Street address
Research Institute of Hawza and University, Science Square, Pardisan, Qom
City
Qom
Province
Ghoum
Postal code
3749113361
Phone
+98 25 3211 1262
Email
srhoseini@rihu.ac.ir
Grant name
Grant code / Reference number
Is the source of funding the same sponsor organization/entity?
Yes
Title of funding source
Research Institute of Hawzah and University
Proportion provided by this source
100
Public or private sector
Public
Domestic or foreign origin
Domestic
Category of foreign source of funding
empty
Country of origin
Type of organization providing the funding
Academic
Person responsible for general inquiries
Contact
Name of organization / entity
Research institute of Hawzah and University
Full name of responsible person
Mojtaba Hafezi
Position
PhD student
Latest degree
Master
Other areas of specialty/work
Psychology
Street address
No. 106, Sub-Corner 6, Rouhani St., Qom
City
Qom
Province
Ghoum
Postal code
3714638460
Phone
+98 25 3778 2593
Email
mhafezi@rihu.ac.ir
Person responsible for scientific inquiries
Contact
Name of organization / entity
Research institute of Hawzah and University
Full name of responsible person
Mojtaba Hafezi
Position
PhD student
Latest degree
Master
Other areas of specialty/work
Psychology
Street address
No. 106, Alley 32, Sub-Corner 6, Rouhani St.
City
Qom
Province
Ghoum
Postal code
3714638460
Phone
+98 25 3778 2593
Email
mhafezi@rihu.ac.ir
Person responsible for updating data
Contact
Name of organization / entity
Research institute of Hawzah and University
Full name of responsible person
Mojtaba Hafezi
Position
PhD student
Latest degree
Master
Other areas of specialty/work
Psychology
Street address
No. 106, Alley 32, Sub-Corner 6, Rouhani St.
City
Qom
Province
Ghoum
Postal code
3714638460
Phone
+98 25 3778 2593
Email
mhafezi@rihu.ac.ir
Sharing plan
Deidentified Individual Participant Data Set (IPD)
Yes - There is a plan to make this available
Study Protocol
Yes - There is a plan to make this available
Statistical Analysis Plan
Yes - There is a plan to make this available
Informed Consent Form
Yes - There is a plan to make this available
Clinical Study Report
Yes - There is a plan to make this available
Analytic Code
Yes - There is a plan to make this available
Data Dictionary
Yes - There is a plan to make this available
Title and more details about the data/document
All data is potentially shareable after de-identifying individuals.
When the data will become available and for how long
Access period starts 6 months after results are published.
To whom data/document is available
It will only be available to researchers working in academic and scientific institutions.
Under which criteria data/document could be used
All counselors and psychotherapists for emotional breakdown can use the documentation.
From where data/document is obtainable
mhafezi@rihu.ac.ir
What processes are involved for a request to access data/document
Just send a request email and you will receive the information within 48 hours.