The Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on Reducing Psychological Distress, Enhancing Marital Satisfaction, and Promoting Spiritual Well-Being in Women Experiencing Marital Conflicts with Their Spouses Employed in the National Drilling Company’s Rotational Workforce in Ahvaz

Investigating the Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on Reducing Psychological Distress, Increasing Marital Satisfaction, and Enhancing Spiritual Well-Being in Women with Marital Conflicts Whose Husbands are Rotational Shift Employees of Ahvaz National Drilling Company

semi-experimental design with a pre-test-post-test and a control group. The sample size was 30 individuals, selected through Purposive sampling, and were randomly (by lottery) assigned into two 15-person groups (experimental and control).

Setting and Location: A field study conducted in the city of Ahvaz on the spouses of rotational shift employees of the National Drilling Company.

Inclusion Criteria: Having a husband who is a rotational shift employee of Ahvaz National Drilling Company. Experience of significant marital conflicts (assessed by a standard instrument or clinical interview). Willingness and provision of informed consent to participate in the research. Exclusion Criteria: Diagnosis of psychiatric disorders requiring immediate treatment. Concurrent receipt of regular psychotherapy for marital conflicts.

Intervention Experimental: Participants in this group received Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). The intervention consisted of 8 weekly 90-minute group sessions. The session content was delivered based on the standard ACT protocol. Control Group: Participants in this group did not receive any specific psychological intervention during the study period and were placed on a waiting list.

Reduction in psychological distress scores; Increase in marital satisfaction scores; Increase in spiritual well-being scores.

In this study, simple randomization was used to assign participants to the ACT intervention and control groups. The randomization unit was individual participants, and a computer program was used to generate the random sequence. Allocation concealment was maintained using sealed envelopes, and the enrolling researcher had no access to the group assignments.

"The raw data pertaining to the assessment of psychological distress, marital satisfaction, and spiritual well-being in women with marital conflicts—all individual-level data collected via standard questionnaires (the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, the ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Inventory, and the Paloutzian & Ellison Spiritual Well-Being Scale) at pre-test and post-test phases—are fully shareable after complete de-identification."

Release timeline: The de-identified data from this study will not be available in real-time (upon request) but will become accessible after the complete analysis process and the initial publication of the results are finalized. Accessibility start date: Access to the data will commence from "six months after the official publication date of the primary article from this research in a reputable scientific journal".

Data and documentation from this study will be accessible to the following groups, provided that scientific and ethical purposes are adhered to: Researchers and faculty members from accredited universities and higher education institutions (both public and private) who are active in related fields, including psychology, counseling, family studies, and mental health. Graduate students (Master's and Ph.D. candidates) currently conducting their theses or dissertations in related areas. Requests from students must be accompanied by proof of enrollment and a letter of introduction from their academic supervisor. Researchers affiliated with scientific-research centers who have a non-commercial research proposal in the fields of mental health, family, or psychological interventions.

Access to the de-identified data from this study will be exclusively available to academic researchers and non-commercial research centers, starting six months after the publication of the primary article. Applicants must submit a formal request accompanied by a detailed research proposal with strong scientific justification and sign a Data Transfer Agreement (DTA). This agreement ensures that the data will be used solely for non-commercial research purposes, explicitly prohibits any attempt to re-identify individuals, mandates citation of the original study, and forbids the transfer of data to third parties. Any statistical analyses must be conducted within the framework of the approved proposal.

Interested applicants may initially submit their data requests via email to mortezaahmadi19922@gmail.com with the subject line "Request for Psychology Thesis Data." If no response is received within two weeks, they may contact the research supervisor, Dr. Zeynab Darvishi, directly at z.darvishi@iauahvaz.ac.ir or via the office telephone number of the Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz Branch Research Center at +98-61-33334567 (during office hours). All requests must include identity information, institutional affiliation, and a brief research proposal.

Data Request Process and Timeline: Following the initial email request, the applicant will proceed through the following steps: Initial Request Review (Maximum 5 business days): The principal investigators will review the request for completeness and adherence to initial criteria (e.g., academic affiliation). If additional information is needed, it will be requested from the applicant. Submission and Completion of Documents (Timeline dependent on the applicant): After initial approval, the formal application form, Data Transfer Agreement (DTA), and a template for the brief research proposal will be sent to the applicant. The timeframe for completing and returning these documents depends on the applicant's promptness. Final Review and Agreement Signing (Maximum 10 business days): Upon receipt of the complete documents, the research proposal and the applicant's commitments will be carefully reviewed, and the final version of the DTA will be signed by both parties. Data Dispatch (Within 3 business days after signing): Immediately upon the completion and signing of the DTA, the de-identified data file (usually in Excel or SPSS format) will be sent to the applicant via email. Total Time Estimate: Overall, provided there are no delays in document submission from the applicant's side, the entire process takes approximately 3 to 4 weeks until the data is delivered.