Introduction: Sexual coercion can be defined as "the act of using pressure, alcohol or drugs, or force to engage in sexual contact with someone against their will," which is also termed male sexual aggression against women. This is a significant global issue present in all cultures, occurring both within and outside of marital relationships, and leading to a wide range of negative consequences for victims, including physical and psychological issues. Therefore, it is evident that educational programs based on intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) and the "Hold Me Tight" educational program (based on the emotion-focused approach) can have a significant impact on increasing attachment behaviors in marital relationships. However, comparisons of the effectiveness of these specific educational programs on attachment behaviors among married women who are victims of sexual coercion in intimate relationships have been less studied. This lack of research makes it difficult to identify effective interventions for these women. Therefore, addressing and enhancing attachment behaviors can help improve these women's conditions, prevent potential further harm, and strengthen the family foundation. Although numerous studies have independently confirmed the effectiveness of dynamic and emotion-focused approaches on various marital variables, a thorough review of the literature reveals three fundamental research gaps that justify the necessity of the present study: The first gap (focus on a vulnerable population): Most previous studies on attachment behavior have focused on the general population of couples or those experiencing typical marital conflicts. Few studies have specifically examined and aimed to empower married women victims of sexual coercion in intimate relationships—a group that, due to the nature of their trauma, requires targeted and context-sensitive interventions. The second gap (comparative and methodological): Although the independent effectiveness of these approaches has been established, there is a scarcity of studies that have simultaneously and comparatively evaluated the effectiveness of an educational program based on Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) and the "Hold Me Tight" educational program (based on the emotion-focused approach) on this specific variable. Given that these two educational programs operate through distinct mechanisms of action (the dynamic program focuses on processing unconscious conflicts and dismantling maladaptive defenses, whereas the emotion-focused program emphasizes restructuring interactional cycles and strengthening the components of accessibility, responsiveness, and engagement), a comparative analysis can help identify the optimal intervention pathway for this demographic. The third gap (nature of the intervention): As highlighted in methodological critiques, many previous studies have examined these approaches within the framework of clinical therapy. However, in preventive contexts and for relationship enrichment within this specific population, the utilization of structured educational programs—which are inherently safer and more accessible—has been largely underexplored. This research gap makes it difficult to identify the most effective educational pathway for empowering these women and preventing potential future harm. Based on the aforementioned, the research question is: What is the difference in the effectiveness of an educational program based on ISTDP and the "Hold Me Tight" educational program on attachment behaviors in marital relationships among married women victims of sexual coercion in intimate relationships?



Methodology: This quasi-experimental study was conducted with a pretest-posttest design with a control group and a 2-month follow-up. The statistical population consisted of all married women who were victims of sexual coercion in intimate relationships and referred to psychological centers in Tehran city in the summer of 2024. In the first stage, using a purposeful sampling method, 45 women were selected and then randomly assigned to two experimental groups (15 women each) and one control group (15 women). The experimental groups underwent an educational program based on ISTDP (9 sessions of 90 minutes) and the "Hold Me Tight" educational program (9 sessions of 90 minutes); however, the control group received no intervention and remained on a waiting list. Data were collected using the Sexual Coercion in Intimate Relationships Scale (Goetz & Shackelford, 2010) and the Brief Accessibility, Responsiveness, and Engagement Scale (Sandberg et al., 2012). Inclusion criteria included being married for at least six months to a year, having no physical or psychological illnesses, scoring 34 or higher on the Goetz and Shackelford Sexual Coercion in Intimate Relationships Scale (2010), and having at least a high school diploma. Exclusion criteria included using psychiatric or psychotropic medications, missing more than two educational sessions, participating in other therapy programs or interventions concurrently with the study, substance abuse, smoking, and having psychiatric disorders. Explaining the research objectives to the participants and providing intensive educational sessions to the control group after the study were ethical principles adhered to in this study. Data analysis was performed using SPSS-28 software with analysis of variance with repeated measures and Bonferroni post hoc tests.



Findings: The results of the study showed that both educational programs had a significant effect on attachment behavior in marital relationships among women victims of sexual coercion in intimate relationships in the post-test and follow-up stages (P < 0.05). However, the results of the Bonferroni post hoc test showed that there was no statistically significant difference in the effectiveness between the two educational programs (P > 0.05), indicating that both programs were similarly effective in improving attachment behavior.



Conclusion: Based on the results of the present study, it can be concluded that both the educational program based on ISTDP and the "Hold Me Tight" educational program can be used as effective psychoeducational interventions to enhance attachment behavior in marital relationships among married women victims of sexual coercion in intimate relationships in counseling centers. Given the lack of a significant difference between the two programs, the choice between them can be made based on the client's preference, the availability of the facilitator, and the specific needs of each woman.