{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,27]],"date-time":"2026-10-27T02:07:14Z","timestamp":1793066834008,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":46,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,29]],"date-time":"2025-09-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1759104000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,29]],"date-time":"2025-09-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1759104000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["BMC Psychol"],"DOI":"10.1186\/s40359-025-03430-4","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,29]],"date-time":"2025-09-29T17:05:59Z","timestamp":1759165559000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["A systematic review of counselling approaches and their impact on marital intimacy among women and couples experiencing infertility"],"prefix":"10.1186","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Mahla","family":"Salarfard","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Malihe","family":"Mahmoudinia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Masoumeh","family":"Rahimi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1438-8822","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Robab Latifnejad","family":"Roudsari","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,29]]},"reference":[{"key":"3430_CR1","unstructured":"WHO: Infertility. 2022. Accessed: July 28, 2022: https:\/\/www.who.int\/news-room\/factsheets\/detail\/infertility"},{"issue":"6","key":"3430_CR2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"485","DOI":"10.1080\/09513590.2018.1540575","volume":"35","author":"C Massarotti","year":"2019","unstructured":"Massarotti C, Gentile G, Ferreccio C, Scaruffi P, Remorgida V, Anserini P. Impact of infertility and infertility treatments on quality of life and levels of anxiety and depression in women undergoing in vitro fertilization. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2019;35(6):485\u20139.","journal-title":"Gynecol Endocrinol"},{"key":"3430_CR3","unstructured":"Behbahani MZA, Homaei R. The Relationship Stigma Infertility and Psychological Distress with Quality of Marital Relationship through the Mediation of Meta-Emotion in Infertile Women. 2020."},{"issue":"40","key":"3430_CR4","first-page":"91","volume":"19","author":"S Alirezaei","year":"2017","unstructured":"Alirezaei S. Effects of infertility on female sexual function. Iran J Obstet Gynecol Infertility. 2017;19(40):91\u2013101.","journal-title":"Iran J Obstet Gynecol Infertility"},{"issue":"7","key":"3430_CR5","first-page":"192","volume":"5","author":"N Lotfi","year":"2015","unstructured":"Lotfi N, Zarei E, Samavi SA. The impact of infertility counselling on intimacy between infertile couples of Qeshm. J Appl Environ Biol Sci. 2015;5(7):192\u20136.","journal-title":"J Appl Environ Biol Sci"},{"issue":"45","key":"3430_CR6","first-page":"17","volume":"12","author":"A Arhramiyan","year":"2021","unstructured":"Arhramiyan A, Sodani M. The effectiveness of solution - focused therapy and emotionally focused therapy on marital intimacy of couples with attitudes toward marital infidelity. Cogn Anal Psychol Q. 2021;12(45):17\u201335.","journal-title":"Cogn Anal Psychol Q"},{"issue":"3","key":"3430_CR7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"448","DOI":"10.52547\/rbs.17.3.448","volume":"17","author":"F Nazari","year":"2019","unstructured":"Nazari F, Etemadi O, Aabedi A. The effectiveness of Olson couples enrichment on couples\u2019 marital intimacy. J Res Behav Sci. 2019;17(3):448\u201356.","journal-title":"J Res Behav Sci"},{"issue":"3","key":"3430_CR8","first-page":"251","volume":"5","author":"R Ghasemi Jobaneh","year":"2020","unstructured":"Ghasemi Jobaneh R, Mousavi SV, Hoseini Seddigh MS. The mediating role of cognitive failure in relationship of mindfulness and marital intimacy among elderly. Aging Psychol. 2020;5(3):251\u201361.","journal-title":"Aging Psychol"},{"issue":"31","key":"3430_CR9","first-page":"131","volume":"9","author":"K Kazemianmoghadam","year":"2018","unstructured":"Kazemianmoghadam K, Mehrabi Zadeh Honarmand M, Kiamanesh A. The casual relationship of differentiation, meaningful life, and forgiveness with marital disaffection by mediating role of marital conflict and marital satisfaction. Psychol Models Methods. 2018;9(31):131\u201346.","journal-title":"Psychol Models Methods"},{"issue":"3","key":"3430_CR10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"52","DOI":"10.47814\/ijssrr.v5i3.195","volume":"5","author":"M Haque","year":"2022","unstructured":"Haque M, Muniruzzaman M, Haque IE. The changing pattern of intimate relationship and the influence of technology on youth in Sociocultural attachment of Bangladesh. Int J Social Sci Res Rev. 2022;5(3):52\u201366.","journal-title":"Int J Social Sci Res Rev"},{"issue":"10","key":"3430_CR11","first-page":"59","volume":"19","author":"HA Adl","year":"2017","unstructured":"Adl HA, ShafiAbadi A, Pirani Z. The effctiveness of group therapy based on quality of life on marital intimacy in infertile women. J Arak Uni Med Sci. 2017;19(10):59\u201371.","journal-title":"J Arak Uni Med Sci"},{"issue":"5","key":"3430_CR12","first-page":"Qc13","volume":"11","author":"H Pasha","year":"2017","unstructured":"Pasha H, Basirat Z, Esmailzadeh S, Faramarzi M, Adibrad H. Marital intimacy and predictive factors among infertile women in Northern Iran. J Clin Diagn Research: JCDR. 2017;11(5):Qc13\u20137.","journal-title":"J Clin Diagn Research: JCDR"},{"issue":"10327","key":"3430_CR13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"803","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(21)02664-7","volume":"399","author":"L Sardinha","year":"2022","unstructured":"Sardinha L, Maheu-Giroux M, St\u00f6ckl H, Meyer SR, Garc\u00eda-Moreno C. Global, regional, and National prevalence estimates of physical or sexual, or both, intimate partner violence against women in 2018. Lancet. 2022;399(10327):803\u201313.","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"issue":"1","key":"3430_CR14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"275","DOI":"10.4103\/jehp.jehp_1106_21","volume":"11","author":"EJ Koleshtajani","year":"2022","unstructured":"Koleshtajani EJ, Zabihi R, Yekta MA. The effectiveness of reality therapy on sexual satisfaction and marital intimacy of infertile women. J Educ Health Promotion. 2022;11(1):275.","journal-title":"J Educ Health Promotion"},{"issue":"32","key":"3430_CR15","first-page":"105","volume":"8","author":"M Naghavi","year":"2020","unstructured":"Naghavi M, Asadpour E, Kasaee A. The effectiveness of group counselling based on acceptance and commitment therapy on increasing psychological flexibility and marital intimacy of infertile women. Q J Health Psychol. 2020;8(32):105\u201326.","journal-title":"Q J Health Psychol"},{"issue":"5","key":"3430_CR16","first-page":"368","volume":"18","author":"Z Kazemian","year":"2013","unstructured":"Kazemian Z, Behmani N, Zadehbaghri L, Abalfath M. The efficacy of Self-regulation couple therapy on marital intimacy among infertile women. Armaghane Danesh. 2013;18(5):368\u201379.","journal-title":"Armaghane Danesh"},{"issue":"3","key":"3430_CR17","first-page":"197","volume":"11","author":"SZ Masoumi","year":"2017","unstructured":"Masoumi SZ, Khani S, Kazemi F, Kalhori F, Ebrahimi R, Roshanaei G. Effect of marital relationship enrichment program on marital satisfaction, marital intimacy, and sexual satisfaction of infertile couples. Int J Fertility Steril. 2017;11(3):197.","journal-title":"Int J Fertility Steril"},{"issue":"402","key":"3430_CR18","first-page":"1187","volume":"34","author":"M Poorheidari","year":"2016","unstructured":"Poorheidari M, Alijani F, Aghayan SS, Keramat A, Masoumi SZ, Asadi Z. The effect of relationship enrichment training on marital intimacy among infertile couples with domestic violence. J Isfahan Med School. 2016;34(402):1187\u201396.","journal-title":"J Isfahan Med School"},{"issue":"4","key":"3430_CR19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"211","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apnu.2020.05.001","volume":"34","author":"M Kim","year":"2020","unstructured":"Kim M, Moon S-H, Kim J-E. Effects of psychological intervention for Korean infertile women under in vitro fertilization on infertility stress, depression, intimacy, sexual satisfaction and fatigue. Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2020;34(4):211\u20137.","journal-title":"Arch Psychiatr Nurs"},{"issue":"1","key":"3430_CR20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"581","DOI":"10.1186\/s12888-022-04228-z","volume":"22","author":"M Hosseinpoor","year":"2022","unstructured":"Hosseinpoor M, Masoumi SZ, Kazemi F, Soltani F, Ahmadpanah M. Investigating the effect of couple-centered counselling by Gottman method on the intimacy of infertile couples referring to the infertility ward of Fatemieh hospital, hamadan, Iran in 2020: a quasiexperimental study. BMC Psychiatry. 2022;22(1):581.","journal-title":"BMC Psychiatry"},{"key":"3430_CR21","unstructured":"SADRI DE, Sheikholeslami A, Tarvirdizadeh H, THE EFFECT OF EMOTIONAL-FOCUSED COUPLE. THERAPY ON THE INFERTILE COUPLES\u2019QUALITY OF RELATIONSHIP, MARITAL CONFLICT, AND INTIMACY. 2017."},{"issue":"4","key":"3430_CR22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"153","DOI":"10.61838\/kman.aftj.4.4.31","volume":"4","author":"M Vahidi Farashah","year":"2023","unstructured":"Vahidi Farashah M, Shafie Abadi A, Khodabakhshi-Koolaee A. Comparing the effectiveness of positive couple therapy group training and integrated behavioral approach on empathy and intimacy of infertile couples. J Appl Family Therapy. 2023;4(4):153\u201370.","journal-title":"J Appl Family Therapy"},{"key":"3430_CR23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"689","DOI":"10.1007\/s10815-016-0690-8","volume":"33","author":"L Ying","year":"2016","unstructured":"Ying L, Wu LH, Loke AY. The effects of psychosocial interventions on the mental health, pregnancy rates, and marital function of infertile couples undergoing in vitro fertilization: a systematic review. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2016;33:689\u2013701.","journal-title":"J Assist Reprod Genet"},{"issue":"10","key":"3430_CR24","first-page":"795","volume":"20","author":"S Alirezaei","year":"2022","unstructured":"Alirezaei S, Taghipour A, Roudsari RL. The effect of infertility counselling interventions on marital and sexual satisfaction of infertile couples: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Reproductive Biomed. 2022;20(10):795.","journal-title":"Int J Reproductive Biomed"},{"issue":"6","key":"3430_CR25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"47","DOI":"10.1097\/01.NAJ.0000450430.97383.64","volume":"114","author":"K Porritt","year":"2014","unstructured":"Porritt K, Gomersall J, Lockwood C. JBI\u2019s systematic reviews: study selection and critical appraisal. AJN Am J Nurs. 2014;114(6):47\u201352.","journal-title":"AJN Am J Nurs"},{"issue":"4","key":"3430_CR26","first-page":"39","volume":"10","author":"M Rahmanian","year":"2023","unstructured":"Rahmanian M, Pouraram F, Nikoozadeh EK. The effectiveness of emotionfocused therapy on infertility stigma, marital intimacy and perceived stress of infertile women referring to medical centers in Tehran. Int J Appl. 2023;10(4):39\u201349.","journal-title":"Int J Appl"},{"issue":"6","key":"3430_CR27","first-page":"597","volume":"22","author":"F Habibollahi Najafabadi","year":"2023","unstructured":"Habibollahi Najafabadi F, ZareNeyeatanank M. Comparing the effectiveness of attractive orientation with reality therapy on increasing compatibility, marital intimacy, and sexual performance of infertile women: A Qusai-Experimental study. J Rafsanjan Univ Med Sci. 2023;22(6):597\u2013616.","journal-title":"J Rafsanjan Univ Med Sci"},{"issue":"9","key":"3430_CR28","first-page":"171","volume":"13","author":"P Asgari","year":"2025","unstructured":"Asgari P, Jalili Rad P. The effectiveness of emotion-oriented couple therapy on body image and marital intimacy in infertile women referred to infertility specialists in Ahvaz. Rooyesh-e-Ravanshenasi J (RRJ). 2025;13(9):171\u201380.","journal-title":"Rooyesh-e-Ravanshenasi J (RRJ)"},{"issue":"1","key":"3430_CR29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e006592","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2014-006592","volume":"5","author":"Y Frederiksen","year":"2015","unstructured":"Frederiksen Y, Farver-Vestergaard I, Skovg\u00e5rd NG, Ingerslev HJ, Zachariae R. Efficacy of psychosocial interventions for psychological and pregnancy outcomes in infertile women and men: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open. 2015;5(1):e006592.","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"issue":"1","key":"3430_CR30","first-page":"125","volume":"7","author":"E Sadri Damirchi","year":"2017","unstructured":"Sadri Damirchi E, Sheikholeslami A, Tarvirdizadeh H. The effect of emotional-focused couple therapy on the infertile couples\u2019 quality of relationship, marital conflict, and intimacy. Family Counselling Psychother. 2017;7(1):125\u201345.","journal-title":"Family Counselling Psychother"},{"issue":"6","key":"3430_CR31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4694","DOI":"10.19082\/4694","volume":"9","author":"F Yazdani","year":"2017","unstructured":"Yazdani F, Elyasi F, Peyvandi S, Moosazadeh M, Galekolaee KS, Kalantari F, et al. Counselling-supportive interventions to decrease infertile women\u2019s perceived stress: A systematic review. Electron Physician. 2017;9(6):4694.","journal-title":"Electron Physician"},{"issue":"7","key":"3430_CR32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"976","DOI":"10.1177\/0011000012460836","volume":"40","author":"SC Hayes","year":"2012","unstructured":"Hayes SC, Pistorello J, Levin ME. Acceptance and commitment therapy as a unified model of behavior change. Counselling Psychol. 2012;40(7):976\u20131002.","journal-title":"Counselling Psychol"},{"issue":"1","key":"3430_CR33","first-page":"165","volume":"8","author":"F Yadolahi Saber","year":"2019","unstructured":"Yadolahi Saber F, Ebrahimi ME, Zamani N, Sahebi A. The effect of choice theory training on responsibility and hopefulness of female students Islamic Azad university Hamedan. Soc Cogn. 2019;8(1):165\u201374.","journal-title":"Soc Cogn"},{"issue":"6","key":"3430_CR34","first-page":"45","volume":"18","author":"N Shahmiri","year":"2024","unstructured":"Shahmiri N, Asadi J, Azizi Ziabri LS, Abdollahzadeh H. The effectiveness of emotion-focused therapy (EFT) on social physique anxiety, impulsive behaviors and emotional self-regulation in obese women. Iran J Nurs Res. 2024;18(6):45\u201356.","journal-title":"Iran J Nurs Res"},{"issue":"2","key":"3430_CR35","first-page":"61","volume":"2","author":"EWL Chan","year":"2019","unstructured":"Chan EWL, Tan HJR. Positive psychology couple schema therapy: A new model of couple therapy focusing on reigniting couple attraction via schema therapy and positive psychology. J ReAttach Therapy Dev Diversities. 2019;2(2):61\u20139.","journal-title":"J ReAttach Therapy Dev Diversities"},{"issue":"1","key":"3430_CR36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"20","DOI":"10.1037\/a0038768","volume":"25","author":"SF McMain","year":"2015","unstructured":"McMain SF, Boritz TZ, Leybman MJ. Common strategies for cultivating a positive therapy relationship in the treatment of borderline personality disorder. J Psychother Integr. 2015;25(1):20.","journal-title":"J Psychother Integr"},{"key":"3430_CR37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"111","DOI":"10.1016\/j.copsyc.2016.04.022","volume":"13","author":"A Christensen","year":"2017","unstructured":"Christensen A, Doss BD. Integrative behavioral couple therapy. Curr Opin Psychol. 2017;13:111\u20134.","journal-title":"Curr Opin Psychol"},{"issue":"1","key":"3430_CR38","first-page":"74","volume":"8","author":"M Mohammadi","year":"2017","unstructured":"Mohammadi M, Zahrakar K, Jahangiri J, Davarniya R, Shakarami M, Morshedi M. Assessing the efficiency of educational intervention based on gottman\u2019s model on marital intimacy of women. J Health. 2017;8(1):74\u201384.","journal-title":"J Health"},{"issue":"1","key":"3430_CR39","first-page":"75","volume":"3","author":"SM EbadiRad","year":"2017","unstructured":"EbadiRad SM, Kariminejad K. The effectiveness of gottman\u2019s cognitive systemic couple therapy on marital commitment of mashhad\u2019couples. Family Pathol Counselling Enrich J. 2017;3(1):75\u201392.","journal-title":"Family Pathol Counselling Enrich J"},{"issue":"Suppl 4","key":"3430_CR40","first-page":"S514","volume":"60","author":"S Ezhumalai","year":"2018","unstructured":"Ezhumalai S, Muralidhar D, Dhanasekarapandian R, Nikketha BS. Group interventions. Indian J Psychiatry. 2018;60(Suppl 4):S514\u201321.","journal-title":"Indian J Psychiatry"},{"key":"3430_CR41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Moore R, Gillanders D, Stuart S. The impact of group emotion regulation interventions on emotion regulation ability: A systematic review. J Clin Med. 2022;11(9).","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm11092519"},{"issue":"1","key":"3430_CR42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"121","DOI":"10.1038\/aja.2011.72","volume":"14","author":"JR Fisher","year":"2012","unstructured":"Fisher JR, Hammarberg K. Psychological and social aspects of infertility in men: an overview of the evidence and implications for psychologically informed clinical care and future research. Asian J Androl. 2012;14(1):121\u20139.","journal-title":"Asian J Androl"},{"key":"3430_CR43","unstructured":"Shahrahmani N, Mollazadeh S, Taghipour A, Mahmoudinia M, Roudsari RL. The impact of Emotion-focused counselling on marital issues of infertile couples: A systematic review. J Midwifery Reproductive Health. 2023;11(4)."},{"issue":"37","key":"3430_CR44","first-page":"1","volume":"11","author":"NI El-Feshawy","year":"2023","unstructured":"El-Feshawy NI, Zromba A, El-Ansary M. Effect of collaborative infertility counselling on coping strategies and marital satisfaction among women undergoing in vitro fertilization a randomized control trial. Assiut Sci Nurs J. 2023;11(37):1\u201313.","journal-title":"Assiut Sci Nurs J"},{"key":"3430_CR45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Latifnejad Roudsari R, Rasoulzadeh Bidgoli M. The effect of collaborative infertility counselling on marital satisfaction in infertile women undergoing in vitro fertilization: A randomized controlled trial. Nurs Midwifery Stud. 2017;6(2):\u2013.","DOI":"10.5812\/nmsjournal.36723"},{"issue":"1","key":"3430_CR46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"141","DOI":"10.1111\/ppc.12392","volume":"56","author":"A Safaei Nezhad","year":"2020","unstructured":"Safaei Nezhad A, Ebrahimi L, Vakili MM, Kharaghani R. Effect of counselling based on the choice theory on irrational parenthood cognition and marital quality in infertile women: A randomized controlled trial. Perspect Psychiatr Care. 2020;56(1):141\u20138.","journal-title":"Perspect Psychiatr Care"}],"container-title":["BMC Psychology"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1186\/s40359-025-03430-4.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1186\/s40359-025-03430-4\/fulltext.html","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1186\/s40359-025-03430-4.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,29]],"date-time":"2025-09-29T17:06:05Z","timestamp":1759165565000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/bmcpsychology.biomedcentral.com\/articles\/10.1186\/s40359-025-03430-4"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,29]]},"references-count":46,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,12]]}},"alternative-id":["3430"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s40359-025-03430-4","relation":{},"ISSN":["2050-7283"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2050-7283","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,29]]},"assertion":[{"value":"18 February 2025","order":1,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"4 September 2025","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"29 September 2025","order":3,"name":"first_online","label":"First Online","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"order":1,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}},{"value":"While ethical approval is generally not mandatory for systematic reviews, the university review committee granted an ethics code (IR.MUMS.NURSE.REC.1402.074) for this study to ensure compliance with local research governance policies.","order":2,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Ethics approval and consent to participate"}},{"value":"Not applicable.","order":3,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Consent for publication"}},{"value":"The authors declare no competing interests.","order":4,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Competing interests"}},{"value":"Robab Latifnejad Roudsari.","order":5,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Corresponding author"}}],"article-number":"1089"}}