Family Therapy in Iran: A Case Study of Obsessive‐Compulsive Disorder

Abstract

Iranian clinical psychologists have devised family therapy methods that use cognitive behavior models that fit with their collectivist Islamic culture. The authors review Islamic-based strategies and describe family therapy with a culturally specific case of childhood obsessive-compulsive disorder. Family therapy, adapted to integrated, religious-based cognitive behavior therapy, seems appropriate for clients who are served in Iran.Los psicólogos clínicos iraníes han ideado métodos de terapia de familia que emplean modelos cognitivo-conductuales que se ajustan a su cultura colectivista islámica. Los autores examinan estrategias basadas en el Islam y describen la terapia de familia con un caso culturalmente específico de trastorno obsesivo compulsivo en la niñez. La terapia de familia, adaptada a una terapia integrada cognitivo-conductual basada en la religión, parece apropiada para clientes tratados en Irán. (Khodayarifard, Rehm, & Khodayarifard, 2007). We discuss these methods, exploring issues of cultural adaptation that are important to Western therapists. How do practices of Iranian therapists differ from those of therapists in the West? How might practices and findings from an Islamic collectivist society be of value to Western therapists? We hope to extend discussions regarding Islamic-based therapy (Ahmed & Reddy, 2007;Daneshpour, 1998;Erickson & Al-Timimi, 2001;Hamdan, 2008;Hedayat-Diba, 2000;Hodge & Nadir, 2008;Jafari, 1993) by reviewing strategies that have been found to be useful in Iran. We describe an Iranian therapist's treatment of a culturally specific form of childhood obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) to illustrate how CBT can be modified to fit a collectivist environment. Iranian methods differ from Western approaches in that Iranian therapists integrate family therapy, Islamic-based therapy, CBT, and strengths perspectives to fit clients' needs. family therapy, islam, and cbtIslamic therapists argue that the assumptions of Western psychotherapy are not universal and cannot be generalized to non-Western cultures (Al-Abdul-

Spiritually-Oriented Cognitive-Behavioral Family Therapy

“…Since Spiritually-Oriented Cognitive-Behavioral Family Therapy has only recently been included among the categories of family therapy types in Cognitive-Behavioral Family Therapy, there are only a limited number of studies in the literature on it. Even if few in number, Khodayarifard and McClenon (2011), Khakpour et al (2018), Smith and Smith (2004), Prest and Robinson (2006), and Khodayarifard and Fatemi (2013) have conducted diverse studies on spiritually-oriented CBFT.…”

The effectiveness of structural family therapy in repairing behavioral problems and improving family functioning in single‐parent families in Iran

“…We found limited evidence of research on clinical interventions for this population and studies we found were focused on skill‐based educational programs or therapy for the single mother alone (Aghaie Meybodi et al, 2019; Mahdavianfard et al, 2020; Quchani et al, 2021; Rasi et al, 2013; Zare Bahramabadi et al, 2013). Family therapy research with any Iranian population has remained very scarce and none that was seen in our review focused on single‐parent families or addressing the structural issues which are particularly relevant in Iranian mother‐led families (Khodayarifard & McClenon, 2011; Khodayarifard et al, 2007). This study provides an opening into this vein of research with a research design which could be easily used by other practitioners, and which we hope will be valuable to the field.…”