The Journal of Family Counseling and Psychotherapy (JFCP) aims to advance the scientific understanding, theoretical development, and clinical application of family counseling and psychotherapy. As a peer-reviewed, semiannual publication of the University of Kurdistan, the journal is committed to:
Advancing Knowledge – Promoting original empirical research, theoretical contributions, and applied clinical insights that deepen understanding of family systems, couple dynamics, and therapeutic intervention processes.
Bridging Research and Practice – Fostering a reciprocal relationship between scientific inquiry and clinical practice by disseminating evidence-based findings that inform therapeutic methods, counseling techniques, and mental health interventions for families and couples.
Addressing Regional and Cultural Contexts – Providing a platform for studies that reflect the cultural, social, and psychological contexts of families in Iran and the wider region, while welcoming international contributions that enrich cross-cultural dialogue.
Supporting Interdisciplinary Dialogue – Encouraging contributions from allied disciplines, including medicine, social sciences, and mental health professions, to promote a holistic understanding of family functioning and dysfunction.
Preventing and Resolving Family Problems – Generating knowledge that contributes to the prevention of divorce, the resolution of marital and family conflicts, and the promotion of healthy relational patterns within families and communities.
Enhancing Mental Health and Well-Being – Contributing to the improvement of mental health outcomes for individuals, couples, and families through the dissemination of effective, culturally sensitive, and evidence-based therapeutic approaches.
Facilitating Scholarly Exchange – Providing an open-access platform that ensures wide dissemination of knowledge and stimulates academic exchange among researchers, clinicians, students, and practitioners both nationally and internationally.
The Journal of Family Counseling and Psychotherapy (JFCP) publishes original research articles, review papers, theoretical contributions, and case studies that fall within the following domains:
The journal addresses the nature, causes, and consequences of family problems, including marital conflict, communication breakdowns, emotional distress, and maladaptive relational patterns. It seeks to provide comprehensive descriptions of the problems experienced by distressed and divorce-seeking clients, with particular attention to the Iranian context.
The journal welcomes studies that explain, interpret, and predict divorce and marital satisfaction through theoretical and empirical concepts. It aims to identify the psychological, relational, and contextual factors that contribute to marital stability or dissolution.
The journal covers research on family enrichment programs, preventive interventions, and strategies that enhance family functioning, cohesion, and resilience. It emphasizes the promotion of healthy family dynamics and the strengthening of couple relationships.
The journal publishes studies on the effectiveness of therapeutic methods and interventions for couples, including emotion-focused therapy, narrative therapy, cognitive-behavioral approaches, and other evidence-based modalities. It seeks to clarify the nature and mechanisms of effective treatments for resolving couples' problems and divorce-causing grounds.
The journal encompasses a broad range of family therapy models and techniques, including systemic, structural, strategic, and solution-focused approaches. It aims to evaluate the impact of these models on family functioning and therapeutic outcomes.
The journal addresses the dynamics of parent-child relationships, including attachment, parenting styles, child and adolescent counseling, and the impact of family processes on child development and mental health.
The journal explores how families adapt to stress, trauma, adversity, and life transitions. It welcomes studies on coping strategies, resilience factors, and protective mechanisms that support family well-being.
The journal covers the development, validation, and application of psychological assessment tools and instruments used in family and couple counseling. It emphasizes accurate measurement of relational, emotional, and psychological constructs.
The journal encourages studies that examine culturally informed approaches to counseling and psychotherapy, with particular relevance to Iranian and regional cultures. It also welcomes cross-cultural comparisons and research on the cultural adaptation of therapeutic methods developed in non-Iranian contexts.
The journal seeks to test the impact of evidence-based therapeutic research methods on solving the problems of couples applying for divorce in Iran. Given that many therapeutic models have been developed in non-Iranian cultures, the journal prioritizes research that validates, adapts, or re-examines these methods within the Iranian cultural and social context.
The journal publishes research on practical strategies for the treatment and promotion of mental health, the creation of healthy patterns of personal relationships between couples, and the prevention of divorce and family breakdown.
The journal welcomes contributions from other disciplines, including medicine, psychiatry, social work, sociology, and public health, provided they relate to family counseling, psychotherapy, and the enhancement of family well-being.
Note: The journal's scope is intentionally broad and interdisciplinary, with a dual focus on (a) the scientific evaluation of therapeutic methods and (b) the cultural adaptation of these methods to the Iranian context. This dual focus distinguishes JFCP as a publication that is both locally grounded and internationally engaged.