Effect of life skills training on marital relations, self-esteem and anxiety levels of Iranian pregnant women exposed to intimate partner violence: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Intimate partner violence during pregnancy is a serious yet preventable public health issue. This factor threatens both the mother and the baby. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of life skills training on marital relations, self-esteem and anxiety levels in Iranian pregnant women with domestic violence.

Methods: This experimental study was conducted in Ahvaz, Iran, on 110 pregnant women (< 16 weeks' gestation) exposed to moderate or severe domestic violence. Participants were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups (n = 55 each). The intervention group received six life skills training sessions, while the control group received routine prenatal care. Validated questionnaires were used to measure outcomes at weeks 26-30 and 35-37. Data were analyzed using SPSS v24, employing ANCOVA and Bonferroni tests.

Results: There were no significant differences between groups in demographic and obstetric characteristics. The most common type of violence was psychological abuse. After the intervention, the intervention group showed significant improvements in self-esteem (F = 6.647, p < 0.05), marital adjustment (F = 5.475, p < 0.05), marital satisfaction (F = 3.538, p < 0.05), and anxiety reduction (F = 4.482, p < 0.05) compared to the control group. These improvements remained stable during follow-up assessments at 35-37 weeks of pregnancy.

Conclusions: Integrating counseling sessions and life skills training as a simple and cost-effective method, especially through trained midwives can be an effective step in preventing and controlling domestic violence especially during the critical stages of pregnancy.

Registration Number: IRCT2016020825051N2.