title: Predictors of family strength: the integrated spiritual-religious/resilient perspective for understanding the healthy/strong family.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study aimed to investigate the effects of spiritual well-being and family protective factors on the family strength in a propositional structural model.
  
  
  METHODS
  The research population consisted of all the married people of the Isfahan, Iran, in 2012 with preschool-aged children and in the first decade of marriage with at least eight grades of educational level. Three hundred and ninety five voluntary and unpaid participants were selected randomly through multi-stage sampling from seven regions of the city. The instruments used were the Spiritual Well-being Scale, Inventory of Family Protective Factors, and Family Strength Scale. Descriptive statistics and a structural equation modeling analytic approach were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analytic model predicted 82% of the variance of the family strength. The total effect of the spiritual well-being on the family strength was higher compared to the family protective factors. Furthermore, spiritual well-being predicted 43% of the distribution of the family protective factors and had indirect effect on the family strength through the family protective factors (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study confirmed the interrelationships among spiritual well-being and family protective factors, and their simultaneous effects on family strength. Family counselors may employ an integrated spiritual-religious/resilient perspective to inform their strength-based work with individuals and their families.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  None.
authors.affiliation: PhD Candidate, Department of Counseling, School of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghaffari
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Counseling, School of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fatehizade
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Counseling, School of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahmadi
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Social Sciences, School of Literature, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Vahid
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ghasemi
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Counseling, School of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Iran
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Baghban
keywords: Family Protective Factors; Family Strength; Spiritual Well-being