The Factors Influencing the Divorce in the Islamic Republic of Iran's Army Personnel from the Perspective of Psychologists and Psychiatrists Working in the Army

Background: The rate of divorce among Iranian military personnel has increased in recent years. Objectives: To identify factors influencing divorce among the personnel of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Army from the perspectives of army psychologists and psychiatrists. Methods: This study was conducted using the Delphi method with psychologists and psychiatrists serving in the Islamic Republic of Iran's Army during 2023 - 2024. In the initial phase, a questionnaire was designed, and psychologists and psychiatrists were asked during qualitative interviews to freely list factors they believed contributed to divorce among army personnel. The responses were collected, and a consolidated list of factors was distributed again to the participants, who were encouraged to add any additional factors not included in the initial list. After compiling the responses, all factors were organized into a questionnaire, and participants were asked to rank these factors based on importance and priority. Results: A total of 37 psychologists and psychiatrists working in the four branches of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Army participated in the study (78.4% male, mean age 42.29 ± 5.65 years). During the qualitative interviews, 19 factors were identified as causes of divorce. The top three factors were economic challenges, frequent job transfers, and cultural changes. Conclusions: Based on the findings of this study, addressing economic challenges, improving the quality of life for personnel, reducing the frequency of job transfers, and enhancing welfare facilities should be prioritized in intervention programs aimed at reducing the divorce rate within the Islamic Republic of Iran's Army personnel.