Original Article 199 JOHE, Autumn 2017; 6 (4) The effect of relationship enhancement approach training on job stress and quality of marital relationship among municipality staffs Dargahi Sh, PhD Student 1 , Rezaiee Ahvanuiee M, MSc 2 , Ghasemi Jobaneh R, PhD Student 3 , Khorasani AH, PhD 4* 1- PhD Student in Counseling, Faculty of Education Science and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran. 2- MSc in Counseling, Dept. of Counseling, Faculty of Psychology and Education Science, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran. 3- PhD Student in Counseling, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran. 4- PhD in Psychology, Head of the Counseling Center, Damghan University, Damghan, Iran. Abstract Received: September 2017, Accepted: October 2017 Background: Staffs may suffer from high job stress and low quality of the marital relationship. Constructive skills can have a positive impact on them. Thus, the aim of the current research was to investigate the effectiveness of relationship enhancement (RE) approach training on job stress and quality of marital relationship among staffs of the Municipality of Karaj, Iran. Materials and Methods: The research method was semi-experimental and the pretest- posttest design with the control group was used. Population in this study consisted of Municipal staffs of Karaj in 2015. Samples were selected at first by available sampling method. After completing job stress and marital status questionnaires, samples were assigned using the random split method in two experimental and control groups (15 ones per group). The experimental group participated in 7 sessions of group training based on RE approach and control group received no intervention. The gathered data were analyzed by SPSS software. Results: There was a significant difference between the posttest scores of the experimental and control groups. Moreover, RE approach training could significantly reduce job stress (P = 0.01, F = 6.19) and increase quality of marital relationship (P < 0.01, F = 7.79). Conclusions: According to the effectiveness of RE approach in reducing job stress and increasing quality of marital relationship, it is recommended that this program is used in private and public centers to increase the health of the staff. Keywords: Job Stress, Marital Relationship, Training Introduction Regardless of financial income, job provides basic needs of a human such as physical and mental practice, social connection or relationship, self-worth, confidence, and competence (1). Meanwhile, job can also be a fundamental source of stress (2). Job stress, at a moderate level, exists as a part of every human life, but it can become a source of failure and cognitive-behavioral disorders if it gets chronic and constant (3-5). Job stress is related to various negative consequences. Accordingly, research results have indicated that there is a significant relationship between job stress and job dissatisfaction (6), depression (7), anxiety * (8), and mental disorders (9). Job stress is one of the most important stresses with an external origin that can indirectly exert a negative effect on marital quality (10, 11). In other words, when responsibilities, concerns, and pressures from job or family fields infiltrate into the other field, the balance between these two fields would be disturbed (12). In fact, there is a Mutual relationship between work and family * Corresponding author: Amir Hamzeh Khorasani, Head of the Counseling Center, Damghan University, Damghan, Iran. E-mail: khorasani.dubs@gmail.com