International Journal of Behavioral Sciences
Volume:5 Issue: 3, 2011

To identify the psychological traits associated with infertility, and clarify its consequences, this study investigated stress, ways of coping and mental health of infertile men and women. The General Health Questionnaire, the Lazarus and Folkman Ways of Coping Questionnaire, and scale of factors causing stress were completed by 80 infertile individuals (40 females and 40 males). The information was analyzed by a dependent t-test, the chi square test, a t-test to compare two independent groups, and a regression analysis. Results Infertile women had fewer mental health issues compared to those of infertile men. The results showed that infertile people used problem-focused coping less than emotional focused coping and that infertile men and women that used problem-focused coping more than emotion focused coping had better mental health. The findings indicate the effective role of coping strategies used by infertile individuals to predict mental health status and the role of gender on the relationship between the mentioned variables.

The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy and religious cognitive therapy on anxiety in Tehranian high school students. In an experimental study, Forty-five students with high anxiety levels were randomly assigned to a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), religious cognitive therapy (RCT), or control groups. CBT and RCT were applied to the experimental groups during eight sessions once per week, whereas the control group did not receive any therapy. Cattle’s Anxiety Scale was used as the pre-test, post-test, and follow-up for each of the three groups. Analysis of covariance was applied to analyze the data. The analysis of data showed that mean anxiety scores in the experimental groups were significantly lower than those in the control group on the post test and follow-up. However, no significant difference was observed between the effectiveness of CBT and RCT for decreasing anxiety in students. CBT and RCT were remarkably effective for reducing anxiety in students. These results have implications for future research in the field of multidimensional psychotherapy for psychological disorders.

The aim of this study was to develop a family need scale for Iranian families. The study was administered in two stages. In the pilot study, 50 families were interviewed to list their needs. A 45-item scale was designed based on the pilot study data. The scale was completed by 250 families in the second stage (the main stage). In addition, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Psychology of Happiness Scale, Family Content Scale and Coping Stress Styles Scale were used. A principle factor analysis was used to check the factor structure of the family. The alpha coefficient and test-retest reliability were used to check the internal consistency and reliability of the scale. The results revealed seven factors in the scale, including economic need, kindness need, social security need, first welfare need, educational need, second welfare need, and psychological need. In addition, the reliability for the questionnaire was found to be 0.89 using alpha coefficient and 0.96 using retest. The results of the alpha coefficient and test-retest showed that the family needs scale was a reliable scale to assess family needs and that it had high convergent validity. The family needs scale was efficient, reliable, and valid to use in Iranian families.

The current investigation evaluated the psychometric properties and confirmed factor structure stability of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SASA) in a sample of Iranian adolescents. The Persian version of the SASA and the Questionnaire about Interpersonal Difficulties for Adolescents, the Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale-Brief Version, and the Big Five Inventory were administered to a sample of 500 adolescents (276 females and 224 males). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), convergent validity, and internal consistency were used to compute the factor structure, validity, and reliability of the SASA, respectively. Both alpha coefficient and test-retest correlations indicated high reliability for the forms of the SASA. The results of principle component analysis (PCA) and oblique rotation replicated the two-factor structure of the SASA. The results of a CFA revealed that while one factor model in the SASA had an acceptable fit to the data, the two factor model consisted of apprehension and fear of negative evaluation. Tension and inhibition of social contact demonstrated a superior fit. The significant positive correlation between the forms and SASA total score with subscales, the FNES-B total score with subscales, the QIDA total score and neuroticism, as well as the significant negative correlation with extraversion extended empirical support for the convergent validity of the SASA. These findings speak to the robustness of the SASA and reveal its relatively stable structure, and, consequently, its potential usefulness as a valid measure of social anxiety for Iranian adolescents.

This study systematically reviewed veteran mental health studies performed at the national level. We used qualitative methods to systematically review information in the domestic research database on veteran mental health, including research projects, articles, and abstracts from seminars. The study population included archival sources, and data were collected using the APA-based protocol for systematic review of studies and were classified using the Marshall and Rossman model. Consequential steps included organizing, and classifying the information, answering questions, and developing a conceptual model for classifying information, and compiling a report. The results showed that among 257 studies in the field of veteran mental health, 42%, 39%, and 19% were published as articles, research projects, and abstracts presented at seminars or conferences, respectively. Overall, 75.26% and 16.72% of these studies were conducted on the mental health of veterans and their families, respectively. The content of these studies were ranked in categories, including mental disorders (34.68%), mental health (21.37%), family (16.94%), psychological treatment, intervention (9.68%), quality of life (8.06%), welfare issues (3.63%), social issues (2.42%), occupation (2.02%), and life skills (1.21%). The results showed that research on veteran mental health in the three previous decades is growing. The number of studies conducted on veterans in terms of population, subject, and methodology has been growing, but the studies lack cohesion.

This study scrutinized the relationship between attachment styles and love attitudes with the marital values. The sample included 313 single undergraduate students of large universities in Tehran who were chosen by nonrandom sampling at hand. Experimental data were collected using the Adult Attachment Styles Questionnaire, the Love Attitude Scale, and the Adult Marital Values Questionnaire. The statistical analysis indicated that it is possible to predict marital values using attachment style and the kind of love. A negative relationship was found between the Agape love style and hierarchy marital values, and between Agape love style and cognitive autonomy marital values. Storge and Mania love styles had a positive meaningful relationship with Egalitarianism marital values, and the Mania love style, and secure attachment style were positively related to affective autonomy marital values. A negative relationship was observed between Agape love and cognitive autonomy values. In addition, a positive relationship was observed between the Pragma and Agape loving styles and secure attachment with embeddedness. The mania and Pragma love styles were positively related to the general attitude toward marriage. The results show the importance of analyzing attachment style and love attitudes in couples before marriage and how these variables work on marital values.

The effect of emotion regulation on life difficulties has been a focus of attention for researchers and scientists. The aim of this investigation was to examine the relationships among affect regulation and worry with mental health and quality of life. The sample consisted of 193 students from Imam Khomeini University who were selected by a categorical randomized method. The General Health Questionnaire, the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, the Short Form (36) Health Survey and the Worry Questionnaire, were used to measure variables. Data were analyzed using correlation coefficient and regression analysis. Significant relationships were observed between affect deregulation and worry about quality of life and mental health. Among affect regulation components, acceptance was positively related and clarity was negatively related with quality of life and mental health. Significant correlations were observed between worry and all components (except body-related components) of mental health and quality of life. The results of a regression analysis showed that worry, acceptance, and clarity predict variability in mental health and life quality. Emotion regulation can affect mental health and quality of life. Worry had a negative effect on quality of life and mental health.

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases with an increasing incidence and prevalence in Iran and worldwide. Attitudinal and psychological factors play a major role in self-care and in the control of diabetes. The aim of this study was to assess the role of a health locus of control on self-care behaviors in patients with type 2 diabetes. In this descriptive correlational research, sixty patients from the Tabriz Center of Sina Hospital were selected by sampling at hand. Data were collected through two questionnaires including General Causality Orientations and Self-Care Behavior. Analysis of the data involved Pearson's correlation coefficients, regression analysis, and t-tests. Self-care behaviors were significantly positively associated with autonomy orientation but were significantly negatively associated with impersonal orientation. But no significant association was found with controlled orientation. The results also revealed that autonomy orientation had additional roles predicting self-care behavior. In addition, the results showed that males and females did not differ significantly in self-care behaviors or causality orientations. Based on our findings, it is necessary to provide instructions to the diabetes centers with more emphasis on making changes in behavior, healing patient’s attitudes, and supporting autonomy.

This study investigated the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral play therapy for reducing children’s night-time fears, and compared this therapeutic method with educating fearful children’s mothers.

Thirty night-time fearful 7-year-old girls were recruited using accessible proportional stratified sampling and randomly assigned to play therapy, mother’s education, and control groups (10 in each). Subjects in the play therapy group had cognitive-behavioral play therapy during six sessions once per week. Three group learning sessions were held every 2 weeks in the mother’s education group, and no intervention was taken in the control group. Nine week post-test and 11 week follow-up tests were done. All subjects were assessed using the Structured Children’s Night-time Fear Interview, Parent’s Night-time Fear Questionnaire, and the Demographic Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (repeated measures) statistical methods.

The results revealed a significant reduction in night-time fears of children in the play therapy group, compared with those in the mother’s education and control groups.

These findings agree with previous studies; however, no evidence shows that educating mothers is a therapeutic method for reducing children’s night-time fears, despite some previous studies.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of perceived self-efficacy on emotional face processing. Thirty students with high self-efficacy and 30 students with low self-efficacy were selected based on their scores on the Self-Efficacy Belief Questionnaire and performance on a semi-structured clinical interview. A modified pictorial version of the Modified Dot-Probe Task was conducted. Data were analyzed with a repeated-measures analysis of variance and a multiple factor analysis. The results indicated that students with low self-efficacy showed significant vigilance to angry emotional faces, whereas students with high self-efficacy showed significant avoidance of angry faces. The findings demonstrated that generalized self-efficacy was associated with biased information processing towards angry emotional faces.

The Borderline Personality Inventory (BPI) is based on Kernberg’s concept of borderline personality organization and DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. The BPI contains scales for assessing identity diffusion, impaired primitive defense mechanisms, reality testing, and fear of closeness. The aim of this study was to investigate the validity of this scale. We conducted the study in a survey and cross sectional context. Using a stratified random sampling method, 411 normal participants were selected for the study. Participants answered the BPI and the Borderline Personality Scale. Data were analyzed using explanatory factor analysis of variance and Pearson’s correlation methods. Principle component analysis with promax rotation extracted four factors labeled identity diffusion, primitive defense mechanisms, impaired reality testing, and fear of closeness. However two other types of validity (convergent validity and inter-correlations between subscales and the whole scale) and three reliabilities (test retest, split half and internal constancy) have been reported for this scale. The findings were similar to the results of previous studies. It was concluded that the BPI has good validity and reliability in an Iranian population, and that it can be used as valid measure in borderline personality studies.

This study investigated the relationship between family communication patterns (conversation orientation and conformity orientation) with the locus of control and self-esteem in male and female adolescents. In this correlation study, 367 students (232 girls, 135 boys) of high school age in Tehran were selected by cluster sampling and the revised Family Communication Patterns Inventory, Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, and Levenson Locus of Control Scale were used for the analysis. Pearson’s correlation and regression analysis were performed for the data analysis. The conversation orientation of the family had a significant and positive relationship with the internal locus of control and self-esteem and predicted it positively. In addition, the conformity orientation of the family had a positive and significant relationship with external locus of control and predicted it positively, The conformity orientation of the family had a significant negative relationship with self-esteem and was a negative predictor. Family communication patterns affect personality characteristics that have important consequences in social life. Families with a free, comfortable, and rich conversation orientation have a joyful family life compared with families with a conformity orientation, resulting in an internal locus of control and higher self-esteem in adolescents.