International Journal of Behavioral Sciences
Volume:6 Issue: 4, 2013

Given the entertaining character of modern media, which makes them qualitatively different from older narrative media, the question arises whether the identity of the youth who are familiar with the modern media is different from that of the youth who did not experience them. The statistical population comprised of boys from 18 to 28 years old from Tehran. Of these people, two groups of heavy gamers and those with little or no computer game experience were selected based on their experience with computer games, the time spent playing and their familiarity with and application of computer games. Convenience snowball sampling was used. Heavy gamers comprised of 43 people who completed the questionnaires and 18 people who attended an interview. The control group comprised of 36 people who completed the questionnaires and 14 people who attended an interview. This study used qualitative method (interview) and quantitative method (Identity Status Scale (EOM-EIS-2) and Identity Formation Scale) to collect the data. Interview analysis and t-test were used to analyze the data. The results revealed that although both groups have similar affection and behavioral commitment to their identities, the heavy gamers’ commitment is conditional and temporal. In general, results stress the impact of computer games on construction of youth’s identity.

The present study was conducted to investigate the relationship of perfectionism, self-efficacy and conscientiousness with procrastination through the mediating role of stress. The research design was descriptive correlational and the study population consisted of all undergraduate students of Mohaghegh-Ardabili University. From this population, 204 students (113 females, 91 males) were randomly selected by multistage cluster sampling and responded to General Procrastination Scale (GPS), Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS), Dimension of Conscientiousness Neo Inventory (NEO-FFI), General Self-efficacy Inventory (GSS), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). The data were analyzed using path analysis method. The results indicated that socially prescribed perfectionism and stress had a direct and positive effect on procrastination whereas conscientiousness and self-efficacy had a direct and negative effect on procrastination. Also it was found that self-efficacy and conscientiousness had an indirect and negative effect on procrastination through stress. Socially prescribed perfectionism had an indirect and positive effect on procrastination through stress. Stress mediates the relationship of self-efficacy, conscientiousness and socially prescribed perfectionism with procrastination. Probably stress is an important determinant of procrastination behavior.

The present study aimed to investigate cognitive inhibition and recognition in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder and to compare them with normal group. Statistical population of this research comprised of all patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder aged 25-45 that had come to mental hospitals, clinics and consulting centers located in Ardebil, Iran. The normal population included all the normal people aged 25-45 in Ardebil. Forty people were conveniently selected for each group (80 in total). They were matched for age, sex, and education. The instruments were Stroop test, and Wechsler Memory Scales. The data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of variance. The results of research suggested poorly cognitive inhibition in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder than healthy people, but not in cognitive recognition. In cognitive inhibition, people with OCD performed significantly more poorly than normal people.

The present study aimed to study the effect of training emotional intelligence skills on rational, intuitive, avoidant, dependent and spontaneous decision making styles. Thirty-six volunteered female employees in Road Maintenance and Transport Organization were randomly divided into 2 equal groups of trial and control. Barr Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire and Scott and Bruce Decision Making Style Scale were used to recognize the weaknesses of individual’s emotional intelligence as pretest and posttest. The trial group received the intervention based on emotional intelligence skills training for 8 sessions. Comparing the results of tests by covariance analytical method showed the interventions affect decision making styles in that emotional intelligence skills training increased using the intuitive decision making and decreased using avoidant, dependent and spontaneous decision making. According to the research findings, the enhancement of emotional intelligence as a combination of different traits empowers the individual to manage and improve cognitive processing through recognizing, understanding, regulating and controlling emotions.

This study aims to investigate the function of families with disabled children so that the role of the disabled child is recognized in family. This was a descriptive comparative study. Statistical population was the families of Sepah personnel who had disabled children and lived in Tehran. Through convenience sampling, one-hundred families with disabled children were selected as the experimental group and 100 families without disabled children were selected as the control group. Data were collected by Family Function Questionnaire. Data were analyzed by independent t-test (comparison of means). Families with disabled children had weaker functions in all aspects as compared with families without disabled children. These differences were significant in roles, control of behavior and emotional tests. Furthermore, 88% of such children did not have social activities and 47% of them lacked close friends. Families with disabled children need support and reform to have normal function and prevent personal malfunctions as well as family and social problems in other family members.

Mother as the main attachment figure has undeniable effect on affective development of children. The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship and predictability of girls’ depression symptoms through mothers’ attachment style. The present study is of descriptive correlational design. The sample included 388 individuals of the second and the fourth grade students of elementary school that had been chosen through multistage random sampling. The Ontario Mental Health and Adults Attachment Style (AAS) questionnaires were used. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis. The results showed a significant relationship between ambivalent (r=0.41), avoidant (r=0.32) and secure (r=-0.18) mothers’ attachment style and the girls’ depression symptoms. Final results showed that mothers’ ambivalent attachment style had the most power to predict girls’ depression symptoms. Therefore, mothers’ ambivalent attachment style can predict 0.12% of attachment problems in children. Furthermore, avoidant and secure mother’s attachment styles had 0.10% and 0.4% power to predict girls’ depression symptoms. Supporting the attachment theory, the results of this study show the importance of mother-child interaction. Mothers’ insecure attachment style can be a strong predictor of girls’ depression symptoms. Attachment based therapies may be useful to help treat depression in children.

The objective of this research was to explore the impact of cognitive-behavioral play therapy with parental involvement in reducing children’s social phobia.

Among elementary schools and kindergartens, 4 kindergartens and elementary schools were selected at convenience. Among these, 70 children completed Reiven Intelligence Quotient Test after acquiring parents’ consent. Then parents of children who gained IQ scores above average completed Spence Anxiety Scales (child and parent version). Finally, 30 children with social phobia were selected and assigned randomly to experimental and control groups. The experimental group was under cognitive behavioral play therapy for 8 sessions in 2 months. Their parents took 2 training sessions, too, whereas no intervention was taken in the control group. After the intervention, posttest was done and they were followed up after 1 month. Data were analyzed by covariance statistical method.

The results revealed play therapy reduced children’s social phobia.

Given the significant difference between the case and control groups, play therapy can be used to reduce social phobia.

Many children have behavioral and affective problems in early childhood that may continue during puberty and even adulthood. So, many researchers have focused on the prevention and therapy of such problems. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of playing on externalizing problems in preschool children with behavioral problems.

Five kindergartens were selected at convenience from 16th district of Tehran. All mothers completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) voluntarily. Thirty children, who had high scores (34 and higher) in CBCL, were considered as having externalized problems and were divided to intervention and control groups equally and randomly. Children in intervention group were divided to 5 subgroups (3 children in each) and participated in 16 sessions (2 sessions weekly) receiving playing intervention, and the control group received mainstream program in kindergarten. All mothers completed CBCL again after intervention. Analysis of covariance was used for data analysis.

The findings showed that the effect of playing on decreasing the externalizing problems, aggression and ignoring rules was significant in preschool children with behavioral problems.

Playing is probably an effective method for decreasing externalizing problems in preschool children. It can be used to prevent from causing or continuing antisocial behaviors in adulthood.

Epilepsy is one of the most serious and most common chronic diseases of children with a prevalence of 5.7 percent. This research was conducted to evaluate the effect of coping-therapy on coping ways of mothers with epileptic children in Qom, Iran. In a correlative study in selected neurology centers of Qom, 34 mothers of children with grand mal epilepsy (2-11 years old) were selected at convenience and divided to two groups. During pretest, both groups completed Folkman-Lazaros Coping Style Questionnaire. In the next stage, the control group received 8 sessions of intervention to modify their coping styles. After this course, both groups filled the questionnaire again. Data were analyzed using ANCOVA. The results showed that coping-therapy decreased distancing and escape-avoidance and increased self-controlling, seeking social support and positive reprisal. The results of this study suggest coping therapy be used for all mothers with epileptic children to improve coping.

It is necessary to notice the relationship between creativity and thinking styles because creative performance can be affected by the way people think. The purpose of the present study was to predict the creativity dimensions based on components of thinking styles among talented and high-achiever university students. This descriptive correlational study was performed on 147 (52 males and 95 females) talented and high achiever students in Shiraz University selected purposively. Abedi Questionnaire of Creativity and Wagner-Sternberg Thinking Styles Questionnaire were used as measurement instruments. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient and stepwise regression by SPSS 16 software. The results showed that there is a significant positive correlation between components of Sternberg type 1 thinking styles and creativity. The results of stepwise regression showed some components of Sternberg type 1 thinking styles (legislative, judicial, global, liberal) predicted all dimensions of creativity and general creativity. components of Sternberg type 1 thinking styles can be considered as influential and fundamental construct in improving and reinforcing creativity. Therefore, effective measures can be taken by training type 1 thinking styles role in improving creativity.

Given the growing outbreak of Binge Eating Disorders (BED) and its consequences, the present study aims at evaluating the efficacy of short term cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) on the aforementioned disorder. This is a pretest-posttest study with control group. The statistical population comprised all people who came to Tehran’s weight loss clinics. Those suffering from BED were invited to participate in the test. Out of these, 28 patients who met inclusion criteria were randomly selected and assigned to experimental and control groups. In order to measure the variables such as depression, binge eating (BE), perceived stress and self esteem the following tools were used; Beck Depression Inventory, Binge Eating Scale, Cohen Perceived Stress Scale and Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale. Then data were analyzed using ANCOVA and ANOVA. The findings of the study showed that short-term cognitive-behavioral therapy has a meaningful effect on depression, self-esteem, binge eating, but not on perceived stress. Short-term cognitive-behavioral therapy can be used as an appropriate and economical treatment for people with binge eating disorder and comorbid psychological problems.

The present research aims at investigating the effects of emotional focused therapy on increasing the adjustment of infertile couple. The present research was a quasi-experimental study. The samples included 12 couples, (6 couples in which husband was infertile, and 6 couples in which wife was infertile). Infertility was diagnosed by a gynecologist and maladjustment was diagnosed by Spanir Marriage Suitability Test. They were assigned to control and experiment groups. Six couples (3 couples in which husband was infertile and 3 couples in which wife was infertile) received emotional focused therapy couple therapy and the other 6 couples waited for treatment (as the control group). Emotional focused therapy meaningfully increased marriage adjustment, twosome settlement, love expression, marriage consent, and twosome consistency. The emotional focused therapy increases infertile couple’s marriage suitability.