فصلنامه روان شناسی بالینی
سال دهم شماره 3 (پیاپی 39، پاییز 1397)

The present study was conducted to compare the brain-behavioral systems, existential anxiety and positive and negative affects among non-clinical samples of individuals with narcissistic and borderline personalitiy traits with normal people. Using an expo-facto design among 200 individuals in 18 to 30 years age range in Tehran, 90 participants (30 borderline, 30 narcissistic and 30 normal people) were selected based on their narcissism and borderline scores. The data were collected by Positive and Negative Experience Scale, Communication Skills Scale, Narcissistic Personality Inventory, Behavioral Inhibition/ Activation Systems Scale, and Existential Anxiety Scale  and analyzed by a MANOVA statistical analysis. Positive affect in the normal group was significantly higher than the borderline group,whereas  no difference observed between borderline and narcissistic groups. No significant differences were evident for the negative affect and existential anxiety between normal and narcissistic groups as well. However the mean of negative affect and existential anxiety of the borderline group was significantly higher in the both normal and narcissistic groups. No significant level of inhibition and activation system were obtained between study groups as well. In general, a higher negative affect and existential anxiety could diffenciate borderlines from narcisisistics and normal individuals. This may have important therapeutic and educational implications for clinicians.

Multiple sclerosis is considered as a chronic, autoimmune disease that its divers physical and psychological symptoms and drawbacks may decrease the patients’ life satisfaction. The aim of current study was to determine the efficacy of a group Brief Solution-focused Therapy (BSFT) on patients' quality of life and self-efficacy of MS women. The present research apllied a semi- experimental design with pre-post-test with 2 months follow-up period. Population of the study include all female MS patients referred to MS Association of Tehran. Firstly, 64 available patients completed Quality of Life and Self-Efficacy Questionnaires. Then, 22 patients with minimum self-efficacy scores were selected and randomly allocated to control and experimental groups. The results of a Multivariate Analysis of Covariance indicated that the BFS group therapy increased patients ' quality of life and self-efficacy mean sores in post-test stage. In the 2 months follow up period the efficacy means was still stable . The Brief Solution-focused Therapy, could increase the MS patients' quality of lifves and self-efficacy due to emphasis on the role of private-speech and the transfer of successful past experiences to the present.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a bilateral repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on anhedonia among patients with MDD. In a randomized controlled trial study with pre-post test design and control group among referred MDD patients to Atieh Clinical Neuroscience Center, a total sample of 58 patients were selected and were randomized into two experimental and control groups. The experimental group patients were received 10 sessions of a 10-Hz rTMS on the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and a 1-Hz rTMS on the right DLPFC. Control group received a sham rTMS. The Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS) and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS)) were used to evaluation participants both before and after treatment. Results of a Multivariate Analysis of Covariance showed that a bilateral rTMS significantly decreased the mean scores for anhedonia and depression symptoms in the experimental group than control. This study indicated that rTMS could be considered as an effective approach in the treatment of anhedonia and depression symptoms of the MDD patients.  

Exposure to traumatic events prior to and/or during the puberty has negative consequences to personality development and is considered as an important risk factor for borderline personality disorder. The aim of this study was to determine the mediating role of positive and negative cognitive emotion regulation strategies in the relationship between childhood trauma and borderline personality symptoms. Applying a descriptive correlational method among the residents of Karaj 7th region in the summer 2017 a total sample of n=300 person were chosen on a randomly basis. The study tools included the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Cognitive Emotion Regulation questionnaire (CERQ), and Borderline Symptom List (BSL). Data were analyzed using a Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The obtained fitness indices supported an acceptable fitness to the model. A total path coefficient were observed for the childhood trauma and borderline personality symptoms (β=0.544, P<0.01). A direct path coefficient also revealed for the negative cognitive emotional regulation strategies and borderline personality symptoms as well (β=0.513, P<0.01). An indirect path coefficient was also evident for the childhood trauma and borderline personality symptoms (β=0.234, P<0.01). It seems that childhood trauma prevent the development of healthy cognitive-emotional regulation capabilities. Negative affect in the borderline patients triggers the negative emotional strategies such as  rumination, which create severe self-blame and other-blame thinking that eventually leads to borderline symptoms.  

The aim of present study was structural modeling of the anxiety disorders and depression in children and adolescents. The method used in this study was Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling. To this end, 280 of the students were chosen from Urumiya who answered Revised Children Anxiety Disorders Scale (RCADS) and also completed tripartite model of anxiety test (3FQ). Comparing the validity of anxiety disorder measurement models through confirmatory factor analysis, a six factors model for anxiety disorders was approved as a first step. In the second step, inorder to verify the constructive validity of the six factors model, the theoretical relationship in the form of the resulting three-level structural model of Brown (1998) compared with two-level models through Structural Equation Modeling(SEM), in which the obtained findig from the discriminant validity factor analysis confirmed the six factors model of anxiety and depression in DSM-5, as well as, the tripartite model of anxiety and depression. Among several structural models, the best fit structure was obtained in which the higher-order factors including affect dimensions (negative and positive affect) as expected significantly affected the anxiety disorders and depression. Brown Chorpita discriminating hierarchical model taking into account the limitations of the present study is approved.

Given the role of insecure attachment in psychological distress and the effects of emotion regulation on psychological disorders, the aim of current research was to investigate the contribution of cognitive emotion regulation in explaining the relationship between attachment style and psychological distress. The study sample included 300 B.A and M.D students of Shahed University. Instruments for the study were Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), Experiences in Close Relationships Questionnaire (ECR-R) and the short form of Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ-S). The extracted data analyzed by SPSS-23 and AMOS-18 softwares. The findings were shown significant positive relationships between attachment anxiety and the components of psychological distress, anxiety, depression and stress, and maladaptive emotion regulation. Both Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Sobel’s test confirmed the mediating role of maladaptive emotion regulation in the relationship between attachment anxiety and the components of psychological distress. The findings confirmed the mediating role of maladaptive emotion regulation in the relationship between attachment anxiety and the components of psychological distress. Hence the foregoing variables could be attended in the interpersonal relationships, educational, familial and therapeutic domain.

The present study aimed to compare effects of the Acceptance and Commitment Play Therapy combined with training mothers on anxiety, self-esteem, and self-efficacy of elementary-school students. The study administered an experimental design with a pretest-posttest, follow-up framwork. A total sample of 45 students in 4th and 5th grade at Farsan city were randomly selected and divided to two experimental groups and one control group (n=15). The first experimental group received 8 sessions of the ACT play therapy, while the second group received the combined ACT play therapy and maternal training. No intervention made on the control group  except empathic conversation sessions. Subjects were completed the Spence Anxiety Questionnaire, the Morris Children and Adolescents Self-efficacy Questionnaire, and the Cooper Smith Self-Esteem Questionnaire in pre-test, post-test, and follow-up phases. The final dataset were analyzed by a repeated-measure MANOVA analysis. Results indicated that the ACT play therapy significantly increased the children’s self-esteem and self-efficacy, whereas no significant effect found for their anxiety. The combined treatment in contrast significantly reduced anxiety and  increased self-esteem and self-efficacy in children. It could be concluded that although both treatments conveyed positive effects, the combined treatment was more effective than the isolated ACT play therapy.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the Parenting Therapy on the behavioral problems (anxiety/depression, aggression, and social functioning) in girls with oppositional defiant disorder. A semi-experimental design with pre and post-test and a control group was applied. The study population was all female school  students of the Aligudarz city. By a purposeful sampling method 43  school students with likely  oppsitional defiant disorder  were selected and 30 with higher scores in the Achenbach’s  Oppsitional Defiant Disorder Rating Scale )ODDRS) were selected and their mothers classified into two (n=15) groups randomly (experimental and control groups). The experimental group received 10 sessions of  Eyberg (1997) Parenting Training  Package during 10 sessions, while no intervention made on the control group. Three subscales of (anxiety/depression, aggression, and social functioning) from 8 Akhenbakh  subscales were performed in the pre-test and post-test stages and the collected data were analyzed applying a Multivariate Analysis of Covariance. The study results showed that parenting training could significantly reduce the average scores of the student’s anxiety/depression average scores in the experimental group than control. No significant effects were found for aggression and social functions. It could be concluded that the Parenting Therapy improves the anxiety/depression symptoms in these children and is recommended in management of anxiety/depression in the  oppositional defiant disorder girl students.

The aim of this study was to investigate the mediating role of emotional schemas (adaptive-maladaptive) between childhood trauma and depression symptoms. In a descriptive-cross-sectional research 439 female college students (whit current MDD=92, whit history of MDD in last 12 month=374) from six different branches of Payam-e-Noor University in Tehran were selected via convenience sampling method. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I & II (SCID), Leahy Emotional Schemas Scale (LESS) and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) were used in present study. The data were analyzed by path analysis, bootstrap and Sobel test. Results indicated that neglect trauma could significantly predict depression symptoms. The adaptive emotional schemas and adaptive emotional schemas mediated the relationship between neglect trauma and depressive symptoms as well. Our data supports the directive role of neglect trauma, as well as, mediating role of the emotional schemas on depression symptoms. More emphasize on the emotional schemas and history of neglect trauma is recommended to clinicians in the treatment of depression.