hassan-ansari

Narcissistic personality disorder, a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, is a need for admiration, the lack of empathy that develops in early adulthood and is present in various contexts. The characteristics such as variable and vulnerable self-esteem along with attempts to regulate it through approval-seeking and grandiosity, arrogant and demeaning behaviors and attitudes, excessive need for admiration, a sense of entitlement, and high sensitivity to criticism disrupt their personality functions, namely identity, self-direction, empathy, and intimacy. Their goal in interacting with others is to protect their fragile self-esteem; thus, they do things that will lead to coldness and disgust from others. Narcissistic personality disorder is chronic and resistant to treatment and imposes intangible costs on the treatment system by causing individual-social functional damages, disruption of emotional and family relationships, and inadequate quality of life. To address these, it is essential to find effective methods. Given the importance of spirituality in the treatment of this disorder, and its culture-influenced nature, it is necessary to pay attention to cultural-religious issues in treatment. Spiritual interventions, by creating a person's true understanding of themselves, God, and others and transforming God-concept themselves into God-concept, cause the person to feel valuable and distance themselves from narcissistic characteristics. This research aimed to study the effectiveness of an intervention protocol based on multidimensional spiritual therapy, which is a culturally appropriate intervention method that focuses on the authentic spiritual dimension of humans, on reducing narcissistic symptoms and improving personality functions among people with narcissistic personality disorder. In this research, a classical A-B-C quasi-experimental single-subject design with multiple baselines using different subjects and continuous assessment with follow-up periods was applied. Three women with narcissistic personality disorder who were referred by psychotherapist colleagues and psychotherapy centers in 2023 entered the treatment process through the judgmental sampling based on entry and exit criteria. Pincus's (2009) Pathological Narcissism Inventory (PNI) and Janbozorgi's (2020) personality function questionnaires were used to collect the data. Data analysis was performed using visual analysis at two levels within and between situations. At the within-situation level, the median and mean central indices were examined during the baseline, intervention, and follow-up stages through visual plotting patterns of change in level, stability, and trend for each client regarding narcissism and personality functions scores. At the inter-situational level, the Percentage of Non-overlapping Data (PND) and the Percentage of Overlapping Data (POD) were calculated. The stable change index, effect size, or percentage of improvement was also used in the analysis of the results. In the first stage, the dependent variables were measured in several sessions until stability was achieved. After drawing the baseline of the variables, the treatment process was performed in twenty individual sessions of 45-60 minutes and the variables were measured and recorded four times during the intervention. In the third stage, in order to stabilize and maintain the effect of the intervention, all three clients were examined in two-week, one-month, and three-month follow-up sessions. Clients' narcissism scores decreased during the intervention and follow-up stages, indicating the effect of the intervention on narcissism symptoms. The overall improvement percentage index at the end of the intervention sessions (50%), after the follow-up (56%) and the rate of the stable change index (above 1.96) showed that the change and reduction in the clients' narcissism symptoms were statistically significant (at the 0.05 level). The percentage of non-overlapping data (100%) indicated the high effect of the intervention on reducing narcissism symptoms. Figure 1 shows the changes in the clients' narcissism scores in all three stages.Figure 1. Clients' narcissism scores on the Pathological Narcissism Inventory (PNI) in the baseline, intervention, and follow-up stagesIn the intervention stage, personality functions improved in all three clients except intimacy in the third client, and the trend from baseline to intervention was negative and decreasing. The overall improvement percentage index at the end of the intervention sessions (50.6%) and after the follow-up (54.5%) indicated the effect of the intervention on the clients' personality functions. The stable change index (above 1.96) showed that the change and improvement in the clients' personality processes and functions were statistically significant (at the 0.05 level). The change in the clients' personality functions in all three stages is shown in Figure 2. The percentage of non-overlapping data indicated the high effectiveness of the intervention sessions on the identity and empathy of the first client (100%) and its moderate effectiveness on her self-direction and intimacy (50%), high effectiveness on all personality functions of the second client (self-direction, 75% and the rest, 100%), and identity, self-direction, and empathy (100%) of the third client.Figure 2. Clients' personality functions scores on Janbozori's personality function questionnaire in the baseline, intervention, and follow-up stages The results of the intervention showed that the intervention based on multidimensional spiritual therapy was effective in reducing narcissism symptoms and improving the personality functions of people with narcissistic personality disorder. In this intervention, with confronting anti-rational forces and removing obstacles to their action, the basis for distancing from narcissistic symptoms was provided. Receiving a definition of God as the eternal and everlasting truth of the world and the self as a being dependent on Him led to the formation of a spiritual identity in the clients, which integrated the rest of their relationships and actions, and they were able to achieve identity coherence from identity instability. The identity coherence led to peace, responsibility, and purposefulness, and provided the basis for self-direction. Awareness of the Lordship, by creating a feeling of a reliable and supportive base, moderated the excessive need to attract attention and support from others. The improvement of empathy and intimacy functions can be related to the organization of spiritual identity, the real perception of others (otherness-concept) and the understanding of common points, which changed the feeling of superiority into a feeling of equality and sharing, and strengthened the empathy. Paying attention to the purpose of life highlighted the meaningfulness of life, and instead of engaging in unrealistic fantasies or mental ruminations, the individual was able to focus on the real life of the present.According to the results obtained, it can be said that the spiritual intervention method has the sufficient efficiency and effectiveness in reducing narcissistic symptoms and improving the personality functions of people with narcissistic personality disorder; as a result, spiritual intervention can be applied to control narcissistic symptoms.

The present study was conducted with the aim of developing a treatment protocol for narcissistic personality disorder based on spiritual multidimensional therapy and Islamic sources.

The present research was compiled using descriptive and analytical method using Islamic sources and based on multidimensional spiritual therapy. 20 sessions of Islamic treatment for narcissistic personality disorder based on spiritual multidimensional therapy were designed and then the validity of the symptoms and treatments obtained from Islamic sources and the content of the treatment sessions were evaluated by experts. The data were analyzed using Content Validity Index (CVI) and Content Validity Ratio (CVR).

CVR of symptoms and treatments resulting from Islamic sources as well as the content of all treatment sessions were confirmed and CVI for both items was more than 0.79.

The compatibility of the symptoms with Islamic sources and the therapeutic protocol of narcissistic personality disorder based on spiritual multidimensional therapy by specialists was valid in the content of the sessions. According to the research results, this treatment method can be used for people with narcissistic personality disorder.

The information revolution and the emergence of cyberspace have transformed the marketing landscape and the roles of traditional stakeholders, creating new opportunities for business owners. Easy access to information, the ability to quickly compare products, and many other features of the internet have significantly enhanced consumer power. Companies must better understand consumer buying behavior and attempt to incorporate these insights into their marketing strategies in order to remain competitive. This study evaluates the impact of various advertising methods and online social networks on the purchasing behavior of Iranian consumers. The research adopts a quantitative methodology. Initially, using Chaffey's model, the conceptual framework of the study was developed, and a questionnaire consisting of 37 items was designed, with each item assessing the influence of one advertising method on a specific stage of the purchasing process. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS software, applying the non-parametric binomial test and Friedman test. The study spanned one year and was completed in June 2023. The results indicated that only websites and search engines affect the stages of the purchasing process, whereas other forms of advertising do not have a significant impact.

Value engineering is one of the most successful problem solving approaches, reducing costs and improving performance and quality. Continuous improvement of the quality of education is the ultimate goal of the country's educational evaluation. In this regard, internal evaluation makes it possible to judge the quality and achieve the goals of the education system. In the years after the Islamic Revolution, attention to the quality of education, especially in education, has become more important than ever.This research was applied in terms of purpose and quasi-experimental in terms of method. Fifty female high school students who studied in the first half of the 1400-99 academic year, in this type of sampling of 50 students by drawing lots of two classes of 25 people in a class as a control group and One class was selected as the experimental group. In this study, the two main indicators of the impact of value engineering and quality of secondary education in two groups with one pre-test and two post-tests were examined.The results show that there is a significant difference between the value engineering strategy in applying the maximum ideas and creativity of teachers and school staff as well as parents and students between the two control and experimental groups. Therefore, with the results of pre-test and post-test in two groups, it can be said that the value engineering strategy is effective in using the maximum ideas and creativity of teachers and school staff, as well as parents and students.

In the Islamic system, the jurisprudence determines the major policies based on Islam and the knowledge of the economies of time and utilization of his province, with the aim of flowing into the executive policies, some of which are based on the jurisprudential authority of Article 110. The main question of the present study, which is a descriptive-analytical one, is what is the position of the Expediency Council in formulating and overseeing the implementation of the overall policies of the system? The result of the present study is that by delegating one of its important duties as set forth in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article 110 of the Constitution, the Expediency Council considers the Expediency Council to formulate and implement the general policies of the system, guaranteeing the guidance and management of the Islamic Revolution

This study aimed to present an islamic approach of CBT in the treatment of OCD and its effectiveness compared with Abramowitz cognitive-behavioral therapy. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used in this research. The first part of the study (an islamic approach of CBT) was qualitative method of analysis using islamic resources. The quantitative research was quasi-experimental pretest-posttest Includes three groups Cognitive-behavioral Islamic, Cognitive-Behavioral Abramovitz and the control group. Twelve people in each group were examined. Among the people who referred to counseling centers with obsessive complaints, 36 patients were studied by available sampling method. In this study, the mancova and clinical significance index was performed. The results showed Religious therapy is effective in the severity of obsessive-compulsive disorder and most of its symptoms and reduces obsessions beyond Abramovitz's cognitive-behavioral therapy. clinical significance index was positive in 10 patients in the experimental group, In 6 patients in the comparison group and no one in the control group. The results showed that the pattern of cognitive-behavioral therapy Affecting the false religious-moral meanings (pathologic guilt) Reduces severity and symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder and so, in the treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder, it completes the cognitive-behavioral therapy of Abramovitz.

One of the most important sources of learning and teaching for university students are the academic source books. Because of the importance of and given the important role of religious-spiritual needs in mental health, five source books in consulting and clinical psychology courses were selected by the professors and experts, and their contents were analyzed in terms of paying attention to some spiritual religious units such as faith in God, belief in the Hereafter, religious beliefs, belief in an immaterial soul or psyche, religious behaviors or rites (such as prayer), reading the scriptures, spiritual motivation or goals, forgiveness, repentance, and thanking God.
The findings show that faith in God has been stated only in one of the books and in a very limited way (4 times). Repentance, thanking God, belief in an immaterial soul or psyche and reading the scriptures have not been referred to in any of the books. Belief in the Hereafter has been mentioned in two books (once positively and four times with a negative look), and religious beliefs has been mentioned in all books (26 times with a positive look and 5 times with a negative look); religious behaviors has been referred to in three books (6 times), spiritual/ religious goals in two books (5 times), and forgiveness only in one book (1 time) with a positive view. So, ‘faith in God’ as an important matter has been mentioned only in one of the books, some units not have appeared in any of the books, and belief in the hereafter and religious beliefs have been challenged in some books. Thus, in view of the important role of the religious/ spiritual dimension in mental health, it is necessary to use those textbooks in university courses that have paid more attention to religious/ spiritual units or, at least, have no negative look at them.

Cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) have emerged as one of the most promising stem cell types for cardiac protection and repair. Exosomes are required for the regenerative effects of human CDCs and mimic the cardioprotective benefits of CDCs such as anti-apoptotic effect in animal myocardial infarction (MI) models. Here we aimed to investigate the anti-apoptotic effect of the hypoxic and normoxic human CDCs-derived exosomes on induced apoptosis in human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hESC-CMs). In this study, CDCs were cultured under normoxic (18% O2) and hypoxic (1% O2) conditions and CDC-exosomes were isolated from conditioned media by differential ultracentrifugation. Cobalt chloride as hypoxiamimetic agents at a high concentration was used to induce apoptosis in hESC-CMs. The caspase-3/7 activity was determined in apoptosis-induced hESC-CMs. The results indicated that the caspase-positive hESC-CMs were significantly decreased from 30.63 ± 1.44% (normalized against untreated cardiomyocytes) to 1.65 ± 0.1 and 1.1 ± 1.09 in the presence of normoxic exosomes (N-exo) at concentration of 25 and 50 μg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, hypoxic exosomes (H-exo) at concentration of 25 and 50 μg/mL led to 8.75 and 12.86 % reduction in caspase-positive cells, respectively. The anti-apoptotic activity of N-exo at the concentrations of 25 and 50 μg/mL was significantly higher than H-exo. These results could provide insights into optimal preparation of CDCs which would greatly influence the anti-apoptotic effect of CDC-exosomes. Totally, CDC-secreted exosomes have the potential to increase the survival of cardiomyocytes by inhibiting apoptosis. Therefore, CDC-exosomes can be developed as therapeutic strategy in ischemic cardiac disease.

This study aims at introducing a pattern of cognitive-behavioral therapy based on religious presuppositions of improving God-like and self-like assumptions as an introduction and important ground for improving God-like and hereafter-like assumptions and analyzing its effectiveness on reducing obsessive-incontinence disorder. In a single-case project, the process of treatment was done for two male patients. The participants were analyzed Yael Brown obsessive-incontinence disorder scale as a dependent variable, in four stages including; pre-treatment stage (base line), tenth session, last session (twentieth session) and three months after treatment (follow up). According to Yael Brown scale, the first participant`s score decreased from 27 in the pre-treatment stage to 6 and second participant`s score from 18 to 0. Therefore, the cognitive-behavioral therapy based on God-like religious assumptions, self-like and hereafter-like assumptions contribute to reducing obsessive-incontinence disorder.