problem-solving

Literacy is a fundamental human right and the foundation of lifelong education and learning, as it transforms individuals' lives, enhances their capabilities, and improves their opportunities. The aim of this article is to examine the impact of participation in literacy courses on the mental health of female learners in Kerman Province, particularly in terms of improving their problem-solving skills and self-esteem.

This study employs a quantitative research design utilizing a survey method and a quasi-experimental control group approach. The target population consisted of women categorized into three levels of literacy (highly literate, semi-literate, and low literate) during the 2023-2024 academic year. A multistage cluster sampling method was applied across nine counties in Kerman Province, resulting in the selection of 14 classes. In total, 79 literate women and 79 illiterate women were chosen. For data collection, the Cassidy and Long Problem-Solving Styles Questionnaire and the Eysenck Self-Esteem Questionnaire were utilized. Following data collection, the results were analyzed using SPSS version 21.
Resuls: Literacy is positively and moderately correlated with the self-esteem of female learners. This factor is also associated with problem-solving abilities. Women who lack reading and writing skills exhibit a lower sense of competence compared to their literate counterparts. They often experience a fear of reading, which may lead to subsequent avoidance behaviors.

Literacy education significantly contributes to the enhancement of mental health in terms of problem-solving skills and self-esteem among female learners participating in literacy programs. With the continuation of literacy education, this improvement is expected to increase further.

The present research with the aim was to develop a problem solving skills training program and its effectiveness on emotion regulation skills and social anxiety of Adolescents with High-Functioning Autism Disorder.

The research was conducted in two parts, qualitative and quantitative. The qualitative part included the development and validation of the educational program, and the quantitative part included a semi-experimental method with a pre-test and post-test design with a control group with a 1-month follow-up period. The statistical population of the qualitative part included 28 specialists with a doctorate degree in the psychology of exceptional children in Tehran in 1401, 10 of whom were selected as samples in a targeted manner, and the statistical population of the quantitative part included 53 students with autism in Qazvin city in 1401. 20 of them were selected as a sample based on the admission criteria from Pars exceptional school and randomly assigned to 2 experimental (10) and control (10) groups. The tools included the emotion regulation inventory of Shields et al (1997) and La Greca social anxiety scale (1999). The experimental group received the training program in 12 sessions of 45 minutes. In order to analyze the data in the qualitative part, the ratio and content validity index were used, and in the quantitative part, the variance analysis test with two-way repeated measurement was used with SPSS26 software.

The training program has good content validity and has improved emotion regulation skills and reduced social anxiety in the experimental group.

It is suggested that teaching problem-solving skills should be an educational priority for adolescents with High-Functioning autism disorder.

Unstable clinical conditions require training of nurses with high critical thinking. Therefore, it is necessary to use new educational methods. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of comparing the effect of teaching concept mapping and problem-solving methods on the critical thinking of nursing students.

A semi-experimental study was conducted on 75 nursing students of the fifth semester of Golestan free universities in the first semester of 2023-2024. The sampling method was multi-stage. Through a lottery, among the five independent nursing colleges, three colleges were selected from the east, west and central regions of Golestan province and with the letters inside them were (A conceptual map group), (B problem solving group) and (O control group) were assigned to three groups of concept mapping (Aliabadkatoul unit), problem solving (Azadshahr unit) and control (Gorgan unit) and 25 people from each faculty were included in the study. Concept mapping and problem-solving training was carried out in eight weekly 90-minute sessions for two months. The California Critical Thinking Skills Questionnaire (Form B, 1990) was completed before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 24 software and mean and standard deviation, Fisher's test, chi-square, independent and paired t test, and ANOVA test at a significance level of less than 0.05.

The average scores of critical thinking in the concept map group (before 10.12±3.71, after 15.52±5.47), problem solving (before 10.56±3.25, after 20.4±5.42) and the control was (before 10.32±3.11, after 10.92±3.82), and a statistically significant difference was observed between the three groups (P<0.05). According to the Bonferroni test, the effect of problem-solving method of teaching in increasing the critical thinking score was more than that of concept map method (P<0.05).

According to the results of this study, the problem-solving method can be used to increase critical thinking in nursing students.

Choosing an inappropriate parenting method can have lasting effects on the personality, social, and academic development of children with autism. The lack of proper parental treatment can result in depression, anxiety, and social issues for family members if not addressed appropriately. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of people with autism. Researchers have therefore decided to compare the parenting methods and problem-solving styles used by parents of children with autism and parents of healthy children.

This was a descriptive cross-sectional comparative study. The study included 234 parents of healthy and autistic children in elementary school's first to sixth grade. Participants were selected using quota and convenience sampling. The inclusion criteria included students who were not single parents, parents who lived together, did not use educational programs related to the subject of study, and had literacy. Demographic information questionnaires, Baumrind's parenting methods, and Cassidy and Long's problem-solving styles were used to collect data. An independent t-test was used to compare the mean difference between the two groups, and a chi-square test was used to assess the frequency difference among the groups. The data analysis was conducted using SPSS software version 22.

The results showed that parents of healthy children used permissive (4.95±24.70) and authoritarian (5.51±25.51) methods more than parents of children with autism. The parents of children with autism used an authoritative style more than the parents of healthy children (4.22±8.92). In comparing problem-solving methods, parents of both groups used the confrontational style more.

Choosing the right style in raising children with autism by parents and teaching correct parenting methods plays an essential role in the motor-social development process of these children. The relevant authorities should take positive steps to improve the quality of life of parents and children with autism by providing necessary training classes on parenting methods and problem-solving strategies to parents.

 Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can impair psychological, emotional, and cognitive processes. The present study aims to investigate the effect of beta neurofeedback on executive functions and problem-solving skills of elementary school male children with ADHD.

This is a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test/post-test/two-month follow-up design. The participants were 24 elementary school male children with ADHD referred to psychology and psychiatry clinics in Mashhad, Iran, in 2020. They were selected using a purposive sampling method and randomly divided into intervention and control groups. The children in the intervention group received beta neurofeedback at 30 sessions for 2.5 months. The data collection tools were Brock and Clinton’s ADHD questionnaire, the children’s problem-solving exploratory test of Johnson, and Coolidge et al.’s executive functions questionnaire. The data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA.

 The results showed that beta neurofeedback had significant effects on executive functions (F=33.42; Eta squared=0.60; P=0.0001) and problem-solving skills (F=29.81; Eta squared=0.57; P=0.0001). It led to significant improvement in the intervention group.

 Beta neurofeedback can improve executive functions and problem-solving skills of children with ADHD through providing biological feedback and increasing awareness of mental and cognitive processes.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is one of the most prevalent and costly psychiatric disorders globally. Among the common problems faced by individuals with MDD are procrastination and deficits in problem-solving abilities, which can negatively impact their quality of life, occupational functioning, and social relationships. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in reducing procrastination and enhancing problem-solving skills among individuals with MDD.

In this multiple-baseline experimental study, four participants diagnosed with MDD were selected using a purposive sampling method. Data were collected during baseline, intervention (CBT), and follow-up phases through direct observations, self-reports, and standardized measures of procrastination and problem-solving. The data were then analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods, including visual analysis of graphs, calculation of non-overlapping data percentages, and effect size estimation.

The findings of this study revealed that CBT significantly reduced procrastination and substantially improved problem-solving abilities in the participants. The calculation of statistical indices, such as the percentage of non-overlapping data (88%) and Cohen's d effect size (d=2.41) for procrastination, and the SMD=-2.42 for problem-solving, confirmed the positive and substantial impact of this therapeutic approach in alleviating these difficulties.

Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that CBT can be an effective and efficient treatment approach for reducing procrastination and enhancing problem-solving skills in individuals with MDD.

word problem solving is a key component in learning mathematics that starts from elementary school. Conventional teaching methods in schools have had little success in improving the word problems in students with specific learning disorder. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of schema-based instruction in improving the math word problems in students with specific learning disorder with mathematical impairment.

The present study is a quasi-experimental study in the form of ABA design as a single case. The case of this study was an 8-years old male student in the third grade of primary school who referred to the LD of District 4 of Tabriz. The tools used in this study include; WISC-IV, Iran Key Math , word problem solving fluency(WPS-F).

The findings of the study showed the effectiveness of schema-based instruction in improving the math word problems, which these interventions were able to improve the subjectchr('39')s condition by 53% from the baseline.

The results showed that students with special learning disabilities with mathematical impairment can learn word problem-solving skills well using schema-based instruction.

This study investigates the impact of reflective thinking and competency-based training on hidden anxiety in operating room students. In fact, this study aimed to investigate educational approaches as tools to improve clinical performance and also help manage hidden anxiety.

This research was conducted with a rigorous semi-experimental design and a pre-test-post-test method, ensuring the thoroughness of our approach. The study involved 50 undergraduate surgical technology students at Hamedan University of Medical Sciences in 2024. Data was collected using Spielberger's Demographic Information and Anxiety Questionnaire. The participants were randomly assigned to two groups, one receiving training based on reflective thinking and the other on competence, each with 25 individuals. The data was analyzed using the widely accepted software SPSS (Version 19).

The results showed that the latent anxiety scores before (25.32±0.585) and after (24.44±2.36) training based on reflective thinking had no statistically significant difference (P> 0.5) in the training group. Based on competence thinking, there was no statistically significant difference between the mean hidden anxiety scores before (25.44±5.54) and after (24.00±2.00) training (P> 0.5). In comparing the two groups of training based on reflective thinking and training based on competence thinking, there was no statistically significant difference in the amount of hidden anxiety between the two groups (P> 0.5).

The results of this study showed that training based on reflective thinking and training based on competence do not affect the level of hidden anxiety of operating room technology students. It is suggested that in future studies, a more detailed examination of the factors affecting hidden anxiety, the use of combined educational methods, and a long-term evaluation of their impact should be planned.

Nowadays, cognitive-behavioral approaches, including problem-solving methods, are used to enhance the quality of life of family members and achieve differentiation, especially among couples. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of family-centered problem-solving training on couple differentiation.

This research employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest and a control group. The statistical population comprised married individuals who were referred to the counseling center at the Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah branch. Initially, 30 couples who visited the center to resolve their marital issues were selected and randomly divided into experimental (15 couples) and control (15 couples) groups. Subsequently, the experimental group underwent family-oriented problem-solving training in ten face-to-face sessions, each lasting 90 minutes. Data were collected using the Skowron & Friedlander Self-Differentiation Scale (1998) and analyzed statistically in SPSS version 22 using covariance analysis after the post-test.

Family-oriented problem-solving training significantly increased the differentiation of couples in the experimental group compared to the control group (P<0.05).

According to the research findings, utilizing the family-oriented problem-solving training program as part of comprehensive educational plans to enhance couple differentiation is feasible.

The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effectiveness of problem solving training on life orientation, positive and negative emotions, and learned helplessness in incompatible couples in Qaemshahr city.

The method of the present research was an experiment and a quasi-experimental research design with a control group. The statistical population included all couples who referred to counseling centers in Qaemshahr city in 2023. 30 couples were selected as a sample using available sampling method and randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups (15 people in each group). Then, the subjects of the experimental group received problem solving training during 8 sessions of 60 minutes. In order to collect data from life orientation questionnaires (Shier and Carver, 1994), positive and negative affect (Watson et al., 1988) and learned helplessness (Quinless and Nilsson, 1988) in two stages before and after training in both groups (experiment and control) were used.

The findings from the analysis of covariance test showed that problem solving training improved optimism in life orientation, increased positive emotion, and reduced learned helplessness in the tested group (p=0.05).
 

According to the findings of the present research, in the field of therapy and counseling of incompatible couples, training in problem solving for the compatibility of couples and solving their conflicts; It looks very efficient and promising.

Intellectual disability children have many problems with cognitive functions, and a comparison of the effectiveness of cognitive games can have useful results. Therefore, the current research was conducted with the aim of comparing the effectiveness of computerized and non-computerized cognitive games on problem-solving and cognitive flexibility in intellectually disabled children.

This study in terms of purpose and in terms of implementation method was quasi-experimental with a pre-test, post-test, and two-month follow-up design with a control group. The research population was the educable intellectual disability female students of the first elementary period of Ahvaz city in the academic years of 2022-23. The research sample was calculated for each group of 12 people, which these people were selected by the purposive sampling method and replaced into three equal groups. The first experimental group was trained in 20 sessions of 45-minute cognitive games with Captain's Log computerized software, the second experimental group was trained in 20 sessions of 45-minute cognitive games without the software, and the control group remained on the waiting list for training. The research tools included a demographic information form, Tower of Hanoi computerized test, and Wisconsin Cards Sorting computerized test, and data were analyzed by methods of chi-square, analysis of variance with repeated measures, and Bonferroni post hoc test in SPSS-19 software.

The results showed that there was no significant difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of age and educational level (P>0.05). Also, computerized and non-computerized cognitive games compared to the control group led to improved problem-solving and cognitive flexibility in educable intellectual disability children, and the results were maintained in the follow-up stage (P<0.001). In addition, the effectiveness of computerized cognitive games in compared to non-computerized cognitive games was higher in improving the problem-solving and cognitive flexibility (P<0.001).

According to the results of this study, health professionals and therapists can use computerized cognitive games along with other effective methods to improve cognitive functions.

The development of resilience is done through problem-solving, coping strategies, and mood, and regarding determining the role of structural causal relationships of problem-solving skills, coping strategies and temperament with resilience with the mediation of psychological disturbance, no study has been done between nurses. This research was conducted to determine  the structural causal relationships of problem-solving skills, coping strategies, and temperament with resilience through the mediation of psychological disturbance in nurses.

This was descriptive-correlational research (structural equations) and the statistical population included all the nurses in Tabriz city in 2020-2021 and 500 people were selected by stratified random sampling. Information was collected using Heppner & krauskopf problem-solving questionnaires (PSQ), Lazarus & Folkman coping strategies (CSQ), Buss & Plomin temperament (EAS), Connor-Davidson resilience (CD-RISC) and psychological disturbance Kessler et al. (PDQ). Data were analyzed using the structural equation analysis method in SPSS.23 and Smart Pls3 software.

There was a direct causal relationship between problem-solving skills (β=0.174, p=0.001) and coping strategies (β=0.188, p=0.002)  with resilience; while there was no direct causal relationship between temperament and resilience (p=0.459). Also, there was an indirect causal relationship between coping strategies (β=0.143, p=0.001) and temperament (β=0.259, p=0.002) with resilience mediated by psychological disturbance; but there was no indirect causal relationship between problem-solving skills (β= -0.003, p=0.947) and resilience with the mediation of psychological disturbance.

Considering that the relationship between coping strategies and mood with resilience is mediated by psychological disturbance; it seems that the results of this research help design interventions aimed at improving the resilience of nurses by considering the role of the discussed variables.

Neurodevelopmental disorders begin in childhood and lead to a weakening of physical, cognitive, emotional and social skills in affected children. The aim of this study is to develop a multimedia educational program and to evaluate its effectiveness on problem solving in children with neurodevelopmental disorders.

In this study, a multimedia training program with a neuropsychological approach was first developed and the content validity of the tool was confirmed by experts. The effectiveness of the program was then evaluated in a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test, a post-tesand a follow-up phase. The participants in this study were children with neurodevelopmental disorders whose male students were studying in Tehran in the academic year of 1400-1401. The children were examined using the Tehran Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test, and 100 children with neurodevelopmental disorders were selected based on the available sampling method and randomly divided into two groups, the experimental group and the control group. The experimental group completed 24 -training sessions that focused on a multimedia training program with a neuropsychological approach. Each session took place five times a week and lasted 90 minutes. The instrument used in this research were London Tower Test (Shalis,1982) , which was used as a pre-test, post-testand for the follow-up studies. The data were then analyzed using repeated measurement tests and multivariate analysis of variance (MANCOVA).

The results showed that the multimedia training program can influence the problem-solving skills (p≤0/01) of children with neurodevelopmental disorders. It also showed that the effect of this instruction was constant even after 1/5 months.

multimedia training program with Neuropsychological approach enhance problem solving of Children with neurodevelopmental disorders.