فصلنامه خانواده و پژوهش
سال دوازدهم شماره 3 (پاییز 1394)

The vast scope of research in the area of quality of life and the necessity of planning for rapid development have made researchers and social sciences policy makers focus their studies on this field and endeavor to promote quality of life. They believe that boosting quality of life leads to social and individual creativity as well as contentment in life. Hence, the present study was carried out to examine the social and cultural factors affecting students’ quality of life. The population of this social survey included the entire Kashani high school students in 2013. The sample size was determined to be 384 students based on Cochran’s formula. For the purpose of sampling random quota sampling method was used. In this study, the data were gathered via a questionnaire whose reliability and validity were approved through Cronbach’s alpha. The obtained data were analyzed using Pearson correlation. Results showed that there was a significant, positive correlation between social capital (r=0.294), religiosity (r=0.334), and students’ quality of life. Furthermore, the results of regression analysis revealed that social cohesion, social participation, and social consciousness respectively had the highest direct effect on students’ quality of life (0.29%, 0.25%, and 0.09%).

This study examined perceived social support from family as a mediator between personality dimensions and psychological well-being among school counselors. To this end, 260 school counselors were selected through random stratified sampling method in Kerman province. The participants were employed by the Ministry of Education in 2013-2014 academic year. The sample took Ryff’s Psychological Well-being Scale, NEO-FFI, as well as the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (Zimet et al.). The data were analyzed by structural equation modeling (SEM). Results indicated that the analyzed model had a good fitness index. Moreover, among exogenous variables, personality dimensions and components of perceived social support could significantly predict components of psychological well-being. More specifically, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and perceived social support from family were significant, positive predictors of psychological well-being, whereas neuroticism was a significant, negative predictor of psychological well-being. It can be concluded that school counselors’ psychological well-being is influenced by their personality dimensions as well as their perceived social support. Hence, for the promotion of school counselors’ psychological well-being these components require more attention.

The purpose of the present research was to evaluate the structure and performance of school councils and propose appropriate strategies to promote the role of teachers’, school and students’ councils. The sample of the study included 211 schools which were selected based on Cochron’s formula. The sample was drawn via multi-stage sampling in the provinces of Khuzestan, Qom, North Khorasan, Yazd, Ilam, Isfahan, Sistan and Baluchestan, and Tehran. In this non-experimental descriptive study, the data were collected through questionnaires, interviews, and observations. The obtained data were analyzed via descriptive and inferential statistics (t test). Results showed that the malfunction of school councils is partly due to their executive responsibilities, a fact that requires revision. Several amendments can be made to the duties of the councils and some exclusion also seems necessary. In the three aforementioned councils, monetary and time constraints (a total of 62%) and ambiguity of executive bylaws are respectively the most important causes of malfunction of school councils. According to the research findings, the most significant strategies for promoting school councils are: 1. Revising councils’ bylaws in terms of responsibilities, monetary resources, and the time of the meetings; 2. Establishing appropriate structural relationship among councils at school, district, province and ministerial levels. In addition, it is suggested that the heads of teachers’ and students’ councils are selected by the respective councils’ members and school principals maintain oversight of councils’ operation. In the case of the executive bylaws of each council, responsibilities of the councils have been identified; however, council's extent of authority has not been clarified. Hence it is required that each council's extent of legal authority be described and determined.

This study aimed to examine the factorial structure of Seattle Personality Questionnaire for Young School-Aged Children through confirmatory factor analysis. In this research, the data gathered by Ghasemi (2014) in the City of Delijan was used. The sample included primary school students (200 boys and 140 girls) who were selected via random multi-stage stratified sampling. The method of weighted least squares was used to estimate parameters and assess the model’s goodness of fit. Moreover, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA), comparative fit index (CFI), standardized root mean square residual (SRMR), Tucker-Lewis index, Goodness of Fit Index, and adjusted goodness of Fit Index were utilized to assess the model’s goodness of fit. Results showed that the model was suited to the data-set. This finding provided further evidence on the internal validity of Seattle Personality Questionnaire for Young School-Aged Children. Furthermore, it was shown that factorial structure of the questionnaire had desirable goodness of fit for primary school students of the City of Delijan. Accordingly, the above-mentioned questionnaire can be utilized as a valid tool to assess children’s personality in populations with similar qualities.

Access to social networks including Facebook is a growing phenomenon and an increasing number of people join these networks everyday. This study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between personality traits, selfesteem, and intensity of Facebook usage among Tehrani high school students. In this descriptive-correlational research the statistical population consisted of 115129 high school students in 2013-2014 academic year. The sample was drawn via multistage cluster sampling and 300 Facebook users were selected. The instrumentation comprised NEO Personality Inventory, Coopersmith SelfEsteem Inventory and Facebook Intensity Scale. The data were analyzed through descriptive (mean, standard deviation, frequency and percentage) as well as inferential statistics (Pearson correlation and concurrent regression). Results showed that personality traits such as extraversion, conscientiousness and global self-esteem predict 0.48 percent of the number of Facebook friends. In addition, agreeableness as well as global and family self-esteem predict 0.33% of the time per day spent using Facebook. Finally, neuroticism can negatively predict 0.08 percent of Facebook integration into individuals’ daily activities. The findings indicated that personality traits and different dimensions of students’ self-esteem could predict the number of Facebook friends and the time per day spent using Facebook; nevertheless, they were not good predictors of integration of Facebook into student’s daily activities.

The main purpose of this study was to compare the impact of strategic and recreational computer games on promoting students’ creativity. The research method was quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test. The population of the study comprised all Tehrani male first graders of high school in 2014-2015 academic year. For the purpose of sampling, multi-stage cluster sampling method was utilized, two groups were selected and they were randomly assigned to strategic and recreational computer games groups. Next, the creativity pre-test was administered to the control and experimental groups. Subsequently, one group received strategic computer games and the other group had recreational computer games for a semester. A post-test was given to both groups at the end of the semester. The obtained data were analyzed through analysis of covariance. The results of the study was indicative of the effectiveness of strategic computer games compared to recreational ones in promoting creativity and its three dimensions (fluency, flexibility, and elaboration); however, no significant difference was observed between the two groups in the originality component. The findings of this study indicated that strategic computer games were more effective than recreational ones in boosting student's creative thinking; hence, it is recommended that administrators, principals, teachers and parents suggest playing strategic computer games to students.