نشریه روانشناسی پیری
سال نهم شماره 1 (پیاپی 32، بهار 1402)

The choice of appropriate treatment methods which increase the ability level of the elderly to deal with the physical and mental deficiencies of old age will be a great help to human societies. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of comparing the effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) and spirituality therapy on the meaning of life and wisdom of the elderly. The research method was quasi-experimental with a pre-test-post-test design with two experimental groups and one control group. The statistical population of the research included of the elderly of Tehran in 2022. The sample size of the research consisted of 54 elderly selected by convenience sampling method and based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the study, and randomly assigned to two experimental groups (MBCT and spiritual therapy) and one control group. Used to collect data were Ardelet’s wisdom and Steger et al.’s meaning of life questionnaires. One of the experimental groups underwent eight 90-minute weekly session of MBCT, and the other group received ten 90-minute weekly sessions of spiritual therapy. The data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS-24. The results indicated that both MBCT and spiritual therapy are effective on the meaning of life and wisdom of the elderly. However, the effectiveness of the spiritual therapy method on the meaning of life was more than that of the MBCT (P<0.001). Based on the findings of this research, MBCT and spiritual therapy can be used as effective intervention methods to increase the meaning of life and wisdom in the elderly.

Today, paying attention to the elderly and their condition is one of the important and significant issues. Among the important factors influential in this field, paying attention to physical health and its related factors seems highly important. Therefore, this research was conducted with the aim of investigating the relationship between mental health and physical health in the elderly resident of nursing homes with the mediating role of feelings of guilt and loneliness. This was a descriptive study of structural equations modeling (SEM) type. The statistical population of the present study included 3687 people living in nursing homes located in Damghan and Isfahan in 2022, among whom 121 people were selected as the final sample using simple random sampling. Used to collect the research data were Russell et al.’s loneliness, Gokler and Jones' feelings of guilt, Najarian and Davoudi's mental health, and Laali et al.'s physical health scales. The data were analyzed using SEM in Smart PLS-3 software. The results illustrated that mental health has a positive relationship with physical health and this relationship is significantly and reversely mediated by two variables of loneliness and feelings of guilt. According to the obtained results, it is suggested to pay special attention to mental health, loneliness and feelings of guilt among the elderly. The results of this research can be useful for nursing home managers to create better conditions and to maintain people as well as possible.

The end of each period of life and the beginning of a new period of it brings many challenges. Integrity against despair is one of the basic crises of the elderly and people on the threshold of old age, which can be solved by increasing wisdom and resilience. Therefore, it seems necessary to carry out some interventions with the aim of improving wisdom and resilience. The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effectiveness of solution-focused coaching (SFC) on the wisdom and resilience of elderly and middle-aged women. This was a quasi-experimental study with pretest-posttest design and a control group. The statistical population of the research included all elderly and middle-aged women clients of welfare centers and counseling centers in Isfahan, Iran in the fall of 2022. The sample consisted of 32 elderly and middle-aged women with an average age of 61.8 years in the experimental group and 62.1 in the control group, selected based on convenience sampling method and inclusion and exclusion criteria, and were randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups. The research measures were Ardelt’s Wisdom Questionnaire as well as Connor-Davidson Resilience Questionnaire. Participants in the experimental group underwent eight 60-minute sessions of SFC, and the control group did not receive any intervention in the same time. Data were analyzed using univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS-22 software. The results revealed that SFC increases wisdom and resilience of elderly and middle-aged women (P<0.05). Based on the results, it is recommended that counselors and psychologists take advantages of SFC in order to increase the resilience and wisdom of elderly and middle-aged women along with other methods.

The present study aims to investigate two established indicators addressing subjective aging (age stereotypes, representing general subjective aging indicator, and awareness of age-related changes, representing personal subjective aging indicator) and their relationship with a psychological well-being and a health-promoting lifestyle of the older adults. This is correlational study with a structural equation modeling (SEM). The analytical sample included older adults 60 years and older living in the Iranian province of Kermanshah in 2022; 360 people (175 men and 185 women) were selected by means of convenience sampling. Participants completed Kornadt and Rothermund age stereotypes questionnaires, kaspar et al.'s awareness of age-related changes, Ryff 's psychological well-being, and Walker et al.'s health-promoting lifestyle questionnaires. The collected data were statistically analyzed by SPSS_26 and Lisrel 8.8 software. The research results showed that the hypothesized model of this research has a good fit in the studied sample. Also, the results showed that age stereotypes are related to health-promoting lifestyle and psychological well-being only through AARC_losses. The findings emphasize the importance of the subjective aging and its relationship with physical and psychological health. Promoting successful aging in aging societies has become increasingly important. Positive subjective aging may contribute to physical and mental health in older adults, and overcoming negative subjective aging through change at the social and individual level may help promote successful aging. Age stereotypes are defined as socially shared beliefs about the aging process and about older people as a group (Worm et al., 2017). Hence, age stereotypes are individual cognitive representations of the aging process and older people in general. which are widely established in a given culture. Research shows that age stereotypes are context-specific, and therefore should be conceptualized using a domain-specific approach (Kornadt & Rothermund, 2011). Unlike age stereotypes, which are general and strongly influenced by societal perspectives. It is about aging and targets older people as a group, people also have their own personal experiences of ageing, for example awareness of age-related changes.

Recognizing the needs and health status of the elderly is a decisive issue of any society, and to empower and improve the elderly’s conditions, innovative therapeutic and rehabilitative approches should be investigated. Therefore, the current study aimed to compare the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation and compassion- based therapy on cognitive flexibility of elderly people with mild cognitive impairment. This was a quasi- experimental study with pretest- posttest design with a control group and a one-month follow- up. The statistical population included all the elderly with mild cognitive impairment living in Tehran who referred to the health centers of Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2021, among whom 42 people were selected using purpesful sampling method and randomly assigned to the cognitive rehabilitation, compassion- based therapy, and control groups. Each of the theraputetic methods of cognitive rehabilitation and compassion- based therapy was performed for the related experimental groups in eight 90- minute sessions, and the control group received no training at this time. The measure applied in this study included Dennis and Vander Wal’s cognitive flexibility questionnaire. The data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS-26 software. The results revealed that both cognitive rehabilitation and compassion- based therapy were effective on the variables of perceived control, perceived behavioral justification, and perceived choice in the elderly with mild cognitive impairment (p<0.05). However, cognitive rehabilitation was more effective than compassion- based therapy on perceived justification. Based on the results of the study, the educational packages of this study can be used in elderly care homes and centers to improve their quality of life.

Balance ability is a critical component of independent daily activities among the elderly. Balance disorder is one of the major risk factors for falls and related complications. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of the the comparision of the effectiveness of neurofeedback training (NT) and exercise environmental affordances (EEA) on static and dynamic balance and the fear of falling in the elderly. This was a quasi-experimental study with pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population of the current study included elderly men aged 60 to 80 years living in Ilam, Iran, among whom 36 people were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, and randomly assigned into three 12-member groups of NT, EEA and control. In the pretest and posttest stages, the participants completed the Yardley et al.’s fall self-efficacy questionnaire-international form, and having completed the questionnaire, they performed the static (Carlsen et al.) and dynamic (Tsang et al.) balance task in 3 attempts. In the intervention phase (exercise), carried out in form of three 30-minute sessions per week for eight weeks, NT and EEA groups performed the relevant exercises, and control group carried out their usual and daily activities in this time. The data were analyzed using univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) using SPSS-22 software. The results indicated that EEA and NT have a significant effect on posterior and central-lateral displacement of the center of pressure as well as the time to reach anterior-posterior, lateral stability and the time to reach total stability of elderly men. EEA had a significant effect on the risk of fear of falling, but NT did not have the same effect. Besides, the results revealed that EEA, compared to NT, had more effect on static balance (anterior-posterior displacement and central-lateral displacement of the center of pressure) and dynamic balance (the time to reach anterior-posterior stability, the time to reach lateral stability, and the time to reach total stability) in elderly men. According to the results of the present study, it is suggested to geriatric trainers and specialists to pay attention to the enrichment of the environment to improve the static and dynamic balance of the elderly and the risk of falling.

Death anxiety and sleep disorder seem to be of the common disorders in the elderly. Among the different treatment methods, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is considered as a potential solution in relation to reducing death anxiety and sleep disorder. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to consider the effectiveness of CBT on sleep disorder and death anxiety in the elderly. This was a practical study in terms of its purpose and according to the nature of the research, it was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest and a control group design. The statistical population included all the elderly living in nursing homes in Sari, Iran among which one nursing home was randomly selected, and a sample of 32 people was selected among its members by convenience sampling method and based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the study and were randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups in the same ratio. The tools applied in the study included Baisi et al.’s Petersburg sleep questionnaires, Templer’s death anxiety scale, and Beck et al.’s CBT protocol which represented in form of eight 90-minute sessions. Data were analyzed using univariate covariance analysis (ANCOVA) in SPSS-16 software. The findings illustrated that CBT resulted in a significant decrease of sleep disorder and death anxiety in the elderly. The findings of this research indicated that using a suitable treatment method can improve the quality of sleep in the elderly and reduce the level of their death anxiety.