Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Volume:17 Issue: 3, Sep 2023

This study aimed to investigate the pieces of evidence related to the possible side effects of neurofeedback (NFB) for individuals suffering from attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and epilepsy. In this systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for individuals suffering from these two conditions, several databases were investigated.

Data Extraction: 

To achieve this goal, the table of the first outcomes was to rate the symptoms of epilepsy based on the evaluation of patients. CANTAB (Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery),Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children II (WISC II), and attention span test. Additionally, side effects were assessed by ADHD and epilepsy side effect checklists. Among the documents, 17 of them had the criteria to be included.

It was a randomized effect model that was used to evaluate the pooled prevalence of side effects with confidence intervals (CI) of 95%. Moreover, in Stata software (version 14), a Metaprop command was deployed. The approximate pooled prevalence of the side effects was 0.05 (95% CI: 0.03 - 0.08). To measure heterogeneity among studies, I2 statistics and the Galbraith diagram were applied. I2 statistics were estimated as 2.34%, and the Galbraith diagram did not indicate any heterogeneity. The univariate meta-regression (UMR) model showed despite a decreasing trend, the results were not statistically significant.

It could be inferred from the results that preliminary evidence is that NFB is a non-invasive treatment and a more beneficial clinical method. It is proposed that to compare standard treatments, such as medication, neurological, and behavioral interventions, further RTCs are required.

Context:

 A methodical review and meta-analysis of cognitive intervention studies were conducted to clarify the effect of such interventions on memory.

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of cognitive training on the improvement of cognitive function in older adults. Evidence Acquisition: The programs for improving cognitive performance, along with characteristics, among older adults were assessed by considering a literature review of previous studies. A total of 174 articles published between 1990 to 2017 in the area under study were selected. Each article was reviewed by two independent reviewers. In this study, 15 studies and 910 subjects were selected for data analysis, and the meta-analysis was performed according to the Hedge method.

Based on the results, a positive effect size of 0.30 (SE = 0.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.165 - 0.436) was observed regarding the subjects’ cognitive function stemming from the interventions on individual and group cognitive-related therapies. The results were consistent, indicating that variances in effect size might be related to sampling error (Q = 88.592, df = 14, P = 0.000).

The results confirm previous meta-analyses and methodical reviews showing that memory training plays a positive role in enhancing cognitive function.

Context: 

Since sexual function is significantly influenced by tension, fear, and melancholy, all of which are intensified throughout epidemics, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) globally can also affect individuals’ sexual function and life. The strong relationship between sexual dysfunction and quality of life disorders has made it an important public health concern.

The current study was conducted to assess female sexual function throughout the COVID-19 quarantine. Evidence Acquisition: ScienceDirect, Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases were searched with no language limitations. Two independent researchers reviewed all relevant articles published until November 30, 2021. Finally, 22 articles were included in the study, 13 of which were eligible for meta-analysis. The data were combined using meta-analysis and a random effect model. A Begg’s funnel plot and Egger’s test were used to check the potential bias of publication.

The mean score of the female sexual function index (FSFI) was 23.34 (95% confidence interval: 21.17 - 25.52) using the random effect model. Out of the 6 studies that reported the FSFI scores before and throughout the COVID-19 crisis, 5 studies indicated a statistically significant drop in the mean scores of female sexual function throughout COVID-19, contrasting with before the epidemic. Most studies comparing the repetition of sexual activity before and through the COVID-19 epidemic reported a decrease in the repetition of sexual activity throughout the epidemic.

Adverse psychological outcomes and restrictions caused by the COVID-19 crisis decreased female sexual function and the repetition of sexual activity. Health policymakers worldwide should scheme and execute helpful syllabi and interventions to reduce the adverse impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on the sexual health of individuals.

Context: 

Breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent cancer diagnosed in women and the second most common cancer worldwide.

This study aimed to determine the rates of depression and identify the characteristics that put women at risk for developing depression while coping with BC in the Middle East. Evidence Acquisition: The present meta-analysis was performed by searching for keywords related to BC and depression in Middle East countries, including Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Qatar, and Turkey, in 4 main databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus) between January 2000 and November 2021. The results were analyzed using R and CMA software.

Fifteen English-language papers were included in this meta-analysis. The estimated prevalence of depression was 40.8% among a total of 2369 BC women, with the highest depression rate (83.9%) among Pakistani women (95% CI, 73.6 - 89.5; P = 0.000) and the lowest depression rate (27.5%) among Turkish women (95% CI, 17.2 - 40.9; P = 0.002). The women who were under treatment had higher levels of depression compared with those who were treated.

The diagnosis of depression during a clinical treatment process can provide accurate assessments of the mental and social well-being of patients and consequently inform them about their own care. Thus, cancer treatment centers need to integrate mental illness assessment and support significant parts of the treatment plan to prevent and treat depression among BC patients.

Context: 

Several studies have shown that chloroquine can effectively diminish the replication of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). As such, other studies have also supported this statement, but the psychiatric side effects of chloroquine have not been taken into account.

The current study aimed to briefly review and discuss the safety of chloroquine. Evidence Acquisition: A narrative literature search on databases was carried out on studies without time limitations. A combination of the two main keywords of “Chloroquine” and “Psychiatric Side Effects” was used to search databases. A manual search was performed to find the relevant articles, and finally, 15 studies were reviewed. Data were shown in the table and then summarized by narrative synthesis.

The literature review revealed the pharmaceutical characteristics of chloroquine, the safety of chloroquine, and the management of chloroquine’s side effects. Also, the studies showed that chloroquine had psychiatric symptoms varying from insomnia to catatonia, toxic psychosis, and suicidal attempts, as well as behavioral manifestations, including most frequently extreme irritability, restlessness, abusiveness, distractibility, pressured speech, flight of ideas, grandiosity delusion, and auditory and visual hallucinations.

Given the probability of a wide range of possible psychiatric symptoms following chloroquine, physicians should cautiously prescribe antiviral agents, and healthcare workers should also notice any psychiatric symptoms after administrating the chloroquine.

One of the most critical public health issues in psychiatric and medical concerns is methamphetamine (METH) dependence.

The present study aimed to investigate caffeine (Rescuecaf) effectiveness in reducing craving and relapse prevention in METH dependence.

In this double-blind, randomized clinical trial, 15 participants in the experimental group received 4.5 mg/kg of caffeine (with an average daily dose of 300 mg for each participant for three months), and 15 patients with METH use disorder were treated with the placebo. Addiction severity was measured daily using the addiction intensity index (ASI). The Amphetamine Withdrawal Questionnaire (AWQ), Amphetamine Selective Severity Assessment (ASSA), and Drug Complications Questionnaire were used for data collection. Statistical analysis was carried out on weeks 1, 6, and 12 after the intervention and between caffeineand placebo-treated patients based on repeated measures and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) at the 95% confidence interval.

There was a significant difference between the experimental and placebo groups in METH-dependency and deprivation symptoms. In addition, in the experimental group, there was a significant difference between weeks 1, 6, and 12 (P > 0.05), but no significant difference was found between weeks 6 and 12. No significant side effects were seen during caffeine consumption during the second, fourth, and sixth weeks.

Caffeine is an efficient, new drug capable of managing amphetamine withdrawal syndrome.

Many studies have shown that non-ergonomic positioning of the spine is one of the main causes of postural deformity. In this regard, opium smoking requires sitting in non-ergonomic positions, which increases the possibility of posture disorders due to exposure for several hours a day and over many years.

This study aimed to compare neck pain and disability, forward head posture (FHP), and the curvature of the thoracic spine (thoracic hyperkyphosis [THK]) in opium users and non-drug users.

In this comparative cross-sectional study, 80 opium smokers were compared with 74 non-drug users in terms of craniovertebral angle (FHP), THK, and neck pain (Visual Analog Scale [VAS]) and disability (neck disability index [NDI]). Data were analyzed by Kolmogorov-Smirnov and independent t-tests using SPSS version 23.

The difference between the 2 groups was significant in all variables, including VAS (P = 0.004), NDI (P < 0.001), craniovertebral angle (P = 0.003), and THK (P = 0.006).

Forward head posture, THK, neck pain, and neck disability are more prevalent in opium smokers than non-drug users. This could be due to the long hours of the non-ergonomic position while smoking opium.

Valproic acid (VPA), which is often used to treat epilepsy, causes a variety of neurobehavioral impairments that closely resemble the phenotype of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in prenatally exposed individuals. Although the neurobehavioral effects of extremely low concentrations of VPA have received limited research attention, several investigations have shown that the impact of VPA is connected with the concentration and exposure length.

In the current study, the aim was to find the lowest dose of VPA with the fewest side effects to induce behavioral phenotypes related to ASD in zebrafish.

Zebrafish embryos were first exposed to various concentrations of VPA (i.e., 1, 5, 15, 25, 48, and 75 µM) for 120 hours. Then, 42 days after conception, the survival rate, quality of hatching, and presence of deformity were assessed. Afterward, a 1 µM VPA was chosen based on observations, and behavioral experiments were carried out at 7, 21, and 42 days after fertilization (dpf). Additionally, 7dpf gene expression analysis was evaluated.

According to the obtained findings, behavioral abnormalities resembling ASD were induced in 7 and 21 dpf but not in 42 dpf after 120 hours of exposure to 1µM VPA. Real-time analysis in 7 dpf revealed significant changes in a number of genes linked to ASD, including lrp6, gsk3beta, chd8, and ctnnb.

In conclusion, 120 hours of exposure of zebrafish embryos to 1 µM of VPA might produce suitable VPA induces autism-like behavior models in zebrafish larvae to research early and long-term neurobehavioral and gene expression alterations. Studies on drug development might adopt this approach

Over 21% of children live in households where at least one parent has amental illness. Peer-group support is one of the programs designed for children to protect them from the consequences of parents’ mental diseases and aims to increase children’s knowledge of mental illnesses and strengthen their adaptability.

This study aims to examine the effectiveness of peer-group support on the resilience and self-esteem of adolescents whose parents have mood disorders.

This randomized clinical trial was conducted in clinics affiliated with the Kashan University of Medical Sciences on adolescents aged 12 - 18 years whose parents suffered from mood disorders. The participants were divided into the intervention and control groups. In the intervention group, a psychiatric assistant held 90-minute sessions every week for eight consecutive weeks. Participants in both groups answered two questionnaires (Connor and Davidson Resilience and Rosenberg Self-Esteem) before and after the intervention.

Based on our results, except for the subscale of resilience: trust in individual instincts, there was no significant difference in the scores obtained by the adolescents in the two study groups after the intervention; however, the scores obtained showed elevation compared to the baseline. Participants felt more relieved and reported an increase in their awareness of mental illnesses after participating in peer-group sessions.

Peer-group support for eight weeks increased the self-esteem and resilience scores of adolescents with parents with mood disorders. However, these increases were not statistically significant, requiring studies with larger sample sizes to obtain more accurate measurements.

Many medical students experience heavy occupational stress during their long education period. Occupational stress can be affected by several factors, including spiritual intelligence.

This study aimed to determine the level of occupational stress in medical interns during the COVID-19 pandemic and the effect of spiritual intelligence.

This cross-sectional study was performed on 209 medical interns at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (Tehran, Iran) in the autumn of 2020. Eligible medical students answered two online questionnaires: The Opisow occupational stress questionnaire and the King Spiritual Intelligence Questionnaire. Data were analyzed in SPSS 16 and EQS6.1 using structural equation modeling.

The mean occupational stress score and the mean spiritual intelligence score of the participants were 184.57 ± 23.57 and 50.44 ± 13.97, respectively. All the model fitness indices were in the acceptable range (CMIN/df = 2.3, RMSEA = 0.07, GFI = 0.91, and CFI = 0.93); thus, the proposed model was confirmed. Spiritual intelligence was a factor affecting occupational stress (β = -0.45). Besides, all of the subscales of spiritual intelligence negatively affected occupational stress with the following effect sizes: Transcendent awareness (β = -0.53), critical existential thinking (β = -0.43), production of personal meaning (β = -0.41), and consciousness state expansion (β = -0.27).

According to the model fitness indices, it can be concluded that the proposed model was acceptable. All subscales of spiritual intelligence had a negative impact on occupational stress.

Internet addiction (IA) has emerged as a serious threat to the mental health of young individuals.

The present study aimed to test the effects of cognitive-behavioral group therapy (CBGT) on controlling Internet addictive behaviors and improving levels of depression, anxiety, and stress among nursing students in Morocco.

A total of 60 nursing students participated in the study based on convenience sampling and were then randomly assigned to the intervention group (n = 30) and control group (n = 30). The intervention group received 8 sessions of CBGT, unlike the control group. The Internet Addiction Test and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale were used as the pretest, posttest, and 3-month follow-up tests to determine participants’ levels of IA, depression, anxiety, and stress. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was applied to assess the effects of this therapeutic intervention.

The results showed that following the CBGT program, the intervention group showed a reduction in IA (P < 0.05), depression (P < 0.05), anxiety (P < 0.05), and stress (P < 0.05) scores.

Cognitive-behavioral group therapy was observed to be more effective in improving the cognitive, psychological, and behavioral skills of Internet-dependent nursing students, thereby reducing levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. This outcome opens up important perspectives in the field of health sciences education by considering this approach as a preferred way to promote students’ mental health in this context.

The facial feedback hypothesis proposes that facial expressions influence people’s emotional experiences.

The current study, conducted in 2022, aimed to investigate the impact of facial feedback on the nature and magnitude of changes in emotion, mood, and cognitive-emotional factors among individuals with mild depression. This was achieved through the use of electrical stimulation of the facial muscles. This study aimed to investigate the impact of bilateral electrical stimulation on the frontalis muscles (which act as inhibitory muscles of the corrugator) and zygomaticus muscles on the emotions and moods of individuals with mild depression.

In a single-subject experimental study with multiple baselines, six individuals with mild depression underwent daily sessions of facial electrical stimulation for 28 consecutive days. The stimulation was administered at two different sites, with three different baseline periods of 3, 6, and 9 days at each site. Specifically, three participants received electrical stimulation of the zygomaticus muscle, while the other three participants received electrical stimulation of the frontalis muscle. Visual analysis (diagrams and figures), within-phase examination, and between-phase examination were used to analyze longitudinal data using mixed model analysis (P < 0.05).

Mixed model analysis revealed significant changes in negative affect (P = 0.019), mood (P = 0.017), depression (P = 0.005), and symbol search (P < 0.001) among participants who received frontalis muscle stimulation. Additionally, the mood of participants who received zygomaticus muscle stimulation showed significant changes (P = 0.047) from pre-intervention to post-intervention. At the intervention and follow-up stages (one month after the last intervention session), all three participants who underwent frontalis muscle electrical stimulation met the standardized recovery criteria established by Segger et al. The reliable change index was measured at 8.46. A qualitative analysis of the depression scores revealed a significant difference in the post-intervention phase when frontalis muscle electrical stimulation was applied. Participants 4, 5, and 6 scored 9, 11, and 8, respectively.

This preliminary study provides empirical evidence on using electrical stimulation of facial muscles to reduce negative mood and depression. Given the various factors that play a role, more research and focused controlled studies are needed to test these findings.

Falling is a common aging-associated problem. Over one-third of older adults have experienced at least one episode of falling, and its prevalence increases with age.

This study was conducted to determine the effect of fall-prevention multimedia training on the fear of falling, home safety, and the quality of life in older adults presenting to a designated healthcare center.

Design: Parallel, double-blind, randomized, controlled trial. Setting: The orthopedic outpatient clinic of Dena Hospital in Shiraz, Fars province, Iran. Participants: 100 older adults, including 50 randomly allocated to the intervention group (multimedia training) and 50 to the control group (standard teaching) by permuted block randomization. Measurements: For data collection, a demographic information form, the fear of falling inventory, the home falls and accidents screening tool (HOME FAST), and LEIPAD (an instrument for assessing the quality of life in older adults) were completed before and three months after the intervention. The level of significance was set at 0.05.

The comparison of the pre-and post-intervention scores of the three assessed outcomes between the study groups showed a significant difference between the mean scores of home safety before and after the intervention (P < 0.001) in the intervention group; however, there were no significant differences in the scores of fear of falling (P = 0.30) and quality of life (P = 0.32). In the control group, there were no statistically significant differences in the mean scores of the three outcomes before and after the intervention. Calculating the standardized mean difference revealed the significant effect of the intervention on home safety (Cohen’s d = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.43 - 1.3).

Given the potential effectiveness of multimedia training in the improvement of older adults’ fear of falling and quality of life, especially concerning home safety, this type of training should be emphasized in future educational programs.

Social communication is one of the important factors for older adults’ life satisfaction. However, the impact of intergenerational communication dimensions on it and the role of optimism toward aging in this correlation is unclear.

This study investigated the mediating role of optimism toward aging in the association between intergenerational communication and older adults’ life satisfaction.

This cross-sectional study was performed on 550 older adults in Bojnord, Iran, who were selected by a multistage sampling method. Data were collected with the Optimism Toward Aging (OTA) scale, a single-item measure of life satisfaction, and the intergenerational communication scale with two dimensions, intergenerational accommodative communication (IAC) and intergenerational non-accommodative communication (INAC). Structural equation modeling using maximum likelihood estimation was adopted in Amos 24.0.

The mean age of the participants was 67.74 ± 7.18, and 240 people (43.6%) were men. The results revealed that IAC had no significant direct association with life satisfaction (LS) (β = 0.02, P > 0.05), but INAC had a significant negative direct association with it (β = -0.170, p < 0.001). Unlike IAC (β = 0.474, P < 0.001), INAC did not show direct associations with OTA (β = 0.002, P > 0.05). However, only IAC could indirectly affect the LS of older adults through the complete mediating effect of OTA (β = 0.145, CI = [0.100, 0.199], P < 0.001).

The findings suggested the positive effect of optimism toward aging on intergenerational accommodative communication and life satisfaction. Intergenerational non-accommodation exhibited a stronger direct association with life satisfaction in older adults than intergenerational accommodation. Thus, to enhance life satisfaction in older adults, it is necessary to give special attention to improving their communication with young people and promoting their optimism.

Domestic violence is recognized as a global health problem. In recent years, understanding the factors affecting violence against women has become one of the most prominent issues.

This study aimed to identify the relationship between the structural determinants of health and domestic violence against pregnant women.

This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 560 volunteer pregnant women, aged 28 - 35 weeks, who were referred to healthcare centers affiliated with Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, Iran, during 2021 - 2022, using a multistage cluster sampling method. The data collection tools used in this research included questionnaires on demographic and gynecologic/obstetric factors, socioeconomic status, and domestic violence. The collected data were analyzed by measuring descriptive and inferential statistics using the chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression analysis.

Based on the results, more than 50% of women were subjected to domestic violence during pregnancy (66.3% emotional violence, 10.2% physical violence, and 9% sexual violence). Domestic violence showed a significant relationship with the majority of the structural determinants of health (P < 0.005). Based on the logistic regression model, demographic/obstetric and socioeconomic factors explained 73% and 85.3% of the variance in domestic violence, respectively. Certain structural social determinants of health acted as protective factors against domestic violence toward pregnant women, as the possibility of domestic violence was lower in women with high school education, working spouses, and high income (OR = 0.310, 0.217, and 0.255, respectively).

This study showed that more than half of Iranian women experienced domestic violence during pregnancy. To prevent adverse maternal and neonatal consequences, it is necessary to identify these women and introduce them to support centers

Given that primary dysmenorrhea can affect individuals’ course of life and social activities, it is necessary to consider the role of related variables in its incidence and conduct more studies to take effective measures to reduce this pain.

This study aims to model the structural equations of the relationship between metacognitive beliefs and body image concerns with the mediating role of pain self-efficacy on the severity of primary dysmenorrhea.

This study adopted a cross-sectional, descriptive correlational research design. A structural equation modeling method was conducted on 724 students studying in the first semester of 2021 - 2022. Questionnaires assessed menstrual pain severity, body image concern, pain self-efficacy, and metacognitive beliefs. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling, SPSS.25, and AMOS 24.

According to data analysis, all indices of fit were appropriate after modifications, and the model had a very good fit at the significance level (χ 2 /df = 3.619, CFI = 0.931, TLI = 0.910, NFI = 0.907, RMSEA = 0.060, 90%CI [0.053, 0.068], SRMR = 0.077). In examining direct pathways, metacognitive beliefs showed a direct effect on and a negative correlation with the severity of dysmenorrhea. The investigation of indirect pathways also confirmed the effect of metacognitive beliefs on the severity of primary dysmenorrhea with the mediating role of pain self-efficacy. The effect of the direct pathway of body image concern on the severity of primary dysmenorrhea was not significant and was removed from the model. On the other hand, as the examination of the indirect path showed, the effect of body image concerns on the severity of primary dysmenorrhea was mediated by pain self-efficacy.

According to the findings, the promotion of mental health was effective in controlling primary dysmenorrhea. Hence, more attention to psychological issues is required through effective practical protocols to provide an introduction to menstrual health and the grounds for performance improvement in girls.

Violent behavior in adolescents is one of the important public health problems; however, studies on this issue in developing countries are limited. Nowadays, adolescents spend a lot of day-night time watching TV.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between watching violent movies and perpetrating violent behaviors among adolescents.

In this cross-sectional study, 2800 adolescents, aged 11 - 18 years, residing in urban and rural areas of Isfahan province were enrolled. This study received a part of a grant No. 188169 dedicated to a project scrutinizing if watching violent movies by adolescents encouraged violent behaviors in the three domains of physical, verbal, and psychological violence. The data were gathered by a valid and reliable questionnaire, and SPSS software was used for data analysis.

Violent behaviors were significantly higher among adolescents who watched more violent movies (adjusted OR = 1.6, CI: 1.3 - 2.1). Physical, verbal, and psychological types of violence achieved the adjusted ORs of 1.6 (CI: 1.3 - 2.05), 1.3 (CI: 1.1 - 1.6), and 1.07 (CI = 0.8 - 1.3), respectively.

Watching violent movies can noticeably increase the frequency of violent behaviors among adolescents, especially in boys and rural students.

The coronavirus pandemic and the controlling measures have had disparate impacts on older adults’ physical, mental, and social health.

This study examined the psychological status, vitality, happiness, loneliness, and anxiety among active and inactive older men during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this causal-comparative study, 400 men aged 60 - 75 were selected by convenience sampling. Subjects were assessed for cognitive status, vitality, happiness, loneliness, and coronavirus anxiety. Data were analyzed statistically using covariance and Pearson correlation coefficient tests.

There was a significant difference between active and inactive older adults regarding cognitive status, happiness, and vitality, such that the active older adults scored higher (P < 0.05). Also, there was a significant difference between the two groups regarding coronavirus anxiety and loneliness, such that the inactive group scored higher in these two variables (P < 0.05). The correlation analysis indicated a significant correlation between cognitive status and coronavirus anxiety in both active and inactive groups (P < 0.05).

An active lifestyle and physical activity in older adults are important factors in improving cognitive status and vitality and reducing anxiety, especially during the coronavirus outbreak. Therefore, engaging older adults in physical activities will elevate their mental health and cognitive status.

Considering the time spent with family is essential for the growth and development of adolescents, the replacement of these times with using social media can raise questions.

This study addressed the question of whether there is a difference in family social capital between adolescents that are users and non-users of social media.

Data were collected from 3600 adolescents aged 12 - 19 years in Isfahan, Iran, using a cross-sectional study design with stratified, 2-stage cluster sampling. Participants were recruited from schools and surveyed between January and March 2017. Family social capital was assessed using a researcher-made questionnaire with adequate validity and reliability. The independent 2-sample t-test, Kruskal-Wallis test, 1-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Games-Howell post hoc test were used to analyze the data.

More than 76% of the adolescents were social media users. Males reported higher membership rates compared to females. There was a meaningful difference between the mean scores in all dimensions of family social capital, including family interactions, family cohesion, family monitoring, and family conflicts (P < 0.001), and the non-user group scored better in these dimensions. There were gender-based differences between some dimensions of family social capital (P < 0.05). There were no statistically meaningful differences between the frequencies of users in the 3 socioeconomic classes of the study (P > 0.05). Some dimensions of family social capital, including family cohesion and family monitoring, were better in users from higher socioeconomic classes (P < 0.05).

The results indicate a difference in the family social capital between adolescents that are users and non-users of social media.

Cancer patients have defects in their immune systems due to chemotherapy and corticosteroid therapy and are at risk of viral diseases.

This study aimed to evaluate the risk perception and self-efficacy related to COVID-19 among cancer patients in Ardabil, Iran.

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 cancer patients hospitalized in the oncology department of Ardabil Imam Khomeini Hospital in the summer of 2020, who were selected by simple random sampling. After obtaining informed consent, data was gathered using a questionnaire based on the extended parallel process model (EPPM) consisting of seven subscales, including perceived sensitivity, perceived severity, response efficacy, self-efficacy, intention, fear, and defensive motivation. The data were analyzed using linear regression by SPSS 18 and Stata 8.

Mean age of 200 cancer patients in this study was 52.35 ± 6.30 years. Among the constructs of EPPM, perceived susceptibility (coefficient = 0.23, P-value < 0.001) and perceived severity (coefficient = 0.160, P-value = 0.026) were significant predictors of self-efficacy, while response efficacy, intention, fear, and defensive motivation were not significant. In the regression model, R squared (R2 ) and adjusted R squared (adj-R2 ) were 0.182 and 0.180, respectively.

This study demonstrated that perceived susceptibility and severity had significant roles in predicting self-efficacy. Therefore, it is proposed that according to the conditions of the cancer patients, health providers in oncology wards should provide the necessary information to enhance the risk perception regarding COVID-19 and promote self-efficacy to observe health protocols.

No mobile phone phobia (nomophobia, abbreviated here to NMP) is often utilized to show the fear of losing one’s mobile phone and connectivity and has a frequency of 40 - 100% in different societies.

This study aimed to reflect on the prevalence of NMP and the role of demographic and psychological factors in the prediction of NMP among adolescent female high school students in northern Iran.

The cross-sectional study was conducted on adolescent female high school students living in Sari, Mazandaran province, northern Iran, between 2019 - 2020. By employing cluster sampling to select the participants, 588 students were ultimately recruited. The research instruments included a demographic characteristics questionnaire, the Nomophobia Questionnaire, and the Cell Phone Addiction Scale. Using IBM SPSS software (version 26.0), the data were analyzed via Pearson’s correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis.

The study results revealed that the mean ± standard deviation (SD) of the students’ age was 16.1 ± 1.2 years, and 98.6% of the participants experienced various levels of NMP. Additionally, the NMP and mobile phone dependence (MPD) mean ± SD values were equal to 54.75 ± 21.61 and 49.78 ± 18.05, respectively. A statistically significant direct relationship was further observed between the prevalence rate of NMP and the demographic variables, namely age (P = 0.000), type of school (P = 0.016), level of education (P = 0.000), and father’s education (P = 0.012).

The study results indicated the high prevalence rate of NMP and MPD in adolescent female high school students. Therefore, further research is needed to examine the depth of psychological aspects of NMP.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) begins in early childhood and has short-term and long-term effects in later life. Deficits in social communication, social interaction, and limited and repetitive behaviors characterize this disorder. We aimed to develop and design a registration system for ASD patients in Hamadan Province to have comprehensive and valuable epidemiological data for researchers about the frequency, distribution, and causes of ASD. This epidemiological information can help target prevention measures and plan care. By designing and developing a patient registry system for ASD, valuable uniform epidemiological information about the web of causes and consequences of ASD is available. The next step is to utilize valid and reliable information for public health, clinical, or policy purposes.