International Journal of Body, Mind and Culture
Volume:10 Issue: 3, Summer 2023

 In solution-focused models (SFMs), patients are mobilized to achieve better outcomes through their initiative and potential. In this study, the effect of solution-focused therapy on anxiety and postpartum depression (PPD) of nulliparous pregnant women was investigated.

 The study was quasi-experimental, with a pre-test, post-test, and control group. The statistical population of this study was all pregnant women who were referred to be under routine care in the Isfahan Vahid Health Center, Isfahan, Iran, from August to November 2022. In this study, 30 eligible pregnant women were selected and invited to participate purposefully. Then the participants were randomly (tossing) divided into two groups, a solution-focused therapy group (15 people) and a control group (15 people). The solution-focused group received eight 1.5-hour counseling sessions, which were held weekly. The control group received no counseling and only routine healthcare services. Data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) and SPSS software.

 Solution-focused therapy was effective on PPD (F = 19.66, P < 0.001) and anxiety (F = 22.37, P < 0.001) in nulliparous pregnant women.

 SFM is a useful tool that can help reduce anxiety and PPD in nulliparous pregnant women. This approach can help nulliparous pregnant women learn skills to reduce PPD symptoms.

 Today, health psychologists seek to improve the performance of patients with type 1 diabetes and increase their well-being through increasing their adherence to self-care behavior. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of psychological well-being on optimism and self-care behaviors in patients with type 1 diabetes.

 The current study was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design and a control group. The statistical population included all adolescents with type 1 diabetes who were members of the Bandar Abbas Diabetes Association in 2022. Through purposeful sampling, ‎30 adolescents with type 1 diabetes were selected and randomly (odd and even numbers) divided into intervention (15 participants) and control groups (15 participants). Psychological well-being education was presented to the experimental group in 10 weekly 90-minute group sessions. In contrast, the control group did not receive any interventions. The research tools include the Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) (Shier & Carver, 1985) and Revised Diabetes Self-Management Questionnaire ‎‎(DSMQ-R)‎ (Tolbert et al., 2000). Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was used in the current study (P < 0.05). All statistical analyses were performed in SPSS software.

 The findings of this study showed that psychological well-being training significantly increased optimism (F = 25.43; P < 0.001) and self-care behaviors (F = 29.76; P < 0.001).

 It can be concluded that psychological well-being intervention was beneficial for patients with type 1 diabetes and it showed promising effects on clinically relevant outcomes.

 Today, many people suffer from digestive system diseases. It seems that sufficient attention has not been paid to the role of psychological treatment methods in reducing the pain of these patients. The present study was conducted with the aim to compare the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) on alexithymia in patients with gastrointestinal disease.

 This semi-experimental research was performed with a pretest-posttest design and an unequal control group. The sample was selected using convenience sampling and consisted of 45 people (ACT, MBCT, and control groups). The intervention groups participated in ACT (Hayes et al, 2012) and MBCT (Crane, 2017) sessions. The control group did not receive any intervention. All participants completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) (Bagby, James, Parker, Graeme, & Taylor, 1994) in the pretest and posttest. The statistical method used in this research was univariate analysis of covariance. The data were analyzed in SPSS software.

 ACT and MBCT treatment methods significantly reduce alexithymia (P < 0.0001). However, there was no difference between the effects of the two treatment methods in alexithymia recovery.

 Based on the results of this study, both treatments can reduce the symptoms of emotional dyslexia in patients with gastrointestinal tract diseases. The results of this study can be useful to specialists in this field, and show the necessity of using psychological services to reduce psychosocial problems.

 After the global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), many medical schools moved to online classrooms, resulting in lower social interactions and higher psychological issues among medical students, which can be associated with suicide ideation. This study aimed to predict suicide ideation based on perceived social support, personality traits, and meaning of life in medical students.

 This prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted on medical students of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, from 2021 to 2022. Based on the convenience sampling method, suicide ideation was assessed using the last Persian-translated valid questionnaires, including the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSSI), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), the revised form of the NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R), and Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ). The data were collected by filling out the checklist through a social media-based questionnaire and analyzed through the Pearson correlation coefficient and multivariate regression analysis by SPSS software.

 385 medical students [184 men with a mean ± standard deviation (SD) of age of: 27.9 ± 5.5] were included in the final analysis. The results showed a significant correlation between social support, personality traits, and meaning of life in medical students with suicide ideation (P < 0.01). Regression analyses also revealed a difference between social support, personality traits, and meaning in life (P < 0.05) which was more prominent in the neuroticism trait (β = 0.74).

 Perceived social support, personality traits, and meaning in life can predict the suicide ideation of medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 The mental health and job satisfaction of an organization's members are two of the most essential factors in its progress. The present research was conducted with the aim to assess the effect of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) on the mental health and job satisfaction of hospital staff.

 The current semi-experimental study was performed with a pretest-posttest design and a control group in 2022. The statistical population included the medical personnel of Baghdad Hospital, Iraq. Using a simple random sampling method, 140 people were chosen as a statistical sample and divided into two experimental and control groups. A demographic characteristics questionnaire, and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ; Goldberg, 1972) and Job Descriptive Index (JDI; Smith et al., 1969) were utilized for data collection. The data analyses were performed utilizing analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS software.

 The results showed that ACT was effective on job satisfaction (F = 7.76; P < 0.001) and mental health subscales including physical symptoms (F = 9.42; P < 0.001), anxiety (F = 16.84; P < 0.001), social dysfunction (F = 10.34; P < 0.001), and depression (F = 10.64; P < 0.001).

 It can be concluded that ACT improved hospital treatment staff's mental health and job satisfaction. As a result, special consideration should be given to issues concerning the mental health of treatment personnel such as doctors and nurses. Psychological interventions can be very effective in this regard.

 Cancers are one of the most important diseases of the century among the cause of death after cardiovascular disease. Detection of cancer, followed by prolonged treatments, is usually a stressful experience. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of positive psychology training on distress tolerance and optimism in patients with leukemia.

 This quasi-experimental study was conducted with a pretest-posttest design, follow-up, and a control group. The statistical population of the study included all patients with leukemia who had referred to Valiasr Hospital in Khorramshahr, Iran, in 2020; 30 of them were selected using a purposive sampling method, and randomly assigned to an experimental group and a control group (15 individuals in each group). To collect data, the Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS) (Simmons & Gaher, 2005) and Life Orientation Test (LOT) (Scheier & Carver, 1993) were used. The experimental group underwent positive psychology training (14 weekly 90-minute sessions) based on Rashid's treatment protocol (2008), but the control group received no treatments. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS software.

 The results showed that positive psychology training was effective in increasing distress tolerance (F = 34.30; P < 0.001) and optimism (F = 10.10; P < 0.001) in patients with leukemia.

 According to the results, positive psychology can be used to increase distress tolerance and optimism in patients with leukemia.

 The prevalence of sleep disorders is different in international studies. Sleep disorders are among the most prevalent disorders among children. Various factors are involved in the pathogenesis of these disorders. The present study was conducted with the aim to determine the prevalence of sleep disorders and the related factors in Iranian preschool children.

 This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 384 children of 3-6 years of age in Isfahan, Iran, in 2020. The statistical population consisted of 17000 children in kindergartens under the supervision of the Isfahan Welfare Organization. Using Krejcie and Morgan’s table, the children were selected through multi-stage cluster sampling. The data were collected by the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC) completed by mothers. The data were analyzed using Pearson and Spearman correlation, and multiple regression analysis in SPSS software.

 The results revealed that 19.01% of children (n = 37) had disorders of initiating and maintaining sleep (DIMS)‎, 7.29% of children (n = 28) had sleep breathing disorders, 22.3% of them (n = 86) had sleep-wake transition disorders (SWTD), 23.1% of children (n = 89) had disorders of excessive somnolence (DOES), 16.9% of children (n = 65) had sleep hyperhidrosis, and 19.01% of them (n = 73) had sleep disorders or disorders of arousal nightmares in some cases. Regression analysis also showed that the incidence of sleep disorders was significantly related to gender and fathers’ level of education, i.e., 1.1% of variations in children’s sleep disorders were explained by gender (P < 0.05), and 3.1% of the variations was explained by fathers’ level of education (P < 0.001).

 The high prevalence of sleep problems among children necessitates informing parents and healthcare providers about the importance of healthy sleep patterns.

 The aim of the present study was to evaluate the level of organizational climate (OC) and psychological empowerment (PE), and to investigate the relationship between them from the nurses' point of view.

 A descriptive correlational design study was performed on nurses working in psycho-social health units in primary health care centers from August 25, 2022 to October 10, 2022. A convenience sample of 84 nurses was used in the study, and the actual data were collected by using a self-report method, a questionnaire that included three parts: social-demographic variables, the Organizational Climate Questionnaire (OCQ), and the Psychological Empowerment Scale (PES). Descriptive data were determined through frequency, percentage, mean of the score, and standard deviation (SD). Additionally, inferential statistical analysis involved the use of analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson correlation, and linear regression. The data were analyzed using SPSS software.

 73.8% of nurses reported a favorable perception of the OC, while 66.7% reported a high level of PE. The study also found a significant positive relationship between OC and PE (r = 0.637, P < 0.01), indicating that a more favorable OC was associated with higher levels of PE among nurses.

 The nurses reported high PE and a positive perception of the OC. The study also found a mutually reinforcing relationship between PE and OC, indicating that higher levels of PE were associated with a more favorable OC, and vice versa.

 The numerous psychophysical problems caused by multiple sclerosis (MS) decrease quality of life (QOL) and individual and social performance. Finding solutions to these problems and investigating them using reliable tools are crucial. This study was conducted with the aim to examine the psychometric properties of an Iranian scale for behavioral rehabilitation strategies in patients with MS.

 A cross-sectional study with convenience sampling was conducted in 206 patients with MS at neurology clinics in Isfahan, Iran, in 2021-2022. The patients responded to the Coping with Health Injuries and Problems (CHIP) questionnaire. The content validity of the scale was assessed using Lawshe’s content validity ratio (CVR) and content validity index (CVI), and exploratory factor analysis, and face and content validity and reliability were used to identify the factors in this population. SPSS software was used to analyze the collected data.

 The CVI and CVR were calculated for each item without eliminating or changing the items. ‎The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated (ICC: 0.093 [95%CI: -0.539-0.65]; P = 0.39). The 5 factors of the model comprised palliative coping, instrumental coping, task-oriented coping, detachment coping, and cognitive avoidance coping. Saturation was reached with 26 items and 54% of the total variance was explained. With an acceptable Cronbach’s alpha of 0.69, the CHIP scale can be used for Iranian patients with MS to determine their treatment plan. Palliative coping and instrumental coping were available in the original tool, and the present study identified task-oriented coping, detachment coping, and cognitive avoidance coping.

 This validation demonstrated the compatibility of the CHIP scale with the specific characteristics of Iranian patients with MS.

 Among all the problems that can occur in a marital relationship, infidelity is the most severe and most threatening to the stability of the relationship. The purpose of this research was to investigate the effectiveness of affective-reconstructive couple therapy (ARCT) on stress symptoms and trust in women affected by infidelity.

 The present semi-experimental research was conducted with a pretest-posttest design and follow-up. The statistical population of the study included all women referred to the counseling clinic of Eltiam and Mehrafza in Babolsar city, Iran, between 2020 to 2022 due to marital infidelity. The sample included 24 couples, which were selected through convenience sampling method and randomly divided into two groups, 12 couples in the experimental group (ARCT) and 12 couples of the control group. The Stress Symptoms Inventory (SSI) designed by Khodayarifar‎ (2001) and Trust Scale designed by Rempel, Holmes‎, and Zanna (1985) were used to collect data. The collected data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) in SPSS software.

 The obtained results showed that ARCT was effective in decreasing the stress symptoms (F = 140.00; P ≤ 0.05) of women affected by infidelity and improving trust in marital relationship (F = 237.59; P ≤ 0.05).

 According to the findings, it can be said that ARCT is effective in reducing emotional problems and improving stress symptoms of women affected by infidelity. Moreover, the research results showed that this couple therapy approach is effective in trust reconstruction in marital relationships.

 Patients with migraine show resistance to drug treatments due to their side effects; therefore, identifying and using effective psychological interventions can be important in improving their condition. The present study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) on migraine attacks.

 This was a semi-experimental research with a pretest-posttest design, a follow-up period, and a control group. Forty-five women who had been referred to the Future Vision Clinic in Tehran, Iran, in 2019, and were diagnosed with migraine were randomly divided into 2 experimental groups and a control group (each group of 15 people). Then, the CBT was performed according to the protocol of Otis and the EMDR was performed according to the protocol of Shapiro. No intervention was applied in the control group. All participants in the study responded to the daily headache and visual analog scale (VAS) at the beginning, end, and one month after the end of the treatment. The data were analyzed by SPSS software and by multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA).

 These two treatments led to a greater reduction of migraine attacks compared to the control conditions, and in the meantime, the effectiveness of EMDR was higher than CBT (P < 0.05).

 Based on the results of this research, it can be said that the effectiveness of EMDR has been higher than CBT in reducing migraine attacks.

 Cancer is usually caused by malfunctioning of regulatory mechanisms of cell growth and division, and this malfunction itself is caused by genetic damage that is often caused by chemicals, hormones, and sometimes viruses. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of integrated transdiagnostic group therapy in reducing the symptoms of chronic pain, depression, and anxiety among cancer patients.

 The present research method was semi-experimental with a pretest-posttest design, and a control group. For this purpose, 62 cancer patients were selected from the treatment centers for cancer patients according to the objectives of the research and the study inclusion criteria, and were randomly divided into two control and experimental groups. The tools used in this research were the Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire (CPAQ), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Beck ‎Anxiety Inventory (BAI) (McCracken, Vowles, & Eccleston, 2004‎), which was completely optional. The research data were analyzed using analysis of covariance in SPSS software at a significance level of 0.05.

 The results obtained from the data analysis showed that the integrated transpersonal treatment significantly reduced the symptoms of depression (F = 129.05; P < 0.01), anxiety (F = 20.94; P < 0.01), and chronic pain (F = 123.65; P < 0.01).

 These findings indicate that the components affecting the mechanism of action in integrated transdiagnostic treatment can have a significant effect on reducing the level of chronic pain symptoms and depression and anxiety in cancer patients through the modification of emotional and cognitive systems.

 High levels of stress and fear of COVID-19 infection in high-risk places negatively affect visiting hygiene professionals and receiving health services including dentistry. This study was conducted with the aim to determine the impact of COVID-19 induced anxiety and Oral Health Literacy (OHL) on dental services during COVID-19 pandemic in the general population in Iran.

 This online cross-sectional study was performed on 307 individuals (244 women and 63 men) using convenient sampling method, at the time of COVID-19 outbreak (October and November 2021) in Tehran city. A demographic characteristics form, the COVID-19 Induced Anxiety Scale (CIAS) (Riad et al., 2021), and the Oral Health Literacy Questionnaire (OHLQ) (Naghibi Sistani et al., 2013) were used to collect data with items related to the rate and reasons for visiting/not visiting dentists. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and Pearson correlation test in SPSS software.

 The results revealed no significant differences between those who had and those who had not had dental visits in terms of COVID-19 induced anxiety (P > 0.05). However, there was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of OHL (P ≤ 0.05). In addition, no significant correlation was found between OHL and COVID-19 anxiety (P > 0.05).

 Notwithstanding the risk of Corona virus transmission in offices/clinics, higher levels of OHL caused more desire to use dentistry services in the public.

 Patients with hypertension (HTN) are likely to be threatened by mental health issues like anxiety and depression, which can limit their personal and social lives. Cognitive therapy is one of the proposed treatments for these issues. The present research aims to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive therapy intervention on the mental health of patients with HTN.

 The current clinical trial study was examined by considering the pre- and post-test stages and the control group. In 2022, the statistical population contained 861 patients with HTN referred to Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq. A simple random sampling procedure chose a statistical sample of 120 patients and separated them into two experimental and control groups (60 people per group). For data analysis, the independent t-test and the paired t-test were utilized in SPSS software; moreover, P-value was less than 0.05.

 No significant difference was observed between the both groups regarding general health and its subscales in the pre-test stage (P > 0.05), while in the post-test stage, there was a significant difference between the both groups (P < 0.001). In addition, there was a significant difference in general health in the experimental group between the pre-test (60.47 ± 9.17) and post-test (45.55 ± 8.43) (P < 0.001). In the control group, there was no significant difference between the pre- and post-test stages (P > 0.05).

 Cognitive therapy intervention has appropriate effectiveness on the mental health of patients with HTN and reduces physical symptoms, anxiety, social dysfunction, and depression.

 The purpose of this research was to compare the effectiveness of family care based on the health belief model, and health-promoting styles training on the illness perception and somatic symptoms of patients with asthma.

 This semi-experimental research was conducted with a pretest-posttest design, follow-up, and a control group. The statistical population of this research included patients with mild asthma who were referred to Shahid Fayaz Bakhsh Hospital in Tehran, Iran, in the spring of 2019. Using purposive sampling, 45 of them were selected and randomly assigned to 2 intervention groups and 1 control group. The research tools included a demographic questionnaire, and the Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ) and St. George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). After the implementation of the health belief and health-promoting style interventions, repeated measures analysis of variance was used to analyze the data.

 The results of the Bonferroni post hoc test indicate a significant difference between the averages of the experimental and control groups, as well as in the pretest stage with the posttest, and pretest with follow-up in terms of the severity of the somatic symptoms. Moreover, they indicate the positive effect of the health promotion intervention and the health belief intervention in the experimental group and the continuation of these effects in the follow-up phase.

 It can be concluded that there was a significant difference between the averages of the experimental and control groups, as well as in the pretest stage with the posttest, and pretest with follow-up in terms of the illness perception variable, which indicate the positive effect of the health promotion intervention and the health belief intervention in the experimental group and the continuation of these effects in the follow-up phase.