Journal of Fundamentals of Mental Health
Volume:12 Issue: 1, 2010

Drug abuse as a universal problem has persuaded numerous theories and researches. Many study methods and tests have been developed to measure explicit and implicit aspects of addictive behaviors. The current article has been planned to review theories and researches which had tried to clarify the uncontrollable nature of addictive behaviors. Moreover, various viewpoints of development of automatic cognitive processes and their classification and evaluation methods have been discussed.Text: The addiction stroop test has been extensively used to measure the implicit cognitions, particularly attention bias toward addictive stimuli. After explaining various aspects of classic stroop test, paper and computerized versions and the way of making them have been discussed, emphasized on computer technology utilization. Based on theoretical perspectives, existing literature and resources, some technical points which are required to be regarded, have been represented. The growing evidence supports the importance of implicit and automatic cognitive processes in make decisions to use substances. Consequently, assessment techniques for automatic cognitions processes such as attention bias have become quite important. There are various techniques evaluating attention bias toward addiction related stimuli. Focus on subtle features of the addiction stroop test will enhance its validity and reliability as a measure of addiction attention bias.

This research was designed to assess the relationship between emotional intelligence and its components with symptoms of borderline personality disorder in a non-clinical population. Inthis descriptive-correlation study 358 students were randomly selected from various faculties of Shiraz University in Shiraz city, south western part of Iran during 2008-9. Emotional Intelligence and symptoms of borderline personality disorder were assessed by Trait Meta Mood Scale (TMMS) and Schizotypal Trait Questionnaire-B form (STB), respectively. Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis tests were used to analyze data. There was a significant reverse relationship between the general scores of emotional intelligence and borderline personality disorder (P<0.001). Also there were significant reverse relationships between emotional intelligence components (attention, clarity and repair) and symptoms of borderline personality disorder (hopelessness, impulsivity and stress related dissociative and paranoid symptoms) (P<0.001). Multiple regression analysis showed that clarity of feelings is the unique component of emotional intelligence which can predict borderline personality disorder and its factors. Emotional intelligence is reversely related to symptoms of borderline personality disorder and clarity of feelings is capable to predict symptoms of borderline personality disorder.

Multidimensional and complex nature of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) requires assessment and usage of modern treatments. This study was planned to investigate the effectiveness of Wells’ metacognitive model on thought fusion symptoms in patients with OCD as an important aspect of metacognitive beliefs. This semi-experimental study was conducted with pretest-posttest and follow-up design, using control group. From all OCD patients visited in psychology clinics in Shiraz city, south western part of Iran in 2008, 24 patients were selected through the objective sampling method and randomly divided into two equal experimental and control groups. Experimental group experienced 8 weeks of Wells’ metacognitive therapy, while control group were just followed. Thought fusion instrument (TFI) was used in pretest, posttest and 2-month follow-up as the study instrument. Data were analyzed by descriptive indices and multivariate analysis of covariance, using SPSS software. The experimental group showed significant decreases in thought fusion general score and its triple items in post-test and follow-up, compared with control group (P<0.001). Wells’ metacognitive model is beneficial in decreasing thought fusion in OCD patients.

The present study was planned to evaluate the level of expressed emotion (EE), depression and caregiver burden in wives of veterans admitted in Ibn-e-Sina psychiatric hospital and determine the relationship with number of readmissions in 6-month follow up. This cross-sectional study was performed on 50 veterans hospitalized in Ibn-e-Sina psychiatric hospital and their wives in 2008. Psychiatric disorders had been diagnosed based on semi structural clinical interview and DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria and the severity of illnesses was assessed with clinical global impression scale (CGI-S). Beck depression inventory (BDI), family burden interview scale (FBIS) and the level of expressed emotion (LEE) tests were performed for wives. The number of readmission of veterans was assessed 6 months later. Data were analyzed by Pearson correlation, Mann-Whitney and ANOVA tests. It was shown that42% of wives had mild depression, 26% had moderate depression and 8% had severe depression. Also 52% of them were suffering from severe caregiver burden and 14% had high EE. Veteran's average number of readmission in 6 months follow up was 1.6±1.28. The average of FBIS scores in wives was 31±10.49. There was no significant relationship between average of LEE (P=0.67), BDI (P=0.19) and FBIS (P=0.92) scores and LEE subsets in wives with the number of veteran's readmissions. The level of expressed emotion, depression and caregiver burden in wives are not related with the number of readmission in veterans admitted in psychiatric hospital in Iran.

Emergency technicians meet various physical and psychological stresses in a working day which may affect their health and occupational qualification. This research was carried out to investigate the most common burn-out factors in EMS technicians and make a plan to reduce these stressors. This descriptive study was done to determine the individual, interpersonal, directional, environmental and patient care job stressors in 173 EMS technicians in 2009 in Mashhad, north eastern part of Iran. To collect data, standardized job stressors questionnaire for nurses had been modified for pre-hospital EMS technicians by two pilot studies. Data were analyzed by SPSS software, using chi square, Pearson correlation and ANOVA tests. The most common job stressors were insufficient resting time, facility insufficiencies, not having a precise occupational evaluation, shortage of personnel, dealing with contaminants and employment status. Directional and environmental job stressors had the most severe stressor effects, while interpersonal factors had the least effect. Job stressors were significantly related with age (P=0. 0001), employment status (P=0. 0000) and consecutive working shifts (P=0. 0013). ِDespite of personnel of hospitals, in EMS technicians, stress is intensified by directional and environmental factors.

This semi-experimental study was conducted in Khorram Abad city, western part of Iran in 2007-8. Cluster sampling method was used to select 418 students among who were studying in third grade of guidance school in Khorram Abad. All subjects completed the personal identity inventory as a pre-test, and then 32 students who obtained the higher scores were selected and randomly divided into two groups. Sixteen students formed the experimental group, who were received 10 sessions of group counseling based on reality therapy. Control group were 16 students, who did not experience any intervention. At last, experimental and control groups fulfilled the personal identity inventory once more as a post-test. Descriptive indices, multi-variable regression and ANCOVA tests were used to analyze the data. Mean of personal identity score of students was 12.65 ± 7.43 and 72 persons suffered from high amount of identity crisis. Multi-variable regression showed thatgroup counseling based on reality therapy approach could significantly reduce the identity crisis among students (P<0.05). However, there was not any difference in effectiveness of the method between girls and boys (P>0.05). Group counseling method based on reality therapy is recommended to treat identity crisis in adolescents, regardless of their gender differences.

This study was performed to assess the relationship between personality traits of mothers of schizophrenic patients with their level of expressed emotion (EE). This study was performed on schizophrenic patients who were admitted in May and June 2009 in Ibn-e-Sina Hospital in Mashhad, north-eastern part of Iran. Forty patients were selected through available sampling method (20 males and 20 females). To evaluating the level of EE of mothers, patients were completed expressed emotion level scale, while mothers completed a short form of Neuroticism-Extroversion-Openness Inventory (NEO) assessing their personality traits. SPSS software was used to analyze data through Pearson correlation and stepwise regression analysis tests. Neuroticism personality trait had a significant direct relationship with negative attitude toward illness (P=0.042). Also openness personality trait was significantly related to emotional responsiveness (P=0.001), negative attitude toward illness (P=0.001), tolerance/expectance (P=0.001), total expressed emotion (P=0.001) and intrusiveness/ intervention (P=0.022). Agreeableness personality trait has significant positive relationship to emotional responsive (P=0.001), negative attitude toward illness (P=0.001), tolerance/expectance (P=0.001), total expressed emotion (P=0.001) and intrusiveness/intervention (P=0.047). At last conscientiousness personality trait was positively related to emotional responsive, negative attitude toward illness, tolerance/expectance and total expressed emotion (P=0.01). Level of expressed emotion in mothers of schizophrenic patients is related to their personality traits.

Quality of life is one of the important factors in evaluating health problems in different societies.

In this descriptive-analytic study 700 individuals aged 15 to 64, were selected through the random sampling method in Kurdistan, western part of Iran, in 2007 and their quality of life was evaluated by Euro His questionnaire. Data was analyzed by SPSS software using independent t, ANOVA, Pearson correlation and multi-variable regression tests.

In this study, quality of life in men was significantly better than women (P=0.001), and in rural regions was better than urban regions (P=0.01). People with more exercise activities had better quality of life (P=0.002), while the smokers (P<0.05) and also the elder people had worse quality of life (P<0.001, r= -0.197); the heavier (P=0.01, r=0.095) and the taller ones had better quality of life (P<0.001, r= 0.193). Uneducated people had lower quality of life (P<0.001, F=13.246), while more income was leading to higher quality of life (P<0.001, F=13.814).

Between adults of Kurdistan, western part of Iran, quality of life was worse significantly in women, elder people, people with lack of exercise and with smoking habit.