International Journal of Behavioral Sciences
Volume:4 Issue: 3, 2010

Quality of child and caregiver relationship is a basic concept in association with child development influencing factors. As mother’s positive response to child is one of the important factors in forming safe attachment, mother’s perception of child’s motives is of great importance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate Iranian mothers’ perception of motives underlying their children’s behavior in attachment situations and their view about proper response to these behaviors, and also cultural comparison of this phenomenon. This qualitative descriptive study was performed on 30 Iranian mothers who had 3-5 years old children, selected randomly from 3 of Tehran’s nursery schools in 2009. Five situations were described for research units, and they were asked to tell the reason of the child’s behavior and the proper response from their point of view. Data was analyzed using qualitative method. There was relationship between mothers’ perception of children’s motives and their proper response. In nap time situation safety and interdependence was of more attention than other situations and this situation received more positive response. The cultural comparison showed more similarity between perception of Iranian and Japanese mothers and they paid more attention to safety and interdependence than American mothers. Behaviors more attributed to seeking safety and interdependence; receive more positive responses from mothers. Based on cultural values and beliefs, there are differences in mother’s perception of child’s motives and responses to child’s behaviors.

It is essential to suggest a model which will be able to guide researchers to best predictions in future studies by precise evaluation of new, highly capable predicor models along with comparing them to current statistical methods and finding their strong and weak points. The purpose of this study was comparison of Artificial Neural Networks and Regression methods in prediction of marital satisfaction on the based on personality characteristics. This correlation study was performed on 300 spouses residing in 3 university dormitories of Tehran, who were selected by random multi-stage sampling method in year 2008. Data was collected by NEO-Five Factor Inventory and ENRICH Inventory questionnaires and was analyzed using Multi Layer Perseptron Artificial Neural Network, multiple regression analyses, correlation analyses and independent t-test by MATLAB 6.5 and SPSS 16 softwares. Artificial Neural Network was more successful than regression methods in prediction of marital satisfaction based on personality characteristics (p<0.05). Factors of male neuroticism, male conscientiousness and female conscientiousness explained for 24.4% of variance of male marital satisfaction (p<0.037). Results of current research provides a background for designing a dynamic model of Artificial Neural Network with capability of marital satisfaction prediction and this will have a great effect on family council quality in Iran.

Attention to care giving consequences has been restricted to schizophrenia. Evidence suggests that living with depressive patients can also cause psychiatric problems in caregivers. The aim of this study was to evaluate mental health and life satisfaction among caregivers of depressed patients and members of non-depressed families. This cross sectional study was performed on 70 caregivers of depressed patients and 70 members of non-depressed families in year 2007. Caregivers of depressed patients were selected by simple random sampling from mental health centers of Hafez and Ebn-e-Sina Hospital in Shiraz and the control group were selected among staff and students of mentioned hospitals. Data was collected using temporal life satisfaction scale and general health questionnaire, both of which having acceptable validity and reliability. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation, dependent T-test and analysis of variance for repeated measure with Bonferoni correction by SPSS 10 software. There was significant correlation between life satisfaction and mental health among caregivers of depressed patients and members of non-depressed families. The relatives of depressed patients reported higher life satisfaction. There was no significant difference between general health levels of two groups. Caregivers of depressed patients showed higher symptoms of depression. The highest life satisfaction was for future and the lowest was for past. Providing care for a depressed patient could increase life satisfaction; meanwhile, depressive symptoms may also increase. Care giving to a depressed patient has positive and negative aspects; it can be simultaneously exhausting and satisfying.

There is growing concern about internet addiction and accessing a valid and reliable assessment tool based on DSM diagnostic criteria which can differentiate normal internet users and internet addicts, is very limited. Young internet addiction questionnaire is one of valid available questionnaires. This study was designed to investigate psychometric properties of the mentioned questionnaire. This descriptive cross-sectional survey research was performed on 233 Isfahan university students in 2008. Research units were selected by quota sampling from universities of Isfahan and completed demographic questionnaire, Young Internet Addiction Test and YDQ. A clinical interview based on DSM-IV-TR was performed on all samples. Data were analyzed using factor analysis, internal consistency, Cronbach’s alpha, bisection, test-retest and ROC curve by SPSS 12. Results­: Factor analysis by principal component and Varimax rotation revealed five factors of social problems, effect on performance, lack of control, pathological use of chat rooms and neglecting educational and occupational duties. Content and convergent validity, Internal consistency (α =0.88), test–retest reliability (r=0.82) and bisection (r=0.72) were determined and all were acceptable, regarding results. Best cut off point for the questionnaire was 46. Young ’s Internet Addiction Test has acceptable psychometric properties and is a valid and reliable tool that may be used in psychological and psychiatric studies in order to screen normal internet users and internet addicts.

Since sensation seeking people search for new experiences, the attractive environment of internet makes this possible for them and identity can affect internet addiction through sensation seeking. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the direct and indirect effect of identity on internet addiction through sensation seeking. This study was performed on 280 internet users of café nets in Kerman who were selected by multi-stage sampling method in year 2009. Data was collected using the Berzonsky identity styles inventory, Zuckerman sensation seeking questionnaire and Young internet addiction questionnaire. Structural equation modeling was used to assess the relationship between latent and measured variables in a conceptual model. Data was analyzed by SPSS 11.5. The evaluated model had adequate goodness-of-fit indices. Identity latent variable affected internet addiction directly and indirectly through sensation seeking. Results indicated that identity and sensation seeking had effect on internet addiction. Also, all of the regression weights in the model were statistically significant at the level of 0.05. Identity affects internet addiction directly and indirectly. Results also demonstrate the effect of sensation seeking on internet addiction.

A sexual relationship which is able to satisfy both sides has an important and fundamental role in success and constancy of family foundation. Recognizing sexual function and its components can lead to sexual satisfaction and ultimately to marital satisfaction that has an important effect on couples’ adjustment. The aim of present research was to identify the relationship between women’s sexual function and their marital adjustment and their husbands’ marital adjustment. This correlation research was performed in 2009 on 60 couples who were selected by random sampling among residents of Tarbiat-Modarres University married dormitory. Data was gathered by Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and Marital Adjustment Questionnaire which are highly valid and reliable. Data was analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and multivariate regression by SPSS 14 software. There was a significant positive correlation between women’s sexual function and its components and their marital adjustment and also their husbands’ marital adjustment. Also women’s sexual function components explained for 25% of their marital adjustment variance and 34% of their husbands’ marital adjustment variance. Sexual function has role in predicting marital adjustment. Paying attention to women’s sexual function and providing proper information and necessary trainings in this field and enhancing the rate of women sexual function, can help to their marriage continuity and marital adjustment.

It is necessary to notice the relationship between subjective well-being and creativity. University students’ success in their activities can highly depend on their satisfaction with quality of life and their creativity. The purpose of present study was to investigate the relationship between creativity and subjective well-being among Al-Zahra university students. This correlation study was performed on 300 subjects selected among Al-Zahra university students in year 2009 based on available sampling. Abedi creativity test was used in order to assess students’ creativity and subjective well-being was measured by adult subjective well-being questionnaire which evaluates emotional, psychological and social dimensions of subjective well-being. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient and stepwise regression by SPSS 31 software. T here was a significant correlation between creativity and subjective well-being (r=0.46; p<0.01). The results of stepwise regression showed that among components of creativity, fluency and flexibility, in general, explained for 25% of the variance in subjective well-being. The other components of creativity hadn’t played an important role in subjective well-being. Having a delightful mentality and satisfaction with living conditions may have an important effect on original and new acts and insights. Furthermore, positive emotions also can be created from these new acts and insights.

Numerous clinical studies have been performed to help realizing basic fundamentals of social anxiety disorder in past two decades. Role of recognition in forming and continuity of social anxiety disorder has been a center of attention for a long time. This study was designed to compare attention bias toward emotional faces in social anxiety disorder patients, generalized anxiety disorder patients and normal people. This causal-comparative study was performed on 15 social anxiety disorder patients, 10 generalized anxiety disorder patients and two normal people selected by available sampling among patients of psychiatric centers and clinics of Shiraz in year 2009. Study units recognized positive and negative emotional faces among neutral faces by computerized task of emotional face detection in crowd. Data was analyzed using variance analysis with repeated measures by SPSS 17. Social anxiety disorder patients showed more avoidance from positive emotional faces and had more attention bias to negative emotional faces in compared to normal people. There was significant difference in differentiation of emotional faces and reaction times among groups depended on number of presented faces based on face types. Social anxiety disorder patients interpret smiling faces as a threatening stimulant and avoid them; therefore, they detect the location of negative faces more correctly than positive faces as a behavioral avoidance strategy.

Cultural studies have shown that there are cultural differences among people’s reasoning methods towards the universe. Considering intercultural studies, no study has been performed in order to assess personal and impersonal moral judgments. The purpose of this study was to investigate the responses and reaction times for personal and impersonal moral judgments and its comparison with Greene’s study (2004 and 2008) in western culture. This retrospective study was performed on 60 university students of different majors selected among Shahid Beheshti University students based on available sampling in year 2009. 20 dilemmas including 12 personal and 8 impersonal, were translated and presented to research units using computer and in audible format. They announced answers by pushing two keys to show their approval or disapproval for decisions proposed in dilemmas. Their answers and reaction times were recorded. Data was analyzed by Spearman’s rank correlation and Z statistics using SPSS 16. There was no significant difference between the rank order of reaction times to personal and impersonal dilemmas. Positive responses to personal and impersonal dilemmas were significantly different from past studies. It seems that there are significant cultural differences in moral judgments and culture has a dominant role in emotional moral decision-making along with cognitive and emotional factors.

Risk-taking behaviors are verified as behaviors that are correlated to some unpleasant consequences and adolescence is an important period for beginning of risk-taking behaviors. Adolescents have tendency to risk-taking situations and there are major extending social harms in Iran. This study was performed to determine the order of priority for risk- taking behavior predicting factors in adolescents and to help making more precise decisions in order to decrease risk-taking behaviors and also to assess the role of sex in effect of mentioned factors. This correlation study was performed on 316 students selected by cluster and purposeful sampling in Zahedan in year 2004-2005. Data gathering tools consisted of risk-taking behavior, family function, self-control and attachment researcher-made questionnaires. Data were analyzed using correlation tests and stepwise regression by SPSS 15.5. The entrance order of variables in adolescents’ risk-taking behavior predicting model was “control against freedom”, “self-control”, “control with convincing method by parents” and “resolving family problems by convincing method”. The entrance order of variables in adolescents’ risk-taking behavior predicting model was different in girls and boys. Control with convincing method by parents and developing self-control are of most important measures suggested in order to reduce adolescents’ risk-taking behaviors.