International Journal of Behavioral Sciences
Volume:7 Issue: 1, 2013

The aim of present study was to assess the influence of mindfulness based on cognitive therapy (MBCT) on reducing the child- parental conflicts in adolescence. The method was experimental with pre- posttest design. Population includes all female in guidance school in Tehran city. 28 girl students that were obtain high score in child- parental conflicts inventory، selected with cluster sampling method and then assigned in tow groups (experimental and control) randomly. Experimental group received 8 sessions intervention based on MBCT. Covariance were used for analyzing data. Analyzing data through Covariance showed that mindfulness has influenced to reduce the child- parental conflicts in adolescence. More results indicated that the MBCT enhanced the reasoning strategies in students significantly. In whole findings indicated the effectiveness of MBCT in reducing child parental conflicts.

This present study was an attempt to assess the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral group therapy in thought-action fusion، thought suppression، and guilt feeling in female university students. It was a quasi-experimental study with pretest-posttest design. Initially، 518 female BA students at the University of Chamran، Ahvaz، Iran were randomly selected and were asked to respond to three scales: Thought-Action Fusion Scale، Thought Suppression Scale، and Guilt Feeling Scale. From among participants scoring higher than one standard deviation، 30 were selected and were randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. The treatment group underwent eight 60 minute sessions of cognitive-behavioral therapy. The results of multivariate covariance showed that cognitive behavior therapy could significantly reduce thought-action fusion، thought suppression، and guilt feeling in the experimental group. Cognitive behavior therapy can be helpful in increasing individuals’ awareness and decreasing thought-action fusion، thought suppression، and guilt feeling among female university students.

This study investigated the effect of Danger Ideation Reduction Therapy (DIRT) and the techniques for memory enhancement in patients with Washing Obsessive-Compulsive disorder (OCD). It was an experimental study with a pretest-posttest design. Six hundred female bachelor and master students (aging between 22 and 28) were chosen from among the student population at the Universities of Tehran. Obsessive-Compulsory inventory and Veksler memory test were used to collect data. Based on the results of these tests، 12 participants who had a low score in the memory test and had washing compulsion were selected and randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. The treatment group underwent danger ideation reduction therapy and memory enhancement technique instruction for 10 weeks (2 sessions a week، 90 minutes each). The experimental group showed a significant improvement after the treatment on Veksler memory test at post-test as well as the follow-ups. The findings showed that it is possible to improve functioning of memory in patients with OCD using a combination of suggested DIRT and memory reinforcement techniques.

The present study was an attempt to investigate the effectiveness of meta-cognitive therapy and cognitive therapy in reducing meta-worry in students suffering from test anxiety. It was a quasi-experimental study with pretest-posttest design with a control group. The population of study comprised of every graduate female students in Tarbiat Modares University. They were initially screen using Spielberger anxiety questionnaire، and 15 participants who met exclusion-inclusion criteria were selected and randomly assigned to three groups of meta-cognitive therapy، cognitive therapy، and control group (5 in each group). The experimental groups received 8 sessions of meta-cognition and cognition therapy while the control group did not receive any intervention. Wells’ Anxious Thoughts Inventory was used at pretest and posttest. The obtained data were analyzed using an ANCOVA. A significant difference was observed among the three groups in reducing meta- worry in students. The results showed that meta-cognitive therapy was more effective than cognitive therapy in reducing meta-worry in students with test anxiety. Also، both meta-cognitive and cognitive therapy showed greater reduction in meta-worry than the control group. The results showed that cognitive therapy was more effective than meta-cognitive therapy in reducing social worry and meta-cognitive therapy was more effective than cognitive therapy in reducing worry about health. Considering the advantage of meta-cognitive therapy over cognitive therapy in reducing meta-worry، it is recommended that therapists use this method in reducing meta-worry in individuals.

The present study was an attempt to standardize and check the psychometric properties of Ego Identity Process Questionnaire among Iranian students. Initially at pilot stage، 150 students of psychology at Shahid Beheshti University responded to the questionnaire، and after revision it was administered to 100 students who were selected using multi-stage cluster sampling. Using confirmatory factor analysis، the eight factor structure was confirmed with 2 domains: ideological and interpersonal. However، the 2 factor structure of commitment and exploration was not confirmed. Using exploratory factor analysis، three factors were identified: commitment، lack of commitment، and discovery. The reliability and validity coefficients were generally satisfactory. Seven items were omitted from the questionnaire، and the resulted 25-item questionnaire formed a homogeneous collection that had a proper factorial structure and was qualified for being used in psychological research and clinical and diagnostic activities.

This study examined the moderating effect of cultural contexts in the relationship between gender and academic stress among male and female Iranian and Swedish university students. The Academic Stress Questionnaire (ASQ) was administered to 212 students (112 Iranian (32 male and 78 female) and 100 Swedish (29 male and 71 female)). Linear Regression analysis was used for data analysis. The results of regression analysis indicated that there was a significant positive correlation between gender and academic stress among Iranian and Swedish students. Results also indicated that the relationship between gender and academic stress was not moderated by cultural context. However، gender was found to be a strong predictor for academic stress for Iranian students in comparison with Swedish ones. Although these findings showed that the relationship between gender and academic stress was not moderated by cultural context، obvious differences in predictive values of standardized regression of academic stress by gender among Iranian and Swedish students support theoretical assumptions underlying transactional theory of stress and expectation theory of sexual role.

The main purpose of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of stress inoculation training method in reducing anxiety and stress in female students. It was a quasi-experimental study with pretest-posttest design having a control group. The studied population was all female students at the Payam Noor University of Kan-gan، Iran. The sample comprised of l00 participants selected based on convenience sampling. They were required to complete two questionnaires: Cattle Anxiety and Masleg stress syn-drome questionnaires. From among the sample، 30 participants with high levels of anxiety and stress were randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. The treatment group under-went 10 sessions of stress inoculation training. Results showed that stress inoculation training could significantly reduce stress and anxiety in students. The results of MANOVA showed that the linear combination of depend-ent variables (anxiety and stress) can decrease distress. Stress inoculation training can be used as a prevention and therapy method for anxiety and stress in student.

Considering the influence of stress on individuals Mental Health and the necessity of counteracting such pressures، the present study aimed at investigating the relationship of the stress coping strategies and emotional intelligence with mental health. It was a descriptive study using exploring relationship between variables and 289 female students participating in University Entrance Exam preparation courses at the 4th educational district in Tehran were selected using cluster random sampling. They responded to three questionnaires: Confronting Stressful Conditions of Barker & Endler Questionnaire، Shut''s Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire، and General Health Questionnaire of Goldberg & Miller. Pearson correlation، stepwise multiple regression، and analysis of variance were used for data analysis. The use of problem-oriented coping style is more common in students with higher emotional intelligence. Furthermore، problem-oriented students enjoyed a better mental health than emotionally-oriented students. However، there was not a significant difference with regard to mental health between emotionally-oriented students and avoidance-oriented ones. Also، mental health was higher in students with higher emotional intelligence in comparison with students with lower emotional intelligence Conclusion It is necessary for the teenage students to learn how to counteract with educational، cognitive، and emotional stress.

The goal of the current study was evaluation of the pain related psychological similarities in patients suffering from musculoskeletal chronic pains and their spouses who had visited the orthopedic clinic in Atieh Hospital.

Based on the inclusion/exclusion criteria such as the ability to read and write and the ability to work with both hands، 59 couples visiting the clinic were selected and were asked to answer VAS، Tampa Scale of Kinesio phobia، pain catastrophizing questionnaire and DASS-42. Also they were asked to do the Pictorial Dot-Probe task.

The results showed no significant differences in TSK، rumination scale، magnification scale، and VAS scores in patients with chronic pain and their spouses.

It seems that musculoskeletal chronic pains affect both patients’ and their spouses'' beliefs، cognition، and behaviors. Such influences can interfere with different dimensions of care givers’ life such as their physical، psychological، and social conditions. It is expected that similar psychological characteristics among couples result in continuation of current situation of patients and their spouses. It is possible that couples aggravate each other’s behaviors، which will result in the continuation of such behaviors.

At least half the veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder suffer from psychological problems. The present study was an attempt to examine the effectiveness of mindfulness training in improving the psychological symptoms in veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder It was an experimental study with pretest-posttest design including a control group. This study was carried out in 2012 in Isfahan Shahid Rajai Hospital. The available twenty-eight male veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Data were collected using Brief Symptoms Inventory of Dura et al. Results indicated that average score for psychological symptoms and its dimensions (anxiety، depression & somatization) significantly improved in the treatment group in both post-test and the follow-up. The Results supported the effectiveness of mindfulness training in improving the psychological symptoms in veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and have important implications for the role of mindfulness-based therapies in reducing the psychological symptoms in veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

If the identity formation in teenagers is guided، it can help facilitate facing the identity conflicts and overcoming the problems in this period. The present study was an attempt to examine the relationship between early maladaptive schemas and identity styles in teenagers in Sanandaj، Iran. The present study was a correlational descriptive one with 160 third grade high school students selected using multi-stage cluster sampling. Participants were asked to respond to Young’s Early Maladaptive Schema and Berzonsky’s Identity Style questionnaires. The collected data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and multiple regression statistical tests. The results showed a significant relationship between early maladaptive schemas and identity styles. Also the multiple regression analysis showed that over vigilance/inhibition and other tendencies are having the highest power in predicting identity styles. Supporting the early maladaptive schema theory، the result of this study showed that these schemas could be a good predictor for identity styles in teenagers. As such، interventions based on such schemas can be helpful in guiding the formation of identity styles and resolving identity crisis in teenagers.

Acquiring meaning in life is one of the effective factors in psychological problems and disorders. The purpose of this research was investigating discriminative and constructs validity of Meaning in Life Questionnaire. 296 students at university of Tarbiat Moallem in Azarbayjan، Iran took part in this study. Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) were used for data collection. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to ensure construct validity، and a hierarchical discriminative function analysis was used for discriminative validity analysis. Confirmatory factor analysis resulted in a related two-factor model with acceptable fitness indices. The MLQ also showed a high ability in discriminating healthy individuals. Nevertheless، the instrument did not have an adequate accuracy in screening people at risk with regard to an initial grouping based on scores of GHQ. The findings also showed that females had a higher mean score in MLQ in comparison with male participants. The construct validity of MLQ is acceptable for a sample of Iranian students though its discriminative validity was much more accurate in diagnosing healthy individuals than people at risk