Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of relaxa-tion training based on self-efficacy theory, on the mental health of preg- nant women.

Method: In this clinical trial study, 110 primigravid women with medium to high levels of anxiety were assessed in two experimental and control groups. For the experimental group routine prenatal care plus relaxation training was provided, however, the control group was solely exposed to routine prenatal care. Data were gathered using Spielberger Anxiety Questionnaire, Cohen, Kamarck, and Melmerstein Stress Measure, and General Self Efficacy Scale. Analysis was done using t-tests as well as c², Mann-Whitney, and Wilcoxon tests.

Results: In addition to increasing levels of self-efficacy, this training program led to a significant decrease in three dependent variables (situation anxiety, trait anxiety, and perceived stress).

Conclusion: This educational intervention is indicative of the effective application of self-efficacy theory in relaxation and lowering stress and anxiety in pregnant women.

Abstract

Objectives: This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Coping Responses Inventory for Youth (CRI-Y), assessing young adults undergoing treatment for cancer. The main goal of this study was to investigate the conceptual structure and reliability of this questionnaire in the Iranian cultural milieu (a kind of construct validity).  In addition, the convergent and discriminative validity of this inventory that are other important psychometric properties of a test, are also assessed.

Method: Seventy-five individuals who were under chemotherapeutic treatment for leukemia in several cancer centers in the city of Tehran participated in this study. In addition to CRI-Y, a religious coping scale was also used in data collection. Spielberger State/Trait Anxiety Scale was used to assess anxiety. Data were also analyzed based on the theoretical frameworks and empirical findings that determine the role of religious coping and significance of avoidant coping in acute and chronic illnesses in adolescents.

Results: Principal Component Analysis of the CRI-Y scale did not replicate the original construct CRI-Y structure. Factor analysis of the principal components of the scale yielded four factors. Reliabilities for the scales, computed with Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients were satis-factory. Means of CRI-Y sub-scales showed that subjects were using both problem-focused and emotion-focused coping. Religious coping was significantly correlated with all factors. Anxiety scores were negatively correlated with CRI-Y factor 1 and 2, but correlated positively and significantly with CRI-Y factor 4. Anxiety scores were significantly correlated inversely with religious coping.

Conclusion: CRI-Y sub-scales can be used to indicate adolescents’ coping activities that significantly influence their anxiety.

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of individuals with Highly Sensitive Processing Sensitivity Scale (HSPSS) in the cultural pattern of Iranian Society in relation to psychopathological characteristics.

Method: 372 male undergraduate students were selected using stratified random sampling and evaluated using the Highly Sensory Processing Person (HSPPS) Scale, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Data were analyzed using factor analysis, correlation test and multiple regression.

Results: The results support a three-component structure of Ease of Excitation (EOE), Low Sensitivity Threshold (LST) and Enrichment by Aesthetic and Sensory Sensitivity (EASS). This study showed that sensory processing sensitivity is related to psychopathological measures. Also, EOE and LST were selectively associated with anxiety and depression.

Conclusion: Aesthetic and Sensory Sensitivity are indirectly associated with anxiety and depression, which indicates its protective role.

Abstract

Objectives: This study was carried out with the aim of studying the features of the Young Schema Questionnaire in nonclinical population.

Method: In a descriptive cross-sectional study 37 postgraduate male students of Shahed and Shahid Beheshti universities in Tehran who were selected using stratified random method completed the Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form (YSQ-SF). Data were analyzed using correlation coefficient and analysis of variance.

Results: The results of the factor analysis revealed 17 factors as follows: Seven intact scales (five out of five items), three scales with four items, two with three items, and one with two items. Also, the two YSQ-SF original scales merged into one factor. The results yielded interpretable scales for all 15 schema subscales proposed by Young. These 15 subscales demonstrated good internal consistency. Higher-order principal component analysis yielded three higher order factors in line with previous findings.

Conclusion: These results are consistent with previous results based on the English, French and Dutch versions of the YSQ-SF and provided support for the cross-cultural validity of the YSQ-SF.

Abstract

Objectives: The present study represents an attempt to explain the mechanisms by which, parental conflict, a stressful life event in children's lives, may have an impact on children's psychological health. For this purpose, besides examining predictive relationships between in-dependent and criterion variables, we also evaluated the mediating and moderating interactions of three important variables, children's appraisals of parental conflict and emotional security in the family and their emotional coping strategies, indicative of perceived insecurity in the family, in the prediction of children's psychopathological symptoms. Method: This research used a stratified random sampling procedure with 413 fifth-grade primary school-children in the city of Tehran (220 girls & 193 boys).To assess children’s perceived emotional security in the family, their emotional coping strategies and their perception of parental conflict, the Security In the Family System (SIFS) Scale and the Children’s Perception of Interparental Conflict (CPIC) Scale was administered to them. To assess children’s affective and behavioral difficulties, mothers and teachers answered the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Results: Findings reveal a significant relationship between the children’s feeling of insecurity in the family as well as children’s appraisal of interparental conflicts on children’s affective and behavioral symptoms (p<0.01). In addition, the mediating role of appraisal in the relation between emotional security and affective symptoms, the mediating role of the emotional reaction in relation to conflict appraisal with the psychopathological symptoms of the child, as well as the interactional role of emotional insecurity and child appraisal of parental conflicts, were confirmed. Conclusion: Results indicate that in the context of parental conflict, children’s appraisal of interparental conflict is a risk or vulnerability factor and family emotional security is a protective factor for children’s psycho-pathological symptoms.

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate the features of Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in a sample of Iranian children, which is a measure developed for children behavioral and affective difficulties assessment. Method: Ratings of teachers and mothers of about 413, ten to twelve years old children (193 boys and 220 girls) were gathered and evaluated. To assess the psychometric properties of this questionnaire, factor analysis and assessment of internal homogeneity was used. The relationships of each subscale with gender, normative data for this age group, and cut-off points were also calculated. Results: Moderate to high reliability was found for all subscales, however, support for the original five-factor structure of the measure was not found. Findings indicated adequate validity of mothers and teachers’ reports of relationships of subscales with each other. The total difficulties score was relatively higher for boys than girls according to the evaluations of both mothers and teachers. Conclusion: The Persian version of this questionnaire possesses a three factor structure with good psychometric characteristics. However, the use of this questionnaire in psychological studies in samples of Iranian children has been relatively neglected. The findings of the present research point to the significant value of this questionnaire for future studies.

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between domains and facets of the five factor model of personality and happiness, mental health and physical health. Method: In a descriptive study, 359 individuals (177 females and 182 males) were chosen through multi-stage stratified random sampling procedures from the population of undergraduate students from two universities in the city of Tehran (Iran). The subjects completed the Revised NEO Personality Inventory and three individual rating scales (happiness, mental health and physical health). Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and stepwise regression analysis. Results: Happiness and physical health were positively related to extraversion and conscientiousness and negatively related to neuroticism. Mental health was positively related to extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness and negatively related to neuroticism. In addition, happiness was positively associated with mental and physical health. Stepwise Regression analysis showed that happiness and physical health were predicted by neuroticism, openness to experience and extraversion. However, only some facets of each factor were significant predictors of the factors. Conclusion: Along with other studies findings, high extraversion and low neuroticism are major predictors of happiness, mental health and physical health.

Objectives: This research investigated the role of marital conflict and family emotional security in children’s physical and psychosocial health. Method: 413 fifth-grade school children in the city of Tehran (220 girls and 193 boys) with a mean age of 10.81, were selected using relative stratified random sampling. Mothers responded to the Overt Hostility/ O’Leary-Porter Scale (OPS) and the Child Health Questionnaire-Parent Form (CHQ-PF-28) and children responded to the Security In the Family System (SIFS) scales. Results: The findings indicated that marital conflict and family emotional insecurity have inverse relationship with children’s physical and psychosocial health. Also, marital conflict was a predictor (inversely) of children emotional security. Conclusion: Marital conflict leads to an insecure attachment of children to parents.

Objectives: The aim of this descriptive study was to examine the relationships between identity styles of the Berzonsky model and religiosity. Method: 359 students (182 males and 177 females) who were selected using a randomized stratified multi-stage method from among undergraduate students of Shahid Beheshti and Tehran universities, were assessed using Berzonsky Identity Styles Inventory (ISI), Islamic Orientation Questionnaire, and the Duriez Post Critical Belief Scale (PCBS). Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and stepwise regression analysis. Results: Based on correlation analysis, most religiousity variables were positively related to informational and normative identity styles and negatively related to diffuse/avoidant identity style. Also, stepwise regression analysis showed that religious belief and practice, was predicted by informational and normative identity styles, inclusion of transcendence was predicted by normative and diffuse/avoidant identity styles (negatively)  and symbolic processing was positively predicted by informational identity style. Conclusion: The positive relation of most religiousity factors with informational and normative identity styles, and their negative relationship with diffuse/avoidant identity styles indicates that these factors belong to a common  religious construct