DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY (JOURNAL OF IRANIAN PSYCHOLOGISTS)
Year:2011 | Volume:8 | Issue:29|Papers Count:12

the purpose of this study was to examine the meaning and structural relations of values among Iranian adolescents. The Portrait Value Questionnaire (PVQ, Schwartz et al., 2001) was administered to 1532 students (766 females, 766 males) in eighth- and eleventh- grades (age groups 14 and 17, respectively) who were selected equally from six educational districts of Tehran using stratified random sampling. The Smallest Space Analysis (SSA) technique was performed to analyze the struc- ture and content constellations of values. Findings indicated that the content and structure of human values among Iranian ado- lescents were widely consistent with the universal theoretical model of values proposed by Schwartz (1992). There were no sex differences in defining the meaning and structuring of values. However, some variations of the expected model were ob- served. The location of benevolence value type was not consistent with the prototypical structure of values, and the dynamic relation between the "self-transcendence" and "self-enhancement" higher-order values was violated. These modified structures represents Iranian adolescents' specific characteristics (culture index). The present study suggested some controversial find- ings regarding the nature of moral values in Iranian adolescents.

the purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between worry and social support in adolescence. The sample consisted of 570 students (292 females, 278 males, Mean age =16.85).The participants completed the Children and Adolescence Social Support Questionnaire (Tahmasian, 2005) and the Penn-State Worry Questionnaire (Meyer et al. 1990). Data were analyzed using correlation coefficient and regression. The results indicated that the relationship between social support and worry was significantly negative in both sexes as well as across different grades. As social support increases, worry decreases and by decreasing social support, worry increases. Also, social support accounted for 14% of the variance in worry. These findings suggest that the social support can be a protective factor against worry in adolescence. In addition, family and peer groups can be influential in prevention and therapeutic programs that focus on decreasing and treating worry.

the purpose of this study was to predict achievement goals from classroom climate by the mediating of perceived ability and instrumentality in a sample of 300 eleventh-grade students. The students studied in three academic majors (human sciences, natural sciences, mathematics) in Noor city high schools. Classroom climate was assessed using the "In My Class Questionnaire" (IMC, Hardré, Crowson, Ly, & Xie, 2006) and the "School Engagement and Effort Scale" (SEES, Hardré & Reeve, 2003). Achievement goals, and perceived ability and instrumentality were assessed using the "Approaches to Learning Questionnaire” (ATL, Greene & Miller, 1996). The data were analyzed using Baron and Kenny (1986) method, and multiple analysis of regression. The results indicated that classroom climate predicted achievement goals by the mediating of perceived ability and instrumentality in high school students.

the purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of group counseling based on a cognitive-behavioral appro- ach in modifying students' attachment styles. The sample consisted of 60 high school girls who were selected by multi- stage sampling. The participants completed the Revised Adult Attachment Scale (RAAS, Collins and Reed, 1996). The research design was pretest-post test control group with following-up phase. The experimental group received 10 sessions of cog- nitive-behavioral group counseling (90 minutes per session). Data were analyzed using covariance analysis, paired t-test, and Friedman test. The results indicated the effectiveness of group counseling based on cognitive-behavioral approach in modi- fying attachment styles of students. The follow-up results indicated that the effect of the intervention was effective after 45 days.

two separate but related studies regarding the relationships of mother's attachment to infant and mother's psychological characteristics to feeding problem in infants were conducted. In the first study 214 mothers completed the Feeding Problem Scale (Levinsohn et al., 2005) and the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale (Condon & Corkindale, 1998). The results indicated that "absence of hostility" accounted for 35% of the variance in feeding problem. In the second study, 89 mothers completed the Feeding Problem Scale and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS, Lovibind & Lovibind, 1995). Results indicated that mother’s stress accounted for 5 % of the variance in feeding problem. The results from the two studied indicated that duration of breast feeding predicted feeding problem. This study suggests that presence of some deficits in mother's attachment to infant and mother’s stress increase the feeding problem in infants.

the purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of problem solving training on test anxiety among female students in the 2009-2010 academic year. Four hundred and fifty nine female students of Andimeshk Payame Noor University completed the Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI, Spielberger, 1980). Fifty students who obtained the highest scores on the Test Anxiety Inventory were randomly assigned to either experimental or control groups. The experimental group received 10 sessions (two sessions per week) of Dixson and Glover's five-stage problem solving training (Dixson & Glover, 1984). The results of covariance analysis indicated that the problem solving training reduced the test anxiety levels in the experimental group. Four months later, before the second semester exams, the test anxiety of both groups was reassessed. The results of follow-up phase indicated that the training remained effective after four months.

the purpose of this study was to investigate the role of gratitude in psychological and subjective well-being. Two hund- red college students (171 females, 29 males) completed the Ryff’s Psychological Well-being Scales (Ryff, 1989), the Subjective Happiness Scale (Lyubomirsky & Lepper, 1999), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (Diener, 2009), the Gratitude Questionnaire (McCullough et al., 2002), and the International Personality Item Pool (Goldberg, 1999). Results indicated that gratitude was positively correlated with all factors of psychological well being, subjective well being, and personality (except autonomy and extraversion). The relationship between gratitude and personality demonstrated a distinctive pattern, so that gra- titude was strongly correlated with religiosity- and social functioning- related factors (agreeableness and conscientiousness). Gratitude accounted for significant additional variance in environmental mastery, personal growth, self-acceptance, life satis- faction, and happiness after controlling for the personality factors as well. These findings suggested the relationships of gra- titude to psychological well-being, subjective well-being, and personality factors, and supported the notion that gratitude had a unique relationship with well-being.

this study was conducted to investigate physical self- concept, Body Mass Index (BMI) and physical activity level among college students. Two hundred and twenty one college students (111 females, 110 males) between the ages of 18 and 26 were selected by stratified random sampling and divided into two groups (active and inactive) based on their physical activity levels. The participants completed the Physical Self-Description Questionnaire (PSDQ, Marsh, 1996). Results indicated that (1) there was a statistical significant difference between females and males in the overall physical self concept and the body mass index, (2) there were statistical significant differences between females and males, and between active and inactive groups in the physical activity, sports competence, appearance, strength and endurance subscales, and (3) the subscales of physical self-concept (health, physical activity, body fat, endurance, self-esteem), body mass index and sex predicted levels of physical activity. It is suggested that students engaging in physical activity, not only benefit physically, they also experience psychological benefits, such as enhanced physical self concept.