DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY (JOURNAL OF IRANIAN PSYCHOLOGISTS)
Year:2014 | Volume:10 | Issue:38|Papers Count:9

This study aimed to examine the mediating effects of core self-evaluations in the relationship between job stressors (interpersonal conflict at work, organizational constraints, quantitative workload) and job strains, as well as affective well being. Based on a correlation design, 228 (45 males, 183 females) Islamic Azad University employees completed the measures of the Job Stressors (Spector & Jex, 1998) consisted of the Interpersonal Conflict at Work Scale, the Organizational Constraints Scale, Quantitative Workload Inventory and Physical Symptoms Inventory, as well as the Job Related Affective Well-Being Scale (Van Katwyk et al, 2000), and the Core Self-Evaluations Scales consisted of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (1965), Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES; Judge et al., 1998), the Neuroticism Scale of Eysenck Personality Inventory (Eysenck & Eysenck, 1968) and the Internality, Powerful Others and Chance Scale (IPC; Levenson, 1981). The results of path analysis indicated that interpersonal conflict and organizational constraints influenced the job strains positively and organizational constraints influenced the affective well-being negatively. Furthermore, core self-evaluations mediated the relationship between job stressors and Job strains, as well as affective well-being significantly. It can be concluded that the appraisal of job stressors and its consequences are influenced by core self-evaluations.

The aim of the present study was to examine the validity, reliability and factor structure of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning-Preschool Version (BRIEF-P; Teacher Form). Three hundred and ninety preschool children between ages two and five were selected using multistage random sampling from Mashhad in 2011-2012 academic year. The participants'teachers completed the BRIEF-P. The reliability of the inventory was assessed by internal consistency and item-rest correlations. In order to investigate the validity of the inventory, factor analysis and concurrent validity were used. The Cronbach's alpha and item-rest correlations indicated satisfactory reliability of the inventory and its subscales. Explanatory and confirmatory factor analyses indicated five factor (inhibition, shift, emotional control, working memory, and planning/organization) and three factor (inhibitory self-control, flexibility and metacognition) models. Moreover, convergent validity of the BRIEF-P (teacher form) with the CBCL was satisfactory. The findings suggested that the BRIEF-P (teacher form) may be a useful tool in assessing preschoolers'executive functioning and can be used in Iranian psychological research and clinical settings.

The present study aimed to compare lifestyle, self-esteem and mental health of elderly who were living alone, living with family, or residing in nursing homes. The sample consisted of 384 elderly (128 living alone, 128 living with family, and 128 residing in nursing home).The sample was selected randomly by convenience sampling. The participants completed the Safe Lifestyle of the Elderly (Eshaghi, Farajzadegan, & Babak, 2007), the Self-esteem (Rosenberg, 1965) and the General Health (Goldberg & williams, 1988) scales. The results of multivariate analysis indicated that 1) the non-residing elderly (alone or nonalone) had better lifestyle and mental health than the nursery home residing elderly, 2) the non-alone elderly had better lifestyle and mental health than alone elderly, 3) the elderly who were not living in nursing homes (alone or non-alone) had higher self-esteem than those who were living in nursery homes, and 4) the elderly who were living alone had higher self-esteem than those who were not living alone. According to the theory of activity, by keeping previous social roles and activities, the elderly can have good lifestyle and keep feeling worthwhile.

The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of attachment based theraplays using video feedback method on increasing maternal sensitivity and decreasing child's negative representations of self and mother. Twenty five motherchild dyads (12 dyads in experimental group; 13 dyads in controlgroup) ages between three and five were selected by convenience sampling from 3 nursery schools and a counseling center in Tehran. The samplewas assessed using the Maternal Behavior QSORT (Pederson, Moran, & Bento, 1999) and the MacArthur Story Stem Battery (Emed, Wolf, & Oppenheim, 2003). The research design was semi-experimental with pretest-posttest and follow up. The intervention of the experimental group waseight, 60-minute individual, weekly sessions. Mothers of the control group received an educational package focusing on increasing cognitive skills of the children. The results indicated that the attachment based theraplays have significantly increased the maternal sensitivityand significantly decreasedthe child's negative representations of self and mother in the experimental group. The findings suggested that using attachment based theraplay could be effective in developing secure base in preschoolers.

This study aimed to examine the developmental trend of post-formal thinking from adolescence through adulthood in Isfahan. The sample consisted of 345 participants in four age groups: 15 to 18 year-olds (n=108), 19 to 29 year-olds (n=142), 30 to 45 year-olds (n=44), and over 46 year-olds (n=51). The participants were selected by cluster sampling answered the Social Paradigm Belief Inventory (SPBI; Kramer, Kahlbaugh and Goldstone, 1992). The results of analysis of variance indicated that there were not significant group effects on SPBI scores. The pair-wise comparisons were significant between 15 to 18 year-olds and 19 to 29 year-olds in absolutistic thinking. Overall, the developmental trend of absolutistic thinking decreased as age increased, and age trends of relativistic thinking and dialectic thinking were constant. The results were discussed based on adult cognitive development theories.

The present study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the Multidimensional Perfectionism Cognitions Inventory-English (MPCI-E; Kabori, 2006) among Iranian students. Three hundred university students (156 males, 144 females) completed the MPCI-E and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS; Watson, Clark, & Tellegen, 1988). The exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and internal consistency were used to assess factorial validity and reliability of the MPCIE, respectively. The divergent validity of the MPCI-E were assessed through correlations between MPCI-E scales and past-week positive and negative affect. The results of principal component analysis (PC) and oblique rotation indicated that the MPCI-E consisted of three factors: personal standards, concern over mistakes, and pursuit of perfection. Goodness-of-fit indices of confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the three extracted factors. A differential pattern of significant correlations between the MPCI-E and positive and negative affect demonstrated divergent validity of the MPCI-E. Internal consistencies of the MPCI-E subscales were good. In sum, these findings provided evidence for the validity and reliability of the MPCI-E as a multidimensional measure of perfectionism cognitions in Iranian students.

The aim of this study was to examine the role that childhood perceived attachment plays in God and self-concept adaptation process in order to develop a model for explaining mental health. Four hundred and thirty two students from Birjand university were selected by multistage clustering method. The participants completed the God Image (Mazaheri et al, 2006), the Self Concept (Beck, 1978), the Attachment to Parent (Hazan & Shaver, 1986), and the Mental Health (Goldberg & Hiller, 1979) scales. Structural equation modeling method was used to analyze the data. The developed model supported the adaptation hypothesis based on relation consistency between childhood perceived attachment and the image of God. Self concept as a consequence of adaptation process between the controller and kind image of God, and attachment to father indicated a significant effect on mental health. In contrast to father attachment, attachment to mother directly and indirectly, through adaptation process of the image of God, played a significant role in improving mental health, especially in decreasing depression, which suggested the importance of secure attachment to mother. Thus, not only considering the role of perceived attachment to parents in the adaptation process of image of God is important, but also formation of the adaptation process of image of God and self, play important role in predicting mental health.

The aim of this study was to compare social skills and psychological problems of the middle school students involved in the phenomenon of bullying. Two hundred and eighty two students (53 bullies, 56 victims, and 173 not involved) were selected by cluster sampling. The participants completed the Achenbach's Behavioral Problems-Youth Self-report Scale (YSR; Achenbach, 1991) and the Teenage Inventory of Social Skills (TISS; Inderbitzen & Foster, 1992). The results of ANOVA indicated that 1) bully students had lower positive social skills scores than two other groups, 2) bully students had higher negative social skills scores than two other groups, 3) average scores of internalized disorders in bully and victim students were significantly higher than in students not involved in bullying, 4) average scores of externalized disorders in bully students were significantly higher than students not involved in bullying. The findings suggested the importance of social skills training, preventive programs, and appropriate interventions in schools to prevent bullying and its harmful consequences in schools.