DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY (JOURNAL OF IRANIAN PSYCHOLOGISTS)
Year:2008 | Volume:4 | Issue:15|Papers Count:8

In order to develop an instrument for measuring coping strategies, a questionnaire was administered to 496 females, 649 males Iranian students selected by multistage sampling method. After conducting several explanatory factor analysis using oblique rotation (in two stages), 100 items were selected that had high item total correlation (> 0.4) and factor loadings (> 0.35). These items distinguished 8 coping strategies: 1) Social support, 2) spiritual support (religious), 3) cognitive restructuring, 4) problem solving, 5) wishful thinking and worry, 6) distracting (Physically and emotionally), 7) cognitive avoidance), 8) submission, and accounted for 33% of the variance. Two forms of the questionnaire, each consisting of 50 items, were developed based on similarity in content and equal factor loading such that the correlation coefficients between the factors of the two forms were significant and the difference in their means was insignificant. Cronbach's alpha for the two forms were 0.910 and 0.913 and SE were 3.60 and 3.61 respectively. Factor analysis of the forms confirmed 8 factors. Psychometric indices were calculated for the factors and their theoretical bases are discussed.

A Sample of 214 full time and part-time faculty members of five Islamic Azad Universities, selected by multistage sampling method, answered the Job Involvement Questionnaire (Kanungo, 1982). The results revealed that male faculty members were significantly more involved with their jobs than the female faculty were (t = -2.891, P < 0.01). The job involvement was higher among the faculty with a) more work experience (r = 0.182, P < 0.01), and b) higher academic rank (F = 2.785, P < 0.05).

In this study, 20 male juveniles (aged 14-16) residing in a boys’ home were randomly and equally assigned either to a control or an experimental group. For 12 weeks, the experimental group received a twohour session of art psychotherapy. The control group received none. Self-esteem and self-efficacy were measured at the beginning and at the end of 12 weeks, using the Rosen- berg’s (1979) Self-Esteem Scale and Sherer et al’s (1982) Self efficacy Inventory. Results showed that the selfesteem and self-efficacy of the experimental group increased (P£0.05). It seems that cognitive-behavioral exercises of art psychotherapy can enhance self-efficacy and self-esteem in juveniles by bolstering confidence in self assertion and positive thinking.

This study investigated the relationship between three attachment styles: perceived childhood attachment, adult attachment, and attachment to God in the Islamic society of Iran. 193 high school students were selected by cluster sampling method and completed the measures of Attachment to God (Rowatt & Kirkpatrick, 2002), Adult Attachment Styles (Hazan & Shaver, 1987), and Perceived Childhood Attachment to Each Parent (Hazan & Shaver, 1986). Results indicated that insecure attachment to parents, insecure adult attachment, and insecure attachment to God were positively correlated with each other. Secure attachment to parents was positively related to secure attachment to God. The quality of relationship with God and attachment to parents in adulthood are discussed.

This study examined the efficacy of nondirective playtherapy in reducing internalized problems (such as anxiety, depression and withdrawal) among preschoolers. 10 children scoring abnormally high on the Child Behavior Checklist completed by their mothers (CBCL; Achenbach & Rescorla, 2001) were selected. This group received 16 sessions of nondirective playtherapy during seven weeks. After the fourth, eighth, twelfth, and sixteenth sessions, all children's mothers again completed the CBCL. The data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis. The results revealed a significant reduction in the scores of internalized problems scale. Implications for prevention and treatment of early onset of internalized problems were discussed.

The present research examined the efficacy of parenting skills training in preventing stress in a non-clinical sample of mothers, and in reducing behavioral problems among children of those mothers. The Parenting Stress Index (PSI; Abidin, 1990) was administered to a sample of 198 mothers. 51 of those mothers who scored highest in PSI were chosen and randomly assigned to two experimental (N = 26) and control (N = 25) groups, and completed the Child Behavioral Checklist (Achenbach, 2001). Quantitative data were analyzed using pretest-posttest (t-test), correlation coefficient, and multiple covariance analyses. Results indicated that after intervention: a) mothers in the experimental group showed lower level of stress, as compared to mothers in control group, b) children of mothers in experimental group showed less behavioral problems than children of mothers in the control group.

The Emotional Intelligence Scale (Beshart, 2007), Defense Style Questionnaire (Andrews, Singh, & Bond, 1993), and Addiction Acknowledgment Scale (Weed et al, 1992) were administered to a random selection of 296 Tehran university students. Findings demonstrated a negative relationship between total emotional intelligence scores, emotional perception subscale, and addiction acknowledgement. Controlling for emotional intelligence and its component effects, a significant relationship between mature and immature defense mechanisms and addiction acknowledgment was negative and positive respectively. Controlling for defense mechanisms, there were negative relationships between emotional intelligence, its emotional perception component, and addiction acknowledgment. It can be concluded that, emotional intelligence construct can be a strong mediator of the relationship between emotional characteristics and addition acknowledgment.