DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY (JOURNAL OF IRANIAN PSYCHOLOGISTS)
Year:2010 | Volume:6 | Issue:23|Papers Count:15

The purpose of this study was to assess the underlying deficits associated with math disability in children. Forty-six four- th graders were classified into two groups of students with average math ability and math disability, such that their IQ and reading ability were as close as possible. The working memory was measured using the Wechsler Intelligence (1974) and Tower of London (Culbertson & Zillmer, 1998) tests. Inhibition was measured using the Stroop (Spreen & Strauss, 1998) and the Tower of London tests, and visual - spatial perception was evaluated using the Rey Complex Figure Test (Osterrieth, 1944). MANOVA revealed that the group with math disability differed significantly from the group with average math ability in their performance in visual- spatial perception and organization, suggesting an inability in synthesis, integration, and organization of information in the math disability group.

This study aimed to compare the two therapeutic interventions: cognitive-instructional therapy (Free, 1999) and cognitive - existential group therapy (Kissane et al. 1997), in improving psychological problems in depressed patients with breast cancer. Forty depressed women (ages 20-65) with breast cancer were randomly assigned into two experimental groups and one withness group. The sample group did not have a history of psychiatric symptoms prior to the cancer and when the study was con- ducted they scored above average on Beck’s Depression Inventory-II (1991). All the three groups responded to the Beck Depression Inventory-II (1996), Miller Hope Scale (Miller & Powers, 1988) and Self - Esteem (Pope & McHale, 1988) and Quality of Life (Aaron - son et al. 1993) questionnaires before and after 12 weekly sessions of ninety - minute intervention. MANCOVA results indicated that the depression was lower and hopefulness was higher in the cognitive-existential than in the cognitive - instructional therapy group. The self - esteem and quality of life means of the two therapy groups were not significantly different. The means of the four variables for both therapy groups significantly differed with those of the withness group. Findings are discussed in terms of the underpinnings of the two therapeutic approaches and the design of intervention.

The aim of this research is to study the role of job stressors in explaining physical strains and job - related affective well - being. Based on a correlation design, a sample of 100 Islamic Azad University employees in Tehran completed the Mea - sures of Job Stressors (Spector & Jex, 1998), which 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, Fox, Spector & Kelloway, 2000). Findings showed that interpersonal conflict and organiza - tional constraints correlated with physical symptoms positively and with job - related affective well - being negatively. Stepwise regres - sion analysis revealed that interpersonal conflict at work and organizational constraints accounted for 18.8% of the variance in physical symptoms due to job strain and for 24.7% of the variance in job-related affective well - being symptoms. Some possible mechanisms underlying the stressors-outcome and their implications have been discussed based on the control model of the job stress process.

The effectiveness of humor skills training in reducing depression in people with spinal cord injury was examined. From two rehabilitation centers in Tehran, 24 clients (12 females and 12 males) with spinal cord injury, who scored higher than ave- rage on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI; Beck & Steer, 1987), were randomly assigned to an experimantal and a control gro - up (12 persons in each group). In two months, only the experimental group received eight sessions of houmor skills training ins - pired by the McGhee’s 8-Step Humor Skills Training program (2002). The BDI was again administrated to both groups. Findings showed that depression in the experimental group was reduced as compared to the control group. Implications are discussed in terms of alleviating depression in patients with spinal cord injuries.

Drug addiction in husbands can lead to psychological problems among their wives. The present research compared psy - chiatric symptoms in wives of addicted men with the wives of non - addicts. One hundred eighty six females whose husbands had addiction problems and were visiting a professional help center in Tehran, and 173 of their female relatives whose husbands did not have addiction problems completed the Brief Symptoms Inventory (Derogatis & Clearly, 1977). Results of profile ana - lysis demonstrated that the women with addicted husbands had significantly higher scores in all psychiatric symptoms. Re- sults were discussed based on marital difficulties and misbehaviors of addicted husbands.

The present study applied a structural approach based on the facet analysis of work values (Elizur, 1984) to examine the relationship between work values and work during college years. 400 college students (200 women, 200 men, 200 em - ployed and 200 unemployed) were selected from the School of Management and Accounting in Islamic Azad University and responded to the Work Values Questionnaire (Elizur et al., 1991). MANOVA results indicated no significant differences in fa - cets of work values among employed and unemployed students. Women scored higher than men in affective (F=6.45, P£0.011), instrumental (F=17.09, P=0.001) and contingency (F=11.54, P=0.001) values. The interactive effect of job and gender was not significant on any of the facets.

The current study measured stress in students, 200 student athletes (100 female and 100 male) with a mean age 19 years and 300 non-athlete students (150 females and 150 males) with a mean age of 18 years were selected from Islamic Azad University and administered the Stress Questionnaire (Dyer, 1987). Results of ANOVA showed that the non-athlete students experienced more stress than the athlete group. There were no significant stress differences based on gender. Findings were inter- preted based on the role of physical activity in reducing stress levels in the students.

The present study measured the relationship between consequences of perfectionism, emotional problems and life satis- faction. Participants were 297 (216 women and 81 men) students enrolled at Marvdasht Islamic Azad university who completed the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (Frost, Marten, Lahart, & Rosenblate, 1990), the Depression, Anxi- ety and Stress Scale (Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995), and the Life Satisfaction Scale (Huebner, 1994). Simultaneous multiple regression analysis indicated that the dimensions of perfectionism including concern about mistakes, parental criticism, doubts about actions and present standards explained life satisfaction (R2=0.21). The two dimensions of personal standards and organization explained anxiety (R2=0.33), depression (R2=0.41) and stress (R2=0.28).