DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY (JOURNAL OF IRANIAN PSYCHOLOGISTS)
Year:2016 | Volume:12 | Issue:47|Papers Count:9

The aim of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Separation Anxiety Assessment Scale-Parent Version (SAAS-P) (Hahn, Hajilian, Eisen, Winder, & Pincus, 2003) among 4-6 year old children. Three hundred and two preschool children selected by available sampling from sixteen kindergartens in district 1 of Tehran, Iran. The children’s mothers completed the SAAS-P and the Preschool Anxiety Scale (PAS) (Spence, Rapee, McDonald, & Ingram, 2001). The reliability of the scale was examined using the internal consistency estimation. All subscales of the SAAS-P displayed moderate to high internal consistency (0.62 to 0.74). In order to investigate the validity of the scale, factor analysis and concurrent validity were used. Concurrent validity of the scale was supported by high correlation with the Preschool Anxiety Scale. Explanatory and confirmatory factor analyse ssupported the four-factor model of the scale. The analyses of the psychometric properties suggested that the SAAS-P is a promising measure of separation anxiety that can be employed in clinical situations and to be used to screen children with separation anxiety.

The aim of the present study was to examine the mediating role of social problem solving in the relationship between types of self-efficacy and anger. Three hundred and ninety studentsn (228 females, 162 males) were selected using multistage cluster sampling method from Shiraz University. The participants completed the Social Problem-Solving Inventory. (D’Zurill et al., 2002), the State and Trait Anger Expression Inventory (Spilberger, 1999), the Emotional Self-Efficacy Scale (Kirk et al., 2008), the Creative Self-Efficacy Scale (Karwowski, 2010), and the Perceived Social Self-Efficacy Scale (Smith & Betz, 2000). The results of path analysis indicated that all types of self-efficacy were significant predictors of constructive problem solving but only the creative self-efficacy significantly predicted non-constructive problem solving. Dimensions of social problem Solving were significant predictors of anger as well. Moreover, the mediating role of social problem solving in the relationship between types of self-efficacy and anger was confirmed. The fit indices indicated that the model had good fit indices.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of mental representation in predicting the internalizing and externalizing problems in preschool children. The sample consisted of 75 children (52 girls, 23 boys) between 4 and 6 years. The participants were selected by multistage cluster sampling from 6 nursery school of Tehran, Iran. The mothers completed the Child Behavioral Checklist (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2001). The mental representations of children were assessed by the McArthur Story Stem Battery (Emde, Wolf & Oppenheim, 2003). The results of step by step regression indicated that negative representation of self, moral issues, empathic relations, negative emotion and verbal conflict were the most important predictors of internalizing and the representations of aggression, verbal conflict and negative representation of parents were the most determinant predictors of externalizing problem. The findings were consistent with attachment theory, suggesting internal working models can be considered as a mechanism between child-parent interaction and developmental outcomes.

The aim of this study was to investigate the structural relationship between personality traits and counterproductive academic behavior through perceived control. The participants were 294 university students selected by multistage random cluster sampling method from Shiraz University. The participants completed the Big Five Factor Scale (Goldberg, 1999), the Spheres of Control Scale (Paulhus, 1983), and the Counterproductive Student Behavior Scale (Rimkus, 2012). The results indicated that the model had good fit indices. There were direct effects of extroversion and conscientiousness on counterproductive academic behavior. The extroversion and conscientiousness had an indirect effect on counterproductive academic behavior through perceived control. The findings suggested that conscientiousness and extroversion predicted perceived control and in turn perception of control determined level of counterproductive academic behavior.

The present study aimed to examine the efficacy of Prenatal Attachment Techniques training on mothers' attachment to the fetus. The sample consisted of 30 pregnant women who were referred to the Sarem Hospital in Tehran, Iran between April and May, 2014. Among the inclusion criteria was a gestational age of 6-9 months. Thirty participants were randomly assigned to either experimental or control group. The study design was a pretest-posttest control group. Data were collected using the Cranley Mother- Fetus Attachment Scale (1981). The experimental group received the attachment skills in eight one hour sessions once a week. Data were analyzed using Multivariate Analysis of Covariance. The results indicated that prenatal attachment education program increased mother attachment to the fetus. Given the effectiveness of learning prenatal fetal attachment techniques on attachment of pregnant mothers to their fetuses, educating these techniques may lay the ground for improvement of maternal attachment.

This study aimed to examine the mediating role of positive and negative affects and self-esteem in the relationship between resilience and psychological well-being. The sample consisted of 387 high school students from Khoramabad, Iran. The participants completed the Resilience Scale (CD-RISC; Connor & Davidson, 2003), the Self-Esteem Scale (SES; Rosenberg, 1965), the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS; Watson, Clark, & Tellegen, 1988), the Psychological Well-Being Scale (Ryff, 1989). The results of path analysis indicated a direct effect of resilience on the psychological well-being. Resilience had an indirect effect on increasing psychological well-being through positive affect and self-esteem. The positive affect and self-esteem played mediating role in the relationship between resilience and psychological well-being. These findings emphasized the developing of resilience in promoting positive affect and self-esteem to increase student psychological well-being.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of emotional working memory training on affective control ability in adolescent with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD). The study design was a single-case multiple-baselines. Three adolescents (one male and two females) were selected by available sampling based on structured clinical interview and the Impact of Event scale (Weiss & Marmer, 1997) from one of the educational child care center of Karaj, Iran. The participants received 20 sessions of the emotional working memory training individually. The participants were assessed at three stages (pre-training, during therapy and 2-month follow up) by the Effective Control Scale (Williams, Chambless & Ahrens, 1997). Data were analyzed using the indices for trend changes, slope and the visual inspection of the charts. The Cohen's d, recovery percent index and effect size were used to determine the clinical significance. The results indicated that emotional working memory training increased the ability of affective control from pretest to follow up. The findings suggested that the emotional working memory training is an appropriate choice for increasing affective control in adolescents suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD).

The aim of this study was to investigate the psychometric characteristics of Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). In this cross-sectional study, 486 students of Tehran University selected by multistage cluster sampling completed Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). The five factors structure of the questionnaire was confirmed and its indices showed good fitness. Furthermore, test-retest reliability in a sample of 58 students (M=23.27, SD=4.6) showed that correlation coefficients of test-retest reliability in Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire were between 0.76 and 0.86. In conclusion, the current study suggested that FFMQ is a valid instrument in the students samples and useful in further studies regarding mindfulness.