Journal of Research in Behavioral Sciences
Year:2011 | Volume:9 | Issue:3 (19)|Papers Count:11

Aim and Background: The role of behavioral inhibition and activation systems as predisposing factors in readiness for emotional and behavioral problems in adolescents has been increasingly studied in recent years. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of these two systems in predicting the development of psychopathology in adolescents.Methods and Materials: The study population included all male and female junior high school students of Tehran. Multistage cluster sampling (with classification) was used to select 303 students (160 girls and 143 boys) from schools in 1st, 2nd and 13th districts of Tehran. The type of research design was descriptive-correlational. Participants completed youth self report questionnaire (YSR) and behavioral inhibition and activation scale (BIS/BAS). Descriptive (mean and standard variation) and inferential (correlation coefficient and regression analysis) statistical methods were used for data analysis.Findings: The results showed behavioral inhibition systems to be positively related to anxiety and somatic problems and negatively related to symptoms of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. On the other hand, behavioral activation systems had a positive relationship with symptoms of conduct disorder and a negative relationship with affective problems. All relationships were statistically significant.Conclusions: Our results, in agreement with previous studies, revealed that biological factors underlying behavioral inhibition and activation systems can be considered as predictive factors for emotional and behavioral problems in adolescents.

Aim and Background: Some of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) patients believe that their unpleasant thoughts can influence the external events. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between the contents of thought-action fusion and obsessive-compulsive symptoms in patients with OCD.Methods and Materials: In this cross-sectional correlative study 60 OCD patients selected by available sampling method. Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (MOCI) and revised Thought-Action Fusion questionnaire (TAF-R) were administered. Collected data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis methods.Findings: There was positive and significant association between obsessive-compulsive symptoms and TAF-R subscales (P<0.05).The result of stepwise regression indicate that, valence of negative events was strongest predictor of washing, likelihood of negative events was strongest predictor of checking, responsibility of positive events was strongest predictor of doubt, and likelihood-self was strongest predictor of obsessional thoughts.Conclusions: The results indicated positive and significant correlation between the TAF and OCD symptoms. Thus, it seems that occurrence of cognitive bias such as TAF increases the individual’s vulnerability to OCD.

Aim and Background: Cognitivists have recently paid extensive attention to source monitoring deficit as an impairment in schizophrenic patients and is used in clarification of major symptoms including hallucination and delusion. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the effects of source monitoring ability in auditory hallucination.Methods and Materials: This causal-comparative study used availability sampling to select 40 schizophrenic patients and 21 individuals with major depression among those referred to or hospitalized in four psychiatric hospitals in Shiraz during June 2008-May 2009. Nineteen healthy individuals were used as the control group. After conducting supplementary interviews, they were tested using a sourcemonitoring task designed by the corresponding author. The data were statistically analyzed using signal detection theory (SDT). Response-sensitivity and response-bias scores were determined for each subject.The results have been explained in the light of the Fernyhogh’s re-expansion model (2004) and show the deficit in interactional relationship between source monitoring and inner speech.Findings: Schizophrenic patients with current auditory hallucination scored the lowest in the visual sensitivity part of the source monitoring task which was not attributable to the response-bias and antipsychotic medication.Conclusions: Our results confirmed the hypotheses stated in Fernyhough's re-expansion model about the mechanism of auditory hallucination.

Aim and Background: Antisocial behaviors occur in a wide range and cause different psychological, social and familial pathologies. Different methods were used to reduce antisocial behaviors. The aim of this research was to study the metacognitive components in antisocial youth of Urmia Central Prison and the effect of metacognitive components instruction in reduction of antisocial behaviors.Methods and Materials: In this quasi-experimental study 30 young adults with antisocial personality disorder in Urmia Central Prison were selected randomly. They were randomly classified in case and control groups. After Wells and Cartwright-Hatton metacognitive inventories were completed by the two groups, metacognitive components were instructed in 8 sessions to the case group. The post-test was conducted on all subjects. Finally the case group was investigated in different situations by a checklist prepared by the researchers. The data was analyzed using t-test, covariance analysis and chi-square test.Findings: Data analysis showed that metacognitive components in antisocial youth were disordered. They also indicated that instruction could significantly correct the problems (P<0.05). In addition, there was a significant difference in metacognitive dimensions among the case and control groups in post-test (P<0.01).Conclusions: These results showed that metacognitive dimensions of antisocial youth are disordered and instruction of metacognitive dimensions has positive effect in their behavior correction.

Aim and Background: Considering the high frequency of anxiety and depressive symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are recommended by some gastroenterologists for treatment. In this study, the efficacy of fluvoxamine on severity of symptoms and quality of life in IBS patients was assessed.Methods and Materials: A randomized, double blind, placebo controlled clinical trial was performed on 20-50 year old patients diagnosed with IBS based on the Rome III criteria. Patients were consecutively selected and randomly assigned to fluvoxamine (n=30) or placebo (n=30) groups. Efficacy of medication was measured by administering severity scale and quality of life questionnaire on day 0 (baseline), day 28 and day 90 (3rd month). All data was finally analyzed by SPSS version 13 using repeated measures ANOVA and t-test.Findings: Mean score of clinical symptoms severity in fluvoxamine group before intervention was 206.8.However, the scores decreased to 165.2 and 137.5 one month and 3 months after intervention, respectively. Although severity of symptoms was decreased in both groups, the difference was only significant in the fluvoxamine group (P<0.05). Mean of quality of life scores in the fluvoxamine group was 55.3, 63.0 and 68.1 before intervention, one month and three months after intervention, respectively.However, this increase was not statically significant (P>0.05).Conclusions: Based on the findings of the present study, administration of fluvoxamine patients with IBS can lead to a decrease in the severity of symptoms.

Aim and Background: It has been shown in several studies that, students with mathematics learning disabilities have memory problems. This research compares memory profile of students with and without mathematics learning disabilities.Methods and Materials: The design of research was cross-sectional with causal-comparative method.The statistical population were 3rd grade student boys in Isfahan. Samples consisted of 20 student boys with mathematics learning disabilities who were selected through random selection sampling and 20 student boys without mathematics learning disabilities in 3rd grade of elementary school who were selected through randomized multi-level sampling. The instruments included NEPSY test, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children and Dyscalculia Diagnostic Test. Data was analyzed by multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) method.Findings: Results showed a significant difference between the memory profile (Memory For Faces, Memory For Names, Narrative Memory, and Sentence Repetition) of students in the two groups (P£0.001).Conclusions: Students with mathematics learning disabilities have memory deficits which should be diagnosed by valid instruments and proper educational interferes should be performed to improve them.

Aim and Background: The purpose of this study was to compare executive function and sustained attention in students with obsessive-compulsive, high schizotypal and overlapping symptoms and a control group.Methods and Materials: The present study assessed undergraduate students of Tabriz University by ex post facto method. Randomized multi-stage cluster sampling was used to select 1570 students. The subjects completed Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire and the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised. Then, during the screening phase, 140 students (in groups of 35) were selected. They completed Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Continuous Performance Test and Stroop color-word test. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA test.Findings: The results of this study showed a significant difference in executive function and sustained attention between high schizotypy and overlapping groups and the control group (P<0.05). Except for commission errors in CPT, other differences observed between obsessive-compulsive and control groups in executive function and sustained attention except were insignificant (P>0.05).Conclusions: The difference between the overlapping group and obsessive-compulsive and high schizotypy groups in terms of executive function and sustained attention pattern may indicate the unique clinical characteristics of the overlapping group.

Aim and Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease usually associated with high levels of pain and impairment in different systems, producing high levels of stress in patients who suffer from it. The purpose of this study was to consider the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral stress management (CBSM) therapy on stress of female patients with SLE.Methods and Materials: This was an experimental study using randomized pre-, post- and follow-up tests. Twenty-four female patients over 18 years of age, already diagnosed with SLE, were randomly selected and assigned to two groups. All subjects completed the Cohen Perceived Stress Scale before and after the intervention as well as during the follow-up period. Eight sessions of CBSM group therapy were directed for the intervention group. Meanwhile both groups were kept under their routine medical treatments. Data was analyzed using ANCOVA.Findings: Data analysis showed that the mean score of stress in the intervention group was significantly lower than the control group in post-test (P<0.001) and the follow-up period (P<0.001).Conclusions: The results demonstrated the effectiveness of CBSM group therapy on the stress of female patients with SLE.