Contemporary Psychology
Year:2008 | Volume:3 | Issue:1|Papers Count:8

The objective of the present study was to examin the effectiveness of group contracting and behavioral activation therapy (GCBAT) in the treatment of opioid use. In this clinical trial study, 120 patient with the diagnosis of opioid dependence based criteria were assigned randomly to four groups in methadone maintenance treatment: (A) Cognitive- behavioral Therapy (CBT), (B) GCBAT, (C) GCBAT plus family support education (FSE) for this group family members, and (D) methadone alone. The two experimental groups (A and B) had 890 minutes weekly session of group therapy, the CBT group (A) had 12 two hours weekly session of group therapy and the methdon group (D) took methadone only. All participants completed the Mental Health Inventory (MHI) and Opioid Treatment Index (OTI) at baseline and again 5 months after group psychothempy. Treatment data were anlaysed by using univariate analysis of variance repeated measurements and chi-squre test. Finding in the three experimental groups showed a decrease in drug use, social dysfunction, illegal behaviors, psychological distress and increase in health factors and psychological well-being. Results showed: GCBAT, GCBAT-FSE and CBT have superior from to methadone group in (MHI) and (OTI) scales. GCBAT-FSE superior from to GCBAT, CBT and methadone group in relapse prevention and remain on treatment after of relapse.

The present research aimed to investigate the effects of a self-assertiveness training program and different parenting styles in female first grade high school students in Tehran. Students were selected from 14 education authorities as designated by the Iranian Ministry of Education. All students had enrolled during the academic year 2005 - 2006. The aims of the present research were twofold: First, to compare self-assertiveness in students with different parenting styles and second, to examine the effects of a self assertiveness training program in students. The sample, using a cluster sampling method consisted of 450 students of whom 40 were selected to take part in the training program. All subjects completed the Assertiveness Inventory (AI) and a 76 item inventory measuring parenting style. Subjects completed these questionnaires twice before and after the training program. Statistical analyses showed that there was a significant difference between the extend of self-assertiveness of students in families with different parenting styles. The greatest difference was in connection with "little control and too much love". It was further found that students who scored low on self assertiveness measures can benefit significantly from self-assertiveness programs. 

The purpose of the present research was normalizing the Raven Coloure Progressive Matricies Test (RCPM) as a general intelligence test on 7-11 year old students in the city of Ahvaz, who were randomly selected, in age groups 7, 8, 9,10, and 11 (1956). Test-retest reliability coefficients (2 weeks interval) in the whole sample and in each age group. Was significant Also, there was a significant correlation between RCPM scores with Good enough-Harris Draw Scale in the whole sample and in the 8 to 11 year old (convergent validity). Factor analysis of variance showed that there is significant differences between 7-11 years old of students in RCPM Test (P< 0/00(1), and there is not significance but the difference between girls and boys in RCPM is not significant. Analysis of normative data suggests that the Raven Colour Progressive Matrices Test are developmentally sensitive measures. In addition, nonnative findings (percentile ranks and standard scores) indicated that general intelligence and intellectual abilities Iranian children is similar to children in the United Kingdom Britanian children.

The main purpose of this research was to investigate the simple and multiple relations between just (general and global) and unjust world beliefs with psychological state. To this goal, 319 Participants selected with the use of multi-stage random sampling method from the total Population). Questionnaires which used in this research were: General Just World Beliefs Scale, Global Just World Beliefs Scale, Unjust World Belief Scale and SCL-90-R Scale were used. Pearson's correlation coefficient and stepwise regression analysis methods. Were used-The results showed that there is negative significant relation between general just world beliefs with obsessive-compulsive (OC), interpersonal sensitivity (INT), depression (DEP), hostility. (HOS) and paranoia (PAR), (p<0.05, p<0.01). Also results showed that there is negative significant relation between global just world beliefs with obsessive compulsive (OC) and depression (DEP), (P<0.05). Results also showed a positive significant relation between unjust world beliefs with paranoia (P<0.05). The results of the stepwise regression analysis, showed that only depression has a significant power for prediction of general just world beliefs and score of additional items in SCL-90-R have significant power for prediction of global just world beliefs. Results of regression analysis showed that interpersonal sensitivity (INE) and paranoia (PAR) have significant power for prediction of unjust world beliefs. Finally the results showed that only paranoia (PAR) has a significant power for prediction of unjust world beliefs. The implications of the results have been discussed.

The main goal of the present study was to identify the factors influencing couples adjustment, specifically the relationship between communication skills and marital adjustment. Hundred and thirty-two married students were randomly selected and Snyder's Revised Marital Satisfaction Inventory (MSI-R, Snyder, 1997) and Navran's Communication Skills Inventory (CSI, Navran, 1967) were administered to them. Analysis of the results showed high correlation between couples in communication skills. Also, results showed that spousal compatibility of those couples with strong communication skills in various aspects of spousal relationship was significantly higher than those with weaker communication skills. The present result necessitates paying more attention to the role of communication skills towards achieving spousal compatibility and preventing the occurrence of spousal conflicts.

This Study examines gender differences in coping styles and mental health in a sample of 403 (206 male, 197 female) participants who responded to the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations and to the General Health Questionnaire. The results of MANOVA indicated that women scored significantly higher than the men in the avoidance and emotional-oriented coping styles and mental health, and men scored significantly higher than women in task-oriented coping style. The results also showed that men reported better mental health than the women. Sex differences in the strength of the relationship between coping styles and health for males and females were also found. The results of regression analysis showed that among coping styles, only task-oriented and emotional onented styles and sex contribute to the prediction of mental health. The results of this study suggests that psychologists and counselors may want to take gender differences in coping styles. In accounting for physical and psychological health symptoms, as well as ways to help the students cope more effectively and adaptively with their stressors.

This experiment investigated the physiological linkage in mother-adolescent daughter dyads using reversal theory constructs including metamotivational states, and reversal processes. Physiological linkage is a measure of how well the physiological responses of each member of each dyad predict the other member's response pattern. Among 63 mother daughter dyads participating in an earlier experiment a high conflict group (12 dyads) and a low-conflict group (12 dyads), were established on the basis of the Conflict subscale of Finley Environment Scale. The study examined the levels of physiological linkage between dyads and identified the metamotivational and emotional predictors of physiological linkage during the neutral, conflictual and pleasant interactions. The results indicate that the physiological responses of daughters predicted the responses of mothers better than vice versa. It was shown that daughters' ratings of provocativeness and placidity were both predictive of linkage. Both transactional loss and gain were related to shared physiology. For the high conflict group, physiological linkage was stronger during the conflictual conversation than the pleasant conversation. On the whole, the results demonstrated the utility of reversal theory constructs in explaining the interplay between the metamotivational and emotional processes during interactions and physiological linkage between mother-daughter dyads. However the verbal, non-verbal, and cognitive factors that instigate physiological linkage remain to be investigated.