Contemporary Psychology
Year:2016 | Volume:10 | Issue:2 (20)|Papers Count:11

The main purpose of the present study was to compare two groups of male homosexuals and heterosexuals in terms of childhood gender nonconformity and fertility rate in a lineage. Two samples of male homosexuals participated in the present study. The first group were Iranian males (258 homosexuals, 179 heterosexuals) aged 18-39 years, living in Iran or abroad and the second group were Iranian males (42 homosexuals, 30 heterosexuals) older than 40, living in Tehran. To gather the data, demographic information, fertility rate in a lineage as well as Childhood Gender Nonconformity-Both (CGN-Both) were used. The results demonstrated that in the two groups of homosexuals, the mean scores of gender nonconformity were significantly higher than heterosexuals. The difference between older-than- forty male homosexuals and heterosexuals was not statistically significant. In the first group, the difference between homosexuals and heterosexuals was significant in fertility rate variables of maternal aunts and women in maternal family. Fertility rate in male homosexuals was higher than male heterosexuals. The difference between two groups of older-than-forty male homosexuals and heterosexuals was significant in the fertility rate of married participants and fertility rate of their sisters. Birth rate in male homosexuals was lower than male heterosexuals and the fertility rate in sisters of male homosexuals was higher than their counterparts. Based on the findings of the present study, it can be concluded that sexual tendency to the same sex in adulthood might be predicted by gender nonconformity in childhood as well as transition of genetic factors.

The current pain management interventions are emphasizing on conscious regulation of pain-related behaviors and emotions. In contrast, novel interventions like priming-based ones suggest that behavior- and emotion-regulation happens without conscious selection. Based on the perceptual symbol systems theory, this study investigated the impact of nonconscious exposure to a visual symbol of healing, upright posture, on the perception of pain. A sample of 71 students (44 females, 27 males) from the University of Tehran completed two coldpressor tests (aiming at producing acute pain in lab), examined either visual symbol effect of control stimuli. One of the most prominent symbols of healing is an upright state of body (vs. down state of body). In an organized timing during coldpressor test completion, the visual symbol of healing and the neutral stimulus were presented to the subjects and in both tests using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), an online and repetitive assessment of pain intensity with specific time intervals was employed. The results showed that participants who were exposed to a visual symbol of healing reported experiencing more relief from pain than those who were examined with a neutral stimulus. These findings support the explanation proposed by perceptual symbols systems theory about the mechanisms underlying the physical changes caused by psychological processes. Also, the possible effectiveness of using a brief priming-based intervention in dealing with acute pain is supported by the results.

Intimacy in marriage can contribute to the well-being of each individual partner in part by an arena in which both partners can satisfy important needs such as emotional need. Marital quality is an important aspect of family life that shapes family members and especially spouse’s health and wellbeing. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of a brief integrative couples counseling in enhancing emotional intimacy and marital quality among couples. The statistical population included couples referring to counseling centers of Ahvaz. Three couples were selected using purposive sampling. The treatment protocol of the brief integrative couples counseling was conducted for 6 sessions in the form of couple therapy and after the intervention, the follow-up was performed in two stages with a monthly interval. The participants at baseline, treatment and follow-up responded to Emotional Intimacy Subscale (EIS) of Personal Assessment of Intimacy Questionnaire (PAIQ) and Measure of Marital Quality (MMQ). Results showed that brief integrative couples counseling has positive effects on enhancing emotional intimacy and marital quality. The efficiency of brief integrative couples counseling in enhancing emotional intimacy and marital quality is confirmed, and couples therapists can use this model in working with couples to improve their marital intimacy and emotional quality.

Diabetes control as a chronic and complex disease needs doing self-care activity for lifetime. Psychological treatments, like acceptance and commitment therapy, are complementary to medical treatment in efforts to improve self-care activities. The purpose of present study was to investigate the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment group therapy on improvement of glycated hemoglobin and self-care activities in patients with type II diabetes. This was a pretest-posttest experimental design with control group. The study sample consisted of 100 (60 females, 40 males) out-patients diagnosed with type II diabetes who attended Labbafinejad Hospital.Measures used included: A questionnaire to obtain demographic and anthropomorphic characteristics and the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities (SDSCA). The results yielded evidence for the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy on improvement glycated hemoglobin levels and self-care activities. Follow-up comparisons after three months indicated that the beneficial effects of the intervention was still present. Based on the present findings, acceptance and commitment group therapy lead to the decrease of glycated hemoglobin and increase of self-care activities in type II diabetes. These findings suggest that acceptance and commitment therapy can be used as a complementary intervention together with medical treatment for improvement control indices of type II diabetes in order to prevent serious side effects of this illness.

Recent research investigated the role of the emotion dysregulation in the development and maintenance of anxiety symptoms. The purpose of the present study was to examine the mediating role of emotion dysregulation strategies on the relationship between negative emotion intensity and safety motivation system with anxiety symptoms. A total of 621 students (392 females, 229 males) from the universities in Tehran participated in the study. Participants completed the Farsi version of Mood and Anxiety Symptom Questionnaire-short form (MASQ-SF), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), the Affect Intensity Measure (AIM), Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire (SPSRQ), Attentional Control Scale (ACS), Body Awareness Questionnaire (BAQ), Experiences Questionnaire (EQ), and Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ). The results demonstrated that negative emotion intensity had a positive significant association with safety motivation. Moreover, among the emotion regulation strategies, attentional control component from attending and allowing emotion regulation strategies had a negative significant association with anxious arousal. Body awareness component from attending and reappraisal did not play a significant mediating role on the relationship between negative emotion intensity, safety motivation and anxiety symptoms. However, other emotion regulation strategies played a significant mediating role. Based on the results of the present study, it can be concluded that development of anxiety symptoms are influenced by attending, allowing, and distancing strategies. Therefore, considering these emotion regulation strategies can result in better understanding of anxiety symptoms and more effective treatments.

Similarities or differences in personality traits of couples are among the important factors that can predict the stability and marital satisfaction. The present study examined the relationship between couple’s personality similarity and their marital satisfaction in a sample of 100 married couples which have been living together for at least one year. All participants completed a short version of the NEO Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) and a long version of the Enriching and Nurturing Relationship Issues, Communication and Happiness (ENRICH). The results demonstrated that couples similarity in extraversion predicted higher marital satisfaction in women. Couples who both had high scores in neuroticism showed lower marital satisfaction relative to couples who both had low scores in this characteristic. Couples who both had high scores in agreeableness and conscientiousness, showed higher marital satisfaction relative to couples who both had low scores in these characteristics. Based on the results of the present study, similarity in personality characteristics is not the only determinant of marital satisfaction.

Deviant behaviors are harmful to individuals and organizations in most situations. However, at the individual level these behaviors in response to stress can be considered as compensatory behaviors. The present study aimed to investigate the moderating role of deviant behaviors on the relationship between job stress and perceived psychological safety and compare discussed relations between the two independent organizations (an administrative organization with an industrial organization). From employees of two independent organizations in Isfahan city, 204 and 277 employees were selected using convenience sampling, respectively. All participants were asked to respond to Deviant Behaviors Questionnaire (DBQ), Job Stress Questionnaire (JSQ), and Perceived Psychological Security (PPS). Results of the two studies revealed that a negative significant relationship between job stress and perceived psychological safety as well as a positive significant relationship between job stress and deviant behaviors toward individuals and toward organization. Also results revealed that, deviant behaviors toward individuals and toward organization moderated the relationship between job stress and perceived psychological safety. When deviant behaviors toward individuals and toward organization were high, there was no significant relationship between job stress and perceived psychological safety, but low deviant behaviors toward individuals and toward organization showed a negative significant relationship between job stress and perceived psychological safety. In sum, the results of the present study showed that, despite some differences in the two sets of administrative and industrial organizations studied, deviant behaviors toward individuals and organizations can serve as a buffer (compensatory) factor in the relationship between job stress and perceived psychological safety.

Biological aspects of personality have an important influence on people psychological dimensions. People affective and mood states can be changed based on cycle of Hostelry. The aim of the present study was to investigate negative/positive affect levels and reinforcement sensitivity based on the change in the circadian cycle morningness and eveningness. First, 600 students (316 girls, 284 boys) from the University of Urmia participated in the study. Participants completed the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ). Then, 83 participants were selected for the second stage according to obtained scores in MEQ, as morningness, eveningness, and intermediate individuals. Finally, participants completed the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and the Behavioral Activation System (BAS) and Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) Scales. Results indicated significant differences among dimensions of positive and negative affect based on the types of morningness, eveningness, and intermediate types. The morningness type had a higher positive affect and lower negative affect. Comparison of morningness and eveningness types in the biological aspects of personality including behavioral activation and behavioral inhibition showed no significant difference between the two groups. Based on the study results, this can be concluded that individual differences in experience of positive and negative affect can be caused by changes associated with circadian cycles.