INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
Year:2011 | Volume:5 | Issue:2 (16)|Papers Count:16

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to compare cognitive analytic therapy [CAT] with medication, cognitive therapy [CT] with medication and medication alone on reduction of emotional instability, impulsivity and social instability in bipolar II disorder.Method: In this study, 48 enrollees were randomly assigned to 3 groups of bipolar mood disorder (BMD) II patients based on the three styles of therapy: 16 patients were assigned to cognitive analytic therapy with medication, 16 patients to cognitive therapy with medication and 16 patients medication alone. All of the patients completed "Psychological File Questionnaire" that assesses traps, dilemmas and snags before and after treatment.Results: The findings of this study show significant differences between three groups of therapy. Considering traps, dilemmas and snags, cognitive analytic therapy with medication is significantly more effective than the two other groups. The reduction in medication only group was not significant.Conclusion: The results of this study show the significant effects of cognitive analytic therapy with medication on reduction of traps, dilemmas, and snags in bipolar II patients as compared to other groups. Consequently, it is expected that emotional instability, impulsivity and social instability reduce significantly in this group. Such an effect was not found in medication only group.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to standardize the Conflict Tactics Scale among married women and men in Isfahan.Method: The research was a survey, in which 250 married persons were selected regarding gender and socioeconomic status through stratified sampling, and 45 abused married women and men were randomly selected. The instrument was CTS-2 which evaluates domestic abuse with the abuser and the abused dimensions including physical abuse, physical injury, affection abuse, sexual abuse, and negotiation subscales. Financial abuse subscale was also added. For data analysis, Cronbach’s Alpha, Test-retest, discriminate analysis, and correlation with total score were used.Results: The data analysis according to Cronbach's alpha, and test-retest, as well as discriminate validity coefficient showed that both reliability and validity were suitable for CTS-2. Moreover, high sensitivity and specificity in cut-off points of 40 and 59 for abuser and abused revealed that CTS-2 had a high discrimination.Conclusion: This study revealed that Conflict Tactics Scale with five subscales and an additional financial subscale has suitable psychometric characteristics for assessing spouse abuse in the Iranian samples.

Introduction: The present study aimed to investigate the mediator role of cognitive emotion regulation in the relationship between parenting style dimensions and academic achievement.Method: In a correlation study, 460 adolescent students (224 girls and 236 boys) were selected via random ratio cluster sampling from Karaj high schools. Data were collected by means of Perceived Parenting Style dimensions and Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire and judged by grade point average (GPA). To analyze the data, path analysis, regression, and correlation coefficient were employed.Results: Result revealed that the cognitive emotion regulation has a very little mediator role between perceived parenting dimensions and grade point average and warmth is a better predictor for grade point average than control.Conclusion: Perceived parental warmth has a positive relationship with adolescent's cognitive emotion regulation and academic achievement. In contrast with perceived raising dimension, it persuades adolescents to improve. This study, like many other similar ones, stresses the significant role of parental warmth in adolescents' academic achievement.

Introduction: The aim of this research was to determine the effect of coping therapy on hopelessness in infertile women in Kermanshah.Method: Among women who visited infertility clinic, 40 voluntarily enrolled in the study and were divided equally in 2 experimental and control groups randomly. In the pre test phase, infertile women (both groups) simultaneously filled out Beck’s hopelessness scale and Beck’s Depression Inventory (short form). In the next phase, only the experimental groups were treated for 8 (120 minutes) sessions in order to correct coping ways that they used in the past week. After treatment sessions finished, both experimental and control groups (simultaneously) took the post test and follow-up (after 3 weeks) phase using only the hopelessness scale.Results: Repeated measures analysis of variance revealed coping therapy decreases hopelessness, negative perspective of future, pessimism, not having a plan for future and expecting defeat in infertile women. However, it did not significantly affected instability of thinking.Conclusion: Infertility is not the only problem of infertile women and their future fertility cannot solve their psychological disturbances. Furthermore, these disturbances may have their own negative effects on fertility. So, it is suggested to embody mental health and quality of life in their therapeutic programs.

Introduction: This study examined the effectiveness of Cognitive-behavioral marital training on increasing marital satisfaction in women. Marital satisfaction, irrational beliefs, and emotional maturity were examined as the main variables.Method: Thirty married women (15 in experimental group and 15 in control group) volunteered to participate in this study. All subjects completed three scales: Attitude toward Marriage Inventory, Emotional Maturity Test and ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Questionnaires to assess their irrational beliefs, emotional maturity and the degree of marital satisfaction/dissatisfaction as a pre-test and post-test assessment.Results: Subjects in experimental group participated in four subsequent cognitive-behavioral marital training workshop sessions. The findings showed that the experimental group significantly improved in all variables.Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that Cognitive-Behavioral Marital Training is an effective program to increase the marital satisfaction and marital adjustment via decreasing irrational beliefs as well as improving emotional maturity of married couples.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the difference between students with type D personality and non type D personality in regard to general health.Method: This study was conducted using survey design and cross-sectional method. Data were collected from 248 students of Yazd University, from seven educational groups. These students were selected via random sampling. The instruments for gathering data were standardized scales: Type D Personality Questionnaire (TDPQ) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ).Results: The results showed a significant difference between students with type D personality and non-type D personality in regard to general health, and in regard to components of general health: somatic symptoms, anxiety/ insomnia, social dysfunction, and severe depression. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that the negative affectivity and social inhibition explained for %7.3 of the variance in general health.Conclusion: Type D personality is a powerful construct in explanation and prediction of students’ general health. Therefore, results of this study can be used to reinforce students’ general health through interventionist activities.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between emotional intelligence and its components (emotional perception, emotional control, social skills, and optimism) and academic satisfaction in boy and girl students.Method: The 386 high school students were selected by cluster sampling and they filled out the Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire and Academic Satisfaction Questionnaire. The data were analyzed through Pearson product moment correlation, multiple regression analysis, and t-test for independent groups.Results: Findings showed a significant positive relationship between emotional intelligence and academic satisfaction. Multiple regression analysis revealed that scores of emotional perception and optimism predicted academic satisfaction significantly. According to independent t-test results, there were significant differences between girls and boys in emotional intelligence, emotional perception and academic satisfactionConclusion: As results indicate, emotional intelligence has an important role in students' academic satisfaction. In addition, differences between girls and boys in emotional intelligence and academic satisfaction revealed the importance of attending to gender differences by educational specialists.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between geographical areas, personality and socio-economic status and demographical factors with job stress.Method: In a cross-sectional study, 749 military personnel were selected using two-stage cluster samplings. The measuring tools used in this study were HSE job questionnaire, Framingham personality questionnaire, socio-economic and demographic status checklist. The results were analyzed with regression and SPSS program version 16.Results: Result showed the variables sex, married status and socio-economic status did not show any difference whereas geographical areas, personality, age and education level showed significant differences. According to the results, job stress decreased with increasing education level and improving weather conditions. Also Type A personality showed more stress rather than type B.Conclusion: The results recommend the use of their personality characteristics, geographic factors, educational level and age to be considered.

Introduction: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between personality characteristics and religious attitudes.Method: Participants were 226 talented students who have been studying at Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz during educational year of 2009-2010. Data were collected by using religious attitudes scale, developed by Clark and Stark, and NEO-FFI personality inventory.Results: The results showed that religious attitudes are significantly correlated with personality characteristics, except for the relationship between religious attitudes and openness to experience. Regression analysis revealed that five personality characteristics explained only 6 percent of total variance of religious attitudes.Conclusion: Since personality traits explain few part of religious attitudes variance, it might be suggested that religious attitudes are more under control of environment than genetic factors.

Introduction: considering the significant contribution of self-esteem to sense of well-being, this study aimed at investigating the parenting styles and mothers’ negative schemas as predictors of self-esteem in the elementary school students in Tehran.Method: Towards this end, the numbers of 1260 people (630 elementary school students and 630 mothers) were selected. These elementary school children studying at 4th and 5th grades in Tehran were selected using a random cluster sampling method and were asked to complete the Coopersmith self-esteem scale. Their mothers also responded to the parenting styles and Young schemas scales questionnaire. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were used to analyze data.Results: Results of Correlation indicated that significant relation between mother's parenting styles, early maladaptive schemas and children’s self-esteem. Also results of regression analysis indicated that among parenting styles, authoritarian parenting style and among mother’s schema domains and schemas, disconnection and rejection domain, emotional deprivation and emotional inhibition schemas were the most rigorous predictors of children’s self-esteem.Conclusion: in Tehran’s families, the children’ self-esteem might be highly influenced by the mothers’ parenting styles and schemas, and therefore in order to optimize the children’s level of self-esteem, it will be helpful to teach the principles of the authoritative parenting style and rational beliefs to the parents.

Introduction: The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship of trait anxiety and thought control strategies with pathological worry.Method: Participants of this research were 146 college students of Allameh Tabatabaei University who were selected via a random multistage cluster sampling method. The subjects completed three questionnaires: Thought control strategies, Penn-State Worry Questionnaire and Trait form of State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis.Results: There is a significant positive correlation between self-punishment, social control and pathological worry. There is a significant negative correlation between distraction and pathological worry. There is a significant positive correlation between trait anxiety and worrying. Trait anxiety, self-punishment, social control and distraction accounted 45% of the total variance of the pathological worry.Conclusion: Trait anxiety can predict pathological worry better than thought control strategies.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of attachment styles and mental health with marital adjustment in couples.Method: This correlation study enrolled 700 couples consisting of 350man and 350 women of 20 to 40 years old who lived in Ardebil city. To collect the data, Bartolommeo and Horvitz attachment style questionnaire, Mental Health questionnaire (SCL-90-R) and Spaniers Marital adjustment questionnaire (DAS) were employed. The data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and step-by-step regression.Results: Results showed that there is a positive correlation between mental health and marital adjustment in people with insure, preoccupied and dismissing attachment styles. However, there is a negative correlation between mental health and marital adjustment in people with fearful attachment style. Furthermore, we showed that mental health and attachment style explain roughly 13 percent of adjustment variance.Conclusion: These results can be used in premarital consultation, determining attachment style, or couple's mental health in order to predict their marital adjustment. Such practice will assist in training couples to improve their satisfaction and adjustment.