Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology
Year:2005 | Volume:11 | Issue:3 (42)|Papers Count:15

Introduction: In this study the relationship between oral contraceptive pills (OCP) and symptoms of anxiety-depression has been investigated. Method: In a cross-sectional descriptive study, 200 females who referred to a West Tehran health center were evaluated. One hundred OCP takers were compared to one hundred OCP nontakers. Data were collected using Hamilton's Anxiety Questionnaire and Hamilton's Depression Scale. Data analysis was done using Mann-Whitney and χ2 testsResults: Of 31 symptoms explored (i.e., 17 depressive symptoms, 14 anxiety symptoms), symptoms of depressed mood (63%), impaired concentration (30%), and genital symptoms (44%) were significantly higher in OCP takers than in controls. The remaining 28 symptoms did not differ significantly between cases and controls. The mean depression score was not different between the groups. The mean anxiety score was higher in the OCP group. Depression and anxiety scores were not associated with the duration of OCP use. Conclusion: Although some anxiety and depressive symptoms were higher in OCP stakers, most women are not at risk of serious psychiatric side effects of OCPs.

Introduction: The goal of the study was to screen mental disorders in Afghan immigrants who lived in Tehran in the year 2003. Method: In this research 453 Afghan immigrants (227 male and 226 female) were selected by cluster sampling from different areas of Tehran. Instruments were a demographic questionnaire on substance abuse and suicidal thoughts and attempted suicide, and the General Health  questionnaire( GHQ-28) completed by Afghan interviewers. Data were analyzed using t-test, and ANOVA. Results: Findings showed that the prevalence of mental disorders was 55.6% (19.9% in males; 35.7% in females).Prevalence of social dysfunction, anxiety, and somatic symptoms were higher than the depression. Ten percent of Afghan immigrants smoked cigarettes and 4% of them were substance abuser. Four percent had suicidal thoughts and 2% had attempted suicide. There was a significant association between mental disorders and demographic characteristics except for family size. Also there was a significant association between mental disorders and type of residence (i.e. centered vs. noncentered), but no meaningful relationship with the duration of stay in Iran, reason for migration and place of residence. Conclusion: Mental disorders are of high prevalence in Afghan immigrants in Tehran.

Introduction: Sexual phobia can result in a lot of problems in women and their husbands. In the current study the effectiveness of cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT), drug therapy and their combination was assessed. Method: In this experiment 13 female patients with sexual phobia were randomly divided into 3 treatment groups: 1- CBT (n=5), 2- Fluoxetine (n=3), 3-A Combination of CBT and fluoxetine (n=5). All subjects were pre- and post-tested by Measurement of Sexual Function, Irrational Beliefs Questionnaire and Sexual Anxiety Scale .Data were analyzed by t-test and ANOVA. Results: Findings showed that CBT alone or in combination with fluoxetine was effective in reducing maladaptive cognitions, irrational beliefs and sexual anxiety, but treatment with fluoxetine alone was not effective. Conclusion: Combination therapy was more effective than fluoxetine alone but it was not significantly different from CBT alone. Therefore, it seems that the improvement of patients' symptoms was related to CBT alone.

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the degree to which the severity of obsessive compulsive symptoms are influenced by non-adaptive cognitive beliefs, commitment to religious codes of hygiene and cleansing, and the guilt feeling in the Iranian patients with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Method: Within the framework of a post hoc survey study, 43 OCD patients were selected by convenience sampling and were evaluated using obsessive-compulsive diagnostic checklist, Compulsive Activity Checklist (CAC), Beliefs Inventory (BI), a questionnaire on religious beliefs regarding cleansing and hygiene codes, a questionnaire on religious commitment and the guilt feeling questionnaire. The results were analyzed using Pearson correlation, multiple regressions with simultaneous method and analysis of variance. Results: The findings revealed a negative correlation between the variables of religious commitment, non-adaptive cognitive beliefs and guilt feeling with the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Non-adaptive religious beliefs regarding hygiene and cleansing codes were better predictors of the severity of OCD symptoms than non-adaptive cognitive beliefs. Conclusion: Although non-adaptive religious beliefs can result in extreme religious rituals, it is not an indicator of stronger religious commitment. An individual's religious commitment can be within the normal range while he/she is affected by compulsive washing.

Introduction: Assessing reliability and validity of Adolescents Coping Scale (ACS) was investigated. Method: 1832male and female high school students were selected randomly and assessed by the 80-items Adolescents Coping Scale and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ- 28). Factor analysis was used for internal consistency (α) and data concurrent validity, and reliability and validity of the scale was determined. Results: There were 18 main strategies extracted from the ACS. The 18 strategies were categorized as 3 main styles. The overall reliability of ACS was 0.87 and the reliability of productive coping, referring to others, and non productive styles were respectively 0.82, 0.82 and 0.81. Validation results showed that productive coping and referring to others had a significant positive association with mental health, while the non-productive coping style had a significant negative association with mental health. Conclusion: The Adolescents Coping Scale (ACS) is valid and reliable for assessing coping strategies and coping style.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to identify and compare cognitive impairments resulting from schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder. Method: It was a descriptive-comparative study on 58 male patients hospitalized in Razi Psychiatric Center. Thirty-two patients were diagnosed with schizophrenia and 26 with bipolar I disorder. The Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) was used to assess the cognitive state of patients in 6 domains of cognitive function. The student's t, Mann-Whitney, correlation coefficient and Kolmogrov-Smirnov tests were used for data analysis. Results: Cognitive impairments were more severe in schizophrenia patients (total scores were 19.44 for schizophrenia and 22.35 for bipolar I disorder). The impairments were distinctly prominent in the domain of language and verbal skills. Conclusion: Cognitive impairments are vaster and deeper in patients with schizophrenia than in bipolar I disorder.

Introduction: Since interpersonal differences can be assessed using the self-reported personality characteristics, this study aimed to validate and standardize of the revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-R) in different age groups of an Iranian sample. Method: A sample of 1212 men and women completed EPQ-R in Tehran. Statistical analysis was done to assess internal consistency and material analysis. One to two months later, 101 of the whole sample were randomly selected and retested using the same questionnaire. Moreover, to assess validity, 100 of the respondents were randomly selected and interviewed by two independent psychologists. Results: The test-retest reliability coefficients showed that there is internal consistency for 6 Subscales of EPQ-R. Correlations between ratings and scores showed high validity in all subscales. Inter-correlations showed that E is distinct from P; there is a weak negative correlation between E and N; and a weak correlation between P and N. Factor analysis revealed that A and Care correlated with P, N, and E. Conclusion: EPQ-R is reasonably valid and reliable.

Introduction: The present study is designed to determine the role of meaning assignment structures/schema, transient emotional states, and their interaction in the recall memory of emotional words, as well as testing the content specificity hypothesis. Method: 150 subjects as 5 groups of 30 individuals were selected according to whether they had clinical or subclinical axiety-depression and non-adaptive schema. After inducing 4 different emotions, the recall memory of participants were assessed by repeat measurements of 4 different categories of self-referred emotional words. Results: The study revealed the effect of the experimental group and emotional induction on Recall memory of emotional words, and also the augmenting effect of the emotional state together with the experimental group on the memory bias. Conclusion: The results support that both schema and the emotional situation can bias the memory. These findings are consistent with both meaning assignment structures/schema theory, and associative network theory. Although it did not prove the content specificity hypothesis, there is some evidence of memory bias in normal individuals without non-adaptive schema.

Introduction: Delay discounting (DD) means preferring small immediate rewards to large delayed rewards. This study was to assess delay discounting and the correlation of our findings with that of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI). Method: In a Cross-sectional study, DD and time perspective were investigated in 93 medical interns by means of a computer software and ZTPI. In delay discounting procedure (DDP), subjects chose between hypothetical monetary rewards available immediately or delayed 6 hours to 25 years. ZTPI consists of 56 items in five subscales. A nonlinear curve fitting program test, Mann-Whitney U Test and Pearson correlation were used for data analysis. Results: Hyperbolic function had good fitness to the results of delay discounting procedure (DDP). On ZTPI, the positive future and positive past subscales showed highest means; the lowest Mean was of the present fatalistic. No meaningful correlation was found between DDP and ZTPI. Also, there was no significant difference between male and female participants. Conclusion: The delay discounting procedure based on a hyperbolic model has application for measurement of impulsivity in an Iranian sample. Absence of any meaningful correlation between DDP and ZTPI suggest that probably the tests relate to distinct aspects of impulsivity.

Introduction: The aim of the present study was to compare sesation seeking in substance abusers and normal individuals. Method: 30 heroin abusers and 30 opium abusers from the rehabilitation center in Kerman were Selected by simple randomized sampling. Also, 30 smokers and 30 normal individuals, matched for age and education to the sample of substance abusers, were selected as the control group. All subjects completed the Zuckerman's sensation seeking scale. Data analysis was done using descriptive tests of one-way ANOVA and Tukey follow test. Results: This study indicated that the four groups differed significantly in the overall sensation Seeking score, as well as the four dimensions of thrill and adventure seeking, experience seeking, disinhibition and boredom susceptibility. Conclusion: Opium and heroin abusers display higher levels pf sensation seeking than non abusers.