Applied Psychology
Year:2011 | Volume:4 | Issue:4 (16)|Papers Count:12

Aim: Aim of this study was to determine mediation effects of emotional loneliness on the links of spiritual well-being, social distance, social loneliness and depression in Iranian university students.Method: This study utilized a descriptive correlational design. In this study 251 undergraduate students were selected by availability sampling. All participants were asked to complete the Social Distance Scale(Elmore, 1982), UCLA Loneliness Scale (Russell, 1996), Wadsworth (1986) Scale of Loneliness, Spiritual Well-Being Scale (Paloutzian, & Ellison, 1982) and Zung self-rating depression. The theoretical model was tested within a structural equation–modeling framework to identify both direct and indirect effects.Results: Research findings indicated overall model fit, with both emotional loneliness and spiritual well-being as significant predictors of depression. Although direct effects of social distance and social loneliness were not significant, indirect effect on depression were partially mediated by emotional loneliness. In addition to direct effect of spiritual well-being on depression, it was fully mediated by emotional loneliness. These findings were consistent with the role of loneliness in depression as theoretically proposed.Conclusion: More social distance, and particularly lonelier individuals are more likely to report higher levels of depressive symptoms. In addition, a high personal relationship with God and purpose in life are associated with low depression.Findings emphasize the need to recognize the role of spiritual well-being, social distance, social loneliness and emotional loneliness in predicting depression.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of dialectical behavior therapy accompanied with medical therapy, and medical therapy alone in reducing the rate of suicide attempts in people who have major depression.Method: Research method is a semi experimental socio-statistic approach consisting of experimental group (dialectical behavior therapy accompanied with the medical therapy) and control group (medical therapy). Participants were patients referred to Loghman Hospital, Azadi Mental Hospital and Mehre-Taban Psychological Center in Tehran and who were diagnosis with major depression with suicide ideas. Based on stratified random sampling, 12 patients (seven women and five men) were placed in each group.. Research tools included the structured diagnosis interview according to DSM-IV-TR (2000), Beck Depression (2005) and Suicide Inventory (1997).Medical therapy and dialectical behavior therapy were done for seven months (two sessions per week, consisting of 28 individuals sessions & 28 groups sessions).Results: Indicate that dialectical behavior therapy accompanied with medical therapy was more effective than medical therapy alone in reducing suicide tendency.Conclusion: It could be inferred that the dialectical behavior therapy because of its characteristics may be considered a practical therapeutic technique for working with depressed patients with suicidal tendencies who may be at a critical state.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to determine the validity and reliability of the Physical Self-Description Questionnaire among Adolescent girls.Method: A corrolational method was used and the statistical populations include all Tehran school aged (8-18 years) girls in Tehran. Of these, 627 participants were selected using random multi-cluster sampling. Participants completed the Physical Self-Description Questionnaire (Marsh et al., 1994). For determining factorial validity of the questionnaire exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used. Reliability was computed using Cronbach alpha.Results: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses provided evidence for eight factors of Physical self-concept (sport competence, body fat, appearance, flexibility, health, physical activity, coordination and self-esteem) for adolescent girls describing aspects of physical appearance and physical ability. The eight factors explained 44.6 percent of the total variance and overall Cronbach’s alpha was 0.87.Conclusion: The results of this research support reliability and validity of Physical Self-Description Questionnaire as a measure of physical self-concept among adolescent girls in Iran.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of being married vs. being single on reported happiness as well physical and mental health of university students.Method: Method was causal comparative and research instruments were the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire of Argyle and Lu, 1989 and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) of Goldberg & Heler (1979) and a researcher made Questionnaire for attaining demographic data.Out of a population of 8600 students studying in Amiralmomenin Complex of the Islamic Azad University in the City of Karaj (candidates of the 2005 General Entrance Exam). Random sampling based on the Kerejci-Morgan table (1970), 400 married and single students were selected.Results: Results showed that married students rated higher levels of happiness and physical and mental health as compared to single students. Somatic symptoms, anxiety symptoms and sleep disorders, social dysfunction and depression of married students were also lower. There were no significant sex and age differences Conclusion: Since marriage has an effective role in maintenance and improving levels of the happiness and physical and mental health, so it is necessary that government adopts contrivances to facilitate marriage.

Aim: Aim of this research was to determine the role of adaptive and maladaptive dimensions of perfectionism in predicting the quality of interpersonal relationships in students.Method: Design of this research was correlational and 381 college students were selected by available sampling from Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran.Participants completed the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (Frost, Marten, Lahart, & Rosenblate, 1990) and the Positive Relationships Scale (Ryff, 1989).Results: Results showed perfectionism was significantly related to positive relationships. However, adaptive dimensions such as organization and personal standards were negatively related and maladaptive dimensions such as doubt about actions, concern over mistakes and parental criticism were positively related to positive interpersonal relationship.Conclusion: Overall, perfectionism should not be considered as a negative predictor for positive relationships with others.Instead, attention should be paid to both adaptive and maladaptive dimensions.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of stress inoculation training (SIT) on the general health of diabetic patients.Method: Research method was experimental and the statistical population consisted of 2630 diabetic patients from the Diabetic Center of the City of Isfahan.16 female and 14 male patients were randomly selected from these patients and were randomly assigned to either a training or a control group. The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) was administered to both groups before and after intervention. There were eight females and seven males in each group. The training group received SIT through six training sessions of 90 minutes duration each. The control group received no training at all.Results: Results showed That SIT significantly increased scores on the GHQ compared to the control group.Conclusion: SIT may be considered to be an effective intervention approach for improving the general health of diabetic patients.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between hardiness, life satisfaction and hope with academic performance.Method: Research method was correlational and multiple regression was used to analyze the data.364 pre-university high school girls in the City of Ahvaz in south west Iran were selected through random cluster sampling. Participants completed the Personal Views Questionnaire (1979), Satisfaction With Life Scale (1985) and the Hope Scale (2000). The data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression.Results: Results showed that there was a significant positive relationship between hardiness (commitment, control and challenge), life satisfaction and hope (agency, pathway). Also, there was a significant positive relationship between hardiness and life satisfaction, hope and life satisfaction. In addition, agency, commitment, control, and pathway had the most contribution in predicting life satisfaction. Also, life satisfaction and hardiness had the most contribution in predicting academic performance.Conclusion: Results of this research points to the fact that the educational system in Iran should pay more attention to the psychological factors which may play a significant role in promoting factors such hardiness, life satisfaction and hope which may in turn play a role in improving academic performance in students.