JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
Year:2017 | Volume:9 | Issue:2 (34) |Papers Count:13

Introduction: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is considerd an attenuator of anxiety disorder which affects many of psychological traumatic survivors and impaires autobiographical memory (AM). The aim of this research was to investigate effectiveness of Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) on improving Autobiographical Memory (AM) and its components. This treatment contains many components of exposing plus elements of testimony therapy.Method: A group of 24 women with betrayed experience and PTSD symptom were assigned into experimental and control groups randomly. Participants were clinically interviewed and then Impact of Event scale-revised (IES-R), Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT), Personal Goals Scale, Twenty Statements Test (TST), and Autobiographical Memory (AM) interview were administered. The experimental group received eight sessions of treatment, whereas no intervention received by the control group. Subjects in both groups repeated the above scales and tests immediately after treatment and three months later, and Autobiographical Memory (AM) interview. Data was analyzed by using repeated measures analysis of variance.Results: The results of statistical analysis showed that PTSD significantly reduced in experimental group immediately after therapy and in three months follow-up. Autobiographical Memory (AM) specificity increased significantly. The unrelated content with trauma and positive impact on the definition of self in the experimental group was increased significantly. The degree of independence of the stated objectives did not change dramatically.Conclusion: The success of Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) in improving the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder confirms that memory of the impact has been well integrated into the Autobiographical Memory (AM).Disorder associated with this memory has also been improved with the breakdown of the fear network and access to the details of Autobiographical Memory (AM).

Introduction: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is taken into consideration more than ever in the past decade, by progress and development of many theories about "worry" as fundamental cognitive component in this disorder.Generalized anxiety disorder, as a chronic disorder, mostly occurs several years before depression. However, few studies have been conducted on the etiology and treatment of this disorder. This study aimed to investigate cognitive therapy model based on Dougas on intolerance of uncertainty, cognitive avoidance and positive beliefs about worry in patients with generalized anxiety disorder.Method: In this study, single case experimental design with multiple baselines was used. The sample group included five patients with generalized anxiety disorder who were having inclusion and exclusion criteria.Sampling was conducted based on voluntary and convenience method. Diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety Disorder was done according to the Structured Clinical Interview (SCID-I) and clinical psychologist. Intolerance of uncertainty scale (IUS), Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ), Cognitive Avoidance Questionnaire (CAQ) and Why Worry Questionnaire (WWQ-II) were used as measures in the pre and post intervention. Effect size and cure rate were used to analyze data.Results: The results showed that effect size in intolerance of uncertainty was 0.72, cognitive avoidance was 0.79 and a positive belief about worry was 0.66.Conclusion: Results of this study indicates that cognitive therapy model based on Dougas has positive effect on intolerance of uncertainty, cognitive avoidance and positive beliefs about worry and lead to reduce them.Also this treatment besides of pharmacotherapy could be used as one of effective options in reducing GAD symptoms.

Introduction: The current research was carried out to study the effectiveness of group acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) on life satisfaction among mothers of children with cancer. The research sample was consisted of all the mothers with children suffering from cancer who referred to Mahak Hospital in Tehran city.Method: The research method is quasi experimental design with pretest and posttest and control group.32 people were selected by convenience sampling method from clients referring to the Mahak Hospital and assigned into two experimental and control groups randomly (n=16). The instrument used was Diener’s Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). The intervention period for the experimental group was 8 sessions of 90 minutes.Results: Data were analyzed by using the one-way ANCOVA (analysis of covariance). The results showed that group acceptance and commitment therapy has led to the increase of life satisfaction among mothers of children suffering from cancer in the experimental group.According to the obtained effect index, 34% of improvement and enhancement of life satisfaction among mothers of the children with cancer in experimental group can be attributed to the group acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT).Conclusion: To explain the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy in life satisfaction among mothers of the children with cancer, it can be said that many mothers deny the reality of their child’s diagnosis that group acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) leads to improvement in life satisfaction through acceptation of unavoidable and unpleasant feelings.

Introduction: Oppositional defiant disorder is a common and debilitating disorder in children which is associated with high rates in attention and communication problems. The purpose of this study was to evaluate effectiveness of coping power program on oppositional defiant disorder, attention problems and communication skills.Method: In the present study, quasi-experimental method with pre-test and post-test and control group was used. The sample includes 34 children with oppositional defiant disorder, attention problems and communication skills (18 children in experimental group and 14 children in control group) that were selected by purposive sampling. Tools included Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Children’s Self- efficacy for Peer Interaction scale (CSPI).Coping power program with patents and children in experimental group was held in 16 sessions of 90 minutes from the beginning of 2014-2015 academic years to end of academic year. Control group addition to receive the usual counseling was on the waiting list for intervention. In addition the control group received a usual counseling visit.Results: Based on the results, coping power program had significant effect on oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and attention problems in experimental children group, whereas no significant effect found for communication skills with peers.Conclusion: Results indicated coping power program as an effective treatment for oppositional defiant disorder and attention problems. However, more research is needed and changes in the content of effectiveness in the field of communication skills seems necessary.

Introduction: This study was aimed to examine effectiveness of Stress Inoculation Training on physical aggression, verbal aggression, anger and hostility in adolescent boys.Method: This study is quasi-experimental with pretest - posttest and control group. The study population included adolescent boys aged 12-15 years old in Mashhad. The sample was 24 students that were selected according to gain the highest score in Buss Perry Aggression Questionnaire and randomly was assigned to experimental and control groups. Buss Perry Aggression Questionnaire was used as tool in current study. The experimental group received 8 sessions of Stress Inoculation Training, whereas no treatment received by control group. Multivariate Analyses of covariance and One-Way Analysis of covariance were used to analyze the data.Results: Findings indicated that Stress Inoculation Training significantly reduced hostility, physical aggression and verbal aggression in experimental group in comparison to control group (p<0.01). However, no significant change was observed in anger in experimental group rather than the control group.Conclusion: Stress Inoculation Training is an effective method that affect cognitive and behavioral dimension which can reduc aggression and hostility. However, more comprehensive intervention (including family and society) with more therapeutic sessions would probably be effective in reducing anger (emotional dimension of aggression).

Introduction: Repetitive negative thinking (RNT) is one of the most important common trans diagnostic factors in the development and maintenance of emotional disorders. Aim of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of Repetitive Thinking Questionnaire-10 items (RTQ-10 (.Method: In this cross-sectional study, 651 students of Tehran Universities was selected by multistage cluster sampling method and completed Repetitive Thinking Questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory-II, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), The Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) and Ruminative Response Scale.The construct validity was used to determine exploratory factor analysis, Cronbach’s alpha coefficients was performed to determine the internal consistency and correlation coefficient of Repetitive Thinking Questionnaire-10 items (RTQ-10) with scales of measuring anxiety, depression, rumination, worry, positive and negative affect was used to assess convergent and divergent validity.Results: The results showed of Repetitive Thinking Questionnaire-10 items (RTQ-10) has single-factor structure with good test-retest reliability (0.76) and high internal consistency (0.91). The results also showed that this questionnaire has favorable convergent validity with depression, anxiety, negative affect, rumination and worry along with divergent validity with positive affect.Conclusion: Overall, the results provide evidence based on favorable reliability and validity of Repetitive Thinking Questionnaire-10 items (RTQ-10) as major tool for assessment of trans diagnostic factor namely negative repetitive negative thinking among Iranian students.

Introduction: The main objective of this research was to compare Alexithymia features in individuals with and without Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).Method: The Method of study was expo-facto and the statistical population included all students of University of Tehran. Conners’ Adult Rating Scales (CAARS) was used to screen 580 students in terms of Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). In the second stage, 40 participants who gained the highest scored (i.e. in Conners’ scales) were invited to clinical interview. The diagnostic interview based on Utah Rating Scale (DSM-5) was conducted by a psychiatrist to diagnose ADHD.10 patients out of the total40 individuals who have been invited to the interview, were excluded according to the psychiatric diagnosis. At the end, two groups of 30 people (30=patients, 30= normal) were compared together by using Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS).Results: The results of multivariate analysis of variance showed that scores of people with Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in components of alexithymia contains; difficulty in identifying and describing feelings was significantly higher than normal population but there was no significant difference in externally oriented thinking.Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded people with Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have some features of alexithymia and in emotional responses are inferiority. Therefore, attention to the emotional issues of people with attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder is more important than the past.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to examin and compare the effectiveness of cognitive therapy Based on meta-theoretical models and meta-cognitive therapy on thought control and reducing the pain in patients suffering from chronic pain.Method: This study was quasi-experimental with pretest-posttest and control group. The statistical population included all chronic pain patients aged over 30 years old who referred to Shahid Gholipur Hospital’s centers of Bukan city for treatment in 2015.105 patients with chronic pain were selected among those who referred to these centers and assigned into the experimental and control groups randomly. The experimental groups received eight sessions of 90-minutes. The McGill Pain Questionnaire and Wells Score were used to collect data.Results: The Results of multiple analysis of covariance indicated that there was a significant difference between three groups in posttest scores of thought control and reducing the pain. The results of post hoc test indicated more effective and more reliable effectiveness of meta-trans theoretical therapy rather than meta-cognitive model in post-test and follow-up of two months on thought control and reducing the pain.Conclusion: According to the results of this study, meta-trans theoretical therapy more increased in thought control and reducing the pain. Thus, mental health expert can use this treatment method for increasing patients’ thought control and reducing the pain.

Introduction: The role of psychological factors such as emotional experiences especially Alexithymia has been approved in the clinical course of skin diseases. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of processing emotion regulation strategies training (PERST) in alexithymia of patient with psoriasis. Method: In the frame of single subject design among patients with skin disorders of treatment centers in Tehran, 3 patients with Psoriasis were recruited through convenient sampling and based on structured clinical interview for axis I disorders in DSM-IV (SCID-I) and inclusion and exclusion criteria then received processing emotion regulation strategies training for 10 sessions (each session had 1 hour length). Patients were evaluated 6 times by Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20) during treatment and 1.5 month follow up. Data were analyzed by using the indices for trend changes, slope and the visual inspection of the charts; the recovery percent index and effect size were used to determine the clinical significance.Results: The data analysis showed that processing emotion regulation strategies training is significantly effective in reducing alexithymia and its subscales in patient with psoriasis.Conclusion: According to the role of emotional factors as predisposing, precipitating and continuation of skin disorders including psoriasis education of processing emotion regulation strategies training could reduce alexithymia and manage positive and negative emotions play an important role to support treatment with medical treatment.