JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
Year:2013 | Volume:5 | Issue:2 (18)|Papers Count:11

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of life skills training on the social self-competency of boy students with dyscalculia.Method: 40 students were chosen randomly from the population consists of students with dyscalculia aged 13-15 years old whom studying in learning disabilities centers in Tehran province in 2011-2012 academic year. They allocated to experimental and control group equally (each consists of 20 individuals). Experimental group participated in 9 sessions (each session lasts for 50 minutes) weekly and received life skills training, but control group did not. All subjects completed social self-competency questionnaire before and after intervention. Data were collected from pre-test and post-test situations and analyzed by multiple analysis of variance (MANOVA).Results: The results of MANOVA shown that life skills training have significant effect on social self-competency of students with dyscalculia. Also, the results revealed that life skills training have positive and significant effect on cognitive and behavioral skills, emotional competency and motivational set in students.Conclusion: Life skills training can improve social self-competency of boy students with dyscalculia.

Introduction: This investigation assessed the effectiveness of Relationship Enhancement Program on quality of parent-child relationship in mothers who are heads of household in single-parent families.Method: The statistical society was all the 14 to 18 years old adolescent girls in single-parent families in a nongovernmental organization of Shahr-e-Rey city. 34 of these girls whose mothers were under protection of a nongovernmental organization were selected conveniently. Then using of parent-child relationship scale (Fine, J.R Moreland and Andrew chewable, 1383) and clinical interview, 18 adolescents were selected and finally assigned in 2 groups randomly (9 in experimental group and 9 in control group). Relationship enhancement program was administered for experimental group in 8 sessions while control group didn't receive any intervention. All the subjects completed parent-child relationship scale before and after intervention.Results: Independent T analysis and Cohen impact coefficient showed that relationship enhancement program had significant effect on parent-child relationship. Independent T analysis and Cohen coefficient also showed that relationship enhancement program significantly increased positive affect and communication. But, it hasn't had significant effect on identification and resentment/confusion role.Conclusion: Relationship enhancement program can enhance the relationship between single mothers who are heads of household and 14 to 18 years old adolescent girls.

Introduction: This research aimed to determining effectiveness of self-acceptance group therapy on the components of addiction mental health.Method: Statistical society consists of addiction people who recourse quitting institutes in Hamedan province in 1389-1390 to impart psychotherapy services that were passed the poison refine. Among them, 27 people were selected as voluntary sample who were affected on self-acceptance group therapy by Dryden method in 10 one hour and a half sessions weekly. Tastes were tested by General Health Question (28) questionnaire before and after implementing self-acceptance group therapy. The collected data were analyzed by paired sample t test to SPSS software.Results: The result shown that self-acceptance group therapy by Dryden method affected on decreasing in anxiety and depression symptoms.Conclusion: Changing unhealthy belief to healthy belief leads to increase mental health in addict.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to investigate of Effectiveness of group therapy based on exposure and response prevention on severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms.Method: To this purpose, 20 vulnerable clients, were selected by convenience sampling and randomly assigned to one experimental (N=10) and one control (N=10) group. 12 weekly sessions of group therapy based on exposure and response prevention was administrated to the experimental group, but control group was not receiving any intervention. Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale used as instrument of study in pre-test, post-test and follow up. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and ANCOVA.Results: Results showed that group therapy based on exposure and response prevention has a significant reduction in obsessive-compulsive symptoms and signs of experimental group comparing control group. Also, the improvement was observed in followed three months later.Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, group therapy based on exposure and response prevention can consider as an effective intervention to improvement of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and signs.

Introduction: One of the arguments about the antisocial personality disorder is executive function of these people. The purpose of this research was to make comparison the executive function in prisoners with and without the antisocial personality disorder.Method: From among the prisoners diagnosed with the antisocial personality disorder by Semnan Prison's Psychologist and Psychiatrist, 30 male prisoners  were selected randomly as the experimental group displaying antisocial personality disorder using SCID II structured interview. Then the prisoners were asked to complete WCST test and four other subtest of WISC-R. Thirty other individual as the control group were selected from among self-employed male in Semnan using interviews based on DSM IV-TR. The two groups were matched on the basis of age and level education. The control group also completed WCST test and the four WISC-R subtests. In the present study Multivariate Covariance Analysis was used for data analysis.Results: Results indicated those prisoners with antisocial personality disorder performed more poorly in WCST test compared to individuals without the antisocial personality disorder. That is to say antisocial prisoners had more preservative as well as more total errors compared to the control group. It is clarified that there are significant different between two groups about three indices of WCST test.Conclusion: In sum, findings of the present study showed that after controlling the effect of intelligence, prisoners diagnosed as having an antisocial personality disorder had poorer executive function compared to normal individuals.

Introduction: The purpose of this study aimed to compare Alexithymia, impulsivity and behavioral activation and inhibition in students with symptoms of obsessive-compulsive and paranoid personality disorders with normal individuals.Method: Statistical society of this research includes from all the students in Mohaghegh Ardabili University in 2011 (N=8344). In the first stage, in order to identify students with obsessive-compulsive and paranoid personality disorders, 368 students selected based on random sampling and the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III was administered. In the second stage, since the research method employed is causal-comparative, for each sub group of students with symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive, Paranoid personality disorder and normal individuals, 25 students were selected and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale and the Gray-Wilson Personality Questionnaire was administered on the 75 persons in 3 groups. Data were analyzed using descriptive measures and multivariate analysis of variance.Results: Results indicated that mean scores on Alexithymia, impulsivity and behavioral inhibition system were greater in the students with symptoms of paranoid personality disorders than students with symptoms of obsessive-compulsive personality disorders and normal individuals. While mean scores on behavioral activation system was greater in students with symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder than students with symptoms of paranoid personality disorder and normal individuals.Conclusion: The study emphasizes on the role of Alexithymia, impulsivity and behavioral activation and inhibition to understand the psychopathology of obsessive-compulsive and paranoid personality disorders.

Introduction: Various psychological factors play a role in mental disorders. The aim of this study was comparing of alexithymia, defensive styles and state-trait anxiety among patients with generalized anxiety disorder, major depression disorder and normal individuals.Method: The research method was expose-facto. Population included all of clients to Rasoul Akram Medical Center in Shahrood city, during spring 2012 which among them 219 participants were selected by using the available sampling method. This sample was divided into three groups. A group with 49 participants with diagnosis of GAD, a group with 60 participants with diagnosis of MDD and the other with 110 participants included normal individuals. Participants filled out Toronto Alexithymia scale-20 (TAS-20), defense styles questionnaire-40 (DSQ-40) and state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI). For data analysis, used multivariate analysis of variance.Results: The results represented that there are among patient with GAD, MDD, and normal individuals significant difference in dimensions of Alexithymia, defense styles and state-trait anxiety's scores mean difficulties in identifying feelings and difficulties in describing feelings, trait anxiety and immature defense style in patients with GAD and MDD was higher than normal people. State anxiety score's mean in patients with GAD was higher than patients with MDD and normal people. Any significant difference was not seen in neurotic defense style's score mean among groups.Conclusion: The patients with GAD and MDD, experience higher anxious than normal individuals. The results represented importance of defense styles and dimensions of Alexithymia in patients with GAD and MDD.

Introduction: Executive functions deficits, especially in attention, is well documented in depressed individuals. In this regard, the aim of this study was investigating of executive functions in depression, with emphasis on sustain, selective and shifting attention, and comparing them with normal peer.Method: This research is a cause-comparison and statistical community was all individuals that referred to a psychological clinic in Tehran. After screening by Beck inventory and unstructured interview based on DSM-IV, 30 depressed individuals (cut off point 21 and higher) selected by access sampling method. Then 30 normal persons were matched in sex, age, married status and education levels. Finally, Computer based tests of Stroop, Wiscansin cards sorting, and Continuum performance test were preformed in both groups.Results: For matching and data analysis, MANOVA is used. Findings showed that selective and shifting attentions were significantly deferent between groups, but there was no difference in sustain attention.Conclusion: Findings of this research have important results about depression levels role in impairs of executive functions, especially sustain attention, and using therapies focused on executive deficits in depressed patients.

Introduction: Diabetes as a chronic disease demand special self-care behaviors lifelong. Psychological factors have an important role in adherence of self-care programs among diabetes patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of personality characteristics and coping strategies in self-care among patients with type 2 diabetes.Method: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 320 patients with type 2 diabetes (147 females and 173 males) were selected by convenience sampling method in Diabetes Society and Sina Hospital in Tabriz and then administered by NEO-Five Factor Personality Inventory (NEO-FFPI), Lazarus-Folkman Coping Questionnaire and Diabetes Self-Care Activities Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients and path analysis.Results: Results of path analysis showed that neuroticism, extroversion and conscientiousness could predict self-care behaviors among patients with type 2 diabetes, and both of emotional and problem-focused coping strategies could moderate the relationships between personality characteristics and self-care behaviors.Conclusion: Coping strategies affect relationship between personality characteristics and self-care in among patients with type 2 diabetes. Results of this research can be helpful in preventive policies, determining high risk patients in poor adherence of self-care programs and designing of psychological interventions.