Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology
Year:2011 | Volume:16 | Issue:4 (63)|Papers Count:14

Objectives: The aim of the present research was to examine the validity, reliability and factor structure of Wells and Davis Thought Control Questionnaire (TCQ).Method: In this descriptive study, 472 undergraduate students of Urmia University were randomly selected, and the ques-tionnaire was administered to them. Cronbach’s alpha factor and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used in order to determine the reliability and validity of T‍‍CQ. One and two factor model of TCQ was examined using the latter method.Results: Reliability coefficients for TCQ five factors were between 0.62 and 0.73, which indicate a relatively low reliability. Results of Confirmatory Factor Analysis indicated that worry and self-punishment load on one factor; and reevaluation, distraction and social strategies load on the other. Therefore, the questionnaire encompasses and evaluates both the functional and dysfunctional strategies. Chi-square of goodness of fit model obtained two factors (651.82), which is smaller compared with a factor model (1169.10) and therefore considered a suitable model.  Other goodness of fit indices such as GFI (0.91), AGFI (0.88), AIC (445.87), CFI (0.90) and NNFI (0.95) were also closer in terms of amount to relevant standard indices.Conclusion: The obtained results replicated some of the previous findings and supported the TCQ two-factorial structure as well as the super-order factor model in which TCQ is composed of two factors and five components. However, because of insignificant factorial load of some items as well as the relatively low reliability of indices, the authors suggest that TCQ should be revised.

Objectives: The main objective of this research was to assess the roles of demographic and mental health variables as predictive variables of abuse among in-dividuals referred to police stations and family courts.Method: 450 individuals were selected through stratified convenience sampling from 49 police stations and the family court in the city of Tehran. The subjects were administered a demographics questionnaire, Spouse abuse questionnaire, and the Symptom Checklist -90- Revised (SCL-90-R). The data were analyzed through multivariate regression analysis and regression variance analysis.Results: The results revealed that the variables like pregnancy, low age and education, high number of children, addiction, spouse unemployment, and psychiatric problems could be considered as predictive variables for experience of various types of abuse (physical, sexual, and emotional), (P<0.01). In addition, pregnancy, low age and education, wife's unemployment, and high number of children, are predictive variables for severe spouse abuse.Conclusion: Identifying effective factors leading to spouse abuse can be helpful to develop purposeful programs for reducing and preventing spouse abuse.

Objectives: The main purpose of the present study was to discover the underlying mechanisms of anxiety in Wells’ metacognitive theory of anxiety. This could be accomplished through studying the relations between all kinds of meta-cognition in Nelson and Narens’ theory and Wells’ theory of metacognitive anxiety. Therefore, as a first step, the relations among metacognitive anxiety and Judgment Of Learning (JOL) and delayed Judgment of Learning (dJOL), as different supervisory metacognitive skills were studied.Method: Two hundred and ninety volunteer university students (146 men and 144 women) were assessed using JOL and dJOL task as well as Anxious Thought Inventory (AnTI). Data were analyzed using correlation and stepwise regression.Results: Results showed positive correlations of JOL and dJOL with metacognitive anxiety, and all of its subscales between 0.15 and 0.21. Stepwise regression analyses also indicated that Social worriness alone, can predict 4.4% and 3.9% of variance of JOL and dJOL respectively. Nevertheless, the mentioned correlations were weak and the obtained percents were very low.Conclusion: Because of weak relations, we can infer that JOL is not the underlying impaired mechanism mentioned in Wells’ theory, and there are probably other underlying meta-cognitive mechanisms involved.

Objectives: The present study was carried out in order to examine the efficacy of schema therapy in the treatment of women with Generalized Anxiety disorder (GAD).Method: Three women with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) were selected using Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) based on disorders axis I. Subjects were selected using purposeful sampling, and underwent the treatment process subsequent to obtaining treatment requirements.  Multiple baseline experimental single case study was used as the method of the present study. The treatment program was carried out for 20 weekly sessions, with a follow-up period of 3 months subsequent to treatment termination. Subjects completed Pennsylvania State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ), Worry Domain Questionnaire (WDQ) and Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ).Results: Results showed that schema therapy is significantly efficient on treatment's target.Conclusion: Schema therapy has appropriate efficacy in the treatment of women suffering from Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

Objectives: Although the adverse impacts of depressive symptoms after myocardial infarction (MI) on prognosis of heart disease are known, the link between coping strategies and post MI depressive symptoms remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between coping styles and post-MI depressive symptoms.Method: In a cross sectional study, one hundred patients admitted to the CCU following MI in a hospital in Isfahan, were selected using convenience sampling  according to inclusive and exclusive criteria. Data were gathered using Jalowiec Coping questionnaire, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Norbeck Social Support questionnaire.Results: The findings indicated that 31% of patients had depressive symptoms. The results of MANCOVA showed significant difference between two groups with and without depressive symptoms in coping styles (F=2.185, P<0.05). Also, the results of covariance indicated significant differences in coping styles including optimistic coping style (F=3.754, P=0.05) and support-seeking coping style (F=5.66, P=0.019). However, there was no significant difference in other coping styles between two groups.Conclusion: The low tendency to use optimistic approaches in dealing with life events is one of the equivalents to hopelessness in Attribution theory in explaining depression. Study of path analysis for three dimensions including coping style, cognitive style and depressive symptoms is recommended in a prospective study.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to construct and validate a scale for measuring interpersonal forgiveness, suitable for Iranian socio-cultural features.Method: The subjects were comprised of 400 college students (237 female, 167 male) selected through random stratified sampling from Ahvaz universities. Data were collected using family forgiveness scale (FFS), Ahvaz Aggression Inventory (AAI), and Agreeableness from NEO Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI). Data were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and stepwise regression analysis.Results: Results of factor analysis showed that three factors comprised Interpersonal forgiveness Inventory (IFI): from the total 25 items of the scale, 12 items were loaded on first factor (restructure of relationship and control of revenge), 6 items were loaded on second factor (pain control), and 7 items were loaded on third factor (realistic understanding).Conclusion: The interpersonal forgiveness scale has appropriate reliability and validity for the measurement of this feature among student population.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate factorial structure (construct validity) and reliability of the Persian version of the Revised Shyness Scale among university students.Method: 182 students were randomly selected from five schools of Chamran University using stratified sampling, and completed the Persian version of the Revised Cheek Briggs Shyness Scale (PRSS) and Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale. Cronbach’s alpha was used to assess the reliability of Shyness Scale. To evaluzte the construct validity, discriminated validity and confirmatory factor analysis were used.Results: Cronbach’s alpha for the whole scale (14 items), and in extracted three factors was 0.18 to 0.67. The item- analysis of PRSS showed that the items  varied between 0.10 to 0.60 and all (except for item 12) were significantly correlated with the total score of the scale (P<0.0001). Discriminated validity coefficient was negatively significant between PRSS and Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale was -0.23 (P<0.002). Also, based on the factor analysis of this scale using the principal components analysis (Varimax rotation) three factors were extracted: assertiveness deficit and loss of self-confidence, social distress and withdrawal, and more circumscribed stranger shyness. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that one-factor, and two-factor models, and particularly three factor model PRSS seem to provide a satisfactory and parsimonious fit to the data in the present study.Conclusion: Considering the validity and reliability of the Shyness Scale, this scale can be used for the measurement of the degree of shyness.

Objectives: This survey was implemented as a part of the Urban Health Equity Assessment and Response Tool “Urban HEART Project” in Tehran, Iran. Since an accurate programming in order to provide mental health services in the province of Tehran requires basic and essential information, the present study was carried out to determine the mental health status of a population sample aged 15 years and over in the mentioned city.Method: The present research was a descriptive cross-sectional study. The statistical population comprised all individuals residing in the 22 areas of Tehran Municipality. Regular random cluster sampling was used in order to choose the subjects from among the households in the mentioned areas. In total, 19370 subjects (7705 male and 11665 female) completed the 28-item version of the General Health Questionnaire for the assessment of mental health. Data were collected and analyzed by trained personnel of Tehran municipality health centers.Results: The results of this survey indicated that 34.2% of the population in the age group 15 years and above suffer from mental disorders (37.9% of women and 28.6% of men). Women’s relative risk of developing mental disorders was 1.3 times higher than that of men. The risk of mental disorders increased with age; and divorced or widowed people were 1.5 times more likely to develop mental disorders compared with single and married individuals. Housewives and unemployed men had the highest risk of developing mental disorders. The highest rates of positive responses to questions on the GHQ-28 were related to malaise and being bad-tempered, anxiety and apprehension, inability to allocate time to tasks, insomnia and hopelessness. Anxiety and somatization were more common than social dysfunction and depression.Conclusion: It is estimated that about 2 million individuals in Tehran require mental health care. Also, insufficient number of psychiatrists and psychiatric beds, indicates that there is a need to provide appropriate staff and facilities to make mental health care available in large cities such as Tehran. The provision of life skills workshops for general population is also suggested, in order to enable individuals to cope with stressful situations in urban areas.

Objectives: The aims of the present study are to examine the prevalence of psychiatric problems and the reasons for seeking care in urban health centers in district 17 of Tehran (capital of Iran), and to study the sensitivity and predictive value of the presence of psychiatric symptoms as chief complaint, and self-report of a psychiatric history for correct recognition of a psychiatric problem.Method: The present research was a cross-sectional and descriptive study. Two urban health centers located in district 17 in Tehran were randomly selected from a total of 7 health centers. Patients referring to outpatient clinics of the centers were consecutively asked to fill in General Health Questionnaire-28 and a pathways-to-care questionnaire.Results: In total, 126 subjects (54% female) were included. Forty-two patients (33.3%) had psychiatric problem based on GHQ. Only 11 (8.7%) had psychiatric symptoms as chief complaints (reasons for referral) and 60 (47.6%) considered themselves having a psychiatric illnesses. Of all GHQ cases, 27 (64.2%) had never consulted for a psychiatric illness. The sensitivity of self-report of psychiatric complaint or illness was less than 70% with positive predictive values of less than 55%.Conclusion: In line with previous research, psychiatric disorders were commonly observed in outpatient clinics in Tehran. However, most of those with a problem had not sought care. In addition, sole reliance on patients’ self-report of psychiatric complaint or illness might not lead to proper recognition of patients in primary care.

Objectives: Recent interest has focused on the relationship between schizotypy and OCD. The present study explored the possibility that schizotypal and obsessive compulsive features are significantly related together among non-clinical samples.Method: In this correlational study, 262 individuals were randomly selected and examined. Participants completed the Schizotypal Trait questionnaire A form (STA) and Padua Inventory (PI).Results: Positive correlations were found between schizotypal personality and obsessive compulsive features. Using the multivariate regression analysis model, results indicated that two components of schizotypal personality, namely unusual perceptual experiences and paranoid suspiciousness/ social anxiety factors, have the strongest associations with obsessive compulsive scores. Also, among the four obsessive compulsive factors, lack of control over mental processes and contamination, significantly predicted schizotypal personality.Conclusion: Some common factors seem to be present between obsessive and schizotypal factors. Results were discussed in light of previous clinical research and based on anxiety-psychosis spectrum hypothesis.