Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology
Year:2007 | Volume:13 | Issue:2 (49)|Papers Count:19

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate and compare neurological soft signs (NSS) in patients with first episode psychosis, in their first degree relatives, and in healthy control subjects.Method: Thirty patients with first-episode psychosis, 30 of their first-degree relatives, and 30 healthy controls were evaluated by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) for psychiatric assessment. Neurological Evaluation Scale (NES) was used for the evaluation of NSS, and Edinburgh Handedness Inventory (EHI) for laterality assessment. Data were analyzed by the following statistical tests: Chi-square, t-test, Fisher's Exact Test, Kolmogorov-Smimov Test, and non-parametric tests of Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney.Results: First-episode psychotic patients had significantly higher NES total scores than the first-degree relatives, and the control group. On "sequencing of complex motor acts", "motor coordination", and "sensory integration" subscales of the NES, patients had significantly higher scores than the controls (respective p-values of <0.01, <0.001, & <0.01). Patients had significantly higher scores than their relatives on "motor coordination", and "eye movements" (p-values <0.05). There were no significant differences in NSS between the first-degree relatives and healthy controls on NES total scores.Conclusion: A higher prevalence of NSS occurs in patients with first-episode psychosis than in their relatives or healthy control subjects. Neurological soft signs are part of a neural dysfunction that underlies psychosis rather than the consequence of a neurodegenerative processes caused by the disease.

Objectives: This study plans to determine diagnostic features and the best cut-off point in Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory for patients with schizophrenia.Method: In a cross-sectional study, 96 inpatients (56 men and 40 women) with schizophrenia (based on DSM-IV diagnostic criteria) were selected from Iran Psychiatry Hospital (in Tehran) by convenient sampling and screened for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder using standard clinical interview (SCID) and Maudsley Inventory.Results: Based on the clinical interview, 47 patients (49%) were diagnosed to have obsessive-compulsive symptoms. In the Maudsley Inventory, 38 patients (40%) scored above the given cut-off point (score of 9). The sensitivity and specificity of the Maudsley Inventory were 74.5% and 93.9% respectively.Conclusion: Despite the high specificity of Maudsley Inventory, the clinical inter view is preferred over it because of higher sensitivity and the number of true-positive diagnoses.

Objectives: This research studied the efficacy of psychiatric interventions (pharmacological-psychotherapy) on the level of marital satisfaction in the presenting infertile couples to the Vali-Asr Reproduction Health Research Centre, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran, Iran.Method: In an interventional design, 140 couples in two treatment and control groups (each 70 couples) were selected by a convenient sampling method. They all received pharmacological (fluoxetine) and psychotherapy (Cognitive- Behavioral and Supportive therapies) for a period of six months. The tools used included Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire (Enrich Inventory), Social Re-adjustment Scale (Holmes- Rahe) and Demographic Questionnaire. Data were analyzed through t-test, x2 and logistic regression statistical methods.Results: Psychiatric treatments (pharmacologic-psychotherapy) were found to significantly increase marital satisfaction (p<0.001) in the educational class of diploma and over, housekeeper women, 19-25 year old group, couples with marriage age and infertility duration of less than 5 years and unexplained cause for infertility, and without stress or low stress groups.Conclusion: Considering the high frequency of marital conflicts in infertile couples and effectiveness of psychiatric interventions, one must take psychiatric therapies and psychotherapy in these patients serious enough to rely on. This will lead to a better mental health and improve their quality of life.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of social factors on the incidence and prevalence of psychotic and mood disorders and prediction of them based on the social factors.Method: This study was conducted based on a survey method and on the 150 hospitalized patients with psychotic and mood disorders admitted in the Yazd Centre of Psychiatry between March 2004 and March 2005. Random sampling method was used for patients selection.Distribution of psychotic and mood disorders in these patients were then compared according to some community variables such as gender, social class, marital status, geographical locality of accommodation, family history, and age.Results: There were significant differences between the three variables of social class (p<0.05), marital status (p<0.05), and family history (p<0.01), and the type of disorder. Results of logistic regression analysis showed that out of all considered variables in the model, two variables of social class and family history could predict the type of mental disorder.Conclusion: A correlation exists between the socio-economical status of the patients with the distribution of psychotic and mood disorders.

Objectives: Regarding the importance of young girls running away from home and its social and family consequences, present paper studies the relationship between the identity status and girls' runaway from home.Method: Research method was descriptive and ex post facto. Convenient sampling method was used in which 20 runaway girls who were resided in Toos Well-being Centre, Mashhad were selected as well as 20 normal age and scholastic grade matched girls as their control group. Mean age was 16.9 years (SD=2.88). Second revised version of the Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status (EOM-EIS-II) was used to explore identity status. T-test, point-biserial correlation, Pearson correlation, and Spearman's rank correlation were used to analyze the data.Results: Mean scores on diffusion identity status was significantly higher than normal controls (p<0.01). A significant correlation existed also between the age and foreclosure identity status (p<0.05).Conclusion: The less the individual experienced identity crisis and developed a lesser commitment, the more she would be prone to attempt at running away from home.

Objectives: The aim of this project was to evaluate the efficacy of educating husbands of menopausal women about the signs and complications of menopause on depression and anxiety of women during menopausal period.Method: In this clinical trial, 102 women aged 45-60 yrs were randomly assigned to two test and control groups. First, both groups completed individual demographic questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory, and Spiell-Berger Anxiety Inventory. Then husbands of test group participated in the face-to-face educational sessions about the signs and complications of menopause. A month later, all clients completed Beck Depression Inventory and Spiell-berger Anxiety Inventory again.Results: There was not any significant statistical difference between the two groups in the depression and anxiety scores mean. Mean score for depression was lower in the test group than the control group after the intervention; the two groups differed significantly in this regard (p<0.05). Evaluation of anxiety score one month after the education also showed that the mean score of anxiety was significantly lower in the test group than the control (p<0.001).Conclusion: Education of husbands about the signs and effects of menopause can have a significant reduction in the levels of depression and anxiety during menopausal period.

Objectives: This research aims at the empirical study of resistance and transference twin factor in patients with and without personality disorders.Method: In this empirical study with repeated measurements, 26 subjects with personality and anxiety disorders and 26 subjects with anxiety disorder without personality disorders were randomly assigned to two experimental and control subgroups of 13 individuals. In the experimental subgroups, pressure toward feelings, clarification, and challenge to the resistance were carried out during three 45-minute sessions with one-week intervals. In other subgroups, no such intervention was used and the therapist was only hearing patients' feelings. The Defensive Style Questionnaire (DSQ) was employed to assess patient's defensive style after the evaluation session; resistance and transference were also measured respectively by the Resistance Assessment Scale (RAS) and Transference Assessment Scale (TAS) after the evaluation session and each of the interventional sessions. Repeated Measures Analysis method was used for analyzing the data.Results: Findings showed that challenge to the resistance led to the intensification of negative transference; however with no significant differences in resistance and positive transference. More Intensification of negative transference in the personality-disordered group was observed. Conclusion: In the intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy, pressure toward experiencing feelings, clarification of defenses, and challenge to the resistance lead to intensification of transference feelings which is more intensive in patients with personality disorders. So paying attention to both transference and resistance in psychotherapy is essential. If the resistance and transference twin factor is not considered and challenged, the therapeutic alliance will not be then activated against the resistance, the therapist and the patient will not be able to access major material of the therapy, and the therapy process will be deviated. This problem is More important in patients with personality disorders. 

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the relationship between control-related beliefs with the internalizing and externalizing psychopathology in children.Method: In this ex post facto study, 80 children with internalizing and externalizing disorders who were referred to the counseling clinic and private offices were selected on a convenient sampling method then classified under two psychopathology groups. The control group was selected from 40 children matched in age and sex with the affected subjects. Three scales were used for measuring control-related beliefs in three academic, behavioral and social domains: The Perceived Control Scale, Perceived Contingency Scale, and the Perceived Competence Scale. Multi-variate analysis of variance and descriptive statistics were used for statistical analysis.Results: This study revealed significant differences in the control- and competence-related beliefs under the academic, behavioral and social domains between the internalizing and externalizing psychopathology groups and the normal control group (p<0.001). In competence beliefs, there were significant differences between the internalizing and externalizing psychopathology groups under the behavioral domain (p<0.001). No significant differences was observed in the belief of Contingency between the three groups.Conclusion: Control and competence beliefs are specific for internalizing and externalizing psychopathology and can differentiate mentally healthy states from psychopathology. Contingency belief does not have a significant correlation with psychopathology. Behavioral competence belief tan differentiates externalizing from internalizing group and is considered specific for externalizing psychopathology states. 

Objectives: As attachment styles are crucial to the communicative features specially intimacy, satisfaction, and commitment, the relationship between adult attachment styles with job satisfaction and job stress was investigated in nurses in the Isfahan state hospitals.Method: In this cross-sectional study, 160 nurses (95 women and 65 men) working in the state hospitals in Isfahan were selected by a stepwise randomized sampling as subjects of the study. Mean age was 33 years (SD=2.7 for men and 1.9 for women) in men and women. Data were collected using Adult Attachment Inventory, Job Satisfaction- Dissatisfaction Scale, and Job Stress Scale and then analyzed by correlational and stepwise regression statistical analysis.Results: Mean total scores for subjects with secure, avoidant, and ambivalent attachment styles were measured to be respectively 11.1 (SD=5), 9.00 (SD=4.2), and 8.1.(4.4). Correlation coefficient between job stress and scores for secure and avoidant attachment styles were - 0.71 (p<0.05) and 0.69 (p<0.05) respectively.Conclusion: Level of stress is less in subjects with secure attachment styles than in subjects with avoidant and ambivalent attachment styles.Attachment style can well predict job satisfaction and job stress.

Objectives: Current study is investigating the effects of teaching emotional intelligence factors on the enhancement of mental health.Method: In this experimental design, 30 male and female clients within the 20-25 years of age who had presented to the counseling centers were first selected and randomly put into two study and control groups. After pre-testing the two groups by the 133-item Baron Emotional Intelligence Test and SCL-90-R, the study group was provided with 12 weekly 2-hours training sessions on the emotional intelligence factors. Post-testing of the two groups was then conducted.Results: Treated data through co-variance analysis and one-way multivariate analysis of variance showed that training on the emotional intelligence factors was significantly effective in the improvement of mental health (p<0.001) and has reduced symptoms in mental health disorders.Conclusion: Training on the emotional intelligence factors promotes mental health and the individual will score higher in the personal reports of internal situations and in feeling capable of facing the problems.

Objectives: Regarding the importance of the role of emotional intelligence in the incidence of emotional disorders and mental health, this study was carried out to investigate the relationship between emotional intelligence and problem-solving styles with general health. Method: In this cross-sectional, descriptive, and corelational study, Modified Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale (MSEIS), Problem- Solving Styles (PSS) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) were assessed on 69 first-year psychology and educational sciences students of Tabriz University in two steps. They were selected by a stratified cluster sampling. Data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation and stepwise multiple regression statistical methods.Results: Findings revealed that emotional intelligence was positively and significantly associated with general health and both the confidence and the approach styles of problem-solving (p<0.001) and negatively and significantly associated with both the helplessness and the avoidance styles of problem-solving (p<0.05). Results showed that the helplessness, confidence, and approach styles of problem solving can respectively predict 24%, 8%, and 6% of general health variance (p<0.001). Also, the approach and confidence styles of problem-solving respectively predict 19% and 10% of the emotional intelligence variance (p<0.001).Conclusion: There is a significant relationship between emotional intelligence and problem-solving styles with the general health.

Objectives: The present study aims to compare attributional styles and mental health of gifted vs. normal students. It also investigates the existing relationships between these variables. Method: In this post hoc descriptive survey, 60 gifted students (30 boys and 30 girls selected by a random sampling method) and 60 normal students (30 boys and 30 girls selected by a cluster sampling method) were enrolled. Raven's Progressive Matrices Test, Attributional Style Questionnaire (ASQ), and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) were used for data collection. Analysis of the data was carried out using regression, one-way and multivariate analysis of variance, and t-test.Results: It was found that internal-external attributional style in gifted male students can predict status of mental health. There were significant differences between the two boys and girls student groups in the internal-external and global-specific attributional styles of unfavorable events. A significant difference was also noted between the two groups of gifted and normal students in the global-specific attributional style of unfavorable events. Assessment of mental health, too, disclosed a significant difference between the two normal and gifted student groups in the social dysfunctioning feature.Conclusion: Gifted students had a global attributional style and female students had an external and specific attributional style in failure situations. Gifted students were also found to suffer more from social dysfunctioning than the normal students.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of muscle relaxation and cognitive restructuring by alert hypnosis on women with common migraine who had not responded appropriately to the medication.Method: Using a single-case study, we randomly selected 6 women with migraine from those referring to the psychiatry and psychology centers in the city Borazjan. They were assessed by a clinical interview, Measurement Scale of Pain Power, Measurement Scale of Pain Distress, Mcguil Questionnaire of Pain, and Beck's Depression and Anxiety Inventory. We treated them after a primary evaluation (baseline) by muscle relaxation method and cognitive restructuring under alert hypnosis. Study data are displayed in charts and descriptive statistics.Results: Findings showed that this treatment modality generally can reduce the frequency, duration of attacks, severity, and distress of the pain in migraine. We observed maximum reductions in the severity and distress of the pain. Significant improvement was noted in five out of six subjects and it even increased in the 3 months and a half of follow-up; although one subject showed a slight improvement. The associated depression and anxiety with the migraine headache also showed significant reduction in all subjects.Conclusion: Relaxation and cognitive restructuring under alert hypnosis can be effective in reducing the severity and distress of the migraine pain in the affected patients.