Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology
Year:2006 | Volume:12 | Issue:2 (45)|Papers Count:16

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to prepare a norm table for Oxford Happiness Inventory in Isfahan University students. Method: 727 students were selected through random stratified sampling and were assessed using Oxford Happiness Inventory. Results were pre- sented using descriptive statistics and illustration of diagrams. Results: All scores were changed in percentile ranks, Z, and T scores. Standard and percentile norm table were developed for students there- after. Conclusion: Oxford Happiness Inventory has appropriate reliability and validity and is suitable for assessing happiness in university students.

Objectives: The present research aimed to study the effects of lifestyle changing on decreasing couples’ maladjustment. Method: In an experimental research, marital adjustment in 450 couples who had been selected using convenience sampling was evaluated using ENRICH Questionnaire. Then 80 couples of those with the highest level of maladjustment were selected and randomly divided to two experi-mental and control groups. The intervention methods of lifestyle chang-ing was then performed on the experimental group in 15 hours, during ten 90-minute sessions, after which marital adjustments of the two groups were re-evaluated. Some of the necessary information was obtained using Lifestyle Evaluation Questionnaire. The data were analyzed using t-test. Results: The results showed that the intervention method of lifestyle changing leads to a decrease in different dimensions of marital maladjust- ment in the following order: personal issues, financial management, conflict resolution and sexual relation. The mean score of the two groups in the post-tests showed significant difference (p<0.05). Conclusion: The administration of the intervention method of lifestyle changing leads to a decrease in some dimensions of marital maladjust- ment among spouses.

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of relaxa-tion training based on self-efficacy theory, on the mental health of preg- nant women. Method: In this clinical trial study, 110 primigravid women with medium to high levels of anxiety were assessed in two experimental and control groups. For the experimental group routine prenatal care plus relaxation training was provided, however, the control group was solely exposed to routine prenatal care. Data were gathered using Spielberger Anxiety Questionnaire, Cohen, Kamarck, and Melmerstein Stress Measure, and General Self Efficacy Scale. Analysis was done using t-tests as well as c2, Mann-Whitney, and Wilcoxon tests. Results: In addition to increasing levels of self-efficacy, this training program led to a significant decrease in three dependent variables (situation anxiety, trait anxiety, and perceived stress). Conclusion: This educational intervention is indicative of the effective application of self-efficacy theory in relaxation and lowering stress and anxiety in pregnant women.

Objectives: Based on current evidence, comorbidity of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in bipolar patients is higher than in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). However, there is little data regarding the comparison of this comorbidity between bipolar I disorder (BID) and MDD. The aim of the present project was to carry out this comparison. Method: 466 patients referred to four psychiatric university centers in Tehran were evaluated by DSM-IV diagnostic criteria checklist. The rates of lifetime comorbidity of OCD in MDD and BID patients were calculated, and data were analyzed by descriptive and analytic statistical methods. Results: 124 cases of MDD and 115 cases of BID were diagnosed. The demographic variables of two groups did not have significant difference. The rate of admissions and recurrent type of disorder in the BID group were significantly higher than those of the other group. The lifetime comorbidity of OCD in MDD and BID patients was 17.7% and 7%, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). There was no case of comorbidity of OCD in patients with first episode of mania. The rates of comorbidity of OCD in patients with single episode MDD and with recurrent MDD did not have significant difference. Conclusion: The lifetime comorbidity of OCD in patients with MDD is significant and may be higher than in BID patients.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the effects of lamotrigine in the prevention of behavioral and biochemical changes caused by stress in an animal model subsequent to traumatic stress. Method: Nineteen mice were divided into two case and control groups after being exposed to electrical shock as a stress factor. Behavioral changes were assessed in elevated plus-maze apparatus at 24 hours, 3rd week, and 6th week after exposure to stress. Plasma cortisol, was also measured at 7th week after exposure as an index of biochemical changes. A single oral dose of lamotrigine was administered to the case group in the first hour following stress, while the control group was given normal saline. Results were analyzed using t test, paired t test, and repeated measures ANOVA. Results: Anxiety like behavior in lamotrigine treated group was signifi- cantly lower than the control group. Also, plasma cortisol level was significantly lower in mice in the case group compared to those in the control group in week 7. Behavioral changes in the first 24 hours and the third week were not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusion: Lamotrigine prevents biochemical and behavioral changes induced by stress.

Objectives:  Many children who had witnessed violent and criminal events develop symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In this study the development of PTSD was assessed in primary school children who had witnessed the public hanging of a criminal. Method: This descriptive study was carried out on 200 7-11years old students of a primary school who had witnessed the execution.  For gathering the data, a PTSD checklist based on DSM-IV criteria as well as Child-PTSD-Reaction Index (CPTSD-RI) were filled through interviews with children’s parents three months after the event. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and c2 test. Results: Fifty two percent of subjects showed some symptoms of PTSD. Forty three percent, 31%, and 12% showed symptoms of reexperience, hyperarousal, and avoidance behavior respectively. The most prevalent symptoms were severely distressing and recurrent recollection of the event. The frequency of PTSD was 12%. The mean severity of symptoms according to CPTSD-RI was 39.1±3.7 (average to severe). Conclusion: Witnessing execution can lead to the development of moderate to severe PTSD symptoms in children.

Objectives: This project was aimed at investigating the effect of social support on immune parameters in healthy individuals accord-ing to the main effect model. Method: Following the completing of a social support Questionnaire by 200 male subjects, 16 individuals with high social support and 16 individuals with low social support were selected. The subjects were matched by age, sex, nutrition, sleep, exercise, physical and mental health, and stress. In the early hours of the day of assessment, 7 ml blood samples were gathered from the subjects in the supine position. Blood samples were analyzed in the laboratory to determine the amount of lymphocytic response to PHA, as well as the percents of CD3+,CD4+,CD8+, and CD56+ and ratio of CD3+ to CD8+.  The data were analysed through t-test. Results: The findings showed that subjects with high social support had higher Lymphocyte Transformation Test (LTT) levels and CD56+ percentages than those with low social support. Conclusion: People with higher social support possess more com-petent immunity and the results are in favor of confirming the main effect model.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of child abuse on cognitive dimensions of personality including intelligence, accuracy and memory. Method: Subjects consisted of 100 female high school students in the city of Isfahan in the academic year of 2003-2004, who were selected using random multi-stage sampling method. Based on the scores ob-tained through the Child Abuse Scale, the subjects were divided into two groups: abused or normal. Raven’s Progressive Matrices, Wechsler Memory Scale, and Bonardel Accuracy Test were used for gathering data. Data were then analyzed using MANOVA and correlation coeffi- cient. Results: Mean accuracy, IQ, and memory scores of the abused and normal groups were 63.66 versus 70.44, 107.12 versus 108.89, and 86.82 versus 86.16 respectively. Conclusion: Abuse causes a decrease in the memory mean score of female adolescents, but has no considerable effect on their accuracy and IQ.

Objectives: This study was carried out with the aim of comparing the mental health and sexual problems of fertile and infertile women. Method: The subjects consisted of 45 fertile and 45 infertile women referred to the infertility treatment clinic at Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran, who participated in the study by completing the Golombok-Rust Inventory of Sexual State Questionnaire (GRISS-F) and the Mental Health Inventory (MHI). Pearson correlation coefficients, t-test for independent groups, ANOVA, and Tukey test were used for data analyses. Results: Infertile women showed lower levels of psychological well-being (p<0.001) and higher levels of psychological stress (p<0.001) than fertile women. Also, infertile women suffer from more sexual prob- lems than fertile women. This study also revealed a positive correlation between the infertility period and infertile women’s sexual problems. Among the three groups of infertile women (i.e. women who them-selves were the cause of infertility, women whose husbands were the cause of infertility, and women with infertility of unknown cause) no significant difference was observed with regard to psychological well-being, psychological stress, and sexual problems. Conclusion: Measures of psychological well-being and sexual problems are different among fertile and infertile women.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of stress and hopelessness in students residing in dormitories of Tehran University. Method:  The subjects of this descriptive cross-sectional study consisted of 551 students (246 females, 305 males) who were selected by random-cluster sampling and were assessed with Stress Assessment Questionnaire and Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS).  The results were analyzed using c2 test, ANOVA, regression analysis, and correlation coefficient. Results: This study showed that the relationship of the five variables of stress factors and the variable of hopelessness is significant (p<0.05). Also, a positive correlation was found between the entire stressful prob- lems and factors during the period of education and the level of hope-lessness in graduate students. Conclusion: Levels of stress may have a direct relationship with level of hopelessness in students.

Objectives: The aim of this expo facto research was to compare stress rate and its influence on general health between control tower employees and clerical personnel of Aseman Aviation Company.  Method: Thirty control tower employees and 30 clerical personnel of the aviation company were randomly selected and completed the Koderon Stress Questionnaire and General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28). Results were analyzed using the t-independent test. Results: This experiment showed that mean stress among control tower employees (122.1) is significantly different from that of clerical emp-loyees (76.3) (p<0.001). Also, general health mean was significantly different between control tower employees (19.7) and clerical emp-loyees (14.3). Physical symptoms score mean was 5 in control tower employees and 3.1 in clerical employees. Control tower employees had higher rates of anxiety, insomnia and depression (p<0.05). Social dysfunction were the only area where no significant difference was observed. Conclusion: Control tower employees experience a high degree of stress and have a lower level of mental health.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the fre-quency of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Bam school children and its relationship to demographic characteristics and other factors related to the earthquake, after students’ migration to Kerman for living and education, four months after the earthquake. Method: Yule PTSD Questionnaire for Parents was completed at home by the parents of 243 students under 15 (175 males, 68 females). Watson PTSD Questionnaire was completed at school by 160 high school students over 15 (56 males, 104 females). Questionnaires re-lated to demographic factors, physical injuries, home destruction, and relative loss was also completed by both groups. Results: Among students younger than 15, 90.8% had one first degree relative loss due to the earthquake, 81% reported complete home dest- ruction, and 89.4% had suffered from physical injury. Among students older than 15, 94.4% had one first degree relative loss due to the earth- quake, 89.4% reported home destruction, and 80.6% had suffered from physical injury. The prevalence of PTSD in students younger than 15, was 52.2% and 59% in boys and girls respectively, which showed a statistically significant difference (p<0.01). The prevalence of PTSD among students older than 15 was 37.5% and 33.5% in boys and girls respectively, but the difference was not statistically signi-ficant. Conclusion: The prevalence of PTSD among children and adole-scents subsequent to an earthquake is significant, and programming for diagnosis and medical intervention is probably necessary.

Objectives: This study was designed to determine the prevalence of psychological symptoms in gastrointestinal outpatients. Method: In this research 200 outpatients of a private internal clinic and Sina Gastroenterology Clinic in the city of Tabriz were selected by convenience sampling, and assessed through SCL-90-R. Data were analyzed using c2 test. Results: 51.5% of the subjects had psychological symptoms among which depression and somatization were the most prevalent. Pre-valence of symptoms was four times more in females than in males. Women and unemployed subjects scored higher in most scales of the test than men, with significant difference in somatization and anxiety scales (p<0.05). No significant relationship was found between psy-chological symptoms and any gastrointestinal disease. Conclusion: Psychological symptoms are prevalent among gastro-intestinal patients, especially females.