Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology
Year:2004 | Volume:9 | Issue:4 (36)|Papers Count:13

Objectives: This project appraised the personality patterns of cosmetic rhinoplastic patients. Methods: This was a descriptive-cross sectional evaluation. The subjects of the project were 30 clients (24 female, 6 male) requesting cosmetic rhinoplastic surgery from ENT clinic of Hazrat-e-Rasoul Hospital. They were referred to the psychiatric ward of the hospital for preoperational psychological assessment. The subjects were evaluated by DSM based clinical interview and MCMI-II test. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistical methods and chi-square. Findings: The frequencies of obsessive-compulsive and narcissistic personality patterns were significantly more prevalent than other personality patterns. Results: The requests for cosmetic surgeries should be considered with regard to interaction of individual psychological factors and cultural influences. Taking advantage of standardized assessments in the areas of body image and personality for evaluation of the degree of dissatisfaction with body image would prevent unnecessary surgeries.

Objectives: The aim of this project was to assess the personality traits of candidates for esthetic surgery. Method: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study of 100 candidates for esthetic surgery (82 females, 18 males) at a clinic. The subjects ranging from 16 to 45 years old with the mean age of 23.8 were evaluated by MMPI-PD before the surgery stage (taking photographs and executing the necessary laboratory work). Data were analyzed via descriptive statistics. Findings: The prevalence of various personality patterns included narcissistic 19%, histrionic 11%, obsessive- compulsive 10%, avoidance 9%, schizoid 6%, borderline 4%, negativistic 3%, dependent 1%, antisocial 1%, and paranoid 1%. Thirty five percent did not indicate any detectible personality traits. Results: Most of the esthetic surgery patients show narcissistic personality traits. This result points out the impact of psychological factors on seeking esthetic surgeries.

Objectives: The present project studied epidemiology of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and its relation to psychiatric difficulties in female nurses. These nurses were employed at educational hos- pitals under the auspices of Tehran and Ahvaz Universities of Medical Sciences. Method: The project’s subjects were 1263 nurses; 175 of them were selected through census sampling from the city of Ahvaz and 1088 were selected from Tehran via stratified random sampling. To collect data, the followings were used: General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), Chalder of Fatigue Scale (COFS), Krupp Fatigue Severity Scale (KFSS), Whitely Index (WI), and clinical interviews. Findings: This evaluation showed that the prevalence of CFS was 7.3% in all nurses under study. The prevalence was 3.4% and 7.9% in nurses from Universities of Ahvaz and Tehran respectively. Furthermore, the prevalence of the syndrome was 7.9% in married nurses and 6.5% in nurses who were single. There was a significant correlation between fatigue and hypochondriasis, somatic com- plaints, anxiety and sleep disturbances, social dysfunction and depression. Results: The nurses employed at Universities of Tehran and Ahvaz lack suitable mental health condition

Objectives: This project was implemented to compare the deficit patterns of Theory of Mind (TOM) in three groups of schizophrenic patients, psychotic manic patients, and normal subjects. Method: The subjects of the study comprised three groups of 19 patients with schizophrenia, 15 patients with psychotic mania, and 16 normal subjects. To assess TOM ability, collection of data was completed by two first-order false belief tasks, two second-order false belief tasks, and two comic strips. All subjects were appraised on the basis of intelligence quotient (IQ), symptomatology, and the amount of medication taken. Findings: The two groups of schizophrenic patients and psychotic mania performed worse than the normal subjects in cumulative score of false belief tasks, but there was no significant difference between the two clinical groups. Furthermore, the psychotic mania group presented a worse performance than the normal subjects in a second-order false belief task. Other differences were not remarkable. No significant difference was found in the IQ scores between the three groups. Results: Considering the presence of TOM deficit in psychotic mania as well, such a deficit might not then be specific to patients with schizophrenia and may be present in the other kinds of psy-chosis

Objectives: The aim of this project was to evaluate the effect of counseling on reduction of depress- ion post tubal ligation surgery. Method: In this interventional study, 99patients referred to the Ahwaz Family Planning Research Center (AFPRC) in1999 were selected randomly and inserted in the case and control groups. The short form, Beck Depression Inventory was used to assess the level of depression. Data were analyzed by descriptive-statistics and t-test. Findings: There was a significant difference between the group that received counseling (case group) and the group with no counseling (control group) in the level of depression post surgery. Furthermore, a significant difference in the level of depression was shown between males and females in the study. Results: The level of depression post vasectomy surgery was less in the group that received counseling prior to the surgery than the group with no counseling.

Objectives: The aim of this project was to evaluate the prevalence of dementia and depression among residents of elderly nursing homes in Tehran province. Method: 279 literate elderly over the age of 65 years old (135 males, 144 females) were selected through convenient sampling. At the time of the study, in autumn and winter of 1381, the subjects had residence at elderly nursing homes in Tehran province. They were evaluated by Mini-Mental State Examination, Geriatric Depression Scale, and a DSM-IV based clinical interview. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistical methods and chi-square. Findings: 43.4% of subjects were afflicted with dementia. 16.8% were diagnosed with mild and 14.7% with major depressive disorders. 10.4% were under treatment with antidepressant medications. There was a significant correlation between dementia and difficulties in movements as well as incontinence; however there was no significant correlation between depression and those two factors. Moreover there was not any significant correlation detected between depression and duration of residence at the nursing homes. Results: Considering the high prevalence of dementia and depression in nursing homes, attending to diagnosis and treatment of these disorders can exert beneficial effects on the resident’s mental health status and quality of life at such centers.

Objectives: The aim of this project was to evaluate the intensity of anxiety and its relation with hypertension, the level of serum lipids, and symptoms of cardiovascular diseases. Method: 606 males and females between the ages of 35-65 residing in Tehran were selected by random-cluster sampling and participated as the subjects of this descriptive-cross sectional study. The subjects blood pressure, serum lipids (via enzymatic methods), and symptoms of cardiovascular diseases were evaluated by physicians. The intensity of their anxiety was determined by Zigmond and Snaith questionnaires. Data were analyzed by t-test, analysis of variance, and c2. Findings: The intensity of anxiety was observed significantly more in women than men. There was a significant correlation between the intensity of anxiety with systolic and diastolic hypertension and low levels of HDL Cholesterol. However, there was not a significant correlation between the intensity of anxiety with total Cholesterol, LDL Cholesterol, and triglycerides. Neither was there a significant correlation between the intensity of anxiety with chest pain, palpitation, and myocardial failure. Results: Presence of anxiety is related to some risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.

Objectives: This project assessed the validity of integrative hierarchical model of anxiety and depression by Brown, Chorpita, and Barlow. Through this appraisal, structural relationships were assessed between key features of anxiety and depressive disorders and the dimensions of tripartite model of anxiety and depression. Method: In this project, using the findings collected from 255 outpatient subjects with the diagnosis of anxiety and depressive disorders, first, via Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), Validity of five factor model of DSM-IV anxiety and depressive disorders and validity of tripartite model of anxiety and depression were assessed. Next, to select the best model, the three level structural models of Brown et al., was compared with the rival models via Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Findings: Findings supported the discriminate validity of five factor model of DSM-IV anxiety and depressive disorders and tripartite model of anxiety and depression. Amongst various structural models evaluated, the best confirming was the one in which higher order factors, the negative and positive affects influenced significantly the features of anxiety and depressive disorders in an expected manner. Results: The discriminating hierarchical model is confirmed considering the limitations of the pre- sent study.

Objectives: The aim of this project was to appraise some of the factors indicating domination in functional lateralization in two groups of normal and mentally retarded (MR) children in the same mental age bracket. Method: The two groups were evaluated by Neurological Development Questionnaire of Delacato and functional lateralization parameters including eye and ear preference, handedness, and footed- ness. The subjects were 30 MR children from three special education centers in the city of Sabzevar with the mental age of 60-72 months as well as 60 normal children from eight preschools affiliated with Sabzevar Department of Social Services in the same mental age range. Data were analysis by descriptive-statistical method, Chi-square, and exact Fisher Test. Findings: This evaluation showed a significant difference in factors illustrating domination in functional lateralization between the two spoken groups. Results: The tendency for domination in functional lateralization of brain is different in MR and normal children.

Objectives: This project aimed to evaluate both the level of job burnout in three dimensions of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and decrement of personal accomplishment as well as assessing its relationship to personality traits. Method: 210 nurses working in Rasoul Akram Hospital were evaluated by Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Personality Disorders (MMPI-PD). 184 questionnaires were completed; the rest were either unanswered or partially answered (response rate: 87.6%). The four groups of subjects with the most frequent personality traits were selected. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), the Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA), and Post hoc Least method were used for the analysis of the differences between burnout mean scores. Findings: Nurses’ total level of job burnout was assessed as average in emotional exhaustion, low in depersonalization, and average in personal accomplishment. The subjects afflicted with obsessive- compulsive disorder exhibited the highest level of emotional exhaustion and the lowest level of personal accomplishment. Histrionic and narcissistic subjects respectively indicated the highest level of depersonalization and personal accomplishment. Results: The level of job burnout is different in various personality groups in addition to its relation to occupational and demographic variables