Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology
Year:2018 | Volume:24 | Issue:3 |Papers Count:9

Objectives Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a highly prevalent distressing condition for individuals in both community and healthcare staff. In this regard, lack of effective psychological and medical treatments can impose a high cost on the family and society.Methods: A total of 22 female patients with GAD after primary clinical evaluation and qualifying conditions were selected and divided into two therapeutic groups; first group CBT-IU (Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy focused on Intolerance of Uncertainty) (N=12) were selected through convenient sampling method, and second group pharmacotherapy (N=12) were selected through purposeful sampling method. The first group (CBT-IU) received 12 individual weekly treatment sessions and the second group under the supervision of a psychiatrist was treated with anti-anxiety medicines (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). All subjects completed the pretest and post-test questionnaires of Pennsylvania worry questionnaire, intolerance of uncertainty scale, and cognitive avoidance questionnaire. The obtained data were analyzed by repeated measures analysis of variance.Results: Results showed that cognitive-behavioral therapy focused on intolerance of uncertainty, was more effective than pharmacotherapy on worry, intolerance of uncertainty, and cognitive avoidance.Conclusion: Since CBT-IU focuses on cognitive components (worry, intolerance of ambiguity and cognitive avoidance) and selected tools also measures most of the components associated with the intervention performed for this group, the more effectiveness of this treatment on the studied variables is justified compared to pharmacotherapy. Due to the effect of CBT-IU on cognitive components of patients with GAD, these results have practical implications for clinicians involved in medical centers.

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the effect of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) on the hope and quality of life in children with cancer.Methods: The study design is quasi-experimental study with pretest, posttest, follow-up and control group. Study population consisted of children (male and female) with cancer at AminrKabir Hospital and Tabassom Cancer Support Community in 2016 who applied for NLP training and were under treatment. Of these, 40 were selected by random sampling, and assigned to NLP and control groups. The data collection tools were Children's Hope Scale (CHS) and Generic Children’s Quality of Life (GCQ) questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and dependent t test in SPSS V.22.Results: Results showed that NLP training had significant effect on the hope and quality of life, and could predict 40% and 70% of variance for hope and quality of life in children with cancer, respectively.Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, NLP training increased the quality of life and hope in children with cancer.

Objectives: A recent method that modifies the intrusive memories is cognitive bias modification. This study aimed to investigate and compare the three none-attendance therapies of standardized cognitive bias modification, cognitive bias modification based self-generation and cognitive-behavior training.Methods: According to inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 51 participants were selected via purposive sampling method. Then, they were randomly assigned to either of three groups: standardized cognitive bias modification, self-generation, and cognitive-behavioral training groups. Questionnaires and scales related to mood, interpretation bias, memory bias, positive and negative emotions, and inappropriate attitudes were used as the research instruments.Results: Results indicate that all three treatment methods are effective (P<0.01). But, the three groups had no significant differences in mood-related variables (depression signs, mood, positive and negative affect). Regarding the cognitive variables (interpretation bias, positive and negative memory bias, dysfunctional attitudes), interventions were effective, and the groups exhibited significant differences (P<0.01).Conclusion: Standardized cognitive bias modification and self-generation through new 4-week procedures serve as effective methods for attenuating depression while improving the states of interpretation bias, inappropriate attitude, and memory.

Objectives: The current study aims to investigate the moderating role of self-compassion in the relationship among experiential avoidance and emotional repression with depression.Methods For the purpose of this study, 150 students from university of Tabriz were selected through convenience sampling method. Next, they were investigated in terms of self-compassion, emotional repression and depression. Beck depression inventory-II, self-compassion scale, emotion repression inventory, and experiential avoidance questionnaire were used as assessment tools. The obtained data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and path analysis.Results: Based on the results, self-compassion has significant and negative correlation with depression (b=-0.75). Also emotional repression and experiential avoidance have positive and significant effect on self-compassion. Experiential avoidance and emotional repression have indirect effect on depression by self-compassion.Conclusion: Emotional repression; experiential avoidance and self-compassion are significant predictors of depression and default model has acceptable fitness in depression explanation.

Objectives Nightmare is one of the sleep problems among adolescents. This research aimed to examine multiple relations among thought control strategies and symptoms of personality disorders among female students in Shahreza City, Iran in 2015-2016.Methods: In this correlational study, the statistical population comprised all female students in pre-university schools and the sample was 300 girls that they were randomly selected from students list. The measurements were thought control strategies, Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory, and Nightmare Scale (2014). The obtained data were analyzed by Pearson correlation and stepwise regression in SPSS V.21.Results: The results showed among thought control strategies, worry and among personality disorders, dependent and histrionic personality disorders have positive and significant relations with symptoms of nightmare but antisocial and narcissistic personality disorders have negative and significant relations with nightmare. Worry, histrionic, dependent and narcissistic personality disorders can predict nightmare.Conclusion: Based on the results, changes in worries, dependent, histrionic and narcissistic and antisocial personality disorders can predict nightmares.

Objectives: Tendency toward substance use is influenced by a range of individual, familial, and social factors. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between family emotional atmosphere, sense of coherence, and affects with tendency toward substance use among university students.Methods: In this descriptive-correlative study, a total of 400 students (311 males and 89 females) were selected using multistage cluster sampling method from Shahid Beheshti Teacher Training University, Mashhad, Iran. Then they completed measures of parental-child interaction rating scale, sense of coherence scale, positive and negative affect scale, and tendency toward addiction scale. Data analysis was conducted using Pearson correlation and backward multiple regression.Results: There were significant and negative relationships between subscales of family emotional atmosphere, sense of coherence, and positive affects with tendency toward substance use among students (P˂0.01). Moreover, negative affects were positively correlated with tendency toward substance use (r=0.48; P<0.01). Regression analysis also indicated that a positive family emotional atmosphere and sense of coherence were significant negative predictors of tendency toward substance use whereas negative affects were significant positive predictors. However, the role of positive affects in the prediction of tendency toward substance use was not significant.Conclusion: Addressing family problems, developing the sense of individual coherence, and instructing strategies to regulate negative emotions in prevention and intervention programs may help reduce tendency toward substance use among university students.

Objectives: To the importance of screening students’ mental health and lack of a customized tool based on prevalent psychopathological problems in students, the present study aims to develop and examine the psychometric properties of electronic mental health assessment device for high school students-parent form and teacher form.Methods: The study sample included 1697 teachers and 1186 parents of high school students of Alborz, Kermanshah, Eastern Azerbaijan, Sistan and Baluchistan, Fars, and Khorasan Razavi. Parent form and teacher form consisted of 118 and 133 items, respectively.Results: Items analysis based on 8 criteria showed that all items of teacher form and parent form had proper qualification. Explanatory factor analysis showed that the most proper structure for teacher form and parent form are 6-factor structure and 5-factor structure, respectively. Internal consistency was sufficiently good and alpha coefficients were ranged between 0.77 and 0.97 for teacher form and between 0.85 and 0.92 for parent form.Conclusion: In general, psychometric properties of both scales indicate their suitability for screening and research.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the factor structure and reliability of the Social Paradigm Belief Inventory (SPBI).Methods: A total of 381 students of Hakim Sabzevari University were selected by stratified cluster random sampling method and responded to SPBI in 2016. This research is descriptive with a validation method.Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were used to investigate factor structure of the instrument, and Cronbach α and test-retest method were employed for examining the reliability.Results: Results of principal component with varimax rotation showed that 4-actorial and 6-factorial solutions explained 30% and 38% of whole variance, respectively. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis showed that the 6-factorial solution was a better indication of the data than 4-factorial solutions and it better fits the data in Iran society. The Cronbach α value of the instrument was 0.7 and as for the subscales of the instrument, it varied from 0.54 to 0.71 and the correlation coefficient of test-retest was 0.72 that showed acceptable reliability for the instrument.Conclusion: Enjoying an acceptable reliability and fitting well with the data in Iran society make the 6-factor SPBI a suitable measure for determining adults’ cognitive development for screening or clinical purposes.