Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology
Year:2009 | Volume:15 | Issue:3 (58)|Papers Count:16

Objectives: To investigate the efficacy and side effects of buspirone in comparison with methylphenidate for controlling symptoms of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).Method: A total of thirty two 6-12 years old children with ADHD were examined. The teacher and parent ADHD Rating Scale (ADHD-RS) was used to gather data from both groups. Drug side effects were assessed based on side effect checklists for both drugs. Dosage of drug for patients was 0.5 mg/kg/day for the buspirone group and 0.3-1 mg/kg/day for the methylphenidate group. Data were analysed using paired t test, one way analysis of variance with repeated measures, independent t test and 2.Results: In the end of six weeks, both groups showed decreases in the total score of ADHD-RS in subscales of attention deficit, hyper-activity, and impulsivity (p<0.001). No significant differences were observed between the two groups on the parent (p=0.77) and teacher (p=0.23) rating scale scores. The groups were different regarding the inattention subscale, with methylphenidate being superior to buspirone. Side effects of buspirone were mild and rare in comparison with that of methylphenidate.Conclusion: Buspirone has a favorable side effect profile and it improves ADHD symptoms significantly. These preliminary findings of efficacy of buspirone in children with ADHD need further studies.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate the features of Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in a sample of Iranian children, which is a measure developed for children behavioral and affective difficulties assessment.Method: Ratings of teachers and mothers of about 413, ten to twelve years old children (193 boys and 220 girls) were gathered and evaluated. To assess the psychometric properties of this questionnaire, factor analysis and assessment of internal homogeneity was used. The relationships of each subscale with gender, normative data for this age group, and cut-off points were also calculated.Results: Moderate to high reliability was found for all subscales, however, support for the original five-factor structure of the measure was not found. Findings indicated adequate validity of mothers and teachers’ reports of relationships of subscales with each other. The total difficulties score was relatively higher for boys than girls according to the evaluations of both mothers and teachers.Conclusion: The Persian version of this questionnaire possesses a three factor structure with good psychometric characteristics. However, the use of this questionnaire in psychological studies in samples of Iranian children has been relatively neglected. The findings of the present research point to the significant value of this questionnaire for future studies.

Objectives: This study was conducted to examine the relationship of coping strategies and attributional styles with the risk of running away from home, among female adolescents.Method: 500 females from Meshed city (located in north east of Iran) high schools at districts 2, 5 and 7 were selected using random cluster sampling. All subjects completed 4 questionnaires: demographic characteristics, Risk of Running Away from Home, Coping Strategies, and Attributional Styles. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and stepwise multiple regression.Results: There was significant relationship between female’s running away from home and social support coping strategies, physical and emotional inhibition, stable-unstable aspects of failure, and stable-unstable, internal-external, and total-partial aspects of success in Attributional Styles Questionnaire. Regression analysis revealed a significant role for physical and emotional inhibition strategies and total-partial success in female’s running away from home (p<0.01).Conclusion: There was significant correlation between coping strategies and attributional styles with risk of females’ running away from home.

Objectives: The aim of this investigation was to study alexithymia and its relationship with physical complaints, emotional competency and mood disorders in children and adolescents.Method: 593 (308 girls and 285 boys) elementary school children in the city of Shiraz were selected using multi-stage cluster sampling. Participants completed the Alexithymia Questionnaire for Children, Mood List for Children and Somatic Complaint List. The validity of the instruments was determined through calculating correlation between subscales with each other and the total scale, and reliability was determined using Cronbach’s alpha. Results indicated a satisfactory and high reliability and validity of the instruments used in this study. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance and regression analysis.Results: Alexithymia showed positive association with physical complaints and negative emotions, and negative association with happiness. Gender differences were also significant, and girls had higher scores averages in comparison with boys.Conclusion: Difficulty in identifying feelings and external oriented thinking had the highest and lowest predictive powers respectively.

Objectives: To explore the basic conceptions of satisfaction, to determine the ultimate strategies and depicting the process of improvement in satisfaction in clients of children and adolescent consultation clinics.Method: In this qualitative study, the triangulation method was applied in two phases: phenomenological investigation in the first phase, and focus groups and the Delphi technique in the second. The study sample consisted of clients (16 individuals) and the staff of Isfahan’s Shariati Children and Adolescents Consultation Clinic (8 individuals). Data were analyzed using Colaizzi method.Results: A total number of 834 concept codes were worked out which were then classified into 130 concept structures. In the third level, these concept structures were set into 30 groups according to their common characteristics. Suggested strategies, obtained through group and advisory discussions were classified into 16 items.Conclusion: A total number of 18 strategies were deducted, including developing a data collection committee, development of a continuous non-pharmachological intervention program, developing other guidance clinics in the city, establishing parent training classes, programming and establishing a daily routine for the clinic activities and services, improving team work attendance and establishing objectives regarding patient rights.

Objectives: The present study was carried out with the aim of assessing the prediction of procrastination using meta-cognitive beliefs.Method: 199 students (126 female and 73 male) from different schools of Shiraz University were selected using random cluster-multistage sampling, and completed the Meta-cognition Questionnaire-30, General Procrastination Scale and Decisional Procrastination Scale. Data were analyzed using stepwise multiple regression method.Results: The results showed that uncontrollability and danger (p<0.001), cognitive confidence (p<0.01), and cognitive self-consciousness (p<0.001) of meta-cognition beliefs could predict behavioral procrastination. Also, uncontrollability and danger (p<0.001), and cognitive self-consciousness (p<0.001) of meta-cognition beliefs could predict decisional procrastination.Conclusion: Self- regulatory executive function model is useful in the prediction of procrastination in behavior and decision making as emotional-behavioral disorders.

Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to identify some potential predictors of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. In this study, the correlations of cognitive (responsibility, perfectionism), temperamental (behavioral inhibition), and emotional (anxiety, depression, stress) components with obsessive-compulsive symptoms were examined.Method: In a correlation study, 400 students from Tehran University and Tehran University of Medical Sciences were selected using cluster sampling. The students completed Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised, Responsibility Attitude Scale, Ahvaz Perfectionism Scale and Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scales.Results: Results from stepwise regression showed that responsibility, perfectionism, behavioral inhibition, stress and anxiety entered in the model as predictors, but depression was excluded from the regression model. Predictors had different weights in predicting symptoms. Predictive equation is reported for obsessive-compulsive symptoms in students.Conclusion: Except cognitive and behavioral components, the correlation of behavioral inhibition with obsessive-compulsive symptoms was also confirmed.

Objectives: The distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic religious orientation appears to be useful in understanding the relation between religion and schizotypal personality as well as schizophrenia. The present study was carried out with the aim of examining the relation between religious orientation and schizotypal traits.Method: A sample of 210 individuals was selected from university students using random stratified sampling. Schizotypal Trait Questionnaire A form (STQ A) and Religious Attitude Testing Questionnaire (RATQ) were administered to the subjects.Results: All three schizotypal traits had significant relationship with extrinsic religious orientation (p<0.01). From among the schizotypal traits, “unusual perceptual experiences” was a suitable predictor for extrinsic religious orientation. Also, subjects with high schizotypal traits scored higher in extrinsic religious orientation, than subjects with low schizotypal traits.Conclusion: Since intrinsic religious orientation has no relationship with schizotypal traits, it could be concluded that despite being more religious, individuals with high schizotypal traits have more immature religiosity. Also, these findings are consistent with the view that intrinsic religiosity is associated with aspects of psychological well-being, and extrinsic religiosity is associated with poorer psychological well-being.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between domains and facets of the five factor model of personality and happiness, mental health and physical health.Method: In a descriptive study, 359 individuals (177 females and 182 males) were chosen through multi-stage stratified random sampling procedures from the population of undergraduate students from two universities in the city of Tehran (Iran). The subjects completed the Revised NEO Personality Inventory, and three individual rating scales (happiness, mental health and physical health). Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and stepwise regression analysis.Results: Happiness and physical health were positively related to extraversion and conscientiousness and negatively related to neuroticism. Mental health was positively related to extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness and negatively related to neuroticism. In addition, happiness was positively associated with mental and physical health. Stepwise Regression analysis showed that happiness and physical health were predicted by neuroticism, openness to experience and extraversion. However, only some facets of each factor were significant predictors of the factors.Conclusion: Along with other studies findings, high extraversion and low neuroticism are major predictors of happiness, mental health and physical health.

Objectives: Domestic violence is the most common form of violence with the highest rate of frequency, lowest rate of report to the police, and highest psychological, social and economic complications, and its reduction is a general health priority. The present study was performed to determine the frequency of domestic violence, and its related variables in the city of Kerman.Method: In this cross-sectional study, 20 clusters each consisting 20 households were selected through cluster sampling and by using postal codes from among families in the city of (located in south east of Iran) Kerman. 400 married women were examined ultimately. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire with a Cronbach’s Alpha of 92%. Data obtained from the questionnaire were completed using an interview and analyzed using chi-square test.Results: Altogether, 46% of women had been exposed to various types of domestic violence by their partners, including psychological violence (78.6%), physical violence (55.6%), sexual violence (28.6%) and economic violence (34.7%). Domestic violence showed direct relationship with husband educational level (p=0.001) and the wife (p=0.004), husband’s job (p=0.01), living in rural areas until the age of 20 (p=0.002 for males and p=0.023 for females), addiction of husband (p=0.001) and wife (p=0.003), and living with other family members (p=0.001). From the point of view of violence-stricken women, the most prevalent causes of violence were a poor economic state (25.4%) and husbands’ job (8.9%).Conclusion: Considering the results for the prevalence of domestic violence and its related factors, reinforcing skills such as stress management, anger control and creative thinking, methods of dealing with challenges and difficulties of married life through training couples is highly recommended, in order to reduce the rate of violence and establishing a calm familial environment.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate working memory impairments in individuals with major depressive disorder. Method: Twenty five patients with major depressive disorder according to DSM-IV criteria, were matched by gender, age and education with 25 normal controls. All completed Beck Depression Inventory and participated in two working memory tasks: “Paced Auditory Serial Adding Test (PASAT)” and “Wechsler Digit Span Scale”.Results: T-test for independent groups indicated a weaker function in both memory tests for depressed subjects compared to the control group (p<0.001). Pearson correlation coefficient and regression analysis showed a significant negative correlation between function in working memory tests and the severity of depression (p<0.001).Conclusion: Depression is associated with impairment of working memory, and the amount of impairment increases along with the increase in the severity of depressive symptoms.