KNOWLEDGE & RESEARCH IN APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY
Year:2013 | Volume:13 | Issue:4 (50)|Papers Count:16

This study was aimed to compare the effectiveness of drug substance abuse preventive methods via social cognitive–behavioral training, life skills training, poster presentation and delivering short message on student’s impulsiveness and coping strategies in students under support by Emdad Committee. This quasi experimental study was carried on 150 students were selected from 2500 students and randomly assigned to a control group and four experimental groups. The five groups (30 person in each) completed impulsiveness (Barrat et al, 2004) and coping strategies (Moss & Beling, 1981) inventories in the pre- and post– stages. The four experimental group received the following treatments: group (1) 10 session of social cognitive-behavioral training 120 minutes each, group (2) 10 sessions of life skills training 120 minutes each, group (3) presentation of 40 posters for 10 weeks, and group (4) delivering short message service for 10 weeks. The results of the analysis of MANCOVA revealed that preventive techniques were effective on impulsiveness and coping strategies (P<0.01). Also, result of LSD revealed that the four preventive techniques were effective, with different degrees of effectiveness, on enhancement of coping strategies as well as on the reduction of impulsiveness (except poster presentation) (P<0.05).

The purpose of this research was to study the relationship of psycho- organizational pathology with job stress, job satisfaction, and mental health by considering the mediating role of job perfectionism. The method was correlation and the statistical population were 2400 Isfahan city guidance teachers in 2011-2012, from whom a group of 331 (183 women and 148 men) were selected by random, multistage method. The instruments were, Psycho- Organizational Pathology Inventory (Kamkar et al. 2006), Multidimensional Job Perfectionism Scale (Hewitt and flett, 1989), Mental Health Inventory (Goldberg & Williams, 1988). Job Descriptive Index (Smith et al. 1969), and Job Stress Inventory (Osipow, 1987). The data were analyzed via correlation analysis and structural studies of path analysis. According to the results, the psycho- pathologies have direct relationships with role boundary, job satisfaction, mental health, and role responsibility. Also, the organizational role boundary has direct relationships with self –oriented perfectionism and job satisfaction (P<0.05). There were also direct relationships between perfectionism and role responsibility, role responsibility and mental health, as well as health and job satisfaction. The research final model of fitness indices indicated that the model was convenient.

This study evaluated the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral and spiritual-religious interventions on reducing anxiety and depression in women with breast cancer. In this semi-experimental study, among women with breast cancer who were supported by a cancer research center, in Terhan, 45 women who met the inclusion criteria were selected purposefully and were placed randomly to three groups of 15; Persons each (incloding two experimental groups and a control group). All participants completed Beck Depression (BDI) (2000) and Anxiety (BAI) (1998) questionnaires in pre-test and post-test. Data were analyzed using covariance. Although the mean scores of the intervention groups were more than those of the control group, the difference was not statistically significant.

The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of group cognitive behavioral training and coping with stress on social adjustment and self - concept of high school female students. This research was an experimental research with pre- post design of a control and two experiment groups. The statistical population included all high school female students in the academic year of 2010-2011. Two female high schools were chosen by using random cluster sampling, and then, 45 students were selected and assigned in the three groups randomly. The instruments included the Bell Adult Adjustment Questionnaire (1968) and Rogers Self-Concept Questionnaire (1951). The data were analyzed by applying multi- covariance (MANCOWA). The results indicated that group cognitive- behavioral training - as compared with stress coping training and control group- has a meaningful effect on increasing the social adjustment of high school female students (P<0.01).However, the analysis showed that the group cognitive behavioral training and stress coping training do not have a meaningful effect on the students self-concept.

The aim of this study was to compare the personality characteristics (temperament and character) of addicted, depressed, anxious and normal people. In this cross- sectional causal- comparative study, 120 participants consisting of 90 mental patients: 30 addicted, 30 depressed and 30 anxious patients referred to therapeutic centers of Bojnord and normal people subjects of same city in 2011 (1389.s.c) were selected. All participants were asked to complete the Cloninger et al. Temperament and Character Inventory, (1991) and data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA, MANOVA and Tukey post-hoc test. The results showed that in perseverance temperamental dimension, the anxious patients and normal group had higher scores respectively which were significant in comparison with addicted patients (P<0.01). The, addicted and anxious patients had the highest mean scores in novelty-seeking and harm-avoidance temperamental dimensions respectively (P<0.01). The normal group had the highest scores on reward-dependence dimension the difference was significant in comparison with addicted patients (P<0.01). However, in self- leadership dimension no significant difference was found. Also, significant differences were found in self- development between the addicted and the normal groups as well as between the two groups of anxious and depressed patients and the normal group (P<0.05), and in cooperation dimension, between the two groups of addicted and depressed persons and the normal group (P<0.01).It may be suggested that besides the biological factors, the role of emotional and cognitive factors should also be considered.

The main purpose of this research was to study health- promotion lifestyle (HPL) of female rheumatoid arthritis patients in comparison with healthy women and to determine the relationship between demographic factors and lifestyles of these patients. With available sampling in 2011(1389 s.c) in the city of Tabriz, 105 female rheumatoid arthritis patients and 105 healthy women participated in the research. Research instruments included a researcher made demographic questionnaire and Health Promoting Lifestyles Profile (Walker, Sechrist & Pender, 1987). The data were analyzed by applying t- test for independent groups and multiple analysis of regression. The data indicated that the healthy women had higher overall scores on the total HPL and six subscales than rheumatoid arthritis patients. Furthermore, based on t-test result, significant differences were observed between the overall rheumatoid arthritis patients HPL scores and healthy females except in stress management dimension (P<0.01). According to the results of regression analysis, 0.28 percent of the variance in the patients PHL can be explained by the demographic factor of education.

The aim of this research was to construct and validate a new cognitive brain function assessment test with an emphasize on the age of student. The research type was test construction and validation. the population in this study was all human sciences and math students studying in undergraduate and postgraduate levels of Shahid Rajaee Teachers Training University in 2011-2012. The sample consisted of 100 university student whose ages ranged between 20 to 36 (50male and 50 female). Which were selected by cluster sampling. The research tools were the veseaoher made Cognitive Brain Function Assessment. Test and the PASAT (Sampson, 1956). To achieve the factor structure model validity, varimax rotation and t- test for independent groups were applied. Results showed high correlation between variables and also six factors as the clusters were identified: 1) Target identification accuracy, 2) Location error, 3) Two seconds right error, 4) Three seconds right error, 5) Three seconds left error and 6) Two seconds left error. Also, the results of t-test for independent groups showed that merely in the target identification accuracy, the differences between meaningful differences concerning age exist among the university students (p<0.05).

The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship of personality characteristics and defense style with eating disorder symptoms. Research method was correlational of and statistical population included students of university of Tehran in 2012 (1390 s.c), among them 350 student were selected via cluster sampling. The research tools were the following three questionnaires: Five Factor Personality Inventory (NEO-FFI, Costa & McCrae, 1992), Defense Styles Questionnaires (DSQ-40 Andrews, Sing & Bond, 1993), and Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26, Garner, Olmsted, Bohr & Garfikel, 1982). Data were analyzed using correctional analysis and multiple regression analysis. The relationship of eating disorder symptoms with defense style of immaturity, defense style of neuroticism, defense style of maturity, personality characteristic of conscientiousness (P<0.01), agreeableness (P<0.05), and neuroticism were significant. Also the results of regression analysis indicated that the personality characteristic of conscientiousness, defense mechanism of immaturity (P<0.01), as well as defense mechanism of splitting, pseudo-altruism, displacement, rationalization and acting out (P<0.05) can predict the eating disorder symptoms.

This study was aimed to predict cigarette dependence by personality dimensions according to the Cloningers seven-factor model of personality. The research was correlation and statistical population consisted of male cigarette smokers in the city of Qazvin, from which 151 persons were selected purpose. The research tools were TTURC Nicotine Dependence Inventory (WHO, 1994) and the short form of Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI-125, Cloninger et al, 1994). The data were analyzed by applying discriminatory analysis and the multiple regression analysis. Results indicated that self- directedness was the most important personality predictor of cigarette dependency (P<0.05). Also, the results of multiple regression analysis showed that from seven personality dimensions, harm- avoidance and self–directedness and the most important predictors of cigarette dependency severity (P<0.05). There fore, low self-directedness may have a significant role in predicting both cigarette dependence diagnosis and severity (P<0.05), but harm avoidance can only predict higher levels of cigarette dependence severity (P<0.05) and has no significant role in the prediction of cigarette dependency.

The purpose of this study was to know how people utilize information about their environment to find their way. This research method was qualitative, and its statistical population was all persons residing in Sange syah in Shiraz and all student of Shiraz University who were not familiar with this area. (In both groups, meanage were 20). The research sample included 40 person who were selected voluntarily. The test environmental was historical context of Sange Syah in Shiraz. The research tool was the technique of drawing sketch maps from the test environment. The data were collected and analyzed from the survey maps of individuals in three viewpoints. The major finding was that peoples spatial knowledge is “map- like” and cognitive maps of the environment that people have in mind help the navigational process.

The aim of this research was to study the correlation between abstract thinking and emotional intelligence (EI) on Isfahan general physicians and teachers. The method was correlational, and statistical population included general physicians and teachers of guidance and high schools in the city Isfahan, among them 77 physicians and 180 teachers were selected randomly. The instruments were Ravens Adults Intelligence Questionnaire (Raven, 1938) and Emotional Intelligence Inventory (Siberia Sheering, 1995). The data were analyzed with the use of Pearson correlation coefficient. The results demonstrated that in the teacher’s sample, in general there are significant relationships between abstract thinking with general emotional intelligence, self- stimulation, empathy and social skills (P<0.05). Also, among female teachers, significant relationships were found between abstract thinking with general emotional intelligence, self- stimulation and social skills (P<0.05), but there were no significant relationships between abstract thinking and emotional intelligence and its components in male teachers. The results in both physicians, overall, and female ones, revealed that, there is a significant relationship between abstract thinking with self- stimulation (P<0.05), but in male physicians there were no significant relationships between abstract thinking with emotional intelligence and its components.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of personality characteristics and psychological hardiness with job stress of nurses in state hospitals of Shiraz. The research method was correlational and the population was all nurses of state hospitals in Shiraz, among them 141 nurses were selected through multi-stage sampling method. Research instruments were the big five personality factors questionnaire (McCrae & Costa, 1985), psychological hardiness questionnaire (Barton, 1984) and Job Stress Questionnaire (Steinmetz, 1977). The data were analyzed using Pearson s correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis stepwise method). The findings indicated that there was a positive significant relationship between neuroticism and job stress (P<0.01), but negative significant relationships between extraversion, openness to experience and consciousness, and also between commitment and control with job stress in nurses (P<0.01). Also, in multiple regression analysis it was shown that the consciousness, neuroticism along with commitment and challenging were the strongest predictors for job stress.