KNOWLEDGE & RESEARCH IN APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY
Year:2014 | Volume:14 | Issue:4 (54)|Papers Count:15

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between interpersonal conflict at work and social competencies (political skill, emotional intelligence, self-monitoring) on experience of incivility behavior based on structural equation modeling. The research method was correlational. The research population consisted of all female teachers of female high schools in Isfahan city in the academic year 2010-11 (1390-91s.c.). From among them 358 were selected via cluster random sampling. Participants filled in Interpersonal Conflict at Work Scale (Spector & Jex’s, 1998), Political Skill Inventory (Ferris et al., 2005), Emotional Intelligence Scale (Brackett et al., 2006), Self-monitoring Scale (Snyder and Gangestad, 1986), and Workplace Incivility Questionnaire (Ottinot, 2008). The results indicated that there was a positive significant relationship between conflict and experience of incivility behavior (P£0.05); however there was a negative significant relationship between social competencies and experience of incivility behavior (P£0.05). The results from structural equation modeling showed that emotional intelligence and political skill were the mediators of the relationship between self-monitoring and conflict with experience of incivility behavior, Overall, this model enjoyed a fairly suitable fit.

The aim of the present research was to compare the effectiveness of cognitive-behavior therapy, methadone therapy and combination therapy method on reducing depression in addicts. The design of the study was quasi-experimental with pretest-posttest and control group. The statistical population were all persons who referred to therapeutic centers of two cities of Tehran province in 2013 (1391c.s). The research sample included 40 subjects (male) who were selected by purposeful sampling and placed in the following four groups randomly: cognitive behavior therapy, methadone treatment, and combination therapy, but the control group did not receive any therapy. All participants were tested before and after twelve weeks treatment with the Beck Depression Inventory (Beck, 2000) and clinical interviews were done. The results of analysis of covariance showed that all three treatments, cognitive behavioral therapy, methadone therapy and combination method, as compared with the control group, were effective in improving depression (P<0.001). Also, results showed that there is not significant difference in the effectiveness of methadone therapy and combination method. Therefore, the two methods of therapy are effective on the rate of depression.

The present study was carried out in order to evaluate the psychometrics properties of the Persian version of Organizational Virtuousness Scale and prediction of organizational virtuousness by considering organizational citizenship behavior. 141 persons who were selected from Tele Communication Company of Isfahan employees by simple random sampling, completed the Organizational Virtuousness Scale (Cameron, Bright & Caza, 2004) and Organizational Citizenship Behavior Questionnaire (Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Moorman & Fetter, 1990). The results of exploratory factor analysis defined two factors: 1) optimism- trust- compassion and 2) integrity- forgiveness. The reliability coefficients were found to be satisfactory for the total scale (a=0.93) and its factors (organizational citizenship behavior: a=0.90; integrity-forgiveness: a=0.87). Also, the Pearson’s correlation coefficients showed that there is positive significant relation between organizational virtuousness and organizational citizenship behavior (P<0.01) as well as its three dimensions e.g. civic virtue (P<0.05), altruism (P<0.01) and courtesy (P<0.05). Analysis of regression showed that organizational citizenship behavior dimensions could predict organizational virtuousness and its first factor (optimism- trust- compassion). Thus, Organizational Virtuousness Scale can be used as a reliable and valid tool in organizational researches. Also, the organizational citizenship behavior is useful in the prediction of organizational virtuousness.

The aim of this research was to determine the relationship of Islamic life style with dysfunctional attitudes among students of the University of Isfahan. The research method was correlation. The statistical population of this study consisted of all the university students from among which 100 students (56 females,44 males) were chosen by random cluster sampling and were asked to complete Islamic Lifestyle Test (Kaviani, 2009/ 1388s.c.) and Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale (Weissman & Beck, 1978). The data were analyzed by Pearson's correlation coefficient and multiple regressions. Results showed an inverse correlation between Islamic life style and dysfunctional attitudes (r=-.55, P<.01). The results of regression analysis revealed that 5 predictive subscales of Islamic life style including: ethic economy, health, social and family explain 44.3% of dysfunctional attitudes (P<0.05). Because the life style generally, and Islamic life style specially, is related to different aspects of a person's life, practitioners who deal with therapeutic issues and prevention, should try to refine individuals Islamic lifestyle in their interventions.

The aim of this research was to compare athlete and non-athlete blind girls' physical self-concept. The method of this study was causal-descriptive, and the statistical population consisted of all athletes and non- athlete blind girls who referred to the Blind Society of Tehran in 2012(1390s.c).From all blind athlete girls 45 completed the questionnaire and 63 non-athlete blind girls with mean age of 20±6.54 were randomly selected. The research instrument was Physical Self-Description Questionnaire (PSDQ) (Marsh et al., 1994). The results of analysis of variance by spss-18 indicated that there are significant differences between the athlete and non-athlete blind girls in the subscales of coordination (P<0.007), health (P<0.028), physical activity (P<0.001), strength (P<0.014), endurance (P<0.022), sport competency (P<0.001) and general self-concept (P<0.001). In all components, except health and physical fat that have been recorded reversely, athlete group had a higher mean. According to the results, it can be concluded that sport and physical activity can increase physical self-concept of female blind population.

The present research aimed at comparing the marital satisfaction, life style and psychological health between the retired and non- retired men and women. The research method was causal-comparative and the population included all teachers (retired and non-retired) of Gonbade Kawus City, from among them 140 people were selected by simple random sampling method. The research instruments were comprised of General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28, Goldberg & Hiller, 1979), Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire (Otrich, 1989), and Life Style Questionnaire (Mosavar, 2003/1382s.c.). The data were analyzed by two-sided analysis of variance. The research results indicated that there is a significant difference between marital satisfaction and life style in both genders and both retired and non-retired groups (P<0.05) Mens marital satisfaction, with mean satisfaction of 141.67 has been more than women, and non-retired teachers marital satisfaction with mean satisfaction of 143.27 was higher than retired teachers. Also, men with mean of 496.37 had higher index of life style than women, and non-retired teachers life style with mean of 493.07 was higher than retired teachers. But no significant difference was observed, in mental health, between men and women and the retired and non-retired group.

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of attribution training, metaphor training, and attribution/metaphor training on students optimism. This semi- experimental study was conducted with pretest-posttest and control group. Statistical population included all first grade state and day high school girl students in Hamadan in the academic year 2010-11 (1389-90s.c.) and the sampling method was multistage cluster sampling. The sample was comprised of 96 students and subjects were randomly assigned into the four groups of 24 persons each (3 experimental grups and 1 control group). The research instrument was the Optimism Questionnair (Oleary & Fincham, 2000). Experimental treatment was conducted on the experimental groups during 10 sessions and then posttests were administrated on the 4groups. Statistical analysis was conducted by one-way analysis of variance and LSD test using SPSS-16 software. Results showed that there is a difference among all methods effectiveness except metaphor effectiveness as compared with attribution and attribution effectiveness as compared with control, on improving optimism in the first grade high school girl students (P<0.001). Also, when the effectiveness of these three methods were compared, it was found out that the most effective methods were metaphor/attribution, metaphor and attribution respectively. These findings show that metaphor training and attribution/metaphor training leads to optimism improve students. Therefore using new training such as metaphor and attribution/metaphor can reduce the current and future difficulties of students.

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of anger management skills training on social anxiety and anger self-regulation skills in social anxious boys of Dareh Shahr city. The design of this study was quasi- experimental with pretest-posttest and control group. The population was all 527 first and second year high school boys in the city in 2010-2011 (1389-90s.c.) academic year. This study was conducted on 32 students who scored high on Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN). The sample was selected through purposeful sampling and then they were randomly divided into two experimental and control groups (16 persons, each). The Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) (Connor et al., 2000), and State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2 (STAXI-2) (Spilberger, 1999) were administered at the pretest and post-test stage to all participations. The anger management program including ten sessions of 90 minutes on a weekly basis was delivered to the experimental group. Both questionnaires were administered again at the post test stage. Data were analyzed by using analysis of covariance. According to the results, social anxiety in the experimental group, decreased significantly whereas anger self-regulation skills increased significantly (P<0.05). Also, the results showed that anger management training increases anger self-regulation skills but decreases social anxiety in adolescents.

This research was done with the aim of studying the relationship between 6-8 year old children’s dental fear and their parents' fear. The research method was correlation, and the statistical sample consisted of 107 children between 6 to 8 years old who referred to Islamic Azad Khorasgan University dental clinic, together with their parents in2010-2011(1390-91s.c.) academicyear. The sampling method was purposeful. The measuring instruments included Children's' Fear Survey Schedule-Dental Subscale (CFSSS-DS) (Cutberth & Melamed 1982), for evaluating children's fear, the Modified Dental anxiety Scale(MDAS) ( Humphriset al., 1995) for evaluating parents' fear and Frankle Behavior Rating Scale (Frankleet al., 1962), for evaluating children’s behavior during dental procedures. The first and second questionnaires were filled by child's parents and the third one was filled by the dentist. The analysis of data was done by Pearson correlation coefficient, Spearman correlation coefficient and independent t. The findings showed that there was a direct significant correlation between children’s fear and their parents’ fear scores (P<0.001).There was also a negative significant correlation between CFSS-DS and Frankle Behavior Rating Scale (P<0.001). According to the results, among the 6 to 8 year old children, parents’ fear can affect their children’s dental fear and also the extent of child’s collaboration with the dentist.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between perceived stress and the components of Type D Personality: the negative affect, and social inhibition. The research method was descriptive. The statistical population consisted of 11000 male and female undergraduate students in the University of Tabriz. A sample of 275 (187 female& 88 male) students with type D personality were selected by cluster random sampling method from among the students. They were asked to complete 16 questions of Type D Personality Scale (Denolet, 1998) and 10 questions of Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen, 1988). The results of regression analysis showed that from the two components, negative affect was good predictor of perceived stress (P<0.01). Based on these findings, it was concluded that people with type D personality experience high level of perceived stress and both negative affect and social inhibition correlate with higher perceived stress.

The aim of the present research was to study the effectiveness of meta-cognitive counseling on test anxiety symptoms of students. The research design was semi-empirical with pretest- posttest, follow-up and control group. The statistical population included all second grade girl students of Isfahan city guidance schools in 2012 (1391s.c.). Form the population, 120 students were selected by cluster sampling method, and they completed the Test Anxiety Inventory. 34 students with highest test anxiety score were assigned randomly in an experimental and a control group (17 students, each group). Every participant in the experimental and the control group completed the Test Anxiety Inventory (Aboulghsemi, et al,. 2009/1388s.c.) in the pretest, posttest and follow-up stage. Meta-cognitive counseling was applied on the experimental group for 9 sessions of one hour each week. At the complession of meta-cognitive counseling program, posttest and then follow-up test (1 month later) were completed by both groups. For analyzing the data, multi-variance and covariance (MANCOVA) were used. Results showed that meta-cognitive counseling has signifintly reduced test anxiety symptoms in the posttest and follow-up stages (P<0.01).

The aim of this study was to determine the validation of the Revised Family Needs Survey (R-FNS) Scale for families with children with special needs. The research method was descriptive-validation through development and validation of an instrument. The sample consisted of 100 families of special needs children who were selected from the special schools by available sampling method in the 2009-2010 (1388-89s.c) academic year. Measuring instruments were the Revised Family Needs Survey (R-FNS) Scale (Bailey & Simeonsson, 1995), and Family Needs Scale for Iranian Families (Nasiri and Samani, 2008/1387s.c.). To assess the results of the study, the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS-16) was used. Test of the internal consistency of the (R-FNS) scale, revealed that all 35 items for mothers (a=0.86), and for fathers (a=0.81) were highly correlated with the total score. A re-administration of the measure 3 month later yielded high correlation (P<0.001). Results of Kolmogorov-Smirnov test showed that all the variables are normally distributed. Content validity of the scale according to kendall's coefficients of concordance for its subscales and total scores were statistically significant (P<0.001). The results of multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) indicated that there are significant differences between mothers and fathers groups in information, family & social support, financial, explaining to others and child care components (P<0.001). The significant correlations between the components and the total scores of (R-FNS) scale with (IFSN) scale were convenient and confirmed its validity. The finding showed that Persian version of (R-FNS) has good psychometrics properties in measuring the needs of families of children with special need.