Journal of Behavior in Clinical Psychology
Year:2011 | Volume:6 | Issue:21|Papers Count:8

This study was carried out to determine the psychometric characteristics of Templer Death Anxiety Scale, an instrument, designed to assess the death anxiety. Our sample comprised 345 students (184 male, 161 female) who were selected from Islamic Azad University, Abadan branch, using the random sampling method and were then assessed using death anxiety scale. The data indicated that the mean scores were 7.5 (S.D.=2.9) for all subjects, 8.08 (S.D.=3.2) for female, and 7.11 (S.D.=2.7) for male. The validity of the scale was obtained using factor analysis that showed five factors with Eigen values of greater than one. Also, item-total correlations were evaluated; the reliability coefficients of the scale using test-retest, split-half, and Cronbach alpha were 0.87, 0.59, and 0.75, respectively. Furthermore, significant differences were found between female and male individuals in terms of death anxiety, single-married, and adolescent-middle aged students. Overall, the Death Anxiety Scale among students under study has appropriate validity and reliability. Moreover, factor analysis showed multidimensional structure for this scale and considering the appropriate psychometric characteristics, this scale can be used in researches about death.

The research purpose is to assess the relationship between mental health, the image of God and attachment quality amongst juvenile delinquents of Tehran city, therefore, 100 individuals were selected using convenience sampling and were tested with regard to behavioral symptoms of mental disorders, the image of god and attachment. Data analysis indicated that mental health of juvenile delinquents can be predicted based on the sort of the image of God and attachment quality. Juvenile delinquents who had positive and receptive image of God demonstrated higher mental health and more secure attachment quality, whereas, juvenile delinquents who had a negative and challenging image of god showed lower mental health and less secure attachment quality.

The research purpose is to explain disciplinary styles based on personality traits. Therefore, the sample comprised 382 students who were selected by random sampling among from Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon branch, and was tested with regard to parental styles and personality traits. The results demonstrated that neuroticism is negatively correlated to authoritative style, whereas, it is positively correlated to neglectful and authoritarian styles.Moreover, extraversion, agreeableness and openness are positively correlated to authoritative and neglectful styles and negatively correlated to authoritarian style. Furthermore, conscientiousness is negatively correlated to neglectful style and positively correlated to authoritarian and authoritative styles.

This study aimed to compare the relationship between personality traits and defense mechanisms in obese individuals compared to individuals with normal weight, hence, 100 obese subject and 100 individuals with normal weight were selected using convenience sampling. The results produced that the stated groups differed considerably in personality traits and use of defense mechanisms. Furthermore, results indicated that obese people intend to use reaction formation, projection and somatization. What's more, obese individuals also differed with normal-weight individuals in terms of extraversion, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness.

The research purpose is to compare depression in cancer patients who utilize more emotion-focused coping strategies while encountering stress and patients who adopt more problem-focused coping strategies. Participants were 88 cancer patients selected from gastrointestinal (n=26), breast (n=32), head and neck (n=30) who were selected through convenience sampling and were then tested in terms of depression and coping strategies. The acquired data were analyzed and results showed that approximately %60 of subjects suffer from mild to severe depression. Depression in cancer patients who adopted emotion-focused strategy rated higher than cancer patients who utilized emotion-focused coping strategy (p<0.05). Moreover, breast cancer patients demonstrated higher use of emotion-focused coping strategies compared to gastrointestinal, head and neck cancer patients (p<0.05).

The research purpose is to compare the demographic characteristics of schizophrenic patients and healthy individuals. Therefore, a sample of 93 schizophrenic patients was purposefully selected from the hospitals of Tehran City and was then matched with non-schizophrenic individuals. Results indicated that there exists a between-group difference in terms of marital status, parental education, number of siblings and family atmosphere, in a way that, healthy individuals' family environment is three times more liberal and schizophrenic individuals' family environment is five times more disorganized.

The research purpose is to compare marital commitment, sexual satisfaction, and life satisfaction between employed and unemployed women in Dezful city, therefore, our sample comprised 300 employed and unemployed women who were selected through multistage cluster sampling and were tested with regard to marital commitment, sexual satisfaction, and life satisfaction.Results showed significant between-group difference in terms of life satisfaction and sexual satisfaction among two groups which rated higher among unemployed women, whereas, no significant difference was observed regarding marital commitment among the above-mentioned groups.

This research was administered with the aim of studying the role of trouble making and cognitive attribution in relation to belief in a just world and female students' aggressive reaction. Therefore, our sample comprised 220 subjects drawn from a larger statistical population of female psychology students of Islamic Azad University, Isfahan branch using convenience sampling. They were randomly assigned to three groups of cognitive attribution (hostile, benign and ambiguous). Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and hierarchical regression analysis. Results indicated that trouble making and cognitive attribution have moderated the relationship between belief in a just world and aggressive reaction to three biases (hostile, benign, ambiguous). Moreover, regression analysis subsequent to hierarchical regression analysis indicated that in low trouble making and hostile attributional bias, the belief in a just world and aggressive reaction are negatively, significantly correlated to one another, whereas, high trouble making is significantly, positively correlated to the hostile attributional bias.