Journal of Behavior in Clinical Psychology
Year:2012 | Volume:6 | Issue:23|Papers Count:9

Test anxiety, is a type of situational anxiety which bears a close relationship to the academic performance and progress of students. The present study aims to compare the effectiveness of active music therapy and Gestalt therapy in decreasing test anxiety. In so ding, in a semi-experimental design, involving a pre-test and post-test, a boy junior high school was selected from among junior high schools in Shahriar by using available sampling method. Then, Abolghasemi's Test Anxiety Questionnaire was administered to the sample, out of which 24 subjects who had received the highest scores were chosen and randomly divided into 3 groups namely Music Therapy, Gestalt Therapy and Control groups. The first two groups (Music Therapy, and Gestalt Therapy groups) underwent active music therapy and Gestalt therapy for 8 sessions, while control group did not receive any treatment. The data were analyzed by using ANCOVA and Scheffe's Posthoc Test. The results indicated that both active music therapy and Gestalt therapy were effective in decreasing test anxiety but there was not a significant difference between their effectiveness.

Psychological constructs such as attachment styles and early maladaptive schemas play a significant role in creating interpersonal problems. This study aimed to determine the causes of continuation of clinical syndromes of emotional breakdown of university students based on attachment styles and early maladaptive schemas. In so doing, in a comparative-scientific study from among Tabriz City university students those who had suffered from emotional beakdown at least 3 months back and still had its symptoms, 40 students with Clinical Syndromes and 40 students without Clinical Syndromes were selected through purposive sampling method. Then, these subjects were administered the short version of Hazan and Shaver Young Schema Questionnaire, and the Adult Attachment Questionnaire. Results showed that both groups had significant differences in early maladaptive schemas and attachment styles. These findings reveal the decisive role of schemas and attachment style in breaking up individuals' emotional relationships and pathological reactions. Likewise, it seems that treatment focused on these two structures i.e. attachment styles and early maladaptive schemas could be effective in improving problems resulting from emotional break-down.

Generally, the spouses, children and relatives of the individuals with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) gradually show symptoms, called Secondary Traumatic Stress Disorder (S.T.S.D). The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of training mindfulness based cognitive strategies in the reduction of the symptoms of secondary traumatic stress disorder (S.T.S.D) and psychological problems of the spouses of individuals with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Therefore, in a semi-experimental design, involving a pre-test and post-test with control group, 28 spouses of individuals with PTSD were selected by using available sampling method and were randomly assigned into experimental and control groups. The experimental group received eight 150-minute training sessions concerning mindfulness-based cognitive strategies. Then both groups were assessed in terms of S.T.S.D, depression, anxiety, dysfunctional attitude, and negative automatic thoughts. The results of the study indicated that mindfulness-based cognitive strategies was effective in the reduction of the symptoms of S.T.S.D and other related variables including intrusive thoughts and notions, depression, anxiety, dysfunctional attitude, and negative automatic thoughts of individuals with PTSD.

Theory of mind attempts to demonstrate the power of human mind to us in order to conceive mental states and understand social interaction through attributes, beliefs, desires and emotions in himself/herself and others in order to explain and predict his/her own behavior or others. The purpose of the present study was to compare the global theory of mind between sexual abusers of female and normal individuals. Therefore, in a comparative study from among the prisoners in Urmia City with an age range of 20-35, those who were accused of female sexual abuse, 30 sexual abusers were selected through available sampling method and were matched and compared with 30 normal individuals in terms of characteristics such as age, gender and education. Data analysis showed that in comparison with normal individuals sexual abusers of female suffer from more deficiencies concerning global theory of mind. It seems that the problems of sexual abusers of female result from some deficiencies of global theory of mind in intimacy, empathy, cognitive distortions domains. By highlighting and teaching these items, we could intervene in the behavior of sexual abusers of females.

Self-instruction helps students to organization their thought, learning and self strategy patterns. Attribution retraining programs are designed to help those students who have inappropriate motivational patterns in the course of their own success and failure. The present research, with an experimental design, consisting of pre-test, and post-test with control group, investigated the effect of self instructional training and attribution retraining on the performance of mathematical problem-solving of male students with mental defiecncy.In so doing, 45 junior high school students with metal deficiency in grade three were selected through available sampling method and were randomly assigned into experimental and control groups. Experimental group received treatment for 8 sessions. The results of covariance analysis indicated that the experimental group's mathematical problem-solving scores increased significantly. Given the obtained data, it could be said that self-instruction training in comparison with attribution retraining helped mental deficient students to improve their performance much better.

The function of episodic memory is to recall what, where, and when something happened. Memory is prone to damage and change, and various factors can play a role in its changing and weakening. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of emotion on the consolidation of episodic memory of female and male subjects. Therefore, in a study with an experimental design, from among Tabriz University students, 120 students (60 males and 60 females) were selected through cluster random sampling method in the academic year of 2010-2011.Then the subjects were provided with a list of words which were emotionally neutral and they were tested in terms of memory. After 5 minutes, the subjects were assigned equally and randomly into 3 groups. Each group was assigned a different task for 3 minutes i.e. watching positive videos, watching negative videos and resting. Then the three groups were again tested in terms of memory.The results of the study showed that only negative emotion significantly enhanced memory consolidation in females in some cases. However, neither positive nor negative emotions had any significant effects on source memory consolidation of both genders. The findings of the study indicate that the effects of emotion on episodic memory consolidation are not thorough and the emotion has different effects on males and females after they learn the patterns.

Multiple Sclerosis is one of the most common chronic diseases of the central nervous system that affects the sensory and motor function. Depression is also one of the most common mental illness among patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).The purpose of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of mindfulness-based group cognitive therapy in the reduction of depression in patients with multiple sclerosis. Given this, In a study with a semi-experimental design along with control group, 28 female individuals, who were members of Multiple Sclerosis Society of Yazad Province, were selected through available sampling method. The subjects were assigned into experimental and control groups having been assessed in terms of the rate of depression. Then the experimental group attended 8 sessions of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT).The results of the analysis of covariance showed that the mean of depression scores of the experimental group decreased significantly in comparison with the control group. In other words, these results indicate that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is effective in reducing the depression of MS patients.

Forgiveness is an internal desire that helps individuals to refrain from showing unpleasant communication responses, and helps them to behave positively toward the person that treated them negatively. The purpose of the present study was to examine personality factors and forgiveness components (lasting resentment, sensitivity to circumstances, willingness to forgive) among university students. Therefore, 430 university students (N=430; female=229 & male=201) were selected from among undergraduate students of Tabriz University through proportion-stratified random sampling method.Then the sample was administered the Big Five Personality Inventory (NEOFFI) and Mullet Forgiveness Questionnaire (FQ). The analysis of regression indicated that personality factors accounted for 0.25% of variance of lasting resentment, 0.21% of sensitivity to circumstances, and 0.06% of variance of willingness to forgive. Agreeableness is a negative predictor of lasting resentment while neuroticism is a positive predictor of it. Agreeableness, Extraversion, Neuroticism, and Conscientiousness are positive predictors of sensitivity to circumstances. Neuroticism is a negative predictor of willingness to forgive but Agreeableness is positive predictor of it.