Journal of clinical psychology and counseling research
Year:2012 | Volume:1 | Issue:2|Papers Count:15

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of schema therapy in the treatment of social anxiety disorder.Method: The research method was a single-case experimental design with multiple baselines. Five clients were selected by purposive sampling method. They were received 20 individual sessions based on Young’s schema therapy model. The Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN), Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale(LSAS), Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ: long form), Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale (BFNE), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE-10) and Short form Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36). For analyzing the data, the Improved Diagnostic Method and Clinical Significance were used. The results showed the Young’s Schema Therapy model significantly reduced the activity of the early maladaptive schemas in all areas of schemas and consequently improved the treatment indices (i.e., fear and avoidance) both statistically and clinically. Schema therapy could be an effective intervention for the treatment of social anxiety disorder in women.

The present research tested the effectiveness of the Emotionally Focused Therapy to increase marital adjustment and positive feelings among couples suffered from extramarital relations. The sample included 12 clients. Treatment sessions were administered individually. Participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental or a control group. The Dyadic Adjustment Scale and Positive Feelings Questionnaire were administered with both groups. Experimental group received 9 sessions of EFT, while control group was on the waiting list. Results showed that from pre- to post-test there was a significant increase only in the marital adjustment of the experimental group. However, the EFT was more effective for female clients than the male clients.

Self-concept forms a basis for the development of one’s evaluation of self and the world hence recognition of effective factors on self-concept seems important. The present research studies the relationships between mother’s self-concept with her child’s attachment styles and self-concept. 180 female students who were studying in Semnan high schools at the academic year 2010 were selected. They completed Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (TSCS) and Adult Attachment Inventory (AAI), their mothers also completed TSCS. Results showed that mother’s self-concept and her child’s self-concept were associated positively, moreover, mother’s self-concept was also associated with her child’s attachment styles. Meanwhile, there was a negative relationship between the students’ insecure attachment styles and self-concept. Consequently, mothers’ self-concept and the children’s insecure attachment styles could predict the children’s self concept.

The main purpose of this study was to examine psychometric properties of a short version of the Self-Regulation Inventory (SRI-S), including internal consistency, test-retest reliability, content validity, and convergent, and discriminant validity. 357 Iranian participants volunteered (150 males, 207 females) t to take part in the study. All participants were asked to complete the SRI-S, the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised Short Scale (EPQ-RS), and the Mental Health Inventory (MHI-28). Test-retest reliability (r=0.87) and internal consistency (a=0.93) of the SRI-S were examined at satisfactory levels. Content validity of the SRI-S was calculated according to Kendall's coefficients of concordance for SRI-S subscales including Positive Actions, Controllability, Expression of Feelings, and Needs, Assertiveness, Well-Being Seeking, and SRI-S total score. All Kendall's coefficients of concordance were statistically significant. Self-regulation scales revealed significant positive associations with extraversion and psychological well-being, as well as significant negative associations with neuroticism and psychological distress. The results confirmed the convergent and discriminant validity of the SRI-S. It was concluded that the SRI-S can be considered as a reliable and valid scale to measure self-regulation in Iranian samples.

The negative consequences of unsuccessful marriages necessitates improvements in the attitudes and skills that are related to martial relationships. The present research examined the effectiveness of Gottman approach on stabilizing and enhancement of couples’ relationships. 16 couples with marital problems were randomly assigned to a control or an experimental group. The measures were Enrich’s Marital Satisfaction Scale, DOS, and General Mental Health Questionnaire. The data analyses conducted included t-test and Repeated Measures of Covariance. Results showed that, at pre-test, the groups differed from one another on none of the measures. At post-test, only participants in the experimental group showed significant increases in all indices of mental health and in their marital satisfaction. In addition, the observed positive changes lasted in the experimental group after a 30-day follow up study.

Executive dysfunction theory in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is expalins many features of the disorders in social and non-social areas. The purpose of the present research was examining the ability of response inhibition in children with ASD using a computerized Stroop test. Convenient sampling method was used for selecting 15 boys with ASD, the participants had a minimum an IQ>=70 and were connected to a specialized autism center in Mashhad. 15 normal children, from a local primary school, were also selected as a comparison group, who were matched on their age and gender. Results, using MANCOVA, indicated that there was a significant difference between groups in the Stroop test’s response indices, i.e., error rates and reaction time on the congruent stimuli, with the ASD children performing poorer than the normal children. However, the children did not differ from each other on their reaction times to the incongruent stimuli nor on their interference scores.

The aim of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of theory of mind training on the promotion of theory of mind levels in students with intellectual disability. The research followed an experimental design with pretest and posttest measurement, and included a control and an experimental group. 30 intellectually disable female students, 8-to-12 years were selected using multi-stage cluster sampling method. After matching the groups for their age, their intelligence and theory of mind scores, they were divided into two experimental (N=15) and control (N=15) groups. Students in the experimental group were trained for 9 sessions with theory of mind but the control group did not receive any training. Measures included a 38-item questionnaire testing the participants’ theory of mind and Raven’s Progressive Matrices. The results of an ANCOVA showed that the theory of mind training had significant effect on the promotion of the theory of mind levels (p<0.001) among 8-12 year old female student with intellectual disability.

The purpose of this descriptive/correlational study was to evaluate the relationship between achievement motivation and academic self-concept with test anxiety in graduate students of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (N=308). Participants answered to achievement motivation questionnaire of Hermance, Beck and Astyr self-concept and test anxiety scale of Abolghasemi and colleagues. The results of a regression analysis showed that the combination of achievement motivation and academic self-concept can well anticipate the students’ test anxiety. The results of a MANOVA also showed that male and female students do not differ in thier academic self-concept, achievement motivation, and test anxiety.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between alexithymia construct and personality traits in university students. A sample of 112 undergraduate students of Shahid Chamran University was selected randomly and the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale and NEO-FFI were administered to them. To analyze data, canonical correlation analysis method was used. The results showed that a statistically significant canonical function of high neuroticism and low agreeableness and low openness to experience is related to alexithymia. Extraversion and consciousness could not predict alexithymia. To conclusion, it seems that personality traits can predict alexithymic characteristics in people.

The primary aim of current study research was to investigate the relationship of work-family conflict with perceived organizational support, job stress and self-mastery in expatriate personnel in second district of gas transition operation station. 75 persons were selected by stratified random sampling. 66 questionnaire were filled out and were returned to the researchers (return rate=82%). Findings indicated that the work-family conflict among expatriate personnel was more than average population. In addition, work-family conflict had a significant relationship with all 3 criterion variables, namely, perceived organizational support, job stress and self-mastery. Step by step regression analysis shows that the work-family conflict appeared as a predictor of perceived organizational support, but family-work conflict predicted two other variables namely job stress and self mastery with two opposite directions for spillover. Explained variance for perceived organizational support was 22% that explained by work-family interference, while for job stress and self mastery were 21% and 26% that explained by family-work interference. To conclude, the results uggests to invest for reducing the work-family conflict in expatriate workers.

This study was carried out to investigate the relationship of self-criticism, social anxiety, and fear of failure with internalized shame in students of Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz, Iran. 82 males and 100 female's students (total, 182) were selected by stratified random sampling. For data collection of social interaction anxiety, Fear of Failure, self criticism, and internalized shame scales were used. Data analysis was conducted using correlation coefficient and multiple regression method. The coefficients of Cronbach's alpha reliability of the four scales were 0.83, 0.80, 0.79, and 0.90, respectively. The findings indicated that self-criticism, social anxiety, and fear of failure have positive significant relationship with internalized shame. Moreover, self-criticism, and social anxiety were positive predictors of shyness. The results support the idea that self-criticism and social anxiety have important roles in predicting student's internalized shame.

The Purpose of the present research was to validate the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scales for marital quality in men and women referred to Sanandaj counseling centeres. 384 male and female participants were selected on a voluntarily bases, all participants completed the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scales (RDAS) and a few criterion questionnaires. Data were analyzed using factor analysis through Tendentious Oblimin Rotation Sort and Confirmatory Factor analysis. Factor analysis by Factor analysis of tendentious oblimin Rotation sort indicated three factors then by Confirmatory Factor analysis is fitting. Data were indicative of high level of Coranbach, Alpha and Split-half (92% and 89%) reliability coefficients of the marital quality Inventory and extracted factors. The convergent validity of the questionnaire was examined by measurement tools for marital satisfaction(ENRICH), Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale(FACES-III) Dyadic Adjustment Scale (Dyadic consesus) and the correlation results for the three criteria are sequentially as follow: 39%, 36%, and 33% which are significant at ( P<0001).The MANOVA and T test were showed, there were no significant differences between male and female for factors and age groups with respect to marital quality degree. Results of factor analysis are consistent with prior findings. marital quality Inventory can be used in research and family settings and in screening the marital quality of couples.