JOURNAL OF CHILD MENTAL (JOURNAL OF CHILD MENTAL HEALTH)
Year:2019 | Volume:5 | Issue:4 |Papers Count:19

Background and Purpose: Labour children are exposed to various risks and resiliency in high-risk situations is very important. This study aimed to predict the resilience of labour children based on coping strategies with stress and attachment styles. Method: In a correlational study, 100 labour children who have referred to Tehran labour children Support organizations, the Department of Social Welfare of District 15, Molavi child labor center, and the Tehran's Great Market were selected using convenient sampling method and responded to coping inventory for stressful situations (Endler and Parker, 1990), revised adult's attachment styles (Collins & Reid, 1996), and resilience scale(Connor and Davidson, 2003). Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and hierarchical regression analysis after eliminating the confounding effect of gender Results: Correlation coefficients demonstrated that there is a significant positive correlation between resilience with secure and ambivalent attachment styles, and problem-oriented and avoidant coping strategies (P<0. 01). Resilience levels were not correlated with age, education level, and duration of employment in children (P>0. 05). Regression analysis also showed that after eliminating the gender effect, the subscales of attachment will not explain the resiliency and only the problem-oriented coping strategy (β =0. 331, P=0. 001) predicts 27% of the joint variance of the resilience (F=6. 134, P<0. 0001). Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that the problem-solving coping strategy by focusing on solving the problem helps to create intellectual coherence in the individual and enables the person to identify and control the source of stress which results in prediction and increased resilience of the individual.

Background and Purpose: The most of students with intellectual disability have not appropriate social competency. Inappropriate social competency leads to psychological problem in their life, while mental immunization training has been associated with desirable outcomes. The purpose of this research was to investigation of the effectiveness of mental immunization training on psychological reactions and social competency of students with intellectual disability. Method: The present research was a quasi-experimental study by pre-test, post-test design with control group. The study population included of boy students with intellectual disability aged 15-18 years old in Tehran during the academic year 2017-2018. The participants were 32 students with intellectual disability that selected by convenient sampling method from Nour eslam in Varamin and Taher in Rey city. Subjects were divided into two groups and assigned into two experimental and control groups randomly and each group consisting of 16 students. Experimental group received psychological immunization program in 10 sessions for 50 minutes while the control group did not receive this intervention. The instruments of present research were depression anxiety stress scales (Lawibund and Lawibund, 1995) and social competencies scale (Felner, Lease and Philips, 1990). Data were analyzed by using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). Results: The results showed that mean scores of depression, anxiety, and stress in experimental group was significantly decreased in the post intervention in comparison with control group (P<0. 001). Also, the mean social performance scores of the experimental group were significantly higher than the control group (P <0. 001). Conclusion: The mental immunization program is related to subjective well-being and individual’ s affective experiences, and that it influences cognitive processes as well as social relationships. Therefore, it seems that the training of this program plays an important role in improving the emotional reactions and social capability of students with intellectual disability.

Background and Purpose: By 2020, depression will have been the second disease after cardiovascular diseases that will threaten humans’ health and life throughout the world. The study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), mindfulness-based therapy (MBT), and a combination of ACT and MBT on depression. Method: The study was quasi-experimental with pretest and posttest and control group. The population was all patients with depression, average age of 14, admitted to Yasouj Counseling Centers in 2016-2017. A sample of 60 patients with depression was selected using convenient sampling method and was randomly assigned into three experimental and one control groups. The experimental groups received 8 sessions of therapy and the control group received no intervention. Beck Depression Inventory (1997) was used to collect data. Results: The results of multivariate analysis of covariance showed a significant difference in the posttest scores of depression among the four group (P<0. 05, F=26. 43, df=3). The results also showed that MBT, ACT, and combined therapy had significant effects on depression, but the combined therapy was significantly more effective than MBT and ACT (P<0. 05, df=3). However, the difference between MBT and ACT groups was not significant (P>0. 05, df=3). Hence, the effect of these methods on the subjects was similar. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that combining the MBT and ACT is more effective than using each of these methods alone.

Background and Purpose: Children with attention deficits hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have a serious deficiency to planning, control of ongoing task and finish their future tasks. So, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of training time-based and event-based prospective memory strategies on prospective memory performance among ADHD. Method: This experimental research method was ABAB’ s single-subject design. The sample of the study consisted of 3 children aged 7-10 years old with ADHD in the primary school of Qom who were studying in the academic year of 2017-2018. They were selected through purposeful sampling. Each 3 children received 12 individually prospective memory training sessions. The instruments that used in the present study included prospective memory tasks (Kerns, 2000), the Conners comprehensive behavior rating scale– teacher (Conners CBRS– T, 1998) and the Wechsler intelligence scale for children – fourth edition (WISC IV, 2003). For prospective memory training, the intervention program of Waldum, Dufault, Mcdaniel (2014) was adapted and used. To analyze the data visual analysis and cohen's d effect size were used. Results: The results showed that in the time-based tasks, the number of fuel checks and in the event-based tasks, correct recognition number of cues in the treatment and follow-up sessions increased. In event-based tasks, the number of success was high in treatment and follow-up sessions. Th effect size of training prospective memory strategies were between 1. 15-2. 7 which was a high effect size. Conclusion: Training of prospective memory strategies lead to improve monitoring behaviors and correct detection of prospective tasks cues. As a result, prospevtive memory and future tasks performance improve in this children.

Background and Purpose: The topic of the relationship between parents and children has attracted the attention of educators over the years. The family is the first base to create a connection between the child and his surroundings. This study aimed to infer mothers' understanding of successful parenting in education to determine the angles and dimensions. Although few studies have examined the relationship between parenting styles and academic achievement, the only way that can capture the mental perception of mothers of academic achievement is a phenomenological qualitative research. Method: Among mothers with successful children in education in Rasht city, Guilan province, 31 people were selected through purposeful sampling until they reached the saturation level, and interviewed. The conversations were recorded by permission of the mothers, recorded on paper, and analyzed using Colaizzi method. Results: Based on the data obtained, 12 main concepts of successful parenting were extracted: discipline, stimulate curiosity, self-education, counseling, teacher role, individual characteristics, information, study, targeting, expectations, environment, and independence. Conclusion: In this study, the role of three factors is fundamental and pivotal: interaction of individual characteristics with mother, student-teacher interaction, self-achievement. Based on the results, it can be concluded that self-achievement is a collection of all the actions of mothers, teachers, and individual characteristics of the students.

Background and Purpose: Deprivation from a parent is one of the special family circumstances that can have a direct and indirect impact on the development and various dimensions of the child's behavior, especially in the field of mental health, physical activity, and academic performance. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of child-centered play therapy on the self-control and impulsive behavior of single-parent children. Method: In this research, a single-subject experimental design was used. The statistical population of this study was the children of a 6-8-year-old boy from the Iranian House of Molavi, who was a member of the popular population of Imam Ali center in Tehran in 1395. The sample consisted of 3 single-parent boys were selected through convenient sampling method. The Kendall and Wilcox self-control questionnaire (1979) was used to collect data. The intervention training was conducted in 12 sessions of 45 minutes with intervals of 1 week between sessions. The data analysis method was analytic, and the rate of recovery was used to obtain the effectiveness of play therapy. Results: The results of data analysis showed that although child-focused therapy had an effective effect on self-control and impulsive behavior of single-parent children, its effect was not clinically meaningful. Conclusion: Play therapy is a dynamic interpersonal relationship between the child and the therapist, helping the child increase his self-control skills by creating a secure communication space in the play room.

Background and Purpose: In today's world helplessness and attributional styles because of their effects on psychological well-being and physical health, are very important. When looking for the best teaching method for students, it is important to consider the role that the intellectual factor plays in the learning process. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the attributional retraining program on learned helplessness and attributional styles in students with low academic achievement. Method: In this quasi-experimental study, posttest-only design with nonequivalent comparison groups, was used. 32 junior high school students with low academic achievement in the Karaj city were selected by convenience sampling method and randomly replaced in two experimental and control groups. The attributional retraining program was taught for experiment group in 9 sessions of 60 minutes for about five times weeks and times a week. After this program, both groups answered to the learned helplessness scale (Quinless & Nelson, 1988) and attributional styles questionnaire (Peterson et al, 1982). Data were analyzed by using multivariate analysis of variance. Results: finding revealed that attributional retraining teaching program cause to significant decrease learned helplessness and pessimistic attributional style. Also, the experimental group had a significant increase in optimistic attribution style compared with the control group. Conclusion: it seems that cause to maximize the benefits of effective teaching by reducing learned helplessness and improving attributional styles for students with low academic achievement in classroom tests and final exams.

Background and Purpose: The difficulty in emotion regulation is one of the problems faced by students with dyslexia. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the Fredrickson's positive emotion training program on emotion regulation of students with dyslexia. Method: The sample consisted of 30 dyslexic female students aged 12-9 years old from the general schools of Isfahan in the academic year of 2012-2013 selected by multi-stage random sampling method and randomly assigned to the experimental (n = 15) and control (n = 15) groups. The intervention consisted of 12 45-minute sessions that were conducted in the experimental group. The cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire (Garnefski et al, 2002), Wechsler intelligence scale for children-fourth edition (WISC-IV) (2003) and the reading and dyslexia test (Karami Noori and Moradi, 2008) were used in this study. To analyze the data, multivariate analysis of covariance was used. Results: The results of multivariate analysis of covariance indicated that positive emotion training program had a significant effect on emotion regulation of students with dyslexia (P < 0. 0001). Conclusion: Fredrickson's positive emotion training program can influence the regulation and control of the emotions of dyslexic students, and therapists can use it along with other teaching methods.

Background and Purpose: The motivation determines the energy and behavior, and the aim of all educational systems is to increase the achievement motivation in the students. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to evaluation of the structural model of achievement motivation based on the school climate and values related to study with the mediation of meta-emotion in students. Method: The research method was correlation and the sample consisted of 380 students (190 girls and 190 boys) from first grade high school students in the age range of 15-13 years old in Shiraz during the academic year 2016-2017. The sample was selected by multi-stage cluster sampling method and the school climate (Zullig et al., 2009), Values Related to the Study (2017), meta-emotion (Mitmansgruber et al., 2009), and achievement motivation (Hermans, 1970). Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and regression equations in the form of path analysis. Results: Findings showed that the school climate, values related to the study, and meta-emotion have a direct impact on motivation. It was also found that school climate and values related to the study through meta-emotion had an indirect effect on motivation (P = 0. 01). Conclusion: The positive values related to the study, the presence of encouraging supportive school climate, and a suitable meta-emotion perspective that including the acceptance of negative as well as positive emotion, can improve the achievement motivation among students.

Background and Purpose: Autism Spectrum Disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects different types of childhood development. Joint Attention deficit is one of the first diagnostic symptoms of ASD. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of joint attention training on improving executive functions and social interaction in children with high functioning Autism. Methods: The present research was a quasi-experimental by pre-test-post-test design with control group. The sample included 30 children with autism in the pre-school age range of Tehran in 2017 who were selected through convenience sampling method and randomly assigned into two groups of experimental and control (15 children in each group). Experimental group received joint attention training program in 13 sessions for 60 minutes while the control group did not receive this intervention. The instruments used in this study were rating scale for Asperger’ s syndrome and high-functioning pervasive developmental disorder (Garss, 1994), Coolidge neurobiology inventory (Coolidge, 2002), and autism social Skills profile (Scott Bellini, 2007). Results: The results of covariance analysis showed that there is a significant difference between the groups in executive functions, but there is no significant difference in social interaction. The results also showed that the average of the experimental group in the executive actions (46. 06) was higher than the mean of the control group (48. 93) which is significant at the level of 0. 001. The difference between the mean of the experimental group in social interaction (100. 89) and the control group (100. 97) was not significant Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that joint failure is one of the main characteristics of children with autism, and improving this skill will facilitate the development of other functions.

Background and Purpose: Since one of the most important factors influencing mental peace and security is having positive thoughts, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of teaching positive thinking skills on the psychological capital and happiness of elementary students. Method: The research method was experimental with pre-test and post-test design with control group. The statistical population consisted of all male students of the sixth elementary school in Khoy city in the academic year 2016-2017. The sample consisted of 40 people who were selected by multistage random cluster sampling and assigned in experimental and control groups (20 in each group). In order to collect data in this study, psychological capital questionnaires (Luthans, Youssef, & Avolio, 2007) and Oxford happiness questionnaire (Argyle & Lu, 1989) were used. Positive thinking skills was trained in 10 sessions of 90 minutes to the sample group. Data analysis was performed using multivariate analysis of covariance. Results: The results of the data analysis showed that positive thinking can increase the psychological and happiness of children, and the subjects in the experimental group in the post test stage had significantly higher psychological and happiness (P <0. 005) Conclusion: In sum, the results of this study confirm the usefulness and impact of positive-thinking education on increasing the psychological capital and happiness of children.

Background and Purpose: The presence of a child with a disability or illness is very stressful for parents, and especially for mothers, because they experience tension, feelings of guilt, and fatigue. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of positive thinking skills training on social anxiety and cognitive avoidance of mothers of children with specific learning disabilities. Method: The research method was semi-experimental and one-sample design with pre-test-post-test. The statistical population consisted of all mothers of children with special learning disabilities in Tarom city in 1396, among them 20 children were selected using convenient sampling method. The research instrument was social anxiety Inventory (Connor and et al, 2000) and cognitive avoidance questionnaire (Sexton and Dugas, 2004). Positive thinking was taught in 7 sessions of 120 minutes to experimental group. Data analysis was performed using Cohen's coefficient and Hedges coefficient. Results: Data analysis using Cohen coefficient and g coefficient showed that the scores of the experimental group significantly decreased in the social anxiety and cognitive avoidance compared to the control group scores (p <0. 01). Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, positive thinking skills have been effective to improve social anxiety and cognitive avoidance of mothers of children with special learning disabilities by creating mental and positive schema.

Background: Anger in children and adolescents is one of the most common and destructive excitement that causes various cognitive and behavioral problems in them and is a threat to the mental health of children and adolescents. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy based on mindfulness on anger control of male students. Method: This semi-experimental study was conducted with pre-test, post-test and control group design. The sample consisted of 30 students aged 10-14 years old in Charbahar city in the academic year of 2017-2018, who had higher scores in the Spielberger state-trait anger expression inventory (1999). They were selected by convenient sampling method and randomly assigned into two experimental and control groups (15 students in each group). The experimental group received 90 minutes of instructional cognitive-behavioral therapy based on anger management, and the control group did not receive any training at that time. Covariance analysis was used to analyze the data. Results: The results of this study showed that cognitive-behavioral therapy based on anger management has a significant effect on the components of anger control; that is, the mean scores of the experimental group in the post-test were significantly reduced compared to the control group (P<0. 001). Conclusion: Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that cognitive-behavioral therapy based on mind-fullness due to the special emphasis on experiencing and direct discharge of excitements can inhibit the components of anger.

Background and Purpose: Obesity and overweight are not only known as the main cause of non-transmissible diseases such as blood pressure, blood lipids, diabetes, and myocardial infarction, but also have an impact on other aspects of human life. Thus, the purpose of this study is to compare the components Physical fitness, perceived physical fitness, and fundamental motor skills in obese and non-obese children. Method: The research method was causal-comparative. To this purpose, 160 primary school students in Karaj in 2012 were selected by convenient sampling and assigned to the body mass index in two obese and non-obese groups. To collect data, the perceived physical fitness questionnaire (Abadie, 1988), test of gross motor development-2 (Ulrich, 2000), and test of physical fitness components were used. Data were analyzed using two way and multivariate variance analysis. Results: Two-way variance analysis of data showed that there is a significant difference between the components of physical fitness and fundamental motor skills between girls and boys (p< 0. 05). In these variables, boys had better performance than than non-obese girls and children. Also, multivariate analysis of variance showed that there was a significant difference between the agility, speed, flexibility and power subscale in obese and non-obese groups (p< 0. 05). Conclusion: According to the results of this study, obesity causes decrease in physical fitness and level of motor skills in children.

Background and Purpose: A person with leukemia experiences despair, frustration of the future, and a feeling of discomfort from the disease. One of the most effective therapeutic approaches is Kataria laughter therapy, which requires stimulation through laughter and relaxation through yoga. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of laughter yoga training on hopelessness and loneliness in children with leukemia. Method: The research was a semi-experimental design with pre-test, post-test and follow-up with the control group. The statistical population of this study was all children with leukemia who referred to the Omid Hospital of Isfahan in 2015-2016. A sample of 28 these children were selected by convenient sampling method and randomly assigned to experimental (13 subjects) and control (15 persons) groups. The instruments used in this study included the hopelessness scale for children (Kazdin, Rodgers, and Colbus, 1986) and children’ s loneliness scale (Asher, Hymel, and Renshaw, 1984). The data were analyzed using repeated measure ANOVA. Results: The results showed that yoga exercises significantly reduced the sense of hopelessness and loneliness in the experimental group at post-test and follow-up stages (p <0. 05). Conclusion: According to the results, it can be said that the use of Laughter Yoga exercises is effective in reducing feelings of frustration and loneliness. As a result, this treatment can be used as a complement to the main treatments for leukemia.

Background and Purpose: Parents of children with autism usually experience high levels of anxiety and depression, and the parent-child interaction is worsening. The purpose of this study was to design and construct a social animation program for children with autism disorder and to investigate its effect on promoting parents' interaction with these children. Method: The research method was quasi-experimental and in the framework of pre-test-post-test design. The sample consisted of 16 boys of children with autism spectrum disorder in the age range of 5-10 years old in Tehran in 2017 who were selected by convenient sampling method and then randomly assigned into two experimental and control groups. Then the children of the experimental group received a social animation program in 30 sessions per 1 hour. Parents responded in both groups before and after intervention to the parent child relationship scale (1994). To analyze the data at inferential level, multivariate covariance analysis was used. Results: The results showed that there was a significant difference between the two groups in all the subscales of the test (conflict, closeness, dependency) (p <0. 001). These findings indicate an increase in the parent-child interaction in the experimental group after intervention. Conclusion: Overall, the results show that the social animation program can improve and enhance the parent-child interaction, and can provide the opportunity to use the learned skills in real life by enjoying the learning and learning process.

Background and Purpose: The Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) have common and different aspects that is important to diagnosis and treatment of these disorders. The purpose of this study was to compare selective attention and problem solving among male students with these two disorders. Methods: The research design was a comparative study and the statistical population of this study was all students of the elementary school who were diagnosed with ADHD and ODD in Shahrekord city in the academic year of 2017-2018. The study sample consisted of 32 students with ODD and 47 students with ADHD who were selected by convenient sampling method. The research tools included simple Stroop test (Stroup, 1935) and London Tower test (Shays, 1982), which were performed individually. The data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance and Mann-Whitney U test. Results: The results showed that students with ADHD in the Stroop selective attention test had significantly higher scores in the i indexes of incongruent reaction, without congruent reaction, correct number of consonant and correct number of disparate of selective attention test compared to students with ODD (p <0. 05), but there was no significant difference in problem solving indices (P< 0. 05). Conclusion: Lower scores of selective attention of students with ADHD in comparison with students with ODD can be an important diagnostic feature of these two disorder and due to neurological failure these children.

Background and Purpose: Emotional and behavioral disorders in children with Down syndrome, lead to social problems and reduced ability in cognitive and behavioral functions. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of play therapy in reducing behavioral disorders in children with Down syndrome. Method: The research method was a pre-test-post-test with control group. The statistical population of this study was all children aged 6 to 16 years old with Down syndrome in Rasht in 2016-2017. Twenty of them were selected by convenience sampling method and were randomly assigned to control and experimental groups (10 children in each group). The research tool was Rutter behavioral disorders questionnaire. Experimental group received play therapy in 10 sessions of 30 to 45 minutes, while the control group did not receive any interventions during this period. Data were analyzed using covariance analysis method. Results: The results of this study showed that play therapy was effective in reducing behavioral disorders in children with Down syndrome (P <0. 01). Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, in addition to the statistical significance, the importance of play therapy as a suitable method for children with Down syndrome in reducing behavioral disorders can be emphasized and used as an effective method.