Journal of Child Mental Health
Year:2023 | Volume:10 | Issue:2|Papers Count:8

Background and Purpose: Children with emotional-behavioral adjustment problems need special support and different methods to shape desirable behavior and prevent psychological damage. A variety of parenting approaches are being developed to reduce the adjustment problems of children with special needs and their parents' psychological well-being. Therefore, the present study was carried out with two goals: to introduce the nurtured heart approach and its application in the parenting of children with special needs,to investigate the effectiveness of Nurtured Heart Approach (NHA) Method: This study was done based on the systematic review with the PRISMA (2010) statement and purposive sampling method. The literature resources were searched in Google Scholar, Eric, SSRN, Wiley, and PubMed databases by the nurtured heart approach, intervention, parent education programs, and parenting keywords. In the first step, 1421 resources and then 32 (22 research,10 books) written sources were found. Nineteen resources were chosen based on inclusion and exclusion criteria in the screening stage. Results: Findings showed 13 researches investigated the intervention based on the NHA (1409 total sample size in 1997-2022) to reduce challenging behavior of children with learning disability (LD), Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), Conduct disorder (CD), and Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In other reviewed texts, this psychological and family-oriented approach has been confirmed. Conclusion: The results of this systematic review showed the NHA is based on the parent-child interaction. Thus parents' awareness and education improve the adaptive and social-behavioral skills of children. Therefore, it is suggested the NHA be used in the field of parenting for children with special needs in Iran.

Background and Purpose: Several factors have been identified as exerting role in the onset of anorexia nervosa (AN). Sensitivity to reinforcement, metacognitive beliefs, tension, and body self-concept (BSC) have been studied as potent elements in the genesis and development of this condition. The goal of the present research was to determine of body self-concept had a role in regulating the structural relationships between sensitivity to reinforcement (SR), metacognitive beliefs (MCB), and stress with AN. Method: This research is a correlational descriptive study of the type of modeling research,The statistical population of the present study includes the students of Tehran. The research sample was based on a multi-stage cluster sampling method in Tehran city. The participants included 215 female students who were asked to complete online form of Questionnaires about Anorexia Nevrosa (Stice et al., 2004), Body Self-Image Questionnaire (Rowe et al., 1999), Sensitivity to Reinforcement Questionnaire (Jackson, 2009), Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995) and Metacognitive Beliefs Questionnaire (Cartwright-Hatton et al., 2004). The partial least squares method was used in SPSS26 and Smart-PLS3 software environment for data analysis. Results: The results indicate that the modified model of the structural relationship of SR, MCB, and stress with AN with the mediation of physical fitness self-concept has the necessary validity. Conclusion: It can be concluded that BSC plays a mediating role in the relationship between SR, MCB, and stress, with AN. In fact, individuals' perception and understanding of their bodies, as well as their emotional experiences related to body perception, constitute two dimensions that form the body image. If this BSC is characterized by a negative body image, it leads to body dissatisfaction.

Background and Purpose: The occurrence of risky behaviors in Iranian society has turned into a social concern. Additionally, risk-taking affects the health of adolescents negatively and it is suggested that committing risk-taking behaviors at least once during adolescence is associated with the likelihood of other problems and maladjustment in adulthood. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the structural relationship between risk-taking based on parenting styles and Alexithymia in adolescents from the city of Mashhad, with the mediating role of perceived social support and the extent of social media use with the regulating role of gender. Methods: The method of the present study is applied and correlational. The population consisted of all the high school students aged 14-18 in the first, third, and fifth districts of Mashhad, during the second semester of the 2021-2022 academic year. The sample consisted of 600 students in ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grades selected based on convenience sampling. The data collection for the study included the Iranian Adolescents’ Risk-Taking Scale (Zadeh Mohammadi, 2011), The Toronto Alexithymia Scale (Taylor, 1986), The Perception of Parenting Styles Questionnaire (Grolnick et al., 1997), The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support Questionnaire (Zimet et al., 1988), and the Scale of Social Media Use Questionnaire (Hosseini Esfidvadjani, 2021). Data analysis was conducted using path analysis modeling and test of mediating effects in the proposed model with the bootstrap method using SPSS26 and AMOS24 software. Results: The results of this study indicate that the proposed model fits well with the data. A significant negative relationship can be detected between the perception of parenting styles and perceived social support with risk-taking in both girls and boys. In addition, a significant positive relationship is detected between alexithymia and risk-taking in both girls and boys (P<0. 01). Furthermore, the study confirms the mediating role of social support and the extent of social media use in relation to perceiving parenting styles and alexithymia with adolescent risk-taking (p<0. 01). Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, we can state that the variables of perceived social support and the extent of social media use play a mediating role in the relationship between risk-taking and the perception of parenting style and alexithymia in adolescent girls and boys.

Background and Purpose: Children whose parents divorce each other face stress that has short-term and long-term psychological effects. Based on this, the present research was conducted with the aim of the effectiveness of child-based mindfulness therapy on emotion regulation and improving self-concept in children with divorced parents. Method: The present study was a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest with a control group and a 2-month follow-up phase. The statistical population of the research was all children with divorced parents in Kermanshah city in 2019, 30 children with divorced parents were selected by conveniance sampling and randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups. The experimental group received 10 sessions of mindfulness intervention based on Bordick's (2017) model, while the control group was placed on the waiting list to receive the intervention after the end of the study. The instruments used included the Children and Adolescents Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (Gross and John, 2003) and the Children's Self-Concept Questionnaire (Piers and Harris, 1969). Data were analyzed by repeated measures analysis of variance. Results: The findings showed that mindfulness training on the components of emotion regulation (cognitive reappraisal (P<0. 01, F=29. 361) and suppression (P<0. 01, F=31. 652) and the components of children's self-concept (behavior (P<0. 01, F=17. 813), rational and school status (P<0. 01, F=16. 762), physical appearance and attributes (P<0. 01, F=8. 421), anxiety (P<0. 01, F=19. 429), popularity (P<0. 01, F=21. 927), happiness and satisfaction (P<0. 01, F=18. 691) have a positive effect and these results obtained continued in the follow-up period (P<0. 01). Conclusion: When children of divorce feel that there is nothing they can do, mindfulness gives them other choices by increasing mental flexibility, and this issue is effective in regulating their emotions. Also, mindfulness leads to improved self-concept by reconnecting internal and external sources, sources that a person may not even believe in.

Background and Purpose: Academic success in kids is significantly influenced by two crucial factors: academic engagement and the acquisition of social skills. Hence, the primary objective of this research endeavor was to assess the efficacy of positive thinking training in enhancing academic engagement and fostering social skills among elementary students. Method: The present study employed a quasi-experimental design, specifically a pre-test and post-test design, with the inclusion of a control group. The statistical population comprised all sixth-grade students enrolled in primary schools within the city of Baharistan during the academic year 2018-2019. A total of 30 students were selected via cluster sampling and subsequently divided into two groups, namely the experimental group and the control group, each consisting of 15 individuals. The study utilized research instruments such as the Social Skills questionnaire (Karamti, 2016) and Academic Engagement questionnaire (Fredericks et al., 2004). These questionnaires were provided to both the control and experimental groups before and after undergoing positive thinking skills training. The experimental group participants underwent a series of 14 sessions, each lasting 60 minutes, during which they received positive thinking training. In contrast, the control group did not get any form of training. The data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 22 software, employing a multivariate analysis of covariance test with a significance level of α=0. 05. Results: The findings indicate a statistically significant difference in the mean scores of social skills and academic engagement between the experimental and control groups during the post-test phase. Specifically, the experimental group exhibited higher levels of social skills and academic engagement compared to the control group (P<0. 01). Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, the implementation of positive thinking skills in education facilitates enhanced self-awareness and curiosity among students. This approach also promotes the recognition and appreciation of positive experiences, leading to improved adaptive abilities and academic motivation.

Background and Purpose: One of the most effective factors in developing the educational system development which has a significantly direct relationship with academic performance is student flourishing. Present study aimed to develop a model for explaining academic flourishing of students based on moral intelligence, with the mediating role of academic motivation, academic emotions, academic procrastination, and academic burnout. Method: The present study used descriptive-correlational design with structural equation model. The population included all the students of secondary school in Tehran in the second semester of academic year 2021-2022. Through multistage random sampling method, a sample of 2010 students was selected. The students completed Moral Intelligence Questionnaire (Link& Keil, 2005), Researcher-made Academic Flourishing Questionnaire, Academic Motivation Scale (Vallerand, 1992), Achievement Emotions Questionnaire (Pekran et al. 2005), Academic Procrastination Scale (Solomon& Rothblum, 1984), and Academic Burnout Questionnaire (Schaufeli et al. 2002). Data were analyzed by using Structural Equation Model by PLS 3. Results: Results indicate the significantly positive effect of moral intelligence on academic flourishing and academic motivation as well as its significantly negative effect on academic emotions, academic procrastination, and academic burnout. Academic procrastination, academic emotions and academic burnout have a significantly negative effect on academic flourishing while academic motivation has a significant positive effect on it. Moral intelligence affects academic flourishing through the mediating role of academic motivation, academic emotions, academic procrastination, and academic burnout. 78 % of the academic flourishing variance is explained through the direct and indirect effect of moral intelligence. Conclusion: Accordingly, to increase the academic flourishing of students, programs can be developed for enhancing moral intelligence, which in turn results in the enhancement of academic motivation, academic emotions, academic procrastination, and academic burnout. Implications of the results are discussed in the article.

Background and Purpose: Bereavement and loss are very significant events in the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities. While thinking about death and dealing with related questions are common during adolescence, adolescents with intellectual disabilities often receive little information about death, particularly when it comes to the death of their loved ones. The objective of the present research was to clarify the concept of death in adolescents with mild intellectual disabilities and borderline intellectual functioning, using the existential phenomenology approach. Method: The research was designed qualitatively and existentially, the research community consisted of adolescents who were studying in special schools located in Bandar Anzali city in 2022. The data was collected by conducting semi-structured interviews with 23 adolescents who had mild intellectual disabilities (IQ: 50-70) and borderline intellectual functioning (IQ: 70-85). The data analysis was performed manually and using the Dickelman method (1992) simultaneously with the data collection process. Results: In the data analysis, three main themes were extracted: "Death-Related Experiences", "Continuity of Death in the Context of Life" and "Life against Death", and each of these main themes emerged through the analysis of several sub-themes. Conclusions: The findings of this study, in alignment with the theoretical basis and existential phenomenology research, highlight that adolescents with mild intellectual disabilities and borderline intellectual functioning perceive death as an existential structure. They also emphasized the need for more awareness of issues related to death. Despite their efforts to make sense of life, they feel that people around them often overlook their developmental needs. These insights, along with other research evidence concerning the issue of existential death, provide valuable information for educational and therapeutic experts. In planning educational and rehabilitation programs for adolescents with intellectual disabilities, it is important to take into account their understanding of existential death, which refers to their awareness of the limitations of one's existence in the context of a time-bound life.

Background and Purpose: Anxiety is one of the common disorders of childhood, in addition to drug treatments, psychological interventions and treatments have been used to reduce it. The present study was conducted with the aim of meta-analysis of effective treatments in reducing children's anxiety. Method: In this meta-analysis, the statistical population includes available research related to non-pharmacological interventions for children's anxiety inside and outside of Iran, which were published in scientific databases from 2010 to 2020 (Google Scholar, Pub Med, since Direct, NCBI, Taylor & Francis Online, SID Magiran, ensani) have been published with the keywords of anxiety disorder, separation anxiety, social anxiety, specific phobia, child anxiety, generalized anxiety, cognitive-behavioral therapy, play Therapy, behavior therapy, story therapy, art therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and mindfulness therapy were searched. According to the criteria for entering the research, out of 77 available studies, 65 studies were analyzed. The method of data analysis was the meta-analysis approach, which was done using CMA2 software. Results: Meta-analysis was performed on the primary studies in eight treatment groups, which showed that the combined effect size obtained from the studies related to each treatment indicated the effectiveness of all the mentioned interventions on children's anxiety. Based on the combined effect size, the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapies (0. 755), story therapy (0. 655), attachment-based therapy (0. 598), play therapy (0. 575), cognitive behavioral therapy (0. 569), child-parent interaction therapy (0. 565), mindfulness (0. 539) and art therapy (0. 496) respectively had the greatest effect on reducing children's anxiety, which the results of the one-way analysis of variance test showed, this difference is not meaningful (P=0. 355, F=65. 7 1. 132). Conclusion: The obtained effect size showed the effectiveness of the mentioned interventions in reducing children's anxiety, and considering the non-significance of the difference in the effectiveness of these treatments, all the mentioned treatments can be used alone in the treatment of children's anxiety.