Health, Spirituality and Medical Ethics
Year:2025 | Volume:12 | Issue:3|Papers Count:8

Background and Objectives: Different types of training can help adolescents improve their mental health. Education based on spiritual beliefs and attitudes is one way to increase positive adaptation and decrease stress. This study aimed to investigate the possible effects of spiritual-based education (SBE) on the resilience and psychological well-being of fatherless adolescents during an eight-week training program. It was hypothesized that SBE would increase the above-mentioned variables. Methods: Sixty participants were selected through multistage cluster sampling and randomly assigned to either an education or a no-education (wait-list control) condition. The main assessment was performed pre-education, post-education, and at the four-month follow-up.   Results: The findings showed that SBE increased the level of resilience in educational conditions (P<0. 002), and the effect of education was maintained after a four-month follow-up. Also, a quadratic interaction was observed between group and time series for resilience (P<0. 03). This research revealed that spirituality-based education improves resilience, however, no difference was observed between the education and no-education conditions based on the psychological well-being of adolescents.   Conclusion: Therefore, the present study provides additional support for the beneficial effects of SBE on various aspects of mental health. It is recommended that more research is required to examine the processes by which education leads to higher resilience.

Background and Objectives: Mothers caring for their sick children are exposed to mental problems and stress. It seems that logotherapy, with a religious approach, can be used to improve psychological conditions. Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the effect of logotherapy with an Islamic approach on improving the depression and happiness of mothers of children with cancer. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted on 60 mothers of children with cancer who were selected through convenience sampling and assigned to intervention and control groups through random allocation. The mothers in the intervention group participated in eight 90-minute sessions, held every other day, in groups of 3-5. The Oxford happiness inventory (OHI) and Beck’s depression inventory (BDI) were used for data collection. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software, version 16.   Results: The happiness score was significantly higher in the intervention group (38. 53±6. 19) compared to the control group (34. 23±8. 60) (P<0. 001). Moreover, the depression score was significantly reduced in the intervention group (21. 20±8. 53) compared to the control group (10. 80±9. 10) (P<0. 001). Conclusion: Logotherapy with an Islamic approach appears to increase happiness and reduce depression in mothers of children with cancer. Healthcare providers must use this method to improve the psychological well-being of mothers and maintain them in a more favorable condition.

Background and Objectives: Providing self-awareness skills training to adolescents and incorporating religious teachings into these programs can positively affect this sensitive age group. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of self-awareness skills training based on monotheistic primordial nature (Fitra) on students’ moral development and spiritual well-being. Methods: This study utilized a quasi-experimental design, incorporating pre-test, post-test, and two-month follow-up assessments with a control group. The statistical population was female high school students in Shadegan, enrolled during the 2022-2023 academic year. Through convenience sampling, 30 participants were selected and randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n=15) or a control group (n=15). The experimental group received an 8-session, 90-minute self-awareness skills training program grounded in monotheistic primordial nature, while the control group received no intervention. Data were collected using the Spiritual Well-being Scale and the Moral Development Scale, analyzed via SPSS software, version 27 with repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni post-hoc tests Results: The results indicated that self-awareness skills training based on the monotheistic primordial nature significantly increased the mean scores of spiritual well-being and moral development in the experimental group compared to the control group. These positive changes were observed at the initial post-intervention measurement and sustained at the follow-up assessment two months later (P<0. 001). Conclusion: This study found that self-awareness training, based on monotheistic primordial nature (Fitra), significantly improved spiritual well-being and moral development in female high school students, with effects sustained at two-month follow-up. Educational planners should consider integrating this program to enhance student development.

Background and Objectives: Conduct disorder (CD) is a psychiatric disorder in adolescents that, if left untreated, can lead to antisocial personality or antisocial behaviors. This study aimed to design and validate a spiritual therapy (SP) package based on Islamic culture and classical psychological achievements. Methods: A content analysis methodology was employed. The challenges faced by these adolescents were articulated using the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5) diagnostic criteria in conjunction with contemporary empirical research outcomes. The SP elements were formulated according to the God-attachment theory proposed by Kirkpatrick. We endeavored to correlate each identified problem or challenge with a corresponding element of the SP framework. A panel of experts, consisting of 14 faculty members, evaluated the alignment between the recognized challenges and suggested intervention components. Relevant verses and narratives from the Quran and hadiths on the elements of SP were extracted through an exhaustive literature review. The expert panel appraised each item’s content validity ratio (CVR) and content validity index (CVI). A comprehensive educational package comprising 13 sessions was devised, and its efficacy was independently assessed. Results: The educational package’s CVR was calculated to be 0. 99. Each educational session’s CVI was >0. 78. Conclusion: Based on these results, the SP educational package based on Islamic culture is suitable for incorporation into counseling. Institutions and mental health providers could integrate SP into their therapeuthic/educational plans.

Background and Objectives: Infertility is a multifaceted health condition that significantly impacts women’s physical, psychological, and social well-being. Beyond the clinical aspects, women undergoing infertility treatment often confront complex emotional responses, socioeconomic challenges, and lifestyle adjustments. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of women with primary infertility in navigating these challenges. Methods: This study used a descriptive qualitative approach, analyzed thematically using Colaizzi’s framework. Eight women diagnosed with primary infertility were purposively selected from infertility clinics in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Data were obtained through in-depth, quasi-structured face-to-face interviews and analyzed thematically using NVivo software, version 14. Rigor was ensured through member checking and expert validation.  Results: Five major themes emerged from the data: Challenges at diagnosis, participants reported emotional distress upon diagnosis, especially those newly diagnosed. Prior experience or family history helped reduce anxiety. Challenges associated with treatment include hormonal therapy or in vitro fertilization (IVF), often combined with lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise. Emotional and psychological challenges, support from family, friends, and healthcare providers, were essential for managing emotional strain. Financial and psychological barriers, high costs, and treatment uncertainty pose significant stress and limit access to consistent care. After treatment, the participants maintained healthy habits and reported increased emotional resilience. Conclusion: The findings underscore the necessity of a comprehensive and integrative approach to infertility care. Effective management must extend beyond medical treatment, including psychosocial support, accessible financial resources, and long-term lifestyle guidance. Strengthening these dimensions is essential for improving treatment outcomes and the overall quality of life of women with infertility.

individual performance, identifying the factors that influence these two components is crucial. One such factor is religious metacognition, which refers to an individual’s ability to reflect on, evaluate, and regulate religious thoughts and emotions. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the relationship between religious metacognition, hope, and anxiety among university students. Methods: This descriptive-correlational study was conducted on students at Farhangian University in South Khorasan in 2024. The statistical population consisted of 1 820 students, from which 239 participants (120 females and 115 males) were selected using stratified sampling. Data on religious metacognition, hope, and academic anxiety were collected using standardized questionnaire. Pearson correlation and multiple regression analyses were used to analyze the data. Results: The results indicated a significant positive relationship between religious metacognition and hope (β=0. 67, R²=0. 459, P<0. 05), and a significant negative relationship between religious metacognition and anxiety (β=-0. 64, R²=0. 408, P<0. 05). In other words, religious metacognition accounted for 45. 9% of the variance in hope and 40. 8% in anxiety. Conclusion: The results showed that religious metacognition is crucial in promoting students’ mental health. These abilities are associated with increased hope and reduced anxiety. Strengthening religious metacognition is an effective factor in improving students’ mental health.

Background and Objectives: Social well-being is a crucial dimension of students’ mental health, and several psychological factors can affect it, including optimism and self-compassion as a spiritual component. The present study aimed to investigate the role of optimism and self-compassion in predicting students’ social well-being. Methods: This study was descriptive-correlational. The study’s statistical population included 351 students from the Islamic Azad University of Birjand City, in the second semester of the academic year 2024-2025, who were selected using a random-cluster sampling method. To collect data, standard questionnaires on life orientation, self-compassion, and social well-being were used. Data were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and multivariate regression analysis in SPSS software, version 27. Results: The results showed that optimism (F=48. 52, P<0. 01) and self-compassion (F=50. 18, P<0. 01) play a significant role in predicting students’ social well-being, explaining 45. 8% (R2=0. 458) and 50. 2% (R2=0. 502) of its variance, respectively. The standardized regression coefficients showed that both variables positively and directly affected social well-being. Conclusion: These findings emphasize the importance of strengthening optimism and self-compassion among students. Universities should promote the level of these characteristics in students by holding educational workshops, counseling sessions, and support programs to help improve their social well-being.

Background and Objectives: The psychological well-being of mothers raising children with intellectual disabilities is a critical area of inquiry, particularly concerning the interplay between parental confidence and spiritual resources. This study aimed to explore the relationships between parental self-efficacy and spiritual intelligence and the psychological well-being of mothers of children with intellectual disabilities, while assessing the mediating role of alexithymia in these relationships. Methods: This study utilized a descriptive correlational research design. The target population comprised all mothers of children with intellectual disabilities residing in Tehran City, Iran, in 2024. A convenience sample of 269 mothers was recruited. Data were collected using the psychological well-being scale, parental self-agency measure, spiritual intelligence questionnaire, and Toronto Alexithymia scale. Structural equation modeling was employed to evaluate the proposed model. Results: Correlation analysis revealed a significant negative relationship between alexithymia and psychological well-being (r=−0. 45) and a positive correlation between spiritual intelligence and psychological well-being (r=0. 36). Significant negative correlations were found between spiritual intelligence and alexithymia (r=−0. 47) and parental self-efficacy and alexithymia (r=−0. 23). A significant positive relationship existed between parental self-efficacy and psychological well-being (r=0. 18). Additionally, spiritual intelligence and parental self-efficacy significantly influenced psychological well-being through alexithymia mediation (P<0. 001). The estimated structural equation model demonstrated an acceptable fit to the data (standardized root mean square residual [SRMR]: 0. 08, normed fit index [NFI]: 0. 79). Conclusion: This study identified alexithymia as a critical mediator between spiritual intelligence, parental self-efficacy, and psychological well-being, demonstrating significant direct and indirect relationships, independent of child gender. These findings emphasize the clinical relevance of targeting alexithymia and promoting spiritual intelligence and parental self-efficacy to improve psychological well-being in this population.