JOURNAL OF FUNDAMENTALS OF MENTAL HEALTH
Year:2009 | Volume:10 | Issue:4 (40)|Papers Count:16

Introduction: Studies indicate that drug abuse is affected by assertiveness skill. This study was carried out to determine assertiveness skill and use of Ecstasy among adolescents who resided in the western part of Tehran.Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, eight hundred adolescents, 16-18 years old, who resided in the western part of Tehran, participated in this study. The study setting was public regions of municipality in western area of Tehran. Data was gathered by "Rathus" assertiveness assessment” and self-structured questionnaire in use of Ecstasy. To analyze data, SPSS software and descriptive statistics and independent t test and X2 test were used.Results: Findings revealed that the mean score of assertiveness skill among most of adolescents was 13.05±20.75. About 7.6% of adolescents reported using Ecstasy at least once. The comparison of performance of males and females on X2 test was significant (P£0.0001). Among Ecstasy users, 71.8% used it non-continuously and 80% used 1-2 tablets in every term. Rate of boy Ecstasy users (11.2%) was significantly more than girl users (2.9%) (P£0.000) Conclusion: This study indicated no relationship between assertiveness skill and use of Ecstasy; however, regarding adolescents’ vulnerability, implementation of drug abuse prevention programs seems necessary

Introduction: The effect of teachers on the learners is considered undeniable in educational research. The importance of teachers’ mental health is very obvious because a healthy teacher means safe education and safe education guarantees a safe society.Materials and Methods: Theaim of this study was investigating the prevalence of psychiatric symptoms among elementary school teachers in Shahrekord in 2005-2006 academic years. 1008 teachers from 139 elementary schools (districts 1 and 2) in Shahrekord made the population of this descriptive, cross-sectional study. Seventy percents of teachers answered the questions and 705 teachers participated in this research. The required data gathered via Scl-90-R standardized questionnaire and personal and social features questionnaire. Descriptive and analytical data analysis (t-test, analysis variants, post hoc and regression) were done through SPSS.Results: Some degrees of mental disorder were seen in 27.4% of teachers. The highest of prevalence was related to somatization disorder (74.9%) and the lowest was phobia (20.6%). There was no significant relationship between prevalence of mental disorders and marital status (P=0.7) and teaching experience (P=0.77). A significant reverse relationship was observed between prevalence of psychiatric symptoms, income, and degree of education (P<0.001).Conclusion: The results showed that the prevalence of mental disorder was high among the subjects of the study.

introduction: The goal of this research is investigating the relationship of personality factors and psychological health with mindfulness of students.Materials and Methods: In a descriptive correlation study, 366 students of Tabriz University in academic year of 2007-2008 were randomly selected to fill out the Eysenck personality questionnaire, Goldberg general health questionnaire, and Brown mindfulness attention awareness scale. To analyze data, SPSS.13 software and descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation) and Pearson's correlative coefficient, stepwise regression analysis, independent test, and one-way analysis of variance were used.Results: According to finding, correlation of mindfulness with psychosis (r=-0.17), with extroversion (r=0.09), with neurosis (r=-0.25) was attained (P<0.01).The correlation of mindfulness with general health elements in body symptoms (r=-0.22), anxiety and insomnia (r=-0.14), defect in social function (r=-0.26) and deep depression (r=-0.24) was attained (P<0.01).Defect in social function, neurosis and psychosis determine 13% of mindfulness variance. Boys enjoy higher psychological health and lower mindfulness than girls (P<0.01).There was no difference between various ethnic groups (Turk, Fars, and Kurds) regarding the degree of mindfulness and psychological health.Conclusion: It seems that psychological health can enhance mindfulness. This finding can be used in psychological interventions.

Introduction: Bipolar disorder is a common psychological disorder which affects the patient's life due to early onset, frequent episodes, long term treatment and losing social relationships. The present research aims at evaluating the rate of effectiveness of group cognitive-behavioral treatment on higher adherence to pharmacotherapy and improvement of interpersonal-relationship in patients suffering from bipolar disorder.Materials and Methods: The research subjects included 30 females suffering from bipolar disorder, hospitalized in Ibn-e-Sina psychiatry hospital, Mashhad. The participants were selected by their availability and were randomly distributed in experimental and control groups.After the primary dropping out, each group consisted of 11 members took medicine. California test (category B) and nursing form made the pretest of the study, given to the subjects in equal conditions. The experimental group received group cognitive-behavioral therapy in 8 sessions as well as their medication therapy. The control group only received medicine. At the end of the experiment and 6 months later, all subjects were tested under equal circumstances. The findings of the study were analyzed through multi-variable variance analysis and t- test.Results: The cognitive-behavioral therapy group has been efficiently significant in increment of medication compliance (P<0.01) and improvement of interpersonal relationship (good impression, communality, tolerance, self-control, responsibility (P<0.01) and socialization (P=0.04) in comparing with the control group.Conclusion: Cognitive behavioral therapy group can be efficient in increment of medication compliance and improvement of personal relationships; therefore, cognitive-behavioral therapy group can be used as a complementary treatment by the clinicians.

Introduction: Depression can be a risk factor for coronary heart diseases and/or a consequence of that. This may eventually worsen prognosis, elongation of the treatment and increase the costs. It seemed necessary to perform a study that can distinguish the degree and intensity of depression signs in patients with unstable angina in comparison with non-angina patients in Qaem general hospital in Mashhad, Iran.Materials and Methods: One hundred unstable angina patients in heart emergency ward of Qaem hospital were assessed for depression signs and were compared with non-angina patients in 2006. Demographic data forms and Beck depression inventory (BDI) were filled out for all cases in both groups. Data was statistically analyzed using SPSS and appropriate descriptive and analytic statistical tests such as chi square or t-test were conducted.Results: The mean age was 59.4±11.7 years. Females were 64% of participants. Depression rate was significantly more in the case group (81%) than the control group (P=0.01). There was no relationship between depression rate and age, sex, marital status, education, familial history of depression, occupation, consumption of cardiac or psychological drugs, and duration of cardiac or psychological diseases. Patients with low satisfaction on their income significantly showed more depression rate (P=0.006).Conclusion: Depression sign rates are significantly higher in patients with unstable angina than the non-angina patients.

Introduction: The stress has an effective role in activity and exacerbation of chronic diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Multiple sclerosis is one of the most disabling diseases that affect different aspects of patient's life. The aim of this study was to determine the psycho-social factors causing stress in patients with multiple sclerosis.Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive causal-comparative study that was performed on 184 patients who were registered in Isfahan MS community and were selected randomly. The measuring instrument was the researcher-developed 24-item questionnaire which assessed psycho-social stressful factors in MS patients. The face and content validity of the questionnaire was investigated and verified by specialists. Also, the reliability of the questionnaire was estimated to be 0.89 by Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient. The data were analyzed by t-test one sample (one variable).Results: Mean scores of social factors: providing treatment expenses, concern about offspring's future and their marriage were greater than moderate level while other factors like reduction in occupational efficiency and social communications were less than moderate level. Meanwhile, the mean scores of psychological factors: preoccupation with disease, fear of death, and worry about future were greater than moderate level in MS patients.Conclusion: As the results indicate, providing treatment expenses, worry about offspring's future, and marriage are accounted as stressful social factors. The findings also show that preoccupation with disease, fear of death and worry about future are considered as stressful psychological factors in MS patients.

Introduction: Studying mental health status of prisoners and presenting mental health services are considered very important. This study was planned to investigate personality disorders of prisoners of the central jail in Sanandaj.Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, the statistical community included prisoners of central jail in Sanandaj with more than six months of conviction and one month in prison throughout the year (May 2003- Nov 2004) and sample size contained 208 persons entered in to study. After permission of ethics committee and taking satisfaction of prisoners, psychiatric disorders particularly personality disorders were evaluated twice in clinical interview by a psychiatrist. The received data were analyzed by SPSS software and x2.Results: Eighty eight percents of the participants were males. The highest prevalence was observed among 20-40 years-old subjects (51.4%). Of all subjects 40.4% were single, 48.1% were married, and 11.5% were divorced. 79.3% of the subjects did not have high school diploma. Total prevalence of personality disorders among subjects was 55.8% out of which 75.9% (42.3% of total) included antisocial personality disorder and 24.1% (13.5% of total) contained borderline personality disorder. Twenty six percents of subjects showed psychiatry disorders in axis I. A significant relationship was observed between the prevalence of personality disorders and prisoners' age and sex (P=0.003, P=0.004 respectively).Conclusion: More than 50% of prisoners suffered from personality disorders. Most common personality disorders were antisocial and borderline disorder, respectively.

Introduction: Many researchers have been conducted to evaluate the treatment methods of borderline personality disorder (BPD). In this study we compared the cognitive behavioral therapy, pharmacotherapy and their combination.Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial, 40 males with BPD were divided randomly to four groups. (method and materials) This study is a experimental research. the sample was consider of 40 male in prison mashhad, the sample were allocted either to a experimental group or to a (control group ) in a randomized design. The Beck Anexiety inventory and impulsivity checkList were used as the pre-test. Using for group pharmacotherapy (lithium carbonate, Fluoxetine).At first, all patients were evaluated by Beck anxiety test and impulsivity questionnaire. The first group received pharmacotherapy (lithium carbonate and fluoxetine). The second group received cognitive behavioral therapy including 16 sessions of 90 minutes. The third group received a combined therapy and the control group received no intervention. The same tests were administered of four groups as the post-tests. To analyze the data, a one way ANOVA and Tokay test were conducted.Results: Analysis of variance showed that symptoms of impulsivity (F=39.71, P>0.01) were significantly different in post-tests. Tokay test revealed that combined treatment and pharmacotherapy were more effective than the other methods (P>0.01). Post-test anxiety scores also showed a significant difference among the four study groups (F=5.11, P>0.06). The findings indicated that cognitive behavioral therapy was more effective than the other three groups (P>0.01).Conclusion: Cognitive behavioral therapy can be effective in reducing anxiety and impulsivity symptoms in patients with borderline personality disorder.