JOURNAL OF FUNDAMENTALS OF MENTAL HEALTH
Year:2008 | Volume:10 | Issue:3 (39)|Papers Count:16

Introduction: In this study the relationship between alexithymia and ego defense styles was investigated in a sample of students. The aim of this study was to examine the kind of association exist among alexithymia and its three components including difficulty identifying feelings, difficulty describing feelings, and externally oriented thinking with ego defense styles including mature, neurotic, and immature defense styles.Materials and Methods: Two hundreds and eighty six students (135 boys, 151 girls) from the Tehran University were included in this study. All participants were asked to complete Farsi version of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (FTAS-20) and Defense Styles Questionnaire (DSQ). Analysis of the data involved both descriptive and inferential statistics including means, standard deviations, multivariate analysis of variance, Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and regression analysis.Results: Alexithymia showed a significant negative association with mature defense style (P< 0.001) as well as a significant positive association with neurotic and immature defense styles (P< 0.001).Conclusion: It can be concluded that alexithymia is associated with ego defense mechanisms.

Introduction: This study aims to investigation the incidence of depression after stroke and related factors.Materials and Methods: This investigation is a descriptive- analytic study which was conducted in the neurology department of Khatam hospital in 2007. We studied 100 patients with stroke in the first month after stroke, with using the available sampling. Patient's inclusion criteria were age higher than 18, defined place of cerebral lesion with CT scan or MRI, the sensory-motor disorders, Barthel disability index>70 before the stroke. Exclusion criteria were aphasia, consciousness impairment and mini-mental status examination <20. These patients were studied by demographic and Beck Depression Inventory and Bartheldisability index. Data were analyzed by SPSS statistical soft ware with t-test and Chi-square test.Results: We studied 100 (61 men and 39 women) patients, that 42 (42%) persons were depressed. Between physical disability after stroke on the basis of Barthel index and depression were significant relation ( k2=12.322, df =1, P<0.001) but there was no significant relationship between depression and lesion location.Conclusion: It seems there is a significant relation between the amount of physical disability after stroke and the occurrence of depression.

Introduction: Draw-A-Man test (DAM) as projection of a person’s inner world can provide information about people interests, anxieties, defenses and inhibitions. The aim of this study was to investigate indicators of aggression in DAM test in primary male school students.Materials and Methods: In this explanatory study 57 male student in third grade of a primary school of KhorramAbad city were selected by convenience selection. Firstly, according to manual of DAM test, they were asked to draw a person. Then, they were asked to write characters of an aggressive individual, finally they were directed to draw an angry and aggressive person. For the purpose of the study, two drawings were compared with regular TAM. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests such as Sing test, McNemar and Phi( F) correlation coefficient.Results: Data analysis showed that, dark lines, red color, mouth form (as bow down), tilted and knotted eyebrow, baldhead or stiffness of hairs and holding aggressive instrument (especially knife) were significantly more common in aggressive men as aggression sign. These indicators had significant frequency in comparison with regular DAM (P<0/001).Conclusion: The results of this study are mainly in accord with other studies about some of aggression indicators. Therefore, the presence of aggression instrument (especially knife) was remarkable in this study. This should be an important issue for families and education authorities, because it is should be related to type of aggressive behaviors which are common in the society.

Introduction: Human beings tendency to religion is coincidental with the man’s history. Experimental researches show no correlation among findings related to the relationship of religions orientation and mental health .The main purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between the religious orientation and anxiety and depression of university students.Materials and Methods: The main method in this study was descriptive-analytic. The subject was 571 students in Islamic Azad University, Azad Shahr branch, who were chosen randomly .The participants, were 324 male and 247 female students with the average age of 22 years. They answered to the researcher-made questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), religious attitude scale and Spilberger State-Trait Inventory (STAI) .Data were analyzed through SPSS software with descriptive-deductive base, ANOVA and Pearson,s correlation.Results: Data analysis indicated the high negative correlation between the religious orientation and anxiety and depression of university students. With the increase of the student’s religious orientation, their depression and anxiety decreased (P< 0.05).Conclusion: The study indicates the close relationship between the religious orientation and anxiety and depression of university students. Reinforcement and assimilation of religious values in students can lead them toward increased mental health.

Introduction: In this study, we’ve evaluated the effects of the voice of Quran and music as two kinds of complementary medicine on the intrauterine insemination.Materials and Methods: This clinical trial study was down on the 327 infertile couples, referred to the infertility center of MashhadUniversity of Medical Science in 2005. Infertile women were selected based on purpose. They divided randomizely into 3 groups include: Quran, music and control. Before, during and after IUI (intrauterine insemination), 110 patients listen to Quran, 105 patients listen to music and 112 patients were control groups. The patients were entered to the study that had good mental health by completing general health questionnaire. Data gathered via observe exam and experience. Analysis was down with use of T-test, Chi-square statistical tests by SPSS and Excel software.Results: Mean of age in the female and male, infertility duration, job, induction ovulation method, endometrial wide and follicular count before treatment were not significantly different in the 3 groups. We had 18 IUI positive cases per cycle (16.36%) in Quran group, this rate in music and control groups were 10 (9.52%) and 6 (5.35%) respectively. Theraputic response was significantly different between music and control groups (P=0.007), which shows the effect of the voice of Quran in infertility treatment, but there was no significant differences between music and control groups (P=0.18) nor between Quran and music groups (P=0.1).Conclusion: The effect of Quran sound on the infertility treatment by intrauterine insemination was more than music.

Introduction: According to behaviorists physical self-concept can be influence by interventional programs such as physical exercise or weight loss programs. More understanding of physical self-concept formation manner and its affectability ways by proper exercise programs, therefore, play an important role in achieving psychic health and desirable individual behavior. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of aerobic and Yoga training modes on physical self-description components of female students.Materials and Methods: Fifty seven sedentary female students with an age range of 19-25 years from Ferdowsi University who had not had any experience a­bout selected training modes voluntarily took part in the research. They were randomly and equally assigned to two experimental groups (aerobic and Yoga) and one control group. The experimental groups participated in two 60-minute sessions per week for ten weeks in certain related program. During this period, the control group did not engage in any organized exercise program. In order to collect data, physical self-descriptive questionnaire was used at the beginning and at the end of the program. One-Way ANOVA and Post Hoc Tukey test were used for statistical analysis.Results: Physical self-concept and physical activity and strength componentsin Yoga group compared to control group were significantly higher (P<0.05) at the end of 10th week of exercise. In addition, coordination component in Yoga and aerobic groups was significantly higher than control group (P<0.05).Conclusion: The results reveal the relative preference of Yoga exercises for improving some components of physical self-description.

Introduction: Nurses are at risk for the job-related-stresses, because of their responsibility in preparing convenience, comfort and cure for patients. These stresses affect their mental and physical health. This study aims to evaluate the job-related stressors of nurses in different wards.Materials and Methods: In this cross sectional (2005) study, 150 professional nurses were randomly selected from surgery, burn, psychiatry, emergency and internal wards of Ebn-e-Sina and Imam Reza hospitals. They answered to nurses' stressors questionnaire that evaluates all aspects of self- stress and physical, patients care, management and interpersonal stressors. Data were analyzed through  k2 test, Pearson's correlation, variance analysis and SPSS software.Results: The most important stressors were physicians who could not attend in emergency cases, shortage of working staffs compared to the numbers of patients and caring of end- stage patients. The most severe stressors were about management and the less severe were interpersonal. There was not a significant difference between the mean tension rates of wards. Job stresses of nurses did not relate to any of variables such as age, gender marital status, work shift, job history and working in different wards.Conclusion: The most severe job-related stressors in professional nurses are management stressors.

Introduction: The aim of this research was to evaluate the prevalence of cigarette smoking and its relationship with some demographic features, among first and second grade of high school students in Kerman city.Materials and Methods: In this cross – sectional study 860 students (514 girls, 346 boys) were selected randomly in Kerman in 2003. They answered to the self – made questionnaire including issues related to smoking and demographic features and included Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependent. Data analysis was done by SPSS -10 software and using T– test,  k2 and Fisher test.Results: In males 6.1% and in females 6.6% (6.4% totally) had smoked at least once in their life. 1.7% of males and 2.3% of females (2.1%) smoke sometimes. 2.8% of males and 0.4% of females (1.2%) were smokers. So 10.1% of males and 9.7% of females had experienced smoking. About 2.3% of males and 1.2% of females would like to quit smoking. In according to Fagerstrom test, 9 students, 5 males (1.5%) and 4 females (0.8%) were heavy smokers. 27 students, 15 males (4.4%) and 12 females (3.3%) were mild or moderate cigarette users.Conclusion: Cigarette smoking abuse is significantly high among teenagers in Iran therefore preventive activities should be directed in that way. This study showed that the prevalence of smoking was higher among boys but smoking for fun intentions was more in girls.