JOURNAL OF EDUCATION AND PSYCHOLOGY
Year:2007 | Volume:14 | Issue:1-2|Papers Count:10

The purpose of this study was to standardize and examine validity and reliability of the Conners’ Rating Scales for children in elementary schools in Shiraz.529 children (257 girls and 272 boys) aged 6 to 11 years were recruited using stratified sampling based on age and sex.For the purpose of this study the scale was' translated, using the method of back translation, and was adapted for use in Iran. A pilot study was conducted to verify translation and adaptation of the scale for use in Iran. Factor analysis was used to examine validity of the scale. Factor analysis, using principle component analysis followed by . varimax rotation led to 5 factors including conduct problems, inattention-daydreaming, hyperactivity, anxious-shy and passive.Reliability of the scale was assessed using different methods. Test-retest reliability coefficient for the total score was 0.76 and Cronbachs’ alpha coefficient was 0.86 for the total score. Raw scores were transferred to standard T scores with a mean of 50 and standard deviation of 10 for the total score and subscales for boys an4 girls.There was no significant difference between two age groups, using student t-test. Boys scored significantly higher than girls in totalscores, conduct problems and hyperactivity.

The aim of this study was to investigate the roles of cognitive and personality factors, family background and perceived stress in prediction of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. The sample consisted of 103 patients with OCD and 103 nonclinical subjects. The instruments used in this study were: Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for DSM-IV, Obsessive Belief Questionnaire-44, Interpretation of Intrusion Inventory, White Bear Suppression Inventory, Thought Control Questionnaire, Thought Control Ability Questionnaire, NEO-FFI and Life Events Scale. Discriminant analysis showed that %58 of variance in dependent variable (groups) is explained by our predictor variables. The classification results show the discriminant function correctly classified %87.9 of subjects.Stepwise discriminant analysis shows that thought suppression, dysfunctional belief in domain of perfectionism/certainty, and two thought control strategies (distractibility and punishment) contributed most to the discrimination of groups.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between motivational beliefs and learning approaches among the medical and engineering students. To achieve this end, 183 students were selected from Shiraz universities (61 females and 122 males). Their average age was 22 years and all of them were enrolled in third year of medicine (n=89), electrical and mechanical engineering (n=94) courses. Motivational beliefs were measured by 6 subscales of MSLQ, including, self efficacy, task value, test anxiety, intrinsic goal orientation, extrinsic goal orientation and control beliefs. The measurement of learning approaches was based on 3 subscales of SAI, including deep, surface and strategic approaches. The construct validity and internal consistency of these instruments were assessed in this investigation. Stepwise regression analysis showed complex relationships between motivational beliefs and learning approaches.The patterns of these relationships were not completely similar among medical and engineering participants. These findings were discussed in the light of related theories and past research results. Some educational implications were offered.

The present study examines personality traits, cognitive, organizational and biological-physical variables as predictors to discriminate between accident-involved workers from accident-free ones. The population of this research was from a company in Ahvaz city. The sample consisted of 189 subjects from accident-involved workers and another equal sample from accident-free workers who were selected by the use of simple random sampling. In the validation stage of the instruments, two samples (82 accident involved workers and 81 accident free workers) were selected to evaluate psychometric properties of the instruments. One hypothesis concerning the predictive roles of the personality traits, cognitive failure, organizational and biological-physical variables in distinguishing accident involved from accident-free workers was tested. In order to analyze the data, both discriminant analysis and descriptive stastistics were used. Findings revealed the fact that accident-involvement workers can be predicted from four categories of the research variables. The results confirmed the hypothesis of the study. The results obtained and the statistical indices of model was presented in this paper.

The main concern of this research is to investigate the relationship of family functions and psycho-social atmosphere of the classroom with maladjustment among the high school male and female students in Malayer. The sample of 302 students (152 male and 150 female) was selected through multi-stage sampling method from the students of eight high schools in Malayer. For data collection, Family Assessment Device (FAD), My Class Inventory (MCI) and Adjustment Inventory of High School Students (AISS) were used. Data analysis showed that there is a significant relation. Ship of family functions and psycho-social atmosphere with students maladjustmens (p<0.001). In addition, the constructs of family function and psycho-social atmosphere of classroom are appropriate predictors of students maladjustment.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between job stress (role conflict and role ambiguity) with job performance and job satisfaction, taking into account the moderating effects of autonomy and group cohesiveness variables. The respondents involved in this study were 280 employees of various departments of NISOC central office in Ahvaz, who were selected through simple random sampling method. The instruments were consisting of Role Conflict and Ambiguity Questionnaire, Group Cohesiveness Questionnaire, Job Descriptive Index and Graphic Rating Scale. To analyze the data, the sample was split in two groups on the median of moderator variables (i.e., autonomy and cohesiveness were both split into high and low groups). Then, Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficients between predictive variables (role conflict and ' role ambiguity) and the criteria Gob performance and job satisfaction) were calculated for each of the four groups. The results, while verifying the research hypotheses, indicated negative relationships between role conflict and role ambiguity with job performance and job satisfaction. These relationships were stronger in groups lacking job autonomy and cohesiveness than those which were high in these variables.

The purpose of this research was to examine simple and multiple relationships of achievement goals with test anxiety and academic performance of high school male first grade students in Izeh city. In this research, mastery-approach, mastery-avoidance, performance approach and performance-avoidance goals were considered as independent variables and test-anxiety and academic performance were dependent variales. The sample consisted of 381 male students randomly selected by a multistage method from the high schools in Izeh. The measurement of variables were conducted by use of the Patterns of Adaptive Learning Scales, Andrew Achievement Goals Scale and Ahwaz Test-Anxiety Scale. The results of this research indicated that mastery-approach goal had a negative relationship with “test-anxiety, but had a positive and significant relationship with academic performance. Mastery-avoidance goal had positive relationships with test-anxiety and academic performance. Performance- approach goal and perfohnance-avoidance goal had positive relationships with academic performance, but no relationships with test-anxiety.

The present study examines child abuse prevalence and parents’ general health, student’s adjustment, self-esteem and academic performance and family’s-demographic variables in abused and non-abused female guidance school students in Ahvaz. Three kinds of sampling were used: The validation sample included 350 students, the prevalence sample included 2000 students, and the hypothesis-testing sample included 400 students (200 non-abused and 200 abused), who were selected by multi-stage stratified random sampling. The questionnaires used in this research were as follows: Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Goldberg General Health, Student's Adjustment Inventory, Coopersmith Self- Esteem Scale and a researcher made demographic questionnaire.c Academic performance was assessed by grade point average. In order to analyze the data, both discriminant analysis and descriptive statistics were’ used. The results showed that child-abuse can be predicted from the variables such as parents’ general health, student's adjustment, selfesteem and, academic performance and family’s demographic characteristics.