Aim and Background: SELF-handicapping has been defined as a strategic manipulation of a situation in a way that an individual can claim that obstacles to his/her performance account for a possible failure.Research has shown that some people behave in a way to create impediments to successful achievement, especially when this is important to them. To the best knowledge of authors only one validated scale is developed for measurement of this behavior and that its psychometric properties have not been examined in Iran. As such, the aim of this study is to introduce the scale and evaluate its psychometric properties.Method and Materials: This research is a descriptive-correlational study with a cluster random sample of 650 undergraduate students from Shahid Beheshti University. Original SH scale (25 items) and Rosenberg SELF-esteem Inventory (10 items) were administered. Collected data were analyzed using Pearson correlation, Chronbach Alpha, and exploratory factor analysis.Findings: Exploratory factor analysis supported a 3-factor (23 items from 25 original items) solution named as "negative mood" (NM), "effort" (E), and "excuse making" (EM). Base on the theory, sum score of "negative mood" & recoded "effort" composes behavioral SELF-handicapping, and sum score of "negative mood" and "excuse making" reflexes claimed SELF-handicapping. Chronbach's Alpha for the factors ranged from 0.60 to 0.72 and was 0.77 for the total scoreale. Test retest reliability was 0.84, supporting the reliability of the scale. Correlation between SELF-handicapping & SELF-esteem inventory was found to be -0.54 which provides further support for the validity of the scale.Conclusions: A 23-item SELF-handicapping scale was psychometrically evaluated in a student population.This version of the scale called" SHS-IR", shows satisfactory psychometric properties. Further research is needed to examine its application in different populations.

Objective: The present study was conducted with the aim of effective school-based SELF-control skill training on increasing psychological hardiness and SELF-efficacy of male students of the first secondary level.Method: This research is a semi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The statistical population of the present study included male students of the first secondary school in Qom city, 30 students were selected using the available sampling method and divided into two groups of 15 people completely randomly. Students in the experimental group participated in 8 sessions of the school-based SELF-control training program, and the control group did not receive training. Before and after the implementation of the intervention, both groups were evaluated using the psychological hardiness scale of Lang and Goulet (2003) and the SELF-efficacy scale of children and adolescents (SEQ-C). The data was analyzed using spss-22 software and through repeated measures analysis of variance test.Findings: The results showed that school-based SELF-control skill training has a significant effect on increasing students' psychological hardiness and SELF-efficacy (P<0.01). Conclusion: The findings of the present study indicated that school-based SELF-control skill training can be an effective intervention in increasing psychological hardiness and SELF-efficacy in students.

Background and aim: Inadequate bond strength of resin cements to dentin appears to be a typical cause of failure in retention of fiber posts. In restoring endodontically treated teeth with fiber posts the cement-dentin interface is the weakest link. This study aims to compare the effect of SELF-etch and SELF-adhesive resin cements on shear bond strength of fiber posts to dentin.Materials and methods: This in vitro experimental study included 40 mandibular premolars with a single canal. All samples received standardized endodontic treatment after meeting the inclusion criteria. They were randomly divided into four groups and a post space was prepared in each sample. A size two Match post RTD fiber post was cemented into each sample using CoreCem (RTD) in group A, Panavia F2 (Kuraray) in group B, Bis Cem (Bisco) in group C and Maxcem Elite (Kerr) in group D as cementing agents. All samples were then cut into two pieces. Each specimen was loaded with equal force using a Universal Testing Machine. The load was applied from the apical to the coronal portion of each sample until fracture occurred. The mean shear bond strength for two each group was recorded and statistically analyzed with ANOVA (one way) and Dunnett’s tests using SPSS.Results: The mean shear bond strength was found to be as follows: Group A: (12.66 ±3.77) MPa Group B: (14.61±4.18) MPa Group C: (7.26±2.49) MPa Group D: (6.68±3.17) Mpa, Significant difference was demonstrated between shear bond strength of four groups (P=0.001). Mean bond strengths of resin cements in group A and B were not statistically different. Same results were shown when comparing cements in group C and D. However, cements in group A and B (SELF-etch) provided stronger bonds to dentin compared to group C and D (SELF-adhesive), the difference being statistically significant (P<0.05).Conclusion: The use of SELF-etch resin cements results in higher shear bond strength to dentin compared to SELF-adhesive resin cements.

Muttappallymyalil et al published a paper regarding the “Attitudes and practice of nurses in imparting knowledge on Brest Self EXAMINATION” (BSE) in previous issue of the journal [1]. In their conclusion they recommend that educational programs are needed in this group of health professionals promote the practice of teaching women to perform BSE.A recent Cochrane review has failed to find any benefits for regular BSE in reducing the mortality rate of women due to breast cancer. Further, regular BSE appears to increase the number of unnecessary breast biopsies due to palpation of benign lesions [2]. When a woman detects a lump in one of her breasts it is most likely to be benign, however this often causes anxiety and can lead further, sometimes invasive, investigations such as fine needle aspiration (FNA), sonograms, mammograms and also breast biopsy. Such investigations are potentially harmful and costly for patients and/or the healthcare service.New guidelines don’t recommend regular BSE for all women. Women should be aware of potential drawbacks of BSE. Women may encounter a lump or changes in shape and skin colour of their breasts during daily activities such as getting washed or dressed. Sometimes breast changes may be detected by their partner. The role of regular BSE in addition to these activities is uncertain. Regardless of the role of BSE it is recommended that women who encounter any unusual mass in their breast, whether accidentally or during BSE visit a physician for necessary follow up.

Background: Breast cancer is a very common cancer in women which is diagnosable using inexpensive, accessible, and easy screening programs in the early stages of the disease. Culture, beliefs, and opinions of women affect adoption of screening techniques. Nursing professionals are supposed to be aware of such influencing factors. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate barriers to breast self‑ EXAMINATION (BSE) among women in Isfahan province. Materials and Methods: During a cross‑ sectional descriptive and correlational study in 2017, 1509 women in rural and urban areas of Isfahan province were selected using multistage sampling method. Data were collected by visiting homes, using a questionnaire, and conducting interviews and were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics. Results: The results showed that barriers consisted of lack of awareness about breast EXAMINATION (p = 0. 006), lack of awareness about BSE techniques (p < 0. 001), and lack of training by personnel of healthcare centers (p = 0. 016), which were significantly associated with residency areas (i. e., urban and rural areas). Moreover, women’ s educational level was significantly associated with 5 of 10 barriers and their occupation was significantly associated with 2 of 10 barriers to BSE. Conclusions: Among the several factors that may affect BSE, a part of them in Isfahan women act as obstacle that they are moderated by some demographic factors such as residency areas, education level, and occupation. Therefore, nursing plans and interventions aimed at developing BSE should be tailored to suit the unique demographic characteristics of women.