Seyede Fazileh Alboushoke; Sahar Safarzadeh; Fariba Hafezi; Parvin Ehteshamzadeh
Abstract
Background: Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is highly prevalent among adolescent girls and significantly interferes with their social and emotional development. It can lead to impaired coping mechanisms and maladaptive behaviors, such as anxiety sensitivity and body checking. This study aimed to evaluate ...
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Background: Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is highly prevalent among adolescent girls and significantly interferes with their social and emotional development. It can lead to impaired coping mechanisms and maladaptive behaviors, such as anxiety sensitivity and body checking. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Emotional Schema Therapy (EST) in mitigating anxiety sensitivity and body checking behaviors among adolescent girls with SAD.Methods: A quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest-two months follow-up assessment was employed. The study participants were 25 adolescent girls aged 15 to 18 years with a diagnosis of SAD in the city of Ramshir, Iran, in 2023. Adolescent girls in the experimental group participated in ten weekly, 90-minute Emotional Schema Therapy sessions. The participants were selected using a multi-stage cluster random sampling technique and completed standardized measures of social phobia, anxiety sensitivity, and body checking behaviors at the beginning, end, and follow-up of the intervention. To analyze the data, repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted using SPSS version 27.Results: Participants in the EST group exhibited a significant reduction in anxiety sensitivity (pretest: 53.80±2.85; posttest: 34.67±3.01; follow-up: 35.00±3.35) and body checking behaviors (pretest: 85.67±3.63; posttest: 50.87±4.24; follow-up: 49.47±3.50) over time (P<0.001). The positive effects of EST on anxiety sensitivity and body checking behaviors were maintained at follow-up (P<0.001).Conclusions: The findings suggested that EST can be an effective intervention for reducing anxiety sensitivity and body checking behaviors in adolescent girls with SAD.
Amir Dana; Kamelia Abdi; Mirhamid Salehian; Sima Mokari Saei
Abstract
Background: The effects of the coronavirus outbreak on the psychological and physical wellbeing of teenage girls is not well understood. Herein, one of the important mental health-related variables is introduced to be psychosocial distress (PSD). The current research aimed to explore the status of PSD ...
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Background: The effects of the coronavirus outbreak on the psychological and physical wellbeing of teenage girls is not well understood. Herein, one of the important mental health-related variables is introduced to be psychosocial distress (PSD). The current research aimed to explore the status of PSD in teenage girls during the coronavirus outbreak considering the impact of physical activity (PA) and sedentary time (ST).Methods: This research utilized a descriptive-correlation method. We selected 384 teenage girls (mean age 16.93±0.72 years) in Iran, in 2020, using a convenience sampling procedure. The participants were healthy and without any physical or mental disabilities. They completed the standard questionnaires including the COVID-19-Related Psychological Distress Scale, Physical Activity Behavior in Leisure-Time Scale, and Adolescent Sedentary Activity Questionnaire. Spearman correlation test and structural equation modelling were utilized for data analysis.Results: Our findings revealed that the psychosocial status of adolescent girls during the coronavirus outbreak was 41.50 out of 70. The subjects who were more physically active had lower levels of PSD (r=-0.627, P<0.001, whereas those with higher ST reported higher scores in PSD status (r=0.481, P<0.001).Conclusions: The results of the current research demonstrate that PSD and PA are significant challenges threatening the health of teenage girls during the coronavirus outbreak. Accordingly, it is essential to adopt appropriate procedures to enhance PA and reduce ST of teenage girls.
Zahra Chaharbaghi; Fatemeh Beigom Hosseini; Tayebeh Baniasadi; Lida Moradi; Amir Dana
Abstract
Background: A significant factor associated with well-being and health is to find a method which can increase resilience during the pandemics. The present research aimed to examine the impact of physical activity level on resilience of teenage girls during the COVID-19 pandemic with an emphasis on self-esteem ...
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Background: A significant factor associated with well-being and health is to find a method which can increase resilience during the pandemics. The present research aimed to examine the impact of physical activity level on resilience of teenage girls during the COVID-19 pandemic with an emphasis on self-esteem as a mediator.Methods: The present study utilized a descriptive-correlation approach. The statistical sample included 384 teenage females from Golestan, Iran, in 2020. We employed standard surveys for collecting the data. Statistical methods included Kolmogorov- Smirnov test, Spearman correlation test, and structural relationships through Lisrel.Results: Physical activity was found to affect resilience (β=0.396, T=6.284) and self-esteem (β=0.628, T=11.594). Furthermore, self-esteem significantly affected resilience (β=0.530, T=9.509). Finally, self-esteem significantly mediated the correlation between physical activity and resilience (Z=6.780, p <0.001).Conclusions: Physical activity could be considered as an important factor in coping with severe condition during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, in a pandemic situation, by increasing physical activity, better conditions can be created for children and adolescents, especially girls, to ensure their resilience.
