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.
Sara Mousavi; Alireza Heidari; Sahar Safarzadeh; Parviz Asgari; Marzieh Talebzadeh Shoushtari
Abstract
Background: Exam anxiety in female students, a significant emotional response and emotional issue that negatively impacts learning, is perceived as a threat by many students. The present study investigated the efficacy of emotional schema therapy (EST) on self-regulation and frustration tolerance in ...
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Background: Exam anxiety in female students, a significant emotional response and emotional issue that negatively impacts learning, is perceived as a threat by many students. The present study investigated the efficacy of emotional schema therapy (EST) on self-regulation and frustration tolerance in female students with exam anxiety during the academic year 2022-2023.Methods: A quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest was employed. A total of 36 female students with exam anxiety were recruited from Ahvaz, Iran. Convenience sampling technique was employed to select the study participants who were randomly assigned to either the experimental group (n=18) or the control group (n=18) using a random number table. The experimental group received ten, 60-minute sessions of EST. Self-regulation and frustration tolerance were assessed using questionnaires before and after the intervention. Group differences were assessed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA).Results: At pretest, both groups showed similar levels of self-regulation (P=0.694). Following the intervention, the experimental group showed significantly higher self-regulation (Mean=49.72, SD=5.74) as compared with the control group (Mean=36.39, SD=4.17) (P=0.001). No significant difference in frustration tolerance was observed between groups at pretest (P=0.927). However, the experimental group (Mean=71.28, SD=5.88) demonstrated significantly greater frustration tolerance as compared with the control group (Mean=117.67, SD=18.10) after the intervention (P=0.001). The findings indicated that EST effectively improved self-regulation and frustration tolerance in female students with exam anxiety (P<0.001).Conclusions: The results demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in self-regulation and frustration tolerance after administering EST sessions. These findings suggested that EST may be a promising intervention for addressing the psychological challenges associated with exam anxiety in female students.
Sayedeh Pegah Mousavipour; Sasan Bavi
Abstract
Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) leads to depression and anxiety in women and often decreases the quality of life, social interaction, and occupational competency of patients. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of self-compassion therapy on perceived stress and anxiety sensitivity ...
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Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) leads to depression and anxiety in women and often decreases the quality of life, social interaction, and occupational competency of patients. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of self-compassion therapy on perceived stress and anxiety sensitivity in women with MS.Methods: In this field-based, quasi-experimental study, a pretest-posttest control group design was employed. The target population comprised female patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) who sought treatment at Ahvaz MS Society during a defined recruitment period (October 2022 - January 2023) in Ahvaz, Khuzestan Province, Iran. They were diagnosed with MS by psychiatrists and clinical specialists in clinical interviews. A convenience sampling technique was used to recruit a sample of 40 female participants diagnosed with MS. Participants were subsequently randomized into an experimental group (n=20) and a control group (n=20). The study employed validated instruments, including the Perceived Stress Questionnaire and the Anxiety Sensitivity Index, to assess the relevant constructs. The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was then conducted to examine group differences while controlling for potential confounding variables.Results: In the post-test, mean±SD for the perceived stress and anxiety in the experimental group was 24.80±5.08 and 20.32±3.17, demonstrating a significant difference as compared with the control group (43.81±3.57 and 51.07±51.07) (P=0.001). According to the results, self-compassion therapy managed to reduce perceived stress and anxiety sensitivity in the experimental group.Conclusion: Our results suggested that self-compassion therapy could effectively reduce stress and anxiety in women with MS. Therefore, therapy centers are recommended to adopt self-compassion therapy to alleviate the psychological symptoms of MS.
Atefeh Mohammadi; Zohre Balagabri
Abstract
Background: Emotional divorce is associated with various negative mental health consequences and dysfunctional behavior patterns. This study examined the effectiveness of emotion regulation training on the mental health and anxiety of married women who experienced divorce or emotional betrayal.Methods: ...
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Background: Emotional divorce is associated with various negative mental health consequences and dysfunctional behavior patterns. This study examined the effectiveness of emotion regulation training on the mental health and anxiety of married women who experienced divorce or emotional betrayal.Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design and a control group. The study was conducted on women seeking counseling for divorce in Kermanshah, Iran in 2022. Thirty participants who met the criteria were randomly assigned to either the experimental or the control group using random number tables. The experimental group received eight weekly 90-minute sessions of Emotion Regulation Training, while the control group did not receive any interventions. After the sessions, both groups underwent posttests under the same conditions. The Goldberg’s Standard Mental Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) and Zank’s Anxiety Questionnaire (ZAQ) were administered. The data collected were analyzed using SPSS version 26 with descriptive statistics and analysis of covariance tests.Results: The findings showed that the mean scores for Physical symptoms (7.33±2.28; 9.33±1.95), Anxiety (7.13±2.66;8.60±2.26), Social dysfunction (10.86±2.35;13.53±2.29), Depression (8.06±2.78; 10.86±2.74), Emotional symptoms (8.93±2.05; 10.66±2.89), and Body symptoms (23.06±5.59; 29.07±4.58) in Emotion regulation training group and the control group were significant in the post-test stage by controlling the pre-test score (P=0.016, P=0.044, P=0.004, P=0.010, P=0.039, P=0.003).Conclusions: Instructional programs on managing emotions can be employed to enhance the psychological well-being of individuals, particularly women. However, additional research is necessary to validate and extend these outcomes.
Peymaneh Shokrollahi; Farzaneh Farahi
Abstract
Background: Reducing labor pain is known to be a challenging topic in modern midwifery. To reduce this pain, complementary medicine methods have attracted a great deal of attention. The present study aimed to compare the effect of reflexology of sole with non-aromatic oil (Olive) and aromatic oil (Lavender) ...
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Background: Reducing labor pain is known to be a challenging topic in modern midwifery. To reduce this pain, complementary medicine methods have attracted a great deal of attention. The present study aimed to compare the effect of reflexology of sole with non-aromatic oil (Olive) and aromatic oil (Lavender) on reducing labor pain and anxiety.Methods: This multi-arm consecutive randomized controlled trial study of reflexology with non-aromatic oil and aromatic oil was carried out in 2020 on 99 primigravid mothers. They were divided into one control and two intervention groups, selected through random allocation. The data related to the mothers’ pain and anxiety were collected via the Pain Visual Scale and Spielberger three times, once before and twice after the intervention at 4-5 and 7-8 cm dilation. This study was registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials with the code of IRCT20200810048357N1. The demographic characteristics, labor duration, and APGAR score were also recorded. Through the use of the SPSS version 16, parametric and non-parametric statistical tests, including paired and independent t-test, x² and ANCOVA, were utilized for analyzing the data.Results: In the 99 participants with an average age of 25.98±5.80, there were no significant differences in terms of age (P=0.699), education level (P=0.504), or occupation (P=0.140). Additionally, no significant difference was seen in the duration of labor (P=0.194) and the APGAR score (P=0.066). According to the intergroup analysis of pain results in both stages of 4-5 cm and 7 -8 cm after the intervention, the aromatic oil group had a significant difference in terms of pain reduction with the other two groups (P˂0.001, P=0.007, respectively). Although there was no significant statistical difference in the intergroup analysis, the increase in the rate of anxiety was significant in control group in different stages (P=0.002) while this factor remained fixed in the intervention groups.Conclusions: The reflexology with aromatic oil was found to be more effective than that with non-aromatic oil. Furthermore, the pain rate at the time of labor reduced in the intervention groups compared to that in the control group.
Najmeh Maharlouei; Mohammadamin Sadeghdoust; Niloufar Salemi; Kamran Bagheri Lankarani
Abstract
Background: Anxiety disorders during pregnancy can lead to adverse neonatal outcomes in different ways. This research aimed to investigate the association between anxiety levels in pregnant women and neonatal health outcomes during COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: This was a prospective cohort study in which ...
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Background: Anxiety disorders during pregnancy can lead to adverse neonatal outcomes in different ways. This research aimed to investigate the association between anxiety levels in pregnant women and neonatal health outcomes during COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: This was a prospective cohort study in which pregnant women were recruited via a prenatal teaching clinic between March and July 2020, at Hafez Hospital in Shiraz, Iran. Neonate health outcomes were recorded, including the living status, gestational age, route of delivery, the APGAR at the 1st and the 5th minutes of life, anomalies, head circumference, weight, and height. To compare the effect of stress and anxiety of mothers during the first trimester of pregnancy on neonate health outcomes, we used the short form of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) score available from the previous phase of the study.Results: In the present work, 146 pregnant women were recruited. There was no significant difference in terms of living status, APGAR scores, and congenital anomalies of neonates born to mothers without anxiety (n=121) compared to those with an abnormal level of COVID-19-related anxiety (n=25) during their pregnancy (P>0.05 for all). Furthermore, our results revealed no association between COVID-19-related anxiety during pregnancy and poor neonatal outcomes, such as low birth weight, NICU admission, macrocephaly, or microcephaly (P=0.85).Conclusions: The obtained findings revealed that COVID-19-induced anxiety did not affect neonatal clinical outcomes. However, the concern still exists regarding the potential effect of COVID-19-induced anxiety on pregnancy and neonatal outcomes. Further investigation could be thus recommended using laboratory assessments.
Mehrdad Ghanbarpoor Ganjari; Sana Nourimoghadam
Abstract
Background: Fertility phenomenon holds great importance in almost all cultures; therefore, failures in this matter can turn into a harmful sensation. This study aimed to study the efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy on anxiety, depression, and stress in women with frequent miscarriage records.Methods: ...
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Background: Fertility phenomenon holds great importance in almost all cultures; therefore, failures in this matter can turn into a harmful sensation. This study aimed to study the efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy on anxiety, depression, and stress in women with frequent miscarriage records.Methods: The research design of this study was quasi-experimental, including post-test and pre-test types with experiment and control groups. The population of this study consisted of all applicants from Alzahra hospital of Rasht, Iran with frequent miscarriage records in summer 2019. The research sample size comprised 30 women who were chosen through convenience method sampling and were randomly assigned into two groups of control group (15 participants) and experiment group (15 participants). Eight sessions of acceptance and commitment therapy were performed on the experiment group. Lovibond and Lovibond’s (1995) scale of depression, anxiety, and stress was applied to collect the data. To analyze the data, one-way ANCOVA was used.Result: Results revealed that acceptance and commitment therapy was significantly reduced (P=0.001). The mean scores of anxiety (M=27.73±0.79), depression (M=26.73±1.22), and stress (M=27.06±0.59) in the experimental group as compared with control group that were anxiety (28.26±0.96), depression (28±0.75), and stress (28.13±0.83), respectively.Conclusion: The findings of present study indicated that acceptance and commitment therapy increased the psychological flexibility and led to committed action toward personal values. Therefore, this therapy is applicable for those women with frequent miscarriages to decrease their anxiety, depression, and stress levels.
Mohammad-Rafi Bazrafshan; Behnam Masmouei; Omid Soufi; Hamed Delam
Abstract
Background: One of the treatments for depression and anxiety which has significantly increased in recent years in most countries is drinking lavender and chamomile herbal tea. The current study aimed to compare the result of these two types of herbal drinks on anxiety and depression in the postmenopausal ...
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Background: One of the treatments for depression and anxiety which has significantly increased in recent years in most countries is drinking lavender and chamomile herbal tea. The current study aimed to compare the result of these two types of herbal drinks on anxiety and depression in the postmenopausal women.Methods: The present study is a randomized clinical trial conducted in 2020. It was recorded with the code of IRCT20090304001742N6 in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials. The total sample size was 96 people. In the current study, the depression questionnaire (created by Beck) and anxiety questionnaire (created by Spielberger) were used to assess the contributors. Each intervention group received 2 g of dried lavender and chamomile leaves, which were cooked twice daily—once in the morning and once at night—in 300 ml of boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes—as part of the intervention. The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, paired t-tests, and chi-square. Results: The average score of depression in the lavender tea group was reduced from 21.00±4.10 to 18.56±3.24 (P<0.001). In the group which consumed chamomile herbal tea, the average score of depression in the pre-intervention stage was 22.00±3.97, while after consuming chamomile herbal tea, it decreased to 18.31±3.05 (P<0.001). The mean score of depression among the groups that used lavender and the control group showed a significant difference. Although there was a non-significant difference between the average anxiety (state and trait) scores in the control group at the start and end of the study (P=0.058, P=0.083), there was a significant difference between the mean anxiety (state and trait) scores in the intervention groups before and after the intervention (P<0.001). Furthermore, the average score of depression between the group that used lavender and the control group displayed a significant difference (P=0.021).Conclusions: In general, drinking lavender or chamomile herbal tea could alleviate the level of anxiety and depression in postmenopausal women.
Sara Dokuhaki; Fatemeh Ghodrati
Abstract
Background: Anxiety disorders are usually common in the reproductive age in which mothers will have better control with spiritual-religious supports. The objective of the present study was to investigate the association between religiosity and jurisprudential information with anxiety of pregnant mothers ...
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Background: Anxiety disorders are usually common in the reproductive age in which mothers will have better control with spiritual-religious supports. The objective of the present study was to investigate the association between religiosity and jurisprudential information with anxiety of pregnant mothers during labor and postpartum pain. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 110 mothers in labor at Shoshtari and Zeinabiyeh hospitals, Shiraz, Iran in 2016. Convenience and purposive sampling methods were used. Research tools including Religious Attitude Questionnaire and Spielberger questionnaire were used to measure the maternal Religious Attitude anxiety level of mothers. The analysis by SPSS software version 16 was conducted using descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and ANOVA. Results: There was a significant difference between the mean of anxiety and religious attitude (p <0.001). In mothers with a moderate religious attitude, 78% had moderate anxiety, 74% had mild anxiety and the remainder had no anxiety. The highest level of situational anxiety was moderate (54=49.1%) and had a statistically significant association with the level of religious attitude (p <0.001). The highest level of State anxiety was normal (52=47.3%) and then moderate (48=43.6%) and had no statistically significant association with the level of religious attitude (P=0.327). Conclusion: There was an association between the level of religiosity in mothers and their reduced level of anxiety in labor. According to the culture of our society, it is important to pay attention to the religiosity dimension of human existence and plan to improve and perform them in the field of health care.
Negin Khoshvaght; Farah Naderi; Sahar Safarzadeh; Marjan Alizadeh
Abstract
Background: Raising a child diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP) is a major challenge for parents and may greatly change the family’s lifestyle. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of metacognitive therapy (MCT) and compassion-focused therapy (CFT) on anxiety in the mothers of children ...
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Background: Raising a child diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP) is a major challenge for parents and may greatly change the family’s lifestyle. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of metacognitive therapy (MCT) and compassion-focused therapy (CFT) on anxiety in the mothers of children with cerebral palsy.Methods: The research method was quasi-experimental with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design and a control group. Selected by convenience sampling, the sample consisted of 45 mothers of children with cerebral palsy who referred to Bahar Rehabilitation Center, Shiraz, Iran, in 2020. We randomly divided the participants into two experimental groups (metacognitive therapy and compassion-focused therapy) and a control group (n=15 per group). The research instrument included the Beck Anxiety Inventory. The first experimental group underwent 12 sessions (60-minute sessions per week) of metacognitive therapy and the second experimental group underwent eight sessions of compassion-focused therapy (60-minute sessions per week).Results: The mean±SD of the anxiety for metacognitive therapy, compassion-focused therapy, and control groups in the posttest stage were 24.30±6.21, 25.10±2.44, and 42.70±4.46, respectively. Based on the results, both metacognitive therapy (MTC) and compassion-focused therapy (CFT) were effective in reducing anxiety in the mothers of children with cerebral palsy (CP) (P=0.0001); also, there was no significant difference between the effects of MCT and CFT on anxiety in this group of mothers.Conclusion: Metacognitive therapy and compassion-focused therapy can be employed to reduce anxiety in mothers of children with cerebral palsy.
Parichehr Sadr Nafisi; zahra Eftekhar Saadi; Fariba Hafezi; Alireza Heidari
Abstract
Background: Anxiety disorders are psychiatric illnesses that are most common in developing countries. Obesity is thought to be a risk factor for anxiety and intimate relationship disorders. The aim of the present paper was to investigate the effect of compassion-focused therapy on social anxiety and ...
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Background: Anxiety disorders are psychiatric illnesses that are most common in developing countries. Obesity is thought to be a risk factor for anxiety and intimate relationship disorders. The aim of the present paper was to investigate the effect of compassion-focused therapy on social anxiety and interpersonal relationships among women on an overweight diet 2019-2020.Methods: The study research design was quasi-experimental with a control group, pre-test, and post-test. We narrowed down 100 women according to the inclusion criteria; among them, we randomly selected 30 women on an overweight diet referring to the diet therapy clinics in Tehran province from December 2019 to April 2020. Afterwards, they were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group (n=15) was treated with compassion-focused therapy for ten weekly 90-minute sessions while the control group (n=15) did not receive any treatment. At the start of the study, after 10 weeks, all participants were tested using the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) and the Revised Communication Skills Questionnaire (RCSQ) methods. In addition to descriptive statistics, we used Chi-squared, independent, and dependent t tests to interpret the results; we employed the SPSS-25 program for all the analyses.Results: According to Mean±SD, there was a significant difference between the experimental (1.41±0.03) and control (2.01±0.43) groups regarding social anxiety and regarding interpersonal relationships there was a significant difference between the experimental (2.50±0.21) and control (1.83±0.21) groups, respectively. The experimental group had significantly lower post-test scores in terms of social anxiety (P=0.04) and interpersonal relationships (P=0.001). Moreover, there was a significant change in the experimental group from the pre-test to the post-test concerning all components of social anxiety (P=0.001) and interpersonal relationships (P=0.001).Conclusion: The findings showed that compassion-focused therapy could help with overweightness. Therefore, this intervention program is recommended for preventing social anxiety and interpersonal relationships among women on an overweight diet.
Maryam Heidary; Marzieh Akbarzadeh
Abstract
Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder associated with clinical manifestations such ashirsutism, acne, reduced fertility, menstrual and obesity disorders, and psychological and mood problems. Anxiety is an unpleasant feeling that has been identified through several ...
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Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder associated with clinical manifestations such ashirsutism, acne, reduced fertility, menstrual and obesity disorders, and psychological and mood problems. Anxiety is an unpleasant feeling that has been identified through several ways. We assessed the approaches to reducing anxiety and their association with the age of patients suffering from PCOS.Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study on the methods for reducing anxiety and the relationship between the type of method and patients’age. Through the use of a checklist, we examined 80 women of childbearing age with PCOS. Chi-square test was used to analyze the data, and 5% level was considered as the significant level.Results: Based on the results obtained 45 subjects (56.2%) reduced their anxiety through prayer and religious deeds, 30 (37.50%) by crying, 27 (33.8%) by listening to music, 12 (15%) through fighting, and nine (11.25%) by sleeping. Seven participants (8.75%)did yoga and exercised, and 21 (26.25%) used other methods to reduce their anxiety. There was also a significant relationship between people’s age and prayer (P=0.038). Also, people’s age and listening to music (P=0.043) were observed to decreaseanxiety and in other cases, no significant relationship was observed.Conclusion: The most common strategy for reducing anxiety among patients was to pray and perform religious deedsalong with other methods. There was also a significant association between the participants’ age and praying and listening to music as waysof lowering anxiety.
Arezu Farzaneh; Maryam Koushkie Jahromi; Mohsen Salesi; Robabeh Rostami
Abstract
Background: Menopausal symptoms severely affect a woman’s lifestyle and health. Lifestyle, including physical activity, is known to be an effective factor on the menopausal-associated symptoms. We conducted the present study to evaluate the effects of an eight-week Pilates training on menopausal-related ...
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Background: Menopausal symptoms severely affect a woman’s lifestyle and health. Lifestyle, including physical activity, is known to be an effective factor on the menopausal-associated symptoms. We conducted the present study to evaluate the effects of an eight-week Pilates training on menopausal-related symptoms, including somatic, psychological and sexual symptoms, body mass index (BMI), and anxiety as possible effective factors on menopausal symptoms. Methods: This was an experimental study conducted in the summer of 2020. The participants in this study were 27 postmenopausal women (aged 60-65, BMI: 24-30) who participated in the study voluntarily. They were randomly divided into two groups of control (n=12) and exercise (n=15). The subjects in the training group participated in Pilates training for eight weeks, three sessions per week and each session lasted 75 minutes with progressive intensity. BMI was measured and the participants completed anxiety and depression questionnaires (HADS) and menopausal symptoms rating scale (MRS) before and after the exercises. We utilized paired t-test and analysis of co-variance (ANCOVA) to analyze the data. Results: BMI (P=0.023), anxiety (p <0.001), physical score (p <0.001), psychological score (P=0.001), and the total (p <0.001) score of menopausal symptoms reduced significantly following Pilates training compared to the control group. No significant changes were observed in the sexual symptoms of menopause following Pilates training compared to the control group (P=0.60). Conclusion: An eight-week Pilates training reduced most of the postmenopausal symptoms (somatic, psychological, and total) as well as potentially aggravating menopausal symptoms, including anxiety and BMI
Abed Ebrahimi; Fatemeh Ghodrati
Abstract
Objective: Maternal mental health is one of the most important indicators of pregnancy health. Anxiety and stress affect maternal and fetal outcomes. The present review was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of certain complementary medicine methods in reducing pregnancy anxiety. Evidence Acquisition: ...
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Objective: Maternal mental health is one of the most important indicators of pregnancy health. Anxiety and stress affect maternal and fetal outcomes. The present review was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of certain complementary medicine methods in reducing pregnancy anxiety. Evidence Acquisition: Data source in this review was related to articles searched in local scientific databases and international databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Google scholar. Search for articles was done by using keywords of pregnancy anxiety, complementary medicine, acupuncture and acupressure, aromatherapy, spiritual therapy, and psychotherapy without any time limitations. At the end of the search, out of 165 obtained articles, 70 were reviewed. Exclusion criteria were irrelevant research studies, inadequate data in the study, lack of access to the full text of articles, animal studies, editorial studies, and reports. Results: Aromatherapy, acupressure, relaxation training skills, maternal, fetal, and neonatal attachment techniques, psychotherapy, and spiritual therapy have been employed in different studies to control pregnancy anxiety. These methods had significant and measurable effects on reducing and controlling maternal anxiety during pregnancy, and in some studies, they improved neonatal growth and development indices. Conclusion: The efficiency of complementary medicine along with the use of therapeutic techniques in classical medicine can provide a new model for reducing the anxiety of pregnant women. It is recommended that health care planners use this integrated, easy-to-use, cost-effective approach so as to reduce the anxiety of pregnant mothers.
Sara Mozafari; Isaac Rahimian Boogar; Siavash Talepasand; Farahnaz Ghahreman Fard
Abstract
Background: Breast cancer as a chronic disease is associated with many physical and psychological problems that necessitate the use of psychological treatments.
Objectives: This study was aimed to investigate the efficacy of meaning-centered psychotherapy on existential anxiety and fear of cancer recurrence ...
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Background: Breast cancer as a chronic disease is associated with many physical and psychological problems that necessitate the use of psychological treatments.
Objectives: This study was aimed to investigate the efficacy of meaning-centered psychotherapy on existential anxiety and fear of cancer recurrence in breast cancer survivors.
Methods: In a randomized controlled clinical trial with pre-test, post-test, and follow-up along with a control group, 28 breast cancer survivors were selected by random sampling among patients that attended the Cancer and Hematology specialized clinic of Semnan University of Medical Sciences. The participants were randomly assigned to two intervention (group treatment, n = 7; individual treatment, n = 7) and one control group (n = 14). Data were collected by existential anxiety scale (EAS) and fear of cancer recurrence inventory (FCRI) and analyzed with the repeated multiple analysis of variance (MANOVA) using the SPSS-23 software.
Results: There were significant differences between the experimental groups and the control group on existential anxiety and fear of cancer recurrence (P < 0.001) in breast cancer survivors. Group and individual interventions reduced existential anxiety and fear of cancer recurrence in post-test and follow up in experimental groups compared to the control group (P < 0.001). The interaction of the groups and time assessment was statistically significant (P < 0.001).
Conclusions: Meaning-centered psychotherapy reduces existential anxiety and fear of cancer recurrence in breast cancer survivors. This intervention is useful to recover psychological problems in breast cancer survivors.
Roksana Janghorban; Najmeh Maharlouei
Fereshteh Baezzat; Mohammadtaghi Mirmostafaee; Abbas Akbari; Roya Abbasi-Asl
Abstract
Background: In modern societies, nurses’ issues and investigation of their problems has found a vital importance. Objectives : The present study investigated the mediating role of hospital stress and anxiety in relationship between psychological capital and depression in women nurses.
Methods: ...
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Background: In modern societies, nurses’ issues and investigation of their problems has found a vital importance. Objectives : The present study investigated the mediating role of hospital stress and anxiety in relationship between psychological capital and depression in women nurses.
Methods: This research was a correlational study. Data was analyzed by the path analyze method and by using Amos (v. 22). Participants included 178 nurses (females) in hospitals from Borujerd city, Lorestan Province, that were selected by the accidental sampling method. Participants completed the hospital stress scale, psychological capital scale, as well as they negative emotions scale. To examine reliability of measures, cronbach coefficient, and to determine validity, internal consistency was used. The results showed an acceptable reliability and validity of the instruments.
Results: Results showed that: (1) the variables of self-efficacy (β = -0.041, P = 0.007), resilience (β = -0.071, P = 0.008), hope (β = -0.067, P = 0.004), and optimism (β = -0.087, P= 0.003), had a negative and indirect effect on depression; (2) the variables of self-efficacy (β = -0.025, P = 0.014), resilience (β = -0.155, P= 0.006), hope (β = -0.040, P = 0.007), and optimism (β = -0.245, P = 0.006), had a negative and indirect effect on anxiety; (3) hospital stress (β = 0.175, P = 0.006) had a positive and indirect effect on depression.
Conclusions: According to these results, increasing of dimensions of psychological capital leads to reduction of hospital stress, anxiety, and depression in female nurses.
Monire Toosi; Marzieh Akbarzadeh; Farkhondeh Sharif; Najaf Zare
Abstract
Background: Anxiety is among the pregnancy complications affecting maternal mental and physical health and attachment to the fetus and newborn. Relaxation training is an effective, simple and available method to address this dismal condition.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect ...
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Background: Anxiety is among the pregnancy complications affecting maternal mental and physical health and attachment to the fetus and newborn. Relaxation training is an effective, simple and available method to address this dismal condition.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of relaxation training on anxiety and maternal attachment to fetus and neonate in primigravida women.
Materials and Methods: This clinical trial comprised 84 primigravida pregnant woman including 42 experimental and 42 controls from a population of pregnant women referred to Shushtari and Hafez hospitals in the summer of 2010. Before the beginning of the study, anxiety and attachment levels of mothers to the fetus were assessed in both groups. In addition to the routine prenatal cares, the experimental group underwent four weekly 90-minutes of relaxation training for one month. The control group received only standard care during pregnancy. At the end of one month intervention, the anxiety and attachment levels of mothers to the fetus were assessed in both groups. The researcher visited mothers, while breastfeeding, on the first day after delivery, and recorded the mothers-neonates attachment behaviors.
Results: The two groups were homogeneous in terms of age, sex and attachment and anxiety levels before the intervention. There were no significant differences in mean score of anxiety (P = 0.618) and attachment (P = 0.897) levels before the intervention in both groups. However, significant differences were observed in the anxiety (P = 0.017) and attachment (P = 0.005) mean scores after the intervention between both groups. Also, the mean score of maternal attachment after the first breastfeeding in the two groups showed a statistically significant difference (P < 0.0001).
Conclusions: The results of this study showed that relaxation training reduces anxiety in pregnant women and improves maternal attachment to the newborn.