Research Article
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.
Research Article
Marjan Ghasempour; Reza Johari Fard; Parvin Ehteshamzadeh; Rezvan Homaei
Abstract
Background: Intensive maternal parenting, while intended to foster academic achievement, has been linked to increased stress and anxiety in children. The present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of maternal mental health in the correlation between intensive maternal attitudes and cognitive ...
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Background: Intensive maternal parenting, while intended to foster academic achievement, has been linked to increased stress and anxiety in children. The present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of maternal mental health in the correlation between intensive maternal attitudes and cognitive abilities in female students applying for the gifted exam.Methods: The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional approach that incorporated the use of structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques. The target population comprised all female students applying for the ninth-grade gifted exam in Tehran, Iran during 2023, along with their mothers. A convenience sample of 301 student-mother dyads participated in the study by completing a battery of self-report questionnaires. These instruments included Cognitive Abilities Questionnaire (CAQ), Intensive Parenting Attitudes Questionnaire (IPAQ), and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). The hypothesized model was evaluated using SEM, and bootstrapping was employed to assess the significance of indirect correlations. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 27 and Amos version 25.Results: The findings indicated a negative correlation between intensive maternal attitudes and students’ cognitive capabilities (P=0.020). There was also a significant negative correlation between intensive maternal attitudes and mothers’ mental health (P=0.001). The correlation between mothers’ mental health and girls’ cognitive abilities was positive and significant (P=0.001). The correlation between intensive maternal attitudes and students’ cognitive abilities was significant through the mediating role of mental health (P=0.005).Conclusion: Intensive maternal parenting practices were associated with decreased cognitive abilities in students and poorer mental health in mothers. The negative effect of intensive maternal attitudes on cognitive abilities appears to be indirectly mediated by mothers’ mental health.
Research Article
Mojtaba Rahimi; Hossein Molavi; Mojtaba Ansari Shahidi; Akram Dehghani
Abstract
Background: Mothers of children with externalizing behaviors often experience low self-efficacy. The present study investigated the effectiveness of compassion-focused training (CFT) on parental self-efficacy components in mothers of children with externalizing problems.Methods: This study employed a ...
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Background: Mothers of children with externalizing behaviors often experience low self-efficacy. The present study investigated the effectiveness of compassion-focused training (CFT) on parental self-efficacy components in mothers of children with externalizing problems.Methods: This study employed a semi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design. The target population comprised mothers of children exhibiting externalizing behaviors residing in Isfahan, Iran. A convenience sampling technique yielded a sample of 30 mothers who were subsequently randomized into an experimental group (n=15) and a control group (n=15). The experimental group received an eight-week CFT intervention delivered in weekly 90-minute sessions. The control group remained on a waitlist during the intervention period. The Berkeley Parenting Self-Efficacy Scale (BPSE-R) served as the primary outcome measure. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) within SPSS version 23.Results: Parental self-efficacy scores in the CFT group increased significantly from pre-test (51.87±6.17) to post-test (66.39±7.96), while the control group showed no significant change (pre-test: 51.90±5.26; post-test: 54.23±4.08). In the post-test, the CFT group showed significantly higher self-efficacy compared with the control group (P=0.001). Moreover, the CFT significantly increased maternal self-efficacy in the subscales of responsibility acceptance, self-management, child acceptance, and positive child evaluation compared with the control group (P<0.05).Conclusion: The CFT intervention demonstrated significant effectiveness in enhancing various aspects of parental self-efficacy among mothers of children with externalizing problems. These findings suggested that CFT may be a valuable intervention for empowering mothers to manage the challenges associated with raising children exhibiting externalizing behaviors.
Research Article
Elham Askari Ashtiani; Anita Baghdasarians
Abstract
Background: Women play a key role in the social and psychological well-being of societies, and yoga is one of the recognized training methods for improving women’s psychological abilities. The present study aimed to investigate the correlation between attachment style, cognitive flexibility, and ...
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Background: Women play a key role in the social and psychological well-being of societies, and yoga is one of the recognized training methods for improving women’s psychological abilities. The present study aimed to investigate the correlation between attachment style, cognitive flexibility, and mentalization with the social well-being of yoginis, female yogis.Method: This was a descriptive and correlational study. The statistical population consists of all female yogis who participated in yoga classes in Tehran, Iran in 2023. The convenience sampling technique was used to select a group of 120 women practicing yoga, aged 30 to 50, who had been practicing yoga regularly for a minimum of five years. The study variables were measured using the Social Well-Being Questionnaire (SWQ), Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ), Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI), and Revised Adult Attachment Scale (RAAS). The correlation between the study variables was analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient and regression analysis through SPSS version 24.Results: The outcomes of the multiple regression analysis indicated that avoidant attachment style (β=-0.214, P=0.029), anxious attachment style (β=0.341, P=7.731×10-4), and confidence dimension (β=0.259, P=0.004) were able to predict social well-being significantly. The most substantial contributions to social well-being came from anxious attachment style (β=0.341) and confidence dimension (β=0.259). However, secure attachment (P=0.109), cognitive flexibility (P=0.434), and uncertainty dimension (P=0.150) showed no significant associations with social well-being. The model’s coefficient of determination was 0.239, indicating that the predictor variables accounted for 23.9% of the variation in social well-being.Conclusion: Given the strong connection between attachment and mentalization, the impact of an individual’s attachment style on social interactions is highlighted. Our results can lead researchers to gain a more profound insight into topics related to health and its components.
Research Article
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.
Research Article
Farrokhlegha Najafzadeh; Sheida Ranjbari; Hassan Shafaei; Saeed Ghorbani
Abstract
Background: Physical activity (PA) and resilience may be effective in increasing the strength, vitality and productivity of the elderly. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to explore the correlation between participation in PA and psychological wellbeing among elderly women with considering the mediating ...
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Background: Physical activity (PA) and resilience may be effective in increasing the strength, vitality and productivity of the elderly. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to explore the correlation between participation in PA and psychological wellbeing among elderly women with considering the mediating role of resilience.Methods: This descriptive-correlational study consisted of 320 elderly women in Tehran, Iran in 2023 who were selected through convenience sampling technique. Standard Questionnaires were used for data collection. Pearson correlation test and the path analysis were used for data analysis.Results: The level of engagement in PA was below the average (256.47 out of 793). Also, PA had a significant correlation with psychological well-being (r=0.589, P<0.001). Additionally, PA had a significant correlation and resilience (r=0.714, P<0.001). Furthermore, resilience had a significant correlation with psychological well-being (r=0.625, P<0.001). Finally, resilience significantly mediated the correlation between PA and psychological well-being (Z=5.967, P<0.001).Conclusion: The findings of the study clearly demonstrated that active participation in PA plays a significant role in enhancing the mental well-being of older women. Therefore, it is highly recommended to prioritize the promotion of PA as the primary strategy to improve the psychological well-being of elderly women.
Research Article
Negar Bahremand Nia; Azam Vaziri Nasab
Abstract
Background: Many single-parent or parentless individuals tend to engage in social misconduct due to family and community incompetence and lack of support. The present study investigated the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy on the self-control of single-parent high school students in ...
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Background: Many single-parent or parentless individuals tend to engage in social misconduct due to family and community incompetence and lack of support. The present study investigated the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy on the self-control of single-parent high school students in Kerman, Iran.Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design and a control group. The study population were single-parent high school students in Kerman, Iran in the academic year 2023-2024. A total number of 30 participants were selected through convenience sampling and randomly divided into two groups of 15. First, all participants completed the Tangney Self-Control Scale (SCS) as a pre-test measure. The experimental group underwent eight sessions of acceptance and commitment therapy, while the control group did not receive any intervention. Then, the research instruments were applied as a post-test measure. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 25, particularly for univariate analysis of covariance.Results: There was a significant difference in self-control at the post-test stage between the two groups of Acceptance and commitment therapy and the control group, even after accounting for the pre-test scores (P=0.003). Additionally, the data revealed a significant contrast in self-control improvement from the pre-test to the post-test stage within the acceptance and commitment therapy group (P=0.002). However, no notable change was observed in self-control in the control group throughout the study (P=0.484). Furthermore, no significant difference was found between the pre-test and post-test stages in the control group (P=0.233).Conclusions: According to our results, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is effective in improving self-control among single-parent high school students in Kerman, Iran. Thus, ACT is recommended in counseling and psychotherapy centers, especially for students who lack proper supervision and have only one guardian.
Research Article
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.
