Research Article
Sara Sadeghieh; Ahmad Kalateh Sadati
Abstract
Background: The Iranian society is undergoing a transformation towards feminization, leading to shifting expectations and demands from girls towards their families. Umet expectations among girls and family leads to negative personal and social consequences. The present study aimed to investigate the ...
Read More
Background: The Iranian society is undergoing a transformation towards feminization, leading to shifting expectations and demands from girls towards their families. Umet expectations among girls and family leads to negative personal and social consequences. The present study aimed to investigate the consequences of unmet expectations of girls from their family.Methods: This was a qualitative study conducted in 2023-2024 in Yazd, Iran. The study participants were 16 girls who were selected through purposive sampling method. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews, and analyzed using thematic analysis method.Results: The study results showed that in the changing conditions of the family in the context of the study, girls’ expectations from their parents have changed and are increasing. Failure to meet these expectations, which is mostly related to cultural changes, has led to the formation of negative consequences among girls. Consequences of unmet expectations in the form of four themes include boredom, stigma, psychosomatic problems, and poor self-confidence.Conclusion: In today’s changing society, it is crucial to recognize and address the specific expectations and rights of young girls. Failing to do so in a timely manner can result in severe and irreversible consequences for this demographic. It is imperative for policymakers to identify these needs and prioritize them in order to ensure the well-being and advancement of young girls in the Iranian society.
Research Article
Mahsa Khademi; Raheleh Ghaffari; Komeil Dashti Rostami
Abstract
Background: Diastasis of Rectus Abdominis (DRA) is a frequent problem that affects women during pregnancy and postpartum. The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of static and dynamic plank exercise on Inter-Recti Distance (IRD) in postpartum women.Methods: This semi-experimental study included ...
Read More
Background: Diastasis of Rectus Abdominis (DRA) is a frequent problem that affects women during pregnancy and postpartum. The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of static and dynamic plank exercise on Inter-Recti Distance (IRD) in postpartum women.Methods: This semi-experimental study included 30 postpartum women with DRA who were randomly divided into static plank (N=10), dynamic plank (N=10) and control group (n=10). Exercise groups implemented the plank exercise three times weekly for six weeks in Sari, Iran from April to May 2023. Ultrasound imaging was recorded to measure IRD in three locations, center of umbilicus (reference point), three cm above and three cm below umbilicus. The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to compare the effect of static and dynamic plank exercise on IRD.Results: IRD significantly decreased in static (29 mm vs 27/4 mm, P=0.001) and dynamic (30.1 mm vs 27 mm, P=0.001) plank groups after exercise. IRD did not significantly differ between static and dynamic groups at post-test (P=0.420). However, the percentage of the change was greater in dynamic (10.33%) compared with the static (5.51%) group. A significant difference was observed between the dynamic and control groups (P=0.001).Conclusion: The findings revealed that both types of plank exercise could cause narrowing of IRD in postpartum women. However, based on the percentage of change, incorporating additional movements such as abduction and rotation in dynamic plank, which could produce more muscle activity, yielded greater reduction in IRD compared with static plank.
Research Article
Zohreh Mazaheri; Mohammad Zare Neyestanak; Elham Foroozandeh
Abstract
Background: Infertility can be a major source of stress for women, impacting their ability to cope with challenges. This study aimed to investigate whether Bowen family therapy can improve resilience in infertile women, potentially leading to better emotional well-being and coping skills.Methods: We ...
Read More
Background: Infertility can be a major source of stress for women, impacting their ability to cope with challenges. This study aimed to investigate whether Bowen family therapy can improve resilience in infertile women, potentially leading to better emotional well-being and coping skills.Methods: We used a quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-intervention assessments and a control group. Follow-up measurements were collected two months post-intervention. The study population comprised all infertile women attending infertility centers in Isfahan, Iran, from April to June 2023. Thirty-two participants were recruited through convenience sampling and then randomly assigned to two groups (n=16 per group): an intervention group receiving Bowen family therapy and a waitlist control group. The intervention group participated in eight 90-minute (one session per week) Bowen family therapy sessions. Participants completed the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) at three time points. Repeated measures ANOVA was conducted using SPSS version 26 to analyze the data.Results: Participants in the Bowen family therapy group demonstrated improvements in several resilience measures. Scores on the hardiness and competence measure increased significantly from the pre-test (25.93±6.92) to the post-test (31.50±7.80), with gains maintained at follow-up (31.37±3.00) (P=0.010). Similar significant increases were observed in trusting one’s instincts (pre-test: 22.18±6.46; post-test: 27.43±4.66; follow-up: 26.25±3.66) (P=0.013) and positive attitude toward change (pre-test: 14.62±2.68; post-test: 18.37±3.79; follow-up: 17.12±3.63) (P=0.031). These improvements culminated in a significant rise in total resilience scores from the pre-test (77.68±15.23) to the post-test (94.62±13.84), with a follow-up mean of 90.18 (±9.77) (P=0.009). Notably, the impact of Bowen family therapy on perceived control (P=0.140) and spirituality (P=0.051) was not statistically significant (P=0.140).Conclusions: Overall, this study provides valuable evidence that supports the effectiveness of Bowen family therapy as a therapeutic approach to enhance resilience in infertile women. Tailoring interventions to address specific areas within the context of Bowen family therapy principles could be particularly beneficial for infertile women.
Research Article
Afsaneh Aslinejad; Maryam Abdoshahi; Malihe Naiemikia
Abstract
Background: Mindfulness is defined as the deliberate and non-evaluative awareness of the current moment. This study examined the effects of two training techniques, specifically strength-endurance and balance training, on mindfulness, aggression control, and emotion regulation in female high school students.Methods: ...
Read More
Background: Mindfulness is defined as the deliberate and non-evaluative awareness of the current moment. This study examined the effects of two training techniques, specifically strength-endurance and balance training, on mindfulness, aggression control, and emotion regulation in female high school students.Methods: The study employed a quasi-experimental approach with a pretest and posttest design, conducted at a high school located in the 3rd district of Tehran, Iran in 2022. Among the 78 eligible female participants, 45 students were selected using a lottery method and were randomly assigned into three groups including body combat, body balance and control groups (each group including 15 participants). The experimental groups exposed to respected exercises for six weeks, with two weekly sessions lasting 45 to 60 minutes. The participants completed the Children and Adolescent Mindfulness Questionnaire (AAMS), the Aggression Questionnaire (AGQ), and the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) in the pretest and posttest. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 26, employing ANOVA, paired t-test, ANCOVA, and LSD post hoc test.Results: BMI of the participants was 19.64±1.67. Results showed that in the posttest, body balance and body combat groups had significantly better scores than the control group in mindfulness (3.80±0.46, 3.52±0.68, and 2.95±0.35, respectively, P=0.023), aggression control (1.10±0.33, 1.57±0.47, and 1.77±0.32, respectively, P=0.001) and emotion regulation (5.62±0.52, 507±0.67, and 4.34±0.55, respectively, P<0.001). Moreover, body balance had significantly higher scores than body combat group in terms of mindfulness (P=0.041), aggression control (P=0.004) and emotion regulation (P<0.001).Conclusion: Body combat, and body balance training can be assumed as an important intervention for enhancing the mindfulness, aggression, and emotion regulation among female adolescents. These findings may have practical implications for school teachers, exercise psychologists and occupational therapists.
Research Article
Shenow Doghi; Kazem Khodaei; Mohammadreza Zolfaghar Didani
Abstract
Background: Suspension training induce acute physiological and vascular stress. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of eight weeks of low-intensity TRX training with BFR (LITRX+BFR) versus high-intensity TRX training (HITRX) in terms of sex hormones, power, muscle hypertrophy, and balance ...
Read More
Background: Suspension training induce acute physiological and vascular stress. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of eight weeks of low-intensity TRX training with BFR (LITRX+BFR) versus high-intensity TRX training (HITRX) in terms of sex hormones, power, muscle hypertrophy, and balance in young women.Methods: This study was carried out in 2018 using a semi-experimental pretest-posttest design. Thirty-six active female students were selected and then assigned to LITRX+BFR, HITRX, and control groups through random number generation. Training groups exercised three weekly sessions for eight weeks. Each session consisted of 7 low/high intensity suspension training. The control group only engaged in routine physical activity. After blood sampling, testosterone, cortisol, and estradiol hormones were measured by ELISA method. Muscular hypertrophy evaluated by anatomical method, power with jumping performance, and balance were measured via tecnobody-pk212. SPSS version 26 was used to analyze data using ANCOVA with Bonferroni post-hoc test.Results: The findings indicated that LITRX+BFR and HITRX had a significant increase in testosterone (P=0.000 and P=0.001), testosterone to cortisol ratio (P=0.001 and P=0.001), and estradiol (P=0.000 and P=0.003) while no significant change in cortisol levels (P=0.227). Moreover, muscular hypertrophy (P=0.001 and P=0.001), power (P=0.001 and P=0.000), static (P=0.011 and P=0.005) and dynamic balance (P=0.001 and P=0.001) significantly higher in both LITRX+BFR and HITRX compared with the control group. No significant differences found between suspension training with/without BFR in all variables.Conclusion: It seems LITRX+BFR had improvement in sex hormones levels, muscular hypertrophy, power, and balance as like HITRX. Therefore, LITRX+BFR can be a good alternative to HITRX in young females.
Research Article
Hojatollah Andisheh; Seyed Yousef Rasouli; Khosro Ramezani
Abstract
Background: Adolescent girls exposed to domestic violence are at high risk for long-term psychological issues. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of psychological empowerment training and schema therapy in enhancing resilience and reducing cognitive fusion, ultimately improving their mental health ...
Read More
Background: Adolescent girls exposed to domestic violence are at high risk for long-term psychological issues. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of psychological empowerment training and schema therapy in enhancing resilience and reducing cognitive fusion, ultimately improving their mental health and overall well-being.Methods: This quasi-experimental study employed a three-phase (pre-test, post-test, follow-up) design with three groups and a two-month follow-up period. The population comprised adolescent girls who were victims of domestic violence in Dehdasht, Iran in 2022 and were under the supervision of the Dehdasht County Welfare Organization, Dehdasht, Iran. A convenience sample of 45 girls was selected and randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups (15 girls in each psychological empowerment training group, 15 girls in the schema therapy group, and 15 girls in the control group). The first experimental group underwent schema therapy for ten 90-minute sessions, while the second group received psychological empowerment training for twelve 90-minute sessions. The research instruments included the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) and the Cognitive Fusion Scale (CFQ). Repeated measures ANOVA was used to analyze the data using SPSS version 24.Results: The mean resilience score for the psychological empowerment training group at the post-test was 60.48 (±5.31), and 60.96 (±4.72) at follow-up, while the mean resilience score for the control group at the post-test was 52.44 (±3.82), and 50.53 (±5.25) at follow-up. The mean cognitive fusion score for the psychological empowerment training group at the post-test was 40.76 (±2.66), and 41.47 (±5.73) at follow-up, while the mean cognitive fusion score for the control group at the post-test was 48.73 (±4.50), and 49.54 (±3.77) at follow-up. Both psychological empowerment training and schema therapy had a significant positive effect on increasing resilience in adolescent girls exposed to domestic violence (P<0.001). Additionally, the findings demonstrated that both interventions significantly decreased cognitive fusion in these girls (P<0.001).Conclusions: This study demonstrated that psychological empowerment training and schema therapy are effective treatments for adolescent girls who have experienced domestic violence. These interventions improve resilience and reduce cognitive fusion, highlighting the importance of specialized therapeutic approaches for this population.
Research Article
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 ...
Read More
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.
Research Article
Farideh Kazemi; Sima Fazli; Azita Tiznobaik; Farzaneh Soltani; Mohadeseh Ahmadi-Dastjerdi
Abstract
Background: Given the various issues that Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can cause in women and the need to address its consequences and provide solutions to improve the course of the disease and alleviate its symptoms, the present study aimed to investigate the association between body image and eating ...
Read More
Background: Given the various issues that Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can cause in women and the need to address its consequences and provide solutions to improve the course of the disease and alleviate its symptoms, the present study aimed to investigate the association between body image and eating disorders, anxiety, and depression in individuals with PCOS.Methods: This observational study was conducted on 150 girls with PCOS in Hamadan, Iran in 2023. Convenience sampling method was used to select unmarried girls of reproductive age with PCOS. The participants were asked to complete certain questionnaires, including demographic questionnaires, the eating disorders examination questionnaire (EDE-QS), the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS), and the body shape questionnaire (BSQ). The collected data were analyzed using Stata-13 software, with a significance level of P<0.05.Results: The multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that individuals with concerns about their body image had a significantly higher risk of disordered eating, approximately 25 times greater than those without concerns after adjusting for BMI, age, and PCO duration (Odds Ratio [OR]=29.25; 95%CI: 6.22, 137.67; P<0.001). The results of the logistic regression indicated that individuals with body image concerns were 2.23 times more likely to experience depression (OR=2.23; 95%CI: 1.16, 4.30; P=0.02) and two times more likely to experience anxiety (OR=2.00; 95%CI: 1.04, 3.84; P=0.04) compared with those without concerns.Conclusions: Large number of girls are concerned about their body image. This causes eating disorders, anxiety and depression in these people. These findings highlight the importance of providing timely and appropriate treatment for PCO.
