Research in psychological health

The effectiveness of positive psychotherapy on the psychological well-being of couples

farshid ebrahimi

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of positive psychotherapy on the psychological well-being of couples in Kermanshah. The research was conducted as a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group and a 1-month follow-up. The statistical population included all married couples living in Kermanshah city between April and May of 1404. From among this population, 40 couples referred to counseling and psychological clinics were selected by available sampling method and randomly assigned to two experimental (20 couples) and control (20 couples) groups. The experimental group participated in 8 positive group psychotherapy sessions, while the control group did not receive any intervention. The research tool was RIF psychological well-being questionnaire. The data was analyzed using the statistical method of analysis of covariance. The results of covariance analysis showed that after controlling the pre-test scores, there is a significant difference between the average psychological well-being scores of couples in the experimental and control groups (P>0.05). Also, positive psychotherapy significantly improved psychological

Title: The Effectiveness of a Research Synthesis-Based Educational Package for Improving Quality of Life on the Mental Health of Older Adults

Houshang Jadidi

The aim of this study was to develop and determine the effectiveness of an educational package for enhancing mental health quality on loneliness and death anxiety in the elderly. This research employed a mixed-methods approach with a sequential exploratory design, utilizing the meta-synthesis method in the qualitative phase and a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a control group in the quantitative phase. The statistical population of the quantitative phase consisted of all elderly residents of the Kermanshah Social Security Nursing Home, from whom 30 participants were selected through simple random sampling and assigned to experimental and control groups (15 participants each). Data collection instruments included the PRISMA checklist in the qualitative phase and the Russell Loneliness Scale (1996) and Templer Death Anxiety Scale (1970) in the quantitative phase. Data analysis was performed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Findings revealed that the developed educational package had a significant effect on reducing loneliness and death anxiety in the elderly. Based on the findings, the application of this educational package in elderly care and rehabilitation centers is recommended as a non-pharmacological, cost-effective, and efficient intervention to promote mental health, improve quality of life, and enhance social adaptation among the elderly facing the challenges of this developmental stage.

Investigating the effectiveness of relationship-focused mindfulness intervention on perceived stress and quality of couple interactions in couples with communication problems

Samaneh Kheradiyar

The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a relationship-based mindfulness intervention on perceived stress and the quality of marital interactions among couples experiencing communication problems. This research employed a quasi-experimental design with pretest–posttest, control group, and short-term follow-up. The study population consisted of couples seeking family counseling services in Tehran in 2025, with 30 couples selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Instruments included the Cohen Perceived Stress Scale, the Marital Interaction Quality Questionnaire, and a demographic information form. The intervention consisted of eight sessions focused on mindfulness skills applied in relational contexts, including present-moment awareness, mindful listening, conflict management, and empathy cultivation. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and post-hoc tests. Results indicated that the intervention significantly reduced perceived stress and enhanced the quality of marital interactions, with effects maintained at short-term follow-up. These findings align with previous studies and highlight the capacity of relationship-based mindfulness to manage conflicts, foster empathy, and improve couples’ relational skills. The study underscores the potential of this intervention as an evidence-based approach for family counselors and preventive programs targeting marital communication issues. Limitations include a small sample size, short-term follow-up, and self-report measures; future studies are recommended to utilize larger samples and longer follow-up periods to examine the durability of intervention effects.

The mediation role of psychological resilience in the relationship between students' sense of hope and mental health: a moderated mediation approach

Sara Ebrahimi

This research investigated the mediating role of psychological resilience in the relationship between sense of hope and mental health among students, and the moderating role of gender on the mediation of psychological resilience. The research method was a correlational description. The population was made up of all the students of second-year public high schools in the 5th district of Tehran in the academic year 1402-1403, of which 302 people were selected using the convenience sampling method. To collect research data, The Adult Hope Scale (1991), The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (2003), and The Symptom Checklist-25 (2001) were used on the Internet. The results of Hayes regression analysis (models 4 and 7) showed that psychological resilience plays a mediating role in the relationship between sense of hope and mental health; and gender plays a moderating role in the relationship between sense of hope and mental health based on psychological resilience; So that the mediating effect of psychological resilience among girl was stronger. The findings revealed the effect mechanism of sense of hope on mental health among adolescents and can be inspiration in preventive interventions to cultivate positive psychological characteristics to increase the sense of hope and promote the mental health among students.

The Parenting Quality in Mothers With Childhood Emotional Trauma From the Mentalization Perspective

Abbas Javaheri

The present study aims to explore the impact of mentalization on the quality of parenting in mothers who experienced childhood emotional trauma. This qualitative, phenomenological research used semi-structured interviews for data collection, which were then analyzed using Collaizi's seven-step phenomenological method. The participants, selected through purposive sampling, consisted of 9 mothers of children aged 3-6 years who had experienced emotional trauma during childhood. The analysis yielded five main themes: the mother's mentalization capacity, her inner psychological state, the mother-child relationship, trauma transmission, and her parenting practices. The findings suggest that mothers with strong mentalization abilities tend to experience more positive mental states, establish secure relationships with their children, avoid repeating traumatic behaviors from their own parents, and demonstrate effective parenting. In contrast,mothers with deficits in mentalization showed more negative mental states, struggled to create security with their children, repeated traumatic behaviors, and exhibited poorer parenting practices.

the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy and metacognitive therapy on craving in substance dependent individuals

mohammad elahi

Substance addiction is one of the main challenges in public health,accompanied by negative psychological, physical, and social consequences.In the field of interventions in the field of addiction,psychological treatments have a special place.The present study was conducted with the aim of comparing the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy and metacognitive therapy on cravings in drug addicts.The research method was a quasi-experiment of the pre-test-post-test type with the control group and the statistical population of all drug addicts in Semnan city in 2021,with the available sampling method,75 people according to the entry criteria.and exit were selected and randomly assigned to two experimental groups 1(cognitive-behavioral therapy),experimental group 2(metacognitive therapy) and a control group.The tools used in this research were Franken et al (2002).Multivariate covariance analysis was used to analyze the data.The results showed that both interventions were effective in improving cravings in drug dependent people. Also,there was no significant difference between the effectiveness of the two treatments(p<0.01).According to the obtained results, both treatments can reduce the risk of returning to drug use by changing cognitive variables related to drug abuse,such as drug-related beliefs, tempting beliefs, self-efficacy,and emotion regulation strategies. Therefore, cognitive-behavioral and metacognitive therapy can be used to prevent relapse in drug addicts.

Presenting the structural model of academic identity and family communication patterns and parents' perceived educational expectations with the mediating role of basic psychological needs

Javad Kavousian

The present study aimed to present a structural model of academic identity, family communication patterns, and parents'perceived educational expectations with the mediating role of basic psychological needs. The research method was descriptive-correlational and structural equation modeling. The statistical population included all tenth and eleventh grade students in Yazd in the academic year 2021-2022. The statistical sample included 400 tenth and eleventh grade students who were randomly selected as clusters. To collect data, the Basic Psychological Needs Questionnaire, the Academic Identity Status Questionnaire, Family Communication Patterns Questionnaire, and the Parents' Perceived Educational Expectations Questionnaire were used. In order to examine the paths of the research model, structural equation modeling was used using PLS3 software. The results showed that parents' educational expectations, conformity pattern, and conversation pattern have a direct, positive, and significant effect on basic psychological needs. The results also showed that basic psychological needs have a direct, negative, and significant effect on the follower identity and the confused identity and a direct, positive, and significant effect on the latecomer identity and the successful identity. Finally, the results showed that basic psychological needs play a mediating role in the relationship between academic identity and family communication patterns and parents'perceived educational expectations.

The relationship between phubbing and mental health of students: The mediating role of self-control

Mahdi Kazemi

The phenomenon of phubbing and its relationship with mental health has recently raised concerns. Due to the lack of studies in this area, the aim of this research was to examine the mediating role of self-control in the relationship between phubbing and mental health among students. This study was fundamental in nature and employed a descriptive-correlational method. The study population included all 14,000 students at Kharazmi University during the 2023-2024 academic year, from which 255 individuals were selected through convenience sampling. The research instruments included the Phubbing General Questionnaire (Chotpitayasunond and Douglas, 2018), the Self-Control Questionnaire (Tangney, Baumeister, and Boone, 2004), and the General Health Questionnaire (Goldberg, 1972). The collected data were analyzed using Pearson correlation tests and structural equation modeling with the help of SPSS 27 and JASP 0.18.3.0 software. The findings indicated a significant negative relationship between phubbing and self-control. Additionally, there was a significant positive relationship between self-control and mental health. Furthermore, a significant negative relationship was found between phubbing and mental health. In this study, the indirect relationship between phubbing and mental health through self-control was significant at the 0.01 level. Based on the results, increasing students' awareness of the negative impacts of phubbing is crucial.

Conceptualizing online gaming addiction in Iranian adolescents: A Qualitative Grounded Theory Study

Parirokh Mamaghani Miandoab

With the revolution in the world of computer networks and the evolution of new technologies, online games have replaced traditional physical games and video games. The present study aimed to conceptualize online game addiction in Iranian adolescents based on grounded theory through semi-structured interviews. The participants were 20 adolescent boys aged 13 to 18 years old in Tehran who were selected through theoretical purposive sampling. MAXQUDA-10 software and Strauss and Corbin's (1998) thematic analysis approach including open, axial, selective, and theoretical coding were used to analyze the data and extract themes. The results of the interview analysis showed that the categories of filling leisure time, personal, communication, fame, and wealth acquisition were the most important causes of online game addiction in adolescents. The categories of personal, work, and marketing, and perceived social support constituted important areas of online game addiction. Improving attention and concentration, controlling anger, being cheerful and relieving depression, making friends, becoming professional, and becoming famous were the positive consequences of online gaming addiction, and ultimately, lack of time for daily activities, academic and personal decline, damage to physical health, and not being understood by the family constituted the negative consequences of online gaming addiction. It can be concluded that online gaming addiction in adolescents is a complex and multidimensional phenomenon that is influenced by individual, social, and family factors.

The Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Anxiety Sensitivity and Alexithymia in Women with Skin Picking and Hair Pulling Disorders

Tavakol Mosazadeh

The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on anxiety sensitivity and alexithymia in women with skin picking and hair pulling disorders in Tehran. This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest-posttest control group design. A total of 30 female students from the Islamic Azad University, Tehran Medical Sciences Branch, who met the research criteria for skin picking and hair pulling disorders, were selected using purposive sampling and randomly assigned to experimental (n = 15) and control (n = 15) groups. The experimental group received eight sessions of ACT, while the control group received no intervention. Data were collected using demographic information, the Anxiety Sensitivity Index, and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale at baseline, post-intervention, and a three-month follow-up. The results indicated no significant difference between the two groups in the pretest stage, confirming group homogeneity. However, posttest and follow-up results showed significant reductions in anxiety sensitivity and alexithymia scores in the experimental group compared to the control group (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that ACT is effective in reducing emotional and cognitive symptoms associated with skin picking and hair pulling disorders and may be considered a beneficial therapeutic approach for women affected by these conditions.

The Effectiveness of Short-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy on Anxiety and Intolerance of Uncertainty in Women with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

javanshir asadi

The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy in reducing anxiety and enhancing tolerance of uncertainty in women with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). This research employed a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population included all women diagnosed with OCD who referred to the Sarvahana Counseling Center in Tehran in 2025. A purposive sample of 30 participants was selected and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (15 participants in each). The experimental group received ten sessions of short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy, while the control group received no intervention. Data were collected using the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (MOCI), and the Freeston Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale. The results of covariance analysis indicated that short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy significantly reduced both state and trait anxiety and increased tolerance of uncertainty in the experimental group compared to the control group (p < 0.01). These findings support the effectiveness of short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy in improving emotional and cognitive components associated with OCD in women, and highlight its clinical utility in enhancing emotion regulation, uncertainty acceptance, and reducing rumination in this population.

Comparing the effectiveness of schema therapy and compassion therapy on marital conflict and differentiation in women affected by marital infidelity

elnaz pooaahmadi

The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of schema therapy and compassion-focused therapy on marital conflicts and differentiation of self among women affected by marital infidelity. This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest-posttest design with two treatment groups, in which 40 affected women were randomly assigned to schema therapy and compassion-focused therapy groups. Data were collected using validated questionnaires on marital conflicts and differentiation of self, and analyzed through multivariate analysis of covariance. The results indicated that both therapeutic approaches significantly reduced marital conflicts and enhanced differentiation of self, with significant differences observed between the two groups. Schema therapy demonstrated greater effectiveness in improving specific dimensions of marital conflicts, whereas compassion-focused therapy showed stronger effects on dimensions of differentiation of self. These findings highlight the critical role of specialized psychotherapeutic interventions in restoring psychological well-being and improving the quality of marital relationships among women affected by infidelity. They also emphasize the importance of tailoring therapeutic approaches to the individual needs and characteristics of clients. Furthermore, the results provide a scientific basis for the integrative and targeted use of these two therapeutic approaches in counseling and psychotherapy centers.

Comparing the effectiveness of schema therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy on alexithymia in women with generalized anxiety disorder

javanshir asadi

The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of schema therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy on reducing alexithymia in women with generalized anxiety disorder. The research employed a quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest and control groups. A purposive sample of 45 women diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder who referred to the Aramis Psychology Clinic in Shahr-e Rey was selected and randomly assigned into three groups: schema therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and control. The experimental groups underwent eight 90-minute intervention sessions. The Toronto Alexithymia Scale was used to measure alexithymia, and data were analyzed using analysis of covariance. Results indicated that both therapeutic approaches significantly reduced alexithymia (p < 0.05); however, schema therapy demonstrated greater effectiveness in improving the components of emotion identification and description, as well as reducing externally oriented thinking. These findings support the beneficial role of both approaches in enhancing emotional regulation among individuals with generalized anxiety disorder and highlight the necessity of addressing emotional dimensions in psychological treatments. It is recommended that the choice of therapeutic approach be made considering the individual characteristics of the client.