Research in psychological health

The effectiveness of positive psychotherapy on emotional regulation of couples

farshid ebrahimi

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of positive psychotherapy on emotional regulation of couples. This study was conducted with a semi-experimental method and a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The statistical population of the research included couples who referred to the counseling centers of Kermanshah city in 1404, from among them 20 couples were selected by available sampling method and randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups. The experimental group participated in 8 positive group psychotherapy sessions, while the control group did not receive any intervention. The data collection tool was Garnevsky et al.'s (2001) Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. The data was analyzed using the statistical method of covariance analysis. The results of covariance analysis showed that positive psychotherapy has a significant effect on emotional regulation of couples (P<0.05). Specifically, this intervention increased the adaptive components of emotion regulation, including acceptance, positive refocusing, refocusing on planning, positive reappraisal, and perspective-taking, and reduced maladaptive components, including self-blame, rumination, catastrophizing, and blaming others in couples in the experimental group compared to the control group. Research findings show that positive psychotherapy with an emphasis on positive emotions, giving meaning to experiences, identifying capabilities and Positive cognitive restructuring plays an effective role in improving couples' emotion regulation strategies. By reducing negative cognitive patterns and strengthening adaptive strategies, this approach helps couples to manage conflicts and pressures of married life in a more effective way. Therefore, positive psychotherapy can be used as an efficient intervention in couple therapy and family mental health promotion programs.

Investigating the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy on academic burnout and social anxiety symptoms in female high school students

Zohreh Mortezaei Karahrody

The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on academic burnout and social anxiety symptoms among female upper secondary school students. The study was conducted using a quasi-experimental design with a pretest–posttest control group and a one-month follow-up. The statistical population consisted of female students attending public schools in Tehran, Iran, during the 2024–2025 academic year. Following an initial screening, 30 students with elevated levels of social anxiety were purposively selected and randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group.The experimental group participated in eight 90-minute sessions of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, while the control group received no intervention. Data were collected using the Adolescent Social Anxiety Scale and the Academic Burnout Questionnaire. The data were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance.The results indicated that ACT significantly reduced social anxiety symptoms and academic burnout in the experimental group compared to the control group, and these effects were maintained at the one-month follow-up. Overall, the findings suggest that ACT, through enhancing psychological flexibility and reducing experiential avoidance, can improve students’ academic and social adjustment and may serve as an effective intervention within educational settings.

The effectiveness of a family-centered health program on self-care in patients with coronary artery Disease

Maryam Kalhornia Golkar

Coronary heart disease is one of the most common heart diseases and the leading cause of death in the world, and its effective management requires comprehensive approaches beyond drug treatment. Self-care, as one of the key components in controlling this disease, in the context of social support, especially family support, can help improve the quality of life of patients and reduce repeated hospitalizations. The present study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of a family-centered health program on self-care in patients with coronary heart disease. This quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design and three-month follow-up included 30 men with coronary heart disease who were randomly divided into two intervention groups (n=15) and control groups (n=15). The intervention group participated in eight weekly 90-minute sessions of a family-centered educational-support program, while the control group did not receive any educational intervention. The results showed that the family-centered health program significantly increased self-care behaviors in the intervention group compared to the control group, and these changes were maintained for three months after the intervention. These findings emphasize the importance of family participation in improving self-care in heart patients and indicate that family-centered interventions can be effective as a complement to drug treatments in the management of heart disease. The results of the study suggest the need to integrate these approaches into the health system and recommend to policymakers to provide the basis for the systematic implementation of family-centered programs.

The effectiveness of a mindfulness-based stress reduction program in improving self-management skills and reducing social anxiety in hyperactive adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Arsalan Barekat

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adolescence is associated with persistent deficits in self-regulation, poor self-management skills, and increased social-emotional problems, including social anxiety. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based stress reduction program on self-management skills and social anxiety in adolescents with ADHD. The study was conducted in a quasi-experimental manner with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group and a two-month follow-up. The study population included adolescents aged 13 to 15 years with this disorder, 30 of whom were selected using a convenience method and randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups. The experimental group participated in eight 90-minute sessions of a mindfulness-based stress reduction program, while the control group was on a waiting list. The research instruments included the Adolescent Self-Management Questionnaire and the Adolescent Social Anxiety Scale, which were administered in three stages: pre-test, post-test, and follow-up. Data were analyzed using repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance. The results showed that the implementation of the mindfulness-based stress reduction program significantly increased self-management skills and significantly reduced social anxiety in the experimental group compared to the control group, and these effects remained largely stable at the two-month follow-up. Based on the findings, the mindfulness-based stress reduction program can be used as a complementary and effective intervention in improving cognitive-behavioral functions and reducing social-emotional problems in adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Comparison of the Effectiveness of Postmodern Therapy and a Gender-Sensitive Perspective on the Social Well-being of Couples Referring to Counseling Centers in Ilam

Asadolla Vaisi

The aim of this study was to compare the impact of postmodern therapy and a gender-sensitive perspective on the social well-being of couples referring to counseling centers in Ilam. The research method involved a comparison between two therapeutic protocols using a repeated measures design with pre-test, post-test, and a three-month follow-up, including a control group. The statistical population consisted of all couples referring to counseling centers in Ilam during the second half of 2022. A sample of 45 individuals was selected using purposive sampling. Initially, the Marital Conflict Questionnaire was administered to 150 individuals referring to counseling and psychotherapy centers; subsequently, 45 individuals who obtained the highest scores were purposively selected. Data collection was conducted using Keyes’ Social Well-being Questionnaire (1998). Data analysis was performed using Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) via SPSS-26 software. Based on the results, the research hypothesis regarding a significant difference between postmodern therapy and the gender-sensitive perspective on couples’ social well-being was not confirmed. However, the key finding was that postmodern therapy had a significant effect on couples’ social well-being compared to the control group, whereas this effect was not significant for the gender-sensitive approach. Therefore, it appears that the postmodern approach has broader effectiveness in promoting the psychological and relational resources of couples.

Comparing the effectiveness of positive treatment and the family empowerment model based on self-compassion on treatment adherence and quality of life in female patients with type 2 diabetes

Fariborz Dortaj

The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of positive treatment and the model of family empowerment based on self-compassion on treatment adherence and quality of life in female patients with type 2 diabetes. In a semi-experimental study with a control group and pre-test and post-test, 45 women with type 2 diabetes who referred to the endocrinology department of Shahid Dr. Labafinejad Hospital in Tehran from June to July 2014 were selected by random sampling. Then the subjects were randomly divided into two experimental groups through Excel office software (the first experimental group was treated with positive treatment (n=15); the second experimental group was treated with the family empowerment model based on self-compassion (n=15) and a control group (n=15) was subjected to routine hospital treatments. The data collection tool was the questionnaire of compliance with treatment and quality of life in three stages of the baseline, after the intervention and three-month follow-up.

effectiveness of short-term intensive dynamic psychotherapy on stress in seventh-grade female students of the first high school in Tehran's District 3 with social anxiety

masoomeh hoseinian

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) on stress among female seventh-grade students with social anxiety in District 3 of Tehran. The present study was applied in terms of purpose and employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest and a control group. The statistical population comprised all female seventh-grade students with social anxiety in schools of District 3 of Tehran during the academic year 2025. The sample consisted of 20 students (10 in the experimental group and 10 in the control group) selected based on the cut-off score (50) of the Connor et al. (2000) Social Anxiety Scale and in coordination with school counselors, and were then randomly assigned to the two groups. Data collection instruments included the Connor et al. (2000) Social Anxiety Scale, the Lovibond and Lovibond (1995) Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), and the ISTDP intervention protocol based on Davanloo's (1990) approach. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 26 at both descriptive (mean, standard deviation) and inferential (analysis of covariance) levels. The results of analysis of covariance indicated that Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy had a significant effect on reducing stress in female students with social anxiety, and the results of the Bonferroni post hoc test showed that the mean stress scores of the experimental group in the posttest phase were significantly lower than those of the control group.

Predicting Marital Conflicts Based on Emotion Regulation Strategies, Basic Needs Satisfaction with the Mediation of Mental Health Among Married Women in Qom

Zabihollah Gharlipour

The present study aimed to predict marital conflicts based on emotion regulation strategies and basic needs satisfaction with the mediation of mental health among married women in Qom. The findings from direct path analysis showed that basic needs satisfaction has a direct and positive effect on reducing marital conflict (β = 0.310) and also shows a significant relationship with improving mental health (reducing symptom scores) (β = -0.503). Emotion regulation strategies also directly led to improving mental health (β = 0.371). Better mental health was also associatedThe aim of this study was to predict marital conflicts based on emotion regulation strategies and basic psychological needs satisfaction, with the mediating role of mental health, in married women in Qom city. The findings from the analysis of direct paths indicated that basic psychological needs satisfaction had a direct and positive effect on reducing marital conflict (β = 0.310) and also showed a significant relationship with improved mental health (reduced symptom score) (β = -0.503). Emotion regulation strategies also directly led to improved mental health (β = 0.371). Better mental health was associated with reduced marital conflict (β = -0.352). However, the direct relationship between emotion regulation strategies and marital conflict was not significant (β = 0.020, p = 0.780). Regarding indirect effects, the results indicated that mental health played a significant mediating role in the relationships between the predictor variables and marital conflict. Specifically, basic psychological needs satisfaction led to an indirect reduction in marital conflict through the improvement of mental health (β = -0.177). Additionally, emotion regulation strategies, mediated by mental health, had a significant indirect effect on reducing marital conflict (β = -0.130). Overall, the findings emphasize that both basic psychological needs satisfaction and the use of adaptive emotion regulation strategies can reduce marital conflicts through the pathway of promoting mental health. These results highlight the importance of simultaneously considering individual psychological factors and internal mechanisms such as mental health in designing educational and therapeutic interventions aimed at reducing marital conflicts. with reducing marital conflict (β = -0.352).However, the direct relationship between emotion regulation strategies and marital conflict was not significant (β = 0.020, significance 0.780). Regarding indirect effects, the results indicated that mental health plays a significant mediating role in the relationships between predictor variables and marital conflict. Thus, satisfying basic needs through improving mental health led to an indirect reduction in marital conflict (β = 0.177).

The Effectiveness of Self-Compassion Training on the Levels of Self-Criticism and Sense of Psychological Cohesion of Women with Depressive Symptoms Referring to Counseling Centers

masoomeh hoseinian

The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of self-compassion training on levels of self-criticism and the sense of psychological coherence in women with depressive syndrome. The research method was applied in terms of purpose and employed a quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest and a control group. The statistical population consisted of all women with depressive syndrome who visited counseling centers in Qom city in 2025. The sample included 30 women selected through convenience sampling and were randomly and equally assigned (15 participants each) to an experimental group and a control group. The instruments used included the Thompson and Zuroff Self-Criticism Scale (2004), the Flensborg-Madsen et al. Sense of Psychological Coherence Questionnaire (2006), and the Gilbert Self-Compassion Training Protocol (2010). Data analysis was conducted using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and Bonferroni post-hoc test in SPSS version 27. The findings showed that self-compassion training significantly reduced self-criticism and increased the sense of psychological coherence in women with depressive syndrome. Moreover, the intervention had a significant effect on reducing the components of self-criticism (internal and comparative) and increasing the components of psychological coherence (comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness). The results of the Bonferroni post-hoc test indicated a decrease in mean self-criticism scores and an increase in mean psychological coherence scores in the experimental group compared to the control group. Therefore, it can be concluded that self-compassion training is effective in improving mental health indicators among women with depressive syndrome and can be used as a complementary intervention in counseling and treatment centers.

Ideation and Development of the Meme Mapps Technique to Trace the Developmental History of Pathological Psychological Mems in Major Depressive Disorder: A Qualitative Case Study.

Jahangir Karami

One of the overlooked aspects of psychopathology is its cultural foundations. Just as genes can carry defective biological information and transmit it across generations, memes can also transfer defective cultural information into minds, potentially leading to psychological distress. Therefore, the present study aims to conceptualize and develop the technique of Meme Maps to trace the developmental history of pathological psychological memes in Major Depressive Disorder. This study follows a qualitative case-study approach. The research population consisted of individuals aged 18 to 25 diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder in Kermanshah, in 2024. Through purposive sampling, a single participant was selected for detailed analysis. Memetic assessment revealed two primary memeplexes—Incapacity-Helplessness and Shame-Deficiency that contributed to the patient’s symptoms. Using the Meme Maps technique, the Gestational and Developmental Meme Events of these memeplexes were identified. The patient’s awareness of these Gestational Meme Events and Developmental Meme Events led to insight into the emotions corresponding to pathological memes, enabling them to destabilize the foundations of their maladaptive memeplexes. This insight further allowed the individual to counteract the extended phenotypic effects of these memeplexes. the study demonstrated the effectiveness of Meme Maps in identifying the evolutionary trajectory of pathological psychological memes in Major Depressive Disorder

The prediction of alexithymia in adolescents based on cognitive flexibility and difficulties in emotion regulation of mothers

Tooraj Sepahvand

The present research was conducted with the aim of predicting alexithymia in adolescents based on cognitive flexibility and difficulties in emotion regulation of their mothers. This research was a descriptive-analytical study and conducted in the form of a correlational design. The statistical population included adolescents aged 13 to 18 years from Arak schools along with their mothers, 459 of them were selected by random cluster sampling. The students responded to twenty-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and their mothers to Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale and Cognitive Flexibility Inventory, and the collected data were analyzed using stepwise regression. The findings showed that limited access to emotion regulation strategies (beta coefficient= 0.240) and lack of emotional clarity (beta coefficient=0.194) of mothers had a significant role in predicting the alexithymia in adolescent and explained about 14% of its variance. Other subscales of difficulties in emotion regulation and cognitive flexibility of mothers did not play a role in explaining it. As a result, difficulties in emotion regulation in mothers can play an important role in adolescent emotional alexithymia. Accordingly, strengthening mothers' emotion regulation skills is recommended to specialists as an important priority for improving the emotional health of their children.

The structure modelling of attention to emotions with Worry and Stress: mediating role of positive affect

Amin Rahmati

The present study was conducted by the structural modelling of attention to emotions (voluntary and involuntary) with worry and stress among students of Shahid Chamran university of Ahvaz with the mediating role of negative affect. The method of the present research was structural equation modeling and the population included all students of Shahid Chamran university of Ahvaz in year 1402-03, of which 312 were selected as a sample by simple random sampling. Structural equation modeling method, bootstrap test, SPSS, and AMOS version 24 software were used for data analysis. After the analysis, it was observed that the model has a good fit and the findings showed that involuntary attention to emotions is directly related to negative affect, worry and stress. But voluntary attention to emotions only has a direct relationship with negative emotions, and its relationship with worry and stress is indirect and through negative affect. Negative affect played a mediating role for the relationship between both types of attention to emotions with worry and stress.

Comparisson of the therapeutic Intervention effects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Mindfulness on the Biological, Psychological and Social Indicators of Women Aged 35 to 65 with Human Papillomavirus

Amin Rafiepoor

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions of acceptance and commitment and mindfulness on the biological, psychological and social indicators of women with human papillomavirus.This study was a semi-experimental method with a pre-test-post-test design and a two-month follow-up period. The statistical population included all female patients with human papilloma virus who lived in Dubai and visited Al-Shafa Behavioral Diseases Clinic .Through purposive sampling, 45 subjects were selected and randomly allocated to either the ACT, mindfulness or the control group (n = 15 per group). Then the subjects of the two experimental groups were subjected to training based on acceptance and commitment therapy and training based on mindfulness for 8 sessions of 90 minutes. The data collection tool was DASS-21 (1993), Marlowe and Crown's (1996) Social Desirability Scale. the results, a tangible difference was spotted between the groups in the pre-and post-test stage and considering time impact on the mean virous (η²=0.888, F=222.695, p<0.001), depression (η²=0.953, F=562.146, P<0.001), anxiety (η²=0.760, F=88.843, P<0.001), stress (η²=0.953, F=405.704, P<0.001), and social desirability (η²=0.26, F=9.820, P<0.001). In general, the results showed that both methods of educational intervention were effective in women.

The Effectiveness of Emotion-Focused Therapy on Anxiety Sensitivity and Intolerance of Uncertainty in Students with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

afsaneh Khajound Khoshli

The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of emotion-focused therapy in reducing anxiety sensitivity and intolerance of uncertainty in students with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This semi-experimental study employed a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population consisted of female high school students diagnosed with OCD during the 2024–2025 academic year in Babolsar. Thirty participants were purposefully selected and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (15 in each). The experimental group received eight 90-minute sessions of emotion-focused therapy, while the control group received no intervention. Data were collected using the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI) and the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS) at pretest and posttest stages. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and the least significant difference test. Results indicated that emotion-focused therapy significantly reduced anxiety sensitivity and intolerance of uncertainty in the experimental group compared to the control group (p < 0.01). These findings suggest that emotion-focused therapy can be an effective approach to reduce cognitive-emotional components related to OCD in adolescents.

A Structural Explanation of Adolescents’ Achievement Goal Orientation Based on Emotional Schemas and Working Memory Processing: A Model within a Mental Health Framework

hosein bigdeli

The aim of the present study was to explain the structural model of adolescent goal orientation based on emotional schemas and working memory processing in the context of mental health. This study was descriptive-correlational and conducted with a structural equation modeling approach. The statistical population included all second-year high school students in the academic year 1403-1404, of which 315 were selected using convenience sampling, and after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the data of 300 people were included in the analysis. The data collection tools included the Elliott and McGregor Goal Orientation Questionnaire (2001), the Leahy Emotional Schema Scale (2002), and the Nelson Cowen Working Memory Scale (2005). The data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling method and PLS software. The findings showed that emotional schemas and working memory both directly and positively affect different dimensions of achievement goal orientation, and working memory plays a significant mediating role in the relationship between emotional schemas and achievement goals. The proposed model had a good fit. The results of this study emphasize the simultaneous importance of emotional and cognitive factors in the formation of adolescents' achievement goals and can be a guide for educational and psychological interventions to improve their academic motivation.

The Role of Physical Activity in Modulating Psychological, Neural, and Hormonal Structures Related to Violence: An Approach Based on Iranian Criminal Law

Mahmooud Habibitabar

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of exercise interventions on reducing aggressive behaviors and to understand the associated biological, neural, and psychosocial mechanisms. Conducted as a systematic review and analysis of selected studies, primarily focusing on moderate to high-intensity aerobic exercise, the research examined hormonal markers, neurostructural changes, and psychosocial outcomes related to aggression. Findings revealed that regular exercise reduces cortisol levels and modulates testosterone ratio, while increasing endorphin secretion and enhancing serotonergic function, which collectively contribute to decreased irritability and impulsivity. Furthermore, regular exercise promotes neuroplasticity, elevates brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels, and increases hippocampal volume, leading to significant improvements in prefrontal cortex function, crucial for impulse regulation and response inhibition. Psychosocially, group exercises strengthen social support, enhance self-efficacy, and improve conflict resolution skills, fostering sustained reduction in aggressive behaviors. These results indicate that multidimensional exercise interventions have a significant role in aggression reduction and mental health promotion, providing a strong foundation for developing therapeutic and rehabilitative programs.