Research in psychological health

The discriminative comparison of Quality of life and Coping Styles in Narcotic Anonymous ‎and Methadone Maintenance Treatment members

ali beygi

This study aimed at comparing the quality of life and stress coping styles in narcotic anonymous (NA) and methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) members. In this causal-comparative study, 100 men (NA:50 and MMT:50), who aged 20 to 40 years and avoided drug at least 6 months, from Shahrood city,Iran, completed Word Health Organization Quality of Life Scale (QoLWHO) and Endler & parker coping styles inventory. The results showed that mean scores of the interpersonal relationships, physical health, and task-oriented and avoidance-oriented coping styles in NA members was significantly higher in comparison with the mean scores in MMT members. Further, results of the diagonistic analysis showed that the comparative differences in a compound of variables (considering the aspect of signifance, these variables include interpersonal relationships,physical health, task-oriented) would differentiate the two groups significantly. It seems that actively attending in NA may enhance QoL and effective Coping styles

Thought- Action Fusion and Thought Suppression in People with Obses-‎sive–Compulsive Symptoms, high Schizotypy and Overlapping Symptoms

Samad Hamidi Bagejan

This study was an attempt to make a comparison between the people with Obsessive–Compulsive Symptoms, high Schizotypy and Overlapping Symptoms and the normal people in terms of the Thought- Action Fusion and Thought Suppression. For this purpose, 1570 undergraduate students of Tabriz University, Iran, were selected using simple random sampling, and they completed the relevant questionnaire of the study. The results of the multivariate analysis of variance showed that those with overlapping symptoms, obsessive–compulsive symptoms, and high schizotypy got respectively higher scores in Thought- Action Fusion and Thought Suppression in comparison with the normal(control) group. The results of our study suggested that Thought action-fusion and Thought suppression may lead to the development of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in normal individuals and the individuals with high schizotypy. Further, they may lead to the formation of schizo-obsessive disorder that may be a distinct subtype with unique clinical characteristics.

Frontal Cortical Arousal During Working Memory Performance in Trait ‎Anxiety

Neda Nazarboland

This study investigated the degree of cortical arousal of the forehead during working memory performance in personality dimension of anxiety. Based on Gray’s definition of personality dimension of anxiety, in a pseudo-empirical study a sample of female students (n=793) aged from 18 to 28 years old completed Eysenck Personality Questionnaire and Carver and White’s Approach/Avoidance scale. 15 subjects whose scores were simultaneously in the upper distribution of Neuroticism and lower distribution of Extraversion (N+E-) were selected as high trait anxiety group (Anx+), and low trait anxiety group (Anx-) consisted of 15 subjects with higher scores of Extraversion and lower scores of Neuroticism (N-E+). Then their EEG was taken in baseline mode and while performing working memory task. Total scores in 1-back working memory task were taken as the indicator of working memory performance and EEG alpha oscillation during 1-back task was taken as cortical arousal index. Data were analyzed using T-test for independent samples. Results revealed that high trait anxious subjects showed more arousability in their right and left cortex of forehead during working memory performance, while their performance in working memory tasks was impaired in comparison with low trait anxious group. These Results supported Processing Efficiency Theory, which means although high trait anxious individuals employed higher mental effort during executive functions, their processing efficiency was impaired.

Negative Emotions and Pathological Internet Use: The Mediating Role of ‎Metacognitions ‎

Shahram MohammadKhani

Pathological Internet use, or internet addiction, is an emerging phenomenon that has got substantial attention by the researchers in the recent years. This study investigated the mediating role of metacognitive beliefs in the relationship between the negative emotions and internet addiction among the university students. A sample of 220 university students completed Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Metacognitive beliefs Questionnaire, and Internet Addiction Test. When it came to analyzing the data, the hypothesized mediating model was analyzed by the structural equation modeling. All dimensions of metacognitive beliefs were found to be positively and significantly correlated with the Pathological Internet use. Further, Positive and significant correlations were also observed between Pathological Internet use and negative emotions. The results of the structural equation modeling supported the hypothesis that the relationship between negative emotions and Pathological Internet use was mediated by metacognitive beliefs. Results of this study supported the effectiveness of metacognitive theory in Pathological Internet use ,and they could provide better understanding of the Pathological Internet use.

Effectiveness of Behavioral Activation Treatment for Depression (BATD) on ‎the treatment of depression and anxiety in women with obesity

Mojgan Khodapanah

The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of BATD on the treatment of obese women with depression and anxiety. In this study, 45 obese women (45 patients with a BMI equal to or greater than kg/m2 30) suffering from depression and anxiety were divided randomly into three groups of fifteen. All members of these groups were matched in terms of age, sex, education level and BMI. Research tools of this study included Beck Depression Inventory, Spielberger State-trait Anxiety Inventory,and treatment package of BATD. After taking a pre-test, the experiment group underwent 10 sessions of BATD, the regimen group received the treatment concerning the reduction of weight, and the third group received no treatment. After the termination of these interventions, the subjects took a post-test. The results of the multivariate analysis showed that behavioral activation treatment for depression(BATD) was effective in reducing the anxiety and depression symptoms of the patients with obesity. One of the probable reasons for the effectiveness of BATD, the increase of the level of pleasant, important activities and the promising events in the patient’s life can be mentioned. Finally, the results of this study are consistent with the results of other research.

The effect of stress inoculation training on psychological well-being in different ‎identity style

Mojgan Nciknam

The purpose of this research was to study the effect of stress inoculation training on the psychological satisfaction of individuals considering their identity style. Population of the study incorporated female undergraduate students these students’ identity style was determined. Of these students, 67 subjects having normative and diffuse/avoidant identity style were selected through simple random sampling and empirical method, and were put into two groups: experimental and control group. The experimental group received 12 sessions of treatment(90-minute sessions), and the control group received no treatment. To analyze the data, two way multivariate analysis of covariance was used. Results of the analysis revealed that the psychological satisfaction of the experimental group increased significantly in comparison with the experimental group. Furthermore, according to the findings of the study, identity styles had no effect on the psychological satisfaction however, they had significant effect on the efficacy of stress inoculation training. It should be mentioned that these changes(changes related to the psychological satisfaction) were stable. Therefore, it seems necessary to change the system of beliefs and to develop effective, consistent coping strategies in individuals with different identity style and processing strategy.

A study of the Psychometric Characteristics of Fear of Intimacy Scale (FIS) ‎

Hajar Falahzadeh

The purpose of the present research was to examine the factor structure of Fear of Intimacy Scale (Descutner & Thelen, 1991) and to get an acute tool which measures the degree of the Fear of Intimacy among the Iranian people. Population of the study included some married couples living in Tehran, Iran. A sample of 567 subjects, 329 females (58%) and 238 males (41.9%), completed the relevant questionnaire. Exploratory and confirmatory Factor Analysis was used to analyze the structure of the questionnaire. Factor analysis revealed two factors existed among the 35 items of the questionnaire: fear of intimacy in the relationship with the spouse, fear of intimacy in the relationship with the others. The internal consistency for the whole scale, factor 1 and factor 2 was 0.83 ,0.81 ,0.72 respectively test-retest reliability for the whole scale, factor 1 and factor 2 was 0.92, 0.87,0.85 respectively. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the data hadsignificant correlation. Negative correlation(-0.58) between this scale and the intimacy scale of walker and Thompson was indicative of the construct validity of test. FIS can be used to help those having problems in increasing the level of intimacy with others especially their spouse. Further, this scale can be used in clinical works and research.