Showing 71 results for Anxiety
Feresheh Reza, Javanshir Asadi, Arastoo Mirani, Afsaneh Khajevand Khoshli,
Volume 19, Issue 1 (6-2025)
Abstract
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.
Asiyeh Malakdar, Dr Javanshir Asadi, Dr Arastoo Mirani,
Volume 19, Issue 1 (6-2025)
Abstract
| 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. |
Kumars Moradi, Houshang Jadidi, Ali Taghvaeinia,
Volume 19, Issue 1 (6-2025)
Abstract
The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a quality-of-life enhancement educational package on loneliness and death anxiety among older adults. The study employed a quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest and control group. The statistical population consisted of older adults residing in the Social Security Nursing Home in Kermanshah, Iran. Thirty participants were selected through simple random sampling and randomly assigned into experimental and control groups (15 participants in each group). The experimental group received the quality-of-life enhancement educational package in 10 sessions, while the control group received no intervention. The research instruments included the UCLA Loneliness Scale and the Templer Death Anxiety Scale. Data were analyzed using univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The findings showed that the quality-of-life enhancement educational package significantly reduced loneliness and death anxiety among older adults in the experimental group compared to the control group (P<0.001). Furthermore, the effect sizes were 0.51 for loneliness and 0.41 for death anxiety, indicating the substantial effectiveness of the intervention. The findings suggest that the quality-of-life enhancement educational package can be used as a comprehensive and evidence-based intervention to improve older adults’ mental health and reduce loneliness and death anxiety.
Masoomeh Hoseinian, Fatemeh Mohammadifar,
Volume 19, Issue 2 (9-2025)
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy on reducing stress in female students with social anxiety. The research method was a quasi-experimental design with a pretest–posttest and a control group. The statistical population included seventh-grade female students of lower secondary schools in District 3 of Tehran during the 2024–2025 academic year. The sample consisted of 20 students with symptoms of social anxiety who were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (10 students in each group). The experimental group received nine 90-minute sessions of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy, while the control group did not receive any intervention.
The research instruments included the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) as a screening tool and the stress subscale of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS-26 software.
The results showed that after controlling for the pretest effect, there was a significant difference between the two groups in stress levels (p < 0.01). In conclusion, Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy can be considered an effective intervention for reducing stress in female students with social anxiety.
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Hava Mahmoudzadeh Kenari, Afsaneh Khajound Khoshli, Javanshir Asadi,
Volume 19, Issue 2 (9-2025)
Abstract
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.
Arshida Sayadi, Fatemeh Houshmand, Seyedeh Reyhaneh Hashemi, Tara Sotvar, Arsalan Barekat,
Volume 19, Issue 2 (9-2025)
Abstract
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.
Marzieh Barati, Zohreh Mortezaei Karahrody,
Volume 19, Issue 2 (9-2025)
Abstract
| 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. |
M.a Marziehsadat Hejazi, Ph.d Roya Mashak,
Volume 19, Issue 3 (12-2025)
Abstract
The aim of the study was to predict health anxiety based on experiential avoidance and self-compassion with the mediation of emotion regulation difficulty in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder. The research method was descriptive-correlational and the statistical population was mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder in Isfahan province from 1403 to 11402, of which 250 people were selected by convenience sampling. The collection tools were Salkoskis and Warwick's health anxiety (2002), experiential avoidance Bond et al. (2011), self-compassion Reis et al. (2011), and Gratz and Roemer's emotion regulation difficulty (2004). The results were analyzed using path analysis and SPSS26 and AMOS18 software. The findings showed that health anxiety on experiential avoidance, health anxiety on self-compassion, health anxiety on emotion regulation difficulty, experiential avoidance on emotion regulation difficulty, self-compassion on emotion regulation difficulty have a significant relationship, and health anxiety based on experiential avoidance has a significant relationship with the mediation of emotion regulation difficulty, and health anxiety based on self-compassion has a significant relationship with the mediation of emotion regulation difficulty. As a result, the research can help provide more targeted and effective interventions to reduce health anxiety in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder.
Zohreh Esmaaili, Sahar Shakour, Samira Ramazenkhani, Hosna Rostami, Fatemeh Ghasempour,
Volume 19, Issue 4 (3-2025)
Abstract
This review study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) in reducing social anxiety among adolescents. A systematic search was conducted across Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Scopus, PubMed, Google Scholar, Magiran, and IranDoc using relevant keywords. Studies assessing MBCT’s impact on adolescent social anxiety with a PEDro score above 5 were included. From 43 identified articles, 6 met the inclusion criteria. Findings indicated that MBCT significantly reduces social anxiety in adolescents, though variations in methodology, sample size, and assessment tools were observed. These results underscore MBCT’s potential as an effective intervention for social anxiety. It is recommended that MBCT be integrated into school-based counseling and mental health programs. Further research with standardized methodologies is needed to explore MBCT’s efficacy across diverse cultural contexts.
Elnaz Baniani, Fatemeh Behroozfar, Arezoo Siahcheshm, Farnoosh Nikkhak,
Volume 19, Issue 4 (3-2025)
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of media literacy and emotion regulation training on reducing anxiety and improving mental health of adolescents with cyberspace addiction. The research method was applied in terms of purpose and quasi-experimental in terms of data collection method. This study is an applied research in terms of nature and a quasi-experimental research in terms of implementation and a pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The statistical population in this study included all adolescents with cyberspace addiction in Tehran between Farvardin 1404 and Shahrivar 1404 who referred to the Mind Ara Counseling Center. 45 people were selected purposefully from the statistical population and Beck Anxiety and GHQ Mental Health Questionnaires were distributed to them for response. Also, Gross's (2002) emotion regulation training intervention and Saleh Rad et al.'s (2019) media literacy training intervention were used to train students. Finally, it has been concluded that emotion regulation training has an effect on reducing anxiety and mental health of adolescents with cyberspace addiction, media literacy training has an effect on reducing anxiety and mental health of adolescents with cyberspace
Mahrokh Ajorloo, Zohreh Mortezaei Karahrody,
Volume 19, Issue 4 (3-2025)
Abstract
Emergency and crisis-oriented occupations, such as firefighting, involve high levels of operational stress that can lead to performance anxiety under acute conditions, so the present study aimed to predict performance anxiety based on resilience and sleep quality in firefighters. The design of this study was descriptive-correlational and the statistical population consisted of all active firefighters in the Fire-Fighting and Safety Services Organization, from whom a sample was selected using convenience sampling. The research instruments included the Performance Anxiety Questionnaire, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the obtained data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis (Enter method). Pearson correlation results indicated a significant negative relationship between resilience and performance anxiety and a significant positive relationship between sleep quality and performance anxiety. Furthermore, multiple regression analysis demonstrated that the predictor variables significantly predicted the variance in performance anxiety among firefighters, and within this model, both resilience and sleep quality made independent and significant contributions to predicting the criterion variable. Based on the findings, performance anxiety in firefighters is significantly influenced by psychological resources and biological-hygienic indicators, therefore planning interventions to enhance psychological coping mechanisms and optimizing work shift schedules to improve personnel sleep quality can serve as essential strategies for reducing performance anxiety and maintaining the operational efficiency of firefighters.
