Showing 416 results for Type of Study: Research
Miss Parirokh Mamaghani Miandoab, Dr Javad Kavousian, Dr Mehdi Arabzadeh, Dr Balal Izanloo,
Volume 19, Issue 1 (6-2025)
Abstract
The present study aimed to identify the factors influencing online gaming addiction among adolescents using a qualitative research design and semi-structured interviews method based on grounded theory. The participants of this study included 20 boy adolescent aged 13 to 18 years in Tehran who were selected using a theoretical sampling method. Based on the findings, the causes of online gaming addiction were found to be filling leisure time, personal, communication, fame, and wealth acquisition. Also, personal, work, marketing, and perceived social support factors in individual, social, and family dimensions play an important role in the occurrence of this phenomenon. Improving accuracy and concentration, controlling anger, cheerfulness, and relieving depression in the individual dimension, and making friends, becoming professional, and becoming famous in the social dimension, were positive consequences of online gaming addiction. Finally, lack of time for daily activities and academic and personal failure, damage to physical health in the individual dimension, and not being understood by the family in the family dimension were the negative consequences of online game addiction. It is suggested that education planners focus their counseling programs on how to fill leisure time usefully, create enjoyable personalized entertainment, Deal with stress and Satisfy individual needs.
Noura Dehghanpour, Dr Tavakol Mosazadeh, Dr Reza Kazemzadeh, Dr Vakil Nazari,
Volume 19, Issue 1 (6-2025)
Abstract
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.
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.
Mahsa Rohani Otaghs Sara, Afsaneh Khajound Khoshli, Elnaz Pooaahmadi,
Volume 19, Issue 1 (6-2025)
Abstract
| 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. |
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. |
Mohsen Amiri, Jahangir Karami,
Volume 19, Issue 2 (9-2025)
Abstract
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
Maryam Kazemi, Tooraj Sepahvand,
Volume 19, Issue 2 (9-2025)
Abstract
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.
Mr. Hesam Soleimani, Mr. Amin Rahmati, Mr. Asem Esmaeili,
Volume 19, Issue 2 (9-2025)
Abstract
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.
Mrs. Mana Rashidi, Dr. Hadi Keramati, Dr. Hamidreza Hassan Abadi, Dr. Javad Kavousian,
Volume 19, Issue 2 (9-2025)
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the relationship between attachment to the father and mother, and childhood trauma with proactive-reactive aggression, considering the mediating role of student-teacher interaction. The present study was applied in terms of its purpose, descriptive-correlational in terms of its nature, cross-sectional in terms of time, and quantitative in terms of data type. The statistical population included second and third year high school and pre-university students in Tehran in 1401-1402, and 215 subjects were selected as the sample size. To collect data, questionnaires were used, including Bernstein et al.'s (1988) Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Armsden and Greenberg’s (1987) Attachment Styles Questionnaire, Ryan et al.'s (2006) Proactive-Reactive Aggression Questionnaire, Wolters et al.'s (1993) Student-Teacher Interaction Questionnaire, and PISA’s (2012) Socioeconomic Status Questionnaire. Data analysis was performed in two parts: descriptive and inferential statistics using Spss-V23 and Pls-V3 software. The findings showed that attachment to the father and mother did not directly affect student-teacher interaction, and childhood trauma directly had a significant effect on student-teacher interaction. Also, attachment to the father does not indirectly affect aggression, and attachment to the mother and childhood trauma indirectly have a significant effect on aggression.
Dr Sheida Nasseri Akbar, Dr Ezatallah Kordmirza Nikoozadeh, Dr Mahnaz Moghanloo, Dr Seyedeh Zahra Alibakhshi, Dr Amin Rafiepoor,
Volume 19, Issue 2 (9-2025)
Abstract
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.
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.
Adnan Vaezi, Dr Hosein Bigdeli, Dr Mohsen Ahmadi Tahor Soltani,
Volume 19, Issue 2 (9-2025)
Abstract
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.
Dr. Mahmoud Zivari Rahman, Ms. Somayeh Pour Mojahad, Mr. Ali Qardashi,
Volume 19, Issue 3 (12-2025)
Abstract
According to the report of the World Health Organization, suicide is one of the main causes of death among young people and adolescents, in Iran, the available statistics indicate an increase in suicide, especially among adolescents, which requires deep analysis and investigation, so identifying the causes of action Adolescent suicide is considered a necessity. Therefore, the aim of this study is to provide a phenomenological explanation of adolescent girls' lived experiences regarding the causes of suicide attempts. The research method was a qualitative descriptive phenomenological type using thematic analysis technique. The field of research includes second secondary female students studying in Hamadan schools who committed suicide in 1402. 16 people were selected as a sample by purposive sampling method until theoretical saturation was reached. The data were collected using in-depth and semi-structured interviews, and the 7-step Claysey method was used for their analysis. The findings from the interviews were extracted and classified into 9 main themes and 21 sub-themes. which includes 1- family pressures. 2- Social and cultural pressures. 3- Psychological and emotional factors. 4- Emotional and life experiences. 5-Parenting style. 6- Social relations and friends. 7- Lack of coping skills and problem solving. 8- The pressures of the school environment and educational system. 9- Environmental and social factors. This research indicates that suicide attempts among adolescent girls are a complex and multifaceted phenomenon influenced by a combination of various factors. Therefore, in order to implement effective prevention and intervention strategies, it is essential that policies and support programs take into account the different individual, familial, social, and cultural dimensions. Furthermore, this study highlights the importance of focusing on coping skills, psychological support, and changes in social environments such as family and school as key approaches to reducing suicidal behaviors in adolescent girls.
Ph.d Roya Mashak, M.a Marziehsadat Hejazi,
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.
Dr Mojgan Agahheris, Dr Mahdieh Rahmanian, Dr Ezzatollah Kordmirza Nikoozadeh, Mr Soroush Pourmousaabkenar,
Volume 19, Issue 3 (12-2025)
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on reducing stress-related arousal in patients with respiratory problems: a randomized controlled clinical trial. The present study was a quasi-experimental design with pre-test, post-test, control group, and a three-month follow-up period. The statistical population consisted of all patients with respiratory problems in 2024 (1403 in the Persian calendar). From this population, 30 individuals were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (15 each). All participants completed Cohen’s Perceived Stress Questionnaire (1983) before the intervention. Subsequently, the experimental group received Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in eight 90-minute sessions, held weekly. Research data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance. The results showed that there was a significant difference in stress-related arousal between the two groups at the post-test and follow-up stages (p<0.05), indicating that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy was effective in reducing stress-related arousal (p<0.05). Accordingly, it can be concluded that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy can be effective in reducing stress-related arousal in patients with respiratory problems.
Mr. Mohammad Farhoush, Mr. Mohammad Najafi,
Volume 19, Issue 3 (12-2025)
Abstract
The aim of this study was to design an obsessive-compulsive personality disorder questionnaire (OCPDQ) and validate it. The present study was descriptive (correlational). First, the items of the obsessive personality questionnaire were designed based on the Farhoush and Najafi (1404) model, and its content validity was confirmed by 8 experts and were administered along with the Gibb OCPD questionnaire, hospital anxiety and depression, and Diner life satisfaction questionnaires to 309 clients of counseling centers. To assess diagnostic validity, 58 participants underwent a structured clinical interview based on DSM5. Cronbach's alpha coefficient, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and SPSS24 and LISREL8/8 software were used in the analysis. The results showed that the OCPDQ consists of 24 items and 3 components are strictness and extreme accuracy, introverted affect, and preoccupation with order and organization. The reliability and internal consistency of the questionnaire was 0.90. Its convergent validity was with the Gibb questionnaire (0.52), discriminant validity with the Depression Questionnaire (0.39) and Hospital Anxiety Questionnaire (0.23), and divergent validity with life satisfaction (-0.195) was favorable. The Construct validity, sensitivity (90%) and specificity (84%) were also favorable. Based on the results, the OCPDQ has appropriate validity.
Dr Fatemeh Soleimani, Dr Javanshir Asadi, Dr Arastoo Mirani, Dr Afsaneh Khajevand Khoshli ,
Volume 19, Issue 3 (12-2025)
Abstract
Extramarital relationships are among the major psychological challenges within family systems, potentially undermining mental health and marital satisfaction. The present study aimed to investigate the structural equation modeling of the tendency toward extramarital relationships based on loneliness, with the mediating role of sexual quality of life, among married women attending family counseling centers in Mashhad. The study employed a descriptive–correlational design using structural equation modeling. The statistical population consisted of all married women referred to family counseling centers in Mashhad in 2024, from which a sample of 300 participants was selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using the UCLA Loneliness Scale (1980), the Tendency toward Extramarital Relationships Questionnaire, and the Sexual Quality of Life Questionnaire (2002). Data analysis was conducted using AMOS and SPSS through structural equation modeling and Pearson correlation tests. Findings revealed that loneliness had a positive and significant relationship with the tendency toward extramarital relationships (p < 0.001). Moreover, sexual quality of life played a significant mediating role in the relationship between loneliness and the tendency toward extramarital relationships, such that higher sexual quality of life reduced the negative effect of loneliness on extramarital tendencies. The model fit indices indicated an acceptable fit of the proposed model. These findings highlight the importance of reducing loneliness and enhancing sexual quality of life as effective strategies to mitigate extramarital tendencies. Accordingly, psychological and counseling interventions focusing on improving marital and sexual relationships are recommended.
Fatemeh Behroozfar, Dr Marjan Al Behbahani,
Volume 19, Issue 3 (12-2025)
Abstract
Cancer, as one of the most prevalent chronic and life-threatening diseases, is accompanied by numerous physical and psychological challenges, including chronic pain that affects patients' quality of life. The present study aimed to predict pain tolerance based on spiritual well-being and self-control in cancer patients. This descriptive-correlational study was conducted on a population of 260 cancer patients referred to Nemazi Hospital in Shiraz in 2024, with a sample of 150 individuals selected via convenience sampling. Research instruments included the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (Sullivan et al., 1995; for inverse measurement of pain tolerance), the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (Paloutzian & Ellison, 1982), and the Self-Control Scale (Tangney et al., 2004), with reliability confirmed by Cronbach's alpha ranging from 0.80 to 0.85. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and multiple regression in SPSS-21 software. Pearson correlation results indicated significant positive relationships between spiritual well-being (r=0.285, p<0.001), self-control (r=0.328, p<0.001), and pain tolerance. Regression analysis revealed that spiritual well-being and self-control together explained 36% of the variance in pain tolerance (R²=0.360, F=56.993, p<0.001). Spiritual well-being and self-control are effective predictors of pain tolerance in cancer patients, and it is recommended to integrate interventions focused on enhancing these factors into clinical programs to improve patients' quality of life.
Ali Yousefi Rudpish, Roya Tavakoli, Fatemeh Mohammadifar, Ziba Poursadegh Gavgani,
Volume 19, Issue 3 (12-2025)
Abstract
The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of integrative family therapy (cognitive-behavioral and emotion-focused) on improving metacognitions and reducing depression in couples. This study employed a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design with a control group and was applied in nature. The statistical population consisted of couples who referred to the Andisheh Sabz Counseling Center in Qom in 2025 to receive treatment for depression and to improve their metacognitive skills. The sample was selected using available and purposive sampling methods. Based on Krejcie and Morgan’s formula, a total of 30 participants (15 in the experimental group and 15 in the control group) were selected. Data were collected using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Metacognitions Questionnaire developed by Wells and Cartwright-Hatton (1997). The integrative family therapy intervention was implemented using protocols from cognitive-behavioral family therapy and emotion-focused family therapy during a series of structured sessions. Data were analyzed using appropriate statistical methods, including analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The results indicated that integrative family therapy significantly reduced depression and improved metacognitions in the experimental group compared to the control group.
Zahra Kavousian, Faezeh Ziaei, Parisa Pakari, Parisa Hosseinzadeh Yazdi, Zeinab Hassani Asl,
Volume 19, Issue 3 (12-2025)
Abstract
Depression is one of the most prevalent psychological disorders, shaped by the complex interplay of cognitive, emotional, and environmental factors. Recent empirical evidence suggests that negative attentional bias and deficits in emotional working memory are key cognitive–emotional constructs contributing to the maintenance and exacerbation of depressive symptoms. The present study aimed to examine the mediating role of emotional working memory in the relationship between attentional bias and depressive symptoms within the context of family interactions.
This research employed a descriptive–correlational design with a causal–mediational approach. The statistical population consisted of adults engaged in active family relationships in Tehran, among whom 350 participants were selected using a stratified convenience sampling method. The instruments included the Depression Attentional Bias Questionnaire, the Emotional Working Memory Scale, and the Family Interaction Quality Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and path analysis.
The results indicated a significant positive relationship between attentional bias and depressive symptoms within family interactions, with emotional working memory playing a significant mediating role in this association. These findings suggest that impairments in emotional working memory may serve as a cognitive mechanism underlying the impact of attentional bias on depressive symptoms. Overall, understanding this mediating pathway can contribute to refining theoretical models of depression and developing preventive and therapeutic interventions focused on enhancing cognitive and emotional functioning at both individual and family levels.
