Journal of

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The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of neuroticism on processing of emotional faces in adolescents. The subjects of the study (30 subjects with high neuroticism and 30 subjects with low neuroticism) were selected based on their scores in Junior Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (JEPQ) and also a semi-structured clinical interview was performed. Then computerized pictorial version of modified dot-probe task was carried out on them. The data were analyzed through mixed analysis of variance. The results of this study indicated that adolescents with high neuroticism showed significant vigilance to angry emotional face while adolescents with low neuroticism showed significant avoidance from angry face. The findings of this study demonstrated that personality trait of neuroticism in adolescents can cause attention biases to emotional faces.

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The present research aimed to investigate the effectiveness of short-term and long-term life skills training in decreasing the aggression among the adolescents. The sample comprised 400 male and female students studying in the high schools of Karaj, who responded to two questionnaires of Life Skills and Aggression Questionnaire and based on their mean score were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups (100 male and 100 female). Subsequent to ten life skills training sessions for the experimental group, both groups were reassessed by both of the questionnaires. Covariance analysis indicated that increase of life skills decreased the level of aggression among the individuals. In order to test out the stability of the training effects, two 30-individual groups with low and high scores were selected and were tested in terms of the research variables. Results demonstrated that in the first six month, the mean of groups decreased. However, this was desirable according to the psychological statistics. It's worth mentioning that, the weak group demonstrated a greater decrease. Furthermore, in the second six month, the weak group attended five training sessions which increased their level of life skills and decreased the level of aggression to a more considerable level as compared to the strong group which resulted in lower mean by the end of the training. It can be concluded that the repetition of the training with time interval increases the level of awareness and mastery of life skills and we can evidence higher decrease of aggression and more stability of the results

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The aim of this study was to investigate the structural relationship of family environment, socioeconomic status and cognitive affect regulation strategies with externalizing and internalizing syndromes in adolescents. To explore the mentioned relations, a sample of 1647 (840 girls, 807 boys) high school students was selected by multi-stage sampling method. All participants were asked to complete the Family Environment Scale (FES), Inventory of Cognitive Affect Regulation Strategies (ICARUS) and Youth Self-Report form of Achenbach's ASEBA school-age forms. There were correlations between most of variables of family environment, cognitive affect regulation strategies and internalizing and externalizing syndromes. For evaluating adequacy and Goodness of fitness of the model, RMR, RMSEA, CFI, AGFI, GFI, X2, X2/df, indices were computed. Findings supported the goodness of fitness of suggested model in this study. Results of this study Show that cognitive affect regulation strategies, family environment and socioeconomic status can predict internalizing and externalizing syndromes in adolescents. For the Psychotherapy in adolescents with affective-Behavioral disorders paying attention to evaluation of adolescent's Cognitive affect regulation strategies, family environment and socioeconomic status is suggested.

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The aim of this study was to compare the cognitive emotion regulation, general health, problem-solving style and academic performance of the adolescent girls with addicted parents with nonaddicted parents ones. The research method was causal-comparative. The statistical population was all female high school students of the third District of Karaj. Using convenience sampling method, 120 students was used which was included of 60 students with addicted and 60 students with non-addicted parents. The selected students in both groups were equilized. The groups completed Cognitive Emotion Regulation, general health and problem solving questionnaires. T-test and MANOVA were used to data analysis. Results indicated that adolescents with addicted parents achieve more score in “Blaming others” item and the others achieve more score in “Putting into perspective”, “Positive refocusing”, “Positive reappraisal” and “Refocus on planning” items in Cognitive Emotion Regulation test. Adolescents with nonaddicted parents get more score in “social” context and the others have more score in “Physical”, “anxiety” and “depression” context. Problem solving score in “personal control” item for students with nonaddicted parents and score in “Avoidance” for adolescents with addicted parents is higher than others. Academic Performance of the adolescents with addicted parents was less than that of the others.

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Divorce is a reality in the lives of many people around the world. This phenomenon is affecting people's lives in many ways and is the origin of complex emotional, cognitive and physical changes in the family, especially children. In this regard, this study was conducted to explore the lived experience of children of divorce about their emotional experiences. In this qualitative study, a phenomenological framework was adopted. The population under study was 17 adolescents aged 12-18 years old; who had experienced the separation of their parents. The participants were selected purposively, and selection continued until data saturation. Data collected by semi-structured and face-to-face individual interviews. The data were analyzed using the Colaizzi`s proposed stages. The thematic analysis resulted in three sub-themes for emotional experiences including anger and hate, fear and feeling of defenseless. According to findings, the adolescents participating in the study faced with a variety of emotions and experiences during the divorce and thereafter. Based on the results, children of divorce have numerous mental and environmental perceptions and experiences which in some cases can affect their well-being and mental health. The results emphasize the need for a deeper explanation of the lived experience of these people by psychologists and social workers and implementing therapeutic interventions based on the content derived from the present study, focusing on improving their emotional states.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate how Iranian experts and adolescents define the 24 character strengths. With this aim in mind, through on purpose method of sampling, semi-structured interviews about definitions of the 24 character strengths were conducted with ten specialists (including psychologists, counselors, and teachers). Furthermore, the opinions of two gender-segregated groups of nine grade students about character strengths’ definitions were discussed in focus groups for girls (N= 7) and for boys (N= 6). Students were selected based on their availability at the time of research and their willingness to take part in discussion groups. Data were analyzed using content analysis and directive approach. Results showed that there was conformity with Peterson and Seligman’s (2004) definitions and Iranian experts-adolescents’ definitions in twelve character strengths and also there were some differences in definitions of other character strengths (e.g., bravery, zest, and honesty). These similarities and differences were discussed. Based on the findings of this research, it can be claimed that there is almost compliance between definitions of the 24 character strengths in Iranian society and the definitions of the character strengths and virtues classification and this classification can be used in research related to this topic.
 

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Risky behavior among adolescents is a common problem requiring attention and preventive interventions. Numerous studies support the contribution of cognitive and emotional deficits in the tendency to high-risk behaviors. This study aimed to predict risk-taking behaviors through decision-making styles and difficulty in emotion regulation among female adolescents. For this purpose, 200 high school students (M_age = 15. 23, SD = 1. 00) were selected via a stratified random sampling method. Participants completed the Iranian Adolescence Risk-taking Scale (IARS), General Decision-Making Style (GDMS) questionnaire, and Difficulty in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). Findings indicated that risky behaviors significantly correlated with difficulty in emotion regulation. In addition, high-risk behaviors demonstrated a positive correlation with spontaneous decision-making and a negative correlation with rational decision-making style. The results of multiple linear regression analysis revealed the significant role of decision-making styles and difficulty in emotion regulation in predicting high-risk behaviors. Practical implications and future areas of study are discussed.