Research in psychological health

The effect of pleasant emotional arousal following the learning on the memory consolidation

Maryam Tajik Esmaeili

The present research aimed to study the effect of the pleasant emotional arousal on the memory consolidation. To achieve this goal, of the students of three different universities: Tehran university, Tarbiat Modares Universities and Tehran’s Azad University (south branch), 60 undergraduate students (30 men and 30 women),who were accessible, were selected, and then they were divided accidentally into two groups (experimental and control groups). They learned a list of words and participated in a word recall test immediately after learning. Then, members of the experimental group watched positive emotional excerpts and members of the control group watched a neutral excerpt of a film. In this study, the scores of the delayed free recall and recognition tests which were carried out 30 minutes after learning the list of words, were considered the dependent variable. Independent t-test was used to analyze the revealed data. Mean score in delayed free recall and recognition tests was significantly higher (p<0/01) in experimental group compared to control group. These findings showed that emotional arousal following the learning, would consolidate the memory and this consolidation is achieved regardless of emotional or neutral nature of the stimulus of the learned materials.

The Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy in the Treatment of the Girls Afflicted with Obesity

maryam foladvand

The main purpose of the article is to determine the effectiveness of cognitive- behavioral therapy in the treatment of high school girls afflicted with obesity. This study, as a type of multiple baseline design, was carried out in two phases (losing weight and keeping weight) on four female high school students afflicted with obesity. Before the treatment sessions started, special tools such as evolutionary checking list and eating disorder questionnaire were used. At the beginning of each treatment session, sick people were weighed and their data were shown through data visual analysis, charting and calculation of the recovery rate. The results showed that cognitive - behavioral therapy of obesity was effective in losing and keeping the weight of the obese adolescents.

The Differences between the Students` Eating Behaviors and Body Mass Index in Various Levels of Social Physique Anxiety

Mojgan Agah Heris

This research was carried out to investigate the differences between students` body mass index (BMI) and eating behaviors in various levels of social physique anxiety (SPA). Therefore, of the Students of Payam Noor University in Garmsar, Sharood and Semnan cities, the cities of Semnan Province, 357 subjects (290 girls and 67 boys) were selected through multi-stage cluster sampling method. All participants then completed three factor eating questionnaire (TFEQ) and social physique anxiety (SPA) scale in one session. Also their Weight and BMI were measured by body composition instrument. Following the data collection, data analysis by ANOVA revealed that the BMI and eating behaviors have significant differences in different levels of SPA. Furthermore, the results showed that in higher levels of SPA there were more dysfunctional eating behaviors and BMI. These findings implied that harmful or threatening cognitive appraisals triggered by SPA could activate rampant eating behaviors, and could increase perceived hunger.

The role of Personality characters in internet friendships (Chat)

Khodabakhsh Ahmadi

Given the possible negative effects of virtual spaces including online chat rooms on teenagers, identification of predicting personality traits can be useful in drawing the attention to high risk groups and preventive measures. Therefore, this study was an attempt to identify the role of personality traits in internet friendships. In this descriptive, correlational research, 4000 Iranian high school students were selected through multi-stage cluster sampling, and were investigated by NEO personality traits inventory and internet and chat questionnaire. The results showed that the girls used chat rooms more than the boys did. Furthermore, there was a negative relationship between the degree of internet friendship, using chat rooms, and the personality traits neuroticism and agreement there was significant negative relationship between the degree of internet friendship and the personality traits extroversion, openness to experience and dutifulness. Given the significant relationship between the positive degree of chat and personality traits extroversion and openness to experience, it can be said that virtual communication like online chat rooms can make up for real communication.

Investigation of the social atmosphere in game nets

Morteza Manteghi

The goal of the present research was to provide an outline on the governing relations in the game nets. Primary interviews and a researcher-made questionnaire were used to collect the data. 150 boys going to game nets were interviewed, and they were asked some questions concerning the ups and downs of the game nets. The questionnaire was developed based on the previous researches and literature concerning this subject following its facial validity was approved, and acceptability of the questionnaire’s Cronbach alpha was revealed after being conducted as a test, the researchers used the questionnaire in the study. This questionnaire was completed by 550 male high school students of three towns and cities of Tehran province all these students were the users of game nets. The results implied that there was an improper social atmosphere in game nets, and this problem should be removed or reformed through changing the managing and controlling system of the game nets.

Validity and Reliability of Self-Assessment Manikin

Mohammad Ali Nazari

This study investigated psychometric properties of the Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM) for measuring emotion in Iran. Data came from the undergraduate students of Tabriz University. This study was designed and carried out in two stages. Via cluster sampling, 128 students participated in the study to provide a measure of reliability of the 9 items researcher-made test in order to evaluate pleasure and arousal. In the second study, 92 students were chosen to determine the validity and reliability of SAM. Validity qualities were obtained through Pearson correlation and repeated measurements ANOVA. Reliability was evaluated by using test-retest (done at two weeks apart) and Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Cronbach's alpha for the researcher-made test was 0.89 and 0.83 for the pleasure and arousal dimensions, respectively. Test-retest reliability coefficient for SAM and researcher-made test was in the range of 0.55-0.78. Concurrent validity ranged from 0.56 to 0.87 and the criterion validity was acceptabl. The results of the present study demonstrated that Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM) has promising validity and reliability and could be applicable to clinical practice and future researches in Iran.