Research in psychological health

The relationship between body discrepancy and body image maladaptive coping strategies in female students: The mediating role of self-compassion and body shame

Azam Mansourinik

Understanding the actual - ideal body discrepancy in individuals makes them use coping strategies to manage the distracting experiences of their body image. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of body discrepancy with body image maladaptive coping strategies (experiential avoidance and appearance fixation) with the mediating role of self-compassion and body shame. Sample consisted of 300 female undergraduate students of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz who were selected by multi -stage random sampling. In order to collect information, we used the body-image ideals questionnaire, objectified body cnsciousness scale, body image coping strategies inventory, self-compassion scale (short form). The conceptual model of the present study was analyzed using path analysis method. The results indicated that the path coefficient of body discrepancy to experiential avoidance was not significant, but the path coefficient of body discrepancy to appearance fixation was significant. Furthermore, the path coefficient of self -compassion to body shame was significant. Also, indirect path of body discrepancy to body image maladaptive coping strategies through self-compassion and body shame was significant. Finding of this study is consistent with compassion focused therapy showed the role of shame and compassion as emotional aspect of body image disturbance.

Dynamic Modeling of the Effectiveness of Third Wave Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Antidepressants Drugs on Major Depressive Disorder.

Seyed Esmaeil Hosseini

Studying major depressive disorders and related factors is necessary to understand the nature of this disorder and to formulate more effective therapeutic strategies. Approximate duration of one episode of major depressive disorder is averagely between 3 to 12 months; however, in chronic types, the ratio would be prolonged to 24 months. The aime of this research which performed through second-order dynamic model was to investigate the effectiveness of antidepressants and third wave cognitive-behavioral therapies on the duration of any episode of major depressive disorder. Through MATLAB programming and changing the model parameters, we investigate the effectiveness of treatments on duration of episode in major depressive disorder. The average age of any participants were considered 64 years old. Outcomes before and after 14 weeks treatment with antidepressants drugs (as imipramine or its equivalent of therapeutic services) and psychotherapies (included mindfulness-based acceptance and commitment therapty [ACT] and dialectical behavior therapy [DBT]) were obtained. According to the findings, for most of people suffering from major depressive disorder, relapses are prevalent phenomena. Depression relapse time durations have been 144, 71, 68, and 59 months respectively under following conditions: receiving no treatment; receiving untidepressants; receiving dialectical behavior therapy; and, receiving a combination of antidepressants and dialectical behavior therapy. The results from dynamic modeling showed that combined method of ACT, DBT, and using antidepressant (or its equivalant) drugs provides better outcomes in treatment for depression and relapse prevention. This combined method reduced the duration of recovery from depression by 10 months.

A Phenomenological Study on the experience of the anger in individual with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Fatemeh Shahisadrabadi

Emotional disturbance is a central attribute of pathology in various disorders, in particular OCD. Anger is one of the main emotions that has been neglected and these few findings have many contradictions and a lot of turmoil. Therefore, the present study was conducted to explore the lived experience of anger in these individuals. This research was qualitative research and was the kind of interperetative phenomenological analysis. Participants were 29 individuals with OCD who were selected by purposeful sampling and snowball sampling. Also Data collection was through semi-structured interviews, narrative interviews and imagery. In order to analyze, the data were used the principles of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The results of the study included 7 themes. Themes included control, disgust, revenge, helplessness, combating anger, disgust, discomfort and uncontrollability. The results indicate that the experience of anger in an OCD has a wide range that can indicate the heterogeneity of this disorder. Since the two main themes related to the experience of disgust, the findings reveal the key role of disgust in the disorder. The relationship between anger and disgust can also be looked at more precisely in this disorder. However, the association of each of the themes with some of the features of this disorder can lead to studies shifting to another according to the quality of emotional experience. That means exceptional and clear emotional experiences in each category can mean different pathologies, resulting in a different therapeutic approach to treatment of the disorder. In addition, the comparison of the meaning of anger and other major emotion with anxiety disorders and OCD can also be effective in identifying and delimiting this disorder.

Structural Model of Vaginismus Disorder based on Marital Adjustment, Sexual Self-Disclosure, Sexual Anxiety and Social Exchange Styles

Majid Saffarinia

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the structural model of the relationship between marital adjustment, sexual self-disclosure and sexual anxiety in vaginismus disorder by mediating social exchange styles. Population was composed of all women who referred to sexual disorder treatmernt centers in Tehran. Sample consisted of 220 women with vaginismus disorder. The research tool included marital adjustment scale, sexual anxiety questionnaires, sexual self-disclosure scale, multidimensional vaginal penetration disorder questionnaire and social exchange questionnaire.The results of structural equation modeling showed a rather good fit for the model. In addition, the results showed that all paths between the variables were statistically significant. According to the results, the indirect relationship of sexual self- disclosure, marital adjustment and sexual anxiety through mediation of social exchange styles was not statistically significant. However, marital adjustment and sexual anxiety directly predict the severity of vaginismus disorder, but thire indirect effects through social exchange styles on vaginismus was not significiant. Therefore, sexual anxiety and marital adjustment are important components in predicting vaginismus disorder and should be considered as one of the main goals of treatment in women with vaginismus disorder.

The Prediction of Health Anxiety based on Experiential Avoidance and Anxiety Sensitivity among non-clinical Population

Javad Karimi

Hypochondriasis or health anxiety disorder is characterized by abundant anxiety and fear about having a serious illness. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between anxiety sensitivity and experiential avoidance with health anxiety. The population included all students of Malayer University, from whom 388 students (138 males and 250 females) were selected through convenient sampling method. Data were gathered using Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI-3), acceptance and action questionnaire, and Short Health Anxiety Inventory (SHAI). Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis (stepwise method). Pearson correlation analysis results showed that there is a significant positive relationship between dimensions of anxiety Sensitivity and experiential avoidance with health anxiety. Moreover, Multiple regression analysis results revealed that anxiety sensitivity and experiential avoidance were able to predict health anxiety, respectively.These variables can predict 24 percentages of the total variance of health anxiety. Based on these findings, anxiety sensitivity and experiential avoidance are capable to predict health anxiety. It could be concluded that reducing anxiety sensitivity and experiential avoidance could be one of the main mechanism for reducing the health anxiety.

Normal and Abnormal Personality Patterns in a Patients with Leukemia: A Clinical Case study

Fatemeh Dehghani Arani

Cancer can cause many psychological problems. Up to now, most of the research has focused on post-cancer problems, while this study has been done with the purpose of understanding the normal and abnormal personality patterns which would have a role in cancer. The aime of this study was to clarify the normal and abnormal personality patterns in a patients with leukemia. This study is based on the biopsychosocial model of health and dynamic model of personality. Shedler and Westsen's Assessment Procedure (SWAP) was used for evaluating the patient's normal/abnormal personality patterns. The diagnosis which obtained from conducting SWAP were consistent with the patient's normal/abnormal personality patterns. In other words, the dependent and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder patterns in the patient was consistent with low self-knowledge, high narcissism, low machiavelism, low psychopathy, low self-esteem, high fundamentalism, high repression, low mindfulness, low self-compassion, and high social desirability. Findings of this study explored the main normal and abnormal personality charachteristics associated with leukemia. Identifying and planning for managing the effects of these kind of personality patterns could empower psychotherapeutic protocols and also increase therapeutic compliance in patients with lukemia.

Development and Psychometric Properties of Preliminary Version of Mental Health Scale (Self-Report form) for Adolescents in Iran

Saeed Akbari Zardkhaneh

Adolescents’ mental health is important in any society and protecting their mental health help them to be mentally and physically healthy adult who can play their social role as they should. The present study aimed to develop a self-report scale for high school student’s mental health. A pool item of 200 items was developed and after the first edition, 119 items were selected for preliminary scale. The target population of the present study was high school students of Alborz, Kermanshah, Eastern Azerbaijan, Sistan & Baluchestan, Fars, and Khorasan Razavi in 2016-17. The sample includes 642 students who were selected by random sampling. Explanatory Factor analysis with varimax rotation indicated six-factor structure as the simplest factorial solution which consisted with theoretical background. In addition, all the subscale had good reliability which ranged between 0.63 (for disruptive behavior) to 0.85 (for academic achievement deficit, self-regulation, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and self-harm). In general, results showed good psychometric properties for this mental health scale among high school students. This scale could be used for assessing behavioral and emotional problems for clinical, or research aims among adolescents in Iran.