Research in psychological health

Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) on Rumination and Depressive Symptoms in Students with Major Depressive Disorder

Zohreh ahmadi

The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on rumination and depressive symptoms in students with major depressive disorder. This study was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The statistical population included all students with major depressive disorder referred to the Tehran Health Center in 1404, from which 30 students with major depressive disorder were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups. The experimental group underwent 8 90-minute sessions of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy intervention, while the control group did not receive any intervention. Data collection tools included the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) and the Rumination Scale (RRS). Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance. The results of data analysis showed that there was a significant difference between the mean pre-test and post-test scores of the experimental group in rumination variables and depressive symptoms. In fact, participating in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy sessions led to a significant reduction in the repetition of unwanted thoughts and the alleviation of clinical symptoms of depression in students. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, by teaching the skills of being present in the moment and accepting without judgment, is an effective tool for managing repetitive thoughts and improving the mental state of students with major depression and can be used as a complementary intervention in university counseling centers.

Comparing the effectiveness of media literacy and emotion regulation training on reducing anxiety and improving mental health in adolescents with cyberspace addiction

elnaz Baniani

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

The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy on thought fusion and severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder

hoda jafarian

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy on thought fusion and the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder in Tehran. The present study method was a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The statistical population included all women with obsessive-compulsive disorder who visited clinics in Tehran between April and June 1404, from which a sample was selected using convenience sampling and randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups. The measurement tools included the Thought Fusion Questionnaire and the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale. The experimental group underwent cognitive-behavioral therapy sessions, while the control group did not receive any intervention. The data were analyzed using analysis of covariance. The results showed that after the intervention, there was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in the variables of thought fusion and the severity of obsessive symptoms. Cognitive-behavioral therapy significantly reduced the rate of thought fusion and the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in patients in the experimental group compared to the control group. Based on the research findings, cognitive-behavioral therapy, by correcting cognitive distortions and reducing thought-action fusion, is an effective approach in improving the clinical symptoms of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder, and the use of this treatment protocol is recommended in rehabilitation centers and psychological clinics.

Comparing the Effectiveness of Emotional Self-Efficacy Therapy and Time Perspective Therapy on Self-Concealment and Post-Traumatic Growth in Women with Breast Cancer

maryam gahremani

The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of emotional self-efficacy therapy and time perspective therapy on self-concealment and post-traumatic growth in women with breast cancer. This research employed a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test-post-test framework, including two experimental groups and one control group. The statistical population consisted of all women with breast cancer referred to cancer diagnosis and treatment centers in Tehran during the first quarter of 2025. From this population, 45 individuals were selected through purposive sampling and were randomly assigned to three equal groups (n=15 each): emotional self-efficacy therapy, time perspective therapy, and a control group. The emotional self-efficacy intervention was conducted in eight 90-minute group sessions, and the time perspective therapy intervention was conducted in six 90-minute group sessions, while the control group was placed on a waiting list. Research instruments included the Self-Concealment Scale (SCS) by Larson and Chastain (1990) and the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) by Tedeschi and Calhoun (1996).

The effect of cardiac rehabilitation intervention on self-care patterns of patients with coronary artery disease

Maryam Kalhornia Golkar

The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a structured cardiac rehabilitation program on the self-care pattern of patients with coronary artery disease. This study was conducted as a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test design and a control group with a three-month follow-up. The statistical population included men aged 40 to 65 years with coronary artery disease, from whom 30 were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to two intervention and control groups. The intervention group participated in a structured cardiac rehabilitation program including self-care behavior education, lifestyle modification, physical activity, healthy nutrition, medication adherence, and stress management, while the control group received usual care. Data were collected using the Coronary Artery Disease Patients Self-Care Questionnaire, third edition, and analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance. The results showed that the cardiac rehabilitation program resulted in significant and sustained improvement in the self-care behaviors of patients in the intervention group compared to the control group. Significant improvements were observed, especially in the self-care maintenance, monitoring, and management subscales, which were maintained at the three-month follow-up. This study showed that cardiac rehabilitation, as a multidimensional and education-based intervention, has a positive effect on self-care behaviors of patients with coronary artery disease and can be considered as an effective method for improving the quality of care for these patients.

Predicting Job Performance Anxiety Based on Resilience and Sleep Quality in Firefighters

Zohreh Mortezaei Karahrody

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.

Designing, Validating, and Investigating the Effectiveness of a Glasser’s Choice Theory-Based Responsibility Education Package on the Quality of Academic Guidance and Learning Flexibility (Components of Quality of Learning Experiences.

mohammad garavandnia

The present study aimed to design, validate, and determine the effectiveness of a responsibility training package based on Glasser's Choice Theory on two key components of the quality of learning experiences, namely academic guidance quality and learning flexibility, in students. In this mixed-methods study, the qualitative phase was dedicated to developing the components of the package based on the theoretical foundations of Choice Theory and previous research literature, and its content validity was confirmed using the Content Validity Ratio, the Content Validity Index, and the opinions of experts in educational psychology and reality therapy. The quantitative phase of the study was conducted using a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population consisted of female second-grade high school students in the experimental sciences field in District 2 of Karaj, from which a sample was selected and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group underwent ten 90-minute sessions of training with the designed package, and the data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance. The findings revealed that after controlling for pretest scores, there was a significant difference between the two groups on both dependent variables; specifically, the educational package significantly increased academic guidance quality and enhanced learning flexibility in the experimental group compared to the control group. These findings provide considerable empirical support for the efficacy of the Choice Theory-based responsibility training package in improving indicators of learning quality. Therefore, the designed package can be used as a standardized and structured tool in academic counseling programs and school-based interventions to foster responsibility and improve students' learning experiences.

The Effect of Schema Therapy on Improving Job Satisfaction and Strengthening Organizational Commitment of Employees with Maladaptive Schemas

saba sedaghatzadeh

The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of schema therapy on job satisfaction and organizational commitment of employees with early maladaptive schemas in a rehabilitation center for children with autism spectrum disorder in Tehran. The research method was a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest design with a control group and a follow-up phase. The statistical population included all employees of the autism center between October and November 2025, from which 30 eligible individuals were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups (15 individuals in each group). The experimental group underwent 10 90-minute schema therapy sessions based on the protocol of Yang et al. (2014) and Arentz et al., while the control group remained on the waiting list. The research instruments included Spector's Job Satisfaction Questionnaire (JSS), Allen and Meyer's Organizational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ), and Young's Early Maladaptive Schemas Questionnaire (YSQ-SF). Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance and post hoc tests. The results showed that schema therapy significantly increased job satisfaction and organizational commitment in the experimental group compared to the control group, and this effect remained largely stable at the follow-up stage (P<0.01). The findings indicate that modifying early maladaptive schemas can lead to improved job attitudes and strengthened psychological bonds between employees and the organization by improving emotion regulation, reducing cognitive distortions, and increasing healthy adult mindset. Overall, schema therapy as a foundational intervention can play an effective role in improving the occupational mental health of employees in rehabilitation centers.

Prediction of Empathy Impairment Based on Childhood Trauma with the Mediating Role of Deficits in Theory of Mind in Female Students

Fatemeh Gholami

The present study aimed to predict empathy deficit based on childhood trauma, mediating by theory of mind deficits among female college students. The research design was descriptive-correlational utilizing structural equation modeling (path analysis). The statistical population consisted of all female college students at the Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, in June 2025, from whom a sample of 210 students was selected via convenience sampling method. The research instruments included the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test, and the Empathy Quotient. Data analysis was performed using Pearson correlation coefficient and path analysis via statistical software, and the bootstrapping method was applied to evaluate the significance of the indirect effect. The findings from path analysis indicated that the hypothesized model demonstrated a good fit with the empirical data. The results of the direct path coefficients revealed that childhood trauma had a significant positive direct effect on both theory of mind deficits and empathy deficit. Furthermore, the direct effect of theory of mind deficits on empathy deficit was positive and statistically significant. Additionally, the bootstrapping results indicated that theory of mind deficits played a significant positive mediating role in the relationship between childhood trauma and empathy deficit. In total, the predictor variables accounted for 40% of the variance in empathy deficit. In conclusion, the results of the current study demonstrated that traumatic childhood experiences not only directly impair empathy capacity but also exacerbate empathy deficit in adulthood by arresting social-cognitive development and causing deficits in the theory of mind. Therefore, it is essential to design psychological interventions focused on trauma-informed therapies and enhancing mentalization and social cognition skills within university counseling centers for female students with a history of trauma.

The Effectiveness of Self-Focused Compassion Therapy on Distress Tolerance and Alexithymia in Women with Hair Picking Disorder

Tavakol Mosizadeh

The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of self-focused compassion therapy on distress tolerance and alexithymia in women with skin picking and hair picking disorder in Tehran. This study was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The research population included female students of Islamic Azad University, Tehran Medical Sciences Branch, who were selected based on the inclusion criteria and purposive sampling method. A total of 45 eligible subjects were identified and after random assignment using a random number table, 30 subjects were replaced in two experimental (15 subjects) and control (15 subjects) groups. The experimental group received self-focused compassion therapy intervention, and the control group did not receive any intervention. Data collection tools included a demographic information questionnaire, a distress tolerance questionnaire, and an alexithymia questionnaire. Data were collected and analyzed in three stages: pre-test, post-test, and three-month follow-up. The results showed that there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of distress tolerance and alexithymia at the pre-test stage, which indicated the initial homogeneity of the groups, but at the post-test and follow-up stage, a significant difference was observed between the two groups, indicating the effectiveness of self-focused compassion therapy in improving distress tolerance and reducing alexithymia in women with hair-picking disorder. Accordingly, it can be concluded that this therapeutic approach can be effective in reducing the severity of symptoms and improving the emotional indicators of these individuals.

Investigating The effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on social anxiety in adolescents: A systematic review

Sahar Shakour

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.

The Effectiveness of Life Skills Training on Internalized Shame and Perceived Stress among University Students: A Quasi-Experimental Study

ali naseri

The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of life skills training on internalized shame and perceived stress among university students. This research was conducted using a quasi-experimental design with a pretest–posttest control group and a two-month follow-up. The study population consisted of students at the Islamic Azad University, Shiraz Branch, in 2024, from whom 72 participants were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (36 in each group). The research instruments included the Internalized Shame Scale (Cook) and the Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen). The experimental group received life skills training based on Kleinke’s protocol in 10 weekly sessions of 45 minutes, while the control group received no intervention. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance. The results indicated that life skills training led to a significant reduction in internalized shame and perceived stress in the experimental group compared to the control group (p < 0.05), and these effects were maintained at follow-up. The findings suggest that life skills training is an effective educational and preventive intervention for improving mental health indicators among university students and can be incorporated into student mental health promotion programs.