Research in psychological health

The Effect of Different Intensities of Aerobic Physical Exercise on the ‎Performance of Visual Choice Reaction Time and Stroop Test

Mohammad Maleki

The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in implicit and explicit cognitive processes during and after different intensities of aerobic physical exercise based on Transient Hypofrontality Theory. 39 male subjects with an average level of physical activity (age: M = 20.97± 0.14 Vo2 max: M = 50.25± 6.92 ml/kg/min) were divided randomly to three groups of thirteen based on the intensity of aerobic physical exercise: high intensity group (first group), moderate intensity group (second group), and low intensity group (third group). Magnetic bike was used for aerobic physical activity and heart rate remote control was used to control the intensity of activity. Implicit cognitive process (Visual choice reaction time) and explicit cognitive process ( Stroop) tests were performed in four times: before and during the activity, 1 minutes and 15 minutes after the cessation of the activity. Results of the repeated measure ANOVA and inter-group factor showed that the effects of factors including time, group and interaction were significant on the implicit cognitive test. As for the explicit cognitive test , the major effect of time, interaction and group was significant. Results of this study showed that transient hypofrontality occurred when the intensity of aerobic physical exercise was high.

An Investigation of Metacognitive Processes with Regard to the Dimensions of ‎Anxiety and Impulsivity

Mahnaz Shahgholian

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the metacognitive processes regard to the dimensions of anxiety and impulsivity. First, the sample of the study, 600 female students of Tarbiat Modares University, completed the Revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. Then, based on the subjects’ score in lie scale and their extreme scores in extraversion and neuroticism dimensions, 4 groups (15 subjects in each group) consisting of high anxiety (Anx⁺), low anxiety (Anx^-), high impulsivity (Imp⁺) and low impulsivity (Imp^-) subjects were selected, and completed Stroop and Wisconsin tests. The results indicated that the quality of metacognitive process and the executive functions similar to it were better in Anx^-group in comparison to Anx⁺group and in Imp^- group in comparison to Imp⁺group. Generally speaking, the results of this study highlight the effect of anxiety and impulsivity on metacognitive processes.

The relationship between body image and adjustment in high school ‎students

Mohammad Reza Tamannaeifar

The study on body image has grown steadily over the recent few decades. Since many studies investigated the relationship between body image and psychosocial functions, this study aimed at investigating the relationship between body image and adjustment. The subjects of the study included 400 male and female high school student who were selected through cluster sampling. The data were collected by using Physical Self-Description Questionnaire and Bell Adjustment Inventory, and the obtained data were then analyzed by both descriptive and inferential statistics. The results indicated that there was a significant relationship between body image and adjustment. The results were representative of the fact there was a significant difference in body image of male and female students, but there was no significant difference in adjustment of both male and female students. In general, the findings demonstrated that positive body image would lead to more adjustment behaviors through developing the sense of higher self worth.

Prediction of Psychological Well-being and Psychological Distress in college ‎students based on components of Metacognitive beliefs

Isaac Rahimian Boogar‎

components of Metacognitive beliefs. In a retrospective, cross-sectional, descriptive design, 224 college students, 116 female and 108 male students, in Semnan University were selected through simple random sampling, and completed the Demographical Information Questionnaire, Mental Health Inventory (MHI-38), and Metacognitions Questionnaire(MCQ-30). The data were analyzed through correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression. Results showed that there was a significant negative relationship between positive beliefs about worry, beliefs about Uncontrollability and danger of thoughts, beliefs about the need in controlling the Thoughts, cognitive self-consciousness and psychological well-being. Furthermore, there was a significant positive relationship between the above mentioned variables and psychological distress. Beliefs about the need in controlling the thoughts, beliefs about Uncontrollability and danger of thoughts, and cognitive self-consciousness are capable of predicting psychological well-being in college students they, in total, account for 32% of psychological well-being. Cognitive self-consciousness, beliefs about Uncontrollability and danger of thoughts, and positive beliefs about worry are capable of predicting psychological distress in college students they, in total, account for 36% of psychological distress. Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that positive beliefs about worry, beliefs about Uncontrollability and danger of thoughts, beliefs about the need in controlling the thoughts, and cognitive self-consciousness are important factors in decreasing psychological well-being and in increasing psychological distress in college students.

Investigation and comparison of the mental wellbeing, coping styles ‎and Perceived Social Support in Parents having exceptional and ‎normal children

Keivan Kakabaraee‎

The purpose of this study was to compare the mental wellbeing, Coping Styles and perceived social support in parents having more than one exceptional and normal child. In the present study, which is an ex post facto research, 800 parents (400 parents having exceptional children and 400 parents having normal children) were selected by simple random sampling and multi-stage sampling. They completed Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations: Short Form (CISS-SF), multidimensional scale of the Social Support (MSPSS), and the mental wellbeing scales including the satisfaction with the life scale (SWLS) and the positive and negative affect. Data analyzed with the multivariate Analysis of Variance showed that there was a significant difference between these two groups of parents in terms of mental wellbeing. As far as the life satisfaction and positive affect are concerned, the parents having normal children got higher scores in comparison with the parents having normal children. The results also showed that there was a difference between the two groups in terms of the problem-focused and emotion-focused coping styles no difference was seen in terms of the avoidance coping style The results also showed that parents having exceptional children got lower grades in three dimensions of social support(family, friends and others) in comparison with the parents having normal children. According to the findings of the study, having an exceptional child , especially having more than one, would affect the psychological health of the family and the immediate relatives.

The Effectiveness of Transactional Analysis Group Therapy upon ‎Improving Problem-Solving Skills

Mustafa Bolghan-Abadi

The purpose of this article was studied of the efficacy of transactional analysis group therapy upon improving problem-solving skills. This study was experimental with pretest-posttest design. Thirty clients who were referring to the Ferdowsi University Counseling and Psychology Clinic were chose based on screening method. In addition, were randomly divided two equal groups (15 participants): experimental and control groups. Problem-solving questionnaire was used collect data as well as the experimental intervention was TA group therapy that was administrated during two hours and weekly. For data analysis in the descriptive level mean and standard deviation were used and covariate method was used at the inference level (ANCOVA). The results suggest that the problem-solving skills in the experimental group significantly increased. Moreover, by the increase in subscales creative, confidence, control, and approach styles were observed. It concluded that the method of TA group therapy is effective and useful strategy in improving problem-solving skills.

Personality profile of Iranian Big Five Trait (Gardoon) in teachers, workers ‎and nurses

Mohammad Naghi Farahani

This study aimed to prepare a personality profile of Gardoon personality questionnaire in which developed by Farahani in 2009, in tree groups of jobs: teachers, workers, and nurses. For this purpose, 506 individuals out of the teachers, workers and nurses were selected randomly, so that the Gardoon personality questionnaire could be performed on them. The results showed that there were no significant differences between the workers, teachers and nurses in terms of agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness to experience and neuroticism, but considering their sex, there was a significance difference between them in extraversion. Female teachers and male nurses were more extravert than male teachers and female nurse, and this characteristic, having an extravert personality, was also existed among the workers. As far as the subjects’ sex was concerned, the results showed that women were more agreeable than men. Based on the results of the previous studies and this study, it can be said that there are some differences between them in which has been discussed