Showing 469 results for Type of Study: Research
Omid Najafzadeh Rahaghi, Hasan Naderi,
Volume 20, Issue 1 (4-2026)
Abstract
Sense of coherence is one of the important components in the perception and management of stressful situations and the maintenance of psychological functioning, and it is particularly important in individuals with depressive symptoms. The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral group therapy on sense of coherence in individuals with depressive symptoms who referred to counseling centers in Qom. This study was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest control group design. The study population consisted of individuals with depressive symptoms who referred to counseling centers in Qom in 2025. Twenty participants were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received cognitive-behavioral group therapy in eight 60-minute sessions, while the control group received no intervention. Data were collected using the 35-item Sense of Coherence Questionnaire developed by Flensborg-Madsen et al. and were analyzed using multivariate and univariate analysis of covariance. The findings showed that, after controlling for pretest scores, there were significant differences between the two groups in the comprehensibility and meaningfulness components of sense of coherence, whereas the difference in the manageability component was not significant. Based on the findings, cognitive-behavioral group therapy may be used to improve some components of sense of coherence, particularly comprehensibility and meaningfulness, in individuals with depressive symptoms.
Dr Mohammad Borna, Mrs Seyede Fazileh Alboushoke,
Volume 20, Issue 1 (4-2026)
Abstract
The aim of this research was to investigate the effectiveness of rumination-focused cognitive behavioral therapy on interpretation bias in adolescent girls with depressive disorder. The study community included all female adolescents studying in the age range of 15 to 18 years in Ramshir City in 2023-2024. From the aforementioned population, a sample of 350 people was selected using Sample available and completed the Beck Depression Inventory, of which 28 people scored above the cutoff point (score higher than 25). Then, this group underwent a diagnostic interview and completed the Amir et al. (1998) Interpretation Bias Questionnaire as a pre-test. Both groups were randomly assigned into two experimental groups and a control group. The present research design was a semi-experimental pre-test-post-test type with a control group. The experimental group underwent rumination-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, but the control group did not receive any intervention. The results showed that rumination-focused cognitive behavioral therapy was effective in reducing interpretation bias in adolescent girls with depressive disorder. According to the findings of the present study, it can be concluded that rumination-focused cognitive behavioral therapy can be used as an effective method to help improve the conditions of adolescent girls with depressive disorder.
Fatemeh Jafari Marbin, Dr Farhad Mohammadi Masiri,
Volume 20, Issue 1 (4-2026)
Abstract
The present study aimed to analyze and compare the psychological profiles of two groups of traditional and industrial drug users, examining the differences in brain-behavioral systems, personality dimensions, and prosocial behavior tendencies. This causal-comparative study was conducted on 200 drug-dependent men (100 traditional drug users and 100 industrial drug users) who had referred to rehabilitation centers in Qom in 1404. The measurement tools included the Gray-Wilson Brain-Behavioral Systems Questionnaire, Cloninger Personality and Character Test, and the Revised Prosocial Behavior Scale. The findings from multivariate analysis of variance showed that industrial drug users scored significantly higher in the behavioral activation system and the approach and active avoidance subscales, while no significant differences were observed in the behavioral inhibition and conflict-avoidance systems. In terms of personality dimensions, the industrial group had higher scores in novelty seeking, harm avoidance, perseverance, self-direction, and self-transcendence, but traditional users showed superiority in the reward dependence dimension and indicators of social behavior (altruism and compliance). The results indicate that the industrial substance use pattern is associated with a more impulsive personality profile and a deeper breakdown in social functioning, while traditional users maintained social bonds and responsiveness to environmental rewards. These findings emphasize the need to review treatment protocols and design differentiated interventions based on the type of substance used and the neuro-personality underpinnings in the field of addiction psychology.
Shiva Jamshidi, Dr. Mehdi Akbari, David Hallford, Dr. Alireza Moradi,
Volume 20, Issue 1 (4-2026)
Abstract
Distress intolerance, as a psychological vulnerability factor, has been implicated in the development of a wide range of conditions leading to psychopathology, including worry and rumination. Low distress tolerance may also predispose individuals to greater use of avoidance strategies. This study aimed to expand our understanding of the relationship between distress intolerance and worry/rumination by examining the mediating role of two forms of avoidance (i.e., experiential avoidance and emotional contrast avoidance). Questionnaire and cross-sectional data were collected from 1,098 participants from the general population aged 18–55 years (52.3% female). The results of structural equation modeling and mediattion analysis showed that experiential avoidance and emotional contrast avoidance mediated the relationship between distress intolerance and worry/rumination in a chain fashion. More precisely, the lower the distress tolerance capacity, the more people engage in repetitive negative thinking in the form of worry and/or rumination, and the two forms of avoidance mediated this relationship. The applications, limitations, and implications of this research are also discussed.
Sayareh Soltanian, Mohammadreza Belyad, Mohsen Mansoobifar, Saeed Mahmoodinia, Nahid Havasi Soumar,
Volume 20, Issue 1 (4-2026)
Abstract
Spouse addiction is one of the serious stressors in the family system that has widespread consequences on women's mental health and marital relationship quality. The present study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of self-compassion training on distress tolerance and marital adjustment in women with addicted spouses. This study was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The statistical population included all women with addicted spouses who were hospitalized in voluntary addiction treatment camps in Fardis city during the months of January to March 2025 due to their spouses' hospitalization. Among them, 30 people were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups. The experimental group received self-compassion training in 8 sessions from 1 to 1:30, while the control group did not receive any intervention. The research instruments included a distress tolerance questionnaire and a marital adjustment questionnaire. The data were analyzed using the statistical methods of analysis of variance with repeated measures. The findings of the study showed that self-compassion training has a significant effect on increasing distress tolerance and improving marital adjustment in women with addicted spouses. Overall, the results indicate that self-compassion training can be used as an effective psychological intervention to promote mental health and improve marital relationships in these women and pave the way for designing targeted support and counseling programs in the field of family and addiction.
Ms Firoozeh Jalalipour, Dr Soheila Rahmani,
Volume 20, Issue 2 (6-2026)
Abstract
Test anxiety, as a psychological and educational challenge, imposes a considerable burden on adolescent students. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of an adolescent-centered Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program on alexithymia and test anxiety symptoms in adolescents. The present study was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design and a two-month follow-up with a control group. The statistical population consisted of adolescent students studying in two schools in Tehran during the 2025 academic year. From among them, 30 students were selected using convenience sampling and randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. The experimental group received the adolescent-centered Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program in eight weekly sessions, whereas the control group received no intervention during the study period. Data were collected using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale and the Test Anxiety Questionnaire and were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance. The statistical results indicated that the adolescent-centered Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program led to a significant reduction in alexithymia and test anxiety symptoms among students in the experimental group compared with those in the control group. Furthermore, the follow-up results demonstrated the stability and persistence of the effects of this psychological intervention at the two-month follow-up assessment. In conclusion, the adolescent-centered Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program can be considered an effective and sustainable intervention for reducing alexithymia and test anxiety symptoms in adolescents, and its application as a complementary intervention in educational settings is recommended.
Saba Sedaghatzadeh, Dr Sima Farzaneh,
Volume 20, Issue 2 (6-2026)
Abstract
The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on the emotional schema of shame and emotional expressivity in adolescent boys with high social anxiety in District 13 of Tehran. This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest–posttest and follow-up design with a control group. The statistical population consisted of all male students in the first and second levels of secondary school with high social anxiety in the 2025–2026 academic year. Using a multistage cluster sampling method, 30 students whose scores on the Social Anxiety Questionnaire were above the cutoff point were selected and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 15) and a control group (n = 15). The research instruments included the Leahy Emotional Schema Scale (2002), the Emotional Expressivity Scale (King & Emmons, 1990), and the Social Anxiety Questionnaire (Connor et al., 2000). The experimental group received Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in eight 120-minute sessions, whereas the control group received no intervention. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance in SPSS version 26. The results indicated that the effects of time, group, and the interaction between time and group on the dependent variables were statistically significant . Furthermore, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy led to a significant and sustained reduction in the emotional schema of shame and a significant increase in emotional expressivity in the experimental group compared with the control group at the posttest and follow-up stages. Based on the findings, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy can be considered an effective intervention for reducing the emotional schema of shame and improving emotional expressivity in adolescents with social anxiety.
Mr Mohsen Arbezi, Mrs. Zahra Noorozi Ghader Loo, Dr. Bahram Jowkar,
Volume 20, Issue 2 (6-2026)
Abstract
This descriptive-correlational study investigated the psychometric properties of the Emotional Resilience Questionnaire (ERQ) (Zhang & Lu, 2010) in the general population of Shiraz. A convenience sample of 501 adults (310 women, 191 men) completed the ERQ (Zhang & Lu, 2010) and the short version of the Big Five Personality Questionnaire (Khormaei & Farmani, 2014). Construct, convergent, and divergent validity were assessed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and correlation coefficients between ERQ and Big Five personality factors. Reliability was measured using Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability. EFA extracted two components: "positive emotional competence" and "emotional resilience." CFA confirmed the two-factor structure, consistent with the original study (Zhang & Lu, 2010). Furthermore, examining the correlation between emotional resilience and the Big Five personality traits, along with the Average Variance Extracted (AVE) index, demonstrated the convergent validity of the instrument. High Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability coefficients further indicated its reliability. Overall, the ERQ demonstrated suitable psychometric properties for measuring emotional resilience in the Iranian general population and can be utilized by researchers.
Seyedeh Fatemeh Esmaeilpour, Esmaeil Sadipour,
Volume 20, Issue 2 (6-2026)
Abstract
Narcissistic personality disorder and histrionic personality disorder are Cluster B personality disorders that, despite sharing certain behavioral traits, differ in their cognitive patterns. The present study aimed to compare cognitive errors and cognitive flexibility in individuals with narcissistic and histrionic personality disorders. A causal-comparative research design was employed. The statistical population consisted of clients at the Mersana Counseling Center in Tehran, from which individuals diagnosed with narcissistic and histrionic personality disorders were selected using simple random sampling. The Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI-III) was used to diagnose personality disorders, while the Cognitive Distortions Questionnaire (Abdollahzadeh & Salar, 2010) and the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (Dennis & Vander Wal, 2010) were used to assess cognitive errors and cognitive flexibility, respectively. Data were analyzed using an independent t-test. The results indicated no significant difference between the two groups regarding cognitive errors and cognitive flexibility. Regarding the components of cognitive errors, "magnification" ranked highest and "disqualifying the positive" ranked lowest in both groups. Additionally, scores for "jumping to conclusions" and "personalization" were higher in the histrionic personality disorder group compared to the narcissistic group. Overall, while no significant difference was observed between individuals with narcissistic and histrionic personality disorders regarding cognitive errors and cognitive flexibility, variations in specific cognitive error components may reflect distinct cognitive patterns associated with these disorders; recognizing these differences is essential for a more precise understanding and the design of interventions tailored to the specific characteristics of each disorder.
