نشریه روانشناسی پیری
سال چهارم شماره 1 (پیاپی 12، بهار 1397)

Pain associated with undesirable health status and can reduce the hope in the elderly’s life appears to be one of the most abundant symptoms reported by the aged. Thus, the aim of the current study was to investigate the effectiveness of laughter therapy on the hope and pain intensity in residents of the nursing homes in Astaneh-ye Ashrafiyeh, Iran. This research was a quasi-experimental of pretest-posttest and control group with a one-month follow-up design. The statistical population consisted of all the aged who resided in nursing homes in Astaneh Ashrafieh. Selected among 44 residents in the MehrAein nursing home were statistical samples. Based on the inclusion criteria, 32 elderly were selected and randomly assigned into experimental (n=16) and control (n=16) groups as participants. The experimental group received an interventional program consisting of Madan Kataria's laughter therapy, playing comic movies, and reading comic books for one month, in twelve 100-minute sessions. Filled out by participants in pre-test post-test phases were General Health Questionnaire (Goldberg & Hillier), Adult Hope Scale (Snyder) and Visual Analogue Scale (Woodforde & Merskey). The follow-up phase was conducted one month after the end of intervention. Having been processed through the Repeated Measures Analysis of Covariance, the results demonstrated that there is a significant difference between experimental and control groups in the post-test and follow-up phases in terms of the adjusted mean of hope and pain intensity scores ‌(P<0.05). Concerning the results, it can be mentioned that laughter therapy seems to be effective on the hope and pain intensity. Therefore, laughter therapy is necessary to be considered as one of the non-pharmacological complementary therapies to reduce the pain and increase the hope which, in turn, will improve the living conditions and purposefulness of the elderly

Meaning in life seems to be a significant factor in characterizing the elderly’s well-being, health and quality of life. However, meaning in life has scarcely been covered by researchers. Hence, the main purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of life review based group counseling on meaning in life in the elderly. This study was a quasi-experimental of pretest-posttest and control group with a follow-up design. The statistical population consisted of all the aged the member of community centers in Tehran, Iran, of which Omid and Melal were selected randomly. It was convenience sampling through which the statistical samples were selected in that selected among people who had been scored less than the cut-off point in Crumbaugh and Maholick's Purpose in Life Test were eight participants from each community center. Life review intervention was performed through 15 weekly 90-minute sessions. Having been undergone through the Analysis of Covariance, the results demonstrated that the life review intervention has a significant effect on meaning in life in the elderly (p < 0.05). Accordingly, it can be concluded that the life review can be utilized by psychologists and counselors as an effective therapy for the elderly.

The growth of the elderly papulation has gradually caused researchers and experts to confirm the importance of taking into consideration the elderly’s health and to recommend the provision of necessary facilities and the presentation of special services. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of mindfulness training on increasing happiness and improving the quality of life in the elderly in Khorramabad, Iran. The current research was a quasi-experimental of pretest-posttest with control group design. The statistical population consisted of all the elderly in nursing homes located in Khorramabad in 2017, among whom the statistical sample were selected based on inclusion criteria and assigned randomly into experimental (n=12) and control (n=12) groups. Used to measure the variables were the Oxford Happiness and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaires. Data were analyzed using multivariate covariance analysis. It was post-test phase conducted after the intervention was presented. Results indicated that after the effect of pre-test on the variables was controlled, it was seen that there is a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in the post-test phase (P<0.001). Hence, the mindfulness training resulted in the increase of happiness and the improvement of quality of life in the experimental group in comparison with the control group. The results reveal the necessity of utilizing mindfulness training plan to improve the quality of life and to enhance the happiness in the elderly. Therefore, mindfulness training is suggested to be applied in psychological services delivered for the elderly.

In all societies, especially the Iranian society, elderly people are from specific groups and need attention. Among the variables that are important in the elderly group is their obsessive thinking about death. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between spiritual health and religious orientation with obsessive-compulsive disorder in the elderly by mediating the power of tolerance of ambiguity. This is a descriptive-correlational study. The population of this study included elderly people in Zanjan in 1396; Of these, 250 of them were selected using available sampling method. Following ethics and secrecy were completed at first a brief mental status questionnaire and then Palutzian-Elison’s spiritual health, the ambiguity tolerance ability of McLean, Abdul-Khaleq’s death obsession and the religious orientation of Allport. Then, descriptive and inferential statistics-multiple regression-findings were analyzed. The results showed that death obsession with religious health had a negative relationship (-0.41) with a negative religious (-0.28) and religious orientation (0.15) internal religious orientation. Spiritual health and external religious orientation in the prediction of obsessive-compulsive disorder had an exploratory role. Finally, the mediating role of the power of tolerance of ambiguity was confirmed. The results of this study can be effective in understanding the age and the challenges of this group and help directly in elderly counseling.

Due to the rapid growth of the elderly population in the 21st century, especially in developing countries, it seems necessary to pay attention to fulfilling the elderly’s physical and psychological needs. Hence, the present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of group logo therapy on social adjustment, loneliness and general health in the elderly. The current research was a quasi-experimental of pretest-posttest and control group design. The statistical population included all the 60-80 years old elderly who resided in nursing homes in Tehran, Iran in 2018. Selected through convenience sampling method and inclusion criteria were 30 elderly assigned randomly in experimental (n=15) and control (n=15) groups. The control group did not receive any intervention. The experimental group received an interventional program of eight 90-minute sessions. Data were collected using Social Adjustment (Bell), loneliness (Peplau & Curtona) and General Health (Russell, Goldberg & Hillier) Questionnaires. Having been undergone using mean, standard deviation, and multiple covariance analyze, the results indicated that there is a significant difference between experimental and control groups in the post-test phase in terms of adjustment, loneliness and general health (P<0.001). Therefore, it can be concluded that logotherapy appears to be effective on improving social adjustment, reducing loneliness and enhancing general health in the elderly.

Due to the rapid growth of the elderly population in the 21st century, especially in developing countries, pay attention to the physical and psychological needs of the elderlies is essential. The goal of present study was to study the Effectiveness of group logo therapy on social adjustment, loneliness and general health of elderly. This semi-experimental research was conducted with pre-posttest design with an experimental and a control group. Population was all elderly who were a member of the daily elderly center in Tehran in 2018. For the purposes of the research, 30 elderly were selected and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (n=15 each). The control group did not receive any intervention. An interventional program of experimental group (group logo therapy) was performed in 10 sessions of 90 minutes. To collect data, the questionnaire on social adjustment Bell (1962), loneliness Russell, Peplau & Curtona (1980), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) Goldberg & Hillier (1979( were used. The data were analyzed and represented as mean, standard deviation, and covariance. Findings showed that there is significant differences between 2 groups in adjustment,loneliness and general health (P<0.01). therefore can be concluded that logo therapy is effective on enhancing social adjustment, reducing loneliness and enhancing general health of elderly.

Due to the ever growing population of the elderly, improving their psychological characteristics such as depression, anxiety and selective attention seems to be necessary. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of eight-week aerobic rhythmic exercise along with music on depression, anxiety and selective attention in the elderly men in Ardebil, Iran. The current research was a quasi-experimental of pretest-posttest and control group design. Selected through convenience and voluntary sampling methods were Twenty eight participants with an average age of 67 (SD=5.59) who were assigned randomly into experimental (n=12) and control (n=12) groups. Study tools included Beck's Depression, Beck's anxiety and Strop’s selective attention questionnaires. It was experimental group for whom Aerobic training along with music were presented in eight one-hour sessions, 3 sessions a week. Data were analyzed through SPSS-22 using Covariance Analyze. Results indicated that all three variables including selective attention (P<0.001), depression (P=0.02), and anxiety (P<0.001) the experimental group had a significant improvement in the post-test compared to the pre-test, although this was not the case for the control group (P>0.05). According to the findings, it can be concluded that Aerobic is expected to improve selective attention through creating harmony and combining movements and performance. Besides, the combination of Aerobic and music seems to be effective on decreasing depression and anxiety.