Iranian Journal of War and Public Health
Volume:10 Issue: 41, 2018

Despite passing of years since the end of the war, veterans are still experiencing a lot of physical and psychological problems, which can seriously affect well-being of their wives and, consequently, family function. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of narrative therapy and emotionally focused therapy on family cohesion of veterans' wives in Khorramabad. The present semi-experimental research was carried out in 2017 with two experimental and one control groups and a three-month follow-up in the community of veterans' wives in Khorramabad, in which 60 subjects were selected by purposive sampling method and randomly divided into two experimental and one control groups (each group included 20 subjects). The first experimental group received 10 narrative therapy sessions (120 minutes for each session) and the second group received 10 emotionally focused therapy (120 minutes for each session) and the control group was placed in waiting list. The Samani family cohesion questionnaire was used as a research tool. The data were analyzed by SPSS 20 software, using repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc test. Findings: In the post-test and follow-up phase, there was a significant difference in family cohesion scores between narrative therapy and emotionally focused therapy groups in comparison with the control group (p<0.01), and both treatments had the same efficacy (p>0.05). Narrative therapy and emotionally focused therapy are effective in improving family cohesion in veterans’ wives.

Neuro-Linguistic programming refers to specific relationships between neurological processes, linguistic and behavioral patterns learned through planning. The main purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of training neuro-linguistic programming strategies on improving the quality of life of veterans' wives from 25-50%. In this semi-experimental study, with pre-test post-test design with control group, 30 Veterans wives from 25-50% in the cities of Tehran province were selected randomly and divided in experimental and control groups (each group of 15 people). The tool used in this study was a short-scale quality of life. The training plan was submitted to the experimental group in 10 sessions. Data analysis was done using statistical software SPSS 23, after the calculation of the difference between the pre-test and post-test scores, the multivariate covariance analysis (Mancova) was used for both groups. Findings: Significant positive changes were observed between the mean scores of the subscales of mental health, physical health, social relationships, perception of the living environment and in general the quality of life of veterans' veterans of the experimental group at the stage of verbal neural planning training (p<0.05); While this difference was not observed in the control group and in almost all subscales of quality of life in this group (control) were close to each other at the pre and post education stage and they did not show any difference (p>0.05). Training neuro-linguistic programming strategies improves the quality of life of veterans' wives from 25-50%.

PTSD is a set of continuous and frequent symptoms that occur after experiencing or observing a traumatic event, such as being involved in a war. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Powell's cognitive rehabilitation with neurofeedback in improving executive functions, memory, and attention to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. Material & Methods: This semi-experimental study, with pre-test post-test design, was carried out on 24 veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder in two experimental and control groups. Powell's cognitive rehabilitation treatment with neurofeedback was performed for 12 sessions and three months for the experimental group. For conducting the study, PSSI test, Wisconsin Card Test, Stroop test, and working memory test were used. Data were analyzed using univariate covariance analysis and SPSS 24. Finding: By controlling the pre-test effects, there was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of overall score of executive functions, memory and attention (p=0.001). Powell's cognitive rehabilitation treatment with neurofeedback is effective on improving executive functions, memory and attention of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Social adjustment is one of the important structures of mental health, in which the identification of influential factors is of high importance. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of coping styles, locus of control, and emotional intelligence in predicting social adjustment of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Instrument and Methods: In the descriptive correlational study, 120 veterans with PTSD hospitalized and treated in Isar Psychiatric Hospital in Ardabil selected based on the available sampling method, were studied in 2017. The data were collected, using Bell adjustment inventory, Lazarus and Folkman coping styles questionnaire, Rotter’s locus of control scale, and Schutte et al. emotional intelligence scale. The data were analyzed by SPSS 21 software, using Pearson correlation coefficient test and stepwise regression analysis. Findings: Social adjustment of veterans with PTSD had a positive and significant relationship with emotional intelligence, internal locus of control, and problem-focused coping style and had a negative and significant relationship with external locus of control and emotion-focused coping style (p<0.001). Also, 78% of variance of social adjustment scores in the veterans with PTSD were predicted by coping styles, locus of control, and emotional intelligence (p<0.001) and the most predictive power was for emotional intelligence. Problem-focused coping styles, internal locus of control, and high emotional intelligence predict high social adjustment in veterans with PTSD.

One of the damaging factors of the family structure is the disability of one of its members, which can be due to events such as war. Due to the need to pay attention to the members of the veterans' family, especially their spouses, the aim of this study was to predict the caregiver burden based on sense of coherence and psychological capital in the spouses of amputee veterans. Instruments and Methods: This descriptive-correlational study was conducted in 2016 among spouses of amputee veterans in Piranshahr. Using available sampling method, 120 people were selected as sample. For data collection, Pai and Kapur’s Family Burden Interview Scale, Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence Scale, and Luthans’s Psychological Capital Questionnaire were used. The data were analyzed, using SPSS 18 software, Pearson correlation, and stepwise regression test. Finding: There was a negative and significant correlation between caregiver burden and sense of coherence (r=-0.28; p<0.01) and psychological capital (r=0.41; p<0.01). The sense of coherence was significantly able to predict about 7% of the variance of caregiver burden in veterans’ spouses (p<0.005). Also, self-efficacy in the first step and resilience in the second step significantly predicted 14% and 17% of the variance of the caregiver burden of the spouses of veterans, respectively (p<0.001). The sense of coherence and psychological capital reduce caregiver burden in the spouses of amputee veterans.

War is a complex social event that affects institutions and social life. The purpose of this study was to compare the attachment styles, resilience and social capital in the spouses of witness, veterans and normal people. Instruments & Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2016 among the spouses of witness, veterans and normal people in Ardabil city. Using cluster sampling, 135 people (45 people in each group) were selected as sample. For data collection, Avdnhavn Attachment Questionnaire, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale and Social Capital Questionnaire based on the Nahapit and Ghoshal model were used. The data were analyzed by Manova test and LSD test, using SPSS 16 software. Finding: There was no significant difference among three groups in secure attachment (F=0.123; p=0.884) and avoidance attachment (F=0.122; p= 2.136), but there was a significant difference among fearful attachment scores (F=3.164; p=0.045). Also, there was a significant difference among three groups in resilience scores (F=3.770; p=0.026) and social capital scores (F=4.715; p=0.011). The fearful attachment style of veterans' spouses is more common than normal spouses, but other attachment styles are the same in all three groups. Also, the level of resilience and social capital are different in three groups; So that the resilience of spouses of normal people is higher than veterans' spouses. The spouses of witness and veterans comparing to normal spouses have higher social capital.

War is one of the influential factors in the public health of the community, which causes a lot of physical and mental harms in people. The aim of this study was to predict the resilience based on self-compassion and empathy in veterans of 8 years of imposed war. Instruments and Methods: This descriptive-correlational study was conducted in 2017 among all veterans with physical and mental injuries caused by the war in Saqqez. Using proportionate stratified random sampling, 297 people (262 men and 35 women) were selected as sample. For data collection, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Davis's Empathy Questionnaire, and Neff's Self-Compassion Questionnaire were used. The data were analyzed by Pearson correlation, multiple regression analysis, using SPSS 22 software. Finding: There was a positive and significant correlation among resilience with empathy (r=0.69; p<0.01), self-compassion (r=0.78; p<0.01), be kind to yourself (r=0.81; p<0.01), self-confidence (r=0.73; p<0.01), humanity's commonality (r=0.69; p<0.01), isolation (r=0.50; p<0.01), mindfulness (r=0.61; p<0.01), and over-identifying (r=0.87; p<0.01). Also, there was a positive and significant correlation between resilience and empathic concern (r=0.61; p<0.01) and perspectivism (r=0.51; p<0.01) and a reverse and significant correlation between resilience and personal disturbance (r=-0.78; p<0.01). Self-compassion and empathy were able to predict 71% and 60% of the variance of resilience changes in veterans, respectively, and among these two variables, self-compassion was more effective than empathy. The veterans with high self-compassion and empathy are more resilient.

The stresses and fears experienced by veterans affect their use of defense mechanisms. The aim of this study was to compare the mature, immature, and neurotic defense mechanisms in veterans and normal people. Instruments and Methods: In the present causal-comparative retrospective study, the statistical population included veterans supported by the Martyr Foundation and Issargaran affairs in Tehran 1395, and normal people over the age of 25 living in Tehran. In this study, 40 veterans were selected from Sarallah Rehabilitation Hospital, Sadr Psychiatric Hospital, and Niyayesh Psychiatric Hospital and 40 normal people were selected from the husbands of female students of the Center for Behavioral Cognition by convenience sampling method. The Defense Style Questionnaire was used as a research tool and the data were analyzed by SPSS 22 software through multivariate analysis of covariance and Bonferonni post hoc test Findings: By controlling the effect of age, there was a significant difference in the use of various defense mechanisms between veterans and normal people (p<0.01). The difference between the mean scores of using the mature and immature defense mechanisms was significant in the two groups (p<0.01). Veterans used more immature defense mechanisms than normal people and used less mature defense mechanisms. There was no significant difference between the mean scores of neurotic defense mechanisms in the two groups (p>0.05). Veterans use more mature and immature defense mechanisms than normal people, but they do not differ in the use of neurotic defense mechanisms.