مریم کلهرنیا گلکار

Hypertension is one of the most common chronic diseases, which if not properly managed, can lead to not only physical health issues but also reduced psychological well-being and efficiency. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral group therapy on depression and self-efficacy in patients with hypertension.

The present study was a quasi-experimental intervention, conducted as a pre-test, post-test design with experimental and control groups, and with a 90-day follow-up. The study population consisted of all hypertension patients who referred to healthcare centers in Tehran in 2023, from which 38 subjects were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The data collection tools included a demographic form, the Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI-II), and the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE-17). Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA with a significance level of 0.05, using SPSS-21 software.

Cognitive-behavioral group therapy was effective in reducing depression (F=78/6, P< 0/001) and increasing self-efficacy (F=12/7, P < 0/001) among patients with hypertension. Additionally, the effect size of cognitive-behavioral therapy was 70% for depression and 27% for self-efficacy, with the effects persisting up to three months post-treatment.

The finding indicated that cognitive-behavioral therapy can lead to improvements in depression and an increase in psychological self-efficacy in patients with hypertension. Therefore, this cost-effective and affordable treatment method can be utilized alongside routine treatment (medication) to enhance the psychological well-being of these patients.

Methamphetamine is a highly stimulating psychoactive drug that causes life-threatening addictions and affects millions of people worldwide. Its effects on the brain are complex and include the disruption of neurotransmitter systems and neurotoxicity. There are several known treatments, but their effectiveness is moderate. It should be emphasized that no drug has been approved for treatment. For this reason, there is an urgent need to develop new, effective, and safe treatments for methamphetamine. Among the potential treatments are transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) and acceptance and commitment therapy. In recent years, these treatments have been widely investigated in many neurological and psychiatric disorders. The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (TDCS) treatment with acceptance and commitment-based treatment on emotion regulation in men addicted to methamphetamine. The research method was a pre-test-post-test experiment with a control group. The statistical population of the research included all the methamphetamine addicts in Tehran in 1401 who had referred to Azgol and Taranom Sabz drug addiction centers. From among them, 45 addicts were randomly selected according to the criteria for entering the research by the purposeful sampling method. The experimental groups (15 people in each group) and the control group (15 people) were assigned. The experimental groups received transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) and acceptance and commitment-based therapy, while the control group, which was on the waiting list, did not receive any training. To collect data, the questionnaire of cognitive emotion regulation strategies was used by Granfsky and Karaj (2009). Data was analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance. The results showed that after controlling for the effects of the pre-test, there was a significant difference between the post-test averages of the three groups in emotion regulation, and the treatment based on acceptance and commitment was more effective on the emotion regulation of men addicted to methamphetamine compared to transcranial direct electrical stimulation therapy. It can be concluded that transcranial direct electrical stimulation therapy and treatment based on acceptance and commitment are effective in regulating the emotions of men addicted to methamphetamine, and therefore, according to the findings of the research, these treatments can be used to reduce the problems of people addicted to methamphetamine.

The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of group therapies that were based on acceptance and commitment, as well as schema on coping-avoidance style, in individuals who were obese or overweight and were experiencing emotional eating. The present study was a quasi-experimental design that included a control group and a pretest-posttest. The research population included all men and women between the ages of 21 and 50 who visited nutrition and obesity clinics in Tehran during the summer and autumn of 2019. A sample of 60 individuals was randomly assigned to three groups of 20 individuals (acceptance and commitment therapy, schema treatment, and control) using the cluster sampling method and based on entry and exit criteria. The subjects completed the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ) and the General and Exclusive Avoidance Questionnaire (GASQ) in three stages: pre-test, on-test, and post-test. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 24 software, which included covariance analysis and Bonferroni's post hoc test. The results indicated that group therapies based on acceptance and commitment and schema therapy were effective in reducing the avoidance of coping styles in obese and overweight individuals with emotional excess. The experimental groups exhibited a lower level of avoidance compared to the control group. The results suggest that overweight and obese individuals can decrease their reliance on coping style avoidance through group therapy that is based on acceptance, commitment, and schema therapy.

Diabetes, as one of the common causes of mortality worldwide, extends beyond physical aspects and can impact psychological and emotional dimensions as well. Therefore, the present research aimed to determine the effectiveness of spiritual therapy on the psychological well-being and self-efficacy of patients with type 2 diabetes in Tehran.

This study was a semi-experimental research with a pretest-posttest and a three-month follow-up design with a control group. The study population consisted of all the patients with type 2 diabetes who attended treatment centers in Tehran (Masih Daneshvari, Nikan, and the Iranian Diabetes Association) from August to November 2023. Among the patients, 37 were selected using purposive sampling and were randomly assigned to two groups: the experimental group (N=18) and the control group (N=19). The data collection tools included a demographic information form, the standardized Ryff's scale of psychological well-being– short form (Cronbach's alpha= 0/72), and the General Self-Efficacy Scale (Cronbach's alpha= 0/83). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS-21 software. Additionally, given the different stages of measurement (pre-test, post-test, and follow-up), repeated measures ANOVA was used for data analysis.

The results indicated that spiritual therapy led to an increase in psychological well-being (F=132/56, P<0/001) and self-efficacy (F=15/51, P<0/001) in patients with type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, the effect size of spiritual therapy on psychological well-being was 79%, and self-efficacy was 31%, and the sustainability of its effects was observed up to three months after treatment.

The findings suggest the impact of spiritual therapy on enhancing psychological well-being and self-efficacy in patients with type 2 diabetes. Therefore, it is recommended that, in addition to the routine treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes, spiritual therapy be utilized to enhance the psychological well-being of the patients.

Emotional disorders include emotions in children and adolescents that are not appropriate to their age, not consistent with their cultural status. Studies have reported on the effect of neurofeedback and TDCS are effective to improvement of emotional disorders. there was a research gap in comparing the effect of these two on emotional disorders in children with enuresis.

the aim of this study to compare the efficacy of neurofeedback and TDCS on emotional disorders in children with enuresis.

Research method was quasi-experimental with pre-test, post- test, three-month follow-up with control group. The statistical population of this research was all children suffering from nocturnal enuresis who referred to Educational consulting centers of district 5 of Tehranin 1400. The sampling method was purposive and (considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria), 60 children were selected, and then randomly assigned to three groups of 20 people. The research tool was Rutter's emotional behavioral problems questionnaire (1991). neurofeedback and TDCS intervention programs were used in the experimental groups. The control group did not receive treatment and the data was analyzed using the statistical test of mixed analysis of variance.

There is a significant difference between the average scores of pre-test, post-test and follow-up scores of emotional disorders in the three phases of pre-test, post-test and treatment follow-up. onsidering the average differences and the fact that the average of the neurofeedback group was higher than the transcranial electrical stimulation group. The results of the Bonferroni test showed that the neurofeedback method was more effective on the emotional disorders of children with enuresis.

With both methods of neurofeedback & TDCS (especially neurofeedback) emotional disorders of children with enuresis can be reduced. neurofeedback intervention is more effective in treating to children with enuresis.

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy and emotion-oriented therapy on physical self-concept and distress tolerance of women with coronary heart disease. The present study was an experimental study with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group and a two-month follow-up period. The statistical population was all women with coronary heart disease who were referred to the specialized center of Shahid Lavasani Hospital in Tehran in the summer of 1400. 45 people were selected voluntarily and randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups. Body self-concept questionnaires of Marsh et al. (PSDQ, 1994) and Distress Tolerance of Simmons and Gaher (DTS, 2005) were used. The first experimental group underwent intervention in ten 90-minute sessions and the second experimental group underwent intervention in nine 90-minute sessions. Repeated measurement analysis of variance test was used to analyze the data. The results showed that there is a significant difference between the groups in the post-test and follow-up of physical self-concept and distress tolerance (p>0.05). The results showed that cognitive behavioral therapy was more effective in distress tolerance and no significant difference was observed between the two treatments in body self-concept (p>0.05). As a result due to the greater effect that cognitive behavioral therapy has on distress tolerance, it can be effective alone or with complementary treatment in distress tolerance in women with coronary artery disease.

Cardiovascular disease is one of the most common heart complications and is known as a chronic, progressive and debilitating disorder. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy and emotion-focused therapy on anxiety and distress tolerance in women with coronary artery disease.

Methodos: 

This was a semi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group and a follow-up stage. The statistical population included all women suffering from coronary artery disease referring to the specialized center of Shahid Lavasani Hospital in Tehran in summer 2021. A total of 45 people were selected voluntarily and randomly and were divided into two experimental groups (n=30) and control groups (n=15). Measurement tools included Beck et al's Anxiety Inventory (1988) and Simons and Gaher’s distress tolerance scale (2005). One experimental group received cognitive behavioral intervention and the other group received emotion-focused intervention. The first experimental group underwent intervention in ten 90-minute in person sessions in ten weeks and the second experimental group in nine 90-minute in person sessions in nine weeks and the control group received the conventional intervention. SPSS 16 and repeated measures intergroup ANOVA were used at the significance level of α=0.05 to analyze the data.

Results showed that the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral and emotion-focused therapy in reducing anxiety was not significantly different and their effect was identical (p<0.05). However cognitive behavioral therapy was more effective in distress tolerance component (p<0.05).

Results of this research can become the basis for interventions to help coronary artery disease patients.

abstract

This research was conducted with the aim of comparing the effectiveness of teaching parenting techniques and life skills on the quality of life of mothers with children with ADHD.

For this purpose, 45 children from 6 to 12 years of age who were diagnosed with ADHD using the Connors scale (parent form) were referred to psychological clinics in Tehran and were selected by available sampling and divided into three groups of 15. They were divided. First, the quality of life questionnaire was implemented on three groups. Then the mothers of one group were trained in parenting techniques, the mothers of another group were trained in life skills, and the mothers of the last group were trained in combined training (parenting techniques and life skills). Finally, this questionnaire was re-administered for all three groups and the results were analyzed.

The results of covariance analysis showed that the quality of life of the three groups had a significant difference, that is, the quality of life of the people who were trained in life skills was significantly higher than those who were trained in parenting techniques or combined.

In order to improve the quality of life of mothers with children with ADHD, it is suggested to use life skills training.

A society will be dynamic and vitality when its citizens have good social health. According to the importance and influence of this type of health among people in the society, in this research, the explanation of social health through the sense of perceived equality and the mediating role of mistrust among the citizens of Tehran in 1401 has been considered.

The present study is applied in terms of purpose and correlational-survey in terms of data collection method. The data collected by standard and researcher-made questionnaires among 384 citizens of the 2nd, 10th and 16th districts of Tehran by combining four types of sampling methods; That is, simple random sampling method (based on the lottery method), cluster, multi-stage and stratified sampling, that data were collected according to the sample size. It should be noted that the validity of the questionnaires was checked by supervisor and advisor and the reliability of the questionnaires was checked with Cronbach's alpha test and the obtained coefficients (above 0.7) indicated the reliability of the tools.

Ethical Considerations: 

The respondents who participated in this research answered the questionnaires with the knowledge of conducting of the research and its goals.

According to the beta coefficients in the univariate regression test, it was found that a change of one standard deviation in perceived equality caused 0.554 standard deviation in the social health and -0.231 standard deviation in the mistrust and finally a change of one standard deviation in mistrust causes -0.405 standard deviation in the social health score. Also, in the path analysis, it was found that the total effect (direct and indirect effect) of perceived equality variable on social health is 0.647.

According to that social health has wide effects in the society and its absence causes huge problems and challenges, therefore, the implementation of perceived equality and on the other hand restoring trust among the people of the society should be prioritized.

Today, obesity caused by emotional overeating has become a ubiquitous phenomenon with major side effects.

The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment-based group therapy and group schema therapy in emotion regulation difficulties and body mass index (BMI) of obese people with emotional eating.

In this quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest, control group, follow-up design, the population included all men and women, aged 21-50 years, who were referred to the nutrition and obesity clinics of Tehran, Iran, from September 2020 to December 2020. The study sample included 45 obese people with emotional eating, who were selected through convenience sampling among individuals visiting Mehrdadi and Behpouyan nutrition and obesity clinics and randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group. The data collection tools were the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (1986), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale by Gratz and Romer (2004), and BMI measurement. The collected data were analyzed using analysis of covariance and Bonferroni's post-hoc test in SPSS version 24.

Results from Covariance analysis showed that there was a significant difference between the scores of control and experimental groups. Compared to the control group, the experimental groups have improved emotion regulation and reduced body mass index. In addition to results indicated that acceptance and commitment-based group therapy and group schema therapy similarly improved emotion regulation and reduced the BMI of obese people with emotional overeating (P<0.05).

Acceptance and commitment-based group therapy and group schema therapy were effective methods in improving emotion regulation difficulties and reducing the BMI of obese people with emotional eating. So it's suggested to use these methods in the treatment of obese people suffering from emotional overeating.

 Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic disease with a high mortality rate and is completely different from other diseases. It is an infectious disease caused by HIV, which is transmitted through contact between blood and semen. The disease is a rapidly expanding health challenge, and research findings show that people struggling with chronic diseases such as HIV + show high levels of psychological problems and dysfunction. HIV + is also associated with low resilience. Resilience is the ability to adapt to stressors in the face of adversity, which is a learnable skill and its mechanisms moderate the relationship between pain and its consequences. In other words, resilient and stubborn people can overcome a variety of adverse effects, have a greater ability to solve problems and respond better to adverse conditions to maintain their psychological well-being. Accordingly, research shows that people with HIV + have low psychological well-being in addition to low resilience. Psychological well-being is the pursuit of perfection in the realization of one's potential, which includes self-acceptance, positive relationships with others, autonomy, purposeful living, personal growth, and mastery of the environment. Unfortunately, in addition to affecting and lowering the quality of life of an infected person, HIV + can also affect the functioning of the family and the quality of life of those around them, including parents. Quality of life is a social concept according to which a person gives a mental understanding of the good or bad of life. Accordingly, the World Health Organization defines the quality of life as an individual's perception of life in the context of society's culture and values in line with the individual's goals and interests and relates it to physical, mental, beliefs, self-reliance, and social relationships. Knows. Therefore, some researchers believe that there is as much quality of life as there are people on earth because everyone can give a different perception and meaning to life. Compassion-focused therapy (CFT) was proposed by Paul Gilbert. Although the components of this treatment were initially proposed by Neff and he introduced them as awareness, kindness to oneself, and a sense of fellowship with humanity, it was Gilbert who used these structures in treatment sessions and introduced CFT. Although research findings support the effectiveness of compassion-focused therapy in a wide range of clinical problems, the researcher's research shows that so far a study on the effect of this treatment on variables of resilience, psychological well-being, and quality of life in HIV + patients Has not taken place. Accordingly, this study seeks to answer the question of whether a course of treatment focused on compassion has a significant effect on resilience, psychological well-being, and quality of life of HIV + patients?

The present study was applied and included experimental designs of pre-test-post-test with an experimental group and a control group. The statistical population of the study is all 330 HIV + patients in the Center for Behavioral Diseases in 1397. According to Fidel and Tapachik's (2001) purposeful sampling method, 107 people (104+ number of dependent variables) had the criteria for inclusion in the study. They were selected from the mentioned community. For screening, the selected candidates first answered the Connor and Davidson Resilience Questionnaire (2003), the Reef Psychological Well-Being Questionnaire (1989), and the Weir and Sherborn Quality of Life Questionnaire (1992), followed by 55 people with the lowest scores. Were selected in response to the questionnaires, and finally 30 people who met the inclusion criteria and declared their readiness to conduct the study were included in the study. Candidates were randomly assigned to a 15-member experimental group and a 15-member control group. Inclusion criteria included at least one year of HIV + infection, not receiving any other psychological intervention during the study, the age range of at least 20 and at most 30 years, higher education, single marital status, and no gender consideration is. Exclusion criteria included the unwillingness of volunteers to continue the sessions and the absence of more than one session in group interventions. The experimental groups underwent 8 sessions of 120-minute treatment focused on compassion therapy (CFT). The control group did not receive any intervention until the end of the study. At the end of the interventions, all three groups were re-evaluated and the results of the interventions were compared with each other. To evaluate the stability of treatment, 1 month after the interventions, the volunteers were re-evaluated. The instruments of this study included the Connor and Davidson Resilience Questionnaire (2003), the Reef Psychological Well-Being Questionnaire (1989), and the Weir and Sherborne Quality of Life Questionnaire (1992). Data analysis was performed in two parts: descriptive and inferential. Covariance analysis was used to analyze the data.

The findings indicate that the independent variable, ie compassion-focused treatment, has affected all research variables including resilience, psychological well-being, and physical and psychological quality of life, and are significant at the level of 0.001.

Explaining the findings of this study in the sense that compassion-focused therapy affects the variables of resilience, psychological well-being, and quality of life, it can be said that compassion-focused therapy, like acceptance and commitment therapy, is opposed to clinical diagnosis. And these variables, as described earlier, are positive psychological variables. The three basic principles taught to people living with HIV in this treatment include mindfulness awareness, common human principles, and self-kindness. People in the group learned how to be kinder to themselves and useless self-blame. This may also provide a good explanation for how this affects research variables.

Bulimia nervosa is characterized by repeated episodes of binge eating (consuming large amounts of food in a short period of time, for example, less than two hours, on average once a week for the past three months) without regular use of disproportionate weight control compensatory behaviors. This research was conducted with the aim of determining the effectiveness of interpersonal group therapy on psychological well-being in women with bulimia nervosa.

The research method was semi-experimental with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group and a two-month follow-up test. 30 research samples were selected from the community of women suffering from bulimia nervosa who referred to the Iranian Bulimia Association in Tehran in October and November 2018 and were randomly replaced in two experimental and control groups. The required findings were collected using the psychological well-being questionnaire (Ryff et al., 1989) in three times: pre-test, post-test and follow-up test, and using variance analysis with repeated measurements. Was analyzed.

The results showed that interpersonal group therapy is effective in improving the psychological well-being of bulimia nervosa patients (p≥0.005). Bonferroni test showed that this effect is stable over time.

Considering the effectiveness of interpersonal group therapy on psychological well-being, it is suggested to use interpersonal group therapy for women with bulimia nervosa.

Anxiety and decreased nervousness tolerance are among the main problems of coronary heart disease patients that can make negative physiological and psychological consequences. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy in anxiety and distress tolerance in patients with coronary heart disease.

In a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design with a control group with follow-up period, from the statistical population that included of all patients with coronary artery disease referred to the specialized center of Shahid Lavasani Hospital in Tehran in the summer of 2021, 30 volunteers were selected by purposive sampling and then randomly divided into two experimental and control groups (15 people in each group). The research instruments included Beck et al.'s (1988) Anxiety Inventory and Simmons and Gaher (2005) Anxiety Behavior Questionnaires, which were administered to both groups as pretest, posttest, and follow-up. Alice and Beck cognitive-behavioral therapy was performed in ten 90-minute sessions for the experimental group, but the control group received the usual treatment. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance and SPSS software version 16 at a significance level of 0.05.

The results showed that there was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in the post-test in anxiety variables (p <0.001) and anxiety tolerance components (p <0.001). Also, the results were stable in the follow-up period (p <0.001).

According to the results, cognitive-behavioral therapy was effective in reducing anxiety and increasing anxiety tolerance in patients with coronary heart disease. Therefore, it can be used as a complementary treatment along with medical methods to improve the psychological status (reduce anxiety and increase distress tolerance) in patients with coronary heart disease.

 According to the importance of social health and its increasing effects on life and society, the present research deals with prediction of social health based on social justice with the mediation of social indifference among citizens of Tehran in 1401.

 The present research is practical in terms of purpose and causal-comparative of the survey type in terms of data collection method. Data were collected through the distribution of standard questionnaires among 384 citizens of Tehran - Saadat Abad (District 2), South Zanjan (District 10) and Kargar St (District 16) combining simple, cluster, multi-stage and stratified random sampling methods according to the sample size. In the theoretical model of this research, the social justice variable (individualism, equality, fairness and need) as an independent variable and the social indifference variable (decision-making power, distrust, aimlessness and political responsibility) as an internal dependent variable and social health variable (social cohesion, social acceptance, social participation, prosperity and social adaptation) has been considered as the main dependent variable. Finally, to investigate the relationship between the mentioned variables, structural equation modeling method with Lisrel 8.8 software was used.

Ethical Considerations: 

The respondents who participated in this research answered the questionnaires with the knowledge of conducting of the research and its goals.

 The results showed that social justice is effective on social health with the mediating role of social indifference. Also, social justice affects social indifference by 0.41 and social health by 0.78 and social indifference affects social health by 0.14.

 In order to improvement of social health, it is necessary to establish social justice in society with the help of high-level organizations and managers, so that social indifference will decrease and we will see a society where people have high social health which can have positive effects in the society at different levels and solve the problems.

The aim of the present study was to structurally model coping strategies and self-care in patients with type 2 diabetes; It was based on the mediating role of self-efficacy and rigidity. The present study was a correlational descriptive method and a fundamental goal. The statistical population of this study included all patients with type 2 diabetes in Khomeini Khomeini Health Network in Isfahan. 200 people (five times the total number of questionnaire questions) were randomly selected as the sample and entered the study. For data collection, Niknam et al.'s (2013) self-care questionnaire, Kubasa (1976) hardiness, Scherer self-efficacy, Lazarus and Volkman and coping strategies were used. Data analysis was performed using structural equations and LISREL software. The results of data analysis showed that the ratio of chi-square to degree of freedom (X2 / df), good fit index (GFI), normalized fit index (NFI), adaptive fit index (CFI), excess fit index (IFI), relative fit index (RFI), Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) and square root of residues (RMR) are significant and desirable and have a good fit model. The findings show that rigidity and self-efficacy play a mediating role in the relationship between coping strategies and self-care of type 2 diabetic patients. Therefore, to increase the self-care of diabetic patients, it is possible to strengthen their assertiveness and self-efficacy. Also, by teaching positive coping strategies, self-efficacy and perseverance can be strengthened, and this leads to increased self-care.

Infertile women often use a stressful process called laboratory fertilization to fulfill their desire for childbearing. The present study aimed to determine the effect of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy training on intolerance of uncertainty in infertile women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment.

This study was conducted using a semi-experimental approach based on a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design with a control group. The statistical population consisted of all infertile women referred to an infertility treatment center in Mashhad, Iran. From this group, a total of 60 women with a history of infertility were selected using the available sampling method and then randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. For the experimental group, eight 2-h sessions of mindfulness training were held weekly; however, the control group did not receive any psychological services. The intolerance of uncertainty questionnaire was used to measure anxiety, and data analysis was performed by single-variable covariance using SPSS software (version 21).

The results indicated that there was a statistically significant difference between the experimental and the control groups in terms of intolerance of uncertainty, and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy training effectively reduced the intolerance of uncertainty (P<0.001) in infertile women undergoing IVF treatment.

According to the findings, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy training can be applied to improve the problems of infertile women undergoing IVF treatment.

One of the most pressing and recurring topics in treating addiction disorders is craving, temptation, or desire to consume drugs. Craving encompasses many phenomena, including the expectation of reinforcing effects and intense craving for substances. The quality of life is a person's perception of his or her situation, the level of enjoyment of that situation, and the level of his or her enjoyment of critical life situations, which is related to the goals and expectations of the individual. Music therapy is one of these creative and complementary therapies. According to the American Music Therapy Association, music therapy is the clinical and evidence–based use of music interventions to achieve unique goals during therapeutic communication using professional and reputable professionals who have completed a music therapy program. Drug addiction is a chronic disease usually associated with another psychiatric illness and reduces a person's quality of life. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of music therapy on quality of life and craving in patients under methadone maintenance therapy.

This research method was quasi–experimental with a pretest and posttest design with a control group. The study's statistical population included all addicts under methadone maintenance treatment in addiction treatment clinics affiliated with the Tehran City Health Organization, Tehran City, Iran in 2019. A total of 36 addicts were selected from the available qualified volunteers by convenient sampling and were randomly divided into experimental and control groups (18 in each group). The inclusion criteria in the present study were as follows: addicts under methadone maintenance treatment, male gender, no physical problems, no history of exposure to psychological training, aged 18 to 40 years, and no history of drug use. The exclusion criteria were as follows: non–cooperation of the samples or their families in any of the research stages, having physical problems, history of psychiatric problems, professional athletes aged over 40 years, and drug use. The Quality of Life Questionnaire (Ware & Sherbourne, 1992) and the Desires for Drug Questionnaire (Franken et al., 2002) were used to collect data. Music therapy sessions were performed exclusively for the experimental group in eight 90–minute sessions, twice a week for two months, based on the educational package of Gardstrom et al. (2017). Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics (univariate covariance analysis method) in SPSS version 22. Also, to compare the two groups in terms of gender, the Chi–square test was used, and to compare the age and history of methadone use, the t test of two independent groups was used. The significance level of the tests was set at 0.05.

The results showed that music therapy improved physical function (p<0.001), physical role limitation (p<0.001), general health (p=0.044), and mental role limitation (p=0.045) in the experimental group compared to the control group. Also, the intervention significantly decreased the intention to consume (p<0.001), negative reinforcement (p<0.001), and perceived control (p<0.001) in the experimental group compared to the control group.

Based on the study findings, music therapy can play an essential role in reducing cravings and increasing some aspects of quality of life in patients undergoing methadone maintenance treatment.

High blood pressure is one of the most common and important factors threatening individuals’ mental health and quality of life. Accordingly, the study of important psychological factors such as cognitive regulation of emotion and defense styles used by patients with high blood pressure, and the impact of these variables on their quality of life can help them improve their psychological state.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the structural model of the relationship between cognitive emotion regulation and defensive lifestyles with quality of life mediated by Alexithymia in patients with hypertension.

The present study is descriptive and of correlations and structural equations type. The statistical population includes 700 patients with hypertension who referred to Shiraz Heart Hospital in the spring and summer of 1398. 480 patients were selected from among them. The research instruments included the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire of Garnefski et al. (2007), the Defense Styles Questionnaire of et al. (1993), Quality of Life Questionnaire of the World Health Organization (1996) and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 Questionnaire by Tyler et al. (1994). Data were analyzed by Kolmogorov-Smirnov test , linear regression and structural equation modeling using SPSS 25 and LISREL 8/8 software.

The relationship between emotional cognitive regulation variables and defense styles with quality of life variable mediated by alexithymia in patients with hypertension is significant
(P< 0.001).

Applying cognitive emotion regulation strategies and defensive styles to overcome alexithymia by patients with high blood pressure can affect the quality of life of these patients.

Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of disability and death in different countries of the world and despite the invention of various treatment methods they still have a high prevalence. Although the most important psychological factors in the development and progression of heart diseases are disputed, various researches show that psychological factors play a significant role in the development of cardiovascular diseases. The present study was conducted with the aim of comparing the effectiveness of group dialectical behavior therapy with group schema therapy on emotional dysregulation in women with coronary heart disease.

This was a quasi-experimental study using a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The statistical population included women with coronary heart disease referred to Azadi Hospital in Tehran in 2018-2019, 45 of whom were selected as a statistical sample by available sampling and divided into two experimental groups and one control group (15 people for each group) were replaced. The measuring tool of the research included emotional dysregulation scale (Gratz and Romer, 2004). After completing eight sessions of group dialectical behavior therapy and eight sessions of group schema therapy in the experimental groups, the mentioned questionnaires were completed again immediately and after three months, respectively, as a post-test and follow-up in the groups. The results were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods (variance analysis test with repeated measurements) in SPSS.23 software.

The results of analysis of variance with repeated measurements showed that both treatments were effective on emotional dysregulation in women with coronary heart disease from the pre-test, post-test and follow-up stage (p=0.001); The results of Bonferroni's post hoc test also showed that group dialectical behavior therapy has a greater effect than group schema therapy in reducing emotional dysregulation in women with coronary heart disease from pre-test to post-test and follow-up (p=0.001).

training in the use of group dialectical behavior therapy is recommended as an effective intervention method in reducing emotional dysregulation in women with coronary heart disease.

Infertile women often use laboratory fertilization (IVF-ET), a stressful process, to fulfill their desire for childbearing. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy training on state anxiety in infertile women undergoing IVF treatment.

This quasi-experimental study was conducted with participation of 60 women with a history of infertility who were referred to an infertility treatment center in Mashhad and were selected via convenience sampling method and then randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups. The experimental group received eight sessions of 2-hour mindfulness training weekly, while the control group did not receive any psychological services. The two groups completed the questionnaires before and after the intervention. Three months later, the test group completed the questionnaire again to track the effects of the educational intervention.Spielberger's state anxiety questionnaire was used to measure anxiety. Data analysis was performed using single-variable covariance via SPSS software version 21.

The mean (SD) age of the experimental group was 31.1 (4.9), and the control group 31.2 (5.1). The mean (SD) score of state anxiety in the experimental group decreased from 44.1 (12.8) in the pre-test to 41.4 (11.1) in the post-test and 40.8 (11.1) in the follow-up stage (P<0.001). However, the mean (SD) score of state anxiety in the control group decreased from 47.1 (12.3) in the pre-test to 46.5 (12.1) in the post-test and 46.2 (12.1) in the follow-up stage, which was not statistically significant.

The study showed that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy training reduced state anxiety among infertile women undergoing IVF treatment

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is one of the biggest challenges in human life that requires a variety of psychological support. The aim of this research was to compare the effect of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and compassion focused therapy (CFT) on psychological well-being and quality of life in individuals diagnosed with HIV.

This research was a quasi-experimental study with pretest-posttest design with two experimental groups and one control group. The statistical population included all HIV positive patients referred to Tehran center of behavioral disorders between October and February 2018, among which 45 patients were selected by convenience sampling method and randomly assigned into three groups (two experimental groups and one control group, n=15). One of the experimental groups underwent ACT for 8 session of 120 minutes and another received CFT for 8 sessions of 120 minutes. The control group receivedno intervention. To collect data, Ryff Psychological well-being (1989) and Ware & Sherbourne (1992) quality of life scales were used. Data analysis was performed using descriptive and inferential statistics (analysis of covariance).

The results showed that both acceptance and commitment therapyand compassion focused therapyhad effects on psychological well-being and quality of life in patients with HIV (p<0.05), however, the effect of compassion focused therapy was more noticeable on the psychological dimension of quality of life (p<0.05). Regarding other variables, no significant difference was found between two treatments.

Both acceptance and commitment therapy models and compassion-focused therapy can increase the psychological well-being and quality of life of people with HIV. Therefore, it is recommended to behavioral disease centers to use this protocol to increase the psychological well-being and quality of life of patients with HIV.

Lack of life skills causes ineffective and maladaptive behaviors in the face of stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of life skills training on coping strategies with stress and mothers' emotional self-regulation.

The research was quasi-experimental with pre-test and post-test with control node and follow-up stage. The statistical population of the present study consisted of all mothers with adolescent children in District 3 of Karaj who referred to Armaghan Bahar Psychology Clinic in the fall of 1398. The sample size included 40 mothers with adolescent children in District 3 of Karaj in 1398 to the clinic. The psychology of Armaghan Bahar was referred and were studied by available sampling method and randomly in two experimental groups (20 people) and (20 people) control. The experimental group participated in 11 life skills training sessions, while the control group did not receive any intervention. And after two months, the follow-up was done. The Lazarus Coping Strategies Questionnaire, the Garnfsky Emotional Cognitive Self-Regulation Questionnaire, and Kraj were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the results and then multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was used.

The results showed that life skills training increased the problem-oriented coping strategies of the experimental group versus the control group and decreased the emotion-oriented coping strategies of the experimental group versus the control group (P <0.01). The results also showed that life skills training increased the positive emotions of the experimental group versus the control group (P <0.01).

Interventions based on this approach can be useful in increasing the rate of coping responses to problem-solving, positive emotions of mothers with adolescent children and help to improve their living conditions.

 The aim of this study was to compare the effect of acceptance and commitment-based therapy on psychological distress, coping styles, and quality of life and perception of patients with type 2 diabetes.

 The present study was an applied research and in terms of research methodology, it was of pre-test post-test quasi-experimental type with the control group. The statistical population of the study included patients with type 2 diabetes who referred to medical centers and the Diabetes Association of Tehran in the age range of 30 to 60 years. An available sampling method was used to select the participants and they were randomly assigned to two groups of acceptance and commitment based therapy (n=20) and control group (n=20). Data were collected using Quality of Life Questionnaire, Conflict Response Questionnaire, Disease Perception Questionnaire and Psychological Distress Scale. Acceptance and commitment therapy (9 sessions of 90 minutes per week) was performed in the intervention group. Data were analyzed using SPSS software.

 The results showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the intervention and control groups in terms of psychological distress, body image, and eating disorders (P-Value<0.05). The mean scores of psychological distress, emotion-oriented coping styles, and attention-grabbing in the intervention group in the post-test were lower than the control group (P-Value<0.01). Also, the mean scores of problem-solving coping styles, social entertainment, quality of life, and perception of the disease in the intervention group in the post-test, were higher than those of the control group (P-Value<0.01).

 Commitment treatment based therapy had a significant effect on psychological distress, coping styles, quality of life, and disease perception in the intervention group and this therapeutic method is proposed for reducing the psychological disorders and improving the quality of life in type 2 diabetes patients.

Obesity is a metabolic disorder, characterized by increased body fat, as an essential risk factor for different diseases. A critical problem in obese individuals is overweight. Obesity is associated with less vitality, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, fatigue, and mood swings. Besides, obesity generally adversely impacts health and quality of life in individuals. Another issue encountered by individuals with obesity is low self–esteem. Defects in body image are also among the most common psychological problems in overweight subjects. A treatment method that can improve psychological symptoms in individuals with obesity that has received less attention from researchers, especially in Iran, is Group Mindfulness–Based Cognitive Therapy (GMBCT). Thus, the present study aimed to determine the effects of GMBCT on weight, body image, and self–esteem among obese individuals.

This was a quasi–experimental study with pretest–posttest–follow–up and a control group design. The statistical population of this study included all obese individuals referring to the Mehr Psychological Counseling and Psychology Center in Tehran City, Iran, in 2019. Of them, 32 subjects were selected by the convenience sampling method. Then, they were randomly divided into the groups of GMBCT and control (n=16/group). The sample size was estimated as 32 subjects based on previous studies and considering a maximum standard deviation of 10, α=0.05, and a test power of 95%. The inclusion criteria of the study were presenting obesity based on a physician's diagnosis; the age range of 30–50 years, an educational level of diploma to MA; no chronic illnesses and mental health disorders based on psychologists’ approval as well as the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ–28; Goldberg & Hillier, 1979). Absence from >2 treatment sessions and the occurrence of major stress due to unforeseen events, such as the death of a first–degree relative or divorce were also considered as the exclusion criteria of the study. The required data were collected using the Body Mass Index (BMI), the Cooper Smith Self–Esteem Inventory (Cooper Smith, 1976), and the Body Image Questionnaire (Cash & Lavallee, 1997). The mindfulness–based psychotherapy protocol was performed in eight 90–minute sessions (two sessions/week) based on Kabat–Zinn’s training package (2019). In the descriptive statistics section, mean and standard deviation were calculated. In the inferential statistics section, repeated–measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni posthoc test were applied. Additionally, the research groups were compared concerning gender by Chi–squared test as well as age and BMI using Independent Samples t–test. The analyses were performed in SPSS at the significance level of 0.05.

The present research findings suggested that GMBCT improved BMI (weight) (group effect: p<0.001, time effect: p<0.001, time*group effect: p<0.001), body image (group effect: p<0.001, time effect: p<0.001, time*group effect: p<0.001), and self–esteem (group effect: p<0.001, time effect: p<0.001, time*group effect: p<0.001); these values were tested and followed up in the experimental group. The collected results also signified the effectiveness of GMBCT remained consistent until the follow–up phase for weight (p=0.69), body image (p=0.72), and self–esteem (p=0.81).

Based on the current research findings, GMBCT was effective on weight, body image, and self–esteem in obese individuals.

Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death induced by non–communicable diseases. Cardiovascular disease is linked to other conditions, leading to multiple problems in occupational performance, sleep function, cancer, obesity, and lifestyle. Meanwhile, negative psychological factors, such as depression, anxiety, and hostility, play an essential role in the development and progression of cardiovascular disease. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) promotes wellbeing, reduces anxiety, and increases psychological resilience. Another theory that has recently attracted the attention of health researchers to change and manage behavior is the theory of protection motivation. This theory is used to understand and predict health behaviors that protect the individual from harmful events. The present study aimed to compare the effects of ACT and an intervention based on motivational components on health anxiety and treatment adherence in patients who underwent open-heart surgery.

This was an experimental study with a multi–group pretest–posttest design. The statistical population consisted of all patients with cardiovascular disease in Tehran City, Iran, in 2018. Forty–Five of them were selected by purposive sampling and were divided into two experimental (ACT and intervention based on protective motivation components) and control groups. The study's inclusion criteria were no use of psychotropic drugs, narcotics, and psychological therapies during the study; being over 40 years old and having no acute or chronic mental disorders. The exclusion criteria included not attending more than 2 experimental sessions, unwillingness to continue attending the experimental sessions, severe psychiatric disorder requiring immediate treatment, and using psychotropic drugs or substances. The necessary data were collected using Health Anxiety Inventory (Salkovskis et al., 2002) and Adherence to Treatment Inventory (Seyed Fatemi et al., 2017). ACT was performed in 8 ninety–minute weekly sessions for two months based on Hayes's training package (2005). The intervention based on protective motivation components was performed in 8 ninety–minute weekly sessions for two months based on Norman et al.'s (2005) training package. In addition to using descriptive statistics, including mean and standard deviation, the data were analyzed based on Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) in SPSS. The Bonferroni post hoc test was also used to compare pairs in groups. The significance level of the tests was considered 0.05.  

The obtained results suggested that by eliminating the effects of pretest, there was a significant difference between the ACT group and group of intervention based on protective motivation components, and the control group in health anxiety (p</em><0.001) and treatment adherence (p</em><0.001). There was a significant difference between each of the two experimental groups and the control group respecting health anxiety (p</em><0.001) and treatment adherence (p</em><0.001). Furthermore, there was a significant difference between the effectiveness of ACT and intervention based on protective motivation components for health anxiety (p</em>=0.035) and treatment adherence (p</em>=0.014).

According to the present research findings, ACT significantly reduced health anxiety and increased treatment adherence in patients who underwent open-heart surgery, compared to the intervention based on protection motivation components.