farinaz emadi

Choice theory stems from psychological concepts like self-concept, successful identity, and quality of the world. The theory encourages adolescents to accept the responsibility for their choices on the one hand and predict the effect of such decisions on their lives on the other hand. The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of choice theory-based group training in internalizing problems, empathy, and identity transformation among male adolescents.

This quasi-experimental study has a pre-test-post-test and 1.5 months follow-up design with a control group. The statistical population included all male adolescents studying in Qazvin City, Iran, in the 2020-2021 academic year. The sample included 28 male adolescents selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups (n=14). The experimental group received 8 sessions of 90-minute group training based on choice theory, while the control group did not receive any intervention. We gathered data using the empathy scale, Achenbach system of empirically based assessment (ASEBA), and aspects of identity questionnaire. Mixed repeated analyses of variance, the independent t test, and the Chi-square test were used for data analysis in SPSS software, version 24.

The findings indicated that the group training based on choice theory was effective in promoting internalizing problems (F=30.61, P<0.001), empathy (F=21.35, P<0.001), and identity transformation (F=50.2, P<0.001). In addition, these effects were sustainable until the follow-up period.

This research indicated that group training based on choice theory was effective in internalizing problems, empathy, and identity transformation among male adolescents. It is recommended that school counselors consider the principles and concepts of this intervention as an educational mission and executive task for male adolescents.

The aging process is an important phenomenon in global health. In fact, the psychological and physical well-being of elderly women must be taken into consideration. This study was conducted in order to determine the effect of Mindfulness-Based Compassion-Therapy (MBCT) on sleep quality and satisfaction with life in elderly women.
This study was a quasi-experimental investigation with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up along with a control group. For this purpose, 15 elderly women were randomly assigned to the intervention or the control group. The intervention group received mindfulness-based compassion- therapy over eight weeks, one session per week, while the control group did not receive any intervention. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI; 1989) and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS; 1985) were completed by elderly women to evaluate the research variables during the intervention’s pre-test, post-test, and follow-up periods. Descriptive statistics, Levene’s test, Box’s M Test, Bonferroni, and repeated measures ANOVA using SPSS-22 were used for data analysis. In the control group, no therapy was applied. After the intervention, both groups were tested.
Findings showed that the intervention group’s mean sleep quality and satisfaction with life improved after mindfulness training. In addition, the study revealed that the mean sleep quality and satisfaction with life levels between the intervention and control groups were significantly different (p<0.01).
According to the results of the present study, mindfulness-based compassion- therapy improved sleep quality and satisfaction with the life of elderly women. This intervention represents new horizons in psychological interventions and can improve the mental health and well-being of elderly women.

Learning disorders (LDs) are diagnosed in children impaired in the academic skills of reading, writing, and/or mathematics. Children with LDs usually exhibit a slower resting-state electroencephalogram (EEG), corresponding to a neurodevelopmental lag. The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of neurofeedback treatment on working memory and processing speed among girl students with learning disabilities. 

The design used in the current study was a quasi-experimental design, including pretest, post-test, and follow-up with a control group. Using the convenience sampling method, 40 girl students with LDs were selected from among all students referred to the psychological clinics in Tehran City, Iran, in the 2020-2021 academic year. Therefore, samples were assigned to two control and experimental groups (n=17). Samples were assessed for structured clinical interviews for DSM-IV (SCID), n-back task, and Stroop and reverse-Stroop tests. The experimental group received 20 sessions of neurofeedback and standard psychological intervention treatment, while the control group received only standard interventions. Mixed repeated analysis of variance, independent t tests, and chi-square were used for data analysis.

The findings showed that neurofeedback treatment improved all the components of working memory (correct answer and correct response time) and processing speed in girl students with LDs during a two-month follow-up (P<0.0001).

It is recommended that the principles and concepts of neurofeedback treatment, confirmed in the current study, be considered an educational mission and executive task for school counselors for girls with learning disabilities.

Nurses endure a lot of stress that can leave unpleasant effects on personal and professional dimensions. The present study aimed to investigate the role of mindfulness and work engagement in predicting the quality of the working life of nurses. The current research design was descriptive and of the correlation research type. The statistical population was all nurses working in different departments of public hospitals in Tehran city in 2021, of which 314 participated in this study. Mindfulness Scale, Quality of Working Life Questionnaire, and Work Engagement Scale were used. Pearson’s correlation and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data using SPSS version 22 software. The results showed a positive and significant correlation between awareness and quality of working life and between work engagement and quality of working life. By having the scores of the components of nurses’ mindfulness and work engagement, it is possible to predict their quality of working life (p<0.001). According to the results, it is possible to improve the quality of work-life skills of nurses by increasing awareness and work engagement so that by being aware of emotions, they can use them better and improve their performance.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the experiences and communication responses of couples in Covid-19 crisis. This research was conducted with a basic aim and a qualitative approach, using a descriptive phenomenological design. The statistical population of the study includes all couples living in Tehran who were in domestic quarantine in 2020. The sampling was purposive and available and included 10 couples. The research instrument was a semi-structured interview and the analysis of the results was conducted using the Klaizi method. Analysis of the interview data led to the identification and classification of 35 primary concepts and 6 subthemes (disruptive systematic marital experiences, disruption of the quality and balance of sexual intercourse, positive and pleasant marital experiences, individual strategies-couples adapting to quarantine conditions, Psychological predispositions to the occurrence and exacerbation of marital problems in quarantine, Environmental predispositions to the occurrence and exacerbation of marital problems in quarantine) and 1 were the main themes of the experiences and communication responses of couples in domestic quarantine of Covid-19 disease. These findings led to the disclosure of communication experiences (positive-negative) between couples. Certainly, the clarification of these experiences can be the basis for the design and implementation of educational, prevention and treatment plans aimed at maintaining the stability of the family institution and also strengthening the quality of marital relationships.

Human life represents a lifelong endeavor to seek and construct meaning. This basic dimension of existence is present every day in the process of working with people in auxiliary professions and challenges therapists to think seriously about the meaning of their lives. Accordingly, the present study was conducted with the aim of identifying the components and sources of meaning of life in counseling students. This qualitative research was performed by interpretive phenomenological method. The study population included all postgraduate counseling students at Allameh Tabatabai University in the winter of 1399. Participants were selected using purposive sampling logic and snowball method and sampling was continued until information saturation. Finally, 14 subjects (11 girls and 3 boys) were studied through semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was performed using Van Mann's 6-step content analysis method. From the data analysis, 36 sub-themes, 7 main themes and one core theme were obtained. At the a sense of meaning in the lives of the participants. Also, some of them did not achieve significant coherence in the meaningful elements of life, which led to the emergeironmental factors in the context of "environmental determinants" expressedfe. According to the findings, the meaning of life includes many components and resources in counseling students, in which their helping profession has a lot of intervention. Also, sometimes contradictory concepts such as the lack of a stable value system and ing of life, indicate the evolving, fluid and dynamic meaning of life in this group, which is a growth task throughout their working life.

The purpose of this study is to determine the effective familial factors in the anxiety of going home of female college students living in dormitories. In order to understand the familial factors, the study was qualitative and used a phenomenological approach. The statistical population of the study consists of single female students living in a dormitory who were pursuing a master's degree at Allameh Tabatabaei University in Tehran Province and graduated at the end of the academic year 2017-2018. Among these female students, 10 samples were selected by purposive sampling method, snowball sampling method and their perceptions of effective factors related to family in anxiety of going home were investigated through semi-structured interviews. The results were examined. The seven-step method was used to analyze the results. Data analysis resulted in the identification of 24 primary concepts that were classified into 12 subthemes. From the reclassification of these themes, 4 major themes or topics emerged such as dysfunctional family communication style, confused family boundaries, and lack of effective decision making. Inefficient parenting styles were identified and the research results were classified and tabulated. The results show that ineffective parenting styles in each of the areas of communication style, family boundaries, decision making, and kindness styles lead to anxiety about going home among female dormitory students. Therefore, by informing families, especially in the context of family education in public media and children's schools, it is possible to increase the likelihood of female college students going home and lay the foundation for the stability of the family institution.

The aim of this study was to compare the parent-adolescent perception about the flexibility of family boundaries based on development. this research was done by qualitative research method and phenomenological approach. By convenience sampling, 10 girl adolescents aged from 15 to 18 and their mothers aged 37 to 55 were selected and their perceptions of family boundaries were studied by deep semi-structured interviews. Then the data were classified and coded and the results were expressed by validity report method. Findings: the analysis of participants’ experiences leaded to three main themes which include flexibility, lack of flexibility and exorbitant flexibility of family boundaries from parents and their adolescents’ point of view. Also from each of the three themes above, 14, 5 and 1 sub-themes in parents and 3, 5 and 6 sub-themes in adolescents were gained. the results showed that according to the in transition context of the society of Iran, none of the two conditions of lack of flexibility and exorbitant flexibility can meet the adolescents’ needs and protect the basic security of family. Hence it seems essential for the officials of mental health, to make parents aware of how to balance the boundaries inside the family. Also conducting negotiations on family rules and the compliance of parents on the boundaries were the preventing factors of problems in families with flexible boundaries, that ignoring them in families with strict or permissive boundaries causes dissatisfaction in adolescents and makes the basic security of family at risk.