The present paper tries to identify the relationship between Islamic optimism, Seligman's learned optimism and mental security. The research uses correlation method. 300 seminary and non-seminary students were selected from Human Sciences Institute of Higher Education in Al-Mustafa International University through random sampling. They answered Noori's Islamic optimism questionnaire, Seligman's optimism-pessimism questionnaire, and Maslow' security- insecurity questionnaire. The results show that there is a significant positive relationship between these three variables. According to demographical variables, the level of both optimism and mental security has significant difference. There is a higher rate of optimism and mental security among men than among women, non-seminary students than among seminary students and among married students than among single students. The first group in the four age groups, i.e., 20-25, 26-30, 31-35, 36-40, has lower degree of optimism and mental security than the rest.

The main goal of this research is the study of the method to increase the amount of hope in students.This experimental research consisted of pretest - post tests in experimental and control groups. 194 students were selected from different group of students at Buali University in the academic year 2008-2009. They were selected by cluster random sampling method and after the implementation of the test were placed in experimental and control groups randomly. Then, the participants were instructed in defined sessions in their groups. The Snyder instructional method and Seligman optimism test were used in 8 sessions of 60 min each as instructional content. Snyder hope scale was used to measure slight changes in variables. The results showed that the instructional method of Snyder, the Seligman test of hope (p<0/01) and the T-test all showed significant differences between these instructional methods (p<0/08) It means that the Snyder method is more efficient than the Seligman method.

Anxiety and depression are among serious problems in human's lives which are almost observable among all ages and genders. Optimism is considered as a proper solution to decreasing them both. This paper studied the effects of teaching optimism on university student's anxiety and depression. This study was a semi-empirical one with a pre-test, post-test, and a control group. All bachelor and master students of psychology at Birjand Azad University were voluntarily given Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Beck’s Depression Test. 46 students who had both an anxiety score of above 15 and a depression score of above 18 simultaneously were selected and randomly allocated to 2 experiment and control groups with 23 students in each. Both groups were given positive-negative psychology test. The experiment group received seven 80-minute-long sessions of positive-psychology-training program by the researcher twice a week. The control group received no training. Both groups were later given the post-test. The instrument included Beck’s Anxiety and Depression as well as Seligman’s Optimism-Pessimism. The data were analyzed using SPSS 17, independent t-test, and paired t at α=0.05. After teaching optimism, results indicate, the experiment groups’ anxiety scores average decreased from 23/74±10/70 to 11/48±6/51 and that of their depression, from 26/70±12/33 to 8/78±6/61 which is statistically significant (p<0.001). Besides, the study increased people’s optimism from 13.13±2.72 to 15.04±2.96 but had no significant effect on their pessimism. According to the results, it seems that teaching optimism helps decrease university students’ anxiety and depression; however, the pessimism scores average has not been statistically significant in the experiment group after the intervention. Thus, this educational program can be used in university counseling centers in order to decrease anxiety and depression.

Clinical disorders are disorders that present as residual symptoms of acute illness. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of “Ellis's Rational Emotive Therapy” and “Seligman Optimism Training” on general health and hopelessness in divorce women with depression.

The research design was quasi-experimental with pre-posttest in two experimental and control groups. The statistical population consisted of divorced women who contacted the Wellbeing Counseling Line who complained about physical symptoms and general health status, anxiety, social dysfunction and depression and suicide and hopelessness, were invited to a counseling session and diagnosed by a psychiatrist at a depression clinic. Of these, 32 subjects were selected through convince sampling. Data were collected using “General Health Questionnaire” and “Kazdin Hopelessness Scale”. Content validity and reliability were measured by Cronbach's alpha. The 10 sessions were a combination of "Ellis' Rational-Emotional Therapy" and "Seligman's Optimism Training". Data were analyzed by SPSS. 25.

Experimental group that received combined treatment interventions reported lower depression (F = 219.00) with mean of 11.441 and lower mean score of hopelessness (F = 108.00) with mean 7.41.

The combination of "Ellis's Rational-Emotional Therapy" and "Seligman's Optimism Training" reduced the severity of major depressive disorder. Therefore, group therapy is recommended for people working with depression.

In the second half of the 20 century Martin Seligman, American psychologist, proposed a new look to psychology. In his new approach, the psychologists focus on the half full part of the glass instead of its half empty part and illuminate dark points of the mind and psych by developing available capabilities of individuals. In this approach optimism is of two kinds: innate and explanatory. In innate optimism individual sees every future thing optimistic and justifies them for the sake of escape. But in explanatory optimism the individual ascribes the success to inner mental forces and causes. Knowing this psychological approach, the writers of this article led to search this outlook in Arabic poetic literature in order to deal with optimism in Motenabbi's panegyrics from Seligman psychological viewpoints in an interdisciplinary format and with the hypothesis that Motenabbi enjoyed an optimistic outlook in his poems. In this way the above mentioned hypothesis is solved by library studies and data gathering and the question of optimism in Motenabbi's panegyrics is answered from Seligman psychologic approach and ultimately the article reaches to two inate and explanatory optimism in Motenabbi's Divān (collected poems)

This essay is a fundamental and theoretical research performed through the library method. The objective is that Seligman’s viewpoint on optimism about oneself is approved by religious teachings. Having elaborated on the general points of the research, the author has described Seligman’s theory of learned helplessness and learned optimism in his Optimistic Child and Learned Optimism. He then goes to examine this theory in the light of the Qur’an, Ahlu al-Beit’s traditions and Muslim scholars’ thoughts. In the end, the outcome of the research is that Seligman’s viewpoint on optimism about oneself is compatible with the Islamic teachings.

Gratitude is a contruct that attracts much attention in recent decades. Also gratitude used to correlational، comparative and interventional studies. This study is examination of effect of training strategies for gratitude increase (based on the Emmons & Seligman pattern) on the expansion of positive affectivity، happiness and optimism. Subjects were 91 student of three Iranian University in Iran، they were selected by cluster sampling and complete satisfaction form for this study. Then، 72 subject''s remaind until the end of interventions. Finally، they were assigned into to 4 groups (Emmons، Seligman، Verbal-Action & Control) randomly. They completed PANAS Scale and Axford Questionnaire. The results showed significant increase in positive affects by Emmons، Seligman and V-A interventions، and increase in happiness by Seligman and V-A interventions. The results also indicated that three training strategies for gratitude increase positive affectivity and happiness.

The current study was conducted to compare thinking styles, attribution style, Optimism and pessimism in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder and normal people. It was an ex post facto design. Population included patients with ODC who were referred to psychiatric clinics of Ardabil in 1391. Forty patients having OCD were compares with forty normal participants. In order to collect data, OCD questionnaire, Maudsley practical, Sternberg thinking style questionnaire, Seligman attribution style questionnaire the revised and life- directional questionnaire were administered. The collected data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of variance. In accordance with the findings, the individuals having obsessive thinking styles had more functional impairment than normal individuals. Also individuals possessing obsessive-compulsive disorder were more pessimistic, internal and stable in attribution style. The most predictive variables were optimism and pessimism, respectively. These results demonstrated the prominent role of thinking styles, attribution styles, optimism and pessimism in forming and developing obsessive- compulsive disorder.

The currnt srudy aims at utilizing Seligman's theory of optimism so as to analyze "Leyli and Majnun" by Nezami in a descriptive-analytical method. The actions and behavioral features of each character in this book of this book and the included concepts provided in the poems are matched with the virtues and components of optimism presented in the mentioned theory. Having collected the data in the ofrm of graphs, the results indicated that Nezami Ganjavi, who is known as a figurehead of sciences back in his time, has paid special attention to nurturing the good human virtues nd spiritual and psychological excellence of the characters (Leyli and Majnun) in his poetry. Also, The results have depicted that the characters are adorned with six virtues that are provided by Seligman's theory of optimism and these evirtues are frequently narrated in this verse as well. The so called virtues comprise Wise love, humanity and compassion for fellow human beings and even beasts, courage in loyalty between the lover and the beloved, the transcendence of existing pure love, justly ethics between the two, and the maintenance of moderation in their thoughts, actions, and behavior of Leyli and Majnun, who are the main characters of this work. It is worth-mentioning that these virtues are also applied to other people in this book.

Optimism, due to its impact on mental and physical health, is of utmost importance. Finding practical and scientific methods to increase optimism and alleviate pessimism are essential. The purpose of the present study was to identify the effect of attribution retraining on optimism, and pessimism of female six-grade elementary students in Ahwaz primary schools, Iran. The attribution retraining was considered as independent variable and optimism and pessimism were considered as dependent variables. In the present experimental study, 54 sixth-grade primary school students were randomly selected and then divided to two groups of experiment and control groups. The present study was a field experimental research, including pretest-posttest and control group. The research instrument was the Children's Attribution Styles Questionnaire (CASQ) and was presented by Seligman, translated by ShehniYailagh and Ramezani, and adapted to Iranian students’ Culture.. Before starting the retraining, two groups were tested in pre-tests of optimism, pessimism and then, the experiment group was taught attribution retraining, and the control group nothing. At the end of the training course, two groups were tested in post-tests of optimism and pessimism. Results showed that attribution retraining (as independent variables), had a great effect on the dependent variables. The results showed that attribution retraining had increased the meaningful (p= 0/001) amount of optimism and it had decreased pessimism (p = 0/001) significantly. Attribution retraining with increased optimism and pessimism can prevent and reduce the mental and physical health.