مجله تحقیقات علوم رفتاری
سال هجدهم شماره 3 (پیاپی 61، پاییز 1399)

Burnout in couples is a gradual and rarely sudden process in which intimacy and love are gradually faded and general fatigue becomes evident. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of reality therapy training on marital burnout in couple with marital conflicts.

Methods and Materials:

 This experimental study was conducted with a pretest-posttest design with control group and follow up 45 days. The statistical population of this study included all the couple with marital conflicts refer to counseling centers in Karaj city in year 2019-2020 and 14 couple with marital conflicts were considered as the sample size in one experimental groups (7 couple) and control (7 couple). The experimental groups underwent reality therapy training (12 sessions - 90 minutes), but the control group received no training and remained in the waiting list. To collect data marital conflicts questionnaire (MCQ) of Barati and Sanaee (1994) and marital burnout questionnaire (MBQ) of Pines (2003). Data analysis was performed using SPSS-24 software in two sections: descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and inferential (analysis of variance with repeated measures and Bonferroni).

Results indicated that reality therapy training, significantly decreased marital burnout in couples, and the results have had enough consistency in the follow-up period, as well (P<0.05).

Based on the results of this study, it can be said that reality therapy training can be used as an intervention option in decreasing marital problems.

Love is one of the most amazing emotions a person can experience and emotional failure is one of the most painful problems that can happen to anyone during a romantic relationship. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of hypnotherapy on positive and negative affect and self-efficacy of women with a history of emotional failure.

The present study is of quasi-experimental with design pre-test, post-test and follow up with the control group. The statistical population included all women referring to counseling centers in Amol city with a history of emotional failure in 2017. 30 subjects were selected by available sampling method and randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. In order to conduct the research, Rosschr('39')s emotional injury (1999), Panas Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) (1988) and self-efficacy questionnairs (Shaurzerz and Grosselm, 1995) were used. The experimental group received hypnotherapy for 8 sessions of 2 hours weekly. The research findings were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance and Bonferroni post hoc in SPSS software.

The results of repeated ANOVA test showed that 8 sessions of hypnotherapy training significantly increased the positive affect (p<0.001) and self- efficacy (p<0.001) but decreased the negative effect (p<0.001) in the experimental group to the control group that showed a significant effect of hypnotherapy on the recovery of people with a history of emotional failure.

According to research findings, hypnotherapy can be used to improve the quality of life and increase hope for the future in people with a history of emotional failure.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is damage to some point of spinal cord or spinal neurons of end of spinal channel that frequently causes permanent changes in body’s strength, sensation, and other performances below the damaged point. When someone suffers from SCI may feel that all aspects of his/her life including mental, emotional, and social is affected. Thus, the current research aimed to examine the effectiveness of the acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) enriched with compassion on improvement of resilience and self-efficacy of patients with SCI in Isfahan province.

Methods and Materials:

 The research design was semi experimental with pre- and post-test and control group and random assignment. The research population includes all patients with SCI of Isfahan among whom 30 were recruited using inclusion and exclusion criteria and randomly assigned to either treatment or control group equally. The subjects filled out Connor & Davidsonchr('39')s (2003) Resilience Scale and Maddux, Mercandandt, Prentice-Dan, Jacobs, & Rogers’ (1982) General Self-Efficacy Test for both pre-test and post-test. Then, the treatment group received 8, 90-min weekly sessions of ACT enriched with compassion while the control group received no treatment. The data were analyzed using analysis of covariance and via statistical package for social sciences version 25.

The results of the analysis showed that the training statistically, significantly improved the patientschr('39') resiliency and self-efficacy (p <.01).

According to the results, the ACT enriched with compassion is efficient in increasing resiliency and self-efficacy beliefs of SCI patients.

Psychotic-like experiences are considered non-clinical and mild forms of psychotic disorders that are associated with negative consequences such as distress, mental disorders and functional impairments. In addition, they can lead to clinical psychosis. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of cognitive emotion regulation, cognitive biases, and negative schemas in the relationship between traumatic childhood experiences and psychotic-like experiences.

The research was descriptive-correlational. The statistical population consisted of all students of Islamic Azad University, Birjand branch (N=5700) in the academic year of 2019-2020. The sample size was 400 people who were selected by cluster random sampling. In order to collect data, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ), Davos Assessment of Cognitive Biases Scale (DACOBS), Brief Core Schema Scales (BCSS) and the 16-item version of the Prodromal Questionnaire (PQ-16) were used. The present research data were analyzed using SPSS and LISREL software and structural equation modeling.

The results showed that traumatic childhood experiences have a significant effect on the cognitive emotion regulation, cognitive biases and negative schemas (p <0.05). Cognitive emotion regulation, cognitive biases, and negative schemas have a significant effect on the psychotic-like experiences (p <0.05). Also, cognitive emotion regulation, cognitive biases, and negative schemas mediated the relationship between traumatic childhood experiences and psychotic-like experiences.

The results of the present study support the hypothesis that cognitive emotion regulation, cognitive biases, and negative schemas mediate the relationship between traumatic childhood experiences psychotic-like experiences.

In recent years, simultaneously with the high incidence of psychological disorders, the worry about children’s mental health and its influence on their growth and functions has been increased. Children’s behavioral disorder plays an important role in this regard. Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is known as the third prevalent childhood disorder. Since the management of destructive outcomes of ODD disorder can be considered as both treatment and prevention, specialists have placed particular emphasis on the assessment, diagnosis, and early treatment of this psychological disorder. The goal of the present study was to investigate and identify the moderating factors of ODD in children.

Methods and Materials:

 Research data was collected and analyzed through qualitative approach and grounded theory. The study population included all the parents of ODD children (aging 6-12) of pre and primary schools of Isfahan in the year of 2019. In pursuit of this goal, 12 parents meeting the criteria to enter the research were chosen according to the targeted convenience sampling with two questionnaires of Child Symptom Inventory, parent-form (Gadow and Sprafkin, 1994) and General Health Questionnaire (Goldberg, 1972). Data analysis was conducted using Strauss & Corbin (1986).

The obtained findings were as follows: 73 primary codes through open coding, 5 subcategories through axial coding based on subject similarity, and finally 2 categories of parenting and non-parenting factors through selective coding.

A set of parenting and non-parenting factors plays a crucial role in moderating and managing children’s oppositional behaviors.

 Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common inflammatory rheumatic disease. In most communities, its prevalence is approximately 3%. Anxiety has been reported as one of the most common displeasing psychological experiences in rheumatoid arthritis patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) on reducing anxiety in rheumatoid patients.

This study was a quasi-experimental study with pre-test and post-test design along with a control group. The statistical population of the study included patients with rheumatoid arthritis who had visited rheumatology clinics in Kerman during the research. We purposefully selected 40 males and females patients with rheumatoid arthritis as a statistical sample‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌. Then the members of the sample group were randomly divided into two 20-memebr parts as experimental and control groups. For the experimental group, 15 one-and-a-half-hour sessions of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy was performed once a week and individually. Research data was analyzed using analysis of covariance and SPSS 19 software.

 After reviewing the pre-test scores between the experimental and control groups, the results of the study indicated that intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy is effective in reducing anxiety scores in rheumatoid patients (p<0.05).

 The use of psychodynamic concepts and techniques in understanding anxiety disorders, seems to be very important. Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy considerably helps to reduce anxiety as well as clinical symptoms in rheumatoid patients by affecting the discharge path of anxiety and careful control and moment-by-moment monitoring of anxiety, emotions, and defenses.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women around the world that from the very beginning of diagnosis can cause fear, despair and psychological harm, and challenge all aspects of life (including physical, psychological, social). The aim of this study was determination of the role of emotional regulation, pain - efficacy and disease perception in predicting the negative mood of women with breast cancer.

Methods and Materials: 

The research design was descriptive correlational and the statistical population of the study included all women with breast cancer referring to Isfahan health centers in spring of 2018. Accordingly, 160 women with breast cancer were selected by available sampling method, and based on the criteria for entry and exit. Data collection tools consisted of Gross and Johnchr('39')s emotion regulation questionnaires (2003), Nicholas pain (1995) self-efficacy inventory, Brodbent & et.al (2006) illness perception questionnaire, Lovibond, and Lovibondchr('39')s negative mood scale (1995). To analyze the data, Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression were used.

The results showed that the perception of the disease (β= 0/46, p= 0/001), self-efficacy of pain (β= 0/15, p= 0/021), negatively and meaningfully and the suppression strategy (β= 0/21, p= 0/001) positive and meaningful can predict changes related to the negative mood of women with breast cancer.

It is concluded that the type of emotion regulation strategy, the degree of self-efficacy of pain and the level of perception of the disease have a significant effect on mood disorders in women with breast cancer;  therefore, it can be understood by a deeper understanding of psychological characteristics and beliefs The disease in women with breast cancer takes steps to increase their mental health and well-being with new conditions.

Emotions play an important role in human life. Expression and disclosure of Emotions can bring many benefits to people. The aim of this study was adaptation and determine the psychometric characteristics of the Persian version of the Emotional Self-Disclosure Scale (ESDS). In order to facilitate the implementation of interventions related to emotion disclosure, it is necessary to prepare research tools to evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions and make them available to clinician. In addition, these tools allow the investigation of the relationship between emotional self-disclosure and other important psychological constructs in different populations.

Methods and Materials: 

The research method was descriptive and correlational and sampling method was convenience. The initial sample consisted of 998 people, and the final sample, included valid questionnaires, and consisted of 976 students of public and Azad universities of Tehran and Alborz provinces. Participants who studying in the academic year 2019-2020, responded to Emotional Self-Disclosure Scale, Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) and the Multiple Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS).

The results of exploratory factor analysis showed that ESDS has a five-factor structure in Iranian culture. The internal consistency of scale was desirable and Cronbachchr('39')s alpha is 0.95. Correlation between ESDS with MSPSS scores indicates optimal convergent validity, and with ERQ scores indicate optimal divergent validity.

Based on the findings, ESDS can be used as an effective tool for researchers and clinical specialists, in evaluating the rate of expression and disclosure of a variety of positive and negative emotions. This tool will be of great help to professionals in the field of emotional self-disclosure.

Eating problems in children with autism spectrum disorders are more than their healthy counterparts and can negatively affect their health, communication and other disabilities. Maternal resilience and interactive style play a vital role in the health, behaviors and quality of life of these children. The aim of this study was to predict the eating problems of children with autism spectrum based on resilience and interactive style of their mothers.

This is a descriptive and correlational study. The statistical population of this study was children with autism spectrum disorders aged 4 to 7 years who referred to private rehabilitation centers in Tehran. The sample size of 90 people was selected by available sampling method. Data were collected using the Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire, Resilience Scale, and Child-Parent Relationship Scale. The data of this study were analyzed using SPSS software and Spearman correlation method.

Based on the findings, increasing maternal resilience reduced eating problems in children with autism spectrum disorders (p<0.01). In addition, increasing the quality of the parent-child relationship reduces eating problems in these children (p<0.05). Also, increasing the resilience of these mothers directly affects the quality of parent-child interaction (p<0.01). Maternal resilience can predict eating problems in children with autism spectrum disorder.

Resilience and communication style of mothers play a key role in the development of nutritional problems in children with autism spectrum disorders. It seems that by strengthening the parent-child relationship and motherschr('39') resilience, the eating problems of these children can be reduced.

Nurses are influenced by various stressors that spiritual factors can affect their quality of working life. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of spiritual self-care training on nurseschr('39') self-compassion and moral courage.

The current research was an applied study by purpose and a quasi-experimental study (using pretest-posttest and control group) by the method. The population of the study included all nurses working in Pasteurno Hospital, Tehran, in the fall of 2019. Among the nurses working in Pasteurno Hospital, 30 people who had the inclusion criteria for the study were selected by convenience sampling method and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (15 individuals for each group). Individuals in both experimental and control groups initially completed the Neffchr('39')s Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) and Sekerkachr('39')s Moral Courage Scale as a pre-test. Then, the experimental group underwent spiritual self-care training, but the control group received no intervention. At the end of the period, the subjects of both experimental and control groups completed the same questionnaires as post-test. The data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) by SPSS software version 23.

The findings indicated that the level of self-compassion and moral courage of the experimental group, compared with the control group, significantly increased (p<0.05).

According to the findings achieved, it can be stated spiritual self-care training causes an increase in the amount of nurseschr('39') self-compassion and moral courage by controlling negative thoughts and emotions and strengthening a sense of commitment to the job, religious values, and altruism. In addition to nurses, this is also beneficial for the health of patients.

Affective-sexual needs are as important motivational forces that have a vital role in the stability and enhancing of quality of marital life. Then the main goal of the current research was the comparison of the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral couple therapy (CBCT) and acceptance commitment therapy (ACT) approaches on enhancing affective-sexual needs among Nonclinical Couples in Bandar Abbas city, Iran.

Methods and Materials:

 The research design was semi-experimental design with pretest, posttest, and follow up. The statistical population of this study includes of nonclinical couples that participated in the training course about life skills and cyberspace. 48 subjects were selected through a convenient sampling method and randomly assigned to two groups of interventions, CBCT and ACT, and one control group. Each couple in intervention groups received 12 sessions and 90 minutes of therapy. Affective-Sexual Needs of Iranian Couples scale (2020) used for gathering data and analysis of variance with repeated measures tests used for analyzing data by using SPSS 19 software.

The result showed that both CBCT and ACT interventions were effective to enhance affective-sexual couplechr('39')s needs. Moreover, comparing the effectiveness of CBCT and ACT approaches showed that the ACT approach was more effective in enhancing of three dimensions of affective-sexual couplechr('39')s needs include avoiding discouraging behaviors, affection-sexual needs, physical-sexual needs.

It seems the implementation of CBCT and ACT interventions are useful for enhancing affective-sexual couplechr('39')s needs. This could influence other dimensions of marital life such as marital satisfaction and marital quality.

Theater therapy is one of the effective treatment methods in teaching communication skills. Due to the lack of verbal and non-verbal skills, as a result of affecting the quality of life of people with schizophrenia, this study was conducted with the aim of the effect of theater therapy on cognitive regulation and quality of life in these people.

Methods and Materials: 

This study was a clinical trial and pretest-posttest and control group. Samples were randomly selected among patients who referred to Atieh neurology and psychiatry occupational therapy center and were divided into control and experimental groups. Theatrical therapy was performed in groups for 1-hour 8 sessions program. The cognitive excitement regulation questionnaires and quality of life questionnaires were administered to collect the data.

The study included 20 people with schizophrenia, including 6 women and 14 men each person was randomly divided into two groups of treatment and control (10 treatment group including 5 women and 5 men, control group 1 woman and 9 men). The mean age of the participants in the treatment group was 41.80±8.36 and the control group was 45.20±7.78. Data analysis showed that the differences in none of these subscales of quality of life and cognitive regulation questionnaires were significant.

According to the results of this study, the treatment of theater therapy in this group of patients does not have much effect on quality of life and cognitive regulation, but this method can be supplemented to change behavior, reduce depressive symptoms using various methods such as self-presentation, deviated from the role and predicted future, which leads them to talk and play with others, used.

Based on embodiment cognition theory, mental or emotional states can be characterized through posture and gestural features. Bodily expression of emotion is a source of information in both expressive and receptive emotions, and we use it in our daily life. These social cues play an essential role in our social interaction and individuals with more capability of these social cues, are more successful in paralinguistic interactions. In the present study, we aimed to define the expressive postural positions to present six primary emotional states.

Methods and Materials:

 In the present study, we try to gather data in the second study. In the first study, a database of body posture was prepared. For this purpose, fifty theater players wear a face mask to conceal their facial emotional expression. After that, they try to represent six primary emotional states (sad, happy, fear, anger, disgust, surprise) through bodily position. After induction of emotional state through some respected scenario, a picture was taken from each position. In the second study, in a cross-sectional design, the taken pictures were rated by 321 participants in the case of the dependence of the posture to the emotional states. The rating scores were used for selection of the final postures.

The results found that bodily posture can convey emotional states. The female participants excel male in recognition of emotional states. The recognition of emotional states based on the postures was not age- and state- sensitive. It also showed that the experimental group compared with the control group, there was a significant difference between the frequency of correct and incorrect answers between the six body positions. In the sense that the number of correct answers in the experimental group was significantly higher than the control group. Also, the number of incorrect answers in the experimental group was significantly lower than the control group.

The emotional states can be recognized based on bodily expressions without considering facial emotional expressions. The player should learn and use their bodily expression for conveying the emotional states to viewers.