International Journal of Body, Mind and Culture
Volume:9 Issue: 1, Autumn 2022

 According to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, there are currently 1.1 billion tobacco smokers worldwide. This study follows the need for change in the increasing trend of lifestyle-related diseases and the lack of extensive studies on the pattern of smoking.

 In the current study, an electronic database search was conducted to identify studies that examined the impact of smoking on internal diseases from the beginning of February 2018 to the end of December 2021. After eliminating numerous articles based on their titles and abstracts, 273 articles pertinent to the study's objectives were selected. Due to the inadequacy of the target audience and the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 239 of the remaining articles were eliminated. The 44 remaining articles were examined more closely.

 Each cigarette produces more than 7,000 chemicals. Many of these substances are toxic, and about 69 of them can cause cancer. For every 15 cigarettes you smoke, a mutation occurs in the body. Mutations are the cause of cancer. Studies have shown a clear relationship between dose and response, with a sharp increase in the risk of arterial disease in heavy smokers. In countries where approximately 30% of the population smokes, 50% of arterial disease can be attributed to smoking.

 Smoking increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and lung disease, and leads to an increased risk of lung, throat, stomach, and bladder cancer, and many other cancers. One of the most important organs in the body that can be disrupted by smoking is the heart.
 

 There is considerable information about the interrelation of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) and psychological disorders, called gut-brain interaction. Physiological and psychological variables have been linked with the etiology and severity of IBS. The nocebo effect (the opposite of placebo) is defined as increase in pain or other symptoms after use of an inactive or inert treatment/agent purported to increase pain or unpleasant symptoms. Some psychological mechanisms of nocebo include expectancies, conditioning, learning, memory, motivation, somatic focus, reward, anxiety, and meaning. Moreover, neurobiological factors are associated with the etiology of this phenomenon. The aim of present study is a discussion of the definition, existence, prevalence, etiology, and characteristics of the nocebo effect in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

 This paper presents a scoping review of the existence, frequency, and importance of the nocebo effect in IBS patients. Data sources included PubMed, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, and Scopus which were searched from their inception dates to 2022.

 The review of the obtained articles showed that psychological factors such as depression, anxiety, psychological distress, and some personality traits such as neuroticism are related to the occurrence of nocebo responses in IBS patients.

 The psychological factors associated with nocebo responses include expectancies, conditioning, learning, memory, patient’s personality. Moreover, societal factors and the quality of the patient-physician interaction, and neurobiological factors influence the process of diagnosis, course, and treatment of IBS through nocebo responses. Compared to the extensive research data related to the placebo effect, there is little information and few articles on the role of nocebo, especially in FGIDs. This paper summarizes the scope and importance of the nocebo effect and IBS and its interrelations with psychological factors like personality, anxiety, depression, and psychological distress.
 

 The aim of this study was to design and validate a structural model for academic engagement based on personal, family, peer, and educational factors with the mediation role of academic buoyancy in university students.

 This study was a correlational research based on structural equation modeling. The statistical population included all students of Esfarayn University (Iran). In this research, 304 students (253 boys and 51 girls) were selected as the participants using random cluster sampling. The Academic Engagement Scale (Fredericks, Blumenfild, & Paris, 2004), Academic Buoyancy Scale (Dehghanizade & Hosseinchari, 2012), Academic Self-efficacy Scale‎ (Owen & Feraman‎, 1998), Help-seeking Questionnaire (Ryan & Pintrich, 1997), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (Zimet, Dahlem, Zimet, & Farley, 1988), Perceived Parenting Style Questionnaire (Baumrind, 1967), Transformational Teaching Questionnaire‎ (TTQ) (Beauchamp et al., 2010), and Perception‏ ‏of Classroom‏ ‏Structure Questionnaire (Blackburn, 1998) were used to measure the variables under study. The significance level in this study was considered to be 0.05. The data analyses were performed using SPSS software.

 Data analysis showed that academic self-efficacy, acceptance of help-seeking, perceived social support, authoritative and permissive parenting styles, perception of classroom structure, and transformational teaching have a direct effect on academic engagement (P < 0.01). Furthermore, academic self-efficacy, acceptance of help-seeking, perceived social support, authoritative and permissive parenting styles, perception of classroom structure, and transformational teaching have indirect effects through academic buoyancy on academic engagement (P < 0.01).

 In total, the research variables were able to predict about 55% of the variance of academic engagement.
 

 Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, grief is currently a widely experienced psychological problem. Depression symptoms and suicidal ideation are associated with COVID-19 grief. Therefore, the present study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of grief counseling and God-oriented spiritual counseling on depression symptoms and suicidal ideation in people with COVID-19 grief.

 The present experimental study was conducted with a pretest-posttest design, a control group, and follow-up. The study population consisted of all residents of Shahr-e-Rey, Iran, who had lost a member of their family due to COVID-19.  Through purposive sampling, 51 individuals who were willing to participate in the study and met the study inclusion criteria were selected and were randomly assigned to 2 experimental groups and 1 control group (17 in each group). In the 3 stages of pretest, posttest, and follow-up, data were collected using the Beck Depression Inventory (Beck et al., 1996) and Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation (Beck et al., 1988). The collected data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) in SPSS software.

 The results showed that both methods of intervention were effective in reducing depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts. However, the effect of God-oriented spiritual counseling was greater than the other intervention. The study findings showed that the interaction effect of group × time for symptoms of depression (η2 = 0.343; P < 0.001; F = 12.53) and suicidal thoughts (η2 = 0.148; P < 0.001; F = 4.16) were significant at the 0.01 level.

 In general, the present study showed that God-oriented spiritual counseling, compared to grief counseling, is more effective on the symptoms of depression and suicidal thoughts.
 

 Depression and anxiety can lead to a variety of diseases and increase the risk of developing hypertension (HTN). The current study was conducted with the aim to assess the effects of a continuous and periodic aerobic exercise rehabilitation program on depression and anxiety in patients with HTN.

 The research method was quasi-experimental and simple random sampling was used. The statistical population included 139 individuals. The selected 60 patients were divided into 2 groups, continuous and periodic aerobic exercise. These patients took part in the trial twice, 3 times a week, for 16 weeks. The Costello-Comrey‎ Anxiety and Depression Scales with acceptable validity and reliability were used to assess the subjects' anxiety and depression before and after the training. Data were analyzed using independent and paired t-test in SPSS statistical software. Additionally, ANCOVA was used to investigate depression and anxiety parameters in greater detail.

 According to the t-test results, continuous and intermittent exercise programs significantly reduced the patient's anxiety and depression (P < 0.01). In contrast, the results of ANCOVA revealed no significant difference in anxiety and depression improvement between the 2 exercise groups (P > 0.05). Furthermore, in group A, the dissatisfaction component changed the most (16.4%), while the body factor changed the least (4.4%). In group B, the dissatisfaction component (16.7%) changed the most, while the behavioral factor (5.2%) changed the least.

 Both continuous and intermittent aerobic exercise programs can assist individuals with HTN in reducing anxiety and depression.
 

 The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of compassion-focused therapy (CFT) on self-criticism and marital intimacy among couples. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a control group was implemented.

 The research method was quasi-experimental with pretest-posttest and control group design. The population consisted of all couples that volunteered to participate in the study in Mashhad, Iran, in 2021, and the sample included 30 individuals (15 people in each group). The participants were selected using the volunteer sampling technique and were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. The experimental group received 8 sessions of the CFT intervention, while the control group did not receive any psychotherapeutic intervention. The instruments implemented in the study included the CFT package, the Levels of Self-Criticism Scale (LOSC), and the Marital Intimacy Scale. The data of the study were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while the inferential data were analyzed by the multivariate analysis of covariance using SPSS software.

 There were significant differences between the experimental and control groups in terms of self-criticism (F = 11.03, P = 0.003) and marital intimacy (F = 11.91, P = 0.003). In other words, implementing the CFT intervention reduced self-criticism and increased marital intimacy among couples.

 It was concluded that counselors, therapists (in the fields of couple therapy, family, and individual) and other specialists in mental health could implement the CFT intervention to reduce self-criticism and increase marital intimacy among couples.
 

 Since the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak, medical personnel have undergone a considerable amount of physical and mental pressure. Medical interns (MIs) are a distinct population of healthcare workers. In Iran, MIs refers to senior medical students who are undergoing their clinical training.

 We aimed to determine the prevalence of anxiety due to COVID-19 among MIs and identify personal factors associated with anxiety.

 A cross-sectional study was carried out during April 18th to 24th, 2021. An online questionnaire containing a demographic characteristics questionnaire and the Corona Disease Anxiety Scale (CDAS) was sent to all of the 679 MIs of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Iran, through WhatsApp© messenger and 420 individuals (62% response rate) were enrolled in the study voluntarily. Independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Tukey’s HSD post hoc test were conducted using SPSS software to identify the predictive factors for anxiety.

 The results showed that 70.2% of the participants had no or mild anxiety, 25% had moderate, and 4.8% had severe anxiety. The most significant factors associated with anxiety were female gender (p < 0.001) and living with parents (P < 0.01). However, there was no significant difference between single and married groups (P = 0.42).

 It is suggested that medical universities and the government collaborate to provide an adequate psychological service for MIs, focusing on female interns who are living with their family members.