Practice in Clinical Psycholoy (JPCP) | University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences (original) (raw)

Papers by Practice in Clinical Psycholoy (JPCP)

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy (JPCP), 2024

This descriptive-correlational study aims to investigate the mediating role of defense mechanisms... more This descriptive-correlational study aims to investigate the mediating role of defense mechanisms (DMs) in the relationship between cognitive emotion regulation strategies (CER) and marital communication patterns (MCP) in married women in Tehran Province, Iran. Methods: The statistical population of the study included all married women in Tehran Province in 2021. A total of 170 subjects were selected as the statistical sample of the study via convenience sampling methods. Data were collected using the cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire (CERQ), the couples' communication patterns questionnaire (CPQ), and the defense style questionnaire (DSQ). In data analysis, in addition to using descriptive statistics, the inferential statistics section was analyzed using SPSS software, version 26, and AMOS software, version 24. Results: Based on the goodness of fit indices, DMs play a mediating role in the relationship between CER strategies and MCP. The indirect size effect of the CER strategies on the MCP is positively significant with a standardized coefficient of 0.38 (P<0.05). Conclusion: Therefore, considering the importance of MCP in married life, CER strategies and DMs are necessary to inform and inform people about cognitive strategies of emotional regulation and emotional adjustment. Family therapists are recommended to consider CER strategies as well as DMs to treat marital issues.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy (JPCP), 2024

Hearing impairment is one of the sensory problems in children that affects various aspects of the... more Hearing impairment is one of the sensory problems in children that affects various aspects of their lives and impacts their social skills (SS) and emotion regulation (ER).Research indicated that active play has a crucial role in children's social and emotional development. In this regard, the present study aims to investigate the effectiveness of group active plays (GAP) on the SS and ER of children with hearing impairment. Methods: This quasi-experimental study involved a pre-test/post-test design with a two-month follow-up. The participants included 7 to 12-year-old boys with hearing impairment enrolled in the deaf-hearing impaired schools (2022-2023). Thirty children were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=15) and a control group (n=15). The experimental group participated in 12 interventional sessions, while the control group had the regular school program. Both groups completed SS and ER questionnaires (including before and after the intervention, and two months after the intervention [follow-up]). The data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) with SPSS software, version 25. Results: The results of this study indicated a significant difference between the control and experimental groups in SS (P<0.002). GAP also had a significant effect on ER (P<0.001). Moreover, it had a significant effect on liability/negativity which was one of the components of ER (P<0.022). Conclusion: Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that the implemented intervention (GAP) helped to improve SS, ER, and its component (liability/negativity) in children with hearing impairment. Coaches, teachers, and therapists can take steps to enhance SS and ER in children with hearing impairment by implementing GAP.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy (JPCP), 2024

Today, the Internet is a crucial part of life, especially the life of young people. Several facto... more Today, the Internet is a crucial part of life, especially the life of young people. Several factors may cause young people to have internet addiction (IA). This study aims to investigate the role of the broad autism phenotype (BAP), social cognition, and loneliness in creating IA among Iranian college students. Methods: The research method of this research was correlation and convenience sampling. The sample consisted of 218 students of Imam Khomeini International University studying at this university in 2022-2023. Research data were collected using questionnaires of IA, loneliness, theory of mind, and BAP and analyzed using correlation method and simultaneous multiple regression analyses. Results: The coefficient of correlation showed that loneliness, social cognition, and BAP have a significant relationship with IA at the (P=0.01) level. Also, this analysis showed that social cognition and BAP are more predictive of IA among technical students than social science students. The results showed a significant relationship between loneliness, social cognition, and BAP with IA. Conclusion: In this regard, the officials of educational centers should take extensive measures to reduce the impact of the factors that cause IA in students.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy (JPCP), 2024

Social anxiety is one of the most prevalent issues leading to significant functional and behavior... more Social anxiety is one of the most prevalent issues leading to significant functional and behavioral disorders in children. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of neurofeedback intervention on the behavioral performance of children with social anxiety disorder (SAD). Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted with a time series design and control group. The statistical population included all 6-8-year old children with SAD (according to the clinical interview and the cutoff score in Leibovitz's social anxiety questionnaire) referring to the Ziai Counseling Clinic in Meybod City, Iran. A total of 10 children were selected by convenient sampling method and were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received 16 sessions of neurofeedback intervention, while the control group received no special intervention. Goodman's abilities and problems questionnaire was used to measure children's behavioral performance in five phases, pre-test, fourth, eighth, and twelfth sessions of the intervention phase, and post-test. The data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measurements. Results: The results showed a significant difference between the mean scores of the experimental group and the control group in behavioral performance; additionally, in the experimental group, a significant difference was observed between the scores of behavioral performances in different phases of measurement, but this difference did not exist in the control group. Conclusion: The neurofeedback intervention is effective in improving the behavioral performance of children with SAD and can be used as a complementary treatment alongside other psychological and drug treatments for these children.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy (JPCP), 2024

Recent research has revealed that bilingual and monolingual people differ from each other in vari... more Recent research has revealed that bilingual and monolingual people differ from each other in various areas, one of which is cognitive ability. This study aims to compare executive functions, selective attention, visual short-term memory, and auditory short-term memory in monolingual (Persian) and bilingual (Azeri Turkish-Persian) children. Methods: The statistical population of current case-control research included all monolingual and bilingual students (8-11 years old) in Tehran Province, Iran, from 2021 to 2022. Using the convenience sampling method, 56 monolingual primary school students (28 boys and 28 girls) and 56 bilingual primary school students (28 boys and 28 girls) were selected and matched regarding intelligence and socioeconomic status. All members of the bilingual group learned their second language before entering elementary school. We used the computerized version of the Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST), the computerized version of the Stroop color and word test (SCWT), the Kim Karad visual memory test (KKVMT), Wechsler's digit span test (WDST), and Raven's colored progressive matrices (RCPM) test. The data were analyzed via descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). Results: The results indicated that bilingual children's performance in executive functions, short-term auditory memory, and short-term visual memory was significantly higher than monolingual children (P<0.05). However, no significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding selective attention (P>0.05). Conclusion: According to our results, bilingualism positively affected cognitive abilities. Moreover, bilingual children performed better in executive functions, visual short-term memory, and auditory short-term memory than monolingual children. However, no bilingualism effect emerged for selective attention.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy (JPCP), 2024

The present study aims to compare the effectiveness of aquatic and karate training programs on sl... more The present study aims to compare the effectiveness of aquatic and karate training programs on sleep habits and stereotypic behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods: This research was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test/post-test design, with two intervention groups and one control group. The statistical population included all boys with ASD who were a member of the Autism Institute in Rasht City, Iran, in 2019. Of whom 30 individuals were selected using the purposive sampling method. Thirty children with autism (8-14 years) were randomly divided into karate exercise (n=10), aquatic training (n=10), and wait list control (n=10) conditions. The training groups practiced for 10 weeks, two sessions of 60 minutes per week. Karate exercises involved mindfulness Taikyoku Jodan Kata, consisting of blocking, punching, sticking, and kicking moves against an imaginary opponent. Aquatic training was a group intervention, including orientation training, basic swimming skills, and free swimming. Children's sleep habits questionnaire (CSHQ, 2000) and stereotype subscale of the Gilliam autism rating scale (GARS-2, 2006) were completed by parents during pre-and postintervention. Analysis of variance for repeated measures was utilized for data analysis. Results: The results indicated that both training interventions have a significant positive effect on stereotypic behaviors compared to the pre-intervention and control groups (P<0.01). We also found that the aquatic exercise group obtained better scores (P<0.001) and two subscale scores (sleep anxiety (P<0.001) and Parasomnias (P<0.05)) than the kata techniques training group, but no significant group effects were observed regarding the other subscales. Conclusion: It is recommended to provide a suitable environment at school or institute for children with ASD to participate in physical activities, such as aquatic and karate exercises to alleviate repetitive behaviors. Furthermore, it is suggested to use aqua-based training as a complementary approach in the field of improving common problems, such as the sleep habits of children with ASD.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy (JPCP), 2024

With the expanded use of the Internet, online child sexual abuse has been facilitated through the... more With the expanded use of the Internet, online child sexual abuse has been facilitated through the growing number of malicious websites that allow criminals to interact with children. Online child sexual abuse involves acquiring, displaying, collecting, and distributing sexual content to obtain sexual satisfaction from a child. Online child sexual abuse threatens the public mental health of society through its adverse effects on the mental health of children and families. To this end, the present study aims to review the studies on online sexual abuse to provide a comprehensive picture of this phenomenon. Methods: This study was conducted with a qualitative and systematic review method. The research population was 113 articles published in scientific databases in the last decade about online sexual abuse and its dimensions. The research sample consisted of 22 articles, which were selected based on thematic monitoring and theoretical saturation of data via purposive sampling. The data were collected from a qualitative analysis of the studied documents and records. Results: Data analysis revealed that indicators of online child sexual abuse are divided into 4 dimensions, 9 categories, and 56 subcategories, including knowledge components (low cyber knowledge, unawareness of the boundaries of online activities, low media literacy), psychological components (intrapersonal, interpersonal, personality, and interactive factors), approach-based components (cyberbullying, intimacy, and sexual-emotional abuse), and environmental components (cyberspace features and distribution platforms). Conclusion: Paying attention to the virtual environment for learners leads to the reduction of the existing injuries in this environment. Identifying the indicators and components of online sexual abuse of children allows educational leaders and those involved in virtual space to examine online sexual abuse from various dimensions.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy (JPCP), 2024

It is essential to determine detailed studies to understand the effectiveness, mechanisms, modera... more It is essential to determine detailed studies to understand the effectiveness, mechanisms, moderators, and cost-effectiveness of psychological intervention programs on psychological well-being in visually impaired people. Methods: This systematic review focused on studies that evaluated the interventions to promote psychological, emotional, and social well-being. The data were collected by searching Google Scholar, Elsevier, Science Direct, PubMed, and Scopus databases using the keywords, "psychological well-being in visually impaired people", "effectiveness of psychological interventions in people with visually impaired (VI)", "depression in blind people", "stress in visually impaired people", "effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)", "behavioral approach", "rational emotive behavior therapy", "schema therapy", "cognitive therapy", "mindfulness", "orientation", "acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)", "music therapy", "rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT)", "narrative therapy", "compassion therapy", "adventure", "play therapy", "meaning therapy", and "group counseling" on visually impaired people. Each keyword was searched separately. The search was conducted on the documents that were published from 2003 to 2023. In the final step, 25 records were analyzed in the study. Results: Most studies focused on adolescents and young adults. A total of 44 components were assessed; the psychological components included distress, stress, anxiety, self-concept, assessment of decisive behavior, and psychological well-being in seven studies; the emotional components included depression and aggressive behavior in 6 studies, and the social components included communication skills and empathic orientations, social participation and social anxiety, social anxiety, quality of life (QoL), creative skills, interpersonal openness, and self-esteem in 12 studies. The highest number of interventions conducted focused on CBT in 6 studies followed by REBT interventions conducted in 3 cases. Conclusion: Visually impaired people need effective and early interventions in life due to their limited vision. Since thinking, feeling, and action are intertwined in arousing a person, it seems that cognitive therapies can improve visually impaired people's psychological well-being. The results also indicated CBT and REBT are more effective than other interventions.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy (JPCP), 2024

Objective: This research investigates the effectiveness of teaching cognitive behavioral techniqu... more Objective: This research investigates the effectiveness of teaching cognitive behavioral techniques on changing attachment styles and increasing mental health and optimism among medical students of Islamic Azad University, Mashhad Branch, Iran.
Methods: This quasi-experimental research adopted a pre-test and post-test with a control group. The statistical population included all medical students of Azad University from 2019 to 2020 in Mashhad City, Iran. A total of 13 medical students were selected by the purposeful sampling method. Then, using a random number table, they were placed in two experimental groups and a control group (n=15 in each group). Medical students in the cognitive behavioral therapy group received eleven 70-min sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy over five weeks (two sessions per week). The control group was considered on the waiting list. The attachment style questionnaire, 28-item general health questionnaire, and the life orientation test-revised were used for data collection. The data were analyzed using the independent t-test and the multivariate analysis of variance in the SPSS software, version 25. The significance level was considered to be <0.05.
Results: There was a statistically significant difference in the mean scores of attachment styles, mental health, and optimism between the two groups immediately after the intervention (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Enhanced secure attachment style, the level of mental health, and optimism increased significantly in the cognitive behavioral therapy group after the intervention. Therefore, it is necessary to take particular measures to regularly hold sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy for medical students with insecure attachment.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy, 2024

Sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) is an essential psychological and psychiatric construct affecting ... more Sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) is an essential psychological and psychiatric construct affecting distinct aspects of a person's life. This study investigates whether SCT affects the quality of life (QoL) and whether this effect will persist after controlling attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, depression, and anxiety. Methods: This descriptive correlational study was conducted on college students in Mashhad City, Iran. The participants were 279 students selected by the convenience sampling method from September 2020 to February 2021. The data collection tools included the Barkley adult ADHD rating scale-IV (Barkley, 2011), the depression, anxiety, and stress scale (Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995), and the 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36) (Ware & Sherbourne, 1992). Hierarchical regression analysis was used to examine the hypotheses. Data analysis was performed using the SPSS software, version 24. The significance level of the research was considered α=0.05. Results: Correlation results showed that SCT, ADHD symptoms, anxiety, and depression are negatively correlated with the physical and mental dimensions of QoL. The results of the hierarchical regression analysis showed that SCT was negatively associated with the total QoL (F change=4.1, P<0.05) and mental dimensions of QoL (F change=3.8, P<0.05) after controlling anxiety, depression, and ADHD symptoms. Conclusion: SCT is associated with low QoL among Iranian college students, and this relationship remains present after controlling ADHD, anxiety, and depression. In addition, the results of this research emphasize the importance of considering QoL in prospective research and SCT intervention.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy, 2024

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common and debilitating mental disorder that can manifes... more Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common and debilitating mental disorder that can manifest in various themes. Recently, studies have identified relationship OCD (ROCD) as a subtype of OCD in which obsessions and compulsions revolve around romantic relationships comprising the relationship (relationship-centered) or the romantic partner (partner-focused). This study investigates the mediating role of alexithymia in the relationship between parenting styles and different presentations of ROCD, including relationship-centered and partner-focused. Methods: A total of 453 participants completed partner-related obsessive-compulsive Symptoms inventory, relationship obsessive-compulsive inventory, parental authority questionnaire, and Toronto alexithymia scale-20. The data were analyzed using the SPSS software, version 26, and the Amos software, version 24. Results: The results demonstrated that the authoritarian parenting style has a significant positive relationship with relationship-centered and partner-focused obsession compulsion (OC) symptoms at a significance level of 0.01. Furthermore, the relationship between all three types of parenting styles, including authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive, with relationship-centered and partner-focused obsessions and compulsions symptoms, was mediated by alexithymia at the 0.05 significance level. Also, the fit indices suggested that the model has an acceptable overall fitness. Conclusion: Parenting styles are related to ROCD symptoms through the mediating role of alexithymia, and this model can facilitate the etiology of ROCD symptoms and is used to design interventions and early identification of high-risk individuals.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy, 2024

This study compares the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy and metacognitive ther... more This study compares the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy and metacognitive therapy on psychological well-being in women with generalized anxiety disorder. Methods: The current study has an applied purpose and utilizes a semi-experimental research method. It follows a pre-test-post-test design with a control group and includes a two-month follow-up phase. The target population for this research consists of women with generalized anxiety disorder, who were selected using the purposeful sampling method. The study was conducted in Tehran, Iran, during the summer and autumn of 2022. Following the research design, the participants were randomly divided into a control group (n=17) and an experimental group (n=17). A 10-session therapy protocol based on acceptance and commitment was implemented for the members of the first experimental group, and a 10-session protocol of metacognitive therapy was implemented for the second experimental group individually and in person. The Ryff scales of psychological well-being were conducted in three phases: before, after intervention, and follow-up. The obtained data were statistically analyzed using the analysis of variance with repeated measurements with the SPSS software, version 25, at the significance level of 0.05. Results: The research identified a significant difference in the initial assessment results compared to the assessments conducted after the therapy in both groups (P<0.01). In other words, the findings indicated that acceptance and commitment therapy was more successful and consistent than metacognitive therapy. The disparity between the scores obtained after treatment and during the follow-up period was notable, indicating that acceptance and commitment therapy had a more powerful impact on treatment (P<0.05). Conclusion: The results suggested that women with general anxiety disorders benefited from therapy courses in terms of psychological well-being. Thus, unlike the meta-cognitive therapy, the results suggest that acceptance and commitment therapy-based exercises would be of additional value for improving psychological well-being. As this is the first study on the topic, more research is needed to determine the effectiveness of these two therapies for general anxiety in individuals.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy, 2024

This study develops an integrative parenting program for adoptive families. Methods: Qualitative ... more This study develops an integrative parenting program for adoptive families. Methods: Qualitative and quantitative elements were combined using a mixed-method design. The parenting program for adoptive families was developed through a common elements approach. It took three main steps: Identifying interventions with high efficacy, assessing supporting materials, and surveying experts to reach an agreement. Next, a single-subject, multiple baseline design was used to determine the effectiveness of the developed program on parenting self-efficacy and stress. The research instruments included parenting stress index-short form (PSI-SF) and parental self-agency measure. The participants were two adoptive mothers and one adoptive father chosen through convenience sampling. The parents participated in nine sessions and completed the questionnaires three times before the sessions, five times during the sessions, and three times after the sessions. Visual analysis was performed at two levels, including within-condition and between-condition levels. Results: In the qualitative phase, 44 concepts and nine categories were obtained by examining 15 parenting programs. The leading nine categories were as follows: Rebuilding attachments, enhancing the spouse subsystem, rebuilding the family structure, improving parenting selfefficacy, emotional-cognitive regulation, managing children's behavior, laying the groundwork for integrated child development, promoting the child's social health, and improving the child's self-esteem. The results showed that this program was highly effective in reducing the parenting stress of the first and second participants and increasing the self-efficacy of all participants. Conclusion: Families with adopted children experience unique parenting circumstances due to their different structures. This study identified the common elements of the interventions proposed in previous studies and integrated them into a comprehensive protocol to improve adoptive parents' parenting. Based on this integrated view, all cognitive processes, behavioral, emotional, and systemic in parenting are considered. This program could help adoptive parents maintain or increase their parenting competency and stress management.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy, 2024

The widespread presence of students in Telegram virtual social networks (VSNs) has provided a uni... more The widespread presence of students in Telegram virtual social networks (VSNs) has provided a unique opportunity to track the effects of using this medium on their academic failure and mental health. Accordingly, this study explores whether the use of social media has a relationship with educational decline and student mental health. Methods: This correlation study was conducted in high schools in Khaf City, Iran, in the 2018-2019 academic year and included 1250 students (550 girls and 700 boys) who were selected via simple stratified random sampling. The data collection tools comprised a researcher-made questionnaire on the use of Telegram VSNs and the Keyes (2005) model of mental health. The data were analyzed using the SPSS software, version 22, and related tests. Results: We found a significant relationship between the use of the Telegram network and educational decline. There is also a significant relationship between the use of the Telegram network and mental health. As the use of Telegram VSNs increases, there is an increase in fatigue in class and a reduction in study hours. Hence, this affects students' educational decline directly and mental health adversely. Conclusion: We recommend that information about the positive and negative effects of Telegram VSNs should be provided to users, and measures should be taken in schools to introduce and create a culture and useful and scientific use of Telegram VSNs.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy, 2024

This study compares the effectiveness of mindfulness meta-cognitive therapy and transcranial dire... more This study compares the effectiveness of mindfulness meta-cognitive therapy and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on experiential avoidance, negative strategies of cognitive emotion regulation, and emotional processing in people with general anxiety disorder (GAD). Methods: This was a semi-experimental research with experimental and control groups. A total of 45 patients with GAD were selected using the purposeful sampling method. One group received 8 sessions of mindfulness meta-cognitive therapy (one session per week), and another group received 15 sessions of tDCS (three sessions per week; each session was 20 min in F 3 /F 4 with an intensity of 2 mA). All subjects in two treatment groups and one waitlist control group were evaluated before and after the treatment using an acceptance and action questionnaire, cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire, and emotional processing scale. The data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of covariance and the Tukey test. The data were analyzed using the SPSS software, version 19. Results: The results showed that tDCS and mindfulness meta-cognitive therapy are effective in experiential avoidance (F=98.53, η 2 =0.744), negative strategies for cognitive emotion regulation (F=102.26, η 2 =0.824), and emotional processing (F=121.26, η 2 =0.931) in people with GAD. There is no significant difference in the experiential avoidance variable (md=0.735, P=0.575) and emotional processing (md=0.731, P=0.134) between mindfulness meta-cognitive therapy and tDCS therapy; however, in the rumination subscale, only mindfulness metacognitive therapy treatment method has been effective in the variable of negative strategies of cognitive emotion regulation (md=4.63, P=0.008). Conclusion: tDCS and mindfulness meta-cognitive therapy were both effective in improving GAD symptoms, but mindfulness meta-cognitive therapy had more effects on clients' rumination. As a result, to control the negative strategies for cognitive emotion regulation, mindfulness meta-cognitive therapy has a better effect.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy, 2024

Population aging creates various individual and public challenges, including physical and mental ... more Population aging creates various individual and public challenges, including physical and mental health, economic challenges, and care needs. Governments' response to population aging is active aging. Promoting successful, active aging is an international priority for addressing the challenges of increasing life expectancy. Active aging allows individuals to overcome the challenges of an increasingly aging population. Accordingly, the present study explores the perspective, challenges, and strategies of active aging in female elderly adults who retired from the education department. Methods: The present study was conducted via a qualitative grounded theory using the data collected from semi-structured interviews with 21 retired women from the Ministry of Education aged over 65 years in Tehran City, Iran, in 2023. The collected data were analyzed using the Charmaz (2012) method. Results: Data analysis revealed 49 open codes, 16 axial codes, and 4 selective codes. The four selective codes were old age challenges, achieving active aging, psycho-social retirement concern, and social neglect of older adults. The axial codes were public rejection, unavailability of facilities, interpersonal strategies, learning new skills, self-care, individual strategies, dilemmas and problems, old age concerns, unavailability of suitable urban space, and public view about old age. Conclusion: Active aging involves challenges and problems over which older adults have no control, such as the unavailability of suitable urban space for transportation, the unavailability of facilities, and restricting older adults' activities. These problems lead to the belief in disability, inefficiency, and isolation, resulting in a vicious cycle.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy (JPCP), 2024

Social anxiety disorder is a prevalent and persistent psychological disorder that is characterize... more Social anxiety disorder is a prevalent and persistent psychological disorder that is characterized by an intense fear of negative judgment from others, leading to avoidance of social interactions. This study compared the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in reducing SAD symptoms, including cognitive distortions, rumination, and anxiety sensitivity, in adolescents diagnosed with social anxiety disorder (SAD). Methods: The study was semi-experimental, with a pre-test and post-test design featuring a control group. The research sample comprised 45 adolescents diagnosed with SAD, who were recruited from psychological service offices in Bukan City, Iran, between April 4 th , 2022, and September 6 th , 2022. Fifteen adolescents were assigned to the first experimental group, 15 to the second experimental group, and 15 to the control group. The subjects were selected using the purposive sampling method and were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. CBT (12 sessions) and ACT (8 sessions) were implemented in two sessions per week for the experimental groups. Each session lasted for an hour. The control group did not receive any intervention. The participants completed the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) (2000), the Ruminative Response Scale (RRS) (2003), and the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS) (1978). The data of the research were analyzed using the analysis of variance test using SPSS software, version 23 and a significance level of 0.05. Results: The results of the analysis of variance showed that CBT and ACT have a significant effect on cognitive distortions and rumination in adolescents (P<0.001). Also, there is no significant difference between the effectiveness of CBT and ACT on cognitive distortions and rumination in adolescents (P>0.05). The mean±standard deviation (SD) difference before (54.76±13.88) and after (49.51±13.42) the rumination in the CBT group was significant (P<0.001). The mean±SD difference before (98.32±7.44) and after (83.90±7.77) the cognitive distortions in the CBT group was significant (P<0.001). The mean±SD difference before (52.33±14.78) and after (47.73±14.23) the rumination in the ACT group was significant (P<0.001). Also, the mean±SD difference before (98.70±7.02) and after (85.13±6.83) the cognitive distortion in the ACT group was significant (P<0.001). Conclusion: Based on the results of the analysis, it can be concluded that CBT and ACT can be considered in cognitive distortions and rumination in adolescents with SAD.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy (JPCP), 2023

Binge eating disorder is a type of eating behavior disorder that occurs with voluntary limitation... more Binge eating disorder is a type of eating behavior disorder that occurs with voluntary limitations in eating food. It has a psychological and social origin and is one of the concerns of the World Health Organization. The present study explains the relationship between perfectionism and binge eating disorder in female college students and the mediating role of cognitive emotion regulation. Methods: In this descriptive-correlation study, data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling (SEM) method. The statistical population of this research consisted of all the female college students of Isfahan City, Iran, in October and November 2022. A total of 214 students were selected by the available sampling method. The participants answered the perfectionism inventory (PI, 2004), the cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire (CERQ, 2001), and the binge eating severity (BES, 1982). The data were analyzed using EMOS 22 software and SEM. Results: The results showed that adaptive cognitive regulation strategies could negatively mediate the relationship between adaptive perfectionism and eating disorder (P<0.01, β=-0.113) while positively and significantly mediating the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and eating disorder (P<0.01, β=0.124). Conclusion: Based on the results, physicians and therapists can incorporate cognitive regulation techniques into eating disorder treatments and help individuals manage perfectionism and negative thoughts. Additionally, educational programs can be developed in counseling centers, schools, and universities to empower individuals to recognize signs and seek help promptly.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy (JPCP), 2024

Given the well-established and irreversible psychological consequences associated with the COVID-... more Given the well-established and irreversible psychological consequences associated with the COVID-19 disease, it becomes imperative to develop interventions tailored to address these effects and comprehensively evaluate their efficacy in promoting the mental well-being of individuals who have successfully recuperated from COVID-19. The current investigation primarily ascertained and juxtaposed the efficacy of guided imagery and Lazarus multimodal therapy in alleviating COVID-19-induced anxiety and enhancing life expectancy among post-COVID-19 patients Methods: The present study employed a semi-experimental design, encompassing the objectives, application, and research methodology. Specifically, a pre-test-post-test design with a control group was utilized, incorporating a three-month follow-up period. The statistical population comprised individuals who had recovered from COVID-19 and were residing in Tehran City, Iran, in 2021. Participants were selected from various government hospitals in Tehran who received treatment for COVID-19. A total of 45 participants were randomly assigned into three groups: the guided imagery group (15 participants), the Lazarus multimodal therapy group (15 participants), and the control group (15 participants), using the lottery method. The experimental groups underwent 10 sessions of 90 minutes each, wherein guided imagery and Lazarus multimodal therapy interventions were respectively administered. The control group did not receive any form of training or intervention. The research instruments employed in this study were the COVID-19 Anxiety Questionnaire (CDAS, 2020) developed by Alipour, Gadami, Alipour, and Abdulzadeh, and Miller's Life Expectancy Questionnaire (MLEQ, 1998). Data were analyzed using covariance analysis in SPSS software, version 26. Inferential analysis was performed with alpha 0.05 Results: The findings of the study revealed that both guided imagery and Lazarus multimodal therapy demonstrated effectiveness in mitigating COVID-19 anxiety (F=11.16, P=0.000) and enhancing life expectancy (F=5.49, P=0.008) among individuals who had recovered from COVID-19 (P<0.05). Furthermore, no significant difference was observed between the effects of these interventions on the aforementioned variables. Conclusion: Based on the research findings, the educational packages developed in this study hold the potential for utilization in reducing COVID-19 anxiety and enhancing life expectancy among individuals amidst the ongoing pandemic outbreak. These packages offer valuable resources for addressing and managing anxiety related to COVID-19, thereby contributing to improved psychological well-being and overall life expectancy during this challenging period.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy (JPCP), 2024

The use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), a form of brain stimulation, is s... more The use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), a form of brain stimulation, is successful and authorized for treating individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder OCD. The study compared the effectiveness of rTMS and drug therapy on OCD. Methods: The study adopted a quasi-experimental method and a pre-post control group design. The statistical population of the present study included all patients referred to specialized clinics in regions 2, 3, and 7 of Tehran City, Iran, from July to September 2022. The study participants included 45 OCD patients who were selected purposefully and were assigned to two experimental groups (rTMS: 15 participants, drug therapy: 15 participants) and a control group with 15 participants. The rTMS treatment was held three sessions a week for four weeks. Therefore, rTMS treatment was performed with the parameters specified below regarding the variables of the present study. For OCD, the supplementary motor area with a frequency of 1 Hz (HZ) for 20 minutes, 1200 pulses, and the F3 and F4 areas were worked with the tablets. The Millon clinical multiaxial inventory-III or checklist-90-revision pre and post-interventions were measured. Data analysis was conducted using the SPSS software, version 26 with an analysis of the covariance test. Results: Findings showed that the differentiation between the rTMS treatment technique and drug administration is significant in OCD (P=0.0001). The decrease in OCD based on considered rTMS was more than the drug therapy group (P=0.0017). Conclusion: This study revealed that rTMS is an effective neurostimulation therapy for OCD. Therefore, rTMS provides better results in terms of treatment effectiveness and clinical response rate. Furthermore, drug treatment appears to have a significant therapeutic effect. In subgroup analysis, it was found that dorsolateral prefrontal cortex stimulation and inhibition produced better treatment effects.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy (JPCP), 2024

This descriptive-correlational study aims to investigate the mediating role of defense mechanisms... more This descriptive-correlational study aims to investigate the mediating role of defense mechanisms (DMs) in the relationship between cognitive emotion regulation strategies (CER) and marital communication patterns (MCP) in married women in Tehran Province, Iran. Methods: The statistical population of the study included all married women in Tehran Province in 2021. A total of 170 subjects were selected as the statistical sample of the study via convenience sampling methods. Data were collected using the cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire (CERQ), the couples' communication patterns questionnaire (CPQ), and the defense style questionnaire (DSQ). In data analysis, in addition to using descriptive statistics, the inferential statistics section was analyzed using SPSS software, version 26, and AMOS software, version 24. Results: Based on the goodness of fit indices, DMs play a mediating role in the relationship between CER strategies and MCP. The indirect size effect of the CER strategies on the MCP is positively significant with a standardized coefficient of 0.38 (P<0.05). Conclusion: Therefore, considering the importance of MCP in married life, CER strategies and DMs are necessary to inform and inform people about cognitive strategies of emotional regulation and emotional adjustment. Family therapists are recommended to consider CER strategies as well as DMs to treat marital issues.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy (JPCP), 2024

Hearing impairment is one of the sensory problems in children that affects various aspects of the... more Hearing impairment is one of the sensory problems in children that affects various aspects of their lives and impacts their social skills (SS) and emotion regulation (ER).Research indicated that active play has a crucial role in children's social and emotional development. In this regard, the present study aims to investigate the effectiveness of group active plays (GAP) on the SS and ER of children with hearing impairment. Methods: This quasi-experimental study involved a pre-test/post-test design with a two-month follow-up. The participants included 7 to 12-year-old boys with hearing impairment enrolled in the deaf-hearing impaired schools (2022-2023). Thirty children were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=15) and a control group (n=15). The experimental group participated in 12 interventional sessions, while the control group had the regular school program. Both groups completed SS and ER questionnaires (including before and after the intervention, and two months after the intervention [follow-up]). The data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) with SPSS software, version 25. Results: The results of this study indicated a significant difference between the control and experimental groups in SS (P<0.002). GAP also had a significant effect on ER (P<0.001). Moreover, it had a significant effect on liability/negativity which was one of the components of ER (P<0.022). Conclusion: Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that the implemented intervention (GAP) helped to improve SS, ER, and its component (liability/negativity) in children with hearing impairment. Coaches, teachers, and therapists can take steps to enhance SS and ER in children with hearing impairment by implementing GAP.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy (JPCP), 2024

Today, the Internet is a crucial part of life, especially the life of young people. Several facto... more Today, the Internet is a crucial part of life, especially the life of young people. Several factors may cause young people to have internet addiction (IA). This study aims to investigate the role of the broad autism phenotype (BAP), social cognition, and loneliness in creating IA among Iranian college students. Methods: The research method of this research was correlation and convenience sampling. The sample consisted of 218 students of Imam Khomeini International University studying at this university in 2022-2023. Research data were collected using questionnaires of IA, loneliness, theory of mind, and BAP and analyzed using correlation method and simultaneous multiple regression analyses. Results: The coefficient of correlation showed that loneliness, social cognition, and BAP have a significant relationship with IA at the (P=0.01) level. Also, this analysis showed that social cognition and BAP are more predictive of IA among technical students than social science students. The results showed a significant relationship between loneliness, social cognition, and BAP with IA. Conclusion: In this regard, the officials of educational centers should take extensive measures to reduce the impact of the factors that cause IA in students.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy (JPCP), 2024

Social anxiety is one of the most prevalent issues leading to significant functional and behavior... more Social anxiety is one of the most prevalent issues leading to significant functional and behavioral disorders in children. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of neurofeedback intervention on the behavioral performance of children with social anxiety disorder (SAD). Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted with a time series design and control group. The statistical population included all 6-8-year old children with SAD (according to the clinical interview and the cutoff score in Leibovitz's social anxiety questionnaire) referring to the Ziai Counseling Clinic in Meybod City, Iran. A total of 10 children were selected by convenient sampling method and were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received 16 sessions of neurofeedback intervention, while the control group received no special intervention. Goodman's abilities and problems questionnaire was used to measure children's behavioral performance in five phases, pre-test, fourth, eighth, and twelfth sessions of the intervention phase, and post-test. The data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measurements. Results: The results showed a significant difference between the mean scores of the experimental group and the control group in behavioral performance; additionally, in the experimental group, a significant difference was observed between the scores of behavioral performances in different phases of measurement, but this difference did not exist in the control group. Conclusion: The neurofeedback intervention is effective in improving the behavioral performance of children with SAD and can be used as a complementary treatment alongside other psychological and drug treatments for these children.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy (JPCP), 2024

Recent research has revealed that bilingual and monolingual people differ from each other in vari... more Recent research has revealed that bilingual and monolingual people differ from each other in various areas, one of which is cognitive ability. This study aims to compare executive functions, selective attention, visual short-term memory, and auditory short-term memory in monolingual (Persian) and bilingual (Azeri Turkish-Persian) children. Methods: The statistical population of current case-control research included all monolingual and bilingual students (8-11 years old) in Tehran Province, Iran, from 2021 to 2022. Using the convenience sampling method, 56 monolingual primary school students (28 boys and 28 girls) and 56 bilingual primary school students (28 boys and 28 girls) were selected and matched regarding intelligence and socioeconomic status. All members of the bilingual group learned their second language before entering elementary school. We used the computerized version of the Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST), the computerized version of the Stroop color and word test (SCWT), the Kim Karad visual memory test (KKVMT), Wechsler's digit span test (WDST), and Raven's colored progressive matrices (RCPM) test. The data were analyzed via descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). Results: The results indicated that bilingual children's performance in executive functions, short-term auditory memory, and short-term visual memory was significantly higher than monolingual children (P<0.05). However, no significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding selective attention (P>0.05). Conclusion: According to our results, bilingualism positively affected cognitive abilities. Moreover, bilingual children performed better in executive functions, visual short-term memory, and auditory short-term memory than monolingual children. However, no bilingualism effect emerged for selective attention.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy (JPCP), 2024

The present study aims to compare the effectiveness of aquatic and karate training programs on sl... more The present study aims to compare the effectiveness of aquatic and karate training programs on sleep habits and stereotypic behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods: This research was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test/post-test design, with two intervention groups and one control group. The statistical population included all boys with ASD who were a member of the Autism Institute in Rasht City, Iran, in 2019. Of whom 30 individuals were selected using the purposive sampling method. Thirty children with autism (8-14 years) were randomly divided into karate exercise (n=10), aquatic training (n=10), and wait list control (n=10) conditions. The training groups practiced for 10 weeks, two sessions of 60 minutes per week. Karate exercises involved mindfulness Taikyoku Jodan Kata, consisting of blocking, punching, sticking, and kicking moves against an imaginary opponent. Aquatic training was a group intervention, including orientation training, basic swimming skills, and free swimming. Children's sleep habits questionnaire (CSHQ, 2000) and stereotype subscale of the Gilliam autism rating scale (GARS-2, 2006) were completed by parents during pre-and postintervention. Analysis of variance for repeated measures was utilized for data analysis. Results: The results indicated that both training interventions have a significant positive effect on stereotypic behaviors compared to the pre-intervention and control groups (P<0.01). We also found that the aquatic exercise group obtained better scores (P<0.001) and two subscale scores (sleep anxiety (P<0.001) and Parasomnias (P<0.05)) than the kata techniques training group, but no significant group effects were observed regarding the other subscales. Conclusion: It is recommended to provide a suitable environment at school or institute for children with ASD to participate in physical activities, such as aquatic and karate exercises to alleviate repetitive behaviors. Furthermore, it is suggested to use aqua-based training as a complementary approach in the field of improving common problems, such as the sleep habits of children with ASD.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy (JPCP), 2024

With the expanded use of the Internet, online child sexual abuse has been facilitated through the... more With the expanded use of the Internet, online child sexual abuse has been facilitated through the growing number of malicious websites that allow criminals to interact with children. Online child sexual abuse involves acquiring, displaying, collecting, and distributing sexual content to obtain sexual satisfaction from a child. Online child sexual abuse threatens the public mental health of society through its adverse effects on the mental health of children and families. To this end, the present study aims to review the studies on online sexual abuse to provide a comprehensive picture of this phenomenon. Methods: This study was conducted with a qualitative and systematic review method. The research population was 113 articles published in scientific databases in the last decade about online sexual abuse and its dimensions. The research sample consisted of 22 articles, which were selected based on thematic monitoring and theoretical saturation of data via purposive sampling. The data were collected from a qualitative analysis of the studied documents and records. Results: Data analysis revealed that indicators of online child sexual abuse are divided into 4 dimensions, 9 categories, and 56 subcategories, including knowledge components (low cyber knowledge, unawareness of the boundaries of online activities, low media literacy), psychological components (intrapersonal, interpersonal, personality, and interactive factors), approach-based components (cyberbullying, intimacy, and sexual-emotional abuse), and environmental components (cyberspace features and distribution platforms). Conclusion: Paying attention to the virtual environment for learners leads to the reduction of the existing injuries in this environment. Identifying the indicators and components of online sexual abuse of children allows educational leaders and those involved in virtual space to examine online sexual abuse from various dimensions.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy (JPCP), 2024

It is essential to determine detailed studies to understand the effectiveness, mechanisms, modera... more It is essential to determine detailed studies to understand the effectiveness, mechanisms, moderators, and cost-effectiveness of psychological intervention programs on psychological well-being in visually impaired people. Methods: This systematic review focused on studies that evaluated the interventions to promote psychological, emotional, and social well-being. The data were collected by searching Google Scholar, Elsevier, Science Direct, PubMed, and Scopus databases using the keywords, "psychological well-being in visually impaired people", "effectiveness of psychological interventions in people with visually impaired (VI)", "depression in blind people", "stress in visually impaired people", "effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)", "behavioral approach", "rational emotive behavior therapy", "schema therapy", "cognitive therapy", "mindfulness", "orientation", "acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)", "music therapy", "rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT)", "narrative therapy", "compassion therapy", "adventure", "play therapy", "meaning therapy", and "group counseling" on visually impaired people. Each keyword was searched separately. The search was conducted on the documents that were published from 2003 to 2023. In the final step, 25 records were analyzed in the study. Results: Most studies focused on adolescents and young adults. A total of 44 components were assessed; the psychological components included distress, stress, anxiety, self-concept, assessment of decisive behavior, and psychological well-being in seven studies; the emotional components included depression and aggressive behavior in 6 studies, and the social components included communication skills and empathic orientations, social participation and social anxiety, social anxiety, quality of life (QoL), creative skills, interpersonal openness, and self-esteem in 12 studies. The highest number of interventions conducted focused on CBT in 6 studies followed by REBT interventions conducted in 3 cases. Conclusion: Visually impaired people need effective and early interventions in life due to their limited vision. Since thinking, feeling, and action are intertwined in arousing a person, it seems that cognitive therapies can improve visually impaired people's psychological well-being. The results also indicated CBT and REBT are more effective than other interventions.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy (JPCP), 2024

Objective: This research investigates the effectiveness of teaching cognitive behavioral techniqu... more Objective: This research investigates the effectiveness of teaching cognitive behavioral techniques on changing attachment styles and increasing mental health and optimism among medical students of Islamic Azad University, Mashhad Branch, Iran.
Methods: This quasi-experimental research adopted a pre-test and post-test with a control group. The statistical population included all medical students of Azad University from 2019 to 2020 in Mashhad City, Iran. A total of 13 medical students were selected by the purposeful sampling method. Then, using a random number table, they were placed in two experimental groups and a control group (n=15 in each group). Medical students in the cognitive behavioral therapy group received eleven 70-min sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy over five weeks (two sessions per week). The control group was considered on the waiting list. The attachment style questionnaire, 28-item general health questionnaire, and the life orientation test-revised were used for data collection. The data were analyzed using the independent t-test and the multivariate analysis of variance in the SPSS software, version 25. The significance level was considered to be <0.05.
Results: There was a statistically significant difference in the mean scores of attachment styles, mental health, and optimism between the two groups immediately after the intervention (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Enhanced secure attachment style, the level of mental health, and optimism increased significantly in the cognitive behavioral therapy group after the intervention. Therefore, it is necessary to take particular measures to regularly hold sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy for medical students with insecure attachment.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy, 2024

Sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) is an essential psychological and psychiatric construct affecting ... more Sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) is an essential psychological and psychiatric construct affecting distinct aspects of a person's life. This study investigates whether SCT affects the quality of life (QoL) and whether this effect will persist after controlling attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, depression, and anxiety. Methods: This descriptive correlational study was conducted on college students in Mashhad City, Iran. The participants were 279 students selected by the convenience sampling method from September 2020 to February 2021. The data collection tools included the Barkley adult ADHD rating scale-IV (Barkley, 2011), the depression, anxiety, and stress scale (Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995), and the 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36) (Ware & Sherbourne, 1992). Hierarchical regression analysis was used to examine the hypotheses. Data analysis was performed using the SPSS software, version 24. The significance level of the research was considered α=0.05. Results: Correlation results showed that SCT, ADHD symptoms, anxiety, and depression are negatively correlated with the physical and mental dimensions of QoL. The results of the hierarchical regression analysis showed that SCT was negatively associated with the total QoL (F change=4.1, P<0.05) and mental dimensions of QoL (F change=3.8, P<0.05) after controlling anxiety, depression, and ADHD symptoms. Conclusion: SCT is associated with low QoL among Iranian college students, and this relationship remains present after controlling ADHD, anxiety, and depression. In addition, the results of this research emphasize the importance of considering QoL in prospective research and SCT intervention.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy, 2024

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common and debilitating mental disorder that can manifes... more Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common and debilitating mental disorder that can manifest in various themes. Recently, studies have identified relationship OCD (ROCD) as a subtype of OCD in which obsessions and compulsions revolve around romantic relationships comprising the relationship (relationship-centered) or the romantic partner (partner-focused). This study investigates the mediating role of alexithymia in the relationship between parenting styles and different presentations of ROCD, including relationship-centered and partner-focused. Methods: A total of 453 participants completed partner-related obsessive-compulsive Symptoms inventory, relationship obsessive-compulsive inventory, parental authority questionnaire, and Toronto alexithymia scale-20. The data were analyzed using the SPSS software, version 26, and the Amos software, version 24. Results: The results demonstrated that the authoritarian parenting style has a significant positive relationship with relationship-centered and partner-focused obsession compulsion (OC) symptoms at a significance level of 0.01. Furthermore, the relationship between all three types of parenting styles, including authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive, with relationship-centered and partner-focused obsessions and compulsions symptoms, was mediated by alexithymia at the 0.05 significance level. Also, the fit indices suggested that the model has an acceptable overall fitness. Conclusion: Parenting styles are related to ROCD symptoms through the mediating role of alexithymia, and this model can facilitate the etiology of ROCD symptoms and is used to design interventions and early identification of high-risk individuals.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy, 2024

This study compares the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy and metacognitive ther... more This study compares the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy and metacognitive therapy on psychological well-being in women with generalized anxiety disorder. Methods: The current study has an applied purpose and utilizes a semi-experimental research method. It follows a pre-test-post-test design with a control group and includes a two-month follow-up phase. The target population for this research consists of women with generalized anxiety disorder, who were selected using the purposeful sampling method. The study was conducted in Tehran, Iran, during the summer and autumn of 2022. Following the research design, the participants were randomly divided into a control group (n=17) and an experimental group (n=17). A 10-session therapy protocol based on acceptance and commitment was implemented for the members of the first experimental group, and a 10-session protocol of metacognitive therapy was implemented for the second experimental group individually and in person. The Ryff scales of psychological well-being were conducted in three phases: before, after intervention, and follow-up. The obtained data were statistically analyzed using the analysis of variance with repeated measurements with the SPSS software, version 25, at the significance level of 0.05. Results: The research identified a significant difference in the initial assessment results compared to the assessments conducted after the therapy in both groups (P<0.01). In other words, the findings indicated that acceptance and commitment therapy was more successful and consistent than metacognitive therapy. The disparity between the scores obtained after treatment and during the follow-up period was notable, indicating that acceptance and commitment therapy had a more powerful impact on treatment (P<0.05). Conclusion: The results suggested that women with general anxiety disorders benefited from therapy courses in terms of psychological well-being. Thus, unlike the meta-cognitive therapy, the results suggest that acceptance and commitment therapy-based exercises would be of additional value for improving psychological well-being. As this is the first study on the topic, more research is needed to determine the effectiveness of these two therapies for general anxiety in individuals.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy, 2024

This study develops an integrative parenting program for adoptive families. Methods: Qualitative ... more This study develops an integrative parenting program for adoptive families. Methods: Qualitative and quantitative elements were combined using a mixed-method design. The parenting program for adoptive families was developed through a common elements approach. It took three main steps: Identifying interventions with high efficacy, assessing supporting materials, and surveying experts to reach an agreement. Next, a single-subject, multiple baseline design was used to determine the effectiveness of the developed program on parenting self-efficacy and stress. The research instruments included parenting stress index-short form (PSI-SF) and parental self-agency measure. The participants were two adoptive mothers and one adoptive father chosen through convenience sampling. The parents participated in nine sessions and completed the questionnaires three times before the sessions, five times during the sessions, and three times after the sessions. Visual analysis was performed at two levels, including within-condition and between-condition levels. Results: In the qualitative phase, 44 concepts and nine categories were obtained by examining 15 parenting programs. The leading nine categories were as follows: Rebuilding attachments, enhancing the spouse subsystem, rebuilding the family structure, improving parenting selfefficacy, emotional-cognitive regulation, managing children's behavior, laying the groundwork for integrated child development, promoting the child's social health, and improving the child's self-esteem. The results showed that this program was highly effective in reducing the parenting stress of the first and second participants and increasing the self-efficacy of all participants. Conclusion: Families with adopted children experience unique parenting circumstances due to their different structures. This study identified the common elements of the interventions proposed in previous studies and integrated them into a comprehensive protocol to improve adoptive parents' parenting. Based on this integrated view, all cognitive processes, behavioral, emotional, and systemic in parenting are considered. This program could help adoptive parents maintain or increase their parenting competency and stress management.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy, 2024

The widespread presence of students in Telegram virtual social networks (VSNs) has provided a uni... more The widespread presence of students in Telegram virtual social networks (VSNs) has provided a unique opportunity to track the effects of using this medium on their academic failure and mental health. Accordingly, this study explores whether the use of social media has a relationship with educational decline and student mental health. Methods: This correlation study was conducted in high schools in Khaf City, Iran, in the 2018-2019 academic year and included 1250 students (550 girls and 700 boys) who were selected via simple stratified random sampling. The data collection tools comprised a researcher-made questionnaire on the use of Telegram VSNs and the Keyes (2005) model of mental health. The data were analyzed using the SPSS software, version 22, and related tests. Results: We found a significant relationship between the use of the Telegram network and educational decline. There is also a significant relationship between the use of the Telegram network and mental health. As the use of Telegram VSNs increases, there is an increase in fatigue in class and a reduction in study hours. Hence, this affects students' educational decline directly and mental health adversely. Conclusion: We recommend that information about the positive and negative effects of Telegram VSNs should be provided to users, and measures should be taken in schools to introduce and create a culture and useful and scientific use of Telegram VSNs.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy, 2024

This study compares the effectiveness of mindfulness meta-cognitive therapy and transcranial dire... more This study compares the effectiveness of mindfulness meta-cognitive therapy and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on experiential avoidance, negative strategies of cognitive emotion regulation, and emotional processing in people with general anxiety disorder (GAD). Methods: This was a semi-experimental research with experimental and control groups. A total of 45 patients with GAD were selected using the purposeful sampling method. One group received 8 sessions of mindfulness meta-cognitive therapy (one session per week), and another group received 15 sessions of tDCS (three sessions per week; each session was 20 min in F 3 /F 4 with an intensity of 2 mA). All subjects in two treatment groups and one waitlist control group were evaluated before and after the treatment using an acceptance and action questionnaire, cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire, and emotional processing scale. The data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of covariance and the Tukey test. The data were analyzed using the SPSS software, version 19. Results: The results showed that tDCS and mindfulness meta-cognitive therapy are effective in experiential avoidance (F=98.53, η 2 =0.744), negative strategies for cognitive emotion regulation (F=102.26, η 2 =0.824), and emotional processing (F=121.26, η 2 =0.931) in people with GAD. There is no significant difference in the experiential avoidance variable (md=0.735, P=0.575) and emotional processing (md=0.731, P=0.134) between mindfulness meta-cognitive therapy and tDCS therapy; however, in the rumination subscale, only mindfulness metacognitive therapy treatment method has been effective in the variable of negative strategies of cognitive emotion regulation (md=4.63, P=0.008). Conclusion: tDCS and mindfulness meta-cognitive therapy were both effective in improving GAD symptoms, but mindfulness meta-cognitive therapy had more effects on clients' rumination. As a result, to control the negative strategies for cognitive emotion regulation, mindfulness meta-cognitive therapy has a better effect.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy, 2024

Population aging creates various individual and public challenges, including physical and mental ... more Population aging creates various individual and public challenges, including physical and mental health, economic challenges, and care needs. Governments' response to population aging is active aging. Promoting successful, active aging is an international priority for addressing the challenges of increasing life expectancy. Active aging allows individuals to overcome the challenges of an increasingly aging population. Accordingly, the present study explores the perspective, challenges, and strategies of active aging in female elderly adults who retired from the education department. Methods: The present study was conducted via a qualitative grounded theory using the data collected from semi-structured interviews with 21 retired women from the Ministry of Education aged over 65 years in Tehran City, Iran, in 2023. The collected data were analyzed using the Charmaz (2012) method. Results: Data analysis revealed 49 open codes, 16 axial codes, and 4 selective codes. The four selective codes were old age challenges, achieving active aging, psycho-social retirement concern, and social neglect of older adults. The axial codes were public rejection, unavailability of facilities, interpersonal strategies, learning new skills, self-care, individual strategies, dilemmas and problems, old age concerns, unavailability of suitable urban space, and public view about old age. Conclusion: Active aging involves challenges and problems over which older adults have no control, such as the unavailability of suitable urban space for transportation, the unavailability of facilities, and restricting older adults' activities. These problems lead to the belief in disability, inefficiency, and isolation, resulting in a vicious cycle.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy (JPCP), 2024

Social anxiety disorder is a prevalent and persistent psychological disorder that is characterize... more Social anxiety disorder is a prevalent and persistent psychological disorder that is characterized by an intense fear of negative judgment from others, leading to avoidance of social interactions. This study compared the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in reducing SAD symptoms, including cognitive distortions, rumination, and anxiety sensitivity, in adolescents diagnosed with social anxiety disorder (SAD). Methods: The study was semi-experimental, with a pre-test and post-test design featuring a control group. The research sample comprised 45 adolescents diagnosed with SAD, who were recruited from psychological service offices in Bukan City, Iran, between April 4 th , 2022, and September 6 th , 2022. Fifteen adolescents were assigned to the first experimental group, 15 to the second experimental group, and 15 to the control group. The subjects were selected using the purposive sampling method and were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. CBT (12 sessions) and ACT (8 sessions) were implemented in two sessions per week for the experimental groups. Each session lasted for an hour. The control group did not receive any intervention. The participants completed the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) (2000), the Ruminative Response Scale (RRS) (2003), and the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS) (1978). The data of the research were analyzed using the analysis of variance test using SPSS software, version 23 and a significance level of 0.05. Results: The results of the analysis of variance showed that CBT and ACT have a significant effect on cognitive distortions and rumination in adolescents (P<0.001). Also, there is no significant difference between the effectiveness of CBT and ACT on cognitive distortions and rumination in adolescents (P>0.05). The mean±standard deviation (SD) difference before (54.76±13.88) and after (49.51±13.42) the rumination in the CBT group was significant (P<0.001). The mean±SD difference before (98.32±7.44) and after (83.90±7.77) the cognitive distortions in the CBT group was significant (P<0.001). The mean±SD difference before (52.33±14.78) and after (47.73±14.23) the rumination in the ACT group was significant (P<0.001). Also, the mean±SD difference before (98.70±7.02) and after (85.13±6.83) the cognitive distortion in the ACT group was significant (P<0.001). Conclusion: Based on the results of the analysis, it can be concluded that CBT and ACT can be considered in cognitive distortions and rumination in adolescents with SAD.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy (JPCP), 2023

Binge eating disorder is a type of eating behavior disorder that occurs with voluntary limitation... more Binge eating disorder is a type of eating behavior disorder that occurs with voluntary limitations in eating food. It has a psychological and social origin and is one of the concerns of the World Health Organization. The present study explains the relationship between perfectionism and binge eating disorder in female college students and the mediating role of cognitive emotion regulation. Methods: In this descriptive-correlation study, data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling (SEM) method. The statistical population of this research consisted of all the female college students of Isfahan City, Iran, in October and November 2022. A total of 214 students were selected by the available sampling method. The participants answered the perfectionism inventory (PI, 2004), the cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire (CERQ, 2001), and the binge eating severity (BES, 1982). The data were analyzed using EMOS 22 software and SEM. Results: The results showed that adaptive cognitive regulation strategies could negatively mediate the relationship between adaptive perfectionism and eating disorder (P<0.01, β=-0.113) while positively and significantly mediating the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and eating disorder (P<0.01, β=0.124). Conclusion: Based on the results, physicians and therapists can incorporate cognitive regulation techniques into eating disorder treatments and help individuals manage perfectionism and negative thoughts. Additionally, educational programs can be developed in counseling centers, schools, and universities to empower individuals to recognize signs and seek help promptly.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy (JPCP), 2024

Given the well-established and irreversible psychological consequences associated with the COVID-... more Given the well-established and irreversible psychological consequences associated with the COVID-19 disease, it becomes imperative to develop interventions tailored to address these effects and comprehensively evaluate their efficacy in promoting the mental well-being of individuals who have successfully recuperated from COVID-19. The current investigation primarily ascertained and juxtaposed the efficacy of guided imagery and Lazarus multimodal therapy in alleviating COVID-19-induced anxiety and enhancing life expectancy among post-COVID-19 patients Methods: The present study employed a semi-experimental design, encompassing the objectives, application, and research methodology. Specifically, a pre-test-post-test design with a control group was utilized, incorporating a three-month follow-up period. The statistical population comprised individuals who had recovered from COVID-19 and were residing in Tehran City, Iran, in 2021. Participants were selected from various government hospitals in Tehran who received treatment for COVID-19. A total of 45 participants were randomly assigned into three groups: the guided imagery group (15 participants), the Lazarus multimodal therapy group (15 participants), and the control group (15 participants), using the lottery method. The experimental groups underwent 10 sessions of 90 minutes each, wherein guided imagery and Lazarus multimodal therapy interventions were respectively administered. The control group did not receive any form of training or intervention. The research instruments employed in this study were the COVID-19 Anxiety Questionnaire (CDAS, 2020) developed by Alipour, Gadami, Alipour, and Abdulzadeh, and Miller's Life Expectancy Questionnaire (MLEQ, 1998). Data were analyzed using covariance analysis in SPSS software, version 26. Inferential analysis was performed with alpha 0.05 Results: The findings of the study revealed that both guided imagery and Lazarus multimodal therapy demonstrated effectiveness in mitigating COVID-19 anxiety (F=11.16, P=0.000) and enhancing life expectancy (F=5.49, P=0.008) among individuals who had recovered from COVID-19 (P<0.05). Furthermore, no significant difference was observed between the effects of these interventions on the aforementioned variables. Conclusion: Based on the research findings, the educational packages developed in this study hold the potential for utilization in reducing COVID-19 anxiety and enhancing life expectancy among individuals amidst the ongoing pandemic outbreak. These packages offer valuable resources for addressing and managing anxiety related to COVID-19, thereby contributing to improved psychological well-being and overall life expectancy during this challenging period.

Practice in Clinical Psycholoy (JPCP), 2024

The use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), a form of brain stimulation, is s... more The use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), a form of brain stimulation, is successful and authorized for treating individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder OCD. The study compared the effectiveness of rTMS and drug therapy on OCD. Methods: The study adopted a quasi-experimental method and a pre-post control group design. The statistical population of the present study included all patients referred to specialized clinics in regions 2, 3, and 7 of Tehran City, Iran, from July to September 2022. The study participants included 45 OCD patients who were selected purposefully and were assigned to two experimental groups (rTMS: 15 participants, drug therapy: 15 participants) and a control group with 15 participants. The rTMS treatment was held three sessions a week for four weeks. Therefore, rTMS treatment was performed with the parameters specified below regarding the variables of the present study. For OCD, the supplementary motor area with a frequency of 1 Hz (HZ) for 20 minutes, 1200 pulses, and the F3 and F4 areas were worked with the tablets. The Millon clinical multiaxial inventory-III or checklist-90-revision pre and post-interventions were measured. Data analysis was conducted using the SPSS software, version 26 with an analysis of the covariance test. Results: Findings showed that the differentiation between the rTMS treatment technique and drug administration is significant in OCD (P=0.0001). The decrease in OCD based on considered rTMS was more than the drug therapy group (P=0.0017). Conclusion: This study revealed that rTMS is an effective neurostimulation therapy for OCD. Therefore, rTMS provides better results in terms of treatment effectiveness and clinical response rate. Furthermore, drug treatment appears to have a significant therapeutic effect. In subgroup analysis, it was found that dorsolateral prefrontal cortex stimulation and inhibition produced better treatment effects.