Comparing Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Emotional Schema Therapy (EST) in Effects on Rumination and Anxiety Sensitivity in Students with Clinical Symptoms of Social Anxiety

Background: Social anxiety is one of the most prevalent and debilitating anxiety disorders. Students with social anxiety are faced with countless problems, e.g., dropping out of school at a young age, showing avoidance behavior in social situations, and experiencing lower levels of social support and mental health. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and emotional schema therapy on rumination and anxiety sensitivity in students with social anxiety disorder (SAD). Methods: This quasi-experimental research adopted a pretest-posttest control group design with a follow-up stage. The statistical population included the female senior high school students of Ahvaz, Khuzestan Province (Iran) in 2022–2023. Random sampling was employed to select 75 out of 120 listed students, randomly assigned to three 25-member groups (i.e., two experimental groups and a control group). The research instruments included the Rumination Response Scale (RRS), and Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI). The ANCOVA was then used for data analysis. Results: According to the results, both therapies affected rumination and anxiety sensitivity in students with SAD (Pvalue<0.001). However, MBSR had greater effects than emotional schema therapy on anxiety sensitivity. In addition, two therapies had no significant differences regarding effects on rumination. Conclusions: The MBSR and EST can alleviate rumination and anxiety in female students with social anxiety. Given the positive effects of MBSR and emotional schema therapy, it is recommended that they be used in schools, psychotherapy centers, and counseling clinics to help students with SAD

Predicting Body Image Concern and Anxiety of Children based on Family Functioning and Communication Patterns of Parents of Students with Onychophagia

Background: Nail-biting can result in both physical and psychological consequences including emotional distress, anxiety, and depression. The study aimed to forecast the extent of concern regarding body image and anxiety in children by examining the family dynamics and communication styles of parents whose students have nail-biting habits in elementary schools in Tehran.   Methods: The present study utilized descriptive and causal-correlational methodologies through regression analysis. The research participants are girls in the sixth grade who are enrolled in a primary school in the 6th district of Tehran in 2022, as well as their parents. 160 individuals were chosen through a combination of convenience and purposive sampling methods. The sample consisted of around 80 students and 80 parents. Data collection involved four standardized questionnaires related to The Body Image Concern Inventory, The Spence Children\u27s Anxiety Scale-Parent Version (SCAS-P), The Communication Patterns Questionnaire (CPQ), and The McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD). After collecting data, the study utilized descriptive statistics (age, gender, education level) and regression analysis. The data analysis was conducted using SPSS 23 software. Results: The findings showed a significant connection between family dynamics and body image concerns (Pvalue<0.01). The correlation coefficient of r=-0.736 indicates a strong negative relationship between students\u27 body image concerns and family dynamics. Likewise, the study revealed a notable link between parents\u27 communication styles and body image concerns (r=0.860). A greater emphasis on communication by parents is associated with a reduction in students\u27 body image concerns, demonstrating a strong negative relationship between these factors (Pvalue<0.01).     Conclusions: It is suggested that primary schools improve communication with parents of students who are dealing with anxiety, body image issues, and nail-biting habits to effectively help them overcome these challenges. 

The Association between Family Functioning and Aggressive Behaviors in Adolescents by the Role of Parental Mental Health as a Mediator

Background: Adolescents often experience changes in their hormones, psychology, and social environment, which can lead to the development of aggressive behaviors. This study aimed to examine how family dynamics are related to the aggressive behavior displayed by adolescents, with a particular focus on the role of parents\u27 mental health as a mediating factor. Methods: In this descriptive-correlation study, the Path analysis was conducted to determine the associations of research variables. The statistical population included all female students of junior and senior high schools in Rasht in the 2017–18 academic year. The stratified cluster sampling method was adopted to select 350 high school students. The research measurement tools included the Aggression Questionnaire, Family Assessment Device (FAD), and General Health Questionnaire–28 (GHQ-28). The data was analyzed using the SPSS version 27 software and the Smart PLS3 software as well as the structural equation modeling method. The significant level was set at 0.05. Results: According to the research findings, all the Path coefficients in the research model were statistically significant. The results indicated that family performance had a negative and significant impact on aggression (β=-0.162, Pvalue<0.001), anxiety (β=-0.955, Pvalue<0.001), and depression (β=-0.904, Pvalue<0.001). Moreover, the family performance had a positive and significant effect on physical health (β=0.78, Pvalue<0.001) and social function (β=0.886, Pvalue<0.001), Physical health (β=-0.348, Pvalue<0.001) and social function (β=-0.073, Pvalue=0.024) also had a negative and significant impact on aggression as mediating variables. Additionally, anxiety (β=0.351, Pvalue<0.001) and depression (β=0.09, Pvalue=0.024) as mediating variables had a positive and significant effect on aggression. Conclusions: Consequently, achievement motivation had a mediating role in associations of academic engagement with academic self-concept and academic support in gifted students. The findings can be used as an appropriate model for designing and developing certain programs to improve academic engagement and enhance the academic motivation of students.The findings of the current research demonstrated the impact of cognitive

The Correlation between Novice Psychopaths, Time Management, and False Feelings in Metacognition: The Mediating Role of Impulsive Behaviors

Background: Hyperactivity disorder has become an insoluble problem for psychologists and psychiatrists, parents, and teachers. This study aimed to explore how impulsive behaviors mediate the relationship between time management and false feelings in consciousness or metacognition in novice psychopaths. Methods: The current study is a descriptive-correlational research with a cross-sectional research design, utilizing structural equation modeling (SEM). The target population consists of all individuals who have sought treatment at psychological clinics in Tehran, with documented psychopathic disorders between July and December of 2023. The sample size included 198 individuals diagnosed with psychopathic disorder by expert psychologists within the past year. Participants were selected through purposive sampling. The research utilized the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS), Time-Management Scale, and Metacognition Questionnaire-30 (MCQ-30) as measurement tools. Descriptive statistics were analyzed using SPSS version 27, while SmartPLS version 4 was used to examine path coefficients. A significant level was set at 0.05. Results: Based on the findings from the study, it was revealed that the long-term planning aspect had a notable negative impact on both impulsive behaviors (β=-0.516, P-valu

Investigating the Attitude and Self-Confidence Level of Emergency Doctors and Nurses in the Field of Violence Management in the Emergency Department of Urmia University of Medical Sciences

Introduction: Although the emergency department is known as a potential center of violence and the main reason for the prevalence of violence in these departments is unknown. Due to the lack of registration and reporting systems for these cases, the history of research in this case is limited and there are problems in this field. And this study was conducted with the aim of investigating the attitude and self-confidence level of emergency doctors and nurses in the field of violence management in the emergency department of Urmia University of Medical Sciences. Materials and methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 187 personnel working in medical education centers of Urmia by census method. The data was collected using the demographic information checklist and Dimond et al.\u27s questionnaire. After collecting the data, it was entered into SPSS 18 and analyzed with the help of descriptive and analytical statistics. Findings: In this study, the results showed that out of 187 personnel participating in the study, most of the participating personnel were nurses 134(%71.6), age group 138(%73.8) 26 to 35 years old and gender 97(%51.9) were male. And there was a significant relationship between the gender of the emergency department staff and a work experience in the emergency department with all three areas of understanding of violence, self-confidence in managing aggressive behavior and attitude towards safety and responsiveness and security in the workplace in the face of aggression. The age group of the emergency department staff had a significant difference only in the individual\u27s perception of violence, in such a way that younger age groups had lower scores in the perception of violence section. Discussion and conclusion: The issue of violence is a serious issue in the emergency departments of teaching hospitals in Urmia and serious attention should be paid to this point by the relevant authorities. And considering the lower levels of self-confidence of people in the face of aggression among people who have not completed training courses on violence management, the necessity of wider implementation of these courses among the employees of the emergency department in the investigated centers is mandatory

Oral Manifestations in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis in the Rheumatology Clinic in Southeast Iran

Background: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) as an autoimmune disease involving joints can cause oral manifestations in patients. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of oral manifestations in patients with RA referred to the rheumatology clinic of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences in 2022. Methods: The present study was a descriptive cross-sectional observational study and included all patients with RA who were referred to Imam Ali Hospital, Zahedan Rheumatology Clinic for treatment in 2022. The method was non-probability convenience sampling and the obtained information was recorded in the information form made by the researcher. After collecting the data, the raw data was entered into the statistical software SPSS version 24 and analyzed using t-test and Fisher\u27s exact test. Results: According to the findings of the present study, there is no significant difference between the frequency of oral manifestations of 55 patients with RA referred to the rheumatology clinic of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences in the two groups of men and women (Pvalue=0.50). Also, the average age of people in the two groups of patients with oral manifestations and patients without oral manifestations is not statistically significant (Pvalue=0.50). The frequency distribution of oral manifestations of patients with RA showed that xerostomia was the most frequent among oral manifestations. Conclusions: It seems that the frequency of oral mucosal lesions in people with RA is high and their importance can be emphasized as a possible complication of the disease

A Neural Network Model of Risk and Protective Factors for Poor Sleep Quality in Healthcare Providers: Role of Aggression and Self-regulation

Background: Although the literature discusses the benefits of good sleep on physiological, psychological, and physical health, poor sleep quality is common among healthcare providers. The present study aimed to predict poor sleep quality among healthcare providers based on multiple risk factors (aggression, gender, and age) and the protective factor of self-regulation using a neural network model. Methods: Using multistage cluster sampling, a group of 400 healthcare workers (70% female, with an age average of 32 years) from Kermanshah city in western Iran were selected for the cross-sectional study. Data were collected using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ), and the Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ). A neural network model and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used for data analysis. Results: Four hidden units were found in a single hidden layer extracted using the current model. More than 84% of the training and testing models accurately predicted good and poor sleepers. The neural network model\u27s good predictive value was indicated by the Area under the ROC Curve (AUC=0.863). The results imply that self-regulation (0.30), anger (0.20), physical aggression (0.19), verbal aggression (0.11), hostility (0.10), age (0.06), and sex (0.05) have normalized importance values ranging from 18% to 100%, making them significant predictors of both the good and poor sleep subgroups. Conclusions: The present neural network-based algorithm, which considers the risk and protective factors of poor sleep quality, could be effectively used by healthcare providers

Using the Electronic Educational Package of the Stress Management Program for the Mental Health and Job Performance of Intensive Care Unit Nurses in the Face of Patients with COVID-19

Background: Due to nurses’ special job position, they are faced with a variety of illnesses and accidents in intensive care COVID-19 wards, which puts them in front of so many stresses that can cause anxiety and endanger their mental health. The study aimed to investigate the influence of the web-based stress management program on mental health and job performance of ICU nurses in the face of patients with COVID-19. Methods: This study was a Quasi-experimental one, with pre-test, and post-test plan without control group using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) and the ACHIVE Job Performance Questionnaire. The stress management program was prepared as a multimedia product, the program consisted of eight parts and the duration of each part was ten minutes. The significant level was set at 0.05. Results: Nurses\u27 job performance improved significantly after two weeks from the distribution of the web-based package to the participants and e-mail following the package use and completion of the tasks also 95.6% of nurses had symptoms of anxiety and depression, which became 58.8% after the intervention. Conclusions: The web-based stress management program is useful for improving nurses\u27 mental health and job performance during and after the pandemic

Investigating the Effect of Parenting Type on Self-esteem and Perfectionism with the Mediating Role of Character Strengths on Adolescents with Anxiety Disorders

Background: Anxiety disorders are prevalent mental disorders that typically emerge during the early stages of one\u27s life, with over 50% of occurrences happening before the age of 18. This study aimed to examine how different parenting styles impact the self-esteem and perfectionistic tendencies of adolescents dealing with anxiety disorders, while also considering the mediating influence of character strengths. Methods: This study is a combination of descriptive-correlational research and cross-sectional research methods, with the utilization of structural equation modeling (SEM). The statistical population for this study consisted of all teenagers (both boys and girls) in Tehran who were diagnosed with anxiety disorders during the period from July to October 2023. The statistical sample for this study consisted of 122 teenagers with anxiety disorders who were chosen through purposive sampling. The research instruments utilized were the Coopersmith Self-esteem Inventory (SEI), the Positive and Negative Perfectionism scale (PANPS), Baumrind\u27s Parenting Styles Questionnaire (PSQ), and the Values In Action Inventory of Strengths (VIA-IS). The research data was analyzed using SPSS version 27 software, while the path between variables was analyzed using SmartPLS version 4 software. The significant level was set at 0.05. Results: Findings indicate that there was no significant relationship between authoritarian parenting and negative perfectionism, positive perfectionism, and self-esteem when considering the mediating role of character strengths (P-value>0.05). On the other hand, there was a positive and significant relationship between authoritative parenting and positive perfectionism, as well as self-esteem, when considering the mediating role of character strengths (P-value<0.001). Conclusions: The findings of the current investigation indicate that each of the three parenting styles contributes to the development of negative perfectionism. Additionally, the factor of personality strengths promotes self-confidence and positive perfectionism, while reducing negative perfectionism in teenagers. The outcomes of this study also emphasize the significant role of character strength as a mediating variable

Examining the Level of Satisfaction of the Elderly Referring to Health Care Centers with Health Services Treatment of the Integrated Care Program for the Elderly in Fars Province

Background: The phenomenon of population aging following the increase in life expectancy and decrease in mortality in societies is a sign of the progress and development of countries, but if societies do not have the necessary preparation to deal with the needs of the elderly, especially their health needs, they will face serious challenges. This study aimed to investigate the level of satisfaction of elderly people who refer to health care centers with integrated care services for the elderly in Fars province. Methods: The present study was conducted in a descriptive-analytical manner on 1500 elderly people who were referred to health care centers covered by Shiraz University of Medical Sciences using a simple random method. The data was collected using a checklist of demographic information and a researcher-made questionnaire. After collecting the data, it was entered into SPSS 18 and analyzed with descriptive and analytical statistics. Results: The results showed that out of 1500 seniors who were referred, most of them were in the age group between 60-70 years old with 715 (47.6%), female gender 972 (64.8%), married 651 (85.9%), education level (53.7%) was at the elementary level and referred to urban centers with (68%) 1020 cases, and most of the satisfaction was related to the service providers (personnel) and the least satisfaction was related to the process of providing health services. Also, the elderly with a history of receiving services were far more satisfied than those who visited for the first time. The most dissatisfaction was with the facilities and equipment of health service delivery units and the duration of the service delivery process. Conclusions: Despite the high satisfaction of the elderly, it is necessary to pay attention to the continuous improvement of the level and quality of health services for the elderly. According to the findings of the study, the need to provide facilities and modify the process of providing health services for the elderly according to their special needs, paying more attention to the empowerment of integrated care providers for the elderly as basic solutions to increase the satisfaction level of the elderly more than it is revealed