The effect of counseling with a skills training approach on maternal functioning: a randomized controlled clinical trial

BACKGROUND: The role of the mother can be deeply satisfying, but it is associated with many challenges including challenges during the postpartum period that may impede the optimal development of the infant. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of counseling using the Skills Training Approach (STA) on postpartum maternal functioning. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial was performed on 68 postpartum women who referred to health centers of Tabriz-Iran in 2019. Participants were assigned to one of two groups - either counseling or control through the block randomization method. The intervention group received four counseling sessions using the Skills Training Approach (STA). Before and two weeks after the completion of the intervention, the Barkin Index of Maternal Functionning (BIMF) was completed by the participants. The independent t-test and ANCOVA (Analysis of Covariance) was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of sociodemographic characteristics and the baseline scores of the BIMF and its domains (p\u2009>\u20090.05). Before the intervention, the mean (SD) total score of the BIMF in the intervention group was 73.1 (8.5) and in the control group, it was 71.6 (4.8). Post-intervention, the mean (SD) of the total score of the BIMF in the intervention group was 95.8 (11.8) and in the control group, it was 70.3 (4.5). Based on the ANCOVA test and after adjusting the baseline score, the mean total score of the BIMF was significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group (Mean Difference (MD): 22.9; 95% CI: 18.2 to 27.6; p\u2009<\u20090.001). The post-intervention scores of all domains of the BIMF including self-care (MD: 3.8), infant care (MD: 2.0), mother-child interaction (MD: 4.8), psychological wellbeing (MD: 8.4), social support (MD: 4.0), management (MD: 6.8), and adjustment to new motherhood (MD: 3.2) were significantly higher in the intervention group compared to the control group (P\u2009<\u20090.001). CONCLUSION: In this study, counseling, using STA, was effective in improving maternal functioning in all of the domains. This intervention, aimed at skill-building, should be strongly considered where improved postpartum functioning is the goal

A predictor model for suicide attempt: Evidence from a population-based study

Background: There is an extreme need for planning to prevent suicide in developing countries. It is necessary to detect the risk factors of this problem and plan to control them. The aim of this study was to determine a predictive model for suicide attempt based on its risk factors in order to give information for planning therapeutic, preventive, and educational interventions in Karaj City. Methods: The setting was Karaj City, Tehran Province, Iran and the study design was cross-sectional. In this study, data were collected by using the World Health Organization (WHO) questionnaire of SUPRE-MISS study. The questionnaire included questions about demographic characteristics, personal and family history of suicide behaviors, use of psychotropic drugs, physical and mental disorders, and community stress. All parts of the questionnaire were filled out by interview. A total of 2300 individuals participated in this study having considered the 1.2 prevalence of suicide attempt in the pilot study, and with type one error rate of 5, the sample size was calculated as 2300. Results: About 65 of the participants were females. Most of the participants had high-school education (48) and 57.2 of them were married. Housewives included most of the occupation categories (46). The mean age of the suicide aftempters and nonattempters was 26 (±9) and 32 (±13) years, respectively. This difference was statistically significant. Younger age, female sex, history of mental disorders, lifelong use of tobacco and alcohol, and unemployment were the independent predictors of suicide attempt. Conclusion: Prevention of suicide is possible by understanding its risk factors and planning to control them

The relationship between treatment of mental disorder and chronic tinnitus

Introduction: Comorbidity of chronic tinnitus and mental disorders may result in more disability. Objectives: This research provides an evaluation about the effects of medically treated comorbid mental disorder on chronic tinnitus. Materials and Methods: Fifty-five patients diagnosed with chronic tinnitus and mental disorders were randomly requited by producing a before-after design. They underwent three months of drug therapy for comorbid mental disorders by psychiatrists. Study instruments are Tinnitus Handicap Inventory, Tinnitus Questionnaire, Loudness Match Tinnitus, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, The Structured Clinical Interview and Symptom Check List-90. Results: Three months medical treatment puts forward the argument that among mental disorders, anxiety and major depressive disorder demonstrate a significant reduction. Pearson Correlation coefficient ostensibly reveals that there is no significant relationship between mental disorders and tinnitus severity. The statistics lend support to profound effect of major depressive disorder as a key factor on tinnitus disability exacerbation. Medical treatment also touches on issue such as tinnitus severity, its disabling effects and TQ subscales that statistics shows significant trends in their reduction. Conclusion: Findings lay emphasis on tinnitus severity reduction and connection might be established between alleviated mental disorders comorbidity and the improvement of quality of life

Integrating a suicide prevention program into the primary health care network: A field trial study in Iran

Objective. To describe and evaluate the feasibility of integrating a suicide prevention program with Primary Health Care services and evaluate if such system can improve screening and identification of depressive disorder, reduce number of suicide attempters, and lower rate of suicide completion. Methodology. This was a quasi-experimental trial in which one community was exposed to the intervention versus the control community with no such exposure. The study sites were two counties in Western Iran. The intervention protocol called for primary care and suicide prevention collaboration at different levels of care. The outcome variables were the number of suicides committed, the number of documented suicide attempts, and the number of identified depressed cases. Results. We identified a higher prevalence of depressive disorders in the intervention site versus the control site (� 2 = 14.8, P < 0.001). We also found a reduction in the rate of suicide completion in the intervention region compared to the control, but a higher prevalence of suicide attempts in both the intervention and the control sites. Conclusion. Integrating a suicide prevention program with the Primary Health Care network enhanced depression and suicide surveillance capacity and subsequently reduced the number of suicides, especially in rural areas. © 2015 Seyed Kazem Malakouti et al

Lived Experience of Caregivers of Family-Centered Care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: “Evocation of Being at Home

Background: In recent decades, family-centered care (FCC) has come to be known, accepted, and reported as the best care strategy for admitted children and their families. However, in spite of the increasing application of this approach, the experiences of the caregivers have not yet been studied. Objectives: The present study aimed at the description and interpretation of the FCC experience in two neonatal intensive care units (NICU) at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This study was conducted through the hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 professional and familial caregivers, and their interactions were observed in three work shifts. The interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. After observations, field notes were also written. Finally, the data were analyzed through van Manen’s methodology. Results: One of the essential themes that emerged in this study was the “evocation of being at home” among familial and even professional caregivers. This theme had three subthemes: i.e., “meta-family interaction,” “comprehensive support,” and “reconstruction of a normal family.” Accordingly, FCC eliminated borders between professional and non-professional caregivers and built close relationships among them in the NICU. It also provided for the needs of neonates, their families, and even professional caregivers through perceived and received support. Conclusions: Parents of the neonates admitted to the NICU experience hard moments. They not only play the role of primary caregivers, but they also receive the care. Focusing on the different meanings of this care from the caregivers’ points of view and having managers provide certain requirements can guarantee the establishment of comprehensive care for clients and proper support for the staff in this uni

Integrating a suicide prevention program into the primary health care network: A field trial study in Iran

Objective. To describe and evaluate the feasibility of integrating a suicide prevention program with Primary Health Care services and evaluate if such system can improve screening and identification of depressive disorder, reduce number of suicide attempters, and lower rate of suicide completion. Methodology. This was a quasi-experimental trial in which one community was exposed to the intervention versus the control community with no such exposure. The study sites were two counties in Western Iran. The intervention protocol called for primary care and suicide prevention collaboration at different levels of care. The outcome variables were the number of suicides committed, the number of documented suicide attempts, and the number of identified depressed cases. Results. We identified a higher prevalence of depressive disorders in the intervention site versus the control site (χ2=14.8, P<0.001). We also found a reduction in the rate of suicide completion in the intervention region compared to the control, but a higher prevalence of suicide attempts in both the intervention and the control sites. Conclusion. Integrating a suicide prevention program with the Primary Health Care network enhanced depression and suicide surveillance capacity and subsequently reduced the number of suicides, especially in rural areas

Correlates of video games playing among adolescents in an Islamic country

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>No study has ever explored the prevalence and correlates of video game playing among children in the Islamic Republic of Iran. This study describes patterns and correlates of excessive video game use in a random sample of middle-school students in Iran. Specifically, we examine the relationship between video game playing and psychological well-being, aggressive behaviors, and adolescents' perceived threat of video-computer game playing.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This cross-sectional study was performed with a random sample of 444 adolescents recruited from eight middle schools. A self-administered, anonymous questionnaire covered socio-demographics, video gaming behaviors, mental health status, self-reported aggressive behaviors, and perceived side effects of video game playing.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Overall, participants spent an average of 6.3 hours per week playing video games. Moreover, 47% of participants reported that they had played one or more intensely violent games. Non-gamers reported suffering poorer mental health compared to excessive gamers. Both non-gamers and excessive gamers overall reported suffering poorer mental health compared to low or moderate players. Participants who initiated gaming at younger ages were more likely to score poorer in mental health measures. Participants' self-reported aggressive behaviors were associated with length of gaming. Boys, but not girls, who reported playing video games excessively showed more aggressive behaviors. A multiple binary logistic regression shows that when controlling for other variables, older students, those who perceived less serious side effects of video gaming, and those who have personal computers, were more likely to report that they had played video games excessively.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our data show a curvilinear relationship between video game playing and mental health outcomes, with "moderate" gamers faring best and "excessive" gamers showing mild increases in problematic behaviors. Interestingly, "non-gamers" clearly show the worst outcomes. Therefore, both children and parents of non-game players should be updated about the positive impact of moderate video gaming. Educational interventions should also be designed to educate adolescents and their parents of the possible harmful impact of excessive video game playing on their health and psychosocial functioning.</p