Investigating the Role of Experience in Reflective Practice of Iranian Language Teachers

The emergence of reflective thinking in humanities touched the field of language teaching deeply. Language teaching in EFL contexts was not far from this effect, where reflection on teaching has gained a lot of attention and research in the last decade. To bring to light the different dimensions of reflective thinking in language teaching, the current study was an attempt to examine the effects of years of professional experience on practicing reflective teaching in Iranian context. To this aim, a five-point Likert scale questionnaire was adopted including 29 items investigating five different dimensions of reflective teaching including practical, cognitive, affective, meta-cognitive, and critical dimensions. As our subjects, 62 EFL teachers participated in this study with 1 to 26 years of professional experience who were classified in 5 different experience groups. The results of the study showed no significant difference among 5 experience groups of teachers in their commitment to reflective practice in language classrooms

SERVANT LEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL TRUST: THE MEDIATING EFFECT OF THE LEADER TRUST AND ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION

The purpose of this paper aims to clarify the relationship between servant leadership and organizational trust, and tries to demonstrate the mediator role of leader trust and organizational communication in this relationship. The study sample included 258 employees of Guilan province Tax Administration and for sampling we used cluster method. Previous studies have also focused on the positive impact of servant leadership in organizational trust and in this article the results show that there is a significant relationship between servant leadership, organizational trust, leader trust and organizational communication

Study of alexithymia among people with low distress tolerance compared to non-clinical sample

Background: Alexithymia is a personality construct described as an asymptomatic clinical disability to identify and describe individual feelings. Individuals with alexithymia have difficulties regarding distress tolerance. The present research aimed at studying alexithymia among people with low distress tolerance in comparison to non-clinical sample.Methods: The study population consisted of all male employees working for General Education Office of Kermanshah Province, Iran. A total of 300 individuals from among these employees were selected based on Morgan table using multistep clustering method. Demographic data questionnaire, Toronto alexithymia scale, and distress tolerance questionnaire were used for data collection.Results: Mean (SD) score for tolerance, attracting, Assessment and Regulation were 7.3 (2.74), 8.4 (3.20), 16.8 (4.99), and 6.7 (2.63), respectively, in the normal group and 22.54 (6.07), 17 (4.28), 30.67 (6.65), and 30.50 (74.6) in the group with low distress tolerance. independent t-test showed that low distress tolerance group had significantly higher score regarding tolerance, absorption, evaluation, and regulation in comparison with the normal group (P<0.001).Conclusion: Findings of the present study can help psychologists and counsellors to pay more attention in alexithymia among people with Low Distress Tolerance to help them for better adaptability and confrontation ability against life difficulties such as distress, and ultimately for better health

Psychopathological Dimensions in Substance Abusers with and without HIV/AIDS and Healthy Matched Group

Abstract Background: Inattention to symptoms of mental disorders and substance abuse in patients with HIV/AIDS and other at-risk groups, may lead to irreversible damages. The purpose of this study was to compare the psychopathological dimensions in substance abusers with and without HIV/AIDS and healthy matched groups. Methods: In a cross-sectional and analytical study, selected samples (by available, consecutive, and objective methods) were 43 HIV-positive substance abusers, 49 HIV negative substance abusers under methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) in the counseling clinic of Behavioral Diseases and Addiction Abandonment, and 45 ordinary individuals. All of them were evaluated by matched confounding variables via Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R). Findings: Results indicated a significant difference between these groups in the Global Severity Index (GSI), Positive Symptom Distress Index (PSDI), and Positive Symptom Total (PST) (P < 0.001). Two by two the comparison of the three groups from psychopathological dimensions revealed that substance abusers with HIV/AIDS persistently suffer more mental problems in all dimensions compared with healthy individuals (P < 0.05). In addition, in comparison with HIV negative substance abusers, they also suffer more mental problems in other dimensions, including somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, phobia, and psychoticism (P < 0.05). Yet, the difference in paranoid ideation, hostility, and obsessive-compulsive cases was insignificant. Two by two, the comparison between healthy individuals and substance abusers without HIV/AIDS showed higher levels of depression and psychoticism in substance abusers (P < 0.05), but no difference in other dimensions. Conclusion: Comorbidity of substance abuse and HIV diagnosis intensify mental disorder symptoms. Moreover, lack of prevention and implementation of appropriate psychological and psychiatric interventions after substance abuse and HIV lead to extended establishment of mental disorder symptoms. Keywords: Substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, Psychopathology, SCL-90-

Psychopathological Dimensions in Substance Abusers with and without HIV/AIDS and Healthy Matched Group

Background: Inattention to symptoms of mental disorders and substance abuse in patients with HIV/AIDS and other at-risk groups, may lead to irreversible damages. The purpose of this study was to compare the psychopathological dimensions in substance abusers with and without HIV/AIDS and healthy matched groups. Methods: In a cross-sectional and analytical study, selected samples (by available, consecutive, and objective methods) were 43 HIV-positive substance abusers, 49 HIV negative substance abusers under methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) in the counseling clinic of Behavioral Diseases and Addiction Abandonment, and 45 ordinary individuals. All of them were evaluated by matched confounding variables via Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R). Findings: Results indicated a significant difference between these groups in the Global Severity Index (GSI), Positive Symptom Distress Index (PSDI), and Positive Symptom Total (PST) (P < 0.001). Two by two the comparison of the three groups from psychopathological dimensions revealed that substance abusers with HIV/AIDS persistently suffer more mental problems in all dimensions compared with healthy individuals (P < 0.05). In addition, in comparison with HIV negative substance abusers, they also suffer more mental problems in other dimensions, including somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, phobia, and psychoticism (P < 0.05). Yet, the difference in paranoid ideation, hostility, and obsessive-compulsive cases was insignificant. Two by two, the comparison between healthy individuals and substance abusers without HIV/AIDS showed higher levels of depression and psychoticism in substance abusers (P < 0.05), but no difference in other dimensions. Conclusion: Comorbidity of substance abuse and HIV diagnosis intensify mental disorder symptoms. Moreover, lack of prevention and implementation of appropriate psychological and psychiatric interventions after substance abuse and HIV lead to extended establishment of mental disorder symptoms. Keywords: Substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, Psychopathology, SCL-90-

Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Persian Version of Quality of Work Life Questionnaire based on the Walton Model in a Sample of Hospital Employees

Background: Given the importance of quality of work life (QWL), several models are proposed for it. A well-known model is the Walton's model. The purpose of the present study was exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of the Persian version of QWL questionnaire based on the Walton model in hospital employees who are generally exposed to job-related QWL attenuating factors. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was a validation study. The statistical population included all medical, non-medical and headquarter staff of PourSina State Hospital in Rasht of whom, 403 employees were selected by quota sampling. First, the QWL data was subjected to an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) (n=350) and then, for selected factors, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) indices and internal consistency coefficients (n=53) were investigated. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS-22 and AMOS-21software packages. Results: The EFA results showed four factors for the structure of this test, which totally explained 52.87% of the total variance of the questionnaire. In addition, this analysis showed that 15 items of the original version of the questionnaire have high factor loading in two factors and therefore in the evaluation of the model with the CFA method, these items were eliminated. Also, CFA demonstrated that χ2/df ratio for the four-factor QWL-20 structure is 1.216 and the fitness indices for the model (GFI=0.773, CFI=0.913, NFI=0.674, TLI=0.893, RMSEA=0.065) are relatively satisfactory.The internal consistency for the total QWL-20 is equal to 0.91 and it was remarkable for the factors of working conditions and utilization of capabilities (α=0.71), social integration in work and respect for employee's rights (α=0.80),volume of work and suitability of pay and benefits (α=0.88) and social relationships and importance of work(α=0.80).The correlation coefficient of item-total score was very strong for each item and it was in the range of 0.66 to 0.84. The range of correlation between these factors was 0.45 to 0.54. Conclusion: QWL-20 has favorable psychometric properties and an appropriate fit in the four-factor structure and can be used in QWL threatening situations. Keywords: Exploratory factor analysis, Confirmatory factor analysis, Persian version of the quality of work life questionnaire, Walton model, Hospital Employee

Comparison of Forgiveness and Religious Commitment in Couples on the on the Brink of Divorce and Normal Couples

The rising rate of divorce in Iranian society is disconcerting. This study aimed at comparing religious commitment and forgiveness in couples on the rink of divorce and normal couples. The research method is descriptive and causal-comparative. To select the group of couples on the brink of divorce, firstly, the researcher referred to counseling units of the courts and law offices of various cities of the Guilan province. The cases of the couples who were qualified to enter the study were reviewed and of these cases 173 were selected based on availability. Then, 143 normal couples referring to the courts and offices of lawyers which the cause of their resort is nothing but the completions of the divorce case were selected through purposive sampling. They responded to Glock and Stark's Religious Commitment questionnaire, and Ray and et al Forgiveness scale. Obtained data were analyzed by Pearson Chi-squares, independent t-test, multivariate analysis of variance. The results showed that the mean of forgiveness and religious Commitment in couples on the brink of divorce and normal couples significantly different, that is, couples on the brink of divorce have less level of forgiveness than normal couples and in terms of faithfulness and ritual religious commitment, they scored less scores than normal couples. The remarkable difference between the two groups has important marital therapy implications for implementation of forgiveness-oriented intervention and also promotion of religious beliefs and ritual among couples in order to maintain and strengthen the marriage contract

Response of Seed Yield and Essential oil of Black Cumin (Nigella sativa L.) Affected as Foliar Spraying of Nano-fertilizers

In order to investigate the effect of micronutrients foliar application on seed yield and essential oil of black cumin, a field experiment was conducted based on Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications at the farmlocated in Naqadeh city, West Azerbaijan province, Iran, during 2015-2016 growing season. Treatments were separate application of Nano-Iron, Nano-Zinc and Nano-Manganese and double and triple combined treatment of them (Fe+Mn, Fe+Zn, Zn+Mn, Fe+Zn+Mn) and control. Treatments were applied at 2 g/L twice at stem elongation and early flowering stages. Different traits such as plant height, number of follicle per plant, number seed per follicle, 1000- seed weight, biological yield, seed yield, essential oil percentage and yield were measured. The results showed that foliar application of micronutrients had a significant effect on all studied traits and improved yield components and essential oil yield as compared to control. Yield components, seed yield, essential oil percentage and essential oil yield were enhanced by foliar application compared with control. Therefore, combined usage of micronutrients (Nano-Fe+ Nano-Zn+ Nano-Mn) showed the greatest increase in studied traits than their individual usage. The highest seed yield (706.67 kg.ha-1) and essential oil yield (8.66%) were obtained from Fe+Zn+Mn treatment. In general, the results of the present study revealed that the foliar spraying of Nano-micronutrients plays a remarkable role in improving the quantitative and qualitative yield of black cumin as a medicinal plant

Caffeine and Sodium Bicarbonate Supplementation Alone or Together Improve Karate Performance

Background: The ergogenic properties of acute caffeine (CAF) and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) ingestion on athletic performance have been previously investigated. However, each sport has unique physiological and technical characteristics which warrants optimizing supplementations strategies for maximizing performance. This study examined the effects of CAF and NaHCO3 ingestion on physiological responses and rate of perceived exertion during a Karate-specific aerobic test (KSAT) in competitive karatekas. Methods: In a double-blind, crossover, randomized placebo-controlled trial, eight Karatekas underwent five experimental conditions including control (CON), placebo (PLA), CAF, NaHCO3, and CAF + NaHCO3 before completing KSAT. Capsules containing 6 mg/kg BW CAF were consumed 50 min prior to a KSAT whilst 0.3 g/kg BW NaHCO3 was consumed for 3 days leading to and 120, 90, and 60 min prior to a KSAT. Time to exhaustion (TTE), rate of perceived exertion (RPE), and blood lactate (BL) were measured before, immediately after and 3 min following KSAT. Results: TTE was significantly greater following CAF, NaHCO3, and CAF + NaHCO3 consumption compared to PLA and CON. However, the differences between CAF, NaHCO3, and CAF+NaHCO3 were not statistically significant (p \u3e 0.05). BL increased significantly from baseline to immediately after and 3 min following KSAT in all conditions (p \u3c 0.01), while RPE at the end of KSAT was not significantly different between conditions (p = 0.11). Conclusions: Karate practitioners may benefit from the ergogenic effects of CAF and NaHCO3 when consumed separately or together

Effects of chromium supplementation on blood pressure, body mass index, liver function enzymes and malondialdehyde in patients with type 2 diabetes:A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background: Several studies reported beneficial effects of chromium supplementation for management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The present study aimed to provide a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining the effects of chromium supplementation on blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), liver function enzymes and malondialdehyde (MDA) in patients with T2DM. Methods: PubMed, Scopus, and Embase were searched up to 15 November 2020 with no language and time restriction. RCTs that reported the effects of chromium supplementation on blood pressure, BMI, liver function enzymes and MDA in patients with T2DM were included. A random-effects model was used to compute weighted mean differences (WMDs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). Between-study heterogeneity was assessed by Cochran's Q test and quantified by I2 statistic. Results: Of 3586 publications, 15 RCTs were included for the meta-analysis. Pooled effect sizes indicated that chromium significantly reduced diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (WMD): -2.36 mmHg, 95 % CI: −4.14, −0.60; P = 0.008), and MDA (WMD: −0.55 umol/l, 95 % CI: −0.96, −0.14; P = 0.008). However, chromium supplementation did not significantly affect BMI, systolic blood pressure (SBP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Meta-regression analysis did not show significant linear relationship between dose of chromium and change in BMI (p = 0.412), SBP (p = 0. 319), DBP (p = 0.102), ALT (p = 0.923), AST (p = 0.986) and MDA (p = 0.055). Conclusion: The present systematic review and meta-analysis shows that supplementation with chromium at dose of 200–1000 μg/day may reduce DBP and MDA in T2DM patients