Action status and willingness to change health-promoting behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic among elementary school children: a study based on Prochaska's stages of behavior change theory (TTM).

BACKGROUND & AIM: COVID-19 pandemic has significant effects on lifestyle and health-promoting behaviors and adolescence is a very critical period due to the importance of identity formation and individual behaviors. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the status of health- promoting behaviors in the sixth grade male students attending elementary schools in Ardabil city based on Prochaska 's stages of behavior change (TTM). MATERIALS & METHODS: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on the 619 sixth grade male students attending elementary schools during 2021. The data were collected using two instruments (a researcher-made questionnaire and Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II (HPLP-II) questionnaire). The data were analyzed using SPSS version 22 and one-way analysis of variance. RESULTS: The majority of students in physical activity and healthy eating behaviors were in the pre-contemplation stage, 29.6% (183 people) and 33.1% (205 people), respectively. All dimensions of health-promoting behaviors were observed to have a significant relationship with the stages of Prochaska's theory behavior change in students, their decision-making balance and self-efficacy scores (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The health of students is under serious threat due to the poor state of health-promoting behaviors and the weak desire to change behavior. By planning in educating the students, significant changes can be made in changing their behavior and improving their health.

Managing Back to School Anxiety During a COVID-19 Outbreak.

ABSTRACT: The outbreak of the coronavirus is becoming an international crisis these days, overshadowing everything. The outbreak of this disease in different countries, including Iran, has caused a lot of concern. In addition to the dangers it poses to human health, the spread of the virus has become a major challenge and a stressful test, putting additional pressure on these countries. Every step in the coming school year offers an opportunity for an ongoing two-way conversation with your child. Listen carefully to what they say and be careful not to burden them with your fears. Giving voice to concerns means sharing them so no one is holding their worries alone, and remember, kids' development is fluid and many kids can make up for lost time, academically and socially. Humans are resilient. Therefore, if schools do not open - or close their doors - it is important to be hopeful and positive about the future, despite everything that is currently being missed or delayed, whether academic or social.

Examining the psychometric characteristics of the metacognition questionnaire in teaching: a cross-sectional study.

Background: The role of metacognition as a common concept in education is undeniable. One of the challenges in the field of metacognition is to measure the impact of metacognition in teaching with practical tools. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the psychometric characteristics of the metacognition questionnaire in teaching. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the statistical population of the study included all teachers in 2020 which was selected by an available sampling method of 137 people. The data were collected using a teacher's metacognition questionnaire (TMI). A Confirmatory, Pearson correlation coefficient was used to analyze the data. For this purpose, the use of SPSS-25 and LISREL software has been used. Results: of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis indicate that. The validity and retest of the total score were calculated to be 0.93 and 0.86, respectively. The credibility of its subscales was also acceptable. Conclusion: As a result, it can be stated that the questionnaire has the proper psychometric properties for use in Iranian society and can be used as a valid tool for identifying teachers with teaching problems and teaching methods.

Unveiling the neuro-cognitive paradigm: a new approach to the treatment of anxiety: a comprehensive review.

This study aimed to explore the neuro-cognitive paradigm in anxiety diseases by integrating neurobiological and cognitive perspectives. The ideal was to enhance our understanding of the complex interplay between neural and cognitive processes in anxiety and its counteraccusations for treatment. A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted, examining studies that delved into the neurobiological supplements and cognitive impulses in anxiety. The findings revealed the involvement of brain regions similar to the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus in anxiety diseases, along with dysregulation in neurotransmitter systems. Cognitive impulses, including attentional bias towards trouble, interpretation bias, and memory impulses, were constantly observed in individuals with anxiety. The results stressed the bidirectional relationship between neurobiology and cognition, demonstrating that neurobiological factors impact cognitive processes, and cognitive factors modulate neural exertion. Integrated interventions targeting both neurobiological and cognitive factors showed a pledge in treating anxiety diseases. The study linked gaps in the literature and emphasized the significance of considering artistic factors and developing individualized treatment approaches. Overall, this study contributes to a comprehensive understanding of anxiety diseases and informs unborn exploration and clinical practice.

Exploring emotional intelligence in artificial intelligence systems: a comprehensive analysis of emotion recognition and response mechanisms.

This study aims to dissect the current state of emotion recognition and response mechanisms in artificial intelligence (AI) systems, exploring the progress made, challenges faced, and implicit operations of integrating emotional intelligence into AI. This study utilized a comprehensive review approach to investigate the integration of emotional intelligence (EI) into artificial intelligence (AI) systems, concentrating on emotion recognition and response mechanisms. The review process entailed formulating research questions, systematically searching academic databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, critically evaluating relevant literature, synthesizing the data, and presenting the findings in a comprehensive format. The study highlights the advancements in emotion recognition models, including the use of deep literacy ways and multimodal data emulsion. It discusses the challenges in emotion recognition, similar to variability in mortal expressions and the need for real-time processing. The integration of contextual information and individual traits is emphasized as enhancing the understanding of mortal feelings. The study also addresses ethical enterprises, similar as sequestration and impulses in training data. The integration of emotional intelligence into AI systems presents openings to revise mortal-computer relations. Emotion recognition and response mechanisms have made significant progress, but challenges remain. Unborn exploration directions include enhancing the robustness and interpretability of emotion recognition models, exploring cross-cultural and environment-apprehensive emotion understanding, and addressing long-term emotion shadowing and adaption. By further exploring emotional intelligence in AI systems, further compassionate and responsive machines can be developed, enabling deeper emotional connections with humans.

Quality of life and depression in patients with Parkinson's disease: effectiveness of group cognitive-behavioral therapy: a randomized controlled study.

Background: Group cognitive-behavioral therapy has demonstrated its effectiveness in treating various psychological disorders. Nevertheless, there is insufficient evidence supporting its application in enhancing both the quality of life and depression among Parkinson's patients. Consequently, this study was undertaken to examine the efficacy of group cognitive-behavioral therapy in ameliorating depression symptoms and enhancing the quality of life in individuals afflicted with Parkinson's disease. Materials and methods: A randomized clinical trial with pre-test and post-test measurements, including a control group, was conducted. The sample consisted of individuals referred to Roozbeh Hospital in Tehran with Parkinson's disease in 2023. Ninety participants were selected using convenience sampling and randomly assigned to either an experimental or a control group, with 45 participants in each. The experimental group received a three-month cognitive-behavioral therapy intervention consisting of 12 sessions of 90 min. Pre-test and post-test measures included the Beck Depression Questionnaire and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) in SPSS-25. Results: The results revealed a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of depression and quality of life. The cognitive-behavioral therapy intervention significantly reduced depression and significantly improved the quality of life in individuals with Parkinson's disease (P≤0.01). Conclusion: Group cognitive-behavioral therapy can be an effective approach for reducing depression and improving the quality of life in individuals with Parkinson's disease. Therefore, therapists and healthcare providers can utilize cognitive-behavioral therapy to enhance the well-being of individuals with Parkinson's disease.

Reducing symptoms of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in elementary students: the effectiveness of neurofeedback.

Introduction and importance: This research was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of neurofeedback on the symptoms of hyperactivity and attention deficit in primary school students with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) disorder. Case presentation: The present study utilized a randomized clinical trial with pre-test and post-test measurements and included a control group. The research population included all primary school students with ADHD in 2023; 50 of these children were selected as the experimental group based on the accessible sampling method, and 50 were also included in the control group. Neurofeedback treatment sessions for the experimental group were 30 sessions. Research data were collected in three stages: pre-test and post-test, using a questionnaire based on the Conners rating scale from parents. SPSS-25 analyzed the data. Clinical discussion: The results showed that neurofeedback is associated with significant effectiveness in the symptoms of attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity of students (P<0.05). Conclusion: Based on the findings of this research, it can be said that neurofeedback treatment is effective in reducing attention deficit and hyperactivity symptoms of students with ADHD disorder. It is suggested to widely use neurofeedback to reduce the symptoms of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder.

Improving mental health infrastructure across the Middle East.

This study explores the difficulties and possible remedies, for enhancing health services and decreasing stigma in the Middle East. The paper underscores the significance of education integrating Western methods, involving leaders educating young people and utilizing social media. It also draws attention to social challenges in the region while offering strategies to train health professionals to be culturally sensitive. The goal is to improve healthcare standards, in the Middle East by tackling barriers and fostering empathy and respect.

Reducing depression and anxiety symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease: The effectiveness of group cognitive behavioral therapy.

INTRODUCTION: /Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of group cognitive behavioral therapy in depression and anxiety symptoms in patients with Parkinson's Tehran city. METHODS: This quasi-experimental study was conducted with experimental and control groups at pretest, posttest, and follow-up. Patients 60-75 years old with Parkinson's disease centers and psychiatric services made up the study population. Based on a random sample of 90 people in Tehran city who scored highly on both the Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Beck Depression Scale, in two 45-person groups-the experimental group and the control group-were randomly assigned. The experimental group underwent group cognitive behavioral therapy for 8 weeks, while the control group just received training once per week. Methods of analysis of variance with repeated measures were employed to test the hypotheses. RESULTS: The outcomes showed the independent variable is successful in lowering symptoms of anxiety and depression. Patients with Parkinson's disease who participated in group cognitive behavioral therapy for stress reduction showed a reduction in their anxiety and depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: Effective psychological interventions, like group cognitive behavioral therapy, can improve mood, lessen anxiety and depression, and help patients adhere more closely to treatment guidelines. As a result, these patients can help prevent the complications of Parkinson's disease and take effective action to raise their level of physical and mental health.

Prevalence of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in the Women Population Covered by Health Centers in Ardabil.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in the population of women aged 30 to 60 years covered by health centers in Ardabil. Methods: This retrospective descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 1006 women aged 30 to 60 years who were covered by Ardabil comprehensive urban health service centers, and they were selected by using the multistage random sampling method. In the first stage, health centers in Ardabil were divided into five geographical areas, and the population covered by each of the five areas was calculated. In the second stage, the number of samples was allocated as a quota in the regions, and in the third stage, in proportion to the population covered by each center in Ardabil, the samples were selected. Women with one of the conditions of pregnancy, lactation, history of kidney disease, known diabetes under medication, history of hepatitis, history of cardiovascular surgery, and history of cancer were excluded from the research process. Results: The average activity of individuals was 24.42 minutes per day. The mean intake of fruits and vegetables was 1.9 ± 0.9 and 2.1 ± 1.07 unit/day, respectively, and meat was 286.6 ± 174.6 grams per week. The mean of HDL, LDL, TG, cholesterol, and FBS were 43.6 ± 10.4, 101.28 ± 26.3, 159.89 ± 54.01, 185.99 ± 37.9, and 94.62 ± 13.3 mg/dl, respectively. The mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were 108.14 and 68.26 mmHg, respectively. Conclusions: Abdominal obesity (waist above 88), obesity and overweight (high body mass index), high triglycerides, high cholesterol, and LDL and HDL outside the proper range were the most important and risk factors for cardiovascular disease among women.

COVID-19 Has Made the Elderly Lonelier.

Loneliness is a major risk factor for the elderly and can double their problems. When COVID-19 started, things became more difficult for the elderly. The news that the elderly are at a higher risk for severe COVID-19 than others made the elderly lonelier. This is a library type study that was conducted over 2 months using valid scientific sources and books. Based on the findings of this study, we believe that focusing on education and reminding people of the necessary dos and don'ts of illness, modifying their diet, emphasizing masking, and even familiarizing the elderly with social media and virtual activities will prevent them from suffering loneliness.

Risk perception and adherence to preventive behaviours related to the COVID-19 pandemic: a community-based study applying the health belief model.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), now a global pandemic, is a new, highly contagious, and preventable disease that has caused many deaths across the world. Correct understanding of the risks and following health instructions are among the most important self-care parameters. AIMS: To assess people's perception of the risks and their adherence to recommended preventive behaviours regarding COVID-19 infection. METHOD: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted with 1861 people residing in Ardabil province in 2020. The data were collected electronically and included four elements: demographic details; health belief model (HBM) constructs (perceived sensitivity, perceived severity and perceived benefits); beliefs about the effectiveness of disease prevention strategies; and complying with health behaviours. The data was analysed using SPSS-21 software. RESULTS: Significant differences were found in the mean scores for beliefs about the effectiveness of preventative measures, the constructs of the health belief model, and compliance with preventive behaviours relating to the participants' gender, age, marital status and level of education. Beliefs and intention to stay at home, collectively predicted 54.7% of the variance in preventive behaviours. CONCLUSIONS: Although a majority of participants had positive attitudes towards the effectiveness of preventive measures and adhered to them, some people who were not adherent with these healthy behaviours could be key participants in the next wave of the disease.