The incidence of psychosocial disturbances during the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic in an Iranian sample.

The spreading of the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic could be associated with psychosocial implications. This study, therefore, aimed to investigate the psychosocial disturbances before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The cross-sectional study included 20,885 participants (12,343 females and 8,542 males) with psychosocial trauma who were selected by the census sampling method from Fars province, Iran. The mean age of participants in this study was 35.76 (7.52). The results showed that the incidence rate for psychosocial disturbances was 150.86 and 273.69 per 100,000 cases prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, respectively. Analysis showed that reports of spousal abuse, child abuse, elderly abuse, disability abuse, the violence of other relatives, child labor, divorce petition, acute family dispute, unemployment/financial problems, substance abuse, and health questions about COVID-19 increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study shows that the COVID-19 pandemic influences the increase of psychopathology and social pathology. Therefore, recommends a comprehensive assessment to prevent and address the psychosocial consequences associated with COVID-19.

Psychological, Structural, Social and Economic Determinants of Suicide Attempt: Risk Assessment and Decision Making Strategies.

The aim of this research was to conduct a risk assessment and management of psychological, structural, social and economic determinants (PSSED) in a suicide attempt. The sample consisted of 353 individuals who had a recorded history of suicidal attempt; and 20 professional individuals by purposive sampling method within a descriptive cross-sectional design. Worksheets for RAM and AHP were used for data collection in this study. The rate of suicide attempt was 7.21 per 100,000 population in this study. Analysis showed that depression and mental disorders; personality disorders; family problems; socio-cultural and economic problems; lack of awareness; and low level of education have a high level of risk for suicide attempts. Psychiatric and psychological services; awareness and knowledge of life skills; medical services to dysfunctional families; development of community-based planning for PSSED of suicide; and employment and entrepreneurship services may lower suicide attempt risk.

Effectiveness of Three Physical Treatments on Pain Perception and Emotional State in Males with Chronic Joint Pain.

This study investigated the effects of massage therapy (MT), high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) as three physical therapies on pain perception and negative emotional state (NES) in males with chronic joint pain (CJP). This double-blind randomized experimental study was done with three pretest, posttest, and follow-up stages within three experimental groups and the control group. Participants recruited by a random sampling method in each group that they were 160 patients with CJP. A demographic questionnaire, the Short-Form-McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale- 21 (DASS-SF-21) were used in this study. Findings showed significant differences in the effectiveness of MT, HIIT, and NMES on pain symptoms and NES in experimental and control groups during post-test and follow-up stages. The MT, HIIT, and NMES were effective in decreasing the sensory experience of pain, the affective experience of pain, the present pain intensity (PPI), and depression, anxiety, and stress among outpatients with CJP in the experimental groups during post-test and follow-up stages. NMES, HIIT, and MT may be considered by health professionals as effective interventions to reduce pain perception and NES in patients with CJP.

The Effect of a Psychotherapy Protocol on Dream Awareness in Adults With Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

ABSTRACT: This study aimed to examine the effect of an Affective and Sensory Psychotherapy Protocol (ASPP) on dream awareness in adults with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). For this purpose, 60 self-referred male and female adults were studied within a randomized clinical trial. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Scale and the Mannheim Dream Questionnaire were used at baseline, posttreatment, and 3-month follow-up. No significant difference was observed between patients in the experimental and control groups at baseline. Findings showed that patients in the experimental group had a significant increase in dream recall, attitude toward dreams, and the total dream score than individuals in the control group. However, no sex difference was observed in the results for within-subject and between-group effects in the current study. The present research supported the influence of an ASPP on dream awareness in adults with GAD.

Mental Health, Social Support, and Death Anxiety in Patients With Chronic Kidney Failure.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between mental health, perceived social support, and death anxiety, and the predictive roles of mental health and perceived social support in the explanation of death anxiety in a sample of adults with chronic kidney disease. Methods: A demographic questionnaire, the Symptom Check List-25, the Social Support Survey Scale, and the Death Anxiety Scale (DAS) were used in the present study. The sample consisted of 58 adult patients with chronic kidney failure. Results: Findings showed that mental health had significantly positive relationships to the total score of the death anxiety and the fear of death, the fear of pain and disease, and the death thoughts subscales of the DAS. Social support had a significant negative relationship to the total score of the death anxiety and the fear of pain and disease, the death thoughts, and the transient time and the short life subscales of the DAS. Mental health and combined mental health and social support explained 14% and 21% of death anxiety variation in patients with chronic kidney failure, respectively. Conclusion: Mental health and social support constructs can relatively predict the variations of death anxiety in patients with chronic kidney failure.

Quality of Life and Behaviors of Bullies and Victims in an Iranian School Sample: The Moderating Role of Self-Esteem.

The present study was undertaken to examine the relationship between quality of life in schools and the behaviors of bullies/victims in relation to the mediating role of self-esteem. A sample of 241 high school students was selected, within a correlational design, through the one-stage cluster sampling method, from Meybod City, Yazd Province, Iran. The Quality of Life Questionnaire in Schools (QLQS), the Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale (RSEE), and the Illinois Bully Scale (IUBS) were utilized in this study. The results indicate that the stated model has a goodness of fit index (GFI = 0.99 and root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.06). The path analysis showed that the direct effects of the quality of life in schools on bullying and self-esteem are significant but not significantly on victimization. There was no significant effect of self-esteem on bullying, but a meaningful effect on victimization. Furthermore, the indirect effects on the quality of life in schools on bully/victims through self-esteem were significant.

Cognitive and perceptual functions in patients with occipital lobe epilepsy, patients with migraine, and healthy controls.

This study was conducted to compare cognitive and perceptual functions among patients with occipital lobe epilepsy, patients with migraine, and healthy individuals, in relation to the moderating roles of gender and educational level. Participants included 93 individuals from Mashhad City, Khorasan-e-Razavi province, Iran. A demographic questionnaire and Bender-Gestalt II (BGT-II; Brannigan & Decker, 2003) were used for data collection in this study. Results showed significant group differences for copy, recall, motor, and perceptual subscales of BGT-II in these samples, where patients with occipital lobe epilepsy and patients with migraine having significantly lower scores than healthy individuals. Also, patients with occipital lobe epilepsy had significantly poorer scores in all subscales of the BGT-II in comparison with the patients with migraine. There were no significant differences with regard to gender and educational level when considering dependent variables in the present study.

Attachment Styles, Perceived Stress and Social Support in a Malaysian Young Adults Sample.

The purpose of this research was to examine the validity of an adult attachment style questionnaire, to understand the relationships between the type of attachment style in relation to self-perceived stress and social support, and to investigate the influence of gender, ethnicity and religion on the above constructs. The participants were 308 university students from Malaysia. A demographic questionnaire and three self-report inventories were administrated in this study. The data indicated that the Relationship Scales Questionnaire (RSQ) is a multidimensional construct with nine factors: "dismissing," "preoccupied with romance," "preoccupied with close relationships," "fearful," "preoccupied with dependency," "secure emotional," "comfortable depending," "preoccupied with mistrust" and "mutual secure." Different attachment styles were positively or negatively correlated at a significant level with perceived stress and social support. Attachment styles were explained by 20 and 33% of the total variance in self-perceived stress and perceived social support, respectively. There were significant gender, ethnic and religious differences in attachment styles, perceived stress and social support.

The efficacy of affective and sensory psychotherapy module for sleep disturbances in generalized anxiety disorder.

OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed to examine the effectiveness of a newly developed therapeutic method focusing on affective and sensory processes in the treatment of sleep problems in outpatients with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), called the 'Affective and Sensory Psychotherapy Module' (ASPM). METHOD: A randomised controlled trial was conducted, there were 60 outpatient participants. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Scale (GAD-7) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were used at baseline, post-treatment, and 3 month follow-up. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the therapeutic and control groups at baseline. The therapeutic group showed a significant improvement in sleep quality and anxiety decrease compared to the control group. Sex differences did not occur in the results for within-subjects and between-group effects in this study. CONCLUSIONS: The present study supported the efficacy of ASPM in the treatment of sleep problems in adult outpatients with GAD.

The Roles of Attachment Style, Self-Efficacy, and Impulsivity on the Prediction of Attitudes toward Substance Use in Male Adolescents.

The aim of this study was to examine the role of attachment styles, self-efficacy, and impulsivity on the prediction of attitudes toward substance abuse among male adolescents. Participants were 199 male adolescents from Najafabad City, Isfahan province, Iran. A demographic questionnaire, the Attachment Style Measure (ASM), the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS), and the Attitude toward Substance Use Scale (ASUS) were used in this study. Analysis showed that avoidance and ambivalent attachment patterns and impulsiveness were significantly positively correlated with attitudes toward substance use. On the other hand, secure attachment style and self-efficacy were significantly negatively associated with attitudes toward substance use. Findings showed that attachment styles, self-efficacy, and impulsiveness account for 58% of the variance in attitudes toward substance use among these adolescents. This study confirmed the predictive role of attachment styles, self-efficacy, and impulsivity in the prediction of the attitudes toward substance use in male adolescents.

Dreams In Jungian Psychology: The use of Dreams as an Instrument For Research, Diagnosis and Treatment of Social Phobia.

BACKGROUND: The significance of dreams has been explained in psychoanalysis, depth psychology and gestalt therapy. There are many guidelines in analytic psychology for dream interpretation and integration in clinical practice. The present study, based on the Jungian analytic model, incorporated dreams as an instrument for assessment of aetiology, the psychotherapy process and the outcome of treatment for social phobia within a clinical case study. METHOD: This case study describes the use of dream analysis in treating a female youth with social phobia. RESULTS: The present findings supported the three stage paradigm efficiency in the Jungian model for dream working within a clinical setting, i.e. written details, reassembly with amplification and assimilation. It was indicated that childhood and infantile traumatic events, psychosexual development malfunctions, and inefficient coping skills for solving current life events were expressed in the patient's dreams. CONCLUSION: Dreams can reflect a patient's aetiology, needs, illness prognosis and psychotherapy outcome. Dreams are an instrument for the diagnosis, research and treatment of mental disturbances in a clinical setting.

The roles of implicit memory bias, depression, and metacognitions in men and women with coronary artery disease.

The purpose of this research was to examine the role of implicit memory bias, depression, and metacognitions in coronary artery disease (CAD) and the relationships between implicit memory bias, depression, and metacognitions based on gender, age, and educational status. Participants were 30 patients with CAD and controls who were selected through a purposive sampling method in Iran. A demographic questionnaire, the Meta-Worry Questionnaire-30; the Beck's Depression Inventory-II; and the Word Stem Completion Software were used in this study. Resulting data demonstrated that patients with CAD had significant higher levels of depression, metacognitive worry, and negative-mood-inducing words than individuals in the control group. Also, individuals in the control group had significant higher performance on neutral-mood-inducing words than patients with CAD. Depression and metacognitive variables were significantly related to negative- and neutral-mood-inducing words in the total sample. Findings did not support significant relationships of age and educational level to depression, metacognition, and the implicit memory bias in males and females.