Iranian Journal of Psychiatry最新文献

Objective: Internet addiction (IA) poses significant challenges for university students. Although loneliness, physical activity (PA), self-control (SC), and academic burnout (AB) have been implicated in IA, their distinct contributions and mechanisms require further investigation. This study aimed to investigate whether loneliness positively predicts IA, while PA and SC serve as protective factors. It further examined the mediating roles of SC and AB in the relationships between loneliness, PA, and IA among university students in Iran. Method : A cross-sectional study was conducted among 490 university students who were recruited using convenience sampling, as this approach was the most practical and feasible given the ease of online survey distribution and limitations in time and resources. All participants were students from universities located in Tehran, Iran. Validated Persian versions of standardized instruments were used to assess A, loneliness, PA, SC, and AB. Structural equation modeling (SEM) using AMOS was employed to evaluate both direct and indirect associations among the study variables. Results: Structural equation modeling revealed that loneliness had a moderate positive effect on IA (β = 0.217, P = 0.001), while both PA and SC showed small but significant negative effects (PA: β = - 0.207, P < 0.001; SC: β = - 0.178, P = 0.037). In contrast, AB did not significantly predict IA (β = 0.055, P = 0.425). Mediation analysis indicated that SC partially mediated the relationship between loneliness and IA (indirect effect: b = 0.054, P < 0.05), while AB showed no significant mediating role in the model. Conclusion: These findings support cognitive-behavioral models of IA and suggest that improving self-regulation and promoting social connectedness may help mitigate IA risk. Future studies should employ longitudinal designs to examine causal pathways and explore the moderating role of specific coping styles (e.g., emotion-focused vs. problem-focused).

Objective: This article addresses whether extensive support for homosexuality-accompanying its increased prevalence-has been able to reduce the prevalence of mental disorders among homosexuals in supportive countries to normal population levels. Method : This study was conducted in two phases. The first phase employed a secondary systematic review method and examined 68 reviews on the public health and mental health of homosexuals in supportive countries. In the second phase, using the thematic content analysis method, the semantic units extracted from the articles were condensed under sub-themes, which then formed themes at a higher level. Results: Supporting homosexuality has not reduced mental health issues in this group to levels observed in the general population, even in supportive countries. In addition to minority stress, other stressors (such as infectious diseases, cancer, childlessness, and the pathologic nature of homosexuality) are the main barriers to reducing the prevalence of mental disorders among homosexuals. Conclusion: Based on these findings, this study suggests revisiting the policy of extreme support for homosexuality and preventing scientific research concerning the correlation between this behavior and criminality and other mental disorders-under the pretext of homophobia.

Objective: One significant concern regarding the cross-cultural use of psychological instruments is their adaptation to the language of the target population. The Scrambled Sentences Task (SST) exemplifies this issue. As a well-known paradigm for assessing interpretation bias (IB), the SST has been widely used across different languages; however, it remains unclear whether the SST is a valid and reliable tool to be used in languages other than English. The current study aims to develop SST items for Persian language while controlling for word frequency, word length and morphological complexity- linguistic features critical to meet SST's unique demands. We also seek to examine the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the SST (P-SST). Method : The verbal stimuli for the P-SST were developed by drawing on a pool of sentences from prior research as a guide. These sentences were adapted specifically to fulfill the task's unique demands, ensuring the appropriateness of the P-SST for detecting IB. Since the SST primarily measures depressogenic tendencies, the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) was also employed as part of the assessment. The measures were administered to a sample of 222 female students, selected due to evidence suggesting higher susceptibility to depression among women. The reliability and validity of the P-SST were then calculated, along with an analysis of responses to identify areas for enhancing performance on this task. Results: Our results provided evidence of the convergent validity of the P-SST, as it was significantly correlated with the BDI-II (rs = 0.43, 95% CI [0.29-0.57], N = 161), as well as evidence of its divergent validity (rs = 0.35, 95% CI [0.22-0.49], N = 161). Moreover, internal consistency analysis revealed a Cronbach's alpha value of α = 0.81 and a split-half correlation value of r = 0.9. Conclusion: Findings from this research established the psychometric properties of the P-SST as a quick and easily administered assessment tool to be used in the context of depression in Persian. The paper concludes with both linguistic and methodological recommendations to guide future development of SST items in any language.

Objective: Re-experiencing abusive relationships is a distressing phenomenon, particularly among individuals with a history of intimate partner violence (IPV). This study aimed to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a factor-based transdiagnostic package to prevent the re-experiencing of abusive relationships in Iran during 2020. Method : This study was conducted in two phases. The qualitative phase involved in-depth, semi-structured interviews with seven experts and twelve patients from psychological clinics in Rasht, analyzed through content analysis. The quantitative phase utilized a semi-experimental design incorporating pre-test and post-test assessments with a control group. The population consisted of individuals referred to ten psychological clinics and three university counseling centers from 2018 to 2020. Out of 36 volunteers, 24 met the inclusion criteria and were randomly assigned into two groups of twelve. The intervention consisted of individual therapy sessions conducted bi-weekly over 16 sessions. A researcher-developed questionnaire was used to assess tendencies to re-experience abusive relationships in the quantitative phase. Results: Qualitative analysis of expert interviews identified five key components essential for effective treatment of abusive relationship survivors: (1) the content of the sessions, emphasizing contextual and cognitive approaches alongside psycho-education, values clarification, and commitment to change (2) process factors, including a strong therapeutic relationship, client motivation, and giving hope; (3) the structure of the sessions, highlighting flexible frequency, continuity, and follow-up; (4) the characteristics of the therapist, such as expertise, self-awareness, and persistence; and (5) client-related factors like education, environmental stressors, and abuse history. In the quantitative phase, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) revealed that the transdiagnostic therapy effectively prevented the re-experiencing of abusive relationships (P < 0.001). Conclusion: This finding highlights the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions in reducing the recurrence of abusive relationships, indicating that factor-based transdiagnostic therapy may offer a promising approach to mitigating the risk of re-experiencing such relationships.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the mediating roles of mindfulness and self-regulation in the correlation between perceived stress and subjective well-being among university students Method : The research involved 353 undergraduates and utilized the Chinese version of the Perceived Stress Scale (CPSS), the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS), the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), and the Self-Regulation Survey (SRS). Partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) through SmartPLS software was used to test the proposed relationships. Results: The findings indicated significant relationships among perceived stress, subjective well-being, self-regulation, and mindfulness. Specifically, perceived stress positively predicted mindfulness (β = 0.400, t = 6.233, P < 0.001) and self-regulation (β = 0.441, t = 5.547, P < 0.001). Mindfulness significantly mediated the relationship between perceived stress and subjective well-being (β = 0.241, t = 3.559, P < 0.001), while self-regulation did not exhibit a mediating effect. This suggests that, although self-regulation assists students in managing behaviors and emotions, it may not influence the stress-well-being pathway as effectively as mindfulness does. Conclusion: The results underscore the importance of integrating mindfulness strategies into educational programs to enhance students' mental and emotional well-being. This study provides empirical support for the development of mindfulness-related curricula in universities, suggesting that fostering mindfulness could serve as a pivotal intervention for improving subjective well-being among students facing high levels of perceived stress.

Objective: Given the increasing prevalence of binge eating disorder (BED) and bedtime procrastination (BP) among university students, as well as the notable absence of validated Arabic instruments to assess these behaviors, this study aimed to investigate the role of emotional schemas in BED and BP among university students. By examining these emotional schemas, the study sought to shed light on a potential shared underlying mechanism contributing to both BED and BP, and to adapt and validate the Bedtime Procrastination Scale (BPS) for Arabic-speaking populations. Method : Three samples of Iraqi university students were recruited. The first sample (n = 835) was used for the validation of the Arabic version of the BPS. The second sample (n = 58) was utilized for convergent validity testing, and the third sample (n = 490) was examined for exploring the associations between emotional schemas, BED, and BP. Results: Analyses revealed that maladaptive emotional schemas-particularly devalued, non-acceptance of feelings, incomprehensibility, numbness, blame, and low consensus-accounted for 18.2% of the variance in BED. Additionally, important findings emerged for BP, where incomprehensibility, non-acceptance of feelings and simplistic view of emotion accounted for 5.8% of the variance. Additionally, the Arabic adaptation of the BPS demonstrated robust psychometric properties and confirmed a two-factor structure consistent with previous cultural adaptations. Conclusion: These findings underscore the necessity of addressing emotional schemas in therapeutic interventions to reduce BED and BP. Furthermore, the validated Arabic BPS offers a vital tool for future research and assessment in Arabic-speaking contexts.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the perspectives of student counsellors regarding comprehensive prevention and intervention strategies for addressing internet addiction among adolescents. Method : This study employed an exploratory-descriptive qualitative design. Data collection involved focus group discussions (FGDs) with 12 purposively selected student counsellors from high schools in four West Java regions. Counsellors were chosen based on their experience in managing students with internet addiction within the past year. FGDs were conducted virtually due to Covid-19 restrictions, with sessions aimed at exploring perceptions and strategies related to internet addiction prevention and intervention. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis following Clarke and Braun's approach to identify key themes. Results: The results of the study obtained 5 themes which are: a comprehensive assessment is needed to determine appropriate interventions for students experiencing internet addiction; family is the main supporting factor in managing and preventing internet addiction; various parties must cooperate in overcoming internet addiction; health education about internet addiction during school orientation is important as a prevention program; and digitalization and communication control programs affect the phenomenon of internet addiction. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, we can conclude the importance of comprehensive assessments to determine appropriate interventions and the need for support from other parties in overcoming internet addiction among students.

Objective: Stigma exacerbates poorer life satisfaction among caregivers of children with epilepsy (CWE); however, the underlying reasons for this connection are still not fully understood. This research aimed to investigate how coping strategies and social support can impact the connection between stigma and life satisfaction. Method : A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 210 primary caregivers of CWE from August to November 2023. The participants were selected through convenience sampling. The study included information on participants' demographics (such as gender, age, education level, duration of epilepsy, age of onset, seizure frequency) and four established self-report questionnaires. Caregivers completed self-report scales of perceived social support, stigma, life satisfaction, and coping style. We used the PROCESS 4.1 macro proposed by Hayes to analyze the direct and indirect associations between variables. In addition, SPSS-27 software was used to conduct Pearson correlation. Results: The research findings confirmed that both perceived social support and task-oriented coping mechanisms played a mediating role in the connection between stigma and life satisfaction (β perceived social support = -0.11; 95% bootstrap CI: -0.12 to -0.02; β task-oriented coping = -0.14; 95% bootstrap CI: -0.26 to -0.05), respectively. Furthermore, the results of serial mediation analyses revealed that the link between stigma and life satisfaction is influenced by perceived social support and task-oriented coping in a sequential process (B = -0.029, 95% bootstrapped CI: -0.060 to -0.006). Conclusion: These findings shed light on the role of perceived social support and task-oriented coping as serial mediators of the relationship between stigma and life satisfaction. Thus, identifying and correctly understanding the sources of support, as well as teaching effective task-oriented coping through mental health professionals, is necessary to reduce the stigma experienced by these caregivers and improve life satisfaction.

Objective: Excessive sugar consumption is a growing public health concern, with research suggesting it may function as an addictive substance. However, the lack of standardized tools to assess sugar addiction, particularly across cultures, remains a challenge. This study aims to validate the Persian version of the Sugar Addiction Questionnaire (SAQ) for use in Iran. Method : In this cross-sectional psychometric validation study, 504 Persian-speaking adults (59.1% female, mean age = 29.8 ± 19.5 years) were recruited using convenience sampling from Tehran health centers. Participants completed the SAQ and Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS 2.0), and participated in DSM-5-based semi-structured interviews for sugar addiction. Factor analysis and reliability measures (Cronbach's alpha, test-retest, split-half) were used to assess the SAQ's validity and reliability. Results: The Persian SAQ demonstrated strong psychometric properties. Factor analysis revealed a five-factor structure explaining 45.08% of the variance. Concurrent validity was confirmed by significant correlations with the YFAS 2.0 (r = 0.51, P < 0.001) and BMI (r = 0.55, P < 0.001). The scale showed a good model fit (CFI = 0.91, RMSEA = 0.08), with acceptable reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.79) and a test-retest correlation of 0.54. The optimal cutoff for diagnosing sugar addiction was 9, with the Area-Under-the-Curve (AUC) of 98%. Conclusion: The Persian version of the SAQ is a reliable and valid tool for assessing sugar addiction in Iran. This validated instrument can improve the diagnosis and understanding of sugar-related behavioral issues, supporting better public health strategies for managing excessive sugar consumption.