Iranian Journal of Psychiatry最新文献

Objective: Research has demonstrated that individuals with a history of depression engage in complicated strategies (e.g., thought suppression) that may mask the possible existence of major depression. Increasing the mental strain, such as retrieving a six-digit number, may reveal depressive thinking in previously depressed individuals. This study examined the hypothesis that thought suppression could mask a cognitive vulnerability to depression and illustrated how cognitive tasks disrupt mind control. Method : This case-control study recruited 255 participants with a convenience sampling method conducted at the Razi Educational and Therapeutic Psychiatric Center (Tehran, Iran) in 2021. Participants were divided into five groups, then they were evaluated by a scrambled sentence test (SST) after random assignment to either mental load or no mental load conditions. The number of negative unscrambled statements was used as an index of negative interpretation bias. After gathering data, analysis of variance (ANOVA) for different group factors and conditions was carried out to test the main hypotheses. Results: The effect of the intervention provided to each group on the score of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HRDS) was significant (F (4, 208) = 511.77, P < 0.001). A significant correlation (r = 0.36, P < 0.01) was found between depression (HDRS) and negative interpretive bias (SST). Analysis of ANOVA has revealed a significant effect on the group (F (4, 412) = 14.94, P < 0.001). The effect of the mental load was not significant (F (4, 412) = 0.09, P = 0.75), but the group × load interaction was significant (F (4, 412) = 5.03, P < 0.001). Post hoc test was used to draw multiple comparisons between the five groups. Conclusion: The results revealed that people who are vulnerable to depressive disorders are predominantly engaged in thought suppression, which can conceal their depressogenic thinking until cognitive requests consume their mind control efforts.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the most effective coping mechanism to deal with auditory hallucinations that reduces the frequency of voice-hearing and associated distress. In the present randomized controlled trial, each of the three coping mechanisms of attentional avoidance, attentional focusing, and mindfulness were used in one group and the fourth group was the control group. Method : A total of 64 patients with schizophrenia, categorized in three groups of attentional avoidance, attentional focusing and mindfulness and one control group, were asked to listen to an ambiguous auditory task depending on the type of their coping mechanism. After determining the baseline of distress, the task was performed in duplicate for each group. After playing the auditory task for the first time, participants were asked to rate out the level of their distress and compliance with instructions, and they were asked to estimate the likely number of words they had heard. After the second time, they were asked to note the words they hear during the task and rate out their distress and compliance with instructions again at the end of the task. Results: There was a significant difference between groups in terms of distress with a medium effect size of 0.47. The post hoc analysis revealed that mindfulness group reported less distress compared to the attentional focusing group (P = 0.017) and the control group (P = 0.027). Also, a significant difference existed between groups in terms of the frequency of the identified words, with a moderately strong effect size of 0.59, and a very good statistical power of 0.99. The post hoc analysis showed that attentional avoidance (P = 0.013) and attentional focusing (P = 0.011) groups heard fewer words than the control group. Conclusion: Attention is a good target for treating psychotic patients with auditory hallucinations. Also, manipulation of attention can affect the frequency of auditory hallucinations and associated distress.

Objective: Emotional disturbances are the most common mental health problems in different populations and societies. We intend to provide the latest evidence related to the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on depression and anxiety by reviewing systematic review and meta-analysis studies published in the last three years. Method : PubMed and Google Scholar databases were systematically searched between January 1, 2019 and November 25, 2022 with relevant keywords for English systematic review and meta-analysis articles reviewing the utilization of ACT to reduce anxiety and depression symptoms. Results: 25 articles were included in our study: 14 systematic review and meta-analysis studies and 11 systematic reviews. These studies have investigated the effects of ACT on depression and anxiety in populations of children or adults, mental health patients, patients with different cancers or multiple sclerosis, people with audiological problems, parents or caregivers of children with mental or physical illnesses as well as normal people. Furthermore, they have examined the effects of ACT in individual, group, Internet, computerized, or combined delivery formats. Most of the reviewed studies reported significant effect sizes (small to large effect sizes) of ACT, regardless of the delivery method, compared to passive (placebo, waitlist) and active (treatment as usual and other psychological interventions except cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)) controls for depression and anxiety. Conclusion: Recent literature mainly agrees on the small to moderate effect sizes of ACT on depression and anxiety symptoms in different populations.

Objective: Burnout is a psychological symptom characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and lack of personal accomplishment. Several systematic reviews have examined the prevalence of burnout in some communities, including the communities of physicians, nurses, students, and teachers. Risk factors, consequences of burnout, and related interventions have also been evaluated in several systematic review studies. The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate the prevalence, risk factors, consequences, and interventions associated with burnout among military personnel in all types of studies. Method : Studies that quantitatively examined burnout in military personnel after 2000 were identified through systematic searches in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Knowledge, Embase, PsychInfo, and PsycArticles databases. Results: A total of 43 studies met the criteria for inclusion in this systematic review. Of these, 34 were cross-sectional, 7 were longitudinal, 1 was case-control and 1 was experimental. Half of the studies had more than 350 samples. The studies were from 17 different countries, among which the United States had the largest number with 17 studies. 33 studies were measured with one version of Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Totally, only 10 studies reported a prevalence of burnout and/or its subscales. The prevalence of high emotional exhaustion ranged from 0% to 49.7% (median 19%), the prevalence of high depersonalization ranged from 0% to 59.6% (median 14%) and the prevalence of low personal accomplishment ranged from 0% to 60% (median 6.4%). In this systematic review, work environment factors (such as workload, shift work), psychological factors (anxiety, depression, stress), and duration and quality of sleep were shown as risk factors of burnout or its subscales. Also, psychological distress was observed as the consequence of burnout in more than one study. Conclusion: The studies investigated in this systematic review showed a relatively moderate prevalence of burnout. In fact, burnout was associated with work environment factors and psychological variables.

Objective: This study was designed to compare object relations and anger control between MS patients and normal individuals. Method : The present study was a cross-sectional case-control study with two groups: the case group (patients with MS) and the control group (normal controls without MS). 80 patients and 80 healthy individuals were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria using a simple random sampling method. The research's data collection tool was a three-part questionnaire consisting of demographic information, the Bell Object Relations and the Reality Testing Inventory (BORRTI) and the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory 2 (STAXI-2). The data were analyzed by the SPSS software version 26 using descriptive and analytical statistics (stepwise regression). Results: The results showed that in terms of object relations, there was no significant difference between the two groups except in alienation of relations (P = 0.035). The results also showed that in general, there was no statistically significant difference between the anger index of the group of MS patients and the normal controls. However, 12.8% of MS patients were significantly different in state of anger, trait anger and anger control compared to normal individuals. This difference was especially higher in angry temperament (P = 0.025) and the anger expression-in (P = 0.04). Conclusion: Although patients with MS were not significantly different from healthy individuals in terms of intrapsychic and interpersonal functions in the context of object relations and anger management, it seems that more complex and multifaceted explanations lie in the results that need further research.

Objective: To determine the status of self-care performance of pregnant women in the prevention of COVID-19 disease and its relationship with perceived stress during the epidemic period of this disease. Method : This cross-sectional study was performed on 228 pregnant women who referred to the health centers in Tabriz, Iran, for prenatal care. They were selected by cluster sampling. Data collection tools included questionnaires about Demographic-Social Characteristics, the Self-Care Performance Questionnaire and Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale. Spearman correlation test was used to examine the correlation between self-care performance and perceived stress in bivariate and multivariate analyses. Also, multivariate linear regression was used, with control of demographic-social and obstetric characteristics as possible confounders. Results: The median (25-75 percentiles) self-care performance score of participants was 0.71 (0.65-0.76), from the achievable range of 20-80, and its mean (± SD) perceived stress score was 25.5 (± 5.6), from the achievable range of 0-56. The Spearman's rank correlation test results showed a significant inverse correlation between perceived stress and self-care performance scores (r = -0.13; P = 0.041). According to multivariate linear regression test, the variables of self-care performance, education, spouse's education and number of family members were the predictors of perceived stress in pregnant women during the COVID-19 epidemic. Conclusion: According to the results of the present study, self-care performance of pregnant women in prevention of the COVID-19 disease was good and their stress was moderate. There was a significant inverse correlation between self-care performance and perceived stress that could indicate the high value and importance of the fetus for the mother and her strict adherence to health protocols to prevent COVID-19, which also leads to calming and reduced perceived stress.

Objective: The addiction pattern of smartphone usage has increased concerns about potential complications. The Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS), a self-administered questionnaire, evaluates smartphone usage and dependency. The study's purpose was to translate and culturally adapt the SAS short-version into the Persian language (SAS-SV-Pr), and evaluate its psychometric properties. Method : The SAS-SV translation used standardized procedures that involved double-forward and backward translations. A convenience sample, from three medical universities in the city of Teheran (n = 250 students), was recruited to complete the SAS-SV and the Internet Addiction Test (IAT). The content validity index (CVI) and the floor and ceiling effect were considered to evaluate content validity. To evaluate internal consistency and test-retest reliability, Cronbach's Alpha and the Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC2.1) were utilized respectively. Criterion validity was measured by calculating Pearson's correlation coefficient for the total scores of SAS-SV-Pr and IAT (Pearson's r correlation coefficient). Construct validity was evaluated using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and ratified with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results: During translation and cultural adaptation, only minor wording changes were performed. The correlation between the SAS-SV-Pr and IAT was good (r = 0.57), which determined validity. There was high internal consistency (α = 0.88), split-half reliability (0.84), composite reliability (CR) (0.78) and test-retest reliability (ICC (2.1) = 0.89). Subsequent EFA demonstrated an ambiguous factor structure, being border-line between one- and two-factors, which explained 50.28% of total variance. The CFA confirmed that the two-factor solution was preferred. Our data did not show floor or ceiling effects. Conclusion: The Persian SAS-SV is a two-factor structure outcome measure to evaluate the dependency of smartphone users. It has demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties for validity, reliability and factor structure, and is suitable for screening and research aims among Persian subjects.

Objective: Some children experience a significant deal of anxiety during the outbreak of COVID-19. Behavioral dimensions of the executive function appear to link to situational anxiety experience. Therefore, the primary aim of the present study is to investigate the relationship between self-related skills of executive functions and the level of anxiety in children (8-12-years-old) during the outbreak of COVID-19. Also, the secondary goal of this study is to predict the level of anxiety based on self-related skills of executive functions. Method : Parents of 300 children filled out the Barkley Deficits in Executive Functioning Scale (BDEFS) and the COVID-19 anxiety scale. Data were analyzed using correlation and path analysis. A significance level of less than 0.05 was set for all tests. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22 software. Results: Results demonstrated that self-related skills of executive functions can predict 28% of COVID-19 anxiety. The subscales of self-management (P < 0.015, t = 5.56), self-regulation (P < 0.011, t = 6.37), self-restraint (P < 0.035, t = 4.29) and emotional self-organization (P < 0.042, P = 0.222) predicted coronavirus anxiety, but self-motivation (P < 0.05, P = 0.894) did not. Conclusion: Given that most subscales of executive function predict anxiety tied to critical situations such as the prevalence of the corona virus, it seems that greater attention should be allocated to the fostering and development of children's executive functions by teaching such skills at home by families.

Objective: The aim is to determine the relationship between academic procrastination, depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation in students of the Faculty of Health Sciences. Method : It was a non-experimental and cross-sectional study of correlational scope. The non-probabilistic convenience sample, made up of 578 participants between 16 and 30 years old (69% female), completed the Academic Procrastination Scale, the Positive and Negative Suicidal Ideation Inventory (PANSI) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). Frequencies and percentages were estimated at a descriptive level, the partial correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression were utilized to examine the associations between academic procrastination and suicidal ideation. Results: Subjects with a higher score of academic procrastination and BDI-II reported higher scores for suicidal ideation than those with a lower score (P < 0.01). A positive significant relationship was found between total academic procrastination and its subscales and suicidal ideation (P < 0.01). This correlation remained significant after controlling for depression (P < 0.05). Moreover, multiple linear regression revealed that academic procrastination, its subscales and depressive symptoms could explain about 20% of the total suicidal ideation in university students (R² = 0.198). Conclusion: Increased levels of academic procrastination increase suicidal ideation in college students during the pandemic. These results suggest the need to create interventions for the prevention of this problem in the fields of educational and public health.

Objective: Childhood trauma is associated with many major short-term and lifelong consequences, such as deterioration of mental health, higher frequency of affective dysregulation, changes in consciousness and attention, personality disorders, etc. Therefore, this study aims to examine childhood trauma as a possible factor in the incidence of high risk behaviors in adolescents with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Method : 120 individuals aged 12-18 years were selected based on purposive sampling and included in the research group (including 60 BPD adolescents and 60 non-BPD adolescents). After receiving ethical approval from official institutions, data was collected from the participants through demographic, childhood trauma, sexual addiction screening, eating attitudes, RAFFT, and suicidal behavior questionnaires. The collected data was analyzed using chi-square test, independent t-test, prevalence, odds ratio and correlation analyses using the SPSS V21.0 software. Results: All adolescents with BPD had experienced some forms of psychotraumatic events in childhood. The BPD group experienced more traumatic events than the non-BPD group (P < 0.05). After controlling for gender, age and years of education, all differences remained significant. Furthermore, statistically significant correlations were found between the scores of the emotional abuse and eating disorders scales in the group of girls with BPD (r = 0.788, P < 0.01). Moderate correlations were discovered between emotional abuse and suicidal behaviors in boys with BPD (r = 0.641, P < 0.01). Moreover, it was found that the most significant factors in the formation of addictive behaviors among adolescents with BPD were emotional abuse (r = 0.527) and emotional neglect (r = 0.513, P < 0.05). Conclusion: These findings reinforce the role of childhood trauma in the formation of BPD symptoms during adolescence. Successful detection of the earliest risk factors in the form of childhood trauma and its different forms can provide specific high risk behavior targets for early intervention.