International Journal of Applied Behavioral Sciences
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Exploring the Impact of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Cognitive Flexibility and Interpersonal Forgiveness among Individuals Recovered from COVID-19
Get PDFBackground and Aim:Covid-19 caused many psychological problems. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy on cognitive flexibility and interpersonal forgiveness in individuals who have recovered from the virus.
Materials and Methods:A semi-experimental research design with pre-test, post-test, and follow-up assessments was employed, including a control group. The statistical population consisted of all COVID-19 patients who sought treatment at hospitals in MASKED FOR REVIEW in 2022. By availability sampling method, 30 individuals were selected and assigned to the experimental group (n=15) and the control group (n=15). The experimental group underwent nine sessions of cognitive-behavioral therapy. Data collection instruments included the Cognitive Flexibility Questionnaire by Dennis and Vander Wall (2010) and the Interpersonal Forgiveness Questionnaire by Ehtshamzadeh.Covariance analysis was employed to analyze the data, and repeated measures analysis of variance was used to assess the stability of the treatment effects.
Results:The research findings demonstrated that cognitive-behavioral therapy significantly enhanced cognitive flexibility (η² = 0.77, F = 80.71, P = 0.001) and interpersonal forgiveness (η² = 0.72, F = 60.95, P = 0.001) in individuals who have recovered from COVID-19.
Conclusion:It can be concluded that cognitive-behavioral therapy is an effective treatment for improving cognitive flexibility and interpersonal forgiveness in individuals recovered from COVID-19. This can be explained by CBT's ability to reduce cognitive rigidity, promote adaptive thinking, and enhance emotional regulation, which helps individuals forgive others and cope better with the psychological effects of the illness
Comparing the Effectiveness of Compassion Focused Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on the Pain Metaphorical Perception in Patients with Musculoskeletal Pain: Comparing the Effectiveness of Compassion Focused Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on the Pain Metaphorical Perception in Patients with Musculoskeletal Pain
No full textBackground and Aim: Pain is expressed in conceptual metaphors, because it has abstract nature. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of compassion focused therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy on pain metaphorical perception in patients with musculoskeletal pain.
Materials and Methods: The method of this study was semi-experimental with a pre-test-post-test-follow-up design with a control group. The statistical population of this research included all patients with musculoskeletal pain who were referred to physical medicine and rehabilitation clinics in Tehran from January to the end of June 2024. Based on this, 45 patients with musculoskeletal pain were selected as candidates, and available, and two experimental groups and one control group (15 people in each group) were chosen by matching randomized method. All three groups responded to the Pain Metaphorical Perception Questionnaire (2024) in the pre-test, post-test, and follow-up stages. The compassion focused therapy program was implemented in eight sessions on the first experimental group and acceptance and commitment therapy conducted in nine sessions on the second experimental group, for an hour and a half weekly. The control group received no intervention. Data were analyzed using SPSS-26.
Results: The findings indicated that compassion focused therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy promote the pain metaphorical perception of patients with musculoskeletal pain (F=43.34), and the effect of both treatments continues over time (P=0.001).
Conclusion: It seems; Third-wave cognitive therapies such as compassion focused therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy can alter the psychological and cognitive-verbal aspects of pain
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Attachment-based Play Therapy on Emotional Self-Regulation in Female Students with ADHD Combined Type and their Mothers’ Parental Self-Efficacy: A Case Study: A single case design study
No full textBackground and Aim: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent childhood disorders with significant consequences. This study examined the effectiveness of attachment-based play therapy on emotional self-regulation in female students with ADHD (combined type) and their mothers' parental self-efficacy.
Materials and Methods: This semi-experimental, single-subject study employed an A-B baseline approach. Four female students (ages 7–9) with combined-type ADHD symptoms in Isfahan City (2023–2024) participated in this study. Initially, they were given the necessary informed consent, and ethical approval was acquired. The DSM-5-TR diagnostic criteria, the Revised Conners Scale for Parents, and a diagnostic interview were applied to select samples. Data collection was conducted using the Emotional Regulation Checklist and Domka’s Parental Self-Efficacy Questionnaire. Students and their mothers completed eight therapy sessions (45 minutes each). Data analysis used percentage improvement and Cohen’s d effect size. The study ran from January 2023 to May 2024 without financial support.
Results: Emotional self-regulation improved significantly (effect size: post-test = 1.30; follow-up = 1.51), as did parental self-efficacy (post-test = 1.24; follow-up = 0.95). Given that: - Effect size < 0.2 = minimal impact, - 0.5 = moderate effect, - ≥0.8 = strong effect, results confirm Theraplay’s effectiveness.
Conclusion: Theraplay strengthens mother-child bonds, fostering secure attachment. It enhances children’s emotional regulation, social skills, and overall development, alleviating maternal stress and improving parental self-efficacy. The findings confirm Theraplay’s potential as a powerful intervention for female students with ADHD and their mothers
The Effectiveness of Narrative Therapy in Improving Academic Vitality and Resilience of Students with Mother Heads of Households
Get PDFBackground and Aim: Social and psychological problems, such as academic failure and discouragement, can impose significant financial and social costs on families and society if the issues faced by students with head-of-household women are not addressed. The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of narrative therapy in improving the resilience and vitality of students with head-of-household women.
Materials and Methods: The study employed a semi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest approach and a control group. The statistical population consisted of all female students with head-of-household women in the second-grade high schools in Isfahan City during the academic year 2022-2023. According to the convenience sampling method, 30 students were selected as the statistical sample, with 15 randomly assigned to the experimental group and 15 to the control group. Data collection was performed using the Academic Vitality Scale and the Resilience Scale. White and Epston's (1990) narrative therapy program consisted of eight one-hour sessions, held twice a week, for the experimental group after the implementation of the questionnaires. Univariate analysis of covariance (ANOVA) was also utilized to test the hypotheses.
Results: Narrative therapy training was effective in increasing the academic vitality and resilience of students, particularly those from households headed by women, and students in the experimental group had significantly higher academic vitality and resilience than those in the control group at the post-test.
Conclusion: Based on the results of the present research, narrative therapy training is efficacious in improving the resilience and happiness of students with head-of-household women, and this training can help address their problems. Furthermore, the counselors' and specialists' knowledge about this therapy can be helpful
Investigating the effectiveness of emotion regulation-based treatment on worry, emotion regulation and psychological flexibility in patients with generalized anxiety disorder: a case study
Get PDFBackground and Aim: Generalized anxiety disorder is a disorder with comparable functional impairment to major depression and a poorer quality of life than major depression. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effectiveness of an emotion regulation-based treatment on emotion regulation, psychological flexibility, and the experiences of patients with generalized anxiety disorder.
Materials and Methods: The study was carried out in the form of a case study with 5 patients with generalized anxiety disorder. The treatment consisted of 12 90-minute sessions and was carried out individually. Questionnaires on Difficulty in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), Acceptance and Commitment Questionnaire (AAQ) and Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) were used to measure outcome variables.
Results: The results showed that according to visual analysis of data graphs and descriptive statistics index, the intervention was effective for each of the five subjects.
Conclusion: Based on these findings, it can be concluded that emotion regulation-based treatment is a useful strategy for enhancing psychological flexibility, anxiety, and emotion regulation in patients with generalized anxiety disorder. It can also be concluded that deficiencies in these areas are a significant contributing factor to the development of generalized anxiety disorder
Comparison of the Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Intervention and Pharmacotherapy on Anxiety Disorders in Children with Cancer
Get PDFBackground and Objective: Anxiety is one of the common psychological problems among children with cancer. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of mindfulness-based intervention and pharmacotherapy in managing anxiety disorders in children with cancer.
Materials and Methods: This semi-experimental study utilized a two-group pretest-posttest design. The study population included all children with cancer (aged 5 to 12 years) admitted to Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran in 2023. A total of 32 children were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to two groups: pharmacotherapy (n=16) and mindfulness-based intervention (n=16). Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (1998). The data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA).
Results:The findings indicated that the anxiety scores of participants in both the pharmacotherapy and mindfulness-based intervention groups significantly decreased after receiving the respective interventions (P < 0.001). Furthermore, a comparison of the effectiveness of the two interventions revealed that the mean scores for separation anxiety, social anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder showed greater reductions in the pharmacotherapy group, while generalized anxiety demonstrated a more pronounced reduction in the mindfulness-based intervention group.
Conclusion:Both pharmacotherapy and mindfulness-based intervention contribute to the improvement of anxiety disorders in children with cancer. However, pharmacotherapy is more effective in reducing separation anxiety, social anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms, while mindfulness-based intervention is more effective in alleviating generalized anxiety.
 
Prediction of Creative Self-Efficacy Based on Innovative Thinking, Brain-Behavioral Systems, and the Mediating Role of Cognitive-Emotional Self-Regulation and Creative Problem-Solving in Teenage Girls in Tehran
Get PDFBackground and Aim: Nowadays, educational systems in every country strive to identify creative, innovative, and efficient students to harness their cognitive and emotional capacities in addressing significant societal challenges. In this context, conducting studies in various educational sciences has become a necessity. The present study aimed to predict creative self-efficacy based on creative thinking, behavioral brain systems, and the mediating roles of cognitive-emotional self-regulation and creative problem-solving among adolescent girls in Tehran.
Materials and Methods: This research was conducted with a fundamental purpose and employed a descriptive-correlational path analysis approach. The statistical population included all female high school students in Tehran during the 2023-2024 academic year. A sample of 221 students was selected using a cluster sampling method. Data collection tools included the Carver and White Behavioral Inhibition/Activation System Questionnaire (1994), the short form of the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire by Garnefski and Kraaij (2006), Beghetto's Creative Self-Efficacy Scale (2006), Carter's Creative Thinking Questionnaire (2009), and Basadur's Creative Problem-Solving Scale (1999). Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with AMOS 24 and SPSS 27 was used to evaluate the proposed model.
Results: Findings indicated a satisfactory fit between the proposed model and the data. Path analysis results showed that behavioral inhibition and activation systems, as well as creative thinking, explained 16% of the variance in maladaptive cognitive-emotional self-regulation strategies, 33% of the variance in adaptive cognitive-emotional self-regulation strategies, and 38% of the variance in creative problem-solving. Furthermore, behavioral brain systems, creative thinking, adaptive and maladaptive self-regulation strategies, and creative problem-solving together explained 39% of the variance in creative self-efficacy.
Conclusion: The results of this study underscore the simultaneous importance of strengthening cognitive-emotional skills and behavioral brain systems in enhancing creative self-efficacy among adolescents, as well as in designing effective educational and developmental interventions to promote creativity within the educational system. These findings may inform policymakers and educational planners in developing innovative skills among adolescents
The Transformative Power of Storytelling-Based Design Thinking: Using Diverse Feedback to Impact Aggression and Empathy in Students
Get PDFBackground and Aim: In recent decades, school aggression has increased dramatically, and the use of new practical approaches, such as design thinking, has increased. Therefore, this research was conducted to achieve more objective and comparable results to previous research and to investigate the effect of educational intervention based on design thinking using storytelling on aggression and empathy with feedback adjustment.
Materials and Methods: The researchers administered the Aggression and Empathy Scale to 120 students at a public school in Tehran. After evaluating the initial results, selected students (n: 80) were randomly assigned into four groups. Designing and implementing an intervention program Positive results were obtained by implementing a one-semester intervention program based on design thinking and storytelling which incorporated diverse feedback for one semester.
Results: The results showed that training based on the design thinking approach using storytelling effectively reduces aggression and increases empathy. Feedback also moderates this relationship. The results of the MANOVA test for aggression F=8.214, η2 = 0.250 showed a significant difference in students' performance after the intervention program. Also, empathy data F(1, 72) = 6.712, η2 = 0.214 confirmed the difference in empathy levels after training. (p< 0.05).
Conclusion: Design thinking using thinking and creativity skills as an innovative and promising educational approach can influence positive outcomes for children's social and emotional development. The study also underscores how feedback can be used to shape students' behavior and feelings, making it relevant to teachers and those involved in policy-making concerning education
Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy on Depression, Anxiety, Negative Autonomic Thoughts, and Coping Strategies of Students
Get PDFBackground and Aim: Students often struggle with multiple mental health issues, and there is a need for effective, short-term treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most effective and well-known treatment approaches. The present study aims to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy on depression, anxiety, negative autonomic thoughts, and coping strategies in students of Payam Noor University of Ilam.
Materials and Methods: The research approach utilized was a quasi-experimental study characterized by a pre-test-post-test design alongside a control group. The statistical population for this study comprised all students enrolled at Payam Noor University of Ilam during the academic year 2023-2024. Among them, 30 people were selected purposefully and randomly assigned to two experimental (15 people) and control (15 people) groups. The research tools included the Beck Depression Inventory (second edition), Spielberg Anxiety Inventory, Negative Autonomic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ), and Endler and Parker Coping Strategies Questionnaire (1990). Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) was used as an intervention method.
Results: The findings of the analysis of variance with control of pre-test scores showed that the difference between symptoms of depression, anxiety, negative automatic thoughts, and coping strategies of the experimental and control groups was statistically significant (p<0.05). Therefore, cognitive behavioral therapy reduced symptoms of depression, anxiety, and negative automatic thoughts, and increased the number of coping strategies in students of Payame Noor University of Ilam in the experimental group compared to the control group in the post-test phase. The results showed that the eta square or the effect coefficient indicated that cognitive behavioral therapy caused (63% reduction in symptoms of depression, 32% reduction in anxiety, 21% reduction in negative automatic thoughts, and 24% increase in coping strategies) in students of Payame Noor University of Ilam.
Conclusion: Therefore, it can be said that cognitive behavioral therapy can reduce problems related to students' mental health, including depression, anxiety, negative automatic thoughts, and coping strategies. It is recommended that university counselors use this approach to educate, prevent, and treat students
The Role of Basic Needs and Family Emotional Climate in Predicting Tendency toward Addiction with the Mediating Role of Sensation Seeking in Adolescents
No full textBackground and Aim: The present study aims to investigate the role of basic needs and family emotional climate in predicting addiction tendency, with the mediating role of sensation seeking in adolescents.
Materials and Methods: This study was descriptive research of correlational type. The statistical population included all first-year high school students in Khoy County during the 2024–2025 academic year. After selecting the sample, the following questionnaires were administered: Substance Use Tendency Questionnaire, Family Emotional Climate Scale, Basic Needs Questionnaire, and Sensation Seeking Questionnaire. Pearson correlation tests, multiple regression analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM) were conducted using SPSS-28 and LISREL software for data analysis.
Results: Findings showed that out of 225 participants, 35% were female and 65% were male, with the 15-year-old age group having the highest number of participants. The results of structural equation modeling indicated that all direct and indirect paths in the research model were significant (p < 0.001). Path coefficients revealed that identity crisis had a positive and significant effect on suicidal thoughts (β = 0.42, t = 6.21), avoidant attachment style had a positive and significant relationship with suicidal thoughts (β = 0.39, t = 5.88), and self-concealment played a mediating role in this relationship (β = 0.28, t = 4.97).
Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that sensation seeking mediates the relationship between family emotional atmosphere, the fulfillment of basic needs, and the tendency toward addiction. Accordingly, strengthening the family’s emotional environment and providing sensation-seeking management training can be effective in preventing addiction tendencies