Search

Dispersive micro solid-phase extraction is a sample preparation procedure under the principles of green chemistry with the need for a small sample solution, little sorbent, low desorption solvent, and a proper extraction time. A selective and straightforward microextraction procedure based on dispersive micro solid-phase extraction was introduced to simultaneously separate and preconcentrate three nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as naproxen, diclofenac, and paracetamol in human biological samples. The sorbent was prepared using Fe3O4/GO nanocomposite as a sorbent magnetic core, modified with a cationic surfactant (cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide) through an in situ physical modification. In the procedure, the sorbent surface modification and analyte extraction were performed at one step in the sample solution, leading to a simple sorbent modification and reduced analyte determination. The Influential parameters on the extraction of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were optimized based on one factor at a time technique. The procedure showed proper linearity of 0.015–100.0, 0.015–150.0, and 0.12–150.0 µg mL−1 for the determination of paracetamol, naproxen, and diclofenac in water samples with an excellent R2 (≥ 0.9937) and suitable enrichment factors (≥ 69.4), respectively. Besides, the detection limit and quantitation limit for the drug measurement were lower than 0.04 and 0.12 µg mL−1, respectively. Intra- and inter-day RSDs for five times determinations of naproxen, diclofenac, and paracetamol with three concentrations of 1.0, 10.0, and 50.0 µg mL−1 were determined and were in the ranges of 3.15–4.01% and 4.97–6.94%, respectively. Under the optimal conditions, the procedure was utilized to analyze human urine samples, indicating high recoveries in the range of 92.0–102.2% and appropriate relative standard deviations (≤ 4.47%) to analyze the biological samples to determine NSAIDs.

Millions of adolescents around the world lost their loved ones due to the COVID-19 pandemic; at the same time, health protocols in many countries do not allow mourners to practice their familiar rituals around death and dying. This study explored the experience of 15 Iranian adolescents who had lost their parent(s) during the pandemic through a phenomenological approach. Two main themes including distress in a shattered life and crisis in crisis were extracted from the interviews. Findings highlight the importance of immediate and alternative ways of support for adolescents who lost their parents during the pandemic.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of compassion focused (CFT) and acceptance commitment (ACT) combined therapy with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), on psychological well-being in women with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Materials and Methods: This is quasi-experimental. This study consists of three groups (two experimental and one control groups) and three stages (pre-test, post-test, and follow up). The statistical population was all T2DM women of Shahid Shabani Diabetes Center in Isfahan, Iran in 2017. The studied sample was 47 patients who were randomly distributed in three groups. The experimental group received a combination of the package of ACT and CFT for ten weekly two-hour sessions, the CBT group received ten weekly two-hour sessions of therapeutic intervention and the control group did not receive any therapeutic interventions. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance with repeated measurements using SPSS-24 software. Results: The results showed that the scores of experimental groups participants in the post test of compassion therapy-ACT and CBT improved significantly compared to the control group in self-acceptance, positive relationships with others, purposeful life, individual development, environmental dominance and autonomy subscales (P-value= 0.001) .There exist a significant difference between the experimental group of compassion focused- ACT combined therapy and CBT in self-acceptance, positive relationships with others, purposeful life and individual -development subscales (P-value< 0.001). Conclusion: Based on the findings, the combination therapy of compassion focused – ACT and CBT can be used to promote psychological well-being in diabetic patients.

Introduction: Gender dysphoria is defined as the sustained desire for or insistence on belonging to the opposite sex as well as considerable discomfort with the assigned gender and gender role. Aim: The present study aimed to examine the role of early maladaptive schemata as cognitive factors, and the role of difficulty in emotion regulation as emotional factors in the emergence of gender dysphoria in transgender men. Method: This is a descriptive correlational study. The statistical population included all men with gender dysphoria, visiting the Iranian Legal Medicine Organization of Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran, from 2014 to 2016, in order to follow legal proceedings for gender reassignment. Fifty participants were selected via convenience sampling, gave informed consent, and completed three questionnaires: the Gratz and Roemer’s Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), the Young’s Early Maladaptive Schema Questionnaire-Short Form, and the Gender Identity Disorder Questionnaire. Data were analyzed in SPSS using Pearson’s correlation and simultaneous multivariate regression. Results: Based on the regression analysis, the most important variable in emotion regulation was limited access to emotion regulation strategies. Moreover, with regard to early maladaptive schemata, mistrust and emotional inhibition were found to predict gender dysphoria in transsexual men. Conclusion: Results revealed that the simultaneous role of cognitive and emotional factors is significant in the emergence of gender dysphoria in transsexual men.

The current study was performed with the aim of the psychometric evaluation of a questionnaire for measuring factors related to women's mental health in an earthquake. This descriptive instrumental study was carried out on a population of 378 women with an earthquake experience in Kerman Province, Iran, in 2017-2018. The formal validity, content validity, criterion validity, factor analysis, and reliability of the questionnaire were measured using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Moreover, descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlation coefficient were used to report data. In the content validity stage, 34out of 85 items of the questionnaire were eliminated. In the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) stage, 2 items out of the remaining 51 items were removed due to weak factor loading and 49 items were defined in 6 factors. The convergent and divergent validities of the questionnaire were confirmed in relation to the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) (r = -0.23

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.

Background Among cardiac patients, positive psychologic factors are consistently linked with superior clinical outcomes and improvement in key markers of inflammation and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning. Further, positive psychology interventions (PPI) have effectively increased psychologic well-being in a wide variety of populations. However, there has been minimal study of PPIs in cardiac patients, and no prior study has evaluated their effect on key prognostic biomarkers of cardiac outcome. Accordingly, we investigated the effect of 3 distinct PPIs on risk biomarkers in cardiac patients. Methods In an exploratory trial, 69 patients with recent coronary artery bypass graft surgery or percutaneous intervention were randomized to (1) one of three 6-week in-person PPIs (based on the work of Seligman, Lyubomirsky, or Fordyce) or (2) a wait-list control group. Risk biomarkers were assessed at baseline, postintervention (7 weeks), and at 15-week follow-up. Between-group differences in change from baseline biomarker levels were examined via random effects models. Results Compared with the control group, participants randomized to the Seligman ( B = −2.06; p = 0.02) and Fordyce PPI ( B = −1.54; p = 0.04) had significantly lower high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels at 7 weeks. Further, the Lyubomirsky PPI ( B = −245.86; p = 0.04) was associated with a significantly lower cortisol awakening response at 7 weeks when compared with control participants. There were no other significant between-group differences. Conclusion Despite being an exploratory pilot study with multiple between-group comparisons, this initial trial offers the first suggestion that PPIs might be effective in reducing risk biomarkers in high-risk cardiac patients.

Background Positive psychologic characteristics have been linked to superior cardiac outcomes. Objective Accordingly, in this exploratory study, we assessed positive psychology interventions in patients who had recently undergone a procedure to treat cardiovascular disease. Method Participants were randomly assigned to receive 1 of 3 different 6-week face-to-face interventions or a wait-list control condition. We assessed intervention feasibility and compared changes in psychologic outcome measures postintervention (7wk) and at follow-up (15wk) between intervention and control participants. Across the interventions, 74% of assigned sessions were completed. Results When comparing outcomes between interventions and control participants ( N = 55 total), there were no between-group differences post-intervention, but at follow-up intervention participants had greater improvements in happiness ( β = 14.43, 95% CI: 8.66–20.2, p β = −3.87, 95% CI: −7.72 to 0.02, p = 0.049), and hope ( β = 7.12, 95% CI: 1.25–13.00, p =0.017), with moderate-large effect sizes. Efficacy of the 3 interventions was similar. Conclusions Future studies are needed to identify an optimal positive psychology intervention for cardiac patients.

Early onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder in childhood is bad news. That is why designing and testing various interventions that target this disorder at an early age is very important. In this regard, the present study aims to study the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral group therapy on children with obsessive-compulsive disorder. This quasi-experimental study consisted of pre-test, post-test, and follow-up stages. Out of the population of children 6 to 12 years old with obsessive-compulsive disorder referring to psychological counseling centers in Isfahan, 30 individuals were selected. Then they were randomly divided into two groups of experimental group who received cognitive behavioral therapy and control group. The experimental group received 12 sessions of group therapy intervention based on cognitive-behavioral model on a weekly basis. Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale was filled by the subjects in pre-test, post-test, and follow-up stages. Analysis of variance with repeated measures was used to analyze the data. The results showed that cognitive-behavioral group therapy in all areas of obsession and compulsion of time, interference, discomfort, resistance, and control had a significant impact (α˂ 0.01 ). The results obtained in this study show the effectiveness of group therapy and group interventions in addition to other privileges of them. Key words : obsessive-compulsive disorder, group therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, child, mother

Objectives The purpose of this study was to construction and validity and reliability of a survey about marital pathology a couple of women had symptoms of obsessive-compulsive personality. Methods The method that was used for this survey was combination of exploratory research that was conducted in two steps. The first step was a qualitative factors discovery analysis one which included 15 semi-structured interviews with women with symptoms of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder and husbands, 14 semi-structured interviews with family experts and clinical psychologists and psychiatrists and review of scientific resources. Related articles were gathered based on qualitative content analysis. In the second phase, the validity and reliability of the data collection instrument were investigated. The statistical population consisted of all married women with obsessive-compulsive symptoms referring to counseling centers in Isfahan and their husbands. Results The research sample consisted of 70 married women with obsessive-compulsive symptoms and their husbands (140 participants) who were selected via the purposive sampling technique. Factor analysis was conducted through the SPSS software program. The research findings indicated that the questionnaire has six factors including extreme perfectionism, extreme concern, algebraic and focused (non-participatory) control, extreme sensitivity to affairs, coldness and sexual dysfunction, inflexibility. The results of factor analysis revealed a significant percentage of variance of the study variable by factors. As a result, the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the total test was obtained as 0.96. Conclusions The scale enjoyed high levels of validity and reliability which contribute to obtaining factors and has the ability of identifying marital pathology of women with symptoms of obsessive-compulsive personality in clinical and couple researches.

Aim of the workIllness perception is considered to be an important contributor in the relationship between physical and psychological factors in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study examined the mediational role of illness perceptions in the relationship between depression and pain in RA.Patients and methodsIllness perception, depression and pain were assessed in 100 adults with RA (72 females and 28 males). Patients were asked to complete 4 questionnaires including socio-demographic data form, depression subscale of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (Brief-IPQ) and Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain Scale (RAPS). Using the Baron and Kenny approach and Sobel tests, the mediation of illness perceptions in the relationship between depression and pain symptoms was examined.ResultsSixty-six RA patients (66%) endorsed a clinically significant level of depression (HADS 12.94±5.39). The mean RAPS was 41.97±23.45 (range=4–91.93). Depression symptoms were significantly associated with perceived pain (r=−0.57, p

Background Using Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) is a stressful experience marked by lengthy and invasive medical procedures, high financial cost and relatively low success rate. Adoption is considered as one of the infertility treatment methods that can have great impact on healing emotional problems of infertile couples and can improve their relationship. Objectives The current study aimed to investigate infertility-related stress and adoption in Iranian Infertile females with a history of ART failure, during year 2015. Methods This was a cross sectional study in which 30 Iranian infertile females, 30 to 45 years old, with primary infertility of five years or more, and history of ART failure, were investigated. Data collection instruments included the questionnaire of infertility and demographic factors, fertility problem inventory (FPI) and adoption questionnaire. The data were analyzed by SPSS V22, using descriptive statistics and Pearson test to assess possible correlations. Results The mean of the total score of infertility stress of the participants was 186.1 ± 29.46 (moderate to high). All participants showed some level of infertility stress. The mean score of adoption was 38.4 ± 3.73 (moderate acceptance), 53.33% of which showed moderate acceptance. There was no relationship between infertility stress and adoption (correlation = - 0.13, P = 0.48). Conclusions Infertile females with a history of unsuccessful ART had a high level of infertility stress and moderate acceptance of adoption. We must pay more attention to psychological aspects of infertility and failure of treatment. There is an obvious need to increase society awareness about adoption and promote “adoption” as a sensible choice to form a family.

In order to administer this study 30 epileptic girls. were selected, via random cluster sampling method. The design was comparative experimental and control group in pre-test, post test and after 3 month follow-up. Training based on Boston Program University. The instrument was SCL_90_R scale. Data was analyzed by Covariance analysis. mean scores of Aggression, in the post test and follow-up was significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group(P

Background According to the fact that women account for the highest rate of victims of mental health loss during disasters, prioritization of their requirements is of remarkable significance. Therefore, the present study was carried out with the aim to prioritize factors related to women's mental health during an earthquake. Methods This study was conducted using the Delphi method in 2017. Participants consisted of experts including psychologists, counselors and psychiatrists, social medicine specialists, and psychiatric-mental health nurses with experience in service and disaster awareness, especially earthquake. They were selected using purposive and snowball sampling methods. The Delphi method was used in 2 rounds with 21 components and the final attendance of 19 participants and the collective agreement of 75%. Results Of the 21 factors related to women's mental health during the earthquake, the following components were, respectively, preferred by the participants: psychological well-being training, group relationships and support of women in emergency situations, fair treatment in the provision of rights and services to women, crisis awareness and management of behavior and difficult conditions, and social security during disasters with the total mean standard deviation (SD) of 13.4 (2.4), 13.0 (2.4), 12.7 (2.5), 12.5 (2.4), and 12.3 (2.2), respectively. Conclusion Training in the field of psychology and disasters, and social and cultural factors were prioritized among factors related to women's mental health during an earthquake. Therefore, the results of this study can be applied by the planners and executives of mental health, women and disasters, and the women's community itself.

International audience; Previous research has provided evidence on the effectiveness of CBT in the symptomatic improvement of children with obsessive–compulsive disorders. There is also increasing recognition of the importance of involving parents and families in treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term effectiveness of such an intervention that promoted family strengths [(quality of life therapy (QoLT)] for mothers of children with obsessive–compulsive disorders (OCD). The sample consisted of 40 children with OCD and their mothers, who had been referred to clinics in Esfahan city in Iran. Mothers were randomly allocated to an experimental (QoLT) and waiting list control group. Mothers participated in eight QoLT group sessions over 4 weeks. QoLT incorporated CBT techniques in managing OCD symptoms. Measures were completed pre- and post-intervention by both groups. Children completed the Yale–Brown obsession compulsion scale for Children, the Revised children's manifest anxiety scale, and the brief multidimensional student's life satisfaction scale; mothers completed the quality of life inventory (QoLI). QoLT was associated with decrease in OCD and anxiety symptoms and increase in children's satisfaction in the global, family and environment domains, as well as with increased QoLI scores in their mothers. Parenting interventions like QoLT can complement individual modalities such as CBT in the presence of family-related difficulties. This can be particularly applicable in countries and settings with limited resources and high stigma of child mental health problems.

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to gain a deeper understanding of interactional pathology among couples with the morbidly jealous male partners by examining the lived experiences of 5 female partners. The study attempted to answer the main research question which was, "How do women experience their communication with their morbidly jealous husbands?" along with some sub questions in different dimensions of marital life. The major data collection tool consisted of semi-structured interviews (Seidman, 2013). Forty to sixty-minute interviews were conducted with each participant. Data analysis included a three-phase process: description, reduction, and interpretation. The latter was completed using the qualitative content analysis by Colaizzi (Colaizzi, 1973). Four categories of lived experiences indicating interactional difficulty among the couples were obtained from the data analysis. These interactional damageswere evident in the experiences of all the women interviewed and consisted of themes related to boundaries, control, intimacy and ‘meta-damages’. The results of the study revealed that the damages begin with those related to boundaries, develop to control and intimacy rooted in meta-damages and finally terminate marital relationships.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain a deeper understanding of interactional pathology among couples with the borderline personality female partners by examining the experiences of 10 men/male partners. This main inquiry question is/can be stated as follows; “How do men experienced their communication with their partner who has been diagnosed as displaying traits/characteristics?”. The latter was supplemented by various sub questions exploring the different dimensions of marital life. The major data collection tool was semi-structured interviews. Forty to 60-minute interviews were conducted with each participant. Data analysis included a three-phase process: description, reduction, and interpretation. The latter was completed using the qualitative content analysis by Colaizzi (1978).six categories of experiences indicating interactional difficulty among the couples were obtained from the data analysis. Marital communication pathology, interpersonal pathology, destructive cognition, destructive relations with children, relationship problems due to economical impulse control and social impulse control sense and descriptions may need attention. The results of inquiry determined that the root of interactional pathology can be ascribed to’ instability’. As regard the results it can be said the men with border line personality disorder wives endure interactional pathologies that finally they cause collapsing their family sentence needs attention.

Depression and fatigue are common symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) and are the primary determinants of impaired quality of life in this demyelinating neurological disease. Untreated depression is associated with suicidal ideation, impaired cognitive function and poor adherence to immunomodulatory treatment. For these reasons, systematic screening and management of depressive symptoms and fatigue is recommended for all patients with MS. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of neurofeedback in treating depression and fatigue in persons with MS. We conducted a randomized trial with 24 MS patients with primary fatigue and depression. Participants were randomized into two groups: neurofeedback training group (16 sessions of NFB) or treatment as usual. Participants were evaluated at 3 time points (baseline, end of the treatment, and 2-month follow-up) using the Fatigue Severity Scale and Depression subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale as outcome measures. A repeated measures analysis of variance was used to examine differences between the groups. NFB significantly reduced symptoms of depression and fatigue in patients with MS patients, compared to treatment as usual (p < .05), and these effects were maintained the 2-month follow-up (p < .05).

Cognitive models of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) suggested that dysfunctional beliefs have important role in the etiology and maintenance of this disorder. However, empirical evidence in support of this notion is limited and inconsistent. The aim of current study was to compare scores obtained from the obsessive beliefs questionnaire (OBQ-44) and its subscales in 59 patients with OCD and 54 healthy subjects. OBQ-44 developed by the Obsessive-Compulsive Cognitions Working Group (OCCWG, 2001). All OCD patients were diagnosed using interview based on DSM-IV-TR and completed the Yale-brown obsessive-compulsive scale (YBOCS). Healthy sample was selected from family members of OCD patients. All subjects completed OBQ-44 and Beck depression inventory (BDI). Findings demonstrated that, consistent with predictions, that both OCD and healthy groups had significant differences in scores obtained from OBQ-44 (P