Journal of counseling research

Comparing Cognitive Flexibility, Psychological Capital and Coping Strategies with Pain between Individuals with COVID-19 Responding and Non-Responding to Home Treatment

Asghar Jafari

Aim: The present study aimed to compare cognitive flexibility, psychological capital and coping strategies with pain between individuals with COVID-19 responding and non-responding to home treatment. Methods: Methodology for this study was ex-post facto. Population included individuals with COVID-19 who responded or did not respond to home treatment in city of Tehran. Using snowball sampling, 87 individuals responding to home treatment and 92 individuals who did not responde to home treatment were selected and completed the questionnaires of Dennis and VanderWal (2010), flexibility, Luthans et al’s cognitive psychological capital (2007), and Rosenstiel and Keefe’s coping strategies with pain (1985). Data were analyzed using MANOVA. Results: There was significant difference between cognitive flexibility, psychological capital, and coping strategies with pain between the groups of responding and non-responding to home treatment (P<0.01). Catastrophazing-type of coping strategy was less in group of responding to home treatment than group of non-responding to home treatment, but cognitive flexibility, self-efficacy, hopefulness, resiliency, optimistic, and coping strategies of diverting attention, reinterpretation of pain, ignoring pain, self-talk, pray-hopefulness, and increase of behavior in group of responding to home treatment were higher than the non-responding group. Conclusion: Cognitive flexibility, psychological capital, and coping strategies with pain effect responding to home treatment of COVID-19. The results provide evidence that applying the interventions of prevention and treatment based on positive psychology as improving cognitive flexibility, psychological capital and efficient coping strategies can effect the procedure of home treatment and increase responding to COVID-19 treatment.

Prediction of the Tendency Toward Emotional Divorce based on Personality Traits, Metacognitive Beliefs and Emotional Maturity of Couples

Loghman Ebrahimi

Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between personality traits, emotional maturity, and meta-cognitive beliefs with the tendency toward emotional divorce in couples in city of Zanjan. Methods: This was a correlational research and the statistical population of the study consisted of married students who were studying at Zanjan University in the academic year of 2016-17. In this study, 150 married students were selected using available sampling method. Data were collected through McCrae and Costa Personality Questionnaire (1990), Singh and Bahargawa Emotional Maturity Questionnaire (1974), Wells Metacognitive Beliefs Questinnaire (2000), Gottman’s Emotional Divorce Questionnaire (2008). Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and multivariate regression. Results: Findings showed a negative significant relationship between personality characteristics of conscientiousness and acceptability with tendency to emotional divorce. A positive significant relationship was observed between personality characteristic of neuroticism and tendency toward emotional divorce (P <0.01). Moreover, the findings also showed a positive and significant positive correlation between emotional maturity and tendency for emotional divorce, and positive relationship between positive beliefs and tendency toward emotional divorce (P<0.01). Overall, acceptance and conscientiousness show a negative, while neuroticism and emotional maturity show a positive and significant tendency prediction towards emotional divorce. Conclusion: According to personality traits, emotional maturity and metacognitive belief variables related to emotional divorce, can be identified and used in psychological and counseling interventions for couples.

Validation and the Effectiveness of Life Skills Training (Self-awareness, Coping with Stress, Empathy) based on Native Culture on Happiness and Resilience of Divorced Women

ahmad borjali

Aim: The purpose of this study was to develop a life skills training based on native Iranian culture and to determine its effectiveness on the happiness and resilience of divorced women. Methods: The research method used was qualitative-quantitative. The statistical population for this research included all divorced women between the ages of 30 and 40 who referred to counseling and psychological services centers of city of Kerman in the first half of 1395 (Persian calendar), among whom 30 were selected thrgouh available sampling method and were randomly divided into two experimental and control groups (15 subjects each). To collect data, Conner and Davidson Resilience (2003) and Oxford Happiness (1989) Questionnaires were used. The training program was performed in 11 ninety-minute sessions in the experimental group, and the control group was placed in the waiting list. The results were analyzed using covariance analysis. Results: The findings showed that the content validity ratio (CVR) was calculated based on the Lavoshe method for 10 experts (0/83), and the content validity index (CVI) based on the Waltz and Bassel methods for this number was 0/80, and based on comparing these values with the acceptable value of both indicators, the content validity of the program is acceptable. Also, the results showed that life skills training had an impact on increasing the happiness and resiliency of the experimental group compared to the control group (p<0/01). Conclusion: According to the results, life skills program (self-awareness, coping with stress, empathy) based on indigenous culture is an appropriate and effective program for divorced women and its implementation can affect the happiness and resiliency of these individuals.

The Effectiveness of Theory-of-Mind Training on Social Skills of Students with Oppositional Defiance Disorder

safora salemi

Aim: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of theory of mind training on social skills of students with oppositional defiant disorder. Methods: The present research was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest and control group. Thirty students with oppositional defiant disorder were chosen through available sampling from among those referred to the cultural center of the city of Kermanshah in 2016, and randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. The tools used included the Gresham & Elliott and Elliott Social skills Grading Scale and the Sakuma Oppositional Defiance Disorder List. The experimental training group received theory-of-mind in 10 one-hour sessions. Data analysis was performed using covariance analysis. Results: In the post-test phase, the mean of social skills increased significantly in the experimental group, compared to the control group (P <0.01). Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that teaching the theory-of-mind is effective on the social skills of students with oppositional defiance disorder.

A Phenomenological Approach to Counselors’ Viewpoint Towards Islamic Counseling Centers

YASER MADANI

Aim: Counseling is one of the most important issues in our religious culture that has been addressed since the beginning of Islam and is mentioned in the Holy Quran and the words of the infallible. The main purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate counselors viewpoint towards Islamic counseling centers. Methods: In order to understand the life experiences of the clients, a qualitative research method was adopted with a phenomenological approach. The study population consisted of all counselors of Islamic counseling centers in city of Qom. For the purpose of sampling the counselors, several Islamic counseling centers were purposefully selected. Sampling continued until the theoretical saturation of the data was reached. Finally, 11 counselors were selected and semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data. Results: The data analysis was done through open coding and axial coding and resulted in 10 themes or categories from 89 open codings. The main themes included: 1) the sources of Islamic approach, 2) a different view of human foundations in Islamic psychology, 3) having a paradigm or worldview, 4) adapting the treatment approach to the client’s culture, 5) strategies to promote Islamic psychology, 6) the potential limitations of Islamic psychology approach, 7) main techniques in applying Islamic approach, 8) differences between the Islamic psychology and the Western approaches, 9) areas of effectiveness of Islamic psychology, and 10) today’s position of Islamic counseling centers. Results: Overall, based on the analysis of feedbacks, and despite different perspectives, it can be said that Islamic counseling approach has a positive and significant role in the process of counseling for clients.

The Role of Humor in Women's Resilience to the Psychological Pressures of the Quarantine During Corona Days

Asieh Shariatmadar

Objective: Resilience is a positive psychological component that focuses on individual abilities to cope with adverse life events. Several factors play a role in increasing resilience, including genetic, environmental, and educational backgrounds. Resilience can also play a boosting role for the immune system. Humor is a positive trait in life that some approaches, such as the psychoanalytic, see it as a defensive strategy against stress and a kind of relief. Researches shows that humor plays an important role in improving the function of the immune system against stress by improving resilience. The present study aimed to study the role of humor in women's resilience against the psychological pressures of quarantine days because of Covid-19 Virus qualitatively. Method: This study was conducted by studying the lived experiences of women during the outbreak of this pandemic, by phenomenological method. The research community included women who answered positively to the question of whether humor in quarantine played a role in your daily life. A purposeful sampling was used and 18 participants were interviewed until saturation. The research tools were semi-structured interviews and analysis of findings were performed by seven-stage phenomenological Kolizey’s method. Results: After coding the interviews and categorizing the sub-topics, for the first question, seven main topics "reducing stress levels, balancing life, being creative, distancing oneself from adversity, increasing happiness, strengthening patients' morale, and empathizing with the plight of others." Were obtained, and the core theme was "Choosing humorous strategies by reducing stress and creatively directing life, restoring balance to life and making people more resilient to the harsh conditions of the quarantine period." For the second question, the 5 main themes of "extensive use of resources, purposeful jokes with selective content, improvisational use and creativity, connecting jokes, and position-appropriate jokes" with the core theme of "The humor which increases resilience is in accordance with circumstances, creative, and it aims to strengthen interpersonal ties." Were obtained. Conclusion: The present study showed that humor can make it easier to endure the difficult conditions of quarantine and even illness and cause a more appropriate response to stress in crisis situations by strengthening morale and creating personal vitality.

Identifying Effective School Indicators After an Earthquake: A Qualitative Study of Sarpol Zahab Earthquake

maryam jalilian

Introduction: Due to the prone to having earthquakes of Iran and given the importance and necessity of the role of schools in the lives of students, especially in times of crisis, the purpose of this study was to identify effective school indexes after the Serpol zahab earthquake in 1396.

Aim: Because of the risk of earthquakes in Iran and given the importance and necessity of the role of schools in the lives of students, especially in times of crisis, the purpose of this study was to identify effective school indexes after the Sarpol Zahab earthquake in 1396. Methods: This qualitative research was conducted through the phenomenological approach. Therefore, 15 educators (including managers, teachers and counselors, etc.) were selected through purposive sampling method. Data were collected through in-depth interviews. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and coding was used to analyze the data. Results: After documenting the interviews, 290 primary codes, 12 sub-indicators, and final four main indicators, including "students", "teacher and school staff", "school structure and facilities", and "environment and family" were extracted. Indicators for students include sub-indicators: adaptive-functional, psychological, academic; while sub-indicators related to teachers and school staff include these sub-indicators: educational, personal and assistance; school structure and facilities index include these sub-indicators: equipment, planning, coordination tasks; and finally the indicator of the environment and family included these sub-indicators: financial, psychological, and physical-structural. Conclusion: The results of this study can provide a comprehensive content of preventive measures related to the earthquake crisis to the ministry of education, so that the organization can provide protocols for crisis situations and provide them to schools nationally. By adhering to the results of this study, schools can help maintain their efficiency when passing through earthquake crisis successfully, while reducing its consequences.

The Effectiveness of Developmental Therapies (VAK Learning Style) with Cognitive Information Processing Approach in Treatment of Cognitive Dyslexia

Ramazan Hasanzadeh

Aim: The purpose of the present study is to determine the effectiveness of developmental therapies based on cognitive information processing approach on improvement of dyslexia in 7 to 9 years old children with learning disabilities in Alborz province. Methods: The method of this research is pre-test; post-test, with control group. The statistical population of this study consists of 60 persons, 30 of whom were placed in treatment group and 30 were placed in the control group. Prior to treatment interventions, IQ was assessed using Wechsler IV test, signs and symptoms of dyslexia was assessed with Cattell Horn Carroll's developmental therapies approach, ISHINR and cognitive information processing and learning style of students, parents, therapists and teachers was measured and evaluated using VAK Questionnaire. Then the students were divided into three separate groups of visual, auditory and kinesthetic based on their gender, age, educational level, learning style and considering the study goal. Thereafter, the training sessions were held within two months for these three groups. The students attended 15 ninety-minute training sessions along with their parents, while the control group did not receive any training. Results: The data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) method and the results showed that there is a significant difference (5%) between all of the three treatments groups in comparison with the control group, so all the three treatments methods are effective. Conclusion: Developmental therapies (VAK learning style) utilizing cognitive information-processing approach are effective in the treatment of cognitive dyslexia.