Azam Naghavi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Counseling, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Isfahan. She has finished her PhD in Psychology at Monash University, Australia, and in 2014 moved back to Iran and started her work at the University of Isfahan. Since 2015, she is appointed as the representative of internationalization of the Faculty of Education and Psychology and made efforts in expanding the University’s relationships with the world’s universities. Her main research interests are mental health studies, and empowerment of people with special needs including people with disability or chronic illness, traumatized, minority and marginalized people.
1. Empowerment of family caregivers, people with disabilities or chronic conditions
2. Trauma
3. Suicide
Member of Iranian Psychology and Counseling Association
Member of American Psychological Association (APA)
Research Output
Articles
Publication Date: 2025
Omega: Journal of Death and Dying (15413764)90(4)pp. 1951-1962
The impact of digitalization on the topic of death and dying seems to be accelerated in recent years. This study aimed to explore the online ways people used to overcome grief and used the COVID-19 restrictions as an example. Thirty-two bereaved participants were interviewed and the data were analyzed using the constructive grounded theory method. Three main themes were extracted from the data: 1) an online way to remember; 2) digitalization of social support, and 3) continuing the bonds. Findings highlighted the important and inevitable role of the digital world in the grief process when there is a restriction in holding usual ceremonies. © The Author(s) 2022.
Asgari, Z.,
Naghavi, A.,
Abbasi, A.,
Ertle, A.,
Wiesmann, L.,
Teismann, T. Publication Date: 2025
Frontiers in Psychiatry (16640640)16
Background: The high place phenomenon (HPP), referring to a sudden urge to jump when standing in a high place, occurs frequently in both suicidal and non-suicidal individuals. Despite apparent similarities, researchers have not yet examined potential associations with obsessive-compulsive symptoms, nor has the phenomenon been explored in a non-Western society. Methods: The study comprises two samples of Iranian adults: An online sample including N = 257 participants (54% male; Mage=37.03, SDage= 11.51) and a sample of mobility impaired participants including N = 233 participants (56.2% male; Mage=37.84, SDage= 9.75, range: 18–68 years). All participants filled out questionnaires on experiences with the high place phenomenon, depression, suicidal ideation/behavior, anxiety sensitivity and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Results: Between 39% and 62% of participants reported being familiar with the HPP. In both samples, obsessive-compulsive symptoms showed a significant association with the severity of the phenomenon, even after accounting for depression, suicidal ideation/behavior, and anxiety sensitivity. The presence of the HPP was only associated with obsessive-compulsive symptoms in one of the two samples. Conclusion: Findings point to the cross-cultural nature of the HPP. Furthermore, the association between obsessive-compulsive symptoms and the HPP speaks to a conceptualization of the HPP as being part of the phenomenological field of (subsyndromal) OCD symptoms. Copyright © 2025 Asgari, Naghavi, Abbasi, Ertle, Wiesmann and Teismann.
Publication Date: 2025
Iranian Journal Of Psychiatry (17354587)20(2)pp. 209-222
Objective: Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) can safely influence brain activity, enhancing cognitive functions and offering potential benefits for learning disabilities like dyslexia. This paper aims to fill the current gap in comprehensive reviews on NIBS studies specifically targeting dyslexic individuals. Method: we conducted a systematic review across several databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and CENTRAL Cochrane. The initial search strategy was designed to be as comprehensive as possible to capture all pertinent studies. We did not impose any language restrictions or time constraints during our search. The strategy was initially created using MEDLINE MeSH terms and subsequently adapted for the other databases. Our search included the keywords “dyslexia” in combination with “NIBS”, “transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)”, “transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)”, and other NIBS types like repetitive TMS and transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS). Results: 17 randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies were found to meet the eligibility criteria and are included in this review. Findings showed that repeated tDCS sessions, when paired with reading interventions, can effectively enhance reading abilities. Studies indicate that anodal tDCS applied to the left temporo‐parietal cortex (TPC) and cathodal tDCS to the right TPC, along with phonology-based reading training, have led to improvements in various reading metrics, including the reading of pseudo-words and low-frequency words. Notably, traditional reading areas appear to respond well to modulation through NIBS, and facilitative protocols can enhance various subprocesses related to reading. Conclusion: Research indicates that tDCS, when used with reading interventions, enhances specific reading skills in individuals with dyslexia. Additionally, gamma-tACS applied to the left auditory cortex yields short-term improvements in neurophysiological responses to auditory stimuli. However, further randomized controlled trials with long-term follow-ups are necessary to establish the clinical effectiveness of these interventions. Copyright © 2025 Tehran University of Medical Sciences.
