Publication Date: 2026
Illness Crisis and Loss (10541373)34(1)pp. 71-86
Aim: Suicide safety planning is an intervention to help people stay safe during a suicidal crisis. This qualitative study aimed to explore professionals’ feedback regarding a cultural adaptation of an Iranian online suicide safety plan intervention (SPI). Furthermore, users’ reactions to this adapted website were investigated. Method: Eleven professionals (72.7% male; Mage = 41.18; SDage = 7.11; range: 33 to 57 years), specialized in working with individuals at risk of suicide and 14 patients/users (57.1% male; Mage = 24.57; SDage = 5.19; range: 20 to 36 years) took part in the study. Think-aloud, methods and semi-structured interviews were used to gather participants’ feedback. Data was analyzed using the thematic analysis method. Results: Three main themes emerged from the thematic analysis: (1) Benefits of the safety plan intervention website, (2) Challenges of the safety plan intervention website, and (3) Suggestions for improving the safety plan intervention website. Conclusion: By incorporating cultural considerations and user preferences, the Iranian SPI website might serve the needs of its users and contribute to the overall well-being of the community. © The Author(s) 2024
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.
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.
Publication Date: 2025
Journal of Child Health Care (17412889)29(1)pp. 97-108
Adolescents’ mental health may be influenced either negatively or positively through loss of a parent, especially bereavement due to a traumatic death. This descriptive phenomenological study aimed to investigate Afghan adolescents’ post-traumatic growth after traumatic loss of father. The participants were 14 female and male Afghan adolescents who met the inclusion criteria. Post-traumatic growth was substantiated by virtue of post-traumatic growth questionnaire. Data was collected through a semi-structured interview, and Colaizzi analysis method was used for data analysis. Two main themes were extracted: (a) moving forward with hope and (b) factors associated with enhancement of hope. Findings showed that Afghan traumatized adolescents achieved post-traumatic growth over time. The most important factors in enhancement of hopefulness were social support, psychological, and cognitive factors, as well as spiritual well-being. Our findings suggested that both schools and non-governmental organization in Afghanistan may be benefitted from more accessible opportunities to enhance post-traumatic growth for bereaved adolescents. © The Author(s) 2023.
Abedi, S.,
Naghavi, A.,
Zamani, F.,
Callaway, L.,
Barclay, L. Publication Date: 2025
Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology (17483115)21pp. 220-228
Purpose: The main purpose of this study was to investigate the socio-cultural considerations for home modifications among individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) in Iran. Materials and methods: A descriptive qualitative design was employed, involving semi-structured interviews with 18 participants. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis to identify key themes and subthemes. Results: Three main themes were identified: (1) Holding out hope for recovery from SCI, (2) Absence of home modifications led to unique solutions but potential risks, and (3) Occupational therapy recommendations regarding home modifications need to be culturally safe. Participants often received misinformation about their prognosis, leading to delayed or avoided home modifications. Conclusion: The findings underscore the importance of providing accurate information regarding SCI prognosis to facilitate the implementation of needed home modifications. Occupational therapists and other health care professionals are advised to consider cultural factors, including practices related to values such as privacy, to ensure that recommendations are client-centered, effective, and culturally adaptable. This study highlights the necessity of developing culturally sensitive guidelines for home modifications and emphasize the critical role of involving in decision-making process, and improving access to appropriate assistive technology. © 2025 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Publication Date: 2024
Global Pediatric Health (2333794X)11
Working with chronically ill children can overwhelm for professionals. It is necessary to study the factors related to compassion fatigue and satisfaction in order to effectively deal with it. Using a narrative review and inclusion criteria, we searched online databases for related studies from 2000 to 2023. Twelve articles were included in the final review. Understanding compassion fatigue/satisfaction will help to solve personal and professional problems and increase productivity, leading to positive outcomes for the patient, family, and the organization. This study identifies several factors that contribute to compassion fatigue (CF) in pediatric healthcare providers. These factors include workload, patient connections, lack of support, exposure to trauma, personal trauma, job dissatisfaction, and neglecting self-care. It is crucial to address these factors through targeted interventions and organizational support. Implementing evidence-based interventions shows promise in reducing the impact of CF, fostering a resilient healthcare workforce, and improving patient care. © The Author(s) 2024.
Publication Date: 2024
Journal of Applied Psychological Research (22518126)15(3)pp. 229-248
The present study aimed to elucidate the experience of social support in the aftermath of a traumatic loss, during which the bereavement ceremony was prohibited. The study was conducted using a research method that combined social constructivism and grounded theory. Participants included all Iranian youth (over 18) in 2022 who experienced a traumatic loss and encountered restrictions in organizing memorials during the COVID-19 pandemic. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 32 individuals, who were selected through purposeful and theoretical sampling. Charmez’s three-step coding method was implemented to analyze the data. The data was analyzed to extract four primary themes: the challenge in seeking social support, ways of seeking social support, alternative methods of social support, and the most effective social support along with 9 sub-categories. Additionally, nine subcategories were identified. The results indicate that the process of grief was further complicated by the communication limitations during emergencies. However, the redefinition of social support in such situations has the potential to develop novel coping methods for traumatized mourners. Therefore, it is advised that the results of this study be applied to the development of intervention protocols to expedite the bereavement process in the aftermath of such losses in emergency situations. © The Author(s).
Publication Date: 2024
Omega: Journal of Death and Dying (15413764)
Recovery from traumatic grief after parental loss is a challenging and gradual process. The current study aimed to capture the rich and nuanced experiences of adolescents’ healing process after traumatically losing their parent(s). A phenomenological approach was utilized for data collection and analysis. To reach the research aim, interviews with 15 Iranian adolescents who had lost their parent(s) at least three-year ago were conducted. Two main themes from Colaizzi’s analysis including Grief work and Rebuilding new life were extracted from data. Findings highlight an understanding of how adolescents with an experience of traumatic parental death would heal and could provide valuable insights into creating successful interventions and support systems tailored to help them cope with the devastating effects of traumatic loss and grief. © The Author(s) 2024.
Publication Date: 2024
Journal of Education and Health Promotion (22779531)13(1)
BACKGROUND: One way of delivering psychological services is tele‑psychotherapy, which has attracted significant attention as a viable approach. This study aimed to identify important variables in the application of tele‑counseling and psychotherapy for the treatment of patients with obsessive‑compulsive disorder (OCD) in Isfahan, Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This research employed an exploratory qualitative methodology. The participants of this study consisted of all the clients with OCD and all the psychotherapists in the city of Isfahan. Purposive sampling was employed, and following a series of semi‑structured interviews with 35 individuals with OCD and 11 counselors in this area, the sample size reached a saturation point. The data was analyzed by Braun and Clark’s thematic analysis method. RESULTS: Based on the findings of Braun and Clark’s analysis, three primary themes emerged concerning tele‑counseling: opportunities, requirements, and challenges. CONCLUSION: According to the feedback received from therapists and clients, remote services could offer promising prospects to both groups by providing accessible locations and flexible time management. However, to get the full benefits of teletherapy, therapists should consider certain factors to enhance the therapeutic alliance. Moreover, there are challenges that need to be addressed. © 2024 Journal of Education and Health Promotion.
Publication Date: 2023
Journal of Loss and Trauma (15325024)28(8)pp. 696-714
The death of a parent is a traumatic experience, and for many female students, it can be especially challenging when the father is no longer around. although most studies focus on the emotional impact of such an event, few have examined how it affects academic performance. This qualitative study aimed to investigate the lived experience of female students’ academic strengths after the death of their father. For this study, 13 female students in their mid-teens who had experienced the death of their fathers were recruited by convenience sampling. Each participant was interviewed using a semi-structured interview, and content analysis was conducted using Colizzi’s steps to derive themes and categories. The study revealed 4 themes, including (1) school-related support, (2) personal strengths, (3) specialist support, and (4) interpersonal and social strengths. The death of the father can have a significant impact on the academic performance of female students. Despite these challenges, this study indicated that female students may show resilience and educational strengths after the death of their father. Moreover, this study indicated the need for more support from society as well as schools for female students who have experienced the death of their father. © 2023 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
Publication Date: 2023
Patient Education and Counseling (7383991)115
Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore how client's agency appears in the narratives of patients with obsessive compulsive disorder. Methods: A qualitative descriptive design was used as a study design and a thematic analysis was employed to collect and analyse the data. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 37 participants (26 patients with obsessive compulsive disorder and 11 counselors). All patients had received tele-counseling. Results: Three main themes were extracted from the data including agency prior to the therapy, agency via awareness, and enhancers of client's agency. Conclusions: Findings demonstrated that when the participants became aware of having OCD and underwent therapy with self-involvement, they achieved a higher level of agency in the therapy process and achieve better treatment results. Culture may also influence on how the disorder is experienced, and the level of agency in starting and following the required treatments. Practice implications: The results could be used by counsellors to enhance their clients’ agency. © 2023
Publication Date: 2023
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY (16641078)14
ObjectiveThis study investigated and compared the attitudes of healthy Iranian individuals (n = 302) in forms of two groups of caregivers and non-caregivers of cancer patients about the communication with cancer patients, and their personal wish to know the diagnosis if they ever had cancer. In addition, this study aimed to identify how many participants in the caregivers' group had spoken with their family member affected by cancer about their illness.MethodsCaregivers (50.7%) and non-caregivers (49.3%) responded to two questionnaires regarding their general attitudes about communicating with cancer patients, and their willingness to know about their illness if they had cancer.ResultsThe majority of participants (92.8%), especially in the caregiver group, agreed with the right of patients to know the diagnosis and prognosis, and also wished to know if they ever had cancer. However, around 64% of caregivers never talked about cancer with the affected patients.ConclusionParticipants generally believed that patients have the right to know the diagnosis and prognosis, and they also wished to know if they ever had cancer. However, in reality many cancer patients are not included in communication sessions in Iran. Health professionals should focus on how to create a balance between medical bioethics with cultural influences on communication with patients.
Publication Date: 2023
Journal of Applied Psychological Research (22518126)14(2)pp. 1-18
This study’s objective was to evaluate the efficacy of emotion-oriented couple therapy on cognitive emotion regulation and marital adjustment in parents of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. In this study, a single-case A-B-A design was utilized. In 2020, couples in Isfahan with children aged 7 to 11 years old and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder comprised the statistical population of this investigation. Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ), Revised Marital Adjustment Scale (RDAS), and the fourth edition of the Swanson, Nolan and Pelham Scale (Parent Form) (SNAP-IV) were utilized in this study. Three couples were selected using purposive sampling and participated in eight sessions of emotion-focused couple therapy. The effect of the treatment was determined by calculating the percentage of non-overlapping data (POD) and the percentage of overlapping data (PND) using visual analysis and SPSS-20 statistical software. The results showed that emotion-oriented couple therapy had a positive and statistically significant effect on cognitive regulation of emotion and marital adjustment of parents with children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (PND= 66/67% to 100%), and that the treatment’s effects persisted during follow-up. Based on the findings of the current study, emotion-focused couple therapy can be used as an effective intervention to improve adjustment and emotion regulation in couples with children who have attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. © The Author(s).
Publication Date: 2023
Journal of Loss and Trauma (15325024)28(3)pp. 235-251
This review of systematic reviews aimed to synthesize the results of the 16 studies about grief interventions and their effectiveness during the last two decades. The results showed that 19 types of interventions were employed to reduce grief symptoms. Two main themes including “theory-based” and “technique-based” approaches were extracted. The majority of technique -based approaches were effective in reducing grief symptoms, while there was inconsistency in the results of the effectiveness of the theory-based approaches. Studies that compare the effectiveness of theory—and technique based interventions are recommended. © 2022 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
Publication Date: 2023
Current Psychology (19364733)42(24)pp. 20757-20764
Suicidal ideation and behavior are common in those suffering from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The present study investigated factors buffering the association between PTSD symptoms and suicidal ideation/behavior. A total of 571 Iranian students and 421 German students took part in the investigation. Social support and positive mental health (PMH) were considered as resilience factors moderating the association between PTSD symptoms and suicide ideation/behavior within both samples. PMH moderated the impact of PTSD symptoms on suicidal ideation/behavior in Iranian and German students. Social support moderated the impact of PTSD symptoms on suicidal ideation/behavior in Iranian students only. Positive mental health and perceived social support seem to confer resilience and should be taken into account, when assessing individuals for suicide risk. © 2022, The Author(s).
Publication Date: 2023
International Journal Of Clinical And Health Psychology (16972600)23(4)
Background/Objective: After years of war, political instability and natural catastrophes high rates of PTSD and depression have been found in the Afghan population. On this background, it was investigated whether religious beliefs (trust in higher guidance; TIHG) moderated the association between PTSD symptoms and/or depression and suicidal ideation. Method: A total of 279 Afghan university students (61.6% women; aged 18 to 30 years) took part in this cross-sectional study between July and November 2022. Self-report measures of PTSD, depression, suicidal ideation, trust in higher guidance were used. Results: Severe PTSD symptoms were reported by 58.4%, clinically relevant depression symptoms were reported by 55.2% and current suicidal ideation was reported by 44.4% of the sample. TIHG moderated the impact of PTSD symptoms, on suicidal ideation. TIHG and depression were unrelated. Conclusion: PTSD symptoms, depression and suicidal ideation show an alarmingly high prevalence in this specific sample of Afghan students. TIHG seems to be a resilience factor of special importance. © 2023 The Author(s)
Publication Date: 2023
Frontiers in Psychiatry (16640640)14
Objective: Suicide ideation and suicide attempts are prevalent in Farsi speaking populations. The present study aimed at validating the Farsi version of the Suicide Ideation and Behavior Scale (SIBS). Methods: Reliability and validity of the Farsi version of the SIBS were established in a highly burdened Afghan student sample (N = 279). Internal consistency, convergent and discriminant validity were investigated, and confirmatory factor analysis was conducted. Results: The Farsi version of the SIBS was shown to have a unidimensional structure with excellent internal consistency, as well as good convergent and divergent validity. Discussion: The results suggest that the SIBS is a brief, reliable, and valid measure of current suicidal ideation and behavior that can be used in Farsi speaking populations. Copyright © 2023 Mehrabi, Naghavi, Afsharzada, Friedrich, Forkmann, Glaesmer and Teismann.
Publication Date: 2022
Death Studies (10917683)46(1)pp. 78-83
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. © 2021 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
Publication Date: 2022
Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology (17483115)17(3)pp. 268-274
Purpose: Assistive technology users may encounter challenges and inequality in having an access to health information and care during the emergency or in a crisis time. This issue seems to be understudied in most developing countries. The aim of this study was to explore the challenges faced by Iranian people with disabilities faced during the COVID-19 pandemic as far as the use of assistive technology is concerned. Method: A thematic analysis approach was employed to collect and analyse the data. We interviewed 10, 12 and 20 participants with physical, visual, and hearing disability, respectively during the pandemic between May to July 2020. A six-step thematic analysis method was used to identify categories and main themes. Results: The results revealed that people with disability were faced with some challenges in accessing information or receiving it on time during the emergency time. The lack of clear information may increase uncertainty about providing, using or maintaining assistive products. With no clear information or instruction, increased fear of infection, as well as the lack of necessary infrastructure for using available online applications, people with a disability had to rely more on others and seemed to feel disempowered. Conclusion: Assistive technology (AT) users may not receive enough care and attention during health crisis, nor may be included in crisis management programs. Actions to create preparedness plans to meet the needs of AT users in possible future crisis seem to be necessary.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION Assistive technology users’ voice and needs should be given priority in crisis management programs. Web accessibility barriers and information accessibility challenges need more research attention in order to create effective and timely information dissemination programs. There seems to be a research gap about AT users during health crisis, and more research in this area is needed. © 2022 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Publication Date: 2022
Journal Of Qualitative Research In Health Sciences (26456109)11(2)pp. 119-129
Introduction: The first years of life are a critical period for a child due to the development of basic functions such as behavior, emotions, and motivation. The child needs an environment conducive to growth and development. This environment is built through effective parental care. The present study aimed to identify the factors affecting compassion or shame in mother-child interaction. Methods: The study was an applied one in terms of its objectives and qualitative as a grounded theory method was used for data collection. The participants were 12 mothers with 2 to 7-year-old children selected via theoretical sampling. The data were collected using in-depth and exploratory interviews with the participants. The collected data were recorded, coded, and placed into main categories. Afterward, the initial codes were identified and the categories addressing the mother-child interaction based on compassion and shame were identified using axial coding. Results: Analysis of the qualitative data revealed that the mother-child interaction includes categories such as "parenting styles, induction of compassion, induction of shame, fear of compassion, receiving compassion from others, self-compassion, and coping styles". Conclusion: The findings of the present study can contribute to developing training programs for promoting compassion-based mother-child interaction, preventing the induction of shame by the mother, and improving the mother-child relationship. Counselors, psychologists, nurses, and midwives can also use the insights from this study to develop training programs for mothers. © 2022 The Author(s).
Publication Date: 2022
Journal of Affective Disorders (1650327)307pp. 178-183
Background: On the 15th of August 2021, Kabul was captured by the Taliban, leading to the fall of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The present study investigated PTSD symptoms, depression, suicide risk and facets of positive mental health in the immediate aftermath of the Taliban take-over. Methods: A total of 214 Afghan university students (73.7% women; age in years: M(SD) = 23.92 (5.77)) took part in this cross-sectional study between August and November 2021. Self-report measures of PTSD, depression, suicide ideation/behavior, positive mental health, social support, and posttraumatic growth were used. Results: Severe posttraumatic stress disorders symptoms were reported by 70%, clinically relevant depression symptoms were reported by 69.7% and significant suicide ideation/behavior was reported by 38.6% of the sample. Posttraumatic growth moderated the impact of depression on suicide risk. No interaction effects were found for positive mental health and social support. Limitation: The study focused on a specific group of highly educated and predominantly female Afghan students limiting the generalizability of the findings. Conclusion: PTSD symptoms, depression and suicidality show an alarmingly high prevalence in this specific sample of Afghan students. Various protective factors seem to be insufficient to buffer the association between PTSD, depression and suicide risk. © 2022 Elsevier B.V.
Publication Date: 2021
Scientific Reports (20452322)11(1)
Identifying the possible factors of psychiatric symptoms among children can reduce the risk of adverse psychosocial outcomes in adulthood. We designed a classification tool to examine the association between modifiable risk factors and psychiatric symptoms, defined based on the Persian version of the WHO-GSHS questionnaire in a developing country. Ten thousand three hundred fifty students, aged 6–18 years from all Iran provinces, participated in this study. We used feature discretization and encoding, stability selection, and regularized group method of data handling (GMDH) to classify the a priori specific factors (e.g., demographic, sleeping-time, life satisfaction, and birth-weight) to psychiatric symptoms. Self-rated health was the most critical feature. The selected modifiable factors were eating breakfast, screentime, salty snack for depression symptom, physical activity, salty snack for worriedness symptom, (abdominal) obesity, sweetened beverage, and sleep-hour for mild-to-moderate emotional symptoms. The area under the ROC curve of the GMDH was 0.75 (CI 95% 0.73–0.76) for the analyzed psychiatric symptoms using threefold cross-validation. It significantly outperformed the state-of-the-art (adjusted p < 0.05; McNemar's test). In this study, the association of psychiatric risk factors and the importance of modifiable nutrition and lifestyle factors were emphasized. However, as a cross-sectional study, no causality can be inferred. © 2021, The Author(s).
Publication Date: 2021
BMC Psychiatry (1471244X)21(1)
Background: Positive mental health (PMH) is a factor of far-reaching salutogenetic importance. The present study aimed at validating the Persian version of the Positive Mental Health Scale (PMH-Scale). Methods: Reliability and validity of the Persian version of the PMH-Scale were established in an Iranian student sample (N = 573). Internal consistency, convergent and discriminant validity were investigated, and exploratory factor analysis was conducted. Furthermore, it was assessed how PMH scores moderate the association between depressive symptoms and suicide ideation/behavior. Results: The Persian version of the PMH-Scale was shown to have a unidimensional structure with excellent internal consistency, as well as good convergent and divergent validity. PMH differentiated between participants with higher vs. lower suicide risk. Furthermore, PMH proved to moderate the association between depressive symptoms and suicide ideation/behavior. Conclusions: The results suggest that the PMH-Scale is a brief, reliable, and valid measure of subjective and psychological well-being that can be used in Iranian student samples and research settings. © 2021, The Author(s).
Publication Date: 2021
Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation (10522263)55(1)pp. 61-71
BACKGROUND: Vocational rehabilitation for people with spinal cord injury (SCI) in Iran as one of the countries in the Middle East and North Africa region is under-studied. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to explore the perspective of people with SCI and service providers about vocational rehabilitation challenges. METHODS: We used an ethnographic methodology to collect data. Observation (2018 -2020) and semi-structured interviews with 21 persons with SCI and 11 service providers were the data collection methods, and a thematic analysis approach was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Results demonstrate that career self-knowledge (knowledge about capabilities, aspirations, and interests) and career knowledge (the importance of career exploration, vocational support and job characteristics) were the main two vocational rehabilitation resources. CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge (about the self and careers) is the main resource mentioned by the participants regarding the vocational rehabilitation. Implications for professionals and policy makers are presented. © 2021 - IOS Press. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2020
Diagnostics (20754418)10(11)
Suicide is one of the most critical public health concerns in the world and the second cause of death among young people in many countries. However, to date, no study can diagnose suicide ideation/behavior among university students in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region using a machine learning approach. Therefore, stability feature selection and stacked ensembled decision trees were employed in this classification problem. A total of 573 university students responded to a battery of questionnaires. Three-fold cross-validation with a variety of performance indices was sued. The proposed diagnostic system had excellent balanced diagnosis accuracy (AUC = 0.90 [CI 95%: 0.86–0.93]) with a high correlation between predicted and observed class labels, fair discriminant power, and excellent class labeling agreement rate. Results showed that 23 items out of all items could accurately diagnose suicide ideation/behavior. These items were psychological problems and how to experience trauma, from the demographic variables, nine items from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-5), two items from Post Traumatic Growth (PTG), two items from the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ), six items from the Positive Mental Health (PMH) questionnaire, and one item related to social support. Such features could be used as a screening tool to identify young adults who are at risk of suicide ideation/behavior. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
Publication Date: 2020
Journal Of Qualitative Research In Health Sciences (26456109)9(2)pp. 101-110
Introduction: Education in school is considered to be the most important part of every adolescent's life, and exposure to a traumatic experience in this disturbing period can greatly affect it. However, trauma does not only lead to negative consequences and psychological trauma, as sometimes it also induces positive changes called “post-traumatic growth”. The main objective of this study was to explore the students' lived experience of academic factors affecting their post-traumatic growth. Methods: This qualitative study employed a descriptive phenomenological method. The participants were 15 male and female adolescent students sponsored by an NGO supporting orphans in Isfahan and were selected based on purposive sampling. The data were collected using semi-structured and in-depth interviews, and analyzed by Colaizzi’s 7-step method in MAXQDA software. Results: After data analysis, 296 primary codes were extracted and classified into 11 categories. Then, 4 main themes including the school support network, teacher's role, school attachment, and academic well-being appeared in the participants' experiences. Conclusion: It can be concluded that post-traumatic growth after the father’s sudden death among adolescents is affected by several academic factors such as the school support network, teacher's role, school attachment, and academic well-being. Therefore, schools can provide a suitable context for students to reach this growth by developing and implementing appropriate counseling and intervention programs. © 2020 The Author(s).
Publication Date: 2020
Journal of Loss and Trauma (15325024)25(2)pp. 173-187
The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the experience of post-traumatic growth among 14 Iranian adolescents who have experienced a sudden loss of their fathers. A phenomenological approach has been employed to collect and analyze the data. Two main themes and seven categories were extracted from the data. The first theme, The Initial Phase, deals with two categories: initial confusion, and reaction to grief. The second theme, Growth Over Time, deals with five categories: Taking time with a positive outlook, strengthening the bonds, academic competency, psychological well-being, and existential improvement. The consequences of a traumatic sudden loss among adolescents are not limited to negative results; they would feel sad and shocked, but they may also experience post-traumatic growth after a while. These findings contribute to the field by comprehensibly describing the phenomenon of post-traumatic growth among adolescents. Findings can provide new perspective for psychologists and Counselors especially school Counselors to facilitate post-traumatic growth among adolescent. © 2019, © 2019 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
Publication Date: 2019
Frontiers in Psychology (16641078)10
According to global data, intimate partner violence and its corresponding impact threaten the lives of almost 35% of women at some point in their life. The aim of this research was to explore the effects of intimate partner sexual violence on women’s sense of self-efficacy when it comes to speaking out against violence and seeking help. In-depth interviews and a thematic analysis approach were employed to collect and analyze the data. The participants were 10 women with experiences of intimate partner sexual violence. They were selected through purposive and snowball sampling. Two main themes were drawn from the data, including Exposure and Empowerment. Exposure refers to the type of violence women have experienced and its physical and emotional effects; and Empowerment refers to factors women considered as giving them the courage to speak out against perpetrators, to seek help from others, or to refrain from doing either. It is concluded that Iranian women are not passive when exposed to intimate partner sexual violence, and social support, mainly from family and friends, was a pathway to feelings of empowerment; without this support, women’s emotional health is put in jeopardy. Due to the importance of social networks in creating a sense of empowerment, it is recommended that professionals involved in cases of intimate partner sexual violence create an alliance with the women’s families and friend and educate them on how to prevent violence or offer help before the violence takes its toll on woman’s emotional and physical wellbeing. © Copyright © 2019 Naghavi, Amani, Bagheri and De Mol.
Publication Date: 2019
Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology (17354315)25(2)pp. 222-234
Objectives The present study aimed at employing a thematic synthesis approach to respond to this fundamental question: what is the post-traumatic growth process? Methods The current study was a thematic synthesis of qualitative papers on post traumatic growth. From 50 Studies about post-traumatic growth from 2007 to 2018, 18 papers met the inclusion criteria for Systematic review. Papers were analyzed based on Thomas and Harden’s thematic synthesis approach that includes three steps: free encoding of preliminary studies findings, organizing free codes into descriptive themes, and developing analytical topics using descriptive themes. Results In total, after analyzing the results of the research, three main themes and 7 categories were obtained. The first theme was reaction to trauma with the category of primary emotions; the second theme was the requirements to begin the PTG with two categories including time and reality comprehension; and the third theme was the emergence of post-traumatic growth with four categories including Individual, social, psychological, and spiritual developments. Conclusion According to the study findings it can be concluded that people show different emotions after expousure to traumatic events and after some time with processing the events they experience growth in different aspects of their lives. © 2019, Iran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2018
Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (17358639)12(4)
Background: Mental health professionals including rehabilitation counselors are often exposed to vicarious trauma, while they work with traumatized clients. Objectives: The current study aimed at explaining the experiences of exposure to vicarious trauma and its consequences for rehabilitation counselors as well as the experience of vicarious growth. Methods: The current study employed a collaborative autoetnographic approach to describe the experiences of working with traumatized clients. Collaborative autoethnography is a type of qualitative research method that allows two or more researchers to utilize ethnography and autobiography collaboratively to explain similar experiences. In this method, researchers collect data from their own life stories and analyze the data using various types of qualitative analyses. To analyze the current study data, a thematic analysis approach was employed. Results: It was found that lack of experience in working with difficult cases, lack of access to supervision, and a lack of vicarious trauma-related knowledge were major contributors to the experience of vicarious trauma. On the other hand, journal writing, visiting a counselor, peer support, and gaining knowledge were useful to overcome this stress. The next findings showed that although visiting traumatized clients may lead to experiencing vicarious trauma, it can also lead to experiencing vicarious growth. Vicarious trauma helped to be more mindful about life and death, cherish the family and friends, and experience growth. Conclusions: Rehabilitation counselors might experience both vicarious trauma and vicarious posttraumatic growth. The experience of vicarious trauma has a negative effect on counselors and they should employ self-care strategy to mitigate the negative results of exposure to traumatic experiences of others and if they wish to experience vicarious growth. Copyright © 2018, Author(s). This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
