Subjective image of body is one the important issues in females mental health for its relation with physical, cognitive and emotional dimensions which can be determinant of their normal or abnormal behaviors. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between irrational beliefs and evaluation of body image in adolescence and youth females. The research sample is concluded 140 female (70 University students and 70 students) selected using cluster random sampling. The research instruments are the questionnaire of the relations of multidimensional of self- body (MBSRQ) (Kash), and the test of Jone's irrational beliefs (IBT). The research is a kind of descriptive - correlational and causal - comparative. Data were analyzed using statistical parameters such as t-test, the Pearson correlation and analysis of multi-regression.
The results showed that there is no relationship between irrational beliefs and body image (p>0/05). Also there is no difference between irrational beliefs and body image in adolescence and youth  (p>0/05). Furthermore there is no difference between body image evaluation in adolescence and youth. Also, in regression model, 15 percent variance evaluation is explained through prediction variables. The results of the study indicate that the comparison between adolescents and youth females (age) has no effect in relationship between body evaluation and irrational beliefs.

The birth of a step family as a consequence of divorce or death of one of the parents causes a huge difference in a child’s life which can change his entire psychological world. Drawing as one of the ways of psychological projections can display a variety of conflicts in children psyche..This study has attempted to examine and comparison of psychological projections between children from step families and non-step families based on the family drawing test. In this study, devaluation as a content indicator in drawing projections was approached. The participants included 40 children from stepfamilies, 20 female and 20 male (parental divorce, the death of a parent, remarriage). Having a descriptive qualitative framework, these participants were selected based on a causal comparative method. The control group included 40 children from non-step families, 20 female and 20 male selected randomly. To analyze projections and devaluation in the drawings. Draw A Family (DAF) test was employed  The finding indicated that in all the hypotheses children from non-step families performed significantly different. Therefore, it can be generally concluded that the children from non-step families significantly displayed more devaluation of themselves and the family members in their drawings.

Emotion regulation strategies are considered as determinant variables on both normal and psychopathological processes. The aim of the present study was to investigate the mediating role of emotion regulation difficulties on the relationship between social anxiety symptoms and anger. A total of 171 participants (71 men, 100 women) from the city of Tehran participated in this study as volunteers. All participants were asked to complete the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN), the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), and the Multidimensional Anger Inventory (MAI). Social anxiety symptoms showed significant positive correlations with emotion regulation difficulties as well as anger. The results of path analysis revealed that the association of social anxiety symptoms with anger arousal, hostile outlook, and anger-in was mediated by difficulties in emotion regulation. Based on the results of the present study, it is concluded that the relationship between social anxiety symptoms and anger is not a simple linear one, but the other variables such as emotion regulation strategies play a mediating role in this relationship. These findings also imply the importance of emotion regulation strategies and anger in the process of psychotherapy for patients with social anxiety disorder.

 
One of the goals of research in various psychological approaches is the recognition of factors having a role in individuals’ vulnerability. Investigating and identifying psychological and physical vulnerability factors presents a new direction in the prevention, diagnosis and adopted treatment methods. Individuals might have psychological and physical vulnerabilities that predispose them to mental and physical disorders. One of the social traumatic variables is social isolation. The purpose of the present study was to predict psychological and physical vulnerabilities according to social isolation. The moderating role of gender and marital status on the relationships between social isolation and psychological/ physical vulnerability was also investigated. A total of 419 individuals (206 men, 193 women) from the general population of Tehran answered to Symptom Checklist (SCL-25) and Social Loneliness Scale (SLS). The results showed positive correlations between social isolation with psychological and physical vulnerabilities (P < 0.01). Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that gender and marital status could not moderate the relationship between social isolation and physical vulnerability as well as psychological vulnerability. According to the results of the present study, it can be concluded that early identifying social isolation can be served at a preventive level. Social isolation also can be managed and treated within the models of interventions.

Infertility is an intense and prolonged stressful experience. Despite the high prevalence of infertility and its emotional burden for couples and especially for women, our knowledge regarding factors influencing adjustment to it is limited. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between demographic and clinical factors and adjustment to infertility in women in Iran. A total number of 275 women referring to infertility clinic of Valie-Asr Reproductive Health Research Center (Tehran Imam Khomeini hospital) participated in the study. Data was collected via demographic information questionnaire, Adjustment to Illness Scale (AIS), and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS). Results showed there were significant relationships between infertility duration and depressionn (p<0/05) and number of treatments had significant relationship with depression (p<0/05) and adjustment (p<0/01). There were also significant differences in scores of depression, anxiety, stress and adjustment in women with different educational levels, women living in Tehran and other cities and women who were employed or housewives. These results can be helpful in identifying high risk patients and planning psychological interventions.

Family conflicts has have an important role in individuals’ health, but there are a few family-based interventions for reducing conflict and improving health. The aim of this study was to design and evaluate a brief family-based and psycho-educative intervention based on Bowen family systems theory for improving quality of relationship and health in couples diagnosed with anxiety disorders and marital conflicts. 19 couples as  the experimental group and 19 couples as the control group diagnosed participated in this semi-experimental project using accessible sampling and a 2 months follow-up. Participants completed quality of relationship questionnaire (Pierce, Sarason and Sarason, 1991) and WHO quality of life questionnaire (1996). Variance analysis with repeated measures indicated that this intervention improves quality of relationship and health in couples. These findings confirm effectiveness of Bowen systemic therapy and could be used in introducing new models in health psychology based on the role of interpersonal and emotional factors in health.

Identity styles are developed based on a number of variables and experiences. Family has an important role on the development of children identity. How and based on what kind of mechanisms family shapes the children identity styles? The present study had two purposes:
1) examining the relationship between family functioning and children identity styles and 2) examining the mediating role of children ego strength on the relationship between family functioning and children identity styles. Two hundred and thirty seven students (123 boys, 114 girls) and their mothers participated in this study. All students were asked to complete the Identity Styles Inventory (ISI) and Ego Strength Scale (ESS). All mothers completed the Family Assessment Device (FAD). The results revealed that family functioning had a significant positive association with ego strength. Children ego strength showed a significant positive association with informational and normative identity styles
(p<0.01) as well as a significant negative association with diffuse/avoidant identity style (p<0.01). The results of path analysis showed that ego strength had a mediating role on the relationships between family functioning and informational identity style. According to the results of the present study, it is concluded that the relationship between family functioning and children identity styles is not a simple one. This relationship is somehow influenced by the mediating role of personality characteristics such as ego strength.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the common and chronic functional gastrointestinal disorders that cause a great burden for the patients and the society. Therefore, investigation of psychological variables related to IBS can be useful in understanding, management and decrees of symptoms severity in IBS patients. The present study was performed to examine the mediating role of alexithymia on the relationship between early maladaptive schemas and severity of symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. One hundred and eighty patients with irritable bowel syndrome (114 men, 66 women) participated in this study. All patients were asked to complete the IBS symptom severity scale (IBS-SSS), young schema questionnaire-short form (YSQ-SF), and Toronto Alexithymia scale (TAS-20). The results demonstrated that early maladaptive schemas and alexithymia had a significant positive association with severity of IBS symptoms )p<0.05). Also early maladaptive schemas had a significant positive association with alexithymia )p<0.01). The results showed that alexithymia did not play a mediating role on the relationship between early maladaptive schemas and IBS severity of symptoms. According to the results of the present study, it can be concluded that early maladaptive schemas and alexithymia can predict severity of IBS symptoms. Considering these psychological variables would be helpful in the processes of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of IBS

Terror management theory (greenberg, solomon, pyszczinski, 1986) claims that the reason for which one tries to attain and preserve positive self-evaluation is self-esteem. This self-esteem acts as a buffer against existential death anxiety. This approach considers human activities as a defense against existential anxiety and it is obvious in its explanation of self-esteem. The present researh examined the effects of mortality salience (MS: rosenblatt et al., 1989) on self-esteem. A sample of 64 male students of university of Tehran were randomly assigned to an experimental and a control group. The experimental group answered the question about MS topic and the control group answered two questions about non mortality salience topic (Pyszczcynsli et al. 1999). Then both groups filled out Rosenberg's self-esteem scale (Rosenberg, 1965). Results revealed that the self-esteem of experimental group was not significantly different from the control group (P= 0.05). Results are discussed based on the role of cultural and personality structure of participants.

Marital relationships are influenced by sexual dysfunctions resulting in development and or continuing marital problems. The present study aimed at examining the moderating role of performance anxiety, sexual knowledge and attitudes on the relationship between severity of sexual dysfunctions and marital problems. A total of 70 individuals (35 males, 35 females) referring to the sexual dysfunctions center of the Mashhad university of medical sciences participated in this study. Participants were asked to complete Golombok-Rust inventory of sexual state questionnaire (GRISS), Golombok Rust inventory of marital state (GRIMS), multidimensional self concept questionnaire (MDSCQ), and sexual knowledge and attitude scale (SKAS). Sexual dysfunctions showed a significant positive association with marital problems. Performance anxiety and inadequate knowledge and negative attitudes to sex showed significant positive associations with marital problems. Performance anxiety as well as sexual knowledge and attitudes predicted sexual dysfunctions. Analysis of the data revealed that performance anxiety significantly moderated the relationship between sexual dysfunctions and marital problems. The moderating role of sexual knowledge and attitudes, however, did not approved. Based on the results of the present study, it can be concluded that sexual and marital aspects of the couple's relationship are influenced by personal characteristics of performance anxiety as well as sexual knowledge and attitude. The results of the present study provided support for the importance of these variables in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of sexual dysfunctions as well as marital problems.

Intergenerational transmission is referred to transmission of behaviors, characteristics, and/or tendencies from one generation to the other. In this process, parents of one generation tend to repeat some of their psychological characteristics in their offsprings. The aim of the current study was to predict children’s affective temperament indices based on parental affective temperament characteristics. A total of 207 university students (146 females, 56 males, 5 anonymous) and their parents (207 Fathers, 207 mothers) in Tehran have been collected using convenience sampling method. Participants were asked to complete Positive and Negative Emotionality Scale (PNES). Method of the present descriptive study was correlational. Analysis of the data involved both descriptive and inferential statistics including means, standard deviations, correlation, and mixed model. The results showed a significant correlation between parental and children's affective temperament indices (p<0.001). The results of mixed model revealed that parental affective temperament characteristics had the ability to predict children's affective temperament indices implying intergenerational transmission of positive and negative emotionality from parents to children (p<0.001). Based on the results of the present study, it can be concluded that affective temperament characteristics can be transmitted from one generation to the other. Recognition of the intergenerational mechanisms not only predicts affective temperament characteristics of the next generation but also can prevent damaging features to be transmitted. It can be done by improving healthy characteristics performing educational-interventional programs.

Impulsiveness, the individual's tendency to respond quickly to a given stimulus without reflectivity and evaluation of the consequences, is considered as a determinant component of several psychiatric disorders. Dimensions of impulsiveness including nonplanning, motor impulsiveness, and cognitive impulsiveness could influence different aspects of depression and anxiety disorders. The main aim of the present study was to compare impulsiveness in patients with major depression, anxiety disorders, and normal individuals. This study demonstrates the differences of impulsivity among the three groups. A total of 224 individuals (87 depressed, 64 anxious, 73 normal) participated in this study, voluntarily. Following a psychiatric diagnosis of the psychological disorders, both the patient and normal groups were asked to complete the Barrat Impulsiveness Scale (BIS). Method of the present descriptive study was causal-comparative. Analysis of the data involved both descriptive and inferential statistics including means, standard deviations, and MANOVA. The results revealed that depressed patients reported significantly higher levels of motor impulsiveness and nonplanning than did anxious patients and normal individuals (p<0.001). Anxious patients reported higher levels of cognitive impulsiveness than did depressed patients as well as higher levels of cognitive impulsiveness and nonplanning than did normal individuals (p<0.001). Normal individuals reported lower levels of impulsiveness than did the two groups of depressed and anxious patients. It can be concluded that comparison of dimensions of impulsiveness in patients and normal individuals provides evidence of the possible impact of pathological impulsivity on the development and/or continuity of depression and anxiety disorders. The difference between levels and dimensions of impulsiveness of the two groups of depressed and anxious patients also could explain their differences in terms of the kind of psychological disorders.

Ego strength refers to a set of ego functions as one of the personality structures. Normal development process requires ego abilities in coping with id, superego and environmental demands and conflicts. Having a valid instrument is needed to measure these abilities. The aim of the present study was to develop and examine psychometric properties of the Ego Strength Scale (ESS) including construct validity, convergent and discriminant validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability. Three hundred and twelve Iranian men and women (174 women, 138 men) participated in this study, voluntarily. All participants were asked to complete the ESS, the Mental Health Inventory (MHI-28), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), and Positive and Negative Affect (PANAS). The design of the present study was developmental-practical. Analysis of the data involved exploratory factor analysis for construct validity, Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for internal consistency, and test-retest for reliability. The results of exploratory factor analysis supported a five factor structure including Ego-control, Ego-resiliency, Mature Defense Mechanisms, Problem-focused Coping Strategies and Positive Emotional-focused Coping Strategies. The convergent and discriminant validity of the ESS were supported by an expected pattern of correlations between the scale and the measures of psychological well-being, psychological distress, difficulties in emotion regulation, and positive and negative affects. All correlation coefficients between the mean scores on the ESS and scores of the psychological well-being, psychological distress, difficulties in emotion regulation, and positive and negative affects were statistically significant. Coefficient alpha estimates of internal reliability were between 0.79 and 0.85 for the ESS subscales. Test-retest reliability of the ESS was also calculated at the range of 0.65-0.73
(p < 0.001). All correlations were statistically significant. It was concluded that the ESS can be considered as a reliable and valid scale to measure ego strength in Iranian samples.

Attachment is a behavioral system formed to regulate proximity of the child to the parent or the primary care-giver when danger or anxiety to increase his/her chance of survival. It is supposed that different attachment styles are related to marital conflicts in different ways, and there are many factors that can influence the relationship between attachment styles and marital conflicts. The present study aims to examine the mediating role of difficulty in emotion regulation on the relationship between attachment styles and marital conflicts. A total of 270 married adults (145 men, 125 women) participated in the present study. Participants were asked to complete Adult Attachment Inventory (AAI), the Golombok-Rust Inventory of Marital State Questionnaire (GRIMS), and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). Method of the present descriptive study was correlational. Analysis of the data involved both descriptive and inferential statistics including means, standard deviations, correlation, and path analysis. The results reveal that avoidant and ambivalent attachment styles and difficulty in emotion regulation had significant positive association with marital conflicts (p< 0.001), but there was no significant association between secure attachment style and marital conflicts. The results of the path analysis demonstrated that difficulty in emotion regulation plays a mediating role on the relation between avoidant and ambivalent attachment styles with marital conflicts (p <0.001). Based on the findings of the present study it can be concluded that people with insecure attachment styles have problem in establishing interpersonal relationships, especially with their spouse’s; problems which are partly influenced by difficulty in emotion regulation and management.

Cancer is a chronic disease that may affect psychological functioning of all family members including siblings. Many factors such as personality characteristics and emotion regulation strategies may have a role in coping with stressful situations. The aim of the present study was to examine the mediator role of cognitive emotion regulation strategies on the relationship between personality characteristics psychological distress in a group of siblings of pediatric cancer children. A sample of 70 adolescent siblings (38 brothers, 36 sisters) referred to one of the 3 assigned hospitals have been selected through convenience sampling method. All participants were asked to complete Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ), Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), and psychological distress subscale of Mental Health Inventory (MHI). Method of the present descriptive study was correlational. Analysis of the data involved both descriptive and inferential statistics including means, standard deviations, correlation, and regression analysis. The results showed that personality characteristics of harm avoidance, persistence, self-directedness and cooperativeness as well as psychological distress were correlated with cognitive emotion regulation strategies. Regression analysis revealed that the relation between self-directedness and cooperativeness with psychological distress was mediated by cognitive emotion regulation strategies. It can be concluded that the relationship between personality characteristics and psychological distress is not a simple linear one. This is partly mediated by cognitive emotion regulation strategis. Investigating the reciprocal effect of emotion regulation strategis and personality characteristics provides researcher with a more precise explanation of the role each of which may has on behavior and mental health.

Since sexual relationship itself is an emotional excitement, one must study it in the context of emotions. Therefore, learning about the manner in which the two important psychological variables of alexithymia and emotional schemas relate and influence sexual dysfunction becomes important. The aim of this study was to examine the moderating role of alexithymia on the relationship between emotional schemas and sexual dysfunctional beliefs in women and men with diabetes. Descriptive correlational methodology was used for this study. A total of 152 individuals (78 women, 74 men) diagnosed with diabetes were selected in person and online, through convenient sampling, who completed Leahy emotional schema scale (LESS, 2002), Farsi Toronto alexithymia scale (FTAS-20, 1994), and sexual dysfunction beliefs questionnaire (SDBQ, 2003) during a 3 month period. For data analysis, Pearson correlation and regression adjustment was used.  Results of this research showed a significant positive correlation between emotional schemas and sexual dysfunctional beliefs and alexithymia and sexual dysfunctional beliefs (p=0/01). Regression analysis indicated that alexithymia played a moderating role between emotional schemas and sexual dysfunctional beliefs (p=0/05). From the research findings, it can be concluded that the link between emotional schemas and sexual dysfunctional beliefs is not merely a simple linear relationship, but can be influenced by alexithymia.

Constructive thinking defined as an ability to problem solving of daily problems with lowest stress. Researchers have also emphasized the relationship between self-control and aggressive impulse resistance, health behaviors, high life satisfaction and low stress. In addition, one of the most important factors in life satisfaction is perceived low stress. The present research question is whether self-control and constructive thinking play a mediating role in the relationship between perceived stress and satisfaction with life. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the role of mediator of self-control and constructive thinking in relation to perceived stress with satisfaction-of-life among Shazand Petrochemical workers. Correlation research design applied in this study, and the data analyzed using Pearson correlation and hierarchical regression coefficients. The statistical population consisted of all 4000 Shazand Petrochemical workers, 250 of which were self-control scale (SCS) (Tangeny, Baymister and Bowen, 2004), constructive thinking (CTI) (Epstein and Mayer, 1989), Perceived Stress (PSS) (Cohen, Kamarck and Marpalstein, 1983), and Satisfaction with life (SWLS) (Diner, Emmons, Larsen and Griffin, 1985). The findings suggest that the role of mediator of self-control and adaptive styles of thinking in the relationship between perceived stress and life satisfaction is significant (p<0.01). Hierarchical regression analysis showed that constructive thinking had more incremental variance than self-control (p<0.01). These findings suggest that working in an industrial stressful environment would lead to a high life satisfaction that has a high self-control ability and adaptable styles for thinking.

Substance use disorder is one of the most common and chronic disorders that causes a great burden for the patient and the society. The aim of present study was to examine the predicting role of alexithymia and perceived social support in medicinal, motivational and combined (medicinal-motivational) treatment of substance use disorder. One hundred and eighty substance abuser was selected conveniencely and was assigned to three groups of medicinal, motivational and combined (medicinal-motivational) treatment randomly. Participants were asked to complete The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (PSSS-12) and Toronto alexithymia scale (TAS-20) before treatment. After treatment forty five, thirty nine and forty five participants was remain in each groups, respectively.Method of the both descriptive and inferential statistics including means, standard deviations, correlation and regression analysis. Result show that alexithymia can predict medicinal treatment whereas cannot predict motivational and combined treatment after three and six months. Also perceived social support can predict medicinal, motivational and combined (medicinal-motivational) treatment after three and six months. Considering these variable can be effective in preventing, diagnosis and treatment of addiction.