Clinical Psychology Studies

Abstract Although various psychological methods exist for treating
symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), meta-analyses
show that many patients suffering from the disorder still show no or
little response to treatments. The present study therefore aimed to
provide an answer to the question, ‘Does schema therapy have an
effect on reducing symptoms of trauma recurrence in wounded in
actions with PTSD?’, and to evaluate effectiveness of the new therapy
method on treating chronic symptoms which were resistant to other
psychological therapies. The study used a single-case empirical design
with multiple baselines. Scales used were Young Schema
Questionnaire (short from), Young Compensation Inventory, YoungRygh Avoidance Inventory, Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory, and
Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale. The statistical society included
wounded in actions with chronic PTSD symptoms, of which 3 were
chosen for the study using purposeful convenient sampling. The
treatment consisted of 21 sessions for each subject with a two-month
follow-up. The data were analyzed using various statistical methods,
including mean, coefficient of variation, Z-test, and clinical cure rate.
Findings indicated that schema therapy was successful in
reducing symptoms of recurrent PTSD and in decreasing activity of
maladaptive schemas. Moreover, the results sustained in the follow-up
phase.

Abstract The present study aimed to examine the relationship of suicidal
thoughts, depression, anxiety, resilience, daily stress and mental health
in university students. The study group consisted of 265 University of
Tehran students. Subjects were asked to complete Beck Depression
Inventory (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Scale for
Suicide Ideation (BSI), Mental Health Scale, Daily Stress Scale and
Resilience Scale. The data were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation
coefficient and stepwise regression. Based on the results, a significant
negative correlation existed between suicidal thoughts and resilience
and self-esteem. Also, variables related to anxiety, depression, mental
health and daily stress had a positive correlation with suicidal
thoughts. The regression analysis indicated that depression was the
strongest factor in predicting suicidal thoughts, and that anxiety,
mental health, resilience and daily stress stood next in the line. The
variables had a total 21 percent influence on the variance of suicidal
thoughts. The study suggests that psychological and mental health
problems, including anxiety and depression, along with other factors
such as resilience and daily stress are important variables in
recognizing and predicting suicidal thoughts
Since symptoms of recurrent PTSD are sustaining and their
emergence, growth and sustainability are to a large extent influenced
by personal variables, and since these factors are connected to pretrauma maladaptive relationships which contribute to emergence of
maladaptive schemas, the schema therapy targeted roots of the
disorder and re-created maladaptive schemas, and it was thus
successful in curing symptoms of recurrent trauma.

Abstract Abstract
Depression is one of the most common psychological disorders for
which numerous treatment methods have been developed. The aim of
the present study was to examine effect of brief behavioral activation
treatment on reducing depression symptoms and improving quality of
life in patients with depression. The study used a semi-experimental
design with pretest and posttest and a control group. Convenient
sampling was used in selecting 22 female patients who were
diagnosed with major depression by a psychiatrist. The diagnosis was
given using DSM-IV-TR. The 22 subjects were divided into an
experimental and a control group, and the experimental group
received a behavioral activation treatment. Both groups completed
BDI-II, HRSD, and WHOQOL-BREF in the pretest, posttest and
follow-up phases (the follow-up was three months after the
intervention). The results were analyzed using single-variable
covariance analysis and t-test. Results indicated that the treatment
effected considerable and significant changes in depression symptoms
and quality of life of the subjects, both in short-term and after a period
of three months. The study suggests that a brief behavioral activation
treatment is effective in reducing depression symptoms, a finding
which is consistent with findings of the third wave of cognitivebehavioral therapies. The treatment is therefore recommended as an
effective method for treating major depression.
Abstract
Depression is one of the most common psychological disorders for
which numerous treatment methods have been developed. The aim of
the present study was to examine effect of brief behavioral activation
treatment on reducing depression symptoms and improving quality of
life in patients with depression. The study used a semi-experimental
design with pretest and posttest and a control group. Convenient
sampling was used in selecting 22 female patients who were
diagnosed with major depression by a psychiatrist. The diagnosis was
given using DSM-IV-TR. The 22 subjects were divided into an
experimental and a control group, and the experimental group
received a behavioral activation treatment. Both groups completed
BDI-II, HRSD, and WHOQOL-BREF in the pretest, posttest and
follow-up phases (the follow-up was three months after the
intervention). The results were analyzed using single-variable
covariance analysis and t-test. Results indicated that the treatment
effected considerable and significant changes in depression symptoms
and quality of life of the subjects, both in short-term and after a period
of three months. The study suggests that a brief behavioral activation
treatment is effective in reducing depression symptoms, a finding
which is consistent with findings of the third wave of cognitivebehavioral therapies. The treatment is therefore recommended as an
effective method for treating major depression.

Abstract Abstract
The study aimed to make a comparison of levels of mental health
between medical and non-medical staff in city of Hamedan in winter
2002. Considering stress factors specific to hospitals and the fact that
hospital staff are in frequent contact with human illnesses and death,
the study hypothesized and aimed to test that staff working in medical
staff working in hospitals had poorer mental health than those working
in a non-medical workplace, and that women were more vulnerable to
the stress factors. The study followed a causal-comparative design,
and the sample population included 125 medical staff member from 4
medical centers and 98 staff members from 3 non-medical centers in
city of Hamedan. Subjects were selected using convenient sampling.
The scale used was General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), in which
a cut-off point of 23 was considered for the scale and 6 for each
subscale. The data were analyzed using chi-square and odds ratio. The
results showed that 41.6% of the medical staff and 49% of the nonmedical staff were above the cut-off point, but that the difference
between results for each subscale was not significant in the two
groups. The relationship between gender and prevalence of mental
disorder in the medical staff was, however, significant. Based on the
results, the study suggests that stable managerial decisions, and hence
increased predictability of circumstances, can improve mental health
of the staff.

Abstract Abstract
In developing countries, the majority of female-headed families
face many economic and social problems and mental disorders. The
present study aimed to examine effectiveness of group cognitive
therapy on self-efficacy and depression among women who headed a
family. The study used a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test and
post-test and a control group. The sample consisted of 30 women who
headed families in city of Kangavar and who received governmental
welfare. The subjects were chosen using random sampling and
assigned to experimental and control groups. A 10-session group
cognitive therapy was given to the experimental group on weekly
basis, while the control group received no intervention. The data were
collected using Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Sherer SelfEfficacy Scale, and they were analyzed using multivariate covariance
in SPSS 18 software. The results of the covariance analysis showed
that group cognitive therapy significantly reduced depression and
increased self-efficacy in the experimental group as compared to the
control group. The study found that cognitive group therapy was
effective on reducing depression and increasing self-efficacy in
women who headed a family in the city of Kangavar

Abstract Research suggests that depression, anxiety and rumination
disorders are among the most important psychological problems in
patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Mindfulness-based
therapy (MBT) has been found effective in reducing anxiety and
depression symptoms, but little research has studied patients with
autism. The present study therefore aimed at examining effects of a
modified MBT protocol (MBT-AS) in high-functioning adults with
ASD. A group of 42 autistic individuals, chosen through convenient
sampling and aging from 15 to 26, were divided into an experimental
(20 individuals) and a control (21 individuals) group. The
experimental group received a treatment protocol based on
mindfulness (Teasedale et al.; revised edition). Data analysis was
carried out using t-test in independent groups, chi-square test and
multivariate variance analysis. Results showed a significant decrease
in depression, anxiety and rumination in the experimental group.
Results also showed that positive affect increased in the experimental
group but not in the control group. The present study is the first
controlled trial for demonstrating that adults with ASD can benefit
from MBT-AS

Abstract Clinical and neuropsychological evidence show that patients with
major depression often experience difficulties in their memory and
high cortical functions after receiving electroconvulsive therapy
(ECT). The aim of the study was therefore to examine side-effects of
electroconvulsive therapy on the memory and cognitive process of
women with major depression. The study employed a causalcomparative ex post facto design. The experimental group consisted of
30 women with major depressive disorder who were selected using
clinical interviews and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The control
group included 30 women with major depression who matched
members of the experimental group in age, education and marital
status. The experimental group completed a set of memory and
neuropsychiatric tests in several phases of ECT treatment, and they
were re-evaluated one year later in the follow-up phase. The control
group only received medication. The results from qualitative and
quantitative analyses of the memory and cognitive processes in the
two groups revealed that the experimental group significantly differed
from the control group in every phase of ECT and even 12 month after
the treatment (p<0.001)(p<0.001), and that memory and cognitive
processes of members of the experimental group significantly reduced
()<0.001). The study suggests that ECT decreases the patient’s
memory and high cortical functions, and that the results sustain even
after 12 months with no ECT.

Abstract The present study aimed to examine effectiveness of intensive
short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) in reducing symptoms
and changing defensive styles in patients with depression. The study
employed an applied quasi-experimental design and used a pretest and
posttest and a control group. The statistical population included all
University of Mashhad students with depression who referred to the
clinic of Faculty of Education and Psychology during 2001–2002
school year. The sample consisted of 16 students who were selected
using purposive voluntary sampling, and were randomly assigned to
either the experimental or the control group. The data was collected
using a demographic questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)
and Defensive Style Questionnaire (DSQ) in both groups. The
experimental group received a 20-session ISTDP while the control
group received no intervention. BDI and DSQ were administered in
both groups in the pretest phase. The data were analyzed using
ANCOVA in SPSS software. The results showed that ISTDP was
effective in reducing symptoms of depression (p<0.001) and immature
(p<0.17) and neurotic defensive styles (p<0.001), and in increasing
use of mature defensive styles (p<0/001) in the experimental group. In
other words, ISTDP increased patients’ moods and their use of mature
defense style and it decreased use of immature and neurotic defense
styles