زهرا یوسفی

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to investigate the mediating role of self-esteem in the relationship between psychological capital, academic engagement, and academic procrastination with academic performance among high school students in Al-Diwaniyah, Iraq. Methodology: The research method was descriptive-correlational with a structural equation modeling design. Among the students of Al-Diwaniyah schools in the first semester of the 2023-2024 academic year, 250 were randomly selected using multi-stage cluster sampling, of which 194 completed the questionnaires. Data were collected using the Academic Performance Questionnaire (Pham & Taylor, 1990), the Academic Procrastination Questionnaire (Solomon & Rothblum, 1984), the Academic Engagement Questionnaire (Fredricks et al., 2004), the Psychological Capital Questionnaire (Nguyen et al., 2012), and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965), and analyzed using SPSS version 26 and AMOS version 24. Findings: The findings showed that there is a significant positive relationship between psychological capital and academic engagement with self-esteem and academic performance, and between self-esteem and academic performance (p < .01). Additionally, academic procrastination has a significant negative relationship with self-esteem and academic performance (p < .01). Furthermore, self-esteem partially mediates the relationship between psychological capital, academic engagement, and academic procrastination with academic performance. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that fostering self-esteem through the development of psychological capital and effective academic strategies can lead to improved academic performance.

Objective: The present study aimed to develop a pre-marital counseling model based on Davis's (2005) Work Adjustment Theory. Methods: The research was qualitative in nature and utilized content analysis. The environment for this study included all texts related to the aforementioned theory. Participants were selected purposefully from texts on work adjustment within the period from 2013 to 2022. The criterion for the number of texts was based on the principle of data saturation. The data collection method involved line-by-line examination of texts, based on questions related to the components of adjustment in this theory. Data derived from the text analysis were analyzed using the conventional content analysis method by Hsieh and Shannon (2005). Findings: The results of the content analysis indicated that all content from Davis's Work Adjustment Theory can be summarized into three main concepts: compatibility, interaction, and adjustment. When adapted to pre-marital counseling, these concepts were described as follows: the concept of compatibility is divided into two subcategories: satisfaction for the family and satisfaction with the family. The concept of interaction includes sub-concepts of adjustment styles. The third concept, adjustment, encompasses the style of managing marital life tasks. Accordingly, the compatibility-based pre-marital counseling model was designed based on these three dimensions. Conclusion: Overall, given the process of extracting this model, it can be qualitatively stated that this model is valid.

Objective: The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of schema therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and compassion-focused therapy on components of loving, emotional empathy, marital values, coping skills, and willingness to marry among single women with a fear of marriage. Methods and Materials: This experimental study used a pretest-posttest-follow-up design with four groups (three experimental groups and one control group). The statistical population included all girls with pre-marital fears in the city of Semirom. From this population, 60 participants were selected using convenience sampling based on inclusion and exclusion criteria and were assigned to four non-randomized groups. The control group was placed on a waiting list, while the three experimental groups received schema therapy-based interventions (Fadavi Nia & Khayyatan, 2021), cognitive-behavioral therapy (Mohammadpour et al., 2015), and compassion-focused therapy (Pirjavid et al., 2021) over eight 90-minute sessions. All participants responded to the Coping Skills Questionnaire (Billings & Moos, 1981) in three phases. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics. Findings: The results showed that all three methods effectively improved the two dimensions of avoidance-oriented and problem-focused coping. Conclusion: Based on these results, it can be concluded that these three methods are suitable for improving psychological constructs, with schema therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy being more effective in enhancing the dimensions of coping mechanisms. Counselors and psychotherapists can use the techniques and strategies from these methods to improve these dimensions.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to analyze the components of enhancing dyadic ego strength (facilitating the transition from "I-ness" to "We-ness" in marital relationships) specifically for married individuals. The research setting included all texts related to the concept of "We-ness." Methods: The method for selecting texts was purposive sampling from among the aforementioned texts or related constructs within the time frame of 2010 to 2025, based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The number of texts was determined according to the principle of data saturation. Data collection involved line-by-line analysis of texts based on questions relevant to the concept of "We-ness." The data obtained from the textual analysis were analyzed using the conventional content analysis method proposed by Hsieh and Shannon (2005). Findings: Content analysis of the texts revealed that dyadic ego consists of four key concepts: (1) essence (with sub-concepts of attention to marital union and dyadic identity); (2) dimensions of dyadic ego (with sub-concepts of cognitive, positive emotional, negative emotional, and behavioral aspects); (3) pathways to achieving dyadic ego (with sub-concepts of generative meaning of the marital bond, family values, and family goals); and (4) obstacles to achieving dyadic ego (with sub-concepts of individualism, lack of self-differentiation, and insecure attachment). Conclusion: Based on these findings, it can be concluded that dyadic ego is a mechanism that transforms the process of "I-ness" into "We-ness," and for its realization, couples must engage in pathways to attain it and overcome its obstacles.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the efficacy of a specialized package for women with body dysmorphic disorder and schema therapy on perfectionism and maladaptive schemas in women afflicted with body dysmorphic disorder. Methods: The research employed a quasi-experimental design with pre-test, post-test, and follow-up phases involving two experimental groups and one control group, conducted among women with body dysmorphic disorder visiting psychological centers in Isfahan in the first half of 2022. For this purpose, 45 women were selected by convenience and randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group. The first experimental group received the specialized package for women with body dysmorphic disorder (researcher-designed), and the second experimental group underwent schema therapy according to the protocol of Young and colleagues (2023) over ten 90-minute sessions, while the control group received no intervention. Participants completed the Perfectionism Questionnaire (1995) and Young's Schema Questionnaire (1998) at pre-test, post-test, and follow-up stages. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA with SPSS software. Findings: There were significant differences between the groups receiving the specialized package and schema therapy and the control group in terms of negative perfectionism and rejection schemas (p < .01). Additionally, there were differences between the group receiving the specialized package and the schema therapy group in terms of positive perfectionism, autonomy schemas, impaired performance, and impaired limits (p < .01), such that the specialized package had an effect on positive perfectionism, and schema therapy had an impact on autonomy schemas, impaired performance, and impaired limits (p < .05). Moreover, neither treatment had an effect on schemas of other-directedness and hypervigilance. Conclusion: Specialists are recommended to utilize both interventions to improve women with body dysmorphic disorder in terms of reducing negative perfectionism and rejection schemas, to use the specialized package for enhancing positive perfectionism, and to employ schema therapy for reducing autonomy schemas and impaired functioning and limits.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of attachment-based, brain-based, and mindful parenting training on reducing parental stress in mothers of children exhibiting symptoms of social anxiety. Methods: A quasi-experimental design with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up stages was used, involving 60 mothers from three elementary schools in Felard city. Participants were divided into four groups: attachment-based parenting, brain-based parenting, mindful parenting, and a control group. Each experimental group received eight 90-minute training sessions. Parental stress was measured using the Parenting Stress Index before and after the intervention and during follow-up. Data were analysed using SPSS-26 and analysis of variance with repeated measurements method. Findings: The brain-based parenting training significantly reduced parental stress in the post-test and follow-up stages compared to the control group. The attachment-based and mindful parenting trainings did not show significant effects on parental stress. Repeated measures ANOVA indicated significant within-group effects over time and interactions between time and group. The brain-based training had a notable impact on the mothers' ability to manage parenting stress effectively. Conclusion: Brain-based parenting training is an effective intervention for reducing parental stress among mothers of children with social anxiety symptoms. The findings highlight the importance of understanding brain functions in parenting strategies. Further research is needed to explore the potential long-term benefits of attachment-based and mindful parenting methods on parental stress.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of pre-marital education based on Eric Berne's theory and expert-centered pre-marital education on emotional experiences related to marriage. Method: The research was quasi-experimental with a pre-test, post-test design, including two experimental groups and one control group. The statistical population comprised all students on the verge of marriage, and the sample included 45 students who were voluntarily selected and randomly distributed into three groups of 15. The research instrument was the Emotional Experience towards Marriage Questionnaire (Yousefi et al., 2023). While the control group was on the waiting list, the experimental groups received eight ninety-minute sessions of pre-marital education based on Eric Berne's theory and expert-centered approach. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (multivariate analysis of covariance). Findings: The results showed that expert-centered pre-marital education did not improve positive emotional experiences; however, it improved both dimensions of emotional experiences towards marriage. Conclusions: Based on these results, it can be concluded that pre-marital education based on Eric Berne's theory is stronger than the expert-centered method and has the potential to improve emotional experiences related to marriage.