Anxiety

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of anxiety in the relationship between parental conflict and adolescent sleep problems. Methods: A descriptive correlational design was employed using a sample of 404 adolescents from Pakistan, selected based on the Morgan and Krejcie table. Participants completed standardized questionnaires measuring perceived parental conflict, anxiety symptoms, and sleep disturbances. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS-27 for Pearson correlation analysis and AMOS-21 for Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The assumptions of normality, linearity, and multicollinearity were confirmed prior to analysis. The SEM approach allowed for testing both direct and indirect pathways within the proposed mediation model. Findings: Results from Pearson correlation indicated significant positive associations between parental conflict and anxiety (r = .51, p < .001), anxiety and sleep problems (r = .55, p < .001), and parental conflict and sleep problems (r = .47, p < .001). The structural model demonstrated good fit indices (χ² = 204.38, df = 84, χ²/df = 2.43, GFI = 0.94, AGFI = 0.91, CFI = 0.96, TLI = 0.95, RMSEA = 0.059). SEM analysis showed that parental conflict significantly predicted anxiety (b = 0.38, p < .001) and sleep problems (b = 0.19, p < .001), while anxiety significantly predicted sleep problems (b = 0.42, p < .001). The indirect effect of parental conflict on sleep problems through anxiety was also significant (b = 0.16, p < .001), confirming the mediating role of anxiety. Conclusion: The findings indicate that anxiety is a significant mediator in the relationship between parental conflict and adolescent sleep disturbances. These results underscore the need for family-based and anxiety-focused interventions to address sleep problems in adolescents exposed to high-conflict home environments.

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of happiness training based on Lyubomirsky’s model in reducing negative emotions and enhancing cognitive flexibility in this population. Methods and Materials: This study employed a quasi-experimental design using a pretest-posttest control group format. The statistical population included mothers of children with autism who attended the "Golhaye Beheshti" Center in Qom during spring 2024. A total of 30 participants were selected through simple random sampling and assigned to either the experimental or control group. The experimental group participated in eight 90-minute sessions of happiness training. The research instruments included the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the Cognitive Flexibility Scale developed by Dennis and Vander Wal (2009). Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Findings: The results indicated that Lyubomirsky’s happiness training significantly reduced depression, anxiety, and stress levels while significantly increasing cognitive flexibility in the experimental group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Happiness-based intervention can serve as an effective strategy for promoting the mental health of mothers of children with autism by alleviating negative emotions and strengthening their cognitive capacities. Keywords: Happiness training, depression, anxiety, stress, cognitive flexibility, mothers, autism spectrum disorder.

Objectives: Task-based speaking courses have gained prominence in language education as an effective approach to enhancing communication skills and learner engagement. By focusing on tasks and interactions, these courses not only promote language proficiency but also foster collaboration among students. The present study was to find whether motivation and anxiety predicted the Iranian EFL learners’ progress in task-based speaking courses. Methods: A total number of 120 intermediate Iranian EFL learners of Safir-e-Andisheh Language Institute in Isfahan, Iran, were selected by convenience sampling following the administration of the Oxford Quick Placement Test (OQPT). Afterward, a ten-session task-based speaking training was conducted using the speaking tasks presented in American English File-Book 2. The data were collected using the Motivation in Foreign-Language Learning Questionnaire, the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale, and a speaking test. A speaking assessment rubric, comprising vocabulary, grammar, intonation, pronunciation, and fluency, was used to assess speaking on a scale of 1-10. The obtained data were analyzed by standard multiple regression. Results: The findings revealed that interest in foreign languages, pragmatic benefits, and English for professional reputation predicted the speaking progress of EFL learners; furthermore, communication apprehension and fear of negative evaluation significantly predicted the speaking progress of EFL learners. Conclusion: In conclusion, the study highlights the significant role of both motivation and anxiety in predicting the progress of Iranian EFL learners in task-based speaking courses. By understanding these factors, educators can better design programs that enhance learner engagement and improve speaking proficiency.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of neurofeedback in reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in high school deaf girls. Method: A total of 24 deaf female students were randomly assigned to experimental (n=12) and control (n=12) groups. The experimental group received 15 neurofeedback training sessions targeting the F3 and F4 regions. Both groups completed the DASS-21 questionnaire before and after the intervention.. Results: Multivariate analysis of covariance indicated significant reductions in depression (F = 15.680, p<.05), anxiety (F = 5.991, p<.05), and stress (F = 6.100, p<.05) scores in the experimental group compared to the control group. Conclusion: Neurofeedback appears to be an effective intervention for improving mental health among deaf adolescents.

Objective: Family dynamics play a significant role in establishing emotional relationships among its members and fostering psychological well-being, which extends to individual and collective members' peace of mind. This study aimed to investigate the impact of parenting styles and sexual education styles of parents, with anxiety as a mediating variable, on the sexual performance of married women. Method: The study population consisted of married women who presented with sexual dysfunction at psychiatric and women's clinics in Tehran. Since the minimum number of samples in structural equation modeling is 200 individuals, 200 individuals were selected through convenience sampling. The research instruments included Baumrind's Parenting Styles Scale (1972), Parental Sexual Education Styles Scale (2010), Beck Anxiety Scale (1990), and Rosen et al.'s Sexual Performance Scale (2000). Structural equation modeling was employed to analyze the data. Results: The findings of the present study showed that anxiety does not have a mediating effect on the effect of parents' strict sexual education style on the sexual performance of married women, but it has a complete mediating effect on the sexual performance of married women in the authoritative sexual education style of parents. Also, anxiety has a partial mediating effect on the impact of parents' authoritarian parenting style on married women's sexual performance, and it does not have a mediating effect on the parents' authoritarian parenting style on married women's sexual performance (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The study concludes that the sexual performance of married women is significantly influenced by the styles of parenting and sexual education they received, with anxiety playing varied mediating roles. An authoritative approach to sexual education, coupled with parenting styles that manage to reduce anxiety, tends to enhance sexual performance in women.

  Objective : This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Transactional Analysis Therapy on the quality of life and anxiety in children diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Methods : A quasi-experimental design, utilizing a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up with a control group, was employed. The statistical population comprised students with ADHD in exceptional schools in Rasht during the 2023-2024 academic year. A total of 30 participants were selected using purposive sampling and randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. Research instruments included Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). The experimental group received 8 one-hour sessions of Transactional Analysis Therapy, while the control group received no intervention. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA), univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and Tukey's post-hoc test via SPSS software, with a significance level set at p<.01. Results : The findings indicated that Transactional Analysis Therapy had a significant positive effect on improving both anxiety and quality of life in the experimental group (p<.01). These positive effects were maintained during the two-month follow-up phase. Conclusion : It can be concluded that Transactional Analysis Therapy is effective in enhancing the quality of life and reducing anxiety in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

The rise of social media has transformed modern communication, creating connectivity and fostering new platforms for self-expression. However, this shift has raised significant concerns about its effects on mental health. This article critically examines the relationship between social media use and mental health. While social media can provide valuable social support and facilitate the sharing of personal achievements, evidence suggests it may also contribute to heightened anxiety, depression, and body dissatisfaction, especially among adolescents and young adults. The article analyzes how social media algorithms, the pressure to present an idealized self-image, and constant comparison with others create an environment where self-esteem and mental well-being are often compromised. Furthermore, the long-term implications of social media use, including its impact on attention spans, social isolation, and self-worth, are discussed. Ultimately, this article emphasizes the importance of understanding and managing social media’s influence on mental health to create healthier digital environments.

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of a selected aerobic step training program on cardiovascular indices, maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max), subcutaneous fat, anxiety, and aggression in deaf male students. Thirty deaf males with a mean age of 19–25 years, height ranging from 167 to 186.5 cm, and weight between 51 and 105 kg were randomly divided into experimental (n = 15) and control (n = 15) groups. The training program for the experimental group lasted for six weeks, consisting of three sessions per week, each session lasting 45 minutes with an intensity of 80–85% of maximum heart rate (HRmax). Pre- and post-tests were administered to measure aerobic capacity, anxiety, and aggression using the aerobic step test, Spielberger’s Anxiety Inventory, and the Buss–Perry Aggression Questionnaire, respectively. Subcutaneous fat was measured using a skinfold caliper. Data were analyzed using independent t-tests and covariance analysis. The results revealed a significant increase in aerobic capacity as well as a significant decrease in anxiety, aggression, and subcutaneous fat percentage following the aerobic training intervention. Overall, the findings indicate that aerobic exercise has a positive effect on aerobic capacity adaptation, body composition, anxiety reduction, and aggression control in deaf individuals.