Applied Research in Consulting

Abstract The present study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of group happiness training on improving coping skills in substance abuse patients. In a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test design, 30 substance abuse patients referred to Shiraz self-reported welfare center who had successfully completed the detoxification course were randomly selected into two groups using available sampling method. Experiment and control (15 people each) were included and answered the questionnaire of coping strategies of Carver et al. (1989) in two stages, pre-test and post-test. Then, the experimental group underwent group happiness training for 10 ninety-minute sessions, and the control group did not receive any intervention. Data analysis was done by SPSS-21 software and using covariance analysis test. The results indicated a significant increase in the score of coping strategies in the experimental group compared to the control group in the post-test phase. Therefore, happiness group training is effective in improving coping strategies of substance abuse patients.

Abstract Hearing damage is the most common sensorineural deficiency in humans, and approximately one child out of every thousand is born with severe to profound permanent sensorineural hearing loss. The educational role of the family during childhood is more than at any other time. The present study was conducted with the aim of the effect of optimism training on the mental health of parents of children with hearing impairment between 2 and 10 years of age. This research is an experimental research which was conducted with a pre-test-post-test design along with a control group. The statistical population of the research is made up of mothers of children with hearing impairment between the ages of 2 and 10 who were trained in the 2014-2015 school year at the Ava center in Kohdasht city. For this purpose, a sample of 40 mothers of deaf and hard of hearing children aged 2-10 years were randomly divided into two experimental groups of 20 and control groups of 20. Goldberg and Hiller (1979) mental health questionnaires and Shier and Carver (1985) personality optimism questionnaires were used to collect data. Mothers of experimental group students were trained in 10 sessions. To check the results, the mean and standard deviation have been presented in the descriptive statistics section and discussed in the inferential statistics section.

Abstract The current research was conducted with the aim of predicting social interest based on the basic psychological needs and emotional atmosphere of the family. The descriptive-correlation research method and the statistical population included the students of Azad University, Rodhan branch in the academic year 2016-2017. The sample size was estimated to be 160 people based on Kramer's method and they were selected by multi-stage random method. The sample subjects completed three questionnaires of basic psychological needs, family emotional atmosphere and Crandall's social interest. The results of multiple regression analysis indicated that social interest can be predicted based on the basic psychological needs and emotional atmosphere of the family, and the two variables of the emotional atmosphere of the family and the relationship component of the basic psychological needs with the variable of social interest have a positive and significant correlation.

Abstract The present study was conducted to investigate the role of cognitive functions, gratitude and depression in predicting the quality of life of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). This cross-sectional study was conducted on 92 patients referred to the physiotherapy department of Tehran MS Association. Data collection tools included the cognitive functions questionnaire (Najati, 2013), the quality of life questionnaire (World Health Organization, 1996), the gratitude questionnaire (McClough and Whit-Williat, 2002) and the depression questionnaire (Beck et al., 1961). Research data were analyzed by simultaneous multiple regression method and Pearson correlation coefficient using spss.23 software. The results of the correlation coefficient showed that the variables of cognitive functions (r=0.438), depression (r=0.303) and gratitude (r=0.467) have a significant relationship with quality of life (p<0.05). Also, the regression results showed that 51.4% of the variance of quality of life is explained by cognitive functions, gratitude and depression. Therefore, although people with MS may experience feelings of depression, a high gratitude factor may allow people to appreciate people, events, and situations in life, and to be grateful for their lives and social relationships.

Abstract The purpose of the current research is "comparison of academic goal orientation among female and male students of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz". The current study is "descriptive-cross-sectional" in nature, and in terms of survey data collection, and due to the fact that it is carried out in a specific statistical community and an accessible geographical area, it can be said that it is "applied" in terms of goals. It showed that there is a positive relationship between mastery and performance in male students and performance in female students. In fact, the more functional the male student's progress goal and the more dominant the female student's progress goal, the more progress they have in education. It should be noted that some of these differences can be related to the differences in personalities, talents, and parents' behavior towards girls and boys. It also seems that the direction and motivation of girls is more internal than that of boys, and girls have more positive beliefs about their ability to control conditions and strive for goals.

Abstract     The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the relationship between family structure in terms of adaptability and correlation with marital satisfaction in working women. The research is of the correlation type and the statistical population of the research is all women working in the offices of Karaj city and the sample of this research included 400 working women in Karaj city of Tehran who were selected based on multi-stage cluster sampling. The tools used in the research were Elson et al.'s family structure questionnaire (1985) and Elson, Furinz and Druckman's (1982) marital satisfaction questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics (multiple regression and Pearson correlation coefficient) and using spss20 software. The findings showed that family solidarity and adaptability predict the marital satisfaction of working women (P<0.001). Also, there is a positive and significant relationship between the correlation and adaptability of the family with marital satisfaction and its components (P<0.001). The results showed that there is a positive relationship between the solidarity and adaptability of the family with the marital satisfaction of working women, and the results of the present study can be used in developing treatment protocols.