Applied Research in Consulting

Abstract This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of mentalization in the relationship between five personality factors and psychopathology in patients with malignant tumors under chronic stress. The study was conducted using a descriptive-correlational method and structural equation modeling (SEM). The statistical population was all patients with malignant tumors in Urmia who referred to medical centers between October 1403 and July 1404. The sample consisted of 200 people (54% female and 46% male) who were selected by convenience sampling. The research tools included the Five Personality Factors Questionnaire (NEO-FFI), the Mentalization Scale (RFQ), and the Psychopathology Test (DASS-21). The data were analyzed by correlation and structural equation modeling. The results showed that neuroticism had the highest positive correlation with psychopathology (r=0.57), while mentalization showed a strong negative correlation with psychopathology (r=-0.53). The proposed structural model had a good fit (CFI=0.91, RMSEA=0.06) and showed that mentalization has a strong mediating role. Participants with higher levels of mentalization showed more positive behaviors and attitudes and a more effective capacity to cope with the stress of illness. The findings emphasize that the five personality factors, and especially neuroticism, are strong predictors of psychopathology in patients with malignant tumors.

Abstract This study, employing a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a control group, investigated the effectiveness of the "Philosophy for Children" program on holistic learning and learning motivation. The statistical population consisted of fourth to sixth-grade students in Tehran's public elementary schools during the 2022-2023 academic year. From this population, 120 students were selected via multi-stage cluster sampling and randomly assigned to either an experimental group (60 students) or a control group (60 students). The experimental group received training in the "Philosophy for Children" program over 10 sessions. Data collection tools included a researcher-made holistic learning questionnaire, the standardized Harter Learning Motivation Questionnaire, and a structured observation checklist. The data were analyzed using independent t-tests, paired t-tests, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and analysis of variance. The findings revealed that implementing the program had a significant positive effect on increasing holistic learning and enhancing the learning motivation of students in the experimental group. A significant positive correlation was also observed between these two variables. Qualitative data from observations indicated the strengthening of critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, and social interaction skills among the students. The program's impact was similar for both girls and boys; however, sixth-grade students showed greater improvement compared to the lower grades. In conclusion, the "Philosophy for Children" program, as an effective educational strategy, can help foster students' intellectual, emotional, social, and moral dimensions simultaneously by creating a dynamic, inquiry-based community environment, thereby increasing their intrinsic motivation to learn.

Abstract The present study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) on post-traumatic damage and growth in war-affected individuals. The research method was quasi-experimental with a pretest-posttest control group design. The statistical population consisted of war-affected individuals in Tehran, from whom 30 participants were selected using convenience sampling and randomly assigned to two groups: experimental and control (15 participants per group). The experimental group participated in eight sessions of cognitive-behavioral therapy, while the control group received no intervention. Data were collected using the Farahbakhsh (2025/1404) Post-Traumatic Damage and Growth Questionnaire. The gathered data were analyzed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The results indicated that after controlling for pretest scores, there was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in the total score of post-traumatic damage and growth, and cognitive-behavioral therapy significantly improved this variable in the experimental group. In other words, the cognitive-behavioral intervention was able to reduce the level of traumatic psychological consequences and facilitate an increase in post-traumatic growth symptoms among war-affected individuals. Based on the research findings, it can be concluded that cognitive-behavioral therapy can be utilized as an effective intervention to mitigate psychological trauma and foster post-traumatic growth in individuals affected by war.