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 The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of emotion regulation training and self-control training on self-control and emotional adjustment of students with oppositional defiant disorder. The research method was a quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test with a control group. The statistical population consisted of all children aged 8 to 12 years in Shiraz who had been referred to psychological clinics in this city and had been diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder. To select the sample, 45 children were randomly selected from among these children in accordance with the inclusion criteria. The method of selecting the sample group was simple random. After selecting the subjects, they were randomly assigned to 3 groups: the first experimental group (emotion regulation training), the second experimental group (self-control training), and the control group. To diagnose oppositional defiant disorder, the Homerson, Murray, Ohan, and Johnson (2006) Oppositional Defiant Disorder Rating Scale was used, to measure self-control, the Humphrey Children's Perceived Self-Control Scale (1982), and to measure emotional adjustment, the Crick & Grotpeter (1995) Emotional-Social Adjustment Questionnaire was used. The results of the multivariate analysis of covariance test showed both methods of emotion regulation training and self-control training have a significant effect on the self-control and emotional adjustment of students with oppositional behavior disorder. The effectiveness of emotion regulation training and self-control training on the self-control and emotional adjustment students with oppositional behavior disorder is not different. As a result, each of these interventions can be used in counseling and psychotherapy centers to improve self-control and increase children's adjustment.

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 This qualitative study, employing a documentary-library method, analyzed the dimensions of the transformative meta-perspective for designing a curriculum based on educational justice. Findings indicate that a justice-oriented curriculum, informed by trans-personal, social change, and humanistic approaches, requires key elements. These include addressing learners' individual and social needs, fostering decision-making skills, valuing student choice, and ensuring cognitive and emotional engagement. Furthermore, it necessitates emphasizing individual and social values, cultural differences, a fair attitude among designers, expert consultation, and public participation. The curriculum should also aim to cultivate critical citizens with reasoning and persuasion skills, and enhance creativity by balancing intuitive and analytical thinking. The study concludes that implementing such a curriculum through a transformative lens ensures equitable resource distribution, impartial educational laws, and the elimination of gender, ethnic, and racial discrimination in assessment, thereby achieving comprehensive educational justice for all.

Abstract The present study aimed to model the structural relationship between media literacy and resilience mediated by cognitive emotion regulation in high school students in Qom. This research is applied in terms of its purpose and is of the structural equation modeling type in terms of its descriptive-correlational method. The statistical population of this study consisted of male and female students in Qom province who were studying in secondary schools in the academic year 2021-2022. The sample group consisted of 700 people (350 girls and 350 boys) who were selected using the cluster sampling method; Thus, from among the 4 educational districts of Qom province, 8 schools (4 for girls and 4 for boys) were randomly selected, and 88 students from each school were included in the study. In this study, questionnaire tools (Toman Media Literacy Questionnaire, 1995, Garnevsky et al.'s Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, 2001 and Connor-Davidson's Resilience Questionnaire (2003) were used to collect data related to the variables. All statistical analyses were performed at the 0.05 error level using SmartPLS 3.2.8 software. The findings indicate a positive and significant direct effect of media literacy on resilience. On the other hand, the effect of media literacy on resilience is also positive and significant indirectly and mediated by cognitive emotion regulation. Therefore, it is possible to benefit from promoting media literacy and cognitive emotion regulation in a consistent manner by planning correctly to increase students' resilience.

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.