Journal of

This study aimed to predict children’s eating behavior based on parental reflective capacity, examining the mediating role of parental feeding styles. The study employed a descriptive-correlational design using path analysis. The population comprised all mothers of children aged 6–12 years attending primary schools in Tehran in 2024. Using convenience sampling, 573 mothers were recruited. Instruments included the Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ; Wardle et al., 2001), the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (PRFQ; Luyten et al., 2017), and the Parental Feeding Style Questionnaire (PFSQ; Wardle et al., 2002). Data were analyzed using path analysis, and the model demonstrated acceptable fit. Findings indicated that the indirect effect of pre-mentalizing on approach behavior via emotional feeding was significant; the indirect effects of pre-mentalizing on avoidant behavior via instrumental and controlling feeding were also significant. In contrast, the indirect effect of certainty about mental states on avoidant behavior via instrumental feeding was not significant, whereas the indirect effects via encouragement to eat and controlling feeding were significant. All reported significant indirect effects reached (p<0.05). Maternal mentalization, through different feeding styles, influences children’s approach and avoidance behaviors; an encouraging style increases approach, while instrumental and controlling styles reinforce avoidance.

The present study aimed to analyze and compare the psychological profiles of two groups of traditional and industrial drug users, examining the differences in brain-behavioral systems, personality dimensions, and prosocial behavior tendencies. This causal-comparative study was conducted on 200 drug-dependent men (100 traditional drug users and 100 industrial drug users) who had referred to rehabilitation centers in Qom in 1404. The measurement tools included the Gray-Wilson Brain-Behavioral Systems Questionnaire, Cloninger Personality and Character Test, and the Revised Prosocial Behavior Scale. The findings from multivariate analysis of variance showed that industrial drug users scored significantly higher in the behavioral activation system and the approach and active avoidance subscales, while no significant differences were observed in the behavioral inhibition and conflict-avoidance systems. In terms of personality dimensions, the industrial group had higher scores in novelty seeking, harm avoidance, perseverance, self-direction, and self-transcendence, but traditional users showed superiority in the reward dependence dimension and indicators of social behavior (altruism and compliance). The results indicate that the industrial substance use pattern is associated with a more impulsive personality profile and a deeper breakdown in social functioning, while traditional users maintained social bonds and responsiveness to environmental rewards. These findings emphasize the need to review treatment protocols and design differentiated interventions based on the type of substance used and the neuro-personality underpinnings in the field of addiction psychology.

Spouse addiction is one of the serious stressors in the family system that has widespread consequences on women's mental health and marital relationship quality. The present study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of self-compassion training on distress tolerance and marital adjustment in women with addicted spouses. This study was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The statistical population included all women with addicted spouses who were hospitalized in voluntary addiction treatment camps in Fardis city during the months of January to March 2025 due to their spouses' hospitalization. Among them, 30 people were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups. The experimental group received self-compassion training in 8 sessions from 1 to 1:30, while the control group did not receive any intervention. The research instruments included a distress tolerance questionnaire and a marital adjustment questionnaire. The data were analyzed using the statistical methods of analysis of variance with repeated measures. The findings of the study showed that self-compassion training has a significant effect on increasing distress tolerance and improving marital adjustment in women with addicted spouses. Overall, the results indicate that self-compassion training can be used as an effective psychological intervention to promote mental health and improve marital relationships in these women and pave the way for designing targeted support and counseling programs in the field of family and addiction.

The present study aimed to compare multidimensional mentalization and metacognitive beliefs between patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and nonclinical individuals. This causal-comparative study was conducted in Tehran Province during 2025–2026. The sample consisted of 100 participants, including 50 patients with IBS and 50 nonclinical individuals, selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using the Multidimensional Mentalization Questionnaire and the Metacognitions Questionnaire and analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and follow-up univariate tests. The results revealed a statistically significant overall difference between the two groups in the set of multidimensional mentalization components. However, subsequent univariate analyses showed a significant between-group difference only in distrust, with patients with IBS obtaining higher mean scores than nonclinical individuals. A significant overall difference was also found between the groups in metacognitive beliefs, with the IBS group scoring higher on all five components: uncontrollability and danger, positive beliefs about worry, cognitive awareness, confidence in memory, and need to control thoughts. These findings suggest that metacognitive beliefs and the distrust component of mentalization are relevant psychological dimensions for examining differences between patients with IBS and nonclinical individuals. Assessing these variables may contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the psychological characteristics associated with IBS. Nevertheless, given the cross-sectional nature of the study, causal relationships cannot be inferred from the findings.

The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on the emotional schema of shame and emotional expressivity in adolescent boys with high social anxiety in District 13 of Tehran. This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest–posttest and follow-up design with a control group. The statistical population consisted of all male students in the first and second levels of secondary school with high social anxiety in the 2025–2026 academic year. Using a multistage cluster sampling method, 30 students whose scores on the Social Anxiety Questionnaire were above the cutoff point were selected and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 15) and a control group (n = 15). The research instruments included the Leahy Emotional Schema Scale (2002), the Emotional Expressivity Scale (King & Emmons, 1990), and the Social Anxiety Questionnaire (Connor et al., 2000). The experimental group received Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in eight 120-minute sessions, whereas the control group received no intervention. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance in SPSS version 26. The results indicated that the effects of time, group, and the interaction between time and group on the dependent variables were statistically significant . Furthermore, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy led to a significant and sustained reduction in the emotional schema of shame and a significant increase in emotional expressivity in the experimental group compared with the control group at the posttest and follow-up stages. Based on the findings, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy can be considered an effective intervention for reducing the emotional schema of shame and improving emotional expressivity in adolescents with social anxiety.

Narcissistic personality disorder and histrionic personality disorder are Cluster B personality disorders that, despite sharing certain behavioral traits, differ in their cognitive patterns. The present study aimed to compare cognitive errors and cognitive flexibility in individuals with narcissistic and histrionic personality disorders. A causal-comparative research design was employed. The statistical population consisted of clients at the Mersana Counseling Center in Tehran, from which individuals diagnosed with narcissistic and histrionic personality disorders were selected using simple random sampling. The Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI-III) was used to diagnose personality disorders, while the Cognitive Distortions Questionnaire (Abdollahzadeh & Salar, 2010) and the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (Dennis & Vander Wal, 2010) were used to assess cognitive errors and cognitive flexibility, respectively. Data were analyzed using an independent t-test. The results indicated no significant difference between the two groups regarding cognitive errors and cognitive flexibility. Regarding the components of cognitive errors, "magnification" ranked highest and "disqualifying the positive" ranked lowest in both groups. Additionally, scores for "jumping to conclusions" and "personalization" were higher in the histrionic personality disorder group compared to the narcissistic group. Overall, while no significant difference was observed between individuals with narcissistic and histrionic personality disorders regarding cognitive errors and cognitive flexibility, variations in specific cognitive error components may reflect distinct cognitive patterns associated with these disorders; recognizing these differences is essential for a more precise understanding and the design of interventions tailored to the specific characteristics of each disorder.