Iranian Journal of Psychiatry

Mediating Role of Cognitive Flexibilities in the Relationship between Parenting Styles and Self-Esteem among Children

Ye Mu — 2025-03-08

Objective: The growing acknowledgment of self-esteem as an essential element of psychological well-being has highlighted the influence of parenting styles on the self-esteem of children as a significant concern in developmental psychology. This study enhances prior research on the association between self-esteem and parenting styles by investigating the mediating effect of cognitive flexibility.
Method: This research is a quantitative, cross-sectional, correlational study carried out in 2024 involving children between the ages of 6 and 12 in Beijing, China. Parents who volunteered participated by filling out self-report surveys, such as the short version of the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI). These surveys were distributed via a Sojump link shared on social media. For the statistical analysis, descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and path analysis were employed.
Results: A total of 150 children took part in this survey. The correlation analysis revealed that there were positive associations between the authoritative parenting style and the cognitive flexibility scale among children (r = 0.325, P < 0.01) and cognitive flexibility and self-esteem (r = 0.448, P < 0.01). There was also a significant negative correlation between authoritative parenting and authoritarian parenting (r = -0.402, P < 0.01). Moreover, results support the mediational hypothesis. However, the authoritative parenting style is no longer a significant contributor to self-esteem among children after controlling for cognitive flexibility as the mediator, β = 0.11, SE = 0.10, t = 1.06, P = 0.2897, 95% CI [-0.0941, 0.3131], suggesting a full mediation. This result indicated that the indirect coefficient was significant β = 0.1919, SE = 0.0595, 95% CI [0.0846, 0.3160].
Conclusion: The results of this study present an intriguing profile suggesting that certain psychological factors, such as authoritative parenting and cognitive flexibility, may enhance children's to self-esteem development. This research offers valuable insights for parents, educators, policymakers, and future researchers regarding the significance of authoritative parenting and cognitive flexibility in shaping children's self-esteem.

The Validation of the Persian Version of Sugar Addiction Questionnaire: Factor Structure, Item Analysis and Model Fit

Seyyed Salman Alavi — 2025-03-03

Objective: Excessive sugar consumption is a growing public health concern, with research suggesting it may function as an addictive substance. However, the lack of standardized tools to assess sugar addiction, particularly across cultures, remains a challenge. This study aims to validate the Persian version of the Sugar Addiction Questionnaire (SAQ) for use in Iran.
Method: In this cross-sectional psychometric validation study, 504 Persian-speaking adults (59.1% female, mean age = 29.8 ± 19.5 years) were recruited using convenience sampling from Tehran health centers. Participants completed the SAQ and Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS 2.0), and participated in DSM-5-based semi-structured interviews for sugar addiction. Factor analysis and reliability measures (Cronbach’s alpha, test-retest, split-half) were used to assess the SAQ's validity and reliability.
Results: The Persian SAQ demonstrated strong psychometric properties. Factor analysis revealed a five-factor structure explaining 45.08% of the variance. Concurrent validity was confirmed by significant correlations with the YFAS 2.0 (r = 0.51, P < 0.001) and BMI (r = 0.55, P < 0.001). The scale showed a good model fit (CFI = 0.91, RMSEA = 0.08), with acceptable reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.79) and a test-retest correlation of 0.54. The optimal cutoff for diagnosing sugar addiction was 9, with the Area-Under-the-Curve (AUC) of 98%.
Conclusion: The Persian version of the SAQ is a reliable and valid tool for assessing sugar addiction in Iran. This validated instrument can improve the diagnosis and understanding of sugar-related behavioral issues, supporting better public health strategies for managing excessive sugar consumption.

Student Counsellors' Perspectives on Comprehensive Prevention and Intervention Strategies for Adolescent Internet Addiction

Suryani Suryani — 2025-03-02

Objective: This study aimed to explore the perspectives of student counsellors regarding comprehensive prevention and intervention strategies for addressing internet addiction among adolescents.
Method: This study employed an exploratory-descriptive qualitative design. Data collection involved focus group discussions (FGDs) with 12 purposively selected student counsellors from high schools in four West Java regions. Counsellors were chosen based on their experience in managing students with internet addiction within the past year. FGDs were conducted virtually due to Covid-19 restrictions, with sessions aimed at exploring perceptions and strategies related to internet addiction prevention and intervention. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis following Clarke and Braun's approach to identify key themes.
Results: The results of the study obtained 5 themes which are: a comprehensive assessment is needed to determine appropriate interventions for students experiencing internet addiction; family is the main supporting factor in managing and preventing internet addiction; various parties must cooperate in overcoming internet addiction; health education about internet addiction during school orientation is important as a prevention program; and digitalization and communication control programs affect the phenomenon of internet addiction.
Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, we can conclude the importance of comprehensive assessments to determine appropriate interventions and the need for support from other parties in overcoming internet addiction among students.

Psychological Adjustment Measures for Chronic Illness: A Narrative Review

Farzaneh Ebrahimgol — 2025-03-02

Objective: Chronic illnesses carry substantial psychological implications, emphasizing the critical nature of psychological adaptation to these conditions. Adequate assessment tools are essential for gauging adaptation levels within this context. Thus, this study aims to conduct a thorough review of psychological adaptation instruments designed for chronic illnesses.
Method: This narrative review scrutinizes articles published from 1990 to November 2024 in both Persian and English languages, focusing on psychological adaptation to chronic illnesses. The search encompassed prominent scientific databases, including "SID", "Irandoc", "Web of Science", "PubMed", and "Scopus". Relevant keywords were employed to retrieve articles discussing adaptation tools for chronic illnesses. Subsequently, the "consensus-based standards for the selection of health measurement instruments" were applied to assess the psychometric properties of the identified tools.
Results: Within this study, the exploration identified 8 instruments tailored to measure psychological adaptation to chronic illnesses. These instruments encompass measures for psychological adaptation to cancer (Mini-Mac), adaptation to ostomy (OAS), adaptation to type 1 diabetes (DAS_1), adaptation to drug-resistant tuberculosis (AS_DRTBP), adaptation to type 2 diabetes (DAAS), psychosocial adaptation to Parkinson's disease (Psychosocial Adaptation in PD), psychosocial adaptation to HIV infection (MAHIVS), and adaptation to breast cancer (AIMI-IBC). However, comprehensive reporting of psychometric properties was often lacking for the majority of these instruments.
Conclusion: The outcomes of this study underscore the significance of employing valid and dependable instruments tailored to the unique requirements of individuals grappling with chronic illnesses. Given the pivotal role of psychological adaptation, the careful formulation and implementation of specialized measures are recommended to facilitate the design and psychometric evaluation of adaptation measurement tools pertinent to diverse chronic illnesses in Iran.

On the Effects of Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Techniques on Developmental Dyslexia: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

Azam Naghavi — 2025-03-01

Objective: Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) can safely influence brain activity, enhancing cognitive functions and offering potential benefits for learning disabilities like dyslexia. This paper aims to fill the current gap in comprehensive reviews on NIBS studies specifically targeting dyslexic individuals.
Method: we conducted a systematic review across several databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and CENTRAL Cochrane. The initial search strategy was designed to be as comprehensive as possible to capture all pertinent studies. We did not impose any language restrictions or time constraints during our search. The strategy was initially created using MEDLINE MeSH terms and subsequently adapted for the other databases. Our search included the keywords “dyslexia” in combination with “NIBS”, “transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)”, “transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)”, and other NIBS types like repetitive TMS and transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS).
Results: 17 randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies were found to meet the eligibility criteria and are included in this review. Findings showed that repeated tDCS sessions, when paired with reading interventions, can effectively enhance reading abilities. Studies indicate that anodal tDCS applied to the left temporo‐parietal cortex (TPC) and cathodal tDCS to the right TPC, along with phonology-based reading training, have led to improvements in various reading metrics, including the reading of pseudo-words and low-frequency words. Notably, traditional reading areas appear to respond well to modulation through NIBS, and facilitative protocols can enhance various subprocesses related to reading.
Conclusion: Research indicates that tDCS, when used with reading interventions, enhances specific reading skills in individuals with dyslexia. Additionally, gamma-tACS applied to the left auditory cortex yields short-term improvements in neurophysiological responses to auditory stimuli. However, further randomized controlled trials with long-term follow-ups are necessary to establish the clinical effectiveness of these interventions.