Iranian Journal of Psychiatry

Psychiatrists Under Pressure: Exploring Occupational Risks and Protective Strategies

Rezvan Salehi, Zahra Ardeshiri, Mohammad Reza Mohammadi — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 11:11:43 +0330

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the occupational hazards faced by psychiatrists and their protective strategies against these challenges.

Method: The research adopted a qualitative approach with a thematic analysis strategy. The study included 15 psychiatrists selected through purposive sampling until theoretical saturation was achieved. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analyzed with MAXQDA 2024 software. The analysis was conducted based on Attride-Stirling’s thematic network framework and involved systematic coding of meaning units and progressive abstraction into basic, organizing, and global themes.

Results: Based on the analysis of interview transcripts, 73 basic themes, 11 organizing themes, and 3 global themes were identified for occupational hazards, along with 8 organizing themes for protective strategies. The global and organizing themes for hazards included: intrapersonal hazards (psychological stress, burnout, and clients’ social and cultural issues), interpersonal hazards (distress from patient interactions, domestic erosion, and lack of collegial cooperation), and Transpersonal hazards (organizational constraints, lost professional status, repetitive exhaustion under outdated infrastructure, and financial discrimination). The organizing themes for protective strategies encompassed psychological flexibility, passion for service, spiritual coping, professional growth, professional collaboration, restorative activities, therapeutic communication, and optimization of the treatment environment.

Conclusion: This qualitative study identified psychiatrists’ occupational hazards across three dimensions -intrapersonal, interpersonal, and supra-personalwhile also highlighting critical protective strategies such as psychological flexibility and professional growth. The findings underscore the necessity for comprehensive support for psychiatrists’ mental health and the development of supportive resources. These results can serve as a foundation for future policy-making in the field of mental health. However, the findings should be interpreted in light of the study’s limited sample size and regional scope.

Dietary Micronutrient Intake and Its Associations with Memory Function, Mental Health, and Sleep Quality among Medical University Students: A Network Analysis

Tania Dehesh, Saradokht Pournamdari, Faraz Ahmad, Fatemeh Dabaghzadeh — Sat, 14 Feb 2026 09:22:39 +0330

Objective: Micronutrient deficiencies among university students may adversely influence their sleep quality, mental health, and memory function. The overarching purpose of this study was to evaluate the associations between dietary micronutrient intake and memory performance, mental health, and sleep quality among medical university students.

Method: This was a cross-sectional study conducted on a sample of 985 university students. The Food Frequency Questionnaire, Prospective & Retrospective Memory Questionnaire, Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory were used to assess dietary intake, memory function, mental health, and sleep quality, respectively. An undirected network was constructed via the EBICglasso model, and a directed acyclic graph was developed employing a Bayesian network.

Results: The average age of the students was 22.44 ± 1.95 years. Among these participants, 500 (50.76%) were female and 485 (49.24%) were male. Assessments showed that 485 (49.20%) participants had depression symptoms, 490 (49.70%) had anxiety symptoms, 620 (62.90%) had stress, and 535 (54.30%) experienced sleep disturbances based on the cut-off scores of the questionnaires. Network analyses identified zinc, magnesium, B-group vitamins, vitamin D, and vitamin C as central nodes related to mental health, memory function, and sleep quality.

Conclusion: Zinc, magnesium, vitamin B2, vitamin D, and vitamin C emerged as key micronutrients associated with mental health, memory function, and sleep quality. These micronutrients represent promising targets for future clinical studies.

Mental Health Challenges of Iranian Nurses in War: Letter to the Editor

Amir Hossein Goudarzian, Tahereh Yaghoubi — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 09:15:02 +0330

Exploring the Challenges and Consequences of Maternal Parenting in the Age of Digital Children (Digital Baby Syndrome): A Grounded Theory Study

Hassan Zareei Mahmoodabadi; Zeinab Sadat Shamrizi, Mohammad Reza Mohammadi — Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0330

Objective: One of the important issues affecting parenting is how parents navigate the digital age. The digital age has created the concept of ideal parenting, which can unintentionally distance parents from the real world, preventing them from recognizing their children’s primary needs. Consequently, children may seek alternative spaces to fulfill their needs, which often involve virtual and unreal content, leading to negative effects and consequences. Thus, this study aims to explore the challenges and consequences of parenting in the age of digital children.

Method: This qualitative research was based on grounded theory. The study environment included mothers with children engaged with digital devices in Yazd Province, Iran. Based on theoretical, purposive, and snowball sampling, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted, and 12 participants were selected until theoretical saturation was reached. Data were analyzed using MAXQDA software.

Results: Data were analyzed using Strauss and Corbin’s grounded theory method, including open, axial, and selective coding. From open coding, 450 initial codes were extracted; axial coding yielded 23 subcategories, and selective coding resulted in four main categories: ideal parenting, immersion in cyberspace, lack of self-differentiation (fusion), and unbridled cyberspace. The core category of the digital child was also identified.

Conclusion: Parenting in the digital age can prevent parents from connecting with the real world and understanding the child’s primary needs, directing the child toward spaces away from reality. Many parents are unaware of the challenges and potential problems caused by such spaces.

Experiential Avoidance, Perfectionism, and Self-Compassion in Maladaptive Versus Adaptive Daydreaming: A Comparative Study in Iran

Maryam Pourmoazzen, Hoda Doosalivand, Malek Bastami, Amir Sam Kianimoghadam — Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0330

Objective: This study aimed to compare experiential avoidance, perfectionism, and self-compassion between individuals with maladaptive and adaptive daydreaming tendencies within Iranian cultural context.

Method: The study utilized an online survey distributed via social media to a convenience sample of Iranian adults. The final sample consisted of 428 participants, who were divided into an MD group (n = 210) and a normative group (n = 218). This classification was based on a conservative cutoff score of ≥ 50 on the Maladaptive Daydreaming Scale-16 (MDS-16). Participants also completed the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS–H), and the Brief Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire (BEAQ). A series of multivariate one-way analyses of variance (MANOVAs) were conducted to compare the groups.

Results: The MANOVA revealed a significant overall statistical difference between the groups. Compared to the normative group, individuals with MD reported significantly higher levels of experiential avoidance. The MD group also scored significantly higher on the negative components of self-compassion, including self-judgment, isolation, and over-identification, and scored significantly lower on the positive component of mindfulness. Furthermore, maladaptive daydreamers scored significantly higher on other-oriented and socially-prescribed perfectionism. No significant differences were found for self-oriented perfectionism, self-kindness, or common humanity.

Conclusion: This study provides empirical evidence that, within an Iranian sample, MD is associated with higher levels of experiential avoidance, other-oriented and socially-prescribed perfectionism, and deficits in self-compassion. These findings highlight crucial psychological factors potentially involved in the maintenance of MD. Therapeutic approaches may be enhanced by fostering self-compassion, addressing maladaptive perfectionistic beliefs, and employing strategies to reduce experiential avoidance.