Iranian Journal of Psychiatry

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 — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 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.

The Genetic Landscape of Autism in Iran: A Systematic Review

Sun, 26 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0330

Objective: Autism is a genetic disorder involving various genes. This study aims to investigate the role of genetic factors in Iranian patients with autism to help in more accurate diagnosis of this disease by identifying genes involved in Iranian patients.

Method: This study was conducted as a systematic review on patients with autism in Iran, including design and search strategy, systematic collection and review of articles, and quality assessment of studies for data extraction. The search strategy included databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science using relevant keywords, and autism diagnosis was based on DSM-IV and DSM-5 criteria.

Results: In this study, genes RORA, MTRR, MTR, Reelin, VDR, VMAT1, ACE I/D, MOCOS, HOTAIR, ANRIL, RIT2, MMP-9, GRM7, FOXP3, and GRIN2B showed significant relationships with the occurrence of autism.

Conclusion: Given the dispersion and lack of coherence in studies on autism genetics in Iran, the definitive impact of each polymorphism in the Iranian population cannot be conclusively determined, and further studies are needed.

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 — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 11:40:54 +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.

War and the Rights of the Child: A Case for Global Accountability

Morteza Heidari, Sadegh Yoosefee — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0330

Embodied Self and Metaphor Comprehension Predict Comprehension of Boundary Concept in Patients with Schizophrenia

Sun, 14 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0430

Objective: The embodied self refers to the sense of self intertwined with the physical body and its experiences, which is impaired in schizophrenia. Comprehension of metaphors that are cognitive tools to help the comprehension of abstract ideas is also impaired in patients with schizophrenia. The Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) links embodied experiences and metaphors to boundaries, indicating that these disruptions may lead to difficulties in understanding boundaries in schizophrenia. This study explores the role of embodied self and metaphor comprehension in predicting boundary concept comprehension in patients with schizophrenia.

Method: This study employed a cross-sectional correlational design to examine the relationships among variables. The current study recruited 85 Male patients who were diagnosed with schizophrenia (mean age = 47.84 years, SD = 7.58) through a convenience sampling method. All participants completed the Embodied Sense of Self scale, the Montreal Evaluation of Communication (MEC) Metaphor subtest, and a researcher-developed questionnaire assessing comprehension of the boundary concept. Multiple linear regression analyses were applied to assess the associations between the embodied self, metaphor comprehension, and understanding of the boundary concept.

Results: The suggested Model predicts 50% of the total variance (P < 0.01, R2 = 0.50). Metaphor comprehension predicts boundary concept understanding (β = 0.67, P ≤ 0.01, R2 = 0.50), while the embodied self (β = -0.13, P = 0.1, R2 = 0.50) does not.

Conclusion: Our findings indicate that impairments in metaphor comprehension are significantly related to the understanding of boundary concepts in schizophrenia, while no such relationship was observed with the embodied self. These results highlight the role of metaphorical cognitions in boundary perception, potentially extending to issues with the self-other boundary and representing relations of self-other boundary disturbances and Metaphorical cognition.