Homosexuality is a sexual orientation that is the subject of much debate and has various supporters and opponents, and for this reason, there are different approaches to it. Some view homosexuality from a moral perspective, while others view it from the perspective of individual freedom and choice. Some governments fully support it and have implemented strong protective laws for homosexuality, while some countries are completely against it. In addition, there is also a variety of scientific evidence surrounding homosexuality: from evidence indicating a different biology of homosexuals to evidence that refutes the biological and neurological correlates of homosexuality. Experts in the fields of humanities such as philosophy and religious sciences have also raised different debates in this regard. Therefore, in this editorial, our goal was to provide a brief description of homosexuality from the perspectives of biology and neuroscience, psychology and psychiatry, philosophy, and various religions.

-

Not applicable

Objective: Despite growing evidence on the influence of lifestyle on adolescent mental health, structured educational interventions addressing multiple health dimensions remain limited. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a healthy lifestyle educational intervention in improving mental health results among secondary school students.

Method: A randomized controlled trial based on the Information, Motivation, and Behavioral Skills (IMB) model was carried out with 347 adolescents (182 in the intervention group and 165 in the control group) from twelve secondary schools in Tehran. Participants completed a set of questionnaires assessing knowledge and attitudes concerning diet, physical activity, and stress management. Additionally, assessments included measures of eating behavior, daily physical activity, and psychological state using the Beck Depression Inventory-Short Form (BDI-S, BDI-13), and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale [DASS-21]). The innovation is addressing multiple dimensions of adolescent health in a comprehensive way and targeting mental health outcomes. It consisted of eleven one-hour sessions delivered to the intervention group in their schools. Data were then analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square (association between categorical variables) and two-way repeated measure ANOVA (difference in the means score at follow-up).

Results: In the intervention group, significant improvements were observed in knowledge about lifestyle factors, including diet, stress management and physical activity and, from baseline to post-intervention (P < 0.05). Attitudes toward stress management also showed significant positive changes. Behaviorally, there was an increase in physical activity, participation in relaxation activities, and eating breakfast, while unhealthy practices such as eating out, drinking sweetened beverages, and consuming fast food decreased (P < 0.05). Additionally, depression symptoms decreased by 1.9 points (mean ± SD) at the 6-month follow-up (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: This study demonstrates that a six-month healthy lifestyle educational intervention can effectively enhance adolescents’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to healthy lifestyle factors, leading to improved mental health outcomes.

Objective: Given the increasing prevalence of binge eating disorder (BED) and bedtime procrastination (BP) among university students, as well as the notable absence of validated Arabic instruments to assess these behaviors, this study aimed to investigate the role of emotional schemas in BED and BP among university students. By examining these emotional schemas, the study sought to shed light on a potential shared underlying mechanism contributing to both BED and BP, and to adapt and validate the Bedtime Procrastination Scale (BPS) for Arabic-speaking populations.

Method: Three samples of Iraqi university students were recruited. The first sample (n = 835) was used for the validation of the Arabic version of the BPS. The second sample (n = 58) was utilized for convergent validity testing, and the third sample (n = 490) was examined for exploring the associations between emotional schemas, BED, and BP.

Results: Analyses revealed that maladaptive emotional schemas—particularly devalued, non-acceptance of feelings, incomprehensibility, numbness, blame, and low consensus—accounted for 18.2% of the variance in BED. Additionally, important findings emerged for BP, where incomprehensibility, non-acceptance of feelings and simplistic view of emotion accounted for 5.8% of the variance. Additionally, the Arabic adaptation of the BPS demonstrated robust psychometric properties and confirmed a two-factor structure consistent with previous cultural adaptations.

Conclusion: These findings underscore the necessity of addressing emotional schemas in therapeutic interventions to reduce BED and BP. Furthermore, the validated Arabic BPS offers a vital tool for future research and assessment in Arabic-speaking contexts.

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a surge in psychological symptoms, even after recovery. However, the measurement of psychiatric disorders requires diagnostic tools, whereas most studies, including this one, use symptom-based screening instruments. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of depressive symptoms and levels of emotional distress (stress and anxiety) among COVID-19 recoverees. It also examined the prevalence and predictors of self-medication behaviors in this population.

Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 adults who had recovered from COVID-19 and attended academic pharmacies in Isfahan, Iran. Data were collected using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for depressive symptoms, Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) for emotional distress, and a researcher-designed questionnaire to assess self-medication practices. Logistic regression was performed to identify predictors of self-medication.

Results: Moderate to severe depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 ≥ 10) were reported in 35.1% of participants. Based on DASS-21 scores, 38.8% had moderate to severe anxiety, and 33.5% had moderate to severe stress. Self-medication was reported by 32.8% of participants, primarily using sedatives, antidepressants, and herbal remedies. Depression was significantly associated with self-medication (OR = 2.18; 95% CI: 1.45–3.29; P < 0.001), while anxiety and stress were not.

Conclusion: This study highlights a high prevalence of psychological symptomatology and self-medication among individuals recovering from COVID-19. Since only depressive symptoms were assessed using a validated psychiatric screening tool (PHQ-9), and no formal diagnostic criteria were applied, the results should not be interpreted as reflecting psychiatric disorder prevalence. The findings underscore the need for improved mental health support and regulation of medication access in post-COVID care settings.

Objective: Internet addiction (IA) poses significant challenges for university students. Although loneliness, physical activity (PA), self-control (SC), and academic burnout (AB) have been implicated in IA, their distinct contributions and mechanisms require further investigation.

This study aimed to investigate whether loneliness positively predicts IA, while PA and SC serve as protective factors. It further examined the mediating roles of SC and AB in the relationships between loneliness, PA, and IA among university students in Iran.

Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 490 university students who were recruited using convenience sampling, as this approach was the most practical and feasible given the ease of online survey distribution and limitations in time and resources. All participants were students from universities located in Tehran, Iran. Validated Persian versions of standardized instruments were used to assess A, loneliness, PA, SC, and AB. Structural equation modeling (SEM) using AMOS was employed to evaluate both direct and indirect associations among the study variables.

Results: Structural equation modeling revealed that loneliness had a moderate positive effect on IA (β = 0.217, P = 0.001), while both PA and SC showed small but significant negative effects (PA: β = − 0.207, P < 0.001; SC: β = − 0.178, P = 0.037). In contrast, AB did not significantly predict IA (β = 0.055, P = 0.425). Mediation analysis indicated that SC partially mediated the relationship between loneliness and IA (indirect effect: b = 0.054, P < 0.05), while AB showed no significant mediating role in the model.

Conclusion: These findings support cognitive-behavioral models of IA and suggest that improving self-regulation and promoting social connectedness may help mitigate IA risk. Future studies should employ longitudinal designs to examine causal pathways and explore the moderating role of specific coping styles (e.g., emotion-focused vs. problem-focused).

Objective: This study aimed to explore the mediating roles of mindfulness and self-regulation in the correlation between perceived stress and subjective well-being among university students

Method: The research involved 353 undergraduates and utilized the Chinese version of the Perceived Stress Scale (CPSS), the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS), the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), and the Self-Regulation Survey (SRS). Partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) through SmartPLS software was used to test the proposed relationships.

Results: The findings indicated significant relationships among perceived stress, subjective well-being, self-regulation, and mindfulness. Specifically, perceived stress positively predicted mindfulness (β = 0.400, t = 6.233, P < 0.001) and self-regulation (β = 0.441, t = 5.547, P < 0.001). Mindfulness significantly mediated the relationship between perceived stress and subjective well-being (β = 0.241, t = 3.559, P < 0.001), while self-regulation did not exhibit a mediating effect. This suggests that, although self-regulation assists students in managing behaviors and emotions, it may not influence the stress-well-being pathway as effectively as mindfulness does.

Conclusion: The results underscore the importance of integrating mindfulness strategies into educational programs to enhance students' mental and emotional well-being. This study provides empirical support for the development of mindfulness-related curricula in universities, suggesting that fostering mindfulness could serve as a pivotal intervention for improving subjective well-being among students facing high levels of perceived stress.

Objective: Re-experiencing abusive relationships is a distressing phenomenon, particularly among individuals with a history of intimate partner violence (IPV). This study aimed to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a factor-based transdiagnostic package to prevent the re-experiencing of abusive relationships in Iran during 2020.

Method: This study was conducted in two phases. The qualitative phase involved in-depth, semi-structured interviews with seven experts and twelve patients from psychological clinics in Rasht, analyzed through content analysis. The quantitative phase utilized a semi-experimental design incorporating pre-test and post-test assessments with a control group. The population consisted of individuals referred to ten psychological clinics and three university counseling centers from 2018 to 2020. Out of 36 volunteers, 24 met the inclusion criteria and were randomly assigned into two groups of twelve. The intervention consisted of individual therapy sessions conducted bi-weekly over 16 sessions. A researcher-developed questionnaire was used to assess tendencies to re-experience abusive relationships in the quantitative phase.

Results: Qualitative analysis of expert interviews identified five key components essential for effective treatment of abusive relationship survivors: (1) the content of the sessions, emphasizing contextual and cognitive approaches alongside psycho-education, values clarification, and commitment to change (2) process factors, including a strong therapeutic relationship, client motivation, and giving hope; (3) the structure of the sessions, highlighting flexible frequency, continuity, and follow-up; (4) the characteristics of the therapist, such as expertise, self-awareness, and persistence; and (5) client-related factors like education, environmental stressors, and abuse history. In the quantitative phase, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) revealed that the transdiagnostic therapy effectively prevented the re-experiencing of abusive relationships (P < 0.001).

Conclusion: This finding highlights the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions in reducing the recurrence of abusive relationships, indicating that factor-based transdiagnostic therapy may offer a promising approach to mitigating the risk of re-experiencing such relationships.

Objective: One significant concern regarding the cross-cultural use of psychological instruments is their adaptation to the language of the target population. The Scrambled Sentences Task (SST) exemplifies this issue. As a well-known paradigm for assessing interpretation bias (IB), the SST has been widely used across different languages; however, it remains unclear whether the SST is a valid and reliable tool to be used in languages other than English. The current study aims to develop SST items for Persian language while controlling for word frequency, word length and morphological complexity— linguistic features critical to meet SST’s unique demands. We also seek to examine the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the SST (P-SST).

Method: The verbal stimuli for the P-SST were developed by drawing on a pool of sentences from prior research as a guide. These sentences were adapted specifically to fulfill the task's unique demands, ensuring the appropriateness of the P-SST for detecting IB. Since the SST primarily measures depressogenic tendencies, the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) was also employed as part of the assessment. The measures were administered to a sample of 222 female students, selected due to evidence suggesting higher susceptibility to depression among women. The reliability and validity of the P-SST were then calculated, along with an analysis of responses to identify areas for enhancing performance on this task.

Results: Our results provided evidence of the convergent validity of the P-SST, as it was significantly correlated with the BDI-II (rs = 0.43, 95% CI [0.29–0.57], N = 161), as well as evidence of its divergent validity (rs = 0.35, 95% CI [0.22–0.49], N = 161). Moreover, internal consistency analysis revealed a Cronbach’s alpha value of α = 0.81 and a split-half correlation value of r = 0.9.

Conclusion: Findings from this research established the psychometric properties of the P-SST as a quick and easily administered assessment tool to be used in the context of depression in Persian. The paper concludes with both linguistic and methodological recommendations to guide future development of SST items in any language.

Objective: Disasters impact global health, with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) being a significant early consequence. Countries differ in their response to disasters and health management, affecting PTSD prevalence. This study aims to compare PTSD prevalence in developed and developing countries and investigate its trends post-COVID-19 compared to other mass-casualty incidents.

Method: This study was conducted using systematic review and meta-analysis methods regarding the prevalence of PTSD in the world. Accordingly, all the English language articles published from the beginning of 2010 to the end of 2024 were extracted from the Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases and were investigated. Data analysis was done by random effects model, meta-regression, I² index, and Egger test using the STATA (ver. 17) software.

Results: One hundred and eight studies, with a total sample size of 498,796, were included in the meta-analysis. The prevalence of PTSD in developed countries at various intervals after exposure to disaster was as follows: 26.3% (1-3 months), 44.5% (4-6 months), 11.1% (7-12 months), 24.0% (13-24 months), and 22.0% (25-36 months). In developing countries, the corresponding prevalence rates were 26.0%, 25.2%, 30.4%, 21.4%, and 20.9%, respectively. PTSD prevalence in men was slightly higher in developing countries compared to developed countries, but the difference was minimal.

Conclusion: More than one-fifth of disaster-exposed populations develop PTSD, with no significant prevalence difference between developed and developing countries. PTSD prevalence was higher in men from developing countries, but no significant gender differences were found otherwise. Prompt diagnostic and therapeutic interventions are essential globally to mitigate PTSD’s impacts.

Objective: This article addresses whether extensive support for homosexuality—accompanying its increased prevalence—has been able to reduce the prevalence of mental disorders among homosexuals in supportive countries to normal population levels.

Method: This study was conducted in two phases. The first phase employed a secondary systematic review method and examined 68 reviews on the public health and mental health of homosexuals in supportive countries. In the second phase, using the thematic content analysis method, the semantic units extracted from the articles were condensed under sub-themes, which then formed themes at a higher level.

Results: Supporting homosexuality has not reduced mental health issues in this group to levels observed in the general population, even in supportive countries. In addition to minority stress, other stressors (such as infectious diseases, cancer, childlessness, and the pathologic nature of homosexuality) are the main barriers to reducing the prevalence of mental disorders among homosexuals.

Conclusion: Based on these findings, this study suggests revisiting the policy of extreme support for homosexuality and preventing scientific research concerning the correlation between this behavior and criminality and other mental disorders—under the pretext of homophobia.