Journal of Cognition, Behavior, Learning

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of mindfulness training on academic burnout and interpersonal sensitivity in students. This study was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test, post-test, and two-month follow-up design with a control group. The research population included all master's students of Islamic Azad University, Shiraz Branch (entry 1403), of whom 72 were selected conveniently and randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups (36 people each). The experimental group underwent mindfulness training for 8 90-minute sessions. The data collection tools included the Academic Burnout Questionnaire (Bresu et al., 1997) and the Interpersonal Sensitivity Questionnaire (Boyce and Parker, 1989). The data were analyzed using the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) test. The results of the analysis of covariance showed that mindfulness training had a significant effect on reducing total academic burnout (F=57.90, p<0.001, η²=0.659), fatigue components (F=25.92, p<0.001), and ineffectiveness (F=16.74, p<0.001), but there was no significant reduction in the apathy component (p=0.065). Also, mindfulness training led to a significant reduction in the total score of interpersonal sensitivity (F=35.45, p<0.001, η²=0.542) and the components of interpersonal awareness, shyness, and fragile self-esteem, while the components of need for approval and separation anxiety did not show a significant difference. Mindfulness training can be used as an effective intervention to reduce academic burnout and improve students' social-emotional regulation, especially in reducing the components of fatigue, ineffectiveness, and shyness.

The family, as the smallest and most important social unit, requires extensive psychological investment. The aim of this study was to develop a structural model of marital satisfaction based on the components of systemic spiritual couple therapy with the mediating role of cohesion in the family.
Research method: The research method was descriptive-correlational and 384 people were selected as samples from the statistical population of the study including couples in Isfahan city based on the available sampling method. The subjects responded to the instruments of this study including the Jan Bozorgy Systemic-Spiritual Couple Therapy Questionnaires, Enrich Marital Satisfaction, and Family Cohesion. The data were analyzed using the Pearson correlation method and regression analysis. The results showed that the beta coefficient of systemic-spiritual couple therapy with cohesion in the family was 0.35%, the beta coefficient of cohesion in the family with marital satisfaction was 0.39, and the burden of systemic-spiritual couple therapy on marital satisfaction was reported to be 0.32. According to the obtained beta coefficients, the research hypothesis that systemic-spiritual therapy with the mediating role of family cohesion predicts marital satisfaction is confirmed. Therefore, the structural equation that has examined the relationship between satisfaction with the components of systemic spiritual couple therapy with the mediation of family cohesion confirms the fit of this equation. That is, the interaction of the spouses; their flexibility and impenetrability and their ability to appreciate-forgive can predict marital satisfaction and the family cohesion variable affects this relationship. However, cohesion also has a significant positive relationship with the above variables. Conclusion: The results of this study show that the variables of systemic spiritual couple therapy predict satisfaction and family cohesion.

The aim of this study is to identify the components and dimensions of students' moral competences with an emphasis on causal, contextual, and intervention factors and their consequences. This study was conducted with a qualitative approach and using a structured data-based qualitative content analysis method. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 21 experts in the fields of education, moral education, and educational psychology. Data analysis was conducted in three stages of open, axial, and selective coding. Also, for greater richness, the meta-synthesis technique was used to review theoretical texts and previous research, and the validity and reliability of the findings were ensured using qualitative indicators such as confirmability, transferability, and test-retest. The research findings showed that students' moral competence consists of six main themes including values and attitudes, social skills, educational strategies, teachers' status, media literacy, and challenge recognition. Also, four categories of causal, contextual, interventional, and consequential factors were identified, each of which plays an effective role in promoting these competencies. The results indicate that moral competence is a multidimensional phenomenon and depends on the interaction between educational institutions, family, media, and society. According to the findings of this study, designing integrated educational policies, empowering teachers, involving parents, and reviewing curriculum content can pave the way for promoting students' moral competencies. Also, taking advantage of experiential learning opportunities, increasing media literacy, and creating institutional coordination are essential for achieving the goals of moral education.

The aim of the present study was to determine the mediating role of emotion regulation (suppression and reappraisal) in the relationship between social competence and perceived social support with the quality of work life of employees. The research method is correlational in the form of structural equation modeling analysis. The statistical population of this study included all employees of Qadisiyyah Oil Company, Iraq in the summer of 2023. From the mentioned statistical population, 280 people were selected through available sampling and responded to the questionnaires of quality of work life (Walton, 1973), social competence (Fillner et al., 1990), perceived social support (Zimt et al., 1988), and emotion regulation (Gross and John, 2003). The data were analyzed using the statistical analysis methods of Pearson correlation coefficient and structural equation modeling. The research findings showed that the direct relationship between perceived social support and the suppression component (0.144) and social competence with quality of work life (0.067) was not significant (p<0.05). However, the relationship between social competence and the suppression component (-0.364), social competence with the reappraisal component (0.66), perceived social support with the reappraisal component (0.293), the suppression component with quality of work life (-0.173), the reappraisal component with quality of work life (0.408), and perceived social support with quality of work life (0.369) was significant (p<0.05). Also, based on the bootstrap test, the indirect relationship between social competence and perceived social support with quality of work life through the mediating role of emotion regulation was significant. Based on the findings of the present study, in order to improve the quality of work life among oil company employees, it is necessary to provide the necessary conditions to improve and increase social competence, perceived social support, and emotion regulation, which should be considered by managers and policymakers of oil companies in Iraq.

This study aims to investigate the relationship between teaching orientation, personality capabilities, social-emotional skills, and quality of life with the mediating role of self-concept among female secondary school teachers. This descriptive-correlational study involved 410 female teachers selected through cluster random sampling. Data were collected using standardized questionnaires on teaching orientation, character strengths, social-emotional skills, quality of life, and self-concept. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS-27 and AMOS via Pearson correlation, path analysis, and structural equation modeling. Path analysis results showed significant direct effects of teaching orientation (β = 0.22, p < 0.001), social-emotional skills (β = 0.13, p = 0.013), and self-concept (β = 0.37, p < 0.001) on quality of life. Self-concept played a mediating role only in the relationship between social-emotional skills and quality of life (β = −0.109, p = 0.003) but not in the relationship between personality capabilities and quality of life (p = 0.188). The study highlights that while character strengths and social-emotional skills are key predictors of teachers’ quality of life, the mediating role of self-concept is only partially supported. These findings emphasize the importance of incorporating personality and social-emotional training in professional development programs for teachers.

Abstract

Background and Aim: Academic motivation and hope is one of the effective factors in the academic success of students, especially in secondary school. This study was conducted with the aim of designing and evaluating an educational package to improve the motivation and academic hope of male students of the second year of high school in Kerman.

Methods: This research was a semi-experimental study with a pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The statistical population of this study included all male students of the second year of high school in two districts of Kerman city (N=450). A multi-stage random cluster sampling method was considered and 60 participants were randomly divided into two experimental (N=30) and control (N=30) groups. To collect data, Wallerand et al.'s academic motivation scale (1992) and Kharmai and Kameri's educational hope scale (2016) were used. The subjects of the experimental group received the selection theory training package during 8 sessions, while the control group did not receive any intervention. In this study, the repeated measures ANOVA was used and the data were analyzed using SPSS software version 23.

Results: The results of this study showed that the educational package compiled based on the choice theory had an effect on internal motivation and lack of motivation and academic hope in the post-test stage and caused this effect to continue in the follow-up stage as well. Also, the results showed that the educational package based on the choice theory had no effect on external motivation (P<0.05).

Conclusion: The results of this study provided an insight into the effectiveness of the educational package in improving the motivation and academic hope of the male students of the second year of secondary school in Kerman. The implementation of this package will significantly increase students' academic motivation and hope.

The present study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of mindfulness therapy on psychological flexibility and sports self-efficacy in adolescent female volleyball players in Tonekabon city. The present study was a semi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The statistical population of the study included all adolescent female volleyball players in Tonekabon city in 1404. 30 people from the statistical population were selected by purposive sampling method and randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups (15 people in each group). The experimental group received 8 90-minute mindfulness therapy sessions. The research tools included the Ben Itzhak, Blevstein, and Moore (2014) Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire and the Kerl et al. (2007) Sports Self-Efficacy Scale. The results of the multivariate analysis of covariance test showed that there was a significant difference at the 0.01 level between the mean of psychological flexibility and sports self-efficacy in the experimental and control groups. The results showed that mindfulness therapy is an effective method for improving psychological flexibility and sports self-efficacy.

The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of mentalization-based training on emotion regulation and parenting stress in mothers of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The research method was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The statistical population included all mothers of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder who had referred to psychology centers in Ardabil in the academic year 1403-1404. Among them, 30 people were selected using purposive sampling and randomly assigned to two groups of 15 people: experimental and control. Mentalization-based sessions were conducted for two 45-minute sessions per week in the experimental group. The Parenting Stress Questionnaire-Short Form (PSI-SF, Abidin, 1995), the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ, Gross & John, 2003), and the Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Scale (CPRS-26) (Connors et al., 1960) were used to collect data. The data were analyzed using multivariate and univariate analysis of variance. The findings of the study showed that by controlling for the pretest effect, there was a significant difference between the mean posttest of parental stress, emotion regulation, emotional inhibition, and cognitive reappraisal in the two experimental and control groups at the level of (P<0.05). Accordingly, it can be said that the use of mentalization-based training can be effective in improving parental stress, emotion regulation, emotional inhibition, and cognitive reappraisal of mothers with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.