[Development and validation of a metacognitive-cognitive-behavioral model for explaining trichotillomania]

Trichotillomania [TTM] is an unknown disorder and resistant to treatment. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate the new metacognitive-cognitive-behavioral model for trichotillomania. The present study was a description and correlation study. In this study, 635 participants [304 male and 331 female] were selected. The participants completed the Massachusetts general hospital hair pulling scale [MGH-HPS], dysfunctional attitude scale [DAS], cognitive distortion scale [CDS], automatic thought questionnaire [ATQ], metacognition questionnaire [MCQ], and the obsessive-compulsive behavior scale [OCBS]. For reliability assessment of the factor structure of the metacognitive-cognitive-behavioral model, the structural equation modeling analysis was used by AMOS software. The results of the structural equation modeling supported a metacognitive-cognitive-behavioral model for trichotillomania. Moreover, the results showed that the model had the best fit to the data and was closely related to the theoretical assumptions. The model presented in this study illustrates a multidimensional approach that focuses on the metacognitive, cognitive, and behavioral dimensions; hence, the model presented in this study is a new explanatory model. This model may prompt future research into trichotillomania and facilitate clinical treatment and case formulation

[Validity, reliability and factor structure analysis of the revised version of the screen for child anxiety related emotional disorders-71 [SCARED-71]]

The aim of the present study was to examine validity, reliability and factor structure analysis of the revised version of the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders-71 [SCARED-71]. After providing the Persian version of the target scale using translation and back translation, the approved version of the SCARED-71 as well as School Anxiety Inventory [SAI] and Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire [CERQ] were administered to 237 students [83 males, 154 females] of Isfahan city selected through stratified-cluster sampling. Cronbach's alpha and test-retest reliability coefficient were 0.93 and 0.83, respectively, The range of Cronbach's alpha and retest reliability for the subscales were 0.57 to 0.84 and 0.61 to 0.82, respectively. Female probands reported higher anxiety scores in all subscales. Convergent and divergent validity of the SCARED-71 in correlation of the CERQ subscale were confirmed. Explanatory factor analysis revealed seven factors accounted for 43% of the total variance. This structure was confirmed through confirmatory factor analysis. Conciusion: The revised version of the SCARED-71 has satisfactory validity and reliability

[Effect of Weels' metacognitive therapy on thought fusion in patients with obsessive compulsive disorder]

Multidimensional and complex nature of obsessive compulsive disorder [OCD] requires assessment and usage of modern treatments. This study was planned to investigate the effectiveness of Wells' metacognitive model on thought fusion symptoms in patients with OCD as an important aspect of metacognitive beliefs. This semi-experimental study was conducted with pretest-posttest and follow-up design, using control group. From all OCD patients visited in psychology clinics in Shiraz city, south western part of Iran in 2008, 24 patients were selected through the objective sampling method and randomly divided in two equal experimental and control groups. Experimental group experienced 8 weeks of Wells' metacognitive therapy, while control group were just followed. Thought fusion instrument [TFI] was used in pretest, posttest and 2-month follow-up as the study instrument. Data were analyzed by descriptive indices and multivariate analysis of covariance, using SPSS software. The experimental group showed significant decreases in thought fusion general score and its triple items in post-test and follow-up, compared with control group [P<0.001]. Wells' metacognitive model is beneficial in decreasing thought fusion in OCD patients