[Comparison of impulsivity and difficulties in emotion regulation among overweight women with and without binge eating disorder]

Introduction: Binge eating disorder [BED] is one of the most common mental disorders in overweight and obese individuals. However, it seems that there are psychological differences between people with and without this disorder. The aim of the present research was to compare impulsivity and difficulties in emotion regulation in overweight women with and without BED

Materials and Methods: For the research a descriptive, causal comparative method was used. Participants were selected voluntarily from among overweight and obese women attending health houses, gyms and weight loss clinics of Tehran. Fifty-two women with BED were identified based on criteria of diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders [DSM] for BED and were matched with 52 women without BED in terms of BMI and age. The research instruments were the Eating Disorders Diagnostic Scale [EDDS], the Barratt Impulsivity Scale [BIS-11] and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale [DERS]. Data was analyzed using Multivariate Analysis of Variance [MANOVA]

Results: Findings showed that, compared with non-binge eating women, binge eating women had more impulsivity [P<0.05] and difficulties in emotion regulation [P<0.01]. In particular, binge eating women had higher scores than non-binge eating women with regard to attentional impulsivity [P<0.01] and motor impulsivity [P<0.05]. However, In terms of difficulties in emotion regulation, binge compared to non-binge eating women, binge-eating women had higher scores with regard to non-acceptance of negative emotions [P<0.01], difficulties engaging in Goal- Directed Behavior [P<0.01], Impulse Control Difficulties [P<0.01], and limited access to effective Emotion Regulation Strategies [P<0.01]

Conclusion: These findings emphasize that impulsivity and difficulties in emotion regulation play an important role in individuals with BED and focusing on these factors would enhance treatment and management of BED patients

[ comparison of cognitive estimation in patients with major depressive disorder, patients with Alzheimer's disease and normal individuals]

Estimation abilities are used in everyday life to solve problems for which the answers are not readily available. The goal of this study was to assess cognitive estimation in patients with major depressive disorder [MDD], patients with Alzheimer's disease [AD] and normal individuals. In this study we used convenience sampling method. Diagnostic and inclusion criteria were determined. The subjects were assigned to three groups including patients with major depressive disorder [MDD], patients with Alzheimer's disease [AD] and normal individuals [n=25].We assessed the subjects by Cognitive Estimation Test [CET]. Data was analyzed by multivariate analysis of variance [MANOVA]. Our results showed that both patient groups had impaired cognitive estimation in all dimensions and higher total scores in comparison to normal individuals. Alzheimer patients showed a high performance impairment in all cognitive estimation dimensions and had higher total scores compared to the patients with major depressive disorder. The findings of this study supported impairments in general knowledge and other executive functions in patients with major depressive disorder [MDD] and patients with Alzheimer's disease [AD]

Cognitive factors related to childbirth and their effect on women's delivery preference: a comparison between a private and public hospital in Tehran

This cross-sectional study compared cognitive-related variables for caesarean delivery in a private and public hospital in Tehran and assessed their association with maternal preference for delivery mode. A sample of 300 pregnant women in their final trimester of uncomplicated pregnancy was recruited from 1 private and 1 public hospital. They completed the Fear of Pain, Childbirth Attitude and the Pain Catastrophizing Scale questionnaires, and their sociodemographic data and delivery preference were recorded. Maternal preference for caesarean delivery was significantly higher in women in the private hospital, and they were significantly more likely to fear pain and childbirth than those in the public hospital; however, both were equally likely to catastrophize in painful situations. Women's preference for caesarean delivery in both hospitals was significantly associated with all the cognitive factors. Other factors are likely to contribute to the difference in caesarean delivery in the private and public hospital