comparison of acceptance and commitment therapy with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder

The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy [ACT], selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors [SSRIs], and the combination of ACT and SSRIs in the treatment of adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder [OCD]. In This experimental study 32 outpatients meeting DSM-IV-TR criteria for OCD were randomly assigned to one of three treatment conditions: ACT, SSRIs, and combined treatment. The Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale [Y-BOCS], Beck Depression Inventory-II-Second edition [BDI-II], and Beck Anxiety Inventory [BAI] were administered at pre- and post-treatment. Twenty-seven patients completed the study. Data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance [ANOVAs] and one - way analysis of covariance [ANCOVAs], clinically significant change, and complete remission status. Analyses with ANCOVA revealed that the patients treated with ACT and combined treatment experienced a significantly greater improvement in obsessive- compulsive symptoms at post-treatment as compared to those treated with SSRIs alone. However, there were no significant differences between ACT and combined treatment on OC symptoms. In addition, no significant differences were found between all the 3 treatment groups regarding reduction in the BDI-II and BAI scores at post-treatment. Clinically significant change and complete remission status results also showed that, unlike the SSRI, the ACT and combined treatment lead to more improvement in OC symptoms. ACT and combined treatment are more effective than SSRIs alone in treating OC symptoms. However, it seems that adding SSRIs to ACT does not increase the effectiveness of ACT in the treatment of adults with OCD in the short-term

comparative effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy and group cognitive therapy for major depressive disorder

Acceptance and commitment therapy [ACT] is a new method of psychotherapy for major depressive disorder [MDD]. The aim of this experimental study is evaluating the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy and cognitive therapy. In this randomized clinical trial, 19 depressive out-patients were randomly divided into 2 groups [acceptance and commitment therapy and cognitive therapy]. Twelve therapeutic sessions administered in consulting center of Tehran University twice a week. All the subjects were tested by Beck Depression Inventory [BDI-II]] and the Ruminative Response Scale [RRS] before and after the treatments. Data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of covariance [MANCOVA]. The results show no significant differences between the two groups in terms of the variables of depression and rumination. Overall, the results suggest that ACT is an effective treatment, the effectiveness of which appears equivalent to that of CT

[Effectiveness of cognitive - behavioral group therapy and exposure therapy on interpretation bias and fear of negative evaluation in social anxiety disorder]

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral group therapy and exposure therapy on the reduction of interpretation bias and fear of negative evaluation in social anxiety disorder. In a pre-posttest experimental design with control group, 24 students studying at B.Sc. level in the Health School of Iran University of Medical Sciences with the diagnosis of social anxiety disorder were selected by convenience sampling. Then, all of the subjects were randomly allocated into three groups [cognitive-behavioral group therapy, exposure therapy, and waiting list control group]. Twelve sessions of cognitive-behavioral group therapy and exposure therapy were carried out according to a standard manual of therapy, and the waiting list control group did not receive any treatment. Data were gathered through administration of Social Phobia Inventory [SPIN], Interpretation Questionnaire- Revised, and Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale [BFNE-S]. Univariate analysis of covariance was used for data analysis. The cognitive-behavioral group therapy comparing to the exposure therapy [p<0.01] and the waiting list control group [p<0.001] significantly led to the reduction of interpretation bias in the socially anxious subjects. It was also found that exposure therapy alone did not significantly reduce interpretation bias in the social anxiety patients and showed no difference with the waiting list control group. On the other hand, both cognitive-behavioral group therapy and exposure therapy in comparison with the waiting list control group significantly reduced fear of negative evaluation [p<0.001 and p<0.001 respectively], but there was no significant difference between these groups themselves. Both cognitive- behavioral group therapy and exposure therapy, reduced fear of negative evaluation in social anxiety disorder. On the other hand, the cognitive-behavioral group therapy also reduced interpretation bias, but the exposure therapy could not do so.

Evaluation of relationship between severity of depression and chess skill in members with international rating scale in Chess Federation of Islamic Republic of Iran in 1389

Our purpose in this research was to evaluate the correlation between skill in chess [international chess rating scale] and severity of depression and anxiety and ten cognitive errors in members of Iranian Chess Federation that have international chess rating scale as well as to study the prevalence of depression and anxiety in the sample. 96 persons that had an international chess rating scale were sampled with convenient method and took part in this cross sectional study. All samples completed the second version of Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory and Cognitive Error Test. Data were analyzed with SPSS software. There was a significant reverse correlation between chess rating scale and four cognitive errors including over generalization, magnification, jumping to conclusion and must statement. The depression severity decreased by increasing the numbers of hours of game playing in the day. Also there was a reverse significant correlation between chess skill and depression severity, but chess skill had no significant correlation with severity of anxiety. The prevalence of mild moderate depression was 16.7%. There was no case with severe depression. The prevalence of mild and moderate anxiety was 27.1% and severe anxiety was 5.2%.We conclude that this significant reverse correlation between chess rating scales and depression severity is mediated by decrease of cognitive errors and the number of the hours of game playing in the day, which is in accordance with Beck's Cognitive Theory and Behavioral Activation Theory

Personality disorders and coping strategies in female sex-workers

The aim of the present study was to assess the rate of personality disorders and coping strategies in female sex-workers. In this observational cross-sectional study 30 female sex-workers who were selected using convenience sampling, completed the Structured Clinical Interview DSM-IV axis H disorders [SCID-II] and Billings Coping Style Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings showed a prevalence of 90% for personality disorders, with passive-aggressive personality disorder having the highest prevalence of 53.3%. Also, schizotypal personality disorder was not present in subjects. Among coping strategies, emotion-focused coping [56.7%] and somatization-focused coping [23.3%] were the most prevalent. Considering the high prevalence of personality disorder among female sex-workers and their high use of emotion-focused coping in confronting life events, training this group with coping and problem solving skills is recommended

[Comparison between metacognitive therapy, fluvoxamine and combined therapy in the improvement of thought control strategies and stop signal criteria in obsessive compulsive disorder]

This study was conducted to compare the efficacy of metacognitive therapy [MCT], fluvoxamine and the combination of MCT with fluvoxamine, in improving thought control strategies and stop signal criteria in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder [OCD]. Twenty one individuals among outpatients with OCD presenting to clinics in Tehran were selected and randomly divided into three groups: metacognitive therapy, fluvoxamine [50-300 mg/d] and combined therapy. All groups received 10 days of treatment. The Thought Control Questionnaire [TCQ] and Stop Signal Questionnaire [SSQ] were administered pre-treatment and post-treatment to all subjects. Kruskal Wallis test, Mann-Whitney U-test, and ANCOVA were used to analyze data. In comparison with fluvoxamine, MCT and combined treatment led to significant improvements in worry, self-punishment and reappraisal strategies of thought control and stop signal criteria [p<0.01]. There was no significant difference between MCT and combined therapy. MCT and combined treatment are more effective than fluvoxamine [50-300 mg/d] in improving thought control strategies and stop signal criteria in patients with OCD. Adding medication to MCT does not improve the patients' outcome

[Attitude, knowledge, and satisfaction of health personnel and general population about the program of integration of mental health in PHC in Iran: a systematic review]

To systematically review studies on attitude, knowledge, and satisfaction of health personnel and general population about the program of integration of mental health in PHC in the recent 20 years. International and local databases were electronically searched. Hand searching, reviewing reference lists and personal communications were also done. 11 studies on attitude and knowledge and one study on satisfaction were selected after reviewing full texts of the documents. Most studies were on Behvarzes and general population and few studies assessed other groups. Knowledge of the studied groups were higher than average in most studies. The only satisfaction study suggested a medium, high, and low satisfaction of general population from interpersonal and care delivery, time and cost benefit, and treatment outcomes, respectively. Knowledge and attitude of the personnel and general population seems to be average or higher in most studies. This could be partly due to implementation of the integration program. However, more empirical data is needed to evaluate the issues more specifically

Metacognitive anxiety and immediate and delayed judgment of learning: discovering the underlying mechanisms of anxiety in wells' theory

The main purpose of the present study was to discover the underlying mechanisms of anxiety in Wells' metacognitive theory of anxiety. This could be accomplished through studying the relations between all kinds of meta-cognition in Nelson and Narens' theory and Wells' theory of metacognitive anxiety. Therefore, as a first step, the relations among metacognitive anxiety and Judgment of Learning [JOL] and delayed Judgment of Learning [dJOL], as different supervisory metacognitive skills were studied. Two hundred and ninety volunteer university students [146 men and 144 women] were assessed using JOL and dJOL task as well as Anxious Thought Inventory [AnTI]. Data were analyzed using correlation and stepwise regression. Results showed positive correlations of JOL and dJOL with metacognitive anxiety, and all of its subscales between 0.15 and 0.21. Stepwise regression analyses also indicated that Social worriness alone, can predict 4.4% and 3.9% of variance of JOL and dJOL respectively. Nevertheless, the mentioned correlations were weak and the obtained percents were very low. Because of weak relations, we can infer that JOL is not the underlying impaired mechanism mentioned in Wells' theory, and there are probably other underlying metacognitive mechanisms involved