The prevalence of alcohol consumption and its related factors in adolescents: Findings from Global School-based Student Health Survey.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol consumption has become very common among adolescents in recent years and its prevalence varies in different countries. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of alcohol consumption and related factors in adolescents aged 11 to 16 years. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on 288385 adolescents (girls, 53.9% of total) aged 11 to 16 years. In the present study, the GSHS data (2003-2018) available to public on the websites of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO was used. To investigate the factors affecting alcohol consumption, univariate and multivariate logistics models with 95% confidence limits were used. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of alcohol consumption in adolescents was 25.2%, which was 28.3% and 22.4% in boys and girls, respectively. Among the surveyed countries, the highest prevalence was in Seychelles (57.9%) and the lowest in Tajikistan (0.7). Multivariate analysis showed that the Age for 16 and more than 16 years old (OR = 3.08,95%CI: 2.54-3.74), truancy for more than 10 days (OR = 1.24, 95%CI: 1.08-1.43), loneliness at sometimes of the times (OR = 1.04, 95%CI: 1.01-1.07), insomnia at most of the times (OR = 1.85, 95%CI: 1.70-2.01), daily activity (OR = 1.03, 95%CI: 1.00-1.07), bullied for 1-9 Days in a month (OR = 1.24, 95%CI: 1.09-1.40), cigarette (OR = 4.01, 95%CI: 3.86-4.17), used marijuana for more than 10 days in a month (OR = 5.58, 95%CI: 4.59-7.78), had sex (OR = 2.76, 95%CI: 2.68-2.84), and suicide plan (OR = 1.48, 95%CI: 1.42-1.54) were important factors affecting drinking alcohol. (Table 4). In this study, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 42.79%, 93.96%, 70.80%, and 82.75. CONCLUSIONS: According to the results of the present study, the prevalence of alcohol consumption among teenagers was high. Therefore, it is suggested that demographic, family, and psychological factors should be taken into consideration in health programs for the prevention and treatment of alcohol consumption in adolescents.

The effect of child-abuse on the behavioral problems in the children of the parents with substance use disorder: Presenting a model of structural equations.

Child abuse may potentially create the behavioral problems particularly in the children of parents with substance use disorder. Thus, the current study was conducted to investigate the effects of child abuse on the behavioral problems in the children of parents with substance use disorder using the emotional regulation and social skills as mediators. In this paper, the method of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was applied. The study population included 358 children of parents with substance use disorder whose parents had referred to the addiction treatment center in Kermanshah province, Iran (2017-2018). Conners Comprehensive Behavior Rating Scales (CBRS), Emotion Regulation Checklist (ERC), Social Skills Rating Scale (SSRS) Questionnaire, and Child Abuse Questionnaire were also used for data collection. IBM SPSS Amos 22 software was utilized for statistical analysis of the obtained data. The SEM was also analyzed to confirm fit of the model. The results showed a direct relationship between the child abuse and behavioral problems so that, the boys outperformed the girls in this regard. The findings also suggested a significant relationship between the family characteristics and behavioral problems. On the other hand, family characteristics and emotional regulation had direct and significant effects on improvement of the social skills (P < 0.001). The results revealed a direct effect of child abuse on the behavioral problems in the children of parents with substance use disorder. Thus, it is suggested to take a preventive approach toward child abuse in the children of parents with substance use disorder by employing a comprehensive program and intervention methods.

Comparison of trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy and theory of mind on increasing social competence among abused children.

BACKGROUND: In recent decades, the use of psychological methods has been considered to improve the barriers and challenges of abuse adolescent females. This study focuses on comparing the efficacy of trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) and theory of mind (ToM) on social competence among abused children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A clinical trial was performed with 39 abused children as the subjects of the study. Participants are residents in Ahvaz (Iran) host-family centers and were randomly divided into two groups of experimental subjects and control subjects. The data collection method utilized the Social Competence Questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, covariance analysis, and Tukey's post hoc test were used for the data analysis. RESULTS: Comparison of the groups showed that the average behavioral and cognitive competence increased in both TF-CBT and ToM groups, but the average emotional, social competence is significantly higher in the ToM group. It is also found that the average social motivational competence is significantly higher in the TF-CBT group than in the ToM group. CONCLUSION: TF-CBT and ToM can be effectively used to improve the social competence of abused adolescent females.

Comparison of Vitex agnus-castus Extracts with Placebo in Reducing Menopausal Symptoms: A Randomized Double-Blind Study.

BACKGROUND: Menopausal symptoms have remarkable negative effects on women's quality of life, justifying the need to assess various therapeutic options. This research aimed to determine the effectiveness of Vitex agnus-castus extracts in alleviating menopausal symptoms in comparison with that of placebo. METHODS: This study was a randomized controlled double-blind clinical trial with a study group of 52 women referred to a clinic in Kermanshah in 2017. The participants were randomly divided into two groups: Vitex group (26 subjects) and placebo group (26 subjects). Menopausal symptoms were assessed using the Greene Scale before and 8 weeks after the intervention. RESULTS: After the intervention, the mean scores for total menopausal disorder, anxiety, and vasomotor dysfunction were significantly lower in the Vitex group than in the placebo group (P<0.05). The mean scores of the variables of somatic complications, depression, and sexual dysfunction did not show significant differences between the Vitex and placebo groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Administration of Vitex agnus-castus extracts as a phytoestrogenic medicine can alleviate menopausal symptoms in women.

The prevalence of panic disorder and its related factor in hospitalized patients with chest pain and normal angiography.

BACKGROUND: Chest pain is one of the common causes for referrals to cardiologists, 50% of which have no-cardiac origin. The occurrence of chest pains is among the most important factors responsible for psychological disorders. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of panic disorder and its related factor in hospitalized patients with chest pain and normal angiography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, 144 patients who referred to Emam Ali Cardiac Hospital of Kermanshah because of chest pain in 2013 and had a normal angiography during admission were selected using census sampling method. The statistical indicators of Chi-square and logistic regression were applied. RESULTS: From 144 patients with atypical chest pain, 95 were male (66%) and 49 were female (34%). Overall, 41 patients met the criteria for panic diagnosis and thus, the prevalence of panic attacks among patients with atypical chest pain was calculated as 28.5%. The results of multiple logistic regression analysis showed that female gender, early age, and the being single were among the predictive factors for the existence of panic disorder in patients with atypical chest pain and normal angiography (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Given the high prevalence of panic disorder in patients hospitalized for chest pain with normal angiography, it is recommended to consider the importance of paying attention to this disorder and identifying patients and referring them to professional psychiatrists.

Efficacy and tolerability of adjunctive gabapentin and memantine in obsessive compulsive disorder: Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: In the search for additional pharmacologic treatments of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD), the glutamatergic system is attracting growing interest. While adjuvant memantine to a standard medication with a selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) appears to reduce OCD symptoms, the adjuvant effect of gabapentin is less certain. The aim of the present randomized, double-blind and three-arm clinical trial was therefore to assess whether, compared to placebo, gabapentin (GAB) or memantine (MEM) adjuvant to a standard medication with an SSRI (fluoxetine; FLU) might lead to further improvements. METHODS: A total of 99 outpatients (mean age: 29.59 years; 49.5% females) diagnosed with OCD were randomly assigned to one of the following three conditions: FLU + gabapentin (FLU + GAB); FLU + memantine (FLU + MEM); FLU + placebo (FLU + PLA). Experts rated patients' symptoms of OCD with the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) at baseline, and 4 and 8 weeks later. RESULTS: YBOCS scores did not decrease over time. No group differences were observed. However, the significant Time by Group interaction showed that Y-BOCS scores decreased significantly over time in the FLU + PLA group. Response rates did not differ between the three study conditions. Typical side-effects were rash (FLU + MEM), drowsiness (FLU + GAB), anxiety (FLU + GAB; FLU + PLA), and drowsiness plus anxiety (FLU + GAB). CONCLUSIONS: The present pattern of results suggests that glutamatergic medications such as gabapentin and memantine adjuvant to a standard treatment with an SSRI have no additional positive impact on patients with OCD, as measured with the Y-BOCS. Additionally, side-effects were reported. Future studies should use more fine-grained tools to assess, for example, patients' sleep and cognitive functioning, and patients' view of symptoms.

Comparison of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy and theory of mind: Improvement of posttraumatic growth and emotion regulation strategies.

BACKGROUND: Assessing various therapeutic methods with the intention to decrease the problems relevant to abused children is of high significance. Accordingly, the present study seeks to compare the effectiveness of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF.CBT) with an emphasis on the theory of mind on posttraumatic growth and emotional regulation strategies in abused children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This quasi-randomized clinical trial study was done on 39 abused children who referred to welfare organization centers in Ahvaz - Iran. After randomized allocation, the TF. CBT and theory of mind method were implemented for two groups. Before and after the interventions, posttraumatic growth and emotional regulation strategies were assessed with using Kilmer's posttraumatic growth inventory and Garnefski emotional regulation questionnaire. RESULTS: The study findings indicated that the mean of the posttraumatic growth and adaptive and maladaptive emotional regulation strategies in the TF.CBT group was significantly higher than that of other study groups (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: TF.CBT can lead to increased levels of posttraumatic growth and improve emotional regulation strategies in abused children. Theory of mind method can also be effective in improving emotional regulation strategies.

Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy a clinical trial to increase self-efficacy in abused the primary school children.

BACKGROUND: Child abuse and violence toward children has become a complex phenomenon in nowadays societies leaving hurt children with numerous complications such as lowered self-efficacy. Hence, this study was conducted to assess the effect of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) in physically abused children self-efficacy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was a randomized clinical trial. From this statistical population of all abused children aged 9-12 in Kermanshah in 2016-2017, 40 were divided into intervention and control groups randomly. Tools used in this study were Maurice self-efficacy questionnaire and child abuse questionnaire. Data analysis was done using Chi-square test, paired t-test, and independent t-test. RESULTS: It was revealed that the mean difference between two groups was not meaningful before intervention. After TF-CBT in intervention group, self-efficacy mean scores of social (17.95 vs. 24.20) and emotional (15.05 vs. 19.05) domains showed meaningful differences, whereas academic self-efficacy mean score did not change significantly (14.10 vs. 14.65) (P < 0.086). In control group, social (16.20 vs. 15.55), emotional (13.90 vs. 14.35), and academic (13.40 vs. 13.90) mean self-efficacy scores were not of significant difference (P > 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: TF-CBT can be used as an appropriate therapy intervention to improve social and emotional self-efficacy in abused children.

Predictors of substance abuse among risky drivers: The role of personality characteristics and mental health.

BACKGROUND: Regarding the high prevalence of substance abuse and its serious complications, the necessity of assessing factors assuming to make tendency toward substance abuse is justifiable. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The statistical population consisted of all car drivers referred to traffic department in 2015 in Kermanshah. In this descriptive study of correlation type, 846 risky drivers from referrals to traffic department were randomly selected. Data were analyzed through NEO personality inventory, general health questionnaire, and discriminant analysis. RESULTS: Discriminant analysis was used to analyze data. Standard coefficients of discriminant function revealed that depression, social functionality, physical symptoms, neurosis, and anxiety symptoms were of the highest role in discriminant function while agreeableness and conscientiousness had the least role in discriminant function and its success. The discriminant analysis also showed that linear combination of above variables is able to explain about 75.5% of variance of difference between two groups (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Regarding the results of this study, it is proposed that the role of personality characteristics as well as mental health in tendency toward substance abuse could be appreciated and included in preventive and treatment programs held for people with methamphetamine abuse.