Emotion-focused therapy for women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder: a randomized clinical controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a debilitating condition, affecting women of reproductive age. It is characterized by severe periodic physical and psychological symptoms, which end after the onset of menstruation. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of emotion-focused therapy (EFT) for PMDD patients. METHODS: A total of 48 PMDD women, in the age range of 18-44 years, were randomly assigned to two intervention and control groups. The intervention group participated in 16 weeks of EFT treatment, while the control group was selected based on the waiting list (waitlist control group) and followed-up after three months. Forty-four patients finally completed this study. The participants completed the Premenstrual Syndrome Screening Tool (PSST), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) in the first premenstrual period before treatment, the first premenstrual period after treatment, and the premenstrual period three months after treatment. RESULTS: Based on the repeated measure analysis of variances, the total score of DERS and the total score of PSST decreased significantly (P < 0.05). Also, in DASS-21, the scores of depression and stress subscales reduced significantly (P < 0.05), while there was no significant decrease in the score of anxiety subscale (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Based on the present results, EFT can be an effective treatment for alleviating the symptoms of PMDD. This treatment can reduce the emotion regulation difficulties of women with PMDD and alleviate the symptoms of depression and stress. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials, IRCT ID: IRCT20220920055998N1, Registered on: 12/2/2023.

A network analysis of ICD-11 Complex PTSD, emotional processing, and dissociative experiences in the context of psychological trauma at different developmental stages.

Objective: Traumatic experiences are a significant risk factor for psychological disturbances, including disorders such as complex posttraumatic stress disorder, emotion-processing problems, and trauma-related dissociative experiences. The present investigation examined the coexistence of these symptoms using a network analysis model. Method: This study included a sample of 406 people referred to comprehensive health centers in Tehran from September to December 2023 with psychopathological syndromes. Variables were assessed using The International Trauma Questionnaire, International Measurement of Exposure to Traumatic Event checklist, Baker Emotional Processing Questionnaire, and Dissociative Experiences. A regularized partial correlation network and Glasso algorithm, in combination with Extended Bayesian information criteria, were applied to estimate the network structure. Results: Signs of unprocessed emotions and disturbance in self-organization symptoms were the most important symptoms in the symptom network, forming strong connections with other nodes. Thereby, these two symptoms can be regarded as the most important clinical manifestations in the symptom network following traumatic experiences. Three distinct symptom communities were identified: the community of traumatic experiences (childhood, adolescence, adulthood), the community of dissociative experiences (amnesia, depersonalization/derealization, and absorption), and the community of emotional processing (suppression, unpleasant emotional experience, Signs of unprocessed emotions, avoidance, and emotional control, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and disturbance in self-organization symptoms). The strongest edges observed were between childhood trauma-adolescence trauma (0.473) in the community of traumatic experiences, between amnesia and depersonalization/derealization (0.644) in the community of dissociative experiences, and between disturbance in self-organization symptoms and unprocessed emotions (0.324) in the community of emotional processing, indicating the recurrent occurrence of these symptoms. Conclusion: In this study, disturbance in self-organization symptoms was identified as the central psychopathologic symptom in individuals experiencing traumas at different developmental stages. It seems that adolescent trauma and not childhood trauma plays a more decisive role in the symptoms that a person manifests after traumatic experiences. Also, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and disturbance in self-organization symptoms were recognized in the cluster of emotional processing symptoms and can have substantial roles in prioritizing therapeutic measures.

Effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy for Tension-Type Headache (TTH): A randomized controlled trial of effects on emotion regulation, anger, anxiety, and TTH symptom severity.

Research has demonstrated the potential efficacy of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) in addressing medically unexplained symptoms (MUS). However, the specific application of ISTDP for tension-type headache (TTH), a prevalent and common MUS, has not been extensively studied. In light of this gap in the literature, the current study investigated the effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) in treating TTH. The study assessed ISTDP's impact on emotion regulation (ER) capacities, levels of anxiety and anger, and TTH symptoms. 30 patients from the neurology clinic at Hazrat Rasool Hospital in Tehran were randomly assigned to either the intervention (n = 15) or control (n = 15) group. Pre- and post-treatment evaluations were conducted, followed by a ten-week follow-up assessment. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analyses of variance. The results indicated that ISTDP led to significant improvements in ER, reductions in anxiety and anger levels, and a significant decrease in TTH symptoms (ps < 0.001). Findings underscore the effectiveness of ISTDP as a valuable therapeutic approach for addressing TTH.

Psychometric properties of the PG-13-R scale to assess prolonged grief disorder among bereaved Iranian adults.

OBJECTIVES: The PG-13-Revised (PG-13-R) is a self-report measure to assess prolonged grief disorder (PGD) in terms of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth revision, Text Revision. This measure has been shown to yield good psychometric properties in Western samples. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian PG-13-R. METHODS: Three hundred forty-seven individuals (209 women and 138 men) fully completed the scales. The participants were recruited using convenience sampling. The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), convergent and divergent validity, and reliability of the Persian version of the PG-13-R were evaluated. RESULTS: CFA results of a unidimensional model support the construct validity of this version of the PG-13-R. The results of this study demonstrated that this version of the PG-13-R has internal consistency reliability (omega coefficient of 0.93), and the test-retest reliability with an interval of 6 weeks was 0.89. The convergent and divergent validity was shown with significant correlations between the PG-13-R and measures of depression, PTSD, functional impairment, and hope. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: Overall, the Persian version of the PG-13-R showed good psychometric properties in the Iranian population.

The Role of Emotion Regulation Difficulties and Intrusive and Deliberate Rumination in the Association Between Insecure Attachment and Prolonged Grief.

This study investigated the role of emotion regulation difficulties and intrusive/deliberate rumination in the relationship between insecure attachment and prolonged grief symptoms. A total sample of 342 bereaved participants was included in the study. Both anxious and avoidant attachment styles were found to be associated with prolonged grief symptoms, with an avoidant attachment showing a stronger effect. Emotion regulation difficulties and rumination mediated the relationships between attachment styles and prolonged grief symptoms, supporting the proposed mediation model. The study identified specific mediating pathways for anxious and avoidant attachment styles. Additionally, female gender, higher age, unexpected death, and closeness of the relationship with the deceased were significant predictors of prolonged grief symptoms.

Efficacy of Personalized-Computerized Inhibitory Training program (PCIT) combined with exposure and response prevention on treatment outcomes in patients with contamination obsessive-compulsive disorder.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) including exposure and response prevention (ERP) is the most effective and first-line treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, a significant number of people leave it or do not respond to it effectively. The present study aimed to examine the efficacy of personalized-computerized inhibitory training (P-CIT) program combined with ERP on treatment outcomes in patients with contamination OCD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present research method was based on an experimental design with pre-test, post-test, and the two intervention and control groups. Thirty patients with contamination OCD were randomly assigned to the two groups of intervention and control based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The measures used in this study were Yale-Brown Scale, Stroop task, World Health Organization's Quality of Life Questionnaire, Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5, and Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales -21. RESULTS: The results showed a significant reduction in severity of symptoms (F = 0.75, P < 001) and severity of anxiety (F = 0.75, P < 001) for the intervention group. Furthermore, task control (F = 12.44, P < 001), mental health (F = 28.32, P < 001), physical health (F = 2.48, P < 001), and overall quality of life (F = 0.19, P = 001) improved in the intervention group after the intervention. CONCLUSION: When P-CIT is exerted along with ERP, it may enhance inhibition of compulsions and increase the efficacy of ERP through improved task control, thereby resulting in reduced symptom severity and improved treatment outcomes in patients with contamination OCD.

Important Systemic Factors for Improving Adolescent Mental Health Literacy.

Objective: Mental health literacy is especially important during adolescence and youth, because the peak of the onset of mental disorders occurs in this period. The present study aimed to identify the effective systemic factors for improving Iranian adolescent mental health literacy from the Perspective of policymakers and experts. Method : This qualitative study was performed on 21 policymakers and health literacy/mental health experts since May 2020 to September 2020 in the workplace of the interviewees in Tehran. Purposive sampling (snowball method) was conducted based on experience, expertise, and the willingness to participate in an interview. All interviews were conducted with the presence of the interviewer at the interviewees' workplace in Tehran. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed via the conventional content analysis method. Results: Five themes were extracted as systemic factors for improving adolescent mental health literacy. Themes were "mental health literacy training", "integration and coordination of stakeholder organizations", "resources and facilities", "continuous assessment" and "provision of information." Conclusion: Before policy-making and planning to enhance adolescents' knowledge and awareness of mental health issues, it is necessary to attract policymakers' attention to the macro level and identify direct and indirect strategies for the correct implementation of policies adopted in this field.

Comparing the Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Group Therapy and Mindfulness and Acceptance Group Therapy for Adults who Stutter: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Considering the importance of psychological interventions for adults who stutter (AWS), the present study compared the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Group Therapy (CBGT) and Mindfulness and Acceptance Group Therapy (MAGT), in combination with Speech Therapy (ST) in AWS. Materials and Methods: A randomized clinical trial was conducted with 36 AWS in Tehran and Alborz provinces in Iran from September-2019 to September-2020. Participants were assigned to CBGT + ST and MAGT + ST groups. Outcomes variables, the fear of negative evaluation scale (FNE) and the social avoidance and distress scale (SAD), were measured at four stages: (1) pretest, (2) after MAGT/CBGT, (3) after ST, and (4) at 6-month follow-up. Results: The results of repetitive measure-analysis on variance showed that CBGT + ST and MAGT + ST were significantly effective (P = 0.001 and P = 0.003) on SAD. The same analysis showed that CBGT + ST was significantly effective (P = 0.001) on FNE. The results of Analysis of Covariance showed that there was no significant difference between CBGT + ST and MAGT + ST on SAD but CBGT + ST was more effective than MAGT + ST at stage 3 (P < 0.05) on FNE. Conclusion: Data indicated that CBGT + ST and MAGT + ST were both effective for SAD of AWS. Regarding FNE, unlike MAGT + ST, CBGT was effective either alone or in combination with ST for AWS. Further studies are needed to confirm the results of this study.

Validation of the Persian Traumatic Grief Inventory- Self Report Plus (TGI-SR+) to Assess Prolonged Grief Severity.

The Traumatic Grief Inventory-Self Report Plus (TGI-SR+) is a self-report measure to assess Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) in terms of ICD-11 and DSM-5-TR. Till now this measure has shown to yield good psychometric properties in Dutch and French speaking bereaved people. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian TGI-SR+. 461 individuals (280 women) fully completed the scales. The participants were recruited using convenience sampling. The Confirmatory factor analysis and concurrent validity, and reliability of the Persian version of the TGI-SR+ were evaluated. Confirmatory factor analysis results of a two-dimensional model support the construct validity of this version of the TGI-SR+, while concurrent validity was shown with significant correlations between the TGI-SR+ and measures of depression, anxiety, and ptsd. These results indicate satisfactory psychometric properties of the instrument, thus supporting the use of the TGI-SR + as a valid measure of PGD in bereaved Iranian adults.

Psychometric properties of the Persian social media intrusion questionnaire.

In recent years, social media use has dramatically increased worldwide, which has raised many concerns concerning the excessive use of social media. In this regard, Facebook Intrusion Questionnaire (FIQ) was developed to assess the level of addiction to Facebook. In this study, we first modified the FIQ items to cover all social media besides Facebook and labeled it the measure as Social Media Intrusion Questionnaire (SMIQ). Then, we examined its factor structure, reliability, and validity with 374 participants (M age = 25.91; SD = 5.81; 69.80% females) from the Iranian community sample. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the originally proposed uni-factor model, which was also invariant across gender groups. The SMIQ score demonstrated acceptable internal consistency (α = 0.85) and yielded expected associations with external correlates (e.g., cell-phone based addiction to social media, depression, and low self-esteem), supporting the measure's convergent and divergent validity. Overall, our findings indicated that Persian SMIQ enjoys sound psychometric properties.

Virtual reality exposure and response prevention in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder in patients with contamination subtype in comparison with in vivo exposure therapy: a randomized clinical controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is characterized by disturbing and unwanted thoughts as well as repetitive and time-consuming behaviors that interfere with performance. Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) has shown to have beneficial effects on reducing OCD symptoms as the first line of treatment. Moreover, Virtual Reality (VR) has been a more feasible and accessible intervention for OCD in recent years. Regarding the point, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality exposure and response prevention (VRERP) in the treatment of the OCD contamination subtype. METHODS: A total number of 36 adults with OCD-contamination subtype were registered and randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups. The intervention group received a 60-min CBT including a "contaminated" virtual environment while the control group received CBT as a standardized treatment. Out of these, 29 patients completed the treatment in 12 weekly sessions. The patients completed the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Obsessive Beliefs Questionnaire-44(OBQ-44), and World Health Organization Disability Assessment Scale-2 (WHODAS-2) at week 0, week 12 and after 3 months follow-up. RESULTS: Based on the results of the repeated measure analysis of variances, the total score of obsession and compulsion subscales of Y-BOCS significantly decreased as a primary outcome in the intervention group (F = 60.97, P < 0.001, partial eta squared = 0.82; F = 20.46, P < 0.001, partial eta squared = 0.61; F = 29.57, P < 0.001, partial eta squared = 0.69; respectively). The total score of BDI-II and BAI was reduced in both groups but there was no significant difference between them (BDI-II: F = 0.54, P = 0.47, partial eta squared = 0.02; BAI: F = 3.12, P = 0.06, partial eta squared = 0.19). However, there was a significant difference in the OBQ-44 (F = 16.78, P < 0.001, partial eta squared = 0.56) and the total WHODAS-2 score between the groups (F = 14.64, P < 0.001, partial eta squared = 0.53). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated the effectiveness of VRERP in the treatment of the OCD-contamination subtype. Therefore, VRERP can be used in CBT as an alternative exposure tool. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials, IRCT ID: IRCT20210214050353N1 , Registered on 16/10/2021.

Psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ-19) with Iranian university students.

Studies suggest that autistic traits are widespread among the general population and, in this regard, the short form of the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ), the AQ-28, was developed to measure autistic traits. The present study examines the factor structure, internal consistency, and convergent validity of the Persian version of the AQ-28 with 691 Iranian university students (Mage = 28.67, SD = 8.57, 57.3% women) who were recruited online and completed the AQ-28 and Symptom Checklist (SCL-25) measures. Confirmatory factor analysis results yielded a four-factor model, which was internally consistent and demonstrated hypothesized correlations with the external correlates of interest (e.g., anxiety, depression, and phobia). Results support the Persian version of the AQ with 19 items (AQ-19) as a measure with sound psychometrics to be used in studies with Iranian university students.

Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of the Inventory of Complicated Grief.

The aim of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Inventory Complicated Grief (ICG) including reliability, validity and factorial structure. In this cross-sectional study, 332 women and men bereaved at least 6 months from the adult population of Iran. The results showed Cronbach's alpha was found to be 0.94 for the scales overall score. Inventory Complicated Grief found a positive and significant correlation between the beck depression inventory (BDI) (r = .62, p < .001) and grief experience questionnaire (r = .74, p < .001). Still, he also found that there was a negative correlation between adult hope scale (r = -.44, p < .001). Furthermore, the results of the EFA result showed four factors on this scale. Overall, ICG showed good reliability and validity in Iranian population and it could be applied for assessing their Complicated Grief.

Self-oriented and Socially Prescribed Perfectionism: The Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of the Eating Disorder Inventory-Perfectionism Scale.

Background: Perfectionism is a key construct for understanding psychopathology. In societies with varying cultures, studying the psychometric properties of tools can help with their external validity. This research aimed at standardization and validation of the Eating Disorder Inventory-Perfectionism (EDI-P) scale in Iran. Methods: The Persian version of EDI-P was formed through forward translation, reconciliation, and back translation. A total of 302 students were selected using convenience sampling method and' they completed a set of questionnaires, including the EDI-P, Weight Efficacy Lifestyle Questionnaire-Short Form (WEL-SF), Eating Attitude Test-16 (EAT-16), Self-esteem scale (SES), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-16 (DERS-16), and Self-compassion scale (SCS) Short Form. The construct validity of the EDI-P was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis and divergent and convergent validity. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability (2 weeks' interval) were applied to evaluate reliability. LISREL (version 8.8) and SSPS (version 22) software were used for data analysis purpose. Results: EDI-P scales and subscales were found to be a valid and reliable measure, with good internal consistency and good test-retest reliability in the nonclinical sample. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the whole scale, socially prescribed, and self-oriented were found to be 0.74, 0.68, and 0.67, respectively. Test-retest reliability for the whole scale, socially prescribed, and self-oriented were found to be 0.88, 0.80, and 0.87, respectively. Convergent validity and divergent validity were good (Normed Fit Index [NFI] = 0.94, Incremental Fit Index = 0.95, root mean square error of approximation = 0.08, goodness of fit index = 0.97, Non-normed Fit Index [NNFI] = 0.91, and comparative fit index = 0.95). The results of this study provide support for the two-factor model of EDI-P. Conclusion: The EDI-P showed good validity and reliability and could be useful in assessing perfectionism in Iranian population. The EDI-P shows notable promise as a measure for use in eating research and clinical settings.

The effectiveness of short-term dynamic/interpersonal group therapy on perfectionism; assessment of anxiety, depression and interpersonal problems.

Perfectionism is acknowledged as a core vulnerability and a perpetuating factor in several psychopathologies. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of short-term psychodynamic/interpersonal group psychotherapy for perfectionism and perfectionism-related distress such as anxiety, depression, and interpersonal problems. This study is a quasi-experimental study applying clinical trial method and contains pre-test, post-test, follow-up periods and control group. The study population included students and the sample consisted of 30 people with extreme perfectionism, who were assigned in two groups of 15 people, experimental and waiting list groups using randomized block design. Research instruments included Tehran Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, Perfectionistic Self Presentation Scale, Perfectionistic Cognition Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory-II, Beck Anxiety Inventory and Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-32. In order to analyse the collected data, mixed analysis of variance and Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance were used in SPSS software version 22. The results show that the intervention in the experimental group compared to the waiting list group caused a clinically and statistically significant decrease in the mean scores. This result is observable and evident in all levels of perfectionism and psychological distress (anxiety, depression and interpersonal problems), except for the subscale of Non-Display of Imperfection from the Perfectionistic Self Presentation Scale. These results were preserved through the follow-up periods. These results show that short-term dynamic/interpersonal group therapy is effective in treating most of the components of perfectionism and concerning its effectiveness; it reduced psychological distress and showed that the components pertaining to perfectionism are factors of vulnerability in this regard.

Investigating the structural model of procrastination based on transdiagnostic factors.

Background: Procrastination is a common and widespread phenomenon that affects 15-20% of the general population and 50% of students. Since developing and providing beneficial and effective interventions for procrastination needs a strong, comprehensive theoretical background explanation, the aim of the study was to assess the underlying transdiagnostic factors of procrastination and presenting a causal model. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 390 college students were asked to fill out a packet of self-report measures, which included the Pure procrastination scale, Difficulties in emotion regulation scale, Depression-anxiety-stress scales, Frost multidimensional perfectionism scale, Rumination response scale, Penn state worry questionnaire, Acceptance and action questionnaire. The causal model was tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results: Results of the SEM indicate that perfectionism was significantly associated with increasing emotion dysregulation (ß=0.446, P<0.001) and emotion dysregulation was significantly associated with increasing anxiety (ß=0.499, P<0.001) and depression (ß=0.478, P<0.001), and then anxiety and depression with other variables, such as worry (ß=0.245, P<0.001; ß=0.004, P=0.935), rumination (ß=0.046, P=0.424; ß=0.418, P<0.001) and experiential avoidance (ß=0.277, P<0.001; ß=0.319, P<0.001) related to procrastination. Finally, worry has the most significant increasing effect on procrastination. The very small root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA=0.038), together with large values of comparative fit index (CFI=0.985), relative fit index (RFI=0.917), and normed fit index (NFI=0.979) indicated that the model was well fit. Conclusion: Perfectionism, emotion dysregulation, negative affects, worry, rumination, and experiential avoidance, known as transdiagnostic factors, had a causal relationship with procrastination, and reducing each transdiagnostic factor will improve procrastination. This study could be considered as a cornerstone for further studies on procrastination from a transdiagnostic approach.

Persian Validation and Cultural Adaptation of the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Questionnaire-Aesthetic Surgery for Iranian Rhinoplasty Patients.

BACKGROUND: Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is one of the obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) which is very common in populations. However, the diagnosis rate is lower than the reality. BDD may lead to loneliness, jobless, avoidance of daily life and public activities. The Body Dysmorphic Disorder Questionnaire-Aesthetic Surgery (BDDQ-AS) is the validated questionnaire used to screen the BBD in patients seeking cosmetic surgeries. This study aimed to translate and validate a Persian version of the BDDQ-AS. METHODS: This analytical-descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Firoozgar Hospital, Tehran, Iran to validate the BDDQ-AS in Iranian society in 2020. A standard forward and back-translation procedure was followed. Overall, 79 Persian-speaking patients of both sexes referred to rhinoplasty surgery department at Firoozgar hospital were recruited. The control group consisted of 70 patients who also completed the final questionnaire. The BDDQ-AS was translated into Farsi. The final version was tested for reliability and validity in both groups. RESULTS: The internal consistency and split-half test were 89.2% and 92% respectively in rhinoplasty group. The spearman`s correlation coefficient between the scores obtained in BDD-YBOCS and BDDQ-AS was 0.757 (P<0.001) which confirmed the criterion validity and the minimum value of CVI was 0.79 that all items were relevant, transparent and simple. CONCLUSION: The Persian version of the BDDQ-AS questionnaire consist of 6 short yes/no questions which is less time-consuming and reliable for interpreting and screening. The sensitivity and specificity of this version are 85.71% and 81% respectively, which are adequate for screening.

Wolbachia manipulate fitness benefits of olfactory associative learning in a parasitoid wasp.

Upon encountering a host, a female parasitoid wasp has to decide whether to learn positive or negative cues related to the host. The optimal female decision will depend on the fitness costs and benefits of learned stimuli. Reward quality is positively related to the rate of behavioral acquisition in processes such as associative learning. Wolbachia, an endosymbiotic bacterium, often plays an impressive role in the manipulation of its arthropod host's biology. Here, we studied the responses of two natural Wolbachia infected/uninfected Trichogramma brassicae wasp populations to theoretically high- and low-reward values during a conditioning process and the consequences of their responses in terms of memory duration. According to our results, uninfected wasps showed an attraction response to high-value rewards, but showed aversive learning in response to low-value rewards. The memory span of uninfected wasps after conditioning by low-value rewards was significantly shorter than that for high-value rewards. As our results revealed, responses to high-quality hosts will bring more benefits (bigger size, increased fecundity and enhanced survival) than those to low-quality hosts for uninfected wasps. Infected wasps were attracted to conditioned stimuli with the same memory duration after conditioning by both types of hosts. This was linked to the fact that parasitoids emerging from both types of hosts present the same life-history traits. Therefore, these hosts represent the same quality reward for infected wasps. According to the obtained results, it can be concluded that Wolbachia manipulates the learning ability of its host, resulting in the wasp responding to all reward values similarly.

Efficacy of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Compared to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Anger and Interpersonal Relationships of Male Students.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to determine the efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) compared to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) on anger and interpersonal relationships among male students. Method : In the present study, several universities were selected from the public universities in Tehran province, based on random cluster sampling. Then, 400 students from selected universities were selected randomly and Aggression Questionnaire (AGQ) was administered on them. After collecting information, among the participants who gained scores higher than the average, 30 were selected based on the lottery and randomly (sorting their names in alphabetical order and randomly selecting them) and then were placed randomly in ACT (n = 15) and CBT (n = 15) groups. Also, the Fundamental Interpersonal Relation Orientation- Behavior (FIRO-B) and Aggression Questionnaire (AGQ) was performed on both groups before and after intervention. Results: The results indicated that at the end of treatment, there was a significant decrease in the degree of anger among the participants and a significant improvement in all subscales of interpersonal relationships. Also, a significant difference was found between the 2 groups of ACT and CBT in terms of anger changes. Considering that the anger changes in the ACT group were higher, it can be concluded that the ACT group had more changes than the CBT group, but there was no significant difference between the 2 groups of ACT and CBT in terms of FIRO-B subscales. Conclusion: In some cases, such as anger, ACT has a better effect than CBT, and in others, such as interpersonal problems, it is as effective as CBT.

Wolbachia impairs post-eclosion host preference in a parasitoid wasp.

Host preference behavior can result in adaptive advantages with important consequences for the fitness of individuals. Hopkin's host-selection principle (HHSP) suggests that organisms at higher trophic levels demonstrate a preference for the host species on which they developed during their own larval stage. Although investigated in many herbivorous and predatory insects, the HHSP has, to our knowledge, never been tested in the context of insects hosting selfish endosymbiotic passengers. Here, we investigated the effect of infection with the facultative bacterial symbiont Wolbachia on post-eclosion host preference in the parasitoid wasp Trichogramma brassicae (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae). We compared host preference in Wolbachia-infected individuals and uninfected adult female parasitoids after rearing them on two different Lepidopteran hosts, namely the flour moth Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) or the grain moth Sitotroga cerealella (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in choice and no choice experimental design (n = 120 wasps per each choice/no choice experiments). We showed that in T. brassicae, Wolbachia affects the post-eclosion host preference of female wasps. Wolbachia-infected wasps did not show any host preference and more frequently switched hosts in the laboratory, while uninfected wasps significantly preferred to lay eggs on the host species they developed on. Additionally, Wolbachia significantly improved the emergence rate of infected wasps when reared on new hosts. Altogether, our results revealed that the wasp's infection with Wolbachia may lead to impairment of post-eclosion host preference and facilitates growing up on different host species. The impairment of host preference by Wolbachia may allow T. brassicae to shift between hosts, a behavior that might have important evolutionary consequences for the wasp and its symbiont.