Aim and Background: Research in developmental psychology shows that the experience of exercise and play in childhood can have a significant and lasting impact on social development and psychological health. Therfore, the present study was conducted To evaluate the effectiveness of dynamic playground games on social development and perceived physical competence in boys aged 8 to 12 years. Methods and Materials: The research was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design. The statistical population of the present study consisted of all 8- to 12-year-old male students in Kermanshah in the academic year 2019-2020, from which 30 students were selected by convenience sampling and randomly divided into two groups of 15 experimental and Witnesses were present. The experimental group participated in dynamic yard games for 8 weeks. In the end, post-test was taken from both groups. Data were collected using the Vineland Social Development Scale (1953) and the Marsh somatic self-descriptive questionnaire (1998) and analyzed using analysis of covariance at the significant level of p <0.05. Findings: Findings showed that playground games have a positive and significant effect on social development and perceived physical competence of children (P<0.001). Conclusions: It seems that playground games can positively increase social development and perceived physical competence in children. Therefore, these games can be used to improve social status and perceived physical competence, which play an effective role in children's mental health.
Aim and Background:Caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia play a crucial role in providing support and assistance to their loved ones who are grappling with the challenges of schizophrenia. These caregivers often shoulder important responsibilities such as medication management, providing emotional support, and assisting with daily tasks. However, caregiving for individuals with schizophrenia can also be challenging and stressful, leading to emotional distress. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of family-centered therapy (FCT) on the psychological capital of caregivers of schizophrenic patients. Methods and Materials:This study employed a semi-experimental design with pretest-posttest control group and three-month follow-up. The study population consisted of caregivers of schizophrenic patients attending Imam Hossein Hospital. Thirty caregivers were selected using convenience sampling and were then systematically assigned to either the experimental or control group. Two participants in the experimental group withdrew during the intervention sessions, resulting in a reduction in the experimental group to 13 participants. The experimental group underwent twelve 60-minute sessions of FCT intervention once a week. Data were collected using the Luthans Psychological Capital Questionnaire (2007) and analyzed using mixed analysis of variance. Findings: The mean psychological capital of caregivers who received family-centered therapy intervention showed improvement compared to the control group at posttest and follow-up stages (p<0. 001). Conclusions:Consequently, this study demonstrates the significant positive impact of family-centered therapy on the psychological capital of caregivers of schizophrenic patients. The findings highlight the effectiveness of this therapeutic approach in enhancing the well-being and resilience of caregivers in coping with the challenges of schizophrenia caregiving. These results underscore the importance of incorporating family-centered interventions in comprehensive caregiving and support provided to caregivers, ultimately enhancing their psychological well-being and capacity to cope with caregiving demands.