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Aim and Background: This research aimed to compare the effects of cognitive behavioral therapy and Islamic-based spiritual-religious psychotherapy on reducing overt anxiety level of male students residing in dormitory. Methods and Materials: This clinical trial study used Cattell's anxiety questionnaire to identify anxious students. Afterwards, 45 students from Allame Tabatabaie University selected and randomly assigned into 3 groups of cognitive behavioral therapy, spiritual-religious psychotherapy, and control. They received therapeutic methods in the form of groups for two hours per week (12 sessions). Data was analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Findings: The results showed that no significant difference between the two therapeutic methods in reducing anxiety levels. In fact, both methods were significantly effective in reducing overt anxiety of students. Conclusions: Islamic-based spiritual-religious psychotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy can reduce overt anxiety.

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Abstract Aim and Background: Dynamic Psychotherapy is based on the principle that emotional expression is a important dimension of psycho health and psycho trauma is related with deficit in emotional expression. Therefore, in this research it has been tried to study efficacy of anxiety regulation short-term dynamic psychotherapy for increase emotional expression in Social Phobia. Methods and Materials: This clinical study was carried out on patient referring to Ferdowsi university clinical center in framework of single case by using multiple baseline in 20 sessions with a follow-up period of 3 months. Instrument was included SCID, GAF, SPIN and EEQ. Visual analysis and percent of improvement were used for analysis if the data. Findings: Treatment created considerable increase in emotional expression (63%) and improved the social phobia symptoms of patient (66%) and results of treatment continued up to follow-up period. (71%, 69%). Conclusions: anxiety regulation short-term dynamic psychotherapy has appropriate efficacy for increase emotional expression & treatment of Social Phobia Disorder.

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Aim and Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of mindfulness-based applied relaxation training on temperament and character dimensions of women with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Methods and Materials: This experimental study was performed with a pretest-posttest design and a control group. The subjects were 40 women with GAD and they were randomly placed in experimental and control groups. The participants of both groups responded to the Generalized Anxiety Disorders Questionnaire 4 th Edition (GAD-Q-IV), 7-Item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) questionnaire, and Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) before the intervention, and after and 3 months after the intervention. The experimental group received 16 sessions of training. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA. Findings: The results showed significance differences between the two groups in the pretest, posttest, and follow-up scores of harm avoidance (F = 7.14, P < 0.050) and self-directiveness (F = 26.92, P < 0.001). However, there were no significant differences in pretest, posttest, and follow-up scores of novelty seeking, reward dependence, persistence, cooperativeness, and self-transcendence between the groups. Conclusions: The results showed that mindfulness-based applied relaxation training was associated with increased self-directiveness, and decreased harm avoidance after psychotherapy in post-test and follow-up phase. Therefore, mindfulness-based applied relaxation training is effective in reducing symptoms of GAD and changing temperament and character dimensions.

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Aim and Background: People with narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) have grandiosity feelings of self-importance, and are faced interpersonal problems and empathy. The present research aimed to study the effectiveness of schema mode therapy approach on the reduction of narcissism's symptoms in persons with NPD. Methods and Materials: In this study, the A-B single-subject design with multiple baselines was used. The study sample was 3 clients (1 man and 2 women) referred to counseling clinic in Qazvin, Iran, and were selected by purposive sampling. After answering to the narcissistic personality inventory-40 (NPI-40), the clients were interviewed by a psychiatrist based on the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders-5 th edition (DSM-5) criteria and were diagnosed as NPD. The research process was carried out according to the principles of the single subject experimental designs and to measure narcissism symptoms, Millon clinical multiaxial inventory-III (MCMI-III) was used. Schema therapy was administered in totally twenty 60-minute sessions, 2 sessions weekly. The follow-up period was considered one month after the end of treatment. Findings: The obtained data were analyzed using descriptive statistics indexes including mean, median, visual analysis charts in two sections of internal and external with stability indicator, trend direction with the percentage of non-overlapping data (PND) and the percentage of overlapping data (POD). The results showed that schema therapy was effective in reducing symptoms of narcissism in people with NPD. Conclusions: The Schema therapy effect on reducing the narcissism's symptoms of people with NPD was efficient and effective and can be used in the treatment of patients with this disorder.

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Aim and Background: The number of previous studies on the subject of specific treatments for chronic depression disorders was limited and significantly incomplete. Identification of applied indicators in treatment approaches of chronic depression disorders extracted from previous work would result in the development of applied and plenary treatment of these disorders. Methods and Materials: In this narrative review, referring to the databases like Pubmed and ScienceDirect, and a review of 71 articles, the treatment approaches and the most important applied indicators related to the treatment of chronic depressive disorder were extracted. Findings: There are differences between acute and chronic depression of existing signs, and the aforementioned treatments often focus on major depression. The effective methods in the treatment of chronic depression include psychodynamic psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT), cognitive-behavioral analysis system of psychotherapy, schema therapy, behavioral activation therapy, group therapy and family-based treatment. However, in any of these ways, there are major weaknesses. According to the literature, some common elements in treatment of chronic depressive disorders are time-limited psychotherapy, explicit rationale for treatment, the active therapist position, focus on current problems, emphasis on changing current behavior and interpersonal interactions, self-monitoring of change and progress, regular homework assignments, continuation/maintenance therapy to extend gains, combined pharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatment, family-based interventions. Conclusions: In comparison with research conducted in major depressive disorder, research support in psychotherapy for chronic depression is relatively young and further research is essential.

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Aim and Background: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) in women with sexual dysfunctions resistant to common sex therapy (cognitive-behavioral and bio-medical), and evaluate improvement maintenance in follow-up. Methods and Materials: This study was based on a single-subject research design which consisted of screening and intervention. 5 patients entered the study with several inclusion criteria, and therapeutic screening was performed among female clients with sexual dysfunctions in Tehran, Iran. The participants underwent intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy. Data were collected using Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), Sexual Quality of Life-Female (SQOL-F) questionnaire, and Subjective Evaluation of Partner’s Sexual Function (SEOPSF) scale. Findings: Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy, in comparison to common sex therapy, improved sexual function among the participoants, and moveed them above the normal cut-off point. Moreover, this change led to significant promotion of their sexual quality of life. The trend of changes, when the first breakthrough to the unconscious occurred in a subject, showed considerable growth which could be the evidence for psychodynamic etiology of sexual dysfunction. The promotion of sexual function and sexual quality of life in subjects was remarkable during the 8 th week follow-up session. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that in such a condition, contemporary dynamic psychotherapy with an integrative, intensive, and short-term nature can be known as a suitable alternative for common sex therapy, and the intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy seems to be the best choice in this regard.

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Aim and Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common inflammatory rheumatic disease. In most communities, its prevalence is approximately 3%. Anxiety has been reported as one of the most common displeasing psychological experiences in rheumatoid arthritis patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) on reducing anxiety in rheumatoid patients.
Methods and Materials: This study was a quasi-experimental study with pre-test and post-test design along with a control group. The statistical population of the study included patients with rheumatoid arthritis who had visited rheumatology clinics in Kerman during the research. We purposefully selected 40 males and females patients with rheumatoid arthritis as a statistical sample‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌. Then the members of the sample group were randomly divided into two 20-memebr parts as experimental and control groups. For the experimental group, 15 one-and-a-half-hour sessions of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy was performed once a week and individually. Research data was analyzed using analysis of covariance and SPSS 19 software.
Findings: After reviewing the pre-test scores between the experimental and control groups, the results of the study indicated that intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy is effective in reducing anxiety scores in rheumatoid patients (p<0.05).
Conclusions: The use of psychodynamic concepts and techniques in understanding anxiety disorders, seems to be very important. Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy considerably helps to reduce anxiety as well as clinical symptoms in rheumatoid patients by affecting the discharge path of anxiety and careful control and moment-by-moment monitoring of anxiety, emotions, and defenses.

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Aim and Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is associated with an increased risk of various types of psychological afflictions. Indication of these disorders is added to the erosive factors of chronic disease and has many negative effects on the level of adaptation and mental and social health of these people. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) on reducing alexithymia in rheumatoid patients.
Methods and Materials: The present research was a quasi-experimental study with pre-test, post-test design as well as control group. In order to select the sample, first of all, based on the criteria of the American Rheumatology Association and the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 40 male and female patients were purposefully selected from specialized rheumatology clinics in Kerman. This selection was made by rheumatologists. The members of the sample group were randomly divided into two 20-memeber groups of experimental and control. For the experimental group, 15 one-and-a-half-hour sessions of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy were held. Data were collected through Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS). Research data were analyzed using Analysis of covariance.
Findings: The findings showed that intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy is effective in reducing the rate of alexithymia in rheumatoid patients (p <0.05).
Conclusions: Patients first performed better in recognizing emotions and then improved their ability to describe emotions and physical symptoms. Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy by affecting on anxiety discharge pathway and exact control and moment-by-moment monitoring of anxiety, feelings and defenses helps to reduce clinical symptoms in rheumatoid patients.

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Aim and Background: Today, substance use disorders and their serious consequences are associated with many serious medical and psychiatric problems. In this regard, the present study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of positivist psychotherapy and reality therapy on cognitive disorder and relapse anxiety in addicted patients.
Methods and Materials: The research method was quasi-experimental with pre-test and post-test design and control group. The study population included all addicts undergoing treatment referred to specialized clinics for substance abuse treatment in Kerman in 2020. Among them, 45 (24 males and 21 females) were selected by the purposive sampling method and randomly assigned to three groups: 15 in the first experiment, 15 in the second experiment, and 15 in the control group. The first experimental group received a positivist psychotherapy intervention and the second experimental group received William Glasser reality therapy - each treatment - in 8 sessions of 90 minutes (2 sessions per week) as a group; The control group was placed on a waiting list for two months to receive the most effective intervention. In order to collect data, Mason et al.'s (1994) Cognitive Disorder and Anxiety Return Questionnaire was used to collect data. Fisher's analysis of covariance and post hoc tests were used to analyze the data.
Findings: Findings showed that both positivist psychotherapy and reality therapy are effective in reducing cognitive disturbance and relapse anxiety in addicts; However, there was a significant difference between the effectiveness of these two treatments on reducing cognitive disturbance and relapse anxiety (P<0.001).
Conclusions: Based on the findings of the study, it can be concluded that positivist psychotherapy is more effective than reality therapy on cognitive disturbance and return anxiety to the addicts under treatment. Tarab returned to the addicts under treatment.

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Aim and Background: The outbreak of Covid-19 virus and the occurrence of multiple peaks in the country over time has caused nurses to suffer psychological and emotional damage. According to this the present study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of positive psychotherapy on the resilience of female nurses with anxiety symptoms.
Methods and Materials: The present study was quasi-experimental with pretest, posttest and control group design and two-month follow-up stage. The statistical population of the present study included the female nurses with anxiety symptoms in the city of Isfahan in the winter quarter of 2020. 40 female nurses with anxiety symptoms were selected through purposive sampling method and were randomly accommodated into experimental and control groups (each group of 20 nurse). The experimental group received positive psychotherapy online in 8 sessions of 75 minutes per month. After the intervention, 4 nurse in the experimental group and 3 nurse in the control group had a fall. The applied questionnaires in this study included anxiety questionnaire (Beck et.al, 1998), and resilience scale (Conner, Davidson, 2003). The data from the study were analyzed through mixed ANOVA and dependent t test using SPSS statistical software version 23.
Findings: The results showed that the Positive psychotherapy has significant effect on the anxiety and resilience of female nurses with anxiety symptoms (p<0.001) and succeeded in the decrease anxiety and increase psychological empowerment and resilience in these nurses.
Conclusions: According to the findings of the present study it can be concluded that positive psychotherapy can be used as an efficient treatment to decrease anxiety and increase resilience of female nurses with anxiety symptoms through employing techniques such as a positive outlook on life and teaching optimism and hope for the future.

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Aim and Background: Adolescence is the period of transition from childhood to adulthood in which adolescents experience many changes, and their reactions to these changes are different. One of the maladaptive behaviors in this regard is aggression, which has long been the focus of many interventions. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of supportive psychotherapy on reducing physical aggression in male adolescents
Methods and Materials: In this study, a single case method with an A-B design was used. The statistical population included male adolescents aged 12-18 who were referred to the social emergency center with symptoms of chronic aggression during the first six months of 2020, of whom three were selected by purposive sampling. After three baseline sessions, the intervention sessions began, and a supportive psychotherapy package was administered for eight sessions of 45 minutes per week. Two follow-up sessions were held two weeks and one month after the intervention, and the results were evaluated. The data were collected by the Physical Aggression subscale of the Aggression Questionnaire (1).
Findings: A stable change index and recovery percentage were used to test the research hypothesis. Based on the overall recovery percentage of the three samples after treatment (42.77) and follow-up (48.02), it was concluded that supportive psychotherapy was effective in reducing physical aggression in adolescents. Conclusions: Supportive psychotherapy was effective in reducing aggression in male adolescents. This treatment controls aggressive behaviors by increasing self-confidence and awareness of the strengths and weaknesses.

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Aim and Background: Depression is one of the most common mental disorders that includes all groups of society in every age group and its prevalence is different according to age and gender in different societies, so the aim of this research is the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral analysis psychotherapy system on cognitive reactivity and The symptoms of depressed patients were reduced.
Methods and Materials: The current research was a semi-experimental design with a pre-test, post-test and three-month follow-up with a control group. The statistical population included all depressed patients referred to psychiatric and psychological treatment centers in Urmia city in the first five months of 2022, and 30 people were selected from this population by convenience sampling and randomly assigned to two groups. All subjects completed the Beck Depression Scale (1961) and the Linden Depression Susceptibility Index (2003) in all three stages of pre-test, post-test and follow-up. Finally, the data were analyzed by repeated measurement variance analysis methods with the help of SPSS24 software.
Findings: The results showed that there was a significant difference in both variables of cognitive reactivity and depressive symptoms between the experimental and control groups (P<0.01). In other words, cognitive behavioral analysis psychotherapy system was effective on cognitive reactivity and reducing the symptoms of persistently depressed patients (P<0.05).
Conclusions: The findings of the research show that the psychotherapy system of cognitive behavioral analysis is effective on cognitive reactivity and reducing the symptoms of persistent depressed patients, and therefore it can be used in clinical interventions for the treatment of persistent depression.

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Aim and Background: The number of female heads of households has been increasing in recent years, which has led to severe psychological pressure in this group of women. Performing psychological interventions for this cohort can be helpful in improving their mental health. The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of Rollo May's existential psychotherapy on death anxiety, loneliness and the meaning of life for female heads of households.
Methods and Materials: The research was semi-experimental with a pre-test-post-test design, a control group and a two-month follow-up phase. The statistical population included all female heads of households in Esfahan welfare organization. The statistical sample consisted of 30 women who were selected by Targeted sampling method and randomly assigned to experimental (15 people) and control (15 people) groups. The experimental group underwent Rollo May's existential psychotherapy for ten 90-minute sessions and the control group remained on the waiting list. Both groups were evaluated in the pre-test, post-test and the two-month follow-up phase by Templer Death Anxiety Scale (1970), Russell et al.'s Loneliness Scale (1980) and Steger's Meaning in Life Questionnaire (2010). In order to check and analyze the data, SPSS23 statistical software and repeated measures analysis of variance method were used.
Findings: The results showed that existential psychotherapy had a significant effect on the improvement of death anxiety, the presence of meaning, search for meaning, and feeling of loneliness in female heads of the family in the post-test stage, and this effect remained in the follow-up phase as well (p<0.001).
Conclusions: The results of the research indicate the significant effectiveness of the Existential psychotherapy in death anxiety, loneliness and the meaning of life for female heads of households; Therefore, the responsible institutions should provide the conditions of free existential psychotherapy interventions for female heads of families so that the conditions of these families will be more suitable.                       

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Aim and Background: One of the foremost challenges that women face in their lives is the issue of becoming a mother, which can influence their mental well-being. The present study aimed to Comparison of the Effectiveness of a Motherhood Role Acceptance Training Package with Group Positive Psychotherapy on the Social Competence of Married Women Childless.
Methods and Materials: The research method was a quantitative and semi-experimental method with a pretest-posttest-follow-up design employed. Fifty-three women from the statistical population of all married women without children in Isfahan City who did not want to have children were selected by purposeful sampling and randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group. The experimental groups received a training package on the acceptance of the maternal role and positive psychotherapy. The participants were assessed using a social competence questionnaire.
Findings: The findings indicate that the educational package of Motherhood Role Acceptance and positive psychotherapy both had an effect on the social competence of married women without children. However, based on the findings, the effectiveness of the training package Motherhood Role Acceptance was more than that of group-positive psychotherapy.
Conclusions: The findings indicate that the educational package of Motherhood Role Acceptance and positive psychotherapy both had an effect on the social competence of married women without children. However, based on the findings, the effectiveness of the training package Motherhood Role Acceptance was more than that of group-positive psychotherapy.   

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Aim and Background: This research aimed to compare the effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy and cognitive analytical therapy in reducing the psychological symptoms of people with borderline personality disorder.
Methods and Materials: This research is applied research based on the goal. Based on the collection and type of data, it was quantitative and cross-sectional in terms of time. In addition, it was a semi-experimental research design in the form of pre-test-post-test with a control group. The statistical sample of the research was 45 people in a non-random way. They were chosen voluntarily. Multivariate covariance analysis was used in quantitative data and SPSS version 26 statistical program was used.
Findings: The research findings indicated that the scores for Borderline Personality Inventory (BPI) and Self-Harm Thoughts and Behaviors (STB) were higher for individuals who underwent Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) compared to those who underwent Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
Conclusions: The results of the present study suggest that the Cognitive Analytic approach is more effective than Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Overall, it can be concluded that Cognitive Analytic Psychotherapy, by improving interpersonal relationships, emotional regulation, and self-concept in individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder, helps in reducing impulsive, unplanned, and thoughtless behaviors through a proper patient-therapist relationship, thereby improving the social functioning of these patients.

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Aim and Background: The third principle of the Code of Ethics for Professional Practice in Psychology and Counselling Organization Islamic Republic of Iran is “the principle of benefit and non-harm”. Despite such advice, the field of clinical psychology and counseling in Iran has been indifferent to the harmfulness of some interventions and their reporting in research. Despite decades of identifying the negative effects of psychotherapy, there is still ambiguity in understanding theharm, its foundations and consequences. Furthermore, in literature review, defining harm has often focused on the opinions of professionals and therapists, and there is less availability of a clear understanding of the experiences of clients as individuals who benefit from these services.
Methods and Materials: The current study is an exploratory study using qualitative research method. The research tool was semi-structured interviews, conducted with 16 participants who were selected purposefully during the coding stages and considered their experience of attending psychotherapy sessions to be harmful. The data was analyzed using the grounded theory approach of Strauss and Corbin with the MAXQDA software and continued until saturation of categories was reached..
Findings:  The recorded information was coded and classified into secondary codes, categories and classes. The therapist's authority and the weakness of the therapeutic relationship were identified as causal conditions related to the therapist, along with the client's sense of helplessness, idolization of the therapist, and limited awareness of patient rights and the treatment process as causal conditions related to the client. According to the analysis of the participants' opinions, the main categories of harm were found to be shame and thought about being abused.
Conclusions: In the realm of harm, there has not been much attention to the interpersonal nature of psychotherapy, and the focus has been on harmful interventions and incorrect decisions made by therapists. The results show that each therapist and each psychotherapy has the potential to harm clients. What can make psychotherapy harmful for clients is the lack of appropriate responsiveness from the therapist to the clients' inner experiences, especially when their negative experiences are related to the therapist-client relationship.