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Aim and Background: The present study tried to evaluate the relations between emotional intelligence, motivational beliefs and self-regulatory learning strategies among the students of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (Isfahan, Iran). Methods and Materials: In a descriptive, correlational study during the academic year of 2010-11, 1300 undergraduate students of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences were selected by stratified random sampling. The measurement tools were Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory and Motivational Strategies for Learning Questionnaire. Data was analyzed by fitness indexes of structural equation modeling, correlation analysis, and chi-square test. Findings: Path coefficients of empathy and interpersonal relationship were not significant. Similarly, path coefficients of realism, responsibility, and exhilaration with motivational beliefs were not significant. All paths in the effects of motivational beliefs and self-regulatory learning strategies on academic performance were significant. The components of emotional intelligence, motivational beliefs and self-regulatory learning strategies were all significantly effective on academic performance. Conclusions: The findings of the present study can be beneficial to educational researchers and policy makers in designing interventions to promote emotional intelligence, academic performance, and motivational strategies.

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Aim and Background: Smoking and drugs are considered are among the most common causes of early mortality in developing and developed countries. Health professionals believe that university period has special characteristics and is of high importance in prevention of smoking among young adults. In this study, we examined with the relations between smoking and psychological and demographic variables. Methods and Materials: In a cross-sectional study, 537 students were randomly selected from 7 schools of Islamic Azad University (Khorasgan Branch, Iran). A researcher-made questionnaire and the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) were completed by the participants. The collected data was analyzed in SPSS 12 using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings: Smokers constituted 18.7% of the study population. Smoking was significantly more frequent among men. There was no significant relation between marital status and palce of residence. Smoking was significantly correlated with having a smoking family (27.3% of smokers had smoking families). The most common way to start smoking cigarettes was through friends (75%). Among psychiatric symptoms, hostility (aggression) and physical complaints were significantly higher in smokers than nonsmokers. General Severity index was higher among smokers but the difference between the two groups was not significant. Conclusions: The prevalence of smoking among students of Islamic Azad University of Khorasgan was relatively higher than many other universities. The high prevalence in this age can lead to many physical and mental problems. In addition, smoking individuals are usually more aggressive. Hence, educational and preventive policies are required to reduce smoking in young people. Attitudes of teenagers and young adults toward smoking should also be corrected through similar programs.

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Aim and Background: It appears that depressed people have low self-compassion and forgiveness due to having negative attitudes. In order to test this hypothesis, the current study investigated the role of self-compassion and forgiveness in the prediction of depression severity among university students. Methods and Materials: In a correlational study during 2010-11, 136 individuals were randomly selected from all students of Mohaghegh Ardabili University (Ardabil, Iran). The participants filled out depression, self-compassion, and forgiveness questionnaires. The collected data was analyzed using Pearson's correlation test and multiple regression analysis in SPSS 18 . Findings: Self-compassion and forgiveness were negatively correlated with depression. In addition, self-compassion and forgiveness explained 16% and 20% of the variance of depression, respectively. Conclusions: Self-compassion and forgiveness are two positive personality traits that decrease the probability of depression.

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Aim and Background: In recent decades, changes in marital patterns and lifestyles have lead to conflicts between couples, which affects their sense of psychological security and attachment to one another. In such environments, anxiety and depressive disorders are common and may lead to loss of satisfaction of marital life. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between couple's general health and marital satisfaction. Method and Materials: This was a descriptive, correlational study. One hundred 25-45 year old male employees of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, with high school to Bachelor degrees, were selected with c onvenience sampling in 2009. The GHQ-28 and Marital satisfaction Questionnaires were given to them. Data were analyzed by hierarchical regression and correlation between subscales of the questionnaires. Findings: We used hieratical regression in order to predict marital satisfaction by mental health status. Results showed that increase in depression subscale causes a decrease in attraction subscale of marital satisfaction. Moreover, increase in depression was associated with decrease in rapport subscale of marital satisfaction. Increase in anxiety and depression was associated with attitude subscale of marital satisfaction. Increase in bodily factors was associated with increase in investment, but increase in anxiety and depression was associated with decrease in investment. Analyzed results indicate that about 28% of employees were suspected of having brief mental disorders; no relation between age, years of service, birth order and general health were found. In addition there were significant differences between educational level and marital satisfaction. Correlation between age, intimacy, investment attitudes and satisfaction was significant. On the other hand, simultaneous with increase in age and appearance of burnout, marital satisfaction was significantly reduced. Conclusions: Result showed that subscales of marital satisfaction including attraction, rapport, attitude, and investment were associated with bodily factors, depression and anxiety subscales of mental health, and that we can predict marital satisfaction through mental health factors.

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Aim and Background: Depression and anxiety among students are important issues, because they lead to scholastic decline and develop many difficulties for students in the future. Furthermore, adherence to religious beliefs and attitudes toward religion as a deterrent to many mental disorders, especially depression and anxiety, has attracted the attention of many psychologists. This study aimed to review the relationship between religious orientations, depression as well anxiety of students in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 2012. Methods and Materials: This was a descriptive-analytical, cross-sectional correlation study which was conducted on 715 students who were selected through stratified random sampling method. Data collection was done through demographic information questionnaire form, DASS-42 standard questionnaire and the Religious Orientations Scale (ROS) by Allport. Finally, statistical software SPSS was used to analyze the data by descriptive statistics, one way ANOVA as well as the Pearson correlation coefficient. Findings: Average score of depression and anxiety among female students was more than male students; however, in religious orientations, statistically there was no significant relationship between male and female students. Statistically, there was a significant relationship between students&rsquo; depression and anxiety and religious orientations (r = -0.61; P < 0.05) (r = -0.56; P < 0.05). Conclusions: Promotion of religious orientations leads to reduce students&rsquo; anxiety and depression, and therefore religious beliefs can play an important role in preventing mental disorders in people&#039;s lives particularly among university students.

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Aim and Background: Self-assertiveness is one of the ten life skills and its achievement is necessary in order to have a good and favorable life. Precise measurement of these features and decision-making are necessary to promote it; therefore, the present study aimed to construct and review the quality of psychometric assessment of self-assertiveness scale in students of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. Methods and Materials: This was a descriptive-analytical tool study conducted on 196 students of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences by cluster (selection of 6 courses of study) and randomized methods (selection of academic year from each course of study). Using different self-assertiveness inventory forms (College Self-assertiveness Scale) &nbsp;from reliable &nbsp;website, different translations and &nbsp;combination of questions and etc, the primary questionnaire was developed and it was implemented in three stages after assessment of face and content validity by the professors. The descriptive and psychometric statistics were calculated through SPSS software. Findings: The results showed that the questionnaire had a proper face and content validity, acceptable concurrent validity (0.74), Cronbach&rsquo;s alpha (0.94) and reliability (0.87) through bisect method. Analysis of principal components introduced four different factors including passive, aggressive, self-assertiveness which explained 33.58 percent of the total variance. Conclusions: Calculated psychometric indicators in this study indicated inappropriateness of this tool to assess the rate of self- assertiveness in students.

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Abstract Introduction: Individual&rsquo;s lifestyle affects health. Health-Promoting Lifestyle promotes health and welfare, induces satisfaction, self-persuasion and self-improvement. Physical, mental and spiritual health of students as future human resources of each country has particular importance in order to improve and promote it. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between health-promoting lifestyle, mental health, coping styles and religious orientation among Isfahan university students. Methods and Materials: The study population consisted of the whole Isfahan university students. 94 students (47 females and 47 males), were randomly selected and filled out health-promoting lifestyle profile (HPLPII), general health questionnaire-28(GHQ-28), ways of coping questionnaire (WOCQ) and Azarbaijani&rsquo;s religious orientation with reliance on Islam test. The data were analyzed using correlation coefficient, Multiple Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) and regression. Findings: There was a negative significant relationship between health-promoting lifestyle and mental health and between mental health and religious orientation (P<0.01). Lower scores on the GHQ-28 is indicator of more mental health. There was a positive significant relationship between health-promoting lifestyle and religious orientation. Furthermore, the results showed that there was no significant difference between the scores of males and females in health-promoting lifestyle and mental health, But there was a significant difference between them in rites-beliefs subscale in religious orientation and the emotion-focused coping style (P<0.05). The results of regression showed that the emotion-focused coping style and social dysfunction subscales had significant portion in explaining health-promoting lifestyle (P<0.01). Conclusion: Regarding to the lifestyle evolving in Iran and the situation of health-promoting behaviors among students, it&rsquo;s relation with the religious dimension and coping styles design and implementation of health education programs among different groups of people, especially students, is recommended.

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Aim and Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction program on reducing psychosomatic symptoms and test anxiety in the University entrance exam candidates.
Methods and Materials: The present study was an experimental study with pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The statistical population included the senior female high school students in Bonroud district of Isfahan province in the educational year (2020-2021), who were selected by multi-stage random cluster sampling method and among students who had high anxiety scores (1 standard deviation above average). 12 students were randomly assigned to the experimental group and 12 students were randomly assigned to the control group. The experimental group underwent mindfulness-based stress reduction program intervention for 8 sessions. The control group did not receive any intervention. TAI test anxiety (Abolghasemi et al., 2006) and psychosomatic complaints (Takata and Sakata, 2004) questionnaires were used to collect data. The collected data were analyzed using statistical methods of Analysis of Covariance. Participants were allowed to leave the study whenever they wished. The informed consent form was completed by the individuals before the study began.
Findings: The results of ANCOA analysis showed that the experimental intervention could significantly reduce test anxiety (P<001) and reduce psychosomatic symptoms (P<001) in students of the experimental group.
Conclusions: According to the findings, it can be concluded that mindfulness-based stress reduction program has been able to have a positive effect on reducing test anxiety and psychosomatic symptoms in the University entrance exam candidates.