احمد علیپور

Textbooks are the most important forms of media in open and distance universities. As a result, they should have features that enable the distance learners to attain in-depth learning without the presence of an instructor. This study aims to design a comprehensive model for open and distance university textbooks through analyzing the textbook concept using the hybrid model. In the initial stage, a review of literature up to 2011 was done (119 cases) using several databases.  Then, a field study was carried out by assessing 2 textbooks from open universities of England. Finally, data collected from the two previous stages were analyzed and evaluated, using Strauss and Corbin's method, and a proper model was proposed for open and distance university textbooks.

Objective: The present research aimed to determine the pure and combined effect of both techniques of mindfulness based-relaxation (MBR) and Transcranial Electrical Simulation (tCES) on decreasing prospective and retrospective memory errors and failure of executive functions of patients with type 2 diabetes. Method: The study is a randomized three-group double-blind clinical trial with repeated measures designs. The sample of the study consisted of 30 patients selected with convenience and purposive sampling method from Diabetes Association of Bonab city, and they were randomly assigned to the three groups of 10 subjects: MBR, CES, MBR+CES groups; and they received interventions related to their group in 10 individual sessions. All patients were assessed by the Barkley Deficits in Executive Functioning Scale (BDEFS) and Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire (PRMQ), before and after the intervention, and one month after the intervention. Result: The results of split-plot analysis of variance (SPANOVA) indicated the change of the mean of retrospective and prospective memory over time, and the change of prospective memory over time in different groups. The results of covariance analysis and the post hoc test of Ben Foruni indicated that in the follow-up phase, the prospective memory errors in the MBR+CES group were significantly lower than both the MBR and CES group (P <0.05). Conclusion: The results of the study provide many theoretical and practical implications for improving the cognitive function of type 2 diabetic patients following MBR and CES therapeutic techniques.

The studies since the second half of the 20th century have revealed the effect of stress on the heart and vessels with mediating neurological indicators and techniques of dysfunctional coping techniques. They also have shown that stress management and the improvement of coping techniques improve the indicators. The present study examined the appraisal of the effect of coping-therapy on cortisol, Interleukin 6 (IL-6) and Interleukin 1β (IL-1β) in comparison with the control group. The study was a quasi-experimental research with pre-test and post-test design conducted on 44 patients (randomly assigned into two experimental and control groups) suffering from coronary heart disease who were hospitalized in Shahid Rajaei Heart Hospital in Tehran in 2011. The experimental group was treated with coping-therapy, and the immunological indicators of both groups were measured using ELISA at the beginning, the fourth, the eighth, (immediately after the end of treatment), the tenth, and the fourteenth weeks. The collected data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA by SPSS version 17. The gender and education of the sample was controlled statistically. The results revealed that coping-therapy could significantly decrease cortisol, IL-6, IL-1β from the eighth to the end of the fourteenth week (follow-up). Considering the cognitive limitations of the present study, one can conclude that coping-therapy may decrease the negative effects of stress on immunological indicators through improving dysfunctional techniques to effective ones, and in this way, reveal the positive effects on health.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Stress Management (CBSM) on distress tolerance, pain perception, and interleukin-12 (IL-12) in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Method: The present study was a quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest and follow-up with control group. The statistical population included all female patients with relapsing-remitting MS who had referred to Neuroscience and Rehabilitation Research Centers of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. 20 patients were selected by convenience sampling and were randomly assigned into experimental (10 patients) and control groups (10 patients). The experimental group received the CBSM. Participants completed scales. To measure IL-12, the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) was used. The data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) and Bonferroni post-hoc test. Results: CBSM increased the distress tolerance and components of pain perception (perceived influence of important people and doing daily affairs) (p <0.001) and it decreased pain severity and IL-12. Also, these changes remained stable during follow-up. Conclusions: CBSM is an effective to influence on distress tolerance, pain perception, and IL-12 in MS patients.

In this survey, the intervention of cognitive behavioral stress management (CBSM) on psychological and immune indices and pain in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis is studied.  <span class="s26"><span class="bumpedFont15">Method <span class="s17"><span class="bumpedFont15">: Statistical population of the study consisted of patients who referred to the rheumatology clinics in the northern parts of Tehran.  44 participants aged 25–60 using purposive sampling in accordance with inclusion and exclusion criteria selected and in two groups of 22 individuals were examined. Psychological, immune and pain evaluation tests of depression, anxiety and stress scale, blood sample, and McGill pain inventory were conducted in two stages of pretest and posttest using multiple covariance analysis.  <span class="s26"><span class="bumpedFont15">Results <span class="s17"><span class="bumpedFont15">: The results showed a significant effect of the stress management intervention on depression  <span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20">(F <span class="s13"><span class="bumpedFont20">1 <span class="s13"><span class="bumpedFont20">,37 <span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20">= <span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20">4/318, P= 0/046, η <span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont20">2  <span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20">=0/104) <span class="s17"><span class="bumpedFont15"> among patients with RA. The use of this intervention was effective in reducing the immune parameter (CRP)  <span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20">(F <span class="s13"><span class="bumpedFont20">1 <span class="s13"><span class="bumpedFont20">,38 <span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20">= 17/593, P= 0/001, η <span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont20">2  <span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20">=0/316) <span class="s17"><span class="bumpedFont15"> and their pain  <span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20">(F <span class="s13"><span class="bumpedFont20">1,39 <span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20">= 4/885, P= 0/033, η <span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont20">2  <span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20">=0/111) <span class="s17"><span class="bumpedFont15">.  <span class="s26"><span class="bumpedFont15">Conclusion <span class="s17"><span class="bumpedFont15">: According to the results, employing this method for RA patients is very helpful and it can be suggested for improving their psychological and physical conditions.

.Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the structural model of the relationship between alexithymia, Differentiation of Self, and gender roles in women’s sexual function with the mediation of social exchange styles. Method: This research was a descriptive correlational study. The statistical population of the study included all married women living in Tehran, of whom 550 people participated in the study through an online call. The instruments used in this study to collect data were the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (1994), the Differentiation of Self Inventory (1999), the Bem Sex Role Scale (1981), the Women's Sexual Function Scale (Rosen et al., 2000), and the Leybman et al.’s (2011) Social Exchange Questionnaire. The structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and using LISREL software were applied to evaluate the proposed model. Intermediate relationships in the proposed model were also tested using the bootstrap method. Results: The results of structural equation modeling indicated the model fitness and showed that alexithymia has a negative impact on sexual performance by the mediation of utilitarianism and extreme investment styles. In addition, the masculine gender role directly affects women's sexual function. Conclusion: According to the results, social exchange styles should be considered in improving sexual function. The findings of the present study provide a useful framework for identifying the influential components in the field of social psychology in women's sexual function that should be considered in prevention and treatment programs.