درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

Objective: Materialism focuses on goals and values that subscribe to acquiring items. Lower materialism was found to be associated with increased happiness and decreased depressive symptoms. This study aims to explore the effects of materialistic lifestyle on mental health. Method: The research question driving this study asks, how does living a materialistic lifestyle impact an individual’s mental health? The study is made up of 555 females and 31 males. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, the Material Values Scale (created by Richins and Dawson in 1992), and the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) 20-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-20; created by Stewart and colleagues in 1988). Results: A hierarchical multiple regression was found that materialistic values are a statistically significant predictor of mental health. Conclusion: Limitations of the study, implications for clinical practice, and future directions are discussed. We conclude that our hypothesis was supported; living a materialistic lifestyle negatively impacts an individual’s mental health.

Objective: This study aimed to validate the Persian version of the Relationship Flourishing Scale (RFS) on a sample of married Iranian students. Method: The study was descriptive-correlational and applied in nature. The sample consisted of 352 individuals (89% female), selected through multi-stage cluster sampling. The data collection tools included the Fowers et al.'s Relationship Flourishing Scale (2016), Adams et al.'s Sexual Mindfulness Questionnaire (2015), and the short form of Booth et al.'s Marital Instability Questionnaire (1989). Data analysis was performed using SPSS26 and AMOS24 software, utilizing descriptive statistics and confirmatory factor analysis (Cronbach's Alpha, Pearson correlation, and construct validity and reliability). Findings: The results of the confirmatory factor analysis were satisfactory, confirming the psychometric properties of the Relationship Flourishing Scale. The factor structure of the questionnaire, consisting of four factors (having meaning, shared goals, personal growth, and being in a relationship), was validated. Cronbach's Alpha calculated for the overall questionnaire was 0.83, and for the factors having meaning, shared goals, personal growth, and being in a relationship, it was 0.82, 0.83, 0.89, and 0.80 respectively, confirming the construct reliability. Fit indices (GFI = 0.90, NFI = 0.92, CFI = 0.94, TLI = 0.91, CMIN/df = 4.92) were within acceptable ranges, and construct validity was confirmed. Conclusions: The factor structure of the original English version of the Relationship Flourishing Scale was replicated, and satisfactory internal reliability was found. Consequently, the translated Persian version of the Relationship Flourishing Scale can serve as a valid tool for assessing the quality of marital relationships in research and clinical settings within the Iranian community.

Objective: The aim of this research was to investigate marital burnout and to determine the effectiveness of a communication skills training protocol. Methods: The experimental method employed was a single-subject design with multiple baselines, involving couples seeking counseling at the Raz City Clinic in Shiraz and the Clinic of the General Directorate of Exceptional Education in Fars Province, during the autumn of 2021. Among these couples, three pairs exhibiting the highest levels of marital burnout were selected using a purposive sampling method. The therapeutic program of the communication skills training protocol was conducted by the researcher over 10 sessions, followed by a follow-up in two stages, one month apart. The participants responded to the Marital Burnout Scale at the baseline, post-treatment, and follow-up stages. Data were analyzed using visual analysis methods, the recovery percentage formula, and the reliable change index. Findings: Findings indicated that the communication skills training protocol enhanced marital quality and reduced marital burnout, with these effects being maintained during the follow-up phase. Conclusion: The treatment protocol proved to be effective, and couple therapists can utilize these communication skills in their work with couples to reduce marital burnout and enhance marital quality, particularly during the early years of marriage, where it can have a significant impact.

EFL textbooks play a challenging role in underpinning or imposing certain ideological values, such as gender-related values on students. Thus, this inquiry examined Iranian high school teachers’ perceptions of the issue in mandated EFL textbooks (Vision series). This study adopted an exploratory descriptive method with a qualitative approach to collect and interpret the data. The population comprised all members of the Iranian high school EFL teachers’ channel from whom, thirty teachers were selected through a volunteer sampling method. As the study concurred with the COVID-19 pandemic, a researcher-made semi-structured interview was administered via WhatsApp and Telegram, and then, the responses were analyzed and interpreted using thematic analysis via the Nvivo 12 software. The data analysis showed that most teachers believed in the unequal representation of male and female characters in the series. Moreover, it was held that gender representation has educational effects on students' learning motivation, desire, and educational goals through the creation of gender stereotype roles. The findings revealed the permanence of male dominance in the textbooks and highlighted the must for the stakeholders to address gender inequalities as one of the most crucial sociocultural concerns of Iranian EFL educational textbooks.

The creativity of employees is a key factor for achieving success in organizations and sustaining their competitive edge. Job burnout and poor organizational health are elements that can either hinder or foster organizational creativity; hence, the current study aimed to explore the predictive influence of components of organizational creativity on job burnout and the organizational health of high school educators. The study utilized a correlation-predictive research design. The study population consisted of all educators teaching in high schools in Zahedan City, Iran, during the academic year 2024-2025. From the aforementioned statistical population, a random cluster sampling method was used to select a sample of 150 teachers. To gather the data, Amabile's Organizational Creativity Questionnaire (2001), Maslach and Jackson's Burnout Questionnaire (1981), and Hoy and Feldman's Organizational Health Questionnaire (1996) were employed, and the data of this research were examined using Pearson's correlation test and stepwise regression through SPSS version 16 software. The correlation findings indicated a notable negative connection between the components of creativity (fluidity, flexibility, innovation, and expansion) and burnout, as well as a significant positive connection with organizational health (P<0.05). The regression analysis results indicated that within the organizational creativity elements, the innovation element displayed a predictive impact (Beta=-0.23) on burnout, while the expansion element exhibited a predictive influence (Beta=0.34) on organizational health (P<0.05). Consequently, due to the impact of organizational creativity on lowering burnout and enhancing organizational well-being, it is advised that practitioners focus closely on the creativity of teachers.