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Most studies on placebo mechanisms rely on Expectancy Theory, which suggests that conceptual expectations can bring about physiological change. However, the exact processes underlying this effect remain unclear. Perceptual Symbol Systems (PSS) Theory, grounded in Embodied Cognition Theory, offers a more specific explanation: mental representations grounded in sensory-motor systems may directly evoke bodily responses. This study tested whether embodied primes, based on PSS Theory, elicit stronger placebo responses than traditional expectancy-based suggestions. Using a within-subjects design, 71 university students underwent a cold pressure task under three conditions: (1) verbal suggestion of an analgesic cream, (2) visual priming with a photo of a person looking upward, and (3) combined visual-motor priming, where participants also looked upward themselves. The placebo response was measured by changes in pain intensity and heart rate. Results showed that both embodied conditions (visual and visual-motor priming) produced stronger placebo responses than the verbal suggestion condition, as indicated by lower pain intensity and reduced heart rate (F(2,140)=5.83; p<.01). However, the difference between the two embodied conditions was not statistically significant in terms of pain ratings. Notably, visual-motor priming led to a greater reduction in heart rate than visual priming alone (F(6,330)=1.99; p=.06), suggesting a subtle additive effect of motor engagement. These findings support the role of unconscious embodied processes—specifically, perceptual and motor representations—in modulating placebo responses. They offer a promising direction for understanding how non-verbal bodily cues may influence the complex perception of pain.

Aim: The main goal of this study was to explore how human agency and optimism are related to the psychological well-being of students. Method: This study utilized a descriptive correlational method to conduct the research. The target population for the study included all high school students in the 3rd district of Karaj Education during the second semester of the 2022-2023 academic year. A sample size of 150 individuals was chosen using the Krejci and Morgan (1970) table through cluster random sampling. Information for the study was gathered through questionnaires on human agency developed by Woody, Palito, and Barnier (2013), optimism by Scheier and Carver (1985), and psychological well-being by Riff (2002). The data was analyzed using linear multivariate regression tests along with simultaneous and correlation methods. The analysis was conducted using SPSS software, specifically version 23. Results: The analysis of research data revealed a significant negative correlation between human agency, involuntary effort, and psychological well-being (P< 0.01). Additionally, there was a significant positive correlation between optimism and psychological well-being (P< 0.01). The analysis of the research data revealed that 35% of the variations in psychological well-being can be attributed to human agency and optimism, with a statistically significant result (P < 0.01 and F (147.2) =41.19). Conclusion: The research findings indicate that agency is crucial for the personal development and adjustment of individuals to their surroundings. Human agency greatly influences the actions and situations in life, helping people to manage their endeavors in reaching their objectives and aspirations.

This study explores the metacognitive abilities of students with high working memory capacity in the context of solving mathematical problems. The measuring instruments include two researcher-developed tests, a structured interview, and the Working memory index from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale. The total 262 nine-year-old female students from Tehran were randomly selected to participate in the study. From this group, 31 highly proficient students with strong working memory were selected. Data analysis indicated that the students rarely engaged in conscious retrieval of prior knowledge during problem-solving. Approximately 61% of participants showed no evidence of strategic effort when encountering unfamiliar mathematical tasks. Moreover, 90% reported that they never asked themselves reflective questions. While students recognized practice as a helpful factor, their approach was largely imitative, often modeled after teachers or parents. These findings suggest a predominant reliance on automatic, habitual strategies rather than deliberate, goal-directed engagement with the problem-solving process. The findings highlights a significance gap between cognitive capacity and metacognitive strategy use in high-working-memory students. Despite their cognitive advantage, these students rarely employed reflective practices when solving problems, indicating that current instructional approaches may emphasize rote repetition over strategic thinking. This tendency appears particularly pronounced within teacher-centered educational contexts. To address this imbalance, curricula should incorporate explicit metacognitive training, including guided strategy-transfer exercises, problem classification activities, and structured reflection protocols. Such interventions may enhance students’ ability to engage in adaptive problem-solving and could contribute to improved outcomes in international mathematics assessments, particularly within educational systems like Iran’s.

Objective : Hypertension is a common and chronic condition that increases the risk of heart failure, stroke, kidney disease, and psychological issues. This study aimed to compare self-focused attention, emotional abuse, and psychological distress between individuals with hypertension and healthy controls. Method : This descriptive, causal-comparative study was conducted in Miandoab. The sample included two groups: individuals diagnosed with hypertension (selected via purposive sampling) and matched healthy individuals. Participants completed the Self-Focused Attention Questionnaire (Woody et al., 1997), the Emotional Abuse Questionnaire (Norouzi, 2012), and the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (Kessler, 2002). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 and the Kruskal-Wallis test. Results : Results indicated significant differences in mean levels of self-focused attention, emotional abuse, and psychological distress between individuals with hypertension and healthy individuals (P ≤ 0.05). Mean scores for these variables were higher in hypertensive individuals. Conclusion : These findings suggest that addressing and reducing these characteristics is significant in managing and treating hypertension.

Objective: This study examines the effectiveness of Emotion-Focused Couple Therapy (EFT) in addressing self-efficacy, body image concerns, and couple burnout among women experiencing sexual dysfunction. Methods:  The study utilized a semi-experimental pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The target population consisted of women diagnosed with sexual dysfunction in Ardabil City in 2024. Purposive sampling was employed to select 34 participants, divided equally into experimental (n=17) and control (n=17) groups. The experimental group participated in nine 90-minute Emotion-Focused Couple Therapy (EFT) sessions, while the control group received no intervention. Data collection involved administering several measures: the Female Sexual Function Index, General Self-efficacy Scale, Body Image Concern Inventory, and Couple Burnout Scale. Statistical analysis was conducted using multivariate analysis of covariance in SPSS-27. Results: The findings demonstrated significant improvements in several domains among women receiving EFT compared to the control group. Specifically, EFT led to substantial decreases in body image concerns (F=60.62), physical exhaustion (F=71.82), emotional exhaustion (F=44.34), and mental exhaustion (F=54.22), alongside notable increases in self-efficacy (F=59.40) (P<0.001). Conclusion: These results underscore the importance of integrating therapeutic approaches that consider both individual and relational dynamics in the treatment of sexual dysfunction.

Introduction and Objective: Loneliness, a subjective feeling of social isolation and disconnection, has emerged as a significant public health concern with wide-ranging implications. This review aims to comprehensively examine loneliness as a public health issue, exploring its associated health risks, underlying mechanisms, and potential interventions. Research Methodology: A systematic literature review was conducted using various databases, including PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus. Studies investigating the health implications of loneliness, its underlying mechanisms, and potential interventions were included. Findings: The review highlights a strong association between loneliness and increased mortality risk, comparable to that of smoking and obesity. Loneliness is also linked to a heightened risk of various physical and mental health problems, including cardiovascular disease, dementia, depression, and anxiety. The underlying mechanisms linking loneliness to poor health outcomes involve dysregulation of the stress response system, impaired immune function, and unhealthy lifestyle behaviors. Interventions targeting social connection and support have shown promise in reducing loneliness and improving health outcomes. Discussion and Conclusion: Loneliness represents a significant public health challenge with serious consequences for individuals and society. Addressing loneliness requires a multi-faceted approach encompassing public awareness campaigns, community-based interventions, and healthcare provider training. Future research should focus on identifying effective interventions and tailoring them to diverse populations. It is imperative to recognize loneliness as a public health priority and implement comprehensive strategies to promote social connection and well-being.

The present study aimed to predict marital disaffection based on early maladaptive schemas with the mediation of cognitive emotion regulation in working women. This research was applied in terms of objective and correlational descriptive in terms of method, which was implemented using structural equation modeling. The statistical population of this research consisted of all working women studying in the Islamic Azad University of Karaj branch in the second semester of 2023-2024, and 308 of them were selected by available sampling method. The study tool included the Marital Disaffection Scale by Kayser (1996); the Young's Schema Questionnaire short version (1998) and the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire by Garnefski et al.'s (2001). The structural equation modeling method was used to analyze the data. The results showed that marital disaffection is predicted based on early maladaptive schemas in working women (P=0.001, β=0.400). Marital disaffection is predicted based on maladaptive (p=0.001, β=0.449) and adaptive (p=0.001, β=-0.378) strategies of cognitive emotion regulation in working women. Marital disaffection is predicted based on based on early maladaptive schemas with the mediation of maladaptive (P=0.001, Z=4.11) and adaptive strategies (P=0.001, Z=3.73) cognitive regulation of emotion in working women.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of metacognitive strategies on improving educational processes. The study focused on reviewing prior research to highlight the effectiveness of these strategies in enhancing students' learning and academic performance. Specifically, it emphasized the roles of teachers, learners, and curriculum in this context. Method: The present study employed a systematic review methodology, following a narrative structure. The review process adhered to the four-stage model proposed by Okoli and Schabram (2015), with the second stage involving Silva’s (2015) selection procedure for article inclusion. A total of 50 scholarly articles were systematically reviewed, sourced from international databases such as Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, JSTOR, Springer, ProQuest, and ERIC, as well as national databases, including IranDoc, Magiran, Noormags, and SID database. Results: The findings of this study revealed several key results: 1) For learners, metacognitive strategies were found to significantly enhance academic performance, motivation, self-efficacy, reading comprehension, and problem-solving skills.2) For teachers, metacognitive awareness contributed to more effective classroom management, reflective teaching practices, and the ability to adapt instruction to students’ needs.3) For curriculum design, the integration of metacognitive strategies into learning objectives, teaching methods, assessments, and content areas led to improved instructional quality and adaptability. Conclusions The study concluded that metacognitive strategies are essential not only for fostering self-regulated learners but also for improving instructional quality and promoting educational equity. The research recommends embedding explicit metacognitive training into teacher education programs and curriculum frameworks to support sustainable, student-centered learning environments.