مطالب

This study examined the challenges, perceptions and expectations of students and instructors involving ESP courses which are seen to be significant in determining the effectiveness of ESP programs in Iran setting. It was conducted with 180 students as participants who were requested to answer two kinds of questionnaires. Along with these questionnaires, six ESP instructors attended in semi structures interviews on the challenges of the course and their attitudes and expectations of the course. Additionally, the ESP courses at this university were observed to see how the process of ESP classes is. After obtaining the data through the observation, questionnaires and interviews, they were analyzed to get outcomes. The findings indicate some challenges and expectations which should be regarded in designing the ESP course to improve its quality in Iranian Universities. They include the low language proficiency of students, inexperienced instructors, lack of communicative activities, lack of use of productive language skills, along with the receptive language skills, overcrowded classes and irrelevant and outdated materials in ESP programs. As current instruction is limited to training unique vocabulary and reading via translating texts to the Persian language, the ESP course does not reflect any active participation and motivation of the ESP students and so it turns to be an ineffective course. Based on the findings of this study, it is suggested that these factors are regarded in designing ESP courses to attain the objectives the courses.

Cardiovascular diseases are regarded as one of the most disabling diseases of human beings around the world, particularly when psychological characteristics are taken into consideration. This study compared attachment styles, problem solving styles and sensitivity anxiety in cardiovascular diseases patients and normal Individuals. A total of 40 participants (20 diseased, 20 normal) were selected thought random cluster sampling procedure from among a population of cardiovascular diseases in the city of Ardabil. Data were collected using the attachment styles inventory (AAI), problem-solving styles questionnaire (PSSQ) and the anxiety sensitivity index (ASI); moreover, multivariate analysis of variance used for data analysis. These finding implied that among attachment styles, problem solving and sensitivity anxiety there existed differences in cardiovascular diseases patients and non-patients. Results showed that cardiovascular diseases patients used higher avoidance and ambivalence attachment than non-patients. Result also revealed that non-patients used higher safety attachment than cardiovascular disease patients and patients employed avoidant attachment style as well as ambivalence. Moreover, cardiovascular diseases patients had higher helplessness, problem solving control and avoidance style more than non-patients and the non-patients used higher creativity style, problem-solving confidence, avoidance style more than cardiovascular diseases patients. It was also found that cardiovascular diseases patients used higher physical, cognitive, social worries than non-patients. Overall, the finding indicated that attachment styles, problem solving styles and sensitivity anxiety were important components discriminating cardiovascular diseases patients from non-patients. The suggestion for further studies is about other variables in cardiovascular diseases to provide preventive strategies for these diseases