high-risk behaviors

Objective:   This research aims to design and validation of youth high-risk behaviors short scale. Methods:  In this research, the descriptive-survey method was used. The statistical population was all students of Mashhad universities which 681 students were randomly selected from multi-stage cluster types. The tools used also included: youth high-risk behaviors short-scale developed by the researcher, as well as the Big Five-Inventory (2007) and Psychological Well-being Scale (1989). Results: The results showed that 14-item high-risk behaviors scale has good psychometric properties and is the norm with Iranian society. The validity of the scale was good with the methods of construct validity (confirmatory factor analysis) and convergent and divergent validity (p<0.01). The results of confirmatory factor analysis also confirmed the seven-factor nature of the scale, and the obtained model had a good fit with the research data. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the whole scale was 0.82. Conclusion: Therefore, researchers and health professionals can use this tool in their future studies due to its unique features.

Early maladaptive schemas are the basis of many high-risk behaviors and psychological disorders. The objective of this study was to predict high-risk behaviors based on early maladaptive schemas among university students. The statistical population of this study included all male and female students at Sari University. The sample included 182 college students) 88 males and94 females) who were chosen via the convenience sampling method? The instruments included the Schema Questionnaire (Young, 1991) and Risk Behaviors Questionnaire (Zadeh Mohammadi & Ahmadabadi 2009). Data were analyzed through stepwise multiple regression. It showed that dependence could explain 13%of the variance of violence. Shame, perfectionism, entitlement, ment, and failure (in four steps) could explain 21% of the variance of drug abuse. In addition, shame and perfectionism (in two steps) could explain 9.3%of the variance of alcohol consumption. Moreover, dependency and emotional inhibition (in two steps) could explain 6.4% of the variance of involvement the romantic activity. According to the findings of this study considering the predictability of students’ high-risk behaviors based on some early maladaptive schemas in order to prevent the spread of high-risk behaviors, the factors affecting the formation of early maladaptive schemas among students should be considered. Also, the results, have important implications for the pathology, prediction, prevention, and treatment of high-risk behaviors among university students.

Objective: To investigate the effect of family therapy education in promoting mental health and reducing depression in adolescents with high-risk behaviors. Methods:  The present study was semi-experimental with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. It included all teenage girls in the second year of high school with high-risk behaviors in Ardabil province. In this study, 30 eligible patients were selected and invited purposefully. The researchers randomly divided the participants into two family therapy training groups (15 people) and a control group (15 people). The experimental group was taught the methods and techniques of family therapy education strategies for eight 90-minute sessions. In contrast, during this period, the control group received no psychological training on the mental health and resilience scale. The data were compared using multivariate and univariate analysis of variance. All statistical analyses were performed in SPSS software version 26. Results:  Compared to the control group, the experimental group was able to reduce the depression score and increase the mental health score at the level of P<0.001 with the intervention of family therapy training. The most significant effect size (η=0.543) is related to mental health, which shows that 54% of the variance of the mental health variable between the experimental and control groups is due to the independent variable (family therapy training). Conclusion: The results showed that family therapy training increases mental health and reduces depression in adolescents with high-risk behaviors. Therefore, family therapy training is recommended for adolescents with high-risk behaviors to increase mental health, reduce depression and improve their quality of life.