https://www.behavsci.ir/ International Journal of Behavioral Sciences en daily 1 Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0330 Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0330 https://www.behavsci.ir/article_243593.html Introduction: In the present study, the relationship between rejection sensitivity and Non-Suicidal Self-Injurious (NSSI) behaviors has been documented. However, few studies have examined the mechanisms leading to NSSI. This study tested whether bullying victimization and loneliness function as serial mediators of the association between rejection sensitivity and NSSI among in-school adolescents. Method: A total of 300 students (161 girls, 139 boys; ages 13-16; grades 7-9) in Birjand, Iran were selected through convenience sampling. Participants completed Persian-validated versions of the Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire (RSQ), the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire (OBVQ), the Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale for Adults (SELSA), and the Self-Harm Inventory (SHI). Mediation analyses were conducted using SPSS and Hayes’ PROCESS macro. Results: The direct effect of rejection sensitivity on NSSI was not significant (β = 0.02, 95% CI: -0.001 to 0.055), while the total indirect effect was significant (β = 0.13, 95% CI: 0.07 to 0.20). Specifically, rejection sensitivity influenced NSSI indirectly via bullying victimization (β = 0.08, 95% CI: 0.04 to 0.146), accounting for 64.9% of the total indirect effect. The pathway through loneliness alone was non-significant (β = 0.02, 95% CI: - 0.006 to 0.05), whereas the serial mediation pathway was significant (β = 0.02, 95% CI: 0.009 to 0.04), representing 17.2% of the total indirect effect. Conclusion: These findings indicate that adolescents with heightened rejection sensitivity are more vulnerable to peer victimization, which can increase feelings of loneliness and subsequently elevate the risk of NSSI. The results underscore the importance of implementing school-based anti-bullying programs, strengthening supportive peer relationships, and providing targeted socio-emotional interventions for students who exhibit rejection sensitivity. https://www.behavsci.ir/article_243596.html Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the impact of childhood trauma on maladaptive daydreaming, considering the mediating roles of difficulties in emotion regulation and psychological acceptance.Method: This cross-sectional, correlational study was conducted on a sample comprising nurses working in hospitals in Tehran in 2021. A total of 225 participants were selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using the 16-item Maladaptive Daydreaming Scale (MDS-16; Somer et al.), the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ; Bernstein et al.), the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS; Gratz & Roemer), and the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire–II (AAQ-II; Bond et al.) Data analysis was performed using Pearson correlation, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM(.Results: The SEM showed that childhood trauma had a small but significant positive direct effect on maladaptive daydreaming (β=0.12, p=0.027). Emotion regulation difficulties had a strong positive effect (β=0.47, p<0.001), while psychological acceptance had a significant negative effect (β=−0.18, p<0.001). Childhood trauma was associated with poorer emotion regulation (β=0.58) and lower acceptance (β=−0.51). Both variables significantly mediated the trauma–maladaptive daydreaming relationship. Conclusion: According the findings of the present study, childhood trauma influenced maladaptive daydreaming directly and indirectly, with emotion regulation difficulties and psychological acceptance mediating this relationship among nurses. https://www.behavsci.ir/article_242430.html Introduction: This experimental study investigated the effectiveness of sexual intelligence special for women with marital conflicts counseling- training package on sexual assertiveness, interpersonal circumplex marital problems and sexual self-concept.Method: This pretest–posttest controlled study with a two‑month follow‑up was conducted on 36 women with marital conflicts selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received ten weekly sessions of a sexual intelligence counseling–educational program based on Klein’s (2012) model, while the control group received no intervention. Data were collected using the Halbert Sexual Assertiveness Inventory (HISA), the Snell Multidimensional Sexual Self‑Concept Questionnaire (MSSCQ), and the Horowitz Interpersonal circumplex marital problems Questionnaire (IPC‑32). Repeated measures ANOVA was used for data analysis.Results: The intervention led to significant improvements in sexual assertiveness (η²p = 0.62, P < 0.001) and sexual self‑concept (η²p = 0.58, P < 0.001) compared to the control group. No significant effect was found for the interpersonal circumplex marital problems (P > 0.05). The improvements remained stable at the two‑month follow‑up.Conclusion: Sexual intelligence–based counseling effectively enhances women’s intrapersonal sexual abilities, while changes in interpersonal circumplex marital problems may require couple‑centered interventions. https://www.behavsci.ir/article_243594.html Introduction: This study aimed to examine a structural model explaining the relationships between personality traits and Glückschmerz, with the mediating role of virtual space use among high school students in Hamedan.Method: The statistical population consisted of all upper‑secondary students during the 2024-2025 academic year. A total sample of 400 participants was selected using a multistage cluster sampling method. Measurement instruments included the NEO Five‑Factor Inventory (NEO‑FFI), the Virtual Space Usage Scale, and the Glückschmerz Scale. The validity and reliability of the instruments were confirmed through Cronbach’s alpha, composite reliability, and convergent validity indices. Data analysis was performed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS‑SEM) in SmartPLS 4.Results: Goodness‑of‑fit statistics indicated an acceptable model fit (GOF = 0.712, Q² = 0.215). Path analyses showed significant direct effects of personality traits on virtual space use (β = 0.47) and Glückschmerz (β = 0.26), as well as a direct effect of virtual space on Glückschmerz (β = 0.52). Mediation tests revealed that virtual space transmitted a significant indirect effect of personality traits on Glückschmerz (β_indirect = 0.244, CI [0.181, 0.312]).Conclusion: These findings suggest that personality traits substantially shape patterns of digital engagement, which, in turn, may intensify complex social emotions such as Glückschmerz in adolescents. https://www.behavsci.ir/article_243597.html Introduction: Adolescence is a critical developmental period characterized by substantial emotional changes, during which maladaptive aggression frequently arises from difficulties in emotion regulation. The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of resilience training on reduced fear of affective dysregulation (affective control) and academic well-being in female middle school students displaying clinical symptoms of aggression. Method: This randomized clinical trial was conducted in Ahvaz, Iran, during the 2024–2025 academic year, employing a pretest-posttest design with a one-month follow-up. Using cluster random sampling, 30 students were selected based on elevated scores on the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale and subsequent clinical interview confirmation of aggressive symptoms. Participants were then randomly allocated to either an experimental group (n=15) that received resilience training or a waitlist control group (n=15). Outcome measures included the Affective Control Scale and the Academic Well-being Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA in SPSS version 27. Results: Resilience training produced significant improvements in affective control (reduced fear of losing control over emotions) and academic well-being relative to the control group (time × group interaction for affective control: F=42.18, P<0.001, ηp²=0.61; for academic well-being: F=38.65, P<0.001, ηp²=0.58). These large effects were largely maintained at the one-month follow-up assessment. Conclusion: Resilience training represents an effective intervention for reducing fear of affective dysregulation and enhancing academic well-being among female adolescents with clinical symptoms of aggression. These findings support the incorporation of resilience-based programs into school psychological services and highlight the need for replication in larger, multi-center trials. https://www.behavsci.ir/article_243598.html Introduction: Bipolar disorder profoundly disrupts interpersonal relationships and family cohesion. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Family-Focused Therapy in improving family functioning among individuals with bipolar disorder. Method: A randomized clinical trial with a pretest-posttest control group design and a three-month follow-up was conducted. The study population consisted of individuals aged 25–45 years diagnosed with bipolar disorder in Sari during 2025. Thirty participants, along with one self-selected family member, were recruited through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (n=15 per group). The experimental group underwent ten 90-minute sessions of an abbreviated adaptation of Family-Focused Therapy, while the control group received no additional psychosocial intervention (treatment as usual, consisting of pharmacotherapy only) during this period. Data were collected using the Family Assessment Device, which was completed by both the patient and one family member to reflect a family perspective (scores were averaged or jointly reported as appropriate). Data were analyzed via repeated measures analysis of variance in SPSS version 26. Results: The experimental group showed significant reductions in Family Assessment Device scores (indicating improved family functioning, since higher scores reflect poorer functioning) from pretest to posttest and at the three-month follow-up (P<0.01). These improvements were sustained, with no significant differences between posttest and follow-up scores. Conclusion: Family-focused therapy was associated with improvements in family functioning in individuals with bipolar disorder in this sample. This modality can be considered as an adjunctive psychosocial intervention to promote familial outcomes and systemic stability. https://www.behavsci.ir/article_243599.html Introduction: Quarantine, while a critical public health measure for controlling infectious diseases, imposes considerable psychosocial burdens, particularly on young children and their parents. This study investigated the efficacy of a virtual cognitive-behavioral play therapy (CBPT) program in (a) enhancing the quality of parent-child interaction (specifically, increasing closeness and reducing conflict), (b) improving children's awareness and attitudes toward COVID-19, and (c) reducing anxiety symptoms in children aged 4 to 6 years during quarantine.Method: Using a convenience sampling method, mothers of children aged 4–6 years were recruited via social media announcements and screened for eligibility. A total of 57 eligible participants were assigned to either an intervention group (n = 26) or a waitlist control group (n = 31). The intervention group participated in eight weekly 90-minute virtual CBPT sessions delivered via the Skyroom platform. Outcomes were assessed using the Coronavirus Awareness and Attitude Questionnaire (Elahi, 2020), the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale – Parent Version (Spence, 1997), and the Pianta Parent–Child Relationship Scale (1994). Data were collected at pretest and posttest and analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA).Results: Two groups were comparable at baseline (p>.05). MANCOVA showed significant intervention effects on child anxiety (Pillai’s Trace = 0.34, p=.001) and parent–child interaction (Pillai’s Trace = 0.28, p=.002). ANCOVA revealed that the intervention group had significantly lower child anxiety and higher parent–child interaction quality than controls (all p<.05). No significant difference was found for COVID-19 awareness (p=.059), but attitudes toward COVID-19 improved significantly (p<.001). Sensitivity analyses confirmed robustness.Conclusion: The virtual intervention led to significant reductions in child anxiety and significant improvements in children's attitudes toward COVID-19 and the quality of parent-child interaction (reflected in increased closeness and decreased conflict). However, no significant effect was observed on children's level of COVID-19 awareness. https://www.behavsci.ir/article_243601.html Introduction: Loneliness is a recognized risk factor for anxiety disorders, yet its mechanisms in panic disorder remain insufficiently examined. The present study investigated the relationships between loneliness, panic disorder symptoms, and panic attack frequency, examining sleep disorders as mediators and social support as a moderator.Method: This descriptive‑correlational, cross‑sectional study was conducted among patients diagnosed with panic disorder who referred to psychological clinics in Tehran between July and October 2023. A convenience sample of 158 participants completed the UCLA‑R Loneliness Scale, Mini Sleep Questionnaire, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and Acute Panic Inventory. Data were analyzed using Spearman correlations in SPSS‑27 and structural path analysis in SmartPLS‑4.Results: Insomnia (β = −0.02, p = 0.827) and hypersomnia (β = 0.02, p = 0.675) did not predict panic attack frequency, but both were positively associated with panic disorder symptoms (insomnia: β = 0.25, p = 0.010; hypersomnia: β = 0.16, p = 0.006). Loneliness was significantly associated with insomnia, hypersomnia, panic symptoms, and attack frequency (p < 0.01); insomnia mediated the loneliness–panic symptoms link (β = 0.15, p = 0.014), while social support moderated the loneliness–panic attack frequency relationship (β = −0.16, p = 0.021).Conclusion: Loneliness significantly exacerbates the severity of panic disorder by increasing insomnia and related panic symptoms, while both insomnia and hypersomnia contribute to greater symptom severity. Social support reduces the impact of loneliness on panic attack frequency, underscoring its protective role in clinical practice and mental health planning.