Health Education and Health Promotion

Abstract Aims: Adolescents who have been deprived of family support for various reasons are more likely to be in vulnerable groups in society, resulting in more risky behaviors. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of psycho-drama in reducing high-risk behaviors in unsupervised adolescent boys.
Materials & Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population consisted of unsupervised teenage boys between the ages of 12-13, who were studying in the sixth grade in Zanjan in the 2018-2019 academic year. 40 students were selected by purposive sampling and substituted in two equal groups as experimental and control groups. The main tool was the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (2013). Psychodrama intervention was performed for 9 sessions (each session 90 minutes) for the experimental group, but the control group received no intervention. At the final session, both experimental and control groups received a posttest. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance by SPSS23.
Findings: Results showed a significant difference between the two groups in the posttest phase (p<0.05). Psychodrama decreased high-risk behaviors in the experimental group. The percentage of these changes based on the Eta-square was 41.3%. Also, according to the results, Eta-square of components was 37% for the smoking, 32% for the alcohol; 17.9% for the psychotropic; 36.3% for aggressive behaviors,35.3% for thinking and committing suicide, 30.5% for escape component, and 35.5% for relationship the opposite sex (p<0.05).
Conclusion: According to the findings, it can be concluded that psychodrama is an effective adjunctive therapy to reduce the symptoms of high-risk behaviors of unsupervised adolescent boys, and it is recommended to counselors in preventing psychological damage in schools.

Abstract Aims: This study was done to investigate the Effectiveness cognitive effect of visual and auditory memory on improving cognitive flexibility of children with Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder.
Participants & Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental one which was done by pretest-posttest with control group. The statistical population of this study was all students with Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder in Kermanshah in the academic year of 2018-2019. The sample consisted of 34 people who were selected by randomized sampling and replaced in two equal groups of experimental (17 subjects) and control group (17 subjects). The research tools were: SWAN Qquestionnaire and Stroop Color-word Test. Data was analyzed using mean and standard deviation of Levine test and homogeneity of slope from regression and covariance analysis for study the research hypotheses.
Findings: The results of this study showed that cognitive effect of visual and auditory memory could improve the cognitive flexibility with effect size 0.45 in children with Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder at the significant level (P<0.01)
Conclusion: It can be concluded that cognitive of visual and auditory memory training may enhance certain skills in ADHD children, but more research is required to generalize the positive effects of these programs to the other clinical features of ADHD.

Abstract Aims: Having a child with autism spectrum disorder can put a lot of stress and pressure on parents and affect their quality of life, as compared to parents of normal children. In this regard, the present study aimed to identify and determine the effectiveness of group cognitive behavioral counseling of the parents of children with autism spectrum disorder on their communication interactions with children.
Participants & Methods: Population consisted of mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder in the city of Shiraz, of which 40 eligible volunteers were selected using purposeful sampling method and were randomly divided into two groups of 20 (control and experiment) in the academic year of 2018-2019. Data collected using the Child-Parent Relationship Scale (CPRS; Pianta). Having completed the questionnaires by the target population, the experiment group received the intervention training program of group cognitive behavioral counseling for 10 one-hour sessions. However, the control group received no intervention training. Multi-variate covariance analysis and SPSS 22 were used to analyze data. The significance level was considered as 0.01.
Findings: The group cognitive behavioral counseling for mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder was effective on communication interaction with children and improved it (p= 0.001). Regarding the assessed effect, it should be noted that the degree of changes, according to eta coefficient (effect rate) was 23.3%.
Conclusion: According to the findings, group cognitive behavioral intervention method can be effective on improving parenting for children with autism spectrum disorder.

Abstract Aims: The purpose of the present study was to identify the effectiveness of computer games interventions in improving attention and working memory of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Participants & Methods: This semi-experimental study was pre-test/post-test with the control group and the statistical population was the second to sixth grade students in Najafabad City in the academic year of 2018-2019. Among them, 20 students were purposively selected based on diagnostic interview and screening score using Swanson et al. questionnaire and were randomly divided into two 10 experimental and control groups. Data were collected using SNAP-IV (Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham; 2001) questionnaire, Digit Span Backwards Task (Wechsler; 2008) and Corsi Block-Tapping Test (Corsi; 1972). Computer game interventions consisting of 20-minute in 18 sessions run just for the experimental group. Finally, data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance.
Findings: Results showed that computer game interventions had a positive effect on improving spatial visual attention and working memory, but there was no significant effect on verbal memory (p<0.05). Also, 74% of the differences in the groups were due to the impact of the intervention (p<0.05).
Conclusion: According to the results, computer games as a cognitive intervention have been effective in increasing attention and spatial memory in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. In addition, it is suggested that new methods such as computer games can be used to improve cognitive skills and reduce students' learning problems.

Abstract Aims: Test anxiety is a significant and scary distressing feeling that appears before, during, or even after the exam. The current study aimed to predict test anxiety in high school female students based on their spiritual well-being and mindfulness.
Materials & Methods: In this descriptive-analytic and cross-sectional study, the statistical population included all 4^th grade of girl high school students in Tehran (140,000 students). The sample concluded 312 female students of 4^th grade high schools in Tehran selected by multistage cluster sampling. The test anxiety scale developed (2004), Langer's Mindfulness scale (2004), and Well-Being scale (Paloutzian and Ellison; 1982) were completed by participants. Data was analyzed using Pearson correlation test, Enter multiple and stepwise regression.
Findings: Pearson correlation showed a significant and negative relationship between test anxiety and spiritual well-being variables (r=-0.28; p=0.05) and also the negative relationship with mindfulness (r=-0.44; p=0.05). Regarding the results, students' test anxiety was predictable based on their spiritual well-being and mindfulness and both variables can predict 9% of the variances of changes in the test anxiety (R²=0.09).
Conclusion: According to the results, the higher level of spiritual well-being and mindfulness, the lower level of test anxiety will be observed in students. So, it is expected that by focusing on specific techniques of mindfulness and performing activities that have a positive impact on students' spiritual well-being can reduce the level of student anxiety and, consequently, improve their academic performance.