دانشگاه رازی روان‌شناسی پیری 2423-7647 12 2 2026 06 26 The Comparison of The Effectiveness of Morita Therapy and Structured Reminiscence on Perception of Aging and Quality of Life Among Older Adults with Type 2 Diabetes مقایسه اثربخشی موریتادرمانی و خاطره‌پردازی ساختارمند بر ادراک پیری و کیفیت زندگی سالمندان مبتلا به دیابت نوع دو 167 145 4405 10.22126/jap.2026.14149.1926 FA مریم نژاد اسدی گروه روان‌شناسی بالینی، واحد اهواز، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، اهواز، ایران 0000-0002-0017-4890 سحر صفرزاده گروه روان‌شناسی، واحد اهواز، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، اهواز، ایران 0000-0002-6571-1829 Journal Article 2026 02 26 Background: Older adults with type 2 diabetes may experience negative perceptions of aging and reduced quality of life (QoL) due to physical health problems associated with the disease. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Morita therapy and structured reminiscence in improving perception of aging (PoA) and QoL among older adults with type 2 diabetes Method: This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest-posttest control-group design with a follow-up phase. The study population consisted of all adults aged 65 years and older with type 2 diabetes who attended medical centers and hospitals in Ahvaz in 2025. Using convenience sampling and based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 45 participants were selected and then randomly assigned to three groups: Morita therapy (n = 15), structured reminiscence (n = 15), and control (n = 15). Data were collected using the PoA Questionnaire developed by Barker et al. and the LEIPAD Quality of Life Questionnaire developed by De Leo et al. The two experimental groups received eight weekly 90-minute intervention sessions based on established Morita therapy and structured reminiscence protocols. All groups were assessed at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and at a two-month follow-up. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance in SPSS version 24. Results: The results showed that both Morita therapy and structured reminiscence were effective in improving PoA and QoL among older adults with type 2 diabetes (p < .05). However, no statistically significant differences were observed between the two interventions in their effects on PoA or QoL. Conclusion: The findings suggest that both Morita therapy and structured reminiscence are effective psychological interventions for improving PoA and QoL among older adults with type 2 diabetes. EXTENDED ABSTRACT Introduction Aging is accompanied by physical, psychological, and social changes that can affect how older adults view this stage of life and evaluate their well-being. These challenges may become more pronounced in the presence of chronic illnesses such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), which often requires continuous medical care, medication, dietary management, and regular monitoring. Such demands may contribute to a less favorable perception of aging (PoA) and lower quality of life (QoL). PoA reflects how individuals understand and evaluate their own aging process, including their beliefs and expectations about age-related changes. Negative PoA has been associated with poorer physical and psychological outcomes, while a more positive view of aging may support better adjustment. QoL is also an important indicator in later life because it reflects physical, psychological, social, and functional aspects of everyday living. Morita therapy is a psychological approach that emphasizes accepting unpleasant thoughts, emotions, and physical experiences rather than attempting to eliminate them. Individuals are encouraged to redirect their attention toward meaningful and constructive activities. Structured reminiscence, in contrast, involves the organized review of important life experiences. Recalling and discussing meaningful memories may help older adults strengthen their sense of personal continuity, reinterpret previous experiences, and better adjust to their present circumstances. Although both approaches have been used with older adults, direct comparisons between them are limited, particularly among individuals with T2DM. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Morita therapy and structured reminiscence on PoA and QoL among older adults with T2DM in Ahvaz. Two hypotheses were examined: (1) There is a significant difference between the effectiveness of Morita therapy and structured reminiscence on PoA among older adults with T2DM. (2) There is a significant difference between the effectiveness of Morita therapy and structured reminiscence on QoL among older adults with T2DM. Method This applied, quasi-experimental study used a pretest-posttest control-group design with a two-month follow-up. The study population consisted of older adults with T2DM attending treatment clinics and hospitals in Ahvaz. Based on Cohen’s (1988) recommendations, with an effect size of .40, a 95% confidence level, statistical power of .80, and an anticipated attrition rate of 10%, the required sample size was estimated at 15 participants per group. Using convenience sampling, 51 adults aged 65 years or older were initially screened. After administration of the study questionnaires, 45 participants who scored below the specified cutoff points for PoA and QoL and met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected. They were randomly assigned to Morita therapy (n = 15), structured reminiscence (n = 15), and control (n = 15) groups. The inclusion criteria were: (1) having T2DM, (2) being 65 years of age or older, (3) obtaining scores below the specified cutoff points on the PoA and QoL measures, and (4) being able to read and write. The exclusion criteria were: (1) current use of psychiatric medication or its use during the previous three months, (2) participation in another therapeutic intervention at the same time, and (3) the presence of acute cognitive disorders. PoA was assessed using the 32-item Aging Perceptions Questionnaire (APQ) developed by Barker et al. (2007). Cronbach’s alpha for the APQ in the present study was .89. QoL was assessed using the 31-item LEIPAD Elderly Quality of Life Questionnaire developed by De Leo et al. (1998), with a Cronbach’s alpha of .81 in the present study. Following the pretest, the first experimental group received Morita therapy based on Morita’s theoretical framework and the protocol described by Sugg et al. (2020). The second experimental group received structured reminiscence based on Stinson’s protocol, adapted into eight sessions. Both interventions consisted of eight weekly 90-minute sessions, while the control group received no psychological intervention. Posttest assessments were conducted immediately after the interventions, and follow-up assessments were completed two months later. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance and Bonferroni pairwise comparisons in SPSS version 24. Results Repeated-measures analysis showed a significant effect of time on both outcomes. For PoA, the effect of time was significant (F = 12.970, p = .001, effect size = .95), as was the effect of time on QoL (F = 22.1157, p = .001, effect size = .96). The group × time interaction was also significant for PoA (F = 32.240, p = .001, effect size = .92) and QoL (F = 15.279, p = .001, effect size = .93), indicating that changes across pretest, posttest, and follow-up differed among the three groups. The overall group effect was significant for PoA (F = 9.05, p = .003, effect size = .30) and QoL (F = 12.30, p = .001, effect size = .39). Bonferroni comparisons showed no significant differences among the groups at pretest for either PoA or QoL. At both posttest and follow-up, however, the Morita therapy and structured reminiscence groups had significantly better outcomes than the control group. No significant differences were found between the two intervention groups at either posttest or follow-up. Within both intervention groups, changes from pretest to posttest and from pretest to follow-up were significant, whereas differences between posttest and follow-up were not significant. Thus, improvements following both interventions were maintained over the two-month follow-up period. Conclusion The findings showed that both Morita therapy and structured reminiscence improved PoA and QoL among older adults with T2DM, but neither intervention was significantly more effective than the other. The effects of both interventions were also maintained at the two-month follow-up. The similar effectiveness of these approaches may be partly explained by common therapeutic processes despite their different theoretical foundations. Morita therapy encourages individuals to accept difficult thoughts, emotions, and physical experiences while focusing on purposeful action. This may help older adults adapt to chronic illness and age-related changes without excessive effort to control experiences that cannot easily be changed. Structured reminiscence works through the systematic review of meaningful life experiences. Revisiting important relationships, achievements, and life events may help older adults maintain a sense of continuity between past and present and interpret their current situation more positively. Thus, while Morita therapy primarily emphasizes acceptance and action, structured reminiscence emphasizes reflection and meaning-making. Both approaches may reduce excessive focus on the negative aspects of illness and aging and promote better adjustment to present circumstances. From a practical perspective, either intervention may be considered in psychological and counseling services for older adults with chronic illnesses such as T2DM. Since neither approach demonstrated superiority, treatment selection may depend on individual preferences, therapist expertise, and available clinical resources. The findings should be interpreted considering several limitations. The study was conducted in Ahvaz using convenience sampling and included only older adults with T2DM, which may limit generalizability. The use of self-report measures may also introduce response bias, and potentially relevant variables such as socioeconomic status and ethnic or cultural differences were not controlled. Future studies should use larger and more diverse samples and better control potential confounding variables. Ethical Consideration Ethical Code The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz Branch (IR.IAU.AHVAZ.REC.1404.046). Written informed consent was obtained from all participants, who were informed of the voluntary nature of participation, confidentiality of their information, and their right to withdraw at any stage. The study was also registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT20250630066309N1). Funding This study received no external funding. 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Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, 47, 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocn.2017.09.022 زمینه: سالمندان مبتلا به دیابت نوع دو بدلیل مشکلات جسمی، در معرض ادراک منفی از پیری و کاهش کیفیت زندگی قرار دارند. بنابراین پژوهش حاضر با هدف مقایسه اثربخشی موریتادرمانی و خاطره‌پردازی ساختارمند بر ادراک پیری و کیفیت زندگی سالمندان مبتلا به دیابت نوع دو انجام شد. روش: این پژوهش از نوع نیمهآزمایشی با طرح پیشآزمون و پسآزمون و گروه کنترل و مرحله پیگیری بود. جامعه آماری پژوهش حاضر شامل کلیه سالمندان مبتلا به دیابت نوع دو بالای 65 سال مراجعهکننده به مراکز درمانی و بیمارستانهای شهر اهواز در سال 1404 بود. به این منظور 45 نفر از افراد جامعهآماری به روش نمونهگیری در دسترس با توجه به ملاکهای ورود و خروج بهعنوان نمونه انتخاب شدند. سپس به صورت تصادفی در سه گروه موریتادرمانی (15 نفر)، خاطرهپردازی ساختارمند (15 نفر) و کنترل (15 نفر) گمارش شدند. برای جمع‌آوری داده‌ها از پرسش‌نامه ادراک پیری بارکر و همکاران و کیفیت زندگی سالمندان دیلیو و همکاران استفاده شد. مداخله در هشت جلسه هفتگی 90 دقیقهای برای دو گروه آزمایشی برگزار شد (بر اساس پروتکل موریتادرمانی و خاطره‌پردازی ساختارمند) در پایان مداخله و نیز دو ماه پس از آن (دوره پیگیری) همه گروهها مجدداً با آزمونهای مذکور مورد ارزیابی قرار گرفتند. جهت تجزیه و تحلیل دادهها از روش آماری تحلیل واریانس با اندازهگیری مکرر با استفاده از نرم افزار SPSS نسخه 24 استفاده شد. یافته‌ها: نتایج نشان داد که موریتادرمانی و خاطرهپردازی ساختارمند بر ادراک پیری و کیفیت زندگی در سالمندان مبتلا به دیابت نوع دو تأثیر دارند(05/0>P). همچنین بین اثربخشی دو رویکرد موریتادرمانی و خاطرهپردازی ساختارمند در ادراک پیری و کیفیت زندگی تفاوت معنیدار مشاهده نشد. بحث و نتیجه‌گیری: این یافتهها نشان میدهد که موریتادرمانی و خاطرهپردازی ساختارمند، مداخلاتی ارزشمند و مؤثر برای افزایش سلامت روانشناختی سالمندان مبتلا به دیابت نوع دو است.

https://jap.razi.ac.ir/article_4405_1378827bcdf7b0bbd99cf6db804e1053.pdf

دانشگاه رازی روان‌شناسی پیری 2423-7647 12 2 2026 06 26 Reasons for the Institutionalization of Older Adults in Nursing Homes from the Perspectives of Older Adults and Their Children: A Qualitative Study علل سالمند سپاری به مراکز سالمندان از منظرسالمندان و فرزندان شان: یک مطالعه کیفی 188 169 4404 10.22126/jap.2026.12938.1879 FA زهرا یوسفی گروه روان‌شناسی بالینی، دانشکده علوم تربیتی و روان‌شناسی، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد اصفهان (خوراسگان)، اصفهان، ایران 0000-0001-5856-3605 علی مهداد گروه روان‌شناسی، دانشکده علوم تربیتی و روان‌شناسی، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد اصفهان (خوراسگان)، اصفهان، ایران 0000-0001-9366-5500 فاطمه دافعیان گروه روان‌شناسی، دانشکده علوم انسانی و اجتماعی، دانشگاه اردکان، اردکان، ایران 0000-0002-3369-2731 زهرا کیانی پیکانی گروه مدیریت آموزشی، دانشکده علوم تربیتی و روان‌شناسی، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد خوراسگان، اصفهان، ایران 0000-0002-3984-4652 Journal Article 2025 10 04 Background: Older adulthood is one of the stages of human development and is accompanied by physiological, psychological, and social changes that may increase individuals’ need for care and support from others. The present study aimed to qualitatively explore the reasons for nursing home placement from the perspectives of older adults and their children. Method: The study employed a qualitative phenomenological design and thematic analysis. The study population consisted of older adults residing in nursing homes in Baghdad and their children. Participants were selected through purposive sampling, and sampling continued until data saturation was reached. In total, eight older adults residing in nursing homes and their children participated in the study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with the older adults and their children and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase approach to thematic analysis. Results: Findings from the interviews with the older adults showed that, from their perspective, the reasons for nursing home placement fell into three subcategories: limited resources among children for caring for the older adult, including factors such as inadequate housing and inability to meet caregiving expenses; inability to maintain respect for the older adult, reflected in behaviors such as disrespect and withholding information from the older adult; and financial hardship of the older adult, including limited financial means and lack of adequate housing. Analysis of the interviews with the children also identified six subcategories: the older adult’s mood and behavioral problems, with examples such as irritability, conflict, and aggression; age-related problems, including medication nonadherence and the need for frequent medical visits; lack of cooperation from other family members in caregiving, including a spouse’s unwillingness to provide care and lack of cooperation from other children; family members’ physical inability to provide care, with examples such as illness and physical limitations among caregivers; inability to meet the costs of caring for the older adult, including housing-related difficulties and occupational demands; and painful past experiences with the older adult, with examples such as past mistreatment and current feelings of aversion Conclusion: Overall, the findings showed that although older adults and their children differed in their perceptions of some reasons for nursing home placement, there were also considerable areas of convergence between their perspectives. These findings highlight the need to design and implement supportive and preventive programs aimed at reducing factors that contribute to nursing home placement. EXTENDED ABSTRACT Introduction A ging is a natural and universal process and one of the developmental stages of human life. It is accompanied by gradual changes in physiological functioning, cognitive abilities, psychomotor performance, and social roles, which may negatively affect older adults’ individual, family, and social functioning. As these changes progress, older adults may become increasingly dependent on others for care, emotional support, and assistance with daily living. Caring for older adults requires specific competencies and an understanding of their biological, psychological, social, and cultural needs. Respectful care can contribute to older adults’ sense of dignity, security, and psychological well-being. At the same time, caregiving may impose substantial demands on family members. Previous studies have shown that family caregivers may experience time constraints, emotional strain, physical health problems, financial difficulties, occupational disruption, and reduced control over their personal lives. In some cases, inadequate caregiving resources and prolonged caregiver burden may also expose older adults to neglect or abuse. Within cultures in which family-based care of older parents is highly valued, placement in a nursing home may be viewed negatively and may generate considerable emotional and interpersonal conflict. Nevertheless, some families experience difficulties that make continued home-based care increasingly challenging. Understanding the reasons for nursing home placement therefore requires consideration of both older adults’ experiences and the perspectives of the children involved in the caregiving and placement process. Accordingly, the present study aimed to explore the reasons for nursing home placement from the perspectives of older adults and their children in Baghdad. Method The present study was conducted in Baghdad in 2023 and employed a qualitative phenomenological design with thematic analysis. The study population consisted of older adults residing in nursing homes and their children who had been involved in the decision to place their parents in institutional care. Participants were selected using purposive sampling, and recruitment continued until data saturation was achieved. Data saturation was reached after interviews with eight older adults and their children. The inclusion criteria for older adults were: residence in a nursing home for at least three months, ability to remember the circumstances leading to nursing home placement, ability to communicate and recount personal experiences, having at least one child, and participation of the child responsible for the placement decision. Exclusion criteria included having no children, dementia or delirium, and the presence of an acute physical illness that prevented participation. The sample included eight older adults, four women and four men, aged 63 to 76 years, together with one participating child for each older adult. The participating children were between 33 and 45 years of age. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Each interview lasted approximately 45 to 60 minutes and was conducted in a quiet room in the nursing home at a time agreed upon by the participant and the researcher. Interview questions focused on the circumstances, experiences, family conditions, and personal factors that contributed to nursing home placement. A pilot study was conducted with three participants, and some interview questions were revised based on their feedback. Follow_up questions were also used during the interviews to explore participants’ experiences in greater depth. The interview data were analyzed using the six-phase thematic analysis procedure, including familiarization with the data, generation of initial codes, searching for themes, reviewing themes, defining and naming themes, and preparing the final report. To enhance the credibility of the analysis, coding and interpretation involved the researcher, the supervisor, and a specialist in qualitative coding. Participant confidentiality was protected through the use of identification codes. Results Analysis of the interview data resulted in two main perspective-based categories, nine subcategories, and 33 concepts. The two main categories represented the reasons for nursing home placement from the perspectives of older adults and their children. From the perspective of the older adults, three subcategories were identified. The first was limited resources among children for caring for the older adult. This subcategory included forgetting parental affection and sacrifices, inadequate housing facilities, children’s reluctance to spend money on the older adult, and inability to afford caregiving expenses. Some participants believed that their children lacked the financial or residential resources required to continue caring for them at home. The second subcategory was inability to maintain respect for the older adult. This included disrespectful behavior by grandchildren, conflict or mistreatment involving sons- or daughters-in-law, and concealment of information from the older adult. Some older participants described feeling unwanted or viewed as an obstacle to the family’s comfort and everyday life. The third subcategory was financial poverty of the older adult. The underlying concepts included limited financial means, lack of inheritance or dowry-related assets, and lack of independent housing. Some participants reported that financial dependence contributed to their perception of themselves as a burden on their children and influenced the decision to enter a nursing home. From the children’s perspective, six subcategories were identified. The first was mood and behavioral problems of the older adult, including verbal hostility, irritability, repeated conflicts with family members, physical aggression, stubbornness, poor impulse control, and excessive talking. The second was age-related problems, including refusal to take medication, repeated demands for medical visits, and difficulty maintaining standards of personal or religious cleanliness. The third subcategory was lack of cooperation from other family members in caregiving, including a spouse’s unwillingness to live with the older adult, fear that caregiving might disrupt the nuclear family, lack of support from siblings, and being an only child. The fourth was physical inability of family members to provide care, particularly when the caregiver or other family members were themselves affected by illness or reduced physical capacity. The fifth subcategory involved inability to meet the practical and financial demands of caring for the older adult, including unsuitable housing, being the sole caregiver, employment-related demands, and inadequate financial resources. The final subcategory was painful past experiences with the older adult, including previous mistreatment of family members, abuse of the other parent, and current feelings of aversion or resentment toward the older adult. Conclusion The findings indicate that nursing home placement is a complex and multidimensional phenomenon shaped by financial, relational, behavioral, physical, and caregiving-related factors. Older adults primarily emphasized their children’s limited caregiving resources, loss of respect within the family, and their own financial vulnerability. In contrast, children more frequently referred to the older adult’s behavioral and age-related difficulties, lack of cooperation among family members, physical limitations of caregivers, financial and practical caregiving pressures, and unresolved painful experiences in the parent–child relationship. Despite these differences, the two perspectives also converged in important areas, particularly regarding financial limitations, caregiving capacity, and difficulties within family relationships. The findings suggest that reducing unnecessary nursing home placement requires attention to both older adults and their family caregivers. Families may benefit from psychological preparation for later-life caregiving, greater sharing of caregiving responsibilities among family members, financial planning for old age, and improved access to supportive and home-based services. The findings also highlight the importance of preparing individuals for old age before significant dependency develops. Educational and supportive programs for older adults and their children may improve mutual understanding, increase caregivers’ resilience, and reduce family tensions associated with long-term care. At the social level, policies that provide financial, psychological, and healthcare support to older adults and family caregivers may help reduce some of the pressures that contribute to nursing home placement. Ethical Consideration Ethical Code Permission to conduct the study was obtained from Islamic Azad University, Khorasgan Branch. Before the interviews, the purpose of the study was explained to the participants, and their consent to participate was obtained. Participant confidentiality was maintained by using identification codes rather than personal information. Funding This study received no external funding. Authors’ Contributions Z.Y: Project administration, supervision, conceptualization, methodology, and validation. A.M: Formal analysis, data collection, and data curation. 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Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 44(5), 497–512. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2017.1416434 زمینه: سالمندی یکی از مراحل رشد انسان است که با تغییرات فیزیولوژیکی، روان‌شناختی و اجتماعی همراه است و می‌تواند نیاز فرد به مراقبت و حمایت دیگران را افزایش دهد. پژوهش حاضر با هدف بررسی کیفی علل سالمندسپاری به مراکز نگهداری سالمندان از منظر سالمندان و فرزندان آنان انجام شد. روش: این پژوهش با رویکرد کیفی، طرح پدیدارشناختی و به روش تحلیل مضمون انجام گرفت. جامعه پژوهش شامل سالمندان مقیم مراکز نگهداری سالمندان در شهر بغداد و فرزندان آنان بود. مشارکت‌کنندگان به روش نمونه‌گیری هدفمند انتخاب شدند و نمونه‌گیری تا دستیابی به اشباع داده‌ها ادامه یافت. در مجموع، هشت سالمند مقیم مراکز نگهداری سالمندان به همراه فرزندان آنان در پژوهش شرکت کردند. داده‌ها از طریق مصاحبه‌های نیمه‌ساختاریافته با سالمندان و فرزندان آنان گردآوری و با استفاده از روش شش‌مرحله‌ای تحلیل مضمون براون و کلارک تحلیل شدند. یافته‌ها: یافته‌های حاصل از مصاحبه با سالمندان نشان داد که از دیدگاه آنان، علل سالمندسپاری در سه مقوله فرعی جای می‌گیرد: ضعف امکانات فرزندان برای نگهداری از سالمند، از جمله نداشتن امکانات مناسب مسکن و ناتوانی در تأمین هزینه‌های مراقبت؛ ناتوانی در تکریم سالمند، با نمودهایی مانند بی‌احترامی و پنهان‌کاری از سالمند؛ و فقر مالی سالمند، از جمله بضاعت مالی پایین و نداشتن امکانات مسکن. تحلیل مصاحبه‌های فرزندان نیز به شناسایی شش مقوله فرعی منجر شد: مشکلات خلقی سالمند، با مصادیقی مانند بداخلاقی، تعارض و پرخاشگری؛ مشکلات مرتبط با سن سالمند، از جمله مصرف‌نکردن داروها و نیاز به مراجعه مکرر به پزشک؛ عدم همکاری سایر اعضای خانواده در مراقبت، از جمله عدم رضایت همسر و عدم همکاری دیگر فرزندان؛ ناتوانی جسمانی اعضای خانواده برای مراقبت از سالمند، با مواردی مانند بیماری و ضعف جسمانی مراقبان؛ ناتوانی در تأمین هزینه‌های سالمند، از جمله مشکلات مربوط به مسکن و مسائل شغلی؛ و داشتن تجارب تلخ مرتبط با سالمند، با مصادیقی مانند آزارهای گذشته و احساس بیزاری در زمان حال. بحث و نتیجه‌گیری: در مجموع، یافته‌ها نشان داد که اگرچه سالمندان و فرزندان آنان در برخی زمینه‌ها برداشت‌های متفاوتی از علل سالمندسپاری دارند، نقاط اشتراک قابل‌توجهی نیز میان دیدگاه‌های آنان وجود دارد. این یافته‌ها بر ضرورت طراحی و اجرای برنامه‌های حمایتی و پیشگیرانه با هدف کاهش عوامل زمینه‌ساز سالمندسپاری تأکید می‌کند.

https://jap.razi.ac.ir/article_4404_e8c713e733780e2176bd3911c226cab3.pdf

دانشگاه رازی روان‌شناسی پیری 2423-7647 12 2 2026 06 26 The Comparison of the Effectiveness of Metacognitive Therapy and Emotion-Focused Therapy on Cognitive Emotion Regulation in older Women Residing in Nursing Homes مقایسه اثربخشی درمان فراشناختی و درمان هیجان‌مدار بر تنظیم شناختی هیجان زنان سالمند مقیم سرای سالمندی 211 189 4400 10.22126/jap.2026.13179.1894 FA حدیث ولی زاده گروه روان‌شناسی، واحد اسلام آباد غرب، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، اسلام آباد غرب، ایران 0000-0001-8992-1559 شیما پرندین گروه روان‌شناسی، واحد اسلام آباد غرب، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، اسلام آباد غرب، ایران 0000-0001-9614-3353 Journal Article 2025 11 17 Background: With the increasing prevalence of emotional challenges in old age, identifying effective interventions to enhance emotional functioning has become particularly important. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the effectiveness of metacognitive therapy and emotion-focused therapy (EFT) in improving cognitive emotion regulation (CER) among older women residing in nursing homes. Method: This study employed a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a control group. The study population consisted of older women residing in nursing homes in 2025. A total of 57 participants were selected through convenience sampling based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were randomly assigned to two experimental groups (18 participants in the metacognitive therapy group and 19 participants in the EFT group) and a control group (20 participants). Garnefski et al’s Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire was used to assess CER. The metacognitive therapy group received Wells’ protocol, while the EFT group received the Greenberg and Watson protocol. Each intervention consisted of eight weekly 90-minute sessions, whereas the control group received no intervention. Data were analyzed using univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and the least significant difference (LSD) post hoc test. Results: The results showed that both metacognitive therapy and EFT significantly improved CER among older women. However, EFT was more effective than metacognitive therapy in reducing maladaptive CER strategies and increasing adaptive strategies. No significant differences between the two interventions were found only for the positive refocusing and refocus on planning subscales. Conclusion: The findings indicate that both metacognitive therapy and EFT can improve CER among older women and may offer promising approaches for psychological interventions in older adults. In particular, EFT may be considered an effective intervention for improving CER among older women residing in nursing homes. EXTENDED ABSTRACT Introduction Aging is accompanied by biological changes, reduced social relationships, and increased feelings of loneliness, which may contribute particularly to difficulties in emotion regulation and greater psychological vulnerability among older women. Living in nursing homes may also reduce family interactions and increase social isolation, potentially contributing to maladaptive emotional and cognitive patterns. Cognitive emotion regulation (CER) refers to the cognitive strategies individuals use to manage, modify, or change their emotional responses and plays an important role in the mental health, cognitive functioning, and social adjustment of older adults. The use of adaptive strategies is associated with better mental health, distress tolerance, and self-compassion, whereas maladaptive strategies may increase vulnerability to psychological problems. Psychological interventions such as metacognitive therapy and emotion-focused therapy (EFT) may enhance emotion regulation skills in older adults. Metacognitive therapy aims to improve psychological functioning by modifying dysfunctional metacognitive beliefs and maladaptive patterns of thinking, whereas EFT promotes emotional awareness and facilitates the processing and transformation of emotional experiences. Given the limited number of comparative studies in this area, the present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of these two approaches in improving CER among older women residing in nursing homes and to provide evidence that may inform more effective psychological interventions for this population. Method This applied study employed a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a control group. The study population consisted of older women residing in nursing homes in Kermanshah, Iran, during 2025. The final sample included 57 participants: 18 in the metacognitive therapy group, 19 in the EFT group, and 20 in the control group. Participants were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to the three groups. The inclusion criteria were: (1) scores above 12 on the maladaptive subscales and below 10 on the adaptive subscales of the CER Questionnaire, (2) being a woman aged 65 years or older, (3) having basic reading and writing literacy, (4) residing in a nursing home, and (5) willingness to participate. The exclusion criteria were acute cognitive disorders based on clinical diagnosis and simultaneous participation in other therapeutic sessions. The interventions were delivered by a specialist under the supervision of the researchers in a psychological clinic. The metacognitive therapy group received Wells' protocol, and the EFT group received the Greenberg and Watson protocol; each intervention consisted of eight weekly 90-minute sessions. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Descriptive statistics included frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. After checking the relevant assumptions, the inferential analyses were conducted using univariate analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) and the least significant difference (LSD) post hoc test. Results Before the main analyses, the assumptions of ANCOVA were examined. Levene's tests were nonsignificant for all subscales (all ps > .05), supporting the homogeneity of variances. The interaction effects between group and pretest scores were also nonsignificant for all subscales (all ps > .05), supporting the homogeneity of regression slopes. In addition, the Shapiro-Wilk tests indicated no significant deviations from normality (all ps > .05). Therefore, univariate ANCOVAs were conducted. As shown in Table 1, after controlling for pretest scores, the effect of group was statistically significant for all nine CER subscales (all ps < .001). The LSD post hoc comparisons showed significant pairwise differences among the three groups for all CER subscales except positive refocusing and refocus on planning. For positive refocusing and refocus on planning (p = .188), the differences between the metacognitive therapy and EFT groups were not statistically significant; however, both intervention groups differed significantly from the control group (ps < .05). Overall, both interventions were effective in improving CER. The pattern of pairwise differences further indicated that EFT was more effective than metacognitive therapy in reducing maladaptive strategies, including self-blame, rumination, catastrophizing, and other blame, and in increasing adaptive strategies, including acceptance, positive reappraisal, and putting into perspective. Conclusion The findings showed that both metacognitive therapy and EFT improved CER among older women residing in nursing homes. EFT demonstrated greater effectiveness than metacognitive therapy in reducing maladaptive strategies, including self-blame, rumination, catastrophizing, and other-blame, and in increasing adaptive strategies, including acceptance, positive reappraisal, and putting into perspective. However, no significant differences were observed between the two interventions for positive refocusing or refocus on planning. Metacognitive therapy may improve the management of negative thoughts and emotional responses by identifying and modifying dysfunctional metacognitive beliefs, strengthening attentional control, and reducing rumination. EFT, by emphasizing the identification, processing, and expression of emotions, may help older adults reconstruct emotional experiences and meanings and enhance emotional awareness and CER. The greater effect observed for EFT may be related to its direct focus on emotional experience and its compatibility with the emotional needs of older adults. The study was limited by its relatively small sample size, inclusion of only women residing in nursing homes, reliance on self-report measures, and lack of long-term follow-up. Consequently, the findings should be generalized cautiously to other populations. Future studies should include larger and more diverse samples, such as older men and community-dwelling older adults, and use long-term follow-up assessments to evaluate the stability and generalizability of treatment effects. Ethical Consideration Ethical Code The study was conducted with the necessary authorization from the Research Deputy of Islamic Azad University, Islamabad-e Gharb Branch. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants, and confidentiality of personal information was maintained. Funding This study received no external funding. Authors’ Contributions H.V.: Methodology, data collection, software, validation, formal analysis, data curation, and writing - original draft. 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Quarterly Journal of Health Psychology, 12(47), 119–132. https://doi.org/10.30473/hpj.2024.66573.5712 [Persian] زمینه: با گسترش چالش‌های هیجانی در دوران سالمندی، ضرورت انتخاب مداخله‌ای کارآمد برای ارتقای کارکردهای هیجانی اهمیت ویژه‌ای دارد. بنابراین، این مطالعه با هدف مقایسه اثربخشی درمان فراشناختی و درمان هیجان‌مدار بر تنظیم شناختی هیجان زنان سالمند مقیم در سراهای سالمندی انجام شد. روش: پژوهش حاضر نیمه‌آزمایشی با طرح پیش‌آزمون-پس‌آزمون با گروه کنترل بود. جامعه آماری شامل زنان سالمند مقیم سراهای سالمندی در سال ۱۴۰۴ بود. نمونه پژوهش شامل ۵۷ نفر با روش در دسترس و براساس معیارهای ورود و خروج انتخاب شد. افراد به‌طور تصادفی در دو گروه آزمایش (۱۸ نفر درمان فراشناختی، ۱۹ نفر درمان هیجان‌مدار) و یک گروه کنترل ۲۰ نفره گمارش شدند. ابزار پژوهش پرسش‌نامه تنظیم شناختی هیجان گارنفسکی بود. گروه فراشناختی طبق پروتکل ولز و گروه هیجان‌مدار طبق پروتکل گرینبرگ و واتسون، هر یک به مدت هشت جلسه هفتگی ۹۰ دقیقه‌ای مداخله دریافت کردند، در حالی که گروه کنترل هیچ مداخله‌ای دریافت نکرد. داده‌ها با استفاده از تحلیل کوواریانس تک متغیری و آزمون تعقیبی LSD تحلیل شدند. یافته‌ها: نتایج نشان داد که هر دو درمان فراشناختی و هیجان‌مدار به‌طور معنادار موجب بهبود تنظیم شناختی هیجان در زنان سالمند شدند. بااین‌حال، درمان هیجان‌مدار در کاهش راهبردهای ناسازگار و افزایش راهبردهای سازگار اثربخشی بیشتری داشت و تنها در زیرمقیاس تمرکز مجدد مثبت و تمرکز مجدد بر برنامه‌ریزی تفاوت معناداری بین دو روش مشاهده نشد. بحث و نتیجه‌گیری: بر اساس یافته‌های این مطالعه، درمان فراشناختی و درمان هیجان‌مدار سبب بهبود تنظیم شناختی هیجان زنان سالمند می‌شوند و نمایانگر افق‌های تازه‌ای در مداخلات روان‌شناختی مرتبط با سالمندان هستند. بنابراین می‌توان از این روش‌های درمانی، به‌ویژه درمان هیجان‌مدار، به‌عنوان رویکردی مؤثر در بهبود تنظیم شناختی هیجان زنان سالمند استفاده کرد.

https://jap.razi.ac.ir/article_4400_d5c5e206391e1e152f65bf9386f00b83.pdf

دانشگاه رازی روان‌شناسی پیری 2423-7647 12 2 2026 06 26 The Effectiveness of Commitment and Acceptance-Based Enrichment Training on Emotional Alexithymia, Psychological Flexibility, and Sleep Disorders in Older Adults with Suicidal Thoughts in Nursing Homes اثربخشی آموزش غنی‌سازی مبتنی بر تعهد و پذیرش بر ناگویی هیجانی، انعطاف‌پذیری ‌شناختی و اختلالات خواب در سالمندان دارای افکار خودکشی سرای سالمندان 234 213 4410 10.22126/jap.2026.13246.1896 FA اکرم ملک زاده گروه روان‌شناسی، دانشکده علوم تربیتی، دانشگاه پیام نور ،تهران، ایران 0000-0002-4793-2273 ثریا چالش گروه روان‌شناسی، دانشکده علوم تربیتی، دانشگاه پیام نور ،تهران، ایران 0000-0001-8488-5544 سمیه نگهداری گروه علوم تربیتی، دانشکده روانشناسی و علوم تربیتی، دانشگاه پیام نور ،تهران، ایران 0000-0001-6197-8799 Journal Article 2025 11 26 Background: Given the growing older adult population and the increasing rate of suicide deaths in this age group, along with their substantial individual and societal consequences, investigating psychological factors associated with suicidal ideation among older adults is of considerable importance. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on alexithymia, cognitive flexibility, and sleep disturbances in older adults with suicidal ideation. Method: This study employed a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest–follow-up design with a control group. The statistical population consisted of older adults with suicidal ideation residing in a nursing home in Bandar Abbas, Iran, during the Iranian year 1404 (2025–2026), with a mean age of 68.94 years. A total of 32 participants (18 women and 14 men) were selected through convenience sampling based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were subsequently randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n=16) or the control group (n=16). Data were collected using the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI) developed by Dennis and Vander Wal, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) developed by Taylor et al., the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) developed by Buysse et al., and the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSSI). Participants in the intervention group received ten 90-minute sessions of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy based on the protocol developed by Eifert et al., whereas the control group received no intervention. Data were analyzed using univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS version 27. Results: The findings indicated that, at posttest, there were significant differences between the intervention and control groups in cognitive flexibility, alexithymia, and sleep disturbances (p<.05). Conclusion: The findings suggest that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy may be an effective intervention for enhancing cognitive flexibility and reducing alexithymia and sleep problems among older adults with suicidal ideation. Therefore, ACT may be considered a complementary intervention for improving psychological factors associated with suicidal ideation in older adults. EXTENDED ABSTRACT Introduction Aging is a major stage of the life course in which physical, psychological, and social changes may affect mental health, adjustment, and quality of life. As the older adult population grows rapidly, greater attention is being directed toward psychological difficulties in this age group and the factors that contribute to mental health. Older adults may be particularly vulnerable to psychological distress and suicidal ideation because of chronic illness, bereavement, loss of social roles, loneliness, and reduced social support. Among the psychological factors associated with suicidal ideation in later life, alexithymia, reduced cognitive flexibility, and sleep disturbances are particularly important because they may impair emotional processing, adaptive coping, and adjustment to age-related stressors. Given the complex and multifactorial nature of suicidal ideation, interventions that target several related psychological processes simultaneously may be especially useful. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), through acceptance, mindfulness, cognitive defusion, values clarification, and committed action, provides a process-based framework for improving responses to distressing internal experiences. However, the effects of ACT-based enrichment training on alexithymia, cognitive flexibility, and sleep disturbances in older adults with suicidal ideation have received limited attention. Therefore, this study examined the effectiveness of ACT-based enrichment training on these outcomes in older adults with suicidal ideation. Method This quasi-experimental study used a pretest–posttest control-group design with a three-month follow-up. The population comprised older adults with suicidal ideation residing in a nursing home in Bandar Abbas, Iran, in the Iranian year 1404 (2025–2026). Thirty-two participants (18 women and 14 men) were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups (n = 16 each). Mean age was 68.94 years in the intervention group and 69.31 years in the control group. Inclusion criteria were willingness to participate, informed consent, ability to read and write, age 65–75 years, and a score of ≥3 on the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSSI). Exclusion criteria included severe physical, cognitive, or motor disability, memory problems, substance dependence, psychotropic medication use, and concurrent participation in another therapeutic or counseling program. The BSSI was used to determine eligibility. Outcomes were assessed using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The intervention group received ten 90-minute group sessions of ACT-based enrichment training, delivered twice weekly and adapted from the psychological flexibility model of Hayes et al. and the treatment structure of Eifert et al. The control group received no intervention during the study period. Outcome measures were administered at pretest, posttest, and three-month follow-up. After examination of statistical assumptions, separate univariate ANCOVAs were conducted for posttest and follow-up outcomes, controlling for baseline scores. Analyses were performed in SPSS version 22 at α = .05. Results Before the main analyses, the assumptions underlying ANCOVA were examined. Levene’s tests for alexithymia, cognitive flexibility, and sleep disturbances were nonsignificant, indicating that the homogeneity-of-variance assumption was satisfied. The interaction effects examined to assess the homogeneity of regression slopes were also nonsignificant, and the Shapiro–Wilk tests indicated no significant departures from normality. The assumptions required for ANCOVA were therefore considered to have been met. After controlling for baseline scores, significant between-group differences were found for all three outcomes at posttest. The group effect was significant for alexithymia, F(1, 27) = 9.984, p = .004; cognitive flexibility, F(1, 27) = 11.900, p = .002; and sleep disturbances, F(1, 27) = 7.573, p = .010. Descriptive findings showed that, compared with the control group, participants who received ACT-based enrichment training had lower alexithymia and sleep-disturbance scores and higher cognitive-flexibility scores at posttest. Significant differences between the intervention and control groups were also maintained at the three-month follow-up. The group effect remained significant for alexithymia, F(1, 27) = 8.963, p = .006; cognitive flexibility, F(1, 27) = 8.791, p = .006; and sleep disturbances, F(1, 27) = 6.124, p = .020. Across the three assessment points, the intervention group demonstrated improvement from pretest to posttest that remained evident at follow-up, whereas changes in the control group were comparatively small. Specifically, alexithymia and sleep-disturbance scores decreased, whereas cognitive-flexibility scores increased following the intervention. Overall, the findings indicate that ACT-based enrichment training was effective in improving the emotional, cognitive, and sleep-related outcomes examined among older adults with suicidal ideation and that these improvements persisted for at least three months after the intervention. Conclusion The findings can be interpreted in terms of the core processes of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. ACT encourages individuals to approach unpleasant thoughts and emotions with greater openness while reducing experiential avoidance and rigid attempts to control internal experiences. Mindfulness and present-moment awareness may improve the recognition and processing of emotional experiences, thereby reducing alexithymia. Cognitive defusion, acceptance, and values-based action may weaken rigid thinking patterns and promote more flexible responses to age-related losses and stressful life changes. Reducing struggle with intrusive thoughts and improving emotional regulation may also contribute to better sleep. Among older adults with suicidal ideation, these processes may support adjustment by strengthening emotional awareness, adaptive coping, and engagement in meaningful activities. The persistence of significant group differences at the three-month follow-up suggests that the benefits extended beyond the immediate post-intervention period. Nevertheless, convenience sampling, reliance on self-report measures, recruitment from a geographically restricted institutional population, and limited control over social support, socioeconomic conditions, and family support restrict generalizability. Future studies should include larger and more diverse samples, multimethod assessments, and additional short- and long-term follow-up periods. ACT-based enrichment training may therefore be considered a useful complementary intervention for older adults with suicidal ideation. Ethical Consideration Ethical Code The study protocol was approved under the ethics code IR.PNU.REC.1404.235 and registered in the national research ethics system. Funding This study received no external funding. Authors’ Contributions A.M.: Conceptualization, methodology, data management, and writing of the manuscript; S.N.: Software, validation, and review and editing of the manuscript; S.N: Statistical analysis and data collection. Conflict of Interest The author had no conflicts of interest. Acknowledgments The authors would like to thank the older adult participants and the administrators of the nursing home in Bandar Abbas for their cooperation and support throughout the study. Alcântara, L., Figueiredo, T., Midão, L., Costa, E., & Paúl, C. (2025). Psychological and behavioural responses to death anxiety in older adults with chronic illnesses: A systematic integrative review. 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Psycho‐Oncology, 33(12), e70045. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.70045Digital Object Identifier زمینه: با توجه به روند رو به رشد سالمندی جمعیت و افزایش میزان مرگ ناشی از خودکشی در این گروه سنی و پیامدهای گسترده فردی و اجتماعی آن، بررسی عوامل روان‌شناختی مرتبط با افکار خودکشی در سالمندان از اهمیت ویژه‌ای برخوردار است. بنابراین، پژوهش حاضر با هدف تعیین اثربخشی درمان مبتنی بر پذیرش و تعهد بر ناگویی هیجانی، انعطاف‌پذیری شناختی و اختلالات خواب در سالمندان دارای افکار خودکشی انجام شد. روش: پژوهش حاضر به روش نیمه‌آزمایشی و با طرح پیش‌آزمون-پس‌آزمون و پیگیری همراه با گروه گواه انجام شد. جامعه آماری شامل سالمندان دارای افکار خودکشی ساکن در سرای سالمندان شهر بندرعباس در سال ۱۴۰۴ با میانگین سنی ۶۸/۹۴ سال بود. از میان آنان، ۳۲ نفر (۱۸ زن و ۱۴ مرد) با روش نمونه‌گیری در دسترس و با توجه به معیارهای ورود و خروج انتخاب و سپس به‌صورت تصادفی در دو گروه مداخله (۱۶ نفر) و گواه (۱۶ نفر) گمارده شدند. ابزارهای گردآوری داده‌ها شامل پرسشنامه انعطاف‌پذیری شناختی دنیس و وندروال، مقیاس ناگویی هیجانی تورنتو تیلور و همکاران، شاخص کیفیت خواب پیتزبورگ بویس و همکاران و مقیاس افکار خودکشی بک بود. شرکت‌کنندگان گروه مداخله طی ۱۰ جلسه ۹۰ دقیقه‌ای، درمان مبتنی بر پذیرش و تعهد را بر اساس پروتکل ایفرت و همکاران دریافت کردند، در حالی که گروه گواه هیچ مداخله‌ای دریافت نکرد. داده‌ها با استفاده از تحلیل کوواریانس تک‌متغیره و نرم‌افزار SPSS نسخه ۲۷ تجزیه و تحلیل شدند. یافته‌ها: یافته‌ها نشان داد که در مرحله پس‌آزمون، بین گروه‌های مداخله و گواه از نظر انعطاف‌پذیری شناختی، ناگویی هیجانی و اختلالات خواب تفاوت معناداری وجود داشت (05/0>p). بحث و نتیجه‌گیری: یافته‌های پژوهش نشان می‌دهد که درمان مبتنی بر پذیرش و تعهد می‌تواند مداخله‌ای مؤثر برای افزایش انعطاف‌پذیری شناختی و کاهش ناگویی هیجانی و مشکلات خواب در سالمندان دارای افکار خودکشی باشد. ازاین‌رو، این رویکرد می‌تواند به‌عنوان یک مداخله مکمل برای بهبود عوامل روان‌شناختی مرتبط با افکار خودکشی در سالمندان مورد استفاده قرار گیرد.

https://jap.razi.ac.ir/article_4410_53fc1a94366c9cb88bef9280a885a33f.pdf

دانشگاه رازی روان‌شناسی پیری 2423-7647 12 2 2026 06 26 The Effectiveness of Compassion-Focused Therapy on Ego Strength and Metacognitive Beliefs in Depressed Older Adults اثربخشی درمان مبتنی بر شفقت بر توانمندی من و باورهای فراشناختی سالمندان افسرده 253 235 4192 10.22126/jap.2026.13507.1902 FA زهرا شادکام گروه روانشناسی، واحد دزفول، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، دزفول، ایران 0009-0008-1712-9659 همایون هارون رشیدی گروه روانشناسی، واحد دزفول، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، دزفول، ایران 0000-0002-7912-3382 سعید مشتاقی گروه روانشناسی، واحد دزفول، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، دزفول، ایران 0000-0002-7953-3314 Journal Article 2026 01 07 Background: Older adulthood is a sensitive period of life in which examining different dimensions of mental health is of particular importance. Ego strength and metacognitive beliefs are among the factors that may substantially influence the mental health of older adults. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) in improving ego strength and metacognitive beliefs among depressed older adults in Ahvaz, Iran. Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design with a control group. The study population consisted of older adults residing in Ahvaz during the first half of the Iranian calendar year 2025. The sample included 30 depressed older adults aged 65–75 years who were selected through purposive sampling based on the study inclusion criteria and then randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. The instruments used in this study were the Metacognitions Questionnaire developed by Wells and Cartwright-Hatton and the Psychosocial Inventory of Ego Strengths developed by Markstrom and colleagues. The experimental group received Gilbert’s CFT in eight weekly 90-minute sessions. Data were analyzed using univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS version 22. Results: After controlling for pretest scores, the results showed statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups at posttest in both ego strength and metacognitive beliefs (p<.001). Conclusion: The findings indicate that CFT can improve ego strength and metacognitive beliefs among depressed older adults. These findings may open new avenues for clinical interventions and suggest that CFT can be used as an effective intervention to improve ego strength and metacognitive beliefs in this population. EXTENDED ABSTRACT Introduction Aging is a natural process, a global phenomenon, and one of the stages of human growth and development. According to United Nations estimates, the global population of older adults is projected to rise from 350 million in 1975 to 1.1 billion by 2025. Given this increasing demographic trend, providing an appropriate context for the mental and psychological well-being of older adults is of paramount importance. Among the variables that assist older individuals in coping with and managing unpleasant life experiences are ego strength and metacognitive beliefs. In recent years, various therapeutic approaches have been employed to support older adults; however, Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) has garnered considerable attention. Given the high prevalence of depression and the challenges associated with aging, the need for research in this area is clearly evident. Since the existing literature has rarely addressed the effectiveness of CFT on ego strength and metacognitive beliefs among depressed older adults, and considering the paucity of studies conducted in Iran regarding the efficacy of diverse therapeutic modalities in improving psychological components in this population, the present study was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of CFT on metacognitive beliefs and ego strength in older adults. Method This was an applied, quasi-experimental study using a pretest–posttest control group design. The statistical population comprised all depressed older adults aged 65 to 75 years in the city of Ahvaz during the first half of the Iranian calendar year 1404 (2025). From this population, 30 depressed older adults who met the inclusion criteria were selected through purposive sampling and were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups in equal proportions. Inclusion criteria consisted of obtaining a score above the mean on the depression and metacognitive beliefs scales and a score below the mean on the ego strength scale, being over 65 years of age, being diagnosed with depression, and having at least a high school diploma. Exclusion criteria included concurrent participation in other therapeutic interventions and the presence of acute cognitive disorders. Data collection instruments included the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (1971), the Ego strength Scale (Markstrom et al., 1977), and the Metacognitions Questionnaire (Wells & Cartwright-Hatton, 2004). The therapeutic content was adapted from Gilbert's CFT protocol (2009) and was delivered by a psychotherapist to the experimental group over eight 90‑minute sessions, one session per week. Each session included an introduction to the objectives and topics of that session, group discussion, and in‑session exercises. The content of the sessions is presented separately in Table 1. Data were analyzed using univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with SPSS statistical software (version 23). Results In accordance with the research design, univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was employed to analyze the primary results. Initially, Levene's test for homogeneity of variances was used to examine the equality of variances between the two groups in the posttest phase. The Levene's test statistics for ego strength and metacognitive beliefs were not statistically significant, thus confirming the homogeneity of variances assumption. Furthermore, the crucial assumption of homogeneity of regression slopes was tested by examining the interaction effect of the independent variable and the pretest of each dependent variable on its posttest, with results indicating that the F‑values were non‑significant at the 0.05 level for both ego strength and metacognitive beliefs. Additionally, the Shapiro–Wilk test was used to assess the normality of the distribution of the dependent variables. According to the results, the distributions were normal, as the Shapiro–Wilk test results were not statistically significant at the 0.05 level. Since the assumptions for ANCOVA were met, univariate analysis of covariance was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of CFT on total scores of ego strength and metacognitive beliefs. The results indicated a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of ego strength and metacognitive beliefs. In other words, CFT, as reflected in the mean scores of the experimental group compared to those of the control group, led to a significant improvement in both ego strength and metacognitive beliefs among the participants in the experimental group. Conclusion In interpreting these findings, it can be stated that in CFT, individuals learn not to avoid or suppress their painful emotions; consequently, they are first able to recognize their own experiences and then cultivate compassion toward them. CFT appears to enhance one's ability to manage choices and facilitates positive appraisals of cognitive strategies, control over challenges and adverse internal experiences, and reduction of motivational and emotional distress. Moreover, it seems to increase individuals' willingness and engagement in selecting positive behaviors. Furthermore, self‑compassion training, through the modification of the individual's cognitive system and the alteration of irrational and maladaptive beliefs that underlie emotional reactions, endeavours to diminish undesirable behaviours and replace them with more adaptive ones, ultimately leading to improvements in metacognitive beliefs and ego strength among depressed older adults. Among the limitations of this study were the use of purposive sampling and the inability to control for variables such as economic status, occupation, and stressors. Accordingly, it is recommended that future studies employ random sampling methods and control for intervening variables. Given the findings discussed, it is suggested that the infrastructure and context for implementing such therapeutic interventions for older adults be facilitated. Additionally, to ensure the sustainability of the training effects, measures should be considered to encourage continued practice of the learned exercises beyond the posttest phase. Ethical Consideration Ethical Code This article is derived from the master's thesis of the first author in Personality Psychology at Islamic Azad University, Dezful Branch. Funding This study received no external funding. Authors’ Contributions Z.Sh.: Conceptualization, methodology, software, validation, formal analyses, data curation, visualisation. 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Journal of Consultation and Liaison Psychiatry, 12(6), 371-379. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0033-3182(71)71479-0 زمینه: سالمندی دوره حساسی است که بررسی ابعاد مختلف سلامت ‌روان در آن‌ اهمیت زیادی پیدا می‌کند. توانمندی من و باورهای فراشناختی از عواملی است که می‌تواند تأثیر بسزایی بر سلامت‌روان سالمندان داشته باشد. بنابراین این مطالعه با هدف اثربخشی درمان مبتنی بر شفقت بر توانمندی من و باورهای فراشناختی سالمندان افسرده شهر اهواز انجام شد. روش: روش پژوهش نیمه‌آزمایشی با طرح پیش‌آزمون پس‌آزمون با گروه گواه بود. جامعه آماری پژوهش تمامی سالمندان شهر اهواز در نیمۀ اول سال 1404 بودند. حجم نمونه پژوهش شامل 30 نفر سالمند افسرده (65 تا 75 ساله) بود که با روش نمونه‌گیری هدفمند و بر اساس معیارهای ورود به مطالعه انتخاب و به‌طور تصادفی در دو گروه آزمایش و گواه گمارش شدند. مقیاس‎های مورد استفاده در این پژوهش شامل مقیاس باورهای فراشناختی ولز و کارترایت- هاتن و مقیاس توانمندی مارک استروم و همکاران بود. گروه آزمایش درمان مبتنی بر شفقت گیلبرت را در هشت جلسه 90 دقیقه‌ای هفتگی دریافت نمودند. داده‌ها با تحلیل کوواریانس تک‌متغیره، با استفاده از نرم‌افزارSPSS نسخه 22 مورد تجزیه و تحلیل قرار گرفتند یافته‌ها: نتایج نشان داد که با کنترل اثر پیش‌آزمون در مرحله پس‌آزمون بین دو گروه گواه و آزمایش در متغیرهای توانمندی من و باورهای فراشناختی تفاوت معناداری وجود دارد. بحث و نتیجه‌گیری: بر اساس یافته‌های این مطالعه، درمان مبتنی بر شفقت سبب بهبود توانمندی من و باورهای فراشناختی سالمندان می‌شود و نمایانگر افق‌های تازه‌ای در مداخلات بالینی است و می‌توان از آن به‌عنوان یک روش مداخله‌ای مؤثر در بهبود توانمندی من و باورهای فراشناختی سالمندان افسرده استفاده کرد.

https://jap.razi.ac.ir/article_4192_f602c25e0c585afb9c514aede538f8b4.pdf

دانشگاه رازی روان‌شناسی پیری 2423-7647 12 2 2026 07 23 Narrative Analysis of Elderly Women’s Perspectives on the Psychosocial Indicators of an Age Friendly City in Iran تحلیل‌روایت زنان سالمند از شاخص‌های روانی‌-اجتماعی شهردوستدار سالمند در ایران 4416 10.22126/jap.2026.13838.1917 FA زهرا لطفی فروشانی گروه جامعه شناسی، دانشکده ادبیات و علوم انسانی، دانشگاه اصفهان، اصفهان، ایران 0009-0006-3861-005X علی قنبری برزیان دانشیار، گروه جامعه شناسی، دانشکده ادبیات و علوم انسانی، دانشگاه اصفهان‌، ایران. 0000-0003-4797-7260 Journal Article 2026 05 16 Population aging will be one of the most critical social and demographic phenomena of the 21st century. The concept of an age friendly city focuses on creating urban environments in which older adults can enjoy a desirable quality of life. Accordingly, this study aims to explore elderly women’s perspectives on the psychosocial indicators of an age friendly environment in one of the cities of Isfahan Province, Iran. To achieve this objective, a narrative analysis approach was employed, and in depth narrative interviews were conducted with 21 women aged 65 and above.The findings indicate that elderly women complain about the lack of welfare and recreational facilities, insufficient social security, a generational gap with today’s youth, and economic difficulties. Due to the lack of training for social participation and the perception that society no longer needs them, many experience social isolation. During this stage of life, they also face mental health challenges such as stress, hopelessness about life, and low self esteem, and they express a need for counseling services. The findings of this study can help identify the needs and problems of older adults and contribute to creating a more appropriate and standard environment for the elderly. سالخوردگی جمعیت، یکی از بحرانی‌ترین پدیده اجتماعی و جمعیت‌شناختی در قرن 21 خواهد بود. دیدگاه شهر دوستدار سالمند به منظور ایجاد شهری که سالمندان از کیفیت مطلوب زندگی برخوردار باشند به آن می‌پردازد. بنابراین این مطالعه، به شناخت دیدگاه زنان سالمند از شاخص‌های اجتماعی-روانی محیط دوستدار سالمند در یکی از شهرهای اصفهان می‌پردازد. برای دستیابی به هدف مذکور از روش تحلیل‌روایت و مصاحبه روایی عمیق با 21 زن بالای 65 سال انجام گردید. یافته‌ها نشان می‌دهد که زنان سالمند از نبود امکانات رفاهی و تفریحی، امنیت اجتماعی، شکاف نسلی با جوانان امروزی و مشکلات اقتصادی شکایت دارند. به دلیل عدم آموزش مشارکت و عدم نیاز جامعه به آنان به انزوا کشیده می‌شوند. در این دوران با مشکلات سلامت‌روانی چون استرس، ناامیدی به زندگی و عزت‌نفس پایین روبه رو می‌شوند و نیاز به خدمات مشاوره در خود احساس می‌کند. یافته‌های این پژوهش می‌تواند به شناخت نیازها و مشکلات سالمندان کمک کند تا محیط مناسب و استانداردی برای سالمندان ایجاد شود.