Background: Mindfulness-based interventions improve a variety of clinical outcomes. Executive functioning (EF) and emotion dysregulation are among the proposed transdiagnostic mechanisms that such interventions are proposed to target. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the impact of mindfulness meditation training on EF and emotion dysregulation in a sample of female adolescents with elevations in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms against a waitlist control condition. Method: This study adopted a mixed 2 (treatment group, waitlist control group) × 2 (pre-test, post-test) design. Adolescent females (13-15 years old) exhibiting elevations in ADHD symptoms according to multiple informants were randomly assigned to a mindfulness treatment group (n = 15) or a waitlist control group (n = 15). Results: Among EF laboratory tasks, planning and inhibition were higher in the treatment group relative to the control group with large effect sizes at post-treatment. The treatment group also exhibited lower scores in self-reported emotion dysregulation (total, nonacceptance of emotional responses, and impulse control difficulties) in comparison to the waitlist control group with large effect sizes at post-treatment. Within group pre-test and post-test comparisons indicated improvement on particular facets of EF and emotion dysregulation only for the treatment group. Conclusions: Mindfulness meditation training improved particular facets of EF and emotion dysregulation in adolescent females with elevations in ADHD symptoms. Treatment development efforts should target clinical populations that exhibit difficulties in these transdiagnostic mechanisms.

The Persian version of the WFIRS-S has acceptable psychometric properties and could be used as a functional impairment assessment for adolescents.

BackgroundThis study evaluates the descriptive and psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Weiss Functional Impairment Rating Scale-Parent Report Form (WFIRS-P) in a normal sample of Iranian children.MethodParents of 282 students (grades 1–6) completed the WFIRS-P. Means and standard deviations were computed for the total scale, each domain, and each item of the WFIRS-P. Internal consistency, interdomain correlations, and test-retest reliability were used to assess the reliability of the scale.ResultsAmong the WFIRS-P domains, life skills had the highest rated impairment (M = 0.50, SD = 0.37) and risky activities had the lowest. Internal consistency (α = .88) and test-retest reliability (r = 0.77) were strong for the WFIRS-P total scale. The correlation between the WFIRS-P domains and the total scale ranged from 0.52 to 0.81.ConclusionsResults suggest that the Persian version of the WFIRS-P is a useful and psychometrically reliable measure for assessing functional skills in children.

Introduction: In recent years, many studies focused on emotion regulation in conceptualization, explanation, and treatment of mental disorders. Problematic patterns of emotional reactivity and regulation are prominent factors in various mental disorders, specially internalizing disorders. The present study aimed to identify the role of emotion regulation strategies in predicting depression. Method: This descriptive –correlational research was conducted on 650 students of Yazd University selected by cluster sampling. They completed the Beck depression inventory (BDI-II) and Cognitive Emotion Regulation Strategies Questionnaire (CERQ.) Research data were analyzed in SPSS-22 by Pearson correlation coefficient and stepwise regression. Results: A significant positive correlation was found between maladaptive emotion regulation strategies (self-blame, rumination, catastrophizing, other-blame) and depression. Adaptive emotion regulation strategies (acceptance, reorientation, plan-focus, perspective taking) were negatively correlated with depression. Results of Stepwise regression showed that self-blame, reorientation, catastrophizing, plan-focus, and other blame could explain 34% of depression variance significantly. Conclusion: According to the results, emotion regulation strategies can be a significant factor in predicting depression; so, strengthening the adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies should be considered in the development and modification of treatments for depression.

Background Research on the psychometric properties of the Persian self-report form of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Version 4.0 (PedsQL 4.0) in adolescents has several gaps (e.g., convergent validity) that limit its clinical application and therefore the cross-cultural impact of this measure. This study aimed at investigating the psychometric properties of the PedsQL 4.0 and the effects of gender and age on quality of life in Iranian adolescents. Method The PedsQL 4.0 was administered to 326 adolescents (12–17 years). A subsample of 115 adolescents completed the scale two weeks after the first assessment. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), correlation of the PedsQL 4.0 with the Weiss Functional Impairment Rating Scale-Self-report (WFIRS-S), and Item Response Theory (IRT) analysis were conducted to examine validity. Cronbach’s alpha, McDonald’s Omega, and Intra class correlation (ICC) were calculated as well to examine reliability. Gender and age effects were also evaluated. Results Internal consistency and test–retest reliability of the total PedsQL 4.0 scale was .92 and .87, respectively. The PedsQL 4.0 scores showed negative moderate to strong correlations with the WFIRS-S total scale. The four-factor model of the PedsQL 4.0 was not fully supported by the CFA—the root mean square error of approximation and the comparative fit index showed a mediocre and poor fit, respectively. IRT analysis indicated that all items of the PedsQL 4.0 fit with the scale and most of them showed good discrimination. The items and total scale provided more information in the lower levels of the latent trait. Males showed significantly higher scores than females in physical and emotional functioning, psychosocial health, and total scale. Adolescents with lower ages showed better quality of life than those with higher ages in all scores of the PedsQL 4.0. Conclusion The PedsQL 4.0 showed good psychometric properties with regard to internal consistency, test–retest reliability, and convergent validity in Iranian adolescents, which supports its use in clinical settings among Persian-speaking adolescents. However, factor structure according to our CFA indicates that future work should address how to improve fit. In addition, studies that include PedsQL 4.0 should consider gender and age effects were reported.