Aim: The present study strives to find an experimental response to these questions: “Is the relationship between neuroticism and suicidal thoughts a simple relationship? Or are there other psychopathological variables such as attachment styles that also affect it?” Subjects and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 376 medical students were selected from the three major cities of Iran using multi-stage sampling method from July 2018 to September 2018 and were evaluated using the demographic information questionnaire, Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSSI), the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-FFI), and the Adult Attachment Questionnaire (AAQ). Results: The overall prevalence of having suicidal thoughts among Iranian medical students was 17%. Moreover, the prevalence of suicide among the female, widowed, separated, and divorced students was higher than others. There was also a significant correlation between suicidal thoughts, gender, relational status, neuroticism, avoidant insecure attachment style, secure attachment style, and anxious/ambivalent insecure attachment style. Additionally, the attachment styles have a moderating role in the relationship between neuroticism and suicidal thoughts. Conclusion: Based on the current study, it is concluded that despite the presence of neuroticism in medical students, the attachment styles can reduce the risk of suicide as moderator variables. Hence, attachment styles can be considered a potential treatment goal in the prevention of suicide.

A large number of studies have shown a positive correlation between high novelty-seeking (HNS), substance/medication use (S/MU), high physical activity (HPA), and academic burnout (AB); however, the outcome of individuals with HNS in the terms of catching AB is doubtful. The present study was conducted to find out whether the personality traits such as HNS in medical students predisposes the AB or decreases its severity by increased physical activity (PA). This cross-sectional study, 227 medical students with HNS were selected from three major cities of Iran during February, 2019 to July, 2019 using convenience sampling and were assessed using demographic information form, Baecke’s physical activity questionnaire, and Breso’s academic burnout questionnaire. In this study, 126 male and 151 female participants were divided into four groups namely HNS + low physical activity (LPA) (n = 68); HNS + HPA (n = 73); HNS + S/MU + LPA (n = 72); and HNS + S/MU + HPA (n = 64). The study results indicated that the maximum and minimum mean scores of AB and its subscales were in the HNS + S/MU + LPA and HNS + HPA groups, respectively. In addition, the hierarchical multiple regression analysis results for the two groups of students with and without S/MU indicated that PA plays a moderating role in the relationship between AB and HNS. Given that the AB can be considered as an antecedent of depressive disorders, its lowered level could be effective in preventing major depressive disorder. Regarding the moderating role of PA in the relationship between HNS and AB, PA, as a relatively simple and inexpensive alternative to pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy, can be raised in the treatment and prevention of the AB.

A large number of studies have shown a positive correlation between high novelty-seeking (HNS), substance/medication use (S/MU), high physical activity (HPA), and academic burnout (AB); however, the outcome of individuals with HNS in the terms of catching AB is doubtful. The present study was conducted to find out whether the personality traits such as HNS in medical students predisposes the AB or decreases its severity by increased physical activity (PA). This cross-sectional study, 227 medical students with HNS were selected from three major cities of Iran during February, 2019 to July, 2019 using convenience sampling and were assessed using demographic information form, Baecke’s physical activity questionnaire, and Breso’s academic burnout questionnaire. In this study, 126 male and 151 female participants were divided into four groups namely HNS + low physical activity (LPA) (n = 68); HNS + HPA (n = 73); HNS + S/MU + LPA (n = 72); and HNS + S/MU + HPA (n = 64). The study results indicated that the maximum and minimum mean scores of AB and its subscales were in the HNS + S/MU + LPA and HNS + HPA groups, respectively. In addition, the hierarchical multiple regression analysis results for the two groups of students with and without S/MU indicated that PA plays a moderating role in the relationship between AB and HNS. Given that the AB can be considered as an antecedent of depressive disorders, its lowered level could be effective in preventing major depressive disorder. Regarding the moderating role of PA in the relationship between HNS and AB, PA, as a relatively simple and inexpensive alternative to pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy, can be raised in the treatment and prevention of the AB.

Background: Although numerous studies have supported the role of childhood maltreatment in the etiology of psychosis, underlying mechanisms have not been well understood yet. The present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of particular forms of dissociation in the relationship between five major types of childhood abuse and psychotic symptoms among patients with schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders.Methods: In this cross-sectional correlation study, a total of 210 participants, including 140 patients with schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders (70 first-episode psychotic patients and 70 chronic psychotic patients) and 70 community controls, were selected by systematic random sampling (with the sampling interval of 3) and one-to-one matching, respectively, from among inpatients and outpatients referring to Baharan Psychiatric hospital, Zahedan, Iran, and people living in this region. In this study, the evaluation criteria included Dissociative Experiences Scale, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form, and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale.Results: The obtained results revealed that the mean scores of sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and physical abuse were higher in psychotic patients than community controls (without any significant difference among first-episode psychotic patients and chronic psychotic patients). Furthermore, the highest mean scores of dissociative experiences belonged to chronic psychotic patients. Regarding the three study groups, there was no significant gender-based difference between mean scores of dissociative experiences and various types of childhood maltreatment. Multiple-mediation also indicated that absorption and dissociative amnesia played a mediating role in the relationship between sexual abuse and positive symptoms. Moreover, this study implied the role of physical abuse in predicting psychotic symptoms even in the absence of sexual abuse. Conclusions: This study illustrated specific associations among childhood maltreatment, dissociative experiences, and psychotic symptoms in the clinical population. Thus, to provide appropriate interventions, patients with schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders needed to be asked about a wide range of possible adverse childhood experiences and dissociative experiences. Nevertheless, further studies using prospective or longitudinal designs need to be carried out to realize the differential contribution of various forms of childhood maltreatment and their potential interactions, more precisely.

Background Although preliminary studies support the roles of unhealthy parenting styles and maladaptive coping styles in increasing rates of disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors (EAB) and clinically significant feeding and eating disorders (FED), underlying mechanisms have not been well-recognized. This study aims to investigate the factors associated with disturbed EAB and the mediating roles of overcompensation and avoidance coping styles in the relationship between different types of parenting styles and disturbed EAB among patients with FED. Methods A total of 102 patients with FED in Zahedan, Iran, participating in this cross-sectional study (from April to March 2022) completed a sociodemographic information form and self-report measures of parenting styles, maladaptive coping styles, and EAB. Model 4 of Hayes’ PROCESS macro in SPSS was employed to identify and explain the mechanism or process that underlies an observed relationship between study variables. Results The results showed that authoritarian parenting style, overcompensation and avoidance coping styles, and female gender might be related to disturbed EAB. The overall hypothesis that overcompensation and avoidance coping styles mediated the effect of fathers’ and mothers’ authoritarian parenting styles on disturbed EAB was also supported. Conclusions Our findings highlighted the necessity of evaluating particular unhealthy parenting styles and maladaptive coping styles as the important possible risk factors in the development and maintenance of higher level of disturbance in EAB among patients with FED. However, more research is needed to explore individual, family, and peer risk factors for disturbed EAB among these patients.