Introduction: Working in healthcare jobs and the health sector, where one has to face human communication and health-related issues every day, can cause a lot of stress. Nurses are important members of the healthcare system of a country; they play a crucial role in improving the quality of healthcare. Burnout as the main characteristic of job stress refers to a delayed reaction to chronic stressors at work. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between burnout dimensions and psychological symptoms (depression, anxiety and stress) among nurses. Material and Methods: This present study was a descriptive-analytic and cross-sectional study, which was conducted on 270 nurses working in educational hospitals in Rasht (Iran), using stratified random sampling. The research instruments included demographic questionnaire, Maslach burnout inventory and depression, anxiety and stress questionnaire {Depresion Anxiety, Stress, Scale (DASS21)}. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation and regression). Results: The findings showed that there is a significantly positive correlation between burnout dimensions (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and reduced personal accomplishment) and psychological symptoms (depression, anxiety and stress) in nurses (P<0.001). Burnout also significantly predicted 42%, 25% and 32% of variance in nurses' depression, anxiety and stress respectively (P<0.001). Conclusion: Considering the fact that mental health can positively affect the nursing profession and given the positive relationship between burnout dimensions and psychological symptoms, it is recommended that we must the reduce burnout rate by holding emotion regulation-training classes and promote it.

Background and Objective: Physiological process of sleep is considered as one of the influential factors of human’s health and mental functions, especially in the elderly. This research aimed at studying the association between sleep quality and the cognitive functions in the elderly population. Materials and Methods: A total of 200 elderly people (65 years and older) who were the members of retirees associa-tion in Mashhad, Iran, participated in this cross-sectional study. The participants were asked to answer the questionnaire of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test. Correlation between the total scores of PSQI and MoCA was evaluated by Pearson correlation coefficient. In order to predict the cognitive func-tion based on different aspects of PSQI, multiple regression analysis by hierarchical method was used after removing confounding variables. Results: A significant association was found between PSQI and MoCA (P < 0.001, r = -0.55) suggesting that the com-ponents of use of sleeping medication (P < 0.001, r = -0.47), sleep disorders (P < 0.001, r = -0.37), sleep latency (P < 0.001, r = -0.34), subjective sleep quality (P < 0.001, r = -0.32), sleep duration (P < 0.001, r = -0.27), sleep effi-ciency (P < 0.001, r = -0.26), and daytime dysfunction (P < 0.001, r = -0.15) had significant negative correlation with cognitive function, and the four components of subjective sleep quality (P = 0.010, β = -0.15), sleep latency (P = 0.040, β = -0.13), sleep disorders (P = 0.010, β = -0.26), and use of sleeping medication (P = 0.010, β = -0.26) played a role in prediction of cognitive function in regression analysis. Conclusion: Poor sleep quality, sleep latency, insomnia, sleep breathing disorder, and use of sleeping medication play a determining role in cognitive function of the elderly. Thus, taking care of the sleep health is necessary for the elderly.

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Background: Old age is associated with the physical and psychological problems that affect the Quality of Life (QoL). Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effect of Laughter Therapy (LT) on the QoL of elderly people in nursing homes. Materials & Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with‌ pre-test and post-test with the control and experimental group and one-month follow-up conducted in 2017. The statistical population consisted of 44 elderly people in the Mehr Aein nursing home in Astaneh-ye Ashrafiyeh City, Iran. Based on the inclusion criteria, 32 old people were selected and randomly assigned to experimental ‌(n=16) and control (n=16) groups. The experimental group received an interventional program consisting of Madan Kataria Laughter Therapy, showing comic films, and reading comic books for one month, over 12 sessions of 100 minutes. After the end of laughter intervention, the elderly of both groups responded to the elderly quality of life questionnaire (LIPAD). The obtained data were analyzed using covariance analysis of repeated measures. Results: There was a significant difference between the two groups with regard to their QoL‌ (P<0.01).‌ That is, the adjusted mean of the experimental group in the QoL was significantly higher than the mean of the control group‌ (P<0.01). Also, in the experimental group, the mean follow-up score was higher than the mean score of the pre-test, which indicates the stability of the intervention effects after one month‌ (P<0.01). Conclusion: Laughter Therapy intervention has a positive effect on improving the QoL of the elderly. Therefore, it is necessary that authorities consider this program at nursing home centers as a complementary method besides the existing treatments for reducing the mental health problems and improving the QoL of the elderly.

Background and Purpose: Success in school is one of the most important goals of students which require appropriate social skills and psychological hardiness, so using effective intervention strategies to promote hardiness and social competence in schools seems to be essential for researchers and psychologists. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of positive thinking training on increasing psychological hardiness and social competence in students. Method: The research method was quasi-experimental with pretest -posttest -control group. The sample of this study consisted of 40 first grade students who were selected by cluster sampling and were randomly divided into two groups (20 students in each group). The experimental group received eight 90-minute sessions of positive thinking but the control group did not receive this intervention. Data were collected using Ahvaz Psychological Hardiness (Kiamarsi, (1998) questionnaire and Social Competence scale (Felner, 1990). Analysis of variance with repeated measures was used for data analysis Results: The results showed that the positive thinking training was effective on increasing psychological hardiness and social competence among the students, both in post-test and follow up stages (P<0/05). Conclusion: Positive thinking helps people to evaluate stressful situations and problems with a positive attitude. Therefore, based on the results of the present study, positive thinking training has been able to develop psychological hardiness and social competence by generating positive mental thoughts and schemas in students.

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Introduction: Dangerous behaviors in adolescents increases negative psychological and social consequences. Since emotional intelligence is a set of skills that could increase an individual's adaptability, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of emotional intelligence training on risk taking in Rasht city adolescent girls. Methods: This study had a quasi-experimental design with an experimental and control group. The statistical population of this research included adolescent girls of Rasht city during years 2015 and 2016, 54 of which were randomly selected from one school in Rasht. These students were randomly selected from two classes for providing a homogenized hypothesis. The students were then allocated to control and experimental groups. In the experimental group, the emotional intelligence training workshop was held for 12 sessions while the control group did not receive any intervention. Participants responded to risk taking scale that has agreeable validity and reliability before and after training. Analysis of covariance was then used to analyze the data. Results: The results of covariance analysis showed that the risk-taking score of the experimental group in two stages, before and after emotional intelligence training, were significantly different. The risk taking of the experimental group decreased in the posttest stage compared with the control group (P < 0.01). Conclusions: Therefore, emotional intelligence training could be effective in reduction of dangerous behaviors.