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Background: Understanding the factors that influence destructive behaviors in students is crucial to promote positive school environments and student well-being. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between school connectedness, psychological safety, and destructive behaviors in students, examining the mediating role of meaning of education and academic self-efficacy. Methods: In this study, a correlational path analysis framework was adopted to examine the hypothesized relationships between the study variables. The target population encompassed all middle school students in Eyvan, Iran during the 2023 academic year. A multi-stage cluster sampling technique was employed to recruit a sample of 364 participants. The participants responded to the Destructive Behaviors Propensity Questionnaire (DBPQ), School Bonding Questionnaire (SBQ), Psychological Security Scale (PSS), Meaning of Education Questionnaire (MEQ), and Academic Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (ASEQ). The hypothesized model was evaluated using structural equation modeling (SEM) implemented in AMOS 23. Results: This study found significant positive correlations between school connectedness and the meaning of education (r=0.64, P<0.001), academic self-efficacy (r=0.34, P<0.001), and a decrease in destructive behaviors (r=-0.53, P<0.001). Similarly, psychological safety had significant positive correlations with the meaning of education (r=0.35, P<0.001) and academic selfefficacy (r=0.67, P<0.001), but not directly with destructive behaviors (r=-0.42, P<0.001). Importantly, both school connectedness and psychological safety showed significant indirect effects on reducing destructive behaviors, mediated by the meaning of education and academic self-efficacy (P<0.05). Conclusions: The present study identified a positive association between fostering school connectedness and psychological safety, and a range of positive student outcomes, including a stronger sense of meaning in education, higher academic selfefficacy, and a reduction in destructive behaviors. Given this positive association, schools can prioritize initiatives that cultivate these factors within their learning environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Clinical education is a fundamental part of nursing professional education. One method of education is the implementation of the preceptorship program, in which clinical nurses are responsible for educating nursing students. The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the preceptorship training program for the participation of clinical nurses in the education of nursing students. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted in 2023 at the teaching hospital in Tehran, Iran. The sample consisted of 66 nurses from a teaching hospital selected using the accessible method and randomly were put into two groups. The workshop addressed the educational needs of preceptors and students, their readiness for their role, and strategies to effectively support students. Prior to the study, the nurses' level of participation was assessed utilizing a valid IMSOC questionnaire that gauged their involvement in guiding nursing students. The participation rate was reassessed after one month using the same questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 19. Findings: The two groups were homogeneous in terms of demographic characteristics. The average score for nurses' participation in the education of students before the intervention was 101.84 ± 15.42 in the test group and 107.24 ± 10.53 in the control group; these two groups were not significantly different (P = 0.10). After the intervention, the scores reached 118.90 ± 15.11 in the test group and 106.21 ± 11.96 in the control group, indicating a significant difference (P < 0.001). A comparison of the nurses' participation scores in the test group indicated a significant difference from the pretest to the posttest, with the improvement in all nurses's participation scores (P < 0.001). However, in the control group, this difference was not significant (P = 0.41). Conclusion: The preceptorship training program is effective in light of increasing the participation of clinical nurses in the education of nursing students. This program can improve various aspects, such as motivation, satisfaction, commitment, implementation, and obstacle removal. Considering the importance of clinical training for nursing students and the essential role of preceptors, it is recommended that managers and health trustees in all university hospitals implement a preceptorship training program to increase the participation of clinical nurses in the education of nursing students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Clinical education plays an essential role in shaping the nursing identity and is one of the central elements in the education of nursing students. Today, with the advancement of novel technologies, utilizing mobile phone-based technologies in the education of medical sciences is inevitable. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of investigating the impact of the urology educational application on nursing students' cognitive-functional criteria and satisfaction during the internship period. Methods: This experimental educational intervention study was conducted during nursing students' urology internship course at Shahid Beheshti School of Nursing and Midwifery in Rasht. The data collection tools included a demographic characteristics questionnaire, cognitive skills scale, functional skills scale, and satisfaction scale (Stokes, 2001). The data were analyzed using SPSS software version 16, and a significance level was set at 0.05. Results: Out of 48 studied students, 28 (58.3%) were males. The mean age of the students was 20.34 (SD = 1.51) years. In the application group, the mean of students' cognitive skills after the intervention significantly increased by 2.33 units (95% CI: 1.73 to 2.9) (t(23) = 7.97, P < 0.001, d = 1.626). By controlling the scores before the intervention, the adjusted mean score of cognitive skills in the application group was 0.56 units (95% CI: -0.16 to 1.28) higher than the traditional group; however, this difference was not statistically significant (F(1, 45) = 2.42, P = 0.127, η2p = 0.051). There was no statistically significant difference between the mean score of students' functional skills in traditional and application groups (t(46) = 0.63, P = 0.532, d = 0.184). The total mean score of satisfaction with education in the application group was 83.0 (SD: 10.7). According to the values ​​of the quartiles, 75% of the students scored higher than 75.9, 50% scored higher than 83.9, and 25% scored higher than 91.1. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, students' scores of functional and cognitive assessment and satisfaction with the application in urology clinical training were reported as favorable. Therefore, it is recommended that mobile phone-based technologies be used in students' clinical education and internships in combination with the traditional method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mentorship involves a voluntary, collaborative, and non-hierarchical relationship where an experienced individual shares knowledge with a less-experienced individual. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a mentorship program on anxiety levels and pre-internship exam scores among senior nursing students. Methods: This quasi-experimental research was conducted on 37 nursing students in the sixth semester of the School of Medical Sciences in Saveh in the year 2023. Participants were selected based on initial criteria using a census method and were then randomly assigned to two groups: the control group (19 participants) and the intervention group (17 participants). The mentoring program for the intervention group was implemented one month before the pre-internship exam and consisted of six sessions, each lasting two hours, over two weeks (three sessions per week). Data collection tools included a demographic questionnaire, the Sarason Anxiety Questionnaire, and pre-internship exam scores. SPSS software version 23 was utilized for data analysis. Results: The mean anxiety exam scores in the two control and intervention groups did not exhibit a statistically significant difference before the intervention (P = 0.34). However, the mean anxiety exam score of the intervention group students after the intervention (5.89 ± 15.11) was significantly lower than that of the control group students (7.04 ± 21.42) (P = 0.007). Additionally, the results showed that the mean anxiety exam scores of the intervention group students before (5.77 ± 17.53) and after the intervention (5.89 ± 15.11) had a statistically significant difference (P = 0.013). Furthermore, the mean pre-internship exam scores of the intervention group students (1.71 ± 17.72) were significantly higher than those of the control group students (1.15 ± 16.46) (P = 0.014). Conclusion: The mentorship program resulted in a reduction of exam anxiety in nursing students and improved their performance in the pre-internship exam to the extent that the exam scores of the participating students were higher than those of other students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The nursing process is a systematic method for identifying the patient's problems and planning to resolve them. It is also a crucial pillar of high-quality nursing care. Nursing internship students may lack the necessary skills to implement the nursing process due to the increased independence, the absence of constant professorial supervision, and limited experience. The clinical supervision model is a method of clinical education that bridges the gap between theory and practice. Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the impact of the clinical supervision model on the performance of nursing internship students in each of the five stages of the nursing process, as well as overall. Method: This experimental study was conducted in 2022. The 70 eligible internship students were conveniently selected and randomly assigned to either an intervention or a control group. In the present study, the clinical supervision model was implemented for the intervention group, while the control group received routine supervision. This was carried out over six sessions in three months. The data collection was conducted using a researcher-developed checklist of nursing process-based performance in both groups. Moreover, the Manchester questionnaire was used to evaluate the model in the intervention group. The variables considered as confounding factors included age, gender, marital status, number of monthly shifts, and grades of the nursing process credit completed in the third semester. SPSS version 16 software, descriptive statistics (frequency distribution, percentage, mean, and standard deviation), and analytical statistics (independent t-test, chi square, repeated measures Anova and LSD) were used to analyze the data. Results: Intergroup analysis revealed that there was no significant difference between the scores of nursing process steps and the total score before the intervention in the control and intervention groups, as well as in baseline characteristics (P > 0.05). According to the intragroup analysis, the intervention group showed a significant increase in both the total scores and scores of nursing process steps over time (P < 0.001), whereas the control group exhibited contradictory results (P > 0.05). Finally, the "P-Value Intervention" demonstrated the effectiveness of this training model in improving the performance of the intervention group based on the nursing process compared to the control group. The mean score of the Manchester questionnaire in the intervention group was 136.74, indicating the high impact of implementing the clinical supervision model in the intervention group. Conclusion: The results indicated that the implementation of the clinical supervision model led to improved utilization of the nursing process by nursing internship students at all stages. Therefore, it is recommended that nurse educators utilize the clinical supervision model by providing feedback on errors in action during supervision sessions to enhance the quality of nursing care provided by nursing internship students and improve patient safety in clinical environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic necessitated the suspension of most educational activities and a shift from face-to-face (FTF) education to virtual education (VE). These changes were associated with new educational experiences for both instructors and students. This study aimed to explore nursing instructors' and students' experiences of VE during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method. This descriptive qualitative study was carried out in 2021. Participants were 21 bachelor's, master's, and Ph.D. nursing students and six nursing instructors purposively selected from the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Data were gathered through FTF or online in-depth semistructured interviews and were analyzed through conventional qualitative content analysis as proposed by Graneheim and Lundman (2004). Results. Eight subthemes and three main themes were developed during data analysis. The main themes and subthemes were VE as a double-edged sword (VE as a threat, VE as an opportunity, and necessity to improve VE), weaknesses in clinical education (reduced quality of clinical education and necessity to compensate for students' retarded clinical learning), and reduced reliability of virtual student evaluation (cheating as a problem of virtual evaluation, stresses and tensions of virtual evaluation, and necessity to use new strategies in virtual evaluation). Conclusion. Despite the different shortcomings and challenges of VE during the COVID-19 pandemic, educational experiences gained in this period can be used to improve the quality of nursing VE in future epidemics and pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Psychiatric wards are one of the most stressful medical centers. Apprenticeship in mental health can cause feelings of stress and anxiety among nursing students. Investigating nursing students' beliefs about mental illnesses is very important to improve nursing education. The present study aimed to identify nursing students' metaphors for their first clinical experiences of encountering patients with mental disorders. Methods: This descriptive qualitative study was conducted on 18 undergraduate nursing students studying in two nursing colleges at Guilan University of Medical Sciences, in the north of Iran, in 2022. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Critical Metaphor Analysis by the MAXQDA 2007 software. Results: The analysis of nursing students' metaphors led to the emergence of 36 metaphors and 5 categories. These categories were "experience of dealing with a mental patient is similar to fear mixed with excitement", " patient is similar to an errant human", " psychiatric hospital is similar to a prison", "nurse is similar to a prison guard", and "clinical instructor is similar to a supporter, sympathetic and knowledgeable friend". Conclusions: The results showed their negative attitude towards the psychiatric hospital and health care providers. It is suggested that the findings of this study be taken into consideration in the planning of clinical education of nursing students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Substance abuse remains a challenging public health issue, especially among young people. It has been shown that poor sleep and substance abuse may have mutual intensifying effects. This study aimed to evaluate the rates of substance abuse, cigarette smoking, and alcohol consumption and their association with sleep disturbances among university students in 2021. Methods: The participants were the students of the Faculty of Sciences, University of Guilan, Iran in 2021. Data were collected through a researcher-made demographic questionnaire, the first two questions of the translated version of the World Health Organization (WHO) Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Findings: A total of 222 students entered the study from March to August 2021. The rates of substance abuse in the past three months and lifetime were 35.6% and 45.5%, respectively. The most common type of substance abuse was related to the 'other substances' category. Substance abuse was significantly higher in students living in dormitories and those with a family history of substance abuse. Poor sleep was found in 34.2% of the students, and substance abuse and alcohol consumption both in the past three months and lifetime were significantly associated with lower sleep quality. Conclusion: This study showed that substance abuse was significantly associated with sleep disturbances. The study results also illustrated an upward trend of substance abuse in recent years among students in Rasht, which may be related to economic issues in the country and/or the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Considering the rising prevalence of substance abuse and its impacts on society, policymakers are highly recommended to pay special attention to its risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Patient safety is one of the critical indicators of providing qualified and high-quality health care services. Determining nursing students' patient safety competencies will significantly contribute to the literature. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate Iranian nursing students' patient safety competencies in classroom and clinical settings. Methods: In this cross-sectional study data were collected from 215 nursing of a university of medical sciences between February and May 2022, using a general questionnaire form and the Health Professional Education in Patient Safety Survey. Data analysis was done using descriptive and analytical statistics such as percentage, mean and paired-samples t-test. Results: The mean scores of nursing students' the Health Professional Education in Patient Safety Survey were 3.50 ± 0.55 in the classroom and 3.45 ± 0.57 in the clinical setting. The highest mean scores of nursing students were in subdimension of "clinical safety" in both the clinical (3.91 ± 1.13) and classroom settings (3.91 ± 0.78). In addition, a statistically significant difference was found in patient safety learning confidence in the classroom versus clinical setting in the "culture of safety" subdimension. Conclusion: It appears that current educational programs provide opportunities to improve nursing students' patient safety, but they are not enough. Nurse educators should apply new teaching methods and evaluate clinical strategies to meet educational needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compliance with patients’ rights by medical sciences students requires an understanding of the patients’ rights charter. This study aimed to assess the awareness of medical sciences students regarding the patients’ rights charter. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted, involving all final-year medical sciences students at Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Iran (n=370). Samples were selected using convenience sampling, and data were collected through a questionnaire designed to evaluate awareness of the patients’ rights charter. The study included 269 students. The results indicated that over half of the students possessed a moderate level of awareness about the patients’ rights charter. Analysis of specific domains revealed that the right to access services had the highest percentage, while the right to personal autonomy had the lowest percentage of awareness. Furthermore, analysis of variance revealed that medical students exhibited the highest level of awareness. Given the moderate level of awareness among medical sciences students regarding the patients’ rights charter, it is essential to design and implement plans to enhance their understanding of patients’ rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The academic failure of students is one of the major problems of higher education centers in the country, which not only wastes time and running costs of these centers, but also causes mental-psychological, family and social problems for students. The purpose of this study was to investigate and explain the various causes of academic failure in dental students of Arak city. Methods: The present study was of a descriptive-analytical type, which was conducted with the participation of 120 dental students of Arak Medical Sciences. Sampling was by census method and all students were included in the study. The data collection tool of this study was a questionnaire containing demographic characteristics, questions related to various factors of academic failure in students. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods (frequency, mean, standard deviation, Pearson correlation coefficient and linear regression) in SPSS software version 22. Results: The sample consisted of 30 individuals (10 males and 20 females) with generalized anxiety disorder, selected purposefully and randomly assigned to a treatment group based on virtual reality and mindfulness (15 individuals) and a control group (15 individuals). Pre-test, post-test, and follow-up cortisol levels were measured, and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7) was used as the entry criterion. Subsequently, the experimental group received an eight-session, 17-minute weekly treatment based on virtual reality and mindfulness. Participants in this group, while immersed in a virtual environment, watched 360- degree virtual reality videos, "Walking by the Beach" and "Pebbles in the Lake," accompanied by mindfulness audio contemplation, "Being Present and Breathing," and "Wise Mind," using a VR headset and VR-ARBOX. The control group received no treatment. Conclusions: According to the findings of this research, it was found that factors such as student's individual characteristics, inappropriate educational environment, inappropriate family environment and dealing with non-curricular issues had a significant effect on the event of students' academic decline, so paying attention to these factors in the design and implementation University educational programs can play an effective role in avoiding academic failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Suicidal ideation (SI) serves as an important predictor of suicide. The prevalence of SI has increased following the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to investigate the prevalence and risk factors associated with SI after the pandemic in the Kerman province. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 23 counties of the Kerman province between 2021 and 2022. The Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSSI) was utilized to estimate SI, while multiple logistic regression analysis was employed to examine the impact of various variables on SI. Results: A total of 1421 individuals (47.7% men, 50.0% women and 2.3% unknown) with an average age of 35.17 ± 9.47 years participated in this study. The estimated prevalence rate of SI was 9.2%, with variations ranging from 0% to 42% across different counties. Individuals with SI exhibited a significantly younger mean age and fewer family members. Furthermore, SI was significantly more prevalent among single participants, unemployed individuals, students, those with a history of mental illness, prior psychiatric medication use, and previous SI. Employed individuals had 87% lower odds of experiencing SI compared to the unemployed. Individuals with a history of prior SI had 239 times higher odds of SI than those without such a history. Additionally, each year increase in age corresponded to an 8.8% decrease in the odds of SI. Conclusion: The high prevalence of SI is concerning, and it is essential to remain vigilant regarding its health and social consequences as the pandemic continues. Therefore, it is imperative to provide enhanced mental health services, particularly targeting at-risk groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bullying in academic settings has long-lasting implications on students' well-being and career prospects, particularly in fields like nursing that require a high level of interpersonal skills and emotional resilience. This study explored the relationships between experiences of bullying and intentions to drop out among Iranian nursing students, with major satisfaction and a sense of belonging serving as mediating factors. A cross-sectional research design was employed from April to June 2023. Undergraduate nursing students (n = 386) filled out a five-part questionnaire namely demographic and educational information, bullying behaviors in nursing education environments, the Belongingness scale, intention to drop out, and academic major satisfaction scale. The study confirmed that experiences of bullying positively correlated with intentions to drop out, negatively affected students' sense of belonging and major satisfaction, and established that course satisfaction and a sense of belonging acted as mediators between bullying and intentions to drop out. The findings show the urgent need for anti-bullying interventions targeting faculty behavior and educational strategies aimed at fostering a sense of belonging and course satisfaction among nursing students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has been linked to various psychological disorders, including anxiety, particularly among the general public. It is crucial to monitor the mental health of school students, who are considered a vulnerable group in society, and assess their self-efficacy, as it can significantly affect their mental health. This study aimed to investigate the levels of anxiety and self-efficacy among school students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized convenience sampling to examine a sample of 335 school students from Sistan and Baluchestan province in southeastern Iran. An online questionnaire, distributed through social media platforms, was used to collect data. The questionnaire included demographic information, COVID-19 related items, the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children-MASC, and the Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for Children-SEQ-C. Data analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS version 24, with a significance level set at < 0.05. Results: The study revealed a significant negative correlation between children's anxiety and self-efficacy (r = -0.23, P < 0.001). Several factors were identified as predictors of anxiety, including low self-efficacy (β = -0.29, P < 0.001), female gender (β = 0.27, P < 0.001), concern about family members contracting COVID-19 (β = 0.18, P < 0.001), persistent advice of others to adopt preventive measures (β = 0.14, P < 0.005), level of education (β = -0.12, P < 0.017), and perceived risk of COVID-19 infection (β = -0.11, P < 0.030). These variables collectively accounted for 17% of the variance in anxiety. Conclusion: The findings of the study highlight the importance of addressing the mental health of school students, specifically their anxiety levels, during epidemics. The results also indicate that enhancing self-efficacy among students during a pandemic could be a beneficial strategy for promoting their mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The present study aimed to investigate perception and engagement in unprofessional behavior of residents and medical interns and explore the factors affecting their engagement in unprofessional behavior. Method: This study has an explanatory (quantitative-qualitative) mixed-method design. This study was conducted at Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences in 2022–2023. Participants, including residents and medical interns (n = 169), were entered by stratified random sampling. A survey was conducted in the quantitative step. A by an unprofessional behavior in clinical practice questionnaire (29 items) was used. For each behavior, the participants were asked to report whether they (a) participated in the behavior and (b) stated that the behavior Is unprofessional. In the qualitative step, 17 participants contributed. The qualitative data were collected by semi-structured interviews and analyzed according to the conventional content analysis approach Graneheim and Lundman introduced. Results: The highest ratio of participants' engagement in unprofessional behavior was reported in 'failure to introduce yourself and nurses and physician assistants to the patient and his family' (n = 145 (85.8%)). The results showed the proportion of participants who engaged in unprofessional behavior more than those who did not participate. There were associations between participants' engagement in each behavior and their perception of that particular behavior as unprofessional. (p = 0.0001). In the following behaviors, although the participants acknowledged that these behaviors were unprofessional, those who participated in the unprofessional behaviors were significantly more than those who did not participate: failure to comply with clinic regulations and policy (p = 0.01), eating or drinking in the hallway of the clinic (p = 0.01), medical negligence in duties in the clinic setting (p = 0.04) and failure to perform duties in teamwork (p = 0.04). The qualitative results were explored in a theme entitled "internalized unprofessional culture," including three categories "encouraging contextual risk factors towards unprofessionalism," "suppressing of unprofessionalism reporting," and "disbelieving professionalism as a key responsibility." Conclusion: The results indicated that most participants engaged in unprofessional behaviors. The findings resulted from the internalized unprofessional culture in the workplace. The findings showed that engagement in unprofessional behaviors resulted from personal and systemic factors. The weakness of responsibility recognition and identity formation as a professional facilitated the engagement in unprofessional behaviors at the personal level. Furthermore, systemic factors including the contextual risk factors (such as deficiency of explicit and hidden curriculum), and the suppression of unprofessionalism reporting mechanism as a hidden factor played an important role in normalizing unprofessional behavior and promoting engagement in unprofessional behaviors among the participants. Recognition of the nature and extent of students' unprofessional behaviors facilitates educational discussion among teachers and students in this field. The results might assist to establish an assessment system and feedback mechanism to solve the problem of the "failure to fail" problem. In addition, these results provide medical educators insights into the development of professional courses that equip learners with adherence to professionalism and coping skills to deal with unprofessionalism in the healthcare system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study aimed to develop a model for developing higher education management in educational centers affiliated with Iranian universities of medical sciences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This is an applied-descriptive survey with a mixed-method approach. Two hundred forty-two people were selected with cluster random sampling. The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire with two parts: the personal characteristics and the examination of the importance of higher education management indicators according to the indicators, dimensions, and components identified in the qualitative section and literature review. This questionnaire consists of 60 items, demonstrating a reliability coefficient 0.79, as assessed by Cronbach’s alpha. In terms of content validity, it achieved a score of 0.49. After determining the dimensions and components with SPSS MAXQDA 2023 and LISREL 2022, qualitative data were analyzed with factor analysis. Results: The qualitative part includes the technology development, the expansion of virtual education, increasing the learning quality, the efficiency of the educational system, the expansion of research and access to scientific resources, the expansion of international relations, capital optimization, the flexibility of education, monitoring, and evaluation. The KMO (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of sampling) measure yielded a value greater than 0.7, indicating that the dataset is suitable for exploratory factor analysis. The most influential dimensions were the scientific development of educational content (β=0.770), the use of technology in empowerment (β=0.560), the explanation of the educational system (β=0.550), and educational monitoring and evaluation (β = 0.330). Conclusion: Explaining the educational system, monitoring, and evaluating higher education management were necessary to empower students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Emotional intelligence as the ability to understand emotions in self and others, is recognized as underlying success in various aspects. Objective This study aimed to investigate the relationship between emotional intelligence and sleep quality in female high school students. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on 284 female high school students in Rasht in 2019- 2020, selected by cluster sampling. Demographic, the Bar-On emotional intelligence, and the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) questionnaires were completed online by the participants. Data were analyzed by IBM SPSS statistics software, version 22 using Spearman’s correlation coefficient and multiple logistic regression analysis. Results The Mean age of participants was 13.94±0.95 years, and the mean previous grade point average (GPA) of participants was 19.61±0.89. The Mean total score of students’ emotional intelligence and sleep quality were 334.95±42.82 and 4.71±3.20, respectively. There was a significant negative correlation between the total score of emotional intelligence and sleep quality (r=-0.427 and P<0.001). Also, 31% of the subjects had poor sleep quality (95% CI, 25.7%-36.6%), and the multiple logistic regression showed an inverse relationship between poor sleep quality and emotional intelligence score (OR=0.98, P<0.001). There was no association between demographic variables and sleep quality (P>0.05). Conclusion About a third of female students had poor sleep quality. There was a significant relationship between sleep quality and emotional intelligence. Therefore, poor sleep quality was associated with lower emotional intelligence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Improving people's resilience is one of the most influential factors in dealing with the Corona crisis. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the role of mindfulness and spiritual experiences in predicting students' resilience during COVID-19. Methods: The research method was descriptive-correlation, and 269 male and female undergraduate students of Farhangian University of Qazvin Province, Iran, were selected by the convenience sampling method in the academic year of 2019-2020 and answered the questionnaire on mindfulness, spiritual experiences, and resilience. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation test and multiple regressions via SPSS software, version 24. Results: The results showed a significant relationship between mindfulness and spiritual experiences with resilience (P<0.01). And the components of mindfulness and spiritual experiences (58.5%) explain the variance of resilience. Conclusion: The results showed that mindfulness and spiritual experiences can predict students' resilience in the era of Corona, therefore, it is suggested that educational and counseling programs promote mindfulness and spiritual experiences to improve the resilience of fashion students--the opinion of those involved in the academic system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: One of the necessities of today's world that prepares nursing students for their future professional roles is the concept of individual innovation. However, there is no clear definition of individual innovation in nursing. This study was designed and implemented with the aim of investigating the concept of individual innovation from the perspective of nursing students using qualitative content analysis. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted from September 2020 to May 2021 on 11 nursing students of one of the nursing schools in southern Iran. The participants were selected by purposive sampling method. Data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews. Data analysis was done using conventional content analysis and MAXQDA 2018. Results: Following data analysis, 662 initial codes were extracted forming 9 categories and three main themes. The themes included personal and professional dynamism, professional inventiveness, and the integration of innovation drivers. Conclusions: The concept of individual innovation in the nursing student included personal and professional dynamics and professional inventiveness. Individual innovation occurred through combination of innovation drivers. Managers and policy makers of nursing education can use the results of this to get acquainted with this concept and develop policies and guidelines to develop nursing students' individual innovation. Through getting familiar with the concept of individual innovation, nursing students can try to flourish this characteristic in themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Teaching sexual issues to students is one of the topics that requires discussion and examination due to cultural sensitivities. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the attitudes of students and counselors towards the necessity and content of sexual education. Materials and Methods: This research constitutes a qualitative investigation employing a phenomenological approach. The sampling process was guided by the objectives of study and continued until data saturation was reached. The samples included 15 female students and 9 female counselors from high schools in Qaemshahr cityIran. Data collection was carried out through semi-structured interviews, and the Morse content analysis method was utilized for data analysis. Results: Throughout the study, six primary themes emerged, each encompassing both shared and unique subthemes. The main themes included: 1) The imperative of delivering sexual education, 2) The sexual education requirements of young women, 3) Challenges in providing and receiving sexual education at home and school, 4) Appropriate sources of sexual information, 5) The suitable age for initiating sexual education, and 6) The pedagogical approach to addressing sexual matters. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that both students and counselors assert that offering sexual education in a timely and appropriate manner can mitigate numerous potential harms and contribute to the well-being of adolescents. Taking into consideration the essential educational themes as perceived by students and counselors facilitates more effective planning in this domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Eye care is crucial for maintaining healthy vision. This study aimed to design a determinants assessment instrument related to eye self-care in the student community and evaluate its psychometric properties. Materials and Methods: The present mixed-method cross-sectional study was conducted in two sections using Creswell and Plano Clark methods for instrument development. The study was conducted in Isfahan, Iran, in 2021. The first section (textual analysis and qualitative research) explained and developed the instrument's fundamental items. This section included in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 21 students and eight experts. In the second, the psychometric properties of the designed instrument have been evaluated. Twenty students assessed the instrument's qualitative and quantitative face validity. The instrument's content was measured by computing the content validity ratio and content validity index. In addition, exploratory factor analysis (performed on 251 students) was used to establish construct validity. Internal and test-retest reliability was determined using Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), respectively. Results: During face and content validity assessment, a 39-item questionnaire was finalized. Exploratory factor analysis led to the extraction of seven factors, including "perceived self-efficacy and self-regulation," "outcome expectation," "perceived barriers," "motivation," "perceived susceptibility," "normative beliefs," and "perceived severity." The seven extracted factors explained 48.6% of the total variance. Cronbach"s alpha was obtained to be 0.780, indicating good internal consistency, and the ICC for the total score of the questionnaire was 0.892 (95% confidence interval: 0.822-0.944), indicating excellent test-retest reliability. Conclusion: Our developed questionnaire was a valid and reliable instrument for assessing eye care determinants among students, a vulnerable population afflicted with eye defects and disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Object: Healthy children achieve better educational outcomes, which in turn is associated with improved health later in life. Health promotion schools The World Health Organization is a comprehensive research to promote health and academic achievement in schools. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of education provided in health promotion schools on various aspects of students› health. Materials and Methods: The present study was a systematic review. Four international databases, Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and domestic Magi ran and SID databases, as well as the Google Scholar search engine, were searched using various keywords related to health-promoting schools. The risk of bias was reduced with the participation of two authors who assessed the quality of the study and the eligibility of the articles included. Results: After searching the databases, a total of 1213 articles were found. The age of the students ranged from 5 to 18 years, all studies reported the age and sex of the participants. No studies had long-term follow-up (more than 24 months). Among the studies, 6 studies received positive and significant results from the educational interventions provided in health promotion schools, and 2 studies from the educational intervention did not receive their expected results. Conclusion: According to the results of this systematic review, studies in the field of health promotion schools do not have the necessary quantity and quality. Considering the importance of health promotion schools, it is necessary to conduct more quality studies and support measures from related organizations in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a significant challenge to education systems worldwide, disrupting traditional teaching and learning methods. This study aims to explore the perceptions of medical students at Abadan University of Medical Sciences regarding electronic assessment methods during the pandemic. Methods: This qualitative study utilized conventional content analysis and involved medical students in their second semester of 2021 who had chosen a unit during the pandemic. Results: Through the analysis process, the participants' experiences were categorized into six main classes, which included the following: information technology infrastructure, teaching methods of teachers, design of virtual exam questions, monitoring of online exams, psychological issues, and types of virtual assessment. Conclusion: The medical students shared their experiences with virtual assessment during the pandemic, highlighting challenges related to internet infrastructure, communication issues between teachers and students, exam monitoring, psychological factors, reduced learning efficiency due to virtual summative assessment alone, and better learning efficiency through formative assessment alongside summative assessment. They also suggested improvements to online exams, such as increasing the number of questions on each page, allowing the possibility to return to previous questions, and ensuring non-randomness in clinical questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Today, computer games have taken a prominent place in the lives of children and teenagers, and statistics indicate that online gaming constitutes the majority of computer usage. Numerous studies have explored the detrimental effects of internet gaming on individuals. However, to date, no comprehensive research has been conducted specifically investigating the effect of online gaming on academic performance within a medical education context. To address this gap, we have conducted this study, focusing on the impact of online gaming on the academic performance of Iranian medical students. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 185 medical students from four disciplines ((basic sciences, Physiopathology, extern, intern) were selected through a multi-stage sampling method at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Internet gaming disorder (IGD) test as well as the grade point average (GPA) of the last academic semester, the average study hours on normal days and near the exam, the efficiency of study hours, the number of failed semesters, and academic satisfaction were assessed. Results: In this study, a total of 185 medical students participated, of which 62.2% (115 students) were females. The prevalence of IGD was found to be 3.8%. Interestingly, the prevalence of IGD was approximately four times higher in males than in females (7.1% vs. 1.7%, P = 0.106). Furthermore, both the overall daily study time (P < 0.001) and the daily study time on days near exams (P = 0.031) were found to be significantly higher in students without IGD compared to those with IGD. However, factors such as age, gender, being native to Mashhad, discipline level, last GPA, number of failed semesters, and satisfaction with education showed no correlation with IGD. Conclusion: These findings may serve as a cautionary signal for educational authorities within the Iranian medical education system. However, to obtain more robust results, further investigations are recommended, particularly in other academic majors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: The face-to-face education was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. In such situations, online education method was used. In this study, we aim to assess the quality of online education for theoretical courses of audiology from the perspective of audiology students at Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This comparative cross-sectional study was conducted on 77 audiology students of the School of Rehabilitation at TUMS. Data collection were a demographic form and two quality and satisfaction assessment questionnaires. Statistical analysis was performed in SPSS version 17. Results: There was a significant difference in all subscales of Shourcheh questionnaire among students with different educational stages (p<0.05), but there was no significant difference between age (except for social solidarity component) and gender (p>0.05) groups. The results of Kruskal-Wallis test showed a statistically significant difference in the quality scores among students with different educational stages (p=0.033), but there was no significant difference between age (p=0.300) and gender (p=0.630) groups. Conclusion: The quality of online education for theoretical courses of audiology at TUMS is high from the perspective of PhD students, while it is low according to BSc and MSc students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nursing students are required to acquire the necessary clinical knowledge and skills to provide safe and quality care. The method of providing training, particularly for final-year nursing students, is of utmost importance. An internship is a program during which students work in shifts similar to nurses employed in a hospital; however, the number of their shifts and patients is less than nurses; a nurse and the faculty supervise the care they provide, and they are paid a monthly salary. This study was conducted to explore nursing faculty, managers, new graduates, and students' experiences of nursing internship program implementation. Methods: This descriptive qualitative study was conducted from November 2021 to March 2022. The participants were selected from among nursing managers, newly graduated nurses, nursing internship students (final-year undergraduate), and faculty of Iran. Data were collected using in-depth semi-structured interviews. The qualitative content analysis approach was used for data analysis. Results: Participants in this study included 17 nursing internship students, 12 nursing managers, three faculty members, ten nursing preceptors, and five newly graduated nurses from the internship program, 47 participants in total. After analyzing the data, five themes, including 'facilitation of socialization process,' 'filling the gap between theory and practice,' 'improving self-confidence and independence,' 'an opportunity for clinical skill training,' and 'Achilles' heel of the clinical setting,' and nineteen subthemes were extracted from the participants' experiences. Conclusion: Implementation of an internship program for final-year nursing students plays a role in preparing them for better professional performance, enhancing clinical skills, increasing self-confidence and independence, inspiring the nursing profession, strengthening professional commitment, and improving the chances of employment after graduation. In order to alleviate the identified challenges of the internship program, holding a briefing meeting with managers, supervisors, and faculty to determine working hours, performance standards, and amenities such as lunch, dinner, and resting place is efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nursing students are required to acquire the necessary clinical knowledge and skills to provide safe and quality care. The method of providing training, particularly for final-year nursing students, is of utmost importance. An internship is a program during which students work in shifts similar to nurses employed in a hospital; however, the number of their shifts and patients is less than nurses; a nurse and the faculty supervise the care they provide, and they are paid a monthly salary. This study was conducted to explore nursing faculty, managers, new graduates, and students' experiences of nursing internship program implementation. Methods: This descriptive qualitative study was conducted from November 2021 to March 2022. The participants were selected from among nursing managers, newly graduated nurses, nursing internship students (final-year undergraduate), and faculty of Iran. Data were collected using in-depth semi-structured interviews. The qualitative content analysis approach was used for data analysis. Results: Participants in this study included 17 nursing internship students, 12 nursing managers, three faculty members, ten nursing preceptors, and five newly graduated nurses from the internship program, 47 participants in total. After analyzing the data, five themes, including 'facilitation of socialization process,' 'filling the gap between theory and practice,' 'improving self-confidence and independence,' 'an opportunity for clinical skill training,' and 'Achilles' heel of the clinical setting,' and nineteen subthemes were extracted from the participants' experiences. Conclusion: Implementation of an internship program for final-year nursing students plays a role in preparing them for better professional performance, enhancing clinical skills, increasing self-confidence and independence, inspiring the nursing profession, strengthening professional commitment, and improving the chances of employment after graduation. In order to alleviate the identified challenges of the internship program, holding a briefing meeting with managers, supervisors, and faculty to determine working hours, performance standards, and amenities such as lunch, dinner, and resting place is efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims Cardiovascular diseases are responsible for 30% of all deaths worldwide. The present study aims to evaluate the effect of education through online social media (WhatsApp) on the anxiety and satisfaction of candidates for coronary angiography. Materials & Methods In this study, participants were candidates for elective coronary angiography referred to Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ahvaz, Iran from May to July 2021. They were assigned to the intervention (n=43) and control (n=43) groups. Data were collected using a demographic form, the Beck anxiety inventory (BAI) and the visual analog scale (VAS) for measuring satisfaction. Data analysis was performed in SPSS software, version 16 using independent t-test, paired t-test, chi-square test, and Fisher's exact test. Results Both groups were homogeneous in terms of demographic characteristics at baseline, and there was no significant difference in BAI scores between the intervention and control groups before the intervention (P=0.229). The results of independent t-test showed a significant difference in the mean BAI score before and after intervention in two groups (P<0.001), indicating the effect of intervention on reducing anxiety. The results of independent t-test showed that the satisfaction in the intervention group was significantly higher than in the control group (P<0.001). The results of the paired t-test showed that in both intervention (P<0.001) and control (P=0.005) groups, the BAI score decreased significantly after the intervention compared to the pre-intervention phase. The effect size of education on anxiety was 0.9 and the effect size on satisfaction was 1.88, which shows the high effect of the educational intervention. Conclusion The use of mobile social networks for education is effective in reducing anxiety and improving satisfaction in patients undergoing coronary angiography. Therefore, this interventional method can be used by nurses as an effective method in medical centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Moral sensitivity is the ability to recognize moral conflicts and consequences in decisions, and anxiety sensitivity is a structure of individual differences, in which a person fears physical symptoms associated with anxiety arousal. Anxiety sensitivity is vital in the persistence of anxiety disorders. This study was done to determine the relationship between moral sensitivity and anxiety sensitivity in nursing students of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This research was descriptive-correlational. The samples included 336 nursing students in all grades at Tehran Universities of Medical Sciences in 2020. Sampling was performed continuously using virtual space. In this research, the demographic information form, Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire (MSQ), and Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI) were used. Data were analyzed using SPSS software, version 16 and analytical and descriptive tests, such as Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests. Results: The score of moral sensitivity and anxiety sensitivity was obtained as 81 and 31.4, respectively. The correlation coefficient between moral sensitivity and anxiety sensitivity was not statistically significant (r=0.065; P=0.238). Also, the two components of fear of physical concerns had a significant relationship with the dimensions of benevolence and honesty. Conclusion: Considering that the lack of interest in the nursing field increases anxiety sensitivity, it is suggested to activities be done to improve interest in nursing among students. Despite the lack of a significant relationship between these two components, the importance of these two components should not be neglected and it is better to carry out studies to better understand the factors affecting moral sensitivity and anxiety sensitivity and to improve these two components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Nowadays, loneliness is one of the foremost common issues among university students that may negatively affect their physical and mental states and academic performance. Accordingly, this research project intended to investigate the incidence of loneliness and its related risk factors among students studying at universities of medical sciences. Method: The participants in this cross-sectional study were 538 Tabriz University of Medical Sciences students, selected using a simple random sampling method. Loneliness was measured using the UCLA Loneliness questionnaire with 20 questions. Descriptive statistics, multiple logistic regression, and Chi-square were used to identify factors affecting loneliness. Results: The results showed that the mean loneliness score and the magnitude of the students' loneliness were 41.42 and 26.4%, respectively. The magnitude of loneliness was higher among female respondents (OR = 1.86, P = 0.005), cigarette smokers (OR = 0.39, P < 0.001), freshman students (OR = 2.76, P = 0.021), sophomore students (OR = 2.36, P = 0.040), those with low financial status (OR = 1.80, P = 0.037), and those residing in dormitories (OR = 1.73, P = 0.013). Conclusion: In general, loneliness was widespread among the students. Based on the findings, the magnitude of loneliness was higher among the first-year student group, female students, students with poor economic status, and those who smoked and lived in dormitories. Therefore, this study's findings underline the significance of making students aware of loneliness, investigating the circumstances and factors that exacerbate this sensation among first-year students (mainly between 18-21 years old), and devising intervention to alleviate it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Happiness is an essential component in measuring quality of life. Today, rapid internet use proliferation has led to adverse effects on this behavior of individuals and family structures. Method: The statistical population consisted of 500 high school girls aged between 15 and 18 studying in 10th, 11th, and 12th grades at Shiraz, Iran, from February 2018 to March 2019. The data were collected using the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ) and the Young's Internet Addiction Test (IAT). The test and the questionnaire were translated into Persian. The validity and reliability were approved by earlier studies in Iran. Five hundred high school students participated in the study. Results: The mean age of the participants was 16.7 ± 0.97 years, and their grade point average (GPA) was 18.41 ± 7.92. Among the 500 participants, 55% (275) of fathers and 65.8% (329) of mothers had parents with a diploma degree, and 162 (32.4%) were affected by Internet Addiction (IA). The univariate analysis showed that participants' education field, parents' educational status, each parent's vocational status, participants' GPA, and their duration of Internet usage correlated with the IA (P ≤ 0.2). Furthermore, multiple logistic analyses showed that mothers' education (P < 0.055) and participants' minutes of Internet usage (P < 0.001) correlated with IA. Conclusion: There is a negative correlation between happiness score and internet addiction among high school female students in Shiraz, Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Healthcare providers are high-risk groups for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection. Nursing students are an essential part of high-risk healthcare providers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practice of nursing and midwifery students at Golestan University of Medical Sciences (GOUMS) toward the prevention of COVID-19. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 174 nursing and midwifery students of GOUMS (northeast of IRAN) in 2020. Data were gathered using an online questionnaire comprising three parts – Knowledge (8 questions), Attitude (10 questions), and Practice (8 questions) toward the prevention of COVID-19. The range of scores in each subscale (knowledge, attitude, and preventive practices) were 8–24, 10–50, and 8–24, respectively. Data were analyzed using the SPSS v.16 software. The Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests were used for the analysis. Results: Overall, in this study, nursing and midwifery students had a good knowledge (mean score: 23.19 ± 2.56), a positive attitude (mean score: 45.48 ± 4.21), and appropriate practice (mean score: 23.30 ± 3.51) regarding COVID-19 prevention. Also, the results revealed a positive correlation between knowledge and attitude (r = 0.1, P = 0.18) and attitude and practice (r = 0.2, P = 0.01) among the students. Conclusion: The findings demonstrated a good preventive knowledge, attitude, and practice toward COVID-19 among nursing and midwifery students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Spiritual health is a crucial aspect of health. Spiritual health is an internal and satisfying feeling combined with constructive communication with oneself and others. It is a transcendental existence in the specific cultural framework of each society, which makes life and death meaningful. Paying attention to spiritual health can improve nursing care by nurses. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate spiritual health and its related factors in Iranian nurses and nursing students. Methods: The present study was a systematic review (2022) that was conducted by searching for articles on the Web of Science, Science Direct, Scientific Information Database (SID), Scopus, Google Scholar, and PubMed databases without a time limit. The keywords were "spiritual wellbeing", "spiritual health", "spirituality", "nurse", "related factors", and "Iran" in Persian and English sources. The articles on spiritual health and its components of quantitative study that were performed on Iranian nurses and nursing students were examined. Results: In 48 studies, the level of spiritual health of nurses and nursing students was moderate (In the range of 20-120). Spiritual health in the religious dimension was more than the existential dimension. Several factors, such as demographic variables, job, education, job satisfaction, spiritual care, and so on improve the level of spiritual health, and reducing factors, such as stress, anxiety, and depression improves the level of spiritual health of nurses. Conclusion: Paying attention to factors, such as age, gender, marriage, educational status, job conditions, level of satisfaction, personal characteristics and psychological conditions can lead to change in spiritual health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fear of missing out (FoMO) can increase loneliness and smartphone addiction and decrease academic performance in university students. Most studies investigated the relationship between FoMO and smartphone addiction in developed countries, and no studies were found to examine this association in Iran. The mediating role of loneliness and academic performance in the relationship between FoMO and smartphone addiction is unclear. This study investigated the relationship between FoMO and smartphone addiction and the mediating role of loneliness and academic performance in this relationship in Iranian university students. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 447 students from Urmia University of Medical Sciences were investigated. Data were collected using demographic questionnaires, Przybylski's FoMO scale, Pham and Taylor's academic performance questionnaire, Russell's loneliness scale, and Kwon's smartphone addiction scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS ver. 23 and SmartPLS ver. 2. Results: FoMO had a positive and direct association with smartphone addiction (β = 0.315, t-value = 5.152, p < 0.01). FoMO also had a positive and direct association with students' loneliness (β = 0.432, t-value = 9.059, p < 0.01) and a negative and direct association with students' academic performance (β = -0.2602, t-value = 4.201, p < 0.01). FoMO indirectly associated with smartphone addiction through students' loneliness (β = 0.311, t-value = 5.075, p < 0.01), but academic performance was not mediator of smartphone addiction (β = 0.110, t-value = 1.807, p > 0.05). FoMO also indirectly correlated with academic performance through students' loneliness (β =—0.368, t-value = 6.377, p < 0.01). Conclusions: FoMO can be positively associated with students' smartphone addiction, and loneliness is an important mediator of this association. Since smartphone addiction could harm students' academic performance, thus, healthcare administrators should reduce students' loneliness and improve their academic performance by adopting practical strategies to help students to manage their time and control their smartphone use. Holding self-management skills classes, keeping students on schedule, turning off smartphone notifications, encouraging students to engage in sports, and participating in group and family activities will help manage FoMO and loneliness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Smoking is a preventable cause of morbidity and mortality with an increasing prevalence in developing countries. The present systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the prevalence of smoking among college and high school students in Iran. Materials and Methods: Databases of Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, SID, and MagIran were searched with no time limitation. Observational studies published in Persian or English were included in the analysis. Time frame of the searches was from inception until 1 January 2021. The data was analyzed using random effects model, subgroup analysis, and meta-regression analysis. Heterogeneity among studies was examined using Cochran's Q test and I2 statistic. Results: A total of 63 articles with a sample size of 58742 were analyzed. The pooled smoking prevalence was found to be 13.56% (95% CI: 11.65-15.47). There was a significant increase in the prevalence of smoking among female students between 1998 and 2020. Regions 1 of Iran had the highest prevalence rates of smoking (Provinces of Alborz, Tehran, Qazvin, Mazandaran, Semnan, Golestan, and Qom). Smoking was more prevalent among college students (15.62%, 95% CI: 13.14-18.10) than in high school students (9.77%, 95% CI: 7.19-12.35). Conclusion: Given the relatively high prevalence of smoking among Iranian college and high school students, it is necessary to inform them about the harmful effects of smoking through training programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although the need for justice and the elimination of injustice (or discrimination) is now a universally accepted principle, discrimination is still an unpleasant experience for many nursing students. This study aimed to explain the experiences of nursing students of educational discrimination and find out the main factors that cause this feeling. Methods: This is a qualitative study conducted in the nursing faculty of Shahr-e-Kord and the Iran university of medical science (IUMS) in Iran. Twelve nursing students were selected by purposeful sampling method and data were collected through face-to-face and in-depth interviews with semi-structured questions. All interviews were analyzed according to the content analysis method. Results: Three main themes and ten subcategories appeared. Extracted themes include: "inappropriate behavior of nursing professors (or instructors) " with 3 subcategories (1- discriminatory behavior by nursing professors (or instructors), 2- lack of sufficient self-confidence in nursing professors and transferring it to the student, and 3- the educator role in motivating or eliminating motivation); "Strict rules" with 3 subcategories (1- inequality in implementation of rights and rules among students of different disciplines, 2- differences in compliance with laws and regulations, and 3- nurses are being strictly monitored), and " Lack of nursing professional independence " with 4 subcategories (1- lack of authority, 2- lack of supportive organizations for nurses, 3- lack of proper social status of nursing in society, and 4- the high authority and power of physicians over other disciplines). Conclusions: In our study, it was shown that nursing students feel the most discrimination in front of medical students. Feelings of discrimination reduce self-confidence in nursing students. Therefore, nursing educators and professors must think of a solution, or at least they should not cause this feeling in them through inappropriate behavior and discriminatory speech and words. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: The three main elements of the home, study environment, and mass media have a fundamental role in the tendency and attitude of adolescents and young people to pray. This study was conducted to determine students' attitudes toward prayer, the causes of their tendency toward it, and its impact on various aspects of their lives. Methods: This descriptive study was performed among 192 students of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan City, Iran. Data were collected by a researcher-made questionnaire through the press line system. Data were analyzed by SPSS software, version 18 using an independent t-test and One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) at a significance level of less than 0.05. Results: A total of 60.9% of students reported that they perform daily prayers. The Mean±SD score of students' attitude about praying is 121.99±199.97 out of 165. A significant correlation was observed between the mean score of attitude and behavior. A significant relationship was also found between the mean score of students' attitudes and the variables of father's education, father's and mother's occupation (P<0.05). The students believed that prayer brings peace and vitality to the soul, order and discipline in life, good mood, family unity, and reduced anxiety and stress. Conclusion: Considering the role and impact of family and university environment on students' prayer and students' beliefs on the impact of prayer on various life issues, paying attention to the results of this type of research to institutionalize prayer among students can be useful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. Mental Health Literacy (MHL) is an important factor in promoting mental health. Assessing this structure is required for early recognition and intervention in mental health problems. To date, there was no tool to assess it among Iranian adolescents, so this study was aimed at examining the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Adolescent Mental Health Literacy Questionnaire (AMHLQ) among Iranian female students. Method. The study instrument was a Persian version of the AMHLQ prepared through a translation and back-translation process. In this cross-sectional study, 275 female students completed the AMHLQ, and the Adolescent Strengths, and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Results. Findings of content, construct validity tests, Cronbach's alpha, and split-half coefficient demonstrated that the AMHLQ had satisfactory validity and suitable reliability. The exploratory factor analysis showed four dimensions of the AMHLQ: (1) knowledge of mental health problems (α = 0.89); (2) erroneous beliefs/stereotypes (α = 0.89); (3) help-seeking and first aid skills (α = 0.86); and (4) self-help strategies (α = 0.74). Conclusion. The findings showed that the tool was confirmed by questions and subscales, and this questionnaire was a valid and reliable tool in assessing level differences of MHL and in determining the impact of programs designed to improve MHL in Iranian female adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to assess anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 outbreak among students aged 8 to 18 years and to determine related demographic and other related factors. Method: A descriptive and analytical cross sectional study was conducted through web-based data collection which included 348 students aged 8 to 18 years in the state of Mazandaran, Iran during the first peak of COVID-19. Demographic and Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS-P) questionnaires were used to collect the data. The statistical tests including independent sample t test, ANOVA as well as linear regression were employed. Results: The average age of the subjects was reported to be 12.2 ± 3.59 years. Age, father's occupation, following COVID-19 related news, and also nervousness related to infection were predictors of anxiety (11%). Moreover, age, mother's occupation, family communication and also the safety protocols practiced by the family were found to be predictors of depression in students (17%). A significant relationship was also found between the effect of quarantine on family communication and the anxiety and depression in students (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Demographic characteristics affect student mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak. Moreover, family preventive protocols can predict depression in students aged 8 to 18 years. Better preventive precautions encourage less anxiety and depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is well documented that, similar to active smokers, passive smokers are also at an increased risk of developing non-communicable diseases, and it could impose high financial costs on the healthcare system. This study aimed to evaluate the trend of passive smoking and related determinants during the three phases of a school-based surveillance program.Methods: This is a secondary study using the national data obtained from three phases of the surveillance program entitled The Childhood and Adolescence Surveillance and Prevention of Adult Noncommunicable Disease (CASPIAN) study, conducted from 2008 to 2014 on Iranian children and adolescents living in urban and rural areas of 30 provinces in Iran. Participants were selected by cluster multistage sampling method.Results: Overall, the study participants consisted of 33,288 students (50.5% boys) with a mean (± SD) age of 12.8 ± 3.2 years. The passive smoking rate was significantly increased from 35.6% in 2008 to 43.2% in 2015 among children and adolescents. According to the multivariate logistic regression, father's university education, mother's employment, life satisfaction, and socioeconomic status had a protective role regarding second-hand smoke exposure. In contrast, the father's self-employment had a positive role in increasing the rate of passive smoking.Conclusion: Considering the increasing trend of passive smoking and its considerable adverse health effects, it is necessary to implement large-scale public interventions to reduce the rate and hazards of exposure to tobacco smoke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The methods of teaching basic lessons of architecture must be chosen to be most effective for the students. Basic lessons, including construction materials workshop and construction, teach the primary skills in architectural design, therefore, are used by architects during their education and in their professional careers. There are many studies and innovations about teaching methods and different methods are discussed in scientific articles. One of these methods is to use game-like features and ideas to achieve non-game aims; this method is called gamification. This method is used not only in an educational fields, but also in different fields such as digital, marketing, educational, and social technologies. Game-making techniques exploit people's natural inclinations to socialize, learn, master, compete, achieve status, express themselves, altruistic, or superficially respond to a situation framework such as a game. Since the construction material workshop is one of the higher education’s primary lessons of architecture in Iran, are taught during the first semester in university; it is, in fact, a space for transitioning from high school life to university life. Therefore, using gamification for this group of students can lead to a more superficial bond with this class. So by designing the practices of this lesson to be more attractive, by using gamification elements, while following the predetermined educational curriculum, the new students can better bond with this lesson. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of gamification on the students’ academic engagement in this class, to eventually determine how beneficial is this method in teaching the construction materials workshop and construction, Through the post-event survey approach, this study examines the effect of using the gamification method on the students’ academic engagement in the class of construction materials workshop and construction. Two classes, one using the gamification method, and the other using standard teaching methods, were compared. This comparison was made by distributing questionnaires based on Reeve’s academic engagement indices. After evaluating the data’s validity through the t-test, the results were evaluated. Moreover, the results showed that using this method positively affects the students’ academic engagement. Among the four micro scales, introduced by Reeve in the academic engagement indices, the agentic engagement with lesson materials micro-scale has the highest effectiveness. The cognitive micro-scale has the lowest effectiveness. using the gamification method leads to a strong bond between the students and their practices. The results of this study are proof that the class, in which the gamification method was used for designing the practices, resulted in higher academic engagement. This increase in academic engagement leads to increased quality of education and students’ deeper learning. Therefore, it is suggested to use this method in teaching the primary lessons of architecture, especially in construction materials workshop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In order to improve the quality of university services and adopt appropriate educational policies, continuous monitoring is essential. The purpose of this study was to compare the academic satisfaction of students in two fields of midwifery education and counseling in midwifery and job satisfaction of graduates of two fields. Methods: In the comparative-analytical cross-sectional study, by complete enumeration survey method, 300 students and graduates of the master's degree consisted of 150 midwifery education graduates and student, and 150 counseling in midwifery graduates and students from the region 2 of the country's health (Tabriz, Urmia and Ardabil Universities of Medical Sciences) entered the study in 2020-2021. Data collection tools were questionnaires of demographic characteristics, Minnesota job satisfaction and educational satisfaction. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software version 21. Results: The mean (standard deviation:SD) of the overall score of academic satisfaction of counseling students in midwifery was 129.3 (17.7) from the range of 0-205 and that of the midwifery education was 126.7 (17.7) from the range of 0-205 (P>0.05). The mean (SD) job satisfaction of counseling in midwifery graduates was 56.0 (9.6) and that of the midwifery education was 57.9 (9.5) from the range of 0-95. Job satisfaction rate of majority of midwifery education graduates (49.3%) was very good, whereas it was moderate (58.7%) in counseling graduates, (P>0.05). The mean (SD) score of satisfaction with the payment system (P=0.035) and job conditions (P=0.015) in midwifery education graduates was significantly higher. Conclusions: There was no significant difference between students in the two courses in terms of academic satisfaction. The job satisfaction of the graduates of counseling in midwifery was significantly low in terms of payment system and job conditions, in comparision to midwifery education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evaluation is one of the most critical issues in the training process. Kirkpatrick's model is one method in educational evaluation that can accurately evaluate programs. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an operating room master of scienc (MS) program om based on Kirkpatrick's model. Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted using convenience sampling with 46 students and graduates from the operating room MS degree at the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in the academic year 2020-2021. A valid and reliable questionnaire with 47 items in three levels of reaction, learning, and performance was used to evaluate the opinions of graduates and students. The survey was sent to their email addresses and returned to the researcher after completion. Results: Kirkpatrick's evaluation model showed that the overall evaluation of the operating room program was 70.97 ± 9.32, which can be considered a moderate level. Students' satisfaction with the program was moderate (68.00 ± 14.97); their learning (84.54 ± 15.69) and performance (84.30 ± 9.28) were evaluated to be at a reasonable level. Conclusion: Considering the average effectiveness of the whole program, it is suggested that the educational managers of the operating room department plan and attempt to increase their indicators by considering the weaknesses and strengths of the program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is known to be endemic in the population of northeastern Iran. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the knowledge and attitude of medical students of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences about the HTLV-1 virus. Material and Methods: The present study was a descriptive-analytical study that was conducted in Mashhad Medical School from April to June 2014. The research population included all medical students studying at the time of the study (307 people). The tool of data collection was a questionnaire including 4 parts of demographic characteristics, the amount of information resources used, the level of awareness about HTLV-1 infection and measuring the attitude of students towards HTLV-1 infection. The data was analyzed in the form of descriptive statistics using SPSS 16.0 software. Results: A total of 271 people responded to the questionnaire (response rate: 88/27). Among the participants, 130 were male and 141 were female. The majority of students, 161 people got their information from the classroom and 157 people were natives of Mashhad. The information obtained from the description of the questions and the percentage of correct answers to the questions showed that the level of students' knowledge about this infection was average with an average score of 16.66 out of 40 points, and the average score of the students' attitude was reported as 68.11 with an average level. Conclusion: The obtained results reported the level of knowledge of the target group as medium-low, and the level of attitude of this group as medium-high. Also, there was a direct relationship between the amount of information and the level of attitude with the year of entering the university and studying in the university, which reports the slope of this change as low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Considering that exposure to sunlight in childhood and adolescence has an important role in skin cancer, so it seems that training protective behaviors in this period is more effective.Objectives: To survey the application of protection motivation theory (PMT) on skin cancer preventive behaviors among students in rural areas of Fasa city, Iran.Methods: This study was done in two stages: Phase I of this study, the descriptive-analytic and cross-sectional study was conducted in 2018 to investigate the predictive value of the protection motivation theory on skin cancer preventive behaviors. In the second stage, a quasi-experimental interventional study was conducted on 400 primary school students in 2019. The educational intervention was performed in the experimental group for 8 sessions. Data were collected using a demographic information questionnaire and protection motivation theory before and six months after the intervention.Results: The constructs of protection motivation theory predicted 58.6% of skin cancer preventive behaviors. The results indicated that there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of knowledge, perceived sensitivity, perceived severity, reward, fear, protection motivation, response efficacy, self-efficacy, response costs, and the skin cancer preventive behaviors in before the intervention (p > 0.05). However, six months after the intervention, the experimental group showed a significant increase in each of the mentioned constructs and skin cancer protective behaviors (p < 0.05).Conclusion: This study showed the effectiveness of the intervention based on the PMT constructs in adoption of skin cancer preventive behaviors in 6 months' post intervention in primary school students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Medical professionals' knowledge of and attitudes toward organ donation and transplantation have positive impact on donation rates. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge and attitude of medical university students in Iran about organ donation and transplantation. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 1078 undergraduate students in Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran, from January to June 2019. All eligible students were recruited using convenient sampling. Data were gathered using knowledge and attitude toward organ donation and transplantation questionnaire. The higher scores of both subscales, the knowledge subscale (range from 0 to 13) and the attitude subscale (range from 13 to 65), indicate the better knowledge and attitude toward organ donation and transplantation. RESULTS: The mean age of students was 22.24±5.16 years. Finding showed that the mean score of students' knowledge and attitude toward organ donation and organ transplantation were 8.48±1.71 and 48.55±8.11 respectively. Also, the mean score of students' knowledges in females (P<0.001), married (P=0.001) and who had organ donation card (P<0.001) was significantly higher. Nearly all of the students had heard about organ donation (98.3%) and organ transplantation (98.4%). Majority of them pointed that their source of information about organ donation and transplantation was television (TV) program (47.1%). Most of the students (73.8%) reported that they agree to donate their organs but most of them (67.5%) did not know how to obtain organ donation card and only 9.6% of them had the organ donor card as a volunteer donor. CONCLUSION: According to finding, despite the awareness and favorable attitude about organ donation and transplantation among medical students, the number of registered donors was low. In addition to promoting college students' awareness about organ donation for increasing registered donors, it is needed to aware and pursue lay people through social media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The effectiveness and efficacy of teaching behaviors by clinical educators need to be determined and applied in caring environments, wherein students' seminal Professional Behaviors (PBs) are being shaped. Here, we endeavor to compare the relationship between Iranian clinical educators' teaching behaviors and undergraduate nursing students' PBs. Materials and Methods: This descriptive correlational study was conducted on 189 students enrolled in the second, third, and fourth academic years at Urmia University of Medical Science in 2019. The instruments were the Nursing Students' PBs Scale (NSPBS) and the Nursing Clinical Teacher Effectiveness Inventory (NCTEI). Data were analyzed by Pearson correlations test and linear regression model. Results: A significant positive correlation between the NSPB and NCTE in the fourth year (r = 0.42, p = 0.001) was about twice as much as the second (r = 0.28, p = 0.017) and third ones (r = 0.28, p = 0.033). Nursing competency, teaching skills, and communication domains were respectively the most effective ones related to the second- (r = 0.35, p = 0.003), third- (r = 0.32, p = 0.015), and fourth-year NSPBs (r = 0.46, p < 0.001). Teaching skills and nursing competency domains had the lowest significant relationships with the second- (r = 0.25, p = 0.034) third- (r = 0.30, p = 0.023) and fourth-year NSPBs (r = 0.35, p = 0,006), respectively. Conclusions: The comparison between the two mentioned variables in the academic year can provide appropriate information about potential problems of clinical education to develop clinical facilitation models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic as a global mental health crisis has affected everyone, including students. The present study aimed to determine and investigate the relationship between health locus of control and perceived stress in students of Bushehr University of Medical Sciences (southern Iran) during the outbreak of COVID-19. Methods: The present cross-sectional study examined 250 students of Bushehr University of Medical Sciences. We performed simple random sampling and utilized the demographic information form, Multidimensional Health Locus of Control scale (MHLCS) by Wallston, and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) by Cohen to collect data. We analyzed data using the SPSS, Pearson correlation coefficient, and the hierarchical regression model with an error level of 5%. Results: The mean perceived stress was 30.74 ± 8.09, and 92.4% of the students had moderate and high stress levels. Among the components of the health locus of control, the internal health locus of control (IHLC) had the highest mean in students (27.55 ± 3.81). Furthermore, the internal health locus of control (R = − 0.30, P < 0.001) had a significant inverse relationship, with perceived stress and the chance health locus of control (CHLC) (R = 0.30, P < 0.001) had a significant direct relationship. In the final regression model, the health locus of control and all the variables predicted 22.7% of the perceived stress variation in students during the COVID-19 period. Conclusion: The results indicated that the internal health locus of control was associated with a reduction of perceived stress, and the powerful others health locus of control (PHLC) was related to its increase in students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the uncertain future, in the present work, universities are suggested to design web-based educational interventions alongside the curriculum to further strengthen the internal health locus of control and thus help reduce their perceived stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oral and dental health has a significant impact on public health as well as the quality of life among individuals and families. This study aims to design, implement, and evaluate an intervention based on the PRECEDE-PROCEED model for oral and dental health among primary school students in Rafsanjan city, Southern Iran.Methods: According to the nature of the model and with the focus group discussion and interview methods, in phases 1 to 4 (PRECEDE), predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors related to oral health were identified. The training program was designed and consisted of six sessions for students (250 students) with a brushing session, three sessions for parents, and two sessions for teachers. Process evaluation and the effect of the program on behavioral and factors affecting oral health were evaluated (PROCEED).Results: In the qualitative section, seven predisposing factors, five enabling factors, and two reinforcing factors were identified. A training program based on the PRECEDE-PROCEED model was found to be effective in increasing the mean scores of the above constructs and the students' brushing behavior (P < 0.001).Conclusion: Based on the model planning phases, the factors affecting the brushing behavior of children aged 6-12 years were identified. The educational program has had a significant effect on improving the scores of predisposing, enabling and reinforcing factors and children's brushing behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: A human is a social being and needs social cohesion, support, and understanding. The relationship between the dentist and patient is a specific example of social support and empathy. The patient is also an example of social support. An empathetic dentistpatient relationship can effectively improve the physical, psychological, and social wellbeing of the patient. In this relationship, a physician can make a better diagnosis and deliver a more satisfactory treatment outcome. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate empathy and its related factors in dental students of Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand City, Iran, in 2020. Methods: The study population consisted of all students of clinical dentistry. After obtaining informed consent from the students, Jefferson's questionnaire was distributed among them. Students' demographic information was asked in the questionnaire. The obtained data were analyzed by ANOVA and the independent t test at the significant level of 0.05. Results: A total of 78 (42.3% male and 57.7% female) dental students participated in this study. Their Mean±SD score of empathy was 57±5.57. The mean empathy score was significantly higher in females than males (P=0.04). The mean score of empathy was significantly higher in students who were more interested in their field (P=0.03). The mean score of empathy for students was not significantly different in terms of study semester (P=0.06), marital status (P=0.95), communication skills (P=0.16), and mother's (P=0.11), and father's (P=0.92) education. Conclusion: The mean score of empathy was significantly higher in females and students who were more interested in their field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]