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This quasi-experimental study aimed to investigate the effect of polite corrective feedback (CF) on Iranian EFL learners' immediate and delayed grammatical accuracy. The participants included a convenient sample of 60 intermediate male/female EFL learners (four 15-member groups) selected from a private language institute in Tabriz. After the researcher ensured the homogeneity of the participants, a researcher-made multiple-choice pre-test on present and past English tenses was administered. Later, the first and second experimental groups were treated with +Polite Explicit Feedback (in the form of elicitations) and +Polite Implicit CF (in the form of recasts), respectively while the control groups were provided with -Polite Feedback of the same forms. Following the assessment of the learners' oral grammatical accuracy immediately after the treatment (uptake), a multiple-choice post-test was administered two weeks after the immediate post-test to assess their delayed recall. The independent samples t-test and ANCOVA conducted on the pre-test, immediate learning scores, and delayed post-test scores indicated that, although polite CF in both groups had a significant effect on learners' grammatical accuracy, +Polite Explicit Feedback had a more significant effect on participants' performance than -Polite Explicit Feedback and +Polite Implicit Feedback. The results underscore the significance of integrating politeness element into CF discourse, bearing implications for educational planners, materials developers, and EFL instructors.

As a formative assessment procedure, self-assessment aims to converge learners' and teachers' views in assessment. Hence, reducing the perceptual mismatches between the learners' and the teachers' assessments would positively affect the learning process. For this aim, the present study investigated to what extent the learners' assessment of their writing before and after being provided with a list of rating criteria, agrees with that of their teachers. Therefore, a body of six EFL writing teachers and 27 EFL learners participated in this study. The learners were asked to rate their writing before and after receiving the rating criteria developed by the researchers. The teachers also rated the students' writings following the same criteria. The obtained results showed a significant difference between the students' scores on the first and second assessment occasions. The teachers' and the students' assessments on the second time also were found to significantly correlate. Moreover, the analysis of the students' comments showed that while they rated their writing on some limited aspects of writing in the first rating occasion, they assessed their essays using more components in the second assessment phase. Overall, the findings revealed that providing the learners with rating criteria would not only reduce the perceptual mismatches between the students' and the teachers' assessment but promote a more democratic classroom assessment. The findings of the study reduce the complexity of self-assessment practice by narrowing the perceptual gap between the students and the teachers.

The present study investigates the effect of the separator lines on the learning of 8th grade students in simplifying algebraic expressions with parenthesis. An experimental study was designed to achieve this goal involving 60 girl students in 8th Grade (13 and 14 years old) randomly selected and assigned to two experimental and control groups. After taking the pre-test, both groups were taught by one teacher. The control group was led as usual and the experimental group was taught by using the separator lines. As a result of the covid-19 disease, students were taught online using WhatsApp. In the end, a post-test was carried out for both groups. Data was also collected using WhatsApp. For the analysis of the data, a Covariance test was conducted. The results showed positive effects of separator lines on the student's performance, as well as reducing their mistakes when working with parenthesis.

Learning critical thinking skills are the goal of educational systems so the term "critical thinking" (CT) is frequently found in educational policy documents. Despite this frequency, however, precise understandings among teachers of what CT really means do not exit. The present study is designed to answer the following question. We can classify critical thinking concept in a conceptual framework. A qualitative content analysis with deductive categorization was used to classify critical thinking concept in a conceptual framework. The research field (statistical population) included all available digital and written sources related to critical thinking. The Research sample was a purposeful homogeneous sample. It is used to describe the sample that includes information based on the qualitative research goals. The results showed that critical thinking concept could be investigated in fields of both psychology and philosophy. While philosophers emphasis on the nature and quality of critical thinking, psychologists focus on cognitive process and components used to investigate the practical problems. So philosophers emphasize critical thinking attitudes while psychologists focus on critical thinking skills.

To investigate the effects of different techniques of vocabulary portfolio including word map, word wizard, concept wheel, visual thesaurus, and word rose on L2 vocabulary comprehension and production, a sample of 75 female EFL learners of Kish Day Language Institute in Karaj, Iran were selected. They were in five groups and each group received vocabulary portfolio in one of the aforementioned techniques. Multiple-choice and Fill-in-the-blanks vocabulary tests were used to measure the participants' comprehension and production of the target words. The obtained data were analyzed using two separate one-way ANOVA procedures. Results indicated that in vocabulary production, the differences among the groups were statistically insignificant, suggesting that despite the observed differences among the means, the performances of these groups were more or less similar. However, there was a significant difference between the means of visual thesaurus and the concept wheel groups in vocabulary comprehension.

This study tries to answer some ever-existent questions in writing fields regarding approaching the most effective ways to give feedback to students' errors in writing by comparing the effect of error correction and error detection on the improvement of students' writing ability. In order to achieve this goal, 60 pre-intermediate English learners were randomly divided into two groups: the first one was Direct Feedback Group, receiving feedback on their writing through error correction (DFG) and the other one was Indirect Feedback Group (IFG), receiving feedback in their writing through error detection along with the codes. The learners were taking English classes in a private English center and were supposed to self-correct and hand in their writings when received indirect error feedback. The results suggested that error detection along with the codes led to better improvement in the learners' writing than the error correction treatment.

This research attempts to investigate the degree of students' achievement in reading comprehension in English as a foreign language through explicit instruction in metadiscourse markers. For this purpose, 80 students studying at a language school (placed at intermediate levels of English language proficiency) were chosen to participate in the experiment. Every possible measure was taken to ensure that the participants lacked enough knowledge about metadiscourse. The participants were then randomly divided into four equal groups each containing twenty students. The first experimental group (EG1) included twenty participants who received instructions in both textual and interpersonal metadiscourse. The second experimental group (EG2) received instructions in only textual metadiscourse markers. The third experimental group (EG3) received instructions in only interpersonal metadiscourse. The control group received no specific instructions in metadiscourse and was only exposed to some input enhancement material and relevant exercises. As a result of running a number of statistical procedures, instruction on metadiscourse revealed a positive effect on the participants' achievement in reading comprehension in English. The results of the study have some implications for materials designers; they can improve a learner's ability to understand and remember information from the text by improving it textually and interpersonally.

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]

Background: Medical students often experience high levels of psychological stress, which can significantly impact their professional lives. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the quality of professional life among medical students and the influence of psychological self-care and resilience on both professional quality of life and psychological distress among medical clerks and interns at Babol University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This descriptive-cross-sectional study, conducted from May to September 2022, included 270 medical trainees from Babol University of Medical Sciences (Babol, Iran). Participants had not taken academic leave in the past year nor transferred to another university. They completed online questionnaires covering resilience, psychological self-care, quality of professional life, and psychological distress, along with demographic details such as age, gender, and marital status. Data were analyzed using SPSS software. Results: Results indicated a generally favorable quality of professional life among the students, characterized by low compassion fatigue (mean 17.43 ± 7.87 out of 36) and low psychological burnout (mean 15.34 ± 4.10 out of 24), but moderate compassion satisfaction (mean 34.52 ± 8.13 out of 50). Additionally, mean scores for depression (7.84 ± 3.50 out of 21) and anxiety (7.24 ± 3.76 out of 21) were low. Students demonstrated above-average psychological self-care (mean 127.47 ± 17.97 out of 180) but had low resilience against stress (mean 24.12 ± 5.28 out of 38). Regression analysis revealed that psychological self-care significantly influenced the quality of professional life (P < 0.001, β = 0.318). Furthermore, age (P < 0.001, β = 0.299), female gender (P = 0.013, β = -0.136), and self-care (P < 0.001, β = -0.327) significantly affected levels of anxiety and depression. Conclusions: Psychological self-care plays a crucial role in enhancing the quality of professional life and in mitigating anxiety and depression among medical clerks and interns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Today, internet usage has become an integral part of daily life, but excessive use can harm sleep quality. This study aims to explore the relationship between internet addiction and sleep quality among students at Ilam University of Medical Sciences in 2023. Material & Methods: In 2023,400 students from Ilam University of Medical Sciences participated in this study. They were selected using simple random sampling and met the study criteria. Data were collected through Young's Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQ1). Simple and multiple regression analyses were conducted with a significance level of a ≤ 0.05. Results: The findings showed that 320 (80%) of students exhibited mild to severe internet addiction, with an average total sleep quality falling within the poor range (6.30 ± 2.51). Subjective sleep quality was particularly poor (2.03 ± 0.662) compared to other dimensions (p > 0.05). Simple linear regression revealed significant associations between mild (coefficient = 1.03; p = 0.002) and moderate (coefficient = 2.05; p < 0.001) internet addiction and poor total sleep quality, compared to normal individuals. Additionally, graduate students had better sleep quality than undergraduates (coefficient = -1.03; p = 0.016). Multiple regression analysis, adjusted for educational level, confirmed the association between mild (coefficient = 0.98; p = 0.003) and moderate (coefficient = 1.97; p < 0.001) internet addiction and poor total sleep quality. Conclusion: Internet addiction is linked to poor sleep quality among Ilam University of Medical Sciences students, especially undergraduates. It underscores the need for interventions to raise awareness about internet addiction and its detrimental effects on sleep quality. [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]

Introduction: Nursing, being a humanistic profession, includes the promotion of health, the prevention of disease and the holistic care of patients, including those with disabilities and the terminally ill. Nursing education and training in Greece conforms to EU standards, thus providing mutual recognition of qualifications according to European Community directives. Moreover, nursing in Iran is heavily associated with the underlying socio-cultural forces that have affected the country, society and the profession per se in recent decades. Aim: The purpose of this self-reflective commentary is to narrate and describe nursing in two dissimilar countries and health care systems, i.e. Greece and Iran. Methods: This report was based on the lived experiences of an Erasmus+ student who has spent time studying and training as a nurse in both Iran and Greece. The self-narratives were complemented by a comprehensive computer-based search, which was conducted in various databases which revealed 16 relevant articles. Results: a number of similarities and differences are portrayed in this comparative narrative which shows that despite the vast geographical and geopolitical contrasts, nursing in both countries have made a determined and conscious effort to upgrade and improve standards of nursing education and practice. Discussion: Overall, there are distinct similarities and differences between Iranian and Greek nursing in terms of both education and practice. As expected, there are noticeable differences in the priorities in the nursing education of the two countries but moving this into universities has raised the standards of nursing students' clinical and theoretical preparation. Conclusions: Overall political and public policies play a pivotal role in shaping the image of nursing in both societies. Yet, the authors believe increasing motivation among Greek and Iranian nurses, and promoting the socio-cultural climate and the welfare of the profession would result in higher levels of quality of care as well as greater patient satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Community-based dental education (CBDE) has been an essential advancement in dental education in recent decades, enhancing it in many aspects. This study aimed to determine the characteristics and improvements of CBDE in dental schools in Iran. Methods: In the present descriptive study, an electronic questionnaire, including 18 "yes/no", "multiple choice", and "short answer" questions about the nature and extent of CBDE and students' experience in CBDE, was used. In early 2021, the questionnaires were mailed to the deans of all 43 dental schools in Iran under the supervision of the Council for Dental Education of the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education. Reminder calls were made after 6 and 12 weeks. Dental schools that did not follow the CBDE program were excluded. The responses were analyzed descriptively. Results: Thirty-six dental schools completed the questionnaire (response rate: 84%). Seventeen schools (47%) reported having CBDE in their dental program. Sites lacking a well-equipped dental setting were the most used out of all extramural sites. The number of weeks dedicated to CBDE ranged between 1 and 20 (median: 4). The most common dental procedures practiced in extramural sites were pediatric dentistry (100%), restorative dentistry (71%), and dental examination (59%). The student-to-supervisor ratio in CBDE ranged between 3 and 15 (median: 5). In most schools (65%), the staff involved in directing CBDE were Community Oral Health PhDs. Conclusions: An increasing number of Iranian dental schools have integrated CBDE into their undergraduate dental curriculum. The characteristics and extent of this educational strategy vary widely among dental schools. CBDE can be more effective by making positive changes in dental programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: One of the new educational systems is the mentorship method. This study aimed to investigate the effect of peer mentoring program on clinical academic progress and psychological characteristics of operating room students. Methods: This research was a randomized controlled trial that was conducted on undergraduate students in the operating room department of Khomein Faculty of Medical Sciences, Markazi Province in Iran. The number of operating room students were 70 that were divided into intervention and control groups by random allocation using Permuted Block Randomization. Inclusion criteria included all operating room students who were in internship, and exclusion criteria included failure to complete the questionnaires. The data collection tools were the demographic questionnaire, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Situational Motivational Scale. In the control group, clinical training was done in the traditional way. In the intervention group, training was done by peer mentoring method. The obtained data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, paired t-test, chi-square test, ANCOVA, univariable and multivariable linear regression. Results: The study revealed significant differences between the intervention and control groups. Post-intervention, the intervention group demonstrated substantial increases in self-confidence (mean difference = 5.97, p < 0.001) and significant reductions in stress levels (mean difference = -3.22, p < 0.001). Conversely, minimal changes were noted in the control group for both self-confidence (mean difference = 0.057, p = 0.934) and stress levels (mean difference = 0.142, p = 0.656). Although both groups experienced decreases in anxiety and depression levels, these changes were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Furthermore, the intervention significantly enhanced academic progress in the intervention group compared to the control group (mean difference = 20.31, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The results showed that the implementation of the peer mentoring program was effective in improving academic progress, self-confidence, and reducing the stress of operating room students. Therefore, this educational method can be used in addition to the usual methods to improve the education of operating room students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Effective performance in online education increasingly impacts the quality of classes and, consequently, student learning outcomes. This study aims to compare satisfaction levels and learning rates between online and face-to-face methods of teaching medical physiology. Material & Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study involved 79 medical students divided into two groups. The first group received instruction on heart physiology (5 weeks, one session per week) online via the Navid system, while the second group received face-to-face instruction. At the study's conclusion, both groups underwent the same test to assess learning outcomes, and satisfaction with the teaching methods was evaluated through a questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted using Stata 14 statistical software, employing logistic regression and linear regression models. Results: The two groups differed in terms of the course studied, student nativeness, and satisfaction levels with the educational method. Satisfaction with online education was reported at 69%, compared to 65% for the face-to-face method. The average learning score for students in the online group was 12.93±0.12, while in the face-to-face group, it was 13.48±0.47. However, the linear regression model revealed no significant relationship between students' scores and specific educational methods (p=0.32). Significant relationships were observed between age, nativeness, and dormitory accommodation with satisfaction levels in online education. Conversely, none of the variables showed a significant relationship with satisfaction levels in face-to-face education. Conclusion: Both e-learning and face-to-face methods demonstrated relatively similar effects on students' learning outcomes. However, satisfaction levels with online education appear to be influenced by variables such as age, nativeness, and dormitory accommodation. [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]

Aim: To explore nursing students' moral distress (MD) experiences in clinical settings. Design: An interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) design was employed. Methods: Purposive sampling was used. In‐depth semi‐structured face‐to‐face interviews were conducted from December 2020 to June 2021 with nursing students who were taking the internship course in clinical settings. Data analysis was conducted following Dickman et al.'s (1989) method. Results: Ten nursing students participated in this study. Three main themes were identified, including (1) negative learning environments, (2) internal disgust and (3) threats to professional identity. Conclusion: Findings showed that value conflict, lack of knowledge of ethical standards and its application, and unprofessional approaches result in negative environmental learning perceptions from the nursing students. Therefore, due to being unable to change the situation, they start to feel guilt and shame and, as a result, decide to escape the problem instead of managing it. These feelings lead to internal disgust. This issue indicates the importance of improving the knowledge and perception of these situations. Thus, nursing students must be prepared for the real world, where their ideals are constantly challenged. MDs were experienced as threats to dignity, inequality, distrust, and change of mentality towards nursing, characterised as threats to professional identity. It is suggested to inquire about the process of nursing students' resiliency in morally disturbing situations to deduce the suitable approach for clinical education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a mental health condition characterized by instability in mood and interpersonal relationships. These patients are on the border between neurosis and psychosis. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the role of Behavioral Inhibition Systems/Behavioral Activation Systems in self-destructive behaviors in female vocational school students with BPD according to the mediating role of emotional dysregulation. Method: The research had a descriptive-correlational method, and its statistical population consisted of all female students with BPD at technical and vocational schools in an educational district of Tehran. 176 students were selected using the purposive sampling method. Data collection tool included Jackson and Claridge's Borderline Personality Disorder Scale (1991), Behavioral Inhibition System/Behavioral Activation System Questionnaire by Carver and White (1994), Self-Destructive Behaviors Questionnaire by Sansone et al. (1998), and Difficulties in emotion regulation scale by Gratz and Roemer (2004). Data were analyzed using the PLS-SEM method with SmartPLS software. Results: The indirect effect of BIS/BAS on self-destructive behaviors with a mediating role of emotional dysregulation was -0.553 and significant (p<0.05). The direct effect of BIS/BAS on emotional dysregulation was -0.436 and significant (p< 0.05). Furthermore, the direct effect of BIS/BAS on self-destructive behaviors was -0.504 and significant (p<0.05), and the direct effect of emotional dysregulation on self-destructive behaviors was 0.506 and significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: There was a significant relationship between behavioral activation and inhibition systems with self-destructive behaviors according to a mediating role of emotional dysregulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The emergence of Covid-19 has many psychological effects on teenagers, one of which is depression, anxiety and stress, and it has brought physical and psychological effects. Aim: The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence of anxiety and depression in students of Sanandaj city during the epidemic of the Covid-19 virus in 1401. Method: This study was conducted in a cross-sectional descriptive analytical way. The studied population included all middle school students of Sanandaj city in 1401 with a sample size of 270 people and an age range of 13-15 years. DASS-21 questionnaire was used to collect data. The data was analyzed using SPSS-24 software. Results: The results of the study showed that the average scores of depression, anxiety and stress were 14.68 ± 3.39, 14.56 ± 2.99 and 14.74 ± 2.989, respectively. There is a significant relationship between the mean score of depression, anxiety and stress with sleep time, duration of daily activity and body mass index (P<0.05). Also, there is a statistically significant relationship between gender, history of covid-19 in the student and their family, having daily activities and economic status with the average score of depression, anxiety, stress (P>0.05). Conclusion: The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic causes anxiety, depression and stress in students. This phenomenon is intensified when children are confined at home and do not have outdoor activities. As the spread of covid-19 increases, the level of anxiety, stress and depression also increases. Therefore, increasing public awareness of this disease and providing positive psychological programs can reduce anxiety in society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Training efficient human resources is one of the main missions of universities. Considering the role of education in the development of professional human resources in the health system, it is essential to evaluate the status of the educational system in Iranian universities. The present study aimed to identify and prioritize the challenges in the educational system of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences as well as to provide solutions for dealing with them based on the viewpoints of investors (i.e., faculty members, students, managers, and teaching staff of the university). Methods. This mixed method study (i.e., qualitative-quantitative study) was conducted in Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in the summer of 2023. The total number of the participants was 538, including 138 faculty members, 345 students, and 55 managers and employees in the field of education. The data collection tool in the qualitative phase of the study was an open-question questionnaire, but that in the quantitative phase was a closedquestion one. The prioritization matrix was used to prioritize the challenges, which included four indicators of importance, solvability, cost-effectiveness, and urgency. Results. A lack of the space and suitable facilities for students during their internships and internships, a professors' workload, a lack of the connection between Tabriz university and other universities/educational centers, a failure to select educational authorities based on their qualifications and capabilities, and a lack of professors were the most serious educational challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Understanding how learners process and organize new experiences and acquire information is one of the critical factors affecting the effective teaching and learning. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the perception and processing of information by first-year medical students. Methods. In this cross-sectional study, the convenience sampling method was adopted to select and investigate 180 first-year medical students of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in the 2nd semester of the academic year 2022-2023. Data were collected using a questionnaire consisting of two parts -- demographic factors and Kolb's learning styles inventory (LSI). The collected data were analyzed using SPSS-25 and applying descriptive statistics, Chi-square (χ2), t-test, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results. According to the results, students preferred the learning method of abstract conceptualization (33.89 ± 7.44), followed by active experimentation (29.85 ± 9.77), reflective observation (29.77 ± 8.64), and concrete experience (26.49 ± 9.32). The predominant learning styles adopted by the students were assimilating (38.3%), converging (32.2%), diverging (22.8%), and accommodating (6.7%). No significant differences were found between students' preferred learning methods and demographic variables (i.e., gender, marital status, age, and residential status) (P>0.05). Conclusion. It was concluded that the dominant learning style was not an exclusive factor in predicting educational achievement. It was recommended that the teachers should take their students' learning preferences into account when designing learning opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Faculty evaluation is essential as a principle in educational organizations because it helps measure the quantity and quality of education in universities and educational institutions. There are various ambiguities regarding the desirable and deserving characteristics of a good teacher. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of investigating factors affecting the evaluation of teachers' medical universities from the perspective of students. Methods: A systematic review study was conducted by searching for studies in both Persian and English languages from 2014 to 2022 in the following databases: Pubmed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect, Magiran, SID, Iran Doc using keywords including Evaluation, Assessment, Estimate, Appraisement, Appraisal, Faculty Member, Professor, University, and College, as well as their MeSH equivalents, using "AND" and "OR" operators. The results of the articles about investigating factors affecting the evaluation of teachers' medical universities from the perspective of students were reviewed, summarized, and reported. Results: In the initial search, 3949 articles were found, and after evaluation, finally 21 articles were included in the systematic review. Based on the findings, investigating factors affecting the evaluation of teachers' medical universities from the perspective of 130,187 students can be categorized into 6 dimensions and 53 components. These dimensions include individual and professional characteristics of the educational system, attitude within the educational system, educational programs and guides, teaching methodology, internal coherence of educational resources, and evaluation system information. Conclusion: The results of the articles about investigating factors affecting the evaluation of teachers' medical universities from the perspective of students were reviewed, summarized, and reported. It is necessary to pay attention to the factors affecting the evaluation of teachers in the recruitment of faculty members. Additionally, by holding practical training workshops with consideration of various dimensions that have an impact on faculty evaluation and student learning, it is possible to enhance the expertise of faculty members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The evaluation of e-learning systems ensures the provision of quality training. The goal was to identify the perspectives of teachers and students on e-learning in medical education during the COVID-19 pandemic at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS), Iran. Methods: This study utilized a convergent mixed methods research design with a two-phase approach to collect and analyze data between June and August 2022. In the first stage, a cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted to evaluate the quality of e-learning systems from the perspective of 400 students. In the second stage, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 virtual education professors and 10 student representatives to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of virtual education. A validated questionnaire was administered to assess the quality of the e-learning system, and data were analyzed using SPSS-21. Qualitative data were subjected to content analysis. Results: Our findings revealed that the student support system, the course structure, and the infrastructure and technology subscales' mean scores were significantly higher than the average level (P < 0.001). However, the professors' methods of teaching and learning strategies were unsatisfactory. The results of the present study showed that the evaluation mean score was significantly higher among, younger, female, and undergraduate students. Virtual education has strengths and weaknesses, and innovative approaches are needed to enhance student engagement. The lack of appropriate infrastructure and virtual teaching tools for teachers and students is a significant challenge that needs to be addressed. Blended learning is effective in medical education, and the shift from teacher-centered to learner-centered teaching approaches is an opportunity to explore innovative teaching approaches. Conclusion: From the perspective of students, the quality of eLearning systems at the universities was moderate. Virtual education offers both benefits and drawbacks, and there is a requirement for innovative solutions to enhance student engagement and lessen boredom. [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]

Background and Aims: With the advancement of technology, the use of old teaching methods has been replaced by new and more efficient methods such as podcasts, to save the time of students and professors and to provide the opportunity for these two groups to interact more with be given to each other in the classroom. This method has advantages such as lower cost, the possibility of content courses, downloading content, and learning courses remotely. This study aimed to investigate the other benefits of this method as well as the level of students' satisfaction. Materials and Methods: In this study, which was a randomized, single-blind educational trial, the students at Dental School of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences were divided into two control and intervention groups (via a random number table), with 37 persons in each group. The classroom was held traditionally for both groups in 3 sessions and the podcast file was provided to the intervention group at the end of the session. Then, a test was taken from both groups at the second and third sessions. The students' answers were evaluated and each score was determined out of 5. The scores of this test were compared in the intervention and control groups. Finally, a questionnaire was provided to students to evaluate their satisfaction. The test scores were analyzed by independent T-test. Results: In this study, with 74 participants, the average age was 22.47±0.85, and 43% of the participants were male. The scores of the two tests taken out of five were 4.86±0.10 in the intervention group and 4.04±0.94 in the control group, and a significant statistical difference was observed in favor of the intervention group (P=0.02). The average satisfaction of students regarding this educational method was 29.4 out of 50. After taking into account the confounding effect of age, the investigated intervention did not affect the average score of the students' questionnaire (P=0.031). Conclusion: According to the findings of the present study, podcasts could be effective in students' learning and students had a positive attitude towards this method. The results of this study can be used as a feedback to the educational committees of the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education. [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]

Introduction: It seems that education focusing on the perceived threat is effective in informing people about water scarcity. Therefore, due to the position of educated people as role models in society, the present study aimed to assess the effect of education based on the perceived threat on water conservation behavior of students of Behbahan Faculty of Medical Sciences. Material & Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 62 operating room students of Behbahan Faculty of Medical Science in the academic year of 2017- 2018, selected via multistage random sampling. The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire assessing demographic characteristics, perceived threats, and water conservation behavior which was completed by students before the intervention. Thereafter, written and visual messages based on the perceived threat were prepared and presented in PowerPoint format with the cooperation of professors for four sessions in the last minutes of the classroom, and an opportunity was given for group discussion and exchange of opinions. In addition, message posters were installed in appropriate places, such as restrooms, and were sent to students using the SMS system. Two months later, the questionnaires were completed again. The data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 15) using the Paired t-test, Covariance analysis, and Pearson correlation coefficient. A p-value less than 0<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean age of participants was 20.61±1.32 years. There were 32 (51.6%) female and 30 (48.4%) male students. Before the training, the mean water conservation behaviors, susceptibility, and severity scores were 47.98±16.36, 61.74±21.23, and 59.03±21.09, respectively. After training, the aforementioned mean scores increased significantly to 77.55±14.59, 86±0.54, and 83.38±8.53, and there was a significant relationship between the variables (P<0.05). Discussion & Conclusion: The education caused an increase in students' perceived threat to the water shortage crisis and promoted water conservation behavior. It is suggested that similar studies be carried out in other groups to check the generalizability of the results at the community level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Body dysmorphic disorder can have detrimental effects on academic achievement and constructive activities in the lives of adolescents. Aim: This research aims to predict body dysmorphic disorder based on personality traits and cognitive distortions, with the mediating role of emotional regulation difficulty in female students. Method: The research employs a descriptive and correlational approach, relying on a structural model and path analysis. The population includes all female students aged 14 to 18 in Sanandaj during the academic year 2022-2023. A sample of 210 individuals was selected through convenience sampling, responding to questionnaires on emotional regulation difficulties (2004), personality traits (1992), cognitive distortions (2009), and body dysmorphic disorder (2013). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 26 and Amos version 26. Results: The results showed that the model predicting body dysmorphic disorder based on the research variables had a good fit. Cognitive distortions (p < 0.01, t = 5.44), neuroticism (p < 0.01, t = 5.99), and emotional regulation difficulty (p < 0.01, t = 3.92) had direct positive and significant effects. Extraversion (p < 0.01, t = -4.71) and conscientiousness (p < 0.01, t = -3.41) had direct negative and significant effects on body dysmorphic disorder. Additionally, the indirect effect of cognitive distortions (p < 0.05, β = 0.059), neuroticism (p < 0.05, β = 0.041), and extraversion (p < 0.05, β = -0.068) on body dysmorphic disorder through the mediation of emotional regulation difficulty was significant. Conclusion: Based on the results of neuroticism cognitive distortions are significant factors influencing body dysmorphic disorder. Therefore, it is recommended that school counselors conduct training courses addressing cognitive distortions, improving neuroticism, and enhancing emotional management skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Spatial ability and response inhibition skills are essential for cognition, learning, and success in both school and life. Aim: The aim of this research was to examine the effectiveness of a cognitive-emotional empowerment educational package on the spatial ability and response inhibition of female students. Method: A semi-experimental design with pre-test, post-test, and follow-up was employed, including a control group. The population consisted of all sixth-grade female students in Tehran during the academic year 1400-1401. A sample of 30 individuals was selected, and they were assigned to control and experimental groups. The experimental group received a cognitiveemotional empowerment educational package for 12 sessions of 45 minutes each week, while the control group did not receive any intervention. Research tools included forward matrices (Raven, 1956) and go/no-go test (Gordon and Karamaza, 1982). The research data were analyzed using SPSS version 24 and repeated measures analysis of variance. Results: Data analysis revealed a significant difference in the mean scores of spatial ability and response inhibition between the experimental and control groups in pre-test and post- test stages (p < 0.05). The effect size of cognitive-emotional empowerment on spatial ability and response inhibition was estimated at 0.133 and 0.139, respectively. Conclusion: Based on the results, the cognitive-emotional empowerment educational package led to an improvement in the spatial ability and response inhibition of students. Therefore, it is recommended to use this intervention as an educational method to enhance the spatial ability and response inhibition of children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Socialization and the ability to interact with others is essential. Healthy social growth requires the natural and healthy development of personality and learning social skills. Storytelling is a great way to help intellectual development in children. This study aims to investigate the effect of storytelling on the social-emotional skills of primary school male students in Iran. Methods This is a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test/post-test/follow-up design. The study population included all 12-year-old primary school male students in Tehran (educational district 1) in 2019-2020. Using a purposive sampling method, 40 eligible students were selected and randomly assigned to intervention (n=20) and control (n=20) groups. The intervention group received the storytelling program at 14 sessions of 30 minutes, two sessions per week. The Social-Emotional and Character Development Scale was used to collect the data, which was completed by the students. Analysis of covariance was used to analyze the data. Results There was a significant difference between the two groups in social-emotional skills (P<0.05). The scores increased in the intervention group after storytelling. In the two-month follow-up phase, the changes were stable. Conclusion Storytelling is an effective way to increase primary school male students' social-emotional skills and can be used in educational settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Pandemics and subsequent lockdowns can profoundly impact the mental well-being of college students. This study aimed to assess the extent of mental health challenges among college students during the initial COVID-19 lockdown in Iran, while also identifying associated factors. Material & Methods: Conducted as an online cross-sectional study, data were gathered during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Iran (between March 21,2020, and April 21, 2020). A total of 330 college students participated in an online survey, addressing questions across two parts. The first part encompassed demographic information such as age, gender, marital status, residency status, field of study, academic year, history of COVID-19 infection, presence of COVID-19-infected relatives, and adherence to a regular study schedule. In the second part, students completed the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28). Descriptive and linear regression analyses were employed for data analysis. Results: Among participants, 38.6% reported probable somatic symptoms, 41.8% reported probable anxiety symptoms and sleep disturbances, 91% indicated potential issues with social functioning, and 23.9% reported probable depressive symptoms. Overall, 57.9% experienced potential psychological distress. Notably, adherence to a regular study routine (ß = -0.396) emerged as a negative predictor for potential psychological distress, whereas having COVID-19-infected loved ones (ß = 0.159) was identified as a positive predictor. Conclusion: The prevalence of probable somatic symptoms, anxiety, sleep problems, social functioning issues, depressive symptoms, and overall psychological distress was notably high among college students during the initial COVID-19 lockdown. However, maintaining a consistent study schedule, being married, and older age were associated with lower levels of potential psychological distress. Additionally, having loved ones infected with COVID-19 emerged as a risk factor for probable mental health challenges. [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]

Objective: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of work and technology projects in developing the scientific skills of middle school students, according to the Fundamental Transformation Document of Education (Iran). The field has evolved from technical and professional education to modern technology education due to social, economic, and technological changes. The focus is based on the 20-year vision document and the Fundamental Transformation Document of Education. Methods: The research was carried out using a qualitative method and an inductive coding system. The studied population consisted of managers, students, and teachers of the first secondary level in Hormozgan province, Iran. Sampling was done using the purposeful sampling method, following the principles of saturation and maximum diversity, which reached saturation with 15 people. Results: The research reveals mixed opinions on the effectiveness of work and technology projects in enhancing students' scientific skills. Five scientific fields are needed to improve students' skills: technology, financial, ethical, motivational, and artistic. The fundamental transformation document of education focuses on work and technology projects. However, teachers often avoid using these projects due to a lack of facilities, inappropriateness, academic weakness, and lack of motivation. Conclusions: Considering the impact of work and technology projects on the skills training dimension of the education system, it is necessary to analyze the situation of teachers across the province and the country by using the components introduced in this research and, on the other hand, to examine the context of including expressions and concepts that empower work and technology teachers in the content of the educational and training management program. [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: Examining the reflective capacity in medical students is a principal step for the development of effective educational strategies to improve it. Reflection scales available in Iran are inadequate due to the lack of focus on students' willingness and tendency to participate in reflection. This study aimed at translation and psychometric evaluation of "Reflective Capacity Scale" in Iranian medical education. Methods: This methodological research was completed in two parts: translation and psychometric evaluation. After getting permission from the main developer of the tool, the translation process was done based on Polit and Yang model in Persian language. Then, face validity and content validity of the tool were established using a qualitative method. Construct validity was surveyed with exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis via completing the questionnaire by 320 medical students, who were selected using convenience sampling. The reliability of the tool was also checked with two methods of internal consistency and stability. The gleaned data were analyzed with SPSS20 and AMOS. Results: "Reflective Capacity Scale" includes 16 items that were retained after cross-cultural translation. Face validity and content validity were acceptable. By performing exploratory factor analysis, four factors were identified that accounted for 63.79% of the total variance. In the confirmatory factor analysis, the values of the fit indices confirmed the appropriate fit of the model. The internal consistency reliability of the whole tool was equal to 0.83 and the intra-class correlation coefficient was equal to 0.98. Conclusion: The translated and validated "Reflective Capacity Scale" provides a robust tool for assessing reflective capacity among Iranian medical students. Its validity and reliability underscore its potential for measuring the reflective capacity of medical 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]

This study was conducted to investigate the diverse perspectives of English for Specific Purposes Needs of M.A students of Sports Science in Iran based on their language learning needs. A total of 40 male and female students majoring in Sports Science as well as 4 subject instructors who taught ESP at the Sports Science Departments of the universities, took part in the study. The researchers employed a qualitative-quantitative research method encompassing two data-gathering tools: a questionnaire and an interview. Two sets of needs analysis questionnaires were used in this study: the students' questionnaire and ESP instructors' questionnaire. Prior to using students' questionnaire and ESP instructors' questionnaire for data collection, the questionnaires were piloted and validated. The verbal (tape-recorded) data of the semi-structured interviews were analyzed using descriptive statistics. They were thematically categorized to approve the participants' reactions to the related items in the questionnaires. Based on what was revealed by the results, the M.A students of Sports Science often lacked the knowledge and key skills needed in their target language knowledge after graduation. They frequently discover themselves incapable of utilizing what they have learned practically. Additionally, ESP instructors expressed that they were also disappointed with the students' poor writing ability at M.A level. The findings also demonstrated that reading and writing, followed by speaking and listening, were individually recognized as the most vital skills by the participants. Furthermore, the participants expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of translation, writing, and grammar exercises, interesting topics, and pictures in ESP materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Prevention of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) requires proper awareness and attitude towards the disease, and ways of transmission and prevention. This study aimed to investigate the awareness and attitude of students at Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences and University of Kurdistan towards AIDS in 2020. Material and methods: This was cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical study. The study population was students at Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences (MUK) and University of Kurdistan (UOK) in 2020. 369 students were selected based on relative sampling. Data collection tool was international AIDS questionnaire (IAQ). Independent t-test and analysis of variance were applied for analysis. Results: The total IAQ score among students of MUK (75.38 ± 7.66) was higher than that of UOK students (71.17 ± 8.52) (p = 0.023). Although the total score in men (74.04 ± 8.14) was slightly higher than women (72.71 ± 8.50), there was no significant difference (p = 0.13). The difference in the scores of students living in single house with students living with their parents (p = 0.002) and students living in dormitories (p = 0.006) was statistically significant. The average score of undergraduates was the lowest, and doctorates the highest (p = 0.035). Conclusions: In light of the need to increase the awareness of ways of AIDS transmission, and appropriate attitudes towards people living with HIV/AIDS, with a focus on non-medical students, schemes should be designed and implemented to raise awareness and attitudes among people. [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]

Background: One of the basic necessities for fostering innovation in nursing students is to study the level of individual innovation using an appropriate tool. This study was conducted with the aim of translation and psychometric analysis of 20-item individual innovativeness scale (IIS) developed by Hurt et al., among Iranian nursing students. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 140 nursing students between September 2020 and June 2021 in one of the southern cities of Iran. IIS was translated through forward-backward method, and its face validity and content validity were examined quantitatively and qualitatively. Then, its construct validity was measured by exploratory factor analysis, and its stability and internal consistency were examined. Results: The evidence of qualitative face validity and content validity of IIS were observed. The impact score was higher than 1.5, content validity ratio was between 0.6 and 1, content validity index was between 0.8 and 1, and SCVI-Average was 0.91. Based on exploratory factor analysis, three sub-scales were extracted that explained 55.49% of the changes in the questions. Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient were 0.880 and 0.949, respectively. Conclusion: The Persian version of IIS had acceptable validity and reliability. Therefore, it can be used to assess the level of individual innovation among nursing students and planning interventions in this field. In addition, nursing education researchers can also use this tool for descriptive and interventional studies in the field of individual innovation in nursing students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the effect of a family-based sensory diet on the symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in students. Methods: This study was conducted using a quasi-experimental method with a control group and a pre-test and post-test design. The statistical population included all children with ADHD between the ages of 6 and 12 years who were referred to the Hasti, Bahar, and Masir Sabz clinics in Tehran City, Iran in 2021. Using the convenience sampling technique, 30 kids were selected and randomly divided into the experimental and control groups. The Wilbarger sensory protocol was used in the experimental group, which underwent a family-based sensory diet intervention (3 times a week, 45 minutes per session). The Conners’ parent form scale and the Wechsler intelligence scale for children 4th edition (WISC-IV) were used to measure the study variables. The SPSS software, version 20 was used to conduct the statistical tests, which included the analysis of covariance. Results: The results of the covariance analysis showed that the family-based sensory diet program had a substantial impact on the mean post-test scores for the two groups (P=0.001). Discussion: For students with attention deficit, hyperactivity disorder, and impulsivity caused by ADHD, implementing a family-based sensory diet can be useful in lowering these symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transitioning from fossil to renewable energy is a global challenge, especially for countries with large fossil-fuel reserves and exports, such as Iran. This study analyses agricultural students' knowledge of, attitudes toward, and perceptions of renewable energies in the agriculture sector in Guilan Province in Iran. The research was based on a structured questionnaire comprising three sections: (i) respondents' socio-demographics; (ii) practicality and relevance of academic material and curriculum; and (iii) respondents' knowledge of and attitudes and perceptions toward renewable energies in agriculture. The results showed that students' attitudes regarding renewable energies ranked highest, and their perception was lowest. The results also showed a positive and significant relationship between the respondents' knowledge, marital status, age, and level of education. Moreover, respondents' age and educational level significantly impacted their attitudes. Cluster analysis divided students' behavior into three different clusters. These clusters were most affected by attitude. In clustering students' behavior towards using renewable energies, 38.5%, 33.5%, and 28% of respondents were positioned in the first, third, and second clusters, respectively. This is a pioneering study analyzing agricultural students' behavior regarding renewable energies in agriculture in Guilan Province, Iran. The results of this study can assist agricultural organizations, politicians in the field of energy, and local authorities in promoting sustainable energy in Guilan Province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]