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The present study was carried out to determine the predictors of women's sexual quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 536 married women participated in a cross-sectional study utilizing convenience online sampling. Data were collected using a battery of psychometric scales and analyzed using stepwise multivariable linear regression. There was no significant difference in the female sexual quality of life based on COVID-19 infectious status (p = 0.92). Having independent living conditions (β = 0.49), less psychological distress (β = –0.42), higher frequency of monthly sexual intercourse (β = 0.20), and less sexual distress (β = –0.14) were significant predictors of good sexual quality of life among females. The findings indicate that reducing psychological and sexual distress would likely improve women's sexual quality of life. In survey of 536 married women, no significant difference was found in the female sexual quality of life based on COVID-19 infectious status. Having independent living conditions, less psychological distress, higher frequency of monthly sexual intercourse, and less sexual distress were significant predictors of their good sexual quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual assertiveness and explicit conversations about sex between couples are influenced by variety of individual, cultural, and social factors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the predictors of sexual assertiveness in a sample of Iranian married women of reproductive age. In this cross-sectional study, 276 married women of reproductive age participated from October 2018 to March 2019. Sampling was done in two stages. Data were collected using demographic questionnaires, Hulbert sexual assertiveness scale, and Spanier dyadic adjustment scale. Univariate and multivariate linear regression models via ENTER method through SPSS (version 25) software were performed. The mean age of participants was 31.44 years old with the mean marriage duration of 119.59 months. The mean score of participants' sexual assertiveness was 57.31. The results of the multivariate regression model showed that marital adjustment (B = 0.46, SE = 0.06, β = 0.5, 95% CI = 0.35, 0.57) was the only significant predictors of sexual assertiveness explaining 30% of the variance, in married women of reproductive age. Due to important predictive role of marital adjustment, more attention should be given to couples adjustment to improve sexual assertiveness. In addition, this model explained only 30% of the variance in the concept of sexual assertiveness, so it is necessary to identify other factors affecting women's sexual assertiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cross-sectional study with a convenience sample of 241 patients with breast cancer was conducted to investigate death depression and its explanatory factors in Iranian women who were diagnosed and undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Patients with significantly higher death depression were those who were housewives (β = 0.6, p = 0.016), unskilled workers (β = 15.8, p = 0.002), and retired (β = 13.1, p = 0.002) as compared with those who were professionally employed with higher socio-economic status (β = 17.4, p = 0.002); and those receiving combination therapy as compared to surgery only (β = 6.3, p = 0.02). For patients with higher spiritual health scores, death depression was significantly lower (β = −0.2, p < 0.001). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined the relationship between sexual satisfaction (SS) and cognitive schemas activated in sexual context. In a cross-sectional study, the participants comprised 313 Iranian married women (mean age of 36.7 years and mean marriage duration of 12.4 years). Data were collected utilizing an online survey comprising the Index of Sexual Satisfaction, the Cognitive Schema Activated in Sexual Context Questionnaire, and a number of sociodemographic questions. A linear regression model utilizing the stepwise method was performed. The mean score of cognitive schemas relating to sexual problems was 35.56 (out of 140; SD = 14.68) with the highest mean in the Difference/Loneliness subscale (higher scores indicating greater negative schema activation). The mean score of sexual satisfaction on the ISS was 96.80 (out of 125; SD = 16.77). The highest scores of cognitive schemas relating to sexual problems were observed among individuals with low sexual satisfaction. Based on a multivariable linear regression model, age (β = 0.33), spouse social support (β = 0.23), and spouse job (β = 0.21) had the highest regression coefficients in relation to sexual satisfaction among Iranian married women. Cognitive schemas activated in a sexual context were strongly and significantly associated with sexual satisfaction among Iranian married women of reproductive age. The findings suggest that schema therapy techniques be used alongside initiatives to promote spouse social support to help prevent problematic sexual cognitive schemas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: More than half of the population of women suffer from cyclic mastalgia which can interfere with women's sexual function and affect their sexual satisfaction. The current study was conducted to determine the effect of sexual counseling on sexual satisfaction in women with cyclic mastalgia. Materials and Methods: This randomized controlled trial study was performed on 81 women with cyclic mastalgia. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups of intervention (n = 40) and control (n = 41). Intervention was performed as Permission, Limited information, Specific suggestions, Intensive therapy (PLISSIT) sex counseling in four sessions for a maximum of 90 min in the intervention group. The demographic checklist and Index of Sexual Satisfaction (ISS) were used for data collection. Follow-up was performed 1 and 3 months after the intervention. The obtained data were analyzed using repeated-measures test. Results: The intervention and control groups were in good balance in terms of demographic characteristics and sexual satisfaction scores prior to the intervention and no statistically significant differences were observed. There was a statistically significant increase in the mean (SD) score of female sexual satisfaction in the intervention group: 93 (12.52), 101.15 (7.70),101.37 (5.31), (F(1,39) = 27.4, p < 0.001). We also observed a decrease in the mean (SD) score of sexual satisfaction in the control group: 93.39 (13.12), 90.68 (8.41), 90.85 (6.57), (F(1,40) = 11.9, p < 0.001) 1 and 3 months following the intervention. Conclusions: This study revealed that individual counseling by PLISSIT sex counseling could lead to improvement in sexual satisfaction index in women with cyclic breast pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the predictive factors of receiving spousal support in the postpartum period and its relationship with postpartum depression (PPD). Methods: This cross‐sectional study was conducted between January and May 2019 in 250 primiparous women to determine the predictors of spousal social support in the postpartum period. Three scales were used to collect data: The Demographic and Obstetric Checklist, the Postpartum Partner Support Scale, and the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale. Results: Multivariate regression showed that the employment status of the spouse and life satisfaction variables were predictive of whether social support was received from a spouse in the postpartum period. In total, the variables examined in this model explained 19% of the variance for a mother receiving spousal social support in the postpartum period. PPD and spousal social support had a moderately inverse and significant correlation (β = –0.39). Conclusion: Life satisfaction and employment of the spouse are important predictive variables for receiving social support of the spouse in the postpartum period. There is also a significant inverse relationship between PPD and spousal social support. Synopsis: Life satisfaction and spousal employment are important predictors of partner support. Postpartum depression and spousal support are inversly related. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Physiological changes in menopause can affect women's health. Women's lifestyle is one of the most important factors affecting their health at this time. However, women do not have sufficient knowledge of healthpromoting behaviors and do not receive the necessary training in this area. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of health promoting lifestyle training on health promoting behaviors in postmenopausal women. Materials and Methods: The present study was a randomized controlled clinical trial. 84 women referred to health centers of Qazvin (Iran) were selected by convenience sampling and were randomly divided into two groups of 42 intervention and control groups. Data collection tools included demographic questionnaire and HPLP II questionnaire. Both groups before intervention completed questionnaires. Intervention consisted of 4 sessions of lecture-based group training with presentation of slides, booklets, pamphlets and six areas of health promoting lifestyle questionnaire. The Health Promoting Lifestyle Questionnaire was evaluated in two groups one month, two months and three months after the intervention. Results: There was no significant difference between the intervention and control groups regarding the distribution of individual variables. According to the results of the three follow-up periods, it was found that the difference between the groups was significant in terms of changes in mean life style. Mean score of health promoting lifestyle in the experimental group (2.72 ± 0.37 before intervention), (one month after intervention 3.12 ± 0.45), (two months after intervention 3.43 ± 0.068), (3 months after intervention 3.45± 0.7). This result indicated the positive impact of the intervention mentioned. Mean score of health promoting lifestyle in control group (2.7 ± 0.43 before intervention), (one month after intervention 2.9 ± 0.46), (two months after intervention 2.76 ±.069), (three months after the intervention was 2.75 ± 0.71). This indicates that mean life style scores increased significantly in the experimental group during the measurement times but remained unchanged in the control group (P<0.05). This demonstrates the long-term effects of a significant increase in the health-promoting lifestyle over time. Remarkably, the highest increase was in physical activity and the least in health responsibility. Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that health promoting lifestyle-training intervention is effective on health promotion behaviors of postmenopausal women. Therefore, this intervention is recommended as a simple, practical and low cost educational method for postmenopausal women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim The goal of the present study is to adopt state-of-the-art techniques and standards to develop and evaluate a measure, called the opposite-sex relationship questionnaire for female adolescents (OSRQFA), to assess the reasons why adolescent girls would or would not develop, a relationship with an adolescent boy. Methods A mixed-method, sequential, exploratory design was adopted. In the qualitative phase, an in-depth interview approach was used to identify the properties and dimensions to be included in the OSRQFA. In the quantitative phase, the psychometric properties of the OSRQFA were evaluated according to face, content and construct validity. Reliability and stability were assessed with Cronbach's α and test-retest analysis, respectively. Results A preliminary questionnaire including 86 items which emerged from the qualitative phase of the study was designed. Based on the impact scores for face validity and the cutoff points for the content validity ratio (CVR) and content validity index (CVI), the preliminary questionnaire was reduced to 57 items. The Kaiser criteria (eigenvalues >1) and scree plot tests demonstrated that 21 items forming six factors, which were labeled 'innate predilection', 'abstinence', 'peer pressure', 'fear of the relationship consequences', 'family atmosphere' and 'risk taking', that accounted for an estimated 66.19% of variance provided an optimal fit with the data. These scales had acceptable levels of internal consistency (α = 0.822) and stability (r = 0.871, p < 0.001). Conclusion The OSRQFA with 21 items and 6 factors demonstrated suitable validity and reliability in a sample of Iranian female adolescents. The OSRQFA's has good psychometric properties, and can be used by other researchers in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Pregnancy and childbirth is one of the most important events in women's life, which can have significant effects on women's lives. Among these complications, gestational diabetes can be associated with physical and psychological consequences. Understanding the understanding of the disease has a predictive value in improving the health behaviors of patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of self-regulation theory based educational intervention on perceived stress in women with gestational diabetes. Materials and Methods: This study was a randomized controlled clinical trial. Samples were selected from women with gestational diabetes in the prenatal ward of Alzahra hospital in Rasht (March 2018 to September 2018). Demographic characteristics and perceived stress questionnaires were completed in both groups. In the intervention group, the educational intervention was based on perception of the disease individually in 3 sessions daily. After the intervention and 4 weeks after the intervention, the perceived stress questionnaire was completed in both groups again. Results: Before intervention, there was no significant difference between demographic characteristics and perceived stress in the two groups (p=0.65). Immediately after the intervention (p<0.001) and one month after the intervention, the perceived stress scores of the experimental group (18.5±3.24) compared to the control group (23.20±7.87) were significantly decreased (p<0.002). Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that self-regulation model based educational intervention can decrease the perceived stress of women with gestational diabetes. Therefore, this intervention is recommended as a useful, easy and low cost method for women with gestational diabetes to reduce stress in them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This research examines whether or not socio-demographic factors and hope predict death anxiety among patients with heart disease. Materials and Methods: Our sample consisted of 500 respondents who were hospitalized in a medical institution in Iran. Data were collected using the Templer Death Anxiety Scale (TDAS) and the Herth Hope Index (HHI). Results: The results of current study indicated that higher economic status, having one's main source of income from friends, increased age, increased religious belief, and increased hope were associated with lower death anxiety. Conclusion: These results highlight that improving hope, and religiosity among cardiac patients may be an effective means by which to reduce their death anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Adolescence is a developmental period often associated with high-risk behaviors. While some risk-taking behavior is considered normative in adolescents, research has indicated an association between risky behaviors and mental ill-health. The current research aimed to examine the relationship between anxiety and depression with the occurrence of high-risk behaviors in adolescents and also determine the predictive factors of these main variables. Methods A descriptive, cross-sectional, correlational design was used to collect data from 399 adolescents between the ages of 14 and 19 residing in Qazvin, Iran using the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) and the Iranian Adolescents Risk-taking Scale (IARS) between the period of October and November 2015. Data analysis included descriptive and inferential statistics powered by SPSS (v. 23). Results Mean scores for anxiety, depression and risky behaviors were 37.70 ± 21.11 and 80.76 ± 31.30, respectively. Participants' frequency of suicidal thoughts (β = 0.126, p < 0.05) positively predicted anxiety and depression, while age (β = -0.126, p < 0.01) and self-confidence (β = -0.307, p < 0.001) negatively predicted anxiety and depression. Moreover, having friends that smoke (β = 0.366, p < 0.001), suicidal thoughts (β = 0.127, p < 0.01), and the strength of suicidal thoughts (β = 0.100, p < 0.05) were positive predictors of occurrence of risky behaviors. Furthermore, religious belief (β = -0.204, p < 0.001) negatively predicted occurrence of risky behaviors in Iranian adolescents. Male respondents were more likely to have higher level of occurrence of risky behaviors than females (β = -0.193, p < 0.001). Conclusion Findings of the present study suggest that anxiety and depression positively and significantly predict the occurrence of risky behaviors in addition to having friends that smoke, suicidal thoughts, and strong suicidal thinking. The implications of these findings have relevance for screening, prevention, and treatment interventions targeting mental health in adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]