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PEERS® for Adolescents is an evidence-based social skills intervention for autistic youth and adolescents with other social challenges. Objective: To examine the effectiveness of the PEERS intervention in Pakistani adolescents with ASD. Methods: Total 98 parents (Mage = 41.60, SD = 3.90), and 63 teachers (Mean age = 36.63, SD = 7.80) of 98 adolescents (Mean age = 14.39, SD = 1.80) with ASD were recruited from two schools of Islamabad and one school of Rawalpindi via purposive sampling. Results: Findings demonstrated significant improvements in social skills knowledge of adolescents with adopted PEERS, F (1, 93) = 36.38, p

PurposeThis study examines how team-level mediating mechanisms (i.e. team psychological safety and team helping behaviour) facilitate the relationship between employees' ingratiation and performance ratings.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected from 180 customer service teams working in Pakistan's hospitality industry through multiple sources using a paper and pencil questionnaire.FindingsThe multi-level structural equation modelling results showed that team psychological safety and helping behaviour fully mediated the relationship between ingratiation and performance ratings.Practical implicationsThe study has offered some implications for theory and practices.Originality/valueThis study showed that ingratiation might be a helpful impression management tool within a team context. Such an influence technique nurtures a psychologically safe climate and encourages peers to help each other perform mutual tasks within the hospitality context.

Mathematical literacy is one of the eminent skills in the learning process in the 21st century. However, the mathematical skills of Junior High School students in Indonesia need some improvement. This study aims to develop a test of mathematical literacy based on the integration of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and Project-based Learning (PjBL). The study involved research and development using the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation model (ADDIE). The results showed that the developed mathematical literacy test based on STEM-PjBL is valid and practical to be implemented by the expert validator. Moreover, the construct validity through implementation in the classroom obtained the result that the instrument is valid and reliable. This instrument is expected to be disseminated to the wider population to accustom the students to the problem embedded in project-based learning and STEM activities. Keywords: Mathematical Literacy; Instrument Test; STEM-PjBL; ADDIE Model

Love is a worldwide known phenomenon that affects many aspects of human life, including considering a romantic partner with whom to bond. Thus, developing a reliable and valid measure of love experiences is crucial. One of the most popular tools to test love levels is Sternberg's 45-item Triangular Love Scale (TLS-45), which measures three love components: Intimacy, Passion, and Commitment. However, our literature review reveals that the majority of studies (64%) use a broad variety of shortened versions of the TLS-45. To achieve scientific consensus and improve the reliability, comparability, and generalizability of results across studies, here, we develop a short version of the scale–the TLS-15–which contains 15 items with a 5-point rather than 9-point response scale. In Study 1 (N = 7,332), we re-analyzed secondary data from a large-scale multinational study that validated the original TLS-45 to establish whether the scale could be truncated. In Study 2 (N = 307), we provided evidence for the three-factor structure of the TLS-15 and its reliability. Study 3 (N = 413) confirmed convergent validity and test-retest stability of the TLS-15. Study 4 (N = 60,311) presented a large-scale validation across 37 linguistic versions of the TLS-15 on a cross-cultural sample spanning every continent of the globe. The overall results provided support for the reliability, validity, and cross-cultural invariance of the TLS-15, which could be used as a measure of love components–separately or jointly as a three-factor measure.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the incidence of anxiety and depression among AMI patients during COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan. Material & Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted from February 27 to June 2, 2020, at the Cardiology ward of Dera Ghazi Khan Teaching Hospital. Total 611 patients selected through convenience sampling. The patients were requested to respond to Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and demographic information. An independent samples t test was applied for comparisons. Results: Patients’ age was ranging from 41 to 79 years, with a mean age of 52.35 ± 5.12. There was a high frequency of anxiety (51.72%) and depression (34.86%) among AMI patients. A significant difference was observed in the level of anxiety (p = 0.001) and depression (p = 0.000) among male and female patients. Conclusion: The present study findings affirmed that increased level of anxiety and depression are prevalent in AMI patients. Additionally, both anxiety and depressive symptoms were more common in female patients. Keywords: COVID-19, Anxiety, Depression, Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI).

Background:Social anxiety is common among adolescents in Pakistan and is associated with low self-esteem. Among the recommended treatments, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is effective, and self-help approaches are encouraged.Aim:To determine the effectiveness of culturally adapted CBT-based guided self-help (CACBT-GSH) intervention, using a manual ‘Khushi aur Khatoon’, for treating social anxiety when added to treatment as usual (TAU) compared with TAU only.Method:A total of 76 adolescents with social anxiety aged 13–16 years from six schools in Multan, Pakistan were recruited into this randomized controlled trial. Participants were divided into intervention and control groups in a 1:1 ratio. Social anxiety, self-esteem and fear of negative evaluation were assessed through the Liebowtiz Social Anxiety Scale for children and adolescents, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation, respectively, at baseline and at the end of the study. Guided self-help using culturally adapted CBT (CACBT)-based self-help manual (eight sessions, one session per week) was provided to the intervention group. The effect of the CACBT-GSH intervention was analysed with ANCOVA.Results:There was a statistically significant difference between the intervention and the control groups in favour of intervention. Participants in the intervention group showed reduced symptoms of social anxiety (p < .001), fear of negative evaluation (p < .001) and enhanced self-esteem (p < .001).Conclusion:The study demonstrated the effectiveness of CACBT-based guided self-help intervention in treating social anxiety and addressing the symptoms associated with it.

The present study is a pilot study to examine the initial effectiveness of the Support for Students Exposed to Trauma (SSET) program (Jaycox et al. in Support for Students Exposed to Trauma: the SSET program. Lesson plans, worksheets, and materials. TR-675, RAND, Santa Monica, CA, 2009) in reducing PTSD symptoms and building resilience and social support among children living in flood-affected rural areas of Southern Punjab, Pakistan. One hundred and ninety-three children were screened for symptoms of post-traumatic stress, and 38% met eligibility criteria. Children were then randomly assigned into experimental (n = 38) and control (n = 37) groups. The findings of the study showed a significant reduction in PTSD symptoms, and improvement in resilience, and perceived social support in the experimental group. The result of the study demonstrates that SSET, delivered by a clinically trained provider, may be an effective intervention for treating traumatic stress symptoms among children affected by natural disasters like flooding, particularly in under-resourced contexts. This pilot lays the initial groundwork for SSET in this context, which may ultimately be implemented by non-clinicians to address trauma-related psychological issues.

People across the world and throughout history have gone to great lengths to enhance their physical appearance. Evolutionary psychologists and ethologists have largely attempted to explain this phenomenon via mating preferences and strategies. Here, we test one of the most popular evolutionary hypotheses for beauty-enhancing behaviors, drawn from mating market and parasite stress perspectives, in a large cross-cultural sample. We also test hypotheses drawn from other influential and non-mutually exclusive theoretical frameworks, from biosocial role theory to a cultural media perspective. Survey data from 93,158 human participants across 93 countries provide evidence that behaviors such as applying makeup or using other cosmetics, hair grooming, clothing style, caring for body hygiene, and exercising or following a specific diet for the specific purpose of improving ones physical attractiveness, are universal. Indeed, 99% of participants reported spending >10 min a day performing beauty-enhancing behaviors. The results largely support evolutionary hypotheses: more time was spent enhancing beauty by women (almost 4 h a day, on average) than by men (3.6 h a day), by the youngest participants (and contrary to predictions, also the oldest), by those with a relatively more severe history of infectious diseases, and by participants currently dating compared to those in established relationships. The strongest predictor of attractiveness-enhancing behaviors was social media usage. Other predictors, in order of effect size, included adhering to traditional gender roles, residing in countries with less gender equality, considering oneself as highly attractive or, conversely, highly unattractive, TV watching time, higher socioeconomic status, right-wing political beliefs, a lower level of education, and personal individualistic attitudes. This study provides novel insight into universal beauty-enhancing behaviors by unifying evolutionary theory with several other complementary perspectives., National Science Center, Poland [2019/33/N/HS6/00054]; Basic Research Program at the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE University); Basic Research Program at HSE University, RF; FCT [UID/PSI/03125/2021, SFRH/BD/126304/2016]; UTAR Research Centre Excellence Award; Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman [2019 -CAP (6401/0019)], This work is the result of the research project funded by the National Science Center, Poland (2019/33/N/HS6/00054). Dmitry Grigoryev was supported by the Basic Research Program at the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE University).; Dmitrii Dubrov was supported by the Basic Research Program at HSE University, RF.; Patricia Arriaga was supported by the FCT through funds from the research center UID/PSI/03125/2021. Anabela C. Santos was supported by the FCT through funds from a PhD grant SFRH/BD/126304/2016. Kavitha Nalla Muthu and Chee-Seng Tan were supported by the UTAR Research Centre Excellence Award 2019 -CAP (6401/0019) from the Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman.

The current study examines the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Group Therapy in reducing math anxiety in adolescents. The study was conducted using an experimental method. The research sample consisted of 24 high math-anxious students based on the Abbreviated Math Anxiety Rating Scale (A-MARS) scores having their ages between 13-17 years. The participants were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups, 12 subjects in each group. 5 males and 7 females were in the experimental group while 6 males and 6 females were in the control group. Pre-testing was followed by the intervention given to the experimental group, 16 sessions of tailored Cognitive-behavioral Group Therapy, involving 90-minute sessions twice weekly. Both groups were tested again with A-MARS after the intervention terminated. Statistical analysis of the data was done using descriptive statistics, paired and independent sample t-tests. The data analysis revealed that the intervention has high statistical significance proving CBGT to be highly effective in reducing math anxiety and three subscales of A-MARS: math test anxiety, math course anxiety, and numerical anxiety. The research experiment is implicative for therapists, school psychologists, educators, and parents of math-anxious children.

The COVIDiSTRESS global survey collects data on early human responses to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic from 173 429 respondents in 48 countries. The open science study was co-designed by an international consortium of researchers to investigate how psychological responses differ across countries and cultures, and how this has impacted behaviour, coping and trust in government efforts to slow the spread of the virus. Starting in March 2020, COVIDiSTRESS leveraged the convenience of unpaid online recruitment to generate public data. The objective of the present analysis is to understand relationships between psychological responses in the early months of global coronavirus restrictions and help understand how different government measures succeed or fail in changing public behaviour. There were variations between and within countries. Although Western Europeans registered as more concerned over COVID-19, more stressed, and having slightly more trust in the governments' efforts, there was no clear geographical pattern in compliance with behavioural measures. Detailed plots illustrating between-countries differences are provided. Using both traditional and Bayesian analyses, we found that individuals who worried about getting sick worked harder to protect themselves and others. However, concern about the coronavirus itself did not account for all of the variances in experienced stress during the early months of COVID-19 restrictions. More alarmingly, such stress was associated with less compliance. Further, those most concerned over the coronavirus trusted in government measures primarily where policies were strict. While concern over a disease is a source of mental distress, other factors including strictness of protective measures, social support and personal lockdown conditions must also be taken into consideration to fully appreciate the psychological impact of COVID-19 and to understand why some people fail to follow behavioural guidelines intended to protect themselves and others from infection. The Stage 1 manuscript associated with this submission received in-principle acceptance (IPA) on 18 May 2020. Following IPA, the accepted Stage 1 version of the manuscript was preregistered on the Open Science Framework at https://osf.io/ytbcs. This preregistration was performed prior to data analysis. Fil: Lieberoth, Andreas. University Aarhus; Dinamarca Fil: Lin, Shiang Yi. University of Hong Kong; China Fil: Stöckli, Sabrina. University of Bern; Suiza Fil: Han, Hyemin. University of Alabama at Birmingahm; Estados Unidos Fil: Kowal, Marta. Wroclaw University; Polonia Fil: Gelpi, Rebekah. University of Toronto; Canadá Fil: Chrona, Stavroula. King's College London; Reino Unido Fil: Tran, Thao Phuong. State University of Colorado at Boulder; Estados Unidos Fil: Jeftić, Alma. International Christian University; Japón Fil: Rasmussen, Jesper. University Aarhus; Dinamarca Fil: Cakal, Huseyin. Keele University.; Reino Unido Fil: Milfont, Taciano L.. University of Waikato; Nueva Zelanda Fil: Reyna, Cecilia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas; Argentina Fil: The COVIDiSTRESS global survey consortium. No especifíca

Background Child sexual abuse is one of the most pervasive threats to children's wellbeing worldwide. Globally, around 7% to 19% of children have been estimated to be a victim of child sexual abuse. In Pakistan, around 18 thousand instances of child sexual abuse were reported in the last five years. Aims Current study aimed to evaluate the preliminary effect, acceptability and feasibility of a sexual abuse prevention program for children with intellectual disabilities, in a rural public school of Pakistan. Method A non-randomized (pre-post) evaluation of the acceptability, feasibility and impact of the adapted sexual abuse prevention program on a range of knowledge and skills-based outcomes of 15 female children with mild intellectual disability was undertaken. Participants were exposed to a 5-session based program incorporating common sexual abuse prevention concepts, e.g. knowledge of private body parts, body ownership, discriminating between safe and threatening situations, refusing to sexual lures, escaping the situation and reporting the potential offender. Structured assessments were conducted with children before and after intervention delivery. Results The school-based sexual abuse prevention program was shown to be acceptable, feasible and efficacious in improving sexual abuse prevention knowledge and skills of female children with a mild intellectual disability enrolled in a public school of rural Pakistan. Conclusions The program offers a promising framework for school-based sexual abuse prevention in Pakistan.

Objective: To determine the nature and frequency of psychosocial stressorsfaced by the patients on hemodialysis admitted in Renal Dialysis Unit of Nishtar Hospital, Multan.Study design: A descriptive study. Place & duration of study: The study was conducted in theRenal Dialysis Unit of Nishtar Hospital, Multan, from 1st May, 2014 to 31st May, 2014. Subjects& methods: The sample consisted of 170 (112 Male, 58 Females) consecutive inpatients onHemodialysis Treatment. They were interviewed and Hemodialysis Stressors Scale (HSS) wasadministrated to know the frequency of Hemodialysis Stressors. Results: Results showed thatall the patients reported Physiological and Psychosocial stressors. Most frequent physicalstressors included feeling tired (92%) and stiffening of joints (91%). In psychosocial stressorsrestriction of fluid (100%), dependence on dialysis machine and/ or equipment (95%), limitationof physical activity (93%), changes in family responsibilities (93%), dependency on nursesand technicians (93%), length of treatment (92%), dependency on physicians (91%), sleepdisturbance (90%) and limitation of food (93%) were the most frequently reported. Conclusions:We concluded that both physiological and psychosocial stressors were present in significantmajority of patients.

Objective: To determine the frequency and level of family support in Heroin Dependent patients presenting with 1st treatment and also the patients presenting with relapses. Study design: A descriptive study. Place & duration of study: The study was conducted in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Nishtar Hospital, Multan from September, 2013 to December, 2013. Subjects & methods: The sample consisted of 50 consecutive inpatients presenting with Heroin Dependence. They were interviewed and Family support Scale (FSS) was administered to know the level of support in heroin dependent patients. Results: Results showed that 20% patients relapsed 3 times while 38% had more than three times relapses among whome 30% patients have family support, but 70% have very low level and family support decreased with increasing number of replace. Conclusions: We concluded that higher level of family support was during in the 1st treatment of Heroin Dependence and family support decreased as the number of relapses increased.

Reproductive Health Awareness is not only neglected but also a taboo issue in Pakistan. The growing age women in Pakistan are hardly aware of reproductive health complications because of reasons linked to socio-cultural and religious factors which are the determinants of inadequate reproductive trends. Menstruation and menstrual practices, hygiene, reproductive tract infection, early pregnancies, infant death, mortality rate, women?s health security, child upbringing by inexperienced young mothers are the fundamental issues faced by Pakistani females and it is directly attached with ignorance of reproductive health know how. This study aimed to discover the need of educating adolescent females of city Karachi regarding reproductive health. The objective of this study was to acquire evidence on current awareness and insights on puberty and reproductive health needs. The research followed a quantitative and pragmatic approach enabling empirical analysis along with shedding light on the facts and figures. The data was collected through convenient sampling from four schools in the urban and rural areas of the city, Karachi and analyzed through descriptive statistic, linear regression and Kruskal Wallis Test. The analysis of the data indicated that awareness regarding reproductive health amongst adolescents is very minimal along with guidance and counseling provided to them at home and in school. The study highlighted the fact that education and medical facility available in schools have a significant impact on reproductive health awareness but the schools in Pakistan of both the rural and urban areas lack in mass awareness on reproductive health. The conclusion and observation leads to creating channels for imparting knowledge and awareness regarding reproductive health and its needs to the adolescents. It is recommended to create awareness amongst youth especially females by integrating it into school curriculum from grades 5 onwards or by conducting reproductive health awareness seminars in schools at different intervals.

Objective: Frequency of the psychosocial stressors and stressful life events inchildren presenting with conversion disorder. Study design: A descriptive study. Place &duration of study: The study was conducted in the Department of Psychiatry & BehaviouralSciences, Bahawal Victoria Hospital & Quaid-e-Azam Medical College, Bahawalpur fromJanuary, 2010 to October, 2010. Subjects & methods: The sample consisted of 100 in-patients(62 Female, 38 Male) with Conversion Disorder. They were interviewed and results were analysedfrom the entries in a Performa. The Presumptive Stressful life Events Scale (PSLES) wasadministered by an open ended interview to elicit major life events in the past 10 months.Results: Stressors were clearly identified in 100 patients. In all patients, we found more than onestressor. Among patients, there were (29%) Educational and study stressors, (20%) Parent’sdeath / Separation, (20%) Sexual Abuse, (14%) Sibling Rivalry, (13%) Pampered / DemandingChild, (10%) Attention Seeking, (8%) Peer Group Problems, (8%) Improper Parenting, (8%)Learned behaviour, (7%) Emotional Involvement Issues, (5%) Habit of stealing and (4%) AdoptedChild. Conclusions: We concluded that stressors and life events were present in all conversiondisorder’s patients and these stressful life events are important causal factors for ConversionDisorder. Severe and sudden emotional stress serves to precipitate conversion reaction inpredisposed children. The symptom serves to solve the conflict and the gain obtained served toperpetuate the illness.

Background:Research in the West shows that group psychological intervention together with an antidepressant treatment leads to more effective treatment of a depressive disorder. There are no treatment trials from low income countries comparing the efficacy of antidepressant treatment with a group psychological intervention.Aim:To conduct a feasibility trial to compare the efficacy of an antidepressant to a group psychosocial intervention, for low income women attending primary health care in Karachi, Pakistan.Method:This was a preliminary RCT in an urban primary health care clinic in Karachi, Pakistan. Consecutive eligible women scoring >12 on the CIS-R and >18 on Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) (n= 66) were randomly assigned to antidepressants or a psychosocial treatment in group settings. The primary outcome measure was HDRS score; secondary outcome measures were disability and quality of life.Results:More than half of the patients in both groups improved (50% reduction in HDRS scores); at end of therapy at 3 months 19 (59.4%) vs 18 (56.2%), and at 6-month follow-up 21(67.7%) vs 20(62.5%) for antidepressants and psychosocial intervention respectively. Although HDRS, BDQ and EQ5-D scores all improved considerably in both groups from start to end of treatment, and these improvements were largely maintained after a further 3 months, the differences between the two treatments were not statistically significant.Conclusion:Psychosocial intervention was as effective as antidepressants in reducing depression and in improving quality of life and disability at the end of therapy. However, these findings need further exploration through a larger trial.

Healthcare professionals face serious ethical dilemmas in the workplace when they start realizing that their personal values are colliding with organizational values. Since such feelings could affe...

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of internalized stigma on symptoms, quality of life of schizophrenic patients; mediated by dysfunctional attitude. A descriptive correlational research design was used to investigate the relationship between symptoms, quality of life and dysfunctional attitude in schizophrenic patients. Linear regression was used to investigate the mediational effects of dysfunctional attitude. Purposive sampling technique was used for the selection of the participants. The study was conducted on diagnosed schizophrenic patients from psychiatry ward of Nishtar Hospital Multan, Fountain House Rehabilitation Centre Lahore and Punjab Institute of Mental Health Rehabilitation Centre Lahore. The sample of the study was 50 registered patients of schizophrenia. Calculated sample size was 50 schizophrenic patients among them 34 were Males and 16 were Females. Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale was used to see the effects of stigma on schizophrenic patients (ISMI, Ritsher, 2003), along with Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale was used to evaluate the positive and negative symptoms in schizophrenic patients (Kay, et al., 1987), World Health Organization Quality of life BREF Scale (WHOQOL-BREF, 2003) was used to assess the quality of life of schizophrenic patients, along with another scale of Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS, Weissman, 1978) was also used to assess the cognitive functioning of the schizophrenic patients. Studies showed that internalized stigma had significant positive correlation with dysfunctional attitude and negative significant correlation with symptoms and quality of life of schizophrenic patients. Internalized stigma had strong significant effects on the symptoms, quality of life and dysfunctional attitude. Studies also showed that people with mental illness has to face negative stereotype, rejection and finally alienation from society because of stigma which is a big hurdle in their process of recovery and treatment.