Psychological and Sociocultural Adaptation: Acculturation,Depressive Symptoms,and Life Satisfaction Among Older Iranian Immigrants in Canada

Informed by Ward’s (1996) theory of psychological and sociocultural adaptation, this study identified links between acculturation and the mental health of older Iranian immigrants living in Canada (N = 103). According to Ward and colleagues, both psychological and sociocultural adaptation change at different rates and extend into later life. For this study, participants 50+ years of age and born in Iran completed questionnaires measuring life satisfaction, depressive symptoms, acculturation, and demographic and sociocultural variables (e.g., pre- and post-immigration occupational status). We collected study data anonymously in Persian to obtain responses from long-term residents of Canada as well as more recent immigrants who may not read or write English. We examined both life satisfaction and (the absence of) depressive symptoms as distinct forms of psychological adaptation; these emerged as independent predictors of acculturation. Contrary to theory, acculturation appears to predict life satisfaction, not vice versa; moreover, there seems to be no direct link between depressive symptoms and acculturation. Our findings suggest that integration within Canadian society is associated with higher life satisfaction. In contrast, sociocultural factors are indirectly associated with life satisfaction (except age) and acculturation (except ethnic diversity of social interactions). Involuntary migrants reported higher levels of depression, whereas loss of occupational status is associated with reduced life satisfaction. Implications for future research and health policy are discussed.     

Psychiatric disorders and family functioning in children and adolescents with functional abdominal pain syndrome

Background and Aim:  Functional abdominal pain syndrome (FAPS) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder. There is a heightened risk when conducting potentially dangerous and unnecessary medical investigations and procedures in children with FAPS. The aim of this study was to survey the rate of the psychiatric disorders and family functioning in children and adolescents with FAPS.
Methods:  The subjects were a consecutive new sample of 45 children and adolescents with FAPS, 45 with an organic abdominal pain, and 45 pain-free comparison subjects aged 5–18 years that were interviewed using the Farsi version of K-SADS. Family functioning and the severity of pain were also studied.
Results:  About 51.1% of patients with FAPS suffered from at least one psychiatric disorder. Psychiatric disorders in the FAPS patients studied included general anxiety disorder (8.9%), obsessive-compulsive disorder (11.1%), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (15.6%), separation anxiety disorder (24.4%), and major depressive disorder (15.6%). Except for generalized anxiety disorder and tic disorder, the other disorders were significantly more common in the FAPS group than in the two other control groups. Family functioning scores were not significantly different between groups.
Discussion:  There is a high rate of psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents with FAPS in Iran, but our study found fewer incidences of disorders than previous reports have indicated. Family dysfunction difficulties in FAPS children are not more common than those in the control groups.     

Small burns among out-patient children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

There is a controversy about the association of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with burns among children. Whereas some studies of children with burns have suggested ADHD as a risk factor for thermal injury, others have reported it as protective against such injury. This case–control study was designed to assess the association of ADHD with burns. The case group consisted of 123 children with ADHD diagnosed by the standardised diagnostic criteria of DSM-IV. The comparison group comprised of 100 children without ADHD. Children and their carers were asked about the frequency of burns during the past year. A significant association was found between frequency of burn and group, but no such association was found with sibling number, rank of birth of the child or mother's occupation. The incidence of burns among children with ADHD was higher than among the control group.     

Educating and counseling of parents of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

OBJECTIVE: This study surveys the parents' knowledge and attitude about attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), barriers to enrolment for treatment, parents' source of information, reason for delay in treatment, and the first person who suggests the diagnosis of ADHD. METHOD: The subjects of the study were the 119 parents and their children with ADHD. The parents and their children were interviewed and the mothers completed a self-reported questionnaire about ADHD. RESULTS: The knowledge about ADHD was relatively low. Half of them did not agree that ADHD is due to biological and genetic vulnerabilities and causation. Fifty-two percent of all the parents considered ADHD to be the result of parental spoiling. Only 6.2% reported that ADHD relate difficulties would persist for the whole life. About 40% of the respondents considered it as a sign of child independency. The main source of knowledge about ADHD was radio and TV. There were about 1.5 years between the time that the parents were suspected to the ADHD and the time they referred for the first time. The most common reason for the delay was lack of knowledge about where or whom they should refer to. Teachers were the first one who suggested the diagnosis of ADHD in most of the cases. CONCLUSION: Knowledge about ADHD is low and barriers of referral are not usually overcome. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Educating and counseling of the parents should be directed toward emphasizing it as a biological problem, with concerns about its course. Also, targeting of the barriers in delaying the referral is an important issue. Medical personnel, especially GPs should be more informed about ADHD and play more active role in the treatment process.     

Improving the quality of Farsi speech and the academic performance of Azeri-Farsi bilingual students through attending drama therapy sessions

This paper investigates the effects of drama therapy on enhancing the linguistic performance and academic achievement of Azeri-Farsi bilinguals who speak Farsi as a second language. To that end, thirty-seven male bilingual students of Azeri and Farsi (age: 9.32 ± 1.12 years) were randomly assigned to an experimental group (N = 18) and a placebo group (N = 19). The experimental group participated in 90-min drama therapy sessions twice or thrice a week for three weeks. During this period, the members of the placebo group were engaged in effortless activities. The MANCOVA results revealed the positive effect of drama therapy on the Mean Length of Utterances and the Speed of Speech in bilingual students, but it showed no effect on the Number of Utterances, Type-Token Ratio, and the Academic Average. In conclusion, we will discuss the possible factors that mediate such effects and indicate a number of directions for future research.