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 Background & Objectives: Postpartum depression, as a mental disorder, is seen in some women and can threaten their mental health as well as their infants. At least 7% of mothers suffer from this problem after parturition. Studies indicate that many variables are associated with this disorder during and after the gestation period. The aim of this study was to achieve the rate of postpartum depression and its relevant variables among women who referred to the parturition ward of Buali and Emam Hossein hospitals in Tehran.

 Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study a questionnaire construced by researchers as well as Beck 21- item depression inventory were used to collect the data. The subjects (100 cases) responded to the questions individually in the hospitals. According to the type of variables, X² nonparametric test was used in the data analysis.

 Results: The results of this study indicated that 17% of the subjects were suffering from moderate and severe depression and among the 14 predictive variables of the postpartum depression four variables, namely, matrimonial dissatisfaction, unwanted gestation, unemployment and low economical status of family have significant relationship with the postpartum depression.

 Conclusion: In comparison with the previous studies, the prevalence of postpartum depression is in higher level therefore, it is necessary to increase the information of parturition ward staff about this disorder and inform them to refer any cases of depression to the counseling centers.

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 Background & Objectives: Clinical findings show that stress can gradually affect the activity of various systems of the body such as immune system and impair them. Different variables potentiate and modify this effect. This research aimed at studying the relationship of personality traits (self-respect, tenacity, type A personality), stress, and stress coping skills with immune system status in nurses.

 Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, 246 individuals were selected by simple random sampling method. At the first stage, the subjects on the job completed the questionnaires of self-respect, tenacity, type A personality, stress, and stress coping skills. At the second stage to determine the amount of antibodies, 2-cc blood of the subjects was assessed. The data were analyzed using correlational methods.

  Results: The findings indicated a significant, positive and meaningful relationship of immunoglobulin antibody with “self-respect”, and IgM antibody with “type A personality” in male nurses (p<0.05). But there was no significant relationship between the immune system variables and tenacity, stress, and stress coping skills. From among the predictive variables (self-respect, tenacity, type A personality, stress, and stress coping skills) only the stress variable had significant relationship with the criterion variable (IgA antibody)(p=0.05).

 Conclusion: Regarding the results it can be said that self-respect may adjust IgG variable in stress positions (especially in chronic stress). So in hard jobs such as nursing, psychological characteristics should be considered as an important job factor along with physical capabilities.

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 Background and Objectives: Emoployees' job satifaction (JS) is related to multiple factors and one of which is the personality factors. The present study was an attempt to find a relationship, if any, between personality and job satisfaction among Ardabil universities' staff.

 Methods: This descriptive study was conducted on 247 employees who were sampled from a population of 390 individuals working in Ardabil university of medical sciences, Mohaghegh Ardabil University and Islamic Azad University of Ardabil. Instruments used for data collection were Bren Rowiter personality test and standard job satisfaction test. The personality test evaluated neurosis, autism, introversion / extroversion, dominance, self confidence and socialization in the subjects.

 Results: The findings indicated that socialization and self confidence were the most common characteristics among the subjects. These employees enjoyed a moderate to high job satisfaction). Neuresis and dominance tendencies can predict the job satisfaction among the university staff. It was also shown that men had more dominance than women.

 Conclusion:�Since there was a positive correlation between self confidence and neurosis with JS, in order to promote JS, it is recommended to hold JT classes aiming to teach methods of controlling anger and improving self-confidence. Besides, the authorities in these universities should be taught to create a sense of respect in the employees rather than criticizing and blaming them. This can enhance self-confidence and improve JS among these employees.

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 Background & Objectives: Mental retardation is a critical deficiency in cognitive functions, social skills, and adjustment behaviors. About 1 to 2 percent of people are mentally retarded because of various factors. The purpose of this research was to study the prevalence of mental retardation in Ardebil city and determining the role of environmental and Heredity factors on mental retardation. In other words, which of pre-, on-, and post-birth factors as well as environmental factors are related to mental retardation of 7-11 aged children.

 Methods: In order to find out the prevalence of mental retardation, a sample of 500 families were selected by simple random sampling method and were studied by causal-comparative method. Also percentage, frequency, and comparing of two independent groups were used to analyze the data and study the extent of prevalence.

 Results:�The results showed that the rate of prevalence of mental retardation is 3.6%, which is higher than the extent of prevalence of the world. Also the results of comparing two groups normal and mentally retarded revealed that familial marriages, in-birth events, fever and convulsion diseases during post-birth period are higher in mentally retarded group. Furthermore, the results showed that the level of mothers’ educations in normal group is significantly higher than that of mentally retarded group. And among the other factors, environmental factors were the most important factors of mental retardation of children in Ardabil city.

 Conclusion:�The high rate of prevalence of mental retardation and the role of environmental factors in mental retardation of children in Ardabil city require environmental intervention such as training of families and improving health level of society.

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Background & Objectives: Mental Health is a phenomenon which has been considered by psychologists, medical doctors and religious scholars and it is a combination of physical, social and cognitive factors. Due to the effectiveness of teaching coping skills in increasing mental health, this study was done to achieve the effect of teaching coping skills in providing mental health in students of Ardabil University of Medical Sciences.       

Methods: Due to the nature and aims of the study, the study method was experimental research method. The samples of the present study comprised all male and female students (n=112) at Ardabil University of medical Sciences in 2006-2007 and gained 23 or more in GHQ-28 questionnaire (which evaluates four subscales of anxiety, depression, physical symptoms, and disorder of social functioning). At the next stage the samples (i.e. 80 female and male students) were selected randomly and divided in to two groups. Then, coping skills were taught to the experimental group for 4 weeks (two sessions in a week) and no variable was exposed to the control group during this period. At the end, the data from 62 (Dropt=18 case) individuals were analyzed by independent t test.   

Results: the results showed that teaching coping skills affects on decreasing mental disorders symptoms especially somatization of symptoms and anxiety of students suspected to the mental disorder (R< 0.001). But the teaching coping skills do not affect on decreasing depression and disorder of social functioning of students.

Conclusion: This study showed that teaching coping skills is a good method in decreasing mental disorders symptoms among the students suspected to the mental disorder. Therefore it is suggested that in order to prevent and decrease mental disorders symptoms, the coping skills should be taught to students.

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  Background & objectives: Exact diagnosis of mental disorder is important in psychology. With respect to common symptoms in schizophrenia, schizoaffective and bipolar mood, correct diagnosis of these disorders seems to be very difficult. The main goal of this study was to compare the body temperature of schizophrenic, schizoaffective and bipolar mood patients.

  Method: In this descriptive study, 60 schizophrenia, schizoaffective and bipolar mood patients, 20 persons in each group were selected. The patients were interviewed and their body temperature was measured. Finally, the data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA.

  Results: Schizophrenia, schizoaffective, bipolar mood patients had 38.15 ±11.13, 34.8±10.99, and 35.25 ± 9.05 years as a mean, respectively. About 63.3% of individuals had secondary , 15% high school, 16.7% diploma and 5% undergraduate education . About 51.7% of patients had non-governmental job, 8.3% and 40% were employed and jobless, respectively. Among them 45% were single and the rest married. 15% of individuals were admitted once, 25%, twice, 3.3% three times, 20% between 4-10 times and 41.7% frequently. Statistically, there was significant difference between the mean of body temperature in schizophrenia, schizoaffective and bipolar mood patients, (p < 0.001).

  Conclusion: The difference between the body temperature mean in three groups of patients showed that schizoaffective patients were more close to bipolar mood patients, and schizophrenia patients differ in terms of base keeping mean and body temperature balance from two other groups (schizoaffective and bipolar mood).

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  Background & objectives: Diabetes mellitus is a common metabolic disorder that has negative effect on physical function, psychological condition, interpersonal, family and social relationship and in general, on psychological well being. The aim of this study was to investigate of psychological profile in diabetic patients and it's relatioship with social support.

  Methods: In this descriptive-correlational study, 120 diabetic patients have been selected among of those that systematically refered to Diabetes Clinic of Emam Khomeini Hospital in order to follow their therapeutic process in Ardabil . Data gathering was accomplished by two tests: SCL-90-R and Social Support Scale. Finally data were analyzed by Pearson correlation coefficient and T-test on SPSS-17 software and p-value less than 0.05 considered as significant.

  Results: Results showed that 70% of diabetic patients had problems in somatic complaint and obsession, 62.5% in sensitivity, 72.5% in depression, 62.5% in anxiety, 55% in hostility, 67.5% in paranoid thoughts, 27.5% in phobia and 37.5% in psychosis. Correlations between social support with somatic complaint, obsession, sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility and paranoid thoughts were negatively significant. Family support associated significantly with all of the psychological variables but friend Support had no significant correlation with them.

  Conclusion: The range of psychological problems experienced by diabetic patients is more extensive and these problems have significant relationship with social support. Thus, attention to different dimensions of psychological health is necessary and social support-based interventions can be more effective.

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Background & objectives: Chronic illnesses are one of the most important causes of mortality. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between perfectionism and stress with life satisfaction in cardiovascular patients.
Methods: The research method is descriptive correlational. The statistical population of this study included patients who came to receive the services in Ardabil in the first half of 1396. The sample consisted of 60 cardiovascular patients who were selected by simple random sampling. Data was collected using questionnaires of perfectionism scale, stress scale and life satisfaction scale. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis using spss-19 software.
Results: The results showed that there is a significant negative relationship between perfectionism and life satisfaction. Also, there was a significant negative relationship between stress and life Satisfaction (p<0.01). In other words, with increasing stress, life satisfaction decreases. There is a multiplicity relationship between perfectionism and stress with life satisfaction (p<0.01).
Conclusion: The results of this study showed that reducing the perfectionism and stress of individuals helps to increase the satisfaction of people from life and also effective in the process of treatment.