Journal of Adolescent and Youth Psychological Studies (JAYPS)

Design and Effectiveness of a Transdiagnostic Protocol for Misophonia: Effects on Symptoms and Quality of Life Among University Students

Hossein Abbasi iD , Shahnaz Mohammadi ^* iD , Fariba Hassani iD

Objective: This study aimed to design and evaluate the effectiveness of a transdiagnostic intervention protocol for reducing misophonia symptoms and improving quality of life among university students.

Methods and Materials: This applied quasi-experimental study used a pretest–posttest control-group design with a 3-month follow-up. The transdiagnostic protocol was developed from a prior grounded theory study and integrated emotion regulation, anger control, sensory sensitivity, cognitive restructuring, perfectionism, compulsive checking management, and interpersonal-metacognitive components. Content validity was evaluated by 11 experts using CVR and CVI indices. Sixty undergraduate psychology students with misophonia from Islamic Azad University, Zanjan Branch, and the University of Zanjan were recruited purposively and randomly allocated to experimental and control groups (30 each). The experimental group received ten weekly 90-minute sessions, whereas the control group received no intervention. Outcomes were assessed using the Misophonia Questionnaire and WHOQOL-BREF at pretest, posttest, and follow-up. Data were analyzed using mixed repeated-measures ANOVA with Greenhouse–Geisser correction where required and Bonferroni-adjusted pairwise comparisons.

Findings: Significant time × group interactions were found for misophonia symptoms, F(1.331, 77.195) = 19.87, p < .001, η²p = .255; emotions and behaviors, F(1.232, 71.468) = 10.65, p < .001, η²p = .155; and total misophonia score, F(1.160, 67.271) = 18.28, p < .001, η²p = .240. Significant interactions were also observed for physical health, F(1.158, 67.154) = 10.42, p = .001, η²p = .152; psychological health, F(1.192, 69.158) = 9.01, p = .002, η²p = .134; social relationships, F(2, 116) = 10.63, p < .001, η²p = .155; environmental health, F(1.136, 65.895) = 15.07, p < .001, η²p = .206; and overall general health, F(1.472, 85.369) = 10.65, p < .001, η²p = .155. Most treatment gains remained significant at follow-up.

Conclusion: The transdiagnostic protocol was effective in reducing misophonia symptoms and improving multiple dimensions of quality of life, with substantial maintenance of benefits over 3 months.

Structural Modeling of the Relationship Between Family Cohesion and Fear of Marriage: The Mediating Role of Self-Esteem Among University Students Approaching Marriage

Fatemeh Khaleghi iD , Shahnaz Nohi ^* iD , Malake Nasery Fadafan iD , Hakimeh Aghaei iD

Objective: This study aimed to develop and test a structural model of the relationship between family cohesion and fear of marriage, with self-esteem examined as a potential mediating variable among university students approaching marriage.

Methods and Materials: This descriptive-correlational study employed structural equation modeling (SEM). The statistical population consisted of university students approaching marriage who were enrolled at the Science and Research, North Tehran, and Central Tehran branches of Islamic Azad University during the 2025–2026 academic year. A total of 322 students were selected using convenience sampling. Data were collected using the Fear of Marriage Questionnaire developed by Richard et al. (2007), Olson’s Family Cohesion Questionnaire (1999), and Eysenck’s Self-Esteem Questionnaire (1976). The hypothesized structural model and direct and indirect relationships among the study variables were analyzed using AMOS software and structural equation modeling.

Findings: The proposed structural model demonstrated an acceptable overall fit to the observed data (CMIN/DF = 2.90, RMSEA = 0.099, GFI = 0.940, NFI = 0.930, TLI = 0.910, and IFI = 0.950). Family cohesion had a positive and statistically significant direct effect on self-esteem (β = 0.97, P < 0.001). However, the direct effect of self-esteem on fear of marriage was not statistically significant (β = 0.061, P = 0.846). Similarly, the direct effect of family cohesion on fear of marriage was nonsignificant (β = 0.030, P = 0.328). Bootstrap analysis further indicated that the indirect effect of family cohesion on fear of marriage through self-esteem was not significant (effect = 0.019, P = 0.738, 95% CI [−0.126, 0.200]).

Conclusion: Family cohesion appears to be an important positive predictor of self-esteem among students approaching marriage; however, neither family cohesion nor self-esteem significantly predicted fear of marriage in the proposed structural model. Furthermore, self-esteem did not significantly mediate the relationship between family cohesion and fear of marriage, suggesting that other individual, relational, or sociocultural mechanisms may better explain variations in marriage-related fear.

Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training in Reducing Maladaptive Daydreaming and Rumination Among Students With Childhood Trauma

Masoumeh Ahmadpour Hosseinizadeh ^* iD , Fateme Dehghani-Arani iD , Saeid Najarpour Ostadi iD

Objective: The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of mindfulness training in reducing maladaptive daydreaming and rumination among university students with a history of childhood trauma.

Method and Materials: This study employed a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design with a control group. The statistical population consisted of all students with a history of childhood trauma enrolled at Islamic Azad University branches in Tehran during the 2023–2024 academic year. Using convenience sampling, 30 eligible participants were selected and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 15) and a control group (n = 15). The experimental group received mindfulness training based on the protocol developed by Segal et al. in eight 150-minute sessions, whereas the control group received no intervention. Data were collected at the pretest and posttest stages using the Maladaptive Daydreaming Scale developed by Somer et al. (2016) and the Ruminative Responses Scale developed by Nolen-Hoeksema and Morrow (1991). Data were analyzed using univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS, with the significance level set at .05.

Findings: The results of the analysis of covariance indicated that mindfulness training significantly reduced maladaptive daydreaming (p < .001) and rumination (p < .001) in the experimental group compared with the control group.

Conclusion: Mindfulness training, by enhancing moment-to-moment awareness and reducing cognitive engagement with trauma-related thoughts and memories, may constitute an effective intervention for reducing maladaptive daydreaming and rumination among university students with a history of childhood trauma. The application of this approach in university counseling centers and in preventive and therapeutic programs addressing problems associated with childhood trauma is recommended.

Comparison of the Effectiveness of Choice Theory-Based Education and Adolescent-Centered Mindfulness Training on Psychological Capital in Adolescent Football Players

Mohammad Ebrahim Hellat Abadi Farahani iD , Mohammad Reza Vajdian ^* iD , Mahdi Davaei iD

Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Choice Theory-based education and adolescent-centered mindfulness training in improving psychological capital among adolescent football players.

Methods and Materials: The study employed a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest control-group design with a two-month follow-up. The statistical population included adolescent football players aged 12–18 years in the Shemiranat region during the 2025–2026 academic year. Using purposive sampling, 45 eligible participants were selected and randomly assigned to a Choice Theory-based education group, an adolescent-centered mindfulness group, or a control group, with 15 participants in each group. The Choice Theory intervention was delivered in eight 90-minute sessions, whereas the adolescent-centered mindfulness intervention was conducted in ten 90-minute sessions. The control group received no intervention during the study period. Psychological capital was assessed at pretest, posttest, and follow-up using the Psychological Capital Questionnaire. Data were analyzed in SPSS version 26 using repeated-measures analysis of variance and post-hoc comparisons.

Findings: Repeated-measures analysis showed a significant main effect of time on psychological capital, F(1.101, 46.26) = 154.84, p < .001, partial η² = .787. The time × group interaction was also significant, F(2.203, 46.26) = 41.24, p < .001, partial η² = .663, indicating different patterns of change across the three groups. In addition, the between-group effect was significant, F(2, 42) = 20.34, p < .001, partial η² = .492. Post-hoc comparisons showed that both Choice Theory-based education and adolescent-centered mindfulness training significantly improved psychological capital compared with the control group (p < .01). Choice Theory-based education was significantly more effective than adolescent-centered mindfulness training, MD = 3.64, p = .044. Psychological capital was significantly higher at posttest and follow-up than at pretest (p < .001), whereas the difference between posttest and follow-up was not significant (p = .154), indicating maintenance of intervention effects.

Conclusion: Both Choice Theory-based education and adolescent-centered mindfulness training were effective in improving psychological capital among adolescent football players, with Choice Theory-based education demonstrating greater effectiveness and both interventions showing sustained effects at two-month follow-up.

Exploring the Dimensions and Components of Educational Governance Affecting Adolescent Identity Formation: A Qualitative Study Using Thematic Analysis

Malihe Zoodbin iD , Nader Motie Haghshenas ^* iD , Valiollah Rostamalizadeh iD

Objective: This study aimed to explore the dimensions and components of educational governance that influence adolescent identity formation.

Methods and Materials: This qualitative study was conducted in Alborz Province using thematic analysis based on Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 22 participants representing three key levels of the educational governance system: family, school, and policymaking. Participants were selected to provide diverse perspectives on the mechanisms through which educational governance shapes adolescents’ identity development. The interview data were analyzed through six systematic phases: familiarization with the data, generation of initial codes, searching for themes, reviewing themes, defining and naming themes, and producing the final report. The analysis focused on identifying interconnected structural, procedural, and value-cultural mechanisms affecting adolescent identity formation.

Findings: The thematic analysis yielded three overarching dimensions that collectively constituted the central theme of the “educational governance network gap.” The structural dimension encompassed excessive centralization, implementation gaps, weaknesses in monitoring and evaluation, project-based and episodic approaches, ambiguity in institutional missions, and instability at middle-management levels. The procedural dimension included inter-institutional conflicts in education, poor coordination within the educational network, exclusion of adolescents from participatory processes, educational inconsistency, mutual blame and avoidance of responsibility, and ceremonial or slogan-based programs. The value-cultural dimension comprised an excessive emphasis on academic achievement and university entrance examinations, generational gaps and conflicts between traditional and modern values, globalization and the dominance of digital culture, declining social capital and institutional trust, structural vulnerabilities within families, and contextual diversity in Alborz Province. These dimensions were interrelated and jointly influenced adolescents’ opportunities for coherent identity formation.

Conclusion: Effective educational governance for adolescent identity formation requires simultaneous attention to structural, procedural, and value-cultural dimensions and a transition from centralized, fragmented, and directive governance toward a network-based, participatory, accountable, and identity-oriented model.

The Relationship Between Attachment Styles and Childhood Trauma and Cyberbullying Among Adolescents

Fatemeh Babazadeh Asl iD , Jamal Sadeghi ^* iD , Alireza Homayouni iD

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the relationship of attachment styles and childhood trauma with cyberbullying among adolescent male secondary-school students in Babol, Iran.

Methods and Materials: This applied study employed a descriptive-correlational design. The statistical population consisted of 4,500 male students enrolled in the second cycle of secondary education in Babol during the 2025–2026 academic year. Based on the Krejcie and Morgan table, 354 students were selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected electronically using the Collins and Read Attachment Scale, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire developed by Bernstein et al., and the Cyberbullying Questionnaire developed by Antoniadou et al. The questionnaires were administered through the SHAD educational platform. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis in SPSS version 20, with the significance level set at p < .05.

Findings: Secure attachment was negatively correlated with total cyberbullying (r = −.228, p < .01), whereas avoidant attachment (r = .265, p < .01), anxious-ambivalent attachment (r = .483, p < .01), and total childhood trauma (r = .438, p < .01) were positively correlated with cyberbullying. Emotional abuse showed the strongest association among the childhood trauma dimensions with total cyberbullying (r = .536, p < .01). Regression analysis showed that secure attachment significantly and negatively predicted cyberbullying (β = −.090, t = −2.295, p = .020), whereas avoidant attachment (β = .093, t = 2.344, p = .020), anxious-ambivalent attachment (β = .276, t = 6.716, p < .001), and childhood trauma (β = .191, t = 4.577, p < .001) significantly and positively predicted cyberbullying. Among the predictors, anxious-ambivalent attachment had the largest absolute standardized regression coefficient.

Conclusion: These results highlight the importance of relational security and adverse childhood experiences in understanding adolescent cyberbullying and support the development of attachment-informed and trauma-sensitive preventive interventions.

The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) on Psychological Resilience and Somatic Symptoms (Somatization) in Adolescents with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Iman Shahbazi ^* iD , Shabnam Hazrat Hosseini iD , Delara Abdi iD , Fatemeh Hooshmand iD , Maryam Shamsi Sayar iD , Mona Soleiman Heshmat iD

Objective: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in improving psychological resilience and reducing somatic symptoms among adolescents with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Methods and Materials: This randomized controlled study employed a pretest–posttest design with a control group and a three-month follow-up. The statistical population consisted of adolescents aged 13–18 years with a confirmed diagnosis of IBS who attended pediatric gastroenterology clinics and specialized medical centers in Tehran, Iran, during 2026. A total of 40 eligible adolescents were selected and randomly assigned to an MBSR group (n = 20) and a control group (n = 20). The intervention group participated in eight weekly 90-minute MBSR sessions, while the control group received routine medical care without a structured psychological intervention. Data were collected using the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale and the Children's Somatization Inventory-24 at pretest, posttest, and three-month follow-up. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance and Bonferroni-adjusted pairwise comparisons at a significance level of .05.

Findings: Repeated-measures analysis showed a significant time × group interaction for psychological resilience, F(2, 76) = 38.57, p < .001, partial η² = .504, and for somatization, F(1.74, 66.12) = 43.21, p < .001, partial η² = .532. Bonferroni comparisons indicated that psychological resilience increased significantly from pretest to posttest (mean difference = 16.25, p < .001) and remained significantly higher at follow-up (mean difference = 14.70, p < .001). Somatization significantly decreased from pretest to posttest (mean difference = 15.15, p < .001) and remained significantly lower at follow-up (mean difference = 13.70, p < .001). No significant differences were observed between posttest and follow-up for either outcome, indicating maintenance of treatment effects.

Conclusion: MBSR was effective in enhancing psychological resilience and reducing somatic symptoms in adolescents with IBS, and these improvements were maintained over a three-month follow-up period. The findings support the use of developmentally adapted MBSR as a complementary psychological intervention in multidisciplinary care for adolescents with IBS.

Designing an Empowerment Model for School Counselors in the Field of Educational Guidance

Reyhaneh Farzandi iD , Esmaeil Rahimi ^* iD , Morteza Samiee Zafarghandi iD

Objective: The aim of the present study was to design an empowerment model for school counselors in the field of educational guidance for ninth-grade students.

Methods and Materials: This qualitative study employed a grounded theory approach. The research population consisted of principals, counselors, and teachers working in lower secondary schools in District 10 of the Tehran Department of Education during the 2025–2026 academic year. Using purposive sampling, 30 participants, including 10 principals, 10 counselors, and 10 teachers who met the inclusion criteria, were selected. Semi-structured interviews were used for data collection. The data were analyzed based on the Strauss and Corbin (1998) grounded theory approach.

Findings: The findings from the perspectives of the three groups of participants revealed components including academic and professional competence, ethical competence, communication and professional skills, coordination with families and schools, cognitive and emotional maturity, psychological well-being, psychological hardiness, emotional intelligence, and an influential personality. Accordingly, an empowerment model was designed in the form of eight online training sessions covering counselors’ professional knowledge and roles, the educational guidance process, assessment and integration of information, interviewing and communication skills, professional ethics, decision-making and emotion regulation, coordination with schools and families, and the integrated application of acquired knowledge and skills. The content of the model was reviewed and approved by seven professors specializing in educational counseling.

Conclusion: The findings indicated that empowering school counselors in the field of educational guidance is a multidimensional process that, in addition to specialized knowledge and skills, requires strengthening ethical, communication, and psychological competencies, as well as the ability to interact and coordinate effectively with families and schools. Accordingly, the designed eight-session model can provide a comprehensive framework for enhancing counselors’ professional competence and improving the quality of the educational guidance process for ninth-grade students.

Journal of Adolescent and Youth Psychological Studies (JAYPS)

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Parental Reflective Functioning and Object Relations in Adolescents: A Path Model of the Direct and Indirect Effects on Reactive Aggression through Mentalization

The Relationship Between Impulsivity, Cognitive Consequences, and the Severity of Sports Injuries Among Iraqi Swimmers

The Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Resilience and Perceived Stress in Depressed Adolescents

Development of a Parent–Adolescent Relationship Training Program Based on the Lived Experiences of Mothers of Children with Social Anxiety Disorder and Examination of Its Effectiveness on Adolescents’ Social Adjustment, Social Anxiety, and Emotion Regulation

Effectiveness of a Schema Therapy-Based Curriculum on Reducing Rejection Schemas and Emotional Dependency and Improving Emotional Relationships in Students with Social Anxiety

The Effectiveness of Mentalization-Based Training on Rejection Sensitivity and Difficulties in Positive Emotion Regulation in Students with Social Anxiety

Forecasting Daily Stress in Adolescents from Mood Variability, Sleep Quality, Social Interaction, and Smartphone Use Using Long Short-Term Memory Networks

Predicting High School Dropout Risk from Academic Engagement, Attendance, Self-Efficacy, and Family Support Using TabNet

The Relationship Between Parental Psychological Control and Adolescent Depression: The Mediating Role of Self-Esteem and the Moderating Role of Peer Support

Structural Equation Modeling of Adolescent Psychological Well-Being Based on Family Cohesion, Peer Support, and Self-Esteem

Serial Mediation of Rumination and Emotion Dysregulation in the Relationship Between Peer Victimization and Adolescent Depression

Cross-Lagged Structural Equation Modeling of Loneliness, Problematic Social Media Use, Self-Esteem, and Depressive Symptoms Among Adolescents

Prediction of Depression Risk Among Adolescents Using Random Forest Based on Psychological, Family, and School Factors

Classification of Adolescents With High Versus Low Emotion-Regulation Difficulties Using k-Nearest Neighbors and Psychological Indicators

Predicting Psychological Distress Among Adolescents Using a Multilayer Perceptron Neural Network Based on Academic, Family, and Social Factors

Identifying Psychological Factors Contributing to Emotional Dependence on Social Media Among Adolescents

Characterizing the Psychological Patterns Associated With Toxic Peer Relationships During Adolescence

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