Comparison of Vitex agnus-castus Extracts with Placebo in Reducing Menopausal Symptoms: A Randomized Double-Blind Study

BACKGROUND

Menopausal symptoms have remarkable negative effects on women's quality of life, justifying the need to assess various therapeutic options. This research aimed to determine the effectiveness of Vitex agnus-castus extracts in alleviating menopausal symptoms in comparison with that of placebo.

METHODS

This study was a randomized controlled double-blind clinical trial with a study group of 52 women referred to a clinic in Kermanshah in 2017. The participants were randomly divided into two groups: Vitex group (26 subjects) and placebo group (26 subjects). Menopausal symptoms were assessed using the Greene Scale before and 8 weeks after the intervention.

RESULTS

After the intervention, the mean scores for total menopausal disorder, anxiety, and vasomotor dysfunction were significantly lower in the Vitex group than in the placebo group (P<0.05). The mean scores of the variables of somatic complications, depression, and sexual dysfunction did not show significant differences between the Vitex and placebo groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSION

Administration of Vitex agnus-castus extracts as a phytoestrogenic medicine can alleviate menopausal symptoms in women.

Predictors of substance abuse among risky drivers: The role of personality characteristics and mental health

BACKGROUND

Regarding the high prevalence of substance abuse and its serious complications, the necessity of assessing factors assuming to make tendency toward substance abuse is justifiable.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The statistical population consisted of all car drivers referred to traffic department in 2015 in Kermanshah. In this descriptive study of correlation type, 846 risky drivers from referrals to traffic department were randomly selected. Data were analyzed through NEO personality inventory, general health questionnaire, and discriminant analysis.

RESULTS

Discriminant analysis was used to analyze data. Standard coefficients of discriminant function revealed that depression, social functionality, physical symptoms, neurosis, and anxiety symptoms were of the highest role in discriminant function while agreeableness and conscientiousness had the least role in discriminant function and its success. The discriminant analysis also showed that linear combination of above variables is able to explain about 75.5% of variance of difference between two groups (P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Regarding the results of this study, it is proposed that the role of personality characteristics as well as mental health in tendency toward substance abuse could be appreciated and included in preventive and treatment programs held for people with methamphetamine abuse.

Comparison of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy and theory of mind: Improvement of posttraumatic growth and emotion regulation strategies

BACKGROUND

Assessing various therapeutic methods with the intention to decrease the problems relevant to abused children is of high significance. Accordingly, the present study seeks to compare the effectiveness of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF.CBT) with an emphasis on the theory of mind on posttraumatic growth and emotional regulation strategies in abused children.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This quasi-randomized clinical trial study was done on 39 abused children who referred to welfare organization centers in Ahvaz - Iran. After randomized allocation, the TF. CBT and theory of mind method were implemented for two groups. Before and after the interventions, posttraumatic growth and emotional regulation strategies were assessed with using Kilmer's posttraumatic growth inventory and Garnefski emotional regulation questionnaire.

RESULTS

The study findings indicated that the mean of the posttraumatic growth and adaptive and maladaptive emotional regulation strategies in the TF.CBT group was significantly higher than that of other study groups (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

TF.CBT can lead to increased levels of posttraumatic growth and improve emotional regulation strategies in abused children. Theory of mind method can also be effective in improving emotional regulation strategies.

Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy a clinical trial to increase self-efficacy in abused the primary school children

BACKGROUND

Child abuse and violence toward children has become a complex phenomenon in nowadays societies leaving hurt children with numerous complications such as lowered self-efficacy. Hence, this study was conducted to assess the effect of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) in physically abused children self-efficacy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study was a randomized clinical trial. From this statistical population of all abused children aged 9-12 in Kermanshah in 2016-2017, 40 were divided into intervention and control groups randomly. Tools used in this study were Maurice self-efficacy questionnaire and child abuse questionnaire. Data analysis was done using Chi-square test, paired t-test, and independent t-test.

RESULTS

It was revealed that the mean difference between two groups was not meaningful before intervention. After TF-CBT in intervention group, self-efficacy mean scores of social (17.95 vs. 24.20) and emotional (15.05 vs. 19.05) domains showed meaningful differences, whereas academic self-efficacy mean score did not change significantly (14.10 vs. 14.65) (P < 0.086). In control group, social (16.20 vs. 15.55), emotional (13.90 vs. 14.35), and academic (13.40 vs. 13.90) mean self-efficacy scores were not of significant difference (P > 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

TF-CBT can be used as an appropriate therapy intervention to improve social and emotional self-efficacy in abused children.