In the cognitive aging literature, bilingualism has been conceptualized as an experiential factor that may alter the structure and functioning of the brain in cognitive tasks. The continuous engagement of two separate language systems is assumed to enhance cognitive performance in later life. However, empirical findings regarding the bilingual advantage in executive functions among older adults have been inconsistent. To explain these discrepancies, influential variables such as educational attainment have been suggested as potential moderators of bilingual effects. This study aimed to compare executive functions – including inhibition, attentional set shifting, and working memory updating – between monolingual and bilingual older adults while accounting for education level, within a cross-sectional group-comparison design. The sample consisted of 99 older persons, recruited through purposive criterion sampling. The tasks employed were computerized versions of the Stroop paradigm to assess inhibition, a set shifting task to measure attentional set shifting, and a Keep-Track task to evaluate working memory updating. Multivariate analysis of variance revealed that monolingual and bilingual participants differed only in updating, with monolinguals performing better. In contrast, participants with higher levels of education significantly outperformed those with lower education in attentional set shifting and working memory updating. The interaction between language status and education was not significant, and none of the pairwise comparisons between combined language × education groups reached significance. The findings suggest that among older people, education – but not bilingualism – contributes to differences in performance on the specific executive function tasks used in this study. Notably, language status, even in interaction with education, did not appear to influence performance on these task measures.

Parental bereavement research has largely examined parents' grieving processes and reactions. Studies show that the grieving process is influenced by both individual and sociocultural factors. However, there is limited research on identifying meaning-making coping methods within a cultural context. This study aimed to gain a deeper understanding of the meaning-making coping elements used by a group of Swedish parents whose child has died. We employed a qualitative research design, using the Coleman and Unrau thematic analysis method to analyse eight semi-structured interviews. The study found that the main meaning-making coping strategies were 'talking and praying to God', 'spiritualism', 'feeling a greater emotional belonging to nature', 'thinking of one's life in a larger context', 'talking to others about one's feelings', and 'talking to the child in one's own thoughts'. Therefore, both religious/spiritual coping mechanisms and secular existential methods of meaning-focused coping were employed by our participants in Sweden to adjust to the crisis. Swedish culture likely affects the grieving parents' coping styles for dealing with the death of an offspring. The results may support healthcare practitioners, loss psychologists, and therapists in improving their bereavement care and interventions.

The main objective of this study was to investigate the ascension of Prophet Muhammad to heaven, from a psychological point of view. The study also included a survey of different understandings and approaches to the heavenly ascension of the prophet of Islam. These understandings include philosophical, theosophical, Sufi perspectives, and esoteric commentaries of the Quran and different denominations of Islam. The current study also discusses the world of images and imagery world and offers a more elaborative discussion and a broad view of the occurrence of Miraj (i.e. occurrence in the world of images – mundus imaginalis). This view requires a revolutionary new approach to the phenomenology and epistemology of the scientific approach to the phenomenon of Al-Miraj (Heavenly ascension). Symbolic communication becomes a means of interaction and Tawil, and symbolic deciphering in understanding Miraj occurs. This study also offered an approach to Miraj as a hero journey as suggested by Jung and elaborated by Joseph Campbell. It was also discovered as a voyage of the unconscious to approach the Self and attain individuation.

Background/Objectives: Iran carries a significant burden of mental health disorders. This study aimed to describe the status of mental health and mental health care in Iran between 2012 and 2023, addressing inequalities and mapping existing challenges in the mental health care system. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted. Databases including Medline, CINAHL, APA PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library, as well as local databases such as SID, Magiran, and Noormags, were searched to identify studies related to mental health care in Iran. A total of 59 studies met the inclusion criteria. An inductive approach and thematic analysis were used to synthesize themes from the data. Results: Lower socioeconomic status (SES) was associated with higher rates of mental disorders due to poverty-related stressors and limited access to quality care. Gender disparities revealed that women are more vulnerable to mental health problems, exacerbated by perceived gender inequality. Ethnic minorities and undocumented migrant populations faced inadequate healthcare services, resulting in poorer mental health outcomes. Children and older adults also experienced mental health challenges influenced by sociodemographic factors. The main challenge for mental health care is establishing mechanisms to ensure more equitable access for all citizens. Additional challenges include limited awareness among policymakers, insufficient budget allocation, weak prevention programs, and poor intra- and inter-sectoral coordination and collaboration. A shortage of mental health care providers, as well as deficiencies in structure, system processes, and resources, further hinder progress. Conclusions: Socioeconomic factors exacerbate the challenges of Iran’s under-resourced mental health system. To address these issues, equity considerations must be integrated into mental health policies. Key interventions include the routine monitoring of mental health indicators, expanding insurance coverage for mental health services, and establishing dedicated services for children.

This study aimed to identify citizens’ perceptions of the effects of administrative corruption on their lives. Data were gathered using semi-structured interviews with 15 citizens living in Tehran, Iran, recruited through the convenience sampling method. Two main themes emerged from the data: Negative individual consequences (including “negative emotional consequences”, “negative motivational consequences”, “negative moral and behavioural consequences” and “negative economic consequences”) and Negative collective consequences (including “negative consequences related to family formation and stability” and “negative social consequences”). The study reveals that participants have experienced or perceived adverse effects in the personal, family and social spheres as a result of administrative corruption. The impacts of corruption on people's lives can be taken into consideration when explaining the importance and necessity of designing and implementing preventive measures and policies aimed at reducing corrupt behaviours in public agents.

Background: Little research has been done to identify the individual-level factors contributing to the prevention of administrative corruption. Specifically, Iranian public employees are an understudied population in terms of individual and contextual factors that contribute to the prevention of administrative corruption. This study aimed to identify the perception of public servants about the psychosocial factors that facilitate the prevention of corruption.

Method: Data were collected using semistructured interviews with 14 individuals working in public sector departments or agencies in Tehran.

Results: Six main themes emerged from the data: cognitive characteristics (including “detachment-promoting thoughts and beliefs” and “consequence-focused thoughts and beliefs”), emotional patterns (including “deterrent negative emotions” and “deterrent positive emotions”), personality characteristics (including “self-oriented conservative personality traits” and “other-oriented prosocial personality traits”), behavioral strategies (including “need-fulfillment strategies” and “self-care strategies”), familial background (including “growing up in a rule-oriented and value-oriented family” and “living with an honest and supportive spouse”), and organizational context (including “employee monitoring” and “rule-based and ethical space of the organization”).

Conclusion: The study reveals some psychological and contextual factors that could be involved in preventing administrative corruption in Iran. These factors can be taken into consideration when designing preventive measures and policies aimed at reducing corrupt behaviors in public agents and promoting ethics in public service.

Introduction: Meaning-making coping is used by people with cancer to help them deal with the stress and emotional turmoil associated with their diagnosis. It is a multifaceted approach that can be influenced by cultural, existential, and personal factors. Research on meaning-making coping among Filipinos diagnosed with cancer is sparse. This study examines how a sample of Filipino people with cancer cope with their illnesses.

Methods: We employed a qualitative approach. The study involved 20 participants with various types of cancer in the Philippines who were selected through purposive sampling and agreed to be interviewed.

Results: The thematic analysis of the interviews revealed the application of both religious and secular meaning-making coping by participants. The study also confirmed the potential influence of culture on coping strategies.

Discussion: The results indicate that religion plays a significant role in Filipino coping mechanisms, given that the Philippines is predominantly a Christian nation. Additionally, the findings highlight the importance of close family ties in Filipino culture and how it contributes to coping with cancer.

Understanding adjustment, coping processes, and various coping strategies is important for preserving and enhancing mental and physical well-being. This chapter reviews and discusses religious/spiritual coping and secular existential coping, their theoretical underpinnings, and their relation to health. Empirical studies conducted in a health-related context were highlighted to demonstrate how these coping strategies are employed in real-life practice. Further, we elaborated on the potential role of culture in individuals’ orientation toward these coping resources. Some possible areas for future research and a few implications for healthcare practitioners, palliative care professionals, and policymakers were outlined.

In this paper, we have mapped the coping methods used to address the coronavirus pandemic by members of the academic community. We conducted an anonymous survey of a convenient sample of 674 faculty/staff members and students from September to December 2020. A modified version of the RCOPE scale was used for data collection. The results indicate that both religious and existential coping methods were used by respondents. The study also indicates that even though 71% of informants believed in God or another religious figure, 61% reported that they had tried to gain control of the situation directly without the help of God or another religious figure. The ranking of the coping strategies used indicates that the first five methods used by informants were all non-religious coping methods (i.e., secular existential coping methods): regarding life as a part of a greater whole, regarding nature as an important resource, listening to the sound of surrounding nature, being alone and contemplating, and walking/engaging in any activities outdoors giving a spiritual feeling. Our results contribute to the new area of research on academic community's coping with pandemic-related stress and challenges.

In 2014, we collected more than 3000 drawings of God in Iran. Here we present the conditions for this collection and the results derived from it. We interpret our fndings from the perspective of developmental psychology, and discuss them in terms of social, cultural, and contextual factors (media, formal and informal education). We consider God representation with regard to Iranian-Islamic culture. Additionally, we make a brief comparison between our findings, drawn from participants in Iran, and the findings of studies conducted in Western cultures. Finally, limitations of the study and future research directions are critically discussed.