The Journal of

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Background: Puberty is one of the most important periods of life in which very deep physiological, physical, and psychological changes occur and the mental and physical discipline of adolescents are disturbed. In mental health, recognition of these developments is important especially in the changes of adolescent’s behavior. Communication with friends and peers are an important factor in shaping attitudes, ideas, feelings, wishes and general character of teenagers. Peer education approach is applied to increase knowledge, beliefs and behaviors in individual and group levels or other social levels. Programs tailored to the needs of teenagers and new methods like peer education approach can prevent many of the problems. This study has examined the impact of peer education approach on mental health in adolescent girls.

Methods: This experimental study was carried out on 100 pupils who were randomly divided into two (n=50) groups. The intervention was carried out using a peer approach. After a month and a half, the subjects' knowledge and performance were compared througl pre-test and posttest. A self-prepared questionnaire was employed for data collection. Statistical analyses (paired t-test, Chi-square and independent samples t-test.) were applied for data analysis.

Results: knowledge (27.33±3.44 to 63.6±2.72) and practice (47.73±4.29 88.53±2.63) mean scores significantly increased in intervention group (p<0.001) but did not change in the control group.

Conclusion: Regular training program design is necessary based on community participation such as peer education approach, especially in the schools to promote mental health.

 

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Introduction: Sexuality education is one of the most important educational needs for adolescents, and mothers may have the key role in educating these issues to their daughters. This study aimed at developing, implementing and evaluating of a training program for mothers to educate sexuality matters to their adolescent girls in Mahshahr, Iran. 
Methods: This field trial was conducted on 140 mothers having 12 to18-year girls from September to March 2012. Data was collected by two validated questionnaires. The first one assessed the “Parent-Child Relationship: Mother" questionnaire which indirectly measures the level of communication skills for mothers completed by the girls, and the second one measured "Knowledge and attitude about sexuality education to adolescents" questionnaire completed for mothers. Based on the results, an educational intervention for mothers consisted of three training sessions was designed and established. Before and three-month later data were analyzed and compared. 
Results: Three months after the intervention, the mean scores of mothers’ knowledge and attitude scores toward sexuality matters, was increased significantly (P <0.01). However, there was not any significant difference between the scores of mothers’ communication skills (P = 0.37).
Conclusion: It seems that the designed educational program was effective to improve the knowledge and attitudes toward the sexuality matters in mothers, but learning communication skills as an important factor in training women for sexuality education to their adolescent girls, need to continuous, regular, and companion with experiences and practice.

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Introduction: Parenting is a complex activity, which includes special procedures and behaviors that affect the child's growth. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of educational intervention based on the health action process approach on the parenting skills of girl students’ mothers in Mashhad.
Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study conducted on 100 mothers (50test and 50control), who had 10-13 year-old girls. Mothers were selected using cluster sampling method. Data were collected by a questionnaire designed based on the health action process approach. The questionnaire also contained the demographic questions and its validity and reliable were completed before and 2months after the intervention. After completing the questionnaires, data were analyzed by SPSS 16 and descriptive (frequency, percentage, mean, and SD) and analytical tests (Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon) at the significance level of 0.05.
Results: The Chi-square test showed no statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of family size, mothers' age category, level of education, and job. The Mann-Whitney test showed that significant difference existed between the experimental and control groups before intervention) P=0.01Z=2.57( only with regard to action planning. Moreover, two months after the intervention, significant differences were observed between the two groups in all constructs.
Conclusion: According to the results, the educational intervention based on the structures of the health action process approach can have a positive impact on mother's parenting skills.
 
 

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Introduction: Lice are external  parasites found in all socioeconomic classes around the world, which infect millions of people, especially children aged 5-14 years. Considering the growing and epidemiological trend of head lice in recent years, despite careful health care, more prognosis is needed. Therefore, this study aimed to study eco-epidemiological factors of head lice in 10-12 year-old girls in Birjand City in 2017.
Methods: This cross-sectional study with descriptive-analytic approach was conducted in Birjand City in the 2017. The participants were selected using cluster sampling method from girl primary schools in Birjand City and its suburb areas. Data were entered into SPSS version 22 and analyzed by logistic regression test at significant level of 0.0.5
Results: Head lice was evaluated in 2417 elementary school girls. The prevalence of head lice infection was 13.6% (n=329) in the population. The prevalence of contamination in urban areas was two times higher than the suburb areas. Significant correlations were observed between head lice infestation and father's education, mother's education, parent's job, family income, nationality, presence of foreigners in a class, habitat, history of previous student infections, presence of an infected person in the family, use of common Chador (piece of cloth worn by Muslim women to cover their body and hair) for praying  at school. (p<0.05)
Conclusion: The prevalence of head lice infection in the present study was higher than other studies. The prevalence of head lice infection was also higher in the suburbs. So,  preventive measures, especially in the suburbs are required with regard to factors associated with infection by the health system.
 
 

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Abstract
Introduction: Today, one of the most common health problems in the world is iron deficiency anemia. The present study was conducted with the aim of determining the effect of the family-centered care program on fatigue and depression of teenage girls suffering from iron deficiency anemia. Family-centered care is a method which is controlled through mutually beneficial partnerships between caregivers, patients, and families. Family-centered care is systematically organized in such a way that the dynamics and complexities of different aspects of individuals and families are taken into consideration.
Methods: This was a quasi-experimental and practical study conducted in 2020 in which 70 adolescent girls with iron deficiency anemia studying in high school in Mahmudabad were selected through purposive and convenience sampling. The research tools were the stem fatigue and Beck depression questionnaire. After collecting the information obtained from the pre-intervention stage, the family care program for adolescent girls was conducted in the test group, and the secondary test was performed 3 months after the intervention. In the control group, the questionnaires were evaluated at the beginning, and then 3 months after the training- held in 6 sessions- and the data of the two groups were analyzed using paired t-test and dependent t-test.
Results: The comparison of the total score of fatigue and depression for adolescent girls with iron deficiency anemia before and after the intervention in the test group showed a significant difference regarding decreasing scores (P<0.001); however, there was no significant difference in the control group (P> 0.05). Furthermore, the comparison of the total fatigue scores of adolescent girls with iron deficiency anemia before and after the intervention in the experimental group showed a significant difference in reducing scores (P < 0.001), but in the control group, there was no significant difference (P = 0.182).The comparison of total depression scores of adolescent girls with iron deficiency anemia before and after the intervention in the test group showed a significant difference in reducing scores (P < 0.001), but in the control group, no significant difference was observed (P=0.667).
Conclusions: The results showed that the rate of fatigue and depression in adolescent girls with iron deficiency anemia who receive the family-centered care program has decreased compared to the control group.