Iranian Journal of Learning and Memory

Abstract Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of mindfulness training and self-efficacy training on psychological well-being and job engagement of physical education teachers in Tabriz. Method: A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a control group was employed during the academic year 2024-2025. The statistical population included all physical education teachers in Tabriz, from which 45 participants were selected via convenience sampling and randomly assigned to three groups: two experimental (mindfulness training (n=15) and self-efficacy training (n=15) and one control (n=15). The mindfulness training was based on the program developed by Segal et al. (2002), consisting of 8 sessions while the self-efficacy training was based on Bandura's (1997) theory, consisting of 8 weekly sessions of 90 minutes each. Data were collected using the Job Engagement Questionnaire (Schaufeli & Bakker, 2006) and the Psychological Well-being Questionnaire (Ryff et al., 2004) and then analyzed using MANCOVA, ANCOVA, and MANOVA with SPSS-22 software. Results: Both mindfulness and self-efficacy training significantly improved psychological well-being in the experimental groups compared to the control group (p<.01), with no significant difference between the two intervention groups. For job engagement, both interventions showed the experimental groups’ significant improvements over the control group (effect sizes: 18.40 for self-efficacy, 19.73 for mindfulness). However, mindfulness training had a more significant effect on job engagement than self-efficacy training (p<.05). Conclusions: Mindfulness and self-efficacy training enhance psychological well-being and job engagement among physical education teachers, with mindfulness training demonstrating a superior effect on job engagement. These findings suggest that both interventions are effective, but mindfulness training may offer additional benefits for improving job engagement. Hence, educational policymakers may integrate mindfulness and self-efficacy programs to foster resilient, motivated physical educators.

Abstract Objective: This study investigated the association between social anxiety and problematic smartphone use among elite student athletes, emphasizing the mediating role of maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies. Method: Employing a descriptive-correlational design based on structural equation modeling, participants were selected through convenience sampling from the population of elite university athletes across the country. The instruments included the Social Anxiety Questionnaire (Jarabek, 1996), the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (Garnefski & Kraaij, 2006) assessing maladaptive emotion regulation strategies, and the Problematic Smartphone Use Scale (Kwon et al., 2013). Data were analyzed using correlational techniques and structural equation modeling. Results: The findings revealed a significant positive relationship between social anxiety and problematic smartphone use, which was mediated by maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies. Furthermore, the proposed structural model demonstrated an acceptable goodness of fit. Conclusions: These results highlight the importance of developing group-based, educational, and psychological interventions to enhance adaptive emotion regulation strategies and reduce technology-related behavioral problems among elite athletes.

Abstract Objective: This study examined the effectiveness of water-based games in improving the reading skills of eight-year-old male students with dyslexia. Method: A quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test measures and a control group was used. From a population of 150 second-grade male students referred to specialized learning disability centers in Hamadan in 2022, 30 students diagnosed with dyslexia were selected via convenience sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (n=15 each). The experimental group received 15 sessions of structured water-based games (three times per week), while the control group received no intervention. Data were collected using the Dyslexia Syndrome Checklist (Teacher Form; validity and reliability reported by Pakdaman Savoji, 2009), the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Revised (WISC-R; Wechsler, 1974), and the NEMA Dyslexia Scale (Karami-Nouri & Moradi, 2008). Statistical analysis was performed using MANCOVA. Results: The results demonstrated that the experimental group achieved significantly higher overall reading performance than the control group (F = 45.09, p < .01; η² = .62). Significant improvements were also observed in reading-related skills, including word reading, rhyme, picture naming, text comprehension, and word understanding (p < .01). However, no significant progress was found in word strings, phoneme deletion, pseudoword reading, letter symbols, or category symbols (p > .05). Conclusions: The findings suggest that structured water-based games can effectively enhance reading performance in children with dyslexia, particularly in comprehension and vocabulary-related skills. However, limited improvements in phonological processing indicate that such interventions are most beneficial when combined with explicit phonological instruction.

Abstract Objective:This research was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of the dual- growth mindset training on enhancing job meaningfulness, work engagement, and organizational vitality among female employees of the Tabriz Welfare Organization. Method:The research method was quasi-experimental with a pretest-posttest design and a control group. The statistical population included female welfare employees in Tabriz in 2024-2025, and a sample of 40 individuals (20 in the experimental group and 20 in the control group) was selected using multi-stage cluster random sampling and randomly assigned. The educational intervention consisted of 15 sixty-minute sessions (7 sessions on self-incremental mindset based on Garofalo, 2016, and 8 sessions on job-incremental mindset based on Wrzesniewski & Dutton, 2001) implemented for the experimental group. The research instruments included the Job Meaningfulness Questionnaire by Steger et al. (2012), the Work Engagement Questionnaire by Salanova and Schaufeli (2001), and the Organizational Vitality Questionnaire by Kauffman (2007). Data were analyzed using multivariate and univariate covariance analysis. Results:The results showed that Dual- growth mindset training created a significant difference between the experimental and control groups (P=.021). Univariate analyses also confirmed a significant increase in post-test scores in the experimental group (job meaningfulness: F(1,37)=712.99, p<.001, η²=.729; work engagement: F(1,37)=12.72, p<.001, η²=.66; organizational vitality: F(1,37)=93.31, p<.001, η²=.463). Conclusion:The findings support Dweck's (2006) incremental mindset theory, and it is recommended that this intervention be included in the training programs of Iranian service organizations to enhance employees' psychological well-being.

Abstract Objective: The Persian writing system is characterized by features such as the optional omission of short vowels (diacritics) and obligatory letter connectivity, which may increase its orthographic complexity. This study investigated the impact of this inherent complexity on working memory capacity and cognitive load during reading texts. Method: A within-subjects design was employed with 45 skilled adult Persian readers. Participants read texts under two conditions: (a) Vowelized (with full diacritics), and (b) Non-Vowelized (standard script). Working memory capacity was assessed using a reading span task administered after each condition. Cognitive load was measured via a self-report 9-point Likert scale and a dual-task paradigm (secondary reaction time task). Eye-tracking metrics (fixation duration and regressions) were also recorded. Results: Repeated-measures ANOVA revealed a significant main effect of script type across all measures. Reading non-vowelized texts led to significantly higher subjective cognitive load scores (p < .001), longer reaction times in the dual-task paradigm (p < .001), and lower performance on the reading span task (p < .001) compared to vowelized texts. Eye-tracking data showed significantly longer average fixation durations (p < .001), more regressions (p < .001), shorter forward saccades (p < .01), and longer first-pass reading times (p < .001) for non-vowelized texts. Bonferroni-corrected pairwise comparisons confirmed these effects, and hierarchical regression analyses indicated that working memory capacity moderated the impact of script type on reaction time but not on accuracy. Qualitative analysis further revealed that readers employed compensatory strategies such as rereading and context-based vowel inference during non-vowelized reading. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that the orthographic complexity of standard Persian script, particularly the omission of short vowels, imposes substantial cognitive demands on working memory and increases overall cognitive load. Non-vowelized reading requires greater top-down processing and less automatic visual word recognition, affecting reading fluency and comprehension efficiency. Both quantitative and qualitative evidence indicate that readers adopt adaptive strategies to cope with this complexity. These results have implications for reading instruction, text design, and theoretical models of reading in vowel-optional scripts, highlighting the importance of orthographic transparency and cognitive resource allocation.

Abstract Objective: The present study examined the effectiveness of a reality therapy-based educational package on pain perception and self-care behaviors in older adults with Type 2 Diabetes. Method: This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest-posttest design with a control group and a 2-month follow-up. The statistical population included older adults with Type 2 Diabetes in Tehran, Iran, in 2023-2024, from which 50 participants were selected using convenience sampling. Participants were randomly assigned to the experimental (n = 25) and control (n = 25) groups. The experimental group received nine sessions of the reality therapy-based educational package while the control group received no intervention. Instruments included the researcher-developed Pain Perception Questionnaire and the Self-Care Questionnaire for Older Adults by Hemati and Hashemloo (2015). Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc tests with SPSS version 27. Results: Findings indicated that the reality therapy-based educational package significantly improved self-care behaviors and reduced pain perception in older adults with Type 2 Diabetes. These effects were maintained after the two-month follow-up. Conclusions: The results suggest that reality therapy-based interventions can be an effective psychosocial approach to enhance self-care and reduce pain perception in older adults with Type 2 Diabetes. Psychologists, counselors, and healthcare providers are encouraged to implement this educational package to promote better health outcomes in this population.