Hope and Flourishing in an Iranian Adults Sample: Their Contributions to the Positive and Negative Emotions

The this study was purposed to examine the validity of dispositional hope, state hope, and flourishing measures, to investigate the relationships between hope, flourishing and emotions, and to explore the roles of gender, age, ethnicity, marital status, and the level of education on these constructs in an Iranian sample. Participants included 300 individuals (15–80 years old) that randomly selected from Eghlid city in the north of Fars province, Iran. A demographic questionnaire and four self-rating inventories were used in this study. The confirmatory factor analysis indicated a one-dimensional structure for dispositional hope, state hope and flourishing constructs in this sample. Dispositional hope, state hope, and subjective flourishing constructs were positively and negatively related to positive and negative emotions. The level of education showed the significant role on state hope and flourishing. State hope and subjective flourishing explained 14 and 8 % of variances in positive emotions and negative emotions respectively.     

The Role of Gender on Positive Psychology Constructs in a Sample of Iranian Adolescents and Young adults

This study was purposed to investigate the roles of gender and age on psychological hardiness, emotional intelligence, self-efficacy and happiness in an Iranian sample. Participants were included 200 adolescents and 200 young adults that randomly selected from Eghlid City; Fars province, Iran. A demographic questionnaire, the Ahwaz Hardiness Inventory (AHI), the General Self Efficacy Scale (GSES), the Trait-Meta-Mood-Scale (TMMS), and the Oxford Happiness Inventory (OHI) were used in this study. Resulting data indicated that males had a significantly higher performance in psychological hardiness, emotional intelligence, self-efficacy, and happiness than females. Also, the influence of gender roles and age and its interaction in these positive psychology constructs were rejected in this study. Implications of the results were discussed for execution of positive psychology programs in males and females.     

Mate Selection,Meaning of Marriage and Positive Cognitive Constructs on Younger and Older Married Individuals

The purpose of this research was to examine the role of mate selection, meaning of marriage, meaning of life, quality of life, hope and perceived social support in being married, based on age, gender, ethnicity and educational status. The sample consisted of 632 Iranian individuals who were young or older married individuals. The participants were selected through a purposive sampling method. A demographic questionnaire and six inventories were used. Resulting data demonstrated that individuals who were young had a significantly greater overall scores than individuals who were older married in the areas of mate selection criteria, meaning of marriage, meaning of life, quality of life, hope and social support. Findings did not indicate an influence of gender on these constructs. Significant effects were found with regards to ethnicity and educational level in the meaning of marriage and hope respectively.     

Effects of combined treatment with vitamins C and E on passive avoidance learning and memory in diabetic rats

Learning and memory deficits occur in diabetes mellitus. Although the pathogenesis of cognitive impairment in diabetes has not been fully elucidated, factors such as metabolic impairments, vascular complications and oxidative stress are thought to play possible roles. Here we investigated the effect of chronic treatment with vitamin C (50 mg/kg, p.o), vitamin E (100 mg/kg, p.o) and both together on passive avoidance learning (PAL) and memory in male Wistar control and diabetic rats. Treatments were begun at the onset of hyperglycemia. Passive avoidance learning was assessed 30 days later. Retention was tested 24 h after training. At the end, animals were weighed and blood samples were drawn for plasma glucose measurement. Diabetes caused impairment in acquisition and retrieval processes of PAL and memory. The combination of vitamin C and E improved learning and memory in controls and reversed learning and memory deficits in diabetic rats. Combined treatment also affected the body weight and plasma glucose level of diabetic treated animals compared to untreated diabetic animals. Hypoglycemic effects and antioxidant properties of the vitamins may be involved in the nootropic effect of such treatment. These results show that combined treatment with vitamins C and E improved PAL and memory of control rats. In addition, combined vitamins administration to rats for 30 days from onset of diabetes alleviated the negative influence of diabetes on learning and memory. Therefore, combined vitamins treatment may provide a new potential alternative for prevention of impaired cognitive functions associated with diabetes and may warrant further clinical study.