European Journal of Physical Education and Sport Science
ISSN: 2501 - 1235
ISSN-L: 2501 - 1235
Available on-line at: www.oapub.org/edu
10.5281/zenodo.56703
Volume 2│Issue 1│2016
A COMPARISON OF DYSFUNCTIONAL THOUGHTS
BETWEEN ACTIVE AND PASSIVE STUDENTS OF
RAZAVI UNIVERSITY OF ISLAMIC SCIENCES
Mahmood Bahremand1, Mohsen Vaez Havas2
Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
1
Imam Reza International University, Mashhad, Iran
2
Abstract:
Inefficient mental representation and negative cognitive structures are occurring when
a negative event would active inefficient schema. Negative schemas are continuing
when people apply a false logic. For example, generalize too much negative items or
have more attention to negative issues. One of the measures of inefficient thoughts is
depression. Depression is one of the most common psychiatric disorders. The World
Health Organization classified depression in the fourth row of the most acute problems
of public health across the world. This disorder can disrupt people's normal life such
that causes to severe reduction in enjoy daily activities such as socializing, recreation,
sports, food, and sex. This inability is reliable and effective. For patient the food is
tasteless, job is boring and former meaningful associations would become inane and
meaningless. Depressed people are desperate and isolated in terms of emotional, in
terms of cognitive features they are suffer from slowdown in thinking process, anxiety,
obsessive, inability to make decisions, negative self-concept, self-blame and guilt
delusions, in terms of energetic qualities they suffer from Fatigue, loss of appetite and
sleep loss and delusions of sin and disease.
Keywords: dysfunctional thoughts, coping, behaviour, mind, students
Introduction
Today poverty mobility has caused to failure in the physical, psychological and
intellectual various social groups of society. Students also make up a large part of the
population and as future professionals will be responsible for important affairs of
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Mahmood Bahremand, Mohsen Vaez Havas A COMPARISON OF DYSFUNCTIONAL THOUGHTS BETWEEN ACTIVE AND PASSIVE STUDENTS OF
RAZAVI UNIVERSITY OF ISLAMIC SCIENCES
community, thus their physical and mental health is so important. It seems that exercise
and activity in spare time of students has been very weak. Some studies are indicating
locating physical activities after activities such watching TV, listening to music,
spending time with friends and reading non-academic books (Rahmani, 2006).
Although the results of some other studies show that students participate in
physical activities in order to maintain health, mental-social positive effects, increasing
body strength, enjoying and being with friends, improving mental and intellectual
status and reducing stress (Tondnevis, 2009). Vaitla et al (2010) in a study suggested
that doing physical activities causes to increased mental health indicators especially
quality of life, self-esteem, life satisfaction and self-efficacy. Saed Jafary (2010) found in
his research that most students of Orumieh city participate in sport activities with
motivation of gaining exhilaration and feel pleasure.
Mourfi and White (1995) showed that sport and physical activity have an
important role in the Gnosticism and experience means. Stonez and Vais (2010)
indicates the impact of incentives sense of competence, understanding of autonomy and
strengthening relationships with others, on regular participation of children and
teenagers in exercise activities. Undoubtedly, understanding the interests and
motivations of students can be a proper guidance in the review strategies to attract
them in exercise activities and help to recognize reasons of participate or not participate
of these individuals.
Razavi University of Islamic Sciences is one of the comprehensive and
experienced universities in the country with a regional nature which is located in the
shrine of Imam Reza and each year a large number of students from all over the country
at different levels and in different fields of study participate in that. Given the state of
physical health and mental health of this large number of students, especially those that
are far away their family and are living in dormitories and are faced with increasing
leisure time is far important. Particular situation of university, special culture of
religious students and a high volume of courses and academic studies, all have created
significant restrictions in line with perform physical activities which this items are
indicating the importance of doing this research.
This research considering the importance of subjects and results, intends to
investigate spiritual Intelligence, mental health and dysfunctional thoughts in active
and passive students of Razavi University of Islamic Sciences. The researcher hopes that
this research will improve academic exercises and from the other hand helps physical
and mental health of future of the country.
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Mahmood Bahremand, Mohsen Vaez Havas A COMPARISON OF DYSFUNCTIONAL THOUGHTS BETWEEN ACTIVE AND PASSIVE STUDENTS OF
RAZAVI UNIVERSITY OF ISLAMIC SCIENCES
Dysfunctional thoughts
With increasing technology and the transition from a traditional society to industrial
society the volume of difficulties and human suffering are increased and we see
complications such as Anxiety, depression, suicide, addiction, divorce, escape from
school, emptiness, ...more than past. Along with these difficulties, psychologists and
researchers have opened valuable ways before the eyes of people demanding health
which are providing their mental health. The George Albi (1982) one of the fundamental
components of mental health is the coping skills. In this research, we investigate this
important factor.
Resources and coping strategies
Coping resources are characteristic of one's own which are exist before occurring stress
such as self-esteem, a sense of mastery over the situation, cognitive styles, locus of
control, self-efficacy and problem solving abilities (Vafaee and BoorBoor, 1999) while
coping measures are thoughts and manners that are applied after facing a person with
stress events among the important issues in this regard is the individual assessment of
their own capabilities to deal with the problem. These assessments may be in
accordance with the facts and actual capability of individual or may not be depend on
his reality and abilities. Whatever the perceptions of the abilities and capabilities to deal
with the difficulties is the main determinant to face with difficulties. If a person feels
unable to do despite all the skills learned would not be able to cope with problems
successfully. Evaluation of their ability to deal with problems is shaped in three stages
which is more efficient in shape coping behaviors, in the first phase the individual
evaluates the situation of predicting the stress situation, for example a person asks this
question whether the situation is threatening or not? In the second phase the individual
evaluates his abilities to doing a job in relation with stress situation, in this regard a
person asks himself what can do for solving the problem. In third phase the person
deals to reassess the situation whether his jurisdiction about sources or situation for
facing problem has been correct or not. He reconstructs and modifies his behaviors on
this basis (Dafee, 1997)
Problem-focused coping strategy
The copings focused on problem, includes direct mental and behavioral performances
which are done in order to change and modify threatening environmental conditions. In
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Mahmood Bahremand, Mohsen Vaez Havas A COMPARISON OF DYSFUNCTIONAL THOUGHTS BETWEEN ACTIVE AND PASSIVE STUDENTS OF
RAZAVI UNIVERSITY OF ISLAMIC SCIENCES
other words, problem-focused coping strategy relates to individual efforts to change the
situation and direct grapple with the problem (Pari, 1991, Moghaddasi translation,
1996). No one could obtain everything without effort. Decision making about that a
person what do during stress is depended on his jurisdiction which this jurisdictions
unfortunately influenced by negative emotions that are created due to past negative
experiences. For example, a person who is in crisis, if in the past has a successful
experience to influence the world for changing situation and in addition, depression has
frustrated him, perhaps in spite of more affairs that he can do for modifying his
situation, he would not try to deal with the issue. These individuals rather than know
themselves the main actor in their life, they suppose themselves as victims of actions,
behavior, and empathic of others. Infertility to their efficiency is a major obstacle to
solve the problem because in this case, the person is not doing the least effort to solve
the problem (Yavari, 1991, Moghaddasi translation, 1996).
Kampaz et al (1988) in a research which have conducted in the field of method
deal of teenagers with difficulties, resulted that individuals in situations which are
using from problem-focused coping strategy, have more control over that situation.
They suggested that teenagers in the face of stressful academic events are using from
problem-focused method because they think that this difficulties are more controllable
in reverse in social stressful events because they are less controllable mainly the
emotion focused method is applied. Also, in research which has been done by Valing
and Martink (1995) resulted that individuals that people who become desperate in their
physical and academic activities have less control on the situation. They added that
those students who feel they have mastered position can control the consequences of
their performance and use solving methods about activities that their learning is
difficult (Pari, 1991, translation of Moghaddasi, 1996). Based on conducted studies
focused coping methods are more effective in controllable situations. Although for
uncontrollable situations (The death of a loved one) mainly emotion-focused coping is
more appropriate (Dafee, 1997). In problem-focused coping the individuals apply
measures that we will refer to some of them:
-
active coping: is a process that the individual during it try actively for changing
mental stress source.
-
based planning coping: in this coping the individual for control and sole problem
examines different solutions depending on his thoughts and after that acts for solving
the problem by choosing the best solution;
-
patient coping: includes restraint and avoid inane activities which results in
becoming complexity of the issue and disrupting the process of problem-solving;
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Mahmood Bahremand, Mohsen Vaez Havas A COMPARISON OF DYSFUNCTIONAL THOUGHTS BETWEEN ACTIVE AND PASSIVE STUDENTS OF
RAZAVI UNIVERSITY OF ISLAMIC SCIENCES
-
effective social support seeking coping: When a person finds he unable to solve
the problem, he uses easily helps of individuals, this help to fitness of need and
problem type can be obtaining information through guidance, consulting and
absorption material or spiritual resources of others;
-
emotion-focused coping strategy: This deal includes all activities or thoughts a
person applies to control and improve the adverse effects of stressful conditions, this
coping are include:
A:
Seeking emotional support coping: includes individual efforts to gain moral
support, empathy, sympathy and atmosphere of understanding and feeling understood
by others;
B:
Positive reinterpretation coping: positive evaluation of events and situations
which are depending on optimistic attitudes toward life events, this coping is more
used for manage and control emotions and mental confusion rather than its relation to
stress (Lazaros and Folkman, 1984);
C:
Coping depends on religious: in this cope the individual to get rid of his
problems, he comes to religious practices such as prayer, trust and recourse to God and
infallibles. Findings of Mc Kary and Ketsa indicates that this cope is useful for all
people because ever acts like sources of emotional support and a means for positive
change thus facilitate the other copes;
D:
Coping based on acceptance: includes of a proactive coping responses which a
person accept the reality of stressful. This is important in conditions which stress source
is not changeable (the death of a loved one) is useful (Karor et al quoted from
Alimohammadi, 1992).
Methods
This research is practical which its results can be useful for students and authorities of
Razavi University of Islamic sciences. Since the purpose of this research was doing
comparison of dysfunctional thoughts between active and passive students of Razavi
University of Islamic Sciences a casual method has used.
Research population
In this research given the realm of time and space research, the data population consists
of all students of Razavi University of Islamic sciences which their number is 950
people.
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Mahmood Bahremand, Mohsen Vaez Havas A COMPARISON OF DYSFUNCTIONAL THOUGHTS BETWEEN ACTIVE AND PASSIVE STUDENTS OF
RAZAVI UNIVERSITY OF ISLAMIC SCIENCES
Sample and Methods of Sampling
Simple random sampling is used for sample selecting. Therefore, the selection will be
carried out at least 280 members of the statistical population. But in order to prevent
loss of the respondents and anticipate completion of the required information according
to estimate of sample, 400 questionnaire were distributed which after gathering data
and deleting corrupted questionnaires, 355 healthy questionnaires from required parts
were returned and were considered as final sample.
Research Tools
The questionnaire consisted of 40 questions for gathering information.
The statements of dysfunctional attitudes of the questionnaire: This scale which was
developed in 1978 has been created for sensing dysfunctional schemas and maladaptive
beliefs in adults (Visman and Back, 1978) and is one of the most well-known tools in the
field of cognitive research (Back Brown, Stiro Visman, 1991).
Personez 1993 and Barber and Derubis 1989, mentioned two tools of
Dysfunctional attitude Scale and automatic thoughts questionnaire (Holdan and
Kandal, 1980) as the most practical tools for measuring schema. Dysfunctional Attitude
Scale has three versions. The main version which used sometimes contains 100 items,
and two parallel versions which were extracted from the main version each have 40
items. Participants must be grade each of the items in a Likret spectrum.
From this scale, it can be possible to determine emotional vulnerability and the
psychological abilities into 7 value systems (being approved, love, success,
perfectionism, requirements, omnipotence and autonomy). Average scores obtained for
healthy people have been reported of 119 to 128 and higher scores indicating
vulnerability. The relative statements with every item based on 7-item Likert scale is
grading as following:
Validity
Cronbach's alpha is equal to 0.92; Correlation with the original form 0.97 and the
validity of predictive health through the GHQ-28 scores were equal to 0.65.
Statistical methods for analyzing data
To analyze the data in this study, the descriptive and inferential statistics were used. In
the descriptive part, frequency distribution table and two-dimensional concurrence,
central indices (mean) and separation index (SD) has been used. In the inferential
statistics section, according to developed hypothesis Kolmogorov-Smirnov test we used
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Mahmood Bahremand, Mohsen Vaez Havas A COMPARISON OF DYSFUNCTIONAL THOUGHTS BETWEEN ACTIVE AND PASSIVE STUDENTS OF
RAZAVI UNIVERSITY OF ISLAMIC SCIENCES
for determine normalizing of variables and comparative tests U of Mann-Whitney and
Spearman correlation coefficient test.
Results
The research hypothesis testing
There is no difference between dysfunctional thoughts and its components in passive
and active students of Razavi University of Islamic Sciences. For comparison
dysfunctional thoughts and its components in passive and active students of Razavi
University of Islamic Sciences and according to non-normality of variables under
investigation by using Kruskal-Wallis test the comparison has been done.
Table 1: Kruskal-Wallis test, dysfunctional thoughts and its components in passive and active
students of Razavi University of Islamic sciences
Agent
Group
Descriptive findings
mean
SD
Kruskal-
Freedom
Significant
Wallis
degree
level
Average
chi square
Rating
test
statistic
Dysfunctional
Passive
4.56
1.171
206.51
Active
3.8
0.785
148.39
28.154
2
0.0001
thoughts
About dysfunctional attitudes, average score of DAS in disabled students 4.56 with SD
1.171 and average rating 51.206 and in active students 3.8 with SD 0.785 and average
rating 148.39.the amount of chi-square Kruskal-Wallis test statistic value equivalent to
28.154 and freedom degree is2 and a certain level has a test equal to .0001, thus in the
level of 0.05 reject the null hypothesis and accept the alternative hypothesis, it
means that a there is a difference between score of dysfunctional attitudes in inactive
students of Razavi University of Islamic Sciences.
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Mahmood Bahremand, Mohsen Vaez Havas A COMPARISON OF DYSFUNCTIONAL THOUGHTS BETWEEN ACTIVE AND PASSIVE STUDENTS OF
RAZAVI UNIVERSITY OF ISLAMIC SCIENCES
Table 2: Hoc test of comparison dysfunctional attitudes in inactive and active students of
Razavi University of Islamic Sciences
Row
The first group
1
The second group
Inactive students
Meaningful level
Active students
0.0001
Discussion and Conclusion
There is difference between dysfunctional thoughts and its components in inactive and
active students of Razavi University of Islamic Sciences. As noted in the fourth chapter,
for compare dysfunctional thoughts and its components in inactive and active students
of Razavi University of Islamic Sciences, and according to non-normality of variables
under investigation Kruskal-Wallis test has used. The results of this test showed that
there is meaningful difference between dysfunctional thoughts of inactive and active
students of Razavi University of Islamic Sciences and also results showed those
dysfunctional thoughts and its components in active students is more favorable than
passive students.
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RAZAVI UNIVERSITY OF ISLAMIC SCIENCES
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