Middle Eastern Journal of Disability Studies

Abstract
Background & Objectives: Appropriate and efficient planning is needed in achieving the worthwhile goals of the educational system, such as expanding student capabilities and promoting and developing knowledge in most of society. Emotional intelligence and anxiety are among the most important characteristics of students' learning disabilities. Because academic anxiety is one of the important factors in students' inability to learn and academic problems, it confronts the student with personality, emotional, and social challenges and can cause irreparable harm to society. There was no research on modeling the three variables of the hidden curriculum, emotional intelligence, and academic anxiety. So, the main purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between hidden curriculum, emotional intelligence, and academic anxiety among high school students in Babol City, Iran.
Methods: The current research was correlational, using structural equation modeling. The study statistical population includes all secondary school students in Babol city, including 15300 students. The study sample based on model parameters was considered 300. Multistage cluster random sampling was done to collect the samples. To evaluate hidden curriculum variables, emotional intelligence, and academic anxiety, the Hidden Curriculum Questionnaire (Gaufberg et al., 2010), the Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (Bradberry & Greaves, 2004), and Academic Anxiety Questionnaire (Phillips, 1978) were used, respectively. Descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (the Pearson correlation coefficient and structural equation modeling) were used to analyze the obtained data. The data were analyzed with the help of SPSS version 22 and LISREL version 8.80 at a significance level of 0.05.
Results: The results showed that the path coefficient between the teaching method and emotional intelligence was positive and significant (p<0.001, β=0.90); the path coefficient interaction between teachers and students with emotional intelligence was positive and significant (p<0.001, β =0.67). Also, the coefficient of the path between teacher evaluation methods and emotional intelligence was positive and significant (p<0.001, β=0.73); the path coefficient between rules and regulations of schools and emotional intelligence was positive and significant (p<0.001, β=0.51). Finally, the path coefficient between emotional intelligence and students' academic anxiety was negative and significant (p<0.001, β= –1.15). The path analysis fit indices indicated the overall fit of the research model (χ²/df=1.97, AGFI=0.94, GFI=0.96, CFI=0.98, RMSEA=0.005).
Conclusion: Based on the study findings, the hidden curriculum affects emotional intelligence, and emotional intelligence is effective in reducing student–student academic anxiety.

Abstract

Background & Objectives: Diabetes and its complications and treatment techniques are among the most fundamental issues facing medical and psychological knowledge today. In patients with type 2 diabetes, more than 95% of the treatment process is performed by the patient, and the treatment team has little control over the patient between visits, which requires more attention to promoting self–care activities. Designing and evaluating educational and therapeutic programs based on providing information, motivating, and teaching behavioral skills in health–promoting self–care behaviors will increase patients' adherence to self–care behaviors and create a sense of recovery and satisfaction with disease control. Among these therapies is compassionate therapy, which has attracted the attention of new therapists, even for certain diseases. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of compassion–focused therapy on the self–care of people with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: The research method was quasi–experimental with a pretest–posttest design and a control group. The statistical population in this study consisted of all patients with type 2 diabetes referred to the Ravan Yar Counseling Center in Tehran City, Iran, in 2019. The sample size of the present study included 30 people. They were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups (15 in each) on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The inclusion criteria were as follows: voluntary admission to the study, non–use of psychiatric medication, a score below 50 in the self–care questionnaire, and at least 6 months have elapsed since the illness. The exclusion criteria were as follows: participants' reluctance to continue treatment and more than two absences from treatment sessions. The research instruments included Gilbert's Compassionate Therapy Program (2009) and the Summary of Diabetes Self–Care Activities Questionnaire (Toobert and Glasgow, 1994). Data analysis was done using univariate analysis of covariance, independent t test, and Chi–square test using SPSS version 22 software at a significance level 0.05.

Results: Based on the results, the mean self–care scores in the experimental group before and after the test were 24.58 and 26.42, respectively. Also, the average self–care scores in the control group before and after the test were 25.58 and 25.27, respectively. The following results show that the mean self–care scores increased in the posttest of the experimental group and decreased slightly in the posttest of the control group. The results of univariate analysis of covariance showed that after adjusting the self–care pretest scores, in the posttest, the scores of the experimental group were significantly higher than the control group (p=0.005).

Conclusion: Based on the results, compassion–focused therapy increases self–care in people with type 2 diabetes.