University of Isfahan Positive Psychology Research 2476-4248 9 4 2024 02 20 Designing and validating an organizational humor model :Mixed method approach Designing and validating an organizational humor model :Mixed method approach 1 30 28377 10.22108/ppls.2024.139504.2466 FA Hassan Esmailian Ph. D., Department Of Management, Faculty of Administrative Sciences and Economics, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran. Hadi Teimouri Associate Professor, Department Of Management, Faculty of Administrative Sciences and Economics, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran. 0000-0003-3288-1319 Asash Shahin Professor, Department Of Management, Faculty of Administrative Sciences and Economics, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran. Journal Article 2023 10 18 Humor is a characteristic of social interaction across all cultures and nationalities and manifests itself anywhere people gather, including the workplace. Considering the potential of humor to positively affect employees' feelings, the current study aimed to develop a model of organizational humor in the Parsian Gas Refinery Company. This study employed a mixed methods design. First, a grounded theory study was conducted to develop a model of organizational humor in the qualitative phase and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 managers and supervisors of Parsian Gas Refinery Company. The results of interview analysis and three-stage coding showed that the organizational humor model included 142 open codes, 60 core codes and 26 selective codes, which were categorized into six categories. In the quantitative phase of the study, the model fit was measured by survey method. Thus, based on the results of the qualitative section, a researcher-made questionnaire was compiled and distributed among the statistical sample, which led to the confirmation of five hypotheses. The results of this study help to make the work environment pleasant and improve the quality of employee presence in the organization. Introduction Theorizing about human behavior has been noticed and the importance of understanding the needs of employees in the work environment and social interactions has been emphasized since the introduction of the neoclassical paradigm and the movement of human relations in organization studies. Recently, the emergence of positive psychology and, as a result, positive organizational behavior changed the focus of researchers to create positive feelings and increase the health of employees (Luthans, 2002). Based on this, concepts such as psychological capital, employees' feelings and organizational well-being, as an important field for creating positive feelings in employees, have been the focus of researchers' attention. At the same time, the comprehensive development of organizations and the transition from the knowledge economy to the human economy have created a new form of behavior in contemporary organizations that will place more value on soft skills (Seidman, 2014). Humor has always been at the center of scientific attention due to its inherent potential to expand relationships and affect the perception and emotions of employees (Wijewardena et al, 2019). Nowadays, humor occupies a very wide area of various aspects of management and organization and is increasingly recognized by researchers as a necessity for successful organizational performance. As such, in more than three decades of research, there is no ambiguity in terms of empirical support regarding the positive results of humor in the workplace and its applicability in organizations and improving the quality of work life. However, the current literature lacks a comprehensive theoretical framework about humorous events in the workplace, which can be used as a reference point for a better understanding of how humorous behavior manifests itself at work. Therefore, this research aims to provide a more comprehensive picture of what is formed as humor in the interpersonal relationships of employees and will contribute to the enrichment and expansion of humor literature in the organization. Therefore, the present study aimed to answer to the following research questions: What is the comprehensive model of organizational humor in Parsian Gas Refining Company? Method The current research is applied in terms of its purpose and nature, it is an exploratory research in which a mixed method has been used. A mixed methods design is a procedure for collecting, analyzing and combining quantitative and qualitative data. On this basis, the qualitative data were first collected through interviews with the managers of different units of Parsian Gas Refinery Company to calculate the dimensions and components of the desired phenomenon by the grounded theory. Then, quantitative analysis was used to determine the relationships between qualitative data. In the qualitative phase, data analysis was carried out by the systematic method of Strauss and Corbin in three stages of open, central and selective coding, and finally, based on the results, a conceptual model of humor in Parsian Gas Refinery Company was formed. In the quantitative part, to measure the validity of the conceptual model extracted in the qualitative phase, a quantitative study of the organizational humor model was carried out using a questionnaire tool and the application of the structural equation modeling (SEM). Results To determine how acceptable the indicators were for the measurement patterns, general indices of model fit were examined for the measurement model. The results of structural equation modelling and coefficients of the final model of organizational humor are presented in Figure 1. The goodness of fit indices of the structural model of the study and the results of the hypothesis test are also presented. Figure1 Structural model of research Table1 Fitness indexes of pattern for the measurement model RMSEA GFI IFI CFI CMIN/DF Variable 0.071 0.98 0.97 0.97 2.79 Causal conditions 0.0 0.95 0.94 0.94 4.29 Phenomena 0.07 0.973 0.97 0.97 3.18 Context 0.03 0/994 0.99 0.99 1.31 Strategies 0.09 0.97 0.93 0.93 4.54 Intervening condition 0.09 0.97 0.94 0.94 4.11 Consequences <0/1 >0/9 >0/9 >0/05 5> Goodness-of-fit Table2 The results of research hypothesis testing Hypothesis Beta coefficient Critical Ratio p-value Result Causal factors have an effect on the phenomenon. 0.82 8.42 0.000 confirmed The phenomenon has an impact on strategies. 0.90 8.37 0.000 confirmed Context factors have an effect on strategies. 0.61 9.4 0.000 confirmed Intervening conditions have an effect on strategies. 0.54 9.1 0.000 confirmed Strategies affect consequences. 0.94 9.47 0.000 confirmed *P≤0/05 Conclusion This study aimed to examine the dimensions and angles of the phenomenon of humor in Parsian Gas Refinery Company. This study first examined the conceptual depth of the phenomenon in an exploratory way using a grounded strategy from the perspective of experts and explained its obvious and hidden signs. Probing into the statements of each of the interviewees led to the emergence of conceptual categories from the interviews, and finally, the model of organizational humor was developed. Also, this study sought to answer the question of whether the designed model of humor in the organization was valid or not. The results of the quantitative phase of the study showed that the designed model fitted the data and confirmed at a confidence level of 95%. In explaining the causal conditions, it should be noted that the emergence of humorous behaviors in the organization is the result of factors that are more focused on the structure and physical environment of the organization, the job features, the atmosphere of the organization, and negative management styles. As the findings of the present study indicate, the most important contextual factors of organizational humor are the characteristics related to the structure, field of activity and organizational culture. Regarding the identified intervening conditions, individual differences such as gender, personality traits, age, work experience, education, religious beliefs and ethnicity play a major role in the expression and perception of humor. To implement the humor model, it is necessary to provide the conditions for establishing this model in the organization. Planning and cultural development are considered important measures in this field. Finally, the consequences of humor in the organization can be classified into individual, group and organizational categories. Since this study specifically focused on investigating the positive effects of humor in the workplace, future studies can explain the effects and consequences of using negative styles of humor in the workplace. Ethical Consideration Compliance with Ethical Guidelines: In order to comply with ethics in the research, confidentiality of participants' identity were attended and the participants were assured that their information would remain confidential. Authors’ Contributions: All authors contributed to perform the study. Conflict of Interest: There is no conflict of interest in this study. Funding: This study was done with the financial support of Parsian Gas Refinery Company. Acknowledgment: The authors would thanks to all the employees and agents of Parsian Gas Refinery Company who cooperated during this research. . Corresponding author Humor is a characteristic of social interaction across all cultures and nationalities and manifests itself anywhere people gather, including the workplace. Considering the potential of humor to positively affect employees' feelings, the current study aimed to develop a model of organizational humor in the Parsian Gas Refinery Company. This study employed a mixed methods design. First, a grounded theory study was conducted to develop a model of organizational humor in the qualitative phase and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 managers and supervisors of Parsian Gas Refinery Company. The results of interview analysis and three-stage coding showed that the organizational humor model included 142 open codes, 60 core codes and 26 selective codes, which were categorized into six categories. In the quantitative phase of the study, the model fit was measured by survey method. Thus, based on the results of the qualitative section, a researcher-made questionnaire was compiled and distributed among the statistical sample, which led to the confirmation of five hypotheses. The results of this study help to make the work environment pleasant and improve the quality of employee presence in the organization. Introduction Theorizing about human behavior has been noticed and the importance of understanding the needs of employees in the work environment and social interactions has been emphasized since the introduction of the neoclassical paradigm and the movement of human relations in organization studies. Recently, the emergence of positive psychology and, as a result, positive organizational behavior changed the focus of researchers to create positive feelings and increase the health of employees (Luthans, 2002). Based on this, concepts such as psychological capital, employees' feelings and organizational well-being, as an important field for creating positive feelings in employees, have been the focus of researchers' attention. At the same time, the comprehensive development of organizations and the transition from the knowledge economy to the human economy have created a new form of behavior in contemporary organizations that will place more value on soft skills (Seidman, 2014). Humor has always been at the center of scientific attention due to its inherent potential to expand relationships and affect the perception and emotions of employees (Wijewardena et al, 2019). Nowadays, humor occupies a very wide area of various aspects of management and organization and is increasingly recognized by researchers as a necessity for successful organizational performance. As such, in more than three decades of research, there is no ambiguity in terms of empirical support regarding the positive results of humor in the workplace and its applicability in organizations and improving the quality of work life. However, the current literature lacks a comprehensive theoretical framework about humorous events in the workplace, which can be used as a reference point for a better understanding of how humorous behavior manifests itself at work. Therefore, this research aims to provide a more comprehensive picture of what is formed as humor in the interpersonal relationships of employees and will contribute to the enrichment and expansion of humor literature in the organization. Therefore, the present study aimed to answer to the following research questions: What is the comprehensive model of organizational humor in Parsian Gas Refining Company? Method The current research is applied in terms of its purpose and nature, it is an exploratory research in which a mixed method has been used. A mixed methods design is a procedure for collecting, analyzing and combining quantitative and qualitative data. On this basis, the qualitative data were first collected through interviews with the managers of different units of Parsian Gas Refinery Company to calculate the dimensions and components of the desired phenomenon by the grounded theory. Then, quantitative analysis was used to determine the relationships between qualitative data. In the qualitative phase, data analysis was carried out by the systematic method of Strauss and Corbin in three stages of open, central and selective coding, and finally, based on the results, a conceptual model of humor in Parsian Gas Refinery Company was formed. In the quantitative part, to measure the validity of the conceptual model extracted in the qualitative phase, a quantitative study of the organizational humor model was carried out using a questionnaire tool and the application of the structural equation modeling (SEM). Results To determine how acceptable the indicators were for the measurement patterns, general indices of model fit were examined for the measurement model. The results of structural equation modelling and coefficients of the final model of organizational humor are presented in Figure 1. The goodness of fit indices of the structural model of the study and the results of the hypothesis test are also presented. Figure1 Structural model of research Table1 Fitness indexes of pattern for the measurement model RMSEA GFI IFI CFI CMIN/DF Variable 0.071 0.98 0.97 0.97 2.79 Causal conditions 0.0 0.95 0.94 0.94 4.29 Phenomena 0.07 0.973 0.97 0.97 3.18 Context 0.03 0/994 0.99 0.99 1.31 Strategies 0.09 0.97 0.93 0.93 4.54 Intervening condition 0.09 0.97 0.94 0.94 4.11 Consequences <0/1 >0/9 >0/9 >0/05 5> Goodness-of-fit Table2 The results of research hypothesis testing Hypothesis Beta coefficient Critical Ratio p-value Result Causal factors have an effect on the phenomenon. 0.82 8.42 0.000 confirmed The phenomenon has an impact on strategies. 0.90 8.37 0.000 confirmed Context factors have an effect on strategies. 0.61 9.4 0.000 confirmed Intervening conditions have an effect on strategies. 0.54 9.1 0.000 confirmed Strategies affect consequences. 0.94 9.47 0.000 confirmed *P≤0/05 Conclusion This study aimed to examine the dimensions and angles of the phenomenon of humor in Parsian Gas Refinery Company. This study first examined the conceptual depth of the phenomenon in an exploratory way using a grounded strategy from the perspective of experts and explained its obvious and hidden signs. Probing into the statements of each of the interviewees led to the emergence of conceptual categories from the interviews, and finally, the model of organizational humor was developed. Also, this study sought to answer the question of whether the designed model of humor in the organization was valid or not. The results of the quantitative phase of the study showed that the designed model fitted the data and confirmed at a confidence level of 95%. In explaining the causal conditions, it should be noted that the emergence of humorous behaviors in the organization is the result of factors that are more focused on the structure and physical environment of the organization, the job features, the atmosphere of the organization, and negative management styles. As the findings of the present study indicate, the most important contextual factors of organizational humor are the characteristics related to the structure, field of activity and organizational culture. Regarding the identified intervening conditions, individual differences such as gender, personality traits, age, work experience, education, religious beliefs and ethnicity play a major role in the expression and perception of humor. To implement the humor model, it is necessary to provide the conditions for establishing this model in the organization. Planning and cultural development are considered important measures in this field. Finally, the consequences of humor in the organization can be classified into individual, group and organizational categories. Since this study specifically focused on investigating the positive effects of humor in the workplace, future studies can explain the effects and consequences of using negative styles of humor in the workplace. Ethical Consideration Compliance with Ethical Guidelines: In order to comply with ethics in the research, confidentiality of participants' identity were attended and the participants were assured that their information would remain confidential. Authors’ Contributions: All authors contributed to perform the study. Conflict of Interest: There is no conflict of interest in this study. Funding: This study was done with the financial support of Parsian Gas Refinery Company. Acknowledgment: The authors would thanks to all the employees and agents of Parsian Gas Refinery Company who cooperated during this research. . Corresponding author

https://ppls.ui.ac.ir/article_28377_35f42893762e29b10eb25b72117faa2b.pdf

University of Isfahan Positive Psychology Research 2476-4248 9 4 2024 02 20 The Relationship between Positive Academic Achievement Emotions, Negative Academic Achievement Emotions, and Learning Strategies: The Mediation Role of Academic Satisfaction The Relationship between Positive Academic Achievement Emotions, Negative Academic Achievement Emotions, and Learning Strategies: The Mediation Role of Academic Satisfaction 31 56 28376 10.22108/ppls.2024.137582.2422 FA Zohreh Ghasemkhani MSc of Educational Psychology, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Literature & Humanities, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran. Afsaneh Towhidi Associate Professor of Educational Psychology, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Literature & Humanities, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran. Anahita Tashk Assistant Professor of Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Literature & Humanities, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran. 0000-0001-5976-330X Journal Article 2023 05 19 The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between positive academic achievement emotions, negative academic achievement emotions with academic satisfaction (mediating academic satisfaction). The research method was descriptive of the correlational kind. The statistical population included all the high school students of the city of Kuhbanan, Kerman. Among them 450 students were recruited using multistage cluster sampling method and, in each cluster, using simple random method. In order to collect data, motivated strategies for learning questionnaire, achievement emotions questionnaire, and academic well-being scale were used. In order to analyze the data, descriptive statistics such as the mean, the standard deviation, and the correlational matrix and inferential statistics such as path analysis were used. The results indicate that the academic satisfaction plays a significant mediating role between positive academic achievement emotions, negative academic achievement emotions, and learning strategies. The results also indicate that there is a positive and a significant relationship between all the mentioned variables except for the negative academic achievement emotions. In other words, there is a negative relationship between negative academic achievement emotions, academic satisfaction, and learning strategies. Therefore, in the proposed model, all the relationships are direct and significant and the academic satisfaction plays a mediating and a confirmed role. Thus, it is concluded that by enhancing students’ positive academic emotions and diminishing students’ negative academic emotions, the context for enhancing students’ academic satisfaction and their usage of learning strategies would be provided. Introduction Learning strategies are processes that student use in their learning (Pintrich et al., 1993). Applying learning strategies needs active learning, thus, achievement emotions relate to learning strategies (Obergriesser & Stoeger, 2019). Researchers believe that the learning process through academic satisfaction would lead to academic satisfaction (Ebrahimzadeh et al., 2020). So far, there is no published model to describe the relationship of these variables. To this end, the following research hypotheses are: There are meaningful relationships between academic achievement emotions (positive and negative) and learning strategies There are meaningful relationships between these emotions and the academic satisfaction There is a meaningful relationship between academic satisfaction and learning strategies, and there is a relationship between the mentioned emotions and academic satisfaction mediating learning strategies. Method The present study employed descriptive and correlational research design. The statistical population included all high school students of the Koohban, Kerman. Using Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) table, the sample size turned out to be 450 individuals that were recruited while using multi cluster sampling method and within each cluster using simple random sampling method. The measurement tools were Pintrich and De Groot’s (1990) Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ), Pekrun et al.’s (2005) Achievement Emotions Questionnaire (AEQ), and Tuominen-Soini et al.’s (2012) Academic Well-Being Scale (AWS). The scoring system of all tools are based on the Likert scale (1 to 5). After coordinating with the Office of Education in Koohbanan in Kerman province and schools’ educators, students completed tools via an internet link. Before the research conduction, researchers assured all students that their gathered information would remain confidential. The data were analyzed by applying path analysis with the aid of SPSS-26 and Lisrel-8. Results Figure 1 The fitted path analysis. Figure 2 The t scores of the fitted path analysis. The fitted path analysis is in Figure 1 and the t scores of the fitted path analysis is in Figure Both Figure 1 and Figure 2, indicate that the model has a good fit and all paths are significant (p ≤ .05). In the present research, the results of the analyses show that all presumptions were met. The estimated amount of the goodness of fit indices are: df = 1, X2 = 2.89, df/X2 = 2.89, RMSEA = .06, GFI = 2.89, IFI = .98, NFI = .99, AGFI = .99, NNFI = .98, and CFI = .99. Thus, the proposed mediating model in relationship with the positive and the negative academic achievement emotions and the academic satisfaction mediating the academic satisfaction has a proper goodness of fit. Table 1, shows the direct effects of the academic satisfaction, positive and negative academic achievement emotions on learning strategies and academic satisfaction. Table1 Results of the analysis of direct effect of variables and standardized indirect effects of all the variables on each other dependent/independent estimated parameter standardized parameter error of standard t R2 direct effects indirect effects total effects t on learning strategies .30 from academic satisfaction .65 .30 .05 3.19** .46 .12 .58 15.09** from positive academic achievement emotions .41 .21 .08 5.05** -.57 -.04 -.61 -16.48** from negative academic achievement emotions -.28 -.57 .10 -17.91** .30 - .30 3.19** on academic satisfaction .57 from positive academic achievement emotions .24 .40 .10 12.58** .40 - .40 12.58** from negative academic achievement emotions -.07 -.16 .08 -3.89** -.16 - -.16 -3.89** p < .05**, p < .01** As in Table 1, the variables that directly predicted learning strategies included academic satisfaction (β = .30, t = 3.19. p < .01), positive academic achievement emotions (β = .21, t = 5.05. p < .01), yet the direct and the significant effects and the negative academic achievement emotions were reverse (β = -.57, t = -17.97. p < .01). The indirect effects of the positive academic achievement emotions on learning strategies through the mediation of the academic satisfaction were positive and meaningful (IN = .12. t = 15.09, p < .05). The positive academic achievement emotions had direct effects on predicting academic satisfaction (β = .40, t = 12.58. p < .01). The direct effect of negative academic achievement emotions on the academic satisfaction was significant but reverse (β = -.16, t = 3.89. p < .01). The academic satisfaction in the relationship with the positive academic achievement emotions and the learning strategies had a mediation role but the mediation role of the academic satisfaction in the relationship with the negative academic achievement emotions was significant and reverse (IN = -.04. t = -16.48, p < .05). Thus, in both cases (positive and negative academic achievement emotions, since in both direct and indirect paths were significant the mediations are relative. Conclusion The purpose of the study was to examine the positive and negative academic achievement emotions with learning strategies, mediating academic satisfaction. All hypotheses are confirmed. The positive emotions are in concordance with Schweder and Raufelder’s (2022) findings and negative ones are in concordance with Rashidzade et al. (2022). Positive emotions lead to appropriate application of learning strategies (Obergriesser & Stoeger, 2019) while negative emotions exert unpleasant effects (Janabadi et al., 2020). Both positive-negative emotions are in concordance with Shahabi et al. (2021) findings. Performing positive activities lead to academic satisfactions (Sadeghi & Barzegar Befroee, 2019). Negative thinking causes negative academic satisfactions (Hajizadeh & Zeinali, 2019). The links found between academic satisfaction and the learning strategies relationship is in concordance with Kasalak and Degyar’s (2020) findings. Student’s academic flourishment requires the usage of proper learning strategies (Ebrahimzadeh et al., 2020). Moreover, the results found on positive emotions are in concordance with Mirsamiei et al. (2021) and the negative ones are in concordance with Wu et al. (2021) findings. Also, experiencing positive academic achievement emotions would lead to academic satisfactions and effective learning strategies (Ahmadi, 2014) and having negative emotions leads to low academic satisfaction (Chau & Cheung, 2018). The results of this research are limited to using online questionnaires and conducting during pandemic COVID-19. The researchers, therefore, suggest doing similar studies using non-online measurement tools and presenting workshops on promoting positive academic emotions. Ethical Consideration Compliance with Ethical Guidelines Students participated voluntarily and they were assured that the gathered information would remain confidential. Authors’ Contributions All authors participated in the research conduction. Conflict of Interest The authors have no conflict of interest with each other. Funding This research did not receive any funds from any sources. Acknowledgment The authors offer their gratitude toward all the students, parents, school principals, and educators. The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between positive academic achievement emotions, negative academic achievement emotions with academic satisfaction (mediating academic satisfaction). The research method was descriptive of the correlational kind. The statistical population included all the high school students of the city of Kuhbanan, Kerman. Among them 450 students were recruited using multistage cluster sampling method and, in each cluster, using simple random method. In order to collect data, motivated strategies for learning questionnaire, achievement emotions questionnaire, and academic well-being scale were used. In order to analyze the data, descriptive statistics such as the mean, the standard deviation, and the correlational matrix and inferential statistics such as path analysis were used. The results indicate that the academic satisfaction plays a significant mediating role between positive academic achievement emotions, negative academic achievement emotions, and learning strategies. The results also indicate that there is a positive and a significant relationship between all the mentioned variables except for the negative academic achievement emotions. In other words, there is a negative relationship between negative academic achievement emotions, academic satisfaction, and learning strategies. Therefore, in the proposed model, all the relationships are direct and significant and the academic satisfaction plays a mediating and a confirmed role. Thus, it is concluded that by enhancing students’ positive academic emotions and diminishing students’ negative academic emotions, the context for enhancing students’ academic satisfaction and their usage of learning strategies would be provided. Introduction Learning strategies are processes that student use in their learning (Pintrich et al., 1993). Applying learning strategies needs active learning, thus, achievement emotions relate to learning strategies (Obergriesser & Stoeger, 2019). Researchers believe that the learning process through academic satisfaction would lead to academic satisfaction (Ebrahimzadeh et al., 2020). So far, there is no published model to describe the relationship of these variables. To this end, the following research hypotheses are: There are meaningful relationships between academic achievement emotions (positive and negative) and learning strategies There are meaningful relationships between these emotions and the academic satisfaction There is a meaningful relationship between academic satisfaction and learning strategies, and there is a relationship between the mentioned emotions and academic satisfaction mediating learning strategies. Method The present study employed descriptive and correlational research design. The statistical population included all high school students of the Koohban, Kerman. Using Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) table, the sample size turned out to be 450 individuals that were recruited while using multi cluster sampling method and within each cluster using simple random sampling method. The measurement tools were Pintrich and De Groot’s (1990) Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ), Pekrun et al.’s (2005) Achievement Emotions Questionnaire (AEQ), and Tuominen-Soini et al.’s (2012) Academic Well-Being Scale (AWS). The scoring system of all tools are based on the Likert scale (1 to 5). After coordinating with the Office of Education in Koohbanan in Kerman province and schools’ educators, students completed tools via an internet link. Before the research conduction, researchers assured all students that their gathered information would remain confidential. The data were analyzed by applying path analysis with the aid of SPSS-26 and Lisrel-8. Results Figure 1 The fitted path analysis. Figure 2 The t scores of the fitted path analysis. The fitted path analysis is in Figure 1 and the t scores of the fitted path analysis is in Figure Both Figure 1 and Figure 2, indicate that the model has a good fit and all paths are significant (p ≤ .05). In the present research, the results of the analyses show that all presumptions were met. The estimated amount of the goodness of fit indices are: df = 1, X2 = 2.89, df/X2 = 2.89, RMSEA = .06, GFI = 2.89, IFI = .98, NFI = .99, AGFI = .99, NNFI = .98, and CFI = .99. Thus, the proposed mediating model in relationship with the positive and the negative academic achievement emotions and the academic satisfaction mediating the academic satisfaction has a proper goodness of fit. Table 1, shows the direct effects of the academic satisfaction, positive and negative academic achievement emotions on learning strategies and academic satisfaction. Table1 Results of the analysis of direct effect of variables and standardized indirect effects of all the variables on each other dependent/independent estimated parameter standardized parameter error of standard t R2 direct effects indirect effects total effects t on learning strategies .30 from academic satisfaction .65 .30 .05 3.19** .46 .12 .58 15.09** from positive academic achievement emotions .41 .21 .08 5.05** -.57 -.04 -.61 -16.48** from negative academic achievement emotions -.28 -.57 .10 -17.91** .30 - .30 3.19** on academic satisfaction .57 from positive academic achievement emotions .24 .40 .10 12.58** .40 - .40 12.58** from negative academic achievement emotions -.07 -.16 .08 -3.89** -.16 - -.16 -3.89** p < .05**, p < .01** As in Table 1, the variables that directly predicted learning strategies included academic satisfaction (β = .30, t = 3.19. p < .01), positive academic achievement emotions (β = .21, t = 5.05. p < .01), yet the direct and the significant effects and the negative academic achievement emotions were reverse (β = -.57, t = -17.97. p < .01). The indirect effects of the positive academic achievement emotions on learning strategies through the mediation of the academic satisfaction were positive and meaningful (IN = .12. t = 15.09, p < .05). The positive academic achievement emotions had direct effects on predicting academic satisfaction (β = .40, t = 12.58. p < .01). The direct effect of negative academic achievement emotions on the academic satisfaction was significant but reverse (β = -.16, t = 3.89. p < .01). The academic satisfaction in the relationship with the positive academic achievement emotions and the learning strategies had a mediation role but the mediation role of the academic satisfaction in the relationship with the negative academic achievement emotions was significant and reverse (IN = -.04. t = -16.48, p < .05). Thus, in both cases (positive and negative academic achievement emotions, since in both direct and indirect paths were significant the mediations are relative. Conclusion The purpose of the study was to examine the positive and negative academic achievement emotions with learning strategies, mediating academic satisfaction. All hypotheses are confirmed. The positive emotions are in concordance with Schweder and Raufelder’s (2022) findings and negative ones are in concordance with Rashidzade et al. (2022). Positive emotions lead to appropriate application of learning strategies (Obergriesser & Stoeger, 2019) while negative emotions exert unpleasant effects (Janabadi et al., 2020). Both positive-negative emotions are in concordance with Shahabi et al. (2021) findings. Performing positive activities lead to academic satisfactions (Sadeghi & Barzegar Befroee, 2019). Negative thinking causes negative academic satisfactions (Hajizadeh & Zeinali, 2019). The links found between academic satisfaction and the learning strategies relationship is in concordance with Kasalak and Degyar’s (2020) findings. Student’s academic flourishment requires the usage of proper learning strategies (Ebrahimzadeh et al., 2020). Moreover, the results found on positive emotions are in concordance with Mirsamiei et al. (2021) and the negative ones are in concordance with Wu et al. (2021) findings. Also, experiencing positive academic achievement emotions would lead to academic satisfactions and effective learning strategies (Ahmadi, 2014) and having negative emotions leads to low academic satisfaction (Chau & Cheung, 2018). The results of this research are limited to using online questionnaires and conducting during pandemic COVID-19. The researchers, therefore, suggest doing similar studies using non-online measurement tools and presenting workshops on promoting positive academic emotions. Ethical Consideration Compliance with Ethical Guidelines Students participated voluntarily and they were assured that the gathered information would remain confidential. Authors’ Contributions All authors participated in the research conduction. Conflict of Interest The authors have no conflict of interest with each other. Funding This research did not receive any funds from any sources. Acknowledgment The authors offer their gratitude toward all the students, parents, school principals, and educators.

https://ppls.ui.ac.ir/article_28376_ba91c732319f0c609114ef82242e6737.pdf

University of Isfahan Positive Psychology Research 2476-4248 9 4 2024 02 20 The Effect of Adolescent-Centered Mindfulness Training on Academic Resilience and Academic Engagement of Female High School Students with Social Anxiety Symptoms The Effect of Adolescent-Centered Mindfulness Training on Academic Resilience and Academic Engagement of Female High School Students with Social Anxiety Symptoms 57 76 28188 10.22108/ppls.2024.136327.2393 FA Sanaz Soolari Esfahani PhD in Psychology of Educational Sciences, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Islamic Azad University (Khorasgan), Isfahan, Iran. Seyed Hamid Atashpour Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Islamic Azad University (Khorasgan), Isfahan, Iran. Narges Keshti Arai Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Islamic Azad University (Khorasgan), Isfahan, Iran. Ali Mahdad Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Islamic Azad University (Khorasgan), Isfahan, Iran. Journal Article 2023 01 04 The aim of this study was to examine effect of adolescent-centered mindfulness training on resilience and academic engagement in second-year high school girl students with symptoms of social anxiety. The quasi-experimental research method with a pre-test-post-test design along with a follow-up period with the control group was used. The statistical population included all female high school students in Tehran in 2020. In order to select the sample, cluster sampling method was used and four schools were randomly selected from among girls' secondary schools in Tehran. The social anxiety questionnaire was administered to the students. Those students who scored one standard deviation higher than the average in this questionnaire and volunteered to participate in the research, 30 students were randonly selected and were assigned to the experimental and the control groups (15 students in each group). The experimental group received eight sessions of adolescent-centered mindfulness training, while the control group did not receive any. The data collection tools in the pre-test, the post-test, and the follow-up phases included Connor-Davidson Resilience scale, the Academic Engagement, and the Social Anxiety scale for adolescents. The research data were analyzed by repeated measures method. The results showed that the adolescent-oriented mindfulness training package had a significant effect on improving students' academic resilience and academic engagement in the post-exam phase, and the effect remained in the follow-up phase. It is concluded that adolescent-oriented mindfulness training is a suitable method for improving academic resilience and academic Engagement among female students with social anxiety symptoms. Introduction People who are involved with social anxiety are always afraid that others will consider them as incapable and disturbed in doing things (Pitcho-Perlorentzos et al., 2020). Students with social anxiety disorder have low self-esteem and negative effects on their academic performance during education such as not doing homework, depression, lack of social skills, and substance abuse are observed. In the future, they will face many problems in their job performance (Fox et al., 2018), so it can be said that the academic engagement of these students decreases. From Alva's (2015) point of view, students who have academic resilience use all their efforts despite stressful events in order to achieve success and better performance. One of the newest trainings in the direction of investigating the problems of children and adolescents such as depression, anxiety disorders, social anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and aggressiveness is child- and adolescent-oriented mindfulness (Burdick, 2014). Based on this, the following research hypotheses were posited: 1- Mindfulness training for teenagers positively influences resilience. 2- Adolescent-centered mindfulness training positively influences academic engagement. Method The quasi-experimental research method with pre-test-post-test type and a three-month follow-up phase with a control group was used. The statistical population included all high school female students who studied in Tehran in the academic year 2019-2020. In the adolescent-oriented mindfulness training group, four people (26.70%) were 13 years old and the same number were 16 years old. Three people (20%) were 14 years old; the same number were 15 years old, and one person (6.7%) was 17 years old. In the control group, four people (26.70%) were 13 years old and the same number were 16 years old. 2 people (13.30%) were 14 years old and the same number were 17 years old. while three people (20%) were 15 years old. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (variance analysis test with repeated measures) using SPSS, version 23. Results Table 1 Descriptive Indices of the Research Variables, Separated into Two Groups and Three Phases of the Research Variable the experiment control pre-exam after exam Follow up pre-exam After exam Follow up Academic Resilience Average 56/53 67/13 61/2 57/47 59/33 59/27 standard deviation 7/71 7/5 7/98 6/83 6/61 6/95 Academic Engagement Average 44/87 54/27 52/67 45/6 46/1 46/4 standard deviation 4/12 6/47 6/85 5/12 5/32 4/99 Based on the findings, in the between-subject analysis, the mean scores of the variables of resilience and academic engagement in the experimental group (adolescent-oriented mindfulness training) and the control group had a significant difference (p<0.001). The results showed that 79.4% of resilience scores and 42.9% of academic engagement scores were related to the difference between the two groups. Based on the results of the within-subject analysis, there was no significant difference between the average scores of both variables and academic engagement in the post-exam and follow-up stages (p < 0.05). However, in academic engagement, the difference between the stages is generally significant (p < 0.005). The results indicated that the interaction of time and group membership was significant in both variables (p < 0.05). These results revealed that the changes in academic engagement and resilience in the stages of the research were different in the groups. Discussion Mindfulness training by encourages students to repeatedly practice focused attention on the desired issue and deliberate awareness of the issue, and changes the students' minds from an automatic and involuntary state to a conscious and appropriate state in response to conflict situations (Koski et al., 2023). Also, by practicing mindfulness, teenagers learn skills so that they can calm themselves down, become more aware of their internal and external experiences, and overcome their social anxiety through meditation and thinking. The results of research in the field of mindfulness indicate that the use of mindfulness exercises strengthens positive attitudes and thoughts and thus leads to the development and stabilization of mood and the strengthening of emotion regulation, improves the damaged self-esteem of teenagers, and helps to overcome social anxiety in teenagers through the combination of vitality and clearly seeing positive experiences. Ethical Consideration Compliance with Ethical Guidelines: All ethical issues like informed consent and confidentiality of participants’ identifications were compiled based on ethical committee of Azad University of esfahan khorasgan. Iran. Authors’ Contributions: All authors contributed to the study. The first author written and edited the first draft of the manuscript. The second author edited the manuscript and collected the data. The third author advised result sections. Conflict of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest for this study. Funding: This study was conducted with financial support khorasgan Azad University.Iran (IR.IAU.KHUISF.REC.1401.188) Acknowledgment: The authors would like to thank all participants for their time and contribution to the study. The aim of this study was to examine effect of adolescent-centered mindfulness training on resilience and academic engagement in second-year high school girl students with symptoms of social anxiety. The quasi-experimental research method with a pre-test-post-test design along with a follow-up period with the control group was used. The statistical population included all female high school students in Tehran in 2020. In order to select the sample, cluster sampling method was used and four schools were randomly selected from among girls' secondary schools in Tehran. The social anxiety questionnaire was administered to the students. Those students who scored one standard deviation higher than the average in this questionnaire and volunteered to participate in the research, 30 students were randonly selected and were assigned to the experimental and the control groups (15 students in each group). The experimental group received eight sessions of adolescent-centered mindfulness training, while the control group did not receive any. The data collection tools in the pre-test, the post-test, and the follow-up phases included Connor-Davidson Resilience scale, the Academic Engagement, and the Social Anxiety scale for adolescents. The research data were analyzed by repeated measures method. The results showed that the adolescent-oriented mindfulness training package had a significant effect on improving students' academic resilience and academic engagement in the post-exam phase, and the effect remained in the follow-up phase. It is concluded that adolescent-oriented mindfulness training is a suitable method for improving academic resilience and academic Engagement among female students with social anxiety symptoms. Introduction People who are involved with social anxiety are always afraid that others will consider them as incapable and disturbed in doing things (Pitcho-Perlorentzos et al., 2020). Students with social anxiety disorder have low self-esteem and negative effects on their academic performance during education such as not doing homework, depression, lack of social skills, and substance abuse are observed. In the future, they will face many problems in their job performance (Fox et al., 2018), so it can be said that the academic engagement of these students decreases. From Alva's (2015) point of view, students who have academic resilience use all their efforts despite stressful events in order to achieve success and better performance. One of the newest trainings in the direction of investigating the problems of children and adolescents such as depression, anxiety disorders, social anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and aggressiveness is child- and adolescent-oriented mindfulness (Burdick, 2014). Based on this, the following research hypotheses were posited: 1- Mindfulness training for teenagers positively influences resilience. 2- Adolescent-centered mindfulness training positively influences academic engagement. Method The quasi-experimental research method with pre-test-post-test type and a three-month follow-up phase with a control group was used. The statistical population included all high school female students who studied in Tehran in the academic year 2019-2020. In the adolescent-oriented mindfulness training group, four people (26.70%) were 13 years old and the same number were 16 years old. Three people (20%) were 14 years old; the same number were 15 years old, and one person (6.7%) was 17 years old. In the control group, four people (26.70%) were 13 years old and the same number were 16 years old. 2 people (13.30%) were 14 years old and the same number were 17 years old. while three people (20%) were 15 years old. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (variance analysis test with repeated measures) using SPSS, version 23. Results Table 1 Descriptive Indices of the Research Variables, Separated into Two Groups and Three Phases of the Research Variable the experiment control pre-exam after exam Follow up pre-exam After exam Follow up Academic Resilience Average 56/53 67/13 61/2 57/47 59/33 59/27 standard deviation 7/71 7/5 7/98 6/83 6/61 6/95 Academic Engagement Average 44/87 54/27 52/67 45/6 46/1 46/4 standard deviation 4/12 6/47 6/85 5/12 5/32 4/99 Based on the findings, in the between-subject analysis, the mean scores of the variables of resilience and academic engagement in the experimental group (adolescent-oriented mindfulness training) and the control group had a significant difference (p<0.001). The results showed that 79.4% of resilience scores and 42.9% of academic engagement scores were related to the difference between the two groups. Based on the results of the within-subject analysis, there was no significant difference between the average scores of both variables and academic engagement in the post-exam and follow-up stages (p < 0.05). However, in academic engagement, the difference between the stages is generally significant (p < 0.005). The results indicated that the interaction of time and group membership was significant in both variables (p < 0.05). These results revealed that the changes in academic engagement and resilience in the stages of the research were different in the groups. Discussion Mindfulness training by encourages students to repeatedly practice focused attention on the desired issue and deliberate awareness of the issue, and changes the students' minds from an automatic and involuntary state to a conscious and appropriate state in response to conflict situations (Koski et al., 2023). Also, by practicing mindfulness, teenagers learn skills so that they can calm themselves down, become more aware of their internal and external experiences, and overcome their social anxiety through meditation and thinking. The results of research in the field of mindfulness indicate that the use of mindfulness exercises strengthens positive attitudes and thoughts and thus leads to the development and stabilization of mood and the strengthening of emotion regulation, improves the damaged self-esteem of teenagers, and helps to overcome social anxiety in teenagers through the combination of vitality and clearly seeing positive experiences. Ethical Consideration Compliance with Ethical Guidelines: All ethical issues like informed consent and confidentiality of participants’ identifications were compiled based on ethical committee of Azad University of esfahan khorasgan. Iran. Authors’ Contributions: All authors contributed to the study. The first author written and edited the first draft of the manuscript. The second author edited the manuscript and collected the data. The third author advised result sections. Conflict of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest for this study. Funding: This study was conducted with financial support khorasgan Azad University.Iran (IR.IAU.KHUISF.REC.1401.188) Acknowledgment: The authors would like to thank all participants for their time and contribution to the study.

https://ppls.ui.ac.ir/article_28188_fcf448e35876a6027d73024bd19804c1.pdf

University of Isfahan Positive Psychology Research 2476-4248 9 4 2024 02 20 Investigating the Effects of Positive Parenting Training Program on Mental Health and Marital Satisfaction of Mothers of Children with Specific Learning Disabilities Investigating the Effects of Positive Parenting Training Program on Mental Health and Marital Satisfaction of Mothers of Children with Specific Learning Disabilities 77 92 28517 10.22108/ppls.2024.140155.2488 FA Shahrooz Nemati Professor,, Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Educational Science and Psychology, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran. Mohammad Bardel Ph.D in Educational Psychology, Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Educational Science and Psychology, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran. Nahid Mohammadi M.A. in Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, Research Sciences Unit, Islamic Azad University Branch of Urmia, Urmia, Iran. Mehrnaz Jabali Adeh M.A. in Psychology and Education of Exceptional Children, Faculty of Humanities, Research Sciences Unit, Islamic Azad University Branch of Urmia, Urmia, Iran. Nasrin Hossein Pour B.A. of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Farhangian University of Shahid Motahari Khoy, Khoy, Iran. Journal Article 2023 12 31 This study investigated the effect of the positive parenting training program on mental health and marital satisfaction of mothers with sixth grade children with specific learning disabilities. The research design used in this research was semi-experimental with pre-test and post-tests and experimental and control groups. The statistical population of the study included the mothers of students with learning disabilities who were referred to the learning disability center in Khoy, Iran. The participants of this study were 24 (12 in the control group and 12 in the experimental group) mothers of students with learning disabilities, selected by the available sampling method. To collect the data, Mental Health and Marital Satisfaction Questionnaires were used. The educational package of the positive parenting program was implemented in 8 sessions of 90 minutes for the experimental group, and no intervention was used for the control group. The results of covariance analysis of the data showed that the positive parenting program significantly affected mental health. It also showed that the positive parenting program had a significantly superior effect on mental health. It is suggested that the positive parenting program be implemented in schools. Introduction Specific learning disorders (SLDs) are some of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders that persistently impact academic learning (Saravanan et al., 2024). SLDs include disorders in reading, writing, and mathematics (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Children with SLDs have lower mental health compared to their typically developing peers (Rinaldi et al., 2023). Past research highlights the importance of examining the interaction between children with SLD and their parents, as the child's behavior can act as a stressor, influencing parental behavior and the parent-child relationship. One such effect is on marital satisfaction, which is defined as the sense of well-being from awareness of a comfortable situation, often tied to the fulfillment of specific desires (Pengpid et al., 2024). Positive Parenting Program is a family-based and child-focused intervention based on social learning principles, which has been used to address severe behavioral and emotional problems in children and improve the quality of the mother-child relationship (Zhang et al., 2024). The current study aims to implement the updated Positive Parenting Program and examine its effectiveness on the mental health and marital satisfaction of mothers of children with SLDs in the 6th grade of elementary school. Method Research Method, Statistical Population, and Sample: The research method was a quasi-experimental design, using pre-test and post-tests for the control and experimental groups. The experimental group participated in the Positive Parenting Program, while the control group received no intervention. The statistical population included all mothers of children (both genders) with specific learning disorders in the 6th grade of elementary school in Khoy, Iran during the 2023-2024 academic year. A sample of 24 participants was selected using the available sampling method. According to the Positive Parenting Program guidelines, the workshop groups should ideally consist of 10-12 parents. Measures Mental Health Questionnaire: This is a 28-item self-report screening questionnaire designed by Goldberg and Hiller (1972) to identify individuals with mental disorders. The overall Cronbach's alpha for this measure was 0.87 in the present study. Marital Satisfaction Assessment Scale: This is a 7-item scale developed by Hendrick, Dicke, and Hendrick (1998), measuring marital satisfaction on a 5-point Likert scale. The Cronbach's alpha for this scale was 0.78 in the current research. Procedure: After obtaining consent, the mothers of children with specific learning disorders were selected using the available sampling method and randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. The pre-test was conducted using the mental health and marital satisfaction questionnaires for both groups. The experimental group then received the Positive Parenting Program intervention in 8 sessions of 90 minutes each (twice a week). Two weeks after the intervention, the post-test was administered to both groups. A three-month follow-up assessment was also conducted. The control group did not receive any training during the study. Results The sample consisted of 12 participants in the experimental group with a mean age of 11.34 ± 0.32 and 12 participants in the control group with a mean age of 11.49 ± 0.36. The descriptive statistics for the mental health and marital satisfaction subscales in the experimental and control groups are presented. The assumptions for univariate analysis of covariance (normality of the dependent variable distribution, homogeneity of the dependent variable error variance, homogeneity of interaction effects, and homogeneity of regression slopes) were met. Table 1 Descriptive Indices of the Sub-components of Mental Health and Marital Satisfaction in the Experimental and Control Groups Variables Sub-components pre-test post-test follow-up M SD M SD M SD Mental Health Test Physical Symptoms 26/94 1/65 31/88 2/58 32/56 3/65 Anxiety and Insomnia 31/12 3/10 28/75 2/59 27/54 4/65 Disruption in Social Functioning 17/50 1/63 13/50 1/63 12/78 2/68 Depression 15/58 3/10 11/45 2/59 12/54 2/24 Control Physical Symptoms 22/63 1/97 21/94 1/57 20/65 3/47 Anxiety and Insomnia 27/50 4/32 26/69 2/80 25/25 3/63 Disruption in Social Functioning 15 2/94 14/21 1/58 14/47 3/25 Depression 14/47 3/10 13/23 2/59 12/27 3/56 Marital Satisfaction Test General 18/15 3/88 22/55 4/13 3/13 3/34 Control General 16/14 4/56 17/17 3/17 14/16 3/25 The summary of the univariate analysis of covariance shows that the Positive Parenting Program was effective for enhancing mental health and marital satisfaction of mothers with children with specific learning disorders in the post-test and follow-up, controlling for the pre-test. For mental health, the calculated F-values were significant at p<0.05 for the somatic symptoms (F=35.26, η^2=0.55), anxiety and insomnia (F=3.31, η^2=0.58), social dysfunction (F=14.16, η^2=0.66), and depression (F=10.44, η^2=0.49) subscales. This indicates that the Positive Parenting Program was effective in improving these mental health domains, accounting for 55%, 58%, 66%, and 49% of the variance, respectively. For marital satisfaction, the calculated F-value was also significant at p<0.05 (F=120.50, η^2=0.84), suggesting that the Positive Parenting Program was effective in improving marital satisfaction, accounting for 84% of the variance. Therefore, the first hypothesis was confirmed. In the follow-up, the Positive Parenting Program remained effective for enhancing mental health subscales, with significant F-values for somatic symptoms (F=29.06, η^2=0.56), anxiety and insomnia (F=2.13, η^2=0.48), social dysfunction (F=12.07, η^2=0.56), and depression (F=8.23, η^2=0.46). The program also continued to be effective in improving marital satisfaction (F=115.75, η^2=0.79). Thus, the second hypothesis was also confirmed. Conclusion This study aimed to examine the effect of the Positive Parenting Program on mental health and marital satisfaction of mothers with children with specific learning disorders. The results showed that the Positive Parenting Program had a positive effect on both the mental health and marital satisfaction of the mothers. Regarding mental health, the findings indicated that the Positive Parenting Program was effective in increasing the mental health symptoms of the participants. This is in line with previous studies demonstrating the effectiveness of the Positive Parenting Program in improving mental health (Saravanan et al., 2024; Zhang et al., 2024). The Positive Parenting Program, which is based on the social learning model of parent-child interactions, emphasizes the reciprocal and bidirectional nature of these interactions. This model clarifies the learning mechanisms that can lead to a vicious cycle in parent-child interactions and the potential emergence of the child's antisocial behaviors in the future. Additionally, the Positive Parenting Program was found to be effective in increasing the marital satisfaction of the mothers of children with specific learning disorders. This finding is consistent with previous research (Pengpid et al., 2024; Sanders et al., 2014; Saravanan et al., 2024; Zhang et al., 2024). The concept of marital satisfaction is defined as the sense of well-being resulting from the awareness of a comfortable situation, often tied to the fulfillment of specific desires. The Positive Parenting Program is used to reduce severe behavioral and emotional problems in children and improve the quality of the mother-child relationship (Gagné et al., 2023). The limitations of the current study include the inability to control for the various factors affecting mental health and marital satisfaction, such as personality characteristics, individual beliefs, and cultural factors. Future research should consider these factors and extend the Positive Parenting Program to other neurodevelopmental disorder groups and different socioeconomic populations to further evaluate its effectiveness. Ethical Compliance Compliance with Ethical Guidelines: All ethical issues such as confidentiality of participants' identity were attended to and informed consent were obtained from the participants. Author Contributions: All steps of the article are done by the author of the article. Conflict of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest for this study. Funding: The authors received no financial support for the study. Acknowledgments: The authors would like to thank all participants for their time and contribution to the study. This study investigated the effect of the positive parenting training program on mental health and marital satisfaction of mothers with sixth grade children with specific learning disabilities. The research design used in this research was semi-experimental with pre-test and post-tests and experimental and control groups. The statistical population of the study included the mothers of students with learning disabilities who were referred to the learning disability center in Khoy, Iran. The participants of this study were 24 (12 in the control group and 12 in the experimental group) mothers of students with learning disabilities, selected by the available sampling method. To collect the data, Mental Health and Marital Satisfaction Questionnaires were used. The educational package of the positive parenting program was implemented in 8 sessions of 90 minutes for the experimental group, and no intervention was used for the control group. The results of covariance analysis of the data showed that the positive parenting program significantly affected mental health. It also showed that the positive parenting program had a significantly superior effect on mental health. It is suggested that the positive parenting program be implemented in schools. Introduction Specific learning disorders (SLDs) are some of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders that persistently impact academic learning (Saravanan et al., 2024). SLDs include disorders in reading, writing, and mathematics (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Children with SLDs have lower mental health compared to their typically developing peers (Rinaldi et al., 2023). Past research highlights the importance of examining the interaction between children with SLD and their parents, as the child's behavior can act as a stressor, influencing parental behavior and the parent-child relationship. One such effect is on marital satisfaction, which is defined as the sense of well-being from awareness of a comfortable situation, often tied to the fulfillment of specific desires (Pengpid et al., 2024). Positive Parenting Program is a family-based and child-focused intervention based on social learning principles, which has been used to address severe behavioral and emotional problems in children and improve the quality of the mother-child relationship (Zhang et al., 2024). The current study aims to implement the updated Positive Parenting Program and examine its effectiveness on the mental health and marital satisfaction of mothers of children with SLDs in the 6th grade of elementary school. Method Research Method, Statistical Population, and Sample: The research method was a quasi-experimental design, using pre-test and post-tests for the control and experimental groups. The experimental group participated in the Positive Parenting Program, while the control group received no intervention. The statistical population included all mothers of children (both genders) with specific learning disorders in the 6th grade of elementary school in Khoy, Iran during the 2023-2024 academic year. A sample of 24 participants was selected using the available sampling method. According to the Positive Parenting Program guidelines, the workshop groups should ideally consist of 10-12 parents. Measures Mental Health Questionnaire: This is a 28-item self-report screening questionnaire designed by Goldberg and Hiller (1972) to identify individuals with mental disorders. The overall Cronbach's alpha for this measure was 0.87 in the present study. Marital Satisfaction Assessment Scale: This is a 7-item scale developed by Hendrick, Dicke, and Hendrick (1998), measuring marital satisfaction on a 5-point Likert scale. The Cronbach's alpha for this scale was 0.78 in the current research. Procedure: After obtaining consent, the mothers of children with specific learning disorders were selected using the available sampling method and randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. The pre-test was conducted using the mental health and marital satisfaction questionnaires for both groups. The experimental group then received the Positive Parenting Program intervention in 8 sessions of 90 minutes each (twice a week). Two weeks after the intervention, the post-test was administered to both groups. A three-month follow-up assessment was also conducted. The control group did not receive any training during the study. Results The sample consisted of 12 participants in the experimental group with a mean age of 11.34 ± 0.32 and 12 participants in the control group with a mean age of 11.49 ± 0.36. The descriptive statistics for the mental health and marital satisfaction subscales in the experimental and control groups are presented. The assumptions for univariate analysis of covariance (normality of the dependent variable distribution, homogeneity of the dependent variable error variance, homogeneity of interaction effects, and homogeneity of regression slopes) were met. Table 1 Descriptive Indices of the Sub-components of Mental Health and Marital Satisfaction in the Experimental and Control Groups Variables Sub-components pre-test post-test follow-up M SD M SD M SD Mental Health Test Physical Symptoms 26/94 1/65 31/88 2/58 32/56 3/65 Anxiety and Insomnia 31/12 3/10 28/75 2/59 27/54 4/65 Disruption in Social Functioning 17/50 1/63 13/50 1/63 12/78 2/68 Depression 15/58 3/10 11/45 2/59 12/54 2/24 Control Physical Symptoms 22/63 1/97 21/94 1/57 20/65 3/47 Anxiety and Insomnia 27/50 4/32 26/69 2/80 25/25 3/63 Disruption in Social Functioning 15 2/94 14/21 1/58 14/47 3/25 Depression 14/47 3/10 13/23 2/59 12/27 3/56 Marital Satisfaction Test General 18/15 3/88 22/55 4/13 3/13 3/34 Control General 16/14 4/56 17/17 3/17 14/16 3/25 The summary of the univariate analysis of covariance shows that the Positive Parenting Program was effective for enhancing mental health and marital satisfaction of mothers with children with specific learning disorders in the post-test and follow-up, controlling for the pre-test. For mental health, the calculated F-values were significant at p<0.05 for the somatic symptoms (F=35.26, η^2=0.55), anxiety and insomnia (F=3.31, η^2=0.58), social dysfunction (F=14.16, η^2=0.66), and depression (F=10.44, η^2=0.49) subscales. This indicates that the Positive Parenting Program was effective in improving these mental health domains, accounting for 55%, 58%, 66%, and 49% of the variance, respectively. For marital satisfaction, the calculated F-value was also significant at p<0.05 (F=120.50, η^2=0.84), suggesting that the Positive Parenting Program was effective in improving marital satisfaction, accounting for 84% of the variance. Therefore, the first hypothesis was confirmed. In the follow-up, the Positive Parenting Program remained effective for enhancing mental health subscales, with significant F-values for somatic symptoms (F=29.06, η^2=0.56), anxiety and insomnia (F=2.13, η^2=0.48), social dysfunction (F=12.07, η^2=0.56), and depression (F=8.23, η^2=0.46). The program also continued to be effective in improving marital satisfaction (F=115.75, η^2=0.79). Thus, the second hypothesis was also confirmed. Conclusion This study aimed to examine the effect of the Positive Parenting Program on mental health and marital satisfaction of mothers with children with specific learning disorders. The results showed that the Positive Parenting Program had a positive effect on both the mental health and marital satisfaction of the mothers. Regarding mental health, the findings indicated that the Positive Parenting Program was effective in increasing the mental health symptoms of the participants. This is in line with previous studies demonstrating the effectiveness of the Positive Parenting Program in improving mental health (Saravanan et al., 2024; Zhang et al., 2024). The Positive Parenting Program, which is based on the social learning model of parent-child interactions, emphasizes the reciprocal and bidirectional nature of these interactions. This model clarifies the learning mechanisms that can lead to a vicious cycle in parent-child interactions and the potential emergence of the child's antisocial behaviors in the future. Additionally, the Positive Parenting Program was found to be effective in increasing the marital satisfaction of the mothers of children with specific learning disorders. This finding is consistent with previous research (Pengpid et al., 2024; Sanders et al., 2014; Saravanan et al., 2024; Zhang et al., 2024). The concept of marital satisfaction is defined as the sense of well-being resulting from the awareness of a comfortable situation, often tied to the fulfillment of specific desires. The Positive Parenting Program is used to reduce severe behavioral and emotional problems in children and improve the quality of the mother-child relationship (Gagné et al., 2023). The limitations of the current study include the inability to control for the various factors affecting mental health and marital satisfaction, such as personality characteristics, individual beliefs, and cultural factors. Future research should consider these factors and extend the Positive Parenting Program to other neurodevelopmental disorder groups and different socioeconomic populations to further evaluate its effectiveness. Ethical Compliance Compliance with Ethical Guidelines: All ethical issues such as confidentiality of participants' identity were attended to and informed consent were obtained from the participants. Author Contributions: All steps of the article are done by the author of the article. Conflict of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest for this study. Funding: The authors received no financial support for the study. Acknowledgments: The authors would like to thank all participants for their time and contribution to the study.

https://ppls.ui.ac.ir/article_28517_496232b13ca5e47fc549f7d6aee5afd8.pdf

University of Isfahan Positive Psychology Research 2476-4248 9 4 2024 02 20 The structural relationship between psychological distress and the meaning of life in men with the mediation of loneliness The structural relationship between psychological distress and the meaning of life in men with the mediation of loneliness 93 114 28519 10.22108/ppls.2024.139723.2475 FA Hamoun Babaei M.Sc of Psychology, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, Iran. Ezzatollah Ahmadi Associate professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University. Tabriz. Iran. Journal Article 2023 11 08 Studies have reported a mutual relationship between having meaning in life and psychological distress. However, various factors can affect distress and meaning in men's lives. Therefore, it is essential to identify these factors to reduce psychological distress and prevent suicide among men. Thus, the present study investigated the structural relationship between psychological distress and the meaning of life through the mediation of loneliness in men. The research design was descriptive-correlational. The statistical population of the research included men in Tabriz city, out of which 236 men were selected based on Kline’s opinion and available sampling method. The scales used in this research study included social-emotional loneliness questionnaires for adults, meaning of life, and psychological distress. Pearson's correlation coefficient and structural equation modelling were used to analyze the data. The results of structural equation modeling showed that psychological distress had a significant direct effect on removing meaning in life and feeling lonely. Also, loneliness directly affected the meaning in life and indirectly affected the relationship between psychological distress and meaning in men's lives. In general, the results of the study indicate that loneliness can affect psychological distress and meaning in men's lives. It can be claimed that existential psychotherapy and increasing social interactions reduce psychological distress and loneliness and mutually increase meaning in men's lives. Introduction Udupa et al.'s (2023) and Wang et al (2024) reported a rise in distress and mental health issues among both youth and adults. As a result, there has been an increasing focus on enhancing men's mental health, which is partly due to the high rates of suicide observed among men across the globe (Freeman et al., 2017). Psychological distress is among the risk factors leading to male suicide (Yoshimasu et al., 2008). It also is a significant concern for public health (Xiong et al., 2021). In this regard, loneliness can have adverse psychological effects and indicate public health concerns, particularly psychological distress (Bornstein & Magnus., 2022). Recent research has shown that meaning of life and loneliness are related (Macia et al., 2021; Seidler., 2022; Macia et al., 2021). Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the mediating role of loneliness in the relationship between psychological distress and meaning of life in men. Method This study is descriptive and correlational, and it was conducted through structural equation modeling. The statistical population consisted of men in Tabriz, Iran. To increase measurement accuracy, a sample size of 236 people was selected through available and voluntary sampling methods, following Mears and Kilne’s suggestion. The researchers used an online questionnaire to collect information from men in Tabriz. The questionnaire was distributed through virtual groups, where participants could access the questionnaire link and answer the questions online. The questionnaires were: Social Emotional Loneliness Questionnaire for Adults (SELSA-S): This scale was developed by Di Tommaso et al. (2004). This scale has 14 items that measure the feeling of loneliness in three areas: romantic loneliness, family loneliness, and social loneliness. Cronbach's alpha coefficients for romantic, social, and family loneliness were 0.92, 0.84, and 0.87, respectively (Jokar and Salimi, 2011). Steger et al.'s Meaning of Life Questionnaire: This scale was designed by Steger et al. (2006). The meaning of life scale includes two subscales that evaluate the presence of meaning in life and the search for meaning. Cronbach's alpha was calculated as 0.75 for the search for meaning subscale and 0.78 for the meaning subscale. Kessler Psychological Distress Questionnaire (K-10): Kessler et al. (2003) arranged it in the form of 10 questions. Stolk et al. (2014) stated Cronbach's alpha of 0.93. Ethical principles were explained at the beginning of the questionnaire, ensuring that participants were aware of the voluntary nature of their participation, confidentiality of their answers, and free will to participate. After collecting the data from 236 participants, the researchers analyzed the data using SPSS and AMOS version 24 software. Results The study revealed that out of all the participants, 5.1% were between the ages of 22 and 24, 33.1% were between the ages of 25 and 35, 36.4% were between the ages of 36 and 45, 12.7% were between the ages of 46 to 55, and 12.7% were 56 years old or above. The mean, standard deviation, skewness, kurtosis, and correlations between the research variables are presented in Table 1. Table 1 The Correlation Matrix, Mean, Standard Deviation, Skewness, and Kurtosis of Research Variables Variables 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1-Psychological distress 1 2-existence of meaning -0/421** 1 3- Searching for meaning -0/254** -0.572** 1 4- Meaning in life -0/405** 0/861** 0/870** 1 5- Romantic loneliness -0/322** 0/173** 0/078 0/150 1 6- Family loneliness -0/388** 0/221 0/162* 0/231** 0/450** 1 7- Social loneliness -0/451** 0/223** 0/142* 0/197** 0/297** 0/489** 1 8- Feeling alone -0/507** 0/310** 0/198** 0/386** 0/773** 0/786** 0/729** 1 Mean 14/30 14/82 25/27 50/07 14/35 18/52 18/61 51/59 standard deviation 9/984 5/577 5/902 10/069 4/634 3/933 4/275 9/956 Skewness 0/113 0/045 0/005 -0/007 -0/591 -0/750 -0/848 0/077 Kurtosis -0/131 -0/164 -0/265 -0/262 -0/400 0/509 -0/599 0/316 Table 2 Goodness fit indexes X2 DF X2/DF GFI AGFI IFI CFI NFI RMSER Acceptable values - - 1-3 >0/90 >0/90 >0/90 >0/90 >0/90 <0/08 9/38 7 1/34 0/98 0/96 0/99 0/99 0/97 0/038 Fit indices of the proposed model In order to check the validity of the selected measurement model, confirmatory factor analytical fit indices were used. As seen in Table 2, the fit indices of the structural model indicate the proper fit of the research model. Figure 1 Standard research model As seen in Figure 1, psychological distress had a significant direct effect on having meaning in life and feeling lonely in men (β=-0.37), (β=-0.59), (P<0.01). Also, loneliness directly affected having meaning in men's lives (β=0.11), (p<0.05). Table 3 Indirect path Lower limit Upper limit β Total effect P Psychological distress in the meaning of life through feelings of loneliness 0/098 0/309 -0/064 -0/43 0/95 Results of the bootstrap test to investigate the indirect path Table 3 reports the mediating effect of the variable feeling of loneliness in the relationship between psychological distress and meaning in men's lives with a 95% confidence interval. Considering that zero is not placed in the upper and lower range of scores, the role of mediation of loneliness dimensions about the meaning of life in men is confirmed. Conclusion The results showed that all research variables had a significant relationship with each other. Also, psychological distress had a significant relationship with meaning in men's lives both directly and indirectly. Tyler et al (2020) suggest that finding meaning in life can help alleviate stress and anxiety resulting from difficult life events. By considering existential concepts of meaning and meaninglessness, and their implications for clinical approaches, we can enhance our ability to develop appropriate and effective strategies for supporting and improving men's mental health in a changing cultural context (Brown et al., 2023). The results of the previous studies indicate that individuals who experience loneliness often desire close relationships with those who have found meaning in their lives (Hadden & Knee, 2018; Stillman & Lambert, 2013). Such relationships can strengthen a person's sense of belonging and attraction while reducing feelings of loneliness (Folker et al., 2021). This issue is related to social psychological theories and social interactions, both of which emphasize the impact of social interactions and interpersonal relationships in creating meaning in life and reducing feelings of loneliness (Ghasemi Tabasi, 2023). According to a recent study by Borawski (2022), increased social interaction can help reduce loneliness in individuals with low meaning in life. Meanwhile, Gross et al.'s (2019) study suggests that assessing feelings of diminished meaning in life can help identify potential mental health risks in men, especially during major life changes such as divorce, unemployment, or bereavement. As such, existential psychotherapy may be a good option for men (Zafirides et al., 2013). It is especially suitable for men who are reluctant to use mental health services. Finally, the current study can be conducted with larger numbers of men in other contexts, or it can be evaluated in the statistical population of women to compare the results. It should be noted that a key limitation of this study was that the present study was conducted with a sample of men in Tabriz, Iran, therefore, caution should be taken in generalizing its results. Ethical Consideration Compliance with Ethical Guidelines: All ethical issues such as informed consent and confidentiality of participants' identity were respected. Conflict of Interest: There is no conflict of interest in this study Funding: This research received no specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. Acknowledgment: The authors of the article express their gratitude to all the loved ones who participated in completing the research questionnaires. Studies have reported a mutual relationship between having meaning in life and psychological distress. However, various factors can affect distress and meaning in men's lives. Therefore, it is essential to identify these factors to reduce psychological distress and prevent suicide among men. Thus, the present study investigated the structural relationship between psychological distress and the meaning of life through the mediation of loneliness in men. The research design was descriptive-correlational. The statistical population of the research included men in Tabriz city, out of which 236 men were selected based on Kline’s opinion and available sampling method. The scales used in this research study included social-emotional loneliness questionnaires for adults, meaning of life, and psychological distress. Pearson's correlation coefficient and structural equation modelling were used to analyze the data. The results of structural equation modeling showed that psychological distress had a significant direct effect on removing meaning in life and feeling lonely. Also, loneliness directly affected the meaning in life and indirectly affected the relationship between psychological distress and meaning in men's lives. In general, the results of the study indicate that loneliness can affect psychological distress and meaning in men's lives. It can be claimed that existential psychotherapy and increasing social interactions reduce psychological distress and loneliness and mutually increase meaning in men's lives. Introduction Udupa et al.'s (2023) and Wang et al (2024) reported a rise in distress and mental health issues among both youth and adults. As a result, there has been an increasing focus on enhancing men's mental health, which is partly due to the high rates of suicide observed among men across the globe (Freeman et al., 2017). Psychological distress is among the risk factors leading to male suicide (Yoshimasu et al., 2008). It also is a significant concern for public health (Xiong et al., 2021). In this regard, loneliness can have adverse psychological effects and indicate public health concerns, particularly psychological distress (Bornstein & Magnus., 2022). Recent research has shown that meaning of life and loneliness are related (Macia et al., 2021; Seidler., 2022; Macia et al., 2021). Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the mediating role of loneliness in the relationship between psychological distress and meaning of life in men. Method This study is descriptive and correlational, and it was conducted through structural equation modeling. The statistical population consisted of men in Tabriz, Iran. To increase measurement accuracy, a sample size of 236 people was selected through available and voluntary sampling methods, following Mears and Kilne’s suggestion. The researchers used an online questionnaire to collect information from men in Tabriz. The questionnaire was distributed through virtual groups, where participants could access the questionnaire link and answer the questions online. The questionnaires were: Social Emotional Loneliness Questionnaire for Adults (SELSA-S): This scale was developed by Di Tommaso et al. (2004). This scale has 14 items that measure the feeling of loneliness in three areas: romantic loneliness, family loneliness, and social loneliness. Cronbach's alpha coefficients for romantic, social, and family loneliness were 0.92, 0.84, and 0.87, respectively (Jokar and Salimi, 2011). Steger et al.'s Meaning of Life Questionnaire: This scale was designed by Steger et al. (2006). The meaning of life scale includes two subscales that evaluate the presence of meaning in life and the search for meaning. Cronbach's alpha was calculated as 0.75 for the search for meaning subscale and 0.78 for the meaning subscale. Kessler Psychological Distress Questionnaire (K-10): Kessler et al. (2003) arranged it in the form of 10 questions. Stolk et al. (2014) stated Cronbach's alpha of 0.93. Ethical principles were explained at the beginning of the questionnaire, ensuring that participants were aware of the voluntary nature of their participation, confidentiality of their answers, and free will to participate. After collecting the data from 236 participants, the researchers analyzed the data using SPSS and AMOS version 24 software. Results The study revealed that out of all the participants, 5.1% were between the ages of 22 and 24, 33.1% were between the ages of 25 and 35, 36.4% were between the ages of 36 and 45, 12.7% were between the ages of 46 to 55, and 12.7% were 56 years old or above. The mean, standard deviation, skewness, kurtosis, and correlations between the research variables are presented in Table 1. Table 1 The Correlation Matrix, Mean, Standard Deviation, Skewness, and Kurtosis of Research Variables Variables 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1-Psychological distress 1 2-existence of meaning -0/421** 1 3- Searching for meaning -0/254** -0.572** 1 4- Meaning in life -0/405** 0/861** 0/870** 1 5- Romantic loneliness -0/322** 0/173** 0/078 0/150 1 6- Family loneliness -0/388** 0/221 0/162* 0/231** 0/450** 1 7- Social loneliness -0/451** 0/223** 0/142* 0/197** 0/297** 0/489** 1 8- Feeling alone -0/507** 0/310** 0/198** 0/386** 0/773** 0/786** 0/729** 1 Mean 14/30 14/82 25/27 50/07 14/35 18/52 18/61 51/59 standard deviation 9/984 5/577 5/902 10/069 4/634 3/933 4/275 9/956 Skewness 0/113 0/045 0/005 -0/007 -0/591 -0/750 -0/848 0/077 Kurtosis -0/131 -0/164 -0/265 -0/262 -0/400 0/509 -0/599 0/316 Table 2 Goodness fit indexes X2 DF X2/DF GFI AGFI IFI CFI NFI RMSER Acceptable values - - 1-3 >0/90 >0/90 >0/90 >0/90 >0/90 <0/08 9/38 7 1/34 0/98 0/96 0/99 0/99 0/97 0/038 Fit indices of the proposed model In order to check the validity of the selected measurement model, confirmatory factor analytical fit indices were used. As seen in Table 2, the fit indices of the structural model indicate the proper fit of the research model. Figure 1 Standard research model As seen in Figure 1, psychological distress had a significant direct effect on having meaning in life and feeling lonely in men (β=-0.37), (β=-0.59), (P<0.01). Also, loneliness directly affected having meaning in men's lives (β=0.11), (p<0.05). Table 3 Indirect path Lower limit Upper limit β Total effect P Psychological distress in the meaning of life through feelings of loneliness 0/098 0/309 -0/064 -0/43 0/95 Results of the bootstrap test to investigate the indirect path Table 3 reports the mediating effect of the variable feeling of loneliness in the relationship between psychological distress and meaning in men's lives with a 95% confidence interval. Considering that zero is not placed in the upper and lower range of scores, the role of mediation of loneliness dimensions about the meaning of life in men is confirmed. Conclusion The results showed that all research variables had a significant relationship with each other. Also, psychological distress had a significant relationship with meaning in men's lives both directly and indirectly. Tyler et al (2020) suggest that finding meaning in life can help alleviate stress and anxiety resulting from difficult life events. By considering existential concepts of meaning and meaninglessness, and their implications for clinical approaches, we can enhance our ability to develop appropriate and effective strategies for supporting and improving men's mental health in a changing cultural context (Brown et al., 2023). The results of the previous studies indicate that individuals who experience loneliness often desire close relationships with those who have found meaning in their lives (Hadden & Knee, 2018; Stillman & Lambert, 2013). Such relationships can strengthen a person's sense of belonging and attraction while reducing feelings of loneliness (Folker et al., 2021). This issue is related to social psychological theories and social interactions, both of which emphasize the impact of social interactions and interpersonal relationships in creating meaning in life and reducing feelings of loneliness (Ghasemi Tabasi, 2023). According to a recent study by Borawski (2022), increased social interaction can help reduce loneliness in individuals with low meaning in life. Meanwhile, Gross et al.'s (2019) study suggests that assessing feelings of diminished meaning in life can help identify potential mental health risks in men, especially during major life changes such as divorce, unemployment, or bereavement. As such, existential psychotherapy may be a good option for men (Zafirides et al., 2013). It is especially suitable for men who are reluctant to use mental health services. Finally, the current study can be conducted with larger numbers of men in other contexts, or it can be evaluated in the statistical population of women to compare the results. It should be noted that a key limitation of this study was that the present study was conducted with a sample of men in Tabriz, Iran, therefore, caution should be taken in generalizing its results. Ethical Consideration Compliance with Ethical Guidelines: All ethical issues such as informed consent and confidentiality of participants' identity were respected. Conflict of Interest: There is no conflict of interest in this study Funding: This research received no specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. Acknowledgment: The authors of the article express their gratitude to all the loved ones who participated in completing the research questionnaires.

https://ppls.ui.ac.ir/article_28519_31fd15179da5ce5e42136eee3b4cae01.pdf

University of Isfahan Positive Psychology Research 2476-4248 9 4 2024 02 20 A Model of positive organizational behavior in creative industries A Model of positive organizational behavior in creative industries 115 136 28459 10.22108/ppls.2024.137887.2433 FA Mehdi Yazdanshenas Associate professor, department of business management, faculty of management and accounting, Allameh Tabatab`i University, Tehran, Iran. Hamed Dehghanan Associate professor, department of business management, faculty of management and accounting, Allameh Tabatab`i University, Tehran, Iran. Seyyed Mojtaba Mahmoudzadeh Associate professor, department of business management, faculty of management and accounting, Allameh Tabatab`i University, Tehran, Iran. Mohammad Hosein Shojaee PHD student of Business management, Faculty of Management and Accounting, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran. 0000-0002-0752-5892 Journal Article 2023 06 02 Positive organizational behavior has recently been raised as one of the challenging and attractive topics in management science. Positive organizational behavior is capable of creating a sustainable competitive advantage for contemporary organizations by benefiting from a new management tool, i.e. psychological capital, in addition to human capital and social capital. Considering the importance of positive organizational behavior, the current research has tried to provide a model of positive organizational behavior in creative industries. The current research has presented a coherent model in the field of positive organizational behavior through the method of multiple Grounded theory and using existing literature and theories as well as semi-structured interviews with specialists and experts in this industry. The sampling method was judgmental and the interviews continued until theoretical saturation. The data obtained from coding was analyzed and led to the extraction of 235 primary codes, 30 secondary codes, 19 concepts and 6 categories. Positive organizational behavior in creative industries includes the core category (positive organizational behavior), causal conditions, background conditions, intervening conditions, strategies and consequences. Positive organizational behavior also includes objective individual behaviors, subjective individual behaviors, group behaviors, and organizational behaviors. The positive-oriented organizational behavior model in the field of creative industries is fundamentally different from the organizational behavior model in other industries due to the nature of creativity, the importance of human resource processes, and the flat and non-hierarchical organizational structure. On the other hand, the economic situation and socio-cultural conditions make the model of positive organizational behavior in creative industries different from other industries. Introduction Many studies have been conducted in the field of positivism in organizations and topics such as organizational behavior, organizational leadership, organizational development, and human resource management. The starting point of this line of research can be considered the initial theorizing of positive psychology by Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi (2000). Past research in the field of positive organizational behavior shows the importance and benefits of this issue to promote productivity in the organization (Carter & Youssef-Morgan, 2021). Like positivist psychology, positivist organizational behavior does not claim to organize new discussions and discoveries of the importance of positivism. However, it emphasizes that more focus is needed on theorizing, research, and application of positive insight, action, and behavior in organizations. In other words, Seligman claims that positive psychology is not a new discovery but a different paradigm (Seligman et al., 2005). Method The purpose of this study is to present a model for positive organizational behavior in creative industries. This study is applied research in terms of purpose. According to the purpose of the study, a qualitative approach was used to collect data. In the current study, multiple grounded theory method was used, with one of its distinguishing points being emphasis on the necessity of combining the deductive and inductive approaches in developing the theory. The research population included creative industry experts and the sampling method was judgmental. Two conditions of knowledge and experience in the field of creative industries have been taken into consideration for sample selection. In order to check the validity of the model, in addition to reviewing the literature and research theories, interviews were conducted with creative industry experts. After conducting the interviews and extracting the model of positive organizational behavior in creative industries, the extracted model was sent to the interviewees for approval. The combination of experimental validation and internal validation in the theory development process is also another tool to check the validity of the model. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Data analysis was done using Strauss and Corbin’s techniques and other multiple grounded theory techniques, including open, axial, and selective coding. Results The findings of this study showed that three main categories of individual factors (including attitudinal characteristics, behavioral characteristics, psychological characteristics), group factors (including leadership theories, political behavior, brainstorming and leadership skills) and organizational factors ( including organizational democracy, social capital, human capital, organizational entrepreneurship, cultural capital, organizational agility, organizational transparency, working methods and standards) were the causal conditions affecting positive organizational behavior. This finding suggests that focusing on improving these factors leads to the formation and development of positive organizational behavior in creative industries. In order to achieve positive organizational behavior in creative industries, managers should be selected who have characteristics such as charisma, ideal influence, inspiring motivation, the ability to persuade people and adhere to moral values so that the sense and motivation of positivity can be strengthened among the key elements of cultural businesses. Also, positive attitudes such as work-life balance, psychological ownership, perceived organizational support, positive work experience, and perceived organizational justice provide conditions for promoting and expanding positive behaviors among employees. Improving collective work conditions and low power distance between managers and other people of the organization as well as promoting the spirit of group activities in the organization leads to the improvement of positive organizational behaviors. In such a situation, managers communicate with others in a more favorable organizational climate and thus create positive interactions in a positive climate. The results of this study show that, in order to realize and actualize positive organizational behavior in the current conditions of creative industries, some strategies are adopted. These strategies can be influenced by contextual conditions and intervening factors and bring about consequences at different levels. The suggested strategies include positive human capital practices (including the subcategories of positive compensation, positive individual development, positive organizational development, positive recruiting and hiring, positive performance management and positive socialization), creating an organic organizational structure, developing positive communication, teaching positivity in the organization, the supporting organization, and culture-building actions. However, the selection of these strategies is positive-oriented. Considering the determinants of organizational behavior, background and intervening conditions also play an important role in creating these strategies. Background conditions usually refer to the factors in the organization and environment that have many effects. One of these factors is organizational culture. The main values, principles, rules and norms in creative industries shape the dominant behavioral style of employees and the dominant management style of creative industries similar to other organizations. In general, employees will try to behave in accordance with the main values and norms in the organization and adapt their work models and styles to it. In addition to the organizational culture, favorable financial and economic conditions of the organization are also effective in determining the existing strategies in creative industries. Therefore, favorable financial and economic conditions determine, shape and develop structures in cultural businesses that will ultimately strengthen positive behaviors at the level of the entire organization. Conclusion The analysis of the interview data as well as the theoretical foundations of the study led to the identification of 23 main categories in the form of six categories of causal conditions, central category, background conditions, intervening conditions, strategies and consequences. The findings of this study show that causal conditions include individual factors, group factors, and organizational factors. Also, background conditions include economic conditions of the organization, demographic factors and job characteristics. In addition, the intervening factors include macro-economic factors, macro-social-cultural factors, legal factors and technological factors. Suggested strategies to strengthen and develop positive organizational behavior include positive human capital practices, creating an organic organizational structure, developing positive communication, teaching positivity in the organization, supporting organization, and culture-building practices. Also, the consequences include individual, group and organizational consequences. The results of this study are consistent with the results of some of the previous researches. The findings of this research in relation to the consequences of positive organizational behavior are consistent with the results of Farjadinejad et al. (2020). Moreover, the individual, group and organizational dimensions in the central concept of this study are consistent with the researches of Searle and Barbuto (2013) and Searle and Barbuto (2011). In addition, identification of causal conditions including theories of leadership, organizational climate, and organizational justice in the current research are in line with Kim's (2015) study. Also, the results of the current research are consistent with the research of Shahid and Muchiri (2018). Ethical Consideration Compliance with Ethical Guidelines: All ethical issues such as confidentiality of participants' identity were attended to and informed consent was obtained from the participants. Authors’ Contributions: This article is extracted form the doctoral thesis of the first author. Extraction, preparation, editing and submission of the article were done by the first and second authors. third and fourth authors are thesis advisors. Conflict of interest: There is no conflict of interest between the authors of this article. Funding: The authors received no financial support for the study. Acknowledgment: The authors thank all the participants of this study. Positive organizational behavior has recently been raised as one of the challenging and attractive topics in management science. Positive organizational behavior is capable of creating a sustainable competitive advantage for contemporary organizations by benefiting from a new management tool, i.e. psychological capital, in addition to human capital and social capital. Considering the importance of positive organizational behavior, the current research has tried to provide a model of positive organizational behavior in creative industries. The current research has presented a coherent model in the field of positive organizational behavior through the method of multiple Grounded theory and using existing literature and theories as well as semi-structured interviews with specialists and experts in this industry. The sampling method was judgmental and the interviews continued until theoretical saturation. The data obtained from coding was analyzed and led to the extraction of 235 primary codes, 30 secondary codes, 19 concepts and 6 categories. Positive organizational behavior in creative industries includes the core category (positive organizational behavior), causal conditions, background conditions, intervening conditions, strategies and consequences. Positive organizational behavior also includes objective individual behaviors, subjective individual behaviors, group behaviors, and organizational behaviors. The positive-oriented organizational behavior model in the field of creative industries is fundamentally different from the organizational behavior model in other industries due to the nature of creativity, the importance of human resource processes, and the flat and non-hierarchical organizational structure. On the other hand, the economic situation and socio-cultural conditions make the model of positive organizational behavior in creative industries different from other industries. Introduction Many studies have been conducted in the field of positivism in organizations and topics such as organizational behavior, organizational leadership, organizational development, and human resource management. The starting point of this line of research can be considered the initial theorizing of positive psychology by Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi (2000). Past research in the field of positive organizational behavior shows the importance and benefits of this issue to promote productivity in the organization (Carter & Youssef-Morgan, 2021). Like positivist psychology, positivist organizational behavior does not claim to organize new discussions and discoveries of the importance of positivism. However, it emphasizes that more focus is needed on theorizing, research, and application of positive insight, action, and behavior in organizations. In other words, Seligman claims that positive psychology is not a new discovery but a different paradigm (Seligman et al., 2005). Method The purpose of this study is to present a model for positive organizational behavior in creative industries. This study is applied research in terms of purpose. According to the purpose of the study, a qualitative approach was used to collect data. In the current study, multiple grounded theory method was used, with one of its distinguishing points being emphasis on the necessity of combining the deductive and inductive approaches in developing the theory. The research population included creative industry experts and the sampling method was judgmental. Two conditions of knowledge and experience in the field of creative industries have been taken into consideration for sample selection. In order to check the validity of the model, in addition to reviewing the literature and research theories, interviews were conducted with creative industry experts. After conducting the interviews and extracting the model of positive organizational behavior in creative industries, the extracted model was sent to the interviewees for approval. The combination of experimental validation and internal validation in the theory development process is also another tool to check the validity of the model. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Data analysis was done using Strauss and Corbin’s techniques and other multiple grounded theory techniques, including open, axial, and selective coding. Results The findings of this study showed that three main categories of individual factors (including attitudinal characteristics, behavioral characteristics, psychological characteristics), group factors (including leadership theories, political behavior, brainstorming and leadership skills) and organizational factors ( including organizational democracy, social capital, human capital, organizational entrepreneurship, cultural capital, organizational agility, organizational transparency, working methods and standards) were the causal conditions affecting positive organizational behavior. This finding suggests that focusing on improving these factors leads to the formation and development of positive organizational behavior in creative industries. In order to achieve positive organizational behavior in creative industries, managers should be selected who have characteristics such as charisma, ideal influence, inspiring motivation, the ability to persuade people and adhere to moral values so that the sense and motivation of positivity can be strengthened among the key elements of cultural businesses. Also, positive attitudes such as work-life balance, psychological ownership, perceived organizational support, positive work experience, and perceived organizational justice provide conditions for promoting and expanding positive behaviors among employees. Improving collective work conditions and low power distance between managers and other people of the organization as well as promoting the spirit of group activities in the organization leads to the improvement of positive organizational behaviors. In such a situation, managers communicate with others in a more favorable organizational climate and thus create positive interactions in a positive climate. The results of this study show that, in order to realize and actualize positive organizational behavior in the current conditions of creative industries, some strategies are adopted. These strategies can be influenced by contextual conditions and intervening factors and bring about consequences at different levels. The suggested strategies include positive human capital practices (including the subcategories of positive compensation, positive individual development, positive organizational development, positive recruiting and hiring, positive performance management and positive socialization), creating an organic organizational structure, developing positive communication, teaching positivity in the organization, the supporting organization, and culture-building actions. However, the selection of these strategies is positive-oriented. Considering the determinants of organizational behavior, background and intervening conditions also play an important role in creating these strategies. Background conditions usually refer to the factors in the organization and environment that have many effects. One of these factors is organizational culture. The main values, principles, rules and norms in creative industries shape the dominant behavioral style of employees and the dominant management style of creative industries similar to other organizations. In general, employees will try to behave in accordance with the main values and norms in the organization and adapt their work models and styles to it. In addition to the organizational culture, favorable financial and economic conditions of the organization are also effective in determining the existing strategies in creative industries. Therefore, favorable financial and economic conditions determine, shape and develop structures in cultural businesses that will ultimately strengthen positive behaviors at the level of the entire organization. Conclusion The analysis of the interview data as well as the theoretical foundations of the study led to the identification of 23 main categories in the form of six categories of causal conditions, central category, background conditions, intervening conditions, strategies and consequences. The findings of this study show that causal conditions include individual factors, group factors, and organizational factors. Also, background conditions include economic conditions of the organization, demographic factors and job characteristics. In addition, the intervening factors include macro-economic factors, macro-social-cultural factors, legal factors and technological factors. Suggested strategies to strengthen and develop positive organizational behavior include positive human capital practices, creating an organic organizational structure, developing positive communication, teaching positivity in the organization, supporting organization, and culture-building practices. Also, the consequences include individual, group and organizational consequences. The results of this study are consistent with the results of some of the previous researches. The findings of this research in relation to the consequences of positive organizational behavior are consistent with the results of Farjadinejad et al. (2020). Moreover, the individual, group and organizational dimensions in the central concept of this study are consistent with the researches of Searle and Barbuto (2013) and Searle and Barbuto (2011). In addition, identification of causal conditions including theories of leadership, organizational climate, and organizational justice in the current research are in line with Kim's (2015) study. Also, the results of the current research are consistent with the research of Shahid and Muchiri (2018). Ethical Consideration Compliance with Ethical Guidelines: All ethical issues such as confidentiality of participants' identity were attended to and informed consent was obtained from the participants. Authors’ Contributions: This article is extracted form the doctoral thesis of the first author. Extraction, preparation, editing and submission of the article were done by the first and second authors. third and fourth authors are thesis advisors. Conflict of interest: There is no conflict of interest between the authors of this article. Funding: The authors received no financial support for the study. Acknowledgment: The authors thank all the participants of this study.

https://ppls.ui.ac.ir/article_28459_393d5dc746c54a8a0a24f8964a0197e0.pdf