Rooyesh-e- Ravanshenasi Journal(RRJ)

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Trait theory is one of the major theories in personality psychology, which is described with summarizing, predicting and explaining behavior, and is developed by the efforts of two groups of psychologists: The first group, with a clinical approach, has been theorized about the traits, and the second group considered the experimental method as the basis for achieving the traits. The purpose of this descriptive-analytic study conducted after studying various related books and articles is to introduce and compare these approaches, with emphasize on the views of the three great psychologists, Allport, Eysenck and Cattell, and the big five-factor model of personality traits, as a theory that has been developed over the past two decades and has been researched and supported by researchers more than other theories. Despite the clinical and research implications of this theory, there are some limitations and criticisms about it. Therefore, the use of this approach in explaining the development of personality in addition to positive points requires consideration of the limitations and criticisms imposed on it.

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Without understanding the existentialist-humanist approach, one cannot know Frankel, the Analysis of Existence, and the Logotherapy. So, in this descriptive-analytic study conducted after studying various books and articles, firstly, we reviewed the three waves of psychology, namely psychoanalysis, behaviorism, and humanism. Secondly, the theory of "Abraham Maslow's self-actualization" and "Carl Rogers` person-centered approach" as two significant theories of humanism were discussed not only as a social movement but also as the third wave in psychology. Then, the concepts of Frankl's theory of "Analysis of Existence" and his model of treatment of "Logotherapy" were described in detail, as well as its strengths and weaknesses. Finally, a comparative overview of these three theories was presented in the conceptual and therapeutic dimensions. In conclusion, Maslow's theories of self-actualization and Karl Rogers` person-centered theory as well as the method of Frankl, everyone in a specific way, have attempted to give the power of spirituality, freedom, power of choice, and responsibility to the person who is captivated by unconscious conflicts or external stimuli to make a meaningful life. 

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Depression and anxiety are among the most common psychological disorders that, in addition to imposing exorbitant costs on the individual and society, also overlap with many psychological disorders. This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of emotional schemas in the relationship between attachment styles and psychological distress. This research was descriptive-correlational.  The statistical population included students who were studying in the Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology of Tehran and Shahid Beheshti Universities in the academic year 2019-2020, and 154 of them were selected by convenience sampling method. All subjects in the sample answered three questionnaires: Revised Adult Attachment Scale Questionnaire (Collins and Reed, 1990), Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (Laviband and Laviband, 1995), and the Leahy Emotional Schema Scale (Leahy, 2002)... A Sobel mediation test was used to analyze the data and to determine the indirect effect. The results showed that adaptive emotional schemas play a mediating role in the relationship between secure and insecure attachment styles and psychological distress (p≤0.05). There is an indirect relationship between attachment styles and psychological distress by considering emotional schemas as mediating factors. According to the results of the present study, it can be suggested that for the treatment of depression and anxiety, simultaneously repair and improve attachment styles and emotional schemas.

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Self-criticism has been introduced as the core pathology of many mental disorders and one of the maladaptive emotion regulation strategies. Numerous studies have confirmed the significance of self-criticism as a meta-diagnostic construct. In the past, self-criticism was equated with shame and perfectionism, but self-criticism has a more limited definition than perfectionism. Self-criticism is also associated with inner shame. One of the related factors for improving self-criticism is self-compassion which as the main antidote to self-criticism, reduces the negative effects of self-criticism on mental health. This descriptive-analytical study was conducted to explain the damage of self-criticism on mental health and also compassion-based strategies in improving self-criticism. It is hoped that with more attention to the concept of self-compassion, more research will be provided for the treatment of self-criticism.