Pakistan Journal of Clinical Psychology

ROLE OF PARENTS’ COGNITIVE REAPPRAISAL AND EXPRESSIVE SUPPRESSION STRATEGIES ON THEIR CHILDREN’S EMOTION REGULATION

Syeda Bareera Najeeb — 2026-03-27

Objectives: To investigate the role of parent’s cognitive reappraisal (CR) and expressive suppressive (ES) strategies on their children’s emotion regulation

Design of the study: The current study is conducted using a correlational research design

Place and duration of the study: The study concluded in 2023, and it was carried out in Karachi, Pakistan.

Sample and Method: 100 parents (50 fathers & 50 mothers) in the age bracket of 28 to 55 years through the snowball sampling method were included. Parents were required to have at least one child aged between 5 to 10 years. The first hypothesis proposed that parents' CR and ES would predict emotional lability/negativity in their children. The second hypothesis further posited that parents’ CR and ES would predict children’s emotion regulation. These proposed relationships between analyzed components were studied by utilizing Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ, Gross & John ,2003) and (Emotion Regulation Checklist (ERC, Shields & Cicchetti,1995).

Results and Conclusion: Findings show ES significantly predicted children’s emotional lability, whereas CR did not. Nonetheless, both parental strategies were significant predictors of children’s overall emotion regulation.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SENSORY PROCESSING SENSITIVITY AND ANXIETY TRAIT/STATE WITH SELF-INJURIOUS BEHAVIORS IN ADOLESCENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

Mishal Fatima — 2026-03-27

Objectives: This research was aimed to examine the link between sensory processing sensitivity and self-harming behaviors, specifically by mediating this link through state anxiety and moderation by trait anxiety.

Design of the study: This is a cross-sectional study

Place and duration of the study: Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, September 2023 to July 2024.

Sample and Method: 100 adolescents, aged between 11 to 18 years (M = 14.14, SD = 2.85). They were recruited from Autism centers in Islamabad and Clinical Psychology Department, Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University. The participants were selected using a purposive sampling method, and the information that was obtained about them includes demographic details such as age and educational level of the parents. The Highly Sensitive Person Scale (HSPS) was used to assess the degree of sensory processing sensitivity, the level of anxiety by state trait anxiety inventory (STAI), and self-injurious behavior through Inventory of Statements About Self-Injury (ISAS). A strong positive correlation was observed between the level of anxiety and the level of sensory processing sensitivity in this study. Hierarchical regression depicted state anxiety not mediate between the sensory processing sensitivity and self-injurious behavior but trait anxiety moderates the relationship between sensory processing sensitivity and self-harming behaviors.

THE IMPACT OF MINDFULNESS-BASED COGNITIVE BEHAVIOR THERAPY (MBCT) ON REDUCING CAREGIVER BURDEN AND PARENTAL STRESS IN PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Anmol Zafar — 2026-03-27

Objectives: This study intended to examine the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) in reducing parental stress and caregiver burden among parents of children with special needs.

Design of the study: A single-group pre–post intervention design was employed.

Place and duration of the study: Feb to May, 2024 Rawalpindi.

Sample and Method: The participants were selected through the purposive sampling method from special education institutes in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. A total of 20 parents were selected for the study. The participants were required to complete the Parental Stress Scale (PSS) and the Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI) before and after the eight-week group-based MBCT intervention.

Results and conclusion: Results indicated statistical significance in the reduction of parental stress and caregiver burden after the intervention. The results of this study indicate that MBCT can prove to be an effective psychological intervention for the emotional well-being of mothers of children with special needs. This study supports the inclusion of mindfulness-based interventions in the support of caregivers in Pakistan and other similar cultures.

TRANSLATION, ADAPTATION, AND PSYCHOMETRIC VALIDATION OF MUSCLE APPEARANCE SATISFACTION SCALE

Arbab Younas Arbab Younas — 2026-03-27

Objectives: The study designed to translate, adapt, and psychometrically validate the Muscle Appearance Satisfaction Scale (MASS) into the Urdu language for use among male bodybuilders of Pakistan.

Design of study: Correlational research design.

Place and duration of study: March 2022 - August 2023, Rawalpindi-Pakistan.

Sample and method: 150 male bodybuilders of age 14 to 42 years (M=26.58, SD=5.11) participated through purposive sampling method.

Results and conclusion: The Urdu version of MASS showed acceptable reliability, with Cronbach’s alpha values ranging from .73 to .78 for the subscales and .81 for the total scale. Test–retest reliability was significant (r = .76 - .83) and the cross-language validity indicated strong correlations between the original, forward, and backward versions. Subscales also showed significant associations, including a negative correlation between Bodybuilding Dependence and Muscle Satisfaction. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed a five-factor structure, with loadings ranging from .69 to .78 across all sub-scales, supporting the construct validity of the Urdu Mass. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the five-factor model, χ² (142) = 268.42, χ²/df = 1.89, CFI = .94, TLI = .92, RMSEA = .07, SRMR = .05, while the one-factor model demonstrated poor fit, χ² (152) = 612.15, χ²/df = 4.03, CFI = .71, TLI = .68, RMSEA = .14, SRMR = .11. Hence, the MASS-U has been found a suitable tool for Pakistani population.

OVER-IDEALIZATION, RELATIONAL UNCERTAINTY AND AUTONOMY-CONNECTEDNESS AS PREDICTORS OF MARITAL SATISFACTION IN NEWLY MARRIED MEN AND WOMEN: A MODERATED-MEDIATION ANALYSIS

Sadaf Saleem — 2026-03-27

Objectives: The objective of the current study was to explore the mediating effect of relational uncertainty and moderating effect of autonomy-connectedness between over-idealization and marital satisfaction.

Design of the study: Correlational research design was utilized for the current study.

Place and duration of the study: The current study was conducted in Lahore, Pakistan at Centre for Clinical Psychology, University of the Punjab Lahore, from October, 2016 to August, 2017.

Sample and Method: A sample of 150 newly married participants comprising of men (72) and women (78), having age of 20 to 36 years (M = 27.59, SD = 3.56) were included Data were collected from various community settings and workplaces of participants via Purposive Sampling. Moderated-mediation analysis was employed for this study.

Results and Conclusion: The findings revealed that relational uncertainty explains the moderating relation between over-idealization and marital satisfaction. In addition, it was evident that autonomy-connectedness moderating the association between relational uncertainty and marital satisfaction. The findings of the present research have important implications for couple counseling and marital therapy, suggesting that increasing autonomy-connectedness can protect relationships from idealization discrepancies and relational uncertainty.