Iranian University Research Articles

The bright side and the dark side of foreign language boredom in learner engagement: a moderated mediation model of foreign language playfulness and boredom-coping strategies

ABSTRACT This study investigates the influence of foreign language boredom (FLB) on various dimensions of learner engagement mitigated by the application of boredom-coping strategies (BCSs). It also examines the role of foreign language playfulness (FLP) as a moderator in the relationship between BCSs and learner engagement to determine whether FLP amplifies the impact of BCSs as well as the indirect effect, via BCSs, of FLB on engagement. Data were collected from 457 university learners in general English courses offered in three Iranian universities. To evaluate our model, we used partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Results suggest that FLB can indirectly influence engagement positively or negatively depending on the use of different BCSs (approach vs. avoidance strategies). Furthermore, FLP strengthened the link between BCSs and engagement along with the indirect link between FLB and engagement via BCSs; these links were stronger for participants with a higher level of FLP. The theoretical and pedagogical implications of the research are discussed.

Association of fear of falling with performance-based physical function and low back pain in older adults: a cross-sectional study in Iran

ObjectivesThis study investigated the association of fear of falling with performance-based physical function and low back pain (LBP) among older adults.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingParticipants were selected via convenient sampling from Iran University...

Assessment of Alvarado criteria, ultrasound, CRP, and their combination in patients with suspected acute appendicitis: a single centre study

BackgroundAcute appendicitis (AA) is one of the most common reasons for visiting the emergency room. The lack of proper diagnosis and rapid treatment of AA may lead to severe complications such as intestinal perforation and increased mortality. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the Alvarado criteria, ultrasound, and CRP criteria in comparison with their combined use in patients with suspected AA who presented to the emergency room.MethodsIn this diagnostic accuracy study, 1411 patients with suspected AA who presented to the emergency department of Firoozabadi Hospital affiliated with Iran University of Medical Sciences and underwent appendectomy from October 2019 to October 2021 were examined. Nine hundred eighty-eight patients were enrolled. All patients were assessed using Alvarado, CRP, and ultrasound. The definitive diagnosis of AA was based on pathological findings and was considered the gold standard. Statistical analyses were performed with STATA VER 11.5. The diagnostic accuracy for each group was compared using the Pearson chi-square test. A value of p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsThe mean age was 29.57 ± 13.66 years. The sensitivity and specificity of Alvarado in the diagnostic accuracy of appendicectomy were 75.2% and 61.3% (CI = 95%), respectively. The sensitivity of ultrasound and CRP for predicting appendicitis was significantly higher than the Alvarado criteria. The diagnostic accuracy for CRP was significantly higher than ultrasound (64.9% vs. 60.7%, P: 0.003). The diagnostic accuracy of the simultaneous use of Alvarado + CRP and CRP + Ultrasound was significantly higher than that of Alvarado + ultrasound. The sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of the simultaneous use of all three criteria together (Alvarado + Ultrasound + CRP) were estimated to be 94.9%, 25.8%, and 81.5% (CI = 95%), respectively, which were significantly higher than the use of other criteria.ConclusionThis study showed that the Alvarado criteria had inadequate diagnostic sensitivity and accuracy for diagnosing acute appendicitis. The diagnostic accuracy of acute appendicitis increases to over 90% using the three Alvarado, ultrasound, and CRP criteria at the same time.

Nursing educators' experiences of cultural competence in the nursing education program: A qualitative descriptive study

BackgroundTo meet the population's increasing diversity and the health system's needs, it is necessary to prepare nursing schools to produce culturally qualified students. PurposeThis study aimed to extract the experiences of nursing educators about the cultural competence of nursing students. MethodIn this qualitative descriptive study, data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 15 nursing educators affiliated with three medical sciences universities in southeastern Iran. Purposive data sampling and analysis were performed using Graneheim and Lundman's conventional content analysis methods. ResultsOne main theme, 5 categories, and 18 subcategories were extracted. The main theme was “cultural equality, the essence of care and education”. Categories included “Toward culturally-based caring and education”, “Charter of cultural rights”, “The need for cultural competence facilitators”, “Cultural exposure”, and “Modifying the curriculum policies”. ConclusionThis study shows that nursing educators strive to take into account students' cultural competence, even though cultural competence is not explicitly integrated into nursing curricula. The acquisition of cultural competence requires multifaceted changes in education, in clinical centers, and in the creation of cultural infrastructure.

How much ICT literacy is required? The epistemic perceptual framework of Iranian university faculty members during the COVID-19 pandemic

Nowadays, information and communications technology literacy (ICT) means more than achieving isolated digital and technological skills. ICT literacy means the skills young people need in the digital world in which information and interaction are accessed through such digital technologies as social networks, virtual environments, and smartphones. To enhance the ICT literacy of these “digital natives”, university faculty are encouraged to implement digital technology in their classes and this will be fulfilled if they are highly competent in the area. This situation gained more prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic as the educational systems all around the world were reshaped requiring educators to embrace new educational technologies in instruction. This study is based on the premise that faculties play a key role in successful incorporation of digital technology in higher education. To explore the issue, the epistemic perceptual framework of 285 male and female university faculty members teaching different fields of study in both public and private universities in Iran was investigated considering their knowledge and perception of ICT literacy, its integration at academic levels, and how coronavirus pandemic has affected the incorporation of digital technology in teaching. Exploring the results showed that there was a significant difference between the lecturers’ actual and perceived ICT literacy in Iran. It was revealed that some faculty had never used technological tools in their classes before the pandemic and the situation has forced them to adopt digital teaching. However, most faculty favored digital integration claiming the pandemic had caused them to improve their ICT literacy and teaching methods. The findings called for an urgent need for faculty’s continuous and effective ICT education upgrading which in turn results in training a more efficient young generation for the digital world.

Medical faculty and students’ perceived incivility in virtual classes during the COVID-19 lockdown: A qualitative study

Background: After the COVID-19 lockdown and the dominance of virtual classes in medical education, variant dimensions of incivility emerged and required further exploration. The present study was designed to explore and describe incivility in virtual classes as perceived by students and faculty members. Methods: This qualitative study involved 55 students and 38 faculty members who were recruited by purposive sampling at a major medical university in Iran. Open-ended questions and semi-structured in-depth interviews were used to elicit the participants’ perceptions of incivility in virtual classes. The narrative responses were analyzed by conventional content analysis. Results: Nine major categories were extracted, four of which contained students’ incivility (Irresponsibility, dishonesty, unreasonable expectations, and disruptive behavior in virtual classes); and five categories reflected faculty incivility (Lack of accountability, inappropriate classroom management, unfair academic evaluation, disruptive behavior in virtual classes, and inappropriate interactions with students). Conclusion: The students’ and faculty incivility as explored in the present study suggests acknowledging them by stakeholders (students, faculty, and educational management) to expedite effective management of virtual learning and teaching at universities.

Pornography use, demographic and sexual health characteristics among university students: a gender-based comparative study of non-users, non-problematic users, and problematic users

BackgroundLimited gender-based research has compared sexual health among pornography users (PUs) and non-users, including non-problematic pornography users (non-PPUs) and problematic pornography users (PPUs), particularly in non-Western cultures.MethodsA 2022 cross-sectional study involving 450 Iranian university students categorized participants as PUs or non-users based on 12 months of use. PUs were further classified as non-PPUs or PPUs using the 'Problematic Pornography Use Scale' cutoff point, with comparisons of demographic and sexual variables made between these groups.ResultsPornography use was reported among 39.6% of students, including 51.7% of men and 33.6% of women. In general, 9.5% of participants were PPUs, including 17.4% of men and 5.6% of women. PUs were mainly men, had fewer children, shorter marriages, lower religiosity, and lower levels of education. Compared with non-users, PUs reported earlier sexual relationships, lower satisfaction with sex frequency and communication, and greater rates of extramarital relationships, masturbation, sexual desire, and sexual distress. PPUs reported more sexual desire, pornography use, masturbation, and extramarital affairs than non-PPUs. Similar patterns in demographics, sexual history, and health were observed in pornography use across genders. The regression indicated being male (OR: 2.42, 95% CI: 1.44–4.06), having lower education (OR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.81–0.97), fewer children (OR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.48–0.86), higher masturbation (OR: 1.31, 95% CI: 1.14–1.49), more extramarital relationship (OR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.07–2.67), less religiosity (OR: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.82–0.93), more sexual excitement (OR: 0.79, 95% CI:0.62–1), and more sexual distress (OR: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.02–1.32) were associated with pornography use.Two-way ANOVA found no significant effects of gender or pornography use on sexual satisfaction. Women had worse sexual function regardless of usage. Pornography users, regardless of gender, experienced higher sexual distress.

Hierarchical Structure of Small–Medium Enterprise Accidents Contributing to Legal Proceedings Resulting in Judicial Verdicts Using Interpretive Structural Modeling

Abstract Aim: The present study aims to identify and model factors influencing accidents in small–medium enterprises based on judicial orders. Methods: This study was conducted in two primary phases. The first phase involved analyzing legal documents related to work-related accidents to extract factors influencing accidents in SMEs. In the second phase, interpretive structural modeling (ISM) was employed to hierarchically model these factors and understand their relationships using ISM Excel base software. Ten experts from various Iranian universities and industrial companies participated in the study, contributing to the completion of matrices used in the ISM model. Results: In this study, 10 primary factors contributing to accident occurrences in SMEs were identified and categorized into three main groups: Individual factors related to the incident (comprising five subfactors), organizational factors (comprising three subfactors), and conditional factors (comprising two subfactors). The subsequent phase involved modeling the identified factors using the ISM technique. The results revealed that three factors – training, equipment-related factors, and hazardous processes or harsh environments – were placed at level 2, designating them as the key factors influencing accidents. Conclusion: The current research demonstrates that in SMEs, conditional and organizational factors like equipment shortcomings, hazardous processes, and insufficient training for workers are key factors in accident occurrences within these systems. Consequently, by controlling these factors, improvements in their safety conditions can be pursued.

Exploring the level and sources of stress among international students in an Iranian university

Exploring the level and sources of stress among international students in an Iranian university

Nurse caring in Iran and its relationship with patient satisfaction

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between patients’ reports of nurse caring and patient satisfaction with nursing care. Design: The study used a cross sectional design. The Persian versions of the Revised Caring Behaviors Inventory (CBI) and the Patient Satisfaction Instrument (PSI) were used to establish the strength of association between nurse caring and patient satisfaction with nursing care. Data were analysed using SPSS version 10. Setting: The setting was the educational hospitals affiliated to Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS). Heavy workloads and severe staff shortages are common characteristics of Tehran educational hospitals and the time that nurses previously allotted to direct care has been reduced. Subjects: Two hundred and fifty patients who were hospitalised for medical conditions or surgical procedures were selected through a quota sampling method during 2007. Results: The findings indicated a statistically significant relationships between patient reports of nurse caring and satisfaction with nursing care (r=0.72, p=0.000; CI 95%; 178.31‑189.99 for the CBI and 82.81‑86.71 for the PSI). Male patients were more satisfied with nursing care than female patients. Admissions to hospital during the last five years were positively correlated with patients’ perceptions of nurse caring and satisfaction with nursing care. Conclusion: This study which was carried out in Tehran, Iran supports earlier western evidence that nurse caring is associated with patient satisfaction with nursing care. It is important to reflect on the impact of the current health care environment and cultural religion of Iran on caring behaviors of nurses and patient satisfaction with nursing care. Heavy workloads and severe staff shortages are common characteristics of Tehran educational hospitals and the time that nurses previously allotted to direct care has been reduced which may contribute to changes in patients’ perceptions of nurse caring and satisfaction with nursing care possibly reducing the effects of nursing care services. Iranian nurse managers need to consider the religious and cultural barriers to nurse caring and recompense it by providing more human resources.

A comparative Study of the Fifth Generation University in Iran's Higher Education (case study: Iran and Selected Countries)

Introduction: This study aimed to study the comparison of fifth generation universities in higher education in Iran and selected countries in a qualitative and comparative way. Method: In this research, the Kandel method was used to identify the components of the fifth generation university, and the Boley method was used to analyze the data to extract common and non-common components. The data collection method was web-based and purposive sampling. By checking the keywords in the databases, the articles that were published in both English and Farsi in the field of the components of the fifth generation university until September 21, 2022 were selected and carefully studied and analyzed Results: With thematic analysis of 23 components of the fifth spiral model to¬ as the base model of the fifth generation university.5 Components that were abundant between one and 3 countries were removed and the effective components that were abundant in more than 5 countries remained. After the merger of the component, which was of a single nature, 3 similar components (sensitive to the environment) were. The developer of environmental sustainability and the use of fashion 3 for the production of knowledge and innovation and 15 components between selected countries and Iran were extracted as differential components. Conclusion: Finally, according to the results of this research, in order to reach the fifth generation university, the need to design and present appropriate strategies by managers and decision makers، To reduce the distance of differential universities with the leading universities in this field.

Predictors of health-related quality of life after total knee arthroplasty: a case–control study

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) improves patients’ Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) compared to before surgery. However, based on our knowledge, the improvement in HRQoL after TKA, which depends on various factors, has yet to be investigated compared to healthy people. This study aimed to evaluate the HRQoL of patients compared to healthy people and the factors affecting the HRQoL after TKA. In this matched case–control study (1002 participants), HRQoL in 501 patients who underwent TKA between 2015 and 2022 at Shafa Yahyainan Hospital affiliated with Iran University of Medical Sciences were compared with 501 healthy controls. HRQoL was evaluated in two parts (before compared to 12 months after TKA and 12 months after TKA compared to the healthy population). The 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36) was used to evaluate HRQoL 12 months after surgery. The influencing factors on HRQoL were evaluated by multivariate logistic regression analysis. No significant difference was observed in the demographic characteristics of the participants in the two groups. The mean overall SF-36 score, 12 months after surgery, significantly improved compared to before surgery (64.21 ± 22.2 vs. 37.55 ± 15.13, p:0.001). The mean total score of SF-36 was statistically similar between the case and control groups (64.21 ± 22.2 VS 72.53 ± 25.3). The multivariate analysis showed that sex, BMI, number of comorbidities, postoperative compliance, and complications were significantly related to the decrease in patients’ HRQoL (P < 0.001).TKA can improve the HRQoL except for two subscales of happiness/vitality and physical performance, similar to the healthy population. Female gender, obesity and overweight, comorbidity, bilateral TKA, non-adherence to postoperative physiotherapy, and complications were associated with decreased HRQoL.

Perspectives of Patients with Mental Health Disorders on Integrating the Spirituality and Religion into Psychiatric Assessments: A Study in Iran

Background: In recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on exploring the influence of spirituality/religion on the management of mental health disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the viewpoints of Iranian patients with mental health disorders regarding the incorporation of spirituality into their assessment. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2021 at Iran University of Medical Sciences. Initially, a questionnaire was developed based on key spiritual concepts identified from a literature review. The content and face validity of the questionnaire were evaluated by an expert panel, and its reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Data collection was carried out in the second phase, with the questionnaire consisting of 4 questions examining the patients’ perceived need and willingness for their therapist to explore their spiritual and religious dimensions. Data analysis was performed using appropriate statistical tests. Results: The questionnaire’s validity was confirmed, and its reliability was demonstrated with a Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.79. A total of 368 patients participated in the study. No significant associations were observed between the participants’ educational level, diagnosis type, gender, and the questionnaire scores. Approximately half of the patients with mental health disorders expressed a desire to incorporate spiritual assessments into their psychological evaluations, with most welcoming this integration. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that despite challenges and barriers, efforts should be made to integrate spiritual dimensions into the treatment of patients.

Psychometry of Physician Teaching Motivation Questionnaire at Iran University of Medical Sciences

Background: The development of societies relies on the type and manner of activities performed at universities. Professors play a pivotal role in the development of universities and societies. Assessment of professors’ motivation and behavior and factors affecting them can improve the educational system and increase its performance. This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the Physician Teaching Motivation Questionnaire (PTMQ) from the viewpoint of clinical professors at Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS). Methods: This is an instrument psychometric study in which the questionnaire’s validity was determined through the face and content validity and its construct validity through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Reliability was determined through the calculation of Cronbach’s alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient and consistency between agreers. The data were analyzed in SPSS 23 and LISREL 8.8. Results: The results showed that all 18 items had acceptable content validity (0.68-0.97). The Cronbach’s alpha and intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.81 and 0.86, respectively. The number of items remained unchanged at 18 according to exploratory factor analysis which classified them into six categories (intrinsic motivation, identified motivation, introjected motivation, career motivation, external motivation, and teaching assistant motivation) and explained 54% of the total variance of the mentioned variables. Also, the value of CFI was equal to 0.93 and the value of Cohen’s kappa was between 0.77 and 0.84. Conclusion: The Persian version of PTMQ is a valid and reliable instrument that can be used for research, educational, and practical purposes to evaluate the teaching motivation of clinical professors in other groups.

Research visualization on cloud computing services in the field of information science and library science

PurposeThis bibliometric study is steered to compute the impact of literature published on cloud computing within the fields of information science and library science. The research has been conducted on concentrating the term “Cloud Computing” to search the literature published in both fields, i.e. information science and library science from the time span 2007 to August 2023. This study aims to investigate the top productive country, organizations and highly cited publications.Design/methodology/approachThe period of the exploration was from 2007 to August 2023 for bibliometric analysis and data was collected from the ISI Web of Science. Total 401 documents were retrieved and analyzed to highlight the year-wise distribution of documents type, year-wise most cited articles, prominent journals of the subjects, productivity of organizations, impact of countries and cooccurrences of keywords. The results are grounded on the basis of documents types (articles, early access articles, proceeding papers, book review, editorial material, news items and reviews).FindingsThe findings reveal that the most productive year of publication on cloud computing services was 2013. The top productive source is “International Journal of Information Management.” The articles entitled “Assessing the determinants of cloud computing adoption: An analysis of the manufacturing and services sectors” found as the most cited article and the significant increase in citations is also noteworthy. The most productive organizations on the topic include “Islamic Azad University of Iran,” “University Cologne of Germany” and “University Nova Lisboa of Portugal.” The results confirmed that the USA dominates in the production of research on “Cloud Computing Services” and the most repeated keyword in the literature is cloud computing. The research articles are the most cited sources of research.Originality/valueThis bibliometric research is an original piece of work that has been conducted to measure the research production in the field of information science and library science during 2007−2023. This piece of work is valuable for those who want to study the literature on cloud computing in the area of information science and library science.

Educational ranking model of faculties in Iranian universities of medical sciences

Educational ranking model of faculties in Iranian universities of medical sciences

The effect of TeamSTEPPS® mobile-based training on perceptions of teamwork and team performance of operating room staff

IntroductionTeamSTEPPS® aims to create an environment where all members feel comfortable to speak about patient safety concerns. The aim of this research was to determine the effect of TeamSTEPPS® mobile-based training on the perceptions of teamwork and team performance of operating room staff. MethodsThis study was a quasi-experimental method with measurements at baseline and after 2 months of intervention. The research samples included 105 OR staff (operating room technologists, anesthesia technologists, and nurses) working in 6 teaching hospitals of Iran University of Medical Sciences in 2022, which were selected by stratified random method and proportional allocation. The research tools included the demographic form, the Persian version of the ‘TeamSTEPPS® Teamwork Perception Questionnaire’ (T-TPQ) and the Persian version of the ‘Team Performance Observation Tool’ (TPOT). The intervention was carried out with sending the link of the TeamSTEPPS® 2.0 course files to participants by mobile messengers so that they could study them during five sessions, with an interval of one week between each session. Data analysis was done by calculating descriptive statistics and paired t-test. ResultsThe results showed that TeamSTEPPS® mobile-based training significantly improved the perception of teamwork (P < 0.011) and team performance of operating room staff (P < 0.001). ConclusionWith the determination of the effect of TeamSTEPPS® mobile-based training on the perception of teamwork and team performance of operating room staff, it is suggested to present this training program to this group.

Comparative Comparison of the Curriculum of the Master's Degree in Emergency Nursing in Iran and Monash University in Australia

Introduction: Training emergency nurses plays a significant role in caring for critically ill patients. The comparison of emergency nursing curricula in Iran with those in prestigious universities is one of the ways to determine the strengths and weaknesses of each curriculum. This study aims to conduct a comparative analysis of the Master's degree curriculum in emergency nursing in Iran and Monash University in Australia. Methods: The current study is a comparative review that was conducted in 2024. First, Monash University was selected as a top-ranked institution based on the Quacquarelli Symonds rankings of nursing schools worldwide. Afterward, the required information was collected from the Monash University website, the Master of Emergency Nursing program, the curriculum file, and field information. The collected data were compared using the Bereday model, which includes 4 stages: description, interpretation, juxtaposition, and comparison. Results: The Master's program in emergency nursing in Iran and Monash University of Australia showed many similarities in content, general structure, and the role of graduates. However, there were some differences in the procedure of accepting students and educational units, philosophy, mission, and vision. One of the strengths of Iran's curriculum was the presence of general courses, whereas Monash University stood out for the prerequisite of English language proficiency for admission. There were no work experience requirements in either curriculum; nevertheless, a valid bachelor's degree was required. At Monash, there have been significant improvements by using new teaching techniques, such as simulation training. However, regular updates and reviews of the curriculum in Iran remain necessary. Conclusion: The present study can be one of the appropriate guides for policymakers in the field of nursing education in order to improve the quality and development of nurses' skills. It is recommended that policymakers incorporate new and important courses into the curriculum to promote clinical nursing skills.

University students’ challenges and coping strategies in emergency remote teaching

This qualitative study focused on Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students’ challenges and their strategies to cope with those challenges in online education during the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers employed a phenomenological approach and interviewed twelve EFL MA students at a university in Iran. The researchers analyzed the collected data by following Moustakas’ phenomenological data analysis procedure. This study’s findings revealed that most students dealt with individual, teaching-led, and contextual challenges in emergency remote teaching. Also, many students used some adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies to handle these challenges. The present study’s findings provide an opportunity for authorities and teachers to see the world from students’ viewpoints and better understand the students’ unique challenges and conditions to develop a humanizing culture in the universities, especially during challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Effects of flipped listening classroom on undergraduate students’ foreign language listening anxiety and willingness to communicate

In a traditional classroom environment, listening comprehension plays a vital role in enabling students to actively participate in the learning process. This is because a significant portion of information is conveyed through the instructor’s explanations and class discussions. Developing strong listening skills can help students effectively understand and participate in classroom activities. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of flipped listening classroom on undergraduate English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students’ foreign language listening anxiety and willingness to communicate. A sample of 46 students at a public university in Iran was chosen to participate in the study using convenience sampling. Implementing a quasi-experimental pretest posttest control group design, two intact classes were randomly assigned to flipped and traditional lecture-based groups. The findings of the study revealed that flipped listening classroom had a positive impact on alleviating foreign language listening anxiety of EFL students and increasing their willingness to communicate. The study has some implications for the material developers, English instructors and students.