Psychological Science

Recently, this has included cases of girls running away from home or fleeing from one country to another. The phenomenon of girls running away from home has become increasingly common, particularly among adolescent girls, who then face violence from their families due to a lack of understanding of their sensitive developmental stage. Even married girls face violence from their husbands and their families. As a result, many girls in our societies, especially teenagers, are running away from home into the unknown, leading to family disintegration and impacting other aspects of life.

The study aimed to identify the motives for girls running away from their homes and to build a psychological and social intervention strategy to reduce running away according to the variables of (age, birth order in the family, educational achievement, social status, economic status, and governorate). The sample consisted of (35) girls who ran away from home, which were obtained from the (Juvenile Reform Center) affiliated with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. The results of the study showed that the most important motives for running away are (family reasons, social reasons, economic reasons, psychological reasons). The researchers built a psychological and social intervention strategy to reduce this phenomenon.

The researchers recommended the importance of proper family upbringing for girls in order to build a sound personality, high self-esteem, and a distinct self-identity, in addition to other recommendations and suggestions mentioned in the study.

This paper aims to:
-Identify the desire for control among a sample of married individuals.
-Identify differences in the desire for control among a sample of married individuals according to the gender variable (male /female).
-Identify differences in the desire for control among a sample of married individuals according to the educational attainment variable (higher education, bachelor\'s degree, secondary school diploma or lower).
-Identify differences in the desire for control among a sample of married individuals according to the economic status variable (very good, good, average, and below).
-Identify differences in the desire for control among a sample of married individuals according to the occupation variable (employed, unemployed ).
To achieve the research objectives, the researcher administered the Desire for Control Scale to a sample of 125 married individuals (males and females). After statistically analyzing the data, yielded a score of (29.54) with a standard deviation of (9.12). Comparing this mean to the hypothetical mean of the scale, which was (38), and using the t-test equation for a single sample, the calculated value was (10.35) at a significance level of (0.05). This is greater than the critical t-value of (1.96). This indicates that the married participants in the research sample have a desire for control, considering it is a significant part of taking responsibility for managing family affairs to achieve stability, balance, and a peaceful life without disturbances. They believe their method is always the best, fastest, and most successful. They also believe they are capable of handling many responsibilities and that failure is unlikely because of their abilities and potential. However, in reality, this desire for control is merely a misunderstanding of life that results in problematic behaviors. The research results also showed no difference between males and females in terms of the desire for control. The desire for control is considered a universal human emotion, not exclusive to men. Therefore, women sought to extend their influence and assert their control over the family, feeling that they were objective equals, no less important than men. Furthermore, the research results showed no difference between other variables such as educational attainment, occupation, and the family\'s economic status (whether good, very good, or average), as the desire for control was not affected by these factors. In light of these findings, the researcher presented a set of recommendations.

This research aims to identify cognitive distortions that represent students\' perceptual biases regarding their physiological, psychological, social, and material needs, which they believe constitute their rights in life. These needs include acquiring money, graduating, getting married, employment, and satisfying their physiological and psychological needs quickly and easily, without considering whether the pathways to achieving them are acceptable or not. This indicates that the environment, its variables, and its demands influence our behavior more than natural behaviors, and encourage us to transgress social norms when suitable opportunities arise by providing cognitive distortions that condone unhealthy behaviors.
The research sample consisted of 300 male and female university students from public and private universities (via an online application). A cognitive distortion scale for psychological entitlement, comprising 26 items, was reliability and validated.
The results show that students exhibit cognitive distortions that favor promptness in satisfying their psychological, material, and other needs

This study aimed to identify the rules for expressing feelings (emotions) at (work) and at (home) among professors and employees of Iraqi University and to determine the significance of the differences in the rules for expressing feelings (emotions) at work and at home. The researchers chose their research sample using a simple random sampling method. The current research sample included (105) professors and employees, with (55) male respondents and (50) female respondents. To achieve the research objective, the researchers obtained a foreign version of the scale (Moran et al, 2013), which consists of (6) expectations for emotional expression at work and home: (neutralization - concealment - reduction - amplification - identification, expression, amplification). The face validity, construct validity, and reliability of the scale were obtained, and the reliability coefficient value was good, as indicated by the measurement literature. Data were processed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The t-test for two independent samples, Pearson\'s correlation coefficient, and percentage law were used to extract the results of the research objectives. The results showed that the professors and employees of Iraqi University are able to regulate their emotions using high levels of suppression and avoidance, with low or no re-evaluation and expression of natural feelings. They were also able to accurately assess their responses and differentiate between work and home in terms of the emotion regulation they used in each context. Sometimes, an individual\'s actual use of emotion regulation at work and at home may not align, as was the case with my two emotions (sadness and impatience). The researchers also developed a set of recommendations.

The research aimed to measure the psychological and social repercussions of cybercrimes on the individual from the point of view of psychological and social specialists. To achieve the objectives of the research, a tool was prepared to measure the psychological and social repercussions of cybercrimes on the individual. The scale consisted of (35) items, with (13) items for the psychological repercussions, and (22) items for measuring the social repercussions. The psychometric properties of the two scales (discriminatory power, construct validity, and reliability) were verified after applying the scale to A sample of psychological and social specialists numbered (140), consisting of (95) psychological specialists and (45) social specialists. The researchers were keen that the psychological specialists be from the specializations of (general psychology, psychological counseling, mental health, clinical psychology). After processing the data statistically, the research concluded that the level of psychological and social repercussions of cybercrime on the individual from the point of view of psychological and social specialists is very high, and that the most prominent psychological repercussions were (suffering). The victim suffers from sleep disorders related to 'digital apprehension' (fear of the arrival of nightly notifications), the victim is controlled by 'catastrophic thoughts', always anticipating the worst possible scenarios for the outcome of the crime, the victim shows severe physiological reactions (accelerated pulse, shortness of breath) when dealing with the technical means through which the crime occurred, the victim shows signs of 'denial' in the early stages as a defense mechanism to escape the painful reality, the victim complains of medically unexplained physical pain (headaches). Chronic, colon pain (coinciding with the period of blackmail/harassment), and the most prominent social repercussions were (the victim adopts the behavior of 'preventive social withdrawal', by reducing her appearance at family or public events, the victim avoids forming 'new friendships' for fear that these friendships will be a front for future targeting operations, the victim shows signs of 'relational suspicion', as she doubts the intentions of those around her and considers them potential perpetrators, the level of The victim's 'self-disclosure' towards family members, which leads to a gap in interpersonal trust. The victim adopts a negative vision towards 'social justice', because she feels the system is unable to protect her from a hidden perpetrator.

The current study aimed to determine the impact of tribal conflicts on the social security of Iraqi society in the central region (Baghdad Governorate) and the southern governorates. The total sample for the study was (742), where (494) were citizens from Baghdad Governorate, representing (66.6%), (248) were from other governorates, representing (33.4%)., were males (52.2%), were females (74.88%). The sample was divided into four age groups, with the highest percentage in the (over45), numbering (399) and representing (53%). (35-44), numbering (192) representing (25.9%), and (25-34) age group, numbering (89) representing (13.2%). and (under25) numbering (53) representing (7.1%) of the study sample. A survey questionnaire consisting of 12 items was developed by the study team administered electronically to the study sample. The results indicate that tribal conflicts in Iraqi society represent one of the most prominent challenges to community security in some governorates and impact community service projects. The study concluded with a set of recommendations and proposals.

This research aims to identify the striving for excellence in mothers of children with autism at the Al-Murad Center for Children with Autism in 2025. The researcher used individual and group interviews, with each interview lasting between 45 and 90 minutes, according to an agreed-upon legal framework. The sample consisted of 20 mothers who volunteered for the individual and group interviews, using an open-ended questionnaire. The results showed that the role of mothers in caring for children with autism significantly impacts the children's personal and social development. The researcher recommended that mothers receive support from the community and health and education organizations.

The study aimed to identify secrecy according to its dimensions (self-concealment, cognitive preoccupation, fear of disclosure, disclosure of a secret, and possession of a secret) among university students and are there statistically significant differences in secrecy according to its dimensions (self-concealment, cognitive preoccupation, fear of disclosure, disclosure of a secret, and possession of a secret) according to the variables of gender and age? The study sample was select using a simple random method, which consist of (163) university students (77) males and (86) females, and they answered the Tilburg secrecy scale, and the results showed the following: University students have a lower than average score in the secrecy dimensions (self-concealment- cognitive preoccupation-possession a secret), while they have a low score in the dimensions of fear of disclosure and disclosure of the secret. The results of the statistical analysis also showed that there were no statistically significant differences according to the variables of gender and age for the dimensions, except for the cognitive preoccupation dimension, where statistically significant differences appeared according to the interaction of the variables of gender and age, and that the effect of gender is more evident for males compared to females, and that older women are cognitively preoccupied with the secret compared to elders women.

Collecting robust scientific data on relational identity orientation of ministry employees contributes to supporting administrative reform initiatives that acknowledge the psychological-identity dimensions in building more representative, equitable, and effective institutions. This is reflected in an informed discourse about the image of public employees in higher education. The organizational identity of employees in academic and research institutions is a complex mix of personal traits and professional roles that generate relational orientations. This is contrasted with a clear lack of studies addressing the level of relational identity orientation among Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research employees, and the absence of standardized measuring tools addressing relational identity orientation according to rigorous criteria in the Iraqi psychological literature. This makes this research a pressing necessity. Accordingly, the current research aims to identify:
1. Relational identity orientation among Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research employees.
2. Differences in relational identity according to the gender variable (male – female. (
3. Differences in relational identity according to the educational attainment variable.
4. Differences in relational identity according to the age variable.
The research instrument was developed according to the Sluss and Ashforth Model, which consisted of four sub-orientations of relational identity with 28 items, seven items equally distributed across each domain. After administering the instrument to a sample of (400) employees of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and using statistical methods and processes, the results showed:
1.A moderate level of relational identity orientation prevailed among employees of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
2. No difference was found in relational identity orientation according to the gender variable between males and females.
3. No statistically significant differences were found in the level of relational identity according to the educational attainment variable (Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate).
4. There is a statistically significant difference in relational identity orientation based on age, favoring the (40-49) age group.
The current research concluded with several recommendations and suggestions.

The study aimed to investigate the level of quality of life and psychological well-being among university students, and to identify statistically significant differences in both variables according to gender (male/female) and academic specialization (scientific/humanities). In addition, it sought to determine the nature of the correlational relationship between quality of life and psychological well-being. The study adopted a descriptive (Correlational) approach and was conducted on a sample of (150) male and female students, including (75) males and (75) females, distributed across two academic tracks: humanities (College of Political Science, College of Media) and scientific (College of Engineering, College of Science). The results revealed statistically significant differences in quality of life according to gender in favor of males, as well as differences according to academic specialization in favor of the scientific track. The findings also indicated that university students demonstrated a level of psychological well-being, with statistically significant gender differences in favor of females. However, no significant differences in psychological well-being were found according to academic specialization. Finally, the results showed a correlational relationship between quality of life and psychological well-being among university students, confirming the interconnection between these two dimensions and their importance in understanding students’ university experiences and in guiding counseling and developmental programs within the university environment.

The current research aims to identify women's level of awareness of the dimensions of sustainable development and their level of environmental behavior within the family , as well as identifying differences in the level of each according to some demographic variables such as age , marital status, occupation, educational attainment, and economic level. It also aims to reveal the nature of the relationship between them .To achieve the research objectives , the descriptive correlational approach was used, whereby two measurement instruments were developed : the first to measure women's awareness of the dimensions of sustainable development, and the second to measure their environmental behavior within the family. The validity and reliability of both instruments were verified using appropriate statistical methods. They were administered to a sample of (100) women. The research findings showed that women's awareness of the dimensions of sustainable development and their environmental behavior were both high. The results also indicated statistically significant differences in both awareness of sustainable development and environmental behavior based on educational attainment, while no differences were found based on age, marital status, occupation ,or economic level . Furthermore, the results revealed a statistically significant positive correlation between women's awareness of the dimensions of sustainable development and their environmental behavior within the family.

This research reveals a gap between the educational counselor's proactive role and her sustainable flourishing, as current practice remains focused on reactive solutions rather than proactive approaches. Using a descriptive correlational method, the researcher surveyed (200) counselors with two self-developed scales: the Proactive Role Scale and the Sustainable Flourishing Scale, each containing (15) items , Results showed counselors enjoy sustainable flourishing due to pride in achievement, experience, and school support. Their role effectively supports students academically and psychologically. However, no relationship was found between the proactive role variable and the sustainable flourishing variable, as flourishing is shaped more by experience, job satisfaction, and work environment .

The present study aimed to identify the level of psychological apathy among male and female employees in the public and private sectors in Baghdad Governorate, as well as to examine statistically significant differences in psychological apathy according to gender (male–female) and type of employment (public sector–private sector). The study population consisted of male and female employees working in the public sector (the Iraqi Ministry of Industry in Baghdad) and the private sector (private factories in Baghdad). The study sample comprised (400) employees, selected using a stratified random sampling method, with (200) male and female employees from the Iraqi Ministry of Industry and (200) male and female employees from private factories in Baghdad.
A Psychological Apathy Scale developed by the researcher was administered to the participants. The scale was constructed based on Seligman’s Learned Helplessness Theory (Martin E. P. Seligman, 1967). In its original form, the scale consisted of (24) items; following the assessment of its psychometric properties, the final version included (18) items with five-point Likert-type responses (Strongly Agree, Agree, Neutral, Disagree, Strongly Disagree), scored (5–4–3–2–1), respectively. The descriptive research method was adopted in this study.
After conducting the statistical analyses, the results revealed a high level of psychological apathy among male and female employees in both the public and private sectors in Baghdad Governorate. The findings also indicated statistically significant differences in psychological apathy according to gender, in favor of males, and according to type of employment, in favor of employees working in the public sector.

The current study aims to identify non-suicidal self-injury among university students, and to identify the statistical significance of the difference in non-suicidal self- injury among university students according to the gender variable (male-female) and the specialization variable (humanities-science), The researchers adopted the Non-Suicidal self-Injury Scale (Al-Shuqair, 2006), which in its final form consists of (48) items. The scale was applied to a sample consisted of (300) male and female students from Iraqi universities during the academic year 2025-2026, The researchers reached the following results: The current study sample has a high level of non-suicidal self-injury, and there are statistically significant differences between the average of male and female sample, in favor of females. Furthermore, statistical differences were found between the average of the sample of specializations (humanities - sciences), in favor of the humanities. The researchers presented a number of recommendations and suggestions to complement and develop the current study.

This study aims to answer the following main question: What is the nature of the correlation between Resilience and employees’ ability to face the challenges of the work environment? By using appropriate tools to identify the study variables among the research sample and relying on statistical methods, it was found that the sample have a high level of Resilience and also have a high challenge to life, with a correlation between the two variables, there are statistically significant differences in the gender variable in favor of females, as well as there is no a statistically significant correlation in the life challenges variable.

The current research aims to Identity-based behavior and Academic Commitment, as well as identify the correlation between Identity-based behavior and Academic Commitment among university students. The research sample consisted of (382) students from the Colleges of University of Babylon for the academic year (2025-2026) were chosen randomly. To achieve the research aims, the researcher adopted the Simons (2021) scale for Identity-based behavior, which consisted of (15) items, Human-Vogel & Rabe (2014) scale for Academic Commitment, which consisted of (30) items. The research results that there are no Identity-based behavior, there are no Academic Commitment, and there are weak correlation between Identity-based behavior and Academic Commitment. In light of the results, the researcher put a number of recommendations and suggestions

The current research aims to:
- Identify false thinking among teachers.
- Identify the significance of differences in false thinking among teachers according to the variables of (gender and age). The researcher used the research tool, where she built a false thinking scale based on Daniel Kahneman's2011 model in his book - Thinking Fast and Slow - which consists of two patterns of thinking (one system, which is fast, automatic, and intuitive thinking used in making quick decisions and is prone to cognitive errors and false thinking), and the second system, which is slow, logical, and analytical thinking used in solving complex problems and requires greater mental effort. Based on his theory on false thinking and cognitive biases
To achieve the research objectives, the descriptive approach was used. The scale consisted of (20) paragraphs after presenting it to a group of experts and arbitrators and extracting the psychometric properties. The reliability coefficient reached Cronbach's alpha (0.83) and the test-retest method (0.75 ). The researcher analyzed the data by using the statistical method for social sciences, and the results showed the presence of false thinking among teachers.

The aim of this study is to identify the psychological stress experienced by educational counselors at intermediate schools in Karbala Governorate, and to determine the significance of differences in psychological stress among these counselors according to gender. To achieve this objective, the researcher developed a psychological stress scale based on Lazarus and Folkman's (1984) coping theory. The scale initially consisted of 26 items, which were later refined to 21 items after the necessary psychometric properties were established. The scale was designed as a five-point response (always, often, sometimes, rarely, never) with scores ranging from 1 to 5. The researcher employed a descriptive methodology in this study. And the research population comprised educational counselors at intermediate schools in Karbala Governorate, and a random sample of 200 counselors was selected for the academic year (2025-2026). The study results indicate that educational counselors at intermediate schools in Karbala Governorate have high levels of psychological stress, and the differences in psychological stress among educational counselors at intermediate schools in Karbala Governorate were in favor of females. Based on these results, the researcher presented a set of appropriate recommendations and suggestions.

This research aimed to identify vigilance personality in Iraqi journalists according to the variables of gender (male-female) and work sector (public-private). The research sample consisted of 162 journalists (male-female) from all Iraqi governorates in the current year (2026), selected using purposive random sampling. The final version of the 30-item scale, developed based on the Fourteen Normal Model of Personality Styles by Oldham, John M., and Morris, Lewis (1995), was then administered. The researcher subsequently extracted the psychometric properties of the scale. After applying the instrument to the research sample, the results indicated that the journalists possess a vigilance of personality, and that neither gender nor work sector had a significant effect on the degree of vigilance in the sample. Upon presenting the results, the researcher offered a set of recommendations and suggestions appropriate to the findings of her research.

The aim of the current study is to identify associative thinking and its relation to mental capacity among secondary school students. The researchers adopted the descriptive approach, and a random sample of secondary school students consisting of (354) male and female students from different educational grade (fourth, fifth, sixth) and different educational branches (science, literary, vocational). The had been selected built a tool to measure associative thinking consisting of (3) domains, and in each domain (9) items, so the total number of items became (27) items.
The second tool was the mental capacity scale, which consisted of (5) domains, and in each domain there were (6) items, so the total number of items became (30) items. The psychometric properties of each of the two scales were confirmed, and the two instruments were applied to the study sample. using appropriate statistical methods, the results showed a positive correlation between associative thinking and mental capacity among secondary school students.

This can be explained by the fact that the more associative thinking occurs among secondary school students, the greater their mental capacity.

In light of the research findings, the researchers submitted the following recommendations, the most important of which are:
-The need to develop a counsel program to direct students toward the type of thinking appropriate for them.
- Holding seminars for secondary school students to explain how to develop their mental capacity.
The researchers suggest the following:
- Conduct a similar study to the current one by using another type of thinking, such as reflective thinking, systematic thinking, or analytical thinking.
- Conduct a similar study to the current one using another variable and examine the relationship between them, such as achievement, mindfulness, academic performance, or cognitive empowerment .

The current research aims to know the correlation between body image and self-satisfaction among university students. To achieve the research aim, it was necessary to have tools to measure body image and self-satisfaction among university students. Therefore, the researcher resorted to building a body image scale based on the cognitive-behavioral model of body image by Thomas Cash, which in its original form consisted of (34) paragraphs. After extracting its psychometric properties, the scale in its final form consisted of (30) paragraphs with five-point responses (always applies to me - often applies to me - sometimes applies to me - rarely applies to me - does not apply to me). The scores are (5-4-3-2-1) respectively when correcting for positive paragraphs, and the scores are (1-2-3-4-5) when correcting for negative paragraphs. The researcher also resorted to building a self-satisfaction scale based on the theory of comparison with others by Leon Festinger (1954), which in its original form consisted of (21) paragraphs. After extracting the properties, the scale in its final form consisted of (21) paragraphs. The psychometric scale in its final form consists of (15) paragraphs with five-point responses (always applies to me - often applies to me - sometimes applies to me - rarely applies to me - does not apply to me), and the grades (5-4-3-2-1) are taken respectively when correcting for the positive paragraphs. The researcher adopted the descriptive approach. The current research sample consisted of university students at the University of Baghdad and Al-Mustansiriya University (College of Arts - College of Education - College of Science) for the academic year (2024-2025) and their number was (300) male and female students. The research sample was drawn randomly with proportional distribution. The research results showed that there is a statistically significant positive correlation between body image and self-satisfaction, meaning that the higher the body image, the higher the self-satisfaction among university students. Based on what the research results showed, the researcher presented a set of recommendations and proposals.