Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
Ph.D., Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
2
Masters, Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran
3
Master's, Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, Islamic Azad University, Bandargaz Branch, Golestan, Iran
4
Masters, Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, Islamic Azad University, Ardabil Branch, Ardabil, Iran
5
Professor, Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
The present study aimed to compare emotional expressivity, psychological flexibility, and mentalization among university students addicted to the Internet, gambling, and nicotine. This research was descriptive in nature and adopted a causal‑comparative design. The study population comprised all students enrolled at public universities in Tehran Province during the first semester of the 2025–2026 academic year. The sample included 150 students aged 18 to 40, who were selected from five universities in Tehran Province using convenience sampling. Participants were assessed using the Emotional Expressivity Questionnaire (EEQ), the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire–II (AAQ‑II), and the Mentalization Questionnaire (MQ). Data were analyzed through MANOVA and LSD post‑hoc tests using SPSS‑27. Results of the ANOVA showed significant differences in the mean scores of emotional expressivity, psychological flexibility, and mentalization among the three groups. According to the LSD post‑hoc test, students addicted to nicotine obtained the highest scores in emotional expressivity, followed by the gambling and Internet groups. In psychological flexibility, the gambling group scored highest, followed by the Internet and nicotine groups. In mentalization, the confidence component was highest in the nicotine group, followed by the Internet and gambling groups, whereas the lack of confidence component was highest in the
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