Amir Hossein Memari

Background and Aims: Examining lifestyle factors is an essential part of health promotion. The goal of this study was to translate, culturally adapt, and validate the Simple Lifestyle Indicator Questionnaire (SLIQ) for Farsi‐speaking populations. Additionally, it explored the relationship between lifestyle scores and behavior change mindset, focusing on readiness for change and personal control. Methods: A total of 91 healthy individuals were recruited and asked to complete the Farsi SLIQ, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and the Healthy Lifestyle and Personal Control Questionnaire (HLPCQ). A translation‐back translation process was used to adapt the SLIQ, ensuring accuracy in cultural and linguistic contexts. Psychometric properties, including reliability and validity, were evaluated using Cronbach's α , intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), and Spearman's rank correlations. The relationship between behavior‐change dimensions and SLIQ scores was obtained using multivariable linear regression models. Results: The Farsi SLIQ showed moderate reliability as shown by Cronbach's α of 0.549 and significant correlations with IPAQ ( r = 0.250, p < 0.01) and HLPCQ ( β = 0.372, p < 0.05). Higher SLIQ scores were linked to better adherence to healthy behaviors and increased readiness for change. Adaptation showed cultural appropriateness with slight alterations. Regression analysis highlighted a significant relationship between SLIQ scores and daily routines, dietary choices, and personal control. Conclusion: The Farsi SLIQ is a reliable and valid tool for assessing lifestyle behaviors in clinical and research settings. Because the scale is simple, it is well suited for behavior‐change interventions; our findings also show that perceived control and readiness to change are key drivers of healthy lifestyles. However, findings should be interpreted cautiously because self‐reported data, particularly on alcohol and tobacco use, may be biased.

Purpose Social difficulties are fundamental aspects of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, behavioral issues such as attention difficulties, thought problems, externalizing behaviors, and internalizing behaviors can further hinder children's ability to develop social skills. We aimed to explore how co-occurring behavioral challenges may intensify social difficulties in autistic children and adolescents by assessing whether a higher prevalence of behavioral problems is associated with poorer social functioning in real-world scenarios. Methods We surveyed parents of 225 children diagnosed with ASD. Parents completed two questionnaires—the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) measuring psychiatric symptoms, and the Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) assessing observable social abilities. We statistically analyzed the connection between behavioral scores and social scores. Results The results showed that more severe behavioral issues on the CBCL tied to weaker social skills overall on the SSIS. Among all behavioral domains, attention problems showed the strongest negative associations with total social skills and all subdomains. Thought problems also demonstrated significant negative association with several aspects of social functioning. Externalizing behaviors and internalizing behaviors were also negatively associated with social skills, though their effects were less pronounced than those of attention and thought problems. Conclusion Our findings provide real-world evidence that common co-occurring behavioral problems especially attention problems and thought problems showed strong negative associations with social skill difficulties in autistic children and adolescents. Screening for and adjusting conditions like attention problems, thought problems, and disruptive behaviors may be an important piece of helping autistic children build social competence.

Background and Aims: The global rise in dementia, including early‐onset cases, imposes a growing burden on patients and caregivers. While midlife obesity is a recognized risk factor, the role of body weight fluctuation in dementia and cognitive decline remains uncertain. This systematic review and meta‐analysis examined the association between weight variability and the risk of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, and cognitive decline. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and PsycINFO, supplemented by manual searches, up to July 2024. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated through pairwise meta‐analysis, with subgroup analyses conducted to explore heterogeneity. Additionally, the quality of the included studies and the certainty of the evidence were assessed using the “Risk of Bias in Non‐randomized Studies of Interventions” (ROBINS‐I) tool and the GRADE Tool, respectively. Results: Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Compared with the lowest levels of weight fluctuation, the highest levels were associated with an increased risk of all‐cause dementia (HR 1.40, 95% CI 1.29–1.52), Alzheimer's disease (HR 1.33, 95% CI 1.21–1.45), and vascular dementia (HR 1.39, 95% CI 1.16–1.67). No significant association was observed with cognitive decline. No clear source of heterogeneity was identified. Conclusion: High body weight fluctuation is associated with an elevated risk of dementia, particularly Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. These findings highlight weight stability as a potential target for dementia prevention strategies. Further high‐quality studies are warranted to clarify underlying mechanisms and long‐term implications.

Relations exist between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and visual and hearing loss (VL/HL). This study evaluated the prenatal risk factors specific to ASD compared to VL/HL. This case-control study recruited individuals with ASD to compare with individuals with VL/HL as controls from special schools. Parents completed a questionnaire containing questions about demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, family history of neurological or psychological disorders, and problems during the pregnancy. Five hundred thirty-six participants were enrolled in the study, of which 238 (44.4%) had ASD, 198 individuals had HL (36.9%), and 100 had VL (18.7%). Seven (2.9%) participants in the ASD group were male, significantly (p<0.001) lower than the proportion of males in the HL/VL group (99, 33.2%). In the final regression model, higher educational levels of parents and gestational hypertension were associated with a higher risk of ASD (p<0.05). However, female gender, parents not living together, and cousin marriage were associated with a higher risk of HL/VL (p<0.05). This preliminary study determined the factors more associated with ASD than HL/VL. Believably, the study’s results could shed more light on the exclusive risk factors of ASD.

To date, no study has compared the psychopathologies and unique characteristics of Intellectual Disability (ID) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) among Iranian children. This study aimed to compare the behavioral and emotional profiles of school-age children with ASD and ID. Data were extracted from a large survey consisting of 250 children with ASD and 463 with ID, aged 6–17 years. Diagnoses were based on DSM-V criteria. The parent version of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was used to evaluate psychopathologies. Scores regarding the sub-scales and specific items were extracted from CBCL and compared in two groups. In the end, the diagnostic value of some specific scores for diagnosing ASD was calculated. The final sample included 250 individuals with ASD and 463 with ID. The mean age of participants was 11.16 (SD = 2.67) and 12.67 (SD = 3.04) years for the ASD and ID groups, respectively. More than 95% of the ASD group were male, while in the ID group, 216 participants were male (46.7%). After adjusting subscale scores for parents’ education, age, gender, and comorbidity in a linear regression model, ASD was only associated with higher withdrawn (P < 0.001), thought problems (P < 0.001), and attention problems (P < 0.001). This study highlights the distinct behavioral profiles in ASD and ID only using CBCL. Introducing this inventory as a comprehensive scale for understanding developmental disorders. Yet, our findings call for more accurate assessment and intervention strategies for each condition.

Autistic people have long talked about autistic burnout in social media yet there is limited data available in the academic literature, and its definition is still under debate. This scoping review aims to explore the key concepts related to autistic burnout and identify gaps in the current knowledge of this condition. We conducted a comprehensive search across PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and PsycINFO databases to gather data on autistic burnout. The extracted data from 14 included studies fell into six themes, namely Subjective Understanding of Burnout (four subthemes), Burnout Characterization (three subthemes), Evaluation, Co-occurrence and Misidentification, Biological Mechanisms, and Solutions. The Subjective Understanding of Burnout represents the internal point of view (POV) on autistic burnout (experiences and feelings of people who have personally encountered burnout), while the rest fall into the category of external POV (observations or assessments from outside people or experts who observed autistic burnout in affected individuals). Despite the growing literature on autistic burnout, our study reveals several gaps in current knowledge, such as its epidemiology, protective and risk factors, consequences, and educational plans and guidelines to improve awareness and support. Separating findings by the internal and external POVs makes up one of the strengths of this study.

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) encompass a range of disruptive conditions with varying prevalence rates and multiple contributing factors. Recent studies have suggested a potential connection between NDDs and the gut-brain axis. Furthermore, there is evidence indicating that nutritional supplements might have an impact on gastrointestinal (GI) and behavioral symptoms. This study aimed to explore the effects of nutritional supplements on the gut microbiota and behavioral symptoms in individuals with NDDs. A systematic search of databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and APA PsycINFO was conducted, utilizing relevant keywords until February 2025. In addition, the search for gray literature was carried out on Google Scholar and ProQuest. The risk of bias was assessed using the ROBINS-I tool for non-randomized studies and the RoB-1 tool for randomized controlled trials. Due to the heterogeneity of the studies, a Synthesis without Meta-analysis (SWiM) approach was employed. The overall findings from the studies indicated positive effects of supplementation in reducing the Gastrointestinal Severity Index (GIS) score and alleviating GI symptoms. Supplementation with probiotics and vitamins increased good microbiomes (GM) and decrease in bad microbiomes (BM) among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Moreover, the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio (F/R ratio) exhibited significant changes after supplementation. Additionally, improvements were observed in various assessment scores, including ATEC, ABC, CARS, and PGI-2. Nutritional supplementation in individuals with NDDs can have a positive influence by modulating the microbiome, reducing dysbiosis, and enhancing gut barrier integrity. Shifting in the F/R ratio can be considered as the reason for improving gastrointestinal and behavioral symptoms by influencing neurotransmitter activity and neuroinflammation. Targeting the gut-brain axis with interventions that focus on gut microbiota offers a promising adjunct therapy for the management of NDD. Registration of the review protocol. PROSPERO registration no. CRD42023460449.

Studies on the burden and epidemiological aspects of substance-use disorders in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are limited. To evaluate the burden and epidemiology of substance-use disorders in MENA countries during 1990-2019. Ecological study. Data from the global burden of disease study were used in the current study. The incidence, prevalence, mortality, years of life lost from mortality, years of healthy life lost due to disability, and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) rates attributable to each group of disorders across age groups, genders, years, and countries were retrieved along with their corresponding age-standardized values. Age-standardized DALYs rates of alcohol-use disorders, drug-use disorders, and substanceuse disorders associated with sociodemographic index across MENA countries and over 30 years were examined. The age-standardized DALY rate of substance-use disorders in MENA had risen from 190.1 in 1990 to 234.93 per 100,000 in 2019, indicating a 23.57% increase. In both genders, the DALY rate was highest in the 25-29-years age group in 2019 (440.81 per 100,000 in females and 645.97 per 100,000 in males). In addition, in 2019, age-standardized DALY rates of alcohol-use disorder were the highest in the United Arab Emirates (77.08 per 100,000), Afghanistan (67.77 per 100,000), and Bahrain (60.35 per 100,000). In almost all these countries, opioid-use disorder had the highest age-standardized DALY rate in 2019. The burden of substance-use disorders has increased from 1990 to 2019 in the MENA region in contrast to the global trend. This study findings highlight that the current interventions and laws implemented in this region to address drug trafficking and substance-use disorders may be insufficient and ineffective, warranting further international collaboration and implementation of more effective strategies to reduce the overall burden of substance-use disorders.

Background: The obesity epidemic is a growing public health concern, making weight management a crucial aspect of overall health and well-being. Indeed, effective tools to facilitate behavior change are essential for achieving long-term success in managing weight. This study aimed to validate the Farsi versions of the S-weight and P-weight questionnaires to support personalized weight management by assessing specific aspects of psychological readiness, including motivation, self-regulation, emotional reappraisal (EmR), and environmental restructuring (EnR). Methods: A cross-sectional study using self-administered questionnaires was conducted. The study included 455 adults aged 17–65, excluding those undergoing invasive weight-loss interventions. The measured variables included EmR, weight consequence evaluation (WCE), weight management actions (WMA), and EnR, which were assessed using structured Likert-scale questionnaires. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed, with reliability evaluated via Cronbach’s alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Statistical significance was set at P<0.05. Results: The questionnaires showed strong validity and reliability (KMO=0.91; Bartlett’s test χ2=3999.75; P<0.001). Overweight and obese participants scored significantly higher in change processes than normal-weight participants (P<0.001). Conclusion: The validated instruments provide a reliable means of tailoring weight management strategies based on psychological readiness, potentially improving long-term outcomes.