Introduction: Improving self-management of the patients undergoing hemodialysis is an effective way to reduce complications and to improve the quality of life of them. The current study aims to assess the effects of GROUP DISCUSSION on the promotion of self-management behaviors in hemodialysis patients. Methods: In this quasi– experimental study (with experimental and control GROUPs) 60 patients were arranged in two experimental and control GROUPs through using convenience sampling with random allocation. Self-management interventions were conducted on the experimental GROUP during 3 to 4 sessions of GROUP DISCUSSION. The control GROUP received routine interventions. The data were collected through Li and colleagues' self-management standard questionnaire before and 3 months after the intervention. The data were analyzed via SPSS software version 13 and chi-square, t-test, Mann-Whitney, and Wilcoxon test. Results: The results showed that the mean scores of four dimension of self-management including participation with the medical team, problem solving, self-care and emotional management after the implementation of GROUP were significantly different between the experimental and control GROUPs. Conclusion: Based on the findings, GROUP DISCUSSION was an effective educational method to promote self-management of chronic hemodialysis patients. Therefore, holding GROUP DISCUSSION to reinforce the self-management behaviors in patients undergoing hemodialysis is recommended.

This study aimed at measuring the impact of transcribing GROUP-DISCUSSION tasks on the development of university students' autonomy and oral proficiency. A quasi-experimental research design was followed to compare the performances of four GROUPs: two experimental GROUPs and two control GROUPs (each one divided into low and high proficiency students). The study lasted for 12 weeks, and the teacher assigned a classroom oral DISCUSSION task in each session. The students were asked to form DISCUSSION GROUPs of three or four students, with low and high proficiency learners in different GROUPs. The participants had to record their GROUP DISCUSSION tasks. Control GROUPs’ students had to submit their recorded conversations to their instructor, but they did not do any post-task activity. However, the experimental GROUPs’ students had to transcribe their recorded speaking tasks, to find their own and their peers' grammatical mistakes, and to correct them. Finally, while working in GROUPs, students discussed the texts and reformulated their mistakes. Employing ANCOVA to analyze the results, researchers found that experimental GROUPs has a better performance than the control GROUPs on both post-tests of oral proficiency and learner autonomy. Thus, transcription followed by reflection on inaccurate production contributed to the superior performance of participants in the experimental GROUPs.

Background&aim: Mothers’ training about suitable nutritional models plays an important role in the development of children’s nutritional habits. These habits may continue into adulthood and promote the individual’s lifestyle. In the present study, we aimed to compare the effects of mother’s training via newsletter and DISCUSSION GROUP on energy intake of preschool children.Methods: This experimental study was performed on 192 mothers of preschool children. The convenience method of sampling was employed, and the subjects were randomly assigned to three GROUPs: GROUP DISCUSSION, newsletter, and control GROUP. In the newsletter GROUP, the subjects received newsletters over 4 weeks. In the DISCUSSION GROUP, subjects were trained about the same educational content, as the newsletter GROUP, in 1-hour classes for a total of 4 weeks; the control GROUP received no intervention. Data collection was carried out before, immediately, and one month after the interventions, using questionnaires to measure maternal knowledge and children's dietary intake. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16 with ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, and Friedman tests.Results: Energy intake was similar before intervention in three GROUPs. Immediately after intervention, no significant difference was observed between newsletter (5.7±2.10) and DISCUSSION GROUP (0.8±2.10); however, it was significantly higher, compared to the control GROUP (P=0.015). After one month follow-up, no significant difference was observed between newsletter (5.7±2.10) and DISCUSSION GROUP; but the energy intake in both GROUPs was significantly higher than the control GROUP (P=0.003).Conclusion: The study results showed that training via newsletters and GROUP DISCUSSION has the same effect on children’s energy intake. Therefore, it is recommended to use newsletter as an effective and simple alternative educational method.