Psychol. Int., Volume 7, Issue 2 (June 2025) – 9 articles

Enhancing mathematical achievement has been identified as a pivotal issue in school education, extending beyond mathematics education alone. However, research comprehensively examining the relationship between multiple affective variables and learning and mathematics achievement is limited. The present study examines the relationship between self-efficacy, mathematics anxiety, behavioural engagement, and mathematics achievement among students in Japan. Moreover, this study examines whether there are any differences in this relationship according to gender and socio-economic status (SES). A path analysis using the data from students in Japan (n = 5760) in the PISA 2022 dataset revealed that (1) self-efficacy for formal and applied mathematics was significantly negatively related to mathematics anxiety and significantly positively related to behavioural engagement and mathematics achievement, (2) self-efficacy for mathematical reasoning and 21st-century mathematics was found to be significantly negatively associated with mathematics anxiety and positively associated with behavioural engagement, and (3) while a negative correlation was observed between mathematics anxiety and behavioural engagement, a significant relationship was not identified between the two and mathematics achievement. Furthermore, the multiple-group structural equation modelling, with gender and SES as the grouping variable, demonstrated no differences in gender and SES in the relationship between self-efficacy, mathematics anxiety, behavioural engagement, and math achievement. Full article

Previous research on immigrant integration indicates that contextual factors, such as access to health services, often lead to varying levels of immigrant incorporation and feelings of inclusion. Research has demonstrated the link between inclusion and physical health but less is known about the connection between mental health and immigrant inclusion. In this study, we examine the impact of the prevalence of mental health issues at the county level on immigrants’ perceptions of inclusion. We propose that a lower prevalence of mental health issues at the county level is associated with improved perceptions of inclusion among immigrants. To explore this relationship, we analyze data from the Kaiser Family Foundation, which covers feelings of immigrant inclusion from a racially and geographically diverse sample of immigrants across the United States. We pair these data with CDC PLACES data on the crude prevalence of mental health issues at the county level. Our findings reveal an association between the crude prevalence of mental health issues at the county level and immigrants’ feelings of inclusion. Through this analysis, we underscore the significance of understanding the contextual determinants that shape migrants’ perceptions of inclusion. Full article

Objective: Psychological resilience, defined as one’s self-reported ability to bounce back from stress, is understudied in young African American women (YAAW). Guided by community feedback, this study examined the associations between resilience and the following three constructs from Staudinger’s 2015 resilience and aging model: perceived stress, non-psychological resources, and psychological resources. We aimed to identify cultural resources that can enhance resilience in the face of unique stressors. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered to 512 self-identified YAAW aged 18–35 years. Resilience was measured by the Brief Resilience Scale, ranging from one to five, with higher scores indicating greater resilience. We employed linear regression to examine the relationships among stressors, resources, and resilience, and then used elastic net (EN) regularization to identify the resources most strongly associated with resilience after adjusting for age and stressors. Data were analyzed using SAS version 9.4. Results: YAAW with higher resilience experienced fewer stressors and reported greater access to both non-psychological and psychological resources. In the adjusted EN model, perceived stress (β = −0.16), internalized racism (β = −0.06), and adverse childhood experiences (β = −0.03) demonstrated the strongest associations with lower resilience. Conversely, improvisational skills (β = 0.23), (emotional stability or the absence of) neurotic personality traits, β = −0.22), presence of conscientious personality traits (β = 0.08), and not expressing anger to cope with discrimination (β = −0.04) had the strongest associations with higher resilience. Notably, high improvisation skills and low levels of neuroticism were identified as key resilience resources. Conclusion: Stress reduction techniques that focus on addressing racial trauma and highlight the health-promoting aspects of AA cultural identity, such as improvisation, may play an important role in fostering resilience among YAAW. Further research is needed to validate these findings and to help inform the development of effective intervention strategies in this group. Full article

Background: The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic profoundly impacted education, causing uncertainty and constant changes for teachers, including new teaching modalities, increased workloads, and limited rest periods. Global studies have reported mental health issues such as anxiety and depression among educators during and after the pandemic, primarily in Asia, Europe, and North America. However, these existing studies often show increased anxiety and depression rather than considering school-based predictors that may contribute to increasing rates. Aims: Despite these global findings, there are few investigations of the impact of COVID-19 on teachers in Latin America and Spain. To address these notable global and regional research gaps, this study examined the prevalence and predictors of depression and anxiety symptoms among teachers in Latin America and Spain. Method: An online survey collected data on demographics, work-related characteristics, COVID-19 experiences, and measures of mental health from teachers in 19 Latin American countries and Spain using a snowball sampling approach. The sample comprised 2004 teachers, with 81.8% female participants and a mean age of 44.46 years (SD = 9.8). Descriptive statistics and hierarchical multiple linear regressions were conducted with depression and anxiety as outcome variables. Results: Consistent predictors of increased anxiety and depression symptomology included being female or transgender, being younger, having lower socioeconomic status, having pre-existing mental health conditions or chronic illness, having increased workload during the pandemic, being dissatisfied with teaching resources, and having negative changes in relationships with students, parents, or colleagues. The predictors collectively explained 16.4% of the variance in depression and 17.5% of the variance in anxiety symptoms. Conclusions: The significant mental health needs of teachers in Latin America and Spain during the COVID-19 pandemic highlight the pressing necessity of prioritizing the mental health needs of educators to improve their psychological health and children’s educational environments. These results also suggest the practical need to provide teachers with additional school-based supports and resources for future transitions to online learning or disruptions to traditional instruction. Full article

This study aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of the online delivery of a spiritual–mind–body (SMB) wellness intervention previously delivered and validated in person, Awakened Awareness for Adolescents (AA-A), designed for spiritual individuation among emerging-adult undergraduates. Undergraduates aged 18–25 (N = 39) participated in an open trial study. Enrollment, retention, and engagement rates were calculated to assess the feasibility of delivering AA-A online. Thematic analysis on qualitative feedback was conducted to assess acceptability. Clinical and spiritual well-being were assessed before and after AA-A delivery using self-report measures and pre-to-post-intervention changes examined. Results were compared to previous findings from AA-A delivered in person. Interactions between sexual and gender minority (SGM) status and AA-A delivery method on spiritual well-being change scores were explored. Significant improvements were seen in anxiety and post-traumatic stress symptoms and spiritual well-being. Affordances and constraints of the online format were identified across three themes. SGM students showed significantly greater improvements than non-SGM students in depression and anxiety symptoms and spiritual well-being. AA-A is feasible and acceptable in an online format and can support students’ spiritual individuation and mental health in a way that is comparable to its in-person format. Furthermore, the online format may be particularly beneficial for SGM students to actively participate and engage. Full article

Functional somatic symptoms (FSSs) in children—such as headaches, stomachaches, and muscle pain without clear medical explanations—pose a significant clinical challenge, often leading to repeated healthcare visits and impairments in daily functioning. While the role of parental psychological factors in shaping children’s FSSs has been suggested, empirical evidence remains limited and fragmented. This study addresses this gap by systematically examining the associations between parents’ reflective functioning, emotion regulation, alexithymia, and physical and mental health, and the frequency and severity of children’s FSSs. A total of 339 parents of children aged 6–12 completed surveys assessing their capacity to understand mental states, regulate emotions, and identify or describe feelings, as well as their self-reported physical and mental health. They also indicated whether their child experienced FSSs (e.g., headaches, stomachaches) more than once per week. Results revealed that parents of children with FSSs reported significantly lower levels of reflective functioning (lower certainty, higher uncertainty), higher alexithymic traits, and greater emotion regulation difficulties, alongside poorer physical and mental health indices. Logistic regression analyses demonstrated that emotion regulation difficulties and poorer mental health significantly increased the likelihood of a child exhibiting FSSs, while lower reflective functioning also emerged as a significant predictor. Furthermore, multiple linear regression indicated that emotion regulation challenges and poor mental health predicted greater severity of FSSs. These findings offer novel insights into how parents’ psychological and health characteristics can shape children’s somatic symptom expression, highlighting the need for family-focused interventions. By identifying and addressing parental emotional and cognitive difficulties, clinicians may be able to mitigate the intergenerational transmission of maladaptive stress responses, ultimately reducing the burden of FSSs in children. Full article

Despite expanded mental health services and outreach within the military, most active-duty members who endorse mental health problems do not seek services. Little is known about why this is the case, but cognitions may play a key role. In this study, cognitions relevant to service seeking were compared among three subgroups of active-duty members: those who endorse one or more mental health problems and sought services, those who endorse problems and do not seek services, and those who do not endorse problems. To examine differences and similarities among these groups, a stratified random sample of 162,340 was drawn from all active-duty members of the U.S. Department of the Air Force serving at 91 installations around the world. Each selected member was invited to anonymously complete the Air Force Community Assessment, and 63,227 members (39% of those invited) participated. Of these, one in five reported at least one mental health problem, and one in three reported receiving services within the past two years. Participants reporting problems and who had not sought services perceived more peer and institutional stigma, reported more knowledge and logistic barriers, reported more negative attitudes towards mental health services, and reported fewer attractors to mental health services compared with those who did not report problems. Those who reported problems and sought services reported more problems and more negative attitudes than those reporting problems who had not sought services. Nine of ten who reported problems but had not received services indicated they had no intention to seek them. Full article

Background: The present research seeks to understand the impact of emotional intelligence on the psychological well-being of young graduates Well-being is closely linked to happiness and life satisfaction and occurs when individuals possess adequate psychological, social, and physical resources to manage life’s challenges. Emotional Intelligence, defined as the ability to recognize, understand, and regulate emotions, has been identified as a key factor influencing psychological well-being. Research highlights that individuals with higher emotional intelligence tend to experience greater life satisfaction, lower stress levels, and improved mental health. However, the specific impact of emotional intelligence on the psychological well-being of young graduates remains underexplored, particularly in the Portuguese context, making this study highly relevant. Methods:To investigate this impact, a questionnaire was administered to a sample of 209 young graduates in Portugal, which included emotional intelligence and psychological well-being items and a multiple regression model was used. Results: the results obtained indicate that emotional intelligence has a statistically significant influence on psychological well-being, where young people with higher levels of emotional intelligence showed higher levels of psychological well-being. Regarding age and sex, our data did not show a statistically significant relationship with emotional intelligence or psychological well-being. Conclusions: In summary, this study confirmed that young people with greater ability to manage their own emotions are more likely to experience higher psychological well-being. Full article

Background: Street harassment is a widespread issue affecting women’s freedom and well-being. While research has explored its impact on victims, little is known about individual factors influencing societal tolerance of such behaviour. This study examined the relationships of cognitive empathy and social dominance orientation (SDO) to street harassment tolerance among heterosexual men in two European cultures. Methods: A total of 136 Italian and 113 British heterosexual men completed measures of SDO and street harassment tolerance before and after watching a video depicting a woman experiencing harassment. Cognitive empathy was assessed through participants’ ability to recognise the victim’s emotional responses in the video. Results: Higher tolerances of street harassment before and after viewing the video were associated with lower cognitive empathy and higher SDO in both countries. Exposure to the video reduced street harassment tolerance in British participants but had no significant effect in the Italian sample. Conclusions: These findings highlight cognitive empathy and SDO as correlates of street harassment tolerance, suggesting their potential relevance for interventions to shift street harassment attitudes. The differing impact of the video between countries highlight the potential importance of cultural context for developing street harassment prevention strategies. Future research should further explore these relationships to inform targeted interventions. Full article