European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the pattern of child-to-parent violence (CPV) across a broad age range, from early adolescence to late emerging adulthood. Specifically, the objectives were to analyze the linear and quadratic relationships between CPV types (psychological, physical, financial, and control/domain behaviors) and age, as well as to examine the interaction of sex within this relationship. Methods: A total of 1959 adolescents (13–17 years) and 1046 young adults (18–25 years) completed, respectively, the adolescent and young adult versions of the Child-to-Parent Violence Questionnaire (CPV-Q). Results: Age was curvilinearly associated with psychological CPV (increasing until approximately age 19 and then decreasing), positively linearly associated with financial CPV (increasing with age), and negatively linearly associated with control/domain behaviors (decreasing with age). No significant association was found between age and physical CPV. Furthermore, boys and girls showed different age-related patterns in some CPV types. Conclusions: These findings suggest that CPV does not disappear after adolescence, and that the pattern is not uniform throughout development nor the same for boys and girls. The results (1) underscore the importance of studying CPV considering developmental stage, sex, and the specific CPV types, and (2) may contribute to facilitate the early detection of CPV, anticipating changes in violence patterns, and guiding prevention strategies tailored to each developmental stage. Full article

This systematic literature review synthesizes and integrates research on dysfunctional cognition (DC) in organizational settings, addressing the lack of a coherent model explaining how cognitive vulnerabilities shape work-related outcomes. Following the PRISMA guidelines, we analyzed 41 manuscripts (selected from more than 4523 initial and secondary search hits), leading to an integrative model of DC at work. Results show that DC is activated by job demands, alongside other demanding situational and contextual features. The model specifies maladaptive appraisal processes as the cognitive–affective mechanism through which DC shapes (dis)engagement in the task and relational domains at work and ultimately impacts outcomes such as well-being, stress, burnout, performance, and decision quality. It further incorporates job, personal, and social resources as buffering contingencies that promote adaptive appraisal and attenuate the detrimental role of DC. By integrating insights from clinical, cognitive–behavioral and organizational research, this review advances theory in three ways: (1) by emphasizing the role of appraisal as the cognitive–affective mechanism linking DC to work (dis)engagement, (2) by embedding DC in the job demands–resources model and identifying job demands as activating conditions and resources as regulatory factors for dysfunctional cognitive dynamics at work and (3) by differentiating between task and interpersonal (dis)engagement as domain-specific paths through which self-focused and relational schema impact work-related outcomes. The integrative DC model provides a foundation for future research using longitudinal and mixed-method designs, and for more fine-grained examinations of how specific forms of DC relate to distinct cognitive–affective pathways and work-related outcomes, while offering practical implications for developing schema-informed and resource-based interventions in organizations. Full article

Relapse in substance use disorders remains a persistent clinical challenge. Identity reconstruction, the psychological transition from an internalized “addict” identity to a recovery-oriented self, may be a core coping mechanism for abstinence maintenance. This exploratory pilot stratified randomized controlled trial examined the feasibility and preliminary effects of a Narrative Therapy (NT) group intervention, delivered within an evidence-based practice framework. Forty-five male residents of a closed rehabilitation facility were randomly assigned (n = 15 each) to an 8-week NT intervention, standard psychoeducation (TAU), or waitlist control (WLC). The Self-Identity Scale and an abbreviated four-item Stimulant Relapse Risk Scale served as outcomes. The Self-Concept Clarity Scale assessed a candidate process variable. A 3 (group) × 3 (time) repeated-measure ANOVA showed significant group × time interactions for self-identity (F = 64.215, p < 0.001, and η²p = 0.754) and relapse-risk indicators (F = 62.131, p < 0.001, and η²p = 0.747). For self-identity, only the NT group showed significant within-group gains. For relapse-risk indicators, NT scores were significantly lower than both control groups at post-test and follow-up (all pairwise p ≤ 0.008), with these reductions maintained at two-month follow-up. Within-group self-concept clarity gains emerged for NT, though between-group differences were nonsignificant. Because the study was conducted in a custodial setting, the relapse-risk findings reflect psychological vulnerability rather than observed behavior. Larger adequately powered trials are needed. Full article

Excessive gaming (EG) is increasingly recognised as a modifiable behavioural risk among youth, with potential implications for mental health and well-being in digitally mediated environments. This study examines excessive gaming as a behavioural exposure and AI cyber-shielding (AI-CS) as a perceived digital protective factor among Generation Z university gamers. AI-CS is conceptualised as users’ perceived exposure to AI-enabled safety mechanisms embedded in gaming-related digital environments. The study investigates the associations of EG and AI-CS with four psychological outcomes: depressive symptoms (DEP), anxiety symptoms (ANX), hostile behaviours (HB), and personal well-being (PWB). Data were collected through a cross-sectional online survey of 983 university students aged 18 to 22 years from multicultural Middle Eastern backgrounds enrolled in Saudi universities. The sample included 54.2% males and 45.8% females. The proposed relationships were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The results show that excessive gaming is positively associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms and negatively associated with personal well-being. No significant association was found between excessive gaming and hostile behaviours. AI cyber-shielding is negatively associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms and positively associated with personal well-being, but it does not significantly predict hostile behaviours. These findings indicate that excessive gaming is primarily associated with internal psychological outcomes rather than external behavioural responses. They also suggest that perceived AI-enabled safety affordances in gaming-related digital environments are associated with lower psychological distress and higher well-being. The study contributes to research on digital well-being by introducing and empirically examining AI cyber-shielding as a perception-based environmental factor associated with psychological functioning among university students. Full article

Growing urbanization has significantly contributed to the global burden of cardiovascular and musculoskeletal diseases. Green exercise, defined as structured physical activity in natural environments, has emerged as a potential intervention to address these health outcomes. This scoping review aims to synthesize the current scientific evidence on the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal benefits of green exercise among middle-aged (35–64 years) and older adults (≥65 years), examining potential mechanisms, intervention characteristics, and practical implications. A systematic search was conducted across PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. Methodological quality was assessed to contextualize the strength of the findings. The available evidence suggests potential cardiovascular benefits, particularly in blood pressure regulation and heart rate variability, supported by both high and moderate-quality studies. Regarding musculoskeletal health, high-quality evidence appears to show improvements in muscle strength, lean mass and functional capacity, as well as reductions in fat mass. While green exercise appears to offer additional psychophysiological advantages over indoor exercise, results remain mixed regarding the clinical superiority of natural versus urban outdoor settings. Notably, significant benefits were observed across diverse frequencies and durations, suggesting that a strictly optimal dose–response remains elusive due to study heterogeneity. Consequently, green exercise appears to be a promising, evidence-informed strategy for healthy aging. While it is associated with improvements in cardiovascular and musculoskeletal health, its added value over traditional settings should be viewed as a complementary factor for adherence. Future research should prioritize high-quality mechanistic trials and standardized protocols to refine clinical prescriptions. Full article

Gambling self-efficacy is a key construct in understanding gambling behavior and behavior change. This study examined (i) differences between individuals with low and high gambling self-efficacy and (ii) tested whether gambling self-efficacy moderated the associations between impulsivity, gambling-related cognitive distortions, and problem gambling severity. Data were drawn from a cross-sectional web-based survey of 1429 Spanish adults aged 18–64. Analyses focused on the 921 who had engaged in gambling activities during the previous 12 months (mean age = 40 years, SD = 12.1, 52.2% men). Measures included sociodemographic characteristics, gambling self-efficacy (BSCQ-G), problem gambling severity (PGSI), impulsivity (UPPS-P), gambling-related cognitive distortions (Labrador’s cognitive distortion scale), and gambling involvement indicators. Participants were classified into low (BSCQ-G < 80%; 51.5%; n = 474) and high (BSCQ-G ≥ 80%; 48.5%; n = 447) gambling self-efficacy groups. Individuals with low self-efficacy showed broader and more intensive gambling involvement, including greater participation in gambling-like activities, and higher scores on PGSI, impulsivity, and gambling-related cognitive distortions. In moderation models adjusted for gambling involvement indicators, the association between impulsivity and PGSI was weaker at higher levels of gambling self-efficacy, although the incremental variance explained was very small (ΔR² = 0.0024). The interaction between gambling self-efficacy and cognitive distortions was not statistically supported. These findings suggest that gambling self-efficacy is associated with gambling risk profiles among adults who gamble and may play a modest buffering role in the association between impulsivity and gambling severity. Full article

Background: Dissociation is associated with multiple psychiatric disorders and mental health issues. However, there are some limitations in the existing studies, such as the predominant use of clinical samples and the lack of focus on potential mediators that can explain this relationship. Among the latter, an unclear self-concept may serve as a risk factor for many psychological disturbances, while a well-established self-concept may be a resilience factor. This study aimed to examine the gender differences among the variables, to test whether dissociative experiences are associated with psychopathological symptoms in a non-clinical sample, and to explore the mediating role of self-concept clarity. Materials and methods: 257 participants (M_age = 23.92 ± 7.33, 69.6% females) were included in the research. The Symptoms Checklist-90, The Dissociative Experiences Scale, and The Self-Concept Clarity Scale were used. Results: Women scored higher on somatization (M_women = 1.28, SD = 0.86) than men (M_men = 0.93, SD = 0.70), t(255) = 3.47, p = 0.001, d = 0.42. Moreover, women had a higher level of depression (M_women = 1.37, SD = 0.96) compared to men (M_men = 0.98, SD = 0.77), t(255) = 3.49, p = 0.001, d = 0.43. Dissociative experiences were positively associated with psychopathological symptoms (r = 0.69, p < 0.01). Self-concept clarity mediated this relationship (β = 0.21, SE = 0.04, 95% CI [0.13, 0.30]). Conclusions: The findings showed gender differences regarding psychopathological symptoms and highlighted the importance of self-concept clarity in reducing the risk of developing them. Full article

Background: In an era characterized by rapid technological disruption and vocational uncertainty, Career Adaptability (CA) has emerged as a critical meta-competency for university students transitioning into the workforce. While the importance of CA is well-documented, the internal mechanisms that foster it remain under-explored. This research adopts a resource-based perspective to investigate how Mindfulness—a state of non-judgmental present-moment awareness—acts as a catalyst for career readiness. Specifically, this study examines a dual-mediation model, proposing that Mindfulness enhances Emotional Intelligence (EI) and Psychological Capital (PsyCap) (comprising hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism), which in turn bolsters an individual’s capacity to adapt to changing career landscapes. By integrating these four constructs, the study provides a comprehensive framework for understanding how “being present” (Mindfulness) translates into “being prepared” (Career Adaptability) through the cultivation of emotional and psychological resources. Methods: The study collected data from 705 final-year students at Wollo University (male = 399 and female = 306). The study employed several well-established instruments: the Compound Psychological Capital Scale (CPC), the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLIES), and the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale (CAAS). These instruments were rigorously evaluated for their psychometric applicability within the Ethiopian context. Results: PLS-SEM analysis revealed: (a) direct and positive influences of mindfulness, PsyCap, and EI on career adaptability; (b) partial and positive mediation effects of PsyCap and EI in the mindfulness-career adaptability link; (c) a serial mediation effect of mindfulness through PsyCap and EI; and (d) the proposed model explained a substantial amount of variance in university students’ career adaptability. Conclusions: Despite its strengths, the study acknowledged certain limitations and discussed potential implications for enhancing career adaptability, highlighting the benefits of cultivating mindfulness. Full article

Sensory alterations affect 90% of individuals with autism and have been recognized in the DSM-5 as a diagnostic criterion. These alterations often exacerbate emotional stress and may increase levels of anxiety, impacting everyday life activities. The general objective of this work is to assess the changes before and after a multisensory stimulation program aimed at improving sensory processing, repetitive behaviors, and adaptation to the environment in a sample of students with ASD. Twenty-seven schoolchildren participated (M = 10.04, SD = 4.24), with different levels of impairment, diagnosed by specialized teams. The design included a pretest and post-test condition. The results highlight significant improvements in the assessed areas. The Sensory Profile-2, the Bodfish Repetitive Behavior Scale, and the Vineland Scale were administered. The results suggest that changes may be conditioned by the student profile. The profiles that benefited the most in terms of sensory profile and repetitive behaviors were students with levels 1 and 3; meanwhile, students with level 2 did not show improvements in these areas but did show gains in overall adaptation, as measured by the Vineland Scale. Full article

While the literature acknowledges the importance of emotion management for effective leadership, no leadership theory embeds the management of contextual emotions that involuntarily spread among multiple workplace stakeholders (i.e., holistic emotional contagion) and are jointly intertwined with leaders’ actions. The present research aimed to: (1) include emotional contagion into leadership theorizing and assess the cross-country validity of the accompanying measure (Leader Awareness of Holistic Contagion Scale; LAHCS), and (2) examine the LAHCS’ convergent, discriminant and nomological/criterion validity. Data (Study 1) from 1454 Italian employees supported the LAHCS construct and convergent validity with multiple leadership scales and discriminant validity against group-member-prototypicality. Data (Study 2) from the U.S. (N = 400) and Italy (N = 186) supported measurement invariance. SEM model results suggest that leaders’ awareness of holistic contagion and their orientation to manage contagion are associated with higher followers’ commitment and leadership satisfaction. Interestingly, the leader’s engagement in active exploration of contagion exchanges and their awareness of the leader–follower emotional distance is associated with followers’ higher burnout, lower commitment and leadership dissatisfaction. In conclusion, our cross-country findings support the LAHCS validity and reveal that leaders who are aware of workplace emotional traffic are appreciated. Notably, if they attempt to actively explore this traffic or are aware of followers’ emotional distance, then the situation becomes likely intrusive and uncomfortable, resulting in followers’ dissatisfaction, poor commitment and distress. For scholars and practitioners alike, our findings provide a leadership conceptual framework, including emotional contagion as a springboard to the understanding of some apparently inconvenient truths about emotions and leadership. Full article

Using a sample of Chinese junior high school students (N = 1133), this study examined the latent heterogeneity and structural characteristics of mobile phone addiction risk. Latent profile analysis was conducted to identify subgroups with varying levels of risk. Network analysis was then used to model the relationships among smartphone addiction, materialism, and childhood neglect and compare structural differences across subgroups. Finally, five machine learning models were applied to model smartphone addiction scores and compare model performance across different combinations of variables. Results revealed three distinct risk groups of smartphone addiction. Network analysis indicated that loneliness-related nodes exhibited the highest expected influence in the overall network. Across latent profiles, childhood neglect-related nodes consistently occupied central positions, whereas materialism-related nodes showed relatively stable centrality. Network comparison tests further demonstrated significant structural differences across risk groups. In addition, incorporating latent profile information and centrality indices improved model performance, suggesting that these features capture individual differences in smartphone addiction. These findings provide structural evidence for the heterogeneity of mobile phone addiction risk and offer implications for subgroup-specific intervention strategies. Full article

Background: Suicide among emerging adults has become a significant global public health concern. Suicidal ideation is the prerequisite for suicide, and social support is recognized as a key protective factor against suicidal ideation. However, the relationship between the strength and consistency of social support and suicidal ideation among undergraduate students remains unclear. This study synthesized empirical studies to quantify the relationship between social support and suicidal ideation among undergraduate students and determine the different correlations between various sources of social support and suicidal ideation. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Five electronic databases (Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, ProQuest, and ScienceDirect) were searched for studies published from 2016 to 2025. Eligible studies reported quantitative associations between social support and suicidal ideation among undergraduate students. Correlation coefficients were transformed using Fisher’s z and pooled using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was evaluated using Cochran’s Q and I² statistics. Risk of bias assessments, moderator analysis, sensitivity analysis, subgroup analysis, and publication bias assessments were conducted. Results: Fifteen studies with sixteen independent effect sizes and more than 26,000 participants were included. The meta-analysis showed a moderate negative association between social support and suicidal ideation (pooled r = −0.33, 95% CI [−0.40, −0.25]) under a random-effects model. A high heterogeneity was observed among studies (I² = 97%, p < 0.001). There are no studies classified as having a high risk of bias. The standardized sample size demonstrated a significant moderating effect (β = 0.2568, p = 0.0022). Sensitivity analysis confirmed the stability of the pooled effect. Subgroup analysis indicated that the strength of the association between social support and suicidal ideation did not differ significantly between Asian and non-Asian studies. No significant publication bias was detected (Egger’s p = 0.19). Narrative synthesis further suggested that family support showed the most consistent protective association compared with friends’ support and support from others. Conclusions: Social support is moderately and consistently associated with reduced suicidal ideation among undergraduate students. These findings highlight social connectedness, particularly family support, as a central interpersonal protective factor and strengthen social support’s role in university suicide prevention initiatives. Full article

Research on how patients and family carers experience their relationships with physicians and healthcare staff is limited, particularly regarding the gap between ideal expectations and actual care. This study explored patients’ and carers’ perceptions of the ideal care relationship, their lived experiences, and factors shaping discrepancies between expectations and reality. A total of 143 individual, face-to-face semi-structured interviews (mean age = 56.7 ± 13.2; 61.4% women) were conducted with 57 cancer patients and 86 family carers in outpatient oncology clinics in Southern Italy. Participants were recruited through purposive sampling and interviewed separately, with carers recruited as an independent group. Transcripts were analysed using Thematic Analysis of Elementary Contexts (TAEC), a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative and quantitative techniques. Methodological rigor and trustworthiness were ensured in line with COREQ reporting guidelines. Four thematic clusters emerged: “Variability in the experience,” “The ideal care relationship,” “Waiting times and delays in care,” and “The luck of being cared for by a good physician.” Oncology care experiences emerge as inherently ambivalent: supportive in interactions with clinicians, yet tension-laden due to systemic and organizational constraints. These findings suggest that strengthening patient- and family-centered care requires both relational improvements and organizational interventions aimed at reducing waiting times, enhancing care integration across fragmented pathways, and improving continuity of care. Full article

Background: Parents of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and sleep problems can experience challenges and negative health effects. The aim of this study was to explore parents’ own health-related experiences as their child with ADHD and sleep problems underwent a sleep intervention with a weighted blanket. Methods: A convergent mixed methods design was undertaken. Sociodemographic and questionnaire data were collected from 68 parents at baseline and at the 16-week follow-up. Paired-samples t-tests were used to analyze the data. An inductive qualitative content analysis was used to analyze interviews with 21 parents after the follow-up. An integrative analysis was performed and assessed for confirmation, expansion, or disconfirmation. Results: At the follow-up, parents reported improvements in their own health status (EQ-5D-3L—index 0.83 ± 0.15 vs. 0.87 ± 0.13; p = 0.034), in well-being (Outcome Rating Scale—individual 7.08 ± 2.22 vs. 7.55 ± 1.82; p = 0.045), and in family life (the Brief Child and Family Phone Interview—family comfort score 5.62 ± 1.62 vs. 5.14 ± 1.66; p = 0.003). Parents’ health-related experiences were described as: (1) having a sense of well-being, including being well rested, sustaining energy, reaching a state of calm, and finding hope, (2) balancing family life, including reclaiming personal sphere and nurturing relationships, and (3) managing everyday life, including keeping to the daily schedule and dealing with household chores. The integrative analysis resulted in the overarching themes of health through: (1) inner strength (confirmed), (2) recovery (expanded), (3) close relationships (confirmed), and (4) social engagements (expanded). Conclusions: The findings suggest that sleep interventions for children with ADHD and sleep problems may also be associated with positive changes in aspects of parents’ health, well-being, and family life. Full article

Pediatric pain remains a highly prevalent and under-addressed health problem worldwide, largely due to educational gaps, limited humanization of care, and insufficient integration of digital and pedagogical innovations in higher education, and the purpose of this study is to describe and implement an international, higher education–driven model to improve training in humanized pediatric pain management. This multicenter mixed-methods study involves 15 universities from Europe, Africa, and Latin America and includes the development and cross-cultural validation of the HUPEDCARE-Q questionnaire to identify knowledge gaps, the design of an open-access, multilingual digital learning platform (PEDCARE) that integrates learning management and social networking functions, and the implementation of capacity-building workshops based on a training-the-trainers model for students, educators, health professionals, and families. The expected outcomes of the project include the establishment of a standardized instrument for assessing educational needs, the creation of a scalable digital educational environment, and the feasibility of international academic collaboration to strengthen competencies in pediatric pain care. The study suggests that higher education, combined with digital transformation and culturally sensitive approaches, may support the humanization of pediatric pain management and address educational and health inequities, although further research is needed to confirm these potential impacts. Full article

This structured narrative review aimed to synthesize the findings of various studies to determine the efficacy of Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) training programs for in-service and pre-service teachers on their knowledge and skills, and to evaluate the transfer to teaching practice and student outcomes. Following PRISMA guidelines, a search was conducted across Web of Science, Scopus, and PsycInfo, ultimately including 30 intervention studies. The results confirmed that professional development is effective in enhancing teachers’ knowledge, skills, and beliefs related to SRL. However, due to wide methodological diversity, the review identified varied intervention factors showing promise, but a unified association between sample type (in-service vs. pre-service) and overall impact was unattainable. While SRL training successfully improves teacher competency, the limited evaluation of student performance or long-term effects prevents the definitive claim that the training reliably changes teaching practice toward a more self-regulated approach. Future research should prioritize robust longitudinal designs and include student-level measures. Full article

Gender differences in the prevalence of psychosocial problems during adolescence are well established, with girls reporting higher internalizing symptoms and boys higher externalizing symptoms. However, it remains unclear whether these differences extend beyond symptom levels to the structural organization linking psychosocial problems and school well-being (SWB). The present study examined gender-specific network structures comprising internalizing symptoms, externalizing symptoms, and six dimensions of SWB in a sample of 949 secondary school students in Germany (Grades 8–10; 50.6% boys, 49.4% girls). Partial correlation networks were estimated separately for boys and girls using EBIC-regularized graphical models, followed by network comparison tests and centrality analyses. Results indicated no significant differences in global strength, network structure, or individual edges between genders, suggesting a largely shared network structure. Across both networks, internalizing symptoms, particularly symptoms of anxiety and depression, emerged as central and bridging nodes connecting psychosocial problems with multiple dimensions of SWB. Externalizing symptoms showed minor descriptive differences in prominence but did not alter the overall structural pattern. These findings indicate that gender differences in adolescent mental health may reflect differences in symptom intensity rather than fundamentally distinct psychosocial systems, suggesting common structural patterns underlying SWB across gender. Full article

Objective: This study examined psychological resilience (PR) as a potential moderator and mediator of the association between borderline personality symptoms (BPS) and suicidal ideation (SI) among university students. Method: A cross-sectional design was used with (N = 257) university students. Moderation and mediation were tested in separate, theory-guided models using the PROCESS macro for SPSS, version 28. The moderation model (Model 1) and the mediation model (Model 4) were estimated with heteroskedasticity-consistent standard errors (HC3). In the adjusted analyses, sex, age, previous psychological consultation, previous psychotropic medication use, and family history of mental illness were entered as covariates. The indirect effect was evaluated using percentile bootstrap confidence intervals based on (5000) resamples. Results: BPS was positively correlated with SI, whereas PR was negatively correlated with both BPS and SI. In the adjusted moderation model, BPS was positively associated with SI (b = 0.118, p < 0.001) and PR was negatively associated with SI (b = −0.204, p = 0.048), but the interaction term was not significant (b = −0.001, p = 0.820) with negligible explained variance (ΔR² = 0.0003). In the adjusted mediation model, BPS was significantly associated with lower PR (a: b = −0.135, p < 0.001), and PR was associated with lower SI while controlling for BPS and the covariates (b: b = −0.216, p = 0.028). The total effect of BPS on SI was significant (c: b = 0.146, p < 0.001), and the direct effect remained significant after including PR (c′: b = 0.117, p < 0.001). The indirect effect was significant (ab = 0.029; 95% bootstrap CI [0.005, 0.061]). Conclusions: Psychological resilience did not moderate the association between BPS and suicidal ideation, but it showed a statistically significant indirect association consistent with the proposed mediation model. Higher BPS were associated with lower resilience, which in turn was associated with higher suicidal ideation. These findings suggest that resilience-related targets may complement interventions addressing core BPS-related risk processes, while the cross-sectional design precludes causal conclusions. Full article

This study intended to examine how human–AI collaboration-based identity threat appraisals in the form of the loss of autonomy and loss of skill trigger a professional identity that fosters cyberloafing. Based on social identity theory, this study applied a three-wave survey design with 507 employees. The proposed research model was tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4, which enabled the assessment of both measurement and structural models. The perceived loss of skill and loss of autonomy are positively associated with professional identity threat, which mediates their relationships with cyberloafing. AI-inclusive identity weakens these associations for the loss of autonomy, suggesting that employees with strong AI-inclusive identity exhibit weaker professional identity threat. When integrating AI, organizations should mitigate appraisals of the loss of autonomy and loss of skill through participatory design, role redesign, and communication that emphasizes unique human contributions. Supporting healthy AI–human identity integration may reduce counterproductive behaviors such as cyberloafing. By positioning identity threat appraisals as human–AI collaboration-driven antecedents of professional identity threat and cyberloafing, this study extends social identity theory to human–AI contexts. It further demonstrates that over-identification with AI may heighten professional identity threats by diminishing the value of uniquely human contributions. Full article