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Brain Sciences
Special Issues
Social and Emotional Processes in Interpersonal Contexts
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Social and Emotional Processes in Interpersonal Contexts

A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Cognitive, Social and Affective Neuroscience".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (29 May 2026) | Viewed by 1527

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Yaoying Xu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Counseling and Special Education, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1015 West Main St., Richmond, VA 23284, USA
Interests: social interaction; peer tutoring; school readiness; English learners; language development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Yuyan Xia

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
The Department of Physical Therapy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
Interests: scale validation; score equating; program evaluation; child developmental assessment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Social and emotional processes are central to understanding human behavior and development in culturally relevant contexts. As research increasingly demonstrates the intricate links among brain function, emotional development, and social interaction, social–emotional processes have gained attention from interdisciplinary perspectives, incorporating insights from psychology, neuroscience, developmental science, clinical research, and education.

This Brain Sciences Special Issue aims to highlight innovative research that advances our understanding of how social and emotional processes unfold within real-world interpersonal contexts that are culturally relevant, developmentally appropriate, and individually meaningful. We welcome contributions that explore the mechanisms, development, and consequences of these processes across the lifespan and in diverse populations. We are especially interested in cutting-edge studies that investigate social–emotional dynamics within dyads, families, peer groups, or clinical interactions as well as the intersectionality of disciplines across neurosicence, education, and psychology. Papers addressing the role of culture, diversity, and contextual moderators or mediators from interdisciplinary perspectives are also encouraged.

We invite high-quality original empirical research, systematic literature reviews, and meta-analyses that offer new insights into the interplay between emotional and social functioning in interpersonal settings. This Special Issue seeks to foster a deeper, integrated understanding of the social brain in context.

Prof. Dr. Yaoying Xu
Guest Editor

Dr. Yuyan Xia
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Brain Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • social
  • emotional
  • social–emotional
  • interpersonal
  • cultural relevance
  • neuroscience
  • social interaction
  • interdisciplinary

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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13 pages, 4923 KB  
Article
The Psychological and Behavioural Correlates of Workplace Victimization
by Amelia Rizzo, Maria Grazia Maggio, Martina Barbera, Francesca Bruno, Gabriele Giorgi, Luca Di Giampaolo, Murat Yildirim, Lucasz Szarpak, Giuseppe Ferrari, Raffaela Maione, Rocco Salvatore Calabrò and Francesco Chirico
Brain Sci. 2026, 16(5), 544; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci16050544 - 21 May 2026
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Abstract
Background: Workplace victimization is a form of repeated and systematic psychological violence that can severely affect both mental and physical health. From a psychological perspective, it impacts mood states, defense mechanisms, and personality functioning. Methods: This cross-sectional study investigated the psychological [...] Read more.
Background: Workplace victimization is a form of repeated and systematic psychological violence that can severely affect both mental and physical health. From a psychological perspective, it impacts mood states, defense mechanisms, and personality functioning. Methods: This cross-sectional study investigated the psychological and behavioural correlates of workplace victimization in a sample of 33 workers from various professional sectors, using a multidimensional assessment including standardized measures of personality traits, mood states, and defense mechanisms. Results: The MMPI-2 profile revealed elevated scores in Hypochondriasis (Hs: 72.00), Depression (D: 70.21), Hysteria (Hy: 67.61), and Paranoia (Pa: 68.76), indicating somatic symptoms, depressive features, and suspiciousness. The POMS showed increased Tension–Anxiety (T: 65.06), Depression–Dejection (D: 68.21), Anger–Hostility (A: 68.15), and Fatigue–Inertia (F: 65.24), alongside reduced Vigor–Activity (V: 43.18). The DMI analysis highlighted a high Reversal score (REV: 65.91), suggesting a predominant use of defense mechanisms such as altruism and idealization to cope with distress. Conclusions: In this selected sample of adults referred for psychological evaluation for suspected or documented workplace victimization, participants showed a clinically relevant psychological burden, including depressive symptoms, somatic concerns, Anger–Hostility, fatigue, reduced vigor, and specific defensive patterns. Given the cross-sectional design, small sample size, and absence of a control group, these findings should be interpreted as preliminary and cannot establish causality or the specificity of this profile to workplace victimization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social and Emotional Processes in Interpersonal Contexts)
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23 pages, 1135 KB  
Article
To Talk About It or Not to Talk About It? Social Sharing and the Effects on Psychological and Behavioral Outcomes of Street Harassment
by Laura Ferro, Luca Scacchi and Maria Grazia Monaci
Brain Sci. 2026, 16(2), 129; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci16020129 - 25 Jan 2026
Viewed by 834
Abstract
Background. One of the most common forms of gender-based violence is street harassment, which takes place in public and is usually perpetrated by people who are strangers to the victim. Its diffusion may be a result of its widespread tolerance, and victims often [...] Read more.
Background. One of the most common forms of gender-based violence is street harassment, which takes place in public and is usually perpetrated by people who are strangers to the victim. Its diffusion may be a result of its widespread tolerance, and victims often do not protest, denounce, or talk about it with others. Objectives. The aim of the present study is to examine social sharing of street harassment episodes between exposure and its mediating effects on negative psychological consequences and behavioral changes for the harassed person. Methods. Respondents to an online questionnaire (N = 530, 435 F, 8 nonbinary) were asked whether or not they had talked to anyone about their harassment experiences, who they had talked to if they had, and the reasons for not doing so if they had not. Results. The results show that one third of our respondents do not report to anyone because the episode was not considered serious, the victim felt ashamed or embarrassed, or believed that nothing would be done; however, this downsizing is associated with increased negative consequences. The relationships between exposure and negative psychological consequences and behavioral changes are partially mediated by the decision not to talk about it. A smaller but still significant mediation shows that the direct relationship between exposure and subsequent behavioral changes is attenuated by talking, while no negative psychological consequences from talking on are observed. Conclusions. The implications of these findings suggest that sharing about experiences of harassment can mitigate its negative effects on victims’ quality of life, and people should be encouraged to share and formally report the episodes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social and Emotional Processes in Interpersonal Contexts)
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