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Advances in Psychology and Mental Health: From Epidemiological Research to...
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Advances in Psychology and Mental Health: From Epidemiological Research to Clinical Interventions

A special issue of European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education (ISSN 2254-9625).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 December 2025) | Viewed by 9207

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Dimitra Sifaki-Pistolla

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Psychology, Metropolitan College, Campus Crete, in Collaboration with University of East London, 74100 Gallos, Greece
Interests: public health; environmental epidemiology; mental health outcomes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is set to explore current cutting-edge developments in psychology and mental health, focusing on the continuum from nation-wide and large-scale epidemiological research with robust study designs and methodological frameworks to the design and implementation of effective behavioral change interventions and clinical interventions and/or trials. It will highlight key mental health indicators and recent findings from different countries, while aspiring to depict how epidemiological findings can inform targeted interventions that address mental health issues at both the individual and population levels.

Topics include the identification of risk factors for mental illness, mapping or assessment of mental disorder burdens, the development and validation of novel scales and research tools in psychology, the role of preventive interventions, and the application of behavioral science to promote mental health and well-being across diverse populations. This issue aims to bridge research and practice, offering insights into translating data-driven evidence into impactful interventions.

Dr. Dimitra Sifaki-Pistolla
Guest Editor

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. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education 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 1600 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

  • psychology
  • mental health
  • epidemiological research
  • clinical interventions
  • behavioral change interventions
  • risk factors
  • preventive strategies
  • public health
  • evidence-based practice
  • population health
  • mental health outcomes
  • behavioral science
  • tools
  • scales
  • diverse populations
  • global mental health

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

26 pages, 882 KB  
Article
Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance Across Gender of the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire—Short Form in Italian Workers
by Nicola Magnavita and Carlo Chiorri
Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ. 2026, 16(3), 37; https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe16030037 - 5 Mar 2026
Viewed by 998
Abstract
Eating disorders (EDs) are complex conditions that can significantly affect health and productivity, yet their assessment in occupational settings remains underexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire—Short Form (EDE-QS) among 1912 [...] Read more.
Eating disorders (EDs) are complex conditions that can significantly affect health and productivity, yet their assessment in occupational settings remains underexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire—Short Form (EDE-QS) among 1912 workers undergoing health surveillance. Using an Item Response Theory framework, we tested dimensionality, reliability, and measurement invariance across gender, applying a graded response model to assess item discrimination and threshold parameters. Results supported an approximate unidimensional structure with excellent internal consistency (ω ≈ 0.95) and strong indices of factor score determinacy and construct replicability. Measurement invariance analyses indicated configural and metric invariance but not full scalar invariance, due to differential item functioning in a subset of items. Latent mean differences were small, with women scoring slightly higher than men, and associations with psychological, occupational, and health-related variables did not differ by gender. These findings indicate that the Italian EDE-QS shows promising structural validity as a brief measure of ED symptomatology in occupational samples in workplace contexts. However, gender-related item bias warrants cautious interpretation of specific behaviors, suggesting the need for tailored assessments to enhance diagnostic accuracy and inform preventive interventions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Psychology and Mental Health: From Epidemiological Research to Clinical Interventions)
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19 pages, 538 KB  
Article
Meaning in Life Mediates Associations Between Gratitude, Forgiveness, Spirituality, and Mental Health in Postgraduate Students
by Muhammad Adeeb, Mariny Abdul Ghani, Azlin Hilma Hillaluddin and Luca Flesia
Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ. 2026, 16(2), 25; https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe16020025 - 13 Feb 2026
Viewed by 1302
Abstract
Mental health concerns are increasingly prevalent among postgraduate students, who face academic, social, and career pressures. Although research on student mental health is expanding, less is known about the psychological resources that support well-being in postgraduate learners. Meaning in life has been identified [...] Read more.
Mental health concerns are increasingly prevalent among postgraduate students, who face academic, social, and career pressures. Although research on student mental health is expanding, less is known about the psychological resources that support well-being in postgraduate learners. Meaning in life has been identified as a key psychological resource that helps individuals interpret challenges and maintain coherence and well-being, and recent research highlights the contribution of self-transcendent traits such as gratitude, forgiveness, and spirituality in fostering meaning in life. However, empirical evidence on these interrelationships remains limited. This study involves 1527 Pakistani postgraduate students (M = 795; mean age = 24.89 years) recruited through multistage random sampling from ten public universities in Punjab. Participants completed the Gratitude Questionnaire, Heartland Forgiveness Scale, Spirituality Scale, Meaning in Life Questionnaire, and Mental Health Inventory (assessing psychological well-being and psychological distress). Correlation analyses showed that gratitude, forgiveness, and spirituality were positively associated with psychological well-being and negatively associated with psychological distress. Structural equation modeling (SEM) further indicated that these traits predicted mental health both directly and indirectly, with meaning in life serving as significant partial mediator. Overall, the findings highlight the central role of meaning in life in linking self-transcendent traits to mental health among postgraduate students and suggest important implications for culturally sensitive, university-based mental health initiatives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Psychology and Mental Health: From Epidemiological Research to Clinical Interventions)
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25 pages, 462 KB  
Article
Sex and Age Differences and Psychosocial Determinants of Regular Gambling: Insights from a Community-Based Study
by Claudia Venuleo, Domenico Cuzzola and Tiziana Marinaci
Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ. 2025, 15(12), 261; https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe15120261 - 18 Dec 2025
Viewed by 1822
Abstract
Gambling participation among women and older adults has increased, yet research on the psychosocial determinants of gambling in these groups remains limited. This study explored sex- and age-related differences in gambling frequency, the influence of psychosocial factors such as perceived social support, psychological [...] Read more.
Gambling participation among women and older adults has increased, yet research on the psychosocial determinants of gambling in these groups remains limited. This study explored sex- and age-related differences in gambling frequency, the influence of psychosocial factors such as perceived social support, psychological well-being, social connectedness, perceived social approval, and exposure to gambling within one’s network, and how these factors interact with perceptions of the social environment. A community-based sample of 634 adults (69.1% women; 28.7% aged ≥ 60; mean age = 45.7 ± 18.4) completed a survey assessing gambling behaviours and psychosocial variables. Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, and binary logistic regression were conducted. Regular gambling was reported by 12% of participants and was significantly more frequent among older adults and men. Higher psychosocial well-being was associated with reduced odds of regular gambling, while being female was also associated with a lower likelihood of regular gambling. Conversely, perceived social approval and an idealized view of the social environment were associated with higher odds of regular gambling, particularly among younger adults. Findings highlight the need for age- and gender-sensitive prevention strategies that strengthen meaningful social connections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Psychology and Mental Health: From Epidemiological Research to Clinical Interventions)
12 pages, 702 KB  
Article
Mental Health Continuum—Short Form: Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) of Competing Models with Adolescents from Portugal
by Luís Loureiro, José Santos and Cândida Loureiro
Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ. 2025, 15(4), 43; https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe15040043 - 23 Mar 2025
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4240
Abstract
The concept of positive mental health (PMH) and therefore mental well-being (MWB) have taken center stage over the last few decades. The Mental Health Continuum—Short Form (MHC-SF) is one of the most important tools for assessing MWB. This study aims to assess the [...] Read more.
The concept of positive mental health (PMH) and therefore mental well-being (MWB) have taken center stage over the last few decades. The Mental Health Continuum—Short Form (MHC-SF) is one of the most important tools for assessing MWB. This study aims to assess the psychometric properties and dimensionality of the Portuguese version of the MHC-SF by comparing three competing models. Methods: Between January and March of 2021, a survey was conducted with a convenience sample of 495 Portuguese adolescents aged 12 to 18 years, enrolled in grades 7 to 12. Descriptive statistics and bivariate statistical tests and measures associated with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were calculated. Results: The results of the CFA support the idea that the bifactor model fits the data better than the other competing models. The indices support unidimensionality, namely the explained common variance (ECV = 0.81), the Percentage of Uncontaminated Correlations (PUC = 0.69), and the omega hierarchical (ωH = 0.89), and point to the existence of a general MHC-SF factor. The scale showed high reliability (ω = 0.95) in the general factor. The MHC-SF has concurrent validity, correlating with other scales that assess aspects related to mental health and well-being. Conclusion: The results point to the adequacy of the bifactor model and suggest the existence of a general factor of PMH, confirming that the total score of the scale can be used. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Psychology and Mental Health: From Epidemiological Research to Clinical Interventions)
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