Psychology International

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

Emojis are widely used to measure users’ emotional states; however, their interpretations can vary over time. While some emojis exhibit consistent meanings, others may be perceived differently at other times. To utilize emojis as indicators in consumer studies, it is essential to ensure that their interpretations remain stable over time. However, the long-term stability of emoji interpretations remains uncertain. Therefore, this study aims to identify emojis with stable and unstable interpretations. We collected 256 responses in an online survey twice, one week apart, in which participants rated the valence and arousal levels of 74 facial emojis on a nine-point scale. Wilcoxon rank-sum tests showed unstable interpretations for seven of the seventy-four emojis. Further, a hierarchical cluster analysis categorized 67 stable emojis into the following four clusters based on valence and arousal dimensions: strong positive sentiment, moderately positive sentiment, neutral sentiment, and negative sentiment. Consequently, we recommend the use of the 67 emojis with stable interpretations as reliable measures of emotional states in consumer studies. Full article

Background. This study examines the behavioral responses of adolescents to online sexual harassment based on their roles as victims, perpetrators, both, or neutral participants. Methods. Data from a national sample of Croatian high school students (N = 2016) were used to investigate the influence of these roles on reaction patterns. This study explores coping strategies among students involved in online sexual harassment as victims, perpetrators, or both. Results. Students with dual roles rarely sought help from parents, teachers, or helplines, while perpetrators avoided confiding in friends or siblings. Conversely, uninvolved students were most likely to seek support from these sources. Victims often confided in friends and responded by blocking, confronting, deleting content, or avoiding the harasser. Dual-role students commonly mirrored the harassment they experienced, suggesting a cycle of retaliation and blurred victim–perpetrator boundaries. Interestingly, no significant role-based differences were found for passive responses like ignoring harassment or reporting on social media platforms. Conclusion. These results underline the critical need for targeted interventions to foster digital resilience and tailor support mechanisms based on adolescents’ experiences and roles in online interactions. This research contributes to the understanding of role-specific behavioral dynamics in the digital sphere, offering actionable insights for educators, policymakers, and mental health professionals to enhance online safety and support systems for youth. Full article

Background: Induced after-death communication (IADC) therapy is an emerging approach for addressing grief-related distress, particularly in individuals experiencing complicated grief (CG). Developed from eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), IADC therapy aims to change the meanings with which loss is read and to transform acute grief into integrated grief. While spontaneous after-death communications (ADCs) have been widely reported across different cultures, IADC therapy provides a structured procedure for inducing a state of mind in which such experiences can spontaneously arise and develop. Methods: This study employed a prospective observational cohort design with a retrospective analysis, comparing the effectiveness of IADC therapy (experimental group, n = 42) to standard grief interventions combining talk therapy and EMDR (control group, n = 43). Participants completed standardized measures, including the Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG) and the IADC Grief Questionnaire (IADC-GQ), at pre-treatment (T1), post-treatment (T2), and six-month follow-up (T3). Additional analyses explored the role of spirituality, religious affiliation, and therapist characteristics in grief processing. Results: IADC therapy led to a significantly greater reduction in grief intensity (ICG scores) immediately after the intervention and at the six-month follow-up compared to the control group. The experimental group also showed a more pronounced decrease in distress symptoms (CS scores) and higher ratings of therapeutic satisfaction. Furthermore, participants in the experimental group exhibited a significantly greater increase in their continuing bond (CB) scores, suggesting a more adaptive connection with the deceased. Additional analyses examined therapist characteristics, treatment-related factors, and the nature of ADC experiences, which are further explored in the discussion. Conclusions: These findings highlight the clinical utility of IADC therapy as a brief and cost-effective grief intervention, offering comparable or superior outcomes to traditional grief therapies. The results suggest that recognizing and integrating spontaneous ADC experiences into grief therapy may provide a valuable therapeutic pathway. Future research should further explore the long-term effects, cultural variations, and therapist characteristics to optimize the integration of IADC therapy into mainstream clinical practice. Full article

Persistent physical symptoms (PPS) are frequently seen in most medical specialties. Healthcare provision for PPS patients has been largely ineffective due to an outdated biomedical approach and failure to encompass the multifaceted nature of PPS, despite the guidelines recommending multidisciplinary care involving medical, social and psychological provision for the management of PPS. There are unresolved challenges and associated costs with PPS, suggesting needs are not being met. The aim of this research was to explore the current management of PPS patients, to provide insights into the opportunities for interventions to better manage PPS. A qualitative study was used, applying semi-structured interviews with sixteen healthcare practitioners including ten General Practitioners in the primary care network (PCN) and six secondary care practitioners in the National Health Service. The findings generated from the thematic analysis included three themes: (1) challenges of the early identification and management of PPS, (2) moving away from search and fix to support and manage and (3) moving care from hospitals to the community. Healthcare practitioners working with patients with PPS continue to experience a range of challenges. Addressing these challenges through better training, improved communication and systemic changes can enhance care for both patients and practitioners. There is a role for community-based initiatives, social prescribers and specialist PPS clinicians, and PPS should be taught in the medical curriculum. Full article

Cancer literacy is essential for promoting preventive behaviors and making informed decisions for a healthier lifestyle. There are significant gaps in the knowledge of modifiable and non-modifiable cancer risk factors among university students. The objective of this study is to evaluate the level of cancer literacy, characterize motivations for volunteering, and explore possible associations between the variables, relating them to sociodemographic data. The sample comprised 308 higher education students aged 18 or above. A sociodemographic questionnaire, the Students Knowledge and Perceptions about Cancer test, and the Volunteer Functions Inventory were administered. The findings indicated higher levels of cancer literacy among females, students involved in volunteering, and those in the Medical and Health Sciences. Women placed more importance on experience, values, and growth functions in volunteering. The correlation between cancer literacy and motivations for volunteering proved to be significant for the experience and values functions. The findings of this study are particularly pertinent to the field of education, highlighting the need for strategies aimed at the prevention of the disease and the training of young adults in cancer literacy. Full article

The present study examined the contribution of mother–child and father–child synchrony to early adolescents’ prosocial and aggressive behavior with peers and friendship quality. Data were collected as part of a cross-sectional study from 185 early adolescents (M age = 12.48, SD = 1.03) and their parents. Separate father–adolescent and mother–adolescent interaction sessions were used to assess three dimensions of synchrony: (a) dyadic synchrony, (b) shared positive affect, and (c) conversational equality. Parents rated adolescents’ prosocial and aggressive behavior toward peers. Adolescents reported the quality of their relationships with their best friends. Regression analyses revealed that both mother–adolescent and father–adolescent shared positive affect were associated with higher parent-rated prosocial behavior, lower parent-rated peer aggression, and higher adolescent self-reported friendship intimacy. Likewise, mother–adolescent and father–adolescent conversational equality were each associated with higher parent-rated prosocial behavior. Only father–adolescent conversational equality was associated with adolescent-reported friendship intimacy. No measure of parent–adolescent dyadic synchrony was associated with adolescent-reported friendship conflict. Full article

(1) Background: Workplace procrastination leads to missed deadlines and financial losses, necessitating a deeper understanding of its risk factors and inhibitors for effective interventions. This study aims to bridge the significant gap in the literature regarding the effects of Authentic Leadership (AL) on workplace procrastination behaviors, including soldiering and cyberslacking. AL, as a positive leadership style, is proposed as a key factor in mitigating procrastination by fostering a supportive work environment. Specifically, this research examines how AL impacts procrastination through two psychosocial risk factors—lack of supervisor support and lack of workgroup support—which are hypothesized to mediate this relationship. (2) Methods: Data were collected from 738 employees (62.9% women) who completed a survey. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was conducted to explore the direct relationship between AL and procrastination, and indirect relationships through support. (3) Results: The findings indicate that AL negatively impacts procrastination behaviors, with stronger effects on soldiering compared to cyberslacking. AL is also negatively associated with perceptions of a lack of support from both leaders and workgroups, with a stronger influence on leader support. Both lack of leader and workgroup support significantly predict soldiering but not cyberslacking. (4) Conclusions: This study highlights AL’s potential to mitigate workplace procrastination by reducing perceptions of insufficient support. Organizations should focus on AL training to promote leader authenticity and supportiveness while fostering strong support networks within workgroups to enhance productivity and reduce procrastination behaviors. These findings also contribute to understanding AL’s role in addressing workplace counterproductive behaviors. Full article

Background: Self-directed learning (SDL) most appropriately is learning that is personally selected based on individual values. SDL potentially achieves psychological flow. Flow is an outcome identified and investigated by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Among those whose flow he studied were individuals who engaged in self-directed careers—athletes, musicians, and researchers. Method: Based on their career self-direction, this investigation compares the reports of athletes, musicians, and researchers of Csikszentmihalyi through a qualitative narrative analysis of his relevant forty-seven-year publication record. The included reports have Csikszentmihalyi as an author, are an analysis of athletes, musicians, or researchers, and mention flow. The lack of an empirical study is the reason for exclusion. Results: The results reveal a significant difference between those who experience flow from a performance of their achieved skills and those who experience flow while learning. This examination of Csikszentmihalyi’s studies regarding athletes and musicians identifies that they are most likely to experience flow during performances of their mastered skills, unlike researchers, whose flow occurs during SDL—a distinction unmentioned by Csikszentmihalyi. Conclusions: Although athletes and musicians may self-direct their careers, only the flow of researchers corresponds with SDL. This result meaningfully extends the literature on SDL and flow, offering direction for future empirical studies and educational opportunities. Full article

Background. Attachment between romantic partners has been investigated primarily through self-reports assessing the two dimensions of avoidance and ambivalence/anxiety, typically formulating items according to observable psychological properties. However, this approach produces correlated dimensions, with a limited distinction between their features. In this work, we hypothesize that a definition of avoidance and ambivalence driven by their theorized cognitive–evolutionary functions can lead to a clearer-cut distinction between the two (i.e., lower correlation), still maintaining or even further highlighting the expected avoidant and ambivalent characteristics. Methods. To test our hypothesis, we administered to an adult population a battery of self-reports measuring attachment and related properties—i.e., psychological well-being, couple satisfaction, and emotion regulation. We assessed attachment through two classical attachment self-reports—the Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised (ECR-R) and Revised Adult Attachment Scale (RAAS)—and the novel, theory-informed Attachment–Caregiving Questionnaire (ACQ), building a Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) connecting attachment with the other constructs. Results. Our results demonstrate that measuring attachment through the ECR-R/RAAS and the ACQ leads to similar properties but a more evident characterization of avoidance and ambivalence supported by the ACQ. Conclusions. These first findings suggest that the cognitive–evolutionary definition of these two dimensions may be advantageous and should be further investigated. Full article

Test anxiety has been the focus of research interest in the domains of education and psychology for over 70 years, as it affects not only students’ academic achievement and overall well-being, but students’ families and school staff as well. Given the implications of high-stakes school exams for students’ future educational opportunities and self-esteem, it is unsurprising that students experience test anxiety under the pressure of achieving high scores. In this context, it is imperative to comprehend the predictors and consequences of test anxiety to develop efficacious prevention and intervention programs. Therefore, the present review, aiming to extend the current understanding, provides insight and impacts of test anxiety, and highlights corresponding future implications. The implications that emerge could be considered by teachers, school and developmental psychologists, and educational professionals who aim to support students in reducing test anxiety and performing to their full potential in assessment situations. Full article

During their career, most professional players in team sports encounter club-to-club transfers (CCTs). Indeed, it is unusual for a player to remain with a single club throughout their professional career, making these transitions pivotal moments in elite sports environments. However, there is lack of knowledge as concerns the psychosocial skills involved when players encounter CCT challenges. The current study was concerned with integrating Social Adaptability Skills (SAS) simultaneously with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to assist athletes with overcoming CCT challenges. A linear mixed model analysis using the likelihood ratio test revealed significant improvements in SAS, p < 0.05. Furthermore, the main effect of period was significant F(2, 203.17) = 286.07, p < 0.001, indicating that the propensity to enact and deploy SAS varied across the measurement periods (pre-, post-, and retention-test). These findings suggest that ACT-based mindfulness interventions may play a crucial role in reinforcing athletes’ enactment of SAS in overcoming CCT challenges. Overall, the results confirm that the SAS educational intervention effectively equipped athletes with the necessary psychosocial attributes to navigate CCT challenges. This study provides a foundation for future research and practical applications, emphasizing the need for structured psychological support within talent development programs. Full article