Psychology International

Social support is generally assumed to buffer ego threat and reduce aggressive behavior in organizations. However, emerging research suggests that support may not always function as intended, particularly in contexts where support can also signal evaluation or control. Drawing on ego threat theory and a conceptualization of narcissism as a self-regulatory system, the present study examines when and for whom social support inhibits or facilitates workplace aggression. Specifically, the study investigates how perceived supervisor and organizational support moderate the relationships between ego threat and power harassment—a culturally institutionalized form of workplace aggression in Japan—and how the moderation effects differ across narcissistic self-regulatory strategies. Survey data of 600 Japanese employees were classified into distinct types reflecting narcissistic self-regulatory strategies, and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted for each type. The results indicated that ego threat has no significant main effect on power harassment tendencies across any narcissistic type. However, among individuals characterized by superiority-based narcissistic strategies, a significant moderation effect emerged indicating that higher levels of perceived supervisor support amplified aggressive responses under ego threat. These findings challenge the universal assumption that social support is inherently protective and demonstrate that its effects depend on how support is interpreted within personal and cultural contexts. Full article

The emotional responses to bullying victimization are central to its impact on subsequent psychological consequences, but the role of specific emotions is insufficiently defined within a comprehensive framework. In order to enhance the understanding of the emotional experiences of bullying victims, the present review examines the role of self-conscious emotions (i.e., humiliation, shame, and guilt), the role of basic emotions (i.e., anger and fear), and various psychological consequences (e.g., anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation). A non-systematic, narrative approach was employed to synthesize the findings, with a total of 343 articles included in the review. Self-conscious emotions appear to be central to bullying victimization, with humiliation being particularly pivotal due to its link to internalized self-devaluation, perceived injustice, and attribution of cruelty to the perpetrator. In turn, anger and fear seem to constitute crucial basic emotions in response to bullying dynamics. Although anger may escalate aggression, it may also facilitate positive confrontational behaviors when properly channeled, whereas fear may contribute to avoidance and increased victimization if sustained. Adverse psychological consequences such as anxiety, depression, stress, low self-esteem, and suicidal ideation are prevalent among victims of bullying, potentially exacerbated in vulnerable groups. Future research should further explore the role of emotions in the context of bullying victimization, examining their impact on both mental health outcomes and behavioral patterns over time. Exploring how different emotional responses interact and influence each other within bullying dynamics could provide insights into effective intervention strategies, and a more comprehensive understanding of the sociocultural factors influencing emotional responses to bullying might help in customizing prevention and support measures across diverse contexts. Full article

The experience of being acknowledged by one’s coach has been highlighted as important, but the pedagogical approach of being seen has not been empirically explored within sport. The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which young Norwegian football players experienced being seen by their head coach in football, as well as to examine gender differences in these experiences with a previous validated questionnaire, originally developed for students within physical education, but adapted for football. Using a list of all teams participating in the Boys 19 league and the Girls 17 league in Trøndelag County, 7 boys’ teams and 9 girls’ teams were randomly selected. A total of 212 players (107 boys and 105 girls) responded to the questionnaire. Participants’ ages ranged from 15 to 19 years. The results showed that 83 percent of the boys and 87 percent of the girls agreed (slightly to strongly) that they experienced being seen by their head coach during training or football matches. There were no significant gender differences regarding this experience, nor in four of the five underlying factors contributing to being seen. However, a significant gender difference was found according to good dialogue, where girls scored higher than boys when rating their coaches. Finally, the results indicated that players perceived their coach as most competent in facilitating good dialogue, and least competent in involving players in assessment and goal setting, and in creating opportunities for players to showcase themselves. Based on these results, coaches should actively create opportunities for dialogue before, during, and after training or matches, signaling openness through body language, tone, and availability so players feel comfortable initiating conversation. Coach education programs should emphasize communication strategies that promote psychological safety and belonging, including practical steps such as brief one-on-one conversations during warm-up or cool-down to help players feel seen without disrupting team flow. The gender difference in good dialogue highlights the importance of tailoring communication strategies to individual needs while ensuring that dialogue opportunities are accessible to all players. Full article

Advances in technology have reduced opportunities for daily physical activity; however, emerging technologies may also create novel pathways for promoting exercise engagement. Purpose: This study compares affective responses before, immediately after, and 20 min following traditional moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise on a treadmill (MICE) and virtual reality boxing (VRB). Methods: Twenty adults (N = 20) completed two counterbalanced 30 min exercise sessions consisting of a standardized warm-up, a 20 min exercise bout, and a cool-down performed during either MICE or VRB. Affective states, including energy, tiredness, tension, calmness, and state anxiety, were assessed before exercise, immediately after exercise, and 20 min post-exercise in each condition. Results: Energy increased, and tiredness decreased immediately following exercise in both conditions; however, energy remained elevated, and tiredness remained lower 20 min after VRB only. Calmness decreased immediately following exercise but returned to baseline after 20 min in both conditions. Tension increased immediately following VRB but returned to baseline after 20 min, whereas no changes were observed following MICE. State anxiety decreased 20 min after VRB (p = 0.027) but did not change following MICE. Conclusion: Both modalities acutely improved affect; however, VRB produced stronger and more sustained psychological benefits, suggesting immersive exercise may promote exercise adherence better. Full article

Interrater reliability is a critical aspect of measurement quality, particularly in assessments that rely on subjective judgment. However, interrater reliability estimates vary, and such variability can introduce bias or reduce the accuracy of observed scores, especially when comparing across groups or conditions. Understanding and accounting for these differences is essential when interpreting reliability in applied settings such as education, psychology, and performance evaluation. This study addresses the need for more nuanced approaches to evaluating interrater reliability across groups. Specifically, in this study, we examine generalizability theory (GT) and structural equation modeling (SEM) that enable direct testing of differences in reliability coefficients across groups. A simulation study compared a proposed method grounded in GT and SEM to the W statistic for reliability coefficient comparisons. Results demonstrate that the proposed method consistently outperforms the W statistic in terms of both Type I error control and statistical power, particularly when sample sizes are moderate to large or when variance in rater agreement exists across groups. These findings underscore the importance of explicitly modeling differences in interrater reliability and provide researchers with a more robust tool for evaluating the consistency of ratings across diverse contexts and populations. Full article

The present study aimed to examine the inter-relationships among trait-, class-, and study-related boredom, as well as their associations with self-efficacy, self-regulation, critical thinking, academic performance, and engagement among university students. The sample comprised 250 undergraduate psychology students who completed self-report measures assessing academic boredom, critical thinking, self-regulation, academic engagement, and academic performance. Using path analysis, the study revealed that academic boredom was negatively correlated with self-regulation, critical thinking, and self-efficacy. The results further revealed that academic boredom was negatively associated with both academic engagement and performance. However, class-related boredom was negatively associated with engagement but not with performance, whereas study-related boredom was negatively associated with both academic performance and engagement. These findings emphasize the importance of addressing specific types of academic boredom in higher education, as each type appears to play a distinct role in shaping students’ academic experiences and outcomes. The study also highlights the need for interventions that promote self-regulation, critical thinking, and self-efficacy as protective factors to mitigate boredom and enhance academic success. Implications for future research and university policies are discussed. Full article

The rapid rise in cryptocurrencies has created an investment environment marked by unprecedented levels of information volume, fragmentation, and volatility. While prior research has examined drivers of trust and adoption in crypto markets, far less is known about the psychological consequences of information overload on investor decision-making. This study addresses this gap through nineteen semi-structured interviews with individual cryptocurrency investors, analyzed using an inductive, manually conducted thematic approach. Findings reveal four interconnected dynamics: decision fatigue and paralysis, heuristic reliance on influencers and peers, emotional strain characterized by anxiety and fear of missing out (FOMO), and diverse coping strategies ranging from selective filtering to withdrawal. These results demonstrate that crypto investing is not only a financial process but also a cognitively and emotionally taxing experience. By linking investor narratives to broader theories of decision fatigue, bounded rationality, and consumer vulnerability, the study contributes to interdisciplinary debates in marketing, behavioral finance, and consumer psychology. Practically, the findings highlight the need for clearer communication strategies, supportive platform design, and financial education initiatives that help investors manage cognitive strain and decision fatigue. In a market where credibility is fluid and decisions are often made under conditions of overload, understanding the psychological dimensions of investment behavior is essential. Full article

Coaction theory suggests improvement in one health behavior carries over to advancements in other health behaviors. There is evidence of increased exercise leading to improved eating; however, data on its psychosocial mechanisms required to adequately inform behavioral weight-management interventions are lacking. Theory suggests that self-regulation, and the relationship of self-regulation to self-efficacy, promote such carry-over processes. Participants in a community-based obesity program who completed no/minimal weekly exercise at baseline were randomized by participating facility using computer-generated random numbers into 6-month treatments emphasizing either weight loss education (n = 39) or self-regulation/self-efficacy (SR/SE) methods (n = 90). Improvements in exercise outputs, exercise- and eating-related self-regulation and self-efficacy, negative mood, dietary behaviors, and weight were significant overall, and significantly greater in the SR/SE group. Carry-over of increased exercise to improved dietary behaviors was suggested. Paths from the treatment group to dietary changes at 6 and 12 months were significantly mediated by associations of changes in (a) exercise-related self-regulation leading to eating-related self-regulation, (b) exercise-related self-efficacy leading to eating-related self-efficacy, and (c) exercise leading to improved mood. Identified relationships between self-regulation and self-efficacy changes were particularly relevant in the dietary-change context. Weight losses over 6, 12, and 24 months, associated with exercise and dietary changes, were 2.2×–2.7× greater in the SR/SE group than in the weight loss education group (−6.0% vs. −2.6%; −5.6% vs. −2.5%; and −5.1% vs. −1.9%, respectively). Advantages of treatment foci on self-regulatory skills and self-efficacy over typical weight loss education were supported. Clarification of psychosocial mechanisms of the increased exercise → improved eating-behavior relationship, including effects of increased exercise on mood, informed continued advancements in theory-driven obesity treatments. Full article

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine condition affecting 8–13% of reproductive-aged women globally. Psychological features of PCOS are often overlooked despite their association with mental health complications. This systematic review synthesises existing evidence of psychological interventions for women with PCOS. Database searches returned 4982 articles, of which 20 papers were eligible; 12 studies were meta-analysed. Compared to control, psychological interventions had statistically beneficial effects on change from baseline values for depression, PCOS-specific quality of life, general health, and body image. Significant improvements were found in all PCOS Questionnaire (PCOSQ) domains except acne, yet the importance of these differences in clinical practice was indeterminable. Despite statistical effects, the quality of evidence was judged as low/very-low due to between study heterogeneity, risk of bias, and imprecision in effect estimates. Future studies should focus on rigorously designed, well-reported trials, in order to address the uncertainty around the effectiveness of psychological interventions. The protocol of this systematic review was prospectively registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO: CRD42023472417). Full article

(1) Background: Induced After-Death Communication (IADC) therapy is a brief intervention facilitating grief resolution through a perceived experience of communication with the deceased. Despite growing evidence of its efficacy, little is known about which individual characteristics may influence treatment responsiveness. (2) Methods: This pre–post study investigated psychological predictors of IADC outcomes in 73 bereaved adults. Standardized measures assessed grief severity, alexithymia, dissociation, attachment dimensions, and Big Five personality traits. Changes in grief-related distress and continuing bonds were analyzed using paired-sample t-tests and hierarchical regressions. (3) Results: IADC therapy produced substantial reductions in grief-related distress and enhanced continuing bonds. Dissociation, demographic variables, and most personality traits were unrelated to outcomes. Neuroticism showed a marginally negative association, whereas Openness predicted greater improvement. Alexithymia negatively predicted clinical gains, suggesting that limited emotional awareness may interfere with the therapeutic phase of abreaction and, in turn, limit access to the receptive state. Among attachment dimensions, only Need for Approval significantly predicted poorer outcomes, consistent with performance anxiety and self-evaluative control interfering with spontaneous mental processes. (4) Conclusions: IADC therapy appears highly effective across diverse individual profiles. Screening for alexithymia and Need for Approval may help identify these potential sources of therapeutic failure and be followed by targeted strategies aimed at counteracting their impact and mitigating their effects. Full article

The present article explores how the development of inner resources can serve as a decisive lever to initiate and sustain individual, organizational, and societal transformations. (1) We first examine the concept of emotional capital, understood as the ability to mobilize emotional competencies defined by models of emotional intelligence, a capital that boosts other forms of capital and enables transformation. (2) We then link this to a capacitating approach, grounded in the work of Sen, which focuses on valuing and expanding human potential. (3) We will introduce the paradigm of bienvivance as an economic and social perspective that ensures a better way of co-vivance, a bienvivance economy; a societal model which proposes to reorient our systems toward a collective dynamic of vitality and meaning, shared living, sustainability, and regeneration. Taken together, these three dimensions pave the way for transformations that connect inner growth with outer change, across educational, organizational, and societal practices. In this article, (4) we will illustrate such a bienvivance approach focused on capacitating pedagogy and emotional capital development via collaborative learning and co-construction of competencies’ student portfolio exercises, as an intrinsic part of development of learners’ lifelong competencies and a lever of potentials’ unlocking, and recognition’s decolonization. Full article

Self-esteem and attachment are core constructs in adult relational functioning, yet their interrelations across levels of cognitive processing have remained understudied. This study investigated how explicit and implicit attachment styles relate to self-esteem in individuals seeking a romantic partner (N = 399) and in a partnered sample (N = 108). Participants completed explicit attachment and self-esteem scales, along with three single-target Implicit Association Tests (IATs) assessing implicit self-esteem and avoidant and anxious attachment styles. Regression analyses were conducted using explicit and implicit attachment as predictors of explicit and implicit self-esteem while controlling for covariates. In singles, explicit anxious attachment was negatively associated with explicit self-esteem, while implicit anxious attachment and implicit avoidant attachment were negatively associated with implicit self-esteem. No cross-level associations were found, supporting a parallel-level interpretation in which explicit and implicit variables relate primarily within, rather than across, processing levels. The same regression models applied to the partnered sample showed generally similar trends, although the associations observed in singles for explicit anxious and implicit avoidant attachment were not detected in the partnered group. The inclusion of implicit measures provides new insight into non-conscious relational insecurity, with both implicit anxious and avoidant attachment showing negative associations with implicit self-esteem. Full article

Student employment is an increasingly common feature of higher education, yet psychological research on students who combine paid work and study remains conceptually and methodologically fragmented. This scoping review mapped the extent, range, and nature of empirical evidence on working students’ psychological experiences, summarized key psychosocial correlates, and identified gaps for future research. Consistent with PRISMA-ScR guidance, we searched EBSCOhost, Scopus, and Web of Science using tailored Boolean title-field strategies without year limits, screened records against eligibility criteria, and charted and thematically synthesized extracted data. Forty-two peer-reviewed English-language studies were included. Evidence clustered into six recurrent domains, such as work–study interface processes, resources and supports, health, stress and recovery, academic engagement and performance, career development and employability, and identity and social relations. The literature was predominantly quantitative and cross-sectional, with comparatively few intervention studies. Findings suggest that psychological outcomes are frequently examined through, and may be more closely contingent on, the quality of the work–study interface and contextual supports than on employment intensity alone, highlighting the potential value of interventions and institutional/employer practices that enhance role fit, flexibility, and supportive climates, alongside more longitudinal and multi-level research. Full article

This study examines changes associated with a guided introspective intervention in self-reflection, introspection, and motivational competences among future teachers. Conducted within a Master’s course in Teacher Training, the ten-session program employed the “Casa Vital” framework, a metaphorical and visual model representing personal and professional development through structured introspective exercises. Eighty-two participants completed the Self-Reflection and Insight Scale (SRIS-SF) and selected subscales of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) in a pre–post quasi-experimental design. Findings reveal significant increases in introspection, intrinsic goal orientation, control of learning beliefs, and self-efficacy for learning and performance (small–moderate effects), while self-reflection, extrinsic goal orientation and task value remained stable. These results suggest that guided introspection enhances motivational competences by promoting self-awareness, value clarification, and alignment of personal and professional goals. The intervention also seems to support autonomy-oriented engagement and purpose-driven decision-making, contributing to the development of reflective and resilient educators. Integrating structured introspective practices into teacher education may strengthen professional identity, psychological flexibility, and internal-driven motivation. The study underscores the practical potential of reflective frameworks such as Casa Vital to foster meaningful, self-determined, and adaptive teaching practices, offering an accessible and scalable approach for enhancing teacher preparation programs. Within the limits of a single-group pre–post design, these findings provide descriptive, theory-consistent indications that introspection may be associated with the cultivation of purposeful, motivated, and competent educators. Full article

This study aimed to investigate whether a multimodal cognitive behavioural intervention could enhance academy athletes’ stress mindset, self-compassion, and performance, as well as reduce irrational beliefs and symptoms of anxiety and depression. We delivered 6 × 1 h group workshops at five different football (n = 4) and rugby (n = 1) academies in the United Kingdom. We hypothesised that there would be increases in stress mindset, self-compassion, and perceived performance coupled with decreases in irrational beliefs, anxiety, and depressive symptoms as a result of the intervention, and that such changes would remain evident one month later. Sixty-seven participants (n = 59 males, n = 8 females, Mage = 17.03 years, SD = 2.55) completed assessment at baseline, post-intervention, and at a follow-up. Through paired-sample t-tests, our results demonstrated support for the hypotheses with principally small effect sizes. Findings offer support for the use of a multimodal cognitive behavioural programme in academy athletes. Full article

Sum scores are widely used in the social sciences, yet their appropriateness remains a topic of considerable debate in the psychometric literature. A recent article by Raykov and Zhang (2025, Struct. Equ. Model.) has cautioned against employing sum scores as predictor variables in subsequent analyses, as this practice may lead to biased estimates of regression coefficients. As an alternative, structural equation modeling (SEM) based on a unidimensional factor model—where the latent factor replaces the sum score—has been advocated. The present article argues that reliability adjustments can also be implemented without resorting to SEM, using reliability-corrected regression models designed for measurement error correction. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the SEM approach becomes inferior to measurement error correction methods when the assumption of a unidimensional measurement model is violated or when design-based reliability indices, such as Cronbach’s alpha, are preferred over model-based alternatives like McDonald’s omega. The article concludes that a fully integrated SEM approach, combining both measurement and structural components, is advantageous over measurement error correction approaches with reliability adjustment only under specific and limited conditions. Full article

This article sets out to investigate how individuals process their experiences of covert aggression in their workplace. Covert aggression is operationalized within this article as behaviors that are subversive, mal-intended behaviors which attempt to undermine an individual’s confidence within the social milieu of their workplace and their capabilities and knowledge within the context of their job role. Using the critical incident technique embedded in a semi-structured interview format, the findings pointed to the targets of covert aggression undergoing a process of realizing they are experiencing covert aggression, sensemaking of why this is happening to them, self-monitoring their behaviors and responses around the aggressor, and creating scripts as a way to manage their working relationship with their aggressor. This cognitive process that we unveil in this article establishes a baseline for further investigations into the experiences of being targeted by covert aggression. Full article

Emotions are known to influence cognitive processes, yet the nature of this influence remains debated, particularly during childhood. According to the emotional congruence model, information congruent with an individual’s affective state is processed more efficiently than incongruent information. While this effect has been widely studied in adults, evidence in children is still limited. The present research investigates the influence of emotional congruence on selective attention in typically developing children from preschool to fifth grade, using a dual emotional induction paradigm based on music and color. In Study 1, classical music excerpts were used to induce pleasant or unpleasant emotional states and to validate the effectiveness of musical induction across age groups. In Study 2, this musical induction was combined with emotionally valenced color cues (yellow vs. gray) embedded in a visual search task to examine their impact on attentional performance. Results from Study 1 confirmed that music effectively modulated children’s emotional valence, although this effect was weaker in younger participants. In Study 2, attentional performance improved significantly when the task was presented on a yellow background, regardless of the valence of the previously induced musical emotion. No robust emotional congruence effect between music and color was observed, although performance was highest in the joyful music–yellow color condition. Overall, these findings suggest that perceptual emotional cues embedded in the task context, particularly positive color cues, exert a stronger and more persistent influence on children’s selective attention than transient affective states induced by music. This study contributes to developmental models of emotion–cognition interaction by highlighting asymmetrical valence effects and the predominant role of perceptual emotional signals in childhood attention. Full article

While there is extensive literature on the strengths of different supervisory models, we have limited understanding of how the relational capacity of front-line staff may impact how they receive and seek feedback from their supervisor. This study examines how mental health providers’ and front-line staff’s own rejection sensitivity may be associated with the supervisory relationship and the ways in which job feedback is sought and received in community-based mental health settings. Cross-sectional survey data were collected from 156 front-line staff of three mental health agencies. Staff were administered an original survey using validated measures related to supervision, feedback, and relational capacities. We found staff with a higher rejection sensitivity (RS) were less likely to actively seek feedback about their performance; and, when feedback was received, were more likely to rate its quality as poor. Staff with a higher RS were more likely to perceive their supervisor and their relationship negatively. This is the first study to examine whether workers’ relational capacities, as expressed through a higher RS, influence their perceptions of supervision and quality of feedback and their feedback-seeking behaviors. These findings build theory related to the important role that staff relational capacities play in influencing organizational dynamics and support. Full article