Search Results (988)

The present study examined differences in reading comprehension performance between good and poor comprehenders, across paper-based and computer-based formats. The sample consisted of 197 students (Mage = 10.9, SDage = 1.22), categorized into three groups based on their reading comprehension proficiency: good (n = 73), average (n = 90), and poor (n = 33). Using a pseudo-randomized within-subjects design, participants read two texts and completed both a cloze task and a proofreading task in paper and digital formats. Results showed that poor comprehenders consistently performed worse on both tasks; however, group performances were not influenced by the modality. Both tasks required more time in the digital modality and were associated with greater calibration bias. In the proof-reading task, nouns and adjectives were more difficult to retrieve than verbs and function words, whereas in the cloze task, function words were the easiest to supply. The discussion emphasizes the need to account the for task type and linguistic complexity when evaluating comprehension. Importantly, the lack of interaction between reading proficiency and modality suggests that digital assessments are comparably effective and reliable across different levels of reading ability. Full article

This study aimed to investigate the effects of mental fatigue on physical and cognitive performance (lower-limb power, isometric and handgrip strength, and psychomotor vigilance). Twenty-two physically active young adults (12 males, 10 females; M_age = 20.82 ± 1.47) were randomly assigned to either a Mental Fatigue (MF) or Control group (CON). The MF group showed a statistically significant (p = 0.019) reduction in non-dominant handgrip strength, declining by approximately 2.3 kg (about 5%), while no such change was observed in the CON group or in dominant handgrip strength across groups. Reaction time (RT) was significantly impaired following the mental fatigue protocol: RT increased by 117.82 ms, representing an approximate 46% longer response time in the MF group (p < 0.001), whereas the CON group showed a smaller, non-significant increase of 32.82 ms (~12% longer). No significant differences were found in squat jump performance, indicating that lower-limb explosive power may be less affected by acute mental fatigue. These findings demonstrate that mental fatigue selectively impairs fine motor strength and cognitive processing speed, particularly reaction time, while gross motor power remains resilient. Understanding these effects is critical for optimizing performance in contexts requiring fine motor control and sustained attention under cognitive load. Full article

The rapidly changing dynamics of the digital age reshape the addiction relationship that high school students establish with technology. While smartphones remove boundaries in terms of communication and access to information, their usage triggers a source of anxiety and nomophobia. The increase in students’ anxiety levels because of their over-reliance on mobile phone use leads to significant behavioral changes in their mental health, academic performance, social interactions and financial dependency. This study examined the nomophobia levels of high school students according to selected socio-demographic indicators. Using the relational screening model, the multistage sampling technique was used to select a sample of 884 participants: 388 from Science High School and 496 from Anatolian High School (459 female, 425 male, Mage = 16.45 ± 1.14 year). Independent sample test and One-way ANOVA were applied. Depending on the homogeneity assumption of the data, Welch values were considered, and Tukey tests were applied as a second-level test from post hoc analyses. Comprehensive analyses of nomophobia levels revealed that young individuals’ attitudes towards digital technology differ significantly according to their demographic and behavioral characteristics. Variables such as gender, physical activity participation, grade level and duration of smartphone use are among the main factors affecting nomophobia levels. Female individuals and students who do not participate in physical activity exhibit higher nomophobia scores. Full article

Due to technological advancements such as generative artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models, chatbots enable increasingly human-like, real-time conversations through text (e.g., OpenAI’s ChatGPT) and voice (e.g., Amazon’s Alexa). One AI chatbot that is specifically designed to meet the social-supportive needs of youth is Snapchat’s My AI. Given its increasing popularity among adolescents, the present study investigated whether adolescents’ likelihood of using My AI, as well as their positive or negative emotional experiences from interacting with the chatbot, is related to socio-demographic factors (i.e., gender, age, and socioeconomic status (SES)). A cross-sectional study was conducted among 303 adolescents (64.1% girls, 35.9% boys, 1.0% other, 0.7% preferred not to say their gender; M_age = 15.89, SD_age = 1.69). The findings revealed that younger adolescents were more likely to use My AI and experienced more positive emotions from these interactions than older adolescents. No significant relationships were found for gender or SES. These results highlight the potential for age to play a critical role in shaping adolescents’ engagement with AI chatbots on social media and their emotional outcomes from such interactions, underscoring the need to consider developmental factors in AI design and policy. Full article

This study assessed the effects of a family function (FF) program on excessive digital behaviors—smartphone overuse (SO) and phubbing—and psychological needs—anxiety, loneliness, and fear of missing out (FoMO)—among 28 Thai female Muslim adolescents randomly assigned to the experimental (M_age = 15.7) and control (M_age = 15.2) groups. The experimental group received two 1.5 h morning sessions of the FF program weekly over four weeks (eight sessions in total). Baseline assessments confirmed group homogeneity. Using repeated-measures ANOVA with Bonferroni correction (p < 0.008), the results indicated a significant improvement in family function for the intervention group (F (1,26) = 11.91, p = 0.002, η²_p = 0.31), with a strong time-by-group interaction (F (1,26) = 19.51, p < 0.001, η²_p = 0.43). While the program did not significantly reduce SO overall, a notable interaction effect suggested group differences (F (1,26) = 10.31, p = 0.004, η²_p = 0.28). Phubbing remained unaffected. For psychological outcomes, interaction effects were found for the FoMO (F = 10.00, p = 0.004) and loneliness (F = 8.67, p = 0.007), though no main effects emerged. Anxiety levels did not significantly change after correction. These findings suggest that the program effectively enhances family functioning and partially alleviates psychosocial risks, but further refinements are needed to address digital overuse and anxiety more effectively. Full article

Parental school involvement (PSI) is an important contributor to children’s academic and overall positive development. Such activities as discussing schoolwork and tracking progress can boost children’s motivation and achievements. Although the multifaceted nature of PSI is widely recognized, there are limited reliable measures that comprehensively capture all its dimensions, particularly for children and adolescents. This study aims to develop a measure for assessing children and adolescents’ perceptions of parental involvement based on parent- and teacher-validated self-report measures—the Parental School Involvement Questionnaire—Children’s version (PSIQ-CV). A total of 537 children and adolescents (M_Age = 9.64, SD_Age = 2.43), mainly female (52.8%), from the south of Portugal participated in this study. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA, n = 150) and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA, n = 387) were carried out. The EFA indicated a three-factor solution (i.e., support in learning activities, parent–school communication, and supervision), supported by the CFA, with good quality-of-fit indices (χ² = 225; df = 101; χ²/df = 2.23; CFI = 0.91; TLI = 0.89; RMSEA = 0.060 [CI: 0.049–0.070]). Our data confirmed that the PSIQ-CV has robust psychometric properties, with acceptable reliability and validity. The PSIQ-CV can be considered a relevant and valid tool for measuring the perception of parental school involvement among children and adolescents, in line with Epstein’s theoretical model, and useful for both researchers and practitioners. Full article

Background: This study investigated the relationship between problematic media use (PMU) and working memory in preschoolers. Methods: Parents of children aged 3 to 7 (260 boys, 257 girls; M_age = 5.57, SD = 0.73) in Jinan, China, completed questionnaires assessing children’s PMU and working memory. Subsequently, High (n_high = 32, M_age = 4.53, SD = 0.67) and Low (n_low = 30, M_age = 4.67, SD = 0.66) PMU groups, based on the survey data, complete a dual 1-back task during functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) recording. Results: Behavioral accuracy and reaction time showed no significant group differences. However, a significant interaction between the PMU group and gender on prefrontal activation was observed, F(1, 60) = 5.88–7.59, ps < 0.05, ηp² = 0.09–0.12. High-PMU boys exhibited greater left prefrontal activation than low-PMU boys, while low-PMU girls showed greater activation in these same areas compared to low-PMU boys. A three-way interaction of group, task condition, and gender on prefrontal activation was also found, F(2, 60) = 5.81–6.42, p < 0.01, ηp² = 0.10–0.19, suggesting that neural responses varied by task and participant characteristics. Conclusions: These findings indicate that PMU may be associated with altered prefrontal activation during working memory tasks in preschoolers, with gender playing a moderating role. Full article

In China, grandparents play a significant role in childrearing. This study aims to identify latent profiles of intergenerational parenting styles and explore their impact on grandchildren’s behavioral outcomes. A total of 1432 Chinese children (M_age = 12.58 years; 45.25% boys) completed questionnaires assessing perceived grandparenting styles, while fathers and mothers independently reported their own parenting practices. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) identified three distinct parenting profiles: “Grandparents Positive–Parents Negative” (GP–PN, 18.37%), “Grandparents Positive–Parents Positive” (GP–PP, 59.15%), and “Grandparents Negative–Parents Positive” (GN–PP, 22.48%). Regression analyses revealed that the number of siblings, grade level, and grandparent type could significantly predict profile membership. Notably, consistent and positive intergenerational parenting styles were associated with fewer problem behaviors in children. Furthermore, the relationship between parenting profiles and problem behaviors was mediated by the quality of the grandparent–parent relationship. These findings suggested that grandparents and parents should coordinate their parenting styles when raising grandchildren together. Full article

Fluid intelligence and need for cognition are relevant predictors of school grades and might also interact in the prediction of grades. We examined the independent predictive values of fluid intelligence and need for cognition as well as their interaction for math and German grades and changes therein in a sample of 565 German primary school children (298 girls, 261 boys, 6 with no gender specified; M_age = 8.40, SD = 0.59). Parental education was considered a control variable. Cross-sectional analyses showed that both intelligence and need for cognition were uniquely related to grades. However, in the latent change score analyses, fluid intelligence, but not need for cognition, was related to change in math grades, but not in German grades, and only when parental education was not considered as a control variable. We found no interaction effects between fluid intelligence and need for cognition. The findings imply that the need for cognition might not play a comparably relevant role for school grades in primary school as it has been shown in previous studies focusing on secondary or tertiary education. Full article

Social adversity is linked to poorer physical health in breast cancer survivors, highlighting the urgency of addressing health equity. Simultaneously, identifying individual-level factors that mitigate these effects may provide more immediate relief for survivors. This study examined whether four modifiable psychosocial factors—emotion dysregulation, physical activity, sleep disturbance, and social support—moderate the relationship between place-based social adversity and physical health in 255 breast cancer survivors (Mage = 56.03, 74.5% non-Hispanic White) within six months post-treatment. Linear regression analyses with 5000 bootstrapped estimates revealed that sleep disturbance significantly moderated the relationship between place-based social adversity and physical health (B = −0.014, SE = 0.001, bootstrapped 95% CI = −0.027, −0.001). Specifically, greater place-based social adversity was associated with poorer physical health at high levels of sleep disturbance (B = −0.22, p = 0.004), but not at low (B = 0.01, p = 0.94) or average (B = −0.10, p = 0.07) levels. Emotion dysregulation, physical activity, and social support did not moderate this relationship. Findings suggest that improving sleep quality may buffer the negative impact of social adversity on physical health, identifying sleep as a potential target for interventions aimed at reducing disparities among breast cancer survivors. Full article

This study examined how two metacognitive constructs, cognitive self-consciousness and beliefs about emotion regulation, mediate the link among early adolescents between emotion regulation and engagement in coping with worry, and whether these relationships change with age during this period. A total of 338 Chinese pupils completed a series of measures assessing the metacognitive constructs plus emotional awareness and regulation; scenario-based questions examined coping strategies. Participants were divided into two age groups, 11 to 12 (M_age = 11.9 years) and 13 to 15 (M_age = 13.2 years). Path models showed that younger participants adopted emotion-focused coping whereas older participants adopted more problem-focused coping, and these response patterns were mediated as hypothesized by cognitive self-consciousness and controllability beliefs towards worry. These findings highlight the need for more adaptive coping to be specifically targeted during early adolescence by raising awareness of controllability beliefs. Full article

The changes in adolescents’ visions for the future are important to adolescents’ developmental trajectories, motivation, and educational outcomes, yet understudied. This study examined the change in possible selves and its association with grit during school closure and life interruption during COVID-19. We conducted a school-based longitudinal survey among 1577 students (Mage = 13.05, SD = 0.86) from 12 secondary schools at the start and end of an academic year prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic with a 9-month interval. Demographic, grit, socioeconomic status (SES), self-control, and possible selves were measured. Paired t-tests indicated a significant decrease in academic possible selves and strategies. Hierarchical regression analysis results show that participants with higher grit scores reported higher academic and life possible selves; in particular, the effect of grit–perseverance was stronger than grit–passion after controlling self-control. SES moderated the effect of grit–passion on academic possible selves. The current longitudinal study provides important implications for education and youth social work practice for young people growing up with the influence of the pandemic. Full article

Background/Objectives: Young female cancer survivors often face specific informational needs related to the physical and emotional effects of cancer and its impact on life plans, particularly fertility and parenthood. However, few tools are tailored to assess these needs during this critical life stage. This study aimed to (i) validate a multidimensional measure—the Satisfaction with Information Provided to Young Oncology Patients Scale (SIPYF-CPS)—to assess the specific informational needs of young adult female cancer survivors; and (ii) explore preferences regarding the provision of information and counseling. Methods: A total of 124 women (M[age] = 38.18; SD = 5.49; range 21–45), 76.6% diagnosed with breast cancer, participated in the study. Psychometric analyses included exploratory factor analysis and correlation coefficients to assess reliability and construct validity. Convergent validity was evaluated through standardized measures of anxiety, reproductive concerns, and quality of life. Results: A final 22-item measure demonstrated strong reliability and validity, capturing four factors: (i) Disease-Related Information, (ii) Symptoms and Functional Limitations, (iii) Implications for Fertility and Parenthood, and (iv) Support Services. Participants expressed low satisfaction with information on fertility preservation, sexual health, and support services. Lower satisfaction was moderately associated with higher anxiety and depression while positively related to quality of life. Most participants preferred phased, face-to-face communication throughout the illness trajectory. Conclusions: The SIPYF-CPS is a valid, multidimensional tool that captures the complex and evolving informational needs of young female cancer survivors. Its clinical use may promote earlier, personalized, and emotionally responsive communication—supporting psychological well-being, informed decision-making, and long-term survivorship care. Full article

Background/Objectives: One current cancer treatment is immunotherapy, in which tumor antigens (such as MAGE) or adjuvants (such as CpGs) can be used to induce the destruction of tumor cells by the immune system; however, the therapeutic response is generally weak. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a strategy that increases the immune response induced by tumor antigens and CpGs. We propose the coupling of tumor antigens and adjuvants to chitosan (Cs) microparticles to improve the immune response against cancer, as these microparticles can activate the innate immune response when recognized by macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs). Methods: Cs microparticles coupled with CpGs and tumor antigens were constructed with the emulsification method; then, their morphology, in vitro biological effect on DCs, and therapeutic effect in a murine melanoma model were analyzed. Results: The Cs microparticles showed a rounded morphology and a size of approximately 5 μ; in addition, they were not cytotoxic in in vitro assays and induced the production of IFNα. Finally, in the murine model of melanoma, treatment with Cs microparticles coupled to MAGE or CpGs reduced the tumor growth rate and increased both survival and the presence of cell death areas in the tumor parenchyma in contrast to the control group. Conclusions: The results suggest that treatment with Cs microparticles coupled to tumor antigen and/or CpGs can be considered a promising strategy in the field of immunotherapy based on the use of biomaterials. Full article

An accurate assessment of alcohol consumption is essential for identifying at-risk individuals and informing prevention and intervention strategies. The present study aimed to validate the Italian version of the Alcohol Use Questionnaire (AUQ), a self-report instrument designed to assess both general alcohol intake and binge drinking patterns. A sample of 378 Italian participants (54.5% female; M_age = 26.76 years, SD = 8.44) completed the AUQ along with additional measures assessing binge eating and psychological vulnerabilities related to addiction. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a bifactor model reflecting two distinct but related dimensions: general intake and binge drinking. Network analysis highlighted the central role of perceived frequency of intoxication within the structure of alcohol-related behaviors. Both AUQ indices showed good internal consistency and significant associations with external variables, particularly impulsivity, dissociation, and affect dysregulation, supporting construct validity. The Italian AUQ emerges as a valid and reliable tool for assessing alcohol use patterns and may be useful in both research and clinical practice. Full article