Search Results (198)

Dog-assisted services are employed in healthcare, educational, social-care, and community settings, yet systems for preparing and protecting therapy dogs remain unevenly developed. This narrative review synthesises empirical, conceptual, and governance literature on therapy dog preparation in selected European contexts and the United States. Searches were conducted across academic databases, specialist repositories, and grey-literature sources, with evidence organised thematically around governance, candidate selection, training, handler competency, welfare monitoring, health and zoonotic risk management, and career lifecycle management. The synthesis shows that therapy dog governance remains fragmented, with international guidance, voluntary certification systems, national guideline frameworks, and legally embedded models differing in scope, enforceability, welfare safeguards, handler requirements, and re-evaluation. Across preparation domains, the review identifies a need to move beyond dog-level pass–fail certification toward assessment of the human–dog team within specific intervention contexts. Reward-based and consent-oriented preparation, multimodal welfare monitoring, handler stress recognition, veterinary screening, infection control procedures, workload regulation, and retirement planning emerge as central but inconsistently standardised requirements. The review proposes a tiered lifecycle framework conceptualising therapy dog readiness as a dynamic, welfare-centred, context-dependent process from selection through active service and retirement. Future research should prioritise longitudinal welfare assessment, validated selection and handler competency tools, comparative governance evaluation, positive welfare indicators, and transparent reporting of preparation variables. Full article

Resilience, the capacity to recover from adversity, manage stress, and maintain well-being, is vital for pharmacy students to manage academic stress, clinical challenges, and future professional demands. Despite its recognised importance, pharmacy curricula often lack structured resilience education. This pilot study aimed to design, implement, and evaluate resilience-focused activities within Monash University’s Bachelor of Pharmacy (Hons)/Master of Pharmacy program. This study employed a descriptive cross-sectional educational evaluation design using a single post-intervention survey to explore student perceptions following participation in curriculum-integrated resilience activities within the Skills Coaching program. Sessions used reflective frameworks and interactive small-group activities facilitated by staff and pharmacists across the Australian and Malaysian campuses. In 2022, 1061 students participated, with feedback response rates between 26 and 40%. Students reported perceived improvements in their understanding of resilience following participation in the sessions. Likert-scale responses indicated improved understanding of resilience and highlighted strong engagement with case discussions and reflective exercises. Findings from this pilot inform curriculum refinement, assessment design, and faculty development to support sustainable integration of resilience education in pharmacy programs. This work also supports the lead author’s doctoral research to develop a comprehensive resilience curriculum for undergraduate pharmacy education. Full article

University students face academic demands that may be associated with reduced use of active coping when perceived as stressful. This study examined whether feedback seeking, cooperative work, time management, and active learning moderated the association between perceived academic stressors and active coping. A cross-sectional, non-experimental design was used with 1014 undergraduates from the University of Extremadura. Participants completed measures of perceived academic stressors (E-CEA), active coping (A-CEA), and good practices (IBPEU). Four separate moderation models were estimated using PROCESS Model 1 with 5000 bootstrap resamples, adjusting for age, gender, year of study, and field of study. Perceived academic stressors were negatively associated with active coping, whereas all four good-practice dimensions were positively associated with it. All interaction terms were positive and statistically significant (B = 0.058–0.086, p = 0.017–0.046), but each accounted for only 0.34–0.49% of additional explained variance. Across all four models, higher reported levels of the corresponding good-practice dimension were associated with a less pronounced negative association between perceived academic stressors and active coping. The findings may inform the development and evaluation of student-support and instructional initiatives focused on feedback literacy, cooperative skills, time planning, and active engagement with learning. They also point to the relevance of educational conditions that may facilitate these practices within university learning environments. Full article

Background/Objectives: Perceived stress and sleep quality are increasingly recognized as important determinants of emotional eating (EE), particularly among university students who are frequently exposed to academic pressures, psychosocial challenges, and lifestyle disruptions. Both stress and sleep quality are closely interconnected, with elevated stress contributing to sleep disturbances and poor sleep further exacerbating psychological distress. The present study aims to simultaneously examine the independent contributions of perceived stress and sleep quality to EE while accounting for other relevant sociodemographic, lifestyle, and anthropometric factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 1297 university students recruited from 10 geographical regions of Greece. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, academic profile, lifestyle behaviors, and anthropometric parameters were collected using standardized and validated assessment instruments. Perceived stress was measured using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), while sleep quality was evaluated with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Emotional eating was assessed using the Emotional Eating subscale of the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire–Revised 18 (TFEQ-R18), and participants were subsequently classified into tertiles corresponding to low, moderate, and high levels of emotional eating. Results: Perceived stress was independently associated with EE in the multivariable analysis. Compared with students reporting low levels of stress, those experiencing high perceived stress exhibited almost threefold greater odds of being classified in higher emotional eating categories (OR = 2.86; p = 0.0001). Likewise, participants with moderate perceived stress were approximately twice as likely to demonstrate elevated emotional eating levels relative to their low-stress counterparts (OR = 2.01; p = 0.0001). Sleep quality was also independently associated with EE after adjustment for potential confounding factors. Specifically, students characterized by inadequate sleep quality had more than three times the likelihood of belonging to higher emotional eating categories compared with those reporting satisfactory sleep quality (OR = 3.08; p = 0.0001). The multivariable model demonstrated good fit (Likelihood Ratio Test, p < 0.001), and the proportional odds assumption was satisfied (p = 0.46). Conclusions: These findings underscore the important role of psychological distress and sleep health in EE behavior, independent of other sociodemographic, academic, lifestyle, and anthropometric factors. Given the observed associations, interventions incorporating stress-management and sleep-improvement components may represent promising approaches for addressing emotional eating among university students; however, longitudinal and intervention studies are needed to establish causality. Future longitudinal and intervention studies are needed to establish causality among perceived stress, sleep quality, and emotional eating. Full article

Life skills are essential to human functioning, particularly during the transition into adulthood. This study analyzed the validity of two related measures of life skills (Life Skills Acquisition Questionnaire—LSAQ; and Life Skills Questionnaire—LSQ), which may serve as useful tools for understanding which life skills are learned and how their acquisition progresses. A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted with a final sample of 1148 high school students who completed LSAQ, LSQ, and a measure of academic achievement expectations (AAEs). Factorial structure, reliability, convergent, discriminant and predictive validity, as well as temporal stability was assessed for both measures. LSAQ results endorsed either a four-factor model or a second-order latent factor, both encompassing key stages of life skills development (i.e., motivation, learning, automatization, and transference). LSQ results supported validity for six life skills (motivation, time management, stress management, communication, teamwork, and leadership). Both instruments showed the predictive validity of AAEs and good temporal stability. Both measures can help practitioners and researchers evaluate whether opportunities such as intervention programs affect the acquisition and diversity of life skills that students gain. They are also useful for testing theoretical models of life skills and for providing insights into how these skills are developed. Full article

Background/Objectives: Active surveillance (AS) is the recommended management strategy for localized, early-stage prostate cancer. Despite promising cancer-specific outcomes, up to one-third of men discontinue AS and undergo radical prostatectomy without evidence of disease progression, often because of stress, anxiety, uncertainty, and unmet supportive care needs. Evidence-based psychosocial interventions tailored to men on AS are lacking. We aimed to: (1) adapt the Stress Management and Resilience Training (SMART) program to address the unique psychosocial and supportive care needs of men with prostate cancer on AS (SMART-AS), and (2) evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of SMART-AS. Methods: Following the Assessment, Decision, Adaptation, Production, Topical Experts, Integration, Training, Testing (ADAPT-ITT) framework, we adapted SMART for men with prostate cancer on AS (SMART-AS) informed by our prior qualitative study and expert input. Next, we conducted a single-arm pilot feasibility study at one large urban academic medical center. Participants attended eight weekly 90-minute telehealth group SMART-AS sessions. Feasibility and acceptability were evaluated one-week post-intervention. Results: Based on our prior qualitative study and expert input, core SMART-AS components included content targeting stress, anxiety, communication, and self-management. In total, 30 participants were enrolled in the pilot feasibility study and completed baseline assessments (mean age = 71 years, standard deviation = 8.3); 26/30 (86.7%) completed six out of eight SMART-AS sessions, and 17/30 (56.7%) completed post-intervention assessments. Nearly all (16/17, 94.1%) reported that they would recommend SMART-AS to others. Most agreed that SMART-AS helped them talk to clinicians (13/17, 76.5%), reduced anxiety (13/17, 76.5%), enhanced coping skills for AS challenges (15/17, 88.2%), and supported self-care (15/17, 88.2%). Nearly two-thirds (11/17, 64.7%) reported SMART-AS helped them continue AS as a management strategy. Conclusions: This pilot study provides preliminary evidence supporting the feasibility and acceptability of SMART-AS among men with prostate cancer on AS. Participants reported perceived improvements in anxiety, coping, communication with clinicians, and self-management. Findings support further evaluation in a randomized controlled trial. Full article

Sleep disturbances are central to students’ experience of academic stress, yet their involvement in differentiated emotional, cognitive, and physical responses to academic demands requires further specification. This study tested a statistical mediation model in which sleep disturbances were specified as the statistical mediator between perceived academic stressors and irritability, negative thoughts, and physical exhaustion. Using a non-experimental cross-sectional design, data were collected from 1014 undergraduates at the University of Extremadura (M_age = 20.56, SD = 3.50), who completed the Academic Stressors Scale (E-CEA) and Academic Stress Responses Scale (R-CEA). Three mediation models were estimated with PROCESS Model 4, adjusting for gender, year of study, and field of study. Academic stressors were positively associated with sleep disturbances (β = 0.52, p < 0.001), which were positively associated with the three stress responses (β = 0.30–0.41, all p < 0.001). Academic stressors remained directly associated with these outcomes after accounting for sleep disturbances (β = 0.32–0.48, all p < 0.001). Indirect associations through sleep disturbances were observed for irritability (β = 0.19, 95% CI [0.15, 0.23]), negative thoughts (β = 0.16, 95% CI [0.12, 0.20]), and physical exhaustion (β = 0.21, 95% CI [0.17, 0.25]). Findings indicate partial cross-sectional statistical mediation and suggest that sleep-focused prevention may complement efforts to manage academic demands and student well-being. Full article

Background: Young adults face a convergence of academic, economic, and social pressures that elevates their risk for stress-related psychological disorders. Perceived stress encompasses two theoretically and empirically distinct components, perceived helplessness and perceived self-efficacy, but most research treats it as a single composite score, obscuring the differential mechanisms through which each dimension influences mental health. Aim: The study aimed to (i) quantify the direct effects of perceived helplessness and perceived self-efficacy on psychological distress, (ii) test insomnia and physical activity as concurrent mediators of each dimension’s indirect pathway to distress, and (iii) determine whether the two stress dimensions activate meaningfully distinct mechanisms. Methods: A cross-sectional study enrolled 1688 young adults aged 18–23 years (M = 18.76, SD = 1.01; 41.6% female) from higher education institutions in Tunisia. Participants completed Arabic-validated versions of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21), and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Structural equation modeling (SEM) with unweighted least squares estimation and 5000 bootstrap resamples tested direct and indirect pathways. Results: Perceived helplessness exerted strong direct effects on psychological distress (beta = 0.25, p < 0.001) and substantial indirect effects through insomnia (beta = 0.21, p < 0.001) and physical activity (beta = 0.03, p < 0.001). Insomnia was the dominant mediator, showing the strongest bivariate association with distress (r = 0.58, p < 0.01). Perceived self-efficacy produced markedly weaker direct (beta = 0.06, p = 0.002) and indirect effects, a pattern that, like its other associations in the model, runs in the same positive direction as perceived helplessness rather than the inverse direction conventionally expected of a protective factor. Model fit was acceptable (CFI = 0.994, SRMR = 0.018, RMSEA = 0.076, the latter below the conventional 0.08 threshold). Conclusions: Stress management deficits are associated with psychological distress primarily through sleep disruption, consistent with a mediating role for insomnia in this cross-sectional sample. Physical activity provides a meaningful but secondary protective correlate. These findings offer a preliminary, hypothesis-generating basis for stratified, mechanism-based mental health interventions targeting sleep regulation and stress management in young adult populations, pending prospective confirmation. Full article

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide an integrative review of Positive Psychology in contemporary organizational contexts, examining how psychological resources such as Psychological Capital, Emotional Intelligence, Mindfulness, Psychological Safety, Self-Determination Theory, and Positive Leadership contribute to employee well-being, flourishing, and organizational effectiveness. Design/Methodology/Approach: This study adopts a narrative integrative literature review approach, synthesizing recent theoretical and empirical research in Positive Organizational Psychology, Organizational Behavior, and Human Resource Management. The review integrates foundational theories with contemporary empirical findings published in high-impact academic journals to develop a comprehensive conceptual framework. Findings: The findings indicate that Positive Psychological constructs are consistently associated with higher levels of employee engagement, job satisfaction, performance, resilience, and flourishing, while reducing burnout, stress, and turnover intentions. Psychological Capital emerges as a key malleable resource, while Mindfulness and Emotional Intelligence enhance self-regulation and interpersonal effectiveness. Originality: The paper integrates multiple streams of Positive Psychology into a unified conceptual model, combining individual-level psychological resources with motivational and organizational-contextual factors. Research limitations/implications: As a narrative review, the study does not include primary empirical data or statistical testing. Future research should empirically validate the proposed integrative framework using longitudinal and cross-cultural designs. Practical implications: Organizations can enhance employee well-being and performance by implementing Psychological Capital Interventions, mindfulness-based programs, strengths-based development, and psychologically safe leadership practices. Social implications: The findings highlight the broader societal value of fostering psychologically healthy workplaces that promote sustainable employment, mental health, and human flourishing. Full article

Background: The increasing prevalence of diabetes mellitus and metabolic risk factors among young adults has become a major public health concern. University students are particularly vulnerable to unhealthy lifestyle changes, including sedentary behavior, insufficient physical activity, and academic stress, all of which may be associated with an elevated risk of metabolic disorders. Objective: This study aimed to examine the associations of academic stress, physical activity, and sedentary behavior with diabetes risk among university students. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among 264 university students recruited through an online survey. Academic stress was assessed using a six-item Likert-scale instrument, while diabetes risk was evaluated using a composite score derived from indicators adapted from the modified Finnish Diabetes Risk Score (modified FINDRISC). Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s alpha reliability testing, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), Spearman’s correlation analysis, and multivariable logistic regression. Results: The academic stress instrument demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.85). Exploratory factor analysis supported the construct validity of the instrument, with all six items loading substantially on a common academic stress factor. Correlation analysis revealed that academic stress was positively associated with sedentary behavior and diabetes risk, whereas physical activity was negatively associated with diabetes risk. Multivariable logistic regression showed that academic stress was significantly associated with an increased risk of diabetes (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.18, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02–1.36; p = 0.028). Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was associated with a lower risk of diabetes (aOR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.60–0.92; p = 0.011), while longer sitting duration was associated with an increased risk of diabetes. Conclusions: Academic stress, sedentary behavior, and physical activity were significantly associated with diabetes risk among university students. These findings highlight the importance of developing university-based health promotion programs that integrate stress management, physical activity promotion, and sedentary behavior reduction to support the prevention of metabolic risk factors in young adults. Full article

Background/Objectives: Depression is a mood disorder characterized by persistent sadness and loss of interest. Pharmacy students exhibit a relatively high prevalence of depressive symptoms, which may negatively impact quality of life, academic performance, and, in severe cases, lead to suicidal ideation. Given the increasing trend of medication use among young adults, we hypothesized that this behavior may be associated with depressive symptoms, potentially reflecting attempts to manage concurrent physical symptoms or reduced psychological well-being. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the association between depressive symptoms and medication use among pharmacy students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among students enrolled in pharmacy-related programs from University Center for Exact Sciences and Engineering (CUCEI), University of Guadalajara. Participants completed a personalized questionnaire assessing sociodemographic variables, medication use, comorbid conditions, and depressive symptoms using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant characteristics. Categorical variables were reported as frequencies and percentages and compared using the chi-square test. Continuous variables were summarized as means and standard deviations and compared using Student t-test. To evaluate factors associated with moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms, logistic regression and multivariable linear regression analyses were performed. Results: A total of 365 students completed our personalized questionnaire; nearly half of the sample (47.3%) presented moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms. Multivariable analyses showed that insufficient sleep, academic stress, psychological support, and the number of medications used simultaneously were significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Logistic regression identified being in a relationship and receiving psychological support for at least one year as protective factors, while employment, insufficient sleep, academic stress, and a greater number of concomitant medications were associated with increased odds of moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms. Conclusions: A modest association was observed between self-reported medication use and moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms among pharmacy students. These findings suggest that medication use patterns may warrant further investigation as a potential marker of depressive symptoms in pharmacy students. Future longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the nature and direction of this association and to determine whether medication use could contribute to the identification of students at increased risk of depression. Full article

Background: University students experience increased psychological distress during academic transitions, yet modifiable lifestyle determinants of their subjective well-being remain incompletely understood within integrated analytical frameworks. Methods: A cross-sectional survey (N = 194 undergraduates; 52.6% women; M age = 21.9 years) used validated instruments: the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Body Appreciation Scale-2 Short Form (BAS-2SF), Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF), and single-item measures of financial security and screen time. Physical activity (PA) was log-transformed (MET_log). Multiple simultaneous regression and structural equation modelling (SEM) were conducted. Results: Perceived stress was the strongest negative predictor of life satisfaction (B = −0.561, p < 0.001), while financial security was a significant positive predictor (B = +0.171, p = 0.023). SEM showed that body appreciation was associated with life satisfaction primarily through lower perceived stress (indirect effect = 0.107; consistent with indirect-only association pattern), while PA showed a significant direct association with life satisfaction (β = +0.143, p = 0.030), independent of the stress pathway. The indirect effect of PA via stress was not significant in the SEM. Model fit was acceptable (CFI = 0.951; RMSEA = 0.067). Conclusions: Perceived stress was statistically associated with the relationship between body appreciation and subjective well-being, while PA showed a direct statistical association with well-being that was independent of the stress pathway. Given the cross-sectional nature of this study, these findings suggest that university health promotion programmes may consider integrating positive body image and stress management components alongside PA promotion to support student psychological well-being. Full article

Background/Objectives: Mental health problems are common among university students and are more consistently associated with dissatisfaction with academic performance than with low grades alone. This study examined the prevalence and determinants of perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and low psychological well-being among university students in Punjab, Pakistan, and assessed their association with academic performance. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among students aged 15 to 29 years at three public universities in Punjab, Pakistan. A total of 1308 questionnaires were completed, yielding a response rate of 91.4%. This study uses data collected in 2015 as a pre-COVID historical baseline, providing valuable insights into student mental health before the global pandemic. This temporal context offers a benchmark for future comparative studies, especially when assessing the mental health impact of COVID-19 on university students. Data were analyzed using SPSS with descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, binary logistic regression, and multinomial logistic regression. Results: The findings revealed that perceived stress and depressive symptoms were prevalent, with 54.9% of students reporting high levels of stress (mean PSS score = 27.6, SD = 8.3), and 44.2% experiencing depressive symptoms (mean M-BDI score = 33.8, SD = 16.2). Female students exhibited higher stress and depressive symptoms compared to male students. Year of study was also a factor, with second- and third-year students experiencing more stress than their final-year counterparts (p < 0.05). Financial strain was associated with poorer mental health outcomes; 62% of students who reported inadequate financial support also reported higher stress levels (p < 0.05). In contrast, students with sufficient financial resources had lower odds of experiencing stress and depressive symptoms (AOR = 0.55, p < 0.05). Additionally, students living in university or private hostels reported better psychological well-being than those living at home (AOR = 0.47, p < 0.01). Mental health issues, particularly high stress and depression, were more strongly linked with academic dissatisfaction than low grades alone, with students in the “low grades and unsatisfied” group exhibiting higher odds of mental health problems (AOR = 2.30, p < 0.05). Conclusions: Mental health problems were common among university students and were associated with poorer academic experiences, particularly dissatisfaction with academic performance. Universities should strengthen accessible mental health support through counseling services, stress-management programs, and stigma-reduction initiatives. Full article

Background/Objectives: Pediatric hematology and oncology patients are at increased risk for psychosocial and neurocognitive difficulties following treatment. Survivorship programs monitor late effects associated with disease and treatment history, with most programs focusing on screening and referring. Relatively less focus is placed on psychoeducation and intervention. The current paper describes the process of creating a novel psychology trainee-led consultation service embedded within a multidisciplinary survivorship clinic. Methods: A psychology intern collaborated with clinic staff and reviewed existing literature to inform the nature of the service. Patients seen in clinic met with the psychology intern for a 20-min visit focused on an area of concern identified during existing neuropsychology and/or social work assessment visits. Topics addressed included coping with stress, anxiety management, improving mood, sleep hygiene, parenting responses to common behavioral issues, and the acquisition of academic support. Pilot patient satisfaction data were collected via a questionnaire at the end of the visit, without any patient-identifiable factors attached to response data. Results: Most patients and families (90%) found the service helpful. Moreover, the majority of families (90%) found a 20-min service delivery to be adequate. The most common topic area addressed was anxiety management. Conclusions: Results demonstrate high patient satisfaction. Advantages of this service include rapid access to a no-fee support addressing common mental health and neurocognitive sequelae of childhood cancer and the expansion of psychology training opportunities. Future research should evaluate the service using validated outcome measures and examine its long-term effects. Full article

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) is widely used in mental health care for screening, monitoring, and intervention. Notably, most studies of AI in mental health have been performed in Western contexts, with limited evidence from the Arab Gulf region, where cultural factors such as stigma, privacy, and help-seeking norms may influence acceptance. Objective: Investigating university students’ perceptions of AI in mental health support, including awareness, trust, readiness, and preferences in a Gulf context. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered to 220 university students in Qatar. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and one-way ANOVA to explore associations and group differences. Results: Students showed low-to-moderate levels of awareness and trust in AI-based mental health tools. The majority of participants showed that they were prepared to employ AI for stress management, but they do not prefer to replace face-to-face therapy, suggesting a preference for complementary use. A significant association was found between readiness and expectations (p < 0.00001), which means ambivalence toward AI effectiveness. No significant differences were observed across gender or academic level (p > 0.05). Key concerns included loss of human interaction, overreliance on technology, and diagnostic accuracy, while perceived benefits included cost reduction and 24/7 accessibility. Conclusions: Students exhibit cautious adoption of AI in mental health services. Acceptance is influenced by trust, privacy issues, and apparent compassion. AI is optimally situated as a supplementary instrument within ethically regulated, culturally attuned hybrid care frameworks that maintain the fundamental importance of human connection. Full article