Search Results (2,598)

Background: Life satisfaction is a key component of subjective well-being in later life and may be associated with psychological, economic, family, functional, and food-related factors. Objective: This study aimed to identify factors associated with life satisfaction among older adults, considering sociodemographic characteristics, food insecurity, physical activity, and psychological factors. Methods: A quantitative, observational, analytical, cross-sectional study was conducted with 200 noninstitutionalized older adults from Sogamoso, Colombia. Self-report instruments assessed life satisfaction, food insecurity, physical activity, depression, anxiety, and perceived stress. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, group comparison tests, Pearson correlations, and multiple linear regression. Results: Higher perceived stress (B = −0.762, p < 0.001), perceived insufficient income (B = −3.380, p < 0.001), self-employment (B = −2.153, p = 0.009), other sources of income (B = −2.569, p = 0.017), and technical education (B = −4.744, p = 0.003) were associated with lower life satisfaction. Conversely, combined engagement in strength and flexibility exercises (B = 3.203, p < 0.001), having two children (B = 3.498, p = 0.002), and having three or more children (B = 2.618, p = 0.008) were associated with higher life satisfaction. Primary education was not significantly associated with life satisfaction after adjustment (p = 0.093). Food insecurity was associated with life satisfaction in the bivariate analysis but did not remain statistically significant in the adjusted model. The regression model explained 48.7% of the variance in life satisfaction (R² = 0.487; adjusted R² = 0.457). Conclusions: Life satisfaction among older adults was associated with psychological, economic, family, and functional factors. The findings highlight the relevance of perceived stress, economic security, functional physical activity, and family resources when addressing subjective well-being in later life. Full article

Background/Objectives: Reduced hand function significantly contributes to disability in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). We aimed to evaluate the effects on hand function and quality of life of a multicomponent hand rehabilitation program in patients with longstanding SSc. Methods: This prospective, controlled, interventional pilot study enrolled adults with SSc, disease duration >5 years and ≥1 upper limb joint contracture. The intervention consisted of 10 sessions over 5 weeks, including paraffin wax therapy and individualized hand rehabilitation. The allocation to the intervention or control group was based on the patients’ availability to participate in the program. Hand mobility/function and health-related quality of life were assessed through validated outcome measures at baseline and after 5 weeks. Results: Sixteen patients were included (intervention N = 10; control N = 6), with a median disease duration of 19.5 (15.3–24.3) years. Within the intervention group, significant improvements were observed in right-hand Hand Mobility in Scleroderma (HAMIS) score (p = 0.033) and in the Short Form (SF)-36 domains of “Energy/fatigue” (p = 0.008), “Emotional well-being” (p = 0.009), “Pain” (p = 0.020), and “General health” (p = 0.050). Compared with controls, significant benefit was observed in the SF-36 “Energy/fatigue” (p = 0.002; d = 1.97) and “General health” (p = 0.011; d = 1.50) domains. Between-group differences in hand function measures did not reach statistical significance, although moderate-to-large effect sizes favored rehabilitation across several outcomes. Conclusions: In this pilot study, a multicomponent hand rehabilitation program was associated with improvements in quality of life in patients with longstanding SSc, despite limited effects on hand mobility. These preliminary findings suggest a potential benefit of hand rehabilitation even in advanced disease. Full article

Background: Premenstrual disorders (PMDs), including premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder, are common conditions that may substantially affect adolescents’ physical and psychological well-being. However, their presentation and management during adolescence are complicated by reproductive-axis maturation, overlap with other medical conditions, and limited adolescent-specific evidence. This review aimed to provide an interdisciplinary perspective on PMDs in adolescents, integrating biological, psychological, developmental, clinical, and sociocultural aspects. Methods: A structured narrative review was conducted. Publications addressing the neuroendocrine and developmental mechanisms, clinical manifestations, psychosocial consequences, diagnosis, and treatment of PMDs were considered, with adolescent-specific evidence prioritized where available. Results: Current evidence suggests that PMDs are associated with altered sensitivity to physiological ovarian steroid fluctuations and their neuroactive effects rather than abnormal circulating hormone concentrations alone. In adolescents, PMDs may present with diverse somatic, affective, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms and are associated with impaired quality of life, school functioning, interpersonal relationships, and psychological well-being. Diagnostic assessment remains challenging because symptoms may overlap with normal pubertal changes and psychiatric disorders. Prospective monitoring of symptom cyclicity and functional impairment is therefore essential. Pharmacological treatments, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and selected combined oral contraceptives, represent important therapeutic options, while psychological, lifestyle, physical activity, and physiotherapeutic interventions may provide additional benefits. However, most treatment evidence is derived from adult populations. Conclusions: PMDs in adolescents should be conceptualized as multidimensional conditions requiring an interdisciplinary approach integrating gynecological, psychiatric, psychological, endocrinological, primary care, and lifestyle perspectives. Greater recognition and developmentally appropriate assessment may facilitate earlier diagnosis and individualized management. Further prospective, adolescent-specific research is needed to clarify the biological and psychosocial determinants of PMDs and establish evidence-based strategies for their multidisciplinary management. Full article

Background: HIV-related stigma and discrimination remain barriers to equitable HIV prevention, treatment, and well-being in Thailand despite their longstanding inclusion in the national HIV response. This study examined contemporary experiences of stigma and discrimination among people living with HIV. Methods: The people living with HIV Stigma Index 2.0 was a community-led mixed-methods study conducted from August 2022 to January 2023. The quantitative survey enrolled 2508 people living with HIV from 24 provinces covering all 13 health regions, including general adults living with HIV, four key population groups, migrant workers, and young people. A nested qualitative study included 174 in-depth interviews across six population groups. Results: Sixteen percent of participants reported HIV-related discrimination in healthcare services in the previous 12 months, 4.7% reported community stigma in the past 12 months, 39.0% reported internalized stigma, and 2.7% experienced rights abuse in the past 12 months. Younger people living with HIV reported significantly higher levels of healthcare discrimination, community stigma, internalized stigma, and rights abuse than older participants and the general people living with HIV reference group. Compared with general people living with HIV, sex workers and people who use drugs reported significantly higher levels of community stigma; men who have sex with men, sex workers, people who use drugs, and migrant workers reported significantly higher internalized stigma; and transgender people and sex workers reported significantly higher levels of rights abuse. Qualitative findings highlighted anticipated and enacted stigma, confidentiality concerns, internalized stigma, intersecting identities, rights violations, and resilience. Conclusions: HIV-related stigma remains evident in healthcare, community, and personal domains. Younger people living with HIV and key populations were particularly vulnerable to HIV-related stigma, discrimination, and rights abuse. Responses should combine updated public communication, stigma-free and person-centered healthcare, protection of privacy and rights, support for internalized stigma and mental well-being, and sustained leadership of people living with HIV. Full article

Background: Slowing the progression of dementia and maintaining mental and social health and well-being are important aspects of health and healthcare for people living with dementia (PLwD). Relationships with family caregivers and unique caregiver insights are also important aspects of the health and well-being of PLwD. Methods: A group-based gaming system was developed to promote health and well-being for PLwD through movement, cognitive exercises, and social interaction. Included were family caregivers of clients living with mild- or moderate-stage impairment in an adult day center selected for the gaming intervention. Prior to implementing the intervention, three separate focus groups were conducted with 21 caregivers of PLwD, divided into each of the three focus groups based on their availability, to explore what it is like to care for someone living with dementia, their loved ones’ mood, and their questions or concerns regarding the gaming intervention. Responses were thematically analyzed. Results: In total, 21 caregivers participated in the focus groups. Six themes were identified: mutuality and strategies for coping with varying emotions; new challenges and successes with connecting and relating; multidimensional challenges with adjusting to decline, help-seeking, and providing care; community, social support, and resilience; technology and community resources as tools to ease caregiving burdens, and interest in digital gaming for PLwD. Conclusions: Our results suggest that group-based digital gaming interventions may be useful to both caregivers and PLwD, by offering meaningful opportunities for social engagement. Full article

Background/Objectives: Liver transplantation (LT) is life-saving, yet its long-term impact on quality of life (QoL) remains complex and incompletely characterized. A standardized, transplant-specific patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) for routine use in European LT recipients is currently lacking. Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional survey assessed QoL among 794 adult LT recipients across 22 European countries using a purpose-built, 48-item transplant-specific questionnaire developed within the European Society for Organ Transplantation (ESOT) Patient Inclusion Initiative. The instrument has not undergone psychometric validation and was used as an exploratory research survey. Respondents were grouped by time since LT (0–5, 6–12, and ≥13 years). Group comparisons used chi-square tests with Benjamini–Hochberg correction, followed by multivariable analyses adjusted for relevant sociodemographic factors. Results: Median time since LT was 6 years (IQR 3–12). After multiple-testing correction, alcohol consumption (q < 0.001), feeling that life is worth living (q = 0.029), and changes in social life (q = 0.029) differed between groups. In multivariable analysis, only alcohol consumption remained independently associated with time since LT, with progressively higher odds at 6–12 years (aOR 4.18, 95% CI 2.56–6.82) and ≥13 years (aOR 7.09, 95% CI 4.27–11.77) compared with 0–5 years. Physical health, emotional functioning, sexual health, satisfaction with care and medication adherence did not differ between groups. Conclusions: This large European survey provides hypothesis-generating information on self-reported well-being after LT. Alcohol consumption was the only outcome independently associated with time since transplantation. These findings support prospective studies using psychometrically validated patient-reported measures. Full article

Background: Stress represents a significant public health concern and is associated with diminished psychological resilience among students and young adults. Mental toughness, the capacity to function effectively under pressure, may be influenced by attitudes toward emerging technologies. Methods: This cross-sectional study investigated whether trust in artificial intelligence (AI) moderates the relationship between perceived stress and mental toughness. Students attending a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) participated (n = 109); 84.4% were aged 18–25 years. Perceived stress was assessed using an adapted six-item DASS stress index, while mental toughness and AI trust were measured using adapted multi-item scales. Hierarchical regression analyses examined the moderating role of AI trust. Results: Higher perceived stress was associated with lower mental toughness. Although AI trust did not directly predict mental toughness after accounting for the interaction, a significant interaction emerged: students with greater AI trust showed a weaker negative association between stress and mental toughness. Conclusions: Higher AI trust was associated with attenuation of the negative relationship between perceived stress and mental toughness among students. These findings may inform future research on trustworthy AI, student well-being, and evidence-based public health strategies for students in high-stress environments. Full article

Objective. The main objective of this study was to examine the effects of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) on psychological, sleep, and performance outcomes in powerlifters. Previous research has primarily focused on taVNS in clinical or healthy samples and showed improvements in psychological functioning, recovery, and sleep. Evidence for beneficial effects of taVNS in healthy athletes, however, is missing so far. Methods. Over the course of 4 weeks, 10 healthy adult powerlifters self-administered taVNS five times a week for 30 min after strength training or before bedtime, in an uncontrolled, single-arm pilot design without a sham or control condition. Measurements were taken at three time points: before the intervention phase (pre), immediately after the 4-week intervention phase (post) and 1 month after the post-assessment (follow-up). Pre, post, and follow-up measurements included various subjective psychological domains (recovery, stress, perceived stress, affect, memory, attention, anxiety, and well-being), objective sleep domains (nocturnal HRV, sleep score, sleep duration, and subjective sleep quality), and submaximal strength performance outcomes in squat, bench press, and deadlift. The small sample size required non-parametric testing. Additionally, a responder analysis was conducted to explore individual differences in outcome-specific responses. Results. Results showed nominally significant pre-post improvements (uncorrected for multiple comparisons) in positive affect and self-reported attentional difficulties, both revealing large effect sizes; however, given the absence of a control group and the lack of correction for multiple comparisons across multiple outcomes tested, these findings should be interpreted as exploratory and hypothesis-generating rather than confirmatory. The remaining psychological domains and sleep outcomes did not show meaningful changes. Regarding performance, only two of the ten participants provided complete baseline training data, so no reliable conclusions about a beneficial effect of taVNS on strength performance could be drawn. The responder analysis was consistent with the two nominally significant findings but did not reveal a clear overall pattern of taVNS effectiveness. Conclusions. The current study is the first to implement a 4-week taVNS intervention in strength training and demonstrate differences in domain-specific responsiveness to taVNS in athletes for psychological health and self-reported cognitive performance. These findings offer important insights into the feasibility and practical application of taVNS in sports settings. Further studies with larger, sham-controlled samples, a pre-registered primary outcome and a longer intervention period are needed to determine whether these preliminary, hypothesis-generating findings reflect genuine effects of taVNS. Full article

Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) environments are increasingly adopted in clinical psychology and stress-management contexts; however, their therapeutic effectiveness depends on the system’s ability to understand and dynamically respond to users’ affective states. Emotional regulation plays a key role in psychological resilience, directly influencing stress coping mechanisms, cognitive performance, and overall mental well-being. Despite recent advances, automatic recognition of scenario-associated affective conditions in VR remains challenging because head-mounted displays occlude facial features. This study proposes a VR-based serious game for affective training and regulation, in which users interact with goal-oriented scenarios targeting fear, anger, and joy. We introduce a multimodal affective computing model to objectively assess users’ emotional responses by integrating electrocardiogram (ECG) signals and posture-based features extracted through computer vision. An early-fusion architecture combined with a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network captures temporal dependencies in synchronized multimodal data. We established a controlled experimental framework using immersive VR scenarios, enabling the collection of synchronized physiological and behavioral data from a cohort of 20 healthy adult participants. The proposed model was evaluated under a strict Leave-One-Subject-Out (LOSO) cross-validation scheme across independent subjects, achieving a robust inter-subject accuracy of $78.94\%\pm 10.77\%$ and a global macro F1-score of 0.635, demonstrating strong generalization to entirely unseen users without data leakage. Furthermore, the system maintained an outstanding balance in detecting active emotional states (recall > 80.0% for fear, anger, and joy). Additionally, subjective evaluations using the PANAS and SGU questionnaires confirmed the coherence between detected and perceived emotional states, as well as the system’s high usability. The results suggest the potential viability of combining immersive environments and multimodal affective computing to explore the technical feasibility of adaptive frameworks that could eventually translate into healthcare contexts. This work may contribute to the development of intelligent digital health technologies by providing a foundation for responsive VR systems that can monitor emotional regulation and are fully aligned with sustainable well-being ecosystems (SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities). Full article

This study explored whether engaging in volunteering predicted subjective wellbeing and loneliness, above and beyond known sociodemographic predictors. Secondary data from 7146 adults from the Taking Part 2019–2020 survey (UK household survey of participation in culture and sport) were analysed. Hierarchical regressions were used to explore whether engaging in volunteering (yes/no) predicts subjective wellbeing variables (a sense that life is worthwhile, happiness, life satisfaction and anxiety) and loneliness. Gender, age group, Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), health and employment status were included as covariates. Volunteering significantly and positively predicted a sense that life is worthwhile, although with small variance explained, and was also unexpectedly associated with greater anxiety. These relationships were observed above and beyond the variance explained by the known sociodemographic predictors. Our study provides some support for the idea that volunteering may be linked to greater wellbeing, in terms of life being worthwhile, but offers a note of caution about the potential negative relationship with anxiety. Based on our findings, we suggest that volunteering is not necessarily linked to greater hedonic wellbeing but may instead be linked to greater eudaimonic wellbeing, that is, a sense that life is worthwhile. Full article

Background/Objectives: Digital inequalities are increasingly recognized as a health-equity issue, yet self-reported practical digital competence and psychosocial well-being among adults with severe disabilities remain understudied. This study examined their cross-sectional association and indirect associations through perceived self-determination in daily life and subjective social isolation in a parallel model. Methods: Cross-sectional data from 1519 adults in a 2023 Seoul survey were analyzed. Self-reported practical digital competence was assessed with six task-ability items, perceived self-determination in daily life with one item, and subjective social isolation with two items. Adjusted product-of-coefficients models used 2000 bootstrap replications to calculate bias-corrected confidence intervals. Results: Self-reported practical digital competence was positively associated with psychosocial well-being (b = 0.085, p < 0.001). The indirect association through perceived self-determination in daily life was significant in the main analysis (estimate = 0.076, BC 95% CI [0.050, 0.106]) and remained significant across all sensitivity analyses. Self-reported practical digital competence was not significantly associated with subjective social isolation (b = −0.026, p = 0.203), and the corresponding indirect association was nonsignificant (estimate = 0.006, BC 95% CI [−0.003, 0.016]) and inconsistent across specifications. The direct association was near zero and nonsignificant after both psychosocial variables were included. Conclusions: The indirect association through perceived self-determination in daily life was consistent across analyses, but this single-item measure should be interpreted as a narrow indicator of perceived autonomy or control rather than the broader multidimensional construct of self-determination. Evidence for subjective social isolation was limited and specification-sensitive, and simultaneous measurement precludes temporal or causal interpretation. Digital inclusion efforts may benefit from combining practical digital skills with opportunities to support meaningful goals and everyday choices. Broader relational and environmental supports may also be needed for subjective social disconnection, and longitudinal and intervention research is warranted. Full article

Family offenses constitute relational experiences that can have a profound impact on the psychological well-being of sons and daughters. Although forgiveness has been consistently associated with higher levels of well-being, the relational processes that account for this association remain underexplored, particularly from the perspective of adolescent and emerging adult sons and daughters. The present study used a cross-sectional design to examine whether the desire for reconciliation mediates the relationship between the positive and negative dimensions of forgiveness (affective, behavioral, and cognitive) and psychological well-being following a family offense. A non-probability convenience sample of 419 Spanish young people and emerging adults from the general population, aged between 16 and 25 years (M = 20.54, SD = 2.69), was recruited across Spain through university channels, social media and snowball sampling, and an online survey was completed. Participants completed the Enright Forgiveness Inventory (EFI-30), the Desire for Reconciliation Scale (DRS) and the Psychological Well-Being Scales for Youths–Short Form (PWB-YS-SF). Results indicated a pattern of associations consistent with the desire for reconciliation, mediating the relationship between all forgiveness dimensions and psychological well-being. These associations remained significant after adjusting for sociodemographic and offense-related covariates. However, the distinction between partial and full mediation across dimensions was not robust enough to correct for multiple testing, and when the overlap among the six highly intercorrelated dimensions was controlled, only positive affect and positive cognition retained a unique association with the desire for reconciliation. Overall, the findings suggest that the link between forgiveness and well-being in young people is partly accounted for by the desire to repair the family relationship. Full article

Population ageing, social isolation, and limited opportunities for meaningful contact between generations pose important challenges to healthy ageing and community well-being. This mixed-methods pilot study examined the feasibility, acceptability, co-creation process, and preliminary outcomes of the P-IN Programme, a community-based intergenerational intervention involving preschool children and older adults living in residential care. The programme was developed and implemented in partnership with a preschool and a residential care facility in Portugal and comprised ten intergenerational sessions shaped through an iterative co-creation process involving participants, professionals, and researchers. Twenty-three children, eighteen older adults, and five professionals contributed to the study. Quantitative pre–post assessment explored fluency in both generations and cognitive functioning, quality of life, subjective well-being, and social participation in older adults. Qualitative data examined intergenerational beliefs, participants’ experiences, relationships, and reciprocal learning, while also informing the co-creation process. Most quantitative outcomes remained stable, although cognitive functioning showed a moderate, non-significant effect. Perceived quality of life changed significantly in an unfavourable direction. In contrast, qualitative findings revealed broader and more relational representations of the other generation, alongside shared experiences and clearer recognition of reciprocal learning. The integration of both components showed that positive relational and experiential changes were not necessarily accompanied by changes in broader standardised outcomes. Overall, the P-IN Programme was feasible to implement and generally well received within the two participating community settings. These findings support further evaluation of co-created intergenerational programmes using larger samples, controlled designs, and longer-term follow-up. Full article

Background/Objectives: Lebanon is undergoing a rapid demographic transition, with older adults projected to exceed one-fifth of the population by 2050. Supporting healthy and independent aging requires a robust evidence base that extends beyond clinical care to encompass community, environmental, psychosocial, and policy dimensions of aging in place. This bibliometric review maps the landscape of gerontology and geriatrics research in Lebanon to identify research trends, gaps, and future priorities for advancing holistic approaches to aging. Methods: A bibliometric review was conducted of gerontology and geriatrics research published between 2015 and 2026. Publications were retrieved from the Scopus database and screened according to predefined eligibility criteria. Results: A total of 403 publications met the inclusion criteria. Research productivity increased steadily over the study period, reaching its highest level in 2025, although publications remained concentrated among a relatively small number of authors and institutions. The literature was predominantly oriented toward clinical, epidemiological, and public health aspects of aging, with comparatively limited attention to community-based aging, psychosocial well-being, age-friendly environments, policy, social participation, and other determinants that support older adults’ ability to age safely and independently within their communities. Research evaluating interventions outside tertiary healthcare settings was particularly scarce. Conclusions: This review provides the first bibliometric mapping of gerontology and geriatrics research in Lebanon and indicates that, despite substantial growth in scientific output, the identified literature is largely centered on diseases and institutional healthcare. Future research should adopt more holistic and multidisciplinary perspectives to promote psychosocial well-being and aging well in one’s community. These priorities may guide researchers, practitioners, and policymakers in developing strategies for aging well in Lebanon. Full article

Depressive symptoms are a prevalent mental health concern among older adults. This study examined whether the frequency of receptive arts engagement was associated with depressive symptom scores through leisure-related relaxation and subjective well-being in a specified serial mediation model. Using cross-sectional data from the 2023 Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS), we analyzed 2332 adults aged 60 years or older. Hierarchical regression and bias-corrected bootstrap mediation analyses with 5000 resamples were conducted to examine the proposed model. We found that more frequent art activities were significantly associated with fewer depressive symptoms. Three indirect associations were examined. The indirect association through leisure and relaxation alone was not significant, whereas the association through subjective well-being was the largest of the three tested pathways. A small serial indirect association through leisure and relaxation and subjective well-being was also identified. This model-specific pathway should not be interpreted as causal or as the primary mechanism of arts engagement. These findings describe one possible pathway linking receptive arts engagement to depressive symptoms among older adults. Further research should examine this pathway alongside other psychological, biological, social, and behavioral processes. Full article