Search Results (41)

Crescendo is a music-based social and emotional learning (SEL) programme designed for primary/elementary school children living in disadvantaged communities. It is a community-led, orchestra-delivered, and evidence-informed initiative aimed at improving children’s musical and SEL outcomes through sustained engagement. Children growing up in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas often experience challenges with SEL and limited access to orchestral music education. However, emerging research suggests a relationship between music participation and SEL development. This study evaluated the initial impact of Crescendo on 559 children aged 5–6 in their first year of participation (Year 1 of 7). A quasi-experimental, rolling cohort design compared pupils in four participating Crescendo schools with pupils in four matched control schools not receiving the programme. Outcome measures included music skills (beat, pitch, and reaction to music) and SEL (behavioural self-regulation). The findings indicated significant positive effects of the programme across all outcome domains, with moderate effects observed in self-regulation (Cohen’s d = 0.29) and reaction to music (Cohen’s d = 0.21) compared to control schools. These results suggest that collaboration between orchestral musicians and educators can positively influence young children’s musical and SEL development in resource-constrained settings. The findings also underscore the importance of clearly defined programme models to support replication and scalability. Full article

The transition to sustainable food systems requires communication strategies that resonate with consumers’ values, not only technological innovation. This study examines how values-centric communication can shape German consumers’ responses to alternative proteins, focusing on insect-based snacks. A desk-based synthesis of recent studies, guided by Schwartz’s value theory, identified Tradition and Security as dominant drivers of food choice and yielded five communication requirements: Cultural familiarity, Emotional safety, Simplicity and clarity, Trust and credibility, and Routine integration. These were operationalised into communication guidelines and short on-pack claims, which were applied to a refined packaging prototype. An exploratory focus group (N = 7) then compared reactions to the original versus the refined packaging, analysed using McGuire’s communication–persuasion stages. Within this small exploratory group, participants reported that familiar formats, a reassuring tone, clear visual hierarchy, and salient trust cues made them more willing to consider trying the product, whereas information overload, claim–image incongruence, value-incongruent brand naming, and delayed recognition of insect content appeared to impede acceptance. The study contributes an integrative analytic lens combining Schwartz’s value theory with McGuire’s model and a set of testable guidelines for value-aligned food communication. Because the empirical evidence is based on a single small student focus group with fixed presentation order, bundled manipulations, and hypothetical intentions, these results are exploratory and self-reported and should be interpreted cautiously; future research should employ counterbalanced factorial designs with behavioural outcomes. Full article

Growing concerns about sustainability highlight the need to understand not only rational but also neurocognitive mechanisms that shape consumer decisions. This study examines how discrete emotions—such as empathy, moral satisfaction, and responsibility—interact with reflective cognitive control to influence green purchase intention, with neural loyalty functioning as a mediating mechanism. Grounded in dual-process theory, the proposed model is empirically tested through PLS-SEM using data from 276 consumers in Romania, Poland, and the Czech Republic, actively engaged with ecological products. The results demonstrate that both emotional and cognitive dimensions significantly predict purchase intention, while neural loyalty partially mediates these relationships, transforming temporary reactions into stable behavioral patterns. These findings suggest that bridging the intention–behaviour gap in sustainable consumption requires the integration of affective engagement, rational evaluation, and loyalty consolidation. The study contributes to sustainable marketing literature by positioning neurocognitive drivers as key antecedents of pro-environmental behaviour and by offering practical insights for designing interventions that effectively convert green intentions into consistent actions. All structural relationships were statistically significant (p < 0.05), confirming the robustness of the proposed model. Full article

This case study examines the experience of solastalgia among individuals residing in gold mining towns in Zimbabwe, particularly as environmental degradation intensified, to illustrate the experience of solastalgia through the expressions and reflections of individuals who have been impacted by it. Ecological degradation has intensified, and national forest cover has been declining at an average rate of 327,000 hectares per year between 2000 and 2010. Meanwhile, artisanal gold mining releases more than 24 tons of mercury into ecosystems annually, contaminating water bodies. The research employed a qualitative design grounded in the interpretivist paradigm and utilized an inductive methodology. Data were obtained through in-depth interviews with 11 individuals who had resided in areas impacted by mining for an extended period. Thematic analysis was employed to examine individuals’ emotions, thoughts, and behaviours in response to environmental changes, with an emphasis on feelings of loss, sadness, frustration, and disconnection from place. Participants exhibited intense emotional reactions to environmental changes, including profound sadness, anger, feelings of helplessness, and a longing for the past. Of the participants, 70% reported experiencing profound sorrow, while 60% indicated that they employed community support as a coping strategy. The degradation of forests, water sources, and biodiversity contributed to a sense of alienation regarding their environment and identity. Nevertheless, some demonstrated resilience through their faith, community support, and efforts to safeguard the environment. However, their ability to heal and adapt was hindered by persistent systematic neglect and unfulfilled commitments. This case study contributes to the growing literature on solastalgia by presenting specific instances from Zimbabwe, a region where the phenomenon remains inadequately comprehended. This expands the concept of solastalgia to encompass the ecological degradation resulting from mining activities in Africa. Full article

Background: The study of psychophysiological responses to disgust-evoking stimuli has long been neglected in favour of other emotional stimuli, especially those evoking fear. While the basic cascade of responses to a frightening stimulus is relatively well-understood, psychophysiological responses to disgust-related threats, such as parasites or rotten food, are scarcely studied. Methods: Here, we aimed to assess skin resistance (SR) change as a measure of electrodermal response to visual cues that signal the presence of disgust-relevant threats. To this aim, we recruited 123 participants and presented them with one of the following varieties of disgust-relevant threats: disgust-evoking animals (e.g., parasites, worms), spoiled food, threat of pandemic, or pollution and toxicity. The latter two represented modern threats to test whether also these modern stimuli can initiate immediate automatic reaction. Results: We found significant differences between the categories: Participants responded with the highest probability to disgust-evoking animals (38%) and sneezing (52%), suggesting that only ancestral cues of pathogen disgust trigger automatic physiological response. Moreover, we found significant inter-sexual differences: women exhibited more SR change responses than men, and the amplitude of these responses was overall larger. Finally, we report a weak effect of subjectively perceived disgust intensity on reactivity to threat stimuli. Conclusions: We discuss heterogeneity of disgust-relevant threats, their adequate behavioural responses, and subsequent heterogeneity of respective SR responses. We conclude that large interindividual variability might eclipse systematic differences between participants with high or low sensitivity to disgust, and that subjectively perceived intensity of disgust is only a weak predictor of electrodermal response to its elicitor. Full article

Adolescents’ perception and recognition of sexual harassment (SH) are shaped by several psychosocial variables, including gender norms, emotional responses, and ideological beliefs (such as sexism). This study specifically aimed to investigate the mediating roles of moral disengagement and emotional responses in the relationship between tolerance of SH and recognition of harassment scenarios, while considering gender as a moderator. The sample included 380 high-school students (55.3% female, 44.7% male), aged between 14 and 18 years (M_age = 15.71, SD_age = 0.87). No significant direct association was found between attitudes toward sexually harassing behaviour (TSHI) and recognition of potential harassing scenario (assessed by the Sexual Harassment Definitions Questionnaire—SHDO). However, TSHI was indirectly associated with SHDO through two distinct mediational pathways. On the one hand, higher tolerance of sexual harassment was associated with increased moral disengagement, which in turn was related to lower recognition of SH. On the other hand, it was associated with reduced negative emotional reactions, which were in turn associated with greater recognition of harassment. Additionally, gender differences emerged: females demonstrated greater ability to identify harassment scenarios and reported stronger negative emotional reactions. Overall, these findings highlight the role of psychosocial mechanisms in shaping adolescents’ recognition of harassment situations. Full article

Background/Objectives: DEXCOM™ continuous glucose monitoring devices (DCGMs) have been shown to improve glycaemic control and complication rates in people with Type 1 diabetes (T1DM). However, little qualitative data exists regarding user satisfaction, useful features and the overall lived experience of using a DCGM which will strongly impact one’s quality of life (QOL), compliance and the self-management of diabetes. This study aimed to assess DCGM users’ satisfaction rates and experiences with device features in patients with T1DM in Ireland. Methods: A questionnaire consisting of open- and closed-ended questions together with a glucose monitoring satisfaction survey (GMSS) was offered to all patients attending Sligo University Hospital (SUH) diabetes clinic who used a DCGM for at least six months. Results: Data was analysed for 73 participants. Self-reported QOL improved in 88% of participants and 52% of participants reported fewer hypoglycaemic events. The features most liked by participants were alerts given when the glycaemic target was not in range, improved quality of life, improved hypoglycaemia awareness and the need for reduced finger pricking. However, concerns were also identified about redundant alarms and sensor failures, phone incompatibility and skin reactions. DCGM was associated with good levels of glucose monitoring satisfaction with an overall satisfaction score of 3.67 ± 1.24 out of 5. Participants reported high openness (4.01 ± 0.91), increased trust (3.77 ± 1.16) and low emotional (1.70 ± 0.97) and behavioural burden (2.38 ± 1.10) with DCGM usage. Male participants who had diabetes for a mean duration of 20.06 ± 0.89 years and used DEXCOM^TM for approximately 2 years demonstrated significantly higher levels of satisfaction (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The findings of this study provide a first exploration of patients’ perspectives on DCGM devices in an Irish setting. Results suggest that DCGM users are highly satisfied with the device with an increase in self-reported QOL. Adaptations to features based on patient feedback should be considered to further enhance user satisfaction and maximise QOL benefits. Full article

Injury or fear of injury can cause stress for everyone. This is especially true for dancers, whose careers can be ruined by a serious injury. Stress or various psychological problems can play a role in the development of injury. Our research aims to explore the psychosocial patterns associated with injuries among Hungarian professional folk dancers. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 96 professional dancers (47.9% male, 52.1% female, mean age 29.9 years). Data was collected through an online questionnaire survey. Among psychological factors, perceived stress (using the Perceived Stress Scale), burnout (using the Athletic Burnout Questionnaire), coping skills (using the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory), relationship with the leader (using the Coaching Behaviour Questionnaire) and perceived social support (using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support) were examined among injured and non-injured dancers. The two groups were compared along psychological subscales using Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) followed by a post hoc ANOVA and Mann–Whitney test regarding social support. Our results showed a significant correlation between psychosocial factors and injuries sustained during the study period. Positive correlation was found between injuries and perceived stress (p < 0.001) and burnout (reduced sense of accomplishment p = 0.021; dance devaluation p < 0.001). Factors reflecting dancer’s behavior and coping skills also correlated with injuries, such as a decrease in coachability (p = 0.007), less concern (p = 0.029), and negative reactions to the leader’s behavior (p = 0.019). In addition, perceived social support from family also negatively correlates with injury (p = 0.019). Our findings suggest a multidirectional relationship between physical injuries and the mental state of dancers. Further investigation of the causal relationships is recommended, with the aim of using psychosocial support tools during the prevention and treatment of injuries by the professionals dealing with dance artists. It is also recommended to investigate whether individual psychological factors are directly related to injuries or interact with each other. It would also be useful to introduce prevention programs that help dancers manage their emotions related to injuries. Full article

Background: Somatic symptom disorder (SSD) involves physical symptoms that cannot entirely be explained by an organic medical cause, accompanied by persistent thoughts, feelings and behaviours relating to one’s health. SSD is common yet underdiagnosed in emergency departments (EDs). This study aimed to assess emergency physician (EP) readiness, attitudes and perceptions toward diagnosing SSD and explore demographic trends. Methods: In total, 1339 Canadian EPs were invited to respond to a survey collecting demographic information and assessing attitudes toward SSD in four domains: perceptions of SSD, attitudes toward patients, diagnostic confidence, and physician–patient communication. Data were analyzed using t-tests and ANOVA to determine associations with demographic information. Results: Of the 96 survey respondents, 75 met the eligibility criteria. In total, 44% estimated that emotional stress was the primary cause of symptoms in 11–20% of their patients. Most felt that SSD was underdiagnosed and that effective therapies exist. Concerns included medico-legal implications, managing patients’ emotions, and potential negative reactions to non-organic diagnoses. Most respondents felt prepared and confident broaching the diagnosis. More experienced EPs felt that there was time to broach the topic of SSD, while rural EPs were less concerned about patient offence than urban counterparts. Conclusions: EPs recognize SSD as common and underdiagnosed, acknowledging its diagnosis as part of their role. Challenges identified include managing patients’ emotions, time constraints, and reliance on only diagnosing SSD once an organic etiology is excluded. Training pathway, experience, and practice setting impact perceptions and attitudes around SSD. The findings suggest opportunities for improving SSD care through targeted interventions, communication training, and enhanced diagnostic education. Full article

There is a need for research that explores the challenges associated with dog ownership. In particular, increasing our understanding of how young people manage their dog’s undesired behaviours can inform a more nuanced perspective of dog ownership as well as highlight the impact of such interactions on both dogs and young people. This qualitative study addresses this gap in the human–animal interactions literature through a secondary analysis of a data set of transcribed semi-structured interviews with seven participants aged between 17–26 years. The data were collected during a larger investigation that focused on young people’s relationships with their dogs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using thematic analyses, we examined interviews that probed participants’ experiences and responses when their dogs misbehaved. The findings identified and explored three emerging themes including Attachment Patterns, which was supported by the codes of connection and kinship. The second theme was Synchrony and/or Lack of Synchrony, which was supported by the codes of reaction and communication. The third theme was Response to Challenging Situations, supported by the codes of emotional reactions and coping styles. Findings suggest that participants handled their dog’s undesired behaviours in unique ways and that such situations may negatively impact their emotions. Undesired dog behaviours were not related to participants’ perceptions of poor attachment patterns towards their dogs. These findings can inform efforts to foster positive interactions between young people and their dogs and reduce dog surrenders. Full article

Behavioural disorders in dogs are common and have severe welfare consequences for dogs. This study aimed to assess the factors that are significant and predictive of behaviour problems in dogs using the animal welfare assessment grid (AWAG) to further understand what factors influence their welfare. 177 AWAG assessments were undertaken across 129 dogs that clinicians deemed to have a behavioural disorder. Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to assess the difference in scores between dogs with behaviour disorders and a cohort of healthy dogs (n = 117). This analysis showed that all physical factors besides body condition, all procedural factors besides procedure pain, and all psychological, and environmental factors were significantly different between healthy dogs and dogs with behaviour disorders. Spearman rank correlation coefficient (RS) revealed several significant strong positive correlations including the procedural impact on the dog’s daily routine with aggression towards unfamiliar people and procedure pain, as well as other correlations between the dog’s behaviour during assessment with the frequency at which they encounter fears and anxieties, clinical assessment and procedure pain, and reaction to stressors and social interactions. These findings highlight the interdependent nature of the various influences of welfare. Logistic regression analysis identified that aggression towards the caregiver, fears and anxieties frequency, and choice, control, and predictability were all significant predictors of behaviour disorders. The findings have important implications for veterinary, behaviour, and animal welfare professionals as any changes across these factors may indicate poor welfare linked to emotional disorders in dogs. Full article

This quasi-experimental, nonrandomized intervention study reports the effect of person-centred, culturally appropriate music on psychological wellbeing of residents with advanced dementia in five rural residential aged care homes in Australia. Seventy-four residents attended in person-centred music sessions and culturally appropriate group sessions. Interest, response, initiation, involvement, enjoyment, and general reactions of the residents were assessed using the Music in Dementia Assessment Scale (MiDAS), and interviews and focus groups were conducted with aged care staff and musicians. The overall effect of person-centred sessions at two-time points were: during the intervention—351.2 (SD 93.5); and two-hours post intervention—315.1 (SD 98.5). The residents presented a moderate to high level of interest, response, initiation, involvement, and enjoyment during the session and at post-intervention. However, the MiDAS sub-categories’ mean scores differed between the time-points: interest (t₅₉ = 2.8, p = 0.001); response (t₅₉ = 2.9, p = 0.005); initiation (t₅₉ = 2.4, p = 0.019); and involvement (t₅₉ = 2.8, p = 0.007), indicating a significant decline in the effect of person-centred music over time. Interestingly, during the period of time, most of the residents were observed with no exhibitions of agitation (87.5%), low in mood (87.5%), and anxiousness (70.3%), and with a presentation of relaxation (75.5%), attentiveness (56.5%), and smiling (56.9%). Themes from qualitative data collected regarding culturally appropriate group music sessions were behavioural change, meaningful interaction, being initiative, increased participation, and contentment. The findings suggest that the integration of music into care plans may reduce the residents’ agitation and improve their emotional wellbeing in rural aged care homes. Full article

In recent years, there have been many approaches to using robots to teach computer programming. In intelligent tutoring systems and computer-aided learning, there is also some research to show that affective feedback to the student increases learning efficiency. However, a few studies on the role of incorporating an emotional personality in the robot in robot-assisted learning have found different results. To explore this issue further, we conducted a pilot study to investigate the effect of positive verbal encouragement and non-verbal emotive behaviour of the Miro-E robot during a robot-assisted programming session. The participants were tasked to program the robot’s behaviour. In the experimental group, the robot monitored the participants’ emotional state via their facial expressions, and provided affective feedback to the participants after completing each task. In the control group, the robot responded in a neutral way. The participants filled out a questionnaire before and after the programming session. The results show a positive reaction of the participants to the robot and the exercise. Though the number of participants was small, as the experiment was conducted during the pandemic, a qualitative analysis of the data was carried out. We found that the greatest affective outcome of the session was for students who had little experience or interest in programming before. We also found that the affective expressions of the robot had a negative impact on its likeability, revealing vestiges of the uncanny valley effect. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated health inequalities, with a potentially heightened mental health risk for Mainland Chinese in Canada, given the rising anti-Chinese discrimination, and barriers in assessing health services. In this context, this study aimed to assess non-pathological psychological distress towards COVID-19 and identify its sociodemographic risk factors among Mainland Chinese in Canada at the early stages of the pandemic. Methods: A sample of 731 Mainland Chinese aged 16 or older completed an on-line survey to examine their attitudes, behavioural, and psychological responses towards COVID-19. Non-pathological psychological distress was assessed with a 7-item self-report scale to capture common emotional reactions towards COVID-19. Results: A factor analysis revealed a single-factor structure of the 7-item COVID-19 psychological distress scale (Eigen λ = 3.79). A composite psychological distress index (PDI) score was calculated from these items and used as the outcome variable. Multivariate regression models identified age, financial satisfaction, health status, and perceived/experienced discrimination as significant predictors of psychological distress (ps ≤ 0.05). Conclusions: Mainland Chinese in Canada who were over 25, in poor financial/health status, or with perceived/experienced discrimination were at a higher risk for COVID-19-related psychological distress. The health inequity across these factors would inform the services to mitigate mental health risk in minority groups. Full article

To date, neuroscientific literature on consumption patterns of specific categories of consumers, such as people with disability, is still scarce. This study explored the implicit emotional consumer experience of visually impaired (VI) consumers in-store. A group of VI and a control group explored three different product shelves and manipulated target products during a real supermarket shopping experience. Autonomic (SCL, skin conductance level; SCR, skin conductance response; HR, heart rate; PVA, pulse volume amplitude; BVP, blood volume pulse), behavioural and self-report data were collected in relation to three phases of the in-store shopping experience: (i) identification of a product (recognition accuracy, ACC, and reaction times, RTs); (ii) style of product purchase (predominant sense used for shelf exploration, store spatial representation, and ability to orientate themselves); (iii) consumers experience itself, underlying their emotional experience. In the VI group, higher levels of disorientation, difficulty in finding products, and repeating the route independently were discovered. ACC and RTs also varied by product type. VI also showed significantly higher PVA values compared to the control. For some specific categories (pasta category), PVA correlates negatively with time to recognition and positively with simplicity in finding products in the entire sample. In conclusion, VI emotional and cognitive experience of grocery shopping as stressful and frustrating and has a greater cognitive investment, which is mirrored by the activation of a larger autonomic response compared to the control group. Nevertheless, VI ability to search and recognise a specific product is not so different from people without visual impairment. Full article