Search Results (598)

This systematic review examines how students and teachers acquire, reproduce, and transform essentialist beliefs about social categories such as gender, race, class, and disability. These beliefs attribute fixed and natural characteristics to social groups, thereby contributing to the legitimization of social hierarchies from an early age. Unlike studies that focus on measuring these beliefs or analyzing their effects, this review examines the processes through which they emerge, circulate, and stabilize, especially in educational contexts. I analyzed 29 empirical studies published between 2014 and 2024, identified through a systematic search in Web of Science and Scopus and reported according to PRISMA guidelines. The corpus includes experimental, quasi-experimental, correlational, descriptive-comparative, and non-experimental studies, most of which use cross-sectional data. The findings were organized into three analytical dimensions: trajectories in the production of essentialist beliefs; sociocultural–institutional mechanisms of circulation and stabilization; and categorical approaches across social groups. The review shows that essentialist beliefs are not only individual cognitive dispositions, but are also shaped by educational practices, family narratives, media representations, scientific explanations, and broader sociocultural contexts. Overcoming essentialism requires not only new educational content, but also critical attention to the classificatory and epistemic frameworks through which social differences are made to appear natural, stable, and teachable. Full article

Psychoactive substance use is a significant public health issue. Developing effective preventive strategies to reduce its incidence requires a deep understanding of the motivations and risks underlying its development and maintenance. This study examines the associations between substance use risks, self-esteem, and body image perceptions within a Spanish sample (n = 174). Data were collected using standardized instruments (ASSIST v3.1, RSES, BSQ-8D, BIS) and an ad hoc questionnaire regarding aesthetic-related beliefs. Findings revealed that while alcohol (90.2%), tobacco (47.1%), and cannabis (29.3%) were the most prevalent substances used in the last three months, associated health risks were predominantly low. Significant negative correlations were identified between self-esteem and the risk of alcohol (ρ = −0.155) and sedative use (ρ = −0.221), as well as cocaine prevalence (ρ = −0.155). Gender differences emerged, with males exhibiting higher risks for cannabis and stimulants, while females reported greater body image concern. Approximately 38.5% of the sample had used substances for aesthetic purposes, primarily dietary supplements among men. Beliefs regarding the impact of consumption on physical appearance were predominantly negative. These results suggest that high self-esteem and negative aesthetic perceptions of substances are consistent with a potential protective role. Effective prevention strategies should incorporate body image and self-esteem as pillars of psychological resistance. Full article

Background/Objectives: Disaster preparedness is central to public health resilience. This study examined the association between disaster-related digital technology engagement and Health Belief Model-based preparedness beliefs among adults attending a primary care clinic in Türkiye. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 538 participants completed a sociodemographic form, a researcher-developed 10-item Disaster and Technology Use Questionnaire, and the 31-item General Disaster Preparedness Belief Scale. The technology questionnaire used five-point Likert-type response categories and was treated as a multidomain questionnaire; its prespecified equal-weighted sum formed an operational composite index rather than a unidimensional scale score. Supplementary internal-structure analyses described item covariance and clustering. Spearman correlations, false-discovery-rate correction, and hierarchical multiple linear regression with HC3 robust standard errors were used, adjusting for age, gender, education, income, marital status, and occupation. Results: The technology composite showed α = 0.793 and ω = 0.799, and exploratory and confirmatory analyses identified two correlated empirical item domains with adequate model fit (CFI = 0.952, TLI = 0.936, RMSEA = 0.055). Technology engagement was independently associated with total preparedness beliefs (B = 0.888, 95% CI 0.672–1.103; standardized β = 0.397; p < 0.001) and increased explained variance by 13.3% beyond sociodemographic factors. Adjusted associations remained significant for perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits, perceived low barriers, cues to action, and self-efficacy, but not for perceived severity. Conclusions: Greater disaster-related digital technology engagement was associated with stronger preparedness beliefs, but causal direction cannot be inferred. Primary care initiatives may promote official alert tools, practical application use, and digital-information literacy while maintaining non-digital alternatives for people with limited digital access. Full article

Background/Objectives: The current study explored the relationship between cognitive distortions and alexithymia in 214 Saudi adults aged 20 to 45. Methods: Participants completed the Cognitive Distortions Scale and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). Results: Results showed a significant positive correlation between cognitive distortions and alexithymia. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that cognitive distortions were independently associated with overall alexithymia and difficulty identifying feelings after controlling for demographics, but not with difficulty describing feelings or externally oriented thinking. Gender moderation was non-significant across all outcomes, suggesting a similar cognitive–emotional pattern for both males and females. However, cognitive distortions partially accounted for the higher alexithymia scores observed in males, though this mediation finding should be interpreted cautiously given the unequal gender subgroup sizes. Culturally, these findings reflect norms in Arab societies, where emotional restraint—particularly among men—is often reinforced by values associated with honor and traditional masculinity. Such norms may inhibit emotional expression and contribute to higher levels of alexithymia. Additionally, collectivist orientations may foster cognitive styles that intersect with maladaptive cognitive distortions. Conclusions: These results highlight the need for culturally adapted cognitive-behavioral interventions that consider local beliefs about emotions and gradually enhance emotional awareness. Future research should examine the interplay of cultural, social, and religious factors with cognitive and emotional processes over time. Full article

Research on the informal economy has traditionally emphasized its measurement and macroeconomic effects, focusing on structural and institutional determinants. Individual psychological factors that may help explain social tolerance toward informal practices have received far less attention. This exploratory study addresses this gap by examining how Big Five personality traits and dimensions of competitiveness are associated with two components of tolerance: the acceptance of informal behaviors, and justificatory beliefs. To this end, an ad hoc questionnaire was developed, and a cross-sectional design was implemented using a stratified sample of 339 students enrolled in Business Administration programs at a Spanish university. Multivariable models estimated these associations while adjusting for gender. The results indicate that conscientiousness and extraversion are negatively associated with both acceptance and justificatory beliefs, whereas competitive affectivity exhibits a positive and consistent association with both dimensions. Within the study sample, tolerance scores were higher among male respondents. These findings raise a hypothesis for future research: awareness campaigns may achieve greater precision when they account for psychological heterogeneity. This implication should be tested in broader and more diverse populations. Drawing on this exploratory evidence, we propose a preliminary analytical model that articulates the relationships between dispositional traits and competitiveness dimensions in relation to the two components of tolerance, providing a basis for future research. From a theoretical perspective, the proposed model offers a structured basis for longitudinal testing and future experimental designs aimed at deepening the understanding of the microfoundational mechanisms underlying the informal economy. Full article

Background: Obesity and Binge Eating Disorder (BED) are common comorbidities in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), often complicating disease management. Self-efficacy—the belief in one’s ability to manage diabetes—has been shown to influence self-care behaviours and outcomes. This study aimed to assess diabetes management self-efficacy among adults with obesity and T2DM undergoing multidisciplinary rehabilitation, focusing on the impact of BMI, BED, and gender. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 137 adults (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) with T2DM admitted to a residential rehabilitation center. Self-efficacy was measured using the Italian Diabetes Management Self-Efficacy Scale (IT-DMSES), which evaluates confidence in lifestyle and disease management tasks. Data on BMI, BED status, age, and gender were collected. Results: The mean IT-DMSES score was 116.7 ± 23.7, with females scoring slightly higher than males (120.3 ± 24.8 vs. 112.5 ± 22.0, p = 0.057). Higher BMI was significantly associated with lower self-efficacy, particularly in lifestyle (R = 0.282, p = 0.002) and disease management (R = 0.271, p = 0.002) domains. Several individual items, including those related to dietary control and medication adherence, showed strong negative correlations with BMI. BED independently predicted lower self-efficacy on item 13 (emotional eating) (Estimate = −3.18, p = 0.001), even after adjusting for BMI, age, and gender. No significant interactions between gender and BED were observed for overall self-efficacy or domain scores. Conclusions: Although the exploratory nature of the findings requires confirmation, our results underline the independent association of low self-efficacy with BED. Full article

Academic stress is a major concern in higher education, but less is known about whether coping strategies mediate the links between specific academic stressors and stress responses in male and female students. This cross-sectional study examined, by gender, whether planning, positive reappraisal, and support seeking mediated three associations: exams with sleep disturbances, beliefs about performance with negative thoughts, and academic overload with physical exhaustion. Participants were 1014 undergraduates from a Spanish public university (35.5% men, 64.5% women; M_age = 20.56, SD = 3.50), who completed the Academic Stress Questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlations were computed by gender, and three parallel mediation models were tested separately for men and women using PROCESS with 5000 bootstrap samples. Academic stressors were positively associated with their corresponding stress responses in both gender groups, and direct effects remained significant in all models. Indirect effects showed differentiated patterns: positive reappraisal mediated the exams–sleep disturbances and overload–physical exhaustion associations in men, and the beliefs about performance–negative thoughts association in both groups. Support seeking mediated all three associations in women, whereas planning showed no significant indirect effects. These findings support a gender-stratified understanding of academic stress and suggest that interventions should avoid assuming uniform coping pathways, instead strengthening positive reappraisal and social support resources according to the academic demands and stress responses involved. Full article

Despite the growing use of brief self-report measures of creativity in digital higher education, no Polish adaptation of the Self-Rated Creativity Scale (SRCS) has been psychometrically evaluated. The present study translated and evaluated the Polish SRCS as an online assessment instrument for higher education. The sample comprised 406 university students studying in Poland (age range = 18–57 years; M = 22.04, SD = 4.01; 72.4% women) from artistic and non-artistic majors. The sample was randomly divided for exploratory factor analysis (EFA; n = 203) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA; n = 203). Participants completed the Polish SRCS, the Openness subscale of the IPIP-NEO-PI-R, and the Cognitive Flexibility Scale. In the initial 12-item EFA, the six retained items had primary pattern loadings of 0.717–0.819; in the re-estimated brief solution, primary loadings ranged from 0.688 to 0.842 with negligible secondary loadings. CFA favored correlated two-factor models over one-factor models for both the full and brief versions, with excellent fit for the 6-item model (CFI = 1.000, RMSEA = 0.000, SRMR = 0.017). Internal consistency was good (Cronbach’s α = 0.80–0.84; McDonald’s ω = 0.80–0.84), scalar invariance was supported across gender and study major, and correlations with openness and cognitive flexibility ranged from r = 0.34 to 0.44 (all p < 0.001). The 6-item Brief Polish Self-Rated Creativity Scale (BSRCS-6_PL) appears to be a reliable and efficient measure of creativity-related self-beliefs for online research and group-level screening in higher education; however, its educational utility requires direct implementation and predictive validity studies. Full article

This article examines how anti-Zionist sentiment and antisemitism relate among self-identified American Christians, drawing on an original 2024 survey of roughly 2000 respondents. The survey included multiple antisemitic tropes and Israel-related statements measuring severe anti-Israel and anti-Zionist sentiment. Using generalized ordered logistic regression, we find a strong and escalating association between anti-Zionist sentiment and antisemitic trope endorsement across multiple levels of antisemitic intensity. Respondents who express stronger opposition to Israel are significantly more likely to affirm classical antisemitic stereotypes involving Jewish power, dual loyalty, or financial control. Supersessionist beliefs are likewise associated with greater antisemitic sentiment, with the relationship becoming especially pronounced at higher levels of antisemitism. In contrast, the traditional deicide belief does not emerge as a statistically significant correlate once broader theological and political attitudes are taken into account. Younger Christians, urban residents, and Southerners exhibit higher antisemitism, while education, age, and female gender are associated with lower levels. Taken together, the findings show that anti-Zionism and antisemitism are often empirically intertwined within contemporary American Christianity, particularly at more extreme levels. Because the data are cross-sectional, the results should be interpreted as associations rather than causal effects. Full article

The present study aims to analyze the development of achievement motivation and self-efficacy belief in the context of elite sports schools. A total of 658 athletes (349 female, 309 male) from Year 5 onwards participated in the central trials and performance assessments in track and field for elite sports schools between 2016 and 2025. In addition to the analysis of physical and athletic performance, the following aspects were also documented: achievement motivation, need for achievement motives and general self-efficacy beliefs. Firstly, differences between the genders were measured in terms of fear of failure and confidence, exhibiting a small effect size ranging from 0.175 to 0.25 and a significance of 0.001 and 0.026. A subsequent analysis of the Kruskal–Wallis test, pertaining to the various groups with differing performance levels, revealed significant disparities in self-discipline (p = 0.010), goal setting (p = 0.013) and confidence (p = 0.029). The effect sizes for these differences ranged from 0.08 to 0.14, indicating a modest magnitude of impact. The psychological profile of the top athletes, which is based on the psychological determinants of the study, differs significantly from that of the other groups of athletes at time t₁ (p = 0.001). It is recommended that appropriate training and guidance from coaches and sports psychologists be provided, given that confidence and self-efficacy expectations are key predictors of physical and athletic performance. Full article

Gender role beliefs have been found to play a role in healthcare interactions and outcomes, although research is scarce in contexts where gender-diversity trends increasingly challenge enduring traditions, as is currently the case in Romanian society. This study explored reported gender-role beliefs and behavioural patterns among fifty Romanian participants involved in medical training and practice, representing a heterogeneous socio-professional spectrum rather than a uniform academic group (aged 20–52 with different personal circumstances and clinical employment). Written and oral reflections on gender role axioms widely known in Romania were assessed using an interpretative phenomenological approach. Results indicated strong endorsement of traditional beliefs—such as male authority and female domestic responsibility—while participants also reported behaviours and life situations inconsistent with those beliefs, including women serving as primary earners, engaging in advanced studies, and balancing multiple roles, and men in caregiving professions. This apparent belief–practice gap, not recognised as such by participants, suggests limited prior reflection on gender issues and potential tensions between pressure to conform to inherited sociocultural norms and evolving personal and professional realities. These findings raise questions regarding possible implications for clinical care, as gender-role assumptions may influence communication, rapport, and preparedness for engaging with gender-diverse patients and peers. They suggest a need for gender-diversity education, reflexivity training, and cultural competence development across undergraduate curricula, continuing education, and workplace training. The key insight of the study is that traditional gender representations can persist unexamined alongside changing behavioural realities, warranting further investigation of their relevance for healthcare education and practice. Full article

The belief that the moon disturbs sleep is widespread, but the factors associated with it remain poorly understood. I therefore examined how frequently poor sleep is attributed to moon phases, whether this varied across the lunar cycle, and which personal and environmental factors were associated with “moon blaming”. Data were derived from an ongoing online survey. At the time of analysis, 1815 participants had completed a 16-item questionnaire assessing sleep quality, sleep duration, sleep timing on workdays and free days, alarm clock use, environmental and personal sleep-disturbing factors, residential setting, age, gender, attention to lunar phases, and whether the moon was perceived as a cause of poor sleep. The primary outcome was endorsement of the moon as a sleep-disturbing factor. Logistic regression with stepwise Akaike information criterion selection was used to identify the strongest predictors of attributing the moon for poor sleep. Questionnaire timing was also examined across the lunar cycle. Among environmental factors, the moon was the most frequently endorsed cause of poor sleep (36%), followed by outdoor temperature (31%), indoor noise (26%), and bad weather (22%). Rumination was the most commonly reported personal factor (73%), but it did not predict moon attribution. Instead, the strongest correlates were weather-related sleep complaints, tracking lunar phases, age, and gender, with endorsement increasing with age and being more common among women. Moon-related complaints also peaked during the week after the full moon. These findings suggest that perceived lunar effects on sleep are shaped, at least in part, by attributional and expectation-related processes. Full article

Background: Medication adherence is a major determinant of treatment effectiveness in psychiatric care and is influenced by patients’ attitudes toward medication and beliefs about treatment. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate medication adherence, drug attitudes, and beliefs about medicines, and to examine their relationships in the study population. Methods: A total of 300 participants were assessed using the Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS), Drug Attitude Inventory-10 (DAI-10), and Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ-General and BMQ-Specific). Descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests, Pearson correlation analyses, and multiple linear regression were performed. Results: The mean DAI-10 score was 3.57 ± 3.44, indicating an overall positive attitude toward medication, although 27.33% of participants had neutral or negative attitudes. The mean MARS score was 6.27 ± 2.24, suggesting moderate adherence. Mean BMQ-General and BMQ-Specific scores were 21.70 ± 5.81 and 31.64 ± 6.13, respectively. Significant gender differences were found across all scales. DAI-10 was positively correlated with MARS, while BMQ-General was negatively correlated with MARS. Multiple regression showed that DAI-10, BMQ-General, and BMQ-Specific significantly predicted MARS scores, explained 30.8% of variance after adjustment. Conclusions: Medication adherence was moderate and was significantly associated with treatment attitudes and beliefs about medicines. The findings support multidimensional assessment and targeted interventions addressing both positive attitudes and negative medication beliefs. Full article

Background/Objectives: Individuals living with Parkinson’s disease often rely on informal caregivers for daily support. Existing research on caregiving has largely been framed from a predominantly female perspective. However, caregiving roles are evolving, with an increasing number of men assuming these responsibilities. Despite this shift, the experiences of male caregivers remain underexplored. A deeper understanding of their perspectives is essential to inform more inclusive and effective caregiver support in Parkinson’s disease care. This study aimed to explore the lived experience of male caregivers supporting individuals with Parkinson’s disease. Methods: A secondary qualitative analysis was conducted using interviews with seven male caregivers supporting individuals with Parkinson’s disease. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis within a descriptive phenomenological framework. Results: Three overarching themes emerged. (1) Economic and employment challenges, including difficulties balancing work and caregiving, structural barriers to accessing services during working hours, and the financial burden of Parkinsons-related expenses, with financial stability acting as a buffer against stress; (2) Psychological and emotional dynamics, including self-doubt linked to gender norms, the influence of personal and partner attitudes on coping, and ongoing experiences of loss; and (3) Adaptation and coping, involving renegotiation of roles, maintenance of routines, and information seeking that was experienced as both empowering and anxiety-provoking. Conclusions: Male caregiving experiences were shaped by financial stability, personal beliefs and perspectives, and the ability to adapt to changing roles and responsibilities. These findings highlight the importance of recognizing gender-specific caregiving needs and incorporating targeted support for male caregivers into Parkinson’s disease care. Full article

Background: This study aimed to examine the association between the three subscales of the Transgender Attitudes and Beliefs Scale and professional commitment to treat transgender patients, and to test whether these associations were related to the physician’s level of religiosity. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 109 family physicians was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire between October 2021 and July 2023 in the southern district of Clalit Healthcare Services. Confirmatory factor analysis and multi-group structural equation modeling were carried out. Main measures included TABS subscales, level of religiosity, and physicians’ commitment to treat transgender patients. Results: Only the ‘Human value’ subscale was a statistically significant positive predictor of professional commitment to treat transgender patients among the whole population of physicians and among the subgroup of physicians with high religiosity at β = 0.36 (95% Confidence interval (CI) 0.11 to 0.61, p = 0.005), and β = 0.57 (95% CI 0.20 to 0.95, p = 0.003), respectively. Among physicians with a low level of religiosity there was a significant positive effect of the ‘Interpersonal comfort’ subscale on the professional commitment to treat transgender patients at β = 3.31 (95% CI 1.66 to 4.95, p < 0.001). Although the ‘Sex/gender beliefs’ subscale showed a significant negative association in the primary model (β = −2.91, 95% CI −4.64 to −1.17, p = 0.001), sensitivity analyses suggested that this finding should be interpreted with caution because of the strong correlation between TABS domains. Conclusions: Different TABS domains were associated with physicians’ professional commitment to treat transgender patients across levels of religiosity. These findings can help tailor interventions more effectively to specific religiosity subgroups. Full article