Search Results (233)

Current approaches to gaming disorder prevention remain comparatively narrow, and prevention efforts are frequently underdeveloped and fragmented. Using the socio-ecological model (SEM), this qualitative study mapped frontline practitioners’ perceived obstacles and opportunities to develop a multi-level, practice-grounded framework for policy and implementation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 prevention professionals in Flanders (Dutch-speaking Belgium), recruited via purposive and snowball sampling. A hybrid inductive–deductive analysis—iterative coding guided by Layder’s adaptive theory—organized findings across SEM levels. At the public policy level, participants highlighted insufficient sustainable funding but saw potential in coordinated frameworks moving prevention beyond substance-focused agendas. At the community level, a clear knowledge gap emerged, with opportunities in integrating gaming within broader digital well-being efforts. Institutionally, the absence of practical tools and clear referral pathways was noted, in addition to high participation barriers, whereas accessible programs with targeted outreach were viewed as promising. Interpersonally, parental disengagement was common, but early involvement and pedagogical guidance were seen as key levers. At the intrapersonal level, limited self-insight and emotion regulation impeded change, while resilience, self-confidence, and offline activities were protective. This first empirical application of the SEM to gaming disorder prevention highlights the need for a multi-level, context-sensitive framework that bridges public health and digital media perspectives. Full article

Parental overprotection before adulthood can have enduring consequences for offspring, yet the mechanisms underlying its association with adult physical health are not fully understood. This study proposes trait emotional intelligence (trait-EI) as a pivotal mediating factor in this relationship. A sample of 459 university students (mean age = 22.42 years, SD = 1.43; 50.3% female, 49.7% male) completed measures assessing their recalled parental overprotection, trait-EI and physical health. Results from regression and mediation analyses revealed that parental overprotection was significantly negatively associated with both overall trait-EI and physical health. Critically, trait-EI was found to be a significant mediator, indicating that overprotective parenting impedes the development of trait-EI, which in turn translates into poorer health outcomes. Further analysis of the facets of trait-EI demonstrated that the intrapersonal and stress management dimensions were unique contributors to physical health, whereas interpersonal and adaptability skills were not. What’s more, a moderated mediation analysis showed that gender significantly moderated the pathway from parental overprotection to trait-EI, with the negative effect of overprotection on trait-EI being substantially stronger for male than for female offspring. These findings underscore the role of trait-EI as a central psychological mechanism translating early parenting experiences into long-term physical health and point to the need for gender-sensitive approaches in preventive health interventions. Full article

Pedestrian evacuation efficiency is paramount to public safety and sustainable urban resilience. This study utilizes an agent-based model simulating evacuation dynamics in a built environment to assess the impact of route familiarity, interpersonal interactions, and storage layout on evacuation efficiency. The model incorporates an evolutionary game theory framework to capture strategic decision-making, featuring both symmetric and asymmetric interactions among evacuees with varying levels of exit information (complete, partial, or none). Results show that familiarity with exit location is the most decisive element for evacuation, significantly outweighing the influence of crowd interactions, imitation behaviors, group composition, or storage layout. Furthermore, the crowd composition exerts a significant moderating effect, so that asymmetric group structures yield superior evacuation performance compared to symmetric ones. The optimal storage layout for evacuation is contingent upon the availability of exit information. An orderly layout is superior when information is known, whereas a random layout proves more effective in the absence of information by preventing misleading paths. Thus, providing clear information, adaptable spatial designs and consciously constructing a heterogeneous population structure are more critical for evacuation. This work provides actionable insights for architects and safety planners, contributing directly to the development of safer, more sustainable built environments and supporting Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11, particularly Target 11.5. Full article

Background: Adolescent cancer survivors constitute a clinically vulnerable population whose psychosocial adjustment following oncological treatment remains insufficiently characterized, particularly within Central and Eastern Europe. The present study aimed to evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and depressive symptomatology among Polish adolescent survivors, identify their psychological predictors, and determine age-related differences in these associations. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 165 survivors aged 11–18 years, recruited from four pediatric oncology centers. Participants completed the KIDSCREEN-10 (HRQoL) and the Children’s Depression Inventory-2™ (CDI-2™). Descriptive statistics, Spearman rank-order correlations, and multiple regression analyses were performed separately for younger (primary school) and older (secondary school) cohorts. Results: The findings demonstrated a pronounced polarization of HRQoL, with approximately one-third of participants (32.7%) scoring within the clinically low range. Depressive symptoms were prevalent, particularly in the domains of Negative Mood (M = 19.93) and Ineffectiveness (M = 15.45), while Negative Self-Esteem levels were comparatively low (M = 8.02). HRQoL correlated strongly and inversely with Interpersonal Problems (rs = −0.89, p < 0.001). Regression analyses indicated that Negative Self-Esteem (CDI-2D) was the strongest negative predictor of HRQoL in both age groups, whereas Ineffectiveness (CDI-2C) and Negative Mood (CDI-2A) emerged as significant positive predictors. Interpersonal Problems (CDI-2B) were predictive only in older adolescents, suggesting a developmental shift in determinants of well-being. Conclusions: Adolescent cancer survivors exhibit a distinctive psychological pattern characterized by pronounced emotional distress without pervasive self-devaluation. HRQoL appears highly polarized and primarily determined by self-esteem and interpersonal functioning. These findings underscore the necessity of developmentally tailored psychosocial interventions addressing self-worth, peer reintegration, and socio-economic stressors in survivorship care. Full article

Employers are highlighting the importance of knowledge and professional skills, including personal, interpersonal, communication, and thinking, in their quest for graduates who are prepared for the workforce. Collaborative research is an essential toolbox that integrates knowledge, skills, and attitudes, which is important for future engineers; nonetheless, undergraduate students often struggle to engage effectively in this key competency. This study presents an undergraduate sustainability research experience (CUSRE) that is built into two courses, utilizing a collaborative-based learning (CBL) setting aimed at creating knowledge, improving skills and competencies, encouraging inclusivity, and advancing equitable education. The objective of the study is to narrow the achievement gap, improve graduation rates, and boost students’ enthusiasm and readiness for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It encompasses a strategy that integrates key approaches, including collaborative research, sustainability as a core value and practice, and educational equity supported by compensatory pedagogy that emphasizes teamwork. Introduced at the University of Ottawa (uOttawa) in Canada, the initiative engaged students to deepen their understanding of the SDGs through research cases and projects. This experience yielded significant knowledge gains and a considerable success rate among participants. Moreover, it has been successfully scaled and adapted for the Global Banking School (GBS) in the UK, thereby broadening its impact to a larger audience. Full article

The current systematic review modified the Enduring Vulnerability Stress Adaptation model of relationship functioning and the Attachment System Activation model of individual functioning to incorporate various aspects of orgasmic functioning within the broader context of sexual health and sexual satisfaction. This provided conceptual frameworks for integrating the findings on a wide range of correlates of orgasms, sexual satisfaction, and other components of sexual health into comprehensive models of individual and interpersonal functioning to guide future research. A systematic search of the ProQuest, PubMed, and Web of Science databases (through September, 2025) for records linking sexual satisfaction with at least one other component of sexual health or at least one correlate (distress, well-being, physical health, relationship satisfaction, attachment avoidance, or attachment anxiety) yielded 3369 unique records, resulting in a final set of 228 records, representing 281 independent (sub)samples and a final combined sample of 248,021 participants. A total of 1201 effects were extracted, yielding 44 meta-analytic effects (using random effects modeling). Path analyses of meta-analytic correlation matrices revealed that dimensions of sexual health (i.e., sexual satisfaction, orgasms, sexual desire, lack of sexual pain, vaginal lubrication) demonstrated unique links to greater health, interpersonal functioning, and individual functioning (i.e., higher psychological well-being, physical health, and relationship satisfaction; lower psychological distress, attachment anxiety, and attachment avoidance). Meta-regression moderation analyses revealed that the effect linking orgasms to higher sexual satisfaction was especially pronounced for women and for individuals in clinical (sub)samples. In addition, the link between orgasms and lower distress was especially pronounced for older individuals. The findings were limited by the cross-sectional nature of the vast majority of the findings (96%), leaving the directions of causality unclear. Taken together, these results highlight the central role that sexual health might play in individual and relationship health, supporting the proposed conceptual models and highlighting directions for future research. Full article

Despite growing evidence that diverse leadership enhances decision-making and innovation, little is known about how gendered expectations and structural barriers intersect to shape women’s leadership experiences in Greece. This qualitative study draws on semi-structured interviews with sixteen (N = 16) senior women leaders across healthcare and other professional sectors. The data are analyzed using thematic analysis to explore how participants navigate stereotypes, microaggressions, and work–life integration challenges. Findings reveal a core mechanism of gendered constraint in which structural barriers and interpersonal dynamics shape leadership enactment. These dynamics are mitigated through strategies such as mentorship, boundary setting, and inclusive practices. A central contribution of the study is the proposed Leadership Recognition and Resilience (LRR) framework, which conceptualizes the dynamic interplay between leadership purpose, recognition, and gendered constraints and highlights how adaptive strategies sustain agency, well-being, and organizational influence. The study extends role-congruity theory by introducing the concept of a glass acknowledgment ceiling, a subtle form of gendered resistance that limits recognition and authority even after women attain leadership positions. These findings underscore the importance of systemic reforms, culturally sensitive leadership development, and supportive networks to sustain women’s leadership and advance genuine gender equity in organizational contexts. Full article

Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often lack the social skills required for interpersonal interactions, highlighting the urgent need for evidence-based intervention programs. STEM activities that emphasize collaboration and communication offer a new pathway for social skill development. This study developed an adaptive STEM project-based learning instructional framework teaching model and employed a multiple-probe across-participant design to evaluate the participants’ social skills achievement rates and frequency of emotional and behavioral incidents. The results indicated that STEM activities exerted positive intervention effects; they effectively improved social skills (including cooperation, empathy, engagement, and communication) in students with ASD and reduced the occurrence of emotional and behavioral problems. Feedback from teachers, parents, and students further confirmed the social validity of STEM activities. Finally, recommendations for implementing STEM education among students with ASD are proposed from three perspectives: constructing interdisciplinary collaboration mechanisms, developing adaptive STEM curricula, and implementing dynamic teaching support strategies. Full article

This study investigates the conditions under which workplace loneliness influences employees’ help-seeking behavior. Drawing on the conservation of resources theory and the theory of planned behavior, we propose that loneliness does not uniformly discourage interpersonal engagement but can motivate help-seeking under certain circumstances. Using survey data from 260 full-time Korean employees, we find that workplace loneliness is positively associated with help-seeking when employees perceive high levels of transactive memory systems or work meaningfulness. These moderating effects suggest that the negative impact of loneliness on help-seeking can be attenuated or reversed when key contextual and motivational resources are present. We discuss the implications of these findings for understanding workplace loneliness as a potentially adaptive response rather than solely a detrimental experience. Full article

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic uniquely challenged non-formal education (NFE), a sector reliant on interpersonal engagement, by forcing a rapid shift to remote work. This study examines how managerial leadership styles, technological self-efficacy (TSE), and attitudes toward remote work intersect among NFE coordinators in Israel’s Arab society, a minority community facing distinct cultural and systemic challenges. Aim: Focusing on school-based social-community education coordinators (SCECs) and community-based non-formal education coordinators (NFECs), the study investigates how leadership and organizational context shaped their adaptation to crisis. Method: The study employed a cross-sectional survey design, with data collected from 132 coordinators and 47 youth department directors between June and October 2021 using validated questionnaires. Pearson correlations, moderated mediation analysis, and ANOVA were used to analyze the data. Findings: The results revealed positive correlations between transformational leadership style (TLS), TSE, job satisfaction, and positive attitudes toward remote work. Critically, the analysis uncovered a context-dependent mechanism: TSE fully mediated the relationship between TLS and attitudes toward remote work, but this effect was significant only for community-based NFECs, not for school-based SCECs. Additionally, SCECs reported higher satisfaction and TSE than NFECs, who perceived more laissez-faire leadership. Contributions: Drawing on Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, the findings underscore that leadership’s effectiveness in crises is not one-size-fits-all; its impact is channeled through different mechanisms depending on the organizational ecosystem. The study highlights the pivotal roles of adaptive leadership and TSE in sustaining resilient NFE in minority communities. Theoretical and practical implications point to the need for culturally responsive, context-sensitive leadership development and targeted technology training to foster equitable learning environments. Full article

This research aims to describe existing evidence on the availability of culturally adapted lifestyle, nutrition, and physical activity programs among Native Hawaiian, CHamoru, and Filipino populations who are affected by obesity at rates higher than the general US population, contributing to poorer health outcomes. Addressing this disparity requires programs that are culturally adapted and grounded for these specific populations. A comprehensive description of the availability of lifestyle interventions for Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and Filipinos is missing in the literature. A systematic literature review was performed in July 2025 to gather articles that included lifestyle (nutrition and/or physical activity) interventions addressing obesity and/or related chronic diseases and that utilized one or more cultural adaptations for Native Hawaiian, CHamoru, and/or Filipino populations. Data were extracted, and methodological quality, social ecological model (SEM) level, and risk for bias was assessed. Twenty-nine articles met inclusion criteria. Interventions addressed pre-diabetes (n = 7), hypertension (n = 7), and/or obesity (n = 5) and included combined nutrition and physical activity (n = 16). Sixteen articles included interventions culturally adapted for Filipino populations only, 7 for Native Hawaiians only, 6 for both Native Hawaiians and Filipinos, and 2 included CHamorus. The most common combination of approaches were interventions that incorporated individual, interpersonal, and community SEM levels (n = 17). Intervention components were reflective of culturally relevant physical activities (n = 16) and nutrition (n = 11). Based on this research, there is a need for additional research to include CHamoru communities and interventions to be tested in geographic locations where these populations have migrated. Full article

Industry 4.0 is steadily advancing a reality of deepening integration between humans and technology, a phenomenon aptly described by the metaphor of the “technologically augmented human”. This study identifies the digital and personal factors that predict a preference for the “digital centaur” strategy among adolescents and young adults. This strategy is defined as a model of human–AI collaboration designed to enhance personal capabilities. A sample of 1841 participants aged 14–39 completed measures assessing digital centaur preference and identification, emotional intelligence (EI), mindfulness, digital competence, technology attitudes, and AI usage, as well as AI-induced emotions and fears. The results indicate that 27.3% of respondents currently identify as digital centaurs, with an additional 41.3% aspiring to adopt this identity within the next decade. This aspiration was most prevalent among 18- to 23-year-olds. Hierarchical regression showed that interpersonal and intrapersonal EI and mindfulness are personal predictors of the digital centaur preference, while digital competence, technophilia, technopessimism (inversely), and daily internet use emerged as significant digital predictors. Notably, intrapersonal EI and mindfulness became non-significant when technology attitudes were included. Digital centaurs predominantly used AI functionally and reported positive emotions (curiosity, pleasure, trust, gratitude) but expressed concerns about human misuse of AI. These findings position the digital centaur as an adaptive and preadaptive strategy for the technologically augmented human. This has direct implications for education, highlighting the need to foster balanced human–AI collaboration. Full article

Adolescence is a critical stage of emotional and social development, with family functioning playing a vital role in shaping adolescent adjustment. However, the mechanisms linking family functioning to adolescent adjustment, particularly the mediating role of interpersonal competence in China, remain underexplored. This study surveyed 7318 junior and senior high school students from multiple Chinese regions, assessing family cohesion, family adaptability, interpersonal competence (communication, regulation, perception), and adolescent adjustment. Regression and mediation analyses examined direct and indirect effects of family functioning on adjustment. Among junior high students, family cohesion indirectly influenced adjustment via communication (28.10%) and regulation (17.32%), while adaptability operated through communication (29.50%) and regulation (32.45%). Among senior high students, cohesion acted via communication (18.63%) and regulation (21.57%), whereas adaptability affected adjustment equally through both (31.29%). Findings reveal developmental stage differences in the relative importance of interpersonal competence dimensions, confirm the applicability of the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) framework in China, and provide evidence for stage-specific interventions to strengthen interpersonal skills and optimize family–school support systems for adolescent adjustment. Full article

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are recognized risk factors for later substance use. Yet, data remain scarce—particularly regarding the differentiated effects of specific types of ACEs and their distinct associations with various psychoactive substances. The current study is one of the first in Lithuania to explore the associations between specific ACEs and psychoactive substance use in young adulthood (ages 18–29). This cross-sectional study included a total of 709 participants who completed an online survey. ACEs were measured using a combination of adapted ACEs items and the MACE questionnaire. Substance use was assessed using self-reported instruments: CUDIT-R (cannabis), AUDIT (alcohol), ASSIST (heavy psychoactive substances), and nicotine use. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was chosen to examine predictive relationships. Results revealed that experiences of sexual abuse and physical maltreatment in childhood predicted higher levels of alcohol use in young adulthood. Sexual abuse was positively associated with nicotine, cannabis, and heavy psychoactive substance use, while witnessing interpersonal violence was only associated with higher nicotine use. However, verbal abuse showed significant negative associations across several substance categories. No significant associations were found between family addiction history and substance use. The absence of an important relationship between family history of addiction and substance use indicates that genetic factors may be less decisive than environmental or psychosocial conditions. The main findings of this study are that ACEs are not qualitatively equivalent to one another, so it is worth examining them separately, rather than summing them. Furthermore, based on the negative associations with verbal abuse and the generally statistically negative associations, we can assume that ACEs may not be the most important factors increasing substance use. Further studies should look for other factors that influence substance use. Full article

Soft skills remain fundamental for employability and sustainable human development in an increasingly technology-driven society. These interpersonal and cognitive competencies—such as communication, adaptability, and critical thinking—represent uniquely human capabilities that current Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems cannot replicate. However, assessing and developing these skills consistently remains a challenge due to the lack of standardized evaluation frameworks. This study explores the potential of commercial video games as engaging environments for soft skills enhancement and introduces an AI-based assessment methodology to quantify such improvement. Using player data collected from the Steam platform, we designed and validated an AI model based on Gradient Boosting Regressor (GBR) to estimate participants’ soft skill progression. The model achieved high predictive performance (R² ≈ 0.9; MAE/RMSE ≈ 1), demonstrating strong alignment between gameplay behavior and soft skill improvement. The results highlight that video game-based data analysis can provide a reliable, non-intrusive alternative to traditional testing methods, reducing test-related anxiety while maintaining assessment validity. This approach supports the integration of video games into educational and professional training frameworks as a scalable and data-driven tool for soft skills development. Full article