Search Results (5,875)

Craving for mobile phone use is increasingly discussed as a relevant feature of problematic engagement with digital technologies. This population-based study of 1601 Spanish adults examined psychological factors (impulsivity traits and affective symptoms) and behavioral correlates linked to mobile phone craving. Primary outcome: Mobile phone craving scale (MPACS). Secondary analyses: Associations between craving and impulsivity, anxiety, depression, Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD), gambling severity, and alcohol use. Craving measured with the MPACS was most common among younger participants (16–35 years old) and strongly related to greater daily phone use, heightened impulsivity, especially urgency and sensation seeking, and higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms. Among individuals who use their phones for gaming or gambling (n = 463), craving was strongly associated with IGD and gambling severity, suggesting that mobile phones may amplify involvement in these behaviors. Exploratory factor analyses consistently revealed four underlying dimensions—Reactive Impulsivity, Cognitive Impulsivity, Negative Emotions, and Addictive Behaviors—each contributing differently depending on craving intensity. Logistic regression analyses showed that anxiety, impulsivity, phone-use duration, and IGD scores independently predicted high craving levels. Overall, the findings highlight mobile phone craving as a clinically meaningful, multidimensional construct tied to emotional dysregulation and behavioral addiction. Assessing craving may help identify individuals at heightened risk for problematic technology use and related psychological difficulties. Full article

Background/Objective: Self-perceived hearing handicap (SPHH) reflects functional consequences of hearing loss beyond audiometric measures. Clarifying its relationship with audiometric severity and demographic factors is important for understanding age-related hearing loss (ARHL). This study examined associations between SPHH, audiometric measures, age, and sex in individuals with ARHL. Methods: A total of 145 adults (50 men, 95 women) aged 60–89 years (mean 71.65 ± 7.19 years) participated. Hearing status was defined using better-ear pure-tone average thresholds at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz (BE PTA-4), with ≥20 dB HL as the cutoff and World Health Organization (WHO)-defined severity categories. SPHH was assessed using the Croatian Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly–Screening version (HHIE-S-CRO). HHIE-S-CRO total and subscale scores were examined across BE PTA-4 values and hearing loss categories. Associations were analyzed using correlation and linear regression adjusted for age and sex; group differences were tested using the Kruskal–Wallis test, and ordinal logistic regression assessed monotonic trends across ordered severity categories. Results: HHIE-S-CRO total and subscale scores increased with worsening BE PTA-4 and across hearing loss categories, with substantial overlap. Strong correlations were observed between HHIE-S-CRO scores and audiometric measures. In linear regression, BE PTA-4 was independently associated with HHIE-S-CRO total, emotional, and social/situational scores, whereas age and sex were not. Kruskal–Wallis tests showed significant differences across hearing loss categories. Ordinal logistic regression anchored to WHO severity categories demonstrated graded associations for HHIE-S-CRO total and emotional scores, while the social/situational subscale showed greater dispersion and overlap despite a statistically significant association. Conclusions: SPHH in ARHL shows a strong association with audiometric severity, with particularly robust correspondence for overall and emotional domains, underscoring the complementary role of patient-reported outcome measures alongside audiometric assessment. Full article

Emotional (mental) pain can precipitate a suicidal intention in humans. In contemporary society characterized by an increase in international migrations, the potential impact of immigration remains among the controversial and even quite complex topics in the sociology of suicidal behavior. In other respects, our understanding of the potential impact of immigration status on emotional pain in adults with a dual diagnosis of schizophrenic and comorbid substance use disorders remains unclear. This cross-sectional survey aimed to examine the potential impact of immigration status on the experience of emotional pain. All study participants (N = 93) gave written and signed consent before beginning to complete this individual survey. The analysis revealed significant main effects of both immigration and gender on emotional pain intensity, with the native-born and females reporting a higher intensity of emotional pain. However, no significant effects were found for immigration or gender concerning general self-efficacy. Additionally, significant interactions were found between immigration and gender for both emotional pain intensity and general self-efficacy, with native-born females exhibiting higher emotional pain intensity and general self-efficacy compared to non-native-born females. Regarding the unique contribution of general self-efficacy, the analysis showed that it (but not the lifetime patterns of psychoactive substance use) solely and significantly explained participants’ emotional pain intensity, with higher general self-efficacy associated with lower emotional pain. A mediation analysis revealed that general self-efficacy significantly mediated the relationship between immigration and emotional pain among females, but not males, suggesting that general self-efficacy played a key role in explaining how immigration influenced emotional pain for females with a dual diagnosis of schizophrenic and comorbid substance use disorders. This is the first evidence of the potential impact of immigration status on the experience emotional pain among adults with a dual diagnosis. The general self-efficacy played a key role in explaining how immigration status influenced current emotional pain for females, and not for males, with a dual diagnosis of schizophrenic and comorbid substance use disorders. Full article

Mental disorders, including anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder, are frequently associated with metabolic, inflammatory, and behavioral alterations that modulate their clinical expression and increase the risk of physical comorbidities. This cross-sectional study aimed to characterize the profile of inflammatory, metabolic, and cardiac biomarkers in individuals with mental disorders compared to healthy controls, also considering anthropometric and lifestyle indicators. Fifty volunteers were evaluated and distributed into four groups: control, anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder. All participants completed the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale—21 items (DASS-21) and underwent blood collection for the assessment of inflammatory biomarkers such as C-Reactive Protein and its high-sensitivity detection (CRP/hs-CRP), Interleukins (IL-6, IL-1β) and Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-α), metabolic biomarkers (vitamin D, cortisol, and D-dimer), and cardiac biomarkers such as N-terminal pro-B-type Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP), Creatine Kinase—MB (CK-MB), troponin I (cTnI), and myoglobin (Myo). The results showed a significantly higher body mass index (BMI) in clinical groups, particularly in groups with anxiety and depression. Biomarker analyses revealed significant differences in groups with mental disorders. Elevated levels of CRP (p = 0.0038), hs-CRP (p = 0.0048), and IL-6 (p = 0.0030) were identified in the anxiety group, while the depression group was characterized by reduced vitamin D levels (p = 0.0302). Individuals with bipolar disorder presented significantly higher levels of CK-MB (p = 0.0016), CRP (p < 0.0001), IL-6 (p = 0.0198), and IL-1β (p = 0.0067). It was also observed that most individuals with mental disorders did not engage in physical activity. This inactivity was associated with worse emotional scores, higher systemic inflammation, and vitamin D deficiency. These findings reinforce the existence of an integrated axis between metabolism, inflammation, and behavior, in which excess weight, sedentary lifestyle, and nutritional deficiencies synergistically contribute to the maintenance of psychiatric symptoms and metabolic vulnerability. Integrating biomarkers, BMI, and behavioral factors may aid in identifying clinical subphenotypes and guiding more precise and individualized therapeutic strategies. Full article

Background/Objectives: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) involves breathing oxygen at pressures greater than atmospheric levels and is used to treat diverse clinical conditions. However, little is known about the lived experiences and perceived needs of patients undergoing scheduled treatment in multiplace hyperbaric chambers, where nurses play a key role in support, safety, and communication. This study aimed to explore the perceptions, expectations, and needs of patients receiving scheduled HBOT sessions in a multiplace chamber in a hospital setting. Methods: A qualitative phenomenological design was used. Participants were recruited consecutively among adults who had completed at least 10 HBOT sessions and demonstrated adequate cognitive function. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted between January and March 2023 in locations chosen by participants. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and validated by participants. Results: Twelve participants (eight men, four women; aged 25–84 years) were included. Four thematic areas emerged: (1) Biopsychosocial lived experiences, including initial uncertainty, physical discomfort such as ear pressure or mask-related issues, and progressive recognition of therapeutic benefits. (2) Interpersonal relationships, highlighting trust, security, and emotional support provided mainly by nurses. (3) Communication experiences, with participants expressing satisfaction but requesting clearer, earlier information on procedures, risks, and expected sensations. (4) Structural and organizational factors, where transportation logistics and treatment scheduling were significant sources of fatigue and discomfort. Conclusions: Patients valued HBOT and perceived notable health improvements, while identifying specific unmet informational and organizational needs. These findings suggest the importance of nurse-led educational interventions to enhance preparation, reduce anxiety, and optimize patient experience during HBOT. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study examined how personality traits, compassion, and love are associated with the three dimensions of burnout among nurses, while accounting for demographic factors such as gender, age, and work shift. Methods: A total of 403 nurses participated in this cross-sectional study and completed validated self-report measures of personality, compassionate love, and burnout, as well as an in-house, exploratory Love Instrument. Path analysis was used to examine patterns of direct and indirect associations among the study variables while controlling demographic covariates. Results: Men reported higher psychoticism and depersonalization, whereas women scored higher in compassion. Neuroticism was associated with greater emotional exhaustion and depersonalization and with lower personal accomplishment. Compassion showed indirect association patterns linking extraversion and the Lie scale with personal accomplishment and linking psychoticism with depersonalization. Extraversion was positively associated with accomplishment both directly and indirectly, while psychoticism was associated with higher depersonalization. Love-related variables showed mixed findings. Specifically, love experience was not associated with burnout, whereas love intensity was positively associated with both depersonalization and accomplishment. Older nurses reported more exhaustion but also greater accomplishment; male gender and rotating shifts were associated with higher depersonalization and exhaustion. Conclusions: The findings support neuroticism as a key dispositional vulnerability correlated with burnout and suggest that compassion and extraversion are linked to more favorable burnout-related profiles, particularly higher accomplishment and lower depersonalization. Love-related emotion intensity showed small, mixed associations and should be interpreted cautiously given the exploratory measurement approach. These results highlight the emotional complexity of nursing and may inform future research and workplace initiatives aimed at supporting occupational well-being. Full article

Background/Objectives: Breastfeeding is widely acknowledged for its benefits to child development and maternal well-being. Yet breastfeeding practices often decline during early childhood transitions, particularly when children enter early childhood education and care (ECEC) services. Research has largely concentrated on healthcare contexts, leaving the educational domain comparatively underexplored in its potential to sustain or hinder breastfeeding continuation. This cross-sectional study examines associations between maternal beliefs regarding the value of breastfeeding and personal, relational, and contextual factors related to breastfeeding continuation within ECEC settings. It also incorporates educators’ perspectives and situates breastfeeding practices within the broader framework of parental ethnotheories. Methods: The study formed part of a pilot parental engagement initiative involving 17 childcare centers in Northern Italy, designed to promote dialogue and supportive practices around breastfeeding within ECEC services. This context is acknowledged when interpreting findings related to organizational climate and educator perspectives. Participants included 490 mothers of children enrolled in ECEC services and 118 educators. Mothers completed questionnaires assessing breastfeeding beliefs and experiences, co-sleeping practices, perceived social support, and parental ethnotheories (independence versus interdependence). Educators reported on their experiences in supporting breastfeeding within the childcare context. Analyses included descriptive statistics, analyses of variance, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression to examine factors associated with breastfeeding continuation. Results: Mothers strongly endorsed the developmental benefits of breastfeeding and expressed greater alignment with caregiving practices emphasizing interdependence and physical proximity. Continued breastfeeding within childcare settings correlated with interdependence-oriented ethnotheories, younger child age, and higher engagement in co-sleeping practices. Educators reported generally positive views of breastfeeding in childcare, highlighting its contribution to children’s emotional security and maternal calm, alongside its negligible impact on educational organization. Conclusions: ECEC services play a crucial role in sustaining breastfeeding beyond the domestic sphere. Relational practices and organizational climates that welcome breastfeeding can foster continuity of care, strengthen parental engagement, and promote child well-being. Full article

Background/Objectives: Healthcare workers have faced increasing emotional strain driven by organizational constraints, rising workload, and accumulated post-pandemic pressure. To support emotional well-being in primary care professionals, the Catalan Health Institute implemented a large-scale psychoeducational group program in its primary care centers. This study explored its feasibility, acceptability, and the factors shaping real-world implementation from the perspectives of participating professionals and community psychologists who taught it. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted involving five online focus groups held with community psychologists (two groups) and primary care professionals who participated in the program (three groups), selected through purposive sampling. Additional qualitative material was obtained from implementation-related field notes. Session transcripts were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. The study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05720429). Results: Participants described a context of sustained emotional strain that increased motivation to engage with the program. The sessions were perceived as a valuable protected space for emotional expression, interpersonal connection, and learning self-care strategies. Community psychologists were regarded as key facilitators due to their embedded role and contextual knowledge. However, inconsistent managerial engagement, lack of protected time, competing workloads, and inadequate physical spaces were barriers to successful implementation. Participants proposed strengthening institutional support and offering follow-up sessions to consolidate benefits. Conclusions: The program was positively valued and was perceived to provide individual and team-level benefits. Its sustainability requires stronger organizational commitment and integration into routine practice. Findings underscore the need to complement individual-focused interventions with systemic actions addressing workload, staffing, and organizational culture. Full article

This study examined how resilience-based interventions enable rural older women living with HIV in Zimbabwe to confront stigma and sustain their quality of life. Guided by the 4S framework of resilience resources planning (social support, coping strategies, sagacity, and solution-seeking), the research explored how women apply these dimensions to navigate challenging life events. A purposive sample of 17 women (those not living with a spouse or in a socially sanctioned relationship), aged 40–65, all on antiretroviral therapy and drawn from rural Matabeleland South Province, participated through in-depth interviews. Using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis, four themes emerged: (1) Social Support and Social Networks as Foundations of Resilience, (2) Self-Efficacy and Coping Strategies in Managing Emotional Distress, (3) Spirituality and Sagacity as Sources of Strength and Meaning, and (4) Sense of Purpose and Solution-Seeking Behaviours. The findings highlight that resilience is actively mobilised through family ties, peer groups, and community initiatives, enabling women to adapt to socio-economic hardship and health-related barriers. This study concludes that empowerment strategies, especially community-based programmes focused on skills development and economic opportunities, are essential for enhancing resilience, reducing vulnerability, and improving health outcomes. Strengthening these resources not only equips women to manage HIV-related challenges but also contributes to sustainable development within their communities. Full article

This study explores the role of TikTok in shaping emotions and communicative dynamics within the broader context of digital culture. The research is grounded in a theoretical framework that traces the shift from a linear communication model to a participatory and convergent ecosystem, characterized by user-generated content and horizontal interaction. Drawing on the concept of digital affordances, the analysis examines how comments on TikTok serve as a crucial dimension, simultaneously driving the algorithmic visibility of content and fostering the construction of social bonds. The study employs a quantitative, descriptive approach, conducting content analysis across three dimensions (syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic) on a corpus of 4206 comments drawn from four self-help videos by influencers Irene Albacete, Daniel Habif, and Yoroi. Additionally, a structured survey of 336 participants, based on a Likert scale, was administered to assess perceptions and emotions associated with these contents. The findings reveal that comments function as interaction multipliers that amplify algorithmic dissemination, generating opportunities for democratizing visibility while also posing risks of reinforcing echo chambers and cognitive biases. Moreover, TikTok demonstrates a dual emotional impact: while it fosters supportive communities and enhances socioemotional skills, it can also intensify challenges such as anxiety, low self-esteem, and large-scale negative emotional contagion. In conclusion, TikTok emerges as a central arena of contemporary digital experience, where algorithmic logic and user participation coexist within a landscape of tension between inclusion and risk. These findings underscore the need for conscious, critical engagement with digital platforms, as well as the ethical responsibility of algorithmic systems in shaping social and emotional life in the digital era. Full article

Table tennis has increasingly been adopted as a tool to promote physical and mental health, yet evidence on its outcomes and implementation remains scattered. This study conducted a rapid scoping review to summarise available research on the health outcomes of table tennis within recreational or non-elite settings and identify how table tennis-for-health activities are structured and delivered. Peer-reviewed articles in English were included when they focused the outcomes of table tennis participation on health in community or social settings. Searches across two multidisciplinary databases, complemented by reference screening, led to 17 studies published between 2010 and 2025 being included. Studies were then charted for their methodological, intervention and outcome characteristics. Most studies employed quantitative methods, with experimental or controlled designs predominating, and targeted children, adolescents, older adults, and individuals with conditions such as ADHD or Parkinson’s disease. Across various settings, table tennis was associated with improvements in physical fitness, balance, agility, and body composition, alongside cognitive benefits such as enhanced executive functioning and visual–perceptual skills. Psychological and social outcomes, including improved self-efficacy, emotional regulation, cooperation and social interaction, were also reported. Though no formal quality assessment was conducted, there are clear methodological limitations, including small sample sizes, geographic and gender imbalances, and limited reporting on intervention characteristics that restrict the strength and generalisability of the findings. Overall, this review provides a starting point for trainers and health professionals in the area, presenting promising but preliminary evidence for table tennis as a health-enhancing activity and highlighting the need for more rigorous and comprehensive evaluation. Full article

Difficulties in emotion regulation (ER) have been consistently associated with eating disorders (EDs). However, little is known about how this association operates during early adolescence, and the specific influence of sex. Objectives: This study aims to assess if maladaptive ER strategies predict greater ED symptomatology, while adaptive strategies predict lower levels of EDs symptoms among early adolescents. Additionally, the moderating effect of sex will also be assessed in these associations. Method: Ninety-eight Spanish-speaking adolescents aged 12–15 years (55 girls, 43 boys) participated in this study and completed a baseline assessment, including measures of EDs, adaptative (i.e., cognitive reappraisal) and maladaptive (i.e., expressive suppression and rumination) ER strategies. Independent sample t-tests were used to examine sex differences in age, ER, and ED symptoms. Hierarchical regression models assessed whether sex moderated the associations between ER strategies and ED symptoms. Results: Girls reported significantly higher levels of both brooding and reflective rumination compared to boys, but no sex differences were found in other measures. Regression analyses showed that expressive suppression and brooding rumination significantly predicted higher ED symptomatology, independent of sex. In contrast, cognitive reappraisal and reflective rumination were not associated with ED symptoms. No moderating effects of sex were observed in any model. Conclusions: Findings indicate that maladaptive ER strategies, particularly expressive suppression and ruminative brooding, predict greater ED symptom severity in early adolescence. However, sex did not moderate these relationships. These results underscore the importance of targeting maladaptive ER processes in adolescent prevention programs. Interventions focused on reducing maladaptive ER may be especially relevant at this developmental stage, when cognitive capacities for adaptive ER are still maturing. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2023) profoundly disrupted healthcare systems and imposed sustained psychological burdens on healthcare professionals and trainees. Reliable instruments are essential for assessing these impacts. This study evaluated the construct validity and reliability of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) in a convenience sample of 1761 healthcare professionals, trainees, and academic staff at a single U.S. academic health sciences center (the University of Oklahoma Health Campus). Participants completed the FCV-19S; confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) examined its dimensional structure; and internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s α and McDonald’s ω. The one-factor model demonstrated good internal consistency (α = 0.89; ω = 0.89) but exhibited sub-optimal model fit (CFI = 0.89; TLI = 0.83; SRMR = 0.06; RMSEA = 0.18). The two-factor model, distinguishing emotional and somatic fear, showed substantially improved fit (CFI = 0.97; TLI = 0.96; SRMR = 0.03; RMSEA = 0.09) and acceptable internal consistency for both factors (α = 0.85 and 0.86; ω = 0.85 and 0.87), although RMSEA remained above conventional thresholds for close fit. Overall, findings support a two-factor structure as a comparatively superior and more nuanced representation of fear responses among an academic health workforce. The validated FCV-19S offers a reliable tool for assessing COVID-19-related distress in clinical and educational health settings, informing targeted interventions to strengthen workforce resilience. Full article

Background: In today’s dynamic healthcare environment, Changi General Hospital (CGH) has positioned staff wellbeing and engagement as fundamental priorities that underpin workforce sustainability and quality care delivery. Recognizing that allied health professionals (AHPs) face unique emotional demands and potential empathy fatigue, the CGH Allied Health Division (AHD) uses three strategic pillars: individual empowerment, leaders as key stewards and institutional support systems to address staff wellbeing and engagement. This paper will evaluate the outcomes of implementing the programs and identifying the barriers and enablers to achieving staff wellbeing and engagement. Methods: It adopts a mixed-methods approach using both quantitative survey data and qualitative feedback. Results: A total of 314 AHPs participated with a mean employment duration of 8.89 years. While 95% agreed that their work was meaningful and 76.8% reported happiness at work, 40.8% did not experience being recognized by the organization and approximately 30% did not find higher management responsive to their needs or transparent in their communication. Qualitative analysis revealed concerns about psychological safety of sharing one’s opinions and concerns, and a desire for better renumeration and career progression. Conclusions: AHPs reported happiness and meaningfulness in their clinical work. However, issues with organizational recognition, higher management responsiveness and transparency, as well as psychological safety were elicited. Working towards addressing fostering psychological safety and enhancing recognition and communication with management are important in order to develop and sustain a thriving healthcare workforce capable of high-quality patient care. Overall, the findings reinforced AHD direction of putting employee wellbeing and engagement as a strategic priority. Full article

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly reshaping organizational dynamics, not only through efficiency gains but by influencing how work is structured, interpreted, and experienced. In healthcare, where professional team stability is crucial, this transformation intersects with structural issues such as persistent nurse turnover. This study presents an exploratory case study of a private accredited hospital in Italy that introduced an AI-enabled shift scheduling system (“Dream-Shift”) in response to perceived inequities and workforce instability. The system was embedded in a participatory architecture that included a Nursing Practice Council and HR dashboards to visualize staffing patterns. Drawing on theories of Sustainable Human Resource Management (SHRM), algorithmic management, and people sustainability, the study examines how AI-mediated transparency and participation affect fairness perceptions, predictability, and organizational climate. Using administrative data, ethnographic observations, internal documents, and informal feedback, the study finds that the algorithm did not eliminate all inequities but made decision constraints visible and debatable. It redistributed the emotional burden of scheduling and enabled more structured conversations about work. Managers transitioned from unilateral decision-makers to facilitators of collective interpretation. The results suggest that when integrated into participatory infrastructures, AI can foster organizational transparency, support relational stability, and act as a socio-technical enabler of people sustainability rather than as a tool of control. Full article