Search Results (1,394)

Two highly effective math learning strategies are spaced practice (in which problems of the same kind are distributed across many sessions) and interleaved practice (in which problems of different kinds are mixed rather than blocked). Though these strategies are supported by data, students may be reluctant to use them if they perceive the strategies as ineffective or unpleasant. In Study 1, we surveyed 174 grade 7 math students about the efficacy and likability of spaced and interleaved practice. Spaced practice was often judged likable, but nearly half of students failed to recognize its efficacy. Interleaved practice was judged both unlikable and inefficacious by most students. In Study 2, we further explored perceptions of interleaving in a survey of 233 grade 7 math students. Again, students erroneously judged interleaved practice to have low efficacy. Compared to blocked practice, interleaved practice was judged less effective, less preferable, more time-consuming, and more difficult. This work identifies perceptions that may discourage students from using effective learning strategies and also shows that specific perceptions differ by strategy. Helping students overcome their negative perceptions of spacing and interleaving is an important future direction. Full article

The introduction of mobile banking is essential in today’s financial sector, where technological innovation plays a critical role. To remain competitive in the current market, businesses must analyze client attitudes and perspectives, as these influence long-term demand and overall profitability. While previous studies have explored general adoption behaviors, limited research has examined how individual factors such as social influence, lifestyle compatibility, financial technology self-efficacy, and perceived usage cost affect mobile banking adoption among specific generational cohorts. This study addresses that gap by offering insights into these variables, contributing to the growing literature on mobile banking adoption, and presenting actionable recommendations for financial institutions targeting younger market segments. Using a structured questionnaire survey, data were collected from both users and non-users of mobile banking among the Gen Z population in the United States. The regression model significantly predicts mobile banking adoption, with an intercept of $-0.548$ ($p < 0.001$). Among the independent variables, perceived cost of usage has the strongest positive effect on adoption ($B=0.857$, $\beta =0.722$, $p < 0.001$), suggesting that adoption increases when mobile banking is perceived as more affordable. Social influence also has a significant positive impact ($B=0.642$, $\beta =0.643$, $p < 0.001$), indicating that peer influence is a central driver of adoption decisions. However, self-efficacy shows a significant negative relationship ($B=-0.343$, $\beta =-0.339$, $p < 0.001$), and lifestyle compatibility was found to be statistically insignificant ($p=0.615$). These findings suggest that reducing perceived costs, through lower fees, data bundling, or clearer communication about affordability, can directly enhance adoption among Gen Z consumers. Furthermore, leveraging peer influence via referral rewards, Partnerships with influencers, and in-app social features can increase user adoption. Since digital self-efficacy presents a barrier for some, banks should prioritize simplifying user interfaces and offering guided assistance, such as tutorials or chat-based support. Future research may employ longitudinal designs or analyze real-life transaction data for a more objective understanding of behavior. Additional variables like trust, perceived risk, and regulatory policies, not included in this study, should be integrated into future models to offer a more comprehensive analysis. Full article

Despite growing evidence supporting the efficacy of LSD-assisted psychotherapy in treating major depressive disorder (MDD), identifying reliable psychopharmacological biomarkers remains necessary. Oxytocin, a neuropeptide implicated in social bonding and flexibility, is a promising candidate due to its release following serotonergic psychedelic administration in healthy individuals; however, its dynamics in psychiatric populations are currently unexplored. This observational pilot study aimed to characterize salivary oxytocin dynamics during a single LSD-assisted psychotherapy session in our patients with treatment-resistant MDD. Participants received 100 or 150 µg LSD, and salivary oxytocin was measured at baseline, 60, 90, and 180 min post-LSD. Concurrently, participants rated subjective drug intensity (0–10 scale) at 60, 90, and 180 min. A linear mixed model revealed significant variation of oxytocin levels over time. Perceived psychedelic intensity also significantly varied over time. This supports oxytocin as a potential biomarker. Larger, controlled trials are warranted to replicate these findings and clarify the mechanistic links between oxytocin dynamics and clinical outcomes, including changes in depressive symptoms and mental flexibility. Full article

Background/Objectives: Obesity in adolescence is associated with a deterioration in cognitive functions, with significant implications for psychophysical well-being and academic performance. Recent studies highlight the importance of integrated interventions that combine nutrition education and physical activity to promote the overall health of students. The present study aims to evaluate the efficacy of an integrated intervention based on nutritional education and conscious body movement in improving cognitive functions, perceived well-being and nutritional knowledge in lower secondary school students with indicators of overweight and obesity. Methods: A quasi-experimental design with randomization at the class level was adopted, involving 60 students divided into an experimental group and control group. The intervention was divided into twelve weeks of activities, divided between nutritional education modules and physical activity courses. Standardized tests for the assessment of cognitive functions (Digit Span Forward, Digit Span Backward, Stroop Test, Trail Making Test B), motor tests (6-Minute Walk Test, Sit and Reach Test) and a food knowledge questionnaire were administered before and after the intervention. Results: The experimental group showed significant improvements compared to the control group in all cognitive, motor, and nutritional knowledge measures, indicating the effectiveness of the integrated intervention in promoting cognitive and physical well-being. Conclusions: The findings support the role of school as a generative environment of integrated well-being, suggesting the need to develop and implement curricular programs that integrate nutrition education and physical activity to counteract the negative effects of obesity on cognitive function in adolescents. Full article

This study investigated pre-service teachers’ (PTs) intentions to adopt generative AI (GenAI) tools in future classrooms by applying an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Participants were enrolled in multiple teacher-preparation programs within a single U.S. higher education institution. Through a structured GenAI-integrated activity using Khanmigo, a domain-specific AI platform for K-12 education, PTs explored AI-supported instructional tasks. Post-activity data were analyzed using PLS-SEM. The results showed that perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease-of-use (PEU), and self-efficacy (SE) significantly predicted behavioral intention (BI) to adopt GenAI, with SE also influencing both PU and PEU. Conversely, personal innovativeness in IT and perceived cyber risk showed insignificant effects on BI or PU. The findings underscored the evolving dynamics of TAM constructs in GenAI contexts and highlighted the need to reconceptualize ease-of-use and risk within AI-mediated environments. Practically, the study emphasized the importance of preparing PTs not only to operate AI tools but also to critically interpret and co-design them. These insights inform both theoretical models and teacher education strategies, supporting the ethical and pedagogically meaningful integration of GenAI in K-12 education. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. Full article

Background/Objectives: Huntington’s disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder involving the basal ganglia and is characterized by psychiatric, cognitive, and movement dysfunction, including gait and balance impairment. Given the limited efficacy of pharmacological treatments for HD motor symptoms, nonpharmacological approaches like rhythmic auditory stimulation are being explored. This study aims to describe walking performance in people with HD during rhythmic auditory stimulation using external musical cues and internal singing cues. Methods: Individuals in the manifest stage of HD performed walking in four conditions: (1) comfortable pace, (2) cognitive dual task, (3) musical cue (music was played aloud), and (4) singing cue (participants sang aloud). Sensors measured cadence, velocity, stride length, and variability. Relationships between change in cadence and motor and cognitive measures were explored. Results: While no direct measurements of synchronization were performed, limiting our interpretation, neither the external musical cue nor the singing cue significantly improved walking performance. Both cues increased variability, similar to what was observed during the dual task. Greater subjective balance confidence and better cognitive performance were associated with positive cadence change during cueing. Conclusions: Musical cues may be too cognitively demanding for individuals with Huntington’s disease as they worsen gait variability without increasing gait speed, cadence, or stride length. Although global cognition and perceived balance confidence were related to the ability to increase cadence, very few people were able to increase their cadence during either cue. Therefore, the results do not support the use of musical cues to improve gait for individuals with Huntington’s disease. Full article

Background/Objectives: Chickenpox is an ongoing health threat for young children. This study aimed to investigate varicella vaccination uptake among children and its determinants at both the individual and interpersonal levels. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of parents of children aged 0–15 years and with administrative health records was conducted between September and October 2024 in Shenzhen, China. Participants were recruited through multistage random sampling. This analysis was based on a subsample of 996 parents whose children were 1–10 years old and without a prior history of chickenpox. Multivariate logistic regression models were fitted. Results: Among the participants, 47.0% reported that their children had received a varicella vaccination. Parents who believed that chickenpox was highly contagious (adjusted odds ratios [AOR]: 1.62, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.23, 2.13), perceived more benefits (AOR: 1.22, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.41) and cues to action (AOR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.69), and exhibited greater self-efficacy (AOR: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.09, 1.80) related to children’s varicella vaccination reported higher varicella vaccination uptake for their children. Greater perceived barriers related to vaccination (AOR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.83, 0.95) and dysfunctional interactions with children (AOR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.94, 0.99) were associated with lower varicella vaccination uptake for children. In addition, higher exposure to information encouraging parents to vaccinate their children against chickenpox (AOR: 1.24, 95%CI: 1.08, 1.41) and thoughtful consideration of the veracity of the information were associated with higher varicella vaccination uptake among children (AOR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.36). Conclusions: There is a strong need to promote varicella vaccination for children in China. Full article

Background and Objectives: Long-acting cabotegravir and rilpivirine (LA-CAB/RPV) offers an alternative to daily oral antiretroviral therapy (ART) for people living with HIV (PLWH). Although LA-CAB/RPV has been approved in Turkey, the country remains in the pre-rollout period, and national data on patient perspectives are lacking. This is the first nationwide study from Turkey, a setting of increasing HIV incidence, assessing PLWH perspectives on switching to LA-CAB/RPV and the influence of motivational factors on treatment preferences. Materials and Methods: A prospective, multicenter, cross-sectional study was conducted across 11 HIV treatment centers representing all regions of Turkey. Virologically suppressed PLWH meeting current eligibility criteria for LA-CAB/RPV were included. Treatment preferences (switch to LA-CAB/RPV or remain on oral ART) and five anticipated motivational domains, namely perceived efficacy, safety, convenience, privacy, and cost, were systematically assessed through structured, face-to-face interviews. Results: Among 200 eligible participants, 86% (n = 172) preferred switching to LA-CAB/RPV. In all subgroups, LA-CAB/RPV was preferred over oral ART, except for those with no formal literacy. Prior awareness of LA-CAB/RPV was significantly associated with the switching preference (p < 0.001), with healthcare providers being the most common source of information, at 45.5% (n = 172) (p < 0.001). Residential proximity to the healthcare center (p = 0.018) and all motivational factors significantly influenced the preference (p < 0.05). Notably, when participants who initially chose to remain on oral ART were asked whether they would reconsider switching if injections were administered every six months, overall preference for long-acting therapy increased from 86% to 98%. Conclusions: High clinical eligibility and strong acceptability for LA-CAB/RPV were observed among Turkish PLWH. Our findings demonstrate that structured motivational factors significantly influence the treatment preference. Addressing these patient-centered factors and logistical barriers may support the successful integration of long-acting therapies into routine HIV care. Future longer-interval agents may improve patient-centered acceptability. Full article

Background: Kidney transplantation from a living donor is considered the most beneficial form of treatment for end-stage renal failure, which, in addition to providing patients with better treatment results, significantly improves their quality of life. Understanding factors that influence the willingness to donate kidneys to strangers is critical in promoting and expanding the living donor pool. When considering the decision to become an altruistic kidney donor, individuals must evaluate multiple factors, including the identity of the recipient and their own perceived level of safety. This study aimed to assess the willingness of dialysis center employees to act as living kidney donors for a stranger. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study from February 2023 to June 2024 among dialysis specialists across Poland. The study involved 1093 people (doctors and nurses). The study used our survey questionnaire and standardized tools. Results: Nurses (vs. physicians) and those who advocated the regulation of unspecified living kidney donation in Poland, did not believe in the risk of organ trafficking, and would donate a kidney to a husband/wife or friend and accept kidney transplantation from a husband/wife were more likely to donate a kidney to a stranger. Furthermore, respondents who accepted a loved one’s decision to donate a kidney to a stranger were significantly more willing to donate a kidney to such a person themselves. Perceived self-efficacy was positively associated with the willingness to donate a kidney to a stranger. Conclusions: Less than half of healthcare professionals supported unspecific living organ donation in Poland, and nurses were more willing to donate than physicians. The factors supporting the decision generally included knowledge about organ donation and transplantation, a lack of fear of organ trafficking, and attitudes towards donation. Full article

The application of artificial intelligence has significantly advanced interactive storytelling. However, current research has predominantly concentrated on the content generation capabilities of AI, primarily following a one-way ‘input-direct generation’ model. This has led to limited practicality in AI story writing, mainly due to the absence of investigations into user-driven creative processes. Consequently, users often perceive AI-generated suggestions as unhelpful and unsatisfactory. This study introduces a novel creative tool named Story Forge, which incorporates a card-based interactive narrative approach. By utilizing interactive story element cards, the tool facilitates the integration of narrative components with artificial intelligence-generated content to establish an interactive story writing framework. To evaluate the efficacy of Story Forge, two tests were conducted with a focus on user engagement, decision-making, narrative outcomes, the replay value of meta-narratives, and their impact on the users’ emotions and self-reflection. In the comparative assessment, the participants were randomly assigned to either the experimental group or the control group, in which they would use either a web-based AI story tool or Story Forge for story creation. Statistical analyses, including independent-sample t-tests, p-values, and effect size calculation (Cohen’s d), were employed to validate the effectiveness of the framework design. The findings suggest that Story Forge enhances users’ intuitive creativity, real-time story development, and emotional expression while empowering their creative autonomy. Full article

Background: Individuals with intellectual disability face an increased risk of mental health issues compared to the general population. Despite the proven efficacy of physical activity (PA) in improving anxiety and depression in the general population, little is known about this relationship in adults with intellectual disability and the factors that influence it. The purpose of the study was to determine whether a correlation exists between PA and perceived levels of anxiety and depression, and assess gender disparities in PA and mental health. Method: People with intellectual disability were recruited from day centers and sports events. The amount of PA was evaluated through the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Perceived mental health was assessed through the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety (ZAS) and Depression Scale (ZDS). Results: In total, 99 adults (34 females, aged 33 ± 12) participated in the study. A gender disparity was found in anxiety levels, while depression, PA, and type of sport participation did not differ between males and females. Multiple regression analysis highlights how the depression score was significantly predicted by gender (β = −3.57, p = 0.015), intellectual disability level (β =−3.08, p < 0.008), and PA (β =−0.10, p= 0.001), while anxiety was influenced by gender (β = −4.48, p = 0.003) and intellectual disability level (β = −3.23, p = 0.007). Conclusions: These findings underscore the relevance of physical activity as a factor associated with lower depressive symptoms in adults with intellectual disability, highlighting its potential role in mental health promotion within this population. Full article

Mental health difficulties in university students are an increasing concern, especially after the COVID-19 global crisis. This study used a cross-sectional design to analyze the effect of psychological factors on students’ psychological well-being. Participants were 190 university students enrolled in undergraduate or graduate programs at a public university. Based on previous research and grounded theoretical models, a conceptual model was proposed to analyze the influence of affect states/experiences (emotion regulation difficulties, anxiety and depression, perceived stress, self-compassion, gratitude, and satisfaction with life) on psychological well-being, including the indirect effect of emotions (negative emotions, positive activation emotions, self-efficacy emotions, prosocial emotions, and serenity emotions), using a path analysis. Multigroup analyses were also performed to test the moderating effect of gender and education level. Findings indicated that self-efficacy emotions had an indirect effect on the relationship between anxiety and depression, self-compassion, and psychological well-being. Both prosocial and self-efficacy emotions indirectly impacted the relationship between gratitude, satisfaction with life, and psychological well-being. Being a female and a bachelor student played a moderating role in the final model. The findings suggest that psychological interventions focused on self-efficacy and prosocial emotions are needed to increase psychological well-being in university students. Full article

Background: Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is a complex, disabling condition marked by non-specific symptoms in response to low-level chemical exposures. It often leads to substantial impairments in quality of life, psychological health, and daily functioning. Although non-pharmacological approaches—such as lifestyle and psychological interventions—are widely used, their clinical effectiveness remains unclear. Objective: We aim to evaluate the effectiveness of lifestyle-based approaches in improving clinical and psychosocial outcomes in adults with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. Methods: A systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD420251013537). Literature searches were carried out in MEDLINE (PubMed), CINAHL, Google Scholar, and ResearchGate between March and April 2025. Eligible studies included adults (≥18 years) with a confirmed diagnosis of MCS and reported outcomes such as perceived stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms, or quality of life. Methodological quality and risk of bias were independently assessed using the PEDro scale, NIH Quality Assessment Tool, CEBMa checklist, and Cochrane RoB 2.0. Results: Twelve studies (N = 378) met the inclusion criteria. Cognitive and behavioral therapies demonstrated the most consistent evidence of efficacy, with reductions in symptom severity, maladaptive cognitive patterns, and functional limitations. Mindfulness-based stress reduction showed favorable outcomes, while other mindfulness-based interventions yielded mixed results. Exposure-based therapies contributed to increased chemical tolerance and reduced avoidance behavior. Electromagnetic and biomedical approaches demonstrated preliminary but limited effectiveness. Aromatherapy was well tolerated and perceived as relaxing, though its clinical impact was modest. Conclusions: Cognitive and behavioral therapies appear to be most effective among lifestyle-based interventions for MCS/IEI. However, study heterogeneity limits the generalizability of findings, underscoring the need for more rigorous research. Full article

Nursing students often face emotional challenges related to death and dying, affecting their psychological well-being, emotional intelligence, and academic success. Cultural and educational factors may influence how they experience and manage these stressors. This study aimed to compare fear of death, emotional intelligence, coping with death, and academic burnout among second-year nursing students in Spain and Portugal to identify cross-cultural differences. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 174 second-year nursing students from the University of Extremadura (Spain) and the University of Évora (Portugal) during the 2023/2024 academic year. The instruments used included the Collett–Lester Brief Fear of Death Scale, the Trait Meta-Mood Scale—24 ítems, the Bugen’s Coping with Death Scale, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory—Student Survey. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and group comparisons were performed using independent samples t-tests and Welch’s t-tests, depending on variance homogeneity. A two-way ANOVA was also conducted to explore interactions between gender and nationality. The Spanish sample comprised 86 women and 21 men, and the Portuguese sample included 58 women and 9 men. The mean age across the sample was 21.5 years (SD = 4.15). No significant differences were observed in fear of death or emotional intelligence between the two groups. However, Portuguese students showed significantly better coping with death, but also higher academic burnout and cynicism. Spanish students reported greater perceived efficacy. Although emotional intelligence and death anxiety were similar, Portuguese students demonstrated stronger coping skills but experienced more burnout. This suggests that coping alone may not buffer academic stress, emphasizing the need for culturally tailored interventions to enhance emotional readiness and reduce burnout. Full article

In recent decades, there have been significant changes in employment relationships, leading to more precarious forms of employment and heightened perceptions of job insecurity. The purpose of this study was to test the effects of job insecurity on perceived psychological well-being and work engagement, with self-efficacy at work acting as a mediator and perceived supervisor support acting as a moderator. This study analyzed a sample of 938 individuals from Portugal who participated in the 2015 European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS). The results show that job insecurity has a negative impact on both psychological well-being and work engagement. Furthermore, the study found that self-efficacy at work acts as a mediator in the relationship between job insecurity, psychological well-being, and work engagement, with a buffering effect. Our results also show evidence of a moderation effect of perceived supervisor support, which works in two ways: perceived supervisor support amplifies the positive effect of self-efficacy at work on psychological well-being, as well as the indirect negative effect of job insecurity. However, this moderation effect was not observed in the relationship with work engagement. These results emphasize the significance of job insecurity regarding individual mental health and job-related attitudes, taking into consideration individual and organizational resources. Full article