Search Results (1,662)

Assessing body image efficiently requires brief, psychometrically sound instruments. This study evaluated the 15-item short-form Appearance Scales of the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ-AS15) to determine its structural validity, internal consistency, and cross-sex measurement invariance. A community sample of 1776 Greek adults (899 men, 877 women; mean age = 33.68 ± 9.89 years) completed the MBSRQ-AS15 alongside validation measures (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale [RSES], Eating Attitudes Test-26 [EAT-26]). Sex-specific Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Multi-Group CFA evaluated factor structure and scalar invariance. The five-factor model showed excellent fit in women (CFI = 0.984, RMSEA = 0.070) but poorer fit in men (CFI = 0.946, RMSEA = 0.105). Multi-group analysis established full scalar invariance (ΔCFI = 0.000). Internal consistency was robust in women (ω = 0.681–0.843) and most male subscales, except Overweight Preoccupation (OWPREOC) (ω = 0.477). Convergent validity was supported, though OWPREOC correlated weaker with eating attitudes in men (r = 0.348) than women (r = 0.555; z = −5.52, p < 0.001). To facilitate preliminary empirical research, sample-based reference percentiles for community comparisons are provided. Overall, the MBSRQ-AS15 offers a practical brief option for body image research, though its psychometric performance remains distinctly stronger in women than in men. While scalar invariance enables mean comparisons, male weight preoccupation scores require cautious interpretation due to potential confounding with muscularity goals. Full article

Research on the relationship between grandiose narcissism and self-esteem (SE) remains inconclusive. This study examined the effects of self-affirmation on self-regulation and the role of different dimensions of SE. Self-esteem was assessed using a bifactorial model derived from the RSES, distinguishing between positive (self-competence) and negative (self-derogation) components. The Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) was used to measure grandiose narcissistic traits, interpreted according to a three-factor model comprising “Power”, “Exhibitionism”, and “Special person”. A total of 180 undergraduate participants were randomly assigned to either a self-affirmation or control condition. Participants then completed a masked priming-based lexical decision task to assess reaction-time responses to status-related cues, interpreted as a behavioural indicator consistent with self-regulatory processing. Self-affirmation was associated with higher self-competence and lower self-derogation. A preliminary Condition × Special person interaction at the 149 ms SOA indicated that the association between Special person narcissism and RT differences was attenuated in the self-affirmation condition. The findings provide preliminary evidence consistent with the mask model, suggesting that self-affirmation may influence the processing of negative status-related cues among individuals differing in narcissistic traits. These findings suggest that self-affirmation may warrant further investigation as a mechanism for modifying self-evaluative processing associated with narcissistic traits. It also offers some explanation for previous conflicting evidence between SE and narcissism. Finally, the study provides inter alia for the first time an experimental validation of a bifactorial model of SE. Full article

Background and Objectives: Outcomes after cochlear implantation are usually judged using audiological measures, although recipients’ everyday benefit also depends on psychological and social functioning. This study characterized post-implant quality of life (QoL) across six patient-reported domains in cochlear implant recipients followed at a tertiary center in Romania and explored factors associated with social integration. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 50 consecutive cochlear implant recipients (24 children and adolescents, 26 adults) completed a validated 35-item Romanian-language questionnaire covering speech perception, psychological self-esteem, media and music, environmental sound, listening effort, and social integration, with parent-proxy completion for the youngest children. Domain scores were transformed to a 0–100 scale. Subgroup comparisons used rank-based tests, and associations with social integration were examined with Spearman correlations and an exploratory multivariable regression. Results: The median overall QoL score was 67.1 (interquartile range, 53.6–77.9). Media and music scored highest (median 85.7) and listening effort lowest (median 56.2); psychological self-esteem had a median of 66.7 (interquartile range, 50.0–79.2). QoL scores did not differ significantly by sex, age group, time since implantation, surgical approach, or SMART NAV use, although several subgroup analyses were underpowered. Psychological self-esteem showed the strongest correlation with social integration (rho = 0.56, p < 0.001) and was the only predictor with p < 0.05 in the exploratory multivariable model (B = 0.456, 95% CI, 0.117–0.795; p = 0.010; R² = 0.428). Conclusions: In this cohort, post-implant QoL varied across functional domains, with listening effort remaining a relative challenge. Social integration was more closely associated with psychological self-esteem than with individual auditory domains. These findings are exploratory and require confirmation in larger longitudinal studies with pre-implant measurements. Full article

Background: Building on Duda’s hierarchical approach, this study examined gender differences in students’ perceptions of (dis-)empowering motivational climates, self-esteem and social physique anxiety in the physical education context. Furthermore, it analysed the associations of (dis-)empowering climates with these self-presentation-related outcomes among boys and girls. Methods: A total of 2438 Spanish Physical Education students (Mage = 16.15 ± 2.01; 50.74% girls) participated in this cross-sectional research. A multi-group structural equation modeling approach was used to answer the research objectives. Results: Girls scored significantly higher than boys in negative self-esteem and social physique anxiety. The multi-group structural equation modeling showed slightly higher coefficients among boys for the associations between empowering climate and positive self-esteem and between disempowering climate and negative self-esteem. The negative self-esteem–SPA coefficient was higher among boys, whereas the inverse positive self-esteem–SPA coefficient was higher among girls. Conclusions: The main findings underscore the relevance of PE teachers creating empowering climates and avoiding disempowering climates, given their associations with positive self-esteem and social physique anxiety among boys and girls. Full article

Extended families are a growing influence in adolescent development, including the nuclear family and grandparent–grandchild relationship; still, the simultaneous contribution of these relational contexts to the development of socioemotional competencies in adolescents remains underexplored. This study examined the role of perceived overall family satisfaction and family communication in explaining socioemotional competencies in adolescents, and the additional contribution of grandparent–grandchild relationship quality. Sex differences were also analyzed. A community-based sample of 189 adolescents aged 15–18 years (53.4% female) completed self-report measures on overall family satisfaction and communication, grandparent–grandchild relationship quality, and socioemotional competencies. Path analyses showed that family communication and satisfaction were positively associated with socioemotional competencies; grandparent–grandchild relationship quality showed a more specific association between love and esteem and social awareness. These findings support the relevance of relational experiences within families for adolescents’ socioemotional development and suggest that emotionally positive relationships with grandparents may provide an additional contribution, particularly in the social domain. They also point to the value of considering grandparent–grandchild relationships as a specific intergenerational context that may contribute to socially oriented aspects of socioemotional development. Full article

Smartphone addiction is increasingly prevalent among university students, yet its association with physical education learning engagement remains underexplored. This study investigated the relationship between smartphone addiction and physical education learning engagement using variable-centered and person-centered approaches, and further examined the serial indirect association involving self-esteem and physical activity participation. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 2118 university students in Jiangxi Province, China. Participants completed measures of smartphone addiction, self-esteem, physical activity participation, and physical education learning engagement. Pearson correlations, multiple regression analyses, and analyses of indirect associations with bias-corrected bootstrapping were performed in SPSS, and latent profile analysis was conducted in Mplus. Smartphone addiction was negatively associated with self-esteem (β = −0.446, p < 0.001), physical activity participation (β = −0.231, p < 0.001), and physical education learning engagement (β = −0.152, p < 0.001). Self-esteem and physical activity participation showed significant indirect associations in the relationship between smartphone addiction and physical education learning engagement, including a significant serial indirect association through both variables. Person-centered analyses identified three smartphone addiction profiles, namely a low-smartphone-addiction group, moderate-smartphone-addiction group, and high-smartphone-addiction group, accounting for 22.10%, 44.24%, and 33.66% of the sample, respectively. Significant gradient differences were observed across these profiles in self-esteem, physical activity participation, and physical education learning engagement. Smartphone addiction was negatively associated with physical education learning engagement among university students, both directly and indirectly through self-esteem and physical activity participation. Distinct smartphone addiction profiles were also identified, with corresponding differences in psychological and behavioral characteristics. Given the cross-sectional and self-report design, the findings should be interpreted as correlational rather than causal. Full article

Background: Modern-type depression (MTD), first described in Japan, reflects a sociocultural form of depression characterized by avoidance of social roles, complaint tendencies, and low self-esteem. While increasingly recognized across Asian societies, no Malay-language adaptation of the TACS-22 has previously undergone psychometric evaluation. Objectives: This study aimed to translate and culturally adapt the Tarumi’s Modern-Type Depression Trait Scale (TACS) into Malay and to evaluate the reliability, factorial structure, discriminant validity, and convergent associations of the Malay version among Malaysian adults. Methods: Following standardized forward and backward translation and expert review, the TACS-22-Malay was administered to convenience sample of 250 predominantly young Malaysian adults together with the Malay Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale. Internal consistency was examined using Cronbach’s alpha, ordinal McDonald’s omega, and the Greatest Lower Bound (GLB). Because the TACS items comprise five ordered-response categories and multivariate nonnormality was present, the primary confirmatory factor analysis used the weighted least squares mean and variance-adjusted estimator with ordered indicators. The complete 22-item-correlated three-factor model was evaluated, with robust maximum likelihood and conventional maximum likelihood models used as sensitivity analyses. A one-factor model was also examined. Convergent associations were evaluated using Spearman’s ρ with bootstrap confidence intervals. Results: Internal consistency was high for the total score (alpha = 0.804, ordinal omega = 0.839, GLB = 0.877), but varied across Avoidance of Social Roles (alpha = 0.617, omega = 0.677), Low Self-Esteem (alpha = 0.711, omega = 0.760), and Complaint (alpha = 0.412, omega = 0.496). The primary three-factor WLSMV model showed poor fit, chi square (206) = 794.922, p < 0.001, CFI = 0.587, TLI = 0.537, RMSEA = 0.117, 90% CI [0.110, 0.125], SRMR = 0.108, and produced an inadmissible latent covariance matrix. Latent correlations were 0.748, 0.959, and 1.050, with the Low Self-Esteem and Complaint correlation exceeding 1. The one-factor WLSMV model also fit poorly. Robust and conventional maximum likelihood sensitivity analyses led to the same substantive conclusion. All TACS scores were positively associated with DASS 21 Depression, Anxiety, and Stress, with Spearman’s ρ ranging from 0.235 to 0.644. Conclusions: The Malay TACS-22 demonstrates useful internal consistency at the total score level and meaningful associations with psychological distress, but the hypothesized three-factor measurement model was not supported and discriminant validity between factors was inadequate. The poor fit of the one-factor model also indicates that high total score reliability should not be interpreted as evidence of unidimensionality. The present findings therefore support the Malay version as a provisional adaptation requiring further item refinement and independent validation rather than as a fully validated instrument. Full article

Background/Objectives: Chronic non-cancer pain often requires approaches beyond pharmacological treatment. This protocol describes a mixed-methods study evaluating the effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention based on non-pharmacological therapies (NPhTs) and exploring participants’ post-intervention experience. Methods: The design includes a randomized, controlled, two-arm parallel-group clinical trial with 1:1 allocation, embedded within a mixed-methods approach that includes a qualitative phenomenological strand. This study will be conducted at Hospital San Juan de Dios del Aljarafe, Spain. A total of 160 adults with chronic non-cancer pain will be randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. The intervention group will receive five weekly 3.5 h face-to-face sessions combining pain education, emotional regulation, cognitive-motivational and mind–body techniques, lifestyle recommendations, peer support, and home practice, supported by a mobile application. The control group will continue usual care, without the workshop or intervention-related app content. The primary outcome will be change in the EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) index from baseline to 1 month. Secondary outcomes will include the EQ-5D visual analogue scale (VAS) score, pain intensity, well-being, self-esteem, resilience, anxiety and depression, pain catastrophizing, medication use, and healthcare resource use. Outcomes will also be assessed at 4 months and, in the intervention group, at 7 months. Semi-structured interviews will explore the participants’ experiences, perceived usefulness of the techniques, and barriers and facilitators to maintaining the strategies learned. Conclusions: This protocol will evaluate the effectiveness and acceptability of a structured group-based NPhT intervention for chronic non-cancer pain. The findings may inform its applicability to person-centered and self-care-oriented models of care. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06440668. Full article

Congenital chest wall deformities encompass a broad spectrum of anomalies, from the common pectus excavatum and pectus carinatum to rare, life-threatening conditions such as sternal clefts, ectopia cordis, pentalogy of Cantrell, and asphyxiating thoracic dystrophy (Jeune syndrome). This narrative review synthesizes current evidence on their epidemiology and pathogenesis, genetics and syndromic associations, diagnostic assessment, and the full range of conservative and surgical management, with particular attention to developments of the past decade. Pectus deformities affect roughly 1% of children, and although familial clustering supports a genetic contribution, no single causative gene has been established; syndromic associations, especially connective-tissue disorders, remain clinically actionable and warrant cardiovascular surveillance. Conservative treatment has become first-line for suitable patients: the vacuum bell for pectus excavatum and dynamic compression bracing for pectus carinatum both achieve good results when compliance is maintained. Minimally invasive repair remains the surgical standard for pectus excavatum, complemented by the modified Ravitch and hybrid procedures for complex morphology, while emerging innovations and enhanced-recovery protocols continue to improve safety and recovery. The rarer midline and chondrodysplastic deformities demand individualized, often emergency, multidisciplinary care. Across the spectrum, the most reproducible benefit of treatment lies in body image, self-esteem and quality of life, whereas a generalizable cardiopulmonary benefit remains unproven. Management should be individualized to the deformity, the child’s physiology, and the psychosocial burden of disease. Full article

Gender-based discrimination in medical education remains a critical yet overlooked issue that may adversely affect the mental health and professional development of future physicians. This study investigated the prevalence of such experiences and their association with mental wellbeing, self-esteem, self-efficacy and career choices among the medical students at Rīga Stradiņš University in Latvia. Using a cross-sectional design, 294 medical students completed a survey incorporating the gender discrimination questionnaire, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, General Self-Efficacy Scale, PHQ-9 and GAD-7. Overall, 36.05% (n = 106) of respondents self-identified as personally having experienced gender-based discrimination. The most encountered or witnessed discriminatory behaviours were inappropriate gender-related jokes or comments and patronizing pet names. After adjustment for age, self-reported gender, and study year, self-reported discrimination was associated with higher odds of clinically significant depressive symptoms and anxiety, as well as lower self-esteem and self-efficacy. It was also associated with a higher relative likelihood of having no current specialty option, uncertainty about pursuing residency, or no intention to pursue residency. These findings indicate the need to address gender-based discrimination within academic and clinical training environments to support student wellbeing and professional development. Full article

Obesity is among the most prevalent health conditions worldwide. Incorporating variables beyond metabolic factors, such as body image (BI), may improve understanding of its underlying mechanisms. Body image dissatisfaction (BID) and body size misperception (BSM) have been associated with psychological outcomes; however, further research is needed. This study aimed to characterize BI in Mexican adults with obesity and examine its relationships with BSM and BID. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Unidad de Investigación en Epidemiología Clínica in 2025. The Stunkard Figure Rating Scale, BSQ-34, BAS-2, and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale assessed BSM, body concern (BC), body appreciation (BA), and self-esteem (SE), respectively. Pearson correlations and two PROCESS serial mediation models (6) were applied, with BMI as the dependent variable and age and sex as covariates. Model 1 specified BSM as the independent variable and BC, BA, BID and SE as sequential mediators; Model 2 specified BID as the independent variable and included BSM as the final mediator. BSM and BID were associated with BMI (B = 1.46, p < 0.01 and B = 1.43, p < 0.01). No significant indirect effect was observed. These findings suggest distinct associations of psychological components of body image with obesity. Full article

Background/Objectives: Self-harm attempts among adolescents represent a major public health concern, often associated with depression, low self-esteem, and social withdrawal. While excessive smartphone use is generally linked to internalizing distress, digital engagement might play complex roles among socially isolated youth. This study examined factors associated with self-harm attempts among female adolescents with self-reported reclusive tendencies in South Korea, with a specific focus on evaluating the exploratory role of smartphone overdependence. Methods: Secondary data analysis was conducted on 893 female adolescents with self-reported reclusive tendencies who utilized or were admitted to crisis youth support organizations, drawn from the nationwide Survey on the Living Conditions of Users of Crisis Youth Support Organizations. Statistical procedures incorporated complex-sample descriptive statistics, Rao–Scott chi-square tests, and complex-sample hierarchical logistic regression. Results: In univariate analyses, economic status, self-esteem, self-control, depression, and parent–child relationships differed significantly according to self-harm history. In multivariable hierarchical logistic regression, higher self-esteem (OR = 0.44, p < 0.001) and positive parent–child relationships (OR = 0.57, p = 0.004) were associated with lower odds of self-harm attempts, whereas depression (OR = 2.23, p = 0.001) and lower self-control (OR = 1.40, p = 0.009) were associated with higher odds. The inclusion of smartphone overdependence in Step 3 (yielding a modest increase in explanatory power, ΔR² = 0.02) revealed that being in the smartphone overdependence risk group was associated with lower odds of self-harm attempts (OR = 0.55, p = 0.003). Conclusions: Self-harm attempts in this service-using population are strongly associated with core psychological and familial distress. The inverse multivariable association regarding smartphone overdependence is preliminary and hypothesis-generating; it may reflect statistical suppression, unmeasured confounding, or indirect digital connection among isolated youth, rather than a direct protective function. Findings apply specifically to crisis-service-using female youth and underscore the need for longitudinal research with refined clinical measures. Full article

Background: Loneliness, psychological stress, and low self-esteem are important mental health concerns among community-dwelling older adults and may negatively affect healthy ageing and quality of life. This study examined psychosocial outcomes associated with participation in a 4-week Hybrid Happy Reminiscence Program among community-dwelling older adults. Methods: A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest control group study was conducted between September and November 2025 among community-dwelling older adults in Don Tako Subdistrict, Ratchaburi Province, Thailand. Participants were recruited using purposive sampling based on predefined eligibility criteria and were subsequently assigned to either an experimental group (n = 30), which received the Hybrid Happy Reminiscence Program combining bi-weekly face-to-face group sessions with a digital intervention delivered through the LINE application, or a control group (n = 30), which received routine community care. No statistically significant between-group differences were detected in the measured baseline demographic characteristics (all p > 0.05). Primary outcomes included self-esteem, loneliness, and psychological stress. Results: Within the experimental group, self-esteem increased from baseline to posttest (t(29) = −8.07, p < 0.001), while loneliness (t(29) = 5.11, p < 0.001, Cohen’s d = 0.93) and psychological stress (t(29) = 6.59, p < 0.001, Cohen’s d = 1.20) decreased. At posttest, the experimental group had higher self-esteem than the control group (mean difference = 4.73, 95% CI: 3.23–6.23, t(58) = 6.32, p < 0.001) and lower loneliness scores (mean difference = −2.13, 95% CI: −3.27 to −1.00, t(58) = −3.78, p < 0.001). For psychological stress, the experimental group also had a lower mean score than the control group at posttest, although the confidence interval included zero (mean difference = −0.73, 95% CI: −1.51 to 0.04, t(58) = −1.89, p = 0.063). Conclusions: Participants receiving the Hybrid Happy Reminiscence Program showed greater post-intervention self-esteem and lower loneliness scores than those receiving routine community care. Although psychological stress decreased within the intervention group, the post-intervention between-group difference was not statistically significant. Given the quasi-experimental design and the non-random allocation procedure, these findings should be interpreted as group differences consistent with a possible beneficial effect of the program rather than definitive evidence of causality. Larger randomized controlled studies with longer follow-up periods are needed to confirm these findings and to distinguish intervention-specific effects from non-specific influences. Full article

Background/Objectives: Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have gained increasing attention in sport psychology due to their potential to enhance psychological well-being and performance-related outcomes among athletes. Despite various systematic reviews and meta-analyses examining mindfulness in athletic contexts, broader scoping evidence mapping randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of MBIs targeting psychological well-being among athletes remains limited. This scoping review aims to map and synthesise empirical evidence from RCTs examining MBIs and psychological outcomes among athletes, identify methodological and conceptual gaps, and guide future systematic reviews and meta-analytic investigations. Methods: The review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews and was reported according to the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Searches were conducted across Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed, initially in March 2026 and updated in April 2026. Data were extracted on study characteristics, participant demographics, intervention features, comparator conditions, outcome measures, and key findings. Results: A total of 17 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The included studies generally reported beneficial effects of MBIs across psychological well-being, emotion regulation, cognitive functioning, and sport-related psychological outcomes among athletes. Beneficial effects were reported for several outcomes, including mindfulness, mental toughness, emotional intelligence, mental well-being, flow state, self-compassion, psychological flexibility, emotional regulation, attention, life satisfaction, and grit. Reductions in psychological distress, particularly anxiety and stress, were also reported in several studies, although findings for anxiety were not consistent across trials. Findings were mixed for some other outcomes, including self-esteem, acceptance, and depression. Improvements were additionally reported in social relationships, pleasure regulation, and overall psychological functioning. Conclusions: The findings suggest that MBIs may offer beneficial effects across multiple dimensions of psychological functioning among athletes, although effects were not uniform across outcomes or interventions. These findings indicate the potential utility of structured MBI programmes within athlete support settings, particularly when delivered by or in collaboration with sport psychologists and mental performance consultants, while highlighting the need for further well-designed RCTs to clarify intervention-specific effects and longer-term outcomes. Full article

Background: A high prevalence of speech, language and communication needs are reported amongst individuals in contact with the criminal justice system. Speech and language therapists are increasingly employed to support people within prisons. As this is a relatively new area of clinical practice, there is limited research evidence to inform service delivery. Case studies are a first step in providing evidence of the effectiveness of speech and language therapy within a custodial environment. This study aims to profile the delivery of speech and language therapy in custodial youth justice settings in England, identifying the facilitators and barriers affecting these services. Method: Speech and language therapists working within two custodial youth justice settings in England described examples of speech and language therapy intervention they delivered in their settings (four case studies from one setting and two case studies from another). Six case studies are presented, profiling speech and language therapy for six male participants, aged 17–21. A case study template included background information, referral information, assessment details, intervention details, and session descriptions. Results: A variety of intervention approaches were used based on the individual’s needs. These were all reported following a framework developed in an earlier study. The intervention duration ranged between 25 and 510 min, consisting of 1–13 sessions. Intervention was provided both in individual and group settings and employed functional and impairment-based approaches. The outcomes of intervention were: an increase in self-awareness of strengths and needs, use of self-advocacy strategies, learning and using strategies to support effective communication, and a self-reported increase in well-being and self-esteem. Discussion: This case series highlights the range of interventions and approaches currently used in custodial youth justice settings in England. Further research is needed to explore speech and language therapy’s role in contributing to functional outcomes and its impact on mental health, well-being, and recidivism rates. Full article