Sign in to use this feature.

Years

Between: -

Subjects

remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline

Journals

remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline

Article Types

Countries / Regions

remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline

Search Results (8,396)

Search Parameters:
Keywords = social control

Order results
Result details
Results per page
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
32 pages, 764 KB  
Systematic Review
Systematic Review of Interventions for Twice-Exceptional Autistic Learners
by Aiswarya Radhakrishnan, Ciara Buckley, Colm O’Reilly, Marianna Pagkratidou, Niamh Stack and Lorraine Boran
Educ. Sci. 2026, 16(6), 941; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16060941 (registering DOI) - 14 Jun 2026
Abstract
Twice-exceptional autistic learners (2e-ASL), those who meet criteria for autism and giftedness, are vulnerable to under-identification and inadequate support. Although interest is growing, evidence for interventions remains limited. This systematic review synthesised intervention studies involving 2e-ASL (4–18 years), including interventions designed specifically for [...] Read more.
Twice-exceptional autistic learners (2e-ASL), those who meet criteria for autism and giftedness, are vulnerable to under-identification and inadequate support. Although interest is growing, evidence for interventions remains limited. This systematic review synthesised intervention studies involving 2e-ASL (4–18 years), including interventions designed specifically for 2e-ASL (2e-Specific) and interventions for Autistic learners that included 2e-ASL (2e-Inclusive). A PRISMA-guided search (2000–2025) identified 51 eligible studies. Forty-eight were 2e-Inclusive; only three were 2e-Specific. In the 2e-inclusive literature, 2e-ASL participants were rarely distinguished analytically and were typically subsumed under broad labels with very wide IQ ranges (often spanning ≥ 50 points within a single sample). Social (42.94%) and emotional (45.09%) outcomes were most frequently targeted, followed by intellectual outcomes (17.64%); behavioural (13.72%), academic (5.88%), language (3.92%), and sensory/perceptual (3.92%) domains were addressed far less often. Interventions were predominantly delivered in controlled settings like clinical or university settings (56.86%), with fewer school-based (35.29%) and limited home (3.92%) or community (3.92%) implementations. Effective programmes, regardless of domain, were consistently structured, explicit, and scaffolded, using visual supports, modelling, guided practice, and opportunities for rehearsed generalisation. 2e-Specific interventions were strength-based and interest-aligned, supporting creativity, advanced reasoning, and challenging, meaningful tasks; these were associated with gains in engagement, motivation, and behavioural regulation as well as targeted skills. The findings suggest that, although the evidence base is growing, it remains fragmented. The review highlights the need for clearer definitions of 2e-ASL, more consistent reporting of learners’ cognitive profiles, and a stronger focus on real-world application to strengthen the evidence base. Interventions that adopt strength-based, structured, and scalable approaches appear particularly promising for supporting meaningful, generalisable, and sustained outcomes for 2e-ASL. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

25 pages, 1271 KB  
Article
No Trust Without Trust Infrastructure: The Extended Kelvin Principle and Its Application to AI Output Governance
by Yusaku Fujii
AI 2026, 7(6), 218; https://doi.org/10.3390/ai7060218 (registering DOI) - 14 Jun 2026
Abstract
Objectives: This paper presents a principle and framework for generating social trust in AI outputs as an institutional structure rather than an ethical declaration. Sound technical design alone does not guarantee the institutional trust required to establish social measurement. What is needed is [...] Read more.
Objectives: This paper presents a principle and framework for generating social trust in AI outputs as an institutional structure rather than an ethical declaration. Sound technical design alone does not guarantee the institutional trust required to establish social measurement. What is needed is not a declaration of trust but the construction of an infrastructure that supports it. Methods: First, the Extended Kelvin Principle is derived by prepending to Kelvin’s measurement–understanding–control chain the links “no social trust without trust infrastructure; no legitimate social measurement without social trust.” Infrastructure-scale trust requires not declarations but verifiability, recordability, and auditability. Just as GUM and calibration infrastructure underpin trust in measured values, AI output governance requires GLO, a common language for expressing output legitimacy, implemented by a VRAIO-type infrastructure. GLO treats an output candidate as a “claim” and declares the rule-conformity of its purpose and content as a legitimacy confidence L, derived from a fact-based argument accompanied by a legitimacy budget. Results: VRAIO integrates declaration, rule verification, tamper-resistant recording, and independent auditing. A sealed, deterministic verifier makes L reproducible: computational falsity is caught by re-computation, factual falsity by checking authoritative records, and severe sanctions render false declaration irrational. Conclusions: GLO is not a mere AI version of GUM but a common language for an underdeveloped domain, whose effectiveness depends on connection to an enforceable output-governance infrastructure. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

34 pages, 24945 KB  
Article
Evaluation and Spatial Network Analysis of Cultivated Land Use Eco-Efficiency in Prefecture-Level Administrative Units of China
by Yue Zhu, Changsheng Xiong, Jianghong Zhu and Jianxin Yang
Land 2026, 15(6), 1051; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15061051 (registering DOI) - 13 Jun 2026
Abstract
Improving the cultivated land use eco-efficiency (CLUE) is crucial to achieving sustainable land use and the green transformation of agriculture. This study is based on the data from 353 prefecture-level cities in China from 2013 to 2021. The slacks-based measurement (SBM)-undesirable model, the [...] Read more.
Improving the cultivated land use eco-efficiency (CLUE) is crucial to achieving sustainable land use and the green transformation of agriculture. This study is based on the data from 353 prefecture-level cities in China from 2013 to 2021. The slacks-based measurement (SBM)-undesirable model, the social network analysis (SNA), and the fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) are adopted to measure and analyze the spatial patterns, network characteristics, and multiple driving pathways of inefficiency in the cultivated land use eco-efficiency in prefecture-level administrative units. Results show the following: (1) From 2013 to 2021, CLUE in the study areas shows spatial heterogeneity, with most efficiency values at a moderate level and showing a fluctuating downward trend over time. (2) The nine major agricultural regions have formed a complex association network, with the overall network connectivity being weak but efficiency relatively high. The hierarchical structure is gradually flattening, and inter-regional cooperation is increasing. (3) There are significant differences in influence, control, and accessibility within individual networks, and the collaborative network is developing into a “multi-core-hierarchical” structure. (4) The formation of inefficiency involves multiple concurrent mechanisms. Four typical inefficiency paths were identified, with significant heterogeneity across different agricultural regions. In the future, differentiated land use and ecological protection policies should be implemented based on the spatial network characteristics and inefficiency driving pathways of each agricultural region to promote the coordinated improvement of CLUE. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Land Use, Impact Assessment and Sustainability)
Show Figures

Figure 1

26 pages, 17264 KB  
Article
Supply–Demand Matching of Ecosystem Services in Rapidly Urbanizing Areas and Its Driving Mechanism: From the Perspective of the “Water–Energy–Food” Nexus
by Bingsheng Fu, Guoqing Li, Dongkai Lin, Guoxing Huang, Jinhuang Lin, Jixing Huang and Youquan Ouyang
Land 2026, 15(6), 1050; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15061050 (registering DOI) - 13 Jun 2026
Abstract
The water–energy–food (WEF) system acts as a critical nexus of social–ecological systems. However, rapid urbanization has intensified the regional imbalance in the supply and demand of ecosystem services (ESs). Clarifying the spatiotemporal matching of ecosystem services supply and demand (ESSD) within the WEF [...] Read more.
The water–energy–food (WEF) system acts as a critical nexus of social–ecological systems. However, rapid urbanization has intensified the regional imbalance in the supply and demand of ecosystem services (ESs). Clarifying the spatiotemporal matching of ecosystem services supply and demand (ESSD) within the WEF framework and revealing the driving mechanisms behind such imbalances are essential to formulating reasonable zoning schemes and targeted optimization strategies for the coordinated development of the regional WEF system. Taking Zhejiang Province as a case study, this research uses water yield (WY), carbon sequestration (CS), and grain production (GP) to characterize the WEF nexus system. It uses the InVEST model to assess WY and CS, applies spatial allocation methods to characterize GP, and integrates socioeconomic data to quantify the demand for the above three ESs. All indicators were standardized and integrated with equal weights to further clarify the comprehensive levels of ESSD. By integrating the Geodetector and K-Means clustering methods, the study analyzes the supply–demand matching of ecosystem services and its driving mechanisms in Zhejiang Province during this period, thereby exploring ecological management zoning and optimization strategies within the WEF system. The study findings indicate that: (1) From the supply perspective, Zhejiang Province’s WY services demonstrate a trend of elevated activity in the southwest and diminished presence in the northeast; high values for CS services are predominantly found in the vegetation-rich areas of the northwest, while high values for GP services are clustered in the northern Zhejiang Plain; from the demand perspective, high values for all three ESs in Zhejiang Province are primarily located in economically active, densely populated urban areas. (2) The correlation between ESSD within Zhejiang Province’s WEF system exhibits significant spatial heterogeneity and is driven by the combined effects of natural and socioeconomic factors, with the interaction between these two factors often producing a synergistic effect. Specifically, annual average precipitation and population density are the dominant factors influencing WY services, NDVI and human footprint are the dominant factors influencing CS services, and population density and GDP are the dominant factors influencing GP services. (3) From 2000 to 2020, the supply–demand ratio for comprehensive ESs in Zhejiang Province generally followed a pattern of being lower in the east and higher in the west. The supply–demand imbalance of ESs intensified in the core areas of eastern cities, whereas the western regions maintained a relatively sound supply–demand balance. (4) The study classifies the counties in Zhejiang Province into four ecological management zones—ecological stable zones, ecological conservation zones, ecological control zones, and ecological restoration zones—and explores differentiated approaches to optimizing these zones and implementing control strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology of the Landscape Capital and Urban Capital—Second Edition)
12 pages, 316 KB  
Article
County-Level Association Between Social Vulnerability and Rheumatoid Arthritis-Related Mortality in the United States
by Wan-Ying Lin, Yu-Che Lee, Abira A. Chowdhury, Linda M. Burns and Hsin-Yao Wang
Med. Sci. 2026, 14(2), 314; https://doi.org/10.3390/medsci14020314 (registering DOI) - 12 Jun 2026
Abstract
Objectives: To evaluate associations between social vulnerability and rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-related mortality in the United States, with emphasis on domain-specific effects of the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI). Methods: We conducted a county-level ecological study of RA-related mortality from 2010 to 2019 using age-adjusted [...] Read more.
Objectives: To evaluate associations between social vulnerability and rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-related mortality in the United States, with emphasis on domain-specific effects of the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI). Methods: We conducted a county-level ecological study of RA-related mortality from 2010 to 2019 using age-adjusted mortality rates and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention SVI. Gamma regression models examined associations between RA mortality and overall SVI and four thematic domains, including socioeconomic status, household composition and disability, minority status and language, housing type and transportation by using both continuous and quartile-based measures. Results: Between 2010 and 2019, 354,280 deaths occurred among individuals with RA, corresponding to a mean age-adjusted mortality rate of 9.7 per 100,000 population. In multivariable analyses adjusting for all SVI domains, household composition and disability vulnerability demonstrated the strongest and most consistent positive association with mortality, with a dose–response relationship across quartiles. Housing type and transportation vulnerability showed a modest positive association. Minority status and language vulnerability was inversely associated with mortality, whereas socioeconomic vulnerability was not significant in continuous models but demonstrated an inverse association with mortality in quartile-based analyses. Conclusions: RA mortality is differentially associated with specific domains of social vulnerability rather than overall vulnerability burden. Household composition and disability represent clinically salient risk factors, demonstrating the relevance of functional status and caregiving context in RA outcomes. Domain-specific assessment of social vulnerability may enhance clinical risk stratification and inform more targeted, patient-centered RA management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Translational Medicine)
30 pages, 5144 KB  
Article
VR-Based Creative Interventions for Vulnerable Populations: A Scoping Review and HCI Design Framework
by Raffaella Folgieri, Claudio Lucchiari, Sergej Gričar and Tea Baldigara
Computers 2026, 15(6), 384; https://doi.org/10.3390/computers15060384 (registering DOI) - 12 Jun 2026
Abstract
Virtual Reality (VR) is increasingly used in clinical, educational, and supportive-care contexts, but evidence on VR-based creative interventions for vulnerable populations remains fragmented. This article presents a scoping review and proposes VR-CREAT (Virtual Reality for Creative Resilience, Expression, and Social Integration) as an [...] Read more.
Virtual Reality (VR) is increasingly used in clinical, educational, and supportive-care contexts, but evidence on VR-based creative interventions for vulnerable populations remains fragmented. This article presents a scoping review and proposes VR-CREAT (Virtual Reality for Creative Resilience, Expression, and Social Integration) as an HCI-oriented conceptual framework for future design and evaluation. The review maps empirical and design-oriented literature on immersive VR, creative engagement, emotional resilience, and social connectedness, distinguishing direct creative-VR evidence from partial clinical, adjacent creative, and contextual sources. The evidence suggests that creative VR may support engagement, perceived agency, emotional expression, and social connectedness, but direct clinical evidence remains limited and preliminary. VR-CREAT translates the mapped evidence into candidate mechanisms, design requirements, testable propositions, and evaluation domains for future prototyping, usability testing, and controlled studies. The framework should therefore be understood as an unvalidated design and evaluation model, not as evidence of clinical effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, or readiness for large-scale implementation. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

26 pages, 1305 KB  
Article
“Do Health Messages Come from Mars or Venus?” The Effectiveness of Health Communication Depends on Gender Stereotypes in Messages
by Didier Courbet, Laure Jacquemier, Marie-Pierre Fourquet-Courbet, Esteban Courbet and Fabien Girandola
Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(6), 980; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16060980 (registering DOI) - 12 Jun 2026
Abstract
Prior research suggests that health messages can affect men and women differently, yet these differences and their underlying mechanisms remain insufficiently understood. Based on the premise that many health messages are implicitly gendered, this randomized controlled experiment (N = 1116), conducted in a [...] Read more.
Prior research suggests that health messages can affect men and women differently, yet these differences and their underlying mechanisms remain insufficiently understood. Based on the premise that many health messages are implicitly gendered, this randomized controlled experiment (N = 1116), conducted in a high-risk real-world context, investigates the effectiveness of implicitly gendered messages on psychosocial determinants of protective behaviors, including cognitive, attitudinal, and motivational dimensions, as well as behavioral intentions. Twelve public health messages, derived from commonly used communications and theoretical frameworks, were first evaluated according to their perceived masculinity or femininity, and their effects were then experimentally tested across participants. Results indicate that messages strongly aligned with gender stereotypes produce the largest differences in effectiveness between men and women. For example, authority-based messages (a masculine stereotype) are more effective among men, whereas messages emphasizing social reciprocity or concern for others (feminine stereotypes) are more effective among women. These effects emerge only when recipients are likely to engage in systematic processing, particularly when their political stance diverges from that of the message source (the French government). The results support the gendered message–recipient gender congruence hypothesis, rather than alternative explanations based on gender-specific processing styles, with substantial practical implications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Promoting Behavioral Change to Improve Health Outcomes—2nd Edition)
Show Figures

Figure 1

28 pages, 701 KB  
Review
How Does Barbe-Bleue Subjugate His Wives? Psychological and Social Coercion of Women in Interpersonal Power Contexts: A Scoping Review
by Elena Duque-Sánchez, Tinka Schubert, Carme Garcia-Yeste and Oriol Rios
Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(6), 983; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16060983 (registering DOI) - 12 Jun 2026
Abstract
In Paul Dukas’s opera, Ariane et Barbe-Bleue, when the captive wives are allowed to leave their confinement, they refuse to do so and remain with their aggressor. This narrative raises a central question: why do some women remain in violent contexts even [...] Read more.
In Paul Dukas’s opera, Ariane et Barbe-Bleue, when the captive wives are allowed to leave their confinement, they refuse to do so and remain with their aggressor. This narrative raises a central question: why do some women remain in violent contexts even when apparent pathways for escape exist? This scoping review aims at analysing the psychological and social mechanisms of coercion employed by those who perpetrate violence, clearly stating the focus on the responsibility of the perpetrator and exploring diverse relationship settings. A total of 31 articles from diverse disciplines such as social psychology, sociology, education, and studies on coercive control have been examined to provide insight into: (1) the psychological and (2) social coercion mechanisms and (3) the influence of gender socialisation on perpetuating the subjugation of women. These mechanisms are analysed transversally across intimate partner relationships and coercive family and community systems. Findings reveal that across these geographically, culturally, and religiously diverse settings, as well as across the diverse relationships analysed, similar patterns of psychological and social coercion exist that are framed and reinforced by a gendered socialisation rooted in patriarchal gender roles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Social Psychology)
21 pages, 653 KB  
Article
What Characterizes Employees with Emotional Exhaustion and Employees with Work Overload?
by Celine-Chantal Elster-Kann and Beate Muschalla
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2026, 23(6), 794; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph23060794 (registering DOI) - 12 Jun 2026
Abstract
Emotional exhaustion has been discussed as a major contributor to work ability problems, with substantial economic, individual, and social consequences. Research largely focuses on specific professions and sometimes overlooks that exhaustion and work overload problems are partly distinct. This study uses a differential [...] Read more.
Emotional exhaustion has been discussed as a major contributor to work ability problems, with substantial economic, individual, and social consequences. Research largely focuses on specific professions and sometimes overlooks that exhaustion and work overload problems are partly distinct. This study uses a differential analysis to explore working conditions and individual characteristics in employees with emotional exhaustion or perceived work overload, aiming to identify potential common risk factors. A representative German cross-sectional sample of 2289 employees aged 15–67, working at least 10 h per week, was analyzed. Employees with and without treatment for exhaustion, and with and without perceived work overload, were compared using variance analysis. Overloaded employees reported more work demands, while exhausted employees appear to be more often female and not in their preferred occupation. Several psychosocial work factors (e.g., responsibility) were more consistently associated with the overload and exhaustion groups than many of the physical work conditions. Employee characteristics such as openness and internal locus of control appeared to be similarly distributed across groups. Overload without exhaustion can be distinguished from combined exhaustion and overload, suggesting that work overload may occur with or without exhaustion, in relation to individual psychosocial resources. Preventive interventions for work ability may benefit from addressing overload as a distinct risk factor, besides illness-related exhaustion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Behavioral and Mental Health)
28 pages, 5640 KB  
Article
ESG Initiatives and Corporate Performance: Evidence from Environmental and Diversity Practices in S&P 500 Firms
by Faten Ben Bouheni, Manish Tewari and Dima Leshchinskii
Account. Audit. 2026, 2(2), 10; https://doi.org/10.3390/accountaudit2020010 (registering DOI) - 12 Jun 2026
Abstract
We examine the association between Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives and corporate performance using a sample of 360 S&P 500 firms from 2010 to 2018. Employing MSCI ESG ratings and controlling for industry and time effects, we find that environmental initiatives positively [...] Read more.
We examine the association between Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives and corporate performance using a sample of 360 S&P 500 firms from 2010 to 2018. Employing MSCI ESG ratings and controlling for industry and time effects, we find that environmental initiatives positively associate with current profitability (ROA), while gender diversity correlates with long-term growth prospects (Tobin’s Q). This study moves beyond aggregated ESG metrics by providing a disaggregated analysis, revealing that different ESG dimensions affect performance through distinct financial mechanisms. To address common endogeneity concerns, we implement a rigorous empirical identification strategy, including propensity score matching, Heckman selection models, and instrumental variable approaches using industry-average instruments. Our results quantify the economic magnitude of these effects, demonstrating that a one-standard-deviation increase in environmental performance corresponds to a 0.92 percentage point increase in ROA, representing approximately $176 million in additional annual net income for the median firm. These findings provide theoretical advancement for the resource-based view and stakeholder theory by showing that specific ESG capabilities serve as valuable, inimitable resources. Ultimately, the study contributes standardized, high-resolution evidence on how specific ESG dimensions drive superior corporate performance. Through mechanism analysis, we show that environmental effects operate primarily via operational cost reduction and risk mitigation, while gender diversity creates value through enhanced innovation findings, which has direct implications for corporate ESG strategy. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 2122 KB  
Article
From Compliance to Execution: Mandatory ESG Disclosure and Corporate Decarbonization—Evidence from a Difference-in-Differences Analysis (EU vs. Japan)
by Yuang-Hsiang Chao, Yao-Ming Hong, Amit Kumar Sah, Mei-Chuan Lee and Su-Hwa Lin
Sustainability 2026, 18(12), 6040; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18126040 - 12 Jun 2026
Abstract
The global regulatory landscape is shifting from voluntary corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting to mandatory Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) disclosure, yet whether this transition drives substantive corporate environmental change or merely symbolic compliance remains empirically contested. This study investigates the causal impact [...] Read more.
The global regulatory landscape is shifting from voluntary corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting to mandatory Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) disclosure, yet whether this transition drives substantive corporate environmental change or merely symbolic compliance remains empirically contested. This study investigates the causal impact of mandatory ESG disclosure on firm value and operational carbon intensity, drawing on an unbalanced panel of 9682 firm-year observations for 1626 listed firms from the European Union (EU-27) and Japan covering the period 2018 to 2024. The EU serves as the treatment group, where mandatory disclosure requirements escalated substantially from 2021 onward through the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive proposal. Japan serves as the control group, representing a developed economy with sophisticated capital markets and high ESG awareness that maintained a voluntary disclosure environment throughout the study period. A Difference-in-Differences framework with firm- and year-fixed effects is employed, and causal identification is validated through a dynamic event study analysis. Three principal findings emerge. First, mandatory ESG disclosure is not associated with a statistically significant improvement in firm value in the EU–Japan comparative context, a result that is interpreted as descriptive rather than causal given evidence of pre-existing valuation divergence between the two groups. Second, mandatory disclosure is associated with a significant and progressive reduction in Scope 1 and 2 carbon intensity, indicating substantive operational decarbonization rather than symbolic compliance. Third, this emissions-reducing effect is significantly amplified among firms with dedicated CSR sustainability committees, while the board independence policy indicator yields no significant moderating effect, a finding attributed to data limitations. These results carry direct implications for policymakers designing climate-related disclosure frameworks and for scholars examining the boundary conditions under which mandatory transparency translates into genuine environmental performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Management)
Show Figures

Figure 1

26 pages, 563 KB  
Systematic Review
Nature-Based Interventions for Individuals with Psychiatric Disorders: A Mixed Methods Systematic Review with Random-Effects Meta-Analysis of Mental Health and Functional Outcomes
by Alessandra Giammanco, Erin Grace Lawrence, Ailbhe Madigan, Karol Basta, Giada Tripoli, Aisling O’Neill, Natasha Moses, Helena Farstad, Peter Coventry and Uzma Zahid
Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(6), 974; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16060974 (registering DOI) - 11 Jun 2026
Viewed by 109
Abstract
Nature-based interventions (NBIs) are increasingly used in mental health services, but their effectiveness in people with psychiatric disorders, and how these individuals experience them, remains unclear. This review synthesised quantitative and qualitative evidence on NBIs in psychiatric populations. Eligible studies evaluated outdoor NBIs [...] Read more.
Nature-based interventions (NBIs) are increasingly used in mental health services, but their effectiveness in people with psychiatric disorders, and how these individuals experience them, remains unclear. This review synthesised quantitative and qualitative evidence on NBIs in psychiatric populations. Eligible studies evaluated outdoor NBIs against controlled comparators, excluding neurodevelopmental/degenerative conditions and indoor or virtual interventions. Quantitative outcomes were synthesised using random-effects meta-analysis; qualitative data were analysed using thematic synthesis. Twenty-eight studies were included, mostly involving people with diagnoses of schizophrenia or depression. NBIs were associated with greater improvements in clinical symptoms than controlled comparators (pooled effect size 0.71 [95% CI 0.29–1.12]; p = 0.0009), with moderate heterogeneity (I2 = 48.6%). The qualitative synthesis identified five themes: Being in Nature, Personal Growth, Psychological Wellbeing, Social Relationships, and Physical Benefits. Participants reported reduced stress, improved mood and coping, strengthened identity, enhanced social connection, and increased energy. NBIs, particularly horticultural programmes and guided outdoor activities, may offer promising recovery-oriented adjuncts to psychiatric care. The next step is to build a translational evidence base by harmonising recovery-relevant outcomes and developing pragmatic, scalable models of delivery that can be embedded within routine mental health services, informed by mixed methods evaluation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nature-Based Interventions for Mental Health)
26 pages, 1601 KB  
Article
Meme-Based Packaging as Digital Cultural Translation: How Online Cultural Symbols Shape Purchase and Sharing Intentions
by Yuchen Song and Kiesu Kim
Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(6), 972; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16060972 (registering DOI) - 11 Jun 2026
Viewed by 134
Abstract
Internet memes increasingly move from social media into physical product packaging, yet little is known about how consumers respond when online cultural symbols become package design cues. Drawing on the Stimulus–Organism–Response framework, this study examines how meme-based packaging shapes purchase intention and sharing [...] Read more.
Internet memes increasingly move from social media into physical product packaging, yet little is known about how consumers respond when online cultural symbols become package design cues. Drawing on the Stimulus–Organism–Response framework, this study examines how meme-based packaging shapes purchase intention and sharing intention through perceived value, brand warmth, and cultural resonance. A between-subjects survey experiment was conducted with 305 Chinese adult consumers, who evaluated either a meme-based packaging stimulus or a no-explicit-meme conventional packaging control stimulus. Partial least squares structural equation modeling showed that purchase intention and sharing intention followed different dominant mechanisms. Perceived value was the strongest predictor of purchase intention, whereas cultural resonance was the strongest predictor of sharing intention. Visual attractiveness most strongly enhanced perceived value, while playfulness and expression–product fit contributed more clearly to brand warmth and cultural resonance. Mediation results further showed that brand warmth and cultural resonance consistently transmitted the effects of meme-packaging cues, whereas the value route was more selective. These findings show how online cultural symbols can continue to shape consumer evaluation and social transmission after entering physical product interfaces. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Consumer Behavior in Digital Contexts)
Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 419 KB  
Review
The Effects of Human Caring Theory-Based Interventions on Women’s Mental Health: A Systematic Review
by Şehma Şen and Şeyma Demiralay
Healthcare 2026, 14(12), 1658; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14121658 - 11 Jun 2026
Viewed by 69
Abstract
Background/Objectives: This systematic review aims to synthesize existing evidence on the impact of nursing interventions based on Watson’s Theory of Human Caring (THC) on women’s mental health and to provide an evidence-based framework for clinical practice. Methods: The review followed the [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: This systematic review aims to synthesize existing evidence on the impact of nursing interventions based on Watson’s Theory of Human Caring (THC) on women’s mental health and to provide an evidence-based framework for clinical practice. Methods: The review followed the PRISMA guidelines and was registered in the PROSPERO database (Registration No: CRD420251111577). A comprehensive literature search was conducted across databases, including PubMed, CINAHL, and Google Scholar. Ten studies (nine randomized controlled trials and one quasi-experimental study), involving 869 participants, met the eligibility criteria. Data were analyzed using a narrative synthesis approach due to methodological and clinical heterogeneity. Results: A total of 10 studies involving 894 women met the inclusion criteria. Geographically, nine studies were conducted in Türkiye and one in Iran. The included studies spanned various clinical contexts directly associated with significant mental health challenges for women, including medical abortion, infertility, gynecological oncology, and the postpartum period. The synthesized findings demonstrated that nursing interventions based on Watson’s Human Caring Theory led to statistically significant reductions in anxiety, depression, stress, postpartum depression risk, and infertility-related distress. Furthermore, these caritas-based frameworks significantly enhanced positive psychological assets, including self-efficacy, hope, meaning in life, prenatal attachment, and social support perception. Conclusions: Watson’s Theory of Human Caring provides a transformative framework for women’s health nursing that extends beyond symptom management to strengthen the individual’s internal resources and spiritual integrity. Integrating this theory into clinical protocols and nursing curricula is essential for humanizing care and protecting women’s mental health during challenging life transitions, particularly within the examined sociocultural contexts. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 387 KB  
Article
Caregiver Weight Misperception and Feeding Practices in U.S. Preschool-Aged Children: A Theory-Based Cross-Sectional Study
by Qutaibah Oudat, Sarah Messiah, Tamilyn Bakas and Alia Ghoneum
Nutrients 2026, 18(12), 1880; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18121880 - 11 Jun 2026
Viewed by 132
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Caregiver perception of child weight may be a cognitive antecedent of feeding practices, yet evidence linking misperception to feeding practices remains inconsistent. Guided by Social Cognitive Theory, this study examined whether caregiver weight perception (underestimation, overestimation, or accurate) is independently associated with [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Caregiver perception of child weight may be a cognitive antecedent of feeding practices, yet evidence linking misperception to feeding practices remains inconsistent. Guided by Social Cognitive Theory, this study examined whether caregiver weight perception (underestimation, overestimation, or accurate) is independently associated with feeding practices among caregivers of U.S. preschool-aged children. Methods: Primary caregivers of children aged 3–5 years (analytic n = 139) were recruited across the Midwestern United States from April 2022 to March 2023. Weight perception was classified as accurate, underestimation, or overestimation by comparing perceived with CDC BMI-for-age category. Four Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire (CFPQ) subscales were assessed: pressure to eat, restriction for health, restriction for weight control, and monitoring. Multivariable linear regression estimated associations, adjusting for child and caregiver characteristics and child BMI-for-age z-score. Results: Overall, 45.3% of caregivers accurately perceived their child’s weight, 44.6% underestimated it, and 10.1% overestimated it. In adjusted models, underestimation was independently associated with lower restriction for health (B = −0.62, 95% CI: −1.10, −0.13, p = 0.013) and lower restriction for weight control (B = −0.30, 95% CI: −0.58, −0.02, p = 0.033) relative to accurate perception. Overestimation was marginally associated with higher restriction for weight control (B = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.00, 1.07, p = 0.050). No associations were observed with pressure to eat or monitoring. Conclusions: Weight misperception was selectively associated with restrictive feeding. This identifies it as a candidate cognitive target in early obesity prevention research. Longitudinal research is needed to establish causality. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop