Search Results (759)

Parental educational anxiety poses a significant risk to children’s academic development. This two-stage study first establishes Parental Mathematics Education Anxiety (PMEA) as a unique construct and then examines the complex effects of a positive suggestion intervention. Study 1, a questionnaire-based investigation, revealed that PMEA is a significant and independent negative predictor of children’s mathematics achievement, distinct from parents’ general state anxiety or their own mathematics anxiety. It also identified socioeconomic factors, such as family income and parental education, as key drivers of PMEA. Study 2 employed an experimental design to test an intervention, revealing that the effectiveness of positive suggestions is not universal but is significantly moderated by the three-way interaction of PMEA level, child type (with/without math learning difficulties), and suggestion frequency. Notably, for non-math-difficult children, frequent positive suggestions from high-anxiety parents were found to be potentially detrimental (a “backfire effect”), whereas for math-difficult children in high-anxiety homes, a higher frequency of suggestion was necessary to yield benefits. These findings deepen the understanding of PMEA’s mechanisms and underscore the necessity of moving beyond one-size-fits-all approaches toward differentiated, context-aware intervention strategies in family education. Full article

(1) Background: Perinatal loss is a deeply painful and often invisible experience, with a significant impact on mental health. This study aimed to assess levels of psychopathological symptoms, shame, and perceived social support according to the type of perinatal loss; explore the relationships between these variables; and analyze the mediating effect of perceived social support on the relationship between shame and symptoms, as well as the moderating effect of the type of loss. (2) Methods: A total of 501 Portuguese women who had experienced perinatal loss participated in the study, recruited through an online questionnaire. Psychopathological symptoms, shame, perceived social support, and type of loss were assessed. Analyses included descriptive statistics, Spearman correlations, normality and homogeneity of variances tests, and mediation and moderation models with PROCESS. (3) Results: The results revealed high levels of anxiety and depression, and moderate levels of shame. Perceived social support, especially from partners and family members, was high. Shame correlated positively with symptoms and negatively with social support. Only social support from friends significantly mediated the relationship between shame and psychological distress. (4) Conclusions: These results reinforce the protective role of support networks and the importance of clinical interventions focused on reducing shame. Full article

Introduction: This study focuses on the adaptation and validation of the Achievement Emotions Questionnaire-Short (AEQ-S) to the Spanish sports context. Emotions play a crucial role in athletes’ decision making, making it essential to have reliable assessment tools tailored to this field. Method: The AEQ-S was administered to 998 professional athletes (mean age: 26.83 years). The adaptation followed the Hambleton method and involved the support of sports psychologists. Exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were conducted, along with tests for reliability and criterion validity. Results: The analyses confirmed that the factor structure of the AEQ-S in sports aligns with the original version, identifying eight key emotions: enjoyment, hope, pride, anxiety, anger, shame, hopelessness, and boredom. Furthermore, positive emotions were positively associated with resilience, while negative emotions showed an inverse relationship. Conclusions: The adapted AEQ-S proved to be a valid and reliable tool for assessing emotions in athletes. Its applications extend to both research and professional practice in the sports domain. Full article

Background: Anorexia nervosa (AN) and obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) share core features of cognitive rigidity, anxiety, and altered reward processing. Pharmacological options remain limited, and combined modulation of serotonergic and dopaminergic systems may provide new therapeutic directions. This naturalistic study explored the combined use of lurasidone and fluvoxamine in individuals with restrictive AN (AN-r) and comorbid OCD. Methods: Forty-five female inpatients with AN-r and OCD were followed for six months. Participants received either lurasidone + fluvoxamine (n = 14) or heterogeneous SSRI/antipsychotic regimens (n = 31). Primary outcomes were the Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS) and Body Uneasiness Test Global Severity Index (BUT-GSI). Secondary outcomes included the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) and Eating Disorder Inventory-3 (EDI-3). Bayesian repeated-measures ANOVAs were conducted, reporting BF₁₀, BFInclusion, and P(M│data) values, with multiple imputation applied to manage missing data. Results: Analyses indicated time-related changes across primary outcomes (RAS and BUT-GSI), with moderate-to-strong evidence (BF¹⁰ = 4.2–18.6) supporting overall improvement during treatment. Secondary and exploratory measures showed weaker or inconsistent trends (BF₁₀ < 3). No evidence emerged for group-by-time interactions exceeding anecdotal strength. Conclusions: Within the constraints of this small, all-female inpatient cohort, the findings illustrate directional, time-related changes compatible with global rehabilitation effects rather than drug-specific efficacy. The study demonstrates the feasibility—and methodological challenges—of applying Bayesian longitudinal modeling to incomplete clinical datasets. Future randomized or adaptive trials incorporating objective endpoints and data-quality pipelines are warranted to test whether serotonergic–dopaminergic–σ-1 synergy provides genuine clinical benefit in the AN–OCD spectrum. Full article

Background/Objectives: The Manchester Colour Wheel (MCW) was developed as an alternative way of assessing health status, mood and treatment outcomes. There has been a dearth of research on this alternative assessment approach. The present study examines the sensitivity of the MCW to pain, psychological factors and recovery status in 1098 people with insured injuries treated in an interdisciplinary clinic. Methods: A deidentified data set of clients treated in a multidisciplinary clinic was conveyed to the researchers, containing results of MCW and injury-specific psychometric tests at intake, as well as recovery status at discharge. Systematic machine modelling was applied. Results: There were no significant differences between the four injury types studied: motor crash-related Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAD) and workplace-related Shoulder Injury (SI), Back Injury (BI) and Neck Injury (NI) on the MCW. Augmenting the MCW with Machine Learning (ML) models showed overall classification rates for Classification and Regression Tree (CRT) of 75.6% for Anxiety, 70.3% classified for Depression and 68.5% for Stress, and Quick Unbiased Efficient Statistical Trees could identify 68.5% of Pain Catastrophisation and 62.7% of Kinesiophobia. Combining MCW with psychometric measurements markedly increased the predictive power, with a CRT model predicting WAD recovery status with 80.7% accuracy, SI recovery status 81.7% accuracy and BI recovery status with 78% accuracy. A Naïve Bayes Classifier predicted recovery status in NI with 96.4% accuracy. However, this likely represents overfitting. Conclusions: Overall, MCW augmented with ML offers a promising alternative to questionnaires, and the MCW appears to measure some unique psychological features that contribute to recovery from injury. Full article

Background/Objectives: In youth competitive sports, excessive parental expectations are frequently identified as critical external stressors that can impair athlete well-being. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this study aimed to investigate specific psychological needs that mediate the relationship between parental expectations and competitive state anxiety, particularly within the context of adolescent tennis players. Methods: A sample of 420 adolescent tennis players participated in this study. Participants completed self-report questionnaires, including the Parental Expectations Questionnaire for parental expectations, the Chinese version of the Basic Psychological Needs Scale for basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness), and the Chinese version of the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 for competitive state anxiety. Data were analyzed using regression models and mediation analysis to test the hypothesized relationships. Results: Parental expectations significantly and positively predicted competitive state anxiety (B = 0.111, p < 0.01). Furthermore, high parental expectations were negatively associated with the satisfaction of basic psychological needs, specifically demonstrating a significant negative prediction of competence satisfaction (β = −0.18, p = 0.005). Mediation analysis revealed that the need for competence significantly and partially mediated the relationship between parental expectations and anxiety (B = 0.019, p < 0.001), whereas the indirect effects of autonomy and relatedness were non-significant. Conclusions: Findings indicate that parental expectations function both as a direct stressor and a psychological burden that specifically undermines the athlete’s sense of competence. These results highlight that in individual competitive sports, the erosion of self-efficacy is the primary psychological conduit linking parental pressure to pre-competitive distress. Full article

Background/Objectives: The establishment of strong prenatal bonding is a key determinant of perinatal well-being, influencing maternal psychological adaptation and infant development. Numerous studies have examined risk factors and psychopathology during pregnancy, but limited research has explored the role of positive psychological constructs, such as positive mental health (PMH). This study aimed to assess whether anxiety mediates the relationship between PMH and the quality of prenatal bonding. Methods: A total of 90 pregnant women participated. PMH was assessed using the Abbreviated Positive Mental Health Questionnaire; anxiety using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; and prenatal bonding using the Prenatal Assessment Scale for Pregnant Women (EVAP). A simple mediation model was tested, with anxiety as a mediator between PMH (predictor) and prenatal bonding (outcome), controlling the analysis for previous miscarriages, relationship stability, high-risk pregnancy, and employment. Results: The model revealed partial mediation (F = 16.617, p < 0.001). Higher PMH was associated with lower anxiety (B = −0.297, SE = 0.062, p < 0.001) and stronger prenatal bonding (B = 0.777, SE = 0.091, p < 0.001). Interestingly, anxiety emerged as an adaptive response, which could improve maternal sensitivity and communication with the unborn child (B = 0.316, SE = 0.145, p = 0.032). The model explained 56% of the variance in prenatal bonding, even after accounting for relevant covariates. Conclusions: These findings underscore the importance of considering contextual and psychosocial factors when assessing the role of emotions such as anxiety during pregnancy. Rather than being inherently maladaptive, anxiety may play a functional role in facilitating maternal engagement with the baby, especially when grounded in PMH. Given the limited research, our findings support the integration of positive psychology frameworks into perinatal health interventions. Full article

Psychological subhealth among university students is a growing concern affecting their development, with insufficient attention to differential intervention effects for students facing distinct core predicaments. This exploratory study investigated the overall and differential effects of a group intervention integrating cognitive behavioral and social support theories on university students with psychological subhealth experiencing trauma, academic pressure, or family dysfunction. After defining these core predicament groups through questionnaire screening, twenty students with psychological subhealth were recruited from each of the three groups (total N = 60) and subsequently randomly assigned to either an 8-week group intervention or a control group. The Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) was used for pre- and post-test assessments. Results showed the intervention significantly improved students’ overall psychological health and depressive symptoms. Differential effects were evident: the trauma group markedly improved in interpersonal sensitivity and anxiety; the academic pressure group showed pronounced improvement in obsessive-compulsive and anxiety symptoms; and the family dysfunction group benefited most regarding interpersonal sensitivity and hostility. This study suggests the intervention’s effectiveness and its link to students’ core predicament types, indicating a need for differentiated strategies based on precise assessment. These findings provide practical implications for precision-oriented mental health services in higher education. Full article

This study tested the impacts of large language model (LLM) addiction on the mental health of university students, employing gender as a moderator. Data was collected from 750 university students from multiple fields of study (i.e., business, medical, education, and social sciences) using a self-administered questionnaire. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to analyze the collected data; this study tested the impacts of three LLM addiction dimensions—withdrawal and health problems (W&HPs), time management and performance (TM&P), and social comfort (SC)—on stress, depression, and anxiety as dimensions of mental health disorders. Findings indicate that TM&P and SC had a significant positive impact on stress, depression, and anxiety, implying that overdependence (as an early-stage precursor and behavioral antecedent of LLM addiction) on LLMs for academic achievements and emotional reassurance contributed to higher levels of psychological distress. On the contrary, W&HP showed a weak but significant negative correlation with stress, signaling a probable self-regulatory coping approach. Furthermore, gender was found to successfully moderate several of the tested relationships, where male university students showed stronger relationships between LLM addiction dimensions and adverse mental health consequences, whereas female university students proved greater emotional constancy and resilience. Theoretically, this paper extends the digital addiction frameworks into the AI setting, highlighting gendered models of emotional exposure. Practically, this study highlights the urgent need for gender-sensitive digital well-being intervention programs that address the overuse of LLMs, a prominent category of generative AI. These outcomes emphasize the significance of balancing technological involvement with mental health protection, determining how LLM usage can specifically contribute to digital addiction and related psychological consequences among university students. Full article

Background/Objectives: The cancer experience has a significant affective impact on patients, often causing anxiety and depression. Given the importance of this condition, there is a true need for psychometrically valid and culturally appropriate assessment tools for anxiety and depression in this condition. This is also true for Arabic-speaking populations. This study evaluates the measurement properties of the PROMIS Depression in Cancer (PROMIS-Ca-D) and Anxiety in Cancer (PROMIS-Ca-A) questionnaires, part of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System^® (PROMIS^®), for assessing depression and anxiety in Saudi Arabian cancer patients. Methods: The PROMIS-Ca-D was translated into Arabic and subsequently tested with 30 participants from five Arabic-speaking countries. The PROMIS-Ca-A had been previously translated into Arabic. The second phase recruited 213 cancer patients in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, who completed the PROMIS-Ca-D and PROMIS-Ca-A. Rasch analysis (rating scale model) was used to assess category functioning, item fit, unidimensionality, differential item functioning, and measures reliability. Results: The translation process confirmed the cultural appropriateness of the Arabic PROMIS-Ca-D. In the validation cohort (N = 213), Rasch analysis indicated excellent reliability for both scales. Although disordered modal thresholds and signs of multidimensionality were observed, control analyses confirmed that these features did not compromise the item calibrations or the person’s measures. Item fit was adequate, and Differential Item Functioning was negligible. However, suboptimal item-person targeting was noted. Conclusions: The Arabic PROMIS-Ca-D and PROMIS-Ca-A are psychometrically sound instruments for evaluating psychological distress in Arabic-speaking cancer patients. Future research should focus on assessing responsiveness and evaluating metric equivalence with legacy measures. Full article

Background/Objectives: The frequent and uncontrolled use of digital devices has resulted in phenomena such as technological addiction and problematic ICT use, especially after the pandemic. This has been associated with several factors related to psychological distress in young adults, but less is known about the subject in adolescents. Thus, the aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between problematic Internet use and psychological distress factors in high school students and examine whether these variables differed when gender and academic grade level were considered. Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional, and descriptive–correlational study was employed. A total of 2048 students from the Basque Country, aged between 11 and 17 years old, completed an online self-report questionnaire composed of demographics and ad hoc items, the Problematic Internet Use Scale (PIUS), and selected subscales from the Child and Adolescent Assessment System (anxiety, social anxiety, and depression). Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analyses, independent-sample ANOVA, Bonferroni post hoc tests, and independent-sample t tests were conducted. Results: Even though no differences were found between males and females when PIUS was analyzed, significant differences were found between students from different academic grade levels, whereby those from higher levels presented higher rates of problematic Internet use. Significant correlations were found between PIUS and depression, anxiety, and social anxiety. Furthermore, those who showed more problematic Internet use also presented higher anxiety, social anxiety, and depression levels. Conclusions: Adolescents in higher grade levels tend to exhibit a higher incidence of problematic Internet use. Consequently, intensive and uncontrolled Internet usage has been linked to poorer mental health. The findings underline the importance of promoting digital literacy among adolescents. These results highlight the importance of approaching psychological distress through prevention initiatives and emphasize the protective role that both schools and families play in promoting healthier and more balanced Internet use among adolescents. Full article

The integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools has become a game-changer in educational practices, particularly in collaborative academic writing. This study explores gender-based disparities in perceptions, emotions, and self-efficacy regarding students’ utilization of AI tools during a collaborative Wikibook writing project. Grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the research investigates how male and female undergraduates in Hong Kong perceive the usefulness and ease of use of ChatGPT 3.5 and Padlet AI image generation function, as well as their emotions and self-efficacy when engaging with these tools. Using a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire and an independent sample t-test, the study compares gender perspectives with a sample size of 140 undergraduates. The results reveal that (1) both genders found the AI tools beneficial for language polishing and essay reconstruction in academic writing; (2) both genders experienced a range of emotions, including enjoyment, satisfaction, frustration, anxiety and tension during the writing task; (3) both male and female students demonstrated AI literacy to critically evaluate AI-generated information. These findings underscore the importance of fostering an equitable and engaging approach to AI-supported learning environments for both genders. The study highlights the benefits of AI tools in enhancing learning outcomes and emphasizes the role of students’ AI literacy in ensuring the responsible and effective use of these tools as learning partners. Full article

Objective: The aim of the study was to analyze the assessment of the health and emotional well-being of children and adolescents from Wroclaw, including the frequency of diseases, health symptoms, overweight, and obesity. Methods: The study was conducted as a cross-sectional study between 2019–2023, ultimately involving 1232 children aged 7–17 years. The data were collected in the form of interviews with caregivers. The study used a health questionnaire, anthropometric measurements and laboratory tests. Overweight and obesity were determined based on Polish body mass index (BMI) percentile tables in accordance with pediatric society guidelines. For the purposes of analysis, participants were divided into three age groups: 6–9, 10–12, and 13–17 years old. Results: The most common diagnosis was allergies, affecting about 36% of those surveyed. In total, 32.8% of children reported difficulties with concentration, memory, and learning. Emotionally, over one-third of children experienced anxiety or fear and outbursts of anger, 26% experienced inadequate sadness, and about 22% complained of chronic fatigue and excessive agitation. About 15% of participants reported symptoms of depression. Overweight and obesity were present in about 18% of children, with the frequency increasing with age. Moreover, it was shown that gender and age were the most important factors differentiating the risk of emotional symptoms, while body weight had no significant effect on any of the analyzed symptoms. Conclusions: The study revealed a significant prevalence of emotional disorders among children and adolescents, an increasing prevalence of allergies with age, and the growing problem of overweight and obesity. The results indicate the need for the implementation of systematic preventive measures and the early diagnosis of chronic diseases. An effective response to these challenges requires the development of an interdisciplinary healthcare model that integrates pediatric, psychologist, dietary, and social support. Full article

Background/Objectives: Childhood trauma is a well-established risk factor for adult psychopathology, yet the underlying neuropsychiatric mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, this study examined whether resilience mediates the relationship between childhood trauma and depressive and anxiety symptoms, and whether this pathway is moderated by harm avoidance (HA). Methods: A total of 218 Korean adults (aged 19–50 years; 79 men and 139 women) completed validated measures of childhood trauma (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ)-Short Form), harm avoidance (Temperament and Character Inventory–Harm Avoidance subscale), resilience (Brief Resilience Scale), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), and anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7). Mediation and moderated mediation models were tested using structural equation modeling, and indirect effects were estimated via bootstrapping with 5000 resamples. Results: Childhood trauma was associated with lower resilience, an effect moderated by HA. Resilience was strongly inversely associated with depression and anxiety. Indirect effects of trauma through resilience were significant for both outcomes, with stronger effects at higher HA. Conclusions: The associations between childhood trauma and both depression and anxiety were mediated by resilience, and this indirect pathway was amplified by HA. These findings suggest a neuropsychiatric mechanism whereby early-life stress and temperament jointly shape effective neural vulnerability, leading to depression- and anxiety-associated outcomes. Full article

Research has shown that nostalgia can have psychological benefits, for example, by recreating comforting memories from the past. These memories often unfold in mental space, where one recreates events, people, objects, etc. Therefore, individual differences in nostalgic experience may relate to the ability to process spatial information. The aim of the current study was to investigate the links among spatial ability, imagery, nostalgia, and well-being. In total, 521 participants (Mage 27.7 years; SD = 12.14; 400 women) completed the following measures: Well-Being Inventory (WHO5), Neuroticism scale from BFI-2-S, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Inventory (GAD7), Southampton Nostalgia Proneness test, Nostalgia Content test, and Paper Folding—a spatial visualization test (SV). The SV did not correlate with nostalgia proneness. However, when only spatially related items were selected from the Nostalgia Content Questionnaire, the “Spatial Nostalgia Score” was positively linked with the SV and nostalgia proneness. This measure is also positively linked with well-being after controlling for anxiety (but not neuroticism). The current study provided new insights into the links between nostalgia and well-being by incorporating spatial visualization as an important element of nostalgia. Taken together, the results suggest that individual differences in the SV may be linked to spatial aspects of nostalgic experiences. This study identified directions for further measurement development and future experimental studies. Full article