Psychology Research Digest
Frontiers in Psychology
Frontiers in Psychology is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal that publishes original research and reviews on various topics in psychology. It covers clinical, cognitive, social, and animal psychology, as well as interdisciplinary fields such as neuroscience, education, and media.
Emotional pathways to engagement in AI-enhanced english learning: the role of AI literacy and foreign language enjoyment
PurposeLearner engagement is central to effective EFL learning, yet limited research has examined how AI literacy contributes to students' engagement in AI-enhanced language classrooms. Drawing on the growing recognition of emotion in technology-mediated learning, this study investigates whether foreign language enjoyment (FLE) functions as an affective mechanism through which AI literacy influences foreign language classroom engagement (FCE).DesignThe study was conducted with 269 undergraduate students enrolled in AI-enhanced English courses at a Chinese university. This study integrated two complementary methodological approaches. First, structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to explore the mediating role of FLE in the relationship between AI literacy (AIL) and classroom engagement. Second, latent profile analysis (LPA) was utilized to categorize students into homogeneous subgroups based on their FLE levels.FindingsSEM results showed that AI literacy significantly predicted foreign language enjoyment, which in turn positively predicted classroom engagement. The findings supported the mediating role of FLE in the relationship between AI literacy and classroom engagement. LPA identified two distinct learner profiles: a High-FLE group and a Low-FLE group. Learners in the High-FLE profile reported significantly higher levels of positive affect and classroom engagement, whereas those in the Low-FLE profile demonstrated lower enjoyment and weaker participation in AI-assisted learning activities.ValueThis study advances research on AI-enhanced language learning by conceptualizing foreign language enjoyment as a key affective pathway linking AI literacy to classroom engagement. It reveals both the emotional mechanisms and learner heterogeneity underlying engagement in AI-integrated EFL classrooms. The findings offer pedagogical insights for designing emotionally responsive and pedagogically innovative AI-supported language learning environments.
Publication date: Access the article >>The influence of social cues in learning and decision-making over time
IntroductionInitial visual impressions guide judgment and decision-making in social contexts, and social cues, such as facial trustworthiness, may bias choices by influencing individuals to prioritize appearance over actual behavioral outcomes. Key challenges for research in this field include clarifying the extent to which decision-making and learning under uncertainty are affected (1) by facial cues of trustworthiness vs. untrustworthiness, (2) by the congruence vs. incongruence of face-based visual cues and behavioral outcomes, and (3) in a social relative to a non-social decision context.MethodsThis study used the Social Iowa Gambling Task (S-IGT), an adaptation of the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). Extending traditional decision-making paradigms by systematically integrating several novel aspects, the S-IGT features: (1) the experimental manipulation of facial cues perceived as trustworthy vs. untrustworthy and (2) the incorporation of decision options paired with congruent (CS-IGT) vs. incongruent (IS-IGT) social cues; and was used here in combination with (3) a non-social/neutral control condition (the standard IGT).ResultsAcross 558 participants, we found that initial performance in the CS-IGT was higher than in the other two task conditions, yet participants’ learning progress diminished over time in the CS-IGT.DiscussionThese findings suggest that while social cues of facial trustworthiness may support early decision-making, they also may encourage reliance on initial impressions over feedback-driven exploration, thus crucially influencing choice and learning trajectories under uncertainty in social contexts. The results further highlight the complex role of visual facial and behavior-based information congruence vs. incongruence in dynamic social decision environments.
Publication date: Access the article >>Algorithmic academic framing in AI-driven smart libraries: a moderated mediation model of personalized learning and cognitive overload in academic decision-making
This study examines how AI-driven smart libraries are associated with academic decision-making by introducing the concept of algorithmic academic framing. Drawing on cognitive load theory and social cognitive theory, a conditional process model was developed in which algorithmic academic framing is associated with academic decision-making quality through personalized learning, while AI self-efficacy and cognitive overload serve as boundary conditions. Time-lagged data were collected from 328 students across three universities in China. Structural equation modeling results indicate that algorithmic academic framing is positively associated with personalized learning, which, in turn, is positively associated with academic decision-making quality. The indirect association is strengthened when AI self-efficacy is high and weakened when cognitive overload is elevated. These findings suggest that AI-driven academic systems may function as cognitive infrastructures whose impact appears to depend on both user capability and cognitive resource availability. The study advances theoretical understanding of algorithmic influence in higher education and provides practical guidance for the design and implementation of AI-driven library platforms.
Publication date: Access the article >>The impact of family capital differences on music majors' academic achievement: an empirical analysis based on structural equation model
This study examines how family capital differences affect music majors' academic achievement, an underexplored educational equity issue. Using Bourdieu's and Bandura's theories, we built a multi-path mediation structural equation model with three family capitals (economic, cultural, social) as predictors, learning engagement and self-efficacy as parallel mediators, and multidimensional achievement as outcome. Based on 952 music undergraduates from eight Chinese universities across eastern, central, and western regions, we used CFA, bootstrap mediation, and multigroup path comparison including a 2 × 2 crossed analysis. The dependent variable was measured through a multi-source design combining faculty rating [ICC (2, k) = 0.86], official course-grade records, and artistic-practice evaluation, partially decoupling it from self-report. The results show that (a) cultural capital is the strongest predictor of multidimensional academic achievement (β = 0.19, p < 0.001), followed by the direct effect of economic capital (β = 0.12, p = 0.004), while the effect of social capital qualifies as indirect-only mediation—the direct path within the full structural model is non-significant (β = 0.08, p = 0.060) and both indirect paths through learning engagement and professional self-efficacy are significant; (b) learning engagement and professional self-efficacy play significant parallel mediating roles between family capital and academic achievement; (c) institution type and student origin moderate the capital-to-mediator pathways in directions consistent with theory—the cultural capital → professional self-efficacy path is stronger in key universities than in regular universities (Δβ = 0.14, p = 0.009), and the economic capital → learning engagement path is stronger among rural students than urban students (Δβ = 0.14, p = 0.015)—while mediator-to-outcome paths show no between-group variation. The structural estimates remained stable under covariate-controlled and reverse-direction robustness checks. This study identifies a domain-specific inversion of the family capital hierarchy in art higher education (traced to the primacy of embodied cultural capital, upstream selection through specialized music admission, and the role of aesthetic taste as an evaluative criterion), develops a multi-source multidimensional achievement measurement tool for music majors, and reveals a stage-specific moderated mediation mechanism that provides empirical and policy references for promoting equity in music higher education.
Publication date: Access the article >>Swimming classes as campus blue space: a qualitative study of emotion regulation, social support and psychological resilience among university students
This qualitative study explores how university swimming classes are perceived by students as a campus blue-space setting for stress adjustment, emotion regulation, social support, and resilience-oriented coping. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 first- and second-year undergraduates enrolled in compulsory physical education swimming classes at one private and one public university in Southwest China. Thematic analysis generated five contextually linked themes: academic and campus-life stress created demand for low-stigma recovery; water immersion, buoyancy, muffled sound, blue visual field, and rhythmic breathing were perceived to redirect attention from study-related rumination; peer encouragement and teacher reassurance fostered a socially safe learning climate; mastering fear, breathing, and stroke coordination was described as a resource for coping with academic and interpersonal challenges; and crowding, body exposure, assessment pressure, and facility conditions constrained restorative experiences. Rather than establishing causal effects, the study identifies participants’ perceived pathways and boundary conditions. The findings position campus swimming as a hybrid blue-space practice in which water-based affordances, physical activity, and relational pedagogy intersect. Implications are discussed cautiously for university physical education, student mental health promotion, and inclusive blue-space design.
Publication date: Access the article >>School-based music and extracurricular engagement as pathways to adolescent learning and wellbeing: mediating roles of self-regulation and school climate
IntroductionMusic and other creative activities are often recommended as affordable ways to support adolescent development, yet large-scale evidence on the psychological correlates linking such engagement to learning and wellbeing remains limited, especially in high-achieving East Asian systems. Using PISA 2018 data from the four Chinese economies of Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang (B-S-J-Z), this study examines whether self-regulation and school climate statistically account for the associations between two engagement indicators and two outcomes. The engagement indicators are school-reported creative and musical provision (e.g., whether the school offers a band, orchestra or choir) and the availability of musical and cultural resources at home (musical instruments; books on art, music or design); both index opportunity and exposure rather than measured participation. Outcomes are academic achievement and subjective wellbeing.MethodsThe analytic sample comprised 12,058 15-year-old students in 361 schools (weighted population ≈ 992,302). A structural equation model with latent mediators and outcomes was estimated via full-information maximum likelihood, complemented by a weighted, plausible-value-pooled regression-based mediation analysis with bias-corrected bootstrap confidence intervals, a school-clustered bootstrap accounting for the nested design, and a gradient-boosting model for triangulation. Given the cross-sectional data, results are reported as associations, not causal effects.ResultsSchool-reported provision was associated with achievement directly, with no statistical mediation by self-regulation or school climate. Home musical and cultural resources were associated with both outcomes indirectly—through self-regulation and, to a smaller degree, school climate—and for wellbeing the indirect association exceeded the direct one. Self-regulation was the strongest correlate of wellbeing across all methods, though this association is inflated by conceptual overlap with wellbeing and is interpreted with caution.DiscussionMusical and creative engagement is associated with adolescent outcomes through different statistical routes depending on where the engagement is situated, and self-regulatory capacity and supportive school relationships are central correlates of wellbeing. Findings are specific to B-S-J-Z and are not generalised to China as a whole. Implications for curriculum policy, measurement and future longitudinal research are discussed.
Publication date: Access the article >>Therapist self-disclosure: a systematic review and brief person-centered framework for clinical practice and training
IntroductionTherapist self-disclosure (TSD) is a widely used yet clinically complex intervention associated with both therapeutic benefit and potential harm. Existing literature suggests that TSD can strengthen the therapeutic relationship, enhance client engagement, and support culturally responsive practice. However, uncertainty remains regarding when, how, and why therapists should disclose personal information in clinical settings.MethodsThis systematic review synthesized contemporary empirical literature examining the effectiveness, risks, benefits, and cultural considerations associated with TSD. A PRISMA-guided review process was employed, and findings were analyzed using both inductive and deductive thematic analysis. The review also examined the continued relevance of foundational recommendations for TSD and interpreted findings through the Rogerian core conditions of congruence, unconditional positive regard, and accurate empathy.ResultsFindings indicated strong contemporary support for several of recommendations, particularly prioritizing client benefit, maintaining professional boundaries, exercising clinical intentionality, and returning focus to the client. However, ambiguity remained regarding appropriate disclosure content, levels of intimacy, and reasons for disclosure. This ambiguity was most effectively resolved when disclosure decisions were evaluated through relational attunement, client context, and therapeutic intent. TSD also emerged as an important component of culturally responsive practice, particularly when used to facilitate cultural broaching, relational safety, and engagement with issues of power and identity.DiscussionThe findings suggest that the Rogerian core conditions provide a coherent theoretical framework for guiding TSD decision-making while requiring explicit attention to cultural sensitivity and power dynamics. Overall, effective and ethical TSD appears to depend less on specific disclosure characteristics and more on the therapist’s attunement to client needs, therapeutic intent, and relational context. This review contributes a brief person-centered framework to support therapists’ in-the-moment reflective decision-making regarding the ethical, effective, and culturally responsive use of TSD in clinical practice and training.
Publication date: Access the article >>Cognitive and behavioral neurology approaches to personalized Japanese language learning path recommendations
IntroductionThis paper proposes a personalized Japanese language learning path recommendation framework grounded in cognitive and behavioral neurology.MethodThe framework integrates the Cognitive Behavioral Neurological Pathway Model (CBNPM) and the Adaptive Cognitive Behavioral Pathway Optimization (ACBPO) strategy to represent learner cognitive states, behavioral patterns, and learning progress, thereby enabling dynamic adjustment of individualized learning trajectories. Hierarchical reinforcement learning, variational inference, and audio visual correspondence are incorporated to optimize learning paths through reward and cognitive cost functions.Results and discussionExperimental results across four datasets demonstrate that the proposed method consistently outperforms baseline models. It achieves an accuracy of 89.12 and an AUC of 88.85 on the Cognitive Patterns dataset, 90.34 and 90.11 on the Behavioral Metrics dataset, and accuracies of 89.34 and 90.12 on the Neurological Responses and Personalized Learning Path datasets. These results indicate that the proposed framework can more effectively model cognitive behavioral interactions and improve personalized learning path recommendations for Japanese language acquisition.
Publication date: Access the article >>Effects of imagery practice on basketball-related skills and psychological outcomes: a systematic review and Bayesian meta-analysis
BackgroundImagery practice is widely used in basketball training. Its effects on basketball-related skill and psychological outcomes remain uncertain because most trials are small and assess heterogeneous outcomes.ObjectiveThis meta-analysis examined the effects of imagery practice on basketball-related skill and psychological outcomes.MethodsRandomized controlled trials were included when they compared imagery practice with usual training or a control condition without imagery. Hedges’ g was calculated from change scores. Positive values indicated better outcomes after imagery practice. Bayesian multilevel models were used to account for dependent effect sizes arising from multiple outcomes, intervention arms, or testing conditions within the same study, thereby reducing the risk of inflated precision when clustered sport-imagery effects are treated as independent. Outcome subgroup analyses, population subgroup analyses, duration models, publication bias tests, model diagnostics, and GRADE assessment were conducted.ResultsThe analysis included 39 effect sizes from 14 study units. Across basketball-related skill and psychological outcomes, imagery practice showed a positive overall effect, Hedges’ g, 1.08, 95% HDI, 0.65 to 1.52, BF10, 317.67. The clearest outcome evidence was found for free throw performance, Hedges’ g, 0.89, 95% HDI, 0.38 to 1.40, BF10, 13.85. Positive effects were also estimated for motor coordination control and self-efficacy, but these outcomes were based on fewer studies. Evidence was imprecise for basketball shooting accuracy, free throw performance under time pressure, and three point shooting because the 95% HDI crossed zero. Egger regression suggested small study effects. Model diagnostics were acceptable, with Rhat values close to 1.00.ConclusionImagery practice may improve basketball-related outcomes, with the most defensible evidence observed for free throw performance. Evidence for motor coordination/control and self-efficacy should be interpreted as secondary and indirect support rather than direct evidence of basketball skill improvement. Current evidence remains limited by small samples, clustered effects, and possible small-study effects. Future trials should use larger samples, clearer allocation methods, and standardized basketball skill outcomes.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420261389048.
Publication date: Access the article >>The mediating and moderating roles of achievement goal orientation in the relationship between AI writing feedback and English writing self-efficacy among Chinese university students
This study investigates how AI-generated writing feedback influences English writing self-efficacy among Chinese university students and examines the dual role of achievement goal orientation as both a mediator and a moderator in this relationship. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was implemented with 148 s-year English majors over a 12-week semester. Participants in the experimental group received feedback from a GPT-4-based automated evaluation platform, while the control group received conventional teacher feedback. Writing self-efficacy, achievement goal orientation, and AI feedback perception were measured at both time points. Results indicated that AI feedback significantly enhanced writing self-efficacy (d = 0.94), with the largest gains in ideation and self-regulation. Mediation analysis revealed that mastery-approach goal orientation partially mediated the feedback–efficacy relationship, accounting for 33.4% of the total effect, whereas performance-approach orientation did not function as a significant mediator. Moderation analysis showed that mastery-approach orientation amplified the positive effect of AI feedback on self-efficacy, while performance-approach orientation attenuated it. A moderated mediation model confirmed that the indirect effect through mastery-approach goals varied across learner motivational profiles. These findings extend social cognitive theory into AI-mediated pedagogical contexts and suggest that instructors should incorporate goal-framing activities to maximize the efficacy-building potential of AI writing tools.
Publication date: Access the article >>Healing through heritage tourism: indigenous cultural practices and mental wellness in traditional communities
IntroductionHeritage tourism emerged as an important mechanism for preserving indigenous cultural traditions while potentially supporting psychosocial well-being. This mixed-methods study examined the associations between heritage tourism participation, cultural identity, resilience, social support, and psychological well-being among indigenous communities in Southwest China.MethodsA total of 180 participants from Miao, Dong and Naxi communities were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling strategies. Quantitative data were collected using the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), WHO-5 Well-Being Index, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and Cultural Identity and Belongingness Scale. Qualitative data obtained through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and the participant observation.ResultsReliability analyses demonstrated strong internal consistency across instruments (Cronbach’s α = 0.86–0.91). Correlation analyses revealed the significant positive associations between heritage tourism participation and psychological well-being (r = 0.38, p
Publication date: Access the article >>“I must be in control!”: the role of irrational beliefs, challenge and threat, and self-control, in the mental health of employees
IntroductionIn the working population, the prevalence of poor mental health continues to increase. Employees are often confronted by workplace stressors, but it is not the experience of stressors alone which determines poor mental health. There are various psychological factors which may increase risks to mental health. The present study investigates how specific psychological factors, namely irrational beliefs, challenge and threat evaluations and self-control, may interact to influence employee mental health indicated by symptoms of anxiety, depression, and anger.MethodsThree hundred and fifty-one adults (Mage = 39.25 years, SD = 11.85) from a wide range of occupations completed a questionnaire pack.ResultsData were modelled using path analysis, indicating that irrational beliefs may undermine employee mental health through threat evaluations and self-control, such that stronger irrational beliefs, higher threat, and poorer self-control were associated with poorer mental health markers. In addition, irrational beliefs were not directly related to self-control, only indirectly through challenge and threat.DiscussionIt would appear that, in support of previous research, challenge and threat evaluations are a risk factor for poor mental health. Accordingly, reducing threat evaluations and developing challenge evaluations may be important in enhancing employee mental health.
Publication date: Access the article >>Artificial intelligence-enabled social robots for facilitating social interactions in patients with dementia: a systematic review
BackgroundThe global rise in dementia, closely linked to aging populations, necessitates innovative interventions to address care challenges. Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Social Robots (AI-ESRs) present a promising approach by leveraging multi-modal communication to enhance social engagement and alleviate isolation. However, evidence regarding their efficacy remains inconsistent and fragmented. This systematic review evaluates the effectiveness of AI-ESRs in enhancing social interactions among people with dementia, examines factors contributing to outcome variability, and provides recommendations for optimizing their integration into care models.MethodologyA comprehensive search was conducted across five electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science Core Collection, EBSCO, Scopus, and Cochrane Library) for peer-reviewed articles published up to May 2026. Inclusion criteria encompassed studies addressing AI-ESRs interventions in dementia care, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Data extraction was standardized to ensure consistency across selected studies.Results16 studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising seven randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 9 pre-post studies. 15 studies demonstrated the potential of AI-ESRs to significantly enhance multiple dimensions of social interactions. These included verbal and non-verbal communication, the frequency and quality of interactions with caregivers, peers, and robotic systems, as well as behavioral indicators (e.g., smiling and laughter) and participation in activities. One study reported no statistically significant differences between intervention and control groups (p = 0.18) but noted a marginal improvement in communication scores.ConclusionsAI-ESRs show promise in facilitating social interactions among patients with dementia, with their effectiveness influenced by participant characteristics, intervention design, and contextual factors. Further research is warranted to explore long-term outcomes, tailor interventions to individual needs, and address ethical and implementation challenges, thereby advancing the integration of AI-ESRs into dementia care.
Publication date: Access the article >>Mindfulness and psychological distress among Chinese taekwondo athletes: the mediating roles of stress, self-management, and brooding
IntroductionTaekwondo athletes are frequently exposed to intensive training demands, competitive pressure, and injury-related stress, all of which may increase their vulnerability to psychological distress. Although mindfulness has been widely recognized as a protective psychological resource, less is known about how it is associated with psychological distress among taekwondo athletes, particularly through self-regulatory and cognitive mechanisms. Therefore, this study examined the association of mindfulness with psychological distress among taekwondo athletes and further explored the mediating roles of stress self-management and brooding.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted in March 2026 among 346 taekwondo athletes recruited using a convenience sampling approach from university teams, sports schools/professional training teams, and competitive clubs in China. Participants completed measures of mindfulness, stress self-management, brooding, and psychological distress. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 26.0. Structural equation modeling was employed to test the hypothesized relationships, and bootstrapping was used to examine the indirect effect.ResultsThe structural model showed a good fit to the data. After controlling for training frequency and sports injury experience, mindfulness was positively associated with stress self-management (β = 0.435, p < 0.001) and negatively associated with brooding (β = −0.258, p < 0.001). Stress self-management was negatively associated with both brooding (β = −0.351, p < 0.001) and psychological distress (β = −0.290, p < 0.001), whereas brooding was positively associated with psychological distress (β = 0.335, p < 0.001). The standardized indirect effect of mindfulness on psychological distress through stress self-management and brooding was significant (β = −0.264, SE = 0.040, 95% CI [−0.342, −0.187], p < 0.001). The model explained 19.3% of the variance in stress self-management, 26.9% of the variance in brooding, and 28.7% of the variance in psychological distress.DiscussionMindfulness was associated with lower psychological distress among taekwondo athletes, both directly and indirectly through higher stress self-management and lower brooding. These findings highlight the importance of mindfulness as a psychological resource in athletic settings and suggest that interventions aimed at improving stress self-management and reducing maladaptive rumination may help promote athletes' mental wellbeing.
Publication date: Access the article >>Boredom proneness and short-video addiction among Chinese vocational college students: psychological resilience as a mediator and gender as a moderator
ObjectiveThis study examined the mechanism linking boredom proneness to short-video addiction among vocational college students, with psychological resilience as a mediator and gender as a moderator.DesignA cross-sectional survey design was used to examine whether psychological resilience mediated the association between boredom proneness and short-video addiction, and whether gender moderated the direct and indirect pathways.MethodsA questionnaire survey was conducted among 2,687 vocational college students in Guangxi, China, aged [18–21] years (M = 19.28, SD = 1.21). Measures of boredom proneness, psychological resilience, and short-video addiction were collected. Data were analyzed using PROCESS Model 58.ResultsBoredom proneness positively predicted short-video addiction. Psychological resilience partially mediated this relationship, indicating that boredom proneness not only directly increased short-video addiction but also indirectly increased it by diminishing psychological resilience. Gender significantly moderated this indirect pathway. Compared with female students, boredom proneness showed a stronger negative association with psychological resilience among male students. In addition, the protective effect of psychological resilience on short-video addiction was significant only among males, but not among females. The index of moderated mediation was significant, confirming gender differences in the indirect effect.ConclusionBoredom proneness influences short-video addiction through both direct and indirect pathways, and this mechanism varies by gender. These findings deepen understanding of how boredom proneness contributes to short-video addiction among vocational college students.
Publication date: Access the article >>Organization-driven research: how anticipated reputational risk shapes organizational influence on knowledge production in sensitive organizational research
While organizational research on sensitive issues often acknowledges gatekeeper control and power asymmetries, these dynamics are typically framed as isolated external constraints or logistical hurdles affecting access and data quality. This perspective does not adequately capture the role of organizations in systematically shaping the research process in its entirety. Following a phenomenon-based theorizing approach, this paper aims to address this gap by introducing the concept of organization-driven research, defined as a distinct phenomenon through which organizations actively shape and delimit research on sensitive issues. The paper draws on 64 semi-structured interviews, fieldnotes, and documented gatekeeper communications collected as part of a qualitative study on destructive workplace obedience conducted within police, military, and university hospital settings in German-speaking countries. The findings reveal three interdependent mechanisms of organization-driven research. First, control over access and information is exercised through strategic gatekeeping and hierarchical participant pre-selection, which embeds participants in relations of accountability. Second, control over the research topic’s perspectivation involves the depoliticization of sensitive topics and narrative control through which certain interpretations are privileged while others are marginalized. Third, control over research design manifests through the modification or restriction of methods previously agreed upon, limiting researcher autonomy over data collection. Accordingly, the paper theorizes organization-driven research as a manifestation of organizational impression management through which organizations seek to regulate how sensitive organizational realities are represented to external audiences, mitigate anticipated reputational risks, and maintain organizational legitimacy. The paper offers a reflexive framework that treats relational dynamics and narrative inconsistencies as analytically meaningful indicators of organizational power relations, and provides methodological guidance for conducting research in settings where organizational influence is likely to shape access, participation, and disclosure. In doing so, the study reconceptualizes organizational influence from a methodological challenge to a constitutive condition of knowledge production in organizational research.
Publication date: Access the article >>Association of asthma control, treatment, adherence, lung function, and allergy sensitization with depressive symptoms and quality of life in a real-life setting
IntroductionAsthma is a chronic inflammatory respiratory disease that is frequently associated with emotional distress and impaired quality of life. However, how clinical factors, such as treatment, adherence, lung function, and allergy sensitization, relate to depressive symptoms remains unclear. In this study, we examined the associations among asthma control, treatment, adherence, lung function, allergy sensitization, somatic and cognitive-affective depressive symptoms, and quality of life in a real-life clinical setting.MethodsThis cross-sectional study included adults with asthma attending tertiary pneumology and allergy services, and their asthma symptoms were evaluated using the standardized measures of the Asthma Control Test, GINA 2022 (treatment), Test of Adherence to Inhalers, lung function, skin prick test for allergy sensitization, PHQ-9 (depressive symptoms), Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire, serum eosinophils and IgE levels.ResultsOf 102 asthma patients, 51% of participants scored more than 5 points on the PHQ-9, indicating the presence of depression. Poor asthma control and lower adherence scores were significantly associated with higher depressive symptoms (rs = −0.36, p< 0.001; rs = 0.41, p< 0.001) and poorer quality of life (rs = 0.50, p< 0.001), whereas objective lung function like reduced forced vital capacity (rs = 27, p = 0.05) was weakly associated with depressive symptoms. Eosinophils count (rs = 0.02), IgE (rs = 0.06) or allergy sensitization (rs = 0.08) markers showed nonsignificant associations with emotional outcomes.ConclusionEmotional distress and quality of life are more strongly related to patients’ perceived control of their disease and adherence behaviors than to objective physiological markers. Thus, psychological and self-management strategies should be integrated into routine asthma care.
Publication date: Access the article >>Feeling insignificant, hopeless, and unkind to oneself: lessons learned from lonely young adults during pandemic times
The current study investigated the construct of anti-mattering (feeling insignificant and invisible) and its links with loneliness and anxiety during times of pandemic social restrictions and isolation. Importantly, it also examined how levels of anti-mattering relate to levels of domain-specific measures of social hopelessness and social self-compassion. We assessed 282 undergraduate students during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants completed the Anti-Mattering Scale (AMS), the UCLA Loneliness Scale, pandemic-specific measures of anxiety and worry, and measures of social self-compassion, hope, hopelessness, and social hopelessness. Anti-mattering scores were associated with lower levels of social self-compassion and hope and higher levels of hopelessness and social hopelessness. Regression analyses showed loneliness was predicted by anti-mattering, social hopelessness, and reduced hope. The findings suggest that young people who feel both lonely and insignificant are particularly vulnerable to failing to see a better tomorrow. Furthermore, results suggest when people feel their voices are unheard, they also have a tendency to harden themselves against compassion. The findings are poignantly relevant to discussions of alienation and aspects of loneliness when one's future seems bleak. Potential clinical and community health implications are discussed regarding the relevance of alleviating distressing feelings of personal insignificance beyond the period of pandemic times.
Publication date: Access the article >>An evolutionary perspective on beautification: attractiveness, autonomy, and connectedness in men’s romantic judgment across mating contexts
IntroductionDress can be considered a visible and flexible form of female beautification that may communicate attractiveness as well as social and relational cues. However, less is known about how men interpret dress-based beautification cues when evaluating women as potential romantic partners across different mating contexts. The present study examined whether perceived attractiveness, autonomy, and connectedness derived from female dress jointly predict men’s romantic judgment and whether these associations differ between short-term and long-term relationship contexts.MethodsA between-subjects design was used in which heterosexual male participants (N = 405) were randomly assigned to either a short-term or long-term romantic evaluation condition. They rated ten female dress stimuli on attractiveness, autonomy, connectedness, and romantic judgment, yielding 4,050 observations. Data was analyzed using cross-classified linear mixed-effects models with all continuous predictors double-centered to remove between-participant and between-stimulus mean differences.ResultsRelationship context moderated the associations with attractiveness and autonomy; attractiveness was more influential in short-term judgment, whereas autonomy showed a stronger association in long-term judgment. The interaction for connectedness was in the predicted direction but did not reach statistical significance.ConclusionThese findings suggest that dress-based cues are weighed differently across mating contexts. Attractiveness, autonomy, and connectedness converge to predict romantic judgments, with varying differences depending on the mating context.
Publication date: Access the article >>Extending the UTAUT model to explore the acceptance and use of generative AI: the roles of generative AI identity and trust
IntroductionGenerative AI (GenAI) technology has been rapidly integrated into diverse domains, including education. It has fundamentally reshaped the global learning landscape, exerting a significantly positive influence on students’ learning experience. However, the factors influencing adult learners’ behavioral intention to use GenAI have not yet been fully understood. Therefore, this study aims to explore key factors influencing the behavioral intention to use GenAI among adult learners from central Taiwan. Based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model, this study integrated two constructs—GenAI identity and trust—to extend the model.MethodsA structured questionnaire survey was performed to collect data from 718 adult learners who were aged 50 or above and from central Taiwan. Partial least squares (PLS) and Partial least squares-Multi-group analyses (PLS-MGA) were employed for data analysis.ResultsThe following results were obtained: (1) social influence and facilitating conditions are significant antecedent factors influencing adult learners’ behavioral intention to use GenAI—conversely, performance expectancy has a negative influence on such intention; (2) GenAI identity and trust are key predictive variables of performance expectancy and effort expectancy; (3) different gender groups exhibit significant differences in most structural paths of the research model.DiscussionThese findings provide theoretical support for context-sensitive strategies in adult learning and the educational application of GenAI.
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