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.
An avoidance trap? Within-person dynamics between social interaction anxiety and the tendency to avoid physical activity and sport among Chinese university students: a four-wave random-intercept cross-lagged panel study
Physical activity and sport settings may become socially threatening when students anticipate negative evaluation of their bodies, competence, or behavior. Yet it remains unclear whether social interaction anxiety precedes exercise-related avoidance and whether such avoidance, in turn, precedes later anxiety. This study examined reciprocal longitudinal associations at both the between- and within-person levels between social interaction anxiety (SIA) and the tendency to avoid physical activity and sport (TAPAS), assessed with a 10-item self-report scale. A baseline cohort of 1,676 university students aged 18 years or older from nine universities in Sichuan Province, China, completed four assessments approximately 12 weeks apart during the 2024–2025 academic year. A random-intercept cross-lagged panel model separated stable between-person differences from time-specific within-person deviations, and longitudinal scalar invariance was supported for both measures. At the between-person level, higher average SIA was associated with higher average TAPAS (r = 0.381, p < 0.001). At the within-person level, elevations in SIA relative to students’ usual levels predicted subsequent elevations in TAPAS (βs = 0.121–0.127), and elevations in TAPAS predicted subsequent elevations in SIA (βs = 0.126–0.133); all cross-lagged effects were significant at p < 0.001. Both constructs also showed significant within-person temporal continuity. The reciprocal pattern was stable across the three approximately 12-week intervals and remained substantively unchanged after adjustment for baseline sex, year of study, pre-university residence, and body mass index category. The findings are consistent with a reciprocal avoidance process across an academic year and suggest that campus mental-health and physical-activity initiatives may benefit from jointly addressing social-evaluative concerns and barriers embedded in exercise settings. Because the study was observational and relied on self-report measures, the associations should not be interpreted causally.
Publication date: Access the article >>Approach-avoidance sequencing shapes embodied simulation of interpersonal closeness-distance: evidence from second-person episodes in Spanish and Chinese
We investigated how approach and avoidance motivational sequences shape evaluations of interpersonal closeness-distance during second-person verbally simulated interaction episodes, and whether these effects are modulated by linguistic formulation and language context. Two parallel behavioral experiments were conducted in Spanish (N = 20) and Mandarin Chinese (N = 20; 39 participants retained for analysis after one exclusion). Participants read fictional interaction episodes in which they adopted the role of the protagonist and interacted with a character through three consecutive approach- or avoidance-oriented behaviors. Episodes followed either an approach-avoidance-approach (Ap_Av_Ap) or avoidance-approach-avoidance (Av_Ap_Av) sequence and were expressed using either attitudinal formulations (e.g., “Juan asked you for he being a part of your class group and you accepted-rejected him”) or equivalent behavioral formulations (e.g., you said yes, said no to him). Following each episode, participants evaluated perceived interpersonal closeness-distance toward the character. Linear mixed-effects analyses revealed a robust effect of motivational sequence: Ap_Av_Ap episodes elicited greater perceived interpersonal closeness than Av_Ap_Av episodes across both language groups and linguistic formulations. Attitudinal formulations facilitated sentence processing, yielding shorter reading times than behavioral formulations, although linguistic formulation did not influence final interpersonal evaluations. Sequence effects emerged during earlier sentence processing but disappeared at the final sentence, consistent with dynamic updating of interpersonal representations across the episode. Cross-linguistic differences were also observed: Chinese participants showed overall faster reading times and rated episodes as involving greater interpersonal closeness than Spanish participants. These findings support an embodied and language-mediated account of interpersonal cognition in which readers dynamically integrate approach and avoidance information to construct evaluations of interpersonal closeness-distance during second-person interaction simulation. The results further suggest that motivational sequence effects generalize across languages while remaining sensitive to cultural and linguistic modulation.
Publication date: Access the article >>Students' experiences of using ChatGPT for English language learning: a qualitative study in a Malaysian higher education institution
A qualitative thematic analysis was conducted with 25 students from a Malaysian institution to gain a deeper understanding of their motivation for using ChatGPT in English language learning. The study employed Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and the results demonstrated that ChatGPT has the potential to contribute positively to aspects related to English language competence, social connections, and independent learning processes. Therefore, ChatGPT emerges as a helpful resource for enhancing grammar, writing, and conversational tasks, allowing educators to prioritize higher order thinking abilities and intricate areas of language training. The results suggest that ChatGPT supports learners' autonomy, relatedness, and competence, which are key components of Self-Determination Theory (SDT). Nevertheless, the study also highlighted certain obstacles, such as ChatGPT's tendency to produce erroneous or nonsensical information and its restricted capacity to ensure the accuracy of content in language learning situations. These findings emphasize the need for focused efforts to tackle these difficulties. Educators must acknowledge the limitations of the tool and complement ChatGPT interactions with human interactions to provide a comprehensive and efficient language learning experience.
Publication date: Access the article >>Bayesian cognitive diagnosis optimizes personalized learning paths via mediation of cognitive load and Hidden Markov Model state transitions
Personalized learning path optimization based on cognitive diagnosis models faces two key gaps: the sparsity of large-scale educational data makes it difficult for traditional DINA models to converge, and the psychological mechanism underlying the effectiveness of personalized paths lacks empirical testing. To address these gaps, this study proposes and validates a personalized learning path optimization framework that integrates Bayesian cognitive diagnosis, knowledge space theory, and cognitive load theory. The study employed a mixed-data design: in the first phase, a Bayesian DINA model was trained on the EdNet public dataset (N = 5,000) and a shortest remediation path algorithm was developed; in the second phase, a dataset with 120 students was used to validate the algorithm’s effectiveness, using the Bootstrap method to test the mediating effect of cognitive load and introducing a Hidden Markov Model to analyze the dynamic evolution of knowledge states. The results showed that the Bayesian DINA model converged successfully on data with 91.3% sparsity (R-hat < 1.01), with attribute mastery probability estimates ranging from 0.280 to 0.368; the personalized path improved efficiency by 23.6% compared to the fixed-order path (Cohen’s d = 0.98), which was cross-validated as a 22.0% time saving in a separate experiment involving probability learning; cognitive load was identified as the primary mediator between personalized paths and learning outcomes [indirect effect = 0.28, 95% CI (0.19, 0.37)], with learning motivation [indirect effect = 0.18, 95% CI (0.11, 0.25)] and self-efficacy [indirect effect = 0.12, 95% CI (0.06, 0.18)] serving as complementary mediators in a multiple mediation model. The three pathways together explained 86.6% of the total effect; the HMM identified A5 (Analytical Thinking) as a learning bottleneck, with a forward transition probability of only 0.31. This study provides a feasible methodological solution for cognitive diagnosis with sparse data, theoretically identifies the mediating pathway of cognitive load, and offers precise targets for bottleneck attribute intervention in intelligent tutoring systems in practice.
Publication date: Access the article >>Lived experiences of sexual wellbeing and psychosexual needs among adolescents and young adults with sarcoma: a qualitative study
IntroductionSexual wellbeing is an important yet often overlooked aspect of quality of life for many Adolescent and Young Adult patients with sarcoma. Given the significant impact of this issue and the dearth of previous research, this study aims to explore the sexual wellbeing and psychosexual needs of this group.Materials and methodsA descriptive, phenomenological, qualitative study was conducted. Open-ended, face-to-face interviews were used to achieve data saturation, following Giorgi’s approach. The Lincoln and Guba criteria and the COREQ guidelines were used to enhance methodological rigor and reporting quality. For descriptive purposes, information was collected on sociodemographic, clinical, quality of life and patient distress issues. Given the complexity of obtaining informed consent from parents or legal guardians of minors, the study included participants between the ages of 18 and 39 at the time of data collection.ResultsTwenty interviews with patients aged 18–39 years were collected. One overall domain, five themes, and 21 related sub-themes emerged from the thematic analysis. They were mainly related to the impact of the cancer diagnosis on patients’ priorities, scars and their symbolism and relationships with healthcare professionals and partners to promote sexual wellbeing. Patients reported relatively low levels of symptoms and high levels of functioning. The main symptom was insomnia, whereas fatigue and pain were less severe. Slight impairments were observed in the subject’s emotional functioning. 70% of patients had clinically significant Distress (≥4).DiscussionCancer significantly impacts the emotional relationships and sexual health of patients. A lack of information and taboos surrounding sexuality in oncology are significant barriers to patients’ psychological and physical wellbeing. Psychologists and nurses, in particular, should implement strategies to encourage open discussion about sexuality within this patient group.
Publication date: Access the article >>“I know it’s not good, but you want to perform at 100%”: cognitive-affective responses to ecological sustainability and performance in sport competitions
IntroductionCompetitive sport is increasingly affected by environmental challenges. Athletes compete in performance-oriented systems that often constrain pro-environmental action. Navigating ecological sustainability-related cognition and affect may therefore impose additional mental load on athletes and require self-regulation, potentially competing with performance-relevant cognitive and emotional resources, consistent with resource-based models of self-control. However, little is known about how athletes experience ecological sustainability within their competitive sport and how they perceive its impact on performance. This qualitative study examined how competitive athletes cognitively and affectively engage with ecological sustainability and how these experiences are perceived in relation to their sporting performance.MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with nine athletes from different sports and competitive levels. Data were analyzed using structured deductive qualitative content analysis.ResultsAthletes expressed strong pro-environmental attitudes but experienced a pronounced and recurring value-action gap driven by structural constraints such as competition schedules, travel demands, and sponsorship obligations. Ecological sustainability-related cognition and affect (e.g., guilt, frustration, sadness) were salient across sports but were actively regulated, suppressed, or compartmentalized in performance contexts to maintain focus and competitive readiness. While athletes rarely reported immediate performance impairments, sustainability-related concerns contributed to indirect performance-relevant strain through travel fatigue, disrupted preparation, and cumulative mental load affecting recovery and well-being. Engagement in sustainability initiatives emerged as a central coping strategy and was often experienced as empowering; sport itself served as an important coping context.DiscussionOverall, ecological sustainability functioned both as a psychological burden and a motivational resource in competitive sport. While athletes expressed strong motivation to engage with sustainability, their ability to act consistently with these values was often constrained by both the structures of competitive sport and individual decisions.
Publication date: Access the article >>From self-regulated learning to learning outcomes in virtual learning environments: motivational activation and flow as a sequential psychological pathway
IntroductionVirtual learning environments have become an important context for higher education, yet the psychological mechanisms through which students achieve positive learning outcomes remain insufficiently understood. Informed by self-determination theory and flow theory, this study examined a sequential psychological pathway linking self-regulated learning to learning engagement and learning satisfaction through intrinsic motivation and flow experience. By integrating self-regulatory, motivational, and experiential processes within a single model, this study moves beyond research that has examined only direct relationships or treated intrinsic motivation and flow experience as parallel mechanisms.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among 531 Chinese university students with experience in virtual learning. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 and SmartPLS 4.0. Partial least squares structural equation modeling and 5,000 bootstrap resamples were used to test the measurement model, direct effects, specific indirect effects, and sequential mediation paths.ResultsSelf-regulated learning was positively associated with both learning engagement and learning satisfaction. Intrinsic motivation and flow experience each significantly mediated the relationships between self-regulated learning and the two learning outcomes. More importantly, significant sequential indirect effects were found from self-regulated learning through intrinsic motivation and flow experience to both learning engagement and learning satisfaction. This pattern indicates that higher self-regulated learning was associated with stronger intrinsic motivation, which was further associated with greater flow experience and more positive learning outcomes. The direct effects of self-regulated learning on both outcomes remained significant after the mediators were included, suggesting partial mediation.DiscussionThese findings indicate that positive learning outcomes in virtual learning environments are not only related to learners' self-regulatory capacity but are also associated with motivational activation and immersive learning experiences. By integrating self-regulated learning, intrinsic motivation, and flow experience within a sequential model, the study contributes to educational psychology by showing how self-regulatory capacity is linked to learning outcomes through successive motivational and experiential processes. Practically, this sequential pattern suggests that virtual learning environments should support goal setting, progress monitoring, autonomy, timely feedback, and optimally challenging tasks to promote engagement and satisfaction.
Publication date: Access the article >>The relationship between parental phubbing and preschool children’s social–emotional competence: a serial mediation model of family intimacy and parent–child attachment
Parental phubbing, a growing phenomenon in the digital era, has raised concerns about its impact on young children’s development. However, little is known about how parental phubbing influences preschool children’s social–emotional competence and the underlying family mechanisms. Drawing on social learning theory, attachment theory, and family systems theory, this study examines the mediating roles of family intimacy and parent–child attachment. A total of 1,113 parents of preschool children in China participated in this study. The results showed that parental phubbing was negatively associated with children’s social–emotional competence. First, family intimacy mediated the relationship between parental phubbing and children’s social–emotional competence. Second, parent–child attachment also served as a mediator. More importantly, a significant serial mediation pathway was identified, whereby parental phubbing reduced family intimacy, which in turn weakened parent–child attachment and ultimately impaired children’s social–emotional competence. These findings highlight the importance of family processes in understanding the negative effects of parental phubbing and provide practical implications for promoting young children’s social–emotional development.
Publication date: Access the article >>Help-seeking for mental health: an exploratory cross-national study of Italian and South Korean university students
IntroductionMental health help-seeking intentions are associated with individual, social, and contextual factors, yet cross-national research comparing Western and East Asian populations remains limited, and few studies have evaluated whether cultural variables contribute explanatory value beyond established predictors.MethodsA quantitative cross-sectional survey was administered to 304 university students (154 Italian, 150 South Korean) aged 19–35. A series of block-wise hierarchical regressions examined associations between demographic characteristics, social support, self-stigma, prior service use, and cultural variables with help-seeking intentions in two independently recruited national samples.ResultsSupport from significant others toward mental health services was associated with intentions in early model steps but lost significance when cultural variables were added. Prior experience with mental health services was positively associated with future intentions. Among the variables entered in the final model, nationality had the largest standardized regression coefficient (β = 0.251), with South Koreans reporting higher observed scores than Italians. Resistance to change-beliefs was positively associated with intentions, though this finding should be treated with caution given measurement non-equivalence. Independent and interdependent self-construal contributed no significant explanatory variance.DiscussionThese exploratory findings suggest that nationality and individual-level cultural proxies may capture distinct dimensions of cultural associations and point to promising directions for future research on culturally adapted mental health interventions.
Publication date: Access the article >>Characteristics of EEG activity in soccer players’ alerting effects under different cues
Previous studies have found a positive correlation between athletic expertise and the alerting effect; however, few studies have investigated these associations among soccer players. This study employed an alerting task to compare the alerting effect between elite soccer players and novices. We report an ERP study involving 68 participants, which allows us to reexamine the mechanisms underlying alerting. We observed that elite athletes had significantly shorter reaction times on both dual-cue and no-cue trials compared to novices, and found that elite athletes’ alerting network test scores were significantly higher. Elite soccer players generally exhibited faster reactions, and athletic expertise was positively correlated with cognitive performance. Further analysis revealed that, for elite athletes, the N1 peak amplitude evoked by dual-cue conditions in the central, parietal, parieto-occipital, and occipital regions was larger than that of novices; a similar pattern was observed in the central region for no-cue conditions. For dual-cue conditions, the parietal, parieto-occipital, and occipital regions exhibited smaller N1 peak amplitudes; no between-group differences were found in N1 latency. It was also found that, for the dual-cue condition, elite athletes exhibited smaller P2 peak amplitudes in the frontal, fronto-central, and central regions compared to novices. For the dual-cue condition, the prefrontal, frontal, fronto-central, and central regions exhibited larger P2 peak amplitudes. Additionally, the P2 latency for the dual-cue condition was earlier than for the no-cue condition, though no intergroup differences were observed. The results indicate that elite soccer players exhibit significant behavioral and neurophysiological advantages, further demonstrating that the enhancement of N1 and the attenuation of P2 are associated with soccer skill level. Elite soccer players exhibited larger N1 amplitudes and smaller P2 amplitudes in response to both dual-cue and no-cue stimuli. In summary, this study confirms that elite soccer players possess dual advantages in alerting function, providing new empirical evidence for understanding the neuroplasticity mechanisms by which long-term athletic training shapes cognitive function.
Publication date: Access the article >>Perceived language legitimacy as a psychological judgment: a conceptual analysis of recognition, belonging, and self-worth
This article develops perceived language legitimacy (PLL) as a theoretically refined framework for examining how languages and varieties come to be regarded as authoritative, valuable, or marginal within particular social contexts. Existing accounts of language attitudes, symbolic power, and language ideology have provided important explanations of linguistic evaluation and inequality. Less attention, however, has been given to the psychological appraisal through which speakers anticipate whether a language or variety will be accepted as a credible resource for knowledge, identity, authority, or public participation within a particular domain. PLL is conceptualized as a context-sensitive psychological judgment that complements these existing sociolinguistic and social-psychological accounts by explaining how historically established hierarchies, normative expectations, identity positions, and unequal distributions of symbolic value are interpreted by speakers. It provides a psychological link between socially organized linguistic hierarchies and speakers’ expectations of recognition or devaluation as language users. The article situates PLL in relation to established concepts including language attitudes, prestige, ideology, and identity. It further considers how legitimacy judgements may influence belonging, self-worth, educational uptake, public voice, and participation in multilingual societies. By focusing on this psychological interface, the article provides an account of how linguistic inequalities are experienced by speakers and translated into language-related expectations and actions.
Publication date: Access the article >>Poor sleep quality and loneliness among higher vocational college students: a conditional process analysis of psychological resilience and self-esteem
BackgroundLoneliness, sleep quality, psychological resilience, and self-esteem are closely related to young adults’ everyday psychological adjustment. However, less is known about how sleep quality is associated with loneliness among higher vocational college students and whether this association depends on internal psychological resources. This study examined the association between sleep quality and loneliness and tested the mediating role of psychological resilience and the moderating role of self-esteem.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted from May to December 2023 in three higher vocational colleges in Heilongjiang Province, China. A total of 4,000 questionnaires were distributed, and 3,782 valid responses were included in the final analysis. Sleep quality, psychological resilience, self-esteem, and loneliness were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and 20-item UCLA Loneliness Scale, respectively. Pearson correlation analysis, multiple linear regression analyses, bootstrap mediation analysis, and moderated mediation analysis were performed. Fully adjusted models controlled for age, sex, grade, residence, family economic status, parental marital status, dormitory relationship, classmate relationship, academic pressure, and physical activity frequency.ResultsAmong the 3,782 participants, the mean age was 19.35 years (SD = 1.31); 1,593 participants were male (42.1%) and 2,189 were female (57.9%). Sleep quality was positively correlated with loneliness and negatively correlated with psychological resilience and self-esteem. Psychological resilience and self-esteem were negatively correlated with loneliness. In the fully adjusted mediation model, poorer sleep quality was associated with higher loneliness (β = 0.556, p
Publication date: Access the article >>Validation of the Polish adaptation of the Students’ Punishment Sensitivity Scale in an educational context
BackgroundReinforcement sensitivity theory highlights the crucial role of two systems: the behavioral inhibition system (BIS) and the behavioral activation system (BAS) in explaining one’s tendency to respond to positive or adverse stimuli in diverse contexts, including educational. However, there is a lack of measurements that capture the punishment mechanism underlying students’ reactions when confronted with others’ opinions on their school failures. The research project aimed to test the psychometric properties of the Polish version of the students’ punishment sensitivity (SPS-PL) in the educational context, originally developed for a Turkish sample.MethodsA sample of 548 students aged 12–15 years (53.1% boys) from randomly chosen public schools participated in the study. We used instruments that measure students’ punishment sensitivity (SPS-PL Scale) and school burnout (ESSBS). The factor structure (CFA), reliability, and validity analyses were performed. We also tested measurement invariance across gender.ResultsCFA indicated acceptable goodness of fit indexes for the three-factor structure of the Students Punishment Sensitivity construct with domains such as: Inhibition due to punishment (IDP), Negative attitudes towards punishment contexts (NATPC), Regulatory Effect of Punishment (REP). The SPS-PL Total Score and IDP demonstrated acceptable reliability (α/ɷ over 0.80), while for NATCP and REP were α ≥ 0.67/ɷ ≥ 0.68. We evidenced its discriminant and convergent validity, i.e., the HTMT correlations over 0.30, and positive correlations between punishment sensitivity indicators and school burnout. A higher punishment sensitivity was related to poor quality of relationships with classmates, teachers, and parents. Full configural and metric invariance, a well as partial scalar and strict invariance across gender were confirmed. The findings also indicate that girls scores higher in SPS – PL Total score, IDP, and REP than boys.ConclusionStudies on students’ punishment sensitivity in the context of school failure are scarce. At the same time, these adverse experiences may directly affect young people’s educational outcomes and seriously reduce their chances for flourishing development in the future. The research will enable scholars with a valid instrument that allows for a better understanding of this phenomenon.
Publication date: Access the article >>Psychological drivers and value perception of medical student participation in teaching evaluation
IntroductionStudent Evaluation of Teaching (SET) is essential for educational development; however, it increasingly suffers from survey fatigue and perfunctory responses, particularly among medical students facing high academic stress and cognitive loads. Traditional behavioral theories often overlook the psychological appraisal of “cost–benefit” in students’ decision-making processes. To address this gap, this study constructed an Extended Theory of Planned Behavior incorporating Perceived Value (Extended TPB) model, introducing “Perceived Value” as a central psychological mediator to explore the cognitive and motivational mechanisms driving students’ intentions to participate in SET.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among 3,365 undergraduate medical students at a medical university in China. Data were collected using validated scales measuring attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, perceived value, and behavioral intention. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was utilized to test the theoretical model, and a Bootstrapping approach with 5,000 resamples was applied to examine mediating effects.ResultsThe Extended TPB model demonstrated an excellent fit and high explanatory power, accounting for 95.9% of the variance in SET behavioral intention. Perceived value exerted a strong positive predictive effect on behavioral intention (β = 0.979, p
Publication date: Access the article >>Faith in the future of sport: value differences among young athletes in Finland, Italy, Poland, and Sweden
IntroductionSports and physical activities play a key role in young people's physical, social, and moral development. However, the outcomes of this development may vary according to several factors, including age, gender, nationality, years of practice (YOP), and training tier, defined by athletes' training and performance levels. Therefore, this study aimed to examine how young athletes' values differ across countries and according to age, gender, training tier, and YOP.MethodsWithin the framework of the European project “Faith in the future of sports”, the Youth Sport Values Questionnaire-2 (YSVQ-2), a 13-item survey categorizing values into Moral, Status, and Competence domains, was administered across four countries (Finland, Italy, Poland, Sweden).ResultsA MANOVA conducted on a sample of 381 participants across the four European countries revealed statistically significant differences across all three value dimensions (Status, Competence, and Moral) and training tiers, age, gender and country.DiscussionOverall, the findings highlight subgroup variations in value endorsement, indicating that cross-national mean differences are moderated by training tier, age, and gender.
Publication date: Access the article >>Confianza, culture, and care: barriers to and facilitators of mental health treatment engagement among Latinos with serious mental illness
IntroductionAmong the 3.2 million Latinos in the United States with serious mental illness (SMI) in 2024, less than 15.5% received any treatment or medication. Research on mental health treatment engagement among Latinos has largely conceptualized engagement broadly, overlooking nuances in the engagement process, disorder severity, and community heterogeneity. Most studies on treatment engagement among Latinos with SMI have explored macro-level factors without a guiding framework or theory. Thus, the aim of the current study was to identify barriers to and facilitators of treatment engagement among Latinos with SMI using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR).MethodsSixteen Latino adults with SMI (n = 8 in treatment; n = 8 not in treatment) participated in qualitative semi-structured interviews in their preferred language via Zoom. The interview questions were informed by the CFIR and the available literature on Latinos with serious mental illness. The interview questions were reviewed and revised through a collaborative validation process with an all-Latino community advisory team.ResultsThematic analysis of the data identified a range of barriers to and facilitators of engagement in mental health treatment. Inner setting domain barriers included incongruence between treatment and Latino culture, and limited availability of bilingual and bicultural providers. Individual characteristic domain barriers included negative experience with mental health providers, lack of trust in providers and systems of care, and mental health stigma. Inner setting domain facilitators included mental health psychoeducation and providers who listen and are compassionate. Individual characteristics domain facilitators included preferences for behavior-based, context-based, and faith-based care.ConclusionThese findings contribute to existing literature by shedding light on non-social determinants of health (SDOH)-related barriers to and facilitators of treatment engagement for Latinos with SMI.
Publication date: Access the article >>What plays beneath: mental health burden, personal resources, and treatment utilization among professional musicians and music students
IntroductionProfessional musicians may be exposed to distinctive occupational, psychosocial, and artistic demands, yet integrated evidence on their mental health, psychological resources, and treatment utilization remains scarce. Therefore, this study examined mental health indicators, including symptom burden and self-reported diagnosed mental disorders, personal psychological resources (resilience, self-efficacy, and self-esteem), occupational characteristics, and treatment use in a nationwide sample of professional musicians and music students in Germany.MethodsData were collected through a large, anonymous, longitudinal online survey across different musical genres. Baseline data were obtained from 1,392 participants January–June 2024; 327 participants completed the follow-up in June 2025 (at least 1 year after baseline). Descriptive analyses, subgroup comparisons, cross-sectional regression models, and longitudinal regression models were used to examine symptom burden, diagnoses, resources, sociodemographic and occupational differences, and change over time.ResultsAt baseline, clinically relevant symptom levels were common: 30% of participants scored in the moderate or severe range for generalized anxiety symptoms, 32% scored in the moderate to severe range for depressive symptoms, and 22% reported a current diagnosed mental disorder. Employment status emerged as the most consistent subgroup correlate, with additional differences by gender, job role, and genre. Resilience, self-efficacy, and self-esteem were each negatively associated with depressive symptoms, generalized anxiety symptoms, and music performance anxiety, with self-esteem showing particularly strong associations. Overall, mental health indicators and personal resources were largely stable over 12 months, while music students reported higher depressive symptoms at follow-up beyond baseline levels. Treatment utilization was substantial, with half of participants reporting lifetime treatment for psychological complaints.DiscussionThese findings indicate a substantial and unevenly distributed mental health burden among professional musicians in Germany. Although interpretation is limited by the observational design, non-probabilistic sampling, reliance on self-report, and substantial attrition at follow-up, the findings point to the relevance of prevention and support strategies that adequately address psychological resources and occupational conditions. Such provision may be broadly accessible while remaining responsive to differences in employment status, genre, gender-related experiences, barriers to care, support needs, and individual characteristics and contexts. These implications may guide future research and context-sensitive practice, although their effectiveness and clinical relevance require further evaluationClinical trial registrationThe study was pre-registered in the German Clinical Trials Register in January 2024 (https://drks.de/search/en/trial/DRKS00033401).
Publication date: Access the article >>Associations among creativity disposition, psychological resilience, and emotional states in contemporary dance practitioners of intangible cultural heritage
IntroductionThe contemporary dance transformation of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) and traditional folk culture elements has become an important phenomenon in Chinese stage art practice, but systematic empirical research on the psychological characteristics of the creators and performers involved is still lacking.MethodsThis study adopted a cross-sectional questionnaire design with 915 creators and performers who have documented experience participating in contemporary dances and dance dramas containing ICH or traditional folk elements to examine the relationship between creativity disposition, psychological resilience, and positive/negative emotional states.ResultsThe results showed that the sample’s psychological resilience score was M = 34.86, SD = 6.39, and the creativity disposition score was M = 41.31, SD = 5.64; the positive affect score was significantly higher than the negative affect score, t(914) = 24.02, p
Publication date: Access the article >>Emotional intelligence and self-regulated learning: psychological pathways to student engagement and academic performance
Emotional intelligence (EI) and self-regulated learning (SRL) have emerged as central constructs for explaining why some students sustain engagement and achieve academically under pressure while others succumb to burnout and inefficiency. This mini-review synthesizes theoretical and empirical work on the association between EI and SRL and on the psychological pathways through which the two jointly shape academic engagement and performance. We first situate the EI–SRL relationship within self-regulation theory and contrast the ability and trait models of EI, specifying how each maps onto distinct components of SRL—ability EI onto metacognitive monitoring and strategy selection, trait EI onto motivational persistence—and noting that evidence consistently supports a positive EI–SRL association but diverges on effect sizes, mediating mechanisms, and boundary conditions related to culture, educational level, and measurement. We then map the multiple mediating and moderating mechanisms, self-directed learning, academic and creative self-efficacy, the engagement–burnout balance, social support, and metacognitive regulation, that translate EI into academic outcomes, highlighting evidence that EI frequently exerts its influence indirectly and that the relative importance of each pathway varies with context and developmental stage. Because much of this evidence derives from nursing and medical samples, we also delimit the populations to which the pathways can currently be generalized. We further review intervention research indicating that EI and SRL are trainable competencies whose cultivation can improve performance and reduce burnout, while cautioning that methodological limitations may inflate reported effects. Finally, we identify key gaps, fragmented theory, neglect of cultural variation, scarcity of longitudinal designs, and the need for rigorous, technology-integrated interventions, and outline directions for moving from understanding psychological pathways to optimizing educational practice. Together, these findings position EI and SRL as core, cultivable psychological resources for student success and underscore the value of integrative, context-sensitive, and developmentally informed research.
Publication date: Access the article >>Evaluating Japanese language learning strategies through learner and expert perspectives: a fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making approach
BackgroundEvaluating Japanese language learning strategies is challenging because language acquisition depends on cognitive, motivational, instructional, and sociocultural factors that cannot be adequately assessed using conventional evaluation methods. A systematic framework that integrates multiple educational dimensions and accommodates uncertainty is therefore needed.MethodsThis study proposes a hybrid Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) and Fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (FTOPSIS) framework to evaluate Japanese language learning strategies from expert and learner perspectives. Six evaluation criteria were identified through a comprehensive literature review and expert consultation. Expert judgments were used to derive criterion weights using FAHP, while data collected from 30 Japanese language learners representing different age groups and proficiency levels were incorporated into the FTOPSIS model to rank alternative learning strategies. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate the robustness of the proposed framework.ResultsLinguistic Complexity (22.1%), Cultural Immersion (20.4%), and Learner Motivation (17.8%) were identified as the most influential evaluation criteria. Among the evaluated strategies, the Integrated Immersive Strategy achieved the highest closeness coefficient (0.837), indicating the strongest alignment with the ideal learning profile. Sensitivity analysis confirmed that the ranking remained stable under substantial variations in criterion weights, demonstrating the reliability of the proposed model.ConclusionThe proposed FAHP–FTOPSIS framework provides a transparent and robust approach to evaluating Japanese language learning strategies by integrating expert knowledge with learner perspectives under uncertainty. The findings support the educational value of immersive, learner-centered, and technology-supported instructional approaches and provide practical guidance for educators, curriculum designers, and researchers seeking evidence-based strategies for Japanese language education.
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