Psychological Reports

Background: Physical activity deficiency among adolescents represents a significant public health concern, particularly in home settings. While weight self-stigma has been identified as a potential barrier to physical activity, the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear. Objective: This study examined how weight self-stigma influences adolescents’ home physical activity through psychological needs satisfaction in exercise and investigated the moderating role of family physical activity climate in this relationship. Method: Participants were 1,328 adolescents (676 males, 656 females) from three cities in Hunan Province, China. Data were collected at two time points to minimize common method bias. Participants completed measures of weight self-stigma, psychological needs satisfaction in exercise, family physical activity climate, and home physical activity. Results: Weight self-stigma negatively affected home physical activity (β = −0.488, p < 0.01). Psychological needs satisfaction in exercise partially mediated this relationship, with a significant indirect effect (β = −0.159, 95% CI [−0.200, −0.124]). Family physical activity climate moderated the relationship between psychological needs satisfaction and home physical activity (β = 0.216, p < 0.01). The moderated mediation analysis revealed stronger indirect effects at high levels of family physical activity climate (β = −0.226, p < 0.01) compared to low levels (β = −0.011, ns). Conclusion: These findings suggest that weight self-stigma impairs adolescents’ home physical activity both directly and indirectly through reduced psychological needs satisfaction, while a positive family physical activity climate can buffer these negative effects.

Symptoms of emotion dysregulation and dissociation are common among people with a history of psychological trauma, and can complicate treatment effectiveness. Phase-based approaches to treatments, which begin with a stabilization and skills phase before moving to trauma-oriented interventions allow for flexible, integrable, and effective approaches that can be applied across various therapeutic modalities and delivery contexts. This narrative review describes empirically supported methods (e.g., Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) for targeting emotion dysregulation within phase-based treatments for trauma and dissociation. The flexibility and efficiency of these approaches can increase access to care (e.g., through telehealth, group formats, and brief interventions) and address current limitations of the mental healthcare system, including provider shortages. This review discusses (1) the current scientific understanding of emotion dysregulation and dissociation secondary to trauma exposure, (2) the range of flexible, evidence-based approaches for treating emotion dysregulation, (3) the translational and practical implications of a phase-based, emotion-regulation-focused treatment for traumatized individuals who experience dissociation, and 4) potential limitations to phase-based approaches including the delaying of trauma processing.

The integration of Sports Programs (SP) into educational curricula is gaining attention for its potential to boost academic achievement and foster essential life skills. This study investigates how sports-based learning influences students’ performance, discipline, and social development. The study is an effort to evaluate the relationship between participation in inclusive sports programs and better performance in school, self-discipline, social competencies, resilience, time management, and sense of belonging in students. A mixed-method was employed in the study to merge quantitative responses of a structured-based questionnaire design to a sample size of 563 students with qualitative results of semi-structured interviews conducted with a sample of 50 students. Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) analyzed the quantitative data, and NVivo analyzed the qualitative data in the form of thematically. The result illustrated the positive connection between sports programs and higher academic performance, improved self-discipline, better social skills, and increased resilience. The students involved in sports showed better time management and felt more tuned to their school environment. The novelty of the study demonstrates how sport and education make an imprint on the life of a person in terms of academic progress and personal growth. This is going to build a stronger base with respect to the effects of integrating sports into education on the holistic development of students. The findings show that the inclusion of sports in the school curriculum emerges as a viable strategy for improving students’ academic performance, discipline enforcement, and collaborative spirit, thus contributing toward a positive school climate.

Selective exposure (i.e., the general psychological tendency that people have to prefer information that supports what they believe over counterattitudinal information) is problematic because optimal decision-making often requires exposure to counterattitudinal information. Although the consequences of selectivity have been extensively studied, there remains a gap in the literature for how to persuade people to reduce their selectivity. Selective exposure is primarily motivated by defense (maintaining one’s current attitude, belief, behavior, or self-concept) or accuracy concerns (having a correct attitude/decision/judgment). Therefore, the present study targeted defense and accuracy motivations through the use of theory-informed intervention messages. 406 participants recruited from an online panel were randomly assigned to read one of six persuasive messages (five experimental, one control) and then were asked to indicate how interested they would be in reading articles about increasing their internet bills (a counterattitudinal topic). Results found that messages explaining why it is good to consider the opposite, and why looking at counterattitudinal information can enhance one’s ability to defend one’s views (inoculation) effectively mitigated selective exposure. Therefore, messages based on accuracy and defense were both supported. However, a message asking people to be unbiased did not work. Similarly, the defensive frames based on cognitive dissonance theory were likewise ineffective (cognitive dissonance, and self-affirmation). Implications for next steps are discussed.

One of the most important theories proposed in the explanation and etiology of dyslexia are theories that consider the cognitive deficits of these children, including attention, working memory, planning and organization to be involved in the occurrence of this disability. The aim was to investigate the effects of combining sensory integrative techniques with direct reading comprehension on improving working memory and attention span in students with Developmental dyslexia. This randomized trial with blinded assessors study was performed with a between-subjects factor ‘group’ (control group vs. intervention group) and within-subjects factor ‘time’ (measurement at pre-intervention and post-intervention). Data collection started in February 2024 and ended in October 2024. Sixty children with Developmental dyslexia were recruited to the study following formal diagnostic and behavioral pre-intervention assessments. Continuous Performance Test (CPT) and The Arabic Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) were used to collect data. Linear regression models were used to assess within-person differences within conditions for each outcome. Findings did directly support the hypotheses; results from regression analyses suggest that sensory integrative techniques with direct reading comprehension did have a significant impact on working memory and attention span in students with Developmental dyslexia. Sensory integration method and direct instruction for comprehension can increase working memory and attention span in children with dyslexia.

This study was conducted to determine phubbing, public speaking anxiety, and the need for social approval among young adults. This study was conducted using a cross-sectional design. The study was completed with 1,063 young adults aged 18-26 from various cities in Turkey. Data were collected using a personal information form, the General Phubbing Scale, the Public Speaking Anxiety Scale, and the Need for Social Approval Scale. Multiple linear regression analysis and linear regression analysis were used to analyse the data. According to the results of multiple linear regression analysis, the model explains 39.5% of the variance in public speaking anxiety and is statistically significant (p < 0.001). It has been determined that the level of phubbing is positively and significantly related to public speaking anxiety and the need for social approval. An increase in phubbing scores is associated with an increase in public speaking anxiety and social approval need scores. Furthermore, phubbing explains 14.1% of the variance in social approval need and significantly predicts this variable (p < 0.001). This study demonstrates that phubbing behaviour in young adults is associated with public speaking anxiety and the need for social approval. An increase in phubbing negatively impacts both variables. The findings indicate that a decrease in face-to-face communication may have significant effects on the psychological well-being of young adults. Accordingly, it is recommended that young adults engage in social activities and receive information aimed at reducing phubbing.

Smartphones have become an integral part of daily life, yet their impact on the attentional and affective system remains uncertain. This study investigates whether using smartphones during breaks between cognitive tasks influences subsequent performance and mind wandering compared to sitting quietly. Using a within-subjects design, participants completed a 2-back task and took short breaks during which they either used their smartphones or sat quietly without using their smartphones. We measured task performance and mind wandering frequencies during the 2-back task as well as mind wandering during breaks, participants’ mood before and after the breaks, and their tendency to check their smartphones spontaneously in daily life. The results revealed no significant differences in mind wandering frequency during the two types of breaks. Additionally, there were no significant differences in subsequent task performance or mind wandering frequency between smartphone and no-smartphone breaks. However, participants felt more positive after smartphone than no-smartphone breaks, and their tendency to check their smartphones spontaneously was positively correlated with this positive mood improvement. These findings suggest that brief smartphone use during breaks may enhance mood, but do not affect performance or mind wandering in a subsequent cognitive task.

Boredom is linked to numerous negative psychological conditions, yet remains critically under-researched. Individuals with depression frequently experience boredom, yet the relationship between boredom and antidepressants remains largely unexplored. We investigated the associations between antidepressants and various dimensions of boredom using an online sample (N = 251). This study focused on SSRIs, the most frequently prescribed antidepressant, to reduce variability across drug classes. Sexual boredom was of particular interest due to its association with both depression and SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction. Participants who reported using SSRIs for six weeks to two years reported higher levels of sexual, trait, and state boredom compared to non-SSRI users. However, no significant differences emerged between non-users and those on SSRIs for over two years. Clinical implications include the need for psychoeducation on boredom as a potential side effect influencing treatment adherence. Increased research is needed to explore the intersection of boredom and psychiatric treatment outcomes.

Background: Core beliefs, per Beck’s cognitive theory, are fundamental views of self and others that shape emotion. Although the Negative Core Beliefs Inventory (NCBI) is validated in adults, evidence in adolescents—a key period for belief formation—remains limited. Objective: Validate the NCBI for adolescents by testing factorial structure, reliability, and validity. Methods: 146 students (12–17) in Salvador, Brazil, completed the NCBI plus anxiety, depression, and life satisfaction measures. Analyses included expert content review, EFA/CFA, graded response and generalized partial credit IRT models, and EBICglasso network modeling. Results: CFA supported the two-factor solution with acceptable fit (CFI = .89; RMSEA = .056). Internal consistency was good (most ω > .70); nCB-O ω = .87 and overall nCB-S ω = .93, but helplessness/vulnerability was lower (ω = .64). IRT indicated adequate discrimination for most items and greater information at higher trait levels; nCB-S9 performed poorly. Networks showed expected associations with anxiety, depression, and life satisfaction, supporting concurrent validity. Conclusions: The NCBI appears suitable for assessing negative core beliefs in adolescents and may aid early identification and intervention. Targeted refinement—particularly of nCB-S9 and the helplessness/vulnerability subscale—could strengthen psychometrics for this population. Broader samples and longitudinal designs are warranted to confirm stability and predictive validity.

People experiencing homelessness (PEH) face more mental health-related problems and a worse quality of life (QoL) than the general population. This research aimed to know the repercussion of a psychosocial healthcare program with PEH using mobile phones. This quasi-experimental study previously and subsequently evaluated interventions with 30 users (Complete Intervention = 23; Partial Intervention = 7) at 3 and 6 months. They periodically attended two municipal shelters for PEH.. At 3 months, those who did the complete intervention presented significant improvements in self-perceived QoL, with this significance moving toward anxiety/depression and responsible alcohol consumption. Those who completed the study indicated a high degree of satisfaction with it and adhered to scheduled appointments. The PEH who adhered to the study obtained a better initial psychosocial evaluation than those who dropped out. Thus, future studies with more participants would clear up doubts about the tendency of the variables that improved in this study. We recommend healthcare professionals to go directly to where PEH are and to set up mobile phone follow-up because PEH’s personal conditions do not allow them to go to mental health appointments.

The reliability of test scores is not a fixed property of an instrument but may vary across populations and testing conditions. Evaluating how a scale performs across different samples is essential for understanding the extent of measurement error and generalizing psychometric properties. In the present study, Bandura’s Self-Efficacy for Self-Regulated Learning Scale (SESRLS) was examined using a reliability generalization meta-analysis to assess the generalizability of Cronbach’s alpha across studies. A random-effects model was employed to compute the pooled mean reliability coefficient. In addition, meta-regression was conducted to investigate the impact of study characteristics—both substantive and methodological—on reliability. Moderator variables included categorical factors (age group, mode of administration, test language, region, item type) and continuous variables (mean age, age standard deviation, percentage of females, sample size, number of response options, and number of items). The analysis synthesized 78 alpha coefficients derived from a total sample of 32,116 participants. Bonett’s transformation was applied to stabilize sampling variances associated with bounded reliability estimates. Results revealed that mean raw alpha was .85 (95% CI [.837–.857]) and pooled mean alpha was .869 (95% CI [.857–.884]) for transformed scores. Substantial heterogeneity was detected (I² = 97.6%). Of all moderators examined, only test language significantly predicted reliability coefficients (β = −0.221, p = .047), with slightly higher values reported in non-English versions. No other moderator variables were found to exert a significant influence. These findings support the generalizability of the SESRLS’s reliability estimates across diverse demographic and methodological contexts, while highlighting the need to consider the rigor and quality of the adaptation process in reliability reporting.

Chronic diseases place substantial cognitive and emotional demands. Utilizing adaptive strategies can mitigate these challenges and enhance mental health outcomes. However, research is limited among individuals living with chronic conditions, especially in non-western contexts. We examined the relationship between cognitive emotion regulation strategies and mental health outcomes among individuals living with chronic conditions in Ghana. Using cross-sectional data from 801 participants (mean age = 46.61 years, SD = 16.21), we used multiple regression models to estimate associations between specific strategies and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Positive refocusing, self-blame, refocus on planning, and putting into perspective were found to negatively associated with depression, anxiety, and stress. In contrast, rumination, positive appraisal and blaming others, were positively associated with depression, anxiety and stress. These findings emphasize the need for targeted mental health interventions that promote adaptive emotion regulation strategies to enhance mental health for individuals with chronic conditions.

Self-based mental time travel – the ability to remember past events and imagine future events on a personal timeline - is well-characterized in cognitive science. A similar, but less-understood, ability is that of collective memory and collective future thinking, termed collective mental time travel (CMTT). To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the episodic richness of collective memory and future thoughts using an in-person laboratory paradigm. In two studies (UK and Turkey), we examined the effect of Event Type (collective, personal; between-groups) and Temporal Orientation (past, future; within-groups) on quantities of episodic and non-episodic details. Results show that personal events contained more episodic detail compared to collective events, and past events were associated with more episodic detail than future events. The distinction between personal and collective events was more pronounced in the UK than in Turkish sample, hinting at an influence of cross-cultural context on the episodicity of collective memories and future thoughts. Additionally, we observed a relationship between the episodicity of the past and the future exclusively in the UK population and for personal events, partially supporting the constructive episodic simulation hypothesis. These findings initiate a deeper understanding of the underlying cognitive processes that enable humans to engage in collective mental time travel.

Few studies have examined the mechanisms linking psychological (PE) and academic entitlement (AE) to mental health. This study investigated 294 non-Western undergraduates to analyze the relationships among PE, AE, and psychological health, and their potential mechanisms. Students with higher AE reported greater anxiety and depression, and lower emotional intelligence (EI). In contrast, those with higher PE showed greater anxiety but also higher levels of EI. EI also acted as a significant mediating factor in the relationships between AE and anxiety and depression, as well as between PE and anxiety. These findings highlight the distinct roles of PE and AE in mental health. Results highlight EI’s buffering role against entitlement-related maladaptive outcomes.

In a time of rapid technological change, enhancing technical workers’ taking charge behavior is critical for improving organizational competitiveness and sustainability. Drawing on the job demands-resources (JD-R) model, we developed and tested a model to examine the positive impact of coaching leadership on employees’ taking charge behavior. We conducted a multi-wave, multi-source survey study among technical workers in a large Chinese innovative manufacturing company, and finally collected data from 351 leader-employee dyads. The results show that coaching leadership promotes technical workers’ taking charge behavior by enhancing their task crafting. In addition, task difficulty positively moderates the effect of coaching leadership on task crafting, thereby increasing taking charge behaviors among technical workers. Both theoretical and practical implications are discussed in the study.

Cluster B personality disorders, including Borderline, Histrionic, Narcissistic, and Antisocial personality disorders, collectively affect up to 5.5% of the population. These disorders are characterized by strong emotional responses; however, little research compares specific symptomatology with emotion regulation ability. The current study examines the relationship between subscales of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale and symptomatology across Cluster B disorders in a mixed non-clinical sample. In Study 1 (N = 325), participants completed self-report measures assessing emotion regulation and personality disorder symptoms. Primary findings showed that difficulties with emotion-related impulse control significantly predicted symptoms of all four Cluster B disorders, highlighting its importance in understanding these conditions. Study 2 (N = 530) was conducted to examine more specifically the different facets of impulsivity that are associated with these disorders. This study had participants complete self-report measures on emotion regulation, impulsivity, and personality disorder symptoms and found differential associations between facets of impulse control and Cluster B personality disorder symptoms. Impulse control difficulties also explain a large amount of variance in these disorders. These results suggest the necessity for targeted interventions focusing on impulse control and emotion regulation strategies to enhance treatment outcomes for individuals affected by Cluster B personality disorders.

The current study aimed to develop and examine the psychometric properties of the Children’s Prosocial Behaviors in a Preschool Setting (CPBPS) scale. Preschool teachers (N = 16) completed the CPBPS and related measures for 255 children aged 3–5 years. Following item refinement procedures, the scale was reduced to 28 items representing five theoretically grounded dimensions: helping, comforting, cooperating, sharing, and defending. Principal Component Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis provided preliminary support for the five-factor structure, demonstrating acceptable model fit. Internal consistency coefficients ranged from .91 to .96 across subscales, indicating excellent reliability. Evidence of convergent validity was supported by significant correlations with established measures of empathy and prosocial behavior. Exploratory analyses also revealed age- and gender-related differences in prosocial behaviors, consistent with developmental literature. Overall, the findings suggest that the CPBPS is a valid and reliable teacher-report measure for assessing multidimensional prosocial behaviors in preschool settings.

Given the lack of research examining the relationship between sexual cognitions of dominance and submission—experienced as positive (PSC) and negative (NSC)—and sexual arousal, this study examines gender differences in this association. A total of 1,400 cisgender heterosexual adults (700 men and 700 women), aged 18 to 79 years (M = 35.91; SD = 13.66), participated in the study. They self-reported the frequency of dominance and submission PSC and NSC, as well as sexual arousal and penile erection/vaginal lubrication experienced in the context of heterosexual sexual activity. The results indicate, first, gender differences in the frequency of these sexual cognitions: men report PSC more frequently and women report NSC more frequently; and second, that sexual cognitions involving submission (both positive and negative) have a greater association with sexual arousal in men than in women, whereas positive sexual cognitions of dominance showed the inverse pattern. The findings are discussed considering traditional gender roles.

Leadership styles play a critical role in shaping employees’ work attitudes and intentions to remain with their organizations. This study examines how transformational and abusive leadership relate to turnover intentions, with a focus on how job satisfaction and affective organizational commitment mediate these relationships. Survey data were collected from 304 employees across diverse Portuguese organizations, using validated measures of leadership styles, job satisfaction, affective organizational commitment, and turnover intentions. Using serial multiple regression analyses with bootstrapping procedures, transformational leadership was positively associated with job satisfaction and affective organizational commitment and negatively associated with turnover intentions. In contrast, abusive leadership showed the opposite pattern of associations. Job satisfaction and affective organizational commitment were negatively related to turnover intentions and were identified as key attitudinal intervening variables in the associations between leadership styles and turnover intentions. Overall, the findings highlight contrasting associations between positive and negative leadership styles and key employee attitudes and turnover intentions, underscoring the importance of job satisfaction and affective organizational commitment for understanding employee retention in organizational contexts.

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations include individuals who identify as non-heterosexual and/or whose gender identity does not align with their sex assigned at birth. SGM populations experience higher rates of social deprivation—disadvantages in socioeconomic factors and living conditions—compared to non-SGM groups. While current research highlights the negative health impacts of social deprivation, no work has assessed whether SGM identity moderates associations between social deprivation and mental health symptoms. Further, it is unknown whether specific measures of social deprivation are more strongly associated with mental health. This study aimed to fill these gaps by examining associations between social deprivation and mental health symptoms, as well as whether these relationships vary between SGM and non-SGM groups. Participants (N = 450) recruited from Prolific completed measures of anxiety, depression, schizotypy, and paranoia. The Social Deprivation Index and Social Vulnerability Index were derived from participants’ zip codes. Neither social deprivation measure was significantly associated with mental health symptoms. SGM status did not moderate associations between social deprivation and mental health symptoms, though the SGM group reported lower income levels, higher rates of social deprivation, and were more likely to have previously received mental health diagnoses and treatment compared to the non-SGM group. Results contribute to our understanding of socioeconomic factors related to mental health symptoms, particularly among minoritized groups. Future work should analyze interactions between individual-level and community-level factors on SGM mental health.