Differences in Reward Sensitivity between High and Low Problematic Smartphone Use Adolescents: An ERP Study

Background: Problematic smartphone use is highly prevalent in adolescent populations compared to other age groups (e.g., adults and young children). Previous studies suggested that higher levels of reward sensitivity were associated with problematic smartphone use. Therefore, the current study investigated the neural processing of monetary and social reward and punishment feedbacks between high and low problematic smartphone use adolescents. Methods: 46 adolescents participated in the current study and they were categorized into two groups based on their level of problematic smartphone use: those who obtained low scores on the measure of problematic smartphone use were categorized as Low Problematic Smartphone Use (LPSU), and those who obtained high scores on the measure of problematic smartphone use were categorized as High Problematic Smartphone Use (HPSU). Electrocortical activities were recorded during the processing of monetary and social reward and punishment feedback. Results: (1) LPSUs evoked larger P3 in the social punishment condition than in the monetary punishment condition. HPSUs evoked larger P3 in the social reward condition than in the monetary condition. (2) The feedback-related negativity (FRN) amplitudes in the reward condition were significantly larger than those in the punishment condition. (3) HPSUs induced larger reward positivity in social feedback conditions than in monetary feedback conditions, while there were no significant differences between the two types of conditions in the LPSUs. Discussion: The results provide neural underpinning evidence that high sensitivity to social rewards may be related to problematic smartphone use in adolescence.

A cross-sectional study of COVID-19-related bullying in a sample of Lebanese adults: scale validation, correlates, and mediating effect of fear and anxiety

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to prolonged exposure to stress and anxiety, raising concerns about a large spectrum of psychological side effects. The primary objective of the study was to validate the COVID-19 Bullying Scale (CBS-11). The second objective was to explore factors associated with COVID-19-related bullying and evaluate the mediating effect of fear and anxiety between knowledge and COVID-19-related bullying.

Methods

A cross-sectional online survey conducted between December 20, 2020, and January 5, 2021, recruited 405 Lebanese adults using a snowball sampling technique. The CBS-11, an 11-item tool specifically created for this study, was used to measure bullying behaviors towards COVID-19 patients.

Results

All items of the CBS-11 converged over a 1-factor solution with an eigenvalue over 1, accounting for a variance of 75.16%. The scale has a high Cronbach’s alpha (.974), indicating excellent reliability. A positive correlation was found between the COVID-19 bullying scale and fear, anxiety, and stigma discrimination. The logistic regression showed that higher fear of COVID-19 (ORa = 1.04), a positive attitude toward COVID-19 preventive measures and hygiene recommendations (ORa = 1.18), higher stigma discrimination scores (ORa = 1.09), and having a health professional family member (ORa = 2.42) were significantly associated with bullying.

Conclusion

Our main findings showed that the CBS-11 could be an efficient tool to measure bullying behaviors toward COVID-19 patients. Stigma discrimination and fear from COVID-19 were associated with higher bullying attitudes. Future prospective studies are needed to understand better the factors related to bullying among adults during a pandemic, such as COVID-19.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40359-021-00643-1.

Social Isolation, Loneliness and Well-Being: The Impact of WeChat Use Intensity During the COVID-19 Pandemic in China

This study is aimed to examine the impact of WeChat use intensity on social isolation, loneliness, and well-being during the lockdown period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on the regulatory loop model of loneliness, the notions of Internet Paradox, the Time Displacement hypothesis and previous literature on WeChat use intensity, we propose that lockdown loneliness (partially) mediates the relationship between lockdown WeChat use intensity and well-being (i.e., lockdown stress and lockdown life satisfaction). Moreover, we assume that lockdown WeChat use intensity moderates the relationship between lockdown social isolation and well-being (i.e., lockdown stress and lockdown life satisfaction) in both a direct and in an indirect way, that is through lockdown loneliness. The results from our Structural Equation Modeling analyses, using a sample of 1,805 Chinese respondents, indicate that all of our research hypotheses are confirmed. From this empirical work, it becomes clear that online social interactions, which are believed by many people to be able to compensate for the lack of offline social interactions during the COVID-19 lockdown period, in fact are endangering their mental health and life satisfaction instead. This article concludes with theoretical and practical implications of our study, followed by its limitations and recommendations for future research.

Can the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) Help Explain Subjective Well-Being in Senior Citizens due to Gateball Participation?

Promoting successful aging strategies through well-reasoned caregiving programs is, and should be, one of the main objectives of many government policies and their implementing agencies. Well-being has been considered an important indicator of successful aging. Leisure is a key life domain and a core ingredient for overall well-being. Yet, within well-being research, few studies have made the connection between leisure participation as accepted behavior and subjective well-being in senior citizens. This study proposed to examine the applicability of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) in explaining senior citizens' decision-making processes in terms of leisure participation behavior and the effect of such behavioral engagement on subjective well-being. The respondents were senior citizens in Taiwan who played gateball and were aged 60 years or older. A total of 595 usable responses were obtained and used to answer the research question. The empirical results indicate that performance expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions are positively and significantly related to senior citizens' gateball participation behavior. In addition, gateball participation behavior had a positive and significant effect on respondents' subjective well-being. The results of this study not only extend the application of UTAUT in terms of participation behavior in leisure activities, but also can provide gateball associations and government entities a theoretical model for developing and promoting gateball programs which serve or involve the elderly, as well as helping older adults to pursue satisfactory levels of wellbeing.

The anatomy of ‘fake news’: Studying false messages as digital objects

Public concern about ‘fake news’ skyrocketed following the 2016 US presidential election and the Brexit referendum, and has only intensified since then. A burgeoning body of research on the topic is emerging, and conceptual clarity is vital for this research to converge into a cumulative body of knowledge; the purpose of this article is to underline and address some of the conceptual clutter and ambiguities around the concept of fake news and situate it within its social context. To do so, we first discuss the problems with current terminology and conceptualisation, and then draw on recent developments on the ontology of digital objects and their attributes to shift the focus from fake news to false messages, a type of syntactic digital objects comprised of content and structure and characterised by attributes of editability, openness, interactivity, and distributedness. Then we expand this concept further by placing it within a network of actors and digital objects. Our analysis uncovers several areas of research that have been overlooked in the study of fake news.

The other side of the screen: The impact of perspective-taking on adolescents' online communication

INTRODUCTION

In recent decades, adolescents' interactions with peers have increasingly transitioned online. While socially interactive technologies provide multiple avenues for positive communication between peers, adolescents may experience harmful online peer interactions, with such interactions negatively impacting their well-being. A paucity of work exists investigating how adolescents' characteristics are related to their communicative choices on social media and if such choices can be influenced by cues to consider a recipient. Addressing this gap, this work examines experimental manipulations of perspective-taking and individual differences in socio-cognitive skills as they relate to adolescents' communicative choices online.

METHOD

Within individual sessions, 12- to 15-year-old Canadian participants (N = 72, 36 girls) viewed pictures of other adolescents on a simulated social media app similar to Snapchat and chose between pre-written aggressive or prosocial comments to send to a recipient under three conditions: a perspective-taking cue, a time-delay, no delay. Participants also completed self-report questionnaires assessing emotion regulation and empathy.

RESULTS

Following perspective-taking cues, participants chose more prosocial comments to send compared to when participants were permitted to choose a comment immediately after viewing another adolescent's picture, while controlling for a brief time-delay. Adolescents' individual characteristics (i.e., Social Media Use, State Mood, Affective Empathy, Gender) were associated with their communicative choices online.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings from this work provide new insight into the ways adolescents navigate their complex and increasingly online peer interactions. Further, the results suggest that adolescents' social media communication is malleable with a brief perspective-taking cue to consider a recipient.

A Multivariate Randomized Controlled Experiment about the Effects of Mindfulness Priming on EEG Neurofeedback Self-Regulation Serious Games

Neurofeedback training (NFT) is a technique often proposed to train brain activity SR with promising results. However, some criticism has been raised due to the lack of evaluation, reliability, and validation of its learning effects. The current work evaluates the hypothesis that SR learning may be improved by priming the subject before NFT with guided mindfulness meditation (MM). The proposed framework was tested in a two-way parallel-group randomized controlled intervention with a single session alpha NFT, in a simplistic serious game design. Sixty-two healthy naïve subjects, aged between 18 and 43 years, were divided into MM priming and no-priming groups. Although both the EG and CG successfully attained the up-regulation of alpha rhythms (F(1,59) = 20.67, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.26), the EG showed a significantly enhanced ability (t(29) = 4.38, p < 0.001) to control brain activity, compared to the CG (t(29) = 1.18, p > 0.1). Furthermore, EG superior performance on NFT seems to be explained by the subject’s lack of awareness at pre-intervention, less vigour at post-intervention, increased task engagement, and a relaxed non-judgemental attitude towards the NFT tasks. This study is a preliminary validation of the proposed assisted priming framework, advancing some implicit and explicit metrics about its efficacy on NFT performance, and a promising tool for improving naïve “users” self-regulation ability.

Social media use and its impact on adolescent mental health: An umbrella review of the evidence

Literature reviews on how social media use affects adolescent mental health have accumulated at an unprecedented rate of late. Yet, a higher-level integration of the evidence is still lacking. We fill this gap with an up-to-date umbrella review, a review of reviews published between 2019 and mid-2021. Our search yielded 25 reviews: seven meta-analyses, nine systematic, and nine narrative reviews. Results showed that most reviews interpreted the associations between social media use and mental health as 'weak' or 'inconsistent,' whereas a few qualified the same associations as 'substantial' and 'deleterious.' We summarize the gaps identified in the reviews, provide an explanation for their diverging interpretations, and suggest several avenues for future research.

Commercial Off-The-Shelf Video Games for Reducing Stress and Anxiety: Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Using commercial off-the-shelf video games rather than custom-made computer games could have several advantages for reducing stress and anxiety, including their low cost, advanced graphics, and the possibility to reach millions of individuals worldwide. However, it is important to emphasize that not all commercial video games are equal, and their effects strongly depend on specific characteristics of the games.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this systematic review was to describe the literature on the use of commercial off-the-shelf video games for diminishing stress and anxiety, examining the research outcomes along with critical variables related to computer game characteristics (ie, genre, platform, time of play).

METHODS

A systematic search of the literature was performed following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) guidelines. The search databases were PsycINFO, Web of Science, Medline, IEEExplore, and the Cochrane Library. The search string was: [("video game*") OR ("computer game*")] AND [("stress") OR ("anxiety") OR ("relaxation")] AND [("study") OR ("trial") OR ("training")].

RESULTS

A total of 28 studies met the inclusion criteria for the publication period 2006-2021. The findings demonstrate the benefit of commercial off-the-shelf video games for reducing stress in children, adults, and older adults. The majority of the retrieved studies recruited young adults, and fewer studies have involved children, middle-aged adults, and older adults. In addition to exergames and casual video games, other genres of commercial off-the-shelf games helped to reduce stress and anxiety.

CONCLUSIONS

Efficacy in reducing stress and anxiety has been demonstrated not only for exergames and casual video games but also for other genres such as action games, action-adventure games, and augmented reality games. Various gaming platforms, including consoles, PCs, smartphones, mobile consoles, and virtual reality systems, have been used with positive results. Finally, even single and short sessions of play had benefits in reducing stress and anxiety.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

International Platform of Registered Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols INPLASY202130081; https://inplasy.com/?s=INPLASY202130081.

Artificial intelligence in psychology: How can we enable psychology students to accept and use artificial intelligence?

Psychologists with their expertise in statistics and regarding human perception and behavior can contribute valuable insights to the development of innovative and useful artificial intelligence (AI) systems. Therefore, we need to raise attention and curiosity for AI and foster the willingness to engage with it among psychology students. This requires identifying approaches to integrate a general understanding of AI technology into formal psychological training and education. This study investigated to what extent psychology students currently accept and use AI and what affects their perception and usage. Therefore, an AI acceptance model based on established technology acceptance models was developed and tested in a sample of 218 psychology students. An acceptable fit with the data was found for an adapted version. Perceived usefulness and ease of use were most predictive for the students’ attitude towards AI; attitude itself, as well as perceived usefulness, social norm, and perceived knowledge, were predictors for the intention to use AI. In summary, we identified relevant factors for designing AI training approaches in psychology curricula. In this way, possible restraints regarding the use of AI can be reduced and its beneficial opportunities exploited in psychological contexts.

Transition to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

With the new pandemic reality that has beset us, teaching and learning activities have been thrust online. While much research has explored student perceptions of online and distance learning, none has had a social laboratory to study the effects of an enforced transition on student perceptions of online learning.

PURPOSE

We surveyed students about their perceptions of online learning before and after the transition to online learning. As student perceptions are influenced by a range of contextual and institutional factors beyond the classroom, we expected that students would be overall sanguine to the project given that access, technology integration, and family and government support during the pandemic shutdown would mitigate the negative consequences.

RESULTS

Students overall reported positive academic outcomes. However, students reported increased stress and anxiety and difficulties concentrating, suggesting that the obstacles to fully online learning were not only technological and instructional challenges but also social and affective challenges of isolation and social distancing.

CONCLUSION

Our analysis shows that the specific context of the pandemic disrupted more than normal teaching and learning activities. Whereas students generally responded positively to the transition, their reluctance to continue learning online and the added stress and workload show the limits of this large scale social experiment. In addition to the technical and pedagogical dimensions, successfully supporting students in online learning environments will require that teachers and educational technologists attend to the social and affective dimensions of online learning as well.

The Multivariable Multiaxial Suggestibility Inventory-2 (MMSI-2): A Psychometric Alternative to Measure and Explain Supernatural Experiences

This paper presents the English adaptation of the Multivariable Multiaxial Suggestibility Inventory-2 (MMSI-2), a questionnaire developed specifically for psychological assessment and prediction of anomalous phenomena. The sample consisted of 613 respondents from England (47.6% were women and 52.4% men). All of them were of legal age (mean = 34.5; standard deviation = 8.15). An exploratory factor analysis was applied, and three confirmatory factor models were adjusted. Omega coefficients and test-retest designs were used for reliability analysis. The MMSI-2 has a valid internal structure consisting of five macrofactors: Clinical Personality Tendencies (CPT), Anomalous Perceived Phenomena (APP), Incoherent Manipulations (IMA), Altered States of Consciousness (ASC), and Openness (OP). Omega coefficients for CPT and OP factors were low but acceptable. Furthermore, test-retest trials were excellent for all scales and factors. The psychological factors CPT, IMA, and ASC predicted 18.3% of the variance of anomalous experiences (APP). The authors concluded the English MMSI-2 was a valid and reliable test for the evaluation of anomalous phenomena but recommend that subsequent research reviews the predictive quality of the underlying model.

Exploring the Impact of Technology-Facilitated Abuse and Its Relationship with Domestic Violence: A Qualitative Study on Experts' Perceptions

Technology-facilitated abuse can be a serious form of domestic violence. Little is known about the relationship between technology-facilitated abuse and other types of domestic violence, or the impact technology-facilitated abuse has on survivors. The aim of this interpretative descriptive study is to understand domestic violence specialist service providers’ perspectives on the impact of technology-facilitated abuse, and the link between technology-facilitated abuse and other forms of domestic violence. A qualitative approach using 15 semi-structured interviews were undertaken with Australian domestic violence specialist practitioners, and three themes were identified through data coding using inductive thematic analysis. Another form of control describes technology-facilitated abuse behaviors as enacting controlling behaviors using new mediums. Amplifies level of fear characterizes the impact of technology-facilitated abuse. A powerful tool to engage others describes opportunities technology offers perpetrators to abuse through engaging others. Findings highlight technology-facilitated abuse’s complexity and integral role in domestic violence and can assist clinicians to understand the impact and harm that can result from technology-facilitated abuse.

A Systematic Review on AI-based Proctoring Systems: Past, Present and Future

There have been giant leaps in the field of education in the past 1-2 years.. Schools and colleges are transitioning online to provide more resources to their students. The COVID-19 pandemic has provided students more opportunities to learn and improve themselves at their own pace. Online proctoring services (part of assessment) are also on the rise, and AI-based proctoring systems (henceforth called as AIPS) have taken the market by storm. Online proctoring systems (henceforth called as OPS), in general, makes use of online tools to maintain the sanctity of the examination. While most of this software uses various modules, the sensitive information they collect raises concerns among the student community. There are various psychological, cultural and technological parameters need to be considered while developing AIPS. This paper systematically reviews existing AI and non-AI-based proctoring systems. Through the systematic search on Scopus, Web of Science and ERIC repositories, 43 paper were listed out from the year 2015 to 2021. We addressed 4 primary research questions which were focusing on existing architecture of AIPS, Parameters to be considered for AIPS, trends and Issues in AIPS and Future of AIPS. Our 360-degree analysis on OPS and AIPS reveals that security issues associated with AIPS are multiplying and are a cause of legitimate concern. Major issues include Security and Privacy concerns, ethical concerns, Trust in AI-based technology, lack of training among usage of technology, cost and many more. It is difficult to know whether the benefits of these Online Proctoring technologies outweigh their risks. The most reasonable conclusion we can reach in the present is that the ethical justification of these technologies and their various capabilities requires us to rigorously ensure that a balance is struck between the concerns with the possible benefits to the best of our abilities. To the best of our knowledge, there is no such analysis on AIPS and OPS. Our work further addresses the issues in AIPS in human and technological aspect. It also lists out key points and new technologies that have only recently been introduced but could significantly impact online education and OPS in the years to come.

A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Interventions to Decrease Cyberbullying Perpetration and Victimization

Evidence suggests that cyberbullying among school-age children is related to problem behaviors and other adverse school performance constructs. As a result, numerous school-based programs have been developed and implemented to decrease cyberbullying perpetration and victimization. Given the extensive literature and variation in program effectiveness, we conducted a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of programs to decrease cyberbullying perpetration and victimization. Our review included published and unpublished literature, utilized modern, transparent, and reproducible methods, and examined confirmatory and exploratory moderating factors. A total of 50 studies and 320 effect sizes spanning 45,371 participants met the review protocol criteria. Results indicated that programs significantly reduced cyberbullying perpetration (g = -0.18, SE = 0.05, 95% CI [-0.28, -0.09]) and victimization (g = -0.13, SE = 0.04, 95% CI [-0.21, -0.05]). Moderator analyses, however, yielded only a few statistically significant findings. We interpret these findings and provide implications for future cyberbullying prevention policy and practice.

Moped Scooter Sharing: Citizens’ Perceptions, Users’ Behavior, and Implications for Urban Mobility

In recent years, moped-style scooter sharing is gaining increasing attention in many urban areas worldwide. Nevertheless, research contributions are still limited, unlike other shared mobility systems. This paper is aimed at providing a first insight on moped sharing demand by exploring the usage and opinions towards this new mobility alternative. To that end, the research exploits the data from a web-based survey conducted in Spain, one of the countries with the largest implementation around the world in terms of the shared e-mopeds fleet. Kruskal–Wallis tests were conducted to identify the segment of the urban population that is more likely adopted moped sharing, and additional statistical mean differences in specific variables concerning moped sharing were carried out. The paper also provides a better understanding of the shared mopeds market and some implications for urban mobility, such as the potential role of shared mopeds in reducing vehicle ownership and its effect on urban modal shift. Furthermore, two discrete choice models were developed to (i) analyze the key drivers determining the willingness to use moped sharing, and (ii) explore individuals’ opinions on whether owning a private vehicle will not be a need in the future. The results indicate that age, occupation, income, and environmental awareness seem to be among the main reasons behind the potential use of these services in the future. The results may be useful for both operators and transport planners when designing actions and policy efforts addressing this mobility option and urban mobility in general.

Healthy Food on Instagram Social Network: Vegan, Homemade and Clean Eating

Social media platforms have become part of many people's lives. Users are spending more and more time on these platforms, creating an active and passive digital footprint through their interaction. This footprint has high research potential in many research areas because understanding people's communication on social media is essential in understanding their values, attitudes, experiences and behaviors. Researchers found that the use of social networking sites impacts adolescents' eating behavior. If we define adolescents as individuals between ages 10 and 24 (WHO's definition), 76% of USA young people at age 18-⁠24 use Instagram, so the Instagram social network analysis is important for understanding young people's expressions in the context of healthy food. This study aims to identify the main topic associated with healthy food on the Instagram social network via hashtag and community analysis based on 2,045,653 messages created by 427,936 individual users. The results show that users most associate Healthy food with healthy lifestyle, fitness, weight loss and diet. In terms of food, these are foods that are Vegan, Homemade, Clean and Plant-based. Given that young people change their behavior in relation to people's behavior on social networks, it is possible to use this data to predict their future association with healthy food characteristics.

Are There Differences in Video Gaming and Use of Social Media among Boys and Girls?-A Mixed Methods Approach

Gaming is widespread among adolescents and has typically been viewed as an activity for boys. There are however a growing number of female gamers and we need to learn more about how gender affects gaming. The aim of this study is to both quantify gaming among Norwegian adolescents and explore how gender differences are perceived. A mixed method approach was used to capture gaming experiences among boys and girls. Survey data (N = 5607) was analyzed descriptively, and five focus groups were conducted, applying thematic analysis. Statistics showed that boys from the age of 14 use video games up to 5 times more than girls, while girls are much more on social media. From the focus groups, we found that boys did not view social media as socially significant as gaming and that there is a greater social acceptance of gaming among boys than among girls. Gender differences in video gaming are not necessarily a problem per se, as they may reflect gender-specific motivations and interests. However, the study also finds that girls feel less encouraged than boys to play video games due to different gender-related experiences of video gaming. Therefore, gendered barriers in video gaming must be explored in future research.

Self-Regulated Resource Management in Emergency Remote Higher Education: Status Quo and Predictors

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring term 2020, students faced a sudden change from on-campus learning to online learning with synchronous and asynchronous online courses (emergency remote teaching). To study successfully, students not only needed to be prepared in terms of digital readiness (workspace, IT equipment, previous online learning experiences, and sharing information online), they also faced challenges that pertained to the self-regulated management of external resources (environment structuring, time management, and help-seeking). In the current study, we investigated students’ digital readiness for the sudden switch to online learning; differences between students’ intended and actual use of external resource management strategies; and the influence of students’ digital readiness on their actual use of resource management strategies. Students enrolled in a full-scale, German university (N = 662) answered two online questionnaires (before and in the middle of the term). Descriptive statistics indicated that students seemed to be ready to study online. However, repeated measures ANOVA showed that students were not able to manage their resources during the term as frequently as intended. Finally, separate regression analyses revealed that availability of workspace and IT equipment predicted the use of environment structuring strategies. Additionally, IT equipment and information sharing behavior predicted students’ help-seeking. Based on the current results, we discuss implications for the promotion of student self-regulated learning (SRL) in online emergency remote teaching based on both external resources and digital readiness.

COVID-19 and violence against children: A review of early studies

BACKGROUND

Throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers across the globe have attempted to understand how the health and socioeconomic crisis brought about by the coronavirus is affecting children's exposure to violence. Since containment measures have disrupted many data collection and research efforts, studies have had to rely on existing data or design new approaches to gathering relevant information.

OBJECTIVE

This article reviews the literature that has been produced on children's exposure to violence during the pandemic to understand emerging patterns and critically appraise methodologies to help inform the design of future studies. The article concludes with recommendations for future research.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

The study entailed a search of working papers, technical reports, and journal articles.

METHODS

The search used a combination of search terms to identify relevant articles and reports published between March 1 and December 31, 2020. The sources were assessed according to scope and study design.

RESULTS

The review identified 48 recent working papers, technical reports, and journal articles on the impact of COVID-19 on violence against children. In terms of scope and methods, the review led to three main findings: 1) Studies have focused on physical or psychological violence at home and less attention has been paid to other forms of violence against children, 2) most studies have relied on administrative records, while other data sources, such as surveys or big data, were less commonly employed, and 3) different definitions and study designs were used to gather data directly, resulting in findings that are hardly generalizable. With respect to children's experience of violence, the review led to four main findings: 1) Studies found a decrease in police reports and referrals to child protective services, 2) mixed results were found with respect to the number of calls to police or domestic violence helplines, 3) articles showed an increase in child abuse-related injuries treated in hospitals, and 4) surveys reported an increase in family violence.

CONCLUSIONS

This review underscores the persistent challenges affecting the availability and quality of data on violence against children, including the absence of standards for measuring this sensitive issue as well as the limited availability of baseline data. Future research on COVID-19 and violence against children should address some of the gaps identified in this review.

Message sharing and verification behaviour on social media during the COVID-19 pandemic: a study in the context of India and the USA

Purpose

Technology has eased access to information. During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, ease of access and transmission of information via social media has led to ambiguity, misinformation and uncertainty. This research studies the aforementioned behaviours of information sharing and verification related to COVID-19, in the context of social media.

Design/methodology/approach

Two studies have been carried out. Study 1, with Indian social media users, is a two-factor between-subjects experimental design that investigated the effect of message polarity (positive versus negative) and message type (news versus rumour) on the dissemination and verification behaviour of COVID-19-related messages. The study also investigated the mediation of perceived message importance and health anxiety. Study 2 is a replica study conducted with US users.

Findings

The study finding revealed significantly higher message sharing for news than rumour. Further, for the Indian users, message with positive polarity led to higher message sharing and message with negative polarity led to higher verification behaviour. On the contrary, for the US users, message with negative polarity led to higher message sharing and message with positive polarity led to higher verification behaviour. Finally, the study revealed message importance mediates the relationship of message type and message sharing behaviour for Indian and US users; however, health anxiety mediation was significant only for Indian users.

Practical implications

The findings offer important implications related to information regulation during a health crisis. Unverified information sharing is harmful during a pandemic. The study sheds light on this behaviour such that stakeholders get insights and better manage the information being disseminated.

Originality/value

The study investigates the behaviour of sharing and verification of social media messages between users containing health information (news and rumour) related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-07-2020-0282

Person-centred interventions for problem gaming: a stepped care approach

BACKGROUND

Problem gaming is reported by approximately 1-3% of the population and is associated with decreased health and wellbeing. Research on optimal health responses to problem gaming remains limited. This study aimed to identify and describe the key components of a person-centred approach to interventions for problem gaming for individuals who voluntary seek assistance.

METHODS

Online interviews were conducted with 20 adults (90% male; M_age = 23y) currently seeking help for problem gaming. The interview protocol was guided by a health care access framework which investigated participants' experiences and needs related to accessing professional support. Transcripts were analysed in NVivo using qualitative content analysis to systematically classify participant data into the themes informed by this framework.

RESULTS

Participants had mixed views on how the negative consequences of problem gaming could be best addressed. Some indicated problems could be addressed through self-help resources whereas others suggested in-person treatment with a health professional who had expertise in gaming. Participants described the essential components of an effective health service for problem gaming as including: valid and reliable screening tools; practitioners with specialist knowledge of gaming; and access to a multimodal system of intervention, including self-help, internet and in-person options that allow gamers to easily transition between types and intensity of support.

CONCLUSION

A comprehensive health care approach for interventions for problem gaming is in its infancy, with numerous service access and delivery issues still to be resolved. This study highlights the importance of involving individuals with gaming-related problems in developing solutions that are fit for purpose and address the spectrum of individual preferences and needs. These findings recommend a stepped healthcare system that adheres to evidence-based practice tailored to each individual and the implementation of standard assessment and routine outcome monitoring.

Linking Phubbing Behavior to Self-Reported Attentional Failures and Media Multitasking

Phubbing, or using a phone to snub another person, has been investigated through social and personality frameworks. Phubbing involves attending to and performing competing tasks, implying the involvement of attentional abilities. Yet, past research has not yet used a cognitive framework to establish a link between phubbing and attention. Using self-report data from a large online sample, we explored the associations between phubbing and everyday attentional failures. Phubbing was associated with difficulties in attentional shifting and distractibility, frequent attentional lapses, spontaneous and deliberate mind wandering, and attention-related cognitive errors. When examining these attention variables alongside several psychosocial and personality variables, attention-related cognitive errors acted as the biggest predictor of phubbing behavior. Phubbing was also positively correlated with media multitasking, which is a conceptually similar yet distinct technology use behavior. The results suggest that perceived everyday attentional failures are strongly associated with, and to an extent can predict, phubbing behavior, even more so than some social and personality variables. Technology has incorporated itself as a necessity, or at the very least a favored convenience, in most people’s lives. Characterizing technology multitasking behaviors from a variety of frameworks can help us better understand who is engaging in these behaviors and why.

Smartphone addiction across the lifetime during Italian lockdown for COVID-19

BACKGROUND

Smartphone misuse, also known as Nomophobia is the fear of not being able to consult your own mobile phone, of not being connected or traceable. During the Italian lockdown caused by COVID-19, while the use of technology was the fundamental basis of adaptation for smart working, school and professional training, leading to a change in the population's lifestyle, smartphone dependency caused impaired social relationships. To date, the impact of smartphone dependency in men and women is unclear. We conducted this study with the hypothesis that a period of lockdown fosters the growth of a pathological use of the cell phone different in women and men.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this work is to investigate gender differences in the level of smartphone dependency in teens and adults during the COVID-19 lockdown period.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The NoMobilePhobia-Questionnaire (NMP-Q) was presented online to 1264 participants between the ages of 15 and 67.

RESULTS

The results show no significant main effects for the two factors taken into account (Gender and Age of participants). However, the significant interaction shows that female participants reported on average higher scores on NMP-Q than males, [F_(4,1253) =7.06 and p<.001, observed power close to 1 (0.99) and effect size = 0.03 (ETA partial squared)] for the younger age group (15-44), while for those over the age of 44, the average highest scores were for male participants.

CONCLUSIONS

One of the "positive" aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic is the use of the Internet and smartphones, and our analysis aimed to document the frequency of use in the Italian context with the NMP-Q. However, we can also conclude that this research is relevant because it can give us a glimpse of the relationship between dependency and mental issues. The results reveal the risk in some of the Italian population of developing forms of smartphone dependency, especially in circumstances that prohibit direct social interactions.

The Relationship between Social Anxiety, Smartphone Use, Dispositional Trust, and Problematic Smartphone Use: A Moderated Mediation Model

BACKGROUND

The pervasiveness of smartphones has raised concerns about an increase in the prevalence of problematic smartphone use (PSU), which depends on a set of psychological and behavioral risk factors. Previous research has yielded mixed results on factors predicting PSU, including social anxiety and trust. In particular, the role of trust remained largely unexplored. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between social anxiety and PSU, via the mediating role of time spent on the phone, and to explore the moderating role of dispositional trust toward others, by using a moderated mediation model with PSU as the outcome.

METHODS

A total of 240 young adults (M_age = 23.33, SD = 3.90, 50% male) answered an online questionnaire, which included the 12-item Social Anxiety Scale, a question on the daily duration of smartphone use, a single-item measure of dispositional trust, and the 10-item Smartphone Addiction Scale Short Version. Gender and occupational status were included as covariates.

RESULTS

Social anxiety was significantly and positively related to PSU; however, smartphone use did not mediate this relationship. Although the relationship between smartphone use and PSU was significant and positive, the link between social anxiety and smartphone use was not. Dispositional trust moderated and strengthened the direct relationships between social anxiety and PSU as well as smartphone use and PSU.

CONCLUSIONS

Heavy smartphone users as well as socially anxious individuals, with the tendency of trusting others, are more at risk of PSU, which can be explained by their preference and search for online connections.

Psychometric properties of the Metacognitions about Smartphone Use Questionnaire (MSUQ) in a sample of iranians

Research has shown that metacognitions are associated with addictive behaviors. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties (i.e., factor structure, reliability, and predictive validity) of the Persian Metacognitions about Smartphone Use Questionnaire (Persian MSUQ). A community sample of 618 participants (63.6% female, mean age = 27.31 ± 8.95 years; age range: 15-67 years) was recruited in Iran. The results of exploratory factor analysis revealed that the Persian MSUQ had a three-factor structure, similar to the parent version, named positive metacognitions about emotional and cognitive regulation, negative metacognitions about uncontrollability and cognitive harm, and positive metacognitions about social advantages. The confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the three-factor structure of the Persian MSUQ had appropriate fit. Cronbach's alphas for the three factors were 0.89, 0.88, and 0.70, respectively. Test-retest coefficients over a 6-week interval showed good reliability for the Persian MSUQ total score (ICC = 0.81; 95% CI: 0.72-0.87). Regression analyses showed that metacognitions about smartphone use predicted problematic smartphone use independently of anxiety and depression. The findings suggest that the Persian MSUQ has appropriate psychometric properties in the Iranian context.

Smartphone addiction, risk factors and its adverse effects in nursing students: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Smartphones are technological devices that have a great impact on people's daily lives changing their habits and behaviors. The utilities and capabilities of these devices are increasing and the foresight is that this tendency will grow in the next years. However, the problematic use of the smartphone has increased dangerously, interfering with the clinical practice of healthcare professionals.

OBJECTIVE

To conduct a systematic review and a meta-analysis to estimate the prevalence of smartphone addiction, also known as nomophobia, in nursing students and to identify its related factors and its negative effects.

DESIGN

Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

DATA SOURCES

The literature search was done in CINAHL, Proquest, Pubmed, Scopus and Web of Science databases.

REVIEW METHODS

The search equation was "(nomophobia OR smartphone) AND nurs* student*". n = 16 articles were identified.

RESULTS

The meta-analytic estimation of nomophobia or smartphone addiction was 22% (CI95% 18%-26%] in a sample of n = 2780 nursing students. Smartphone usability is very extended during the clinical practice by nursing students. They indicated using the device or watching other students distracted with their smartphone. Some variables related to excessive use in nursing students are lower sleep quality, lower self-esteem, higher social distress, lower perceived social support or lower communication skills between others.

CONCLUSIONS

The main use of the smartphone by nursing students is for communication with other people and some of them indicate that it can be a distraction.

Youths' Habitual Use of Smartphones Alters Sleep Quality and Memory: Insights from a National Sample of Chinese Students

A growing body of work has been devoted to studying the smartphone addiction in youths and its impact on their lives, but less is known about the predictors and effects of youth habitual use of smartphones. Guided by social cognitive theory, this study investigates how habitual smartphone use affects sleep quality and everyday memory based on a nationally representative sample of Chinese students (N = 2298). It uses a cluster-randomized sampling with stratification of different areas, consisting of both urban and rural students aged 6–18 years from elementary, middle, and high schools across China. It found that Chinese students exhibited a habitual smartphone use, who were generally confident in using mobile devices, but few had smartphone addiction. Significant gender and age differences were identified concerning the habitual use of smartphone. Specifically, boys demonstrated higher levels of habitual use and smartphone self-efficacy than the girls. High school students showed the highest level of habitual smartphone use compared to those in elementary and middle schools. Smartphone use duration, frequency, and self-efficacy predicted the habitual use, which also led to poorer sleep quality and worse memory outcomes. Prebedtime exposure moderated the relationship between habitual smartphone uses and sleep quality. The results show that students’ habitual smartphone use had a significant impact on their health, cognition and more, even when they exhibited little smartphone addiction. The findings contribute to a better understanding of smartphone impact on school-age youths.

Cyber-Safety Policy Elements in the Era of Online Learning: A Content Analysis of Policies in the UAE

With the increased level of technology usage in schools and the move to online learning, many schools had to re-evaluate the content of their cyber-safety policy and review it to ensure it works within and beyond the schools' premises. This study aimed to analyse the cyber-safety policies of twenty private schools in Dubai, an emirate in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Five main categories were considered for the content analysis of the policy documents including definitions, preventive measures, reporting and responding to incidents, connection to other policies and mention of existing legislation. Upon the analysis of the policy documents, it was found that while some addressed cyber-safety issues, the focus remained more on cyberbullying incidents. Besides, the development of the cyber-safety policies is lacking the input from the concerned authorities whose ultimate responsibility is to develop the major policies and guidelines to be adopted by schools.

Centennials, FOMO, and Loneliness: An Investigation of the Impact of Social Networking and Messaging/VoIP Apps Usage During the Initial Stage of the Coronavirus Pandemic

The current COVID-19 pandemic has had obvious, well-documented devastating effects on people's physical health. In this research, we investigate its potential effects on people's mental health. Many people have experienced social isolation, as countries attempt to stem the spread of the disease through confinement and other forms of social distancing. Intuitively, such social isolation may increase feelings of loneliness, and people may take logical steps to reduce their feelings of social isolation and loneliness. One route is through the use of social networking apps (e.g., Facebook, Instagram) and messaging and VoIP apps (e.g., WhatsApp, iMessage). In this research, we investigate the effects of pandemic-induced social isolation on social networking and messaging apps, and potential related effects on loneliness. We surveyed young adults (N = 334) who are part of the Centennial cohort (born after 1995) from three different countries (Italy, Argentina, UK) and obtained their screen time usage data over a 4-week period starting from mid-March 2020. This sampling procedure allowed us to obtain data from respondents who were experiencing different degrees of mandated social isolation (lockdowns), which enabled us to determine whether social network and messaging app usage increased as a function of social isolation, and to test potential effects on levels of loneliness. Results showed that only social network usage increased in the initial stage of confinement as a function of lockdown initiation. Additionally, social network app usage was associated with increased feelings of loneliness, and this relation was mediated by fear of missing out (FOMO). In contrast, messaging app usage was associated with decreased feelings of loneliness, and was unrelated to FOMO. These results suggest that technology may be useful for mitigating the impact of loneliness during social isolation but that it is necessary to promote usage of messaging and VoIP apps, rather than social networking apps, because they are directly associated with decreases in loneliness without increasing FOMO.

Attitudes of the Surgical Team Toward Artificial Intelligence in Neurosurgery: International 2-Stage Cross-Sectional Survey

BACKGROUND

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to disrupt how we diagnose and treat patients. Previous work by our group has demonstrated that the majority of patients and their relatives feel comfortable with the application of AI to augment surgical care. The aim of this study was to similarly evaluate the attitudes of surgeons and the wider surgical team toward the role of AI in neurosurgery.

METHODS

In a 2-stage cross sectional survey, an initial open-question qualitative survey was created to determine the perspective of the surgical team on AI in neurosurgery including surgeons, anesthetists, nurses, and operating room practitioners. Thematic analysis was performed to develop a second-stage quantitative survey that was distributed via social media. We assessed the extent to which they agreed and were comfortable with real-world AI implementation using a 5-point Likert scale.

RESULTS

In the first-stage survey, 33 participants responded. Six main themes were identified: imaging interpretation and preoperative diagnosis, coordination of the surgical team, operative planning, real-time alert of hazards and complications, autonomous surgery, and postoperative management and follow-up. In the second stage, 100 participants responded. Responders somewhat agreed or strongly agreed about AI being used for imaging interpretation (62%), operative planning (82%), coordination of the surgical team (70%), real-time alert of hazards and complications (85%), and autonomous surgery (66%). The role of AI within postoperative management and follow-up was less agreeable (49%).

CONCLUSIONS

This survey highlights that the majority of surgeons and the wider surgical team both agree and are comfortable with the application of AI within neurosurgery.

The search for causality of personality-chronotype associations: insights from a one-year longitudinal study of adolescents

Associations between certain personality traits and individual differences in diurnal preferences, referred to as morningness-eveningness, are well established from cross-sectional studies. However, it is unclear whether personality affects diurnal preference, diurnal preference affects personality, or some third factor influences both. The current study assessed the Big Five personality traits and morningness-eveningness in a one-year, two-wave longitudinal design, in a sample of 169 Polish high school students (59% females), aged 16-17 years (M = 16.80, SD = 0.39) during the first wave of measurement. During the second wave the participants were respectively 1 year older. Cross lagged panel analyses were run to determine wave 1 predictors of wave 2 variables. Cross-sectional analyses replicated the association between morningness and conscientiousness that has been reliably found in previous studies, but the cross-lagged paths between these variables were nonsignificant. These two traits appear to be intrinsically linked to one another by adolescence, possibly as a consequence of genetic influences that shape temperament earlier in childhood. In contrast, emotional stability and morningness were not significantly correlated in wave 1 cross-sectional data, but a significant relationship was found in the cross-lagged panel analysis. Wave 1 emotional stability predicted wave 2 morningness, although wave 1 morningness did not predict personality. We tentatively suggest that there may be a causal effect of personality on diurnal preference, associated with avoidance strategies for coping with academic stress as the high school years approach their end. More neurotic individuals may cope with their aversion to classes by distracting themselves with evening pursuits, such as use of the internet. Further work might examine in more depth how contextual stressors interact with personality to affect daily activities at different times of the day.

Responding to the COVID-19 emergency: student and academic staff perceptions of academic integrity in the transition to online exams at three Australian universities

This paper explores the perceptions of academic staff and students to student cheating behaviours in online exams and other online assessment formats. The research took place at three Australian universities in July and August 2020 during the emergency transition to online learning and assessment in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The study sought to inform decision making about the future of online exams at the participating universities. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected using online surveys. The findings of the study led to seven key observations, most notably the need to redefine the characteristics of academic misconduct to account for changes wrought to examinations in a digital world. The study concludes with lessons learned in relation to enhancing academic integrity in digital examinations and assessments.

Nomophobia is Associated with Insomnia but Not with Age, Sex, BMI, or Mobile Phone Screen Size in Young Adults

PURPOSE

NOMOPHOBIA (NO MObile PHone PhoBIA) or problematic smartphone use is a psychological disorder in which people are afraid of being cut off from their mobile phones. Currently, there has been no direct assessment of mobile phone screen size in the home setting and its effect on nomophobia and related symptoms, such as insomnia. Thus, we investigated the association between nomophobia, insomnia, and mobile phone screen size in a young adult population in Bahrain.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Using a descriptive, cross-sectional design, we surveyed participants aged 18 to 35 between August and September 2020 using an online questionnaire. Participants completed demographic questions and questions about personal mobile phones, the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q), and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). The mobile phone screen size was determined using an open-source online database. Crude and adjusted regression analyses were fitted to examine the associations between the study variables.

RESULTS

A total of 549 individuals, 54% females, were included in the final analyses. One hundred and fourteen participants (21%) had severe nomophobia, and 81 (14%) had clinical insomnia. A strong positive pair-wise linear association was observed between NMP-Q and ISI β 0.15, P = 0.001. Age, sex, BMI, and mobile phone screen size showed no association with the NMP-Q.

CONCLUSION

Nomophobia is very prevalent in young adult men and women, and it is closely associated with insomnia, regardless of mobile phone screen size, suggesting that mobile phone screen size should not be used as a proxy for hazardous usage.

The Association Between Smartphone Addiction and Sleep: A UK Cross-Sectional Study of Young Adults

Background: In a large UK study we investigated the relationship between smartphone addiction and sleep quality in a young adult population. Methods: We undertook a large UK cross-sectional observational study of 1,043 participants aged 18 to 30 between January 21st and February 30th 2019. Participants completed the Smartphone Addiction Scale Short Version, an adapted Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Score Index and reported smartphone use reduction strategies using both in-person (n = 968) and online (n = 75) questionnaires. A crude and adjusted logistic regression was fitted to assess risk factors for smartphone addiction, and the association between smartphone addiction and poor sleep. Results: One thousand seventy one questionnaires were returned, of which 1,043 participants were included, with median age 21.1 [interquartile range (IQR) 19-22]. Seven hundred and sixty three (73.2%) were female, and 406 reported smartphone addiction (38.9%). A large proportion of participants disclosed poor sleep (61.6%), and in those with smartphone addiction, 68.7% had poor sleep quality, compared to 57.1% of those without. Smartphone addiction was associated with poor sleep (aOR = 1.41, 95%CI: 1.06-1.87, p = 0.018). Conclusions: Using a validated instrument, 39% young adults reported smartphone addiction. Smartphone addiction was associated with poor sleep, independent of duration of usage, indicating that length of time should not be used as a proxy for harmful usage.

Empathy, cyberbullying, and cybervictimization among Filipino adolescents

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to gain insights into empathy, cyberbullying, and cybervictimization among Filipino adolescents.

METHODS

The participants were 168 junior high school students in the 7th to 10th grades at a public high school in Cavite Province, Philippines. Data were collected on demographic characteristics, the Basic Empathy Scale, and Revised Cyber Bullying Inventory-II scores. The data were analyzed in SPSS using descriptive statistics (frequency and mean), the independent t-test, bivariate correlation, and one-way analysis of variance.

RESULTS

The degree of empathy did not show a statistically significant relationship with cyberbullying (r=-.07, p=.359) but did show a significant relationship with cybervictimization (r=.18, p=.025). Furthermore, cyberbullying had a statistically significant association with cybervictimization (r=.60, p<.001).

CONCLUSION

Although empathy does not necessarily affect cyberbullying, higher levels of empathy were found among cyberbullying victims. However, an alarming result of this study is the possibility that victims may become cyberbullies. Therefore, we should highlight empathy as part of efforts to prevent cyberbullying and to solve various cyber-related problems. Since cyberbullying and cybervictimization are closely related, it is important to focus on this relationship and to make multilateral efforts to ensure that cyberbullying does not lead to other negative issues.

Prevalence and underlying factors of mobile game addiction among university students in Bangladesh

BACKGROUND

Nowadays, the youth are more engaging with their more advanced smartphones having high-quality graphics and gaming features. However, existing literature depicts that adolescents suffer from several forms of psychological problems including mental health, depression, loneliness, insomnia and low self-control due to mobile game addiction. Therefore, this study aims to find the prevalence and motivating factors for mobile game addiction among university students of Bangladesh.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was carried out to collect the required information from 1125 students of three universities in Bangladesh. Descriptive statistics, χ² test and ordinal regression model are employed to meet the objective of this study.

RESULTS

The findings reveal that male students are more likely to show addictive behaviours than their counterparts in the context of mobile game addiction. The results depict that loneliness, duration of using smartphones and playing mobile games, and source of entertainment are the main cause of mobile addiction. Also, more than half of the respondents (54.3%) are severely addicted to mobile games who were influenced by friends and YouTube gamers to play games. Moreover, students are suffering from several physical problems such as headaches, eye discomfort, blurry vision and ear discomfort.

CONCLUSION

Considering the findings of this paper, the authors suggest that the authorities should consider this immediately and arrange a positive entertainment environment to prevent students from mobile games. Furthermore, it is necessary to encourage students to participate in sports or other extracurricular activities that may be helpful to lessen mobile game addiction among students in Bangladesh.

Health anxiety related to problematic smartphone use and gaming disorder severity during COVID-19: Fear of missing out as a mediator

Health anxiety has been linked with fear and anxiety regarding COVID-19. Higher levels of health anxiety likely increased social distancing and self-isolating during the pandemic. We investigated relations among health anxiety, fear of missing out (FOMO) on rewarding social experiences from social distancing, and consequential levels of problematic smartphone use (PSU) and gaming disorder (GD). We surveyed a broad sample of 812 U.S. and Canadian participants during the pandemic, in late-May 2020, using the Short Health Anxiety Inventory, FOMO Scale, Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version, and GD test. Significant bivariate relationships were found among health anxiety, FOMO, PSU, and GD severity. Using structural equation modeling, FOMO mediated relations between health anxiety and both PSU and GD severity. We discuss FOMO as an important variable explaining problematic digital technology use to compensate for unmet social needs from social distancing. We discuss these findings within the context of the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution theoretical model of problematic internet use. Results offer novel insight into the role of health anxiety on FOMO from unmet social needs during the COVID-19 pandemic, and consequential problematic internet use.

Clinician and computer: a study on patient perceptions of artificial intelligence in skeletal radiography

BACKGROUND

Up to half of all musculoskeletal injuries are investigated with plain radiographs. However, high rates of image interpretation error mean that novel solutions such as artificial intelligence (AI) are being explored.

OBJECTIVES

To determine patient confidence in clinician-led radiograph interpretation, the perception of AI-assisted interpretation and management, and to identify factors which might influence these views.

METHODS

A novel questionnaire was distributed to patients attending fracture clinic in a large inner-city teaching hospital. Categorical and Likert scale questions were used to assess participant demographics, daily electronics use, pain score and perceptions towards AI used to assist in interpretation of their radiographs, and guide management.

RESULTS

216 questionnaires were included (M=126, F=90). Significantly higher confidence in clinician rather than AI-assisted interpretation was observed (clinician=9.20, SD=1.27 vs AI=7.06, SD=2.13), 95.4% reported favouring clinician over AI-performed interpretation in the event of disagreement.Small positive correlations were observed between younger age/educational achievement and confidence in AI-assistance. Students demonstrated similarly increased confidence (8.43, SD 1.80), and were over-represented in the minority who indicated a preference for AI-assessment over their clinicians (50%).

CONCLUSIONS

Participant's held the clinician's assessment in the highest regard and expressed a clear preference for it over the hypothetical AI assessment. However, robust confidence scores for the role of AI-assistance in interpreting skeletal imaging suggest patients view the technology favourably.Findings indicate that younger, more educated patients are potentially more comfortable with a role for AI-assistance however further research is needed to overcome the small number of responses on which these observations are based.

Relationship between Emotional Intelligence, Cybervictimization, and Academic Performance in Secondary School Students

The benefits attributed to emotional intelligence (EI) in a school environment can be observed in areas such as interpersonal relationships, psychological well-being, academic performance, and avoidance of disruptive behaviors. The objective of this study was to analyze a sample of 3451 adolescents from a secondary school to test whether EI is a protector against cybervictimization and the repercussions of cybervictimization, and whether EI has an influence on academic performance. The instruments used in the study included a questionnaire of risk factors for cybervictimization-the Trait Meta Mood Scale 24 (Spanish version)-and the global marks or academic performance of the students. The relationships between the variables were analyzed and a structural equation model was developed. The correlations revealed that there was a positive relationship between EI and student academic performance, but there was also a negative relationship regarding cybervictimization. In other words, students with lower EI were more likely to suffer from cybervictimization and could experience negative repercussions on school success. Through EI training and addressing disruptive behaviors by focusing on school climate, classroom management, and discipline, we can create emotional regulation guidelines among students to eradicate disruptive behaviors.