Trauma Burden Affected People with Multiple Sclerosis During SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic

Background/Objectives: Trauma is a psychological injury resulting from a distressing or overwhelming event. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has been disruptive and traumatic for many people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). The relationship between patient characteristics and trauma in pwMS during the pandemic has not yet been thoroughly explored. The aim of this bicentric prospective cohort study was to analyze the prevalence and development of probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among pwMS during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and to identify patient parameters associated with this condition. Methods: We have assessed pwMS for probable PTSD before and after the approval of the first SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in Germany using an adapted version of the Trauma Screening Questionnaire (TSQ). We compared pwMS with probable PTSD (TSQ sum score ≥ 6) with those without probable PTSD (TSQ sum score < 6) regarding sociodemographic and MS-specific clinical characteristics, polypharmacy status, comorbidities, anxiety/depression levels, personality traits, mental/physical/social burden, and general vaccination willingness. Results: Out of the 149 pwMS included, 8.1% were identified as having probable PTSD. These patients had significantly higher rates of pre-pandemic abnormal anxiety (66.7% vs. 18.5%, p < 0.001) and depression scores (45.5% vs. 12.6%, p = 0.013). The patients with probable PTSD exhibited a distinct personality profile, with significantly higher neuroticism and harm avoidance scores and lower conscientiousness, cooperativeness, and self-directedness scores. They were also significantly more likely to report severe or very severe mental/physical/social burdens during the pandemic compared to those without probable PTSD (p ≤ 0.045). Conclusions: Medical and social services should be provided to support patients who experienced serious stress or trauma. The development of concepts for education and vaccination procedures should be accompanied by comprehensive and clear communication that recognizes individual risk factors and addresses possible concerns with evidence-based and convincing arguments.

The Impact of Resource Inequality on Cooperative Behavior in Social Dilemmas

Previous research has not yet identified the psychological mechanisms underlying the impact of resource inequality on cooperative behavior. To further explore this issue, this study used two single-factor experiments to investigate the influence of resource inequality on cooperative behavior in social dilemmas, focusing on the mediating role of fairness perception and group identity. The results showed that behavioral heterogeneity was higher under unequal conditions than that under equal conditions. In addition, in unequal groups, high-endowment players exhibited lower cooperation levels than low-endowment players. However, the mediating roles of fairness perception and group identity were not confirmed. This study highlights the complexity of resource inequality's influence on group cooperation and offers new directions for future research.

A Naturalistic Prospective Study of the Prognostic Impact of EPHX2 in Major Depressive Disorder: Impulsivity may be an Important Factor

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a leading cause of disability worldwide. The pathophysiology of MDD remains unclear, which limits the development of treatments for MDD. Recently, epoxide hydrolase 2 (EPHX2) has been found to be associated with MDD. Our previous study revealed an association between EPHX2 expression and suicide. However, the effect of EPHX2 on the prognosis of MDD and suicide remains unclear. Previous studies have found that impulsivity at baseline can be a significant predictor of clinical improvement in patients with MDD. Therefore, we inferred that EPHX2 could be associated with the treatment effect of MDD, and impulsivity could mediate the effect of EPHX2 on the treatment effect of MDD. Methods: This naturalistic prospective study included 117 participants with MDD, who were assessed, using clinical questionnaires, cognitive function, and treatment information, at baseline, 2 weeks, and 1, 2, and 3 months. A linear mixed-effects model was used to investigate longitudinal changes in the severity of symptoms, risk of suicide, and cognitive function. Results: The interactive effects of impulsivity and EPHX2 polymorphisms on the risk of suicide (measured by the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale) were significantly different for rs11288636, rs68012435, and rs11288636. The interactive effects between polymorphisms and time on depression severity (measured by the Hamilton Depression Scale-24) were significantly different and including after adjustment for the total impulsivity score. Conclusions: This study suggests that EPHX2 polymorphisms are associated with the prognosis of MDD, and impulsivity could be a critical factor for the change in suicide risk among different EPHX2 genotypes. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05575713.

An experimental investigation of daily mental contrasting with implementation intentions and goal motives in reducing bedtime procrastination: a registered report

OBJECTIVES

Mental contrasting with implementation intentions (MCII) is an effective self-regulation strategy for goal pursuit. Although it is a quick and cost-effective strategy, most of its applications have consisted of single-time training. Building on the existing research on bedtime procrastination, we propose that daily MCII applications can lead to more efficient pursuit of bedtime goals. Furthermore, we evaluate the conditions where MCII training could be more advantageous for people with different types of goal motives.

METHODS AND MEASURES

We recruited 297 participants via Prolific and randomly allocated participants into either daily MCII or single MCII groups for a week-long diary study. We measured goal motives, goal-regulatory variables, bedtime procrastination, and affect to test our hypotheses. We conducted a multilevel structural equation modelling using Mplus.

RESULTS

Participants who completed MCII daily reported less bedtime procrastination than individuals who performed MCII one-off at the start of the week. Participants experienced increased positive affect and decreased negative affect when they procrastinated less. Autonomous goal motives were not associated with bedtime procrastination.

DISCUSSION

Daily MCII appears as an effective and easy-to-implement strategy helps reducing bedtime procrastination. Future research should test the effectiveness of daily MCII in other contexts.

The interplay of coping styles and optimism/pessimism in shaping mental health in long-term survivors of malignant melanoma: a register-based cohort study

BACKGROUND

Optimism and pessimism are stable, overarching dispositions that influence mental health, especially in stressful life situations, such as cancer survival. They have been associated with more specific coping strategies. This study sought to investigate a theoretically-based model of their interplay in shaping depressive and anxiety symptoms to inform prevention and intervention efforts.

METHODS

The registry-based study included 689 survivors of malignant melanoma. We assessed sociodemographic and disease-related variables, optimism/pessimism (LOT-R), coping strategies (BC), depressive (PHQ-9), and anxiety symptoms (GAD-7). A structural equation model was conducted to analyse the hypothesized associations, modelling coping strategies (denial/self-blame, seeking external support, active coping) as mediators of the relationship of optimism/pessimism with depressive and anxiety symptoms. As a sensitivity analysis, gender-stratified models were tested.

RESULTS

The proposed model fit the data well. In the full sample, optimism was directly related to depression and anxiety, and the effects of optimism and pessimism were mediated via denial/self-blame. This indirect effect accounted for 60.8% of the total effect of pessimism on depression, and for 79.55% on anxiety. Stratified analyses showed different patterns of associations by gender, in the sense that the mediation effect was more relevant among men.

CONCLUSION

This study shows the relevance and need of gender-sensitive psychosocial-care. Especially in men, psychosocial interventions should target maladaptive coping strategies. Within women, fostering optimism seems to be particularly important. As the model did not fit as well for women, more gender-sensitive research is needed to understand potentially different risk/protective factors and needs of support.

Prolonged grief, social contact, community belongingness: A representative study of loneliness among bereaved UK adults

BACKGROUND

Loneliness is a common experience among bereaved individuals, yet the extent to which prolonged grief, personal social contact, and community belongingness independently explain loneliness is not fully understood.

METHODS

We analyzed cross-sectional data from a nationwide, representative sample of 2520 adults in the UK who had lost a loved one. Hierarchical regressions were conducted in three steps, adding demographic and loss-related variables first, followed by personal contact and community belongingness, and then prolonged grief severity with loneliness as the outcome variable.

RESULTS

Bivariate correlations showed loneliness was significantly negatively associated with personal contact and community belongingness and positively associated with Prolonged Grief Disorder severity. In the final model, younger age, female gender, and lower income significantly predicted higher loneliness. Notably, community belongingness emerged as the strongest protective factor (β = -0.262), significantly outweighing the effect of personal social contact (β = -0.054). Higher prolonged grief also uniquely contributed to loneliness, with a non-linear relationship indicating a tipping point at severe grief levels that markedly exacerbated social isolation. Altogether, the final model explained approximately 24 % of the variance in loneliness.

CONCLUSION

These findings underscore that individuals who exhibit intense prolonged grief and possess weaker connections to their broader community are especially vulnerable to loneliness. While more frequent personal contact can provide emotional intimacy, fostering a sense of community appears to confer broader, more sustainable social benefits. Interventions that integrate psychological support for severe grief and opportunities for community engagement may be particularly effective in reducing bereavement-related loneliness.

Longing for touch and the vicarious perception of CT-optimal touch in clinical outpatients

Longing for touch (LFT) can be defined as a discrepancy between the amount of touch that is desired and received. Previous studies have shown that LFT is prevalent in non-clinical populations, and that it is associated with an altered perception of CT-optimal touch. However, little is known about the prevalence and potential perceptual consequences of LFT in clinical populations. It is important to investigate this given the complicated relation with social touch that is often observed in these populations. We therefore assessed LFT in 69 clinical outpatients and 136 control participants in this study. Two videos were used to evaluate the vicarious perception of CT-optimal (3 cm/s) and CT non-optimal touch (30 cm/s). LFT was found to be more prevalent and severe in clinical outpatients. While patients also reported a lower frequency of touch, their subjective touch wish did not differ significantly from control participants. The increased LFT of the patients therefore seems to be primarily driven by an absence of touch, rather than a stronger need for touch. In both groups, LFT was positively associated with the vicarious pleasantness perception of CT-optimal and CT non-optimal touch. This provides further support for the hypothesis that LFT enhances the hedonic value of social touch. Taken together, these results provide valuable new insights into the experience and perception of social touch in clinical populations.

Reevaluating the beautiful is moral stereotype by examining the impact of personal liking and belief in a just world

According to the "beautiful is moral" stereotype, people perceive attractive individuals as more moral than unattractive ones. To refine this stereotype, we examined liking as a mediator and belief in a just world (BJW) as a moderator of this effect. Study 1 (N = 788; US sample) and Study 2 (N = 1913; Polish sample) confirmed that highly attractive individuals were perceived as more moral than moderately attractive ones, but only for female targets. As predicted, liking mediated the relationship between attractiveness and moral character judgments, supporting an affect-based explanation of this stereotype. In Study 3 (N = 1024; British sample), we independently manipulated the target's attractiveness and liking and found that high attractiveness alone was no longer associated with greater morality. However, confirming the role of attitudinal influences, the liked target was judged as more moral than the disliked one. Across all three studies, BJW did not moderate the relationship between attractiveness and moral judgments, suggesting that the effect of attractiveness on morality operates primarily through affective mechanisms rather than belief in fairness or justice. These findings indicate that liking exerts a stronger influence on perceived morality than attractiveness, challenging traditional conceptions of the "beautiful is moral" stereotype.

Advancing birth cohort studies using administrative and other research-independent data repositories: Opportunities and challenges

The birth cohort study design is an essential epidemiologic tool for investigating the developmental origins of health and disease. Birth cohorts have greatly improved the etiologic understanding of asthma and allergic diseases, setting the stage for advancements in translational interventions. Increasingly, investigators leverage data repositories that have been compiled and maintained independently of research investigations (administrative data) to establish large birth cohorts or to augment data generated through active participant interaction. In many cases, administrative data can greatly enhance the capacity of birth cohorts to achieve their scientific goals. However, investigators must be wary of common pitfalls and carefully consider whether administrative data are well suited to the scientific inquiry. This article reviews the strengths and challenges of using administrative data and the pragmatic solutions that have been developed to optimize their use in birth cohorts. As birth cohorts continue to play an important role in understanding the etiology of early-life disease, unleashing the power of administrative data will greatly assist in this scientific process.

The impact of COVID-19 fear during the later stages of the pandemic on maladaptive eating, psychological distress and body weight: a global cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted global mental health, leading to increased levels of fear, stress, and anxiety [1]. Previous research has suggested associations between functional fear of detrimental mental health outcomes and psychological stressors which may drive maladaptive eating behaviors. This study explored the associations between COVID-19 fear during later stages of the pandemic, psychological distress (anxiety, depression, and stress), maladaptive eating behaviors (emotional, uncontrolled, binge, and nighttime eating), and self-reported body weight.

METHODS

This was a global cross-sectional survey conducted from February 2022 to February 2024, involving 4390 adults (70% female) from 25 countries. The survey collected information on demographics, psychosocial impact, eating behaviors, and COVID-19 related behaviors. General linear models, multinomial logistic regression modes, and structural equation modeling were used to analyze the data.

RESULTS

Higher fear of COVID-19 was significantly associated with increased emotional and uncontrolled eating, even after adjusting for psychological distress and other covariates. Specifically, each unit increase in fear of COVID-19 scores was associated with a corresponding increase in emotional eating (β = 0.018) and uncontrolled eating (β = 0.029) behaviors (p-values < 0.0001). Furthermore, fear of COVID-19 was linked to higher odds of engaging in binge eating (OR = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.07, p-value < 0.0001) and nighttime eating behaviors (OR = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.06, p-value < 0.0001) in models adjusted for covariates; however, these associations were no longer significant when psychological distress variables were included. Fear of COVID-19 was also associated with body weight (β = 0.18) and BMI (β = 0.08) even with adjustments of covariates and psychological distress variables (p-values < 0.01). Structural equation modeling showed that fear of COVID-19 was related to current body weight through its impact on psychological distress and maladaptive eating behaviors.

CONCLUSIONS

Maladaptive eating behaviors influenced by the psychological distress experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic have persisted into the later stages of the pandemic. These results underscore an interconnectedness between functional fear and its influence on maladaptive eating behaviors and body weight. Understanding this link is crucial and has the potential to inform the development of public health policies.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinical Trials.gov NCT04896060 Date of Registration: May 21, 2021.

Beyond the Grind: The Intercultural Challenges and Cohesion Efforts in MiLB

Minor League Baseball (MiLB) comprises players with a wide variety of backgrounds, including many born in the United States and Latin America, and these players spend years trying to work their way up to the Major League level. This paper describes a qualitative study that explores people's experiences in MiLB, focusing on the challenges that players face and how these challenges might differ for players of different backgrounds. We interviewed 18 MiLB players, nine coaches, and two team education coordinators. Using a thematic analysis technique, we learned that the language barrier seemed to produce problems for the young players, especially those who spoke only Spanish and could not fully benefit from the coaching. Also, some interviewees talked to us about the challenges of intergroup relations, where cliques can form and some players may face biases from coaches. These results suggest that MiLB is challenging for everyone, but there are unique challenges for international Latino players and other minorities. However, we also learned that many teams are trying to solve these issues by offering language classes and other programs. Notably, many interviewees reported positive attitudes toward diversity. Ultimately, we found that while all players experience the same grind trying to make it to the Big Leagues, some players also experience unique and additional barriers to succeeding. We contribute to the broader conversation on the role of cultural diversity in sports.

The impact of time pressure and type of fraud on susceptibility to online fraud

With the rapid development of the Internet, online fraud has evolved, posing a serious threat to people's financial security. Susceptibility to online fraud refers to an individual's vulnerability to Internet fraud, which was assessed in this study using the fraud material assessment paradigm. This study employed a 2 × 2 two-factor mixed experimental design to examine the effects of time pressure (present vs. absent) and fraud type (profit-taking vs. loss-avoidance) on susceptibility to online fraud. In the pre-study, real-life Internet fraud cases were adapted into legitimate and illegitimate materials, which were then rated. In the formal experiment, participants in the pressure group and control group assessed the legitimacy of these materials. The findings revealed that: (1) time pressure had a significant main effect, with participants exhibiting higher susceptibility to online fraud under time pressure than without it; (2) fraud type had a significant main effect, with susceptibility being higher for loss-avoidance fraud compared to profit-taking fraud; (3) a significant interaction effect was observed, where time pressure increased susceptibility to loss-avoidance fraud but had no significant effect on profit-taking fraud. These results suggest that time constraints and fraud types interact to influence an individual's ability to resist online fraud. The findings provide insights for fraud prevention strategies, emphasizing the need to mitigate time pressure effects and educate individuals on different fraud types.

Teaching is associated with the transmission of opaque culture and leadership across 23 egalitarian hunter-gatherer societies

Despite extensive work on the evolution of cooperation, the roles of teaching and leadership in transmitting opaque cultural norms-foundations of cooperative behaviors-are underexplored. Similarly, while teaching is well-studied in the evolution of instrumental culture, little attention is given to its role in transmitting opaque culture, such as social values and norms. Transmitting opaque culture often requires teaching, and group leaders are well-positioned to facilitate this process. Using comparative ethnographic data, we explore teaching, leadership, and instrumental versus opaque culture by examining whether opaque culture is primarily transmitted via teaching, which age groups tend to learn these norms, and whether leaders are disproportionately involved in teaching. Drawing on ethnographic data from 23 egalitarian foraging societies, we find teaching is more strongly associated with transmitting cultural values and kinship knowledge than subsistence skills and is closely linked to opaque culture and leadership. Leader-directed teaching may drive cooperation, suggesting new research avenues.

A hierarchical analysis of perceived team personality traits in sport

Introduction

This study aims to revisit and enhance the foundational concept of perceived team personality by addressing critical conceptual and methodological challenges in previous brand personality studies. While prior studies have identified team personality dimensions and developed measurement scales, ongoing ambiguities in applying the general brand personality conceptualization to sport teams remain. In addition, the approach's limited generalizability, inadequate methods for selecting descriptors, and biases in team (brand) selection pose significant challenges to make a valid and reliable team personality scale in sports.

Methods

To overcome these limitations, this study employs a lexical approach from personality psychology, which posits that fundamental personality dimensions emerge naturally from the adjectives people use to describe themselves and others. By analyzing a set of 99 sport-specific personality descriptors based on the lexical approach, this study explores hierarchical solutions ranging from one to six factors to determine whether perceived team personality dimensions align with established human personality models, such as the Big Five and HEXACO frameworks.

Results

Findings reveal that the five- and six-factor models exhibit strong conceptual alignment with these established human personality structures, demonstrating the efficacy of the lexical approach in capturing sport team personality.

Discussion

This research strengthens the theoretical and methodological foundation for assessing team personality in sport by providing a solid framework that better aligns with consumer perceptions. These insights may contribute to a more precise and contextually relevant understanding of team personality, offering implications for sport brand management, consumer engagement strategies, and long-term team positioning.

Examining Narcissistic Traits in Relation To Reactive and Proactive Aggression in Children At-Risk for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

The current study examined narcissistic traits in relation to proactive and reactive functions of aggression in a sample of children at-risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Children ages 7-13 years (N = 110) were recruited from a pediatric ADHD assessment clinic. Caregivers completed the Antisocial Process Screening Device. Caregivers and teachers completed a measure of proactive and reactive aggression. In regression analyses controlling for ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder symptom severity and sex, narcissism was uniquely associated with higher caregiver-reported proactive aggression but not reactive aggression. Findings suggest that narcissism is uniquely related to proactive aggression in children at-risk for ADHD. Consideration of narcissistic traits may aid the prediction of behavioral issues and aggression in children and may be a potential intervention target. Future research should investigate if clinical interventions addressing narcissistic behaviors are effective for reducing proactive aggression in children.

An integrated approach to understanding negative math experiences

Despite numerous studies devoted to mathematics aptitude and achievement, research on how individuals experience math has remained relatively fragmented. Here, using a combined theoretical and data-driven approach, we sought to characterize self-reported math experiences, with a particular focus on negative math experiences. An examination of existing literature led to the identification of eight potential facets of math experiences: emotional, cognitive, physiological, behavioral, testing, classroom/social performance, self-efficacy, and attitudinal. We generated survey items intended to probe experiences within each of these facets and constructed a preliminary questionnaire of 107 candidate items, comprising positively and negatively framed statements about one's math experiences, with data from a final analytic sample of N = 803 adult participants. Focusing on negative items, four key factors emerged from the data: negative attitudes and avoidance, physiological experiences, testing and educational experiences, and cognitive and emotional experiences. These results point to opportunities for contact between literatures (e.g., between negative attitudes and avoidance behaviors), and toward relatively unexplored topics, such as the importance of negative physiological experiences when facing math. On a practical level, we also provide short subscales with sound internal metrics for each of the four factors identified above. Taken together, this work may prove useful on both a theoretical and a methodological level for those looking to develop a unifying framework of negative math experiences.

The role of shyness in cyberbullying perpetration: a moderated mediation model of relative deprivation, anger rumination, and Internet morality

Although the relationship between shyness and aggression has been well established, whether shyness is associated with cyberbullying perpetration and its underlying mechanisms has been unclear. Guided by the General Aggression Model (GAM), this study proposed that shyness, as a personal trait, is related to cyberbullying perpetration through cognitive and emotional processes. Specifically, we developed a moderated mediation model to examine the mediating roles of relative deprivation and anger rumination, as well as the moderating role of Internet morality, in the relationship between shyness and cyberbullying. Results indicated that both relative deprivation and anger rumination operated as separate and sequential mediators in the relationship between shyness and cyberbullying perpetration. Additionally, Internet morality moderated the effects of shyness and anger rumination on cyberbullying perpetration, and the mediating effects through anger rumination and relative deprivation, and solely through anger rumination. These effects were substantially weaker for individuals with higher levels of Internet morality. The present study provides valuable insights into the potential mechanisms linking shyness and cyberbullying perpetration and emphasizes the critical role of Internet morality in alleviating college students' cyberbullying.

Predicting honest behavior based on Eysenck personality traits and gender: an explainable machine learning study using SHAP analysis

Introduction

This study bridges a critical gap in aviation safety research by examining how Eysenck personality traits (Neuroticism, Psychoticism, Extraversion) and gender predict dishonest behavior in high-risk aviation contexts. While prior studies have focused on the Big Five and HEXACO models in ethical decision-making, empirical applications of the Eysenck framework to honesty prediction remain scarce-particularly in aviation, where dishonest acts (e.g., underreporting safety incidents) carry severe public safety consequences.

Methods

We collected behavioral data from 102 flight and air traffic control cadets using a coin-toss task. Explainable machine learning (XGBoost) was employed to model nonlinear relationships between personality, gender, and honesty. Model performance was evaluated via AUC, with SHAP analysis identifying key predictors.

Results

XGBoost achieved superior predictive accuracy (AUC = 0.802). SHAP analysis revealed: (1) neuroticism as the strongest predictor of dishonesty; (2) significant gender differences (higher dishonesty rates in males); and (3) threshold effects for Psychoticism and Extraversion.

Discussion

This work makes three key contributions: (1) first systematic application of the Eysenck model to aviation honesty prediction; (2) identification of gender as a critical moderating variable; and (3) development of a SHAP-driven interpretable framework that connects machine learning outputs with psychological theory. Practically, these findings enable data-driven screening of cadets' honesty tendencies during recruitment, facilitating targeted interventions for safer aviation operations.

Incarceration and Subsequent Psychosocial Outcomes: A 16-Year Longitudinal Study of Youth After Detention

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the dose of incarceration and subsequent psychiatric and psychosocial functioning in justice-involved youth 16 years after detention (median age 32).

METHOD

Participants were from the Northwestern Juvenile Project, a prospective, longitudinal study of 1,829 youth randomly sampled at intake from the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center, 1995-1998, stratified by sex, race and ethnicity, age, and legal status (processed as juvenile or adult). The study measured incarceration "dose": (1) the depth of involvement, i.e. the type of facility where youth were incarcerated as they aged (juvenile-only, adult jail [but not prison], or prison); and (2) total number of days incarcerated. Psychosocial outcomes were: positive mental health, no problematic substance use, educational attainment, gainful activity, residential independence, interpersonal functioning, parenting responsibility, and desistance from criminal activity. Regression models comparing outcomes by facility type were propensity weighted.

RESULTS

Male participants in the prison group achieved fewer psychosocial outcomes (3.3; 95% CI 3.1-3.5) vs those in the jail (4.8; 95% CI 4.2-5.4) and juvenile-only (5.2; 95% CI 4.3-6.0) groups. Participants only incarcerated in juvenile detention were more likely to achieve every socioeconomic outcome vs those who had been in prison. More time incarcerated was associated with poorer outcomes for male and female participants; findings varied by facility type. Among male participants in prison, each additional year incarcerated reduced the odds of positive mental health.

CONCLUSION

Higher doses of incarceration were adversely associated with psychiatric and psychosocial functioning in adulthood. Black and Hispanic men are disproportionately incarcerated and thus disproportionately affected. Community mental health service providers are in a unique position to collaborate with correctional facilities to provide early interventions and services for successful reentry to the community.

Death, love, and evolution: Conceptions of death beyond terror

Recent years have seen an influx in interest on the role of death anxiety in human behavior. Terror Management Theory prevails as the leading theoretical and empirical paradigm utilized in the literature; however emerging research has revealed serious shortcomings with the paradigm. In this paper we examine the concept of death anxiety from a socio-evolutionary perspective. We outline how the attachment system evolved to prevent death during an extended period of juvenile vulnerability and is further co-opted into adulthood to maintain survival. Through a broader understanding of contemporary evolutionary thinking, including attachment theory, we propose that the hitherto inconsistent and amorphous definition of death anxiety be more usefully re-conceptualized as a fear of premature death. We explore how this re-conceptualization can be used to help explicate phenomena that existing paradigms have until now struggled to explain.

The impact of academic anxiety on smartphone addiction among college students: the mediating role of self-regulatory fatigue and the moderating role of mindfulness

BACKGROUND

Academic anxiety is recognized as a risk factor of smartphone addiction among college students. However, the underlying mechanisms and moderating factors remain insufficiently explored.

METHOD

This study examines the impact of academic anxiety on smartphone addiction, focusing on the mediating role of self-regulatory fatigue and the moderating role of mindfulness. Using convenience sampling strategy, a cross-sectional survey was implemented. Data were collected from a survey of 685 college students by using the Academic Anxiety Scale, Smartphone Addiction Scale, Self-Regulatory Fatigue Scale, and Mindfulness Scale. The hypothesized moderated mediation model was analyzed using Hayes' (2017) PROCESS macro (Model 59).

RESULTS

Moderated mediation analysis finds that academic anxiety significantly positively predicts smartphone addiction (β = 0.30, t = 7.24, 95%CI=[0.22, 0.38], p<0.001) in college students. Academic anxiety also indirectly predicts smartphone addiction through self-regulatory fatigue (β = 0.09, t = 2.43, 95%CI=[0.02, 0.16], p<0.05), with the mediation effect accounting for 11.76%. The mediation pathways are moderated by mindfulness. Compared with students with low mindfulness, the influence of academic anxiety on self-regulatory fatigue is stronger in students with high mindfulness(β = 0.10, t = 3.85, 95%CI=[0.05, 0.16], p<0.001). However, compared with students with low mindfulness, the influence of self-regulatory fatigue on smartphone addiction is weaker in students with high mindfulness(β=-0.08, t= -2.53, 95%CI=[-0.15, -0.02], p<0.05). That is, among individuals with a high level of mindfulness, mindfulness enhances the positive relationship between academic anxiety and self-regulatory fatigue while weakening the positive association between self-regulatory fatigue and smartphone addiction.

CONCLUSION

These findings elucidate the internal mechanisms linking academic anxiety to smartphone addiction and underscoring the dual role of mindfulness. The results offer valuable insights for developing strategies to prevent and manage smartphone addiction among college students.

Study protocol for assessing the effectiveness, implementation fidelity and uptake of attachment & child health (ATTACH™) Online: helping children vulnerable to early adversity

BACKGROUND

Exposure to early childhood adversities, such as family violence, parental depression, or low-income, undermine parent-child relationship quality and attachment leading to developmental and mental health problems in children. Addressing impacts of early childhood adversity can promote children's development, giving them the best start in life. Parental reflective function (RF), or parents' ability to understand their own and children's mental states, can strengthen parent-child relationships and attachment and buffer the negative effects of early adversity. We developed and tested ATTACH™ (Attachment and Child Health), an effective RF intervention program for parents and their preschool-aged children at-risk from early adversity. Pilot studies revealed significantly positive impacts of ATTACH™ from in-person (n = 91 observations of 64 dyads) and online (n = 10 dyads) implementation. The two objectives of this study are to evaluate: (1) effectiveness, and (2) implementation fidelity and uptake of ATTACH™ Online in community agencies serving at-risk families in Alberta, Canada. Our primary hypothesis is ATTACH™ Online improves children's development. Secondary hypotheses examine whether ATTACH™ Online improves children's mental health, parent-child relationships, and parental RF.

METHODS

We will conduct an effectiveness-implementation hybrid (EIH) type 2 study. Effectiveness will be examined with a quasi-experimental design while implementation will be examined via descriptive quantitative and qualitative methods informed by Normalization Process Theory (NPT). Effectiveness outcomes examine children's development and mental health, parent-child relationships, and RF, measured before, after, and 3 months post-intervention. Implementation outcomes include fidelity and uptake of ATTACH™ Online, assessed via tailored tools and qualitative interviews using NPT, with parents, health care professionals, and administrators from agencies. Power analysis revealed recruitment of 100 families with newborn to 36-month-old children are sufficient to test the primary hypothesis on 80 complete data sets. Data saturation will be employed to determine final sample size for the qualitative component, with an anticipated maximum of 20 interviews per group (parents, heath care professionals, administrators).

DISCUSSION

This study will: (1) determine effectiveness of ATTACH™ Online and (2) understand mechanisms that promote implementation fidelity and uptake of ATTACH™ Online. Findings will be useful for planning spread and scale of an effective online program poised to reduce health and social inequities affecting vulnerable families.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Name of registry: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ .

REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT05994027. Date of registration: July 22, 2023.

PROTOCOL VERSION

Version 1.

Death education and educators: The role of attitudes, anxiety, and future time perspective

This study explores the impact of death representations on openness to death education among university students in teaching and education degree programs. Drawing from Terror Management Theory, the roles of future time perspective (FTP), death anxiety, and the ontological representation of death as total annihilation were analyzed. The results show that viewing death as annihilation negatively impacts FTP, reducing the ability to think about the future. Diminished FTP increases negative thoughts about death and lack of death acceptance. When FTP still allows making sense of life despite death, it reduces death rejection, however, it does not increase openness to death education, activating proximal defenses. Conversely, when death representation constrains FTP, death thoughts emerge that lead to desiring death education pathways, activating distal defenses. The study highlights the importance of addressing death representations and developing a healthy time perspective in training programs for educators.

Understanding the Heterogeneity of Maltreatment Effect: the Role of Temperamental Sensitivity

Despite the impact of maltreatment on child psychopathology, research has shown that the effects of maltreatment can vary depending on individual characteristics. Guided by differential susceptibility theory, this multi-method longitudinal study examined the role of temperamental sensitivity in shaping the relation between maltreatment and the development of child psychopathology over time. Participants included 316 maltreated and 269 non-maltreated children who attended a research summer camp and were followed over two measurement occasions spaced roughly one year apart (Wave 1: Mage = 9.35 years old; 47.1% girls, 66.7% Black, 21.1% White). Maltreatment status and timing were determined via examination of Department of Human Services records for the maltreated group. Camp counselors rated temperamental sensitivity at the first wave using the Temperamental Sensitivity Q-scale. Child internalizing and externalizing problems were rated by counselors at both measurement occasions. Findings indicated that maltreatment, whether measured broadly or by developmental timing (reflecting early onset and prolonged exposure), was linked to greater increases in externalizing problems over time. Greater temperamental sensitivity was associated with greater decreases in externalizing problems but greater increases in internalizing problems. The relation between childhood maltreatment and changes in internalizing problems was moderated by temperamental sensitivity. While children with high temperamental sensitivity showed higher increases in internalizing problems regardless of maltreatment experiences, children with lower temperamental sensitivity exhibited greater increases in internalizing problems only if exposed to childhood maltreatment. These findings highlight the role of temperamental sensitivity in high-risk contexts and provide a more nuanced understanding of the impact of childhood maltreatment.

Exploring the general acceptance factor for shared automated vehicles: the impact of personality traits and experimentally altered information

Introduction

Shared automated vehicles (SAVs) could significantly enhance public transport by addressing urban mobility challenges. However, public acceptance of SAVs remains under-studied, particularly regarding how informational factors and individual personality traits influence acceptance.

Methods

This study explores SAV acceptance using data from an experimental survey of 1902 respondents across Norway. Participants were randomly presented with different informational conditions about SAV services, manipulating vehicle autonomy (fully autonomous vs. steward onboard), seating orientation (facing direction of travel vs. facing other passengers), and ethnicity of co-passengers. Personality traits from the Five Factor Model (FFM) and Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) were assessed. The General Acceptance Factor (GAF), derived from the Multi-Level Model of Automated Vehicle Acceptance (MAVA), was used as the primary outcome measure.

Results

No significant main or interaction effects were found from the experimentally altered information conditions. However, personality traits significantly influenced acceptance. Specifically, higher openness and agreeableness positively predicted SAV acceptance, while higher neuroticism and social dominance orientation negatively predicted acceptance.

Discussion

The absence of experimental effects suggests either a limited role of the manipulated factors or insufficiently robust manipulations. Conversely, the substantial impact of personality traits highlights the importance of psychological factors, particularly trust, openness, and social attitudes, in shaping SAV acceptance. These findings emphasize the need for tailored communication strategies to enhance SAV uptake, addressing specific psychological profiles and fostering trust in automation.

"Once a Soldier, always a Soldier" until you're not: The effect of identity loss on mental health and well-being following military discharge

An report from the Australian Royal Commission on Veteran Suicide has suggested that transition-related losses (loss of purpose, identity, and culture) adversely affect veteran mental illness and suicide risk. Subjective Loss of Self Theory posits that significant life transitions can cause a range of changes to group memberships, relationships, and roles and consequently can disrupt our sense of identity. To the extent that these disruptions lead to a subjective feeling of a loss as to who one was (past self) or will become (future self) can create a vulnerability to mental health and well-being challenges. Across two studies involving American (n = 179) and Australian veterans (n - 379), both subjective loss of past and future self were associated with worse mental health and well-being, with loss of future self being the stronger predictor. Additionally, a negative discharge experience directly predicted worse mental health and well-being and increased subjective loss of past and future self. However, Study 2 demonstrated that the effects of negative discharge experiences were fully or partially mediated by the perception that these experiences amounted to military institutional betrayal. Collectively, these results indicate that military discharge can result in identity disruption via a perceived lost sense of self, increasing vulnerability to mental health and well-being challenges. Additionally, negative discharge experiences (especially when perceived as institutional betrayal) can exacerbate these sense of self losses and mental health and wellbeing vulnerability, both directly through the experience of betrayal, and indirectly through the resultant increased losses of past and future self.

Understanding the Impact of Algorithmic Discrimination on Unethical Consumer Behavior

The prevalence of artificial intelligence (AI) increases social concern surrounding unethical consumer behavior in human-AI interaction. Existing research has mainly focused on anthropomorphic characteristics of AI and unethical consumer behavior (UCB). However, the role of algorithms in unethical consumer behavior, which is central to AI, is not yet fully understood. Drawing on social exchange theory, this study investigates the impact of algorithmic discrimination on UCB and explores the interrelationships and underlying mechanisms. Through three experiments, this study found that experiencing algorithmic discrimination significantly increases UCB, with anticipatory guilt mediating this relationship. Moreover, consumers' negative reciprocity beliefs moderated the effects of algorithmic discrimination on anticipatory guilt and UCB. In addition, this study distinguish between active and passive UCB based on their underlying ethical motivations. This enhances the study's universality by assessing both types of behaviors and highlighting their differences. These insights extend current research on UCB within the purview of AI agents and provide valuable insights into effectively mitigating losses caused by UCB behaviors, offering improved directions for facilitating AI agents to provide fair, reliable, and efficient interactions for both businesses and consumers.

Sense of meaning in life, self-acceptance, and prosocial behavior: an application of network analysis methods

Objective

To explore the characteristics and core items of the network structure between school students' sense of meaning in life, self-acceptance, and prosocial behavior, and to provide a basis for understanding the relationship between their sense of meaning in life, self-acceptance and prosocial behavior and related interventions.

Methods

A survey of 1232 school students was conducted using the Self-Acceptance Scale, the prosocial Behavior Scale, and the Sense of Meaning of Life Scale. Network analysis was used to construct the network of prosocial behavior, self-acceptance, and sense of the meaning of life among school students, and the software R was used for statistical analysis and visualization.

Results

In the regularized bias correlation network of self-acceptance, prosocial behavior, and sense of meaning in life among school students, self-acceptance and self-appraisal, having meaning and self-appraisal, anonymity and altruism had the strongest correlation; emotionality, altruism, and urgency had the highest expected impact; and having meaning and self-appraisal had the highest expected impact of the bridge.

Conclusion

Self-acceptance, meaning in life, and prosocial behavior are interrelated; interventions targeting emotionality, altruism, and urgency in the prosocial behavior dimensions may maximize prosocial behavioral effects among college students.

Effective Intervention Features of a Doping Prevention Program for Athletes: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

This study systematically reviewed the effectiveness of cognitive, affective, and combined approaches in doping prevention, considering the impact of athletes' active versus passive participation. Following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines and the PICOS framework, a literature search identified ten studies involving 3581 athletes (1094 women, 2487 men). Ten studies were included as a sample in the meta-analysis and meta-regression, which were used in the effect size calculation. This meta-analysis shows that anti-doping education programs effectively improve short-term doping intentions (ES = 0.29, p < 0.001) and anti-doping behaviors (ES = -0.27, p < 0.001), although there is a decline in the long-term effects (ES = -0.13, p = 0.009). Moral behaviors were unaffected (ES = 0.01, p < 0.001), suggesting that changing deeper values requires alternative approaches like mentorship. Passive participation negatively impacted doping intentions (ES = -0.40, p = 0.004) and behaviors (ES = -0.40, p = 0.022), highlighting the need for active engagement. Pre-experimental designs showed a negative effect on behaviors (ES = -0.74, p = 0.023), emphasizing the importance of rigorous methodologies. While anti-doping education programs effectively influence short-term attitudes and intentions, sustaining behavioral change requires continuous reinforcement and active engagement. The decline in the long-term effects suggests that standalone interventions are insufficient to instill lasting anti-doping behaviors in athletes.

Longitudinal Links Between Sexual Debut and Self-Esteem Development in German Adolescents and Young Adults

First sexual experiences represent a central aspect of adolescents' lives and have been suggested to affect their personal development in various ways. However, whether sexual debut plays a role in the development of self-esteem is yet unknown. The present study investigated whether first sexual intercourse was associated with subsequent changes in self-esteem. Data from a large, nationwide randomly sampled longitudinal study of adolescents and emerging adults in Germany (N = 1678, 53% female) of whom 39% experienced sexual debut during the study period were used. Fixed-effects regression models were applied to estimate the effect of sexual debut on self-esteem. Findings indicated a significant positive effect of sexual debut on subsequent self-esteem. This effect was not moderated by age at sexual debut or gender. Together, the results emphasize the developmental significance of sexual experiences for personal growth in adolescents and emerging adults.

Dog Neuter, Yes or No? A Summary of the Motivations, Benefits, and Harms, with Special Emphasis on the Behavioral Aspect

The decision to neuter pet dogs remains a significant and ongoing debate from ethical, animal health, and animal welfare perspectives. Millions of dogs worldwide are considered integral family members, and their behavior, as well as the bond they form with their owners, play a key role in the decision to keep them as pets. When behavioral problems arise, neutering is often viewed as a potential solution. However, by removing the source of sexual hormones, neutering creates the potential for both beneficial and harmful effects on a dog's health and behavior. It is crucial for society to rely on professionals to provide informed advice about whether and when the procedure should be performed on a pet, taking into account the unique risks and benefits of each individual case. Instead, the conclusions drawn from existing research-both in terms of behavior and health aspects-remain inconclusive and sometimes conflicting. Studies have reported higher risks for developing reproductive, urinary, metabolic, and musculoskeletal disorders in neutered dogs. Additionally, some studies suggest increases in stress, fear, anxiety, and even certain types of aggression following neutering. The limitations of current research, the subjectivity of pet owners' evaluations of their dogs' behaviors, the influence of various demographic factors, and the complex relationships between sex hormones and other hormones or neurotransmitters all contribute to the challenges in this field of study. Despite these complexities, they also offer promising avenues for future research. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the various effects of neutering on dogs, with a particular focus on behavioral outcomes.

Trajectory of Relational Victimization during Mid-Adolescence: The Effect of Gender, Childhood Maltreatment, Internalizing Problems, and Socioeconomic Status

BACKGROUND

Relational victimization (RV) is a significant threat to adolescent mental health and social adaptation in China. However, its developmental characteristics during the school transition period are poorly understood. Finkelhor's developmental victimology framework provides a comprehensive lens to explore factors influencing RV's development. This study examined the trajectory of RV and the impact of gender, childhood maltreatment, internalizing problems, and family socioeconomic status.

METHODS

We recruited 762 students from a high school in Sichuan Province, China, to complete three questionnaires in June 2020, December 2020, and June 2021. After excluding participants who did not fully complete all three surveys or whose data were disqualified, we obtained a final longitudinal sample of 605 participants. All participants were high school freshmen, with a mean age of 15.89 years (SD = 0.59) at the time of the final survey; participants included 264 boys. We used this data to construct a conditional growth model that incorporated both time-varying and time-invariant covariates.

RESULTS

The results revealed that the RV of Chinese mid-adolescents follows a linear growth trend. Childhood maltreatment was found to be a predictor of the initial level of RV, while socioeconomic status predicted the rate of RV's growth. Internalizing problems were found to influence the development trajectory of RV.

CONCLUSION

The findings highlighted the increasing trend of RV during school transition and the roles of childhood maltreatment, socioeconomic status, and internalizing problems in shaping RV's development. This study extended the developmental victimology framework and offers valuable insights for interventions targeting adolescents' RV.

Sensing the Inside Out: An Embodied Perspective on Digital Animation Through Motion Capture and Wearables

Over the last few decades, digital technology has played an important role in innovating the pipeline, techniques, and approaches for creating animation. Sensors for motion capture not only enabled the incorporation of physical human movement in all its precision and expressivity but also created a field of collaboration between the digital and performing arts. Moreover, it has challenged the boundaries of cinematography, animation, and live action. In addition, wearable technology can capture biosignals such as heart rate and galvanic skin response that act as indicators of the emotional state of the performer. Such metrics can be used as metaphors to visualise (or sonify) the internal reactions and bodily sensations of the designed animated character. In this work, we propose a framework for incorporating the role of the performer in digital character animation as a real-time designer of the character's affect, expression, and personality. Within this embodied perspective, sensors that capture the performer's movement and biosignals are viewed as the means to build the nonverbal personality traits, cues, and signals of the animated character and their narrative. To do so, following a review of the state of the art and relevant literature, we provide a detailed description of what constitute nonverbal personality traits and expression in animation, social psychology, and the performing arts, and we propose a workflow of methodological and technological toolstowardsan embodied perspective for digital animation.

The Aesthetic Appreciation of Multi-Stable Images

Does the quality that renders multi-stable images fascinating, the sudden perceptual reorganization, the switching from one interpretation into another, also make these images appear beautiful? Or is the aesthetic quality of multi-stable figures unrelated to the ease with which they switch? Across two experiments, we presented multi-stable images and manipulated their perceptual stability. We also presented their unambiguous components in isolation. In the first experiment, this manipulation targeted the inherent stimulus stability through properties like figural size and composition. The second experiment added an instruction for observers to actively control the stability, by attempting to either enhance or prevent perceptual switches as best they could. We found that higher stability was associated with higher liking, positive valence, and lower arousal. This increase in appreciation was mainly driven by inherent stimulus properties. The stability instruction only increased the liking of figures that had been comparatively stable to begin with. We conclude that the fascinating feature of multi-stable images does not contribute to their aesthetic liking. In fact, perceptual switching is detrimental to it. Processing fluency can explain this counterintuitive finding. We also discuss the role of ambiguity in the aesthetic quality of multi-stable images.

Societies, identities, and macrodemes

We examine the similarities and differences between Moffett's conceptualization of society and the core configuration model of social groupings. Anonymous societies correspond to the macrodeme level of coordination in the core configuration model, and recognizing that identity-based groups are defined by shared distinctiveness rather than territory encourages a more organic understanding of social groups.

The family as the primary social group

Moffett contends that societies should be considered the "primary" group with respect to their social ramifications. Although intriguing, this claim suffers from insufficient clarity and evidence. Rather, if any group is to be crowned supreme it should surely be the family, with its unique capacity to encourage pro-group behavior, shape other groups, and provide meaning.

Emotional contagion in dyadic online video conferences-empirical evidence based on self-report and facial expression data

Introduction

Emotional contagion is an essential and prevalent emotional process in social interaction and comprises the transmission of emotions between two or more individuals. The vast majoriy of prior research explored the emotional contagion in face-to-face human interaction. The present study explored the degree to which emotional contagion occurs in dyadic online video conferences, using subjective self-report and automatically coded facial expression data.

Methods

In a lab-based experimental approach, 104 participants (in 52 dyads) interacted via synchronized computers. They were prompted to talk to each other about recent personally relevant experiences that made them angry, happy, and sad (3 conditions). We recorded participants' emotions by means of automated facial expression analysis and retrospective self-report after each condition.

Results

Our preregistered analyses provided evidence for emotional contagion of all three emotions during the video conferences based on the self-report data. Regarding facially expressed emotions, only joy seemed to be transmitted, while the frequency of facially expressed anger and sadness was generally very low, and did not differ across conditions. We further explored temporal co-occurrences of facially expressed joy through cross-recurrence quantification analysis. Those results showed that both interaction partners' facial expressions of joy, but not of anger and sadness, co-occurred significantly above chance.

Discussion

Overall, we conclude that emotions can be transmitted across interaction partners during online video interactions, but the face does not seem to be the key channel for those contagion processes, particularly not for negative emotions.

A society as a clearly membered, enduring, territory-holding group

I have attempted to provide a concept of societies that will foster productive cross-disciplinary discussions, namely one incorporating these three elements: (1) A mechanism for group identification, by which members distinguish those who belong from those who do not; (2) the potential for this membership to last for generations; and (3) control over a shared physical space. Herein, I respond to thoughtful commentaries from academics across the social and biological sciences, addressing their insights on the importance of identity in determining society boundaries, how institutions and nations relate to identity, the complications of territoriality as a definition component, how societies fragment, the workings of multitier sociality, and the significance of cooperation.

Emotional Eating, Impulsivity, and Affective Temperaments in a Sample of Obese Candidates for Bariatric Surgery: Which Linkage?

Background/Objectives: Obesity is a major public health challenge of the 21st century, with prevalence rates steadily rising globally. Disordered eating behaviors, particularly emotional eating (EE), complicate the clinical management of obesity and hinder long-term outcomes, such as maintaining weight loss after bariatric surgery. Studies reveal that EE affects 65-75% of overweight or obese adults, and such behavior may stem from a disrupted brain reward system linked to emotional dysregulation and impulsivity. Impulsivity in obesity involves deficient cognitive inhibitory control, creating an imbalance between impulsive and reflective systems. While problematic eating behaviors and obesity are well studied, the role of affective temperaments-innate traits influencing mood, energy, and responses to stimuli-remains underexplored. This study aims to examine the interplay between emotional eating, impulsivity, and affective temperaments in obese patients preparing for bariatric surgery. Methods: A total sample of 304 obese outpatients was consecutively enrolled at the Psychiatry Clinic of the Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine of the University of Pisa during the presurgical mental health evaluation routinely performed before the bariatric intervention. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected by psychiatrists during a single consultation. Assessments also included the following psychometric tests: the Structured Clinical Interview (SCID-5), the Emotional Eating Scale (EES), the Barratt Impulsivity Scale-Version 11 (BIS-11), and the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego-Auto-questionnaire (TEMPS-A). Results: A significant correlation was observed between the EES total score and the BIS total score (p = 0.003), as well as with the sub-dimensions of attentional impulsivity (p < 0.001) and motor impulsivity (p = 0.024). In addition, a significant correlation has been found between the total score of EES and the cyclothymic (p < 0.001), depressive (p < 0.001), irritable (p = 0.013), and anxious (0.020) temperaments. When comparing obese patients with EE and without EE (No-EE), higher rates of both current (p = 0.007) and lifetime (p = 0.024) psychiatric comorbidities were observed in the EE group, namely for anxiety disorders (p = 0.008) and eating disorders (p = 0.014). Conclusions: Our study highlights a significant association between EE in obese patients with the cyclothymic, irritable, anxious, and depressive temperaments, and impulsivity dimension. Thus, problematic eating behaviors and temperamental traits may have a bidirectional psychopathological influence in obese patients and need to be carefully evaluated in subjects seeking bariatric surgery.

Distinct psychological mechanisms for explicit and implicit aggression: evidence from the narcissism and sense of power

Introduction

Aggression has been demonstrated a distinction between explicit and implicit social cognition. Explicit aggression refers to the conscious tendency to display aggressive behavior while maintaining necessary self-control. Implicit aggression is an unconscious aggressive behavior shaped by past experiences that operates beyond an individual's control. Although aggression comprises explicit and implicit structures, the psychological mechanisms of such dual aggression remain unclear. According to the general aggression model, when individuals are unable to balance the internal state (e.g., narcissism and power), aggression may occur. Therefore, the current study explored the psychological mechanisms of the dual aggression by using narcissism and power.

Methods

Study 1 recruited 331 undergraduate students to complete online questionnaires assessing overt and covert narcissism, sense of power, and explicit aggression. A mediation model was constructed to examine the relationship among these variables. Furthermore, Study 2 assessed implicit aggression using the Implicit Association Test (IAT) to examine the relationship among narcissism, sense of power, and implicit aggression.

Results

The results indicated that (1) covert narcissism was positively associated with explicit aggression, which was partially mediated by sense of power; (2) overt narcissism was positively correlated with explicit aggression, which was not mediated by sense of power; (3) overt and covert narcissism were positively associated with implicit aggression, whereas sense of power was not significantly correlated with implicit aggression; (4) there was no correlation between explicit aggression and implicit aggression.

Discussion

These findings offer valuable insights into the distinct psychological mechanisms underlying the explicit and implicit aggression, as suggested that their predictors were distinct. Covert narcissism may interact with other factors (e.g., sensitivity and hostility) to activate sense of power, thereby eliciting explicit aggression. Whereas individuals with higher overt and covert narcissism showed stronger implicit aggression.

Does the pursuit of perfection by Chinese people harm interpersonal relationships? Evidence from the Wenjuan

Objective

This study aims to explore the mechanisms of the relationship between Perfectionism and interpersonal relationships.

Methods

Data were collected and research was conducted using the online platform Wenjuanxing, which distributed the Psychological Resilience Scale, Core Self-Evaluation Scale, Interpersonal Sensitivity Questionnaire, Perfectionism Scale, and Peer Relationships Scale.

Results

Perfectionism not only directly and significantly predicts interpersonal sensitivity, but it can also mediate interpersonal sensitivity through dual or triple mediation paths formed by Psychological Resilience, Peer Relationships, and Core Self-Evaluation.

Conclusion

Perfectionism can directly and significantly predict interpersonal sensitivity and can also indirectly predict interpersonal sensitivity through Psychological Resilience, Peer Relationships, and Core Self-Evaluation. The traditional Confucian educational philosophy in China advocates core values such as "benevolence," "righteousness," "propriety," and "wisdom," emphasizing that individuals should constantly cultivate themselves and their families to achieve moral perfection. This can lead to heightened interpersonal sensitivity and severe psychological repression. Modern education should build on traditional educational values while promoting inclusivity and tolerance, encouraging individuals to focus on the present, accept their emotions and experiences, respect human freedom of development, and safeguard psychological health.

The social self: Categorisation of family members examined through the self-bias effect in new mothers

Self-concept is the basis for many cognitive and behavioural processes, such as the processing of self-related information (e.g. one's own face, one's own name) and the categorisation of people into various social groups (e.g. self vs. other, family vs. non-family). Previous research suggests that one's self-concept is not only construed from individual characteristics but also from one's social experiences and group memberships. Thus, important life experiences such as childbirth and becoming a parent have significant impacts on one's self-concept and subsequently influence the categorisation of information regarding the self and others. In two experiments, women who gave birth within the last 2 years were recruited and tested on a series of categorisation tasks using names (Experiment 1) or faces (Experiment 2) as stimuli. Results consistently revealed faster reaction times in response to the self regardless of stimulus type (name or face) and response category (self vs. other, family vs. non-family, familiar vs. non-familiar). A family bias for one's own baby name and one's own mother name over friend was observed in the family versus non-family but not in the familiar versus non-familiar categorisation tasks. These findings indicate that information regarding the self and one's family members receives preferential processing in social categorisation. These findings contribute to current understandings of the evolving self-concept through social experiences and its influence on group membership categorisations and response behaviour.

The Growth Mindset of Beauty Promotes Risk-Taking Propensity and Behavior

Beauty has pervasive implications for success in various domains of life. Given this broad and visible nature, whether and how a belief in the improvability of this important human attribute influences judgment and decision-making is largely unknown. We found that beauty implicit theories can produce strong cross-domain impact on risk-taking behavior. Using both hypothetical choices and real behaviors in one cross-country survey and nine experiments, including three supplementary studies (N = 4,015), we found that (a) incremental theorists, who believed that beauty is malleable and improvable, took greater risks than entity theorists, who believed that beauty is fixed, and (b) an incremental belief of beauty heightens a sense of optimism that one will achieve positive outcomes in various domains of life, which consequently promotes risk-seeking behavior. These findings demonstrate that domain-specific implicit theory (i.e. beauty in our case) can affect behavior beyond that domain (non-beauty related risk-taking).

Unlocking academic success: the impact of time management on college students' study engagement

BACKGROUND

In this study, the purpose was to examine the impact of time management on college students' study engagement and to determine the mechanisms involved. Consequently, we examined the relationship between time management and engagement in study, as well as self-control and mobile phone dependence.

METHODS

The Adolescence Time Management Disposition Scale (ATMD), College Student Mobile Phone Dependence Questionnaire (CSMPDQ), Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-student (UWES-S), and Self-Control Scale (SCS) were administered to 1016 college students. A Pearson's correlation analysis and a mediation analysis using bootstrapping were performed in order to test for standard method bias using SPSS 22.0.

RESULTS

①Time management was positively associated with self-control and study engagement, and negatively associated with mobile phone dependence (p <.001). self-control was positively associated with study engagement, and negatively associated with mobile phone dependence (p <.001). Mobile phone dependence was negatively associated with study engagement (p <.01). ②Time management can not only directly predict study engagement (95%CI, 0.102 - 0.208) but also affects study engagement through three indirect paths: self-control was a mediator (95%CI, 0.066 - 0.158), mobile phone dependence was a mediator (95%CI, 0.043 - 0.109), and self-control and mobile phone dependence were a chain mediator (95%CI, 0.012 - 0.032).

CONCLUSION

Time management not only influences study engagement directly, but also through the mediating effect of self-control and mobile phone dependence indirectly.

Cultural perspective on religion, spirituality and mental health

Over the past decade, spirituality and religiosity have gained increasing recognition in the field of mental health, with more individualized approaches emerging. Many mental health professionals have begun integrating aspects of religion and spirituality into their practice and modern psychological therapies have also incorporated principles from ancient Eastern traditions and various worldwide religions. However, these integrations have remained at surface level, assimilating concepts and practices that have been stripped of their ontological framework. The intersection between culture, spirituality and mental wellbeing remains largely underexplored. This can contribute to misunderstandings regarding the conceptualization of mental illness across different cultures and may result in the tokenistic application of 'culturally sensitive' interventions, which can perpetuate the disillusionment that some individuals may experience towards mental health services. This cultural perspective paper examines the intersection between culture, religious/spiritual beliefs and mental health. It engages with some of the concepts described above and embodies an anti-colonialist stance, demonstrating the authors' commitments toward the decolonization of the field of mental health.

The central mediating effect of inhibitory control and negative emotion on the relationship between bullying victimization and social network site addiction in adolescents

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Bullying victimization is strongly associated with social network site addiction among adolescents. However, the underlying mechanisms between these variables remain unclear. This study aims to explore the psychological mechanisms linking bullying victimization to social network site addiction by examining the mediating roles of depression, anxiety, stress, and inhibitory control.

METHODS

A self-report survey was conducted among a sample of 1,005 adolescents in China. The survey included measures of bullying victimization, social network site addiction, depression, anxiety, stress, and inhibitory control. Descriptive and correlational analyses were performed, followed by the construction of a chain mediation model.

RESULTS

Bullying victimization was significantly positively associated with social network site addiction. However, this relationship became non-significant when negative emotional states (depression, anxiety, stress) and inhibitory control were introduced as mediating variables. Specifically, bullying victimization significantly predicted negative emotional states and was negatively associated with inhibitory control. Negative emotional states were also negatively related to inhibitory control, while inhibitory control was negatively associated with social network site addiction. Among the negative emotional states, stress and anxiety showed a significant negative correlation with social network site addiction.

CONCLUSION

This study sheds further light on the psychological mechanisms linking bullying victimization and social network site addiction among adolescents. Depression, anxiety, stress, and inhibitory control act as mediating factors in this relationship. These findings highlight the importance of targeting these variables in understanding and developing interventions for social network site addiction among adolescents.

Tackling Loneliness, Ineffective Social Support, and Mental Ill-Health Among People With Higher Weight

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

People with higher weight are at greater risk of experiencing loneliness and mental ill-health, in part due to challenging social networks that can be unsupportive of efforts to engage in positive health behaviours and a source of weight-based stigma and discrimination. Targeting this issue is a manualised intervention, Groups 4 Health (G4H), that helps people to optimise social connectedness and group-based belonging for effective support to reduce loneliness and mental ill-health. We evaluated the efficacy of this program for people with higher weight.

DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS

We conducted a matched controlled trial (non-randomised) with 98 Australian adults with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m2 (n = 49 in the intervention group). Retention rates at T2 were comparable to previous trials: intervention group n = 33 (67.3%); matched control group n = 36 (73.5%).

INTERVENTION AND OUTCOMES

Loneliness, well-being, weight-related social support, depression, and eating disorder symptoms were assessed pre-intervention (T0), post-intervention (T1), and at 4-month follow-up (T2).

RESULTS

Among the intervention group, loneliness (d = -0.66, p < 0.001), depression (d = -0.58, p < 0.001), and eating disorder symptoms (d = -0.77, p < 0.001) all significantly decreased from T0 to T2. Similarly, well-being (d = 0.80, p < 0.001) and experiences of effective weight-related social support (d = 0.68, p < 0.001) significantly increased from T0 to T2. These positive changes were not observed in the matched control group.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings provide strong preliminary support for the efficacy of G4H among people with higher weight to address loneliness and challenging social networks, which pose key psychosocial barriers to health.

PATIENT AND PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

The Groups 4 Health program has previously undergone a published codesign and consumer feedback process. The materials for this study were co-produced with a member of the research team with lived experience to ensure that the content was non-stigmatising and relevant to the population of the study. The research team member is a representative of a consumer advocacy association, and contributed to the study design, data collection, interpretation of results, and manuscript revisions.

A registered report of preregistration practices in studies of electroencephalogram (EEG) and event-related potentials (ERPs): A first look at accessibility, adherence, transparency, and selection bias

Common explanations for replication failures in neuroscience and psychophysiology include the exploitation of researcher degrees of freedom and ambiguous or inappropriate methodology, creating an environment in which flexibility during data processing and analysis could increase the probability of erroneous or irreplicable findings. The present registered report described preregistration practices in EEG/ERP studies, quantified adherence to preregistration, and estimated expected replication/discovery rates. Out of 506 preregistrations and 25 registered reports screened, 385 met eligibility. The EEG/ERP preregistrations resulted in 92 published manuscripts. For the preregistered studies, 57-99% included the minimal necessary methodological detail for replication. Adherence to preregistration in the 92 published studies averaged 60%. Exploratory analyses indicated that registered reports had the highest average adherence (92%), followed by articles explicitly mentioning preregistration (60%), and then by those not mentioning preregistration (39%). Only 16% of published studies fully adhered to preregistered plans or disclosed all deviations. Preregistered studies reported more methodological details (64% vs. 61%) and more frequently justified sample sizes and data exclusion than companion non-preregistered studies. A z-curve analysis indicated that selective reporting was likely present in published preregistered studies. Although preregistration can enhance transparency and reduce researcher bias in EEG/ERP research, current practices fall short. Ambiguity in preregistrations and inconsistent adherence undermine utility of preregistration. Moving forward, researchers should prioritize clarity and accessibility in preregistrations, and journals should implement policies to ensure the review of preregistration adherence.

The Relationship Between Dispositional Awe and Reactive Aggression: The Serial Mediation Role of Trait Anger and Self-Control

Previous research has shown that state awe will decrease aggressive behavior in individuals and reduce implicit trait aggression. However, hardly any studies have been conducted to show the relationship between individual dispositional awe and reactive aggression as well as the underlying psychological mechanisms. Based on the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotion and the expanded model of awe, this study explored the effects of trait anger and self-control on the relationship between dispositional awe predicting reactive aggression. The trait anger, self-control, dispositional awe, and reactive aggression scales were completed by a total of 611 college students who were recruited from universities. The findings demonstrated a negative correlation between dispositional awe and reactive aggression (r = -.35, p < .01). The link between dispositional awe and reactive aggression is mediated by trait anger (β = -.201, 95% CI [-.25, -.15]) and self-control (β = -.038, 95% CI [-.07, -.01]). Additionally, a serial mediation effect of trait anger and self-control was observed between dispositional awe and reactive aggression (β = -.022, 95% CI [-.04, -.01]). This study reveals the relationship between dispositional awe and reactive aggression and its mechanism of effect which has some practical implications for the prevention and reduction of reactive aggression among college students.