Belief in a just world and meaning in life among Chinese adolescents: The mediating role of basic psychological need satisfaction

Previous literature has shown that adults with higher belief in a just world (BJW) experience greater meaning in life than those with less pronounced BJW. However, the role of BJW in adolescent meaning in life and the associated psychological mechanisms remain unclear. Thus, two studies were conducted to explore the roles of personal belief in a just world (PBJW) and general belief in a just world (GBJW) in meaning in life as well as the explanatory role of basic psychological need satisfaction among Chinese adolescents. Study 1 offered cross-sectional evidence that individuals higher in PBJW and GBJW displayed greater meaning in life, and basic psychological need satisfaction accounted for these associations. Study 2 provided longitudinal evidence that individuals higher in PBJW and GBJW at Time 1 exhibited greater meaning in life six months later (Time 2), wherein basic psychological need satisfaction at Time 1 served as a mediator. These findings contribute to understanding the adaptive benefits of PBJW and GBJW in meaning in life during adolescence and point to a crucial channel connecting BJW and meaning in life.

The social gradient in adolescent mental health: mediated or moderated by belief in a just world?

PURPOSE

A social gradient in adolescent mental health exists: adolescents with higher socioeconomic status (SES) have fewer mental health problems than their peers with lower SES. Little is known about whether adolescents' societal beliefs play a role in this social gradient. Belief in a just world (BJW) may be a mediator or moderator of the social gradient in adolescent mental health.

METHODS

Using data from 848 adolescents (Mage = 17) in the Netherlands, path analyses examined whether two indicators of BJW (general and personal) mediated or moderated the associations between two indicators of SES (family affluence and perceived family wealth), and four indicators of adolescent mental health problems (emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity, and peer problems).

RESULTS

Adolescents with lower family affluence and lower perceived family wealth reported more emotional symptoms, and the association between perceived family wealth and emotional symptoms was mediated by lower personal and general BJW. Furthermore, higher personal BJW amplified the negative association between SES and peer problems.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests BJW may both mediate and amplify the social gradient in adolescent mental health. Adolescents' beliefs about society may be important to include in research aimed at understanding this social gradient.

Academic resilience, moral perfectionism, and self-compassion among undergraduate nursing students: A cross-sectional, multi-center study

BACKGROUND

Academic resilience has been identified as a coping method for nursing students' educational and practice challenges. Despite the importance of academic resilience, knowledge on how to enhance academic resilience is under-researched. To suggest suitable approaches, relationships between academic resilience and other constructs need to be appraised.

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to evaluate predictors of academic resilience, examining its relationships with other essential constructs: self-compassion and moral perfectionism, in undergraduate nursing students in Iran.

DESIGN

This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2022.

PARTICIPANTS

A convenience sample of 250 undergraduate nursing students at three universities in Iran participated in this study by completing self-report measures.

METHODS

Data collection tools were Nursing Student Academic Resilience Inventory, Moral Perfectionism scale, and Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

The mean and standard deviation of academic resilience were 57.57 ± 23.69; moral perfectionism 50.24 ± 9.97, and self-compassion 37.19 ± 5.02. Self-compassion had significantly related to moral perfectionism (r = 0.23, p < 0.001). Academic resilience had no statistically significant relationship with moral perfectionism (r = -0.05, p = 0.41) and self-compassion (r = -0.06, p = 0.35), but significantly affect age (r = 0.14, p = 0.03), Grade point average (r = 0.18, p < 0.001) and university of study (r = 0.56, p < 0.001). The grade point average and the university of the study predicted 33 % of the changes in academic resilience, and the greatest impact was related to the university (r = 0.56, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Adopting appropriate educational strategies and supporting the students will help improve nursing students' academic resilience and performance. Promoting self-compassion will lead to the development of nursing students' moral perfectionism.

Childhood neglect and academic performance in Chinese adolescents: A serial mediation model

BACKGROUND

Chinese parents and students, especially senior high school students, attach great importance to academic performance. Some studies have confirmed that childhood neglect is related to academic performance. However, the internal mechanism is relatively underexplored.

OBJECTIVE

Guided by life course theory and bioecological theory, this study examined the relationship between childhood neglect and academic performance using a serial mediation model that included belief in a just world (PBJW) and academic resilience as hypothesized mediators.

METHODS

A sample of 614 tenth grade students (297 males and 307 females, and 10 who did not report their sex; M_age = 15.75 years old, SD = 0.71 years old) completed questionnaires regarding demographics, childhood neglect, PBJW, academic resilience, and academic performance.

RESULTS

After demographic covariates were controlled for, the results revealed that: (a) childhood neglect was negatively associated with academic performance; (b) PBJW and academic resilience mediated the link between childhood neglect and academic performance in a parallel fashion; and (c) PBJW and academic resilience also mediated the link between childhood neglect and academic performance in a sequential fashion.

CONCLUSIONS

Childhood neglect is negatively related to adolescent academic performance, and the relation is mediated by PBJW and academic resilience both parallelly and sequentially.

Quality of life and academic resilience of Filipino nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

Studies on quality of life (QoL) and academic resilience among nursing students during the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic remain underreported. This study investigated the relationship between nursing students' QoL and academic resilience and their predictors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A descriptive survey, cross-sectional study that used two self-reported questionnaire scales to evaluate the QoL and academic resilience of Filipino nursing students (n=924). Chi-squared test and multiple regression were used to analyze the data.

RESULTS

There was no significant association between the QoL and academic resilience to participants' profile variables. Gender and year level of nursing students were significant predictors of QoL and academic resilience.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study concludes that a better understanding of the QoL and academic resilience, which are two distinct concepts critical in developing a student's mental well-being, will help stakeholders in nursing education establish effective psychoeducation programs for nursing students.

Structural equation modeling of the relationship between nursing students’ quality of life and academic resilience

Objective

Across the Middle Eastern countries, there is a lack of studies exploring the connection between the quality of life (QoL) and academic resilience of nursing students. This study determines the association between nursing students’ profile variables and their QoL and academic resilience (AR).

Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional design with structural equation modeling (SEM) was adopted. This study was conducted at the College of Nursing at the University of Ha'il, KSA. Survey questionnaires using the 12-item Brunnsviken Brief Quality of Life Scale (BBQ) and 30-item Academic Resilience Scale (ARS-30) were utilised to collect data from nursing students (n = 384). SEM via latent variable analysis (lavaan) software version 0.6–7 was used for statistical derivation and analysis.

Results

SEM revealed no correlation with QoL and AR when compared using the participants’ profile variables (gender, year level, and enrolled units). There was a correlation between the grade point average (GPA) and QoL. However, no association was found between QoL and AR.

Conclusion

GPA exhibited a positive correlation with QoL; thus, nursing students with higher GPA have a more stable and desirable QoL. Additionally, our findings illustrate the individuality of nursing students despite their shared characteristics.