The practice of psychological well-being education model for poor university students from the perspective of positive psychology

The influence of COVID-19 pandemic on college students' academic performance and the construction of a learning ability warning system

Objective

This study explored the impact of prevention and control measures taken by Chinese universities on college students' academic performance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Participants

The sample includes 1,009 senior students, 1,140 junior and sophomore students, and 1,198 freshman students studying at a top university in China from 2012 to 2023.

Methods

Analysis of variance was used to analyze historical data, and a learning ability warning system based on probabilistic neural networks was further proposed.

Results

There was a significant difference in student academic performance from 2019 to 2022 compared to historical data. Prevention and control measures such as school closures and online teaching have affected the academic performance of college students.

Conclusion

COVID-19 has a negative impact on college students' learning ability. It is necessary to establish a learning ability warning system to assist university management departments in formulating relevant policies to restore the learning ability of college students.

Effects of Physical Exercise Input on the Exercise Adherence of College Students: The Chain Mediating Role of Sports Emotional Intelligence and Exercise Self-Efficacy

OBJECTIVE

The aims of this study were to investigate the effects and mechanisms of physical exercise input, sports emotional intelligence, and sports self-efficacy on exercise adherence, and to examine the chain-mediating role of sports emotional intelligence→sports self-efficacy.

METHODS

The Physical Exercise Input Scale, Exercise Adherence Scale, Sports Emotional Intelligence Scale, and Sports Self-Efficacy Scale were used to investigate 1390 college students in three universities in the Henan Province.

RESULTS

(1) Physical exercise input was a significant positive predictor of exercise adherence (β = 0.29, t = 5.78, p < 0.001); (2) sports emotional intelligence and sports self-efficacy mediated the relationship between physical exercise input and exercise adherence; (3) physical exercise input influenced exercise adherence through the separate mediating role of sports emotional intelligence (β = 0.10, t = 5.98, p < 0.001), the separate mediating role of sports self-efficacy (β = 0.13, t = 2.64, p < 0.01), and the chain mediating role of sports emotional intelligence→sports self-efficacy (β = 0.09, t = 2.80, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

(1) Physical exercise input can positively predict the level of sports emotional intelligence and sports self-efficacy of college students; (2) Physical exercise input can not only directly influence college students' exercise adherence but can also indirectly influence it through sports emotional intelligence or sports self-efficacy levels alone, as well as through the chain mediation of the two.

Uncertainty in Medical and Dental Students of Pakistan Regarding Their Future Career and Its Major Causes: A Cross-Sectional Study

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to evaluate the extent of confidence in medical and dental students regarding their careers after being enrolled in their germane institutes and to identify the magnitude of uncertainty in medical and dental students about their careers and the important causes of this uncertainty.

METHODS

This study was conducted among enrolled students in different medical and dental colleges and universities of Pakistan, including the public and private sectors, from March 1 to March 15, 2023. The level of confidence in their career was evaluated using a close-ended questionnaire of a three-point Likert scale developed and tested by the investigators and approved by the Ethical Review Board (ERB) along with the synopsis. Data were managed and analyzed using Microsoft Excel 19 (Microsoft Corporation, USA) and IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 27 (released 2020; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States).

RESULTS

This study included 1,126 students from public and private medical and dental institutes. The majority of participants 965(85.7%) were satisfied with their chosen profession, and 1,042 (92.5%) students believed they could make a positive contribution to society. Out of the total participants, 246 (21.8%) students showed their intention of changing careers if provided with a comparable/alternative opportunity. A very small proportion, 154 (13.7%), were dissatisfied with their current clinical training and studies. The study also revealed that extra and unjustified academic pressure from institutions is the leading cause of uncertainty among students. Moreover, the lack of psychological support and counseling provided during the academic years adds to the magnitude of uncertainty.

CONCLUSION

In Pakistan, a staggering number of medical and dental students are unsure of their future careers and career prospects. The main causes of this uncertainty are the extra, unwarranted academic pressure that institutions place on students and the dearth of psychological support and counseling offered during the course of studies. This study not only highlights the prevailing uncertainty among medical students but also identifies the causes behind it. Addressing these causes can alleviate the prevailing uncertainty and bring about satisfactory and productive academic achievements without suffering from worries about the future.

The Effect of Social Support on Depression among Economically Disadvantaged College Students: The Mediating Role of Psychological Resilience and the Moderating Role of Geography

The study examined the influence of social support on depression, including the mediating role of psychological resilience and the moderating role of geography. Questionnaires were completed by 424 economically disadvantaged college students in two provinces, X, a coastal province, and Y, an inland province. The results indicated that (1) the social support of economically disadvantaged college students was positively correlated to psychological resilience (β = 0.62, t = 11.22, p < 0.001); (2) the psychological resilience of economically disadvantaged college students was negatively correlated with depression (β = -0.24, t = -10.3, p < 0.001); (3) the social support of economically disadvantaged college students was negatively correlated with depression (β = -0.08, t = -2.85, p < 0.001); (4) the psychological resilience of economically disadvantaged college students played a partial mediating role between social support and depression; and (5) geography played a moderating role in the effect of social support on depression.