Flexibility and inflexibility in an Iranian sample: psychometric properties of MPFI based on the Hexaflex model

OBJECTIVES

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) emphasizes the importance of psychological flexibility in promoting emotional, psychological, and social well-being, while also acknowledging rigidity as a precursor to psychological disorders. Analyzing the psychometric qualities based on the multidimensional Hexaflex model is critical for determining the efficiency of therapeutic interventions. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate the psychometric features of the Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory (MPFI) within the context of the Hexaflex model in a group of Iranian university students.

METHODS

Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used in this study to evaluate the psychometric features of the flexibility/inflexibility scale (MPFI) in a sample of Iranian university students.

FINDINGS

In the exploratory factor analysis involving a sample of 300 students, six factors were identified for flexibility and six for inflexibility (56.3% males and 43.7% females). In the confirmatory factor analysis with a sample of 388 participants, the results validated 60 items across a total of six flexibility and inflexibility factors. This outcome can serve as a robust estimate for flexibility, inflexibility, the second-order model, and the final model. Cronbach's alpha values for various components, including acceptance, present-moment awareness (or contact with the present moment), self as context, cognitive defusing, values, committed action, total flexibility, experiential avoidance, lack of present-moment awareness, self as content, fusion, lack of contact with values, inaction, and total inflexibility, were reported as follows: 0.818, 0.869, 0.862, 0.904, 0.935, 0.935, 0.942, 0.895, 0.839, 0.883, 0.904, 0.912, 0.941, and 0.941, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The Farsi version of the MPFI for university students has great psychometric qualities, making it a reliable assessment instrument for the ACT.

Exploration of vulnerability factors of digital hoarding behavior among university students and the moderating role of maladaptive perfectionism

In light of the rapidly evolving digital landscape, there is an increasing need to explore digital hoarding behavior. This need is driven by concerns regarding its intricate psychological foundations and its impact on individuals within our technology-centric society. This research investigates the influence of various factors, including the fear of missing out, emotional attachment, information overload, and decision fatigue, on digital hoarding behaviors among university students in Iran. Additionally, the study examines the moderating role of maladaptive perfectionism in these relationships. The study involved 275 university students (mean age = 21.62 years; standard deviation = 2.28 years; 65.6% female) selected from four universities in Iran. The data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results revealed that the fear of missing out, emotional attachment, information overload, and decision fatigue significantly predict university students' digital hoarding behavior. Moreover, the findings highlighted the moderating effect of maladaptive perfectionism on the association between emotional attachment and digital hoarding behavior. This suggests that individuals with higher levels of maladaptive perfectionism exhibit amplified digital hoarding tendencies when emotionally attached to their digital data. This study provides a deeper understanding of the relationship between psychological factors and digital hoarding tendencies. These findings have practical implications for educational institutions and mental health professionals, as they can help in developing targeted strategies and interventions to manage digital hoarding behavior in university freshmen and promote healthier digital habits.

A serial mediation model of negative life events on school adjustment of left-behind adolescents in rural china: the central role of hope and gratitude

Adjustment difficulties of school students are common and their school adjustment has gained wide concern in recent years. Negative life events (NLEs) hope, and gratitude have been associated with school adjustment. However, the potential effect of NLEs on hope and gratitude and whether hope and gratitude mediate the association between NLEs and school adjustment among high students have not been studied. Thus, this study aims to investigate the association between NLEs, hope and gratitude, and school adjustment in high school students in China. Additionally, the study aims to examine the mediating role of hope and gratitude in the association between NLEs and school adjustment. A total of 700 junior high school students in Guangxi Province (336 boys, 364 girls, M age = 15 years) completed the questionnaire. The results indicated significant mediating effects of hope and gratitude in the sequential positive association between NLEs and school adjustment. Furthermore, this study unraveled the complexity of the link between NLEs and school adjustment with the combination of hope and gratitude. The findings emphasized the importance of fostering hope and gratitude in left-behind adolescents to combat the negative consequences of NLEs. The study is also one of the first to investigate a serial mediation model to determine which NLEs influence Chinese left-behind adolescents' school adjustment.

The Effectiveness of an Empowerment Education Intervention for Substance Use Reduction among Inner-City Adolescents in Nigeria

(1) Background: Substance use among inner-city adolescents is at an alarming rate in Nigeria. Despite their high exposure to this risk, limited experimental tests have been conducted on prevention programs. (2) Methods: This study investigates the effectiveness of an empowerment education intervention in reducing the risk of substance use in Abuja's inner-city adolescents. Random selection placed adolescents into intervention and control conditions, and assessment was conducted at baseline, post-test, and 3-months follow-up intervention. After pre-test, the intervention group engaged in an empowerment education intervention of 11 sessions. (3) Results: In a post-test of three months, results show significant and positive changes among adolescents in substance use, including a notable reduction in positive attitudes toward drugs. In other words, the results showed adolescents reported less depression and substance use as well as higher peer support, parental support, social competence, and self-esteem at post-test and 3-month follow-ups as compared to the pre-intervention period. In addition, at both post-test and the 3-month follow-up, the intervention group performed better than the control group on peer support, parental support, social competence, and self-esteem. (4) Conclusions: This study presents a new indication that the empowerment education intervention effectively reduces substance use among Nigeria's inner-city adolescents.

Improving hardiness among university students: A meta-analysis of intervention studies

Introduction

Increasing the hardiness of students is a crucial objective in higher education. Universities and colleges have created a variety of interventions to improve students' overall hardiness.

Methods

In terms of the effects of such interventions, empirical research has shown inconclusive results. This meta-analysis applies 12 effect sizes from 12 independent empirical studies, with a total of 640 participants, to assess the overall impact of interventions on students' hardiness and to test for moderators, in light of the contradictory findings in prior work. The current meta-analysis calculates the standardized mean differences (SMD) of pre-post interventions. The level of study heterogeneity, represented by I ², was interpreted as small (I ² ≤ 25%), moderate (25% < I ² ≤ 50%), substantial (50% < I ² ≤ 75%), or considerable (I ² > 75%). Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis.

Results

The results show that the interventions had a significant positive overall effect on students' hardiness (g = 0.998, k = 12) and show significant heterogeneity among effect sizes. Among the interventions, cognitive-based intervention yielded the largest mean effect size (g = 2.015, k = 5). Furthermore, moderator analyses suggest that the effects of the interventions on students' hardiness are moderated by respondent type, culture, intervention type, research design, years, and duration of intervention.

Discussion

We conclude that interventions that promote students' hardiness are officious. Despite the low homogeneity of the results and limitations of this meta-analysis (e.g., a small number of included studies) which might have influenced the findings, the large fail-safe N suggests that these findings are robust. The study examined potential causes of heterogeneity and emphasized the importance of further research in this area.

Smartphone addiction and phubbing behavior among university students: A moderated mediation model by fear of missing out, social comparison, and loneliness

Introduction

This article examines mediators and moderators that may explain the link between smartphone addiction and phubbing behavior using a sample of 794 university students.

Methods

A mediation model was tested to test the hypothesis that social comparison orientation and fear of missing out would mediate the link between smartphone addiction and phubbing behavior. Additionally, a moderated mediation model was leveraged to examine loneliness as a moderator within the hypothesized model. The data collected were analyzed using SPSS.

Results and Discussion

The findings show a significant positive relationship between smartphone addiction and phubbing behavior. The findings confirm the hypothesized associations and reveal that smartphone addiction is positively linked to phubbing behavior. The link, on the other hand, is partially and sequentially mediated by the fear of missing out and social comparison orientation. As a result, both mediators might be regarded as proximal variables of phubbing behavior. Moreover, the associations between both smart addiction and phubbing behaviors as well as social comparison orientation and phubbing behaviors are moderated by loneliness. These two effects were stronger for university students with high loneliness than for those with low loneliness. This study addresses a major gap in the clinical psychology literature through the attempt to explore the relationship between smartphone addiction and increased phubbing behavior among university students.

Effects of Combined Upper and Lower Limb Plyometric Training Interventions on Physical Fitness in Athletes: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

Objective: We aimed to meta-analyze the effects of combined upper and lower limb plyometric training (ULLPT) on physical fitness attributes in athletes. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, PubMed, and SCOPUS, for up to 13 August 2022. Controlled studies with baseline and follow-up measures were included if they examined the effects of ULLPT on at least one measure of physical fitness indices in athletes. A random effects meta-analysis was performed using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software. Results: Fifteen moderate-to-high-quality studies with 523 participants aged 12−22.4 years were included in the analyses. Small to large (ES = 0.42−1.66; p = 0.004 to <0.001) effects were noted for upper and lower body muscle power, linear sprint speed, upper and lower body muscle strength, agility, and flexibility, while no significant effects on static and dynamic balance were noted (ES = 0.44−0.10; all p > 0.05). Athletes’ sex, age, and training program variables had no modulator role on the effects of ULLPT in available data sets. Conclusions: ULLPT induces distinct neuro-muscular adaptations in the upper and lower body musculature and is an efficient method for enhancing athletes’ physical fitness.

Social Identity, Core Self-Evaluation, School Adaptation, and Mental Health Problems in Migrant Children in China: A Chain Mediation Model

(1) Background: The present study investigated the relationships between social identity, core self-evaluation, school adaptation, and mental health problems in migrant children, and the mechanism underlying these relationships; (2) Methods: The participants were migrant middle school students in China. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 26. A survey comprising the social identity scale, core self-evaluation scale, school adaptation scale, and mental health scale MMHI-60 was deployed; (3) Results: Findings indicated a significant and negative association between social identity and mental health problems, and such an association was sequentially mediated by core self-evaluation and school adaptation. Furthermore, core self-evaluation and school adaptation played a chain mediation role between social identity and migrant children's mental health problems; (4) Conclusions: It is crucial to improve social identity, core self-evaluation, and school adaptation to reduce mental health problems among this population. Therefore, the research results provide a new direction for promoting the development of mental health education for migrant workers and their children in China.

The Efficacy of Positive Education Intervention for Academic Boredom and Intrinsic Motivation among College Students: A Quasi-Experimental Study

(1) Background: The influence of academic boredom and intrinsic motivation on students' learning and achievements is receiving more attention from scholars. Nevertheless, studies on how intervention decreases academic boredom and promotes intrinsic motivation during study remain unexplored. (2) Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate whether positive education intervention based on the PERMA model would help Chinese college students with learning-related academic boredom, class-related academic boredom, and intrinsic motivation. (3) Methods: This study is quasi-experimental research with a control group including pre-test and post-test. The study was conducted with 173 students, including 86 (n1 = 86) experimental and 87 (n2 = 87) control group students. (4) Results: Results revealed that students in the intervention condition reported significant reductions in learning-related academic boredom and class-related academic boredom, and significant increases in intrinsic motivation in comparison to their counterparts in the control group. (5) Conclusions: These findings indicate that positive education intervention for college students is a promising approach to reducing academic boredom and increasing intrinsic motivation among Chinese college students.

Intervention effect of group counseling on social support and post-stress growth of orphans and vulnerable children in China

Orphans and vulnerable children fall under the category of children who are at risk of exposure to more stressful circumstances and receive less social assistance compared to other children. This study aims to investigate the impact of group counseling based on social intervention and psychological therapy (SSGPC) on social support and the perceived stress growth of orphans and vulnerable children. In one special educational needs school in Nanning, China, the SSGPC was developed and implemented. Using the social support and post-stress growth scales, the researchers investigated the effects of SSGPC on orphans and vulnerable children. Twenty-seven orphans and vulnerable children between the ages of nine and 12 were arbitrarily assigned to the experimental and control groups. A pre-test post-test method of quasi-experimental design was applied, with 13 participants in the experimental group and 14 in the control group. The results revealed that the intervention group had significantly higher scores for social support and post-stress growth than the control group. The SSGPC had significantly improved the levels of social support for orphans. The findings indicated that the SSGPC provided an effective way to improve social support and post-stress growth of orphans and vulnerable children.

Determinants of research performance of university academics and the moderating and mediating roles of organizational culture and job crafting

Purpose

This paper aims to identify the role of organizational and individual factors in predicting the research performance of academics when job crafting is a mediator variable and organizational culture is a moderating variable.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was conducted by collecting responses from academics at five Malaysian research-based universities. The sample size was 273. Standard questionnaires were used to collect the data. The data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling.

Findings

The most significant predictors of research performance were organizational culture, individual effort and professional development, whereby job crafting was most optimally predicted by work engagement and transformational leadership. While organizational culture moderated the relationship between transformational leadership and research performance, the mediating role of job crafting was insignificant between work engagement and research performance.

Research limitations/implications

The findings have important implications for human resource development practitioners (HRD) in terms of improving overall academic research performance. Practical interventions are suggested to assist academics in enhancing their performance. This study highlights how academic performance can be managed more effectively.

Originality/value

The findings extend the HRD literature in higher education and offer a framework that enhances the understanding of the organizational and individual factors that influence academics' research performance within a specific context of research universities in a non-Western context.

Does a Person-Environment-Fit Promote the Academic Achievement of Hearing-Impaired Students in Malaysian Polytechnics? The Mediating Effects of Satisfaction and Adjustment

(1) This study investigates the influence of a person-environment-fit on academic achievement and examines mediating effects of adjustment and satisfaction on this relationship; (2) Methods: Data were collected from a sample of 195 hearing-impaired students from five polytechnics in Malaysia that offered the Special Skills Certificate program; (3) Results: Results revealed that the two constructs of the person-environment approach: personality-major fit and needs-supplies fit were positively associated with academic achievement. The adjustment was found to mediate this relationship. Taken together, these results signal that the person-environment constructs contribute to the academic achievement of hearing-impaired students and that adjustment is instrumental in elucidating this relationship; (4) Conclusions: The finding adds to the data, indicating that the person-environment-fit is a possible model of inclusion for hearing-impaired students and also provides initial data about the functioning of hearing-impaired students in Malaysian polytechnics.

Teacher’s Teaching Practices in the Class of Mualaf (New Convert)

Education is highly emphasized in Islam because it can guide people to live righteous life according to Islamic law. The same also applies to mualaf or converts, who should be provided with proper education and guidance to perform their duties as true Muslims. In Malaysia, an increasing number of individuals are embracing Islam as their way of life. They are given an education and need to attend classes to ensure that they understand and practice the teachings of Islam properly. Therefore, teachers play an important role in achieving this goal by applying interesting and effective teaching methods. This study was conducted to identify the perceptions of mualaf students on their teachers&#39; teaching practices in the classroom to ensure that they understand and practice what they have learned in class, besides strengthening their faith and morals. A total of 124 mualaf students from two educational institutions in one of the states in Malaysia were involved in this study using quantitative methods. Questionnaires were used to collect data based on the objectives of the study. The results showed that students had a positive perception of the teaching methods used by their teachers. This study also discussed some of the problems faced by mualaf students in their learning process. Overall, the findings of the study indicated that most students have a positive view of their teachers&rsquo; teaching. The current findings are expected to provide input to relevant agencies and a guide to improving the quality of teaching for mualafs.

Role of Restorativeness in Improving the Psychological Well-Being of University Students

Many university students experience high levels of study-related fatigue, hence, necessitating opportunities for restoration. They could potentially benefit from campus-based physical activities that provide them with effective restoration breaks and allow them to return to their studies cognitively refreshed. Thus, a cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the association between perceived restorativeness among postgraduates and their psychological well-being by using the four constructs of Kaplan's attention restoration theory (ART): fascination, being away, extent, and compatibility. In this study, nature view windows were also used as a moderator. Malaysian postgraduate students [n = 192; 94 females; age in years (M = 30.64, SD = 2.73)] completed the Ryff's scale of psychological wellbeing (PWB) and perceived restorativeness scale for activity (PRAS). This study used the partial least squares-structural equation model (PLS-SEM) to examine these relationships. The results demonstrate that three ART constructs, namely, being away, fascination, and compatibility, are significant predictors of psychological well-being across the sample size. Furthermore, for participants who reside in university dormitories, windows that overlook nature can enhance the relationship of being away, compatibility, and fascination to psychological well-being, compared with those with less natural views. Thus, this study confirmed the moderating effect of nature view windows and provided insight into the ART constructs that facilitate and enhance restorative experiences. By strengthening ART with additional factors, this study has also contributed toward the improvement of the psychological well-being of university students.

Challenges and Readiness of Islamic Education Teachers in Innovative Teaching and Learning

The importance of Islamic education in building generations and society is undeniable. The field of Islamic education is not static but is constantly evolving as time goes by. In this paper, the author explored the technological innovations in today's world of education as well as the effects of Islamic Education teachers. The paper also discussed the barriers to implement technological education in Islamic education. Because of the current advent and emerging developments of technology and the impact of globalization, the paper offered possible solutions for Islamic educational systems and educational policymakers so as not to miss and fail the momentum of development. This study contributes towards strengthening the Islamic education system to engage in any innovation and transformation that may take place.

A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of Parent-Assisted Children's Friendship Training to Improve Social Skills and Friendship Quality in Children with Autism in Malaysia

Background: This study evaluates the effectiveness of parent-assisted children's friendship training intervention for enhancing friendship quality and social skills among children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We conducted a quasi-experimental study to investigate the effective outcomes of social skills and friendship quality in the pre-and post-parent-assisted CFT intervention phases; Methods: to conduct a 12-week field session, 30 children with their parents were selected. The Social Skills Improvement System Rating Scales and the Quality of Play Questionnaire-Parent were used to assess the effectiveness of the parent-assisted children's friendship training during pre-and post-intervention. A semi-structured interview with parents was conducted at the end of the session; Results: findings revealed that intervention improved the social skills of these children. Additionally, the friendship quality of children with ASD improved before and after the intervention, however, engagement remained unchanged. Parents also showed some sort of improvement after the session as they reported a heightened sense of fear and resistance, awareness, learning and adjustment, change is not easy, and identifying support; Conclusions: there was clear evidence that children with ASD benefitted from parent-assisted CFTs in terms of social skills and friendship quality. However, larger and controlled studies are required to draw firm conclusions about this kind of intervention.

Financial Insecurity During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Spillover Effects on Burnout-Disengagement Relationships and Performance of Employees Who Moonlight

The novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has magnified the issue of financial insecurity. However, its effect on individual-organizational relations and, consequently, on organizational performance remains understudied. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore the spillover effect of financial insecurity on the burnout-disengagement relationship during the pandemic. The authors investigate in particular whether the spillover effect influences the performance of moonlighting employees and also explore the mediating effect of disengagement on the relationship between financial insecurity and burnout interaction effect and the performance (i.e., mediated-moderation). This study collected responses from 162 public and private sector employees who are engaged in moonlighting activities in Malaysia. The results from the partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) revealed greater levels of financial insecurity and burnout associated with greater levels of work disengagement. The analysis of the interaction-moderation effect showed that when financial insecurity rises, the burnout effect on work disengagement increases among moonlighters. Using the PROCESS macro model, the results displayed burnout as a predictor of extra-role performance via a moderated (financial insecurity) mediation (work disengagement) relationship. Going forward, this study not only opens new avenues for research into the financial consequences of COVID-19 but also calls on managers to take proactive steps to mitigate the negative effect of the pandemic on the performance of moonlighting employees to keep them in the profession.

Researching natural disaster preparedness through health behavioral change models

There have been an increasing number of studies conducted on community preparedness, particularly on changing individual health behaviors in ways that minimizes individual risk to cope with the stress of a natural disaster. A variety of behavioral change theories and models used by disaster academics scrutinize the manner in which individual behavior is sought and transformed into disaster preparedness. This reflects the lack of knowledge about how these models identify certain behaviors regarding natural disaster preparation. This article seeks to address this lack of knowledge. It presents a set of health behavioral change models that can be used by scholars to comprehend variation in the nature and extent of individual disaster preparedness. The purpose of this study is to provide a review of the existing models on the subject, and also to present a comparative analysis of the models that may contribute to ways of understanding the investigation on natural disaster preparedness behaviors.