Front Psychol [JOURNAL]
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200 papers
Adverse and positive childhood experiences in relation to adolescent mental health: sequential indirect associations.
Li Y, Cao Y, Liao L … +2 more , Li Q, Chen X
Front Psychol · 2026 · PMID 42396127 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence has linked adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to adolescent mental health problems, whereas positive childhood experiences (PCEs) may serve a protective function. Guided by the stress-...
BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence has linked adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to adolescent mental health problems, whereas positive childhood experiences (PCEs) may serve a protective function. Guided by the stress-vulnerability model, this study examined the associations between ACEs and adolescent mental health, and further investigated the indirect pathways via rumination and psychological resilience, as well as the moderating role of PCEs. METHODS: A total of 700 adolescents were recruited and completed validated measures of ACEs, PCEs, rumination, psychological resilience, and mental health. Indirect association and moderation models were tested using the PROCESS macro in SPSS, and the significance of indirect associations was evaluated with bootstrap confidence intervals. RESULTS: ACEs were significantly associated with poorer mental health. Rumination and psychological resilience each showed significant indirect associations, and together formed a significant sequential indirect association in the cross-sectional model. In addition, PCEs significantly moderated the associations between ACEs and mental health, between ACEs and rumination, and between ACEs and psychological resilience. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest a complex pattern of associations between ACEs and adolescent mental health: rumination and psychological resilience may be involved in a sequential indirect association, and PCEs were associated with a protective moderating pattern. The results may inform risk identification for adolescent mental health and the development of family- and school-based intervention strategies.
Personality profiles and usage experience are associated with trust and dependence on generative AI: a latent profile analysis.
Zhang M, Zhao H, Wang Y
Front Psychol · 2026 · PMID 42396126 · Full text
INTRODUCTION: Generative artificial intelligence (GAI) is increasingly integrated into daily decision-making and task performance, as users rely on it to improve productivity, support decision-making, and reduce perceive...
INTRODUCTION: Generative artificial intelligence (GAI) is increasingly integrated into daily decision-making and task performance, as users rely on it to improve productivity, support decision-making, and reduce perceived human error. However, GAI outputs may contain inaccuracies, misleading content, or algorithmic biases. These issues may contribute to uncritical acceptance or excessive dependence among users, potentially posing risks to individuals and third parties. From an individual perspective, this study systematically explores how personality traits and text-based GAI usage experience interact in relation to users' trust in and dependence on text-based GAI. METHODS: This study was based on a survey of 502 users measuring personality, usage experience, trust, dependence, self-efficacy, and critical thinking. RESULTS: Significant interaction effects were found. Among high-experience users, the Well-Adjusted Type showed the highest dependence and self-efficacy, along with relatively high trust and critical thinking. The Outgoing-Unstructured Type showed the highest overall trust and, among high-experience users, the highest critical thinking, while its dependence did not differ significantly between low- and high-experience users. Overall, the Emotionally-Sensitive Type showed the lowest mean levels across the four outcomes, which may indicate a more cautious pattern of text-based GAI engagement. DISCUSSION: These findings are discussed in relation to an evolutionary-cognitive perspective on how users may engage with human-like communicative cues in text-based GAI. The study emphasizes the importance of personalized text-based GAI usage strategies to mitigate misuse risks.
Editorial: Promoting replicability: empowering method and applied researchers in driving reliable results.
Fernández-García MP, Vallejo-Seco G, Livácic-Rojas P
Front Psychol · 2026 · PMID 42396125 · Full text
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The mediating roles of the challenge appraisal in the relationship between the coach-athlete relationship and adolescent athletes' burnout.
Lee SH, Choi H
Front Psychol · 2026 · PMID 42396124 · Full text
PURPOSE: This study examined the relationships among the coachathlete relationship, challenge appraisal, and athlete burnout in adolescent athletes, with a focus on the mediating role of challenge appraisal. DESIGN/METHO...
PURPOSE: This study examined the relationships among the coachathlete relationship, challenge appraisal, and athlete burnout in adolescent athletes, with a focus on the mediating role of challenge appraisal. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: A total of 323 adolescent athletes (231 males, 92 females) participated in the study. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 26.0, and the mediating effects were examined using the bootstrapping method. RESULTS: First, the coachathlete relationship had a significant positive effect on challenge appraisal (β = 0.374, < 0.001). Second, challenge appraisal negatively influenced athlete burnout (β = -0.173, < 0.01). Third, the coachathlete relationship had a significant negative effect on athlete burnout (β = -0.210, < 0.01). Fourth, challenge appraisal partially mediated the relationship between the coachathlete relationship and athlete burnout (indirect effect = -0.079, < 0.01). CONCLUSION: These findings provide theoretical insights and practical implications for designing psychological intervention programs aimed at preventing burnout in adolescent athletes. The study also emphasizes the importance of coaching strategies and coach education programs that foster emotionally supportive and motivational environments in sports.
Unpacking GenAI-enabled deep learning engagement: role perceptions, human-GenAI synergy strategies, and underlying mechanisms.
Gao Q, Zhou H, Lu H
Front Psychol · 2026 · PMID 42396123 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Generative AI is rapidly transforming how students learn, yet its impact on deep learning varies significantly among individuals. This study investigates the mechanisms linking students' role perception of Ge...
BACKGROUND: Generative AI is rapidly transforming how students learn, yet its impact on deep learning varies significantly among individuals. This study investigates the mechanisms linking students' role perception of GenAI, their human-GenAI synergy strategies, and deep learning engagement. METHODS: A mixed-methods design was employed to analyze data from 181 undergraduate students in a blended course, integrating qualitative coding of reflection reports with quantitative path analysis and latent profile analysis. RESULTS: Human-GenAI synergy strategies fully mediate the relationship between role perception and deep learning engagement. A critical cognitive threshold was identified where high-order metacognitive engagement emerges primarily when students perceive GenAI as a thinking collaborator rather than a basic efficiency tool. Latent profile analysis revealed six heterogeneous learner profiles, exposing a skill-cognition decoupling phenomenon where complex tool manipulation does not necessarily translate to deep cognitive engagement. Furthermore, an assessment paradox was uncovered, where highly engaged exploratory students often received lower traditional academic scores compared to pragmatic, tool-dependent users. DISCUSSION: It is concluded that fostering genuine deep learning engagement in the digital era requires shifting pedagogical focus from technical skill training to reshaping students' GenAI role perceptions and updating assessment paradigms to recognize and reward process-oriented human-GenAI metacognitive synergy.
Violence exposure and cyberbullying among Chinese adolescents: the mediating role of moral disengagement.
Wang X, Liang B, Xia X … +1 more , Yin J
Front Psychol · 2026 · PMID 42396122 · Full text
INTRODUCTION: Cyberbullying among adolescents has become a global concern. While existing research confirms a positive association between violence exposure and cyberbullying, the underlying mechanisms, particularly with...
INTRODUCTION: Cyberbullying among adolescents has become a global concern. While existing research confirms a positive association between violence exposure and cyberbullying, the underlying mechanisms, particularly within Chinese adolescent populations, remain poorly understood. This study aims to investigate the mediating role of moral disengagement in the relationship between violence exposure and cyberbullying among Chinese middle school students. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was administered to 936 middle school students (Grades 7-12) from urban areas in Hunan Province, China. The Violence Exposure Questionnaire, the Moral Disengagement Scale, and the Cyberbullying Questionnaire were employed. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the data and test the mediation model while controlling for demographic variables. RESULTS: The results indicated that non-only children reported higher levels of violence exposure than only children, and males scored higher on moral disengagement than females. Older adolescents engaged in more cyberbullying. Violence exposure was significantly and positively associated with adolescent cyberbullying. Furthermore, moral disengagement partially mediated this relationship. DISCUSSION: This study confirms that violence exposure is a significant predictor of cyberbullying and highlights the crucial mediating mechanism of moral disengagement. These findings extend previous research by providing empirical evidence from a Chinese context and suggest that interventions targeting moral disengagement may be effective in reducing cyberbullying perpetration among adolescents.
The fetus/infant - mother as a co-evolving dyadic system and the development of attachment styles: an active inference perspective.
Santaguida E, Pagnoni G, Bergamasco M
Front Psychol · 2026 · PMID 42396121 · Full text
The mother-fetus/infant dyad constitutes a uniquely asymmetric biological and psychological system whose co-evolutionary dynamics we propose are most coherently understood within the Active Inference Framework (AIF). We...
The mother-fetus/infant dyad constitutes a uniquely asymmetric biological and psychological system whose co-evolutionary dynamics we propose are most coherently understood within the Active Inference Framework (AIF). We hypothesize that the development of attachment styles emerges from the progressive construction of a generative model in the fetus and infant, shaped by the precision and content of predictions learned through early dyadic interactions - beginning already during the gestational period. Drawing on the Free Energy Principle and its neuroscientific and mathematical foundations, we propose that internal working models (IWM), as originally conceived in attachment theory, are best reinterpreted as hierarchical generative models that develop through reciprocal inferential exchanges across the Markov blankets of two asymmetrically coupled agents: the mother and the fetus/infant. The quality and consistency of maternal caregiving determines the precision of the infant's predictions, which in turn organizes the attachment system along the axes of security and behavioral organization. This framework integrates neurobiological, epigenetic, cognitive, and developmental perspectives under a single first-principles account, offers novel testable predictions, and opens new directions for clinical translation, particularly regarding early intervention and intergenerational transmission of attachment.
Negative problem orientation and social problem solving in esports: indirect role of cognitive flexibility.
Kilci AK, Bekir S, Yalciner S … +1 more , Ozdayi N
Front Psychol · 2026 · PMID 42396120 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Mental process is a cornerstone of success in the rapid sports industry, where players must navigate high-pressure, dynamic environments. Cognitive flexibility is essential for adaptability and effective prob...
BACKGROUND: Mental process is a cornerstone of success in the rapid sports industry, where players must navigate high-pressure, dynamic environments. Cognitive flexibility is essential for adaptability and effective problem-solving, yet its relationship with negative psychological traits remains underexplored. This study investigates the mediating role of cognitive flexibility in the relationship between negative problem orientation and social problem-solving competence among esports players. METHODS: The study sample consisted of 966 esports players from Türkiye, categorized as semi-professionals, professionals, and hardcore players. Data were collected using the Negative Problem Orientation Questionnaire, the Social Problem-Solving Skills Inventory, and the Cognitive Flexibility Scale. Statistical analysis was conducted using the SPSS PROCESS macro (Model 4), employing bootstrapping methods to evaluate the significance of direct and indirect effects within the mediation model. RESULTS: Mediation analysis revealed that cognitive flexibility significantly mediates the relationship between negative problem orientation and social problem-solving competence (indirect effect = 0.97, 95% CI [0.4805 1.485]). Direct effects were also significant: negative problem orientation predicted social problem-solving, while cognitive flexibility showed a strong positive impact on problem-solving competence. CONCLUSION: Cognitive flexibility serves as a vital psychological mechanism that may reduce the adverse influence of negative problem orientation and enhance social problem-solving competence in esports players. These findings suggest that interventions designed to strengthen cognitive flexibility such as scenario-based decision-making drills, mindfulness-based attention training, and stress-regulation exercises may contribute to better adaptability, psychological resilience, and problem-solving performance in competitive esports contexts.
Adolescents' cross-cultural aesthetic preferences are shaped by cultural background, art exposure, and developmental psychological traits.
Wang H, He X
Front Psychol · 2026 · PMID 42396119 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Adolescence is a critical developmental period for cultural learning and the formation of aesthetic preferences. As adolescents increasingly encounter visual art from diverse cultural traditions through educa...
BACKGROUND: Adolescence is a critical developmental period for cultural learning and the formation of aesthetic preferences. As adolescents increasingly encounter visual art from diverse cultural traditions through educational and digital contexts, understanding how cultural background, experiential factors, and individual psychological traits jointly shape cross-cultural aesthetic preferences is essential. However, research in cross-cultural aesthetics has largely focused on adults, leaving adolescent development relatively underexplored. METHODS: This study examined visual art preferences among 400 adolescents aged 14-18 from Chinese and Western cultural backgrounds. Participants evaluated artworks from Chinese and Western traditions and completed measures assessing exposure to global art forms, openness to experience, and cognitive flexibility. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to test the mediating role of art exposure and the moderating effects of psychological traits on the relationship between cultural background and aesthetic preferences. RESULTS: Cultural background significantly predicted adolescents' aesthetic preferences, with a general tendency to prefer artworks from one's own cultural tradition. Exposure to global art forms partially mediated this relationship, such that greater cross-cultural art engagement was associated with weaker culturally congruent preferences. In addition, openness to experience and cognitive flexibility moderated cultural effects: adolescents higher in these traits showed reduced cultural bias in their aesthetic judgments. Models integrating cultural, experiential, and psychological factors explained substantially more variance in aesthetic preferences than models based on cultural background alone. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that adolescents' cross-cultural aesthetic preferences are shaped by the interaction of cultural background, learning-related art exposure, and individual developmental characteristics. Aesthetic preferences during adolescence are not fixed outcomes of cultural membership but remain responsive to experience and psychological differences. This study advances a developmentally informed understanding of cross-cultural aesthetic learning in adolescence.
When connectivity depletes: the negative effects of enterprise social media use on employee well-being and work engagement.
Song DE, Kim S
Front Psychol · 2026 · PMID 42396118 · Full text
INTRODUCTION: The rapid proliferation of digital technologies such as enterprise social media (ESM) has improved workplace collaboration by enabling seamless connectivity and real-time interaction across organizations. A...
INTRODUCTION: The rapid proliferation of digital technologies such as enterprise social media (ESM) has improved workplace collaboration by enabling seamless connectivity and real-time interaction across organizations. At the same time, it has introduced digital interruptions that demand constant responsiveness and digital presence from employees, which may be linked to adverse psychological and behavioral outcomes. Thus, a systematic examination of the negative effects of ESM on employee outcomes is needed. METHODS: Grounded in the conservation of resources (COR) theory, this study used partial least squares structural equation modeling with a sample of 200 office workers in Korea to investigate how increased ESM usage is associated with multiple forms of overload and boundary management stress, and which specific forms were most directly related to employee outcomes such as well-being and work engagement. We also examined two variables-customized use of ESM features and perceived organization/team support-to test whether they moderate different forms of overload. RESULTS: ESM usage was positively associated with higher levels of overload and boundary management stress. Interruption overload was significantly associated with lower work engagement, and boundary management stress was significantly associated with lower well-being. Customized use of ESM features and perceived organization/team support negatively moderated the relationship between ESM usage and boundary management stress. CONCLUSION: This study advances the technostress literature and offers practical implications for leveraging ESM to support sustainable digital work environments and mitigate adverse outcomes.
When AI ethicists shoot from the hip: Stone-Age moral psychology in the age of AI.
Bracanović T
Front Psychol · 2026 · PMID 42396117 · Full text
AI ethics has expanded rapidly, with a substantial share of its scholarly output arguably treating a wider-than-warranted range of AI-related developments as pressing moral problems. The paper argues that this can, to so...
AI ethics has expanded rapidly, with a substantial share of its scholarly output arguably treating a wider-than-warranted range of AI-related developments as pressing moral problems. The paper argues that this can, to some extent, be explained by three evolved cognitive mechanisms: the overdetection of agency, the overmoralization of affectively charged situations, and the overpropagation of morally salient information. It further suggests that these mechanisms are likely at work among AI ethicists under conditions particularly conducive to their activation, including the genuine novelty of many AI technologies and the moral questions they raise, the limited protective effect of ethical expertise against certain cognitive and moral biases, and a professional environment that rewards the identification of ever-new moral problems. The paper develops a conceptual framework comprising a set of arguments and explanatory hypotheses aimed at explaining why some AI-related concerns proliferate and intensify in ways disproportionate to the actual risks and capabilities of existing AI systems.
Motivation regulation strategies and their role in resolving motivational conflicts: evidence from two scenario studies from students' daily life.
Otte L, Steuer G, Brassler N … +2 more , Adam L, Fries S
Front Psychol · 2026 · PMID 42396116 · Full text
Previous studies have demonstrated that motivational regulation strategies (MRS) are effective in addressing and overcoming motivational problems. In the present empirical studies, the use of MRS in a motivational confli...
Previous studies have demonstrated that motivational regulation strategies (MRS) are effective in addressing and overcoming motivational problems. In the present empirical studies, the use of MRS in a motivational conflict and their relationship with the experience of motivational interference are examined. In two online studies (Study 1: = 214 and Study 2: = 242), students were presented with a motivational conflict scenario. Subsequently their use of specific MRS, including the use of motivation regulation strategies and quality of their use, as well as their experience of motivational interference was assessed via questionnaires. Results showed that both the use of motivation regulation strategies and application quality of MRS were associated with lower motivational interference. Certain strategies were associated with less interference, though not all MRS had a significant impact. These findings suggest that students can self-regulate their experience of motivational interference and highlight the potential for developing self-regulation skills in educational contexts, including new strategies alongside existing ones.
Neuropsychological outcomes comparing deep brain stimulation and best medical treatment for Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Ning J, Lv X, You J … +3 more , Zhou X, An C, Zhou Z
Front Psychol · 2026 · PMID 42396115 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established therapy for advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). However, its impact on neuropsychological outcomes remains controversial and lacks systematic integration. This st...
BACKGROUND: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established therapy for advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). However, its impact on neuropsychological outcomes remains controversial and lacks systematic integration. This study aims to systematically evaluate the effects of DBS on cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms in PD patients through a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in databases including PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science for RCTs comparing DBS with best medical treatment (BMT). Cognitive outcome measures included Verbal Fluency test, the Stroop Color and Word Test, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), and the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (MDRS). Neuropsychiatric outcome measures encompassed Part I of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS-I), the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), as well as the Brief Anxiety Scale (BAS) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2 tool, and effect sizes were pooled using RevMan 5.4 software. RESULTS: A total of 10 randomized controlled trials involving 1,274 patients were included. Meta-analysis results indicated that, compared to BMT, patients undergoing DBS showed a more significant decline in performance on Verbal Fluency test and the Stroop Color-Word Interference Test. No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups regarding overall cognitive function, cognitive flexibility, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, or overall neuropsychiatric symptoms. Sensitivity analysis suggested that the effect of DBS on anxiety symptoms may vary across studies, indicating a potential beneficial role of DBS in this domain. CONCLUSION: DBS treatment did not lead to widespread cognitive or neuropsychiatric decline in patients with PD based on group-level analyses. However, within the assessed cognitive domains, mild, specific negative effects were observed on higher-order executive functions. Clinical decision-making should incorporate individualized neuropsychological assessment and monitoring to balance the benefits of motor symptom improvement with potential cognitive risks. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/recorddashboard, this meta-analysis has been registered on the PROSPERO platform (Registration number: CRD420251273115).
"Mommy, do you love your phone more than me?": Parental device use and the adolescent-caregiver attachment bond.
Grant D, Winston-Lindeboom P, Ruan-Iu L … +3 more , Shackleford KE, Nosal B, Roeske M
Front Psychol · 2026 · PMID 42396114 · Full text
While there is robust literature on the negative impact of adolescent device use on physical and psychological health, there is less research on the use of technology in the presence of others and its implications for ke...
While there is robust literature on the negative impact of adolescent device use on physical and psychological health, there is less research on the use of technology in the presence of others and its implications for key relationships. Known as "technoference" and "phubbing," these device-based behaviors have only recently been examined in parent-child contexts. The present study investigated adolescents' perceptions of their primary caregivers' device-centric behaviors, the emotional appraisal of that behavior, and their association with the caregiver-adolescent attachment relationship. We hypothesized that adolescents' perceptions of less attentional availability would be associated with higher levels of insecure attachment. To test this, we validated the Device Attachment Interference Scale (DAIS) in a general population sample of U.S. adolescents ( = 600; ages 12-17). We also examined the association between DAIS scores and adolescent-reported attachment to a primary caregiver using the Experiences in Close Relationships-Relationship Structures scale. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a unidimensional structure of the DAIS. Additionally, higher DAIS scores were consistently associated with greater insecure attachment (both anxious and avoidant) to both mother- and father-like figures. These findings highlight adolescents' perceptions of caregiver attentional availability in the context of device use as a potentially important relational context associated with attachment insecurity. Implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.
Distinguishing math learning and evaluation anxiety: a structural equation modeling study on pathways from teacher support to academic buoyancy.
Sun Y, Bai Y
Front Psychol · 2026 · PMID 42396113 · Full text
INTRODUCTION: While building academic resilience is crucial for adolescents facing intense educational demands, the specific mechanisms buffering subject-specific setbacks remain underexplored. This study examines the as...
INTRODUCTION: While building academic resilience is crucial for adolescents facing intense educational demands, the specific mechanisms buffering subject-specific setbacks remain underexplored. This study examines the associations between math teacher support and high school students' academic buoyancy within the highly demanding context of mathematics learning. METHODS: Utilizing a cross-sectional survey with convenience sampling (N=411) from two cities, we first established measurement validity via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and subsequently employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to test competing models. RESULTS: The results indicated that process-oriented math learning anxiety negatively predicted buoyancy, whereas outcome-oriented evaluation anxiety did not, identifying content anxiety as a core risk factor. Furthermore, teacher support positively predicted buoyancy directly and indirectly through three pathways: by promoting problem-focused coping, and via two distinct chain pathways associated with reduced learning anxiety through adaptive coping strategies. Importantly, the pathway linking teacher support to academic buoyancy via problem-focused coping was significantly stronger than the anxiety-reduction pathways. DISCUSSION: These findings suggest that teacher support relates to enhanced resilience primarily through its association with adaptive coping strategies and reduced content anxiety. Consequently, educational interventions may benefit from addressing content-based cognitive difficulties and cultivating proactive problem-solving abilities over merely alleviating grade-related concerns.
Self-directed learning ability and online student engagement among nursing students: the mediating role of information literacy and the moderating role of self-control.
Zhang H, Gao G, Gou F … +3 more , Zhang W, Tian X, Zhang W
Front Psychol · 2026 · PMID 42396112 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Online learning has become an important teaching approach in nursing education, and insufficient online student engagement among nursing students has become a key issue affecting teaching effectiveness. Howev...
BACKGROUND: Online learning has become an important teaching approach in nursing education, and insufficient online student engagement among nursing students has become a key issue affecting teaching effectiveness. However, the underlying mechanisms related to individual learning characteristics of nursing students have not been fully explored. PURPOSE: This study aims to examine the relationship between self-directed learning ability and online student engagement among nursing students, focusing on the mediating role of information literacy and the moderating role of self-control. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study recruited 917 undergraduate nursing students from five provinces in China (83% female). Participants completed the self-directed learning ability scale (SDLRS), the information literacy scale (ILS), the brief self-control scale (BSCS), and the online student engagement (OSE) scale, all of which are validated self-report instruments. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 and the PROCESS macro. RESULTS: Self-directed learning ability had a significant positive direct effect on online student engagement (β = 0.511, = 17.586, < 0.001). Information literacy mediated the relationship between self-directed learning ability and online student engagement, with an indirect effect of 0.346, accounting for 67.7% of the total effect. Self-control negatively moderated the direct effect of self-directed learning ability on online student engagement (β = -0.310, = -2.140, < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The results support a moderated mediation model. Self-directed learning ability promotes online student engagement by improving information literacy, and self-control negatively moderates the relationship between self-directed learning ability and online student engagement, such that this effect is stronger at lower levels of self-control. These findings student engagement theory and conservation of resources theory, explain how individual abilities influence learning engagement through cognitive resources in digital learning contexts, and provide empirical support for educational interventions targeting information literacy and self-control.
The double-edged sword of autistic traits: opposing pathways to loneliness via friendship similarity in Chinese adults.
Chen YC, Wu T
Front Psychol · 2026 · PMID 42396111 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Loneliness is a pervasive concern in the Broader Autism Phenotype, yet research often treats autistic traits as homogeneous risk factor, obscuring potential adaptive pathways. The distinct roles of social-com...
BACKGROUND: Loneliness is a pervasive concern in the Broader Autism Phenotype, yet research often treats autistic traits as homogeneous risk factor, obscuring potential adaptive pathways. The distinct roles of social-communicative difficulties versus cognitive traits (e.g., Attention to Detail) in shaping friendship remain underexplored, particularly in non-Western contexts. METHOD: A sample of 1,076 Chinese adults completed the Autism Spectrum Quotient, adapted friendship similarity items (interest and personality similarity), the UCLA Loneliness Scale, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. After excluding 4 participants with non-binary gender, the analytical sample was 1,072. Serial mediation models with 5,000 bootstrap resamples were employed to examine whether autistic trait dimensions indirectly predicted life satisfaction through interest similarity and loneliness. RESULTS: Analyses revealed divergent pathways. Social skills ( = -0.105) and communication ( = -0.117) difficulties negatively predicted interest similarity, whereas Attention to Detail was a positive predictor ( = 0.059). Serial mediation confirmed that Attention to Detail had a significant positive indirect effect on life satisfaction via the interest similarity-loneliness chain [indirect effect = 0.00059, bias-corrected 95% CI (0.00006, 0.00159)], contrasting with the negative indirect effects of Social Skills (indirect effect = -0.00083) and Communication (indirect effect = -0.00123). A robustness check using personality similarity as mediator showed that the protective effect was specific to interest similarity. CONCLUSION: These findings challenge the monolithic deficit model by identifying Attention to Detail as a protective factor facilitating interest-based friendship connection. Distinguishing between social and cognitive autistic trait dimensions is crucial for developing tailoring, interest-based interventions to alleviate loneliness in Chinese adults.
Examining the emotional impact and financial strain on caregivers of those with Duchenne muscular dystrophy in Saudi Arabia: findings from a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study.
Alruthia Y, Alobaysi A, Alhajri H … +4 more , Almuaythir G, Alrasheed HH, Alqarni LM, Bamaga AK
Front Psychol · 2026 · PMID 42396110 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe, progressive, and life-limiting neuromuscular disorder that imposes a substantial economic burden on healthcare systems and families. While the clinical severity...
BACKGROUND: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe, progressive, and life-limiting neuromuscular disorder that imposes a substantial economic burden on healthcare systems and families. While the clinical severity of DMD is well established, limited data exist regarding its socioeconomic and psychological impacts in Saudi Arabia. This study investigated patient and caregiver demographics, direct out-of-pocket expenditures, caregiver depression and anxiety, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional, questionnaire-based telephone survey was conducted over a 12-month period, from September 2023 to September 2024 among caregivers recruited from outpatient neurology clinics at a university-affiliated tertiary care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using validated Arabic-language instruments, including the Costs for Patients Questionnaire (CoPaQ) for expenditures, the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) for depression, the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) scale for anxiety, and the EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L) for HRQoL. RESULTS: The study included 40 informal caregivers, predominantly fathers (57.5%) and males (57.5%), with a mean age of 42 years. Most participants (77.5%) did not have private health insurance. Families incurred significant financial strain, with a mean total out-of-pocket expenditure of US$ 12,400 ± 14,070.27, driven primarily by prescription medications, annual medical travel, and home modifications. Low-income families were disproportionately affected. Caregivers experienced considerable psychological distress, as indicated by a mean PHQ-9 score of 8.18 and a mean GAD-7 score of 7.2. Bivariate linear regression showed that greater depression severity ( = 0.0003), greater anxiety severity ( < 0.0001), the presence of caregiver chronic health conditions ( = 0.0034), and caring for more DMD patients ( = 0.0008) were significantly associated with lower EQ-5D-5L utility scores. In contrast, higher monthly income ( = 0.0029) and male gender ( = 0.0454) were significantly associated with higher utility scores. CONCLUSION: Informal caregiving for children with DMD in Saudi Arabia frequently results in severe psychological distress and substantial out-of-pocket expenses. Assessment of HRQoL and caregiver mental health highlights an urgent need for national clinical pathways, enhanced physician education, and comprehensive, family-centered public health interventions.
The mediating role of resilience in the relationship between perceived family social support and general life satisfaction.
Sağar ME, Ateş B
Front Psychol · 2026 · PMID 42396109 · Full text
INTRODUCTION: Life satisfaction is an important indicator of psychological well-being among university students. Family social support and resilience are considered key protective factors that may contribute to higher le...
INTRODUCTION: Life satisfaction is an important indicator of psychological well-being among university students. Family social support and resilience are considered key protective factors that may contribute to higher levels of life satisfaction. This study aimed to test a hypothesized model examining the relationships among perceived family social support, resilience, and general life satisfaction in university students. METHODS: The study group consisted of 357 students (146 males, 40.9%; 211 females, 59.1%; Mage = 22.43) enrolled in various faculties of public universities in Türkiye during the 2024-2025 academic year. Data were collected online via Google Forms using the Adult Life Satisfaction Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Adult Resilience Measure, and a Personal Information Form. The data were analyzed using SPSS and Mplus software. RESULTS: The findings revealed statistically significant positive relationships between general life satisfaction and resilience, between general life satisfaction and perceived family social support, and between resilience and perceived family social support. Perceived family social support significantly and positively predicted resilience, while resilience significantly and positively predicted general life satisfaction. In addition, resilience was found to mediate the relationship between perceived family social support and general life satisfaction. The direct and indirect effects included in the model explained approximately 46% of the variance in general life satisfaction. DISCUSSION: The findings underscore the important roles of perceived family social support and resilience in enhancing university students' life satisfaction. The results suggest that interventions designed to strengthen family support and resilience may contribute to improving students' psychological well-being and overall life satisfaction. Future research may further investigate these relationships across different cultural contexts and student populations.
Exploring the psychological dimensions of poetry- and drama-based instruction in EFL learning.
Barbour MS, Debreli E
Front Psychol · 2026 · PMID 42396108 · Full text
Recent research in second language acquisition has increasingly emphasized the psychological dimensions of language learning, particularly emotion, confidence, engagement, and learner identity. Within this context, poetr...
Recent research in second language acquisition has increasingly emphasized the psychological dimensions of language learning, particularly emotion, confidence, engagement, and learner identity. Within this context, poetry and drama-based instruction has been identified as a potentially meaningful pedagogical approach. However, adolescent learners' psychological experiences of these practices remain underexplored, particularly in exam-oriented secondary school settings where creative language activities are often marginalized. Addressing this gap, the present qualitative study explored how adolescent learners and teachers experienced the psychological dimensions of poetry and drama-based instruction in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. The study involved 24 final-year secondary school students aged 16-18 and six EFL teachers from two secondary schools. Data were collected through Arabic-language focus group interviews with students and semi-structured individual interviews with teachers. The data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's reflexive thematic analysis, informed by perspectives from positive psychology in second language acquisition and sociocultural theory. The findings revealed three interrelated themes: (1) poetry and drama as emotionally supportive practices that reduced anxiety and fostered enjoyment, (2) enhanced speaking confidence and opportunities for self-expression and learner voice, and (3) meaningful engagement shaped by both individual learner differences and institutional constraints associated with exam-oriented schooling. The findings suggest that poetry and drama can function as psychologically meaningful pedagogical spaces in which adolescent learners experience English not only as an academic subject, but also as a medium for expression, interaction, and identity exploration. At the same time, the study highlights how the psychological benefits of creative language practices remain shaped by broader institutional pressures and classroom realities. The study contributes to research on positive psychology in SLA by offering a qualitative account of how emotionally supportive and expressive classroom practices are experienced within a high-stakes EFL context. Pedagogically, the findings underscore the potential value of integrating creative practices into secondary EFL classrooms in ways that support learners' emotional engagement, confidence, and sense of voice.
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