Refugees are often forced to leave their homes and rebuild their lives in unfamiliar environments. Adapting to a new place can be challenging, as it involves coping with the loss of familiar surroundings while navigating new ones. Emotional bonds with places-known as place attachment-may play an important role in this adaptation process, serving both as a protective factor and a potential burden. We examined these dynamics in a study among Ukrainian refugees in Poland (N = 1,016) following the full-scale Russian invasion. We measured attachment to participants' hometowns in Ukraine and their current towns of residence in Poland, as well as life satisfaction, symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and post-traumatic growth (PTG). Stronger attachment to one's hometown in Ukraine was associated with higher PTSD symptoms and lower life satisfaction. In contrast, attachment to a new town of residence in Poland was positively linked to life satisfaction and PTG. Attachment to the former hometown was negatively related to attachment to a new place in Poland. However, the more similar the two locations were perceived to be, the stronger the attachment to the new town. These findings suggest that place attachment can act as both a resource and a risk factor, depending on how migrants navigate continuity between past and present places.

This sequential explanatory mixed methods research study explored differences in financial literacy between people with problem gambling (PG) and non-problem gambling (non-PG), focusing on three subdimensions: actual financial knowledge, perceived financial knowledge, and financial attitude. The influence of financial socialization was also accounted for in the survey and interviews. The research included a survey of 234 help-seeking gamblers and follow-up in-depth interviews with 12 gamblers and five significant others. Hierarchical binomial logistic regression indicated that perceived financial knowledge was the key factor distinguishing people with PG and non-PG. Higher perceived financial knowledge was correlated with lower odds of being classified as a person with PG, even when accounting for individual and environmental factors. The interviews provided additional insights, showing that actual financial knowledge and financial socialization from significant others did not significantly impact PG severity or involvement. Gamblers with high perceived financial knowledge were more likely to make sound financial decisions. Furthermore, people with non-PG exhibited different financial attitudes than their counterparts, being more open to exploring diverse financial products rather than relying solely on gambling activities. These findings suggest that enhancing perceived financial knowledge could be a valuable focus for future research and interventions aimed at reducing problem gambling.

A promising approach for organizations to advance environmental sustainability and ensure the long-term well-being of humanity is to encourage employees to proactively address environmental issues. However, the understanding of how proactive employee green behavior (EGB) is associated with the well-being of employees engaging in such behavior is currently limited. This is problematic, as the potential co-benefits of proactive EGB and well-being may motivate employees to engage in proactive EGB and encourage organizations to promote environmental and well-being goals simultaneously. Based on data from n = 1354 employees in Germany collected across four measurement points separated by 3-month time lags, we examine how proactive EGB and work-related subjective well-being (i.e., job satisfaction and positive and negative affect) are related to one another over time. Results of random intercept cross-lagged panel models did not provide support for effects of proactive EGB on subsequent well-being. However, higher positive affect predicted a subsequent increase in proactive EGB. Additionally, we found that the positive within-person association between job satisfaction and subsequent proactive EGB was stronger among employees who perceived stronger organizational pro-environmental norms. These findings highlight the importance of promoting subjective well-being and organizational pro-environmental norms to support employee initiative that addresses environmental issues.

Despite growing interest in technology-mediated mental health solutions, the efficacy of online social support interventions remains theoretically ambiguous and empirically inconsistent. To address this gap, we conducted a three-level meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of online social support interventions on psychological well-being. It synthesized 84 effect sizes from 32 studies involving a total of 10,776 participants. Our multilevel modeling revealed three key results: First, while aggregate effects showed nonsignificant improvements in psychological well-being at short-term and long-term, significant cross-study heterogeneity underscored contextual variability. Second, cultural context emerged as a moderator, with populations in Eastern countries demonstrating greater long-term maintenance of intervention effects. Intervention provider (professional vs. peer vs. mixed) showed a marginally significant impact on short-term effects. Our findings highlight that the effectiveness of online social support interventions is not inherent to the digital medium itself, but is profoundly influenced by the alignment between the support provider and the socio-cultural context of both providers and recipients. This emphasizes the need for theory-driven, customized interventions that integrate social and contextual elements to enhance psychological well-being.

Integrating an existential lens into chronic pain treatment enables a holistic and biopsychosocial approach to treating chronic pain. This scoping review aimed to identify the characteristics, themes, and results of existential therapy for treating chronic pain. We searched seven databases for empirical papers that described an existentially based intervention for a chronic pain sample. Conducted in May 2023, the search terms were related to chronic pain and truncated versions of existential and humanistic therapies. Six articles met the criteria and were included. Quantitative and qualitative studies were included, ranging from randomized controlled trials, non-randomized experiments, a case report, and a case study. Extracted data included study characteristics and common intervention themes (e.g., meaningfulness, self-identity, etc.) and outcome themes (e.g., pain-related, life satisfaction, etc.). All studies reported a reduction in pain symptoms or severity. Physical functioning was generally not influenced by existential therapy; however, it did improve with or in combination with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Meaningfulness was a common theme in all the interventions, and most articles reported increased meaningfulness in the outcomes. Spirituality seems to moderate the effectiveness of existential therapy. This offers an overview of the current state of knowledge of academically labeled existential therapies for chronic pain treatment. This further provides suggestions for advancing the study of this topic by highlighting both commonalities and inconsistencies in intervention findings.

Parental support significantly influences children's physical activity (PA) levels. Just-in-time adaptive interventions (JITAIs) delivered through mobile health (mHealth) may provide personalized, dynamic support to parents, though research is limited. 1) Describe the co-design process of a family-based JITAI app designed to help parents support their children's PA, and 2) evaluate the resources required to co-design this app using a "no-code" platform, Pathverse. Following the Integrate, Design, Assess, Share (IDEAS) and Multi-Process Action Control (M-PAC) frameworks, parents of children 8-12 years not meeting PA guidelines participated in semi-structured interviews (Phase 1). Feedback-informed app features, JITAI tailoring strategies, and prototype refinement (Phase 2). Six parents participated in Phase 1 guided by the IDEAS framework, with parental feedback directly shaping the app design. Parents emphasized family-based content, gamification, and diverse PA activities, while barriers (e.g., time, weather) informed JITAI tailoring. The M-PAC framework guided the selection and delivery of behavior change techniques (e.g., self-monitoring, social support). Development required 320 hours over four months, including decision-tree creation (50), uploading dynamic content (70), and testing (80). A family-based JITAI app was co-designed leveraging the M-PAC framework and Pathverse to integrate parental support for PA, laying the groundwork for future testing.

Physical activity can improve mental health by improving mood and by lowering depressive symptoms. This systematic review uses a structured narrative synthesis to summarise within-person associations between physical activity and affect in naturalistic settings, and how these associations may differ by level of depressive symptomatology. We also reviewed the methodological choices that could influence these outcomes and provide a methodological roadmap as a recommendation for future studies. A systematic review was conducted up to December 2024 of studies that addressed within-person associations between daily physical activity and affect using ambulatory assessment techniques in individuals aged 4-65 years and assessed depressive symptoms. Our selection yielded 32 eligible studies. A consistent finding was the positive within-person association between physical activity and concurrent or subsequent positive affect, while results were mixed for negative affect. Results were further inconclusive regarding the role of depression in this relationship. Common challenges affecting replicability include an often-inadequate assessment of measurement reliability and validity, and insufficient controls for relevant (contextual) factors in these analyses, such as the length of the time-lag and mode of physical activity. Future studies should employ emerging best practices regarding study design, analysis and reporting of ambulatory assessment data. Such rigorous research practice will strengthen our understanding of these relationships and further inform more effective, personalised physical activity interventions to improve mood and depressive symptoms.

High levels of parental stress can adversely affect both parents and children, leading to negative psychological outcomes. The present study consists of two randomised controlled trials investigating the effectiveness of a 14-day mindfulness- and compassion-based parenting programme delivered through instant text messaging in reducing parenting stress. Studies 1 and 2 recruited 222 and 271 parents in August 2021 and January 2022, respectively. All participants had at least one child studying in nursery or primary school. Participants were randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a waitlist control group. Assessments were conducted before the intervention, immediately following the intervention and 14 days after the intervention. During the 14-day intervention, 14 audio recordings (ranging in length from 12 to 17 min) introducing parenting skills as well as mindfulness and compassion exercises were sent to the participants through WhatsApp and Signal. The primary outcome of both studies was parenting stress. Mental well-being, interpersonal mindfulness in parenting and parenting behaviours were measured as secondary outcomes. Data were analysed using linear mixed models with full maximum likelihood estimation. A significant time by group interaction effect on parenting stress was found in both studies. In both studies, intervention effects on parenting stress were not sustained at 14-day follow-up. The results of the present study provided evidence that a brief, instant messaging-based parenting programme has the potential to reduce parenting stress.

The Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) paradigm is increasingly cited as a bridge between personal well-being, environmental sustainability, and ethical consumption. To chart its scholarly evolution, we conducted a bibliometric analysis in accordance with PRISMA, covering 743 Web of Science articles published from 1993 to 2024. VOSviewer network maps of keyword co-occurrences, co-citations, and country collaborations revealed five dominant research clusters: (1) sustainability and consumer behavior, (2) physical activity and chronic disease prevention, (3) lifestyle, mental health, and well-being, (4) measurement and intervention design, and (5) environment, public policy, and social sustainability. Annual output has climbed from one paper in 1993 to 110 papers in 2024, and centrality analyses place 'sustainability,' 'health,' and 'physical activity' at the core of the field. Although recent studies increasingly probe psychological mechanisms-such as behavior change, social support, and mindfulness-these remain less developed than environmental or consumption themes. We conclude that LOHAS scholarship now sits at an interdisciplinary inflection point and recommend deeper engagement with Behavioral Theory, broader international collaboration, and rigorous mixed-method designs that track the dual benefits of human health and planetary sustainability.

This systematic review aimed to consolidate evidence regarding the effect of skin diseases (SD) on body image (BI) and to examine the sociodemographic, clinical, and psychosocial correlates of BI in individuals with SD. A comprehensive search was conducted in December 2024 across nine databases, including MEDLINE, Web of Knowledge, PsycINFO, EBSCO, BVSALUD, Scopus, PubMed, Google Scholar, and LILACS. Twenty-five case-control and cross-sectional studies met the inclusion criteria. The findings revealed greater body dissatisfaction in individuals with SD compared to control groups. Age was not associated with BI, and results on gender differences were mixed-some studies found greater dissatisfaction among women, while others showed no significant differences. Associations between BI and clinical features such as disease severity, duration, and disability were inconclusive due to limited data. However, BI showed strong correlations with quality of life, depression, anxiety, self-esteem, and aspects of intimate and social relationships. Overall, the evidence suggests that individuals with SD experience negative changes across multiple dimensions of body experience, which are associated with poorer psychosocial health outcomes. Positive body image may serve as a valuable target for interventions aimed at enhancing well-being among individuals with chronic skin conditions, highlighting the psychosomatic significance of BI and the need for integrated psychological and medical approaches.

Adolescents vary widely in how they engage with digital media, yet prior research often overlooks the heterogeneity and developmental dynamics underlying these behaviors. Using four waves of data collected between 2013 and 2021 from a nationally representative sample of U.S. adolescents (N = 14,798; ages 12-17 at baseline), we identified three media use trajectories via latent class growth analysis: low-increasing, moderate-stable, and high-stable. Internalizing and externalizing problems significantly predicted trajectory membership. To examine bidirectional associations between media use and psychological symptoms, we applied autoregressive latent trajectory cross-lagged panel models, which allowed for the modeling of within-person dynamics while accounting for interindividual change patterns. Results revealed several modest but significant bidirectional effects between media use and psychological problems over time. Specifically, higher media use predicted later increases in externalizing and internalizing symptoms, while earlier media use was also associated with short-term reductions in internalizing problems. Strong trait-level associations were observed across all three constructs, indicating that adolescents with consistently high media use also experienced persistent emotional and behavioral difficulties. These findings highlight the heterogeneous and dynamic nature of adolescent digital engagement and its mental health correlates. The results underscore the importance of person-centered and developmentally informed interventions that account for psychological vulnerability and sociodemographic context.

While previous studies have established a significant association between self-compassion (SC) and adolescent well-being, the specific link between SC and psychological richness, a newer concept of well-being, remains underexplored. This study aimed to address this gap by using a two-wave cross-lagged panel network analysis to explore the dynamic relationships between the six dimensions of SC and psychological richness among 528 adolescents. The findings revealed that self-kindness and mindfulness positively predicted psychological richness, whereas self-judgment and isolation negatively predicted psychological richness. Furthermore, self-kindness and mindfulness showed the most significant connections with other nodes. The findings emphasize the critical function of SC in fostering psychological richness during adolescence, highlighting the potential of interventions focused on self-kindness and mindfulness to enhance psychological richness in this group.

Severe mental disorders (SMDs), such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and personality disorders, present significant challenges for stress and anxiety management due to cognitive vulnerabilities. Self-regulated learning (SRL) models offer a structured framework for analyzing self-management strategies, yet their application in mental health contexts remains underexplored. This study applies Pintrich's (2000) SRL model to examine how individuals with SMDs manage stress and anxiety, identifying strengths and gaps across the forethought, monitoring, control, and reaction/reflection phases. A qualitative approach was employed, analyzing focus group discussions with 28 adults diagnosed with SMDs. Thematic analysis, conducted using NVivo, combined inductive coding and theory-driven interpretation based on the SRL framework. Results show that the forethought phase was most frequently represented, emphasizing participants' cognitive preparation and anticipation of stressors. The control phase followed, highlighting behavioral and contextual coping strategies such as relaxation, problem-solving, and support-seeking. However, the monitoring and reaction/reflection phases were less developed, with limited focus on real-time awareness and evaluation. These findings point to the need for tailored interventions and highlight theoretical adaptations required to extend SRL to clinical contexts. We discuss how integrating SRL with recovery-oriented frameworks could support more adaptive, person-centered strategies for managing stress and anxiety in SMDs.

This study maps 1941 Web of Science articles (2000-May 2025) to clarify how mindfulness research relates to psychological well-being and priorities under Sustainable Development Goal 3. Using network and temporal analyses, we identify 11 thematic clusters spanning clinical care, workplace motivation and self-determination, cognitive-neuroscience mechanisms, measurement/psychometrics, family and developmental settings, trauma recovery, and cardiometabolic health. Publication activity has increased substantially, and the thematic center of gravity has shifted from symptom reduction toward resilience-oriented and technology-enabled applications. Emerging fronts include self-compassion and related strengths, interoception and mind-body practices, and digital delivery (telehealth/mobile health). Persistent gaps involve under-representation of non-WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic) populations, limited attention to eudaimonic outcomes, incomplete specification of mechanisms, and sparse long-term or implementation evidence. By integrating two previously parallel literatures, the review offers a concise field map that highlights established anchors and actionable frontiers. The results inform the design, targeting, and evaluation of mindfulness programs that advance population mental health and flourishing.

Young adults face emotional problems in their daily lives. Considering that youth are prevalent among mobile internet users, it would be helpful if functions that can intervene in young people's depression and anxiety can be designed based on short video apps. Large language model (LLM)-based AI conversational agents based on short video apps may play an important role in intervening in young adults' negative emotions.

Burnout and perceived work ability (PWA) are critical factors influencing teachers' professional well-being and effectiveness. The potential bidirectional relationship between these constructs remains underexplored, particularly in primary and lower secondary school teachers. This study examines the reciprocal relationship between burnout and PWA among teachers over time, using the job demands-resources (JD-R) model and the conservation of resources (COR) theory. A two-wave longitudinal study was conducted among 853 Czech primary and lower secondary school teachers. Data were collected via web-based questionnaires at two time points. Bayesian cross-lagged panel modeling (CLPM) was applied to analyze the bidirectional effects of burnout and PWA while controlling demographic variables. Burnout significantly predicted lower PWA, supporting the JD-R model's health impairment process. Contrary to expectations, higher PWA was associated with increased burnout, suggesting that PWA may not function as a protective factor in the teaching context, but rather as a risk factor increasing vulnerability to strain. Post hoc analyses indicated that burnout's detrimental influence on PWA emerged through several coherent facet-to-facet pathways, while in the reverse direction, only higher PWA in the teaching organization predicted later physical exhaustion. The study clarifies the directionality of associations between burnout and PWA, contributing to theory development and offering implications for interventions.

Self-control (SC) is a robust predictor of subjective well-being (SWB), and a positive linear relationship between them is often taken as the default assumption. However, some perspectives suggest that excessive SC may diminish SWB, implying an inverted U-shaped relationship. This study examined this inverted U-shaped hypothesis among Chinese adolescents, who are raised in a culture emphasizing moderation. We analyzed five samples (total N = 25,936), including four cross-sectional samples, two of which were nationally representative, and a three-wave longitudinal sample collected over two years. Participants ranged from middle school to university students, with SC assessed via self- and parent-report, and SWB through multiple indicators including positive and negative affect, life satisfaction, and one-item happiness assessment. Quadratic regression analyses and Simonsohn's two-lines test found no inverted U-shaped relationship between SC and SWB in five samples. Instead, SC consistently correlated positively with SWB across samples, regardless of measurement methods or whether data were cross-sectional or longitudinal. These findings reinforce the notion that higher SC contributes to greater SWB, with no indication of an inverted U-shape in Chinese culture. Encouraging the development of SC in adolescents might be a beneficial approach to enhancing long-term well-being, without concerns about unintended negative consequences.

Despite significant health risks associated with high body weight and poor diet, little is known about the prevalence and targets of weight-loss and dietary intentions. This information could, however, help tailor behaviour change interventions. Therefore, the present study described weight-loss and dietary intentions and their co-occurrence in a representative sample (N = 1,510; 50.40% women; M = 48.55, SD = 16.68; M = 26.89, SD = 5.92) from Germany (n = 1,006) and Austria (n = 504). Weight-loss (57%) and dietary avoidance intentions (i.e., intention to eat less of certain foods; 59%) were more prevalent than dietary approach intentions (i.e., intention to eat more of certain foods; 34%). A discrepancy between weight-loss intention and indication (i.e., meeting BMI criteria for weight-loss recommendation: BMI ≥ 25) was found for 27% of individuals. Most common target foods were 'snacks high in sugar, fat, and/or salt' (24%), 'meat' (12%) and 'sugar/foods high in sugar' (11%) for avoidance and 'fruits and vegetables' (27%) and 'protein/foods high in protein' (3%) for approach intentions. These findings indicate that individuals might benefit from enhanced awareness of body weight recommendations and a less avoidance-centered perspective on eating, as approach strategies might be more effective in changing behaviour.

This study tested the dyadic effects of self-expansion from partners (relational self-expansion, RSE) and others (personal self-expansion, PSE) on their relational well-being (RWB, e.g., marital satisfaction) and personal well-being (PWB, e.g., life satisfaction) one year later among 289 Chinese newlyweds. Self-expansion and well-being were measured using self-reported scales. Actor-partner interdependence Models (APIM) and dyadic response surface analyses (DRSA) were adopted to examine the dyadic effects of RSE and PSE on RWB and PWB. The results of the APIM supported the positive actor effect of RSE on RWB and PWB one year later for both husbands and wives, as well as a positive partner effect of wives' RSE on husbands' RWB. Furthermore, the results from DRSA supported that both partners were satisfied with their relationships and personal lives when they scored high on RSE or increased in it over time. For PSE, both partners' increase in it was associated with their high PWB, and congruent changes between partners were associated with higher levels of later RWB for both partners.

Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is a highly prevalent and disabling health condition. Identifying risk factors and resources for low back pain (LBP) and back health in everyday life is crucial for its prevention and management. This study examined moment-to-moment fluctuations in pain intensity and perceived back health and their associations with fear of movement, pain self-efficacy, and leisure-time physical activity in individuals with (n = 128) and without (n = 94) cLBP. Data were collected five times per day for 14 days (n = 13,292). Participants with cLBP reported experiencing LBP in 45% of all measurements, with a mean intensity of 3.16 (range: 1-9), whereas participants without cLBP reported LBP in 6.9% of measurements (M = 2.38). Multilevel analyses including participants with and without cLBP showed that greater momentary fear of movement, lower momentary pain self-efficacy, and higher momentary levels of leisure-time physical activity were associated with higher pain intensity (β = .05, p = .042, β = -.15, p < .001, and β = .04, p = .001). Greater momentary fear of movement and lower momentary pain self-efficacy were associated with poorer back health (β = -.07, p = .004 and β = .16, p < .001). The observed within-person associations highlight the potential for ecological momentary interventions targeting modifiable psychological factors related to cLBP in daily life, particularly pain self-efficacy.

Natural sounds have shown potential for emotion regulation, with birdsong often identified as a salient and meaningful element. This study investigated the psychophysiological effects of birdsong on sadness, using audio-guided mindful breathing as an active control among participants with and without depressive symptoms. The study included 187 participants (M = 21.47, 66.3% female), categorized into 4 groups based on depression levels (depressed, non-depressed) and intervention type (birdsong, mindful breathing). Emotional responses were assessed after each phase (baseline, sadness induction, and birdsong/mindful breathing intervention). Heart rate variability (HRV) indices were used to measure physiological changes. Results show that (1) each stage elicited the target emotions, with hit rates exceeding 75%; (2) sadness induction was effective; (3) both birdsong and mindful breathing interventions effectively reduced sadness, as evidenced by the reversal of sadness effects in both groups; (4) subtle differences in the effects of birdsong and mindful breathing were observed in valence and short-term fluctuations in HRV; (5) no other significant differences were found between the groups. The findings indicate that birdsong has been shown to alleviate sadness similarly to mindful breathing. Although mindful breathing was more effective in enhancing valence, birdsong offered greater benefits for physiological recovery in depressed individuals.

Patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis often exhibit a low level of positive affect and poor mental health, which can adversely affect their physical health and well-being. This cluster-randomized controlled trial aimed to implement a 4-week PERMA-based positive psychology intervention tailored for patients undergoing hemodialysis and evaluate its efficacy on improving positive affect, negative affect, depressive symptoms, post-traumatic growth, and self-management. From September 2023 to January 2024, a total of 80 patients were recruited and randomly assigned to either the control group or the intervention group. The control group received usual psychological nursing care along with health messages. The intervention group, in addition, received a 4-week positive psychology intervention that consisted of weekly 30-minute bedside interviews, supplemented by home exercises. Outcome variables were assessed pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up. The results revealed that the 4-week PERMA-based positive psychology intervention significantly improved positive affect among patients undergoing hemodialysis. Compared to the control group, the intervention group showed better dietary management and more active participation in physical and psychosocial activities. However, no significant intervention effects were observed for negative affect, depressive symptoms, or post-traumatic growth. Further research is recommended to investigate the potential benefits of a longer intervention duration for patients experiencing clinical psychological symptoms.

Brain volume is closely linked to cognitive function, and its reduction is a key biomarker for neurodegenerative disease risk. Despite extensive research, uncertainties remain regarding the overall effects and optimal prescriptions of physical exercise on brain volume, as well as whether these changes translate into cognitive improvements. This preregistered systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis synthesized data from 59 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 5099 participants. Physical exercise had a significant effect on brain volume (Hedges' g = 0.10), though the majority of effect sizes did not reach the minimal clinically important difference (MCID). Improvements that reached the MCID were observed among subgroups meeting World Health Organization (WHO) physical activity guidelines-particularly those practicing mind-body exercises, following "weekend warrior" patterns, or assessed at follow-up. Meta-regression revealed a significant association between exercise-induced brain volume changes and cognitive improvements (β = 0.20). These findings offer evidence-based guidance for optimizing interventions aimed at improving brain and cognitive health.

This study examined whether adopting growth mindsets regarding mental health is associated with decreased levels of self-stigma and, consequently, increased levels of well-being among individuals with mental disorders. A total of 235 individuals with mental disorders provided questionnaire data at two time points (i.e., T1 and T2) over the course of one year. Path analyses revealed that growth mindsets at T1 were linked to lower self-stigma and, in turn, better well-being at T2, as indicated by higher levels of positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment. Bootstrap analyses further showed that growth mindsets had indirect effects on promoting well-being through self-stigma reduction. Theoretically, our findings illustrate the beneficial effects of growth mindsets in alleviating self-stigma and enhancing well-being among individuals with mental disorders. The longitudinal nature of these effects underscores that early adoption of growth mindsets can have lasting positive impacts. Practically, our results suggest that fostering growth-oriented beliefs about mental health can effectively reduce self-stigma and promote well-being. Mental health organizations should offer evidence-based interventions and create systemic environments that nurture growth mindsets among individuals with mental disorders.

Virtual Reality nature (VRn) may deliver mental health and wellbeing without being outside in real nature. The main objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to report effects of VRn on mental health and wellbeing of students in higher education. To be eligible, participants were higher education students, the intervention was VRn, the outcome variable was a mental health parameter, and the study design was experimental. Information sources were: OVID (Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO), SCOPUS, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, PubMed and GreenFILE. Searches were conducted May 2023 and re-run November 2024. The modified Downs and Black checklist for randomised and non-randomised studies was used to assess risk of bias. To synthesise results, data were first extracted into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and summarised in narrative, statistical and tabular formats. Twenty-four articles were included. Two studies were 'good' quality, 18 'fair', and four 'poor'. Total sample size was 1,419. Two studies compared VRn versus real nature, six VRn versus no intervention, seven VRn versus flat-screen. Twelve studies included forests as the only natural environment. Thirteen of 17, seven of eight, four of five, and four of seven studies reported pre-post intervention beneficial effects on self-reported mood, anxiety, stress and cognition, respectively. Nine of 13, six of 10 and all five studies that measured cardiovascular, skin conductivity and brain activity respectively, reported pre-post intervention beneficial effects. All five studies that measured anxiety, all three studies that measured mood, and all four studies that measured stress, found no significant differences between VRn and flat-screen images of nature. Caution is required drawing conclusions due to studies' quality and sample sizes. That said, the review suggests that nature replicated in VR shows promise for benefits to mental health and wellbeing in higher education students.

Family, peers, and teachers are significant influences in the lives of most individuals. This study examines the differential associations of adversity childhood experiences from family, peers, and teachers with complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) symptoms and posttraumatic growth (PTG) in Chinese adolescents and emerging adults. This study involved a total of 5,477 adolescents and 3,995 emerging adults in China, surveyed on two occasions. Participants completed questionnaires assessing family adversity, peer victimization, and teacher maltreatment at T1, as well as CPTSD symptoms and PTG at T2. Four distinct profiles were identified among adolescents: "low risk," "family adversity," "peer adversity," and "multiple adversities," while four profiles emerged among emerging adults: "low risk," "family adversity," "teacher-peer adversity," and "multiple adversities." Both adolescents and emerging adults in the "low risk" group reported the lowest levels of CPTSD symptoms and the highest levels of PTG. Conversely, among adolescents, the "multiple adversities" and "peer adversity" groups showed the highest CPTSD symptoms, while the "family adversity" group reported the lowest PTG. Among emerging adults, the "multiple adversities" had the highest CPTSD symptoms, and both "multiple adversities" and "family adversity" groups showed the lowest PTG. The study highlights the differential impact of distinct adversity childhood experience sources on CPTSD symptoms and PTG in Chinese adolescents and emerging adults.

Mindfulness practices, such as the body scan, could enhance interoception. While prior research shows promise for its effects on interoceptive sensibility (IS; subjective experience of bodily cues) and accuracy (IAcc; accurate detection of bodily signals), studies often use a limited set of interoceptive variables or apply small samples. In two pre-registered randomized trials, we examined a 2-week daily auditory body scan intervention vs. active control (guided imagery; Study 1) or passive control (Study 2). Study 1 included N = 85 participants (M = 22.26, 71% women), randomized to body scan or guided imagery. Study 2 included N = 90 participants (M = 23.05, 80% women), randomized to body scan or passive control. IAcc was measured pre- and post-intervention using the heartbeat tracking task (HTT) and heartbeat discrimination task (HDT), while IS was assessed via confidence ratings and the multidimensional assessment of interoceptive awareness (MAIA-2). Study 1 showed significant time effects for IAcc (HTT: p < .001; HDT: p = .012), confidence ratings (p's < .001), and MAIA-2 (p < .001). Study 2 found improvements following the body scan for IAcc (HTT: p = .050), confidence ratings (HTT: p = .006; HDT: p = .0496), and MAIA-2 (p = .003). Findings suggest that body scan enhances interoception within two weeks, though guided imagery and similar approaches may yield comparable effects.

Few studies have investigated the longitudinal correlations among negative life events, a sense of security, and internet addiction (IA). The aim of the present study was to test these correlations in Chinese university freshmen. This study included a total of 912 university freshmen (384 men [42.11%]; mean age, 18.36 ± 0.82 years). Assessments were performed at four time points at 6-month intervals. Random intercept cross-lagged analysis revealed that negative life events at T1 positively predicted IA at T2, negative life events at T2 negatively predicted a sense of security and positively predicted IA at T3, a sense of security at T3 negatively predicted negative life events and IA at T4, IA at T2 negatively predicted a sense of security at T3, and IA at T3 positively predicted negative life events at T4. Importantly, a sense of security at T3 mediated the effect of negative life events at T2 on IA at T4 and the effect of IA at T2 on negative life events at T4. Additionally, the longitudinal correlations among negative life events, a sense of security, and IA were stronger in female students than in male students. Our findings suggest that the correlation between negative life events and IA is pathological compensation and that a sense of security is an internal compensation mechanism. This information may contribute to the development of psychological interventions for reducing IA in university freshmen.

Psychological well-being (PWB) is a multidimensional construct encompassing emotional, cognitive, personality, and social factors, playing a crucial role in mental health and quality of life. While previous research has examined the relationships between PWB and psychological traits, the natural clustering of well-being profiles remains underexplored. This study applied Affinity Propagation (AP) clustering, an unsupervised machine learning (ML) technique, to identify distinct well-being profiles in 685 young adults from the Human Connectome Project (HCP). A composite PWB score from the NIH Toolbox Emotion Battery was used to assess its associations with cognitive functions, personality traits, emotional health, and psychiatric and behavioral factors. Four PWB clusters emerged: Low, Medium-low, Medium-high, and High. Lower PWB was linked to higher negative affect (anger, sadness) and greater neuroticism, while higher social support, extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness characterized greater well-being. Cognitive abilities did not significantly differentiate clusters, suggesting well-being is primarily influenced by emotional, social, and personality factors. By integrating ML with statistical analyses, this study provides a data-driven understanding of well-being, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to enhance emotional resilience, social connections, and mental health support.