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Pablo Luna^1,*, Lidia Losada², Débora Rodrigo-Ruiz³, Alba Rodríguez-Donaire¹, Javier Cejudo¹
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.4, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.078092 - 28 April 2026
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Adolescent and Youth Mental Health: Toxic and Friendly Environments)
Abstract Objectives: There is a growing global concern regarding mental health and well-being in educational settings, especially in contexts of socio-educational exclusion. Active educational interventions offer an effective approach to enhance students’ mental health and personal and social well-being. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a psychosocial intervention program based on the Sports Education model (SEM) on subjective well-being (positive and negative affect) and externalizing problems (aggressiveness, hyperactivity, and behavioral problems) in youth students from a highly vulnerable socio-cultural community belonging to an ethnic minority with significant socio-educational support needs associated with socio-educational exclusion. Methods:… More >

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Kai Jing^1,2,#, Jingqun Wang^3,#, Baojuan Ye^3,4,*, Qi Dai⁴, Xian Gong⁵, Guorong Wang²
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.4, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2025.071120 - 28 April 2026
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Adolescent and Youth Mental Health: Toxic and Friendly Environments)
Abstract Objectives: Early adolescence is a key period of ecological and physiological change, during which exposure to accumulating risks from various environmental systems can negatively impact mental health. This study aimed to investigate the potential longitudinal relationships among cumulative risk, depression, and psychache in adolescents. Methods: A three-wave longitudinal study spanning one year was conducted with 675 (47.5% girls; Mean age = 14.13, standard deviation [SD] = 0.45) middle school students. The Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Model (RI-CLPM) was used to explore the dynamic reciprocal relationships among these variables. Results: At the within-individual level, cumulative risk, depression, and… More >

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466

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Salvatore G. Chiarella^1,*, Alessandro Frolli¹, Antonella Cavallaro^1,2, Antonino Raffone^3,4, Luca Simione^1,5
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.4, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.072949 - 28 April 2026
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Psychological Well-being and Psychopathology in the New Millennium: Evolving Paradigms, Challenges, and Resources)
Abstract Objectives: Virtues have been recognized as central to human flourishing and psychological well-being. This study tested whether three dispositional virtues, i.e., mindfulness, gratitude, and forgiveness, show distinct and overlapping associations with psychological distress, subjective well-being, and emotion-regulation difficulties in adults. Methods: A sample of Italian community adults (N = 211; 151 women, 60 men; mean age = 28.63, standard deviation [SD] = 10.89) completed self-report questionnaires assessing mindfulness, gratitude, forgiveness, psychological distress (stress, anxiety, and depression), psychological well-being (subjective happiness, life satisfaction), and emotion regulation difficulties. Sex, age, and lifetime meditation experience were covariates. Results: Correlation analysis… More >

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ARTICLE

Zizhen Wang, Shitian Su^*
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.4, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.076161 - 28 April 2026
Abstract Objectives: Structural and cognitive social capital are increasingly recognized as key factors influencing mental well-being. In China, older adults from minority groups often experience different levels of network support, trust, and social connection compared with their Han counterparts. These differences may contribute to the mental health gap observed between the two groups. This study aims to examine how structural and cognitive social capital are associated with mental health outcomes among Han and minority older adults in China, and to assess the extent to which these dimensions of social capital explain mental health disparities between the two… More >

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ARTICLE

Guangdong Zhou^1,2, Qing Zhang¹, Meishuo Yu^3,*
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.4, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.076721 - 28 April 2026
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Child and Adolescent Mental Health: Risk and Protective Factors, Assessment, Interventions and Lifespan Outcomes)
Abstract Background: Adolescence is a critical period for mental health development, during which individuals may experience emotional challenges such as anxiety and depression. However, the patterns of how these symptoms develop and change over time in high school students, as well as the factors that influence these patterns, remain unclear. This study aims to identify distinct anxiety-depression symptom profiles and their transitions over time, while examining the roles of gender, subjective well-being, and psychological resilience in shaping these profiles. Methods: Two-wave longitudinal questionnaire data were collected from 913 high school students (57% female) in Shandong Province, China,… More >

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ARTICLE

Hanna Ahrnberg^1,*, Kaija Appelqvist-Schmidlechner², Pekka Mustonen¹, Sari Fröjd³, Katja Aktan-Collan¹
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.4, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.077244 - 28 April 2026
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Child and Adolescent Mental Health: Risk and Protective Factors, Assessment, Interventions and Lifespan Outcomes)
Abstract Objectives: Positive Youth Development is an evidence-based, holistic approach that underlines adolescents’ strengths, competence, and interests instead of deficits, thus promoting psychosocial well-being in adolescents. This study aims to explore adolescents’ perceived impacts of the Finnish service-learning program “Gutsy Go”, which is based on a Positive Youth Development approach. Methods: The program educates 8th-grade comprehensive school students to perform good deeds in their communities and enhances adolescents’ psychosocial well-being. Focus group interviews were conducted two to three weeks after the program week with 61 program participants. The data was analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Four broad More >

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Juyan Fang¹, Xin Deng¹, Mengting Pan², Guoqiang Chen¹, Yang Liu^1,*
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.4, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.073013 - 28 April 2026
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Health Issues in Modern Society: Addictive Behaviors and Psychological Health)
Abstract Objectives: Social Media Dependence (SMD) has emerged as a growing public health concern among adolescents. Psychological Maltreatment (PM), characterized by denigration, intimidation, and emotional neglect, is considered an important familial risk factor for adolescents’ emotional and behavioral problems. However, the psychological mechanisms linking PM to adolescent SMD remain insufficiently understood. This study aimed to examine the relationship between PM and SMD and to explore the mediating roles of Difficulty Describing Feelings (DDF), Depression (DP), and Anxiety (AN). Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 2243 Chinese adolescents. Descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and mediation analyses were performed… More >

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Shuhua Wei^1,#, Hongkun Ji^1,#, Fang Kong², Bijuan Huang^1,*
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.4, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.076393 - 28 April 2026
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Psychological and Neural Foundations of Adolescent Mental Health)
Abstract Background: Early adolescents (ages 11–15), mainly Chinese middle-school students, face academic tracking pressure for the high-school entrance exam and multiple stressors, with depressive symptoms detected in up to 21.9% of this group. Because this stage is a “critical window” for depression intervention and the Ministry of Education requires “stratified and classified interventions”, systematically identifying the patterns and dynamic transition patterns of adolescent depressive symptoms is of considerable practical and theoretical importance. This study aimed to identify the latent profiles and transitions of depressive symptoms among middle-school students and to examine how different types of stress, life… More >

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102

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ARTICLE

Raffaele Nappo¹, Alessandra Claudi¹, Pasqualina Perna¹, Stefania De Marco², Clara Nobile³, Salvatore Vita⁴, Roberta Simeoli^3,*
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.4, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.077891 - 28 April 2026
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Advancing Neurodevelopmental and Neurodegenerative Disorder Diagnosis through Machine Learning and Technological Innovations)
Abstract Backgrounds: The term “exergame” refers to a specialised genre of video games that combine cognitive training with physical exercise. Increasing interest has emerged in utilising exergames as therapeutic tools for the rehabilitation of individuals with acquired cognitive deficits and for cognitive stimulation among institutionalised elderly individuals with limited independence. However, the proliferation of such technologies is rarely accompanied by rigorous studies assessing their validity, efficacy, and usability. This study aimed to introduce Neuroboost, an innovative platform designed to enhance cognitive functions through exergames targeting individuals with various acquired cognitive deficits, and to explore the feasibility of… More >

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144

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Zhengliang Zhang¹, Shijian Wu², Xinna Tang³, Haowen Wu^3,*
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.4, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2025.071999 - 28 April 2026
Abstract Objectives: Amid accelerating urbanization, digitalization, and population aging, mental health issues have become increasingly salient among urban community residents. This study aims to examine how community environmental governance influences mental health (MH) by conceptualizing the community environment as comprising social capital (SC) and environmental perception (EP). Aging anxiety (AA) and digital usage tendency (DUT) are introduced as psychosocial background variables to analyze MH pathways under multifactor influences. Methods: Using data from the 2021 Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS), this study constructed a structural equation model (SEM) based on 362 urban residents from the Yangtze River Delta.… More >

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447

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Yao-Chung Cheng^1,2, Der-Fa Chen^3,*, Kai-Jie Chen⁴, Kun-Yi Chen⁵, Wen-Ling Ke⁶, Xie-Chuan Qiu⁶, Min-Han Chung⁶
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.4, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.077564 - 28 April 2026
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Self-Concept in the Digital Era: Exploring Its Interplay with Internet Use Patterns, Mental Health, and Physical Well-Being)
Abstract Objectives: Smartphone addiction has become a salient mental health concern among university students. Although the Big Five personality traits are associated with problematic smartphone use, less is known about the psychological mechanisms linking personality to addictive smartphone behavior. This study examined whether mindfulness functions as a self-regulatory mechanism linking personality traits to smartphone addiction. Method: A cross-sectional survey was administered to Taiwanese university students (N = 665). Partial least squares structural equation modeling with bootstrapping was used to test direct and indirect associations among the Big Five traits, mindfulness, and smartphone addiction. Results: Mindfulness was negatively associated… More >

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ARTICLE

Yan Shen¹, Lisheng Xie^2,*
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.4, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.078186 - 28 April 2026
Abstract Objectives: Pediatric allergic rhinitis (AR) is a highly prevalent chronic inflammatory airway disease that significantly impairs children’s sleep, learning performance, and quality of life. Despite standardized pharmacotherapy, long-term symptom control remains suboptimal, which is related to the poor treatment compliance of patients and the insufficient disease awareness of parents. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of parental cognitive enhancement combined with parent–child psychological support on symptom control, the quality of life, and underlying intervention mechanisms in children aged 6–14 years with moderate to severe AR. Methods: A total of 150 children aged 6–14 years with… More >

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Soo-Hyun Sung¹, Seungwon Shin², Seok-Hwan Kim³, Minjung Park^4,*
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.4, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.077710 - 28 April 2026
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Evidence-based Approaches to Managing Stress, Depression, Anxiety, and Suicide)
Abstract Objectives: Psychiatric inpatient care plays a critical role in stabilizing acute mental health crises, yet the optimal length of stay (LOS) and its impact on short-term clinical outcomes remain poorly defined across diagnostic groups. This study aimed to examine how LOS in psychiatric inpatient units is associated with clinical improvement at discharge and to determine whether this association differs across major diagnostic groups, using nationally representative hospital discharge data from Korea. Methods: A cross-sectional secondary analysis was conducted using the 2022–2023 Korea National Hospital Discharge In-depth Injury Survey. Adults whose primary discharge diagnosis was a mental… More >

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Zhenlian Luo, Rongning Luo, Zhenzhu Cao, Huiyue Jiang^*
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.4, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.075797 - 28 April 2026
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Family and School Environments and Mental Health)
Abstract Background: Experiences of social exclusion can significantly affect individuals’ cognitive and emotional well-being, potentially resulting in maladaptive coping strategies or harmful behaviors. College students are at a critical stage of personal development, exhibiting distinctive psychological and behavioral patterns. Therefore, exploring the underlying mechanisms connecting social exclusion and malevolent creativity among college students is particularly important. This study aims to reveal the relationship between social exclusion and malevolent creative behavior among undergraduates and its potential mechanisms. Methods: This cross-sectional study collected data from 500 undergraduates across three universities in Guangxi via convenience sampling. Participants completed the Ruminative… More >

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