
The International Journal of Mental Health Promotion (IJMHP) co-ordinates the dissemination of new research outcomes to all those involved in research, practice, and policymaking of mental health and mental health promotion, prevention and intervention program, together with mental disorder diagnosis and treatment. It was the first journal in the field and is essential reading for those with a personal or professional interest in this work.
Peer reviewed by an expert international board, the Journal is a comprehensive information resource which publishes material of distinction submitted by health services researchers, managers, health promotion professionals, educationalists, sociologists, health economists and practitioners, together with psychiatry and psychology researchers, clinical/medical staff from all branches of health and social care.
Social Sciences Citation Index (Web of Science): 2024 Impact Factor 1.4; Scopus Citescore (Impact per Publication 2024): 2.1; JCI (Journal Citation Indicator): 0.32; JCR in the subject Psychiatry (Q3) and Public, Environmental & Occupational Health (Q3); Google Scholar, SCImago, Ebsco, Dimensions, Portico, etc...
Open Access
REVIEW
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.074948 - 27 February 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Evidence-based Approaches to Managing Stress, Depression, Anxiety, and Suicide)
Abstract Objectives: Healthcare students experience significant stress due to their rigorous graduate school curricula. These levels of stress are associated with higher risks of depression, self-harm, and exhaustion. Coping interventions have been shown to help students develop healthy stress coping strategies. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to examine the diverse array of coping interventions and what characteristics of coping interventions were most effective at decreasing stress among healthcare students. Methods: Any intervention designed to address coping for academic stress was included among medical, dental, nursing, physician assistant, allied health, veterinary, psychology, etc. students.… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2025.074636 - 27 February 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Family Risk Factors and Child & Adolescent Mental Health: Perspectives from the Chinese Cultural Context)
Abstract Objectives: Loneliness among left-behind adolescents is the most frequently reported emotional problem because of parental neglect. The present study explored the relationship between maternal absence and adolescent loneliness as well as its mechanisms. Methods: The study included 305 participants (Meanage = 15.99 ± 0.81, 48.9% females) in southeast China, and constructed a chain mediation model to test the roles of rejection sensitivity and friendship quality. Parent absence types, rejection sensitivity, friendship quality, and adolescent loneliness were all assessed with questionnaires. Results: The results showed that adolescents with a mother absent (both-parent absent, mother-only absent) experienced higher levels More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2025.074249 - 27 February 2026
Abstract Background: In mental health, recovery is emphasized, and qualitative analyses of service users’ narratives have accumulated; however, while qualitative approaches excel at capturing rich context and generating new concepts, they are limited in generalizability and feasible data volume. This study aimed to quantify the subjective life history narratives of users of psychiatric home-visit nursing using natural language processing (NLP) and to clarify the relationships between linguistic features and recovery-related indicators. Methods: We conducted audio-recorded and transcribed semi-structured interviews on daily life verbatim and collected self-report questionnaires (Recovery Assessment Scale [RAS]) and clinician ratings (Global Assessment of… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.074111 - 27 February 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Adolescence in Contemporary Times: Risks, Resilience and Mental Health)
Abstract Background: Exposure to environmental vulnerability poses significant threats to adolescent suicidal ideation, while individual resilience can mitigate these adverse effects with notable gender commonalities and differences. However, research examining how these factors co-configure at the individual level remains limited, particularly from a gender-specific perspective. Thus, the present study aims to adopt a person-centered analytic approach to identify gender-specific configurations of environmental vulnerability and individual resilience associated with suicidal ideation among Chinese adolescents. Methods: Data were collected from 2616 Chinese primary and secondary school students (aged 10–17; 1223 girls). Participants completed validated scales measuring environmental vulnerability, individual… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.072912 - 27 February 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Determinants and Subsequences of Subjective Well-being as a Microcosm of Social Change)
Abstract Objectives: 24-h movement behaviors (24-HMB), encompassing physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep duration, are increasingly regarded as interrelated and important factors for mental health. However, evidence on the comprehensive association of these behaviors with mental health in adults with diabetes in developing countries remains scarce. This study examined the association between 24-HMB guidelines and psychological health among adults with diabetes in developing countries. Methods: Data were retrieved from the World Health Organization’s study on Global Aging and Adult Health Survey dataset. Adults (N = 1905) diagnosed with diabetes from five low-and middle-income countries were included. The… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2025.073744 - 27 February 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: The Mind in Motion: Exploring Consumer Psychology for Mental Health, Well-being, and Sustainable Sport Futures)
Abstract Objectives: In recent years, mental health has emerged as a pressing public health concern in China, driven by mounting societal pressures and fast-paced urban lifestyles. Physical activity, a well-established means of enhancing psychological well-being, has received growing scholarly and policy attention. This study uses panel data from the 2020 and 2022 waves of the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) to examine the impact of exercise frequency on mental health (with indicators such as CESD-8 depression scores) among college students and young employees, thereby providing empirical support for targeted mental health interventions. Methods: This study examines the… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2025.073988 - 27 February 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Determinants and Subsequences of Subjective Well-being as a Microcosm of Social Change)
Abstract Objectives: Psychological resilience is a critical resource for vocational high school students navigating social biases and fostering mental well-being. This six-month longitudinal study investigated the developmental trajectories of discrimination perception, vocational identity, and psychological resilience in this population. It further examined the longitudinal mediating role of vocational identity in the relationship between discrimination perception and psychological resilience. Methods: A total of 526 students from five vocational high schools in Guangdong, China, were assessed via convenience sampling at two time points: baseline (T1, September 2023) and six-month follow-up (T2, March 2024). Measures of discrimination perception, psychological resilience,… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.073038 - 27 February 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Improving Health-related Quality of Life (HRQoL) Through Promoting Health-Related Behaviors)
Abstract Background: Depression is prevalent among female college students, with eating behavior potentially related to this issue. This study examines the relationship between eating behavior and depression, focusing on the role of social appearance anxiety and physical activity. Methods: We recruited 2161 female college students from nine universities in China via convenience sampling. Data was collected via an online questionnaire. Eating behavior was assessed via the Eating Behavior Scale short form (EBS-SF), depression was measured via the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), social appearance anxiety was evaluated via the Social Appearance Anxiety Scale, and physical… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2025.072905 - 27 February 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Depression Across the Lifespan: Perspectives on Prevention, Intervention, and Holistic Care)
Abstract Background: Maternal mental health literacy is a cognitive resource that may support preschoolers’ emotional development, yet its influence on emotional regulation and the related mechanisms remains unclear. This study examined whether maternal depressive mood and democratic parenting form a chain pathway linking maternal mental health literacy to preschoolers’ emotional regulation ability. Methods: Mothers of 544 preschoolers in mainland China completed an online questionnaire that assessed maternal mental health literacy, depressive mood, democratic parenting, and child emotional regulation. Structural path analysis was conducted with child age and gender controlled. Indirect effects were tested using 5000 bootstrap samples. Results: More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.073489 - 27 February 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Evidence-based Approaches to Managing Stress, Depression, Anxiety, and Suicide)
Abstract Objectives: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) represents a prominent and escalating concern within mental health, associated with considerable psychological and physical dangers. Peer victimization is identified as a significant predictor of NSSI behavior. Although prior research has explored the association between peer victimization and NSSI, the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain insufficiently understood. Utilizing social information processing theory frameworks, the present study seeks to examine the sequential mediating roles of a cognitive factor, future orientation, and a behavioral factor, social withdrawal, in middle school students. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered in China, involving 528 participants (261 females… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2025.071717 - 27 February 2026
Abstract Objectives: Although standardized residency trainees are at high risk for depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation, the psychological pathways connecting depression and anxiety to suicidal ideation, especially the moderating role of resilience, remain elusive. This study aimed to examine the associations between depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation among physicians undergoing standardized residency training, and to investigate the moderating roles of different dimensions of individual resilience, namely tenacity, strength, and optimism. Methods: A convenience sampling method was adopted to recruit 133 resident physicians. Validated instruments assessing individual resilience, depressive symptoms, anxiety levels, and suicidal ideation were administered. Spearman… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.076391 - 27 February 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Evidence-based Approaches to Managing Stress, Depression, Anxiety, and Suicide)
Abstract Background: Self-esteem, life satisfaction, resilience, and coping strategies are closely linked to depression; however, their interrelationships and relative contributions to depressive outcomes remain insufficiently understood. This study aimed to examine these associations in individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy controls and to evaluate their predictive and mediating roles in depression. Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study included 311 participants (158 patients with MDD and 153 healthy controls) recruited from the Psychiatry Outpatient Clinics of Mugla Training and Research Hospital. Psychiatric diagnoses were confirmed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5). Groups were balanced for… More >