Open Access
ISSN:1433-0237 (print)
ISSN:1815-5626 (online)
Publication Frequency:Bi-monthly
Journal of Psychology in Africa (JPA) is a peer-reviewed Open Access journal that publishes research articles, research reviews, conceptual development articles and thematic issues in the areas of socio-cultural and health development globally, with a particular emphasis on African settings and the African diaspora. This journal is published bi-monthly by Tech Science Press.
Social Sciences Citation Index (Web of Science): 2025 Impact Factor 1.1; Scopus Citescore (Impact per Publication 2025): 1.8; SNIP (Source Normalized Impact per Paper 2025): 0.336; JCI (Journal Citation Indicator): 0.32; IBSS (International Bibliography of the Social Sciences).
Effective 2025, the Journal of Psychology in Africa (JPA) will be published by Tech Science Press (TSP). This transition aims to broaden the journal’s reach, enhance its global influence, and ensure equitable access to high-quality research in psychology.
The journal’s mission, scope, and submission guidelines will remain unchanged. Under the continued leadership of Editor-in-Chief Prof. Elias Mpofu and the Editorial Board, JPA will maintain its commitment to advancing psychological research and practice.
We extend our gratitude to authors, reviewers, and readers for their steadfast support as we embrace this transformative phase in the journal’s journey.
Open Access
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SPECIAL SECTION ON RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORSJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 479-488, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.073403 - 31 August 2026
Abstract Schizophrenia is associated with a substantially elevated lifetime risk of suicide. Although cognitive impairment has been widely recognized as a core clinical feature of this disorder, the relationship between cognitive dysfunction and suicidal ideation (SI) remains inadequately understood. The present study investigated the prevalence of cognitive impairment and explored its associated risk factors among patients with schizophrenia who reported SI. A total of 812 participants were enrolled in the study. Suicidal ideation was evaluated using the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSS), while cognitive functioning was assessed with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the… More >
Open Access
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SPECIAL SECTION ON RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORSJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 489-495, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.073364 - 31 August 2026
Abstract This study investigates the psychological mechanisms through which AI literacy is associated with reduced employment anxiety in university students. Drawing on the Conservation of Resources Theory and the Career Construction Theory, we tested a model where career adaptability mediates the relationship between AI literacy and employment anxiety. Data were collected from 424 Chinese university students (mean age = 22.2 years; 73.82% female; 58.96% undergraduates; and 44.95% studying humanities and social sciences) through a two-wave survey. The results showed that AI literacy was negatively associated with employment anxiety. Furthermore, career adaptability significantly mediated this relationship. The More >
Open Access
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REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 497-506, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.078093 - 31 August 2026
Abstract Retirement is a significant life transition that often requires deep psychological adjustments, especially among healthcare professionals who are used to structured and demanding work environments. In Nigeria, little attention has been given to the emotional experiences of retirees in the healthcare sector. This study explored the lived experiences of retired healthcare workers’ psychological transition through their emotional adjustments and coping strategies. This study explored the lived experiences of psychological transitions of retired healthcare workers through their emotional adjustments and coping strategies. Informants were 21retirees from three purposively selected federal health institutions in Southwest Nigeria. Eligible… More >
Open Access
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REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 507-516, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.078648 - 31 August 2026
Abstract Previous research has indicated heterogeneity in Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) profiles in college students. However, longitudinal evidence regarding the stability and transition patterns of IGD subgroups among college students remains limited. This two-wave longitudinal study, with a one-year interval, included 343 Chinese undergraduate students (57.7% female; mean age = 18.28 years, SD = 1.14) who participated in both surveys. Latent profile analysis identified three distinct IGD subgroups—High, Moderate, and Low IGD—which were consistent across both time points. Regression analyses indicated that male gender, greater gaming time, loneliness, and depression were associated with higher IGD severity. More >
Open Access
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SPECIAL SECTION ON RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORSJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 517-524, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.079487 - 31 August 2026
Abstract The study examined the role of proactive personality in influencing academic performance among Chinese university students, with a focus on the mediating roles of academic self-efficacy and learning engagement. A total of 378 Chinese undergraduate students (females = 49.7%, juniors = 26.5%) participated in the study. Data on proactive personality, academic self-efficacy, and learning engagement were collected using standardized scales, and academic performance was measured via self-reported Grade Point Averages. Structural equation modelling with bootstrap resampling results indicated that proactive personality had a significant direct effect on academic performance, accounting for 63.28% of the total More >
Open Access
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SPECIAL SECTION ON RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORSJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 525-535, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.082443 - 31 August 2026
Abstract University entry is a psychologically demanding transition. Adjustment difficulties are a leading mental health concern among Chinese freshmen. This study examined psychological configurations associated with adjustment difficulties among university freshmen. Participants were 356 first-year students (50.6% female; aged 18–20) who completed measures of self-identity exploration, sense of belonging, psychological resilience, neuroticism, extraversion, and adjustment difficulties. Fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis and Necessary Condition Analysis identified configurations. Three risk configurations emerged: resource depletion combining absent identity exploration, absent resilience, and absent extraversion; relational deficit combining absent identity exploration, absent belonging, and resilience; and emotional vulnerability combining absent More >
Open Access
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REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 537-544, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.083642 - 31 August 2026
Abstract The present study examined the association between cybervictimization and sleep quality among university students, focusing on the mediating role of rumination and the moderating role of self-compassion. Participants were 932 students (mean age = 19.74 years; 53.76% female). They completed self-report questionnaires assessing cybervictimization, rumination, self-compassion, and sleep quality. The results from mediation-moderation analysis showed that cybervictimization was positively associated with poorer sleep quality. Rumination mediated this relationship, suggesting that university students exposed to cybervictimization were more likely to engage in repetitive negative thinking, which in turn associated with worse sleep outcomes. Furthermore, self-compassion moderated More >
Open Access
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REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 545-554, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.074539 - 31 August 2026
Abstract Teacher burnout has become a widespread concern in high-pressure educational systems, particularly in China, where teachers face increasing instructional demands and emotional labor. Although teachers’ social-emotional competence has been recognized as an important personal resource, the mechanisms through which it alleviates job burnout remain insufficiently understood. Grounded in the Conservation of Resources theory, this study explored the mediating roles of teacher-student relationship and teaching efficacy in the association between teachers’ social-emotional competence and job burnout. The participants were 807 Chinese teachers (female = 81.7%; male = 18.3%; mean teaching ages = 3.57 years; SD =… More >
Open Access
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REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 555-563, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.077432 - 31 August 2026
Abstract This study explored the relationship between physical exercise (PE) and depression among college students, focusing on the independent and sequential mediating roles of regulatory emotional self-efficacy (RESE) and mobile phone addiction (MPA). A total of 2021 college students (36.86% male; mean age = 19.02 years, SD = 1.38 years) completed self-report questionnaires assessing PE, depression, RESE, and MPA. The mediation analysis indicated a significant negative association between PE and depression. RESE and MPA each presented significant indirect effects in the separate mediation pathways. The sequential indirect pathway through RESE and MPA was also statistically significant. More >
Open Access
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REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 565-573, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.082111 - 31 August 2026
Abstract Concerns about the relationship between short video and dietary restraint are growing, yet few studies focus on the relationship between beauty short video engagement and dietary restraint among young women. This investigation evaluated a sample of 312 Chinese women between the ages of 18 and 35 (M = 24.37, SD = 4.95). The Beauty Short Video Engagement Scale, the Beauty Ideals Internalization Scale, the Surveillance Scale, and the Cognitive Restraint Scale were implemented. A positive correlation was observed between beauty, short video engagement and dietary restraint among young women. The relationship between beauty short video engagement, More >
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REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 575-587, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.076330 - 31 August 2026
Abstract Social-emotional skills (SES) are foundational to academic success and well-being, yet limited research has examined how these skills are structurally organized as an interconnected system across cultural contexts. Drawing on data from the 2023 OECD Survey on Social and Emotional Skills (SSES; 48.97% females, mean age = 13.09, SD = 2.21 years). Results from Gaussian Graphical Models (GGM) identify optimism and curiosity as universal hub nodes across both cultural contexts. Culturally, the Chinese SES network exhibits higher connectivity and integration, with the Emotional Regulation domain serving as a primary organizational anchor. In contrast, the Finnish… More >
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SPECIAL SECTION ON RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORSJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 589-599, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.076334 - 31 August 2026
Abstract This mixed-methods study examined the mediating roles of psychological safety and trust in the relationships between transformational leadership (TFL), authentic leadership (AL), and workplace flourishing (WPF) among personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF). An explanatory sequential design was employed. Quantitative data were collected from 292 military personnel (male = 65.5%, female = 34.5%, age range = 18–49 years, mean = 32.59 years, SD = 6.79 years) using structured questionnaires. Hypotheses were tested using Structural Equation Modelling and bootstrapping. Subsequently, 18 semi-structured interviews (male = 66.67%, female = 33.33%, mean = 33.5 years, SD =… More >
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SPECIAL SECTION ON RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORSJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 601-609, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.076574 - 31 August 2026
Abstract This study investigated the roles of maternal depression and children’s problem behaviors in the relationship between maternal parenting stress and children’s environmental adaptation by the heterogeneity of maternal stress profiles. Data from 204 Chinese mothers who completed the Parenting Stress Questionnaire, Depression Scale, Strengths & Difficulties Questionnaire, and Preschooler Kindergarten Adaptation Assessment Scale were analyzed in mother-child dyads. Results from structural equation modeling, Bayesian comparison, and latent profile analysis, yielded two significant parallel mediation pathways: behavioral and emotional. The behavioral pathway (via children’s problem behaviors) was 2.63 times stronger than the emotional pathway (via maternal More >
Open Access
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REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 611-619, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.068011 - 31 August 2026
Abstract We examined whether celebrity worship predicts trolling via self-esteem and moral disengagement, and whether perceived anonymity moderates these effects. A total of 1057 college students (females = 54.6%; mean age = 20.09 years, SD = 1.734) completed the measurements of celebrity worship, self-esteem, moral disengagement, perceived anonymity, and online trolling. Structural equation modeling (SEM) results showed that higher celebrity worship was associated with online trolling. Lower self-esteem and moral disengagement respectively played mediating roles between them, exacerbating trolling behavior. Self-esteem and moral disengagement also played a sequential mediating role for higher trolling behavior. Perceived anonymity… More >
Open Access
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REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 621-630, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.077584 - 31 August 2026
Abstract Given the increasing emphasis on holistic development in arts education, understanding how individual psychological factors shape aesthetic perception has become a critical area of inquiry. This study examined the relationship between self-concept and aesthetic experience, focusing on the sequential mediating roles of creativity and spirituality in young adults. A total of 744 art students (aged 17–25 years) completed measures of self-concept, creativity, spirituality, and aesthetic experience. The results of the sequential mediation model showed that: higher self-concept is associated with higher aesthetic experience. Creativity plays a mediating role between self-concept and aesthetic experience to be… More >
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SPECIAL SECTION ON RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORSJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 631-641, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.077893 - 31 August 2026
Abstract This study examined the role of self-esteem mediates and rejection sensitivity in the relationship between social exclusion and mobile phone dependence. A sample of 715 Chinese college students (females = 60.1%, mean age = 19.06, SD = 1.34 years) completed self-report measures of social exclusion, self-esteem, rejection sensitivity, and mobile phone dependence. Results following regression analysis indicate social exclusion is related to higher mobile phone dependence. Self-esteem plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between social exclusion and mobile phone dependence, higher levels of social exclusion are associated with lower levels of self-esteem, and… More >
Open Access
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SPECIAL SECTION ON RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORSJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 643-650, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.079165 - 31 August 2026
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Psychological and Behavioral Responses in the Workplace: A Psychological Perspective on Positivity and Negativity)
Abstract This study investigated whether and how social loafing mediates the relationship between work engagement and work procrastination, and if this pathway is moderated by job crafting. Data from 322 civil servants (58% male; mean age = 29.52 years, SD = 2.78) were analyzed using PROCESS macro (Model 14). The results confirmed a partial mediation model, indicating that work engagement reduces procrastination both directly and indirectly by diminishing social loafing. Furthermore, job crafting significantly moderates this relationship, with higher work engagement and less social loafing among employees who engaged in high levels of job crafting. These More >
Open Access
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REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 651-658, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.070232 - 31 August 2026
Abstract The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children 3rd version (WISC-III) is a widely used assessment tool for children’s intellectual functioning, including in non-Western settings. Yet, the evidence is scarce of possible gender differences among Sudanese students. This study examined possible gender differences in the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children 3rd version (WISC-III) scores among Sudanese students by exploring Differential Item Functioning (DIF) across five subtests: picture completion, information, similarities, picture arrangement, and object assembly. The study sample comprised 455 boys and 525 girls aged 6 to 16. The results following a Likelihood-Ratio Test within Item Response More >
Open Access
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REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 659-665, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.078592 - 31 August 2026
Abstract This study investigated the mediating role of negative emotions and the moderating role of self-efficacy in the relationship between student campus ostracism and impulsive buying. A three-wave online survey was conducted, with 401 college students from a university in East China (35.9% male and 64.1% female, 54.6% first year and 45.4% second year). The students completed measures of campus ostracism, negative emotions, self-efficacy, and impulsive buying. Linear regression analysis results show that campus ostracism was associated with impulsive buying. Negative emotions mediated the relationship between campus ostracism and impulsive buying for higher impulsive buying. Self-efficacy More >
Open Access
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REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 667-677, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.079090 - 31 August 2026
Abstract The present study adapted and validated the Vocational identity Status Assessment (VISA) among high school and university students, and examined the VISA score associations to academic achievement, depression and life satisfaction. A total sample of 694 Chinese senior high school students (53.9% females, mean age = 16.72 years, SD = 1.02) and 871 university students (47.2% females, mean age = 18.90 years, SD = 1.45) were tested in three independent cross-sectional rounds over a six-month period. The results showed a six-factor structure of the VISA with 26 items, which divided vocational identity into six types:… More >
Open Access
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REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 679-689, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.079106 - 31 August 2026
Abstract This study examined how subjective social class (SSC) is associated with subjective well-being (SWB) through relative deprivation (RD) and sense of control (SoC), and how this process varies by system-justifying belief (SJB). Using a large-scale social survey (Study 1; males = 54.2%; mean age = 52.99 years) and a questionnaire-based survey (Study 2; females = 63.3%; mean age = 29.14 years), the results showed that SSC was positively associated with SWB and exerted a significant indirect effect through a sequential mediation pathway involving RD and SoC. This indirect effect was stronger among individuals with higher More >
Open Access
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REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 691-699, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.079470 - 31 August 2026
Abstract This study investigated how learning cognition influences college students’ academic performance, focusing on the mediating role of learning attitude and the sequential mediating role of executive ability and learning attitude. Data were from the Tsinghua University’s “Chinese College Students Learning and Development Tracking Study” project (N = 766; 41.37% female; mean age = 20 years, SD = 1.2 years). Results from panel data analysis showed that learning cognition was associated with higher academic performance. Learning attitude positively mediated this relationship. Moreover, learning attitude and executive ability served as positive sequential mediators linking learning cognition to More >
Open Access
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REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 701-709, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.079616 - 31 August 2026
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Cultivating Teachers' and Students' Character Strengths in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI): A Positive Psychology Perspective)
Abstract Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is reshaping language learning, yet research often overlooks how AI-related beliefs foster character strengths. This study investigated the relationship between the perceived usefulness of GenAI and academic engagement, and the mediating role of resilience. Study participants comprised multilingual Mongolian university students (N = 421, female = 57.7%, male = 42.3%; freshmen = 26.1%, sophomores = 21.1%, juniors = 29.9%, seniors = 22.8%; mean age = 20.49, SD = 1.11). Structural equation modeling and bootstrapping procedure results indicated that the perceived usefulness of GenAI was directly associated with higher academic engagement. Furthermore, More >
Open Access
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SPECIAL SECTION ON RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORSJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 711-719, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.078027 - 31 August 2026
Abstract This study tested a moderated mediation model on the role of employee organization-based self-esteem (OBSE) and perceived organization support in the relationship between perceptions of organizational politics (POP) and job burnout. A two-wave online survey was conducted with 313 employees of 9 enterprises (females = 28.4% mean age = 3.35, SD = 0.808). These enterprises cover the manufacturing (76.4%), service (3.5%), and other industries (20.1%). PROCESS linear regression analyses results show that POP is associated with higher job burnout. Organization-based self-esteem mediates the relationship between POP and job burnout. Furthermore, POS moderates the relationship between… More >
Open Access
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REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 721-729, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.078684 - 31 August 2026
Abstract The present research investigated how perceived social support and fear of negative evaluation serve as parallel mediators in the association between self-focused attention and social interaction abilities. Data were collected from 524 Chinese university students (mean age = 19.40 years, SD = 1.30), who completed the following instruments: the Self-Focused Attention Questionnaire, the Perceived Social Support Scale, the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale, and the Interpersonal Competence Questionnaire. According to regression analyses, self-focused attention not only exhibited a direct link with social interaction abilities but also showed a positive indirect pathway via perceived social More >
Open Access
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REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 731-740, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.081616 - 31 August 2026
Abstract Objective: To examine the influence of existential isolation on suicidal ideation among college students, as well as the mediating effect of entrapment and the moderating effect of authenticity. Method: A total of 1694 Chinese college students (67.06% female; mean age = 20.01 ± 1.37 years) were recruited as participants. Data were collected using the Existential Isolation Scale, Suicide Behavior Screening Questionnaire (SBSQ), Entrapment Scale and Authenticity Scale. With demographic covariates such as gender and age held constant, the bias-corrected bootstrap method was adopted to test the mediating and moderating effects. Results: (1) Existential isolation was a… More >
Open Access
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REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 741-750, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.079589 - 31 August 2026
Abstract This study investigates the factors and mechanisms underlying multilingual identity construction among Malagasy undergraduates. A mixed-methods survey design was employed with 226 Malagasy university students (mean age = 22.56 years; female = 65.49%). Data were collected using questionnaire measures and a multilingual Visual Analogue Scale. These data were analysed using structural equation modeling, and participants’ explanations were coded to capture subjective interpretations. The results showed that language experience and language beliefs were identified as primary predictors of multilingual identity. Self-concept and emotional factors showed additional contributions. Community beliefs were not directly associated with identity outcomes More >
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