Xiaojun Xu^1,#, Hui Lu^2,#, Mengni Du³, Yang Wang^1,4, Mingyan Liu², Lei Qian^1,5, Chunyan Shan¹, Jianan Xu⁶, Yanqiu Yu⁷, Guohua Zhang⁴, Anise M. S. Wu^8,9, Joseph T. F. Lau^1,4,10,*, Deborah Baofeng Wang^1,*

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.27, No.10, pp. 1423-1437, 2025, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2025.068840 - 31 October 2025

Abstract Background: Adolescent depression and school refusal (SR) are prevalent and important global concerns that need to be understood and addressed. Cross-sectional associations have been reported but prospective relationships between them remain unclear. This longitudinal study investigated the bidirectional relationships between these two problems among Chinese adolescents. Methods: A longitudinal study was conducted in Taizhou, China, surveying students of three junior high schools, three senior high schools, and one vocational high school. A total of 3882 students completed the questionnaire at baseline (T1); 3167 of them completed an identical follow-up questionnaire after 6 months (T2). Depression… More >

Qiufeng Gao¹, Yushu Feng¹, Changcheng Jiang¹, Yanshan Zhang^2,*, Ruixiang Gao^3,*

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.27, No.9, pp. 1399-1410, 2025, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2025.067138 - 30 September 2025

Abstract Background: Fundamental internal factors like self-construal and its influence on problematic online game use (POGU) remain underexplored. Hence, this study aims to investigate the effects of independent and interdependent self-construal on POGU, with the mediation of basic psychological needs satisfaction. Methods: The study surveyed 418 Chinese junior high school students (50.24% male; Mean_age = 12.68, SD = 0.65), assessing their levels of self-construal, basic psychological needs satisfaction, and POGU. A parallel mediation model was tested. Results: The findings showed that autonomy and competence needs satisfaction fully mediated the negative impact of independent self-construal on POGU (B… More >

Yali Zhang¹, Hao Jiang¹, Yuewen Bian², Fuhai Zhang^1,*

Journal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.35, No.2, pp. 271-275, 2025, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2025.065774 - 30 June 2025

Abstract This study aimed to determine the reliability, validity and measurement invariance of scores from the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-8 in Chinese context. A total of 1114 Chinese adolescents were participants in three phases: N = 424 for the initial DERS-8 measure completion; N = 586 the DERS-8, General Anxiety Disorder Scale, Depression Scale and Emotion Regulation Scale completion, with an interval of one month. Then an additional 104 adolescents also completed DERS-8, General Anxiety Disorder Scale, Depression Scale and Emotion Regulation Scale. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses confirmed the one-factor model of the More >

Xiang Shi^1,2,3, Ju Feng^1,2,3, Ming Gong^1,2,3, Yingxiu Chen^1,2,3, Jianyong Chen^1,2,3,*

Journal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.35, No.1, pp. 143-150, 2025, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2025.065772 - 30 April 2025

Abstract While the relation between shyness and problematic social media use (PSMU) among adolescents has been established, the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying this association remain largely unexplored. The present study examined whether psychological insecurity mediated the association between shyness and adolescents’ PSMU and whether this mediation was moderated by relational-interdependent self-construal (RISC). A total of 1506 Chinese adolescents (M_age = 13.74 years, SD = 0.98) filled out self-report measures of shyness, psychological insecurity, RISC, and PSMU. SPSS (version 23.0) and the PROCESS macro (version 4.1) were employed to test the proposed model. Mediation analyses indicated that… More >

Jin Yan^1,#, Liu Yang^2,#, Dongye Lyu³, Songjian Du^1,*

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.27, No.3, pp. 333-345, 2025, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2025.062297 - 31 March 2025

Abstract Background: Adolescents face increasing academic and social pressures, which significantly impact their mental well-being and coping strategies. Physical activity (PA) has been recognized as crucial in promoting psychological resilience and social development. This study investigates the relationship between PA and adolescents’ coping styles, with a particular focus on the mediating roles of friendship quality and psychological resilience. By examining these associations, the study aims to provide insights into how PA contributes to adolescents’ ability to navigate challenges and develop adaptive coping mechanisms. Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional design and was conducted in Suzhou, Jiangsu… More >

Jian-Hong Ye^1,2, Junpeng Zheng³, Weiguaju Nong⁴, Xiantong Yang^5,*

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.27, No.3, pp. 271-286, 2025, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2025.059929 - 31 March 2025

Abstract Objectives: Short video addiction has emerged as a significant public health issue in recent years, with a growing trend toward severity. However, research on the causes and impacts of short video addiction remains limited, and understanding of the variable “TikTok brain” is still in its infancy. Therefore, based on the Stimulus-Organism-Behavior-Consequence (SOBC) framework, we proposed six research hypotheses and constructed a model to explore the relationships between short video usage intensity, TikTok brain, short video addiction, and decreased attention control. Methods: Given that students are considered a high-risk group for excessive short video use, we… More >

Le-Qing Jin¹, Chen-Wei Pan¹, Chun-Hua Zhao², Dan-Lin Li¹, Yi-Bo Wu^3,*, Tian-Yang Zhang^1,4,*

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.27, No.1, pp. 29-40, 2025, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2025.057962 - 31 January 2025

Abstract Background: Although previous studies indicate that perceived social support might be associated with adolescent psychological problems, the specific mechanism has not been thoroughly discussed. Based on theoretical and empirical research on problematic Internet use (PIU) and sleep quality, this study explored whether they play a mediating role between perceived social support and symptoms of depression and anxiety among adolescents. Furthermore, we investigated whether these relationships varied by place of residence. Methods: A sample of 2115 Chinese adolescents was included, and analyzed data related to perceived social support, PIU, sleep quality, symptoms of depression and anxiety,… More >

Peichao Xie^1,#, Kexu Chen^1,#, Yuxuan Ji¹, Qi Wang¹, Kaiyun Li^1,*, Fanlu Jia¹, Ting Peng²

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.26, No.11, pp. 887-895, 2024, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2024.056305 - 28 November 2024

Abstract Background: Coping self-efficacy can help individuals mitigate the adverse emotional impacts of stress, anxiety, and other negative emotions, and it also influences individuals’ academic performance, including school adjustment and academic burnout. It is an important factor affecting the mental health of adolescents. However, there is no measurement tool specifically designed for adolescent populations in China. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to assess the applicability of the Coping Self-Efficacy Scale (CSES) among Chinese adolescents. Methods: In September 2023, this study collected data through online questionnaires and ultimately conducted item analysis, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory… More >

Yanjing Cao¹, Chenchen Xu^1,2, Qi Li¹, Shan Lu^1,2,*, Jing Xiao^1,*

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.26, No.4, pp. 261-269, 2024, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2024.043729 - 04 May 2024

Abstract Background: Valid and reliable measures of depressive symptoms are crucial for understanding risk factors, outcomes, and interventions across rural and urban settings. Despite this need, the longitudinal invariance of these measures over time remains understudied. This research explores the structural components of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and examines its consistency across various living environments and temporal stability in a cohort of Chinese teenagers. Method: In the initial phase, 1,042 adolescents furnished demographic details and undertook the CES-D assessment. After a three-month interval, 967 of these participants repeated the CES-D evaluation. The… More >

Umaira Tabbasam¹, Amjad Islam Amjad², Tariq Ahmed¹, Xing Qiang^1,*

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.25, No.3, pp. 389-402, 2023, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2023.024130 - 21 February 2023

Abstract Adolescents’ emotions and preferences are influenced by their childhood experiences. In today’s world, there is a pervasive eagerness for happiness. Happiness has been linked to feelings of self-strength, seeking help, and psychological health. The current quantitative research was designed with a positive psychological perspective to compare Pakistani and Chines adolescents’ self-strength, seeking help, and happiness. The research design of the study was causal-comparative. The study population consisted of 400 Pakistani and 409 Chinese adolescents studying in the elementary grades of both countries. The sample was selected by using a simple random sampling technique. It consisted… More >