Yue Guo¹, Zhenlu Bao², Zhenlin Lei³, Rui Wang⁴, Jiawei Guo^5,*

Journal 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 >

Yuxin (Lorraine) Zhang^1,2,*

Journal 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 >

Gen Zhang, Ziyi Zhu^*

Journal 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 >

Xin Mi^1,*, Xincheng Li^2,*

Journal 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 >

Songming Liu¹, Siyuan Yin^2,*

Journal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 701-709, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.079616 - 31 August 2026

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 >

Yunsheng Ruan^*

Journal 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 >

Xiaohua Li¹, Fuqiang Li^2,*, Wenjin Li³

Journal 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 >

Bereket Merkine Gebresilase^1,*, Chuanxia Zhang¹, Yohannes Bisa Biramo², Zebdewos Zekarias Elka², Esayas Teshome Taddese³, Ni An⁴

Journal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 643-650, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.079165 - 31 August 2026

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 >

Jiaqi Zheng¹, Xuanyu Chen^2,*, Changze Wu³

Journal 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 >

Shijie Song¹, Ke Yang^2,*

Journal 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 >