Han Qi¹, Zhihong Liu², Shanshan Zhang^1,*, Fengmin Guo³

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.8, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.081464 - 31 August 2026

Abstract Backgrounds: High school is a critical period for psychological development, during which mental health is vulnerable to family environment. According to attachment theory, adolescents exposed to conflicting family environments develop negative internal working models, characterized by doubts about the stability of parental relationships and family support (i.e., negative family representations). These negative representations constitute a cognitive basis for depression risk. However, the mediating and protective mechanisms remain unclear. Thus, the primary purpose of this study is to explore the potential effect of negative family representations on depression among high school students, focusing on the mediating role… More >

Xiaolong Zhang^1,#, Shan Huang^1,2,#, Jing Chen³, Ziyi Zhang¹, Kexiang Yang^1,4, Weijie Gao¹, Hyun-Chul Jeong^1,*

Journal 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 >

Siyao Yan, Ruiqian Li^*

Journal 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 >

Wenjiao Li¹, Shiliang Chen¹, Xinxing Li², Yanjie Zhang^3,*

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.080191 - 30 July 2026

Abstract Backgrounds: Youth living in food-insecure households show greater vulnerability to psychiatric symptoms, including anxiety and depression. Although physical activity and sedentary behavior are established correlates of youth mental health, their associations within the context of food insecurity households remain understudied. This study examines how physical activity and sedentary behavior relate to depression and anxiety risk among children residing in food-insecure households. Methods: We analyzed data from the 2021–2022 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH), focusing on youth aged 6–17 years (n = 2118) living in food insecurity households. Multivariate logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex,… More >

Hyunyup Lee^1,*, Sungrok Kang¹, Yoonyoung Choi¹, Eric S. Cerino²

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.080017 - 30 July 2026

Abstract Background: Despite growing concerns about the mental health of professional military personnel, little is known about protective factors for mental health among military officers and non-commissioned officers (NCOs). The present study aimed to examine the differential and interaction effects of extrinsic and intrinsic protective factors on depression and mental well-being among Korean professional military personnel. Methods: A total of 500 Korean officers and NCOs completed a self-administered questionnaire that assessed extrinsic factors (salary satisfaction, work environment satisfaction), intrinsic factors (occupational calling, positive appraisals of military service), and the two mental health outcomes. Results: Hierarchical regression revealed that… More >

Ziyan Zhou¹, Haiyun Peng², Menghao Ren^1,3, Sufei Xin^4,*, Daoqun Ding^1,5,*

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.079929 - 30 July 2026

Abstract Background: Internet addiction and depression are important mental health concerns among adolescents. Although prior research has examined their bidirectional relationship, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Drawing on conservation of resources theory, this study examined their bidirectional relationship and tested the mediating role of self-control, with attention to gender differences. Methods: A two-wave longitudinal survey (T1: November 2021; T2: May 2022) was conducted in China among 1908 adolescents (1026 females, 882 males; mean age = 13.546, SD = 1.463). At both waves, participants completed self-report measures of internet addiction, self-control, and depression (using the Internet Addiction Scale,… More >

Sendhi Tristanti Puspitasari^1,2, Hung-En Liao^1,*, Eri Yanuar Akhmad Budi Sunaryo³, Penta Akhirul Awal⁴

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.6, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.078980 - 23 June 2026

Abstract Background: Adolescent girls tend to engage in more sedentary behavior than boys, which is associated with adverse physical and psychosocial outcomes, including depression. This study examined the relationships between sedentary behavior, perceived stress, body mass index (BMI), and depressive symptoms among adolescent girls in Indonesia and tested the mediating roles of perceived stress and BMI. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 482 female senior high school students (age 14–20) in Malang City, East Java, Indonesia. Sedentary behavior was assessed by the Adolescent Sedentary Activity Questionnaire (ASAQ) and expressed as total hours/day. Perceived stress was measured… More >

Xiaohui Wang^1,#, Aiqin Liu^2,#, Zechun Ma^3,#, Nien-Hwa Lai^4,*, Rui Ding^5,*

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.6, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.078910 - 23 June 2026

Abstract Objectives: Chinese higher education faces rising depression rates amidst fragmented campus mental health services. This pilot study examined the feasibility and preliminary outcomes of implementing a standardized psychodrama program across multiple university sites. Methods: This single-arm study was conducted across three Beijing universities from September 2024 to January 2025. A total of 27 undergraduates completed an 8-week psychodrama intervention program comprising weekly 2.5-h sessions. A unified protocol was ensured through centralized facilitator training and cross-site supervision. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory-II at baseline, post-intervention, 3-month, and 6-month follow-ups. Retention rates were 93.8%… More >

Verónica García-Tribaldos¹, Laura Lacomba-Trejo^2,*

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.6, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.078835 - 23 June 2026

Abstract Backgrounds: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can increase the likelihood of developing insecure attachment patterns, which in turn may heighten economic concerns and couple dissatisfaction—both generally and particularly in the context of assisted reproduction treatments (ART). These processes together elevate the risk of postpartum depression (PPD). Methods: This study examined psychosocial and relational predictors of PPD in a sample of 149 Spanish women up to 12 months postpartum following ART. (8.1% = artificial insemination with a sperm donor; 12.1% = artificial insemination without a sperm donor; 67.1% = in vitro fertilization; 20.8% = intracytoplasmic sperm injection; 12.8% =… More >

Chun-Chieh Hu^1,*, Meixuan Li^1,2, Ruize Gao^1,2

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.5, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.078559 - 28 May 2026

Abstract Backgrounds: The mental health consequences of social media use remain debated. Drawing on the “rich-get-richer” perspective, this study examines whether social media access interacts with perceived social resources to shape depression risk among Chinese students. Methods: We analyze nationally representative data from the 2020 and 2022 waves of the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), constructing a two-period unbalanced student panel. High-dimensional fixed effects linear probability models are estimated with province and year fixed effects and province-specific linear trends. Mediation analyses follow the Baron and Kenny framework and are supplemented by Sobel-Goodman and bootstrap tests. Heterogeneity is… More >