Gengan Wu^1,#, Anqi Jiang^1,#, Zihan Chen², Xinwei Su^3,4,*

Journal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.35, No.6, pp. 853-861, 2025, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2025.073822 - 30 December 2025

Abstract This study examined the role of role clarity and safety cognition in shaping mountain climbers’ participation motivation and safety behavior. The study sample comprised 454 participants (males = 58.8%, mean age = 32 years, SD = 9.31). They completed measures on five participation motivation dimensions (achievement, interest, knowledge, socialization, and health) and safety participation. The results from structural equation modelling indicated that participant motivations in achievement, health, and knowledge significantly predicted safety participation behavior, such as risk avoidance, self-protection, and mutual assistance, more so than the motivations of interest and socialization. Role clarity moderated the More >

Hongmei Yuan¹, Siting Li^1,2,3,*, Yu Zhang^2,3, Yunheng Zhao¹, Dan Shen¹, E. Scott Huebnerd⁴

Journal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.35, No.6, pp. 723-730, 2025, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2025.073368 - 30 December 2025

Abstract Academic engagement is a key factor in students’ academic success, yet its psychological pathways remain underexplored in the context of physical activity. This study investigated the relationship between sports participation and academic engagement, with a focus on the sequential mediating roles of positive affect and life satisfaction. A total of 1365 Chinese secondary school students (females = 55.09%; mean age = 15.95 years, SD = 1.65) participated in the study. Participants completed the Physical Activity Rating Scale, the Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Academic Engagement Scale. Correlation More >

Murat Aslan¹, Sinan Uğraş², Fatih Ateş³, Mehmet Akarsu⁴, Taylan Akbuğa⁵, Mehmet Güllü⁴, Barış Mergan^6,*

Journal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.35, No.6, pp. 739-748, 2025, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2025.067085 - 30 December 2025

Abstract Although prior studies have examined job-finding anxiety, burnout, and school alienation individually, limited research has attempted to integrate these three constructs within a unified framework. This conceptual and contextual gap underscores the need to investigate these interrelations simultaneously, particularly among university students navigating heightened career uncertainties. The present study examined the mediating role of school alienation and the moderating role of gender in the relationship between university students’ levels of job-finding anxiety and burnout. A total of 426 university students participated in the study, of whom 54.9% were male (n = 234) and 45.1% were… More >

Gwang-Soo Oh^1,#, Je-Seong Lee^2,#, Myeong-Hun Bae^3,*

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.27, No.11, pp. 1729-1745, 2025, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2025.071944 - 28 November 2025

Abstract Background: With the rapid growth of digital learning environments, esports has emerged as a popular form of school-based activity that promotes teamwork, motivation, and engagement. However, limited research has examined how participation in esports relates to students’ psychological and academic development. To address this gap, the present study identified structural relationships between perceived psychological well-being, social support, academic engagement, and school-life satisfaction among students participating in school-based esports activities. Methods: We surveyed 588 students who competed in on-campus esports tournaments across 15 secondary schools in Gwangju Metropolitan City, South Korea. Psychological well-being, social support, academic engagement,… More >

Mariette Coetzee^*, Linda Naidoo

Journal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.35, No.5, pp. 627-634, 2025, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2025.065791 - 24 October 2025

Abstract This study developed and tested the internal reliability of a 27-item Organisational Citizenship Behaviour (OCB) scale for higher education institutions. Participants were a probability sample of 452 (N = 452) university staff of a South African open-distance higher education institution (academics 46%, administrative staff 33%, professional and managerial staff 21%). The participants completed the Organisational Citizenship Behaviour questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis identified a four-construct measurement model for organisational citizenship behaviour: altruism, civic virtue, sportsmanship, and sense of duty and consideration. The sense of duty and consideration is the only factor not previously identified as a factor More >

Young-Vin Kim¹, Hyunkyun Ahn^2,*

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.27, No.9, pp. 1301-1334, 2025, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2025.068251 - 30 September 2025

Abstract Objectives: Recently, the global esports industry has experienced remarkable growth, leading to an expansion in the scale and influence of professional player communities. However, despite this outward growth, systems to protect players’ mental health remain inadequate. Comprehensive analysis of structural risk factors, including performance pressure, public evaluation, and career instability, remains insufficient. This study, aimed to explore stressors encountered by esports athletes, coping strategies, and the role of social support systems in safeguarding mental health. Using the transactional model of stress and coping, the job demands–resources model, and social support theory, the study adopts an… More >

Yi Yang, Che-Yu Lin^*

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.143, No.3, pp. 2767-2783, 2025, DOI:10.32604/cmes.2025.064459 - 30 June 2025

Abstract In order to help athletes optimize their performances in competitions while prevent overtraining and the risk of overuse injuries, it is important to develop science-based strategies for optimally designing training programs. The purpose of the present study is to develop a novel method by the combined use of optimal control theory and a training-performance model for designing optimal training programs, with the hope of helping athletes achieve the best performance exactly on the competition day while properly manage training load during the training course for preventing overtraining. The training-performance model used in the proposed optimal… More >

Hyunkyun Ahn¹, Yeon-Hee Choi^2,*, Young-Vin Kim^3,*

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.27, No.4, pp. 451-468, 2025, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2025.060896 - 30 April 2025

Abstract Objectives: In this study, we examined the psychological impact of hierarchical and authoritarian structures in elite sports teams in South Korea on the ego formation and mental health of athletes. We aimed to analyze how these environments shape psychological well-being in athletes, drawing on Freud’s group psychology theory, while integrating perspectives from the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Social Identity Theory (SIT). Methods: We applied a qualitative case-study approach, with data collected through in-depth interviews with eight retired elite table tennis players from South Korea. These athletes shared their experiences with psychological mechanisms in their teams… More >

Yuanyuan Hao¹, Dongye Lyu², Siyu Zhang¹, Bin Guo^3,*, Jin Yan^4,*

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.26, No.10, pp. 865-873, 2024, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2024.055231 - 31 October 2024

Abstract Background: Youth emerge as an essential period in forming lifelong health and well-being. During adolescence, physical activity (PA) improves cardiovascular health, fitness levels, and the prevention of chronic illnesses, and the positive effect is also extended to the mental realm, as PA reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression. Therefore, the current study aims to enhance our understanding of the correlation between sports participation and depressive symptoms. Additionally, it seeks to explore how demographics such as gender, age, and race can shape these connections. Methods: The research sample was established by utilising the U.S. Youth Risk… More >

Bayan Alabdullah¹, Muhammad Tayyab², Yahay AlQahtani³, Naif Al Mudawi⁴, Asaad Algarni⁵, Ahmad Jalal², Jeongmin Park^6,*

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.81, No.1, pp. 309-326, 2024, DOI:10.32604/cmc.2024.053538 - 15 October 2024

Abstract In the modern era of a growing population, it is arduous for humans to monitor every aspect of sports, events occurring around us, and scenarios or conditions. This recognition of different types of sports and events has increasingly incorporated the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence. This research focuses on detecting and recognizing events in sequential photos characterized by several factors, including the size, location, and position of people’s body parts in those pictures, and the influence around those people. Common approaches utilized, here are feature descriptors such as MSER (Maximally Stable Extremal Regions),… More >