Geonho Na¹, Ryewon Ma^2,*, Heetae Cho^1,*

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.27, No.12, pp. 1867-1882, 2025, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2025.073087 - 31 December 2025

Abstract Background: Academic achievement is an important indicator of student development, and its pursuit should be considered alongside students’ mental health and overall quality of life. Traditional martial arts, as an educational activity that emphasizes self-discipline, communal values, and positive emotional experiences, may support key psychological factors related to learning, such as optimism, school belonging, and well-being. However, how these factors are connected to academic achievement has not been fully examined. Therefore, this study investigated the associations between these psychological resources and academic achievement among students participating in traditional martial arts training. Methods: Data were collected from… More >

Wufan Jia¹, Seung Hee Yoo², Hye Eun Lee^3,*

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.27, No.12, pp. 1897-1906, 2025, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2025.071572 - 31 December 2025

Abstract Background: With growing concerns about the abuse of prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications, such as medications for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), diet pills, and sleep aids, among adolescents in South Korea, this study aimed to investigated how these substances affect key aspects of adolescent well-being, specifically school satisfaction, body image, and sleep quality, and their association with mental health outcomes. Methods: A two-wave longitudinal survey was conducted with Korean female high school students (Wave 1: n = 494; Wave 2: n = 189). Linear regression analyses were used to evaluate the effects of ADHD medications, diet pills, and… More >

Baobao Dang^1,*, Wenjing Li¹, Haiyan Zhao², Shifeng Li³

Journal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.35, No.6, pp. 749-759, 2025, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2025.071932 - 30 December 2025

Abstract This study investigated the relationship between NCLP and social adaptation among high school students, as mediated by prosocial tendency and language communication strategies. The sample comprised 547 Tibetan high school students aged 15–18 years (female = 69.5%, mean age = 16.67 years, SD = 0.95) from the Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, China. They completed questionnaires surveys on NCLP, social adaptation, prosocial tendency, and language communication strategies. The mediation analysis results indicated that NCLP significantly predicted social adaptation. Prosocial tendency and language communication strategies independently and significantly mediated the relationship between NCLP and social adaptation. Prosocial tendency 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 >

Marta Reis^1,2,3,4,5,*, Catarina Noronha⁶, Gina Tomé^3,4,5, Marina Carvalho^4,6, Nuno Neto Rodrigues⁷, Margarida Gaspar de Matos^3,4,6

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.27, No.10, pp. 1457-1470, 2025, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2025.070318 - 31 October 2025

Abstract Objectives: Academic Evaluation Anxiety is a significant psychological concern among adolescents, with well-documented impacts on academic performance, emotional well-being, and school engagement. In Portugal, recent evidence suggests growing pressure on students to achieve high academic standards, with psychosocial variables such as resilience, perceived support, and school environment playing a crucial role. This study aims to examine the prevalence and psychosocial predictors of Academic Evaluation Anxiety in Portuguese students, and to identify risk and protective factors that inform educational practice. Methods: This cross-sectional, quantitative study analysed data from 3083 students (5th to 12th grade) from the… More >

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 >

Qinglin Wang^1,2, Hang Zhang², Junzhe Zhao², Wenfan Chao², Minghui Wang^2,*

Journal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.35, No.5, pp. 557-563, 2025, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2025.068969 - 24 October 2025

Abstract This study investigated the role of work role engagement and interpersonal perspectives mediation in the relationship between school principal moral leadership and teachers’ voice behavior. A sample comprising 315 middle school teachers from a central province in China participated in the research (females = 73.3%). These teachers completed surveys on moral leadership, work engagement, trust in superiors, and voice behavior. The results of dual mediation modeling indicated evidence of an indirect effect of moral leadership on teachers’ voice behavior through work engagement. The results also indicated evidence of mediating effect of trust between moral leadership More >

Jiaqi Lu¹, Fang Wang^2,*

Journal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.35, No.5, pp. 651-659, 2025, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2025.066088 - 24 October 2025

Abstract This study explores parenting and family adjustment profile effects on toddler socioemotional competence by the underlying mechanisms of effortful control. Participants were Chinese parent caregivers (N = 448) of 448 toddlers aged 15–36 months. They completed measures of parenting and family adjustment, toddler socioemotional competence, and effortful control. Latent profile analysis (LPA) identified three family profiles—Strict-Detached, Constrained-Collaborative, and Harmonious-Aligned. These three profiles of parenting and family adjustment directly affect toddler socioemotional competence through variations in emotional support, discipline strategies, and parent–child interactions. Effortful control mediates this relationship of parenting and family adjustment and toddler socioemotional More >

Niya Chen^1,#, Lei Ren^2,3,#, Xinyi Wei⁴, Yaning Guo⁵, Chuanjun Liu¹, Li Guo⁵, Yinchuan Jin^5,6,*

Journal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.35, No.5, pp. 635-640, 2025, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2025.065773 - 24 October 2025

Abstract This study utilized a mediation model to examine the role of psychological capital and positive academic emotions in the relationship between school connectedness and academic engagement in adolescents. A sample of 389 Chinese adolescents (M_age = 13.43; 51.2% females) completed the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-Student (UWES-S), the Achievement Emotions Questionnaire (AEQ), the Positive Psychological Capital Scale (PPCS), and the School Connectedness Scale (SCS). Structural equation modeling analysis yielded findings to suggest that higher school connectedness is associated with academic engagement. Psychological capital was associated with positive emotions, and higher psychological capital partially mediated the relationship between More >