Visual Analogue Scales (VAS) are widely used in clinical and research settings to measure subjective experiences. Coloured versions (Colour Analogue Scales - CAS) have been proposed for emotions in specific samples such as children and people suffering from cognitive deficits. To date, data on the comparability of the two types of measures are meagre. The present study fills this gap by recording the perceived intensity of emotions and pain experienced by healthy adults (N = 128, mean age = 21.64 ± 3.36, 62 females, 66 males). In Experiment 1, the participants rated the valence of emotions in human faces using a VAS and a coloured scale (E-CAS), with yellow representing happiness and blue grey representing sadness. In Experiment 2, they rated the imaginary pain intensity typically associated with certain daily life situations, in this case using a VAS and a red-shaded CAS. The results from the two scales were compared. Convergent and concurrent validity were assessed in correlation analyses, while construct validity was examined using repeated-measures analyses. Response times were compared to evaluate the potential effects of format. High correlations and comparable sensitivity were found between the CAS and VAS scales. Crucially, responses to the coloured scales were faster than the VAS, suggesting a reduced cognitive load in their use, that makes them potentially indicated for patients with cognitive deficits.
Many adolescent girls suffer from anxiety, and modifying their emotional responses can be effective in alleviating their symptoms. The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of group-based emotion regulation training on meta-worry, mind wandering, and repetitive negative thinking in adolescent girls with anxiety symptoms. A quasi-experimental design with pretest, posttest, and a three-month follow-up, along with a control group, was employed. Thirty female students with elevated anxiety symptoms based on self-report screening (BAI score ≥ 8) were selected from Saba Technical and Vocational High School in Bouin Zahra city. A multi-stage cluster random sampling method was used: first, Saba School was randomly selected from among 12 public schools, and then one class from each grade was randomly chosen. After screening with the Beck Anxiety Inventory, 30 eligible participants were randomly selected and assigned to either an experimental group (n = 15) or a control group (n = 15). The experimental group received an 8-session emotion regulation training protocol based on the process model of Gross and Thompson (2007). Data were collected using the Meta-Worry Questionnaire (MWQ), the Mind Wandering Scale (MWS), and the Repetitive Negative Thinking Questionnaire (RNTQ) at three time points. Data were analyzed using multivariate and univariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA and ANCOVA) for posttest comparisons, and repeated-measures ANOVA to assess the stability of the effects. The results of MANCOVA revealed a statistically significant overall effect with a large effect size on the combined set of dependent variables (p = 0.002, η² = 0.476, 95
Physical education (PE) classes play an important role in promoting adolescents’ physical, psychological and social well-being. However, limited research has examined the relationship between attitudes toward PE classes and PE-related happiness, particularly among adolescents living in rural and district contexts. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship between secondary school students’ attitudes toward PE classes and their happiness levels, while accounting for gender, age, place of residence, and sports participation. A cross-sectional correlational design was used. A total of 406 secondary school students participated in the study, including 233 girls and 173 boys. Data were collected using the PE Class Happiness Level Scale and the Attitude Scale toward PE Class for Secondary School Students. The findings revealed that students who participated in sports reported significantly higher PE-related happiness than non-participants. In addition, students living in villages demonstrated significantly higher attitudes toward PE classes and higher PE-related happiness than those living in district centers. Pearson correlation analysis indicated a moderate positive relationship between attitudes toward PE classes and PE-related happiness (r = .557; p < .001). Multiple regression analysis indicated that attitude toward PE classes was the factor most strongly associated with PE-related happiness (β = 0.540; p < .001). Positive attitudes toward PE classes and regular participation in sports were associated with higher levels of PE-related happiness among adolescents. The findings suggest that positive engagement in PE classes and participation in sports are associated with more positive affective experiences within PE settings.
Somatic symptoms are highly prevalent among older adults with multiple chronic conditions and are associated with functional impairment and reduced quality of life. Emerging evidence suggests that psychological factors, particularly alexithymia and emotion regulation difficulties, are closely associated with somatic symptom burden. However, the conditional associations among the dimensions of these constructs remain unclear. Network analysis provides a complementary approach to examining these relationships. This study aimed to examine these associations and identify central and bridge nodes among older adults with multiple chronic conditions. This cross-sectional study used convenience sampling to recruit 1,497 participants from 13 prefecture-level cities in Jiangsu Province between February 2024 and February 2026. Data were collected using the Somatic Symptom Scale-China (SSS-CN), the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and the short form of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-16). R version 4.2.0 was used to construct a network of symptom dimensions and identify central and bridge nodes, and SPSS 26.0 was used for descriptive analyses. A total of 1,497 participants were included, with a mean age of 71.02 ± 4.69 years. Centrality analysis identified “Limited access to emotion regulation strategies perceived as effective” (strength z-score = 1.61), “Difficulty Identifying Feelings” (strength z-score = 1.38), and “Physical disorder” (strength z-score = 0.98) as central nodes in the network. Bridge centrality analysis identified “Difficulty Identifying Feelings” (bridge strength = 0.40), “Limited access to emotion regulation strategies perceived as effective” (bridge strength = 0.32), and “Depression disorder” (bridge strength = 0.25) as the nodes with the highest bridge strength within the predefined alexithymia, emotion regulation difficulties, and somatic symptom communities, respectively. The network showed good stability (CS = 0.75). Network comparison analysis revealed significant differences between participants with SSS-CN scores below 30 and those with scores of 30 or above in overall network structure (M = 0.438, P < 0.001) and global strength (S = 1.358, P < 0.001). Somatic symptoms, alexithymia, and emotion regulation difficulties showed close conditional associations among community-dwelling older adults with multiple chronic conditions. “Difficulty Identifying Feelings” and “Limited access to emotion regulation strategies perceived as effective” exhibited relatively high strength and bridge strength, while “Physical disorder” also occupied a central position in the network. Significant differences in network structure and global strength were observed between groups with different levels of somatic symptom burden. These findings highlight potentially relevant dimensions for future longitudinal and intervention studies.
English as a foreign language (EFL) educators have increasingly incorporated Artificial Intelligence (AI) into language learning; accordingly, this study explored the role of an AI-supported speaking tool in speaking skills, speaking anxiety, and willingness to communicate (WTC) among Chinese EFL students. Activity theory refers to a proper and applicable structure proposed for investigating how AI chatbots affect different dimensions. Applying this theory to the research allows for analyzing the complicated interactions between those factors and a comprehension of the effect of AI chatbots (EAP Talk) on learners’ WTC, speaking proficiency, and speaking anxiety. A total of 113 participants were initially recruited (58 EG, 55 CG); after excluding four multivariate outliers (all from the EG), the primary analytic sample comprised 109 learners (54 EG, 55 CG). Full-sample results (N = 113) are also reported and were consistent in direction, though smaller in magnitude for speaking anxiety (see Sensitivity Analysis). Using pretests, the participants’ levels of speaking abilities, anxiety, and WTC were assessed prior to the intervention. Subsequently, the EG received AI-supported speaking practice through EAP Talk, an AI-based speaking assessment and feedback application that facilitated iterative practice and immediate automated feedback, whereas the CG was taught the same material without the use of this tool. Using post-tests following the treatment, both groups were evaluated on their speaking skills, anxiety, and WTC. The results revealed notable posttest differences between the two groups: WTC showed a medium effect size, speaking anxiety showed a large effect size, and speaking skill showed a very large effect size. Overall, the results suggest that the EAP Talk intervention was associated with improved speaking performance and WTC, as well as reduced speaking anxiety among the participating EFL students. Interpreting the findings through the lens of Activity Theory helps situate the results within the broader relationships among learners, tools, and instructional context; however, the theory is used here as an interpretive lens rather than as a directly tested explanatory model.
