Given the growing data accumulated in the research of personal values change, we explored the existence and intensity of values change following major life events, whether individual or cumulative. A second objective of our research was to identify which of the major life events are studied, which study populations and their effects on personal values change. A total of 35 studies met the criteria to be included in the present meta-analysis with an average sample of 5289 participants. The mean effect size obtained was small with a great heterogeneity and thus subgroup analyses required grouping personal values in their clusters. The results show that traumatic events (e.g., war) and economic events of the region had the largest effect on mean-level changes in conservation cluster values analysis, while the directed interventions brought medium level changes in the self-enhancement and self-transcendence cluster values, followed by economic events and education. Education and time were associated with small level changes in all value clusters.
The present study developed and validated the Perceived Parental Blame Scale (PPBS) and examined the underlying psychological mechanisms that connect perceived parental blame experienced during childhood to emotional distress in adulthood. The present study is anchored in attachment theory and emotion regulation frameworks. Its objective is to explore how early perceptions of parental blame may shape long-term emotional functioning and vulnerability to psychological difficulties. Specifically, a mediation model was tested in which difficulties in emotion regulation were hypothesized to explain the relationship between parental blame and adult symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Two independent adult samples were recruited to ensure methodological robustness. The initial sample (N = 308) was utilised to conduct exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, which substantiated a unidimensional and psychometrically sound factor structure of the PPBS with high internal consistency. The second sample (N = 576) was used for structural equation modelling, which confirmed that perceived parental blame significantly predicted elevated levels of psychological distress. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that this association was partially mediated by emotion regulation deficits. The findings emphasise the long-lasting impact of early family interactions on adult emotional well-being, suggesting that experiences of blame from caregivers may result in the internalisation of maladaptive emotional schemas that persist into adulthood. The PPBS thus offers a novel and reliable instrument for future research and clinical assessment of familybased emotional dynamics. The results of the study provide valuable implications for prevention and intervention programs aiming to strengthen emotion regulation skills and address maladaptive parental patterns within family and systemic therapy contexts.
Eye movement therapies have shown effectiveness in reducing distress pertaining to past traumatic events. In the clinical field, a variety of eye movement therapies exists, with the directions of eye movements and respective guidelines differentiating one from the other. Anecdotal work field evidence suggests Integral Eye Movement Therapy (IEMT) is as has less side effects; however, research is scarce at present. Participants were recruited from the general population, and all received three conditions (IEMT, EMDR, control) in randomized order (N=33). Participants were asked to recall a pre-chosen negative memory. Questionnaires were answered pre-, post-intervention, and at one-week follow-up. These self-reports consisted of visual analogue scales measuring emotionality and distress, forming the main outcome of Subjective Units of Distress(SUD). Blinded to condition, 60.6% preferred the IEMT condition to the EMDR- or the control condition. SUD-scores were significantly lower after both IEMT and EMDR conditions than after the control condition at post-intervention (p=.001; p<.001, respectively) and at follow-up (p=.014; p=.002, respectively). IEMT and EMDR conditions did not significantly differ at any time point. This study was the first to compare IEMT and EMDR directed eye movements and found that each significantly lowered the experienced emotionality and distress related to a negative memory, as tested in randomized order in the general population.
Research on cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for depressed and anxious orphaned adolescents in Malaysian sheltered homes is limited. This randomised controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of group CBT, known as the SAHABAT programme, compared to a waitlist control. One hundred thirty-nine orphaned adolescents from nine sheltered homes participated: SAHABAT (4 homes, n = 71) and waitlist control (5 homes, n = 68), selected through clustered sampling. The SAHABAT group attended eight sessions over a month, while the control group received no intervention. Psychological outcomes were assessed at six-time points over six months using five self-report questionnaires. Generalised linear multi-modelling analysis showed that the SAHABAT programme had mild to moderate effects in reducing depression (eta(2) = .05), anxiety (eta(2) = .05), negative automatic thoughts (eta(2) = .05), and anger (eta(2) = .07). It also significantly improved self-esteem (eta(2) = .02). Depression symptoms reduced from mild to minimal, anxiety from moderate to mild, negative automatic thoughts from high to low, and anger from mildly elevated to normal, while self-esteem increased. The SAHABAT programme positively impacted mental health outcomes over six months post-intervention. The findings highlight SAHABAT's positive impact and the need for enhanced mental health policies for vulnerable adolescents in Malaysia.
Interoceptive sensibility (IS) is a novel therapeutic target in drug relapse prevention. The beneficial mechanisms of exercise on methamphetamine relapse remain unclear. This study assessed the effects of aerobic exercise on methamphetamine-craving, and methamphetamine-using), IS, and relapse tendency in a methamphetamine-related virtual reality environment among individuals with methamphetamine use disorders (MUD). We further examined the role of craving reactivity and IS in aerobic exercise and relapse tendency. Exercise (n = 36) and control (n = 35) groups received eight weeks of aerobic exercise or health education, respectively (5 times/week, 60 using, IS, and relapse tendency were measured at pre-test and post-test on the same day. The exercise group exhibited a larger decrease in craving reactivity, IS, and relapse tendency from the pre-test to the post-test compared to the control group. Craving reactivity and IS changes mediated the relationship between exercise intervention and decreased relapse improves relapse tendency in individuals with MUD. The underlying mechanisms may include reduced cue-induced craving reactivity and IS.
Increasing self-esteem through an online intervention may be essential for students' psychological well-being and academic performance. Based on Melanie Fennell's cognitive model (1997, 2016), this study investigates the feasibility of an online intervention program aimed at improving students' self-esteem. After completing online screening, 33 students (M-age = 22 years, SDage = 6.75; 70% females) with low or medium levels of self-esteem participated in this open-label uncontrolled pilot trial. The primary outcome measure was the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE). As part of the intervention program, we utilized psychoeducation and cognitive-behavioral techniques. Furthermore, due to the pandemic context in which the intervention's feasibility was tested, we delivered the intervention online, in working groups. Following this five-week program, participants exhibited higher levels of explicit self-esteem (d = .74) and lower levels of depression and anxiety as secondary outcomes (d = .46 for depression and d = .48 for anxiety). Despite inherent limitations, these results provide initial evidence supporting the feasibility of an online working group intervention aimed at improving students' self-esteem.
Empathy and therapeutic alliance are key components of evidence-based psychotherapy and strong predictors of positive outcomes. Yet future psychologists often lack practical experience, underscoring the need for training that integrates theory with practice. Virtual reality (VR) offers a safe, controlled environment to rehearse relational skills. This pilot single-group pre-post study examined the feasibility and usability of the Future Psychotherapists VR application, designed to enhance empathy and allianceone VR-based training session interacting with a virtual client in a predefined scenario. Simulator sickness was assessed pre- and post-session, whereas usability and perceived cognitive workload were measured postintervention. As an exploratory aim, state empathy (cognitive, affective, and associative components) was assessed before and after the session. Simulator sickness showed a slight increase from pre to post, but remained low overall. Usability ratings were high and perceived cognitive workload was moderate. For the exploratory aim, significant pre-post improvements emerged across all empathy components. Expert evaluations supported the scenario's relevance for therapeutic skill development. Overall, the Future Psychotherapists VR tool appears to be a feasible and usable method for training empathy and alliance-related skills in psychology students and may help bridge the gap between academic training and clinical practice by offering realistic opportunities to practice core therapeutic competencies.
This meta-analysis synthesizes evidence on whether maternal depressive symptoms during pregnancy and the postpartum period are associated with children's socio-emotional development in the first two years of life and examines sources of variability across studies. Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus up to 01 December 2025. We included quantitative studies reporting maternal depression and child socio-emotional outcomes assessed at <= 24 months. Random-effects models were used, and we tested potential moderators to account for between-study heterogeneity. included. Maternal depression showed a reliable overall small-to-moderate association with less favorable early socio-emotional development. Associations were observed for both prenatal and postnatal depression. Effects were generally stronger when outcomes were mother-reported rather than observational, stronger for socio-emotional problems than for competencies, and tended to increase when outcomes were assessed later within the first two years. Studies with older, more educated, and partnered samples typically reported smaller associations. Maternal depressive symptoms are reliably linked to children's socioemotional development in the first two years. Differences across studies indicate that measurement approach, outcome type, timing, and family context shape effect sizes, underscoring the value of perinatal screening and early intervention.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by deficits in communication, cognition, and social behavior. This review evaluates the effectiveness of AI-mediated therapies in improving treatment outcomes for individuals with ASD. A systematic search was conducted in Google Scholar and PubMed for studies published between 2015 and 2025, following PRISMA guidelines. Twenty-two studies met the inclusion criteria. Data screening, quality assessment using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist, and statistical evaluation were performed. AI-based interventions showed positive impacts on social interaction, adaptive behavior, and learning in individuals with ASD. Humanoid robots such as NAO and MARIA T21 improved emotional recognition, imitation skills, and motor coordination. AI-enabled mobile apps like Superpower Glass enhanced facial recognition and social engagement. IoT-integrated ABA therapy facilitated personalized interventions by tracking physiological and environmental parameters. AI-mediated therapies significantly enhance treatment outcomes in ASD, particularly in social, cognitive, and behavioral domains. These technologies provide scalable, individualized approaches that may complement traditional therapy and support long-term development.
This research explores whether cognitive flexibility and intolerance of uncertainty function as intermediary mechanisms in the association between perfectionism and resilience. The participant group in this study comprised 424 undergraduate students (302 women, 122 men) pursuing education across various departments within the Faculties of Education, Economics and Administrative Sciences, and Engineering at a public university. The data collected in the study were evaluated through Pearson Correlation and Bootstrap analyses. The study revealed a significant negative relationship between perfectionism and resilience. Additionally, a noteworthy inverse linkage was identified between perfectionism and cognitive flexibility. In addition, a significant positive link was identified between perfectionism and intolerance of uncertainty. In addition, resilience exhibited a meaningful positive correlation with cognitive flexibility, whereas it was inversely associated with intolerance of uncertainty. The analysis further revealed that cognitive flexibility and intolerance of uncertainty were complete mediators in the relationship between perfectionism and resilience.
Childhood maltreatment (CM) is a robust predictor of adverse mental-health outcomes. The psychological mechanisms underlying this relationship represent a crucial area of research that has received great support in recent years. However, few studies have explored the potential mechanisms pertaining to positive psychology. In this study, we investigated two More specifically, we sought (1) to investigate the associations between CM, PP, PA, and two mental health outcomes (i.e., psychopathology symptoms and life satisfaction), and (2) to test the mediating roles of PP and PA in the association between CM and the two mental health outcomes. Participants (268; M age= 31.9; SD= 10.6) completed self-report measures on all variables. Findings indicated that CM was positively associated with psychopathology symptoms and negatively associated with PP, PA, and life satisfaction. Moreover, PP partially mediated the relationship between CM and both mental health outcomes. The mediating effect on both outcomes was partially explained by PA. These findings provide novel contributions by bringing support to the mechanistic involvement of PP in the relationship between CM and mental health. Future studies could explore specific interventions that may target PP.
The present work investigated the dynamic relations between affect, with both its positive and negative dimensions, and interpersonal emotion regulation. Drawing from a sample of 220 participants completing surveys on four consecutive days, we used the random intercept cross-lagged panel model (RI-CLPM) to investigate the associations between positive and negative affect and interpersonal emotion regulation. The results of RICLPM demonstrated a bidirectional association between positive affect and interpersonal emotion regulation. Interpersonal emotional regulation did not predict the next day's negative affect. However, negative affect predicted future deployment of interpersonal emotion regulation strategies. Use of interpersonal emotion regulation at one time point predicts its subsequent use. Our findings highlight the importance disentangling the within-person effects when examining the relationship between positive and negative affect and interpersonal emotion regulation.
This study examined the mechanism by which perceived social support influences academic burnout among college students, with a focus on the chain mediating role of active coping strategies and academic buoyancy, as well as the moderating effect of mindfulness. A cross-sectional design was employed to survey 3,891 college students using questionnaires that included the Perceived Social Support Scale, the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, the Active Coping Strategies Scale, the Academic Buoyancy Scale, and the Academic Burnout Scale. Data analysis was conducted using the PROCESS macro in SPSS, and the significance of mediation and moderation effects was tested with the Bootstrap method (5,000 resamples). The results showed that: (1) perceived social support negatively predicted academic burnout; (2) active coping strategies and academic buoyancy mediated this relationship separately, and also formed a significant chain mediation path; (3) mindfulness significantly moderated the relationship between perceived social support and active coping strategies. This study unveiled the complex pathways through which perceived social support alleviates academic burnout. In practice, emphasis should be placed on building student support systems, fostering their active coping ability and academic buoyancy, and incorporating mindfulness into university mental health intervention systems to effectively mitigate students' academic burnout.
The present study sets out the development and psychometric validation of the Multidimensional Digital Addiction Scale (MDDS), a novel instrument designed to assess digital addiction across eight distinct yet interrelated shopping, and information-seeking anxiety. In response to the growing public health concern surrounding digital overuse, the MDDS offers a comprehensive and evidence-based approach to measuring problematic digital behaviour. The scale development process was meticulously executed through item generation, expert evaluation, and a three-phase empirical study. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to confirm the scale's multidimensional structure (e.g., RMSEA = 0.075, CFI = 0.938). The reliability coefficients (Cronbach's alpha) exhibited a range from .904 to .958 across the subscales. Convergent and discriminant validity were supported by CR, AVE, and HTMT analyses. The scale demonstrated a substantial correlation with an established measure of mobile phone addiction, thereby substantiating its criterion-related validity. The MDDS has the capacity to facilitate the identification and classification of digital addiction patterns, to inform therapeutic interventions, and to support prevention programmes targeting technology-related behavioural issues.
The present study aimed to investigate how patients suffering from Crohn disease felt themselves as psychological supported and if psychological stress perception could vary according demographic characteristic. An on-line, observational, cross sectional study was carried out by publicizing the questionnaire created through social networks from October 2021 to February 2022. A total of 785 participants were enrolled in the present study. Of these, no significant differences were reported between subjects who felt themselves as psychologically supported and subjects who did not feel as psychologically supported. By considering all the sampling characteristics collected and the stress perceived levels, only with reference to sex, significant association was found (p=.021). The present study revealed compromised aspects of the quality of life in patients suffered from Crohn disease and its related psycho-physical sequelae, which allowed to lay the foundations for further studies, studying the comorbidity of this disease with other factors, too.
The global COVID-19 pandemic has exerted profound physical and psychological tolls on healthcare professionals, underscoring the urgent need for their mental health support. The objectives of this research are twofold: first, to develop an e-psychological support program based on Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy tailored specifically for healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic; second, to assess the program's effectiveness in reducing secondary traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, and stress levels, as well as improving healthcare professionals' perception of coping with trauma. Designed as a randomized controlled trial, the study was conducted with 71 healthcare workers employed in a hospital in Gaziantep, Turkey. The developed e-psychological support program consists of six modules: stress model, self-monitoring skills, coping with anxiety, behavioral activation skills, and cognitive restructuring (two modules). The results showing a significant decrease in anxiety, depression, stress and secondary traumatic levels in the intervention group compared to the control group are encouraging. This suggests that the CBT-based e-psychological support program has the potential to have a positive impact on the mental well-being of healthcare professionals. Also, the improvement in healthcare professionals' perception of coping with trauma is an important outcome.CBT has a strong evidence base for treating mental health issues, and adapting it for the specific needs of healthcare workers during a crisis like the pandemic is a promising approach. The development of online interventions for healthcare professionals is valuable not only for the current pandemic but also for future crisis situations. These programs can serve as a template for addressing mental health needs during other global health emergencies.
The current study aimed to examine the direct and indirect contributions of mothers’ early attachment to their parents (emotional warmth and overprotection) and approaches to children’s emotions in mother-child relationship. The study sample consisted of 358 mothers of young children. Mothers’ ages ranged from 20 to 53 (M=34.81, SD=4.90), and the children’s ages ranged from 16 to 111 months (M=54.70, SD=19.44). Mothers reported their attachment to their parents (mothers and fathers), approaches to children’s emotions, and mother-child relationship. Findings from the structural equation model showed that mothers’ perceived emotional warmth from their parents was positively related to avoidance of their child’s emotions and orientation child’s emotions in the current context; overprotection experienced by mothers from their parents was positively associated with avoidance of their child’s emotions in the current context. In addition, mothers’ emotional warmth from their parents was indirectly related to mother-child relationship via mothers’ orientation to child emotions. Overprotection experienced by mothers from their parents was indirectly related to mother-child relationship via avoidance of child emotions. Results highlight the potential transmission of relationship patterns between generations through emotional approaches.
The global COVID-19 pandemic has exerted profound physical and psychological tolls on healthcare professionals, underscoring the urgent need for their mental health support. The objectives of this research are twofold: first, to develop an e-psychological support program based on Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy tailored specifically for healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic; second, to assess the program's effectiveness in reducing secondary traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, and stress levels, as well as improving healthcare professionals' perception of coping with trauma. Designed as a randomized controlled trial, the study was conducted with 71 healthcare workers employed in a hospital in Gaziantep, Turkey. The developed e-psychological support program consists of six modules: stress model, self-monitoring skills, coping with anxiety, behavioral activation skills, and cognitive restructuring (two modules). The results showing a significant decrease in anxiety, depression, stress and secondary traumatic levels in the intervention group compared to the control group are encouraging. This suggests that the CBT-based e-psychological support program has the potential to have a positive impact on the mental well-being of healthcare professionals. Also, the improvement in healthcare professionals' perception of coping with trauma is an important outcome.CBT has a strong evidence base for treating mental health issues, and adapting it for the specific needs of healthcare workers during a crisis like the pandemic is a promising approach. The development of online interventions for healthcare professionals is valuable not only for the current pandemic but also for future crisis situations. These programs can serve as a template for addressing mental health needs during other global health emergencies.
The Orientations to Happiness (OTH) scale measures three pathways to happiness: pleasure, engagement, and meaning. This study aimed to adapt and validate both the full and short versions of the OTH scale for the Romanian population. A sample of 510 Romanian adults (mean age = 33.58 years; 88.13% female) participated in this study. Confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory structural equation modeling supported the scale's factorial structure. In the full version of the questionnaire, the pleasure (α = .76) and meaning (α = .76) subscales demonstrated acceptable reliability, whereas the engagement subscale showed questionable reliability (α = .65). In the short version, questionable reliability was found for pleasure (α = .66) and meaning (α = .72) subscales, while the engagement subscale exhibited poor reliability (α = .52). Strong correlations between the full and short versions of the scale were found for pleasure and meaning (for both, r = .89) and engagement (r = .88). To address the limitations regarding internal consistency, especially for the short version, latent variable modeling, which uses the latent variables instead of the observed total scores, could be considered. These findings provide support for testing orientations to happiness in Romania with OTH.
This study employs a Structural Equation Model to examine the mediating role of self-construals in the relationship between university students’ family climate and well-being In line with the correlational model, the study’s sample consisted of 541 university students, of whom 371 (68.6%) were female and 170 (31.4%) were male. The average of age the participants included in the sample was found to be 21.19. The PERMA-Profiler, Autonomous-Relational Self in Family Scale, and Family Climate Scale were used to collect data. Both a Pearson’s Product-Moments Correlation and Structural Equation Model were used to analyze the study’s data and thereby test the study’s main hypotheses. The Structural Equation Model revealed that self-construals play a mediating role in the relationship between family climate and well-being. According to the model, individuals raised in families with a positive family climate were found to develop a self-construal (relational and autonomous-relational self) and this self-construals increased individuals’ well-being levels. These results emphasize the importance of considering family climate characteristics and self-construals when researching well-being.
