I am pleased to introduce a special issue of Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research with the title: Health Psychology in Applied Contexts. In efforts to promote the journal and support our author contributors, we have combined 11 studies in this unique special issue to showcase some recent efforts in applying psychological concepts in varied settings to promote health and wellness. As the journal has become more widely recognized, we have recently received an abundance of high-quality research at all levels (i.e., undergraduate, graduate, faculty), demonstrating an increase in submission quantity and quality. Moreover, consistent across many of these articles was an application theme in various domains of biopsychosocial health, a core tenet of health psychology. The reader will find herein a collection of studies representing a wide range of topics in the field of health psychology. For instance, marijuana use among college students is presented alongside concerns for medication nonadherence as risk-taking behavior. Moreover, prominent health concerns such as depression, addiction, suicide, body appreciation, loneliness, and belonging, as well as mental illness are investigated. And, in line with traditional health psychology, the major health behaviors of diet, sleep, and exercise along with sociocultural and familial influences are also represented in this collection. As such, we are pleased to offer this special issue to highlight these very applicable and important topics to promote and protect health and well-being.
Mindful eating is associated with reduced maladaptive eating patterns (Warren et al., 2017). However, there has been little research on individual differences in mindful eating, particularly in relation to early childhood factors. One possible factor is early childhood feeding experiences such as food parenting. Food parenting refers to the strategies a parent uses when discussing and engaging with food while feeding their children. Food parenting is associated with eating outcomes during childhood and adulthood (Liu et al., 2023). Yet, less is known about whether early childhood food parenting is associated with adults’ mindful eating. Thus, this study examined the relationship between retrospective food parenting and adults’ mindful eating. Participants completed the Mindful Eating Questionnaire (Framson et al., 2009) and the Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire (Musher-Eizenman & Holub, 2007). Pearson’s correlation analyses revealed that recalled coercive control food parenting, r(150) = - .21, p = .008, was negatively associated with mindful eating, but recalled autonomy-promoting, r(150) = .29, p < .001, and structure-based food parenting, r(150) = .20, p = .013, were positively associated with mindful eating. Linear regression analysis, F(4,124) = 3.71, p = .007, R2 = .11, revealed that high autonomy-promoting food parenting was associated with higher adult mindful eating in women, B = .12, t(126) = 3.66, p < .001, but not for men, B = .00, t(126) = 0.07, p = .946. Sex assigned at birth did not moderate the association between recalled coercive control, F(4,124) = 1.63, p = .172, R2 = .05, or structure-based food parenting, F(4,124) = .95, p = .449, R2 = .03, and mindful eating. Findings from the current study show that early childhood feeding experiences may explain adulthood eating patterns, particularly for women.
Exercise is often associated with mental health, though it remains unclear which aspects of physical exercise independently relate to better mental health. This study used nuanced exercise variables to assess frequency, intensity, and type of exercise to establish exercise components linked to better mental health. Participants were United States adults recruited via Mechanical Turk. Of 2,825 survey respondents, 300 met inclusion criteria. Exercise behavior was measured with a 1-item frequency measure from the HealthyMinds Network, the 7-item International Physical Activity Questionnaire – Short Form, and a 3-item exercise type measure. Mental health outcomes were assessed with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), and Secure Flourish scale (SF). We hypothesized that greater exercise dosage would predict better mental health, and that aerobic exercisers would report more favorable outcomes than those engaging in nonaerobic or mixed activities. MANOVA analyses supported these hypotheses. High-duration exercisers reported better overall mental health (n = 300, p < .001, η2p = .06), and higher frequency exercisers reported greater life satisfaction and flourishing (p < .001, η2p = .12). No differences emerged for combined duration and intensity measures on depression and anxiety scores. However, aerobic exercisers reported less depression and anxiety than nonaerobic exercisers (n = 208, p = .004, η2p = .07). These findings clarify that exercise—particularly aerobic activities—is linked to improved mental health. Clinicians and healthcare providers should consider exercise as an active component of treatment planning.
Academic stress is a prevalent issue today. A previous academic stress scale was developed to measure domains of personal inadequacy, difficulties with teachers, and inadequate study facilities. The scale consisted of 40 questions and is the basis for this study. Classrooms today are vastly different from when the scale was created; as such, our goal was to modernize the scale. We believe updating the scale to include technology, socioeconomic status, and classroom dynamics will improve validity and reliability in measuring academic stress. We removed obsolete questions, revised and added questions about the three new domains. There were 2 sample groups. Group A included 17 undergraduate students who completed our updated scale twice, 16 days apart. A Pearson correlation found a significant positive correlation between the 2 measures, r(15) = .622, n = 17, p = .008, thus establishing reliability. Group B included 172 undergraduate students who completed the updated scale along with a standardized stress scale to measure generalized stress, through an online platform. The Pearson correlation between these 2 tests revealed they were significantly correlated, r(170) = .49, n = 172, p < .001, thus establishing validity of our updated scale. Finally, exploratory factor analysis was performed on the updated scale, and 7 factors were identified. These factors accounted for 63% of the variance in students’ responses. In sum, the original scale was updated to meet today’s educational demands; it is reliable and valid, and can be broadly used to assess academic stress in today’s classrooms.
A recent trend on Instagram called “Instagram vs. Reality” consists of posting side-by-side photographs of a woman, one idealized and edited and the other in its original, unedited form, to demonstrate that what is shown on social media is not always reality. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of this trend on body dissatisfaction and body appreciation in adolescent girls. Participants included 156 high school girls aged 14–19. Participants’ trait body satisfaction was assessed using the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire, and visual analogue scales assessing body dissatisfaction and body appreciation were administered after viewing idealized Instagram images and again after viewing Instagram vs. Reality images. Viewing Instagram vs. Reality images resulted in decreased body dissatisfaction, F(1, 154) = 16.04, p < .001, ηp2 = .09, and this effect remained after controlling for trait levels of body satisfaction (p = .04). Furthermore, body appreciation increased after viewing images of Instagram vs. Reality, F(1, 154) = 7.91, p = .006, ηp2 = .05; however, this effect no longer remained after controlling for trait levels of body satisfaction (p = .16). These results demonstrate that viewing Instagram vs. Reality images may help adolescent girls feel better about their bodies in the short-term. More research is needed on the long-term effects of viewing Instagram vs. Reality images, and its possible utilization in eating disorder prevention programs.
LGBTQIA+ individuals are experiencing a public health crisis driven by internal and external stressors that are disproportionate compared to the non-LGBTQIA+ population (e.g., Bauer et al., 2015; Bockting et al., 2013; James et al., 2016). The present study empirically investigated how the impact of exposure to gender-neutral (they/them) pronoun use during an introduction affects frequency of use and levels of comfort using those pronouns for others, self-esteem, and anxiety. Participants included 219 undergraduates who were randomly assigned to a condition framed as a memory assessment featuring a brief video introduction that included a name and gender-neutral pronouns or only a name. Measures used include the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and a 1-item Likert measure of comfort with gender-neutral pronoun use. We found a significant effect of LGBTQIA+ identity on self-esteem, F(1, 215) = 12.93, p < .001, anxiety, F(1, 215) = 8.03, p = .01, use of gender-neutral pronouns for another, F(1, 214) = 24.53, p < .001, and comfort using gender-neutral pronouns to refer to another, F(1, 215) = 22.77, p < .001. We also found a significant effect of pronoun condition on use of gender-neutral pronouns, F(1, 214) = 84.34, p < .001, and comfort using those pronouns to refer to others, F(1, 215) = 4.66, p = .03. However, we did not find any interactions between LGBTQIA+ identity and pronoun condition on our outcomes of interest with the exception of actual pronoun use, in which LGBTQIA+ participants were especially likely to use gender neutral pronoun use for another when exposed to those pronouns in an introduction, F(1, 214) = 4.69, p = .03. The present findings suggest that stating gender-neutral pronouns in introductions may aid in increasing gender-neutral pronoun use and, consequentially, comfort with and use of affirming language. This is encouraging given that prior work has shown that creating an affirming environment can promote resiliency and reduce stressors faced by LGBTQIA+ individuals.
We examined medication nonadherence among college students with chronic illnesses. We hypothesized that medication nonadherence is a form of risk taking and would be related to variables that have been shown to be associated with risk taking (e.g., personality traits and relationships with parents in childhood). The sample included 151 undergraduates with chronic illnesses for which they take medication. Participants were enrolled at Oklahoma State University. Participants completed an online survey, providing information about their medication adherence, beliefs about medicines, personality traits, general risk-taking in daily life, early childhood relationships with parents, and demographics. The results showed that 30% of the variance in medication nonadherence was accounted for in a multiple regression model (adjusted R2 = .30, p < .001). Significant predictors were sensation seeking personality traits, childhood relationship with mother, and medication concerns. Medication nonadherence can be viewed as a form of risk-taking. Those most likely to engage in medication nonadherence may be identified through screening of personality and relationships with parents during childhood.
Athlete burnout is a pervasive issue in today’s competitive collegiate sport environment. Burnout is associated with negative mental health and performance outcomes. Alongside the increasing prevalence of mental health difficulties in sport, collegiate student athletes are at a greater risk of suffering from burnout. Relationships can play a critical role when cultivating resilience to prevent burnout. Parents are typically viewed as key motivators in athletes’ lives and careers, providing emotional, physical, and financial support. This study examined the relation between parental support and burnout symptoms in collegiate student athletes. Using validated psychometric scales, parental support was assessed through the Youth Sport Parental Support Questionnaire (YSPS-Q), measuring autonomy, emotional, instrumental, and informational support. Burnout symptoms, including emotional/physical exhaustion, a reduced sense of accomplishment, and sport devaluation, were measured using the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (ABQ). Results revealed a significant negative correlation between parental support and burnout symptoms (ρ = -.343, p = .002), indicating that higher levels of parental support were associated with lower burnout. Athlete burnout levels differed by biological sex, with female athletes exhibiting significantly higher levels than male athletes; devaluation produced the largest difference between groups, t(78) = -2.607, p = .009. However, neither the division level nor the type of sport had a significant impact on burnout or parental support levels. Parental support could serve as a potential protective factor against burnout in collegiate athletes. Future research should further examine the role of parental support in promoting athlete resilience.
Prior literature suggests that sense of belonging is an important predictor of undergraduate success. However, the extent to which individual-level and social factors, which play crucial roles in operationalizing belonging, relate to belonging across college contexts (e.g., global, university, departmental) is unclear. In this study, we examined factors that predicted students’ sense of belonging at a large public university in the United States. We administered questionnaires measuring sense of belonging to college, department, and global contexts, demographic factors, and mental health indicators to undergraduate students (n = 138) at the university. Results suggested that (a) departmental belonging is greater than university and global belonging (p = .002), (b) global sense of belonging and general self-efficacy are strong predictors of departmental belonging (p < .001; p = .007), and (c) loneliness and perceived social support from friends marginally predicted university and global belonging (p < .001). The results of this study advocate for supporting student belonging within their department by bolstering general self-efficacy and at the university- and global-levels through social factors, such as loneliness and social support.
Colleges and universities nationwide are experiencing enrollment declines, and this trend is expected to continue over the next several years at least. Already, some institutions have been forced to eliminate programs, reorganize, or even close. Given the current climate, it is essential that institutions of higher education increase and improve their efforts to recruit and retain students. A logical first step is to identify the reasons that students drop out so that effective retention strategies can be developed. We collected data from 184 students from a medium-sized university in the southeastern United States through an online survey that included measures of grit and resilience as well as questions related to academic standing, whether participants had thought about dropping out of college, and potential reasons for dropping out. Our findings indicated that higher grit (B = –.83, SE = .33, p = .011), resilience (B = –.47, SE = .22, p = .034), and GPA (B = –.75, SE = .31, p = .015) predicted decreased likelihood of thinking about dropping out of college. Participants reported money and mental health as the variables most likely to lead to dropping out and reported mental health and family troubles as the variables that had most commonly led to academic probation and suspension. Although our data are correlational and descriptive, the findings suggest that grit and resilience may be contributing factors to dropping out of college and should be considered during recruitment and retention efforts.
With the development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology and its increasing use online, it is rapidly becoming important to understand how humans interact with these technologies. This research investigated how humans perceive AI-altered face images. We used AI filters (Adobe, 2023) to alter images and measured participants’ perceived artificiality through the Godspeed Scales, a standardized measurement of perceptions in human–computer interaction (Bartneck et al., 2009), and Tobii eye tracking technology (Tobii AB, 2024). Key findings from Experiment 1 (N = 52) and Experiment 2 (N = 10) suggest that, although participants did rate altered images as more artificial on the Godspeed Scales, Wilks’ Lambda = .46, F(5, 48) = 8.07, p < .001, η2p = .46, they were not able to reliably identify AI-altered images (d = .00). Also in Experiment 2, participants fixated on the eyes of altered images less than those of original images, Total Fixation Duration: F(1, 20) = 6.25, p = .031, η2p = .39; Number of Fixations: F(1, 6.51) = 5.93, p = .029, η2p = .39, suggesting an aversion to uncanny faces. These findings may reveal a human bias against AI-altered images.
Depression among college students has climbed sharply in recent years, underscoring the need to identify modifiable risks. Previous research has identified sleep quality (SQ) and emotion regulation (ER) strategies as important factors in the development and persistence of depression. This study investigated whether SQ, expressive suppression (ES), and cognitive reappraisal (CR) independently predicted depressive symptoms in a sample of college students, where ES is the inhibition of outward emotion expression and CR is reframing the meaning of a situation to alter its emotional impact. Data were drawn from the publicly available ECSMP dataset and included (n = 88) college students with a mean age of 23.69 years (SD = 2.14). Participants completed self-report measures of SQ using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, ER using the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, and depressive symptoms using the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale. A hierarchical linear regression analysis was conducted to examine the predictive value of SQ and ER strategies, while controlling for age and sex. The final model, F(5, 82) = 7.43, p < .001, explained 31.2% of the variance in depressive symptoms (R2 = .31). Poorer SQ (β = 1.81, p < .001) and greater use of ES (β = 0.68, p = .001) were both significant independent predictors. CR was not significantly associated with depressive symptoms (β = -0.23, p = .18). These findings emphasize the importance of both SQ and ER in understanding depression among college students and the potential efficacy for interventions focused on improving SQ and reducing reliance on ES.
Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is an involuntary movement disorder caused by neuroleptics, a common class of medication used to treat patients with severe mental illness (SMI). TD is a cause of concern for the field of psychiatry as it results in greater healthcare costs and worsened treatment adherence for patients with SMI. Although recent generations of neuroleptics have a lower likelihood of causing TD, and treatments for this condition are available, research continues to suggest poorer quality of life in individuals with SMI who have TD compared to those who do not. We conducted a meta-analysis examining the impact of TD on quality of life in individuals with SMI. Six studies reporting on 16 effects with a total sample size of n = 4,220 were included in the final analysis. We found a small, negative effect of TD on quality of life (Cohen’s d = -0.26, 95% CI [-0.37, -0.15]). This effect was not significantly different between studies published before treatments for TD were available and those published afterwards. Furthermore, the asymmetry of the resulting funnel plot indicated that publication bias could be present, but further tests are needed to determine the extent of possible bias. This research highlighted the importance of studying TD in individuals with SMI to promote better quality of life overall. These findings may prompt further research on the impact of TD to examine how this effect can be diminished for better neuroleptic treatment adherence and well-being for those with SMI.
The chemical imbalance theory has been scrutinized for its simplistic hypothesis yet remains popular among the public. This study examined whether familiarity with the chemical imbalance theory correlates with biogenetic endorsements of depression and how these beliefs relate to treatment preferences, stigma, and prognostic pessimism. A total of 69 undergraduate students completed an online survey assessing beliefs about depression, familiarity with the theory, and measures of treatment preferences, stigma, and prognostic pessimism. Students familiar with the chemical imbalance theory endorsed biogenetic beliefs significantly more strongly than those unfamiliar with it, t(63) = 2.50, p = .01, d = 1.01. A significant effect of treatment preference on biogenetic endorsements was found, F(3, 61) = 4.19, p = .01, η² = .17; students who preferred medication or combined treatments endorsed biogenetic causes more strongly than those preferring therapy or no treatment. Biogenetic beliefs were moderately correlated with greater prognostic pessimism, ρ = –.41, p < .001, ρ²=. 17, but not with stigma. These findings highlight the ongoing influence of the chemical imbalance theory on treatment preferences and attitudes towards depression.
This study sought to extend existing research regarding the relationship between political orientation and psychological traits and aspects in a sample of students from a large university in South Carolina, as prior literature on these relationships in this region is limited. Participants (N = 139) provided information about their psychological profiles, opinions of political issues, and the parties they have/will vote(d) for during the 2020 and 2024 election cycles. As predicted, compassion (r = –.23, p = .007), openness/intellect (r = –.24, p = .004), and openness (r = –.26, p = .002) significantly predicted self-reported liberalism, and conscientiousness (r = .17, p = .042) and industriousness (r = .20, p = .021) were significant predictors of right-leaning political beliefs. Though not specifically predicted, there was a significant positive association between extraversion and conservatism (r = .20, p = .019) and a significant negative association between neuroticism and conservatism (r = –.18, p = .032). Intellect, orderliness, and politeness were not significant predictors of political orientation. Agreeableness predicted economic liberalism (r = –.28, p < .001), but not social conservatism. Additionally, aspect-level traits accounted for more variance in political orientation (R2 = .164) than factor-level traits (R2 = .134). Although research on the role of intermediate-level traits in the political arena is underdeveloped, the current study highlights essential personality differences between those on the left and right of the political spectrum, which is crucial for understanding the political divide in the U.S.
Suicide is a growing problem in the United States and a leading cause of death in individuals between the ages 10 and 34 years old. College students who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community are 2 to 3 times more likely to complete suicide than those outside the community. Many factors predict suicidal ideation. This study focuses on perceived burdensomeness, loneliness, and religious strain as predictors of suicidal ideation in LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ students. Prior studies have found that these 3 variables contribute to suicidality, but this is the first study looking at the 3 variables together. It was hypothesized that all 3 variables would predict suicidal ideation in both LGBTQ+ students and non-LGBTQ+ students, but given the religious societal context of our participants, that religious strain would have the largest effect size and explain why LGBTQ+ students have higher suicidality compared to non-LGBTQ+ students. A final sample comprised 815 college students who answered questionnaires online. Contrary to expectations, in a multivariate regression model, religious strain did not predict suicidality among LGBTQ+ students. Instead, perceived burdensomeness had the largest effect size, for both LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ students. Perceived burdensomeness also best explained the difference in suicidality between the groups. These findings suggest that burdensomeness is a key predictor of suicidal ideation for both LGBTQ+ students and non-LGBTQ+ students. Prioritizing interventions aimed at preventing and alleviating feelings of perceived burdensomeness in individuals potentially struggling with suicidal ideation may be particularly beneficial.
The three pillars of narcissism—superiority, exploitativeness, and fragility—distinguish it from self-esteem. Prior research has suggested that permissive or authoritarian caregiving may foster maladaptive perceptions of relationships and increase infidelity intentions. This quantitative investigation examined associations among narcissism, infidelity intentions, relationship satisfaction, and demographic variables across 2 studies. Study 1 examined correlations among narcissism, infidelity intention, relationship satisfaction, and potential gender and age differences with no formal hypotheses. Study 2 included attachment style as an additional variable. Men high in narcissism and older individuals were predicted to report greater infidelity intentions, and attachment style was expected to influence infidelity intentions: secure attachment with lower risk, and fearful or dismissing attachment with higher risk. Participants included 80 men, 125 women, and 4 nonbinary individuals. Measures included a background inventory, the Relationship Assessment Scale (Hendrick, 1988), the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (Raskin & Hall, 1979), the Intention Towards Infidelity Scale (Jones et al., 2011), and the Relationship Questionnaire (Bartholomew & Horowitz, 1991). Results of Study 1 indicated that infidelity intentions and relationship satisfaction were negatively correlated (r = –.37, p = .002), age and infidelity intentions positively correlated (r = .39, p = .001), and age and satisfaction negatively correlated (r = –.21, p = .016). In Study 2, regression analyses showed that narcissism and relationship dissatisfaction significantly predicted infidelity intentions, whereas attachment style did not. Limitations included convenience sampling, gender imbalance, and no assessment of current relationship status and duration. Future research should explore additional personality traits related to infidelity risk, such as psychopathy.
The relationship between role strain and well-being in women has been examined extensively in past research, demonstrating that women are often expected to fulfill multiple roles in and outside of the home, resulting in role strain. The purpose of the current study was to examine the experiences of role strain in professional women with children. It was predicted that depression, anxiety, and stress would be positively related to role strain overall as well as the specific role-strain subscales. Also, it was predicted that partner emotional support, communication of support needs, and resilient coping would be negatively related to role strain, and that household division of labor inequities would positively predict role strain and negatively predict partner emotional support. Participants were recruited through social media platforms including groups devoted to professional women who have children. Participants (n = 109 in final analyses) responded to measures of role strain as well as the potentially strain mitigating variables, resilience and communication of support needs. They also completed measures of anxiety, depression, and stress. Additionally, participants in partnered relationships responded to a measure of dyadic coping. As predicted, overall role strain significantly correlated positively with anxiety (r = .45, p < .001), depression (r = .48, p < .001), and stress (r = .57, p < .001). Contrary to predictions, resilience was not significantly related to any of the measures of role strain. Overall role strain, however, was significantly and negatively correlated with partner social support (r = -.29, p = .008), as predicted. Future research should examine additional types of social support and communication related to coping with role strain.
We examined marijuana use by college students and how use was related to personality traits and protective factors of resilience. The sample included 116 undergraduates who reported using marijuana multiple times in the past year. Participants completed questions about marijuana use, personality traits, and resilience in an online survey. Frequency of use was high with over half using multiple times per week. Personality traits and protective factors of resilience were related to motives and consequences of use, but not frequency of use. In a multiple regression in which negative consequences of use was predicted, the only significant predictor was cognitive protective factors of resilience. Higher resilience was related to fewer consequences. Marijuana use was high and related to negative consequences. Colleges should develop strategies for reducing marijuana use by students.
Past research has found that hikikomori (i.e., an extreme form of social withdrawal) is positively associated with internet addiction (i.e., an inordinate preoccupation with the internet). However, this association has only been established in Japan and a small selection of other countries. The goal of the present study was to extend this research to the United States. We administered the Hikikomori Questionnaire and Young’s Internet Addiction Test to 437 U.S. college students recruited through Prolific. We found a sizeable positive correlation between overall hikikomori scores and internet addiction (r = .30, 95% CI [.21, .38], p < .001), with the correlation not significantly differing from that observed among Japanese college students in prior work (z = 1.63, p = .104). We also found that the isolation factor of hikikomori demonstrated the largest association with internet addiction (r = .32, 95% CI [.23, .40], p < .001), followed by the lack of emotional support factor (r = .27, 95% CI [.17, .35], p < .001) and the disinterest in socializing factor (r = .20, 95% CI [.11, .28], p < .001). Although more research is required to further understand these relations, the present results indicate that extreme social withdrawal may be a risk factor for internet addiction in the United States (and vice versa).
