BACKGROUND:Postpartum depression (PPD) remains a major public health concern. In China, the postpartum period is embedded within a family-based caregiving system characterized by intensive intergenerational involvement. Within this context, intergenerational support (IS) and intergenerational conflict (IC) often coexist, forming a distinct stress-regulation environment. Guided by the stress-buffering model of social support, this study conceptualizes the Chinese postpartum family as a dynamic system in which IS and IC jointly shape maternal mental health over time. METHODS:A four-wave longitudinal design was employed. Parallel Process Latent Growth Curve Modeling (PP-LGCM) was used to examine the co-developmental trajectories of IS, IC, and PPD symptoms. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify multilevel predictors of trajectory subgroups. RESULTS:The prevalence of elevated depressive symptoms (EPDS ≥ 9) ranged from 23.1% to 24.2% across assessments, while probable PPD (EPDS ≥ 13) ranged from 4.6% to 7.2%. PP-LGCM identified five distinct joint trajectory classes: Moderate-risk group (n = 30; 8.6%), Mild-risk group (n = 103; 29.7%), Improving group (n = 45; 13.0%), Resistant group (n = 139; 40.1%), and High-risk group (n = 30; 8.6%). Trajectory membership was significantly associated with living arrangement, sleep quality, psychological flexibility, and partner relationship. CONCLUSIONS:In the urban Chinese postpartum context, PPD symptom trajectories are closely linked to intergenerational family dynamics. These findings underscore the need for family-based prevention and treatment that, when feasible, engages parents/parents-in-law (and partners) to align caregiving expectations and roles, particularly for women in high-risk or worsening trajectory subgroups.

Backgrounds With the integration of digital technologies, individuals are increasingly exposed to high-volume information flows, multi-platform communication, and online performance pressures that can lead to digital stress, a novel risk factor for mental health. Although existing studies have preliminarily demonstrated a negative association between digital stress and mental well-being, empirical evidence remains limited regarding the underlying mechanisms through which digital stress may lead to depressive symptoms via a sequential chain involving positive affect, negative affect, and loneliness. This study therefore tests the chained mediating effects of these variables in the association between digital stress and depression among Chinese college students, aiming to inform theory and practice for mental health interventions in higher education. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted from October to November 2024 among 1,231 undergraduates from five universities across eastern, central, and western China. Participants completed measures of digital stress, positive/negative emotions, loneliness, and depression. Correlation and chain mediation analyses (using PROCESS for SPSS) were performed, controlling for age, gender, and family background. Results Digital stress was significantly correlated with all variables. Both positive and negative emotions, as well as loneliness, independently mediated the link between digital stress and depression. Furthermore, digital stress had a direct effect on depression and indirect effects through two chain mediation pathways: positive emotion → loneliness and negative emotion → loneliness. Conclusions Digital stress impacts depression through multiple psychological pathways. These findings offer a novel theoretical framework for understanding digital-era depression and inform strategies for developing integrated digital mental health support systems in educational contexts.

Studies show considerable cultural variation in the definitions and measurements of child maltreatment (CM). This limits the comparability of findings, the formulation of policy, and tailored interventions. This review systematically maps existing published research regarding CM definitions and measurements, as well as related laws in China. A scoping review was conducted to explore the relevant published literature in English and Chinese from eight databases and legal documents between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2025. Our review identified 34 full-text studies on perceptions of CM in China, six laws related to CM and child protection, and seven scales that are frequently used to assess CM. Five characteristics emerged that explain CM operational definitions in China: frequency, outcome, intention, blood relationship, and perpetrator. Most scales focus solely on abusive behaviors, neglecting multiple characteristics, which may lead to culturally biased interpretations. Discrepancies exist between the CM operationalization framework and its measurement in China. The interpretation of CM results should be approached with caution, considering the operational definitions applicable to different cultural contexts.

Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) is clinically associated with chronic and repeated traumatic exposures during childhood, but related research examining trajectories of CPTSD alongside their risk and protective factors remains critically scarce. This study aims to investigate CPTSD trajectories and identify predictors among de facto unattended children in China. 298 de facto unattended children were assessed at 4 intervals in 2 years on CPTSD symptoms and external (threats and deprivation experiences) and internal associated factors (feelings of loneliness, security, and hope). Parallel process latent growth analysis (PP-LCGA) was used to determine the joint trajectories of PTSD and disturbances in self-organization (DSO) symptoms of CPTSD. Multinomial logistic regression was performed to identify risk and protective factors. The results indicated that PTSD and DSO symptoms develop synchronously overall. Four heterogeneous groups of CPTSD symptoms were identified: low symptoms group (29.87%), moderate symptoms group (47.43%), persistent high symptoms group (12.75%), and delayed deterioration group (11.07%). Additionally, different external factors (threats and deprivation experiences) were detected as important associated factors of different trajectories. As for internal factors, the sense of loneliness emerged as a significant risk factor, whereas the sense of security functioned as a protective factor. The observed concurrent development of PTSD and DSO symptoms lends support to the distinction of CPTSD as an independent diagnostic entity. Our findings call for further attention to experiences of deprivation and the enhancement of children's sense of security, which may strengthen their adaptive capacity, thereby protecting and promoting their mental health.

Complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) typically occurs following long-term, repeated trauma and involves two distinct symptom clusters: posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and disturbances in self-organization (DSO). CPTSD is widely comorbid with depression, but the mechanism of mutual influence at the within-person level remains unclear. De facto unattended children in China are children whose parents are deceased, missing, imprisoned, or severely disabled/chronically ill, or who have one such parent while the other is likewise unable to provide care, leaving them without effective guardianship. These children widely suffer from CPTSD and depressive symptoms. This study collected 4-wave data from 250 de facto unattended children over 2 years and conducted a random intercept cross-lagged panel model (RI-CLPM) to explore the longitudinal relationship between depressive symptoms, PTSD, and DSO symptoms. Results indicated that all measures of PTSD, DSO, and depressive symptoms exhibit adequate longitudinal measurement invariance. Depressive symptoms were significantly longitudinally associated with both PTSD and DSO symptoms, with a stronger association with DSO. Additionally, DSO symptoms were also significantly longitudinally associated with depressive symptoms from T2 to T4. Our study suggests that depression may predict the development of CPTSD among children. Furthermore, DSO, especially the affective dysregulation dimension, may contribute to maintaining comorbidity. Clinically, prioritizing depressive symptoms and DSO may improve the effectiveness of interventions for comorbid depression and CPTSD.

BACKGROUND:Late life depression is a prevalent and under-treated public health concern. Empathy may be relevant to depressive symptoms in older adults, but different empathy dimensions may have different implications. Apathy, characterized by reduced motivation and goal-directed engagement, may help explain how empathy is linked to later depressive symptoms. METHODS:Older adults aged 60-85 years from two communities in Beijing were recruited as participants. A three-wave longitudinal survey design was employed at intervals of 1.5 and 3 months following the baseline measurement. Perspective-taking, empathic concern, fantasy, personal distress, apathy, and depressive symptoms were assessed at each wave. Cross-lagged panel model was used to test direct and indirect effects over time. RESULTS:All four longitudinal mediation models showed acceptable overall fit (PCMIN/DF = 2.43-3.35; RMSEA = 0.076-0.096; SRMR = 0.062-0.075; TLI = 0.903-0.911; CFI = 0.909-0.935). Perspective-taking showed a significant indirect effect on T3 depression via reduced T2 apathy (indirect effect= -0.083, 95% CI [-0.172, -0.009]); indirect effects for empathic concern and fantasy were nonsignificant, and personal distress predicted T3 depression directly without mediation. CONCLUSION:Perspective-taking may be prospectively linked to later depression through apathy, although the effect was small and should be interpreted cautiously. These findings suggest that assessing both cognitive empathy and apathy may provide additional information for understanding depression risk in community-dwelling older adults.

Severe interpersonal difficulties are central to both complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD), two trauma-related disorders with substantial clinical overlap. Whether their relational impairments reflect shared or distinct profiles remains an open question. To address this, we conducted a systematic review and three-level meta-analysis of 92 studies (20 on CPTSD, N = 9,657; 72 on BPD, N = 17,842) reporting associations with interpersonal problems. Medium-to-large effects were observed for both CPTSD (r = .48, 95% CI [0.37, 0.58]) and BPD (r = .39, 95% CI [0.31, 0.46]). Moderator analyses suggested different correlates of impairment: in CPTSD, disturbances in self-organization symptoms showed stronger links with interpersonal problems, particularly social dysfunction, whereas in BPD, maladaptive attachment patterns exhibited the strongest associations. These findings indicate that, although both disorders involve pervasive relational difficulties, they may be underpinned by partially distinct interpersonal profiles. This study provides evidence that can assist in clarifying diagnostic boundaries between CPTSD and BPD, and in informing tailored therapeutic approaches targeting social function in CPTSD and attachment dysregulation in BPD.

Bullying and victimization are common and problematic occurrences among disadvantaged children, yet little is known about the stability and changes in their bullying roles. Due to the chronic lack of family guardianship, de facto unattended children in China are a considerably disadvantaged population with limited social support and high risk of externalizing problems. Drawing on the social interactional continuity model and the ecological systems theory, the current study examined the profiles and transitions of bullying and victimization among Chinese de facto unattended children, along with their associated predictors. A total of 483 de facto unattended children completed self-report measures of bullying and victimization across two waves of the study over approximately 6 months. Multi-contextual risk and protective factors—including violence exposure, complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) symptoms, and social support—were assessed at baseline. Latent profile analysis and latent transition analysis were employed for data analysis. The results revealed three profiles across the two time points (T1/T2): the uninvolved (72.5%/70.0%), severe-verbal victims (15.3%/21.5%), and bully-victims (12.2%/8.5%). The uninvolved showed the highest stability, whereas severe-verbal victims and bully-victims exhibited relatively high probabilities of mutual transition. Children with domestic violence exposure, greater CPTSD symptoms, and lower levels of school support were at higher risk of belonging to and transitioning to the involved groups. These findings systematically depict the heterogeneity and persistent risk patterns of bullying and victimization among Chinese de facto unattended children, offering insights for accurate identification of high-risk children. Accordingly, targeted interventions are recommended to focus on addressing CPTSD symptoms and enhancing school support.

Filial piety, as an important value and social norm, influences individual well-being. However, previous studies have shown inconsistencies regarding the relationship between filial piety and life satisfaction. Based on the dual filial piety model, this meta-analysis aimed to thoroughly assess the relationship between dual filial piety, which includes reciprocal filial piety (RFP) and authoritative filial piety (AFP), and life satisfaction. Through a systematic literature search, a total of 21 studies with 11,775 participants and 40 effect sizes were identified. Our results indicated a significant positive association between both RFP and AFP and life satisfaction. In addition, several moderating factors, including age, year of publication, and geographic region, were found to influence these relationships. These insights are particularly relevant for family scientists, researchers, and professionals, providing evidence-based guidance for enhancing interventions focused on familial relationships and individual well-being across diverse cultural contexts.

Research has suggested that generalized trust facilitates individuals' pro-environmental behavior. However, the robustness of this relationship across a wider range of cultures and societies remains to be tested. Using data from two large cross-national surveys (World Values Survey and International Social Survey Programme), this study examined the environmental benefits of generalized trust in a global context, as well as the role of individualism. The results of the multilevel analyses indicated a positive correlation between generalized trust and pro-environmental behavior across various global contexts. Moreover, the observed correlation between generalized trust and environmental outcomes is stronger in individualistic cultures. These findings not only contribute to understanding how to promote individuals' pro-environmental behavior but also highlight the value of considering social circumstances when exploring individual factors of pro-environmental behavior.

IMPORTANCE:Resilience has been reported as a vital element against the high burden on caregivers of children with autism. However, the intricate mechanisms underlying the concurrent interplay of positive factors with resilience within this demographic group remain less understood. OBJECTIVE:To construct a model to verify the sequential mediating influence of hope and gratitude in the relationship between perceived social support and resilience among caregivers of children with autism. DESIGN:Cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS:A total of 193 caregivers of children with autism in mainland China. OUTCOMES AND MEASURES:Data were collected using the Herth Hope Index, C-GQ-6 Gratitude Questionnaire, Perceived Social Support Scale, and Resilience Questionnaire for Parents of Children With Special Needs. The hypothesized mediating model was tested with Process 4.0 (Model 6) for SPSS (Version 26.0). RESULTS:The relationship of perceived social support and resilience was mediated by hope, gratitude, and the hope-gratitude sequence. Hope exhibited a stronger mediation effect, accounting for 26.23% of the total effect. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE:The results indicated significant positive correlations between perceived social support, hope, gratitude, and resilience, with perceived social support strongly linked to the other three. This study has important implications for occupational therapy, suggesting strategies for resilience-focused interventions tailored to caregivers of children with autism. PLAIN-LANGUAGE SUMMARY:Resilience is essential for caregivers of children with autism. Studies show that parents of children with autism report having fewer social supports, reduced quality of life, and heightened mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, and hopelessness. This research highlights the connections between caregivers' perceived social support, hope, gratitude, and resilience. Addressing caregiver social supports and mental health can enhance caregiver well-being as well as children's participation in meaningful activities. The findings suggest practical implications and insights for occupational therapy practitioners to strengthen and foster caregiver resilience and well-being in the autism community.

BACKGROUND:Prior research on rumination and resilience in trauma contexts has primarily utilized traditional statistical methods, single-sample designs, and community-based participants. As a result, symptom-level interaction patterns and network structures across varying risk levels remain unclear. This study aims to address these limitations by comparing the network structures of rumination and resilience among adolescents exposed to a public health crisis, both with and without PTSD. METHODS:A total of 1,273 adolescents (mean age = 13.84 years, 50.4% female) from post-COVID-19 China participated. Using the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C), 229 were identified with PTSD, and 1,044 were classified as non-PTSD. Network analysis was employed to identify key interactions and central nodes between rumination and resilience in both groups. RESULTS:Positive cognition and goal concentration consistently emerged as central bridge nodes of resilience in both groups. Reflection showed a positive association with resilience in the non-PTSD group but demonstrated inconsistent links with resilience factors among the PTSD group. In contrast, brooding predominantly displayed negative associations with resilience, suggesting maladaptive cognitive patterns. Notably, reflection-related connections differed between groups: adolescents with PTSD had stronger links with emotional regulation and goal concentration, whereas those without PTSD exhibited stronger connections with emotional regulation and positive cognition. CONCLUSION:Positive cognition and emotional regulation were identified as key resilience factors. Reflection appeared adaptive in non-PTSD adolescents, whereas brooding was maladaptive across both groups. Among adolescents with PTSD, both rumination patterns disrupted cognitive-emotional regulation, indicating that interventions should focus on restructuring maladaptive cognitive patterns and preventing negative cognition.

OBJECTIVES:Social isolation, loneliness, and sleep problems have emerged as significant concerns in aging populations, yet longitudinal studies exploring their interconnections are limited. This study examined these relationships and performed subgroup analyses based on age and gender. METHOD:Data were derived from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (2011, 2013, 2015, 2018, and 2020 waves; age ≥ 45 years, n = 7,622). The random intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPMs) were utilized to jointly examine the reciprocal effects between loneliness and sleep problems, as well as between social isolation and sleep problems in the total sample and within age and gender subgroups. RESULTS:Our findings revealed a bidirectional association between loneliness and sleep problems: sleep problems predicted later loneliness, β = .032, 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.019, 0.046], to .041, 95% CI [0.024, 0.057], and vice versa (β = .030, 95% CI [0.017, 0.042], to .037, 95% CI [0.021, 0.053]). Age and sex moderated the relationship between social isolation and sleep problems. Subgroup analyses showed a bidirectional pattern in older adults, with social isolation predicting later sleep problems (β = .031, 95% CI [0.009, 0.053], to .037, 95% CI [0.010, 0.064]), and the reverse association also observed (β = .024, 95% CI [0.001, 0.046], to .027, 95% CI [0.002, 0.052]). Among females, a unidirectional effect emerged, where social isolation predicted subsequent sleep problems (β = .021, 95% CI [0.002, 0.040], to .026, 95% CI [0.003-0.050]). DISCUSSION:Social isolation and loneliness exhibit distinct longitudinal relationships with sleep problems. Attention to loneliness and sleep problems should begin in middle age. Social isolation presents a greater threat to older adults and females, warranting further investigation in these populations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

The debate concerning whether preschoolers should emphasize Content Knowledge (CK) or Approaches to Learning (ATL) remains contentious. This study aims to investigate the impact of CK or ATL on children's long-term academic performance. The sample comprised fifty Chinese children (aged 6-7; 26 boys, 24 girls), whose CK and ATL levels were assessed in their final preschool year, followed by annual tracking of their grades. Recognizing children as the central learners, a latent profile analysis (LPA) was then conducted on the six years of their academic rankings. The results indicated that a three-class model structure was superior, with classes named: Top, Mid-range, and Struggling students. According to multiple regression based on LPA, only ATL significantly influenced students' transitions across different categories over the six years. Therefore, it is suggested that prioritizing the development of ATL skills during the enrollment preparation period can positively impact children's academic progress in school.

Background:Previous studies focused on the positive aspects of leisure nostalgia in relation to positive outcomes, overlooking its negative aspects and the possibility of negative effects. Based on the basic psychological needs theory and self-regulation theory, we tested whether relatedness need satisfaction and ego depletion mediated positive and negative effects of leisure nostalgia, respectively, and whether these mediation processes were moderated by self-regulatory capacity. Methods:We collected two waves of questionnaire data with a 1-month interval from 391 university students. The instruments used in this study included demographic characteristics and questionnaires of ego depletion, leisure nostalgia, life satisfaction, relatedness need satisfaction, self-regulatory capacity. Data analysis was performed using the SPSS and Mplus. Results:Leisure nostalgia was positively related to university student life satisfaction via higher relatedness need satisfaction (indirect effect = 0.11, 95% CI [0.052, 0.161]), and this indirect effect was stronger for students with higher vs. lower self-regulatory capacity (index = 0.03, 95% CI [0.003, 0.062]). By contrast, the mediating effect of ego depletion in the relationship between leisure nostalgia and lower life satisfaction was not significant (indirect effect = -0.01, 95% CI [-0.020, 0.011]). Conclusions:Findings from this study suggest that leisure nostalgia is a predominantly positive emotional experience that can promote university students' life satisfaction. The results have practical implications for designing programs to enhance university students' leisure nostalgia, self-regulation capacity, and life satisfaction.

Bereaved individuals experiencing prolonged grief often struggle to accept loss and manage emotional distress, making them a key focus of grief interventions. Self-distancing, where individuals process adverse events from an observer's perspective, may play a protective role in grief adaptation. This paper presents three studies examining self-distancing in grief adaptation. Study 1 surveyed bereaved adults (N = 207) and found self-distancing was significantly and negatively correlated with grief symptoms and rumination. Study 2 used a one-session perspective manipulation exercise and showed self-distancing significantly decreased negative emotions, while self-immersion (first-person) decreased positive emotions when recalling bereavement. Study 3 implemented a brief intervention where participants with elevated grief completed an expressive writing exercise using a self-distancing perspective (n = 16) or a self-immersion perspective (n = 15) for 15 min per day for three days. Results indicated that the two writing training tasks increased self-distancing and decreased grief symptoms, but only the self-distancing group reduced grief rumination. These findings highlight the protective role of self-distancing in grief adaptation. Low-intensity interventions, such as expressive writing from a self-distancing perspective, show promise in alleviating grief rumination and prolonged grief symptoms. These results highlight the potential of self-distancing as an accessible and effective strategy for managing prolonged grief, offering a valuable addition to existing grief interventions.

Background Perinatal depression often goes undetected and untreated in low- and middle-income countries like China. Reliable screening tools can improve this situation. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), two widely used tools, often exhibit inconsistent factor structures, leading to debates regarding their unidimensionality versus multidimensionality and casting doubts on their psychometric properties. Methods Our study aimed to assess the utility of PHQ-9 and EPDS in Chinese perinatal women and to address the debate by employing the bifactor model and item response theory (IRT). We enrolled 2939 perinatal women from a maternity and infant health hospital serving all 16 districts of Shanghai. The bifactor model was used to examine the factor structure of PHQ-9 and EPDS, while IRT analysis evaluated the psychometric properties. Results The indices derived from the bifactor model indicated that both PHQ-9 and EPDS should be used as unidimensional measurements. All items in PHQ-9 and EPDS showed adequate discriminative ability and difficulty, but certain items require further refinement. PHQ-9 demonstrated better measurement precision at high levels of latent depression than EPDS. Limitations These findings might not generalize to perinatal women in impoverished areas. The absence of clinical diagnoses limited the exploration of sensitivity and specificity. Conclusions PHQ-9 and EPDS are effective tools for detecting depression in Chinese perinatal women and should be used as unidimensional tools. Our study expands upon existing psychometric findings related to PHQ-9 and EPDS, offering valuable insights for their application in research and clinical settings.

Schizophrenia, as a stressful diagnosis, profoundly impacts the whole family, especially people with schizophrenia and their caregivers. This study tested the potential mediating role of expressed emotion in the association between mental health stigma and quality of life in caregiver-patient dyads. Using a 2-wave longitudinal design with a 6-month interval between assessments, 161 dyads of patients with schizophrenia and their family caregivers (one patient and one caregiver) completed measures of mental health stigma, expressed emotion, and quality of life. The results showed that patients' self-stigma had no significant actor or partner effect on expressed emotion or quality of life. In contrast, caregivers' stigmatizing attitudes toward patients had a significant partner effect on patients' perception of caregivers' expressed emotion and quality of life. The mediating effect of patients' perception of caregivers' expressed emotion in the association between caregivers' stigmatizing ideas toward patients and patients' quality of life was significant. By focusing on the interdependence of patients and their caregivers, this study highlights the role of caregivers' stigmatizing attitudes toward patients and patients' perception of caregivers' expressed emotion on patients' quality of life. Psychoeducation and interventions should not only aim to reduce the self-stigma of people with schizophrenia but also their caregivers' stigmatizing ideas toward patients. Family interventions targeted at reducing the EE level of caregivers and patients' perception of caregivers' EE would also benefit the adaptation and quality of life of people with schizophrenia and their caregivers.

Objective This study aimed to explore whether behavioral synchrony (BS) and inter-brain synchrony (IBS) could serve as potential biomarkers for alliance quality or outcomes among clients with different adult attachment styles. Method: We assessed the clients' self-report working alliance and clinical outcomes as well as simultaneously measured BS using motion energy analysis (MEA) and IBS with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) among 37 secure (N = 21) or dismissing (N = 16) clients with their counselors during the first psychological counseling meeting. Results: Dismissing dyads manifested significantly higher late-stage counselor-led and client-led IBS (p = .018) than secure dyads. Adult attachment style served as the moderators in the correlation of both whole-stage client-led BS with bond dimension of alliance (p = .015) as well as in the correlation of both whole-stage no-lag IBS with CORE-10 score changes (p = .022). Moreover, increases in the whole-stage client-led BS were significantly associated with decreases in early-stage, late-stage and whole-stage no-lag IBS (all ps ≤ 0.01). Conclusion: These findings revealed the potentially impeding role of interpersonal synchrony in alliance quality for dismissing clients, at least during the first psychological counseling meetings. They also might partially validate the relationship between different modalities of interpersonal synchrony.