The aim of this study was to establish the psychometric properties of the Polish version of the Perceived Stress Scale for Kids (PeSSKi). The procedure included assessment of the PeSSKi's theoretical and discriminant validity. A total of 334 child-guardian dyads were recruited from public elementary schools. Children were in the age range 9-11 years (Mage = 10 years). Participants completed the following questionnaires: the self-report and parent-report version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, parent-report version of the Profile of Emotional and Social Development and Student Integration Questionnaire. Analyses indicated that although specific valence facets were present, the Polish version of the PeSSKi was essentially unidimensional. Correlational analysis of the Polish PeSSKi with related constructs suggested satisfactory convergent and discriminant validity supporting its potential usefulness as a unidimensional measure of perceived stress in children aged 9-11 years.

BACKGROUND:The prevalence of gambling among adolescents is rising, yet teachers often lack awareness of its associated risks. Special educational needs (SEN) students may experience increased vulnerability to gambling-related harms, although it remains unclear whether teachers recognise this. METHODS:To explore this issue, 15 UK mainstream secondary school teachers were recruited through purposive sampling and participated in online semi-structured interviews exploring their perceptions of gambling behaviours among typically developing and SEN students. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using an exploratory interpretive approach. RESULTS:Reflexive thematic analysis identified three themes: understanding of gambling-related risks, SEN students' vulnerability and secondary concern. Teachers described gambling as a potential risk and perceived SEN students to be more vulnerable, citing cognitive and social deficits as contributing factors. However, gambling was generally viewed as less serious than other risky behaviours, such as substance use. Participants reported that limited training and knowledge contributed to gambling being deprioritised relative to other concerns, leaving them feeling underprepared to address gambling. Although participants perceived SEN students as particularly vulnerable, many expressed low confidence in recognising and responding to gambling-related risks. CONCLUSIONS:This study underscores the need for targeted professional development to challenge misconceptions and strengthen teachers' competence in addressing gambling-related risks, particularly in supporting SEN students who may experience additional vulnerabilities in online contexts. It further calls for specialised research and tailored interventions within educational settings to ensure risks related to gambling are not overlooked.

This study explores the complex relationship between parental behaviours and adolescent problematic internet use (PIU), contributing to a growing understanding of how family dynamics influence digital habits in children. Using a sample of 236 Arab parents, we investigated the impact of parental PIU, the frequency of parental monitoring, and serious arguments about internet use on adolescent PIU. The findings demonstrated significant associations between parental and adolescent PIU levels, highlighting shared patterns in specific symptoms. Regression analysis identified parental PIU and frequent serious arguments as significant predictors of adolescent PIU, indicating the heightened risk among adolescents with PIU-affected parents. Additionally, the study uncovered a partial mediation effect, with the frequency of serious arguments serving as a pathway linking parental and adolescent PIU. By examining these relationships within a culturally distinct context, the research broadens the scope of PIU studies beyond western populations, offering new insights into underexplored Arab families. The results indicate the importance of family-centered intervention strategies, including positive parental role modelling and promoting constructive discussions about internet use. These findings have practical implications for developing culturally sensitive programmes aimed at mitigating adolescent PIU through improved family dynamics and healthy digital practices.

Children and young people (CYP) are high consumers of loot boxes, raising concerns about the impact of a convergence of gaming and gambling-related harms and their potential negative developmental outcomes in adulthood. Especially, given evidence that practitioners and parents/carers are lacking awareness of the risks of converging gaming-gambling environments. Addressing these risks necessitates understanding the experiences of gaming and gambling-related harm within healthcare systems. This study aimed to gain insights from individuals with previous lived experience of gaming and/or gambling-related harm in the context of CYP and healthcare systems. A qualitative design was adopted using two semi-structured online focus groups, involving five participants with previous lived experience of gaming and/or gambling-related harm. Focus groups explored their experiences of healthcare services and barriers to support in the journey through harm and recovery. Thematic analysis of the data revealed five key themes: i) Escapism; ii) Identity; iii) Preventative Education; iv) Safer Environments; v) Health-based Narratives. Results suggested a convergence of gaming and gambling-related harm in terms of patterns of experiences of escapism and internalising harm with identity, highlighting the need for safer environments and preventative approaches to protect CYP against novel risks of harm through healthcare systems. The results suggest that preventative approaches need to understand the virtual worlds of CYP and the importance of digital resilience. Implications for practitioners, services, policy makers, and regulators seeking to protect CYP from the risks of gaming and gambling-related harm are discussed.

Gambling among children and young people (CYP) has been associated with a range of adverse outcomes, including financial consequences, psychological distress, social difficulties, and increased risk of experiencing gambling-related harms in adulthood. Given the growing accessibility of gambling activities through digitally- enabled experiences and the expanding regulatory concerns, there is a pressing need for evidence-based interventions to mitigate harm in this vulnerable population. Despite numerous interventions aimed at reducing gambling-related harm among CYP, systematic analysis of their effectiveness remains limited. To address this gap, we conducted a comprehensive scoping review of literature published between 2008 and 2025, using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) extension for scoping reviews and the Arksey and O’Malley five-stage protocol. The PAGER Framework was employed to critique the literature. We searched eight electronic databases, supplemented by manual reference checks, for peer-reviewed studies on interventions to prevent or reduce gambling-related harm in CYP up to age 25. Of 11,972 articles identified, 40 met the inclusion criteria. Our analysis revealed four key themes: effective interventions often integrate multiple methods and actively engage participants, are theory-driven and delivered by trained practitioners, are tailored to developmental needs, and incorporate digital technologies. Common issues across studies included the absence of follow-up assessments and the use of adult questionnaires with CYP. We recommend addressing the social context and environment rather than focusing solely on individual behaviour, involving CYP in intervention development, evaluating long-term effects, and considering underserved populations such as CYP with special educational needs. This review underscores the urgent need for rigorously evaluated, evidence-based interventions to reduce gambling-related harm in CYP across educational, healthcare, and youth work settings.

This study examines the nexus between internet addiction (IA) in parents and their adolescent children, with a particular focus on the influence of the family environment. While previous research has largely investigated IA in either adults or adolescents, relatively few studies have explored IA within a familial context. However, none has specifically addressed the distinction between internet-addicted and nonaddicted parents. To bridge this gap, we conducted an anonymous online survey of 404 UK parents, collecting demographic data alongside validated measures, including the Internet Addiction Diagnostic Questionnaire (IADQ), the Short Form of the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (APQ-SF), the McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD), the Parental version of the Young Diagnostic Questionnaire (PYDQ), and self-reported frequency of internet monitoring behaviours. Findings revealed that inconsistent discipline, as measured by a subscale of APQ-SF, significantly predicted adolescent IA among nonaddicted parents, whereas general family functioning played a more crucial role for addicted parents. Additionally, nonaddicted parents perceived their IA symptoms as less severe than those of their children's, whereas addicted parents rated their own symptoms as more severe. Loss of control, marked by excessive online time, emerged as the most prevalent IA symptom in both parents and adolescents. These findings highlight the intergenerational transmission of IA and underscore the need for targeted family-based interventions and digital parenting programs to foster healthier online behaviours among adolescents.

This scoping review aims to assess the range and effectiveness of interventions in the UK or relevant to the UK context designed to prevent or reduce gambling-related harms among children and young people (CYP) aged up to 25 years based on grey literature. Grey literature captures practical strategies and innovations not documented in academic literature, offering a comprehensive understanding of existing interventions. The review identified fourteen organisations offering interventions primarily focused on prevention and treatment. Educational interventions, delivered through workshops, online courses, and digital resources, were most prevalent. Innovative approaches, such as interactive web-based games, showed higher engagement levels among CYP. However, most interventions lacked rigorous evaluation data, especially concerning CYP’s developmental needs. The review indicates the importance of multi-systemic approaches involving various stakeholders to mitigate gambling-related harms. It highlights the need for tailored, evidence-based strategies addressing CYP’s vulnerabilities, incorporating robust evaluation methods. Future research should include diverse linguistic and cultural contexts to ensure comprehensive protection for CYP from gambling-related harms.

Objective This study aimed at investigating how the pandemic, a collective trauma experience, affected the mental health and wellbeing of Mental Health Psychology Practitioners (MHPPs), along with the strategies employed to maintain positive wellbeing. Method An exploratory, qualitative research approach was taken, and semi-structured interview data was collected from nine MHPPs and analysed thematically. Results Three main themes were identified, consisting of two subthemes each, ranging from experiences of vicarious traumatisation, personal vs. professional identity issues, through to the strategies participants employ to maintain their wellbeing. Conclusion The need for training focusing on collectively traumatic experiences was highlighted by this study’s results. The development of targeted interventions and comprehensive training programmes are essential, including modules on self-care, resilience-building, and maintaining professional boundaries, as they can help this group of practitioners be less susceptible to occupational risks, resulting in better outcomes for both practitioners and their clients.

This study examines the relationship between resilience and mental health outcomes, specifically anxiety, depression, and stress, among remote workers. Additionally, it explores how communication with superiors and peers may influence this relationship. A sample of 200 Spanish employees, recruited incidentally through social networks, participated in the study. Inclusion criteria required participants to be currently employed with at least six months of remote work experience. Descriptive statistics and correlation analyses were conducted to assess the relationships between variables and test the hypotheses. To explore moderation effects, Hayes' PROCESS Model 1 was employed, providing a robust framework for examining whether communication with superiors and peers moderates the association between resilience and mental health outcomes (anxiety, depression, and stress). The findings revealed negative correlations between resilience and levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. Furthermore, analyses indicated that effective communication with both superiors and peers significantly moderates the resilience-stress relationship. Communication was found to bolster the stress-buffering effects of resilience. Overall, these results emphasize the critical importance of fostering robust communication channels in remote work environments to enhance employee resilience and mitigate stress. Organizational strategies such as regular check-ins, transparent communication practices, and supportive environments can facilitate better mental health outcomes for remote workers.

Although the impact of social media on early adolescents is a global concern, research on this topic in Greece—particularly from parents’ perspectives—is limited. This study addresses this gap by exploring Greek parents’ views on early adolescents’ social media usage. Using an exploratory, qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 parents in western Greece, and the data were thematically analysed. Our results indicate that while parents acknowledge some benefits of social media, they are concerned about its effects on early adolescents’ behaviour, mental health, academic performance, and linguistic skills. The parents viewed early adolescents as being highly impressionable. They felt unprepared to manage their children’s exposure to social media influences due to a lack of relevant information and education. Understanding these parental perspectives can help guide the development of support services to enhance digital well-being among families.

This scoping review explores the influence of social media influencers in promoting gambling to children and young people, addressing concerns about their vulnerability to gambling advertisements on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Twitch. A scoping review of 41 studies highlights that influencers use subtle, relatable strategies to normalise gambling behaviours. Despite regulatory changes, children and young people are still significantly exposed to gambling content. Influencers’ promotional tactics increase engagement and lower perceived risks of gambling, yet there is limited research on the long-term impact of this exposure. Stricter regulations are urgently needed to reduce children and young people’s exposure to influencer-driven gambling content. Mandatory sponsorship disclosures and age verification measures are essential. Targeted interventions, including educational campaigns, should be prioritised to raise awareness of the risks associated with influencer marketing and gambling. These steps are critical to protecting vulnerable children and young people from potential gambling-related harms.

Social media plays a dominant role in emerging adults' lives, with evidence showing that it can contribute to elevated levels of psychological distress. However, existing findings are contradictory, insofar as the connection between social media use (SMU) and psychological distress remains unclear. To gain a better insight into the above relationship, we focused on different styles of engagement with social media (active social, active non-social, and passive) and examined whether their impact on depression, anxiety and stress symptoms is mediated by loneliness. Data were collected via an online survey from 288 emerging adults in the UK. It was found that increased passive SMU was associated with higher anxiety, depression and stress symptoms; loneliness was associated with both SMU and psychological distress, while increased active non-social media use was associated with decreased stress. However, loneliness showed significant mediation effects only on the relation between passive SMU and psychological distress. Limitations, future research directions and suggestions for practice are discussed.

Inclusive classrooms have become a focus in mainstream education in recent years. However, challenges for educators are often overlooked. This study utilised an exploratory, qualitative research approach following Strauss and Corbin's variant of Grounded Theory [Corbin, J., and A. Strauss. 2015. Basics of Qualitative Research. Sage] to investigate this; semi-structured interview data was collected from 19 educational professionals, utilising theoretical sampling techniques. Participants were working in deprived and non-deprived areas and were interviewed about their experiences of facilitating inclusion. Data was analysed using Grounded Theory; 'Knowing': yourself and your students emerged as the core category, with main categories of attitudes, sacrifices, student empowerment, meeting needs and barriers. Boundaries around time and emotional investment were paramount, as was available non-judgemental support. Student empowerment alleviated pressure on educators. Deprivation exacerbated challenges such as workload, student emotional and social needs, and emotional toll on educators.

Growing concerns have been raised regarding the potential influence of social media on mental health and well-being, specifically focusing on the phenomenon of social comparison. Prior research has shown that individuals tend to overestimate the happiness portrayed in others’ social media posts, resulting in negative outcomes such as low mood, reduced self-esteem, and diminished life satisfaction. However, given the nearly two-decade surge of social media, we question whether this trend persists. This study aims to investigate whether individuals still perceive others’ happy posts as happier than their own happy posts on social media, while also exploring potential age and gender differences. Self-reported happiness is a person’s perception of their own level of happiness, while perceived happiness is the level of happiness, they believe other people are experiencing. Data was collected via an online survey completed by 314 participants. A mixed ANOVA revealed a significant misperception of happiness, indicating, against the current literature, that individuals tend to overestimate their own happiness compared to the happiness expressed by others in social media posts. Gender emerged as a significant factor influencing happiness misperception, with males reporting higher levels of self-reporting happiness than their happiness. A significant difference between the age groups was found and indicated that the older age group (25–64 years) demonstrated a significantly higher happiness misperception than the emerging adult group (15–24 years). The study reveals new insights on happiness misperception in social media, impacting well-being and social bonding, particularly among males and adults, and altering perceptions of online emotional expressions.

IntroductionCounsellors and psychotherapists working with trauma experience constant exposure to clients' adverse events, placing their well-being in jeopardy. The pivotal role of empathy in maintaining their well-being is underscored, given the imperative for these professionals to sustain empathetic engagement with clients. However, prior research has solely focussed on other helping professions.MethodologyThis study employed semi-structured interviews to explore the subjective experiences of 14 psychotherapists and counsellors in trauma-informed settings regarding the role of empathy and its implications for well-being. Reflexive thematic analysis was utilised to analyse these data.ResultsThree main themes were identified from the analysis: Empathy is crucial, empathy as a risk factor and empathy can be regulated and developed.ConclusionsThe study's findings reinforce previous research and provide new insights into empathy's development and management in the context of professional trauma work.

Studies over the past decade have shown that Internet Addiction (IA), can impact adolescents’ health across physical, mental, and social domains. While extensive research has explored adolescents' vulnerability to IA, the role of parental influence through communication and discipline requires further examination. This study investigates the influence of parenting practices on IA among adolescents in the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Participants included 236 parents of adolescents aged 12 to 15 from GCC countries. Data were collected via a digital survey, which included the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire-Short Form (APQ-SF) to measure three facets of parenting practices: positive parenting, inconsistent discipline, and poor supervision. The survey also collected participants’ demographics, their children's internet addiction levels, and the frequency of arguments about the children's technology usage. The findings indicated that inconsistent discipline significantly predicts higher IA levels in adolescents, while positive parenting predicts lower IA levels. Poor supervision did not correlate with IA. Notably, the frequency of serious arguments over Internet overuse fully mediated the relationship between positive parenting and IA among adolescents. Furthermore, the effect of inconsistent discipline on IA among adolescents was partially mediated by the frequency of serious arguments over Internet overuse. The findings highlight the family environment's significant role in adolescents' IA and underscore the need for family-centered approaches to address this issue. Addressing underrepresented populations in psychological research is crucial for developing responsive Information Technology (IT) interventions. Digital parenting tools should enhance family environments by promoting positive parenting practices, establishing consistent disciplinary strategies, and incorporating joint goal-setting. Additionally, joint real-time monitoring can facilitate mutual understanding of progress, improving adherence to these strategies and fostering a supportive environment for adolescents.

Purpose:The growing awareness and concern about the excessive use of social media have led to an increasing number of studies investigating the underlying factors contributing to this behavior. In the literature, it is discussed that problematic social media use (PSMU) can impact individuals' mental health and well-being. Drawing on the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model, this study aimed to examine the association between the need for affect (affect approach and affect avoidance) and PSMU (operationalized via the social media disorder scale), as well as the mediating role of fear of missing out (FoMO) in that relation.Participants and Methods:Data were collected via an online survey from 513 participants in European and Arabic countries. Regression and mediation analyses were conducted to explore the relationships between affect approach, affect avoidance, FoMO, and PSMU.Results:Regression analysis results indicated that both affect approach and affect avoidance as part of the need for affect construct significantly predicted PSMU in both cultural contexts. Mediation analysis showed that FoMO partially mediated the relationship between affect approach and PSMU in the Arab sample but not in the European sample. Beyond this, FoMO partially mediated the relationship between affect avoidance and PSMU in both cultural samples.Conclusion:The present study indicates that managing emotions could be an effective strategy to combat PSMU. In line with this and against the background of the data business model behind social media companies, we deem it to be of importance to minimize triggers related to FoMO in the design of social media platforms (for example, push notifications). This might be particularly relevant for individuals with a high inclination towards affect approach and affect avoidance.

Utilising an online survey, this study aimed to investigate the concurrent effects of pre-pandemic and COVID-19 stress on resilience in Mental Health Psychology Practitioners (MHPPs) ( n = 325), focussing on the mediation effects of specific individual factors. Optimism, burnout and secondary traumatic stress, but not coping strategies, self-efficacy, compassion satisfaction, or self-compassion, mediated both the relationship between pre-pandemic stress and resilience and COVID-19 stress and resilience. Increased job demands caused by the pandemic, the nature and duration of COVID-19 stress may explain this finding. Training and supervision practices can help MHPPs deal with job demands under circumstances of general and extreme stress.