The purpose of this invited article is to examine the healing power of mattering. Mattering and its facets are described, and relevant research is cited to illustrate that mattering is double-edged; feelings of mattering are a source of strength and protection linked with well-being, but feelings of not mattering are highly deleterious, as discussed in this article by examining links with depression, loneliness, and physical health problems. Unique themes examined in this article include the psychological pain of not mattering and how it can evolve into a feeling of unbearable insignificance characterized by feeling alone and insignificant and that no one cares. The central focus is the topic of how and why mattering is fundamental and has enormous potential for healing among people with mental health and physical health problems. This article also examines who is most susceptible to the pain of not mattering and, by extension, who stands to benefit most from the healing power of mattering. These themes are explored within the context of the relevance of mattering in terms of the client-therapist relationship and the delivery of services so that people in need can feel cared for and cared about.

Research and theory on mattering have evolved considerably, and the focus has been on individual differences in levels of feelings of mattering and not mattering to others. This work sought to advance understanding by uniquely examining individual differences in the need to matter and who is most impacted and influenced by feelings of not mattering to others. We introduce measures that assess levels of the need to matter, the personal importance of mattering (i.e., the importance of being important), and mattering hypersensitivity (i.e., vulnerability to feeling hurt when made to feel insignificant). Psychometric analyses confirmed that these measures comprise one factor each, with high internal consistency and adequate convergent validity. Correlational analyses established links between elevated scores and levels of psychological distress and narcissistic personality traits. Most notably, the unmet need to matter predicted unique variance in psychological distress and narcissistic traits beyond the variance attributable to self-esteem, general mattering, anti-mattering and fear of not mattering. Overall, these results attest to the research utility of the proposed measures, and they illustrate the risk to mental health and personal vulnerability of people with an unmet need to matter who have a heightened sensitivity and importance associated with whether they matter to other people.

Perfectionism among students is recognized as a factor that has complex associations with academic performance and well-being. Yet, we know little about how teachers perceive and make sense of it. Consequently, this qualitative study explored teachers' perspectives on student perfectionism in classroom contexts. A sample of teachers (n = 26; 84% female) completed semistructured interviews that revealed that teachers are commonly confronted with perfectionism in their classrooms and have complex understandings of its benefits and drawbacks for students. Although teachers acknowledged some benefits of perfectionism, they concentrated primarily on its negative effects. Each theme was assessed for potential differences in perspectives between teachers who self-identified as perfectionists and those who did not. However, no group differences emerged, and as such, all themes can be understood as representing both perfectionistic and nonperfectionistic teachers. Collectively, results support the critical role that teachers can play in understanding perfectionism among students, including how it impacts student learning and well-being.

Purpose The present study examined associations between adjustment and job satisfaction and multiple dimensions of mattering-including general mattering, mattering at work, anti-mattering experiences, and fears of not mattering-among working adults. A secondary, exploratory aim was to examine whether mattering-related outcomes differed as a function of personal COVID-19 infection history.Method A cross-sectional study was conducted with 60 employees working primarily from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants completed self-report measures assessing mattering, well-being, depression, social media addiction, and job satisfaction.Results General mattering was positively associated with work mattering and affective job satisfaction, whereas anti-mattering was negatively associated with work mattering, well-being, and affective job satisfaction. Well-being was positively related to both work mattering and affective job satisfaction, supporting the protective role of perceived significance in the workplace. Social media addiction was positively correlated with non-mattering and depression, suggesting that diminished perceptions of mattering may be linked to maladaptive online behaviors and poorer mental health. Exploratory independent-samples t-tests indicated that individuals with a history of COVID-19 infection reported lower general mattering, work mattering, and affective job satisfaction, and higher anti-mattering, compared with those without infection.Conclusion The findings highlight the importance of mattering as a resource for employee well-being and job satisfaction. Experiences of anti-mattering were associated with poorer mental health and greater vulnerability to problematic social media use. Exploratory differences linked to COVID-19 infection history suggest pandemic-related stressors may negatively influence employees' sense of value and satisfaction. These results underscore the need for organizational practices that foster employees' sense of mattering, particularly during periods of disruption.

Many university students have a history of exposure to adverse and potentially traumatic life events and may therefore experience Moral Injury (MI). University students exposed to trauma, and especially relational trauma, should be less impacted if they feel and know with certainty that they are valued and matter to other people. The current study uniquely examined MI distress and its correlates in 382 university students who reported the experience of at least one potentially traumatic event. Additionally, we examined the traumatic experiences faced by a subgroup of 2SLGBTQIA+ students and their associated reactions. Various self-report measures were administered including MI emotions, mattering, anti-mattering, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Our analyses confirmed that MI distress was evident and was linked with ACEs and higher levels of anti-mattering. Main findings accord with the notion that traumatic interpersonal events are not only distressing but are connected with feeling unimportant and insignificant to others. In addition, comparisons with the sexual and gender non-minority subgroups established that 2SLGBTQIA+ students were exposed to higher rates of major life stressors and they had comparatively elevated feelings of not mattering to others and MI-related emotional distress. Collectively, the results underscore the heterogeneity that exists among students and that feelings of mattering versus feelings of not mattering can be a source of strength or vulnerability. Clinical and public health implications are discussed as relevant to addressing feelings of personal insignificance and moral-injury related shame and mistrust.

The current study extended previous work by further examining the psychometric properties of the Mistake Rumination Scale and its associations with depression and evaluative fears, as well as the cognitive experience of perfectionism and procrastination. Most notably, this study also uniquely examined a possible link between mistake rumination and a perfectionistic self-presentational style in line with our view that needing to outwardly seem perfect reflects internal insecurities and ruminative brooding about mistakes. The Mistake Rumination Scale is a seven-item inventory measuring the tendency to ruminate about a past personal mistake. In a sample of 132 university students, the Mistake Rumination Scale had good psychometric properties, including acceptable internal consistency and concurrent validity in terms of its links with perfectionistic self-presentation and ruminative thoughts related to being perfect and procrastination. Mistake rumination was positively associated with all facets of perfectionistic self-presentation. The measures of mistake rumination and automatic thoughts related to perfectionism and procrastination were all positively linked with depression and social anxiety. Regression analyses showed that mistake rumination was the only significant predictor of depression, while mistake rumination and perfectionistic cognitions were both significant predictors of fear of negative evaluation. Our findings attest to the further use of the Mistake Rumination Scale, highlighting the need for interventions that promote a more positive orientation toward making mistakes and an explicit emphasis on reducing the tendency to ruminate about mistakes.

The current study investigated the construct of anti-mattering (feeling insignificant and invisible) and its links with loneliness and anxiety during times of pandemic social restrictions and isolation. Importantly, it also examined how levels of anti-mattering relate to levels of domain-specific measures of social hopelessness and social self-compassion. We assessed 282 undergraduate students during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants completed the Anti-Mattering Scale (AMS), the UCLA Loneliness Scale, pandemic-specific measures of anxiety and worry, and measures of social self-compassion, hope, hopelessness, and social hopelessness. Anti-mattering scores were associated with lower levels of social self-compassion and hope and higher levels of hopelessness and social hopelessness. Regression analyses showed loneliness was predicted by anti-mattering, social hopelessness, and reduced hope. The findings suggest that young people who feel both lonely and insignificant are particularly vulnerable to failing to see a better tomorrow. Furthermore, results suggest when people feel their voices are unheard, they also have a tendency to harden themselves against compassion. The findings are poignantly relevant to discussions of alienation and aspects of loneliness when one's future seems bleak. Potential clinical and community health implications are discussed regarding the relevance of alleviating distressing feelings of personal insignificance beyond the period of pandemic times.

Mattering and anti-mattering are closely associated with mental health outcomes, including loneliness. Mattering describes the perceived sense of being important to others, whereas anti-mattering reflects feelings of being ignored, unvalued, or insignificant. Both constructs may be shaped by adverse childhood experiences, including child maltreatment. Therefore, the present study examined the relationships among mattering, anti-mattering, child maltreatment, and loneliness, while also evaluating the psychometric properties of the German versions of the General Mattering Scale (GMS) and the Anti-Mattering Scale (AMS). In a German-speaking online sample (N = 284), we assessed child maltreatment, mattering, anti-mattering, loneliness, psychological distress, quality of life, and social network size. Mediation analyses examined whether mattering and anti-mattering mediated the association between child maltreatment and loneliness. Internal consistency, factor structure, and associations with related constructs were examined to evaluate the German GMS and AMS. Child maltreatment was associated with lower mattering, higher anti-mattering, and greater loneliness. Both mattering and anti-mattering partially mediated the association between child maltreatment and loneliness, with anti-mattering showing the stronger indirect association. The German GMS and AMS demonstrated good internal consistency, and a two-factor model supported mattering and anti-mattering as distinct but related constructs. Their associations with loneliness, psychological distress, quality of life, social network size, and child maltreatment supported criterion validity. The German GMS and AMS are reliable and valid instruments. Findings highlight the relevance of mattering and especially anti-mattering for understanding loneliness and its links to early adversity, suggesting their potential importance as clinical and psychotherapeutic targets. The validation process was preregistered separately for the GMS and AMS on the Open Science Framework (OSF): https://osf.io/8tsey/?view_only=cb9cb335a19b46faa7e9e00a5e21668b ; https://osf.io/yvmpa/?view_only=1eb275b272a44fe88bb43e87b6e12163 .

Understanding and managing perfectionistic behaviours in students is a critical challenge for teachers. Consequently, this qualitative study sought to assess the strategies that elementary and secondary teachers in Ontario, Canada use to respond to perfectionism in their classrooms. Open-ended survey responses from 197 teachers (83.25% female, M age = 40.21, SD = 9.00; 66.50% elementary teachers) and semi-structured interviews with a subsample of 26 teachers (84.62% female, M age = 41.19, SD = 10.95; 65.38% elementary teachers) were analyzed using thematic analysis based on descriptive phenomenology. Findings indicated that teachers employ a range of strategies, such as encouraging a growth mindset, offering individualized support, fostering strong teacher-student relationships, and cultivating self-care among their students. Despite their efforts to build resilience and strengthen students’ sense of self, some teachers highlighted the persistent nature of perfectionism and expressed frustration with their limited capacity to effectively support perfectionistic students. These findings highlight the importance of recognizing perfectionism as a significant educational issue and suggest that insights from teachers’ observations and classroom strategies could inform psychoeducational assessment and targeted professional development.

The present study investigated the indirect effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on current interpersonal problems through attachment insecurity and expressions of perfectionism. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine such a serial mediation model and testing development and later maladjustment parts of the Perfectionism Social Disconnection Model [PSDM; Hewitt et al., 2017]. A total of 810 young adults (mean age: 20.46 +/- 2.26 years; range: 18-30 years; 49.4 % females) volunteered for this study. A serial mediation model was tested using path analysis within a structural equation modeling (SEM) framework. In the hypothesized model, ACEs affected interpersonal problems through two serial mediators, namely attachment insecurity (i.e., anxious and avoidant attachment) and expressions of perfectionism (i.e., perfectionistic self-presentation and perfectionistic cognitions). Our results evidenced that ACEs increased interpersonal problems through the serial effects of attachment insecurities and of nondisclosure of imperfections. We also identified a second serial mediation effect, in which ACEs increased interpersonal problems, first passing through attachment anxiety and subsequently through perfectionistic cognitions. These findings highlight the underlying mechanism between ACEs and interpersonal problems by showing that attachment insecurity and perfectionism are key mediators of these associations. Results provide experimental support to a theoretical model (PSDM) and inform the treatment of individuals with a history of ACEs and current interpersonal problems.

Background Despite theoretical links between dispositional hope and adaptability in education and their respective roles as key orientations that facilitate learning, their measurement in English as Foreign Language (EFL) students remains relatively underexplored. Previous validations of Snyder's Dispositional Hope Scale (DHS) and Martin's Adaptability Scale (AS) have primarily relied upon classical test theory rather than more sophisticated methodologies. This study assessed the psychometric properties of the Chinese versions of these scales (CDHS and CAS) in EFL college students using Rasch analysis, exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM), and network analysis. Methods A total of 485 EFL college students from 10 institutions across 12 Chinese provinces were recruited through convenience sampling. The study employed a comprehensive analytical approach to evaluate both model-level and item-level psychometric properties of the CDHS and CAS. Results (1) The analyses established a unidimensional structure for the CDHS and a two-factor ESEM structure for the CAS, both demonstrating adequate factorial validity and internal consistency. This differs in part from the factor structure of the original version of the scale. (2) Rasch analysis revealed item redundancy and mid-trait clustering, suggesting opportunities for scale optimization. (3) Structural equation modeling highlighted significant positive associations between hope and both cognitive-behavioral and affective dimensions of adaptability, with the affective factor showing a stronger relationship. (4) Network analysis further underscored the central role of adaptability items in bridging constructs, particularly cognitive flexibility, resource-seeking, and emotional positivity items. Conclusions These findings provide robust evidence for the validity and reliability of the CDHS and CAS in assessing hope and adaptability among Chinese EFL students. These findings offer insights for developing targeted psychological interventions to support EFL learners navigating the cognitive and emotional challenges of language acquisition.

General mattering (GM), anti-mattering (AM), and fear of not mattering (FNM) are three critical mattering constructs that significantly impact students’ mental health. Previous studies have explored the associations between these constructs and variables such as exhaustion, loneliness, self-esteem, and hope among primary, middle school, high school, or university student samples. However, no single study has compared the three mattering constructs across different educational levels or investigated their varying associations with the aforementioned variables. To address these research gaps, the current study employed a convenience sampling to recruit 2034 primary school students, 1680 middle school students, 1862 high school students, and 3594 university students. The data were analyzed using multiple regression analyses and network analysis. The findings revealed that the disparities in the three mattering constructs were more pronounced between different educational stages than within specific grade levels of the same stage. GM was found to be positively associated with self-esteem and hope, and negatively associated with exhaustion and loneliness. Conversely, AM and FNM exhibited the opposite relationships with these variables. Furthermore, the strength of these associations varied across the different educational levels. This study examines mattering constructs and their associations across four educational levels, emphasizing the need for tailored interventions to enhance student well-being at different stages.

Problematic social media use (PSMU) and problematic gaming (PG) among university students as specific types of problematic internet use (PIU) have become a growing concern. PSMU and PG may lead to negative outcomes such as academic exhaustion and diminished hope. However, previous studies have not simultaneously considered the associations among these variables from the perspective of Stressor-Strain-Outcome model. Furthermore, the concept of 'mattering'-the feeling of being valued and important to others and 'fear of not mattering' in this dynamic is notably under-investigated. The present study aimed to examine the associations among these variables and evaluated whether mattering profiles moderated the associations involving PIU among university students.A survey was conducted among 3,035 university students in China, with an average age of 19.24 years (SD = 1.83). The sample included 52% males and 48% females from 19 different universities. The Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form, the General Mattering Scale, the Fear of Not Mattering Inventory, the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey, and the Dispositional Hope Scale were utilized to evaluate PSMU, PG, general mattering, fear of not mattering, academic exhaustion, and hope, respectively. Furthermore, latent profile analysis was used to categorize students into distinct mattering profiles based on measures of general mattering and fear of not mattering to others.Correlational analyses indicated that PSMU and PG were associated with greater academic exhaustion, reduced hope, and higher levels of fear of not mattering. Mediation analysis identified academic exhaustion as a mediator in the relationships between PSMU and hope, as well as between PG and hope. Profile analyses identified a group of students distinguished by exceptionally low levels of general mattering. Mattering profiles acted as moderators of the associations between PG and academic exhaustion, and between academic exhaustion and hope.PG negatively affected students' hope through academic exhaustion, while different mattering profiles had diverse associations. Customized intervention strategies focused on boosting hope and feelings of mattering, and reducing fears of not mattering are needed to reduce vulnerability to PG and PSMU.

Given the requirement for split-second decision making in unpredictable and morally ambiguous situations while in the line of duty, there is growing recognition that police officers are uniquely at risk for experiencing moral injury (MI). There is a need for valid and reliable assessment tools of MI within police populations to extend research initially conducted in or within the military context. The Moral Injury Assessment for Public Safety Personnel (MIA-PSP) is a population-specific measure developed to assess MI across police officers, firefighters, paramedics, correctional officers, and 911 dispatchers. Initial exploratory validation work by Roth et al. (2023) identified a three-factor structure capturing Emotional Sequelae, Perpetrations, and Betrayals. The structure of the MIA-PSP has yet to be validated using confirmatory modeling. The present study sought to investigate the psychometric properties of the MIA-PSP in a sample of police officers (N = 367, Mdn = 20 years of service, 72.5% men). We examined measurement invariance across gender and years of service, as well as the concurrent validity of the proposed factors with measures of traumatic stress, trauma-related outcomes, and well-being. Confirmatory factor analysis modeling supported a correlated three-factor structure that was invariant across gender and years of service. Controlling for shared variance among the subscales, the Emotional Sequelae and Betrayals subscales demonstrated unique predictive power with measures of trauma, trauma-related outcomes, and well-being. Findings suggest the MIA-PSP is a promising scale to assess MI within police populations.

The COVID-19 outbreak has led to unprecedented hazards to health and mental health globally at the beginning of 2020. These issues are being exacerbated by safety concerns and disruptions of daily routines especially for people in vulnerable groups, including international students in Canada, who experience a variety of stress and challenges in a new country. Additional acculturation stress stems from language barriers and cultural conflicts that can impact well-being and life satisfaction. The current study uniquely examined how anti-mattering and fears of not matter relate to acculturative stress, discrimination and stigma, and perceived stress of international students during the COVID-19 pandemic.