Gender self-confidence, scholastic stress, life satisfaction, and perceived academic achievement for adolescent New Zealanders

The impact of childhood emotional maltreatment on adolescent insomnia: a chained mediation model

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the impact of childhood emotional maltreatment on adolescent insomnia and the serial mediating role of stress and short video addiction between the two.

METHODS

A questionnaire survey was conducted among 745 adolescents from two middle schools in Hunan Province to collect data on childhood emotional maltreatment, insomnia, stress, and short video addiction. Descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, and regression analysis were performed on the collected data, followed by the establishment of a serial mediation model.

RESULTS

Childhood emotional maltreatment was significantly positively correlated with stress, short video addiction, and insomnia. Stress was significantly positively correlated with short video addiction and insomnia. Short video addiction was significantly positively correlated with insomnia. Stress (standardized indirect effect = 0.093, 95% CI: 0.070-0.118) and short video addiction (standardized indirect effect = 0.007, 95% CI: 0.001-0.015) mediated the relationship between childhood emotional maltreatment and adolescent insomnia, and they (standardized indirect effect = 0.006, 95% CI: 0.001-0.012) also had a serial mediating effect.

CONCLUSION

This study further elucidates the relationship between childhood emotional maltreatment and adolescent insomnia, highlighting the chain mediating role of stress and short video addiction. Guardians of adolescents should be mindful of their parenting practices, as emotional maltreatment may induce stress, which in turn can lead to short video addiction and subsequently contribute to the occurrence of insomnia.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Perceived Stress in Elderly Patients With Osteoporotic Fractures of Spine

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the point prevalence and risk factors of perceived stress in elderly patients with osteoporotic spinal fractures.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Osteoporotic fractures, common in the elderly, are often complicated by stress-related psychological factors, which can affect recovery outcomes. However, the specific impact of perceived stress on these fractures remains underexplored.

METHODS

This study included 190 elderly patients with osteoporotic spinal fractures, of whom 43 (22.6%) were diagnosed with perceived stress and 147 (77.4%) were in the nonperceived stress group at The First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China between January 1, 2020 and September 20, 2021. Patients were assessed for perceived stress using the Chinese 14-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Sociodemographic and disease characteristics were evaluated, and the incidence of refracture and kyphosis was compared between patients with and without perceived stress. Statistical analyses included χ2 tests and binary logistic regression.

RESULTS

Univariate analysis identified pain, gender, living alone, personality type, monthly family income, and prognosis expectations as significant factors associated with perceived stress (P<0.05). Multivariate analysis indicated that living alone (OR=321.176, 95% CI: 41.489-2486.319), low monthly family income (OR=291.667, 95% CI: 28.645-2969.798), introversion (OR=356.188, 95% CI: 72.770-1743.438), poor prognosis expectations (OR=2.791, 95% CI: 0.745-10.457), traumatic history (OR=194.750, 95% CI: 42.492-892.579), and intense pain (OR=6.857, 95% CI: 3.458-13.598) were significant risk factors (OR>1) for perceived stress. Patients with perceived stress had a higher incidence of refracture and kyphosis (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Female gender, living alone, low family income, introversion, intense pain, and poor prognosis expectations are significant risk factors for perceived stress in elderly patients with osteoporotic fractures. Perceived stress is also linked to a higher incidence of local kyphosis and refractures. Individualized treatment plans integrating psychosocial care are essential for optimizing recovery in this patient population.

Development and validation of the physical fitness test anxiety scale for college students

Objective

This study aims to develop and validate a Physical Fitness Test Anxiety Scale (FTAS) for Chinese college students and assess its scientificity and applicability through reliability and validity testing.

Methods

The initial scale was constructed through literature analysis and semi-structured interviews, followed by item analysis and factor analysis to optimize the scale structure. Multiple statistical methods were used to test the scale's reliability and validity.

Results

The final scale consists of 12 items, covering two dimensions: cognitive anxiety and somatic anxiety. The model fit was good (χ 2/df = 2.29, RMSEA = 0.051, IFI, CFI, TLI, GFI, AGFI >0.90). The internal consistency coefficients for the total scale and the two dimensions ranged from 0.903 to 0.928, with split-half reliability between 0.804 and 0.899. The average variance extracted (AVE) ranged from 0.575 to 0.667, and the composite reliability (CR) ranged from 0.904 to 0.950.

Conclusion

The Physical Fitness Test Anxiety Scale for college students has good reliability and validity and is suitable for assessing the physical fitness test anxiety levels of college students.

Development of Self-Concept in Childhood and Adolescence: How Neuroscience Can Inform Theory and Vice Versa

How do we develop a stable and coherent self-concept in contemporary times? Susan Harter's original work, The Construction of Self (1999; 2012), argues that cognitive and social processes are building blocks for developing a coherent sense of self, resulting in self-concept clarity across various domains in life (e.g., [pro-]social, academic, and physical). Here, we show how this framework guides and can benefit from recent findings on (1) the prolonged and nonlinear structural brain development during childhood and adolescence, (2) insights from developmental neuroimaging studies using self-concept appraisal paradigms, (3) genetic and environmental influences on behavioral and neural correlates of self-concept development, and (4) youth's perspectives on self-concept development in the context of 21st century global challenges. We examine how neuroscience can inform theory by testing several compelling questions related to stability versus change of neural, behavioral, and self-report measures and we reflect on the meaning of variability and change/growth.

Physical activity and life satisfaction among adolescents before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

The negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and distance education has significantly affected adolescents' lives. The restrictive policies negatively affected their physical and mental health and life satisfaction. It is therefore desirable to look for ways to eliminate similar negative impacts on adolescents in the future. This study aimed to identify the differences in the association between physical activity and life satisfaction in Polish adolescents before and during the pandemic. The study included 1541 participants (891 before the pandemic and 650 during the pandemic) aged 15-19 years. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Long Form questionnaire was used to assess physical activity, and the Bern Subjective Well-Being Questionnaire was used to evaluate life satisfaction. The objectivity of data collection and analysis before and during the pandemic was ensured by the web application the International Database for Research and Educational Support. During the pandemic, we found lower physical activity and life satisfaction in both boys and girls compared to before the pandemic. Girls with low and high physical activity levels showed significantly lower life satisfaction during the pandemic than they did before. Low life satisfaction was associated with lower physical activity, and high life satisfaction was associated with greater total physical activity. Both boys and girls with low and high life satisfaction achieved significantly fewer physical activity recommendations during the pandemic. High life satisfaction increased the likelihood of meeting the recommendations for physical activity before and during the pandemic. This study provides new insights into the differences and associations between life satisfaction and physical activity in adolescent boys and girls before and during the pandemic. It provides suggestions for the prevention of possible future restrictions in the school settings. Support for post-pandemic life satisfaction in adolescents should focus mainly on increasing vigorous physical activity and improving adolescent participation in organized physical activity settings.

Understanding the Role of Parent‒Child Relationships in Conscientiousness and Neuroticism Development among Chinese Middle School Students: A Cross-Lagged Model

The parent‒child relationship is a crucial factor in promoting adolescent mental health. However, the current evidence on the relationship between parent‒child relationships and adolescent conscientiousness and neuroticism, as well as the directionality of these relationships, remains limited. In particular, there is a lack of analysis focusing on Chinese middle school students. Based on a sample of 8437 students from the China Education Panel Survey (CEPS) database, this study empirically examined the bidirectional relationships between parent‒child relationships, conscientiousness and neuroticism among Chinese middle school students, with specific emphasis on the significant role of parent‒child relationships in the development of conscientiousness and neuroticism. Descriptive statistical results indicated that during the seventh and eighth grades of Chinese middle school students, the closeness of their parent‒child relationships with both parents decreased, while the level of conscientiousness showed a slight decrease, and neuroticism showed an increasing trend. Correlational results demonstrated a significant positive correlation between parent‒child relationships and conscientiousness and a significant negative correlation between parent‒child relationships and neuroticism. Further analysis using cross-lagged models revealed that parent‒child relationships significantly positively predicted subsequent conscientiousness development, and conscientiousness significantly positively predicted subsequent parent‒child relationships. Parent‒child relationships significantly negatively predicted subsequent neuroticism development, and neuroticism levels also significantly negatively predicted subsequent parent‒child relationships. Based on these findings, we believe that there is a need to strengthen parent‒child relationships and to recognize the important role that both mothers and fathers play in the healthy development of their children. Both parents should actively contribute to their children's upbringing and take responsibility for their family education.

Fostering Engagement, Reflexivity, and 21st-Century Skills in Middle School: A Pilot Collaborative Action Research on Identity Formation with Adolescent Co-Researchers

Identity construction during adolescence constitutes a primary psychosocial developmental task. A growing body of research has addressed the importance of school education in fostering adolescents' identity formation and the skills they need to thrive. Although several studies aimed at defining the factors contributing to a coherent, stable, and integrated identity formation, none sought to investigate this question from the adolescents' perspective. This contribution aimed to explore new ways of fostering 21st-century skills among adolescents through action research. Five adolescents aged 13 to 15 participated in the research process, creating a survey to answer a research problem mainly focused on identity construction in adolescence. A reflexive analysis of the co-research process highlighted the interest in involving adolescents as co-researchers to foster their social and emotional skills. The deployment of the resulting survey in a sample of 1210 adolescents from the general population highlighted the importance of gender diversity for constructing various dimensions of identity.

Does Self-Control Promote Prosocial Behavior? Evidence from a Longitudinal Tracking Study

Although numerous researches have shown that self-control is a significant promoter of prosocial behavior, the mechanism behind this relationship is still unclear. According to the organism–environment interaction model and self-control model, this study researched whether life satisfaction played a mediating role between self-control and adolescents’ prosocial behavior and if friendship quality played a moderating role between self-control and prosocial behavior. This study used a longitudinal tracking research (T1&T2; and the interval between T1&T2 is 6 months). A total of 1182 Chinese middle school students participated the survey. They were between 12 and 15 years old (average age: 14.16 years old, SD = 1.29). Results indicated that life satisfaction played a mediating role between self-control and adolescents’ prosocial behavior. Furthermore, this direct relationship in the link between self-control and prosocial behavior was significant when adolescents had a good-quality friendship. These results highlight that life satisfaction plays an important role in the relationship between self-control and prosocial behavior. The present study further determined that a high-quality friendship was an important factor that amplified this direct effect.