Psychometrically improved, abbreviated versions of three classic measures of impulsivity and self-control

Using an integrated model of the extended theory of planned behavior and the temporal self-regulation theory to explain the sugar-sweetened beverage consumption in college students

Excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) poses a significant threat to public health, with college students representing a major consumer group. Using the extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Temporal Self-Regulation Theory (TST), this study examined the extent to which attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, delay discounting, habit, and self-control influence the intention and behavior of SSB consumption. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Jiangsu Province in 2024, involving 1236 college students. Data were collected using instruments based on the TPB-TST model, and delay discounting was assessed with a custom-designed computer program. Structural equation modeling was performed using Smart PLS software. The results showed that the integrated model explained 36.9 % of the variance in intention and 20.4 % in actual behavior. Delay discounting significantly influenced students' intention to consume SSBs. Attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control also had significant positive effects on intention. Habit, self-control, and intention directly influenced SSB consumption, with habit moderating the intention-behavior relationship (β = -0.053, p < 0.05), weakening the impact of intention on behavior. In conclusion, the integration of the extended TPB and TST provides a robust framework for understanding SSB consumption among college students. Policy efforts and school-based interventions should target students' cognitive and psychological factors while regulating the availability of SSBs in campus environments to promote healthier behaviors.

A network analysis of academic procrastination, psychological and environmental factors among medical students

BACKGROUND

Academic procrastination is a multifaceted phenomenon influenced by psychological and environmental factors and has potential negative academic and career consequences. However, there are no studies that have comprehensively explored the mechanisms of academic procrastination in medical students. This study conducts a network analysis of seven factors associated with procrastination, to establish a network of academic procrastination, and to explore the academic procrastination network and the relative importance of the different factors.

METHODS

A sample of 681 students (72.1% women, 27.9% men) completed self-rating questionnaires that measured fear, conscientiousness, self-efficacy, impulsivity, depression, the nature of tasks, teacher traits, and academic procrastination. Two networks were created using regularized partial correlation network analysis (EBICglasso) with scales and items as nodes respectively, to determine the role of psychological and external environmental factors in academic procrastination.

RESULTS

Both networks were linkage active, and all variables showed significant correlations. Impulsivity and depression emerged as the central and bridge components, with the highest centrality indices observed for difficulty concentrating and self-hatred. Environmental factors have the highest expected influence value in the Scale-level network and academic procrastination.

CONCLUSION

The present study shows that impulsivity and depression are key factors in academic procrastination networks in the medical student population, especially difficulty concentrating and self-hatred. It further adds the influential role played by environmental factors.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This is an observational study based on surveys and network analysis, and no healthcare intervention was involved. Therefore, it was not registered in any clinical trial registry.

Impulsivity and problematic social network sites use: A meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Problematic Social Network Sites Use (PSNSU) has been defined as the inability to self-regulate one's use of social networks that adversely affects the user's interpersonal relationships, work or academic activities, and psychological well-being. Among PSNSU risk factors, impulsivity has gained attention. Evidence has emerged about the importance of considering impulsivity from a multidimensional approach since specific dimensions of impulsivity were found to be involved in specific addictive behaviors. Therefore, the present meta-analysis aims to examine the association between PSNSU and (i) general impulsivity and (ii) specific dimensions of impulsivity.

METHOD

A keyword-based systematic literature search was performed for eligible studies in which impulsivity and PSNSU were assessed. The meta-analysis was conducted following the most updated PRISMA guidelines.

RESULTS

Forty-one studies were included in the quantitative analysis with 43 independent samples. Meta-analytic results of the random effects model showed a significant positive correlation between general impulsivity and PSNSU (Fisher's Z = 0.29; CI 0.24, 0.35; Z = 10.66). Concerning dimensions of impulsivity, meta-analytic results of the random effects model revealed a significant positive correlation between PSNSU and lack of premeditation (Fisher's Z = 0.11 CI 0.09, 0.13; Z = 13.25) and between PSNSU and lack of perseverance (Fisher's Z = 0.19; CI 0.17, 0.20; Z = 22.67). Significant positive correlations between PSNSU and attentional impulsivity (Fisher's Z = 0.18; CI 0.12, 0.23; Z = 6.29), non-planning impulsivity (Fisher's Z = 0.10; CI 0.02, 0.19; Z = 2.35), and motor impulsivity (Fisher's Z = 0.22; CI 0.16, 0.27; Z = 7.45) were also found.

DISCUSSION

These results confirmed that PSNSU is positively associated with impulsivity and helped to clarify which specific dimensions of impulsivity are involved in this association.

Longitudinal association between chronotype and depressive symptoms among college students: Mediating roles of perceived stress and self-control

This study aims to explore the longitudinal relationship between chronotype and depressive symptoms and the mediating roles of perceived stress and self-control among college students. A total of 11,010 college students completed two web-based surveys during 17 to 29 October 2023 (Time 1, T1) and 15 to 24 April 2024 (Time 2, T2), respectively. Participants completed the reduced version of morningness-eveningness questionnaire, the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale, the Brief Self-Control Scale, the 2-item Patient Health Questionnaire, and 3 items of the Youth Self-Rating Insomnia Scale. The results indicated that perceived stress (T1) and self-control (T2) serially mediate the relationship between morning chronotype (T1) and depressive symptoms (T2) (β =  -0.010, 95% CI: -0.012 to -0.009), after controlling for baseline sample characteristics, depressive symptoms (T1), and insomnia symptoms (T2). This longitudinal relationship was observed in both male (β =  -0.009, 95% CI: -0.012 to -0.006) and female (β =  -0.011, 95% CI: -0.013 to -0.009) participants. These findings enhance our understanding of the mechanisms by which chronotype affects college students' depressive symptoms, providing valuable insights for developing targeted interventions, such as stress-management workshops, to mitigate depression risk, especially among students with evening chronotypes.

The impact of parental psychological control on adolescents' physical activity: the mediating role of self-control and the moderating role of psychological capital

Objective

Insufficient physical activity poses a significant threat to adolescent health. Parental psychological control, as a typical negative parenting style, exerts profound influences on health-related behaviors among adolescents. This study aims to identify and elucidate the specific mechanisms through which parental psychological control impacts adolescent physical activity. Furthermore, it explores the roles of self-control ability and psychological capital in mediating the relationship between parenting styles and adolescent physical activity. The findings of this research seek to provide guidance for family education practices.

Methods

A survey was conducted on 1,010 students from the first year of junior high school to the second year of senior high school to assess parental psychological control, physical activity, self-control, and psychological capital. Data analysis and model validation were performed using SPSS 26 and AMOS 24.

Results

A significant negative correlation was found between parental psychological control and adolescents' physical activity levels. Self-control was observed to partially mediate this relationship, while psychological capital played a negative moderating role in the adverse impact of parental psychological control on adolescents' physical activity.

Conclusion

Parental psychological control had a negative impact on the level of physical activity among adolescents. Enhancing adolescents' self-control and psychological capital could serve as potential strategies to mitigate this negative effect, encouraging adolescents to actively engage in physical activities. This paper provided a new theoretical perspective and practical basis for improving family education methods and promoting positive health-enhancing behaviors among adolescents.

Rejection Sensitivity and Problematic Internet Use Among Medical Students: A Moderated Mediation Model Involving Loneliness and Self-Control

The internet has evolved into an integral facet of the life and educational experience of college students. However, the driving force behind problematic internet use in medical students remains largely unexplored. Based on the cognitive-behavioral model and the affect regulation model of vulnerability, the present study seeks to investigate the underlying mechanism of the association between rejection sensitivity and problematic internet use among medical students. A total of 435 undergraduate medical students were investigated using the Tendency to Expect Rejection Scale, Loneliness Scale, Self-control Scale, and Problematic Internet Test. The results revealed that rejection sensitivity could positively predict loneliness and problematic internet use. Mediation analyses revealed that loneliness served as a mediator in the link between rejection sensitivity and problematic internet use. Additionally, self-control moderated the second stage of the indirect effects in the relationship between rejection sensitivity and problematic internet use. These findings theoretically deepen our understanding of the psychological pathways and the boundary conditions linking medical students' rejection sensitivity to their problematic internet use, while also offering valuable practical implications for decreasing problematic internet use.

Impulsivity and social support as intervening and interactive variables in the link between childhood socioeconomic status and mental health among first-year college students

Background

Significant attention has been given to the mental health of college students, especially first-year college students, with childhood socioeconomic status (SES) identified as a key factor. This study investigated the correlation of impulsivity and social support in the relationship between childhood SES and current mental health, with a focus on depressive and anxiety symptoms, in first-year college students.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was designed, surveying 6,378 first-year students (mean age = 20.98) at a university in Chongqing, China. The survey participants were 63.4% female and 36.6% male. The participants completed an online questionnaire which included Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Brief Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and a 7-point scale to measure childhood SES. Descriptive statistics and correlation analyses were conducted for these variables, and the data examined further using a moderated conditional effect model with PROCESS macro (Model 8).

Results

The analysis revealed that lower childhood SES showed small to moderate negative correlations with impulsivity (r = -0.224, p < 0.01, small effect) and heightened symptoms of depression (β = -0.235, p < 0.01) and anxiety (β = -0.197, p < 0.01). Impulsivity shared variance with the link between childhood SES and both depressive (β = 0.386, SE = 0.011, p < 0.001) and anxiety symptoms (β = 0.315, SE = 0.012, p < 0.001). Higher levels of social support were linked to attenuated associations between low childhood SES and both impulsivity (β = -0.064, SE = 0.011, p < 0.01) and depressive symptoms (β = -0.029, SE = 0.010, p < 0.01). However, social support was not significantly associated with the link between childhood SES and anxiety symptoms.

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrate that impulsivity serves as a partial intervening variable in the relationship between childhood SES and the mental health of first-year college students. However, higher levels of social support were linked to weaker negative associations between impulsivity and both childhood SES and mental health. Interventions that focus on managing impulsivity and increasing social support for first-year college students from low socioeconomic backgrounds could be effective strategies for improving their mental health.

Social Support and Life Satisfaction Among Female College Students: Serial Mediation of Grit and Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction

Social support plays an important role in helping female college students in particular to achieve and feel well in the face of changing social circumstances. The present study aims to delve into the specific mechanisms through which social support contributes to enhancing life satisfaction among female college students. Therefore, a serial mediation model was tested to examine the relationship between social support, grit, basic psychological needs satisfaction, and life satisfaction among female college students. 588 female college students residing in China, with an average age of 19 years (SD = 1.29), participated in this study. The instruments used included the Social Support Scale, the Grit Scale, the Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction Scale, and the Life Satisfaction Scale. Correlation analysis, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural equation modeling (SEM) were employed to examine the relationships among the variables. The study findings reveal a positive association between higher levels of social support and increased grit, as well as satisfaction of basic psychological needs among female college students. The structural equation modeling confirms the validity of the serial mediation model. This model suggests that social support is a significant predictor of holistic well-being, with its influence on life satisfaction being partially mediated by grit and basic psychological needs satisfaction. The findings underscore the importance of social support as a potential pathway to enhancing life satisfaction through the cultivation of grit and the satisfaction of psychological needs.

App-Based Physical Activity Intervention Among Women With Prior Hypertensive Pregnancy Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance

Insufficient moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Effective interventions are needed to bridge the intention-behavior gap and increase MVPA, especially among women with prior hypertensive pregnancy disorder (HPD).

Objective

To test the effectiveness of two 8-week app-based MVPA interventions (motivation and action) that were based on the integrated behavior change (IBC) model and used evidence-based behavior change techniques from behavioral sciences.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This randomized clinical trial (RCT) included women with prior HPD. A purpose-built app was tested from October 2021 to March 2022, with follow-up immediately after the intervention (week 9), 3 months later (week 21), and 12 months later (week 61). The study ended in May 2023. Data were analyzed from March 31, 2022, to June 9, 2024.

Intervention

All participants received a wearable fitness tracker and a purpose-built physical activity intervention app and were randomized to 1 of 3 groups (control, motivation, or action): The control group received information on CVD, MVPA, and HPD; the motivation group received the same information as well as motivational interviewing-based counseling; and the action group received the same information as well as behavior change techniques that targeted all processes in the IBC model (motivational, volitional, automatic): motivational interviewing-based counseling, action and coping planning, commitment, positive psychology, and mindfulness-based stress reduction.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was MVPA (in minutes per week). Treatment effects were estimated using available case ordinary least-squares regression.

Results

A total of 619 women participated in this study: 205 in the control group, 209 in the motivation group, and 205 in the action group. Their mean (SD) age was 38.9 (7.3) years; 386 of 577 participants (67%) had a bachelor's degree or more and 550 of 577 (95%) were living with a child or children. The mean (SD) weekly MVPA for all 3 groups went from a high baseline of 242 (190) minutes to 197 (208) minutes immediately post intervention. No significant postintervention treatment effects on MVPA were observed for the action group (week 9 treatment effect, -17 [95% CI, -58 to 23] min/wk) or the motivation group (week 9 treatment effect, -3 [95% CI, -58 to 51] min/wk), despite the action intervention positively influencing motivational and volitional processes. The app and intervention components were all evaluated positively by participants.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this clinical trial of 2 app-based MVPA interventions among 619 women with prior HPD, no treatment effects on MVPA were observed. Possible explanations include (1) the importance of automatic processes in determining MVPA and the absence of treatment effects on these processes and (2) the high baseline activity levels of control group participants, which may have given less room for the treatments to improve upon. These are important considerations for those designing future MVPA interventions and RCTs.

Trial Registration

Netherlands Trial Register Identifier: NL9329.

Effects of physical activity on mobile phone addiction among university students: the mediating roles of self-control and resilience

Background

In recent years, mobile phone addiction (MPA) has emerged as a significant public health concern, particularly among university students. Physical activity (PA) is believed to exert a beneficial influence on MPA within this demographic. However, the extent to which this influence is moderated by other factors remains uncertain. Evidence points to self-control and resilience as potential mediators that may partially account for the positive impact of PA on MPA. Accordingly, this study seeks to investigate the effect of PA on MPA and the mediating role of self-control and resilience in this relationship through a chain-mediated model.

Methods

The study involved 413 Chinese university students (208 males, mean age 20.59 ± 1.17 years), who completed the PA Rating Scale (PARS-3), the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), the Self-Control Scale (SCS), the Mobile Phone Addiction Index (MPAI), along with other psychosocial assessments. Pearson's correlation was employed to analyze the relationships between variables, while mediation models were examined using SPSS PROCESS and bootstrapped regression analysis.

Results

PA demonstrated a significant negative correlation with mobile phone addiction behaviors (β = -0.22, p < 0.01). Self-control and resilience moderated the relationship between PA and mobile phone addiction. Notably, PA influenced mobile phone addiction through the chain-mediated effects of self-control and resilience.

Conclusion

College students can alleviate MPA issues by consistently engaging in healthy PA, which is essential for enhancing self-control and bolstering resilience.

The relationship between subjective social class and pro-social behavior: the mediating role of self-control and the dual-edged sword effect of shame

Introduction

Pro-social behavior is a widespread behavior in life that is beneficial to others and society. Previous research has focused on the influence of individual characteristics on pro-social behavior. The rise of social class psychology has provided a new perspective for the study of pro-social behavior. It has been shown that social class has an effect on pro-social behavior, but the mechanisms behind it have not been explored enough. This study explored in depth the mechanism of the influence of subjective social class on pro-social behavior.

Methods

Study 1 examined the moderating effect of shame-proneness using a questionnaire with 312 subjects. Study 2 recruited 257 participants for an experimental study to examine the moderating effect of state shame.

Results

(1) subjective social class positively predicted pro-social behavior. (2) Self-control partially mediated the relationship between subjective social class and pro-social behavior. (3) Both shame-proneness and state shame negatively moderated the relationship between self-control and pro-social behavior. These findings provided valuable insights for encouraging college students to be more prosocial, which is crucial for enhancing their moral standards and fostering a harmonious society.

Conclusion

This study provides theoretical support for the causes and mechanisms behind the influence of subjective social class on pro-social behavior and has practical implications for the promotion of pro-social behavior.

Non-suicidal self-injury in adolescence: a validation of the Chinese version of the Inventory of Statements About Self-Injury in student populations

Background

The Inventory of Statements About Self-Injury (ISAS) is a widely utilized scale for evaluating the 13 potential functions that motivate non-suicidal self-injury(NSSI) behaviors. However, its validation for assessing such motivation in a Chinese context is still lacking.

Aims

The main objective was to access the validation of ISAS as an instrument in Chinese young population.

Method

A total of 1,106 completed online self-report questionnaires were collected, with 167 reporting a history NSSI. The age range of these individuals was 12 to 24 years old, comprising 74 female and 93 male participants. The factor structure and construct validity were calculated using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The correlations of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), the Brief Self-Control Scale (BSCS), the Self-Rating Idea of Suicide Scale (SIOSS), and the Chinese version of the ISAS were tested using bivariate correlation analyses.

Results

The internal consistencies of the Chinese version of the ISAS were good to excellent, with 0.788- 0.950 and 0.80-0.949 in the sports group and the junior high school group, respectively. EFA and CFA exhibited a good two-factor structure model (NFI = 0.942, CFI = 0.974, IFI = 0.974, RMSEA = 0.068, SRMR = 0.043, CMIN/DF = 1.762). Moreover, the scores of the functions of the ISAS were correlated with depression (r=0.208, p<0.01), anxiety (r=0.223, p<0.01), suicidal ideation (r=0.322, p<0.01), and low self-control (r=-0.230, p<0.01).

Conclusion

This study validates the Chinese ISAS as a reliable NSSI measure, identifies a two-factor structure, and aims to inform targeted interventions and future research on self-injury behaviors among Chinese adolescents.

Evidence inhibitory self-control moderates effects of habit on complex but not simple health behaviors

Theoretically, self-control can be considered as both a facilitator of habit development and a moderator of whether behavior occurs habitually. However, debate remains on the contexts in which such relationships are likely to occur. The current study tested whether self-control, conceptualized into inhibitory and initiatory facets, would predict healthy behavior via habits or moderate the habit-behavior relationship, and whether these effects differed across complex (bootcamp attendance N = 69, physical activity in pregnant women N = 115) and simple (flossing N = 254) behaviors. Three independent samples completed measures of self-control and habit, followed by a prospective measure of behavior. Data were fitted to PLS-SEM models. Inhibitory and initiatory self-control predicted habit in all three samples, and habit in turn predicted each health behavior. Inhibitory self-control only moderated the effect of habit in the bootcamp and physical activity samples. Initiatory self-control did not moderate effects in any sample. Findings indicate that both initiatory and inhibitory self-control are associated with habit. Further, as the moderating effect of inhibitory self-control was only present in the complex behavior samples, results suggest the moderating effects of self-control on the habit-behavior relationship may be best represented by the effect of inhibiting competing cues from disrupting automatically activated behavioral sequences.

Testing a Multidimensional Factor Structure of the Self-Control Scale

The Self-Control Scale (SCS) is one of the most widely used measures in the clinical, personality, and social psychology fields. It is often treated as unidimensional, even though no research supports such a unidimensional factor structure. We tested the factor structure in an undergraduate sample as well as a community sample used for additional confirmatory analyses. Factors from the best-fitting confirmatory models were correlated with putatively related and distinct constructs to assess their (dis)similarities. Consistent with hypotheses, the best-fitting factor structure consisted of multiple, correlated factors; however, none of the factor solutions met pre-specified fit criteria. Several additional analyses were conducted beyond the preregistered analyses to find a reasonably fitting factor solution. Ultimately, study findings support a two-factor solution using the items of the Brief Self-Control Scale. Results are discussed for the full 36-item scale as well as the brief, 13-item scale. We conclude with lessons learned from a Registered Report focused on factor analysis.

The associations of family atmosphere, religiosity and lifestyle with self-esteem and self-control among Saudi adolescents

We assessed, with validated instruments, whether family atmosphere, religiosity or lifestyle were significant correlates of self-esteem and/or self-control among adolescents (Grades 7-12, n = 2067) in Saudi Arabia. Participants' mean age was 15.5 years; 64% were boys. Higher scores in family atmosphere and religiosity and having fewer lifestyle risk factors were significantly related to higher self-esteem and self-control scores (p < .05; adjusted linear regression models). The odds of scoring low (below median) in both self-esteem and self-control decreased incrementally across the increasing quartiles of family atmosphere and religiosity; the odds decreased incrementally across decreasing number of lifestyle risk factors (p < .05; adjusted multinomial regression). Programmes supporting healthy lifestyles, positive family environments and religiosity may boost self-esteem and self-control among adolescents.

Trait self-control as a determinant of health behavior: Recent advances on mechanisms and future directions for research

We summarize theory and research testing a mechanistic explanation for the trait self-control-health behavior relationship. Specifically, social cognition constructs summarizing individuals' utility, normative, risk, and capacity beliefs with respect to future health behavior performance are proposed to mediate the self-control-health behavior relationship. The effect represents the informational function of self-control in decision making. We also specify a mechanism wherein trait self-control moderates the intention-behavior relationship such that 'good' self-control affords effective intention-to-action translation. Both effects have pervasive support in the extent literature. We propose ongoing meta-analyses expected to provide further robust support for these mechanistic effects and the need for research employing designs enabling better directional and causal inferences in the effects, including experimental or types of cross-lagged panel design.

The relationship between proactive personality and college students' short-form video addiction: A chain mediation model of resilience and self-control

BACKGROUND

With the explosive development of the short-form video (SFV) industry in recent years, the issue of SFV addiction among young people has attracted increasing attention from scholarship. Researchers have found that proactive personality is negatively associated with behavioral addiction. Additionally, SFV Apps tend to place users in a "filter bubble" to passively consume the pushed video content. Proactiveness could be an effective trait to resist the excessive use of SFVs. Thus, proactive personality may be a negative predictor of SFV addiction.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aims at investigating the relationship between proactive personality and SFV addiction among college students, and the psychological mechanism underlying the relationship, i.e., the mediating roles of resilience and self-control.

METHODS

Convenience sampling was adopted to conduct an online questionnaire survey among college students from 8 universities in 5 provinces of China. Proactive personality scale (PPS), brief resilience scale (BRS), Brief self-control scale (BSCS), and SFV addiction scale were applied in designing the questionnaire. A total of 560 valid questionnaires were obtained with ages ranging from 17 to 22 (19.32±1.14), among whom 40.18% were males and 59.28% females.

RESULTS

SFV addiction among college students was negatively correlated with proactive personality, resilience, and self-control. Proactive personality has significant direct effect on SFV addiction, and the other two variables play partial mediating roles including chain mediation between proactive personality and SFV addiction. The ratio of SFV addicts amounted to 23.57%, which was slightly higher compared to previous research findings.

CONCLUSION

Proactive personality negatively predicts SFV addiction among college students and the mediators of resilience and self-control play partially mediating roles between proactive personality and SFV addiction.

Weak and interfered self-control fails to block problematic mobile phone use: The role of craving and desire thinking

Problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) has become a worldwide phenomenon with negative impacts on adolescents' daily lives. While self-control has been shown to be related to PMPU, little is known about the underlying mechanisms of this association. Based on the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution model and the strength model of self-control, the current study aims to examine the association between self-control and PMPU, to identify the indirect role of craving, and to determine whether and how the two components of desire thinking exert differential moderating effects. A sample of 1424 adolescents was recruited to complete the scales of self-control, craving, desire thinking, and PMPU. The results suggested that self-control was indirectly associated with PMPU through craving. Furthermore, this indirect association was moderated by verbal perseveration, rather than imaginal prefiguration. Specifically, the indirect association was stronger for adolescents with higher verbal perseveration. The findings deepen our understanding of how self-control is related to PMPU and distinguish the effects of two components of desire thinking among adolescents.

From Clicks to Calm: Investigating the Link Between Mindfulness and Digital Hoarding Behavior Among Chinese Youth

Background

Digital hoarding refers to the continuous acquisition of digital content and the difficulty in disposing of it. This behavior is increasingly common among today's youth. This study aims to explore the impact of mindfulness on digital hoarding behavior, investigating self-control as a mediator and upward social comparison via social media as a moderator.

Methods

A total of 956 young individuals participated in this cross-sectional study. The research instruments used included the Mindfulness Measure, the Self-Control Scale, the Social Comparison Scale, and the Digital Hoarding Behavior Questionnaire. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and correlation analysis. For more complex analyses, we examined the mediating role of self-control and the moderating effects of upward social comparison via social media in the relationship between mindfulness and digital hoarding behavior.

Results

1) Mindfulness significantly negatively predicted digital hoarding. 2) Self-control mediated the relationship between mindfulness and digital hoarding. 3) Upward social comparison via social media moderated the relationship between mindfulness and self-control, specifically the first segment of the mediation pathway.

Discussion

This research is pioneering in exploring mindfulness as a protective factor against digital hoarding, offering fresh insights into this nascent field. The findings also suggest prevention and intervention strategies for digital information management disorder in young people.

Understanding the relationships among adolescents' internet dependence, reward, cognitive control processing, and learning burnout: a network perspective in China

Alterations in the reward and cognitive control systems are commonly observed among adolescents with internet dependence (ID), and this impairment is often accompanied by social dysfunctions, such as academic burnout. However, the intercorrelations among ID, reward, cognitive control processing, and learning burnout remain unclear. We recruited 1074 Chinese adolescents to investigate the complex interrelationships among these variables using network analysis. The resulting network revealed patterns that connected ID to the behavioral inhibition/activation system (BIS/BAS), self-control, and learning burnout; these results exhibited reasonable stability and test-retest consistency. Throughout the network, the node of BAS-drive was the critical influencing factor, and the node of self-control was the protection factor. In addition, several symptoms of learning burnout and ID were positively associated with sensitivity to punishment. As revealed by the network comparison test, the network constructed among internet dependent (ID) group differed from the network constructed among internet nondependent (IND) group not only in the edges between BIS and learning burnout but also in terms of the edges associated with learning burnout. In conclusion, this study provides insights into the complex mechanisms underlying ID among adolescents from the perspective of the network relationships between core influencing factors and negative consequences. It validates the dual-system model of risky behavior among adolescents and offers a foundation for early warning and interventions for ID in this context.

Correlates of Adherence to Oral and Vaginal Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) Participating in the MTN-034/REACH Trial

We evaluated correlates of adherence to PrEP, including daily oral tenofovir disoproxil fumarate in combination emtricitabine (oral FTC/TDF) and the monthly dapivirine ring (ring)among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in the MTN-034/REACH study. We enrolled 247 AGYW aged 16-21 years in South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03074786). Participants were randomized to the order of oral FTC/TDF or ring use for 6 months each in a crossover period, followed by a 6-month choice period. We assessed potential adherence correlates-individual, interpersonal, community, study, and product-related factors-quarterly via self-report. We measured biomarkers of adherence monthly; high adherence was defined as > 4 mg dapivirine released from returned rings or intracellular tenofovir diphosphate levels ≥ 700 fmol/punch from dried blood spots (DBS). We tested associations between correlates and objective measures of high adherence using generalized estimating equations. High adherence to oral FTC/TDF was significantly associated with having an older primary partner (p = 0.04), not having exchanged sex in the past 3 months (p = 0.02), and rating oral FTC/TDF as highly acceptable (p = 0.003). High ring adherence was significantly associated with unstable housing (p = 0.01), disclosing ring use to a male family member (p = 0.01), and noting a social benefit from study participation (p = 0.03). All associations were moderate, corresponding to about 6%-10% difference in the proportion with high adherence. In our multinational study, correlates of adherence among African AGYW differed for oral FTC/TDF and the ring, highlighting the benefit of offering multiple PrEP options.

The Ending Effect in the Domain of Gambling: The Effect of Gain-Loss Status on Economic Decision-Making

Previous studies have shown that people prefer risk-taking at the end of gambles, a phenomenon called the ending effect. By using the Guess Gambling Game, we investigated the impact of gain-loss status on the ending effect (Experiment 1) and whether and how this effect may be affected by time reference (Experiment 2) and gender (Experiment 1&2). In Experiment 1, we observed the ending effect only in the gain group. Furthermore, gender differences exist in the loss group behavior, females were more risk-averse than males, and males tend to investment more initially and then reduce their investment in a U-shaped pattern (Experiment 1&2). Next, in Experiment 2, the findings indicated that participants in the gain group made riskier decisions and were willing to allocate more money for additional decision opportunities, irrespective of the time conditions. Additionally, under time-limited condition, participants tended to make more decisions in the final round, aiming to maximize their choices times within the limited time. These results contribute to a better understanding of the boundary conditions surrounding the ending effect in risky decision-making and may offer a scientific basis for mitigating and intervening in irrational decision-making.

The influence of exercise adherence on peace of mind among Chinese college students: a moderated chain mediation model

Introduction

Exercising adherence constitutes a pivotal approach for college students to maintain physical well-being, while peace of mind serves as a crucial indicator of their psychological health. However, few previous studies have delved into the relationship between these two variables. Our study endeavors to investigate the association between the exercise adherence and the peace of mind of college students.

Methods

The Exercise Adherence Questionnaire, Meaning in Life Questionnaire, Brief Self-Control Scale, Peace of Mind Scale, and Self Acceptance Questionnaire were tested on 1,520 college students from four universities in western China, and SPSS 25.0 and Mplus 8.3 were used for analysis.

Results

The results indicate a significant positive correlation between exercise adherence and meaning in life (r = 0.208, p < 0.001), self-control (r = 0.210, p < 0.001), and peace of mind (r = 0.237, p < 0.001) among college students. Mediation analysis reveals that exercise adherence has a significant direct effect on peace of mind in college students, with an effect size of 0.087. Moreover, meaning in life and self-control independently mediate the relationship between exercise adherence and peace of mind, with mediation effect sizes of 0.046 and 0.052, respectively. Additionally, meaning in life and self-control collectively exhibit a chain mediation effect, with a mediation effect size of 0.032. At the same time, the interaction terms of meaning in life and self-acceptance had a significant predictive effect on self-control (b = 0.090, p = 0.002).

Conclusion

This study reveals both the relationship and intrinsic mechanisms by which exercise adherence influences the peace of mind among college students. Exercise adherence demonstrates a direct positive impact on peace of mind. Additionally, the association between exercise adherence and peace of mind is influenced by the individual mediating effects of meaning in life and self-control, as well as the chain mediation effect of meaning in life and self-control. Moreover, self-acceptance plays a positive role in regulating the relationship between meaning in life and self-control in the chain mediated pathway. This suggests that we need to encourage college students to develop the habit of exercise adherence and to carry out public welfare activities to enhance their meaning in life, self-control and self-acceptance, which will effectively promote their mental health.

High school students' social media use predicts school engagement and burnout: the moderating role of social media self-control

Students' social media use has quickly gained attention given the effect of considerable time spent on and widespread usage of social media on their development and success. The study aimed to examine whether high school students' social media use predicts more school engagement and less burnout for those who were more successful in controlling their social media use in goal-conflict situations. A sample of 107 Chinese high school students (M age = 19.21, SD age = 1.85, 68% female) participated in an online survey. The results showed that social media self-control failure moderated the relationship between general social media use (rather than social media use intensity) and school engagement. A simple effect test revealed that more general social media use predicted higher school engagement for students who were more successful in controlling their social media use. However, no moderation effect was observed of social media self-control failure on the relationship between social media use intensity (or general social media use) and burnout. The results partially supported the study demands-resources model and indicated the potential benefits of controllable social media use on high school students' engagement in the face of high academic demands.

Competitive Video Game Exposure Increases Aggression Through Impulsivity in Chinese Adolescents: Evidence From a Multi-Method Study

It is widely known controversies about the results of violent video game increase aggression. However, the role of competitive video games, has received less research attention, and the underlying mechanisms of their influence are unknown. This study aimed to expand the existing literature by systematically exploring the effects of competitive video game exposure on adolescent aggression and the mediating role of impulsivity. In so doing, three types of studies (collectively N = 2919, mean age varied from 13.75 to 15.44 years, with a balanced gender) combining cross-sectional, experimental, and longitudinal approaches, were conducted. The findings consistently show that competitive video game exposure increased adolescents' aggression and impulsivity. Also, impulsivity mediated the correlation and long-term effect of competitive video game exposure on aggression. However, the experimental study did not confirm the short-term mediating effect of impulsivity, which may be related to the type of aggression measured in the study. The results indicate that competitive video game exposure is an important antecedent factor for adolescent aggression, and impulsivity is the key underlying mechanism.

Effects of physical activity and self-control on mobile phone addiction in college students: a cross-lagged study in China

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the impact of physical activity and self-control on college students' mobile phone addiction through cross-lagged longitudinal surveys, addressing the limitations of previous cross-sectional studies.

Patients and methods

A total of 414 college students were tracked three times during a 12-month period using the Physical Activity Rating Scale-3 (PARS-3), the Mobile Phone Addiction Tendency Scale (MPATS), and the Brief Self-Control Scale (BSCS). AMOS25.0 software was used to construct the cross-lagged relationship model, and the maximum likelihood approach was employed to investigate the model fitting. The asynchronous correlation between variables was investigated from the time series through the cross-lagged path coefficient.

Results

The fitting indexes of the cross-lagged model showed x 2/df = 5.098, GFI = 0.977, NFI = 0.969, IFI = 0.975, CFI = 0.974; RMSEA = 0.100, and SRMR = 0.030. The calculation conducted by combining the path coefficient of the model shows that PA and SC are the antecedent variables of MPA, and PA is the antecedent variable of SC. In addition, SC serves as a mediator in the path of PA, affecting MPA.

Conclusion

(1) physical activity can positively affect subsequent self-control; (2) physical activity can negatively influence subsequent mobile phone addiction; (3) self-control can negatively affect subsequent mobile phone addiction; and (4) physical activity can indirectly influence subsequent mobile phone addiction through self-control.

The auditory stimulus facilitates memory guidance in distractor suppression in males with substance use disorder

Introduction

Representations in working memory can affect distractor suppression in human visual search, and this process is modulated by a separate top-down cognitive control. An increasing body of research has demonstrated that patients with substance use disorder (SUD) have deficits in cognitive control over filtering interference by perceptual distractors. However, their ability to resist proactive interference from working memory has received comparatively less attention.

Methods

Here, we investigate this issue by employing a working memory/visual search dual-task paradigm. An intervening gap-location search task was instructed to be performed while participants memorized a written color word, with congruent auditory information present during the memory encoding phase on half of the trials.

Results

Results showed that there was a reliable response time (RT) advantage when the meaning of the memory sample agreed with the color of one of the distractors under the visual alone condition. However, such a result was only found in the control group. More importantly, both groups exhibited comparable facilitation under the audiovisual condition, with the facilitation effect appearing later in the SUD group. Furthermore, the facilitation effect was superior in magnitude and time course under the audiovisual condition to the visual alone condition.

Discussion

These findings highlight how patients with SUD resist distractor interference at the memory level and extend our understanding of how working memory, selective attention, and audiovisual enhancement interact to optimize perceptual decisions in patients with SUD.

The reliability and validity of the brief measures of perceived childhood harshness and unpredictability: A revised Chinese version for emerging adults

BACKGROUND

Childhood harshness and unpredictability significantly shape life history strategies, as well as downstream psychological and behavioral patterns. However, prior research involving Chinese populations has suffered from inconsistent metrics and limited measurement items.

OBJECTIVE

We adapted the English version of Maranges et al.'s (2022) Harshness and Unpredictability Scale in Childhood, translating it into Chinese and assessing its reliability and validity.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

Six groups of different college student samples have been collected and the Chinese version of the Harshness and Unpredictability scales has been revised in two separate studies.

METHODS

We evaluated the factor structure using both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, determined internal consistency, item discrimination, concurrent validity, and assessed gender measurement invariance through multiple CFAs. The test-retest reliability was subsequently established by assessing participants after a designated interval.

RESULTS

Both scales passed psychometric tests, including exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and exhibited strong internal consistency and item discrimination. Gender invariance in the measurements was also confirmed.

CONCLUSIONS

The Chinese version of the Childhood Harshness and Unpredictability Scale demonstrates high reliability and validity, making it suitable for deeper examinations into the relationship between early environments and life history strategies in Chinese contexts.

Latent Profiles and Transitions of Bedtime Procrastination Among Chinese College Students: The Predictive Roles of Anxiety, Depression, Problematic Smartphone Use and Self-Control

Background

Bedtime procrastination (BP) has become an important factor affecting individual well-being. This study aimed to assess the stability and changes in BP and examine risk and protective factors.

Methods

The study recruited 1423 respondents. Latent profile analysis was used to identify subgroups of BP and latent transition analysis to determine transition probabilities for each subgroup. Logistic regression examined associations between identified classes and related factors.

Results

Three subgroups of BP were identified. In terms of stability and changes, the moderate bedtime procrastination group showed the highest stability (66%), followed by the severe bedtime procrastination group (62.4%), and the mild bedtime procrastination group had a 52% probability of switching to moderate bedtime procrastination. In terms of influencing factors, more problematic phone use (PSU) (OR: 1.08; 95% CI = 1.05-1.12), more depression (OR: 1.17; 95% CI = 1.06-1.29) and anxiety (OR: 1.16; 95% CI = 1.05-1.28) are all factors that aggravate the transition from mild to moderate sleep procrastination. Similarly, PSU (OR: 1.15; 95% CI = 1.12-1.19), anxiety (OR: 1.10; 95% CI = 1.06-1.14), and depression (OR: 1.10; 95% CI = 1.06-1.14) increased the risk of severe bedtime procrastination. Self-control emerged as a protective factor against BP.

Conclusion

This study identified three subgroups of BP at two time points and the rule of transition for each subgroup. Our findings indicate that BP were relatively stable, with some changes over time. The results also highlight the important function that PSU, depression, anxiety, and self-control can play in preventing and intervening in BP.

Dual-systems models of the genetic architecture of impulsive personality traits: neurogenetic evidence of distinct but related factors

BACKGROUND

Dual-systems models, positing an interaction between two distinct and competing systems (i.e. top-down self-control, and bottom-up reward- or emotion-based drive), provide a parsimonious framework for investigating the interplay between cortical and subcortical brain regions relevant to impulsive personality traits (IPTs) and their associations with psychopathology. Despite recent developments in multivariate analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWAS), molecular genetic investigations of these models have not been conducted.

METHODS

Using IPT GWAS, we conducted confirmatory genomic structural equation models (GenomicSEM) to empirically evaluate dual-systems models of the genetic architecture of IPTs. Genetic correlations between dual-systems factors and relevant cortical and subcortical neuroimaging phenotypes (regional/structural volume, cortical surface area, cortical thickness) were estimated and compared.

RESULTS

GenomicSEM dual-systems models underscored important sources of shared and unique genetic variance between top-down and bottom-up constructs. Specifically, a dual-systems genomic model consisting of sensation seeking and lack of self-control factors demonstrated distinct but related sources of genetic influences (rg = 0.60). Genetic correlation analyses provided evidence of differential associations between dual-systems factors and cortical neuroimaging phenotypes (e.g. lack of self-control negatively associated with cortical thickness, sensation seeking positively associated with cortical surface area). No significant associations were observed with subcortical phenotypes.

CONCLUSIONS

Dual-systems models of the genetic architecture of IPTs tested were consistent with study hypotheses, but associations with relevant neuroimaging phenotypes were mixed (e.g. no associations with subcortical volumes). Findings demonstrate the utility of dual-systems models for studying IPT genetic influences, but also highlight potential limitations as a framework for interpreting IPTs as endophenotypes for psychopathology.

Evaluating the utility of temporal self-regulation theory for understanding physical activity outcomes in a behavioral weight loss maintenance program

OBJECTIVE

Physical activity (PA) is critical for weight loss maintenance (WLM) success. Clarifying mechanisms behind PA engagement may suggest new WLM intervention targets. This study examined an application of temporal self-regulation theory (TST) to enhance our understanding of PA during WLM.

METHODS AND MEASURES

Participants (n = 214) who achieved a ≥ 5% weight loss during a 4-month weight loss intervention were recruited into an 18-month WLM trial. TST constructs (i.e. PA beliefs, intention, behavioral prepotency, self-regulatory capacity) were measured via self-report measures. PA was subsequently assessed over a 7-day period with waist-worn Actigraph GT9X. Robust linear regression models and generalized linear mixed models tested the association between PA beliefs and intention, and the associations between intention, behavioral prepotency, self-regulatory capacity and device-measured PA at baseline and 18-months.

RESULTS

Short-term positive beliefs were associated with intention at baseline and 18-months, whereas short-term negative beliefs were associated with intention at 18-months only. Intention was associated with moderate/vigorous PA (MVPA) minutes and bouted MVPA at baseline and 18-months. The intention by self-regulatory capacity interaction was significant at baseline.

CONCLUSION

Findings lend some support for the use of TST for understanding PA and suggest that short-term beliefs about PA may represent a meaningful target for intervention.

Competitive Latent Structures for the Comic Style Markers: Developing a Psychometrically Sound Short Version Using Spanish and US American Samples

The Comic Style Markers (CSM) is a questionnaire that allows a fine-grained description of how people differ in the way they display humor in their daily lives. It includes 48 statements capturing eight interrelated, yet distinct comic styles: fun, irony, wit, sarcasm, benevolent humor, satire, nonsense humor, and cynicism. Despite the independent conceptual roots of these humorous domains, the analysis of the CSM scales' latent structure shows that their empirical distinction needs to be improved. Using the information derived from a competitive latent approach, including confirmatory factor analysis, bifactor analysis, and exploratory structural equation modeling, we proposed and validated a shorter 24-item version of the CSM in a large sample of 925 Spanish individuals (SP-CSM-24). This scale-refinement improved the psychometric differentiation of the eight comic styles without undermining the good internal consistency and the temporal stability of the CSM scores. Strong invariance was held for gender and age groups, and partial scalar invariance for countries also emerged using a sample of 318 U.S. American adults. Structural equation modeling also corroborated a convincing test-criterion validity for the SP-CSM-24, with dispositional expressions of benevolent humor (positively) and cynicism (negatively) outperforming other comic styles in accounting for individuals' well-being.

Sleep disturbance and internalizing symptoms in adolescents: a moderated mediation model of self-control and mindfulness

OBJECTIVES

Despite accumulating evidence regarding the impact of sleep disturbance on internalizing symptoms among adolescents, the underlying psychological mechanisms remain inadequately explored. This study aimed to investigate a conceptual framework elucidating how sleep disturbance influences internalizing symptoms in adolescents through the mediating role of self-control, with mindfulness as a moderator.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, 1876 Chinese adolescents (Mage = 14.88 years, SD = 1.47 years, range = 12-19 years, 44.7% boys) completed the Youth Self-Rating Insomnia Scale (YSIS), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Brief Self-control Scale (BSCS), and Mindful Attention Awareness Scale-Children (MAAS-C) to provide data on sleep-related variables, internalizing symptoms (anxiety and depression), self-control, and mindfulness, respectively. The PROCESS macro for SPSS was applied to perform moderated mediation analysis.

RESULTS

Sleep disturbance demonstrated a significant positive correlation with internalizing symptoms in adolescents, including anxiety (β = 0.481, p < 0.001) and depression (β = 0.543, p < 0.001). Self-control served as a mediator between sleep disturbance and two forms of internalizing symptoms. Moreover, mindfulness moderated the pathways from self-control to internalizing symptoms (for anxiety symptoms: β = 0.007, p < 0.001; for depression symptoms: β = 0.006, p < 0.001), and the mediating relationships were weaker for adolescents exhibiting higher levels of mindfulness.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings enhance understanding of the impact, pathways, and influencing factors of sleep disturbance on adolescent internalizing symptoms, suggesting the importance of enhancing mindfulness levels in addressing self-control deficits and subsequently reducing internalizing symptoms among adolescents.

Validity Evidence for the Brief Self-Control Scale in the Spanish Adult Population: A Systematic Study

The Brief Self-Control Scale (BSCS) has been widely studied across languages and populations. However, research examining the Spanish version is scant and limited to the adolescent population. Our aim here was to provide validity evidence for use of the BSCS with Spanish adults by analyzing and comparing the psychometric properties of different versions of the scale (13-item, 10-item, 9-item, 8-item, and 7-item). Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the internal structure based on one-factor and two-factor models. Results obtained in a sample of 676 Spanish adults showed adequate fit indices for the two-factor structure of the 9-item, 8-item, and 7-item versions of the BSCS, although only the 9-item and 8-item BSCS were found to be invariant across gender. Item homogeneity and reliability of factor scores for these two versions (9-item and 8-item) were satisfactory. We also provide novel validity evidence based on relationships with indicators of psychological adjustment and wellbeing. Scores on the 9-item and 8-item BSCS correlated with life satisfaction, flourishing, self-esteem, distress, depression, and loneliness, and hence both may be suitable for use in mental health assessment contexts.

Testing the latent structure, factorial equivalence, and external correlates of the brief self-control scale in a community sample of Spanish adults

The Brief Self-Control Scale (BSCS) is a 13-item personality measure capturing how people differ in their capacity to exert self-control. Although the BSCS was originally regarded as a one-dimensional scale, subsequent psychometric studies have provided support for the empirical distinction of two and four interrelated but distinct components of self-control. Using a large sample of Spanish adults (n = 1,558; 914 female, 58.7%), we performed a comprehensive data-driven comparison of the most well-established item-level latent structures for the BSCS. Results showed that the differentiation between general self-discipline and impulse control offered a better fit to the observed data than did the unidimensional representation of self-control. This two-dimensional structure for the BSCS scores was also supported in terms of its internal consistency, measurement invariance across gender and age groups, and meaningful correlations with wellbeing-related indicators and Big Five personality traits. Plausible implications of these findings are discussed.

Effectiveness of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) on Self-Control and Impulsivity in Male Prisoners

Objective: Consequences of imprisonment include negative psychological effects, social stigma, and challenges for reintegrating into society. In this regard, this study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) on self-control and impulsivity among male prisoners. Method : A randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) utilizing a design the included pretest, post-test, and follow-up assessment as well as a waiting-list control group was conducted. A total of 30 male prisoners were selected using convenience sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and waiting list control groups (the intervention group (n = 15) and the control group (n = 15)). The participants in the experimental group underwent the 12-session REBT intervention over a period of six weeks. (For six weeks). All participants responded to the Self- Control Scale (SCS) and Dysfunctional Impulsivity Questionnaire (DFIQ) as dependent variables at three time points (pretest, post-test, and one-month follow-up). A repeated measures analysis of variance was used to analyze the data. Results: The results revealed that after the implementation of the REBT intervention, the mean scores of self-control increased (P < 0.05), while the mean scores of impulsivity diminished significantly (P < 0.05). Furthermore, these changes remained relatively stable during the follow-up period (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, it can be inferred that REBT intervention plays a significant role in diminishing self-control deficits and mitigating impulsivity among incarcerated individuals. These results present promising implications for the utilization of REBT in lowering recidivism rates.

Validation of the Chinese version of the Sleep Regularity Questionnaire (SRQ) and analysis of influencing factors

BACKGROUND

Currently, there is no instrument to measure sleep regularity in China. In this study, the Sleep Regularity Questionnaire（SRQ） was translated into Chinese, tested for reliability and validity, and analyzed for factors affecting sleep regularity.

METHODS

The English version of the SRQ was translated into Chinese, and a total of 3642 individuals were included in this research. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to examine the underlying factor structure of the Chinese version of the SRQ and to measure its reliability and validity. In addition, the correlations between sleep regularity and general information, personal habits, self-control, stress, anxiety, and depression were explored.

RESULTS

The Cronbach's α of the Chinese SRQ was 0.858, supporting the two-factor structure. Sleep regularity was statistically different between gender and ethnicity (p < 0.05), and personal habits (exercise, continued eating after dinner, smoking and drinking) had an effect on sleep regularity. Sleep regularity was positively associated with individual self-control and negatively associated with stress, anxiety, and depression.

CONCLUSIONS

The Chinese version of the SRQ has excellent reliability and validity. There are two dimensions, namely circadian regularity and sleep continuity regularity, which can be used to assess the sleep regularity of Chinese adults. The results of this study showed that males and Han Chinese having better sleep regularity. And people with good lifestyle habits and greater self-control sleep more regularly, while stress, anxiety and depression can affect individuals' sleep regularity.

The association between domestic violence exposure and cyberbullying behavior among secondary school students

Introduction

Cyberbullying could have a severe and long-term impact on the physical and mental health of secondary school students because of its characteristics of being hidden, repetitive, and exceeding the limitations of time and space, thus attracting widespread attention. Among the many environmental factors, family was the immediate environment where secondary school students live. Violent behaviors such as aggression displayed by other subjects in the family environment could trigger aggressive behaviors among secondary school students, and the indirectness of the online environment intensifies this tendency.

Methods

This study used the Cyberbullying Scale, the Domestic Violence Exposure Scale, the Depression Scale, and the Brief Self-Control Scale to conduct a questionnaire survey of 10,273 secondary school students in 12 secondary schools from Liaoning, Zhejiang, and Henan provinces in China to explore the relationship and internal mechanisms between domestic violence exposure and cyberbullying behavior among secondary school students.

Results

This study found that (1) domestic violence exposure has a significant positive associated with cyberbullying behavior among secondary school students; (2) the mediating effect of depression partially exists between domestic violence exposure and cyberbullying behavior among secondary school students; (3). self-control alleviated the effects of domestic violence exposure on cyberbullying among secondary school students but intensified the effects of depression on cyberbullying among secondary school students.

Discussion

The results suggest that while focusing on the association of domestic violence exposure with cyberbullying among secondary school students, it is also necessary to pay attention to the mediating effect of depression and the mitigating and intensifying mechanisms of self-control, resulting in a notable weakening effect on cyberbullying among secondary school students.

Bidirectional relations between problematic smartphone use and bedtime procrastination among Chinese university students: Self-control as a mediator

OBJECTIVE

Based on theoretical and empirical evidence, this study examined the longitudinal relationship between problematic smartphone use and bedtime procrastination and the potential mediating role of self-control.

METHODS

Between November 2021 and November 2022, a three waves longitudinal design was employed. Wave 1 included 622 Chinese college students (46.95% male, Mage = 18.16, SD = 0.73), with 6-month intervals between waves. The data was collected using self-report assessments.

RESULTS

The results of the cross-lagged panel models show that problematic smartphone use positively predicted later bedtime procrastination, and the bedtime procrastination also positively predicted later problematic smartphone use among college students. More importantly, self-control played a mediating role in their bidirectional predictive relationship.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings add to the understanding of the causal relationship between problematic smartphone use and bedtime procrastination and reveal the core psychological mechanisms underlying their vicious cycle, with important practical implications for the prevention and intervention of problematic smartphone use and sleep problems.

Time Perspective, Dietary Behavior, and Glycemic Control in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

BACKGROUND

Dietary behavior is a key component in the self-management of patients with Type 2 diabetes (T2DM), as it is essential for glycemic control and preventing diabetic complications. However, it is challenging for patients with diabetes to make sustainable dietary behavior changes and achieve long-term optimal glycemic control.

OBJECTIVES

Dietary behavior changes involve present efforts to achieve future benefits. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the relationships among time perspective, dietary behaviors, and health outcomes in patients with T2DM. Based on the temporal self-regulation theory and previous research, the secondary aim of the study was to explore how time perspective influences dietary behaviors.

METHODS

Following convenient sampling ( N = 329), a cross-sectional study was conducted in patients with T2DM between November 2021 and October 2022. Data were collected using self-reported questionnaires and the retrieval of clinical information from medical records. Hierarchical regression and path analysis were used to explore the relationships among study variables.

RESULTS

Our analyses showed that a future-oriented time perspective was associated with better dietary behavior but was not significantly related to hemoglobin A1c. Hierarchical regression analysis also demonstrated that having a more future-oriented time perspective was associated with healthier dietary behavior after controlling covariates. Based on the theory and path analysis, there was an indirect effect of future time perspective on dietary behavior through self-control capacity and intention.

DISCUSSION

The study reveals that a future-oriented time perspective can promote healthier dietary behavior when providing care for patients with T2DM. As a theoretical framework, the temporal self-regulation theory offers references for researchers and clinicians to take into consideration patients' time perspectives and their intentions and self-control capacity when developing interventional programs to improve dietary behaviors.

The Effect of Maternal Trait Mindfulness on Preschoolers' Social Competence: The Chain-Mediating Role of Maternal Self-Control and Problematic Social Media Use

The impact of maternal trait mindfulness on the development of preschoolers' social competence is receiving increasing attention from researchers. However, the mediating mechanisms that link maternal mindfulness to preschoolers' social competence are still not well understood. This study examined the mediating effect of maternal self-control and problematic social media use on the association between maternal trait mindfulness and preschoolers' social competence. We administered 407 mothers of preschoolers in China a questionnaire to assess their trait mindfulness, self-control, problematic social media use, and the degree of social competence of their children. After controlling for demographic variables, the results showed that (1) Maternal trait mindfulness was positively related to preschoolers' social competence; (2) Maternal self-control and problematic social media use independently mediated the relationship between maternal trait mindfulness and preschoolers' social competence; and (3) Maternal self-control and problematic social media use play a chain-mediating role between maternal trait mindfulness and preschoolers' social competence. These findings have enhanced our understanding of how maternal trait mindfulness influences preschoolers' social competence and holds important implications for interventions aimed at enhancing preschoolers' social competence.

More grateful, less addicted! Understanding how gratitude affects online gaming addiction among Chinese college students: a three-wave multiple mediation model

BACKGROUND

Online game addiction has become a prominent public concern, particularly among emerging adults, warranting in-depth investigation. Despite prior cross-sectional research indicating a negative correlation between gratitude and online gaming addiction, a dearth of longitudinal research exists in this area. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms that explain the link between gratitude and online gaming addiction remain poorly understood, highlighting a critical research gap in the field.

METHODS

To bridge this gap, our study adopted a three-wave longitudinal design and constructed a multiple mediation model. Over the course of one year, data was collected from a sample of Chinese undergraduates, with 319 students participating at Time 1, 305 at Time 2, and 292 at Time 3. Participants were administered online self-report surveys, enabling the acquisition of valuable data regarding their levels of gratitude, online game addiction, self-control, and loneliness.

RESULTS

The findings revealed a negative correlation between gratitude measured at Time 1 and online game addiction assessed at Time 3. Further analysis demonstrated that both self-control and loneliness played multiple mediating roles at Time 2 in the link between gratitude and online game addiction.

CONCLUSION

These research findings shed light on the underlying mechanisms between gratitude and online game addiction, which provide implications for developing interventions (e.g., interventions based on gratitude) for reducing young adults' online game addiction.

The Relationship between Trait Impulsivity and Everyday Executive Functions among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: The Mediating Effect of Negative Emotions

Background

In recent years, the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has dramatically increased, imposing a heavy financial burden on society and individuals. The most cost-effective way to control diabetes is diabetes self-management, which depends on patients' executive functions (EFs). However, the level of EFs among patients with T2DM varies greatly. In addition to diabetes-related factors contributing to a decline in EFs, trait impulsivity as a relatively stable personality trait may explicate individual differences in EFs. The objective of this study was to verify the mediating effect of negative emotions on the relationship between trait impulsivity and EFs among patients with T2DM in China.

Methods

A total of 305 patients with T2DM were enrolled consecutively from the endocrinology departments of three tertiary hospitals in China using convenience sampling. The participants completed the Sociodemographic Questionnaire, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-Brief (BIS-Brief), Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales with 21 items (DASS-21), and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult (BRIEF-A) version. A structural equation modeling was used to verify the mediating effect of negative emotions on the relationship between trait impulsivity and EFs.

Results

A total of 32.46% of the participants experienced at least one aspect of daily EF decline. The mediating effect of trait impulsivity on the Behavioral Regulation Index (BRI) of EFs through negative emotions was significant, accounting for 29.57% of the total effect. The mediating effect of trait impulsivity on the Metacognitive Index (MI) of EFs through negative emotions was significant, accounting for 31.67% of the total effect.

Conclusions

Trait impulsivity can positively predict EF decline, which can be alleviated by improving the negative emotions of patients with T2DM. Future research exploring interventions to improve the EFs of patients with T2DM should therefore consider their trait impulsivity and negative emotions.

Exploring the relationship between social exclusion and social media addiction: The mediating roles of anger and impulsivity

Previous studies have examined the relationships between some antecedents and social media addiction. However, an important factor - social exclusion - has not received enough attention in the literature, the underlying psychological mechanisms that link social exclusion to social media addiction are still unclear. The current study investigated the relation between social exclusion and social media addiction as well as the mediating effects of anger and impulsivity on this relationship. An online survey was conducted, the sample included 573 university students (323 females). The results suggested that: (1) social exclusion was positively correlated with social media addiction; (2) anger and impulsivity separately mediated the relation between social exclusion and social media addiction; and (3) anger and impulsivity sequentially mediated the association between social exclusion and social media addiction. The results of the present study were conducive to understanding the associations and the psychological mechanisms between the study variables.

Psychometric validation of the Chinese version of the desire thinking questionnaire in adolescent mobile phone users

BACKGROUND

Desire thinking is a conscious and voluntary cognitive process that is closely linked to levels of craving and addictive behaviors. The Desire Thinking Questionnaire (DTQ) can be used to measure desire thinking in all age groups as well as in addicts. This measurement has also been translated into several languages. This study aimed to test the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the DTQ (DTQ-C) among adolescent mobile phone users.

METHODS

One thousand and ninety-seven adolescents who own a mobile phone and are younger than 18 years old completed the DTQ-C and a battery of questionnaires assessing the big five personality traits, negative affect, brooding, self-control, craving, and problematic mobile phone use (PMPU). The psychometric analyses of the DTQ-C were conducted, including exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), reliability, and validity analysis.

RESULTS

The EFA revealed a 10-item two-factor structure (i.e., verbal perseveration and imaginal prefiguration) that was confirmed by the CFA. The results of CFA showed fit indexes of χ²/df = 4.83, CFI = 0.967, TLI = 0.954, RMSEA = 0.059, SRMR = 0.032. The total scale had internal consistency reliabilities of 0.93, which demonstrated that DTQ-C presented good reliability. The two dimensions were correlated with PMPU (r_{verbal perseveration} = 0.54; r_{imaginal prefiguration} = 0.45), neuroticism (r_{verbal perseveration} = 0.18; r_{imaginal prefiguration} = 0.14), conscientiousness (r_{verbal perseveration} = -0.19; r_{imaginal prefiguration} = -0.18), depression (r_{verbal perseveration} = 0.22; r_{imaginal prefiguration} = 0.16), anxiety (r_{verbal perseveration} = 0.26; r_{imaginal prefiguration} = 0.22), stress (r_{verbal perseveration} = 0.15; r_{imaginal prefiguration} = 0.10) and self-control (r_{verbal perseveration} = -0.29; r_{imaginal prefiguration} = -0.26), which demonstrated that DTQ-C presented good concurrent validity. The two factors of DTQ-C correlated weakly with brooding (ranging from 0.08 to 0.10). The principal component factor analysis of the two dimensions of desire thinking and craving showed that craving and desire thinking belonged to different dimensions. Both of which showed good divergent validity of desire thinking. Additionally, an examination of incremental validity revealed that two factors were both positively associated with PMPU beyond demographic characteristics, big five personality traits, negative affect, and self-control (B_{verbal perseveration} = 0.49 and B_{imaginal prefiguration} = 0.13).

CONCLUSIONS

It has been found that the 10-item DTQ-C is a reliable and valid measure of desire thinking in Chinese adolescent mobile phone users.

Baseline preferences for oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) or dapivirine intravaginal ring for HIV prevention among adolescent girls and young women in South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe (MTN-034/IPM-045 study)

INTRODUCTION

Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in sub-Saharan Africa are disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic and face an array of challenges using proven behavioral and biomedical prevention methods. To address the urgent need for expanding prevention options, we evaluated the baseline preferences of HIV prevention methods among participants enrolled in the MTN-034/REACH crossover trial along with their stated product preference prior to product initiation.

METHODS

AGYW aged 16-21 years were enrolled at 4 study sites: Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa; Kampala, Uganda; and Harare, Zimbabwe and randomly assigned to the sequence of using oral PrEP and the dapivirine ring for 6 months each, followed by a choice period in which they could choose either product (or neither) for an additional six months. Eligible AGYW were HIV-negative, not pregnant and using effective contraception for at least two months prior to enrollment. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize demographic and behavioral data while multinomial analysis was used to determine predictors of stated product preference (ring or oral PrEP).

RESULTS

Of the 247 AGYW enrolled in REACH, 34% were aged 16-17 and 89% had a primary partner.The median age of sexual debut was 16 years and 40% had ever been pregnant. At screening, 35% of participants were diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection (STI), 39% had an AUDIT-C score associated with harmful drinking and 11% reported intimate partner violence in the past 6 months. Overall, 28% of participants, had CESD-10 scores suggestive of depressive symptoms (≥12) in the past week. At baseline, similar proportions stated a preference for the ring and oral PrEP (38.1% and 40.5% respectively), with 19% of participants stating they preferred both products equally. Only study site was significantly associated with product preference (P<0.05) with AGYW from Johannesburg having higher odds of preferring the ring and those from Kampala having higher odds of preferring both options equally.

CONCLUSIONS

We successfully enrolled African AGYW with a clear unmet need for HIV prevention. The balanced preference between the two products suggests that multiple biomedical prevention options may be appealing to this age group and could address their prevention needs.

Preliminary revision of the Physical Education Grit Scale in Chinese athletes

Objective

The work aimed to revise the Physical Education Grit Scale (PE-Grit) applicable to Chinese athletes.

Methods

Five hundred and thirty-eight professional athletes from Chinese sports colleges and provincial sports teams were selected by cluster random sampling. Then, the PE-Grit was analyzed for project analysis, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, criterion-related validity analysis, and reliability analysis.

Results

Independent sample t-test and item-total correlation analysis of the questions showed that 16 items of the scale had good discrimination. According to the confirmatory factor analysis model, the factor structure consisted of 2 subscales and 4 dimensions (χ2/df = 1.827; CFI = 0.961; TLI = 0.953; IFI = 0.961; RMSEA = 0.051). Moreover, Cronbach's α of the total scale and the 4 dimensions were between 0.751 and 0.865. A significant positive correlation existed between the PE-Grit, and self-control, which showed good criterion-related validity.

Conclusion

Revised PE-Grit can measure Chinese athletes' physical education grit for its good reliability and validity.