Cognition malleability belief, emotion regulation and adolescent well-being: examining a mediation model among migrant youth

Emotion regulation and mental health across cultures: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Emotion regulation (ER) plays a central role in mental health, but the effect differs across cultures. Here, expanding from extant literature's focus on Western-Eastern dichotomy or individualism-collectivism, this meta-analysis synthesized evidence on the associations between the two most-studied ER strategies (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression) and two mental health outcomes (psychopathology and positive functioning) and investigated the moderating roles of several cultural dimensions: Hofstede's national cultures dimensions, education, industrialization, richness and democracy (EIRDness), and sample demographics. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using electronic databases (CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO and MEDLINE) to identify eligible studies reporting relationships between ER and mental health outcomes (PROSPERO: CRD42021258190, 249 articles, n = 150,474, 861 effect sizes, 37 countries/regions). For Hofstede's national cultures and EIRDness, multimodel inference revealed that greater reappraisal propensity was more adaptive in more short-term-oriented, uncertainty-tolerant and competition-driven cultures, whereas greater suppression propensity was more maladaptive in more indulgent and competition-driven cultures. For demographics, greater reappraisal propensity was more adaptive for samples with more female (B = -0.19, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.29 to -0.09) and more racial minority participants (B = -0.32, 95% CI -0.51 to -0.13), whereas greater suppression propensity was more maladaptive in younger samples (B = -0.004, 95% CI -0.005 to -0.002). These findings elucidate how cultures are associated with the function of ER and suggests ways in which future studies can integrate cultural characteristics when examining ER and psychological adjustment.

The impact of a personality trait rooted in Chinese confucian culture-Junzi personality-on loneliness and subjective well-being among chinese individuals: the mediating role of self-reflection and self-control

Reducing loneliness and enhancing subjective well-being are key topics in psychological research. However, few studies have explored the impact of cultural factors on loneliness and subjective well-being from a cultural perspective. Moreover, there has been few research examining the underlying mechanisms through which sociocultural factors influence individual loneliness and well-being. This study aims to explore the influence of a personality trait rooted in Chinese Confucian culture-Junzi personality-on subjective well-being among Chinese, specifically examining the mediating roles of self-reflection and self-control. A sample of 693 Chinese college students were surveyed on their Junzi personality, self-reflection, self-control, loneliness, and subjective well-being in three stages over 6 months. Correlation analysis and a multiple mediation model were conducted using SPSS 23.0 and AMOS 23.0. Results revealed that Junzi personality positively predicted subjective well-being and negatively predicted loneliness. Additionally, self-reflection, self-control, and loneliness sequentially mediated the effect of Junzi personality on subjective well-being. This study highlights the significant role of cognitive factors in the process through which sociocultural factors influence well-being.

Emotion malleability beliefs prompt cognitive reappraisal: evidence from an online longitudinal intervention for adolescents

Emotion malleability beliefs (EMB) have been shown to be a potential predictor of cognitive reappraisal use. However, the nature of the relationship between EMB and cognitive reappraisal use remains unclear. The present study manipulated EMB with an online intervention and measured participants' EMB and cognitive reappraisal before the intervention as well as at three follow-ups. Eighty-six late adolescents who scored in the bottom 50% on EMB in a previous investigation were randomly assigned to the intervention group (increasing EMB) and the control group. The intervention significantly increased EMB, and this effect remained one week and one month after the intervention. More importantly, the results showed that the lag paths from a previous measure of EMB on later cognitive reappraisal were positive and significant. The cross-lagged paths from cognitive reappraisal to EMB were not significant. The intervention to increase EMB showed significant indirect effects on cognitive reappraisal via EMB. The findings not only support that the intervention of EMB had a sustained effect but also evidenced that EMB had a causal effect on cognitive reappraisal. This suggests a promising way to enhance cognitive reappraisal for application in the treatment of clinical emotion disorders.

A Metaanalysis of the relationship between growth mindset and mental health in Chinese samples

Innovations in mental health are desperately needed in Healthy China with increasing benefits of a growth mindset on mental health among Chinese. Currently, empirical research in China reveals significant discrepancies in the correlation between growth mindset and mental health. To elucidate this discrepancy, we conducted a meta-analysis on 59 studies utilizing a random-effects model, with 68 effect sizes and 54,302 participants included. The main effects revealed a significantly positive correlation between growth mindset and positive indicators of mental health (r = 0.36, [0.27, 0.45]), as well as a significantly negative correlation between growth mindset and negative indicators of mental health (r = -0.25, [-0.31, -0.20]). Subgroup test and meta-regression results indicated that age, economic region, and measurement instruments moderated the growth mindset and positive indicators of mental health. In contrast, negative indicators were moderated by gender and measurement instruments. The above findings suggest that a growth mindset significantly correlates with mental health. Consequently, it can be developed into an effective psychological service strategy in Healthy China. Future empirical studies should continue to examine this relationship and explore additional potential moderating variables. Furthermore, the clinical effects of growth mindset interventions in mental health should be tested.

Effects of Mindfulness and Life-Skills Training on Emotion Regulation and Anxiety Symptoms in Chinese Migrant Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PURPOSE

China's rapid urbanization has been associated with increased mental health challenges, especially in rural-to-urban migrant children. This study evaluates the effects of mindfulness and life-skills (LS) training on emotional regulation and anxiety symptoms from a randomized controlled trial aimed at improving the mental health of Chinese migrant children.

METHODS

Two intervention arms-mindfulness training (MT) and MT plus LS mentorship (MT + LS)-were compared to a waitlist control group of 368 migrant children aged 9-17 years. Volunteers were trained to deliver interventions to 285 migrant children in small groups of 15 for eight weeks weekly. Social integration varied: migrant children mixed with local children at public schools were considered highly integrated, those in migrant-only classrooms at public schools had intermediate levels of integration, and children in private migrant schools had low integration. Emotion regulation and anxiety symptoms were assessed preintervention, postintervention, and three months postintervention.

RESULTS

Postintervention and compared to the control group, children with high social integration in the MT arm showed increased cognitive reappraisal ability (p < .05) but higher physical anxiety (p < .01). Children with high social integration in the MT + LS arm had lower anxiety symptoms of harm avoidance (p < .01) and physical anxiety (p < .05). Children with low social integration in the MT + LS arm showed lower cognitive reappraisal (p < .01) and poorer overall emotion regulation abilities (p < .01). Three months later, children with intermediate integration in the MT + LS arm had lower separation anxiety (p < .05) and harm avoidance anxiety (p < .05). No other groups showed significant improvements in emotion regulation or reducing in anxiety symptoms three months postintervention.

DISCUSSION

Mindfulness and LS training may benefit Chinese migrant children who have higher levels of social integration but increase anxiety in those with lower social integration. Future research should consider the sociocultural context in which a treatment is implemented.

Single-session intervention on growth mindset on negative emotions for university student mental health (U-SIGMA): a protocol of two-armed randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

The university years are a developmentally crucial phase and a peak period for the onset of mental disorders. The beliefs about the changeability of negative emotion may play an important role in help-seeking. The brief digital growth mindset intervention is potentially scalable and acceptable to enhance adaptive coping and help-seeking for mental health needs in university students. We adapted the Single-session Intervention on Growth Mindset for adolescents (SIGMA) to be applied in university students (U-SIGMA). This protocol introduces a two-armed waitlist randomized controlled trial study to examine the effectiveness and acceptability of U-SIGMA in promoting help-seeking among university students in the Greater Bay Area.

METHODS

University students (N = 250, ages 18-25) from universities in the Greater Bay Area will be randomized to either the brief digital growth mindset intervention group or the waitlist control group. Participants will report on the mindsets of negative emotions, perceived control over anxiety, attitude toward help-seeking, physical activity, hopelessness, psychological well-being, depression, anxiety, and perceived stress at baseline and the 2-week and 8-week follow-ups through web-based surveys. A 30-min digital intervention will be implemented in the intervention group, with a pre- and post-intervention survey collecting intervention feedback, while the control group will receive the link for intervention after 8 weeks.

DISCUSSION

This protocol introduces the implementation plan of U-SIMGA in multi-cities of the Greater Bay Area. The findings are expected to help provide pioneer evidence for the effectiveness and acceptability of the brief digital intervention for university students in the Chinese context and beyond and contribute to the development of accessible and effective prevention and early intervention for university students' mental health.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

HKU Clinical Trials Registry: HKUCTR-3012; Registered 14 April 2023.  http://www.hkuctr.com/Study/Show/7a3ffbc0e03f4d1eac0525450fc5187e .

What matters for adolescent suicidality: Depressive symptoms or fixed mindsets? Examination of cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between fixed mindsets and suicidal ideation

BACKGROUND

Fixed mindsets or beliefs about the non-malleability of self-attributes are linked to a wide range of negative psychological outcomes. Its association with suicidal ideation (SI) among young people has not been explored.

OBJECTIVES

To examine the association of fixed mindsets of depression, anxiety, and stress and SI; and its mediating role underlying the association between depression and SI.

METHODS

A sample of 1393 adolescents (M_age  = 13.04, SD = 0.85, 640 boys) from 11 middle schools voluntarily participated in a two-wave longitudinal study before and during the COVID-19 pandemic with a 9-month interval.

RESULTS

Both depressive symptoms and fixed mindsets were positively and significantly associated with concurrent and future suicidality, after controlling for demographic and socioeconomic status and previous SI. Participants with stronger fixed mindsets were more likely to have SI than those with only depressive symptoms. Also, fixed mindsets mediated the association between depressive symptoms and SI in both cross-sectional and longitudinal models.

CONCLUSION

The current study provides empirical evidence of the effects of fixed mindsets and SI and the mediating role of fixed mindset between depressive symptoms and SI among young people. Interventions to foster a growth mindset may enhance hope and reduce suicidality among adolescents.

Psychometric properties of the Mindsets of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (MDASS) in Chinese young adults and adolescents

AIM

Mindset has been found to be closely related to mental health symptoms. Yet no scale for the Mindsets of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress (MDASS) has been validated. This study developed a 12-item MDASS with four items in each domain and examined its psychometric properties among young adults and adolescents.

METHODS

Young adults (Study 1: N = 1735, aged 18-25) and adolescents (Study 2, N = 1648, aged 9-16) completed socio-demographics information, MDASS (unidirectional items in Study 1 and bi-directional items in Study 2), and mental health symptoms measures. Both samples were randomly divided into two equal sub-samples, one for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to identify the factor structure, the other for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to assess the goodness-of-fit of EFA models. Spearman correlations were used to assess the convergent validity of MDASS with measures of depression, anxiety, and stress.

RESULTS

In Study 1, EFA yielded a three-factor model with underlying factors of fixed mindsets on depression, anxiety, and stress; CFA revealed a good goodness-of-fit (CFI and TFI >0.95; RMSEA and SRMR <0.08). In Study 2 with reversed items, EFA and CFA yielded a complex model structure. Fixed mindsets were positively correlated with depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms (all absolute correlations >0.3) in both studies.

CONCLUSION

MDASS is a reliable scale with clear factor structure to measure mindsets of negative emotions among early adults. MDASS is suggested to use only fixed-mindset statements. The MDASS are highly associated with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.