Social Behavior and Personality

Information quality influences young Korean job seekers’ employment intentions toward small- and medium-sized enterprises

Junghwan Lee — 2025-12-03

We investigated the factors that predict young Korean job seekers’ employment intentions toward small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from social and psychological perspectives. Conducting an online survey with 700 job seekers aged 19–29 years, we assessed their intention in regard to employment with SMEs. The results revealed that information quality had the most significant effect on SME employment intention, followed by subjective norms and attitude. Information quality significantly predicted attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. Furthermore, educational level and place of residence moderated the effect of information quality on attitude and subjective norms, with a stronger effect for nonmetropolitan residents compared with metropolitan residents. Our findings suggest that to improve attitudes and subjective norms among metropolitan residents and highly educated young job seekers in Korea, it is important to improve the quality of information about SMEs.

Physical exercise and internet addiction among college students: Chain mediation of social anxiety and loneliness

Yanying Liu — 2025-12-03

The pathways through which physical activity affects internet addiction need to be further explored. We conducted a cross-sectional study across five universities in China, with 1,190 students who completed the Physical Activity Rating Scale, the Interactive Anxiety Scale, the UCLA Loneliness Scale, and the Revised Chen Internet Addiction Scale. The results of correlation and mediation analyses showed that physical exercise predicted internet addiction both directly, and indirectly through three paths: the independent mediating effect of social anxiety, the independent mediating effect of loneliness, and the chain mediating effect of social anxiety and loneliness. In practical application, attention should be paid to the effect of physical exercise on college students’ internet addiction, and the roles of social anxiety and loneliness should also be emphasized.

Exploring nonsuicidal self-injury in adolescents with emotional disorders: Electroencephalogram and psychological assessment

Yahong Li — 2025-12-03

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is prevalent and strongly associated with suicide deaths in adolescents. As such, understanding the physiological and psychological factors influencing NSSI is crucial for developing targeted interventions. This study explored neurophysiological and emotional factors for NSSI in adolescents with emotional disorders. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from 108 adolescents, including 39 in the NSSI group and 69 in the non-NSSI group, who underwent electroencephalogram (EEG) assessments and completed the Self-Rating Depression Scale, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, and Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90). Results showed that the NSSI group had higher scores for anxiety, depression, and overall psychiatric symptoms than the non-NSSI group. Logistic regression revealed a strong association between NSSI and high anxiety, depression, and SCL-90 symptoms, as well as a longer (vs. shorter) illness duration. EEG data showed depression tendency and tension indices were linked to NSSI behaviors. This study highlights the importance of integrating EEG and psychological assessments for early identification and intervention in at-risk adolescents.

Gender differences in the impact of peer relationships on academic engagement among mathematically gifted adolescents

Wen-Ling Wang — 2025-12-03

This study surveyed 410 mathematically gifted adolescents in two stages over a period of 3 months to examine the impact of peer relationships on academic engagement in regular classes. Multigroup invariance testing was employed to examine gender invariance, then partial least squares analysis was used to investigate the influence of peer relationships on dimensions of academic engagement and the associated gender differences. The results indicated that peer relationships impacted overall academic engagement and its four dimensions at different orders of magnitude according to gender. Furthermore, regression coefficient differences revealed a significant gender effect in the influence of peer relationships on cognitive engagement, with the influence on boys being significantly greater than that on girls. Therefore, enhancing peer relationships could be considered an evidence-based strategy. Attention should also be given to the comparative impact that peer relationships have on the dimensions of academic engagement among girls and boys.

Relationships among career identity, psychological safety climate, and work engagement in college counselors

Ting Luo — 2025-12-03

In recent years the role of college counselors has become increasingly important, as they provide vital support to students navigating the complexities of higher education. Given their crucial role, it is essential to understand the factors that influence their work engagement and overall job satisfaction. This study explored the relationship between college counselors’ career identity and work engagement, considering psychological safety climate as a potential moderating variable, in a sample of 200 Chinese counselors. Results showed career identity did not directly predict work engagement, but there was a significant indirect effect through the moderator of psychological safety climate, suggesting that high psychological safety climate amplified the link between career identity and work engagement. The findings offer insights on enhancing counselors’ work engagement.

Linking college students’ interpersonal relationships to their psychological well-being: The role of academic self-efficacy

Chenyang Ma — 2025-12-03

The collegiate environment represents a pivotal developmental phase for students, wherein their cognition, emotions, and behaviors are influenced by interactions with educators and peers. In this study, we examined the associations between college students’ interpersonal relationships and their psychological well-being, as well as the mediating role of academic self-efficacy in these relationships. Utilizing structural equation modeling to analyze data obtained from 309 students at a Chinese university, the results revealed that the students’ relationships with parents, peers, and teachers were positively related to the psychological well-being of the students, with academic self-efficacy serving as a mediator in these relationships. This research underscores the importance of interpersonal relationships and academic self-efficacy in shaping students’ psychological well-being. In light of these results, recommendations are proposed for the implementation of interventions at educational institutions aimed at enhancing the psychological well-being of students.

Mindful clicks: Transforming university teachers’ mental health through brief online intervention

Jian Wang — 2025-12-03

This study examined the effects of a 2-week online mindfulness-based intervention on university teachers’ mental health. We hypothesized that the intervention would enhance mindfulness and subjective well-being while alleviating depression, anxiety, and perceived stress, and that these benefits would persist at a 30-day follow-up. A total of 141 university teachers participated in the study. The results supported all hypotheses, showing significant improvements in mindfulness and subjective well-being, as well as reductions in depression, anxiety, and perceived stress immediately postintervention. Importantly, these positive effects were maintained at the 30-day follow-up assessment. These findings suggest that brief online mindfulness interventions can effectively promote mental health among university teachers, with benefits persisting beyond the intervention period. This study contributes to the growing body of evidence supporting the use of accessible, online mindfulness programs for enhancing mental health in academic settings.

Perceived interparental conflict predicts Chinese adolescents’ externalizing problem behaviors: A moderated mediation model

Zhengzheng Lin — 2025-12-03

This study investigated the mediating role of resilience in the relationship between perceived interparental conflict and externalizing problem behaviors among Chinese adolescents, while also exploring the moderating effect of gender. Using a sample of 491 junior high school students, we found that higher levels of perceived interparental conflict significantly predicted increased externalizing problem behaviors, and resilience mediated the relationship between the two. Furthermore, gender differences were observed: Girls exhibited a stronger association between interparental conflict and reduced resilience than boys, suggesting that girls may be more vulnerable to family conflict in terms of psychological adjustment. These findings highlight the importance of fostering resilience in adolescents, particularly for female adolescents, to buffer against the adverse effects of interparental conflict. The study provides practical implications for family interventions and school-based programs.

Perceived discrimination and depression among Chinese middle school students: Mediating role of self-esteem

Hong Chi — 2025-12-03

We explored the mediating role of self-esteem in the relationship between perceived discrimination and depression among Chinese middle school students. Participants in the study were 750 students who completed the Perceived Discrimination Questionnaire, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. The results showed that perceived discrimination and self-esteem were positively correlated with depression, and perceived discrimination and self-esteem were significantly and positively associated. Furthermore, the relationship between perceived discrimination and depression was mediated by self-esteem. Thus, mitigating perceived discrimination can help reduce depression among middle school students.

Self-esteem and problematic mobile social media use among Chinese adolescents: Adolescent social anxiety as a mediator

Zhengqin Gao — 2025-12-03

This study investigated the association between self-esteem and problematic mobile social media use (PMSMU) in junior high school students, along with the mediating effect of adolescent social anxiety. The sample comprised 697 junior high school students from China, who completed the Self-Esteem Scale, the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents, and the Adolescent Problematic Mobile Social Media Use Scale. The results showed that self-esteem was negatively associated with PMSMU among adolescents, and social anxiety partially mediated this relationship. Participants with high levels of self-esteem tended to experience low levels of social anxiety, which, in turn, reduced their vulnerability to PMSMU. By elucidating the relationships between self-esteem, social anxiety, and PMSMU, this research has advanced existing theoretical frameworks, providing insights for developing targeted mental health programs and responsible social media use interventions for adolescents.

Team leader hypocrisy and team creativity: Team knowledge sharing as a mediator and team identity as a moderator

Yifang Liu — 2025-12-03

Despite its potential to erode critical team dynamics, the specific impact of team leader hypocrisy on team creativity has been largely overlooked. Drawing on social identity theory, we examined how team leader hypocrisy affects team creativity, considering team knowledge sharing as a mediator and team identity as a moderator. The sample comprised 98 midlevel managers and 410 team members across various industries in China. The data analysis results revealed that team leader hypocrisy negatively influenced team creativity via team knowledge sharing. In addition, team identity lessened the impact of team leader hypocrisy on team knowledge sharing, as well as the indirect effect of team leader hypocrisy on team creativity. Our research contributes to the literature by highlighting why, how, and when team leader hypocrisy impacts team creativity, and also provides practical implications for organizations to enhance team creativity and reduce the harmful impact of team leader hypocrisy.

Exploring the multifaceted influences on employee proactive behavior: A fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis

Wenwen Sun — 2025-12-03

In this study we examined the various influences on employee proactive behavior using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis of data from 238 employees. We found six configurations linked to high proactive behavior and four configurations linked to low proactive behavior, showing that no single factor fully explained this variable, and revealing causal asymmetry. Thus, proactive behavior was not determined by just one set of conditions. Our research is innovative, as our application of fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis offers a detailed view of the conditions influencing proactive behavior, emphasizing the nonlinear and asymmetric relationships between factors. The results also enhance understanding of the occurrence mechanism of proactive behavior, and provide practical insights for organizations looking to promote this behavior in their employees.

A regulatory focus perspective on the relationship between forgone identity dwelling and job crafting

Wenzhu Cai — 2025-12-03

We investigated the relationships between employees’ forgone identity dwelling (reflections on past work identities) and their subsequent emotional and behavioral outcomes. This study was grounded in social comparison theory and cognitive motivation frameworks. Using two-wave survey data (N = 312), we empirically tested (a) how forgone identity dwelling predicts divergent emotional responses (i.e., anxiety versus hope), as moderated by psychological entitlement, and (b) how these emotions mediate distinct job-crafting behaviors (prevention-focused vs. promotion-focused). The results demonstrated that forgone identity dwelling activated two pathways: While anxiety was positively associated with prevention-focused job crafting, hope was a driver of promotion-focused job crafting. These findings highlight the dual role of identity reflection as a catalyst for individuals’ variable-driven psychological and behavioral mechanisms during identity transitions.

Self-efficacy mediates the relationship between university students’ physical activity and time management

Yi Li — 2025-12-03

Given the roles of physical activity, self-efficacy, and time management in fostering academic success and personal well-being, in this study I explored the relationships among physical activity, self-efficacy, and time management. Analysis of survey data obtained from 218 undergraduate students at a university in China revealed a positive relationship between physical activity and time management, with self-efficacy emerging as a pivotal mediator. Students who engaged (vs. did not engage) in regular physical activity were more likely to exhibit effective time-management capability. Additionally, physical activity facilitated self-efficacy, which, in turn, fostered improved time-management ability. These results underscore the crucial role of self-efficacy in linking physical activity to time management among undergraduate students, offering a novel perspective on the interrelationships among these variables and emphasizing the importance of integrating physical activity into academic curricula to bolster students’ self-efficacy and time-management capability.

How effort–reward imbalance predicts adolescents’ learning engagement: A moderated mediation model

Wengang Zhao — 2025-12-03

This study examined the effect of effort–reward imbalance (ERI) on adolescents’ levels of learning engagement, with a focus on the mediating role of self-esteem and the moderating role of family socioeconomic status. We collected data from 325 middle school students, who completed measures of ERI, self-esteem, learning engagement, and family socioeconomic status. The results revealed that ERI significantly and negatively predicted adolescents’ learning engagement. Self-esteem partially mediated the relationship between ERI and learning engagement. Further, family socioeconomic status positively moderated the negative effect of ERI on self-esteem, indicating that a higher family socioeconomic status mitigated the detrimental impact of ERI on students’ self-esteem. These findings have theoretical and practical implications for understanding and improving the dynamics between ERI and educational outcomes.

Values conflict and anxiety in Chinese college students: Self-concept clarity as a mediator

Xiaorong Chen — 2025-12-03

Grounded in Schwartz’s theory of basic values and the structural model of self-concept, in this study we examined the mediating role of self-concept clarity in the relationship between anxiety and the self-transcendence and self-enhancement dimensions of values conflict. We conducted a survey with 683 Chinese university students, assessing their values conflict, self-concept clarity, and anxiety. The results indicated that values conflict was positively associated with anxiety, and this relationship was partly mediated by reduced self-concept clarity. Students in the high-values-conflict group exhibited the lowest self-concept clarity and the highest levels of anxiety. These findings shed light on the psychological mechanisms underlying values conflict and mental adaptation, offering theoretical support for mental health interventions in university settings.

Social media addiction, sensation seeking, and social anxiety among college students: A latent profile analysis

Lingling Ding — 2025-12-03

In view of the increasing reach of social media, this study explored the latent characteristics of social media addiction, the relationship between demographic variables and heterogeneity of social media addiction, and the influence of sensation seeking and social anxiety among college students. Participants (N = 1,544) completed measures of social media addiction, social anxiety, and sensation seeking. Latent profile analysis identified three distinct groups: moderate use, mild dependence, and deep addiction. Women were more likely to show moderate use or mild dependence, whereas men were more likely to show deep addiction, while those with positive (vs. negative) roommate relationships and harmonious (vs. disharmonious) father–child relationships were more likely to belong to nonaddicted groups. The deep-addiction group scored significantly higher on sensation seeking and social anxiety than did the other groups. Society and families can identify various characteristics and influencing factors at an early stage and provide effective interventions to promote the responsible use of social media.

Facial dissatisfaction and college students’ sense of meaning in life: The roles of defeat and ego depletion

Qingsen He — 2025-12-03

We examined the relationship between college students' facial dissatisfaction and their sense of meaning in life, incorporating defeat and ego depletion as mediators. Participants were 2,671 Chinese college students who completed the Negative Physical Self Scale, the Defeat Scale, the Ego Depletion Scale, and the Meaning in Life Questionnaire. There was a negative correlation between students’ facial dissatisfaction and their sense of meaning in life, and defeat and ego depletion had both independent and chain mediating effects on this relationship. These results reveal the mechanism of the relationship between facial dissatisfaction and sense of meaning in life among college students, providing a preliminary basis for studying the causal relationship of these variables. Our findings also provide a theoretical basis for improving the sense of meaning in life of college students.

A mixed-methods study of preservice teachers’ multicultural music education implementation in China

Shu Chen — 2025-12-03

Multicultural music education (MME) has been promoted in China for several decades but has yet to be fully implemented. We conducted an explanatory sequential mixed-methods study to investigate MME implementation among preservice music teachers in China. Pearson correlation analysis and stepwise regression analysis of survey data from 1,341 preservice teachers revealed that perceptions, training and support, and attitudes predicted MME practice, with training and support emerging as the strongest predictor. Next, we conducted semistructured interviews with 16 of the surveyed teachers to explore the challenges and limitations in implementing MME. The quantitative findings expand understanding of the relationships among perception of MME, training and support with MME, attitude toward MME, cultural bias, teaching satisfaction, and MME practice, highlighting the limitations of MME implementation in China and underscoring the critical role of teacher education. Our findings have implications for future research and policy development in the Chinese context.

College students’ self-leadership and exercise adherence: The mediating role of self-control

Ruiqing Yin — 2025-12-03

Given the slow improvement in Chinese college students’ physical health and the limited effectiveness of existing interventions, this study investigated the structural relationships between self-leadership, self-control, and exercise adherence with the aim of improving college students' physical health. We collected data from 530 Chinese college students through a survey. The results of correlation and mediation analysis revealed that self-leadership positively predicted both self-control and exercise adherence, and self-control played a mediating role in the relationship between self-leadership and exercise adherence. These findings elucidate the mechanism through which college students’ self-leadership influences their exercise adherence, thereby validating the crucial roles of self-leadership and self-control. Specifically, enhancing self-management capabilities will contribute to individuals’ improved exercise adherence, providing significant implications for promoting exercise compliance among college students.