Journal Description
Behavioral Sciences
Behavioral Sciences
is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal on psychology, neuroscience, cognitive science, behavioral biology and behavioral genetics published monthly online by MDPI.
- Open Access— free for readers, with article processing charges (APC) paid by authors or their institutions.
- High Visibility: indexed within Scopus, SSCI (Web of Science), PubMed, PMC, and other databases.
- Journal Rank: JCR - Q2 (Psychology, Multidisciplinary) / CiteScore - Q2 (Development)
- Rapid Publication: manuscripts are peer-reviewed and a first decision is provided to authors approximately 21.5 days after submission; acceptance to publication is undertaken in 2.6 days (median values for papers published in this journal in the second half of 2023).
- Recognition of Reviewers: reviewers who provide timely, thorough peer-review reports receive vouchers entitling them to a discount on the APC of their next publication in any MDPI journal, in appreciation of the work done.
Impact Factor:
2.6 (2022);
5-Year Impact Factor:
3.2 (2022)
Latest Articles
Examining Public Service Motivation’s Impact on Organizational Commitment: Focusing on Moderating Roles of Hygiene and Motivation Factors
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 476; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14060476 - 5 Jun 2024
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Despite previous studies on public service motivation among public sector employees, the empirical analysis of the influential contextual conditions that moderate public service motivation’s impact on employees’ work attitudes remains inadequate. Given these limitations, this study examines public service motivation’s effects on public
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Despite previous studies on public service motivation among public sector employees, the empirical analysis of the influential contextual conditions that moderate public service motivation’s impact on employees’ work attitudes remains inadequate. Given these limitations, this study examines public service motivation’s effects on public employees’ organizational commitment and investigates how Herzberg’s hygiene and motivation factors moderate the relationship between these aspects in the context of South Korea’s central government. For this, we used the data of 1021 public employees from the Differences in the Values of Different Generations of Public Officials and Organizational Innovation Survey, which the Korea Institute of Public Administration had conducted in 2022. We analyzed the data through hierarchical multiple regression analyses, and the results indicated that public service motivation exerts a positive effect on organizational commitment. Specifically, hygiene factors weaken the positive relationship between public service motivation and organizational commitment, while motivation factors have a moderating effect that strengthens said relationship. These findings suggest that, in order to enhance organizational commitment among motivated public employees, human resource management practices should prioritize motivational factors that can enhance job content, meaning, and autonomy instead of solely focusing on providing monetary incentives or improving external conditions.
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Open AccessArticle
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Scientific Production of Physical Education Researchers: A Five-Year Follow-Up Study
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Sarah Jane Lemos de Melo, Vanderlei Porto Pinto, Emerson Sebastião, Érica de Moraes Santos Corrêa and Gustavo Christofoletti
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 475; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14060475 - 5 Jun 2024
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant changes in society’s dynamics, particularly affecting the landscape of education. Research in several areas may have been affected during periods of social restrictions. This study analyzed the curricula of 558 researchers across 27 graduate programs in physical education
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The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant changes in society’s dynamics, particularly affecting the landscape of education. Research in several areas may have been affected during periods of social restrictions. This study analyzed the curricula of 558 researchers across 27 graduate programs in physical education in Brazil to investigate the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on scientific publications. Researchers’ production from 2018 to 2022 underwent a comprehensive analysis, considering the total number of publications, Qualis rank, and journal impact factor. Data were analyzed using chi-squared and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Significance was set at 5%. Overall, the analyzed researchers published a total of 17,932 manuscripts from 2018 to 2022. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a decline of 16.4% in the number of articles published (p = 0.001). This decline was similar between men and women (p = 0.603) and was associated with a worsening in Qualis rank (p = 0.001). The number of studies published in journals with impact factors was also affected (p = 0.001). The findings suggest a potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the scientific production of Brazilian researchers in the field of physical education. Funding agencies should consider the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic before evaluating researchers and programs.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity for Psychological and Cognitive Development)
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Open AccessArticle
Social Activity in Schizotypy: Measuring Frequency and Enjoyment of Social Events
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Candice C. DeBats, Danielle B. Abel, Morgan M. Sullivan, Sophia C. Koesterer, Imani S. Linton, Jessica L. Mickens, Madisen T. Russell, Lillian A. Hammer and Kyle S. Minor
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 474; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14060474 - 5 Jun 2024
Abstract
Improving social functioning deficits—a core characteristic of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders—is often listed by patients as a key recovery goal. Evidence suggests that social deficits also extend to people with schizotypy, a group at heightened risk for psychotic and other psychopathological disorders. One challenge of
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Improving social functioning deficits—a core characteristic of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders—is often listed by patients as a key recovery goal. Evidence suggests that social deficits also extend to people with schizotypy, a group at heightened risk for psychotic and other psychopathological disorders. One challenge of social functioning research in schizotypy is understanding whether social deficits arise from receiving less pleasure from social activities or from participating less in high-pleasure activities. However, limited information exists on what constitutes highly pleasurable, common social activities. In this study, 357 college students rated the frequency and enjoyment of 38 social activities. Our aims were to categorize activities based on their frequency and enjoyment, and whether these correlated with validated social functioning and schizotypy measures. We found that social activities could be characterized based on their frequency and enjoyment and created a frequency–enjoyment matrix that could be useful for future studies. Activities were correlated with social functioning, generally reaching a small effect size level, with increasing frequency and enjoyment showing associations with greater social functioning. Further, negative and disorganized—but not positive—traits were associated with less engagement and pleasure. Although follow-up studies in community samples are needed, our findings have the potential to help researchers and clinicians better understand which activities participants are more likely to engage in and derive pleasure from. The findings may also illustrate the extent to which social deficits may be due to less engagement or less pleasure from social activities, as well as which aspects of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders are associated with these facets of social functioning.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prevention and Recovery in People with Schizophrenia and Related Disorders)
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Assessing the Impact of Recommendation Novelty on Older Consumers: Older Does Not Always Mean the Avoidance of Innovative Products
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Li Zhao and Bing Fu
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 473; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14060473 - 5 Jun 2024
Abstract
Personalized recommendations that use digital technologies to predict user interests and preferences and give guiding conclusions have become a widely used digital marketing tool on e-commerce platforms. Given that existing consumer behavior research has not reached a consensus on the relationship between age
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Personalized recommendations that use digital technologies to predict user interests and preferences and give guiding conclusions have become a widely used digital marketing tool on e-commerce platforms. Given that existing consumer behavior research has not reached a consensus on the relationship between age and the adoption of innovative products, whether recommendation novelty can stimulate older consumers’ acceptance of innovative products remains uncertain. Grounded in the aging and social influence literature, this experimental study investigated the moderating role of individual cognitive age on the impact of recommendation novelty on consumer perceptions regarding stereotype threat and receptiveness to innovativeness. An experiment involving 239 online shoppers was conducted to investigate the experiences of cognitively younger and older adults while using low or high levels of recommendation novelty designed for this study. Results reveal the tension for older adults when using highly recommended novelty, as they perceive these to be more of a stereotype threat, but they also have a higher level of receptiveness to innovativeness. This finding is contrary to the common belief that “the older the consumer, the less receptive to innovativeness”, providing novel insight into the information systems literature. Theoretically, this research shows how increasing the level of recommended novelty affects stereotype threat and receptiveness to innovativeness (of consumers of different cognitive ages). For practitioners, the results provide important guidelines on the kind of personalized recommendations that are appropriate for consumers with different cognitive ages.
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(This article belongs to the Topic Consumer Psychology and Business Applications)
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Integrating Guilt and Shame into the Self-Concept: The Influence of Future Opportunities
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Hyeman Choi
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 472; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14060472 - 3 Jun 2024
Abstract
This study explored the integration of guilt and shame experiences into the self-concept, focusing on how perceived future opportunities affect this process. The participants in Study 1 (N = 201) and Study 2 (N = 221) recalled experiences that elicited either
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This study explored the integration of guilt and shame experiences into the self-concept, focusing on how perceived future opportunities affect this process. The participants in Study 1 (N = 201) and Study 2 (N = 221) recalled experiences that elicited either guilt or shame and that they believed could occur again in the future (i.e., repeatable) or could not (i.e., non-repeatable). The results showed that when the participants viewed an event as repeatable, suggesting that future opportunities for change were possible, they were more likely to accept and integrate the experiences associated with guilt than with shame. This difference disappeared when the target event was non-repeatable, thereby providing no future opportunities for change. Study 2 further demonstrated the moderating role of future coping confidence in the relationship between the interaction effect of emotion type and event repeatability on self-integration. These findings underscore the different roles of guilt and shame in identity development and intrapersonal learning.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Influence of Social Context on Educational and Psychological/Cognitive Processes)
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Teachers’ Punishment Intensity and Student Observer Trust: A Moderated Mediation Model
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Zhen Zhang and Chunhui Qi
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 471; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14060471 - 1 Jun 2024
Abstract
During social interactions, people decide whether to trust an actor based on their punitive behaviour. Several empirical studies have indicated that punishment intensity impacts observer trust, yet the underlying mechanism remains to be elucidated. This study included 242 junior high school students and
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During social interactions, people decide whether to trust an actor based on their punitive behaviour. Several empirical studies have indicated that punishment intensity impacts observer trust, yet the underlying mechanism remains to be elucidated. This study included 242 junior high school students and was conducted to investigate the relationship between teachers’ punishment intensity and levels of student bystander trust. Additionally, the mediating role of trustworthiness and the moderating role of group relationships were explored. The results showed that the relationship between punishment intensity and observer trust follows an inverted U-shaped pattern. In addition, mild punishment boosts observer trust by improving perceived trustworthiness (ability and integrity) compared to no punishment, while harsh punishment reduces observer trust more than mild punishment by diminishing perceived trustworthiness (ability, benevolence, and integrity). More importantly, group relationships positively moderate the relationship between punishment intensity and observer trust. Specifically, compared to mild or no punishment, harsh punishment decreases trustworthiness (ability, benevolence, and integrity) in close teacher–student relationships but has less impact on neutral relationships. The above findings demonstrate that guiding educators in developing appropriate disciplinary concepts contributes to enhancing student observer trust.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Behaviors in Educational Settings—2nd Edition)
Open AccessArticle
Prototype or Exemplar Representations in the 5/5 Category Learning Task
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Fang Chen, Peijuan Li, Hao Chen, Carol A. Seger and Zhiya Liu
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 470; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14060470 - 31 May 2024
Abstract
Theories of category learning have typically focused on how the underlying category structure affects the category representations acquired by learners. However, there is limited research as to how other factors affect what representations are learned and utilized and how representations might change across
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Theories of category learning have typically focused on how the underlying category structure affects the category representations acquired by learners. However, there is limited research as to how other factors affect what representations are learned and utilized and how representations might change across the time course of learning. We used a novel “5/5” categorization task developed from the well-studied 5/4 task with the addition of one more stimulus to clarify an ambiguity in the 5/4 prototypes. We used multiple methods including computational modeling to identify whether participants categorized on the basis of exemplar or prototype representations. We found that, overall, for the stimuli we used (schematic robot-like stimuli), learning was best characterized by the use of prototypes. Most importantly, we found that relative use of prototype and exemplar strategies changed across learning, with use of exemplar representations decreasing and prototype representations increasing across blocks.
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Open AccessArticle
Long-Term Bridge Training Induces Functional Plasticity Changes in the Brain of Early-Adult Individuals
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Bingjie Zhao, Yan Liu, Zheng Wang, Qihan Zhang and Xuejun Bai
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 469; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14060469 - 31 May 2024
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of extended bridge expertise on rapid perceptual processing and brain functional plasticity in early adulthood, utilizing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In this investigation, we compared 6 high-level college bridge players with 25
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The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of extended bridge expertise on rapid perceptual processing and brain functional plasticity in early adulthood, utilizing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In this investigation, we compared 6 high-level college bridge players with 25 college students lacking bridge experience, assessing their intelligence and working memory. Additionally, we scrutinized behavioral performance and whole-brain activation patterns during an image perceptual judgment task. Findings indicated significant group and interaction effects at the behavioral level. Bridge players exhibited prolonged reaction times and enhanced accuracy on card tasks. At the neural level, the activation level of bridge players in the occipital lobe exceeded that of ordinary college students, with more pronounced group effects in the motor area and inferior parietal lobule during card tasks. This implies that bridge expertise in early adulthood induces functional plasticity changes in regions associated with visual processing and automated mathematical computation.
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Open AccessArticle
Effects of Sadness and Fear on Moral Judgments in Public Emergency Events
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Mufan Zheng, Shiyao Qin and Junhua Zhao
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 468; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14060468 - 31 May 2024
Abstract
With the rapid development of society and the deteriorating natural environment, there has been an increase in public emergencies. This study aimed to explore how sadness and fear in the context of public emergencies influence moral judgments. This research first induced feelings of
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With the rapid development of society and the deteriorating natural environment, there has been an increase in public emergencies. This study aimed to explore how sadness and fear in the context of public emergencies influence moral judgments. This research first induced feelings of sadness and fear by using videos about public emergencies and music, and then used moral scenarios from the CNI model (C parameter: sensitivity to consequences; N parameter: sensitivity to norms; I parameter: general preference for inaction) to assess participants’ moral thinking. In Study 1, participants were divided into a sadness group and a neutral group, while in Study 2, participants were divided into a fear group and a neutral group. During the experiment, participants were exposed to different videos related to public emergencies to induce the corresponding emotions, and emotional music was continuously played throughout the entire experiment. Participants were then asked to answer questions requiring moral judgments. The results showed that based on the CNI model, sadness induced in the context of public emergencies significantly increased the C parameter, without affecting the N or I parameters. Fear increased the I parameter, without affecting the C or I parameters. That is, sadness and fear induced in the context of a public emergency can influence moral judgments. Specifically, sadness increases individuals’ sensitivity to consequences and fear increases the general preference for inaction in moral judgments.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Picturing Morality from Multidisciplinary Perspectives—Second Edition)
Open AccessArticle
Longitudinal Association between Stressful Life Events and Suicidal Ideation in Adults with Major Depression Disorder: The Mediating Effects of Insomnia Symptoms
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Ya Chen, Xue Han, Yingchen Jiang, Yunbin Jiang, Xinyu Huang, Wanxin Wang, Lan Guo, Ruirui Xia, Yuhua Liao, Huimin Zhang, Kayla M. Teopiz, Roger S. McIntyre, Beifang Fan and Ciyong Lu
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 467; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14060467 - 31 May 2024
Abstract
Stressful life events (SLEs) and suicidal ideation (SI) are prevalent in persons with major depression disorder (MDD). Less is known about the underlying role of insomnia symptoms in the association between SLEs and SI. This three-wave prospective cohort study sought to investigate the
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Stressful life events (SLEs) and suicidal ideation (SI) are prevalent in persons with major depression disorder (MDD). Less is known about the underlying role of insomnia symptoms in the association between SLEs and SI. This three-wave prospective cohort study sought to investigate the longitudinal association among SLEs, insomnia symptoms, and SI in persons with MDD. The study population included 511 persons with MDD (mean [SD] age, 28.7 [6.7] years; 67.1% were females). Generalized estimated equations (GEEs) were utilized to explore prospective association among exposure of SLEs, insomnia symptoms, and SI. Additionally, a structural equation model (SEM) was employed to estimate the longitudinal mediating effect of insomnia symptoms in the relationship between SLEs and SI. Our study demonstrated that cumulative SLEs were determined to be longitudinally associated with SI in persons with MDD. We further observed that the association between SLEs and SI was significantly mediated by insomnia symptoms. Clinicians assessing persons with MDD, especially those with the history of SLE, could carefully evaluate and promptly treat insomnia symptoms as part of personalized assessment of their depressive illness, thereby achieving early prevention and intervention for suicidal behaviors in persons with MDD.
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(This article belongs to the Section Psychiatric, Emotional and Behavioral Disorders)
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Are We on Course Yet? Functional Behavior Assessment and Behavior Intervention Plan Technical Adequacy in Schools
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Rose Iovannone, Tobey Duble Moore, Jeffrey M. Williams, Sindy Sanchez and Nycole Kauk
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 466; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14060466 - 30 May 2024
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It has been more than two decades since the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA; 1997) included language about the use of functional behavior assessments (FBAs) and behavior intervention plans (BIPs) to address the challenging behaviors of students with disabilities in schools. It
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It has been more than two decades since the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA; 1997) included language about the use of functional behavior assessments (FBAs) and behavior intervention plans (BIPs) to address the challenging behaviors of students with disabilities in schools. It has been more than ten years since three technical adequacy studies were published that evaluated school-based FBAs’ and BIPs’ inclusion of essential components and found them to be significantly lacking. The aims of this study were to expand upon the previous research by (a) establishing the psychometric properties of the FBA/BIP Technical Adequacy Evaluation Tool (TATE), (b) evaluating the technical adequacy of 135 completed FBAs and 129 BIPs from 13 school districts across a single state, and (c) comparing the findings to previous studies. The results showed that (a) the TATE has moderate but acceptable internal consistency, excellent inter-rater reliability, and good content validity, (b) the technical adequacy scores of the evaluated products ranged between 40% and 50% of the total components, and (c) most of the BIPs had similar flaws to those seen in the previous research; however, improvement was noted in the FBA components. The implications for practice and suggestions for future research are discussed.
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Open AccessArticle
Association between COVID-19 and the Risk of Vascular Dementia: A Mendelian Randomisation Study of the Potential Cognitive Sequela of COVID-19
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Qing Han, Yue Ma and Wenting Ye
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 465; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14060465 - 30 May 2024
Abstract
A growing body of observational studies and Mendelian Randomisation analyses suggest an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia following COVID-19 infection. However, evidence on the potential association between COVID-19 and vascular dementia, which is plausible given the vascular complications of COVID-19 infection,
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A growing body of observational studies and Mendelian Randomisation analyses suggest an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia following COVID-19 infection. However, evidence on the potential association between COVID-19 and vascular dementia, which is plausible given the vascular complications of COVID-19 infection, is still limited. In this study, we conducted a two-sample Mendelian Randomisation analysis to examine the potential causal relationship between COVID-19 phenotypes and the risk of vascular dementia, using summary data from large-scale GWASs. The two-sample Mendelian Randomisation analysis did not detect any significant associations of COVID-19 infection, COVID-19 hospitalisation, or critical COVID-19 with the risk of vascular dementia, with weighted average β values of −0.29 (95% CI: −0.84, 0.26; p = 0.301), −0.12 (95% CI: −0.36, 0.13; p = 0.345), and −0.07 (95% CI: −0.23, 0.09; p = 0.374), respectively. Our findings do not support the hypothesis that vascular dementia is one of the long-term sequelae of COVID-19.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Psychology and Behaviors during COVID-19)
Open AccessArticle
Health Professionals’ Experiences with Health-Promoting Dialogues for Older Home-Dwellers—A Qualitative Study
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Liza Wigaard Johansen, Hilde Lausund and Nina Jøranson
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 464; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14060464 - 30 May 2024
Abstract
Home-dwelling older people without healthcare services might develop vulnerability and health-related issues that should be detected proactively by service providers. Health-promoting measures directed towards the target group could facilitate living longer and better at home, as well as delay the need for healthcare
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Home-dwelling older people without healthcare services might develop vulnerability and health-related issues that should be detected proactively by service providers. Health-promoting measures directed towards the target group could facilitate living longer and better at home, as well as delay the need for healthcare services. One approach is through health-promoting dialogues between the municipality and healthcare professionals. This study aims to explore the experiences of healthcare professionals involved in health-promoting dialogues with home-dwellers aged over 75 years without health service decisions in Norway. Data were collected through three focus groups. Thematic analysis was applied to the data resulting in the emergence of one major theme, “challenging dialogues”, comprising three sub-themes: “promote the individual’s perspectives”, “uncovering vulnerability”, and “ambiguity of the dialogues”. The health-promoting dialogue uses a resource perspective for the elderly to remain independent in old age and can reveal vulnerability and underlying needs. The purpose of the dialogue appears ambiguous for the target group, which leads to unclear service expectations and frequent rejections of the offer. Nevertheless, this health-promoting service has a clear purpose of identifying and meeting the needs of the target group in a broader sense during the ageing process.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Participation and Mental Health among Older Adults)
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Open AccessReview
The Effect of the COVID Pandemic on Clinical Psychology Research: A Bibliometric Analysis
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Jordan Anders and Michael S. Vitevitch
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 463; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14060463 - 30 May 2024
Abstract
The present bibliometric analysis used traditional measures and network science techniques to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced research in Clinical Psychology. Publication records from the Web of Science (WoS) were obtained for journal articles published prior to (2015 and 2018), during (2020),
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The present bibliometric analysis used traditional measures and network science techniques to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced research in Clinical Psychology. Publication records from the Web of Science (WoS) were obtained for journal articles published prior to (2015 and 2018), during (2020), and at the end of the pandemic (2022) for the search terms “men and mental health” and “women and mental health”. Network analyses of author-provided keywords showed that COVID-19 co-occurred with fear, anxiety, depression, and stress for both men and women in 2020. In 2022, COVID-19 co-occurred with topics related to world-wide lockdowns (e.g., alcohol use, substance use, intimate partner violence, loneliness, physical activity), and to more fundamental topics in Clinical Psychology (e.g., eating disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder). Although the COVID pandemic was associated with several changes in the research topics that were examined in Clinical Psychology, pre-existing disparities in the amount of mental health research on men compared to women did not appear to increase (in contrast to increases associated with COVID in pre-existing gender disparities observed in other areas of society).
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impacts of COVID-19 on Mental Health and Well-Being)
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Open AccessArticle
Effects and Side Effects in a Short Work Coaching for Participants with and without Mental Illness
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Lilly Paulin Werk and Beate Muschalla
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 462; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14060462 - 30 May 2024
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Employees with mental illness are often the first to be unable to cope with increasingly complex psychosocial work demands. But people without mental illness can also suffer from, for example, high workload. This study compares a short coaching to stabilize work ability for
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Employees with mental illness are often the first to be unable to cope with increasingly complex psychosocial work demands. But people without mental illness can also suffer from, for example, high workload. This study compares a short coaching to stabilize work ability for employees with and without mental illness regarding coaching topics, effects on work-related resources, goal attainment, and unwanted events. Individual coaching of three sessions (problem exploration by behavior analysis, practice of new behavior, reflection) was conducted with employees from different professional fields. A medical history was taken to determine whether participants are affected by a mental disorder. All coaching was conducted by the same behavior therapist in training (L.P.W.) under the supervision of an experienced behavior therapist (B.M.). Two hundred and three coachings with three sessions were completed. In total, 103 participants did not have a mental illness (51%), and 100 participants reported a mental disorder (49%). The coaching participants with mental illness had lower initial levels of work-related capacities (more severe impairments) and coping behavior as compared to the participants without mental illness. In the pre–post comparisons, both groups achieved significant improvements in work-related coping after the coaching. There were no differences in goal attainment between both groups. While participants without mental illness reported more unwanted events in parallel to the coaching (30% reported negative developments in life), participants with mental illness reported coaching-related unwanted events (20% felt to be dependent on the coach). Coaching with an individual focus on one topic can improve work-related resources in participants with and without mental disorders. Since participants with and without mental illness experience different unwanted events in coaching, psychotherapeutic expertise is needed in order to set the right focus.
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Open AccessArticle
The Involvement of Academic and Emotional Support for Sustainable Use of MOOCs
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Zhanni Luo and Huazhen Li
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 461; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14060461 - 30 May 2024
Abstract
MOOCs, the Massive Open Online Courses, are online educational courses that offer open access to a large number of participants globally. However, online engagement during MOOC learning remains a problem, as reflected in relatively high dropout rates. This paper involves academic and emotional
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MOOCs, the Massive Open Online Courses, are online educational courses that offer open access to a large number of participants globally. However, online engagement during MOOC learning remains a problem, as reflected in relatively high dropout rates. This paper involves academic and emotional support, aiming to explore whether they contribute to users’ sustainable use of the MOOC platform. A total of 410 college students learning English as a foreign language (EFL) and with MOOC learning experience participated in this study. Employing the structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques, we examined the relationships among five factors in the EFL MOOC learning context: academic support (AS), emotional support (ES), perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEoU), and platform reputation (PR). The results indicate that academic support influences learners’ perceptions of the usefulness and ease of use of the MOOC platform, as well as enhancing learners’ feelings of being emotionally supported. Simultaneously, platform reputation plays a crucial role in influencing learners’ perceptions of MOOC platforms. However, results suggest that emotional support does not have a statistically significant impact on the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of the platform in EFL MOOC learning contexts.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Behaviors in Educational Settings—2nd Edition)
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Open AccessSystematic Review
How Does Individual Psychotherapy Promote Recovery for Persons with Psychosis? A Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies to Understand the Patient’s Experience
by
Laura A. Faith, Jaclyn D. Hillis-Mascia and Courtney N. Wiesepape
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 460; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14060460 - 30 May 2024
Abstract
Psychotherapy for individuals with psychosis is an effective treatment that promotes recovery in various ways. While there is strong quantitative evidence across modalities, less is known from the patient’s perspective. There are many varied forms of psychotherapy, and gaining the patient’s perspective can
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Psychotherapy for individuals with psychosis is an effective treatment that promotes recovery in various ways. While there is strong quantitative evidence across modalities, less is known from the patient’s perspective. There are many varied forms of psychotherapy, and gaining the patient’s perspective can improve understanding of salient elements of psychotherapy and increase engagement, ultimately improving recovery rates. The purpose of this review is to identify and integrate data from published studies of patient perspectives of psychotherapy for psychosis to understand essential elements across approaches, differences between approaches, and how psychotherapy impacts recovery. We aimed to understand further: what are the perceptions about individual psychotherapy from the perspective of individuals with psychosis? The current study was a systematic review using PRISMA guidelines of studies that included qualitative interviews with persons with experiences of psychosis who participated in psychotherapy. All three authors participated in the literature search using Pubmed, APA PsycInfo, and Psychiatry Online. We identified N = 33 studies. Studies included cognitive therapies, acceptance and mindfulness approaches, trauma therapies, metacognitive therapy, and music therapy. All studies reported participants’ perceived benefit with the therapeutic relationship as especially salient. Participants described diverse aspects of objective (e.g., symptoms, functioning) and subjective (e.g., self-experience or quality of life) recovery improvements, with perceived mechanisms of change, and with music therapy having some unique benefits. Participants also reported challenges and suggestions for improvement. Study findings highlight the salient aspects of psychotherapy identified by patients that may help therapists to individualize and improve approaches to psychotherapy when working with individuals experiencing psychosis. Overall, findings support the potential for integrative psychotherapy approaches for maximal treatment personalization.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prevention and Recovery in People with Schizophrenia and Related Disorders)
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Open AccessArticle
Autism Detection in Children: Integrating Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing in Narrative Analysis
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Charalambos K. Themistocleous, Maria Andreou and Eleni Peristeri
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 459; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14060459 - 29 May 2024
Abstract
Despite the consensus that early identification leads to better outcomes for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), recent research reveals that the average age of diagnosis in the Greek population is approximately six years. However, this age of diagnosis is delayed by an
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Despite the consensus that early identification leads to better outcomes for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), recent research reveals that the average age of diagnosis in the Greek population is approximately six years. However, this age of diagnosis is delayed by an additional two years for families from lower-income or minority backgrounds. These disparities result in adverse impacts on intervention outcomes, which are further burdened by the often time-consuming and labor-intensive language assessments for children with ASD. There is a crucial need for tools that increase access to early assessment and diagnosis that will be rigorous and objective. The current study leverages the capabilities of artificial intelligence to develop a reliable and practical model for distinguishing children with ASD from typically-developing peers based on their narrative and vocabulary skills. We applied natural language processing-based extraction techniques to automatically acquire language features (narrative and vocabulary skills) from storytelling in 68 children with ASD and 52 typically-developing children, and then trained machine learning models on the children’s combined narrative and expressive vocabulary data to generate behavioral targets that effectively differentiate ASD from typically-developing children. According to the findings, the model could distinguish ASD from typically-developing children, achieving an accuracy of 96%. Specifically, out of the models used, hist gradient boosting and XGBoost showed slightly superior performance compared to the decision trees and gradient boosting models, particularly regarding accuracy and F1 score. These results bode well for the deployment of machine learning technology for children with ASD, especially those with limited access to early identification services.
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Open AccessArticle
Building Resilience and Social–Emotional Competencies in Elementary School Students through a Short-Term Intervention Program Based on the SEE Learning Curriculum
by
Hee Jung Min, Sang-Hee Park, Seung-Hyun Lee, Bo-Hwa Lee, Mikyung Kang, Mi Ju Kwon, Myung Ju Chang, Lobsang Tenzin Negi, Tsondue Samphel and Seunghee Won
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 458; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14060458 - 29 May 2024
Abstract
This study explored the positive effects of a six-week Social–Emotional and Ethical Learning® (SEE Learning) program on resilience and social and emotional competences, adapted for elementary students in Daegu, South Korea, a region strongly affected by the first outbreak of COVID-19. A
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This study explored the positive effects of a six-week Social–Emotional and Ethical Learning® (SEE Learning) program on resilience and social and emotional competences, adapted for elementary students in Daegu, South Korea, a region strongly affected by the first outbreak of COVID-19. A total of 348 third- and fourth-grade students from 15 elementary schools participated, and the curriculum was tailored, emphasizing key areas such as resilience, attention, kindness, attention training, and compassion. Repeated measures analysis of variance (RMANOVA) tests showed statistically significant improvements between pre- and post-tests in resilience and its subscales, including self-efficacy, tolerance of negative affect, positive support relations, power of control, and spontaneity, as well as in social and emotional competencies, including emotional regulation, social skills, empathy, and social tendencies. Despite a lack of maintenance in all areas, at follow-up, the mean scores for self-efficacy, tolerance of negative affect, and positive support relations, as well as emotional regulation, social skills, empathy, and social tendency, remained higher than pre-test levels, suggesting some lasting benefits. The findings underscore the potential of the SEE Learning program integrated with resilience, mindfulness, compassion, and ethical practices to enhance students’ resilience and social and emotional well-being. This study contributes to the growing body of evidence supporting the use of mindfulness and compassion-based SEL programs to mitigate the adverse effects of traumatic events on children’s mental health.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trauma, Resilience and Mental Health)
Open AccessArticle
How Socially Avoidant Emerging Adults Process Social Feedback during Human-to-Human Interaction after Social Rejection: An Event-Related Potential Study
by
Yangdi Chen and Xinmei Deng
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 457; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14060457 - 29 May 2024
Abstract
Social avoidance refers to active non-participation in social activities, which is detrimental to healthy interpersonal interaction for emerging adults. Social rejection is a kind of negative social evaluation from others making people feel social pain. However, how socially avoidant emerging adults process social
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Social avoidance refers to active non-participation in social activities, which is detrimental to healthy interpersonal interaction for emerging adults. Social rejection is a kind of negative social evaluation from others making people feel social pain. However, how socially avoidant emerging adults process social feedback information after experiencing social rejection has received less attention. The current study aimed to explore the differences in social interaction feedback processing after social rejection between a socially avoidant group (n = 16) and a comparison group (n = 16) in a human-to-human interaction context. Computer game tasks with two types of interaction (cooperation and competition) were used to record the event-related potentials when receiving social interaction feedback in two conditions (social rejection and control condition). The results showed that (1) the socially avoidant group had lower reward positivity amplitudes than the comparison group when receiving social feedback; (2) the socially avoidant group presented larger P300 amplitudes in the social rejection condition than in the control condition, but the comparison group did not; and (3) social rejection evoked more negative N1 amplitudes in the socially avoidant and comparison groups. The findings suggest that socially avoidant emerging adults may have flaws in reward sensitivity during interpersonal interaction, and they might also exert more attentional and emotional resources to social feedback after social rejection.
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(This article belongs to the Topic Risk and Protective Factors in Social Interactions: Behavioral and Neural Evidence)
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