Behavioral Sciences

14 pages, 560 KB

Open AccessArticle

Between Awareness and Readiness: Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence Among Indonesian Mental Health Professionals

by Fransiska Kaligis, Alifa Rahma Rizqina, Billy Pramatirta, Natasha Vania Theresia Purba and Farah Nabila Widyaputri

Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(9), 1622; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16091622 - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

Background: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly used in mental health practice, yet evidence on healthcare professionals’ knowledge and perception regarding its use remains limited. This study evaluated Indonesian mental health professionals’ perceptions of AI use in psychiatric services. Methods: A cross-sectional study was [...] Read more.

Background: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly used in mental health practice, yet evidence on healthcare professionals’ knowledge and perception regarding its use remains limited. This study evaluated Indonesian mental health professionals’ perceptions of AI use in psychiatric services. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 267 healthcare professionals across Indonesia, using the Shinners Artificial Intelligence Perception (SHAIP) questionnaire. Results: All participants (100%) reported awareness of AI, and 53.2% had already applied it in daily practice. Participants aged 41–50 y.o. (compared to ≤40 y.o., p < 0.01) and profession (general practitioner and resident, compared to psychiatrist, each p < 0.01), were significantly associated with AI use after multivariable adjustment. Overall perception of AI was positive. Perceived professional impact differed significantly by profession (resident vs. psychiatrist, p = 0.03), and by workplace setting (psychiatry hospital vs. general hospital, p = 0.02) after multivariate analysis. Despite this generally positive perception, 82.8% of participants reported that they received no training in AI use, while only 21.0% agreed that they had received adequate formal AI training specific to their roles. Conclusion: Most Indonesian mental health professionals are aware of and already using AI in daily practice, with generally positive perceptions of its role. However, the gap between AI adoption and formal training calls for structured AI education in this workforce. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Social Psychology)

43 pages, 1063 KB

Open AccessArticle

Supporting the Conditions for Healthy Cognitive Aging in Place Through Integrated Care: A Retrospective Qualitative Case Study with a Longitudinal Documentary Component

by Libor Stráník, Iva Holmerová, Marie Dohnalová and Alžběta Bártová

Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(9), 1621; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16091621 - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

Aging in place (AiP) and healthy cognitive aging (HCA) are closely interrelated concepts but seldom examined together within real-world care systems. Integrated care (IC) offers a framework to understand how community settings can support both. This qualitative case study examined a 25-year-old community-based [...] Read more.

Aging in place (AiP) and healthy cognitive aging (HCA) are closely interrelated concepts but seldom examined together within real-world care systems. Integrated care (IC) offers a framework to understand how community settings can support both. This qualitative case study examined a 25-year-old community-based integrated health and social care program in a rural Czech microregion. Utilizing a realist-informed context–mechanism–outcome framework, the study integrated data from documentary analysis, semistructured interviews, and participant observation. The findings suggest that the conditions facilitating AiP and HCA may be mutually supported through interrelated, context-dependent, cumulatively operated mechanisms, including environmental predictability, continuity of care, coordination across services, social embeddedness, supported autonomy, and reductions in cognitive and organizational burden and stress. IC is not a direct intervention, but acts as a context-dependent moderator that shapes the conditions for AiP and HCA. Behaviorally, these mechanisms minimize decision-making complexity and establish predictable interaction patterns that support everyday functioning. AiP and conditions relevant to HCA are mutually supported through shared underlying mechanisms embedded in care systems and community contexts. IC may facilitate this by fostering stable, person-centered environments that may reduce cognitive demands and support relational continuity. The study contributes to behavioral science by exploring how IC may shape conditions relevant to cognitive and functional outcomes in later life and provides actionable insights for the design of IC systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Embracing Aging in Place: Fostering Healthy Cognitive Aging in the Community)

22 pages, 807 KB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring Representations of Old Age Emerging from the Narratives of Healthcare Professionals Working with Older Adults in Two Italian Cities

by Barbara Cordella, Michela Di Trani, Alessia Renzi, Maria Gattuso, Ambra Galiccia, Paola Elia, Maria Giovanna Massari, Andrea Greco and Francesca Morganti

Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(9), 1620; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16091620 - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

Population ageing is reshaping care systems and cultural meanings of later life. Present explorative qualitative study examined how healthcare professionals working with older adults in two Italian cities (Rome and Bergamo), represent old age. Moreover, we explored whether these representations vary by age, [...] Read more.

Population ageing is reshaping care systems and cultural meanings of later life. Present explorative qualitative study examined how healthcare professionals working with older adults in two Italian cities (Rome and Bergamo), represent old age. Moreover, we explored whether these representations vary by age, gender, and location. Fifty professionals aged 30–60 years, each residing and practicing professionally in either Rome (n = 25) or Bergamo (n = 25), were interviewed using an open-ended prompt on resources, difficulties, and transitions related to old age. A quali-quantitative approach based on Emotional Text Mining (ETM) was applied to verbatim transcripts. The analysis included text preprocessing, bisecting k-means clustering, and correspondence analysis. Seven clusters emerged: Witnessing ageing, Passing years, Challenging old age, Denial, Awareness, Rethinking services, and Old age as a problem. Correspondence analysis identified six factors; the first three, accounting for 60.24% of total inertia, were interpreted as Time (Present vs. Future), Places (Protected Shelter vs. Exposure to Risk), and Care (Assistance vs. Planning). Together, the factors and clusters outlined a symbolic field ranging from direct observation of ageing and reflection on time, to defensive responses and concerns about decline, and to greater awareness of older adults’ needs and calls for more responsive services. No statistically significant differences emerged by age or gender. Conversely, cluster distribution was significantly associated with participants’ location (Rome vs. Bergamo; χ² = 49.84, p < 0.001), suggesting possible differences in the representation of older adults across these two geographical areas. Overall, representations oscillated between proximity and defense, individual responsibility and system-level delegation, supporting reflective training and organizational interventions to strengthen care cultures. Full article

► Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 619 KB

Open AccessArticle

Implicit Health Beliefs and Suicidal Ideation in Chinese College Students: The Serial Mediating Roles of Lifestyle Behaviors and Anxiety Symptoms

by Xinxin Lai, Jinghong Huang, Honglin Yan, Zhenkun Shi, Yuxin Zhang, Yongfu Yang and Xiaojun Liu

Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(9), 1619; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16091619 - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

The growing prevalence of mental health problems and suicidality among university students highlights the need to identify potentially modifiable psychological pathways that can inform preventive interventions. This study investigated the association between implicit health beliefs and suicidal ideation among Chinese college students and [...] Read more.

The growing prevalence of mental health problems and suicidality among university students highlights the need to identify potentially modifiable psychological pathways that can inform preventive interventions. This study investigated the association between implicit health beliefs and suicidal ideation among Chinese college students and examined whether lifestyle behaviors and anxiety symptoms jointly explained this relationship. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1964 college students using the Lay Theories of Health Scale, 24-H Movement Behaviors Questionnaire, 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Beck Suicide Ideation Scale. Serial mediation analyses were performed to test the indirect effects of lifestyle behaviors and anxiety symptoms. Implicit health beliefs were directly associated with lower suicidal ideation (direct effect: −0.0562, 95% CI: −0.0767 to −0.0357). In addition, lifestyle behaviors (indirect effect: −0.0049, 95% CI: −0.0086 to −0.0015), anxiety symptoms (indirect effect: −0.0644, 95% CI: −0.0770 to −0.0523), and their serial mediation pathway (indirect effect: −0.0018, 95% CI: −0.0035 to −0.0002) significantly mediated this association, accounting for 55.82% of the total effect. These findings suggest that implicit health beliefs may be associated with suicidal ideation, with lifestyle behaviors and anxiety symptoms statistically accounting for part of this association. Targeting these modifiable potential pathways may help inform the development of theory-driven psychological interventions to reduce suicidal ideation and promote mental health among higher education students. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Developing and Evaluating Psychological Interventions for Higher Education Student Mental Health)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 270 KB

Open AccessArticle

From Awareness to Action: Advancing Counselor Education Policy to Improve Early Detection of Eating Disorders Through Embodied Reflection

by Rebecca E. Taylor and Sarah Jarvie

Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(9), 1618; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16091618 - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

Eating disorders are associated with substantial morbidity and mortality yet remain underidentified in general mental health practice, delaying intervention and worsening outcomes. Counselor preparation often provides limited eating disorder content within broader psychopathology coursework, leaving trainees underprepared to recognize subtle, culturally diverse, and [...] Read more.

Eating disorders are associated with substantial morbidity and mortality yet remain underidentified in general mental health practice, delaying intervention and worsening outcomes. Counselor preparation often provides limited eating disorder content within broader psychopathology coursework, leaving trainees underprepared to recognize subtle, culturally diverse, and nonstereotypical presentations. This conceptual paper draws on scholarship in counselor education, body image, embodied self-awareness, and eating disorder training to propose a four-domain framework intended to strengthen counselor preparation for eating disorder recognition and clinical response. The framework includes foundational knowledge of eating disorder diagnosis, medical and nutritional risk, levels of care, and multidisciplinary treatment; reflective body-related self-awareness concerning clinicians’ beliefs about food, weight, health, exercise, appearance, and culture; embodied and creative practices that strengthen awareness of bodily and relational responses; and clinical translation through direct assessment, supervision, consultation, and referral. A seven-session graduate course illustrates how the framework can be implemented while protecting students from coerced personal disclosure. Within the U.S. counselor education and mental health training context, policy recommendations address curriculum infusion, weight stigma, countertransference, competency assessment, and basic detection and referral preparations. Integrating body-related reflection with diagnostic knowledge may offer a promising approach for helping clinicians recognize when eating disorder and body image concerns warrant further inquiry, reduce stereotype-based omissions, and respond more deliberately across diverse clinical settings; however, whether embodied training improves detection outcomes remains an empirical question. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Prevention, Intervention and Treatment of Eating Disorders)

19 pages, 357 KB

Open AccessArticle

How Creative Self-Regulation Is Associated with Adolescent Creativity: The Sequential Mediating Roles of Cognitive Flexibility and Creative Self-Efficacy

by Xiaofang Xu, Shuo Tang, Tao Chen and Hua Jin

Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(9), 1617; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16091617 - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

Understanding the relationship between creative self-regulation and adolescent creativity is important for advancing research on creativity development. However, the psychological processes that may account for this association remain insufficiently explored. The present study aimed to examine the relationship between creative self-regulation and self-reported [...] Read more.

Understanding the relationship between creative self-regulation and adolescent creativity is important for advancing research on creativity development. However, the psychological processes that may account for this association remain insufficiently explored. The present study aimed to examine the relationship between creative self-regulation and self-reported domain-specific creativity among adolescents, with particular attention to the sequential mediating roles of cognitive flexibility and creative self-efficacy. A total of 1204 Chinese adolescents completed the Creative Self-Regulation Questionnaire (CSRQ), the 20-item Kaufman Domains of Creativity Scale (20-K-DOCS), the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI), and the Creative Self-Efficacy Scale (CSES). The results showed that creative self-regulation was positively associated with self-reported domain-specific creativity, with significant indirect associations through cognitive flexibility and creative self-efficacy. In addition, a significant sequential indirect association was observed through cognitive flexibility and creative self-efficacy. Specifically, higher levels of creative self-regulation were associated with greater cognitive flexibility, which was in turn associated with higher creative self-efficacy and higher self-reported creativity scores. These findings support an integrated cognitive–motivational framework for understanding the interrelationships among creative self-regulation, cognitive flexibility, creative self-efficacy, and self-reported domain-specific creativity among adolescents, while highlighting these constructs as potentially relevant psychological resources in educational contexts. Given the cross-sectional design, these findings should not be interpreted as establishing causal or temporal relationships among the constructs. Full article

► Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 272 KB

Open AccessArticle

Social Functioning Profiles in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in China: A Preliminary Identification of Subtypes

by Xueyun Su, Jiajia Ge and Xiao Yang

Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(9), 1616; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16091616 - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit considerable heterogeneity in social functioning, suggesting the existence of distinct latent subtypes. A total of 479 Chinese children diagnosed with ASD (M_age = 9.338 years) were assessed using the Mandarin translation of the Stanford Social [...] Read more.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit considerable heterogeneity in social functioning, suggesting the existence of distinct latent subtypes. A total of 479 Chinese children diagnosed with ASD (M_age = 9.338 years) were assessed using the Mandarin translation of the Stanford Social Dimensions Scale (SSDS). This measure aims to better comprehend individual differences in key social dimensions in ASD. Using the latent profile analysis (LPA) method, four profiles were identified and named based on their characteristics, and differences among the profiles were validated using data from the Full-scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ), Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and Social Responsiveness Scale-Second Edition (SRS-2). The results revealed that (1) the social functioning level of children with ASD can be divided into four profiles: Risky, Apathetic, Active but Awkward, and Advantageous. (2) Children in the Advantageous profile showed fewer ASD-related symptoms and more prosocial behaviors than those in the other profiles. This study offers preliminary evidence for the heterogeneity of social functioning in children with ASD, serving as a step toward precision-based social interventions and inclusive educational support. Full article

21 pages, 616 KB

Open AccessArticle

Teaching Under Fire: A Cross-Sectional Study of Dispositional and Life-Stage Correlates of Perceived Resilience Among Israeli Educators Under Missile Threat

by Chen Hanna Ryder, Carmit Gal, Revital Hamerman, Ester Halfon, Samih Badarny, Rema Nassar and Yazid Badarny

Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(9), 1615; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16091615 - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

Educators who keep teaching under wartime missile threat occupy a demanding dual role, sustaining instruction and students’ emotional needs while personally exposed. This descriptive cross-sectional study examined dispositional and life-stage correlates of perceived resilience among 234 educators in Northern Israel during active missile [...] Read more.

Educators who keep teaching under wartime missile threat occupy a demanding dual role, sustaining instruction and students’ emotional needs while personally exposed. This descriptive cross-sectional study examined dispositional and life-stage correlates of perceived resilience among 234 educators in Northern Israel during active missile threat (April–July 2024); all shared the same regional context, though individual exposure was unmeasured. Participants completed the CD-RISC-10 and the Ten-Item Personality Inventory. Two confirmatory questions concerned personality–resilience associations; a third, exploratory question concerned the parent–non-parent contrast. In a hierarchical regression, Emotional Stability (β = 0.37) and Conscientiousness (β = 0.24) were the strongest observed dispositional correlates, and the model accounted for 41.0% of the variance; because Emotional Stability and the resilience measure overlap conceptually and in method, it is reported as an observed correlate rather than a predictor. Parents scored higher than non-parents (d = 0.68), but minimal covariate overlap (only 27 of 186 parents matchable) means parenthood cannot be separated from an incompletely measured life-stage configuration; it is retained only as an exploratory marker. Interpreted within a Conservation of Resources framework, this study offers a contextual extension of established personality–resilience findings to educators under sustained missile threat; all findings are associational. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Social Psychology)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

25 pages, 598 KB

Open AccessArticle

Mindful Parenting and Emotional and Behavioural Problems in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Chain Mediating Role of Parenting Stress and Family Management

by Ting Huang, Jingyi Wang, Yilin Li and Ou Chen

Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(9), 1614; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16091614 - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has a continuously rising global prevalence, imposing a heavy burden on affected families and society. Emotional and behavioural problems are the most common comorbidities of ASD and severely impair the long-term prognosis of affected children. While mindful parenting represents [...] Read more.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has a continuously rising global prevalence, imposing a heavy burden on affected families and society. Emotional and behavioural problems are the most common comorbidities of ASD and severely impair the long-term prognosis of affected children. While mindful parenting represents a validated positive parenting model, the internal mechanisms underlying its association with emotional and behavioural developmental outcomes in children with ASD remain unclear. This study adopted a cross-sectional design. Between April and August 2023, 268 parent–child dyads were recruited via convenience sampling from hospitals and special education settings in Jinan, China. Validated instruments were used to assess mindful parenting, parenting stress, family management, and child emotional and behavioural problems, and data were analysed using path analysis with observed variables. The results showed that the sequential chain mediation pathway was fully consistent with the data for total difficulties, with the total indirect effect accounting for 66.71% of the total association. For prosocial behaviour, the model received only partial support, with a 61.54% total indirect association, as the unique indirect path via parenting stress did not reach statistical significance. These findings indicate that mindful parenting is associated with fewer child difficulties through a sequence involving reduced parenting stress and better family management. For prosocial behaviour, this association appears primarily linked to family management, with no significant unique contribution of parenting stress. The study reveals potential family process mechanisms and can inform the development of family-centred interventions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Family Interaction and Children’s Social Development: Behavioral and Neural Correlates)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

26 pages, 7760 KB

Open AccessArticle

Network Structure of Nomophobia, Fear of Missing Out, Mindful Attention, and Happiness Among University Students

by Mahmood Salim Almaawali, Gomaa Said Mohamed Abdelhamid, Muna Al-Bahrani, Yousef Abu Shindi, Yusen Zhai, Manal Al-Fazari and Suhail Al-Zoubi

Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(9), 1613; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16091613 - 9 Sep 2026

Abstract

Nomophobia, fear of missing out (FoMO), mindful attention, and happiness are interconnected psychological constructs, yet their interdependencies remain poorly understood, particularly in Arab-speaking contexts. Using network analysis (EBICglasso), this cross-sectional study examined these associations in 462 Omani college students across a 56-node, four-community [...] Read more.

Nomophobia, fear of missing out (FoMO), mindful attention, and happiness are interconnected psychological constructs, yet their interdependencies remain poorly understood, particularly in Arab-speaking contexts. Using network analysis (EBICglasso), this cross-sectional study examined these associations in 462 Omani college students across a 56-node, four-community network. Centrality indices (strength, expected influence) and bridge expected influence were calculated, with stability assessed via bootstrapping and gender differences examined using the Network Comparison Test. Results revealed strong within-community connections and notable cross-community links. Mindful attention showed positive associations with nomophobia and FoMO but negative associations with happiness. Happiness and mindful attention emerged as the most central constructs, while FoMO and mindful attention showed the strongest bridge associations across network communities. Stability coefficients exceeded the recommended 0.50 threshold, and no significant gender differences emerged in network structure or global strength. These findings highlight the complexity of the associations among mindful attention, nomophobia, FoMO, and happiness and suggest that the role of mindful attention may vary across contexts. The identified central and bridge constructs warrant further investigation as potential areas of focus in future digital well-being research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Well-Being in Daily Life)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 1012 KB

Open AccessArticle

Insensitivity as an Adaptive Psychological Resource for Mental Health: Development and Validation of a Scale Among Chinese University Students

by Zeyu Lei, Bo Liu, Tonglin Jin and Yuntena Wu

Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(9), 1612; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16091612 - 9 Sep 2026

Abstract

Depression and other mental health problems are increasingly prevalent among university students, highlighting the need to identify psychological resources that support mental well-being and early prevention. Adaptive Insensitivity has recently been proposed as a potentially adaptive psychological resource; however, no validated instrument is [...] Read more.

Depression and other mental health problems are increasingly prevalent among university students, highlighting the need to identify psychological resources that support mental well-being and early prevention. Adaptive Insensitivity has recently been proposed as a potentially adaptive psychological resource; however, no validated instrument is currently available to assess this construct. This study developed and validated the Insensitivity Scale (IS) among Chinese university students and further examined the mediating role of rumination in the relationship between insensitivity and depressive symptoms. An initial item pool was generated through word association tasks, open-ended surveys, online text analysis, and semi-structured interviews, and the resulting dimensions were subsequently organized and interpreted within the ABC model. The psychometric properties of the IS were evaluated across multiple independent samples using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, reliability analyses, and validity assessments. The final 15-item IS comprised three dimensions, Emotional Cognitive Management, Interpersonal Boundary Management, and Behavioral Response Management, and demonstrated satisfactory structural validity, internal consistency, test–retest reliability, and criterion-related validity. Insensitivity was positively associated with psychological resilience and regulatory emotional self-efficacy and negatively associated with emotional vulnerability, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Rumination partially mediated the relationship between insensitivity and depressive symptoms, accounting for 52% of the total effect. These findings provide preliminary evidence that insensitivity is associated with better mental health among university students and may represent a potentially complementary perspective on adaptive psychological functioning. The IS demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties for assessing individual differences in insensitivity and may facilitate further research on its role in psychological adaptation and mental health among university students. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Mental Health and the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda: Old Problems and New Perspectives)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

27 pages, 2084 KB

Open AccessArticle

Sleep Architecture and Risk-Taking in Adolescents and Young Adults: Independent Contributions of REM Sleep, Sigma Activity, and Morning Cortisol

by Laura B. F. Kurdziel, Autumn R. Vance, Abigail K. Dunn, Manikandan Santhanaraman, Amanda Cremone-Caira and Melissa A. St. Hilaire

Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(9), 1611; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16091611 - 9 Sep 2026

Abstract

Insufficient sleep is highly prevalent among adolescents and young adults and has well-documented effects on neural systems underlying decision-making and risk-taking behavior. While prior research has linked sleep deprivation to poorer decision-making broadly, less is known about how specific features of sleep architecture [...] Read more.

Insufficient sleep is highly prevalent among adolescents and young adults and has well-documented effects on neural systems underlying decision-making and risk-taking behavior. While prior research has linked sleep deprivation to poorer decision-making broadly, less is known about how specific features of sleep architecture contribute to risk-taking behavior, or whether the cortisol awakening response (CAR), shaped in part by the preceding night’s sleep, represents an independent hormonal pathway linking sleep physiology to morning behavioral outcomes. The present study used a cross-sectional design to examine associations among objective sleep architecture, the CAR, and next-morning risk-taking behavior in a community sample of adolescents and young adults. We predicted that (1) greater rapid eye movement (REM) sleep percentage would be associated with better overall task performance, and (2) greater N2-N3 sigma power would be associated with reduced risk-taking under uncertainty. The role of the CAR was examined exploratorily. Fifty-five adolescents and young adults (aged 15–34; mean age = 18.9 years, SD = 3.08 years, 86% female) completed overnight sleep monitoring using a wearable EEG device, provided morning saliva samples to index the CAR (n = 28), and completed the Balloon Emotional Learning Task (BELT) to assess risk-taking behavior. Primary sleep variables of interest included REM sleep percentage and Non-REM sleep (N2-N3) sigma power. Behavioral outcomes included overall task performance and risk-taking under uncertainty. Linear regression models with age as a covariate were used for all primary analyses. Higher REM sleep percentage was associated with greater overall task performance, while higher N2-N3 sigma power was associated with reduced risk-taking under uncertainty, consistent with predictions. Greater CAR was independently associated with poorer task performance but did not moderate sleep-behavior associations, nor was it significantly associated with objective sleep measures. These findings highlight the stage-specific contributions of sleep architecture to next-morning risk-taking behavior in adolescents and young adults, with sleep physiology and cortisol responsivity emerging as distinct physiological contributors to behavioral outcomes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Sleep in Children’s Learning and Memory)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 301 KB

Open AccessArticle

Volunteering Predicts Mixed Outcomes on Subjective Wellbeing

by Helen Keyes, Sarah Gradidge, Caoimhe Ryan and Eimear Mary Lee

Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(9), 1610; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16091610 - 9 Sep 2026

Abstract

This study explored whether engaging in volunteering predicted subjective wellbeing and loneliness, above and beyond known sociodemographic predictors. Secondary data from 7146 adults from the Taking Part 2019–2020 survey (UK household survey of participation in culture and sport) were analysed. Hierarchical regressions were [...] Read more.

This study explored whether engaging in volunteering predicted subjective wellbeing and loneliness, above and beyond known sociodemographic predictors. Secondary data from 7146 adults from the Taking Part 2019–2020 survey (UK household survey of participation in culture and sport) were analysed. Hierarchical regressions were used to explore whether engaging in volunteering (yes/no) predicts subjective wellbeing variables (a sense that life is worthwhile, happiness, life satisfaction and anxiety) and loneliness. Gender, age group, Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), health and employment status were included as covariates. Volunteering significantly and positively predicted a sense that life is worthwhile, although with small variance explained, and was also unexpectedly associated with greater anxiety. These relationships were observed above and beyond the variance explained by the known sociodemographic predictors. Our study provides some support for the idea that volunteering may be linked to greater wellbeing, in terms of life being worthwhile, but offers a note of caution about the potential negative relationship with anxiety. Based on our findings, we suggest that volunteering is not necessarily linked to greater hedonic wellbeing but may instead be linked to greater eudaimonic wellbeing, that is, a sense that life is worthwhile. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Well-Being in Daily Life)

26 pages, 497 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Intertwined Victimhood Narrative and the Challenge to Chinese Men’s Gender Role Legitimacy

by Jiaying Liu, Yue Zhang, Huiyue Shi, Zhaoming Chen, Lian Xue and Yan Xu

Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(9), 1609; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16091609 - 9 Sep 2026

Abstract

Gender inequality is often framed in terms of women’s disadvantage, whereas men’s gender-role constraints are overlooked or discussed in opposition to gender equality. We introduce the Intertwined Victimhood Narrative (IVN), which frames men’s and women’s constraints as interconnected consequences of a shared gender-role [...] Read more.

Gender inequality is often framed in terms of women’s disadvantage, whereas men’s gender-role constraints are overlooked or discussed in opposition to gender equality. We introduce the Intertwined Victimhood Narrative (IVN), which frames men’s and women’s constraints as interconnected consequences of a shared gender-role system. Two experiments recruited Chinese men through Credamo and randomly assigned them to narrative conditions. Study 1 (N = 200) compared the IVN with a Women-Centric Victimhood Narrative (WCVN) to test whether it would increase men’s recognition of constraints affecting themselves and weaken acceptance of existing gender roles. The IVN increased perceived discrimination against men without reducing perceived discrimination against women, and reduced general gender-role legitimacy. Study 2 (N = 270) further tested whether the IVN would reduce prescriptive gender stereotypes concerning both men and women. Men exposed to the IVN endorsed these stereotypes less strongly overall than those in the WCVN and control conditions, and none of the interactions involving the narrative condition reached significance. The WCVN did not differ from the control condition. These findings suggest that interconnected framing may broaden men’s stake in questioning restrictive gender arrangements and that the consequences of discussing male victimhood depend on its framing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Social Psychology)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 1380 KB

Open AccessArticle

Lonely at Work: The Moderating Role of Leader–Member Exchange in the Association Between Workplace Loneliness and Perceived Task and Contextual Performance

by Saadet Nur Karadenizli Sinap, Pinar Bayhan Karapinar and Ozge Tayfur Ekmekci

Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(9), 1608; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16091608 - 9 Sep 2026

Abstract

The current study examined the moderating role of leader–member exchange (LMX) in the associations between workplace loneliness and employees’ perceived task and perceived contextual performance. Specifically, the study explored whether the negative associations between workplace loneliness and these two dimensions of performance were [...] Read more.

The current study examined the moderating role of leader–member exchange (LMX) in the associations between workplace loneliness and employees’ perceived task and perceived contextual performance. Specifically, the study explored whether the negative associations between workplace loneliness and these two dimensions of performance were weaker at higher levels of LMX. Data were collected through a questionnaire-based survey of 352 white-collar employees from various sectors in Türkiye, and the hypotheses were tested using moderation analysis. Workplace loneliness was negatively associated with both perceived task and perceived contextual performance, in line with Hypotheses 1 and 2. Contrary to expectations, high-quality exchange relationships between subordinates and managers strengthened, rather than weakened, these negative associations for both perceived task and perceived contextual performance; H3 and H4 were therefore not supported. This pattern, which was not hypothesized a priori, points to a potential dark side of high-quality LMX and identifies LMX as an unanticipated boundary condition in the relationships between workplace loneliness and perceived performance. This pattern may be tentatively interpreted through a betrayal framework, whereby unmet relational expectations in high-quality LMX relationships may help account for the stronger negative association between loneliness and perceived performance. These findings extend the workplace loneliness and LMX studies by offering a possible betrayal-based interpretation of how relational quality may shape the loneliness–performance link and highlight the need for organizations to consider employees’ broader workplace relationships in addition to the quality of their relationships with supervisors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Organizational Behaviors)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 1429 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Platformized Commercial Persona: CEO Visibility, Fan Labor, and Consumer Engagement in Short-Video Social Commerce

by Hongbo Liao and Jiangmin Ding

Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(9), 1607; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16091607 - 9 Sep 2026

Abstract

Research on social commerce, influencer marketing, consumer–brand engagement, and CEO social media communication has rapidly expanded. However, less is known regarding how entrepreneurial leaders’ personal short-video accounts operate as platformized interfaces that organize consumer interaction. This study examines how CEO short-video communication produces [...] Read more.

Research on social commerce, influencer marketing, consumer–brand engagement, and CEO social media communication has rapidly expanded. However, less is known regarding how entrepreneurial leaders’ personal short-video accounts operate as platformized interfaces that organize consumer interaction. This study examines how CEO short-video communication produces an observable, collectively sustained commercial persona and connects executive visibility with fan labor, consumer–brand engagement, and consumption imagination. Using the Douyin account of a leading Chinese technology entrepreneur as a case, this study analyzes 372 short videos posted up to 15 August 2024, and 185,561 valid first-level comments. It combines structured content analysis, intercoder reliability testing, BERTopic-assisted topic location, manual thematic validation, and text-based emotional intensity analysis. Work footage, scenes of everyday life, casual presentations, and product props translate entrepreneurial authority into an approachable, platformized commercial persona. In comment sections, users perform informational, relational, affective, memetic, mobilizing, and defensive labor through product requests, familiar address, emotional identification, memes, consumption mobilization, and brand defense. These practices stabilize CEO personas, circulate product meanings, and create consumption imagination, understood as public projections of saving for, ordering, using, or affiliating with products rather than evidence of actual purchases. Emotional identification, consumption mobilization, and brand defense display higher observable emotional intensity than product requests. This study contributes a case-derived conceptual framework demonstrating how CEO identity capital, platform affordances, fan labor, and product-centered imagination are assembled in short-video social commerce. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exploring the Dynamics of Consumer Behavior in Digital Commerce)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 406 KB

Open AccessArticle

Dark Tetrad Traits and Suicidal Ideation in Psychiatric Patients: The Role of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress

by Marin Mamić, Nikolina Farčić, Ivana Barać, Željko Mudri, Marija Barišić, Blaženka Kljaić Bukvić, Ivana Mamić, Zrinka Puharić and Ivan Vukoja

Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(9), 1606; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16091606 - 9 Sep 2026

Abstract

This study examined direct and indirect associations of Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, and sadism with suicidal ideation through depression, anxiety, and stress in psychiatric patients. A cross-sectional sample of 210 patients completed the Short Dark Tetrad (SD4), Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21), and Suicidal [...] Read more.

This study examined direct and indirect associations of Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, and sadism with suicidal ideation through depression, anxiety, and stress in psychiatric patients. A cross-sectional sample of 210 patients completed the Short Dark Tetrad (SD4), Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21), and Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale (SIDAS). Regression paths were estimated using robust maximum likelihood, whereas indirect effects were evaluated using 10,000 bootstrap resamples. Because 92 participants (43.8%) had SIDAS = 0, two-part sensitivity analyses separated the occurrence from the severity of suicidal ideation; additional analyses excluded the two smallest diagnostic groups. Depression, stress, and anxiety correlated with SIDAS (r = 0.560, 0.509, and 0.466, respectively). The sadism–stress–SIDAS indirect effect was significant in the primary model (B = 0.147; 95% bootstrap CI [0.037, 0.291]), after covariate adjustment (B = 0.126; 95% bootstrap CI [0.016, 0.266]), and after excluding psychotic and bipolar groups (B = 0.115; 95% CI [0.006, 0.259]). In two-part analyses, depression was associated with SIDAS occurrence, whereas stress and sadism were associated with severity among participants with SIDAS > 0. The findings support a stress-related indirect association between sadism and suicidal ideation, but causal interpretation is not warranted. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue In the Shadows of Personality: Unpacking the Traits of the Dark Tetrad)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 2143 KB

Open AccessArticle

Background Masking Alters Accuracy and Confusion Structure in Mandarin Emotional Prosody Perception

by Yu Dong, Wanyu Hong, Jingyu Zhang, Fuyi Han and Jinghan Zeng

Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(9), 1605; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16091605 - 9 Sep 2026

Abstract

Emotional prosody is a key cue for affective communication, yet everyday speech often occurs in background noise. It remains unclear whether masking only reduces Mandarin emotional prosody recognition accuracy or also alters emotion-confusion structure. We examined this issue with speech-shaped noise (SSN) and [...] Read more.

Emotional prosody is a key cue for affective communication, yet everyday speech often occurs in background noise. It remains unclear whether masking only reduces Mandarin emotional prosody recognition accuracy or also alters emotion-confusion structure. We examined this issue with speech-shaped noise (SSN) and multi-talker babble (MTB). Thirty-six native Mandarin-speaking young adults identified semantically neutral sentences conveying happiness, sadness, anger, and surprise in silence and under SSN and MTB at 0 dB and −4 dB signal-to-noise ratios. Recognition accuracy was analyzed using trial-level generalized linear mixed-effects models, whereas confusion structure was assessed using confusion matrices, sadness–high-arousal boundary errors, and Net Flow, an index of directed target–response asymmetry. Accuracy declined under masking relative to silence, with the poorest performance in the MTB −4 dB condition. Across emotions, estimated accuracy was lowest for surprise and comparatively high for sadness. The MTB −4 dB condition increased sadness–high-arousal boundary errors; Net Flow characterized a source-like pattern for surprise and a more sink-like pattern for sadness, particularly in this condition. These findings suggest that background masking affects Mandarin emotional prosody perception not only by reducing recognition accuracy but also by altering directed response-error structure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Cognition)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

33 pages, 2678 KB

Open AccessReview

From Stable Traits to Dynamic Mechanisms: An Integrative Conceptual Model of Personality and Criminogenic Cognitions in the Incarcerated Population

by Cornelia Rada

Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(9), 1604; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16091604 - 9 Sep 2026

Abstract

Criminal behavior has been explained through multiple theoretical frameworks developed independently, including general personality models (FPI, Big Five, HEXACO), maladaptive configurations (Dark Triad/Tetrad, psychopathy), and criminogenic cognitions. However, integrated analysis of this literature suggests the existence of a multilevel architecture of antisocial vulnerability [...] Read more.

Criminal behavior has been explained through multiple theoretical frameworks developed independently, including general personality models (FPI, Big Five, HEXACO), maladaptive configurations (Dark Triad/Tetrad, psychopathy), and criminogenic cognitions. However, integrated analysis of this literature suggests the existence of a multilevel architecture of antisocial vulnerability rather than entirely distinct, non-communicating mechanisms. This narrative integrative review synthesizes empirical evidence regarding these frameworks in incarcerated populations, drawing predominantly on literature indexed in Web of Science and Scopus, supplemented by Google Scholar and snowballing searches, as detailed in the Methods section. The analysis identifies a convergent dispositional core—characterized by elevated aggression, emotional excitability, and psychological strain, alongside reduced conscientiousness, agreeableness, honesty–humility, and social integration—that may exert its influence on behavior partly through dynamic mechanisms such as self-efficacy and self-control, together with the more proximal influence of criminogenic cognitions, expressed differentially through maladaptive personality configurations. The persistent heterogeneity of offender profiles and conceptual convergences across models support this same multilevel structure. The findings propose a three-level integrative conceptual model that explicitly links these previously fragmented studies, with implications for directing correctional interventions toward dynamic mechanisms rather than solely toward stable personality traits. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Psychiatric, Emotional and Behavioral Disorders)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Journal Description

Behavioral Sciences

Latest Articles

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Highly Accessed Articles

Latest Books

E-Mail Alert

News

Topics

Conferences

Special Issues

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI