Search Results (232)

Generational approaches to climate engagement among older adults remain limited. This study examines the evolution of eco-anxiety, environmental activism, and pro-environmental behavior from a life course perspective, focusing on older adults in Spain. A nationwide CATI survey of 3000 residents aged 18 and older was conducted, employing validated multidimensional scales for eco-anxiety, environmental activism, and pro-environmental behavior, each rescaled to a 0–10 range. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, analyses of variance, and hierarchical regression models to estimate linear and quadratic age effects beyond sex, education, and subjective social class. Results show that (1) eco-anxiety follows an inverted-U pattern, peaking at ages 45–49 and declining significantly after 60; (2) environmental activism remains high until the late sixties, while everyday pro-environmental behaviors sharply decline after retirement; and (3) eco-anxiety and environmental action in older adults are partially decoupled, reflecting the role of supportive personal and contextual factors beyond emotional concern. The findings challenge prevailing stereotypes of passive older adults by demonstrating that older age can constitute a significant period of climate engagement. Despite a slight decline in climate concern following retirement, the willingness to take action remains notably resilient. Older adults maintain consistent involvement in environmental volunteering and activism, often motivated by a desire to leave a lasting legacy and shaped by personal experiences of past crises and collective struggles. However, pro-environmental behaviors show a marked decrease in older adults, not due to diminished interest but likely as a result of structural constraints such as declining health, limited income, and inadequate housing conditions. This study suggests that, in the context of liquid modernity marked by rapid change and uncertainty, older adults may serve as societal anchors—preserving narratives, emotional bonds, and civic networks. Through policies that address structural barriers, this anchor role can be supported, empowering older adults to improve their well-being and strengthening community resilience in the face of climate change. Full article

This article explores how gender biases in STEM education persist despite formal commitments to equality. Based on data from the Erasmus+ project STEMGenderIN, we analyze responses from lower-secondary school teachers (ISCED 2; ages 11–15), of STEM subjects, in Portugal, Italy, Belgium, and Romania using the TPGESE scale, which assesses three dimensions: perceived gender equality in education (PGEE), the awareness of the effects of gender segregation (AEGSE), and the naturalization of gender stereotypes (GSNGI). Findings show a consistent gap between teachers declared support for gender equality and their limited awareness of structural and cultural barriers faced by girls in STEM. While most teachers affirm equality in principle, many attribute girls’ underrepresentation to personal choice or aptitude, overlooking the influence of stereotypes, social expectations, and systemic inequalities. The results point to a paradox: formal recognition of gender equality coexists with low engagement in reflexive practice or institutional change. Differences between countries suggest varying degrees of critical awareness, with some contexts showing greater openness to questioning dominant narratives. This study highlights the urgent need for teacher training that goes beyond rhetoric, promoting deep pedagogical transformation and equipping educators to create more inclusive STEM learning environments. We argue that addressing the perception–practice gap is essential to closing the gender gap in STEM. To situate these findings, we also note how national cultural–political debates—such as Portugal’s public controversy around so-called “gender ideology” in Citizenship and Development—may shape teachers’ perceptions and self-reports, reinforcing the need for context-aware training. Full article

The phenomenon of population ageing indicates an overall improvement in health and quality of life. However, it also presents significant social challenges, particularly with regard to age discrimination and the negative stereotypes and attitudes towards older people known as ageism. Various studies have shown that these prejudices have a negative impact on the social integration and well-being of this group. This quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test study, which involved a non-equivalent comparison group, was carried out at the University of Salamanca with psychology and social work students. This study aimed to reduce negative stereotypes about old age and unfavourable attitudes towards retirement by implementing a three-phase educational programme. The programme incorporated flipped classroom methodology and intergenerational collaborative projects. Participants were divided into two groups: an intervention group responsible for designing intergenerational projects and a comparison group which did not participate in the intervention. The Negative Stereotypes towards Old Age Questionnaire (CENVE) and the Attitudes towards Retirement Scale (ARS) were administered before and after the programme. The results showed a significant decrease in negative stereotypes in the intervention group, with no changes observed in the comparison group. The impact varied according to academic discipline. Integrating active and intergenerational methodologies into educational contexts is proposed as a means of mitigating ageism, promoting inclusion, and fostering social justice. Full article

Large language-model chatbots such as ChatGPT and DeepSeek are quickly gaining traction as an easy, first-stop tool for trip planning because they offer instant, conversational advice that once required sifting through multiple websites or guidebooks. Yet little is known about the biases that shape the destination suggestions these systems provide. This study conducts a controlled, persona-based audit of the two models, generating 6480 recommendations for 216 traveller profiles that vary by origin country, age, gender identity and trip theme. Six observable bias families (popularity, geographic, cultural, stereotype, demographic and reinforcement) are quantified using tourism rankings, Hofstede scores, a 150-term cliché lexicon and information-theoretic distance measures. Findings reveal measurable bias in every bias category. DeepSeek is more likely than ChatGPT to suggest off-list cities and recommends domestic travel more often, while both models still favour mainstream destinations. DeepSeek also points users toward culturally more distant destinations on all six Hofstede dimensions and employs a denser, superlative-heavy cliché register; ChatGPT shows wider lexical variety but remains strongly promotional. Demographic analysis uncovers moderate gender gaps and extreme divergence for non-binary personas, tempered by a “protective” tendency to guide non-binary travellers toward countries with higher LGBTQI acceptance. Reinforcement bias is minimal, with over 90 percent of follow-up suggestions being novel in both systems. These results confirm that unconstrained LLMs are not neutral filters but active amplifiers of structural imbalances. The paper proposes a public-interest re-ranking layer, hosted by a body such as UN Tourism, that balances exposure fairness, seasonality smoothing, low-carbon routing, cultural congruence, safety safeguards and stereotype penalties, transforming conversational AI from an opaque gatekeeper into a sustainability-oriented travel recommendation tool. Full article

Ageism, a pervasive form of discrimination based on age, has become a growing concern across various fields. Artificial Intelligence (AI), despite its transformative potential, may have unintentionally reinforced ageist stereotypes through flawed design, biased datasets, and implementation practices. This review delves into the complex interplay between ageism and AI, offering a thorough analysis of existing research on the subject and its consequences for older adults. It highlights significant gaps, including the underrepresentation of older individuals in datasets and the absence of age-inclusive design standards, which may perpetuate algorithmic biases. Ethical principles, policy development, and societal implications of ageist AI systems are critically assessed. Furthermore, the article proposes constructive strategies and outlines future research directions to promote equitable and inclusive AI systems. By addressing these challenges, this review aims to contribute to a fair and dignified technological landscape for all age groups. Full article

Evidence from the international literature indicates alarming prevalence rates associated with various forms of intimate partner violence since adolescence. To prevent gender-based violence and increase psychological well-being in intimate relationships, both the scientific literature and policy makers agree on the importance of implementing specific prevention and education programs targeting adolescents. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to evaluate the impact of an educational intervention to promote awareness of one’s relationship with one’s own body, stereotypes related to gender and sexuality, and the issue of sexual consent. Participants were adolescents aged 15–16 years who filled a questionnaire prior to the start of the intervention (Time 0, N = 192, 55.7% male) and two weeks following its conclusion (Time 1, N = 178, 53.9% male). Results indicate that compared to Time 0, after participation, body surveillance, benevolent sexism, and endorsement of the sexual double standard decreased, while no significant effect emerged in relation to the issue of sexual consent. Implications for research and intervention are discussed, with the goal of providing useful guidance for those implementing interventions for young people to address intimate partner violence and promote relationship well-being. Full article

The purpose of this research is to investigate the misconceptions related to geological concepts among Secondary Education students in the region of Achaia, Greece. The study focuses on both Lower Secondary Education (Gymnasium, grades 7–9) and Upper Secondary Education, including General and Vocational Education (grades 10–12). Previous research has shown that students entering Lower Secondary Education or High School often possess several misconceptions about geological concepts. These misconceptions result in a fragmented or incorrect understanding, which may arise from intuitive perceptions of how the natural world evolves that are incorrect, or from stereotypes and assumptions acquired from the family environment or inadequacies in the school curriculum. Despite teachers’ efforts to clarify these concepts, a significant percentage of students continue to hold misconceptions, mainly related to minerals and rocks. A total of 1065 secondary students completed an online closed-ended questionnaire that was designed and validated based on previous research findings to highlight their misconceptions. This study results showed a clear differentiation between students from urban and rural areas, while demographic characteristics (such as gender, age, parents’ occupation, and parents’ marital status) did not appear to play a significant role. In addition, the responses to specific sets of questions varied depending on the student’s grade level. Identifying students’ misconceptions can support the development of appropriate educational tools and/or inform targeted interventions that aim to clarify these concepts and correct any incorrect assumptions. Full article

This study investigates the association between media representation, perceived age stereotypes, and aging anxiety among Korean older adults. A total of 600 older adults aged 65 years and older were analyzed via structural equation modelling and the bootstrapping method using a cross-sectional, secondary dataset. Regarding the direct effects, media representation was positively associated with perceived age stereotypes, aging anxiety related to financial matters, and aging anxiety in relation to psychosocial factors. In addition, perceived age stereotypes were positively associated with aging anxiety in regard to psychosocial factors. In terms of indirect effects, perceived age stereotypes only mediated the relationship between media representation and aging-anxiety-related psychosocial factors. This study’s findings are significant for alleviating aging anxiety in an aging society, offering practical strategies for mitigating such concerns. Full article

Background/Objectives: This paper introduces a pedagogically grounded framework for transforming canonical literary texts in primary education through generative AI. Guided by multiliteracies theory, Vygotskian pedagogy, and epistemic justice, the system aims to enhance interpretive literacy, developmental alignment, and cultural responsiveness among learners aged 7–12. Methods: The proposed system enables educators to perform age-specific text simplification, visual re-narration, lexical reinvention, and multilingual augmentation through a suite of modular tools. Central to the design is the Ethical–Pedagogical Validation Layer (EPVL), a GPT-powered auditing module that evaluates AI-generated content across four normative dimensions: developmental appropriateness, cultural sensitivity, semantic fidelity, and ethical transparency. Results: The framework was fully implemented and piloted with primary educators (N = 8). The pilot demonstrated high usability, curricular alignment, and perceived value for classroom application. Unlike commercial Large Language Models (LLMs), the system requires no prompt engineering and supports editable, policy-aligned controls for normative localization. Conclusions: By embedding ethical evaluation within the generative loop, the framework fosters calibrated trust in human–AI collaboration and mitigates cultural stereotyping and ideological distortion. It advances a scalable, inclusive model for educator-centered AI integration, offering a new pathway for explainable and developmentally appropriate AI use in literary education. Full article

Background/Objectives: The co-occurrence of Attention-deficit/hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is very common and worsens adaptive functioning. This systematic review evaluates both pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions in this underserved population. Methods: Registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024526157), a systematic search was conducted on PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science until 5 April 2025. The review includes (a) pilot studies and RCTs, (b) participants aged <18 years, (c) diagnoses of ASD and ADHD based on DSM-IV/V or ICD-9/10, (d) at least one group receiving any intervention, and (e) publications in English, Italian, Spanish, or German. Newcastle Ottawa Scale tools for non-randomized studies and the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tools for randomized controlled trials were used to assess studies’ quality. Results: A total of 32 studies were included: 87.5% concerning pharmacological treatments. Specifically, methylphenidate (MPH, n = 11), atomoxetine (ATX, n = 11), guanfacina (n = 4), clonidine (n = 1), or atypical antipsychotics (n = 1) were examined. MPH and ATX were most frequently studied, with both showing positive effects in reducing ADHD core symptoms compared to placebo. ATX also reduces stereotyped behaviors and social withdrawal, although more withdrawals due to adverse events (AEs) were reported for ATX than MPH. Four studies (12.5%) examined non-pharmacological interventions, including treatment with virtual reality tools, digital platforms, educational animations, and biomedical protocols; improvements in emotion recognition, behavioral regulation, attention, and social functioning were found. Conclusions: While limited data prevent definitive conclusions, MPH and ATX appear to be relatively safe and effective on hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms, even in individuals with ASD. Evidence on non-pharmacological treatments is limited, and further studies are needed to better establish their therapeutic potential. Full article

Background/Objectives: Technological advancements are revolutionizing nursing education by improving precision, patient outcomes, and learning experiences. There is an urgent need for systematic frameworks to help nurse educators effectively integrate advanced technologies into their teaching methods. This manuscript introduces the Artificial Intelligence-Driven Technology Adoption in Nursing Education (AID-TANE) framework and operationalizes its use through a pilot study with undergraduate nursing students. Methods: The framework was tested through a convergent mixed-methods pre/post-test study design involving 160 senior-level community health nursing students who participated in an AI-driven educational intervention. Quantitative data were collected using the Facts on Aging quiz, while qualitative data were gathered from a reflective survey. Statistical analyses included paired-sample t-tests and a qualitative content analysis. Results: The study revealed a statistically significant increase in learners’ knowledge about older adults, with mean scores improving from 33.29 (SD = 5.33) to 36.04 (SD = 6.76) post-intervention (t = 5.05, p < 0.001). The qualitative analysis identified four key themes: communication and understanding, patience and empathy, respect for independence, and challenging stereotypes. Conclusions: This study found that AI-driven educational tools significantly improved nursing students’ knowledge about older adults and positively influenced their learning experiences. The findings highlight the need for targeted frameworks like AID-TANE to effectively integrate AI into nursing education, ensuring that students are ready for a technologically advanced practice setting. Full article

Background/Objectives: Some haematologists share the perception that patients with Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL) behave and manifest emotional expressions in a characteristic way. Previous research suggested a unique personality profile in HL patients compared to the general population. This study aimed to analyse and compare the personality traits of HL and NHL patients to identify potential differences. Methods: In this cross-sectional, descriptive, multicentre and replicative study, we included patients with HL and NHL from the Spanish Group of Lymphoma (GELTAMO). Personality traits and other psychosocial variables were compared between these two groups and the reference population. We used a semi-structured interview to collect demographic and psychosocial variables, and the NEO Five-Factor Inventory to assess personality traits. Results: Our findings indicate that HL and NHL patients share similar personality profiles, suggesting that the perceived differences do not stem from personality factors. Significant differences were only observed in age (HL > NHL; age: p = 0.003). These results led us to propose a new explanatory hypothesis centred on ageism. Conclusions: Our results confirm that the personality profiles of patients with any type of lymphoma are consistent with each other and with those found in the broader cancer patient population, indicating that differences observed by clinicians might be due to perceptual biases. Age, as a differentiating factor between these patient groups, suggests ageism as a potential underlying cause of these biases. Further research is required to explore the clinical implications of such stereotypical perceptions among patients that could ultimately lead to issues with patient–provider relationships and patient safety. Full article

Background/Objectives: Mental health literacy (MHL) plays a crucial role in transitional processes, influencing, for example, students’ adaptation to higher education and, later, their transition into the workforce. This study assesses MHL about depression among first- and fourth-year nursing students and identifies which MHL components and related variables are associated with a higher likelihood of being in either academic year. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive correlational study was conducted with 478 nursing students (59.4% first-year students; 40.6% fourth-year students), predominantly female (82.2%), with a mean age of 20.41 years (SD = 4.71) and a median age of 19.0 years. Results: The results revealed a low level of recognition of depression and knowledge of mental health first aid (MHFA) strategies, including health literacy. Students tended not to hold beliefs based on myths and stereotypes about mental illness and individuals with mental illness and did not have highly stigmatizing views. MHL varied by year of study, with fourth-year students having more adequate MHL levels. Conclusions: These findings highlight the need to integrate MHL as a key element of academic success. Health education initiatives that promote mental health, prevention, and MHFA training may serve as effective strategies to enhance MHL among nursing students. Full article

Due to range of factors in the development stage, generative artificial intelligence (AI) models cannot be completely free from bias. Some biases are introduced by the quality of training data, and developer influence during both design and training of the large language models (LLMs), while others are introduced in the text-to-image (T2I) visualization programs. The bias and initialization at the interface between LLMs and T2I applications has not been examined to date. This study analyzes 770 images of librarians and curators generated by DALL-E from ChatGPT-4o prompts to investigate the source of gender, ethnicity, and age biases in these visualizations. Comparing prompts generated by ChatGPT-4o with DALL-E’s visual interpretations, the research demonstrates that DALL-E primarily introduces biases when ChatGPT-4o provides non-specific prompts. This highlights the potential for generative AI to perpetuate and amplify harmful stereotypes related to gender, age, and ethnicity in professional roles. Full article

Background/Objectives: Rett Syndrome (RTT) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder that causes the loss of motor, communicative, and cognitive skills. While no cure exists, rehabilitation plays a crucial role in improving quality of life. Virtual Reality (VR) has shown promise in enhancing motor function and reducing stereotypic behaviors in RTT. This study aims to assess the impact of VR training on upper limb motor skills in RTT patients, focusing on reaching and hand-opening tasks, as well as examining its role in motivation and engagement during rehabilitation. Methods: Twenty RTT patients (aged 5–33) were randomly assigned to an experimental group (VR training) and a control group (standard rehabilitation). Pre- and post-tests evaluated motor skills and motivation in both VR and real-world contexts. The VR training involved 40 sessions over 8 weeks, focusing on fine motor tasks. Non-parametric statistical methods were used to analyze the data. Results: Results indicated significant improvements in the experimental group for motor parameters, including reduced stereotypy intensity and frequency, faster response times, and increased correct performance. These improvements were consistent across VR and ecological conditions. Moreover, attention time increased, while the number of aids required decreased, highlighting enhanced engagement and independence. However, motivation levels remained stable throughout the sessions. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the potential of VR as a tool for RTT rehabilitation, addressing both motor and engagement challenges. Future research should explore the customization of VR environments to maximize the generalization of skills and sustain motivation over extended training periods. Full article