BMC Psychology最新文献

{"title":"Exploring academic motivation across university years: a mixed-methods study at King Faisal University.","authors":"Mazen Omar Almulla, Abdulaziz Mohammed Alismail, Heba Daraghmeh","doi":"10.1186/s40359-025-03448-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-03448-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study explores how gender and year of study influence academic motivation among undergraduate students at King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia, an understudied non-Western, gender-segregated context in the motivation literature. By situating the research within this unique population, the study responds to calls for expanding motivational research beyond Western samples and contributes culturally grounded insights to the field. Using a mixed-methods approach, quantitative data were collected from 267 students (51.3% female, 48.7% male) via the Academic Motivation Scale, alongside qualitative insights from nine semi-structured interviews. Descriptive statistics showed that female students consistently scored higher in both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, while male students reported significantly greater levels of amotivation. Motivation peaked in the first year of university and declined steadily in later years. Two-way ANOVA results revealed significant main effects of both gender and year of study across all seven academic motivation subscales (p < .05), though no significant interaction effects were found, suggesting stable gender-based differences across academic progression. Regression analysis further identified gender (β = 0.50, p = 0.013) and year of study (β = -0.75, p < 0.001) as significant predictors of motivation, particularly for intrinsic motivation to know. Thematic analysis reinforced the quantitative findings, highlighting external pressures, career concerns, and sociocultural expectations as key factors shaping students' motivational experiences. These findings underscore the urgency of implementing targeted, gender-sensitive interventions, such as academic mentoring, psychological support, and flexible curricular pathways, to sustain motivation, particularly in later academic years. By contextualizing academic motivation within the Saudi higher education system, this study contributes novel empirical insights and practical implications for educators and policymakers aiming to enhance student engagement and persistence in culturally specific settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":37867,"journal":{"name":"BMC Psychology","volume":"13 1","pages":"1113"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145245406","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Does enhanced expectancy mitigate the negative impact of gender stereotype threat on women's motor learning, perceived competence and self-efficacy?","authors":"Mahdieh Behbahanabadi, Esmaeel Saemi, Mohammadreza Doustan, Thomas Simpson, Maxime Deshayes","doi":"10.1186/s40359-025-03308-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-03308-5","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":37867,"journal":{"name":"BMC Psychology","volume":"13 1","pages":"1112"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145245374","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effect of emotionally focused couple therapy (EFCT) on shame and intimacy in couples: a randomized controlled trial (RCT).","authors":"Zahra Mirzazade, Javad Molazade, Habib Hadianfard, Mohamadreza Taghavi","doi":"10.1186/s40359-025-03415-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-03415-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Intimate relationships can enhance quality of life and reduce the risk of psychological disorders. Self-disclosure, a fundamental component of intimacy, occurs only when vulnerability is met with acceptance rather than rejection. However, shame disrupts this process by inhibiting vulnerability and promoting defensive strategies, thereby undermining intimacy and relational security. This study aimed to address shame within an Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy framework to enhance intimacy.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A randomized controlled design was employed. Twenty-six married couples were randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group. The Experience of Shame Scale and the Personal Assessment of Intimacy in Relationships were used as assessment tools.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Compared with the control, EFCT significantly increased intimacy and reduced shame in the experimental group (p < 0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Shame may disrupt both intimacy and the therapeutic relationship and should be addressed during treatment. The discussion outlines possible mechanisms of change.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>This paper has been registered with the Clinical Trial ID (71773). It was registered on 2024/10/04. (Clinical Trial Number IRCT20230801058994N1).</p>","PeriodicalId":37867,"journal":{"name":"BMC Psychology","volume":"13 1","pages":"1111"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145245427","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An exploratory fMRI study on the association of parental involvement in childcare with brain responses to infant vocalisations and dyadic interaction quality in same-sex mother families.","authors":"Paola Rigo, Michele Giannotti, Bianca Filippi, Alessandra Simonelli, Micol Gemignani, Silvia Perzolli, Paola Venuti, Simona de Falco","doi":"10.1186/s40359-025-03439-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-03439-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>It is of the utmost importance that children receive an appropriate adult response in order to ensure optimal child development. Prior research on parental brain networks has demonstrated that maternal brain activation in response to infant vocalisations exhibits a positive correlation with observed maternal sensitivity. However, the neurobiological foundations of responsiveness to child cues in mothers of same-sex families remain unexplored. Such an investigation could contribute to the expansion of the existing knowledge base regarding parental brain responsiveness and its relationship with factors associated with sensitive parenting, such as caregiving involvement. Twenty-one same-sex mothers were subjected to an fMRI listening task comprising positive and negative infant vocalisations. The degree of maternal involvement in the care of one's own child and the quality of parent-child dyadic interactions (measured by the Emotional Availability (EA) Scales) were assessed. The results indicated a positive correlation between the degree of maternal involvement in childcare and maternal sensitivity and non-intrusiveness. Furthermore, mothers who demonstrated high levels of EA structuring and non-hostility during dyadic interactions exhibited increased activation in the right midbrain, temporal pole, extended to the insular cortex, in response to infant negative vocalisations. Finally, a consistent positive correlation was observed between the activation of the putamen in response to positive infant vocalisations and both the degree of maternal involvement in childcare and most of the maternal EA scales. Overall, preliminary findings in same-sex mothers suggest that optimal mother-child emotional connection is associated with time spent with and for the child in daily activities and with maternal brain responses to infant sounds in regions underlying emotion regulation, motivation and salience processing.</p>","PeriodicalId":37867,"journal":{"name":"BMC Psychology","volume":"13 1","pages":"1116"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145245377","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the associations of career transition components with adolescents' career decision-making self-efficacy and anxiety.","authors":"Osman Söner, Olcay Yılmaz","doi":"10.1186/s40359-025-03479-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-03479-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The transition from high school to college is crucial for adolescents' identity, responsibilities, and career choices and may shape adolescents' lives. This study aims to explore the mediating role of career transition components-situation, self, and support-on the relationship between career decision-making self-efficacy and career anxiety among adolescents.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A structural equation modeling approach was employed with participants from senior high schools (n = 806) from various schools in Istanbul, Türkiye. Data were collected using standardized scales measuring career decision-making self-efficacy, career transition components, and career anxiety. To assess mediation effects, Pearson correlation and path analysis were used.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Career decision-making self-efficacy was positively correlated with career transition components and negatively correlated with career anxiety. The study found evidence of indirect pathways-consistent with partial mediation-via situation and support (β = .384 and .469, respectively), whereas the self-component was not significant. After removing the self-factor, overall model fit improved, suggesting that external situational elements and support systems are more closely associated with lower career anxiety during this transition.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study is one of the first to apply Schlossberg's Transition Theory to non-Western adolescent career transitions, providing insights beyond Western paradigms. The Turkish sample-characterized by its collectivist cultural orientation, high university entrance pressure, and diverse schooling system-illuminates how socio-cultural and structural factors influence career development differently. Culturally relevant interventions to reduce career anxiety and improve decision-making self-efficacy in adolescents in similar circumstances can benefit from these findings.</p>","PeriodicalId":37867,"journal":{"name":"BMC Psychology","volume":"13 1","pages":"1115"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145245362","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing the construct validity of a 36-item multidimensional life satisfaction assessment - a novel tool for measuring life satisfaction among older adults in Thailand.","authors":"Chumphot Phromsida, Nahathai Wongpakaran, Pichet Udomratn, Tuntima Doungyota, Pornprapai Khaektao, Wasan Muenmarerng, Karinee Sungprakhong, Nopparat Chaichumni, Niruemol Puekkong, Chanchai Supakul, Jirarat Nuanmai, K Sinsak Suvanchot, Saijai Kawanantakul, Tinakon Wongpakaran","doi":"10.1186/s40359-025-03463-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-03463-9","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":37867,"journal":{"name":"BMC Psychology","volume":"13 1","pages":"1110"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145240021","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhanced work engagement in Japanese employees following a 12-day online gratitude journal intervention.","authors":"Noriko Yamagishi, Norberto Eiji Nawa, Shota Isomura","doi":"10.1186/s40359-025-03494-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40359-025-03494-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Gratitude interventions have shown various psychological benefits, including enhanced motivation in academic settings. However, their impact on work engagement - a key factor in employee well-being and organizational performance - remains underexplored. This study examined whether a 12-day online gratitude journaling intervention enhances work engagement and increases awareness of job resources, based on the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 100 Japanese employees (mean age = 41.0 ± 5.2 years, evenly split by gender) were randomly assigned to a gratitude journal group or a daily life journal group (control). Participants in the gratitude journal group recorded things they felt grateful for, while the control group documented daily occurrences. Work engagement was assessed using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), alongside measures of work motivation, gratitude disposition, perspective-taking, life satisfaction, and psychological well-being. Journal entries were analyzed using word frequency analysis and correspondence analysis to examine whether gratitude journaling enhanced awareness of job resources.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Participants in the gratitude journal group exhibited a significant increase in work engagement (total score and absorption dimension) post-intervention, supporting the idea that gratitude journaling enhances engagement. Journal content analysis revealed that gratitude journaling was associated with greater recognition of job resources, such as social support, suggesting a mechanism through which gratitude influences work engagement. Both groups showed increases in gratitude disposition, life satisfaction, and competitive-oriented work motivation, suggesting possible broader journaling benefits. In contrast, the daily life journal group experienced temporary declines in purpose in life and autonomy.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study provides experimental evidence that gratitude journaling enhances work engagement by increasing awareness of job resources, integrating gratitude into the JD-R Model. The findings suggest that gratitude must be actively cultivated rather than assumed to arise naturally. Given its accessibility and low cost, gratitude journaling offers a promising tool for organizations to foster employee engagement. Future research should examine its long-term effects and evaluate its applicability across diverse cultural contexts.</p>","PeriodicalId":37867,"journal":{"name":"BMC Psychology","volume":"13 1","pages":"1098"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12498466/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145233703","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effects of age and delay task duration on attentional boost effect: evidence from behavior and fNIRS.","authors":"Xiajie Tang, Zhen Wu","doi":"10.1186/s40359-025-03425-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-03425-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Previous investigations into the impact of age on the Attentional Boost Effect (ABE) have produced inconsistent findings, primarily attributable to insufficient exploration of delay task duration as a critical variable. Current understanding of the neural bases underlying age-related effects in ABE remains incomplete, warranting further neurophysiological investigation.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Experiment 1 examined the effects of age and delay task duration on ABE with a mixed design of 2 (age: young adults, young-old adults) × 2 (delay task duration: 2 min, 10 min) × 2 (word type: target, distractor). Experiment 2 investigated the neural bases of age-related effects on ABE using fNIRS, with a mixed design of 2 (age: young adults, young-old adults) × 2 (word type: target, distractor). Young adults were college students and young-old adults were recruited from the community and university. Both experiments employed the study-test paradigm.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Experiment 1 found that when the delay task duration was 2 min, both young and young-old adults exhibited ABE. When the delay task duration was 10 min, only young adults exhibited ABE. The effect size of ABE declined as delay task duration increased, with comparable magnitude of decline in two age groups. Experiment 2 found that individuals showed greater activation in the right Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC) and bilateral Pars Triangularis Areas (PTA) under the target condition relative to distractor condition. Young-old adults showed greater activation in the right DLPFC, right PTA and Primary Visual Cortex (V1) relative to young adults.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Age influenced the formation of ABE in the encoding phase. Young-old adults showed greater activation in the right frontal lobe and occipital lobe to maintain ABE, which supported the Compensation-related Utilization of Neural Circuits Hypothesis. Young-old adults' ABE disappeared as delay task duration increased, and the magnitude of reduction in the effect size of ABE was comparable in both age groups, which partially contradicted the Vulnerable Boost Hypothesis. The frontal lobe played a pivotal role in ABE formation.</p>","PeriodicalId":37867,"journal":{"name":"BMC Psychology","volume":"13 1","pages":"1108"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145240012","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The relationships among psychosocial impact, professional type, and vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.","authors":"Joh-Jong Huang, Frank Huang-Chih Chou, Su-Ting Hsu, Kuan-Ying Hsieh, Guei-Ging Lin, Pei-Jhen Wu, Chin-Lien Liu, Hui-Ching Wu, Wen-Chun Wang, Dian-Jeng Li","doi":"10.1186/s40359-025-03452-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-03452-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Healthcare workers (HCWs) faced significant mental health challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explored the associations between vaccine hesitancy, pandemic-related social influences, and coping strategies, and examined differences across HCW professions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We analyzed data collected via paper-based questionnaires between October 2022 and March 2023, during the third wave of COVID-19 in Taiwan. Cross-sectional surveys were administered to HCWs to gather data on vaccine attitudes, perceived social influences, and professional categories. Vaccine attitudes and social influence variables were assessed using the Vaccination Attitudes Examination and the Societal Influences Survey Questionnaire, respectively. Correlation analyses and multiple regression were conducted to identify factors associated with vaccine attitudes and to examine differences in vaccine hesitancy across various HCW professions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Based on data from a total of 730 HCWs, the participants had a mean age of 36.93 years (SD = 11.01), with 72.2% identifying as female. Their professional roles included physicians (n = 32, 4.4%), nursing staff (n = 320, 43.8%), allied health professionals (n = 71, 9.7%), and administrative personnel (n = 307, 42.1%). The findings indicated that those with higher levels of social anxiety were significantly more likely to exhibit vaccine hesitancy (β = 1.13, p < .001), whereas those with greater social desirability, defined as adherence to and confidence in COVID-19 prevention policies, were significantly less likely to be hesitant (β = -1.20, p < .001); in addition, compared with physicians, nursing staff (β = 6.27, p < .001), allied health professionals (β = 4.15, p < .024), and administrative staff (β = 5.31, p = .002) demonstrated significantly higher levels of vaccine hesitancy. Social information was not significantly associated with vaccine hesitancy (β = -0.37, p = .148).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study examined how the psychosocial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with vaccine hesitancy among HCWs. Key factors such as social anxiety, social desirability, and professional role were associated with vaccine acceptance. The results of this study indicate that strategies such as offering incentives, boosting job security, and strengthening trust in public health policies may help reduce vaccine hesitancy among HCWs.</p>","PeriodicalId":37867,"journal":{"name":"BMC Psychology","volume":"13 1","pages":"1109"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145239924","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Validation of the very efficient nomophobia short-form questionnaire in Chinese.","authors":"Wenlan Zhu, Ming Cheng, Hao Wang, Yuan Yue","doi":"10.1186/s40359-025-03449-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40359-025-03449-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Nomophobia is a situational phobia triggered by the inability to use a smartphone or the thought of being unable to use it. It is closely associated with problematic smartphone use, anxiety and depression. The Nomophobia Questionnaire Short-Form (NMPQ-SF) serves as an efficient and reliable instrument for measuring nomophobia. This study aimed to adapt the NMPQ-SF and validate its psychometric properties among Chinese adults.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>The Chinese version of NMPQ-SF (NMPQ-SFC) was culturally adapted via forward-backward translation, cognitive interviews, and expert panel review. A total of 919 participants (57.6% female, aged 18-63 years, M_age = 29.44) completed the online survey. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) tested the factorial structure, while measurement invariance was examined across gender groups using multi-group CFA. Convergent and discriminant validity were also assessed and nomological validity was examined via correlations between NMPQ-SFC scores and fear of missing out (FoMO), short-video addiction (SVA), and depression.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>CFA results showed that the second-order factor model better reflected the factor structure of the NMPQ-SFC and displayed excellent fit indices (RMSEA = 0.037, CFI = 0.993, TLI = 0.989, SRMR = 0.017). Measurement invariance analyses confirmed that the NMPQ-SFC functions equivalently across gender, enabling valid comparisons between males and females. Convergent validity (AVE = 0.55-0.68; second‑order AVE = 0.53) and discriminant validity (Pearson's rs < 0.80) were established. Significant correlations with FoMO, SVA, and depression further provided evidence for its nomological validity.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings confirm that NMPQ-SFC is a reliable and psychometrically valid tool for assessing nomophobia among Chinese adults, enhancing its practical applicability in the Chinese context.</p>","PeriodicalId":37867,"journal":{"name":"BMC Psychology","volume":"13 1","pages":"1107"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12495734/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145226133","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}