Work-related injuries often trigger anxiety and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), where art therapy shows promise but faces personalization limitations. This preregistered study investigated artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted art therapy, utilizing ChatGPT-4, to reduce anxiety and PTSD symptoms and improve emotional well-being in 113 participants recovering from work-related injuries, compared to traditional art therapy. The AI-assisted group received personalized feedback via an AI platform analyzing artwork. Results showed significantly greater reductions in anxiety and PTSD symptoms in the AI-assisted group (moderate effect sizes, Cohen's d = 0.55 and 0.62, respectively), but no significant difference in positive affect. Qualitative interviews revealed perceived emotional support from AI, enhancing engagement. These findings suggest AI augments art therapy by providing real-time, personalized support, though further research is needed to enhance positive emotional outcomes.
Technology-facilitated sexual dating abuse (TFSDA) involves non-consensual sexual behaviors in relationships-such as sharing nude/sexual content-often visible to bystanders, who can intervene and reduce its impact. In Portugal, the lack of assessment measures limits understanding of which intervention opportunities are detected and which adolescents detect them. This study aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of the Scale of Bystanders' Detection of Intervention Opportunities in TFSDA-adapted from the Technology-Facilitated Abuse in Relationships Scale-estimate the prevalence of detection, and examine associations between detection and gender, age, victimization and/or perpetration. Between February and May 2023, 1,604 Portuguese adolescents (51.4% cisgender boys; Mage = 14.92, SD = 1.73) in grades 7-12 from 25 schools in northern and central Portugal completed an online questionnaire. This sample was divided into calibration (n1 = 444) and validation (n2 = 579, n3 = 581). Exploratory factor analysis identified an 8-item, two-factor structure-Sexual Coercion and Image-Based Sexual Harassment/Abuse-explaining 53% of the variance. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated good fit indices, and measurement invariance was achieved for gender and age. Convergent and discriminant validity were acceptable, with high reliability across samples. Results indicate that 21.3% of adolescents detected intervention opportunities in TFSDA. Cisgender girl were less likely, while older adolescents were more likely, to detect Image-Based Sexual Harassment/Abuse. Victims and victim-perpetrators of TFSDA reported higher detection rates. Findings support the scale's psychometric robustness and its utility in research, clinical, and forensic contexts, while highlighting groups that may benefit from awareness or skills training to address TFSDA.
The growing prominence of the metaverse has attracted significant attention from individuals, businesses, and organizations due to its immersive and interactive capabilities. This study explores the motivations, experiences, and sentiment of users within the metaverse, focusing on the Horizon Worlds platform. Through a mixed-methods approach based on qualitative interviews of 32 users of the Horizon Worlds metaverse, we identified four primary motivations driving user engagement: self-expression, social interaction, hedonic enjoyment, and utilitarian benefits. Sentiment analysis indicates a generally positive user experience, though technical issues and inappropriate behaviors pose challenges. Our findings provide insights into the behavioral patterns and satisfaction levels of metaverse users, offering implications for both researchers and practitioners in understanding and enhancing user engagement in virtual worlds.
Smartphones are gradually becoming surrogate attachment figures for people. This is particularly true for Left-Behind Children (LBC) in China, who, due to long-term separation from their parents, lack reliable and stable emotional support and thus turn to smartphones. The excessive digital dependency has led to nomophobia, which emphasizes the anxiety and discomfort people experience when they are temporarily unable to use or need to be separated from their mobile devices. Drawing from the integrative hypothesis of attachment theory, the research investigates how congruence and incongruence in parent-child attachment patterns influence LBC's nomophobia. Data were collected from 476 LBC (aged 11-15 years) in Sichuan Province. Polynomial regression with response surface analysis revealed two key findings. First, supporting the additive model, LBC with congruent higher levels of attachment to both parents exhibited lower levels of nomophobia compared with those with lower attachment levels. Second, in cases of incongruent attachment, higher maternal attachment was more effective in predicting lower levels of nomophobia than paternal attachment, confirming the hierarchical model. These findings highlight the crucial role of secure parental attachments in mitigating digital dependency among LBC and emphasize the particular importance of maternal attachment. The study suggests that strengthening remote parent-child communication and providing comprehensive emotional support could help prevent nomophobia in LBC.
Misinformation regarding the symptoms and treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has persisted for decades, influencing public perceptions and propagating misconceptions. Content posted on social media regarding mental health conditions, like OCD, impacts the health information ecosystem, as consumers can find it difficult to distinguish factual information from misleading generalizations. This study examines the quality of OCD-related content on TikTok, with a focus on the prevalence of misinformation and its potential impact on viewers. We analyzed the top videos tagged with #OCD, categorizing them into two groups: those directly discussing OCD and those portraying stereotypical behaviors associated with OCD without dialogue. Engagement metrics were analyzed using negative binomial regression to compare engagement levels within and between groups. Among videos discussing OCD, only 18 percent contained accurate information, while 29 percent were misleading, indicating a significant lack of reliable material on the platform. Additionally, health care providers were underrepresented among content creators, with most videos coming from nonprofessional sources. Analyses of stereotype-driven content revealed these videos were more frequently viewed, liked, and shared than videos that provided accurate information about OCD. This suggests that users are more engaged with content that reinforces stereotypes rather than educational content about the disorder. The study highlights the need for more evidence-based information on social media to counteract the stereotypes and misconceptions about OCD, leading to stigmatization and misunderstanding of the condition.

