International Journal of Psychology最新文献

This study explored perceived stress (PS) and depression dynamics during the college transition, examining whether changes in PS predict subsequent changes in depression. A total of 971 Chinese college freshmen (M_age = 19.29, SD = 1.14) completed four measurements at 4-week intervals, analysed via multivariate latent growth modeling (LGM). Results showed PS decreased in the first month after enrollment then gradually increased, while depression declined linearly over 3 months. Females showed higher initial PS than males. Initial PS positively predicted initial depression and negatively predicted depression decreases. Furthermore, a PS decrease during the first month positively predicted a subsequent decrease in depression. Conversely, a PS increase during the following 2 months negatively predicted the decrease in depression. Interpersonal connection negatively predicted initial PS and depression but positively predicted later PS increases. Subjective social status negatively predicted initial PS yet positively predicted initial depression and early PS decline. Moreover, group cohesion positively predicted initial PS yet positively predicted its early reduction. These findings highlight associations between changes in PS and freshmen's depression trajectories, pinpoint a critical window for early intervention, and underscore the significance of stress reduction to mitigating initial rises in depression.

Positive outcomes that college students experience after drinking alcohol can motivate them to drink in the future. However, college students may respond to similar alcohol-related experiences differently according to genetic variability in their alcohol metabolism genes. This study investigated the effects of a cumulative genetic score (CGS) comprising alleles in ALDH2 rs671, ADH1B rs1229984 and ADH1C rs1693482 on relationships between positive drinking consequences and next-day drinking behaviours. The current study used daily diary assessments from 120 Korean college students (35% male, age range = 18–25) to examine the interactive effects of CGS and positive drinking consequences on alcohol quantity and frequency over 14 days. Multilevel modelling revealed that individuals with higher CGS drank more frequently and consumed a greater number of drinks the next day following positive drinking experiences. In contrast, individuals with lower CGS either did not drink or drank less the next day, even if they had positive drinking experiences on the previous day. Our findings indicate that the effects of positive drinking consequences on next-day drinking behaviours vary according to cumulative genetic risk across ALDH2, ADH1B and ADH1C. These findings may suggest a benefit to genotype-specific interventions for college students' alcohol consumption in response to positive drinking experiences.

Previous work has revealed that priming people with significant others increases feelings of security and energy, and in turn, boosts exploration motivations. In this preregistered study, we directly replicated Luke et al.'s (2012) Study 2 (N = 281). We found similar results as the replicated study regarding increased security feelings and exploration motivations on the self-report measures after the priming. However, we did not find any support for the increased energy feelings after the attachment security priming. In addition, contrary to Luke et al.'s (2012) results, energy feelings did not mediate the relationship between security priming and exploration motivations. A discussion of null findings, along with the limitations of self-reports and potential misinterpretation of the mediational analyses, follows. We also discuss possible future implications of the current findings.

Despite the growing prevalence of the intensive mothering ideology in China, little quantitative research has been conducted within the Chinese context. Utilising data from 449 Chinese mothers of preschoolers, the current study examined how intensive mothering attitudes, as well as whether their associations with maternal involvement in educational activities differed by social class. Results suggested that, compared to middle-class mothers, working-class mothers reported a stronger endorsement of intensive mothering in several aspects. Specifically, they believed more strongly in their inherent roles as mothers, the importance of cognitive stimulation and the child-centred parenting approach, and the challenges of mothering more than their middle-class counterparts. Mothers' endorsements of the importance of cognitive stimulation, the child-centred parenting approach, and the fulfilment in childrearing were positively related to their levels of home-based and school-based involvement. In addition, the association between mothers' recognition of the value of cognitive stimulation and home-based involvement was stronger for middle-class than working-class mothers. The findings highlight the impact of the intensive mothering ideology on maternal involvement and its variations by social class in contemporary China.

A cornerstone of health and well-being research is understanding how different forms of capital and expenditure influence individual outcomes. This study addressed the effects of various types of consumption expenditure and social capital on individual health levels in China, using panel data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) from 2016 to 2022. Additionally, we examine the mediating role of living satisfaction between consumption expenditure and social capital. Employing a fixed-effect model, we found that both overall consumption expenditure and social capital have a positive impact on health. Moreover, living satisfaction serves as a key mediator between social capital and health, as well as between consumption expenditure and health. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that agricultural residents benefit more from spending on essentials and education, underscoring the importance of basic living conditions and education in rural health outcomes. Research conclusions remain robust and statistically significant even after a series of robustness checks and treatments for endogeneity. These findings highlighted the close connection between economic resources, social capital and psychological well-being in shaping health outcomes and suggested that improving individual health serves both as a goal and as a strategy for promoting public health, particularly in contexts of social and economic transformation.

This study investigates the impact of family structure on adolescent loneliness in the context of China's one-child and two-child policies. Despite the known physical and mental health consequences of adolescent loneliness and the importance of family factors, research on the role of family structure remains limited. Participants (n = 3312, ages 10–19) were drawn from 32 schools in China using class-based cluster sampling. Network analysis was employed to compare loneliness between only children and non-only children, and multiple linear regression predicted loneliness based on family structure and its interactions with key demographic variables. Results indicate that loneliness differs between only children and non-only children, and being sensitive to withdrawal is a key source of loneliness for only children. However, this process can be moderated by factors such as gender, age, and socioeconomic status. The findings have implications for both academic research and practical interventions addressing adolescent loneliness.