Navigating Adversity During Emerging Adulthood: Exploring the Interplay of Psychological Flexibility, Psychological Capital & Resilience

Growing old, decreasing perception of social efficiency because of retirement and separation from children cause the elderly to feel lonely. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the role of psychological capitals and psychological flexibility in predicting loneliness among elderly. It was a correlational descriptive study. The statistical population of the study included elderly living in Isfahan in 2018. Samples included 253 elderlies who were selected through convenience sampling method. Loneliness scale (Russell), psychological flexibility questionnaire (Denis and Vanderwal) and the questionnaire of psychological capitals (Lotanz and Olio) were used to collect data. Data were analyzed using Pearson Correlation and simultaneous multiple regression. The results reported a significant relationship between psychological capitals and psychological flexibility and feeling loneliness in the elderly (P˂0.001). Moreover, the results showed that psychological capitals and psychological flexibility were significant predictors of loneliness among elderly, while there was no significant difference in predicting predictive variables (psychological capitals and psychological flexibility) (P˃0.05). Considering the meaningful role of psychological capitals and psychological flexibility in significantly predicting loneliness in elderly, it seems a necessity to provide training for psychological capitals and improve psychological flexibility among elderly to decrease feeling lonely and apply the outcomes to decrease loneliness in elderly.

ObjectiveThis paper studies the mediating and interactive effects of social capital on psychological capital and the feeling of happiness from the impact of COVID-19. Since its emergence, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on people’s mental health and affected their hopes for the future. Lifestyle and economic conditions have also been affected and have subsequently impacted people’s sense of confidence in life. This could increase the likelihood of many people developing mental health issues, such as anxiety or depression. Therefore, it is vital to study the influence of psychological capital and social capital on people’s subjective psychology and happiness experiences.Materials and MethodsUsing an ordered probit model, this paper studied the independent influence and interaction between psychological capital and social capital on people’s happiness. The ordered probit model was chosen because subjective well-being (SWB) is an ordered variable. We further used structural equation modeling (SEM) to study the mediating effects of social capital on psychological capital and happiness.ResultsThe regression results showed that both psychological capital and social capital were significantly positively correlated with happiness when controlling for other factors. In addition, psychological and social capital significantly interacted, in which the psychological capital promotes the effect of social capital on happiness. Moreover, the effect of psychological capital on happiness was greater than that of social capital, demonstrating that happiness is more greatly influenced by subjective psychological experience. The interaction coefficient of psychological and social capital was also significant, showing that the two have mutually reinforcing effects on happiness. Finally, health, income class, real estate, stranger trust, age, and urban household registration had significant positive effects on happiness, while the view of money, being female, education had a negative relationship with happiness. The SEM results showed that the mediating effect of psychological capital on happiness was partly transmitted through social capital: the total effect of psychological capital on happiness was highly significant (p < 0.0001), as was the total effect of social capital on happiness (p < 0.0001); however, the coefficient for psychological capital was greater than that for social capital. Through heterogeneity analysis, we found that the relationship between psychological capital, social capital, and happiness was significantly positive in each sub-sample group. There was also a significant interaction between psychological and social capital for men, women, urban and rural residents, and higher education background sample groups. However, the interaction was not significant in the sample group without higher education. In addition, the relationship between the happiness of rural residents and their educational background and gender was not significant.ConclusionWe found that psychological and social capital have significant positive relationships and effects on happiness. Psychological capital demonstrated both direct and indirect influences on happiness, and further strengthens the influence of social capital on happiness. These results support a scheme to emphasize psychological support during the COVID-19 pandemic period to enhance the mental health of citizens.

BackgroundNewly recruited nurses face multiple sources of stress and their coping styles need to be focused on to ensure good mental health. This study aimed to examine the relationship among mental health literacy, psychological capital and coping styles in newly recruited nurses.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in August and September 2022. A total of 315 newly recruited nurses were recruited in a tertiary hospital in Henan Province, central China, employing the convenience sampling method. The self-reported questionnaires were sent through a QR code, including the Mental Health Literacy Scale for Healthcare Students, Psychological Capital Questionnaire, and Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire. Pearson correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationships among the variables. Mediation analysis was performed to identify the mediating effect of psychological capital on the relationship between mental health literacy and coping styles.ResultsPositive coping showed a positive relationship with psychological capital and mental health literacy, while negative coping showed a negative relationship with psychological capital and mental health literacy. For positive coping, psychological capital was a partial mediator with an effect of 0.140, accounting for 62.8%. For negative coping, a full mediating effect was shown by psychological capital between mental health literacy and negative coping, with an indirect effect of -0.048.ConclusionPsychological capital plays a partial and complete mediating role between mental health literacy and different coping styles among newly recruited nurses. Diversified training and personalized guidance in improving mental health literacy and increasing psychological capital simultaneously can be provided to newly recruited nurses continuously to adjust their coping styles.

BackgroundThis study explored how perceived social support affects firefighters' psychological capital through the chain mediating role of exercise self-efficacy and psychological resilience.MethodsFirefighters from a Jiangsu Province fire rescue team (N = 524, 95.3% response rate) completed the Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS), Self-Efficacy for Exercise Scale (SEE), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), and Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ). Hierarchical regression analysis and Bootstrap method (5,000 resamples) tested the chain mediation model.ResultsThe sample consisted of 99.6% males, with ages mainly concentrated between 30-45 years, and an average service length of more than 10 years. Perceived social support was significantly positively correlated with psychological capital (r = 0.592), exercise self-efficacy (r = 0.527), and psychological resilience (r = 0.582); exercise self-efficacy correlated with psychological resilience (r = 0.579; all p < 0.001). The chain indirect effect (perceived social support → exercise self-efficacy → psychological resilience → psychological capital) was significant [95% CI (0.09, 0.18)].ConclusionPerceived social support enhances firefighters' psychological capital both directly and indirectly through sequential improvements in exercise self-efficacy and psychological resilience. Fire departments should create supportive team environments and integrate physical training with psychological resilience cultivation to improve firefighters' psychological capital and mental health.

Background: Mothers with a blind child are more involved with the child’s behavioral problems and experience higher levels of stress and psychological crisis. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of mindful parenting skills and psychological capital on stress and psychological flexibility in mothers with blind girls. Methods: The research method was quasi-experimental with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design and a control group. The sample consisted of 72 mothers with blind girl students selected by convenience sampling. We randomly divided the participants into two experimental groups (training of mindful parenting skills and psychological capital training) and a control group (n=24 per group). The research instrument included the Parental Stress Inventory and the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire. Results: The training intervention sessions decreased the stress levels and promoted the psychological flexibility of mothers with blind girl students in the experimental groups, compared to the control group (P=0.001). The mean±SD of the post-test scores of stress and psychological flexibility was (90.37±5.10) and (63.00±3.78) in the mindful parenting group and (104.87±4.57) and (52.37±3.32) in the psychological capital group, which was significantly different from the control groups. The group training of mindful parenting skills, in comparison to psychological capital, was more effective in reducing stress and increasing psychological flexibility among the mothers. Conclusions: The group training of mindful parenting skills using mindfulness techniques was more effective in reducing stress and increasing the psychological flexibility.

Aim/Purpose: This paper aimed to explore the influence of entrepreneurial spirit on entrepreneurial intentions, and to investigate whether a stronger entrepreneurial spirit was correlated with higher entrepreneurial intentions among students. It also investigated the possible mediating role of psychological capital in order to understand how psychological capital may bridge or influence the relationship between entrepreneurial spirit and entrepreneurial intentions. Introduction/Background: These issues were addressed by integrating theories of entrepreneurial spirit, psychological capital, and entrepreneurial intentions, and conducting an empirical study. The study built on previous research that examined these constructs separately or in limited combinations, seeking to provide a more comprehensive understanding of how entrepreneurial spirit, characterized by innovation, risk-taking, and perseverance, interacts with psychological capital, consisting of optimism, resilience, hope, and self-efficacy, to shape college students' entrepreneurial intentions. Methodology: The research was conducted using a survey questionnaire. The target population was college students in Guangxi, China, with a final sample size of 2,131 students from 15 universities. An online questionnaire ("Questionnaire Star") was used; it was sent to a convenience sample of students, allowing them to freely choose whether to participate or not. The questionnaire was designed based on Luthans' psychological capital measurement theory, covering Entrepreneurial Spirit (consisting of innovation ability, risk-taking, and leadership dimensions), Entrepreneurial Intentions (entrepreneurial motivation, attitude, and subjective perception dimensions), and Psychological Capital (optimism, resilience, and hope dimensions), with four questions for each dimension, and five additional questions about respondents' demographic characteristics. All questions were scored on a 5-point Likert scale. The data was analyzed using various statistical techniques, including Cronbach's alpha for reliability testing, Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin and Bartlett's tests for validity assessment, ANOVA for variance analysis, Pearson's correlation for relationship examination, and regression analysis using Stata 17 to test hypotheses and analyze direct and mediating effects. Findings: The study found that entrepreneurial spirit had a significant positive correlation with entrepreneurial intentions, and this relationship was further mediated by psychological capital. Cronbach's alpha tests showed good reliability for all constructs, with coefficients as follows: psychological capital (.894), self-efficacy (.754), hope (.713), resilience (.727), optimism (.704), entrepreneurial spirit (.860), and entrepreneurial intentions (.869). The Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin value of .898 and a passing score for Bartlett's test of sphericity indicated the data's suitability for factor analysis. Descriptive statistics revealed gender and class level differences in the measured variables, with more female and senior respondents; higher scores were observed among seniors and males. ANOVA results showed that the regression model significantly explained variations in the outcome variables. Pearson's correlation analysis indicated strong positive correlations between Entrepreneurial Spirit and Entrepreneurial Intentions (.697), Psychological Capital and Entrepreneurial Intentions (.805), and Entrepreneurial Spirit and Psychological Capital (.521). Regression analyses demonstrated that both Entrepreneurial Spirit and Psychological Capital had significant positive effects on Entrepreneurial Intentions, with acceptable VIF and D-W values. The mediation effect was confirmed through three regression models, where the introduction of Psychological Capital enhanced the model's explanatory power, as shown by increased ΔR² values. Contribution/Impact on Society: This study clarifies psychological capital’s mediating role between entrepreneurial spirit and intentions, advancing theoretical frameworks in entrepreneurship. Practically, it suggests integrating targeted psychological capital training (e.g., resilience and optimism enhancement) into educational programs to strengthen students' entrepreneurial preparedness, aligning with national entrepreneurship policies. The findings highlight how nurturing entrepreneurial mindsets in underdeveloped areas could stimulate local ventures like cultural tourism startups, addressing regional disparities while contributing to sustainable economic growth and job creation. Recommendations: For practitioners in entrepreneurship education, it is recommended to incorporate activities into curricular programs that cultivate entrepreneurial spirit, focusing on enhancing students' innovation, risk-taking, and perseverance, while simultaneously nurturing their psychological capital to boost confidence and resilience. Researchers are advised to further explore the complex relationships among these variables, possibly by incorporating additional factors or using more diverse samples. Moreover, future studies could investigate optimal ways to develop and integrate these constructs in educational settings. Research Limitations: The main limitations of this study included its geographical focus on Guangxi, China, which may limit the generalizability of the findings due to China's diverse economic and cultural contexts. Additionally, the study only examined the mediating role of psychological capital, overlooking other potential mediating factors such as social networks, family support, and institutional factors. The cross-sectional nature of this study limited the understanding of temporal changes in entrepreneurial intentions and related constructs. Future Research: Future researchers could use a larger sample by including students from different Chinese regions and diverse institutional backgrounds. They could also explore other mediating and moderating variables in the relationship between entrepreneurial spirit and entrepreneurial intentions, conduct longitudinal studies to track changes over time, and investigate the impact of different entrepreneurship educational programs on these constructs.

BackgroundNursing students face mental and emotional issues due to the nature of their profession. The role of protective factors such as psychological capital and spiritual well-being is vital in improving mental health. This study investigated the mediating role of psychological capital as a mediator in the relationships between spiritual well-being and mental health in Iran.MethodsThe present study was descriptive, cross-sectional research conducted on 426 undergraduate nursing students within a four-year educational program in Iran from July to December 2021. The participants were selected via convenience sampling. This research used psychological capital scale, spiritual well-being, and general health questionnaire. The collected data were then analyzed using descriptive tests, Pearson correlation, and a structural equation model.ResultsSpiritual well-being positively affects mental health and psychological capital. Psychological capital also is positively related to mental health. Psychological capital partially mediated the effect of spiritual well-being on mental health.ConclusionAccording to the results, High level of spiritual well-being can improve nursing students' mental health and the relationship is partially mediated Psychological capital. Therefore, psychological capital is an important factor in improving nursing students’ mental health.

Examining mental health among nurses in the later stages of the COVID-19 pandemic could offer valuable information for addressing these symptoms in the long term. Therefore, the current study aimed to assess the mental health and well-being of Chinese nurses, as well as investigate the impact of psychological flexibility and night shifts on this relationship. In cross-sectional, hospital-based, multicenter study, 422 Chinese nurses were selected by multistage stratified cluster random sampling. The mental health status, psychological flexibility, and wellbeing were assessed via 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), Chinese version of Personalized Psychological Flexibility Index, and Chinese version of the 5-item WHO Well-Being Index, respectively. To examine the proposed theoretical model, we conducted structural equation modeling using SPSS Amos 26 version. The age, gender, night shift, psychological flexibility, mental health, and well-being data were entered into the model. Pearson correlation and chi-square were used to explore the correlation between variables. The high night shifts, being young and low psychological flexibility significantly had a direct effect on worse mental health (night shifts: ES, 95% CI: 0.619, 0.328-0.725; age: ES, 95% CI: 0.542, 0.226-0.993; psychological flexibility: ES, 95% CI: 0.675, 0.369-1.466). The low psychological flexibility and worse mental health were able to directly effect on worse wellbeing (psychological flexibility: ES, 95% CI: 0.419, 0.757-1.519; mental health: ES, 95% CI: 0.719, 1.109-2.607). In addition, psychological flexibility through the mediation of mental health also had an indirect effect on wellbeing (ES, 95% CI: 0.269, 0.957-2.165). Being young, having more night shifts and having less psychological flexibility can be related to the deterioration of mental health and well-being in nurses. Therefore, it is recommended that nurses use the shift routine program with the least focus on the night shifts. Also, interventions to teach younger nurses how to face work stress and interventions to improve the psychological flexibility of all nurses are needed.

BackgroundExamining mental health among nurses in the later stages of the COVID-19 pandemic could offer valuable information for addressing these symptoms in the long term. Therefore, the current study aimed to assess the mental health and well-being of Chinese nurses, as well as investigate the impact of psychological flexibility and night shifts on this relationship.MethodIn cross-sectional, hospital-based, multicenter study, 422 Chinese nurses were selected by multistage stratified cluster random sampling. The mental health status, psychological flexibility, and wellbeing were assessed via 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), Chinese version of Personalized Psychological Flexibility Index, and Chinese version of the 5-item WHO Well-Being Index, respectively. To examine the proposed theoretical model, we conducted structural equation modeling using SPSS Amos 26 version. The age, gender, night shift, psychological flexibility, mental health, and well-being data were entered into the model. Pearson correlation and chi-square were used to explore the correlation between variables.ResultsThe high night shifts, being young and low psychological flexibility significantly had a direct effect on worse mental health (night shifts: ES, 95% CI: 0.619, 0.328–0.725; age: ES, 95% CI: 0.542, 0.226–0.993; psychological flexibility: ES, 95% CI: 0.675, 0.369–1.466). The low psychological flexibility and worse mental health were able to directly effect on worse wellbeing (psychological flexibility: ES, 95% CI: 0.419, 0.757–1.519; mental health: ES, 95% CI: 0.719, 1.109–2.607). In addition, psychological flexibility through the mediation of mental health also had an indirect effect on wellbeing (ES, 95% CI: 0.269, 0.957–2.165).ConclusionsBeing young, having more night shifts and having less psychological flexibility can be related to the deterioration of mental health and well-being in nurses. Therefore, it is recommended that nurses use the shift routine program with the least focus on the night shifts. Also, interventions to teach younger nurses how to face work stress and interventions to improve the psychological flexibility of all nurses are needed.

COVID-19-related lockdown can lead to mental health problem, which displays heterogeneous between individuals. The aim of this study was to explore the association between mental health, social support and psychological capital state of professional staff with different personalities during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. A cross-section study was conducted via online survey using the questionnaires of General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ), Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revision Short Scale of China (EPQ-RSC). A total of 626 employees were included. Multiple regression analysis was performed to investigate the association of psychological capital, perceived social support, EPQ-N and EPQ-E and their interactions in general mental health. About 2.7% of professionals had mental health. The married had a higher mental health score than the single (P<0.05). The regular exercising workers had the lowest mental health score (P<0.05), and higher psychological capital and social support scores than the non-exercising ones (P<0.01). Multivariate analysis showed that the interaction between social support, psychological capital and neuroticism was statistically significant (β=-0.161, P<0.001) in general mental health with neuroticism ranking the top (β=0.352, P<0.001). Mediation analysis showed that social support modified the effect of psychological capital on mental health, accounting for 25.5% of the total effect, and that both social support and psychological capital mediated the effect of neuroticism or extroversion differentially on mental health. Neuroticism is an influencing factor on mental health of professional staff. Social support and psychological capital played a partial mediating role in the effect of neuroticism or extroversion differentially on mental health in China. The findings suggest that during the COVID-19 pandemic, more social support and psychological capital are needed for the professional individuals with neuroticism to alleviate their stress and improve mental health.

Student well-being plays a vital role in college study, significantly influencing students' academic performance, satisfaction with learning, cognitive functioning, and motivation. Recognizing its essential impact, this study discovers how psychosocial factors (i.e. academic burnout, learning empowerment, and social support) predict psychological well-being through the mediating effect of psychological capital. A sample of 448 undergraduate students was recruited through convenience sampling, and data were collected via self-report measures assessing academic burnout, learning empowerment, social support, psychological well-being, and psychological capital. While statistical analyses including means, standard deviations, Pearson correlations, and hierarchical multiple regression were performed using SPSS v.26, the jAMM Module (medmod) of Jamovi software was employed to examine the mediation effects. The results indicate that academic burnout, learning empowerment, and social support are strong predictors of psychological well-being. Mediation analysis further shows that psychological capital partially mediates these relationships, suggesting that academic burnout, learning empowerment, and social support influence psychological well-being both directly and indirectly. Specifically, reducing academic burnout, fostering learning empowerment, and enhancing social support strengthen psychological capital, which, in turn, improves students' psychological well-being. These findings highlight the need to address burnout, nurture learning empowerment, and ensure social support as essential strategies for enhancing psychological capital and well-being in students. Consequently, college communities are encouraged to integrate these critical psychosocial resources into their programs to foster positive psychological well-being, academic success, and mental health among students.

Background: Addiction tendencies have become increasingly common due to various factors, including mental health issues, curiosity, lack of willpower, the desire to escape from a monotonous life, therapeutic motives, and abnormal personality traits. Objectives: This study aims to predict addiction tendencies based on psychological capital, mental toughness, and coping strategies. The statistical population consists of all drug addicts who visited addiction treatment centers in Shiraz in 2021, with a sample size of 150 participants. Patients and Methods: This research follows a correlational design. The questionnaires for assessing Lotanz Psychological Capital Scale, Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations, Tendency to Addiction Questionnaire were used. The collected data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics, with hypotheses tested using Pearson's correlation coefficient and regression analysis. Results: The results indicated that, among the components of psychological capital, optimism and flexibility significantly and negatively predicted addiction tendencies, while hope was not a significant predictor. Additionally, mental toughness was found to negatively and significantly predict addiction tendencies. Among coping strategies, problem-oriented coping predicted addiction tendencies negatively and significantly, while emotion-oriented coping predicted addiction tendencies positively and significantly. However, avoidance-based coping did not significantly predict addiction tendencies. Conclusions: The results support the hypothesis that there is a significant negative relationship between psychological capital dimensions, problem-oriented coping strategies, and mental toughness with addiction tendencies. Conversely, emotion-oriented and avoidance coping strategies showed a positive relationship with addiction tendencies. Therefore, teaching mental toughness and psychological capital skills can improve functional abilities and ultimately reduce addiction-related problems.

Uncovering the links between parenting stress and parenting styles: The role of psychological flexibility within parenting and global psychological flexibility

The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of psychological flexibility in mediating the beneficial effects of resilience on distress and quality of life (QoL) in people with MS (PwMS). The psychological flexibility framework underpinning acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) was used to conceptualise psychological flexibility. A total of 56 PwMS completed an online survey that assessed global psychological flexibility and each of its six core sub-processes, resilience, distress, mental and physical health QoL, socio-demographics, and illness variables. Mediation analyses showed that, as hypothesised, higher levels of global psychological flexibility and its sub-processes were associated with increases in the positive impacts of resilience on distress and mental and physical health QoL via a mediational mechanism. These findings suggest that psychological flexibility skills build resilience capacities in PwMS. The psychological flexibility framework offers an ACT-based intervention pathway to build resilience and enhance mental health and QoL in PwMS.

The Relationship between Psychological Capital and Spirituality with Internet Addiction among Students at Jondishapuor University of Medical Sciences