Emotion dysregulation is common in youth with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and is associated with social impairment-basic regulatory processes in a socio-emotional context in youth with ADHD may account for this relationship. Emotional interference control and emotional conflict adaptation are two such processes. The first process refers to selectively attending to relevant emotional stimuli while ignoring irrelevant emotional information. The second process refers to the ability to take previous experience in a conflicting emotional context (e.g., conflict between one's facial emotional expression and verbal information) in order to resolve current emotional conflicts (e.g., attending to facial emotional expression while ignoring verbal cues). The current study examined emotional interference control and emotional conflict adaptation in children and adolescents with and without ADHD. Twenty children and adolescents with ADHD and 20 without ADHD between the ages of 9 to 15 years performed an emotional Stroop task in which they were instructed to identify the emotion of facial expressions (happy or angry) while ignoring the overlapping words ("happy" or "anger") that were either congruent or incongruent with the facial expressions. Emotional interference control was measured by subtracting reaction time on congruent trials from incongruent trials. Emotional conflict adaptation was measured by subtracting reaction time on postcongruent incongruent (cI) trials from postincongruent incongruent (iI) trials. Children and adolescents with ADHD showed significantly lower accuracy on incongruent trials compared to those without ADHD. Within-group analyses indicated that both groups showed slower and less accurate responses on incongruent relative to congruent trials, suggesting an interference effect without evidence of a speed-accuracy trade-off. No group differences were observed in emotional conflict adaptation. Emotional interference control, but not emotional conflict adaptation, was impaired in our sample of youth with ADHD. Further research should investigate emotional interference control as a mechanism involved with emotion dysregulation symptoms in a social context among youth with ADHD.

The Impostor Phenomenon (IP) describes self-perceptions of intellectual fraudulence despite external and/or objective feedback supporting one's intellectual abilities [1]. Salari and colleagues [2] provided a meta-analysis of the IP among health service providers, aggregating data from 30 studies and 11,483 participants. One of their major aims was reporting the prevalence (i.e., the proportion of a population affected by a condition) of the IP. Therefore, they analyzed studies reporting prevalence rates. While we applaud the aspiration of Salari and colleagues in their work, we discuss why it is currently not suitable to interpret prevalence rates of the IP from a conceptual and methodological perspective.

Robust measurement of gender-related beliefs and attitudes is essential for understanding how gender norms operate in higher-education settings. However, little is known about how these constructs are structured among Ghanaian university students or whether widely used instruments retain validity in this context. This study examined the factor structure, reliability, and measurement invariance of adapted versions of the Gender Norm Attitudes Scale (GNAS) and Gender Equitable Men (GEM) Scale among Sociology and Social Work students in Ghana. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 631 students (98.3% response rate) from two public universities, split for Explorative Factor Analysis (EFA) (n = 339) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) (n = 364). EFA used principal axis factoring with oblique rotation on polychoric correlation matrices; parallel analysis guided factor retention. CFA was estimated under maximum likelihood and WLSMV estimators. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega. Measurement invariance was tested across sex, university, programme, and year level using the standard nested sequence of configural, metric, and scalar models, and was evaluated by changes in fit indices (ΔCFI, ΔRMSEA, ΔTLI, and ΔSRMR); differential item functioning (DIF) was assessed using ordinal logistic regression. Data were managed and described using SPSS Version 32; all factor-analytic, reliability, invariance, and DIF analyses were conducted in R (psych and lavaan packages). The GNAS yielded a two-factor, 11-item structure reflecting beliefs supporting men's privileges (α = 0.824, ω = 0.868) and equity for girls and women (α = 0.830, ω = 0.898), with strong fit (CFI = 0.960; TLI = 0.949; RMSEA = 0.057). Polychoric EFA confirmed this, indicating ordinal estimation did not alter the solution. After empirically driven item reduction, the adapted GEM Scale emerged as a modified version of the original instrument, with narrower domain coverage and near-complete loss of the Reproductive Health and Disease Prevention domain; the retained 16-item, four-factor structure covered violence, domestic chores and daily life, sexual relationships, and household authority and obedience, explaining 52.6% of variance with acceptable fit (CFI = 0.888; TLI = 0.865; RMSEA = 0.058), though the Household Authority and Obedience factor rested on only two items and the subscales showing weak Cronbach's alpha values. The students generally rejected inequitable norms, though attitudes toward household authority and domestic roles were more variable. For the GNAS, configural and metric invariance held across sex and university (ΔCFI ≤ 0.005); scalar invariance held across university (ΔCFI = 0.006) and was only partial across sex (ΔCFI = 0.022). For the adapted GEM Scale, metric invariance held across university (ΔCFI = 0.006) but not sex (ΔCFI = 0.016), and scalar invariance was not supported in either grouping. Although preliminary, the adapted GNAS shows acceptable structural validity, adequate-to-strong reliability, and metric invariance across sex and university and scalar invariance across university. In contrast, the adapted GEM Scale should be interpreted cautiously as a substantially modified measure with reduced domain coverage and less stable invariance properties, for which scalar invariance is not yet established. Further validation, confirmation of these invariance results using ordinal (WLSMV) estimators, and exploration of 5- or 7-point response formats are needed before either adapted scale is used confidently in broader research or programme evaluation.

Effective social decision-making requires understanding interpersonal dynamics involving moral content, a process supported by social cognition. When this ability is impaired, as in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), individuals may struggle to act appropriately, reducing social engagement and accelerating decline.The study investigated moral decision-making and social cognition in individuals with MCI and healthy controls (N = 40; 20 per group). Participants completed tasks assessing Theory of Mind (ToM), emotion attribution, social situation understanding, and moral/conventional distinctions. Moral decisions were measured using interactive scenarios (sacrificial, real-life moral, and neutral), recording choices and response times (RTs). Additional measures included cognitive reserve, social engagement, and perceived social isolation.Results showed that individuals with MCI performed significantly worse than controls in identifying normative behaviours, with no group differences in other social cognition domains. Both groups made similar choices in moral decision-making tasks. However, individuals with MCI exhibited longer response times in morally salient scenarios, while no group differences emerged in neutral scenarios. This pattern may tentatively suggest greater processing demands in morally relevant contexts. Additionally, individuals with MCI reported lower levels of cognitive reserve and social engagement.These findings underscore the importance of assessing moral decision-making in clinical populations to support autonomy and social inclusion in ageing.

Weight-related self-stigma and internalised weight bias may intensify food cravings and undermine psychological resources such as self-esteem, yet their combined contribution to food cravings among women with overweight and obesity is not well characterized. This study compared these psychosocial factors between women with overweight and those with obesity and examined their independent associations with food craving. The sample included 179 women with BMI ≥ 25 who completed a sociodemographic questionnaire and validated measures of weight-related self-stigma, internalised weight bias, food craving, and self-esteem. Group differences were examined, and hierarchical multiple regression was used to identify psychosocial predictors of food craving. Compared with women with overweight, women with obesity reported higher levels of weight-related self-stigma (p = 0.001), internalised weight bias (p = 0.001), and food craving (p = 0.003). Self-esteem did not differ by weight status but was significantly negatively associated with weight-related self-stigma, internalised weight bias, and food craving. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that greater weight-related self-stigma (β = 0.260) and internalised weight bias (β = 0.222), along with lower self-esteem (β = 0.184), independently predicted higher food craving, explaining 38.9% of the variance (R²=0.389). Age remained a significant negative predictor of food craving. Importantly, aside from age, BMI category and other sociodemographic variables were included as covariates in the hierarchical model but did not emerge as significant predictors. Food craving in women with overweight and obesity appears to be significantly associated with modifiable psychosocial mechanisms, particularly weight-related self-stigma, internalised weight bias, and self-esteem. Integrating stigma-reduction and self-esteem-supportive components into obesity management may help improve psychological and behavioral outcomes beyond standard dietary advice.

As the incidence of colorectal cancer increases, patients face heightened stress and mental health challenges associated diagnosis. Mental health disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety can greatly affect the overall physical and psychological health of these patients. This study aims to investigate the associations between anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms in colorectal cancer patients. This study involved 312 colorectal cancer patients who completed a general information questionnaire, the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Data were analyzed using network analysis in R. The analysis identified depression as the key central node in the network. Depression, anxiety, loss of interest (P12), sleep disturbance (P20), and intrusive thoughts (P1) were identified as bridge symptoms. Strong associations were observed between avoidance of thoughts (P6) and avoidance of reminders (P7), and between hypervigilance (P17) and exaggerated startle response (P18), along with anxiety and depression. This study identified depression, anxiety, loss of interest (P12), sleep disturbance (P20), and intrusive thoughts (P1) as key bridge symptoms. Future interventions should focus on these bridge symptoms to improve the mental health of colorectal cancer patients.

Infertility is on the rise among couples of reproductive age globally. In Uganda, while the prevalence of infertility has varied in recent studies due to differences in definitions and measures used, there is growing evidence for risks faced by those directly affected. The experiences and impact of involuntary infertility among the affected individuals and/or couples in Uganda have however not been extensively examined. This study examined the experiences of infertility before a decision to do In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) among individuals or couples who successfully had children through IVF treatment in Uganda. In this qualitative phenomenological study, we conducted individual in-person or virtual audio-recorded in-depth interviews with eight participants (one couple and six spouses). Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim and transcripts thematically analyzed. Four themes emerged: (1) Personal and social expectations (2) Frustrations with seeking help, inconclusive medical tests and delays in diagnosis (3) Stigma from family, workplace and community and (4) Psychological and emotional effects of infertility. These themes show growing distress due to failure to have normal conception as per personal and societal expectations. Finding care and the delays in diagnosis were frustrating for participants. Participants' emotional and mental health problems resulted from a combination of factors such as unmet expectations of early conception; stigma and challenges with care and diagnosis. The stress that comes with delays in conception is exacerbated by a prolonged search for possible causes of ongoing infertility and diagnosis. A socio-cultural environment that espouses traditional beliefs and expectations about normality of conception increases risks of stigma and serious emotional and mental health problems among individuals facing infertility in Uganda. Public health campaigns on negative beliefs about infertility can reduce the psychological impact on affected individuals and couples.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had lasting effects on university students' mental health. While numerous studies have examined depression, anxiety, and stress during the pandemic, the post-pandemic burden of these conditions remains unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among university students during the post-COVID-19 period. A systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, MEDLINE, and Scopus was conducted from inception to August 2025 following PRISMA guidelines (OSF: 10.17605/OSF.IO/S3R2E). Cross-sectional studies published between 2022 and 2025 reporting the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and/or stress among university students using validated assessment tools were included. Study quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist. Single-arm meta-analyses of proportions were performed using logit transformation. Subgroup analyses by geographic region, meta-regression, sensitivity analyses, and publication bias assessments were conducted. Sixty-three studies involving more than 255,000 university students across multiple global regions were included. The pooled prevalence of overall depression was 45.1% (95% CI: 38.5% to 51.8%), with prevalence estimates of 21.9% for mild, 12.8% for moderate, and 4.1% for severe depression. The pooled prevalence of overall anxiety was 43.6% (95% CI: 35.3% to 52.3%), with 23.1% mild, 13.7% moderate, and 6.1% severe anxiety. Overall stress prevalence was 45.6% (95% CI: 32.9% to 58.8%), while high perceived stress affected 14.5% of students. Significant regional variations were observed for depression and anxiety. Meta-regression indicated no consistent temporal trends, although prevalence varied by sample size and, for moderate and severe anxiety, by publication year. Sensitivity analyses confirmed robust findings. Publication bias was detected in mild depression, mild anxiety, and severe anxiety subgroups. Depression, anxiety, and stress remain highly prevalent among university students in the post-pandemic period, highlighting a sustained mental health burden. Most studies were cross-sectional and relied on self-reported measures, with variability in sample sizes and sociocultural contexts, hindering comparability and generalizability. Despite these constraints, these findings highlight the urgent need for targeted mental health screening, preventive strategies, and accessible psychological support services within higher education settings.

Grounded in Chinese healthcare and cultural background, this study aimed to develop and validate the Subjective Financial Distress Scale (SFDS) for cancer patients. Between July and November 2022, cancer patients were recruited from the oncology department of a Grade A hospital in Jiangsu Province by the convenience sampling method. This research was conducted in three stages: Phase I (Item development) included domain identification and item generation based on a systematic literature review and preliminary qualitative interview results. Phase Ⅱ (Scale development) reduced items through Delphi expert consultation, a pilot test, item analysis and exploratory factor analysis. Phase III (Scale validation) evaluated the reliability and stability of the scale. A total of 452 patients were recruited. The final scale consisted of 24 items with 6 dimensions, including financial risk perception, changes in daily consumption patterns, changes in work status, changes in treatment plans, individual spontaneous emotional experiences and externally mediated interactive reactions. The scale's Cronbach's alpha, split-half reliability, test-retest reliability and content validity were 0.949, 0.902, 0.953 and 0.970, respectively. Comparison with the Comprehensive Scores for Financial Toxicity Based on the Patient-Reported Outcome Measures showed high calibration correlation validity (coefficient = 0.805). Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the first-order and second-order models both fit well, respectively. The SFDS is reliable and valid to assess the degree of the subjective financial distress in cancer patients.

Previous research has found that violence towards family caregivers caring for schizophrenia patients is common due to patient-family caregiver interactions. This study aimed to investigate family caregivers' experiences of patient-initiated violence in schizophrenia and the perceived reasons for such violence. The study was conducted using the phenomenological method, one of the qualitative research methods. The data was collected through individual in-depth interviews. The data collection ended with 12 participants. The data was analyzed using inductive qualitative content analysis to create themes and categories within the research. The confirmability, transferability, credibility and consistency of the study were checked. The findings revealed that family caregivers' experiences of patient-initiated violence were organized into four main themes: (1) limited illness insight and misattributions, (2) clinical symptoms and treatment non-adherence, (3) psychosocial vulnerability of the patient, and (4) family dynamics and interpersonal conflict. Caregivers often reported difficulty in identifying the causes of violence and, in some cases, attributed it to metaphysical beliefs such as the influence of jinn. Clinical factors, particularly non-adherence to treatment, hallucinations, and delusions, were perceived as major contributors to violent behavior. In addition, psychosocial vulnerabilities, including feelings of being misunderstood, loneliness, and imbalance in social life, were identified as triggers of aggression. Family-related factors, such as forcing treatment and interpersonal conflicts, were also reported to precipitate violent incidents. Overall, the findings indicate that caregivers interpret violence through a combination of clinical, cultural, and relational frameworks. This study provides comprehensive multidimensional insights into the causes, consequences and prevention of patient-related violence experienced by psychiatric nurses. The descriptions of nurses' experiences of violence illustrate the severity of violence and its negative impact on nursing care. Patient-related violence can be minimized if psychiatric nurses receive psychological support to cope with the emotions caused by the violence, focus on and address the facility's deficiencies and are trained in therapeutic interventions.