The current study evaluated the effects of quality of reinforcement on the resurgence of target behavior responding. We defined higher- or lower-quality stimuli in terms of reinforcer potency, and specifically by the identified extent to which a reinforcer maintains responding at progressively greater response requirements. We first conducted a stimulus potency analysis to empirically derive higher- or lower-quality reinforcers using a progressive ratio schedule of reinforcement. We then conducted a human operant study within a three-condition resurgence evaluation with three children diagnosed with developmental disabilities. During Condition 1, target behavior responding led to higher- or lower-quality reinforcement according to a variable interval (VI) 30-s schedule of reinforcement. Following stable responding, Condition 2 delivered higher- or lower-quality reinforcement to the alternative behavior according to a VI 30-s schedule of reinforcement as target behavior responding was placed on extinction. During Condition 3, responding to both the target and alternative responses was placed on extinction. All three participants showed greater resurgence of the target behavior to a greater extent within the condition associated with higher-quality reinforcer delivery. We will discuss these results considering the importance of quality of reinforcement to both experimental and applied behavior analysis.

Drawing on organizational justice theory, this study examines how workers’ perceptions of fair treatment influence job satisfaction following the transition from temporary agency employment at subcontracting firms to regular employment with client firms. A multilevel analysis was conducted to simultaneously assess individual- and organizational-level effects. Data were collected through a survey of Korean public organizations that had implemented regular employment transitions, yielding a final sample of 966 employees nested within 116 institutions. At the individual level, perceived fair treatment after regularization was positively associated with job satisfaction. At the organizational level, systematic human resource management practices enhanced employees’ perceptions of fair treatment, while government support during the transition process—including the provision of clear guidelines and professional consulting—moderated the relationship between perceived fair treatment and job satisfaction. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how fair treatment perceptions shape employee attitudes following employment regularization and highlight the role of organizational human resource practices and government involvement in fostering positive outcomes during labor market transitions.

Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often lack the social skills required for interpersonal interactions, highlighting the urgent need for evidence-based intervention programs. STEM activities that emphasize collaboration and communication offer a new pathway for social skill development. This study developed an adaptive STEM project-based learning instructional framework teaching model and employed a multiple-probe across-participant design to evaluate the participants’ social skills achievement rates and frequency of emotional and behavioral incidents. The results indicated that STEM activities exerted positive intervention effects; they effectively improved social skills (including cooperation, empathy, engagement, and communication) in students with ASD and reduced the occurrence of emotional and behavioral problems. Feedback from teachers, parents, and students further confirmed the social validity of STEM activities. Finally, recommendations for implementing STEM education among students with ASD are proposed from three perspectives: constructing interdisciplinary collaboration mechanisms, developing adaptive STEM curricula, and implementing dynamic teaching support strategies.

Stockouts significantly threaten consumer loyalty and cause substantial economic losses. In response, online platforms are widely deploying AI recommender systems to provide substitutes. However, whether such AI-driven substitution strategies can effectively mitigate the negative consequences of stockouts remains underexplored. Grounded in technology affordance and perceived value theories, this study develops a conceptual framework to investigate how content affordances of AI-recommended substitutes—specifically perceived fit, personalization, and serendipity—influence post-purchase intentions through functional and emotional value perceptions. Analysis of survey data from 479 respondents reveals that these affordances enhance perceived value, which in turn strengthens post-purchase intentions. Moreover, the findings demonstrate distinct effects of each affordance dimension on perceived functional value versus emotional value. In terms of the moderating effects, privacy concerns positively moderate the relationship between perceived functional value and post-purchase intention. Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA) further identifies critical prerequisites for achieving high perceived value and post-purchase intentions. This study extends the application of AI recommender systems to service recovery contexts and offers a wealth of novel insights for designing effective substitution strategies.

This study investigates the conditions under which workplace loneliness influences employees’ help-seeking behavior. Drawing on the conservation of resources theory and the theory of planned behavior, we propose that loneliness does not uniformly discourage interpersonal engagement but can motivate help-seeking under certain circumstances. Using survey data from 260 full-time Korean employees, we find that workplace loneliness is positively associated with help-seeking when employees perceive high levels of transactive memory systems or work meaningfulness. These moderating effects suggest that the negative impact of loneliness on help-seeking can be attenuated or reversed when key contextual and motivational resources are present. We discuss the implications of these findings for understanding workplace loneliness as a potentially adaptive response rather than solely a detrimental experience.

Technological developments have profoundly transformed healthcare, compelling institutions to adapt rapidly to digital transformation. This shift has increased job pressure and uncertainty, thereby heightening the risk of burnout. Emotional intelligence (EI), as an individual capacity, plays a critical role in coping with these demands. This study examines the relationship between EI and burnout during the digital transformation process using a mixed-methods design. Specifically, it combines (1) a bibliometric analysis of 540 studies on EI and burnout (2004–2025) retrieved from the Web of Science database to identify conceptual gaps, and (2) a survey of 590 employees from four public hospitals at advanced stages of digital transformation (HIMSS Stages 6–7), analyzed with SPSS 23.0. The results reveal a significant negative correlation between EI and burnout, indicating that employees with higher EI experience lower burnout levels. Regression analyses and effect size estimates (standardized β coefficients and R2 values) further support the robustness of this relationship. Taken together, the bibliometric and empirical findings indicate that the intersection of EI and burnout constitutes an emerging yet underexplored field, particularly in digital contexts. This study contributes to the literature by integrating theoretical insights and empirical evidence to provide a comprehensive understanding of how digital transformation influences healthcare professionals’ psychological well-being through the interplay of EI and burnout.

In the field of second language acquisition, there is a growing recognition of the importance of emotional factors, particularly emotional intelligence (EI), in influencing learners’ willingness to communicate (WTC) in a second language (L2). However, previous studies have predominantly adopted a variable-centered approach, often overlooking individual heterogeneity and the mediating role of foreign language enjoyment (FLE) in the relationship between EI and WTC. To address these gaps, this study integrated variable-centered and person-centered approaches to examine 1111 students from Chinese private colleges, representing a distinct educational ecology. Questionnaires were used to measure EI, FLE, and L2 WTC, followed by mediation analysis and latent profile analysis (LPA). Results indicated that EI positively predicted WTC (β = 0.217, p < 0.001), with FLE partially mediating this relationship (indirect β = 0.135, p < 0.001), accounting for 38.3% of the total effect (β = 0.352, p < 0.001). LPA identified three learner profiles—“High EI–High Enjoyment,” “Moderate EI–Moderate Enjoyment,” and “Low EI–Low Enjoyment.” These profiles differed significantly in L2 WTC (p < 0.005), although the effect size was small (η2 = 0.002). The findings revealed that learners with higher emotional intelligence and enjoyment tended to report greater willingness to communicate. However, the overall effect was small, suggesting that emotional factors may serve as facilitators rather than decisive determinants of L2 communication. Despite the modest magnitude of these differences, the pattern highlights subtle yet meaningful emotional dynamics underlying L2 communication behavior. By integrating person- and variable-centered perspectives, this study contributes methodological refinement and provides cautiously framed pedagogical implications for fostering emotional engagement and communicative willingness among diverse L2 learners.

This study explored the psychological characteristics of homeroom teachers’ reflective practice with a focus on student mental health, addressing a gap in empirical research. This study conducted semi-structured interviews with seventeen Chinese homeroom teachers and applied thematic analysis to examine how reflective practice supported mental health education. It also evaluated this practice from the perspective of multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). The findings reveal the cognitive, emotional, motivational, and behavioral characteristics of homeroom teachers’ reflective practice. Cognitive characteristics centered on three aspects—the focus of reflection, the thinking process, and the formation or transformation of cognition—with student mental health being a primary concern. Emotional elements were less explicitly mentioned but were embedded in teachers’ narratives. Motivational characteristics comprised autonomy and physical–mental states, supporting or impeding reflection. Behaviorally, homeroom teachers engaged in silent, written, and dialogic forms of reflection, with silent reflection being common yet often undervalued. The study also indicated that homeroom teachers’ work in mental health education mainly involves MTSS Tier 1 and Tier 2, with insufficient collaboration with other professionals and characteristics distinct from traditional MTSS practices. Overall, the study highlights the multifaceted nature of reflective practice and its implications for enhancing school-based mental health education.

ToM (ToM) and empathy, integral components of children’s social cognitive development, are shaped by multifaceted factors. The developmental trajectories of ToM and empathy in kindergarten children have long been focal points of inquiry for researchers and educators. Among these determinants, environmental factors emerge as significant predictors of children’s ToM and empathetic abilities. In contemporary society, digital screens have transformed into a ubiquitous medium for kindergarten children, deeply embedded in their daily life, learning, and recreational activities. Consequently, screen exposure has become a novel and distinctive environmental context for childhood development, diverging from traditional settings. This shift raises critical questions that have become focal in recent developmental media research: Does screen exposure correlate with children’s ToM and empathy? And how do key dimensions of screen use (e.g., duration, content) influence the development of these social cognitive skills? To address these queries, this study employed a two-phase experimental approach. Initially, a total of 642 parental questionnaires were collected to comprehensively investigate the current status of digital screen usage among Chinese kindergarten children. Subsequently, the ToM and empathy levels of 126 children were systematically evaluated. The findings revealed that the average daily duration of children’s screen time exhibited a significant negative predictive effect on their ToM level, consistent with prior longitudinal studies that linked early excessive screen exposure to poorer later ToM performance. Conversely, engagement with child-friendly content (e.g., prosocial narratives) and parent–child discussions regarding character emotions during screen exposure (e.g., dialogic questioning while co-viewing) emerged as positive predictors of ToM. Notably, no significant predictive relationships were identified between various dimensions of screen exposure and children’s empathy. This research elucidates the impact of screen exposure on crucial aspects of children’s social cognition, offering practical implications for optimizing screen device utilization to foster children’s holistic development.

Burnout among physical education (PE) teachers has become an urgent issue due to the profession’s distinctive physical, emotional, and social demands. This cross-sectional study examined the relationships between the Big Five personality traits and occupational burnout among secondary PE teachers in South Korea (N = 240). Burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory–Human Services Survey, and personality traits were assessed with the Big Five Inventory. Correlation and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to explore the associations between personality traits and the three burnout dimensions: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. Neuroticism was positively associated with emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, whereas extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness were negatively related to these dimensions. Personal accomplishment was positively linked to extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness, and negatively linked to neuroticism. Regression analyses confirmed that neuroticism was the strongest predictor of emotional exhaustion, while extraversion and agreeableness buffered depersonalization. Openness showed a positive association with depersonalization, suggesting a possible person–environment misfit in structured PE contexts. These findings indicate that personality profiles provide valuable insight into burnout vulnerability among secondary PE teachers and underscore the importance of personality-informed strategies to promote emotional well-being and sustainable professional growth.