This study examined how Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs) described their experiences and impacts of COVID-19-related racism, contextualized in a broader history of sociopolitical oppression. Guided by Cheng, Kim, et al. (2021) tripartite model of collective psychosocial resilience, we further hypothesized that COVID-19-related racism might be a catalyst for AANHPIs developing critical consciousness to resist racism. AANHPI adults (n = 448; Mage = 26.43) were asked how their lives were impacted by anti-Asian racism during the COVID-19 pandemic and completed survey measures on sociodemographic factors and critical consciousness. We employed mixed methods triangulation with data transformation. Five themes were identified from open-ended responses using structured tabular thematic analysis: personal experiences of racism reenacting the perpetual foreigner narrative in a broader historical context of structural racism; vicarious racism reflecting the collective nature of identity-based harm; impacts of racial trauma on mental health and identity; heterogeneity of racialized experiences across AANHPIs; and cultivation of collective resilience and resistance through critical consciousness. Themes were quantified and related to measures reflecting critical consciousness dimensions, specifically critical reflection (perceived inequality, egalitarianism), critical motivation, and critical action using linear regression. Racial trauma impacts and cultivation of collective resistance were associated with perceived inequality. Vicarious racism was associated with critical motivation. Personal experiences of racism and cultivation of collective resistance were associated with critical action. To the extent that racial trauma was experienced collectively, AANHPIs fostered critical consciousness of discrimination as a common fate and were pulled toward community caretaking, solidarity, and collective action. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Fostering critical multilingual language awareness with teacher candidates in Türkiye through linguistic landscape projects

This convergent mixed-methods study explores how Theater of the Oppressed (TO) fosters critical consciousness among gay, bisexual, queer, and transgender men (n = 16) in Singapore. Grounded in Freirean praxis, the study assessed pre- and post-intervention changes across four domains: perceived inequality, egalitarianism, critical motivation, and support networks. Quantitative findings showed a significant improvement in support networks and positive shifts in motivation. Qualitative insights revealed how TO's embodied and dialogic methods promoted reflection, solidarity, and agency. Furthermore, this study operationalizes support networks as a distinct, measurable component of critical consciousness within a TO framework. Findings highlight the potential of arts-based, relational interventions to advance psychosocial resilience and collective empowerment among marginalized queer communities in non-Western contexts.

Migrant members of racially marginalized groups pursue their political struggle in places outside their land of origin. How would they resist racialized collective violence in the diaspora by engaging in solidarity as they acculturate to a new societal order? Combining traditional social psychological approaches of intragroup relationships with anticolonial and antiracist combative praxis, the current research examined (post)migrant Kurds' narratives of solidarity as resistance as they shared their experiences of Turkish racialized colonial violence in Belgium. We conducted a mixed methods study combining in-depth interviews with researcher participatory truth-witnessing. We interviewed 24 Kurds (2 sexual and gender minorities, 10 cisheterosexual women, 12 cisheterosexual men) about their intragroup relations and Kurdish resistance against collective violence. Reflexive thematic analysis centring around intragroup solidarity showed that participants understood and practiced solidarity as resistance and existence in several ways. In the diaspora, they navigated resistance against Turkish collective violence, transnational repression and the structural challenges of migrational acculturation through diverse, multi-sited, multi-layered and liminal intragroup solidarity despite some intragroup exclusions, with a desire for intragroup unity. Participatory truth-witnessing revealed that political organization and critical consciousness are central to intragroup solidarity beyond ethnocultural cohesion.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, two spirit, queer or questioning, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) individuals experience disproportionately high rates of suicidal ideation, attempts, and deaths compared to the general population. These disparities are fueled by systemic inequities, discrimination, and minority stress. Gatekeeper trainings such as Question, Persuade, Refer and SafeTALK have been shown to improve knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy in suicide prevention. Despite ongoing advancements in suicide prevention efforts, a significant need remains for approaches that move beyond general adaptation toward full integration of LGBTQIA+-specific factors. This gap leaves gatekeepers underprepared to recognize LGBTQIA+-specific risk factors and provide affirming support. To address this gap, we introduce BELONG, a conceptual framework for an LGBTQIA+-inclusive suicide prevention gatekeeper training. BELONG integrates minority stress theory, sociopolitical development theory, and intersectionality into the four established domains of gatekeeper training knowledge, attitudes, skill development, and self-efficacy. BELONG incorporates practical strategies such as LGBTQIA+-specific role-plays, affirming communication practice, tailored referral resources, and advocacy tools. These components are designed to strengthen gatekeepers' intervention confidence while expanding their capacity to address systemic barriers that exacerbate suicide risk. A distinguishing feature of BELONG is the positioning of advocacy as a cross-cutting construct. Rather than focusing exclusively on individual-level crisis intervention, the model emphasizes the role of gatekeepers in fostering affirming environments and promoting structural change. By embedding affirmation, belonging, and critical consciousness into a structured training framework, BELONG advances the field of suicide prevention through a culturally grounded model tailored to LGBTQIA+ populations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

This study examined the relationship between medical artificial intelligence readiness and AI-related anxiety among nursing students following surgical nursing education. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 252 nursing students from two universities who had completed surgical diseases nursing courses. Data were collected between February and July 2024 using the Artificial Intelligence Anxiety Scale and the Medical Artificial Intelligence Readiness Scale. Group comparisons, correlation analyses, and hierarchical regression analysis models were performed. Our findings indicate a notable "awareness-apprehension paradox": higher ability (technical readiness) was associated with lower learning anxiety (B = - 0.25, p < .01), whereas higher ethics (ethical readiness) was associated with greater concerns regarding job replacement (B = 0.41, p < .001) and anxiety. Female students had significantly higher anxiety scores, and regular AI use was associated with greater readiness. AI utilization and sociotechnical perceptions together accounted for variance in readiness outcomes. Higher levels of medical AI readiness were not uniformly associated with lower anxiety; instead, increased readiness coexisted with elevated concerns in specific anxiety dimensions, indicating a complex association between technological preparedness and psychological adaptation. The results suggest that developing technical competence alone may not be sufficient to align with confident technology adoption. They further indicate that, in the absence of corresponding organizational safeguards, ethical awareness may function more as a "cognitive demand" than as a resource. The study adds to the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) framework by illustrating the dual nature of AI readiness. Nursing education programs may therefore benefit from integrating ethical reflection, critical technological awareness, and psychological preparedness alongside AI skill development to support sustainable implementation of AI-supported clinical practice.

ABSTRACT The adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in the hospitality and tourism (H&T) industry has accelerated digital transformation and made equipping future H&T professionals with AI literacy essential. This study, situated in Macao’s H&T context, focuses on identifying essential AI competencies for university H&T students and exploring effective technology-aided teaching for instructors. Guided by the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework, interviews with H&T practitioners, educators, and students reveal the need for skills in data analysis, interdisciplinary knowledge, AI-based H&T applications, creativity, prompt engineering, and critical awareness of ethical, legal, and environmental issues. Findings underscore the importance of integrating AI literacy into pedagogy through scaffolding, project-based learning, inquiry-based instruction, and experiential learning approaches like VR/AR simulation and practicum. They provide actionable insights for aligning H&T education with industry demands, positioning AI literacy at the core of curriculum design for a sustainable and AI-driven future in H&T.

Adopted adults may be at a higher risk of developing complex trauma symptoms due to early attachment ruptures caused by separating from caregivers and other potential early adverse childhood experiences. Critical consciousness, or interrogating systems of oppression, may mitigate trauma symptoms of powerlessness for marginalized groups by inspiring purposeful collective action. This study explored the association between critical consciousness (critical reflection, motivation, and action) and complex trauma symptoms from a national cross-sectional online survey of a racially diverse sample (N = 464) of adopted adults in the United States. The final regression model, which included demographic variables, adoption characteristics, traumatic experiences, and critical consciousness, explained 34.9% of complex trauma symptoms among adult adoptees in the sample, R² = .349, F(3, 355) = 5.630, p < .001, and critical consciousness accounted for 3.1% of the unique variance. Critical motivation, or a belief in one's ability to contribute to social change, was the only variable associated with lower complex trauma symptoms (β = -0.15, p = .019). Critical reflection, or a realization of societal inequality (β = .13, p = .037) and critical action, or political activism (β = .14, p = .004), were associated with higher trauma symptoms. Exploratory findings suggest critical consciousness of systemic oppression may be an important and complex factor to consider when addressing complex trauma symptoms among racially diverse clients who grew up outside of the "traditional" standard North American family (i.e., heterosexual, legally married couple with biological children). Findings suggest that aspects of critical consciousness may cause distress, but other aspects, such as critical motivation, may address feelings of powerlessness and be associated with lower complex trauma symptoms. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

The impact of natural disasters on the professional development of teacher candidates has, to date, primarily been investigated in relation to psychological well-being and trauma. Nevertheless, the association between these extreme events and teacher candidates' personal and professional competencies, as well as their critical thinking skills, remains insufficiently addressed in the literature. In particular, for teacher candidates who directly experienced the 2023 earthquakes in Türkiye, there exists a distinct need for comprehensive research that integrates both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. This study employed a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design. In the quantitative phase, the Personal-Professional Competencies Perception Scale (PPCPS) and the Critical Thinking Standards Scale (CTSS) were administered to 304 teacher candidates at İnönü University who directly experienced the 2023 earthquakes. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 37 purposively selected participants to contextualize and deepen the quantitative findings. A positive, significant, and strong correlation was found between critical thinking skills and personal and professional competency (r = .657, p < .01). Qualitative findings revealed that in the post-earthquake period, teacher candidates developed positive perceptions of critical thinking, particularly under the themes of developing different perspectives, empathy, and increased awareness; however, the inefficiency of distance education, communication problems, and psychological difficulties negatively affected their perceptions of professional competence. Research findings indicate that the earthquakes had a bidirectional impact on teacher candidates' perceptions of competence and critical thinking. Among these İnönü University teacher candidates, traumatic experiences appeared to enhance cognitive and critical awareness consistent with Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG) theory, while simultaneously weakening teacher candidates' perceptions of professional competence, owing to distance learning disruptions and psychological challenges. These findings highlight that post-disaster teacher education processes should focus not only on academic sustainability but also on structural arrangements that support critical thinking, psychological resilience, and professional competencies.

BackgroundHuman metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a significant respiratory pathogen that remains underrecognized and often co-circulates with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza. Despite its clinical impact, awareness among healthcare professionals remains poorly understood, particularly in Africa. This study assessed the awareness of hMPV among healthcare professionals in Libya.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 385 healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and medical technicians in Libya. A structured, self-administered questionnaire developed de novo was used to assess demographic characteristics and awareness of hMPV, including transmission, clinical manifestations, prevention, and management. Awareness levels were categorized as low (≤ 59%), moderate (60–79%), or high (≥ 80%) using modified Bloom’s cut-off points. Ordinal logistic regression was used to analyze associations between awareness levels and demographic factors.ResultsAmong the 385 healthcare professionals, 13.2% demonstrated high awareness of hMPV, 13.8% had moderate awareness, and 73.0% had low awareness according to modified Bloom’s criteria. Only 35.8% correctly identified hMPV as an RNA virus, and 28.1% recognized that ELISA is not the gold standard for diagnosis. In the multivariate ordinal logistic regression, fellowship degree holders had significantly higher odds of awareness compared to those with a bachelor’s degree (AOR: 8.84; 95% CI: 2.42–38.7; p = 0.002), while nurses showed significantly lower awareness than doctors (AOR: 0.09; 95% CI: 0.01–0.36; p = 0.003). A trend toward lower awareness was observed among participants from Tobruk (AOR: 0.13; 95% CI: 0.01–1.39; p = 0.086) and Tripoli (AOR: 0.09; 95% CI: 0.01–1.26; p = 0.075) compared with Al Bayda. Working in a private hospital approached statistical significance (AOR: 2.47; 95% CI: 0.99–6.15; p = 0.050).ConclusionThe findings underscore critical awareness gaps regarding hMPV among Libyan healthcare professionals and highlight the urgent need for targeted educational interventions. Integrating emerging infectious diseases into curricula and continuing medical education is vital to improving diagnostic acumen and public health preparedness in resource-limited settings.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s42506-026-00226-1.

ABSTRACT This study examined how a linguistic landscape task integrated into a short-term study abroad (STSA) program in Boston helped cultivate critical multilingual language awareness (CMLA) – the ability to notice and critique how multilingual language practices reflect and reproduce ideologies and power relations (De Costa and Van Gorp 2023) – among Korean college students. Twenty-one undergraduates participated in a three-week program that included coursework on language education, ideology, and technology in US schools, alongside explorations of Boston’s history and culture. As part of the coursework, students completed a linguistic landscape task. Prior to fieldwork, they were introduced to the task’s procedures and reflection questions. Students then photographed and categorised pictures of public signage observed during outdoor explorations of the city, completing the task weekly across the program. Students’ multimodal posts show how they noticed linguistic surroundings and how they sometimes interrogated ideologies embedded in multilingual and multimodal signage by uncovering hidden messages and by assessing respect, inclusivity, and social belonging. Findings suggest that linguistic landscapes can serve not only as a source of authentic input, but also as a pedagogical tool for fostering social awareness and critical language engagement. The study discusses implications for designing CMLA-oriented STSA programs.

ABSTRACT Cross-cultural learning is increasingly important in higher education, yet the use of multimodal generative artificial intelligence (AI) and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) to support authentic cross-cultural learning remains under-examined. This study developed a web-based system integrating multimodal generative AI with RAG technology, aimed at enhancing learners’ Multicultural Competence (MC), Critical Intercultural Awareness (CIA), Ethnocultural Empathy (EE), and sustainable cross-cultural learning experiences. The system combined cultural video creation, scaffolded essay writing, AI feedback, chatbot assistance, and peer interaction. A quasi-experimental design involving 42 students compared an Experimental Group (EG), which used the developed system, with a Control Group (CG), which used general AI-supported writing tools to complete the same tasks. Learning activities focused on tea ceremonies and traditional costumes and followed a four-step model emphasizing cultural transformation and sustainability. Data were collected through pre- and post-questionnaires, participant perception, cross-cultural knowledge tests, essays, and interviews. Quantitative results found that the EG showed significantly greater improvements in MC, CIA, and EE than the CG and reported high satisfaction, while qualitative results further corroborated these findings. The study contributes to theory by expanding the framework of multicultural competence and to practice by demonstrating the application of a RAG-integrated multimodal AI system in cross-cultural education.

Gendered design plays an increasingly significant role in product identification, identity construction, and brand communication. By strategically utilizing visual symbols such as color, shape, and typography, it activates identity-based responses, thereby influencing consumers’ purchasing decisions and their overall perception of brand personality. However, existing research continues to face several limitations, including a heavy reliance on binary gender frameworks, a Western-centric focus, and an insufficient exploration of gendered visual language within digital and social media contexts. This study aims to examine how gendered design influences consumer behavior and brand perception, with a particular emphasis on the critical roles played by visual communication and cultural context. The theoretical framework draws on Gender Performativity Theory and Brand Personality Theory to explain how brands encode and reproduce social gender norms, and how consumers utilize these symbols for self-identity confirmation and performance. Adopting a qualitative research design, this study conducted semi-structured interviews with 11 participants aged 18 to 25. The data underwent thematic analysis, and the findings indicate that consumers possess a high sensitivity to gendered visual cues when judging product suitability. Notably, Generation Z consumers demonstrate strong critical awareness toward traditional binary designs, favoring brands that embody authentic inclusivity, social responsibility, and consistent values. The significance of this study lies in revealing how design serves as a symbolic practice that shapes cognitive boundaries, providing strategic insights for brands to develop inclusive and culturally resonant visual strategies in an increasingly diverse market.

Interprofessional education (IPE) is vital for preparing pharmacy students for collaborative practice but is often constrained by logistical challenges. This study examined the preliminary impact of an AI-enhanced simulated interprofessional learning intervention on pharmacy students' self-reported interprofessional competencies and perceived readiness for AI use in healthcare, using an antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) scenario to assess the application of clinical decision-making. A pilot quasi-experimental study with an explanatory mixed-methods design was conducted among pharmacy students (n = 112). The intervention involved an AI-enhanced simulation using virtual avatars representing healthcare roles within a recurrent urinary tract infection case. Outcomes were assessed using the Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey (ICCAS), the Medical Artificial Intelligence Readiness Scale (MAIRS), and an AMS knowledge questionnaire. Paired t-tests, repeated-measures MANCOVA, and multiple linear regression analyses were performed, and thematic analysis was used for qualitative data. Participants reported significantly higher post-intervention self-reported scores across all outcomes. ICCAS scores increased from 58.82 ± 14.67 to 68.52 ± 12.45, MAIRS from 75.16 ± 10.85 to 82.12 ± 9.49, and AMS from 6.21 ± 1.74 to 8.08 ± 1.35 (all p < 0.001), with all subscales showing significantly higher post-values (p < 0.001). MANCOVA confirmed a significant overall time effect (p < 0.001). Qualitative findings highlighted students' perceived improvements in communication, teamwork, clinical reasoning, and critical awareness of AI limitations. Higher academic year, prior IPE exposure, simulation experience, and digital literacy were significantly associated with higher outcome scores. Students without prior IPE exposure showed larger pre-post ICCAS change scores than those with prior IPE exposure (Δ difference = 4.2, p = 0.008, d = 0.52). This pilot study suggests that AI-enhanced simulated interprofessional learning may be associated with improvements in students' self-reported collaborative competencies, perceived readiness for AI use in healthcare, and short-term AMS knowledge scores. Given the single-group pre-post design and short-term assessment, findings should be interpreted as preliminary and require confirmation through future controlled randomized and longitudinal studies.

Indonesia is a pluralistic country characterized by a high level of cultural diversity. While this diversity serves as a valuable national asset, it may also give rise to stereotypes, misunderstandings, and even horizontal conflicts within educational settings if not managed wisely. This study aims to examine teachers’ perceptions of student plurality, identify pedagogical strategies used to integrate multicultural values, and analyze the role of teachers as mediators in overcoming communication barriers caused by differences in students’ cultural backgrounds. The scope of this study focuses on heterogeneous classroom management practices at SMK Negeri 1 Percut Sei Tuan. This research employed a descriptive qualitative approach through field research. Primary data were collected through non-participant observation and in-depth interviews with key informants, including the principal, subject teachers, guidance and counseling teachers, and students. Secondary data were obtained through school documentation studies. The data analysis techniques consisted of data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. Data validity was ensured through source triangulation and technique triangulation. The findings reveal that teachers possess a high level of critical awareness regarding multicultural realities in the classroom. The strategies implemented include creating an inclusive learning environment through strict anti-discrimination rules, integrating tolerance values into learning materials, applying collaborative learning based on heterogeneous groups, and demonstrating fair behavior as role models. These strategies were found to be effective in reducing friendship exclusivity, preventing conflict, increasing social empathy, and preparing students to live in a pluralistic society.

ABSTRACT This pilot study describes the theoretical underpinnings and impact of a novel educational intervention, the Sex Communication Workshop, drawing upon ideas about sexual self-concept, critical consciousness, cultural competency and humility, and adopting a sexological worldview. The intervention took the form of a 90-minute workshop facilitated by staff members and peer educators at a US university. The study aimed to assess the impact of the programme in affecting changes in sexual assertiveness, consciousness, and self-schemata, as measured by subscales of the Multidimensional Sexual Self-Concept Questionnaire. Participants undertook a pre-test at the start of the workshop and a post-test immediately after. A sample of 558 undergraduate students, primarily in their second and third years, from a private midsized university in the northeast USA completed the programme. Statistically significant increases in sexual self-schema, t (557) = -7.25 p < .001, Cohen’s d = .62; sexual assertiveness, t (557) = -2.52, p = .012, Cohen’s d = .55; and sexual consciousness, t (557) = -6.90, p < .001, Cohen’s d = .57 were identified. Findings suggest that the workshop brought about shifts in sexual self-concept that may potentially improve sexual communication among college students, warranting further research.

ABSTRACT This study explores how twelve Indonesian pre-service English teachers conceptualize Global Englishes and how these views shape their pedagogical thinking. Using a grounded theory approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews and reflective journals with fourth-year Indonesian pre-service EFL teachers education students. Analysis through open, axial, and selective coding produced three categories: Inclusive Pedagogy, Contextualized Teaching Practices, and Critical Awareness. These categories highlight participants’ emerging orientation toward inclusive, context-sensitive teaching and their growing awareness of language ideologies and the sociopolitical dimensions of English. Findings show a shift from native-speaker norms toward pluralistic, communicative conceptions of English aligned with Global Englishes principles. Despite systemic barriers such as standardized testing, rigid curricula, and limited materials, participants demonstrated agency and critical reflection. The study proposes a model explaining how such perceptions shape professional identity formation and accentuate the role of teacher education in developing reflective, globally competent educators.

ABSTRACT Two-way bilingual education (TWBE) programs integrate language minoritized and language majority students to support bilingualism, academic achievement, and sociocultural competence. However, research reveals that unequal power and status relations continue to undermine TWBE’s promise of equity. This article proposes that the traditional focus on language in conceptualizing student integration is insufficient in terms of understanding and negotiating the dynamics of the complex dimensions of bringing together students with different backgrounds and experiences within the context of TWBE programs. Drawing on recent scholarship, we discuss how TWBE programs integrate students across multiple dimensions of diversity—including language, race, class, and disability—and the need to approach the integrated TWBE contexts recognizing this diversity. We put forth two complementary frameworks for reimagining integration: (1) a sense of belonging through inclusive practices, and (2) radical empathy and solidarity in action. These frameworks challenge educators to view diversity as normative and discuss implications for practice at the micro (classroom), meso (school), and macro (district/policy) levels, arguing that only through critical awareness and deliberate action can TWBE deliver on its promise of equity through integration.

ABSTRACT This paper examines the rise of anti-woke politics through a Gramscian analysis of how right-wing actors use networks, state power, and ideological discourse to secure coerced consent and reshape public education. By targeting critical perspectives of systemic inequality, anti-woke policies, such as Florida’s HB 7 and SB 266, work to entrench existing hierarchies while suppressing subaltern political agency. The paper outlines the following principles for counter-hegemonic resistance: developing critical consciousness, building cross-group coalitions, and strategically reframing political demands. These strategies illuminate how subaltern communities can contest an evolving reactionary project seeking to preserve forms of domination across U.S. institutions.

Elementary School Teachers’ Critical Consciousness and Core Self-Evaluations: A Rural Setting