ABSTRACT Learners' engagement is crucial in educational achievement, especially in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning, in which psychological sources and motivation are vital. Within the changing perspective of online teaching, maintaining students' engagement in AI‐supported settings offers mental difficulties and opportunities. Based on the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory and Positive Psychology (PP), the present research examines the effect of Psychological Capital (PsyCap) for predicting EFL students' engagement indirectly and directly by the mediating effect of ER. To this end, 328 college learners in China who had registered in AI‐supported EFL classes participated in the research. Data collection was done through valid self‐report tools and analysed utilising structural equation modelling to unravel the particular and general contributions of PsyCap and ER to students' engagement. The results revealed that both PsyCap and ER emerged as significant predictors of engagement, with ER being the strongest general predictor, uniquely accounting for 10.9% of the variance in engagement scores. Collectively, the general and specific factors explained 52.9% of the variance in engagement, underscoring the substantial role of psychological resources and ER in fostering students' engagement in AI‐supported EFL contexts. Moreover, a significant part of the relationship between PsyCap and engagement is shared by ER. The study offers theoretical contributions to the understanding of PsyCap within AI‐enhanced education and provides practical implications for designing interventions that support learner well‐being and motivation in digitally mediated EFL classrooms.

This study is motivated by the need to improve frontliner performance in the banking sector amid service digitalization and increasing customer expectations. Bank Woori Saudara Regional 2 West Java faces performance challenges, particularly due to the dominance of frontliners with relatively short tenure. This study aims to examine the effect of Emotional Quotient (EQ) and Spiritual Quotient (SQ) on Employee Performance, with Psychological Capital (Psychological Capital) as a mediating variable. The theoretical framework is based on emotional intelligence, spiritual intelligence, employee performance, and Psychological Capital, which consists of self-efficacy, hope, optimism, and resilience. This research adopts a quantitative approach using a survey method. Primary data were collected through questionnaires distributed to 92 frontliners of Bank Woori Saudara Regional 2 West Java and analyzed using Sobel tests. The results show that EQ has no significant effect on Employee Performance, while SQ has a significant positive effect. Psychological Capital is unable to mediate the effect of EQ on Employee Performance, whereas Psychological Capital can mediate the effect of SQ on Employee Performance. This study concludes that strengthening employees' internal psychological aspects, particularly through the development of Psychological Capital and spiritual values, is an important factor in improving banking frontliner performance.

Individual complex problem-solving performance in a team context: The role of two levels of psychological capital.

Psychological capital (PsyCap) is a valuable psychological resource that is associated with improved job performance and reduced stress in the workplace. Despite its importance, the relationship between nurses' PsyCap, perceived quality of care and adverse events (AEs) is poorly understood. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the effects of PsyCap on nurses' perceptions of the quality of care and AEs. A cross-sectional survey was conducted at Buraidah Central Hospital in the Qassim region of Saudi Arabia, in which 169 nurses took part. The data were collected using sociodemographic data and working conditions, the Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ-12), self-rated quality of patient care (5 items) and estimates of AEs. Pearson correlation and binary logistic regression were used to analyse the associations between study variables. A significant proportion of studied nurses reported high perceived quality of care, with 82.7% never making mistakes with negative consequences and 66.1% maintaining consistent care quality. The least reported AEs included patient falls (22.6%) and infusion/transfusion reactions (26.2%), while pressure ulcers (45.8%) and verbal abuse (42.3%) were the most frequent. Significant negative correlations were observed between PsyCap and AEs (e.g., pressure ulcers: r = -0.350, p < 0.001; medication errors: r = -0.405, p < 0.001). PsyCap was also positively related to indicators of quality of care (p ≤ 0.001). Logistic regression showed that higher PsyCap was associated with a reduced odds of AEs such as pressure ulcers (OR = 0.927, 95% CI = 0.885-0.970) and medication errors (OR = 0.884, 95% CI = 0.835-0.937) (p ≤ 0.001). The results show that higher PsyCap in nurses is associated with better perceptions of the quality of patient care and fewer reported AEs. Targeted interventions to improve psychological resources such as stress management programmes, self-efficacy workshops and resilience training have significant potential to strengthen nurses' mental health, increase resilience in the workplace and improve the quality of patient care while reducing the incidence of AEs.

The low quality of public services remains a challenge in bureaucratic reform in Indonesia, related to low employee work engagement. This study examines ASN and P3K employees at the Badung Samsat Office, focusing on the influence of job resources on work engagement and psychological capital, as well as the mediating role of psychological capital. A quantitative survey with PLS-SEM analysis was employed. The results indicate that job resources have a positive and significant effect on both work engagement and psychological capital. Psychological capital also positively affects work engagement and partially mediates the relationship. These findings strengthen the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) model and provide practical implications for improving public service quality through the development of job resources and employee psychological capital.

This study investigates the mediating role of subjective career success (SCS) in the relationship between different types of capital, general well-being (GWB) and unethical work behaviour (UWB), drawing on "conservation of resources theory (CRT)", "social resources theory (SRT)", and "human capital theory (HCT)". Using convenience sampling, data were collected via a questionnaire from 607 nurses working in public hospitals in Turkey and analysed using Structural EquationModelling (SEM). The results indicate that psychological capital (PC), human capital (HC), and cultural capital (CC) positively influence SCS, which in turn positively affects GWB and negatively impacts UWB. Additionally, SCS significantly mediates the relationships between PC, HC, and CC, and both GWB and UWB. However, social capital (SC) was not found to have a significant direct or indirect effect on SCS, GWB, or UWB. As the data were collected from only eight hospitals in the Marmara region means the findings should be interpreted with caution. By integrating three different theories, this study examines the mediating role of SCS between different types of capital and the GWB and UWB of employees. Additionally, the study introduces CC as an underutilised antecedent of SCS. Besides employee GWB, the study also investigates another possible consequence of SCS, namely UWB, which is a relatively under-researched outcome of SCS. Finally, the study is conducted in the context of hospitals in a developing country.

Objective This study investigates the impact of workaholism on burnout and cynicism in the healthcare sector, using the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory. It also examines the mediating role of psychological distress (PSYDST) and the moderating effect of psychological capital (PSYCAP) on the relationships between workaholism (WRKHOL), burnout (BRNOUT), and cynicism. Methods Data were collected from 357 healthcare workers in Taxila and Wah Cantt, Pakistan, across three time waves. At Time 1, workaholism and psychological capital were measured. At Time 2, psychological distress was assessed after a three-week lag, and at Time 3, burnout and cynicism were measured. Results The findings reveal that workaholism significantly and positively influences both burnout and cynicism. Psychological distress mediates this relationship, while psychological capital moderates the effect of workaholism on psychological distress. Conclusion The cross-sectional nature of the data limits the ability to determine causality, suggesting the need for future longitudinal studies to confirm these results across different regions or industries. The study offers valuable implications for healthcare organizations, emphasizing the need for strategies to manage workaholism and its adverse effects. By exploring the combined effects of workaholism on burnout and cynicism, as well as the roles of psychological distress and psychological capital, this research makes a significant contribution to the literature on employee well-being in healthcare settings.

Purpose Understanding the causes and the consequences of online romance scam victimization fear, a psychological stress, is crucial for online daters to achieve a positive experience and for online dating platforms to provide that experience. This research contextualized and tested a theory concerning the negative psychological factors of online romance scams and their consequences on online dating positive psychology. Design/methodology/approach This study employed a developmental mixed-method design. The first phase was a qualitative study following a positivist paradigm. The second phase was a survey-based quantitative study. After the quantitative results, this research combined the understanding from both phases to develop the meta-inferences and finalized the antecedents and consequences of online romance scam victimization fear in online dating. Findings An increase in online romance scam-related anxiety and social vulnerability is positively associated with cognitive vulnerability. An increase in online romance scam-related anxiety, cognitive vulnerability and social vulnerability is positively associated with online romance scam victimization fear. An increase in online romance scam-related anxiety, cognitive vulnerability, social vulnerability and victimization fear is negatively associated with online dating psychological capital. Practical implications Utilizing this study’s findings, dating platforms can develop strategies to reduce users’ fear of online romance scam victimization and provide them with higher psychological capital to continue online dating. Originality/value The study contributes to cybercrime and online dating literature by capturing the psychological antecedents of scam victimization fear and showing how fear stimuli can lead to responses, which in turn cause a detrimental effect on online dating psychological capital.

Purpose This study examines how servant leadership (SL) fosters employee learning (EL) in public sector organizations through the mediating role of happiness at work (HAW: job engagement, job satisfaction and job affective commitment) and the moderating role of psychological capital (PC). Drawing on self-determination theory, we test how SL builds positive work attitudes that translate into higher individual learning and whether this pathway is stronger for employees with greater PC. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from 269 managerial-level employees in a large Indian public-sector mining and energy organization. Validated scales captured SL, HAW components, EL and PC. Reliability and validity were established via exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis; common method bias and multicollinearity checks were satisfactory. Hypotheses were tested using Hayes PROCESS Model 5, controlling for demographic covariates. Findings SL has a positive effect on HAW (engagement, satisfaction and affective commitment) and EL. EL was enhanced by engagement and affective commitment, while the satisfaction–learning link was non-significant. SL exerted significant indirect effect on EL via engagement and affective commitment, indicating partial and complementary mediation alongside a positive direct effect between SL and EL. PC strengthened the SL-EL relationship; conditional effects were significant at low, average and high PC, strongest at high PC. Research limitations/implications This study does not account for high conflation among various leadership styles. Moreover, cross-sectional, single-organization, self-report data limit causal inference and generalizability. Future studies should employ longitudinal/multi-source designs, compare sectors and probe other well-being-oriented leadership styles. Practical implications Organizations–especially public-sector learning contexts–can enhance individual learning by cultivating servant leadership behaviours that elevate engagement and affective commitment, and investing in development of PC. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature on organizational learning by providing a basis for understanding the mediating mechanism through which servant leadership influences HAW and, ultimately, employee via the synergistic interaction with employee PC. The findings emphasize the role of servant leaders that cater to employees' personal and professional growth needs and thus ensuring employee well-being and learning at work. This is the first attempt to examine the mediation of HAW in the servant leadership-learning relationship, contingent on employees' PC.

Many student athletes experience dual identity phenomena, where they are required to balance their lives as students and athletes, which can cause significant mental stress, such as burnout, depression, and anxiety, which in turn can lead to an increase in physical injuries. Given this, it is important to investigate psychological capital, such as hope, self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism, to develop adaptive strategies for balancing dual identities. The method used in this study was the Qualitative Phenomenological method with Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) data analysis techniques through in-depth interviews with five student athletes to explore their subjective experiences. Based on the interview results, it was found that psychological capital is an important aspect in their experience of balancing dual identities as students and athletes. Their experiences in each aspect of Psychological Capital varied, depending on influencing factors, ranging from their beliefs to the social support they received. This shows that Psychological Capital is a complex process that is formed through the dynamic subjective experiences of individuals, in this context, student athletes.

This study aims to examine the implementation and effectiveness of a collaborative training program for general nurses in general hospitals and evaluate its impact on nurses’ overall competencies and career development. A total of 102 general nurses were enrolled in the study. The control group (n = 51) received conventional teaching, while the observation group (n = 51) was trained through a blended model integrating online instruction with offline scenario-based exercises. After 6 months of training, both groups were evaluated using the modified direct observation of procedural skills and the objective structured clinical examination. Training satisfaction was assessed, and the Perceived Professional Benefits Scale and the Psychological Capital Scale were applied to measure professional and psychological outcomes. The observation group achieved significantly higher direct observation of procedural skills scores compared with the control group (P < .05). The proportion of high-performing nurses in the observation group [39.22% (20/51)] was markedly greater than that in the control group [11.76% (6/51)] (P < .05). Both teacher satisfaction and nurse satisfaction were significantly higher in the observation group (P < .05). In addition, the observation group demonstrated superior scores on the Perceived Professional Benefits Scale and the Psychological Capital Scale compared with the control group (P < .05). This study provides robust evidence that collaborative training programs can enhance clinical competence, professional perception, and psychological capital among general nurses in general hospitals. The findings offer practical guidance for further optimization and broader implementation of such training models.

BackgroundRepeated exposure to microaggressions, subtle and often unintentional forms of discrimination, can undermine the well-being of migrant populations. This study examines the role of psychological capital, comprising hope, self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism, in mediating and moderating the association between perceived microaggressions and health outcomes among migrants in Germany.MethodsIn the cross-sectional study, a total of 858 participants with a migration background residing across different federal states in Germany completed a questionnaire assessing sociodemographic factors, rates of perceived microaggression (BMS-9), psychological capital (PCQ-12), and mental (PHQ-9) and physical health (PHQ-15). Structural equation modelling (SEM) using AMOS 29 was conducted to examine whether psychological capital mediates the association between perceived microaggressions and health outcomes. Mediation was tested using bias-corrected bootstrapped confidence intervals, with model fit evaluated through established indices.ResultsPsychological capital significantly mediated the association between perceived microaggressions and both mental and physical health outcomes. Higher levels of perceived microaggressions were associated with reduced psychological capital, which in turn negatively affected health outcomes. Psychological capital significantly moderated the association between microaggressions and depressive symptoms, with higher psychological capital intensifying the link between microaggressions and poorer mental health; however, it did not moderate the association between microaggressions and physical health.ConclusionPerceived microaggressions were linked to poorer mental and physical health among migrants, partly through reduced psychological capital. Although psychological capital supported overall well-being, it did not consistently buffer the health impacts of microaggressions. In practice, this means that programs aimed at strengthening resilience, optimism, and self-efficacy should be combined with institutional measures to reduce discriminatory practices in healthcare, education, and the workplace. Policies that recognise microaggressions and promote inclusive, culturally sensitive environments are essential to improving health outcomes and advancing equity for migrants in Germany.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40359-025-03920-5.

ObjectiveThis study investigated the relationships among school belonging, psychological capital and professional commitment among nursing undergraduates, and further assessed the mediating role of psychological capital in the link between school belonging and professional commitment.MethodsA total of 301 nursing undergraduates from two universities in Hubei Province, China, participated in this cross-sectional investigation. Validated questionnaires were used to measure psychological capital, school belonging, and professional commitment. Data analysis involved Pearson correlation coefficients and mediation analyses conducted via PROCESS Model 4.ResultsFindings revealed positive correlations of psychological capital and school belonging with professional commitment, and school belonging was positively associated with psychological capital. Additionally, psychological capital was found to partially mediate the relationship between school belonging and professional commitment.ConclusionThe findings suggest that improving students’ perceptions of belonging to their institution and enhancing their psychological capital could contribute to increased professional commitment among nursing undergraduates. Future longitudinal research is encouraged to verify the directionality of these relationships.

The Mediating Role of Cognitive Reframing Between Psychological Capital and Leadership Adaptability in African Organizations

This paper explores the theoretical framework of integrating nonverbal, body-awareness based methods — specifically Dance and Movement Therapy (DMT) — into teacher education programs to improve Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) skills. Responding to increasing social and educational demands for socio-emotional skill development, the study connects insights from emotional intelligence theory, embodiment theory, positive psychology, and psychological capital. It proposes that body-based, experiential approaches can strengthen teachers’ empathy, emotion regulation, self-awareness, and relational competence, thereby improving their psychological well-being and pedagogical effectiveness. Integrating DMT into higher education may thus foster resilience and reflective capacity in future educators, enabling them to create supportive, emotionally attuned classroom environments conducive to both academic and socio-emotional growth. The study contributes to the evolving discourse on holistic, well-being-oriented teacher education through embodied and arts-based pedagogical innovation.

Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic, nurses on the front line of caring for infected patients are always faced with many job stressors, and one of the most inevitable consequences is job burnout, which can cause challenges for work engagement. This study used structural equation modeling to determine the effects of psychological capital and perceived social support on job burnout and work. This study was a cross-sectional design. 306 nurses on the frontline of the fight against COVID-19 in the public hospitals of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences were selected by multi-stage random stratification. The data collection process lasted from September 19 to November 19, 2021. To collect data from Zimet's perceived social support questionnaire, Lutans' psychological capital questionnaire, Utrecht work engagement scale, and Maslach's burnout inventory. More than half of the people were women, married, under 40 years old, with a bachelor's degree, with over 10 years of work experience, and over one year of experience in the COVID-19 departments. The fit indices of the research model were favorable (goodness‑of‑fit [GOF]&gt;0.529), and the research model fit was confirmed. Also, based on the path coefficient, there was a significant negative relationship between perceived social support with job burnout (β=-0.115) and between psychological capital with job burnout (β=-0.503), and a significant positive relationship between perceived social support with work engagement (β=0.132) and between psychological capital with work engagement (β=0.607) (P˂0.05). Considering the inevitable effect of perceived social support and psychological capital on reducing job burnout and increasing work engagement, our findings can be used to develop the occupational health of employees and then to develop the quality of health care services by health managers and policymakers. Also, interventions based on social support and psychological capital can be identified and studied as a new area for effective psychological interventions among nurses.

Effectiveness of Psycho-educational Nursing Program on Feeling of Burden and Psychological Capital among Caregivers of Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Loneliness is a common issue among university students, particularly in demanding academic environments such as nursing education. Although previous studies have examined the impact of loneliness on student well-being, limited research has explored the underlying psychological mechanisms that buffer this relationship. To address this gap, this study investigated the mediating role of positive psychological capital (PsyCap) in the relationship between loneliness and college adjustment among nursing students in South Korea. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 188 undergraduate nursing students from two universities. Data were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation, multiple regression, and Hayes’ PROCESS macro (Model 4) with 10,000 bootstrapped samples. Results indicated that loneliness was significantly and negatively associated with both PsyCap and college adjustment. Mediation analysis confirmed that PsyCap partially mediated the relationship between loneliness and college adjustment (indirect effect β = −.35, 95% CI [−.52, −.21]). This study highlights the importance of fostering internal psychological strengths alongside social support systems in nursing education. Enhancing PsyCap through interventions such as resilience training or peer mentoring may help mitigate these effects. Future research should employ longitudinal or experimental designs to better establish causal relationships.

Participative kindergarten culture, teacher psychological capital, well-being, and teaching for creativity: A job demands–resources analysis

ABSTRACT To explore the impacts of risk perception on anxiety and procrastination of adolescents and the moderating effect of psychological capital, a survey was conducted on 663 secondary school students using the risk perception questionnaire, the adolescent psychological capital questionnaire, the anxiety self-assessment scale, and the pure procrastination scale. The results were as follows: (1) The level of risk perception of adolescents has a significantly positive predictive effect on anxiety; (2) Psychological capital is significantly negatively related to both anxiety and procrastination; (3) Psychological capital has a noticeably negative moderating effect between risk perception and anxiety. The above results suggest that for high school students, high risk perception leads to high anxiety, but high psychological capital is accompanied by lower anxiety and procrastination, and high psychological capital weakens the positive predictive effect of risk perception on anxiety.