Applied Psychology Health and Well-Being

Positive Youth Development (PYD) is crucial for adolescent well-being, yet the interrelationships of its components, especially during early adolescence, remain underexplored. This study employed network analysis to investigate the central components of PYD and their sex and grade differences among 2,837 Chinese junior high school students (grades 7-9). The 5Cs Positive Youth Development Scale-Ve…

The generation of Big Data (characterized by 4V: volume, variety, velocity, and veracity) and the advanced analytics techniques including artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are profoundly shaping health behavior research by enabling new forms of assessment, prediction, and intervention that extend beyond the capabilities of traditional psychological methods (Tariq et al., 2021…

As workplaces increasingly recognise the importance of employee mental wellbeing, research into psychological flexibility and psychological inflexibility (PF/PI) has grown. PF, rooted in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), is the capacity to pursue valued goals despite stressors and internal challenges, whereas PI reflects rigid attempts to avoid or control unwanted internal experiences, eve…

This research examined how mental comparisons impact maintenance striving-the ongoing care for one's valued current state-with implications for understanding daily struggles to maintain personal health and well-being. Following the ternary goal model, we hypothesized that (H1) maintenance goals, differently from progress goals, are not motivated by upward social comparisons, which reduce apprecia…

Savoring, a positive psychology intervention, has gained growing attention for its potential to enhance positive emotions and well-being while alleviating negative emotional symptoms such as depression and anxiety. This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesized findings from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the efficacy of savoring interventions on emotional outcomes. Twenty i…

Previous research has shown that advice sources influence individuals' risk perceptions and health decision-making. We conducted two experiments to examine differences in health risk assessment between AI algorithms and human peer groups, and how these assessments influence individuals' judgments of behavioral health risks. In Experiment 1, 60 participants (gender-balanced) and 30 GPT-4 samples (…

Although several determinants of travel mode choices have been identified, most research has adopted a mono-disciplinary perspective. This study simultaneously investigated individual, socio-spatial (at the national and local level), and sociodemographic factors of active and sustainable mobility (walking, biking, and public transportation) to better understand their relationships. A mixed-method…

Adolescence is a critical period during which interactions with parents and peers play key roles in shaping mental well-being, yet there is ongoing debate regarding their relative importance. To address this gap, this research examines the relationships among communication with parents, social interactions with peers, and adolescents' mental well-being using data from 33,824 Chinese adolescents (…

Forensic healthcare workers (FHWs) are highly susceptible to work-related stress and declining well-being due to frequent interactions with forensic patients, who often exhibit violent behavior. While much of the existing literature has centered on the factors that predict ill-being among FHWs, such as stress and burnout levels, fewer studies have explored the elements that actively contribute to…

Regulatory mode theory differentiates between two self-regulatory modes: locomotion mode and assessment mode. However, their effects on performance and well-being remain inconclusive. To address this gap, we conducted a meta-analysis with 52 independent samples across 43 studies (N = 15,486) to explore the relationships between regulatory modes and performance and well-being. The results indicate…

Parent-child conflict is a key source of parental stress, and mindful parenting may serve as a protective moderator. However, little is known about how these associations unfold at both the within-person (daily) and between-person levels. This study examined how daily fluctuations and individual differences in parent-child conflict were associated with parental stress, and whether baseline mindfu…

Many people aim to eat healthier or become more physically active, yet often fail. Identifying aspects of behavior that are easier to change is crucial for effective interventions. Two preregistered online studies assessed participants' perceived ease of changing eating and physical activity (PA) behavior and explored potential moderators. Young adults predominantly without (Study 1, N = 435, M<s…

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the impact of narrative interventions on self-efficacy and self-management behaviors in patients with chronic diseases. We systematically searched EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, PsycINFO, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and PubMed from conception to 2025, supplemented by manual searches of reference lists. Randomize…

Viewing art in museums is enjoyable and meaningful. Although previous work has found that creating art promotes mental and physical health, whether these benefits extend to passively viewing art is unclear. We manipulated exposure to art by having participants visit a museum exhibit and compared this experience to a neutral and another pleasant activity. To assess physical health, we measured par…

This study uses nudging theory to develop and validate a measure for self-nudging toward physical activity. The research unfolds in three phases: (a) initial item development through interviews and literature review, (b) psychometric testing with Japanese employees (N = 1540), and (c) validity assessment in a longitudinal subsample (N = 716). Factor analyses confirm a reliable one-factor structur…

Although increasing research examines climate anxiety, little is known about the situational factors related to it. To assess these factors, we developed and evaluated a situated psychometric instrument for assessing how much climate anxiety individuals recall experiencing in 31 situations where climate anxiety is likely (e.g., hearing about climate catastrophes on the news). Of interest was how …

A preregistered experimental study tested the effects of message framing on breastfeeding and formula-feeding attitudes and intentions. It also examined whether affective reaction and information acceptance mediated these effects, and whether self-efficacy and perceived behavioral control (PBC) moderated them. Participants (282 pregnant women) were randomly assigned to a gain frame condition (ben…

Gatekeeper training programs are essential in equipping school teachers with the necessary skills to identify and respond to suicide risk. However, understanding how suicide literacy evolves over time remains limited, which hinders the effective tailoring of interventions. This study aims to identify developmental patterns in suicide literacy to optimize prevention efforts. The analysis utilizes …

HIV-related stigma negatively impacts the health of people who are living with HIV. Stigma may also affect sero-discordant couples where one partner is living with HIV, but the other is not. However, we know little about how HIV-related stigma and couple relationship quality jointly affect depression and anxiety in both the individual and their partner. We analyzed dyadic data from 491 sero-disco…

Extensive research has established that children affected by HIV face significantly elevated risks for chronic mental health challenges. To address this critical need, we systematically developed the ChildCARE intervention to improve mental health outcomes. However, the potential mechanisms by which it dynamically reshapes psychological elements remain unclear. Using network analysis with data fr…