This study investigates the relationship between children’s acceptability of smartphone use during family interactions, their actual usage behavior, and the perceived negative consequences on family dynamics. Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Technology Acceptance Model, it hypothesizes that higher acceptability leads to more frequent smartphone use and, subsequently, to more negative consequences during family interactions. A longitudinal design was employed with data collected across four waves from 284 children aged 11 to 15. Children self-reported their perceptions of smartphone use acceptability (wave 2), their smartphone use behavior (wave 3), and the consequences of such use in parent-child interactions (wave 4). Structural equation modeling revealed no direct effect of acceptability on negative consequences but demonstrated significant indirect effects through actual smartphone use behavior, particularly in indirect family interactions. Findings underscore that children's perceived acceptability of smartphone use contributes to usage patterns that may disrupt family communication, especially in contexts where attention is shared but not focused. The results highlight the importance of addressing both cognitive and behavioral aspects of digital media use in family life and suggest the need for educational interventions aimed at promoting mindful smartphone use among children and their families.

Mindfulness-based interventions have proven effective in reducing psychological distress in digitalized work environments, although their impact may vary depending on individual differences that influence emotional and attentional receptivity to change. This study examines whether personal variables (age, gender, professional experience, educational level, professional role) and baseline technostress moderate the effectiveness of a brief mindfulness intervention on perceived stress and anxiety among technology professionals. A secondary analysis was conducted based on a randomized controlled trial involving 64 participants (intervention group vs. waitlist control group), assessed at four time points: pretest, posttest, and follow-ups at three and six months. Mixed linear models with repeated measures were used to explore group × time × moderator interactions, complemented by regression analyses to identify differential psychological predictors of change. An exploratory analysis including a quadratic term for technostress was also conducted. Younger participants and those with less experience showed greater reductions in stress and anxiety. Professional role showed a marginal trend favoring technical profiles, while gender, educational level, and technostress did not act as significant linear moderators. However, the quadratic analysis indicated a potential curvilinear pattern, with greater benefits at intermediate levels of technostress.

Background: The swift growth of digital engagement has heightened vulnerability to online threats, including cyberstalking, which poses significant threats to mental health. Despite growing evidence linking problematic digital behaviors to reduced well-being, limited research has examined how cyberstalking disrupts broader indicators of life balance such as harmony in life. Objective: To examine the impact of cyberstalking on harmony in life and explore how social media addiction and digital well-being mediate this relationship. Methods: A cross-sectional design was employed with 427 participants aged 18–60. Participants completed validated measures of cyberstalking, social media addiction, digital well-being, and harmony in life. Serial mediation analysis was conducted using bootstrapping procedures (5,000 resamples) via PROCESS Model 6 to examine indirect effects. Results: Cyberstalking significantly predicted higher levels of social media addiction (a1 = 0.27, p < .001) and lower levels of digital well-being (a2 = -0.06, p < .05). Both social media addiction, and digital well-being mediated the relationship between cyberstalking and harmony in life, indicating that cyberstalking's adverse effects on mental health can manifest through increased social media engagement and diminished digital well-being. The direct relationship between cyberstalking and harmony in life became nonsignificant when controlling for these mediators, indicating full mediation. Conclusion: The [...]

Emotional engagement in the classroom is an adaptive and desirable construct as it implies that schoolwork is valued positively by the student. This form of engagement has been linked to better academic performance, psychological well-being, and long-term motivation. Understanding the factors that contribute to students’ emotional engagement is therefore crucial for fostering effective educational environments. The aim of this research is to examine how the parenting styles of fathers and mothers relate to students’ emotional engagement via satisfaction or thwarting of basic psychological needs and intrinsic motivation. The participants consisted of 412 undergraduate students (304 females, aged 18-23 years). Four structural equation models were tested, one for each parenting style (i.e., perceived control and autonomy support) and parent. Results showed broadly similar patterns for fathers and mothers across the tested models; parental autonomy support was positively related to the satisfaction of students' psychological needs, while parental control was negatively related; the satisfaction of psychological needs related positively with intrinsic motivation, whereas the thwarting of these related negatively; and the intrinsic motivation positively predicted emotional engagement. The results align with self-determination theory, emphasizing the role of parenting styles in shaping students’ emotional engagement. These findings highlight the importance of fostering autonomy-supportive [...]

Not everyone lies with the same frequency, individual differences might explain part of this behaviour. In this study, personality traits and their relationship with the frequency of lying were studied in a sample of Spanish adolescents. A total of 207 adolescents from the general population (52.7% girls; Meanage = 15.44 years; SDage = 1.77) responded to the JS NEO-S and Dark Triad Dirty Dozen questionnaires, and to a direct question about the frequency of lying. No differences were observed by sex or age in the frequency of lying. Machiavellianism (positive) and responsibility (negative) traits were found to be discriminating variables in the behaviour of lying versus not lying. The relationship between personality traits and lying in adolescents could have significant implications in the prevention of antisocial behaviour.

This study aimed to analyse the relationship between the two types of perfectionism and performance, considering the effect of state anxiety, trait anxiety, self-esteem and positive and negative affect. The study included a sample of 202 students of Secondary Education and Baccalaureate (46.5% males and 53.5% females, M = 14.79 years, SD = 1.68) who completed validated scales in class including the Child and Adolescent Perfectionism Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Positive and Negative Affect Scale. The study followed a cross-sectional correlational design, and mediation models were tested to determine the directional hypotheses. Self-Oriented Perfectionism was positively related to academic performance (β= 0.463; p< .001), while Socially Prescribed Perfectionism was a negative predictor of students' grades (β= -0.171; p = .017). Self-esteem (β= -0.051; p = .020) and state anxiety (β= -0.045; p=0.042) were found to mediate the relationship between perfectionism and academic achievement. These findings suggest that schools should implement programs to reduce socially prescribed perfectionism, boost self-esteem, and manage state anxiety. The study also contributes to theory by clarifying the distinct effects of self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism, guiding targeted interventions to support students’ emotional well-being and academic success.