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Background: Alzheimer's disease threatens the health of older adults, particularly by disrupting executive and memory functions, and many studies have shown that aerobic exercise prevents and improves the symptoms associated with the disease. Objective: The objective was to systematically review the effects of aerobic exercise on executive and memory functions in patients with Alzheimer's disease and to determine the effect factors and mechanisms of the design of aerobic exercise intervention programs. Method: Relevant literature was searched in three databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and EBSCO) from January 1, 2014 to March 1, 2023, using a subject-word search method. Data on 10 items, including author and country, were extracted from the literature after screening. The quality of the literature was evaluated using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale, and a systematic review was performed. Results: Twelve papers from seven countries were ultimately included, embodying 11 randomized controlled trials and one study with a repeated-measures design. The overall quality of the studies was good as 657 study participants, aged 45 years and older who had varying degrees of Alzheimer's disease and significant symptoms, were included. Aerobic exercise was found to have a significant positive impact on executive and memory functions in people with Alzheimer's disease. Conclusion: The effects of aerobic exercise on aspects of executive function were mainly characterized by improvements in inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility, whereas the effects on aspects of memory function were mainly characterized by improvements in logical memory, situational memory, and short-term memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many theoretical methods have been applied to research user behaviour and requirements. However, the uncertainty associated with customer characteristics often biases the conclusions drawn from customer research and affects the effectiveness of product design. In this paper, Bayesian networks (BN) are introduced into the research on customer behaviour analysis based upon theory of planned behaviour (TPB), and an analysis model driven by customer research data is established from the perspective of user behaviour intention to guide design optimisation. Combining the User background Factor with the TPB Factor, the model analyses the uncertainty of the association between the two, and corrects the errors in the designer's prior knowledge through structural learning. By a case study the paper finds that the evaluations that enhance customers' subjective norms and perceived behavioural control lead to a greater probability of purchase or use. In addition, customers with specific characteristics are more inclined to generate behaviour intention. The paper finally provides a design optimisation plan based upon the result of the research and discusses about the advantages of the research approaches and the directions of future researches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Responding to policy initiatives on fair recruitment and the eradication of recruitment fees, and research calls to focus on the labor supply chain, we provide a synthesis of scholarly and policy work on the issue of "recruitment deception" and its role in the organization of labor for exploitation. Recognizing that this topic is not explicitly theorized in management research, our analysis draws together concepts, arguments, and insights from across the social sciences and policy arenas to provide clarity on the meaning and prevalence of recruitment deception, with explanations on where and how it occurs, the actors involved and the mechanisms and tactics through which it is enacted. Attention is drawn to the key tactics and strategies labor recruiters use to exploit the labor of migrant workers; namely, misinformation, recruitment fees, identity document confiscation, debt, and grooming or trauma-bond recruiting. These tactics are organized into four exploitative capacities that we argue characterize a regime of enmeshment that starts with the abuse of vulnerability and then advances into recruitment deception, exploitation, and coercive control. The article concludes with an overview of initiatives and areas for future research that can help to reduce recruitment deception and pave the way for more responsible recruitment practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In action control research, stimulus-response binding and retrieval processes are assumed core mechanisms. Stimulus and response features are integrated into event files when they occur together. This event file is retrieved if any feature is repeated. Partial mismatches between current and retrieved episodes cause conflicts, leading to performance costs, while full matches improve performance (the difference between these conditions is known as binding effects). Such binding effects have been found for different stimulus features like colour, shape, or location, using stimulus material that is often kept very simple. In our study, we manipulated the perspective on a real-world three-dimensional distractor stimulus. We found that perspective was bound to the response, independent of stimulus identity. It seems that perspective is treated as a stimulus feature in action control. This result enhances the way we discuss what a feature actually is and how features are bound in event files. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Maternal feeding practices play a major role in children's dietary intakes. However, there is limited data on the associations between trajectories of dietary patterns (DPs) and patterns of maternal feeding practices during early childhood. Methods: Using data from a multi-ethnic Asian cohort study, namely the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO), dietary intakes were measured using Food Frequency Questionnaires in children at 18 months, 5 and 7 years of age. Maternal feeding practices were assessed using validated questionnaires at 15 months, 3 and 5 years of age. Principal component analysis was used to derive 2 major DPs at all time-points as well as patterns of maternal feeding practices. Group-based trajectory modelling was used to identify trajectory groups for the derived DPs. Multivariable logistic regression examined associations between patterns of maternal feeding practices and DP trajectory groups. Results: Two DPs, namely the 'healthy' and 'less healthy' were consistently derived at 18 months, 5 and 7 years of age. From each DP, 2 stable DP trajectory groups were further identified between 18 months and 7 years of age. For the 'healthy' DP trajectory, majority of the children (Group 1) formed a consistent average adherence trajectory group (91.8%) while the remaining children (Group 2) showed a higher but decreasing adherence (8.2%) to this DP. For the 'less healthy' DP trajectory, most children (Group 1) formed a consistent average adherence trajectory (95.5%), while the remainder (Group 2) showed consistent higher adherence to this 'less healthy' DP (4.5%). Two patterns of maternal feeding practices were derived and labelled as 'structured with autonomy support' and 'coercive control', respectively, at ages 15 months, 3 and 5 years. Children whose mothers showed high adherence to the structured with autonomy support feeding practices at age 5 years were significantly more likely to be associated with the higher but decreasing 'healthy' DP trajectory group [OR = 3.62 (95% CI: 1.64, 7.99)]. Conclusions: A small number of children in this multi-ethnic study showed high adherence to the 'healthy' or 'less healthy' DP trajectory groups, respectively, while the majority showed average adherence to either of these trajectories. The positive association between structured with autonomy support maternal feeding practices and higher z-scores for the healthy DP trajectory highlights the importance of guiding parents on appropriate feeding practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological motion perception is an essential part of the cognitive process. Stress can affect the cognitive process. The present study explored the intrinsic ERP features of the effects of acute psychological stress on biological motion perception. The results contributed scientific evidence for the adaptive behavior changes under acute stress. After a mental arithmetic task was used to induce stress, the paradigm of point-light displays was used to evaluate biological motion perception. Longer reaction time and lower accuracy were found in the inverted walking condition than in the upright walking condition, which was called the "inversion effect". The P2 peak amplitude and the LPP mean amplitude were significantly higher in the local inverted perception than in the local upright walking condition. Compared to the control condition, the stress condition induced lower RT, shorter P1 peak latency of biological motion perception, lower P2 peak amplitude and LPP mean amplitude, and higher N330 peak amplitude. There was an "inversion effect" in biological motion perception. This effect was related to the structural characteristics of biological motion perception but unrelated to the state of acute psychological stress. Acute psychological stress accelerated the reaction time and enhanced attention control of biological motion perception. Attention resources were used earlier, and less attentional investment was made in the early stage of biological motion perception processing. In the late stage, a continuous weakening of inhibition was shown in the parieto-occipital area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though previous studies have showed that social class is positively associated with subjective well-being (SWB), in fact, subjective social class has a stronger impact on SWB compare to objective social class. Thus, it is more important to explore the relationship between subjective social class and SWB. In the current study, we suggested that perceived scarcity and sense of control would play the mediating role between subjective social class and SWB. Study 1 used two big samples from China (CGSS2017) and over the world (WVS7) to test the hypothesis, the results confirmed that the effect of individual subjective social class on SWB was mediated by perceived scarcity and sense of control. More importance, we also find a sequential mediation effect of perceived scarcity and sense of control between individual subjective social class and SWB. Similar results were also both found in Study 2 using an empirical approach and Study 3 using a measure approach in China. These findings extend previous work by examining the psychological mechanisms between subjective social class and SWB from the resource scarcity theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visual working memory depends on both material-specific brain areas in the ventral visual stream (VVS) that support the maintenance of stimulus representations and on regions in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) that control these representations. How executive control prioritizes working memory contents and whether this affects their representational formats remains an open question, however. Here, we analyzed intracranial EEG (iEEG) recordings in epilepsy patients with electrodes in VVS and PFC who performed a multi-item working memory task involving a retro-cue. We employed Representational Similarity Analysis (RSA) with various Deep Neural Network (DNN) architectures to investigate the representational format of prioritized VWM content. While recurrent DNN representations matched PFC representations in the beta band (15–29 Hz) following the retro-cue, they corresponded to VVS representations in a lower frequency range (3–14 Hz) towards the end of the maintenance period. Our findings highlight the distinct coding schemes and representational formats of prioritized content in VVS and PFC. How prioritization affects the format of visual working memory representations is currently not understood. Analyzing iEEG recordings in epilepsy patients, the authors demonstrate the critical role of recurrent computations and beta frequency oscillations during the selective attention to particular visual working memory content in the PFC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The establishment of an atmosphere characterized by gender equality and the provision of a safe and inclusive public space are fundamental objectives for advancing the sustainable coexistence of diverse gender groups. This study specifically examines the two primary challenges associated with transforming university dormitories in Taiwan, where most male and female students reside separately, into gender-inclusive housing (GIH). These challenges include assessing factors that influence students' willingness to reside in GIH and exploring the compromises made by institutional managers during the spatial transformation process. Utilizing the theory of planned behavior (TPB), this research employs a questionnaire survey methodology to gather insights into students' perspectives regarding implementing GIH. The findings indicate that factors such as transgender literacy, attitudes toward GIH, subjective norms related to GIH, and perceived behavioral control regarding GIH significantly influence students' willingness to live in such accommodations. Notably, the willingness to accept GIH was found to be higher among male students compared to their female counterparts. The gradual adjustment of GIH construction is deemed feasible. This paper demonstrates that modifying the campus living environment can facilitate students' ability to communicate normally across multiple genders, thereby enhancing the feasibility of gender-related discussions within these spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Impaired executive functioning, including cognitive fatigue, is a core feature of the long-term stress-related condition exhaustion disorder (ED). Recent research suggests that a key area for executive control, the lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC), may be mechanistically linked to cognitive fatigue due to stress. Here, we therefore asked if and how stress, the LPFC and cognitive fatigue may be related in ED. Methods: We used a multimodal cross-sectional study design with high-resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), self-reported measures, and path analysis modeling in 300 participants with ED. Results: We found positive associations between stress and cognitive fatigue, and stress and LPFC thickness, but no association between LPFC thickness and cognitive fatigue. Furthermore, LPFC thickness did not mediate or moderate the association between stress and cognitive fatigue. Discussion: These findings suggest that LPFC brain morphology is related to perceived stress levels but not cognitive fatigue, expanding previous research on the role of the LPFC in executive functioning. Moreover, the results support the notion that the LPFC may be mechanistically involved in stress-related executive function impairment but prompt further research into if and how this may be related to cognitive symptoms in ED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Considering the increasing prevalence of fast food consumption among teenagers, providing the necessary training and self-awareness is the best solution for institutionalizing the prevention of fast food consumption by this group. Therefore, this issue should be taken seriously, as should the implementation of educational interventions to prevent the consumption of fast food. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) is one of the various health education styles and methods that works well. However, given that a number of local data points are crucial in establishing the efficacy of the model employed, this study looks into the impact of TPB-based education in preventing fast food intake among teenagers. Methods: A total of 180 male students, ages 15 to 18, participated in this quasi-experimental study in Shiraz, Iran. Cluster sampling was used in the study, and participants were randomly assigned to two groups: the experimental group (n = 90) and the control group (n = 90). A theory-based questionnaire was used to gather data, and both the control and experimental groups had to complete it before and three months after the intervention. The data were examined using paired t, independent t, and chi-square statistical tests after being entered into SPSS-24. Results: The results of the independent t-test showed that there was no significant difference between the two study groups before the intervention in terms of knowledge (P = 0.14), attitude (P = 0.57), subjective norms (P = 0.94), perceived behavioral control (P = 0.81), behavioral intention (P = 0.42), or behavior (P = 0.25). However, following the intervention, there was a significant difference between the two groups with regard to the noted variables (P = 0.001). Furthermore, the McNemar test results demonstrated that the experimental group's consumption of fast food varied significantly before and after the intervention (P = 0.001), but not in the control group (P = 0.07). Conclusion: The study's findings demonstrated that TPB-based treatments are successful in helping male students change their habits of consuming fewer amounts of fast food. This study demonstrated that the instructional techniques employed improved the fast food consumption behavior of the intervention group as well as the TPB's structure (attitude, subjective norms, behavioral intention, and perceived behavioral intention). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although research has demonstrated that parental psychological control is associated with the subjective well-being of adolescents, the lack of longitudinal studies that investigate whether or not bidirectional associations exist between the two and their potential mediating mechanisms has continued to date. In addition, previous studies have not rigorously distinguished between- and within-person effects. Thus, this study investigated longitudinal bidirectional associations between parental psychological control and the subjective well-being of adolescents. The study further examined the mediating role of emotion regulation ability. A total of 1365 Chinese adolescents (boys: 53.2 %; M age = 14.68 years, SD = 1.56) participated in a three-wave longitudinal study with annual assessments. Random intercept cross-lagged panel models were utilized to separate between- and within-person variation. After controlling for between-person variance, the results revealed that adolescents with low levels of subjective well-being reported high levels of parental psychological control after one year. Emotion regulation ability played a bidirectional mediating role in the relationship between psychological control and subjective well-being. That is, psychological control and subjective well-being mutually influenced each other through emotion regulation ability. Assessments of the key study variables were provided by adolescents. Moreover, the study considered a combination of the mothers' and fathers' use of psychological control without differentiating between paternal and maternal psychological control. The findings highlight the importance of interventions that target emotion regulation ability, which contributes to breaking the negative cycle between controlling parenting and the well-being of adolescents. • Psychological control (PC), emotion regulation ability (ERA), and subjective well-being (SWB) had between-person relations. • After controlling for between-person variance, SWB negatively predicted PC after one year. • ERA played a bidirectional mediating role in the within-person relations between PC and SWB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Indian automobile industry is witnessing a paradigm shift from fossil fuel to green energy. The current study employs an extended version of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to investigate the impact of attitudes, green nudges and perceived behavioural control on the behavioural intention (BI) for adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) by Indian consumers. Environmental concern is also added to the model to find its impact on actual buying behaviour (AB). Conclusive research is carried out, and data is collected through a structured questionnaire. 342 respondents were analysed using a two-step investigation approach: Partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), followed by an artificial neural network (ANN). Subsequently, two models are formed to determine the predictors of BI and AB. The findings suggest that all three factors positively impact BI and AB. Attitude plays the most significant role in BI (the most important predictor of AB). The study's findings also suggest that the extended TPB model is effective for forecasting customers' adoption intentions towards EVs. Moreover, this research adds to the existing literature on the intention and reluctance of consumers to embrace green technology. The results of this study will have significant implications not only for a greater understanding of customer behaviour regarding the adoption of EVs, but also for exploring their market expansion, product offerings, consumer BI and framing policies. [Display omitted] Problem Definition. • Need to understand the factors that influence consumer behavior for the adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs). Concept. • Complexities surrounding consumer's intention and reluctance to embrace EVs implementation of carbon neutrality in organizations. Theoretical Underpinning. • An extended TPB model that includes Green Nudge & Environmental concerns. Methodology. • A hybrid PLS-SEM ANN has been used. Results. • The study validates the extended TPB model for forecasting consumer intentions towards EV adoption. Implications. • The results have significant implications for understanding consumer behavior, market expansion, product offerings, buying intentions, and policy frameworks for EV adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The law assumes that healthy adults are generally responsible for their actions and have the ability to control their behavior based on rational and moral principles. This contrasts with some recent neuroscientific accounts of action control. Nevertheless, both law and neuroscience acknowledge that strong emotions including fear and anger may "trigger" loss of normal voluntary control over action. Thus, "Loss of Control" is a partial defense for murder under English law, paralleling similar defenses in other legal systems. Here we consider the neuroscientific evidence for such legal classifications of responsibility, particularly focussing on how emotional states modulate voluntary motor control and sense of agency. First, we investigate whether neuroscience could contribute an evidence-base for law in this area. Second, we consider the societal impact of some areas where legal thinking regarding responsibility for action diverges from neuroscientific evidence: should we be guided by normative legal traditions, or by modern understanding of brain functions? In addressing these objectives, we propose a translation exercise between neuroscientific and legal terms, which may assist future interdisciplinary research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experience of itch and its associated chronic conditions (i.e., atopic dermatitis) form a significant burden of disease. Knowledge of how the brain processes itch, that might occur uniquely for chronic itch populations, could be used to guide more effective psychotherapeutic interventions for these groups. To build the evidence base for such approaches, we conducted a series of coordinates-based fMRI analyses, to identify the shared neural mechanisms for itch across the published literature. Upon so doing, we identified a core "itch network" that spans the Basal Ganglia/Thalamus, Claustrum and Insula. Additionally, we found evidence that the Paracentral Lobule and Medial Frontal Gyrus, regions associated with cognitive control and response inhibition, deactivate during itch. Interestingly, a separate analysis for chronic itch populations identified significant recruitment of the Left Paracentral Lobule, potentially suggesting the recruitment of cognitive control mechanisms to resist the urge to scratch. We position these results in light of further integrative studies that could use neuroimaging alongside clinical studies, to explore how transdiagnostic psychological approaches—such as mindfulness and compassion training—might help to improve quality of life for individuals who experience chronic itch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • There is a learning cost when an attentional set must shift to new cues. • An attentional shift to cues experienced as redundantly predictive still has a cost. • mPFC inactivation increases the cost of an attentional set shift. • mPFC inactivation enhances subsequent learning about previously redundant cues. • A reduction in learned inattention can account for both effects. Without a functioning prefrontal cortex, humans and other animals are impaired in measures of cognitive control and behavioral flexibility, including attentional set-shifting. However, the reason for this is unclear with evidence suggesting both impaired and enhanced attentional shifting. We inhibited the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of rats while they performed a modified version of an attentional set-shifting task to explore the nature of this apparent contradiction. Twelve adult male Lister hooded rats received AAV5-CaMKIIa-hM4D(Gi)-mCherry viral vector bilaterally into mPFC to express inhibitory 'Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs' (iDREADDs). The receptors were activated by systemic clozapine N -oxide (CNO) to inhibit mPFC function. The rats were tested in the standard attentional set-shifting task four times: twice after i.p. administration and twice after oral administration of vehicle or CNO (10 mg/kg). They were then tested twice in a modified task, with or without oral CNO. The modified task had an extra stage before the extradimensional shift, in which the relevant exemplars remained relevant and new exemplars that were fully predictive but redundant replaced the previous irrelevant exemplars. These exemplars then became relevant at the subsequent ED stage. In the standard task, mPFC inactivation impaired attentional set-shifting, consistent with previous findings. However, in the modified task, mPFC inactivation abolished ED shift-costs. The results support the suggestion that the mPFC is needed for the downregulation of attention that prevents learning about redundant and irrelevant stimuli. With mPFC inactivated, the rat learns more rapidly when previously redundant exemplars become the only relevant information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescence poses significant challenges for emotion regulation (ER) and is thus a critical phase in the emergence of various mental disorders, specifically internalising disorders such as anxiety and depression. Affective control, defined as the application of cognitive control in affective contexts, is crucial for effective ER. However, the relationship between ER and affective control is unclear. This study examined the predictive role of ER strategies and difficulties in affective control, measured as the congruency effect and error rate on an Emotional Stroop task (EST), in a sample of adolescents and young adults (aged 14–21, M = 17.28, 22% male). It was hypothesised that participants with internalising disorders would show higher congruency effects and error rates on the EST than healthy controls after a psychosocial stress induction, indicating lower affective control. Surprisingly, our findings revealed no significant differences in these measures between the groups. However, higher depression scores were associated with increased EST errors. While ER strategies and difficulties did not predict affective control, exploratory analyses unveiled associations between depression scores and ER strategy repertoire, perceived ER success and the ER strategy Acceptance. These findings underscore the importance of implicit ER facets, particularly perceived ER success and flexibility to change between applied strategies for adolescents and young adults with elevated depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher cardiorespiratory fitness has been associated with improved cognitive control in preadolescent children, with various studies highlighting related brain health benefits. This cross-sectional study aimed to provide novel insights into the fitness-cognition relationship by investigating task-related changes in effective connectivity within two brain networks involved in cognitive control: the cingulo-opercular and fronto-parietal networks. Twenty-four higher-fit and twenty-four lower-fit preadolescent children completed a modified flanker task that modulated inhibitory control demand while their EEG and task performance were concurrently recorded. Effective connectivity for correct trials in the theta band was estimated using directed transfer function. The results indicate that children with higher fitness levels demonstrated greater connectivity in specific directions within the cingulo-opercular network (average effect size, d = 0.72). Brain-behavior correlations demonstrated a positive association between the majority of these connections and general task accuracy, which was also higher in higher fit children (average correlation coefficient, ρ = 0.34). The findings further support a positive relationship between fitness and cognitive performance in children. EEG findings offer novel insights into the potential brain mechanisms underlying the fitness-cognition relationship. The study suggests that increased task-related connectivity within the cingulo-opercular network may mediate the cognitive benefits associated with higher fitness levels in preadolescent children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study seeks to identify key determinants of women empowerment in Nepal using a rich set of socio-demographic and socio-economic characteristics as well as behavioral factors and regional indicators. Results showed that older age is generally associated with higher empowerment across all these domains, while partner controlling behavior tended to decrease empowerment in beliefs about violence and control over sexuality. Education level and wealth were correlated with increased empowerment in control over sexuality and safe sex, though not in the other two domains. Access to media showed mixed effects, reducing empowerment in decision-making but enhancing it in control over sexuality and safe sex. The results suggest that women's empowerment has morphed from the purview of gender equality programs to its current state, where it is considered a broader goal for development. Introduction: Nepal is characterized by low empowerment of women which may have negative effects on their health status as well as sexual and reproductive rights. We seek to identify key determinants of women empowerment in Nepal using a rich set of socio-demographic and socio-economic characteristics as well as behavioral factors and regional indicators. Methods: This study utilizes 4,211 women aged between 15 and 49 years from the 2022 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) for Nepal. Following the previous study for Mozambique, we use Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to identify components of women's empowerment along three domains: beliefs about violence, decision-making and control over sexuality and safe sex. We use logistic regressions to identify significant predictors of empowerment in each domain and provide crude and adjusted odds ratios along with their 95% confidence intervals. Results: We found that older age is generally associated with higher empowerment across all these domains. Interestingly, while partner controlling behavior tended to decrease empowerment in beliefs about violence and control over sexuality, it was linked to increased decision-making empowerment. Notable regional differences emerged, with higher levels of empowerment observed in the Madhesh and Sudurpashchim regions. Further, education level and wealth were correlated with increased empowerment in control over sexuality and safe sex, though not in the other two domains. Access to media showed mixed effects, reducing empowerment in decision-making but enhancing it in control over sexuality and safe sex. Conclusion: Our results have many similarities but also notable differences with previous literature which emphasizes the importance of regular and region-specific studies of women's empowerment, acknowledging the potential for its change over time and also the prevailing differences across regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collectively pursuing social change may help people experience a sense of agency through their group when personal control is threatened, thereby restoring their sense of control. Accordingly, we proposed and found in two studies (N = 177 & 178) that following an experimentally manipulated threat to personal control, group members conform only to ingroup norms (vs. non-norms) framed as proposing social change, but not to those framed as preserving the status quo (in Study 1, we found this only for highly identified group members). This demonstrates the importance of collectively pursued social change for group-based control processes and qualifies the widely held belief that people reject change under conditions of threat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impaired goal-directed behavior is associated with a range of mental disorders, implicating underlying transdiagnostic factors. While compulsivity has been linked to reduced model-based (MB) control, impulsivity has rarely been studied in the context of reinforcement learning despite its links to reward processing and cognitive control. This study investigated the neural mechanisms underlying MB control and the influence of impulsivity and compulsivity, using EEG data from 238 individuals during a two-step decision making task. Single-trial analyses revealed a modulation of the feedback-related negativity (FRN), where amplitudes were higher after common transitions and positive reward prediction error (RPE), indicating a valence effect. Meanwhile, enhanced P3 amplitudes after rare transitions and both positive and negative RPE possibly reflect surprise. In a second step, we regressed the mean b values of the effect of RPE on the EEG signals onto self-reported impulsivity and compulsivity and behavioral MB control (w). The effect of RPE on FRN-related activity was mainly associated with higher w scores, linking the FRN to MB control. Crucially, the modulation of the P3 by RPE was negatively associated with compulsivity, pointing to a deficient mental model in highly compulsive individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Challenging the historical attitude that intimate partner violence (IPV) is not police business has been identified as key to effective police response. This attitude draws on the wider cultural assumption that IPV is situational and based on interpersonal conflict – a belief compounded by media coverage and certain theoretical approaches. The coercive control model counters this view, framing the majority of IPV as a power differential established through a deliberate pattern of threat and control. Coercive and controlling behaviour (CCB) was criminalised in England and Wales in the Serious Crime Act 2015. The offence describes a pattern of behaviour – rather than the discrete incidents – and subverts ingrained beliefs about the causes of IPV. This qualitative research draws on in-depth interviews with officers and victim-survivors in a force in the north of England. Critical discourse analysis examines police attitudes and culture as embedded within the wider context. A key finding is that police response officers commonly approach IPV as situational and arising from mutual conflict rather than investigating for evidence of CCB. The lack of nuanced understanding of control mechanisms and their effects often leads to exasperation with repeat callers and failure to ‘dig deeper’. However, officers who recognise the subtleties of CCB contribute to an empowering effect on victim-survivors, an outcome not formally recognised by policing processes. To equip officers for effective and supportive response, officer development should address the embedded assumption of conflict and focus on CCB as underlying the majority of IPV rather than existing as a distinct offence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Numerous studies have focused on the mental and behavioral problems or negative emotions of adolescents when examining the impact of parental control. However, limited research has explored the relationship between parental control and adolescents' future planning, neglecting the distinctions between parental psychological and behavioral control, as well as the significant roles of personal growth initiative and meaning in life. The present study aims to investigate the differential effects of parental psychological control and behavioral control on the future planning of rural adolescents in China. Methods: A sample of 909 individuals (13.60±0.93 years old, 470 boys and 439 girls) completed a self-report questionnaire anonymously. The study utilized the Adolescent Future Orientation Questionnaire, Parental Control Questionnaire, Adolescents' Personal Growth Initiative Scale, and Meaning in Life Questionnaire. Results: The findings revealed that parental control significantly influenced the future planning of Chinese rural adolescents, with psychological control and behavioral control exerting distinct impacts in this process. Specifically, parental psychological control was found to have a direct negative effect on adolescents' future planning, while also exhibiting a positive influence due to the masking effect of meaning in life; it did not negatively affect adolescents' future planning through their personal growth initiative. On the other hand, parental behavioral control was observed to directly and positively impact adolescents' future planning, as well as positively influence it through the mediating role of personal growth initiative and the chain mediating role of personal growth initiative and meaning in life. Discussion: These results suggest that the influence of parental control on adolescents' future planning is not a simple, singular mechanism, but rather a multi-layered and complex process, yielding mixed outcomes as a result of psychological control, behavioral control, and other factors. This complexity should be taken into consideration in educational practices and future research endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Hypoxia due to reduced partial pressure of oxygen from highaltitude exposure affects the cognitive function of high-altitude migrants. Executive function is an important component of human cognitive function, characterized by high oxygen consumption during activity, and its level can be measured using cognitive control capacity (CCC). In addition, there is evidence for the potential value of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) interventions in improving cognitive decline on the plateau. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effect of long-term high-altitude exposure on CCC in highaltitude newcomers and whether hyperbaric oxygen intervention has an ameliorative effect. Methods: This study measured the magnitude of participants' CCC using a Backward Masking Majority Function Task (MFT-M). Study 1 was a controlled study of different altitude conditions, with 64 participants in the high-altitude newcomer group and 64 participants in the low-altitude resident group, each completing the MFT-M task once. Study 2 was a controlled HBO intervention study in which newcomers who had lived at a high altitude for 2 years were randomly divided into the HBO group (n = 28) and control group (n = 28). 15 times hyperbaric oxygen interventions were performed in the HBO group. Subjects in both groups completed the MFT-M task once before and once after the intervention. Results: Study 1 showed that CCC was significantly higher in the low-altitude resident group than in the high-altitude newcomer group (p = 0.031). Study 2 showed that the CCC in the HBO group was significantly higher after 15 hyperbaric interventions than before (p = 0.005), while there was no significant difference in the control group (p = 0.972). The HBO group had significantly higher correct task rates than the control group after the intervention (p = 0.001). Conclusion: This study confirms that long-term high-altitude exposure leads to impairment of CCC in high-altitude newcomers and that hyperbaric oxygen intervention is effective in improving CCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic challenged universities to maintain teaching, leading to online classes becoming the standard teaching mode and accelerating digitalization. Learning from the influence of these developments on students' technology commitment may hold valuable information for various stakeholders. The present study investigated the development of three facets of technology commitment in higher education during the first two semesters under the COVID-19 pandemic: technology acceptance, technology competence belief, and technology control belief. The sample consisted of N = 132 graduate students at one German university who filled out questionnaires at two measurement points in two waves. The change in all three facets of technology commitment over time was examined with latent change models. There was a significant increase in technology competence belief. This change was stronger for students in the second COVID-19 semester than those in the first COVID-19 semester. Participants' age, sex, and the number of webinars attended during the semester of data collection had no significant effect on the change in the three facets of technology commitment. Overall, the present study provides new insights into the development of technology commitment during the COVID-19 pandemic, proposes an explanatory approach for the change in technology commitment, and emphasizes the relevance of direct experience with technology in the development of technology competence belief at different skill levels. The results indicate that students can increase their level of technology competence belief, by engaging directly with new technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The education sector has witnessed a growing recognition of the interdisciplinary nature of entrepreneurship education (EE), which has expanded beyond its traditional focus on business students. While higher education institutions have gained significant prominence in EE, little is known about the effects of EE in technical vocational education and training (TVET) institutions. This study aimed to examine the impact of EE on the entrepreneurial intentions (EI), attitudes towards business (ATB) creation, subjective norms (SN), and perceived behavioral control (PBC) of vocational students, grounded in the theory of planned behavior. Adopting a Two-Wave Longitudinal design, the study was conducted on a sample of 128 TVET students who underwent an intensive six-month EE program. The results showed that the Time 2 scores were significantly higher than the Time 1 scores for EI (9.510), ATB (9.773), SN (8.588), and PBC (2.993), indicating the effectiveness of EE in fostering pro-entrepreneurial desires among vocational students. The findings suggest that TVET institutions should consider incorporating EE into their curricula and provide adequate support systems for their student population. This study contributes to the limited research on the impact of EE in the TVET context, particularly within emerging economies, and offers insights for educational practice and future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intimate partner violence in pregnancy is a significant public health issue that has several detrimental effects. Pregnant women subjected to intimate partner violence (IPV) have a higher risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes. Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence, patterns and factors associated with intimate partner violence among pregnant women attending a primary care antenatal clinic. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study design was employed to study intimate partner violence among 269 pregnant women in Accra, Ghana between July and October 2021. Participants were selected by systematic sampling technique. The self-reported Composite Abuse Scale was used to assess and classify intimate partner violence. Socio-demographic, clinical (obstetric) and behavioural characteristics were obtained with a structured questionnaire. Associations were determined between independent and dependent variables using the chi-squared test, and logistic regression with adjusted odds ratio (AOR). The statistical significance level was set at a p-value ≤ 0.05. Results: The prevalence of IPV was 11.2%. The prevalence of emotional/psychological abuse, harassment/controlling behaviour, physical abuse, sexual abuse and severe combined abuse were 12.3%, 13.0%, 8.2%, 3.3% and 8.9% respectively. Pregnant women who were employed had reduced odds of experiencing IPV [AOR = 0.16 (95%CI: 0.05–0.47), p = 0.001], however, the past experience of violence [AOR = 4.9 (95%CI: 1.06–22.96), p = 0.042], alcohol use by women [AOR = 7.8 (95%CI: 1.63–37.42), p = 0.01], and partners' alcohol consumption [AOR = 10.0 (95%CI: 3.22–31.26), p<0.001] were associated with increased odds of IPV. Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of IPV among pregnant women in this study from a resource-limited setting. The factors found to be associated with IPV in pregnancy were the employment status of women, alcohol consumption by women or their partners and a previous history of violence. Healthcare providers in primary care need to recognize IPV as a medical condition that can occur in pregnancy and be ready to assist and manage the victims when it is detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

\nThis study compared the qualitative nature of women and men’s sexual violence (SV) victimization, the types of experiences captured and missed on the Sexual Experiences Survey-Short Form Victimization (SES-SFV) across genders, and common interpretations of the SES-SFV items. Fifty-four university students (31 women, 21 cis men, 2 trans men) who had recent unwanted (but not necessarily nonconsensual) sexual experiences thought out loud while privately completing the SES-SFV. They also typed descriptions of experiences reported on SES-SFV items or similar experiences when nothing was reported on an item. Results indicated that women’s victimization was more frequent and severe than cis men’s, except when men were victimized by men. Although verbal coercion was common across genders, event descriptions indicated that women’s verbal coercion experiences were more often harsh and part of a partner’s ongoing SV or coercive control. The findings suggest that quantitative measurement can mask important gender differences in victimization and (based on analysis of false positives and negatives) may underestimate rape and attempted rape experiences, especially women’s. Findings suggested that responding to the SES-SFV was not traumatic or distressing. However, participants sometimes expressed confusion about the items and interpreted them in unintended ways.Read the transcriptWatch the video on Vimeo© 2024 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stoma-forming surgery can have extensive, negative impacts on a patient's psychological wellbeing. Although this has been known for several decades, little progress has been made in addressing the issue. Several areas of concern have been repeatedly identified in the literature: loss of control; reduced self-esteem; psychosexual issues; and the impact of enhanced recovery on psychological outcomes. While these issues have the potential to significantly affect patients undergoing stoma-forming surgery, they can be mitigated against. While identifying and addressing psychological morbidity at an early stage is the most effective approach, additional interventions can also be useful. The promotion of self-care and independence can minimise the feeling of loss of control, the selection of discreet, leak-proof products can help address self-esteem issues, and open, honest conversation can significantly improve a patient's feelings regarding sexuality and intimacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alterations in the reward and cognitive control systems are commonly observed among adolescents with internet dependence (ID), and this impairment is often accompanied by social dysfunctions, such as academic burnout. However, the intercorrelations among ID, reward, cognitive control processing, and learning burnout remain unclear. We recruited 1074 Chinese adolescents to investigate the complex interrelationships among these variables using network analysis. The resulting network revealed patterns that connected ID to the behavioral inhibition/activation system (BIS/BAS), self-control, and learning burnout; these results exhibited reasonable stability and test–retest consistency. Throughout the network, the node of BAS-drive was the critical influencing factor, and the node of self-control was the protection factor. In addition, several symptoms of learning burnout and ID were positively associated with sensitivity to punishment. As revealed by the network comparison test, the network constructed among internet dependent (ID) group differed from the network constructed among internet nondependent (IND) group not only in the edges between BIS and learning burnout but also in terms of the edges associated with learning burnout. In conclusion, this study provides insights into the complex mechanisms underlying ID among adolescents from the perspective of the network relationships between core influencing factors and negative consequences. It validates the dual-system model of risky behavior among adolescents and offers a foundation for early warning and interventions for ID in this context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hand hygiene is known to reduce healthcare-associated infections. However, it remains suboptimal among healthcare providers. In this study, we used the Behaviour-centered Design approach to explore the facilitators and deterrents to hand hygiene among healthcare providers in the Kampala Metropolitan area, Uganda. Methods: We conducted a formative qualitative study as part of a cluster randomised trial in 19 healthcare facilities (HCFs). The study used 19 semi-structured and 18 key informant interviews to collect data on hand hygiene status and facilitators and deterrents of hand hygiene. Research assistants transcribed verbatim and used a thematic framework aided by Nvivo 14.0. to undertake analysis. We used thick descriptions and illustrative quotes to enhance the credibility and trustworthiness of our findings. Results: About 47.4% of the HCFs had sufficient hand hygiene infrastructure, and 57.9% did not report total compliance with hand hygiene during patient care. The physical facilitator for hand hygiene was the presence of constant reminders such as nudges, while the biological included the frequency of patient contact and the nature of clinical work. The only biological deterrent was the heavy workload in HCFs. The executive brain facilitators included knowledge of workplace health risks, infection prevention and control (IPC) guidelines, and a positive attitude. A negative attitude was the executive brain deterrent to hand hygiene. Recognition, rewards, and fear of infections were the only motivated brain facilitators. Behavioural setting facilitators included proximity to functional hand hygiene infrastructure, the existence of active IPC committees, good leadership, and the availability of a budget for hand hygiene supplies. Behavioural setting deterrents included the non-functionality and non-proximity to hand hygiene infrastructure and inadequate supplies. Conclusions: The study revealed low compliance with hand hygiene during the critical moments of patient care and inadequacy of hand hygiene infrastructure. The deterrents to hand hygiene included a heavy workload, negative attitude, inadequate supplies, non-functionality, and long distance to hand washing stations. Facilitators included constant reminders, fear of infections, frequency of patient contact and nature of clinical work, positive attitude, knowledge of IPC guidelines, recognition and reward, good leadership, availability of budgets for hand hygiene supplies, availability and proximity to hand hygiene supplies and infrastructure and active IPC committees. Trial registration: ISRCTN Registry with number ISRCTN98148144. The trial was registered on 23/11/2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Highlights Longitudinal research can assess how diverging development of multiple cognitive skills during infancy, as well as familial background, are related to the emergence of neurodevelopmental conditions. Sensorimotor and effortful control difficulties are seen in infants later diagnosed with autism; this study explored the relationships between these skills and autism characteristics in 340 infants (240 with elevated familial autism likelihood) assessed at 4–7, 8–10, 12–15, 24, and 36 months. We tested: (1) the relationship between parent‐reported effortful control (Rothbart's temperament questionnaires) and sensorimotor skills (Mullen Scales of Early Learning), using random intercept cross‐lagged panel modelling; (2) whether household income and maternal education predicted stable individual differences in cognition; (3) sensorimotor and effortful control skills as individual and interactive predictors of parent‐reported autism characteristics (Social Responsiveness Scale) at 3 years, using multiple regression; and (4) moderation of interactions by familial likelihood. Sensorimotor skills were longitudinally associated with effortful control at the subsequent measurement point from 12–15 months. Socioeconomic status indicators did not predict stable between‐infant differences in sensorimotor or effortful control skills. Effortful control skills were longitudinally related to 3‐year autism characteristics from the first year of life, with evidence for an interaction with sensorimotor skills at 24 months. Effects of effortful control increased with age and were particularly important for infants with family histories of autism. Results are discussed in relation to different theoretical frameworks: Developmental Cascades and Anterior Modifiers in the Emergence of Neurodevelopmental Disorders. We suggest a role for 24‐month effortful control in explaining the emergent autism phenotype. Sensorimotor skills longitudinally predicted effortful control from 12–15 months onward but effortful control did not longitudinally predict sensorimotor skills during infancy. Measures of effortful control skills taken before the age of 1 predicted continuous variation in autism characteristics at 36 months, with associations increasing in strength with age. Effortful control (measured at 12–15 and 24 months) was a stronger predictor of 36‐month autism characteristics in infants with elevated familial likelihood for autism. The relationship between 24‐month sensorimotor skills and 36‐month autism characteristics was stronger in infants with weaker effortful control skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Violence across Latin America is an increasingly important factor influencing migration to the US. A particular form of violence that is experienced by many Latinx migrants is extortion. This research analyzes the extortion experiences of Latinx immigrant adults arriving at the US southern border and the impact these experiences have on mental health. We find that on average, participants paid $804 in extortion during their migration. The most common perpetrators of extortion in our study were police followed by immigration officials throughout Latin America. Pregnant participants were less likely to experience extortion and adults traveling with children were more likely to be extorted. Participants who were extorted for money reported significantly greater severity of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms compared to those who were not extorted. This research is the first of its kind to analyze extortion experiences among Latinx immigrants to the US, quantifying the prevalence, amounts paid, countries where extortion occurs, and perpetrators of extortion. In addition, extortion experiences are associated with negative effects on the mental health of newly arrived Latinx immigrants to the US. Based upon these findings, we recommend that extortion should be considered a significant stressor in the migrant experience, particularly for those adults traveling with children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractAn essential component of healthy sexual exploration is the understanding of sexual consent. Unfortunately, sexual consent is not consistently taught in sex education programs developed for adolescents. Furthermore, although early adolescence is a critical developmental period for the formation of sexual identity, norms, attitudes, and relationships, this population is underrepresented in the sexual consent literature. To fill this important gap, this study examined the sexual consent beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of 254 middle school students from a large, urban city in the province of Ontario. Correlates and predictors of sexual consent endorsement were tested via bivariate and multiple regression analyses. Greater perceived negative sanctions of dating violence and higher endorsement of gender stereotypes emerged as variables significantly related to and predictive of sexual consent attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and affirmative consent norms. Gender was also a significant correlate, as girls were more likely than boys to endorse affirmative sexual consent beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. The findings highlight important group differences and provide guidance for the design and implementation of sexual education and prevention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of e‐cigarette or vape devices is a growing concern on an international scale, given the devices' addictive nature and questions regarding their short‐ and long‐term health impacts. Their use is especially an issue in young people, many of whom have little or no previous nicotine use experience. This study tested an integrated dual process model in 363 young Australian undergraduates where prospectively measured e‐cigarette use was predicted by the psychological constructs of the theory of planned behavior, supplemented with risk perception, e‐cigarette dependence, habit, and implicit attitude. Intention to use an e‐cigarette was predicted by affective attitude, subjective norm, and e‐cigarette dependance, but not instrumental attitude, perceived behavioral control, or risk perception. E‐cigarette use was predicted by e‐cigarette dependance, intention, habit, implicit attitude, and previous nicotine use, although perceived behavioral control did not directly predict behavior nor moderate the intention–behavior relationship. Current findings provide evidence for important psychological predictors of e‐cigarette use, signposting potential intervention targets. Specifically, interventions may benefit from using strategies that tap affective or normative beliefs alongside automatic constructs and dependence, while focusing less on beliefs about the health impacts of e‐cigarettes or control over using. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Background Methods Results Discussion Conclusion Implications for nursing and health policy We evaluated Saudi Arabian nurses’ willingness to engage in nuclear and radiological disaster response.In the face of rising nuclear and radiological threats, it is essential that nurses are fully prepared to handle the health consequences of such emergencies. As frontline responders, nurses play a critical role in managing high‐stakes situations, making their readiness a key factor in ensuring public safety during these crises.A cross‐sectional survey was conducted among 612 registered nurses in Saudi Arabia. The survey used a structured questionnaire based on the theory of planned behavior, identifying behavioral intentions as the primary outcome and attitudes toward these behaviors, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control as influencing factors. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.Most respondents lacked specialized training and reported strong behavioral intentions. Attitude and perceived behavioral control were key drivers of these behavioral intentions, with less impact from subjective norms. Behavioral intentions were also shaped by education, the perceived likelihood of nuclear and radiological emergencies in their region, peer influence, perceived self‐efficacy, and family concerns. Younger and married nurses showed significantly stronger behavioral intentions.Although most nurses lacked specialized training, their strong engagement intentions and positive responses to active learning and training indicate a desire to close this gap through further education. However, inadequate institutional support, trouble communicating with family, and concerns about personal radiation exposure emerged as potential barriers.Targeted educational initiatives and support systems are needed to enhance nurses’ confidence, competence, and willingness to engage in radiological and nuclear emergency scenarios.Policymakers should prioritize the development of specialized training programs and support mechanisms for nurses, ensuring they are adequately prepared to respond effectively to increasing radiological and nuclear threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been long running debate about the interaction of language and perception. In this context, bilingual people have often shown benefits, due to their double‐active linguistic system, in cognitive functions, like inhibition, attention, and memory, which are central for visual perception. Color naming and categorization are domains for studying cross‐linguistic effects, which arise from conceptual and perceptual variations across speakers of different languages. In this study, we compared the ‘blue’ lexicon of highly proficient French‐Italian bilinguals to monolingual speakers of the corresponding languages. Prior studies have shown that Italian has two basic color terms for the blue area of color space: one denotes light blue hues (azzurro) and the other dark blue hues (blu), whilst French, with only one basic term bleu, lacks this distinction. We used a Stroop test to probe differences in perception and categorization of blue in bi‐ and monolingual speakers. We found that Italian monolinguals name the ink color more accurately and more rapidly when the word blu is rendered in dark blue ink (corresponding to the word blu) than when it is printed in light blue ink (corresponding to azzurro), since the latter represents an incongruent condition for them. This ‘category effect’ does not exist for French monolingual speakers. Our bilinguals' results demonstrate that, despite the emergence of a specific in‐between perceptual behavior, bilinguals generally performed like Italian monolinguals. These outcomes confirm the hypothesis that their second language categories (Italian) dominate their native language (French), attesting that lexical distinctions influence perceptual faculties in general. However, the ratio of the interference effect (longer reaction times for incongruent stimuli compared to control stimuli) and the facilitation effect (shorter reaction times for congruent stimuli compared to control stimuli) is not the same for bilinguals and monolinguals. The highest magnitude in the facilitation effect was revealed for bilinguals, whereas the highest magnitude in the interference effect was revealed for Italian monolingual speakers. This phenomenon adds evidence to the existence of enhanced bilingual cognitive control abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This research paper explores the increasing significance of sustainability within the hospitality industry, focusing on how customers' patronage intentions are influenced by green hotels. Amid rising global awareness of environmental issues, the study investigates the effect of hotels' green initiatives on customer behavior and decision-making. The analysis employs theories such as the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to examine the roles of environmental awareness, personal norms, and perceived behavioral control in shaping consumer choices at green hotels. Method: The methodology involves a detailed survey of 418 travelers in India, evaluating their attitudes toward green hotels and how these attitudes impact their sustainable consumption behaviors. The survey aimed to gather data on participants' environmental awareness, personal norms, perceived behavioral control, and their intentions to support green hotels. Statistical analysis was used to interpret the survey responses and to identify significant trends and correlations. Results: Findings from 397 valid responses indicate that well-informed consumers are more likely to support and prefer hotels committed to sustainability, positively affecting their purchasing decisions and loyalty. The data showed a strong correlation between environmental awareness and patronage intentions, with personal norms and perceived behavioral control also playing significant roles in consumer choices. Discussion: The research enhances understanding of consumer behavior in sustainable tourism, providing important insights for hotel managers and policymakers. It underscores the importance of incorporating green practices into business strategies to appeal to environmentally conscious customers and emphasizes the need for continuous engagement and transparency in promoting environmental values. These practices are crucial for boosting customer satisfaction and loyalty in the hospitality industry. By aligning business operations with sustainable practices, hotels can not only attract more environmentally aware customers but also contribute positively to broader environmental goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanistically targeted behavioral interventions are a much-needed strategy for improving outcomes in depression, especially for vulnerable populations with comorbidities such as obesity. Such interventions may change behavior and outcome by changing underlying neural circuit function. However, it is unknown how these circuit-level modifications unfold over intervention and how individual differences in early circuit-level modifications may explain the heterogeneity of treatment effects. We addressed this need within a clinical trial of problem-solving therapy for participants with depression symptoms and comorbid obesity, focusing on the cognitive control circuit as a putative neural mechanism of action. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was applied to measure the cognitive control circuit activity at five time points over 24 months. Compared with participants who received usual care, those receiving problem-solving therapy showed that attenuations in cognitive control circuit activity were associated with enhanced problem-solving ability, which suggests that this circuit plays a key role in the mechanisms of problem-solving therapy. Attenuations in circuit activity were also associated with improved depression symptoms. Changes in cognitive control circuit activity at 2 months better predicted changes in problem-solving ability and depression symptoms at 6, 12, and 24 months, with predictive improvements ranging from 17.8 to 104.0%, exceeding baseline demographic and symptom characteristics. Our findings suggest that targeting the circuit mechanism of action could enhance the prediction of treatment outcomes, warranting future model refinement and improvement to pave the way for its clinical application. Editor's summary: Behavioral intervention therapies can improve symptoms of depression but do not work for all patients. To identify brain circuit changes that might underlie treatment response, Zhang et al. performed a longitudinal fMRI imaging study on patients with depression and comorbid obesity who received either problem-solving therapy (I-CARE) or usual care (U-CARE). They found that decreased cognitive control circuit activity measured at different time points over 24 months correlated with better treatment outcomes. A predictive model based on control circuit changes at 2 months outperformed a standard model based on demographic and clinical parameters. These results suggest an approach that could support treatment outcome predictions for depression, but further optimization and validation are needed. —Daniela Neuhofer [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early maladaptive schemas (EMSs) have scarcely been studied in adolescents. The present study investigates EMSs in two clinical samples of 12–22-year-olds recruited from patients entering a specialized adolescent psychiatry clinic [n = 190] or a pediatric clinic [n = 119] in Finland. The endorsement of EMSs was compared between these samples, and the association of EMSs with perceived parental bonding was assessed. EMSs were assessed with the Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form 2-Extended and particularly affectionless control parenting style with the Parental Bonding Instrument. The main analyses were conducted using general linear modeling. Significant differences existed between the two samples, with most EMSs and EMS domains being stronger in the adolescent psychiatry sample. The Disconnection and Rejection domain was associated with maternal affectionless control in the adolescent psychiatry sample and paternal affectionless control in the pediatric sample. The results provide novel findings of EMSs in adolescents and their links to parenting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Executive functions (EFs) play a crucial role in higher cognition, influencing life skills and effective global functioning or dysfunctional developmental trajectories. Despite their significance, EFs assessment primarily relies on tests designed for detecting clinically-significant deficits, limiting their applicability to physiological aging or for profiling supposedly healthy populations. This study introduces the Executive Function Tool-Task (EF/t-t), a screening tool potentially spanning emerging adulthood to elderly age. In a pilot study involving 68 healthy volunteers, we firstly explored its informativity and potential. The EF/t-t includes subtests on verbal learning, memory, cognitive flexibility, attention, and inhibitory control. Partial correlation analyses, accounting for age and education, revealed moderate-to-strong coefficients between subtests, indicating good internal consistency. Also, cluster analysis allowed us to parse out three latent performance profiles. Current findings hint at the potential of the EF/t-t for complementing cognitive screening in presumably preserved adults and elderly people, offering consistent neurocognitive profiling of EFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mind wandering, a subjective daily experience often conflated with daydreaming or zoning out, has been primarily investigated as “task-unrelated thoughts” in psychology and cognitive neuroscience concerning attention, creativity, mindfulness, mental health, and aging. However, diverse evidence also reveals the limitations of this mainstream definition and prompts alternative viewpoints, that have yet to be systematically reviewed and compared. In addition, the issue regarding its mechanisms or predictive factors in terms of the occurrence of task-related thought remains unsettled. This article thus examines mind-wandering research from two perspectives: “What is mind wandering?” and “How does it occur and how can it be regulated?” Three current viewpoints (the task-centric view, the dynamic framework view, and the family resemblance view) are first introduced in terms of definitions, measurement, related evidence, relations with cognitive performance, creativity and mental health, and limitations. Then we examine the issue regarding how executive control functions or cognitive resources influence the occurrence of mind wandering, on which inconsistent evidence has been addressed. Finally, we propose “the awareness-modulation hypothesis”, highlighting the modulatory role of present-moment awareness (an aspect of mindfulness) to integrate the current diverse evidence better. Its implications for the age of distraction are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since game mechanics and their visual aspects have become more and more addictive, there is concern about the growing prevalence of Internet gaming disorder (IGD). In the current narrative review, we searched PubMed and Google Scholar databases for the keywords "igd biomarker gaming" and terms related to biomarker modalities. The biomarkers we found are grouped into several categories based on a measurement method and are discussed in the light of theoretical addiction models (tripartite neurocognitive model, I-PACE). Both theories point to gaming-related problems with salience and inhibition. The first dysfunction makes an individual more susceptible to game stimuli (raised reward seeking), and the second negatively impacts resistance to these stimuli (decreased cognitive control). The IGD patients' hypersensitivity to reward manifests mostly in ventral striatum (VS) measurements. However, there is also empirical support for a ventral-to-dorsal striatal shift and transition from goal-directed to habitual behaviors. The deficits in executive control are demonstrated in parameters related to the prefrontal cortex (PFC), especially the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). In general, the connection of PFC with reward under cortex nuclei seems to be dysregulated. Other biomarkers include reduced P3 amplitudes, high-frequency heart rate variability (HRV), and the number of eye blinks and saccadic eye movements during the non-resting state. A few studies propose a diagnostic (multimodal) model of IGD. The current review also comments on inconsistencies in findings in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and precuneus and makes suggestions for future IGD studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been extensive evidence that aging affects human brain function. However, there is no complete picture of what brain functional changes are mostly related to normal aging and how aging affects brain function similarly and differently between males and females. Based on resting‐state brain functional connectivity (FC) of 25,582 healthy participants (13,373 females) aged 49–76 years from the UK Biobank project, we employ deep learning with explainable AI to discover primary FCs related to progressive aging and reveal similarity and difference between females and males in brain aging. Using a nested cross‐validation scheme, we conduct 4200 deep learning models to classify all paired age groups on the main data for females and males separately and then extract gender‐common and gender‐specific aging‐related FCs. Next, we validate those FCs using additional 21,000 classifiers on the independent data. Our results support that aging results in reduced brain functional interactions for both females and males, primarily relating to the positive connectivity within the same functional domain and the negative connectivity between different functional domains. Regions linked to cognitive control show the most significant age‐related changes in both genders. Unique aging effects in males and females mainly involve the interaction between cognitive control and the default mode, vision, auditory, and frontoparietal domains. Results also indicate females exhibit faster brain functional changes than males. Overall, our study provides new evidence about common and unique patterns of brain aging in females and males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]