Search

Cyber-slacking interrupts classroom teaching and learning activities and is associated with poor academic performance. Based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), this study aimed to investigate whether both cognitive (i.e., attitudes, perceived norms, and perceived behavioral control) and affective (i.e., fear of missing out [FoMO]) factors contribute to classroom cyber-slacking intention and behavior among Chinese university students. We recruited a convenience sample of 431 undergraduate students (M = 19.34, SD = 1.08; 66.4% female; 33.6% male) from mainland China who completed an online survey (i.e., items measured cognitive factors of cyber-slacking, cyber-slacking behavior, FoMO, and demographic information). The findings of correlational, hierarchical multiple regression, and path analysis with bootstrapping approach showed that both cognitive and affective factors were positive correlates of cyber-slacking intention and behavior and explained the variance in cyber-slacking intention. Moreover, attitudes, perceived norms, perceived behavioral control, and FoMO had statistically significant indirect effects (via intention) on cyber-slacking behaviors, whereas perceived behavioral control alone has a direct impact on cyber-slacking behaviors. The findings not only lend more credence to TPB, suggesting that cognitive factors are reliable correlates of both classroom cyber-slacking intention and behavior, but also showed affective factors, such as FoMO, can be used to reduce students' cyber-slacking intention and, subsequently, their behavior. Based on these findings, interventions for reducing classroom cyber-slacking are discussed.

Objective: The original 24-item School Refusal Assessment Scale-Revised (SRAS-R) assesses four functions/conditions regarding school refusal behavior (SRB), bridging assessments, and treatments of SRB. No validated Chinese versions are available. Methods: To validate the Chinese version of the SRAS-R, an anonymous cross-sectional survey was conducted from February to March 2022 among 1108 secondary school students in Taizhou, China. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) did not support the original 4-factor model. Three items were thus removed in the exploratory factor analysis performed in the first half-spilt subsample, yielding a 5-factor model which was confirmed by CFA in the second subsample. The resulting 21-item scale/subscales of the Chinese SRAS-R generally demonstrated measurement invariance across sex and student types and satisfactory internal consistency, absence of ceiling effect and floor effect, and concurrent validity with the two external variables of preference of not going to school and depressive symptoms. Significant sex and student type differences in subscale scores were found. Conclusions: The 21-item and 5-factor Chinese version of the SRAS-R showed satisfactory psychometric properties and can be applied to research on SRB among Chinese adolescents. Future studies should validate it in other countries.

Background: Despite the practical importance of addressing the drug user’s sleep problems to enhance the efficacy of treatment and rehabilitation, little is known about whether and how history of childhood maltreatment relates to this issue. This study takes an evolutionary perspective to investigate the associations between history of childhood maltreatment and sleep problems in adults with drug abuse via their emotion regulation difficulties, future-oriented coping, and anxiety.Methods: Participants were 604 male adults with drug abuse between the ages of 18–58 years (M = 36.20, SD = 8.17) in a drug rehabilitation centre in China. In addition to bivariate correlation analysis, path analysis was conducted to examine goodness-of-fit of the conceptual model, controlling for the effect of demographic characteristics.Results: Thirty-two percent of participants (n = 194) reported poor sleep quality (PSQI > 5), whereas sleep disturbance (81.3%), daytime dysfunction (77.3%), and sleep latency (66.5%) were the three most common problems among them. Correlation analysis supported the hypothesised positive correlations between poor sleep quality and childhood maltreatment, emotion regulation difficulties, and anxiety, and a negative correlation with future-oriented coping. Results of path analysis showed a significant indirect effect of childhood maltreatment on sleep problems via both emotion regulation difficulties and anxiety, whereas such effects via both future-oriented coping and anxiety were statistically nonsignificant.Conclusions: The findings suggest life history theory is applicable to understanding drug users’ sleep problems, and interventions regarding both emotion regulation difficulties and anxiety can lessen the risk posed by childhood maltreatment on sleep problems.

Abstract Background The current understanding of the relationship between physical activity involvement and flourishing, as well as the underlying psychological mechanisms, remains limited. Building upon the basic psychological need theory, this study investigates whether and how engaging in physical activities, either as a spectator (e.g., in sports events such as the World Cup) or a participant, explains individual differences in flourishing. Methods A total of 1201 Hong Kong-based Chinese adults (M age = 42.90, SD = 11.40; 54% female) completed an anonymous online survey from the quarter-final to final stages of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in December 2022. Results Findings showed that spectator (World Cup) involvement and participant involvement were positively correlated. Moreover, both types of involvements were correlated with flourishing. In addition to the hypothesized positive association with relatedness satisfaction, spectator (World Cup) involvement was also demonstrated significant associations with autonomy and competence satisfaction. Path analysis indicated that associations between physical activities and flourishing were partially mediated by the satisfaction of all three basic psychological needs. Conclusions This study is the first to apply the basic psychological need theory in the context of physical activity and supports its relevance in understanding individual differences in flourishing. Different stakeholders are encouraged to recognize the benefits of both spectator and participant involvements in physical activities, which may help them develop supportive strategies (e.g., physical activities with parents, sports events for spectators and participants, and funding for media/communities) in mental health promotion.

BackgroundAdolescent internet gaming disorder (IGD) was associated with severe harm, including suicidal ideation. While suicidal ideation was predictive of completed suicides, further research is required to clarify the association between IGD and suicidal ideation among adolescents, as well as the mechanisms involved. ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the understudied association between IGD and suicidal ideation, as well as novel mechanisms associated with it, among Chinese adolescent internet gamers through psychosocial coping resources and psychosocial problems. MethodsAn anonymous, self-administered, cross-sectional survey was conducted among secondary school students who had played internet games in the past year in Guangzhou and Chengdu, China (from October 2019 to January 2020). In total, 1693 adolescent internet gamers were included in this study; the mean age was 13.48 (SD 0.80) years, and 60% (n=1016) were males. IGD was assessed by the 9-item Internet Gaming Disorder Checklist of the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [Fifth Edition]), while a single item assessed suicidal ideation: “Have you ever considered committing suicide in the past 12 months?” Univariate and multivariate logistic regression associations were conducted to test the significance and directions of the potential factors for suicidal ideation. The mediation mechanism was examined by structural equation modeling. ResultsAmong all participants, the prevalence of IGD and suicidal ideation was 16.95% (287/1693) and 43.06% (729/1693), respectively. IGD cases were 2.42 times more likely than non-IGD cases to report suicidal ideation (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.42, 95% CI 1.73-3.37). Other significant factors of suicidal ideation included psychosocial coping resources (resilience and social support, both adjusted OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.96-0.98) and psychosocial problems (social anxiety: adjusted OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.05-1.09; loneliness, adjusted OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.10-1.16). The association between IGD and suicidal ideation was partially mediated by 3 indirect paths, including (1) the 2-step path that IGD reduced psychosocial coping resources, which in turn increased suicidal ideation; (2) the 2-step path that IGD increased psychosocial problems, which in turn increased suicidal ideation; and (3) the 3-step path that IGD reduced psychosocial coping resources which then increased psychosocial problems, which in turn increased suicidal ideation, with effect sizes of 10.7% (indirect effect/total effect: 0.016/0.15), 30.0% (0.05/0.15), and 13.3% (0.02/0.15), respectively. The direct path remained statistically significant. ConclusionsIGD and suicidal ideation were alarmingly prevalent. Evidently and importantly, IGD was a significant risk factor for suicidal ideation. The association was partially explained by psychosocial coping resources of resilience and social support and psychosocial problems of social anxiety and loneliness. Longitudinal studies are needed to confirm the findings. Pilot randomized controlled trials are recommended to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions in reducing suicidal ideation by reducing IGD, improving psychosocial coping resources, and reducing psychosocial problems investigated in this study.

Problematic smartphone use (PSU) and its negative consequences among adolescents are so commonly observed that they have become a matter of public concern. Utilizing life history (LH) theory, this study aims to examine how childhood risks (i.e., childhood harshness and unpredictability) would be associated with adolescent PSU via cognitive and emotional processes of LH strategy and psychological distress. A sample of 459 Chinese high school students aged from 14 to 18 (M = 16.90) participated in this study and voluntarily completed an anonymous survey. The results showed that childhood unpredictability and psychological distress were positively correlated with PSU, whereas childhood harshness and the two processes of LH strategy were negatively correlated with PSU. Path analysis further supported a partial mediation model, in which childhood unpredictability increased PSU, via serial mediators of the emotional process of LH strategy and psychological distress. The findings support the efficacy of LH theory in elucidating the development of behavioral addiction. However, the direct and negative association of childhood harshness with PSU was unexpected. It implicates the complexity of childhood environment on adolescent behavioral addictions and warrants further investigation.

Abstract Background Based on social cognitive theory, this study aimed to examine whether and how social abilities (i.e., cognitive empathy and emotional empathy) are associated with gambling disorder (GD) by incorporating attitudes toward general risk (i.e., risk aversion) and responsible gambling as potential mediators of this link. Methods A convenience sample of 580 past-year lottery gamblers (M age = 34.07, SD = 13.36; 50.4% female), recruited near lottery sales shops, completed an anonymous paper-version questionnaire on site. Data were collected using the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for GD, Interpersonal Reactivity Index, Risk Aversion Scale, Positive Play Scale, and demographic items. Path analysis and mediation analysis were applied to examine the effects of cognitive empathy and emotional empathy on GD and the mediating roles of risk aversion and responsible gambling attitude. Results Our results showed that cognitive empathy, but not emotional empathy, was significantly and negatively correlated with GD. Also, the effect of cognitive empathy on GD was fully mediated by risk aversion and responsible gambling attitude, whilst the total indirect effect of emotional empathy on GD was nonsignificant. As hypothesized, the indirect paths from both types of empathy to GD were significantly and serially mediated by risk aversion and responsible gambling attitude. Conclusion Cognitive empathy, distinct from emotional empathy, was a statistically significant correlate of GD. Moreover, the path model results also suggest that responsible gambling attitude was a salient protective factors against GD. Future GD prevention efforts may benefit from paying more attention to the role of responsible gambling attitude.

Abstract Background Work addiction (WA) threatens occupation-related health in many countries including China. This research aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of Bergen Work Addiction Scale (BWAS), the most common measure of WA, to facilitate relevant studies in Chinese workers. A network analysis was further conducted to identify central and bridge symptoms within the WA-anxiety network to improve intervention practices. Methods A total of 694 Chinese white-collar workers completed an online questionnaire survey in March of 2022, and the responses to BWAS from a subsample of 50 participants one month after this survey were also collected. Results The unidimensionality of BWAS was supported by results of exploratory factor analysis, exploratory graph analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis and we found satisfactory internal consistency and acceptable test-retest reliability. Multiple-group factor analyses confirmed the measurement invariance of BWAS across genders, districts (i.e., central China, eastern China, western China, and northeastern China), and age groups (i.e., young and middle-aged adults) while the convergent validity of BWAS was demonstrated by its significant correlations with Dutch Work Addiction Scale (r = 0.62, p

Abstract Aims To examine the effectiveness of Self-Help Plus (SH+) as an intervention for alleviating stress levels and mental health problems among healthcare workers. Methods This was a prospective, two-arm, unblinded, parallel-designed randomised controlled trial. Participants were recruited at all levels of medical facilities within all municipal districts of Guangzhou. Eligible participants were adult healthcare workers experiencing psychological stress (10-item Perceived Stress Scale scores of ≥15) but without serious mental health problems or active suicidal ideation. A self-help psychological intervention developed by the World Health Organization in alleviating psychological stress and preventing the development of mental health problems. The primary outcome was psychological stress, assessed at the 3-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes were depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, insomnia, positive affect (PA) and self-kindness assessed at the 3-month follow-up. Results Between November 2021 and April 2022, 270 participants were enrolled and randomly assigned to either SH+ (n = 135) or the control group (n = 135). The SH+ group had significantly lower stress at the 3-month follow-up (b = −1.23, 95% CI = −2.36, −0.10, p = 0.033) compared to the control group. The interaction effect indicated that the intervention effect in reducing stress differed over time (b = −0.89, 95% CI = −1.50, −0.27, p = 0.005). Analysis of the secondary outcomes suggested that SH+ led to statistically significant improvements in most of the secondary outcomes, including depression, insomnia, PA and self-kindness. Conclusions This is the first known randomised controlled trial ever conducted to improve stress and mental health problems among healthcare workers experiencing psychological stress in a low-resource setting. SH+ was found to be an effective strategy for alleviating psychological stress and reducing symptoms of common mental problems. SH+ has the potential to be scaled-up as a public health strategy to reduce the burden of mental health problems in healthcare workers exposed to high levels of stress.

BackgroundAs a theoretical framework for understanding illness self-management, the commonsense model of self-regulation (CSM) has been commonly used to promote health behaviors. However, its application to examining gambling disorder (GD) is still in an exploratory stage.ObjectivesBased on CSM, the current study aimed to address this knowledge gap and test whether illness representations (i.e., perceived consequences, illness coherence, and emotional representations) of GD are associated with gambling behaviors (i.e., responsible gambling [RG] and superstitious gambling). We also aimed to explore the potential mediating role of positive gambling beliefs (i.e., personal responsibility about gambling and gambling literacy) in such associations.MethodsAn online questionnaire survey with snowballing sampling method was administered to Chinese adult past-year gamblers, and 603 valid responses were collected. The structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis with a bootstrapping approach was utilized to test the associations of illness representations with gambling behaviors and the hypothesized mediation effects of positive gambling beliefs.ResultsWe found that (a) perceived consequences of GD had significant, positive associations with RG and negative associations with superstitious gambling, with positive gambling beliefs acting as full mediators; (b) emotional representations for GD showed significant, negative correlations with RG and positive ones with superstitious gambling, with positive gambling beliefs acting as full and partial mediators, respectively; (c) the direct effect of illness coherence of GD on superstitious gambling behaviors was unexpectedly positive, and its indirect effects via positive gambling beliefs were nonsignificant.DiscussionUnder the framework of CSM, the current findings provided new insights in understanding both controlled and at-risk gambling patterns from a perspective of illness self-management. We suggest future GD prevention campaigns may adopt psychoeducational programs to help gamblers form a better understanding about GD as an illness, which may promote RG practices and hence lower the risk of developing GD.

BackgroundDespite the demonstrated association between empathy and gambling at the behavioral level, limited neuroimaging research on empathy and gambling disorder (GD) has been conducted. Whether and how the brain network of empathy and that of gambling interact in disordered gamblers has not been investigated. This study aimed to address this research gap by examining the hierarchical organizational patterns, in which the differences of causal interactions of these networks between disordered gamblers and healthy controls were revealed.MethodsResting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data of 32 disordered gamblers and 56 healthy controls were included in the formal analysis. Dynamic causal modeling was used to examine the effective connectivity within and between empathy and gambling networks among all participants.ResultsAll participants showed significant effective connectivity within and between empathy and gambling networks. However, compared with healthy controls, disordered gamblers displayed more excitatory effective connectivity within the gambling network, the tendency to display more excitatory effective connectivity from the empathy network to the gambling network, and reduced inhibitory effective connectivity from the gambling network to the empathy network.ConclusionThe exploratory study was the first to examine the effective connectivity within and between empathy and gambling networks among disordered gamblers and healthy controls. These results provided insights into the causal relationship between empathy and gambling from the neuroscientific perspective and further confirmed that disordered gamblers show altered effective connectivity within and between these two brain networks, which may be considered to be a potential neural index for GD identification. In addition, the altered interactions between empathy and gambling networks may also indicate the potential targets for the neuro-stimulation intervention approach (e.g., transcranial magnetic stimulation).

Objectives: Adolescent gambling is a public health concern of increasing importance. The lack of comprehensive evaluations on adolescent gambling disorder (GD) assessment tools hinders the timely detection of Chinese adolescents with gambling problems. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of South Oaks Gambling Screen-Revised for Adolescents (SOGS-RA) and determine its optimal screening cutoff score among Chinese adolescent gamblers to address this gap.Methods: We surveyed 1407 Chinese secondary school students aged 11–19 years in Macao, China, among which 258 past-year gamblers’ data was used for assessing SOGS-RA’s performance in detecting risk for adolescent GD.Results: SOGS-RA displayed satisfactory reliability and validity for assessing probable GD among Chinese adolescent gamblers. Under the DSM-5 GD framework, we proposed ≥4 as SOGS-RA’s optimal cutoff score of screening for probable GD and further identified 5.8% of past-year gamblers prone to probable GD in the present study.Conclusion: SOGS-RA can provide a reliable and valid assessment of adolescent’ GD risk in the Chinese context, facilitate early identification of probable GD cases, and alleviate the public health concern for Chinese adolescents.

The performance of working memory can be improved by the corresponding high-value vs. low-value rewards consciously or unconsciously. However, whether conscious and unconscious monetary rewards boosting the performance of working memory is regulated by the difficulty level of working memory task is unknown. In this study, a novel paradigm that consists of a reward-priming procedure and N-back task with differing levels of difficulty was designed to inspect this complex process. In particular, both high-value and low-value coins were presented consciously or unconsciously as the reward cues, followed by the N-back task, during which electroencephalogram signals were recorded. It was discovered that the high-value reward elicited larger event-related potential (ERP) component P3 along the parietal area (reflecting the working memory load) as compared to the low-value reward for the less difficult 1-back task, no matter whether the reward was unconsciously or consciously presented. In contrast, this is not the case for the more difficult 2-back task, in which the difference in P3 amplitude between the high-value and low-value rewards was not significant for the unconscious reward case, yet manifested significance for the conscious reward processing. Interestingly, the results of the behavioral analysis also exhibited very similar patterns as ERP patterns. Therefore, this study demonstrated that the difficulty level of a task can modulate the influence of unconscious reward on the performance of working memory.

Problematic mobile phone use can be related to negative mental states. Some studies indicate that behavioural dependency is related to variables associated with the country of origin. The aim of our study was to investigate if country indicators moderated the relationship between phubbing and psychological distress. Our sample consisted of 7,315 individuals from 20 countries, who completed the Phubbing Scale and the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6). The analyses also included country indicators: the Gender Gap Index (GGI), the Human Development Index (HDI), the Social Progress Index (SPI), Hofstede’s dimensions of culture, and the World Happiness Index (WHI). Our results showed that psychological distress was related to at least one dimension of phubbing (i.e., to communication disturbance or phone obsession) in all countries, which means this relationship is culturally universal. The results of the study demonstrate the importance of testing measurement invariance to determine what type of analysis and what type of conclusion are valid in a given study or comparison. Moreover, the increasing or decreasing correlation between phubbing and distress is related to some culture-level indices.

BackgroundThe potential mechanisms underlying the association between online social networking use intensity and depressive symptoms are unclear and underresearched. ObjectiveWe aimed to investigate the potential roles of interpersonal psychosocial factors on the association between online social networking use intensity and depressive symptoms among early adolescents. MethodsA total of 4237 adolescents from a 9-month longitudinal study were included. Score changes (indicated as △) for the social function use intensity (SFUI) and entertainment function use intensity (EFUI) subscales of the Online Social Networking Activity Intensity Scale and for friendship quality, perceived family support, perceived friend support, parent–adolescent conflict, social nonconfidence, and depressive symptoms were analyzed. The potential mediation effects of unfavorable psychosocial factors and suppression effects of favorable psychosocial factors on the association of △SFUI with △CES-D and the association of △EFUI with △CES-D were tested using hierarchical regression models. ResultsThe association between △SFUI and △CES-D was partially mediated by △mother–adolescent conflict (mediation effect size 5.11%, P=.02) and △social nonconfidence (mediation effect size 20.97%, P

As the first DSM-5 based, multidimensional screening tool of Internet gaming disorder (IGD) designed for Chinese gamers, the Chinese Internet Gaming Disorder Checklist (C-IGDC) has shown satisfactory psychometric properties among Chinese young adults. Given the high vulnerability to IGD among adolescents, the present study aimed to examine the applicability of C-IGDC to Chinese adolescents to address shortfalls in the existing literature regarding the assessment of adolescent IGD screening. Through a two-stage sampling method in a cross-sectional survey, we obtained a sample of 1,253 Chinese past-year adolescent gamers (43.8% female; Mage = 14.49 years, SDage = 1.60 years) from local junior or senior high schools in Macao, China for data analysis. Our results confirmed a good model fit of the original two-level, nine-subfactor structure of the 27-item C-IGDC, and indicated adequate internal consistency and test–retest reliability, as well as good concurrent validity as evidenced by expected associations with IGD functioning impairments, gameplay characteristics, and depressive symptoms. An optimal screening cutoff score (≥20) was proposed to identify probable disordered gamers among Chinese adolescents with past-year gaming experience. The findings support the extended use of C-IGDC to Chinese adolescents as a reliable and valid assessment tool for evaluating IGD severity levels and screening for probable IGD cases. Its use can facilitate a proper screening procedure for probable IGD cases in both school and clinical settings.

Life history (LH) strategies explain how organisms adapt to the environment and make the best use of their resources to fulfill bodily maintenance, growth, reproduction and other functions. The K-SF-42 is a short version of the 199-item Arizona Life History Battery for assessing seven different domains of LH strategies. This article aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of a Chinese version of the K-SF-42. We recruited 1,016 Chinese university students, who aged 16 to 28 years old ( M age = 19.47, SD = 1.17) to participant in an anonymous questionnaire. Results of the confirmatory factor analysis supported the second-order six-factor model (except romantic partner attachment), and the scale and subscales of such measurement displayed good internal consistencies. With the exception of religiosity, all of the subscales showed significant positive correlations with a brief unidimensional measure of LH strategies (i.e., the Mini-K). The criterion-related validity of the scale was further supported by the association between its higher score (suggesting slower LH strategies) and the lower levels of childhood harshness and unpredictability. This study provided evidence for the satisfactory applicability of the Chinese version of the K-SF-42 to a Chinese population and contributed to the further investigation of the LH strategies’ mechanisms underlying human behavior across cultures.

The Positive Play Scale (PPS) was designed to track the effectiveness of responsible gambling (RG) policy, with a focus on positive changes in beliefs and behaviors instead of the absence of problem gambling symptoms. The current study aimed to (1) validate the Positive Play Scale Adapted for Chinese gamblers (PPS-AC) using a probability Chinese community sample in Macao, (2) explore the relationships between the PPS-AC and symptoms of gambling disorder (GD), and (3) evaluate the associations of gambling attitudes with the PPS-AC. Through a two-step random sampling procedure, we interviewed 1,002 locally dwelling Macao Chinese adults (44.3% males; Mage = 44.28 years, SDage = 17.35 years) by phone, in which 237 were past-year gamblers (49.8% males; Mage = 40.76 years, SDage = 15.78 years). Results showed that a two-dimension structure fitted the data well for both the positive play behaviors scale and the positive play beliefs scale of the PPS-AC among past-year gamblers. In addition to findings of satisfactory internal consistency, the convergent validity of the PPS-AC was supported by its significant association with RG self-efficacy. All four PPS-AC constructs were negatively correlated with GD symptoms, whereas two behavior constructs of the PPS-AC significantly explained the variance of GD symptoms with negative valences. All gambling attitude dimensions were associated with at least one PPS-AC construct. The current study was the first to adapt the PPS on a probability Chinese community sample and extended its applicability. The findings support the PPS-AC as a reliable and valid tool for assessing positive play, which was negatively associated with symptoms of disordered gambling. Further, the significant associations between gambling attitudes and the PPS-AC provide insights for RG policies.

Effective strategies for the reuse and recycling of in-process prepreg waste are needed to reduce economic and environmental costs. In this paper, we investigate the compression molding of prepreg waste converted into scrap “chips” (or strands). Material is randomly distributed within a lab-scale closed mold and cured with control of temperature and pressure. Material properties and process parameters such as chip geometry, fiber bed reinforcement, resin state, and cure cycle are varied and shown to influence porosity and thickness. These experiments clarify the phenomena governing microstructural quality and identify manufacturing pathways for high-quality parts. In addition, mechanical properties are measured for laminates with high and low defect levels. The study demonstrates the viability of prepreg reuse. Furthermore, the resulting insights provide a basis for practical science-based optimization of the reuse of production prepreg waste.

COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to provide protection against severe disease and death. However, substantial individual differences in vaccination intentions have hindered achieving optimal vaccination rates across the population. To look for efficient strategies to promote vaccination, this study tested whether the protection motivation theory (PMT), a cognitive model based upon threat and coping appraisals, would account for the differences in vaccination intentions under three scenarios (i.e., in the context of getting vaccinated in general, and in the context of high- and low- efficacy for reducing COVID-19 transmission risk). A phone survey was conducted in early 2021 and obtained a probability community sample (n = 472; 49.2% men) in Macao, China. We found that 54.0% of respondents indicated their relatively strong intention to receive COVID-19 vaccination for high-efficacy vaccines, compared to 29.5% for low-efficacy vaccines and 31.0% for vaccines in general. After adjusting for demographics, self-efficacy (i.e., the perceived capability of receiving COVID-19 vaccines) and maladaptive response reward (i.e., the perceived benefits of not receiving COVID-19 vaccines) were consistently associated with COVID-19 vaccination intentions under all three scenarios. The perceived severity of COVID-19 infection and response cost (i.e., the perceived costs of receiving COVID-19 vaccines) were significantly associated with vaccination intention for high-efficacy vaccines, while the response efficacy of lowering the COVID-19 impact with COVID-19 vaccination was positively associated with vaccination intention for general and low-efficacy vaccines. Given that the relative strength of PMT constructs depends on perceived vaccine efficacy, we recommend taking PMT constructs and vaccine efficacy into account for encouraging vaccination.

Abstract We study non-equilibrium dynamics and quantum quenches in a recent gauge/gravity duality model for a strongly coupled system interacting with a magnetic impurity with SU(N ) spin. At large N , it is convenient to write the impurity spin as a bilinear in Abrikosov fermions. The model describes an RG flow triggered by the marginally relevant Kondo operator. There is a phase transition at a critical temperature, below which an operator condenses which involves both an electron and an Abrikosov fermion field. This corresponds to a holographic superconductor in AdS2 and models the impurity screening. We quench the Kondo coupling either by a Gaussian pulse or by a hyperbolic tangent, the latter taking the system from the condensed to the uncondensed phase or vice-versa. We study the time dependence of the condensate induced by this quench. The timescale for equilibration is generically given by the leading quasinormal mode of the dual gravity model. This mode also governs the formation of the screening cloud, which is obtained as the decrease of impurity degrees of freedom with time. In the condensed phase, the leading quasinormal mode is imaginary and the relaxation of the condensate is over-damped. For quenches whose final state is close to the critical point of the large N phase transition, we study the critical slowing down and obtain the combination of critical exponents zν = 1. When the final state is exactly at the phase transition, we find that the exponential ringing of the quasinormal modes is replaced by a power-law behaviour of the form ∼ t −a sin(b log t). This indicates the emergence of a discrete scale invariance.

Abstract Background Students are vulnerable to Internet addiction (IA). Influences of cognitions based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) and perceived number of peers with IA (PNPIA) affecting students’ IA, and mediating effects involved, have not been investigated. Methods This cross-sectional study surveyed 9518 Hong Kong Chinese secondary school students in the school setting. Results In this self-reported study, the majority (82.6 %) reported that they had peers with IA. Based on the Chinese Internet Addiction Scale (cut-off =63/64), the prevalence of IA was 16.0 % (males: 17.6 %; females: 14.0 %). Among the non-IA cases, 7.6 % (males: 8.7 %; females: 6.3 %) perceived a chance of developing IA in the next 12 months. Concurring with the HBM, adjusted logistic analysis showed that the Perceived Social Benefits of Internet Use Scale (males: Adjusted odds ratio (ORa) = 1.19; females: ORa = 1.23), Perceived Barriers for Reducing Internet Use Scale (males: ORa = 1.26; females: ORa = 1.36), and Perceived Self-efficacy for Reducing Internet Use Scale (males: ORa = 0.66; females: ORa = 0.56) were significantly associated with IA. Similarly, PNPIA was significantly associated with IA (‘quite a number’: males: ORa = 2.85; females: ORa = 4.35; ‘a large number’: males: ORa = 3.90; females: ORa = 9.09). Controlling for these three constructs, PNPIA remained significant but the strength of association diminished (‘quite a number’: males: multivariate odds ratio (ORm) = 2.07; females: ORm = 2.44; ‘a large number’: males: ORm = 2.39; females: ORm = 3.56). Hence, the association between PNPIA and IA was partially mediated (explained) by the three HBM constructs. Interventions preventing IA should change these constructs. Conclusions In sum, prevalence of IA was relatively high and was associated with some HBM constructs and PNPIA, and PNPIA also partially mediated associations between HBM constructs and IA. Huge challenges are expected, as social relationships and an imbalance of cost-benefit for reducing Internet use are involved. Perceived susceptibility and perceived severity of IA were relatively low and the direction of their associations with IA did not concur with the HBM. Group cognitive-behavioral interventions involving peers with IA or peers recovered from IA are potentially useful to modify the HBM constructs and should be tested for efficacy.

This study aimed to investigate prevalence and associated factors of influenza vaccination (IV) among children aged 12-23 months. Our cross-sectional survey interviewed 489 parents of children aged 12-23 months anonymously at twelve maternal and child health centers in Hong Kong. Results showed that only 11.5% of the children had ever received IV (64.3% being subsidized). Adjusted for the child's age, significant factors of the children's IV included parental knowledge about governmental policy/recommendation (Adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.64, 95%CI = 1.09,6.40), knowledge about annual IV requirement (AOR = 2.30, 95%CI = 1.21,4.38), perceived safety-related barrier (AOR≥0.14, 95%CI = 0.06,0.33), cue to action (AOR = 7.79, 95%CI = 3.45,17.58), and subjective norm (AOR = 4.59, 95%CI = 2.34,9.00). IV prevalence of children aged 12-23 months remained low despite a subsidization scheme. The higher IV prevalence of older children reported by other studies suggested that parents postponed action. Promotion campaigns should shift emphases from cost reduction and mass media approaches to dissemination of knowledge about IV policy and safety, enhancement of health professionals' advice, and creation of supportive subjective norm.