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The literature describing the effects of mental fatigue (MF) has grown tremendously. This is accompanied by identification of a host of performance-determining parameters affected by MF. MF results from prolonged cognitive effort and predominantly affects physical, technical, tactical, and perceptual–cognitive dimensions of sport, while physiological parameters (eg, heart rate, lactate) and physical aspects of maximal and supramaximal efforts are predominantly unaffected. The aim of this paper was to provide an overview of the parameters described in the literature as influenced by MF. By identifying the different parameters, we not only see how they affect the performance of athletes but also raise concerns about the potentially increased injury risk due to MF. Preliminary evidence suggests that subsequent disturbances in balance, motor skills, and decision-making processes could potentially increase the vulnerability to injury. An abundance of lab-based studies looked into the effects of MF on performance; however, many questions remain about the mechanisms of origin and neurophysiological causes of MF, and only small steps have been taken to translate this knowledge into practice. Thus, there is a need for more research into the underlying mechanisms of MF and the role of the brain, as well as more applied research with a high ecological validity that also takes into account the potential increased risk of injury due to MF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined levels of emotional exhaustion, a key symptom of burnout, in Swedish professional and semiprofessional sport coaches in comparison to the normative values specified in the Maslach Burnout Inventory manual, and to the clinical cutoffs developed by Kleijweg, Verbraak, and Van Dijk. The sample contained 318 Swedish coaches (Mage = 42.7 years, 12% female) working at least 50% full time away from both team (60%) and individual (40%) sports. Our study shows that, in general, coaches in this sample experience lower average levels of exhaustion than normative samples both regarding the Maslach Burnout Inventory and clinical cutoffs. Two groups of coaches did, however, stand out. Coaches living in single households as well as coaches working part time had higher risk of severe levels of emotional exhaustion. These results place coach exhaustion levels in relation to other occupations and highlight that in this sample, the coaching profession does not stand out as more emotionally exhausting than other occupations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a person-centered approach, this study was conducted to identify (a) specific athlete profiles in terms of degree of discrepancy between their self-appraisals and the reflected appraisals of their coach and (b) the relations between these profiles and athlete burnout. Athletes (N = 369; Mage = 21.15 years) fulfilled measures of self-appraisals, reflected appraisals of their coach, and burnout. Latent profile analysis allowed the identification of three profiles: concordance (84%), positive discrepancy (11%), and negative discrepancy (5%). Analyses revealed relationships between athletes' profile membership and the three dimensions of burnout: emotional and physical exhaustion, sport devaluation, and reduced sense of accomplishment. More specifically, results indicated that athletes with a positive discrepancy profile (i.e., who rated themselves more positively than they think their coaches see them) were more at risk of burnout. This study contributes to existing research on psychosocial determinants of athlete burnout in the context of the coach–athlete relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To test the effects of mental fatigue (MF) on tackling technique on the dominant and nondominant shoulders in rugby union. Methods: Twenty male amateur rugby union players and a total of 953 tackles were analyzed. A randomized crossover counterbalanced design was used across a non-MF (control) and an MF condition. During each condition, each player performed 24 tackles, divided into 4 sets of 6 tackles (3 tackles on each shoulder). In the MF condition, players performed the Stroop Task between each set of tackles. A video recording of each tackle was used to evaluate each player's technical proficiency. A score of 1 point was awarded if a specific technique was performed correctly, and 0 point was given if not. The total score, measured in arbitrary units (AU) out of 11, represents the player's overall tackling proficiency. Results: Overall, players displayed a significantly lower technical proficiency score in the MF condition compared to control (set 2: control 7.30 [7.04–7.57] AU vs MF 6.91 [6.70–7.12] AU, P =.009, effect size (ES) = 0.30 small and set 3: control 7.34 [7.11–7.57] AU vs MF 6.88 [6.66–7.11] AU, P =.002, ES = 0.37 small). For the nondominant shoulder, players had a significantly lower technical proficiency score during the MF condition at set 2 (control 7.05 [6.68–7.41] AU vs MF 6.69 [6.42–6.96] AU, P =.047, ES = 0.29 small) and set 3 (control 7.14 [6.83–7.45] AU vs MF 6.61 [6.35–6.87] AU, P =.007, ES = 0.49 small). Conclusions: MF can diminish a player's overall tackling proficiency, especially when tackling on the nondominant shoulder. The physiological mechanism for this finding may be impaired executive function and suboptimal functioning of neural signals and pathways, which result in less skillful coordination of movement. To further understand and explain MF-induced physiological changes in tackling, the feasibility of monitoring brain activity (such as electroencephalogram) and neuromuscular function (such as electromyogram) needs to be investigated. The findings from this study may also contribute to the development of more effective tackle training programs for injury prevention and performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive load is a critical internal state associated with learners' learning process and significantly influences learning outcomes. With the worldwide popularity of video‐based learning (VBL), tracking real‐time cognitive load variations becomes more and more important for the timely provision of adaptive learning support during the learning process. This study proposed and validated an electroencephalogram (EEG)‐supported approach to tracking real‐time cognitive load variations during continuous VBL. We recruited 108 healthy adult participants to watch a specially designed video lecture with a sequence of interconnected slides of equal length. EEG signals were continuously recorded throughout the session. The video lecture was designed with varying levels of content difficulty (ie, rated from 1 to 5) across slides and was narrated at three different speeds (ie, slow, normal and fast) to induce cognitive load variations. For each slide, the cognitive load was quantified using both subjective ratings (ie, self‐reported difficulty) and an EEG‐derived measure (ie, alpha power). Through linear mixed model analysis, we demonstrated the feasibility of using alpha power to track real‐time cognitive load variations during the continuous VBL process after controlling the effect of mental fatigue. This study provides a foundation for developing learning enhancement technologies that enable the timely provision of adaptive learning support in VBL. Practitioner notes What is already known about this topic Video‐based learning has become a prevailing learning method for the current generation. Tracking the internal learning state of learners is essential for the timely provision of adaptive learning support during the video‐based learning process. Cognitive load is a critical aspect of internal learning state. While EEG has been proven to be valuable in assessing average cognitive load of a task, few studies have investigated the feasibility of utilizing EEG to track real‐time cognitive load variations in a task. What this paper adds An EEG‐supported approach was proposed to track real‐time cognitive load variations in video‐based learning. A high consistency was found between subjective ratings and EEG‐derived measure of cognitive load. The presence of mental fatigue exerted a significant impact on EEG‐derived measure of cognitive load. Implications for practice and/or policy Generative AI can be leveraged to facilitate mass production of lectures required in the approach. Real‐time tracking of cognitive load variations in video‐based learning enables the timely provision of adaptive learning supports. Additional research is warranted to mitigate the effect of mental fatigue on real‐time tracking of cognitive load variations. What is already known about this topic Video‐based learning has become a prevailing learning method for the current generation. Tracking the internal learning state of learners is essential for the timely provision of adaptive learning support during the video‐based learning process. Cognitive load is a critical aspect of internal learning state. While EEG has been proven to be valuable in assessing average cognitive load of a task, few studies have investigated the feasibility of utilizing EEG to track real‐time cognitive load variations in a task. What this paper adds An EEG‐supported approach was proposed to track real‐time cognitive load variations in video‐based learning. A high consistency was found between subjective ratings and EEG‐derived measure of cognitive load. The presence of mental fatigue exerted a significant impact on EEG‐derived measure of cognitive load. Implications for practice and/or policy Generative AI can be leveraged to facilitate mass production of lectures required in the approach. Real‐time tracking of cognitive load variations in video‐based learning enables the timely provision of adaptive learning supports. Additional research is warranted to mitigate the effect of mental fatigue on real‐time tracking of cognitive load variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The objective of this study was to gain insight into the nature of cognitive fatigue and to identify future trends of objective assessment techniques in this field. Methods: One thousand and eighty-five articles were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database. R version 4.3.1, VOSviewer 1.6.20, CiteSpace 6.2.R4, and Microsoft Excel 2019 were used to perform the analysis. Results: A total of 704 institutes from 56 countries participated in the relevant research, while the People's Republic of China contributed 126 articles and was the leading country. The most productive institute was the University of Gothenburg. Johansson Birgitta from the University of Gothenburg has posted the most articles (n = 13). The PLOS ONE published most papers (n = 38). The Neurosciences covered the most citations (n = 1,094). A total of 3,116 keywords were extracted and those with high frequency were mental fatigue, performance, quality-of-life, etc. Keywords mapping analysis indicated that cognitive fatigue caused by continuous work and traumatic brain injury, as well as its rehabilitation, have become the current research trend. The most co-cited literature was published in Sports Medicine. The strongest citation burst was related to electroencephalogram (EEG) event-related potential and spectral power analysis. Conclusion: Publication information of related literature on the objective assessment of cognitive fatigue from 2007 to 2024 was summarized, including country and institute of origin, authors, and published journal, offering the current hotspots and novel directions in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research in functional asymmetry of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) under different tasks is crucial for clinical diagnose. Fifty individuals with MDD and twenty healthy controls (HCS) were recruited for hemodynamic data collection under four fNIRS tasks (Emotional picture, Verbal fluency, Fingering and Negative emotional picture description task). Integral values and functional connectivity strength were employed to probe neural activation and functional connectivity in frontal and temporal lobes in MDD. Following, asymmetry characteristic of the frontal cortex between MDD and HCS under four tasks were carefully analyzed and compared. Individuals with MDD demonstrated heightened connectivity between the frontal and right temporal lobes and reduced connectivity between the frontal and left temporal lobes compared to HCS in all tasks. Additionally, MDD exhibited attenuated activation in the left frontal lobes and exaggerated activation in the right frontal lobes, diverging from HCS. Furthermore, the disparities in left-right asymmetry characteristic of frontal cortex activation between MDD and HCS were more pronounced during the combined task. Further research is required to grasp the neurophysiological mechanisms governing left-right asymmetry across various tasks and the influence of task-induced brain fatigue on cerebral cortex hemodynamics in MDD. The left-right asymmetry feature provides valuable neurophysiological insights for diagnosing MDD clinically. Variations in activation patterns and functional connectivity features between MDD and HCS are closely tied to the task chosen. Thus, in clinical practice, carefully selecting appropriate fNIRS tasks and relevant features can significantly improve the diagnostic accuracy of MDD. • Activation and functional connectivity of MDD under four fNIRS tasks were investigated. • A left-right asymmetry characteristics of frontal cortex was proposed to characterize MDD patients. • Task related characteristics for MDD patients were carefully compared and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It has been suggested that a short nap in the afternoon may improve sleepiness, alertness, and task performance. The present study evaluated the effects of a 30-min rest with a new nap chair on task performance, sleepiness, and neurophysiological measures. Methods: A randomized controlled crossover trial with a 1-week interval was carried out at the BOOCS Clinic Fukuoka in Japan. The subjects were male workers aged 20 to 64 years with suspected brain fatigue, which was defined by the Profile of Mood Status 2. The intervention was a 30-min rest with an office chair or a nap chair. The primary outcome was the performance in the Uchida-Kraepelin test. The secondary outcomes included the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale and 15-min heart rate variability (HRV). The changes after the nap-chair rest and office-chair rest were compared. Repeated measures analysis of variance with nesting was used in the statistical analysis. Results: Twenty participants were eligible and entered the crossover trial. The overall 15-min score in the Uchida-Kraepelin test improved after the nap-chair rest and after the office-chair rest to almost the same extent (5.9 vs. 5.5 points, P = 0.68). The Karolinska Sleepiness score significantly decreased after the nap-chair rest, and the between-treatment difference in the decrease was highly significant (P = 0.0004). The average duration of sleep during rest was prominently longer in the nap-chair rest than in the office-chair rest (19.0 vs. 7.6 min, P = 0.002). No participants experienced REM sleep during the rest. LF and HF powers of the HRV were greater during the nap-chair rest than during the office-chair rest, the difference in the HF power being substantial. Conclusion: A 30-min rest with the nap chair did not appreciably improve the performance in the Uchida-Kraepelin test as compared with the office-chair rest. The nap-chair rest induced a substantially longer sleep accompanied with a parasympathetic activation, thereby resulting in a material improvement in sleepiness after the rest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ball sports demand precise control of body and ball while executing tactics and team coordination, which leads to cognitive depletion and mental fatigue. The detrimental effects of mental fatigue on physical, technical, cognitive, and tactical performance in ball sports are evident, highlighting the need for effective management of mental fatigue as a crucial component of modern sports science. This review aims to systematically study and integrate existing experiments on mental fatigue recovery interventions to identify viable strategies for mitigating its impacts. Following PRISMA guidelines, electronic databases including Web of Science, PubMed, SPORTDiscus, and Scopus were used for literature screening. Studies that induced mental fatigue followed by interventions aimed at mental fatigue recovery were included in this review, resulting in 6 articles primarily focused on basketball, soccer, and golf. Short-term interventions such as music listening, mindfulness training, self-talk, and natural visual stimuli have been shown as effective strategies to alleviate mental fatigue and enhance technical and cognitive performance in ball sports. However, their practical application in real-game environments requires further research and validation. Additionally, future research should explore defensive skills and tactical performance as viable directions for study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study assessed the effects of Ashwagandha root extract (ARE) on cognition, energy, and mood in adults with self-reported cognitive and energy problems. Healthy subjects aged 30–75 years were randomized to receive ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) root extract (ARE) 600 mg/day (n = 60)/identical placebo (n = 60) orally for 8 weeks. Cognitive function was assessed at baseline and week 8 using a Computerized Mental Performance Assessment System (COMPASS). Secondary outcomes were Profile of Mood States Abbreviated Version (POMS-A), Mental Fatigue Scale (MFS) and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult (BRIEF-A) for effects on mood, mental fatigue and executive function, respectively, assessed at baseline, week 4 and 8. Greater improvement (p < .05) from baseline scores were seen with ARE as against placebo for COMPASS items episodic memory, working memory and accuracy of attention. ARE also improved the POMS-A, MFS and BRIEF-A scores from baseline suggesting an improvement in mood, vigor, and an increase in the executive functioning respectively with ARE. The herb was well tolerated and had a good patient compliance with no serious adverse events reported in either of the groups. This study suggests that a dose of 600 mg a day can improve cognition, energy, and mood in adults with self-reported cognitive and energy problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to analyse the relevant factors that may affect post-stroke fatigue (PSF) in patients with stroke and further explore the correlation between family functioning and PSF. Methods: Patients who had experienced a first episode of stroke and were admitted to the Department of Neurology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University were rigorously screened. The general data and family functioning of the patients on admission were collected, and their family adaptation, partnership, growth, affection and resolve scores and their PSF on the 5th day of admission were collected using the fatigue severity scale (FSS). Multiple linear regression analysis was then utilized to explore the factors affecting PSF in patients with stroke. Results: A total of 220 questionnaires were distributed, and 220 were returned, with 212 valid questionnaires and a valid return rate of 96.4%. These 212 patients had a family functioning score of 6.58 ± 2.00 and an FSS score of 36.62 ± 10.96. Spearman's correlation analysis showed negative correlations between the FSS scores and the adaptation, partnership, growth, affection, resolve and family functioning scores (r = -0.380, -0.505, -0.470, -0.303, -0.281 and -0.712, respectively; p < 0.001). Furthermore, multiple linear regression analysis showed that family functioning (β' = -0.516), marital status (β' = -0.244), household income (β' = -0.185), literacy (β' = -0.181) and activities of daily living (β' = -0.084) were influential factors for PSF in patients with stroke (p < 0.05). Conclusion: There is a significant negative correlation between family functioning and PSF, suggesting that better family functioning may help mitigate the severity of post-stroke fatigue. Healthcare providers should identify interventions to help patients and families address fatigue, boost disease recovery, promote patients' physical and mental health and improve their quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental fatigue is a psychophysiological state that adversely impacts performance in cognitive tasks, increasing risk of occupational hazards. Given its manifestation as a conscious sensation, it is often measured through subjective self-report. However, subjective measures are not always true measurements of objective fatigue. In this study, we investigated the relationship between objective and subjective fatigue measurements with the preventive AccessPoint fatigue assay in Chilean mine workers. Subjective fatigue was measured through the Samn-Perelli scale, objective fatigue through a neurocognitive reaction time task. We found that objective and subjective fatigue do not correlate (−0.03 correlation coefficient, p < 0.001). Moreover, severe fatigue cases often displayed absence of subjective fatigue coupled with worse cognitive performance, a phenomenon we denominated Perceptual Blindness to fatigue. These findings highlight the need for objective fatigue measurements, particularly in high-risk occupational settings such as mining. Our results open new avenues for researching mechanisms underlying fatigue perception and its implications for occupational health and safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern mental fatigue detection methods include many parameters for evaluation. For example, many researchers use human subjective evaluation or driving parameters to assess this human condition. Development of a method for detecting the functional state of mental fatigue is an extremely important task. Despite the fact that human operator support systems are becoming more and more widespread, at the moment there is no open-source solution that can monitor this human state based on eye movement monitoring in real time and with high accuracy. Such a method allows the prevention of a large number of potential hazardous situations and accidents in critical industries (nuclear stations, transport systems, and air traffic control). This paper describes the developed method for mental fatigue detection based on human eye movements. We based our research on a developed earlier dataset that included captured eye-tracking data of human operators that implemented different tasks during the day. In the scope of the developed method, we propose a technique for the determination of the most relevant gaze characteristics for mental fatigue state detection. The developed method includes the following machine learning techniques for human state classification: random forest, decision tree, and multilayered perceptron. The experimental results showed that the most relevant characteristics are as follows: average velocity within the fixation area; average curvature of the gaze trajectory; minimum curvature of the gaze trajectory; minimum saccade length; percentage of fixations shorter than 150 ms; and proportion of time spent in fixations shorter than 150 milliseconds. The processing of eye movement data using the proposed method is performed in real time, with the maximum accuracy (0.85) and F1-score (0.80) reached using the random forest method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite recent evidence linking top management power with firm performance, our understanding about the interaction effect between power and personal characteristics of the top manager is still very limited. Building on and extending the Upper Echelons and Power literature, we address the empirical question: How, i.e. UK Vice-Chancellors' (VC) power influences the efficiency of UK universities? We use panel data from 126 UK universities from 2016 to 2020 to test our hypotheses. Our findings demonstrate that VC power, and its constituents affect efficiency. VCs with more power tend to improve the efficiency of the universities they run respectively. Specifically, VC in receipt of higher compensation and honour medals tend to improve the efficiency of the university they run. In contrast, if they are Oxbridge graduate and have long tenure, the efficiency will decline. More importantly, the interaction results show that a high-power VC who is not from Asian or minority background is shown to improve efficiency but a high-power VC who is a female will drive up efficiency. Our analyses reveal that a VC's power and the constituents to VC power play a crucial role in determining the efficiency level of the university. Furthermore, origin and gender of a VC will moderate the VC's power in influencing the efficiency level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined whether secondary school (SE) teachers (N = 324, Mage = 37.97) and university (UNI) teachers (N = 225, Mage = 44.80) with a firmly grounded and well-explored teaching identity would report better work-related well-being and would adopt a more motivating teaching style. We expected the opposite for teachers ruminating about their teaching role and also considered the mediating role of teaching motivation. Results from multiple group analyses confirmed the hypotheses, showing that teachers with a well-defined teaching identity reported more satisfaction and less emotional exhaustion during teaching and were less likely to leave the profession. They also reported making use of a more motivating teaching style, characterized by more autonomy support and structure, and less control and chaos. Conversely, teachers who ruminated about their teaching role generally showed opposite correlations. Teaching motivation mediated at least partially these associations, with the results generally holding across SE and UNI teachers. Overall, the present study underscores the importance of considering teachers' sense of identity and teaching motivation as they might underlie their well-being and motivating teaching style in the classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abundant research has shown the influence of social background on university dropout. However, there is little research that considers the different progression options for analysing the structure of the decisions that students make. This article explores the possible alternative decisions of: (1) continuing the initial degree course chosen; (2) persisting but transferring to other degrees or institutions; (3) dropping out of university. To this effect, we seek whether the decision structure follows a compensatory advantage pattern, according to which poor performance during the first year at university unequally affects students from low and high social backgrounds. The latter compensates for poor results by using alternative strategies to minimise the negative consequences. We analyse longitudinal data from a cohort of students entering any on-site university in the Catalan system in 2012–13 (n = 36909). The results show the importance of performance in predicting university progression decisions. No differences by social origin are perceived in the decisions to continue the same course of study, while differences are observed in dropout and transfer decisions which, for their part, follow a compensatory advantage structure. The results show the need to consider the interaction between performance and social background, and to broaden our view of students' trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the '2 + 2' articulation program, Chinese students encounter many challenges in academic study and sociocultural life. There is debate regarding their intercultural transition experiences – whether they undergo acculturation, adhering to the home/original culture or adapting to the host/new culture, or remain in between the home/original and host/new culture in a 'third space'? Existing research refers to numerous institutional and individual factors that influence students' intercultural transition experiences. However, investigations are lacking regarding the cross-field effect triggered by field coupling and students' three types of social capital: bonding, bridging, and linking. This study considers eight Chinese student participants who studied at a Sino-foreign cooperative university (SFCU) in China for the first two years and then transitioned to its partner university in the UK for the following two years. The findings showed that they experienced academic acculturation over time (from year one to three) and sociocultural in-betweenness across space (from the SFCU to the British partner university). The tight academic coupling and loose sociocultural coupling between the two educational fields, as well as students' bonding, bridging, and linking social capital, led to disparate experiences in these double transitions. This study provides suggestions for higher education institutions to strengthen coupling and improve '2 + 2' articulation programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A decline in both student well-being and engagement were reported during the COVID-pandemic. Stressors and internal energy sources can co-exist or be both absent, which might cohere with different student needs. This study aimed to develop student profiles on emotional exhaustion and engagement, as well as examine how profiles relate to student participation, academic performance, and overall well-being. Survey-data from 1,460 Dutch higher education students were analyzed and resulted in a quadrant model containing four student profiles on engagement and emotional exhaustion scores. Semi-structured interviews with 13 students and 10 teaching staff members were conducted to validate and further describe the student profiles. The majority of the survey participants were disengaged-exhausted (48%) followed by engaged-exhausted students (29%). Overall, the engaged-energized students performed best academically and had the highest levels of well-being and participation, although engaged-exhausted students were more active in extracurricular activities. The engaged-exhausted students also experienced the most pressure to succeed. The qualitative validation of the student profiles demonstrates that students and teachers recognize and associate the profiles with themselves or other students. Changes in the profiles are attributed to internal and external factors, suggesting that they are not fixed but can be influenced by various factors. The practical relevance of the quadrant model is acknowledged by students and teachers and they shared experiences and tips, with potential applications in recognizing students' well-being and providing appropriate support. This study enriches our grasp of student engagement and well-being in higher education, providing valuable insights for educational practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is widespread empirical evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to elevated risk of mental and physical health symptoms and decreased quality of life. The present investigation sought to examine if individual differences in anxiety sensitivity was associated with mental health, psychosomatic, and well-being among a sample of US adults during a 6-month period early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Employing longitudinal research methodology, we tested the hypothesis that the anxiety sensitivity global factor would be related to increased risk of anxiety, depression, fatigue, and lower well-being. Secondary analyses evaluated the lower order anxiety sensitivity factors for the same criterion variables. The sample consisted of 778 participants with an average age of 37.96 (SD = 11.81; range 18–73). Results indicated that, as hypothesized, anxiety sensitivity was associated with increased risk for more severe anxiety, depression, fatigue, and lesser well-being; the observed effects of anxiety sensitivity were relatively robust and evident in adjusted models that controlled for numerous theoretically and clinically relevant factors (e.g. perceived health status). Overall, these results suggest that pandemic functioning could likely be improved via interventions that target elevated anxiety sensitivity as a vulnerability factor for a broad range of aversive psychosomatic symptoms and personal well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on theories from the sociology of work and organizations, such as Leiter and Maslach's concept of burnout and Siegrist's model of effort–reward imbalance, this paper argues that burnout symptoms in elite sport are related to a mismatch of investment and gratification. Building on data from a sample of German elite athletes (N = 312), findings show that high time investments for training and competitions, the experience of time and role conflicts and negative emotions related to daily training are associated with more burnout symptoms, while sporting success, social support and training-related positive emotions are associated with lower burnout scores. Vulnerability to burnout is increased in situations that qualify as gratification crises, in which athletes perceive that high time commitment does not pay off in terms of sporting success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is emerging evidence of the detrimental impact of the pandemic and associated restrictions on young people's mental health in the UK, but to date, these data have been largely quantitative. The aim of the current study was to gain a deeper understanding of young people's experiences in relation to their mental health and wellbeing during the pandemic. Seventeen young people, aged 11 to 16 years, sampled for diverse characteristics, and living in the UK, were interviewed virtually between December 2020 and February 2021. Reflexive thematic analysis was carried out by the research team, which included two young people, and five themes were developed: (1) positives; (2) worries and anxiety; (3) sadness and anger about losses; (4) mental exhaustion; and (5) support from others. Aspects of young people's individual circumstances (e.g., pre-existing mental health difficulties, special educational needs, and neurodevelopmental disorders) appeared to play a role in their experiences. Continued measurement of young people's mental health, initiatives to identify young people who have been struggling, and the provision of support (including evidence-based and accessible interventions) will be important for protecting young people from future adversities as we emerge from the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron deficiency is a widespread global health concern with varying prevalence rates across different regions. In developing countries, scarcity of food and chronic infections contribute to iron deficiency, while in industrialized nations, reduced food intake and dietary preferences affect iron status. Other causes that can lead to iron deficiency are conditions and diseases that result in reduced intestinal iron absorption and blood loss. In addition, iron absorption and its bioavailability are influenced by the composition of the diet. Individuals with increased iron needs, including infants, adolescents, and athletes, are particularly vulnerable to deficiency. Severe iron deficiency can lead to anemia with performance intolerance or shortness of breath. In addition, even without anemia, iron deficiency leads to mental and physical fatigue, which points to the fundamental biological importance of iron, especially in mitochondrial function and the respiratory chain. Standard oral iron supplementation often results in gastrointestinal side effects and poor compliance. Low-dose iron therapy seems to be a valid and reasonable therapeutic option due to reduced hepatic hepcidin formation, facilitating efficient iron resorption, replenishment of iron storage, and causing significantly fewer side effects. Elevated iron levels influence gut microbiota composition, favoring pathogenic bacteria and potentially disrupting metabolic and immune functions. Protective bacteria, such as bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, are particularly susceptible to increased iron levels. Dysbiosis resulting from iron supplementation may contribute to gastrointestinal disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, and metabolic disturbances. Furthermore, gut microbiota alterations have been linked to mental health issues. Future iron therapy should consider low-dose supplementation to mitigate adverse effects and the impact on the gut microbiome. A comprehensive understanding of the interplay between iron intake, gut microbiota, and human health is crucial for optimizing therapeutic approaches and minimizing potential risks associated with iron supplementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Memory and affective processing were compared in young adults with a remote mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), to healthy younger and older adults. We evaluated memory performance when encoding was done under multi-tasking (divided attention) conditions, likely to exacerbate cognitive and psychological symptoms in mTBI. Methods: Participants studied pairs of unrelated words under either full or divided attention conditions. Memory for single words (item memory) and for pairs of words (associative memory) was then assessed in sequential independent recognition tests, under full attention. Results: Associative memory was poorer than item memory, and worse when encoding was done under divided than full attention. The decline in recognition accuracy from full to divided attention conditions on the associative memory test was significantly greater in mTBI compared to young adults and was similar in magnitude to that observed in older adults under full attention. Self-reported mental and total fatigue increased significantly as performance on the memory tests, following the divided attention condition, decreased, but only in the mTBI group. Conclusions: Results show lingering memory deficits, and suggest that cognitive tasks may be experienced as psychologically more demanding in those with a mTBI, even months or years after injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As global warming continues, safeguarding the health and safety of construction workers in extremely hot environments becomes imperative. Real-time and quantitative assessment of workers' cognitive states affected by heat stress is essential. Previous studies, which relied mainly on cognitive performance tests and subjective questionnaires, lacked the capability for real-time tracking of individual cognitive states. The analysis of physiological responses also faced challenges in quantitative evaluation of individual cognitive states. To address these issues, this study proposed a reliable and quantitative approach to explore the negative impact of heat stress on cognitive states such as attention, mental fatigue, and emotion, using electroencephalogram (EEG) metrics in immersive virtual reality (VR)–based construction safety training. This study recruited 20 volunteers, divided evenly between an experimental group exposed to extreme heat (36°C/70%) and a control group in moderate heat (26°C/45%). All participants experienced simulated hazardous working conditions across four distinct VR training scenarios. The findings revealed significant differences in attention control, fatigue, and arousal between the two groups, demonstrating that extreme heat impairs workers' attention, increases fatigue, and heightens arousal. These conditions could potentially increase unsafe actions and accident rates, posing risks to construction worker safety. The identified EEG metrics provide a strategy for the real-time and quantitative evaluation of workers' cognitive states under heat stress. Furthermore, it is expected to develop a heat stress monitoring and diagnostics framework integrating VR and augmented reality (AR) technologies to enhance worker safety in extremely hot environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological data-based methods for monitoring workers' mental fatigue have become widely adopted in recent years. However, few have concentrated on the online monitoring and assessment of mental fatigue considering the complexity and high dimension of the biological data, especially for scenarios where data arrives continuously in the form of flows. This study aimed to propose an online learning model to learn model parameters according to the order of data acquisition. Specifically, the fuzziness-based online sequential extreme learning machine (Fuzziness-OS-ELM) model was proposed, consisting of two parts: (1) a data value estimator; and (2) an online mental fatigue classification model. As new data arrives, the Fuzziness-OS-ELM model can effectively identify and select samples with high data quality based on fuzziness, which are then used to continuously update the online mental fatigue classification model. A cognitive experiment was carried out to evaluate the Fuzziness-OS-ELM model. The results indicated that samples with low fuzziness corresponded to high data quality. The proposed online sequential learning model exhibited enhanced classification performance on mental fatigue. This study's dynamic diagnostic method for identifying the onset and progression of mental fatigue can provide targeted support for precise interventions aimed at construction workers. Practical Applications: Different from subjective and passive management of mental fatigue, this study proposed an enabling technology for minimally obtrusive monitoring and online feedback on construction workers, allowing for monitoring over extended periods of time on construction sites. With the online visualization of mental statuses, workers in special construction operations at inappropriate mental fatigue levels can be found. The ability to monitor fluctuations allows for immediate and proactive interventions, thereby addressing mental fatigue more effectively than interval-based monitoring methods. Based on the portability of the research outcomes, long-term mental status data of workers on sites can be collected. Through revealing the generation and development rules of construction workers' psychological load, targeted industry-wide guidance will be developed and promoted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental fatigue shows consistent detrimental effects on physically-demanding tasks including running and muscular endurance tasks. Several strategies to mitigate these effects have been assessed; however, it is also important to explore factors that may combine with mental fatigue to amplify performance decrements. The present study investigated potential moderating effects of attentional focus on the mental fatigue – endurance performance relationship. Undergraduates (N = 78) completed two wall-sit tasks to volitional failure prior to, and following, a cognitive task. Using a 2 X 2 randomised factorial design, half the participants completed a mentally fatiguing cognitive task (incongruent Stroop; HF), while the other half performed a non-mentally fatiguing task (documentary viewing; LF). Prior to the second wall-sit task, half the participants in each of the HF and LF groups were given attentional focus instructions to focus internally (INT) and the other half to focus externally (EXT). Both the mental fatigue (p <.001) and attentional focus (p <.001) manipulations were found to be successful. Planned comparisons showed no significant effects of attentional focus or mental fatigue on wall-sit endurance performance. However, a large effect size was observed between the HF/INT group and the other three groups (d = −1.56). Overall, data indicate a potential moderating effect of attentional focus such that internal focus and high mental fatigue may combine to have detrimental effects on physical endurance performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the negative spillover effects of family incivility on employees' ability to meet their work-related deadlines. Furthermore, we examine emotional exhaustion as a mediator and emotional intelligence as a moderator in this process. Design/methodology/approach: We test our predictions through a multisource, time-separated data collection involving 161 employee-supervisor dyads working in various hospitality sector organizations in Pakistan – a relatively understudied context where the hospitality industry is struggling. Findings: The findings of our study indicate that exposure to rude family behavior hinders employees' ability to complete work tasks on time, as mediated by their emotional exhaustion. However, this harmful process can be curtailed if employees can rely on their emotional intelligence to regulate their own emotions and those of their family members. Practical implications: The findings of this study provide pertinent insights for HR managers and organizations to help their employees deal with family issues. Moreover, organizations can benefit from introducing training programs that improve employees' emotional intelligence and increase the likelihood that they do not default on their work deadlines. Originality/value: This study extends the limited existing family incivility research by investigating its spillover effects on employees' ability to meet work deadlines, a previously unexplored relationship. In addition, we highlight the roles of two pertinent aspects: emotional intelligence and emotional exhaustion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insight into the daily life experiences of patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome is lacking. The current study explored temporal fluctuations of and associations between positive and negative affect and symptoms throughout the day in previously hospitalised post-COVID-19 patients using an experience sampling methodology. Ten participants (age: median = 60, interquartile range = 9 years; 50% women; 80% ≥1 comorbidity; 8–12 months since hospital discharge) filled out brief online questionnaires, six times a day for 14 consecutive days. Positive and negative affect, and self-reported symptoms (physical and mental fatigue, cognitive functioning, dyspnoea, and pain) were assessed in real-time. Primarily, graphs were analysed to assess the individual longitudinal courses of and (concurrent and time-lagged) associations between affect and symptoms. Secondly, correlations or multilevel linear regression models were used to support these interpretations. Visual assessment showed limited temporal fluctuation in affect and symptoms. All symptoms appeared to associate positively with each other (correlations between.26 and.85). Positive affect was associated with lower symptoms severity (β's between -.28 and -.67), and negative affect with higher symptoms severity (β's between.24 and.66). Time-lagged analyses showed that–adjusted for residual symptom severity of prior measurements–both types of affect predicted symptom severity two hours later (β's between -.09 and -.31 for positive affect; between.09 and.28 for negative affect). These findings suggest that positive and negative affect may play important roles in post-COVID-19 symptom experience and temporal fluctuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigated the influence of mental fatigue on older people’s enjoyment during a series of physical exercises. Using a randomized cross-over design, participants (n = 35) completed a 6-minute walking test − 6MWT, a Timed Up and Go—TUG test and three sets of knee extension exercise (first set: KE1, second set: KE2, third set: KE3) under two experimental conditions (control or mental fatigue). The Nonparametric Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Factorial Experiments was used to compare the number of repetitions performed during three sets of resistance exercise between conditions. The same analysis method was applied to compare the perception of effort and enjoyment across five moments (Post-6MWT, Post-TUG, Post-KE1, Post-KE2, Post-KE3) and two conditions and the Visual Analogue Scales (VAS) across four moments (baseline, Pre-6MWT, Pre-TUG, Pre-KE) and two conditions. Mental fatigue did not affect the physical function, perception of effort and enjoyment of exercise in older people. Participants, however, reported higher enjoyment for walking and dynamic balance compared to strength exercise. Mental fatigue had no effect on the physical function, perception of effort and enjoyment of exercise of older people. Participants presented a higher enjoyment for walking and dynamic balance compared to strength exercise. Given the importance of resistance exercises for health, clinicians should prioritize resources to education programs emphasizing the benefits of resistance exercise in both short- and long-term health. Including social interaction opportunities in physical exercise programs and prescribing activities appropriate to participants’ ability levels could enhance engagement and adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundMethodsResultsDiscussionCognitive fatigue is a complex psychobiological state whereby task performance cannot be maintained. Return-to-work protocols typically rely on self-report measures, therefore the current systematic review aimed to identify “real-time” measures of objective cognitive fatigue to inform return-to-work protocols.Studies were included if participants were at least 18 years old, assessed “real-time” objective cognitive fatigue that could be used outside of the lab (neuroimaging measures were, therefore, excluded), used an induction task that was separate to the measurement, were adequately powered, compared objective cognitive fatigue at baseline and post-induction, and included a cognitive fatigue induction task that was at least 30 minutes long.Nine electronic databases were searched until 31 December 2022 (MEDLINE; PsychArticle; PubMED, ProQuest; ProQuest for gray literature; Google Scholar; The Cochrane Library; The Health Technology Assessment Database; and Web of Science), with alerts set up on Google Scholar to notify of new relevant research since this date (reviewed until December 2023). The checklist for quasi-experimental studies (Joanna Briggs Institute, 2014) was used to assess the risk of bias. Whilst a meta-analysis was planned, the data were unsuitable so only a narrative synthesis was conducted.Fifty-seven studies were included, which were conducted within a variety of settings including naturalistic work scenarios, driving, aviation, and artificial computer-based tasks.Whilst the review found a range of potential measurements, there were inconsistencies in findings across studies highlighting the need for more research into the reliable measurement of objective cognitive fatigue in natural settings.The findings suggest that eye- and body-related measures may be sensitive measures of objective cognitive fatigue. However, comparisons across measurement types should be cautiously interpreted because eye-related and cognitive measures were far more common. The review highlighted the need for more consistent and transparent reporting across the field to advance our understanding of cognitive fatigue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]