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The rise and growing prevalence of juvenile delinquency is a matter of concern for many parties. This study aims to establish a research instrument in the form of a questionnaire that can be deployed to assess the learning environment perceived by high school students. This research endeavor constitutes a developmental study, wherein the outcomes are a single survey instrument encompassing six variables, nineteen indicators, and forty questions. The data-collecting process involved the utilization of a Google Form across five schools in five districts, containing a total of 1615 participants. The analysis of expert data was conducted utilizing V. Aiken and field trials employing confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) Second Order. The findings of this study indicate that the diagnostic survey instrument used to assess the learning environment's impact on the mental health of high school students demonstrated validity, as evidenced by loading factor values exceeding the established minimal threshold. The reliability of the instrument remains insufficient. This survey can be utilized to detect adolescent persistent tendencies carried out by students or other school members that interfere with mental health: the emergence and significant raising of juvenile delinquency.

This study explored the experiences of inclusion and exclusion of African academics in Norway in various sectors of the society and their participation in these sectors. Using a mixed method research approach, 166 African academics completed a 20-item questionnaire entitled Perceived Exclusion Scale (PES) and two open-ended questions about their mental effects and coping mechanisms of exclusion. Descriptive statistics and qualitative analysis procedures were used to analyze the data. The results showed that the participants experienced exclusion in almost all the sectors of the Norwegian society with concomitant effects of depression and insomnia for most of the participants. Participants mentioned acceptance, confrontational strategy, avoidance strategy, theological group discussion and positive attitudes as key coping mechanisms to exclusion and discrimination. This study could be used as a baseline for future research on the psychological and mental health effects of discrimination of Africans and African-Norwegians. The study is a pointer to the public discourses on the positive sides of immigration in general and the role of migrants' contribution to the Norwegian society.

The effects of COVID-19 have resulted in peritraumatic stress experiences within various groups, including teachers. With this study we aimed to determine the prevalence of peritraumatic stress and the factors associated with each level of PTSD among teachers in South Africa. A cross-sectional study was conducted in South Africa among teachers using an online survey. A sample consisted of a total of 1,008 primary and secondary teachers responded to the COVID-19 peritraumatic distress index and the occupation-specific survey. Descriptive and multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to analyse the data. There was evidence of high levels of distress associated with the COVID-19 pandemic among teaching professionals in South Africa. Therefore, there is a need to create mental health awareness among teaching professionals and to create systems that support the uptake of psychological services among the members of this population.

Technological advances and the COVID-19 pandemic have led to a significant paradigm shift in the field of education, especially in the field of distance education. In this period, although distance education offers a number of advantages to its users, it has also brought some difficulties. This sudden transition has had a profound impact on students, teachers, and institutions, leading to changes in teaching methods, assessment practices, and student engagement strategies. This study aims to investigate the problems that arise in the distance education process and to examine the effects of these problems on students in detail. A qualitative approach is considered ideal since it enables deeper understanding of experiences of university students during distance education. Convenience sampling was chosen because it provided easy access for the researchers and allowed the inclusion of participants who met the required criteria. The participants consisted of 37 people, 28 girls and 9 boys, who had experienced the distance education and were studying in the Psychological Counselling and Guidance programme in the second year of a state university located in the Aegean region of Türkiye. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed using content analysis and thematic analysis methods. According to the findings of the study, the problems encountered by the students in the distance education process were listed under the following main themes: technological problems, problems related to the monitoring and evaluation of the course, motivation problems, emotional and physical problems, communication problems, problems related to domestic and environmental factors, feeling of professional inadequacy. In addition, students' suggestions for solutions to these problems and their opinions about whether they prefer face-to-face or online education were also discussed. As a result, the study offers suggestions for educational institutions and educators to overcome the difficulties encountered in distance education and to make the experience a positive one.

The purpose of this study was to illuminate the experiences of undergraduate students who participated in academic community-engaged learning, specifically as those experiences related to student mental health and wellness. The data for this qualitative interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was collected through semistructured interviews with seven undergraduate students. Analysis resulted in the identification of essential components of the student community-engaged learning experience as it relates to students' mental health and wellness and included three main themes: Identity (Head), Belonging (Heart), and Agency (Hands). The implications of these findings are many, including pedagogical considerations for community-engaged classrooms and campuswide considerations for the inclusion of high-impact practices, as well as community partner implications. Ultimately, the findings of this study will lead to a better informed, nuanced, macrolevel strategy that higher education institutions can use to impact the state of student mental health and wellness broadly.

Educator leaders play a vital role in fostering educators' and students' mental health and wellbeing. Through qualitative research, this paper provides insights from eight education leaders working in State Schools in Malta on their perceptions of, and experiences in, the promotion and support of mental health and wellbeing among educators and students. The objective of the study is to examine how mental health and wellbeing are being promoted, addressed, and supported in schools. Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with education leaders followed by a reflexive thematic analysis. Four themes emerged from the data, namely school philosophy, ethos, and leadership; mental health and wellbeing in schools; loss and grief; and COVID-19 and its impact on mental health and wellbeing in schools The findings suggest the need for more proactive and supportive considerations of mental health and wellbeing in schools in Malta, along with the implementation and evaluation of mental health and wellbeing whole-school projects in schools.

Higher education students need help and support to enable them to cope with the challenges of their studies. The aim of this study was to investigate the perspectives of first-year undergraduate students on predictors of psychosocial support in challenging situations. A creative art-based descriptive research design was employed utilising an individual One-Page Profile form to gather data from 240 first-year students from two different universities in Slovakia. Data was collected and analysed using a content-thematic and visual approach. Four significant individual predictors of psychosocial support were identified: emotional, instrumental, informational and appraisal. Emotional support consists of desirable mental health, defined by the students as experiencing happiness, self-satisfaction, self-development, relationships which are satisfying, loving and safe, trust, empathic acceptance, and care from others. Instrumental support varies from personnel up to material resources e.g., people, animals, and assistance such as financial services. The preferred informational support is peer-to-peer counselling, followed by professional counselling. When students describe appraisal support their needs are primarily in the areas of well-being and self-efficacy. The study makes various suggestions on how University staff can provide first-year students with support and counselling in their everyday challenges.

This study investigated vocational students' mental health by identifying the prevalence of depression, stress, anxiety, eating disorders and associated risk and protective factors among 16- to 18-year-old students attending a vocational college in Malta. Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) was also investigated. A sample of 422 students completed standardised self-report mental health tools and a demographic and personal variables' questionnaire. A total of 64.4% of students were found to be struggling with at least one of the mental health conditions assessed while 36.7% reported a suspected eating disorder. The prevalence rates of depression, anxiety and stress (moderate, severe or extremely severe) were 43.3%, 48.8% and 29.3% respectively. Students had a lower HRQOL than the reference population as indicated by European norm data. Only 13.5% of participants sought help from mental health services. Risk factors include female gender, poverty, being LGBTQ, not living with both parents, past negative school experiences, poor relationships and presence of suspected or diagnosed conditions or disabilities, amongst others. Having supportive relationships with family, peers and school personnel emerged as protective factors.

The SSIS SEL Brief + Mental Health Scales (SSIS SELb+MHS) are multi-informant assessments developed in the United States to assess the social and emotional learning (SEL) competencies and emotional behavior concerns (EBCs) of school-age youth. Although there are translations of the SEL items of the SSIS SELb+MHS available in other languages, a German translation has never been completed and validated, despite the growing need for SEL and mental health assessment in German-speaking countries. To address this need, this study's primary purpose was the examination of a German translation of the assessment with a specific focus on measurement invariance and concurrent validity invariance testing with 821 3rd through 6th-grade students in Austria and Germany. Results indicated that the SELb+MHS items clustered into 2 SEL factors and 2 EBC factors. With regard to measurement invariance, the SELb+MHS functioned similarly across both Austria and Germany and full scalar invariance was achieved. Additionally, the overall pattern of concurrent validity relationships was as expected and similar across countries. Implications and future directions are discussed.

This study investigated the impact of Problematic Internet Use (PIU) on Iranian adolescents' Psychological Well-Being (PWB), focusing on the mediating roles of sleep quality and self-regulation. Data was collected from a sample of students (n = 228, girl = 197, boy = 31) aged 12 to 19 years. Participants completed four online questionnaires, including the PIU questionnaire, the Psychological Well-Being Scale (PWBS), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Short Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SSRQ). Results confirmed that while PIU was not directly effective on PWB, it was indirectly effective through the mediation of sleep quality and self-regulation. By gaining such understanding, we can devise interventions to enhance individuals' sleep quality and self-regulatory capacities, thereby improving their PWB.

A growing amount of research examines the personal and financial burden of students in healthcare programs who graduate with large amounts of student loan debt. However, a paucity of literature addresses occupational therapists' student loan debt burden. This study was conducted to describe the context of occupational therapists who have significant debt and the impact on their personal and professional lives. This study employed an exploratory sequential design in which quantitative data from a survey was collected first, followed by the collection of qualitative data from participant interviews to study occupational therapy graduates who accrued more than $100,000 in student loan debt. Forty-four occupational therapy graduates from Creighton University completed a survey asking questions about personal choices in relation to debt. Of these respondents, 20 completed a follow-up semi-structured interview. Six themes related to the effect of debt on personal lives emerged from the interviews, including: 1) mental health, 2) future purchasing power, 3) relationships, 4) maintaining life work balance, 5) frugality, and 6) financial literacy. Four themes related to effect of debt on professional lives were: 1) job limitations, 2) stuck, 3) career choice, and 4) salary dissonance. Future research should further examine how programs can address these concerns to promote student and practitioner well-being.

The experience of living with a chronic condition (CC) impacts adolescents' psychological and social adjustment and overall functioning. Considering the increased risk of psychosocial challenges among adolescents with CC, this study aimed to enhance our understanding of the psychological and social factors that impact their quality of life. It also compared the psychological and social variables among (a) adolescents with and without CC and (b) adolescents with CC who are and who are not victims of bullying. The results demonstrated that adolescents with CC showed more psychosocial difficulties than their peers, as they more frequently reported involvement in situations of violence, and demonstrated more difficulties at a psychological and emotional level. Further, being victims of bullying increased the psychosocial vulnerabilities of these adolescents. A better quality of life was associated with the following psychosocial factors: not being a victim of bullying or cyberbullying, having less anxiety and fewer depressive symptoms, liking school, receiving more support from family and friends, having better relationships with peers, and having fewer physical and psychological symptoms. These findings are significant for helping schools develop tools and strategies to address violence and support students with CC, who are at a higher risk of being involved in such situations and require a targeted response.

For some children and young people (CYP) with long-term physical health conditions (LTPHCs) attending school can be difficult. There is a lack of evidence documenting their school attendance experiences, how schools manage absence for these children, and subsequent effects. This study utilised an existing dataset from eighty-nine 11-18-year-olds in mainstream secondary schools in the United Kingdom across 11 LTPHCs that provided first-hand accounts about the children's experiences of school. Data pre-coded "attendance" were subject to thematic analysis to explore issues emerging. Findings showed attendance patterns varied, with some CYP missing little and others significant amounts of education. Children with LTPHCs wanted to attend school and did their best to navigate education alongside health. School systems for attendance were inconsistent and adversarial. Remedial and supportive action emerged as lacking, and children felt it was their personal responsibility to make up for lost time and missed work when absent. Decisions on whether they attended school, coupled with practices promoting high attendance had detrimental consequences for CYP with LTPHCs educationally, emotionally and socially. Overall, children with LTPHCs felt punished, stigmatised, unfairly treated, unequal and excluded. Results have implications for education, health, and policy practitioners to better plan and target attention so that the LTPHC cohort are treated sensitively and equitably and afforded their entitlement to education when they cannot go to school for health reasons often outside of their control.

The integration of peer mentoring into academic programmes as a mechanism for supporting new students has received considerable attention in higher education worldwide, especially in developed countries. Despite a growing body of research on peer mentoring in higher education, an extensive review of the benefits of this approach is needed to establish a nuanced understanding of the impacts of peer mentoring on students across various contexts. This study employed a systematic review method to examine the benefits of peer mentoring in higher education. The review covered research articles about peer mentoring published within the last decade (2013-2023). The findings showed that the benefits of peer mentoring in higher education could be categorised into four fundamental aspects, including academic performance, retention rates, emotional and psychological wellbeing, and social integration. These categories of benefits could be developed into a conceptual framework for studying the impacts or benefits of peer mentoring in higher education. The study highlights the significance of adopting peer mentoring as a supportive scheme for students encountering critical challenges due to its manifold benefits and points to the importance of identifying the varying factors contributing to the success of peer-mentoring schemes. The study concludes with a discussion and the implications of the findings, as well as suggestions for future research to examine how peer mentoring could be effectively implemented in different educational contexts.

Empirical studies about Black graduate students have emphasized their experiences with oppression and marginalization, related psychological impacts, and the survival practices they enable them to persist within Historically White Institutions (HWIs). Yet, some literature falls short of examining how individuals thrive despite racial trauma experienced professionally and personally. Moreover, there is a need for research to explore the role Black faculty play in assisting Black graduate students with addressing racial trauma and engaging in healing practices. Thus, this paper aimed to understand how early-career Black faculty supported Black graduate students in their attempt to do more than thrive while pursuing master's and doctoral degrees in higher education.

Childhood anxiety has been an increasing focus of classroom teachers in recent years. It creates an excess of problems, which can lead to other health-related issues. Long-term effects may include mental health problems, such as depression and isolation, due to becoming accustomed to coping with anxiety daily. This curriculum project designed a series of lessons that were delivered on a weekly basis to a class of second-grade students. Once the pandemic forced schools to move online, these mindfulness activities were delivered through remote instruction which greatly benefitted the young students during this difficult time. The purpose of this action research study was to create and evaluate mindfulness-based interventions as an effective approach that may be used to positively impact student learning and their emotional well-being in the classroom. Participants were a small group of teachers who worked or volunteered at the school where the curriculum was used. They were purposefully selected by having knowledge or experience in mindfulness-based interventions. This qualitative study gathered data from an open-ended evaluation questionnaire. Once received, the data was analyzed by identifying codes and themes and then the feedback was used to make improvements to the curriculum. The results of the study indicated that mindfulness-based interventions were highly successful in each classroom and are recommended to be included in the daily practice of elementary schools.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced institutions, faculty, and students to use emergency remote teaching (ERT) in the early stages of 2020. All educational levels, as well as schools and universities around the world, were affected. Although ERT and online education are not necessarily synonymous (see Thorkelson, 2021), most classes were delivered online, demanding an increased use of online tools like learning management systems (LMSs) and applications Zoom, "Microsoft Teams," and "Google Meet," among others, to meet the educational needs of most students. Post-pandemic students and faculty had returned to face-to-face classes or a hybrid model of education that balances online and offline classes and content as the pandemic faded. (See Thorkelson, 2021). However, both teachers and students gained new skills while losing or weakening some more traditional classroom-related skill sets. To draw some conclusions and make recommendations for establishing a successful post-pandemic educational milieu, this paper examines some of these skills and the related factors as they could affect both students and faculty in the post-pandemic educational environment.

The objectives of this research are to examine the following: (1) the effect of positive psychology on stress management; (2) the ways in which positive psychology can aid in the management of depression; (3) the relationship between academic performance and stress management; (4) the relationship between academic performance and the management of depression; (5) the effect of positive psychology on academic achievement; (6) the indirect relationship between academic performance and stress management; and (7) the indirect relationship between academic performance and the prevention of depression. Supporting students' psychological well-being and academic success requires a comprehensive approach, which this research highlights by focusing on students' individual internal resources and effective stress management. The results of this study can help colleges and universities enhance counseling programs based on positive psychology and better integrate mental health promotion into existing courses. The researcher determined the total number of surveys sent out to 230 students using predetermined criteria and randomly selected them. Convergent validity tests were conducted for approximately 19 indicators of each variable, including exogenous, intervening, and endogenous factors. The SPSS tests that were run before the ANOVA were the following: correlation, t-test, F-test, and coefficient test. After applying inferential analysis with SPSS to the empirical research model, the researcher came to the conclusion that the results were statistically significant. When students, teachers, and administrators work together, we can create a school environment that is safe and supportive, which in turn improves students' health, happiness, and academic performance.

The study determined the self-reported Zoom exhaustion and fatigue (ZEF) levels of physical education teacher education (PETE) students in the Philippines who are attending a flexible learning setup (i.e., synchronous and asynchronous learning) offered by their university as a solution to continue classes during the coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 pandemic. Utilizing a cross-sectional comparative research design, the study indicates that PETE students were very tired and exhausted both in general and visually after a series of video conferencing within a semester. Furthermore, they were socially-, motivationally-, and emotionally- moderately tired and exhausted. It was observed that students in the PETE program experienced moderate to very tired and exhausted levels of fatigue whenever they participated in synchronous online classes, such as attendance at a video teleconferencing platform. Exploration of how specific mental aspects relate to their general health with regard to their culture and habits is worth exploring, either for students, teachers, or professionals in general.

Student carers have significant responsibilities in addition to their studies. This can result in adverse effects on academic achievement and the student experience. It is unclear how many students at Kingston University and nationally have significant caring responsibilities and what impact this has on their studies and overall wellbeing. This study aimed to identify this growing population of student carers within the biosciences at Kingston University and reveal common issues they face such as motivation and quality of student experience. A self-reporting questionnaire was provided to students all years of their Undergraduate (UG) degree as well as MSc students. A total of 33 students who identify as student carers completed the questionnaire with 81% reporting that caring responsibilities have affected their course performance and 68% revealing that they have struggled to meet assessment deadlines due to caring responsibilities. Almost 50% of respondents revealed that they have considered leaving their course and 77% declared that their mental health and wellbeing was negatively impacted, suggesting the need for a clear support system to be implemented.

This study examines how inequality manifested during the emergency remote COVID-19 transition in higher education. We use 35 in-depth interviews with college students, conducted virtually, in real-time, during spring 2020 lockdowns, to examine how the transition impacted their lives. Students in the sample from lower-income backgrounds reported significant basic needs insecurity, financial instability, and academic struggles. Latino and Black students in the sample, in particular, reported financial instability, mental health crises, and academic struggles. Meanwhile, affluent white students and affluent Asian students in the study tended to face only minor setbacks or even flourish during this time. University and government policies exacerbated the negative experiences of marginalized students, often due to faulty assumptions that all college students have families who provide for their needs. While the particulars of this crisis were unusual, and this study took place at one institution of higher education, these findings suggest that higher education administrators must consider the implications of policies on the most disadvantaged students.

In the 21st century, the imperative to combat extremism and terrorism has risen to the forefront of global and regional agendas, becoming an indispensable condition for fostering the secure and prosperous development of states amidst the formation of a new strategic order. This study aims to examine the peculiarities of combating religious extremism among the youth demographic, drawing insights from global experiences aimed at minimizing terrorist threats within this sphere. Two primary methodologies were adopted in this study: the comparative analysis method, which compares the factors contributing to youth extremism, and the descriptive method, which identifies the main features of radicalization processes across diverse countries worldwide. Examining the landscape of modern youth movements in Kazakhstan and their affiliations with various religious beliefs, it becomes evident that developing a comprehensive and cohesive legal framework is imperative to curtail the emergence of aggressive groups and address the root causes of student radicalization. Moreover, our study underscores the predominant reliance of modern youth on social networks as conduits for accessing information pertaining to mental health, traditional beliefs, and psychological support. Analysis of counter-radicalization efforts across nations reveals a spectrum of approaches adopted by state entities tasked with addressing this issue, often contingent upon the prevailing religious context. In Muslim-majority nations, scholars and public figures championing traditional values emerge as key agents in educating young people on the imperative of participating in radical groups. Conversely, in Western European countries, public organizations and institutions of higher learning emerge as pivotal actors in fostering effective counter-radicalization measures. The findings and insights gleaned from this study are poised to furnish a practical foundation for future research endeavors in this realm. Furthermore, they hold promise in informing the development of youth policies and the resolution of issues pertinent to religious dynamics within advanced societies.

This article presents a systematic review of the socialization and adjustment challenges experienced by international students at US campuses and society. The study aims to explore difficulties, opportunities, and strategies in the social integration of international students, shedding light on the factors influencing their adjustment and overall well-being. Based on a wide range of scholarly empirical works, this study applies a systematic literature review approach based on Scopus and Web of Science online databases. It incorporates peer-reviewed and indexed research on the sociocultural integration of international students in the United States, published between 2004 2024. The results highlight the significance of acculturation, loneliness, and social isolation among international students caused by language barriers and cultural differences. While language and cultural obstacles are common concerns for East Asian students, discrimination and social isolation problems are more likely to dominate among Saudi Arabian, African, and Indian students. The analysis also indicates a lack of studies exploring the international students' communication challenges with faculty members and their abilities to navigate US social and racial structures. The findings emphasize enhancing mental health and counseling services at US campuses. This research could contribute to expanding an understanding of social integration and adjustment challenges among international students and offer potential strategies and interventions related to this process.

University students experience stress from academic demands. Stress is in fact expected in academic settings and important for achieving goals. How students experience the inevitable stress in the academic context, and whether stress is a support or hindrance for them, is related to their beliefs about stress. This study examined two types of beliefs regarding academic stress: (a) perceptions of being capable of coping with academic stress and demands, named coping self-efficacy, and (b) general beliefs regarding stress itself, named stress mindset, and the impact of those two stress beliefs on two types of outcomes related to student success: academic performance (GPA) and student experiences (mental health, perceived motivation challenges). Findings indicate coping self-efficacy positively predicts higher mental health and lower motivation challenges; neither stress mindset nor coping self-efficacy predicted GPA. Coping self-efficacy in the university context, which denotes feeling capable of managing stress and academic demands, emerged as a useful predictor of student success outcomes. As eliminating stress altogether is not practical or possible, this research focuses on beliefs about stress as important for student success.