Xinchen Fu

Bio: Xinchen Fu is an academic researcher from Beijing Normal University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Implicit personality theory & Student engagement. The author has an hindex of 6, co-authored 13 publications receiving 79 citations.

Social Media Exposure and College Students' Mental Health During the Outbreak of COVID-19: The Mediating Role of Rumination and the Moderating Role of Mindfulness.

Abstract: In response to reports of people experiencing varying levels of anxiety and depression during the outbreak of COVID-19, researchers have argued that exposure to related information on social media is a salient contributing factor. Based on the integrated model of ruminative response style and the diathesis-stress model, it has been suggested that incorporating rumination and mindfulness may elucidate the potential mechanism underlying the aforementioned association. This study aimed to examine the mediating role of rumination and the moderating role of mindfulness in the association between social media exposure (SME) to COVID-19 information and psychological distress. The results from online questionnaire responses of 439 college students from two universities in Wuhan, Hubei Province, showed that rumination mediated the association between SME and psychological distress. Furthermore, mindfulness was revealed as a protective factor that buffered the adverse effect of SME on psychological distress through rumination. These findings advance a better understanding of the formation process of psychological symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide insights regarding effective interventions for adverse mental health consequences in college students.

Parental Monitoring and Adolescent Problematic Mobile Phone Use: The Mediating Role of Escape Motivation and the Moderating Role of Shyness

Abstract: In an attempt to reduce the negative consequences of adolescent media use, parents often monitor their children’s online activities. However, research suggests that parental monitoring often does not reduce children’s problematic mobile phone use as expected. Based on the results of a survey of 584 Chinese adolescents, we found that parental monitoring positively predicted children’s problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) within a Chinese cultural context. The results also showed that children’s escape motivation partially mediated this relationship, while their level of shyness moderated both the mediated path and the direct impact of parental monitoring on children’s PMPU. The findings suggested that a higher level of shyness increased the likelihood that parental monitoring would increase the child’s escape motivation and PMPU. The study results provide guidelines for parents and educators regarding interventions for adolescents’ problematic phone use.

Teacher Justice and Students' Class Identification: Belief in a Just World and Teacher-Student Relationship as Mediators.

Abstract: For school-age adolescents, teacher justice plays an important role in their learning and social outcomes. The present study examined the relation between teacher justice and students' class identification in 1735 Chinese school-age adolescents by considering belief in a just world (BJW) and teacher-student relationship as mediators. Structure equation modeling (SEM) was used to reveal the direct and indirect effects. The analyses showed that all the direct and indirect effects were significant. These findings indicated that teacher justice had a positive effect on students' class identification. In addition, teacher justice impacted students' class identification through students' just-world belief and teacher-student relationships. These results suggested that for adolescents, teacher justice played an important role in shaping their just-world belief system and their interpersonal relationships with teachers, which in turn affected their sense of belonging and values in relation to their class. Thus, it is important for teachers to be aware that their injustice may negatively impact their relationships with students, students' belief systems, and their psychological engagement at school. There is a need to develop teacher-training programs to help teachers to establish classroom reward-punishment systems with the consideration of social justice, to communicate with students through an unbiased approach, and to increase student participation in the important decision making of the whole class.

Trajectory patterns of academic engagement among elementary school students: The implicit theory of intelligence and academic self-efficacy matters

Abstract: Background The dropout rate of Chinese elementary school students after 2007 rose again. Little research to date has identified individual differences in pathways of academic engagement to discern those at risk of disengagement and dropout from schools, as well as the longitudinal linkages between cognitive beliefs with academic engagement. Aims Examine the developmental trajectories of cognitive, emotional, and behavioural engagement, and assess relations between the implicit theory of intelligence and academic self-efficacy and the development of academic engagement. Sample and methods We recruited 532, 450, and 415 elementary students to rate on self-report scales in April 2016 (T1), October 2016 (T2), and April 2017 (T3), respectively. Trajectories of academic engagement were analysed by using a multiple-process growth mixture model, and levels of entity theory of intelligence and academic self-efficacy between engagement groups were compared by using analysis of variance. Results We categorized the students into four groups: persistent (71.24%), climbing (6.01%), descending (16.54%), and struggling engagement (6.20%) groups. Within each group, the levels of academic self-efficacy from T1 to T3 demonstrated a consistent trend with the engagement trajectory; the levels of the implicit theory of intelligence over time showed the reverse trend. Conclusions Attention should be given more on the students from the descending and struggling groups. The implicit theory of intelligence and academic self-efficacy showed different longitudinal associations with engagement trajectories.

When saying and doing diverge: The effects ofstereotype threat on self-reported versus nonverbal anxiety

Abstract: Abstract Although research has established that stigmatized individuals suffer impaired performance under stereotype threat conditions, the anxiety presumed to mediate this effect has proven difficult to establish. In the current investigation, we explored whether non-verbal measures would fare better than self-reports in capturing stereotype threat anxiety. Gay and heterosexual men interacted with preschool children under stereotype threat or control conditions. As predicted, stereotype-threatened gay men demonstrated more non-verbal anxiety, but not more self-reported anxiety, than non-threatened gays during these interactions. Furthermore, non-verbal anxiety appeared to mediate the effects of stereotype threat on the quality of participants’ childcare skills. We discuss how these findings advance stereotype threat research, and highlight their potential implications for gay childcare workers.

Against the Odds

Abstract: The story of a woman's struggle to become a nurse amid family opposition has impressed judges in a national writing competition. Sabina Ahmed's account of 'dreams fulfilled' was among the winners in the Daily Telegraph competition and will be published in the newspaper. Ms Ahmed, pictured, grew up in India and was thrown out of her home because her family saw nursing as a profession for 'lower class' women. Now living in Taunton but currently not working in nursing, Ms Ahmed said: 'I hope I have inspired others.'

Digital Media Use and Adolescents' Mental Health During the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract: The Covid-19 physical distancing measures had a detrimental effect on adolescents' mental health. Adolescents worldwide alleviated the negative experiences of social distancing by spending more time on digital devices. Through a systematic literature search in eight academic databases (including Eric, Proquest Sociology, Communication & Mass Media Complete, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Pubmed, and Web of Science), the present systematic review and meta-analysis first summarized the existing evidence from 30 studies, published up to September 2021, on the link between mental health and digital media use in adolescents during Covid-19. Digital media use measures included social media, screen time, and digital media addiction. Mental health measures were grouped into conceptually similar dimensions, such as well-being, ill-being, social well-being, lifestyle habits, and Covid-19-related stress. Results showed that, although most studies reported a positive association between ill-being and social media use (r = 0.171, p = 0.011) and ill-being and media addiction (r = 0.434, p = 0.024), not all types of digital media use had adverse consequences on adolescents' mental health. In particular, one-to-one communication, self-disclosure in the context of mutual online friendship, as well as positive and funny online experiences mitigated feelings of loneliness and stress. Hence, these positive aspects of online activities should be promoted. At the same time, awareness of the detrimental effects of addictive digital media use should be raised: That would include making adolescents more aware of adverse mechanisms such as social comparison, fear of missing out, and exposure to negative contents, which were more likely to happen during social isolation and confinement due to the pandemic.

Feasibility of a Brief Online Mindfulness and Compassion-Based Intervention to Promote Mental Health Among University Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic constitutes a global mental health challenge that has disrupted the lives of millions of people, with a considerable effect on university students. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of a brief online Mindfulness and Compassion-based Intervention to promote mental health among first year university students during COVID-19 home confinement. Participants (n=66) were first-year psychology students from a university in Spain with no prior meditation experience. Intervention lasted for 16 days and was designed ad-hoc. Using a pre–post within-subjects design, feasibility was assessed in five domains (acceptability, satisfaction, implementation, practicality, and limited efficacy testing). Participants completed both baseline and post-intervention assessments of perceived stress, anxiety, and self-compassion. The intervention showed to be feasible in all domains evaluated. It was implemented as planned with constrained resources, and limited efficacy testing showed promising results. After the intervention, stress and anxiety levels decreased significantly (p<0.001, Hedges’s g=0.5146; p<0.001, Hedges’s g=0.6068, respectively) whereas self-compassion levels were augmented significantly (p<0.001, Hedges’s g=0.6968). Our findings suggest that a brief online mindfulness and compassion intervention may be a feasible way of promoting mental health among university students during COVID-19 lockdown. Further studies are required to address the limitations of the present study. We conclude that online interventions may constitute a promising pathway to buffer the mental health burden derived from the COVID-19 pandemic.