International Journal of Studies in Psychology

ABSTRACTS 5.1

2024-07-14T17:53:24+02:00

The International Journal of Studies in Psychology (e-ISSN: 2710-2327, p-ISSN: 2710-2319) is a blind, peer-reviewed, fully open-access journal providing an advanced platform and opportunities for psychological-related research outputs. The Editorial Board welcomes empirical, conceptual, academic, and theoretical articles critically analyzed and interpreted in all its holistic (general psychology): individual human behaviors, social, well-being, mental health, physiological, emotional, indigenous psychology, mental well-being, educational psychology, psycholinguistic, and inclusive education. The scholarly articles must be prepared, treated, and interpreted with the same academic rigor expected of academic research. IJSPSY aims to provide an interdisciplinary forum for scholars, publishing professionals, librarians, and others to communicate original investigations that address current issues informed by the best practices. Scholarly publishing has only recently begun to exploit the full potential of networked digital technologies, which affects the broader process of research communication, including public access to and engagement with research. Influential trends toward responsible research and innovation, the globalization of research, the emergence and inclusion of new or previously excluded stakeholders, and the advent of open science are reshaping the scope and nature of scholarly publishing. The social, legal, and ethical dimensions of publications continue to co-evolve with these changes. Publications aim to provide an interdisciplinary forum for scholars, publishing professionals, librarians, and others to communicate original empirical and theoretical research on these and related topics to address current issues and inform best practices.

Psychological adjustment challenges among first-year university students: Crucial link between psychological health and academic success in higher education

2024-12-01T21:05:53+02:00

This study investigates the psychological adjustment challenges faced by first-year students at a selected University in Namibia and their impact on first-year university students’ academic performance. The study aimed to understand first-year university students' psychological adjustment challenges, how those challenges affected their academic performances, and the strategies they employed to overcome them. It employed a mixed-methods approach following a convergent parallel design. Data were collected in two phases. Eighty students (80) were selected in this study. The first composed of 46 (57.5%) secondary phase, 23 (28.7%) upper primary phase, and 11 (13.8%) pre-lower primary phase students, and the second involved 10 (47.6%) secondary, 6 (28.5%) upper primary and 5 (23.8%) pre-lower primary phases. Quantitative and qualitative research techniques involved focus group discussions and an online questionnaire featuring closed and open-ended questions. The qualitative findings indicated that students experienced various psychological and academic challenges, including self-harming behaviours, feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress. The results reported poor concentration, difficulties participating in class discussions, frequent forgetfulness, noticing a decline in academic performance, lacking happiness when attending classes, missing classes, and experiencing memory loss. The thematic results suggested that there were significant influences between psychological adjustment and academic performance among first-year students. These findings implicated that the university management must restructure its operational systems to enhance stability, reliability, and effectiveness. Higher education institutions must be aware of psychological adjustment challenges, which require supporting student well-being, improving overall academic outcomes, and creating a more conducive learning environment.

Adolescent learners’ experiences, mental health, and coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa

2024-12-02T19:24:42+02:00

The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly disrupted global education systems, with limited research focusing on its psychological and emotional impact among adolescent learners in low- and middle-income countries. Through in-person semi-structured interviews, this qualitative study explored the experiences, mental health impacts, and coping strategies of twenty were purposively selected adolescent learners (4 males and 19 females). Thematic analysis revealed three key themes: Weight of restrictions: Navigating the general impact, Academic and emotional strain: The dual burden of the pandemic and adapting to adversity. The findings illuminate the pandemic's multifaceted effects on adolescent learners’ social, economic, educational, and emotional wellbeing. While many adolescent learners experienced significant strain, others demonstrated resilience and employed adaptive emotion-focused coping strategies. These results emphasise the role of individual and contextual factors in shaping learners’ responses to crises. The study advocates multilevel mental health interventions that integrate economic, educational, and psychosocial dimensions. This study recommends that future research should further explore these dynamics across diverse populations and longitudinally to inform post-pandemic mental health and education policies.

Emotional and environmental factors affecting first-year university students at a public university in Namibia

2024-12-19T18:10:37+02:00

This study This study explored environmental and emotional factors affecting first-year public university students. It also determined the strategies used by the university management to support these students when facing these factors. It adopted a qualitative approach through a single-case study design. Twenty-one first-year university students were selected from various academic programmes (Secondary Education, Upper Primary, Lower Primary) in the study. Two focus group discussions with first-year university students were used in this study. Thematic analysis was then employed to analyse the discussions. The results revealed that first-year university students are affected by stress and anxiety as emotional factors due to academic pressure, adjusting to a new environment, and social integration. These factors and feelings of homesickness and loneliness negatively influence their emotional well-being. Moreover, environmental factors could affect these students due to inadequate access to or understanding of critical university resources such as mental health counseling, academic tutoring services, and involvement opportunities in extracurricular activities. The study underscores the need for universities to implement comprehensive support systems that address both emotional and environmental challenges first-year university students face. These interventions may include counseling services, academic advising, social activities, and improvements to the campus environment. By prioritising the holistic development of first-year university students, universities can create a more supportive and conducive learning environment, ultimately enhancing student success and retention.

Secondary Students' Preference for (Non)Yorùbá Films: A Cognitive film Perspective

2024-12-22T21:29:23+02:00

This study evaluated students’ preferences for Yoruba and non-Yoruba films. It also explored factors that affect students’ film preferences in relation to the teaching and learning of Yorùbá language and culture from the cognitivist's perspective. It adopted mixed methods research design of the sequential explanatory. Three Hundred (300) Senior Secondary Two (SS II) students were randomly selected from 10 public secondary schools in Ibadan North Local Government Area, in Nigeria. The self-designed Students’ Questionnaire on Film Preferences (r=.93) was used for data collection. Also, seven (7) SS II students were selected for a Focused Group Discussion in each of the selected schools. Quantitative data were analysed using the t-test analysis (p<0.05), while the qualitative one was thematically analysed. Findings revealed that the secondary students’ preference for Yorùbá and non-Yoruba films was significantly differed (t(299) = -6.53; p<0.05), in favour of the latter (mean =38.05). The results reported that home, socio-cultural and recreational factors could be responsible for students’ film preferences. Based on the principles of Cognitive Film Theory, the study argues that students' film preference has attitudinal and pedagogical implications. Therefore, Yorùbá language teachers should regularly sensitise and encourage students to watch Yorùbá Films that can enhance their cognition of the Yorùbá cultural practices.

Influence of an Amino Acid Composition enhanced with Cold Plasma Radiation on Psychological Stress: A Blood Test, Gas Discharge Visualisation and Biofeedback Approach

2024-12-27T20:50:22+02:00

This study aimed to demonstrate the effect of enhanced amino acid compositions with cold plasma on human psychological stress by using blood tests, biofeedback, and gas discharge visualisation (GDV) techniques for stress measurements. An open, randomised, placebo-controlled trial for 30 days was conducted. 70 healthy people aged 35-65, men and women, were measured initially, randomly divided into three groups (experimental, control, and placebo), and measured 30 days later for changes in stress levels. Twenty people used amino acid composition; 30 used the same amino acid composition processed with cold plasma radiation, while 20 used a placebo. The ethics committee of the Federal State Budget Institution "Saint-Petersburg Scientific-Research Institute for Physical Culture," St. Petersburg, Russia, approved the study protocol. All participants signed an informed consent form, where a written and oral explanation of the research protocol was provided. Blood, biofeedback, and GDV test results were presented to show differences in stress levels during the experiment. After 30 days, results for experimental and control groups were presented. Amino acids processed by the radiation of a cold plasma – enhanced with Igniton particles - had the most significant effect on stress levels. The results suggested that enhanced amino acid compositions significantly affected human stress levels during the longitude period. Stress reduction in humans can significantly influence disease prevention and health maintenance, ultimately extending human life expectancy.