Serapinas, Danielius

Nature connectedness, a widely used psychological construct which encompasses affective and cognitive aspects of the relationship a person has with nature, has become a central variable of interest in environmental psychology literature. This interest is motivated partially by its enhancing effects on well-being outcomes. However, comprehensive international evaluations of the link between nature connectedness and well-being remain sparse. In this registered report, we propose a secondary analysis of previously collected data to examine how individual differences in nature connectedness relate to multiple aspects of well-being (i.e., purpose in life, hope, mindfulness, life satisfaction, and optimism) across 75 countries (N = 36,803). Within-country and between-country analyses (linear and mixed regressions) suggested that nature connectedness is a robust positive predictor of well-being. Our findings highlight the importance of nature connected for well-being globally, especially for communities with low access to nature and social resources.

Cross-cultural empirical evidence on the validity of measures of depression and anxiety symptoms in adolescents is scarce and inconclusive. The present study investigated the cross-national measurement invariance and convergent validity evidence of the Depression and Anxiety scales of the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21). We sampled 16,802 adolescents (58.1% female) aged 14–19 years across 30 countries from five continents. Both exact and approximate measurement invariance were tested. The results provided evidence for the exploratory structural equation model (ESEM) as the best representation of the data in most countries. Full scalar invariance was not supported when tested across all countries, but only among two Southern Asian countries (Bangladesh, India), two Northern European countries (Estonia, Lithuania), the six former republics of Yugoslavia, and European and American countries grouped by UN subregions. Results of the alignment method supported the approximate invariance of the ESEM model across 29 countries. Associations between Depression and Anxiety ESEM factors and life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect conformed to the theoretical expectations in most countries. Our findings indicate that the Depression and Anxiety scales of the DASS-21 have potential for use in cross-national research on adolescent internalizing symptoms, but we highlight issues of using it outside of Western (European, North American) settings.

Background and Objectives: Tobacco smoking is associated with an increased risk of depression and anxiety symptoms, but it remains unclear whether this relationship differs according to the type of nicotine product used. The increasing popularity of heated tobacco products has created a need to better understand their association with mental health, particularly in comparison with combustible cigarettes. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms among combustible cigarette (CC) users, heated tobacco product (HTP) users, and non-smokers. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 497 adults. Participants were classified into three groups according to their tobacco-use status: combustible cigarette smokers, heated tobacco users, and non-smokers. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and anxiety symptoms were assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7). Group differences were evaluated using hierarchical linear regression analyses adjusted for sociodemographic, health, and lifestyle factors. Results: Tobacco-use group significantly improved the model fit for PHQ-9 (ΔR2 = 0.0575, p < 0.001) and GAD-7 (ΔR2 = 0.0764, p < 0.001). In non-smokers, scores of depression were 3.48 lower than in CC users and 1.42 lower than in the HTP users’ group. In HTP users, these scores were 2.06 lower than in the CC users’ group. Anxiety scores were 3.71 lower in non-smokers than in CC users, and 1.29 lower than in the HTP users’ group. In the HTP users’ group, this score was 2.42 lower than in the CC users’ group. HC3 robust standard errors with 5000-sample BCa bootstrap confidence intervals and reduced-adjustment sensitivity analyses confirmed the primary pattern. Conclusions: Our study results showed that combustible cigarette users had the highest adjusted depression and anxiety scores, HTP users had intermediate scores, and non-smokers had the lowest. In both tobacco-using groups, greater product-specific nicotine dependence was associated with higher PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores. Further interdisciplinary studies incorporating biomarkers of nicotine exposure, HPA axis function, inflammation, and oxidative stress are needed to clarify whether the observed differences reflect the characteristics of individuals who choose specific tobacco products or are partly attributable to product-specific effects.

Introduction. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are recognized risk factors for later substance use, yet data remain scarce – particularly regarding the differentiated effects of specific types of ACEs and their distinct associations with various psychoactive substances. Current study is one of the first in Lithuania to explore the associations between specific ACEs and substance use expression in young adulthood (ages 18–29), a developmental period defined by Arnett’s theory of emerging adulthood and full neurological maturation. Methods. This cross-sectional study included a total of 709 participants (26.5% male, 73.5% female) completed an online survey between September and November 2024. Substance use was assessed using validated instruments: AUDIT (alcohol), CUDIT-R (cannabis), ASSIST (other substances), and self-reported smoking behavior. ACEs were measured using a combination of adapted ACE questionnaire items) and the MACE scale, covering ten categories of childhood adversity. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to examine predictive relationships. Results. Sexual abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect, and physical abuse consistently predicted higher levels of alcohol, cannabis, and other substance use. Verbal abuse, conversely, showed significant negative associations across several substance categories. Smoking was positively associated with sexual abuse and negatively with witnessing interpersonal violence. Notably, a family history of addiction was not significantly related to substance use, suggesting that genetic predisposition may play a less central role than environmental or psychosocial factors. Conclusions. The findings underscore the differentiated impact of specific adverse childhood experiences on the use of various psychoactive substances. This highlights the necessity for further research that not only examines adverse experiences individually, but also explores the distinct associations between different types of psychoactive substances and these early life stressors. Such an approach is essential for uncovering substance-specific pathways and developing more targeted prevention and intervention strategies.

Despite a growing interest in adolescent subjective well-being, cross-cultural research on positive and negative affect in adolescents has been surprisingly scarce. Moreover, a cross-cultural evaluation of affective well-being measures in adolescents has lagged behind research in adults. The present study evaluated the cross-national and gender invariance of the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE), using adolescent samples from 32 countries (N = 17,489; age range = 14–19) spanning five continents. The original two-factor structure of the SPANE was supported in 29 of the 32 countries. We could establish partial metric invariance of the SPANE across countries and full or partial scalar invariance across gender in 18 and 11 countries, respectively. The alignment method showed evidence for approximate invariance across countries, allowing for cross-national means comparisons of positive and negative affect. In most countries, girls reported higher levels of negative affect, and no substantial gender differences in positive affect were observed. Cross-national differences in mean levels of positive and negative affect yielded complex findings. Our results suggest that the SPANE is a solid candidate for measuring emotional experiences among adolescents in large-scale cross-national studies.

Despite the critical role of culture in understanding adolescent self and identity, there is a lack of cross‐culturally validated measures of adolescent self‐construal. The present study evaluated cross‐national measurement invariance of the Aspects of Identity Questionnaire‐IV (AIQ‐IV), assessing four dimensions of self‐construal: personal, relational, public, and collective. The sample included 16,795 adolescents aged 14–19 years from 30 countries across four continents. The four‐factor structure of the AIQ‐IV obtained using exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) was supported in the vast majority of countries. Exact invariance testing using multi‐group ESEM supported configural invariance, indicating that the overall structure of the AIQ‐IV was similar across countries. Full scalar invariance was supported only on a subset of countries (i.e., when tests were conducted using European countries grouped by UN geographical regions). An alignment approach provided evidence for the approximate invariance of the ESEM model, with 15.6% of parameters showing noninvariance and allowing for comparison of latent means. The largest number of noninvariant parameters was evident in Asian countries, with items assessing collective‐interdependent aspects of identity showing the most variation across countries. A comparison of mean levels of identity orientations across countries revealed that culture‐level dimensions of collectivism–individualism do not translate simply into individual‐level dimensions of self‐construal.

Introduction: Although teacher victimization has been associated with reduced well-being, little is known about how teachers’ perceptions of their relationships within the school environment is linked to this association. This study examined whether perceived relationship quality moderates the link between different forms of victimization and teachers’ life satisfaction. Methods: A structural equation model was tested using data from a Lithuanian teacher sample (n = 1,146), incorporating three latent constructs: victimization (indicated by physical, social, verbal, cyber, and sexual victimization, as well as victimization involving property damage and violence perpetrated by school staff and parents), relationship perception (measured by perceived relationships with students, colleagues, school administration, and local educational authorities), and life satisfaction (assessed via the satisfaction with life scale). Results: The model demonstrated good fit [χ2(39) = 310.00, CFI = 0.941, TLI = 0.916, SRMR = 0.047, RMSEA = 0.078 (0.070, 0.086)]. Victimization was negatively related to both relationship perception (β = −0.35) and life satisfaction (β = −0.25), while relationship perception positively related to life satisfaction (β = 0.44, all p < 0.001). Moderation analyses revealed significant interaction effects: cyber, property, and physical victimization were more strongly associated with reduced life satisfaction among teachers who reported high perceived relationship quality with students or educational authorities. Contrary to buffering expectations, perceived relationships appeared to intensify the negative effects of victimization on life satisfaction. Discussion: These findings suggest that victimization may be especially damaging for teachers who typically view their school relationships as supportive, pointing to a potential breach in relational expectations. This highlights the importance of contextual factors in teacher well-being.

Background Recurrent pregnancy loss linked to the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) genetic mutation is common in infertility journeys. Identifying these mutations and offering targeted treatments can save pregnancies and assist in the transition to motherhood. However, the psychological effects of past miscarriages often persist, highlighting the need for a clear care pathway. This study explores the existential-phenomenological aspects of transitioning to motherhood after genetically determined infertility, emphasising the importance of understanding human existence to gain insights into these lived experiences. Methodology J. A. Smith's Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis approach, in combination with the framework of Daseinsanalysis developed by A. Holzhey-Kunz was employed to guide the research process. Hence, this paper presents an in-depth exploration of the lived experience of 10 women's transition of motherhood after a genetically induced experience. Findings The research reveals that having genetically defined infertility and its treatment as a background gives transition to motherhood a different start, which may affect the way it is experienced. Women in our study tend to disconnect from their prior infertility experience, leaving it not integrated into a constructive and meaningful life story. Moreover, the intense fear of loss, coupled with the perceived need to ‘fix’ their bodies to ensure the baby's survival, overshadows these women's pregnancies. Finally, the transition to motherhood is existentially attuned with death, uncertainty, along with the non-transparency and fragility of the body.

The present study investigated the cross-national measurement invariance of a 10-item Youth Externalizing Problems Screener (YEPS) on a sample of 17,489 adolescents from 32 countries. The original one-factor and two-factor models of YEPS were found to provide a poor fit to the data in most countries. Following the removal of two semantically overlapping items and the inclusion of correlated error terms, adequate model fit was obtained in 31 of 32 countries. Measurement invariance testing of an abbreviated 8-item YEPS (YEPS-SF) supported configural invariance. Partial scalar invariance was achieved only after freely estimating numerous parameters. The alignment analysis revealed that 22% of parameters were non-invariant across countries. South Africa, Hungary, and India showed the largest number of non-invariant parameters, whereas the lowest number was detected in several European countries. These findings highlight the potential of the YEPS-SF for use within individual countries and the challenge of developing cross-culturally comparable measures, suggesting that cultural adaptations may be necessary.