Volume 18, Issue 4, 2025.

Clinical psychology

• Dynamics of Covid-19 Perceptions Across Temporal and Cultural Contexts: Evidence from Russia, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan

  Zinchenko, Yu. P. ; Mitina, O.V.; Pervichko, E.I.; Koniukhovskaia, J.E.; Deshchenko, E.V.

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  Zinchenko, Yu.P., Mitina, O.V., Pervichko, E.I., Koniukhovskaia, J.E., Deshchenko, E.V. (2025). Dynamics of Covid-19 Perceptions Across Temporal and Cultural Contexts: Evidence from Russia, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan, Psychology in Russia: State of the Art, 18(4), 185–204. DOI: 10.11621/pir.2025.0410

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  • Background. Due to the prolonged duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, cultural differences and various strategies used to combat the disease, public perceptions of both the virus and the pandemic itself have likely evolved considerably since its onset and may vary significantly across countries.

    Objective. The aim of the research was to study the factors influencing the dynamics underpinning perceptual differences regarding the coronavirus and the COVID-19 pandemic among respondents from Russia, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan across different stages of the pandemic.

    Design. The questionnaire "Perception of the Coronavirus and the COVID-19 Pandemic" was completed by 2.863 participants between April 2020 and May 2022. The total sample was divided into seven subsamples based on country and the time of participation in the study. The study design was cross-sectional and included intergroup comparison, taking into account all questionnaire items according to factors of gender, cultural background, and time of participation in the study.

    Results. The study confirmed the significance of gender, cultural background, and time factors in the perception of the coronavirus and the pandemic.

    Conclusion. Cultural background, gender, and time factors are significant in the formation of perceptions toward both the COVID-19 pandemic and the virus itself.

    
    

    Keywords: coronavirus/ COVID-19 pandemic/ representation of the COVID-19 pandemic/ internal picture of disease/ cultural-historical approach/ social representations

    DOI: 10.11621/pir.2025.0410

Educational psychology

• An Effect of the Preliminary Formation of The Balance Concept: The Change in Ways of Elementary Physics Problem Solving

  Vysotskaya, E.V.; Lobanova, A.D.; Yanishevskaya, M.A.

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  Vysotskaya, E.V., Lobanova, A.D., Yanishevskaya, M.A. (2025). An Effect of the Preliminary Formation of The Balance Concept: The Change in Ways of Elementary Physics Problem Solving, Psychology in Russia: State of the Art, 18(4), 23–35. DOI: 10.11621/pir.2025.0402

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  • Background. The classical “lever balance problem” has always been a challenge for students, as it requires special coordination of weight and distance changes. At the core of this coordination lies the “third” magnitude of the multiplicative structure, the torque, which is often overlooked in psychological research on the development of the equilibrium concept.

    Objective. An introductory computer-supported module was developed based on the principles of developmental instruction (Davydov). Our research goal was to demonstrate one of the delayed effects of the preliminary multiplicative concept formation in the fifth grade on students’ acquiring the corresponding topic in elementary physics of the seventh grade.

    Design. The experimental group included 43 seventh-graders who had been taught using our introductory equilibrium curriculum two years prior (4 lessons). The control group (44 seventh-graders) from the same schools had not participated in any special curriculum. The assessment procedure simulated the “physics lesson” with reading the textbook and watching the educational video. Then students had to complete five balance tasks of two types (with one or multiple locations for weights on each lever arm).

    Results. The results revealed that students in the experimental group did significantly better solving the “scattered weights” problems. When the digital simulation allowed all students to resort to trials, the control group relied on the "trial and error" method significantly more than the experimental group.

    Conclusion. Students’ adherence to the “conceptual” approach was most clearly revealed through their way of solving “scattered weights” tasks and the number of “excessive” trials in computer simulation. The results proved the lasting effect of our introductory curriculum.

    
    

    Keywords: multiplicative concepts/ balance task/ school subjects propaedeutics/ science learning/ transition to secondary education

    DOI: 10.11621/pir.2025.0402

• Differentiating the Effects of Fathers’ and Mothers’ Parenting Styles on Academic and Emotional Outcomes among Male and Female Vietnamese Students

  Quang Dao, P.; Le, D.H.

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  Quang Dao, P., Le, D.H. (2025). Differentiating the Effects of Fathers’ and Mothers’ Parenting Styles on Academic and Emotional Outcomes among Male and Female Vietnamese Students, Psychology in Russia: State of the Art, 18(4), 36-69. DOI: 10.11621/pir.2025.0403

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  • Background. Parenting styles shape children’s academic performance and psychological well-being, yet previous research has not distinguished the separate effects of fathers and mothers on boys and girls, nor has it examined the mediating role of social comparison in these relationships.

    Objective. To examine gender-specific differences in the effects of fathers’ and mothers’ parenting styles and explore the mediating role of social comparison among Vietnamese high school students.

    Design. A sample of Vietnamese high school students (N = 661) completed self-report measures assessing perceived parenting styles, social comparison, academic performance, and psychological distress levels.

    Results. The findings revealed that while fathers’ authoritative and authoritarian styles were not significantly associated with boys’ academic performance, authoritarian parenting was linked to lower academic outcomes among girls. Fathers’ permissive style showed a positive association with girls’ academic performance but was also related to higher distress levels across both genders. For mothers, the authoritarian style appeared more detrimental to girls’ academic outcomes than to boys’, whereas the authoritative style was associated with lower distress only among girls. Regarding indirect effects, social comparison played a significant mediating role in several relationships, particularly for mothers’ parenting. Specifically, mothers’ authoritarian style was related to higher academic performance and greater distress through social comparison in both genders. Conversely, mothers’ authoritative style improved boys’ academic performance via social comparison, whereas fathers’ permissive style was associated with improved academic performance among girls and increased distress across genders through the same mechanism.

    Conclusion. Our findings highlight the need for gender-sensitive parenting interventions that consider the distinct roles of fathers and mothers in shaping academic and psychological outcomes. Additionally, promoting healthy social comparison strategies in schools may help mitigate distress and enhance students’ academic motivation.

    
    

    Keywords: parenting styles/ academic outcomes/ emotional outcomes/ social comparison/ gender differences

    DOI: 10.11621/pir.2025.0403

• The Role of Parenting Styles in Schoolchildren’s Homework Motivation, Homework Behavior, and Academic Achievement

  Gordeeva, T.O.; Nechaeva, D.M.; Sychev, O.A.

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  Gordeeva, T.O., Nechaeva, D.M., Sychev, O.A. (2025). The Role of Parenting Styles in Schoolchildren’s Homework Motivation, Homework Behavior, and Academic Achievement, Psychology in Russia: State of the Art, 18(4), 70–86. DOI: 10.11621/pir.2025.0404

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  • Background. Previous research highlights the importance of parental support, and in particular parental autonomy support, in homework motivation. However, the joint impact of parental autonomy support and parental control on homework motivation, cheating, persistence, and GPA has not been studied, despite the importance of homework motivation and homework behavior for students’ academic achievement.

    Objective. To investigate how students’ parental control and parental autonomy support are related to homework motivation and homework behaviors (e.g., cheating and persistence), and academic achievement in Russian high school students.

    Design. The participants were high school students, N = 526 (257 girls and 269 boys, M_age = 16.48, SD = .61). The measures used included the Perceived Parental Autonomy Support Scale (Mageau et al., 2015), the Motivation for Homework Scale (Gordeeva & Sychev, 2025b), the Homework Behavior Scale (Gordeeva & Sychev, 2025a), and students’ GPA.

    Results. In contrast to control, parental autonomy support showed a clear positive effect on student academic achievement. Structural equation modeling showed that perceived parental autonomy support in childhood is positively associated with students’ GPA, autonomous homework motivation, and productive homework behavior. On the other hand, controlling parenting style demonstrated ambivalent patterns of results, being a predictor of low persistence, external and introjected homework motivation, with the latter related to higher GPA. 

    Conclusion. This study extends previous self-determination theory (SDT) research on parenting styles by examining their role in homework behavior and academic performance, particularly emphasizing the dual importance of promoting parental autonomy support and lowering parental control for homework motivation.

    
    

    Keywords: homework motivation / parental autonomy support and control / self-determination theory / persistence / academic achievement / cheating / high school students

    DOI: 10.11621/pir.2025.0404

• The Influence of Demographic Characteristics on Student Academic Performance in University Admission Tests

  Abdrasilov, B.; Charkhabi, M.; Shinetova, L.; Radi Afsouran, N.; Kardanova, E.

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  Abdrasilov, B., Charkhabi, M., Shinetova, L., Radi Afsouran, N., Kardanova, E. (2025). The Influence of Demographic Characteristics on Student Academic Performance in University Admission Tests, Psychology in Russia: State of the Art, 18(4), 87–103. DOI: 10.11621/pir.2025.0405

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  • Background. Psychological attention to the role of academic performance in university admission tests is still growing. This attention includes both the psychometric characteristics of these tests and the cognitive and non-cognitive factors that may affect performance in admission tests.  

    Objective. This study aims to assess the stability and changes in the academic performance of students across two consecutive admission tests. It also aims to examine how participants’ genders and languages can relate to student academic performance.

    Design. To test the research hypotheses, we sampled a large group of school graduates (n = 25.563) who applied and took two national university admission tests in 2024 in Kazakhstan. 

    Results. The results of the Pearson correlation revealed that there is a positive association between the academic performance of applicants in two consecutive national admission test scores (r = .913). The paired t-test results suggested that they were statistically significant, with the largest increase in overall scores (ΔM = .96). Gender was found to affect the academic performance such that females outperformed males (85.6% vs. 64.6% pass rates), showing stronger effect sizes. There were also statistical differences between the two groups of Russian and Kazakh test takers; however, this difference was not practically significant. 

    Conclusion. These findings suggest that demographic characteristics of applicants can considerably influence the university admission results, and it is recommended that test developers be attentive to this issue. Academic performance showed strong stability over time, especially in STEM subjects, with significant but modest overall improvements across subjects. 

    
    
    

    Keywords: demographic characteristics/ academic performance/ gender differences/ language differences/ unified national test

    DOI: 10.11621/pir.2025.0405

Family psychology

• Image of the Family and Orienting Image of Attachment: A Psychosemantic Approach

  Chursina, A.V.

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  Chursina, A.V. (2025). Image of the Family and Orienting Image of Attachment: A Psychosemantic Approach, Psychology in Russia: State of the Art, 18(4), 205–218. DOI: 10.11621/pir.2025.0411

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  • Background. There are genetic, social, and interpersonal factors that determine the relationship between mate preferences and parental figures. Attachment theory offers an explanatory principle about the continuity of relationships with the primary caregiver and romantic partner.

    Objective. To integrate the cultural-historical and attachment approaches, and to examine the contribution of attachment style to the image of the family, as well as to conceptualize the orienting image of attachment.

    Design. 237 heterosexual Russian individuals participated in the study. The Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised (ECR-R) Questionnaire and a Semantic Differential Scale were used to assess attachment style, as well as images of self, romantic partner, mother and father, and the family.

    Results. Significant differences in the image of the family were found depending on attachment style; however, no differences were found in the image of the parental family. Attachment insecurity dimensions are associated with perceptions of the similarity of image of the mother and the romantic partner image in men and women (both dimensions for women and avoidance for men). Characteristics of the mother and father images predict attachment anxiety in women, while the father image predicts attachment avoidance in men.

    Conclusion. The orienting image of attachment was conceptualized as the image of the mother, which is explained by the cultural patterns of upbringing in the Russian sample; however, individual characteristics of parental images act as predictors of attachment insecurity dimensions.

    
    

    Keywords: romantic attachment/ image of family/ orienting image of attachment/ mate preferences

    DOI: 10.11621/pir.2025.0411

Psychometrics

• Validation of the Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Scar Cognition Scale in a Russian-Speaking Sample

  Grigoreva, A.A.; Kondratovich, A.K.; Trabelsi, F.M.; Mokritskaya, A.N.; Marachev, M.P.; Fedotov, I.A.

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  Grigoreva, A.A., Kondratovich, A.K., Trabelsi, F.M., Mokritskaya, A.N., Marachev, M.P., & Fedotov, I.A. (2025). Validation of the Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Scar Cognition Scale (NSSI-SCS) in a Russian-speaking Sample, Psychology in Russia: State of the Art, 18(4), 142–167. DOI: 10.11621/pir.2025.0408

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  • Background.  Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) scars carry significant emotional weight, but no validated tools existed to assess related cognitions in Russian-speaking clinical practice.

    Objective. This study aimed to adapt and validate the Russian-language version of the Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Scar Cognition Scale (NSSI-SCS) and examine its psychometric properties in a clinical Russian-speaking sample.

    Design. The study recruited 262 participants with NSSI history and visible scars from psychiatric hospitals. The adaptation used forward-back translation and cross-cultural adaptation. Reliability was assessed with Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega. Construct validity was evaluated via Confirmatory (CFA) and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). Convergent and discriminant validity were examined through correlations with measures of suicidality, social anxiety, rumination, body image dysphoria, and NSSI functions.

    Results. CFA indicated a poor fit for the original five-factor model. EFA supported a culturally adapted three-factor structure: 'Hopelessness' (suicidal ideation, weakness), 'Shame' (social stigmatization), and 'Inner Strength' (resilience). The 21-item scale demonstrated high internal consistency (α = .876 total). Convergent validity was confirmed by significant positive correlations of 'Hopelessness' and 'Shame' with suicidality, social anxiety, rumination, and body dysphoria. 'Inner Strength' showed discriminant validity through non-significant correlations with these clinical measures but positive correlations with NSSI functions.

    Conclusion. The Russian NSSI-SCS is a valid and reliable tool. Its three-factor model provides a clinically useful framework for understanding the psychological impact of NSSI scars, facilitating targeted interventions and further research.

    
    
    

    Keywords: self-injurious behavior/ attitudes toward scars/ consequences of self-injury/ non-suicidal self-injury/ cognitive assessment

    DOI: 10.11621/pir.2025.0408

• New Gratitude Scale in Mexican Youth: Validity and Reliability Analysis

  Acevedo-Ibarra, J.N.; Contreras-Castañeda, E.; Palacios-Delgado, J.R.

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  Acevedo-Ibarra, J.N., Contreras-Castañeda, E., Palacios-Delgado, J.R. (2025). New Gratitude Scale in Mexican Youth: Validity and Reliability Analysis, Psychology in Russia: State of the Art, 18(4), 168–184. DOI: 10.11621/pir.2025.0409

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  • Background. Gratitude is a human strength that promotes well-being; however, it is important to consider culture when constructing scales. 

    Objective. To develop and validate a culturally adapted Mexican Gratitude Scale for youth, establishing its psychometric properties: reliability, internal structure, convergent validity, and criterion validity.

    Design. The participants were 442 Mexican young people with a mean age of 20.81 years from three regions of Mexico.

    Results. The initial 28-item scale underwent systematic refinement through Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). This psychometric validation process yielded a final 9-item instrument characterized by a robust two-dimensional factorial structure: personal gratitude and emotional gratitude. The CFA results confirmed this structure through excellent model fit indices (CFI = .98; NFI = .97) and demonstrated significant internal consistency for personal gratitude (ω = .89) and emotional gratitude (ω = .88). The scale provided evidence for convergent validity through significant correlations. Personal gratitude showed moderate associations with optimism (r = .40), positive vision (r = .37), affective resources (r = .30), and hope (r = .43), while emotional gratitude exhibited stronger relationships with optimism (r = .54), positive vision (r = .51), affective resources (r = .42), and hope (r = .52). Discriminant validity was evidenced by young people who do not report any type of mental disease scoring higher on gratitude.

    Conclusion. The psychometric properties of the Mexican Gratitude Scale proved to be acceptable, facilitating its use and application in the general and clinical population for future research.

    
    

    Keywords: gratitude/ positive psychology/ scale/ validity/ youths

    DOI: 10.11621/pir.2025.0409

Social psychology

• When Social Media Shapes Appearance Consciousness: Parental Mediation in Problematic Media Usage and Emotional Intelligence Profiles

  de Armas Cortés, E.; Martínez Torres, J.L.; Torralbas Oslé, J.E.

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  De Armas Cortés, E., Martínez Torres, J.L., Torralbas Oslé, J.E. (2025). When Social Media Shapes Appearance Consciousness: Parental Mediation in Problematic Media Usage and Emotional Intelligence Profiles, Psychology in Russia: State of the Art, 18(4), 104–123. DOI: 10.11621/pir.2025.0406

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  • Background. Problematic social media use and emotional regulation difficulties have been associated with increased appearance-related concerns among adolescents. However, these associations may vary depending on the interaction of psychosocial factors and contextual influences such as parental mediation.

    Objective. To identify profiles based on adolescents’ levels of problematic social media use and online emotional intelligence, and to examine their relationship with appearance-related social media consciousness, considering the mediating role of parental mediation strategies and the moderating role of gender.

    Design. A total of 636 Cuban adolescents aged 12 to 15 participated in the study, the majority of whom were female (n = 351, 55.2%). Measures included validated scales of social media disorder, online emotional intelligence, parental mediation, and appearance-related social media consciousness (ASMC). Latent Profile Analysis was used to identify profiles, followed by parallel multiple mediation and moderated mediation models using the PROCESS macro.

    Results. Four latent profiles were identified, reflecting different combinations of emotional competence and problematic use. Only active parental mediation emerged as a significant mediator between profiles and appearance-related social media consciousness (ASMC), with stronger effects among adolescents with lower emotional intelligence. No significant moderated mediation by gender was found, although girls reported higher exposure to mediation and more pronounced indirect effects in high-risk profiles.

    Conclusion. These findings emphasize that adolescents’ digital and emotional profiles shape how appearance-related risks develop in social media contexts. They underscore the protective value of active parental mediation and suggest that interventions should not only address problematic social media use but also promote emotional competencies and strengthen family involvement, offering practical guidelines for prevention programs and school-based interventions. 

    
    

    Keywords: problematic social media use/ emotional intelligence/ parental mediation/ adolescence/ appearance consciousness/ gender/ body image

    DOI: 10.11621/pir.2025.0406

• Perceived Stress and Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Among Chinese Young Adults: The Mediating Role of Psychological Distress and the Moderating Role of Self-Control

  Guo, J.; Xie, X.; Zheng, F.; Wang, F.

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  Guo J., Xie Y., Zheng F., Wang F. (2025). Perceived Stress and Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Among Chinese Young Adults: The Mediating Role of Psychological Distress and the Moderating Role of Self-Control, Psychology in Russia: State of the Art, 18(4), 124–141. DOI: 10.11621/pir.2025.0407

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  • Background. Previous research has established the significant role of perceived stress in contributing to Smartphone addiction, but the specific effects and mechanisms through which perceived stress influences smartphone application-based addiction (SABA) among young adults remain insufficiently understood.

    Objective. This study investigates the relationship between perceived stress and the smartphone application-based addiction (SABA) in emerging adulthood, focusing on the mediating role of psychological distress and the moderating role of self-control.

    Design. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 1,911 young adults in Southwest China, utilizing the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-4), the Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale (SABAS), the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4), and the Brief Self-Control Scale (BSCS).

    Results. Perceived stress positively predicted psychological distress (β = .47, t = 24.38, P < .001), psychological distress positively predicted Smartphone application-based addiction (β = .42, t = 7.04, P < .001), and perceived stress positively predicted smartphone application-based addiction (β = .65, t = 11.46, P < .001). Psychological distress was a mediating variable between the relationship between perceived stress and smartphone application-based addiction, with a mediating effect size of .19 (95% CI = [.13, .26]), accounting for 22.62% of the total effect. Self-control moderated the relationship between perceived stress and psychological distress in young adults (β = -.13, t = -8.40, P <.001).

    Conclusion. Our findings reveal a positive correlation between perceived stress and SABA, with psychological distress serving as a mediator. The impact of perceived stress on SABA is more significant among individuals with lower self-control, indicating that targeted interventions for these groups may be particularly beneficial.

    Keywords: perceived stress/ Smartphone application-based addiction/ self-control/ psychological distress/ young adults

    DOI: 10.11621/pir.2025.0407

Systematic review

• The Effect of Sports and Recreational Programs on the Well-Being of Children and Adolescents Without Parental Care: A Systematic Review

  Spaić, P.M.; Milovanović, I.M.; Matić, R.M.; Lakićević, N.; Maksimović, N.; Drid, P.

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  Spaić, P.M., Milovanović, I.M., Matić, R.M., Lakićević, N., Maksimović, N., Drid, P., (2025). The Effect of Sports and Recreational Programs on the Well-Being of Children and Adolescents Without Parental Care: A Systematic Review, Psychology in Russia: State of the Art, 18(4), 3–22. DOI: 10.11621/pir.2025.0401

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  • Background. Children and adolescents without parental care due to parental loss resulting from neglect, abandonment, abuse, institutionalization, or other social circumstances represent a vulnerable population. They face physical and mental health challenges, worsened by the absence of stable support systems. Understanding the benefit that sports and recreational activities can have on improving their well-being is essential.

    Objective. This paper synthesizes existing scientific evidence of the effects of sports and recreational programs on the physical and psychosocial well-being of children and adolescents without parental care, with a particular focus on their specific circumstances and vulnerabilities.

    Design. Eligibility criteria included studies that examined interventions aimed at improving physical health, anthropometric development, and psychosocial well-being among orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). The focus was on OVC affected by parental loss, abandonment, neglect, abuse, or other social circumstances. All studies were assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT).

    Results. Six studies met inclusion criteria, with 331 participants aged 5–21 years. The interventions varied in duration, type, frequency, and intensity, lasting from 3 months to 4 years with training from several times a week to continuous participation. Sessions ranged from 10 minutes to 2 hours. Some programs included personal development, motivational stories, arts, and cultural activities. Interventions improved physical fitness, reduced aggression and risky behaviors, and enhanced self-confidence, social interaction, and academic performance.

    Conclusion. Included studies demonstrated the positive impact of sports and recreational programs on physical and psychosocial well-being, including improvements in physical fitness, self-confidence, inclusion, reduction of high-risk behaviors, and academic performance.

    Keywords: physical education/ sports/ orphans and vulnerable children/ children and adolescents without parental care

    DOI: 10.11621/pir.2025.0401