The Social Physique Anxiety Scale (SPAS) is a popular measure of individual anxiety related to body image. This study assessed the psychometric properties of the 12-, 9-, 8- and 7-item versions of the SPAS. Two cross-sectional studies recruited 466 Chinese university students. Study 1 (n = 273) evaluated the construct validity and internal consistency of the SPAS. Study 2 (n = 193) further assessed the construct validity, factorial validity, internal consistency, convergent validity and divergent validity of the SPAS. The results indicated that none of the existing SPAS versions possess good psychometric properties suitable for the Chinese student population. In short, a new 7-item version of the SPAS that is more suitable for measuring social physique anxiety among Chinese university students. The implications of our results and future research directions are discussed.

Active participation in physical activity by older people is effective in improving their health. This research aims to examine the positive effects of participation in vigorous outdoor physical activities by older Chinese people in Hong Kong, and whether such effects would vary with socioeconomic background. A quasi-experimental, nonequivalent group design was used. A total of 22 participants were randomly assigned to participate in an outdoor physical activity program. Another 14 participants took part as a control group. The 14-item Self-Image of Aging Scale for Chinese Elders and the four-item self-report Subjective Happiness Scale were used to measure participants’ self-image and overall happiness level. All participants completed the assessment before and after the program. Happiness level was enhanced in participants in the experimental group (p = 0.037) and their level of overall mental health also improved (p = 0.031, η²p = 0.129). Demographics did not have any significant effect on well-being outcomes. A structured outdoor physical activity program could be a viable choice for future practice to enhance the mental well-being of older Chinese people.

With the global aging population, more research is needed on older adults’ mental health, particularly loneliness, a key psychological challenge resulting from life changes. While some researchers highlighted the potential of social media in reducing loneliness, the empirical findings remain unclear. This meta-analysis, including 19,134 observations, revealed no significant overall correlation between social media use and loneliness among older adults. To explore variability between studies, we conducted sensitivity analyses (excluding influential studies), subgroup analyses (based on age group, year of data collection, measure of social media use, and study region), and meta-regression with gender distribution as a moderator. Notably, a negative association was identified in the subgroup of studies conducted before COVID-19, indicating that social media may have helped reduce loneliness among older adults during that period. However, this benefit highlights that online networking cannot fully replace real-life social interaction.

Objectives. Given the continuing COVID-19 pandemic and the associated prevention and control measures implemented, the psychological burden brought by the pandemic on citizens is expected to increase. This study is aimed at exploring the predictors of depressive symptoms among Hong Kong people during the epidemic, as well as factors that could potentially alleviate the negative effects of the epidemic. Methods. The third wave follow-up survey (December 2021 to January 2022) from a longitudinal prospective survey study conducted in Hong Kong was used for a cross-sectional analysis. The participants ( ) are adults aged 18 and above in Hong Kong. Logistic and linear regression were performed to test the predictors and moderating effects, respectively, with depression as the outcome variable. Results. With minimized confounding effects of demographic variables, higher levels of concern about infection, experience with COVID-19 infection and previous epidemics, hassles, and trust in authority increased the odds of being depressed, while a higher level of trust in medical professionals reduced the odds of depression. Moreover, greater trust in medical professionals, as a moderator, lessened the positive associations between the levels of depression and hassles and concern about infection. Conclusions. Even though the threats of COVID-19 seem to have lowered, this study shows that a few factors associated with the pandemic continue to threaten people’s mental health. However, developing greater trust in medical experts may be an effective way to relieve psychological burden.

Purpose: Individuals' corrective behavior is a crucial strategy for addressing the proliferation of misinformation on social media. Informed by the influence of presumed media influence (IPMI) framework, this study investigates the pathways linking individuals' own exposure to misinformation on COVID-19 to their intentions to correct it. Design/methodology/approach: A nationally representative survey was conducted with 1,000 Singaporeans and permanent residents. The proposed mechanism was tested using structural equation modeling. Findings: Individuals' own exposure to COVID-19 misinformation was positively associated with their perception of others' exposure, which in turn influenced their perceived severity and susceptibility of COVID-19 misinformation on others. Additionally, individuals' presumed others' exposure to COVID-19 misinformation, perceived severity of misinformation on others and their negative affective responses serially mediated the relationship between their own exposure to misinformation and correction intention. Individuals' own exposure to COVID-19 misinformation was not significantly related to their perceived influence of misinformation on self, while both perceived threats of misinformation on self were positively linked to their affective responses, which ultimately influenced correction intention. Originality/value: Our paper reveals a self-other discrepancy in perceived misinformation influence, where individuals underestimate effects on themselves while overestimating impacts on others. We also refined presumed media influence into two dimensions – perceived severity and susceptibility – which function differently in shaping responses. Additionally, we identify a pathway linking personal misinformation exposure to correction intention through serial mediation effects. Peer review: The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-03-2025-0183