Cosmetic surgery is an interdisciplinary field involving cosmetics and medicine that stems from the early modern obsession with disfigurement. The “correcting” of facial features and body parts was very likely because beauty was at the heart of most reconstructive desires. Cosmetic surgery patients typically experience improvements in body image, and some are very satisfied with the impact of cosmetic surgery in changing their behaviors and improving self-esteem. The doctrine of mind–body connection supports the concept of healing the heart through the body. However, some people feel disgraced after revealing their experiences of cosmetic surgery. It is known that people who experience childhood psychological trauma, such as abuse and school bullying, may opt for cosmetic surgery later in life. The present study aimed to explore the relationship between childhood psychological trauma, cosmetic surgery, and body image. Three female adults who had undergone different types of cosmetic surgery completed the Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale (ACSS), the Fear of Negative Appearance Evaluation Scale (FNAES), and the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ), followed by semistructured face-to-face interviews. According to the results, 1) undergoing cosmetic surgery can enhance self-confidence, reduce body dissatisfaction, resolve inner conflicts, and somewhat relieve psychological distress; 2) self-esteem and body image obtained from cosmetic surgery can resolve the distressing aftereffects of childhood trauma that occur later in life; and 3) the perceived sense of beauty achieved from cosmetic surgery contributes to a certain degree of self-confidence in the short term and promotes appearance-enhancing behaviors while increasing the distress of others discovering their cosmetic surgery experiences. The implications of this study are that undergoing cosmetic surgery can have healing effects on childhood trauma; however, there are certain drawbacks that can occur, such as distress and an insatiable desire for or an “addiction” to surgery.

Introduction: Excessive social media use, though considered unhealthy, is no longer formally categorized as an addiction or disorder, leading to a lack of consensus on this behavior. It raises concerns regarding the exclusion of Internet Addiction Disorder from the DSM-5-TR due to insufficient empirical evidence. This study investigates the serial mediating effects of positive and negative affect, fear of missing out, and offline and online self-presentation in the relationship between social media use and social media addiction.Method: The study was conducted in Hong Kong with 385 participants (84.2% F, age range = 18–60) of an online survey. This study administered the Social Media Use Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Fear of Missing Out Scale, Presentation of Online Self Scale, and Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale.Results: The results indicate that social media use plays a significant role in predicting both positive and negative affect. The findings further reveal that positive and negative affect, fear of missing out, and offline and online self-presentation act as serial mediators in the relationship between social media use and social media addiction. In other words, these variables work together in a sequential manner to mediate the impact of social media use on addiction. Additionally, the study indicates that social media use and social media addiction are fully mediated by both positive and negative affect, fear of missing out, and offline and online self-presentation.Discussion: Social media use can evoke both positive and negative affect. The longer individuals are immersed in social media, the more their positive affect intensifies, exacerbating FoMO and fostering inconsistent offline and online self-presentation. Conversely, extended social media engagement can heighten negative affect, leading to anxiety about others having more rewarding experiences and concurrently inducing apprehension characterized by FoMO. To prevent addiction, the development of educational tools such as SimCity video games, scenario-based learning activities, and virtual reality experiences focused on social media use and social media addiction can offer a valuable opportunity for pre-exposure to the related risks and challenges.

Introduction: Although the literature reports that play provides substantial psychological benefits for individuals, it is often only emphasized by educators for younger children but less so for emerging adults. This cross-sectional study examined the impact of time spent engaged in play on emerging adults’ emotional intelligence, emotional traits, and resilience.Methods: Participants (N = 131, 93.9% women) were full-time undergraduate students between the ages of 19 and 25 (M = 21.28,SD = 1.08).Results: Results showed that play experiences cultivated emotional intelligence and strengthened resilience. Further, the findings supported a serial mediation model in which play was indirectly related to resilience through its effect on emotional intelligence and positive emotion.Discussion: Play is recognized as a means to relieve stress and protect psychological wellbeing. Emerging adults who experience pleasure, enjoyment, learning, and the acquisition of new skills will benefit from play. Individuals should enhance positive play experiences, particularly sporting activities, to maintain a healthy work-life balance given the positive relationship between play, emotional intelligence, emotional traits, and resilience.

This study investigates the mediating role of reflective thinking practice in the relationship between practicum and positive mirror effect in early childhood special education teacher training. The study participants comprise students enrolled in undergraduate early childhood teacher education programs specific to special education. This study entails a post-evaluation using the Experiential Learning Experiences Scale, Reflective Practice Questionnaire, and Mirror Effects Inventory to assess practicum experiences, reflective thinking practices, and mirror effects via an online survey after engaging in experiential learning, particularly a teaching practicum. The hypothetical serial multiple mediation model is analyzed using PROCESS macro. The results reveal that the relationship between practicum experiences and the positive mirror effect was at least partially explained by the desire for improvement, reflective capacity, and confidence. However, the desire for improvement is not sufficient to demonstrate a mediation effect. Moreover, the findings suggest that reflective capacity fostering student teachers’ confidence may generate a positive mirror effect. These findings highlight the beneficial effects of reflective capacity in the relationship between practicum experiences and positive mirror effects in early childhood special education teacher training. This implies that practicum experiences can contribute positively to reflective capacity and foster student teachers’ affective learning experiences, ultimately enhancing the overall professionalism of early childhood special education. This study provides essential insights indicating that further research should focus on extracting practical knowledge and reflective experiences in special education from pre-service and experienced in-service teachers, along with methods to cultivate positive affective experience and confidence, thereby generating a positive mirror effect in practicums across diverse disciplines.

Background: Mirroring is a specific phenomenon that occurs in groups. People observe others enacting different roles in given situations, whereby concretizing the role of the observing aspect of their self as if looking in a mirror. Individuals could acquire emotional, cognitive, imaginative, behavioral, and interpersonal experiences through this process of mirroring; that is, “mirror effects.” Given that there are very few comprehensive scales capable of evaluating mirror effects, the Mirror Effects Inventory (MEI) was developed to measure experiences after participating in counseling education. This study describes the development of the MEI based on an interpersonal perspective and aimed to validate this scale. Methods: The development and validation of the MEI involved a seven-stage process that utilized both qualitative and quantitative methods. Former students who studied counseling (N = 24) were surveyed via semi-structured telephone interviews. A subjective perceived scale (the MEI) was then constructed. The MEI was administered to part-time university students (N = 221) studying counseling courses. Psychometric tests were performed to examine its validity and reliability. Validation of the MEI included examining correlations between three types of mirror effects and age differences and educational attainment. Results: The PCA revealed three types of mirror effects: general, positive, and negative. These components accounted for 53.82% of the total variance. Reliability estimates measured using Cronbach’s alpha of .88 indicated that the items were internally consistent. The findings showed that as the general mirror effect increased, there was a corresponding increase in the positive mirror effect and a decrease in the negative mirror effect. However, an increase in positive mirror effects was associated with an increase in negative mirror effects. Conclusions: The development of a reliable and valid measure of mirror effects has benefits and implications for counseling education and clinical practice. Further empirical research could contribute to resolving the controversies concerning the basic conceptual understanding of MEI.