This three-wave longitudinal study aimed to investigate whether the relationship between self-control and academic achievement, through mastery goals, was conditional on the nature of the teacher-student relationships. A total of 852 junior school students in China completed questionnaires about self-control, mastery goals, and teacher-student relationships. Academic achievement was obtained from the school. The analyses of moderated mediation effects based on structural equation modeling showed that teacher-student emotional conflict increased the negative effect of students’ low self-control on academic achievement via mastery goals, whereas teacher-student emotional support failed to moderate this link. Thus, both mediating and moderating effects exist in the association between self-control and adolescents’ academic achievement.

Although narcissism consistently predicts maladaptive behaviors, the relationship between narcissism and prosocial behavior remains controversial due to the paradoxical nature of narcissism. In three studies, we investigated the roles of situational and motivational factors in the link between narcissism and prosocial behavior. In Study 1 (n = 932), a questionnaire survey revealed that trait narcissism positively predicted prosocial behavior tendencies only in public situations as opposed to anonymous situations. In Study 2 (n = 200) and 3 (n = 170), we manipulated individuals’ state narcissism through story-based primes and measured prosocial behavior via actual monetary donations. Both Studies 2 and 3 consistently demonstrated that participants in the state narcissism group exhibited greater prosocial behavior in public situations compared to anonymous ones. Furthermore, the findings of Study 3 indicated that the increased prosocial behavior observed in public situations could be attributed to heightened self-enhancement. These findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between narcissism and prosocial behavior.

This study conducts a cross-sectional analysis to examine the complex relationship between perceived neighborhood disorder and adolescent social behaviors, aiming to enhance our understanding of the psychological mechanisms underlying this relationship. Based on a robust sample of 4399 Chinese adolescent participants (M_age = 14.16, SD = 2.11), including 2112 females (48% of the sample), this study examines the combined impact of perceived neighborhood disorder and the presence of positive peer relationships on adolescent prosocial behavior. It examines the potential mediating role of self-esteem within this dynamic. The methodological approach combines parental assessments of neighborhood disorder with adolescents’ reports of positive peer interactions, self-esteem, and prosocial behavior. Findings show a significant negative correlation between perceived neighborhood disorder and adolescent prosocial behavior. Unexpectedly, positive peer presence fails to mitigate this adverse effect, amplifying it instead. Moreover, self-esteem serves as a mediator in the relationship between perceived neighborhood disorder and the impact of positive peers on prosocial behavior. The findings align with the Bioecological Framework and the Reverse Stress-Buffering Model, underscoring the importance of environmental interactions in shaping adolescent behavior.

How students cope with academic stress is crucial for learning and well-being. The Multidimensional Measure of Coping (MMC) provides a comprehensive hierarchical assessment of academic coping; however, its length and adaptive–maladaptive distinction may limit practical use and constrain a more differentiated understanding of academic coping. This study aimed to refine the MMC and propose a differentiated higher-order structure for the MMC-Short Form (MMC-SF). Data were drawn from three adolescent samples from Northwest China (2024–2025): an exploratory sample (N = 1342), a confirmatory sample (N = 2037; test–retest N = 367; 4 weeks), and a longitudinal sample (T1 N = 948; T2 N = 760 at 1 month; T3 N = 893 at 6 months). Psychometric analyses (item analysis, exploratory structural equation modeling and confirmatory factor analysis [CFA]) demonstrated that the 34-item MMC-SF reliably preserved the original 11-factor structure. Furthermore, a multi-method investigation integrating higher-order exploratory factor analysis and second-order CFA supported a hybrid higher-order structure, with proactive engagement and defensive disengagement as higher-order dimensions and escape coping as a distinct first-order factor. The predictive validity was examined in relation to academic self-efficacy and burnout. These findings support the reconceptualization of academic coping and provide a brief, psychometrically robust assessment tool.