Given the increasing importance of adjusting to university life and achieving happiness, identifying the effective role of emotional intelligence and psychological needs’ satisfaction in enhancing students’ well-being is crucial. This study investigated the relation between emotional intelligence, psychological need satisfaction, and university students’ happiness. Data were collected from 205 university students (mean age: 23.35; predominantly female) at the University of Crete. Participants completed the Emotional Intelligence Scale, the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, and the Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction Scale. The analysis began with a correlation matrix to explore preliminary relations among the key variables. A multiple-linear regression analysis was then conducted to predict happiness levels based on observed correlations. Following this, a multiple-mediation analysis examined how emotional intelligence affects happiness through psychological needs satisfaction. The results indicated a positive association between emotional intelligence and happiness, with psychological needs’ satisfaction also positively correlating with happiness. Specifically, the use and regulation of emotion, competence, and autonomy significantly predicted happiness. Path analysis revealed that emotional intelligence indirectly influences happiness, particularly through competence. The results indicate that high emotional intelligence, through the satisfaction of basic psychological needs, is significantly associated with university students’ happiness. The study suggests that institutions should guide students in emotional intelligence and competence to increase happiness during their studies.

Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) and the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML) have long served as foundational frameworks in instructional design. However, their applicability to contemporary, technologically mediated learning environments remains under-theorized. This review critically examines CLT and CTML, focusing on their assumptions, empirical contributions, and current limitations in addressing the complexities of dynamic, AI-enhanced educational settings. The discussion is further enriched through engagement with complementary perspectives, including self-regulated learning, dual process theory, and connectivism. These frameworks illuminate conceptual convergences but also expose theoretical tensions, particularly regarding unresolved constructs such as germane cognitive load and the methodological challenges associated with real-time cognitive load measurement. In response to these gaps, this paper proposes the Cognitive Load-Aware Modulation (CLAM) strategy—a conceptual model designed to extend cognitive load principles in adaptive, ethically responsive learning environments. Synthesizing insights from cognitive psychology, educational technology, and affective computing, CLAM supports the design of personalized, data-driven instructional systems attuned to learners’ cognitive and emotional states. The model emerges not merely as a theoretical contribution, but as a future-oriented framework rooted in the critical synthesis of the reviewed literature. Its practical applications for real-world educational settings are outlined, and its empirical validation constitutes the next phase of our ongoing research project.

University life can be a period of growth and development, but it is also a time of significant stress and challenge. Thus, the study aimed to explore factors with the potential to exert facilitative and debilitative influence on university students’ academic performance. A research project was designed by putting together emotional intelligence and test anxiety, as two pillars that can adequately explain performance in educational contexts. The sample consisted of 205 students from the Department of Primary Education at the University of Crete. Participants completed the Emotional Intelligence Scale and the Cognitive Test Anxiety Scale-Revised and agreed to have their responses paired with their Grade Point Average (GPA) of all passed courses as well. Analyses tested the effect of the identified variables on GPA. A series of correlational analyses was conducted to explore the relationships among the above-mentioned variables. Increased worry was associated with decreases in GPA, while increased emotional intelligence was associated with increases in GPA. Moreover, the mediating role of cognitive test anxiety between emotional intelligence and academic performance emerged, indicating that emotional intelligence relates to GPA primarily indirectly. The results shed light on the impact these factors have on students’ academic outcomes and highlight the importance of developing a multifaceted intervention model that supports emotional intelligence and reduces worry in higher education.

Test anxiety has been the focus of research interest in the domains of education and psychology for over 70 years, as it affects not only students’ academic achievement and overall well-being, but students’ families and school staff as well. Given the implications of high-stakes school exams for students’ future educational opportunities and self-esteem, it is unsurprising that students experience test anxiety under the pressure of achieving high scores. In this context, it is imperative to comprehend the predictors and consequences of test anxiety to develop efficacious prevention and intervention programs. Therefore, the present review, aiming to extend the current understanding, provides insight and impacts of test anxiety, and highlights corresponding future implications. The implications that emerge could be considered by teachers, school and developmental psychologists, and educational professionals who aim to support students in reducing test anxiety and performing to their full potential in assessment situations.

Background: Interactive learning environments have emerged as transformative tools in education, enhancing engagement, academic performance, and addressing challenges like learning anxiety. This study examines the influence of multiple variables, including anxiety, internet usage for problem-solving, attitude towards a history course, metacognitive awareness, and interactive learning environments, on seventh-grade students’ academic performance. Methods: Using the Exploration of Attitudes Towards History Scale (EDIS) scale to measure attitudes and the Metacognitive Awareness of Reading Strategies Inventory-Revised Two-Factor Version (MARSI-2fR) to assess metacognitive awareness, the study evaluated historical knowledge across three stages, namely pre-intervention, post-intervention, and a one-month-later retest. A comparative analysis was conducted between the control group and the intervention group. The statistical analyses involved the calculation of correlation coefficients, the implementation of general linear models, and the performance of Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Results: The findings indicated that prior to the intervention, factors such as learning anxiety and the extratextual component of metacognition were statistically significant predictors of achievement. However, the aforementioned factors ceased to be statistically significant when the parameter of study strategies was incorporated into the statistical model. The impact of the interactive learning environment on students’ achievement is highly statistically significant in terms of post-test scores, while the influence of all other predictors becomes insignificant. The retest confirmed the continued maintenance of the achieved results as evaluated following the intervention. Conclusions: The study confirms previous research demonstrating that interactive learning environments are an effective method of enhancing students’ academic performance and reducing the negative impact of learning anxiety.

First-year university students experience substantial academic, psychological, and social changes that can influence both well-being and academic engagement. This longitudinal qualitative study explores how first-year students articulate their expectations and adjust to higher education. Data were collected through six weeks of semi-structured interviews with 19 first-year undergraduates enrolled in diverse academic fields across Greek universities. An initial interview conducted in Week 0 examined students’ expectations prior to entry, followed by five weekly interviews focusing on early academic, social, and emotional experiences. Reflexive thematic analysis identified five interrelated domains: Personal Adjustment, Academic Adjustment, Social Integration, Support Systems, and Academic Success. Findings indicate that students entered university with strong academic aspirations, alongside anticipatory concerns related to autonomy, social belonging, and unfamiliar academic environments. Over time, increased autonomy emerged, alongside the importance of peer and institutional support in shaping students’ experiences. Overall, the findings highlight the dynamic nature of first-year adjustment and underscore the importance of integrated academic, social, and institutional support during the early transition to university.