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Open Access
ISSN:1433-0237 (print)
ISSN:1815-5626 (online)
Publication Frequency:Bi-monthly
Journal of Psychology in Africa (JPA) is a peer-reviewed Open Access journal that publishes research articles, research reviews, conceptual development articles and thematic issues in the areas of socio-cultural and health development globally, with a particular emphasis on African settings and the African diaspora. This journal is published bi-monthly by Tech Science Press.
Social Sciences Citation Index (Web of Science): 2025 Impact Factor 1.1; Scopus Citescore (Impact per Publication 2025): 1.8; SNIP (Source Normalized Impact per Paper 2025): 0.336; JCI (Journal Citation Indicator): 0.32; IBSS (International Bibliography of the Social Sciences).
Effective 2025, the Journal of Psychology in Africa (JPA) will be published by Tech Science Press (TSP). This transition aims to broaden the journal’s reach, enhance its global influence, and ensure equitable access to high-quality research in psychology.
The journal’s mission, scope, and submission guidelines will remain unchanged. Under the continued leadership of Editor-in-Chief Prof. Elias Mpofu and the Editorial Board, JPA will maintain its commitment to advancing psychological research and practice.
We extend our gratitude to authors, reviewers, and readers for their steadfast support as we embrace this transformative phase in the journal’s journey.
Open Access
ARTICLE
REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.5, pp. 751-761, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.084759 - 30 October 2026
Abstract Physical education engagement is essential for children's healthy development, yet vulnerable populations are often overlooked in motivational research. This study examined the extent to which teacher autonomy support predicts student engagement through basic psychological need satisfaction and autonomous motivation. Four hundred ninety-eight children with parenting separation vulnerability completed validated scales measuring teacher autonomy support, basic psychological need satisfaction, autonomous motivation, and engagement in physical education (females = 69.5%, mean age = 13.18 years, SD = 0.84). Results from sequential mediation model analysis showed that teacher autonomy support is associated with higher student engagement. Need satisfaction,… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
SPECIAL SECTION ON PSYCHOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL RESPONSES IN THE WORKPLACE: A PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE ON POSITIVITY AND NEGATIVITYJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.5, pp. 763-773, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.084099 - 30 October 2026
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Psychological and Behavioral Responses in the Workplace: A Psychological Perspective on Positivity and Negativity)
Abstract The study investigated whether digital flourishing buffers occupational stress among Chinese kindergarten teachers, through psychological resilience and thriving at work. The study sample comprised 1914 kindergarten teachers across China (females = 79.68%; the largest age group was 36–45 years, 38.92%). Survey data were analyzed using structural equation modeling and multi-group analysis. Results indicated that digital flourishing was associated with lower occupational stress. Psychological resilience partially mediated this relationship for lower occupational stress. Thriving at work significantly moderated both the digital flourishing-to-resilience pathway and the direct digital flourishing-to-stress relationship for teachers high in work thriving. The More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.5, pp. 775-784, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.083260 - 30 October 2026
Abstract Academic achievement is influenced not only by students’ cognitive abilities but also by personal emotional resources, environmental support, and behavioral engagement. However, the mechanisms linking emotional intelligence to academic achievement remain insufficiently understood. Drawing on Social Cognitive Theory, this study investigated the roles of perceived teacher support and behavioral engagement in the relationship between emotional intelligence and self-reported academic achievement. Data were collected from 472 Chinese undergraduate students (51.1% male, 48.9% female; age range = 18–24 years) using psychometrically validated instruments, and structural equation modeling was employed to examine the hypothesized relationships and mediating mechanisms.… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.5, pp. 785-795, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.081211 - 30 October 2026
Abstract The present study examined the heterogeneity of smartphone dependence and its network relationships with perceived stress and fear of missing out. A total of 1014 university students completed the Fear of Missing Out Scale, Mobile Phone Addiction Index, and Perceived Stress Scale (females = 67.8%; juniors or above = 28.8%; mean age = 19.4 years, SD = 1.4). A latent profile analysis identified three smartphone dependence risk profiles: low-risk, moderate-risk, and high-risk. Moreover, a Gaussian graphical model showed that the ‘tension’ dimension of perceived stress was the most central and bridging node within the network. More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.5, pp. 797-805, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.079526 - 30 October 2026
Abstract This study investigates the association between career calling and academic engagement of pre-service teachers, examining the mediating role of the intention to choose teaching as a career (ICTC) and the moderating role of gender. The sample comprised 20,327 pre-service teachers (26.10% male, 73.90% female), who completed measures of career calling, ICTC, and academic engagement. Results from the moderated mediation analysis revealed that higher career calling was associated with academic engagement, with ICTC mediating this relationship to be stronger. Furthermore, gender moderated both the direct path from career calling to academic engagement and the path from More >
Open Access
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REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.5, pp. 807-816, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.079509 - 30 October 2026
Abstract The study examined whether passive social media use is associated with meaning in life through social comparison and personal relative deprivation. Undergraduate students (n = 347, females = 52.7%, mean age = 19.1 years, SD = 0.92 years) completed surveys on passive social media use, social comparison, personal relative deprivation and meaning in life. Results from cross-lagged analysis showed that passive social media use was not significantly associated with meaning in life in either cross-sectional or longitudinal analyses. However, passive social media use was indirectly associated with lower presence of meaning through a chained pathway More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.5, pp. 817-828, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.075703 - 30 October 2026
Abstract Drawing on social exchange theory and attribution theory, our study examined how helpers’ hierarchical characteristics, including hierarchical level (high vs. low) and hierarchical type (power vs. status), influenced recipients’ cooperative behavior. Across three scenario experiments, participants received help from a colleague who differed in hierarchical level or type and then reported their gratitude and cooperative behavior. Study 1 (n = 107) revealed that receiving help from a high-power (vs. low-power) colleague increased participants’ cooperative behavior by eliciting greater gratitude, supporting H1 and H3. Study 2 (n = 108) focused on status hierarchy using a similar… More >
Open Access
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REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.5, pp. 829-839, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.075460 - 30 October 2026
Abstract This study investigated latent profiles of school adjustment among adolescent victims of school bullying and examined differences in mental health levels and network structures across these profiles. Data were drawn from the “Database of Youth Health”, including 829 victims of school bullying (461 boys; 368 girls). Latent profile analysis yielded heterogeneity in school adjustment, which could be divided into the well-adapted group (characterized by strong prosocial competence, low antisocial behavior) and the poorly-adapted group (marked by insufficient prosocial resources, prominent antisocial behaviors). The well-adapted group had significantly better mental health status than the poorly-adapted group… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.5, pp. 841-852, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.072413 - 30 October 2026
Abstract Background: This study examined the relationship between job crafting and job satisfaction among employees in Eswatini’s energy sector, with work engagement and organisational commitment as sequential mediators. Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 235 blue- and white-collar employees. Data were analysed using PROCESS macro Model 6 to test sequential mediation, and independent-samples t-tests were used to assess group differences. Results: No direct relationship was found between job crafting and job satisfaction. However, a significant indirect effect emerged: job crafting increased work engagement, which enhanced organisational commitment and, in turn, job satisfaction (β = 0.211, 95% More >
Open Access
REVIEW
REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.5, pp. 853-863, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.067889 - 30 October 2026
Abstract This study utilized meta-analysis to examine the mediating effect of intrinsic motivation in the relationship between core self-evaluations (CSE) and employee performance. We extracted 82 independent studies encompassing a total sample size of 26,903 participants for analysis. Inclusion criteria were: (a) empirical studies using workplace samples; (b) reported zero-order correlations between CSE and performance; (c) individual-level analysis; (d) direct measurement of CSE; and (e) English-language publications. Exclusion criteria included student samples, non-empirical papers, and studies without sufficient effect sizes. The analysis included 103 correlations and meta-analytic structural equation modeling (MASEM) controlling for age, sex, tenure.… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.5, pp. 865-873, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.086491 - 30 October 2026
Abstract The present study examined the role of general self-efficacy (GSE) and interpersonal justice (IJ) in the relationship between servant leadership (SL) and teachers’ satisfaction with life (SWL). Participants were 332 K-12 teachers (98 males, 234 females, mean years of experience = 16.26) in Liaoning Province, China. They completed the Servant Leadership Scale (SLS), the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), the Interpersonal Justice Scale (IJS), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Results of testing a moderated mediation model showed that SL was associated with higher levels of teachers’ SWL. GSE partially mediated the relationship between SL More >
Open Access
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REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.5, pp. 875-885, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.082570 - 30 October 2026
Abstract The availability of a psychometrically robust instrument is essential for assessing professional identity, while there are relatively few validated measures of engineering identity in cross-cultural settings. This study aimed to translate and validate the Engineering Identity Scale (EIS) in the China context. The sample comprised 1024 engineering students in Shanxi, China (females = 42.3%, chemical and material engineering = 29.3%). The measure validation involved four stages: translation with back-translation, cognitive interviews to assess face validity, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to examine the validity and reliability of the instrument, and multi-group CFA (MGCFA) to test measurement More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.5, pp. 887-896, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.081622 - 30 October 2026
Abstract This study employed a transcendental phenomenological design to explore the experiences of Ethiopian senior high school students preparing for the national examination. A purposive sample of 21 Grade 12 students were informants. They completed in-depth interviews and kept reflective journals about their experiences preparing for the national examination. Data analysis, following Moustakas’s modified Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen method, revealed four core themes defining their lifeworld: (1) Sudden knowledge loss, characterized by anxiety-induced cognitive crashes; (2) Fluctuating self-belief acting as an internal performance regulator; (3) Strategic study as a mechanism for cognitive and psychological control; and (4) The teacher’s More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.5, pp. 897-908, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.081485 - 30 October 2026
Abstract Universities increasingly emphasise the development of soft skills because they are associated with students’ well-being and academic success. However, it remains unclear whether different soft skills relate to academic engagement through similar or distinct psychological pathways, particularly within the context of Chinese higher education. This study examined whether curiosity and perseverance were associated with academic engagement directly and indirectly through positive emotions and life satisfaction. A total of 425 undergraduates from universities in South Sichuan, China, participated in the study (females = 77.2%). Participants completed validated measures of curiosity, perseverance, positive emotions, life satisfaction, and… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.5, pp. 909-918, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.078497 - 30 October 2026
Abstract Psychology training across much of Africa continues to be shaped by colonial epistemological legacies that privilege Euro-American theories, diagnostic systems, and professional models while marginalizing indigenous African knowledge systems and local cultural heritage. This study provides a critical integrative decolonial analysis of psychology education in Zimbabwe, focusing on the tension between superficial curriculum localization and continued dependence on Western epistemological frameworks. The findings reveal an enduring epistemological disconnect between theory and practice, resulting in the inadequate preparation of graduates to engage with culturally grounded expressions of psychological distress and indigenous ontologies rooted in communal personhood. More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.5, pp. 919-928, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.078114 - 30 October 2026
Abstract Internet altruistic behavior (IAB) is important for fostering supportive and constructive digital interactions, yet its relationship with subjective social class (SSC) remains underexplored. This study examined the link between SSC and IAB, and its underlying psychological mechanisms of self-control and situational risk. Two experiments were conducted with college students. In Study 1 (N = 117, 66.7% female, Mage = 19.84, SD = 2.19), SSC was manipulated to test its effect on IAB via self-control. In Study 2 (N = 175, 72.6% female, Mage = 21.42, SD = 2.11), participants were assigned to risk conditions to test whether situational More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.5, pp. 929-935, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.077424 - 30 October 2026
Abstract Reflective thinking is embedded in the material conditions of living. Yet few studies have explored this relationship in relation to leading thought leaders with global impact. Frantz Fanon is one such eminent thought leader, with a growing body of scholarship addressing his key propositions. This conceptual study, situated within the fields of African psychology, critical psychology, and decolonial psychology, investigating the psychological and philosophical underpinnings of Fanon’s anti-colonial thought. It analyses Michel Foucault’s examination of modern Western subjectivity to offer a new interpretation of Fanon’s critique of Hegelian dialectics and Marxist historical materialism. From these… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.5, pp. 937-944, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.077348 - 30 October 2026
Abstract This case study explores how expressive writing (EW) alleviates depressive symptoms while reshaping emotional state and self-cognition. The informant was a university student experiencing severe depression, changes in depressive symptoms as measured by Beck Depression Inventory-II. The student was assigned expressive writing texts with semi-structured interviews over a six-month period. After four sessions of expressive writing intervention, the student had a moderate reduction in symptom severity, with marked improvements in emotional state and self-cognition. Improvements indicated a shift from being dominated by negative emotions to a balanced emotional state and from self-denial to self-acceptance. These More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.5, pp. 945-955, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.087536 - 30 October 2026
Abstract This study explores the impact of digital stress on work engagement among 305 aging employees, employing the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model as the theoretical framework. It examines the mediating role of workplace anxiety and the moderating effect of algorithmic competency. Data were collected across three time points, with participants completing surveys. Findings reveal that digital stress significantly affects workplace anxiety, which mediates the relationship between digital stress and work engagement. Furthermore, algorithmic competency moderates both the direct relationship between digital stress and workplace anxiety and the indirect effect of digital stress on work engagement through More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.5, pp. 957-970, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.086892 - 30 October 2026
Abstract Online risk exposure poses a serious threat to adolescents’ mental health. This study aimed to identify key sociodemographic characteristics, individual factors, and environmental factors associated with online risk exposure using machine learning methods. A total of 5700 secondary school students from six schools were surveyed (females = 49.53%). Latent profile analysis was used to identify latent classes of online risk exposure. Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression was then used to screen key predictors, and several machine learning models were constructed and compared. Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) analysis was applied to determine the… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.5, pp. 971-981, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.089551 - 30 October 2026
Abstract This study examined whether fear of negative evaluation mediates the relationship between psychological flexibility and avoidant classroom silence among university EFL learners. Three-wave data were collected from 452 students in 30 classes across five public universities in Henan Province, China (females = 60.4%; 57.7% first-year; 42.3% second-year; mean age = 19.42, SD = 0.86). Participants completed surveys and a subsample of 20 completed follow-up interviews for personal reflections. Longitudinal structural equation modelling findings revealed psychological flexibility to be associated with lower subsequent fear of negative evaluation and avoidant classroom silence. Fear of negative evaluation was More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.5, pp. 983-988, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.082754 - 30 October 2026
Abstract This study examined the associations between physical exercise-related tendencies and subjective sleep quality and the roles of Internet addiction and academic stress in this relationship. A self-report survey was conducted with 740 Chinese junior high school students (54.5% female; mean age = 13.58 years, SD = 1.05). Path analysis indicated that physical exercise-related tendencies were positively associated with subjective sleep quality and negatively associated with Internet addiction and academic stress. Academic stress was negatively associated with subjective sleep quality, whereas Internet addiction was not independently associated with subjective sleep quality after accounting for academic stress. More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.5, pp. 989-997, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.080283 - 30 October 2026
Abstract This study aimed to identify distinct profiles of mobile phone addiction (MPA) among college freshmen and examine the short-term stability of and transitions between these profiles. Participants were 405 Chinese first-year undergraduates (46.67% female) who completed two assessments of MPA three months apart. Latent profile analysis was adopted to identify distinct patterns of MPA, and latent transition analysis was conducted to examine changes in profile membership. Multinomial logistic regression analyses assessed demographic, self-regulatory, and school-adjustment correlates of profile membership. At both assessments, participants were classified into three profiles characterized by low, moderate, and high levels… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.5, pp. 999-1011, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.081517 - 30 October 2026
Abstract This study aimed to develop and evaluate the internal psychometric quality of the Student Resources Measure, which captures study-related and broader student-life resources that support students’ academic functioning. A cross-sectional quantitative design was used with 2434 students from one South African university across three campuses. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a six-factor structure comprising support from family, support from friends, support from lecturers, growth and learning opportunities, information and communication, and structural support. Measurement invariance analyses supported configural, metric, and strong invariance across the tested home-language and campus groups. Differential item functioning analyses indicated negligible item More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.5, pp. 1013-1022, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.079263 - 30 October 2026
Abstract Background: Frailty is a common geriatric condition. Employment, as an important social activity for older adults, may be closely related to their frailty status. However, the association between employment and frailty among older adults remains understudied. Methods: Data were derived from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS) dataset, involving 6161 older adults (age: M = 69.378, SD = 6.875; 49.619% female). PROCESS analysis was used to test the association between employment and frailty, as well as the mediating role of emotional support and the moderating role of physical activity. Results: First, employment was More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
REGULAR ARTICLESJournal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.5, pp. 1023-1031, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.081397 - 30 October 2026
Abstract To explore the relationship between parents’ and teachers’ autonomy support and students’ learning enjoyment, and the role of self-efficacy for self-regulated learning and self-regulated learning (SRL) in this relationship. A convenient sampling method was adopted to investigate 737 junior middle school and primary school students (boys = 49.53%, mean age = 12.54 years, SD = 1.48) by using the parent and teacher autonomy support scale, learning enjoyment scale, self-efficacy for self-regulated learning scale and self-regulated learning questionnaire. SPSS 20.0 and AMOS 24.0 were employed to perform the data analysis. Results indicated that: (1) Self-efficacy for More >
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