Limits and being unlimited by the reading format: a phenomenological study on emotional experiences of readers of audiobooks and physical books

Background: Awareness of youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services (YFSRHS) is an important starting point for enabling young people to identify and seek appropriate sexual and reproductive health information and care. However, awareness of these services may vary across settings, including higher education institutions. Objective: To determine the level of awareness of YFSRHS among undergraduate students at Saint Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT), Malimbe Campus. Methods: A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate students at SAUT Malimbe Campus. Data were collected using a structured, self-administered questionnaire. Of 109 questionnaires distributed, 108 completed questionnaires were included in the analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize students’ awareness and reported sources of information. Results: Of the 108 respondents, 96 (88.9%) reported having heard of YFSRHS, while 12 (11.1%) had not. Social media was the most frequently reported source of information (44.0%), followed by friends or peers (41.0%) and health facilities (36.0%). University programmes and posters or advertisements were reported less frequently. Conclusion: Most respondents had heard of YFSRHS, with social media and peer networks serving as prominent information channels. Strengthening accurate information through these channels, alongside university-based communication, may help address the awareness gap among students who remain unreached.

Emotional contagion refers to the process through which people's emotions may be influenced by the emotional states and expressions of others. This study examined self-reported responses to stress in other people and explored their association with perceived stress. A quantitative, cross-sectional online questionnaire was completed between October 25 and 27, 2026. Of 33 submissions, 32 participants consented and were included in the emotional-response analysis; 31 had sufficient responses for the preliminary perceived-stress analysis. The questionnaire included 15 researcher-developed statements about responses to others' stress and 10 perceived-stress questions resembling the Perceived Stress Scale?10 (PSS-10). Descriptive results showed that 90.6% of participants agreed or strongly agreed that they could sense stress in people around them, while 75.0% reported that stress in family, workplace, or educational settings affected their emotional well-being. An exploratory Spearman correlation indicated a positive association between the emotional-response composite and perceived-stress scores (rs = .526, p = .002, n = 31). This association must be interpreted cautiously because the emotional-response questionnaire was not validated and the exact perceived-stress instrument requires confirmation. Findings provide preliminary descriptive insight but do not establish causation.

Effective leadership is important to the functioning and development of private higher education institutions. This study analyzed leadership experiences and perceptions at Africa Renewal University (AfRU), focusing on the qualities and practices perceived to contribute to effective leadership. A mixed-method case study design was used, combining structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with students, teaching staff, non-teaching staff, management and senior leaders. The study obtained responses from 133 participants out of a target population of 200, representing a 66.5% response rate. Transformational leadership was the most frequently identified leadership style across all respondent groups, reported by 86.96% of students, 77.5% of teaching staff, 66.67% of non-teaching staff, and 70% of management and senior leaders. Among the leadership qualities examined, integrity and ethics received the highest number of responses, followed by effective communication, problem-solving and decision-making. Empathy and emotional intelligence and visionary thinking were also identified, although their emphasis varied across respondent groups. The findings indicate that perceived leadership effectiveness at AfRU was associated with a combination of ethical conduct, effective communication and practical leadership capabilities within a predominantly transformational leadership context. The study highlights the importance of developing leaders who can combine ethical character with effective communication, decision-making and problem-solving in private higher education.

Introduction: Psychological factors can be important for the physical performance of developing female football players, but research is needed to assess their impact. Objective: To determine the effectiveness of a motivational psychological intervention strategy to improve physical performance in female U-15 football players from a football school in Zone 8 of Guayaquil, Ecuador. Method: Pre-experimental design with a single group and pretest-posttest measurements. Thirty football players participated. For the evaluation of the motivational climate, the PMCSQ-2 was used, while the YYIR1 and the Cooper Test were the instruments employed to assess physical performance. The intervention consisted of 12 sessions of 45 minutes over six weeks. The Shapiro-Wilk test was applied and then the Student's t-test for dependent samples. Results: The overall PMCSQ-2 score did not show statistically significant changes (t(29) = −1.37; p = 0.182; d = −0.250). On the contrary, statistically significant differences with large effect sizes were found for both the YYIR1 (t(29) = −16.08; p < 0.001; d = −2.936) and the Cooper Test (t(29) = −19.54; p < 0.001; d = −3.567). Discussion: Improvements are evident in the evaluated physical indicators, without significant changes in the overall motivational score. This divergence indicates that the physical response and the perception of the motivational climate do not always develop at the same pace. Conclusions: The intervention was associated with significant improvements in physical performance, which supports its application in youth women's football.

Sports betting has expanded across sub-Saharan Africa, increasingly intersecting with young people’s aspirations, technological accessibility, and economic insecurity. Although awareness of gambling-related risks may influence young people’s decisions, recognising such risks does not necessarily lead to cessation of betting. This study explored how young bettors understood betting risks in Shibai Street, Buhongwa Ward, Mwanza, Tanzania. A qualitative cross-sectional study employing ethnographic methods was conducted between July and August 2025. Data were collected from 18 purposively selected active bettors aged 18-29 years through in-depth semi-structured interviews, non-participant observation, and informal conversations. Interviews were conducted in Kiswahili, audio-recorded, transcribed into English, and analysed thematically following Braun and Clarke’s approach. The findings were interpreted using Verstehen, strain, and rational choice perspectives. Participants identified financial loss, difficulty stopping, stress and mental distress, relationship conflict, theft, reduced attention to work or learning, reduced work-seeking, dishonesty, deepening poverty, and loss of personal possessions as important betting-related risks. However, awareness of these risks did not consistently result in withdrawal from betting. Some participants continued because betting provided hope, expectations of quick financial gains, peer influence, and a perceived opportunity to escape poverty. The study concludes that understanding betting risks among youth requires attention to the meanings attached to betting and the economic and social circumstances within which participation occurs. Risk education should therefore be complemented by livelihood opportunities, community support, counselling, and appropriate harm-prevention measures.