Ventral Tegmental Area Dopamine Neuron Dynamics During Postpartum Scarcity-Adversity Depend on Caregiving Quality and Pup Proximity

Holistic student development has become a fundamental indicator of educational quality in early childhood education because it encompasses children's cognitive, socio-emotional, physical, moral, and spiritual development. Despite increasing attention being given to holistic education in Malaysia, empirical evidence explaining how instructional leadership, educator commitment, and educator motivation contribute to holistic student development within KEMAS preschools remains limited. This study therefore examined the levels, relationships, and predictive influence of instructional leadership, educator commitment, and educator motivation on holistic student development among KEMAS preschool educators in the Northern Zone of Malaysia. A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was employed involving 313 educators selected from a population of approximately 1,700 educators across Kedah, Perak, and Pulau Pinang. Data were collected using structured questionnaires adapted from established instruments and analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's Product-Moment Correlation, and Stepwise Multiple Linear Regression using SPSS. The findings indicated that instructional leadership, educator commitment, educator motivation, and holistic student development were all perceived at high levels. Significant positive relationships were identified between all independent variables and holistic student development. Stepwise regression analysis further revealed that extrinsic motivation emerged as the strongest predictor, followed by intrinsic motivation, providing incentives to students, and defining school mission and goals. Collectively, these predictors explained 42.1% of the variance in holistic student development. The findings provide empirical evidence supporting leadership enhancement, educator motivation, and evidence-based policymaking to strengthen preschool educational quality within KEMAS.

Universities preparing graduates for technology-enabled financial services need to understand how digital learning conditions relate to students’ career readiness. This study examines the associations of university-based Digital Financial Learning Ecosystem Quality with perceived FinTech Career Readiness among Vietnamese business students. Drawing on Social Cognitive Theory and Social Cognitive Career Theory, ecosystem quality is modelled as a reflective–formative higher-order construct comprising Digital Academic Support, the Digital Learning Environment, and Digital Teaching Innovation. Cross-sectional survey data from 341 students recruited through nonprobability convenience sampling via networks centred on northern Vietnam were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling and a disjoint two-stage procedure.All three ecosystem dimensions made significant formative contributions, with the digital learning environment showing the largest estimated weight. Higher ecosystem quality was positively associated with self-efficacy and learning motivation, and self-efficacy was positively associated with motivation. Motivation and career orientation were positively associated with perceived readiness, with motivation having the larger estimated direct coefficient. Career orientation showed no significant additional association with motivation after accounting for ecosystem quality and self-efficacy. Ecosystem quality was indirectly associated with readiness through motivation and through the sequential pathway involving self-efficacy and motivation. The model explained 41.5% of the variance in perceived readiness.The study contributes an integrated operationalisation of university-based digital financial learning quality and distinguishes learning-related associations from those of career orientation. The findings inform potential priorities for coordinating digital platforms, relevant financial content, academic support, practical learning, and competency-based career guidance. For universities and financial institutions, the study offers evidence to guide collaboration on graduate preparation and a foundation for evaluating how perceived readiness relates to demonstrated workplace competence.

Over the last decade, there has been a visible surge of students participating in and leading different forms of activism. Following the cultural reckoning of 2020, the United States saw a rise in awareness and engagement in activism among young individuals. Continuing this trend, higher education institutions have seen an increase in on-campus demonstrations in recent years. Given the recent increase in activism, political engagement, and the globalization of social issues, this study examined how attitudes, beliefs, individual factors, and prior behaviors relate to undergraduate students’ willingness to engage in different forms of activism (i.e., conventional and high-risk). Across both forms of activism, institutional advocacy (i.e., the behavioral targeting of institutional racism) was the most consistent unique predictor of a student's willingness to engage in activism. Need for cognition and individual advocacy were significantly and positively related to conventional activism, whereas political orientation was negatively related to it. Social justice orientation was significantly and negatively related to high-risk activism.

The declining recognition of Nias local culture among elementary school students highlights the need for contextual local content teaching materials that reflect students' cultural environments. This study aims to develop a local content module based on Nias local wisdom and examine its validity, practicality, and effectiveness in improving the learning motivation of fifth-grade students at SD Negeri 071059 Hilibadalu. This study employed a Research and Development (R&D) approach using the 4D development model (Define, Design, Develop, and Disseminate). The research subjects consisted of 23 fifth-grade students. Data were collected through observations, interviews, expert validation questionnaires, practicality questionnaires, and learning motivation questionnaires administered before and after the module implementation. Data were analyzed using qualitative and quantitative descriptive techniques, percentage calculations, and the Normalized Gain (N-Gain) test. The results indicated that the module achieved validation scores of 96.4% for content, 91.6% for language, and 95.8% for design, all categorized as highly feasible. Practicality assessments from students and teachers also indicated positive results. Learning motivation increased from 56.10% to 100%, with an average N-Gain of 1.00, categorized as high. Therefore, the developed module is suitable as contextual teaching material to enhance students' learning motivation while supporting the preservation of Nias local culture. ABSTRAK Menurunnya pengenalan budaya lokal Nias di kalangan peserta didik sekolah dasar menunjukkan perlunya bahan ajar muatan lokal yang kontekstual dan sesuai dengan lingkungan budaya peserta didik. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengembangkan modul muatan lokal berbasis kearifan lokal Nias serta menganalisis validitas, kepraktisan, dan efektivitasnya dalam meningkatkan motivasi belajar peserta didik kelas V SD Negeri 071059 Hilibadalu. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode Research and Development (R&D) dengan model pengembangan 4D (Define, Design, Develop, dan Disseminate). Subjek penelitian berjumlah 23 peserta didik kelas V. Data dikumpulkan melalui observasi, wawancara, angket validasi ahli, angket kepraktisan, dan angket motivasi belajar sebelum dan sesudah penggunaan modul. Analisis data dilakukan secara deskriptif kualitatif dan kuantitatif menggunakan persentase serta uji Normalized Gain (N-Gain). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa modul memperoleh penilaian validasi ahli materi sebesar 96,4%, ahli bahasa 91,6%, dan ahli desain 95,8%, dengan kategori sangat layak. Kepraktisan berdasarkan penilaian peserta didik dan guru juga menunjukkan hasil positif. Motivasi belajar meningkat dari 56,10% menjadi 100%, dengan N-Gain sebesar 1,00 berkategori tinggi. Dengan demikian, modul yang dikembangkan layak digunakan sebagai bahan ajar kontekstual untuk meningkatkan motivasi belajar sekaligus mendukung pelestarian budaya Nias.

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic created social disruptions, leading to high levels of mental health problems for adolescents. Interpersonal stressors, such as lack of familial support, peer victimization, and discrimination, may have further exacerbated teen mental health issues. Yet, the psychological impact of interpersonal stressors and their interactive effects with high levels of loneliness remains unknown. In this pre-registered study , conducted in November and December 2020 (approximately eight months into the COVID-19 pandemic), we used a diverse sample of adolescents from across 43 U.S. states with elevated depressive symptoms (n = 2,452, ages 13–16) to examine how familial support, peer victimization, and discrimination are concurrently associated with mental health outcomes. Results indicated that perceived discrimination was the strongest standardized correlate across continuous internalizing outcomes (depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and hopelessness), whereas lack of familial support was the primary correlate of suicidal ideation; if youth reported a lack of familial support, they were over three times as likely to report suicidal ideation. Loneliness significantly moderated the cross-sectional links between lack of familial support and depressive symptoms, as well as perceived discrimination and hopelessness. Simple slope probing demonstrated a distress ceiling effect: interpersonal stressors were most strongly associated with elevated distress among youth reporting low baseline loneliness, whereas youth experiencing high loneliness exhibited consistently elevated distress regardless of stressor exposure. These findings underscore interpersonal stressors and loneliness as high-priority targets for youth prevention and intervention programs, particularly during periods of widespread social disruption.