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Digital technologies are now at the center of university teaching and learning. They can also cause technostress, a strain that arises when technology demands outpace a person's capacity to cope. This study examined how technostress relates to psychological well-being in undergraduates and how these variables differ across demographic and academic groups. The study used a cross-sectional survey design. Using multi-stage sampling, the study selected 1001 undergraduate students (317 male and 684 female). They were enrolled in the faculties of Education, Arts, and Science at two public and two private universities in Lahore District, Pakistan. The study used a 21-item scale to assess technostress across five creators: overload, complexity, uncertainty, insecurity, and invasion. Well-being was assessed with the 42-item form of the Ryff scales. In a pilot sample of 300 students, internal consistency was .71 for technostress and .880 for well-being. Analyses were run in SPSS version 21 and included correlation, t tests for two groups, and ANOVA for more than two groups. The pilot study aimed to determine the instrument’s Cronbach's alpha reliability (TS = 0.705 and RSPW = 0.840). Experts were consulted to confirm the instrument's validity. The study tested the hypotheses using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings revealed a weak positive relationship between technostress and psychological well-being among undergraduate students (r = 0.22), which was statistically significant. There was no significant difference between male and female students in technostress and psychological well-being. However, the mean values indicate that females (M = 68.38) have slightly higher technostress than males (M = 67.16). Therefore, universities should foster a supportive digital environment that helps diminish the negative effects of technostress on students’ psychological well-being.

The ability to understand concepts is one of the important aspects in social studies learning because students are not only required to remember information, but also to be able to explain and apply concepts in various situations. However, the learning process that is still teacher-centered causes student involvement and motivation to learn is not optimal. This study aims to analyze the influence of the Teams Games Tournament (TGT) learning model assisted by Quizizz Paper Mode (Q-Card) on learning motivation and students' ability to understand concepts in food chain materials. This study uses a quantitative approach with a pre-experimental design method through a one-group pretest-posttest design. The research sample consisted of 30 students in class V of SDN Cisiram who were selected using saturated sampling techniques. Data were collected through concept comprehension tests, learning motivation questionnaires, and documentation, then analyzed using Wilcoxon, N-Gain, and effect size tests. The results showed an increase in concept comprehension ability with an average score increasing from 39.73 to 87.70, an N-Gain value of 0.78 with a high category, and an effect size of 0.617 which showed a strong influence. The application of TGT assisted by Q-Card was also able to increase students' involvement and learning motivation. Thus, the Quizizz Paper Mode (Q-Card)-assisted TGT model is effectively used as an alternative to IPAS learning to improve students' understanding of concepts and learning motivation.

Nurses delivered much of the direct care to COVID-19 patients and were repeatedly exposed to death, infection risk, and shortages of equipment, yet little is known about how Pakistani nurses experienced and managed posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). This qualitative study explored PTSS, experiences of trauma, perceived psychological impact, and coping strategies among nurses who cared for COVID-19 patients during peak pandemic waves. Eight registered nurses working in COVID wards and intensive care units of public hospitals in Islamabad and Rawalpindi were recruited through purposive sampling and took part in individual semi-structured interviews conducted in Urdu and basic English. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis. Four themes were generated: (a) symptoms related to trauma (altered sleep, changes in temperament, emotional reactivity, diminished interest in social life, flashbacks); (b) threats and stress due to COVID-19 (increased workload, direct threat to self and others, sense of isolation, lack of knowledge and equipment); (c) psychological impact of trauma (increased mental health concerns, burnout and compassion fatigue, elevated death anxiety, lack of optimism about the future); and (d) strategies to cope (sharing workload with the team, emotional support from colleagues). Seven of eight nurses described flashbacks, and accounts spanned several DSM-5 symptom clusters, although no diagnostic assessment was used. Peer teamwork and emotional support were the only coping resources reported, and no participant had received formal counselling. Peer solidarity seems to have been an informal resource of resilience where organizational support was absent and institutional psychological services should be built around it.

Bullying is a behavior that can affect students’ sense of safety and comfort in the school environment. This activity aimed to increase elementary school students’ awareness of the forms, impacts, and prevention of bullying through a Community Service Program (Kuliah Kerja Nyata/KKN). The activity was conducted at SD 1 Way Gubak involving fifth- and sixth-grade students. A qualitative descriptive method was applied through observation, question-and-answer sessions, and documentation. The results showed that students were able to recognize bullying, particularly teasing, hitting, and hurting others, although their initial understanding mainly focused on physical actions. Materials presented using simple language and concrete examples helped broaden students’ understanding of bullying and its prevention. The activity also identified bullying experiences related to students’ social and economic conditions.

Psychotherapy is supported by evidence across several psychological conditions, yet its value cannot be understood solely through symptom change. This thematic integrative review examines psychotherapy as both an intervention and a relational setting in which psychological safety, trust, collaboration, and self-understanding may support change. Literature discussed in the source synopsis is organized around three themes: psychotherapy outcomes across mood, anxiety, trauma-related, and personality difficulties; the therapeutic alliance and safety; and adapted, neurodiversity-affirming support for autistic people. Meta-analytic and theoretical literature generally supports psychotherapy effectiveness, while alliance research identifies the therapeutic relationship as a robust correlate of outcomes. Work on autistic youth suggests that adapted interventions can be beneficial, although outcomes and methods vary. Across these areas, the review identifies a need to connect clinical outcomes with clients? lived experience of safety, identity, accessibility, and agency. The review is integrative rather than systematic: the source material does not document reproducible database searches, screening counts, or formal quality appraisal. Accordingly, conclusions are interpretive and should not be treated as a comprehensive estimate of treatment effects. The paper argues for therapeutic spaces that combine evidence-informed care with collaborative, individualized, and affirming relationships.

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is a parasomnia in which the normal muscle atonia of REM sleep is lost, and patients act out their dreams.Serotonergic antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a recognized trigger, but in psychiatric patients the nocturnal behaviors are easily attributed to stress or to the primary illness.We report the case of a 46-year-old man with schizoaffective disorder, depressive type, maintained on aripiprazole 15 mg daily, who was started on escitalopram 10 mg at bedtime (day one); the dose was reduced to 5 mg on day 77.Around day 430, about 14 months after starting escitalopram and while taking 5 mg, he began to walk in his sleep and act out his dreams, including punching movements and, on one occasion, walking while holding a clothing iron, with no recollection on waking.The episodes occurred late in the night, with his eyes closed, two to three times a month and were accompanied by sleep paralysis and daytime sleepiness.His mental status examination and routine blood tests were unremarkable.He declined polysomnography and brain imaging, so a diagnosis of probable RBD, possibly associated with escitalopram, was made on clinical grounds; a non-REM parasomnia could not be excluded.On day 616, escitalopram was stopped and clonazepam 0.5 mg at bedtime was started at the same time.The episodes had stopped by day 665.Clonazepam was discontinued on day 772, and at the latest follow-up on day 1962 there had been no recurrence.Because clonazepam was started when escitalopram was withdrawn, the improvement cannot be attributed to stopping escitalopram alone, although the absence of recurrence after clonazepam was discontinued supports a role for the antidepressant.Clinicians who prescribe serotonergic antidepressants should take a sleep history from patients and their bed partners, arrange polysomnography where it is available, and review the suspected drug.

The transition from secondary school to higher education is a critical period that shapes students' academic engagement, social integration, and persistence. Despite increased access to higher education in South Africa, many first-year students enter university with expectations that differ substantially from their subsequent experiences, creating adjustment challenges. Guided by Tinto's Theory of Student Integration and Educational Transition Theory, this study explored first-year students' expectations. It examined how students perceived and experienced mismatches between these expectations and the realities of university life. The study adopted an interpretivist qualitative research paradigm and an exploratory descriptive design. Data were collected through three focus group discussions with 21 purposively selected first-year students at a comprehensive university in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. They were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. The findings revealed an expectation–reality mismatch in three areas: social integration and peer relationships, course selection and academic guidance, and academic workload alongside self-directed learning demands. Participants who identified as first-generation students described experiencing additional transition difficulties, which they associated with limited social and cultural capital, inadequate career guidance, and low digital literacy. Participants also associated persistent socioeconomic inequality with these difficulties. The study concludes that expectation–reality mismatch is a psychologically meaningful mechanism through which structural inequality translates into experiences of uncertainty, diminished belonging, and academic disengagement during the first year. Strengthened orientation, mentoring, academic advising, and digital literacy support are recommended to improve student adjustment, engagement, and retention.

ABSTRACT Dynamic shifts in the Society 5.0 era demand moral resilience in students starting from the primary school level, making educators the central pillar in transforming social values. This study deeply explores how the cultivation of religious, independent, and responsible character traits is implemented at SD Negeri 01 Margo Rejo, while mapping the various influencing factors. Utilizing a descriptive qualitative approach, data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, direct observations of daily activities, and document analysis involving the school principal, the fifth-grade teacher, and four students. Interactive data analysis and technical triangulation confirmed that ethical development is executed through a combination of spiritual routines, disciplinary guidance, and role modeling. Throughout this process, the teacher seamlessly integrates six core roles as an instructor, counselor, motivator, demonstrator, facilitator, and evaluator while equipping students with 21st-century 4C skills (critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration). Although character building is supported by strong teacher modeling and adequate school facilities, limited parental engagement and unmonitored digital device usage remain notable hurdles. These findings emphasize the necessity of strengthening collective synergy among schools, families, and communities to establish a solid foundation for children's character development. ABSTRAK Dinamika perubahan di era society 5.0 menuntut ketahanan moral peserta didik sejak jenjang sekolah dasar, sehingga keberadaan figur pendidik menjadi tumpuan utama dalam mentransformasikan nilai-nilai sosial. Riset ini mengurai secara mendalam bagaimana praktik pembentukan karakter religius, mandiri, dan tanggung jawab dijalankan di SD Negeri 01 Margo Rejo, sekaligus memetakan berbagai faktor yang memengaruhinya. Lewat pendekatan kualitatif deskriptif, informasi digali secara intensif dari kepala sekolah, guru kelas V, serta empat peserta didik melalui wawancara semi terstruktur, pengamatan aktivitas harian, dan telaah dokumen pendukung. Analisis data interaktif serta uji triangulasi teknik mengonfirmasi bahwa penanaman etika dilakukan melalui kombinasi pembiasaan ritus spiritual, pengarahan disiplin, dan pemberian contoh konkrit. Dalam proses tersebut, guru secara terpadu mengintegrasikan enam peran mendasar sebagai pengajar, pembimbing, motivator, demonstrator, fasilitator, hingga evaluator seraya membekali siswa dengan kecakapan 4C (critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration). Meskipun efektivitas pembinaan ini disokong oleh keteladanan pendidik serta sarana sekolah yang memadai, keterbatasan kepedulian sebagian orang tua dan penetrasi teknologi digital tanpa pengawasan ketat masih menjadi tantangan nyata. Temuan ini menggarisbawahi pentingnya penguatan sinergi kolektif antara pihak sekolah, keluarga, dan masyarakat demi membangun benteng karakter anak yang tangguh.

This study examines the historical development of pesantren in Ogan Ilir Regency, South Sumatra, focusing on institutional diversity and the formation of its socio-religious identity as a City of Santri. Using a qualitative-historical approach, the study investigates 22 pesantren through in-depth interviews with 75 informants, participant observation, and document analysis. Historical source criticism and thematic analysis are employed to reconstruct institutional trajectories and identify patterns of institutional differentiation. The findings reveal three historical phases: initial institutionalization (1932–1967), consolidation and diversification (1983–1996), and institutional expansion and integration (2003–2023). Across these phases, three overlapping institutional orientations emerge: scholarly tradition, educational modernization, and self-reliance and community empowerment. These orientations demonstrate that pesantren development involves the coexistence of Islamic scholarly continuity, educational transformation, and expanding social functions rather than a linear transition from traditional to modern institutions. The study interprets these developments through the perspectives of continuity and change, ideal typology, and social construction, highlighting how institutional practices may reproduce socio-religious meanings. It offers an integrated historical and institutional account of pesantren development in Ogan Ilir while recognizing that the extent to which the City of Santri identity is collectively accepted requires further empirical investigation.

This study aims to examine the impact of parental involvement and socioeconomic status (SES) on academic achievement at public senior high schools in Tangerang Municipality. The study used a cross-sectional survey design. The study population consisted of students from public senior high schools in Tangerang Municipality. We applied Weighted Regression analysis utilizing a sample size of 893 participants. We used a validated questionnaire that was distributed via WhatsApp groups. The findings showed that parents with high SES tended to be more involved in their children's learning; however, high parental SES did not guarantee high academic achievement for their children. The mean difference tests revealed that academic achievement did not differ significantly by parental involvement, whereas it did differ significantly by parental SES. Researchers also found that parents’ involvement in education significantly boosted students' academic achievement. In contrast, parents' SES did not have a significant impact. Intensive discussions, good communication, full attention, giving gifts, and providing learning facilities are effective parental involvement actions that encourage increases in children's academic achievement. Parental involvement matters more than parental SES in improving students’ academic achievement. Therefore, maintaining strong relationships between schools and parents is essential to support students’ educational outcomes. Local governments need to strengthen regulations governing parents' roles at home and at school. Keywords: academic achievement, parental involvement, SES.

The education of young children constitutes the foundation of their cognitive, social, emotional, and behavioural development. Teacher psychological capital, emotional intelligence, and work engagement are personal resources that may be associated with good teaching practices and child development as perceived by teachers. Using COR theory, this study examined the relationships among teacher psychological capital, emotional intelligence, work engagement, teaching effectiveness, and teacher-reported children's developmental outcomes of early childhood educators in Lagos State, Nigeria. The study employed a correlational research design. A sample of 202 early childhood educators was selected through a multistage sampling process, in which five children per teacher's classroom were selected, resulting in a total of 1,010 children rated using the Early Development Instrument (EDI). The data for the study were gathered using the Psychological Capital Questionnaire, the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) Pre-K, and the EDI Teacher Version. The scores of five children per teacher were aggregated to measure teacher-level indicators of child developmental outcomes. Data analysis was done using Pearson product-moment correlation, multiple regression, and hierarchical multiple regression at the 0.05 level of significance. The results indicated significant positive correlations among the research variables. Psychological capital, emotional intelligence, and work engagement, both together and individually, made significant contributions to teaching effectiveness and teacher-rated children’s developmental outcomes. Teaching experience and school ownership also significantly moderated the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. This research therefore concludes that psychological capital, emotional intelligence, and work engagement are significant resources for teachers, contributing to teaching effectiveness and teacher-rated children’s developmental outcomes.

Abstract Faculty development (FD) and the preparation of future faculty are central to university teaching quality, yet in Japan they are studied separately and remain underexamined in English. Pre-faculty development (pre-FD), a term coined within Japanese higher education, exclusively denotes the pre-service teaching preparation of doctoral students and other prospective academics, broadly corresponding to the American “Preparing Future Faculty” movement. Treating the two as tracks of a single academic-development continuum, this article asks how each has been institutionalized and localized in Japan, and what constrains the translation of policy into teaching improvement. The study is a narrative, document-based conceptual review of policy documents, statutory standards, national surveys, and Japanese- and English-language scholarship, using the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) as an analytical lens. Three findings emerge. First, both tracks advanced through top-down policy-driven and policy-induced reform: In-service FD became a legal mandate in 2008, whereas pre-FD remains a best-effort obligation. Second, in-service FD has developed a distinctive cluster of locally grounded practices: inter-university networks, mutual FD, the collegial model, and student-engaged FD. Third, national survey data show participation rising while collegial formats and dedicated provision declined over the same period, indicating that participation rates are a poor proxy for teaching-development quality. Reading the tracks together reveals what single-track accounts obscure: shared organizational carriers and a common ceiling set by the absence of a continuing professional role in academic development. The article argues, as a proposition derived from the analysis, that sustainable development depends on connecting the two tracks into a continuous career pathway framed by SoTL.

Student diversity poses a continuing challenge in higher education, particularly when common learning objectives must be maintained while providing flexibility in learning resources, activities, interaction, support, and assessment. This study examined students’ perceptions and acceptance of digitally supported differentiated learning in Information Technology Education. A quantitative cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted with 35 students at Universitas Lampung, Indonesia, after the learning experience. Data were collected using a 31-item questionnaire rated on a four-point Likert scale, with reported high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.985), and were analyzed using means, standard deviations, and normalized mean scores. Students rated the five implementation dimensions favorably (M = 3.28, 81.88%). Digital pedagogical design received the highest rating (M = 3.34, 83.45%), whereas product and assessment differentiation received the lowest (M = 3.18, 79.57%). Technology-supported collaboration was the highest-rated individual item (M = 3.49, 87.14%), whereas choices in presentation formats and the timeliness of digital feedback received lower ratings. The secondary acceptance summary was similarly favorable (M = 3.31, 82.74%), with increased learning motivation receiving the highest rating. These findings identify digital support and collaboration as perceived strengths of the learning design, while flexibility in student products and the timeliness of feedback warrant further attention. Given the single-cohort, post-only design and absence of objective learning-outcome measures, the findings should be interpreted as context-specific evidence of students’ perceptions of implementation rather than evidence of causal effects on learning.

This study investigates the alignment between teacher allocation and learner enrolment patterns in Eswatini high schools following the 2023 teacher allocation policy, assessing whether deployment corresponds to learner demand and to the policy goals of equity and efficiency. Guided by the Theory of Compensating Differences, it analysed disparities in enrolment and teacher distribution using documentary evidence from enrolment records, class registers, staffing information, and policy documents from 23 high schools, supplemented by contextual observations. Findings revealed substantial variation: some schools faced overcrowded classrooms, while others had enrolments far below the advised threshold of 400 students required for certain staffing provisions, with several reporting between 172 and 286 students. This raised concerns about the effective use of human and financial resources, particularly in high-density communities where staffing levels did not consistently reflect student numbers. The study concludes that reallocating teachers is necessary but complex, requiring a more responsive and context-sensitive model that goes beyond fixed enrolment thresholds to incorporate regular monitoring, redistribution mechanisms, and consideration of demographic and school-specific conditions. Such an approach would better balance educational equity, resource efficiency, and sustainability of teaching provision. Limitations include reliance on documentary and administrative records from a convenience sample of 23 schools, restricting generalisation to all Eswatini high schools. Nonetheless, the study provides valuable evidence to inform refinement of teacher allocation policy and offers lessons for other resource-constrained education systems experiencing uneven teacher distribution and shifting enrolment patterns.

Traditional games offer accessible opportunities for physical activity, social interaction, and the introduction of local cultural practices among elementary school children. This study aimed to describe the implementation of PETRA AKTIF, a community service program introducing traditional games as alternative physical activities for elementary school students. Employing a qualitative descriptive approach, the program involved 28 third-grade students from Public Elementary School 3 Plumbon, Karanganyar Regency, Indonesia. Four traditional games were introduced: hopscotch, jump rope, fortress, and dragon snake. Data were collected through direct observation, interviews, and activity documentation and subsequently analyzed descriptively. Student satisfaction was assessed using a five-level response scale. The findings revealed that students participated in various physical movements, including jumping, walking, running, and balancing. Group activities also demonstrated observable communication, cooperation, coordination, and adherence to game rules. Satisfaction assessments indicated that 25–27 of the 28 participants reported being satisfied or very satisfied with each game. Furthermore, the activities provided students with direct exposure to traditional games as expressions of local wisdom. These findings suggest that PETRA AKTIF provides opportunities for physical engagement, peer interaction, and cultural familiarization, although improvements in physical fitness and social skills were not directly measured.

Digital technologies can expand opportunities for language practice, feedback, and access to learning materials, but their educational value depends on how they are integrated into instruction. This conceptual article draws on a selective narrative review to examine automatic speech recognition, conversational agents, machine translation, and virtual environments in language learning. It distinguishes the functions of these technologies from the learning outcomes that teachers must evaluate. The discussion identifies opportunities for pronunciation practice, sustained interaction, reflective revision, and contextualized communication, alongside problems involving unreliable feedback, cognitive demands, unequal access, and personal data. Alpha School is considered briefly as an institutional illustration of adaptive learning and human guidance, rather than as evidence of foreign-language learning effectiveness. Four proposed classroom applications show how teachers can connect digital activity to observable language performance. The article argues that responsible integration requires clear learning objectives, appropriate scaffolding, human review of feedback, and opportunities to demonstrate learning beyond the original tool. Its contribution is a practical framework for evaluating instructional use; the proposed applications require subsequent classroom investigation.

Abstract Despite decades of effort to improve mathematical outcomes, studies examining the integrated roles of affective dimensions such as confidence, perceived value, and motivation in relation to mathematics achievement among Senior High School students in Ghana remain relatively limited. In this study, confidence was operationalised through items reflecting students’ domain-specific mathematics self-efficacy beliefs. This study examines the structural associations of confidence, perceived value, and motivation with self-reported mathematics achievement among final-year students in a selected Senior High School in the Atwima Nwabiagya North Municipal Assembly of Ghana. A quantitative descriptive correlational design was employed, and data were collected from 296 students using a structured questionnaire. Self-reported mathematics achievement was measured using students’ responses to items concerning their perceived achievement in mathematics, rather than standardised test scores or school achievement records. The hypothesised structural relationships among confidence, perceived value, motivation, and self-reported mathematics achievement were examined using structural equation modelling (SEM). Within the participating school, the results showed that confidence, perceived value, and motivation were each positively and significantly associated with self-reported mathematics achievement, with confidence having the largest standardised coefficient, followed by motivation and value. Given these findings, instructional practices that support students’ confidence may be considered in mathematics teaching. Likewise, opportunities to connect mathematics with real-world applications may help students recognise its value, while supportive learning environments may provide conditions conducive to sustained engagement with mathematics learning.

The rapid integration of digital technologies into teaching, learning, and assessment has created new avenues through which technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) may occur in school settings. Existing scholarship has examined TFGBV mainly through the lenses of cyberbullying, digital safety, and student well-being. At the same time, emerging work has also begun to conceptualise digital assessment systems as sites of structural and institutional gendered risk. Building on this systems-level perspective, this conceptual paper shifts attention to the pedagogical and interactional layer of digital assessment, examining how teachers' assessment design and oversight decisions may shape the conditions under which TFGBV becomes more or less likely. Developed through a critical interdisciplinary literature review, the paper draws on Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, digital citizenship frameworks, and classroom assessment scholarship to examine how learning management systems, peer assessment tools, collaborative online assignments, and social media-integrated assessment activities may create conditions conducive to gendered harassment, image-based abuse, and exclusionary behaviour among learners of all genders. The paper proposes the Assessment-Mediated Digital Ethics (AMDE) framework, a theoretically grounded but not yet empirically validated model integrating gender-responsive assessment design, embedded digital behavioural expectations, and structured teacher oversight. AMDE is presented as a complementary pedagogical extension of existing justice-oriented approaches to digital assessment and TFGBV, rather than as a claim of first conceptualisation. The framework provides a basis for future empirical research examining teacher-mediated assessment practices and their relationship to digital safety, ethical participation, and TFGBV risk across diverse educational contexts. Responsibility for TFGBV prevention is understood as shared among teachers, learners, schools, families, technology providers, and policymakers.

Although knowledge and stigma about suicide are important factors in suicide prevention, there are no validated instruments available in Hungary. Our goal was to validate the Literacy of Suicide Scale—Short Form (LOSS-SF) and the Stigma of Suicide Scale—Short Form (SOSS-SF) in Hungarian. An anonymous online survey was administered to a self-selected online convenience sample of 954 participants of 38.0 years (SD: 14.8) of age. Our study used a descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional design. Confirmatory factor analysis results indicate a good model fit for a three-factor structure of the SOSS-SF scale. Invariance testing revealed that the scale is valid across gender, age and former suicide ideation. LOSS-SF had an acceptable unidimensional model fit as a two-parameter logistic (2PL) IRT (Item Response Theory) based survey, and results showed good infit–outfit with appropriate item discrimination and difficulty measures. The results show that the two instruments show sound psychometric properties and construct validity within this sample. While the Hungarian versions of the SOSS-SF and the LOSS-SF provide useful tools for assessing suicide stigma and suicide literacy in research settings, further validation on nationally representative samples may be required in case population-level norms are needed to inform national policy-makers.

Despite growing concerns about mental health difficulties among children and youth, limited empirical evidence exists on the extent to which adverse childhood experiences and resilience predict mental health difficulties among school-going children and youth in rural communities. This research explored the prevalence and psychosocial predictors of mental health difficulties among children and youth. The study adopted a correlational and descriptive research design. Respondents consisted of 837 children and youth, who were selected from Johannesburg West Education District. They were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (ACE-Q), and the Child and Youth Resilience Measure (CYRM) as data-collection instruments. Frequencies and percentages, regression analysis, and moderation analysis were conducted using Hayes' PROCESS Macro. Findings revealed that about 44.4%, 18.3%, and 37.3% of the participants were within the normal, borderline, and abnormal ranges of mental health well-being, respectively. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) significantly predicted mental health difficulties (β = .238, t = 7.071, p < .001), contributing about 5.6% of the variation in mental health difficulties among youth and children. Resilience is also a significant predictor (β = −.121, t = −3.524, p < .001), accounting for about 1.5% of the variation in mental health problems; higher resilience was associated with lower levels of mental health difficulties. Moderation analyses showed that age and gender did not significantly moderate the relationships between ACEs, resilience, and mental health difficulties. The study concludes that ACEs constitute a significant risk factor, whereas resilience serves as a protective factor. The findings highlight the need for trauma-informed interventions, resilience-building programmes, and comprehensive mental health support services to promote positive mental health outcomes among children and youth.