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PubMed2026

Precision targeting of teacher burnout using network-informed ecological momentary interventions.

Teacher well-being affects classroom functioning and workforce stability, yet generic digital programs rarely use person-specific affect dynamics to select support. This cluster-randomised trial evaluated whether micro-interventions selected from high expected influence (EI) nodes in teachers' contemporaneous affect networks produced larger changes in burnout-related EI and everyday happiness than content-matched random allocation. The objectives were to estimate allocation effects on changes in estimated network summaries and happiness, evaluate network change as a statistical mediator, examine personality moderation, and benchmark simpler allocation rules. A two-arm cluster randomised platform trial was conducted in 84 public schools across four urban districts in H Province. After a 14 day baseline of ecological momentary assessment (EMA), person specific partial correlation networks were estimated for happiness, exhaustion, detachment, efficacy and rumination. An optimisation engine prioritised three brief micro-intervention types per teacher according to baseline EI, while the active control received the same library without network information. EMA continued for 8 weeks; Bayesian multilevel models, permutation-based mediation, and benchmarking analyses were applied. EI-based targeting produced larger reductions in the composite EI-change index than active control (mean difference 0.11, 95% credible interval 0.08 to 0.14) and higher week 7 EMA happiness (4.4 points on a 0 to 100 scale, 95% credible interval 2.7 to 6.0), with a positive arm by week slope difference of 0.62 points per week (95% credible interval 0.39 to 0.85). Model-based mediation estimates were consistent with approximately one half of the happiness difference being statistically associated with change in the composite EI-change index (average conditional mediation estimate 3.5 points, 95% credible interval 2.0 to 5.2). Benchmarking showed smaller gains under severity, threshold, or group-level centrality rules. Effects were stronger among teachers higher in conscientiousness. The findings indicate that integrating EMA, network modelling, and EI-driven optimisation yields measurable gains beyond content-matched exposure, providing a proof of concept for district-scale precision mental health that requires prospective implementation testing. Replication in additional regions, expanded node sets, and longer follow up are warranted to assess durability and generalisability.

Female↗

PubMed2026

Storm and Stress 2.0? A Dual-Factor, Person-Centered Analysis of Adolescent Well-being Across Two Year 7 Cohorts and Gender.

PURPOSE: Concerns about the mental health and well-being of younger generations is a recurring theme across countries and time. Adolescence is debated as a period of volatility ("storm and stress") or growth. Recent trends have reignited worries about youth mental health and well-being, particularly for females, and revived a deficit-based view of adolescence. To advance understanding, this study adopts a dual-factor approach that incorporates both negative and positive well-being domains. Mental health trends were compared across two grade-matched Australian adolescent cohorts assessed 5 years apart. METHODS: Data were drawn from cross-sectional cohorts of year 7 students (12-13 years) in one Australian jurisdiction: 2,085 in 2018 and 2,378 in 2023. Positive affect, happiness, resilience, depression, and anxiety were assessed using latent profile analysis to identify mental health profiles, which were then compared between cohorts and gender. RESULTS: Four profiles were identified: complete mental health, symptomatic but positive, resilient but disaffected, and troubled. Approximately 80% of students were classified in profiles reflecting some positive mental health. Between 2018 and 2023, the proportion with complete mental health declined by 7.93%, while those categorized as troubled increased by 4.76%. Declines were most pronounced among female students. DISCUSSION: Findings highlight both resilience and vulnerability in adolescent mental health. While most students continue to show positive well-being, the decline among females signals an urgent need for gender-sensitive approaches. At the same time, the results add nuance to accounts of a youth mental health 'crisis' to some degree, by highlighting positive domains of well-being which are often overlooked.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Effects of acute inflammatory challenge on anhedonia and social reward processing: A randomized controlled trial of endotoxin.

Anhedonia is a core feature of depression that reflects reward system dysfunction. Acute inflammatory challenge has been shown to induce transient anhedonia and reward processing deficits, but its effects on distinct components of social reward processes remain poorly understood. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluated anhedonia and social reward responsivity following acute inflammatory challenge. Low-dose endotoxin (0.8 ng/kg body weight; n = 18) or placebo (same volume of 0.9% saline; n = 22) was administered to female adults (ages 25-44). Anhedonia (Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Questionnaire) and blood samples for cytokine assessment were collected pre-infusion and 2 and 4 h post-infusion. Social reward motivation (wanting to engage in a social task) was assessed at a baseline eligibility visit and 2 h post-infusion. Sensitivity to positive social cues (attentional bias toward and recognition of happy faces) was assessed pre-infusion and 2 h post-infusion. Results showed that endotoxin increased anhedonic symptoms (p = .005) and decreased social motivation by 2 h post-infusion (p = .001); within the endotoxin condition, changes in both outcomes were associated with increases in TNF-α (p's < .04). A significant condition-by-time interaction for happy-face recognition (p = .011) was driven by increased accuracy in the placebo (p = .04) but not endotoxin (p = .43) condition. Endotoxin administration did not affect attentional bias toward happy faces. Findings suggest that acute inflammatory challenge induces anhedonia and reduces social motivation, with more limited effects on sensitivity to positive social cues, highlighting specific reward-related pathways through which immune activation may contribute to inflammation-associated depression. Future work could examine whether immune-related changes in social motivation contribute to motivational deficits in depression.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

A Qualitative Analysis of Cancer Survivors' Experience in a Time-Restricted Eating vs Control Clinical Trial to Address Cancer-Related Fatigue.

PURPOSE: To describe cancer survivors' lived experiences in a clinical trial that tested an individualized nutrition counseling with or without time-restricted eating to address cancer-related fatigue. METHODS: The Fatigue REDuction After cancer study was a two-arm, randomized controlled trial. Participants were adult cancer survivors who were 2 months to 2 years post-treatment. All participants received individualized nutrition counseling; those in the time-restricted eating group self-selected a consistent 10-hour eating window for 12 weeks. After the study, semi-structured exit interviews were conducted to gauge participants' experiences in the trial. Interviews were transcribed and two independent coders thematically analyzed the interviews using inductive and deductive coding. NVivo software was used for data organization and analysis. RESULTS: Participants (n = 24; TRE = 11; Control = 13) were 55 ± 13 years old, 75% were female, and they had a variety of cancer types. The majority of participants found that being in the study helped them to set and achieve lifestyle goals and would therefore recommend the study to others. Participants in the time-restricted eating group noted that time-restricted eating helped them set a better routine, providing a positive sense of control. However, some noted difficulty switching to a 14-hour fasting schedule, as it can interfere with their regular routine or employment schedules. Many participants noted they were happy that cancer-related fatigue was gaining more attention, hoping to find solutions for persistent cancer-related fatigue. CONCLUSION: The majority of participants found the study useful and, regardless of their group assignment or the intervention's impact on their fatigue, found the study helped them to gain better control of their dietary habits.

Humans↗