ABSTRACT
Background: Adolescence is a pivotal developmental phase characterized by rapid physical, cognitive, socio-emotional, and psychological transformations. Self-efficacy—an individual's confidence in their ability to take the steps necessary to succeed—is essential for handling the academic and personal challenges of growing up. Framed within Albert Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, this study, titled "The Role of Self-Efficacy in Adolescents' Development: An Empirical Study in Assam," investigates the distribution of self-efficacy among secondary school students in Assam, North-East India. Specifically, through this research work it examines whether significant differences in overall self-efficacy of Adolescents exist across gender (Boys vs. Girls) and Types of school (Provincialized High Schools vs. Private Jatiya Vidyalaya). Material and Method: Descriptive Survey Method has been employed in this study. The study was carried in four Provincialized High School and Jatiya Vidyalaya of Srijangram Block of Bongaigaon District, Assam under SEBA. The sample of the present study consists of 200 High School Students studying Class IX, which includes both Boys and Girls. A self developed standardized scale was used to collect data from the sample students. Statistical Technique Used: Simple Percentage, t-test has been used in this study. Result: The findings of the study indicate that vast majority of students have high level of Self-Efficacy. It is also found that there is no significant difference of Self-Efficacy between boys and girls and adolescent student studying at Provincialized High School and Jatiya Vidyalaya. The observed result suggests that Gender and Types of School does not have a significant effect on self-efficacy in adolescents. Conclusion: By analyzing the interplay between institutional frameworks and demographic variables in a unique regional ecosystem, the findings aim to provide empirical evidence to inform pedagogical practices, institutional struct

ABSTRACT
Intellectual disability is an important developmental condition that emerges in childhood and often requires long-term care. Because children with intellectual disabilities frequently interact with the healthcare system, nurses’ knowledge and care approaches can directly influence the quality of care provided. Developing knowledge and awareness about intellectual disability during nursing education is essential for delivering compassionate care to these children. This study was conducted using a descriptive and analytical design to examine nursing students’ knowledge regarding children with intellectual disabilities and their levels of self-compassion. The study was carried out with 380 nursing students enrolled at the College of Nursing, University of Al-Qadisiyah in Iraq. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Knowledge Questionnaire on Children with Intellectual Disabilities, and the Self-Compassion Scale. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, Mann–Whitney U test, and Kruskal–Wallis test were used for data analysis. Most participants were aged between 18 and 24 years, female, single, and second-year students. The findings showed a statistically significant relationship between students’ age and both their perceptions of children with intellectual disabilities and their self-compassion levels (p < 0.05). Additionally, nursing students demonstrated moderate levels of knowledge about children with intellectual disabilities and high levels of self-compassion. These findings highlight the importance of strengthening educational content that enhances knowledge and awareness of intellectual disability in nursing education.

ABSTRACT
Popular culture by definition refers to “the ideas, perspectives, attitudes, and entertainment that are mainstream and widely accessible to the general public.” It encompasses the dominant daily practices, media, music, fashion, and social trends that define a society at any given time. To understand popular culture involves taking a look at a few characteristics such as: mass accessibility, commercial drive, reflection of society, and shared identity. “It can include any number of practices, including those pertaining to cooking, clothing, mass and the many facets of entertainment such as sports and literature” (Mohammed, 2021). In the twenty-first century, popular culture makes shifts and changes that are reshaping how we experience it, where we experience it, and what our experience of it means for the ways in which we engage with our lives. Democracy is its presence or lack, its decline or enhancement which turns out to have become one of the key issues involved in conversations of popular culture in the 21st century. With technology and globalization, interaction is high and people are close to each other due to social communication and exchange of values, opinions, and cultures are at their peaks. This plays an important role in society to understand the concept of new culturism and allows people to interact and mix with others from parts of the world. To accept other cultures, express them in a variety of ways to promote economic development and accelerate social and indigenous progress.

ABSTRACT
Background: Psychoactive substance use causes significant social burden and is linked with a range of adverse outcomes. The critical age of onset is usually around adolescence, with affected youth experiencing higher prevalence of psychosocial problems compared with the general adolescent population. This study determined the prevalence and examined the association between psychoactive substance use and psychiatric disorders among adolescents in Ogbomoso, Nigeria. Methods: This study was an observational descriptive cross-sectional survey conducted among 394 adolescent students from five selected secondary schools in a rural area. A sociodemographic questionnaire was administered to all participants while the ASSIST and K-SADS instruments were used to assess substance and psychiatry disorder respectively. Subjects with scores above the screening cut-off point were subsequently interviewed. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS version 21. Results: Prevalence of lifetime substance use was 27.3% (n = 96). All the different types of psychoactive substances evaluated in the study were used by the respondents. The most predominant substance used was alcohol (19.9%), with 2.3%, and 0.6% of the respondents reporting monthly and weekly use respectively. There was a statistically significant association between family history of mental illness and lifetime use of substances among respondents, p-value = 0.007. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders was 17.6%. The prevalence of Depression and mania constituted 62.1% of the psychiatric disorders recorded among these respondents. There was no significant association between psychoactive substance use and psychiatric disorders among respondents in the study population. Conclusion: Psychoactive substance use was common among rural secondary school students with 1 in every of 4 having experienced it. Nearly one in five also had a psychiatric disorder but no significant association was found between the two.

ABSTRACT
This study aimed to describe the status and distribution of poor sleep quality among urban residents, assess the level of self-reported environmental noise annoyance, and examine the independent association between noise annoyance and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores after controlling for potential confounding factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 178 urban residents in Ho Chi Minh City between February and April 2026. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), daytime sleepiness using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and insomnia status was assessed using an insomnia index. Noise annoyance was measured using a self-reported five-point Likert scale. Statistical analyses included Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression, with age, sex, body mass index (BMI), floor level, and adjacent street type included as control variables. The prevalence of poor sleep quality (PSQI > 5) was 68.5%, with a mean PSQI score of 7.92 ± 3.14. The mean noise annoyance score was 3.46 ± 0.89 on a five-point scale, with 61.2% of participants reporting high levels of noise annoyance. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that noise annoyance was the strongest and most statistically significant predictor of poor sleep quality (β = 1.24; standardized β = 0.42; p < 0.001; 95% CI: 0.87–1.61). The model explained 38.4% of the variance in PSQI scores (R² = 0.384; p < 0.001). Environmental noise annoyance was independently associated with poor sleep quality among urban residents in Ho Chi Minh City, with both statistical significance and practical relevance. These findings provide empirical evidence to support recommendations for noise control in urban planning and public health interventions in Vietnam.

ABSTRACT
This study investigates the psychological profile of self-actualized Palestinian entrepreneurial women through an in-depth case study approach. The research addresses a critical gap in understanding the intersection between entrepreneurship, psychological resilience, and self-actualization within conflict-affected contexts such as the Gaza Strip. Drawing on clinical and qualitative methodologies, the study integrates projective and structured assessment tools, including the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), self-actualization scales, problem-solving measures, optimism, risk-taking tendencies, social power orientation, and moral reasoning assessments. The findings reveal that self-actualized entrepreneurial women exhibit a complex psychological structure characterized by high levels of intrinsic motivation, adaptive problem-solving strategies, cognitive flexibility, and a strong sense of purpose aligned with both personal and collective goals. Despite exposure to socio-political constraints and economic instability, participants demonstrated resilience patterns supported by optimism, internal locus of control, and moral commitment. Notably, the interaction between self-actualization and entrepreneurial traits appears to be mediated by contextual adversity, transforming external constraints into drivers of psychological growth and innovation. The study contributes to the literature by offering a context-sensitive psychological model of female entrepreneurship in marginalized environments, emphasizing the role of internal psychological resources in achieving self-actualization. The findings have practical implications for psychological counseling, entrepreneurship development programs, and gender-focused empowerment policies in similar socio-cultural contexts.

ABSTRACT
The word introversion originates from the Modern Latin introvertere combining intro (to the inside) and vertere (to turn). It was in use in the early 17th century regarding spiritual contemplation before being popularized by Carl Jung in the 1910s to describe focusing energy inward. Then solitude originates from the Latin word solitudinem meaning loneliness, solitariness rooted in solus meaning alone. Historically, it has transitioned from a religious practice of withdrawal to a, often, positive, modern, and voluntary state of being alone for self-reflection and personal growth. It is distinct from the often, painful, emotional experience of loneliness. Psychoanalytically, solitude is seen as a fundamental human experience that develops in early life. It is often described as a dualism or a “state of being with the self.” Somehow contrary to the traditional belief that introverts universally thrive in solitude, recent studies suggest a more complex relationship between personality and the enjoyment of alone time. This exposition investigates these nuances finding that while introversion is associated with higher frequency of being alone, it does not directly predict enjoyment of that solitude. Instead, the pleasure derived from solitary environments is more closely linked to a proactive “solitropic” motivation rather than simply a low desire for social interaction. Furthermore, research suggests that the benefits of solitude such as mental rejuvenation and reduced stress are experienced by various personality types when the choice to be alone is autonomous and volitional. It is suggested that “high functioning” introverts seek solitary environments for personal growth rather than escape. Introversion is often characterized by a preference for quieter environments and a need to manage social stimulation. The author explores the physiological underpinnings of the preference, examining how introverts utilize solitude for cognitive and emotional restoration. While socia