Objective: This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the 21-item Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) in a sample of Moroccan students. Method: A total of 208 Moroccan students participated in this study. The dimensionality of the DASS-21 scale was assessed using exploratory factor analysis. Construct validity was assessed using the Stress Perception (PSS-10), State Anxiety (SAI), and Depression (CESD-10) scales. Results: Correlation analyses between Depression, Anxiety, and Stress subscales showed significant results. The exploratory factor analysis results confirmed the DASS’s three-dimensional structure. Furthermore, correlation analyses revealed positive correlations between the DASS-18 sub-dimensions and the three scales for Stress (PSS-10), Anxiety (SAI), and Depression (CESD-10). Conclusion: In line with previous work, the results of this study suggest that the DASS-18 reflect adequate psychometric properties, making it an appropriate tool for use in the university context.

This study explored the relationships between college students’ indecisiveness, anxiety, and career decision-making ability. Using the convenience sampling method, 1072 college students at a college in Hunan Province, China completed a questionnaire online that included the Indecisiveness Scale, Career Exploration and Decision Self-Efficacy Scale, and Generalized Anxiety Scale-7. Participants reported their gender and place of origin (rural or city). They indicated whether they were an only child, were left behind, and liked the major they were studying. The t-test was used to identify differences in indecisiveness, career decision-making ability, and anxiety according to demographic characteristics. Correlations were calculated between the main variables of interest. Regression analysis was conducted to test the mediation model. Participants who liked their major were significantly more indecisive than those who did not like their major. Career decision-making ability was significantly higher among men than women, participants from urban areas than those from rural areas, participants who were an only child than those with siblings, and among non-left-behind participants than those who were left behind. Anxiety was significantly lower in participants who liked their major than those who did not like their major. In addition, anxiety partially mediated the relationship between indecisiveness and career decision-making ability. College students’ indecisiveness and career decision-making ability are affected by sociocultural background, gender, family background, and career interest. Anxiety partially mediates the relationship between indecisiveness and career decision-making ability. Implications of the findings for counseling college students are discussed.

Lifelong learning (LLL) is progressively recognized as a crucial component of personal and professional development, particularly for adult students. As a heavily populated developing country, China requires profound national education reform to support its economic development and maintain its competitive advantage on the global economic stage. The governmental policy endorses the execution of diverse forms of lifelong learning programs to bolster the national education reform. However, implementing such programs can be challenging for all the stakeholders of the programs, especially for adult students. The weaker foundational knowledge and insufficient online learning abilities of adult students particularly highlight the academic challenges they face. This study explores the academic challenges faced by adult learners in a Chinese vocational college’s LLL program. Focusing on ex-soldiers, unemployed individuals, migrant workers, and new professional farmers (aged 22–44), data were collected from 16 adult students via purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews and document analysis revealed recurring thematic academic challenges. Additionally, the study found that adult student attributes (highest education level, age) significantly influenced the unique academic challenges they encountered. This research provides practical solutions to improve LLL programs and promote successful lifelong learning experiences for adult students. 

Using the Intercultural Competence and Inclusion in Education Scale (ICIES), this study examines variations in intercultural competence and inclusion between mainstream and multiethnic high schools. The sample consisted of 384 high school students, aged 17 to 18, from both rural and urban areas in Western Romania, enrolled in grades 11 and 12. The ICIES demonstrated strong reliability, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.721. Exploratory factor analysis revealed three distinct dimensions: Intercultural opportunities and activities, Comfort in diverse settings, and Cultural reflection and values. Independent samples t-tests identified significant differences between mainstream and multiethnic schools across several items, with students in multiethnic schools reporting higher levels of intercultural competence and inclusion. These findings highlight the critical role of multicultural educational settings in fostering students’ cultural awareness and inclusive attitudes. This study provides actionable insights for enhancing multicultural education practices and policies, including teacher training programs, inclusive curricula, and extracurricular initiatives that promote intercultural engagement and reduce intergroup biases.