Yang Lv

Household livelihood assessment is an integral approach to determining the status of the development of rural people and society. Therefore, this study aims to explore the status of the livelihood and adaptation strategies of ethnic mountain people. A capital-based livelihood assessment was conducted on households living in Mount Qingcheng in Sichuan, China, under the guidance of the sustainable livelihood framework. Primary data were gathered through a semi-structured household survey of 42 ethnic mountain households complemented by two focus group discussions with community representatives. This study reveals that ethnic mountain households possess low levels of human capital (education, health, and vocational skills), limited natural capital (cultivable land and homestead areas), scarcity of physical capital (poor housing, production tools, vehicles, and durable assets), limited access to financial capital (income, borrowing informal and formal loans, and charity), and poor social capital (loose social networks within relatives, low opportunities for financial help, and job facilities). The analysis revealed a positive relationship between family size and household income, and cultivable land area. Cultivable land and homestead size are significantly positively related to dwelling quality (0.20*), financial security (0.60*), ease of obtaining informal loans (0.20*), and access to formal loans (0.30*). The major adaptation strategies depend on agriculture, off-farm income activities, social networks, traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), and migration for work. This study recommends that a continuous development program be implemented to help protect the culture and enhance the livelihood security of ethnic mountain people.

The construction of a rural teaching workforce is a key factor in promoting educational equity and the development of high-quality education. We employ the Leslie model and the age-specific grade progression rate method to estimate a population forecasting model. Using data from the seventh national census and regional statistical yearbooks and accounting for educational centralization and population trends, we forecast rural preschool, primary, and junior high teacher demand in 12 western Chinese provinces (2024–2040) on the basis of school-age population changes. The results show that (1) population changes have led to a decline in the allocation of rural education resources in western China; (2) the decrease in the school-age population has led to a continuous contraction of the teacher team structure, with a more pronounced decline in the preschool education stage; for example, rural student numbers in Gansu are projected to decline by 35% between 2024 and 2040, contributing to a 28% drop in primary teacher demand under constant policy conditions; and (3) the decline in teacher demand at all educational stages has exacerbated the imbalance in the allocation of educational resources. To address shrinking school-age populations and rural teacher imbalances, we recommend adjusting staffing standards on the basis of demographic forecasts, strengthening cross-stage professional development with clear pathways and incentives, and modernizing training through blended mentoring and data-driven coaching to ensure sustainable education quality.

Background: The implementation of crisis response strategies, such as natural hazards, pandemics, and conflicts, is necessary during times of emergency. Despite the importance of these interventions, mental health outcomes in emergency situations remain poorly understood. There is a lack of research on the comparative effectiveness of different interventions. Therefore, this study addresses the following question: “How do crisis interventions affect mental health outcomes in emergencies?”. Methods: This study aims to conduct a scoping review of the impact mechanisms of crisis intervention on the mental health of witnesses or participants in the context of emergencies. The study encompassed a wide array of studies, emphasizing the efficacy of several crisis intervention modalities, such as psychological first aid and trauma-focused therapy. Results: Most of the existing results were based on hospitals, schools and communities as research scenarios. The findings revealed substantial beneficial effects on mental health outcomes, such as decreased symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression. Nevertheless, discrepancies in the efficacy were observed depending on the nature of the emergency, the model of intervention, and the demographic variables. The study highlights the intricate nature of executing crisis interventions during emergencies, taking into account aspects such as cultural sensitivity, resource availability, and the necessity for customized approaches. Conclusion: Crisis interventions are crucial in reducing the detrimental effects on mental health caused by emergencies. However, additional focused and enduring investigations are necessary to understand their efficacy in various emergency scenarios and demographics. Therefore, future research can further enrich psychological crisis intervention methods and deepen research on the impact of crisis intervention on mental health.

The role of social responsibility in kindergartens is critical for fostering parental loyalty, especially amid declining enrollment rates in China. However, the relationship between kindergarten social responsibility, brand trust, perceived value, and parental loyalty is not well understood. This study investigates the influence of kindergarten social responsibility on parental loyalty, focusing on the mediating roles of brand trust and perceived value. A nationwide survey was conducted, collecting 745 valid responses from parents across 27 provinces in China. Data were analyzed using the PROCESS macro, with mediation effects tested via the bias-corrected nonparametric percentile bootstrap method. The findings reveal that kindergarten social responsibility significantly enhances parental loyalty both directly and indirectly through brand trust and perceived value. Brand trust was identified as the strongest mediator, particularly in non-inclusive kindergartens, where its effect on loyalty was more pronounced. The study also found that parents with higher education levels and higher income tend to have lower perceptions of social responsibility and perceived value, affecting their loyalty. These results suggest that kindergartens must tailor their social responsibility strategies to different parent demographics and kindergarten types to maximize parental loyalty. The study emphasizes the importance of social responsibility in strengthening parental loyalty, with specific implications for inclusive and non-inclusive kindergartens. By understanding the mediating roles of brand trust and perceived value, kindergartens can develop targeted strategies to improve competitiveness and parental engagement.

The people of disaster-affected communities are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to the adverse effects of natural disasters. Education about disasters has become a possible strategy for fostering resilience and easing PTSD symptoms. This study intends to investigate the moderating roles of social support and disaster experiences on the relationships between disaster education, psychological resilience, and PTSD in disaster-prone regions of Southwest China. This study used Disaster Education Evaluation Scale, Psychological Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), Social Support Rating Scale (SRSS), event intensity Scale and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Self-Rating Scale (PTSD-SS), surveyed 712 residents in Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan and other areas where natural disasters frequently occur in Southwest China. The research findings indicate that there is a negative association between disaster education and PTSD. The association is influenced by the presence of improved psychological resilience, which acts as a mediator. Additionally, it was discovered that disaster events positively moderated the relationship between psychological resilience and PTSD while social support negatively moderated it. Resilience has a noteworthy role as a substantial mediator, highlighting its crucial function in mitigating the detrimental consequences of catastrophes and amplifying the beneficial outcomes of disaster education. These results imply that building psychological resilience, which might reduce PTSD symptoms in people living in disaster-prone regions, is a critical part of disaster education. The strength of the catastrophic event and social support are other factors that affect how psychological resilience and PTSD are related. The research argues that disaster education is crucial for strengthening community resilience and reducing PTSD symptoms in at-risk areas. To increase psychological resilience and lessen PTSD in high-risk locations, policymakers and disaster management organizations should emphasize disaster education initiatives and strengthen social support network.