Mental Health

The Theory

Basic SDT research topics

Mangelsdorf, S. N., Cagliarini, D., Nelson, B., McEnery, C., Whiting, J.Chinnery, G., Valentine, L., Lee, Y. Y., Mihalopoulos, C.Liu, V., Bendall, S., Koval, P., D'Alfonso, S., Gonzalez-Blanch, C., Ryan, R. M. (2025) Can a digital intervention ‘momentum’ improve social functioning and transdiagnostic symptoms for Australian youth at ultrahigh risk for psychosis? Protocol for a superiority randomised controlled trial comparing treatment as usual with and without momentum. , BMJ Open , 15 (pp. e102132) doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-102132

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Joussemet, M., Mageau, G. A.Larose, M-P., Robichaud, J-M. (2025) Evaluating the impact of the how-to parenting program on child mental health: A randomized controlled trial in grade schools. Family Process, 64 ,e70081

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Van de Casteele, M.Flamant, N.Morbee, S., van den Bogaard, D. (2025) Online and offline need fulfillment seeking: The relation between need crafting profiles, well-being, and social media use. Computers in Human Behavior, 108843

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Neufeld, A. (2025) The calling-cost paradox: When identity-driven motivation becomes a risk in medical training. The Clinical Teacher, 22 ,e70187

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van den Bogaard, D., Soenens, B.Brenning, K.Van Hees, V. (2025) How to support college students’ pro-active search for psychological need satisfaction? Testing an online intervention that fosters need crafting. Motivation and Emotion,

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Walck, D.Parr, J.Rabb, K., Lynch, M. F. (2025) Diverse client motivation: Why using a transformative paradigm along with a critical race theory framework is important in this mixed methods study. Methods in Psychology, 13 ,100184

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Van de Casteele, M., Soenens, B.Campbell, R.Ponnet, K. (2025) Too pressured to sleep? Exploring the role of study motivation, test anxiety and procrastination in university students’ sleep patterns during exam periods. Stress and Health, 41(3) ,e70040

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Neufeld, A. (2025) Revealing the blind spots: five key challenges for advancing physician wellness. Canadian Medical Education Journal, Advance Online

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Raeburn, T.Chang, C. R.Kuek, J. H. L.Ndwiga, D. W. (2024) Self-determination theory: A framework well suited to informing research of adverse inpatient mental health experiences. , Issues in Mentalh Health Nursing , Advance online publication doi: 10.1080/01612840.2024.2385566

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Mangelsdorf, S. N.Cagliarini, D.Lee, Y. Y.Mihalopoulos, C. (2024) A mindfulness-based, cognitive, social, digital relapse-prevention intervention for youth with depression in Australia: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial of Rebound. , BMJ Open , 14(11) (pp. Article e088695) doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-088695

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Ravn, I. (2024) The existential challenges of stress, trauma, and psychopathology and their integration to the self: A self-determination theory perspective. Trends in Psychology, Advance online publication

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Jordan, N.Macdonald, S.Allen, J. (2024) Military sports recovery athletes’ perspectives on role of the coach in athletes’ well-being: The importance of supporting basic psychological needs. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, Advance online publication

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van den Bogaard, D., Soenens, B.Brenning, K.Flamant, N. (2024) Can students learn to optimize their need‐based experiences and mental health during a stressful period? Testing a need‐crafting intervention in higher education. , Journal of Happiness Studies , 25(49) doi: 10.1007/s10902-024-00761-8

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Malboeuf-Hurtubise, C., Taylor, G.Lambert, D.Paradis, P-O. (2024) Impact of a mindfulness-based intervention on well-being and mental health of elementary school children: Results from a randomized cluster trial. Scientific Reports, 14 ,15894

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Van de Casteele, M.Flamant, N.Ponnet, K., Soenens, B. (2024) Adolescents’ mental health in the social-media era: The role of offline and online need-based experiences. Journal of Adolescence, 96(3) ,612-631

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Desimpelaere, E. N., Soenens, B.Prinzie, P.Waterschoot, J. (2023) Parents’ stress, parental burnout, and parenting behavior during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Comparing parents of children with and without complex care needs. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 32 ,3681-3696

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Neufeld, A.Rahman, A.Orakwue-Ononye, N. (2023) Community physician perceptions of managing complex child and adolescent psychiatric patients: A self-determination theory perspective. Journal of Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 32(4) ,264-271

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Mageau, G. A., Joussemet, M.Paquin, C.Grenier, F. (2022) How-to-Parenting-Program: Change in parenting and child mental health over one year. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 31 ,3498-3513

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Niemiec, C. P., Olafsen, A. H., Halvari, H., Williams, G. C. (2022) Losing sleep over work: A self-determination theory view on need frustration, sleep disturbance, and mental ill health. Stress and Health, 38(4) ,790-803

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Nguyen, T. T., Weinstein, N., Deci, E. L. (2022) The motivation to do nothing when alone: Autonomy as driver of emotions and diversion behaviors in solitude. Collabra: Psychology, 8(1) ,31629

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Nguyen, T. T., Weinstein, N., Ryan, R. M. (2022) Who enjoys solitude? autonomous functioning (but not introversion) predicts self-determined motivation (but not preference) for solitude. PLoS One, 17(5) ,e0267185

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Legault, L.Sago, A. (2022) When body positivity falls flat: Divergent effects of body acceptance messages that support vs. undermine basic psychological needs. Body Image, 41 ,225–238

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Laporte, N., Soenens, B.Brenning, K., Vansteenkiste, M. (2021) Adolescents as active managers of their own psychological needs: The role of psychological need crafting in adolescents’ mental health. Journal of Adolescence, 88 ,67-83

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Bentzen, M.Brurok, B.Roeleveld, K.Hoff, M. (2021) Changes in physical activity and basic psychological needs related to mental health among people with physical disability during the Covid-19 pandemic in Norway. Disability and Health Journal, 14(4) ,101126

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Legate, N., Ryan, R. M.Rogge, R. D. (2017) Daily autonomy support and sexual identity disclosure predicts daily mental and physical health outcomes. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 43(6) ,860-873

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Weinstein, N.Khabbaz, F., Legate, N. (2016) Enhancing need satisfaction to reduce psychological distress in Syrian refugees. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 84(7) ,645-650

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Bailey, T. H.Phillips, L. J. (2015) The influence of motivation and adaptation on students’ subjective well-being, meaning in life and academic performance. Higher Education Research and Development,

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Slemp, G.Vella-Brodrick, D. A. (2014) Optimising employee mental health: The relationship between intrinsic need satisfaction, job crafting, and employee well-being. Journal of Happiness Studies, 15(4) ,957–977

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Forest, J.Dagenais-Desmarais, V.Crevier-Braud, L.Bergeron, E. (2010) Le lien entre la sante mentale et la satisfaction des besoins d’autonomie, de competence et d’affiliation sociale. Gestion, 35 ,20-26

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Weinstein, N., Brown, K. W., Ryan, R. M. (2009) A multi-method examination of the effects of mindfulness on stress attribution, coping, and emotional well-being. Journal of Research in Personality, 43 ,374-385

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Deci, E. L., Ryan, R. M. (2008) Favoriser la motivation optimale et la santé mentale dans les divers milieux de vie. Canadian Psychology, 49 ,14-23

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Shapiro, S. L., Brown, K. W.Biegel, G. M. (2007) Teaching self-care to caregivers: Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on the mental health of therapists in training. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 1(2) ,105-115

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Ryan, R. M. (2005) The developmental line of autonomy in the etiology, dynamics, and treatment of borderline personality disorders. Development and Psychopathology, 17(4) ,987-1006

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