Acceptance Process Research Articles

Active offer of influenza vaccination during hospitalization: a multicenter study in Sicily (Italy)

Abstract Background Every cold season, the Italian health institutions strongly recommend influenza vaccination for categories at risk of complications, however influenza vaccination coverage is over and over far from the desirable target of 95%. After the pilot experience conducted in Palermo during the 2022-23 influenza season, the ‘Vaccinations in the ward’ project was extended to other Sicilian centers in order to evaluate the impact of the vaccination offer strategy in a broader territorial reality and to analyze the determinants of influenza vaccine acceptance among at risk people. Methods The project was conducted at the Umberto I Hospital in Enna and the University Hospitals of Messina and Palermo during the 2023-24 influenza season. A questionnaire was administered to the at risk hospitalized patients to investigate socio-demographic factors, behavioral habits, and clinical condition. Furthermore, influenza vaccination upon discharge was offered. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify the determinants of influenza vaccine acceptance. Results Overall, 374 patients with a median age of 65 years (IQR: 50-70) were recruited, of whom 36% had been vaccinated for influenza during the 2022-23 season (n = 136). The patients who accepted influenza vaccination in the ward were 57% (n = 214). The determinants of vaccination adherence were: age (OR: 1.03; p = 0.003); having quit smoking (OR: 2.68; p = 0.017); having received advice on vaccination from general practitioner (OR: 4.9; p < 0.001) and hospital healthcare workers (OR: 7.3; p < 0.001). Conclusions The offer of vaccination in the ward effectively increased influenza coverage among categories at risk of complications. Furthermore, the adoption of correct behavioral habits and the promotion of influenza vaccination by healthcare personnel have played a decisive role in the vaccine acceptance process. These findings could be useful for planning future influenza vaccination campaigns targeted to at risk people. Key messages • Vaccination strategies are needed to increase influenza coverage among at-risk categories. Active offer of influenza vaccine upon discharge can effectively increase vaccination compliance. • The adoption of correct behavioral habits and the promotion of vaccination by healthcare personnel play a decisive role in the influenza vaccine acceptance process among at risk people.

Psychometric Properties of the Chinese Version of the Psy-Flex Among Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

This research aimed to translate the original English version of the Psy-Flex, a scale of psychological flexibility, into Chinese and to test its psychometric properties among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Two phases were conducted: (1) translation from English to Chinese (Psy-Flex-C), followed by a semantic equivalence evaluation between two versions, a pre-test, and an evaluation of the Psy-Flex-C in terms of face validity with 20 parents of autistic children, and content validity of the Psy-Flex-C with eight experts. (2) A cross-sectional study with 248 parents of autistic children was conducted for validation, and a subgroup of 50 participants was randomly selected to assess the test-retest reliability at a 2-week interval. The Psy-Flex-C showed satisfactory semantic equivalence with the original version and demonstrated adequate internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.84) and test-retest stability (weighted kappa statistic = 0.88). Concurrent validity was supported by a moderate correlation between the Psy-Flex-C and the Comprehensive Assessment of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Processes (Pearson's r = 0.54, p < 0.01). The Psy-Flex-C showed a significant mean score difference between parents with high and low parenting stress (t = 5.43, p < 0.001). Similar to the original scale, confirmatory factor analysis showed the best fitting one-factor structure of the Psy-Flex-C (X2/df = 1.62, p = 0.13, RMSEA = 0.05, GFI = 0.99, CFI = 0.99, TLI = 0.98, SRMR = 0.023). The Psy-Flex-C can be a reliable and valid instrument to self-report psychological flexibility in parents of children with ASD. Future research is recommended to test the Psy-Flex-C using diverse samples from different cultures and contexts to enhance its generalizability.

Artificial intelligence in corporate communications: determinants of acceptance and transformative processes

PurposeThis study investigates the determinants of artificial intelligence (AI) acceptance in and AI-driven transformations of corporate communications. From a technology adoption perspective, the study explores the dual influence of individual and organizational factors on AI acceptance.Design/methodology/approachEmploying a qualitative research design, this study conducted semi-structured interviews with 19 AI experts in large-scale companies in Germany.FindingsThe study reveals micro-level determinants of AI acceptance related to AI’s perceived usefulness and ease of use. It also identifies macro-level determinants, including organizational awareness and frameworks. Corporate communications is expected to gain relevance due to the organizational integration of AI.Research limitations/implicationsThe proposed model integrates crucial factors influencing AI adoption and offers a starting point for quantitative validation. The study serves as a benchmark for future research, particularly given its timing right before the extensive adoption of ChatGPT.Practical implicationsOrganizations are encouraged to develop strategies that enhance both individual and organizational AI readiness. By reflecting both micro- and macro-level determinants of AI acceptance, a more holistic understanding of effective change management initiatives related to AI integration can be fostered.Originality/valueBy proposing an extension to the technology acceptance model, which incorporates both micro- and meso-level determinants, this study provides a novel framework for holistically understanding AI acceptance in corporate communications.

Nanostructured NiS2-based flexible smart sensors for human respiration monitoring.

The growing demand for wearable healthcare devices has led to an urgent need for cost-effective, wireless and portable breath monitoring systems. However, it is essential to explore novel nanomaterials that combine state-of-the-art flexible sensors with high performance and sensing capabilities along with scalability and industrially acceptable processing. In this study, we demonstrate a highly efficient NiS2-based flexible capacitive sensor fabricated via a solution-processible route using a novel single-source precursor [Ni{S2P(OPr)2}2]. The developed sensor could precisely detect the human respiration rate and exhibit rapid responsiveness, exceptional sensitivity and selectivity at ambient temperatures, with an ultra-fast response and recovery. The device effectively differentiates the exhaled breath patterns including slow, fast, oral and nasal breath, as well as post-exercise breath rates. Moreover, the sensor shows outstanding bending stability, repeatability, reliable and robust sensing performance and is capable of contactless sensing. The sensor was further employed with a user-friendly wireless interface to facilitate smartphone-enabled real-time breath monitoring systems. This work opens up numerous avenues for cost-effective, sustainable and versatile sensors with potential applications for Internet of Things-based flexible and wearable electronics.This article is part of the theme issue 'Celebrating the 15th anniversary of the Royal Society Newton International Fellowship'.

Does hope mediate the relationship between parent's resolution of their child's autism diagnosis and parental stress.

Resolution of a child's diagnosis, the process of accepting and adjusting to the reality of a child's significant diagnosis, has been often associated with decreased parental stress. Hope, a potential buffer against psychological distress, has been suggested as a potential explanation for this relationship. However, the mediating role of hope in the relationship between resolution of diagnosis and parental stress has not been explored. This study aimed to examine whether four types of hope (child, parental, societal, denial of diagnosis) mediated the relationship between resolution to an autism diagnosis and reduced parental stress. Participants included 73 parents (Mage = 43.22, SD = 7.69, female 97.3%) of autistic children (Mage = 11.15, SD = 4.56, male = 67.1%). Resolution to diagnosis was negatively and significantly correlated with resolution to diagnosis, as well as child, parental and societal hope. These three hopes were also significantly and negatively correlated with parental stress. Importantly, when controlling for level of support and autism awareness, parental hope mediated the relationship between resolution to diagnosis and parental stress. Denial of diagnosis was not correlated with resolution or parental stress but did have significant but weak associate with the other hopes. These findings suggest that hope based on parent's abilities to support their child and be supported themselves play an important role in parental stress once parents are more resolved to their child's diagnosis. Supporting parents to manage factors associated with supporting their child's needs, may benefit parents of autistic children.

ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE TRANSFORMATION IN DEVELOPING DIGITAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES AT ALFAGIFT COMPANY

This research aims to contribute to changes in an organizational culture that is influenced by certain factors, such as in this research, namely due to factors developing communication strategies and changes towards digitalization. This research is descriptive qualitative research using direct observation methods and in-depth interviews in Alfagift. This research uses phenomenological research with the Kurt Lewin Model (unfreezing, changing, and refreezing), and based on the results of this research it shows that the unfreezing process is a process of acceptance of the transformation that will be carried out in an organizational culture by all its members, then in the transformation process to its implementation is carried out by all members of the organization by carrying out their duties and obligations and being ambitious about the change process, and the last is the process of refreezing or mixing/merging attitudes and behavior towards the new culture. Therefore, the role of management is very important to provide support for every process of transformation that occurs carried out to increase the chances of success in creating a new organizational culture towards digitalization.

Two-photon polymerization-based fabrication of millimeter-sized precision Fresnel optics

Two-photon polymerization (2PP) is known to be the most precise and highest resolution additive manufacturing process for printing optics, but its applicability is restricted to a few applications due to the limited size of printable objects and low throughput. The presented work is intended to demonstrate the performance of printing millimeter-scale optics by implementing appropriate stitching methods into a setup that combines a Galvo scanner and translational axes. In this work, specifically, Fresnel axicons with a diameter of 3.5 mm are manufactured by 2PP to substantiate the applicability of the process. Manufacturing Fresnel optics instead of volumetric optics allows for attaining acceptable process times with durations of tens of hours highlighting the appeal of 2PP for rapid prototyping in optics. The suitability of the Fresnel axicons for beam shaping is confirmed through illumination with a laser beam. The resulting ring-shaped intensity distribution in the far field behind the Fresnel axicon is captured using a beam profiler. Furthermore, the influence of different stitching parameters on the resulting intensity distribution is investigated. The experimental results are validated by simulations, where the intensity distribution in the far field behind an axicon was calculated by Fourier transformation. Simulations were carried out to discuss the effect of manufacturing errors on the far field intensity distribution.

Development of the Southampton Experiential Avoidance and Acceptance Scale (SEAAS)

Acceptance is an important construct in various psychological models seeking to describe psychological distress and emotion regulation. Existing measures either focus on broader constructs like psychological flexibility or lack proper validation. There are no established tools which measure acceptance as a general process, as defined within Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). The absence of valid and reliable measures impedes research on acceptance processes in clinical change. To address this, we developed the Southampton Experiential Avoidance and Acceptance Scale (SEAAS). Across four studies an item pool was generated, evaluated, and refined into an 18-item scale with a theoretically coherent two-factor structure. The SEASS demonstrates strong psychometric properties, including excellent internal consistency, convergent, concurrent, and discriminant validity, and test-retest reliability. This scale is a promising new tool for assessing acceptance and experiential avoidance.

Validation of the comprehensive assessment of acceptance and commitment therapy processes for youth: The CompACT‐Y

AbstractBackgroundAcceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a transdiagnostic approach which aims to increase psychological flexibility. Higher psychological flexibility has been associated with reduced psychological distress, mental health symptoms and improvements in well‐being and functioning. Reviews of ACT for children and young people (CYP) indicate it shows potential as an effective treatment for a range of difficulties, however a comprehensive measure of psychological flexibility processes does not exist for CYP. Following revision of the adult Comprehensive assessment of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Processes (CompACT), through cognitive interviewing with adolescents and consultation with ACT experts, the present study aimed to assess the factor structure and validity of the revised youth measure (the CompACT‐Y).MethodThe CompACT‐Y measure was administered alongside measures of ACT processes, mental health and well‐being to 334 young people across six UK schools, to assess for convergent and concurrent validity.ResultsExploratory factor analysis indicated a 19‐item three‐factor structure was the most stable, with all items loading above 0.50. The CompACT‐Y correlated with measures of psychological flexibility (r = ‐0.64 – 0.66), mental health (r = −0.58 – −0.66), well‐being (r = 0.57–0.65) and behaviour (r = −0.63) as expected, indicating acceptable convergent and concurrent validity.ConclusionsThe CompACT‐Y appears to be a valid and reliable measure of psychological flexibility in young people. Further research is needed to replicate the findings and confirm factor structure, validity and reliability, particularly in younger adolescents and those from diverse backgrounds. The CompACT‐Y offers a promising tool to improve the methodological rigour of ACT studies in young people, and has implications for the use of ACT in clinical practice.

Breast Cancer Patients’ Emotional Acceptance: Nominal Group Technique (NGT) approach

Many individuals diagnosed with breast cancer experience emotional stress that interferes with their psychological functioning and quality of life. Thus, this study aims to explore the level and experience of emotional acceptance when individuals are diagnosed with breast cancer. This study’s main objective is to determine the emotional acceptance process of patients diagnosed with breast cancer in Malaysia. This study uses the Nominal Group Technique (NGT) and has involved a total of 11 experts who have faced breast cancer. Changing the patient's emotional acceptance depends on the influence of the cancer patient's internal and external positive motivation.

Affirmative Mindfulness, Acceptance, and Compassion-Based Group Intervention for Sexual Minorities (Free2Be): A Non-Randomized Mixed-Method Study for Feasibility with Exploratory Analysis of Effectiveness

ObjectivesDespite sexual minority (SM), i.e. individuals who identify as lesbian women, gay men, bisexual, or pansexual, individuals presenting worse mental health outcomes when compared to heterosexual individuals, they face more difficulties in accessing affirmative and quality health services. This study is a mixed-method non-randomized single-arm trial targeting SM individuals assessing the feasibility and exploratory findings from an affirmative mindfulness, acceptance, and compassion-based group intervention (Free2Be).MethodEighteen participants who self-identified as SM, with a mean age of 30.80 years old, underwent a face-to-face group intervention with 13 weekly sessions (Free2Be). Feasibility was assessed in three domains (acceptability, practicality, and preliminary effectiveness) with self-report questionnaires and hetero-report interviews, during and after the intervention, and using a mixed-methods approach. Using a pre–post and participant-by-participant design, changes were assessed in self-reported internalized stigma, psychopathology indicators, and mindfulness, acceptance, and compassion processes.ResultsThe Free2Be was acceptable and feasible in all three domains. Participants who completed the intervention (≥ 80% of attendance) revealed significant or reliable decreases in stress and social anxiety symptoms, self-criticism, and fear of compassion for the self.ConclusionsThe study provides evidence of the feasibility of the intervention. This affirmative mindfulness, acceptance, and compassion-based group intervention seems to be feasible and acceptable for SM individuals. These promising findings warrant further investigation within a pilot study.

Reception Analysis of Halal Food among the Online Platform Audiences in Muslim Minority Countries

Halal Lifestyle is a fundamental aspect of the Muslim community's lifestyle, as consuming halal products is a religious obligation and necessity for Muslims. However, this is a significant challenge in Muslim minority countries due to limited access to halal cuisines in public places. This research aims to understand the process of audience acceptance in countries with minority Muslims regarding the need for consumption following halal principles. Researchers employ audience acceptance theory in analyzing research problems and an analysis technique coined by Stuart Hall. The data was obtained through the use of research instruments in the form of guided discussions, based on the constructivist paradigm through the employment of data reduction, data presentation, and validation process. The results of the guided discussions indicated that each participant interpreted media messages in three possible positions: dominant, negotiation, and opposition. These differences in interpretation were influenced by various individual backgrounds, including where they lived, their views, and their experiences. The findings indicate that, in terms of acceptance of halal food in Muslim-minority countries, the majority of participants consider information about halal food to be important in maintaining their religious beliefs, particularly through online platforms such as websites and Instagram.

Development of an Application for The Management of ZISWAF at LazNas PHR

The advancement of information technology has revolutionized the way institions and agencies operate. To keep up this progress, LazNas PHR needed to develop an application for ZISWaf Management. The conventional reception process was inefficient and did not use the internet, resulting in delayed reports and distributions. A website based ZISWaf management application was created to streamline the acceptance, data collection, distribution, and report generation process. The development process included needs analysis, design, development, testing and conclusion drawing. The application was developed using the single-page application system development method and was tested through user acceptance tests. Results of the tests showed positive evolution, indicating that the application successfully assisted officers in managing the ZISWaf. Application has successfully integrated the use of information technology into the management of ZISWaf at LazNas PHR, contributing to the advancement and modernization of the institution

Обробка даних на основі швидкого перетворення Фур’є в кореляційному течешукачі

Fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithms are widely used in correlation leak detectors (CD) in the implementation of digital data processing. The combination of the computa-tional efficiency of FFT with modern high-performance mobile computing means pro-vides acceptable data processing time during leak detection. Due to the increase in the general wear and tear of pipeline networks in many countries, the requirements for reliabil-ity and efficiency in detecting and repairing damage are increasing. Meeting these re-quirements means complicating data processing algorithms to more fully take into ac-count the diversity of the acoustic environment. This is the reason for the special interest in FFT as a basic, universal algorithm, on the basis of which it is promising to further develop data processing in CD. The article describes the experience of the authors in the application of FFT in parametric CD, in particular, the use of FFT in spectral evaluation and digital filtering of signals, calculations of digital filters, calculation and further pro-cessing of correlation functions is considered.

MACROPRUDENTIAL POLICIES CAPITAL FLOW MANAGEMENT

This article aims to present the legitimization process of macroprudential capital flow management policies as a tool for economic stability after 2009, when such policies started to have the support of multilateral institutions such as the IMF. To this end, we conducted extensive bibliographical research, bringing together several academic strands to present how this process of transformation and acceptance developed and the motivations, impacts, and effective results of these policies. As a result, we verified that the use and effectiveness of these management strategies must follow an arrangement in which their scope must involve several other policies of the fiscal, macroprudential, monetary, exchange rate, and capital control, mainly in emerging economies and in these cases, reduce financial fragility and maintain the macroeconomic stability of these countries in the face of adverse shocks to the balance of payments caused by excessive capital inflows or outflows, mitigating the resulting externalities in the process.Keywords: Macroprudential policies / Stability / Capital flow

Design and Application of an IVD Reagent Management Information Systems Based on Unique Code

The management of in vitro diagnostic (IVD) reagents in hospitals often faces issues such as the lack of a unified coding system, unclear consumption patterns, and unknown cost-to-income ratios. It is necessary to employ information systems to achieve comprehensive, detailed, and traceable management of IVD reagents. An information management system for IVD reagents based on unique coding is introduced, which integrates admission, acceptance, and consumption processes through unique codes. The system calculates the income per experimental item based on the consumption of IVD reagents and the charge for each experimental item. The system enhances the efficiency of the IVD reagent supply chain management and promotes detailed oversight of IVD reagent usage.

Virtual Influencers in Consumer Behaviour: A Social Influence Theory Perspective

AbstractAlthough virtual influencers, that is, computer‐generated personas, have been a growing trend in marketing, we still know very little about their impact on consumers’ attitudes and behaviour. To bridge this gap, this study: (a) explores individuals’ acceptance of influences induced by virtual influencers and (b) investigates how influence acceptance translates into behaviour. Drawing on Social Influence Theory, we first conducted a comprehensive literature review to extract the key attributes of virtual influencers (i.e. warmth, relatedness, interactivity, competence, empathy, uniqueness, fairness and credibility) as enablers of engagement that can determine influence acceptance. Then, based on 601 survey responses and using a fuzzy‐set qualitative comparative analysis, we analysed the associations between the enablers of engagement, influence acceptance processes (i.e. compliance, identification and internalization) and behavioural responses (purchase intention and behaviour adoption). Our findings highlight various sets of virtual influencer attributes that lead to high degrees of compliance, identification and internalization, and behavioural responses. We contribute to the influencer literature by explaining the causes of the persuasiveness of virtual influencers and their effectiveness in stimulating behaviour. Our study also offers practical insights into how brand managers can leverage virtual influencers in online marketing strategies.

Personal Character and Stigma in the Acceptance Process of Families Caring for Individuals with Mental Disorders

Mental illness necessitates long-term care, impacting both sufferers and their families due to societal stigma. This study examined the correlation between personal character and self-acceptance, stigma, and self-acceptance, and the sociodemographic factors influencing acceptance. The study used a quantitative descriptive design to analyze data from 130 individuals who were purposefully selected from a total population of 175 families with members experiencing mental disorders. The research instruments included standard questionnaires to measure personal character, extraversion, perceived stigmatization, stigma, and family adaptation acceptance. Results indicated that personal character and stigma were significantly associated with acceptance (p-value &lt;0.05). At the same time, the distance to the health center was the most influential demographic factor (p-value &lt;0.005, Chi-Square 170.071). In conclusion, strengthening the personal character of families is crucial to mitigate the negative impact of societal stigma. Furthermore, enhancing services provided through health centers is essential.

Development of a decision support system for client acceptance in independent audit process

Intelligent Information Technology (IIT) applications are crucial in the audit process, enhancing quality, effectiveness, and efficiency. The client acceptance process (CAP), one of the critical audit steps, involves subjective evaluations where business managers' claims intersect with independent audit firm managers' expectations. This subjective nature introduces the potential for errors or misjudgments, impacting audit time and costs. In this paper, therefore, we propose a decision support system considering both auditors' subjective judgments and financial data variations for accepting or rejecting a client enterprise. The decision support system consisting of the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), the logistic regression model, and the fuzzy inference system comprises four phases. In the first phase, a logistic regression model is developed using financial ratios to determine the client's probability of being in a close monitoring market (CMM) which represents publicly traded firms that are struggling to meet specific financial indicators or that are exposed to certain risks. In the second phase, the evaluation criteria used by the audit firm to measure the market reputation of the client enterprise are defined, and the weights of the evaluation criteria are obtained by using Fuzzy AHP. In the third phase, the Client Acceptance Score (CAS) representing market reputation of the client is calculated by incorporating the results of a reputation survey and applying the weights assigned to the evaluation criteria obtained in the second phase. Finally, client acceptance risk level (CARL) is obtained by using a fuzzy inference system and a rule-based defined by auditors. The CMM probability value and CAS score obtained in previous phases are used as input values of the fuzzy inference system. The CARL score guides the audit firm in deciding whether to engage with the client. To illustrate the applicability of the proposed model, a case study has been given in the paper.

Acceptance of disability in stroke: A qualitative metasynthesis.

Disability acceptance has been conceptualized as an internalization of oneself as a person experiencing disability and associated with better coping and motivation for rehabilitation. This is particularly pertinent to individuals experiencing stroke because many are initially not fully aware of their stroke-related impairments, which affects the acceptance process. This qualitative metasynthesis aimed to synthesize qualitative findings regarding disability acceptance in stroke and identify barriers and facilitators associated with it. Eighteen studies published from 2003 to 2022, conducted in Asia, Europe, and Australasia, were included in our review. A thematic synthesis was carried out through line-by-line coding and identification of descriptive and analytical themes. Three analytical themes emerged from the analysis: "understanding impairments," "flexibility and active engagement," and "disability acceptance as a non-linear process." Healthcare professionals may facilitate this process by guiding individuals experiencing stroke to recognize that they can manage their limitations and still lead meaningful lives.