Arab University Research Articles

An epidemiological study of mental health problems related to climate change: A procedural framework for mental health system workers.

The Arab region has witnessed different biological hazards, including cholera, yellow fever, and the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, changes in rainfall and increased vegetation cover led to locust outbreaks in Tunisia, Libya, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia. This problem still exists and affects more than 20 countries and concerns indicate food shortages and food insecurity for more than 20 million people. This study aimed to detect mental health problems related to climate change in the Arab world. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was applied to determine the prevalence of mental health problems related to climate change (MHPCC). A random sample consisted of 1080 participants (523 male and 557 female), residents in 18 Arab countries; their ages ranged from 25 to 60 years. The Mental Health Problems related to Climate Change Questionnaire (MHPCCQ) was completed online. The results indicated average levels of MHPCC prevalence. The results also revealed no significant statistical differences in the MHPCC due to gender, educational class, and marital status except in climate anxiety; there were statistical differences in favor of married subgroup individuals. At the same time, there are statistically significant differences in the MHPCC due to the residing country variable in favor of Syria, Yemen, Algeria, Libya, and Oman regarding fears, anxiety, alienation, and somatic symptoms. In addition, Tunisia, Bahrain, Sudan, and Iraq were higher in climate depression than the other countries. The findings shed light on the prevalence of MHPCC in the Arab world and oblige mental health system workers, including policymakers, mental health providers, and departments of psychology in Arab universities, to take urgent action to assess and develop the system for mental health to manage the risks of extreme climate change on the human mental health.

Earnings and market ratio: Additional evidence from Jordanian banks

The primary objective of this study is to investigate the correlation between profitability and the banks market value, while controlling for bank size as indicated by total assets. Two main models are analyzed, namely the benchmark model and the main model, to estimate the impact of high and low profitability on market value. The sample for this study consists of Jordanian banks covering the period from 2010 to 2020. The study results reveal that banks with high profitability exhibit a higher market value compared to those with low profitability, underscoring the crucial role of profitability as a determinant of bank value. Furthermore, the study establishes a link between low and high ROE and market value, indicating that variations in ROE significantly affect market value. Moreover, the study demonstrates a positive link between earnings and market value, emphasizing the significance of bank earnings in influencing market value. Lastly, the study emphasizes the role of bank size in shaping the link between ROE and market value, highlighting the importance of considering bank size when examining the link between profitability and market value. AcknowledgmentI thank Amman Arab University for funding this research.

The effect of human capital and structural capital on leverage: Evidence from Jordan

This study investigates the effect of human capital and structural capital on leverage for Jordanian industrial firms from 2006 to 2020. The relevance of this topic lies in the importance of capital structure decisions for firm value and the limited research conducted on the topic in Jordan. The aim is to examine whether human capital efficiency and structural capital efficiency significantly affect leverage. The sample includes 77 industrial firms. The study employs multiple regression analysis to test the hypotheses, controlling for variables such as return on equity and firm size. The findings show that structural capital efficiency does not significantly affect leverage, but human capital efficiency and ROE have significant effects. Furthermore, the study finds that the relationship between these variables differs between large and small companies. This implies that firms with more efficient human capital tend to use less debt financing. The study concludes that human and structural capital efficiency should be considered when making capital structure decisions, as they can affect the optimal level of debt financing. The practical value is the insights for firms in Jordan and other emerging markets on optimizing their capital structure decisions by considering their human and structural capital efficiency. These results contribute to the literature on firm performance determinants in emerging economies and offer valuable information for practitioners and policymakers. AcknowledgmentI want to thank Amman Arab University for funding this study.

Requirements for the Application of Governance Standards in Faculties of Education in Arab Universities

This study aimed to identify the requirements for applying the dimensions of governance in the faculties of education in Arab universities. The descriptive analytical method was used, analyzing the content of previous studies related to the topic. The most important results are that the faculties of education in Arab universities actually apply, to a moderate degree, the dimensions of governance in their management, as well as for some instances of self-monitoring, development and sustainability. It also came out with a number of recommendations, the most important of which are: issuing regulations and legislation related to governance standards in the faculties of education in Arab universities, establishing independent committees within the faculties of education to follow up and evaluate the implementation of governance standards, adopting unified and declared standards for the various faculties of education in Arab universities, strengthening the role of the Union of Arab Universities, and consolidating the bonds of partnership between the union and the faculties of education. Keywords: Implementation of governance; Governance Standards; Faculties of Education; Arab universities; Descriptive Analythical Method.

Fostering a culture of qualitative research and scholarly publication in a leading university in the West Bank: a Palestinian-UK capacity-building collaboration

ABSTRACT Research practices in Arab universities, especially the use of qualitative methods, tend to fall behind international standards of excellence; hence, the relatively small number of qualitative journal articles published by Arab academics. Conducting research in Palestine is particularly problematic due to the continued Israeli occupation and its negative impact on Palestinian education. Certain cultural and historical factors pose further difficulties, specifically for qualitative researchers. To address the challenges with conducting qualitative research for its own staff and students, An-Najah National University (West Bank) collaborated with Coventry University (UK) to design and deliver a joint researcher-development programme on the uses of qualitative research methods, and the process and requirements of scholarly publication. Whilst implementing the programme, the team of British and Palestinian academics sought to examine the socio-cultural challenges of capacity-building between higher education institutions in the Global North and South – specifically in relation to qualitative research practice – and answer the question of how an equitable partnership between Global North and South institutions can be built. By engaging in Action Research, the North-South collaborators observed and analysed how Western researcher-development practices and assumptions were questioned, re-examined and adapted to give rise to a near-symmetrical relationship between the two institutions.

Cash flow volatility and leverage: Evidence from non-financial Jordanian companies

This study investigates the relationship between cash flow volatility and leverage in Jordanian firms. The research purpose is to investigate whether cash flow volatility affects a company’s capital structure in Jordan. Panel data analysis is used in this study for a sample of 72 shareholder non-financial companies in Jordan from 2009 to 2020. The findings show that cash flow volatility has a significant link with leverage, indicating that companies with higher cash flow volatility tend to use more debt financing. In addition, the study finds that firm size, return on assets, and tangibility are positively associated with leverage, while growth is not significantly related. The study suggests that firms in Jordan should take cash flow volatility in consideration when making capital structure decisions. The study provides evidence that cash flow volatility is a vital determinant of leverage in Jordanian companies. The findings suggest that managers should consider the cash flow volatility effect on the capital structure alternatives of their firms. AcknowledgmentI want to thank Amman Arab University for its support.

The Impact of Talent Management on Organizational Excellence at Amman Arab University

The Impact of Talent Management on Organizational Excellence at Amman Arab University

Saudi Novel and Short Story: History, Realities and Prospects

This paper focuses on Saudi fiction, novel and short story, which has enriched Saudi literature and contribut-ed in forming the course of modern Saudi literature. The study of this genre tells us the role of novel and short story in enlightening the people and forming their collective memory. Modern state of Saudi Arabia, earlier Najd and Hijaz, has a rich culture spanning three eras: pre-Islam, post-Islam and modern Saudi Arabia. How-ever, written novel and short story remained non-existent till 1940s when Saudi scholars interacted with Arab universities in Egypt and Lebanon and felt the need for giving a physical manifestation to the available oral fiction. In this study, the author traces the history of Saudi short story and novel through the different stages of their development. The primary focus of the paper is to identify the social and cultural barriers that men and women writers faced and overcame. Among many, the identified barriers are: (i) the social and cultural factors and (ii) the female inclusion. This study initiates a much-needed area of investigation on the develop-ment of modern Saudi novel and short story and motivates scholars and students of literature to familiarize themselves further with the history of Saudi fiction and the factors that contributed to its development be-cause an account of national writing without discussing these factors would be incomplete.

Effect of Low level laser on miniscrew displacement during canine retraction: A randomized controlled clinical trial

Background: Anchorage is an important consideration for successful orthodontic treatment. Skeletal anchorage by miniscrews provided better anchorage control then the ordinary extra-oral and intra-oral appliances. However, the stability of the miniscrews is still questionable since they might move under orthodontic loading. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Low Level Laser on the miniscrew displacement when subjected to orthodontic force during canine retraction using CBCT. Methods: Twelve patients who required bilateral extraction of upper first premolar and absolute anchorage were recruited from the outpatient clinics of the Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Beirut Arab University of age ranging 14-28 years. Twenty-four miniscrews were assessed; two miniscrews were inserted into the buccal alveolar bone between the second premolar and first molar on the right and left side for each patient in a 60o oblique direction at the mucogingival junction to avoid root injury. They were divided into 2 sides; test side and a control side, the test side received 4 application of low-level laser therapy during the first twelve days of insertion with a 60 seconds for each application. While the control side did not receive any laser application. After waiting a period of twelve days from miniscrew insertion to allow for soft tissue healing, the upper right and left canines were retracted by 150g of nickel-titanium (NiTi) closed coil springs. A cone-beam computed tomography was taken to evaluate the miniscrew position before application of the force at baseline (T0) and after canine retraction at 6 months (T1). Results: There was no statistically significant difference of miniscrew head and tail displacements of the test side and a sta- tistically significant difference of the heads for the control sides when compared to baseline. Conclusions: Miniscrews used in the current study with the suggested protocol underwent non-significant displacement when using low level laser. The miniscrews remained stable throughout the follow-up period (6 month) without any significant displacement on the test side.

Psychometrics evaluation of the university student engagement inventory in online learning among Arab students

AimStudent’ engagement is a predictor of various educational outcomes, and it is a key factor in perceived learning. This study aims to investigate the psychometric properties of University Student Engagement Inventory (USEI) among students of Arab universities.MethodsIn this cross-sectional methodological study 525 Arab university students participated. Data was collected from December 2020 to January 2021. The confirmatory factor analysis used for construct validity, reliability and Invariance analysis for Sex were evaluated.ResultsConfirmatory factor analysis indices confirmed the good model fit to the data (CFIscl=0.977, NFIscl=0.974, TLIscl=0.972, SRMR = 0.036, RMSEAscl=0.111, n = 525). All tested models showed strong invariance of the USEI between male and females. There was also evidence of convergent (AVE > 0.7 for all the scales) and discriminant validity (HTMT > 0.75 for all scales). Reliability evidence for the USEI measures in the sample of Arabic students was high (αordinal and ω above 0.86).ConclusionThe results of this study support the validity and reliability of the USEI with 15 items and 3 factors and demonstrate the importance of students’ engagement in the learning process, academic progress, and self-directed learning.

Towards Energy Sustainability in University Campuses: A Case Study of Beirut Arab University

Lebanon has been suffering from severe challenges in its electric sector for decades owing to chronic supply shortages and faults in its aging power grid infrastructure. The deplorable situation of the Lebanese electric sector has been made worse by the economic meltdown that started in 2019, which eventually led to total power blackouts across the country. In this paper, we present a case study on the design and implementation of a solar microgrid system for Beirut Arab University, Lebanon. As a first step, simulation software for a microgrid and a distributed generation power system is used to compare different design scenarios. Considering the available installation area and the fact that the greatest demand occurs during the daytime, when both the educational and managerial facilities are running, it is found that a 500-kW photovoltaic system tied to the university’s already present diesel generators is the optimal solution in terms of return on investment. The second step details the actual implementation of the system in the Beirut campus and the evaluation of the system’s performance in terms of diesel cost savings and emissions reduction. We expect that the results of this case study will encourage other institutions and communities to adopt sustainable and renewable energy sources.

The role of sticky cost behavior in supply chain management: Evidence from Jordan

This study aims to examine the relationship between sticky cost behavior and supply chain management of Jordanian manufacturing firms. The data are collected using a questionnaire targeting 25 Jordanian manufacturing firms. The data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis and correlation. The results reveal a positive relationship between supply chain management and sticky cost behavior (the correlation factor is 81.2%), indicating that the higher the level of sticky costs, the higher the supply chain management level. Moreover, the study found a positive and significant link between target costing and supply chain management (the correlation factor is 68.1%). The findings suggest that manufacturing companies in Jordan should consider the impact of sticky cost behavior on their supply chain management practices and that target costing can be an effective approach to improve supply chain management. The study adds to the previous studies on cost behavior and supply chain management, providing insights for manufacturing companies in Jordan and beyond on improving their supply chain management practices. Acknowledgment I want to thank Amman Arab University for funding this study.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution and the Teaching of Social Sciences in Higher Education Institutions under the Covid-19 Pandemic. A study on a Sample of Faculty Members in Arab Universities

Objective: The objective of the paper is to explore the utilization of Fourth Industrial Revolution techniques in teaching at higher education institutions during the Covid-19 pandemic, from the perspective of faculty members in the social sciences faculty at Arab universities.
 Method: This study is descriptive and analytical in nature, employing a quantitative approach using a questionnaire as the research tool.
 Results: The study's findings include the identification of the key characteristics of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, such as its speed, depth, and breadth. It also emphasizes that enhancing the quality of education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities can be achieved by identifying essential future-oriented skills and assessing the readiness of higher education institutions to incorporate these skills into their curriculum plans.
 Conclusion: The study highlights the significant challenges faced by educational stakeholders during the teaching process amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The sample members perceived teaching with the available capabilities and resources during this period as ineffective. As a result, it is recommended to develop an educational platform for higher education institutions by leveraging the applications of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

FROM PASSIVE TO IMMERSIVE: METAVERSE AS A PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH IN HISTORY CLASS - PRESENTING A CONSTANT REMINDER OF HISTORICAL REMNANTS AND A CUSTOMIZABLE REALITY FOR FUTURE PREFERENCES; BEIRUT AS A CASE STUDY

It is widely acknowledged that passive, non-immersive strategies of teaching adopted in history classes in Lebanon do not offer the right platform for knowledge retention in students. With that said, virtual reality and the use of Metaverse as a pedagogical approach is prophesied as the most apt to invoke a positive attitude from children towards the topic being studied, and thus, in this case, it increases their awareness of the existing built heritage they live amidst. This research sets out from a recent project implemented by Beirut Arab University, together with three UN agencies. The latter aimed for “developing children emotional attachment to the territory of Beirut Blast through activating their participation in the construction of cognitive maps by playing with spatial maps strategically designed in a game environment”. A thorough assessment of the outcomes of the activities implemented throughout the project, including the executed physical models and game boards that simulate myriad neighborhoods in Beirut, is carried out, followed by an analytical comparison of these outcomes with those from using the proposed innovative digital tools. A pilot study is conducted on Martyr’s square to assess how virtual tools can enhance the sensory experience and perception of the built space, making youth active learners rather than passive. It illustrates how introducing children to educating architecture from a young age not only nurtures their awareness of their local neighborhoods, but also generates responsible citizens. The outcome of this study can be divided over a timeline of past, present, and future. The virtual recreation of old Beirut aims to enhance the virtual learning experience as opposed to that from books and chalkboards. Children are expected to formulate a better understanding of their heritage, become more attached to the remnants of the latter, and set out to customize the reality to their preferences or vision of how a better, sustainable Beirut looks like.

Addiction to medical websites post COVID-19 pandemic: a predictor of illness anxiety disorder among Arabian youth

BackgroundThe coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly impacted every region of the world. During these unprecedented times, college students have been experiencing severe mental health issues concerning excessive internet usage. On average, 42.9% of students in Egypt utilized the internet (Anwar et al. in J Public Health 30:1753–1762, 2022). Arabs quickly diagnose themselves online using medical websites. The issue is exacerbated by drugs bought without a prescription (Alghadeer et al. in Saudi Pharm J 26:719–724, 2018).MethodsThis study examined he relationship between addiction to medical websites and behaviors related to Illness Anxiety Disorder among a population of Arabic university students. A sample consisting of N = 368 youths was examined.ResultsBivariate linear regression, Z score, R2, t-test, ANOVA, mean, and standard deviation were used for statistical analysis. The findings of the study revealed a linear equation that predicts illness anxiety in adolescents. The correlation between medical website addiction and hypochondria was found to be 0.69. Furthermore, male participants were more addicted to medical websites than female participants.ConclusionsFindings supported the notion that addiction to medical websites significantly predicts hypochondria.

History, innovation and establishment of Islamic culture course in the Arabic Universities: Qatar experience as an example


 
 
 
 This research sheds light on the early beginnings of the inception of Islamic Culture course by Sheikh Muhammed Ragheb Al-Tabbakh, who wrote a book for students of Sharia institutes in Aleppo and Damascus. Ragheb Al-Tabbakh’s book differs in content from the book written by Muhammed Al-Mubarak’s book (the Scheme of Islam), which was then termed as “Islamic Culture”. The book presents Islam as a ‘comprehensive scheme’. This study focuses on the role of Muhammed Al-Mubarak in making his book acknowledge and approved by the Association of Arab Universities. The study also demonstrates Muhammed Al-Mubarak’s role in significantly contributing in preparing ‘Islamic syllabuses’ in different Arab Universities. The study then addresses Adnan Zarzour enormous contributions to Islamic culture and university syllabuses. In the last section, the study talks about Muhammed Al-Musleh who is considered as one of the most well-known students of Adnan Zarzour at Qatar University. Qatar University has adopted a creative development strategy to re-examine and improve the prescribed syllabus at both theoretical and practical levels. There is a need to develop the syllabus, especially as a result of recent challenges that the modern generation encountered with.
 
 
 

Evaluating Distance Learning Experience During Corona Pandemic as Perceived by Media Students in Arab Universities

The main purpose of this study is to investigate and understand the experience of Communication and Media students in Arab countries toward Distance Learning. An online survey questionnaire was used to collect data and investigate students’ perceptions of distance learning. A total of 494 students (293 females and 201 males) affiliated with 54 universities from 12 Arab countries participated in the survey. The findings of the study show that 25 out of 54 participating universities used at least two platforms for distance learning during the Corona pandemic. The top three platforms used by the participants were Zoom, WhatsApp, and Microsoft Teams. The majority of participants indicated that they attended both theoretical and practical courses online during the pandemic.

Emotional Regulation and its Relationship to Self-Efficacy among Academic Leaders in Amman Arab University

This study aims to examine the relationship between emotional regulations, stress, and job security concern towards and self-efficacy among academic leaders in Amman Arab University. The presented sample for analysis included 30 questionnaires distributed among academic leaders. The study instrument is a questionnaire that consists of four parts: demographic information, emotional regulations’ items, stress items, job security concern items, and self-efficacy items. The study found that emotional regulations and stress as main study factors significantly impact on self-efficacy; while it is found that job security concern has no significant relationship with self-efficacy. In addition, it is also found that the following dimension of emotional regulation (rumination) significantly affects self-efficacy. On other hand, it is found that self-blame, receptivity, and re-evaluation have no significant impact on self-efficacy. This study provides further insights for organizations on how to adapt such factors to fit different national and cultural contexts. Further studies are recommended to investigate the effect of these factors on context with looking at the effect of unexpected event such as COVID 19.

Evaluating the accessibility of higher education programs for deaf and hard of hearing students in the Arab countries

The opportunity to pursue higher education (HE) can greatly affect an individual's success in later life, but students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH) face different challenges than their hearing peers when seeking a university degree. In addition, the acquisition of HE is more significant for this population as it can provide these learners with opportunities to develop skills that improve their ability to integrate into the overall hearing society. We investigated HE programs in the context of DHH students in Arab countries through mixed methods research that employed exploratory sequential design. The target Universities were eight of the top 10 Arab region universities, as ranked by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) for 2022. We examined documents and interviewed 12 administrators at the eight institutions. In addition, 34 faculty members at the universities participated in a survey designed to obtain their perceptions regarding existing provisions for DHH students. Our investigation found that some Arab universities have recently launched programs to support DHH students in higher education. However, while Hard-of-Hearing (HoH) students are admitted to most Arab universities in various academic disciplines on an equal basis with their hearing peers, deaf students are only admitted to a few universities, are limited in the majors they are permitted to consider, and their admission is only allowed under strict conditions. From administrators, we found Arab countries have established only moderate requirements for HE programs regarding admitting and accommodating the DHH. Accordingly, we propose a set of mechanisms to improve such programs for DHH students in Arab countries to advance the educational opportunities for this population and establish recommendations on how to improve deaf education overall.

Validation of the Arabic Version of the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6) among college students in Kuwait

IntroductionThe Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6) is a psychometrically robust measure of psychological distress for adult populations, the most commonly used screening measure in the general population. It is used in epidemiological surveys globally, including the World Health Organization and World Mental Health Survey. Recently, there has been a research interest in examining the psychometric properties of the K6 in college students’ populations.ObjectivesTo examine the reliability, validity and factor structure of the Arabic adaptation K6 in Kuwaiti college students.MethodsThe participants were 1402 individuals (509 males, 893 females) Kuwait University undergraduates, aged 18–35 years-old mean age = 21.50 ± 4.87. The Arabic versions of The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6), The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales DASS-42, Beck Depression Inventory-II, and Beck Anxiety Inventory –BAI were administered to participants including demographics. The internal consistency reliability, factor structure, and convergent validity of the (K6) with DASS-42, BDI-II, & BAI were computed.ResultsInternal consistency was satisfactory for the K6 (Cronbach’s alpha =0.80 for males & 0.79 for females). The results revealed significant gender differences in distress with a favor for females (f=8.95, p. >.003). Principal component analyses (PCA) showed that a K6 one -component solution explains %61.51 of the total variance for males and %57.23 for females. The k6 correlates with DASS Stress (r=.76), DASS Depression (r=.57), DASS Anxiety (r=0.76), BAI (r=.73) and BDI-II (r=46).ConclusionsThe K6 provides satisfactory validation, and can be recommended as a measure of distress among Arab college students.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared