Chinese Background Research Articles

Reflection in the Context of the Epidemic: Does Death Anxiety Have a Positive Impact? The Role of Self-Improvement and Mental Resilience.

Public health emergencies can trigger individual death anxiety. Most previous studies focus on the negative effects of death anxiety via the Western materialistic view, neglecting both the positive aspects of death anxiety within the Chinese cultural background and the positive effects of death anxiety upon environmental consumption. By implementing the unique Chinese cultural background for the concepts of justice and interests, this study explores the positive influence of individual death anxiety on altruistic environmental consumption during the COVID-19 crisis by analyzing personal life reviews and other sources. The results show that (1) under the guidance of the correct concept of justice and benefit, individuals with high death anxiety during the epidemic period not only enhance their self-esteem through positive self-perception and social evaluation, but they are more inclined to benefit from other environmental consumption behaviors and attain a symbolic self-survival; and (2) during the epidemic period, mental resilience, as a transformation mechanism of external defense and the internal growth of death psychology, can directly affect altruistic environmental consumption by consumers without relying on external standards. In the context of the Chinese culture’s concept of justice and interests, this study enriches the knowledge of fear management theory and the positive impact of death anxiety on environmental consumption. The introduction of mental resilience as a boundary condition has important theoretical and practical significance within the study of consumer behavior in public health emergencies and post-epidemic economic recovery.

Public service motivation in the Chinese context: Theory construction and workplace consequences

<p id="p00005">Crystalizing the consensual notions of public service motivation (PSM) in the Chinese context serves as a requisite condition for China to forge a committed public workforce and improve its public human resource management strategies. Existing research on PSM, albeit copious, overlooks its massive conceptual divergence between Chinese and Western contexts. Moreover, current PSM studies have paid scant attention to the micro-intervention mechanisms of PSM and its negative behavioral impacts. This research hence aims to develop an integrated PSM theory in the Chinese context through investigating its core components, activation mechanism and workplace consequences. Specifically, this study conceptualizes PSM as a mixed-motives construct. By virtue of a grounded theory approach, we will then identify the core components of PSM among front-line employees and subsequently develop a measurement scale fitting the Chinese context. Through the lens of micro-interventions, additionally, this study will examine the effects of beneficiary contacts, self-advocacy, and idea reflections on activating public servants’ PSM. Finally, this study will investigate the mechanisms underlying both desirable and undesirable effects of PSM on public employees. In a nutshell, the furtherance and completion of this study will not only echo an enduring scholarly call for the establishment of localized PSM theories cast against the Chinese background, but also generate ample evidence-based policy implications about the approaches through which the work motivation and job performance of Chinese public employees can be viably augmented.

Is Work Time Control Good for Innovation? A Two-Stage Study to Verify the Mediating and Moderating Processes.

As a part of job resources, work time control is essential for innovation. We examine how work time control impacts knowledge employees’ innovation in the workplace. A two-stage study was conducted to verify the mediating and moderating processes. In Study 1, adopting the job demands–resources model as a theoretical framework, we conducted a laboratory test to find the relation between work time control, job engagement, job burnout, and innovation, and verified the path between work time control and innovation. In Study 2, drawing on the job demands–resources model verified by Study 1 and self-regulation theory, it is proposed that during the psychological process in the workplace, job engagement plays a mediating role, and the vocational delay of gratification plays a moderating role between work time control and innovation. A total of 254 knowledge employees from diverse organizations participated in the survey study. After taking demographic variables, job demands, and neuroticism as control variables, the results showed that job engagement would mediate the relationship between work time control and innovation. A higher level of delay of gratification buffered the effect of a higher level of work time control on innovation. All these findings verified and expanded knowledge on work time control and innovation literature, showing that work time control is important for innovation. Based on Chinese cultural background, managers should offer employees the opportunity to conduct self-control training and encourage them with great freedom to foster employee innovation.

Studying the Parent-adolescent Interaction Experiences in a Taiwanese-Indonesian Transnational Marriage Family: A Case Study

&lt;p&gt;東南亞跨國婚姻家庭的親子教養一直是學界與實務服務的焦點，隨著子女進入青春期，這些家庭的親子 互動更需被多加探討。本文探究東南亞跨國婚姻家庭中父母與國中生子女之親子互動經驗，採個案研究 法，並以一個臺印跨國婚姻家庭為例。研究結果首先呈現子女步入青春期後的教養轉變、「父主經濟、 母主照顧」的親職分工，以及隨子女接受學校教育，新住民母親與青少年子女的中文能力落差影響母親 之親職權能。論及共親職經驗，可見新住民母親雖作為主要教養者，但為能促進臺籍父親與子女互動， 加上父權意識型態與先生是家中經濟來源者的影響，母親會積極把先生拉進教養同盟，並在重要教養決 策事件傾向「以夫為尊」。最後在親子互動的跨文化經驗中，當新住民母親擬教授子女印尼語時曾受到 隱微壓抑，然隨著相關契機出現，母親的母國文化能逐漸具現在親子互動上。基於上述，本文發現在形 成共親職共識、雙親積極行動與相互配合及家庭成員善用跨文化的相近性並接納差異性等條件支持下， 東南亞跨國婚姻家庭可形成正向動力系統，助益親子互動;另，受性別文化、家計維持角色及在地教育 體制優勢等影響，新住民母親雖是主要教養者，然臺籍父親是教養決策者與生涯諮詢者，此在子女步入 青春期後更為明顯。本文最後依研究結果對諮商實務與未來研究提出建議。&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The educational and upbringing experiences of transnational marriages between Taiwan and Southeast Asian countries have always been the focus of academics and helping professions in Taiwan. As children grow up to adolescence, the parent-adolescent interaction of these families is a topic that needs to be discussed. The purpose of this study was to explore parent-adolescent interaction experiences in a Southeast Asian transnational marriage family in Taiwan, including upbringing, coparenting and cross-cultural experiences. This study selected one Taiwanese-Indonesian transnational marriage family as a case, and semi-structured interviews were conducted individually with all family members, including parents and adolescents. The results are as followed: (1) Upbringing experiences: Parents had gradually changed their upbringing strategies when children grew up to adolescence-from strict disciplines to self-management. The division of parenting work &amp;quot;the father is responsible for family economy; the mother is in charge of care work&amp;quot; was the main upbringing strategy in the daily life or schoolwork. Also, as children grew up to adolescence and accepted school education, the discrepancy of Chinese speaking ability between Indonesian new resident mother and adolescents influenced their interactions. In other words, adolescents showed better Chinese speaking ability than Indonesian mother, and this difference in language proficiency not only overturned Indonesian mother’s upbringing role but also affected her parenting authority, especially when quarrels appeared between mother and adolescents. (2) Coparenting experiences: Gender division of housework &amp;quot;male leads outside; female leads inside&amp;quot; was the pattern of parenting practice in this family. Indonesian mother was the main executor in parenting, but in order to facilitate the interaction between Taiwanese father and adolescents, she used her strategies positively, pulling father into parenting alliance. Also, affected unconsciously by ideology of patriarchy and thought of &amp;quot;the father is responsible for family economy&amp;quot;,Indonesian mother intended to respect her husband in some crucial parenting decision-making, especially when it came to paying money. (3) Cross-cultural experiences: In this case, Indonesian mother had ethnic Chinese background, so all the family members felt few cross-cultural differences. But when Indonesian mother tried to teach some easy Indonesian words or sentences for her daughter and son at their very young age, it still showed parenting authority discrepancies between Taiwanese father and Indonesian mother-that was, Indonesian mother’s native language was not accepted by Taiwanese father at the beginning. However, as pivotal opportunities appeared, like new resident culture courses in school, Indonesian language learning chance brought by Indonesian mother’s relatives and adolescents going back to Indonesia with mother to learn Indonesian cultures through practice, Indonesian mother’s native culture began to be taught in parent-adolescent interactions. Based on study results, two findings are as followed: (1) With related conditions such as co-parenting consensus, positive acts and cooperation of parents, good use of cross-cultural similarities, and acceptance of differences, it could form positive dynamic system and benefit parent-adolescent interaction in Southeast Asian transnational marriage families. (2) Due to the influence of gender culture and because Taiwanese father was the role of household maintenance and was familiar with local educational system, the phenomenon that new resident mother spent more time in parenting but Taiwanese father was the main decision maker and the career consultant became more obvious as children grew up to adolescence. Suggestions for counseling practices are also elaborated according to this study: (1) Counselors are suggested to give attention to how those different systems and factors bring positive influences to Taiwanese-Indonesian transnational marriage families. (2) Counselors are suggested to be sensitive to hidden power issues in Taiwanese-Indonesian transnational marriage families. (3) Related information and knowledge about Southeast Asian transnational marriage families are necessary for counselors. Also, counselors are suggested to inspect their own values and take good use of family system perspectives when conceptualizing clients or families.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

Evaluation of the ASSIGN open-source deterministic address-matching algorithm for allocating unique property reference numbers to general practitioner-recorded patient addresses.

IntroductionLinking places to people is a core element of the UK government’s geospatial strategy. Matching patient addresses in electronic health records to their Unique Property Reference Numbers (UPRNs) enables spatial linkage for research, innovation and public benefit. Available algorithms are not transparent or evaluated for use with addresses recorded by health care providers.ObjectivesTo describe and quality assure the open-source deterministic ASSIGN address-matching algorithm applied to general practitioner-recorded patient addresses.MethodsBest practice standards were used to report the ASSIGN algorithm match rate, sensitivity and positive predictive value using gold-standard datasets from London and Wales. We applied the ASSIGN algorithm to the recorded addresses of a sample of 1,757,018 patients registered with all general practices in north east London. We examined bias in match results for the study population using multivariable analyses to estimate the likelihood of an address-matched UPRN by demographic, registration, and organisational variables.ResultsWe found a 99.5% and 99.6% match rate with high sensitivity (0.999,0.998) and positive predictive value (0.996,0.998) for the Welsh and London gold standard datasets respectively, and a 98.6% match rate for the study population.The 1.4% of the study population without a UPRN match were more likely to have changed registered address in the last 12 months (match rate: 95.4%), be from a Chinese ethnic background (95.5%), or registered with a general practice using the SystmOne clinical record system (94.4%). Conversely, people registered for more than 6.5 years with their general practitioner were more likely to have a match (99.4%) than those with shorter registration durations.ConclusionsASSIGN is a highly accurate open-source address-matching algorithm with a high match rate and minimal biases when evaluated against a large sample of general practice-recorded patient addresses. ASSIGN has potential to be used in other address-based datasets including those with information relevant to the wider determinants of health.

Anger among Chinese migrants amid COVID-19 discrimination: The role of host news coverage, cultural distance, and national identity.

As the early COVID-19 outbreak sparked xenophobia against people of Asian and Chinese background, we collected data from Chinese migrants worldwide to test how discrimination at a macro-level was perceived by the Chinese during COVID-19 globally. Specifically, we examined (1) whether/how the Chinese migrants were aware of discrimination against their co-nationals during COVID; (2) if so, whether anger was a predominant reaction of these Chinese towards certain exposure to relevant information; (3) how responses of anger transcend across the group of Chinese migrants. Integrating the ecological approach to media and cultural psychology, as well as the intergroup perspective of social psychology, we conducted a study that explored the impact of traditional media exposure to discrimination on collective anger—a process mediated by national identity among the Chinese migrants. Findings provide some evidence that geographically dispersed mono-cultural groups may share or identify with collective emotions when facing xenophobic threats in a macro context. Further examination of cultural distance (between China and the host country) among the Chinese migrants also revealed a particular interaction between host newspaper coverage and cultural distance on national identity. These findings suggest further research to examine the emotional norms of similar cultures bonded via strong collective identities in times of intergroup threat and the theoretical possibility for diasporic identity processes.

72. Increasing monounsaturated fatty acid levels in pork improved the “pleasantness” of grilled loins in panellists with Chinese background

72. Increasing monounsaturated fatty acid levels in pork improved the “pleasantness” of grilled loins in panellists with Chinese background

Destination attractiveness and place attachment: a multi-group analysis of visitors from the Greater China Region

ABSTRACT The study examines the attitudes of 854 respondents arriving in Macau from Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The study examines (1) to what extent are there differences in perceived destination attractiveness, destination value and satisfaction between these three groups, (2) is there evidence of intra-ethnic differences and similarities? A multi-dimensional model is analysed using partial least square analysis accompanied by multi-group analysis. The findings demonstrate that intra-cultural variation can exist within a similar Chinese ethnic background, based in part on differing attitudes toward symbolic values. In short, the Chinese ethnic groups evidence intra-group differences, but it is suggested that these differences are explained by factors other than culture. This study contributes to research on intra-ethnicity/cultural variation. The conceptual and managerial implications are examined.

Why do public sectors perform high-level green public procurement practice? A new insight with fsQCA approach

Despite extensive studies on drivers for public sector’s green public procurement (GPP) practice, existing studies have not yet introduced configuration analysis based on holistic perspective into this field. This study, based on the Chinese background, focuses on the public sector and develops a conceptual model from a holistic perspective. Survey data are collected and we adopt the fsQCA approach for further testing, aiming to explore which combinations of GPP motivators can induce high-level GPP practice by public sectors. It is found that five configurations can induce high-level GPP practice. According to the core condition, these configurations can be further categorized as two groups: “top management support-dominated” and “non-top management support-dominated”. The holistic perspective contributes to a better understanding for GPP practice and a new explanation for the conflicted conclusions of existing studies. The managerial and policy implications are also helpful to public sector managers and policymakers.

Helicopter parenting and depressive level among non-clinical Chinese college students: A moderated mediation model

BackgroundHelicopter parenting has been one of major contributing factors to depression, and the occurrence of severe depressive level has been increasing in college students. Based on self-determinant theory (SDT), previous studies have indicated the pathway between helicopter parenting and depressive level, especially focusing on the roles of basic psychological needs, self-control and teacher autonomy support. But few studies focused on the full model of these interactive factors and the Chinese non-clinical college students. MethodsNon-clinical college students (n = 648), aging from 17 to 28 years old, were recruited as participants from universities in Guangzhou, China, in 2020. The participants were asked to complete five self-report questionnaires, including Helicopter Parenting Scale (HPS), Learning Climate Questionnaire (LCQ), Basic Psychological Needs Scale (BPNS), Self-Control Scale (SCS), and Beck Depression Scale-II (BDI-II). ResultsResults have revealed that basic psychological needs and self-control played a chain-type mediating role between helicopter parenting and depressive scores among non-clinical Chinese college students. In addition, the path between helicopter parenting and basic psychological needs was moderated by teacher autonomy support. ConclusionsThis study reveals a potential pathway of how helicopter parenting influence the depressive level among non-clinical college students in the context of Chinese background. These findings give multi-dimensional (parents, teachers, and college students) indications for reducing the effects of helicopter parenting on depressive level among non-clinical Chinese college students, which will be helpful for improving their mental health. However, this is a cross-sectional study and other factors may also play important roles in this pathway.

What matters? A case study of elementary english language learners in STEM education

ABSTRACT The rapidly growing needs of the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce have attracted educators and policymakers to reinforce STEM education from elementary to postsecondary education. Additionally, an increasing number of English language learners (ELLs) in the U.S. public education system draws educators’ attention to improve their STEM learning performance. This study aimed to investigate the extent to which pertinent factors, i.e. language proficiency, pedagogical approach, cultural diversity, learning interest, and classroom climate are interacted in Chinese ELLs’ STEM learning engagement and performance and conduct a culture-based insight of the linkage of the key factors. Five first-generation young Chinese ELLs and their parents from public kindergarten and elementary schools in the U.S. completed two rounds of individual interviews. A qualitative cross-case analysis from an Emic perspective was used to explore how the key factors associated with Chinese ELLs’ STEM learning outcomes, including learning engagement (effort and persistence) and performance. Data were analyzed by NVivo 12.0. Language proficiency, pedagogical approach, learning interest, and classroom climate carried global influences on Chinese ELLs’ learning outcomes from different aspects. Moreover, cultural diversity as a contextual element influenced Chinese ELLs’ STEM learning engagement and performance throughout the other four factors. The findings of this study delineated a bridge that linked language proficiency, pedagogical approach, cultural diversity, learning interest, classroom climate, and interactions to STEM learning outcomes as multifaceted systems under possible contextual situations among Chinese ELLs. With an integrative understanding of cultural diversity and other key factors, we suggested that educators could utilize culture-centered connectivity in STEM teaching for students from a Chinese background.

Strength-Based Approach to Support Children with Asd

Because of the influence of traditional deficit mode, most people only view autism spectrum disorder from the perspective of defects. In practice, it also focuses on dealing with defects, such as poor performance, social emotional difficulties and so on. The long-term focus on defects will lead to negative labels, which have limited effect on solving the growing plight of ASD children. This thesis compares how to treat ASD from the traditional deficit perspective and the Strength-based perspective, and discusses the theoretical basis of the strength-based approach to demonstrates the rationality of the strength-based approach, and analyzes the Chinese background. Hope to guide more attention to the strengths of ASD children in future practice.

Thoughts on comparative studies of dementia knowledge of older adults across cultural settings.

As the world's population ages, dementia has become a global public health concern (WHO, 2017). However, misconceptions of dementia remain, which pose discrimination and isolation to persons living with dementia (PWD) and prevent individuals from timely access to diagnosis and treatment. Research has shed light on factors associated with dementia knowledge among elders, but little has been known regarding an influence of social-cultural contexts on elder's dementia acknowledge. Dr. Zhao and colleagues' paper on dementia knowledge and its associates among Chinese background elders in Melbourne and Beijing generated inspirational findings in this regard. This commentary highlights major findings of Dr. Zhao et al.'s paper and discusses their implications for dementia education, as well as points out limitations that future research can address.

Knowledge of palliative care and preference of end of life care: a cross-sectional survey of residents in the Chinese socio-cultural background of Macao

BackgroundSince the establishment of a hospice in the year 2000 and the development of a palliative care ward in 2019, there is no study examining public’s knowledge of palliative care, nor preference of end of life care in Macao.AimTargeting Chinese residents of Macao, the current study has 3 goals: i) to understand the level of knowledge of palliative care, ii) to explore the preference of end of life treatments, and iii) to identify the associated factors of the preference of end of life treatments.MethodsA cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire. The study employed non-probability quota sampling through which Macao residents aged 18 and above were recruited between July and September 2020.ResultsA total of 737 responses were valid. The average correct rate of palliative care knowledge ranged from 40.4% to 85.5%. Pertaining to end of life treatments, 62.0% of the respondents chose comfort care. However, almost half of the respondents agreed that life-sustaining treatments should not be stopped under any circumstances. Respondents who scored higher in palliative care knowledge and those with secondary and tertiary education were associated factors of choosing comfort care rather than life-sustaining treatments. In addition, respondents who agreed that futile life-sustaining treatments should be stopped were also associated with preference for comfort care.ConclusionThe understanding of palliative care amongst Macao residents is inadequate. Despite the public’s inclination towards comfort care, it is generally believed that life-sustaining treatments should not be stopped at the end of life. The study results suggest that not only the knowledge of palliative care should be enhanced amongst the general public in Macao, but information about life-sustaining treatments should also be offered to patients and families by healthcare professionals, in aiding end of life treatment decision making.

Interstitial filmmaking, spatial displacement and quasi-family ties in Postcards from the Zoo (2012)

This article examines Chinese Indonesian filmmaker, Edwin’s feature film, Postcards from the Zoo (2012). The lifting of the media regulations and the resurgence of Chinese identity in the reformasi era, a period after the downfall of Suharto’s government (1966–1998), transformed the filmmaking scene in Indonesia. A young Chinese Indonesian filmmaker, Edwin emerged to take part in independent filmmaking. This article takes into consideration the filmmaker’s ethnic Chinese background and the complexity of his hybrid identity and sense of in-betweenness, which plays an important role in structuring his cinematic practice. Through a close textual analysis of the film, the article interrogates the questions of spatial displacement and the potential of forging quasi-family ties that are not based on ethnic or racial identity. The discussion also focuses on the interstitial mode of production that evidenced through the multiple funding sources received by the film and the various roles the filmmaker plays in the productions. The film, Postcards from the Zoo (2012) shows Edwin works within an interstitial mode of production and, more specifically, the adoption of, what Hamid Naficy has called, “chronotopes of imagined homeland”. This article provides a more in-depth examination of the concept in an attempt to analyse the notion of spatial displacement and interstitiality in Edwin’s filmmaking.

Feeding a high oleic acid (C18:1) diet improves pleasing flavor attributes in pork

One of the main drivers in consumer meat choice is flavor with some pleasing flavor attributes associated with high oleic acid (C18:1) content in the intramuscular fat. This project aimed to produce pork with a distinctively pleasant bouquet by feeding C18:1 rich macadamia oil compared to corn oil. The project also tested three feed formulations based on cereals and pulses representing different pork producing areas: corn/soy (CS), sorghum-lupins (SL), or wheat/canola (WC). Compared to corn oil, feeding macadamia oil resulted in a significant increase in the C18:1 content in pork loin (longissimus dorsi) with the CS showing a higher impact than the WC diets. Pork loins from the two CS-based groups (CS-Corn and CS-Macadamia) were selected for a consumer sensory study involving 82 panelists (39 of Chinese background). Across ethnic backgrounds the taste of high C18:1 pork resulted in the highest hedonic values.

Writer as translator: Cultural translation in Han Suyin’s A Many-Splendoured Thing

ABSTRACT Read in terms of postcolonial translation theories, literary writings by cosmopolitan anglophone writers of Chinese background can be seen as acts of cultural translation, as in the case of Han Suyin’s 1952 autobiographical novel, A Many-Splendoured Thing. By employing different strategies to translate textual and non-textual culture-specific elements, Han’s work has fostered cross-cultural communication between east and west. On the one hand, by adopting a foreignizing strategy which retains the foreignness of the original text for translating non-political elements including Chinese literary works, philosophy, and folklore, she highlights differences between Chinese and western cultures. On the other hand, her domestication of the Chinese revolution, by comparing its political ideologies to Christianity, facilitates western readers’ understanding of the politics of China after 1949. Analysis of this “writer-as-translator” role sheds light on the complexities of postcolonial writing and moves postcolonial translation studies beyond binary oppositions based on political or discursive power relations.

Sense of virtual community, commitment and knowledge contribution: an empirical research based on MI community

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to find a way to encourage community members to actively create content and contribute knowledge through the study of the relationship between virtual community awareness, commitment and knowledge contribution, so as to make virtual community revitalize and provide a better platform for enterprises to carry out network marketing. Design/methodology/approach This study establishes a theoretical model that member knowledge contribution’s prepositive impact in virtual community. SOVC is an independent variable, commitment is a mediating variable and knowledge contribution is a dependent variable. Through 139 valid questionnaires from MI community, relationships among sense of virtual community (SOVC), commitment and knowledge contribution are deeply discussed. Findings Empirical results show that, as three dimensions of SOVC, membership, influence and immersion can all drive commitment and knowledge contribution in different degrees. In the two-dimensional division of commitment, only affective commitment can drive knowledge contribution. Affective commitment and calculative commitment can play a mediating role in the impact of SOVC on knowledge contribution. Originality/value Empirical research that the academia has done on important issues such as the impact of SOVC and commitment on knowledge contribution is deficient. Furthermore, those researches which have explored the mediating effect of commitment in the impact of SOVC on knowledge contribution remain merely on theoretical deduction level, and empirical studies based on Chinese background are also rare. In China, MI community is the typical representative of virtual community that runs successfully, and choosing it to conduct research can not only provide representatives on sample but also duplicate on the result popularity. Thus, this paper chooses MI community as the empirical object to explore the relationships among SOVC, commitment and knowledge contribution.

A Comparative Study of Filial Piety in Beijing and the UK

Cultures may display paradoxical natures when studied closely. For example, Americans are individualistic, yet are most generous with charity giving or volunteering for community events. This illustrates the challenges associated with stereotyping groups and cultures. Cultures are sometimes treated as homogenous with attendant generalisation. In the educational context, generalisations consequently influence attitudes held towards groups of learners. People from particular cultural backgrounds are often treated as a homogenous group with its attendant stereotypes irrespective of their individual contexts; an example is individuals from a Chinese cultural background who live in the West relative to those living in China.The present study used a questionnaire to measure an important value in Confucian culture (Chinese background) - Filial Piety - and how it relates to affective variables suggested to be important to academic achievement: self-efficacy and motivation. A sample of 9-11 year old children from the UK were compared with a similar sample from an authentic Confucian context - Beijing.The results suggest a review of expectations of what is meant by “authentic confucian” and gives some insight into the potential problems that could arise with stereotyping cultures and groups. As schools reach out to parents and communities, there are implications for the stereotypic approaches adopted.

Prevalence and morphological characteristics of disto-lingual roots in mandibular first molars: a cone beam CT study with diagnostic and therapeutic implications.

High prevalence of disto-lingual roots (DLR) at the mandibular molar in Chinese can complicate the management of periodontitis. This study assessed the prevalence and morphological features of mandibular first molar DLR and furcation entrances in a Hong Kong population by analysis of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). CBCT including the mandibular 1st molar region were identified from the Prince Philip Dental Hospital archive and analyzed by a single investigator. Morphologic features and location of DLR were studied and presented as 95% confidence intervals. A total of 398 CBCTs with 716 mandibular first molars were analyzed. The prevalence of DLRs in mandibular first molars on subject based was 20.1% (95% C.I. 16.2-24%). DLR was located 44.5° ± 8.9° (95% C.I. 42.8-46.1°) to the mid-lingual of the mandibular first molar, with a bucco-lingual width 3.3 mm ± 0.5 mm (95% C.I. 3.2-3.4 mm). The mesial furcation entrance was located 4.0 mm ± 0.9 mm (95% C.I. 3.8-4.2 mm) apical to the cemento-enamel junction (CEJ) while the distal was 5.2 mm ± 1.3 mm (95% C.I. 5.0-5.4 mm) from the CEJ. The surface area of the DLR was 106.9 mm2 ± 41.2 mm2 (95% C.I. 98.9-114.8 mm2). Chinese population has a high prevalence of DLRs. The present information is critical for understanding the morphological features of DLR and guide diagnosis and treatment of stage III periodontitis as well as for secondary prevention and supportive care of stage II periodontitis. Little is known about the location and morphology of disto-lingual roots of mandibular 1st molars, yet they are frequently present in patients with Chinese ethnic background, thus complicating diagnosis and treatment. The present study utilized CBCT to analyze the prevalence and morphological features of the mandibular first molar DLR and furcation entrance. It is the first study reporting on the position of the DLR, degree of separation of the furcation, and the surface area of the DLR.