Cross-national Comparative Study Research Articles

Generalized trust and attitudes toward immigrants in East Asia: A cross-national comparative study

Generalized trust has been widely discussed as a non-economic determinant influencing public attitudes toward immigrants among natives in Europe. However, associations between generalized trust and public opinions on immigrants remain underexplored in East Asia. This study investigates the association between generalized trust among natives and their attitudes toward immigrants, considering the interaction between generalized trust and country. Utilizing data from the 7th wave of the World Values Survey dataset for three East Asian countries—South Korea, China, and Japan—we fitted two mixed multilevel logistic regression models for two dependent variables in two scenarios: opposition to immigrants as neighbors, and prioritizing nationals in economic adversity. Results reveal that generalized trust was negatively related to natives' reluctance to accept immigrants as neighbors. However, the association was only marginally significant when examining support for in-group favoritism in economic adversity. The impact of generalized trust on these attitudes also exhibited variations by country. Notably, we found a negative association between generalized trust and opposing immigrants as neighbors in China and Japan, while this may not be the case for Korea.

Mission impossible accomplished? A European cross-national comparative study on the integration of the harm-benefit analysis into law and policy documents.

The harm-benefit analysis (HBA) is a cornerstone of the European Directive 2010/63/EU (the Directive). The Directive regulates the care and handling of animals used for scientific purposes in the European Union (EU). Since its implementation, there has been ongoing debate around the practical applicability of the HBA for research project review processes. The objectives of this study are to analyze the operationalization of HBA in EU member states and investigate the consistency of HBA's implementation in terms of national legislation and available policy documents. To meet these objectives, we evaluated the transposition of the HBA requirement into national legislation. We also conducted a comprehensive comparative cross-national analysis of all guidance documents pertinent to HBA. The results of our study show that there are (1) deficits in the transposition of the HBA requirement into national laws, (2) significant discrepancies in available policy documents relating to HBA, and (3) insufficiently consistent implementations of HBA in European countries.

Educational Attainment and Later-Life Cognitive Function in High- and Middle-Income Countries: Evidence From the Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol.

Identifying social policies that can promote cognitive health is crucial for reducing the global burden of dementia. We evaluated the importance of educational attainment for later-life cognitive function in various social and geographic settings. Using harmonized data for individuals aged ≥65 years from the United States Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and its international partner studies in England, Mexico, China, and India, and each study's respective Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP), we conducted a cross-national comparative study to examine the role of educational attainment in later-life cognitive function across countries (n = 14,980, 2016-2019). We used multivariable-adjusted regression to estimate associations between educational attainment and harmonized global cognitive function scores. In Mexico, China, and India, the general cognitive function scores on average are approximately one standard deviation of the HRS-HCAP cognitive function score distribution lower compared to the United States and England, paralleling patterns of educational attainment across countries. In all countries, higher educational attainment was associated with progressively higher later-life cognitive function scores. Population-level differences in educational attainment explained about 50%-90% of the observed differences in cognitive function scores across countries. The relationship between education and later-life cognitive function across social and geographic contexts underscores the crucial role of education to promote cognitive health and reduce dementia risk. Continual improvement of educational attainment in low- and middle-income settings may yield a significant pay-off in later-life cognitive health.

The structural relations of self-control, empathy, interpersonal trust, friendship quality, and mental well-being among adolescents: a cross-national comparative study in China and Canada

The aim of the present study was to explore the structural relationships between self-control, empathy, interpersonal trust, friendship quality, and mental well-being among Chinese (N = 3595) and Canadian (N = 2056) adolescents. A structural equation modeling (SEM) approach was adopted by means of a multi-group analysis. Within the aggregate sample, empathy and interpersonal trust were shown to be related to mental well-being both directly and indirectly, with friendship quality as the mediating variable, whereas self-control merely had a direct effect on mental well-being. The multiple-group analysis revealed a series of discrepancies, showing that empathy had a significant impact on the mental well-being of Chinese but not Canadian adolescents. Furthermore, empathy exerted a significantly stronger effect on friendship quality for Chinese than for Canadian adolescents, whereas interpersonal trust had a significantly stronger impact on friendship quality among Canadian than among Chinese adolescents. The differences were discussed from a cross-cultural perspective concerning collectivism versus individualism. The measures employed in the present study are closely related to social and emotional skills; the findings therefore may point to benefits for both Chinese and Canadian adolescents in terms of enhancement of their cultural-specific social and emotional skills as well as their well-being.

A cross-national perspective on silicosis: incidence, occupational settings, and trends

Abstract Background: Historically, silicosis is a disease of miners, but the last decade witnessed outbreaks in occupational settings not traditionally associated with silica exposure. Evidence from other countries may ground awareness and control of re-emergent risks. Methods: Incident cases of occupational diseases, ranking and trends were analysed within 2012-2016, respectively within 2007-2016 for silicosis using a cross-national comparative study. Labor force profile and occupation were additional data used to identify similarities and differences between Romania and Israel. The incidence rates for silicosis extracted from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017 were compared to national, continental, and global level. Results: Between the two countries, the ratio was 1:1.5 for musculoscheletal disorders, 1:3 for respiratory diseases, 1:4 for noise-induced hearing loss, and 1:10 for silicosis. Regarding silicosis, three major diffences were found, namely: the burden of disease, the trend of incidence (ascending in Israel; descending in Romania), and the occupational setting (coal miner in Romania; artificial stone worker in Israel). Globally, Romania was among countries with high incidence of silicosis in 2017. Conclusion: Silicosis was a national issue of concern at the time, but vigilance should continue, given the severity of this disease and the occurrence of other silica-related diseases.

Teachers’ Perceptions of the Educational Leader’s Cultural Intelligence in International Schools: A Cross-National Comparative Case Study

This study examined teachers’ perceptions of their leaders’ Cultural Intelligence (CQ) in two different international schools in different geographical settings. With one international school located in Malta and the other in the Netherlands, this study discovered similarities and differences within the two schools in relation to the mentioned perception. Teachers’ perceptions of how their leader strives to cultivate the teachers’ CQ were also examined. Case study research was employed, where data were collected and analysed through mixed methods. The research tools used were questionnaires and interviews. Teachers completed questionnaires (N=38) which provided demographic information and a measure of their leader’s perceived CQ using the Cultural Intelligence Scale (CQS). In-depth evidence was derived from interviews (N=10) which triangulated the responses to the CQS. Quantitative and qualitative findings identified teachers’ positive perceptions of their leader’s CQ. Qualitative data also unravelled how teachers perceive their leaders to have a natural ability to navigate the international environment, fuelled by the trait of openness to new experiences. Interview data also delved into teachers’ opinions of how their CQ is being cultivated and could be further enhanced, and the rationale behind such need. The theme of guiding through modelling was also explored through the teachers’ and leaders’ viewpoints. These findings provide practical implications for educational leaders to enhance the CQ of teachers within their school, which would eventually ameliorate living in an intercultural environment.

Interprofessional collaborative practices for children with speech, language and communication needs in early childhood education and care: comparing Dutch and Norwegian perspectives

ABSTRACT Interprofessional collaboration and practice (IPCP) is considered the cornerstone for effective service delivery for children with speech language and communication needs (SLCN). Following Stutsky and Spence Laschinger’s framework, we investigated IPCP-related differences between Dutch and Norwegian professionals in a cross-national comparative survey study. The personal relational skills of communication, trust and situational factor support structures were related to interprofessional collaboration in both countries. Trust was a stronger predictor for the Dutch sample than the Norwegian sample. A moderated moderation analysis revealed that the relationship between IPCP and perceived team effectiveness is moderated by trust for the Dutch professionals but not for their Norwegian colleagues. Trust may play a vital role for interprofessional teams in the Dutch context because service delivery is mainly characterised by the pull-out intervention of specialised professionals. In the integrated early intervention context of Norway, emphasis on professional communication skills seems a fruitful strategy to enhance the effectiveness of teams. Early intervention service delivery may be strengthened by structural facilitation and building networks to develop trust across professionals and organisations, which supports the development of professional competence relevant to IPCP in early intervention service delivery.

Migration-related inequalities in loneliness across age groups: a cross-national comparative study in Europe

This study aims to contribute to the growing interest in the consequences of migration for loneliness by investigating the role of generational status across various age groups in countries with differing integration policies and attitudes towards immigrants. Using data from rounds 5, 6 and 7 of the European Social Survey, I conducted logistic multilevel models on a sample of 121,835 respondents aged 18 years and older, residing in 26 countries. Loneliness was assessed based on a single-item item question from the Center for Epidemiologic Studies of Depression scale. The findings suggest that individuals with a migration background are more likely to experience loneliness than those without. Within this group, I found that first-generation immigrants who arrived after the age of 18 are more vulnerable to loneliness than those who arrived earlier, although the latter still reported more loneliness than second-generation immigrants. Furthermore, migration-related inequalities in loneliness were greater among the youngest age group (18–34 years) and in countries with a more positive public stance towards immigrants. In sum, this study highlights the persistent challenges that migration poses for loneliness across generations and age groups, and emphasizes the need to extend research in this area beyond older adults. Moreover, it suggests that promoting a welcoming culture towards immigrants may have unintended consequences for loneliness gaps, but further research is needed to explain this observation.

Chatbots or Humans? Effects of Agent Identity and Information Sensitivity on Users’ Privacy Management and Behavioral Intentions: A Comparative Experimental Study between China and the United States

Chatbots have been widely adopted to support online customer service and supplement human agents. However, online data transmission may involve privacy issues and arouse users’ privacy concerns. In order to understand the privacy management mechanism when interacting with chatbots and human agents, we designed a cross-national comparative study and conducted online experiments in China and the United States based on Communication Privacy Management (CPM) theory. The results show that privacy concerns and boundary linkage played different mediation roles between agent identity and the intention to disclose as well as the intention to use the service. Information sensitivity had a significant moderating effect on the mechanism. Our research contributes to a better understanding of personal boundary management in the context of human-machine interaction.

Cross-national comparative study of orphan drug policies in Saudi Arabia, the United States, and the European Union

BackgroundRare diseases are chronic, serious, and life-threatening conditions that have not received sufficient attention from drug developers due to their rarity. Policies have been implemented to encourage research and incentivize the development of orphan drugs. However, the implementation of these policies has been inconsistent worldwide. ObjectiveThe primary aim of this study was to compare orphan drug policies in the United States, Europe, and Saudi Arabia (SA) and assess their impact on the number of approved indications. MethodLists of all drugs granted orphan designations and authorized for marketing in the United States, European Union, and SA were extracted using orphan drug lists available in regulatory body databases. The availability of these drugs, regarding their approval for orphan indication and designation, was assessed and classified using Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical codes. ResultA total of 792 orphan drug designations with at least one authorized indication were identified in this study. Of these, 92% were designated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and 27% were designated by the European Medicine Agency (EMA). The FDA, EMA, and Saudi Food and Drug Authority approved 753, 435, and 253 orphan drugs, respectively. ConclusionFewer orphan drug approvals were found in SA than in the United States and Europe. This highlights the need to focus on rare diseases and orphan drugs and for policies to be created in SA to attract pharmaceutical markets and fulfill unmet orphan drug approval needs.

Algorithmic Control Configurations in Food Delivery Platforms: A Cross-National Comparative Study

Algorithmic Control Configurations in Food Delivery Platforms: A Cross-National Comparative Study

A comparative study of the adoption of public-private partnerships for water services in South Korea and Singapore

PurposeThis paper investigates the internal factors driving public-private partnership (PPP) adoption for water services in South Korea and Singapore.Design/methodology/approachThis study utilizes a comparative cross-national case study of PPPs in the area of water services by focusing on the similarities and differences between the two countries.FindingsThe findings show that while South Korea has employed the PPP model mostly to expand and modernize their sewage systems, Singapore has used PPPs to build and operate desalination facilities that produce potable water through the treatment and filtration of wastewater. The study also demonstrates that fiscal stress and political incentives stemming from socio-economic pressures are the respective critical factors in South Korea and Singapore’s execution of PPP-driven water infrastructure.Originality/valueThrough exploring why and how PPPs have been adopted in the specific context, this paper might be helpful to enhance our understanding of the variations and common factors in the policy adoption process within the Asian context.

COVID-19 Impacts on Christian and Muslim Organizations in Germany: A Comparative Mixed Methods Study

The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly influenced all areas of life and day-to-day operations. This paper studies the impact of the pandemic on Muslim and Christian organizations in Germany. The focus is activity implementation, time investment, staff changes, and working processes of full-time staff and volunteers. On the basis of a quantitative survey ( n = 454) and qualitative in-depth interviews with organizational representatives from 2021 to 2022 ( n = 31), we follow a convergent, parallel mixed methods design to understand pandemic-related work changes, key challenges, and crisis management. Our quantitative analysis reveals differences in the activity performances in Muslim and Christian organizations both before and since the pandemic outbreak. While the monthly time investment of volunteers dropped significantly in Christian organizations during the pandemic, the working time of employees increased significantly in Muslim organizations. The qualitative analysis reveals distinct impacts on work processes and workloads in the organizations. Differences are due to organizational legal statuses, internal conditions, and different activity foci. Overall, our study indicates that religious organizations and their staff are resilient and adaptable. It contributes comparative data on faith-based organizations in Germany and highlights their important role in civil society. For future research, we recommend cross-national comparative studies.

Feasibility and validity of using healthcare databases to conduct cross-national comparative studies of opioid use, its determinants and consequences.

A cross-national comparative (CNC) study about opioid utilization would allow the identification of strategies to improve pain management and mitigate risk. However, little is known about the accessibility and validity of information in healthcare databases internationally. This study aimed to identify the feasibility of using healthcare databases to conduct a CNC study of opioid utilization and its associated consequences. A cross-sectional survey was launched in March 2018, including experts interested in CNC studies comparing opioid utilization by purposeful sampling. An electronic survey was used to collect database characteristics, medicine information, and linkage information of each aggregate-level dataset (AD) and individual patient-level dataset (IPD). Overall, participants from 21 geographical regions reported 18 ADs and 19 IPDs. Information on dispensed medications is available from 17 ADs and 17 IPDs. Of the 16 ADs that include primary care settings, only 9 ADs can obtain information from secondary care settings. Fourteen IPDs included patients' characteristics or could be retrieved from linkage databases. Although most ADs are publicly accessible (n = 13), only five IPDs can be accessed without extra cost. Most ADs could be used to report opioid utilization in a primary care setting. IPDs with linkage databases should be applied to identify potential determinants, clinical outcomes, and policy impact. Data access restrictions and governance policies across jurisdictions can be challenging for timely analysis and require further collaboration.

State capacity, political competition and public goods provision: A cross-national comparative study

In the research on explaining public goods provision, political competition is usually linked with public goods provision and it is believed that political competition will have a positive or negative impact on public goods provision. However, others suggest that this relationship changes with the influence of other variables. This article which uses data analysis of 165 countries in 2013 to discuss the relationship between state capacity, political competition and public goods provision and its impact on public goods provision. The results show that public goods provision is good when there is only strong state capacity or a high level of political competition, or both. Then, the four cases of Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and Laos are selected to illustrate the mechanism by which the interaction of state capacity and political competition affects public goods provision.

National image of China and cross-national comparative studies

National image of China and cross-national comparative studies

Between- and within-school tracking and literacy skills of multilingual young adults: A cross-national comparative study

This study investigates how school tracking is related to the literacy skills of multilingual immigrant young adults in 17 countries participating in the OECD Survey of Adult Skills. Our results revealed that between-school tracking was negatively related; within-school tracking—ability grouping for some subjects but not for all—was positively related to multilingual immigrant learners. Multilingual immigrant learners tended to perform better in educational systems with less external differentiation and some degree of ability grouping for certain subjects. It suggests that differentiated instruction was only beneficial when implemented in a limited and less segregated manner. We underline the importance of inclusive and flexible learning environments and pathways to mitigate the inevitable initial disadvantages faced by this group of multilingual learners.

COMPARABILIDADE E EQUIVALÊNCIA NA PESQUISA SOCIAL

Abstract This study discusses some problematic issues around comparability and equivalence in empirical research, particularly focusing on the case of indicators and taking a cross-national study on linguistic skills and use of foreign languages in the scientific production of researchers from Argentina, Brazil, and Chile as reference. The discussion is framed within broader epistemological and methodological debates concerning the status of comparisons in the social sciences and, mainly, the case of cross-national comparative studies. Within these debates, and resorting to concrete examples arising from research into scientists’ linguistics skills, we address the comparability issue of target populations and samples, as well as that of indicator equivalence, with emphasis in the problems of questionnaire design, reliability, and validity.

УЧАСТЬ ЖІНОК У ЗОВНІШНІЙ ТА ВНУТРІШНІЙ ПОЛІТИЦІ В УМОВАХ ТРАНСФОРМАЦІЙ ПОЛІТИЧНИХ РЕЖИМІВ

The article highlights the historical formation of the political status of women. The conditions for their inclusion in the political process were characterized and the issue of discrimination against women in politics was investigated. The methodological principles of the study of the women’s issue in politics, taking into account the national specifics, have been determined. The mechanisms of strengthening the political role of women are analyzed. The article attempts to explain the growth of gender norms and feminist strategies in domestic and foreign policy. In order to address these main research questions and stimulate cross-national comparative studies, this article proposes theoretical foundations for defining gender foreign policy. They are based on two directions: international feminist theory and foreign policy analysis. Researchers single out three methods by which a comparative analysis of gender in domestic and foreign policy can be carried out: by distinguishing variations of pro-gender norms and analytical assessment of international trends; by explaining the growth, as well as countering gender norms in foreign policy; by studying the sequence of changes in gender norms to reveal contradictions in foreign policy.

EDUCATION GRADIENTS IN LATER-LIFE COGNITIVE FUNCTION ACROSS LOW-, MIDDLE-, AND HIGH-INCOME COUNTRIES

Abstract Education is positively related to cognitive function. However, educational gradients in cognitive function may vary across older populations with different educational compositions and physical and social environments. We conducted one of the first cross-national comparative studies on educational differences in later-life cognitive function using harmonized data. Multivariable linear regressions were employed to estimate the association between education according to International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) categories and cognitive function for adults ages 60+ from the United States, England, Mexico, South Africa, India, and China. Cross-country differences were tested using fully interacted models. Controlling for demographics and parental education, we found significant educational gradients in cognitive function in low- and middle-income countries; however, in high-income countries, only those with upper secondary education and above had a consistent cognitive advantage over those with primary education. This study suggests substantial country-level differences in cognitive benefits of educational attainment.