Individual Context Research Articles

Gender Differences in Self-assessed Measures of Health: How Does the Structure of Self-rated Health Compare Across Transgender and Cisgender Groups?

Self-rated health (SRH) is consistently related to mortality and morbidity. Yet, health ratings are subjective and reflect an individual's social context. Prior work has found differences in the structure of SRH-that is, in how self-assessments relate to underlying health conditions-across social groups, including by gender. However, prior work has not included transgender adults despite evidence that widespread interpersonal and structural stigma uniquely shapes their subjective experience of health. This study draws on information about 12 health conditions for a sample of transgender men, transgender women, nonbinary adults, cisgender men, and cisgender women. It examines whether the probabilities of reporting poor or fair SRH are similar among those with various underlying health problems. Findings reveal differences by gender identity and age group. For more than half of the examined conditions, self-rated health is poorer among nonbinary adults and younger transgender men than among other gender groups. These differences likely reflect distinct self-assessment processes that consider minority stress and structural stigma, as well as underlying differences in severity and comorbidity that stem from such stigma processes. SRH remains a useful, holistic measure of well-being, including for transgender groups.

Self-other distinction modulates the sense of self-agency during joint actions

In daily life interactions, we achieve goals with partners through tight temporal coordination or sequential joint efforts. Is our individual sense of control over shared outcomes (sense of self-agency) the same as the one experienced when we act alone? Do we explicitly and implicitly feel like we are fully in control of the motor act even if the goal is finally achieved by our partner? To address these questions, we measured explicit and implicit sense of self-agency in individual and (coordinated or sequential) interactive contexts. We studied 42 healthy adult participants during active/passive button presses aimed at turning on a light bulb. This goal could be achieved individually (Solo condition) or by interacting with a partner (Joint condition) synchronously (joint Coordination task) or sequentially (joint Sequential task). We collected trial-by-trial explicit judgments of self-agency. To quantify the intentional binding phenomenon, an index of implicit sense of agency, we also measured the perceived compression of the time interval between the active or passive movements and their outcomes. Explicit sense of agency: we observed decreased judgments of self-agency in Joint trials compared with the Solo ones in both the Coordination and Sequential tasks. Implicit sense of agency: in the Coordination task, we found a significant intentional binding effect only in Solo trials but not in Joint ones. For the Sequential task, however, a significant intentional binding was also present in the Joint condition. Our results indicate that the individual sense of agency is reduced during joint actions, yet this can be restored at an implicit level when the format of the motor interaction makes the individual contribution to goal achievement more obvious. We discuss these results considering current cognitive theories on motor awareness and interactions.

Psychopathological Symptoms and Resilience Processes among Korean Adolescents in the Context of Neighborhood Disadvantage.

Research has shown that positive family and individual contexts can prevent adolescents from developing internalizing and externalizing symptoms. However, less is known about the various ways resilience occurs longitudinally, considering compensatory (i.e., additive) effects and protective (i.e., moderation) effects of contextual (external) resources and individual (internal) assets. Further, few studies have examined these resilience processes among Korean adolescents exposed to neighborhood disadvantage. In the context of neighborhood disadvantage, the present study examined the compensatory and protective effects of positive parenting and self-esteem for Korean adolescents' internalizing and externalizing symptoms across four years. Data from Waves 1 (2010), 3 (2012), and 4 (2013) from a longitudinal, nationally representative sample of Korean adolescents (N = 2322; Mean age at Wave 1 = 12.90; Females = 50.10%) were utilized. Evidencing compensatory effects, positive parenting (Wave 1) negatively and indirectly predicted both adolescents' internalizing and externalizing symptoms (Wave 4) through their self-esteem (Wave 3), independent of the effect of neighborhood disadvantage (Wave 1). However, there were differences in the protective effects depending on symptoms. In the case of internalizing symptoms (Wave 4), positive parenting (Wave 1) indirectly buffered against neighborhood disadvantage (Wave 1) through adolescents' self-esteem (Wave 3). In contrast, for externalizing symptoms (Wave 4), positive parenting (Wave 1) directly buffered the effect of neighborhood disadvantage (Wave 1). The present study highlights the resilience processes of positive parenting as an external resource and adolescents' self-esteem as an internal asset for preventing internalizing and externalizing symptoms among Korean adolescents, which has implications for intervention and policy strengthening family and individual resilience.

PERS: Personalized environment recommendation system based on vital signs

The integration of the Internet of Things (IoT) in healthcare has facilitated real-time monitoring of vital signs and environmental conditions. However, existing systems often lack personalized recommendations that consider the interplay between these factors. This work introduces the Personalized Environment Recommendation System (PERS), which leverages a portable device to continuously collect data on key health metrics, including pulse rate and body temperature, alongside environmental parameters. Utilizing Artificial Neural Networks, PERS analyzes the data to generate tailored health recommendations for users. Experimental results demonstrate an accuracy of 98.7%, highlighting the system’s effectiveness in enhancing patient care and supporting informed health decisions. The findings suggest that PERS can significantly improve health monitoring by providing actionable insights based on individual health profiles and environmental contexts.

Relative deprivation and aggressive behavior: The serial mediation of school engagement and deviant peer affiliation

According to previous studies and ecological systems theory, relative deprivation may influence aggressive behavior, and individual contexts may mediate this relationship. The present study examined whether and how the factors of ecological microsystems (i.e., school engagement and deviant peer affiliation) act as serial mediators in this relationship. To investigate this issue, the current study surveyed 1153 adolescents (601 males, 52 %, mean age = 14.76, SD = 1.64) who enrolled in six middle and high schools in Guangdong and Henan provinces, China. The serial mediation model was used to test the relationship between relative deprivation, school engagement, deviant peer affiliation, and aggressive behavior. The study’s results support the serial mediation of school engagement and deviant peer affiliation, providing a promising serial mediation pathway for intervening in adolescents’ aggressive behavior. Specifically, the mediation pathway of deviant peer affiliation was significant. However, the effect of relative deprivation through the mediating effect of school engagement is significant only with the serial mediation of deviant peer affiliation. Relative deprivation presented a risk for the aggressive behavior of adolescents and the effect of relative deprivation was serially mediated by school engagement and deviant peer affiliation. Implications and interventions for educational strategies about aggressive behavior must consider factors related to the individual (relative deprivation), school, and peers.

Blended Learning Dependability and Perceived Usefulness: The Mediating Role of Organisational Commitment

To survive in the tight global higher education markets, universities must embrace new technological changes which can transform their education. The use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) has become an integral part and a driver of the development agenda of many universities. Blended learning (BL), integrating face-to-face instruction with online components using Learning Management Systems (LMS), has emerged as a prominent educational model, offering flexibility and enhanced learning experiences in higher education settings. This study reports the adoption of BL among academics at the University of Botswana (UB) before the arrival of COVID-19. Even though technological changes such as BL are recognized as strategic tools used by many organizations, including universities, not much attention has been given to attitudinal behaviours such as Organizational Commitment (OC) despite their contribution to the successful technological adoption. This paper proposes a conceptual framework to explore the perceived usefulness of BL mediated by OC among academics at the UB. The study uses Socio- Technical Systems theory (STS), positing that instructors’ perceptions of the usefulness of blended learning are influenced by both individual factors and organizational contexts. The study adopted an explanatory sequential mixed methods approach, involving a quantitative phase in which data was collected using a questionnaire in an online survey, followed by a qualitative case study that involved semi-structured face-to-face interviews. A multiple regression model for determining the mediating role of OC was developed. In the mediation model, OC fully mediated the relationships between Learning Management System Dependability (LMSD) and Perceived Personal Usefulness (PPU) and Perceived Usefulness to Students (PUS). The study used SPSS for its quantitative data analysis and adopted thematic analysis for its qualitative strand as a comprehensive process that allows for identification of numerous cross-references between the data and the research’s evolving themes. The study contributes to the limited body of knowledge about the perceptions of BL of academic staff in a middle-income country, Botswana.

Evolving dementia care: An explorative study on the lived experience of older adults living with dementia in nursing homes using observational and biometric sensor data.

This study explores the lived experiences of older adults with dementia in Dutch nursing homes, focusing on daily activities and emotional responses. With a growing number of older adults with dementia, gaining a deeper understanding of their lived experience is imperative. Using a mixed-method narrative approach involving observations, informal interviews, and physiological monitoring through wearable sensors, the study engaged eight participants in psychogeriatric wards across two Dutch nursing homes. Observations and interviews aimed to provide context to daily activities, while wearable sensors tracked emotional responses through heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV). Key activities included eating, drinking, communication, mobility, and inactivity. Positive experiences were consistently observed during eating and drinking and communication, respectively influenced by the nursing home's social and organizational structures and social and personal contexts. In contrast, mobility and inactivity exhibited diverse physiological responses, reflecting a range of stress, concentration, or relaxation. This study offers valuable insights into the lived experiences of older adults with dementia in nursing homes. It highlights the generally positive nature of eating and drinking, shaped by social and organizational factors. Communication's impact varies with individual context. The study also reveals a complex interplay of emotions during activities related to mobility and inactivity, as evidenced by diverse physiological responses. Regarding implications for dementia care, the study emphasizes the need to redefine 'inactivity' as 'under-stimulation,' assess appropriate (in)activity levels, and acknowledge the significance of the nursing home's physical and organizational context. This redefinition should distinguish between 'physical' and 'mental' inactivity, address concerns related to under-stimulation, and cater to individual preferences. Recognizing the residents' restricted environment and reliance on care professionals and volunteers underscores the urgency of tailored approaches. Addressing these implications can provide fresh perspectives for evolving dementia care, creating a more supportive environment that promotes well-being.

Enhancing User Experience through AI-Driven Personalization in User Interfaces

Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized user interface (UI) design by introducing personalization techniques that cater to individual user preferences, behaviors, and contexts. This research explores the integration of AI-driven personalization in user interfaces to enhance user experience (UX), focusing on adaptive design, predictive analytics, and real-time customization. By leveraging machine learning algorithms and behavioral data, AI enables interfaces to evolve dynamically, aligning with the unique needs of each user. This study investigates the role of personalization in improving engagement, satisfaction, and efficiency across various applications, such as e-commerce platforms, healthcare systems, and educational tools. Additionally, it examines the challenges of implementing personalized interfaces, including privacy concerns, data ethics, and algorithmic bias. By addressing these challenges, the research aims to develop best practices for ethical AI integration in user-centered design. The findings contribute to the growing body of knowledge on AI’s transformative potential in creating intuitive, efficient, and user-friendly interfaces, ultimately redefining the standards for digital interaction.

Dynamic positioning in identity development: Case studies of Chinese university English language teachers

This multiple-case study examines the dynamics of identity among Chinese university teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) in response to challenges that arise from individual teaching contexts. Grounded in Dialogical Self Theory (DST), the study investigates how these teachers navigate conflicting pedagogies, exercise agency, and negotiate their professional identities. Through in-depth interviews and classroom observations, the findings demonstrate the ways in which participating teachers drew on diverse position repertoires to manage the complexities of their teaching roles. The study identified several key positioning strategies, including the adoption of meta-positions, the creation of third positions, the utilization of promoter positions, the formation of coalitions of positions, and the management of cacophonous positioning. The findings contribute to the growing body of research on language teacher identity, highlighting the dynamic complexity of identity construction. The study offers implications for professional development programs, advocating for opportunities that foster critical reflection on teachers’ multiple I-positions.

DYnamics of Contraception in Eswatini (DYCE): protocol for a high-frequency, longitudinal cell phone survey

IntroductionBy 2030, an estimated 42% of the world’s adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) will live in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where a quarter of AGYW pregnancies are undesired and AGYW...

A context-based model of collaborative inhibition during memory search

Contrary to common intuition, a group of people recalling information together remembers less than the same number of individuals recalling alone (i.e., the collaborative inhibition effect). To understand this effect in a free recall task, we build a computational model of collaborative recall in groups, extended from the Context Maintenance and Retrieval (CMR) model, which captures how individuals recall information alone. We propose that in collaborative recall, one not only uses their previous recall as an internal retrieval cue, but one also listens to someone else’s recall and uses it as an external retrieval cue. Attending to this cue updates the listener’s context to be more similar to the context of someone else’s recall. Over an existing dataset of individual and collaborative recall in small and large groups, we show that our model successfully captures the difference in memory performance between individual recall and collaborative recall across different group sizes from 2 to 16, as well as additional recall patterns such as recency effects and semantic clustering effects. Our model further shows that collaborating individuals reach similar areas in the context space, whereby their contexts converge more than the contexts of individuals recalling alone. This convergence constrains their ability to search memories effectively and is negatively associated with recall performance. We discuss the contributions of our modeling results in relation to previous accounts of the collaborative inhibition effect.

Risk factors of post discharge falls in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty: An integrative review.

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a widely performed surgical procedure aimed at alleviating pain and restoring functionality in individuals suffering from knee osteoarthritis. Despite substantial benefits of TKA, patients are exposed to potential risks, including the occurrence of falls during their recovery period following discharge from the hospital. This integrative review endeavors to comprehensively investigate the existing body of literature to identify and assess the diverse factors that contribute to occurrence of post-discharge falls among TKA patients. Through the synthesis of available research, this study seeks to offer valuable insights that can guide clinical practices and interventions designed to mitigate the incidence of post-TKA falls, ultimately enhancing patient outcomes and quality of healthcare. An integrative review was conducted and databases were searched including Pubmed, PEDro, Cochrane, and SPORTDiscus from 2000 to 2024. A thorough search was performed to retrieve articles missed through databases as well as unpublished grey literature. Methodological quality assessment was performed using Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for Case Control and Cohort studies and AXIS tool for cross-sectional study. Eleven articles finally met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review based on eligibility. There were 8 cohort studies (7 prospective cohorts, 1 retrospective cohort), 2 case control studies, and 1 cross-sectional study. The prospective cohort studies included in the review collected data in real-time as events occurred, making them particularly relevant for studying post-TKA falls. Patients who underwent TKA are at risk of post-discharge falls. Several key risk factors have been identified, including advancing age, female gender, reduced proprioception, psychiatric disorders, living alone, and knee pain in the operated knee. It is important to recognize that the significance of these risk factors can vary depending on individual circumstances and contexts.

The Adolescent Mental Health Consequences of Social Media Usage

This paper looks into the impact of social media on an individual’s mental health status in the adolescent population. The scope of the study includes both addiction and recovery, addressing risks such as anxiety, depression, and distorted self-perception associated with the continuous use of social platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, etc. Besides recognizing the detrimental impacts of bullying, body image comparison, and excessive use of screens, the paper also underlines some advantages of social media, such as connecting people and access to assistance. In the present research, numerical indicators and empirical observations are used, i.e. the nvestigation is conducted on the basis of the mixed research method. It reveals variations in social media effects amongst adolescents based on the moderating variables of individual characteristics and situational context. The paper ends with solutions to alleviate the negative effects, such as digital literacy education, parental guidance, and mental health strategies while fostering the healthy usage of social media regarding mental health. These findings suggest the need for a longitudinal study in order to assess the changes over time in this somewhat new aspect.

Real-world patterns in remote longitudinal study participation: A study of the Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Registry.

Remote longitudinal studies are on the rise and promise to increase reach and reduce participation barriers in chronic disease research. However, maintaining long-term retention in these studies remains challenging. Early identification of participants with different patterns of long-term retention offers the opportunity for tailored survey adaptations. Using data from the online arm of the Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Registry (SMSR), we assessed sociodemographic, health-related, and daily-life related baseline variables against measures of long-term retention in the follow-up surveys through multivariable logistic regressions and unsupervised clustering analyses. We further explored follow-up survey completion measures against survey requirements to inform future survey designs. Our analysis included data from 1,757 participants who completed a median of 4 (IQR 2-8) follow-up surveys after baseline with a maximum of 13 possible surveys. Survey start year, age, citizenship, MS type, symptom burden and independent driving were significant predictors of long-term retention at baseline. Three clusters of participants emerged, with no differences in long-term retention outcomes revealed across the clusters. Exploratory assessments of follow-up surveys suggest possible trends in increased survey complexity with lower rates of survey completion. Our findings offer insights into characteristics associated with long-term retention in remote longitudinal studies, yet they also highlight the possible influence of various unexplored factors on retention outcomes. Future studies should incorporate additional objective measures that reflect participants' individual contexts to understand their ability to remain engaged long-term and inform survey adaptations accordingly.

Environmental sustainability from a decoupling point perspective

Combatting climate change is of global importance. The fact that all UN member nations have agreed on the sustainable development goals (SDGs) is testament to this. The manufacturing industry plays a crucial part in meeting these goals. However, if manufacturing firms are to improve in terms of sustainability, such efforts must be reconcilable with their ability to make profit. Hence, sustainability efforts must be adapted to firms’ individual context and competitive priorities.Focusing on environmental sustainability, this paper is the first to empirically investigate and compare the commitment to environmental sustainability practices (ESPs), and the outcomes of such practices, across make-to-order (MTO) and make-to-stock (MTS) manufacturing plants. Furthermore, the paper investigates whether the customer order decoupling point moderates the relationship between characteristics of lean and agile manufacturing and ESPs. Hypotheses are developed based on extant literature and tested. The results indicate that MTO plants experience more benefits related to manufacturing and financial performance from their ESPs than MTS plants. The data also show that the association between ESPs and the outcomes of such practices are more robust for MTO plants than they are for MTS plants. Plausible explanations for these results are discussed and the findings of the paper are connected to the contemporary topic of smart manufacturing, as well as potential policy implications. Suggestions for future research are also provided.

Assessment of Factors Influencing Healthcare Provider’s Acceptance of Electronic Health Record in Jordanian Hospitals

Acceptance of electronic health record systems is considered an essential factor for effective implementation among healthcare providers. In an attempt to understand healthcare providers’ perceptions of electronic health record systems implementation and evaluate the factors influencing healthcare providers’ acceptance of electronic health record systems, the current research examines the effects of individual (user) context factors and organisational context factors using the technology acceptance model. A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was used, in which 319 healthcare providers from five public hospitals participated in the present study. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire, which was based on the technology acceptance model. Jordanian healthcare providers demonstrated positive perceptions of the usefulness and ease of use of the electronic health record systems and subsequently accepted the technology. The results indicated that they had a significant effect on the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of the electronic health record, which in turn was related to positive attitudes towards the electronic health record systems as well as the intention to use them. User attributes, organisational competency, management support and training and education are essential variables in predicting healthcare providers’ acceptance towards electronic health records. These findings should be considered by healthcare organisations’ administration to introduce an effective system to other healthcare organisations.

Qualitative Insights into School Improvement Practices: Stakeholder Perceptions in Ghanaian Junior High Schools

This study aims to explore diverse perspectives on strategies for enhancing academic performance in Ghanaian Junior High Schools (JHSs). Recognizing the importance of context and stakeholder input, the research investigates the perceptions of teachers, headteachers, and school improvement support officers (SISOs) regarding effective school improvement practices. The study examined two Ghanaian districts using a qualitative case study design within an interpretive paradigm. Purposive sampling with maximum variance was used to target 20 participants, including 10 teachers, five headteachers, and five SISOs. Semi-structured interviews were used for data gathering, and the results were subjected to thematic analysis to find trends and common viewpoints. JHS performance thrives on a four-pronged approach: well-equipped schools, empowered teachers, engaging lessons, and a supportive community. Inadequate funding, limited technology, and community challenges, however, pose hurdles to progress. This study surpasses static analyses of JHS performance by amplifying stakeholder voices and advocating for context-specific solutions. Recognizing the unique needs of individual contexts, it champions tailored interventions – not one-size-fits-all approaches. This study promotes an "ecosystem of action" for sustained growth across different JHS environments by providing school leaders with practical solutions for stakeholder collaboration, parental involvement, and teacher motivation.

How Can Drama Tasks Interact with Second Language Learners’ Willingness to Communicate? A Theoretical Perspective

If oral communication in a second language (L2) is considered a skill to be prioritized, it is also particularly anxiety-provoking for L2 learners. This is why their willingness to communicate, predicted in particular by the emotions experienced, has been the focus of recent studies to examine its evolution and factors likely to interact with it. However, little research has focused on how pedagogical tasks could support L2 learners’ willingness to communicate by creating a constructive and positive learning environment. This article focuses on drama as a pedagogical task that could potentially support L2 learners’ willingness to communicate. It thus aims to develop a theoretical framework to demonstrate how drama can help learners overcome barriers to L2 communication by interacting with situated affective factors, motivational propensities, affective and cognitive context, and social and individual context. This demonstration is particularly relevant for making more explicit the potential of experiential tasks in L2 learning to provide more positive and constructive learning experiences. We conclude this paper by emphasizing pedagogical implications to support L2 learners better and promote more research into drama.

독거 중년 미혼남성의 외로움 경험에 관한 현상학적 연구

Objectives This study attempted to deeply understand the experiences and nature of loneliness formed by mid-dle-aged unmarried men living alone from childhood to middle age. Methods To this end, five unmarried men in their 40s and 50s were interviewed individually twice from January 2023 to June 2023 to collect data, and Giorgi's phenomenological research method was used to focus on the phe-nomena experienced by research participants. Results As a result of the study, six components and 18 sub-components were derived from ‘loneliness sprouted by childhood wounds’,‘ wandering and accumulating loneliness in puberty’, ‘struggle for sief-reliance and lone-liness’, ‘excitement and conflict and loneliness of finding a spouse’, ‘frustration and increasing loneliness in mar-riage’, ‘acceptance and overcoming loneliness and pain’. Conclusions This study is meaningful in that the essence of the loneliness experience of middle-aged single men living alone is that they have an insight into their own isolated life with distrust, avoidance, and dependence on others due to their parents' inappropriate parenting attitudes and parenting environment in childhood. As a result, it will serve as basic data for expanding a broad understanding of the complex phenomenon of loneliness by illumi-nating individual experiences and social contexts, and preparing single-person household policies for mid-dle-aged single men and measures to live alone in old age.

Predictors for psychosocial consequences of screening for liver diseases in Germany: a LASSO approach

Abstract Background Medical screening is extensively used across various disciplines for early disease detection and prevention of severe progression aiming to reduce disease-specific burden, improve quality of life and promote health. However, screening is debated due to unclear evidence of its overall benefits from a public health perspective. Screening is associated with improved health behavior and cost-effectiveness. However, studies identified adverse effects of screening like psychosocial burden. Most results originate from cancer screening and it is unclear whether they are transferable to other contexts. Within a research program, a systematic screening procedure to detect patients with liver cirrhosis at early stage in an asymptomatic general population was evaluated. In this study, we aimed to identify patient characteristics that predict and explain variance in psychosocial outcomes of screened patients. Methods This study analyzed data from 523 participants who underwent a systematic liver disease screening in Germany from Jan 2018 to Feb 2021. We used bootstrapped LASSO regression with 10-fold validation to evaluate the influence of various predictors on the outcomes measured by the Psychological Consequences of Screening Questionnaire (PCQ). The constructs measured by the PCQ are social, physical and emotional dysfunction associated with screening. Results We identified lower severity of comorbidities, higher subjective social status, stronger social support, older age, better critical health communication skills and higher health literacy as relevant predictors of lower psychosocial dysfunction, indicating their protective role in preventing psychosocial burden of screening. Conclusions From a public health perspective, medical screening offers should take into account patients’ individual context regarding their subjective social status, health impairments, personal social networks and health literacy skills to reduce post-screening psychosocial burden. Key messages • Social support, age, health literacy and higher subjective social status were positively associated with lower psychosocial consequences of liver screening. • The findings indicate that liver screening should be carried out, taking into account the individual’s situation and resources available.