Moderated Regression Models Research Articles

Who flourishes in school? The interplay of academic self-concept and personality and its role for academic performance in middle adolescence.

Why are some students more successful than others? We combined motivational and personality predictors and jointly examined the relevance of subject-specific academic self-concepts and Big Five personality traits for academic performance. Based on data from two independent studies of German 9th graders (Study 1: N = 1,508, Mage = 14.98 years, 51% female, 38% immigrant background; Study 2: N = 19,783, Mage = 15.10 years, 50% female, 36% immigrant background), we, first, estimated latent bivariate correlations to investigate the nomological net between these socioemotional characteristics. Second, using latent moderated regression models, we examined the role of the main and interaction effects of both characteristics for academic performance levels and changes assessed by grades and test scores. Finally, we tested whether the relevance of socioemotional characteristics for academic performance differed across sociodemographic characteristics. Five findings stand out: First, we established widely consistent nomological nets between the academic self-concepts and Big Five traits, especially regarding the German self-concept. Second, the domain-specific self-concepts were consistent predictors of different academic performance measures in the respective subject. Third, beyond the established main effects of openness and conscientiousness, all Big Five traits contributed to performance in some way. Fourth, despite some inconsistencies, socioemotional characteristics formed only synergistic interaction effects. Fifth, students' sociodemographic background was likewise important illustrating main effects on performance and foremost synergistic interaction effects with socioemotional predictors. Our results highlight the complex interplay between motivation, personality, and sociodemographic variables in predicting academic achievement and underline the need to be mindful of this interactive nature. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Does Company Size Moderate the Influence of Ownership Managerial on Profit Growth in Indonesian Retail Companies?

<p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-b36eda5b-7fff-1cf8-68b3-81d1f5e863a9"><span>Profit growth is an indicator of the increase in a company's net profit from the previous period which is useful for giving investors an idea of how good the company's condition is in generating profits. The aim of this research is to determine the moderating role of company size on the influence of managerial ownership on profit growth. This research uses a quantitative approach with a moderated regression model. The sample used comes from annual financial reports for the period 2017 to 2022 which are listed on the Indonesian Stock Exchange. The sampling technique was carried out using a purposive sampling method to obtain 71 retail company financial report data. Data analysis uses multiple linear analysis and moderated regression analysis (MRA). The research results show that managerial ownership has a positive and significant effect on profit growth, company size cannot moderate the effect of managerial ownership on profit growth, but it is proven to be an independent variable that has a positive effect on profit growth. The conclusion of the research is that the type of moderation that occurs is a predictor of moderation. This research is expected to provide scientific insight into company profit growth.</span></span></p>

Inflammation as an aetiological trigger for depressive symptoms in a prospective cohort of patients with inflammatory bowel disease

ObjectiveInflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is often comorbid with mood disorders and depressive symptoms. The aetiology of depressive symptoms in IBD, however, remains largely unknown. Consistent with the inflammatory hypothesis of depression, the aim of this study was to explore the prospective associations between inflammatory biomarkers and depressive symptoms in a cohort of IBD patients with and without a previous clinical diagnosis of mood disorder. MethodIBD clinical activity was determined using the Harvey-Bradshaw Index for CD and the Partial Mayo score for UC; serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and faecal calprotectin (fCAL) were used as biomarkers of systemic and intestinal inflammation, respectively. Participants were administered the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-depression (HADS-D) at baseline and 1-year follow-up. ResultsEighty-four participants (50 ± 16 years; 75% UC and 25% CD) were included in the main analyses. Longitudinal moderated regression models showed that baseline CRP significantly predicted follow-up HADS-D scores among individuals with a previous mood disorder diagnosis (β = 0.843, p < .001), but not among individuals without (β = −0.013, p = .896), after controlling for baseline HADS-D scores, body mass index, IBD phenotype, sex, and perceived stress. Likely due to lower power, results on FCAL (n = 31) were not statistically significant. ConclusionThis study suggests that IBD patients with previous diagnosis of mood disorder may be at higher risk of inflammation-related depressive symptoms.

The Family-Owned Business Decision Making In Preserving Socioemotional Wealth

Regarding socioemotional wealth, which is derived from non-financial business elements, this study attempts to investigate the tax aggressiveness of public family-owned businesses in Indonesia. The effect of socioemotional wealth in terms of family engagement on tax aggression (measured by effective tax rate) and family generational stage as a moderator were assessed using a panel data set from 2010 to 2017 and moderated regression models using WarpPLS software version 6.0. The findings illustrate that the higher the involvement of the family in terms of ownership, management, and board of directors as well as a board of commissioners, the less tax aggressiveness. Furthermore, the findings imply that family involvement and tax behavior are not necessarily aligned and that these relationships are moderated by the family's generational stage. Considering that public family-owned business samples still exhibit the same traits as non-family-owned business, the next generation stage board of directors seems to be concerned about how aggressive tax behaviors may affect shareholder wealth and reputation.

The importance of external social support for workplace-related stress as we grow older.

For older employees, a mismatch between work and nonwork roles can lead to work-family conflict (WFC) and stress. This paper examines whether the availability of social support from outside the workplace can assist these employees in coping with the stress-related consequences of WFC. This study used data from Waves 16 (Time 1) and 17 (Time 2) of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey (N = 2867). Sociodemographic characteristics were measured using age, sex and employment tenure. A moderated regression model was applied to the older employees in this sample using stress, WFC with external social support as the moderator. Analysis was additionally undertaken for the different aged employee cohorts, younger than 30 years and middle-aged (30-50). We found that external social support dampened the effect of WFC on employee stress for older employees. This effect was more powerful for older employees than for younger employees. Interestingly, older employees reported the same levels of external social support as employees between 30 and 50, but less than that of employees younger than 30 years. Following our hypothesised relationships based on conservation of resources (COR), selection, optimisation with compensation (SOC) and socio-emotional selectivity theories (SST), this paper demonstrates that older employees benefit significantly from external social support. As external social support increased among older employees, the negative effect of WFC on stress decreased. However, this effect was only significant for employees up to the 68th percentile. Overall, this effect was less powerful for both groups of younger employees. Consistent with SOC and SST, older employees possessed different social motives (less reported external social support). Employer and government strategies assisting employees to develop social networks outside the workplace may provide significant benefits to organisations in addition to employees.

Young Adult Depression and Cannabis Use: Associations Before and After Recreational Legalization

The co-occurrence of depression with cannabis use worsens both mood and substance use disorder outcomes, with young adults particularly at risk of co-occurrence. This research investigates whether the association of state-level prevalence rates of young adult (age 18-25) depression and cannabis use in the U.S. changed following enactment of recreational (adult use) cannabis legalization between 2008 and 2019. Annual, state prevalence data on past-year major depressive episode (hereafter, depression) and past-month cannabis use were extracted from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (N=600 state-year observations). Moderated regression models tested whether the association of depression with cannabis use differed before versus after recreational legalization by comparing prevalence rates of depression and cannabis use in states that enacted recreational legalization to those that did not, while fixing state, year, and medical legalization effects. Data were accessed and analyzed in 2023. Prevalence rates of both depression and cannabis use increased throughout the study period. The positive statistical effect of depression on cannabis use more than doubled in magnitude after legalization (β=0.564, 95% CI=0.291, 0.838) as compared to before (β=0.229, 95% CI=0.049, 0.409), representing a significant change (β=0.335, 95% CI=0.093, 0.577). These results suggest that the association between prevalence rates of young adult depression and cannabis use strengthened following recreational legalization in the U.S. This is potentially due to increases in cannabis accessibility and the acceptance of the health benefits of cannabis, which may enhance the use of cannabis as a coping mechanism among young adults with depression.

Leadership in moral awareness: Initial evidence from U.S. Army soldiers returning from deployment.

To determine whether moral awareness leadership moderated the relationship between combat experiences and soldier mental health symptoms following deployment. The Leadership in Moral Awareness Scale (LIMAS) was evaluated using anonymous surveys completed by 177 U.S. Army National Guardsmen. The survey also assessed general leadership, combat experiences, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression symptoms. Following factor analyses of the LIMAS, moderated regression models examined interactions between the LIMAS and combat experiences on mental health symptoms. Six items were selected to comprise the LIMAS. No main effect of the LIMAS was found for mental health variables after adjusting for general leadership. There were significant interaction effects between the LIMAS and combat experiences for depression and anxiety symptoms. Soldiers with higher levels of combat experiences reported fewer mental health symptoms if their leaders were rated highly on the LIMAS. The LIMAS may offer a useful tool for assessing leader behaviors that can counteract negative mental health outcomes associated with combat. Findings provide support for encouraging leaders to focus on moral awareness during deployment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Can Post-Retirement Work Always Prevent Depression?

Given the rising popularity of post-retirement work and its potential benefits for older adults’ mental health, this study examined older adults’ adaptation ability as a conditional factor for the impact of post-retirement work on depression. Quantitative data from 1433 working older adults and 1433 non-working older adults were analyzed using the PROCESS macro in SPSS to test a moderated regression model with adaptation ability as the moderator. Results showed that older adults with lower adaptation ability demonstrated significantly lower depression if they worked (vs. did not work). Older adults with higher adaptation ability exhibited significantly higher depression if they worked (vs. did not work). These findings were subsequently verified with a robustness check. Overall, post-retirement work did not prevent depression for the entire sample; working only alleviated depression among older adults with limited adaptation ability. Older adults with stronger adaptation ability could better maintain their mental health by staying retired. This study fills a knowledge gap regarding the relationship between post-retirement work and mental health. Implications for aging societies are also discussed.

Sustainability in the supply chain – understanding suppliers’ resource allocation for sustainability issues

PurposeAs corporate sustainability is systemic, it cannot be achieved without effective involvement of suppliers. This study aims to examine the drivers of supplier companies’ resource allocation to a sustainability issue that affects customer companies and society at large.Design/methodology/approachSupplier companies’ resource allocation for a sustainability issue is explained from variables at the levels of the institutional, supply chain and internal environments of a supplier company. The framework is tested with a moderated regression model on 102 supplier companies in animal-based supply chains, focussing on their resource allocation for farm animal welfare.FindingsThe findings show that supply chain factors have the strongest influence on suppliers’ resource allocation, including a strong effect of investment specificity and a U-shaped effect of chain integration. Also, significant effects from institutional variables, namely, the pressure on consumer companies, and an inverted U-shaped effect of sustainability competition are found. The innovativeness, referring to the internal environment of supplier companies, appears as another important factor for the allocation of resources to animal welfare, as a sustainability issue.Research limitations/implicationsThe results have implications for consumer market companies to deal with sustainability issues that require involvement of their suppliers, for supplier companies to increase their competitive positions and strengthen their relationships within the supply chain, and for policymakers seeking solutions for sustainability issues in the market domain.Originality/valueWhile existing literature focusses mostly on the corporate sustainability of highly visible and large consumer companies, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to examine the drivers of supplier companies’ resource allocation for a sustainability issue, namely, animal welfare. It provides insights on what drives supplier companies, usually operating outside the spotlight, to become part of a sustainability transition.

Pengaruh Gaya Kepemimpinan Transformasional dan Transaksional terhadap Kinerja Karyawan: Quality of Work Life sebagai Pemoderasi

This study aims to test and analyze empirically the influence of transformational and transactional leadership styles on employee performance with quality of work life as a moderating variable. Collecting data in this study using a questionnaire with saturated sample method. The population of this study was conducted at 12 BUMN companies in Ambon City with the unit of analysis used, namely employees of the finance department. The number of samples collected is 70 and processed by 70 respondents or 100%. Methods of data analysis using a moderated regression model (moderated regression analysis). The results of this study indicate that (1) transformational leadership style has a significant positive effect on employee performance, (2) transactional leadership style has a significant positive effect on employee performance, (3) quality of work life strengthens transformational leadership style on employee performance, (4) quality of work life strengthens the transactional leadership style on employee performance.

The effect of CEO entrepreneurial passion on family firm entrepreneurial orientation: does generational stage matter?

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore to what extent passionate family chief executive officers (CEOs) increase the entrepreneurial orientation (EO) of the family firm. More specifically, the authors investigate the impact of the family CEO’s entrepreneurial passion (EP) on the firm’s EO and explore whether the generational stage of the family CEO alters this relationship.Design/methodology/approachA multiple moderated regression model was used to test the hypothesized relationships, based on a unique sample of 140 private Belgian family firms. All respondent CEOs are members of the controlling family, meaning they are in a unique position to influence firm-level outcomes.FindingsThe results reveal a significant positive effect of a CEO’s EP on the family firm’s EO. The generational stage of the family CEO moderates the EP-EO relationship, so the positive effect is strongest in first-generation family CEOs and becomes negative in third- or later-generation CEOs.Originality/valueThis research builds on insights from imprinting and upper echelon theory to explore how the EP of the family CEO impacts the family firm’s EO. This study thereby contributes to research regarding the antecedents of EO and introduces the concept of EP in a family firm context. The present study further contributes to the literature on imprinting, as it empirically shows how the EP-EO relationship differs depending on the generational stage of the family CEO. In a family firm context, the generational stage acts as a contingency variable, determining the dominant theory (i.e. upper echelon or imprinting theory) in explaining the EP-EO relationship.

IL-6 Enhances the Negative Impact of Cortisol on Cognition among Community-Dwelling Older People without Dementia

There is growing evidence that high basal cortisol levels and systemic inflammation independently contribute to cognitive decline among older people without dementia. The present cross-sectional study examined (a) the potential synergistic effect of cortisol levels and systemic inflammation on executive function and (b) whether this effect is more prominent among older people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). A sub-sample of 99 patients with MCI and 84 older people without cognitive impairment (CNI) (aged 73.8 ± 7.0 years) were recruited from a large population-based cohort in Crete, Greece, and underwent comprehensive neuropsychiatric and neuropsychological evaluation and a single morning measurement of cortisol and IL-6 plasma levels. Using moderated regression models, we found that the relation between cortisol and executive function in the total sample was moderated by IL-6 levels (b = -0.994, p = 0.044) and diagnostic group separately (b = -0.632, p < 0.001). Moreover, the interaction between cortisol and IL-6 levels was significant only among persons with MCI (b = -0.562, p < 0.001). The synergistic effect of stress hormones and systemic inflammation on cognitive status appears to be stronger among older people who already display signs of cognitive decline. Targeting hypercortisolemia and inflammation may be a promising strategy toward improving the course of cognitive decline.

Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual (LGB) peoples' leadership self-effectiveness: The roles of internalized sexual stigma, LGB positive identity, and traditional masculinity.

Grounded in the theoretical frameworks of the minority stress model and the model of positive identity in sexual minority people, the current research contributes to fill a gap in the previous literature, investigating the relationships among leadership self-effectiveness, internalized sexual stigma, positive identity, and adherence to traditional masculinity of gay, lesbian, and bisexual (LGB) individuals. Through a correlational study (N = 449), we collected data from 229 gay/bisexual men (51%) and 220 lesbian/bisexual women (49%). We hypothesized that lower internalized sexual stigma, higher LGB positive identity, and higher adherence to traditional masculinity were associated to higher self-perceived effectiveness. The interactive relationships among the variables, including participants' gender, were investigated from an exploratory perspective. The hypotheses were tested through two moderated regression models and the results confirmed that participants with lower internalized sexual stigma and higher LGB positive identity were more likely to perceive themselves as potential effective leaders. Also, the results showed a significant interaction between participants' gender and traditional masculinity score suggesting that high adherence to traditional masculinity was a significant predictor of self-perceived effectiveness only for gay/bisexual men, but not for lesbian/bisexual women. This research contributes to provide both confirmation and novel insights into the key role of relevant factors impacting on LGB people's leadership self-effectiveness, which might contribute to preserve the gay glass ceiling effect. The presence of antidiscrimination policies in organizations not only might reduce reports of discrimination but also enhance LGB employees' positive sense of self, which is a critical aspect to emerge as a leader.

Do digital platforms promote or hinder corporate brand prestige?

PurposeIn the era of digital evolution, companies are increasingly deploying digital platforms to optimize operational efficiencies and to connect with customers more directly. However, little is known about whether and how companies can leverage digital platforms to enhance their brand prestige. Integrating insights from the resource-based view of the firm into the branding literature, this study aims to compare and distinguish the effects of the two digital platform functions, technical and social functions, on a company’s brand prestige. This study also assesses the moderating roles of two institutional factors, market uncertainty and brand imitation.Design/methodology/approachThis study estimates a moderated regression model using a survey of 240 companies in China that deploy digital platforms. This study uses SPSS 24.0 to perform regression analysis.FindingsThe study finds that technical functions positively, whereas social functions negatively affect brand prestige. Moreover, the technical functions of digital platforms are more beneficial for companies to build their brand prestige when the market is turbulent and the extent of brand imitation is high, whereas, under the same conditions, social functions lead to lower brand prestige.Research limitations/implicationsThere are several limitations of this study that offer future research opportunities. First, due to the difficulties of data collection, measures were taken from the same source for which common method bias could be a potential concern. Second, this study considered two institutional boundary conditions in these models. Future research should consider mediators as well as other potential moderators to understand the underlying mechanisms of how digital platforms affect brand prestige. Third, future studies may develop better constructs to manifest these two types of digital platform functions. Finally, this sample was limited to companies in China.Practical implicationsThis study provides important implications for companies leveraging digital platforms to build brands. First, companies must distinguish between the different functions of digital platforms. The findings reveal that companies that leverage digital platforms to build brand prestige are suggested to make greater use of technical functions yet should be cautious in developing social functions. Second, this research suggests although market uncertainty and brand imitation are not conducive to enhancing brand prestige, it is possible for companies to take advantage of these unfavorable environments to better serve niche customers.Originality/valuePrior marketing studies emphasize the benefits of digital platforms and largely overlook the double-edged sword effect of digital platforms on companies’ brand building. This study contributes to the marketing literature by revealing the benefits of technical function and the challenges of social function in driving brand prestige in complex institutional settings.

Decomposing main effects in moderated regression models

Previous research has used alternative moderated regression models (MRMs) (e.g., mean-centered MRM) to examine the interaction effect. The interaction effect remains fixed in alternative MRMs. In contrast, the main effects may change in alternative MRMs. Thus, it is common to examine moderation effects with the interaction effect only, although the main effects include useful information. This paper proposes a new MRM with which one can examine and interpret the main effects as well as the interaction effect meaningfully. The new MRM allows one to examine the effects of original predictors. Furthermore, it decomposes main effects into orthogonal components and correlated components. One may examine orthogonal components as the main effects separated from the interaction effect. In addition, one may examine correlated components to assess the degree to which the main effects are correlated with the interaction effect.

Socioeconomic effects and the role of public spending decomposition on income mobility: a moderated regression model

Socioeconomic effects and the role of public spending decomposition on income mobility: a moderated regression model

On the assessment of predictive bias in selection systems with multiple predictors.

There is a long history of examining assessments used in college admissions or personnel selection for predictive bias, also called differential prediction, to determine whether a selection system predicts comparable levels of performance for individuals from different demographic groups who have the same assessment scores. We expand on previous research that has considered predictive bias in individual predictor variables to (a) examine magnitudes of differential prediction in multipredictor selection systems and (b) explore how differences in prediction generalize across samples. We also share updated methods for computing standardized effect sizes for categorically moderated regression models that facilitate the meta-analysis of differential prediction effects. Our findings highlight the importance of analyzing composite predictors when testing for predictive bias in compensatory selection systems and demonstrate the generalizability of long-observed differential prediction trends by race/ethnicity. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

The impulsiveness level influences the salivary cortisol response and social stress sensitivity in suicidal patients

IntroductionSuicide attempters (SA) are more vulnerable to social stress and show disturbed cortisol response in stressful conditions compared with psychiatric and healthy controls. Recent data suggest that this dysregulation might be related to impulsivity traits. However, little is known about the emotional consequences of social stress in SA exposed to stress. ObjectivesThe aim of our study was to evaluate the cortisol and emotional responses to social stress in patients with depression with and without suicide attempt, by taking into account impulsivity traits and depression severity. Methods67 adult women (41 SA and 26 affective controls (AC,i.e. without suicide attempt history)) with lifetime history of major depressive episode were included. Patients performed the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), a well-validated social stress task. Patients provided seven saliva samples, to measure the cortisol response, and filled in questionnaires to assess psychological pain, positive and negative mood, and anxiety at different time points (from 10 min before to 120 min after the TSST). Moderated regression models were used including suicide attempt history, depression severity, and impulsivity as independent variables and their interactions. ResultsIn patients with low depression and high impulsivity, salivary cortisol response during the TSST was higher in SA than in AC (p < .001). Psychological pain, negative mood, and anxiety were increased in all patients just after the TSST, followed by a decrease at 120 min. Positive mood recovery was slower in SA, and in patients with high impulsivity and low depression level (p < .001). ConclusionsImpulsivity traits have an important role in suicidal vulnerability in stress conditions. Impulsivity traits might help to differentiate patients at risk of suicide who are highly sensitive to stress when depression level is low. Higher impulsiveness may increase the sensitivity to emotional distress that translates into inadequate physiological responses.

Improving an old way to measure moderation effect in standardized units.

Moderation effects in multiple regression, tested usually by the inclusion of a product term, are frequently investigated in health psychology. However, several issues in presenting the moderation effects in standardized units and their associated confidence intervals are commonly observed. While an old method had been proposed to standardize variables in moderated regression before fitting a moderated regression model, this method was rarely used due to inconvenience and even when used, the confidence intervals derived were biased. Here, we attempt to solve these two problems by providing a tool to conveniently conduct standardization in moderated regression without the step of standardizing the variables beforehand and to accurately form the nonparametric bootstrapping confidence intervals for this standardized measure of moderation effects. Health psychology researchers are now equipped with a tool that can be used to report and interpret standardized moderation effects correctly. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

The role of philanthropy in reducing impact of disaster on economies of ASEAN-9

This study aims to determine the mediating effect of economic growth on the relationship between disaster and unemployment in the ASEAN-9 economies during the 2000-2020 period. It also attempts to examine the moderating role of religious philanthropy in reducing the impacts of disasters on economic growth and unemployment in the ASEAN-9. By using a combination of path analysis and panel moderated regression model, the study found that disasters have adversely affected economic growth and caused an increase in the employment rate. In addition, philanthropy is found to have a negative moderating role in the effects of disaster on economic growth and unemployment. The findings showed a significant role of philanthropy in reducing the impacts of disasters on economic growth and unemployment in ASEAN-9. Our findings provide an important benchmark for the formulation of government policies to mitigate disaster risks on economic problems through the enhancement of religious philanthropic institutions.