Multigroup Structural Equation Modeling Research Articles

Parental intention on getting children COVID-19 vaccinations: Invariance evaluation across parenting roles and COVID-19-like symptoms experiences among Iranians during the pandemic period

ABSTRACT Countries worldwide are facing challenges with increasing the COVID-19 vaccination rates for children. This study examined associations between perceived knowledge, coping appraisal, threat appraisal, adaptive response, maladaptive response, and intention, and possible variance across parents (mother or father) and COVID-19-like symptoms experiences regarding parental intentions to vaccinate their children. A total of 836 Iranian parents with children between the ages of 6 and 12 y completed measures assessing perceived knowledge, coping appraisals, threat appraisals, intentions, adaptive responses, and maladaptive responses. Multigroup structural equation modeling revealed that perceived knowledge was positively associated with both coping and threat appraisals, coping appraisals positively associated with adaptive responses, maladaptive responses, and intentions to vaccinate, threat appraisals positively associated with adaptive and maladaptive responses, and adaptive responses positively associated with intentions to vaccinate. The invariance evaluation revealed no differences across parents or COVID-19-like symptoms experiences in parental intentions to get their children vaccinated. The findings suggest that cogent information regarding childhood COVID-19 vaccination may boost parents’ knowledge influencing their appraisals, adaptive responses and intentions to vaccinate their children. Specifically, coping appraisals and adaptive responses appeared to be important mediators between knowledge and intentions to vaccinate. Furthermore, intentions to vaccinate children may not be strongly influenced by parental roles or COVID-19-like symptoms experiences. These findings may help multiple stakeholders promote COVID-19 vaccination rates among children, and countries should further examine ways of increasing rates based on their specific needs.

Gendered space-time constraints, daily activities, and social cohesion: Evidence from Fuzhou, China

Previous literature on social cohesion has emphasized the role of daily activities but overlooked their interrelated nature resulting from space-time constraints. Moreover, gendered constraints found in recent studies add complexity to the mechanism. This research broadens the scope of social cohesion studies by adopting a gendered activity perspective. Utilizing data from an activity diary survey conducted in 2021 in Fuzhou, China, we explore gender differences in the impact of housework activity, employment activity, and neighborly social activity on social cohesion, considering gendered space-time constraints. Employing a multi-group structural equation model, we find that, compared to men, women’s social cohesion is more sensitive to and significantly affected by activity constraints. While stronger space-time constraints on housework activities offer opportunities for women’s neighborly social activities and social cohesion, constraints on employment activities play a negative role in their social cohesion. In contrast, activity constraints only slightly impact men’s social cohesion. We discuss policy implications for more specific initiatives to enhance social cohesion for men and women.

Family of Origin Characteristics as Predictors of Childbearing Motivations

This study examines childhood experiences and the relationship with the family of origin as predictive variables for positive childbearing motivation (PCM). It was conducted through analyses using the method of Multigroup Structural Equation Modeling, which were conducted on a Peruvian sample (n = 1494, 72.2% females) and a Brazilian sample (n = 1507; 84.0% females). The results indicate that the variables caring of younger siblings and family adaptation are statistically significant predictors of PCM in both countries, while the variable number of siblings did not emerge as a predictor in either case. Family autonomy emerged as a predictor only in Brazil, and birth order only in Peru. Multigroup analysis shows that the difference in the effects of “family adaptation” and “family autonomy” on PCM is moderated by the country of origin. In summary, this study provides empirical evidence that family variables predictPCM and highlights the moderating effect of the country of origin in the analyzed samples.

Modeling the influence of connected vehicles on driving behaviors and safety outcomes in highway crash scenarios across varied weather conditions: A multigroup structural equation modeling analysis using a driving simulator experiment

Equipped with advanced sensors and capable of relaying safety messages to drivers, connected vehicles (CVs) hold the potential to reduce crashes. The goal of this study is to assess the impacts of CV technologies on driving behaviors and safety outcomes in highway crash scenarios under diverse weather conditions, including clear and foggy weather. A driving simulator experiment was conducted and the multigroup structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to explore the complex interrelationships between the propensity of traffic conflicts, utilization of CV alerts, weather, psychological factors, driving behaviors, and other relevant variables for two different crash locations, namely a straight section and a horizontal curve. Two latent psychological factors including aggressiveness and unawareness were constructed from driving behavior as vehicles passed by crash scenes such as brake, throttle, steering angle, lane offset, and yaw. The SEM can measure latent psychological factors and model interrelationships concurrently through a single statistical estimation procedure. Results of the multigroup SEM showed that CV alerts could significantly reduce the unawareness on a horizontal curve and thus lower the propensity of traffic conflicts. Additionally, the overall effect of foggy weather on conflicts was found to be positive on a horizontal curve, despite the potential benefit of improving situational awareness. In contrast, the single group SEM failed to reveal any significant interrelationships in its structural model by pooling data from both crash locations. The obtained insights can guide the development of driving assistance systems, highlighting the necessity of customization considering weather conditions and location-specific factors.

Exploring the influence of emotionality and expertise on online wine reviews: does greater knowledge lead to less review?

PurposeWine producers and marketing professionals increasingly recognize the significance of online wine reviews. Emotions have long been acknowledged as influential in online review behaviors. However, considering the multisensory nature of the wine experience, consumers’ wine expertise also plays a substantial role. Hence, this study aims to examine the online review behaviors exhibited by wine consumers through the dual lens of wine expertise and emotionality.Design/methodology/approachTwo studies were conducted to address the research question. Study 1 explored the relationship among expertise, emotionality and review behaviors using a panel data model, with a data set consisting of 4,600,922 reviews from Vivino.com. Study 2 used a multigroup structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis using data obtained from an online survey. Study 2 aimed to investigate the interactive impact of emotionality and expertise on online review intention mediated by customer engagement.FindingsThe findings from Study 1 demonstrated a positive correlation between emotionality and online wine reviews. In addition, expertise displayed a bell-shaped relationship with both emotionality and online wine reviews. Study 2, in turn, uncovered that novices and experts experienced a direct influence of emotionality on their review intentions. In contrast, for those classified as ordinary, the influence of emotionality on review intention occurred indirectly through the mediation of customer engagement.Originality/valueThis paper extends the current literature on online wine review by integrating the effect of emotion and expertise on online wine review behaviors, expanding the examination of Dunning–Kruger effect in the wine literature. It also adds value by introducing emotionality and the Evaluative Lexicon into the hospitality literature, extending the measurement of emotion from valence and extremity to a third dimension, emotionality, in hospitality and wine domains.

Effects of students' perception of teachers' ethnic-racial socialization on students' ethnic identity and mental health in rural China's schools.

Using students in the Liangshan Yi autonomous prefectures of southwestern China (n = 585; 13-15 years old), we examined (i) the effects of students' perception of their teachers' ethnic-racial socialization on their ethnic identity and mental health outcomes of depressive and stress symptoms; (ii) the effects of students' ethnic identity on their depressive and stress symptoms; (iii) the differential associations among these factors in Yi ethnic minority versus Han cultural majority students. We conducted a cross-sectional survey and used multistage sampling to collect the information. Chinese-validated standardized measures were used: the Patient Health Questionaires-9, Children's Revised Impact of Event Scale-8, Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure, Cultural Socialization Scale, and Teachers' Attitude on Adoption of Cultural Diversity Scale. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis and multigroup structural equation modeling were employed. Comparing the findings in Yi and Han students, their perception of teachers' ethnic-racial socialization had dissimilar effects on their ethnic identity and mental health outcomes. Three key findings comparing the differences between Yi and Han students were as follows: (i) students' perception of their teachers' multicultural socialization practices positively affected the ethnic identity of both Yi and Han young people; however, their perception of their teachers' socializing them to their own cultures did not exert any effect; (ii) students' perception of teachers' multicultural socialization practices had different mental health effects on Yi versus Han students; and (iii) ethnic identity affected the mental health of Yi ethnic minority students only. The findings underscore the importance of teachers' multicultural socialization in the ethnic identity development of both Yi ethnic minority and Han majority students. Ethnic identity serves as a linking variable bridging perceived teachers' multicultural socialization practices and mental health in Yi ethnic minority students but not among the Han cultural majority youths. Research, practice, and policy implications relevant to the global context are also discussed.

Handwriting Skills and Their Role in Text Generation: A Longitudinal Study with Graphonomic Measures

<p>This study sought to examine the influence of transcription skills, evaluated using graphonomic measures, on the proficiency of text generation in students attending primary schools in Spain. A longitudinal design was employed involving 278 Spanish students distributed across three cohorts (cohort 1: 1st-2nd-4th grade; cohort 2: 2nd-3rd-5th grade; and cohort 3: 3rd-4th-6th grade). Two data collection points were used to administer the graphonomic measures, and a composition letter task was conducted at the conclusion of the study. Four multigroup structural equation models were employed, examining the direct pathways from graphonomic measures (i.e., pressure, speed, pauses, and road length) on text generation (i.e., length, fluency, planning, revision, and organization). The models demonstrated a good fit to the data. The findings from the four models, analyzed within the three cohorts, indicated that the significant effect of transcription (i.e., handwriting) on text production was primarily observed in Cohort 1 (early grades), while no significant effects were found in Cohort 2 (intermediate grades). This suggests that the importance of handwriting in text production in a transparent orthography may be more pronounced during the initial stages of writing development when students are acquiring foundational writing skills.</p>

All physical activities are not created equal: differential effects of goal contents, psychological need satisfaction, and flow in physical activity on satisfaction with life

Regular physical activity (PA) is linked with greater satisfaction with life (SWL), but is this effect equivalent for all PAs? Or do effects and causal paths of PA on SWL differ depending on goal contents in PA? PA practitioners (N = 1900) reported goal contents in exercise (GCE), psychological need satisfaction (PNS), and flow in PA, as well as SWL. Cluster analyses and multi-group structural equation modeling were used to analyze differential effects of study variables on SWL. Four clusters based on GCE were identified and labeled (health-management, n = 652; team-skill, n = 412; social-recognition, n = 494; and low-goals, n = 342). Differential effects on SWL were observed via distinct causal paths: social affiliation and relatedness predicted SWL in the health-management cluster; skill development, competence, and flow in the team-skill cluster; and flow alone in the low-goals cluster. The amounts and the ways in which SWL can be derived from PA practice differ between clusters based on different goal contents. Thus, tailored PA programs may identify distinct goal profiles in order to cater to these separately, orienting them towards either sports-like team practices fostering skill development, perceived competence, and flow; or individually practised and autonomously endorsed PAs facilitating health management, group affiliation and relatedness.

Why Do We Not Wear Masks Anymore during the COVID-19 Wave? Vaccination Precludes the Adoption of Personal Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions: A Quantitative Study of Taiwanese Residents.

Background and Objectives: This study examined whether the decline in people's adoption of personal NPIs (e.g., mask wearing) results from the preclusion by vaccination. This study also incorporates the concepts of risk perception and the risk-as-feelings model to elucidate the possible mechanisms behind this preclusion. Materials and Methods: Two cross-sectional surveys (N = 462 in Survey 1 and N = 505 in Survey 2) were administered before and during the first outbreak of COVID-19 in Taiwan. The survey items were designed to measure participants' perceived severity of COVID-19, worry about COVID-19, intention to adopt personal NPIs, and attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines. Utilizing the risk perception framework, we conducted multigroup SEM (Structural Equation Modeling) to construct the optimal structural model for both samples. Results and Conclusions: The multigroup SEM results showed that worry (i.e., the emotional component of risk perception) fully mediates the influence of the perceived severity of COVID-19 (i.e., the cognitive component of risk perception) on the intention to adopt NPIs in both surveys [z = 4.03, p < 0.001 for Survey 1 and z = 2.49, p < 0.050 for Survey 2]. Before the outbreak (i.e., Survey 1), people's attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines showed no significant association with their worry about COVID-19 [z = 0.66, p = 0.508]. However, in Survey 2, following the real outbreak of COVID-19, people's attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines negatively predicts their worry about COVID-19 [z = -4.31, p < 0.001], indirectly resulting in a negative effect on their intention to adopt personal NPIs. This suggests the occurrence of the Peltzman effect. That is, vaccination fosters a sense of safety, subsequently diminishing alertness to COVID-19, and thus reducing the intention to adopt personal NPIs.

Teaching happiness to students - implementation and evaluation of a program aiming at promoting wellbeing in elementary schools.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the prevalence of mental disorders in children and adolescents has increased significantly. Evidence shows that childhood mental disorders can have serious consequences on psychosocial, cognitive, and physical development. Approaches from Positive Education go further than the urgently needed prevention of mental disorders by aiming directly at promoting subjective, psychological, and social wellbeing. The present study describes the implementation of a brief program to promote wellbeing in 15 elementary schools. For this purpose, in a regular university seminar, students of teaching and educational science were instructed to give 11 "happiness lessons" for fourth graders in a team of two and in the presence of the class teacher over the course of 3 months. Quantitative data were collected from children and parents in the treatment group classes and in the parallel classes serving as the waiting control group at four measurement points (pre, post, 1- and 2-month follow-up). We assessed psychological wellbeing, negative emotions and moods, parent support and home life, perception of the school environment, and self-esteem of the children with established instruments with versions for children and their parents and the frequency of positive and negative emotions of the children in self-report only. Additionally, we applied ad hoc items on subjective perception of the project and open questions in the treatment group. Data were analyzed with EffectLiteR using multigroup structural equation models. Results showed a small significant effect for negative emotions with the children's data and a medium effect for psychological wellbeing in the perception of the parents at the 1-month follow-up. Interaction effects suggest that lower baseline levels in parent support and home life and self-esteem would increase the treatment effect for these constructs. The need for more grounded framework in positive education and the inclusion of more qualitative methods as well as suggestions to improve the program in the sense of a whole school approach are discussed.

Evaluation of Social-Cognitive Determinants of Patients’ Hand Hygiene Decisions and the Role of Mental Health in a Cross-Sectional and a Longitudinal Study of German Patients

Patients’ effective hand hygiene helps to reduce healthcare-associated infections and prevents the spread of nosocomial infections and communicable diseases, such as COVID-19. Accordingly, this study aimed to describe effective hand hygiene decisions based on the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) and whether this pattern is invariant for mental health. Data were collected cross-sectionally from patients who had previously been admitted to a hospital (Nstudy 1 = 279; study 1) and longitudinally from psychosomatic rehabilitation patients (Nstudy 1 = 1073; study 2). The fit of the HAPA framework and changes in hand hygiene decisions regarding compliance, social-cognitive variables of the HAPA, and mental health status were examined. The results revealed that the trimmed HAPA framework fitted the data well (χ2 = 27.1, df = 12, p &lt; 0.01, CMIN/df = 2.26, CFI = 0.97, RMSEA = 0.08). According to multi-group structural equation modeling, the HAPA model with hand hygiene behavior was found to be invariant regarding mental health. To conclude, the trimmed HAPA framework was revealed to be a generic framework for explaining social-cognitive processes relating to hand hygiene decisions. Therefore, helping individuals to perform hand hygiene recommendations requires intention formation and bridging the intention–behavior gap. This can be undertaken by promoting planning and self-efficacy. All processes appear generic to participants with and without mental health challenges.

Participation in club sport in childhood is associated with mental health in preterm and term born adolescents

Preterm born individuals have an increased risk for mental health problems. Participation in club sport is associated with better mental health but the causal direction is unclear. It is not known whether this association could also be found in preterm children. Data from term born (N = 10,368), late preterm (N = 630), and very to moderately preterm born (N = 243) children from the Millennium Cohort Study at the ages of 3, 5, 7, 11, and 14 years were used. Longitudinal associations between the parent-reported Strengths and Difficulties questionnaire (SDQ) and club sport participation (days per week) were analysed using multigroup structural equation modelling, adjusting for gender, maternal depression, parental education; motor problems and attrition were controlled for. Multi-group structural equation modelling showed that children with more peer relationship problems, emotional symptoms, conduct problems or hyperactivity-inattention were less likely to participate in club sport at subsequent assessment time points. More days with club sport participation was associated with lower levels of emotional symptoms and peer relationship problems but not conduct problems or hyperactivity-inattention at subsequent ages. Results were similar in all gestational age groups. Club sport participation predicts lower levels of peer relationship and emotional problems in subsequent waves while it is also predicted by lower levels of emotional problems, peer relationship problems, conduct problems and hyperactivity-inattention in preceding waves. Since no differences in the relationship between SDQ subscales and club sport participation were seen with regard to gestational age groups, club sport should be encouraged in all children.

Reciprocal Path Model of Autonomous Motivation and Motivational Regulation: Socially Shared Regulation in Intellectual Group Activities

Self- and social regulation are widely expected to increase autonomous motivation; however, few empirical studies have examined the reciprocal influences of autonomous motivation and motivational regulation. This study examined the reciprocal path model between autonomous motivation and three modes of motivational regulation (self-, co-, and socially shared regulation) in intellectual group activities by comparing university students with working adults. The participants were 181 university students and 295 working adults who completed an online questionnaire consisting of psychological measurements. With respect to autonomous motivation and the three modes of motivational regulation, a bidirectional model of university students and working adults was established and statistically analyzed on the basis of two time points of data, one month apart (T1 and T2). The hypothesized path model had a good fit through a multi-group structural equation modeling analysis. Autonomous motivation at T1 positively predicted socially shared regulation, co-regulation, and self-regulation at T2, one month later, for both groups. However, the three modes of regulation did not positively or significantly predict autonomous motivation in either group. Considering the reciprocal influences of autonomous motivation and motivational regulation, we discuss the necessity of implementing these practices in universities and workplaces.

The built environment, purpose-specific walking behaviour and overweight: evidence from Wuhan metropolis in central China

The impact of objective and subjective environmental factors on health outcomes has been a topic of significant debate, with a growing body of research acknowledging the role of a physically active lifestyle in promoting health. However, consensus regarding their precise influence remains elusive. This study contributes to these discussions by exploring how individual health outcomes correlate with transport and leisure walking behaviours, set against both the objective and subjective aspects of environmental influences in the context of Wuhan, an inland Chinese megacity. Street view images, multi-source geospatial data and a questionnaire survey were employed to characterise the “5D + Greenery” objective and perceived characteristics of the neighbourhood environment. Multi-group structural equation modelling was utilised to unravel the complex relationship and gender heterogeneity among environmental factors, purpose-specific walking, and overweight. Our results suggest that both objective land use diversity and perceived convenience are significantly associated with overweight. The accessibility of local service facilities and visible greenery promote both transport and leisure walking. While perceived neighbourhood safety encourages transport walking, perceived walkability is positively correlated with leisure walking. Notably, leisure walking, usually considered beneficial, presents a positive association with overweight conditions, acting as a mediation. Gender disparities exist in pathways between the environment and purpose-specific walking, as well as weight. The findings lend support to the planning of an activity-supporting built environment as a crucial strategy for obesity prevention.

Organizational Justice and Work Motivation: The Perspective of Civil Servant Groups in Banten and Central Java Provinces

The purpose of this study was to uncover the effect of organizational justice (procedural justice, distributive justice, and interactional justice) on the work motivation of BAPENDA employees in Banten and Central Java Provinces. The data were collected using a survey with a purposive sampling technique. The sample size of the study was 587 persons, which involved 200 civil servants at Central Java Province BAPENDA and 387 civil servants at Banten Province BAPENDA. The data were analyzed using multigroup Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results of the study showed that organizational justice (distributive, procedural, and interactional justices) can explain and predict the work motivation in the cultural group background of Banten and Central Java. The involvement of the two different cultural groups in this study indicated that the analysis supports the high model fit. In other words, the psychometric properties of the model measurements was not disturbed by the group presence, aka disturbed by the deceptive response.

Testing an extended theory of planned behaviour in predicting Covid-19 vaccination intention over the course of the pandemic: A three-wave repeated cross-sectional study

BackgroundMass vaccination against Covid-19 has been recognised as the most effective strategy for overcoming the pandemic emergency and remains crucial in the ongoing efforts to mitigate the impact of the virus. The present study aimed to test the efficacy of an extended Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) model in predicting vaccination intention in three different phases of the pandemic. Understanding how psychological drivers of vaccine acceptance may have changed throughout the pandemic is essential for informing public health strategies and addressing vaccine hesitancy, even in the current post-pandemic context. MethodsUsing a repeated cross-sectional survey, we tested the hypothesised extended TPB model (intention, attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, anticipated affective reactions, risk perception, trust in science, trust in institutions and religiosity) across three independent samples: before (T1: November–December 2020; N = 657), during (T2: March–May 2021; N = 818), and after (T3: February–March 2022; N = 605) the start of the vaccination campaign in Italy. ResultsResults indicated significant differences between the time points in all investigated variables, pointing to a general trend of improvement in vaccine acceptability levels at T2 compared to T1, and a worsening at T3 compared to the other two time points. Interestingly, net of these differences, a multi-group Structural Equation Modeling analysis supported the invariance, across time, of the structural relationships examined within the extended TPB. ConclusionFindings demonstrated the efficacy of the TPB in predicting Covid-19 vaccination intention at different stages of the pandemic, suggesting that the model, in its extended version, represents a valuable framework for designing interventions aimed at promoting vaccine acceptance.

Adolescents' effort in vocational education and training and upper secondary general education: Analyses of stability, determinants, and group differences.

The effort adolescents make determines the risk for dropping out of vocational education and training (VET) early and their chances of graduating upper secondary education. Studies have shown that adolescents' efforts decrease during the transition to upper secondary general education and increases for the transition to VET. In this study, we examined adolescent self-efficacy in lower secondary education, adolescent-instructor relationship (AIR) in VET and general education, and perceived person-environment fit (PEF) as predictors of adolescent effort. We calculated two longitudinal multigroup structural equation models. Group 1 comprised 1266 (mean age in T1 = 15.7 years; female: 44%) lower secondary education graduates who moved on to VET with two learning contexts, company and vocational school in Switzerland. Group 2 included 517 (mean age in T1 = 15.7 years; female: 44%) lower secondary education graduates who moved on to upper secondary general education and thus stayed in a school. Adolescents' survey data was collected in 2016 and 2017. Self-efficacy in lower secondary education and AIR in upper secondary education indirectly predicted effort in upper secondary education via PEF, controlling for effort in lower secondary education. Findings were similar for general education and vocational school. However, the effects differed between company and general education (moderation). The positive effect of AIR on PEF was statistically significantly weaker for adolescents in general education than for adolescents in VET and their company learning context. We discuss strategies to enhance adolescents' efforts in upper secondary education.

The Moderation Effect of Disability Status on the Associations Among ACEs, Mental Health, and Binge Drinking

ABSTRACT Purpose Mental health and substance use social workers must be prepared to work with people with disabilities, as this population has higher rates of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and ACEs can lead to mental health and substance use problems. The study’s purpose is to assess the moderating effect of disability on the interrelationships among ACEs, mental health, and binge drinking. Materials and Methods Using data from the 2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey, we first used multigroup confirmatory factor analysis to establish the underlying factor structure of the ACEs questionnaire for respondents with and without disabilities. Next, we used multigroup structural equation modeling to assess the mediating effect of mental health difficulties on the association between ACEs and binge drinking for respondents with and without disabilities. Results A three-factor measurement model (emotional or physical abuse, sexual abuse, and household dysfunction) demonstrated excellent model fits. Mental health difficulties significantly mediated the association between ACEs and binge drinking for all respondents. Disability status was a statistically significant moderator of a few associations, with more mental health variance explained by ACEs for the disabled respondents. Direct paths showed household dysfunction and sexual abuse had greater impacts on mental health for disabled respondents, and indirect paths showed these factors also had greater impacts on binge drinking among disabled respondents. Discussion and Conclusion To prevent mental health and binge drinking problems among disabled individuals, we need evidence-based interventions to identify their ACEs and provide accessible, trauma-informed treatments to them.

Exploring the mechanisms between socio-economic status and health: Mediating roles of health-related behaviors before and during COVID-19.

The relationship between individuals' socioeconomic characteristics and their health outcomes is widely acknowledged. However, the specific mechanisms through which these factors are interconnected have not been studied sufficiently. The current study investigated the association among socio-economic status (education of parents, economic status of family) and perceived health mediated by physical activity and sedentary time (purpose for study or not), before and during Covid-19. Three cross-sectional and population-based representative surveys from 2019, 2020, and 2021 were utilized. Overall, 167,099 Korean adolescents (57,303 in 2019, 54,948 in 2020, 54,848 in 2021) participated. A multi-group structural equation model showed that socio-economic status was associated with perceived health through physical activity and sedentary behaviors. Both measures of socio-economic status were positively associated with sedentary time for study purposes, but negatively associated with purposes other than study. Higher education of parents negatively predicted physical activity, whereas higher economic status of family positively predicted physical activity. The impact of socio-economic status on sedentary time tended to increase after the pandemic. Covid-19 significantly affected adolescents' health and health-related behaviors. Comprehensive policies considering adolescents' socio-economic status and their physical activity and sedentary time would mitigate the health effects of the pandemic.

Community ambulation in older adults and people with OA – a model verification using Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) data

BackgroundThere are health and well-being benefits of community ambulation; however, many older adults do not regularly walk outside of their home. Objectives were to estimate the associations between latent constructs related to community ambulation in older adults aged 65–85 (65+), and in adults with osteoarthritis (OA) aged 45–85.MethodsSecondary data analysis of the comprehensive baseline and maintaining contact questionnaire data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study of Aging (CLSA) was completed. Based on a previous model of community ambulation post-stroke, structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to develop measurement and structural models for two groups: older adults 65+ and people with OA. Multi-group SEM was conducted to test measurement invariance across sex and age groups. Measurement models were developed for the following latent factors: ambulation (frequency of walking outside/week, hours walked/day, ability to walk without help, frequency and aids used in different settings); health perceptions (general health, pain frequency/intensity); timed functional mobility (gait speed, timed up-and-go, sit-to-stand, balance). Variables of depression, falls, age, sex, and fear of walking alone at night were covariates in the structural models.ResultsData were used from 11,619 individuals in the 65+ group (mean age 73 years ±6, 49% female) and 5546 individuals in the OA group (mean age 67 ± 10, 60% female). The final 65+ model had a close fit with RMSEA (90% CI) = 0.018 (0.017, 0.019), CFI = 0.91, SRMR = 0.09. For the OA group, RMSEA (90% CI) = 0.021 (0.020, 0.023), CFI = 0.92, SRMR = 0.07. Health perceptions and timed functional mobility had a positive association with ambulation. Depression was associated with ambulation through negative associations with health perceptions and timed functional mobility. Multi-group SEM results reveal the measurement model was retained for males and females in the 65+ group, for males and females and for age groups (65+, < 65) in the OA group.ConclusionsThe community ambulation model post-stroke was verified with adults aged 65+ and for those with OA. The models of community ambulation can be used to frame and conceptualize community ambulation research and clinical interventions.