Hierarchical Regression Research Articles

Limited Role of Biological Aging in Unhealthy Aging: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Global Life Expectancy and Disability Data

BackgroundBiological aging is known to impact quality of life, but its precise role is debated. ObjectiveThis study explores how biological aging, measured by life expectancy at birth (e0), affects unhealthy aging as indicated by years lost due to disability (YLD). MethodsData from international organizations, including e0, YLD, and confounding factors like income, obesity, and urbanization, were analyzed. Correlations were visualized with scatter plots, and associations were assessed using Pearson's and nonparametric methods. Partial, multilevel modelling and multiple regression analyses were conducted to determine e0′s impact on YLD. Resultse0 strongly correlated with YLD, explaining about 50% of its variance. After adjusting for confounders, e0’s contribution fell to 12.18%. Multiple regression identified e0 and urbanization as significant predictors. ConclusionsBiological aging influences YLD, but its effect diminishes when accounting for other factors, highlighting the need for a comprehensive approach to healthy aging.

Mental Health during Medical Transition in a US and Canadian Sample of Early Socially Transitioned Transgender Youth

PurposeThis study aimed to shed light on the mental health of a unique group of medically transitioning transgender adolescents: those who had made a binary social transition during childhood and who, in general, had not experienced substantial gender-incongruent puberty. MethodsStudy participants were part of a broader longitudinal study comprising 3 groups: transgender youth, their cisgender siblings, and unrelated cisgender peers. Using multilevel models, we compared self-reported and parent-reported levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms among transgender youth at 3 stages: before youth had begun puberty blockers; after they had begun blockers; and after they had begun hormone therapy. We also compared age-based mental health trajectories in transgender and cisgender youth. ResultsIn this sample of transgender youth who sought and received gender-affirming medical care, participants experienced stable and relatively low levels of psychological distress across stages of medical transition and across time. There was one exception: transgender girls showed increased, followed by decreased, parent-reported depressive symptoms over time. In contrast, cisgender girls showed increases in internalizing symptomatology (with the exception of parent-reported anxiety) as they got older, and cisgender boys showed decreased self-reported anxiety and increased, followed by decreased, parent-reported depressive symptoms. By mid-adolescence, levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms among transgender girls and transgender boys generally fell between those of cisgender girls and cisgender boys. DiscussionResults demonstrate that transgender youth who are socially and medically supported in their gender identity can experience stable and positive mental health throughout the notoriously challenging developmental period of adolescence.

Heart rate variability as a biomarker for transdiagnostic depressive and anxiety symptom trajectory in adolescents and young adults.

Internalizing psychopathology is associated with abnormalities in heart rate variability (HRV). Lower HRV that reflects reduced parasympathetic nervous system activity has been observed in depressive and anxiety disorders. Existing studies predominantly used categorical rather than dimensional approaches, the latter of which better addresses clinical comorbidity and heterogeneity. Moreover, there is little evidence on the role of HRV in longitudinal symptom trajectory in adolescents and young adults. The current study examined the association between HRV and internalizing symptom trajectory using a dimensional approach-the tri-level model of depression and anxiety. Adolescents and young adults (N = 362) were recruited in a 3-year longitudinal study, where they completed electrocardiogram recordings and self-report symptom questionnaires. Multilevel modeling was conducted with high-frequency power bands (HF power) of interbeat intervals at baseline as the predictor, and tri-level symptom factors over 3 years as the outcome. HF power significantly predicted the trajectory of the broad General Distress symptom factor, but not the intermediate Fears or Anhedonia-Apprehension symptom factors. Higher HF power was associated with a decline in General Distress over time. This association was held when neuroticism, other tri-level symptom factors, and demographic variables were covaried. That is, greater parasympathetic nervous system activity at baseline was significantly associated with a greater decline in the broad internalizing symptom factor, but not symptom factors that are more specific to depressive or anxiety disorders. Parasympathetic activity, therefore, may be a transdiagnostic biomarker for internalizing symptoms in adolescents and young adults. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Sleep Bad, Feel Bad: Unpacking the Role of Exercise and Socializing

This study investigates the daily associations between sleep disturbances and emotional well-being, focusing on exercise and social interaction as potential moderating factors. Using a longitudinal daily diary approach, we analyzed data from 455 participants (mean age = 41.98 years, 382 females) who reported daily diaries over 20 days. Multilevel modeling was employed to analyze both within- and between-person relations between sleep variables (duration, efficiency, difficulty falling asleep) and next day positive/negative affect. The analysis also explored the moderating roles of exercise and socializing, adjusting for age, sex, and COVID-related variables. Our findings indicate that at both within- and between-person levels, higher sleep efficiency predicted increased positive affect and reduced negative affect; conversely, difficulty falling asleep predicted diminished positive affect and heightened negative affect. Sleep duration had a nonlinear relationship with positive and negative affect, with both longer and shorter than usual sleep duration predicting less positive and more negative affect. Exercise and socializing showed different moderating roles in the relationship between sleep and negative affect. Exercise was found to mitigate the negative impact of poor sleep on negative affect, whereas extended socializing amplified the salutary impact of good sleep on reducing negative affect. Our findings underscore the importance of sleep health in daily emotional well-being, suggesting associations between sleep efficiency, difficulty falling asleep, and next-day affect at both within- and between-person levels. Furthermore, the distinct moderation patterns of exercise and socializing provide unique insights into the interplay of sleep, exercise, and social interaction, allowing more targeted interventions.

Pre-disaster income inequality and post-disaster mental health: A natural experiment from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

BackgroundWe sought to test the hypothesis that communities with a high degree of income inequality are ill-equipped to deal with crises. Specifically, we tested whether pre-disaster higher income inequality increases the risk of worse mental health conditions in the aftermath of disaster. MethodsWe examined the association between pre-disaster community income inequality and post-disaster mental health outcomes in a prospective cohort study of older adults (≥65 years) who survived the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. The baseline survey of participants (completed in 2010) predated the disaster by seven months. Survivors completed three waves of post-disaster surveys in 2013, 2016, and 2019. To assess the level of income inequality, the Gini index was calculated using individual income data in 2010 aggregated to 98 communities (range 0.05–0.50: median = 0.32) and categorized into tertiles (low, middle, high). Depressive symptoms and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) were assessed in the three post-disaster surveys using validated instruments. Multilevel analysis was conducted adjusting for pre-disaster characteristics. ResultsHigher levels of community income inequality were associated with higher PTSS scores across time (2013: β = 0.14, 95%CI = −0.01, 0.29; 2016: β = 0.16, 95%CI = 0.03, 0.29; 2019: β = 0.12, 95%CI = −0.01, 0.24). The association between income inequality and mental health was partly attenuated by adding the change in social capital to the model (2013: β = 0.14, 95%CI = -0.01, 0.29; 2016: β = 0.15, 95%CI = 0.03, 0.28; 2019: β = 0.11, 95%CI = -0.01, 0.22). ConclusionOur findings suggest that pre-disaster income inequality may explain PTSS symptoms in the aftermath of a disaster, and the relation may be mediated by disaster-related change. Further study to reveal its mechanism is needed for the policy recommendation.

Mediation of beneficial effects of an alcohol-specific inhibition training on drinking of patients with alcohol use disorder: The role of cognitive demands and inhibitory performance

BackgroundA cognitively demanding, alcohol-specific inhibition training (Alc-IT) might enhance treatment success in patients with severe alcohol use disorder (AUD; Anonymus, 2023). An inhibitory working mechanism for Alc-IT has been discussed, but compelling evidence supporting this hypothesis is yet lacking. The present study investigates inhibitory performance during Alc-IT and examines whether inhibitory parameters mediate drinking outcome. MethodsPatients with AUD (N = 232) completed six sessions of either a standard or improved Alc-IT, differing in their inhibitory demands determined by Go/NoGo ratios in a modified Go-NoGo-task, or a control training. During these training sessions, data on inhibitory performance was collected. To assess differences in inhibitory performance and its improvement, alcohol-related errors of commission and relative performance, integrating accuracy and speed, were analyzed with hierarchical linear contrast models. Mediation analyses tested whether inhibitory performance predicted drinking outcome (percent days abstinent at 3-month follow-up). ResultsPatients in improved Alc-IT started with higher errors of commission (γ01(standard) = − 2.74, p < 0.001, R2 = 0.885) and a lower relative performance in the first training session compared to standard Alc-IT (γ01(standard) = 0.51, p = 0.004). They showed a steeper increase in relative performance until the final sixth session (γ1(s6),(standard) = -0.37, p = 0.024, R2 = 0.882). The effect of improved Alc-IT on drinking outcome was mediated by relative performance increase (bootstrap-CI [0.15, 7.11]). ConclusionHigher inhibitory demands enable larger improvements across sessions. Mediation analysis supports an inhibitory working mechanism. Tailoring inhibitory demands to individual performance capacity could optimize future Alc-IT.

Development of a Work Systems Stress Questionnaire to predict Job Burnout: A mixed methods study based on a macroergonomics approach

Job burnout is a stress-related phenomenon that is a significant threat to the health and performance of organizations and employees. Interventions to ameliorate potentials for burnout have been limited by the lack of a comprehensive tool that considers work system stressors. Thus, the aim of this study was to develop a questionnaire for predicting job burnout based on the macroergonomics work system approach. The setting was a petrochemical company in South Iran. In the qualitative phase of this sequential exploratory mixed methods research, 971 meaning codes were extracted from fourteen one-to-one and seven focus group interviews (n=59). The codes were subject to Directed Content Analysis, which yielded three themes and 15 dimensions, which were used to inform the development of reliable and valid questionnaire. Items for each of the dimensions were sourced from exiting scales. To test the developed Work System Stress Questionnaire (WSSQ) in terms of its ability to predict burnout, a survey which included demographic items, the WSSQ, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory was completed by 359 employees. Hierarchical linear regression modelling of the data indicated that Task Significance, Job Demands, Work-Life Conflict, and Work Schedule predicted Emotional Exhaustion, and altogether explained 58% variance. Task Significance, Violence and Harassment, Work-Life Conflict, and Job Insecurity predicted the Depersonalization and explained 29% variance. Decision Latitude, Welfare and Financial Facilities, Task Significance, and Structural Problems predicted Personal Accomplishment and explained 26% variance. All 15 dimensions were valid (CVI range 0.73-0.90) and reliable (Cronbach’s alpha range 0.71- 0.93). The results confirm the ability of the WSSQ to explain more variance regarding job burnout than previous studies. In turn, the WSSQ will enable remedial actions to be put into place. It may also be useful for understanding the consequences associated with other organizational ergonomic variables that are related to job stress.

Do nurse spiritual responses to trauma explain nurse outcomes? A correlational observational study

BackgroundVarious facets of spirituality are associated with wellbeing. Given the current urgency to promote nurse wellbeing, nurse spirituality merits exploration. PurposeTo investigate how spiritual distress and growth (i.e., spiritual/religious struggle, moral injury, post-traumatic growth) contributed to nurse outcomes (i.e., burnout, job satisfaction, intent to leave). MethodsRNs providing direct patient care in three Southern California hospitals completed an online survey that included psychometrically robust measures. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to test spiritual variables as predictors of nurse outcomes after accounting for demographic and work-related factors. FindingsIn this sample of 531 demographically diverse RNs, spiritual struggle contributed to burnout and turnover intention; posttraumatic growth and employer respect for nurse wellbeing contributed to all three nurse outcomes. DiscussionSpiritual distress and growth are understudied but potentially important influences on job outcomes for nurses. Results here suggest that continued development of interventions to address spiritual health is worth investment.

The influence of social distance perception among gamers on relationships between game motivation and interpersonal competency

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationships between game use negative motivation factors and interpersonal competency and explore the moderating effect of social distance on those relationships. For this, the present study collected data from 228 college students in South Korea through a survey method and used hierarchical multiple regression analyses. In the results, first, the more manipulation, customization, or immersion/escape participants pursue in gameplay, the more they decrease interpersonal competency. Second, a positive relationship between immersion/escape motivation and interpersonal competency is weaker for participants with more social exclusion experience rather than low. However, social exclusion was found to have no significance in the relationship between other motivators and interpersonal competency.

The relationships among family function, psychological resilience, and social network of patients with chronic disease in the community

This study aimed to examine the relationships among family function, psychological resilience, and social network of patients with chronic disease in the community and to further identify whether psychological resilience played a mediating role in the relationship between family function and social network. A cross-sectional survey including 460 convenient samples of patients with chronic disease in four Chinese communities was conducted using a general characteristics questionnaire, the Family APGAR Index, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and the Lubben Social Network Scale 6. Data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, Student's t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson/Spearman correlation, hierarchical multiple regression analysis, and mediation analysis using the PROCESS macro. Family function, psychological resilience, and social network were significantly related. Psychological resilience partially mediated the relationship between family function and social network. Interventions designed to enhance family function and psychological resilience may improve social network among patients with chronic disease in the community.

Multilevel hybrid handcrafted feature extraction based depression recognition method using speech

Background and purposeDiagnosis of depression is based on tests performed by psychiatrists and information provided by patients or their relatives. In the field of machine learning (ML), numerous models have been devised to detect depression automatically through the analysis of speech audio signals. While deep learning approaches often achieve superior classification accuracy, they are notably resource-intensive. This research introduces an innovative, multilevel hybrid feature extraction-based classification model, specifically designed for depression detection, which exhibits reduced time complexity. Materials and methodsMODMA dataset consisting of 29 healthy and 23 Major depressive disorder audio signals was used. The constructed model architecture integrates multilevel hybrid feature extraction, iterative feature selection, and classification processes. During the Hybrid Handcrafted Feature (HHF) generation stage, a combination of textural and statistical methods was employed to extract low-level features from speech audio signals. To enhance this process for high-level feature creation, a Multilevel Discrete Wavelet Transform (MDWT) was applied. This technique produced wavelet subbands, which were then input into the hybrid feature extractor, enabling the extraction of both high and low-level features. For the selection of the most pertinent features from these extracted vectors, Iterative Neighborhood Component Analysis (INCA) was utilized. Finally, in the classification phase, a one-dimensional nearest neighbor classifier, augmented with ten-fold cross-validation, was implemented to achieve detailed, results. ResultsThe HHF-based speech audio signal classification model attained excellent performance, with the 94.63 % classification accuracy. ConclusionsThe findings validate the remarkable proficiency of the introduced HHF-based model in depression classification, underscoring its computational efficiency.

Reconstructed influenza A/H3N2 infection histories reveal variation in incidence and antibody dynamics over the life course.

Humans experience many influenza infections over their lives, resulting in complex and varied immunological histories. Although experimental and quantitative analyses have improved our understanding of the immunological processes defining an individual's antibody repertoire, how these within-host processes are linked to population-level influenza epidemiology in humans remains unclear. Here, we used a multilevel mathematical model to jointly infer antibody dynamics and individual-level lifetime influenza A/H3N2 infection histories for 1,130 individuals in Guangzhou, China, using 67,683 haemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay measurements against 20 A/H3N2 strains from repeat serum samples collected between 2009 and 2015. These estimated infection histories allowed us to reconstruct historical seasonal influenza patterns in humans and to investigate how influenza incidence varies over time, space, and age in this population. We estimated median annual influenza infection rates to be approximately 19% from 1968 to 2015, but with substantial variation between years; 88% of individuals were estimated to have been infected at least once during the study period (2009 to 2015), and 20% were estimated to have 3 or more infections in that time. We inferred decreasing infection rates with increasing age, and found that annual attack rates were highly correlated across all locations, regardless of their distance, suggesting that age has a stronger impact than fine-scale spatial effects in determining an individual's antibody profile. Finally, we reconstructed each individual's expected antibody profile over their lifetime and inferred an age-stratified relationship between probability of infection and HI titre. Our analyses show how multi-strain serological panels provide rich information on long-term epidemiological trends, within-host processes, and immunity when analysed using appropriate inference methods, and adds to our understanding of the life course epidemiology of influenza A/H3N2.

The relationship between barriers despite schooling and school engagement in adolescent students: A multilevel linear modeling analysis

The relationship between barriers despite schooling and school engagement in adolescent students: A multilevel linear modeling analysis

Association between toothbrushing behavior and cardiometabolic multimorbidity among middle aged and older adults in North China: a cross-section study

ObjectivesTo evaluate the association between toothbrushing behavior and cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM) among middle-aged and older adults.MethodsData from the Beijing Health Service Survey were used to estimate the association between toothbrushing behavior and the risk of CMM using multilevel logistic models (N = 18,158).ResultsThere were 554 patients with CMM, with a prevalence of 3.05%. We found a higher risk of CMM for those with toothbrushing once or less (OR = 2.16, 95%CI: 1.80, 2.59) compared with those brushed two or more times per day in the crude model. After adjusting for confounding factors, the association between the two remained significant (OR = 1.68, 95%CI: 1.39, 2.04). The effect size was higher in adults with a higher education level (OR = 2.32) compared to those with a lower education level (OR = 1.39, P forinteraction<0.01).ConclusionsPoor toothbrushing practices were associated with CMM among middle-aged and older people. Longitudinal study can be considered to explore the causal association between the two and whether good toothbrushing habits can predict CMM and its progression.

Effects of a culturally tailored patient navigation program on unmet supportive care needs in Hispanic/Latino cancer survivors: A randomized controlled trial.

Patient navigation (PN) is a promising yet underused approach to address Hispanic/Latino (H/L) cancer survivors' unmet supportive care needs. The authors conducted a randomized trial to evaluate the effect of a culturally tailored PN program with the LIVESTRONG Foundation's Cancer Navigation Services (PN-LCNS) on reducing unmet needs in H/L survivors. From 2012 to 2015 at two US sites, 288 H/L survivors diagnosed with breast, prostate, or colorectal cancer were randomized to a PN-LCNS program or to standard PN. Participants assigned to the PN-LCNS program received 3-month PN services; access to phone-based, bilingual, one-on-one support; and additional resources (i.e., guidebook, health journal, and care plan). Participants completed assessments at baseline and at 3, 9, and 15 months post-baseline. The Supportive Care Needs Survey was used to assess unmet needs across five domains: psychological, health system and information, physical and daily living, patient care and support, and sexuality. Intervention effects were tested by using separate multilevel growth models for women and men. Women randomized to the PN-LCNS program, relative to those who received standard PN, had a statistically significant reduction in unmet needs (i.e., overall and for the health systems and information, physical and daily living, and patient care and support domains). Among men, younger age was associated with greater unmet needs at baseline. Prostate cancer survivors reported greater unmet sexual health needs compared with colorectal cancer survivors. There was no significant change in unmet needs among H/L men. A culturally tailored PN program can reduce unmet supportive care needs among H/L women cancer survivors. However, interventions specifically targeting unmet needs in H/L men and sexual health are still necessary (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02275754). Hispanic/Latino (H/L) cancer survivors often report concerns or needs that are not adequately addressed by the health care team, which could be related to psychological, health system and information, patient care and support, physical and daily living, and sexuality issues. In this randomized controlled trial of 288 H/L survivors diagnosed with breast, prostate, or colorectal cancer, women assigned to a culturally tailored patient navigation program experienced a reduction in unmet needs compared with those who received standard patient navigation. H/L men did not experience a change in unmet needs.

Iron-rich food consumption and predictors among children aged 6–59 months old in Ethiopia using 2005–2016 national representative data

Children who do not consume enough iron have decreased growth, reduced immunity, and poor cognitive development. This study aimed to assess the pooled iron-rich food consumption, trends, and predictors among children aged 6–59 months old in Ethiopia. This study used Ethiopian demographic and health survey (EDHS-2005–2016) data with a total weighted sample size of 26,773 among children aged 6–59 months old. A multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of good iron-rich food consumption. The pooled proportion of iron-rich food consumed among children aged 6–59 months in Ethiopia was 11.77% (10.71, 12.92%). In Ethiopia, the proportion of iron-rich food intake by children aged 6–59 months was slightly increased from 9.25% (8.04, 10.62%) in EDHS 2005 to 10.86% (9.06, 12.95%) in EDHS 2011, and sharply increased to 17.49% (15.04, 20.24%) in EDHS 2016. The findings indicated that being children born to mothers aged 20 to 34 years old [AOR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.35, 0.89], mothers aged ≥ 35 years old [AOR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.28, 0.82], married parents [AOR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.14, 2.48], completed primary education [AOR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.73], secondary education [AOR = 2.66, 95% CI: 1.53, 4.59], a higher education status of mother [AOR = 3.98, 95% CI: 1.92, 8.23], medium family [AOR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.89], rich family [AOR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.09, 1.95], media exposure [AOR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.72], residents of the Tigray [AOR = 2.69, 95% CI: 1.51, 4.79], Oromia [AOR = 3.30, 95% CI: 1.30, 4.02], Benishangul [AOR = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.15, 3.88], Gambela [AOR = 5.85, 95% CI: 2.97, 11.50], and Dire Dawa region [AOR = 3.38, 95% CI: 1.76, 6.47], were significantly associated with good iron-rich food consumption among children aged 6–59 months old. The findings revealed that iron-rich food intake was considerably low among Ethiopian children aged 6–59 months. Increasing women’s literacy and economic empowerment improves iron-rich food consumption among children aged 6–59 months old.

Variation of subclinical psychosis as a function of population density across different European settings: Findings from the multi-national EU-GEI study.

Urbanicity is a well-established risk factor for psychosis. Our recent multi-national study found an association between urbanicity and clinical psychosis in Northern Europe but not in Southern Europe. In this study, we hypothesized that the effect of current urbanicity on variation of schizotypy would be greater in North-western Europe countries than in Southern Europe ones. We recruited 1080 individuals representative of the populations aged 18-64 of 14 different sites within 5 countries, classified as either North-western Europe (England, France, and The Netherlands) with Southern Europe (Spain and Italy). Our main outcome was schizotypy, assessed through the Structured Interview for Schizotypy-Revised. Our main exposure was current urbanicity, operationalized as local population density. A priori confounders were age, sex, ethnic minority status, childhood maltreatment, and social capital. Schizotypy variation was assessed using multi-level regression analysis. To test the differential effect of urbanicity between North-western and Southern European, we added an interaction term between population density and region of recruitment. Population density was associated with schizotypy (β = 0.248,95%CI = 0.122-0.375;p < 0.001). The addition of the interaction term improved the model fit (likelihood test ratio:χ2 = 6.85; p = 0.009). The effect of urbanicity on schizotypy was substantially stronger in North-western Europe (β = 0.620,95%CI = 0.362-0.877;p < 0.001) compared with Southern Europe (β = 0.190,95%CI = 0.083-0.297;p = 0.001). The association between urbanicity and both subclinical schizotypy and clinical psychosis, rather than being universal, is context-specific. Considering that urbanization is a rapid and global process, further research is needed to disentangle the specific factors underlying this relationship.

Effects of teacher students’ study progress on their gaze behavior while solving of an economics knowledge test

Positive effects of study progress on the economic knowledge of bachelor students are evident and were often referred to as proof of the validity of tests in the context of a longitudinal analysis. However, differences between domain-specific (e.g., semester) or discipline-specific (e.g., attended courses) indicators of study progress on students’ solving the economics tasks are relevant for both diagnostic and instructional purposes, but have hardly been researched to date. In an eye tracking study, we therefore calculated the average fixation duration during 900 task-solving processes of 35 economics teacher students solving 25 single-choice economics tasks. A multi-level mediation analysis shows that both indicators (i.e., semester and attended courses) were positively correlated with economics knowledge. At the same time, the impact of semesters and courses attended on their test performance was partially mediated by average fixation duration on the attractor and distractors, respectively. This suggests that visual attention differs during the task-solving process depending on the domain- or discipline-specific indicator of study progress.

Context counts: Unveiling the impact of achievement level on teachers’ text assessment

BackgroundTeachers' assessments of student writing proficiency are essential for adaptive instruction and providing feedback. However, studies have revealed a lack of objectivity in text quality ratings of the same text in different contexts, although texts of identical quality should receive identical teacher judgments. AimsOur two studies – one experimental and one more ecologically valid – address whether the achievement level impacts teachers’ individual text assessments even when relevant explicit criteria are used. SamplesIn Study 1, participants were 102 student teachers from a university in Germany. In Study 2, participants were 136 student teachers and 91 experienced teachers from Germany. MethodsIn Study 1, participants were randomly assigned to two groups. Student teachers in the high-achievement level group assessed three high-quality texts and one standard text with average quality. Student teachers in the low-achievement level group assessed three low-quality texts and the same standard text with average quality. Participants in Study 2 assessed ten texts randomly drawn from a large corpus. ResultsThe comparison of the standard text in Study 1 showed that student teachers in the high-level achievement group assessed it more negatively on a holistic scale and three analytic scales compared to the low-level achievement group. Multi-level data analysis in Study 2 revealed a negative influence of the quality of the achievement level on the text assessment for experienced and for student teachers. ConclusionsWe discuss how the achievement level can bias teachers’ judgments of specific student performances when concrete assessment criteria should be used.

Water, Sanitation, Hygiene Facilities and Economic Well‐Being: A Multilevel and Spatial Analysis in Punjab, Pakistan

Water, Sanitation, Hygiene Facilities and Economic Well‐Being: A Multilevel and Spatial Analysis in Punjab, Pakistan