Multilevel Structural Equation Modeling Research Articles

Exploring the Predictors of AI Chatbot Usage Intensity Among Students: Within- and Between-Person Relationships Using the Technology Acceptance Model

The current research investigated the factors associated with the intensity of AI chatbot usage among university students, applying the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and its extended version, TAM3. A daily diary study over five days was conducted among univserity students, distinguishing between inter-individual (between-person) and intra-individual (within-person) variations. Multilevel structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the data. In Study 1 (N = 72), results indicated that AI chatbot anxiety was associated with perceived ease of use (PEOU) and perceived usefulness (PU), which serially mediated the link with AI chatbot usage intensity. Study 2 (N = 153), supported these findings and further explored the roles of facilitating conditions and subjective norm as additional predictors of PEOU and PU. Results from both studies demonstrated that, at the between-person level, students with higher average levels of PEOU and PU reported more intensive AI chatbot usage. In Study 1, the relationship between PEOU and usage intensity was mediated through PU at the within-person level, while the mediation model was not supported in Study 2. Post-hoc comparisons highlighted much higher variability in PEOU and PU in Study 1 compared to Study 2. The results have practical implications for enhancing AI chatbot adoption in educational settings. Emphasizing user-friendly interfaces, reducing AI-related anxiety, providing robust technical support, and leveraging peer influence may enhance the usage intensity of AI chatbots. This study underscores the necessity of considering both stable individual differences and dynamic daily influences to better understand AI chatbot usage patterns among students.

The paradox of dual orientation in human resource practices and its cross-level effect on innovation

This paper leverages paradoxical theorizing to develop the scale for Ambidextrous Human Resource Practices (AHRP) and contributes to the literature on emerging economies by providing a guide for managers on best practices for implementing ambidexterity within HR. A mixed −methods approach was used. Study 1 generated the item pool for the AHRP scale with the help of extant literature and in-depth interviews conducted with 37 managers from five large Chinese firms, including two Fortune 500 companies. The items generated in Study 1 were tested for validation through a second study with a sample of 216 employees. Study 3 employed multilevel structural equation modeling on data from 257 employees across 64 teams from 31 firms. The AHRP construct was developed with two dimensions: commitment-oriented HR practices (HRP-CM) and cooperation-oriented HR practices (HRP-CO). Analysis of multisource data indicates that AHRPs at the firm level had a strong positive relationship with innovation performance at the team level.

Life Course Associations of Sibling Relationships and Cognitive Functioning in Late Adulthood.

Relying on the linked lives concept within the life course perspective, the current study examined the lifelong associations of sibling relationships and their effects on cognitive functioning in late adulthood. Using data from the sibling cohort of the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, we estimated a mediational model, examining the effects of childhood sibling interactions and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), as proxy measures for the parent-child relationship, on cognitive functioning in late adulthood through adult sibling closeness and contact. Respondents' cognitive functioning was assessed using the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status-modified (TICS-m) when they were in their early 80s, on average. We conducted multilevel structural equation modeling. Positive childhood sibling interactions (e.g., hugging, helping) were associated with increased adult sibling closeness and contact, while higher cumulative ACEs were associated with decreased adult sibling closeness and contact. We found significant indirect associations: a) positive sibling interactions during childhood were associated with more frequent sibling contact across respondents' mid-50s through early 70s, which was in turn associated with higher TICS-m scores in their early 80s; b) higher cumulative ACEs were associated with less frequent sibling contact, which was in turn associated with lower TICS-m scores. The results suggest that childhood experiences within the family of origin may have lasting impacts on adult sibling relationships and the cognitive functioning of older adults. This study highlights the potential cognitive benefits of frequent contact with adult siblings, underscoring the importance of nurturing sibling relationships throughout one's life.

Adolescents’ Daily Lives (ADL) project: an intensive longitudinal design study protocol examining the associations between physical literacy, movement behaviours, emotion regulation and mental health

IntroductionAdolescence represents a critical developmental period, with changes in emotional regulation capacities influencing physical and mental health. With less than 6% of Canadian youth currently meeting the 24-hour movement guidelines...

Understanding Parenting Stress in Adoptive Parents: A Longitudinal Multilevel Study of Parents' Self-Criticism, Child Negative Emotionality, and Child Age at Placement.

Research on parenting stress in adoptive parents during the early years post-placement reveals significant variability, yet few studies examine both parent- and child-related factors. This study investigates the role of the personality dimension of self-criticism and perceived negative child emotionality in relation to parenting stress during the first four years after transnational adoption. Additionally, it explores the moderating effect of child age at placement, a key factor associated with early adversity. Drawing upon a longitudinal five-wave dataset in the first 4 years after the child arrived in the adoptive family, this study used multi-informant data of 96 adoptive mothers and fathers of transnationally adopted children (mean child age at placement = 13.48 months). Data were analyzed using a multilevel structural equation modeling approach. Parents' self-criticism was positively associated with parenting stress at the between-parent level. At the within-parent level, year-to-year fluctuations in both parents' self-criticism and perceived child's negative emotionality were positively associated with corresponding fluctuations in parenting stress. Child age at placement did not moderate any of these associations. Overall, this study yielded convincing evidence for the dynamic nature of parenting stress in the first years after child placement, the role of parental self-criticism, and the child's perceived negative emotionality herein.

Self-efficacy mediates but does not moderate the relationship between grit and L2 achievement

ABSTRACT Purpose: The current study examined whether self-efficacy could mediate and moderate the relationship between grit (i.e. perseverance of effort) and second/foreign (L2) achievement. Methodology: Participants involved 535 year-two students (M age = 16.15, SD = .63, females = 59%) from a senior middle school in mainland China. Students’ grit, self-efficacy, and L2 (English) achievement were measured. Multilevel structural equation modeling with latent interaction was used to explore the relationships among these three variables. Findings: The results showed that grit positively predicted self-efficacy, which positively predicted L2 achievement. Meanwhile, the interaction produced a nonsignificant relation to L2 achievement. We concluded that self-efficacy mediated but did not moderate the relationship between grit and L2 achievement. Originality: Grit and self-efficacy have been recognized as two essential predictors of L2 learning. This study is an empirical attempt to address the underexplored nature of the interplay between grit and self-efficacy in determining L2 achievement.

A multilevel investigation of workplace bullying and employee creative behavior: uncovering the crucial role of psychological capital

PurposeThis study investigates workplace bullying through a novel conceptualization by focusing on the simultaneous effects of abusive supervision and coworkers’ bullying. It aims to thoroughly understand how these harmful behaviors affect employee creative behavior.Design/methodology/approachBased on the tenets of social cognitive theory, this study used multilevel structural equation modeling with Mplus to analyze multi-source and multi-wave data collected from the information, communication and technology sector. The sample included 510 participants from 170 teams, comprising 340 subordinates and their 170 supervisors. Responses were collected at three time points, with a gap of approximately two weeks.FindingsThe findings indicate significant direct effects of abusive supervision and coworkers’ bullying on employee creative behavior, highlighting the detrimental effects of workplace bullying. Additionally, this study introduced and tested the mediating role of psychological capital, providing valuable insights into the mechanisms through which workplace bullying affects employee creative behavior.Originality/valueBy adopting a social cognitive framework, this multilevel research advances the field and enriches the literature on workplace bullying and employee creative behavior. This study adds depth to existing research by examining how abusive supervision and coworkers’ bullying simultaneously affect employees. It also highlights the vital role of psychological capital in mediating these effects. The findings emphasize the need to tackle workplace bullying to boost employee creative behavior and overall well-being.

Perceptions of youth internalizing symptoms: Cross-cultural comparisons between Taiwanese and U.S. mothers.

This study was designed to examine how cultural values affected mothers' perceptions of internalizing symptoms in youth, comparing Taiwanese and U.S. samples. We hypothesized that mothers' self-reported East Asian cultural values (e.g., conformity, emotional self-control, face culture) would mediate the relationship between their country of residence and perceptions of youth's depressed mood and anhedonia. Participants were 310 mothers from the United States and 294 mothers from Taiwan. All participants responded to questions regarding their adherence to specific East Asian cultural values. Four brief vignettes about a male adolescent experiencing internalizing symptoms were presented to all participants. After reading each vignette, participants rated their perceptions of the adolescent's symptoms. Results from a series of multilevel structural equation models indicated that Taiwan mothers reported more East Asian cultural values (conformity, emotional self-control, face culture) compared to U.S. mothers, which in turn led to rating youth internalizing problems as less acceptable, more impairing, and more problematic to the family, and feeling less proud and more ashamed of the youth. There was also an inconsistent mediation effect of East Asian cultural values on the relationship between country and rating of anhedonia. The mediation pathway was non-significant for the rating of depressed mood. In conclusion, to improve cultural understanding, researchers and clinicians should consider the driving force of the observed between-group differences to ensure appropriate conceptual frameworks in a cross-cultural context. Cross-cultural differences in ratings of youth symptoms highlight the importance of a culturally sensitive approach to assessing symptoms and functional impairment in different cultural groups.

Values as Master Identities within Identity Structures

A long-standing sociological puzzle deals with how societies shape individuals and their identities. Sociologists have theorized that identities are organized around core elements, termed “master identities,” that influence the adoption and expression of other identities. In this study, I examine the position of values as master identities within identity frameworks. I investigate the link between conservation and self-transcendence values and holding a diverse set of voluntary memberships. Additionally, I explore whether values mediate the relationship between age, gender, and memberships in voluntary organizations. Using multilevel structural equation models and data from the European Social Survey 2002, I find that conservation and self-transcendence are both directly associated with holding memberships across domains and mediate the relationship between both age and gender and voluntary memberships.

The Impact of Non-Normality on Causal Effect Estimates in Structural Equation Models with Ordered Categorical Variables

Multilevel structural equation models (SEM) are widely used for estimating causal effects in social and behavioral sciences. However, the impact of non-normality on these estimates, particularly with ordered categorical variables, remains unclear. This study investigates how non-normality affects causal effect estimation in path and multigroup SEMs with ordered categorical variables. Using the Vine-to-Anything approach, we simulated multivariate distributions by independently varying marginals and copulas. We compared maximum likelihood (ML), robust ML, and diagonally weighted least squares (DWLS) estimators across various non-normal conditions in three simulation studies. Results show that bias in effect estimates critically depends on the combination of copulas and marginal distributions in treatment and control groups. DWLS generally outperformed ML, especially for average treatment effects and interaction effects. However, all methods were sensitive to distributional misspecifications. These findings highlight the importance of considering distributional assumptions when using ordered categorical data in causal inference studies.

Change processes in cognitive therapy for social anxiety disorder: A comparison of face-to-face and internet-based treatment formats

BackgroundCompared to efficacy research, studies investigating the processes of change in psychological therapy are rare, especially for internet-based interventions. While many online therapies are based on face-to-face therapy protocols, it is unknown whether the processes of clinical improvement differ between these treatment formats. ObjectiveTo examine candidate change processes in an online therapist-guided cognitive therapy intervention for social anxiety disorder (iCT-SAD), and compare the results to the corresponding face-to-face therapy (CT-SAD). MethodsData from a randomised controlled trial (n = 99) were analysed using Multilevel Structural Equation Models, incorporating the temporal precedence of the process variable, and disaggregating the within- and between-subject components of the predictors. These examined three candidate change processes: self-focused attention, negative social cognitions, and depressed mood. Moderated mediation models provided an additional test of the moderating effect of treatment format. ResultsNegative social cognitions and self-focused attention were supported as significant mediators of clinical improvement in both CT-SAD and iCT-SAD. Effects were of similar strength and moderated mediation was not observed. There was also evidence of cyclical relationships between social anxiety symptoms and these process variables. Depressed mood also emerged as a significant but weak mediator in CT-SAD, but not in iCT-SAD. Moderated mediation was not observed. ConclusionThe online format of therapy showed a similar pattern of change processes to face-to-face treatment, with self-focused attention and negative social cognitions mediating clinical improvement in both treatments. Efforts to improve the efficacy and efficiency of SAD interventions by targeting these factors may therefore be equally applicable to online and face-to-face interventions.

The social convoy for depression among the older adults in rural China: A multilevel structural equation modeling analysis using a national sample

Rural older adults experience significant mental and physical health challenges. Social convoy theory offers insights into this by assuming functional limitations as antecedent factors of depression through multiple social-related levels. The combined panel data from 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2018 of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (1,354 individuals with 5,416 responses) was utilized to address the above assumption. The multilevel structural equation modeling was employed to examine whether social activity participation and parent-child interaction mediate the relationship between functional limitations and depressive symptoms at multiple levels. The results indicated that the mediation effects existed only at the between-person level. Specifically, older adults with more functional limitations participated in less social activity, leading to more depressive symptoms, but engaged in more parent-child interaction, reducing depressive symptoms. At the within-person level, depressive symptoms in a given older adult were correlated with functional limitations. In years with greater limitations, older adults participated less in both social activity and parent-child interaction. Interventions should be tailored to older adults’ functional limitations, focusing on social activities for those with typically greater limitations, intergenerational programs for those with fewer limitations, and a combination of both for those experiencing significant increases in limitations.

Effects of bedroom environment on average heart rate during sleep in temperate regions: Winter conditions in healthy males in their twenties with average BMI

The nocturnal average heart rate correlates more strongly with mortality rates than the resting heart rate or 24-hour average heart rate. Additionally, it has been suggested that as the average heart rate decreases, SDNN increases, indicating favorable autonomic function. This study aimed to identify the environmental factors that most significantly affect the day-to-day variability of average heart rate during sleep (SHR) in winter. Measurements were conducted in the participants' usual bedrooms of nine healthy male participants in their twenties with an average BMI, living in a temperate region. The measurement periods were from December 1, 2022, to March 8, 2023, and from December 1, 2023, to February 6, 2024. In addition to the heart rate, body movement, room, radiant, and bed microclimate temperatures, carbon dioxide concentration, relative humidity, and illuminance were measured. The results demonstrated that, when comparing across participants, the average room and radiant temperatures during the measurement period had a significant negative correlation with the average SHR during the measurement period, with correlation coefficients of −0.83 and −0.91, respectively. Using a multilevel structural equation model, no valid model was obtained at the between level, which examined differences between participants, while a valid model was found at the within level, which examined differences within participants. At the within level, the most explanatory factors for SHR were body movement, operative temperature, bed microclimate temperature, carbon dioxide concentration, and the interaction term between the bed microclimate temperature and carbon dioxide concentration. Overall, a deeper understanding of the impact of environmental conditions on average sleep heart rate could facilitate the design of environments favorable for autonomic nervous system activity during sleep.

Trust in leader and positive employee outcomes: To transform or to serve in cross-cultural leadership

Considering the potential impacts of context-specific value systems in individuals’ perceptions of phenomena, this study seeks to investigate whether and how cultural differences could influence the effectiveness of leadership styles in establishing trust and positive employee outcomes (PEOs) as well as the relationships between such outcomes based on the GLOBE project. The sample consisted of 1647 valid responses from 128 independent hotels’ employees in four countries from two GLOBE clusters (Anglo and South Asia). Multilevel structural equation modelling has been used for the analysis. Significant but different relationships were found between Servant Leadership and Transformational Leadership with Trust, and PEOs in the two clusters, which could be potentially attributed to societal and contextual factors as a deeper layer mechanism. Our findings have significant implications for both academics and hotel managers in terms of the critical role of alignment between context-specific contingencies and the selected leadership style in establishing trust and PEOs.

Revisiting happiness at work within the hospitality sector: revealing the power of ethical leadership and group diversity

PurposeIndividual happiness at the workplace allows hospitality organizations to foster an optimistic work environment and endorse the well-being of their employees, which is essential for achieving long-term success. While ethical leadership has been verified as an interpreter of happiness, however, enhancing employee happiness at work remains a gap. The current study seeks to fill this gap by utilizing a multilevel model of the direct and indirect relationship between ethical leadership and happiness at work and also the mediation of group diversity in this relationship.Design/methodology/approachThe study involved a cross-sectional study with a quantitative methodology. The authors collected data from 36 Jordanian hospitality teams. A total number of 960 participants were selected using the convenience sampling method. The model of the study was validated by multilevel structural equation modeling, and the hypothesized relationships were tested using SPSS 26.FindingsResults showed that ethical leadership directly promoted happiness and indirectly through group diversity. Moreover, group diversity was found to mediate this relationship.Practical implicationsFindings propose that leaders within hospitality organizations can attain happiness at work by showing more ethical leadership. Practitioners within the hospitality industry likewise ought to recognize that promoting altruistic attitudes among followers is capable of guiding ethical leadership into happiness at work. Moreover, building a developmental culture is crucial for hospitality teams to reinforce the impact of ethical leadership on happiness at work.Originality/valueThe current study magnifies the leadership-happiness research by unlocking both the direct as well as indirect links, the mediation effect, between ethical leadership and happiness at work.

Multi-level social capital effects on residents: Residents’ cooperative behavior in neighborhood renewal in China

China has recently shown great enthusiasm for developing neighborhood renewal, and good cooperation within resident groups is the key to successful implementation. Residents’ cooperative behavior is easily influenced by social relationships among residents, which are referred to as resident-level social capital. Further, resident-level social capital is influenced by the neighborhood effects, known as neighborhood-level social capital. However, few studies examined the impact of social capital on residents’ behavior from the perspective of both resident-level and neighborhood-level. This paper aims to examine the multilevel social capital that influence residents’ cooperative behavior in China. Using social capital theory and the theory of planned behavior, this study collects questionnaire survey data from 1039 residents in 98 neighborhood renewal projects in China. The results from multilevel structural equation modeling suggest that residents’ social capital can directly influence residents’ cooperative behavioral intention. The variability of neighborhood-level social capital and the impact of multidimensional social capital were examined. The findings of this study have strengthened the explanatory power of the theory of planned behavior and expanded the application scope of social capital theory. The results provide a more cultural and historical perspective, that is, resident relationships, for promoting cooperation among residents in neighborhood renewal.

The double‐edged sword effect of reading self‐concept on math achievement: Additional insights for making dimensional comparisons

AbstractA common belief underlying the dimensional comparison theory is that reading self‐concept has a positive relation to reading achievement but a negative relation to math achievement. However, this belief is incomplete and potentially misleading as supporting evidence is usually derived from studies without simultaneously considering the mediated effect of reading self‐concept through reading achievement. The current study examined the direct and indirect effects of reading self‐concept on math achievement through reading achievement, using PISA 2018 data from 501,766 students across 74 countries/territories. Multilevel structural equation modeling was performed to control for confounding variances from the school level and above. The results showed that reading self‐concept had a direct and negative effect on math achievement, while also exerting a positive indirect effect on math achievement through reading achievement. Overall, the indirect effect outperformed the negative direct effect on math achievement. We concluded that reading self‐concept exerted a double‐edged effect on math achievement. These results should be able to shed new light on the contrasting comparison effect of self‐concept on academic achievement.

“It's all about trust!” a multilevel model of the effect of servant leadership on firefighters' group task performance, adaptivity and emotional exhaustion

AbstractHow and why does servant leaders' behavior influence both performance (individual and collective) and emotional exhaustion within dynamic and extreme environments such as those of firefighters? We develop and test a multilevel model that integrates the principles of servant leadership with social exchange theory to explore how servant leadership positively influences collective task performance and how it strengthens adaptivity at the individual level and reduces emotional exhaustion. Our four‐wave and three‐source study sample comprised 303 firefighters nested in 45 fire stations. The results of multilevel structural equation model (MSEM) analyses indicate that at the individual level, servant leadership significantly predicts high adaptivity and low emotional exhaustion through the mediating influence of firefighters' felt trust and the trust climate. The implications of our results for theory and practice are discussed.

High School Curricular Rigor and Cognitive Function among White Older Adults.

Most research on the strong relationship between education and cognitive aging has focused on years of schooling. Using data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study-a sample of White persons born in 1939-we explored whether greater curricular rigor in high school was also associated with better cognitive function in later life. We estimated multilevel structural equation models in data from 2,749 participants who attended 308 Wisconsin high schools, graduating in 1957. Independent of academic ability and performance and school-level financial and material resources, a more rigorous high school curriculum was associated with significantly better global cognitive functioning in 2020, when most participants were 81 years old. There was also a significant mediation via eventual degree attainment. The mediation was moderated such that men and participants from high socioeconomic status families benefited most from a rigorous curriculum. We discuss implications for modern educational policy.

Daily manifestations of psychopathology in response to stress.

Psychological functioning is shaped by how people navigate their environment. Accordingly, psychopathology is often caused and maintained by patterns of responding to the environment that do not meet situational demands. In particular, psychopathology is often expressed in an inflexible or intense manner of coping with stressful situations. Prior research on psychopathology and daily life stress is limited by an overreliance on negative affect reactivity, which neglects the myriad responses that can create problems in a person's life. In this study, we assessed a broad range of daily manifestations of psychopathology to examine daily psychopathology-stress associations. We conceptualized individual differences in functioning as psychopathology traits and daily fluctuations in the interrelated thoughts, behaviors, and emotions as psychopathology states, with traits and states corresponding to the same domains of functioning (i.e., antagonism, detachment, disinhibition, negative affectivity, anankastia, psychoticism). Data have been taken from two samples enriched for psychopathology (N = 112, N = 294 participants) who completed daily assessments of stressors and psychopathological states (n = 9,201, n = 4,292 days). We used multilevel structural equation models to examine average, within-person associations between stressors and psychopathological states and correlations between psychopathological traits and stress responses. Results showed that (a) most people experience increases in psychopathological states when stressed and (b) psychopathological traits relate to more consistent and stronger increases in psychopathological states. Our study suggests that psychopathology reflects how people cope with stressful situations, and what distinguishes people with high-trait psychopathology from those who experience typical upticks in psychopathology when stressed is the consistency and extremity of their responses. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).