Personal Factors Research Articles

Social Support Mediates the Association Between Abilities and Participation After Stroke.

Stroke survivors face participation restrictions, yet little is known regarding how social support affects the association between an individual's abilities and participation. Through a Person-Environment-Occupation-Performance (PEOP) model lens, social support was examined as a potential mediator between ability and participation in cognitively and mobility-demanding activities for stroke survivors with aphasia (persons with aphasia [PWA]) and without aphasia (persons without aphasia [PWOA]). A cross-sectional design, including PWA (n = 50) and PWOA (n = 59) examined associations among person factors (physical impairment, cognition), an environmental factor (social support), and occupational participation through cognitively- and mobility-demanding activity subscales of the Activity Card Sort. Cognition was associated with participation in cognitively demanding activities for both groups, though social support was a mediator only for PWA. Physical impairment was associated with participation in mobility-demanding activities for PWOA, though social support did not mediate that relationship. Social support is key to PWA participating in cognitively demanding activities post-stroke.

Me, us and IT

The adoption and pedagogical use of technologies such as virtual worlds to support teaching and learning, and research in higher education involves a complex interplay of technical, organisational and personal factors. In this paper, eighteen educators and researchers provide an overview of how they perceive a virtual world can be used in education from the perspective of themselves as individuals ‘me’, their educational organisations and as members of the Australian and New Zealand Virtual Worlds Working Group (VWWG) community of practice ‘us’, as well as the complex technology that underpins this learning environment ‘IT’. Drawing on Linstone’s (1981, 1984) Technical, Organisational and Personal (TOP) multiple perspective concept as the framework for analysis, the authors discuss their perspectives of how the personal, organisational and technical aspects of teaching through the use of virtual worlds have impacted on their teaching and research in higher education. The potential of employing the TOP framework to inform future research into the use of technologies such as virtual worlds in teaching and learning is explored.

Exploring the combination of individual and organizational–environmental factors in the expression of radical and incremental creativity

AbstractInnovative products and services are key factors in corporate competitiveness, and the expression “employee creativity” is the top priority factor in leading corporate innovation. This study aims to investigate the differences between the predictive variables for the expression of radical and incremental creativity and the combinations of the predictive variables, which aid in the expression of two types of creativity. A research survey was conducted with 600 employees working in newspaper, broadcasting, and film businesses. The results were derived by conducting a fuzzy‐set qualitative comparative analysis (fs/QCA) on 513 useful samples. Using necessity and sufficiency analysis of a fs/QCA, the results indicate that the three personal factors—job expertise, creative process engagement, and work engagement—are commonly required for two types of creativity. Conversely, organizational–environmental factors, a risk‐taking climate, and external networking behavior are only predictive variables of radical creativity. This study's results provide insights regarding the personal and environmental resources that employees must secure to express radical and incremental creativity. Because a clear difference was found in the factors required for the expression of the two types of creativity, based on the results of this study, Human Resource Development(HRD) can devise an effective method to support the expression of the two types of differential creativity.

Unfavorable prison social climate links dark tetrad traits with self-reported institutional misconduct

The Dark Tetrad traits (Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, and sadism) are associated with various adverse and destructive social outcomes. However, the data about the functioning of dark personalities in institutional settings are relatively scarce. In the present research we analyzed the links between Dark Tetrad traits, the prison social climate (measured by prisoners' quality of life) and institutional misconduct (assessed by the number of disciplinary corrections, special measures, solitary confinements, and control measures) in a sample of Serbian convicts (N = 582). Our main hypothesis was that negative prison social climate mediates the link between Dark Tetrad and institutional misconduct. Correlation and regression analysis showed negative association between the Dark Tetrad and prison social climate, together with negative links between social climate and institutional misconduct; associations between Tetrad traits and misconduct were positive. The best predictor of misconduct was the prison social climate but Machiavellianism and sadism independently contributed to the prediction as well. Finally, the structural model showed that negative prison social climate represents a mediator in the links between Machiavellianism, sadism and institutional misconduct. Therefore, our main hypothesis was confirmed, but only for Machiavellianism and sadism as the Dark Tetrad traits. The current data reveal novel socially-aversive outcomes of the Dark Tetrad traits and depict personality and contextual factors that can be practically important for enabling the better functioning of convicts in the prison wards.

Foreign Language Anxiety and Language Learning Beliefs

The present study investigates the relationship between foreign language anxiety and beliefs towards foreign language learning, considering personal and social-environmental factors that may influence language learners' beliefs. The participants consisted of 431 college students (M = 19.99, SD = 4.57 years) enrolled in language preparatory classes in Türkiye, focusing on Arabic, Chinese, English, German, Russian, and Spanish. The students provided self-reports on their levels of foreign language anxiety, including speech anxiety, failure anxiety, and low self-confidence, as well as their beliefs towards foreign language learning. The results of hierarchical regression analysis revealed that failure anxiety was positively associated with students' beliefs towards foreign language learning, indicating that higher levels of failure anxiety were linked to less favorable beliefs. On the other hand, low self-confidence was negatively associated with beliefs towards foreign language learning, suggesting that lower levels of self-confidence were associated with more negative beliefs. Speech anxiety, however, speech anxiety showed no significant association with students' beliefs towards foreign language learning. Furthermore, it was observed that foreign language anxiety and beliefs towards foreign language learning differed based on the specific foreign language being learned. These findings underscore the importance of examining foreign language anxiety in relation to beliefs towards foreign language learning, particularly within diverse language learner populations.

ICT integration by teachers: A basic model of ICT use, pedagogical beliefs, and personal and contextual factors

The aim of this study is to determine the influence of pedagogical beliefs on non university teachers’ technological resources use because both constructs contribute to ICT integration. A quantitative correlational study was conducted with a sample of 1002 Primary and Secondary Education teachers. The results show that the designed model relates the constructivist conception, and not the traditional one, to technological resources use with students in the classroom. Likewise, personal-professional use is a predictor of such use. Therefore, teachers plan technological resources use for teaching from a constructivist conception and then integrate them into the classroom.

Questionable Immunity to Mumps among Healthcare Workers in Italy—A Cross-Sectional Serological Study

Highly contagious diseases, such as mumps, are a global concern as new epidemics continue to emerge, even in highly vaccinated populations. The risk of transmission and spread of these viruses is even higher for individuals who are more likely to be exposed, including healthcare workers (HCWs). In healthcare settings, both HCWs and patients are at risk of infection during the care process, potentially leading to nosocomial epidemic outbreaks. Mumps is often underestimated compared with measles and rubella, despite being milder and less likely to spread. In fact, the risk of complications following mumps infection is extremely high, especially if the disease occurs in adulthood. The measles–mumps–rubella (MMR) vaccine has been shown to be an excellent preventive measure. Unfortunately, the mumps component appears to be less effective in inducing immunity than those for measles and rubella (two-dose effectiveness of 85%, 95% and 97%, respectively). The main aim of our study was to investigate the prevalence of detectable mumps antibodies (serum IgG antibodies) in a cohort of Italian and foreign HCWs in relation to personal and occupational factors. We included in the study 468 subjects who underwent health surveillance at the Occupational Medicine Unit of the Tor Vergata Polyclinic in Rome during the period from January 2021 to March 2023. In our study, the proportion of HCWs found to be unprotected against mumps was very high (8.3%), and those found to be immune are below the WHO threshold for herd immunity (95%). From our data, it seems essential that all occupational health services carry out an accurate screening with a dose of anti-mumps antibodies to assess serological protection before starting a job, regardless of an individual’s vaccination history. This approach is proving to be beneficial, accurate, as it allows all serologically non-immune individuals to be vaccinated in the workplace, including those who would be protected by their vaccination history but have lost the antibody response.

Factors Contributing to the Resilience of Sub-Saharan African Widows: A Scoping Review.

This scoping review aims to synthesize the factors contributing to the resilience of African widows, a topic that has been overlooked. This oversight is concerning, considering the substantial population of African widows, as well as the increasing number of young widows in Africa. We conducted a comprehensive search across various databases (including Academic Search Complete, Africa-wide, PsycARTICLES, PsychINFO, Humanities Sources Worldwide, Proquest, Pubmed, Scopus, Wiley Online, and Taylor & Francis) to identify studies of the resilience of widows living in Africa. From an initial pool of 124 records, we carefully evaluated 19 papers for inclusion. Employing a narrative synthesis approach, we synthesized the findings from the eight selected studies. This analysis revealed that the resilience of African widows is a multifaceted socio-ecological process, primarily facilitated by personal and relational resilience factors. Notably, there is a limited emphasis on the role of cultural resources, which may be attributed to the prevalence of dehumanizing cultural practices experienced by African widows. In conclusion, our findings underscore the need for greater attention to macrosystemic resources, including culturally supportive practices, to bolster the resilience of African widows.

Prevalence and factors associated with diabetes-related distress in type 2 diabetes patients: a study in Hong Kong primary care setting

Diabetes-related distress (DRD) refers to the psychological distress specific to living with diabetes. DRD can lead to negative clinical consequences such as poor self-management. By knowing the local prevalence and severity of DRD, primary care teams can improve the DRD evaluation in our daily practice. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in 3 General Out-patient Clinics (GOPCs) from 1 December 2021 to 31 May 2022. A random sample of adult Chinese subjects with T2DM, who regularly followed up in the selected clinic in the past 12 months, were included. DRD was measured by the validated 15-item Chinese version of the Diabetes Distress Scale (CDDS-15). An overall mean score ≥ 2.0 was considered clinically significant. The association of DRD with selected clinical and personal factors was investigated. The study recruited 362 subjects (mean age 64.2 years old, S.D. 9.5) with a variable duration of living with T2DM (median duration 7.0 years, IQR 10.0). The response rate was 90.6%. The median HbA1c was 6.9% (IQR 0.9). More than half (59.4%) of the subjects reported a clinically significant DRD. Younger subjects were more likely to have DRD (odds ratio of 0.965, 95% CI 0.937–0.994, p = 0.017). Patients with T2DM in GOPCs commonly experience clinically significant DRD, particularly in the younger age group. The primary care clinicians could consider integrating the evaluation of DRD as a part of comprehensive diabetes care.

Understanding Suicide Cases in Nepal: A Comprehensive Analysis of Personality Traits

Understanding the intricate relationship between personality traits and suicidal tendencies is crucial for effective suicide prevention strategies. This paper delves into the influence of the Big Five personality traits - Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism (OCEAN) - on susceptibility to suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Through a comprehensive review of the literature and analysis of relevant cases, it explores how various personality traits intersect with suicidal ideation. Findings reveal that high neuroticism, characterized by emotional instability and negative affectivity, significantly correlates with suicidal intentions. Additionally, lower levels of agreeableness are associated with elevated suicide rates, suggesting a lack of empathy and cooperation may contribute to suicidal thinking. The paper underscores the importance of considering personality factors in suicide risk assessment and intervention strategies. By recognizing the role of personality traits in shaping individuals' responses to distress, tailored interventions can be developed to mitigate suicide risk and promote mental well-being.

A Qualitative Exploration of Chinese Rural College Students’ Career Development: A Psychology of Working Perspective

Rural college youth encounter numerous challenges in securing decent education and work. However, there has been scant research on their career development from a vocational psychology perspective. Drawing from the Psychology of Working Theory (PWT), we examined the contextual and personal factors that shape their work volition and perceptions of future decent work. We conducted semistructural interviews with 12 Chinese rural college students and employed Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) method to analyze the data. Our findings revealed that their vocational barriers included economic constraints, inadequate educational resources, limited access to decent internship opportunities, and lack of study-related electronics. However, their coping stratgies to overcome these constraints included social support, notably from teachers, as well as positive attributes such as critical consciousness and proactive personality. Regarding future employment, participants valued job stability, a balance between work and life, the ability to provide for their families, and displayed prosocial and growth orientations. These findings provided support for the applicability of PWT in understanding the vocational trajectories of rural college students in a non-Western context. The implications of these findings for future research and vocational interventions are discussed.

Exploring teachers' understanding and implementation of STEAM: one size does not fit all

IntroductionIn recent years, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) education has become an increasingly popular tool to promote student learning and engagement across disciplines. However, researchers and practitioners continue to note the lack of clarity around definitions of STEAM, its intended purpose, and the nature of discipline integration. In this paper, we explore teachers' understandings and implementation of STEAM as they participated in a teacher professional learning program.MethodsUsing a mixed-methods approach, we analyzed data from 4 years of program implementation with K-12 teachers across multiple schools and districts (n = 61).ResultsParticipants' understanding of STEAM was deepened through their involvement in the professional learning program, with many reflecting on their initial, often shallow, (mis)conceptualizations of STEAM. Using an integration continuum developed by the authors, we identified ways in which integration varied across the STEAM lessons teachers developed, contextualizing these findings within the changing educational landscape of the COVID-19 pandemic, as teachers transitioned between remote, hybrid, and in-person instruction. Participants shared their reflections on the personal, professional, and contextual factors that supported and hindered successful STEAM integration.DiscussionWe found that, when provided with sustained, collaborative pedagogical and material support, teachers could successfully improve their understanding of STEAM and implement STEAM lessons tailored to their grade-level and disciplinary context. Our findings reinforce that teachers need support, autonomy, and flexibility to adopt an approach to STEAM integration that best fits their classroom and school context. We discuss the implications of these findings for researchers and practitioners working to provide effective STEAM teacher professional learning.

Hurdles and Challenges Perceived by Women Scientists in India

Women constitute a high percentage of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) graduates in India but this is not well reflected at the professional level. It is believed that women face numerous challenges, affecting not only their choice of STEM as a career but also their professional and personal lives. Thus, it is essential to understand the underlying causes. The study aims to explore the hurdles faced by women in CSIR laboratories. A primary survey, using questionnaires, was conducted to gain a realistic and holistic view of their experiences of working and the differences they come across in the work environment compared to the other gender. Data was collected from 582 women scientists, technical staff, and students. The survey explored the role of personal, institutional, and social factors responsible for promotions/ hindrances in the scientific career. Analyses were conducted using both quantitative and qualitative data. Insights and suggestions were also sought from the respondents to enhance further understanding and remedial measures. Suitable policies could be framed based on the recommendations for gender equality in STEM.

Computer vision syndrome and ergonomic risk factors among workers of the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: an institutional-based cross-sectional study

BackgroundComputer vision syndrome (CVS) is the most pressing public health concern that affects vision and reduces quality of life and productivity, particularly in developing countries. Most of the previous studies conducted in Ethiopia focus on the knowledge and personal risk factors of bank workers. Moreover, ergonomic workstation design was not objectively assessed, which could hinder the implementation of effective intervention strategies. Therefore, this study aimed to determine CVS and ergonomic factors among commercial bank workers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.MethodsAn institutional-based cross-sectional study was carried out among 466 study participants from May 26 to July 24, 2022. A multistage sampling technique was applied to select the study participants. Data were collected via a standardized tool of CVS (CVS-Q). Besides, workstation ergonomics were pertinently assessed. The collected data was entered into EpiData version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 26 for data analysis and cleaning. Multivariable logistics regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with CVS. The variables with a p-value < 0.05 were considered statistically significant factors.ResultsPrevalence of CVS was 75.3% (95% CI: 71.2–79.2%). Blurred vision, eye redness, and headache, 59.8%, 53.7%, and 50.7%, respectively, were frequently reported symptoms. Glare (AOR = 4.45: 95% CI: 2.45–8.08), 20–20–20 principle (AOR = 1.98, 95% CI: 1.06–3.67), wearing non-prescription eyeglasses (AOR = 4.17; 95% CI: 1.92–9.06), and poor workstation (AOR = 7.39; 95% CI: 4.05–13.49) was significantly associated with CVS.ConclusionThe prevalence of CVS was found to be high. Glare at work, ignoring the 20–20–20 principle, wearing non-prescription eyeglasses, and poor workstation ergonomic design were independent predictors of CVS. Therefore, comprehensive interventional activities like adhering to the 20–20–20 principle, avoiding the use of non-prescription glasses, minimizing glare, and improving workstation ergonomic setup are essential to prevent CVS.

Predictive Models for Suicide Attempts in Major Depressive Disorder and the Contribution of EPHX2: A Pilot Integrative Machine Learning Study

Suicide is a major public health problem caused by a complex interaction of various factors. Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the most prevalent psychiatric disorder associated with suicide; therefore, it is essential to prioritize suicide prediction and prevention within this population. Integrated information from different dimensions, including personality, cognitive function, and social and genetic factors, is necessary to improve the performance of predictive models. Besides, recent studies have indicated the critical roles for EPHX2/P2X2 in the pathophysiology of MDD. Our previous studies found an association of EPHX2 and P2X2 with suicide in MDD. This study is aimed at (1) establishing predictive models with integrated information to distinguish MDD from healthy volunteers, (2) estimating the suicide risk of MDD, and (3) determining the contribution of EPHX2/P2X2. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 472 prospectively collected participants. The machine learning (ML) technique using Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) classifier was employed to evaluate the performance and relative importance of the extracted characteristics in recognising patients with MDD and depressed suicide attempters (DSA). In independent validation set, the model with clinical and cognitive information could recognise MDD with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.938 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.898–0.977), and genetic information did not improve classification performance. The model with clinical, cognitive, and genetic information resulted in a significantly higher AUC of 0.801 (95% CI, 0.719–0.884) for identifying DSA than the model with only clinical information, in which the three single nucleotide polymorphisms of EPHX2 showed important roles. This study successfully established step-by-step predictive ML models to estimate the risk of suicide attempts in MDD. We found that EPHX2 can help improve the performance of suicidal predictive models. This trial is registered with NCT05575713.

Post-traumatic growth in Chinese parents of children with autism spectrum disorder: Statuses and personal factors

This study aimed to characterise post-traumatic growth among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the related factors. Participants were 396 parents of children with autism from Guangdong Province, China (female = 65.15 %; mean age = 33.67 years, SD = 2.89 years). Following regression analysis, results indicated that parents of children with ASD were above average in their post-traumatic growth; particularly those with children with milder symptoms and of higher family income levels. First-married parents had significantly higher post-traumatic growth than the Not first-married (i.e., remarried, divorced, widowed). Parents reporting with social support, quiet ego, and psychological capital had higher post-traumatic growth. From these findings, we conclude that post-traumatic growth is a resilience factor in raising children with ASD and that social capital is important for the well-being of parents of children with ASD.

Sensory Responsive Environments: A Qualitative Study on Perceived Relationships between Outdoor Built Environments and Sensory Sensitivities

This qualitative study explored the perceived relationships between outdoor built environments and sensory sensitivities, focusing on autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. Thirty-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants who had lived experience with these focal groups. Through thematic analysis of their narratives, the study uncovered patterns highlighting the perceived relationships between designed landscapes and sensory sensitivities in neurodivergent individuals, encompassing both heightened sensitivity (hypersensitivity) and reduced sensitivity (hyposensitivity). Emergent themes included individual and personal factors, sensory affordances, the benefits of outdoor environments, ambient environmental factors, materiality, spatial design, navigating environments, pedestrian-centric transportation, sensorimotor movement, safety, refuge, human settlement types, social environments, and accessibility plus inclusion. Subthematic patterns within these larger thematic categories were also identified. Study participants revealed significant sensory barriers and sensorially supportive elements of designed outdoor environments, along with promising design interventions. The findings unveil the advantages of designing multi-sensory landscapes tailored to atypical sensory needs, emphasizing the importance of fostering inclusion by designing landscapes that reflect the communities they serve. This concept is encapsulated in the development of the Sensory Responsive Environments Framework (SREF), the emergent theoretical framework of this study.

Ecological factors affecting students' use of informal digital learning of English: EFL teachers’ perceptions

This study explores English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers' perceptions of the ecological factors influencing students' use of informal digital learning of English (IDLE). 26 EFL teachers participated in semi-structured interviews and complete a narrative frame. The results of conventional content analysis yielded four categories: <i>macro-system factors</i> (e.g., technological development, educational systems, and English status), <i>micro-system factors</i> (e.g., school and family), <i>chrono-system factors</i> (e.g., current EFL learners’ digital experiences) and <i>personal factors</i> (e.g., age, personality traits, digital literacy, awareness and attitude, and prior experiences with technology). The implications of the findings are discussed for stakeholders in EFL education.

CLINICAL PROFILE OF PATIENTS WITH MUSCULOSKELETAL TUBERCULOSIS VISITING A TERTIARY CARE CENTRE IN INDIA

Background: Musculoskeletal tuberculosis a major cause of mortality and morbidity in India and other developing countries. Musculoskeletal TB comprises around 10 to 30% of all EPTB cases. Even though skeletal tuberculosis is an important debilitating disease, the literature in statistical data regarding the socio-demographic distribution and clinical presentation of disease is very scarce. Objective: To study the socio- demographic and clinical profile of musculoskeletal tuberculosis patients reaching the Orthopaedics Department in a tertiary care hospital in India. Methodology: 186 patients with musculoskeletal tuberculosis who have completed treatment were called for a follow up and data regarding demographic, person and illness related factors affecting disease were collected and were tabulated and represented in various charts and diagrams, and analysed. Results: Almost equal sex distribution was seen. Maximum proportion (26%) of the patients were belonging to 40-49 age group, with a mean age of 49.6 years. Patients with age &lt;40 had less incidence compared to middle aged and elderly patients. Maximum number of patients were belonging to upper lower class (102 out of 186). Spine was the commonest site involved among the 138 cases. Spinal involvement was predominant in dorso- lumbar junction followed by thoracic spine and lumbar spine. 100% patients had pain as the presenting complaint and other complaints were not consistent. Only 16% of the patients had history of pulmonary tuberculosis and history of contact with tuberculosis case was present in 25% cases. 28% cases were diabetic and other comorbidities were less frequent. 19% of the cases had multi drug resistance. Conclusion: It was seen that Musculoskeletal tuberculosis is most frequently seen in middle age with majority of spine affected cases. The study reinforces the acquaintance of tuberculosis with low socioeconomic status and to some extend the debilitating diseases. It often has an atypical presentation leading to delay in diagnosis.

Developmental trajectories of second language learner classroom engagement: Do students’ task value beliefs and teacher emotional support matter?

Engaging students in the second language (L2) classroom is important, but sustaining and promoting L2 learner classroom engagement over time is even more crucial for the long-term acquisition of the target language. This study contributes to the L2 engagement literature by tracking L2 learner classroom engagement over the course of a semester and identifying personal and contextual factors that sustained their long-term engagement. Questionnaire data were collected over three time points during a semester from 389 EFL learners enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts in English language program at a university in Vietnam. Results of latent growth curve modeling showed that the participants displayed both intraindividual growth and interindividual differences in the rate of growth in their classroom engagement over the semester. These interindividual differences in engagement growth were attributable mainly to the interest value that they attached to learning English in the respective classroom and the extent to which they perceived their teachers to be responsive to their emotions and learning difficulties. The findings are discussed in light of engagement and motivation theories in both educational psychology and psychology of second language learning and teaching. Implications are also offered to inform relevant classroom-based practices to enhance students’ long-term engagement in the L2 classroom.