Introduction: Capital structure remains a central topic in corporate finance, particularly in emerging economies where institutional constraints, governance mechanisms, and managerial behavior influence financing decisions. Understanding capital structure in Colombian SMEs requires integrating multiple theoretical perspectives. Objective: To analyze the theoretical and empirical evidence on capital structure decisions in Colombian SMEs from the perspectives of Trade-Off Theory, Pecking Order Theory, Agency Theory, and Psychological Empowerment. Methodology: A semi-systematic literature review was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Searches were performed in Scopus and Web of Science between March and May 2025. The selection process included identification, screening, eligibility assessment, and inclusion, resulting in 27 studies for analysis. Results: No single theory fully explains financing decisions in Colombian SMEs. Trade-Off and Pecking Order theories explain leverage and financing preferences, Agency Theory highlights ownership structures and information asymmetries, and Psychological Empowerment emphasizes managerial autonomy and behavioral influences. Discussion: Capital structure decisions arise from the interaction of financial, governance, and behavioral factors shaped by firm characteristics and institutional conditions. Conclusions: A multidimensional perspective provides a more comprehensive understanding of capital structure decisions in Colombian SMEs. The study contributes by integrating financial, organizational, and behavioral explanations and identifying avenues for future research.

Participation in sport is widely recognized as a crucial factor in overall well-being, especially for individuals with motor disabilities. The role of sports in promoting social support, mental health, resilience and self-efficacy among individuals with disabilities warrants further investigation. The aim of this systematic review is to examine the relationship between sports participation and psychological well-being outcomes in adults with motor disability. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines we conducted a Systematic Review across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and PsycNET. Outcomes included psychological well-being and mental health, quality of life, self-efficacy, resilience, self-esteem, motivation, mood, disability acceptance, social support, perceived social competence, and body-sexual esteem. Of 10,806 initially identified records, 27 studies met the inclusion criteria. Results indicate sports participation is associated with improved psychological well-being (40% higher in competitive athletes; p<0.0001; d≥1.3), increased self-efficacy (P=0.001, mean 69.5±12.5 vs 62.0±11.5 in non-athletes), higher resilience (r=0.28; p=0.004), and better social support in athletes with motor disabilities (β=0.25; p<0.01). Sports facilitated disability acceptance and improved social support, motivation, and mood regulation. Athletes showed varying quality of life perceptions, suggesting sports participation may serve as a mechanism for psychological adaptation and empowerment. This systematic review underscores the multifaceted benefits associated with sports participation among individuals with motor disabilities, highlighting its role in enhancing psychological well-being. The findings emphasize the necessity of comprehending these factors to inform the development of evidence-based policies and targeted interventions aimed at promoting social inclusion and optimizing the quality of life for individuals with disabilities through sports. PROSPERO REGISTERED NUMBER: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42025638993.

Professional identity (PI) is essential for nurses' commitment, job performance, and retention. There is, however, limited evidence on the psychological and contextual pathways through which perceived organizational support (POS) influences PI. This study analyzed the associations between POS and PI among Chinese nurses in public hospitals, and studied the mediating role of self-efficacy, which also included the moderating role of organizational culture, based on the Social Exchange Theory and Social Cognitive Theory. A study was conducted among 624 nurses in public hospitals in Shandong Province, China. Data were gathered from validated instruments on POS, PI, SE, and OC. The proposed model of mediation and moderation was tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) and bootstrapping analysis. POS was positively associated with both PI (β = 0.410, p < 0.001) and self-efficacy (β = 0.596, p < 0.001). Self-efficacy was also positively related to PI (β = 0.553, p < 0.001). The mediation analysis showed a partial mediation effect of self-efficacy between POS and PI (β = 0.330, p < 0.001). There are two ways in which nurses' PI is influenced by POS, one direct and the other indirect. The results indicate that supportive organizational practices and psychological empowerment are important factors to enhance the nurse's PI. Healthcare managers should establish a positive working culture and interventions that strengthen the self-efficacy of nurses to ensure the sustainability of the nursing workforce and nursing profession.

This cross-sectional study aimed to explore factors associated with comorbid depression and anxiety symptoms (CADS) among nurses who had experienced adverse medical events, and to develop a visualized calculation nomogram for estimating the probability of CADS in individuals. A total of 2,457 nurses from the Northeastern Three Provinces China were enrolled based on Wenjuanxing from March to July 2024. Depression and anxiety were evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and CADS was defined using prespecified clinical thresholds (PHQ-9 ≥ 10 and GAD-7 ≥ 7). Latent class analysis (LCA) was conducted to identify subgroups of second victim experience and support (SVES). Multivariate logistic regression was performed to screen independent associated factors, and a visualized calculation nomogram was constructed and internally validated using a 70/30 split sample and bootstrap resampling. 40% of the nurses exhibited CADS. Four classes were identified: "Low SVE and Low Support" (21.6%), "Low SVE and High Support" (10.2%), "Moderate SVE and Moderate Support" (50.4%), and "High SVE and Low Support" (17.8%). Independent risk factors for CADS included Moderate/High SVE with corresponding Support, age 30 ~ 40 years and >40 years, ≥3 weekly coffee drinks, weekly working hours 45 ~ 50 and >50 hours, and ≥6 monthly night shifts. Protective factors included psychological detachment, psychological empowerment, weekly physical exercise, and monthly income ≥ 8001 CNY. Internal evaluation of the nomogram showed good discriminative ability (AUC = 0.734), calibration, and clinical applicability, and the validation cohort confirmed robust performance (AUC = 0.938) with excellent calibration and clinical value. CADS is prevalent among nurses. This study provides a user-friendly visualized calculation nomogram to help non-specialists quickly estimate individual probabilities of CADS in a cross-sectional sample. Not applicable.

Nurses who care for patients with trauma exposure, psychological distress, substance use issues, or other vulnerable conditions typically work in demanding clinical environments. Based on conservation of resources theory, this study examined the association between nurses' perceived trauma-informed climate and voice behavior for nursing care improvement with psychological empowerment as a mediating mechanism and cultural humility as a boundary condition. A three-wave questionnaire survey with two-week intervals was conducted among registered nurses from six hospitals and related healthcare institutions in Guangdong and Shanxi Provinces, China. A total of 508 matched responses were included. We conducted confirmatory factor analysis and path analysis using Mplus 8.0. Trauma-informed climate was positively associated with voice behavior and psychological empowerment. Psychological empowerment was positively associated with voice behavior and partially mediated the relationship between trauma-informed climate and voice behavior. Cultural humility positively moderated the relationship between trauma-informed climate and psychological empowerment. The indirect association between trauma-informed climate and voice behavior through psychological empowerment was stronger at higher levels of cultural humility. Nurses' perceived trauma-informed climate was linked to voice behavior for nursing care improvement partly through psychological empowerment, and this indirect association was stronger when cultural humility was high. These findings should be interpreted as associations rather than causal effects. The results highlight the relevance of trauma-informed work conditions, empowerment-related cognitions, and cultural humility in understanding nurses' constructive voice in complex nursing environments. Not applicable, as this study was a questionnaire-based survey and did not involve a clinical trial.

Nurses play a pivotal role in disaster response processes; to manage these processes effectively, they require not only technical skills but also robust psychological resilience. Elucidating the relationship between psychological resilience and disaster preparedness is crucial for strengthening the preparedness of psychiatric nurses. This study was conducted to determine the predictive role of psychological resilience on disaster preparedness among psychiatric nurses. This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 140 psychiatric nurses. Data were collected using a "Personal Information Form," the "Psychological Preparedness for Disaster Threat Scale," and the "Brief Resilience Scale." Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, simple linear regression, independent samples t-test, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were employed for data analysis. The mean disaster preparedness score of the participants was 62.77 ± 13.79. Psychological resilience was a positive and significant predictor of disaster preparedness (β = 0.272, p = 0.001), explaining 6.7% of the variance. Disaster preparedness scores were significantly higher among nurses who had received formal disaster training (p = 0.003) and among those with five years or more of professional experience (p = 0.028). Nurses working exclusively on night shifts had lower disaster preparedness scores than those working day shifts or rotating shifts (p = 0.024); however, this finding should be interpreted cautiously due to the very small number of participants in the night-shift-only group. Although psychological resilience is a significant internal resource associated with nurses' disaster preparedness, it is not solely sufficient. Healthcare institutions should integrate psychological empowerment programs with applied and simulation-based disaster training and ensure that such training is accessible to all personnel regardless of shift schedules. Further studies with larger and more balanced shift groups are needed to clarify the role of shift schedules in disaster preparedness. Not applicable.

Psychological empowerment is associated with women's well-being, yet how it translates into life satisfaction in high-informality Latin American settings remains untested-as does whether empowerment must cross a threshold before any benefit appears. We tested mediation and moderation hypotheses as separate questions with 251 women aged 18-44 from three northern Peruvian regions using PLS-SEM with 5000 bootstrap resamples. Coping engagement fully mediated the empowerment-life satisfaction relationship (indirect β = 0.134, 95% CI [0.065, 0.213]; VAF = 87.6%; R2 [engagement] = 0.070, R2 [life satisfaction] = 0.285); the direct path was non-significant (β = 0.019, p = 0.754). Mediation and moderation were examined as separate analytical questions; the formal index of moderated mediation was non-significant, indicating that the indirect effect did not differ significantly across subgroups. In exploratory threshold analyses, empowerment predicted life satisfaction only above a normative cut-point anchored to the IMWE scoring manual (≥136; β = 0.382, p < 0.001); below it, the association was flat (β = 0.047, p = 0.547). This pattern is instrument-anchored rather than empirically derived and should be treated as hypothesis-generating pending replication with an independently optimized cut-point. Age moderated the engagement-satisfaction link (β = -0.239, p = 0.031), with stronger effects among younger women; motherhood amplified the negative impact of disengagement on satisfaction (β = -0.272, p = 0.021). Tentatively, programs that move participants only modestly along the empowerment continuum may under-deliver on well-being outcomes, though firm prescriptions require independent confirmation; tailored design for mothers and younger women is warranted.

Systematic health issues among rural women in emerging economies are a key concern for policymakers. A promising development in this domain is the rapid expansion of information and communication technologies (ICTs), which may contribute to improved health outcomes. We examine how individual-level ICT usage relates to the health outcomes of rural women, analysing primary survey data from 626 women in Rajasthan alongside secondary data from the NFHS-5 and IHDS-II datasets. Using multiple empirical approaches, we find that higher ICT usage is consistently associated with stronger health beliefs and better self-reported health, with psychological empowerment (PE) significantly mediating this relationship.

ABSTRACT This qualitative investigation examines the multifaceted dimensions of women’s empowerment as a pivotal protective determinant against intimate partner violence (IPV) within the unique sociocultural landscape of Iran. Employing an inductive, conventional content analysis methodology rooted in 31 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with Iranian women, this study transcends conventional theoretical frameworks to reveal culturally embedded constructs of empowerment. Analytical rigor was achieved through the Granheim and Lundman five-step process, facilitated by MAXQDA software, which identified four primary empowerment domains: Skill/Communication Empowerment, Psychological Empowerment, Economic Empowerment, and Spiritual Empowerment. These domains encompass a broad spectrum of capabilities, including negotiation and decision-making skills, emotional self-regulation, assertiveness, social support networks, economic autonomy, perceived legal rights, resilience, and spiritual hope. This study emphasizes the multidimensional and culturally nuanced nature of empowerment that facilitates women’s agency to prevent, manage, and recover from IPV. The findings offer vital, evidence-based insights for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers dedicated to designing targeted, culturally informed interventions and empowerment programs to combat IPV and promote gender equity in Iran and comparable contexts. By integrating qualitative methodological rigor with cultural sensitivity, this research substantially contributes to the global discourse on IPV prevention and women’s empowerment as a fundamental human rights and public health priority.

ABSTRACT As the penetration of artificial intelligence (AI) in the hospitality industry deepens, its ethical and social responsibility issues have become critical factors affecting the customer experience. This research aims to explore how Artificial Intelligence Social Responsibility (AISR), an emerging concept, enhances customer well-being. By integrating Affordance Theory and Self-Determination Theory, the study constructs and tests a moderated chain mediation model. This model proposes that AISR positively influences customer well-being through the chain mediating effects of psychological empowerment and human-AI rapport. Furthermore, this study examines the moderating role of the customer’s degree of “Self-AI Connection.” The results from three online experiments support the proposed hypotheses. This study makes a dual contribution to academia and industry. Theoretically, it expands the focus of AISR research from ethical norms themselves to their positive impact on user well-being, clarifying that AISR can serve as a significant source of psychological affordances that enhance consumer well-being by satisfying users’ deeper needs. Practically, the research conclusions provide clear and actionable guidance for hotel managers, revealing that practicing responsible AI strategies is an effective path to enhance customer well-being and thereby build deeper customer relationships.

Mediating roles of psychological empowerment and self-efficacy in the relationship between leadership and clinical decision-making among nursing students: A path-analysis approach.

ABSTRACTDriving is evolving from a transportation task into a rich, multisensory experience in automated vehicles. This study developed and evaluated three multisensory solutions combining music with synchronized vibrotactile stimulation for autonomous driving contexts: safe (city driving), engagement (highway cruising), and entertainment (highway entry). Eighteen healthy adult drivers experienced three context–solution pairs presented in music only (M) and music with vibration (MV) modalities with simulated autonomous driving scenarios. Participants’ responses were measured using self‐assessment manikin (SAM) ratings and electroencephalography (EEG). A significant main effect of modality showed that MV led to greater pleasure than M (EEG: p < 0.05; SAM: p < 0.05), with arousal showing a similar pattern (EEG: p < 0.05; SAM: p = 0.099). Behavioral data showed different emotional profiles across the three context−solution pairs (p < 0.001 for pleasure, arousal, and dominance), whereas the EEG contrast, which subtracted the video‐only condition, showed no significant pair effect. These findings demonstrate that vibrotactile enhancement provides consistent emotional benefits across diverse driving contexts. Because each musical solution was paired with a unique driving scenario, these differences cannot be attributed solely to the music intervention. Future optimization of music and vibrotactile parameters may further enhance the autonomous driving experience.

ABSTRACT: This study employs a mixed-methods approach to investigate the impact of an LLM-driven knowledge translation module on patients’ cognitive and behavioral outcomes during virtual gynecological consultations. Thirty-eight female participants with dysmenorrhea were randomized to platforms either with or without the LLM-assisted module. Quantitative analysis indicates that the module significantly enhances knowledge acquisition (β = 6.471, p = 0.007) and positively influences user satisfaction. Qualitatively, a “Patient Empowerment Model” was constructed, revealing that the module fosters patient participation and autonomy through cognitive reconstruction and psychological empowerment. Despite identifying technical limitations regarding interpretation depth and personalization, the findings confirm that the module functions as critical “cognitive scaffolding,” effectively transforming patients from passive recipients into active participants. This research provides preliminary empirical support for patient-centered AI medical services and offers practical implications for extending LLM-assisted consultation modules toward more robust real-world deployment.

This study examines the relationship between school culture and teachers' subjective well-being by considering the mediating role of psychological empowerment. A cross-sectional relational research design was employed, and data were analyzed using multilevel structural equation modeling. The study sample consisted of 481 teachers working in public schools in Erbil city, Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The findings indicate that school culture has a positive and significant effect on teachers' subjective well-being at both the individual and school levels. In addition, school culture was found to strongly predict teachers' psychological empowerment at the school level. Psychological empowerment, in turn, was positively associated with teachers' subjective well-being and played a significant mediating role in the relationship between school culture and well-being. These findings demonstrate that caring and supportive school cultures are relevant to empowering teachers and improving their psychological functioning. Based on these results, the discussion highlights the effects of school culture on the empowerment experiences of teachers and the impact of empowerment on increased subjective well-being. The findings give strong suggestions that positive school cultures have to be developed to encourage teacher well-being, especially in centralized education systems.

This study examines how Transformational Leadership and perceived workload influence employees’ Organizational Citizenship Behavior by incorporating Psychological Empowerment as a mediating mechanism and Perceived Organizational Support as a contextual moderator within public sector organizations. Data were collected from 97 employees at KPP Pratama Padang Dua using a saturated sampling technique and analyzed through Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4 software. The findings indicate that transformational leadership and perceived workload have a significant positive effect on both psychological empowerment and OCB. Psychological empowerment plays a central mediating role in translating leadership practices and job demands into employees’ discretionary behaviors. Furthermore, perceived organizational support strengthens the structural relationships, enhancing the effect of leadership and workload on OCB within a moderated mediation framework.

Nurses manage nursing care within an organization work environment, which influences professional practice, quality of care, and staffing. A supportive environment and empowerment contribute to clinical leadership skills, enhanced performance, and patient engagement, which facilitate organizational objectives. The aim of the study is to assess Jordanian nurses perceptions of the work environment, their psychological and structural empowerment, the relationship between the work environment and empowerment, and whether socio-demographic variables can predict empowerment. A descriptive cross-sectional correlational research design. A power analysis was conducted using G*Power software. A medium effect size (Cohen d = 0.5), an alpha level of 0.05, and a desired power of 0.80, for a 2-tailed independent samples t test. A study surveyed 405 nurses from 32 Jordanian governmental hospitals across 3 regions, achieving a response rate of 47% (405 out of 930). an online self-reported questionnaire was utilized in the data collection procedure, which the questionnaire encompassed 2 major instruments, the psychological empowerment scale and the work environment scale. The participants had a mean age of 34 years (±5.13), with females comprising the majority. Overall, nurses work environment and psychological empowerment scores were at a moderate level. Significant differences were observed between the mean scores of the main variables and the established cutoff points (P < .001). A weak positive correlation was identified between work environment and psychological empowerment among registered nurses in hospitals (r = 0.128; P ≤ .05). Additionally, female nurses exhibited lower psychological empowerment scores compared to male nurses, with a mean difference of β = −0.492 (P = .007). The findings highlight the critical role of fostering positive and supportive work environments to enhance nurses psychological empowerment. Such empowerment contributes to improved performance, higher quality patient care, and the achievement of organizational objectives. Moreover, a healthy work environment can reduce staff turnover, increase job satisfaction, and sustain the delivery of high-quality care.

Objective:To evaluate the impact of an 8-hour human-centered design (HCD) workshop on nurses’ and other clinicians’ creative self-efficacy (CSE), psychological empowerment (PE), and traits of design thinkers (TDT).Background:Despite nurses’ routine problem-solving, formal training in HCD is lacking. Integrating HCD can foster intrapreneurship and innovation within healthcare systems.Methods:A mixed-methods, 1-group quasi-experimental study was conducted at a Midwestern university’s Entrepreneurship Center with VA Healthcare System nurses and clinicians. Participants completed pre-workshop and post-workshop surveys measuring CSE, PE, and TDT, and qualitative reflections.Results:Among 27 participants, statistically significant improvements were observed in CSE (d=1.23), PE (d=0.43), and TDT (d=0.65). Qualitative themes highlighted collaboration, experiential learning, and a desire for continued innovation support.Conclusions:HCD workshop enhanced nurses’ innovation competencies and empowered them to lead system improvements. Strategic partnerships with universities can address educational gaps and foster a culture of intrapreneurship in healthcare.

Women’s participation in adventure sports tourism is growing in China but remains uneven under collectivist traditions and gendered expectations. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory and Empowerment Theory, this study examines how intrinsic and extrinsic motivations are associated with participation intentions, mediated by psychological, social, and political empowerment, and moderated by perceived risk. Survey data were collected from 566 women participating in skiing, surfing, and rock climbing at representative destinations. Standardized measures were employed, and moderated mediation analysis with bias-corrected bootstrapping was conducted to assess the hypothesized associations. Results reveal that intrinsic and extrinsic motivations positively predict participation intention via distinct empowerment pathways. While intrinsic motivation acts through psychological and political dimensions, extrinsic motivation engages all three, with political empowerment exerting the strongest mediation effect. Notably, risk perception significantly attenuates these indirect relationships. A key theoretical contribution is the reconceptualization of political empowerment: rather than resistance, it functions as a means of securing institutional legitimacy, proving resilient under elevated risk perception compared to the vulnerability of social empowerment. The study concludes with practical strategies for enhancing political legitimacy and risk management to promote sustained engagement.

This research aims to analyze trends in psychological empowerment, particularly in companies engaged in the technology industry, innovation, start-ups, creative industries, employee development, and customer service-oriented sectors. Companies such as Google, Apple, Airbnb, Pixar, Deloitte, Zappos, Ritz-Carlton, and Southwest Airlines have demonstrated that psychological empowerment plays an important role in improving service quality, reducing workplace stress, and fostering a positive work culture all of which contribute to the long-term success of an organization. This research employed a qualitative method with a bibliometric analysis approach. Data were sourced from Scopus using the keyword "Psychological Empowerment," yielding 356 documents spanning the period 2014–2023. This study found that psychological empowerment has received increasing attention in the organizational literature, with the number of publications growing steadily each year. Key findings indicate that psychological empowerment plays an important role in improving employee performance and job satisfaction, enhancing loyalty, reducing stress, and encouraging creativity and innovation. Furthermore, empowering leadership and an inclusive organizational culture were shown to have a positive impact on psychological empowerment. This study also highlights the importance of organizational justice, noting that imbalances in perceived fairness from certain sources can be offset by other sources. These findings underscore the value of creating a work environment that supports empowerment as an organizational strategy for improving performance and retaining employees.

Digital transformation creates opportunities for rural MSMEs in Air Naningan, Tanggamus Regency, Lampung; however, limited digital literacy and low self-confidence remain major challenges. This community service initiative aims to enhance entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) and business performance through the integration of practice-based digital marketing training and structured mentoring. The method employed was a quasi-experimental one-group pre-test–post-test design involving 20 MSME actors over a four-month period, with interventions including workshops, mentoring, and self-efficacy reinforcement. The results indicate a significant increase in ESE from 2.34 to 3.89 (↑66.24%; p &lt; 0.001; d = 3.10), along with an average income growth of 35%. These findings suggest that mastery experience and effective mentoring play a crucial role in strengthening self-confidence and encouraging digital adoption. Therefore, integrating technical training with psychological empowerment is a key strategy for empowering rural MSMEs.