Mediation Role Research Articles

Gray matter volume alterations in de novo Parkinson's disease: A mediational role in the interplay between sleep quality and anxiety.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is increasingly recognized for its non-motor symptoms, among which emotional disturbances and sleep disorders frequently co-occur. The commonality of neuroanatomical underpinnings for these symptoms is not fully understood. This study is intended to investigate the differences in gray matter volume (GMV) between PD patients with anxiety (A-PD) and those without anxiety (NA-PD). Additionally, it seeks to uncover the interplay between GMV variations and the manifestations of anxiety and sleep quality. A total of 37 A-PD patients, 43 NA-PD patients, and 36 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited, all of whom underwent voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis. Group differences in GMV were assessed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Partial correlation between GMV, anxiety symptom, and sleep quality were analyzed. Mediation analysis explored the mediating role of the volume of GMV-distinct brain regions on the relationship between sleep quality and anxiety within the PD patient cohort. A-PD patients showed significantly lower GMV in the fusiform gyrus (FG) and right inferior temporal gyrus (ITG) compared to HCs and NA-PD patients. GMV in these regions correlated negatively with Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA) scores (right ITG: r = -0.690, p < 0.001; left FG: r = -0.509, p < 0.001; right FG: r = -0.576, p < 0.001) and positively with sleep quality in PD patients (right ITG: r = 0.592, p < 0.001; left FG: r = 0.356, p = 0.001; right FG: r = 0.470, p < 0.001). Mediation analysis revealed that GMV in the FG and right ITG mediated the relationship between sleep quality and anxiety symptoms, with substantial effect sizes accounted for by the right ITG (25.74%) and FG (left: 11.90%, right: 15.59%). This study has shed further light on the relationship between sleep disturbances and anxiety symptoms in PD patients. Given the pivotal roles of the FG and the ITG in facial recognition and the recognition of emotion-related facial expressions, our findings indicate that compromised sleep quality, under the pathological conditions of PD, may exacerbate the reduction in GMV within these regions, impairing the recognition of emotional facial expressions and thereby intensifying anxiety symptoms.

Job Crafting, Task Performance, and Employability: The Role of Work Engagement

The goal of this study is to determine the function of work engagement as a mediating factor in the relationship between job crafting, task performance, and employability in the hospitality sector. A questionnaire was applied and participants were drawn from 209 hotel employees in İstanbul, and Kocaeli, Türkiye. To test these hypotheses, structural equation modeling was implemented. The findings show that job crafting is linked to employability and task performance positively. Furthermore, this research looks into the role of work engagement as a mediator in the links between job crafting, perceived employability and task performance. The findings reveal that there are considerable indirect effects, implying that work engagement is mediated. Thus, our results suggest that job crafting was a positive predictor of perceived employability and task performance and work engagement has a mediator role between those variables in the hospitality sector.

Context-driven communication during deep-sea foraging in a social toothed whale.

Social deep-diving odontocetes face the challenge of balancing near-surface proximity to oxygen and group members with foraging in the deep sea. Individuals rely on conspecifics for critical life functions, such as predator defence, but disperse during foraging to feed individually. To understand the role of social acoustic mediation during foraging in deep-diving toothed whales, we investigated the context of social burst-pulse call production in Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus) using biologgers. Dolphins produced context-specific burst pulses predominantly during daytime foraging, preceding or following foraging dives and in the early descent of daytime deep dives. Individuals applied differential short and long burst-pulse calls intended for either near-surface receivers (horizontal transmission) or deep-foraging receivers (vertical transmission). Our results show that deep-diving toothed whales are reliant on acoustic communication during certain foraging contexts, to relay information including foraging conditions or an individual's location. Moreover, they accentuate the importance of maintaining acoustic contact with conspecifics, specifically when dispersed during deeper foraging. It also signifies that our oceanic top predators may be specifically vulnerable to the current strong increase in anthropogenic noise. Potential masking of the signals from group members communicating at a distance could undermine their social cohesion, and hence their capacity to maintain vital life functions.

Interpersonal perfectionism and social anxiety: The mediational role of mindfulness.

Interpersonal perfectionism and social anxiety: The mediational role of mindfulness.

Dealing With Unnecessary: The Mediation Role of Social Overload on Fear of Missing Out and Social Media Fatigue

Dealing With Unnecessary: The Mediation Role of Social Overload on Fear of Missing Out and Social Media Fatigue

Self-Efficacy, Group Effectiveness, and Individual Work Performance in Saudi Employees with Disabilities: The Mediation Roles of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation

There are well-established relationships among self-efficacy, group effectiveness, extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, and work performance in employees. However, little is known about these relationships among employees with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to examine the mediation roles of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation in the association between self-efficacy and individual work performance and between group effectiveness and individual work performance in Saudi employees with disabilities. A sample of 176 employees (59.1% female) with disabilities (visual, auditory, mobility, and learning disabilities) participated in the study. A set of structural equation models was built to establish the relationships. There were positive relationships between self-efficacy and both task and contextual performance. Furthermore, intrinsic and integrated regulation mediated the relationship between self-efficacy and task performance, and identified integrated regulation mediated the relationship between self-efficacy and contextual performance. Group effectiveness was related to work performance only through motivational regulations. Therefore, it is crucial for organizations to design psychological training to increase self-efficacy beliefs in employees with disabilities and to teach them how to internalize external forces in the workplace to promote individual work performance and organizational progress.

Goal Commitment as Mediator of Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Career Decision Difficulties among Vocational High School Students

Vocational high school students were provided with a curriculum designed to facilitate their transition into the workforce. Elicitation studies have indicated that vocational high school students experience difficulties in making career decisions. The internship program is designed to enhance students' emotional intelligence and goal commitment, thereby preventing career decision-making difficulties. This research aims to investigate the mediating effect of goal commitment in the relationship between emotional intelligence and career decision-making difficulties. This quantitative correlational research was conducted in a vocational high school in Bogor with a total of 173 participants using a self-report questionnaire of CDDQ, TEIQue-SF, and HWK Scale. Mediation analysis was processed using Hayes PROCESS. Results showed that goal commitment plays a partial mediation role in the relationship between emotional intelligence and career decision-making difficulties (c’ = -0.19, p &lt; 0.001; c = -0.25, p &lt; 0.001). This research will also present the limitations and suggestions for future study.

Navigating the Gray Zone: When Interpreters Become Mediators and Communication Facilitators

Beyond the realm of mere word-for-word translation, interpreters often find themselves traversing the delicate terrain of communication facilitation and mediation. This article delves into the intricate dance between interpreting and these additional roles, exploring the factors that propel interpreters into the mediator's shoes and the subsequent challenges they face. The article dissects the circumstances that necessitate an interpreter's shift from neutral conduit to active mediator. Cultural clashes, implicit biases, and emotional undercurrents can all trigger this transition, demanding the interpreter to navigate sensitive dynamics and bridge communication gaps that extend beyond language. The article then grapples with the question of control: What elements of this mediation role can be consciously managed and overcome by the interpreter, and which ones remain stubbornly embedded in the communication landscape, posing significant hurdles? This nuanced analysis sheds light on the interpreter's agency and limitations within the complex realm of cross-cultural communication. By examining the gray zone between interpreting and mediation, this article offers valuable insights for both interpreters and those who rely on their expertise. It paves the way for a deeper understanding of the multifaceted nature of interpreter roles and the challenges that come with navigating the delicate dance between languages and cultures.

Modeling the structural equations of the corona anxiety level based on psychological hardness and physical activities in the treatment staff of Ilam Province with the mediator role of professional identity.

The increase in deaths due to COVID-19 has increased anxiety among the treatment staff. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to model the structural equations of the anxiety level of corona based on psychological hardness and physical activities in the treatment staff of Ilam province with the mediator role of professional identity. Based on the purpose, the method of this research is applied and based on how to obtain the data it is descriptive-correlational. The statistical population of the research includes all the treatment staff of Ilam province, with the number of 1900 people who were selected using Morgan's table, 320 people with the stratified sampling method as the sample. To collect the data, four standard questionnaires were used: Alipour et al. (2020) coronavirus anxiety questionnaire, Kiamarsi et al. (1998) psychological hardness, Baecke et al. (1982) physical activity, Hao et al. (2014) professional identity, and their validity and reliability were also confirmed. To analyze the data, from the indicators of descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficient test and structural equation model method (SEM) were used using SPSS and Amos software. The results of the research showed that psychological hardness, physical activities, and professional identity have a significant and inverse effect on the anxiety caused by corona, and the mediator role of professional identity in the relationship between physical activities and corona anxiety was confirmed, but this role was not confirmed in the relationship between psychological hardness and corona anxiety. To reduce the anxiety of the coronavirus in the treatment staff, the managers of the health and treatment centers of Ilam province should pay special attention to the employees' perceptions of psychological hardness, physical activities, and professional identity and provide them with the opportunity to create sports activities.

The Influence of Parents’ Positive Attitudes and Expectations toward Children’s Video Media Consumption on Children’s Learning : The Dual Mediating Role of Parental Media Mediation and Epistemic Curiosity

The Influence of Parents’ Positive Attitudes and Expectations toward Children’s Video Media Consumption on Children’s Learning : The Dual Mediating Role of Parental Media Mediation and Epistemic Curiosity

Perceived Financial Transparency and Loyalty in the Islamic Banking Sector of Pakistan: Exploring the Role of Trust and Age

The banking sector is the backbone of the global economic system. Islamic banking has emerged as crucial for the economic sector of all developing as well as developed countries. Investment in Islamic avenues is based on the trust and perception of local consumers. This study examines the relationship between the Perceived Financial Transparency of Islamic Banks (PFT) and Loyalty with Islamic Banks (LB). Furthermore, the study examines the mediating role of perceived trust and the moderating role of age. Moreover, the moderated mediation role of age is examined between PFT and perceived value. Data was collected from the 424 consumers of Islamic banks working in Pakistan and was analyzed through PLS-SEM. Results of the study reported a significant and positive relationship between PFT and perceived trust. Similarly, results reported that perceived trust leads to loyalty. Moreover, in terms of mediation analysis results reported that perceived trust significantly mediates between PFT and brand loyalty. Additionally, the moderation results reported that age significantly moderates between PFT and perceived trust. This study will benefit the banks and policymakers to devise policies according to the changing demands of the customers. Moreover, it will encourage conventional bank customers to invest in Islamic banks and other Islamic investment avenues.

The Effect of Internal Service Quality on Employee Performance and the Mediation Role of Digital Transformation in This Effect

The Effect of Internal Service Quality on Employee Performance and the Mediation Role of Digital Transformation in This Effect

Association between non-restorative sleep and psychotic-like experiences among Chinese college students: A latent profile and moderated mediation analysis

BackgroundNon-restorative sleep (NRS) is a core symptom of insomnia that has considerable consequences for daily life. However, the association between NRS and psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) remains unclear. The current study was designed to explore the relationship between NRS and PLEs as well as the mediation/moderation role of rumination and resilience among college students in China. Methods3060 college students were recruited from two universities in South China from September 21st to October 26th, 2022. Non-restorative Sleep Scale, 8-item Positive Subscale of the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences, Ruminative Response Scale, and 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale were administered. Latent profile analysis and moderated mediation analysis were performed. Results11.3 % participants reported frequent PLEs in the past one month. Three profiles of rumination were identified and named as “low rumination” group (27.7 %), “medium rumination” group (55.3 %), and “high rumination” group (16.9 %). NRS directly predicted PLEs, and rumination played a significant mediation role between NRS and PLEs. Resilience significantly moderated the association between NRS and rumination as well as the association between NRS and PLEs. ConclusionsNRS, rumination and resilience are important predictors to PLEs. Strategies on increasing restorative sleep, decreasing rumination, and enhancing resilience are of great significance in the prevention of PLEs.

DNA Methylation Mediates the Association Between Cardiometabolic Risk Factors and Cognition: Findings From the Health and Retirement Study.

The association between cardiometabolic risk factors and cognitive function has been well documented, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the potential mediating role of DNA methylation in this association. We conducted the analyses in 3708 participants (mean [standard deviation {SD}] age: 67.3 [9.5], women: 57.9%) from the Health and Retirement Study who were assessed in the 2014-2020 waves, had Infinium Methylation EPIC BeadChip methylation assays from the 2016 Venous Blood Study, and had cognitive assessment between 2016 and 2020. Causal mediation analyses were used to test the mediation role of DNA methylation in the associations between cardiometabolic risk factors and cognition, adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, and lifestyle factors. Hypertension (-0.061 in composite cognitive z-score; 95% confidence interval [CI: -0.119, -0.004]) and diabetes (-0.134; 95% CI: [-0.198, -0.071]) were significantly associated with worse cognitive function while abnormal body weight and hypercholesterolemia were not. An increased number of cardiometabolic risk factors was associated with worse cognitive function (p = .002). DNA methylation significantly mediated the association of hypertension (mediated effect on composite cognitive z-score: -0.023; 95% CI: -0.033, -0.014), diabetes (-0.022; 95% CI: -0.032, -0.014), and obesity (-0.021; 95% CI: -0.033, -0.011) with cognitive function, whereas the mediation effect was not observed for having hypercholesterolemia. The estimated proportions mediated were 37.4% for hypertension and 16.7% for diabetes. DNA methylation may be an important mediator linking cardiometabolic risk factors to worse cognition and might even provide a potential target for dementia prevention.

Effects of TBI on Students’ Essay Writing Performance and Engagement

This study attempted to investigate the effects of TBI on students’ essay writing performance and their writing engagement, and again to examine the mediating effects of writing engagement between the causal relationship of TBI and essay writing performance. The study was conducted on Grade-11 students of Ediget Feleg Secondary School in Gondar City, Ethiopia. The design employed in the study was quasi-experimental, taking randomly two intact groups as control and experimental, with 56 and 58 students in each, respectively. The experimental group students were taught using the TBI approach as intervention, whereas the control group students were taught, employing the conventional (PPP) approach. Writing test was used to collect the writing performance data, whereas questionnaire was employed to collect data about students’ writing engagement. Independent samples t-test, Chi square, and Structural Equation Model were used to analyze the data. And it was found that direct significant difference came true between the control and experimental group students’ essay writing performance posttest scores, favoring experimental group participants, i.e., (B = 1.581 CR = 5.190 (&gt;±1.96), p &lt; .05). And, it happened that there was significant effect of TBI on engagement, favoring experimental group participants, showing results (β = .543, CR = 4.757 (&gt;±1.96), p &lt; .05). Still, results (β = .345, CR = 2.103(&gt;±1.96), p &lt; .05) reveal that TBI had positive effect on experimental group participants’ writing performance posttest score through writing engagement. The TBI, therefore, has a positive effect, directly and indirectly /through writing engagement, on students’ writing performance. The implication is that writing engagement plays a partial mediation role in the causal relationship between TBI and Essay writing performance.

The Effect of Psychological Flexibility on Well-Being during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Multiple Mediation Role of Mindfulness and Coping.

The COVID-19 pandemic involved a complex set of stressors affecting the health and well-being of the population. The understanding of the psychological processes that influence well-being in response to the pandemic and their interrelation is vital. A promising process in understanding the emotional impacts of these stressors is psychological flexibility. This study investigated the effect of psychological flexibility on well-being, both directly and indirectly, via mindfulness and coping strategies. A total of 334 Portuguese adults participated in this cross-sectional study. Participants were asked to complete an online questionnaire, including measures of psychological flexibility, well-being, mindfulness, and coping strategies. A multiple mediation model studied whether there are conditional indirect effects of mindfulness and coping strategies on well-being. The results showed statistically significant correlations between psychological flexibility, well-being, mindfulness, and coping strategies. Furthermore, we found that mindfulness and coping strategies partly mediate the relationship between psychological flexibility and well-being. Understanding the processes through which psychological flexibility influences well-being in a stressful context is important in comprehending the processes involved in an emotional reaction to a pandemic-like societal event. Mindfulness and coping are shown to be important processes to consider in understanding this phenomenon and designing future responses.

DETERMINANTS OF CONSUMER’ PREFERENCES FOR ROBOT SERVICE HOTEL: AN EXPERIMENT AMONG VIETNAMESE YOUNG TRAVELLERS

The study intends to determine prominent antecedents of Vietnamese young travelers’ intentions to book robot service hotels during and after the health pandemic. The study aims to leverage the context to uncover the guests’ preferences toward a secure option when a health crisis is salient. A quantitative research method was employed to collect qualified data. The extended TAM theory was employed to develop research hypotheses. SPSS and AMOS version 24 were used to analyze data and confirm the research hypotheses. The study found that guests’ booking intention toward robot service hotels during the health pandemic played a mediation role in linking the influence of social distancing concerns, subjective threat norms, perceived trust, and consumer cosmopolitanism on their intentions after the health pandemic. The study provides a valuable understanding of the determinants of Vietnamese young travelers’ preferences for robot-service hotels. Moreover, the study highlights the significance of situation in deciding guests’ intentions, and thus it is strongly recommended that practitioners take context into consideration when sharpening their strategies.

The Mediation Role of Impression Management in The Effect of Job Security Perception on Task Performance: A Study on Airport Employees

This study aims to reveal the relationship between the job security perceptions and task performances of airport employees and whether impression management has a mediating role in this relationship. The sample of the study consists of employees working at airports in Turkey. The data of the research were collected by online survey method using convenience sampling method between 5-17 October 2022. The IBM SPSS 25 and AMOS 24 statistical programs were used to analyze the data from 278 employees using structural equation modeling methods. According to the results of the analysis, it was determined that the perception of job security had a positive effect on job performance and a negative effect on impression management tactics. According to another important result of the research, there was a negative relationship between impression management and task performance. Finally, impression management did not mediate the relationship between job security perception and task performance.

The Role of Parental Mediation and Age in the Associations between Cyberbullying Victimization and Bystanding and Children's and Adolescents' Depression.

The primary objective of this research was to assess age differences in the associations between cyberbullying victimization and bystanding and depression among 234 elementary school students (4th and 5th graders; 51% female), 363 middle school students (6th to 8th grades; 53% female), and 341 high school students (9th to 12th grades; 51% female) as well as the moderating effect of parental mediation in these relationships. Participants completed self-report questionnaires on their cyberbullying victimization and bystanding, as well as depressive symptoms. The findings revealed that high levels of instructive mediation buffered against depression associated with cyberbullying victimization and bystanding across all age groups, with the strongest effects found for middle school students. Lower levels of instructive mediation and higher levels of restrictive mediation increased the positive relationships between cyberbullying victimization and bystanding and depression. Co-viewing mediation did not moderate any of the associations. Parental mediation of technology use has the potential to alleviate the negative consequences associated with cyberbullying victimization and bystanding. The findings highlight the importance of tailoring prevention and intervention strategies to specific age groups and to parents.

THE INFLUENCE OF FINANCIAL BEHAVIOR, OVERCONFIDENCE, AND RISK PERCEPTION ON INVESTMENT DECISIONS: THE ROLE OF FINANCIAL LITERACY MEDIATION (AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF MILLENNIAL INVIDUAL INVESTORS IN JAKARTA)

This study aims to test and analyze the influence of financial behavior, overconfidence, and risk perception on financial literacy and investment decisions in the millennial generation in Jakarta. This study was conducted using quantitative methods, structural equation modeling (SEM), and assisted by the Smart PLS 4.0 program with a total of 100 respondents with an average age of 25-35 years. The structural model was evaluated using R-square for dependent constructs, Stone-Geisser Q-square test for Q2 predictive relevance, and significance test of structural path parameter coefficients. The results of this study can be an input in the development of investment behavior theory, especially investment decision-making, as well as the mediation role of financial literacy in these relationships, on individual millennial investors in the Jakarta area. The study found that financial behavior and overconfidence significantly impact the financial literacy of the Millennial Generation in Jakarta, while overconfidence did not. It is recommended that Millennial investors focus on improving their financial literacy, risk perception, and financial behavior to influence investment decisions, while avoiding overconfidence.