Sequential Multiple Regression Research Articles

The role of body image psychological flexibility on the treatment of eating disorders in a residential facility

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to test whether pre-treatment levels of psychological flexibility would longitudinally predict quality of life and eating disorder risk in patients at a residential treatment facility for eating disorders. MethodData on body image psychological flexibility, quality of life, and eating disorder risk were collected from 63 adolescent and 50 adult, female, residential patients (N=113) diagnosed with an eating disorder. These same measures were again collected at post-treatment. Sequential multiple regression analyses were performed to test whether pre-treatment levels of psychological flexibility longitudinally predicted quality of life and eating disorder risk after controlling for age and baseline effects. ResultsPre-treatment psychological flexibility significantly predicted post-treatment quality of life with approximately 19% of the variation being attributable to age and pre-treatment psychological flexibility. Pre-treatment psychological flexibility also significantly predicted post-treatment eating disorder risk with nearly 30% of the variation attributed to age and pre-treatment psychological flexibility. DiscussionThis study suggests that levels of psychological flexibility upon entering treatment for an eating disorder longitudinally predict eating disorder outcome and quality of life.

Role Satisfaction and Leadership: An Approach to Analyze the Dynamics of Relationships

Organizations nowadays want to succeed in every aspect and the key to achieve it is leadership. The main aim of this article is to empirically check the relationship of role satisfaction with leadership behaviour in Indian organizations. The sample contains responses from 333 business executives and managers. On performing correlation analysis, it is found that all the variables in the study have significant relationship. Subsequently, sequential multiple regressions are performed in order to delete those dimensions that do not contribute towards leadership. The findings revealed that achievement, influence, control and affiliation are observed to be the determinants of leadership. Thus, leadership requires the workforce that is high on role satisfaction. This study identified an essential variable that affects leadership behaviour. It is an innovative attempt to utilize role satisfaction to improve leadership in the Indian framework.

Hansch Analysis of Novel Acetamide Derivatives as Highly Potent and Specific MAO-A Inhibitors.

A quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) study of novel Acetamide derivatives as specific Mono amino oxidase (MAO) A inhibitory agents was performed with 28 compounds to derive QSAR models for better activity and lesser side effects. Various thermodynamic, electronic and steric parameters were calculated using Chem 3D package of molecular modeling software Chemoffice 7.0. QSAR models were generated employing sequential multiple regression method using in-house statistical program VALSTAT. The best models were selected from the various statistically significant equations. The study revealed that an increase in the bulkiness of the substituent's and molecular solvent accessible surface area is beneficial to the biological activity and the substitution of two interacting groups should be separated by more than three atoms will give better biological activity. Model also suggests that the presence of the comparatively less lipophilic group may increase MAO-A inhibitory activity and substituent that decrease the flexibility and increase rigidity of the nucleus will enhance the activity. The best QSAR model was selected, having a correlation coefficient (r) = 0.93271, coefficient of determination (r2) = 0.8509 with a standard deviation of predictivity (SDEP) = 0.31287 and cross validated squared correlation coefficient (Q2) = 0.92. The predictive ability of the selected model was also confirmed by leave one out cross validation and r2 predicted (r2 pred) was 0.764. This study may be useful in the designing of more potent substituted acetamide derivatives as specific MAOA inhibitors.

Investigating the relationship of target language proficiency and self-efficacy among nonnative EFL teachers

Target language proficiency and pedagogical capabilities are considered to be the two main teacher attributes necessary for second/foreign language teaching. Drawing on this notion, two hypotheses were tested: (a) minimum threshold levels of language proficiency and pedagogical capabilities exist and (b) teachers' language proficiency and pedagogical capabilities are interdependent. A total of 167 Korean secondary school English as a foreign language teachers self-reported their English proficiency, teaching efficacy, and frequency of English use in their English instruction. A sequential multiple regression with interaction was employed to investigate the relationship between these two teacher attributes and their contributions to English use as an outcome behavior. The results supported both hypotheses. Only teachers above the minimum threshold levels of both attributes showed positive associations among the two competences and English use. Above the minimum levels, language proficiency and self-efficacy were interdependent, magnifying each other's impact on the teaching behavior. The results pointed to the beneficial potential of continuous development of linguistic and pedagogical competences even after teachers possess the minimum levels. Given that previous research has assumed nonnative teachers as one homogenous group and explored language proficiency and self-efficacy separately, this study addresses important theoretical, methodological, and practical gaps.

Forecasting daily streamflow using online sequential extreme learning machines

Summary While nonlinear machine methods have been widely used in environmental forecasting, in situations where new data arrive continually, the need to make frequent model updates can become cumbersome and computationally costly. To alleviate this problem, an online sequential learning algorithm for single hidden layer feedforward neural networks – the online sequential extreme learning machine (OSELM) – is automatically updated inexpensively as new data arrive (and the new data can then be discarded). OSELM was applied to forecast daily streamflow at two small watersheds in British Columbia, Canada, at lead times of 1–3 days. Predictors used were weather forecast data generated by the NOAA Global Ensemble Forecasting System (GEFS), and local hydro-meteorological observations. OSELM forecasts were tested with daily, monthly or yearly model updates. More frequent updating gave smaller forecast errors, including errors for data above the 90th percentile. Larger datasets used in the initial training of OSELM helped to find better parameters (number of hidden nodes) for the model, yielding better predictions. With the online sequential multiple linear regression (OSMLR) as benchmark, we concluded that OSELM is an attractive approach as it easily outperformed OSMLR in forecast accuracy.

An exploratory investigation of superstitious behaviours, coping, control strategies, and personal control in Ghanaian and British student-athletes

This study examined the relationships between primary and secondary control strategies, coping, and superstitious behaviour. Participants were 349 student-athletes from the UK and Ghana, consisting of 194 males and 155 females. The nationality breakdown was 177 British student-athletes and 172 Ghanaian student-athletes. Participants completed five inventories measuring superstitious behaviours, personal control, control strategies, coping skills, and social desirability. Sequential multiple regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between these constructs. A 2 by 2 analysis of covariance was conducted to assess the main and interactive effects of gender and nationality on superstitious behaviour. Findings demonstrated that personal control, coping mechanisms, and control strategies predicted superstitious behaviour. The findings suggest that athletes may engage in superstitious behaviour as a coping mechanism and as a secondary control strategy to offer them a sense of being in control in stressful situations. The results suggest that Ghanaian student-athletes may engage in superstitious behaviour more than British student-athletes. Results are discussed in relation to previous research and practical implications are delineated.

Dissociation mediates the association between intimate partner violence and posttraumatic stress among treatment-seeking incarcerated women

ABSTRACTObjective: Women in prison experience high rates of interpersonal trauma as well as elevated rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) relative to women in the general population. The present study examined the relationship between recent intimate partner violence (IPV), additional forms of lifetime trauma exposure, trait dissociation, and posttraumatic stress among a sample of incarcerated female survivors of IPV. Method: Participants were 186 treatment-seeking incarcerated women who reported experiences of IPV in the year prior to incarceration. Participants completed self-report measures of IPV, nonpartner-perpetrated lifetime trauma exposure, trait dissociation, and PTSD symptomatology. Associations among study variables were evaluated using sequential multiple regression. Results: Participants reported experiencing several forms of interpersonal trauma. More than half of respondents (i.e., 53%) fell beyond a conservative cutoff score on the PTSD Checklist–Civilian Version, indicating clinically significant symptoms of PTSD. Trait dissociation partially mediated the association between IPV and PTSD symptoms above and beyond history of nonpartner-perpetrated violence. Trait dissociation emerged as the strongest independent predictor of PTSD symptoms and explained approximately 15% of the variance in PTSD symptoms. Conclusion: This finding highlights the need for additional research concerning dissociation among women in prison and warrants consideration in future research and intervention efforts focused on trauma recovery among incarcerated women.

School engagement among LGBTQ high school students: The roles of safe adults and gay–straight alliance characteristics

Student school engagement, or the person–environment fit between a student and the student's school, is a construct that has received increasing attention in the school psychology literature in recent years. However, little research has examined this construct among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) students or analyzed whether factors such as access to safe adults, the presence of a Gay–Straight Alliance (GSA), characteristics of a GSA, or personal involvement in a GSA may connect to engagement. The current study used sequential multiple regression to examine data from a sample of LGBTQ high school students (N=152) from Colorado and found that the greater the number of types of safe adults that a student has access to at school, the higher the student's school engagement. GSA presence was not significantly associated with student school engagement. However, among those students whose school had a GSA (N=91), the larger, more active, more visible, and more supported a GSA was perceived to be, the more these students were engaged at school. Personal involvement in a GSA did not predict student school engagement. This article discusses implications for school-based practitioners and future research.

Physical activity and sedentary behaviour among Asian and Anglo-Australian adolescents.

Evidence suggests that physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) participation varies among culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) adolescents. The present study examined differences in PA and SB among a CALD sample of Chinese Australian, South-east Asian and Anglo-Australian adolescents. Data from 286 adolescents aged 12-16 years involved in the Chinese and Australian Adolescent Health Survey in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia, were analysed. Accelerometry outcomes included median activity counts per minute (counts x min(-1)) and minutes per day (min x day(-1)) spent in light-intensity PA (LPA), moderate-to-vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA) and sedentary time (ST). Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance and sequential multiple hierarchical linear regressions were used to examine CALD differences in PA and ST. Multivariate analyses of accelerometry data found Chinese Australian and South-east Asian adolescents engaged in significantly less daily MVPA (5-8 min x day(-1)) and LPA (50-58 min x day(-1); P < 0.05), but greater daily ST (40-41 min x day(-1)), than Anglo-Australian adolescents, after adjusting for age, gender and socioeconomic category. The results demonstrate lower engagement in daily MVPA and LPA and greater engagement in ST using accelerometry among Chinese Australian and South-east Asian adolescents compared with Anglo-Australian adolescents. These findings have important public health implications in furthering our understanding of CALD differences in PA and SB. SO WHAT? An understanding of the CALD differences in physical activity and sedentary behaviour among Australian adolescents has important implications for intervention planning and delivery as well as the wider health implications of these behaviours. This article furthers the current understanding of CALD adolescents' participation in physical activity and sedentary behaviour, of which limited information is available.

Maternal risk factors for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in a province in Italy

BackgroundMaternal risk factors for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) in Italy and Mediterranean cultures need clarification, as there are few studies and most are plagued by inaccurate reporting of antenatal alcohol use. MethodsMaternal interviews (n=905) were carried out in a population-based study of the prevalence and characteristics of FASD in the Lazio region of Italy which provided data for multivariate case control comparisons and multiple correlation models. ResultsCase control findings from interviews seven years post-partum indicate that mothers of children with FASD are significantly more likely than randomly-selected controls or community mothers to: be shorter; have higher body mass indexes (BMI); be married to a man with legal problems; report more drinking three months pre-pregnancy; engage in more current drinking and drinking alone; and have alcohol problems in her family. Logistic regression analysis of multiple candidate predictors of a FASD diagnosis indicates that alcohol problems in the child's family is the most significant risk factor, making a diagnosis within the continuum of FASD 9 times more likely (95%C.I.=1.6 to 50.7). Sequential multiple regression analysis of the child's neuropsychological performance also identifies alcohol problems in the child's family as the only significant maternal risk variable (p<.001) when controlling for other potential risk factors. ConclusionsUnderreporting of prenatal alcohol use has been demonstrated among Italian and other Mediterranean antenatal samples, and it was suspected in this sample. Nevertheless, several significant maternal risk factors for FASD have been identified.

Prevalence of depressive symptoms and associated factors in older adult public housing residents.

The purpose of this pilot study was to identify the prevalence of and risk factors associated with depressive symptoms among older adult residents of a public housing apartment. Self-reported depressive symptoms were measured with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) 8. A self-report questionnaire was used to collect data on risk factors of sociodemographic information, cardiovascular health history, and history of depression. Fifty-eight of 171 residents responded, and 31% of residents met the CES-D 8 criterion for depression (total score ≥7). Sequential multiple regression models identified age, loss of loved ones in the past year, and financial worries as significant predictors of CES-D 8 scores. These study results have implications for future studies of depressive symptoms in older adults, suggesting that grief and financial assistance programs may help reduce risks associated with depressive symptoms among community-dwelling older adults living in public housing.

Assessment concordance and predictive validity of self‐report and biological assay of cocaine use in treatment trials

Cocaine use during randomized clinical trials (RCTs) is typically assessed by participant self-report or biological assay (eg, urinalysis). There have been few direct comparisons of these assessment methods to investigate their concordance and their predictive validity for cocaine use and psychosocial outcomes following treatment completion. In a combined sample of 380 participants from 5 cocaine RCTs, the concordance between cocaine use assessment methods was examined. Sequential multiple linear and logistic regression models evaluated the predictive validity of two assessment methods for cocaine use and psychosocial outcomes assessed at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment. Concordance for self-report and urinalysis indicators of cocaine use was high within-treatment (k = 0.72) and moderate during follow-up (k = 0.51). Rates of concordance were higher in studies using test cups with immediate urinalysis results. Regression analyses indicated that self-report data within-treatment predicted self-reported cocaine use at all post-treatment points (β 0.22-0.30, p < .01), while urinalysis results within-treatment predicted urinalysis results at 1, 3, and 6 months post-treatment (OR 3.92-20.99, p < .05). Cocaine-positive urinalyses within-treatment were negatively associated with a composite "good outcome" indicator at 1 and 3 months post-treatment (OR 0.17-0.32, p < .05). These results suggest a significant role of method variance in predicting post-treatment outcomes from within-treatment cocaine use indices. Results support recommendations that cocaine treatment trials should include both biological assay and self-report assessment. Test cups may facilitate increased self-report accuracy.

Predicting Interventionists' Intention to Use Video Self-Modeling: An Investigation of the Intervention Technology Acceptance Model

Technology provides educators with significant advantages in working with today's students. Video self-modeling (VSM) is an evidence-based intervention requiring the use of technology that has been successfully used to address problems that children experience in schools. The present study tested a model of predicting educators' use of technology-based treatments by accounting for perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and treatment acceptability. Eighty-one interventionists completed a survey designed to measure perceptions of VSM. A factor analysis supported a three-factor model for the data (i.e., usefulness, ease of use, and treatment acceptability). A sequential multiple regression indicated that a significant portion of interventionists' intention to use VSM can be accounted for by perceptions concerning the usefulness of digital camcorders, the ease of using digital camcorders, and the acceptability of the treatment. Each independent variable accounted for a significant portion of interventionists' intention to use VSM. Professional development sessions intended to improve intentions to use technology-based treatments such as VSM should specifically target technology variables (i.e., usefulness and ease of use) along with treatment acceptability.

Emotional Intelligence and scholastic achievement in pre-adolescent children

Previous research has reported an association between Emotional Intelligence (EI) and scholastic achievement in adolescent samples; however, this relationship has not yet been studied in pre-adolescent samples. The current study was the first to explore the relationship between ability EI and scholastic achievement in pre-adolescent children, using a newly created measure of EI for younger children – the Swinburne University Emotional Intelligence Test – Early Years (SUEIT-EY). Four hundred and seven girls and boys between the ages of 9 and 13years were assessed on the SUEIT-EY, and scholastic results were collected for literacy and numeracy ability. Results indicated that a significant relationship existed between the ‘Understanding and Analysing Emotions’ (UAE) branch of the SUEIT-EY and measures of achievement in literacy and achievement in numeracy, for boys and girls, over and above the effect of age. Sequential Multiple Linear Regression Analyses found earlier developing UAE abilities to better predict scholastic achievement variables than the more complex UAE abilities, and accounted for 11% of the variation of both literacy and numeracy scores.

Five years from now: correlates of older people's expectation of future quality of life.

Few studies have explored older people's expected future quality of life (QoL), despite evidence that perceptions of one's future influence healthy aging. Research on this topic should embrace a range of potential influences, including perceptions of one's neighborhood and region. This study examined expected QoL in a random sample of the population of Dalarna, a Swedish region. A self-completion questionnaire assessed demographic characteristics, current neighborhood and regional evaluations, self-evaluations, expectations for the future, and current and expected QoL. In total, 786 people aged ≥65 years participated. A sequential multiple regression model explained 44% of the variance in older people's expected QoL, with self-reported health (sr (2) = .03), Expected Regional Opportunity (sr (2) = .03), and Perceived Regional Status (sr (2) = .02) having the strongest associations with expected QoL. Research on the importance of one's neighborhood to QoL in older people should encompass people's perceptions of their region, to better inform social policy for healthy aging.

Verbal working memory deficits predict levels of auditory hallucination in first-episode psychosis

BackgroundAuditory verbal hallucinations are a characteristic symptom in schizophrenia. Recent causal models of auditory verbal hallucinations propose that cognitive mechanisms involving verbal working memory are involved in the genesis of auditory verbal hallucinations. Thus, in the present study, we investigate the hypothesis that verbal working memory is a specific factor behind auditory verbal hallucinations. MethodsIn the present study, we investigated the association between verbal working memory manipulation (Backward Digit Span and Letter–Number Sequencing) and auditory verbal hallucinations in a population study (N=52) of first episode psychosis. The degree of auditory verbal hallucination as reported in the P3-subscale of the PANSS interview was included as dependent variable using sequential multiple regression, while controlling for age, psychosis symptom severity, executive cognitive functions and simple auditory working memory span. ResultsMultiple sequential regression analyses revealed verbal working memory manipulation to be the only significant predictor of verbal hallucination severity. ConclusionsConsistent with cognitive data from auditory verbal hallucinations in healthy individuals, the present results suggest a specific association between auditory verbal hallucinations, and cognitive processes involving the manipulation of phonological representations during a verbal working memory task.

Evaluation of contribution of different molecular fragments on antibacterial activity of Schiff bases of indole-3-aldehyde based on QSAR study

The paper describes the QSAR analysis of a series of 22 Schiff bases of indole-3-aldehyde employing the Hansch approach. Various physicochemical and steric parameters were calculated using the Chem 3D package of molecular modeling Software Chemoffice 2004. QSAR models were generated employing the sequential multiple regression method. Models were validated using leave-one-out and bootstrapping methods. Results obtained show that dipole–dipole energy, LUMO, and total energy play an important role, as their positive contribution is seen in the models. Findings of the present study reveal that substituents that cause increase in flexibility, a decrease in polarity, and electron withdrawing in nature are favorable for antibacterial activity of Schiff bases.

Descriptors requirement for QSAR analysis of pyrazolo-triazolo-pyrimidine derivative as human A3 receptor antagonists: design of novel furan derivatives and validation by docking

A quantitative structure activity relationship study was carried out on pyrazolo-triazolo-pyrimidines derivatives to establish the descriptor requirement for the A3 receptor antagonistic activity. In total, seven models with high predictive power were developed using sequential multiple linear regression. The best model was selected having excellent predictivity with \(R_{\text{pred}}^{{^{ 2} }}\) and \(r_{\text{m}}^{2}\) (overall) of 0.903 and 0.854, respectively. The geometrical descriptors like WHIM and 2D-autocorrelation have a positive effect on the potency of the compound. The Sanderson electronegativity has a major effect on the binding of this series with the human A3 receptors. The QSAR study was found to be consistent with the docking study.

Acculturation Stress and Drinking Problems Among Urban Heavy Drinking Latinos in the Northeast

This study investigates the relationship between the level of acculturation and acculturation stress and the extent to which each predicts problems related to drinking. Hispanics who met criteria for hazardous drinking completed measures of acculturation, acculturation stress, and drinking problems. Sequential multiple regression was used to determine whether the levels of self-reported acculturation stress predicted concurrent alcohol problems after controlling for the predictive value of the acculturation level. Acculturation stress accounted for a significant variance in drinking problems, while adjusting for acculturation, income, and education. Choosing to drink in response to acculturation stress should be an intervention target with Hispanic heavy drinkers.

Psychosocial working conditions and cognitive complaints among Swedish employees.

BackgroundCognitive complaints involving problems with concentration, memory, decision-making and thinking are relatively common in the work force. The sensitivity of both subjective and objective cognitive functioning to common psychiatric conditions, stress levels and to cognitive load makes it plausible that psychosocial working conditions play a role in cognitive complaints. Thus, this study aimed to test the associations between psychosocial work factors and cognitive complaints in nationally representative samples of the Swedish work force. Cross-sectional (n = 9751) and prospective (n = 3644; two time points two years apart) sequential multiple regression analyses were run, adjusting for general confounders, depressive- and sleeping problems. Additional prospective analyses were run adjusting for baseline cognitive complaints.Cross-sectional resultsHigh quantitative demands, information and communication technology (ICT) demands, underqualification and conflicts were positively associated with cognitive complaints, while social support, good resources at work and overqualification were negatively associated with cognitive complaints in all models. Skill discretion and decision authority were weakly associated with cognitive complaints. Conflicts were more strongly associated with cognitive complaints in women than in men, after adjustment for general confounders.Prospective resultsQuantitative job demands, ICT demands and underqualification were positively associated with future cognitive complaints in all models, including when adjusted for baseline cognitive complaints. Decision authority was weakly positively associated with future cognitive complaints, only after adjustment for depressive- and sleeping problems respectively. Social support was negatively associated with future cognitive complaints after adjustment for general confounders and baseline cognitive complaints. Skill discretion and resources were negatively associated with future cognitive complaints after adjustment for general confounders. The associations between quantitative demands and future cognitive complaints were stronger in women.Discussion/ConclusionsThe findings indicate that psychosocial working conditions should be taken into account when considering cognitive complaints among employees.