Seven-point Scale Research Articles

Assessing evidence-based practice among Australian radiographers: A self-report survey

IntroductionEvidence-based practice (EBP) is essential for ensuring the delivery of effective and efficient healthcare. Despite this, EBP is not always well implemented in the clinical environment. Evidence suggests that the application of EBP is likely impacted by healthcare workers' attitudes, knowledge and skills. While there has been a recent proliferation of international research examining diagnostic radiographers’ attitudes towards, knowledge of and skills in EBP, no such research exists in an Australian context. MethodsThis study presents the results of a validated self-report survey, the evidence-based practice questionnaire (EBPQ), administered to Australian diagnostic radiographers. The data were described and aggregated means were calculated for each of the domains. Inferential statistical tests were computed, including Cronbach's alpha, Pearson's correlations and independent t-tests, and Kruskal-Wallis tests. ResultsThe aggregated mean for the practice domain was 5.02 (SD 1.104), for the attitudes domain it was 5.41 (SD 1.169), and for the knowledge and skills domain, it was 5.20 (SD 1.177) on a seven-point scale. Significant associations were identified among these domains, with individuals holding higher qualifications and occupying leadership positions more likely to score higher. Additionally, the modality in which an individual primarily practiced appeared to also have an impact on their score. However, no significant correlation was found between any domain and the number of years an individual had been practicing. ConclusionThis research has established a baseline of Australian diagnostic radiographers’ practices, knowledge skills and attitudes towards evidence-based practice. Implications for practiceThis baseline can inform the development of interventions aimed at enhancing the role of evidence-based practice in the sampled population.

Influence of spectral shaping and tube voltage modulation in ultralow-dose computed tomography of the abdomen

PurposeUnenhanced abdominal CT constitutes the diagnostic standard of care in suspected urolithiasis. Aiming to identify potential for radiation dose reduction in this frequent imaging task, this experimental study compares the effect of spectral shaping and tube voltage modulation on image quality.MethodsUsing a third-generation dual-source CT, eight cadaveric specimens were scanned with varying tube voltage settings with and without tin filter application (Sn 150, Sn 100, 120, 100, and 80 kVp) at three dose levels (3 mGy: standard; 1 mGy: low; 0.5 mGy: ultralow). Image quality was assessed quantitatively by calculation of signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) for various tissues (spleen, kidney, trabecular bone, fat) and subjectively by three independent radiologists based on a seven-point rating scale (7 = excellent; 1 = very poor).ResultsIrrespective of dose level, Sn 100 kVp resulted in the highest SNR of all tube voltage settings. In direct comparison to Sn 150 kVp, superior SNR was ascertained for spleen (p ≤ 0.004) and kidney tissue (p ≤ 0.009). In ultralow-dose scans, subjective image quality of Sn 100 kVp (median score 3; interquartile range 3–3) was higher compared with conventional imaging at 120 kVp (2; 2–2), 100 kVp (1; 1–2), and 80 kVp (1; 1–1) (all p < 0.001). Indicated by an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.945 (95% confidence interval: 0.927–0.960), interrater reliability was excellent.ConclusionsIn abdominal CT with maximised dose reduction, tin prefiltration at 100 kVp allows for superior image quality over Sn 150 kVp and conventional imaging without spectral shaping.

Measures of retention in HIV care: A protocol for a mixed methods study.

Retention in HIV care is necessary to achieve adherence to antiretroviral therapy, viral load suppression, and optimal health outcomes. There is no standard definition for retention in HIV care, which compromises consistent and reliable reporting and comparison of retention across facilities, jurisdictions, and studies. The objective of this study is to explore how stakeholders involved in HIV care define retention in HIV care and their preferences on measuring retention. We will use an exploratory sequential mixed methods design involving HIV stakeholder groups such as people living with HIV, people involved in providing care for PLHIV, and people involved in decision-making about PLHIV. In the qualitative phase of the study, we will conduct 20-25 in-depth interviews to collect the perspectives of HIV stakeholders on using their preferred retention measures. The findings from the qualitative phase will inform the development of survey items for the quantitative phase. Survey participants (n = 385) will be invited to rate the importance of each approach to measuring retention on a seven-point Likert scale. We will merge the qualitative and quantitative findings phase findings to inform a consensus-building framework for a standard definition of retention in care. This study has received ethics approval from the Hamilton Integrated Research Ethics Board. The findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and among stakeholder groups. This study has limitations; we won't be able to arrive at a standard definition; a Delphi technique amongst the stakeholders will be utilized using the framework to reach a consensus globally accepted definition.

Evaluation of Informative Content on Cerebral Palsy in the Era of Artificial Intelligence: The Value of ChatGPT

Aims In addition to the popular search engines on the Internet, ChatGPT may provide accurate and reliable health information. The aim of this study was to examine whether ChatGPT's responses to frequently asked questions concerning cerebral palsy (CP) by families were reliable and useful. Methods Google trends were used to find the most frequently searched keywords for CP. Five independent physiatrists assessed ChatGPT responses to 10 questions. Seven-point Likert-type scales were used to rate information reliability and usefulness based on whether the answer can be validated and is understandable. Results The median ratings for reliability of information for each question varied from 2 (very unsafe) to 5 (relatively very reliable). The median rating was 4 (reliable) for four questions. The median ratings for usefulness of information varied from 2 (very little useful) to 5 (moderately useful). The median rating was 4 (partly useful) for seven questions. Conclusion Although ChatGPT appears promising as an additional tool for informing family members of individuals with CP about medical information, it should be emphasized that both consumers and health care providers should be aware of the limitations of artificial intelligence-generated information.

Long-term efficacy and safety of dutasteride 0.5 mg in Korean men with androgenetic alopecia: 5-year data demonstrating clinical improvement with sustained efficacy.

Dutasteride 0.5 mg is a dual inhibitor of 5α-reductase type I and II and was approved in Korea in 2009 for treating androgenetic alopecia (AGA) in men. We investigated the 5-year efficacy and safety of dutasteride 0.5 mg in Korean men with AGA using the basic and specific (BASP) classification. This retrospective analysis included 99 male AGA patients aged ≥18 years who were treated with dutasteride 0.5 mg for at least 5 years from October 2009 to December 2016 at Kyung Hee University Hospital in Gangdong. Patient photographs were scored using the BASP classification, and the Investigator Global Assessment (IGA) was performed using a seven-point scale. Patient improvement (IGA score ≥1) and prevention of disease progression (IGA score ≥0) were 89.9% (89/99) and 93.9% (93/99), respectively. According to the BASP classification, 52.5% (52/99) of the basic type, 75% (15/20) of the specific F type, and 82.2% (60/73) of the specific V type showed clinical improvement after 5 years of treatment. Dutasteride demonstrated long-term safety and efficacy in Korean male patients with AGA over a period of at least 5 years, with results comparable to those of other long-term efficacy studies of finasteride 1 mg in male patients with AGA.

The Bottle House: Upcycling Plastic Bottles to Improve the Thermal Performance of Low-Cost Homes

Due to the effects of climate change, diminishing natural resources, and continuous urbanization, there is an increasing need for buildings to be more sustainable. This study explores the potential of upcycling plastic waste for the sustainable construction of low-cost homes in developing countries and contributes to filling the gap in existing studies regarding qualitative results of the in situ performance of buildings made from upcycled materials. This study compares the Bottle house with conventional buildings made of mud and cement. This study seeks to encourage the adoption of the bottle house concept for affordable housing by conducting a thermal comfort survey of its occupants. To obtain the thermal sensation vote (TSV) of the occupants, thermal comfort questionnaires were developed based on the seven-point ASHRAE thermal sensation scale. Additionally, a Testo 480 multifunction meter, which comprised an anemometer, radiant globe thermometer, air thermometer, and relative humidity probe, was used to calculate the predicted mean vote (PMV) concurrently. From the results of the TSV, mean votes of the participants of −2.0, 2.0, and 2.4 were observed for the bottle house, mud houses, and cement houses, respectively. In comparison, adjusted PMV mean values of 1.9, 2.1 and 2.1 were recorded for the bottle house, mud houses, and cement houses, respectively. The TSV and PMV results both indicate that the occupants of the bottle house felt more thermally comfortable when compared to occupants in the other dwellings. This can be attributed to the measures incorporated during the construction of the bottle house. Furthermore, the use of a simulation study helped proffer solutions to further improve the indoor temperatures of the buildings used in this study. The results of this paper will provide evidence of the prospects of upcycling plastic waste for construction and its impact on occupant’s thermal comfort when compared to conventional building materials.

Dimethyl fumarate in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial

Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) inhibits inflammasome-mediated inflammation and has been proposed as a treatment for patients hospitalised with COVID-19. This randomised, controlled, open-label platform trial (Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy [RECOVERY]), is assessing multiple treatments in patients hospitalised for COVID-19 (NCT04381936, ISRCTN50189673). In this assessment of DMF performed at 27 UK hospitals, adults were randomly allocated (1:1) to either usual standard of care alone or usual standard of care plus DMF. The primary outcome was clinical status on day 5 measured on a seven-point ordinal scale. Secondary outcomes were time to sustained improvement in clinical status, time to discharge, day 5 peripheral blood oxygenation, day 5 C-reactive protein, and improvement in day 10 clinical status. Between 2 March 2021 and 18 November 2021, 713 patients were enroled in the DMF evaluation, of whom 356 were randomly allocated to receive usual care plus DMF, and 357 to usual care alone. 95% of patients received corticosteroids as part of routine care. There was no evidence of a beneficial effect of DMF on clinical status at day 5 (common odds ratio of unfavourable outcome 1.12; 95% CI 0.86-1.47; p = 0.40). There was no significant effect of DMF on any secondary outcome.

Assessing the Relationship between Competencies and Personal Qualities towards Organizational Performance

This study examines the relationship between librarian’s competencies and personal qualities towards the organization's performance. There are three competencies’ dimensions described in this study, namely the technical skills, human skills, and conceptual skills. Conversely, the ten personal qualities dimension of librarians are achiever, able to take control, self-awareness, innovate, risk taker, open-minded, responsible, social, courteous, and ambitious. A questionnaire was used as the main instrument in gathering data, and a total of 634 respondents were involved in this survey. A survey instrument with a seven-point interval scale was built around nine competencies and ten personal qualities variables.

Writing-skill Development of Graduate Students Through a Google Jamboard Platform: A Study of Graduate Students from a Public University in Bangkok

Background and Aim: The purposes of this research were to develop writing skills through a Google Jamboard platform and determine Jamboard acceptance in graduate students from a public university in Bangkok. This quasi-experimental research made use of a pretest and a posttest. Material and Methods: The sample was 50 graduate students at the Faculty of Graduate Studies. The research instruments used in data collection were a writing rubric from Northeastern Illinois University (adapted from Univ. of Washington, Barbara Walvoord, Winthrop Univ., Virginia Community College System) and a seven-point Likert scale questionnaire. The data were analyzed using the descriptive statistics of arithmetic mean and standard deviation, and a paired-sample t-test. Research hypotheses were tested using a pair-sample t-test. Results: The results of the hypotheses testing showed that the students obtained better scores on writing. The result was statistically significant at 0.05. Conclusion: The students performed better in writing, and this difference is significant at the 0.05 level of significance. This implies that there is strong evidence to support the idea that there is a genuine improvement in the writing skills of the students under investigation.

Precursors of circular economy practices

The study examined the precursors of circular practices among waste management firms in Ghana. Its objectives were to assess the internal financial environment and the external financial environment of the firms as the precursor of its circular economy practices The study used a cross-sectional design and a quantitative research method. Data was collected from the owners/managers of integrated waste management firms in the Environmental Service Providers Association of Ghana database. On that note, 524 firms participated in the survey. The data was collected using a closed-ended questionnaire consisting of a seven-point Likert-like scale. The findings show that the factors influencing the adoption of circular economy techniques by waste management companies in Ghana include the internal environment that is firm-level financial environment, financial readiness, and investment readiness. External factors such as country level financial environment and international level financial environment were not significant precursors. It is advised that companies in the circular economy, such as waste management companies, establish the enabling conditions for moving ahead with sustainable business practices.

Impact of certification on efficiency: a study of the inverted U-shaped moderating role of supply chain complexity

PurposeThis study aims to find the impact of supply chain certification (SCCert) on supply chain efficiency (SCEffi) with the inverted U-shaped moderator role of supply chain complexity (SCComp).Design/methodology/approachIn order to test the conceptual model and the hypothesized relationships between all the constructs, the 307 useable survey responses were collected using the purposive sampling technique on a seven-point Likert scale. The SPSS26.0 and AMOS24.0 were used to analyze data, and the hierarchical regression analysis was used to test the model.FindingsThis study reached a set of interesting results where it was confirmed that there is a significant relationship between SCCert and SCEffi. It further confirmed the inverted U-shaped moderating effect of SCComp between SCCert and SCEffi: on the left side of the threshold, the increase of SCComp will enhance the promotion effect of SCCert on SCEffi, while on the right side of the threshold, excessive SCComp will rather weaken the promotion effect of SCCert on SCEffi.Practical implicationsThe findings provide implications for supply chain efficiency enablers to introduce/promote certification upgrading actions. The study provides a framework for solving the power and constraint problem of supply chain efficiency change.Originality/valueFindings provide deeper and new insights into threshold feature of supply chain complexity, analyzing how supply chain certification activity realize supply chain efficiency reform through the moderating role of supply chain complexity.

“Fundamentalist, pragmatic, or unconcerned?”: an analysis of consumers’ willingness to disclose information online

Purpose This study aims to propose an innovative model that integrates variables and examines the influence of internet usage expertise, perceived risk and attitude toward information control on privacy concerns (PC) and, consequently, in consumers’ willingness to disclose personal information online. The authors also propose to test the mediation role of trust between PCs and willingness to disclose information. Trust is not a predictor of PC but a causal mechanism – considering that the focus is to understand consumers’ attitudes and behavior regarding the virtual environment (not context-specific) (Martin, 2018). Design/methodology/approach The authors developed a survey questionnaire based on the constructs that compose the proposed model to collect data from 864 respondents. The survey questionnaire included the following scales: internet usage expertise from Ohanian (1990); perceived risk, attitude toward information control, trust and willingness to disclose personal information online from Malhotra et al. (2004); and PC from Castañeda and Montoro (2007). All items were measured on a Likert seven-point scale (1 = totally disagree; 7 = totally agree). To obtain Westin’s attitudinal categories toward privacy, respondents answered Westin’s three-item privacy index. For data analysis, the authors applied covariance-based structural equation modeling. Findings First, the proposed model explains the drivers of consumers’ disposition to provide personal information at a level that surpasses specific contexts (Martin, 2018), bringing the analysis to consumers’ level and considering their general perceptions toward data privacy. Second, the findings provide inputs to propose a better definition of Westin’s attitudinal categories toward privacy, which used to be defined only by individuals’ information privacy perception. Consumers’ perceptions about their abilities in using the internet, the risks, their beliefs toward information control and trust also help to delimitate and distinguish the fundamentalists, the pragmatics and the unconcerned. Research limitations/implications Some limitations weigh the theoretical and practical implications of this study. The sample size of pragmatic and unconcerned respondents was substantially smaller than that of fundamentalists. It might be explained by applying Westin’s self-report index to classify the groups according to their score regarding PCs. Most individuals affirm having a great concern for their data privacy but still provide online information for the benefit of personalization – known as the privacy paradox (Zeng et al., 2021). It leads to another limitation of this research, given the lack of measures that classify respondents by considering their actual behavior toward privacy. Practical implications PC emerges as an important predictor of consumer trust and willingness to disclose their data online, and trust also influences this disposition. Managers need to implement actions that effectively reduce consumers’ concerns about privacy and increase their trust in the company – e.g. adopting a clear and transparent policy on how the data collected is stored, treated, protected and used to benefit the consumer. Regarding the perception of risk, if managers convince consumers that the data collected on the internet is protected, they tend to be less concerned about privacy. Social implications The results suggest different aspects influencing the willingness to disclose personal information online, including different responses considering consumers’ PCs. Through their policies and legislation, the authors understand that governments must be attentive to this aspect, establishing regulations that protect consumers’ data in the virtual environment. In addition to regulatory policies, education campaigns can be carried out for both consumers and managers to raise the discussion about privacy and the availability of information in the online environment, demonstrating the importance of protecting personal data to benefit the government, consumers and organizations. Originality/value Although there is increasing research on consumers’ privacy, studies have not considered their attitudinal classifications – high, moderate and low concern – as moderators of willingness to disclose information online. Researchers have also increased attention to the antecedents of PCs and disclosure of information but overlooked possible mechanisms that explain the relationship between them.

Life Satisfaction and its Impact on Student Performance

Title: LIFE SATISFACTION AND ITS IMPACT ON STUDENT PERFORMANCE Author: FELIX B. CORDERO Adviser: DR. NORITAMANLY School: UNIVERSITY OF MAKATI This study attempted to prove that there exists a significant correlation between overall life satisfaction as manifested in six (6) domains, namely general life occupation, physical health, social relations/support, finances, and daily activities on one hand, and student performance as manifested in two (2) elements, namely goal attainment and academic achievement on the other hand. Employing the descriptive (survey) method with the aid of a modified version of the Wisconsin Quality of Life Index (W-QLI) and using the Slovin formula with a margin of error of 0.05, the current study collected data from 344 grade 12 students enrolled for the school year 2019-2020 at the University of Makati. The modified questionnaire culled background information, then requested respondents to rate their life satisfaction, identify their life goals and their academic goals, and rate all on a seven-point scale. Next, respondents were asked their grade point average, the number of subjects passed, the number of subjects failed, and to rate their satisfaction with these parameters. To test consistency, Cronbach’s alpha (α) was used, while Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient (ϱ) was used to measure the correlation among the variables. The results revealed that respondents were a little satisfied in composite, and across all domains, except for the domain of daily activities, which showed that they were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied. In the same vein, the respondents found all domains as very important. The results likewise revealed that respondents were moderately satisfied with the attainment level of their life goals, as well as in the attainment level of their academic goals. Additionally, the goals which they set for themselves, whether life goals or academic goals, were considered by respondents as very important. Nevertheless, the results revealed that on the whole, there is no significant correlation between life satisfaction and student performance. While a relationship was found between satisfaction with physical health and student performance, the correlation is too low to be appreciated. The same is true for the correlation between the importance of occupation and student performance, and the correlation between the importance of daily activities and student performance. In both these domains, a correlation was established, but not significant enough to be conclusive. In any event, it is apparent that life satisfaction and student performance are independent, and not at all predictive, of each other. Hence, student performance may be influenced by other factors.

Increasing Motivation to Learn through Group Work in a Competitive Environment

In today’s digital era, learning apps have become increasingly important as they can change access to education and optimize learning processes. When developing a product for Mittweida University of Applied Sciences, the intention was to design an app that can be used in a supportive way in the university teaching of the Faculty of Social Work to improve the understanding of the learning material. This paper aims to find out whether learning motivation can be increased when a digital learning app is used in group work within a competitive environment. The digital learning app developed serves to create a space in which several students work together on the topic complexes through exchange or answer questions and motivate each other. To validate the increase in motivation, an evaluation was conducted with a group of students (n = 17) in which group work was simulated with the app. To create the competitive environment, the scores of the groups were openly compared. In addition, the best group received a prize. To determine motivation, questionnaires were used before and after the simulation. The questionnaires consist of a combination of the existing questionnaires on motivation FAM, MSLQ, and CMELAC. They are rated on a five- or seven-point Likert scale. The evaluation of the questionnaires shows that motivation cannot be increased in the simulation. Overall, no major change in motivation can be detected through the evaluation. In addition, the reward was not perceived as necessary. Thus, the question arose why no changes in motivation could be recorded via the snapshot. This may be due to various factors, such as the size of the period under consideration or the number of respondents. The evaluation also makes it clear that the main aspect of the app is not necessarily the motivation of the students.

Investigation of the role of internet marketing, word of mouth communication and brand awareness on purchasing decisions: An empirical study in online stores

This research aims to investigate the role of internet marketing, word-of-mouth and brand awareness on purchasing decisions in online stores. The respondent sampling technique used in this research is a non-probability sampling technique, which uses a purposive sampling technique. The responses to this research were from 468 online store consumers. Measurements of “Internet Marketing”, “Word of Mouth Communication”, “Brand Awareness” and “Purchasing Decisions” were carried out using a seven-point Likert scale, ranging from strongly agree (1) to strongly disagree (7). In this research, the data was analyzed using the Partial Least Square (PLS) method with SmartPLS version 3.0 software. The stages of research data analysis are outer model testing, namely unified validity and reliability, inner model testing and hypothesis testing. Based on the results of data analysis, it is concluded that internet marketing, word-of-mouth and brand awareness had positive and significant effects on purchasing decisions. Better internet marketing will improve consumer purchasing decisions, brand awareness plays an important role in consumer purchasing decisions, and consumers will carry out word-of-mouth activities and tell other people about consumer experiences after consuming products, electronic word of mouth can help consumers in making buying decisions. Based on the results of data analysis, the study provides managerial implications as follows: online stores should evaluate the Internet marketing strategy used by the company by looking for information about what is currently trending among the public and forming a special team to carry out Internet marketing strategies to make them more attractive and creative and provide more complete information regarding products are marketed so that they attract consumers to make purchasing decisions.

TRADUÇÃO E ADAPTAÇÃO TRANSCULTURAL DA RESILIENCE AT WORK SCALE PARA O PORTUGUÊS DO BRASIL

ABSTRACT Objective: to translate and cross-culturally adapt the Resilience at Work Scale for the Brazilian context. Method: Methodological study comprising the stages of conceptual, item, semantic, and operational equivalences. Resilience at Work Scale is composed of 25 items (long version) and 20 items (short version), rated on a seven-point Likert scale. A test-retest was applied to a sample of 45 educators and health workers. Quadratic weighted Kappa and intraclass correlation were used. Result: The adaptation of the 25 items followed the phases of translation, back translation, external assessment, expert committee, pre-tests, test-retest reliability, and equivalence between the original and adapted versions. Two items initially showed less than 90% comprehensibility, but satisfactory results were obtained in a new pre-test after adjustments. The overall Intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.83. Conclusion: The final version of the Resilience at Work Scale 25-Brasil was properly adapted to the Brazilian culture to measure resilience at work. It is an Emancipatory Technology as it enables the implementation of knowledge that contributes to thinking, reflecting, and acting in the face of the individual or collective health-disease continuum.

The Role of Educator’s Research Perceptions in Shaping Attitudes: Insights from Technical and Vocational Education

This study explores the attitudes of educators towards research activities within their professional responsibilities at Politeknik Tuanku Sultanah Bahiyah, Malaysia. Recognizing research as a critical skill for career advancement and academic recognition, the study surveyed 220 educators across six departments, representing 73 percent of the institution’s teaching staff. Utilizing a seven-point Likert scale adapted from Papanastasiou’s Attitude Towards Research (ATR), the research examines five key domains: research usefulness, research relevance, research anxiety, research difficulty, and overall research attitude. The findings reveal a complex landscape of attitudes: while educators generally acknowledge the usefulness and relevance of research, contributing to positive attitudes, they also experience significant anxiety and difficulty, which negatively impact their engagement. These results underscore the need for targeted support to mitigate research-related challenges and foster a more positive research culture among educators.

“My Goal Is to Talk Like a Native”: Emergent Bilingual Students’ Use of Language Learning Strategies

This paper investigates emergent bilingual students’ (Finnish and Swedish) use of language learning strategies (LLS). The focus is on the frequency of LLS use, the difference between Swedish and Finnish speaking students’ use of LLS and the effect on use of LLS to improve the students’ weaker language. The data consisted of students’ self-reports concerning the use of LLS and their proficiency in their L2 on a seven-point Likert scale online survey. The survey also included an opportunity to comment on the answers. The data were gathered in 2019/2020. The instrument was influenced by the SILL (Strategy Inventory for Language Learning) (Oxford 1990) but adapted to the current research context on the basis of the researchers’ expertise and previous interviews with students. The measured and analysed LLS were metacognitive, social, cognitive and compensation strategies. The response rate was approximately 30% (N=184). The results indicated clear differences between Swedish-speaking and Finnish-speaking students regarding the use of different types of LLS. Finnish speaking students made significantly more use of metacognitive strategies while Swedish-speaking students made significantly more use of compensation strategies. Regarding the students’ use of social strategies, it was obvious that some Finnish-speaking students associate the use of Swedish in real-life communication situations with stress and anxiety. Moreover, the students’ use of LLS significantly predicts their progress in the weaker language. We suggest that the students should be offered language strategy instruction for them to understand and more effectively apply language learning strategies, to improve their weaker language at all levels.

Association of Clinical Caring Competencies of Nursing Students with Academic Performance: A Multi-Institutional Study

Nursing students work closely with patients, therefore clinical assignments are regarded as an essential component of nursing education. Objective: To analyze the clinical caring competencies of undergraduate nursing students. Methods: The study design was cross-sectional descriptive having a sample size of 122 students. The nursing students' information was gathered after one months of clinical duties. Three categories, each using a seven-point Likert scale, were used to collect the data. The questionnaire was validly and reliable, while informed consent was taken from each participant and data analysis was performed through SPSS 22.0. Results: The majority of participants was male (87%) in the study, while the maximum number of students belong to age group 18–21 age range (52.7%), and all the students belong to 4th semester. The majority of the students’ academic performance was good (51.1%), followed by average performers (37.4%), and poor performers (11.5%). In all the three domains of clinical competencies the score of patience was high 3.7 ± 0.89, followed by courage domain 3.5 ± 0.88 and cognitive domain 3.4 ± 0.59. Conclusions: There was significant difference between gender groups in cognitive and patience domain while no significant difference in courage domain, while between age groups there were no significant difference between cognitive and patients while there was significant difference in courage domain. The study also established that courage a patient is strongly positive correlated with cognitive domain while negative weak with age, gender and GPA.

A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF COASTAL AND MARINE TOURISM: EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF ACTIVITIES, INTENTIONS, AND REASON FOR VISITING ON VISITOR SATISFACTION: THE MODERATING INFLUENCE OF VISITOR TYPES

The major purpose of this study is to investigate the characteristics that contribute to visitor happiness, with an emphasis on Aqaba, Jordan's one-of-a-kind setting. Rather than selecting volunteers at random, the researchers took into account the entire community of Aqaba tourists. About 237 of the 500 surveys returned were usable for statistical purposes. In order to categorize the responses, a seven-point Likert scale was used. We use of Smart PLS 4 forms the basis of the analytical framework. There is strong statistical support for the findings of the study. Satisfaction (SA) is heavily influenced by the elements of Availability of Activities (AA), Intends to Participate (IP), and Reason for Visiting (RV). The T value for AA is 4.128 (p 0.001), which indicates statistical significance. IP also has a high T value (7.505, p 0.001), indicating a significant impact. The T value of 4.502 for RV (p 0.001) further demonstrates its statistically significant influence. Add the moderating variable TV to the research design to see how it affects the results. With a T-value of 1.971 (p = 0.049), we see that there is an interaction effect between (AA) and (SA), with (TV) serving as a moderator. The moderate influence of (IP) on (SA) results in a T value of 0.822 (p = 0.411), which is not statistically significant. However, the T value of 4.144 (p 0.001) demonstrates the significance of the interaction between RV and SA, indicating that TV has a moderating effect on the relationship between the two variables.