Involvement In Social Activities Research Articles

Participation in leisure activities in adolescents with congenital heart defects.

To describe leisure participation in adolescents with congenital heart defects (CHD) and identify factors associated with intensity of participation. Eighty adolescents with CHD were recruited (39 males, 41 females; mean age [SD] 15y 8mo [1y 8mo] range 11y 5mo-19y 11mo) of whom 78 completed the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment (CAPE) outcome measure of leisure participation. The measure has five subscales: recreational, active-physical, social, skill-based, and self-improvement. Associations between the CAPE and age, sex, and development were examined. Motor ability (Movement Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition), cognition (Leiter International Performance Scale-Revised), behavior (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire), and motivation (Dimensions of Mastery Questionnaire) were assessed. Participants exhibited impaired motor (43.5%), behavioral (23.7%), and cognitive (29.9%) development. The most intense participation was in social (mean [SD] 3.3 [0.99]) and recreational (2.9 [0.80]) activity types on the CAPE. Male sex (p<0.05) and younger age were associated with greater physical activity (<15y: 1.87; ≥15y: 1.31, p<0.05). Greater engagement in social activities was related to better cognition (r=0.28, p<0.05), higher motor function (r=0.30-0.36, p<0.01), and fewer behavioral difficulties (r=-0.32 to -0.47, p<0.01). Cognitive ability (r=0.27, p<0.05), dexterity and aiming/catching (r=0.27-0.33, p<0.05), and behavior problems (r=0.38-0.49, p=0.001) were correlated with physical activity participation. Persistence in tasks, an aspect of motivation, correlated with physical (r=0.45, p<0.001) and social activity involvement (r=0.28, p<0.05). Ongoing developmental impairments in adolescents with CHD are associated with decreased active-physical and social engagement, putting them at risk of poor physical and mental health. Health promotion strategies should be considered. Adolescents with congenital heart defects (CHD) have limited engagement in active-physical leisure activities. Cognitive, motor, and behavioral impairments are associated with decreased participation in leisure in children with CHD. Female sex and older age are associated with less engagement in leisure. Mastery motivation correlates with participation, suggesting an avenue for intervention.

Status and Impact of Social Media and Networking Sites on Students of College of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; The present study investigated the status and impact of social media and networking sites on College of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences’ students of Fiji National University, Fiji. Likert scale was used in the questionnaire. The collected data from 516 (86.00 per cent) usable questionnaires was tabulated and analysed using statistical tools and techniques. The findings showed that the majority of students participated in and satisfied with high usage of Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram accessed through laptops and PCs on daily and weekly basis. The students made their profiles visible only for the well-known people and comforted with notorious postings. The positive impacts as communication with family and friends, participation in networking activities, and involvement in social activities, as well as negative impacts as discontinuation to the sites for misusing their information, distraction from research/assignments/careers activities, continue if the account is hacked, no review of privacy settings for controlling notorious postings, and consume too much time were identified as the utmost effects of social media and SNSs. This study provides opportunity to higher management to review the social software for the benefit of Fiji National University and to carry out future related studies especially in Fiji.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Advantageous of Volunteerism Values for Indonesian Community and Neighbourhoods

The skills and participation of citizens are urgently needed for progress and prosperity in the community. Volunteerism opens opportunities for each individual to participate and contribute based on the knowledge and experience he has had in previous voluntary activities. Qualitative research implemented on this research, and ethnography method to explore the cultural background and young people engagement. Young people participation in voluntary activity has a positive impact on building community solidarity that strengthens togetherness and kinship. Sympathy and empathy are strengths in increasing individual motivation in voluntary activities. Volunteerism creates space for interaction and communication between individuals involvement in social activities. Social capital that runs well will bring about social welfare, this can be started from the involvement of individuals called active citizenship. The implications from the research are: 1) community need some positive activity and opportunity to engage; 2) the more young people engage with the social activities the more they are trained and experienced.

Age integration in older Europeans' non-kin core networks: Does formal social participation play a role?

Age segregation-the widespread separation of people by age-is deemed by many gerontologists a major problem in contemporary societies. Contributing to this dialog, the current exploratory article examines the presence of non-kin members in European seniors' close personal networks. Specifically, we document network connections to people outside of their 10-year birth cohort, both younger ("downward" age integration) and older ("upward" age integration). We consider whether different aspects of social participation-breadth and intensity of activity, and specific types of participation-are associated with age integration andwe pay particular attention to variation across four regions of the continent. Analyses use Wave 6 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (N = 34,282) which contains an updated social networks module. Results of descriptive analyses and logistic regression models demonstrate three key findings. First, both forms of age integration are rare-fewer than 10% of older Europeans have non-kin networks that extend beyond their owncohorts. Nevertheless, both forms of age integration tend to be higher in northern and central Europe than in the south and east. Second, two dimensions of formal social activity involvement were associated with age integration, namely activity breadth and intensity. Third, though there was some evidence that particular formal activities were linked to age integration, this pattern was not consistent across the whole of Europe. Overall, findings point to the significance of cultural and organizational variation across Europe as well as to important and increasingly relevant social cleavages in the later segments of adulthood.

Mid-life social participation and physical performance at age 60–64: evidence from the 1946 British Birth Cohort Study

Previous studies linking social activity and disability have been limited by focussing on self-reported physical performance in older adults (>65). We examined whether social participation in mid-life is associated with objective and subjective measures of physical performance in older age. Participants of the Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development reported their involvement in social activities at ages 43 and 60-64 years; frequency of such involvement was classified into thirds. Physical performance was measured at age 60-64 using: grip strength; standing balance; chair rises; timed get-up-and-go; self-reported physical function from the Short Form-36. Multivariable regression was used to examine longitudinal associations between social participation and each physical performance measure. We also investigated whether change in social participation between 43 and 60-64 was associated with each outcome. In fully adjusted models, higher frequency of social participation at 43 was associated with faster chair rise (1.42 repetitions/min, 95% CI 0.45-2.39) and timed get-up-and-go speed (2.47 cm/s, 95% CI 0.27-4.67) and lower likelihood of self-report limitations (OR of low physical function 0.67, 95% CI 0.50-0.91) at 60-64 compared with low frequency. Better performance in objectively measured outcomes was observed only if higher social participation persisted over time whereas lower odds of self-reported limitations were found in all groups when compared to those with persistently low participation (ORs 0.43-0.56, all P≤0.02). Our findings suggest that associations between higher levels of social participation in mid-life and better physical performance exist only if this social participation persists through to older age.

A study on elder abuse in an urban resettlement colony of Delhi.

Background:In India, proportion of elderly is increasing with decrease in mortality rate and increase in life expectancy. There is a paucity of studies on elder abuse, a problem faced frequently by an elderly. The present study planned to find out the prevalence of abuse and associated risk factors among community dwelling elderly in an urban resettlement colony of east Delhi.Methods:It is a community-based cross-sectional study. This study was done among elderly residents aged 60 years and above in an urban resettlement colony of east Delhi. Study participants were interviewed using a pretested, semi-structured questionnaire. Data were collected regarding sociodemographic profile and prevalence of abuse. Simple descriptive tables were generated to denote frequencies. Cross-tabulation and chi-square test were applied to study the association between various sociodemographic characteristics and elder abuse.Results:A total of 125 elderly were interviewed. Twelve (9.6%) reported experience of abuse. All abused participants faced neglect, four faced verbal abuse, and two participants reported physical and one financial abuse. Abused elderly belonged to a higher age group >70 years and did not have regular contact with family and friends (P = 0.00; no involvement in social activities (P = 0.001). Abuse was more likely when “finances were managed by others” (P = 0.02) and having dependency for daily needs (P = 0.00).Conclusion:Elder abuse is prevalent in India. The victims of abuse lack social support and network and are reluctant to report abuse.

Assessing Effective Utilisation of Instructional Time by Secondary School Teachers in Northern Region, Ghana

This study investigated teachers’ total utilisation of allocated instructional time and its’ effects on students learning in Senior High Schools in Northern Region, Ghana. Despite several conceptual and theoretical models regarding the significance of “time” in effective teaching and learning, little is known on how teachers in Ghana spend their time in the school and how the usage varies across SHS in Ghana. This qualitative-case study investigated teacher use of instructional time and draws its validity from Caroll’s model of school learning (Carroll, 1963) and Bloom’s Mastery learning approach to teaching (Bloom, 1971). The study found that factors that impede total utilisation of instructional time in the selected schools include teacher absenteeism (including maternity and study leave) without alternative arrangement, inadequate preparation, poor teacher-student relationship, teacher involvement in social activities (including social ceremonies) instead of attending to the allotted instructional time, delays at school’s events (including Headmaster’s assembly), and teachers’ attendance to school wide activities (including sporting activities, committee and board meetings). The study therefore recommends effective planning process that accommodates teacher replacement in times of leave, ill-health and other natural phenomenon, and payment of teachers based on instructional time utilisation. Keywords: Effective; Usage; Instructional Time; School DOI : 10.7176/RHSS/9-2-12

A study on moral judgement ability of school students

Moral development is an important aspect in human life along with physical, social, cognitive and emotional development. Many research studies have indicated that home and school environment, involvement in social activities, parental involvement and education etc. has a great impact on children’s moral development. The present study is an attempt to study the moral judgement ability of school students and to find out if there is any gender difference in moral judgement ability. The sample consisted of 100 students, out of which 50 were girls and 50 were boys. The moral judgement was measured by using Moral Judgement Test developed by Verma and Sinha (1971). Result revealed that there is average and above average moral judgement ability among school students but girls have high moral judgement ability than boys which is significant at 0.05 significant level.

Obesity and healthy aging: social, functional and mental well-being among older Canadians.

Canadians are living longer than before, and a large proportion of them are living with obesity. The present study sought to describe how older participants in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) who are living with obesity are aging, through an examination of measures of social, functional and mental well-being. We used data from the first wave of the CLSA for people aged 55 to 85 years in this study. We used descriptive statistics to describe characteristics of this population and adjusted generalized logistic models to assess measures of social, functional and mental well-being among obese participants (body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2) relative to non-obese participants. Findings are presented separately for females and males. More than half of the participants reported living with a low personal income (less than $50 000); females were particularly affected. Less than half of the participants were obese; those who were had higher odds of multimorbidity than those who were not living with obesity (among those aged 55-64 years: odds ratio [OR] 2.7, 95% CI: 2.0-3.5 males; OR 2.8, 95% CI: 2.2-2.5 females). Low social participation was associated with obesity among older female participants, but not males. Physical functioning issues and impairments in activities of daily living were strongly associated with obesity for both females and males. While happiness and life satisfaction were not associated with obesity status, older females living with obesity reported negative impressions of whether their aging was healthy. The odds of multimorbidity were higher among participants who were obese, relative to those who were not. Obese female participants tended to have a negative perception of whether they were aging healthily and had lower odds of involvement in social activities, while both sexes reported impairments in functional health. The associations we observed, independent of multimorbidity in older age, highlight areas where healthy aging initiatives may be merited.

Teen Pregnancy Risk Factors Among Young Women of Diverse Sexual Orientations.

Young women who are sexual minorities (eg, bisexual and lesbian) are approximately twice as likely as those who are heterosexual to have a teen pregnancy. Therefore, we hypothesized that risk factors for teen pregnancy would vary across sexual orientation groups and that other potential risk factors exist that are unique to sexual minorities. We used multivariable log-binomial models gathered from 7120 young women in the longitudinal cohort known as the Growing Up Today Study to examine the following potential teen pregnancy risk factors: childhood maltreatment, bullying victimization and perpetration, and gender nonconformity. Among sexual minorities, we also examined the following: sexual minority developmental milestones, sexual orientation-related stress, sexual minority outness, and lesbian, gay, and bisexual social activity involvement. Childhood maltreatment and bullying were significant teen pregnancy risk factors among all participants. After adjusting for childhood maltreatment and bullying, the sexual orientation-related teen pregnancy disparities were attenuated; these risk factors explained 45% of the disparity. Among sexual minorities, reaching sexual minority developmental milestones earlier was also associated with an increased teen pregnancy risk. The higher teen pregnancy prevalence among sexual minorities compared with heterosexuals in this cohort was partially explained by childhood maltreatment and bullying, which may, in part, stem from sexual orientation-related discrimination. Teen pregnancy prevention efforts that are focused on risk factors more common among young women who are sexual minorities (eg, childhood maltreatment, bullying) can help to reduce the existing sexual orientation-related teen pregnancy disparity.

Well-being and Mental Health Impact of Household Flooding in Guyana, the Caribbean

AbstractGuyana has annually experienced excessive rainfall and flooding since 2005. This study investigated the general well-being and mental health problems among occupants of households affected by the December 2008 flooding in Guyana. A cross-sectional study design was used to administer validated questionnaires, which included sections on demographics, environmental exposure, general health, and personal behavior. The response rate to the survey was 70% (130/185). The findings indicate an increased self-reported poor health for study participants who smelled moldy odors inside of their home (OR: 4.1, 95% CI: 2.0‐12.0) and for individuals who had mold or mildew inside of their homes (OR: 3.0, 95% CI: 1.2‐7.5). Individuals whose homes had flooded previously were also shown to be slightly more at risk for experiencing diminished interest in daily activities (OR: 1.3, 95% CI: 0.5‐2.9) as well as diminished involvement in social activities (OR: 1.9, 95% CI: 0.7‐4.8). Also, participants who had their houses previously flooded reported an increased difficulty in concentrating (OR: 2.4, 95% CI: 0.9‐6.4). Flooding might be a possible risk factor for well-being and mental health problems among the occupants of affected households.

Modelling Basic Numeracy Learning Application for Children with Autism: A Pilot Study

Children with autism have various difficulties in developing cognitive abilities and attaining new knowledge. However, it is essential they obtain a competence approach in order to achieve independence. The state of art has shown that a significant aspiration for children with autism is to become independent. Part of attaining independence includes achieving skills that allow for self-determination and involvement in social activities. Hence, it is essential for every child with autism to acquire basic numeracy skills to enhance their self-determination. With the emergence of assistive learning technology such as smartphones, PDAs, tablets, and laptops with touchscreen features, there are extensive ways to improve the quality of life for children with autism. This study, therefore, aims to explore the basic numeracy skills-based dynamic visual for children with autism that will possibly be of assistance to parents, educators, and facilitators in the development of digital assistive learning tools to meet the requirements of children with autism in learning environments. From the proposed theoretical framework, an application was designed and tested with several children with autism. Based on observations from the experiment, the users showed positive attitudes towards the outcome of the application.&#x0D; Keywords: children with autism, assistive learning technology, apps, numeracy, education

RESILIENCE: PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY ON THE CHILD OF PARENTAL DIVORCE AND THE DEATH OF PARENTS

Losing both parents due to divorce or death is a traumatic incident that produces a source of stress in life. This will be bad for the person’s life since it might create a sense of loneliness, a grave need for affection, and financial problems. Individuals need an ability to overcome problems called resilience. Resilience is a capacity to respond soundly and productively when facing misery or traumatic events. Subjects in this study experienced trauma from parental divorce and death of both parents. When both parents were still alive, the subject never received attention from his father since he had remarried while his mother was forced to work abroad to fulfill their financial needs. The subject was raised by his grandparents with a strong upbringing pattern and lacked the support for achievement. However, the subject managed to grow to be an independent adult and survive the difficult conditions suffered while still managed to be whatever he wants without harming others. The purpose of this study is to investigate the resilience dynamics of a child experiencing parental divorce and death. This research uses phenomenology approach. Subject in this study consisted of one person based on typical case sampling. The typical cases discussed here are divorce and death of both parents. Data is collected using semi-structured interview method and then analysed using thematic analysis. The result of this study indicates that the subject has developed resilience from adverse events happened to him. The greatest effects experienced by the subject from this traumatic event are the low level of family support, the sense of loneliness, problems with the authoritarian style of rearing he endured while living with the parent's family after parental divorce until both parents died that make it difficult for him to trust others, as well as low self-esteem. But these adverse effects had not made him desperate with his life. The subject's involvement in social activities has succeeded in changing his view toward life more positively and making the subject self-sufficient individual. Factors such as hardiness, locus of control and spirituality are found in the subject and contribute to the subject's ability to survive even without the full support of the family. In essence, the involvement of subjects in social activities is the greatest source and influence from where the subject rebuilt his view of life, to rise above the problem and become a more positive individual.

Impact of the participatory financing of international development projects on social capital of the local communities

To date, the promotion of local development of the territorial communities by means of the financial policy tools is one of the priority directions of scientific research not only in Ukraine, but also throughout the world. The article presents the results of the study of the impact of the participatory financing (attraction of the financial resources of community members, central and local budgets and the international donors) on the social capital of the territorial communities of Sumy region on the basis of the results of two phases of the project “Community-based Approach to Local Development”, which has been implemented in Ukraine by the United Nations Development Program since 2007. The main purpose of the article is to confirm the hypothesis that the participatory financing contributes to the social mobilization of the community residents, which leads to the activation of the “dormant” potential of collective actions and the desire of people to help themselves, as well as to improve some indicators of social capital. The difference-in-differences method and the multivariate regression analysis were used for the study. According to the results of the study, the characteristics of social capital, such as (anti)paternalism, the presence of traditions in community, involvement in social activities, collective action and cooperation are the most affected by the impact of participatory financing.

The Community Navigator Study: a feasibility randomised controlled trial of an intervention to increase community connections and reduce loneliness for people with complex anxiety or depression

BackgroundLoneliness is associated with poor health outcomes at all ages, including shorter life expectancy and greater risk of developing depression. People with mental health problems are particularly vulnerable to loneliness and, for those with anxiety or depression, loneliness is associated with poorer outcomes. Interventions which support people to utilise existing networks and access new social contact are advocated in policy but there is little evidence regarding their effectiveness. People with mental health problems have potential to benefit from interventions to reduce loneliness, but evidence is needed regarding their feasibility, acceptability and outcomes. An intervention to reduce loneliness for people with anxiety or depression treated in secondary mental health services was developed for this study, which will test the feasibility and acceptability of delivering and evaluating it through a randomised controlled trial.MethodsIn this feasibility trial, 40 participants with anxiety or depression will be recruited through two secondary mental health services in London and randomised to an intervention (n = 30) or control group (n = 10). The control group will receive standard care and written information about local community resources. The coproduced intervention, developed in this study, includes up to ten sessions with a ‘Community Navigator’ over a 6-month period. Community Navigators will work with people individually to increase involvement in social activities, with the aim of reducing feelings of loneliness. Data will be collected at baseline and at 6-month follow-up – the end of the intervention period. The acceptability of the intervention and feasibility of participant recruitment and retention will be assessed. Potential primary and secondary outcomes for a future definitive trial will be completed to assess response and completeness, including measures of loneliness, depression and anxiety. Qualitative interviews with participants, staff and other stakeholders will explore experiences of Community Navigator support, the mechanisms by which it may have its effects and suggestions for improving the programme.DiscussionOur trial will provide preliminary evidence of the feasibility and acceptability of Community Navigator support and of trial procedures for testing this. The results will inform a future definitive randomised controlled trial of this intervention.Trial registrationISRCTN10771821. Registered on 3 April 2017.

Relationships Between Neighborhood Social Capital and The Occurrence of Outdoor Falls in Canadian Older Adults: A Multilevel Analysis.

The aim of this study was to examine whether neighborhood-level social capital is a risk factor for falls outside of the home in older adults. Health questionnaires were completed by community-dwelling Canadians aged +65 years living in Kingston (Ontario) and St-Hyacinthe (Quebec), supplemented by neighborhood-level census data. Multilevel logistic regression models with random intercepts were fit. Variations in the occurrence of falls across neighborhoods were quantified by median odds ratio and 80% interval odds ratio. Between-neighborhood differences explained 7% of the variance in the occurrence of falls; this variance decreased to 2% after adjustment for neighborhood-level variables. In the fully adjusted models, higher levels of social capital increased the odds of falls by almost 2 times: (odds ratio [OR] = 2.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.19, 3.71]). Living in neighborhoods with higher levels of social capital was associated with higher risk of falling in older adults, possibly through more involvement in social activities.

Connection between Suicidal Ideation, Life Meaning, and Leisure Time Activities

ABSTRACTThis study is an examination of the links between adolescent suicidal ideation, life meaning, and the ways they spend their leisure time. The sample consisted of 450 students aged 15–18. Findings showed a significant negative correlation between suicidal ideation and sense of life meaning, encompassing factors such as age and gender. Adolescents with involvement in social activities demonstrated lower levels of suicidal ideation (total score), and lower levels of depression and anxiety, than the other two groups. The study discusses the research and practical implications of these findings. The findings suggest the possibility of establishing prevention, intervention, and therapy programs for adolescents based on life meaning.

Musical activity across the lifespan as it contributes to quality of life

Abstract As the baby-boomer generation ages, attention to maintaining quality of life is receiving renewed attention. Involvement in social activity, including the performing arts, is increasingly seen as offering opportunities for meaningful social engagement as well as promoting physical and emotional health. This article examines the role of musical activity for older adults in a small town in Ohio, exploring what musicians value about their musical activities and how they believe their involvement in music contributes to their quality of life. Respondents affirm that music confers benefits of enjoyment, intellectual and physical stimulation, and meaningful engagement in their community. These findings are consistent with factors previously identified as essential to the quality of life of older individuals, and are strengthened by their similarity to an earlier, much larger study of benefits perceived by older musicians participating in New Horizons ensembles.

Social enterprise: Gender gap and economic development

Companies created by women represent a substantial part of entrepreneurship. While men outnumber women in entrepreneurship rates, the gender gap decreases in the case of social enterprises. This may be explained by the fact that roles and stereotypes that influence women's behavior will lead to significantly identify with the values promulgated by social enterprises. This greater involvement in social activities leads women to become an essential player for promoting such needed initiatives given the impossibility for public institutions to address all social problems. Therefore in this paper, firstly, we study the gender gap in social and commercial entrepreneurship, distinguishing between enterprises with less than 42 months of activity and those consolidated in the market. Secondly, and aware of the variability of data between countries, a study is conducted using a sample of 48 countries grouped according to their level of development. The results confirm what is stated in the literature, the gender gap is reduced in the case of social entrepreneurship and it is also shown that female participation in social enterprises is influenced by the level of development of the country. These results lead us to highlight the importance of variables such as culture or social norms when explaining female behavior.

CSR jako narzędzie komunikacji marketingowej firm sektora TSL

The article focuses on identifying the idea and the role of corporate social responsibility in marketing communications of companies representing transport and logistics sector. Article describes how these entities communicate their CSR activities through the companies’ website. Moreover the areas of companies’ involvement in social activities are presented and relation that exists between social activities and marketing communication activities in transport and logistics sector.