Socio-cognitive Variables Research Articles

Socio-cognitive determinants of colorectal cancer screening uptake: An application of intervention mapping approach.

Background: Fecal occult blood test (FOBT) is one of the common screening tests for colorectal cancer. This study was designed to determine the socio-cognitive determinants related to FOBT uptake for colorectal cancer screening based on intervention mapping (IM). Methods: A total of 500 individuals aged over 50 years were randomly selected to participate in this study in Kermanshah, Iran, in 2016. Data were collected by interviews based on a questionnaire and analyzed by SPSS16 using bivariate correlation, linear, and logistic regression models. Results: Of the 500 respondents, 468 (93.6%) signed the consent form and voluntarily participated in the study. Almost 11.1% of the participants had a history of FOBT uptake. Socio-cognitive variables accounted for 38% of the variation in the outcome measure of the intention to uptake FOBT. Perceived self-efficacy (OR = 3.345 & 95% CI: 1.342, 8.339), perceived susceptibility (OR = 2.204& 95% CI: 1.320, 3.680), attitude (OR = 1.674& 95% CI: 1.270, 2.137), and perceived severity (OR = 1.457& 95% CI: 0.954, 2.224) were the strongest predictors of fecal occult blood test uptake. Conclusion: IM-based analysis of behavior may provide insights to design interventions for modifying individuals’ beliefs about the usefulness of FOBT uptake to prevent colorectal cancer.

Rol de la inteligencia fluida y de la empatía en el prejuicio implícito y explícito en escolares

El presente artículo se basa en una investigación que, desde la mirada de la neurociencia social, se plantea como objetivo establecer el impacto que poseen variables sociocognitivas como la empatía y la inteligencia fluida en la manifestación de prejuicio implícito y explícito de estudiantes con pares inmigrantes, pertenecientes a una comuna de la Región Metropolitana. La investigación utiliza el paradigma IAT, una escala de actitudes hacia la multiculturalidad (EAHMC), el Empathy Index (Bryant, 1982) y la aplicación del WISC IV para conocer los niveles de inteligencia fluida. Los resultados de esta investigación muestran una relación estadísticamente significativa en la modulación tanto de la empatía como de la inteligencia fluida (f= 2,011, f=2,991, f=3,268, P

Factors associated with smoking initiation among Saudi male adolescents: A longitudinal study.

INTRODUCTIONKnowing country-specific predictors of smoking behaviour for adolescents is crucial for successful smoking prevention programs. This study aims to assess demographic and socio-cognitive variables related to smoking initiation among Saudi male adolescents.METHODSLongitudinal data were collected at T1 (baseline) and at T2 (followup at 6 months) using a self-administered questionnaire. We assessed smoking behaviour and related demographic variables and socio-cognitive variables. Chi-squared tests and independent-samples t-tests were used to identify differences in baseline characteristics between smokers and non-smokers at T1. Furthermore, non-smokers at T1 were included in logistic regression analyses to examine the predictors of smoking initiation between T1 and T2.RESULTSAt T1, the non-smokers who were included in further analysis were 523 (84.9%) of whom 48 (9.2%) had initiated smoking at T2. They differed significantly from non-initiators, including having a more positive attitude towards smoking, reporting more social norms, modelling and pressure to smoke, having a lower self-efficacy to refrain from smoking and higher intention to smoke in the future (all p<0.001). The regression analysis revealed that: adolescents with disrupted-families, being of low academic achievement, with relatively high monthly-income families, having more smoking-peers, high-perceived pressure to smoke from parents (p=0.002) and teachers (p=0.001), have smoking supportive-norms of parents and having high intention to smoke in the future (p<0.001) were at higher risk of being smokers.CONCLUSIONSFindings suggest that health-promoting programs should address strengthening of self-efficacy and enhancing refusal skills against modelling of peers, pressure and norms of parents.

Evaluation of a Road Safety Education Program Based on Driving Under Influence and Traffic Risks for Higher Secondary School Students in Belgium

Road safety education has been recognized as an instrument for reducing road accidents. This study aims to evaluate the road safety education program “Traffic Weeks” among higher secondary school students (age 16–19) in Belgium. The program focuses on driving under influence (DUI) and traffic risks. This study investigates whether the program has an effect on socio-cognitive variables using a questionnaire based on the theory of planned behavior. During the pre-test, 445 students filled in the questionnaire, while 253 students filled in the questionnaire during the post-test. Of these, 175 questionnaires could be matched. The results indicate that the students already had quite a supportive view of road safety at pre-test, with female students showing a more supportive view of road safety than male students. The DUI workshop had a positive effect on most socio-cognitive variables (attitude, subjective norm-friends, and intention) of female students in general education, while the traffic risks workshop only affected perceived behavioral control of female students. In terms of appreciation, students had a significantly higher appreciation of the DUI workshop compared to the traffic risks workshop. During the focus groups, students gave recommendations to improve the program.

Predicting depression severity: the role of socio-cognitive variables

Predicting depression severity: the role of socio-cognitive variables

Longitudinal Continuity in Understanding and Production of Giving-Related Behavior From Infancy to Childhood.

Infants have an early understanding of giving (the transfer of an item by one agent to another), but little is known about individual differences in these abilities or their developmental outcomes. Here, 9-month-olds (N=59) showing clearer neural processing (Event-related potential, ERP) of a give-me gesture also evidenced a stronger reaction (pupil dilation) to an inappropriate response to a give-me gesture, and at 2years were more likely to give in response to a give-me gesture. None of the differences in understanding and production of giving-related behaviors were associated with other sociocognitive variables investigated: language, gaze-following, and nongiving helping. The early developmental continuity in understanding and production of giving behavior is consistent with the great importance of giving for humans throughout the life span.

Testing a Social Cognitive Model of Well-Being With Women Engineers

The present study tests the utility of the Social Cognitive Model of Well-Being (SCWB) in the context of work, with a sample of 348 women engineers. Using structural equation modeling, we examined the relations of positive affect, self-efficacy, work conditions, goal progress, and environmental supports and barriers that were assumed to account for job satisfaction and life satisfaction of women engineers. Overall, the model provided a good fit to the data, and SCWB predictors accounted for a significant amount of variance in job satisfaction (63%) and life satisfaction (54%) with our sample of women engineers. As expected, most paths of the SCWB model were significant; however, we also found nonsignificant relations among variables in the model. In particular, goal progress did not play a critical role in the present study. In addition, we examined the indirect effects of environmental variables (e.g., supports and barriers) on job satisfaction via sociocognitive variables (e.g., self-efficacy and perceived work conditions) in the engineering work domain. Implications for practice, theory, and future vocational and organizational research in engineering are discussed.

‘I Always Say What I Think’: a Rights-Based Approach of Young People’s Psychosocial Functioning in Residential Care

Adolescents in residential care tend to be socially devalued and are psychosocially vulnerable. For that reason, a rights-based approach must be adopted to empower them and promote their participation. Focus group discussions were developed with 29 adolescents aiming to explore their rights perceptions during the placement in residential care and how it could be related to their well-being. Results from the grounded model showed that youth’s perceptions on the non-fulfilment of their rights are related to perceived emotional and behavioral difficulties. Their psychological functioning seems to be particularly affected when a set of dimensions are perceived as not fulfilled, namely, education, private life, non-discrimination, perceived social image and respect for themselves and their families by the protection system. Also, a set of individual, relational and socio-cognitive variables were identified as conditions and processes that provide additional explanatory potential to this model. These results underpin the relevance of adopting a rights-based approach to understand psychosocial functioning in residential care, strengthening the importance of social influences to human development. Implications for practice are also explored in the present work.

Not just numeracy and literacy: Theory of mind development and school readiness among low-income children.

The current study investigated the role of theory of mind development in school readiness among 120 low-income preschool and kindergarten children. A short-term longitudinal design was used to examine relations among theory of mind, the understanding of teaching, and learning behaviors and their collective role in children's literacy and numeracy skills at school entry. Results replicate differences in theory of mind development among low-income children as compared to typically studied, higher-income samples. Theory of mind and the combination of several sociocognitive variables successfully predicted concurrent relations with academic outcomes. Children's understanding of teaching predicted changes in literacy scores over time. Results are discussed in the context of what is known about theory of mind and sociocognitive development in school readiness. (PsycINFO Database Record

Achieving recovery in patients with schizophrenia through psychosocial interventions: A retrospective study.

Recovery, or functional remission, represents the ultimate treatment goal in schizophrenia. Despite its importance, a standardized definition of remission is still lacking, thus reported rates significantly vary across studies. Moreover, the effects of rehabilitative interventions on recovery have not been thoroughly investigated. This study aimed to evaluate recovery in a sample of patients with chronic schizophrenia engaged in rehabilitation programs and to explore contributing factors, with a focus on sociocognitive rehabilitative interventions. Data from 104 patients with schizophrenia treated either with a standard rehabilitation program, including cognitive remediation (n = 46), or the latter plus a specific sociocognitive intervention (n = 58), and assessed for psychopathology, cognition, social cognition, and Quality of Life Scale, were retrospectively analyzed for this study. Recovery, evaluated with the Quality of Life Scale, was achieved by 56.76% of patients in our sample. While no effects were observed for clinical, cognitive, or sociocognitive variables, participation in the sociocognitive rehabilitative interventions was positively associated with recovery. Our results indicate that high rates of recovery can be achieved in patients treated with psychosocial interventions and suggest that rehabilitative programs targeting social cognition may further facilitate the process of recovery. If confirmed, these results may have relevant implications for daily clinical practice and service provision, allowing clinicians to develop and optimize specific rehabilitation programs in order to promote recovery.

Toward 90-90-90: identifying those who have never been tested for HIV and differences by sex in Lesotho

ABSTRACTTo reach HIV epidemic control it is important to ensure that those who have never been tested access HIV testing and counseling (HTC) particularly in the context of a generalized HIV epidemic. Using data from the 2014 Lesotho Demographic Health Survey bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were conducted to determine the associations between never tested for HIV and key socio-cognitive characteristics by sex. Marginal probabilities at the means were calculated for the socio-cognitive variables for men and women to ascertain the magnitude of the differences in the likelihood of never being tested by sex. We stratified by gender and controlled for age, education, religion, marital status, place of residence, and years circumcised (for men only). Results indicate that more men than women have never been tested (χ2 = 461.16, p < 0.001); and, among men, acceptance of gender based violence (Odds ratio [OR]: 1.44, p < 0.001), holding discriminatory attitudes (OR: 1.50, p < 0.001), and not having basic HIV prevention knowledge (OR: 1.53, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with never being tested. The likelihood of never being tested among those who had these three socio-cognitive characteristics was much higher among men (0.56, p < 0.001) than women (0.20, p < 0.001). Given the strong sex differential, there is an urgent need for strategies specifically targeting men in order to effectively promote HTC uptake among them. Additionally, results suggest that those strategies should integrate strategies to address GBV acceptance, HIV prevention knowledge, and HIV discrimination or link men to programs addressing these.

Hand hygiene in health care settings: the citizens' point of view.

The infection risk prevention is one of the main objectives of all health and sanitary systems, since the reduction of the healthcare associated infections is attainable goals through appropriate prevention strategies. Among these, proper hand hygiene of health care professionals and citizens (visitors/outpatients/caregivers, volunteers) is fundamental to reduce the spreading of micro organisms and prevent infections. The purpose of the study is indeed to explore the self-reported hand washing behavior of citizens who access to health facilities and the variables involved in it, using in particular the Theory of Planned Behaviour. A quantitative research was lead using an anonymous questionnaire, filled out online by 195 citizens (53.6% Female). In the survey were included all the associations of volunteers, relatives and caregivers who cooperate in health care settings of Emilia Romagna Region (Italy). This study has shown that hand hygiene is influenced by different socio-demographic (e.g. gender, age, education) and socio-cognitive variables (intention, attitude, subjective norms, control beliefs). In particular, citizens have a favorable attitude toward hands hygiene in healthcare settings, but they wash their hands more frequently in other contexts or in case of global infectious diseases. The study confirms that the Theory of Planned Behavior adequately explains the hand hygiene behavior in health care settings. Furthermore the threat of infection has a significant impact both on the intention and on the behavior. The results mostly interested those are involved in infectious risk giving the opportunity to intervene with targeted programs for the citizenship.

Predicting adherence to combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV in Tanzania: A test of an extended theory of planned behaviour model

Objectives: Combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) for HIV is widely available in sub-Saharan Africa. Adherence is crucial to successful treatment. This study aimed to apply an extended theory of planned behaviour (TPB) model to predict objectively measured adherence to cART in Tanzania.Design: Prospective observational study (n = 158) where patients completed questionnaires on demographics (Month 0), socio-cognitive variables including intentions (Month 1), and action planning and self-regulatory processes hypothesised to mediate the intention–behaviour relationship (Month 3), to predict adherence (Month 5).Main outcome measures: Taking adherence was measured objectively using the Medication Events Monitoring System (MEMS) caps. Model tests were conducted using regression and bootstrap mediation analyses.Results: Perceived behavioural control (PBC) was positively (β = .767, p < .001, R2 = 57.5%) associated with adherence intentions. Intentions only exercised an indirect effect on adherence (B = 1.29 [0.297–3.15]) through self-regulatory processes (B = 1.10 [0.131–2.87]). Self-regulatory processes (β = .234, p = .010, R2 = 14.7%) predicted better adherence.Conclusion: This observational study using an objective behavioural measure, identified PBC as the main driver of adherence intentions. The effect of intentions on adherence was only indirect through self-regulatory processes, which were the main predictor of objectively assessed adherence.

Changing towards electric vehicle use in Greater Stockholm

This paper studies electric vehicle (EV) adoption in Greater Stockholm in Sweden using the Transtheoretical Model of Change (TTM) and the Protection Motivation Theory as a framework and considers socio-cognitive, behavioural and socio-economic attributes that may influence the process towards electric vehicle use. TTM considers behavioural change as a process consisting of five stages-of-change rather than as an event. Some key findings were made: (1) from the earlier to the later stages-of-change, the attitude towards EVs becomes more positive, the knowledge about EVs increases and the self-efficacy is consistently increasing. (2) The threat appraisal and response efficacy of EVs increase from stage to stage in the stages prior to the actual change but have a lower level for the stages after the change. (3) The explanatory power of regression models modelling both pre-contemplation and all stages-of-change increases significantly when incorporating socio-cognitive variables such as self-efficacy, threat-appraisal, response efficacy and attitudes towards EVs. (4) The modal share of the car is consistently increasing throughout the stages-of-change. The results indicate that policy measures aiming at increasing knowledge and self-efficacy of car drivers related to EV use can stimulate electric vehicle adoption. Also, the relative advantages of EVs for car drivers should get more attention rather than only emphasizing the environmental advantages.

Development of a computer-tailored nutrition and physical activity intervention for lower-educated women of Dutch, Turkish and Moroccan origin using content matching and ethnic identity tailoring.

BackgroundUnhealthy dietary and physical activity (PA) patterns are highly prevalent in most Western countries, especially among lower-educated and ethnic minority groups. Therefore, interventions to promote healthy eating and physical activity that can reach large numbers of lower-educated people are needed. When developing interventions, the ethnic diversity of the lower-educated population may be taken into account to make intervention material more appealing to the target group. This article describes the development and evaluation of two computer-tailored nutrition and physical activity interventions for lower-educated Dutch, Turkish and Moroccan women. One version is tailored to sociocognitive variables (traditional tailoring), while the other is additionally tailored to ethnic identity (EI-tailoring).MethodUsing intervention mapping, two evidence- and theory-based interventions were developed. In the traditional tailoring intervention, messages are tailored to health behavior, awareness of own behavior, attitude and self-efficacy. The behavior change techniques used to address these factors are: descriptive and evaluative feedback, arguments, modeling, goal setting, planning, barrier identification and advice on how to deal with barriers, stimulating resistance to social pressure, mobilization of social support (nontailored), active learning (nontailored) and iterative feedback. In the EI-tailoring intervention, the material is additionally tailored to ethnic identity (EI). This means that recipients who feel strongly attached to their ethnic background receive different intervention material than recipients with a weak attachment to their background. This includes, for instance, the use of more traditional colors, role models that match with their origin and advice messages that refer to their ethnicity of origin.DiscussionDeveloping an intervention that matches the needs of this specific target population was challenging due to the little evidence regarding the determinants of their health behavior, as well as the behavioral change techniques that have not been tested among Turkish and Moroccan women in the Netherlands before. Based on previous research among this and other target populations we hypothesize, however, that the determinants and strategies we use will be suitable. A randomized controlled trial will show whether the interventions are effective among our specific target group and whether EI-tailoring is beneficial.Trial registrationDutch Trial Registry NTR4506, registration date: 1st may 2014

UNA REVISIÓN DE LA INVESTIGACIÓN EDUCATIVA SOBRE AUTOEFICACIA Y TEORÍA COGNITIVO SOCIAL EN HISPANOAMÉRICA

INTRODUCCION. La investigacion educativa sobre el constructo autoeficacia y la Teoria Cognitivo Social ha sido muy abundante en las tres ultimas decadas. Los resultados obtenidos en sus distintas lineas de trabajo han sido sintetizados en revisiones tanto cualitativas como cuantitativas, pero considerando principalmente la produccion cientifica de origen anglosajon publicada en ingles. En el contexto de estos antecedentes, este estudio pretende revisar la investigacion realizada sobre esta area en Hispanoamerica, con el fin de determinar la existencia, el volumen y la naturaleza de los estudios empiricos desarrollados e identificar lineas de investigacion futuras. METODO. Se llevo a cabo una revision de la investigacion publicada a partir de una busqueda sistematica en las bases de datos SciELO, RedALyC, Scopus y Dialnet Plus. Se identificaron 58 estudios empiricos que cubrieron los criterios de inclusion fijados previamente. Todos ellos fueron caracterizados atendiendo a su area tematica, tipo de estudio y diseno metodologico, muestras, variables y medidas sociocognitivas y tecnicas de analisis. RESULTADOS. Se pone de manifiesto la existencia en la region de trabajos en todas las lineas clasicas de investigacion en la Teoria Cognitivo Social, si bien con un grado de desarrollo dispar. Se muestra un predominio claro de los trabajos en el area de la autoeficacia, el rendimiento y la motivacion (46%), seguido de los estudios de corte psicometrico (28%), los estudios en el area de la autoeficacia docente (17%) y los trabajos sobre autoeficacia vocacional y SCCT (9%). DISCUSION. A partir de los resultados obtenidos se presenta un diagnostico general del estado de la investigacion empirica sobre autoeficacia y la Teoria Cognitivo Social en Hispanoamerica, hasta ahora no disponible. Este nuevo conocimiento sistematizado ha permitido identificar, entre otros aspectos, ambitos de investigacion concretos necesitados de desarrollo en la region a partir de una amplia base de evidencia

Ai… vou fazer um teste! Considerações em torno da ansiedade a exames

A ansiedade a exames é um importante problema pessoal e social, que influencia o desempenho e o próprio desenvolvimento pessoal. O presente artigo tem por objetivo refletir acerca da ansiedade a exames e da importância de diversas variáveis associadas às dificuldades sentidas por alunos ao nível da ansiedade de desempenho aos exames e, consequentemente, do seu rendimento escolar. O artigo começa por delimitar conceptualmente e explanar a sintomatologia e variáveis associadas à ansiedade em exames em crianças, adolescentes e adultos. Evidenciam-se as componentes emocional, fisiológica e cognitiva e apontam-se alguns modelos compreensivo para a ansiedade a exames. Seguidamente, referem-se possíveis causas subjacentes ao desempenho escolar, com particular ênfase nas variáveis sociocognitivas. Discute-se a natureza complexa e multidimensional deste distúrbio de ansiedade e o estilo atribucional dos alunos com ansiedade a exames. Conclui-se que a ansiedade às situações de exames não deve ser encarada como uma mera característica da situação ou do estudante. Ela resulta não das propriedades objetivas da situação, mas antes da interpretação ou avaliação cognitiva que o aluno faz da mesma.

Linking insomnia and suicide ideation in college females: The role of socio-cognitive variables and depressive symptoms in suicide risk

BackgroundAlthough insomnia symptoms are associated with risk of suicide ideation, the means by which insomnia influences ideation, as well as the role depression plays in these relationships, require further study. In this study, we examined whether certain socio-cognitive variables (fatigue, social problem-solving, and hopelessness) in conjunction with depression explained this relationship among female college students. Methods483 female students completed measures assessing insomnia and depressive symptoms, fatigue, social problem-solving ability, hopelessness, and suicide ideation. ResultsPath analyses indicated that socio-cognitive variables partially explained the insomnia-ideation relationship above the influence of depressive symptoms. Higher depressive symptoms exacerbated relationships between social problem-solving and hopelessness, heightening ideation risk. ConclusionsOur findings expand knowledge of intermediate socio-cognitive variables that may contribute to the insomnia-ideation relationship, and indicate that clinically-severe depressive symptoms compound the contribution of negative self and future appraisals to thoughts of suicide. Suicidal females with insomnia and depressive symptoms may benefit from interventions targeting problem-solving skills and improving sleep.

Forgiving the terrorists of the Years of Lead in Italy: The role of restorative justice beliefs and sociocognitive determinants

The period of political terrorism named the “Years of Lead” ( Anni di Piombo) started in Italy at the end of the 1960s and lasted until the late 1980s. The social wounds of this bloody time are still not healed, and there is a social debate about the opportunity to concede forgiveness to those responsible for those crimes. Drawing from the intergroup forgiveness literature, we tested a model explaining under which conditions forgiveness towards terrorists could be supported by Italian citizens. The model was tested in two generations: 331 Italian citizens who were adolescents or adults during the terrorism period and 208 Italian young adults born after the end of the Years of Lead. Findings showed that restorative justice beliefs and sociocognitive variables, like outgroup empathy and trust, were uniquely linked to forgiveness towards the terrorists.

The false consensus effect: A trigger of radicalization in locally unwanted land uses conflicts?

We tackled conflicts over locally unwanted land use (LULU) focusing on the false consensus effect (FCE). Through a secondary analysis of data from a representative sample of residents in the district of Turin, Italy, where a high-speed railway (HSR) is to be sited (N = 1785), we tested whether the FCE mediated the relationship between perceived threat to the location and mobilization against the HSR. Participants tended to overestimate the number of people holding their same opinion. Among opponents of the HSR (n = 305), the tendency to be liable to the FCE was higher for those who perceived the project as a threat to the location. Moreover, the perception of an alleged consensus based on their own opinion mobilized them to defend their position. Our study suggests that standard approaches to LULU conflicts may benefit from the use of socio-cognitive variables. Strengths and limitations of the study are discussed.