Strong Predictor Of Participation Research Articles

Alienation and Activism

Does alienation draw individuals toward social movements? Midcentury sociologists argued this to be the case, but scholars from the 1970s onward broke from this consensus. The evidentiary basis for this turn was sparse, however, with research seldom measuring different forms of alienation or addressing stages before mobilization. The current study uses four-wave panel data from the National Study of Youth and Religion (2003–13) to examine how alienation and social relationships during the transition from adolescence into young adulthood predict eventual social movement participation. The analysis finds that, while powerlessness dissuades individuals from movements, alienation in the forms of meaninglessness and social isolation is a strong predictor of participation in movements across the political spectrum (Occupy Wall Street and Tea Party Movement). Group involvement is not found to distinguish participants until stages proximal to mobilization. The study underscores the importance of early life socialization for understanding who protests.

THE EFFECT OF NATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND PERSONALITY ON PARTICIPATION IN ELECTION

Student elections are considered the only way for democratic practices for Yemeni youth as the democratic process has stopped in Yemen since 2014. The current study aims to investigate the relationship between voting in the election of students and national responsibility. It also seeks to examine the effect of personality factors (extroversion and conscientiousness) on participation in elections. This study was conducted on 157 Yemeni students, 60% male, aged 18-37 (M=23.65, SD= 3.96). Results revealed that extraversion and time distance between the electoral centre and the student's residence were a negative significant predictor of participation in student elections. The results also showed that previous participation in the elections was a good predictor of subsequent participation in the elections. Moreover, the results revealed that personal relationships are an essential factor in students’ political decisions. The results showed that the presence of a friend of the voter on the list of candidates was a strong predictor of participation in the elections. Furthermore, the result unveiled positive correlations between national responsibility and both extraversion and conscientiousness. The results were discussed in light of the literature and the social and cultural context of Yemeni students in Turkey, which enhances the understanding of electoral behavior and the factors affecting it.

Factors Affecting Community Participation in Environmental Corporate Social Responsibility Projects: Evidence from Mangrove Forest Management Project

Community participation in an environmental corporate social responsibility (CSR) project can help business enterprises effectively develop projects that respond to the actual demands of the community and effectively utilize a firm’s resources. This study aims to investigate factors that affect community participation in each stage of environmental corporate social responsibility project development. The environmental corporate social responsibility project explored in this study is a sustainable mangrove forest management project in the Pakprasae sub-district of Rayong province in Thailand. This study has tested whether enterprise-related factors (such as perceived CSR credibility and organization–public relationship (OPR) quality) and participant-related factors (such as ecological knowledge, perceived ecological values, and expected benefits from participation in the project, both monetary and non-monetary related benefits) could predict community participation in an environmental corporate social responsibility project development initiated by a business enterprise. Questionnaire surveys were administered to 355 community members who were the target group of this environmental corporate social responsibility project from June to July 2022. The collected data were inspected and analyzed using an inferential statistical technique. Multiple regression analyses were performed to test significant factors that affected community members’ participation in planning, implementing, and monitoring the project. The results revealed that perceived ecological values were the strongest predictor of participation in all stages of the project, including planning, implementing, and monitoring the project. Perceived CSR credibility and OPR quality also significantly affected participation in all stages, whereas ecological knowledge significantly affected participation only in the monitoring stage. These findings suggest that to promote community participation in each stage of environmental corporate social responsibility project development, it is important to enhance community members’ perceived ecological values, and community members should be educated in ecology to enhance participation in the monitoring stage.

Participation restriction of children with cerebral palsy living in Thailand and influential factors: A cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Objective To explore participation in daily activities of children with cerebral palsy(CP) in Thailand and influential factors. Methods A convenience sample of family-caregivers of 80 children with CP, 6–18 year-old, completed self-administered questionnaires (i.e., frequency of participation, Gross Motor Function Classification System-Family Report) during clinic visits at a university hospital. Results Family-caregivers reported that more than one-third of the children never participated in outdoor activities. The gap in the frequency of participation between groups with high versus low motor function was very high. Better gross motor and communication were strong predictors of participation. Caregiver’s education and family income were associated with participation in art/cultural, leisure and tourist activities. Conclusions Family-caregiver-report suggests that Thai-children with CP, especially those with severe impairments, have limited participation in daily activities. Increasing mobility and communication may promote the participation. Comprehensive intervention is needed to narrow the participation gap found between high and low functioning children.

Balance confidence and physical activity participation of independently ambulatory youth with cerebral palsy: an exploration of youths’ and parents’ perspectives

Aim Youth with cerebral palsy generally participate in less physical activity than typically developing peers. In adults with physical disabilities, balance confidence is a strong predictor of participation and community re-integration. However, balance confidence has not been studied in youth with cerebral palsy. Method Qualitative descriptive methodology with interviews of eight youth with cerebral palsy (9–17 years old, three girls) in Gross Motor Function Classification System Levels I–III, and eight parents (five mothers) of youth with cerebral palsy (9–17 years old, two girls) in Levels I–III. Results Three themes arose: (1) youth in Gross Motor Function Classification System Levels I–II are more concerned about losing their balance during physical activities than those in Level III; (2) when balance is lost, embarrassment and frustration are more common than fear, especially for those in Levels I–II; and (3) social factors can create a favorable participation environment when balance confidence is low, especially for youth in Levels I–II. Conclusion Balance confidence may have greater influence on physical activity participation for youth in Gross Motor Function Classification System Levels I–II than those in Level III. Youth in Levels I–II may draw greater benefit from interventions targeting balance confidence when addressing physical activity goals. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION Balance confidence may have a greater influence on activity avoidance for youth with cerebral palsy in Gross Motor Function Classification System Levels I and II (who are independently ambulatory without walkers or cane(s)) than for those in Level II (who use walkers or cane(s) to ambulate). Youth who are independently ambulatory without walkers or cane(s) may benefit more from interventions directed at balance confidence (e.g., enactive mastery and verbal persuasion) to address their physical activity participation goals. For youth who are independently ambulatory without walkers or cane(s), addressing factors that could reduce the influence of balance confidence on physical activity participation, such as providing a positive and supportive social environment in which to participate, may be beneficial.

Climate of Opinion as a Driver of Collective Action: Evidence From the 2011 Israeli Social Protest Movement

What drives mass mobilization? A substantial body of theoretical work in diverse fields, including political science, communications, sociology, and economics, is built around the idea that an individual’s willingness to participate in a mobilization is driven by her beliefs about public opinion – that is, about what the majority of the public thinks. Despite the centrality of this idea, rigorous empirical evidence is scarce. We test this idea using original data collected during and after the massive street protests in Israel in the summer of 2011. Our analysis shows that individual beliefs about average societal support for the protest movement (i.e., the “climate of opinion”) are indeed a strong predictor of participation. Experimental manipulation of information about the trend in societal support for the protests further suggests that this relationship is causal, and that it is mediated by expectations about how many people are likely to show up to protest.

The effect of psychological factors on Syrian refugees’ participation in lifelong education

<span>The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of psychological factors on Syrian refugees’ participation in lifelong education. The ex post facto co-relational causal design was employed in this research. A questionnaire form consisted of four scales was used to collect data from 297 refugees participated in lifelong education. The structural equation modeling analysis revealed that psychological factors affect participation in lifelong education and learning approaches played the biggest role in this effect. It was claimed that learning approach is a strong predictor of participation in lifelong education. The effect of locus of control on participation in lifelong education was medium while the effects of self-efficacy and self-worth were weak. Recommendations to education providers, decision-makers and researchers to align both formal and lifelong education curricula with the results were given.</span>

Predicting youth participation in urban agriculture in Malaysia: insights from the theory of planned behavior and the functional approach to volunteer motivation

This study examines factors associated with the decision of Malaysian youth to participate in a voluntary urban agriculture program. Urban agriculture has generated significant interest in developing countries to address concerns over food security, growing urbanization and employment. While an abundance of data shows attracting the participation of young people in traditional agriculture has become a challenge for many countries, few empirical studies have been conducted on youth motivation to participate in urban agriculture programs, particularly in non-Western settings. Drawing on the theories of planned behavior and the functional approach to volunteer motivation, we surveyed 890 students from a public university in Malaysia about their intention to join a new urban agriculture program. Hierarchical regression findings indicated that the strongest predictor of participation was students’ attitude toward urban agriculture, followed by subjective norms, career motives and perceived barriers to participation. The findings from this study may provide useful information to the university program planners in Malaysia in identifying mechanisms for future students’ involvement in the program.

Demographic profile of physician participants in short-term medical missions.

BackgroundThe US is the leading sending country for short term medical missions (STMMs), an unregulated and unsanctioned, grass roots form of direct medical service aid from richer countries to low and middle income countries. The objective of this study is to profile US physicians who go on such missions by means of a survey sample of the US physician population.MethodsAn online survey solicited information on physician participation in STMMS as well as demographic and professional features. Responses were descriptively tabulated and multivariate regressions were performed to model for physician profiles related to STMM participation.ResultsPhysician participants in STMMs are more likely to be a surgeon, anesthesiologist or pediatrician, married with few or no children at home, later in their career and have an income of $200–250 K.ConclusionsSpecialty is the strongest predictor of participation. STMM participation does not differ by race, ethnicity nor religion. Descriptive statistics further provide a limited profile of participants. Direct expenses may have less influence on participation than opportunity costs. Potential clues about motivation that may be inferred from the features of the profile are discussed.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12913-016-1929-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Moderating effect of the environment in the relationship between mobility and school participation in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy.

BACKGROUND: The literature demonstrates that the social participation of children with disabilities is influenced by both their functional skills repertoire and environmental factors. However, it is not yet known whether the effect of functional limitations on social participation is minimized or enhanced by the environmental facilitators and barriers. This study aimed to test this hypothesis. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the moderating effect of environmental factors in the relationship between mobility and school participation of children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP). METHOD: Participants were 102 elementary school children and adolescents with CP, aged 6 to 17 years, classified as levels I, II, and III according to the Gross Motor Classification System, along with their parents or caregivers and teachers. School participation and parents' perceptions of barriers were evaluated using the School Function Assessment and the Craig Hospital Inventory of Environmental Factors (CHIEF), respectively. RESULTS: The regression model failed to reveal a moderating effect of environmental factors in the relationship between mobility and school participation. While mobility was a strong predictor of participation, environmental factors demonstrated a weak predictive effect on the latter. The CHIEF subscale school/work showed the factors which were greatest barrier to children's participation, while the subscale attitude/support had the least impact. CONCLUSION: The absence of moderation on the tested relationship suggests that, when investigated under the negative perspective of environmental barriers, the contextual factors do not modify the relationship between mobility and school participation. Factors specific to the school environment might add to the present study's results regarding the effect of school participation in this population.

Public's attitudes on participation in a biobank for research: an Italian survey.

BackgroundThe creation of biobanks depends upon people’s willingness to donate their samples for research purposes and to agree to sample storage. Moreover, biobanks are a public good that requires active participation by all interested stakeholders at every stage of development. Therefore, knowing public’s attitudes towards participation in a biobank and biobank management is important and deserves investigation.MethodA survey was conducted among family members of patients attending the outpatient department of our institute for a geriatric or neurological visit, documenting their willingness to participate in a biobank and their views on the legal-ethical aspects of biobank management. Information regarding subjects’ attitudes on biomedical research in general and genetic research in particular was also collected. Participants’ data on biobanks were compared with data previously collected from the Italian ethics committees (ECs) to evaluate the extent to which lay people and ethics committees share views and concerns regarding biobanks.ResultsOne hundred forty-five subjects took part in the survey. The willingness to give biological samples for the constitution of a biobank set up for research purposes was declared by 86% of subjects and was modulated by subjects’ education. People in favour of providing biological samples for a biobank expressed a more positive view on biomedical research than did people who were not in favour; attitude towards genetic research in dementia was the strongest predictor of participation. Different from ECs that prefer specific consent (52%) and do not choose the option of broad consent (8%) for samples collection in a biobank, participants show a clear preference for broad consent (57%), followed by partially restricted consent (16%), specific consent (15%), and multi-layered consent (12%). Almost all of the subjects available to contribute to a biobank desire to receive both individual research results and research results of general value, while around fifty per cent of ECs require results communication.ConclusionFamily members showed willingness to participate in a biobank for research and expressed a view on the ethical aspects of a biobank management that differ on several issues from the Italian ECs’ opinion. Laypersons’ views should be taken into account in developing biobank regulations.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1472-6939-15-81) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Assessing Participation in Community-Based Physical Activity Programs in Brazil

This study aimed to develop and validate a risk prediction model to examine the characteristics that are associated with participation in community-based physical activity programs in Brazil. We used pooled data from three surveys conducted from 2007 to 2009 in state capitals of Brazil with 6166 adults. A risk prediction model was built considering program participation as an outcome. The predictive accuracy of the model was quantified through discrimination (C statistic) and calibration (Brier score) properties. Bootstrapping methods were used to validate the predictive accuracy of the final model. The final model showed sex (women: odds ratio [OR] = 3.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.14-4.71), having less than high school degree (OR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.16-2.53), reporting a good health (OR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.02-2.24) or very good/excellent health (OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.05-2.51), having any comorbidity (OR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.26-2.39), and perceiving the environment as safe to walk at night (OR = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.18-2.15) as predictors of participation in physical activity programs. Accuracy indices were adequate (C index = 0.778, Brier score = 0.031) and similar to those obtained from bootstrapping (C index = 0.792, Brier score = 0.030). Sociodemographic and health characteristics as well as perceptions of the environment are strong predictors of participation in community-based programs in selected cities of Brazil.

Differences in participation based on self-esteem in power and manual wheelchair users on a university campus: a pilot study

Objectives: To examine the relationship of self-esteem and wheelchair type with participation of young adult manual and power wheelchair users with diverse physical disabilities. Design: Cross-sectional survey study. Setting: Large University Campus. Participants: A convenience sample of college students (N = 39) with self-reported physical disabilities who are full time wheelchair users (>40 per week) and are two or more years post illness or injury. Interventions: Not applicable. Main outcome measures: The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale was used to measure self-esteem, and the Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique was used to measure participation. Results: Self-esteem correlated highly with cognitive independence (CI) (r = 0.58), mobility (r = 0.67) and social integration (SI) (r = 0.52). Use of manual wheelchair was significantly related to higher levels of CI and mobility while longer use of any wheelchair (power or manual) was significantly associated with higher levels of mobility and SI. In addition higher self-esteem independently predicted a significant proportion of the variance in CI, mobility and SI, while type of wheelchair predicted a significant proportion of the variance in CI (p < 0.005). Conclusions: High self-esteem was found to be the strongest predictor of participation in a population of young adults with mobility limitations. Better understanding of the factors influencing participation may help to facilitate new interventions to minimize the disparities between persons with disabilities and their able bodied peers. Implication for Rehabilitation A total of 46.8% of wheelchair users report the desire for increased community participant but face significant barriers. The type of wheelchair has been identified as having a large impact on participation. This study found self-esteem to be the strongest predictor of participation, which is notable because self-esteem is a characteristic that is potentially modifiable with treatment.

Determinants of participation in leisure activities among adolescents with cerebral palsy

Studies have identified restrictions in engagement in leisure activities for adolescents with disabilities. Participation is a complex construct and likely influenced by a variety of factors. These potential determinants have not yet been sufficiently explored in the population of adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP). The objective of this study is to estimate the potential influence of adolescent characteristics and environmental factors as determinants of participation in leisure activities for adolescents with CP. A cross-sectional design was used. Participants were adolescents (12-19 years old) with cerebral palsy. Participants were assessed with the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale - II, Gross Motor Function Measure, Gross Motor Function Classification System, Manual Ability Classification System and completed the Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents, Dimensions of Mastery Questionnaire, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, Family Environment Scale, the European Child Environment Questionnaire and the Preferences for Activities of Children. The main outcome measure was the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment. 187 adolescents (age M=15.4; SD=2.2) completed the study. Multivariate models of participation in leisure revealed associations with factors related to the adolescents' functional characteristics and attitudes, the family environment, socioeconomic status, and contextual factors such as school type, and collectively explained from 28% (diversity of skill-based activities) up to 48% (intensity and diversity of self-improvement activities) of the variance in intensity and diversity in five leisure participation domains (diversity: r(2)=.33 recreational; r(2)=.39 active-physical; r(2)=.33 social activities). Adolescent's mastery motivation, self-perception and behavior were individually associated with participation in different activity domains, but did not strongly predict participation within multivariate models, while preferences for activities were strong predictors of participation in all domains, except for skill-based activities. Engagement in different types of leisure activities is important for adolescents' development and well-being. Health care professionals should consider adolescents' and families' characteristics to promote participation in leisure activities.

Antisocial Capital

Although popularly perceived as a positive force important for objectives such as economic development and democracy, social capital may also be linked to less desirable outcomes. This article highlights a dark side to social capital by pointing to its role in a particularly pernicious phenomenon: genocidal violence. Drawing on a survey of residents from one community that experienced violence during Rwanda's 1994 genocide, I show that individual participation in the violence was partly determined by the features of residents' social networks. Perpetrators possessed larger networks in general and more connections to other perpetrators in particular. The quality as well as quantity of connections also mattered. Strong ties generally, and kinship and neighborly ties specifically, were strong predictors of participation. In contrast, possession of countervailing ties to nonparticipants did not reduce a resident's likelihood of participation. Drawing on in-depth interviews to explore the possible mechanisms behind these findings, I suggest participants' networks fulfilled functions of information diffusion, social influence, and behavioral regulation. More broadly, the findings suggest the importance of social structure and social interaction for participation in collective violence. Relational data should complement individual attribute data in predicting participation. The findings also suggest, contrary to the neo-Malthusian interpretation, that the role played by Rwanda's extraordinarily high population density in the violence may have been more sociological than ecological in origin. The diffusion, influence, and regulatory effects of social connections are likely to be amplified in communities where individuals live in close spatial proximity to each other.

Abstract ED03-03: Translating research into practice: Results of the WINCART Center Biospecimen Pilot Study and community outreach efforts.

Abstract ED03-03: Translating research into practice: Results of the WINCART Center Biospecimen Pilot Study and community outreach efforts.

Sexual Health Problems and Associated Help-Seeking Behavior of People With Physical Disabilities and Chronic Diseases

The aim of this study was to investigate help-seeking behavior in relation to sexual problems among people with a disease or an impairment, as well as determining factors that promote people to seek professional sexological help. A total of 341 respondents (224 men, 117 women) participated. Approximately 50% wanted professional help with finding a sexual partner and sexual adjustment problems. Further, approximately 40% wanted professional help for problems in their sexual relationship, practical sexual problems, and the inability to enjoy their sexuality. In total, two third considered contacting a health care professional of which 35% had indeed had contact with a health care professional. Only a third of those evaluated these contacts as positive. To identify factors associated with the respondent's participation in psychosexual therapy, we performed a logistic regression analyses with a participation in a psychosexual intervention as the dependent variable. Sexual dissatisfaction was the strongest predictor of participation in psychosexual therapy. Furthermore, people who indicated that they wanted professional help for their sexual problems and people who had already discussed sexuality issues with a health care professional were more likely to participate. Disease and demographic characteristics did not influence one's decision to participate.

Latino Adolescents' Participation in Extracurricular Activities: How Important Are Family Resources and Cultural Orientation?

Latino adolescents often are less likely to participate in extracurricular activities compared to youth from other ethnic groups. This descriptive study examined the differences in activity participation by family resources and markers of cultural orientation for the four largest Latino ethnic groups in the U.S. Findings were based on secondary data analysis of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N = 11,689 Latino youth). Family resources were not strong predictors of participation, but the markers of cultural orientation did predict activity participation. Surprisingly, foreign-born youth had higher participation than native-born youth. The proportion of their friendship network that was non-Hispanic friends positively predicted activity participation, whereas the proportion of co-ethnic and foreign-born Hispanic friends negatively predicted activity participation. Findings from this investigation highlight that there were few differences in participation by Latino ethnic group affiliation but great variability within each Latino ethnic group.

Overweight, obesity, and strong attitudes

Background: Obesity is the leading cause of preventable death and conveys risk for diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and stroke. Overweight and obesity are common among college students with surveys showing 35 per cent of college students to be overweight (National College Health Risk Behavioral Survey (NCHRBS), 1995). Unhealthy diets and low physical activity are the major causes. Objective: To examine rates of obesity, participation in exercise, and predictors of exercise among a predominantly Hispanic (72 per cent) college student sample. Methods: Three hundred and ninety two students completed questionnaires as part of a general health screening. Results: General participation in exercise is high (61 per cent), but the majority (69 per cent) do not meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations for physical activity (PA). Also, exercise importance and gender were strong predictors of participation in physical activity and exercise in this sample. Conclusion: Strong attitudes are an important determinant of participation in PA in this sample. Future studies might explore these relationships among other ethnic/demographic groups, as well as test the effectiveness of attitude change interventions for increasing PA.

Overweight, obesity and strong attitudes: Predicting participation in physical activity in a predominantly Hispanic college population

Background: Obesity is the leading cause of preventable death and conveys risk for diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and stroke. Overweight and obesity are common among college students, with surveys showing 35 per cent of college students to be overweight. Unhealthy diets and low physical activity are the major causes. Objective: To examine rates of obesity, participation in exercise and predictors of exercise among a predominantly Hispanic (72 per cent) college student sample. Methods: Three hundred and ninety two students completed questionnaires as part of a general health screening. Results: General participation in exercise is high (61 per cent), but the majority (69 per cent) do not meet the CDC recommendations for physical activity. Also, Exercise Importance and Gender were strong predictors of participation in physical activity and exercise in this sample. Conclusion: Strong attitudes are an important determinant of participation in physical activity in this sample. Future studies might explore these relationships among other ethnic/demographic groups, as well as test the effectiveness of attitude change interventions for increasing physical activity.