Structural Equation Modeling Procedures Research Articles

Extending Green Supply Chain Management to the Mining Sector in South Africa: Implications for Corporate Performance

The South African mining sector faces numerous challenges that limit the performance of firms, chief among them environmental management, labour, and operational issues. An important research gap exists on how the adoption of green supply chain management (GSCM) can contribute to the mitigation of some of these challenges. This study investigates the connection between GSCM, employee satisfaction, operational and relational efficiency, and enterprise performance in the mining sector in South Africa. The study employed a quantitative method using a cross-sectional survey design. A structured research questionnaire was used to collect data from supply chain professionals at two leading mining firms based in the North-West Province, South Africa. The collected data were analysed using a structural equation modelling procedure based on the partial least squares technique. The study reveals the positive influence of GSCM on employee job satisfaction, operational efficiency, relational efficiency, and enterprise performance. The study also confirms that relational efficiency and operational efficiency both exert a positive influence on enterprise performance. However, employee job satisfaction exerted no influence on enterprise performance. GSCM itself exerted a direct positive influence on enterprise performance. The application of GSCM in the mining sector should be recognised as part of the solutions to motivating supply chain professionals and stimulating important internal and external efficiencies, leading to the enhanced performance of the firm.

Emotional Responses and Perceived Relative Harm Mediate the Effect of Exposure to Misinformation about E-Cigarettes on Twitter and Intention to Purchase E-Cigarettes among Adult Smokers.

There is a gap in knowledge on the affective mechanisms underlying effects of exposure to health misinformation. This study aimed to understand whether discrete emotional responses and perceived relative harm of e-cigarettes versus smoking mediate the effect of exposure to tweets about the harms of e-cigarettes on Twitter and intention to purchase e-cigarettes among adult smokers. We conducted a web-based experiment in November 2019 among 2400 adult smokers who were randomly assigned to view one of four conditions of tweets containing different levels of misinformation. We fitted mediation models using structural equation modeling and bootstrap procedures to assess the indirect effects of exposure to tweets through perceived relative harm of e-cigarettes and six discrete emotions. Our findings support that exposure to tweets about harms of e-cigarettes influence intention to purchase e-cigarettes through perceived relative harm, discrete emotional responses, and serially through emotional responses and perceived relative harm. Feeling worried, hopeful, and happy mediated the effects of condition on intention to purchase e-cigarettes. Feeling scared, worried, angry, and hopeful mediated the effects serially through perceived relative harm. Affective responses and perceived relative harm following exposure to misinformation about e-cigarette harm may mediate the relationship with intention to purchase e-cigarettes among adult smokers.

The effects of disability status and perceived neighbourhood cohesion and safety on adverse childhood experiences among college students.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are early traumatic events that can have adverse long-term developmental effects on a person's health and well-being. Individuals with disabilities are at a greater risk of all types of ACEs. However, the impact of having a disability and neighbourhood context on ACEs is under-researched, and even less is known about whether neighbourhood cohesion and safety affect the relationship between disability status and ACEs. The purpose of this study is to examine the direct and indirect pathways between disability status, childhood neighbourhood environment and ACEs. The final study sample of this study was 2,049 college students, consisting of 494 students with disabilities and 1,555 students without disabilities from six universities in the U.S. and Canada between March 2016 and June 2017. Data analysis included Pearson correlations and structural equation modelling procedures using Stata 16 software to test a partial mediation model. Having a disability has both a direct effect and an indirect effect through the neighbourhood environment on ACEs after controlling for socio-demographic characteristics associated with neighbourhood environment or ACEs. The findings suggest that neighbourhood cohesion and safety can be a mediator between disability status and ACEs, and the potential cumulative risk and protective factors that can contribute to ACEs. To elucidate the relationship between disability status and a higher risk for ACEs fully and prevent ACEs that can negatively impact the long-term health outcomes, greater attention to environmental risk and protective factors is urgently needed.

AUGMENTING SOCIAL COMMERCE ACCEPTANCE THROUGH AN ALL-INCLUSIVE APPROACH TO SOCIAL COMMERCE DRIVERS. EVIDENCE FROM THE HOTEL INDUSTRY

The study sought to examine the differential effect of social commerce drivers on social commerce acceptance in the hotel industry. The study was driven by the need to elevate the usage of social networks from mere communication tools to business platforms that can be used for trade and commerce. In developing social commerce drivers, the study examined and unified nine previous theories of technology adoption. A positivist, quantitative methodology was adopted in this study. Data was analysed using a structural equation modelling (SEM) procedure. The study confirmed that all the five drivers namely, utility, simplicity, intrinsic, social and infrastructural, were statistically significant in driving social commerce acceptance. The most driving force was the infrastructural driver which entails availability of hardware, software and support systems. The study therefore concluded that the all-inclusive approach to social commerce drivers adopted in this study explains 58% of variance in social commerce acceptance. Thus, the study recommends the enhancement of social commerce acceptance through effective manipulation of the social commerce acceptance drivers.

Influence of Computerized Accounting Systems on Financial Reporting Quality in Small and Medium Enterprises

The prevalence of diverse accounting software or computerized accounting systems and the increased usage of such systems amongst small and medium enterprises (SMEs) globally, as well as the need to present decision-useful financial reports by SMEs motivated the researcher to undertake this project. The study, therefore, sought to ascertain the relationship between computerized accounting systems and financial reporting quality in small and medium enterprises in Nigeria. The researcher modelled computerized accounting systems (CAS) as the predictor variable with five formative constructs, namely internal controls, automated data-processing, relational database, automated reporting, and enhancing technologies. The dependent (criterion) variable, financial reporting quality (FRQ), was modelled with five dimensions, namely relevance, faithful representation, comparability, verifiability, and understandability. Five hypotheses relating to the extent to which computerized accounting systems influence financial reporting quality in terms of relevance, faithful representation, comparability, verifiability, and understandability, were tested. The study data were collected using a web-based self-completed questionnaire from a sample of 370 firms randomly selected from SMEs in the South-South region of Nigeria, of which 223 completed questionnaires (60.3%) were found useful for the study. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics and structural equation modelling procedure with the aid of SPSS-Statistics and SPSS-Amos software. The study’s findings indicated that CAS usage has a significant positive influence on financial reporting quality in terms of relevance, faithful representation, comparability, verifiability, and understandability. CAS is also indicated to be a good predictor of financial reporting quality. Therefore, all five null hypotheses were rejected. The findings of the study also showed that the most impacted dimension of financial reporting quality by CAS is understandability, while the least impacted is verifiability. Consequently, the researcher concluded that computerized accounting systems significantly enhance the quality of financial reporting information. Hence, there is a need to encourage SMEs to adopt computerized accounting systems to improve their financial reporting quality. Management and those performing accounting functions in SMEs and finance and accounting scholars would find the results of this study extremely useful. The researcher has suggested areas for further studies that would help to validate and, or, extend the study’s findings. Keywords: Accounting information, Accounting information system, Accounting software, Accounting systems, Automated data processing, Automated reporting, Comparability, Computerized accounting system, Enhancing technologies, Faithful representation, Financial information, Financial reporting, Financial reporting information, Financial reporting quality, General systems theory, Internal controls, Relational database, Relevance, Small and medium enterprises, Structural characteristics model, Structural equation modelling, Understandability, Verifiability. DOI: 10.7176/RJFA/12-22-09 Publication date: November 30th 2021

Exploring the Elements Influencing the Behavioral Adoption of E-Commerce by Chinese Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)

This study investigated the behavioral adoption of electronic commerce (EC) among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in China. This was undertaken by integrating the Technological, Organizational, and Environmental (TOE) framework into the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). The data generated from 349 SMEs were analyzed with SPSS and SmartPLs 3.0 via the utilization of the structural equation modeling (SEM) procedure. The results reveal that while the environmental factor was a positive predictor of the performance expectancy of EC among SMEs, it does not, however, encourage the adoption of EC. Again, while the knowledge factor was not significant in driving the performance expectancy of EC, it was a significant determinant of the adoption of EC among SMEs. Also, the study found that organizational factor was a positive predictor of both performance expectancy and the adoption of EC by SMEs. The technological factor was not a significant predictor of the intention to use EC but was significant in determining the performance expectancy of EC. Finally, the study demonstrated that the performance expectancy of EC was a significant predictor of the behavioral adoption of EC. The managerial and research implications of these findings are deliberated.

Towards sustainable cities: the role of residential satisfaction in facing COVID-19 in Makkah City in Saudi Arabia

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of residential satisfaction in facing the outbreaks of the COVID-19. It reveals the relationship between personal risk perception (PRP), preventive behavior (PB), residential satisfaction (RS) and level of compliance with government recommendations to stay at home (CGRS) of Makkah residents in Saudi Arabia in its effort toward containing the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional online survey design was used with a sample of 250 respondents from Makkah City selected using a simple random sampling strategy. The instrument for data collection was a developed and validated instruments tag “Risk Perception and Preventive Behavior against COVID-19 Questionnaire (RP-COVID-Q).” The data obtained through the questionnaire were screened and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. Similarly, a Partial-Least Square Structural Equation Modeling procedure was adopted to test the hypotheses with a bootstrap mediation effect test.FindingsThe results revealed that Makkah residents’ level of PRP, PB and CGRS was not found to vary with gender; however, the RS of the residents differs with respect to their gender. Moreover, the level of PRP was significantly related to PB, RS and level of CGRS. RS increased the likelihood of the Makkah residents to comply with government recommendations against COVID-19 while adherence to PB, which would contribute to the reduction in the spread of the pandemic in Makkah city. Further, the RS is recognized as a significant mediating factor between PRP and CGRS during the COVID-19.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings of this study help in understanding the role of residential satisfaction during pandemics and, hence, stressing the important of residential qualities that need improvements for better sustainable cities in the future.Originality/valueWhile all countries are strategizing to mitigate the impact of COVID-19, it is equally important to access residential satisfaction in the cities with high visitor inflow. Limited research has been done in Saudi Arabia.

M-Learning Management System use during Covid-19

The current study examined factors affecting higher education students’ use of a mobile-based Learning Management System (m-LMS) for distance education during the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (Covid-19). A survey instrument based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) was established and validated. The primary data were gathered from 1032 responses. The data were computed in SmartPLS 3.2. Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) procedures were conducted to assess the measurement and structural models. The proposed model is valid and reliable. Findings of the study show that relationships emerge in seven out of ten hypotheses. The strongest relationship is between Perceived Usefulness and Attitude while the weakest exists between Perceived Ease of Use and Attitude. This study emphasizes awareness about the use of m-LMS in education, especially during distance education due to pandemics like Covid-19. The model is expected to provide a useful base for future academicians interested in conducting similar topics of research.

TRANSITION INTO VEGANISM: DRIVERS OF VEGAN DIET CONSUMPTION

compounds used to boost crop productivity have stimulated consumer and marketer interest in organic food. Organic ingredients are generally viewed as more nutritious, cheaper, cleaner and more environmentally sustainable. Society is currently witnessing a revolution in food intake and habits as people grow more health-conscious. Plant-based diets (vegan diet) are expected to become the next organic food for healthy living. The purpose of the study is to understand the impact of personal factors (health consciousness, subjective norms and perceived value) and product attributes on attitudes towards veganism and vegan diet consumption. The data for this research were collected from 377 students within the Generation Y cohort at an institution of higher learning within the Johannesburg metropolitan area in South Africa. A descriptive and exploratory analysis using quantitative techniques was performed using structured questionnaires. A structural equation modelling (SEM) procedure was applied to achieve the hypotheses testing using the AMOS (version 25.0) package. The findings demonstrated the role of motivational and marketing influences in shaping customer consumption patterns. Social influence, health consciousness, perceived value, product attributes, and attitudes towards veganism positively influence vegan food consumption among millennia in South Africa. The results suggest that the attitude towards veganism depends on both personal and social values. Motivations to preserve the environment and reverence for life forms seem to be mainly driven by personal values.Keywords: veganism, social influence, consumptionJEL Classifications: M3, M30, M31DOI: https://doi.org/10.32479/irmm.11519

Determinants of safety climate at primary care level in Ghana, Malawi and Uganda: a cross-sectional study across 138 selected primary healthcare facilities

BackgroundSafety climate is an essential component of achieving Universal Health Coverage, with several organisational, unit or team-level, and individual health worker factors identified as influencing safety climate. Few studies however, have investigated how these factors contribute to safety climate within health care settings in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The current study examines the relationship between key organisational, unit and individual-level factors and safety climate across primary health care centres in Ghana, Malawi and Uganda.MethodsA cross-sectional, self-administered survey was conducted across 138 primary health care facilities in nine districts across Uganda, Ghana and Malawi. In total, 760 primary health workers completed the questionnaire. The relationships between individual (sex, job satisfaction), unit (teamwork climate, supportive supervision), organisational-level (district managerial support) and safety climate were tested using structural equation modelling (SEM) procedures. Post hoc analyses were also carried out to explore these relationships within each country.ResultsOur model including all countries explained 55% of the variance in safety climate. In this model, safety climate was most strongly associated with teamwork (β = 0.56, p < 0.001), supportive supervision (β = 0.34, p < 0.001), and district managerial support (β = 0.29, p < 0.001). In Ghana, safety climate was positively associated with job satisfaction (β = 0.30, p < 0.05), teamwork (β = 0.46, p < 0.001), and supportive supervision (β = 0.21, p < 0.05), whereby the model explained 43% of the variance in safety climate. In Uganda, the total variance explained by the model was 64%, with teamwork (β = 0.56, p < 0.001), supportive supervision (β = 0.43, p < 0.001), and perceived district managerial support (β = 0.35, p < 0.001) all found to be positively associated with climate. In Malawi, the total variance explained by the model was 63%, with teamwork (β = 0.39, p = 0.005) and supportive supervision (β = 0.27, p = 0.023) significantly and positively associated with safety climate.Discussion/conclusionsOur findings highlight the importance of unit-level factors—and in specific, teamwork and supportive supervision—as particularly important contributors to perceptions of safety climate among primary health workers in LMICs. Implications for practice are discussed.

Teachers' digital technology access to motivation, skills and use: a structural equation modeling study

PurposeThe current study aimed to develop and validate a scale to model factors affecting digital technology access for instructional use. The scale was mainly used to assess the structural model. Besides, tests of difference were addressed regarding digital technology access for instructional use based on gender, teaching experience and school location.Design/methodology/approachThe authors implemented a survey design in this study. A scale based on prior studies was developed, validated and piloted. The pilot study data were computed for an exploratory factor analysis. Further, partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and t-test procedures were used for the main data analysis (n.2677). The authors also included the importance-performance map analysis to extend of the results of the PLS-SEM.FindingsThe findings of the study successfully assessed the validity and reliability of the scale. All hypothetical relationships in the structural model were positively significant. The t-test results show that teaching experience and school location were significantly different regarding instructional use access; however, an insignificant difference emerged based on gender.Practical implicationsFailure in technology integration is possible if policies have not been carefully prepared. Therefore, users' perception is an essential factor in determining technology integration, including access to digital technology.Originality/valueThis research has the potential to enhance the understanding of access to digital technology in the context of developing countries by the elaboration of the proposed model's instrument development and validation, path analysis assessment and difference test examination with a large sample size. Also, the current study emphasizes the importance of raising awareness about digital technology access that the model can facilitate a valid and reliable foundation for future researchers interested in conducting similar types of research.

Inflammation Mediates the Relationship Between BMI and Serum Ferritin Among Women With Normal to High BMI in Azerbaijan but Not Malawi: BRINDA Project

ObjectivesConsidering the known metabolic relationships between adiposity, inflammation, and iron status, we examined whether inflammation mediates the relationship between BMI and serum ferritin (SF) concentration among women of reproductive age (15–49 years) with normal to high BMI in a low-income country (Malawi) and an upper-middle income country (Azerbaijan). MethodsCross-sectional survey data were analyzed from the Biomarkers Reflecting Inflammation and Nutritional Determinants of Anemia (BRINDA) project. Women with underweight (BMI <18.5 kg/m2), pregnancy, or a positive malaria test were excluded (total for analysis: Malawi, n = 594; Azerbaijan, n = 2528). Descriptive statistics were calculated to determine the proportion of women with overweight/obesity (OwOb, BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2), any inflammation (C-reactive protein [CRP] >5 μg/L or α-1-acid glycoprotein [AGP] >1 g/L), and iron deficiency (inflammation-adjusted SF < 15 μg/L). The relationship between BMI and unadjusted SF concentration and potential mediation by CRP and AGP was assessed separately in each country via structural equation modeling procedures, accounting for the complex survey designs. ResultsIn Malawi, the proportion of women with OwOb was 16%, inflammation 12%, and inflammation-adjusted iron deficiency 14% (12% unadjusted). In Azerbaijan, the proportions were: 57%, 35%, and 45% (31% unadjusted), respectively. In Malawi, BMI was not associated with SF concentration (P = 0.65). In Azerbaijan, a 1-unit increase in BMI was associated with a 3.3% (95% CI: 2.5, 4.3) increase in SF concentration. Approximately 61% of this relationship was mediated by CRP and AGP, of which 46% was via CRP and 15% via AGP. ConclusionsIron status is commonly adjusted for inflammation in populations with high expected burden of undernutrition and infectious disease. Considering that obesity is a source of inflammation, these data suggest that measurement and adjustment for inflammation may improve assessment of iron status in populations in which OwOb is common. Funding SourcesBill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, HarvestPlus, and the United States Agency for International Development.

Decisions to react after mass shootings: exploring negative affect, relational trust, and public behavioral intentions toward the National Rifle Association

ABSTRACT Situated in the context of crises, the present study examines stakeholders’ reactions, including negative affect such as fear and anxiety, relational trust, and public behavioral intentions, toward the National Rifle Association (NRA) of America after the Florida Parkland shooting. To test the proposed theoretical model, we conducted a national survey with 603 NRA stakeholders living in the USA. Using structural equation modeling procedures, we found that a high level of negative affect activated publics’ behavioral intentions, while reducing their relational trust toward the NRA. Furthermore, relational trust could lead to information seeking about the NRA as well as accommodative intentions such as cooperating with the NRA to address gun violence issues. This study enriches crisis communication literature and has important implications for crisis managers working at non-profit organizations as well.

Effects of Service Recovery Expectation and Recovery Justice on Customer Citizenship Behavior in the E-Retailing Context.

Customer citizenship behavior in the online shopping environment is vital to the success of e-retailers. However, it is unclear whether and how service recovery expectation and recovery justice predict customer citizenship behavior in e-retailing settings. Grounded on the expectation confirmation theory and social exchange theory, this study examined the influence of service recovery expectation and recovery justice on customer citizenship behavior with a serial mediation of recovery expectation confirmation and post-recovery satisfaction. A total of 774 samples from e-shoppers with most impressive (N = 401) and most recent (N = 373) service recovery experience were collected to test the hypotheses using structural equation modeling and bootstrapping procedures. This study reveals that service recovery expectation has a negative impact on recovery expectation confirmation, while recovery justice positively affects recovery expectation confirmation, which is further positively correlated with post-recovery satisfaction and customer citizenship behavior. Moreover, recovery expectation confirmation and post-recovery satisfaction play a serial mediation in the relationship between service recovery expectation and recovery justice, and customer citizenship behavior. Our study contributes to the growing body of customer citizenship behavior literature by offering an alternative perspective (i.e., service recovery) to understand what encourage or impede customer citizenship behavior, and expands service recovery literature by combining service recovery expectation and recovery justice into a framework and revealing the expectation–confirmation mechanism through which they influence post-recovery satisfaction in online shopping setting.

Psychometric Properties of the RESTQ-Sport-36 in a Collegiate Student-Athlete Population.

The purpose of the current study was to examine the reliability and validity of the RESTQ-Sport-36 for use in the collegiate student-athlete population. A total of 494 collegiate student-athletes competing in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I, II, or III sanctioned sport completed the RESTQ-Sport-36 and Brief Profile of Mood States (POMS). Structural equation modeling (SEM) procedures were used to compare first order to hierarchical model structures. Results of a confirmatory factor analysis (χ2[528] = 1129.941, p < 0.001; SRMR = 0.050; CFI = 0.929) and exploratory structural equation modeling analysis (χ2[264] = 575.424, p < 0.001; SRMR = 0.013; CFI = 0.963) indicated that the first order 12-factor structure demonstrated the best fit of all models tested. Support was not observed for the fit of any hierarchical model. Moderate to strong correlations were observed between stress and recovery subscales and mood states, thus supporting the construct validity of the abbreviated RESTQ measurement model. The current findings provide support for the measure’s use in this population and give pause as it relates to the scoring and interpretation of hierarchical factors such as Total Stress and Total Recovery. Overall, the current results indicate that the RESTQ-Sport-36 may be a useful tool for collegiate student-athlete training load and competition monitoring.

THE EFFECT OF THE CONSUMER DECISION-MAKING PROCESS ON THE PERCEIVED VALUE TOWARD SLOW FASHION

Slow fashion designates a new paradigm in the clothing industry that promotes the importance of fashion goods realized with natural and durable products, empowering consumers to use the purchased clothes for a longer time, decreasing, in this case, the environmental and societal impact of fashion pieces. Even if it designates the opposite of fast fashion production, the slow fashion notoriety is not remarkably high among consumers. This study proposed to examine the effect of the consumers' decision-making process on the noticed value toward slow fashion. In this regard, we considered multiple decision-making constructs and tested their impact on consumers’ perceived value toward slow fashion. Also, we examined if there are discrepancies in the perceived value toward slow fashion based on gender. A survey was designed and administrated in Romania to a sample of 330 consumers aged between 18-25. We applied to the collected data exploratory analysis to identify the distribution of manifest variables into factors, followed by confirmatory factor analysis to test the performance of the obtained factors. Finally, we tested the proposed hypotheses using the structural equation model procedure. Were identified seven dimensions that compose the decision-making process of the consumers, namely, recreational shopping, perfectionism, brand knowledge, over choice confusion, fashion awareness, impulsive buying, and brand loyalty. Also, were found three dimensions that constitute the consumers' perceived value toward slow fashion, namely, emotional, social, and financial dimensions. The results showed that over choice confusion exhibits a positive effect on the emotional and financial value; fashion awareness manifests a positive effect on the social value, while brand loyalty manifests a positive impact on the financial value. In the case of gender impact on the emotional value, it was identified that, if a respondent is a female, the influence is positive and statistically significant.

Preference for and tolerance of the intensity of exercise questionnaire (PRETIE-Q): validity, reliability and gender invariance in Portuguese health club exercisers

The aim of the present study was to translate and adapt the Preference for and Tolerance of the Intensity of Exercise Questionnaire to Portuguese (PRETIE-Q-PT), and to analyze its psychometric properties (factorial validity with gender invariance analyses, reliability, temporal stability, and construct validity). The sample was composed of 445 Portuguese participants (55.9% women), with a mean age of 29.6 years (SD = 8.2). To verify the psychometric properties of the scale, structural equation modeling procedures were used. Results showed that an abbreviated 10-item scale presented good fit, reliability, and convergent validity. Latent mean analysis between samples, sex, and time points showed no differences. Construct validity tested with self-reported exercise frequency, vitality, well-being, and habit supported the use of the PRETIE-Q-PT in exercise settings, highlighting the need for exercise professionals to consider these intensity-related trait variables in the promotion of a pleasant exercise experience. As a general conclusion, the PRETIE-Q-PT seems to be a valid scale that can be used to assess intensity-trait characteristics in health club exercisers, and may allow professionals to better adjust exercise prescription to subjective needs aiming to achieve theoretically suggested promotion of pleasurable exercise experiences.

How child maltreatment impacts internalized/externalized aggression among Chinese adolescents from perspectives of social comparison and the general aggression model

BackgroundChild maltreatment is believed to have a tight correlation with adolescent problem behaviors, and one of them is aggression. According to different attack targets, aggression can be divided into internalized aggression (attack oneself) and externalized aggression (attack others), both of which are negatively influenced by child maltreatment. However, little is known about the potential mechanisms of the effect from child maltreatment to internalized/externalized aggression. ObjectiveBased on the perspectives of social comparison and the general aggression model, the present study examined the mediating effects of benign envy, malicious envy and self-control between child maltreatment and internalized/externalized aggression. Participants and setting1951 adolescents (49 % girls, Mage = 12.93 years, SD = 2.54) from mainland China were recruited. MethodsBased on the retrospective self-reporting of five questionnaires, structural equation modeling and bootstrap estimation procedure were adopted to identify the mediating effects of benign envy, malicious envy and self-control. ResultsThe structural model fitted well [χ2 (178, 1951) = 1601.176, p < .001; RMSEA = 0.064; SRMR = 0.076; CFI = 0.913]. Benign envy (95 % CI [0.013, 0.002], [−0.040, −0.079]), malicious envy (95 % CI [0.044, 0.024], [0.363, 0.241]) and self-control (95 % CI [0.025, 0.005], [0.264, 0.166]) played a significant mediating role between child maltreatment and internalized/externalized aggression. ConclusionBenign envy, malicious envy and self-control played an important mediating role between child maltreatment and internalized/externalized aggression, which may provide a theoretical basis for future interventions to reduce adolescent problem behaviors, paying more attention to the improvement of emotion regulation and self-control.

Exploring the influence of supportive supervisors on organisational citizenship behaviours: Linking theory to practice

Drawing on social exchange theory, in this paper we examine the relationship between supervisory support and organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) prevailing in the Indian food processing industry, and the mediating role played by participation and job involvement in explaining this relationship. Data were collected from 509 employees working in large-scale food processing companies and were analysed using structural equation modelling and bootstrapping procedure. The findings reveal that supportive supervisors play a significant role in developing OCB; and participation and job involvement partially mediate the relationship between supervisory support and organisational citizenship behaviour, and in the presence of both the variables strengthens this relationship.

The Career Intentions of Gifted English as a Foreign Language High School Students in Vietnam

A multiple study mixed methods research design was used to examine how gifted English as a Foreign Language (EFL) high school students in Vietnam form their career intentions. In the first study, interview data collected from 25 participants were analyzed using grounded theory to develop models that describe the formation of career intentions. In the second study, survey data collected from 512 participants were analyzed using structural equation modeling procedures to quantitatively test and refine the qualitative models developed in the first study. In the final third study, structural equation modeling was again used on data collected from 602 participants using a refined survey to quantitatively retest and refine the models developed in both of the earlier two studies. The finally accepted optimal model highlighted the importance of career interest, career self-efficacy, and career prospects in the formation of the career intentions of gifted EFL high school students in Vietnam.