Coping Variables Research Articles

What Makes People Actually Embrace or Shun Mobile Payment: A Cross-Culture Study

Mobile payment is becoming increasingly popular, but it encounters the resistance from certain user groups. This study examines the factors that influence both the technology acceptance and actual usage aspects of mobile payment adoption from the perspective of the general systems theory. Based on a literature review, it conceptualizes the embedding relationships among relevant behavioral processes, personal characteristics, and extrinsic factors and develops a research model. Together, the extrinsic factors in terms of culture, subjective norm, and socioeconomic status and main personal characteristics including demographics, personality traits, and past behavior are hypothesized to have direct and moderating effects on mobile payment acceptance and usage. The observations collected from China and the USA support most of the hypothesized relationships and reveal interesting cross-culture differences. Whereas users in the USA appear to be more rational and risk-averse, people in China seem more subject to social influence. The findings contribute to the mobile payment literature by deepening the understanding of adoption stages and expanding the scope of explanatory variables beyond technology acceptance.

A research to examine general and decisional procrastination of healthcare workers according to differences of demographical characteristics

In a world of rapid change and transformation, many developments in different fields have affected both the organization and the individual, and these changes have led to an increase in the number of stimulants affecting employees. One of the most intensive problems in this regard is the procrastination of employees. The aim of this research is to examine if there is a significant difference at the levels of general and decisional procrastination of employees in scope of demographic variables. In this context, a research was conducted to the healthcare workers consisted of 393 respondents working at the hospitals of Malatya, Elazığ and Bingöl. According to the research results, it was determined that healthcare workers' levels of general and decisional procrastination were close to the average. Also in scope of demographic variables, it was found that there was a significant difference at the level of general procrastination according to gender, age and duration of work experience variables. In terms of decisional procrastination levels, it was found that there was a significant difference in the graduation status variable. Various suggestions on these results were submitted.

Relaciones entre autoeficacia emprendedora y otras variables psico-educativas en universitarios

El objetivo del presente estudio es contrastar las asociaciones existentes entre la autoeficacia emprendedora y otras variables psico-educativas como la inteligencia emocional y las estrategias de afrontamiento del estrés cotidiano en una muestra de universitarios. Para ello se contó con 120 estudiantes universitarios, la mayoría mujeres, con edades comprendidas entre los 18 y los 36 años (M=20.88; DT=3.34) pertenecientes a la Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación. Se evaluó la autoeficacia emprendedora a través de la inteligencia emocional, el afrontamiento activo y la empatía. Se observan resultados significativos entre la autoeficacia emprendedora con las estrategias de afrontamiento, con la dimensión empática y factores relacionados con el constructo de inteligencia emocional. Se puede afirmar que la autoeficacia emprendedora está directamente relacionada con las variables de afrontamiento y solución de problemas que indica que para poder prosperar en un negocio propio el sujeto tiene que tener la capacidad y la habilidad para poder solventar cualquier tipo de problema que pueda surgir. Se entiende que la educación de una correcta inteligencia emocional en la escuela como en la universidad proporcionaría factores de personalidad determinantes para solventar problemas en la nueva empresa.

Bold zebrafish (Danio rerio) express higher levels of delta opioid and dopamine D2 receptors in the brain compared to shy fish

Individual variation in coping with environmental challenges is a well-known phenomenon across vertebrates, including teleost fish. Dopamine is the major transmitter in the brain reward networks, and important for motivational processes and stress coping. Functions of the endogenous opioid system are not well studied in teleosts. However, in mammals the activity in the brain reward networks is regulated by the endogenous opioid system. This study aimed at investigating if there was a correlation between risk-taking behavior and the expression of dopamine and opioid receptors in the zebrafish (Danio rerio) brain. Risk-taking behavior was assessed in a novel tank diving test, and the most extreme high risk taking, i.e. bold, and low risk taking, i.e. shy, fish were sampled for qPCR analysis of whole brain gene expression. The expression analysis showed a significantly higher expression of the dopamine D2 receptors (drd2a and drd2b) and the delta opioid receptor (DOR; oprd1b) in bold compared to shy fish. Besides reward and reinforcing properties, DORs are also involved in emotional responses. Dopamine D2 receptors are believed to be important for active stress coping in rodents, and taken together the results of the current study suggest similar functions in zebrafish. However, additional experiments are required to clarify how dopamine and opioid receptor activation affect behavior and stress coping in this species.

Impact of Nurse Practitioner Practice Regulations on Rural Population Health Outcomes.

Background: For decades, U.S. rural areas have experienced shortages of primary care providers. Nurse practitioners (NPs) are helping to reduce that shortage. However, NP scope of practice regulations vary from state-to-state ranging from autonomous practice to direct physician oversight. The purpose of this study was to determine if clinical outcomes of older rural adult patients vary by the level of practice autonomy that states grant to NPs. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from a sample of Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) (n = 503) located in eight Southeastern states. Independent t-tests were performed for each of five variables to compare patient outcomes of the experimental RHCs (those in “reduced practice” states) to those of the control RHCs (in “restricted practice” states). Results: After matching, no statistically significant difference was found in patient outcomes for RHCs in reduced practice states compared to those in restricted practice states. Yet, expanded scope of practice may improve provider supply, healthcare access and utilization, and quality of care (Martsolf et al., 2016). Conclusions: Although this study found no significant relationship between Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) scope of practice and select patient outcome variables, there are strong indications that the quality of patient outcomes is not reduced when the scope of practice is expanded.

Investigation of Constraints that Occur during Participation in Leisure Activities by High School Students: A Sample of Turkey

The aim of this research was to determine the factors that may prevent high school students from participating in recreational activities and to investigate whether these factors differ within the scope of various variables. This study consisted of 1459 (681 women and 778 men) student volunteers who are educated to high school level. The easy sampling method was preferred in the present study. The face-to-face survey method was used to collect the data. The “Leisure Constraints Scale” developed by Alexandris and Carroll (1997) and adapted to Turkish by Gürbüz, Öncü, and Emir (2012) was used to determine the factors that might prevent individuals from participating in leisure activities. The data obtained for the research were first transferred to a computer and then analyzed by the SPSS program. The error margin level in the study was taken as p < 0.05. The Cronbach alpha of the study was found to be 0.91. As a result, it was found that women participated in leisure activities more than men. It was also observed that the participants met with more leisure constraints in Turkey’s eastern regions.

Load characteristics following transfemoral amputation in individuals fitted with bone-anchored prostheses: a scoping review protocol.

The main purpose of this scoping review is to characterize loading information applied on the residuum of individuals with transfemoral amputation fitted with an osseointegrated fixation for bone-anchored prostheses.The objectives of this scoping review are: i) to map the scope of loading variables, and ii) to report the range of magnitude of loads that has been directly measured using a portable kinetic recording apparatus fitted at the distal end of the residuum during rehabilitation exercises, standardized and unscripted activities of daily living, and adverse events.The specific review questions are.

Cognitive Abilities Moderate the Effect of Disease Severity on Health-Related Quality of Life in Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease.

Complications that can arise from sickle cell disease (SCD) have the potential to negatively affect health-related quality of life (HRQL). SCD manifests in varying degrees of severity, but effects on HRQL are not uniform. Cognitive abilities influence HRQL in other pediatric groups, potentially through variability in treatment adherence and psychological coping. This study examined the effect of SCD severity on HRQL and explored cognitive abilities as a moderator of this relationship. A total of 86 children and adolescents with SCD (ages 7-16 years) completed a cognitive assessment (Wechsler Scale of Intelligence for Children, Fifth Edition), and primary caregivers rated their child's SCD severity and HRQL (PedsQL Sickle Cell Disease Module). A hierarchical linear regression was conducted to evaluate the interactive effect of SCD severity and cognitive functioning on HRQL. Caregiver-rated SCD severity predicted HRQL and cognitive abilities interacted with disease severity to influence HRQL. Youth with milder SCD and cognitive abilities in the average range or higher demonstrated significantly better HRQL compared with youth with mild SCD but below average cognitive abilities. Youth with more severe disease appeared to exhibit similarly low levels of HRQL, with only a minimal influence of cognitive abilities. Cognitive factors modify the effect of SCD severity on HRQL, particularly among youth with milder forms of SCD. Future studies are warranted to clarify the role of cognitive abilities in determining HRQL. Clinicians should monitor youth with milder forms of SCD and limited cognitive abilities for worsening HRQL and opportunities to provide support around disease self-management.

Axillary Surgery for Early-Stage, Node-Positive Mastectomy Patients and the Use of Postmastectomy Chest Wall Radiation Therapy.

We examined axillary surgery in mastectomy patients with tumor-positive nodes and how the type of axillary surgery impacted use of postmastectomy chest wall radiation therapy (PMRT). Using the National Cancer Data Base, we selected patients with AJCC cT1/T2c N0 breast cancer with one to three tumor-positive lymph nodes treated between 2013 and 2014. Type of axillary surgery was analyzed using the FORDS scope of regional lymph node surgery variable. Multivariable logistic regression modeling was used to identify independent predictors associated with SNB alone and the use of PMRT. Of 8089 patients, 2482 (30.7%) underwent SNB alone, 1339 (16.6%) underwent axillary dissection (ALND) alone, and 4268 (52.7%) underwent SNB followed by ALND. Fifty-seven percent of patients with micrometastases underwent SNB alone compared with 22.6% of patients with macrometastases. Independent predictors of SNB alone for patients with micrometastases were African American race, number of nodes positive, and PMRT. For patients with macrometastases, age, facility type and location, and PMRT were independent predictors for SNB alone. Of 2449 patients who underwent SNB alone, 1538 (62.8%) had no PMRT, 261 (10.7%) had PMRT alone, and 650 (26.5%) had PMRT with regional nodal irradiation. Patients undergoing SNB alone were 1.70 times [96% confidence interval (CI) 1.45-2.00] more likely to undergo PMRT than upfront ALND and 1.51 times (96% CI 1.34-1.71) more likely than SNB followed by ALND. Surgeons are omitting completion ALND in a third of early-stage, node-positive mastectomy patients. SNB alone patients are more likely to undergo PMRT than patients undergoing ALND.

GENETIC DIVERSITY OF INTERSPECIFIC HYBRIDS OF THE GENUS ALLIUM L.

Selection based on interspecific hybridization of fundamentally new plant forms with a unique combination of genetic material allows expanding the scope of genotypic and phenotypic variability. In this work the comparative analysis of plants of interspecific hybrids of genus Allium L. from various inbred descendants of combinations of crossing of species A. cepa х A. vavilovii and A. cepa х A. fistulosum on selection traits is carried out.Forms were identified: by mass of the bulb more than 100 g; with contrasting coloration of dry cover scales bulbs; by the index of the shape of the bulb; on the resistance to peronosporosis of plants of the first year of vegetation and seed plants; by the number of arrows; height of the arrow; on seed production with a sufficiently high percentage of fertile plants. Plants of interspecific hybrids of onions formed bulbs weighing from 20 to 120 g, with white, golden-yellow, dark golden-yellow, brownish and dark purple color of dry covering scales of a bulb. Plants of interspecific hybrids of onions were flat and round-flat shape of the bulb with the frequency of symptoms ranging from 6.9 to 93.3% and from 11.7 to 93.3%. In a phytopathological evaluation of interspecific hybrids of onions the first year of vegetation identified plants with resistance to downy mildew is from 0 to 4.0 points. Was studied the frequency of occurrence of plants in the progenies weight, colour, bulb type, number, height of the seedstalk, seed productivity and resistance to downy mildew. The increase of genetic diversity in onion plants obtained on the basis of interspecific hybridization, backcrossing and inbreeding is shown.

Customised life cycle assessment tool for sugarcane (CaneLCA)—a development in the evaluation of alternative agricultural practices

To promote eco-efficient sugarcane products, there is a need for life cycle assessment (LCA) methods that enable rapid assessment of the environmental implications of alternative agricultural practices. In response, a customised LCA method for sugarcane growing was developed and operationalized in the CaneLCA tool. The aim of the paper was to describe the CaneLCA method in detail and to test the effectiveness of the tool’s parameterisation for evaluating the environmental implications of cane growing practice alternatives. CaneLCA (Version 1.03) was developed over 6 years (2011–2017) in conjunction with the Australian sugarcane sector. The LCA process was customised for sugarcane growing by focusing on ‘cradle to farm gate’ operations and relevant impact categories, and by parameterising practice variables. To evaluate the effectiveness of the tool, we used it to assess a case study of actual practice changes in the Wet Tropics region of Australia, in terms of the scope of practice variables and environmental implications that can be accounted for. The case study results generated by CaneLCA were consistent with those generated by past studies using LCA software. The parameterisation of practice variables allowed for all the practice changes represented in the case study to be assessed. It is suitable for evaluating such known practice alternatives, but less suited to evaluating very innovative practice alternatives, as it is constrained by the underlying algorithms and factors. Most of the environmental implications could be considered, except for effects on soil quality. This will be an area for future tool development to understand the full implications of agricultural practice change, along with the introduction of dynamic models to better estimate emissions. CaneLCA makes the LCA process more rapid for evaluating alternative sugarcane growing practices, thereby speeding up progress towards devising more eco-efficient sugarcane products. It provides a model that could be adapted for other sugarcane growing regions, and for other perennial cropping systems. The novelty of the method is the detailed parameterisation of practice variables so that a wide range of alternative practices can be evaluated.

HIV-Related Stigma, Quality of Care, and Coping Skills: Exploring Factors Affecting Treatment Adherence Among PLWH in Haiti

Stigma is a primary barrier to care and support for people living with HIV (PLWH). We explored relationships between HIV-related stigma and treatment adherence and the effects of psychological and structural factors on these relationships. HIV treatment adherence, stigma, and coping strategies were measured with questionnaires. Participants included 285 PLWH in Haiti. Multivariable linear regression was used to estimate predictors of treatment adherence. Structural equation modeling was used to determine whether relationships between stigma and treatment adherence variables were mediated by coping variables. Mean adherence was 93.1%; 72.3% of participants reported ≥ 95% adherence. Perceived stigma and quality-of-care satisfaction scores significantly predicted treatment adherence. Maladaptive coping did not act as a mediator between perceived stigma and treatment adherence, which could be due to stronger effects of perceived stigma on treatment adherence. Our study may help to improve treatment adherence and the care and quality of life for PLWH.

Association between Trait Mindfulness and Variability of Coping Strategies: a Diary Study

Mindfulness has been theoretically and empirically associated with psychological health. One commonly investigated mechanism underlying the association between mindfulness and psychological health is adaptive coping. Despite research demonstrating the relationship between trait mindfulness and averaged use of adaptive (and maladaptive) coping strategies, little work has examined the potential association between mindfulness and flexibility in coping. Among various conceptualizations, coping flexibility can be operationalized in terms of within-situational coping variability, referring to the extent of use of different strategies to varying degrees in a given situation, and within-strategy temporal variability, which refers to the extent of use of a particular coping strategy across different situations over time. Using a diary study approach, the present study examined the association between trait mindfulness and the two forms of coping variability. One hundred and ninety-two undergraduates from a Singaporean university were recruited and administered questionnaires and diary logs, in which they reported on use of seven different coping strategies in response to six stressors sampled over a period of 3 weeks. Consistent with hypotheses, factor analysis differentiated within-situational coping variability, within-strategy temporal variability, and averaged use of adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies as distinct constructs. Higher trait mindfulness was associated with lower ruminative self-criticism and greater use of adaptive coping. Importantly, trait mindfulness predicted higher within-situational coping variability, over and above personality traits as well as the average use of adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies. Overall, the study lends support to the idea that mindfulness facilitates adaptive coping in the context of daily life and provides preliminary evidence for the association between mindfulness and greater coping flexibility.

Influence of coping strategies on oral health-related quality of life in patients with myalgia

ObjectiveTo identify coping strategies used by patients with myalgia and to assess the influence of pain characteristics and coping attitudes on their oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL).MethodsOne hundred patients diagnosed with myalgia due to temporomandibular disorders were included in this study. They were administered a three-part questionnaire. For preselecting associated coping variables, correlation analysis was performed between coping strategies and OHRQoL domains. A block-wise hierarchical multiple regression analysis was carried out to evaluate whether coping strategies had any influence on OHRQoL.ResultsNotable trends were found between coping strategies and demographic variables and pain characteristics. OHRQoL appeared to worsen with pain severity and with coping strategies that reveal passive or avoidant attitudes of the patient.DiscussionIndividual coping strategies should be considered while managing myalgia. A multidisciplinary approach that aims to help these patients acquire suitable coping strategies may be useful in improving their OHRQoL.

Empirically Derived Profiles of Teacher Stress, Burnout, Self-Efficacy, and Coping and Associated Student Outcomes

Understanding how teacher stress, burnout, coping, and self-efficacy are interrelated can inform preventive and intervention efforts to support teachers. In this study, we explored these constructs to determine their relation to student outcomes, including disruptive behaviors and academic achievement. Participants in this study were 121 teachers and 1,817 students in grades kindergarten to fourth from nine elementary schools in an urban Midwestern school district. Latent profile analysis was used to determine patterns of teacher adjustment in relation to stress, coping, efficacy, and burnout. These profiles were then linked to student behavioral and academic outcomes. Four profiles of teacher adjustment were identified. Three classes were characterized by high levels of stress and were distinguished by variations in coping and burnout ranging from (a) high coping/low burnout (60%) to (b) moderate coping and burnout (30%), to (c) low coping/high burnout (3%). The fourth class was distinguished by low stress, high coping, and low burnout. Only 7% of the sample fell into this Well-Adjusted class. Teachers in the high stress, high burnout, and low coping class were associated with the poorest student outcomes. Implications for supporting teachers to maximize student outcomes are discussed.

Personal and interpersonal factors with the inclination to relapse

This study aims to identify a relationship between the personal factor of coping; the interpersonal factors of familial, friend, and societal support and the inclination to relapse. This study involves the participation of 169 former addicts that completed their treatment and rehabilitation period, by utilising four instruments: the Inventory of Drug-Taking Situations, (IDTS) by Annis and Martin (1985); Coping Strategy Inventory (COPE) by Carver and the Social Provisions Scale (SPS) by Russell and Cutrona (1984). The findings shows the inclination to relapse among former addicts are at a high level for the eight dimensions of the inclination to relapse. This means the participants of this study are at a high risk of relapsing into drug use. The descriptive analytical results towards the problem-focused coping, the emotional coping and evasive coping variables show it at a low level. This also applies to the analysis for the family, friend, and societal support variables. In addition, the correlation analysis for the variables of problem-focused, emotional, and evasive coping, selfefficacy, and family, friend, and societal support, shows a negative significant relationship with the inclination to relapse, with the relationship strength between r=-.60 and r=-.80. Therefore this study shows the importance of the personal and interpersonal factors in reducing the problem of inclination to relapse among former addicts that completed their treatment and rehabilitation period. In conclusion, results show the importance of the personal and interpersonal factor in the problem of inclination to relapse.

Sexual abuse and HIV-risk behaviour among black and minority ethnic men who have sex with men in the UK

ABSTRACTBlack and minority ethnic (BME) men who have sex with men (MSM) face a major burden in relation to HIV infection. It was hypothesised that sexual abuse would predict sexual risk-taking, and that this relationship would be mediated by victimisation and maladaptive coping variables. Four hundred and thirty-two BME MSM completed the survey; 54% reported no sexual abuse and 27% reported sexual abuse. Mann–Whitney tests showed that MSM with a history of sexual abuse reported higher frequency of drug use, and of homophobia and racism than those reporting no prior sexual abuse. A structural equation model showed that the experience of sexual abuse was positively associated with sexual risk-taking and that this relationship was mediated by victimisation variables: frequency of racism and frequency of homophobia and by the maladaptive coping variable: frequency of drug use. The findings can inform the design of psycho-sexual and behavioural interventions for BME MSM.

Sleep in children with Angelman syndrome: Parental concerns and priorities

Angelman syndrome is a rare genetic syndrome, in which sleep disturbances are reported for 20–80% of individuals (Williams et al., 2006). This interview study delineated parental perceptions of sleep problems experienced by children with Angelman syndrome and the impact on parental sleep quality, health and wellbeing. The nature of desired interventions was also explored. Semi-structured interviews were completed with parents of 50 children, aged 16 months–15 years with Angelman syndrome who experienced current or historic sleep problems; predominantly night waking and settling problems. Parents were concerned by the impact of their child’s sleep quality upon their own ability to function during the day. The importance of considering parental experiences was evidenced by variability in coping e.g. despite the persistence of sleep problems 20% of parents did not feel the need for any additional support. Amongst a range of types of further support desired, 27% cited further support with a behavioural intervention, and information about the trajectory of sleep problems in Angelman syndrome (18%). The results suggest that behavioural interventions supporting both children and parents in improving their sleep quality and well-being, and longitudinal research into sleep problems should be prioritised.

Multi-Annual Climate Predictions for Fisheries: An Assessment of Skill of Sea Surface Temperature Forecasts for Large Marine Ecosystems

Decisions made by fishers and fisheries managers are informed by climate and fisheries observations that now often span more than 50 years. Multi-annual climate forecasts could further inform such decisions if they were skillful in predicting future conditions relative to the 50-year scope of past variability. We demonstrate that an existing multi-annual prediction system skillfully forecasts the probability of next year, the next 1-3 years, and the next 1-10 years being warmer or cooler than the 50-year average at the surface in coastal ecosystems. Probabilistic forecasts of upper and lower seas surface temperature (SST) terciles over the next 3 or 10 years from the GFDL CM 2.1 10-member ensemble global prediction system showed significant improvements in skill over the use of a 50-year climatology for most Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs) in the North Atlantic, the western Pacific, and Indian oceans. Through a comparison of the forecast skill of initialized and uninitialized hindcasts, we demonstrate that this skill is largely due to the predictable signature of radiative forcing changes over the 50-year timescale rather than prediction of evolving modes of climate variability. North Atlantic LMEs stood out as the only coastal regions where initialization significantly contributed to SST prediction skill at the 1 to 10 year scale.

Fuzzy cognitive maps enabled root cause analysis in complex projects

This paper presents a Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCM) enabled Root Cause Analysis (RCA) approach to assessing the TBM performance in tunnel construction. Fuzzy logic is used to capture and utilize construction experience and knowledge from domain experts, and a cause-effect model consisting of nine concepts is established for simulating the TBM performance within the FCM framework. A tunnel case in the Wuhan metro system in China is used to demonstrate the applicability of the developed approach. Results indicate that (i) C4 (Soil Density) displays a strongest negative correlation with the concept CT (TBM Advance Rate); while C8 (Grouting Speed) displays a strongest positive correlation with CT; (ii) TBM performance is very sensitive to the change of operational conditions, where the values of operational parameters can be adjusted to go up (or down) in case the TBM performance negatively (or positively) reduces; and (iii) we can identify the magnitude of the adjustment scope of operational variables when the TBM operational performance suffers a reduction. The novelty of the proposed approach is that it is verified to be capable of modeling dynamics of system behaviors over time and performing many kinds of what-if scenario analysis, including predictive, diagnostic, and hybrid RCA, which turns out to be a more competitive solution that deals with uncertainty, dynamics, and interactions in the approximate reasoning process, compared to other traditional approximate methods (i.e. Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), Rule-Based Reasoning (RBR), and Case-Based Reasoning (CBR)). The proposed approach can be used as a decision support tool for ensuring the satisfactory performance of TBMs, and thus, increases the efficiency of tunnel construction projects.