bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Relationship Between Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety, Enjoyment, and Expectancy-Value Motivation and Their Predictive Effects on Chinese High School Students’ Self-Rated Foreign Language Proficiency
Authors: Dong Lianqi , Liu Meihua , Yang Fan
Published: June 2022

The present study explored the relations among foreign language (FL) classroom anxiety, enjoyment, expectancy-value motivation, and their predictive effects on Chinese high school students’ self-rated FL proficiency. Participants were 280 senior high school Chinese English as a foreign language learners who were surveyed on their foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA), foreign language enjoyment (FLE), and expectancy-value motivation. Results showed that (1) the students generally experienced a medium to a high level of FL classroom emotions with FLE slightly higher than FLCA. They were more value-motivated than expectancy-motivated toward FL learning. Most of them perceived their FL proficiency as unsatisfying; (2) the students’ FLE was significantly positively correlated with all dimensions of expectancy-value motivation, while their FLCA and expectancy-value motivation demonstrated a complex correlation pattern. As the students’ FLCA level increased, their expectancy beliefs, intrinsic value, attainment value, and utility value decreased, but their cost value increased. By contrast, as their FLE level increased, their expectancy beliefs, intrinsic value, attainment value, utility value all increased, while their cost value first increased and then slightly decreased; and (3) expectancy beliefs, intrinsic value, private enjoyment in FL learning and anxiety arising from fear of negative evaluation jointly significantly predicted the students’ self-rated FL proficiency. Implications for future research and teaching were also discussed.
Overall Rebalancing of Gut Microbiota Is Key to Autism Intervention
Authors: Lu Chang , Rong Jiaqi , Fu Changxing , Wang Wenshi , Xu Jing , Ju Xing-Da
Published: June 2022

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with unclear etiology, and due to the lack of effective treatment, ASD patients bring enormous economic and psychological burden to families and society. In recent years, many studies have found that children with ASD are associated with gastrointestinal diseases, and the composition of intestinal microbiota (GM) is different from that of typical developing children. Thus, many researchers believe that the gut-brain axis may play an important role in the occurrence and development of ASD. Indeed, some clinical trials and animal studies have reported changes in neurological function, behavior, and comorbid symptoms of autistic children after rebalancing the composition of the GM through the use of antibiotics, prebiotics, and probiotics or microbiota transfer therapy (MMT). In view of the emergence of new therapies based on the modulation of GM, characterizing the individual gut bacterial profile evaluating the effectiveness of intervention therapies could help provide a better quality of life for subjects with ASD. This article reviews current studies on interventions to rebalance the GM in children with ASD. The results showed that Lactobacillus plantarum may be an effective strain for the probiotic treatment of ASD. However, the greater effectiveness of MMT treatment suggests that it may be more important to pay attention to the overall balance of the patient’s GM. Based on these findings, a more thorough assessment of the GM is expected to contribute to personalized microbial intervention, which can be used as a supplementary treatment for ASD.
Combining Virtual Reality and Machine Learning for Leadership Styles Recognition
Authors: Parra Elena , García Delgado Aitana , Carrasco-Ribelles Lucía Amalia , Chicchi Giglioli Irene Alice , Marín-Morales Javier , Giglio Cristina , Alcañiz Raya Mariano
Published: June 2022

The aim of this study was to evaluate the viability of a new selection procedure based on machine learning (ML) and virtual reality (VR). Specifically, decision-making behaviours and eye-gaze patterns were used to classify individuals based on their leadership styles while immersed in virtual environments that represented social workplace situations. The virtual environments were designed using an evidence-centred design approach. Interaction and gaze patterns were recorded in 83 subjects, who were classified as having either high or low leadership style, which was assessed using the Multifactor leadership questionnaire. A ML model that combined behaviour outputs and eye-gaze patterns was developed to predict subjects’ leadership styles (high vs low). The results indicated that the different styles could be differentiated by eye-gaze patterns and behaviours carried out during immersive VR. Eye-tracking measures contributed more significantly to this differentiation than behavioural metrics. Although the results should be taken with caution as the small sample does not allow generalization of the data, this study illustrates the potential for a future research roadmap that combines VR, implicit measures, and ML for personnel selection.
The Impact of Customer Experience and Customer Engagement on Behavioral Intentions: Does Competitive Choices Matters?
Authors: Ahmed Bilal , Zada Shagufta , Zhang Liang , Sidiki Shehla Najib , Contreras-Barraza Nicolás , Vega-Muñoz Alejandro , Salazar-Sepúlveda Guido
Published: June 2022

The study aims to analyze behavioral intentions influenced by customer engagement, experience, and identification moderated by competitive choices in the granite sector of Pakistan. The study has been carried out through primary data analysis of cross-sectional approach in the transition to a sustainable economy. In total, 400 questionnaires were distributed, for which only 216 were filled and usable with a response rate of 54%—collected data from the production managers and units. In contrast, missed mine holders and labor analyzed the data in SPSS and AMOS to run various tests, i.e., reliability, correlation analysis, regression, moderation regression, and confirmatory factor analysis. The study findings indicate a positive and significant relationship and effect among the variables. The reviews might contain some biases. Therefore, this study recommended adopting a probability sampling technique for future studies. The study results in a positive manner indicating customer service involvement as a significant factor in behavioral intention despite competitive options.
The Impact of Coding Levels of Magnitude and of Spatial-Direction on the Spatial–Numerical Association of Response Codes Effect of Negative Numbers
Authors: Zeng Xiaojin , Zhang Jian , Dai Longnong , Pan Yun
Published: June 2022

Whether negative numbers have a fixed spatial–numerical association of response codes effect (SNARC effect), and (if they have) whether the spatial representation of negative numbers is associated with negative numbers’ absolute or signed values remains controversial. In this study, through three experiments, the coding level of the magnitude and the spatial-direction is manipulated. In the first experiment, participants are required to code the magnitude and spatial-direction explicitly by using a magnitude classification task. In the second experiment, participants are forced to code the magnitude implicitly as well as to code the spatial-direction explicitly by utilizing a cuing task. In the third experiment, participants are obliged to code the magnitude explicitly as well as to code the spatial-direction implicitly by adopting a magnitude and arrow-direction classification tasks with Go/No-Go responses. The results show that (1) the absolute value of negative numbers associates with space when the magnitude of negative numbers is explicitly coded, no matter employing the explicit or implicit spatial-direction; (2) the signed value of negative numbers associates with space under the condition of implicit magnitude as well as explicit spatial-direction. In conclusion, the current study indicates that the SNARC effect of negative numbers is variable in different conditions, and the type of SNARC effect about negative numbers is modulated by the joint coding level of the magnitude and spatial-direction.
Group Membership Trumps Shared Preference in Five-Year-Olds’ Resource Allocation, Social Preference, and Social Evaluation
Authors: Yang Li , Park Youjeong
Published: June 2022

This study investigated five-year-olds’ priority between shared preference and group membership in resource allocation, social preference, and social evaluation. Using a forced-choice resource allocation task and a friend choice task, we first demonstrate that five-year-old children distribute more resources to and prefer a character who shares a preference with them when compared to a character who has a different preference. Then, we pitted the shared preference against group membership to investigate children’s priority. Children prioritized group membership over shared preference, allotting more resources to and showing more preference toward characters in the same group who did not share their preferences than those from a different group who shared their preferences. Lastly, children evaluated resource allocation and social preference in others that prioritized group membership or shared preference. Children regarded prioritization of group membership more positively than prioritization of shared preference from the perspective of a third person. The results suggest that children by five years of age consider group membership as of greater importance than shared preference not only in their own resource allocation and social preference, but also in their evaluation of others’ resource allocation and liking.
Assessing Socioeconomic Risks of Climate Change on Tenant Farmers in Pakistan
Authors: Yousafzai Muhammad Tariq , Shah Tariq , Khan Salim , Ullah Sana , Nawaz Muhammad , Han Heesup , Ariza-Montes Antonio , Molina-Sánchez Horacio , Vega-Muñoz Alejandro
Published: June 2022

The study uses a transformative worldview to give voice to an economically marginalized group of tenant farmers vulnerable to climate changes due to their calamity prone geographical location. Drawing on anthropogenic global warming (AGW) theory lens, we examine the impact of manmade actions on climate change in District “Swat” and “Malakand” of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province, Pakistan using a sequential mixed methods research design. Through this research design, the results of quantitative survey were complemented with a qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews. In first phase, we conducted a survey of 200 tenant farmers, followed by second wave of data collection involving 12 open-ended in-depth interviews (IDIs). The both qualitative and quantitative results suggest that farmers in both districts are affected by climate change although their crop yield had progressively increased signaling better coping and survival skills than other parts of country. Majority of respondents believed that climate change is something beyond their control in disagreement with AGW theory. Major economic losses were specifically, due to sudden alterations in weather patterns, such as floods, and hailstorms that reduce productivity as well as results in food waste with no avenues available to reclaim the energy laden in organic food waste. Besides, a productivity loss was attributed to outdated farming, lack of awareness regarding sharecropping and crop loan insurance practices. The study concludes that farmers are most vulnerable to climate change in socioeconomic terms as such changes impact their income sources; This inwardly compels cash strapped tenant farmers to delve in practice of informal credit with substantive risks attached which further deteriorates their livelihoods. The study offers understanding of how low-literate and economically marginalized indigenous tenant farmers cope to climate change and offers policy recommendations to advocate for the rights to earn sustainable livelihoods in the face of grand climate challenge.
Effect of Seeding Strategy on the Efficiency of Brand Spreading in Complex Social Networks
Authors: ShiYong Zheng , JiaYing Li , Wei Wang , HaiJian Wang , Akram Umair , Lei Wang , BiQing Li
Published: June 2022

In social networks, consumers gather to form brand communities, and the community structure significantly impacts the dissemination of brand information. Which communication strategy is more conducive to information dissemination in different structured brand communities? Considering the above factors, we propose the word-of-mouth (WOM) agent model based on the traditional rumor model and bass model, in which the brand WOM spreading is affected by the user's psychological mechanisms, the network structure, and other factors. Through simulation experiments, the results showed the following: (1) the conclusion of the traditional bass model is no longer applicable to social marketing in brand information diffusion, that is, the effect of external marketing stimulation on information dissemination is limited. (2) The communication effect and the efficiency of information in different structures of the learning-community network are very different. (3) The strategy of hub nodes is not suitable for all types of networks, and the impact of different seeding strategies on the efficiency and effect of brand information dissemination was verified. Finally, the conclusion was verified again using the social network data on Facebook.
The Influence of Knowledge Base on the Dual-Innovation Performance of Firms
Authors: Zhang Liping , Li Hailin , Lin Chunpei , Wan Xiaoji
Published: June 2022

Dual innovation, which includes exploratory innovation and exploitative innovation, is crucial for firms to obtain a sustainable competitive advantage. The knowledge base of firms greatly influences or even determines the scope, direction, and path of their dual-innovation activities, which drive their innovation process and produce different innovation performances. This study uses data source patents obtained by 285 focal firms in the Chinese new-energy vehicle industry in the period 2015–2020. Five knowledge-base features are selected by analyzing the correlation and multicollinearity, and four different firm clusters are found by using the k-means clustering algorithm. Based on the classification and regression tree (CART) algorithm, we mine the potential decision rules governing the dual-innovation performance of firms. The results show that the exploratory innovation performance of firms in different clusters is mainly affected by two different knowledge-base features. Knowledge-base scale is a key factor affecting the exploitative innovation performance of firms. Firms in different clusters can improve their dual-innovation performance by rationally tuning the combination of knowledge-base features.
Social Media as Online Shelter: Psychological Relief in COVID-19 Pandemic Diaries
Authors: Feng Ran , Feng Yulei , Ivanov Alex
Published: June 2022

The pandemic diary on social media is a special form of online communication. Studying individual narratives in social networks during the pandemic and post-pandemic periods can help us generate valuable knowledge about the behaviors of media users and the function of social media in a public health crisis. This research focuses on psychological relief in virtual public spaces and explores how social media individual narratives affect people’s psychological health in a state of emergency from the perspective of narrative theory. Based on 19 in-depth interviews with Chinese diary writers, it has been found that the narrative genres of the pandemic diary were mainly Restitution and Quest narrative, while a few were categorized as “Restrained chaos” narrative. The purpose of editing pandemic diaries is to communicate both inwardly and outwardly. The pandemic diary can promote self-relief, public communication, emotional drive, meaning connection, and identity construction in public spaces, thus helping shape a sense of unity and belonging, and facilitating the psychological reconstruction of people who are vulnerable to potential mental health crises.
One Year on: The Impact of COVID-19 on the Lives of Freelance Orchestral Musicians in the United Kingdom
Authors: Cohen Susanna , Ginsborg Jane
Published: June 2022

Before the drastic disruption caused by the sudden emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, 85% of the United Kingdom’s 14,000 orchestral musicians were self-employed freelance workers, engaged in busy and varied portfolio careers comprising a combination of orchestral, West End theatre, chamber music, and commercial recording work. Between May and June 2020 we carried out a first study examining the impact of the pandemic on the lives of 24 self-employed orchestral musicians, all established freelancers. Twelve were mid-career and 12 were late-career (described in that study as “seasoned”). They all reported having lost their much-loved performing careers, missing music making and colleagues, and being anxious about the future of the music profession. However, there were some differences between the two groups: the late-career participants demonstrated greater financial and emotional resilience, while the mid-career musicians reported distress, confusion, and anxiety about their identity as musicians. In the present follow-up study, we aimed to examine the impact of the first year of the pandemic on the lives of 21 of the same musicians. We found that while all the mid-career participants remained committed to their performing careers, many late-career participants aged 54–59 had developed interests in non-performing music work, and the older late-career participants, aged 65 and over, feared that they might already, de facto, have retired. We discuss the findings with reference to the precarity of freelance orchestral musicians’ lives, lifespan models of musicians’ careers, self-determination theory and post-traumatic growth, and their implications for music colleges and musicians’ support organizations.
Adverse Childhood Experiences, Mindfulness, and Grit in College Students in China
Authors: Cheung Shannon P. , Tu Bin , Huang Chienchung
Published: June 2022

This study investigated the effect of ACEs and COVID-19 on grit and whether this effect is mediated by mindfulness. Although current scholarship has found that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have harmful consequences to individuals across the life span, less is known about the relationship between ACEs and grit. Grit is predictive of educational success and subjective wellbeing. A cross-sectional online survey administered to junior and senior students from 12 universities spread across China was conducted from September 20, 2020 to October 5, 2020. The universities were selected from geographically diverse regions of China to ensure a diverse sample. We received 1,871 completed responses from 2,229 invited students. The survey response rate was 83.9%. The results indicated that ACEs had significantly negative effects on grit, while mindfulness had significantly positive effects on grit. Once controlling for level of mindfulness, the effects of ACEs on grit largely reduced and became insignificant. The findings of this research indicate that mindfulness has a significant mediational effect on the relation between ACEs and grit and call for mindfulness-based interventions for enhancing grit for the population at risks.
Research of the Changes in the Psychological Status of Chinese University Students and the Influencing Factors During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Liu Chen , Tang Jiayi , Shen Chao , Zhan Xingya , Bu Enhao , Shen Baozhen , Huang Wenhao
Published: June 2022

Background

Psychological dynamics of college students have changed during the COVID-19 outbreak but little research has been done in this area. The purpose of this study is to investigate the dynamic changes in the mental health status of college students since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic 1 year and the influencing factors.

Methods

The research period was from February 2020 to August 2021. 384 college students were analyzed three times during this period on the recognition and psychological state of the pandemic.

Results

During the period from February 2020 to August 2021, in general, the positive scores rose from 20.79 to 23.46, while the negative scores dropped from 17.41 to 14.00. The regression analysis results on the influencing factors showed the degree of recognition of the pandemic is all significant in the three phases (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

With the effective control of the pandemic, the mental state of the students showed a slight improvement in the environment of sporadic cases. Behavior has a partial mediating effect between the source of fear and psychological changes. Correct behavior guidance can effectively reduce the psychological changes caused by college students’ fear.
Stressed Mothers Receiving Infant Mental Health-Based Early Head Start Increase in Mind-Mindedness
Authors: Brophy-Herb Holly E. , Choi Hailey Hyunjin , Senehi Neda , Martoccio Tiffany L. , Bocknek Erika London , Babinski Michal , Krafchak Stephen , Accorsi Courtney , Azmoudeh Roxanna , Schiffman Rachel
Published: June 2022

Maternal mind-mindedness is a characteristic of supportive parenting and contributes to many positive social–emotional outcomes in early childhood. However, there is limited knowledge of mind-mindedness among parents experiencing parenting stress from low-income settings. This is a critical gap in evidence given the robust role of supportive parenting in children’s development and the capacity of home-based interventions to improve children’s outcomes through enhancing supportive parenting. This study examined: (1) maternal mind-mindedness, operationalized as mothers’ appropriate mind-related comments (MRC), across toddlerhood in mothers of toddlers who participated in infant mental health (IMH) based Early Head Start (EHS) services; and (2) whether parenting stress moderated EHS program effects on appropriate MRC over time. Data from a primarily White midwestern site in the United States were collected at study enrollment and when toddlers were 14-, 24-, and 36-months of age (N = 152; mothers Mage = 22.4 years, SD = 5.1; toddlers Mage = 14.4 months, SD = 1.3; 51% females). Data included parent-completed questionnaires and observed parent–child interactions, which were coded for MRC. Although there were no main effects of EHS programming on mothers’ appropriate MRC over time, multilevel growth curve modeling indicated that parenting stress moderated EHS effects on mothers’ appropriate MRC over time. Among mothers with greater parenting stress, those who received IMH-based EHS services demonstrated greater proportions of MRC over time as compared to mothers with greater stress in the control group. IMH-based parenting interventions that target parenting stress may promote appropriate MRC in low-income populations during toddlerhood.
Teacher’s Emotional Intelligence and Employee Brand-Based Equity: Mediating Role of Teaching Performance and Teacher’s Self-Efficacy
Authors: Lu Qiaoqiao , Ishak Nor Asniza
Published: June 2022

Educational institutions need to respond to global competitive problems, and branding has become a method for higher education institutions to differentiate themselves. Thus, this study attempted to investigate predictors of employee brand-based equity. A cross-sectional research design has been used to record the perception of the teachers, and data are collected using a convenience sampling technique. Before administrating the study on large scale, a pilot testing was conducted, and reliability of the scale and their items was ensured. Pilot testing results indicated a satisfactory reliability level, and constructs correlations were in the assumed directions, which allowed to conduct the study on a large scale. A sample size of 400 was set, and questionnaires were distributed among the participants, out of which, 376 were received back, while 351 were left at the end after discarding incomplete responses. The left over and completed questionnaires indicate 88% response rate. Data have been analyzed through the Smart PLS software by applying the structural equation modeling technique. After establishment of the measurement model through reliability and validity, the structural model was used to test study hypotheses. All the study hypotheses were found statistically significant on the basis of t and p statistics. Results indicate that teacher’s emotional intelligence enhances teachers’ self-efficacy, which further improves their brand-based equity. Similarly, emotional intelligence increases teacher’s performance, which also increases their brand-based equity. Limitations and future directions of the study are also reported.
Persistence and Dropout in Higher Online Education: Review and Categorization of Factors
Authors: Shaikh Umair Uddin , Asif Zaheeruddin
Published: June 2022

Online learning is becoming more popular with the maturity of social and educational technologies. In the COVID-19 era, it has become one of the most utilized ways to continue academic pursuits. Despite the ease and benefits offered by online classes, their completion rates are surprisingly low. Although several past studies focused on online dropout rates, institutions and course providers are still searching for a solution to this alarming problem. It is mainly because the previous studies have used divergent frameworks and approaches. Based on empirical research since 2001, this study presents a comprehensive review of factors by synthesizing them into a logically cohesive and integrative framework. Using different combinations of terms related to persistence and dropout, the authors explored various databases to form a pool of past research on the subject. This collection was also enhanced using the snowball approach. The authors only selected empirical, peer-reviewed, and contextually relevant studies, shortlisting them by reading through the abstracts. The Constant Comparative Method (CCM) seems ideal for this research. The authors employed axial coding to explore the relationships among factors, and selective coding helped identify the core categories. The categorical arrangement of factors will give researchers valuable insights into the combined effects of factors that impact persistence and dropout decisions. It will also direct future research to critically examine the relationships among factors and suggest improvements by validating them empirically. We anticipate that this research will enable future researchers to apply the results in different scenarios and contexts related to online learning.
Sport Participation and Psychosocial Factors Which Influence Athletic Identity in Youth Athletes With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury
Authors: McGinley James , Stapleton Emily , Worrall Hannah , Ellis Henry B. , Wilson Philip L. , Ulman Sophia
Published: June 2022

Athletic identity, or the degree with which individuals identify with the athlete role, is an important rehabilitation factor for sports care providers to consider; however, it lacks extensive study in youth. The purpose of this study was to identify demographic, sport participation, and psychosocial measures which correlate with youth athletic identity after anterior cruciate ligament injury. Participants completed standardized sports medicine intake and patient-reported outcome measures, including the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS). A total of 226 participants were included, and two groups were created based on high or low total AIMS score. Results indicated that sex (p = 0.002), years active in sport (p = 0.049), activity level (p = 0.038), and ACSI-Coachability (p = 0.027) differed by AIMS score. While youth athletes appear resilient, these results emphasize that they identify strongly with the athlete role and may suffer psychosocial consequences after injury. Future work should evaluate similar factors over course of recovery in a larger, diversified population.
The Mediating Role of a Xu-Argument Based Iterative Translation Continuation Task in the Dynamic Relationships Between Translation Learning Anxiety and Foreign Language Learning Proficiency and Translation Strategies
Authors: Zhang Sumin , Ren Yuhong
Published: June 2022

Growing interest has been shown in the effects of thexu-argument based translation continuation task, which have been mainly exploredviathe linguistic dimension. The current study, using a pretest-intervention-posttest design, investigated the dynamic relationships among translation learning anxiety, foreign language learning proficiency, and English–Chinese translation strategies under an iterative translation continuation task (ITCT) that lasted 13 turns. The results yielded from 134 student translators showed a significant increase in their translation strategies comprehension and production, with those with a medium level of translation learning anxiety and foreign language learning proficiency achieving the most. It also showed that the significant partial mediating effect of translation learning anxiety between foreign language learning proficiency and the production of translation strategies in the pre-test became insignificant in the post-test, and the insignificant correlation between the comprehension and production of translation strategies in the pre-test became significant in the post-test. The dynamic relationships among translation learning anxiety, foreign language learning proficiency, and translation strategies confirmed the mediating role of the ITCT in attenuating the impact of higher level of translation learning anxiety and lower level of foreign language learning proficiency on the comprehension and use of translation strategies, though its effects could be different for student translators with different levels of translation anxiety and proficiency as measured by different assessments.
The Evolution of Psychological and Behavioral Consequences of Self-Isolation During Lockdown: A Longitudinal Study Across United Kingdom and Italy
Authors: Zaninotto Francesca , Bossi Francesco , Terry Philip , Riccaboni Massimo , Galli Giulia
Published: June 2022

Introduction

Several countries imposed nationwide or partial lockdowns to limit the spread of COVID-19 and avoid overwhelming hospitals and intensive care units. Lockdown may involve restriction of movement, stay-at-home orders and self-isolation, which may have dramatic consequences on mental health. Recent studies demonstrated that the negative impact of lockdown restrictions depends on a wide range of psychological and socio-demographic factors.

Aims

This longitudinal study aimed to understand how internal factors such as personality and mindfulness traits, and external factors, such as daily habits and house features, affect anxiety, depression and general wellbeing indicators, as well as cognitive functions, during the course of a lockdown.

Methods

To address these questions, 96 participants in Italy and the United Kingdom filled out a survey, once a week for 4 weeks, during the first-wave lockdowns. The survey included questions related to their habits and features of the house, as well as validated questionnaires to measure personality traits, mindful attitude and post-traumatic symptoms. Indicators of wellbeing were the affective state, anxiety, stress and psychopathological indices. We also measured the emotional impact of the pandemic on cognitive ability by using two online behavioral tasks [emotional Stroop task (EST) and visual search].

Results

We found that internal factors influenced participants’ wellbeing during the first week of the study, while external factors affected participants in the last weeks. In the first week, internal variables such as openness, conscientiousness and being non-judgmental toward one’s own thoughts and emotions were positively associated with wellbeing; instead, neuroticism and the tendency to observe and describe one’s own thoughts and emotions had detrimental effects on wellbeing. Toward the end of the study, external variables such as watching television and movies, browsing the internet, walking the dog, and having a balcony showed a protective value, while social networking and engaging in video calls predicted lower values of wellbeing. We did not find any effects of wellbeing on cognitive functioning.

Conclusion

Recognizing specific traits and habits affecting individuals’ wellbeing (in both short and long terms) during social isolation is crucial to identify people at risk of developing psychological distress and help refine current guidelines to alleviate the psychological consequences of prolonged lockdowns.
Early Abusive Relationships–Influence of Different Maltreatment Types on Postpartum Psychopathology and Mother-Infant Bonding in a Clinical Sample
Authors: Frohberg Julia , Bittner Antje , Steudte-Schmiedgen Susann , Junge-Hoffmeister Juliane , Garthus-Niegel Susan , Weidner Kerstin
Published: June 2022

Postpartum psychopathology is a well-documented risk factor for impaired mother-infant bonding and thus child development. Increasingly, the focus of research in this area lies on maternal adverse childhood experiences that mothers bring into the relationship with their own baby, especially regarding the possible intergenerational transmission of traumatic experiences. Several studies showed that there is no direct link between child maltreatment and mother-infant bonding as one part of mother-child relationship, but that this link is mediated by postpartum psychopathology. To date, few studies examined differential effects between sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, and physical and emotional neglect, especially in a clinical sample. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the relationship between child maltreatment, psychopathology, and mother-infant bonding can be found for different forms of child maltreatment in patients of a mother-baby unit. Our sample consisted of 330 mothers of a mother-baby-unit in a psychosomatic clinic, who filled out self-report measures at time of admission. Mothers reported on maternal child maltreatment history with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, on current psychopathology with the Brief Symptom Inventory, and on mother-infant bonding with the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire. Mediation analyses were performed with psychopathology as mediator, child maltreatment history as independent, and mother-infant bonding as dependent variable. There was no total effect of child maltreatment on mother-infant bonding. However, there were significant indirect effects of child maltreatment in general (ab = 0.09) and of the various forms of child maltreatment on mother-infant bonding via psychopathology (0.16 ≤ ab ≤ 0.34). The strongest effect was found for emotional abuse. After controlling for psychopathology, the direct effect of physical abuse on mother-infant bonding presented as a negative significant effect. This indicates that the more severe the physical abuse experienced, the better the self-reported bonding. A similar, but non-significant trend was found for sexual abuse. Our findings highlight the importance of assessing neglect forms of child maltreatment as well as abuse in women during the perinatal period. It further supports initial findings that different forms of child maltreatment can have differential effects on mother-infant bonding as one aspect of the mother-child relationship. Further research should include observational data to compare with self-report measures.
Relationship of Resilience Factors With Biopsychosocial Markers Using a Comprehensive Home Evaluation Kit for Depression and Suicide Risk: A Real-World Data Analysis
Authors: Jang Sooah , Choi Sun-Woo , Ahn Ryunsup , Lee Ju-Yeal , Kim Joohan , Seok Jeong-Ho
Published: June 2022

Objectives

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are fundamental factors in developing depression with increased suicide risk. Resilience is considered an important protective factor that can prevent trauma survivors from developing depression. We developed a home evaluation kit for a comprehensive assessment of bio-psycho-social factors related to depression and suicide. This kit contained a psycho-social evaluation battery, named the Protective and Vulnerable factors battery questionnaire (PROVE) comprising depressive symptoms and suicide risk, as well as various depression-related psychosocial factors, such as ACE, resilience, mentalization capacity, and attachment, via online survey tools. Furthermore, salivary cortisol levels were used as biological indicators to assess the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis function.

Methods

Real-world data analysis was made out of data collected from participants who visited CHEEU Counseling center or Gangnam Severance hospital for mental health check-ups. The participants were put into three mental state groups (green-normal, yellow-borderline, and red-risk) depending on the result of PROVE battery. The difference between psychosocial factors and salivary cortisol indicators by the group was identified by analysis of covariance with sex and age as covariates. Linear regression analysis was conducted to find a significant association of resilience score with other bio-psycho-social variables, such as ACE, attachment, mentalization, or post-awakening cortisol concentrations (area under the curve with respect to ground, AUCg). A partial correlation analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship of AUCg with psychosocial factors.

Results

Depression-related psycho-social indicators were significantly different among groups. Insecure attachment and the mentalization problem are negatively influencing factors to resilience. Furthermore, the severity of depression in participants with ACE was also influenced by mentalization problems. AUCg was different according to the PROVE group, presence of ACE, or resilience level. In addition, AUCg showed a positive correlation with resilience score but negative correlations with depressive symptoms, ACE, mentalization problems, and anxiety or avoidance attachment.

Conclusion

This study suggests that there are some key factors negatively affecting resilience: insecure attachment and mentalization problems. In groups with ACE, a mentalization problem was suggested as a factor that can increase depressive symptoms. AUCg was associated with resilience as well as several other vulnerable factors of depression, showing its potential as a promising biomarker.
Novel Synthetic Opioids (NSO) Use in Opioid Dependents Entering Detoxification Treatment
Authors: Specka Michael , Kuhlmann Thomas , Bonnet Udo , Sawazki Jürgen , Schaaf Luzia , Kühnhold Stefan , Steinert Renate , Grigoleit Torsten , Eich Helmut , Zeiske Benita , Niedersteberg Antje , Steiner Katharina , Schifano Fabrizio , Scherbaum Norbert
Published: June 2022

Introduction

Over the last decade, the use of New/Novel Synthetic Opioids (NSO) has emerged as an increasing problem, and especially so in the USA. However, only little is known about the prevalence and history of NSO use in European heroin dependents.

Method

A cross-sectional multicenter study, carried out with the means of both standardized interviews and urine toxicology enhanced screening, in a sample of opioid addicted patients referred for an in-patient detoxification treatment.

Results

Sample size included here n = 256 patients; prior to admission, 63.7% were prescribed with an opioid maintenance treatment. Lifetime use of heroin and opioid analgesics was reported by 99.2 and 30.4%, respectively. Lifetime NSO/fentanyl use was reported by 8.7% (n = 22); a regular use was reported by 1.6% (n = 4), and ingestion over the 30 days prior to admission by 0.8% (n = 2). Most typically, patients had started with a regular consumption of heroin, followed by maintenance opioids; opioid analgesics; and by NSO. Self-reported data were corroborated by the toxicology screenings carried out; no evidence was here identified for the presence of heroin being contaminated by fentanyl/derivatives.

Discussion

NSO and also opioid analgesics did not play a relevant role in the development and the course of opioid/opioid use disorders in German patients referred for an inpatient detoxification treatment.
Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) as a Framework to Understand Compliance Issues With Health Protocols Among People Undergoing Isolation at Emergency Hospital for COVID-19 Wisma Atlet Kemayoran and RSCM Kiara Ultimate Jakarta Indonesia
Authors: Malik Khamelia , Amir Nurmiati , Kusumawardhani A. A. A. A. , Lukman Petrin Redayani , Karnovinanda Rhapsody , Melisa Leslie , Dewi Lidya Purnama , Lasmono Agnes
Published: June 2022

Introduction:

This study aims to identify the psychosocial determinants and examine the mediation mechanisms of the compliance with COVID-19 health protocols among people undergoing isolation in health facilities that specifically treat COVID-19 cases in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study which used socio-cognitive approach, known as the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA), to understand the complexity of issues related to compliance with health protocols. A total of 1,584 subjects participated in this study, including 865 men and 719 women over the age of 18 years old during the data collection period (October 19–26, 2020). The data were collected using questionnaire that was developed by a team of experts from the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia—Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, and survivors. The data that has been collected were then analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling, a multivariate data analysis technique.

Results

The final research model in this study fulfills the criteria for a good model fit. This study found that individuals who have strong self-efficacy regarding their ability to implement behaviors and overcome obstacles will have stronger intent to comply in the future. The study also found that stronger intent will lead to stronger planning, and planning was found mediating intention and compliance with health protocols.

Conclusion

This research model is comprehensive and useful in understanding compliance with health protocols among people undergoing isolation in health facilities for COVID-19 (Wisma Atlet and RSCM Kiara Ultimate). Having intent (related to the risk perception, outcome expectancies, and self-efficacy) and having a plan can positively influence the behavior of people undergoing isolation, resulting in better compliance to health protocols. The understanding gained from this study can be used to improve strategies related to compliance with health protocols against COVID-19 in the communities.
Cost Effectiveness and Budget Impact of the Boston University Approach to Psychiatric Rehabilitation for Increasing the Social Participation of Individuals With Severe Mental Illnesses
Authors: Sanches Sarita A. , Feenstra Talitha L. , Swildens Wilma E. , van Busschbach Jooske T. , van Weeghel Jaap , van Asselt Thea D. I.
Published: June 2022

Background

The purpose of this study was to investigate the cost-effectiveness and budget impact of the Boston University Approach to Psychiatric Rehabilitation (BPR) compared to an active control condition (ACC) to increase the social participation (in competitive employment, unpaid work, education, and meaningful daily activities) of individuals with severe mental illnesses (SMIs). ACC can be described as treatment as usual but with an active component, namely the explicit assignment of providing support with rehabilitation goals in the area of social participation.

Method

In a randomized clinical trial with 188 individuals with SMIs, BPR (n = 98) was compared to ACC (n = 90). Costs were assessed with the Treatment Inventory of Costs in Patients with psychiatric disorders (TIC-P). Outcome measures for the cost-effectiveness analysis were incremental cost per Quality Adjusted Life Year (QALY) and incremental cost per proportional change in social participation. Budget Impact was investigated using four implementation scenarios and two costing variants.

Results

Total costs per participant at 12-month follow-up were € 12,886 in BPR and € 12,012 in ACC, a non-significant difference. There were no differences with regard to social participation or QALYs. Therefore, BPR was not cost-effective compared to ACC. Types of expenditure with the highest costs were in order of magnitude: supported and sheltered housing, inpatient care, outpatient care, and organized activities. Estimated budget impact of wide BPR implementation ranged from cost savings to €190 million, depending on assumptions regarding uptake. There were no differences between the two costing variants meaning that from a health insurer perspective, there would be no additional costs if BPR was implemented on a wider scale in mental health care institutions.

Conclusions

This was the first study to investigate BPR cost-effectiveness and budget impact. The results showed that BPR was not cost-effective compared to ACC. When interpreting the results, one must keep in mind that the cost-effectiveness of BPR was investigated in the area of social participation, while BPR was designed to offer support in all rehabilitation areas. Therefore, more studies are needed before definite conclusions can be drawn on the cost-effectiveness of the method as a whole.
Housing Correlates in Pregnant and Parenting Women Using Methamphetamine and Accessing Psychiatric Care
Authors: Petzold Johannes , Rehmet Laura , Weber Benjamin , Spreer Maik , Krüger Maria , Zimmermann Ulrich S. , Pilhatsch Maximilian
Published: June 2022

Background

Integrated care is a promising model for pregnant and parenting women with problems related to methamphetamine use. Yet more research is imperative to guide services for this vulnerable population as methamphetamine use contributes to housing instability, which is associated with heavier use and overdose death.

Method

This prospective observational study analyzed how housing at discharge from psychiatric care was related to patient characteristics, program participation, and aftercare in 102 pregnant and/or parenting women.

Results

Twelve of 23 women who were unstably housed at admission (three of six homeless) achieved stable housing by discharge from integrated care. Women were more likely unstably housed at discharge when unstably housed at admission, single, living apart from at least one minor, or when the other parent had a substance use disorder (p < 0.05). Unstably housed women at discharge were also more likely to have used social and inpatient services, and to transition to inpatient rehabilitation (p < 0.05). Among baseline characteristics, logistic regression identified unstable housing at admission (OR = 6.07) and being single (OR = 4.01) as the strongest unique contributors to unstable housing at discharge (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Unstably housed women and single women seem particularly at risk of remaining in precarious living conditions despite accessing integrated care for problems associated with methamphetamine use. Future work should investigate whether stronger partnerships with government and community agencies could be a way forward to help these women attain and maintain stable housing.