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The concept of digital competences incorporates the effective use of constantly-changing digital tools and media for learning and performing digital tasks, digital behaviours (such as online communication, teamwork, ethical sharing of information), as well as digital mindsets that value lifelong digital learning and development. The current pandemic crisis has accelerated the need to diagnose and understand more systematically Higher Education students’ digital competences and the way in which they shape academic performance and outcomes. This empirical study explores the digital competences of students, studying in Law related courses, by means of a self-assessment survey tool, which has been previously tested with information and library science students, and was developed to study students’ technology mastery (i.e. the abilities, competences, capabilities and skills required for using digital technology, media and tools) and their digital citizenship mindsets (consisting of attitudes and behaviours necessary to develop as a critical, reflective and lifelong learners). The study found age demographic differences, which presented significant correlations pointing to the presence of diverse levels of competences in the student group. Correlation statistics of the survey data demonstrated that students’ prior everyday participation as a digital citizen was connected to a number of important academic skills, such as the ability to identify information in different contexts, students’ digital learning and development, their digital abilities to complete academic work, their information literacy skills and their skills around managing their digital wellbeing and identity. Focus groups data with academics revealed that they valued the development of students’ digital competences for the purposes of learning, while studying at university and placed less emphasis on digital citizenship skills. These academics also considered the value of digital platforms and tools (the focus on ‘ICT Proficiency’) to be more relevant for academic study than digital citizenship mindsets.

Purpose: We describe the development and the psychometric properties of an instrument to assess self-perceived EOL care competencies for healthcare professionals: The End-of-Life Care Questionnaire (EOL-Q). Methods: The EOL-Q consists of 28 questions assessing knowledge, attitudes and behaviors with subscale items addressing seven domains of care: decision-making, communication, continuity of care, emotional support for patients/families, symptom management, spiritual support for patients/families, and support for clinicians. The EOL-Q was used to assess competencies of 1,197 healthcare professionals from multiple work units at a large medical center. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were calculated for the survey and subscales. A factor analysis was also conducted. Results: Internal consistency reliability was for was high for the total scale (0.93) and for the subscales addressing knowledge, behaviors, decision-making, communication, emotional support and symptom management (0.84-0.92); and moderate (>0.68) for the attitudes and continuity of care subscales. The factor analysis demonstrated robust consolidation of the communication and continuity of care subscales (eigenvalue 9.47), decision-making subscale (eigenvalue 3.38), symptom management subscale (eigenvalue 1.51), and emotional and spiritual support subscales (eigenvalue 1.13). Conclusion: Analysis of the psychometric properties of the EOL-Q care across settings supports its reliability and validity as a measure of self-perceived EOL care competencies in the domains of communication and continuity of care, decision-making, symptom management, and emotional and spiritual support. The EOL-Q displays promise as a tool for use in a variety of educational, research, and program development initiatives in EOL care.

Adolescence is a sensitive period for taking risks, yet research has not investigated whether adolescents who engage in risk-taking actually perceive themselves to be risk-takers. In the current study, students (Grade: 6-8, N = 437) reported on their frequency of risk-taking and perceptions of themselves as risk-takers, forming four groups of interest (aware risk-takers, unaware risk-takers, aware non-risk-takers, unaware non-risk-takers). We also investigated whether these groups were associated with engagement in certain types of risks. Overall, low-risk-takers had more accurate self-perceptions (i.e., greater awareness) compared with high risk-takers. Of concern, unaware high risk-takers engaged in more rule-breaking and adventurous risks compared with non-risk-takers, though they did not consider themselves to be risk-takers. It is possible that this group of adolescents may be less receptive to educational practices that target high risk-takers given that they do not consider themselves to be a risk-taker.

Health care should be informed by the physical, socioeconomic, mental, and emotional well-being of the person, and account for social circumstances and culture. Patient-generated outcome measures can contribute positively to mental health research in culturally diverse populations. In this study, we analysed qualitative responses to the Psychological Outcome Profiles (PSYCHLOPS) Questionnaire—a patient-generated outcome measure based on open-ended questions, and compared the qualitative responses gathered to conventional, nomothetic measures used alongside the PSYCHLOPS in two studies. Data were collected as part of outcome research on a psychological intervention in Pakistan ( N = 346) and Kenya ( N = 521). Two researchers coded the qualitative responses to the PSYCHLOPS and identified overarching themes. We compared the overarching themes identified to the items in the conventional, nomothetic outcome measures to investigate conceptual equivalence. Using the PSYCHLOPS, the most frequently reported problems in Kenya were financial constraints, poor health, and unemployment. In Pakistan, the most frequent problems were poor health and emotional problems. Most of the person-generated problem concepts were covered also in nomothetic measures that were part of the same study. However, there was no item equivalence in the nomothetic measures for the most frequent PSYCHLOPS problem cited in both countries. Response bias and measurement bias may not be excluded. More research on the use of PSYCHLOPS alongside conventional outcome measures is needed to further explore the extent to which it may bring added value. Use of a PSYCHLOPS semistructured interview schedule and efforts to minimise response biases should be considered.

Evidence of cultural comparisons of gender-identity-measurement scales is scarce. The present study aims to assess the scalar invariance of two dimensions of a widely used gender identity scale (Egan and Perry’s Multidimensional Gender Identity Inventory) across two cultural contexts. Fourth, sixth, and fifth graders from Barranquilla (Colombia) and Montréal (Canada) ( n = 351) completed an abbreviated, self-report revised version of Egan and Perry’s scale. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis demonstrated that typicality and pressure to conform to traditional gender roles are distinct factors and tend to be stable over time. Furthermore, a multi-group comparison analysis showed that the measurement model did not vary significantly as a function of cultural context. Our study adds evidence to support the use of a reliable and valid measurement instrument that is invariant across cultural settings, to allow comparisons that do not depend on contextual variations in the assessment of gender identity during childhood.

The study examines employability attributes as psychological mechanisms that explain the link between the career adaptation concerns and self-perceived employability of a sample of professionally qualified knowledge workers (N = 404). A cross-sectional survey was used to collect primary data. Results of a mediation analysis by means of structural equation modeling show that proactivity, career resilience, and career self-management attributes are significant intrinsic motivational mechanisms in explaining the link between high career adaptation concerns and high self-perceived employability. The study makes an important contribution to the employability literature by illustrating by means of self-determination theory the role of employability attributes as psychological processes that restore individuals’ sense of autonomous functioning as expressed by their self-perceived employability. The findings advance human resource management’s understanding of the role of employability attributes as mechanisms of fulfilling knowledge workers’ need for competence and autonomy in the career adaptation concerns—perceived employability link. Practice implications include supportive career development practices that strengthen knowledge workers’ sense of competence and autonomy when confronted with changes in job and employment conditions that affect their perceived employability.

Objectives The aim was to evaluate the association of self-perceived levels of attention deficit and hyperactivity symptoms with non-migraine and migraine headaches among university students. We also evaluated their association with migraine aura. Methods Study subjects were all participants in the internet-based Students Health Research Enterprise. Scores were built to evaluate global attention and hyperactivity symptom levels, self-perceived attention deficit levels and self-perceived hyperactivity symptom levels based on the Adult Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder Self-Report Scale (ASRS v1.1.). We used standardised questions to classify headache and group participants into “no headache,” “non-migraine headache,” “migraine without aura” or “migraine with aura”. Results A total of 4816 students were included (mean age 20.3 ± 2.8 years; 75.5% women). Compared with participants without headache, we found significant associations between global ADHD scores and migraine. Students in the highest quintile of global ASRS scores had adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 1.95 (95% CI 1.56–2.45) when compared to the lowest. This association was mainly driven by an association between self-perceived hyperactivity and migraine with aura. The aOR for migraine with aura was 2.83 (95% CI 2.23–3.61) for students in the highest quintile of hyperactivity. No significant association was found for any attention and hyperactivity symptom level measure and non-migraine headache and between self-perceived levels of attention deficit and migraine. Conclusions Among students in higher education in France, self-perceived levels of attention deficit and hyperactivity symptoms were selectively associated with migraine. The association was strongest for the hyperactivity domain and migraine with aura.

False confessions represent a significant problem for the criminal and juvenile justice systems and juveniles may be at particular risk for falsely confessing. In part, this risk may be due to juveniles’ greater likelihood of waiving Miranda rights and, consequently, undergoing interrogation, as well as their heightened suggestibility and greater susceptibility to and compliance with authority figures compared to adults. With data from 260 participants in correctional facilities, this study compared juveniles’ ( n = 168) and adults’ ( n = 92) self-reported likelihood of false confessions. Younger juveniles reported significantly greater false confession propensity than did adults, especially in response to directive interrogation techniques. Older juveniles did not differ significantly from adults in their self-reported likelihood of false confession. Miranda rights comprehension mediated the relationship between age and false confession likelihood. These findings suggest the need for greater protections of younger juveniles during interrogations.

Introduction:The aims of this study were to examine the validity of self-perceived hearing loss in detecting hearing loss and factors associated with self-perceived hearing loss and hearing-help seeking and to report hearing aid adoption among a group of community-dwelling older adults in Malaysia.Methods:A total of 301 older adults (⩾60 years of age) participating in a study on aging had their hearing tested using pure-tone audiometry. Self-perceived hearing loss was assessed using a single question. Sociodemographic profile, otologic history, and general cognitive status were also obtained.Results:A single question had low sensitivity in detecting actual hearing loss: 31.3% for 4-frequency average > 25 dBHL and 48.8% for 4-frequency average > 40 dBHL. Besides hearing level, history of otorrhea and tinnitus were factors that were associated with self-perceived hearing loss among older adults with at least mild hearing loss. Hearing-help-seeking behavior was not associated with any of the tested variables. The hearing aid adoption rate was 2.7% and 7.3% among participants with 4-frequency averages > 25 dBHL and > 40 dBHL, respectively.Conclusion:The underestimation of hearing loss in the majority of older adults in this study poses a potential barrier to hearing loss intervention.

Employees’ perception of their intrateam status plays an important role in the leader–member interaction process. Combining relational fairness theory and status theory, the present study reveals how leadership empowerment behavior (LEB) affects employee and team creativity. Specifically, we propose that LEB may increase employee creativity by elevating employee self-perceived status and enhance team creativity through fostering a feedback-seeking climate in the team. Moreover, we propose that, at the team level, team status conflict moderates the relationship between LEB and feedback-seeking climate such that LEB is only positively related to feedback-seeking climate when status conflict is low but not when it is high. We further propose that team feedback-seeking climate also mediates the interactive effect of LEB and status conflict on team creativity. Results based on data collected from a sample of 84 teams with 392 employees supported our hypotheses. We also discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings and propose future research directions.

Awareness is one of the first steps in a lifestyle modification process. Since older adults are at a higher risk of hypertension, maintaining low sodium intake is of utmost importance. Yet, it is uncertain if older adults have an awareness of their sodium intake. This study aimed to explore self-perceived sodium intake among older Chinese people and compare it with various measures of sodium intake. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Hong Kong in 2015. Data were collected from 24-h urinary sodium excretion (UNa24) measurements, dietary sodium intake by 24-h diet recalls and self-perceived salt intake levels among the older Hong Kong population. Kappa statistics and a paired t-test were used to compare the different measures. Fifty-nine participants provided complete 24-h urine samples. The mean (±SD) UNa24 of participants was 2846 ± 1253 mg, of which 74.6% exceeded the recommended daily sodium intake. About 87.8% of participants with UNa24 values >2000 mg perceived their sodium intake as too little or just right. The kappa statistic between UNa24 and self-perception was insignificantly different from zero (κ = −0.003, p-value = 0.909). The UNa24 estimates were significantly higher than those estimated from the 24-h diet recalls by 1203 mg ( p-value

Drivers typically calibrate their driving behavior with their perceived risk of the current driving situation. However, the degree of risky behavior that drivers find acceptable may be affected by individual difference factors, such as gender, cognitive ability, and personality traits. Using a publicly available dataset examining cognitive and personality variables in a sample of older American adults (CogUSA; McArdle, Rodgers, & Willis, 2015), the present study assessed the relationships between global and information processing factors and self-perceived risky driving behavior (after controlling for general self-perceived risk-taking). Global factors included gender, age, and the big five personality traits. Information processing factors were measured by scores on Visual Matching, Incomplete Words, Auditory Working Memory, and Spatial Relations tests. Results indicated that gender, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and visuo-spatial processing predicted increased self-perceived risky driving behavior. The results have implications for the assessment of driving risk factors across ages, as well as the burgeoning field of hazard perception training.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to (1) determine the orthodontic treatment need in a university adult population, (2) estimate the self-perceived need for orthodontic treatment, and (3) to assess the self-reported psychosocial well-being and its association with treatment need. Subjects and Methods: Eighty-seven adults (20–70 years of age) comprising academic and corporate staff from a health science university participated in this study. The esthetic component of index of orthodontic treatment need (AC of IOTN) was used to determine the orthodontic treatment need, and a simple questionnaire was used for data on sociodemographics and self-perceived need. Psychosocial well-being was measured through the self-rated Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics Questionnaire. Data was analyzed using nonparametric Kruskal–Wallis tests with statistical significance set as P Results: Thirteen people (14.9%) had an orthodontic treatment need by AC of IOTN, whereas 40 (46%) perceived a need for orthodontic treatment. Age, gender, ethnicity, or marital status was not associated with treatment need. Those who had no need for treatment measured by the AC of IOTN scored significantly higher on the dental self-confidence (DSC) domain ( P = 0.009) and significantly lower in the psychosocial impact domain ( P = 0.048) when compared to those with treatment need. The self-perceived need was significantly associated with DSC ( P = 0.000), social impact ( P = 0.002), psychosocial impact ( P = 0.003) as well as the esthetic concern domain ( P = 0.012). Conclusion: The orthodontic treatment need perceived by the adults in this study was higher with significant impact on the psychosocial well-being. Orthodontic treatment for the patient based on the assessment of psychosocial impact would be beneficial in addressing patient's perspectives of treatment need.

The importance of examining positive aspects of youth development has been emphasized across disciplines involved in the care of youth with substance abuse problems. However, little is known about the strengths of adolescents with substance abuse problems, especially youth entering residential treatment. Utilizing the Strengths Assessment Inventory, a measure assessing psychological and social strengths, we examined patterns of strengths across groups of age- and gender-matched youth who reported no substance use, frequent substance use, and those entering treatment for severe substance use. Each group consisted of 43 participants ranging in age from 14 to 18 years. Results indicated that, on average, individuals entering treatment scored lower on personal strengths. However, through the use of more sophisticated statistical approaches, it was found that certain strengths were predictive of individuals belonging to the treatment group. Results are discussed in terms of their relevance to the treatment of adolescent substance abuse problems.

Research into posttraumatic growth—positive psychological change that people report in their relationships, priorities in life, and self-perception after experiences of adversity—has been severely critiqued. We investigated the degree to which community members’ friends and relatives corroborated targets’ self-perceived positive and negative changes as measured by the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory-42. We found corroboration only for negative changes when we examined overall (averaged) scores. However, using a profile analysis procedure, we found significant participant–informant agreement on the domains of change that had relatively higher scores in the target’s profile and those that had relatively lower scores. Our results demonstrate that informants were able to observe that targets had changed and were sensitive to the idiosyncratic ways in which these changes had manifested in targets’ behavior.

This study investigated influences encouraging active music engagement beyond the high school and college years among nonmusic majors who are actively engaged in music. A web survey yielded a 50% response rate ( N = 476) from nonmajor students enrolled in performing organizations at a large Midwestern public university, whose responses addressed music activities in and out of school environments, influences on starting and continuing participation during high school and college, and whether ensemble directors promoted continued engagement. Results indicated high amounts of intrinsic motivation in both settings and active diverse curricular and noncurricular participation in music during high school. However, respondents indicated limited music activity outside of the college ensemble; indeed, a majority said they would not have sought a way to continue had it not been for the availability of a university ensemble that welcomed nonmajors. High school directors provided more encouragement to continue than college directors.

The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of self-perceived oral health needs among Medicaid-enrolled adults with and without mental health problems and to identify factors predictive of enrollees’ perceived oral health needs. The study involved a secondary analysis of 1,721 respondents to the Florida Health Services Survey. Contrary to the previous research, the findings from this study indicated that respondents with mental health problems (52.9%) did not differ significantly in their dental needs compared to those who did not have mental health problems (49.3%). The results from a logistic regression suggested that after controlling for demographic characteristics, substance abuse problems and functional needs increased the likelihood of self-reported oral health needs, whereas the receipt of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) was associated with decreased dental needs. The prevalence of unmet dental needs among these respondents (i.e., 23%) supported the conclusion that a significant gap exists in the accessibility of oral health services among this population.

Objective: To examine the factors impacting postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) residents’ self-perceived readiness for residency. Methods: A total of 1801 residents who matched in American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)-accredited PGY1 programs were e-mailed individualized invitations to take an online survey. The survey collected self-ratings of readiness for residency training competencies including time management and organization, foundational knowledge, clinical practice, project management, and communication. Key Findings: Data from 556 completed surveys were analyzed. Residents agreed they were ready to perform activities requiring time management and organization (median = 4, mean = 4.08), foundational knowledge (median = 4, mean = 3.83), clinical practice (median = 4, mean = 3.67), and communication (median = 4, mean = 4.05). Residents who completed at least 1 academic advance pharmacy practice experience (APPE), 5 clinical APPEs, or held a bachelors degree felt more confident than their counterparts in regard to project management ( P < .001, Conclusion: PGY1 residents generally felt prepared for time management and organization, foundational knowledge, and communication residency training competencies. This was significant for those who completed 1 or more academic APPEs, 5 or more clinical rotations, or a bachelors degree. Study results may assist pharmacy schools in preparing students for residency training, prospective resident applicants in becoming more competitive candidates for residency programs, and residency program directors in resident selection.

We investigated the role of employees’ status appraisals within their work group in relation to their challenging-promotive voice behavior. We argued that fair and respectful treatment of their voice input by the authority figure of the group (i.e., supervisory responsiveness) enhances employees’ self-perceived status, thereby motivating them to engage in subsequent voice behavior. Using a sample of 337 supervisor-subordinate dyads collected in manufacturing industry organizations in China, we found that self-perceived status mediated the relationship between supervisory responsiveness and voice behavior. We further identified employees’ self-efficacy for voice as a moderator in this mediational chain for the path from supervisory responsiveness to self-perceived status. The indirect relationship between supervisory responsiveness and voice behavior through self-perceived status was more pronounced when self-efficacy for voice was higher rather than lower.

This paper reports on a qualitative study in Finland of the relationship between self-perceived generic competences and the entrepreneurial intentions of business students when they started their Bachelor's degree studies. The study was based on course-related written assignments of one international student group. The findings illustrated three different types of student competence profiles: independent achievers, social team players and dependent individuals; and they also created a starting point for the later examination of competence development.

This study investigated how school librarians perceive their status within the school by looking at factors suggested by the literature as either impacting on, or impacted by, status: their relationships with their colleagues and supervisors, their role within the school, job satisfaction, and views on their careers and their training. Most respondents reported a high self-perceived status, on a par with a head of department, and they believed that teachers and their supervisors supported the library, they always felt welcome in the staff rooms, they felt regarded as both an important and a professional member of staff, and they were satisfied with their jobs. Those who identified themselves as having a low status within the school were far less likely to exhibit extra-role behaviour within the school and were far more likely to be planning on leaving their jobs within two years. This research fills a gap on what is known about the current picture of school librarianship, particularly in Scotland. Further research building upon this might further examine the relationship between head teachers, school management teams, and school librarians, as management emerged as the most influential factor of one’s self-perceived status.

This study examined the relation of college students' self-perceived and measured physical fitness. Students (30 men, 30 women; M age = 20.1 yr., SD = 1.4) completed the Physical Self-description Questionnaire and four fitness tests: air displacement plethysmography, submaximal treadmill test, curl-up test, and sit-and-reach test. Significant correlations were obtained for self-perceived physical fitness with measured body composition, cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular endurance, and flexibility ( r = .33–.62). Significant correlations were also found between self-perceived overall fitness and actual body composition, cardiorespiratory endurance, and muscular endurance (| r| =.26–.55). These findings suggest that college students can gauge their own fitness in terms of four distinct health-related components with some accuracy.

The cognitive abilities necessary to successfully navigate mating interactions have been termed “Mating Intelligence,” a theoretical construct that has only recently begun to receive empirical attention. In two studies using samples of undergraduates, we found that one's responses on a self-report Mating Intelligence measure predicts reproductive behavior in both sexes. In the first, higher scores on the survey were associated with more sexual partners in males and early sexual onset in females. The second study, which measured “hook-ups,” or uncommitted sexual encounters, again found higher scores to predict more partners in males. Females with high scores had more hook-ups with males who would be good candidates for long-term relationships. In each study, Mating Intelligence correlated with evolutionarily adaptive decisions for both sexes. While an internal validation found that improvement can be made on this metric, these studies comprise an early step in the empirical study of Mating Intelligence.

This study examined employees' subjective experiences of creativity after mergers. Based on a sample of 484 employees, results showed the following: First, if employees considered the merger as an opportunity (threat), then they perceived that they exhibited greater (less) creativity after the merger; second, organizational support for creativity moderated the relationship between threat perception and self-perceived creativity in such a way that, when compared with employees who saw the merger as an opportunity, employees who saw the merger as a threat experienced greater creativity when support for creativity was high than when support for creativity was low; and, third, there was a three-way interaction among threat perception, support for creativity, and access to resources such that the two-way interaction between threat perception and support for creativity described in the second point was present only when access to resources was high.

This exploratory survey examines the relationship between selected dimensions of spirituality and self-perceived effective leadership practices of health-care managers. Kouzes and Posner's Leadership Practices Inventory and Beazley's Spiritual Assessment Scale were administered to a sample of health-care managers. Significant statistical relationships were found between and among the dimensions of both subscales. Analysis of variance revealed a statistically significant difference in three effective leadership practices by ‘more spiritual than non-spiritual’ managers. The confirmatory factor analysis of our theory-based model revealed a moderately positive correlation between spirituality and leadership ( r = 0.50). The paper concludes with a conceptual theory postulating a rationale for the relationship between spirituality and effective leadership.

The study objectives were to determine a change in the self-perceived knowledge and skills of the third-professional year Doctor of Pharmacy students after taking a course on developing, implementing, and evaluating a disease/medication therapy management program. The study used a cross-sectional before-and-after design in which the data were collected once at the beginning of the course and then upon course completion. A self-administered questionnaire that had 4 sections and 36 questions, focusing on self-perceived knowledge and skills was administered. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 14.0. Descriptive statistics, paired sample t tests, and repeated measures analysis of variance were conducted. A total of 95 students completed the pretest, and 69 students completed the posttest. There was an overall increase in average self-perceived knowledge and skills about disease/medication therapy management programs after the students completed the course. Therefore, classes focusing on disease/medication therapy management can significantly increase the knowledge and skills about these programs for the Doctor of Pharmacy students who will soon enter professional careers and be expected to perform these services.

Aims To provide further evidence about the prevalence and correlates of the sense of “self-perceived burden” (SPB) to others, and to examine its association with caregiver reports of burden. Methods The participants were 65 patients with advanced cancer and their family caregivers. Patients completed measures of SPB and family members completed a caregiver burden scale. Results SPB was experienced at minimal to mild levels by 35% of patients, and at moderate to extreme levels by another 28%. It was correlated with some physical symptoms, but more frequently with psychological symptoms. The family members of patients who reported that SPB was a significant problem had higher scores on the caregiver burden scale than family members of other patients (p=0.048), although the overall correlation was modest. Conclusions SPB is a common and distressing concern for many patients receiving palliative care and is associated with a number of other distressing concerns.

This article presents the results of an exploratory and qualitative examination of the beliefs, experiences and alleged abilities of 50 individuals claiming to be highly intuitive. Participants offered three distinct mechanisms to explain how their intuition works—psychological, psychic, and spiritual. They reported relying on intuition mainly to judge the personality of strangers and predict the outcome of future events. Most could not recall instances of their intuitive judgments failing, and believed it was always wise to act on an intuition. Almost all reported believing that the onset of intuition was uncontrollable, but could be enhanced by becoming more receptive to one's “gut feelings.” These results are discussed in terms of developing a more detailed and ecologically valid understanding of intuition.

Assistive equipment has helped lower task demands and back stress for patient-handlers; however, limited research exists on the psychological benefits (i.e., safety and comfort) of self-transfer devices for patients in postoperative care. A study was conducted to determine the efficacy of a bed assistive device in a patient population; the objectives were to compare self-perceived recovery measures and usage of pain medication between patients in the Control ( n = 8; age, 34 ± 6.3years) and Device ( n = 7; 41 ± 12) groups. Fifteen female participants undergoing either abdominal hysterectomy ( n = 6) or Cesareansection ( n = 9) procedures were recruited for the study. Both groups completed a total of twelve questionnaires over a five-week recovery period. The Device Group reported higher levels of energy, less pain interference, lower perceived pain, less reliance on pain medication and returned to activities of daily living faster than the Control Group.

Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate the self-perceived educational needs of a randomly selected group of general dental practitioners (GDPs) in the Merseyside region (UK). Materials and Methods Eighty-seven GDPs were randomly selected from 850 in the region and asked to complete a self-evaluation questionnaire regarding their self-perceived educational needs. Results Seventy-five (86%) responded, of which 52 (69.3%) were male and 23 (30.7%) female. There was no significant difference in self-perceived knowledge in any of the dental disciplines when gender and period of time since qualification were used as predictor variables. The majority of the GDPs felt they had a good knowledge of restorative dentistry and dental radiography. Some of the GDPs felt they had poor knowledge in implant dentistry, oral medicine, orthodontics, dental sedation techniques, oral surgery, endodontics, periodontics and dental radiography. None of the respondents felt they had poor knowledge in restorative dentistry, prosthodontics and paediatric dentistry. Seventy-four (98.7%) of the responding GDPs were motivated to attend continuing professional development (CPD) courses because of an interest in a particular dental discipline and only one reported attending out of personal learning needs. Implant dentistry was indicated by 30 (40.0%) of the respondents as their training programme of choice. Conclusions The respondents had high self-perceived knowledge of restorative dentistry, dental radiography, periodontics, endodontics, paediatric dentistry and prosthodontics. The respondents had low self-perceived knowledge of implant dentistry, orthodontics, oral medicine and dental sedation techniques. Of GDPs surveyed, 98.7% applied for courses they liked to attend, rather than needed to attend. Fifty-two per cent of male GDPs surveyed expressed a desire for training in implant dentistry.

This study assessed the self-perceptions of 212 gifted students regarding their creativity, family hardiness, and emotional intelligence. There were in general no gender and age group differences on these self-perceptions, with the exception that younger students perceived their families as more hardy than did older students. The results of regression analysis indicated that family hardiness and emotional intelligence had separate and direct effects on self-perceived creativity, and their effects were additive, rather than multiplicative, as their interaction terms did not yield significant increment in variance accounted for in the criterion of prediction. Similar results were obtained when different components of emotional intelligence were considered, with some suggestive evidence that family hardiness could interact with specific components of emotional intelligence in the prediction. Implications of the findings are discussed, and caution need to be exercised in the interpretation of these results, as data were cross-sectional and collected only on student perceptions.

The authors derive evidence on guilt, shame and embarrassment from (a) Chinese and Japanese cultural data on expressions of emotion, (b) empirical studies of losing face, and (c) multilingual-multicultural clinical experiences. A scheme that has transcultural applicability is proposed for differentiating guilt, shame and embarrassment. The evidence supports the conclusion that these three emotions are marked by qualitatively different attributes. Probes into emotional life serve to reveal aspects of face and self. Face defined both as self presented to others, and as self perceived by others, mirrors the duality of self. Two methodological issues are discussed: what is meant by ‘private experience’; and the need for an extended conception of selfhood.

This study investigated the appropriateness of the Self-Report of Personality (SRP) of the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC) with a sample of Korean American adolescents. The study further explored the extent to which Korean American adolescents experience social and emotional difficulties and how these difficulties might be related to acculturation status. Participants were 51 second-generation Korean American adolescents in sixth to twelfth grade in public schools. Results indicated that the SRP was moderately reliable for this sample of Korean-American adolescents. Furthermore, their average scores were similar to the norming sample on all but two of the SRP scales. One fifth or more of the participants scored in the at-risk or clinically significant range on four subscales, indicating the presence of social and emotional distress. Finally, acculturation status showed a strong positive correlation only with the Self-Reliance subscale. This study provides information to help teachers, counselors, and administrators improve their understanding of the social, emotional, and academic adjustment of Korean American adolescents.

The relationships between physical fitness, activity, and self-perceived fitness in adolescents in Hong Kong were investigated. Regular physical activity patterns, self-perceptions of fitness, and health-related physical fitness were measured in 201 secondary school students ( M age = 13.8 yr.). The battery of fitness tests measured cardiovascular capacity, flexibility, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and body fat composition. The boys had a higher self-perception of their own fitness and exercised more outside school than the girls. Participation in physical activity was related to cardiovascular capacity, muscular strength, and body composition. Linear regression analysis indicated that exercise activity and body composition explained a portion of variance in the subjects' self-perceived fitness. These findings highlight the connections between physical activity, fitness, and self-perception of fitness and consequently the need for understanding the concept for better health-promotion strategies.

Psychosocial issues are a major part of palliative treatment, yet, due to inadequate training, physicians are often ill-prepared to address them. Twenty physicians were interviewed about the importance they placed on psychosocial issues and the perceptions they had of their role in addressing them. Several respondents felt psychosocial issues were important because they affect physical issues, enable holistic care, enhance relationships, impact care decisions, and can reduce patient and family stress. Other respondents did not feel psychosocial issues were their responsibility due to time constraints, their focus on physical care, their lack of expertise in this area, the patients’ preferences for attending physicians, and a sense on the part of house staff physicians of not yet being “real” doctors. Collaboration with other hospital staff helped overcome some of these obstacles. Since physicians must often provide psychosocial care, improved training in addressing psychosocial issues is indicated.

The aims of this study were to examine the utility of the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children (PSPCSC; Harter & Pike, 1984) with preschoolers and to explore correspondence between children's and teacher's perceptions of child competence. Children's self-perceptions of competence were not internally consistent within the physical, maternal acceptance, or cognitive domains. Children's ratings of their competence were significantly higher than teacher ratings only for the domain of physical competence. Contrary to expectations, teachers' perceptions of children's peer acceptance and cognitive competence were significantly higher than children's self-perceptions. Associations between children's self-perceptions and teacher ratings were nonexistent. Overall, findings suggest that the PSPCSC may not be an appropriate measure of self-perceived competence in preschool children. It may be that teacher and child reports of perceived competence tap different constructs. Additional instrument development work is needed in this area in order to more reliably measure preschool children's self-perceived competence.

Predictive associations of infant attachment to mothers and fathers with later school functioning, beyond the contribution of contemporaneous representations of relationships and circumstances of caregiving, were examined in 66 young adolescents who were raised in infancy in Israeli kibbutzim with collective sleeping. The Strange Situation Procedure was used to evaluate early attachment to mother and father, the Separation Anxiety Test was used to assess contemporaneous representation of relationships, and teachers’ reports evaluated school functioning. Circumstances of caregiving included parental reports of quality of marital relations and a change from collective sleeping to home sleeping for children. Results showed that infant attachment to mother, but not to father, contributed significant additional variance to the prediction of children’s scholastic skills and emotional maturity beyond the contribution of concurrent representations of relationships and changes in circumstances of caregiving. The results support the secure base construct as an organising concept of longitudinal investigations of attachment.

This study examines the relationship between self-perceived emotional intelligence (EI) measured by the Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIS) [1] and other personality measures including the five-factor-model. The EI construct has lately been re-defined as the ability to think intelligently about emotions and to use them to enhance intelligent thinking [2]. Two studies provide support that self-reported EI is mainly associated with personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, self-perceived creativity), life satisfaction and thinking styles with only a low relation to verbal intelligence. Furthermore, persons higher in the EI dimension “emotional efficacy” produced more creative performances than persons low in this domain. These findings suggest that self-reported EI cannot be considered as a rational form of intelligence so that it does qualify to fit into the framework of personality traits.

This study examined influential factors in the development of transformational leadership skills of school counselors who are the members of the American School Counselor Association. Using multiple regression with a sample of 102 practicing school counselors, we examined the influence of age and/or years of experience to self-perceived transformational leadership skills. Results indicated no significance between age and self-perceived transformational leadership scores, but they showed a negative correlation between years of experience and transformational leadership. We discuss implications for counselor educators and school counselor leaders.

This study examined the extent to which self-perceived work-related skills and barriers to employment are associated with current employment status among a sample of recipients of Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF). The degree to which these perceptions differed between chronic drug using and non-using women in the sample was then assessed. The probability of employment was significantly affected by conceptions of self-competencies and barriers faced. Chronic drug use independently further reduced the chances of employment. Policy implications for TANF's mandatory work requirements are discussed in light of these findings.

This study examines the applicability and sufficiency of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) in predicting intention and self-perceived behavior with respect to avoiding between-meal intake of sugared snacks and drinks. One thousand one hundred and twenty-three Tanzanian students (mean age 26.4 years) completed self-administered questionnaires designed to measure the components of the TPB during May–July, 1999. Self-perceived sugar consumption was obtained in a subsample of respondents ( n = 228) four weeks later. The TPB provided a significant prediction of intention ( R2= 0.44), with attitude (= 0.25), subjective norms (= 0.28) and perceived behavioral control (= 0.35) significant, and subsequent behavior ( R2 = 0.15, with intention (= 0.25) and perceived behavioral control (= 0.18) significant. Frequency of past behavior explained a significant, albeit small, amount of additional variance in intention (1 percent) and behavior (4 percent). The results indicate that the TPB is applicable to the prediction of food choice-related intention and behavior among young adult students living in a non-occidental setting.

Past research suggests that choice in deciding the features of a task can enhance performance. Independent of the quality of performance, choice may also increase the actor’s confidence by providing a secondary source of subjective control during the task. In two studies designed to examine this augmentation hypothesis, college students were asked to read and understand a short story. Study 1 revealed that those who selected names to be used in the story felt more confident about their performance than did those who were assigned names, although the groups in fact performed equally. Study 2 revealed that the enhancement was not due to anticipatory confidence, arguing against the possibility that choice was operating as a performance cue. The findings are interpreted in relation to perceived control and implications for motivation and competence are discussed.

Collaboration appears to be an increasingly important component in the design and delivery of school and community-based services. However, few data are available to describe the leadership skills of school administrators of collaborative-based programs serving students with and without disabilities. The purpose of this study was to describe the self-perceived competence of secondary school principals to function as leaders in collaborative-based systems and to identify factors contributing to their leadership skills. A national sample of secondary school principals was asked to rate their level of competence to serve as leaders of collaborative-based programs. The results indicated that principals view their leadership skills for guiding collaborative-based programs to be within the average range. The three significant predictors of secondary school principals' self-perceived competence in collaboration were number of clock hours of non-credit-generating professional development activities, academic degrees, and number of years teaching in general education. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

This study tested the “third-person effect” during the O.J. Simpson double-murder trial. The perceptual component of the third-person effect predicts that people judge themselves to be less susceptible to media influence than other people. Findings from a nationwide telephone survey indicated that respondents' self-perceived knowledge about the legal issues involved in the Simpson trial was correlated with third-person perception of a perceived “neutral” media message. Self-perceived knowledge was not correlated with third-person perceptual bias of a perceived “biased” message. It was suggested that the biased message primed respondents' perceptions of Simpson's guilt or innocence. The relative contributions of various predictors of third-person perception were assessed using regression analysis.

Predictors of self-reported depressive symptoms were investigated within groups of 125 middle school students from the United States and 99 middle school students from Japan. Multiple regression analyses indicated that self-perceptions of physical attractiveness, social acceptance, and behavioral conduct independently contributed to self-reported depression among United States students. Self-perceptions of interpersonal connectedness, peer social acceptance, behavioral conduct, and physical attractiveness independently contributed to self-reported depression among Japanese students. Self-perceptions of academic competence were not an independent predictor of depression in either group. In addition to revealing critical relations between specific domains of perceived competence and depression during early adolescence within each group of students, results indicated that common beliefs regarding associations between Japanese students' perceived academic competence and level of emotional distress may reflect an exception rather than a rule. Implications for preventive interventions and further research are discussed.

In a comparison made between 49 rural and 98 suburban gifted high school students no significant differences in self-perceived leadership potential were found; however, leadership training was recommended for both groups as their scores could probably be increased.

The actual and self-perceived knowledge of diabetes among staff nurses was evaluated utilizing previously validated and standardized instruments. One hundred twenty-seven staff nurses employed at three university-affiliated community hospitals participated in the study. Actual knowledge was assessed by the Diabetes Basic Knowledge Test (DBKT) and self-perceived knowledge was assessed by the Diabetes Self-Report Tool (DSRT). There was a direct relationship between self-perceived knowledge and number of correct responses on the DBKT. Nurses with a higher level of education performed better than those with fewer years of education. Nurses with fewer years of experience did better than those with greater years of experience. Although some areas of knowledge deficit were identified, we concluded that staff nurses employed at community hospitals are fairly competent in the field of diabetes and have a realistic perception of their knowledge deficiencies. Based on these findings, we believe that it should be possible to design in-service and continuing education programs for nurses to further improve their knowledge in the field of diabetes.

This study aimed to assess the value of periodic review by an occupational therapist (OT) of elderly patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Twenty-four patients aged over 65 years who had longstanding RA and had had at least one previous contact with an OT completed a modified health assessment questionnaire (HAQ)1.2 to give an assessment of their self perceived functional ability then had a formal OT assessment. Two months later the patients completed a second HAQ to assess the effect of the OT assessment and assistance. Only three of the 24 patients were felt by the OT to have no need of intervention by her; 17 of the patients felt that the OT contact had been useful. Possible intervention to improve quality of life was not predicted by the patient's perception of limitations nor by the HAQ score. There were no significant changes in HAQ scores despite OT assessment and intervention. Other assessments of disability or wellbeing merit investigation in the context of OT intervention but the need for OT review of elderly patients with RA is clear.