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Purposes: Student athletes from different cultures might differ in the ways that they experience competitive anxiety, and their coaches with dissimilar cultural backgrounds might also present distinct behavioral traits in coaching. The study assessed and compared the competitive anxiety experienced by Chinese student athletes (in a collectivist culture) and American student athletes (in an individualist culture) by using a new competitive anxiety model and examined how their distinct ways of experiencing competitive anxiety might relate to the leading behaviors of Chinese and American coaches. Method: Relevant measures were administered to 258 Chinese student athletes and 214 American student athletes to assess their competitive anxiety and perceived leading behaviors of their coaches. Results: Chinese student athletes scored significantly higher on social expectation anxiety and somatic anxiety in comparison with American student athletes. Chinese student athletes perceived higher levels of training and instruction, and autocratic behaviors of coaches, and American student athletes perceived higher levels of democratic behaviors of coaches. Conclusions: This study revealed the different ways of experiencing certain aspects of competitive anxiety between Chinese and American student athletes, which could be at least partially explained by the distinct leading behaviors of Chinese and American coaches perceived by student athletes in the research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physician–patient disputes are a major problem in healthcare. Physician–patient conflicts, workplace violence, and direct involvement in disputes have a significant negative impact on the well-being of physicians. China and Japan have similar cultures but differing healthcare systems. The present study aimed to examine and compare the experiences and perceptions of Chinese and Japanese physicians regarding medical disputes. Qualitative descriptive content analysis was performed for 18 cases from each country to assess the major issues involved in each case and their impact on the physicians. Common issues in medical disputes for both countries included monetary motives of patients and/or families, violence/threats from patients and/or families, the inability of patients and/or families to understand the risk of complications, and the uncertainties of medicine. The serious impact of medical disputes on the mental health and professionalism of physicians was also an issue shared by physicians of both countries. There were, however, differences in the magnitude and frequency of these issues between the two countries. Pre-existing distrust of physicians among patients and/or families was noted only by Chinese physicians, and insufficient information disclosure by physicians was noted only by Japanese physicians. In conclusion, there were similarities and differences between the two countries in the perceptions of physicians regarding medical disputes. Our analysis revealed differing healthcare situations due to cultural and institutional differences as well as universal problems intrinsic to medicine. Based on our results, we propose several key principles to improve the physician–patient relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shared Automated Vehicles (SAVs) promise to make automated mobility accessible to a wide range of people while reducing air pollution and improving traffic flow. In the future, these vehicles will operate with no human driver on board, which poses several challenges that might differ depending on the cultural context and make one-fits-all solutions demanding. A promising substitute for the driver could be Digital Companions (DCs), i.e. conversational agents presented on a screen inside the vehicles. We conducted interviews with Colombian participants and workshops with German and Korean participants and derived two design concepts of DCs as an alternative for the human driver on SAVs: a human-like and a robot-like. We compared these two concepts to a baseline without companion using a scenario-based online questionnaire with participants from Colombia (N = 57), Germany (N = 50), and Korea (N = 29) measuring anxiety, security, trust, risk, control, threat, and user experience. In comparison with the baseline, both DCs are statistically significantly perceived as more positively. While we found a preference for the human-like DC among all participants, this preference is higher among Colombians while Koreans show the highest openness towards the robot-like DC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child-robot interaction (CRI) has been mostly studied in labs and classroom settings. In this work, we share a CRI language processing study carried out in children's homes, analyzing how each language processing layer performs with children at home with no researcher present. We carried out an experiment in two phases: a first iteration with 7 families in Spain cohabiting with a simulated robot for 2 weeks and a second iteration with 31 families: 11 in Spain, 9 in Ukraine and 11 in the USA completing 4 cohabitation weeks at each country. The total number of children involved in the experiments was 55, ranging from 5 to 13 years old. Our goal in this study is to evaluate the performance of voice recognition, language understanding and dialogue management when children interact with a robot at home. Our results indicate that dialogue management capabilities are becoming the key element in the language processing pipeline; they also denote that the dialogue engine should include mixed-initiative capabilities and show the relative usage of different common built-in intents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop health promotion (HP) in sports clubs (SCs), stakeholders need to know the HP expectations of sports participants. However, the literature does not provide information on these aspects, which exacerbates the difficulty for SCs to provide an environment, activities and organization that promote health and to play the role entrusted to them in the integration of vulnerable populations. To fill this gap, this study explores the HP expectations and perceptions of sports participants, with a particular focus on ethnocultural characteristics, and documents participants' understanding of HP. A descriptive qualitative study comprising semi-structured interviews was carried out with 22 French and Quebec sports participants. Because they have little experience with HP in their SC, participants do not seem to have many expectations of their SC in terms of HP. Nevertheless, they felt that SCs can play an important role in health and suggested several themes and types of action, such as seminars on nutrition, activities outside the SC to develop cohesion or health monitoring. Sports participants from ethnocultural minorities seem to appreciate the programs designed to integrate them. There is a predominantly physical conception of health and the contribution of SCs to health, and the relationship between the types of health determinants (economic, environmental, organizational and social) and health is not clear. This study shows that the idea of a health-promoting SC appeals to SC participants, but this approach has not yet taken root in this setting or in society as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the Psychology of Working Theory (PWT), work need satisfaction is a key predictor of positive outcomes, such as well-being and work fulfillment. However, important cultural differences may exist regarding the relative importance of different types of needs in predicting well-being and work fulfillment. To address this idea, we collected data from workers in the U.S. and Korea and conducted a relative weight analysis with employed adults, comparing how well specific needs predicted the four proposed PWT outcomes. For American workers (n = 281), the five need constructs were more predictive of work and well-being outcomes than for Korean workers (n = 327). The most notable differences were prediction of work meaning and physical health, with social contribution and relatedness need satisfaction being much more predictive of these outcomes in the U.S. than Korean sample, respectively. Overall, the findings suggest that work need satisfaction may promote workers' well-being in both countries; however, these relationships may differ somewhat depending on the culture. Practical implications and future research directions based on these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the mediating role of self-regulation in the relationship between bullying victimization and depressive symptoms among adolescents, considering the moderating effects of gender and region. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted with 3984 adolescents aged 12–18 from the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the Netherlands. Data were collected via an online survey administered through Qualtrics. The survey included validated measures such as the Illinois Bullying Scale (IBS) to measure bullying victimization, the Adolescent Self-Regulatory Inventory (ASRI) to measure self-regulation, and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) to measure depression. The SPSS macro PROCESS was employed for data analysis, with model 4 used for testing the mediating effects of self-regulation and model 1 for assessing the moderating effects of gender and region. The results demonstrated significant associations between bullying victimization, self-regulation, and depressive symptoms. Self-regulation mediated the positive association between bullying victimization and depression, with notable variations across genders and regions. Specifically, male students in Hong Kong exhibited an increased susceptibility to depression when subjected to bullying. These findings underscore the protective role of self-regulation in mitigating the adverse effects of bullying victimization on adolescent mental health. Implications for interventions and prevention strategies targeting adolescent depression are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate compulsive exercise, researchers often rely on the widely used Compulsive Exercise Test (CET). However, the measure has shown unstable factor structure in several validation studies and is not available in Portuguese for use in Brazil. We aimed to describe the translation and cultural adaptation of the CET to Brazilian Portuguese, to test several factor structures among Brazilian and US samples of men and women, to test measurement invariance across countries, and to evaluate its internal consistency. Furthermore, we sought to evaluate convergent validity, correlating the CET with a measure of eating disorder symptoms, and to compare compulsive exercise symptoms between countries. Methods: Four models of the latent structure of the CET were tested using confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs), three-factor structure with 15 items, three-factor structure with 18 items, four-factor structure with 21 items, and the original five-factor structure with 24 items, in a sample of 1,531 young adults (601 Brazilians and 930 Americans), aged 18–35 years. Results: A series of CFAs demonstrated that the three-factor structure with 15 items showed a better fit to the data. This model demonstrated good convergent validity and internal consistency. Results from the CET multigroup CFA showed evidence for the invariance at the configural, metric, and scalar levels across Brazilians and Americans. Furthermore, significant differences were found between Brazilians and Americans, with Brazilians demonstrating higher scores on the Avoidance and rule-driven behavior and Mood improvement subscales, whereas US participants scored higher on the Weight control exercise subscale. Conclusions: Results support the three-factor structure with 15 items to be used as a measure of compulsive exercise among Brazilians and Americans, allowing cross-cultural comparisons between these countries. Level of evidence : Level V, Cross-sectional, Psychometric study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

María del Carmen García-Mendoza,1 Susana Coimbra,2 Inmaculada Sánchez-Queija,1 Águeda Parra1 1Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain; 2Department of Psychology, Faculdade de Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação da Universidade do Porto, Porto, PortugalCorrespondence: Águeda Parra; Inmaculada Sánchez-Queija, Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Universidad de Sevilla, Calle Pirotecnia s/n, Sevilla, 41013, Spain, Tel +34955420527 ; +34955420528, Email aparra@us.es; queija@us.esBackground: Intergenerational solidarity between parents and emerging adult offspring requires more substantial attention at the present time. Changing demographic structures and transformations in family dynamics over recent decades have increased both opportunities and the need for parent-child interactions and exchanges of support and affection during emerging adulthood.Purpose: The study had two aims: first, to explore patterns in intergenerational solidarity in accordance with different sociodemographic characteristics of emerging adults; and second, to analyse associations between intergenerational solidarity and emerging adults’ psychological distress and satisfaction with life.Methods: Participants were 644 emerging adult university students from Southern Europe (Spain and Portugal), aged between 18 and 29 years, who completed a self-report questionnaire designed to assess variables linked to sociodemographic aspects (gender, country of residence, sexual orientation, living status, family income), intergenerational solidarity, psychological distress and satisfaction with life.Results: The results indicated some differences in intergenerational solidarity patterns in accordance with a range of sociodemographic characteristics. They also revealed significant associations between intergenerational solidarity dimensions and emerging adults’ satisfaction with life and psychological distress. Moreover, affective solidarity was found to fully mediate the relationship between associational, functional and normative solidarity and emerging adults’ adjustment. In the case of conflictual solidarity, affective solidarity was found to partially mediate the relationship between this dimension of intergenerational solidarity and emerging adults’ distress and to fully mediate the relationship between this same dimension and emerging adults’ satisfaction with life.Conclusion: The results indicate that it is important to take sociodemographic diversity into account when exploring relationships between emerging adults and their parents. They also suggest that affective solidarity acts as a protective factor in promoting emerging adults’ adjustment.Keywords: intergenerational solidarity, psychological distress, satisfaction with life, emerging adults, cross-cultural study

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This study aims to adapt the scale of "The Measure of Verbally Expressed Emotion" into Turkish and examine its psychometric properties. 614 participants were between the ages of 18–65. In the study, the Expression of Emotions Scale was used for convergent validity, and the Emotional Responsiveness Scale was used for divergent validity. According to the exploratory factor analysis, the scale has a 17-item and five-factor structure that explains approximately 66% of the total variance, and according to the confirmatory factor analysis, the goodness-of-fit values of the five-factor structure are acceptable (χ2/df = 2.98, RMSEA = 0.059, GFI = 0.94, CFI = 0.84, SRMR = 0.050). This scale, which evaluates the experience before expressing emotion, is valid and reliable for Turkish use. Expressed emotions compared on gender, education level, working and health status. It was observed that those with a psychiatric diagnosis were less comfortable expressing romantic love, and those with chronic diseases were less comfortable expressing happiness. Adapted scale will contribute to both research and practical use by using it in clinical, social psychology, and therapy studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the relationship between strong‐ties versus weak‐ties rationality and public stigma (PS) during the COVID‐19 pandemic. We also explored the cultural group differences (Malaysians vs. Australians) in this relationship. An online survey was conducted in 2021 with a final sample of 830 eligible Malaysians and 394 eligible Australians. Participants completed the multidimensional strong‐ties weak‐ties rationality Scale (STWTRS) and an adapted public stigma (PS) scale towards COVID‐19 patients. Through multiple regression analysis, we found that the strong‐ties rationality, ST‐Authoritarian rationality, was positively associated with PS‐Blame in both countries. However, the variable Country moderated the relationship between ST‐Communal and PS‐Rejection, with a negative association found in Malaysia and a positive association in Australia. The findings confirmed the strong‐ties weak‐ties rationality framework, where ST rationality, especially ST‐Authoritarian, could explain the cognitive mechanism behind negative attitudes towards those who pose threat towards the in‐group survival. However, ST‐Communal could buffer the rejection towards the COVID‐19 patients in Malaysia due to its emphasis on social harmony. This study can inform future interventions aimed at mitigating stigma and promoting a more inclusive and supportive society in times of crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumer willingness to accept alternative meat products has been widely explored. However, few studies have explored the key factors driving and inhibiting willingness to try, buy and pay a price premium for plant-based proteins, fungal-based proteins and cultured muscle tissue. Therefore, the present study is dedicated to this research gap and proposes a model that combines driving and inhibiting factors such as food neophobia, food technology neophobia, the environmental and specific benefits of alternative meat products as well as intrinsic attributes of meat such as taste, texture and smell. Partial least squares structural equation modeling shows that the largest drivers of consumer willingness to consume meat substitute are their perceived suitability (specific benefits) and environmental impact. Conversely, the biggest inhibitors to consumption were the nutritional importance of meat, the importance of meat taste, texture, and smell, and food neophobia and food technology neophobia. How the drivers and inhibitors varied between plant-based, fungal-based, and cultured muscle tissue are discussed and implications for industry leaders and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intergenerational solidarity between parents and emerging adult offspring requires more substantial attention at the present time. Changing demographic structures and transformations in family dynamics over recent decades have increased both opportunities and the need for parent-child interactions and exchanges of support and affection during emerging adulthood. Purpose: The study had two aims: first, to explore patterns in intergenerational solidarity in accordance with different sociodemographic characteristics of emerging adults; and second, to analyse associations between intergenerational solidarity and emerging adults' psychological distress and satisfaction with life. Methods: Participants were 644 emerging adult university students from Southern Europe (Spain and Portugal), aged between 18 and 29 years, who completed a self-report questionnaire designed to assess variables linked to sociodemographic aspects (gender, country of residence, sexual orientation, living status, family income), intergenerational solidarity, psychological distress and satisfaction with life. Results: The results indicated some differences in intergenerational solidarity patterns in accordance with a range of sociodemographic characteristics. They also revealed significant associations between intergenerational solidarity dimensions and emerging adults' satisfaction with life and psychological distress. Moreover, affective solidarity was found to fully mediate the relationship between associational, functional and normative solidarity and emerging adults' adjustment. In the case of conflictual solidarity, affective solidarity was found to partially mediate the relationship between this dimension of intergenerational solidarity and emerging adults' distress and to fully mediate the relationship between this same dimension and emerging adults' satisfaction with life. Conclusion: The results indicate that it is important to take sociodemographic diversity into account when exploring relationships between emerging adults and their parents. They also suggest that affective solidarity acts as a protective factor in promoting emerging adults' adjustment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the increasingly knowledge-based world economy, the multinational firm's success often hinges on its business intelligence capability nurtured by business analytics (BA). Despite the growing recognition of BA's role in enhancing the firm's intellectual capital and subsequent competitiveness, it is still unknown what truly motivates and inhibits BA adoption. This study aims to identify key influencing factors for BA adoption such as organizational characteristics, information security/privacy, and information technology maturity (knowledge level). In so doing, this study employed data mining and data visualization techniques to develop specific patterns of BA adoption practices based on a combined sample of 224 Korean firms and 106 U.S. firms representing various industry sectors. This study is one of the first attempts to develop practical guidelines for the successful implementation of BA based on the cross-national study of BA practices among both Korean and U.S. firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eurocentric research suggests that higher assertiveness is associated with better mental health. However, it remains unclear whether this linear relationship applies to collectivistic cultures. This cross-cultural study examined the linear and curvilinear relationship between assertiveness and mental health among 410 Chinese and 360 US adults. We examined linear, quadratic, and cubic relationships through hierarchical regression analyses. In the Chinese group, results indicated a significant cubic relationship between assertiveness and both depression (R2 = 8.82%, p < .001) and aggression (R2 = 2.46%, p < .001), showing that an optimal assertiveness level was associated with lower depression and aggression. In the US group, higher assertiveness was associated with lower depression (R2 = 4.24%, p < .001), but not aggression. This study highlights cultural variations in assertiveness-mental health relationships. Mental health professionals should consider cultural norms while providing assertiveness training to diverse individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This cross-cultural study conducted in the diverse regions of Assam, Meghalaya, and Manipur sheds light on the common utilization of five specific medicinal plants among indigenous communities residing in these areas. Objectives: The main focus of this study is to document and compare the traditional medicinal plant used and the knowledge and practices related to women's health issues in different cultures; to identify commonalities and differences in the use of medicinal plants across cultures and various medicinal plants used traditionally by the indigenous communities to treat women's health problems according to their indigenous name, scientific name. Materials and methods: The study used a survey method and a pre-structured interview schedule through one-on-one interactive communication and field observation. The authors collected data from three different states, i.e., Assam (Karbi Anglong district & Udalguri district), Meghalaya (East Khasi Hills district), and Manipur (Senapati district) by personally meeting and interacting with traditional herbal medicinal practitioners. For this study, 10 practitioners from each area of study were interviewed. During the data collection process, the vernacular name of the medicinal plant, methods of preparation, mode of application, and probable dosage were compiled and documented involving practitioners belonging to four different communities, i.e, Bodo, Karbi, Khasi, and Poumai Naga of the selected states. Results: A total of 39 plant species were meticulously collected and documented across the Karbi Anglong district and Udalguri district in Assam, East Khasi Hills district in Meghalaya, and Senapati district in Manipur. Turmeric (Curcuma longa), ginger (Zingiber officinale), gooseberry (Emblica officinalis), papaya (Carica papaya), and passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) have emerged as common medicinal resources within these communities. Poaceae, represented by 5 species, emerged as the dominant family among the collected plants, highlighting the diversity and significance of these botanical remedies. Zingiber officinale Roscoe '' has the highest usage report of 18 with an RFC (Relative frequency citation) of 0.45. Conclusion: The study's findings reveal a rich repository of traditional herbal knowledge in the northeast regions of India. Notably, the indigenous communities of these regions use plant resources to cure a wide range of ailments. This study emphasizes the necessity of documenting, preserving, and transmitting traditional herbal medicinal knowledge for both cultural and practical reasons. It also provides vital insights into the importance of cross-cultural study in promoting different cultures, the richness of traditional medicinal knowledge by engaging with diverse cultures and demonstrates the possibilities for incorporating traditional medicine into modern healthcare systems, particularly in treating women's health issues across these culturally diverse regions.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had a meaningful impact on several areas of human activity. With respect to psychological assessment, the requirements to study the fear of vaccination as a means to diminish negative behaviour towards vaccination had been reported. This study aimed to evaluate the factorial invariance of the six-item Vaccination Fear Scale (VFS-6) across individuals and cultures. To achieve this goal, a sample of university students was recruited (n = 2535; mean age = 20.59, SD = 2.04; males: 26.75%, females: 73.25%) from Spain (n = 388; 15.3%), Italy (n = 376; 14.83%), Lebanon (n = 487; 19.21%), Nigeria (n = 561; 22.13%), Turkey (n = 410; 16.17%), and Ukraine (n = 313; 12.34%). The results showed that the most appropriate factorial structure, exhibiting excellent fit indices, was a model with two correlated factors (cognitive symptoms: items 1, 2, and 4; somatic symptoms: items 3, 5, and 6) for both the total sample and individual samples from each country and language (Spanish, Italian, Arabic, English, Turkish, and Ukrainian). Notably, the VFS-6 demonstrated configural, metric, scalar, and strict invariance across sex. Regarding countries and languages, configural invariance was observed between them. Also, metric invariance was observed between Spain, Italy, and Ukraine and between Lebanon, Nigeria, and Turkey, which indicates the presence of two well-differentiated groups of countries and the possibility of inferential analysis between them. Item Response Theory analysis suggested an appropriate level of discrimination and difficulty of the test. These significant findings lay the groundwork for future investigations into vaccination fear across diverse cultural backgrounds, providing valuable insights for addressing vaccination-related concerns worldwide.

Abstract Background Despite the great benefits of intelligent assistive technology (IAT) for dementia care – for example, the enhanced safety and increased independence of people with dementia and their caregivers – its practical adoption is still limited. The social and ethical issues pertaining to IAT in dementia care, shaped by factors such as culture, may explain these limitations. However, most studies have focused on understanding these issues within one cultural setting only. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore and compare the attitudes of Israeli and German dementia experts toward IAT in dementia care, to contribute to a more cultural-comparative perspective. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 35 experts (15 Israelis and 20 Germans) in key roles in health and community services for people with dementia as well as in the fields of dementia and IAT (e.g., computer science, electrical/biomedical engineering, ethics, nursing, and gerontology). Thematic content analysis was used to analyze the data. Findings Israeli and German experts identified the same social accelerators in the development and implementation of IAT in dementia care (i.e., changes in family structure and social digitization) and benefits of adopting IAT (e.g., enhancing the safety of people with dementia and increasing their independence). However, there were differences in inhibitor/risk assessments between the two groups. Namely, economic considerations and the cognitive capacity of people with dementia were identified by both groups as inhibitors, while Israeli experts additionally reported stigma and ageism. Whereas both groups agreed that IAT might reduce human connection, and that the technology is not yet reliable enough, German experts highlighted concerns regarding privacy; in contrast, Israeli experts prioritized safety over privacy. Conclusions Our research findings allow for the identification of relevant similarities but also important differences between German and Israeli experts’ perspectives. As such, an important basis has been provided for a more in-depth discussion regarding where, why, and how culturally-sensitive technology development is needed.

This article examines the measurement equivalence of the Spanish Differentiation of Self Inventory for Adolescents (S-DSI-A) in adolescent populations across Spanish-speaking countries (N = 5,552), including Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and Spain. Within the Bowen family system theory, Differentiation of self is one of the most recognized constructs to systemic researchers and couple and family therapy practitioners, with implications in relationship adjustment or mental and physical health. The study uses multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA) to test for configural, metric, and scalar invariance of the S-DSI-A across the six samples. The results indicate that the S-DSI-A demonstrates configural and metric invariance, but scalar invariance is not achieved. These findings have implications for cross-cultural research on differentiation of self and highlight the importance of considering measurement equivalence when comparing results across different populations. Specifically, our results suggest that the S-DSI-A reliably assesses the latent variables of Emotional Reactivity (ER) and Emotional Cutoff (EC) uniformly across Spanish-speaking nations, but the mean scores for the ER and EC lack cross-sample comparability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated how caregivers in Finland and the US recount learning and teaching care within the family, drawing on a new educational-psychological framework for care. This study applied thematic analysis to seven focus groups in the US and five focus groups in Finland composed of caregivers (N = 45). The results suggest one main theme for learning, Imperfect Mirroring of Past Parenting and Present Parenting Practice, and two themes for teaching: Actions Tell More Than Words (US) and Teaching Them To be Independent and Caring Citizens (Finland). For learning, the findings indicate that childhood experiences are transformed into an informal guide for how care should (or should not) be practiced, highlighting how the lack of systematization in learning care contributes to caregivers' need for self-teaching and unlearning what they experienced. In addition, caregivers tend to reproduce their learning experiences in teaching to care, and within this process, they focus more on pragmatic aspects of care. The various elements theorized in the Psychological Processes for Care Framework used, including identifying and anticipating others' needs and deciding on the responsibility of addressing needs, were neglected in caregivers' reports of teaching care. Implications argue in favor of psycho-educational programs for caregivers that can systematically address two pressing issues in learning-teaching care - the complexity involved in care processes and understanding the intersubjective nature of the construction of caring relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had a meaningful impact on several areas of human activity. With respect to psychological assessment, the requirements to study the fear of vaccination as a means to diminish negative behaviour towards vaccination had been reported. This study aimed to evaluate the factorial invariance of the six-item Vaccination Fear Scale (VFS-6) across individuals and cultures. To achieve this goal, a sample of university students was recruited (n = 2535; mean age = 20.59, SD = 2.04; males: 26.75%, females: 73.25%) from Spain (n = 388; 15.3%), Italy (n = 376; 14.83%), Lebanon (n = 487; 19.21%), Nigeria (n = 561; 22.13%), Turkey (n = 410; 16.17%), and Ukraine (n = 313; 12.34%). The results showed that the most appropriate factorial structure, exhibiting excellent fit indices, was a model with two correlated factors (cognitive symptoms: items 1, 2, and 4; somatic symptoms: items 3, 5, and 6) for both the total sample and individual samples from each country and language (Spanish, Italian, Arabic, English, Turkish, and Ukrainian). Notably, the VFS-6 demonstrated configural, metric, scalar, and strict invariance across sex. Regarding countries and languages, configural invariance was observed between them. Also, metric invariance was observed between Spain, Italy, and Ukraine and between Lebanon, Nigeria, and Turkey, which indicates the presence of two well-differentiated groups of countries and the possibility of inferential analysis between them. Item Response Theory analysis suggested an appropriate level of discrimination and difficulty of the test. These significant findings lay the groundwork for future investigations into vaccination fear across diverse cultural backgrounds, providing valuable insights for addressing vaccination-related concerns worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Positioning leisure as a cross-cultural construct, this study aims to explore leisure motivation as cultural practices. Kelly's conceptualization of leisure was carefully repositioned within the framework of individualism-collectivism to investigate the culturally shaped dimensions of leisure motivation. We examined this issue in a cross-cultural study of 298 Korean and 297 French subjects using a survey-based questionnaire employing the Recreation Experience Preference scales. Results from an exploratory factor analysis identified four components of cultural leisure motivation: Unconditional, recuperative and compensatory, relational and role-determined. Results from a regression analysis revealed cultural differences: Recuperative and compensatory motivation for leisure participation was the most significant predictor of overall satisfaction for Korean respondents; the overall leisure satisfaction for French participants was significantly explained by unconditional motivation. Theoretical and practical implications of our findings were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental factors are crucial in shaping individual characteristics. One key contextual factor is economic inequality, which is increasing in most OECD countries and negatively impacting individuals and societies, including personality traits. To date, no studies examined the relationship between economic inequality and positive personality traits such as character strengths. In a large cross-cultural study (N = 980,807, 68 countries) we investigated the relationship between country-level economic inequality and the level of the 24 character strengths. Across countries, we found consistent, robust evidence that economic inequality is positively linked to 22 character strengths, even after controlling for the Human Development Index, population density, urbanization, and climate of each country. On average, inequality explained 34% of the between-country variance in character strengths. Different alternative explanations for such unexpected effects, including increased competitiveness or resilience in the face of adversity, are discussed. Our research provides novel insights into the importance of environmental factors in shaping human character. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transport safety campaigns are valuable for public health, as they prevent traffic fatalities and collisions. Authorities and nonprofit organizations attempt to promote transport safety by advertising via social media. Understanding the factors that make online transport safety campaigns successful is also important. However, studies exploring the impact of animated videos on transportation safety are scarce. We adopted the stimuli-organism-response (S-O-R) framework to examine the impact of music and graphics on transport users’ emotional states and behaviors. We also considered how the reactions varied across cultures. The respondents were shown animated transport safety advertisements produced by Metro Trains in Melbourne, Australia. A total of 217 valid questionnaires were collected from transportation users in Taiwan and Vietnam. In contrast, we explored the spillover effects of an animated transport safety promotion campaign across cultures. The findings show that music significantly impacts people’s emotions, which, in turn, are associated with positive behavioral intentions. Self-efficacy had the greatest effect on behavioral responses. We also found that transport users in Taiwan were more influenced by graphics, whereas those in Vietnam were more affected by music in the S-O path. Fear arousal affects the behavioral intentions of Vietnamese transportation users in the O-R path. Self-efficacy is the dominant factor affecting the ability of Taiwan’s transport users to obey traffic rules. Transport safety advertising should be designed to evoke emotions, and specific stimulus elements should be adjusted according to cultural preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human perception is complex, and can be influenced by several factors. The study's purpose is to understand these factors, thus, an application was developed. This application examines memory colors in the CIELAB color space. Memory colors can be affected by nationality, virtual reality game playtime, and the presence or absence of an image cue. The memory colors of banana and orange had the highest agreement between the students, while the memory colors of river and grass had the largest dispersion. Virtual reality games influenced the memory color of grass the most. It can also be concluded that without an image cue, different colors were selected in 70.90% of the cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was carried out based on the minority stress model. The purpose was to compare Italian and Spanish gay and lesbian youth on minority stressors and mental health outcomes and test the minority stress model in Italy and Spain. The sample consisted of 490 participants (307 Italians, Mage = 25.30 and 183 Spanish, Mage = 27.57). They completed an online questionnaire measuring everyday discrimination, coming out to family members, coming out to friends/one's social network, internalized sexual stigma, depression, and anxiety. A multivariate analysis of covariance was performed to explore the effect of nationality on all measures. Structural equation modeling was applied to test the direct and indirect (through internalized sexual stigma) effects of stressors on mental health outcomes. The results demonstrate an impact of nationality on three dimensions: Spanish youth presented higher levels of everyday discrimination, while Italian youth had lower levels of both coming out to family members and coming out to friends/one's social network. Further, in both countries, all stressors had both direct and indirect (through internalized sexual stigma) associations with depression and anxiety. These findings have some social implications: studying the effect of nationality can be useful in suggesting changes in political and social macrosystems. Additionally, studying the associations among these variables is helpful for intervening more efficiently, for example, clinically, on the impact of minority stress. Public Policy Relevance Statement: This study emphasizes the need for transformations in social and political macrosystems through interventions to be implemented especially in suburban and rural areas. Further, interventions focused on internalized sexual stigma could be useful in reducing the deleterious impact of everyday discrimination and concealment. Finally, training courses about minority stressors for both parents and youth may be beneficial as well as fostering affirming religious environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young children possess the fundamental deductive reasoning skills for solving their upcoming problems in their daily lives. These skills are of great importance for their school readiness and academic development. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the age differences and predictive variables of deductive reasoning skills in young Hungarian children aged 4–8 years old who reside in Hungary and Slovakia. Face-to-face data were collected from 3050 participants. The instrument of deductive reasoning skills assessment was extracted from the school readiness test, DIFER (Diagnostic System for Assessing Development). Utilizing various statistical analyses with R, AMOS, and MPlus8 packages, it was found that there were significant differences in young children's deductive reasoning skills across countries and age groups. Parents' education levels had significant positive relationships with children's deductive reasoning skills development. And the variables of country and age were identified as significant predictors of children's deductive reasoning skills. And children's family background variables such as parental education played a significant role in predicting children's deductive reasoning skills in Hungary. The implications of this study emphasize the importance of educational contexts, parental involvement, cross-cultural exchange, and further research, with the potential to enhance young children's educational experiences and prospects in Hungary, Slovakia, and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite the great benefits of intelligent assistive technology (IAT) for dementia care – for example, the enhanced safety and increased independence of people with dementia and their caregivers – its practical adoption is still limited. The social and ethical issues pertaining to IAT in dementia care, shaped by factors such as culture, may explain these limitations. However, most studies have focused on understanding these issues within one cultural setting only. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore and compare the attitudes of Israeli and German dementia experts toward IAT in dementia care, to contribute to a more cultural-comparative perspective. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 35 experts (15 Israelis and 20 Germans) in key roles in health and community services for people with dementia as well as in the fields of dementia and IAT (e.g., computer science, electrical/biomedical engineering, ethics, nursing, and gerontology). Thematic content analysis was used to analyze the data. Findings: Israeli and German experts identified the same social accelerators in the development and implementation of IAT in dementia care (i.e., changes in family structure and social digitization) and benefits of adopting IAT (e.g., enhancing the safety of people with dementia and increasing their independence). However, there were differences in inhibitor/risk assessments between the two groups. Namely, economic considerations and the cognitive capacity of people with dementia were identified by both groups as inhibitors, while Israeli experts additionally reported stigma and ageism. Whereas both groups agreed that IAT might reduce human connection, and that the technology is not yet reliable enough, German experts highlighted concerns regarding privacy; in contrast, Israeli experts prioritized safety over privacy. Conclusions: Our research findings allow for the identification of relevant similarities but also important differences between German and Israeli experts' perspectives. As such, an important basis has been provided for a more in-depth discussion regarding where, why, and how culturally-sensitive technology development is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dominance of national culture in organisational environments has been widely acknowledged. This study aims to explore the impact of national culture on information security awareness by examining cultural characteristics in the public sector. Drawing on Hofstede's model, a literature review was conducted to analyze existing knowledge and identify cultural traits in selected countries. Empirical data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted in Sweden, France, and Tunisia. The data were analyzed using the Human Aspects of Information Security (HAIS) model, revealing distinct patterns and emphasising the role of culture in shaping behaviours. The findings underscore the importance of involving Swedish employees in the policy design process to effectively enhance information security awareness. For French employees, it was found that learning from past experiences and respecting hierarchical structures are crucial factors in raising awareness. Conversely, in Tunisia, information security initiatives should take into account the social and relational aspects to promote awareness effectively. These insights provide valuable guidance to managers in multinational organisations, enabling them to comprehend the underlying forces and dynamics in countries with similar characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the ubiquity of floral themes and motifs in art and culture, human esthetic responses to flowers remain a largely unexplored area of research. Our previous studies revealed that Czechs, irrespective of gender, age, education, or level of expertise, display very similar esthetic responses to flowers of diverse shapes and colors, that is, they like and dislike the same flowers. We wanted to explore further whether these findings are culturally or ecologically dependent. This study compares the flower preferences of the inhabitants of two culturally, geographically, and ecologically highly distinct countries—Czechia (n = 54 and n = 48) and Kenya (n = 54). We asked each subject to rank photographs of 40 species of Czech flowers from the most liked one to the least liked one. We then computed the mean ranking of each flower species in the Kenyan and Czech samples and compared them. We found a very strong positive correlation (r =.79 and r =.77) between the samples, suggesting that Czechs and Kenyans prefer the same flowers. This concordance was unexpected, especially given the small sample sizes and the large differences between them. Moreover, the Czech flower species used as stimuli were probably familiar to Czechs but unknown to Kenyans. Thus, our results suggest that cultural and individual factors might play only a minor role in flower preference, whereas more general inborn preferences may be more important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated relationships between social and emotional concerns, loneliness, and school burnout, as these factors are associated with adaptive functioning during adolescence residence in Asia (i.e., China, Hong Kong) and the UK. Analysis of data from 2849 participants illuminated compelling insights. The participants reported a high level of loneliness, notably among girls in the UK. The research generated 11 preferred conversation topics (i.e., future and aspirations, anything, learning, nothing, mental health, personal interests, health, relationships, psychosocial issues, social issues, feelings). Among them, future and aspirations lead the way, aligning with developmental needs. A desire for mental health discussions coexisted with heightened loneliness and burnout among participants who pursued such conversations. The low achievers tended to talk about mental health issues or have nothing to say. High achievers were drawn to social issues, emphasizing their distinct socio-emotional needs. Forging a connection between personal interests and mitigated school burnout underscores the potential for individual passions to harmonize with educational experience. These findings underscore the exigency for bespoke interventions addressing the evolving emotional terrain of adolescents, especially in the pandemic's aftermath. The study's implications underscore the importance of empathetic listening and proactive engagement between adolescents and supportive adults. This research enriches the comprehension of pandemic-induced adolescent experiences and suggests avenues for future investigations into long-term emotional well-being. Classification code: 2800 (Developmental Psychology)

Abstract Purpose To evaluate compulsive exercise, researchers often rely on the widely used Compulsive Exercise Test (CET). However, the measure has shown unstable factor structure in several validation studies and is not available in Portuguese for use in Brazil. We aimed to describe the translation and cultural adaptation of the CET to Brazilian Portuguese, to test several factor structures among Brazilian and US samples of men and women, to test measurement invariance across countries, and to evaluate its internal consistency. Furthermore, we sought to evaluate convergent validity, correlating the CET with a measure of eating disorder symptoms, and to compare compulsive exercise symptoms between countries. Methods Four models of the latent structure of the CET were tested using confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs), three-factor structure with 15 items, three-factor structure with 18 items, four-factor structure with 21 items, and the original five-factor structure with 24 items, in a sample of 1,531 young adults (601 Brazilians and 930 Americans), aged 18–35 years. Results A series of CFAs demonstrated that the three-factor structure with 15 items showed a better fit to the data. This model demonstrated good convergent validity and internal consistency. Results from the CET multigroup CFA showed evidence for the invariance at the configural, metric, and scalar levels across Brazilians and Americans. Furthermore, significant differences were found between Brazilians and Americans, with Brazilians demonstrating higher scores on the Avoidance and rule-driven behavior and Mood improvement subscales, whereas US participants scored higher on the Weight control exercise subscale. Conclusions Results support the three-factor structure with 15 items to be used as a measure of compulsive exercise among Brazilians and Americans, allowing cross-cultural comparisons between these countries. Level of evidence Level V, Cross-sectional, Psychometric study.

Abstract Background To examine the relationship between social camouflage and mental health in Japanese autistic adults and make an international comparison with a sample from the UK. Methods This study analysed secondary data of participants with a self-reported diagnosis of autism from Japan (N = 210; 123 men and 87 women) and the UK (N = 305; 181 women, 104, men, and 18 nonbinary). The relationships between the quadratic term of the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire and mental health scales, including depression and anxiety, were assessed. Results The UK sample showed linear relationships, whereas the Japanese sample showed significant nonlinear relationships. The quadratic terms of the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire slightly explained generalised anxiety (β = .168, p = .007), depression (β = .121, p = .045), and well-being (β = − .127, p = .028). However, they did not explain the association between social anxiety and the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire. Limitations Participants had self-reported diagnoses, and while the autism-spectrum quotient provides a cut-off value for screening, it does not enable confirming diagnoses. Mean scores of the Japanese version of the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire were lower as compared to the original CAT-Q, which implies that the social camouflage strategy types used by autistic people in Japan and the UK could differ. The cross-sectional design limits causal inferences. Conclusion In the UK, more social camouflage was associated with poorer mental health scores, whereas too little or too much social camouflage was associated with a low mental health score in Japan. The Japanese population is seemingly less aware of and educated on autistic characteristics and considers ‘average’ behaviour a good thing. This could influence Japanese autistic people’s social camouflage use, differing from that of autistic people in the UK. The differences in the relationship between social camouflage and mental health between Japan and the UK could be associated with national-level divergence regarding the culture of autism.

Background: To examine the relationship between social camouflage and mental health in Japanese autistic adults and make an international comparison with a sample from the UK. Methods: This study analysed secondary data of participants with a self-reported diagnosis of autism from Japan (N = 210; 123 men and 87 women) and the UK (N = 305; 181 women, 104, men, and 18 nonbinary). The relationships between the quadratic term of the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire and mental health scales, including depression and anxiety, were assessed. Results: The UK sample showed linear relationships, whereas the Japanese sample showed significant nonlinear relationships. The quadratic terms of the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire slightly explained generalised anxiety (β =.168, p =.007), depression (β =.121, p =.045), and well-being (β = −.127, p =.028). However, they did not explain the association between social anxiety and the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire. Limitations: Participants had self-reported diagnoses, and while the autism-spectrum quotient provides a cut-off value for screening, it does not enable confirming diagnoses. Mean scores of the Japanese version of the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire were lower as compared to the original CAT-Q, which implies that the social camouflage strategy types used by autistic people in Japan and the UK could differ. The cross-sectional design limits causal inferences. Conclusion: In the UK, more social camouflage was associated with poorer mental health scores, whereas too little or too much social camouflage was associated with a low mental health score in Japan. The Japanese population is seemingly less aware of and educated on autistic characteristics and considers 'average' behaviour a good thing. This could influence Japanese autistic people's social camouflage use, differing from that of autistic people in the UK. The differences in the relationship between social camouflage and mental health between Japan and the UK could be associated with national-level divergence regarding the culture of autism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic is a serious global threat to the world's population. The aim of the presented exploratory study was to reveal and analyse social thinking about COVID-19 in two different cultural contexts: Russia and Malaysia. Social representation (SR) theory is a promising framework to analyse the symbolic response to the global health emergency. This exploratory study was conducted at the time of new COVID-19 variants' emergence, accompanied by quarantine measures, and mass vaccination was not elaborated yet (12 October–15 December 2020). The total sample (convenience sampling) consisted of 349 young adults from Malaysia (n = 195, 35.4% males, 64.6% females) and Russia (n = 154, 10% males, 90% females) aged 17–36 years. Convenience sampling was used to recruit participants, and an online version of the questionnaire was proposed to participants. The free association technique was used as the main tool in order to reveal the content of SRs. This prototypical analysis allowed us to reveal a hypothetical structure of SRs in the two cultural groups. These SR structures in each sample were crystallised around mostly negative elements. While in the Malaysian sample, the key elements were troubling and disturbing (death, pandemic, virus, quarantine), in the Russian sample (quarantine, disease), these elements could be seen as a rationalisation (or even a denial) of the COVID-19 threat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on the color category PURPLE yielded inconsistent category boundaries, focal colors, and color‐emotion associations. In French, there are at least three color terms referring to the shades of purple, potentially weighing on these inconsistencies. Thus, we tested the semantic breadth and richness in semantic meaning of violet (basic term), lilas (non‐basic), and pourpre (non‐basic). We collected free associations in 274 French speakers from Algeria, France, and Switzerland, yielding 2079 responses, of which 436 were discrete and 275 were unique. Frequency analyses and semantic coding supported the basicness status of violet in French, within a hierarchically structured semantic system. Moreover, the meaning of the three terms was not synonymous. Violet had the most abstract meaning. Lilas had the narrowest meaning, mainly referring to Natural Entities. Pourpre seemed close to RED. We found no differences between the countries. Future studies should extend this approach to other languages and other color terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The researchers showed their increased interest in linking human resource management (HRM) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices in recent studies. HRM is a critical factor in how CSR should be enacted, developed, and understood at a broader level to achieve organizational benefits. Hence, it is evident that current studies are asking for more studies on HRM–CSR nexus, and we argue that such a relationship is necessary and relevant. Probing more in this research stream, the current research investigates the impact of HRM and CSR on sustainable performance. More specifically, this study explores how 3-star, 4-star, and 5-star hotels achieve sustainable performance through HRM and CSR in the hospitality industry of the UK, Italy, and Pakistan. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select the hotels by collecting hotel details from Chambers of the Commerce United Kingdom, Italian Government Statistics, and Pakistan Hotel Associations for the UK, Italy, and Pakistan. Through a highly structured survey questionnaire, the data were collected from 438 UK, 520 Italian, and 354 Pakistani hotels. The results confirm the HRM–CSR–sustainable performance nexus in the hospitality industries of three countries. They show that HRM impact on CSR and sustainable performance is relatively stronger in five-star hotels followed by three-star and then four-star hotels. These results supported the resource-based view theory by providing strong evidence that HRM and CSR are essential resources for achieving sustainable performance and competitive advantage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Addressing inequality is a critical challenge for society as a whole and requires sustained efforts to promote fairness and opportunity for all. Filling in the resource gap across social classes is essential in reducing inequality. Previous studies have revealed that ingroup favouritism hinders the rich from cooperating with the poor and expands the wealth gap. Nevertheless, how to find ways of narrowing the gap between the rich and the poor remains an open question. Inducing rich–poor cooperation could be effective in eliciting resource flow across classes. In this study, two experiments using a modified Prisoner's Dilemma game were conducted in Japan (N = 213) and China (N = 150) to examine whether highlighting partners' cooperativeness under permeable group boundaries induces rich–poor cooperation. All participants were allocated to the rich group and participated in the game with programmed rich‐ or poor‐group partner bots, whose cooperation rates were manipulated. Despite the initial resource disparities between participants and the partner bots, participants were more likely to select and cooperate with cooperative poor‐group partners than with non‐cooperative rich‐group partners. Generalized trust played an important role in the enhancement of rich–poor cooperation. The findings shed light on the possibility of reducing inequality and promoting social mobility in society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We aimed to examine the association between social media use and loneliness two years after the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. Methods: Participants were 1649 adults who completed a cross-sectional online survey disseminated openly in Norway, United Kingdom, USA, and Australia between November 2021 and January 2022. Linear regressions examined time spent on social media and participants' characteristics on loneliness, and interactions by motives for social media use. Results: Participants who worried more about their health and were younger, not employed, and without a spouse or partner reported higher levels of loneliness compared to their counterparts. More time spent on social media was associated with more loneliness (β = 0.12, p < 0.001). Three profile groups emerged for social media use motives: 1) social media use motive ratings on avoiding difficult feelings higher or the same as for maintaining contact; 2) slightly higher ratings for maintaining contact; and 3) substantially higher ratings for maintaining contact. Time spent on social media was significant only in motive profile groups 2 and 3 (β = 0.12 and β = 0.14, both p < 0.01). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that people who use social media for the motive of maintaining their relationships feel lonelier than those who spend the same amount of time on social media for other reasons. While social media may facilitate social contact to a degree, they may not facilitate the type of contact sought by those who use social media primarily for this reason. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Comparative research on park patrons with distinctive cultures or ethnicities has been one line of cross-cultural research in the recreation field in recent decades. The critical issue for such research is between-group homogeneity as most cross-cultural studies use culture or nation as their unit of analysis. This study employed the between-group comparison approach to identify different perceptions of service quality among three major socio-culture groups, Hoklos, Hakkas, and Mainlanders, in the context of outdoor recreation in Taiwan. A total of 2,433 respondents, 1,719 from Hoklos, 499 from Hakkas, and 215 from Mainlanders, were collected from an outdoor recreation visitor survey conducted in the Huisun National Forest Recreation Area and Taroko National Park. The findings revealed that the differences in service quality perceptions, satisfaction judgment, and behavioral intention derived from the between-group examination. A discussion of cultural heterogeneity across the subgroups and its implications for park and recreation management is included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Travelers' engagement with local food at a foreign destination could be overwhelming and affect their overall travel experience. This study investigates the role travelers' psychological comfort with local food plays in influencing the development of their place attachment to a destination. The study utilized survey data sampled from Korean and American travelers who had visited China and found that travelers' place attachment is positively and significantly influenced by their psychological comfort with food, interaction with service providers, and atmospherics. The findings also reveal that Korean and American travelers differ in the degree to which comfort affects their place attachment. These and other findings of the study bring attention to the comfort factor of travelers' food experience, thus complementing previous research that tended to emphasize the novelty value of local cuisines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]