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Purpose: The study aims to look at deep eWOM providing behaviour in m-commerce and attempts to explore its antecedents. Personalisation is proposed as an indirect antecedent of deep eWOM providing behaviour mediated by hedonic and utilitarian value perceptions and personal identification. Design/methodology/approach: Based on social-exchange theory, the conceptual model links the study antecedents to deep eWOM providing behaviour. The conceptual model was validated through a multi-country study. A large sample of m-commerce users in the UK (n = 505), India (n = 422) and Vietnam (n = 618) were contacted to collect the data. Data were analysed through structural equations modelling procedure with invariance analysis conducted to ensure that the results from the three samples could be compared. The authors also conducted post-hoc analysis to explore the mediation paths between variables. Findings: The study finds support to the conceptual model across the samples from the three countries. Personalisation is found to increase value perceptions – both utilitarian and hedonic – and personal identification which leads to "deep" eWOM providing behaviour across all the three countries. The serial mediation also provides comparable results across the three countries. Originality/value: The study contributes to the understanding of deep eWOM providing behaviour – a construct with high practical relevance which has however not been explored sufficiently in current literature. The study also contributes to the literature that analyses the consequences of personalisation in m-commerce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media may have the double potential to support and undermine mental health, and research is needed to investigate these relationships in age-specified populations. The purpose of this study was to investigate associations between the use of social media and psychological distress among older adults (60 years and above) both nine and 19 months after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. An online repeated cross-sectional survey was conducted in Australia, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Participants (9 months: n = 679; 19 months: n = 238) reported the extent of social media use, motives for using social media, and level of psychological distress using the 12-item version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). The data were analysed with descriptive analyses, independent t-tests and multiple linear regression analyses. Time spent on social media was not associated with psychological distress. Higher psychological distress was associated with higher scores on using social media to 'reduce loneliness' at both measurement points. At nine months, higher psychological distress was associated with higher scores on using social media for 'entertainment', but the association was not statistically significant at 19 months. Psychological distress was associated with the motive to 'maintain relationships' at 19 months, but not at nine months. Guidance for older adults' use of social media should emphasise how they can be used to promote communication and maintain existing relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: This cross-national study focuses on adolescents who provide care and support to family members or significant others. Current evidence regarding their mental health and solutions to strengthen it is limited and mostly available in a few countries. The aim of this study is to evaluate the results of a primary prevention intervention for improving the mental health and well-being of adolescent young carers (AYCs) aged 15–17 years in six European countries. The intervention was based on a psychoeducational program and tools adapted from the Discoverer, Noticer, Advisor, and Values (DNA-V) model. Methods: We designed a randomized controlled trial with 217 AYCs participating in the study, either in the intervention or control group. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected via questionnaires at baseline, post-intervention, and a 3-month follow up. Results: The results were mixed, as positive improvements in primary (i.e., psychological well-being and skills) and secondary (school/training/work functioning) outcomes were shown by the experimental group but, in most cases, they were not statistically significant. The qualitative data supported positive claims about the intervention and its appropriateness for AYCs. Conclusions: The study implementation during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic forced the consortium to adapt the design and may have influenced the results. More long-term studies are needed to assess similar mental health programs with this hard-to-reach target group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parental involvement in children’s education is one of the main components of inclusive education and one of the crucial factors in achieving positive academic outcomes for children with additional support needs (ASN). This study aims to explore the experiences of parental involvement during the pandemic and to gain insights into the personal, familial, and contextual factors (level 1 factors in Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler’s model [1995, 1997, 2005]) that influence their involvement practices. The study was conducted in Croatia, Serbia, and Slovenia—three culturally and educationally similar contexts that applied slightly different educational measures during the pandemic. Semi-structured interviews with 42 parents of children with ASN attending the lower secondary educational cycle during the COVID-19 pandemic were conducted in the spring of 2022. Three themes were defined across all three country contexts, describing parental involvement as a reaction to the emergency situation, as a parental duty, and as a response to the child’s or school’s invitation. The results confirm the importance of parents’ motivational beliefs, parents’ perceptions of invitations for involvement by others, and parents’ perceptions of life context in parents’ decisions about involvement during the pandemic. The results also highlight that parental involvement in the education of children with ASN is highly dependent on the availability of school and system-level support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored how education relates to pain experiences among aging middle-aged and older populations across 4 middle- and high-income countries and how gender might modify this relationship. Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text. Using cross-sectional data from the United States, England, China, and India, we examined the relationship between education and frequent pain, alongside the modification role of gender in this relationship. We further examined patterns of 3 pain dimensions among participants who reported frequent pain, including pain severity, interference with daily activities, and medication use (these pain dimension questions were not administered in all countries). Our analytical sample included 92,204 participants aged 50 years and above. We found a high prevalence of frequent pain across the 4 countries ranging from 28% to 41%. Probit models showed that higher education was associated with lower risk of pain (United States: −0.26, 95% CI: −0.33, −0.19; England: −0.32, 95% CI: −0.39, −0.25; China: −0.33, 95% CI −0.41, −0.26; India: −0.18, 95% CI −0.21, −0.15). Notably, in China and India, the negative association between higher education and frequent pain was less pronounced among women compared with men, which was not observed in the United States or England. Further analysis showed that individuals with higher education experiencing frequent pain reported less severity, fewer daily activity interferences, and less medication use compared with those with lower education. In the United States, these associations were stronger among women. Our findings highlight the prevalent pain among middle-aged and older adults in these 4 countries and emphasize the potentially protective role of higher education on frequent pain, with nuanced gender differences across different settings. This underscores the need for tailored strategies considering educational and gender differences to improve pain management and awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Do some students learn more than others because they attend School A instead of School B? Or is educational inequality generated elsewhere, from common processes within schools, or outside of formal schooling? Within these paradigmatic questions, this study investigates the social determinants of school-to-school differences in STEM course-taking experiences, a key component of Opportunity to Learn (OTL), in a cross-national setting. Drawing on an internal-development model and social stratification theories, we examine whether observed school-to-school differences in OTL can more clearly be attributed to functional or dysfunctional sources, using a large cross-national sample from TIMSS with 278 observations across 67 countries/regions, dating from 1995 to 2019. Results from Generalized Multilevel Linear Models indicate that variation in school-level OTL comes primarily from variation in school readiness in a given country. Yet, we also observe evidence that supports conflict forces of differentiation. This paper contributes to existing cross-national studies of educational inequality by tracing the fundamental origins of inequality in OTL, locating potentially dysfunctional sources of OTL between schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates how chefs operating in Australia and Vietnam perceive sustainability within their c ontext, how sustainability could be enhanced, and challenges limiting stronger sustainable practices. Data were gathered through in-depth, semi-structured face-to-face and online interviews with 69 chefs (34 in Australia, 35 in Vietnam). The analysis revealed 11 key dimensions, similarities, and clear differences in how chefs perceive sustainable practices. For instance, while both groups strongly perceived the need to work with the supply chain as a means to enhance sustainability, they clearly differed concerning reducing food-related wastage or being more open to sustainability-related discussions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the prevalence of misinformation on social media and accompanying negative externalities, platform regulation has become a highly contested public issue globally. This study investigated (a) what global publics think about platform regulation and (b) the psychological mechanisms underlying such opinions through the lens of the third-person effect. Four national surveys, conducted in the United States, the United Kingdom, South Korea, and Mexico in April–September 2021, revealed that both presumed media influence on self and others play important but different roles in predicting support for two distinctive forms of platform regulation (i.e. government regulation of social media platforms versus content moderation by social media platforms). Self-efficacy (self-perceived ability to spot misinformation) and other-efficacy (perception of others' ability to spot misinformation) were identified as two crucial antecedents of third-person perception. There were also nuanced but noteworthy differences in public attitudes toward platform regulations across the four countries studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study compared care source typologies for older adults in China and the United States. Data from the 2014 U.S. Health and Retirement Study and the 2013 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study were used. The respondents included community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years or older with at least one limitation in activities of daily living (ADLs) or instrumental ADLs (IADLs) (N China = 2476, N US = 2898). Respondents reported whether they received assistance from spouse, child/grandchild, relatives, others, and formal helpers. Latent class analysis and multinomial logistic regression were applied. Four classes were identified in China and the U.S, separately. In both countries, ADLs and IADLs were strong determinants of care source typologies. Care sources were more diverse and included formal assistance among older Americans. Older Chinese relied largely on their spouses and children/grandchildren for support. Policy efforts are needed to expand formal long-term services and supports, particularly in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Originally developed in the US educational context, the student engagement concept has become increasingly recognised internationally. It suggests a particular approach to the evaluation of higher education quality and institutional practices for enhancing student growth. However, the lack of cross-national research on student engagement patterns in various national contexts restricts the implementation of engagement practices in different national contexts. This study uses the data of an undergraduate survey conducted in the USA, China, and Russia (n = 166,919) to explore whether the associations between student engagement and four personal characteristics of students (gender, field of study, year of study, and plans after graduation) are consistent across nations. This research disclosed that the USA, China, and Russia do not vary with regard to the associations between personal characteristics and student engagement dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While rapid population ageing is occurring worldwide, its speed is especially prominent in Asian countries. In Asia, cultural diversity might significantly affect care burden; however, few studies have investigated the differences in care burden, and mental, physical and social conditions among Asian countries. This study aimed to clarify the situations of and differences in family caregivers (FCs) of older persons in Japan and Thailand, and evaluate the factors associated with care burden in both countries. Methods: A cross‐national survey of 217 in‐home FCs was conducted in Japan and Thailand and mainly included items regarding care burden and psychosocial conditions. Differences between the two countries were obtained, and the factors associated with care burden were analysed by multiple regression analyses. Results: The FCs' and care receivers' mean ages (64.8 ± 11.1 and 84.8 ± 8.6 years, respectively) in Japan were significantly higher than the mean ages (49.1 ± 13.3 and 77.1 ± 9.5 years) in Thailand. In Japan, FCs had more severe care burden, loneliness, and stress compared to those in Thailand. In Thailand, FCs had more social connections and informal support than those in Japan. The factors associated with care burden were different in each country; thus, severe stress, low emotional care preparation, and low willingness to continue care at home were significantly associated with severe care burden in Japan, whereas poor relationships with care receivers, few social connections, low confidence in providing care, low emotional care preparation, and lack of informal support were significantly associated with severe care burden in Thailand. Conclusions: Despite there being a long‐term care insurance system in Japan, which is absent in Thailand, care burden and psychosocial conditions of FCs might be worse in Japan. There was a clear difference in the factors associated with care burden between Japan and Thailand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Methaodos: Social Science Journal / Methaodos: Revista de Ciencias Sociales is the property of Departamento de Ciencias de la Comunicacion y Sociologia, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Students approach learning in different ways, and this study aimed to examine and understand differences in learning approaches between occupational therapy students in Norway and the USA. A total of 321 students, from two universities in the USA and six higher education institutions in Norway, completed the short version of the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students. The data were analyzed with linear regression analyses. U.S. students had substantially higher scores on the strategic approach and higher scores on the deep approach, compared to the Norwegian students. Differences may be due to different national regulations and levels of education required for entering the programs, or personal factors such as predisposition for learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to examine patterns of social media use across age groups in four countries (Norway, USA, UK, and Australia) two years after the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, and whether types of use and time spent using social media was related to health worries. A cross-sectional online survey was completed by 1578 adult participants. The data were analysed with one-way analyses of variance and a linear regression analysis. Younger people spent more time on and were more likely to be passive users of social media than older people. Motives for social media use, and perceived effects of using social media, varied by participants' age. Passive social media use and more time spent using social media were related to higher levels of health worries. Thus, an age perspective is relevant for understanding patterns of social media use, and different types of social media use appear to be differently related to health worries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This large cross-national study investigates the development of transversal skills in the context of open schooling—an educational approach integrating schools, universities, and communities to address real-world challenges—through the CARE-KNOW-DO framework. Utilising a mixed-methods approach across five countries, this research employs a novel validated self-report instrument to evaluate the perceptions of 12,074 underserved students concerning their learning experiences in open schooling environments. An exploratory factor analysis enabled us to explore quantitative insight into students' skill development, while thematic analysis of 20 teachers' reports contributed qualitative depth. The study identified six critical transversal skills: self-initiative, problem-solving, emotional engagement, scientific citizenship, authentic learning, and future prospects. Significant geographic, gender, and age-related variations were found, with notable disparities in skill perceptions among nonbinary students, indicating the need for more inclusive educational support. All countries showed high levels of perceived transversal skills, with 83% of Greek and 80% of Brazilian students leading, compared to 64% in Romania and the UK, and 62% in Spain. Trends suggest secondary students exhibit stronger global citizenship and authentic learning, although they report less confidence in problem-solving and self-initiative than their primary counterparts. These findings, viewed alongside 12 teaching competencies revealed through thematic analysis, underscore the effectiveness of open schooling, which is underexplored, in fostering key skills and call for pedagogical innovations that integrate real-life issues into the curriculum. The study contributes to Agenda 2030—quality of education by demonstrating the real-world applicability of the CARE-KNOW-DO framework for educational practice and policy towards equity and sustainability. Our comparative analysis of transversal skill development across diverse student populations, as well as teaching competencies, further advances the discourse on improving 21st-century education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a difficult history framework, we analyzed the high school history standard sets for the 50 United States and the District of Columbia and the Vietnamese national history standards. We conducted a cross-comparative content analysis to answer the question: How do Vietnamese and U.S. high school history standards represent the Vietnam War and each other? Our analysis revealed that Vietnam includes the United States more often and in a broader historical context than the United States includes Vietnam; that standards reify the notion that the Vietnam War was pivotal in each nation's unique cultural and political trajectories, yet the two countries rationalized their engagement in the war for different ideological reasons; and that there are substantial and surprisingly similar omissions of difficult history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flashbulb memories (FBMs) refer to vivid and long-lasting autobiographical memories for the circumstances in which people learned of a shocking and consequential public event. A cross-national study across eleven countries aimed to investigate FBM formation following the first COVID-19 case news in each country and test the effect of pandemic-related variables on FBM. Participants had detailed memories of the date and others present when they heard the news, and had partially detailed memories of the place, activity, and news source. China had the highest FBM specificity. All countries considered the COVID-19 emergency as highly significant at both the individual and global level. The Classification and Regression Tree Analysis revealed that FBM specificity might be influenced by participants' age, subjective severity (assessment of COVID-19 impact in each country and relative to others), residing in an area with stringent COVID-19 protection measures, and expecting the pandemic effects. Hierarchical regression models demonstrated that age and subjective severity negatively predicted FBM specificity, whereas sex, pandemic impact expectedness, and rehearsal showed positive associations in the total sample. Subjective severity negatively affected FBM specificity in Turkey, whereas pandemic impact expectedness positively influenced FBM specificity in China and negatively in Denmark. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A triple environmental crisis marks the current century: the climate, biodiversity and pollution emergencies that challenge¡ societies around the world and require global dialogue. Consequently, it seems worth assessing across international strata, whether young adults living in different regions would share social representations of the environmental crisis. Built on findings from 16 focus group discussions held in Ireland and Uruguay, comprising 109 participants, the objective of this article is to uncover and compare between countries: which environmental issues remain crucial for young citizens of diverse backgrounds and affiliations; how coincidental issues of concern are articulated across countries; and how structural factors are perceived as key to an environmentally unsustainable system. Let alone the case of Climate Change, the main findings point to shared topics of concern, such as Waste Generation and Disposal or Food Production and Consumption, with contrasting social representations of them between the two regions, which shed light on how environmental risk is socially built in dialogue with the context despite global discursive trends, in a highly mediatized and glocal era. Unlike university students focused studies, the paper offers a qualitative approach to the perceptions of young adults of diverse backgrounds in both countries.

Background: Social factors play an important role in adolescents' behaviors. This study aims to understand percentages of health risk behaviors across country in Europe, North America, and China; explore the associations between friendly school and family contexts and involvement for several health risk behaviors among adolescents. Methods: Data derived from health behavior in school‐aged children cross‐sectional surveys and China Education Panel Survey in 2014‐2015. Hierarchical generalized linear modeling was used to analyze data. Results: The highest percentages of health risk behaviors including unhealthy diet, smoking or alcohol, screen‐based sedentary behaviors, and violent behaviors across country ranged from 28.62% to 65.24%. National classmate friendliness was negatively associated with 5 out of 9 health risk behaviors prevalence rates in 41 countries (p < 0.05). Adolescents' perceived peer friendly and helpful were common protective factor for engaging in several health risk behaviors (p < 0.01). Individual family contexts were associated with 3 types of health risk behaviors involvement (p < 0.001). School health policy implications: Health risk behaviors among adolescents reducing was associated with the implementation of friendly school and family contexts, emphasizing the significance of the goals of embedding friendly adolescents, along with the home‐school collaboration. Conclusions: Public health strategies should promote national climate of friendship and individual perceived friendly school contexts to reduce health risk behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A vast body of research shows largely positive associations between religiosity/spirituality (R/S) and positive well‐being outcomes. Such research has examined religious communities and general populations, but little is known about the relationship between R/S and well‐being among scientists, who typically tend to be less religious than the general public. Drawing on nationally representative survey data on physicists and biologists in India, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States (N = 3442), this study examines whether the relationship between R/S and mental health holds for scientists, particularly during the COVID‐19 pandemic. We find that net of statistical controls, higher levels of religious and spiritual commitment are associated with significantly higher levels of well‐being and lower levels of psychological distress. Overall, the results indicate that a positive relationship between R/S and mental health holds even for scientists. The study's findings have implications for future analysis of the relationship between R/S and the well‐being of people working in other professions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) is a useful tool for measuring the severity of psychopathological symptoms among patients with psychosis. Many studies, predominantly in Western countries, have investigated its factor structure. This study has the following aims: (a) to further explore the factor structure of the BPRS-Expanded version (BPRS-E, 24 items) among outpatients with psychotic disorders in Southeast European countries; (b) to confirm the identified model; and (c) to investigate the goodness-of-fit of the three competing BPRS-E factor models derived from previous studies. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) produced a solution with 21 items grouped into five factors, thus supporting the existence of a fifth factor, i.e., Disorganization. A follow-up confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) revealed a 19-item model (with two items removed) that fit the data well. In addition, the stability of two out of three competing factor models was confirmed. Finally, the BPRS-E model with 5 factors developed in this cross-national study was found to include a greater number of items compared to competing models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Health concordance within couples presents a promising opportunity to design interventions for disease management, including hypertension. We compared the concordance of prevalent hypertension within middle‐aged and older heterosexual couples in the United States, England, China, and India. Methods and Results Cross‐sectional dyadic data on heterosexual couples were used from contemporaneous waves of the HRS (US Health and Retirement Study, 2016/17, n=3989 couples), ELSA (English Longitudinal Study on Aging, 2016/17, n=1086), CHARLS (China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, 2015/16, n=6514), and LASI (Longitudinal Aging Study in India, 2017/19, n=22 389). Concordant hypertension was defined as both husband and wife in a couple having hypertension. The prevalence of concordant hypertension within couples was 37.9% (95% CI, 35.8–40.0) in the United States, 47.1% (95% CI, 43.2–50.9) in England, 20.8% (95% CI, 19.6–21.9) in China, and 19.8% (95% CI, 19.0–20.5) in India. Compared with wives married to husbands without hypertension, wives married to husbands with hypertension were more likely to have hypertension in the United States (prevalence ratio, 1.09 [95% CI, 1.01– 1.17), England (prevalence ratio, 1.09, 95% CI, 0.98–1.21), China (prevalence ratio, 1.26 [95% CI, 1.17–1.35), and India (prevalence ratio, 1.19 [95% CI, 1.15–1.24]). Within each country, similar associations were observed for husbands. Across countries, associations in the United States and England were similar, whereas they were slightly larger in China and India. Conclusions Concordance of hypertension within heterosexual couples was consistently observed across these 4 socially and economically diverse countries. Couple‐centered interventions may be an efficient strategy to prevent and manage hypertension in these countries.

Copyright of Swiss Journal of Educational Research / Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Bildungswissenschaften is the property of University Library of Bern and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This is the first study to explore the relationship between Inglehart and Baker's national cultural measures and the stream analogy of lethal violence. Using data for 70 developed and developing countries, the regression analysis indicates that a country with self-expressionism or secularism is likely to have a high suicide rate relative to its homicide rate. In contrast, a country with a survivalism or traditionalism orientation is likely to have a high homicide rate relative to its suicide rate. This study suggests that national culture is related to the direction of lethal violence (i.e., suicide vs. homicide). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) is a useful tool for measuring the severity of psychopathological symptoms among patients with psychosis. Many studies, predominantly in Western countries, have investigated its factor structure. This study has the following aims: (a) to further explore the factor structure of the BPRS-Expanded version (BPRS-E, 24 items) among outpatients with psychotic disorders in Southeast European countries; (b) to confirm the identified model; and (c) to investigate the goodness-of-fit of the three competing BPRS-E factor models derived from previous studies. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) produced a solution with 21 items grouped into five factors, thus supporting the existence of a fifth factor, i.e., Disorganization. A follow-up confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) revealed a 19-item model (with two items removed) that fit the data well. In addition, the stability of two out of three competing factor models was confirmed. Finally, the BPRS-E model with 5 factors developed in this cross-national study was found to include a greater number of items compared to competing models.

The purpose of the current study is to evaluate the longitudinal relationship between subjective community well‐being (CWB) (perception of freedom of choice and social support) and subjective individual well‐being (IWB) (positive and negative affect). Using the World Happiness Report (2019), this study examined the subjective IWB and subjective CWB among 155 countries across an 8‐year period. Using Latent Class Growth Analysis the results indicated that the 155 countries could be classified into three groups—countries reporting high freedom of choice and high social support, low freedom of choice and low social support, and low freedom of choice and high social support. From the results of both a multigroup Growth Mixed Model and a Growth Curve Model, the three groups were found to vary with respect to positive and negative affect with higher positive affect and lower negative affect reported in countries classified as high freedom of choice and high social support, lower positive affect and higher negative affect reported in countries classified as low freedom of choice and low social support, and lower positive and lower negative affect reported in countries classified as low freedom of choice and high social support. These results indicate that country's rated as allowing higher freedom of choice was associated with higher reported positive affect, and country's rated as having stronger social support systems was associated with lower ratings for negative affect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is a cross-national study and aimed to investigate how perception of PM2.5 air pollution influences public's avoidant and protective behaviors, whether there are correlations between the public's PM2.5 negative emotions, risk perception and coping behaviors, and whether there are significant differences between China and Korea. To better understand the mechanisms of coping behaviors related to the risk of PM2.5 exposure, the study divided coping behaviors into avoidant behaviors, which reduce exposure to PM2.5, and protective behaviors, which reduce the health hazards of PM2.5, for more specific analysis. Three hypotheses were proposed. The results of a comparative analysis showed differences in the mechanisms mediating the relationship between PM2.5 risk perceptions and coping behaviors, between the Chinese and Korean participants. The positive correlation between risk perception and coping behaviors was partially supported, and the 'negative emotions-risk perception-risk coping behavior' explanatory pathway was partially supported as well. The results of this study provide valuable insight into the psychology of the public affected by PM2.5 and aid in better communicating the risks of and effective response to the impact of PM2.5 pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This cross-national study examined students' evaluation of strategies for solving linear equations, as well as the extent to which their evaluation criteria were related to their use of strategies and/or aligned with experts' views about which strategy is the best. A total of 792 middle school and high school students from Sweden, Finland, and Spain participated in the study. Students were asked to solve twelve equations, provide multiple solving strategies for each equation, and select the best strategy among those they produced for each equation. Our results indicate that students' evaluation of strategies was not strongly related to their initial preferences for using strategies. Instead, many students' criteria were aligned with the flexibility goals, in that a strategy that takes advantages of task context was more highly valued than a standard algorithm. However, cross-national differences in strategy evaluation indicated that Swedish and Finnish students were more aligned with flexibility goals in terms of their strategy evaluation criteria, while Spanish students tended to consider standard algorithms better than other strategies. We also found that high school students showed more flexibility concerns than middle school students. Different emphases in educational practice and prior knowledge might explain these cross-national differences as well as the findings of developmental changes in students' evaluation criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some studies show that the protective effect of higher income on health weakens with old age (age-as-leveller pattern), whereas others show that it strengthens with old age (cumulative advantage/disadvantage pattern). Many existing studies are limited in that they use single-country and/or single-timepoint designs. To overcome these limitations and better understand how the income-health gradient evolves in older age, we used cross-national and longitudinal data of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (2004–2019, N = 73,407) and the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (2011–2018, N = 10,067). We operationalised health using multimorbidity and three alternative indicators (functional disability, mobility disability, and memory). We performed Poisson growth curve modelling to capture the between-participant effects of age and the within-participant effects of aging. We obtained three consistent and robust findings for Europe (patterns were observed in most countries) and China. First, the protective effect of higher income on multimorbidity, functional disability, and mobility disability was weaker for older than for younger adults (between-participant age-as-leveller pattern). Second, only the protective effect of higher income on mobility disability weakened over the later life course (within-participant age-as-leveller pattern). Third, the protective effect of higher income on memory was stronger for older than for younger adults and strengthened over the later life course (between-participant and within-participant cumulative advantage/disadvantage pattern). Longitudinal data, growth curve modelling distinguishing the between-participant from within-participant effect, and adjustments for potential confounders based on the hypothesised causal structure enabled us to better navigate the landscape of causal inference. Findings suggest that the income-related gap in physical health but not in cognitive health narrows in old age for both Europe and China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), especially long-chain PUFAs (LCPUFAs), are crucial for both the structural and functional integrity of cells. PUFAs have been reported to be insufficient in schizophrenia, and the resulting cell membrane impairments have been hypothesized as an etiological mechanism. However, the impact of PUFA deficiencies on the onset of schizophrenia remain uncertain. We investigated the associations between PUFAs consumption and schizophrenia incidence rates through correlational analyses and conducted Mendelian randomization analyses to reveal the causal effects. Using dietary PUFA consumption and national schizophrenia incidence rates in 24 countries, we found that incidence rates of schizophrenia were inversely correlated with arachidonic acid (AA) and ω-6 LCPUFA consumption (rAA = −0.577, p < 0.01; rω-6 LCPUFA = −0.626, p < 0.001). Moreover, Mendelian randomization analyses revealed that genetically predicted AA and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) were protective factors against schizophrenia (ORAA = 0.986, ORGLA = 0.148). In addition, no significant relationships were observed between schizophrenia and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) or other ω-3 PUFAs. These findings show that the deficiencies of ω-6 LCPUFAs, especially AA, are associated with schizophrenia risk, which sheds novel insight into the etiology of schizophrenia and a promising diet supplementation for the prevention and treatment of schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an ongoing research interest to disclose factors that influence problem-posing performance by involving cross-national backgrounds. This research extends that effort by conducting a comparative analysis on the performance of Indonesian and Hungarian prospective teachers in a problem-posing task. A total of eighty-three prospective teachers from Indonesia and Hungary were asked to pose a problem based on the current calendar. For more in-depth insights, an interview was conducted with a representative participant. The obtained data were analysed quantitatively using Fisher's exact test and qualitatively in nature. Their mathematical background seems to influence the characteristic of their proposed problem and the solution approach they utilized. The typical tasks proposed by Indonesian prospective teachers are exercise and mostly related to arithmetic operations, while those by Hungarian prospective teachers are challenging problems and generally connected to arithmetic sequences. Moreover, in solving their problems, Indonesians tend to show arithmetic reasoning while Hungarians often denote algebraic reasoning. These disparities might be attributed to the types of problems that each group typically encounters during their mathematics lessons.

Cyberaggression is a harmful behavior, but cross-national studies on cyberaggression including relations among its individual and social predictors are limited. This study aimed to discover the direct and indirect relations among individual and social predictors of cyberaggression in socio-demographically balanced survey data set of 4816 15–25-year-old participants from Finland (n = 1200, 50.0% female), South Korea (n = 1192, 50.34% female), Spain (n = 1212, 48.76% female), and the United States (n = 1212, 50.17% female). Both, impulsivity and involvement in online cliques (i.e., identity bubbles) were related to more cyberaggression in the four countries. The relation between impulsivity and cyberaggression was partially mediated by compulsive Internet use in Finland, Spain, and the United States, but not in South Korea. The relation between identity bubble involvement and cyberaggression was mediated via compulsive Internet use only in the Spanish sample. Findings of this study can be used for policy and practice against cyberaggression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social acceptance of livestock farming has been declining in recent years. Especially the husbandry conditions of pigs are controversially discussed in society, industry and politics. We conducted an exploratory cross-national study (Poland, Italy, Japan and South Korea) to provide insights into consumer attitudes, preferences and possible willingness to pay for pork, considering the influence and importance of pork purchasing criteria, the country of origin and animal welfare. Five online focus groups took place in each study country and were analysed using a qualitative content analysis. Consumer knowledge of animal welfare differed in European and Asian countries, although it was limited overall. Regarding pork purchasing habits, all participants emphasized that freshness, appearance, quality, country of origin and price were important. Nevertheless, almost all participants linked higher animal welfare standards with higher meat quality and therefore saw a personal benefit. In all countries, there is a need to increase awareness on the subject of animal welfare by developing specific infomational campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract Background A cross-sectional study was performed to examine life satisfaction differences between university students from nine countries during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-national comparison of the association between life satisfaction and a set of variables was also conducted. Methods Participants in the study were 2349 university students with a mean age of 23 years (M = 23.15, SD = 4.66). There was a predominance of women (69.26%) and individuals studying at the bachelor level (78%). The research was conducted between May and July 2020 in nine countries: Slovenia (n=209), the Czech Republic (Czechia)(n=308), Germany (n=267), Poland (n=301), Ukraine (n=310), Russia (n=285), Turkey (n=310), Israel (n=199), and Colombia (n=153). Participants completed an online survey involving measures of satisfaction with life (SWLS), exposure to COVID-19, perceived negative impact of coronavirus (PNIC) on students' well-being, general self-reported health (GSRH), physical activity (PA), and some demographics (gender, place of residence, level of study). A one-way ANOVA was used to explore cross-national differences in life satisfaction. The χ2 independence test was performed separately in each country to examine associations between life satisfaction and other variables. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to identify life satisfaction predictors among a set of demographic and health-related variables in each of the nine countries. Results The level of life satisfaction varied between university students from the nine countries. The results for life satisfaction and the other variables differed between countries. Numerous associations were noted between satisfaction with life and several variables, and these showed cross-national differences. Distinct predictors of life satisfaction were observed for each country. However, poor self-rated physical health was a predictor of low life satisfaction independent of the country. Conclusions The association between life satisfaction and subjective assessment of physical health seems to be universal, while the other variables are related to cross-cultural differences. Special public health attention should be focused on psychologically supporting people who do not feel healthy.

• The CAPE can estimate psychosis risk and serve as a screening tool in primary care. • Rasch analysis confirm CAPE measures a single dimension of psychosis-proneness. • Early treating of depression symptoms could curb psychotic-like experiences. Psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) are subtle, subclinical perturbations of perceptions and thoughts and are common in the general population. Their characterisation and unidimensionality are still debated. This study was conducted by the Electronic–halluCinations-Like Experiences Cross-culTural International Consortium (E-CLECTIC) and aimed at measuring the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE) factorial structure across five European countries (Belgium; Czech Republic, Germany; Greece, and Spain) and testing the adequacy of the unidimensional polytomous Rasch model of the tool via Partial Credit Model (PCM) of the CAPE to detect people with a high risk for developing psychosis. The sample included 1461 participants from the general population. The factorial analysis confirmed the best fit for the bifactor implementation of the three-factor model, including the positive, negative and depressive dimensions and a general factor. Moreover, the unidimensional polytomous Rasch analysis confirmed that CAPE responses reflected one underlying psychosis proneness. The study proved that the CAPE measures a single latent dimension of psychosis-proneness. The CAPE might help locate and estimate psychosis risk and can be used as a screening tool in primary care settings/education settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has shown a robust association between different childhood and adolescent vulnerabilities and youth offending. However, these investigations have primarily focused on youths from high-income Western countries. Consequently, the generalizability of these findings to better inform global justice policies remains uncertain. This study aimed to address this gap by examining the relationship between individual, familial, and contextual vulnerabilities and criminal versatility during young adulthood, accounting for sociodemographic factors and cross-national differences. Data were derived from a diverse sample of 4,182 young adults (67% female; mean age = 18.96; SD = 0.81) residing in 10 countries across 5 continents who participated in the International Study of Pro/Antisocial Behavior in Young Adults. The Psychosocial and Family Vulnerability Questionnaire and the Adverse Childhood Experiences questionnaire were used to assess social and family adversity, and past-year criminal diversity was measured with the Criminal Variety Index. Results indicate that child maltreatment, substance abuse, and delinquent peers are global risk factors for criminal variety. Moreover, they are independent across males and females and among youths living in countries that are ranked differently on the Human Development Index (HDI). In addition, some childhood vulnerabilities showed different predictive ability across sexes (e.g., school failure), and across countries ranked differently on the HDI (e.g., family dysfunction). These findings suggest that certain childhood factors contribute to criminal behavior through transcultural mechanisms. Moreover, they highlight the importance of developing evidence-based policies that focus on transcultural risk factors to globally prevent criminal behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, much research has been devoted to assessing mental health in a variety of populations. Students in higher education appear to be particularly vulnerable to experiencing reduced mental health. The purpose of the study was to assess whether higher education students experienced poorer mental health compared to the general population and examine the factors associated with students' mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-national sample of students (n = 354) and non-students (n = 3120) participated in a survey in October/November 2020. Mental health outcomes among students and non-students were compared with independent t-tests. Multiple linear regression analysis and general linear estimation were used to assess the impact of student status on mental health outcomes while adjusting for sociodemographic factors. Students reported poorer mental health than non-students. The difference in mental health between students and non-students was bigger for participants aged 30 years or older. More social media use was associated with poorer mental health outcomes. In conclusion, students had poorer mental health than the wider population. Aspects of life as a student, beyond what can be attributed to life stage, appears to increase mental health problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]