Search Results (2,891)

Background and Objectives: The neurocognitive sequelae of COVID-19 have attracted attention as part of post-COVID condition (PCC), yet standardized tools for screening and quantifying PCC-related cognitive impairment remain scarce. The present study aimed to develop and validate the Screening for Neurocognitive Abilities Post-COVID (SNAP-COVID), a self-report questionnaire designed to capture current symptom burden and perceived changes in cognitive functioning relative to pre-COVID status in a Greek-speaking sample. Materials and Methods: Data collection occurred in three phases between August 2024 and February 2025. Dataset A (N = 27) was used for test–retest reliability. Dataset B (N = 300) was used for exploratory factor analysis (EFA), reliability testing, and convergent validity analyses with the Brain Fog Scale (BFS). Dataset C (N = 317) was used for independent validation through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results: Initial EFA of the 30-item SNAP-COVID scale suggested a four-factor model, yet further item refinement yielded a robust three-factor, 24-item solution: (1) General Cognitive Functions (17 items, α = 0.948), (2) Sensory Hypersensitivity (4 items, α = 0.829), and (3) Language and Communication (3 items, α = 0.950). The total scale demonstrated excellent internal consistency (α = 0.95). Convergent validity was evident by significant correlations between SNAP impact scores and BFS scores (r = −0.442, p < 0.001). CFA confirmed the three-factor structure with acceptable fit indices (χ²(249) = 677.29, p < 0.001; CFI = 0.882; TLI = 0.869; RMSEA = 0.074; SRMR = 0.032). Conclusions: The SNAP-COVID scale is a reliable and valid instrument. Its multidimensional structure captures global and domain-specific difficulties, addressing a critical gap in post-infectious cognitive assessment. Full article

As digital technology becomes increasingly embedded in higher education, assessing students’ confidence in digital tasks is essential for understanding their adaptation to digital learning environments. This study adapted the Digital Self-Efficacy Scale (DSES) into Chinese and evaluated its psychometric properties among 1502 first-year college students in China. Participants were randomly split into two subsamples for item analysis and exploratory factor analysis, and structural validation respectively. All 25 items demonstrated satisfactory discrimination and homogeneity. Although parallel analysis indicated a four-factor exploratory solution, seven competing models were compared in the confirmatory stage. The Bifactor-ESEM model yielded the best combination of statistical fit and substantive interpretability, suggesting that the Chinese DSES primarily captures an overarching digital self-efficacy dimension, with domain-specific factors retaining limited reliable variance beyond the general factor. Total scores were positively associated with digital maturity (r = 0.642, p < 0.001); however, external validity is limited given that both measures were self-reported and concurrently collected. Gender measurement invariance analyses supported configural, metric, and scalar invariance. Overall, the Chinese DSES demonstrates promising preliminary psychometric properties. The total score is recommended as the primary interpretive unit, with subscale scores used as supplementary descriptive information only. Full article

The present study examined the psychometric properties of a short form of the Emotional Quotient Inventory Youth Version (EQ-i:YV-S), a 30-item scale developed to be an efficient tool to assess trait emotional intelligence (TEI) in children and adolescents. The 4-factor model of TEI used to develop the measure (also used in the development of the original adult form) consists of intrapersonal, interpersonal, adaptability, and stress management dimensions. Confirmatory factor analysis showed acceptable fit in a large sample of youth and was invariant across gender and education level. The results also showed the EQ-i:YV-S scale to have good internal and 6-month test–retest reliabilities. Relationships between the TEI measure and alexithymia in older adolescents provide additional evidence of convergent validity. Overall, the results suggested that the EQ-i:YV-S is a valid and reliable short, multidimensional measure of core TEI dimensions in youth. Full article

Learning management systems (LMSs) are increasingly recognized as tools for promoting sustainable education, yet the psychological mechanisms linking LMS usability to student motivation remain underexplored. This three-study research develops and validates the Moodle-based BirDeHa Usability Scale (BirDeHa-US) and examines academic locus of control as a mediator between LMS usability and achievement motivation. Study I (n = 2200) used exploratory factor analysis to establish a 19-item unifactorial structure explaining 76.55% of the variance. Study II (n = 3606) confirmed the factor structure via confirmatory factor analysis, established full measurement invariance across gender, and demonstrated high discriminatory power via IRT and strong criterion-related validity. Study III (n = 1076) tested mediation models, revealing that internal and external locus of control partially mediated the relationship between perceived LMS usability and achievement motivation. Specifically, higher perceived usability was positively associated with internal locus of control and negatively associated with external locus of control. These findings suggest that well-designed digital learning environments can foster autonomous motivational orientations conducive to sustained academic engagement. Full article

Background: The rapid advancement of generative artificial intelligence is transforming music composition from an exclusively human-centric activity into a hybrid human–algorithmic domain. Despite technological progress and growing commercial integration, consumer acceptance of AI-generated music remains empirically underexplored. Methods: This study formulates and empirically evaluates a multidimensional theoretical model integrating nine frameworks—including UTAUT2, parasocial interaction theory, anthropomorphism theory, authenticity theory, and innovation resistance theory—through a quantitative cross-sectional survey of 466 young adults aged 17–28. Confirmatory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis (with robust standard errors) were employed. Results: The model explained 63.6% of the variance in behavioral intention (R² = 0.636). Five constructs emerged as significant predictors: hedonic motivation (β = 0.136, p = 0.017), parasocial relationships (β = 0.121, p = 0.002), social influence (β = 0.126, p = 0.002), performance expectancy (β = 0.102, p = 0.019), and innovation resistance (β = −0.089, p = 0.029). Authenticity concerns, ethical AI concerns, anthropomorphic perceptions, and technological substitution fears were non-significant in the multivariate model. Conclusions: Young consumers’ acceptance of AI-generated music is primarily driven by experiential, social, and relational factors rather than ethico-cultural concerns. These findings have substantive implications for creative industries navigating algorithmic cultural production. Full article

Background: The increasing use of e-cigarettes among adolescents is a growing public health concern in Thailand, where they are prohibited but remain accessible. This study aimed to examine the psychosocial correlates of preventive behaviors regarding e-cigarettes among adolescents in central Thailand. Methods: A cross-sectional correlational study was conducted with 383 secondary school students (Grades 7–12) selected through proportionate stratified random sampling from two government schools in Ongkharak District, Thailand. Data were collected using a validated self-administered online questionnaire assessing attitudes toward e-cigarettes, peer influence, family attachment, and preventive behaviors. Item analysis, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and factor-score regression with bootstrapped indirect-association analysis (k = 5000) were performed to examine direct and indirect associations. Results: The four-factor measurement model demonstrated acceptable absolute fit (SRMR = 0.069) but weaker incremental fit (CFI = 0.70), expected given the large number of ordinal indicators estimated via maximum likelihood, with standardized factor loadings ranging from 0.621 to 0.926 (p < 0.001). The structural model explained 44.2% of the variance in preventive behaviors (R² = 0.442). Family attachment showed the strongest total association (β = 0.456), including both direct and indirect associations through attitudes (β = 0.116) and peer influence (β = 0.162), consistent with a pattern of statistically significant indirect associations. Conclusions: Family attachment was associated with self-reported e-cigarette preventive behavior, with statistically significant indirect associations through attitudes and peer influence. Given the cross-sectional design, these findings should be interpreted as model-consistent associations rather than causal mediation, and may inform future family- and peer-oriented prevention research in comparable settings. Full article

Background/Objective: Low back pain (LBP) is a leading cause of disability worldwide, and patient-reported outcome measures such as the Roland–Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) are essential for assessing LBP-related disability. While the Modern Standard Arabic version of the RMDQ has demonstrated preliminary reliability, its structural validity has not been thoroughly evaluated. This study aimed to assess the structural validity of the Modern Standard Arabic RMDQ using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted for 113 patients with LBP recruited from outpatient physical therapy clinics in Saudi Arabia. Participants completed the Modern Standard Arabic RMDQ, a 24-item instrument scored dichotomously. CFA was performed using the Weighted Least Squares Mean and Variance adjusted estimator to test a unidimensional model. Model fit was assessed using Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA), Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR), Tucker–Lewis Index (TLI), and Comparative Fit Index (CFI). Reliability was evaluated using McDonald’s omega (ω). Results: The initial one-factor CFA model showed close to acceptable fit (RMSEA = 0.044; SRMR = 0.149; TLI = 0.94; CFI = 0.93). After accounting for significant residual correlations between item pairs (items 4 & 21; 13 & 18), model fit improved (Δχ² = 22.33; Δdf = 2; p < 0.001) (RMSEA = 0.038; SRMR = 0.145; TLI = 0.95; CFI = 0.95). Most items had significant loadings on the latent construct, except item 2. McDonald’s ω was 0.91, indicating excellent internal consistency. Conclusions: The findings of this study provide supportive evidence for the structural validity and internal consistency of the Modern Standard Arabic version of the RMDQ and suggest the presence of a dominant unidimensional structure. The Arabic RMDQ may be useful for assessing LBP-related disability in Arabic-speaking patients with LBP, although further validation studies are warranted. Full article

Earthquake-induced infrastructure disruption can delay emergency response and prolong recovery, yet many post-earthquake damage studies either focus primarily on superstructures or examine individual infrastructure sectors separately. This study presents a questionnaire-based expert assessment of earthquake-induced damage factors and mitigation measures in urban infrastructure systems. Fourteen damage factors and seventeen mitigation measures were identified through a structured literature review and evaluated by 424 technical experts using a five-point Likert scale. The responses were analyzed using reliability analysis, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), the Relative Importance Index (IRI), and Pearson correlation analysis. The dataset showed high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.926), with KMO = 0.941 and a significant Bartlett’s test (p < 0.001), confirming its suitability for factor analysis. EFA and CFA grouped the damage factors into three dimensions: Post-Earthquake Intervention Challenge (PEIC), Health Food Water Security (HFWS), and After-Earthquake Preparedness (AEP). IRI results ranked PEIC as the highest-priority expert-perceived factor group (average IRI = 90.61%), followed by HFWS (88.32%) and AEP (85.10%). Pearson correlations indicated that resilient network and pipeline infrastructure, resource diversification and redundant distribution capacities, regular maintenance and inspection, strategic stockpiles, site-selection reassessment, slope stabilization, and early warning systems were strongly associated with one or more factor groups (r > 0.60; p < 0.001). The findings should be interpreted as expert-perceived priorities rather than objective damage probabilities; nevertheless, they provide a structured basis for preliminary prioritization of urban infrastructure resilience measures in earthquake-prone contexts. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic utility of 24 h urinary aldosterone (uAldo) measurements in patients with suspected primary aldosteronism (PA) and to explore its potential utility in guiding individualized clinical decisions. Methods: We examined 40 patients with suspected PA who underwent screening, confirmatory testing and 24 h uAldo assessment at a tertiary endocrinology center. Confirmatory tests were performed per standardized protocols. Patients were classified into three groups based on uAldo levels derived from receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis: Group 1 (<8.7 μg/24 h), Group 2 (8.7–13.6 μg/24 h), and Group 3 (>13.6 μg/24 h). Diagnostic performance was evaluated using sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC). Results: uAldo levels were significantly higher in patients with positive confirmatory tests (16.3 μg/24 h vs. 5.5 μg/24 h, p < 0.001). A cut-off of >8.7 μg/24 h showed 89% sensitivity and 91% specificity (AUC: 0.95), while >13.6 μg/24 h yielded 91% sensitivity and 86% specificity (AUC: 0.97). Patients in Group 2 were managed solely with medical therapy, with no need for invasive procedures. Group 3 patients had higher blood pressure, higher uAldo levels, and more frequent hypokalemia. Adrenal venous sampling and surgery were more common in Group 3, with histological PA confirmation in all operated patients. Conclusions: The 24 h uAldo measurement demonstrated promising diagnostic performance in this cohort. The proposed cut-offs may help support patient stratification and clinical decision-making in patients with suspected PA. However, because confirmatory testing served as the reference standard, these findings should be considered exploratory and require external validation in larger multicenter studies before incorporation into routine diagnostic algorithms. Full article

Bactrocera correcta is an important quarantine pest of mango, and the development of phytosanitary treatments that achieve quarantine security without compromising fruit quality remains a major challenge in fresh-fruit trade. Heat treatment is a residue-free phytosanitary option, but the temperatures required to control fruit flies often approach the tolerance limits of tropical fruit, leaving a narrow margin between quarantine security and commodity injury. In this study, a phosphine (PH₃)-assisted forced hot-air treatment was evaluated for the phytosanitary disinfestation of B. correcta in mango fruit. The developmental progression of B. correcta in mango fruit was characterized, the heat tolerance of different developmental stages was compared, and the efficacy of PH₃ followed by forced hot-air treatment (PH₃→Heat) against eggs was quantified using probit time–mortality analysis. Large-scale confirmatory validation and postharvest quality assessment were then conducted. Eggs were identified as the most heat-tolerant stage. PH₃ pre-fumigation significantly enhanced forced hot-air treatment, with 0.7 g m⁻³ PH₃ providing the most practical improvement at quarantine-relevant endpoints. According to this schedule, LT_99.9968 was reduced by 44 min for heat treatment alone, from 269.0 to 224.5 min, and the large-scale validation yielded no survivors. Postharvest quality evaluation showed that PH₃→Heat did not adversely affect firmness, total soluble solids, or titratable acidity during shelf life. These results demonstrate that PH₃-assisted forced hot-air treatment is a technically feasible and commercially promising phytosanitary strategy for mango fruit. Full article

Background/Objectives: Valid and time-efficient measurement instruments for the assessment of perinatal distress beyond depressive symptoms are yet to be determined. The main objective was to analyse the psychometric measurement properties of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) short forms in Swedish pregnant women during the third trimester. The secondary objective was to analyse the measurement properties of DASS short forms for the postnatal period. Methods: Data from the Scania Birth Cohort study including 78 women followed prospectively from the third pregnancy trimester to one year postpartum were used. The DASS-21, DASS-12, DASS-9 (two versions), and the 12-item Mini-DASS were analysed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), inter-item analysis, and Spearman’s rho subscale cross-correlations. Postnatal analysis at infant ages 1, 6, and 12 months was performed using CFA and inter-item analysis. Results: When used with third-trimester pregnant women, the DASS-9 version 1 and the Mini-DASS exhibited overall acceptable psychometric properties in terms of internal consistency (McDonald’s ω ≥ 0.77) and structural and discriminant validity (e.g., CFI > 0.90 and SRMR < 0.08 for all DASS-9 two- and three-factor models; and CFI > 0.95 and SRMR < 0.08 for one-factor models of the Mini-DASS subscales - including a modified anxiety scale - and for the Mini-DASS depression and anxiety two-factor model). Support for these DASS short forms postpartum was also indicated. Conclusions: Although preliminary, the current results support the DASS-9 and the Mini-DASS as parsimonious tools for the assessment of perinatal distress and its subtypes. Further validation in the perinatal context is warranted. Full article

Illegitimate tasks are assignments that threaten professional identity by not being related to the intrinsic quality or morality of the main profession. This concept has gained attention within the Stress as Offense to Self (SOS) theory, which emphasizes the impact of self-esteem in stressful situations, particularly in the workplace. The SOS theory suggests that self-esteem plays a critical role in how individuals respond to stress: when self-esteem is threatened, it triggers adverse reactions affecting mental, physical, and behavioral dimensions; conversely, strengthening self-esteem promotes well-being. Illegitimate tasks are perceived as unnecessary or unreasonable, varying by profession and non-voluntary in nature, leading to a lack of purpose and meaning for the employee. The Bern Illegitimate Tasks Scale (BITS) was created to assess and quantify these tasks, demonstrating robust psychometric properties across different languages and cultural contexts, including Spanish, Swedish, and Portuguese adaptations. This study aims to translate and adapt the BITS for a public university context characterized by bureaucratic culture. The sample comprises 601 participants from a Portuguese public higher education institution. The translation process followed rigorous procedures to ensure equivalence between the original and Portuguese versions. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and internal consistency analysis, revealing satisfactory fit indices and high reliability. Despite contextual limitations, the findings affirm the reliability of the adapted scale for application in similar contexts. Future research should aim for more representative samples to enhance generalizability. Full article

Background/Objectives: Spiritual care is core to holistic patient care, yet a persistent implementation gap exists in Chinese hospitals. This study examines the association between spiritual leadership and nurses’ spiritual care behavior, with career calling as mediator and empathy as moderator. Methods: A cross-sectional design was adopted. Data were collected from 323 frontline nurses in 10 public hospitals across five provinces in China from June to September 2025 using validated Likert scales. Analyses included confirmatory factor analysis, hierarchical regression, and a second-stage moderated mediation model with 5000 bootstrap resamples using SPSS 26.0 and Mplus 8.3. Results: Spiritual leadership was positively associated with both nurses’ spiritual care behavior and career calling. Career calling partially mediated the relationship between spiritual leadership and nurses’ spiritual care behavior. Furthermore, empathy significantly strengthened the positive association between career calling and spiritual care behavior, and amplified the indirect effect of spiritual leadership on nurses’ spiritual care behavior via career calling. Conclusions: Spiritual leadership, career calling, and empathy are key factors associated with nurses’ spiritual care delivery. Targeted interventions for these factors can bridge the spiritual care implementation gap and enhance holistic patient care. Full article

Fourth-generation immunoassays are widely used for HIV and syphilis screening; however, false-reactive results may increase confirmatory testing and operational burden in high-throughput laboratories. This study evaluated the comparative performance of automated chemiluminescent immunoassays (MAGLUMI^® HIV Ab/Ag Combi (Snibe Diagnostics Co. Ltd., Shenzhen, China), VITROS^® ECiQ HIV Combo (Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, Raritan, NJ, USA), MAGLUMI^® Syphilis (Snibe Diagnostics Co. Ltd., Shenzhen, China), and ARCHITECT^® Syphilis TP (Abbott Diagnostics, Abbott Park, IL, USA) within a routine diagnostic algorithm, incorporating antibody differentiation immunoassays (INNO-LIA^® HIV I/II Score (Fujirebio Europe N.V., Ghent, Belgium) and HIV-1 RNA PCR where applicable. A total of 240 archived serum samples for HIV testing and 180 for syphilis testing were analyzed. Agreement-based performance measures including sensitivity, specificity, overall percent agreement (OPA), and Cohen’s kappa (κ) were calculated as comparator-based estimates reflecting concordance within the routine diagnostic algorithm rather than absolute diagnostic accuracy against a universal reference standard. For comparisons with HIV-1 RNA PCR, positive and negative concordance rates are reported to reflect agreement between assays detecting different biological targets. Among samples with definitive (positive or negative) results, the MAGLUMI^® HIV Ab/Ag Combi assay showed complete agreement with INNO-LIA^® HIV I/II Score (κ = 1.00) and high agreement with PCR within the ARCHITECT^® HIV Ag/Ab Combo-reactive subset (κ = 0.90). The VITROS^® ECiQ HIV Combo assay demonstrated high agreement with INNO-LIA^® HIV I/II Score (κ = 0.916) and substantial agreement with PCR (κ = 0.715), with a lower negative concordance rate with PCR observed in the ARCHITECT-reactive subset. A parallel five-modality analysis of 11 discordant samples applying the CDC 2014 algorithm demonstrated that all three immunoassay platforms successfully detected confirmed HIV-seropositive individuals with controlled viremia despite negative PCR, while MAGLUMI^® HIV Ab/Ag Combi produced fewer false-reactive results than both ARCHITECT^® and VITROS^® in this discordant subset. Additionally, two cases showed INNO-LIA^® indeterminate results with positive PCR, consistent with acute HIV infection during the early seroconversion stage; all three immunoassay platforms produced signals above the non-reactive threshold in both cases. For syphilis testing, both MAGLUMI^® Syphilis and ARCHITECT^® Syphilis TP assays showed complete agreement with INNO-LIA^® Syphilis Score among samples with definitive results (κ = 1.00). In contrast, the RPR assay showed reduced positive predictive value (49.4%) and moderate agreement with INNO-LIA^® Syphilis Score (κ = 0.52). Automated chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) platforms demonstrated high agreement within a structured diagnostic algorithm in a high-throughput screening setting. Differences in assay performance were observed across platforms, particularly with respect to discordant results in the ARCHITECT-reactive PCR-evaluated subset for HIV and non-treponemal concordance for syphilis. These platforms may support more efficient laboratory workflows; however, findings should be interpreted within the context of comparator-based classification rather than absolute diagnostic accuracy. Full article

Quantitative behavioral research depends on clear construct specification and psychometrically sound measurement tools, especially when emerging constructs are examined in context-sensitive organizational settings. This study developed and validated a scale of excellence-driven behavior among faculty and staff in Chinese public universities. A mixed-methods measurement-development design was used. First, the construct domain was derived from Excellence-Driven theory and contextualized within public universities. Second, qualitative evidence from semi-structured interviews and open-ended questionnaires using the Critical Incident Technique was used to generate and refine behavioral indicators. Third, the resulting instrument was examined through item analysis, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and reliability and validity assessment. The findings supported a two-dimensional structure consisting of Excellence-Driven Cognition and Learning and Excellence-Driven Display. The scale showed acceptable evidence of internal structure, internal consistency, convergent validity, discriminant validity between the two dimensions, and preliminary criterion-related validity. These results provide initial psychometric support for the use of the scale in future research on excellence-driven behavior among faculty and staff in Chinese public universities, while further evidence regarding temporal stability, measurement invariance, and broader empirical distinction from adjacent constructs is still needed. Full article