Search Results (1,778)

As a pillar industry of the national economy for many countries, the construction sector has long faced challenges in workplace safety. Unsafe behaviors among construction workers are the core cause of safety incidents, and controlling these behaviors is key to enhancing safety management. Numerous studies confirm that unsafe behaviors are closely linked to cognitive biases and decision-making errors. However, existing research still has theoretical gaps in analyzing the multi-factor interaction mechanisms from a cognitive perspective. This study constructs a three-stage theoretical model to reveal the formation mechanism of unsafe behaviors, which is validated by structural equation modeling based on the data collected by a questionnaire from ongoing construction projects in Jiangxi Province, China. It is found that (1) Organizational environment (safety atmosphere, safety culture, and safety management) exerts a negative influence on unsafe behavior; (2) While safety atmosphere has no direct impact on safety motivation, the overall organizational environment positively affects individual cognition; (3) Individual cognitive factors exert a negative influence on unsafe behavior, with the following hierarchical order: safety motivation > safety competence > safety values. (4) While safety motivation does not mediate the relationship between safety atmosphere and unsafe behavior, individual cognitive factors overall mediate the relationship between organizational environment and unsafe behavior. This study theoretically enriches the knowledge system of safety behavior and provides a theoretical foundation for optimizing enterprise unsafe behavior management and formulating differentiated management policies. Full article

Background: Building on socioanalytic theory and signaling theory, this study examined whether self-reported motives—representing individuals’ identities—translate into reputational outcomes. Furthermore, drawing on role congruity theory, the study examined whether gender would moderate the strength of the relationship between the self-reported motives and reputational consequences. Methods: We used a large sample of management students (N = 349) on which we collected self-reported achievement and power motives, and peer ratings (N = 508) of overall reputation and leadership potential. Results: We found that (a) achievement motive was positively associated with leadership potential and overall reputation (including trustworthiness and competence); (b) power motive was positively associated with leadership potential; and (c) both motives were equally strong predictors of leadership potential, but only achievement motive was a significant predictor of overall reputation. Finally, in line with role congruity theory, we observed that the positive associations between both motives and leadership potential were stronger for male than for female students. However, for overall reputation, this applied only to the power motive, suggesting that gender affects how motivational signals are socially interpreted. Conclusions: These findings offer implications for future research and provide practical insights into talent identification, leadership development, and performance evaluation processes. Full article

Physical Education (PE) is envisioned differently across generations, yet these perspectives can be aligned with contemporary curriculum reform. Guided by Strauss–Howe generational theory and Turkey’s 2025 Türkiye Century Education Model, this qualitative study examines lesson design preferences among teachers (Generations X and Y) and students (Generation Z). Thirty-two purposively selected participants from provinces identified by Ministry success indicators completed semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed through directed content analysis alongside thematic analysis. Findings indicate convergence on gamified, technology-supported, and individualized PE with process-oriented, fair assessment. Teachers endorse this vision while foregrounding constraints associated with infrastructure, time, space, and class size. The emergent profile mirrors the 2025 curriculum’s virtue–value–action orientation and its literacy and socio-emotional competencies. Four priorities translate the framework into implementable design: (i) multi-evidence assessment that captures performance and growth, (ii) systematic differentiation via station-based and modular activity designs, (iii) short feedback cycles coupled with structured student-voice mechanisms, and (iv) strengthened school digital infrastructure with targeted professional learning to build digital pedagogical competence. Overall, the study articulates a generationally informed, feasible architecture for PE that bears implications for curriculum development, teacher education, and school improvement. Full article

The study investigates repetitive and time-consuming professional activities performed by occupational health and safety (OHS) specialists in the construction sector in Poland and their attitudes toward the use of modern digital tools, including solutions based on artificial intelligence (AI). The research was conducted using a questionnaire survey, with a purposive sample and a snowball method. A total of 102 individuals participated in the study, of whom 94 valid responses were included in the analysis. The data were examined using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. The results showed that the most repetitive and time-consuming activities include documentation analysis, report preparation, inspections, and communication. Nearly 46% of respondents indicated that selected elements of their work could be automated or supported by digital tools, while 33% reported using AI-based solutions in everyday practice. Statistically significant relationships were identified between respondents’ age and both their level of concern about new technologies and their perception of technological support potential. No significant relationships were found for enterprise ownership or size. The findings indicate substantial potential for the implementation of digital and AI-supported tools in routine OHS activities. Future research should involve larger and more homogeneous samples, incorporate probabilistic sampling, and explore organisational and competence-related factors influencing technology adoption. Full article

(1) Background: Developing cultural competence and reflective communication skills remains a challenge in nursing education. Traditional teaching methods often provide limited opportunities for safe practice of culturally sensitive interactions in emotionally complex situations. Artificial intelligence (AI)–based patient simulations may offer a scalable approach to experiential and reflective learning. (2) Aim: This study explored the educational potential of AI-based patient simulations in supporting nursing students’ self-assessed cultural competence, reflective awareness, and communication confidence. (3) Methods: A convergent mixed-methods pre–post study was conducted among 24 s-cycle nursing students. Participants engaged in individual AI-based patient simulations with simulated patients representing diverse cultural contexts. Quantitative data were collected using an exploratory cultural competence self-assessment scale administered before and after the simulation. Qualitative data included post-simulation reflection forms and AI-student interaction transcripts, analysed using inductive thematic analysis. (4) Results: A statistically significant increase in overall self-assessed cultural competence was observed (Wilcoxon signed-rank test: Z = 4.05, p < 0.001, r = 0.59), with the greatest improvements in communication adaptability and perceived communication sufficiency. Qualitative findings indicated an emotional shift from uncertainty to engagement, heightened awareness of cultural complexity, reflective reassessment of assumptions, and high perceived educational value of AI simulations. (5) Conclusions: AI-based patient simulations represent a promising pedagogical tool for fostering reflective and communication-oriented learning in culturally complex nursing contexts. Their primary value lies in supporting experiential learning, emotional engagement, and the development of cultural humility, suggesting their potential role as a complementary educational strategy in advanced nursing education. Full article

For individuals with mental illness who experience multidimensional marginalization, the risks of encountering discrimination and receiving inadequate care are compounded. Artificial intelligence (AI) systems have propelled the provision of mental healthcare through the creation of digital mental health applications (DMHAs). DMHAs can be trained to identify specific markers of distress and resilience by incorporating community knowledge in machine learning algorithms. However, DMHAs that use rule-based systems and large language models (LLMs) may generate algorithmic bias. At-risk populations face challenges in accessing culturally and linguistically competent care, often exacerbating existing inequities. Creating equitable solutions in digital mental health requires AI training models that adequately represent the complex realities of marginalized people. This narrative review analyzes the current literature on digital mental health through an intersectional framework. Using an intersectional framework considers the nuanced experiences of individuals whose identities lie at the intersection of multiple stigmatized social groups. By assessing the disproportionate mental health challenges faced by these individuals, we highlight several culturally responsive strategies to improve community outcomes. Culturally responsive strategies include digital mental health technologies that incorporate the lived experience of individuals with intersecting identities while reducing the incidence of bias, harm, and exclusion. Full article

The behavior of individual animals reflects both internal states and external context. For captive animals, their early life experiences can influence later adjustment, particularly their social competence. In addition, the way in which they are housed and their current social grouping context are important factors affecting the expression of social skills. Here, the social behavior of 39 chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) was observed to assess whether differences existed due to how the apes were reared and grouped. Behaviors recorded related specifically to five main components: Sociability, Grooming, Play, Responsibility and Aggression. Chimpanzees in larger groups groomed and played more, while those housed in pairs or trios displayed more and spent more time alone. Mother-reared chimpanzees took more responsibility for soliciting grooming, and interactions between grouping and rearing on chimpanzee agonistic display rates highlighted how both hand- and mother-reared chimpanzees display more if housed in small groups rather than large. Implications for the optimal management and welfare of this highly intelligent and social species are discussed in light of the importance of early life experiences in modulating the impact of current social environment on chimpanzee social profiles. Full article

This article presents a conceptual framework linking responsible leadership competencies to organizational processes relevant for sustainability transformation. A leader’s personal impact is conceptualized as indirect through organizational governance, prioritization, collaboration, and innovation. The article provides a conceptual mapping approach that systematically connects individual leadership competencies with strategic organizational impact areas. The framework builds on the Competency Assessment for Responsible Leadership (CARL) and the Positive Impact Organization (PIO) concept to relate leadership capabilities to organizational transformation requirements. Five responsible leadership competencies—ethics and values, self-awareness, stakeholder relations, change and innovation, and systems thinking—are mapped to five organizational impact areas: governance alignment, sustainability culture, external stakeholder validation, purpose-driven product and service innovation, and transformative sustainability. The article identifies how specific leadership competencies align with distinct organizational leverage points, clarifying the mechanisms through which leaders shape structures, decision processes, cultural norms, and innovation pathways associated with sustainability transformation. By specifying these relationships, the framework distinguishes leadership impact at the organizational level and provides a structured basis for analyzing how leadership competencies contribute to an organization’s capacity for societal and environmental contribution. The framework is applicable to research on responsible leadership and business sustainability and informs leadership development and management education concerned with sustainability-oriented organizational change. Full article

Background/Objective: Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) have received widespread attention as effective obesity treatments. However, limited research has examined the perspectives of patients contemplating GLP-1RAs. This study explored perceptions, motivations, and barriers among individuals considering GLP-1RA therapy for obesity treatment, with the goal of informing patient-centered care and enhancing clinician engagement. Methods: Adults completed surveys and interviews between June and November 2025. In this pragmatic mixed-methods study, both survey and interview questions explored perceived benefits, barriers, and decision-making processes. Qualitative data, describing themes based on the Health Belief Model, were analyzed using Dedoose (version 9.0.107), and quantitative data were analyzed using SAS (version 9.4). Participant characteristics included marital status, income, educational attainment, employment status, insurance status, age, race/ethnicity, and sex. Anticipated length on GLP-1RA medication and selected self-reported health conditions (depression, anxiety, hypertension, heart disease, back pain, joint pain), reported physical activity level, and perceived weight loss competency were also recorded. Results: Among the 31 non-diabetic participants who were considering GLP-1RA medication for weight loss, cost emerged as the most significant barrier. Life course events, particularly (peri)menopause among women over 44, were commonly cited as contributors to weight gain. Participants expressed uncertainty about eligibility, long-term safety, and treatment expectations. Communication gaps were evident, as few participants initiated discussions and clinician outreach was rare, reflecting limited awareness and discomfort around the topic. Conclusions: Findings highlight that individuals considering GLP-1RA therapy face multifaceted emotional, financial, and informational barriers. Proactive, empathetic clinician engagement, through validation of prior efforts, clear communication of risks and benefits, and correction of misconceptions, can support informed decision-making and align treatment with patient goals. Full article

Particulate atmospheric pollution poses a global threat to human health. Metals enter the body through inhalation attached to these particles. Certain vulnerable groups are more susceptible to toxicity because of age, physiological changes, and chronic and metabolic diseases and also workers because of high and cumulative exposure to metals. A narrative review was conducted to examine the effects of key metals—arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, manganese, nickel, vanadium, and zinc—on vulnerable populations, analyzing articles published over the past decade. Some of these metals are essential for humans; however, excessive levels are toxic. Other non-essential metals are highly toxic. Shared mechanisms of toxicity include competing with other minerals, oxidative stress and inflammation, and interacting with proteins and enzymes. Prenatal and childhood exposures are particularly concerning because they can interfere with neurodevelopment and have been associated with epigenetic changes that have long-term effects. Occupational exposure has been studied, but current exposure limits for specific metals appear dangerous, emphasizing the need to revise these standards. Older adults, pregnant women, and individuals with metabolic diseases are among the least studied groups in this review, underscoring the need for more research to understand these populations better and create effective public health policies. Full article

Studies have rarely examined the effects of changes in legal anti-doping knowledge (LADK) on doping tendencies in athletes. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured educational intervention focused on LADK and to analyze how LADK changes affect elite athletes’ doping tendency. The participants were athletes (n = 310; 156 females; 24.1 ± 4.2 years of age), all actively competing at the senior national or international level in either individual (N = 119) or team sports (N = 191), tested on sociodemographic-, sport-, doping-factors (including doping tendency—DT), and LADK. Participants were randomly divided into an experimental group (E: N = 140) and a control group (C: N = 170). The E group participated in a structured educational program on LADK. A pre- and posttest design was used to evaluate changes in LADK (dependent variable). Logistic regression was calculated to evaluate the association between LADK and binarized DT (negative vs. neutral/positive DT). Factorial ANOVA for repeated measurements revealed significant improvement in LADK in the E group, with significant ANOVA effects for time (F test = 35.8, p < 0.05) and time × group interaction (F test = 12.27, p < 0.05). The logistic regression did not reveal significant correlations between LADK and DT. Further studies exploring younger athletes, as well as long-term, multidimensional interventions, are warranted. Full article

The development of generative artificial intelligence tools, including large language models, opens new opportunities for adult education while simultaneously posing the risk of deepening inequalities resulting from differences in digital competences and individual dispositions. The aim of this article is to examine how digital skills (DS) and personal innovativeness (PI) shape differentiated and advanced use of ChatGPT (UC) among adult learners in Poland, with particular attention to the moderating role of gender. The study was conducted using the CAWI method on a nationwide sample of 757 adult ChatGPT users engaged in upgrading their qualifications. Validated scales of DS, PI, and UC were applied, along with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) using the WLSMV estimator, as well as multigroup SEM for women and men. The results confirm that both digital skills (β ≈ 0.46) and personal innovativeness (β ≈ 0.37) significantly and positively predict advanced use of ChatGPT, jointly explaining approximately 41% of the variance in UC, with stronger effects observed among men than women. Attention is therefore drawn to the need to incorporate a gender perspective in further research on the use of GenAI in adult education The findings point to a stratification of GenAI use in adult education and underscore the need to incorporate critical digital competences and AI literacy into sustainable education policies in order to limit the reproduction of existing inequalities. Full article

For decades, cervical insufficiency (CI) has been framed predominantly as a mechanical failure of the cervix resulting in painless mid-trimester dilatation. This disease-centered paradigm, reinforced by clinical teaching and administrative coding, does not fully capture the dynamic and biologically integrated nature of cervical remodeling. Accumulating evidence suggests that cervical change is governed by coordinated mechanical, inflammatory, and immunologic interactions rather than by a purely anatomic defect. To outline a process-oriented conceptual framework that situates CI within the broader preterm-birth continuum, this perspective aims to integrate biomechanical, inflammatory, and immunologic dimensions of cervical remodeling and to emphasize that infection- and inflammation-related changes represent dynamic, potentially modifiable elements that may inform more individualized, biology-guided clinical decision-making. This Perspective traces the evolution from a traditional “disease entity” interpretation of CI toward a more integrated view of cervical remodeling as a dynamic, biology-responsive process. Emerging data suggest that when intra-amniotic infection or inflammation is appropriately managed, cervical competence may be partially restored, and mechanical support can be applied more safely in selected patients. Clinical observations indicate that infection-controlled cerclage is associated with meaningful prolongation of gestation. Earlier reports describing double-level mechanical reinforcement techniques conceptually align with contemporary interpretations of infection-controlled emergent cerclage by linking surgical timing with the underlying biology of cervical change. Rather than proposing a prescriptive management pathway, this framework highlights how mechanical, inflammatory, and immunologic factors may interact across heterogeneous CI etiologies and how individualized intervention may be guided by biologic context. Understanding CI as a dynamic rather than a fixed condition provides a framework that integrates its mechanical, inflammatory, and immunologic dimensions within the preterm birth continuum. Such a perspective encourages individualized, biology-informed interpretation of cervical change and supports more context-specific use of established interventions such as cerclage. By emphasizing developmental processes rather than a static defect, this approach seeks to bridge classical clinical practice with contemporary insights into cervical remodeling. Full article

A global decline in students’ motivation and academic performance poses a serious threat to future competence supply, particularly in knowledge-driven economies such as Sweden. Despite higher education’s growing importance for economic and social mobility, the number of students pursuing such education continues to fall. This study employs a mixed-methods design using an explanatory sequential approach to explore how teachers’ leadership identity influences their aspirational engagement in shaping students’ beliefs and intentions to pursue higher education and future career opportunities. The results show that teachers who identify strongly with their leadership role exhibit a type of leadership that influences aspirational engagement with students. This, in turn, may promote students’ beliefs in their potential and intentions to pursue higher education through (1) aspirational engagement in individual dialogues with students, (2) aspirational engagement when introducing new subject areas in whole-class communication, and (3) aspirational engagement related to practical work experience (PRAO). This study demonstrates an understanding of the important potential of teachers’ contributions to elevate society’s future competence supply. Full article

The underrepresentation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields has been a longstanding issue. Traditionally, research on sex differences in cognitive abilities has focused on mean scores, which are often trivial and do not appear to explain sex disparities in STEM participation. Recently, intraindividual strengths have been proposed as a more relevant factor; they reflect an individual’s relative advantage in one skill (e.g., literacy) compared with a set of related skills (literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving). Previous studies have primarily examined younger cohorts, and intraindividual strengths remain unexplored across the lifespan. In this study, we employed data from the second cycle of the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) including 157,525 individuals from 30 countries to assess sex differences in literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving as intraindividual strengths across five age groups (16–24, 25–34, 35–44, 45–54, and 55+ years). Consistent with previous research, women outperformed men in literacy, while men outperformed women in numeracy. These patterns were observed universally across countries and age groups. In contrast, no sex differences were observed in problem-solving. Future research should move beyond mean scores to focus on intraindividual strengths, as they may be more relevant for understanding sex disparities in STEM. Full article