Search Results (398)

Sustainable service excellence in globalized industries requires organizations to develop workforce capabilities that support long-term relationship-building, cultural respect, and effective cross-cultural communication. This study examines how cultural intelligence functions as a mechanism for sustainable cross-cultural workforce development by investigating relationships among individual cultural values, cultural intelligence dimensions, and influence tactics among airline cabin crew members. Integrating Hofstede’s cultural dimensions framework, Ang and colleagues’ cultural intelligence model, and Yukl’s influence tactics taxonomy, we test a comprehensive mediation model using survey data from six hundred and sixty-three cabin crew members employed by international airlines operating in Turkey. The findings reveal that collectivism, long-term orientation, and uncertainty avoidance positively predict cultural intelligence development, creating foundations for sustainable cross-cultural competence. Cultural intelligence dimensions demonstrate differentiated effects on influence tactics, with metacognitive and behavioral cultural intelligence enhancing rational persuasion, behavioral cultural intelligence exclusively predicting relational tactics, and complex competitive mediation patterns for coercive tactics wherein motivational cultural intelligence reduces pressure-based influence while cognitive and behavioral dimensions increase strategic assertiveness. Cultural values directly influence tactics beyond cultural intelligence effects, with uncertainty avoidance most strongly predicting both rational and relational approaches that support relationship sustainability, while masculinity and power distance drive coercive tactics that may undermine long-term service relationships. These findings demonstrate that cultural intelligence functions as a multidimensional mediating mechanism with sometimes opposing effects, challenging assumptions that cross-cultural competencies uniformly produce sustainable outcomes. The research contributes to sustainable human resource management theory by illuminating how cultural socialization influences behavioral outcomes through complex psychological pathways, while offering practical guidance for aviation industry recruitment, training, and performance management systems seeking to build sustainable cross-cultural service capabilities. By revealing that certain cultural intelligence dimensions can enable both relationship-building and strategic coercion, the study highlights the importance of coupling cross-cultural skill development with ethical frameworks and motivational engagement to ensure that enhanced cultural capabilities support rather than undermine sustainable, respectful cross-cultural service relationships. Full article

The study investigates the impact of green shared vision and green intrinsic motivation on pro-environmental behaviour in the workplace, utilising Self-Determination Theory and Social Cognitive Theory. Despite the acknowledgement of a green shared vision as a vital organisational factor for sustainability, there is a lack of empirical studies that explain the psychological mechanisms that promote employees’ pro-environmental behaviour. This study investigated a parallel mediation model where green mindfulness and green intrinsic motivation successively mediated the correlations. Data were collected via an online survey from 154 full-time employees working in the private sector in Romania across diverse industries between October 2024 and March 2025. The hypotheses of the study were tested by using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results demonstrate that a green shared vision significantly affects workplace pro-environmental behaviour. Additionally, the study indicates a notable parallel mediation effect: a green shared vision promotes green mindfulness, which, in turn, fosters green intrinsic motivation, ultimately resulting in enhanced pro-environmental behaviour. The study underlines the significance of shared vision, mindfulness, and intrinsic motivation as fundamental behavioural processes supporting sustainability-oriented actions by organisations, based on insights from environmental psychology and organisational behaviour. Full article

Problem Statement: Two global trends, including aging populations and the acceleration of global warming, are increasing the risk of heat-related illness, challenging the health of populations, and the sustainability of healthcare systems. Global warming refers to the increase in the Earth’s average surface temperature, generally attributed to the greenhouse effect, which is occurring at three times the rate of the pre-industrial era. The global population of older adults, defined here as individuals aged 60 and over, is expected to reach over 2 billion by mid-century. This population is particularly vulnerable to heat-related illness, specifically disruption of thermoregulation from excessive exposure to environmental heat due to metabolic and cognitive changes associated with aging. Objectives: This review examines heat-related illness and its impact on older adults within a socio-ecological framework, considering both drivers and mitigation strategies related to global warming, the built environment, social determinants of health, healthcare system responses, and the individual. The authors were motivated to create a conceptual model within this framework drawing on their lived experiences as healthcare providers interacting with older adults in a large urban area of the southwestern US, known for its extreme heat and extensive heat island effects. Based on this framework, the authors suggest actionable strategies supported by the literature to reduce the risks of morbidity and mortality. Methods: The literature search utilized a wide lens to identify evidence supporting various aspects of the hypothesized framework. In this sense, this review differs from systematic and scoping reviews, which seek a complete synthesis of the available literature or a mapping of the evidence. The first author conducted the literature search and synthesis, while the second and third authors reviewed and added publications to the initial search and conceptualized the socio-ecological framework. Discussion: This study is unique in its focus on a global trend that threatens the well-being of a growing population. The population health focus underscores social determinants of health and limitations of existing healthcare systems to guide healthcare providers in reducing older adults’ vulnerability to heat-related illness. This includes patient education regarding age-related declines in extreme heat tolerance, safe and unsafe physical activity habits, the impact of prescription drugs on heat tolerance, and, importantly, identifying the symptoms of heatstroke, which is a medical emergency. Additional strategies for improving survivability and quality of life for this vulnerable population include improved emergency response systems, better social support, and closer attention to evidence-based treatment for heat-related health conditions. Full article

Background/Objectives: Social media’s impact on adult well-being varies by engagement patterns, highlighting the need for evidence to inform digital well-being strategies. This study examines the association between social media use and self-esteem, a key psychological indicator linked to adult well-being, with the aim of identifying modifiable behavioral targets relevant to clinical, workplace, and public health contexts. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 81 Greek adults assessed daily social media use, engagement patterns, and self-esteem using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Analyses included linear and exploratory quadratic regression models, multiple regression with demographic covariates (age, gender), and descriptive group comparisons. Results: A small but statistically significant negative association was observed between daily social media use and self-esteem (R² = 0.078), indicating limited explanatory power. Exploratory analyses did not provide strong evidence of non-linear effects. Demographic factors and usage categories were not significant predictors, likely reflecting limited statistical power. Participant self-reports highlighted potentially disruptive patterns such as intensive use at specific times/conditions, perceived sleep impact, and cognitive preoccupation with social media, as well as motivation to reduce or stop use. Conclusions: Time spent online is a weak predictor of self-esteem, underscoring the importance of engagement quality over frequency. From a management perspective, the findings support shifting attention from generic screen-time reduction to targeting specific potentially high-risk patterns of engagement in future policy and practice. This exploratory pilot study provides initial, hypothesis-generating evidence within a Greek adult sample and highlights the need for larger, population-based studies to confirm and extend these findings. Full article

Objectives: This study aims to explore the facilitators and barriers in the process of using AI agents for disease management in older COPD patients. Methods: Based on the normalization process theory, a descriptive qualitative study was used to conduct semi-structured interviews with 28 older patients with COPD recruited from June to August 2025 in a Class A tertiary hospital in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province. Results: A total of 28 interviews were conducted. Four themes (Coherence, Cognitive Participation, Collective Action, Reflexive Monitoring), nine subthemes (recognition of intelligent technology;supported by policy discourse and the background of national-level projects; the creation of a family atmosphere; recommendations from HCPs; relief and social connection; new “doctor”–patient relationship and communication; eliminate the burden and return to life; benefit and value perception; right self-decision by AI) in facilitators and nine subthemes (privacy conflicts and trust deficiency; blurred boundaries of human–machine responsibility and authority; non-high-quality services are chosen reluctantly; technical anxiety; lack of motivation for continued engagement; extra burden; limitations of the physical environment; human–machine dialogue frustration; a sense of uncertainty about the future of AI) in barriers were extracted. Conclusions: This study identified key factors influencing the use of AI agents in chronic disease management in older patients with COPD. The results provide directions for improving the implementation and sustainable use of AI health technologies. Full article

This study examines the relationship between perceived employee environmental, social, and governance (ESG) behavior and consumer meaningfulness by exploring the mediating role of moral elevation and perceived authenticity, as well as the moderating role of consumers’ skepticism. The study draws upon the integration of self-determination theory and social cognitive theory. Prior research has often neglected the outcomes of interaction between employee behaviors and consumer perceptions. Th study used a sequential explanatory research design to understand the observable perceived ESG behaviors of the employees and the psychological outcomes of the consumers. The study involved 390 consumers from five-star hotels in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The data was gathered through a survey and analyzed using a structural equation model via the Smart-PLS tool. The interview data were collected from 16 frontline employees of five-star hotels and analyzed through thematic analysis. The quantitative results confirmed perceived employee ESG behavior is positively and significantly associated with consumers’ sense of meaningfulness, moral elevation, and perceived authenticity. Additionally, moral elevation and perceived authenticity significantly mediate the link between perceived employee ESG behavior and consumer sense of meaningfulness. Furthermore, consumer ESG skepticism negatively moderates the link between employee ESG behavior and both moral elevation and perceived authenticity. The qualitative study indicated that internal motivation of the company predicts employee behaviors, promoting voluntary actions to build consumers’ meaningfulness. The study advances theories and suggests implications for policymakers and managers regarding ESG behaviors among employees and the way consumers perceive them. Full article

This study investigates how emotionally structured online interaction networks shape consumer perception of new energy vehicle (NEV) technology. Drawing on discussion forum data from two leading NEV brands, Brand_T and Brand_B, we focus on how users respond to brand technological narratives and how these responses translate into distinct patterns of peer-to-peer interaction. Using a behavioral network analysis framework, we integrate sentiment analysis, topic modeling, and Exponential Random Graph Modeling (ERGM) to uncover the psychological and structural mechanisms underlying consumer engagement. Three main findings emerge. First, users display brand-specific emotional-cognitive profiles: Brand_T communities show broader technological engagement but more heterogeneous emotional responses, whereas Brand_B communities exhibit more emotionally aligned discussions. Second, emotional homophily is a robust driver of interaction ties, particularly in Brand_B forums, where positive sentiment clusters into dense and supportive discussion subnetworks. Third, perceived technological benefits, rather than risk sensitivity, are consistently associated with higher interaction intensity, underscoring the motivational salience of anticipated gains over cautionary concerns in shaping engagement behavior. The study contributes to behavioral science and transportation behavior research by linking consumer sentiment, cognition, and social interaction dynamics in digital environments, offering an integrated theoretical account that bridges the Elaboration Likelihood Model, social identity processes, and behavioral network formation. This advances the understanding of technology perception from static individual evaluations to dynamic, group-structured outcomes. It highlights how emotionally patterned interaction networks can reinforce or recalibrate technology-related perceptions, offering practical implications for NEV manufacturers and policymakers seeking to design psychologically informed communication strategies that support sustainable technology adoption. Full article

Informal learning in institutional settings plays a vital role in lifelong education by fostering self-directed knowledge acquisition. With the increasing integration of digital media into these environments, augmented reality (AR) has emerged as a particularly promising technology due to its ability to overlay virtual content in real-time and across multiple sensory modalities. This systematic literature review investigates the use of AR in institutional informal learning places (IILPs) from 2018 to 2025, aiming to synthesize findings across the following overall research questions: (1) In which IILP contexts has AR been implemented, and what are the characteristics of the technology? (2) What learning-relevant functions and (3) outcomes are associated with AR in these settings? (4) Which learning theories underpin the design of AR interventions? Following the PRISMA guidelines, empirical studies were identified through comprehensive database searches (Scopus, Web of Science, IEEE Xplore, FIS Bildung) and cross-referencing. Forty-four studies were analyzed via qualitative content analysis. The goal is to provide a descriptive overview of findings, patterns, and relationships. Findings indicate that AR is widely adopted across diverse domains and institutional contexts, primarily through mobile-based AR applications for K–12 learning. Native app development signals growing technological maturity. AR enhances both cognitive and emotional-motivational outcomes, though its potential to support social interaction remains insufficiently investigated. The predominant function of AR is the provision of information. Most of the examined studies are grounded in constructivist or cognitivist learning theories, particularly the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning. Only limited references to emotional-motivational frameworks and minimal references to behaviorist frameworks were found. Full article

The global population aged 65 and older is expected to double from 761 million in 2021 to 1.6 billion by 2050. Despite often being treated separately in clinical practice and policy, oral health and mental health are fundamentally interconnected in older adulthood, forming a bidirectional relationship that exacerbates disability, social inequity, and systemic healthcare challenges. This narrative review aims to summarize the two-way relationship between mental and oral health and emphasize their combined impact on systemic health, social engagement, and independence among ageing populations. The bidirectional relationship has profound clinical significance. Untreated oral diseases induce chronic pain and cause social embarrassment, aggravating pre-existing depression and anxiety. Periodontal disease can worsen systemic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and dementia via a shared inflammatory pathway. Conversely, mental health issues—including depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, and the use of psychotropic medications—reduce motivation for oral care, prompt dental neglect, and affect salivary function, deteriorating oral health. Despite clear connections, systemic gaps persist, including fragmented healthcare systems, financial barriers, stigma, lack of awareness, and caregiver burnout. To address these challenges, strategies such as developing integrated care models to unify dental and mental health services, reforming policies to prioritize oral and mental health parity, advocating anti-stigma campaigns to clear the misconceptions, and implementing community-based healthcare programmes to reach underserved older adults are essential. By recognizing oral health as a vital component of mental resilience, societies can transform ageing into an era of empowered well-being, where the mouth–mind connection promotes holistic health rather than functional decline. Full article

Background and Objectives: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a wide range of motor and non-motor symptoms that significantly compromise daily functionality, psychophysical wellbeing, and quality of life. Currently, a number of pharmacological and surgical treatments can reduce the clinical severity of motor impairments, but they are limited or poorly tolerated for non-motor symptoms, thus highlighting the need for non-medical complementary approaches. In this context, dance-based interventions have emerged as promising and enjoyable integrative strategies to globally and safely manage such multidimensional complex challenges. This narrative review aims to synthesize the current evidence of the effectiveness of dance-based interventions to improve psychophysical function and quality of life in individuals affected by PD, also providing an updated insight into the feature-related benefits of different dance styles. Methods: A comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane was conducted, and 66 original studies investigating dance-based integrative interventions to enhance physical, cognitive, and socioemotional outcomes in this target population were selected. Results: Across different styles, the reviewed literature suggests that dance can positively impact on motor symptoms, neuroplasticity, and psychosocial outcomes through rhythmic cueing, motor–cognitive integration, and expressive and social engagement. Furthermore, dance offers a non-medicalized enjoyable context able to foster motivation and practice adherence. Conclusions: Dance-based interventions represent a promising complementary approach in the management of PD, with the potential to enhance both physical functioning and overall quality of life. Further rigorous, longitudinal and comparative studies are needed to clarify dose–response relationship, style-specific effects, and long-term benefits. Full article

Background: Maintaining physical activity (PA) is vital for older people, particularly those with frailty and mobility limitations. Wearable activity trackers and digital feedback tools show promise for encouraging PA, but their feasibility and acceptability in aged care remain underexplored. This study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of using wearable and mobile devices for step tracking and examined the usability of three interfaces (Fitbit, mobile app, and website) for reviewing PA progress in aged care. Methods: This is a user experience and feasibility study that does not involve objective physical activity quantification or device performance analysis. It is a mixed-methods feasibility study conducted with 14 participants aged ≥65 years from residential and community aged care services in metropolitan and regional New South Wales, Australia. Participants used a Fitbit Inspire 3 linked to a study website and a mobile phone step-counting app to monitor their steps across the three interfaces for four weeks. Feasibility was evaluated through enrolment and retention, and acceptability through a facilitator-led survey. Quantitative items on usability, comfort, motivation and device preference were summarised descriptively; open-ended responses were analysed thematically to identify user experiences, benefits, and barriers. Results: Step tracking was feasible, with 82% enrolment and 93% retention. Participants preferred the Fitbit over the mobile phone or website due to its ease of use, visibility and more enjoyable experience. Step tracking increased awareness of PA and supported confidence to move more. Participants valued reminders, rewards and opportunities for social sharing. Reported barriers included illness, usability challenges and occasional technical issues. Conclusions: Wearable step trackers show promise for supporting PA among older people receiving aged care. Despite the small sample and short follow-up, strong acceptability signals suggest that simple digital tools could enhance the reach and sustainability of mobility-promoting interventions into aged care systems. Future studies should examine long-term adherence, usability across diverse mobility and cognitive needs, and conditions for successful scale-up. Full article

Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) experience motor competence challenges that hinder their participation in physical activities and affect daily functioning. While traditional motor skills training is commonly used, sport-based interventions offer the potential for greater benefits by providing dynamic, contextually rich environments for learning. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of mini-handball training versus conventional motor skills training in improving coordination in children with DCD. Methods: Forty-four children aged 9–10 years from Khorezm, Uzbekistan, with coordination difficulties (scores below the 16th percentile in the MABC-2) were randomly assigned to three groups: mini-handball training (n = 15), motor skills training (n = 15), and control (n = 14). Both intervention groups participated in three 90 min sessions per week for 12 weeks. The mini-handball group engaged in sport-specific drills including passing, dribbling, shooting, and small-sided games, while the motor skills group performed balance, locomotor, and fine motor exercises. Pre- and post-intervention assessments were conducted using the MABC-2. Data were analyzed using linear mixed models with time, group, and their interaction as fixed effects. Results: Both intervention groups demonstrated significant improvements in motor coordination compared to controls. However, in general, the mini-handball group outperformed the other groups, particularly in domains requiring anticipatory control and visuomotor integration, including aiming and catching, balance, and overall coordination scores. Conclusions: Mini-handball represents a promising, ecologically valid intervention for children with DCD. By integrating motor skills practice with cognitive challenge, social interaction, and intrinsic motivation within a meaningful sport context, mini-handball appears more effective than traditional training approaches. These findings suggest that sport-based, open-skill interventions should be considered in therapeutic protocols, school curricula, and community programs for children with DCD. Future research should examine long-term retention, transfer to daily activities, and implementation across diverse populations. Full article

Eco-anxiety—emotional distress arising from awareness of environmental collapse—has become a critical dimension of social sustainability, linking mental well-being, professional functioning, institutional trust, and climate governance. This study investigates how higher education professionals (HEPs) experience and interpret eco-anxiety within their professional contexts, situating it as a lens on institutional legitimacy from the perspective of those who produce, teach, and steward climate knowledge. A cross-sectional mixed-methods survey of 556 HEPs was conducted across a month in 2023, combining an adapted climate anxiety scale with open-ended narratives. Quantitative analyses identified perceived governmental inadequacy as the strongest correlate of climate worry (β = 0.48, p < 0.001), accounting for 26% of the variance, whereas institutional inadequacy had a weaker effect. Qualitative findings revealed pervasive emotions of moral injury, solastalgia, and exhaustion when sustainability rhetoric outpaced genuine action, with many respondents describing governmental and institutional “betrayal.” Integrating Cognitive Appraisal Theory with concepts of moral legitimacy, the study conceptualises eco-anxiety as a relational and ethically grounded emotion reflecting the perceived misalignment between knowledge and governance. Addressing it requires transparent climate leadership, participatory governance, and organisational care infrastructures to sustain motivation and trust within universities. Eco-anxiety thus may function not only as a personal pathology but also as a psychosocial response that can illuminate HEPs’ perceptions of institutional misalignment with sustainability commitments, with implications for higher education’s contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals. Full article

Community gardening has become an important urban sustainability initiative that integrates ecological restoration with social participation. However, little is known about the psychological and social mechanisms that drive citizens’ willingness to engage in such activities, particularly in densely populated cities with limited green space. This study develops and empirically tests an integrative behavioral model combining environmental psychology, social cognitive theory, and environmental identity theory to explain citizens’ participation in community gardening in Tehran, Iran. Using survey data from 416 residents and analyzing results through structural equation modeling, the study evaluates the effects of six key predictors, including childhood nature experience, connectedness to nature, self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, psychological restoration, and collective environmental responsibility, on willingness to participate. The model explained 54% of the variance in participation, indicating high explanatory power. Five predictors significantly influenced willingness to participate: childhood nature experience, connectedness to nature, outcome expectancy, psychological restoration, and collective environmental responsibility, while self-efficacy was not significant. The findings reveal that engagement in community gardening is shaped more by emotional, restorative, and moral motivations than by perceived capability alone. Theoretically, this research advances understanding of pro-environmental participation by integrating memory-based, affective, and normative dimensions of behavior. Practically, it provides actionable insights for urban planners and policymakers to design inclusive, emotionally restorative, and collectively managed green initiatives that strengthen citizen participation and enhance urban resilience. Full article

The current investigation examines pathways linking individual risk factors, namely maladaptive emotion regulation, behavior problems, and drinking motives, with adolescents’ alcohol consumption. In a cross-sectional design, 243 adolescents attending secondary school in Germany completed questionnaires. The Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire was used to assess maladaptive emotion regulation, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for assessing internalizing and externalizing behaviors, and the Drinking Motives Questionnaire Revised for assessing the four drinking motives, namely social, enhancement, coping, and conformity motives. Adolescents also reported their daily and problematic alcohol consumption. The path analysis revealed that maladaptive emotion regulation was positively associated with both internalizing and externalizing problems, and all four drinking motives. Externalizing problems were positively associated with adolescents’ enhancement and coping motives, and their alcohol consumption. Internalizing problems were only negatively associated with enhancement motives. Only coping motives were positively associated with alcohol consumption. Moreover, maladaptive emotion regulation had an indirect effect on alcohol consumption, via externalizing problems and coping motives. The findings emphasize the interactions between the risk factors in contributing to adolescent alcohol consumption, underscoring the importance of targeting emotion regulation and coping motives in substance use prevention efforts prior and during adolescence. Full article