Search Results (114)

This study investigates how first responder departments in Virginia’s 8th congressional district incorporate AI to enhance resilience within their teams and the communities they serve. Drawing on interviews with key personnel, the study employs an inductive thematic analysis to trace how AI is perceived to influence emergency communication, situational awareness, decision-making, and disaster management. Findings reveal an interplay between AI tools and human-centered resilience, with four key themes emerging: community engagement, training, team cohesion, and mental health. These themes underscore that AI is a technical asset that can support emotional well-being, institutional trust, and enhance operational readiness. The study contributes to ongoing debates on AI’s role in disaster management by underlining the human dimensions of technology alongside its implications for community resilience. Full article

The growing complexity and dynamism of industrial and organizational projects require management approaches that can effectively adapt to uncertainty and rapidly changing operational environments. In this context, this study proposes a methodology to identify the most suitable management approach—predictive, agile, or hybrid—in complex projects. Building on the “Approach suitability tool” of the Project Management Institute’s (PMI), the methodology integrates quantitative assessments of complexity and systemic risk. This is achieved through the analysis of stakeholder and risk networks, using metrics such as cyclomatic complexity and the coevolution parameter g, which allow for a deeper understanding of interactions and the evolution of project elements. The methodology was validated in three peacekeeping missions of the United Nations: UNMISS in South Sudan, MONUSCO in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and MINUSTAH in Haiti. The results confirm that the methodology accurately identifies the most appropriate management approach, emphasizing the effectiveness of hybrid approaches in complex and volatile environments. The proposed methodology serves as a valuable tool for optimizing project management in diverse contexts, enabling a quantitative and systematic evaluation of complexity and risk. It is adaptable and applicable to a wide range of complex projects, improving decision-making and planning in uncertain settings. Furthermore, by incorporating resilience as a cross-cutting principle, the methodology strengthens the ability of projects and their teams to maintain functionality and sustain learning even in highly volatile environments, where continuous adaptation becomes a critical success factor. In this sense, resilience emerges as the property that allows projects to absorb disruptions, reorganize, and preserve their core purpose without losing cohesion or direction. Full article

Accurately modeling and representing the collective dynamics of large-scale robotic systems remains one of the fundamental challenges in swarm robotics. Within the context of agricultural robotics, swarm-based coordination schemes enable scalable and adaptive control of multi-robot teams performing tasks such as crop monitoring and autonomous field maintenance. This paper introduces a cohesive Potential Linked Nodes (PLNs) framework, an adjustable formation structure that employs Artificial Potential Fields (APFs), and virtual node–link interactions to regulate swarm cohesion and coordinated motion (CM). The proposed model governs swarm formation, modulates structural integrity, and enhances responsiveness to external perturbations. The PLN framework facilitates swarm stability, maintaining high cohesion and adaptability while the system’s tunable parameters enable online adjustment of inter-agent coupling strength and formation rigidity. Comprehensive simulation experiments were conducted to assess the performance of the model under multiple swarm conditions, including static aggregation and dynamic flocking behavior using differential-drive mobile robots. Additional tests within a simulated cropping environment were performed to evaluate the framework’s stability and cohesiveness under agricultural constraints. Swarm cohesion and formation stability were quantitatively analyzed using density-based and inter-robot distance metrics. The experimental results demonstrate that the PLN model effectively maintains formation integrity and cohesive stability throughout all scenarios. Full article

This study explores the relationship between Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) quality and team cohesion within the Croatian banking sector. Drawing from relationship-based leadership theories, we investigate how the quality of dyadic relationships between leaders and team members influences team cohesiveness in a hierarchical, regulated organizational environment. Using validated instruments (LMX-7 and adapted Group Environment Questionnaire), we surveyed 76 employees across 10 teams. Results demonstrate a strong positive correlation between LMX quality and team cohesion (r = 0.854, p = 0.002). Our findings contribute to understanding how relationship-based leadership practices can foster stronger team dynamics in knowledge-intensive organizational contexts, with implications for leadership development in banking and similar professional services sectors. Full article

Background: Schools play a central role in child development and socialization and can function as protective environments that mitigate the effects of adversity. Building on the Social Ecological Model and Community School Transformation, we propose a “Schools-as-Neighborhoods” framework that conceptualizes schools as intentionally designed microenvironments capable of generating social capital, promoting positive childhood experiences, and buffering harmful neighborhood exposures through trauma-informed programming. Methods: We conducted a convergent mixed-methods study across four public and charter schools in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, serving grades five through nine. STRYV365’s peak team and Brain Agents gamified intervention were implemented between 2022–2024. Quantitative surveys and qualitative data assessed students’ lived experiences, exposure to adversity, emotional awareness, coping skills, and school connectedness/climate across multiple waves. Results: Across the four schools (n = 1626 students), baseline academic proficiency was low, and exposure to adversity was high among surveyed participants (n = 321), including bereavement (74%) and family incarceration (56%). Despite these challenges, qualitative findings revealed strengthened emotional regulation, empathy, motivation, and goal setting among students engaged in trauma-informed programming. Teachers reported improved peer interaction and community building during sustained implementation. Conclusion: The Schools-as-Neighborhoods framework highlights the value of trauma-informed, relationship-centered school environments in promoting student well-being. By positioning schools as cohesive ecosystems that foster belonging and cultivate social capital, this approach offers educators and policymakers a pathway for mitigating the effects of hostile lived environments and supporting students’ mental health, social development, and engagement in learning. Full article

Background/Objectives: Disaster service providers responding to natural disasters face significant mental health challenges, including burnout, anxiety, and secondary trauma, which can impair both individual well-being and team functioning. Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) offer scalable solutions and have demonstrated efficacy in supporting individual mental health outcomes for healthcare workers and emergency responders. Team cohesion is also a critical protective factor for disaster responders; yet, most DMHIs fail to address critical team-level dynamics that are essential for effective disaster response. This study examines baseline characteristics that predict engagement and domain scores with SigBee^®, a digital team check-in intervention designed to enhance both individual resilience and team connection among disaster service providers responding to the 2023 Maui wildfires. Methods: Twenty-two disaster service providers from three organizations participated in a three-month pilot implementation of SigBee^®. Pre-implementation surveys measured team connection, resilience, well-being, and technology usability using validated instruments, such as the Predictive 6 Factor Resilience Scale (PR6). SigBee^® aggregate user data tracked daily check-ins across four domains: team connection, resilience, wellbeing, and job confidence. Correlation analyses examined relationships between baseline measures, platform engagement, and SigBee^® domains. Results: Pre-implementation surveys revealed high baseline resilience and above-average interpersonal trust among participants. There were significant correlations between SigBee^® use and PR6 Tenacity. Aggregated resilience scores correlated with PR6 Health across all pilot months. Conclusions: Baseline resilience characteristics strongly predict platform engagement and domain outcomes among disaster service providers. Results suggest that structured self-reflection through digital check-ins can enhance individual resilience, particularly for individuals with higher baseline tenacity. This research addresses critical gaps in DMHIs by supporting both individual mental health and team dynamics that are essential for effective disaster response among healthcare workers. Full article

Background: Interprofessional collaboration is vital for comprehensive, patient-centered care. Despite growing recognition of oral–systemic health links, the integration of dentists into healthcare teams remains limited. This scoping review mapped existing evidence on dental professionals’ roles within interprofessional healthcare, identifying key benefits, barriers, and facilitators. Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, SCOPUS, and Web of Science identified English-language studies (2014 to 2024) focused on collaboration between dental and non-dental providers. Studies addressing oral–systemic health without team-based integration were excluded. Screening and data charting followed the PRISMA-ScR framework using JBI data extraction and critical appraisal tools. Data were synthesized thematically by collaboration model, outcomes, and influencing factors. Results: Nine studies met the inclusion criteria. Integrating dental professionals into healthcare teams improved patient outcomes, quality of life, and satisfaction. Effective models included nurse practitioner–dentist partnerships and medical–dental collaboration in pediatrics and chronic disease care. Barriers included poor communication, lack of interoperable electronic health records, role ambiguity, and limited interprofessional training. Key facilitators were supportive policies, integrated care structures, professional education, and strong team communication. Conclusions: Integrating dentists into interprofessional teams enhances healthcare delivery and patient outcomes. However, significant barriers remain. Addressing communication gaps, implementing shared health records, and expanding interprofessional education are essential steps toward more cohesive care. Future research should evaluate scalable integration frameworks and incorporate patient perspectives to inform team-based care. Full article

Sport has long served as a powerful vehicle for promoting social inclusion, particularly among marginalized youth. Football, due to its global appeal and participatory nature, is uniquely positioned to bridge social divides while fostering technical and tactical development. This study explores the dual function of small-sided games (SSGs) in advancing both performance outcomes and inclusive dynamics within youth football contexts. Utilizing a longitudinal case study of a Romanian U14 team during the 2022–2023 season, we implemented a tailored SSG training program aimed at enhancing offensive play and team cohesion. Performance was assessed using key technical and tactical indicators, with data analyzed via SmartPLS structural equation modeling. Results demonstrated statistically significant improvements in several offensive and defensive metrics, including crosses, collective goal-scoring, and ball recovery actions. Importantly, the format of SSGs facilitated equitable participation, reinforcing inclusionary practices. The findings support the integration of SSGs not only as effective pedagogical tools for football training but also as mechanisms for fostering social development through sport. This study underscores the strategic potential of SSGs in aligning youth athletic training with broader educational and social inclusion objectives. Full article

We investigated narcissism in a naturalistic social context. Specifically, we examined how individuals high in admirative and rivalrous narcissism are perceived in team dynamics. Participants (n = 101) worked in small teams (k = 23 teams) during escape room-based tasks. Using a round-robin design, we observed alignment between self- and peer-ratings on interpersonal traits. Those high on admirative narcissism were perceived as confident but overestimated their likeability, whereas those high on rivalrous narcissism were perceived as aggressive and lazy. Teams characterized by high levels of rivalry exhibited reduced team cohesion, which in turn was associated with poorer team performance. There were no team-level effects for narcissistic admiration. The research advances understanding of admirative and rivalrous narcissism by simulating real-time teamwork in escape rooms. Full article

Football, as a team sport, relies on a delicate balance where tactical cohesion and strategic play are as critical as physical prowess. While evidence suggests that European teams often display higher physical intensity, the tactical differences between European and American football are still not well quantified. The aim of this study is to conduct a comparative analysis of passing, possession, and goal-scoring dynamics in Euro 2024 and Copa America 2024. Data from 51 Euro matches and 32 Copa America matches, encompassing all game events with sub-second precision, were obtained from StatsBomb. Analyses were performed in MATLAB, with possession calculated as ‘pure possession,’ excluding inactive periods. Euro 2024 teams demonstrated significantly more total passes per match ($p<0.05$, Cohen’s $d=1.43$), higher pass completion rates ($p<0.05$, Cohen’s $d=1.30$), and longer possession sequences ($p<0.05$, Cohen’s $d=0.24$). They also showed greater possession in the five minutes prior to goals ($p<0.05$, Cohen’s $d=0.63$). In contrast, Copa America 2024 teams favored longer passes ($p<0.05$, Cohen’s $d=0.15$), reflecting a more direct playing style. Possession disparities between teams in individual matches did not differ significantly ($p=0.31$, Cohen’s $d=0.23$), and the distribution of shot distances for goals was also similar across tournaments ($p=0.86$, Cohen’s $d=0.02$). In summary, Euro 2024 teams emphasized control through longer possession and greater passing accuracy, while Copa America 2024 teams relied on more dynamic and direct play. These findings underscore how regional footballing philosophies shape match strategies and outcomes, offering insights into the tactical diversity of international football. Full article

Families in rural communities face a constellation of challenges that significantly hinder their ability to support adolescents. Our study aimed to explore family functioning as a protective factor for adolescent mental health from the perspective of parents in rural communities of southern Ecuador, using Photovoice as a participatory research tool. The research design corresponds to Participatory Action Research. Five Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted. A total of 29 parents of adolescents participated in the study. The research team employed qualitative content analysis for the interpretation phase. Through photographs and focus groups, parents commented on aspects of family life that they perceived as necessary for supporting adolescents, such as effective communication, cohesion, supervision, and expressions of care. The main conclusion indicated that the implementation of Photovoice converted participants from subjects to collaborators, allowing them to critically reflect on their behaviors while aiding or reinforcing in the co-creation of strategies. Full article

Maintaining operational efficiency in distributed solar energy systems requires intelligent coordination of inspection tasks and workforce resources to handle diverse fault conditions. This study presents a bi-level multi-objective optimization framework that addresses two tightly coupled problems: dynamic job scheduling and skill-based team formation. The job scheduling component assigns geographically dispersed inspection tasks to mobile teams while minimizing multiple conflicting objectives, including travel distance, tardiness, and workload imbalance. Concurrently, the team formation component ensures that each team satisfies fault-specific skill requirements by optimizing team cohesion and compactness. To solve the bi-objective team formation problem, we propose HMOO-AOS, a hybrid algorithm integrating six metaheuristic operators under an NSGA-II framework with an Upper Confidence Bound-based Adaptive Operator Selection. Experiments on datasets of up to seven instances demonstrate statistically significant improvements ($p<0.05$) in solution quality, skill coverage, and computational efficiency compared to NSGA-II, NSGA-III, and MOEA/D variants, with computational complexity $\mathcal{O}\left(G·N·(M+logN)\right)$ (time complexity), $\mathcal{O}(N·L)$ (space complexity). A cloud-integrated system architecture is also proposed to contextualize the framework within real-world solar inspection operations, supporting real-time data integration, dynamic rescheduling, and mobile workforce coordination. These contributions provide scalable, practical tools for solar operators, maintenance planners, and energy system managers, establishing a robust and adaptive approach to intelligent inspection planning in renewable energy operations. Full article

From the psychology of sport, the impact of group cohesion on sports performance has been studied extensively; therefore, it is considered important to measure this variable to design interventions that improve collective work to achieve goals together. This study adapted and validated the Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ) for Mexican university athletes. In a cross-sectional instrumental design, 226 athletes from various team sports completed the scale. Internal consistency statistics and confirmatory factor analyses Goodness-of-Fit Index (GFI), Comparative Fit Index (CFI), and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) evaluated psychometrics. After removing three items with weak loadings, three structural models were tested as follows: (a) unidimensional, (b) task vs. social cohesion, and (c) attraction vs. integration. The unidimensional model showed the best fit (χ² = 177.33; GFI = 0.90; CFI = 0.92; RMSEA = 0.07) and high reliability, indicating that cohesion can be treated as a single overarching construct. Task items exhibited higher consistency than social items. In conclusion, the adapted version of the GEQ is a useful tool for the evaluation of cohesion in Mexican university sports, although it is recommended to improve social items and expand its application in different disciplines and competitive levels. Full article

Adolescents often face interpersonal and adjustment challenges when transitioning from a family-centered to a school-based environment, especially without a supportive group climate. To address these challenges, this study used football, the world’s most widely played team sport, as a platform to examine the impact of athlete engagement on team cohesion and its underlying mechanisms. A total of 1692 Chinese adolescents who regularly participated in football training and demonstrated a strong passion for the sport were recruited. Data were collected using the Athlete Engagement Questionnaire (AEQ), the Interpersonal Competence Questionnaire (ICQ), the Perceived Workplace Social Support Scale (PWSSS), and the Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ), all of which demonstrated good reliability and validity in this study. The results revealed that (1) athlete engagement was positively associated with team cohesion team cohesion; (2) interpersonal competence partially mediated the relationship between athlete engagement and team cohesion; (3) social support moderated both the direct relationship between athlete engagement and team cohesion and the indirect relationship between athlete engagement and interpersonal competence; and (4) social support moderated the relationship between athlete engagement and team cohesion with significant gender differences, whereas no gender differences were observed in the relationship between athlete engagement and interpersonal competence. This moderated mediation model not only enriches the conceptual model of group cohesion but also addresses gaps in the current literature. Furthermore, it provides theoretical support for physical educators to design targeted team sports interventions tailored to the characteristics of different gender groups. Full article

The architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry is highly fragmented, yet decisions made during the design phase critically shape downstream sustainability performance. Unlike prior research that primarily weighted interactions by frequency, this study introduces an Interaction-Quality Index that evaluates the quality of design team interactions. This represents a novel approach, as it combines Social Network Analysis with Monte Carlo simulation to quantify how collaboration, coordination, and trust influence sustainable outcomes in construction projects. Through a structured literature review, three systemic interaction drivers; collaboration, coordination, and trust were identified. An interaction-quality index was then formulated, weighting each driver according to its relative impact on sustainable outcomes. Social Network Analysis coupled with Monte Carlo simulation validated the index in a real-world building project, demonstrating its usefulness in identifying critical interaction nodes and highlighting how improvements in collaboration, coordination, and trust can strengthen network cohesion and enhance sustainability-oriented decision-making. The proposed index offers construction managers a quantitative tool to integrate social dynamics into holistic sustainability strategies, advancing practice in line with systems-thinking approaches to sustainable construction management. Full article