scholarly journals Development and validation of the WhatsApp Negative Impact scale (WANIS)

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 242-250
Author(s):  
Cristina Bernal-Ruiz ◽  
Ángel Rosa-Alcázar ◽  
Víctor González-Calatayud

The use of instant messaging affects different areas of users’ daily lives (personal, social, family, work). The aim of this research was to develop and validate a scale that measures the negative impact of WhatsApp's use in several areas (WANIS). Two studies were conducted. The first one was a pilot study in which the scale was built. The sample consisted of 95 university students aged between 17 and 27. (M = 21.34; SD = 2.11). In the second study, the factor structure was examined and the validity of the scale was analysed from a sample of 630 university students aged between 18 and 62 (M = 21.23; DT = 4.32). The exploratory factor analysis revealed that the three-factor solution was most appropriate for interpreting the scale. The instrument had high reliability and good convergent and discriminant validity. The results indicated that sex, marital status and employment status affected the negative impact experienced by WhatsApp users. This scale has proven to be a valid tool for assessing the impact that this instant messaging application has on controlling intimate relationships, the negative consequences of its use and the problematic use by users.

Author(s):  
Marina Yiasemidou

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic and infection control measures had an unavoidable impact on surgical services. During the first wave of the pandemic, elective surgery, endoscopy, and ‘face-to-face’ clinics were discontinued after recommendations from professional bodies. In addition, training courses, examinations, conferences, and training rotations were postponed or cancelled. Inadvertently, infection control and prevention measures, both within and outside hospitals, have caused a significant negative impact on training. At the same time, they have given space to new technologies, like telemedicine and platforms for webinars, to blossom. While the recovery phase is well underway in some parts of the world, most surgical services are not operating at full capacity. Unfortunately, some countries are still battling a second or third wave of the pandemic with severely negative consequences on surgical services. Several studies have looked into the impact of COVID-19 on surgical training. Here, an objective overview of studies from different parts of the world is presented. Also, evidence-based solutions are suggested for future surgical training interventions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 781-803
Author(s):  
Rafaquat Ali ◽  
Bushra Shoukat ◽  
Rabia Bahoo

The students’ academic behaviours and academic performance differ with their epistemological beliefs. Different social-cultural and educational contexts inculcate differences in students’ epistemological beliefs. However, the impact of the nature of the academic programs on students’ epistemological beliefs is most obvious. The students of different disciplines can have different epistemological beliefs. These different epistemological beliefs differ in their impact on students’ academic performance and academic behaviour. Hence, the current study evaluated the interrelationships of various educational programs and epistemological beliefs and their importance in students’ academic performance. The volunteer university students provided data about their academic programs, epistemological beliefs, and academic performance. Researchers used the Generalized Structured Component Analysis approach to calculate the suitability of specified measurement and structural models. The impact of subjects of the soft field of study such as Behavioural Sciences, English Literature was negative on naive epistemological beliefs in knowledge structure and omniscient authority compared to subjects of the hard field of studies such as Mathematical, Physical Sciences, and Biological Sciences. The Business Sciences from the soft applied field of study had the least noticeable negative impact on naive epistemological beliefs compared to other subjects of pure soft and pure hard field of studies. Only, the belief in quick learning had a significant negative impact on students’ academic performance.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Brühlmann ◽  
Beat Vollenwyder ◽  
Klaus Opwis ◽  
Elisa D Mekler

Motivation is a fundamental concept in understanding people’s experiences and behavior. Yet, motivation to engage with an interactive system has received only limited attention in HCI. We report the development and validation of the User Motivation Inventory (UMI). The UMI is an 18-item multidimensional measure of motivation, rooted in self-determination theory (SDT). It is designed to measure intrinsic motivation, integrated, identified, introjected, and external regulation, as well as amotivation. Results of two studies (total N = 941) confirm the six-factor structure of the UMI with high reliability, as well as convergent and discriminant validity of each subscale. Relationships with core concepts such as need satisfaction, vitality, and usability were studied. Additionally, the UMI was found to detect differences in motivation for people who consider abandoning a technology compared to those who do not question their use. The central role of motivation in users’ behavior and experience is discussed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 205-221
Author(s):  
Rafaqat Ali ◽  
Furrukh Bashir ◽  
Rashid Ahmad

The current study was heading for determining the impact of Pakistani university students’ socioeconomic classes on their personality traits. Demographic and personality questionnaires were filled by available university students online. The stepwise regression technique facilitated to generate regression models to define impacts of different socioeconomic classes on students’ different personality traits. Different regression models highlighted the significant negative impacts of the middle upper socioeconomic class on Agreeableness, Extraversion and Neuroticism personality traits. The lower socioeconomic class was found to have positive impact on only one personality sub-trait self-discipline. Whereas, the upper lower socioeconomic class caused positive impacts on students’ trust sub-trait, Conscientiousness trait and negative impact on excitement seeking sub-trait of personality. The importance of these impacts of socioeconomic classes on different personality traits and the possible implications are discussed with respect to university students’ academic performance and academic behaviour.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristiana Duarte ◽  
C. Ferreira

Abstract Purpose Body image shame plays a key role in disordered eating symptoms and psychological adjustment. Nonetheless, research has been mainly focused on women. The Body Image Shame Scale (BISS) was previously developed and tested in a nonclinical sample of women. This study examines the BISS in a male sample comprising students and community participants. Methods Participants were 420 men, who completed the BISS and self-report measures of shame, self-criticism, body weight and shape concerns and psychopathological symptoms. Results The previously identified structure of the BISS, with an external and internal dimension, fitted the data well. All items presented high reliability. The BISS total score and its subscales in men present high construct reliability, and convergent and discriminant validity. Correlation analyses indicated that BISS and its subscales in men present positive associations with general shame and self-criticism, body weight and shape concerns, and with indices of poorer psychological adjustment. Conclusion Findings supported that the BISS is a reliable measure to assess body shame in men.


Author(s):  
Zh. S. Abdimuratov ◽  
Zh. D. Manbetova ◽  
M. N. Imankul ◽  
K. S. Chezhimbayeva ◽  
A. Zh. Sagyndikova

Under electromagnetic impact (EMI) of a sufficient level, temporary disruption of functioning, processing, transmission and storage of information in cellular equipment is possible. Possible problems of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) of a mobile phone and a base station (BS) of cellular connection under the influence of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) from other sources and their negative impact on functioning are considered. The energy of the HF electromagnetic field (EMF) after passing through the protective case can affect the devices of shielded radio electronic equipment (REE), therefore, the possible negative consequences of the impact of high-energy EMF on the REE are described. Possible negative consequences under certain conditions from the influence of the skin-effect, the effects of electrostatic discharge and electromagnetic pulses on electronic devices are given. It is shown that the constructional method of protecting REE from the effects of external electromagnetic factors consists in reducing the collected and transmitted EMF energy by improving the design, placement and installation of equipment. Components of some vendors for 5G systems that are resistant to external interference are given, and the possibilities for reducing the radiation level of a cell phone are noted. The necessity of an integrated approach to solving EMC problems is substantiated, which consists in the use of structural, circuitry and structural-functional methods of EMC provision. The new 5G (Fifth Generation) standard will operate at higher operating frequencies compared to previous generations. Due to the workload of the electromagnetic spectrum at frequencies below 6 GHz, 5G networks will be based on wireless radio access systems operating at frequencies of 30–100 GHz, that is, in the lower band of the extremely high frequency range EHF (Extremely High Frequency), 30–300 GHz.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Micaela Di Consiglio ◽  
Sheila Merola ◽  
Tiziana Pascucci ◽  
Cristiano Violani ◽  
Alessandro Couyoumdjian

BACKGROUND To reduce the spread of Covid-19 the Italian government imposed a rigid lockdown and, for a whole year, it kept declaring stringent rules to curb the community spread. The pandemic had a great negative impact on general population mental health, including the one of university students. OBJECTIVE The study provides an overview about symptomatology and help-seeking behavior of university students before and during the Covid-19 pandemic and it aims to evaluate the impact of the different phases of the pandemic on students' mental health. METHODS We collected data in four time points: (1) March 2019-February 2020, (2) March-May 2020, (3) October-December 2020, (4) January 2020-March 2021. A total of 454 students have been included in the study. Students answered a socio-demographic questionnaire and a standardized questionnaire to evaluate a broad range of symptoms of psychopathology. Descriptive analyses have been conducted to explore student’s symptomatology and help-seeking behavior. Considering the significant gender-difference distribution between groups, groups comparison analysis has been conducted considering male and female separately. RESULTS Considering the total sample size, results suggest that students have experienced moderate to severe levels of depressive, obsessive-compulsive and anxiety symptomatology. About 14% of the sample met criteria for at least one mental health disorders, but most of them were not receiving mental health care. Moreover, during the lockdown, compared with other phases, female students reported worse symptoms in the following dimension: obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, paranoid ideation and psychoticism. The increasing symptomatology quickly disappeared after the lifting of the quarantine. Results showed any difference in the male groups. CONCLUSIONS Our findings support the view of a negative mental health condition of university students and indicate an increase of symptomatology during the lockdown among female students. Preventive and support strategies should be improved in the university context.


2009 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 69-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tillmann Wagner ◽  
Thorsten Hennig-Thurau ◽  
Thomas Rudolph

Hierarchical loyalty programs award elevated customer status (e.g., “elite membership”) to consumers who meet a predefined spending level. However, if a customer subsequently falls short of the required spending level, firms commonly revoke that status. The authors investigate the impact of such customer demotion on loyalty intentions toward the firm. Building on prospect theory and emotions theory, the authors hypothesize that changes in customer status have an asymmetric negative effect, such that the negative impact of customer demotion is stronger than the positive impact of status increases. An experimental scenario study provides evidence that loyalty intentions are indeed lower for demoted customers than for those who have never been awarded a preferred status, meaning that hierarchical loyalty programs can drive otherwise loyal customers away from a firm. A field study using proprietary sales data from a different industry context demonstrates the robustness of the negative impact of customer demotion. The authors test the extent to which design variables of hierarchical loyalty programs may attenuate the negative consequences of status demotions with a second experimental scenario study and present an analytical model that links status demotion to customer equity to aid managerial decision making.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 1430199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Thoma ◽  
Julia A. Cook ◽  
Christopher McGrew ◽  
John H. King ◽  
Dalin T. Pulsipher ◽  
...  

SAGE Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 215824401989908 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonia Beatriz Echeverría Castro ◽  
Mirsha Alicia Sotelo Castillo ◽  
Christian Oswaldo Acosta Quiroz ◽  
Laura Fernanda Barrera Hernández

The aim of the study was to adjust the measurement model of an instrument of sources of Self-efficacy for Mathematics to sample of university students from Northeast of Mexico and the sex measurement invariance. A second-order modeling was performed, which shows convergent and discriminant validity, which corresponds to the original Bandura theory of self-efficacy and contains four factors: experience in mastery, social persuasion, vicarious learning, and physiological state (emotional activation). There was adequate goodness of fit of the model in the confirmatory analysis. The advantages of the use of this instrument are discussed for its simplicity and ease of applications, qualification, and interpretation, to be used by teachers, tutors, and advisors of mathematics.


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