Search Results (2,270)

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) has been increasingly integrated into vocational education teaching and students’ learning. Thus, instructing higher vocational students to use GenAI effectively and improving their self-reported perceptions of learning outcomes are critical. Based on the talent development requirements of vocational education, this study developed and validated the GenAI Usage Behavior Scale and the Higher Vocational Students’ Perceived Learning Outcomes Scale. Subsequently, an empirical analysis was conducted using data from 1110 valid questionnaires collected from Chinese higher vocational students. According to the descriptive statistical analysis, the overall usage behavior of higher vocational students was generally at a medium–high level. They performed relatively well in terms of usage habits, moderately in usage contexts, and showed a relatively low frequency of use. The overall evaluation for higher vocational students’ perceived learning outcomes was rated as above average with competency development ranking highest, followed by skill application and knowledge mastery. As for group differences, the results of the independent samples t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed no overall significant differences in perceived learning outcomes across genders. Significant differences were only observed in the skill application dimension across grades, while all dimensions of perceived learning outcomes showed statistically significant disparities across major categories. From the perspective of the correlational mechanism, correlation and regression analyses revealed a statistically significant negative correlation between GenAI usage frequency and perceived learning outcomes. In contrast, usage habits and contexts exhibited statistically significant positive correlations. Among these factors, usage habits demonstrated stronger explanatory power. Accordingly, colleges, teachers, and students each must have clear priorities and work collaboratively to enhance students’ ability to use GenAI effectively, thereby leveraging its supportive role in improving perceived learning outcomes for higher vocational students more efficiently. Full article

Relationships between adolescents and their siblings may be associated with birth order and gender. Additionally, the spillover hypothesis suggests that emotions and behaviors in one family subsystem can affect others. Accordingly, the quality of parent–child relationship might “spill over” into the sibling dynamic, thereby influencing adolescent development. This study examines whether birth order and sibling gender dyads are significantly associated with the adolescents’ use of active, distraction, and problem-focused coping strategies. Additionally, it tests whether gender dyads moderate this association. Data came from a large-scale longitudinal dataset of adolescent participants in the Northeast region of the United States, N = 1428 (M_age = 12.75, SD = 0.71, at Time 1). Direct and moderating effects are tested using regression-based structural equation analyses. Results suggest that birth order was significantly associated with the adolescents’ use of coping strategies when the adolescent was older and within a mixed-gender dyad. Additionally, significant interactions are found for same and mixed-gender dyads when the adolescent was older. Findings provide foundational support from which to explore the role of birth order and sibling gender dyads in adolescent development. Furthermore, it provides a basis for mental health practitioners and counselors working with adolescents to leverage the sibling relationship in promoting healthy coping strategies. Full article

We present two studies within the talent management umbrella. In the first, we explored procedural justice as an outcome of talent management strategies, with the mediating role of perceived fairness and the moderating role of gender. A survey of 100 full-time US workers yielded positive, significant relationships between the inclusivity of talent management practices, procedural justice, and perceived fairness. Further, perceived fairness emerged as a partial mediator in the relationship between the inclusivity of talent management practices and procedural justice. In the second study, we examined a specific type of talent management, succession planning. We explored the development of a measure that assesses employees’ perceptions regarding their company’s succession planning process, and provided initial predictive validity by examining the relationship between the type of succession plan and perceived organizational support (POS). We assessed 96 employees’ succession planning perceptions with an adapted model of succession planning, examining integrated and informal categories. The measure’s initial psychometric and conceptual fidelity, as well as predictive validity, were promising. Further, we found that perceptions of an organization’s succession planning process, specifically the level of integration, are positively related to perceptions of organizational support. Both of these studies represent a substantial addition to the literature regarding talent management broadly and succession planning, specifically. Full article

The growing emphasis on 21st-century skills underscores the importance of multiliteracies for pre-service English language teachers in navigating diverse, digital, and multimodal classrooms. However, research on their perceived multiliteracies and associations with demographic factors remains limited. Thus, this study bridges this gap by determining how pre-service English language teachers perceived their multiliteracies using Teacher Multiliteracies Scale (TMS) encompassing four key dimensions: multimodal literacy (ML), digital literacy (DL), critical literacy (CL), socio-cultural literacy (SCL), and analyzing the variations based on demographic characteristics involving a total of 393 pre-service English language teachers. The result showed that the participants generally perceived themselves as moderately competent across all the dimensions, with DL dimension scoring the highest, followed by SCL, ML, and CL dimensions. Interestingly, no significant differences were found for gender, age, or academic level. Further regression analysis confirmed that teaching experience was modestly associated with ML, CL, and SCL dimensions, whereas DL showed no significant variations across the demographic variables among pre-service English language teachers. These findings suggest that teacher education programs may consider providing more authentic teaching experiences and practice-based learning opportunities to support multiliteracies development. Full article

Background: Postoperative haemorrhage (POH) is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication of thyroid surgery, with an incidence of 0.6–4%. Early identification of patients at increased risk is critical to guide perioperative management, especially in the context of evolving surgical practices and increasing demand for outpatient procedures. Methods: We conducted an explorative, retrospective, single-centre case–control study using a prospectively documented quality assurance dataset including 9158 thyroidectomies (2012–2019). POH requiring revision (n = 104) were compared to matched controls (n = 416; 1:4 ratio), matched by age, sex, type of procedure (uni- vs. bilateral), and year of surgery. Univariate analysis (Chi-square and t-test) was used to identify possible associations between candidate risk factors and POH. To supplement classical univariate statistics, we applied a Random Forest machine learning model to assess the relative importance of 25 potential variables derived from the clinical dataset based on previous literature. It was also planned to use the results to develop a proposal for a quantitative risk score, system, assigning weights to each factor (3, 1, or 0 points) depending on their relative importance for predicting POH. Patients were subsequently categorized into risk classes (low, intermediate, high) based on total point scores and reclassified. Results: High-impact risk factors confirmed in univariate analysis and Random Forest modelling included reoperative thyroidectomy, smoking, relevant comorbidities, medical treatment for hyperthyroidism and advanced age and were weighted with 3 points. Moderately associated variables such as regular alcohol consumption, Graves’ disease, hyperthyroid state at surgery, duration of the procedure and thyroid weight were weighted 1 point. Factors with negligible predictive value (e.g., BMI, gender, ASA classification) were assigned 0 points. The average score among patients without haemorrhage was 5.21, whereas the average score among patients with haemorrhage was 7.61. Within the matched study cohort, patients with POH accumulated higher risk scores than controls, suggesting potential discriminatory capacity. These findings formed the basis for the development of an exploratory three-stage ‘traffic light’ risk stratification model that requires external validation. Conclusions: A simple, interpretable point-based scoring system derived from a large matched case–control cohort identified key predictors of postoperative hemorrhage (POH) after thyroid surgery and enabled risk stratification within the study population. By combining conventional statistical methods with machine-learning approaches, the score may support individualized perioperative monitoring, surgical planning, and institutional resource allocation. However, because the model was developed using a 1:4 matched case–control design, it should be considered an exploratory risk stratification tool rather than a fully validated prediction model, and it does not directly estimate absolute POH risk or population incidence. External and prospective validation in large, representative multicentre cohorts (e.g., StuDoQ,, HEDOS) is ongoing and will be required to establish calibration, generalizability, and clinical utility. Full article

Dark tourism (travel to sites of death, disaster and collective trauma) is increasingly mediated by AI-driven content systems, but the conditions under which visitors accept AI interpretation tools in emotionally sensitive heritage contexts remain empirically unexplored. Our study examines the cultural, experiential and affective predictors of AI/immersive technology acceptance among Romanian dark tourism consumers. A quantitative cross-sectional survey (n = 232, predominantly urban respondents, January–March 2026) measured cultural belonging, prior visit experience, dominant emotional response, perceived educational value and technology acceptance; data were analyzed using non-parametric inference and bootstrapped mediation. The results are organized within a descriptive framework we term the Interpretive Legitimation Mechanism (ILM): perceived educational value fully mediates the effect of prior experience on AI acceptance (95.5% of total effect) and partially mediates the effect of cultural belonging (36.4%), while emotional state and gender conditionally moderate receptivity (fascination-dominant visitors show the highest openness and sadness-dominant visitors the lowest). These findings characterize the conditions of receptivity to AI mediation, a necessary precondition for any subsequent influence, and indicate that acceptance in dark tourism is primarily an interpretive and cultural phenomenon rather than a technological one. Full article

Background: Self-objectification has been consistently associated with adolescent depressive symptoms; however, the psychological processes linking appearance-based self-evaluation with broader self-directed negativity remain unclear. Objective: This three-wave study examined whether body shame and self-disgust were involved in the longitudinal association between self-objectification and depressive symptoms. It also tested perceived peer connectedness, indexed by reverse-coded loneliness, as a contextual moderator and used network analysis to explore item-level associations between body shame and self-disgust. Methods: A total of 1181 Chinese adolescents completed measures of self-objectification and perceived peer connectedness at Time 1, body shame and self-disgust at Time 2, and depressive symptoms at Time 3. Path analysis within a structural equation modeling framework tested a moderated indirect-effects model controlling for gender and grade. Results: Self-objectification was longitudinally associated with depressive symptoms both directly and indirectly through body shame and self-disgust. Perceived peer connectedness modestly attenuated the association between self-objectification and body shame. Network analysis identified item-level bridge associations between body shame and self-disgust. Conclusions: The findings suggest that self-objectification may be linked to later depressive symptoms through appearance-specific shame and broader self-directed negativity. Perceived peer connectedness showed a modest buffering pattern, and the network results highlighted item-level links between body shame and self-disgust that may inform future research on adolescent body-related self-evaluation. Full article

Virtual influencers in diverse appearances emerged and gained popularity on virtual platforms. However, how the appearances of virtual influencers affect consumers’ attitudes and reactions remained largely unexplored. Through three experimental studies, this paper examines the psychological mechanism and boundary conditions for consumer reactions to virtual influencer transgressions. The results show that consumers are less forgiving and more negative in their reactions to transgressions conducted by human-like virtual influencers compared to anime-like ones, regardless of the type of transgression or the gender of the virtual influencer (Studies 1 and 2). Additionally, the driving mechanism of the virtual influencers has a moderating effect. When consumers are informed that the virtual influencer transgression is driven by a real person rather than AI, the impact of appearance on the reactions to transgressions is aggravated (Study 3). The result shows that appearance and driving mechanism both influence consumer perceptions of the virtual influencers’ agency, thereby determining the degree of reaction to transgressions. Full article

This study aims to examine the moderating effect of board gender diversity in the relationship between the overconfidence of the CEO and corporate tax avoidance of listed firms in Jordan. Based on upper echelons theory, agency theory, and resource dependence theory, it examines the potential influence of female board representation on the tax implications of managerial overconfidence in an emerging-market context. The study uses panel data of 70 industrial and service enterprises listed on the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) for the period (2019–2024), yielding 420 firm-year observations. To measure corporate tax avoidance, we use the effective tax rate (ETR) and cash flow effective tax rate (CFETR), and CEO overconfidence is measured by a composite index of observable executive characteristics. The level of board gender diversity is computed as the percentage of female directors, and the hypotheses are tested with panel regression models that include relevant firm-level control variables. The results indicate that CEO overconfidence is negatively and significantly related to ETR, suggesting that the overconfident CEO is more likely to engage in tax avoidance. The moderating results also indicate that the relationship between board gender diversity and tax avoidance is reshaped by enhancing accrual-based tax avoidance and curbing cash-based tax avoidance. The results contribute to the literature on executive traits, corporate governance, and tax behavior by providing evidence from Jordan and by applying a practical measure of CEO overconfidence suitable for contexts with limited data availability. Full article

Using a sample of 68 listed banks in the MENAT region from 2017 to 2023, this study examines the effect of gender diversity on ESG disclosure and the moderating role of audit committees, employing the system GMM estimator to address potential endogeneity concerns. The results reveal that the proportion of women on boards has a positive impact on ESG disclosure. Nonetheless, the relation is negatively moderated by audit committees, revealing the boundaries of the beneficial effect of gender diversity in the presence of traditional governance. The findings should be interpreted with caution but suggest that gender diversity may be associated with improved transparency and sustainability practices among firms in the MENAT region. These results may inform policy discussions regarding the potential role of gender diversity in strengthening corporate governance and sustainability outcomes. Furthermore, the evidence provides indicative support for the need for audit committees to adopt more targeted monitoring approaches across individual ESG pillars to improve oversight effectiveness. Full article

Background/Objectives: Metabolic syndrome (MS) has been demonstrated to be associated with subclinical myocardial dysfunction, which develops in the early stages. It has been hypothesised that traditional echocardiographic parameters may be insufficient in detecting these changes. The frontal QRS-T angle is an electrocardiographic parameter that is easily obtained and that reflects ventricular electrical heterogeneity. This study aimed to examine the relationship between the frontal QRS–T angle and left ventricular myocardial deformation, as assessed by four-dimensional strain echocardiography (4DSE), in patients with MS. Methods: The present cross-sectional study comprised 70 patients diagnosed with MS and 61 healthy individuals matched for age and gender. All participants underwent standard transthoracic and 4DSE examination and 12-lead electrocardiography. The values of global longitudinal strain (GLS), global circumferential strain (GCS), global radial strain (GRS) and global area strain (GAS) were analysed. The frontal QRS-T angle was calculated as the absolute difference between the QRS and T axes. The interrelationships between the variables were assessed using correlation and multivariate linear regression analyses. Results: Despite comparable left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) between the groups, 4DSE-derived myocardial deformation parameters, including GLS, GCS, GAS, and GRS, were significantly impaired in the MS group. The frontal QRS-T angle was found to be significantly higher in patients diagnosed with MS in comparison to the control group (p < 0.001). A significant correlation was identified between the frontal QRS-T angle and GLS (r = 0.498, p < 0.001). In multivariable linear regression analysis, the frontal QRS–T angle was independently associated with GLS (standardized β = 0.501, p < 0.001). In exploratory receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, the frontal QRS–T angle showed moderate discriminatory ability for GLS-defined impaired myocardial deformation area under the curve (AUC) = 0.720). Conclusions: An increased frontal QRS–T angle in individuals with metabolic syndrome was independently associated with subclinical LV dysfunction despite preserved ejection fraction (EF). These findings suggest that the frontal QRS–T angle may serve as a simple and readily available electrocardiographic marker associated with impaired myocardial deformation, warranting further validation in larger prospective studies. Full article

Background and Objectives: Evidence guiding rehabilitation outcomes among medically complex traumatic brain injury (TBI) populations remains limited, particularly in long-term acute care hospital (LTACH) settings. Most prior studies have focused on inpatient rehabilitation facilities, leaving a limited understanding of factors influencing recovery during LTACH rehabilitation. This study examined the association between mechanism of injury, time from injury to LTACH admission, and functional rehabilitation outcomes in adults with moderate-to-severe TBI. Materials and Methods: This retrospective observational cohort study included adults with moderate-to-severe TBI who received multidisciplinary rehabilitation in an LTACH between January 2017 and December 2024. Of 272 eligible patients, 239 met the inclusion criteria after exclusions for short length of stay, incomplete evaluations, duplicate records, death during rehabilitation, or full independence at admission. Functional improvement in mobility and activities of daily living (ADLs) was measured using CMS Section GG assessments and dichotomized as improvement versus no improvement. Logistic regression analyses examined associations between predictors and outcomes while adjusting for demographic covariates. Results: Longer time from injury to LTACH admission was associated with lower odds of functional improvement. Compared with admission within 30 days, admission at 31–60 days (OR = 0.53; 95% CI, 0.28–0.99; p = 0.045) and beyond 60 days (OR = 0.26; 95% CI, 0.10–0.69; p = 0.006) was associated with reduced odds of improvement. Mechanism of injury was not significantly associated with outcomes. Male gender was associated with higher odds of improvement (OR = 2.18; 95% CI, 1.05–4.51; p = 0.036). No significant interaction effects were identified. Conclusions: Delayed LTACH admission was associated with lower odds of functional improvement following TBI rehabilitation, independent of injury mechanism and demographic factors. These findings support the importance of timely access to postacute rehabilitation among medically complex TBI populations. Full article

The current study aims to identify the factors influencing the disclosure of climate-related risk information by the MENA banking sector and how bank financial stability acts as a moderator. The study draws from agency theory, resource dependency theory, and organizational legitimacy theory. Textual analysis is used to analyze a panel data set comprising 46 banks of 13 MENA countries for the years 2020 to 2024 (230 observations). We investigate the impact of board independence, board size, and gender diversity on climate risk disclosure. It is found that while board size and gender diversity have a positive effect on CRD, there is no direct effect of board independence on CRD. However, after taking bank financial stability (Z-score) into account as a moderating variable, it is revealed that there is a significantly positive relationship between board independence and bank financial stability. Therefore, it can be said that independent board members are helpful in CRD only when banks have sound financial stability. This study provides various robustness tests through subsample analysis and alternative methods of estimating model parameters. Full article

Purpose: This study aimed to determine levels of stress, anxiety, depression and digital fatigue among nursing students and to examine the associations between digital fatigue components and these psychological outcomes. Methods: This descriptive and correlational cross-sectional study was conducted with 543 nursing students from a nursing faculty in Türkiye in June 2025. Data were collected face-to-face using a Personal Information Form, the Digital Fatigue Scale (DFS) and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). Descriptive statistics, t-test, Mann–Whitney U, ANOVA, Kruskal–Wallis, correlation, and multiple regression analyses were performed. Results: Students reported elevated levels of depression, anxiety and stress, and a moderate level of digital fatigue (DFS total mean = 2.82 ± 0.68). Female students had significantly higher anxiety, stress and digital fatigue scores than males. Daily internet use of ≥6 h was associated with higher depression, stress and digital fatigue. DASS-21 total scores were positively correlated with DFS total and all subscales. In multivariate models, digital addiction (β = 0.178), online pressure (β = 0.104), and psychosomatic problems (β = 0.174) significantly predicted depression. Psychosomatic problems (β = 0.236) and physical–mental fatigue (β = 0.156) predicted anxiety, while digital addiction (β = 0.180), psychosomatic problems (β = 0.210) and physical–mental fatigue (β = 0.157) predicted stress. These models explained 16.2%, 17.6%, and 20.1% of the total variance, respectively (all p < 0.05). Conclusions: Digital fatigue is positively associated with depression, anxiety, and stress in nursing students. High daily internet use and female gender relate to higher symptom and fatigue scores. Incorporating digital well-being, screen-time management, and mental health support into curricula, along with institutional strategies to reduce digital burden, may protect future nurses’ psychological well-being. Full article

Background/Objectives: Accurate visual estimation of blood loss during childbirth is critical for early recognition of obstetric hemorrhage, a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. Despite its widespread use, visual estimation is prone to substantial bias. While professional experience has been shown to influence estimation accuracy, the potential contribution of gender differences remains insufficiently explored. Methods: We carried out a prospective observational simulation-based study at a tertiary university medical center in Graz, Austria, to determine whether gender and professional background are associated with differences in the accuracy of visual blood-loss estimation in obstetric bleeding. Fifty physicians (28 females/22 males) were recruited from anesthesiology and obstetrics. All participants visually estimated blood loss in four simulated obstetric hemorrhage scenarios. The simulated blood volumes and hemoglobin concentrations were verified by volume measurement and point-of-care testing. Each scenario was viewed under standardized conditions without access to physiological or contextual clinical information. The primary outcome was absolute estimation error (mL) according to the gender or professional background of the participants. Secondary outcomes included scenario-specific accuracy and the association between self-rated confidence and estimation accuracy. Results: Women outperformed men in low and moderate-volume scenarios. Across all scenarios combined, women demonstrated lower median absolute estimation errors, although the overall difference did not reach statistical significance. Professional background showed a stronger effect: gynecologists were significantly more accurate than anesthetists across most scenarios. Conclusions: Visual blood-loss estimation accuracy in obstetric simulations is influenced by both gender and professional background. Gender-related differences appear volume-dependent, whereas professional experience exerts consistent influence. Full article