This study focused on the competency profile of managers and the performance of MFIs in Goma. The objective of this study is to establish a link between the competency of managers and the performance of MFIs in Goma. The data used in this study were collected in the city of Goma on the basis of qualitative surveys (individual surveys, questionnaires). The data was processed using SPSS and Smart PLS 4 statistical analysis software with a structural equation econometric model.Based on a sample of 148 agents within the MFIs surveyed in July 2024, we selected a total of nine variables, including three independent variables serving as indicators of managerial skill profiles (generic, technical and conceptual skills), three dependent variables serving as performance indicators (financial performance, market performance and operational performance) and three socio-demographic variables: the seniority of managers, their level of education and the number of training courses they have completed. The results of our research confirm that all the competency indicators and variables analysed have a positive and significant effect on the performance of the MFIs surveyed in Goma. These results encourage MFIs to develop the managerial skills of their managers with a view to improving their institutional performance.
Mental health services are constantly evolving with the gradual introduction of functionalized care, which means medical intervention has become more focused on a particular clinical area or stage of the illness. This has progressed to having designated teams for inpatient psychiatry. Usually, psychiatrists manage their patients both in outpatient and inpatient settings while working in a particular geographical area or sector. Moving away from this model to a functionalized inpatient setting, where other psychiatrists take care of their patients, is seen as a breach in continuity of care. In this context, it was intended to review the current literature for the experience of clinicians and patients in these sectorized (medical continuity) or functionalized models of psychiatric inpatient care. A narrative review of the current literature from multiple databases was conducted. The results suggested that there are positive and negative observations in both models. It appeared that neither met the expectations of patients nor clinicians. Patients preferred to be seen by the same consultant in community and inpatient settings, but clinical outcomes were not significantly different in the two models. The functionalized care was mostly medical continuity rather than multidisciplinary. Any changes in the care models may be driven by local facilities and issues. There is a need to improve the quality of care through existing models before any changes. More studies are needed to improve the evidence on the effectiveness of these service models.
Social media use among young people has been associated with body dissatisfaction due to exposure to hegemonic beauty standards. This study examined the effect of hegemonic beauty content on body dissatisfaction among Indonesian adults. A true experiment with a pretest-posttest control group design involved 40 participants (20 females and 20 males) aged 18–25 years. Repeated-measures ANOVA showed no significant difference in body dissatisfaction between the experimental and control groups (p = .335). The control group had a higher mean score (44.770) than the experimental group (31.681), although the difference was not statistically significant. These findings indicate that brief exposure to body diversity content did not significantly affect body dissatisfaction. This result may reflect limited exposure duration and participants’ prior experiences with beauty standards. Future research should examine longer exposure periods using naturalistic longitudinal designs that account for individual differences and cultural context in social media use and body image.
Background: Caring for children with cerebral palsy places emotional, social, and practical demands on families. Objective: This study explored the lived experiences of family caregivers of children with cerebral palsy. Methods: A qualitative phenomenological study involved six family caregivers purposively selected on the basis of their direct involvement in daily care. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi’s method. Results: Seven themes were identified: emotional responses to the child’s condition; caregiving challenges and barriers; forms of support received; limited access to specialized services; acceptance and hopes for the child’s future; caregiving role conflicts; and changes in daily routines and sleep patterns. Conclusion: The findings indicate that caregiving is a complex process of adaptation shaped by family support, shared responsibilities, and service availability. Emotional support, caregiver education, and continuing guidance are needed to strengthen family well-being and the quality of care provided to children.
Background: Patients recovering from craniotomy in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) are at risk of hemodynamic changes related to stress responses, neurological impairment, pain, and environmental stimuli. A combination of music therapy and hand massage may help maintain hemodynamic stability in these patients. Objective: To describe the application of combined music therapy and hand massage to support hemodynamic stability in post-craniotomy patients in the ICU. Methods: This evidence-based nursing intervention was implemented with three post-craniotomy patients admitted to the ICU of Abdul Wahab Sjahranie Regional General Hospital, Samarinda. The intervention consisted of 15 minutes of instrumental or classical music followed by 15 minutes of effleurage hand massage. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), and oxygen saturation (SpO₂) were measured before and after each intervention. The intervention was conducted over three days, with each patient’s clinical changes monitored. Results: The case study findings indicated greater stability in blood pressure, MAP, HR, RR, and SpO₂ following the intervention. Conclusion: Combined music therapy and hand massage may be a safe, non-pharmacological intervention to support nursing care and maintain hemodynamic stability in post-craniotomy patients. Further research is needed to assess its effects on other outcomes, including biochemical changes.
Chemistry teaching is still based on traditional methods of memorization and repetition, a consequence of students' difficulty in understanding chemical models when contextualized pedagogical strategies are not employed. In this context, digital games emerge as a promising alternative to make teaching more dynamic, interactive, and accessible. This qualitative study aimed to analyze how digital games are perceived and used by undergraduate chemistry students during their training, understanding how this knowledge is articulated with academic productions on the subject. The research was conducted through a bibliographic survey, with a time frame from 2014 to 2024, using the Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations as a database. Additionally, a questionnaire was applied to 72 students of the Chemistry undergraduate course at a Federal University in the Northeast region of Brazil to understand their perceptions of digital games in the educational context. The results indicate that 98.6% of the students recognize the potential of digital games in chemistry learning. According to this result, 69.4% have already used these cultural artifacts to learn chemical concepts, which justifies 79.2% of respondents feeling familiar with this technology, emphasizing the emergence of a more connected society. Conversely, a significant lack of training on the use of Digital Games was identified, due to the absence of subjects addressing this topic in the curricula of Chemistry undergraduate courses that adhere to the Unified Selection System. It is concluded that this study highlights how Digital Games can significantly contribute to improving Chemistry teaching, provided there is adequate teacher training. Thus, it is essential that undergraduate courses include the pedagogical use of Digital Games in their curricula, promoting an educational practice aligned with contemporary demands and available technological possibilities.
Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) provide frontline guidance and support in demanding military environments, where operational workloads can affect personnel well-being and performance. This study described junior enlisted personnel’s assessments of NCO leadership, occupational burnout, and operational performance at the 560th Air Base Group, Brigadier General Benito N. Ebuen Air Base, during 2026, and examined challenges encountered by First Sergeants. A descriptive survey design involved 180 junior enlisted personnel selected from 326 eligible personnel through squadron-stratified sampling, supplemented by qualitative accounts from 11 First Sergeants. Adapted questionnaires measured four leadership dimensions, three burnout dimensions, and four performance dimensions; frequency, percentage, weighted mean, standard deviation, and thematic analysis were used. Leadership ratings ranged from 3.9236 for supervision, mentorship, and welfare support to 4.0361 for task guidance. Emotional exhaustion was moderate (M = 2.7833), whereas depersonalization (M ≈ 2.42) and reduced personal accomplishment (M = 2.1375) were low. Operational performance ratings were favorable (M = 4.0056–4.1667). Interview accounts identified manpower shortages, inadequate resources, strain on personnel welfare, and interpersonal leadership concerns. The findings informed a proposed Leadership Enhancement and Sustainability Framework prioritizing staffing, mentoring, workload management, and leadership integrity. Because the thesis did not report predictive regression or correlation tests, the results support descriptive assessment and an intervention proposal rather than established statistical prediction.
Preparing for the Civil Services Examination is long, costly, and uncertain, yet little research has listened to aspirants in India's Tier 2 cities. This descriptive survey asked 523 aspirants enrolled in coaching in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, about their stress, coping, attitudes to professional mental-health support, and the support their institutions offer. More than half (55.8%) called the past month very or extremely stressful, and financial strain, family expectations, and fear of judgement were prominent. Aspirants coped through peers, breaks, and planning, yet 84.3% felt they had not found a strategy that worked. Most (90.6%) thought professional help reasonable, but only 23.9% had used it, mainly held back by fear of peer judgement, cost, and confidentiality worries. Most (84.1%) rated stress-related support from their institutions as inadequate or absent. The findings are descriptive, not causal, and suggest support should change the conditions of preparation as well as strengthen individual coping.
The rapid digitalisation and technological advancements associated with Industry 4.0 are transforming work environments, job demands, and employee expectations across sectors. While these changes create new opportunities for flexibility, innovation, and productivity, they also introduce increased pressures that can affect workers’ psychological well-being in different ways. Emerging literature highlights mental health and well-being as critical concerns in the digital era, yet limited attention has been given to how these changes are experienced differently by men and women. This conceptual paper aims to examine gender differences in psychological well-being within the context of Industry 4.0, with a focus on work demands, work–life balance, and organisational support. Through a critical review of existing empirical and theoretical studies, a conceptual framework is proposed, drawing on the Job Demands–Resources (JD–R) theory and supported by Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being model. This framework provides an understanding of how demands and resources associated with Industry 4.0 shape the well-being of men and women in both similar and different ways. The study offers insights for policymakers, organisations, and researchers in developing more inclusive and gender-sensitive strategies to support employee well-being in technology-driven workplaces and contributes to discussions on sustainable work and mental health in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The present study aimed at examining relationship between sociotropy and autonomy with self-esteem and anxiety in adults in Pakistan and to test the moderation effect of perceived social support in the relationships between sociotropy and autonomy with self-esteem and anxiety. Methods: A quantitative correlational design was used. The sample consisted of 500 healthy unmarried individuals aged 18-29 years who were selected from government and private universities across the country, using a purposive sampling technique. The Personal Style Inventory, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the anxiety subscale of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 were all filled out by the participants. Data were processed in SPSS version 26, descriptive statistics, Pearson product-moment correlation, Hayes' PROCESS Macro Model 1 and internal consistency analysis were used. Results: There was a significant correlation between sociotropy and anxiety (r=.22, p<.01) and with perceived social support (r=.29, p<.01), but not with self-esteem (r=-.05, p=.267). Self-esteem (r=.15, p<.01), anxiety (r=.12, p<.01) and perceived social support (r=.20, p<.01) were positively related to autonomy. Perceived social support was shown to be significantly positively related to self-esteem (r=.14, p<.01) and, surprisingly, not significantly related to anxiety (r≈0, p=.977). Sociotropy × perceived social support interactions were significant for self-esteem (B=.002, p=.026) and anxiety (B=.001, p=.010), but the autonomy × perceived social support interactions were not significant for self-esteem (B≈0, p=.750) or anxiety (B≈0, p=.569). Conclusion: The results suggest that the sociotropic orientation is related to higher anxiety and that perceived social support modifies the relationship between sociotropy and self-esteem and anxiety. A positive relationship was found between autonomy and self-esteem and autonomy and anxiety; and perceived social support did not significantly change these relationships. These findings underline the need for taking both vulnerability and inter-personal resources into account to comprehend anxiety in young adults in Pakistan.
Chronobiology studies indicate that individuals are regulated by three timers: social, solar, and biological. Environmental and behavioral changes can modify the sleep–wake cycle. Many university students adopt nighttime study habits, interfering with the circadian rhythm. Sleep restriction or poor sleep quality compromises memory and significantly reduces academic performance. This study aimed to verify whether there is an association between sleep quality and academic performance among nursing and medical students at a public university in Alagoas, Brazil. This is an observational, cross-sectional, and quantitative study conducted with 137 Nursing and Medical students, selected through stratified probabilistic sampling. Data collection included a sociodemographic questionnaire to characterize the sample, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire (MCTQ), and academic self-assessment. Data were analyzed for normality, and associations were tested using Pearson and Spearman correlations (SciPy – Python). Among the 137 students, 65.7% were women, 70.1% were between 19 and 24 years old, 67.9% rated their academic performance between 7.0 and 8.9, and 66.4% presented poor sleep quality. Negative correlations between the PSQI and self-assessment variables (r = -0.368; p < 0.001 for Pearson; r = -0.360; p < 0.001 for Spearman) reinforce the importance of sleep quality in the academic context. The findings highlight the urgency of interventions that promote sleep hygiene education and strategies to improve rest quality, reducing the likelihood of problems that may negatively impact students’ academic performance.
The present study examined the role of cynical hostility in marital adjustment and psychological wellbeing of married couples. It also investigated the differences in cynical hostility across gender. The sample for the study was comprised of husbands (n=120) and wives (n=120) living in Swabi, Mardan, and Peshawar districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The Marital Satisfaction Test (Locke & Wallac, 1959), the Cook-Medley Hostility Scale (Cook & Medley, 1954), and the Psychological Wellbeing Scale (Ryff, 1989) were utilized for data collection. Findings of Linear Regression Analyses showed that cynical hostility is a significant predictor of both marital adjustment and psychological wellbeing. Results indicated that a high level of cynical hostility negatively influences the psychological wellbeing and marital adjustment of couples. Further, no significant gender differences were revealed in the level of cynical hostility. The study possesses several implications in social and interpersonal relationships, the family environment, and the health sector.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought about consequences extending beyond the health crisis itself, particularly affecting the mental health of the adult population in Latin America—a region where structural inequalities and healthcare deficiencies exacerbated the emotional impact of lockdowns, economic uncertainty, and the fear of infection. This study aimed to identify and analyze the psychological factors linked to stress levels experienced by adults in the region following the health emergency, utilizing a systematic literature review conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. The process began with 543 records identified in databases such as PubMed, SciELO, and Elsevier, from which 30 publications covering the 2022–2026 period were selected. Findings revealed that anxiety, depression, emotional fatigue, and post-traumatic stress were the predominant manifestations, associated with social isolation, economic instability, academic and work-related overload, and low socioeconomic status. Resilience and family support served as protective factors against these manifestations. The study concludes that post-pandemic stress has a multifactorial origin and that its effects can persist over time, highlighting the need to strengthen public mental health policies for the adult population.
This study examined the influence of attachment style on fear of intimacy among emerging adults aged 18–25 years. A quantitative approach involved 152 participants who were currently or had previously been in romantic relationships, recruited through convenience sampling. Data were collected using the Experiences in Close Relationships–Revised (ECR-R) and Fear of Intimacy Scale (FIS). Linear regression analysis showed that insecure attachment significantly predicted fear of intimacy (β = 0.570, p < .001). Both attachment avoidance (β = 0.432, p < .001) and attachment anxiety (β = 0.368, p < .001) were significant predictors, with avoidance showing a stronger association. These findings suggest that discomfort with emotional closeness and anxiety in romantic relationships are associated with greater fear of intimacy. The results highlight the potential value of psychological interventions that support emerging adults in developing safer and healthier romantic relationships.
Discourse competence plays a crucial role in preparing English as Second Language (ESL) learners to produce coherent and cohesive communication. Nevertheless, the effective use of cohesive devices remains a challenge for many ESL learners, hindering their ability to produce coherent and meaningful discourse. To address this issue, the Case of the Lost Linkers Digital Educational Escape Room (DEER) was developed as a gamified learning tool to support the development of discourse competence. This study aimed to investigate ESL learners’ acceptance of the DEER game using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). A quantitative survey design was employed involving 151 ESL learners from a Malaysian public university. Data were collected using a five-section questionnaire consisting of demographic information and four TAM constructs: perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude toward use, and behavioural intention to use. Descriptive analysis revealed high levels of acceptance across all constructs. Learners perceived the DEER game as useful, user-friendly, enjoyable, and effective for learning linkers and cohesive devices. They also expressed strong intentions to continue using and recommending the game. The findings suggest that DEER has considerable potential as an engaging and learner-centred tool for supporting discourse competence development in ESL contexts.
Background: Psychiatric disorders differ in their typical age of onset, but evidence describing onset patterns in small clinical samples from Kerala, India, is limited. This pilot study examined the association between diagnostic group and age of symptom onset and described the interval between symptom onset and first diagnosis. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted using 50 consecutively sampled patient records from psychiatric outpatient and inpatient services at VPSV Ayurveda College, Kottakkal, Kerala. Diagnoses were based on DSM-5 criteria. Data included age at symptom onset, age at first diagnosis, sex, source of onset information, family psychiatric history, comorbidity, and medical or neurological conditions. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests were used; inferential analyses were considered exploratory. Results: Participants included 30 males and 20 females; mean current age was 35.14 ± 15.36 years. Mean age at symptom onset was 26.02 ± 14.83 years (median 25.5; range 1-72), and 28% reported onset before age 18. Age of onset differed across ten diagnostic groups (Kruskal-Wallis H = 28.58, df = 9, p < 0.001). Median onset was earliest in neurodevelopmental disorders (3.5 years) and latest in neurocognitive disorders (66 years). Median onset-to-diagnosis interval was one year (interquartile range 0-4); 14% waited six years or longer. Earlier onset correlated with a longer interval to diagnosis (Spearman ? = -0.350, p = 0.013). No significant sex difference in onset age was observed. Conclusion: The findings suggest distinct onset patterns across diagnostic groups in this clinical sample and indicate that some patients experience prolonged diagnostic delays. Larger, multicentre studies are required to confirm these exploratory results.
Anxiety and depressive symptoms frequently co-occur during adolescence. Physical activity is associated with adolescent mental health at the scale-score level, but its links with individual symptoms and their temporal ordering remain less clear. This study examined contemporaneous and one-year prospective associations between physical activity and individual anxiety/depression symptoms, evaluated the robustness of pooling three annual wave-pair cohorts, and compared network patterns between male and female adolescents. Three adjacent annual wave-pair cohorts (2020–2021, 2021–2022, and 2022–2023) from a Chinese national adolescent health survey were analyzed ( N = 13,785 wave-pair records). Physical activity was measured with the PAQ-A and anxiety/depression symptoms with the SCL-90. Gaussian graphical models and cross-lagged panel networks (CLPNs) were estimated. Annual-cohort invariance, missingness, centrality, bridge centrality, accuracy, stability, and male/female differences were examined. Annual-cohort comparisons showed no detectable network-structure differences (M = 0.07–0.08, p = 0.120–0.270) or global-strength differences (ΔS = 0.12–0.32, p = 0.150–0.320). Little’s test was nonsignificant (χ² = 79.39, df = 89, p = 0.531), providing no evidence against a completely-at-random missingness mechanism. In the pooled contemporaneous network, physical activity had negative partial correlations with low motivation (weight = -0.0732), low energy (-0.0651), and nervousness (-0.0532). Worthlessness (expected influence [EI] = 1.39), tension (EI = 1.38), and nervousness (EI = 1.34) were influential nodes. Panic had the highest reported bridge EI (0.659). In the CLPN, physical activity was prospectively associated with lower low motivation ( β = -0.0602) and low mood ( β = -0.0561), while nervousness was associated with lower subsequent physical activity ( β = -0.0539). Male and female networks differed in structure (M = 0.112, p < 0.001) but not global strength (ΔS = 0.19, p = 0.709). Physical activity occupied a peripheral position in the contemporaneous network but showed small prospective associations with selected anxiety and depressive symptoms. These temporal associations do not establish causality. The stable annual-cohort pattern and male/female-specific edge configuration support further confirmatory work using designs that can address unmeasured confounding and within-person change.
Introduction: Ecuadorian higher education has experienced different dynamics in scientific production, presenting a significant challenge regarding the integration and participation of university students. The problem lies in a lack of knowledge analyzing the correlation between academic anxiety and scientific production in a university context in the city of Ambato, Ecuador. Objective: To determine the correlational association between academic anxiety and scientific production among university students in the city of Ambato in 2025. Methodology: The research employed a correlational approach, a quantitative methodology, and a non-experimental design. Data was collected using a structured survey administered to 248 university students, selected through convenience sampling. Results and Discussion: The main results show that 31.45% of students experience physical fatigue when conducting research activities, 57.26% perceive that they are not meeting the demands of a research project, 47.58% avoid engaging in scientific research, and a Pearson correlation coefficient of -0.027 was obtained, demonstrating a negative association between the variables studied. Conclusion: The university students experience physiological, cognitive, and behavioral difficulties when producing a scientific product, where a lack of experience and student support makes scientific research a difficult and uninteresting field for university students to explore.
Background: Father involvement is an important aspect of the caregiving environment that is associated with children’s social-emotional development. Such involvement includes interaction, support, attention, and participation in children’s activities. This study aimed to analyze the association between nine dimensions of father involvement and emotional and behavioral difficulties among children aged 5-9 years. Methods: This study used a quantitative research method with a cross-sectional design. Participants were 130 mothers who had children aged 5-9 years in Jonggol Village. Father involvement was measured using the Inventory of Father Involvement (IFI), consisting of nine dimensions, while children’s emotional and behavioral difficulties were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) through the Total Difficulties score. Associations were analyzed using the Spearman Rank correlation test with a significance level of 5%. Results: Three of the nine IFI dimensions showed significant negative associations with SDQ Total Difficulties: Time and Talking (rs = −0.181; p = 0.040), Reading and Homework (rs = −0.227; p = 0.009), and Attention (rs = −0.178; p = 0.043). The other six dimensions were not significantly associated with SDQ Total Difficulties (p > 0.05). Findings are exploratory (p-values unadjusted). Conclusion: Specific aspects of father involvement, particularly time and communication, participation in reading and homework, and attention, were associated with lower emotional and behavioral difficulties among children. These findings highlight the importance of examining father involvement not only as an overall construct but also according to its specific dimensions
