scholarly journals Galacto- and Fructo-oligosaccharides Utilized for Growth by Cocultures of Bifidobacterial Species Characteristic of the Infant Gut

2020 ◽  
Vol 86 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian M. Sims ◽  
Gerald W. Tannock
Keyword(s):  
Breast Milk ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Bifidobacterium Longum ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Child Rearing ◽  
Potential Growth ◽  
Human Infants ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Infant Diet ◽  
Growth Substrates

ABSTRACT Bifidobacterial species are common inhabitants of the gut of human infants during the period when milk is a major component of the diet. Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium longum subspecies longum, and B. longum subspecies infantis have been detected frequently in infant feces, but B. longum subsp. infantis may be disadvantaged numerically in the gut of infants in westernized countries. This may be due to the different durations of breast milk feeding in different countries. Supplementation of the infant diet or replacement of breast milk using formula feeds is common in Western countries. Formula milks often contain galacto- and/or fructo-oligosaccharides (GOS and FOS, respectively) as additives to augment the concentration of oligosaccharides in ruminant milks, but the ability of B. longum subsp. infantis to utilize these potential growth substrates when they are in competition with other bifidobacterial species is unknown. We compared the growth and oligosaccharide utilization of GOS and FOS by bifidobacterial species in pure culture and coculture. Short-chain GOS and FOS (degrees of polymerization [DP] 2 and 3) were favored growth substrates for strains of B. bifidum and B. longum subsp. longum, whereas both B. breve and B. longum subsp. infantis had the ability to utilize both short- and longer-chain GOS and FOS (DP 2 to 6). B. breve was nevertheless numerically dominant over B. longum subsp. infantis in cocultures. This was probably related to the slower use of GOS of DP 3 by B. longum subsp. infantis, indicating that the kinetics of substrate utilization is an important ecological factor in the assemblage of gut communities. IMPORTANCE The kinds of bacteria that form the collection of microbes (the microbiota) in the gut of human infants may influence health and well-being. Knowledge of how the composition of the infant diet influences the assemblage of the bacterial collection is therefore important because dietary interventions may offer opportunities to alter the microbiota with the aim of improving health. Bifidobacterium longum subspecies infantis is a well-known bacterial species, but under modern child-rearing conditions it may be disadvantaged in the gut. Modern formula milks often contain particular oligosaccharide additives that are generally considered to support bifidobacterial growth. However, studies of the ability of various bifidobacterial species to grow together in the presence of these oligosaccharides have not been conducted. These kinds of studies are essential for developing concepts of microbial ecology related to the influence of human nutrition on the development of the gut microbiota.

Galacto- and Fructo-oligosaccharides Utilized for Growth by Cocultures of Bifidobacterial Species Characteristic of the Infant Gut

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Sims ◽  
GW Tannock
Keyword(s):  
Breast Milk ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Bifidobacterium Longum ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Bifidobacterium Bifidum ◽  
Child Rearing ◽  
Potential Growth ◽  
Human Infants ◽  
Infant Diet ◽  
Growth Substrates

Copyright © 2020 American Society for Microbiology. Bifidobacterial species are common inhabitants of the gut of human infants during the period when milk is a major component of the diet. Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium longum subspecies longum, and B. longum subspecies infantis have been detected frequently in infant feces, but B. longum subsp. infantis may be disadvantaged numerically in the gut of infants in westernized countries. This may be due to the different durations of breast milk feeding in different countries. Supplementation of the infant diet or replacement of breast milk using formula feeds is common in Western countries. Formula milks often contain galacto- and/or fructo-oligosaccharides (GOS and FOS, respectively) as additives to augment the concentration of oligosaccharides in ruminant milks, but the ability of B. longum subsp. infantis to utilize these potential growth substrates when they are in competition with other bifidobacterial species is unknown. We compared the growth and oligosaccharide utilization of GOS and FOS by bifidobacterial species in pure culture and coculture. Short-chain GOS and FOS (degrees of polymerization [DP] 2 and 3) were favored growth substrates for strains of B. bifidum and B. longum subsp. longum, whereas both B. breve and B. longum subsp. infantis had the ability to utilize both short- and longer-chain GOS and FOS (DP 2 to 6). B. breve was nevertheless numerically dominant over B. longum subsp. infantis in cocultures. This was probably related to the slower use of GOS of DP 3 by B. longum subsp. infantis, indicating that the kinetics of substrate utilization is an important ecological factor in the assemblage of gut communities.IMPORTANCE The kinds of bacteria that form the collection of microbes (the microbiota) in the gut of human infants may influence health and well-being. Knowledge of how the composition of the infant diet influences the assemblage of the bacterial collection is therefore important because dietary interventions may offer opportunities to alter the microbiota with the aim of improving health. Bifidobacterium longum subspecies infantis is a well-known bacterial species, but under modern child-rearing conditions it may be disadvantaged in the gut. Modern formula milks often contain particular oligosaccharide additives that are generally considered to support bifidobacterial growth. However, studies of the ability of various bifidobacterial species to grow together in the presence of these oligosaccharides have not been conducted. These kinds of studies are essential for developing concepts of microbial ecology related to the influence of human nutrition on the development of the gut microbiota.

Galacto- and Fructo-oligosaccharides Utilized for Growth by Cocultures of Bifidobacterial Species Characteristic of the Infant Gut

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Sims ◽  
GW Tannock
Keyword(s):  
Breast Milk ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Bifidobacterium Longum ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Bifidobacterium Bifidum ◽  
Child Rearing ◽  
Potential Growth ◽  
Human Infants ◽  
Infant Diet ◽  
Growth Substrates

Copyright © 2020 American Society for Microbiology. Bifidobacterial species are common inhabitants of the gut of human infants during the period when milk is a major component of the diet. Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium longum subspecies longum, and B. longum subspecies infantis have been detected frequently in infant feces, but B. longum subsp. infantis may be disadvantaged numerically in the gut of infants in westernized countries. This may be due to the different durations of breast milk feeding in different countries. Supplementation of the infant diet or replacement of breast milk using formula feeds is common in Western countries. Formula milks often contain galacto- and/or fructo-oligosaccharides (GOS and FOS, respectively) as additives to augment the concentration of oligosaccharides in ruminant milks, but the ability of B. longum subsp. infantis to utilize these potential growth substrates when they are in competition with other bifidobacterial species is unknown. We compared the growth and oligosaccharide utilization of GOS and FOS by bifidobacterial species in pure culture and coculture. Short-chain GOS and FOS (degrees of polymerization [DP] 2 and 3) were favored growth substrates for strains of B. bifidum and B. longum subsp. longum, whereas both B. breve and B. longum subsp. infantis had the ability to utilize both short- and longer-chain GOS and FOS (DP 2 to 6). B. breve was nevertheless numerically dominant over B. longum subsp. infantis in cocultures. This was probably related to the slower use of GOS of DP 3 by B. longum subsp. infantis, indicating that the kinetics of substrate utilization is an important ecological factor in the assemblage of gut communities.IMPORTANCE The kinds of bacteria that form the collection of microbes (the microbiota) in the gut of human infants may influence health and well-being. Knowledge of how the composition of the infant diet influences the assemblage of the bacterial collection is therefore important because dietary interventions may offer opportunities to alter the microbiota with the aim of improving health. Bifidobacterium longum subspecies infantis is a well-known bacterial species, but under modern child-rearing conditions it may be disadvantaged in the gut. Modern formula milks often contain particular oligosaccharide additives that are generally considered to support bifidobacterial growth. However, studies of the ability of various bifidobacterial species to grow together in the presence of these oligosaccharides have not been conducted. These kinds of studies are essential for developing concepts of microbial ecology related to the influence of human nutrition on the development of the gut microbiota.

scholarly journals Oligosaccharides Released from Milk Glycoproteins Are Selective Growth Substrates for Infant-Associated Bifidobacteria

2016 ◽  
Vol 82 (12) ◽  
pp. 3622-3630 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sercan Karav ◽  
Annabelle Le Parc ◽  
Juliana Maria Leite Nobrega de Moura Bell ◽  
Steven A. Frese ◽  
Nina Kirmiz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Human Milk ◽  
Bifidobacterium Longum ◽  
Bovine Milk ◽  
Selective Growth ◽  
Whey Protein Concentrate ◽  
Human Milk Oligosaccharides ◽  
Milk Oligosaccharides ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Growth Substrates

ABSTRACTMilk, in addition to nourishing the neonate, provides a range of complex glycans whose construction ensures a specific enrichment of key members of the gut microbiota in the nursing infant, a consortium known as the milk-oriented microbiome. Milk glycoproteins are thought to function similarly, as specific growth substrates for bifidobacteria common to the breast-fed infant gut. Recently, a cell wall-associated endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase (EndoBI-1) found in various infant-borne bifidobacteria was shown to remove a range of intactN-linked glycans. We hypothesized that these released oligosaccharide structures can serve as a sole source for the selective growth of bifidobacteria. We demonstrated that EndoBI-1 releasedN-glycans from concentrated bovine colostrum at the pilot scale. EndoBI-1-releasedN-glycans supported the rapid growth ofBifidobacterium longumsubsp.infantis(B. infantis), a species that grows well on human milk oligosaccharides, but did not support growth ofBifidobacterium animalissubsp.lactis(B. lactis), a species which does not. Conversely,B. infantisATCC 15697 did not grow on the deglycosylated milk protein fraction, clearly demonstrating that the glycan portion of milk glycoproteins provided the key substrate for growth. Mass spectrometry-based profiling revealed thatB. infantisconsumed 73% of neutral and 92% of sialylatedN-glycans, whileB. lactisdegraded only 11% of neutral and virtually no (<1%) sialylatedN-glycans. These results provide mechanistic support thatN-linked glycoproteins from milk serve as selective substrates for the enrichment of infant-associated bifidobacteria capable of carrying out the initial deglycosylation. Moreover, releasedN-glycans were better growth substrates than the intact milk glycoproteins, suggesting that EndoBI-1 cleavage is a key initial step in consumption of glycoproteins. Finally, the variety ofN-glycans released from bovine milk glycoproteins suggests that they may serve as novel prebiotic substrates with selective properties similar to those of human milk oligosaccharides.IMPORTANCEIt has been previously shown that glycoproteins serve as growth substrates for bifidobacteria. However, which part of a glycoprotein (glycans or polypeptides) is responsible for this function was not known. In this study, we used a novel enzyme to cleave conjugatedN-glycans from milk glycoproteins and tested their consumption by various bifidobacteria. The results showed that the glycans selectively stimulated the growth ofB. infantis, which is a key infant gut microbe. The selectivity of consumption of individualN-glycans was determined using advanced mass spectrometry (nano-liquid chromatography chip–quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry [nano-LC-Chip-Q-TOF MS]) to reveal thatB. infantiscan consume the range of glycan structures released from whey protein concentrate.

scholarly journals tufGene Sequence Variation inBifidobacterium longumsubsp.infantisDetected in the Fecal Microbiota of Chinese Infants

2018 ◽  
Vol 84 (13) ◽  
Author(s):  
Blair Lawley ◽  
Manuela Centanni ◽  
Jun Watanabe ◽  
Ian Sims ◽  
Susan Carnachan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Pcr ◽  
Bifidobacterium Longum ◽  
Operational Taxonomic Unit ◽  
Fecal Microbiota ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Human Infants ◽  
Content Type ◽  
High Throughput Dna Sequencing ◽  
Microcosm Studies ◽  
And Function

ABSTRACTMembers of the bacterial genusBifidobacteriumgenerally dominate the fecal microbiota of infants. The speciesBifidobacterium longumis prevalent, but theB. longumsubsp.longumandB. longumsubsp.infantisstrains that are known to colonize the infant bowel are not usually differentiated in microbiota investigations. These subspecies differ in their capacities to metabolize human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) and may have different ecological and symbiotic roles in humans. Quantitative PCR provides a quick analytical method by which to accurately ascertain the abundances of target species in microbiotas and microcosms. However, amplification targets in DNA extracted from samples need to be dependably differential. We evaluated thetufgene sequence as a molecular target for quantitative PCR measurements of the abundances ofB. longumsubsp.infantisandB. longumsubsp.longumin fecal microbiotas. This approach resulted in the detection of atufgene variant (operational taxonomic unit 49 [OTU49]) in Chinese infants that has sequence similarities to bothB. longumsubsp.infantisandB. longumsubsp.longum. We compared the genome sequence and growth and transcriptional characteristics of an OTU49 isolate cultured in HMO medium to those of otherB. longumsubsp.infantiscultures. We concluded from these studies that OTU49 belongs toB. longumsubsp.infantis, that dependable quantitative PCR (qPCR) differentiation between theB. longumsubspecies cannot be achieved by targetingtufgene sequences, and that functional genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism might be better targets because they delineate ecological functions.IMPORTANCEHigh-throughput DNA sequencing methods and advanced bioinformatics analysis have revealed the composition and biochemical capacities of microbial communities (microbiota and microbiome), including those that inhabit the gut of human infants. However, the microbiology and function of natural ecosystems have received little attention in recent decades, so an appreciation of the dynamics of gut microbiota interactions is lacking. With respect to infants, rapid methodologies, such as quantitative PCR, are needed to determine the prevalences and proportions of different bifidobacterial species in observational and microcosm studies in order to obtain a better understanding of the dynamics of bifidobacterial nutrition and syntrophy, knowledge that might be used to manipulate the microbiota and perhaps ensure the better health of infants.

scholarly journals Comparison of the Compositions of the Stool Microbiotas of Infants Fed Goat Milk Formula, Cow Milk-Based Formula, or Breast Milk

2013 ◽  
Vol 79 (9) ◽  
pp. 3040-3048 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerald W. Tannock ◽  
Blair Lawley ◽  
Karen Munro ◽  
Siva Gowri Pathmanathan ◽  
Shao J. Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Milk ◽  
Infant Nutrition ◽  
Bifidobacterium Longum ◽  
Goat Milk ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Cow Milk ◽  
Milk Formula ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Stool Samples

ABSTRACTThe aim of the study was to compare the compositions of the fecal microbiotas of infants fed goat milk formula to those of infants fed cow milk formula or breast milk as the gold standard. Pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA gene sequences was used in the analysis of the microbiotas in stool samples collected from 90 Australian babies (30 in each group) at 2 months of age. Beta-diversity analysis of total microbiota sequences andLachnospiraceaesequences revealed that they were more similar in breast milk/goat milk comparisons than in breast milk/cow milk comparisons. TheLachnospiraceaewere mostly restricted to a single species (Ruminococcus gnavus) in breast milk-fed and goat milk-fed babies compared to a more diverse collection in cow milk-fed babies.Bifidobacteriaceaewere abundant in the microbiotas of infants in all three groups.Bifidobacterium longum,Bifidobacterium breve, andBifidobacterium bifidumwere the most commonly detected bifidobacterial species. A semiquantitative PCR method was devised to differentiate betweenB. longumsubsp.longumandB. longumsubsp.infantisand was used to test stool samples.B. longumsubsp.infantiswas seldom present in stools, even of breast milk-fed babies. The presence ofB. bifidumin the stools of breast milk-fed infants at abundances greater than 10% of the total microbiota was associated with the highest total abundances ofBifidobacteriaceae. WhenBifidobacteriaceaeabundance was low,Lachnospiraceaeabundances were greater. New information about the composition of the fecal microbiota when goat milk formula is used in infant nutrition was thus obtained.

scholarly journals A Transposon Mutagenesis System forBifidobacterium longumsubsp.longumBased on an IS3Family Insertion Sequence, ISBlo11

2018 ◽  
Vol 84 (17) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikiyasu Sakanaka ◽  
Shingo Nakakawaji ◽  
Shin Nakajima ◽  
Satoru Fukiya ◽  
Arisa Abe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Next Generation Sequencing ◽  
Insertion Sequence ◽  
Function Analysis ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Bifidobacterium Longum ◽  
Transposon Mutagenesis ◽  
Insertion Mutant ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Generation Sequencing

ABSTRACTBifidobacteria are a major component of the intestinal microbiota in humans, particularly breast-fed infants. Therefore, elucidation of the mechanisms by which these bacteria colonize the intestine is desired. One approach is transposon mutagenesis, a technique currently attracting much attention because, in combination with next-generation sequencing, it enables exhaustive identification of genes that contribute to microbial fitness. We now describe a transposon mutagenesis system forBifidobacterium longumsubsp.longum105-A (JCM 31944) based on ISBlo11, a native IS3family insertion sequence. To build this system, xylose-inducible or constitutive bifidobacterial promoters were tested to drive the expression of full-length or a truncated form at the N terminus of the ISBlo11transposase. An artificial transposon plasmid, pBFS12, in which ISBlo11terminal inverted repeats are separated by a 3-bp spacer, was also constructed to mimic the transposition intermediate of IS3elements. The introduction of this plasmid into a strain expressing transposase resulted in the insertion of the plasmid with an efficiency of >103CFU/μg DNA. The plasmid targets random 3- to 4-bp sequences, but with a preference for noncoding regions. This mutagenesis system also worked at least inB. longumNCC2705. Characterization of a transposon insertion mutant revealed that a putative α-glucosidase mediates palatinose and trehalose assimilation, demonstrating the suitability of transposon mutagenesis for loss-of-function analysis. We anticipate that this approach will accelerate functional genomic studies ofB. longumsubsp.longum.IMPORTANCESeveral hundred species of bacteria colonize the mammalian intestine. However, the genes that enable such bacteria to colonize and thrive in the intestine remain largely unexplored. Transposon mutagenesis, combined with next-generation sequencing, is a promising tool to comprehensively identify these genes but has so far been applied only to a small number of intestinal bacterial species. In this study, a transposon mutagenesis system was established forBifidobacterium longumsubsp.longum, a representative health-promotingBifidobacteriumspecies. The system enables the identification of genes that promote colonization and survival in the intestine and should help illuminate the physiology of this species.

scholarly journals Effects of Antibiotics on Bacterial Species Composition and Metabolic Activities in Chemostats Containing Defined Populations of Human Gut Microorganisms

2013 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 2016-2025 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorothy F. Newton ◽  
Sandra Macfarlane ◽  
George T. Macfarlane
Keyword(s):  
Lactobacillus Acidophilus ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Bifidobacterium Longum ◽  
Enzyme Synthesis ◽  
Ecological Niches ◽  
Antibiotic Administration ◽  
Bifidobacterium Adolescentis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Bacterial Physiology ◽  
Metabolic Activities

ABSTRACTThe composition and metabolic activities of the human colonic microbiota are modulated by a number of external factors, including diet and antibiotic therapy. Changes in the structure and metabolism of the gut microbiota may have long-term consequences for host health. The large intestine harbors a complex microbial ecosystem comprising several hundreds of different bacterial species, which complicates investigations on intestinal physiology and ecology. To facilitate such studies, a highly simplified microbiota consisting of 14 anaerobic and facultatively anaerobic organisms (Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron,Bacteroides vulgatus,Bifidobacterium longum,Bifidobacterium infantis,Bifidobacterium pseudolongum,Bifidobacterium adolescentis,Clostridium butyricum,C. perfringens,C. bifermentans,C. innocuum,Escherichia coli,Enterococcus faecalis,Enterococcus faecium,Lactobacillus acidophilus) was used in this investigation. Ampicillin [9.2 μg (ml culture)−1] was added to two chemostats operated at different dilution rates (D; 0.10 h−1and 0.21 h−1), and metronidazole [76.9 μg (ml culture)−1] was added to a third vessel (D= 0.21 h−1). Perturbations in bacterial physiology and metabolism were sampled over a 48-h period.Lactobacillus acidophilusandC. bifermentanspopulations did not establish in the fermentors under the imposed growth conditions. Ampicillin resulted in substantial reductions in bacteroides andC. perfringenspopulations at both dilution rates. Metronidazole strongly affected bacteroides communities but had no effect on bifidobacterial communities. The bacteriostatic effect of ampicillin on bifidobacterial species was growth rate dependent. Several metabolic activities were affected by antibiotic addition, including fermentation product formation and enzyme synthesis. The growth of antibiotic-resistant bifidobacteria in the large bowel may enable them to occupy ecological niches left vacant after antibiotic administration, preventing colonization by pathogenic species.

Engaging leadership in the job demands-resources model

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 446-463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wilmar B. Schaufeli
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Work Performance ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Organizational Outcomes ◽  
Job Resources ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to integrate leadership into the job demands-resources (JD-R) model. Based on self-determination theory, it was argued that engaging leaders who inspire, strengthen, and connect their followers would reduce employee’s levels of burnout and increase their levels of work engagement. Design/methodology/approach – An online survey was conducted among a representative sample of the Dutch workforce (n=1,213) and the research model was tested using structural equation modeling. Findings – It appeared that leadership only had an indirect effect on burnout and engagement – via job demands and job resources – but not a direct effect. Moreover, leadership also had a direct relationship with organizational outcomes such as employability, performance, and commitment. Research limitations/implications – The study used a cross-sectional design and all variables were based on self-reports. Hence, results should be replicated in a longitudinal study and using more objective measures (e.g. for work performance). Practical implications – Since engaged leaders, who inspire, strengthen, and connect their followers, provide a work context in which employees thrive, organizations are well advised to promote engaging leadership. Social implications – Leadership seems to be a crucial factor which has an indirect impact – via job demands and job resources – on employee well-being. Originality/value – The study demonstrates that engaging leadership can be integrated into the JD-R framework.

Development and validation of financial well-being related scales

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 1025-1040 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farah Diba M.A. Abrantes-Braga ◽  
Tania Veludo-de-Oliveira
Keyword(s):  
Interest Rates ◽  
Credit Card ◽  
Discriminant Validity ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Confirmatory Factor Analyses ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Convergent And Discriminant Validity ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Development And Validation ◽  
Additional Income

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop valid and reliable scales for assessing a driver and two obstacles potentially related to financial well-being (FWB): financial preparedness for emergency, beliefs of credit limits as additional income and risky indebtedness behaviour.Design/methodology/approachThe scales were developed from scratch across six studies, employing a two-step methodology, which encompassed both qualitative (e.g. focus group, interviews) and quantitative (i.e. online surveys) data collection. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were employed to test and validate the proposed scales.FindingsThis study provides a set of three parsimonious, self-reported behavioural measures that could be employed in conjunction with objective economic indicators to identify individuals who are financially ill prepared and potential candidates for delinquency. The three proposed scales achieved satisfactory levels of reliability and convergent and discriminant validity.Research limitations/implicationsThe resulting scales still need to be tested for predictive validity and in different consumer groups. The scales were validated in a single culture population (Brazil, a country that presents extraordinarily high credit card interest rates), and they should be tested cross-culturally in countries with different economic and credit policies.Originality/valueThe literature on FWB has traditionally employed objective financial indicators as an attempt to measure the concept of FWB and its elements. Self-reported behavioural measures of such constructs are scant to the point of being non-existent for some elements. This study is the first to offer scales for measuring the elements of financial preparedness for emergency, beliefs of credit limits as additional income and risky indebtedness behaviour.

An exploratory study of teacher buoyancy

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Angel Kit Yi Wong ◽  
Sylvia Yee Fan Tang ◽  
Dora Dong Yu Li ◽  
May May Hung Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Professional Growth ◽  
Pearson Correlation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Enabling Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Daily Work ◽  
Component Framework ◽  
Personal Strengths ◽  
New Instrument

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is threefold. Firstly, a new concept, teacher buoyancy, is introduced. Based on the significance to study how teachers bounce back from minor and frequent setbacks (vs. major adversities emphasized in resilience) in their daily work and the research on buoyancy by Martin and Marsh, a dual-component framework to conceptualize this new concept is introduced. Secondly, the development of a new instrument, the Teacher Buoyancy Scale (TBS), to measure it is presented. Thirdly, results of a study using the TBS are reported, which provide insights into how teacher buoyancy can be fostered.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed a quantitative design. A total of 258 teachers taking a part-time initial teacher education (ITE) program completed the TBS. Their responses were analyzed by exploratory factor analysis (EFA). In addition to descriptive statistics and reliability coefficients, Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to examine the relationship among the factors.FindingsThe data analysis indicated five factors, namely, Coping with difficulties, Bouncing back cognitively and emotionally, Working hard and appraising difficulties positively, Caring for one's well-being and Striving for professional growth. These factors can be readily interpreted by the dual-component framework. Correlations among the factors further revealed that enabling factors can be subdivided into more proximal personal strengths relating to direct coping, and more distal personal assets pertaining to personal well-being. It is the latter that correlates most highly with perceived teacher buoyancy.Originality/valueThe most original contribution of this paper is the proposal of the new concept of teacher buoyancy which is teachers' capacity to deal with the everyday challenges that most teachers face in their teaching. The delineation between buoyancy and resilience sharpens the focus of the problem domain that is most relevant to teachers. The development of the TBS provides a useful and reliable instrument to examine teacher buoyancy in future studies.

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