scholarly journals A three-wave longitudinal study on the relation between commuting strain and somatic symptoms in university students: exploring the role of learning-family conflicts

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathias Diebig ◽  
Jian Li ◽  
Boris Forthmann ◽  
Jan Schmidtke ◽  
Thomas Muth ◽  
...  

Abstract Background We examine the role of learning-family conflicts for the relation between commuting strain and health in a sample of medical university students. The first goal of the study was to investigate the mediating role of learning-family conflicts. The second goal was to extend the temporal view on relations between study variables. Therefore, we differentiated long-term systematic change among variables over a period of two-years from a dynamic perspective with repeated commuting events on the individual level of analyses. Methods We applied a multilevel research design and collected survey data from 128 medical students on three points in time (N = 339 measurement points). Participants informed about commuting strain, learning-family conflicts, somatic symptoms, as well as commuting distance and time. Results Bayesian multilevel analyses showed that results differed with regard to level of analysis: while learning-family conflicts mediated the relation between commuting strain and somatic symptoms on a systematic aggregation-level perspective of analysis (indirect effect estimatebetween = 0.13, SE = .05, 95% CI [0.05; ∞), Evidence Ratio = 250.57), this was not the case on the dynamic event perspective (indirect effect estimatewithin = 0.00, SE = 0.00, 95% CI [− 0.01; ∞), Evidence Ratio = 0.84). Conclusions We demonstrated that learning-family conflicts explain why commuting may have unfavorable effects on health for medical students. We also showed that it is the long-term commuting experience that is related to health complaints and not the single commuting event. This means that short-term deviations from general levels of commuting strain do not cause somatic symptoms, but general high levels of commuting strain do instead.

Author(s):  
Dean Keith Simonton

Although psychologists typically see creativity as an individual-level event, sociologists and cultural anthropologists are more likely to view it as a sociocultural phenomenon. This phenomenon takes place at the level of relatively large and enduring collectives, such as cultures, nations, and even whole civilizations. This chapter reviews the extensive research on such macro-level creativity. The review begins with a historical overview before turning to the cross-sectional research on the creative Ortgeist, a subject that encompasses the factors that influence the relative creativity of both preliterate cultures and entire modern nations. From there the chapter turns to role of the Zeitgeist in affecting the creativity of civilizations across time—the rise and fall of creative activity. This research examines both quantitative and qualitative causes that operate both short- and long-term.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
K. B. Seglem ◽  
R. Ørstavik ◽  
F. A. Torvik ◽  
E. Røysamb ◽  
M. Vollrath

Abstract Background Long-term sickness absences burden the economy in many industrialized countries. Both educational attainment and health behaviors are well-known predictors of sickness absence. It remains, however, unclear whether these associations are causal or due to confounding factors. The co-twin control method allows examining causal hypotheses by controlling for familial confounding (shared genes and environment). In this study, we applied this design to study the role of education and health behaviors in sickness absence, taking sex and cohort differences into account. Methods Participants were two cohorts of in total 8806 Norwegian twins born 1948 to 1960 (older cohort, mean age at questionnaire = 40.3, 55.8% women), and 1967 to 1979 (younger cohort, mean age at questionnaire = 25.6, 58.9% women). Both cohorts had reported their health behaviors (smoking, physical activity and body mass index (BMI)) through a questionnaire during the 1990s. Data on the twins’ educational attainment and long-term sickness absences between 2000 and 2014 were retrieved from Norwegian national registries. Random (individual-level) and fixed (within-twin pair) effects regression models were used to measure the associations between educational attainment, health behaviours and sickness absence and to test the effects of possible familial confounding. Results Low education and poor health behaviors were associated with a higher proportion of sickness absence at the individual level. There were stronger effects of health behaviors on sickness absence in women, and in the older cohort, whereas the effect of educational attainment was similar across sex and cohorts. After adjustment for unobserved familial factors (genetic and environmental factors shared by twin pairs), the associations were strongly attenuated and non-significant, with the exception of health behaviors and sickness absence among men in the older cohort. Conclusions The associations between educational attainment, health behaviors, and sickness absence seem to be confounded by unobserved familial factors shared by co-twins. However, the association between health behaviors and sickness absence was consistent with a causal effect among men in the older cohort. Future studies should consider familial confounding, as well as sex and age/cohort differences, when assessing associations between education, health behaviors and sickness absence.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Hammarström ◽  
Pekka Virtanen

Background and aim: Referring to the ecosocial theory and utilising the ‘natural experiment’ setting provided by the global recession at the beginning of 1990s, the aim of our study was to analyse the short- and long-term associations between trade and mental health in young students followed until mid-adulthood. Method: The study was based on two prospective cohort studies, the older and the younger Northern Swedish Cohort which both consisted of all pupils in a middle-sized industrial town in Northern Sweden. At age 21, the younger cohort entered the labour market during the deep recession of the early 1990s, while the older cohort entered the labour market during the boom of the 1980s. Both cohorts were followed up with a high response rate in mid adulthood. For this study, all students were selected at age 21. Results: At age 21, those who studied during recession had more depressive and functional somatic symptoms than those who studied during boom. The cohort differences did not remain over age: by the follow-up in early middle age the differences between the cohorts were non-significant, most notably due to decreased depressive symptoms in the younger cohort and increase of functional somatic symptoms in the older cohort. Conclusions: The short-term mental health consequences of the business cycle seem to be more extensive than limited only to those who are unemployed, even though the possible long-term consequences seem to be more complex. Thus, the macrolevel had a great short-term impact on the individual level in relation to the microlevel setting of university/school. The chronosystem was also of major importance. Future research would benefit from taking the context into account.


2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 203
Author(s):  
Khalid M. Al-Shuaibi

<p>Long term relationship with suppliers is broadly considered a vital contributor to supply chain performance by both practitioners and researchers. This paper investigates the role of long term relationship in strategic supplier partnership and financial performance (SSP-LR-P model). Specifically, it has observed the role of long-term supplier relationship as the driver of integration. Using structural Equation modeling (SEM) to analyze the data from 401 Saudi chemical and petrochemical firms, it is found that strategic supplier partnership has a significant direct and indirect effect on firms’ performance through the mediation of long term relationship.</p>


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 66
Author(s):  
Olga V. Maslova ◽  
Dmitry A. Shlyakhta ◽  
Mikhail S. Yanitskiy

People differ in their value hierarchies, i.e., in the importance they attach to basic personal values. A large number of studies were performed to establish similarities and differences between national, ethnic, or professional groups in terms of Schwartz’s values structure. In addition to this sample-level approach, we found it useful to disclose a number of subgroups within those larger social groups, which are more homogeneous in themselves and reflect the individual-level types of personal values systems. The study was performed on university students (n = 1237) who were asked to fill in the SVS и PVQ Schwartz’s questionnaires. The sample was then treated with the K-means cluster analysis, which resulted in the division of the initial sample into three subgroups or clusters according to their values hierarchy being measured separately at the (1) Normative Ideals scale and (2) the scale of Behavioral Priorities. These clusters were equally common among male and female students, but they were unequally found in young people coming from different ethnic groups and regions, demonstrating the role of socio-cultural environment in building up personal values. The results may extend our capabilities for the prediction of the social, economic, and political behavior of the younger generation.


2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (9) ◽  
pp. 2880-2895
Author(s):  
Silvia Mazzuca ◽  
Konstantinos Kafetsios ◽  
Stefano Livi ◽  
Fabio Presaghi

How couples regulate their emotions and how they converge emotionally with one another can critically affect relationship quality. We examined individual differences in two different classes of interaction-relevant processes—emotion regulation (ER) and emotional contagion (EC), the tendency to catch and converge with the emotions of others—in long-term marital relationships. Results from the actor–partner interdependence model analyses indicated that (a) actors’ and partners’ levels of cognitive reappraisal (but not suppression) and EC were independently associated with higher marital satisfaction and (b) both partners’ and actors’ levels of EC moderated associations between cognitive reappraisal (but not suppression) and marital satisfaction, such that this association significantly increased for lower levels of EC. EC at couple level had a direct effect on marital satisfaction and overrode individual-level effects of EC. These results indicate that both automatic (EC) and controlled (ER) processes have independent and conjoint effects on marital satisfaction in long-wed couples and, to an extent, coincide in attempts to synchronize couples’ emotional linkage. The results point to intrapersonal and interpersonal mechanisms in the regulation of emotion in longer term marital relationships.


Author(s):  
Dyana Mason ◽  
Jennifer Jones

Nonprofit organizations that engage in advocacy strengthen their ability to meet their mission by supporting systematic change. As such, students enrolled in nonprofit management programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels should develop both the knowledge of and the skills to engage in advocacy. Students should be trained to consider advocacy as part of a long-term strategic plan to accomplish their mission; however, there is little research or training on how to best teach advocacy to nonprofit students. This paper presents an active learning pedagogical approach. First, we present the literature documenting the role of advocacy in nonprofit organizations and related government regulations. Next, we outline three pedagogical techniques instructors may use to allow students to understand and practice advocacy. With each technique, we include resources and suggestions for faculty. The goal is to provide an opportunity for students to engage directly in policy issues being considered at the local, state or national levels, understand how these issues impact the sector and those being served, and how to take concrete steps to inform the public. These strategies can help shape the debate and offer solutions to decision makers.


2018 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 309-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick D. Tucker ◽  
Jacob M. Montgomery ◽  
Steven S. Smith

Political scientists have long disagreed about the nature of individual-level change in party identification. While some scholars conclude that party identification is a stable identity—attributing changes in individual responses to measurement error—others show that aggregate party identification responds systematically to short-term forces such as presidential approval. In this article, we use a unique long-term panel measuring party identification twenty times in the 2011–2016 period to support a subtle compromise between these competing claims. We show that individual-level party identification changes systematically over time even after accounting for measurement error and that this change is related to short-term evaluations of the parties and the president. However, although such change exists, it is modest in the medium term and more common among specific subsets of respondents. Finally, we show that that these findings are robust to numerous alternative modeling strategies. We believe that our analysis provides the most systematic examination to date of individual-level changes in party identification.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. e84911 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Zunhammer ◽  
Hanna Eberle ◽  
Peter Eichhammer ◽  
Volker Busch

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document