Preparing supply chain for the next disruption beyond COVID-19: managerial antecedents of supply chain resilience

PurposeCOVID-19 once again showed the importance of building resilience in supply chains. Extant research on supply chain resilience management has successfully identified a set of organizational antecedents that contribute to supply chain resilience. However, little is known about the mechanisms by which these antecedents are developed within a firm. Drawing on the dynamic managerial capabilities theory, the current study aims to investigate the critical role that supply chain managers play in developing the organizational antecedents. Specifically, this study shows that supply chain managers' social capital, human capital and cognition are instrumental to the development of three organizational supply chain resilience antecedents: visibility, responsiveness and flexibility, which subsequently enhance the firm's supply chain resilience.Design/methodology/approachThe authors employ survey data collected from 598 manufacturing firms in Australia, and Hayes and Preacher's (2014) parallel multiple mediator model to empirically test the hypotheses.FindingsThe findings of the study establish that supply chain managers' social capital, human capital and cognition indeed have implications for developing supply chain resilience. Furthermore, the mediators through which managers' social capital, human capital and cognition improve supply chain resilience are identified in the current study.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the extant literature on supply chain resilience, investigating the role that supply chain managers play in developing the resilience of their firm.

Examining the Effects of the AgingPLUS Program on Physical Activity: A Multiple Mediator Model

This study examined the effect of the AgingPLUS program on anticipated physical activity (PA) and PA engagement, along with the hypothesized mediator roles of self-efficacy (SE) and exercise intention (EI). Data came from 147 participants (Mage = 60.11 years; SD = 8.28 years) of the ongoing trial. Structural equation modeling tested the effects of the intervention, week 4 EI, and week 4 SE on anticipated PA at week 8 and engagement in PA at 6 months. The pathway from week 8 anticipated PA to month 6 PA was also assessed. Results showed that week 4 SE significantly mediated the pathway of intervention condition to week 8 anticipated PA, whereas week 4 EI significantly mediated the pathway from intervention condition to engagement in PA at 6 months. Furthermore, anticipated PA predicted subsequent engagement in PA. Results from these analyses provide preliminary support for the efficacy of the AgingPLUS program.

Transdiagnostic Processes as Mediators of Change in an Internet-Delivered Intervention Based on the Unified Protocol

Background Transdiagnostic treatments target shared mechanisms between disorders to facilitate change across diagnoses. The Unified Protocol (UP) aims at changing dysfunctional reactions towards emotions by increasing mindful emotion awareness and cognitive flexibility, as well as decreasing anxiety sensitivity and emotion avoidance. Method We investigated whether these transdiagnostic processes were malleable by treatment and mediated the relationship between treatment and outcome in an internet-delivered adaptation of the UP. N = 129 participants with mixed anxiety, depressive, and somatic symptom disorders were randomized to treatment or waitlist. Results The treatment yielded significant changes in all transdiagnostic processes over time in comparison to a waitlist condition. In separate mediator models, significant mediating effects were found for mindfulness, cognitive flexibility, behavioral activation, and experiential avoidance. When all mediators were combined in a multiple mediator model, the indirect effects through mindfulness and cognitive flexibility emerged as significant. Conclusion These findings add to the growing body of research on transdiagnostic processes as mediators of change and emphasize mindfulness and cognitive flexibility as a transdiagnostic treatment target. However, these results should be interpreted cautiously, as temporal precedence could not be established.

The Impact of Social Network Site Addiction on Depression in Chinese Medical Students: A Serial Multiple Mediator Model Involving Loneliness and Unmet Interpersonal Needs

The use of social network sites (SNSs) is inevitable in daily life. Everyone is likely to be addicted to SNSs, especially medical students. This study is aimed to assess the degree of SNS addiction and its relation to psychosocial factors such as depression, loneliness and unmet interpersonal needs among Chinese medical students. The cross-section survey was conducted from March to May in 2018 in Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. Of the total 1067 participants, 33.18% had an SNS addiction, 87.7% of the participants used SNSs every day during last month and 53.42% of the participants used SNSs for at least an hour per day during the last week. SNS addiction is positively related with depression both directly and indirectly. The mediating roles of loneliness and unmet interpersonal needs on the relationship between SNS addiction and depression are significant. For the well-being of medical students, efforts should be taken to prevent them from becoming addicted to SNSs.

Multiple Mediating Effects of Conflicts With Parents and Self-Esteem on the Relationship Between Economic Status and Depression Among Middle School Students Since COVID-19

This study explores associations between perceived economic status and depression among middle school students during COVID-19 in the context of conflict with parents and self-esteem. Data were collected in South Korea in the fall of 2020. A total of 328 middle school students were included, and a multiple mediator model was employed to examine the multiple mediating effects. Middle schoolers’ household economic status was negatively associated with their conflict with parents. Conflict with parents was negatively related to middle school students’ self-esteem. Indirect effects of perceived economic status via conflict with parents were significantly associated with depression. The indirect effect of perceived economic status via both conflict with parents and self-esteem was related to depression. Government subsidies should temporarily be expanded to improve households’ economic status to potentially improve middle school students’ depression and to enhance relationships between children and their parents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, extra financial support from the government should be focused on poor households with children in order to address family conflict, self-esteem, and depression among middle school students.

Attachment, Self-Esteem, and Psychological Distress: A Multiple-Mediator Model

The present study examined the relationships between childhood attachment, adult attachment, self-esteem, and psychological distress; specifically, it investigated the multiple mediating roles of self-esteem and adult attachment on the association between childhood attachment and psychological distress. Using 1,708 adult participants, a multiple-mediator model analysis following bootstrapping procedures was conducted in order to investigate the mechanisms among childhood and adult attachment, self-esteem, and psychological distress. As hypothesized, childhood attachment was significantly associated with self-esteem, adult attachment, and psychological distress. Self-esteem was found to be a significant mediator for the relationship between childhood attachment and adult attachment. In addition, adult attachment significantly mediated the relationship between self-esteem and psychological distress. The results provide insight on counseling interventions to increase adults’ self-esteem and attachment security, with efforts to decrease the negative impact of insecure childhood attachment on later psychological distress.

Relations between Perceptions of Parental Acceptance-Rejection, Forgiveness, Vengeance, and Psychological Adjustment in Kuwaiti Youth and Adults

The current research is aimed at investigating the relations between forgiveness, vengeance, perceptions of parental acceptance-rejection, and psychological adjustment in 528 Kuwaiti males and females (mean age =30.92, and SD= 7.72 years) by using Arabic versions of the following four measures and questionnaires 1) The Heartland Scale, 2) The Vengeance Scale, 3)The Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire (PARQ), and 4) The Personality Assessment Questionnaire (PAQ). The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical analysis. Results revealed that forgiveness correlated significantly negative with vengeance, and significantly positive with both the perceptions of parental acceptance and healthier psychological adjustment. Vengeance correlated significantly positive with perception of parental rejection and unhealthier psychological adjustment. No significant differences were found between males and females in perception of mother warmth. Males, compared with females, were significantly higher in perceiving maternal and paternal rejection. Females, compared with males, perceived their fathers as having more warmth, Older and married participants reported significantly higher levels of healthier adjustment and forgiveness, compared with younger and unmarried participants. Males and younger participants reported significantly higher levels of vengeance, compared with females and older participants. Significant influence of education or work on the perception of parental acceptance-rejection, psychological adjustment, forgiveness No and vengeance, was found. A Multiple Mediator Model "MMM" showed that forgiveness and vengeance fully mediated and moderated the relation between perceptions of parental acceptance-rejection and psychological adjustment. Moreover, the M. M. M. analysis showed that perceptions of parental acceptance-rejection and psychological adjustment were effective predictors of the relationship between forgiveness and vengeance. Limitations of the study were considered and the significance of the results is discussed. In consideration of results, some suggestions were made for the implementation and for further research.

Transdiagnostic Processes as Mediators of Change in an Internet-delivered Intervention based on the Unified Protocol

Background: Transdiagnostic treatments target shared mechanisms between disorders to facilitate change across diagnoses. The Unified Protocol (UP) aims at changing dysfunctional reactions towards emotions by increasing mindful emotion awareness and cognitive flexibility, as well as decreasing anxiety sensitivity and emotion avoidance. Method: We investigated whether these transdiagnostic processes were malleable by treatment and mediated the relationship between treatment and outcome in an internet-delivered adaptation of the UP. N=129 participants with mixed anxiety, depressive, and somatic symptom disorders were randomized to treatment or waitlist. Results: The treatment yielded significant changes in all transdiagnostic processes over time in comparison to a waitlist condition. In single mediator models, significant mediating effects were found for mindfulness, cognitive flexibility, behavioral activation, and experiential avoidance. When all mediators were combined in a multiple mediator model, only mindfulness emerged as a significant mediator. Conclusion: These findings add to the growing body of research on transdiagnostic processes as mediators of change and emphasize mindfulness as a transdiagnostic treatment target. However, these results should be interpreted cautiously, as temporal precedence could not be established.