Search results
1 – 10 of 10Eman Alslman, Imad Thultheen, Shaher H. Hamaideh, Basema Nofal, Renad Hamdan-Mansour and Ayman Hamdan Mansour
This study aims to test the mediating effect of psychological distress and bullying victimization on the relationship between alexithymia and fibromyalgia (FM) among school…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to test the mediating effect of psychological distress and bullying victimization on the relationship between alexithymia and fibromyalgia (FM) among school adolescents.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used cross-sectional, correlational design. Data was collected using self-administered questionnaire. The sample consisted of 1,000 school adolescents at Grade 9–12 who were recruited randomly using multistrategic sampling technique.
Findings
The analysis showed that alexithymia was a significant predictor of FM (odds ratio [OR] = 1.065). Psychological distress was also a significant predictor of FM; however, its mediating effect resulted in drop of OR to 1.041. The joined effect of bulling victimization and psychological distress found to be significant although OR dropped from 1.065 to 1.039.
Research limitations/implications
The study highlights the significant role of school health nurses and mental health counselors to early detect and direct mental health interventions toward significant psychological problems among school adolescents.
Originality/value
I affirm this information has not been published or submitted for publication elsewhere. All authors approve the content of the manuscript and have contributed significantly to research involved/ the writing of the manuscript. The authors affirm their commitment to transfer copyright ownership to your journal if the manuscript is accepted for publication. The authors also affirm they will obtain any other copyright permission if deemed necessary within 30 days of acceptance for publication. All identifying information regarding the study participants has been omitted and this study was approved by the IRB at School of Nursing of the University of Jordan. The research conforms to the provisions of the Declaration of Helsinki in 1995 (as revised in Brazil, 2013). All participants gave informed consent for the research, and that their anonymity was preserved. None of the authors has financial or personal matters that may pose a conflict of interest.
Details
Keywords
Rabia H. Haddad, Bushra Kh. Alhusamiah, Razan H. Haddad, Mo’tasem M. Aldaieflih, Khalid Yaseen, Younis H. Abuhashish, Ayman M. Hamdan-Mansour and Jafar A. Alshraideh
This study aims to evaluate and summarize the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and internet-based CBT (ICBT) interventions on relapse prevention and severity of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to evaluate and summarize the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and internet-based CBT (ICBT) interventions on relapse prevention and severity of symptoms among individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD). CBT is one of the most used and suggested interventions to manage MDD, whereas ICBT is a novel effective proposed approach.
Design/methodology/approach
The review was conducted following the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis protocol. A comprehensive and extensive search was performed to identify and evaluate the relevant studies about the effectiveness of CBT and ICBT on relapse prevention and severity of symptoms among patients with MDD.
Findings
A total of eight research studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this systematic review. RCT studies were conducted to assess and evaluate the effectiveness of CBT and ICBT on relapse prevention and severity of symptoms among patients with MDD. It has been found that CBT is a well-supported and evidently based effective psychotherapy for managing depressive symptoms and reducing the relapse and readmission rate among patients diagnosed with MDD. The ICBT demonstrated greater improvements in depressive symptoms during major depressive episodes among patients with MDDS. The ICBT program had good acceptability and satisfaction among participants in different countries.
Research limitations/implications
Despite the significant findings from this systematic review, certain limitations should be acknowledged. First, it is important to note that all the studies included in this review were exclusively conducted in the English language, potentially limiting the generalizability of the findings to non-English speaking populations. Second, the number of research studies incorporated in this systematic review was relatively limited, which may have resulted in a narrower scope of analysis. Finally, a few studies within the selected research had small sample sizes, which could potentially impact the precision and reliability of the overall conclusions drawn from this review. The authors recommend that nurses working in psychiatric units should use CBT interventions with patients with MDD.
Practical implications
This paper, a review of the literature gives an overview of CBT and ICBT interventions to reduce the severity of depressive symptoms and prevent patients’ relapse and rehospitalization and shows that CBT interventions are effective on relapse prevention among patients with MDD. In addition, there is still no standardized protocol to apply the CBT intervention in the scope of reducing the severity of depressive symptoms and preventing depression relapse among patients with major depressive disorder. Further research is needed to confirm the findings of this review. Future research is also needed to find out the most effective form and contents of CBT and ICBT interventions for MDD.
Social implications
CBT is a psychological intervention that has been recommended by the literature for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). It is a widely recognized and accepted approach that combines cognitive and behavioral techniques to assist individuals overcome their depressive symptoms and improve their overall mental well-being. This would speculate that effectiveness associated with several aspects and combinations of different approaches in CBT interventions and the impact of different delivery models are essential for clinical practice and appropriate selection of the interventional combinations.
Originality/value
This systematic review focuses on the various studies that explore the effectiveness of face-to-face CBT and ICBT in reducing depressive symptoms among patients with major depressive disorder. These studies were conducted in different countries such as Iran, Australia, Pennsylvania and the USA.
Details
Keywords
Bushra Ghannam, Husam Al Khatib, Abeer Alzayyat and Ayman Hamdan Mansour
Adolescence is a developmental stage of transition that is marked by multiple biopsychosocial changes that affect their well- and ill-being. This study aims to examine the…
Abstract
Purpose
Adolescence is a developmental stage of transition that is marked by multiple biopsychosocial changes that affect their well- and ill-being. This study aims to examine the multidimensional of well- and ill-being among adolescents, and to understand the relationship between well-being and depression using the PERMA model among school-age adolescents.
Design/methodology/approach
A descriptive, cross-sectional design was used to recruit 625 school-age adolescents (343 males and 282 females), using convenience sampling technique from the central district of Jordan. Self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data in relation to depression and well-being.
Findings
The analysis revealed that 32% had a well-being score below the median and 19% had severe depressive symptoms. Depression and well-being were moderately correlated, with the connectedness dimension being the most correlated to depression, whereas the engagement dimension was the least correlated. Females had higher scores on all subscales of depression and a significantly higher score on depression than males, whereas males had higher scores on all well-being dimensions and significantly higher scores on overall well-being than females.
Research limitations/implications
Adolescents’ mental health is compromised and affected by their perception of well-being, and a comprehensive psychoeducation for adolescents on how to enhance well-being might combat development of depressive symptoms.
Originality/value
This study used all PERMA model components to provide an in-depth description of adolescents’ well-being, which is a crucial initial phase in better understanding how this age group experiences well-being and how it connects to their ill-being, as indicated by their depressive symptoms. The in-depth description of adolescents’ well-being will aid in planning early intervention and prevention programs for mental illness.
Details
Keywords
Ayman El-Dessouki and Ola Rafik Mansour
The purpose of this paper is to unveil the main changes in the UAE’s policy towards Iran since its foundation in 1971. The UAE favored strategic hedging, extending its commercial…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to unveil the main changes in the UAE’s policy towards Iran since its foundation in 1971. The UAE favored strategic hedging, extending its commercial and diplomatic relations with Iran, in addition to developing its military capabilities and maintaining military/security alliances with Saudi Arabia and the USA. However, the UAE started to reorient its policy towards Iran by adopting some sort of balancing strategy in the aftermath of the Arab Spring of 2011. This paper examines how and why the UAE had to change course and explores whether it would revert back to strategic hedging with Iran.
Design/methodology/approach
The study will be carried out based on a theoretical framework drawn from strategic hedging theory, a new structural theory in international relations, to examine the shifts in UAE policy towards Iran. Previous literature suggests that small states prefer hedging over balancing or bandwagoning. The authors also undertake a descriptive analysis and deploy a longitudinal within-case method to investigate changes in UAE policy towards Iran and identify the causal mechanisms behind these changes. That method allows investigating the impact of a particular event on a case by comparing the same case before and after that event occurred.
Findings
The main finding of this study is that the UAE hedging strategy towards Iran allowed maximizing the political and economic returns from the cooperation with Iran and mitigating the long-range national security risks without breaking up the consistent and beneficial ties with other regional and global powers. Hedging achieved the desired outcome, which is preventing direct military confrontation with Iran. Hard balancing, adopted by Abu Dhabi after the 2011 Arab Spring, has proved to have some negative effects, most importantly provoking Tehran. Some recent indicators suggest, though that the UAE may revert back to its long-established hedging policy towards Iran.
Originality/value
Strategic hedging is a new structural theory in international relation, although hedging behavior in states’ foreign policies is far from new. It is new enough, thus, not have been researched sufficiently, strategic hedging still needs theorizing and comparison. This paper highlights the importance of strategic hedging as the most appropriate strategy for small states. It provides an important contribution to the application of the theory to the case of UAE policy towards Iran. The paper also assesses the conventional wisdom that small states prefer hedging over balancing in the light of the changes in the UAE foreign policy since 2011.
Details
Keywords
Salwa Moustafa Amer Mahmoud, Tarek Hamdy, Mohamed Fares, Wissam Ayman, Shrouk Muhamed, Aya Abdel Khaliq and Lilian Salah
This paper aims to investigate the ability of traditional biopolymers, such as funori or the nanoscale form of cellulose nanocrystals, to consolidate fragile paper and preserve it…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the ability of traditional biopolymers, such as funori or the nanoscale form of cellulose nanocrystals, to consolidate fragile paper and preserve it for as long as possible.
Design/methodology/approach
Degraded papers dating back two centuries were separated into paper samples for consolidation processes. Funori – a marine spleen – was used as a traditional consolidation material and a mixture with ZnO NPs compared with modern materials, such as cellulose nanocrystals. The samples were aged for 25 years, examinations and analyses were performed using scanning electron microscopy and color change was assessed using the CIELAB system, X-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy.
Findings
According to the results, using traditional materials to consolidate damage, such as funori, after aging resulted in glossiness on the surface, a color change and increased water content and oxidation. Furthermore, samples treated with a mixture of ZnO NPs and funori revealed that the mixture improved the sample properties and increased the degree of crystallization. Cellulose nanocrystals improved the surface, filled gaps, formed bridges between the fibers and acted as a protector from aging effects.
Originality/value
This paper highlights the ability of nanomaterials to enhance the properties of materials as additives and treat the paper manuscripts from weaknesses.
Ahmed Shuhaiber, Khaled Saleh Al-Omoush and Ayman Abdalmajeed Alsmadi
This study aims to empirically examine the impact of perceived risks, optimism and financial literacy on trust and the perceived value of cryptocurrencies. It will also examine…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to empirically examine the impact of perceived risks, optimism and financial literacy on trust and the perceived value of cryptocurrencies. It will also examine the impact of trust on the perceived value of cryptocurrencies.
Design/methodology/approach
A quantitative approach is followed. A questionnaire was designed to collect data from 308 respondents in Jordan. The Structural Equation Modeling – Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) method was used to evaluate the research model and test hypotheses.
Findings
The results of PLS algorithm analysis showed that perceived risks negatively impact the optimism and trust in cryptocurrencies. This study revealed that while financial literacy minimizes the perceived risks, it serves to enhance optimism and improve the perception of the value of cryptocurrencies. Furthermore, the findings of this study show that optimism plays a significant role in trust and perceived value.
Originality/value
This study provides new insights into the literature on cryptocurrencies adoption, blockchain theory, the theory of trust in financial systems, the role of the optimism factor and the perception of the value of cryptocurrencies. It also provides important practical implications for different stakeholders.
Details
Keywords
Kumari Rashmi and Aakanksha Kataria
The purpose of this study is to empirically investigate the mediating effect of work-life balance (WLB) in the relationship between three significant job resources (namely, job…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to empirically investigate the mediating effect of work-life balance (WLB) in the relationship between three significant job resources (namely, job autonomy, supervisor support and co-worker support) and job satisfaction experienced by frontline nursing professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic in an Indian setting using the theoretical foundation of job demands-resources theory.
Design/methodology/approach
Structured questionnaire survey has been used to get the responses from 452 nursing professionals in India during the COVID-19 pandemic. To carry out data analysis structural equation modeling has been used.
Findings
The results reveal the relationship between the framed hypotheses. Surprisingly, the relationship between all three job resources and WLB was found to be positive, and also WLB was positively associated with nursing professionals’ job satisfaction during pandemic situations. However, WLB partially mediated the relationship only between two job resources (namely, job autonomy and supervisor support) and job satisfaction.
Originality/value
The research paper addresses Indian nursing professionals’ perceptions of job resources, WLB and job satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper seeks to examine such a relationship when nursing professionals’ worked round the clock with intuitive expertise and cautiousness to provide quality care and responded more efficiently to scarce resource situations.
Details
Keywords
Mohammad A Gharaibeh and Ayman Alkhatatbeh
The continuous increase of energy demands is a critical worldwide matter. Jordan’s household sector accounts for 44% of overall electricity usage annually. This study aims to use…
Abstract
Purpose
The continuous increase of energy demands is a critical worldwide matter. Jordan’s household sector accounts for 44% of overall electricity usage annually. This study aims to use artificial neural networks (ANNs) to assess and forecast electricity usage and demands in Jordan’s residential sector.
Design/methodology/approach
Four parameters are evaluated throughout the analysis, namely, population (P), income level (IL), electricity unit price (E$) and fuel unit price (F$). Data on electricity usage and independent factors are gathered from government and literature sources from 1985 to 2020. Several networks are analyzed and optimized for the ANN in terms of root mean square error, mean absolute percentage error and coefficient of determination (R2).
Findings
The predictions of this model are validated and compared with literature-reported models. The results of this investigation showed that the electricity demand of the Jordanian household sector is mainly driven by the population and the fuel price. Finally, time series analysis approach is incorporated to forecast the electricity demands in Jordan’s residential sector for the next decade.
Originality/value
The paper provides useful recommendations and suggestions for the decision-makers in the country for dynamic planning for future resource policies in the household sector.
Details
Keywords
Ika Zenita Ratnaningsih, Mohd Awang Idris and Yulita Yulita
This study aims to investigate the spillover–crossover effects on the work–family interface, with an emphasis on work–family conflict (WFC) and family–work conflict (FWC) on…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the spillover–crossover effects on the work–family interface, with an emphasis on work–family conflict (WFC) and family–work conflict (FWC) on marital satisfaction and personal burnout.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from matched dyads by 300 teachers and their spouses (N = 600) in Indonesia. Multiple regression analysis served to test the hypotheses.
Findings
The results showed significant spillover–crossover effects of WFC on personal burnout amongst working wives to their spouses, but not working husbands to their spouses. Moreover, there was a spillover effect of FWC on personal burnout amongst working wives, and a crossover effect of FWC on spouses' personal burnout amongst working husbands to their spouses. However, there was no spillover–crossover effect of WFC and FWC on marital satisfaction for both working wives and husbands.
Practical implications
The findings have implications for occupational stress management. Decision-makers have to create a positive atmosphere that reduces WFC in the workplace by providing support to the workers.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature by exploring the crossover effects of WFC and FWC amongst marital spouses in a country with inherent conservatism and traditional gender role perspectives.
Details