Predicting anxiety, depression, and insomnia among Bangladeshi university students using tree-based machine learning models.

Background and Aims: Mental health problem is a rising public health concern. People of all ages, specially Bangladeshi university students, are more affected by this burden. Thus, the objective of the study was to use tree-based machine learning (ML) models to identify major risk factors and predict anxiety, depression, and insomnia in university students. Methods: A social media-based cross-sectional survey was employed for data collection. We used Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI-7) scale for measuring students' anxiety, depression and insomnia problems. The tree-based supervised decision tree (DT), random forest (RF) and robust eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) ML algorithms were used to build the prediction models and their predictive performance was evaluated using confusion matrix and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: Of the 1250 students surveyed, 64.7% were male and 35.3% were female. The students' ages ranged from 18 to 26 years old, with an average age of 22.24 years (SD = 1.30). Majority of the students (72.6%) were from rural areas and social media addicted (56.6%). Almost 83.3% of the students had moderate to severe anxiety, 84.7% had moderate to severe depression and 76.5% had moderate to severe insomnia problems. Students' social media addiction, age, academic performance, smoking status, monthly family income and morningness-eveningness are the main risk factors of anxiety, depression and insomnia. The highest predictive performance was observed from the XGBoost model for anxiety, depression and insomnia. Conclusion: The study findings offer valuable insights for stakeholders, families and policymakers enabling a more profound comprehension of the pressing mental health disorders. This understanding can guide the formulation of improved policy strategies, initiatives for mental health promotion, and the development of effective counseling services within university campus. Additionally, our proposed model might play a critical role in diagnosing and predicting mental health problems among Bangladeshi university students and similar settings.

Posttraumatic Growth, Maladaptive Cognitive Schemas and Psychological Distress in Individuals Involved in Road Traffic Accidents-A Conservation of Resources Theory Perspective.

Road traffic accidents can have profound psychological impacts on the individuals involved, encompassing both negative distress and positive growth. This study, guided by the conservation of resources (COR) theory, investigates the intricate relationship between posttraumatic growth (PTG), maladaptive cognitive schemas, and psychological distress in individuals involved in road traffic accidents. PTG reflects an individual's ability to derive positive changes from adversity, while maladaptive schemas represent negative cognitive patterns. Using a 122 sample of individuals involved in road traffic accidents, we examined direct and indirect effects within this complex network. Our findings reveal significant direct effects of PTG on psychological distress (ß = 0.101, p = 0.02). Particularly noteworthy are the indirect effects mediated by cognitive schemas, emphasizing the role of impaired autonomy and perceived performance deficiencies (ß = 0.102, p = 0.05). This suggests that individuals involved in road traffic accidents experiencing higher PTG levels may indirectly experience greater psychological distress through these maladaptive cognitive schemas. This study not only advances our understanding of the psychological consequences of road traffic accidents but also aligns with self-determination theory, emphasizing autonomy and competence as fundamental needs. Individuals involved in road traffic accidents may undergo profound shifts in perspective following the trauma, which our results support. Recognizing the nuanced relationship between PTG, maladaptive cognitive schemas, and psychological distress is crucial for tailoring interventions and support systems for individuals involved in traffic accidents. As PTG can coexist with distress, interventions should foster adaptive growth while addressing maladaptive schemas to promote resilience in the face of traumatic events.

Predictors of Romanian Psychology Students' Intention to Successfully Complete Their Courses-A Process-Based Psychology Theory Approach.

Student retention is a frequently researched issue due to the incidence of student dropout and its significance to learning outcomes. However, there are research gaps that need to be addressed in understanding the factors influencing student dropout in the context of higher education in Romania. This cross-sectional investigation aims to fill these gaps by examining the relationships between satisfaction with the specialization, self-regulation of learning behavior, students' perceived stress, perceived acceptance from family and friends, and the intention to complete studies. The study utilizes various statistical analysis techniques, including mediation analysis and correlation analysis, to analyze the collected data. An online questionnaire was administered to non-randomized students majoring in Psychology, and a total of 144 valid and consented responses were obtained. The results reveal significant influences of satisfaction with the specialization, self-regulated learning, and students' perceived stress on the intention to successfully complete courses. Furthermore, academic self-efficacy was found to fully mediate the relationship between satisfaction with the specialization and academic adjustment. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the student dropout process in the Romanian higher education system. By identifying the factors associated with student retention, this study provides insights that can inform the development of interventions aimed at improving students' retention and overall learning outcomes.

A Network Analysis Approach toward Adaptive Overt Narcissism Network.

The relationship between narcissistic personality and art and beauty appreciation has recently become the focus of research investigations. Adaptive narcissists raise their sense of worth in order to shield themselves from harm caused by others. Because they aspire to be more attractive, healthier, and successful versions of themselves, they frequently have greater success in life than the majority of people. Grandiose and overtly narcissistic behavior are the main recognized characteristics of an overt narcissist, which is currently regarded as a personality disorder that puts mental health and wellbeing at peril. On a random sample collection of data from 1101 respondents to an online questionnaire, we conducted a network analysis of the Adaptive Overt Narcissism Scale (AONS) items. In this study, we used a network analysis approach to examine the network structure of adaptive overt narcissism, as well as its relationships with psychological functioning. The present study utilized network analysis to investigate the centrality measures of items in the Adaptive Overt Narcissism Scale (AONS) and their interrelationships. Results indicated that item Q6.8 ("I appreciate art and beauty") had low betweenness, closeness, and strength centrality measures, indicating that it was less influential in the network. However, it also had negative expected influence, suggesting that its absence would have a destabilizing effect on the network. These results highlight the importance of the appreciation of art and beauty in deactivating the adaptive overt narcissist network. Further research is needed to explore the mechanisms underlying this relationship and its implications for narcissism prevention and intervention.

The Effect of the Organizational Climate on the Integrative-Qualitative Intentional Behavior in Romanian Preschool Education-A Top-Down Perspective.

The concept of educational organizational climate relates to the relational, social, psychological, affective, intellectual, cultural and moral environment that characterizes educational/teaching and managerial activity at the level of a school organization. This study is based on the theory of planned behavior framework in measuring preschool teachers' intentional integrative-qualitative behaviors and Marzano's Model of Teaching Effectiveness. The Marzano Model outlines educational strategies and gives teachers and administrators tools to help teachers become more effective. A sample of 200 valid responses was gathered in an online investigation that targeted preschool educators from Romania. Marzano's Model of Teaching Effectiveness is an evaluation tool used to measure the success of highly effective teachers, which is further utilized in this study to measure preschool teachers' effectiveness in relation to intentional integrative-qualitative behaviors. The integrative-qualitative intentional behaviors are measured with the IQIB scale. This research assumes collegiality and professionalism as independent variables and interrogates preschool teachers' behavioral intention toward adopting integrative-qualitative behaviors through the sequential mediators of Planning and Preparing, Reflecting on Teaching and Classroom Strategies and Behaviors from a top-down perspective. The results revealed a significant indirect effect of Collegiality and Professionalism on preschool teachers' behavioral intention toward adopting intentional integrative-qualitative behaviors through the sequential mediators Planning and Preparing, Reflecting on Teaching and Classroom Strategies and Behaviors, confirming our hypothesis. Discussion and implications are offered from a top-down sustainable educational management perspective.

On the Technology Acceptance Behavior of Romanian Preschool Teachers.

This study investigates how compatibility and perceived enjoyment affect the link between intention to use and actual technology use in Romanian preschool education, building on earlier studies. METHODS: 300 participants were invited to participate in this research from 15 Romanian counties. 182 preschool teachers' questionnaires were utilized for data analysis after the return and screening of responses. A valid and accurate scale evaluating preschool teachers' behavior towards technology adoption was included in the questionnaire, along with self-reported demographic data, professional identification, and other information. Data was analyzed using SPSS V.16. RESULTS: (1) Intention to use, compatibility, perceived enjoyment, and actual use were positively associated. (2) The effect of compatibility and perceived enjoyment on the link between intention to use and actual technology use was carried out in the following way: Intention to use → Compatibility with technology → Perceived enjoyment → Actual use. We hypothesize that intention to use affects compatibility, compatibility affects perceived enjoyment, and, lastly, perceived enjoyment affects actual use. For a more robust validation of results, we have also modelled this relationship with the Radial Basis Function (RBF) neural network. CONCLUSION: Compatibility and perceived enjoyment partially mediate the relationship between intention to use and actual technology use in class by Romanian preschool teachers. According to the theory of planned behavior, this study brought to light the intricacy of the relationship between preschool teachers' intention to utilize technology in the classroom and their actual usage of it. Limitations and implications are discussed.

A Network Analysis-Driven Sequential Mediation Analysis of Students' Perceived Classroom Comfort and Perceived Faculty Support on the Relationship between Teachers' Cognitive Presence and Students' Grit-A Holistic Learning Approach.

The interaction between teachers and students is critical to the learning process. Student success and learner satisfaction have consistently improved in educational situations where instructors and students connect frequently and meaningfully. The Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework, as well as the sense of belonging concept, have received a significant amount of attention from researchers investigating online learning since its debut. The current study focuses on the CoI framework in general, and in particular on studies on teaching, social, and cognitive presences in connection to students' feeling of belonging and grit enhancement. This research investigated the opinion of 310 students at the Aurel Vlaicu University of Arad regarding their satisfaction with their teachers' presences, their academic sense of belonging, and their grit. Our methodology followed an innovative approach. First, we employed a network analysis on all subscales' mean scores, and then we performed a sequential mediation analysis based on both the network analysis results and the conclusions from the literature review. We tested whether students' perceived classroom comfort and perceived faculty support sequentially mediated the relationship between teacher's cognitive presence and students' grit. According to the scientific literature, teacher's cognitive presence consists of four fundamental categories: triggering events, exploration, integration, and resolution, which specifically the validation of knowledge by cooperation and reflection in a community of inquiry. We further tested if sense of belonging might mediate the relationship between teachers' cognitive presence and students' grit. The results show that students' perceived classroom comfort and perceived faculty support partially and significantly sequentially mediate the relationship between teachers' cognitive presence triggering events and students' grit. The results are then further used to suggest possible recommendations for designing holistic learning environments in Romanian higher education institutions.

A Parallel Mediation Analysis on the Effects of Pandemic Accentuated Occupational Stress on Hospitality Industry Staff Turnover Intentions in COVID-19 Context.

The purpose of this research was to analyze how different effects of the COVID pandemic, expressed through pandemic accentuated occupational stress, perceived job insecurity, occupational safety and health perception and perceived organizational effectiveness, may impact turnover intentions of the personnel in the hospitality industry. Our research team designed an online questionnaire which was analyzed with network analysis to depict the relationship between factors, and, then, a confirmatory factor analysis was employed to confirm the distribution of the items to the envisaged five factors. Based on a sample of 324 randomized Romanian hospitality industry staff, the results of our cross-sectional study revealed that occupational safety and health perception, perceived organizational effectiveness and perceived job insecurity in the pandemic accentuated occupational stress to indirectly and significantly impact hospitality industry staff turnover intentions (TI). The results indicated that, while the total effect of PAOS on TI was significant, the direct effect was still significant, while all three mediators remained significant predictors. Overall, mediators partially mediated the relationship between PAOS and TI, indicating that employees with low scores on occupational safety and health perception (OSHP), and perceived organizational effectiveness (POE) and high scores on perceived job insecurity (PJI) were more likely to have higher levels of TI turnover intentions.

A Cognitive Systems Engineering Approach Using Unsupervised Fuzzy C-Means Technique, Exploratory Factor Analysis and Network Analysis-A Preliminary Statistical Investigation of the Bean Counter Profiling Scale Robustness.

A bean counter is defined as an accountant or economist who makes financial decisions for a company or government, especially someone who wants to severely limit the amount of money spent. The rise of the bean counter in both public and private companies has motivated us to develop a Bean Counter Profiling Scale in order to further depict this personality typology in real organizational contexts. Since there are no scales to measure such traits in personnel, we have followed the methodological steps for elaborating the scale's items from the available qualitative literature and further employed a cognitive systems engineering approach based on statistical architecture, employing cluster, factor and items network analysis to statistically depict the best mathematical design of the scale. The statistical architecture will further employ a hierarchical clustering analysis using the unsupervised fuzzy c-means technique, an exploratory factor analysis and items network analysis technique. The network analysis which employs the use of networks and graph theory is used to depict relations among items and to analyze the structures that emerge from the recurrence of these relations. During this preliminary investigation, all statistical techniques employed yielded a six-element structural architecture of the 68 items of the Bean Counter Profiling Scale. This research represents one of the first scale validation studies employing the fuzzy c-means technique along with a factor analysis comparative design.

The Mediation Role of an Individual's and Couple's Psychological Factors, Including Parenting in the Prediction of Relational and Marital Satisfaction.

The goal of this study was to widen the scope of the social component of family sustainability. The fundamental goal of this non-experimental, quantitative study was to look at the links between parenting correlates, personality characteristics, marital satisfaction, and well-being in couples, as well as to construct explanatory prediction models for relational and marital satisfaction. The study focused on the effects of personality traits, parental self-efficacy, and attachment to marital and relational satisfaction. The test instruments applied were: the Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised, Marital Adjustment Test, Couple Satisfaction Index, Relationship Satisfaction Scale, Family Distress Index, Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (adapted to the role of a parent), Mowen's Personality Scale, and demographic data. A total of 238 Romanians answered the online survey, recruited based on a convenience sampling method. Participants in this research were individuals who were both married and had at least one child. The main findings show that agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, anxious and avoidant attachment, and marital adjustment predict the satisfaction in the relationship, and openness partially mediates the association between marital adjustment and relationship satisfaction. Parental self-efficacy appears to influence the association between relationship satisfaction and marital satisfaction. An increased parental self-efficacy score predicts an increased relationship satisfaction and marital satisfaction. The higher the parental self-efficacy, the higher the satisfaction in the relationship, which leads to an increase in satisfaction in the couple. These results show that marital adjustment and adaptation are related to relational satisfaction, and these relationship are partially mediated by an individual's openness. Despite some limitations, the current study significantly contributes to couples therapies and interventions in terms of physical and mental health, and the study provides insight into the experiences and perspectives of married individuals with children in Romania.