Peer mentorship and academic supports build sense of community and improve outcomes for transfer students.

The experience of transferring to a 4-year college, especially in STEM programs, can be particularly challenging for students. While much of the onus for preparing students for transfer has been placed on community colleges, the 4-year institutions to which students transfer have critical roles to play. With this in mind, we established the Pre-transfer Interventions, Mentoring, and Experience in Research (PRIMER) program to support students transferring into the biology department at our university. The design of this program is based around the key elements of Schlossberg's Transition Theory, focusing on the support and strategies elements of the theory. Through a weekly academic skill course, peer mentoring, and informal academic and social supports, our goals were for students to increase their involvement in the campus community and to increase their use of academic support resources. We used qualitative and quantitative assessments to compare sense of community and use of campus resources between students who participated in our program and others. We found that students in our program strongly increased their sense of community during the semester compared to other students and used campus resources at a higher rate. Our insights from the PRIMER program can help others in developing programs to support transfer students in biology departments.

Transcending technology boundaries and maintaining sense of community in virtual mental health peer support: a qualitative study with service providers and users.

BACKGROUND: This qualitative study explores the experiences of peer support workers (PSWs) and service users (or peers) during transition from in-person to virtual mental health services. During and following the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for accessible and community-based mental health support has become increasingly important. This research aims to understand how technological factors act as bridges and boundaries to mental health peer support services. In addition, the study explores whether and how a sense of community can be built or maintained among PSWs and peers in a virtual space when connections are mediated by technology. This research fills a gap in the literature by incorporating the perspectives of service users and underscores the potential of virtual peer support beyond pandemic conditions. METHODS: Data collection was conducted from a community organization that offers mental health peer support services. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 employees and 27 service users. Thematic analysis was employed to identify key themes and synthesize a comprehensive understanding. RESULTS: The findings highlight the mental health peer support needs that were met through virtual services, the manifestation of technology-based boundaries and the steps taken to remove some of these boundaries, and the strategies employed by the organization and its members to establish and maintain a sense of community in a virtual environment marked by physical distancing and technology-mediated interrelations. The findings also reveal the importance of providing hybrid services consisting of a mixture of in person and virtual mental health support to reach a broad spectrum of service users. CONCLUSIONS: The study contributes to the ongoing efforts to enhance community mental health services and support in the virtual realm. It shows the importance of virtual peer support in situations where in-person support is not accessible. A hybrid model combining virtual and in-person mental health support services is recommended for better accessibility to mental health support services. Moreover, the importance of organizational support and of equitable resource allocation to overcome service boundaries are discussed.

The Roles of Trust in Government and Sense of Community in the COVID-19 Contact Tracing Privacy Calculus: Mixed Method Study Using a 2-Wave Survey and In-Depth Interviews.

BACKGROUND: Contact tracing technology has been adopted in many countries to aid in identifying, evaluating, and handling individuals who have had contact with those infected with COVID-19. Singapore was among the countries that actively implemented the government-led contact tracing program known as TraceTogether. Despite the benefits the contact tracing program could provide to individuals and the community, privacy issues were a significant barrier to individuals' acceptance of the program. OBJECTIVE: Building on the privacy calculus model, this study investigates how the perceptions of the 2 key groups (ie, government and community members) involved in the digital contact tracing factor into individuals' privacy calculus of digital contact tracing. METHODS: Using a mixed method approach, we conducted (1) a 2-wave survey (n=674) and (2) in-depth interviews (n=12) with TraceTogether users in Singapore. Using structural equation modeling, this study investigated how trust in the government and the sense of community exhibited by individuals during the early stage of implementation (time 1) predicted privacy concerns, perceived benefits, and future use intentions, measured after the program was fully implemented (time 2). Expanding on the survey results, this study conducted one-on-one interviews to gain in-depth insights into the privacy considerations involved in digital contact tracing. RESULTS: The results from the survey showed that trust in the government increased perceived benefits while decreasing privacy concerns regarding the use of TraceTogether. Furthermore, individuals who felt a connection to community members by participating in the program (ie, the sense of community) were more inclined to believe in its benefits. The sense of community also played a moderating role in the influence of government trust on perceived benefits. Follow-up in-depth interviews highlighted that having a sense of control over information and transparency in the government's data management were crucial factors in privacy considerations. The interviews also highlighted surveillance as the most prevalent aspect of privacy concerns regarding TraceTogether use. In addition, our findings revealed that trust in the government, particularly the perceived transparency of government actions, was most strongly associated with concerns regarding the secondary use of data. CONCLUSIONS: Using a mixed method approach involving a 2-wave survey and in-depth interview data, we expanded our understanding of privacy decisions and the privacy calculus in the context of digital contact tracing. The opposite influences of privacy concerns and perceived benefit on use intention suggest that the privacy calculus in TraceTogether might be viewed as a rational process of weighing between privacy risks and use benefits to make an uptake decision. However, our study demonstrated that existing perceptions toward the provider and the government in the contact tracing context, as well as the perception of the community triggered by TraceTogether use, may bias user appraisals of privacy risks and the benefits of contact tracing.

Empowering Community Health Workers in Japan: Determinants of Non-Communicable Disease Prevention Competency.

BACKGROUND: Community health workers (CHWs), hailing from the general populace, play a pivotal role in fortifying healthcare systems, with a primary focus on mitigating non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and elevating overall life expectancy. To assess the aptitude of CHWs in NCD prevention, we introduced the Community Health Workers Perceptual and Behavioral Competency Scale for preventing non-communicable diseases (COCS-N). This study examines the multifaceted interplay of individual and community factors that influence CHWs' COCS-N scores. METHODS: The research design is a secondary analysis using data from a self-administered questionnaire survey of 6480 CHWs residing in municipalities across Japan, which obtained 3120 valid responses, between September to November 2020. The COCS-N was employed as the dependent variable, while the independent variables were individual-related factors, including years of community health work, health literacy, and community-related factors, such as CHWs' sense of community. To ascertain the significance of associations between individual and community factors and CHWs' competency, an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was utilized to compare the three groups Q1/Q2/Q3 by low, medium, and high scores on the COCS-N scale. Statistical significance was considered to be indicated by a p-value of less than 0.05. RESULTS: The ANCOVA analysis revealed that three factors were significantly linked to CHWs' competence. These comprised individual factors: "years of CHWs" (mean ± SD Q1: 6.0 ± 6.0, Q2: 7.8 ± 7.0, Q3: 8.2 ± 7.7, p < 0.001) and "health literacy" (Q1: 27.7 ± 6.6, Q2: 30.4 ± 6.9, Q3: 33.8 ± 7.8, p < 0.001), as well as a community factor: "Sense of community" (Q1: 14.8 ± 3.7, Q2: 16.5 ± 3.5, Q3: 18.2 ± 3.6, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our finding is that a positive association was derived between COCS-N scores and certain determinants. Notably, "years of CHWs" and "health literacy" in the individual domain, along with the "Sense of community" in the communal context, were firmly established as being significantly associated with CHWs' competency. Consequently, CHWs need training to increase their "health literacy" and "sense of community", to acquire high competency in NCD prevention, which will lead to the empowerment of CHWs and maintain their motivation to continue.

The Effect of Familism Emotions on Post-Traumatic Growth Among the Elderly in China: The Mediating Roles of Taoist Personality and Sense of Community.

Purpose: Post-traumatic growth is a significant social issue in the management of active aging in elderly people. This study investigates the influence of familism emotions on post-traumatic growth (PTG) of the elderly, and the mediating role of Taoist personality and sense of community (SOC) therein, to provide a scientific basis for the development of positive aging in the elderly. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in several communities of Hubei Province in China. A total of 338 elderly people were investigated with the Familism Emotion Scale, PTG Scale, Taoist Personality Scale and SOC Scale. SPSS 23.0 was used to derive descriptive statistics and conduct a common method bias test, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple stepwise regression analysis. Mplus 7.3 was used for structural equation modeling to test the significance of parallel mediation effects on the data. Results: The results show that: (1) Familism emotions, Taoist personality and SOC are positively correlated with PTG; (2) Familism emotions, Taoist personality and SOC can all positively predict PTG in the elderly; (3) Both Taoist personality and SOC partially mediated the link between familism emotions and PTG in the elderly. Conclusion: In the context of particularly constraining societal events such as COVID-19, it is necessary to pay careful attention to the impact of external environmental influences upon the elderly, such as family and community, and to encourage elderly people to cultivate a more Taoist personality. The formation of a Taoist personality offers a promising new focus for research in elderly healthcare.

Exploring the predictors affecting the sense of community of Korean high school students: application of random forests and SHAP.

Adolescence is a stage during which individuals develop social adaptability through meaningful interactions with others. During this period, students gradually expand their social networks outside the home, forming a sense of community. The aim of the current study was to explore the key predictors related to sense of community among Korean high school students and to develop supportive policies that enhance their sense of community. Accordingly, random forests and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) were applied to the 7th wave (11th graders) of the Korean Education Longitudinal Study 2013 data (n = 6,077). As a result, 6 predictors positively associated with sense of community were identified, including self-related variables, "multicultural acceptance," "behavioral regulation strategy," and "peer attachment," consistent with previous findings. Newly derived variables that predict sense of community include "positive recognition of volunteering," "creativity," "observance of rules" and "class attitude," which are also positively related to sense of community. The implications of these results and some suggestions for future research are also discussed.

Subjective Nearness-to-Death and COVID-19 Worries Among Ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel: The Moderating Role of Israeli Identity and Sense of Community.

The Ultra-Orthodox community in Israel is characterized by close everyday contact and a strong sense of community. While the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in global uncertainty, fear, and fatalities, this group was particularly affected by the pandemic. Accordingly, the current study examines whether subjective nearness-to-death was associated with increased COVID-19 concerns, and whether Israeli identity and sense of community moderate this association. Data were gathered from 255 Israeli Ultra-Orthodox Jews, and results yielded a significant link between subjective nearness-to-death and COVID-19 worries, moderated by both moderators. Results are discussed in line with terror management theory, and theoretical/practical implications are suggested.

Beyond Purchasing Power: The Association Between Sense of Community Belongingness and Food Insecurity Among Older Adults in Canada.

Food is a basic human need, yet a significant proportion of older Canadian adults are vulnerable to food insecurity. The health risks associated with aging make food insecurity among this subgroup a critical policy issue. In Canada, policy solutions to food insecurity are however skewed toward the provision of income support to vulnerable groups. While these income support programs are timely, little emphasis is placed on social factors such as sense of community belongingness. This is despite evidence that food insecurity is a socially mediated experience that goes beyond the ability to purchase food. Drawing data from the Canadian Community Health Survey (n = 24,546) and using negative log-log regression, we examined the association between sense of community belongingness and food insecurity among older adults. Findings show that older adults with a "very weak" (odds ratio [OR] = 1.40, p < .001) and "somewhat weak" (OR = 1.23, p < .01) sense of community belongingness were significantly more likely to be food insecure compared to those with a "very strong" sense of belongingness. This study contributes to a growing body of the literature that demonstrates the need for an integrated approach to addressing food insecurity - one that goes beyond income support to include consideration of social factors like sense of community belonging.

"Too Many Jobs and Not Enough Hands": Immigrant and Refugee Community Health Workers at the Frontlines of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Refugees and immigrants have experienced heightened health inequities related to COVID-19. As community-embedded frontline health personnel, refugee and immigrant community health workers (riCHWs) played essential roles in the provision of informational, instrumental, and emotional support during the unprecedented first year of the pandemic. Despite the importance of this workforce, riCHWs are at high risk for burnout due to low recognition and demanding workloads. This was exacerbated as riCHWs navigated a new and uncertain health delivery landscape. We sought to glean insight into riCHWs' stressors, coping strategies and resources, and self-efficacy to identify ways to support their work and wellbeing. Using a narrative inquiry approach, we conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 11 riCHWs working in a midsized city in the midwestern United States. We generated three distinct yet interrelated themes: (1) Rapid and trustworthy information is key, (2) Creativity and perseverance are good … structural support is better, and (3) Integrating riCHW expertise into health promotion programming and decision-making. Although riCHWs were deeply committed to enhancing community wellbeing, quickly shifting responsibilities in tandem with structural-level health inequities diminished their self-efficacy and mental health. riCHWs relied on work-based friends/colleagues for informational and emotional support to enhance their capacity to deliver services. Findings suggest increasing opportunities for peer support and idea-exchange, professional development, and integration of riCHW expertise in health promotion decision-making are effective strategies to enhance riCHWs' professional self-efficacy and personal wellbeing.

Using structural equation modelling to examine the relationship between place identity, sense of community, and environmental attitude.

This study aimed to examine the association between place identity, sense of community, and environmental attitude. Within the theoretical framework, a connection has been identified among the variables of place identity, sense of community, and environmental attitude. However, the experimental analysis of this connection remains limited, with just a few research providing an explanation for the relationship between these three concepts. In this context, 121 inhabitants of Kültür neighborhood (Duzce City) were interviewed verbally. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to learn the relationship between these concepts.SEM is a statistical technique utilized in the social sciences to determine relationships between latent variables. To achieve this, oral interview data went through a reliability test using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences SPSS. Subsequently, confirmatory and regression analyses were conducted using LISREL to modify the model. Ultimately, the fit indices of the proposed model were assessed within the allowed range of fit values. The findings are significant in that they empirically highlight the importance of developing environmental and social policies to strengthen place identity and sense of community in order to improve environmental attitudes. As a result, it has been found that developing environmental awareness and consciousness is achievable through the bond and meaning that the community creates both within itself and with its place.•The theoretical relationship presented in the literature was evaluated experimentally using this method.•Data from oral interviews were analyzed using SPSS and LISREL softwares.

The mediating roles of optimism, loneliness, and psychological distress in the association between a sense of community and meaning in life among older adults.

A sense of community is known to be a protective factor for the well-being of older adults and meaning in life associated with positive mental outcomes. Nevertheless, there is a need to expand the knowledge of the role of a sense of community in meaning in life, particularly among older adults. Intending to broaden the empirical understanding from this perspective, the current study examined the mediating roles of optimism, loneliness, and psychological distress in the association between a sense of community and meaning in life. Participants included 740 community dwelling Israeli older adults (M = 71.96; SD = 5.81). Participants completed questionnaires on a sense of community, optimism, loneliness, psychological distress, meaning in life, and sociodemographic characteristics. A positive association was found between a sense of community with optimism, and a negative association with loneliness. A negative association between optimism with psychological distress and a positive link between loneliness with psychological distress was found, while a higher level of psychological distress was associated with a lower level of meaning in life. Practitioners should focus interventions with older adults on developing a sense of community, with the aim to promote optimism and, at the same time, reduce loneliness and thus decrease psychological distress while strengthening meaning in life.

Múltiples niveles ecológicos en el estudio del sentido psicológico de comunidad con el barrio de residencia / Multiple Ecological Levels in the Study of the Psychological Sense of Community With the Neighborhood of Residence

Los estudios sobre el sentido psicológico de comunidad en barrios han profundizado en la experiencia subjetiva de los residentes, identificando algunos factores predictores relacionados con el tiempo invertido en la comunidad y las actividades realizadas. Sin embargo, es necesario concebir los barrios como entornos abiertos que interactúan con el espacio urbano que les rodea. Además, conviene combinar el estudio de las reacciones subjetivas y los sentimientos de pertenencia con la interacción social que tiene lugar en los contextos urbanos. En este artículo se reflexiona sobre las ventajas de adoptar un enfoque de múltiples niveles ecológicos de análisis, considerar múltiples comunidades de referencia simultáneamente y examinar el papel de los barrios colindantes en entornos urbanos (AU)

Studies on the psychological sense of community in neighborhoods have delved into the subjective experience of residents, identifying some predictive factors related to the time invested in the community and the activities carried out by residents. However, it is necessary to conceive neighborhoods as open environments that interact with the urban space that surrounds them. Furthermore, it is advisable to combine the study of subjective reactions and feelings of belonging with the social interaction that takes place in urban contexts. This article reflects on the advantages of adopting a multiple ecological levels of analysis approach, considering multiple reference communities simultaneously, and examining the role of neighboring neighborhoods in urban environments (AU)

Frecuentar lugares de barrios colindantes incide en el sentido psicológico de comunidad: estudio de caso en la ciudad de Sevilla (España) / Frequenting Places in Neighboring Neighborhoods Influences the Psychological Sense of Community: A Case Study in the City of Seville (Spain)

Los barrios de residencia proporcionan contextos de riesgo y protección con importantes repercusiones en el bienestar subjetivo y la calidad de vida. Sin embargo, la investigación previa ha prestado escasa atención al impacto psicológico de las relaciones entre barrios. En este estudio exploramos la frecuentación de lugares de interacción en barrios colindantes y su repercusión en el sentido psicológico de comunidad. A través de un estudio de caso de cuatro barrios de la ciudad de Sevilla que difieren en su nivel de renta, comprobamos que los residentes de los barrios vulnerables suelen usar los servicios de los barrios aledaños con más recursos, especialmente cuando cuentan con servicios y lugares de interacción atractivos. Con una muestra de 225 residentes mostramos que el sentido psicológico de comunidad varía en función de los años de residencia en el barrio, el nivel socioeconómico y la frecuentación de lugares en los barrios colindantes. Los resultados podrían ser útiles en el diseño de estrategias efectivas de desarrollo comunitario (AU)

Residential neighborhoods provide risk and protection contexts with important repercussions on subjective well-being and quality of life. However, previous research has paid scant attention to the psychological impact of relationships between neighborhoods. In this study we explore the frequentation of places of interaction in neighboring neighborhoods and its impact on the psychological sense of community. Through a case study of four neighborhoods in the city of Seville that differ in their income level, we verified that residents of vulnerable neighborhoods tend to use the services of neighboring neighborhoods with more resources, especially when they have attractive services and places. With a sample of 225 residents, we show that the psychological sense of community varies depending on the years of residence in the neighborhood, the socioeconomic level and the frequentation of places in the neighboring neighborhoods. The results could be useful in designing effective community development strategies (AU)

La influencia de los estilos de apego y los rasgos de personalidad en el sentido de comunidad en barrios de España y Colombia / The Influence of Attachment Styles and Personality Traits on the Sense ofa Community in Neighborhoods in Spain and Colombi

El sentido de comunidad es uno de los procesos más investigados en psicología comunitaria. Desde su formulación inicial, la pertenencia a estructuras sociales y geográficas más amplias forma parte de la definición del concepto. La investigación sobre el tema ha solido centrarse en el análisis de los factores ambientales y colectivos que modulan la integración de los individuos en grupos y comunidades y ha prestado menos atención a los aspectos individuales que orientan las interacciones directas que las personas mantienen en estos espacios. En este estudio analizamos la relación de los estilos apego individual y los rasgos de personalidad sobre el sentido de comunidad en 305 entrevistados de diversos barrios de Sevilla (España) y Barranquilla (Colombia). Los resultados muestran un efecto predictivo modesto del estilo de apego seguro y la amabilidad principalmente sobre las dimensiones de self y pertenencia del sentido de comunidad. Estos resultados evidencian la necesidad de tener en cuenta diferentes niveles de análisis en la evaluación de la pertenencia a contextos comunitarios y la utilidad de definir modelos que incluyan la interacción de factores individuales y contextuales en su explicación (AU)

Sense of Community is one of the most researched processes in Community Psychology. Since its initial formulation, belonging to broader social and geographical structures has been part of the definition of the concept. Research on the topic has tended to focus on the analysis of the environmental and collective factors that modulate the integration of individuals into groups and communities and has paid less attention to the individual aspects that guide the direct interactions that people have in these spaces. In this study we analyse the relationship between individual attachment styles and personality traits on the sense of community in 305 respondents from different neighborhoods in Seville (Spain) and Barranquilla (Colombia). The results show a modest predictive effect of secure attachment style and agreeableness mainly on the self and belonging dimensions of sense of community. These results show the need to take into account different levels of analysis in the assessment of belonging to community contexts and the usefulness of defining models that include the interaction of individual and contextual factors in their explanation (AU)

Dinámicas de redes personales y sentido de comunidad en cuatro barrios de Sevilla (España) / Personal Networks Dynamics and Sense of Community in Four Neighborhoods of Seville (Spain)

El presente estudio investiga la relación entre las dinámicas de redes personales y el sentido de comunidad en cuatro barrios de Sevilla (España). A medida que la urbanización redefine las sociedades, comprender lo que fomenta u obstaculiza el sentido de comunidad resulta crucial. Utilizando análisis empíricos y marcos teóricos, la investigación revela factores que moldean percepciones, actitudes y experiencias dentro de las comunidades. Al analizar cómo interactúan las métricas de redes sociales y las dimensiones de sentido de comunidad, el estudio explora cómo las interacciones sociales y las estructuras de red influyen en el sentimiento de pertenencia. Centrándose en cuatro barrios distintos de Sevilla, la investigación emplea análisis de varianza (ANOVA) y análisis de regresión para examinar rigurosamente las conexiones entre las redes sociales y el sentido de comunidad. Los hallazgos revelan asociaciones matizadas entre las métricas de redes sociales y las dimensiones de sentido de comunidad en cada barrio, profundizando en la comprensión de las dinámicas comunales. En última instancia, este estudio mejora la comprensión de cómo se entrelazan las redes sociales y la percepción comunitaria. Al investigar diferentes barrios, se proporcionan ideas generalizables y una comprensión matizada de los factores que impulsan los lazos comunales. La investigación contribuye a una comprensión más amplia de las comunidades cambiantes en un mundo de rápida urbanización. A través de su exploración, el estudio resalta la importancia de fomentar los lazos comunitarios dentro de los barrios, desarrollando el tejido social que une a las comunidades (AU)

This study investigates the relationship between personal networks dynamics and individuals’ sense of community in four neighborhoods of Seville (Spain). As urbanization reshapes societies, understanding what fosters or hinders a sense of community is crucial. Using empirical analysis and theoretical frameworks, the research uncovers factors shaping perceptions, attitudes, and experiences within communities. By analyzing how social network metrics and sense of community indicators interact, the study explores how social interactions and network structures influence feelings of belongingness.Focused on four distinct Seville neighborhoods, the research employs ANOVA and regression analysis to rigorously examine connections between social networks and community perceptions. Findings reveal nuanced associations between social network metrics and community indicators in each neighborhood, deepening insights into communal dynamics.Ultimately, this study enhances our understanding of how social networks and community perception intersect. By investigating various neighborhoods, it provides both generalizable insights and a nuanced understanding of factors driving communal bonds. The research informs community development strategies and contributes to a broader comprehension of changing communities in a rapidly urbanizing world. Through its exploration, the study underscores the significance of nurturing community bonds within neighborhoods, weaving the social fabric that holds societies togeth (AU)

Propiedades psicométricas de la Escala Breve de Sentido de Comunidad (BSCS) en los barrios de Barranquilla, Colombia / Psychometric Properties of the Brief Sense of Community Scale (BSCS) in the Neighborhoods of Barranquilla (Colombia

Se analizan las propiedades psicométricas de la Escala Breve de Sentido de Comunidad (BSCS) en colombianos que residían en Barranquilla, norte de Colombia, teniendo en cuenta la categorización en estratos socioeconómicos de los barrios en la ciudad. Se examina si el modelo teórico de cuatro factores se mantiene o no en este contexto y si la variable estrato socioeconómico de los barrios afecta a su puntuación. Se encuestó a 858 personas: 491 mujeres, 367 hombres, con edades de 18 a 82 años (M =31.2 años, DE = 14.6). Se utilizó un análisis factorial exploratorio y confirmatorio para examinar la estructura de los factores y la igualdad de los parámetros del BSCS entre los grupos de barrios con alta y baja categorización socioeconómica. Se encontró que, de tres modelos en comparación, el modelo de un factor de segundo orden que explica las cuatro dimensiones del Sentido de Comunidad (SC), brindó el mejor ajuste a los datos y responde mejor al modelo de McMillan y Chavis (1986). Las medidas de confiabilidad interna fueron ω de 0.92 y α de 0.91. Se propone una norma de corrección calculada para la matriz de correlación policórica, donde las puntuaciones más altas indican un mayor SC. Se termina identificando que el SC es mucho mayor en los barrios de estratos socioeconómicos altos y medios con respecto a los barrios de estratos bajos (AU)

The psychometric properties of the Brief Sense of Community Scale (BSCS) are analyzed in Colombians residing in Barranquilla, northern Colombia, taking into account the socioeconomic strata categorization of neighborhoods in the city. We examine whether or not the four-factor theoretical model holds in this context and whether the socioeconomic strata variable of the neighborhoods affects their score. We surveyed 858 people: 491 women, 367 men, aged 18-82 years (M =31.2 years, SD= 14.6). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine the factor structure and equality of BSCS parameters between groups of neighborhoods with high and low socioeconomic categorization. It was found that, of three models in comparison, the second-order one-factor model explaining the four dimensions of Sense of Community (SC) provided the best fit to the data and is most responsive to the McMillan and Chavis (1986) model.The internal reliability measures were ω of 0.92 and α of 0.91. A correction rule calculated for the polychoric correlationmatrix is proposed, where higher scores indicate higher SC. It ends up identifying that the SC is much higher in high and middle socioeconomic strata neighborhoods with respect to low strata neighborhoods (AU)

Contribution of personal and community resources to personal growth of mothers from Israel and Turkey.

AIMS: The transition to parenthood is considered one of the most important milestones in a person's life, bringing with it various changes and challenges. One possible outcome of such a life-altering and stressful event is the experience of personal growth (PG). This study examines the contribution of a mother's personal resources (emotion regulation strategies, resilience) and environmental resources (sense of community) to her PG following the transition to motherhood, taking into account the role played by ethnicity. METHODS: Data was collected from 402 Israeli Arab, Israeli Jewish, and Turkish first-time mothers of babies up to twenty-four months old. RESULTS: It was found that Israeli Arab mothers reported significantly higher expressive suppression and PG than the other two groups. In addition, Israeli Arab mothers scored significantly higher on resilience, and Israeli Jewish mothers scored significantly higher on sense of community, than Turkish mothers. After controlling for mother and baby background variables, cognitive reappraisal and sense of community were found to predict PG. Two interactions emerged: higher sense of community was related to greater PG only among Israeli Arab mothers; and a positive association between resilience and growth was found only among Israeli Jewish mothers. The results are discussed in relation to the literature. CONCLUSION: Personal and environmental resources contribute differently to growth of first-time mothers in different cultures. Thus, rather than implementing the same type of intervention in all cultures, appropriate interventions should be tailored for each culture in accordance with its unique characteristics.

The impact of COVID-19 on mental health and posttraumatic growth of Korean college students: a mixed method study examining the moderating role of coping flexibility and sense of community.

Introduction: In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to complex psychological problems, it is important to examine the effect of coping flexibility and sense of community, because relying solely on specific coping strategies is ineffective, and the pandemic necessitates social cooperation. Methods: This study was divided into two parts. The first study used a quantitative research method(i.e., structural equation modeling) to test if coping flexibility and sense of community moderated the impact of COVID-19-related concerns on mental health (i.e., depression and anxiety) and posttraumatic growth among Korean college students. The second study used a qualitative research method for an in-depth examination of how Korean college students coped with the COVID-19 pandemic and if they achieved any positive change or growth. Given that the COVID-19 pandemic represents a situation distinct from what people have previously encountered, Study II was designed to examine the experiences of individuals during this exceptional period. Results: In the first study (Study I), coping flexibility was found to increase the impact of COVID-19-related concerns and difficulties on depression and anxiety. Conversely, a sense of community reduced the consequences of these overwhelming worries on depression and anxiety, while also expanding the impact of COVID-19-related disorders on posttraumatic growth. In the second study (Study II), the findings showed that the participants experienced various psychological consequences, including depression and anxiety, and distress in other aspects of their life, including disruptions in interpersonal relationships and college life. Nonetheless, the participants made efforts to cope with such difficulties and overcome the challenges together with the community. In fact, the pandemic improved their coping skills and expanded their value system and worldview. Conclusion: The study findings suggest that given the unique situation presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, a sense of community protected the mental well-being of Korean college students and facilitated their growth. This study emphasizes the necessity of promoting SOC to effectively cope with disaster situations.

Job Satisfaction and Perceived Structural Support in Remote Working Conditions-The Role of a Sense of Community at Work.

Changes in work assets due to the COVID-19 pandemic posed several challenges to employees' well-being, especially in the light of the changes in the work organization, such as remote working and the massive use of IT. According to the literature on the role of technologies at work, the organization's ability to support remote working is a valuable protective factor. At the same time, social distancing due to the pandemic forced employees to use a new relational asset. This, in turn, can shed new light on how the sense of connection and belonging to an organization impacts remote working experiences. This paper will test the mediational effect of structural support and sense of community at work in the link between job demands and job satisfaction in a sample of remote workers. The study involved 635 participants aged 21 to 70 (mean = 46.7, SD = 11; females = 61%). Among them, 33% had remote working experiences before the first Italian lockdown (March 2020). The research protocol included scales from the COPSOQ-III (job demands, sense of community, job satisfaction) and a questionnaire to evaluate the structural support related to the remote working asset. Results from a structural equation model showed a partial mediating effect of sense of community, but not of structural support, in the link between job demands and job satisfaction (χ2(22) = 76.918, p = 0.00, CFI = 0.966, TLI = 0.944, RMSEA = 0.063 (90% CI = 0.048-0.078, p = 0.079), SRMR = 0.044). The role of such associations for future technology-based work assets is detailed in the discussion.

The effect of preference and actual days spent working from home on stress and musculoskeletal pain in older workers.

OBJECTIVES: The rapid shift to working from home (WFH) due to the COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique opportunity to examine the relationship between preferred and actual days spent working from home on employees musculoskeletal pain (MSP) and stress in older workers. METHODS: This study uses three waves of data from the Employees Working from Home (EWFH) study collected in May 2021 (n = 451), November 2021 (n = 358) and May 2022 (n = 320) during the COVID-19 pandemic. A generalised mixed-effect model was used to model the relationships between preference and actual days spent WFH, stress and MSP. Exploratory mediation analysis was conducted to further explore significant relationships between actual days WFH and outcomes. RESULTS: WFH was associated with increasing stress levels in older participants, when the actual number of days WFH increased (B: 0.051, 95% CI: 0.008, 0.094) and when the number of days WFH exceeded their preferences (B: 0.218, 95% CI: 0.087, 0.349). Actual number of days spent WFH and stress in older employees was mediated through their sense of community (Indirect effect: 0.014, 95% CI: 0.003, 0.03; p = 0.006). The relationship between WFH and MSP was variable. For older employees, WFH more than their preferred number of days was associated with a higher likelihood of reporting MSP (OR: 4.070, 95% CI: 1.204, 13.757). CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this study support the need for flexible policies to support WFH which take into account employees preferences. For older workers, a sense of community was found to be important and proactive attempts to restore this will be important for maintain their health and supporting sustainable employment.