Measurement properties of the 13-item sense of coherence scale using Rasch analysis

Management of everyday life after a hand operation-A qualitative study of patients with a weak sense of coherence

BACKGROUND

A hand-related disorder (HRD) has a more significant impact on participation in everyday life for patients with a weak sense of coherence (SOC) compared to those with a strong SOC. Therefore, understanding how patients with a weak SOC manage the conditions of everyday life after a hand operation is of clinical interest.

PURPOSE

This study aimed to explore how patients with a weak SOC experience and manage the conditions of everyday life after an operation for an HRD.

STUDY DESIGN

A qualitative design with a hermeneutic approach.

METHODS

An in-depth interview was conducted with each of eight adults-five women and three men-with an HRD and a weak SOC (SOC-13 score <52). Participants with varying HRDs were interviewed once between six and 13 weeks after the hand operation. Data were analyzed based on a hermeneutic approach.

RESULTS

The analyses resulted in five themes: even more conditions to handle, challenges in everyday life, managing everyday life, different expectations, and the influence of information on everyday life. The lives of most participants were significantly impacted: they experienced a range of difficulties managing their activities and roles after their operation. The participants felt uncertain about managing everyday life and the future and expressed unfulfilled expectations for different reasons. All wanted individualized information about what to expect.

CONCLUSIONS

Participants had several conditions in life that challenged their everyday lives, and the HRD made their everyday lives even more challenging. The extent to which they felt affected appeared to relate to their perception of their presurgery activities. They had several strategies to manage everyday life but used these to varying extent. Their expectations about the outcome had both positive and negative effects on their ability to manage everyday life, and individually adapted information was requested about what to expect and how to cope with everyday life after the surgery.

Identification of Relationships Among Resilience Factors Using Network Analysis: A Pilot Study

BACKGROUND

Although college life can be fulfilling, it can be stressful, particularly for health professional students. In addition, they may have had Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) that increases their sensitivity to academic stress. Yet, students need to overcome challenges to become successful professionals. The literature suggests the following factors may be associated with resilience: ACE and academic stress as the antecedents; ego-resilience, emotion regulation, resources, social support, inflammatory markers, and genes as the defining attributes; and mental health and sense of coherence (SOC) as the consequences.

AIMS

The purpose is to identify the relationships among factors associated with resilience using network analysis.

METHODS

A total of 70 college students participated in this cross-sectional pilot study. They completed measures of psychosocial variables and provided saliva samples, which were analyzed for Serotonin Transporter-Linked Promoter Region (5-HTTLPR)/rs25531 and inflammatory markers. Mixed graphical models including all variables were estimated using the R-package mgm.

RESULTS

Network analysis revealed positive associations between (1) mental health and SOC; (2) mental health and resources; (3) mental health and social support; (4) SOC and reappraisal of emotion regulation; (5) resources and reappraisal of emotion regulation; and (6) resources and social support. In addition, SOC and academic stress were negatively associated. Furthermore, the short variant of 5-HTTLPR/rs25531 was associated with stronger suppression of emotion regulation and fewer resources compared with the long variant.

CONCLUSION

Resilience may be influenced by biopsychosocial factors, notably SOC and 5-HTTLPR/rs25531. However, longitudinal research is needed with a larger sample size to better understand how these and other factors may affect resilience.

Evidence of internal construct validity of SOC-13 total score, for use in hand therapy

PURPOSE

The objective was to examine whether the 13-item Sense of coherence scale (SOC-13) can be reported as a unidimensional interval-scale metric, when new approaches based on the Rasch model to address local item dependency are applied, and to determine whether an interval-scale scoring can be made available.

METHODS

Data were derived from two samples of patients with hand-related disorders (merged n = 915). Rasch analyses of the SOC data were conducted using item-level analysis and a testlet approach.

RESULTS

Initial item-level analysis of the SOC-13 confirmed previous findings of misfit to the Rasch model. In resolving local dependency by constructing three testlets, which corresponded to the three components of the SOC construct, fit to the Rasch model (χ2(df) = 43.11 (27), p = 0.163) and unidimensionality of the SOC-13 could be established. A transformation table was successfully created to convert the SOC-13 raw ordinal score to corresponding Rasch interval-scaled values.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study indicate that data obtained by the SOC-13 can be regarded as essentially unidimensional, and an interval-scale transformation table of the SOC-13 total scores was developed, for use in clinical practice and research on coping resources in patients with hand-related disorders.

A cross sectional survey on UK older adult’s attitudes to ageing, dementia and positive psychology attributes

Background

With an increasingly ageing population worldwide, the predominant attitude towards ageing is still negative. Negative stereotypes have detrimental effects on individuals’ physical and mental health. Evidence is required about factors that may predict and change these views. This study aimed to investigate if an older person’s attitude towards dementia, their belief in a just world and sense of coherence is associated with their attitudes to ageing.

Methods

A 25-min online survey was completed by 2,675 participants aged 50 or over who were current residents of the United Kingdom (UK). Questions included demographics, overall health, dementia carer, dementia relative status and retirement status. Standardised scales used were the Attitudes to Ageing Questionnaire (AAQ), Dementia Attitudes Scale (DAS), Just World Scale (JWS) and Sense of Coherence Scale-13 (SOC). Data was analysed with descriptive, two-tailed bivariate Pearson’s correlations, simple, and hierarchical regression analyses.

Results

Attitudes to dementia, just world beliefs, and sense of coherence were all significantly positively correlated with AAQ-Total, with SOC sub-scale “Meaningfulness” showing the strongest correlation. In a hierarchical regression model, higher scores on SOC-Meaningfulness, DAS-Total and belief in a just world for oneself all predicted more positive attitudes to ageing.

Conclusions

The more positive an individual’s attitude to dementia and the stronger they hold the belief that the world is just and coherent, the more likely they are to display positive attitudes to ageing. This initial evidence helps create a greater understanding of the factors that drive attitudes and stigma and may have implications for public health messaging.

"This program should come with a warning sign!": Mental wellness in occupational therapy and physical therapy students

Objectives: To measure and compare distress in entry-level masters occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT) students; to evaluate distress levels relative to existing data; and to explore factors that cause stress, effects of stress, and coping strategies. Participants: Ninety-eight OT and PT students (75 females, 23 males) from two cohorts at a Canadian university. Methods: Sequential mixed-methods including questionnaires and inductive analysis of focus group discussions. Results: OT and PT students from one cohort reported higher levels of stress, anxiety and/or depression compared to the following academic year and compared to undergraduate and general population samples. The overall theme was the unrelenting tug of war between school and other aspects of students' lives. Factors related to academic workload negatively affected mental health. Coping strategies included physical activity, strategic selection of peers, and modifying expectations. Conclusions: Wellness in OT and PT students is an important concern that deserves attention.

Positive psychology and attitudes to ageing in people aged 50 and over in the United Kingdom

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate whether attitudes to ageing were associated with attitudes to positive psychology constructs.Methods: A cross-sectional online survey of 572 UK adults aged 50+ (mean age 64.6 years, SD = 8.4, 73.8% female) assessed attitudes to ageing using the Attitudes to Ageing Questionnaire (AAQ) in relation to measures of positive psychology including (1) belief in a just world-Just World Scale (JWS-Self and JWS-Other), (2) sense of coherence-Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC) and (3) positive well-being-Control, Autonomy, Self-Realization, and Pleasure Scale (CASP-19). Other factors included difficulties with hearing and eyesight, relative and carer status and demographics.Results: People with hearing and eyesight difficulties had lower CASP-19 and SOC scores, and more negative attitudes to ageing compared to people without sensory problems. Hierarchical regression analyses showed all three positive psychology scales predicted more positive attitudes to ageing. Being a carer for a person with dementia was associated with more negative attitudes to ageing.Conclusion: Whereas health and sensory problems relate to more negative attitudes to ageing, this study highlights the importance of positive psychological factors which could inform approaches seeking to promote well-being and health in older people.

Satisfaction with life and associated factors among elderly people living in two cities in northwest Ethiopia: a community-based cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to determine the level of life satisfaction and identify associated factors among elderly people living in two cities in northwest Ethiopia.

DESIGN

Community-based cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Two cities in northwest Ethiopia (Gondar and Bahir Dar).

PARTICIPANTS

816 elderly people age 60 years and above living in Gondar and Bahir Dar, northwest Ethiopia. Systematic random sampling was used to select study participants.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Level of life satisfaction. Considering the mean and SD, three levels of satisfaction appeared to suffice as the basis for analysis and discussion: 23.5-34.4 dissatisfied, 34.5-56.5 averagely satisfied and 56.6-67.5 satisfied. Multivariable ordinal regression analysis was done to control the confounders. Since the outcome variable has an ordinal category, ordinal regression analysis is appropriate. A p≤0.05 and AOR (adjusted OR) with a 95% CI were considered to determine the statistically significant variables and strength of the association.

RESULTS

The mean age of the respondents was 68.2 years with an SD±7.2. The level of life satisfaction was: dissatisfied 17.2%, moderately satisfied 63.8% and well satisfied 19.0%. Overall, 45.8% (95% CI 42.2% to 49.2%) of the participants had a score equal to or above the mean. Regarding associated factors; retired current occupation (AOR=2.23, 95% CI 1.09 to 4.55), good self-rated health status (AOR=2.54, 95% CI 1.29 to 4.99), having no chronic disease (AOR=1.48, 95% CI 1.03 to 2.11), somewhat-good (AOR=2.15, 95% CI 1.12 to 4.13) and good (AOR=4.51, 95% CI 2.40 to 8.45) self-perception on ageing life, moderate functional impairment on daily living activities (AOR=5.43, 95% CI 1.81 to 16.24), high sense of coherence (AOR=3.80, 95% CI 2.04 to 7.08), house rent as a source of finance (AOR=2.60, 95% CI 1.49 to 4.52) and high perceived social support (AOR=2.13, 95% CI 1.44 to 3.16) had statistically significant association with the life satisfaction.

CONCLUSION

The life satisfaction level in our study group was lower than in some more highly developed countries. To improve the level of life satisfaction in Ethiopia, a holistic programme of nursing care for elderly people, particularly as concerns about their health and psychosocial conditions is crucial in both community and clinical settings.

Using Mixed Methods Integration to Evaluate the Structure of Help-Seeking Barriers Scale: A Survivor-Centered Approach

Despite the high prevalence of adverse health and trauma-related outcomes associated with intimate partner violence (IPV), help-seeking and service utilization among survivors is low. This study is part of a larger mixed-methods and survivor-centered validation study on the Icelandic Barriers to Help-Seeking for Trauma (BHS-TR) scale, a new barriers measure focused on trauma recovery. A mixed-methods legitimation strategy of integration was employed to evaluate the BHS-TR structure in samples of IPV survivors. The merging of qualitative (n = 17) and quantitative (n = 137) data through a joint display analysis revealed mainly complementarity findings, strengthening the scale’s overall trustworthiness and validity evidence. Divergent findings involved items about mistrust, perceived rejection, stigmatization, fearing vulnerability, and safeguarding efforts that were significant help-seeking barriers in the survivors’ narratives, whereas factor analysis indicated their removal. These BHS-TR items were critically evaluated in an iterative spiraling process that supported the barriers’ influence, illuminated core issues, and guided potential refinements. This work contributes to the growing field of mixed methods instrument validation placing equal status on qualitative and quantitative methods and emphasizing integration to provide more complete insights. Moreover, the study’s findings highlight the added value of further exploring divergence between two sets of data and the importance of giving attention to the voices of the target population throughout the validation process.

Salutogenesis and COVID-19 pandemic impacting nursing education across SEANERN affiliated universities: A multi-national study

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the lives of many. Particularly, nursing students experience greater stress as their normal curriculum is interrupted and some of them face the risk of being infected as frontline workers. Nursing faculty members may face similar struggles, in addition to developing teaching materials for online learning. Thus, it is important to examine the faculty members' and students' views on their ability to adapt during the pandemic to obtain a holistic view of how learning and training has been affected.

DESIGN

The descriptive cross-sectional quantitative design was used.

SETTINGS

Data were collected from Southeast and East Asian Nursing Education and Research Network (SEANERN) affiliated nursing institutions from January 2021 to August 2021.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 1897 nursing students and 395 faculty members from SEANERN-affiliated nursing institutions in Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam were recruited for this study.

METHODS

Quantitative surveys were used to explore the satisfaction levels in education modalities, confidence levels, psychosocial well-being, sense of coherence and stress levels of nursing students and faculty members during the COVID-19 pandemic.

RESULTS

Participants were mostly satisfied with the new education modalities, although most students felt that their education was compromised. Both groups showed positive levels of psychosocial well-being, despite scoring low to medium on the sense of coherence scale and experiencing great stress. The participants' sense of coherence was positively correlated with their psychosocial well-being and negatively correlated with stress levels.

CONCLUSIONS

While the COVID-19 pandemic had negatively impacted the lives of nursing students and faculty members, most of them had a healthy level of psychosocial well-being. Having a strong sense of coherence was associated with better psychosocial health and lower stress levels. As such, it may be helpful to develop interventions aimed at improving the sense of coherence of nursing students and staff to help them manage stressors better.

Exploring the role of social capital, self-efficacy and social contagion in shaping lifestyle and mental health among students representing the future healthcare workforce in Palestine: social cohort study protocol

INTRODUCTION

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and depression form an unhealthy mix. The project focuses on potentially effective psychosocial factors shaping health-related habits and mental health. The study is conducted among health domain students. Understanding what shapes their health will determine their quality of care. The study is implemented at An-Najah National University in Palestine. This zone of continuous conflict psychological stress is high and mental health problems are stigmatised.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Students who are enrolled in second and third year will be invited to fill in a baseline and two follow-up online questionnaires. The questionnaires will assess: health behaviours and outcomes (health-related habits, obesity and mental health), main predictors (social capital, social network, self-efficacy), confounders (general and sociodemographic characteristics) and effect modifiers (sense of coherence (SOC) and family SOC). Friendships within participating students will be identified by allowing students to name their friends from a pull-down menu of all students. Descriptive statistics and scores will describe participant's characteristics. The relationship between health behaviour, outcomes and main predictors will be examined by regression and structural equation models. Clustering of health behaviours and outcomes will be assessed by permutation tests. Their spread within the network of friends will be investigated by longitudinal generalised estimating equations.

DISCUSSION

The study will identify the prevalence of NCD-related health habits and mental health aspects in the future healthcare workforce in Palestine. It will be the first study to address the role of psychosocial factors for the targeted students. It has the potential to identify targets for promoting physical and mental health among these future professionals.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval was obtained from Ethikkommission Nordwest- und Zentralschweiz (EKNZ) in Switzerland and the Institutional Review Board Committee (IRBC) in Palestine. Participation in the study is voluntary and requires informed consent. The data management methodology ensures the confidentiality of the data. The outcomes of the study will be published as scientific papers. In addition, it will be presented in stakeholder conferences and to students at An-Najah National University.

Understanding and Measuring Help-Seeking Barriers among Intimate Partner Violence Survivors: Mixed-Methods Validation Study of the Icelandic Barriers to Help-Seeking for Trauma (BHS-TR) Scale

Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is a global human rights violation of vast proportions and a severe public health problem. Despite high rates of adverse outcomes related to IPV, help-seeking and service utilization among survivors is low. This exploratory sequential mixed-methods study using a combined etic-emic approach describes the validation of the Icelandic Barriers to Help-Seeking for Trauma (BHS-TR) scale. The qualitative phase involved developing new items based on the experiences of 17 Icelandic IPV survivors, identifying barriers including beliefs that help-seeking is a sign of weakness, and the desire to safeguard oneself from re-traumatization. The quantitative phase examined the psychometrics of the BHS-TR in a sample of 137 IPV survivors in Iceland. Results supported an eight-factor structure (Financial Concerns; Unavailable/Not Helpful; External Constraints; Inconvenience; Weakness/Vulnerability; Problem Management Beliefs; Frozen/Confused; and Shame), which when grouped comprised two indices of Structural and Internal Barriers. The scale's internal consistency was high (α  =  0.87), and the results provided evidence of convergent, discriminant, and known-group validity. This study adds to the growing literature supporting the advantages of applying mixed methods for instrument development and validation, and its results highlight the significance of giving rise to the voices of survivors. The BHS-TR is the first trauma-specific and survivor-centered measure of help-seeking barriers available in Iceland. It can be used to provide valuable information that may guide the development of evidence-based interventions to break down barriers and help survivors find ways to trauma recovery.

An occupation-based intervention in patients with hand-related disorders grouped using the sense of coherence scale-A randomized controlled trial

STUDY DESIGN

A nonblinded randomized controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION

Occupation-based interventions are superior to physical exercise-based interventions in patients with activity limitations. However, only a few studies have examined the effect in patients with hand-related disorders. Patients recover heterogeneously, which could be due to personal factors, such as sense of coherence (SOC).

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

To investigate the effectiveness of an occupation-based intervention for patients with hand-related disorders and whether SOC can give an indication of the expected effects.

METHODS

A total of 504 patients were stratified into three SOC groups and then randomized to either an occupation-based intervention, including physical exercises (OBI) or a physical exercise-based occupation-focused intervention. The primary outcome, functioning, was measured using the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire. Primary endpoint was at three months. Patients were followed up for a year.

RESULTS

No significant difference was found in primary outcome analysis. Nevertheless, patients receiving OBI had a statistically significant and greater change in satisfaction with their occupational performance at one, two, and three months follow-up. Patients with a weak SOC had worse functioning and lower health-related quality of life than those in the other groups, at all times.

CONCLUSIONS

OBI as delivered in this study was not superior to physical exercise-based occupation-focused intervention in this patient group. However, in taking a client-centered approach, we recommend that OBI be based on individual needs, given that patients had a statistically greater change in score regarding satisfaction with their occupational performance. It is evident that patients with a weaker SOC have a lower level of functioning. This knowledge should inform clinical practice.

Protective Factors Against Psychological Distress Among Inpatients in Substance Use Treatment: A Cross-Sectional Study

Several studies have found co-occurrence between substance abuse and mental health problems, as well as an association between treatment retention and psychological distress. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of possible protective factors with psychological distress. The present study tested physical activity, self-esteem and sense of coherence, and psychological distress level among inpatients in substance use treatment. The study design was cross-sectional and multicenter. Patients (N = 167) were recruited in 2018 from 10 Norwegian inpatient facilities. They self-reported on 3 validated measurement instruments: Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Antonovsky’s Sense of Coherence Scale, and frequency of physical activity. The Hopkins Symptom Checklist-10 was used as an outcome variable of psychological distress. The associations were investigated with multiple linear and logistic regression methods. The results suggested that high self-esteem and sense of coherence were protective factors against high levels of psychological distress: self-esteem (β = −.39, P < .001) and sense of coherence (β = −.352, P < .001). The results offer support for a salutogenic approach in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment by enhancing individuals’ protective factors to reduce psychological distress.

Sense of coherence and risk of breast cancer

Sense of coherence (SoC) is the origin of health according to Antonovsky. The link between SoC and risk of cancer has however rarely been assessed. We performed a cohort study of 46,436 women from the Karolinska Mammography Project for Risk Prediction of Breast Cancer (Karma). Participants answered a SoC-13 questionnaire at recruitment to Karma and were subsequently followed up for incident breast cancer. Multivariate Cox models were used to assess the hazard ratios (HRs) of breast cancer in relation to SoC. We identified 771 incident cases of breast cancer during follow-up (median time: 5.2 years). No association was found between SoC, either as a categorical (strong vs. weak SoC, HR: 1.08, 95% CI: 0.90–1.29) or continuous (HR: 1.08; 95% CI: 1.00–1.17 per standard deviation increase of SoC) variable, and risk of breast cancer. In summary, we found little evidence to support an association between SoC and risk of breast cancer.

Facing the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Sense of Coherence

The worldwide outbreak of COVID-19, the ensuing pandemic, and the related containment measures pose considerable challenges to psychological resilience and well-being. Researchers are now forced to look for resources to cope with negative experiences linked to this health emergency. According to the salutogenic approach proposed by Antonovsky, the sense of coherence (SOC) is a major source of resilience. Thus, this study aimed at assessing the role of SOC in moderating the link between illness experiences (in terms of knowing persons diagnosed with COVID-19 and fear of contracting COVID-19) and psychological well-being. 2,784 participants, taken from a large sample of the Italian population (65.4% females) and aged between 18 and 85 years, filled in an anonymous online survey during the 3rd week of the lockdown. Findings supported the moderating role of SOC in shaping the link between illness experiences and psychological well-being. Specifically, participants who knew at least one person diagnosed with COVID-19 showed lower levels of psychological well-being at low levels of SOC. The negative relation between participants' fear of contracting COVID-19 and psychological well-being was stronger for those who showed higher levels of SOC. This study discusses the implications of these results for interventions aimed at reducing the pandemic's detrimental effects and promoting resilience.

Analysis of the Sociodemographic and Psychological Factors of the Family Caregivers’ Self-Management Capabilities for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Introduction: The successful management of Type 2 diabetes mellitus is determined by the role of the family in self-management as a family caregiver. Many factors influence the capability of the family caregivers to carry out diabetes self-management. The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors that influence the family caregiver capability of performing diabetes self-management in people with Type 2 diabetes mellitus.Methods: The study design was an analytical observation using a cross-sectional approach. The sample was 220 family caregivers of people with Type 2 diabetes mellitus in Jember Regency, East Java Province, Indonesia. The multistage random sampling technique was used as the sampling technique. The research instrument was a questionnaire. The questionnaires used in this study were the Diabetes Management Self Efficacy Scale, the Spoken Knowledge in Low Literacy Patients with Diabetes Questionnaire, the Motives for Caregiving Scale, the Spirituality Index of Well-Being, the Sense of Coherence Scale, the Coping Scale, the Hensarling Diabetes Family Support Scale, and the Family Caregiver's Perception of the Role of the Nurse Questionnaire. The data analysis was performed using the Pearson correlation test, the Spearman rank test, and the multiple linear regression test.Results: The results of the Pearson correlation test and Spearman rank test showed that the sociodemographic factors associated with diabetes self management were age (p=0.000), gender (p=0.016), education (p=0.000), income (p=0.000), and kinship (p=0.000). The psychosocial factors associated with diabetes self management were diabetes knowledge (p=0.000), motivation (p=0.000), coping skills (p=0.000), spirituality (p=0.000), family coherence (p=0.000), family support (p=0.000) and the role of the nurses (p=0.000). The multiple linear regression test showed that the factors associated with diabetes self management were diabetes knowledge (β=0.047), motivation (β=0.094), coping (β=0.188), spirituality (β= -0.082), family coherence (β= −0.043), family support (β= 0.296) and the role of the nurses (β= 0.512).Conclusion: Efforts to increase the family caregiver’s capabilities in terms of diabetes self-management should pay attention to the socio-demographic and psychosocial factors to prevent complications and to improve the health status, and quality of life of people with Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Physical Activity, Physical Fitness and the Sense of Coherence-Their Role in Body Acceptance among Polish Adolescents

The aim of the study was to investigate the protective role of physical activity (PA) and other health-related bio-psycho components (physical fitness, body composition, body perception and the sense of coherence (SOC)) in body acceptance. We searched for gender differences in those relationships. We investigated 231 adolescents aged 13-16 years from an urban area in Poland. We conducted objective measurements of height, weight, fat% and relative value of minute oxygen consumption. Questionnaires for PA, SOC Body Figure Perception and body acceptance were applied. Linear regression was used for analyzing determinants of body acceptance. We found that more physically active girls reported a less slim ideal vision of their figure (p < 0.05). Physical fitness is a better predictor of body acceptance than physical activity. In the final model, the sense of coherence, body mass index (BMI), and gender (being a boy) were also predictors of body acceptance (F(6,92) = 13.084, p < 0.0001). Gender differences were discussed in the present study. Fitness enhancing physical activity should be recommended for adolescents to achieve the protective psychosocial effect especially among girls. Physical activity on a daily basis brings positive results in a more adequate and reasonable body assessment and it can play a protective role in terms of mental wellbeing. Body satisfaction varies between genders and it is a more sensitive issue among girls than boys during adolescence.

Resilience Rather than Medical Factors: How Parents Predict Quality of Life of Their Sick Newborn

OBJECTIVE

To assess the influence of resiliency and stress on parental perspectives of the future quality of life (QOL) of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) newborns at high risk of neurodevelopmental disability.

STUDY DESIGN

We conducted a prospective multicenter questionnaire study. Perspectives from parents of newborns at high risk of disability as per neonatal follow-up criteria were compared with a low-risk group consisting of parents of all other NICU newborns. Parental anxiety and resiliency, measured using Brief Symptom Inventory and Sense of Coherence scales, respectively, were associated with QOL projections.

RESULTS

Parents returned 129 (81%) questionnaires. Parents considering their newborn as currently sicker were more stressed (P = .011) and worried about future physical (P < .001) and mental (P < .001) health, QOL (P < .001), coping (P = .019), and financial (P < .001) and emotional (P = .002) impact on the family. Ooverall, there was no difference between parents of high-risk and low-risk newborns on QOL projections. Almost all parents projected a good future QOL. Less resilient parents projected more pain (P = .04), more financial (P = .019), and emotional (P = .031) impact on their family, and were 10 times more likely to predict that their newborn would remain chronically ill.

CONCLUSIONS

Parental projection of future QOL of NICU newborns is not associated with risk of disability. Most parents predict overall a good future QOL and focus more on familial impact. The Sense of Coherence scale may be used in clinical settings to identify less resilient parents.

Investigation of the key determinants of Asian nurses' quality of life

The study aimed to compare nurses' quality of life and investigate key determinants among Asian countries with different economic status. A cross-sectional survey was conducted across five Asian countries (Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Bhutan). Quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF), job stress (National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health questionnaire), and demographic data were assessed. Stepwise multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to identify the key determinants of quality of life. Participants were 3,829 nurses (response rate: 82%) with a mean age of 33 ± 10 yr and majority were women (92%). Regarding quality of life, Bhutan yielded the highest scores, followed by Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and Japan, and these results were statistically significant. The key determinants that were significantly related to quality of life were "stress coping ability," "life satisfaction," "Japan," "social support," "job stress," and "Singapore" (adjusted R²=0.46). In conclusion, nurses' quality of life differs across Asian countries and is not linked to the country's economic development. To maintain a good quality of life for nurses, an international exchange program like international nursing conferences for work environment and staff coping strategies is recommended to broaden institution' minds and share experiences and exchange views to be able to realize their own problems and discover global solutions to them.

Psychometric limitations of the 13-item Sense of Coherence Scale assessed by Rasch analysis

BACKGROUND

A person's sense of coherence (SOC) reflects their perception that the world is meaningful and predictable, and impacts their ability to deal with stressors in a health-promoting manner. A valid, reliable, and sensitive measure of SOC is needed to advance health promotion research based on this concept. The 13-item Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-13) is widely used, but we reported in a previous evaluation its psychometric limitations when used with adults with morbid obesity. To determine whether the identified limitations were specific to that population or also generalize to other populations, we have replicated our prior study design and analysis in a new sample of adults with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

METHODS

A sample of 428 adults with IBD completed the SOC-13 at a routine clinic visit in Norway between October 1, 2009 and May 31, 2011. Using a Rasch analysis approach, the SOC-13 and its three subscales were evaluated in terms of rating scale functioning, internal scale validity, person-response validity, person-separation reliability and differential item functioning.

RESULTS

Collapsing categories at the low end of the 7-category rating scale improved its overall functioning. Two items demonstrated poor fit to the Rasch model, and once they were deleted from the scale, the remaining 11-item scale (SOC-11) demonstrated acceptable item fit. However, neither the SOC-13 nor the SOC-11 met the criteria for unidimensionality or person-response validity. While both the SOC-13 and SOC-11 were able to distinguish three groups of SOC, none of the subscales could distinguish any such groups. Minimal differential item functioning related to demographic characteristics was also observed.

CONCLUSIONS

An 11-item version of the sense of coherence scale has better psychometric properties than the original 13-item scale among adults with IBD. These findings are similar to those of our previous evaluation among adults with morbid obesity and suggest that the identified limitations may exist across populations. Further refinement of the SOC scale is therefore warranted.

Caregiver profiles in dementia related to quality of life, depression and perseverance time in the European Actifcare study: the importance of social health

OBJECTIVES

To identify caregiver profiles of persons with mild to moderate dementia and to investigate differences between identified caregiver profiles, using baseline data of the international prospective cohort study Actifcare.

METHODS

A latent class analysis was used to discover different caregiver profiles based on disease related characteristics of 453 persons with dementia and their 453 informal caregivers. These profiles were compared with regard to quality of life (CarerQoL score), depressive symptoms (HADS-D score) and perseverance time.

RESULTS

A 5-class model was identified, with the best Bayesian Information Criterion value, significant likelihood ratio test (p < 0.001), high entropy score (0.88) and substantive interpretability. The classes could be differentiated on two axes: (i) caregivers' age, relationship with persons with dementia, severity of dementia, and (ii) tendency towards stress and difficulty adapting to stress. Classes showed significant differences with all dependent variables, and were labelled 'older low strain', 'older intermediate strain', 'older high strain', 'younger low strain' and 'younger high strain'.

CONCLUSION

Differences exist between types of caregivers that explain variability in quality of life, depressive symptoms and perseverance time. Our findings may give direction for tailored interventions for caregivers of persons with dementia, which may improve social health and reduce health care costs.

Test-retest reliability of Antonovsky's 13-item sense of coherence scale in patients with hand-related disorders

PURPOSE

To report on the distribution and test-retest reliability of Antonovsky's 13-item Sense of Coherence (SOC-13) Scale in patients with hand-related disorders (HRD). Links between the SOC-13 score and factors such as age, number of days between date of injury and start of rehabilitation, gender and educational level were explored.

METHOD

Survey with test-retest, using self-administered questionnaire. SOC-13 was completed before starting rehabilitation at an outpatient clinic after 14 days and three months. Adult patients with HRD were included.

RESULTS

A total of 170 participants completed the SOC-13 at baseline (median SOC 71, range 30-91). The Intra-class Correlation Coefficient between baseline and 14 days was 0.84 (n = 151), and baseline and three months was 0.79 (n = 113). Weak correlations were found between SOC and age rs = 0.17, p < 0.03. No correlation was found between SOC and number of days since injury rs = 0.01, p > 0.92. No difference was found in SOC score related to gender or educational level.

CONCLUSIONS

The SOC-13 scale showed reliability for patients with HRD. There was a weak connection between age and SOC without clinical relevance. SOC-13 has the potential to be a powerful tool to measure the ICF component personal factors, which could have an impact on patients' rehabilitation outcomes. Implications for rehabilitation Antonovsky's SOC-13 scale showed test-retest reliability for patients with hand-related disorders. The SOC-13 scale could be a suitable tool to help measure personal factors.

The impact of a total reward system of work engagement

Orientation: Work engagement is critical for both employees and employers. With the reported downward spiral of engagement levels worldwide, organisations are recognising that in order to address this, attract best talent and keep employees motivated, they need to shift their attention to total reward strategies.Research purpose: The overall purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between total rewards and work engagement in a South African context and to determine which reward categories predict work engagement. The study further endeavoured to determine whether gender and age had a moderating effect on the relationship between total rewards and engagement.Motivation for the study: Statistics report that less than 30% of all working people are optimally engaged in their work. Considering that individuals spend more than a third of their lives at work committing themselves emotionally, physically and psychologically – research indicates that employees are no longer satisfied with traditional reward systems and want to feel valued and appreciated.Research approach, design and method: In this quantitative, cross-sectional research design using a non-probability convenience and purposive sampling strategy, 318 questionnaires were collected and analysed from financial institutions in Gauteng in which opinions were sought on the importance of different types of rewards structures and preferences, and how engaged they are in their workplace. The 17-item UWES and Nienaber total reward preference model were the chosen measuring instruments.Main findings: A small statistically significant correlation (r = 0.25; p < 0.05; small effect) was found between total rewards and work engagement, and 12% of the variance of work engagement was explained. Only performance and career management significantly predicted work engagement.Practical/Managerial implications: Although small, the significant correlation between total rewards and work engagement implies that total rewards are important motivators for employees in the workplace. Of the total rewards scales tested, only performance and career management significantly predicted work engagement, suggesting that more research is needed. Organisations seeking to implement total reward strategies should pay specific attention to which strategies have an impact on work engagement.Contribution/Value-add: Organisations must take cognisance that factors such as performance and career management significantly predicted work engagement and should be considered as part of their total reward offerings.

Stability of the 13-item sense of coherence (SOC) scale: a longitudinal prospective study in women treated for breast cancer

PURPOSES

To test the stability of the SOC scale over time and to test the stability of the latent construct in 417 breast cancer patients at the time of diagnosis, after 1 year and in a subsample (n = 80) also 2 and 3 years later.

METHODS

The 13-item SOC scale was firstly tested with mean values and ICC over time and secondly explored with cross-sectional factor analysis, separately for two time points (baseline and after 1 year), followed by a longitudinal factor analyses.

RESULTS

Our results provide support for the stability over time (ICC 0.68, effect size 0.06). The cross-sectional factor analysis revealed a modified three-factor and a second-order factor model meeting criteria for goodness of fit. The longitudinal modified second-order factor model confirmed the construct stability character of the SOC scale with an acceptable goodness-of-fit criteria; X (2)/df = 2.91; GFI = 0.87; RMSEA = 0.07; CFI = 0.84; AIC = 962.3. The proportion of variance (R (2)) was 0.42.

CONCLUSIONS

The SOC scale is stable over time when applied to women with breast cancer. The longitudinal factor analysis gives support of a stable latent construct in the second-order factor model, allowing for merging all items to one scale reflecting the theoretical construct of SOC. Measurement errors between some items challenge future studies on alternative factor structures.