Value co-creation in e-services: The case of websites

The objective of the research was to propose a conceptual model with the integration of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Dynamic Capabilities Theory, and the Contingency Theory, and with the review and analysis of the topics e-Service Quality (e-SQ), e-Relationship Quality, e-Trust, e-Satisfaction, Disruptive Factors, Technology Platform, Customer Involvement and Interaction, Value Co-Creation and Continuous e-Loyalty. E-service is strategically used to create brand value. E-commerce will strongly depend on trust. Therefore, online companies must make and maintain a loyal customer base. The face-to-face pre-purchase research, post-purchase feedback, website, and social media technologies have changed e-commerce into more social commerce. The imposition of accelerated technology, consumer interaction, and the fierce COVID-19 pandemic are the factors that most influence value co-creation. The current crisis and new challenges affect the quality of relationships, consumer loyalty, and value co-creation. © International Association for Computer Information Systems. All Rights Reserved.

Positive Relationships have Shades of Gray: Age is Associated with More Complex Perceptions of Relationship Quality During the COVID-19 Lockdown.

Drawing on socioemotional selectivity theory, we examined the effect of COVID-19 lockdowns on perceptions of romantic relationships quality among older, compared to younger, adults. During the first lockdown in Israel which involved strict restrictions on movement and association with others, 280 adults aged 25-81 reported positive and negative qualities of their romantic relationship. Of these, 105 participants completed the survey again once lockdown restrictions were lifted. Contrary to our hypotheses, no evidence for age differences in the effect of the lockdown on positive or negative perceptions of relationship quality was detected. In addition, the lockdown did not influence participants' positive and negative perceptions of their romantic partners. However, we did find that, whereas people of all ages represent positive and negative qualities of their romantic partners as separate constructs, the negative association between the two is weaker for older adults compared to younger adults during (but not after) the lockdown. This finding suggests that in stressful times, older adults are better able to avoid negative perceptions clouding positive perceptions and see positive aspects of relationships with romantic partners in the face of negative ones. Findings extend evidence for age associations with complex emotional experiences to emotional aspects of interpersonal relationships. Findings enrich the theoretical understanding of age-related advantages in emotional well-being and may inform potential interventions for improving emotional health and well-being during times of crisis. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10804-022-09431-6.

Quaranteens: Prepandemic relationship quality and changes in adolescent internalizing problems during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This preregistered longitudinal study examined changes in adolescents' depressive and anxiety symptoms before and during the COVID-19 pandemic using latent additive piece-wise growth models. It also assessed whether support from and conflict with mothers, fathers, siblings, and best friends explained heterogeneity in change patterns. One hundred and ninety-two Dutch adolescents (Mean age: 14.3 years; 68.8% female) completed online biweekly questionnaires for a year (November 2019-October 2020), consisting of a prepandemic, lockdown, and reopening phase. Depressive symptoms increased following the lockdown and decreased upon reopening. Anxiety symptoms showed an immediate decrease followed by a gradual increase in the reopening phase. Prepandemic family and best friend support and conflict did not explain heterogeneity in depressive and anxiety symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Antecedents of Intention to Repurchase in Travel Agencies with Physical and Virtual Stores

Objective: Identify the influence of perceived value (quality, emotion, price and reputation), trust (company and third parties) and the need for interaction in the repurchase intention, considering travel agencies in relation to physical and online stores. Methodology/Approach: A survey was carried out with 155 respondents. The statistical technique used was Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), through which the conceptual model was tested.Originality/Relevance: In a competitive market environment and with the result of technologies and the incidence of the COVID-19, it is important to identify the elements that affect new purchases in players that have physical and virtual stores, as well as the users' preference.Results: The results suggest that the possibility of negotiations and knowledge about the company can be fundamental factors for the behavior of new purchases.Theoretical/Methodological contributions: Elements related to price have a greater influence on repurchase intention in stores with physical format. The study shows that emotional aspects have a greater influence on repurchase intention in stores in the virtual format, in addition to suggesting that quality and trust in third parties are no longer a barrier in the virtual environment based on the repurchase behavior.

Short-term and long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on child psychological well-being: a four-wave longitudinal study.

As the COVID-19 pandemic further unfolds, it becomes a key theoretical and practical question to identify trajectories of child psychological well-being and to explore risk and resilience factors for developmental adjustment. The current study addressed this research gap by means of an ecological design: A (lockdown)-B (relaxation)-B (relaxation)-A (lockdown). We collected parental reports via online questionnaires over four measurement occasions during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany (non-probabilistic sample): from the first lockdown (T1-spring 2020, N = 1769) to the following period of relaxation (T2-summer 2020, n = 873; T3-fall 2020, n = 729) on to the second lockdown (T4-winter 2020/21, n = 748). Key measures at T1-T4 were child emotional and behavioral problems as well as hyperactivity, child emotional and family-related well-being, parental strain, and parent-child relationship quality. We found evidence for quadratic growth models. While child problem behaviors (b = 0.32, p < 0.001) and emotional well-being (b = - 0.33, p < 0.001) improved after the first lockdown during subsequent periods of relaxation before worsening again in the second lockdown, child family-related well-being steadily decreased over all four measurement points (T1-T2: p < 0.001; T2-T3: p = 0.045; T3-T4: p = 0.030). Importantly, parental stress emerged as a strong risk factor (ps < 0.11) and the parent-child relationship quality constituted a resilience factor (p = 0.049) for child psychological well-being. These findings have major implications for policies aiming to further child health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coping with global uncertainty: Perceptions of COVID-19 psychological distress, relationship quality, and dyadic coping for romantic partners across 27 countries

[Correction Notice: An Erratum for this article was reported in Vol 39(1) of Journal of Social and Personal Relationships (see record 2022-18336-005). Three new authors (Adnan Adil, Emmanuel Asampong, and Rahmattullah Khan Abdul Wahab Khan) were not initially listed in the Epub ahead of print. Table 1 also contained some errors. The corrections are given in the erratum.] Following the global outbreak of COVID-19 in March 2020, individuals report psychological distress associated with the "new normal"-social distancing, financial hardships, and increased responsibilities while working from home. Given the interpersonal nature of stress and coping responses between romantic partners, based on the systemic transactional model this study posits that perceived partner dyadic coping may be an important moderator between experiences of COVID-19 psychological distress and relationship quality. To examine these associations, self-report data from 14,020 people across 27 countries were collected during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic (March-July, 2020). It was hypothesized that higher symptoms of psychological distress would be reported post-COVID-19 compared to pre-COVID-19 restrictions (Hypothesis 1), reports of post-COVID-19 psychological distress would be negatively associated with relationship quality (Hypothesis 2), and perceived partner DC would moderate these associations (Hypothesis 3). While hypotheses were generally supported, results also showed interesting between-country variability. Limitations and future directions are presented. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Erratum to coping with global uncertainty: Perceptions of COVID-19 psychological distress, relationship quality, and dyadic coping for romantic partners across 27 countries

Reports an error in "Coping with global uncertainty: Perceptions of COVID-19 psychological distress, relationship quality, and dyadic coping for romantic partners across 27 countries" by Ashley K. Randall, Gabriel Leon, Emanuele Basili, Tamas Martos, Michael Boiger, Michela Baldi, Lauren Hocker, Kai Kline, Alessio Masturzi, Richmond Aryeetey, Eran Bar-Kalifa, Susan D. Boon, Luis Botella, Tom Burke, Katherine B. Carnelley, Alan Carr, Arobindu Dash, Mimi Fitriana, Stanley O. Gaines, Sarah Galdiolo, Claire M. Hart, Susanna Joo, Barani Kanth, Evangelos Karademas, Gery Karantzas, Selina A. Landolt, Louise McHugh, Anne Milek, Eddie Murphy, Jean C. Natividade, Alda Portugal, Alvaro Quinones, Ana Paula Relvas, Pingkan C. B. Rumondor, Petruta Rusu, Viola Sallay, Luis Angel Saul, David P. Schmitt, Laura Sels, Sultan Shujja, Laura K. Taylor, S. Burcu Ozguluk, Leslie Verhofstadt, Gyesook Yoo, Martina Zemp, Silvia Donato, Casey J. Totenhagen, Rahel L. van Eickels, Adnan Adil, Emmanuel Anongeba Anaba, Emmanuel Asampong, Sarah Beauchemin-Roy, Anna Berry, Audrey Brassard, Susan Chesterman, Lizzie Ferguson, Gabriela Fonseca, Justine Gaugue, Marie Geonet, Neele Hermesch, Rahmattullah Khan Abdul Wahab Khan, Laura Knox, Marie-France Lafontaine, Nicholas Lawless, Amanda Londero-Santos, Sofia Major, Tiago A. Marot, Ellie Mullins, Pauldy C. J. Otermans, Ariela F. Pagani, Miriam Parise, Roksana Parvin, Mallika De, Katherine Peloquin, Barbara Rebelo, Francesca Righetti, Daniel Romano, Sara Salavati, Steven Samrock, Mary Serea, Chua Bee Seok, Luciana Sotero, Owen Stafford, Christoforos Thomadakis, Cigdem Topcu-Uzer, Carla Ugarte, Wah Yun Low, Petra Simon-Zambori, Ching Sin Siau, Diana-Sinziana Duca, Cornelia Filip, Hayoung Park, Sinead Wearen, Guy Bodenmann and Claudia Chiarolanza (Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 2022[Jan], Vol 39[1], 3-33). Three new authors (Adnan Adil, Emmanuel Asampong, and Rahmattullah Khan Abdul Wahab Khan) were not initially listed in the Epub ahead of print. Table 1 also contained some errors. The corrections are given in the erratum. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2022-18336-001). Following the global outbreak of COVID-19 in March 2020, individuals report psychological distress associated with the "new normal"-social distancing, financial hardships, and increased responsibilities while working from home. Given the interpersonal nature of stress and coping responses between romantic partners, based on the systemic transactional model this study posits that perceived partner dyadic coping may be an important moderator between experiences of COVID-19 psychological distress and relationship quality. To examine these associations, self-report data from 14,020 people across 27 countries were collected during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic (March-July, 2020). It was hypothesized that higher symptoms of psychological distress would be reported post-COVID-19 compared to pre-COVID-19 restrictions (Hypothesis 1), reports of post-COVID-19 psychological distress would be negatively associated with relationship quality (Hypothesis 2), and perceived partner DC would moderate these associations (Hypothesis 3). While hypotheses were generally supported, results also showed interesting between-country variability. Limitations and future directions are presented. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Blame the pandemic: Buffering the association between stress and relationship quality during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic created a unique climate for examining the links between stressful conditions and couples' relationship well-being. According to theories of stress spillover, stressors originating outside the relationship, such as work stress and financial uncertainty, often undermine relationship quality. However, if individuals can easily attribute their problems to the stressful circumstances, their relationship may be more resilient. Given the salience of the pandemic, the current study used two waves of 14-day daily diary data collected from 191 participants to examine whether blaming the pandemic for problems may reduce stress spillover. We also expected the buffering effect of pandemic blaming attributions to wane as stressful conditions persisted and continued to tax partners' coping resources. Multilevel modeling confirmed that women, but not men, who were more blaming of the pandemic exhibited reduced stress spillover during the COVID-19 outbreak;notably, this buffering effect did not weaken over time. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Outcomes of building a lasting connection: A pilot study

This pilot study used a quantitative design with a two-year follow-up to evaluate the effect couples participation in the early relationship education program, Building a Lasting Connection (BLC), had on participants' relationship satisfaction and dyadic adjustment and whether outcomes differed between those who practiced with a post-workshop take-home tool, and those who did not. The Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (RDAS) and a researcher-created measure of stress to account for COVID-related stressors were used. The sample of participants was not randomized and there was no control group. The means of pretest scores (n = 73) taken at the start of workshops held shortly before the onset of COVID were compared to the means of scores (n = 15) at two-year follow-up. The follow-up sample consisted of six men and nine women who participated in a BLC workshop with their intimate partner. The average length of relationship was 4.8 years. Results showed statistically significant improvement in the RDAS measures of cohesion, satisfaction and total RDAS composite score. Cohesion improved most, with scores increasing from distressed to non-distressed levels. Consensus, which did not improve, had an inverse relationship with the amount of stress couples experienced after attending the workshop. Participants who used the take-home tool at least one to two times after completing the workshop improved in all areas compared to those who did not use the tool, but with statistical significance for the RDAS composite score only. There was no statistically significant association between the demographic variables (age and gender) and study outcomes. These findings provide preliminary support for the effectiveness of the BLC program in bolstering couples dyadic adjustment and relationship satisfaction, and the use of a take-home tool as a mechanism to improve outcomes and support long-term change in relationship satisfaction. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Parents' Family Coping Strategies during the Pandemic: Effects on Parent and Child Well-Being

This study aimed to understand the strategies families used to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, and their effects on family, parent, child, and couple functioning and well-being. In April and May 2020, and again one month later, 277 parents from 174 families who previously participated in a trial of a family preventive intervention were invited to participate in an online survey regarding the pandemic. Parents completed measures regarding family cohesion, couple coparenting and relationship quality, parenting quality, and parent and child mental health and well-being. Parents were asked to share the coping strategies they found most effective, and responses were coded into four groups: Family Unity, Healthy Habits, Adaptability, and Child-Focused. Adaptability was associated with increases in couple relationship quality but also in child internalizing and externalizing behaviors from Month 1 to Month 2. The results suggest that the strategies parents use may have differing effects on parents and children. © The Author(s) 2023.

Similar minds in the family: COVID-19 centrality and relationship quality

We examined whether perceived similarity in COVID-19 centrality (i.e., the extent to which one thinks of the pandemic as shaping current and future life) is associated with family relationship quality during the pandemic. Thinking that other family members are similar to oneself regarding the pandemic's centrality may improve the quality of family relationships. We collected data from Turkish family triads (i.e., mother, father, 18–25 years old child) and had 481 participants from 180 families. Participants rated their similarity in COVID-19 centrality with the other two family members and reported the general and daily quality of their relationship with them (relationship satisfaction, closeness, conflict). We analyzed the data using the Social Relations Model. We found that family members who, on average, perceived more similarity in COVID-19 centrality reported higher levels in positive attributes of general relationship quality (i.e., satisfaction and closeness). The effects on conflict and daily relationship quality were less conclusive. This research confirms that family members' reactions during the COVID-19 pandemic are interdependent. Perceiving that other family members are of similar minds about the centrality of the pandemic relates positively to some aspects of relationship quality. © 2023 International Association for Relationship Research.

Feeling the absence of touch: Distancing, distress, regulation, and relationships in the context of COVID-19

During the COVID-19 pandemic, physical distancing guidelines were implemented to reduce viral spread, altering typical social interactions and reducing the amount of physical contact and affectionate touch many individuals experienced. The pandemic also caused psychological distress, perhaps in part related to reductions in affectionate touch with close others. We theorized that this would be particularly problematic for individuals reliant on affectionate touch to help regulate their emotions. Using online survey data collected nationwide from married or romantically partnered adults (N = 585), we examined how physical distancing (moderated by cohabiting with spouse/partner) and affectionate touch with close others (moderated by individual differences in typical use and efficacy of touch for affect regulation [TAR]) related to individual psychological distress and romantic relationship quality. As hypothesized, more physical distancing was associated with less affectionate touch among non-cohabiters, but surprisingly with more touch among cohabiters. Also as hypothesized, participants higher in TAR and experiencing less affectionate touch reported more psychological distress than those similarly high in TAR and experiencing more affectionate touch, or than those lower in TAR. Unexpectedly, more physical distancing was associated directly with lower psychological distress and better relationship quality. Better relationship quality was linked directly to more affectionate touch and greater endorsement of TAR. Thus, for those cohabiting in satisfying romantic relationships, physical distancing may facilitate relationship-positive behaviors. Further, individual differences in TAR may influence the potency of touch effects on mood and stress. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Some concerns about imputation methods for missing data

Comments on an article by RJ Van Lieshout et al. (see record 2022-41504-002). Van Lieshout and colleagues1 conducted a randomized clinical trial of an online 1-day cognitive behavioral therapy workshop vs waiting list in a population at risk of postpartum depression and evaluated the effect using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, a patient-reported outcome measure of depressive symptom severity. Second, although they used LMM, we have concerns about whether this method adequately imputed the missing outcomes. In general, repeated outcome measurements are required to correctly estimate the missing values using LMM. However, this study had only a single follow-up point, and in LMM the baseline measure must be used as a covariate and not as an outcome. We wonder how such a model could have accounted for missing outcomes. More details about the specific LMM methods used would be helpful. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Quality of the therapeutic relationship and nonverbal interaction in videoconferencing psychotherapy. Systematic review

Background: Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic the importance of videoconferencing psychotherapy (VCP) has considerably increased. Although the effectiveness of VCP is well documented by numerous therapy outcome studies, reservations from clinicians' perspectives are still common. They relate in particular to the limited possibilities for the formation of a relationship and the absence of a physical co-presence in the video setting. Objective: This article provides an overview of the empirical findings on the quality of the therapeutic relationship as well as on the nature of nonverbal interaction in VCP. Methods: The MEDLINE, APA PsycArticles, APA PsycInfo, and PSYNDEX databases were searched for controlled studies that examined the therapeutic relationship in VCP compared to face-to-face therapy. Another literature search was conducted for studies of nonverbal interaction in VCP. Results: The results show that the quality of the therapeutic relationship in VCP is comparable to that in face-to-face therapy. The interaction in VCP has so far only been described in qualitative studies. In interviews patients and therapists report an increase in verbal and nonverbal activity in VCP. For therapeutic work, changes with respect to being silent and understanding of body language are highlighted. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge no studies exist that explain why a comparatively successful relationship structure can be established, despite the changes and limitations associated with the mediation of interaction in VCP. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (German) Hintergrund: Die Bedeutung der videobasierten Psychotherapie (VBT) hat unter dem Einfluss der COVID-19-Pandemie erheblich zugenommen. Obwohl die Wirksamkeit der VBT inzwischen gut belegt ist, bestehen bei klinisch tatigen Psychotherapeut*innen Vorbehalte, die sich auf die eingeschrankten Moglichkeiten der Beziehungsgestaltung und den Entzug der physischen Koprasenz beziehen. Ziel der Arbeit: Der vorliegende Beitrag bietet eine Ubersicht uber die empirischen Befunde zur Qualitat der therapeutischen Beziehung sowie zur Beschaffenheit der nonverbalen Interaktion in der VBT. Methoden: In den Datenbanken MEDLINE, APA PsycArticles, APA PsycInfo und PSYNDEX wurde nach kontrollierten Studien, die Unterschiede in der therapeutischen Beziehung zwischen VBT und Face-to-Face-Therapie zum Thema hatten, gesucht. Eine weitere Literatursuche wurde uber Studien zur nonverbalen Interaktion in der VBT durchgefuhrt. Ergebnisse: Die Qualitat der therapeutischen Beziehung in der VBT ist der in Faceto- Face-Therapien vergleichbar. Die Interaktion in der VBT wurde bis dato nur durch qualitative Studien beschrieben. In Interviews berichten Patient*innen und Therapeut*innen von einer Steigerung der verbalen und nonverbalen Aktivitat in der VBT. Fur die therapeutische Arbeit werden Veranderungen in Bezug auf das Schweigen und das Verstehen der Korpersprache herausgestellt. Schlussfolgerung: Es existieren noch keine Studien, die erklaren, weshalb trotz der Veranderungen und Einschrankungen, die mit der medialen Vermittlung der Interaktion in der VBT einhergehen, dennoch eine vergleichsweise erfolgreiche Beziehungsgestaltung moglich ist. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Relationship and Sexual Quality in the Wake of COVID-19: Effects of Individual Regulatory Focus and Shared Concerns over the Pandemic.

Research has shown mixed findings regarding the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on relationship and sexual quality and activity. We argue that some of these findings might be understood considering people's predisposition to maintain safety (i.e., prevention focus) or take risks (i.e., promotion focus), and sharing concerns with one's partner about the pandemic. A longitudinal study (N = 153) tested if regulatory focus before the pandemic (November 2019) was associated with relationship quality, sexual quality, and joint sexual activity later on (June 2020) and whether these effects were moderated by shared concerns over the pandemic. Results showed that participants more focused on prevention experienced higher relationship quality later on, but also less sexual quality and less frequent joint sexual activity, when they shared fewer (vs. more) concerns with their partner. In contrast, participants more focused on promotion experienced higher relationship quality later on when they shared more (vs. less) concerns with their partner. These results indicate how individuals' regulatory focus and shared concerns in times of crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, can have downstream consequences on people's relational and sexual dynamics. We offer insights for mental health professionals to improve psychosocial health and well-being when people are faced with critical events.

Relationship Quality and Mental Health Implications for Adolescents during the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Longitudinal Study.

Although parent-adolescent and peer-adolescent relationship quality are critical for adolescent wellbeing during typical stressful life events, the unique features of the COVID-19 pandemic put into question whether strong parent-adolescent and peer-adolescent relationship quality functioned as protective factors of adolescent mental health in this context. The current longitudinal study examined a community sample of adolescents across 3 time points, each 6 months apart (Time 1: Fall, 2019; n = 163, 50.9% male; mean age = 15.75 years, SD = 1.02). Results showed that increases in depression symptoms, perceived stress, and emotion dysregulation from Fall 2019 to Fall 2020 were predicted by changes in parent, but not peer relationship quality. The current study demonstrates that adolescent-parent relationship quality may be protective against mental health difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic, while adolescent-peer relationship quality may not. Identifying protective factors that may play a role in mitigating the impact of the pandemic, and other such widespread health crises, on youth mental health is critical in reducing the long-term psychological harm of the viral outbreak, as well as promoting adolescent wellbeing and resilience.

Initial Impacts of COVID-19 on Sex Life and Relationship Quality in Steady Relationships in Britain: Findings from a Large, Quasi-representative Survey (Natsal-COVID).

Intimate relationships are ubiquitous and exert a strong influence on health. Widespread disruption to them may impact wellbeing at a population level. We investigated the extent to which the first COVID-19 lockdown (March 2020) affected steady relationships in Britain. In total, 6,654 participants aged 18-59 years completed a web-panel survey (July-August 2020). Quasi-representativeness was achieved via quota sampling and weighting. We explored changes in sex life and relationship quality among participants in steady relationships (n = 4,271) by age, gender, and cohabitation status, and examined factors associated with deterioration to a lower-quality relationship. A total of 64.2% of participants were in a steady relationship (of whom 88.9% were cohabiting). A total of 22.1% perceived no change in their sex-life quality, and 59.5% no change in their relationship quality. Among those perceiving change, sex-life quality was more commonly reported to decrease and relationship quality to improve. There was significant variation by age; less often by gender or cohabitation. Overall, 10.6% reported sexual difficulties that started/worsened during lockdown. In total, 6.9% reported deterioration to a "lower quality" relationship, more commonly those: aged 18-24 and aged 35-44; not living with partner (women only); and reporting depression/anxiety and decrease in sex-life quality. In conclusion, intimate relationship quality is yet another way in which COVID-19 has led to divergence in experience.

Status and influencing factors of nursing and midwifery professionals' core competence- a cross sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to understand the current situation and multiple factors affecting the core competence specializing in the maternal, neonatal and under-five nursing in China. BACKGROUND: Highly skilled nurses and midwives are essential worldwide for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, especially in low- and middle-income countries like China, due to the overwhelming COVID-19 crisis. METHOD: The 890 nurses and midwives from 12 hospitals were investigated in this cross-sectional study, with two questionnaires: the sociodemographic information and competency inventory for the registered nurses. RESULTS: The participants reported a mean total score of 193.78 (±42.19) out of 220 and lowest in critical thinking and research ability (3.01 ± 0.82). The professional title, level, marital status, relationship quality, highest qualification, experience in specialist nurse training, participation in scientific research projects and publishing papers were the influencing factors (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: The respondents' core competence needs improvement, especially critical regarding thinking and research ability. In addition, marriage and good or excellent relationship quality are factors that can potentially improve competence. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Targeted interventions for higher core nursing competence need to be implemented, especially focusing on nurses' marital status and emotional support from partners.

The associations of COVID-19 percent positivity rate, relationship quality, and season with daily anxiety and depression in couples living in NYC.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic changed nearly every aspect of daily life and had detrimental effects on mental health. Yet, impacts have been heterogeneous. We tested whether fluctuations in local COVID-19 percent positivity rates were associated with daily anxiety and depression in couples living in NYC, as well as whether these associations varied by relationship quality or season. We expected that adverse impacts of COVID-19 may be attenuated by high-quality relationships and during warmer months, or that people may habituate over time. Methods: Data on seven-day rolling average COVID-19 percent positive rate each day in NYC were merged with a 14-day dyadic diary study of cohabiting couples living in NYC between August 2020 through April 2021 (232 individuals from 116 couples; mean age 28.42 years, 52.59% female, 53.02% White). Dyadic multilevel models estimated the association COVID-19 positivity rate, season (sine and cosine of the calendar date), baseline relationship quality, and all two-and three-way interactions of these variables with daily anxiety and depression. Covariates included weekend and COVID-positive case within the couple. Results: Anxiety and depression mirrored COVID-19 positivity rates, and there was some evidence for habituation over time. Significant two-and three-way interactions suggested that being in a high-quality relationship buffered the association of COVID-19 positivity rate with both anxiety and depression during months when cases were low. Anxiety was elevated for individuals in high- (v. low-) quality relationships during the December-January surge. Conclusion: Seven-day rolling average COVID-19 percent positivity rate was associated with daily anxiety and depression among couples living in NYC. There was some evidence that individuals habituated to this stressor over time and that high-quality relationships were protective for mental well-being; however, there was some suggestion that couples in high-quality relationships may have engaged in processes such as co-rumination during surges, worsening their daily anxiety.

Associations between Pet Care Responsibility, Companion Animal Interactions, and Family Relationships during COVID-19.

For families with children during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial to explore how both youth and parents view their roles with regard to the shared caretaking of pets. While most human-animal interaction studies examine adult or early childhood samples, our focus was on adolescent development. We present findings from a U.S. based mixed-method study of adolescent surveys and parent interviews regarding pet care responsibility. As part of an ongoing longitudinal study, we analyzed survey data from 567 pet-owning adolescents and a subset of 356 dog owning adolescents aged 10-17 as well as 31 in-depth interviews with parents of adolescents from the same study. Higher reported pet caretaking responsibilities was significantly associated with a preference for spending time with pets when stressed and improved family relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic for both pet owners and dog owners. For dog owners only, increased levels of responsibility for the pet was significantly associated with a higher likelihood of identifying as a pet owner. Qualitative findings showcase the range of parental expectations and adolescent initiative around pet caretaking. Our study highlights the continued importance of pet companionship during the adolescent years as they develop their identities as responsible pet owners.