There is increasing evidence for the negative effect of external aid programs on public health. Accordingly, it is essential to research how donors could effectively allocate their aid. It is...Show moreThere is increasing evidence for the negative effect of external aid programs on public health. Accordingly, it is essential to research how donors could effectively allocate their aid. It is established that institution-building in the health sector is crucial for enhancing public health, for example by fostering accountability and transparency. Aid that is spent on institution-building is expected to have a positive effect on public health. However, there is no empirical evidence for that, and therefore, this research contributes to the existing literature by answering the following research question: What is the effect of aid targeting institution building in the health sector on public health outcomes? Several linear regressions are performed to test the effect of Official Development Assistance for institution-building in the health sector on infant mortality, life expectancy, and immunization rates. The overall research findings show a positive, but small and insignificant relationship between health institutional aid and public health.Show less
Background. Emergency department (ED) nurses are prone to develop burnout, however, they also tend to be engaged in their work. The goals of this study were twofold: (1) to establish the frequency...Show moreBackground. Emergency department (ED) nurses are prone to develop burnout, however, they also tend to be engaged in their work. The goals of this study were twofold: (1) to establish the frequency of ED nurses in four burnout - work engagement profiles, and (2) to investigate which work characteristics best separated the four burnout – work engagement profiles. Method. A cross-sectional study was done among 967 ED nurses working in one of 28 hospitals in the Netherlands (response rate 74%). The data was gathered using an online questionnaire. A frequency analysis and a descriptive discriminant analysis were performed. Two separate analyses were done for emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Results. For emotional exhaustion, the engaged profile was most prevalent among the ED nurses in this sample, followed by the burnout, unengaged and engaged-burnout profiles. For depersonalization, the engaged profile was also most prevalent, followed by the burnout, engaged-burnout and unengaged profiles. Two functions were generated by the descriptive discriminant analysis: (1) the Job Demands-Resources (JDR) function and (2) the mastery function. The JDR function separated the burnout from the engaged profile. When nurses scored high on job demands and low on job resources, they were more likely to be in the burnout profile, and vice versa for the engaged profile. Work-time demands and autonomy were primarily responsible for group separation for burnout overall. For emotional exhaustion staffing was also primarily important, whereas for depersonalization, educational and developmental possibilities and (financial) appreciation were also primarily important for group separation. The mastery function separated the engaged-burnout from the unengaged profile. When nurses had educational and developmental possibilities, and experienced a higher frequency of emotionally demanding and conflict/aggression situations, they were more likely to be in the engaged-burnout profile, and vice versa for the unengaged profile. Conclusion. This study provided insight in the interplay between burnout, work engagement, job demands and job resources. This study shows the importance to improve the ED working environment as many nurses are burned out, and showed that ED nurses can be burned out and engaged simultaneously. The findings support the Job Demands-Resources Model, and show that enhancing job demands and job resources is important to facilitate engaged ED nurses.Show less
Abstract Young adulthood is the phase of life during which the most alcohol is consumed. This can have negative consequences and long-term effects. These effects might be explained by risk taking...Show moreAbstract Young adulthood is the phase of life during which the most alcohol is consumed. This can have negative consequences and long-term effects. These effects might be explained by risk taking behaviour. The association between risk taking behaviour and alcohol use has already been studied. However, to our knowledge, the relationship between alcohol use and the different domains of risk taking (health/safety, recreational, ethical, social and financial risks) has not been studied. Understanding these different contexts is essential to develop targeted interventions on the relationship between alcohol use and the specific domains to reduce excessive risk behaviours and alcohol use. Therefore, this research studies the extent to which risk taking in different domains is associated with, and predicts, alcohol use in young adults from 18 to 25 years old. The different domains of risk taking are measured by the Domain-Specific Risk Taking questionnaire and alcohol use is measured by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. This study was conducted cross-sectionally and longitudinally. The cross-sectional part consisted of 89 participants and studies the extent to which there is an association between risk taking in different domains and alcohol use. It is hypothesised that young adults who take risks in different domains also consume more alcohol. From the results, it can be concluded that young adults who consume alcohol are more likely to take health/safety risks, but they are less likely to take social risks. The longitudinal part consisted of 35 participants and studies the extent to which risk taking in different domains predicts alcohol use two years later. It is hypothesised that risk taking in different domains predicts alcohol use two years later. However, results show that risk taking is not predictive of alcohol use two years later. This result could be due to the small sample size of this study. Given these conclusions, it is important to continue with the interventions on health/safety risks and alcohol use and to target new interventions on social risks and alcohol use. In the future, this study could be repeated in other countries with an Eastern culture or in countries with different legal drinking ages.Show less
This research explores the interplay between social media usage, offline and online interactions, perceived social support, and depression levels among university students. Analyzing data from 430...Show moreThis research explores the interplay between social media usage, offline and online interactions, perceived social support, and depression levels among university students. Analyzing data from 430 participants, this cross-sectional study leverages the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) to assess depression symptoms and employs both multivariate and univariate linear regression analyses, as well as MANOVA and ANOVA tests, to understand the connections between online/offline social interactions, perceived social support, and depression. Key findings indicate a significant relationship between the level of perceived social support (β = -0.49, p < .001) and frequency of online interactions (β = 0.43, p < .05) with depression levels. Notably, individuals reporting higher levels of perceived social support tend to exhibit lower depression levels, while those with frequent online interactions often show higher depression levels. The study also identifies marked gender differences in social media use and depression, with females showing greater susceptibility. These results underscore a nuanced relationship between active/passive social media engagement, gender, and mental health. The research emphasizes the need for mental health strategies that consider individual differences, particularly focusing on the quality of social support and patterns of online engagement, to effectively address mental health concerns in young adults.Show less
In an era marked by escalating environmental challenges and the imperative to address climate change, this study explores the relationship between social mindfulness (SoMi) and environmental...Show moreIn an era marked by escalating environmental challenges and the imperative to address climate change, this study explores the relationship between social mindfulness (SoMi) and environmental concern (EC) on an individual level. It builds on previous research that identified correlations between SoMi and EC at a country level. This study hypothesizes a positive relationship between SoMi and EC, examining this relationship across three facets: attitude, intention, and behavior. Additionally, it investigates the connection between SoMi and concern for future generations. This study consists of a lab study with (N = 108). The results indicate a significant association between SoMi and environmentally concerned intentions, suggesting the significance of promoting social mindfulness to enhance pro- environmental intentions. However, no significant relationship was found between SoMi and EC across the facets of attitude, behavior, or concern for future generations. These non- significant findings align with recent studies emphasizing differences in the relationship between SoMi and EC at country level and individual level. Practical implications of this study include the development of educational programs to promote social mindfulness and enhance pro-environmental intentions. The study highlights the complexities of bridging the gap between intention and behavior in environmental concern and the need for future research to address this challenge comprehensively.Show less
Background: Intensified Prolonged Exposure (iPE) therapy has proven its efficacy in reducing PTSD symptoms. However, its effectiveness in naturalistic settings and underlying mechanisms of action...Show moreBackground: Intensified Prolonged Exposure (iPE) therapy has proven its efficacy in reducing PTSD symptoms. However, its effectiveness in naturalistic settings and underlying mechanisms of action are still under investigation. Objective: The current study investigates the effectiveness of iPE in reducing PTSD symptoms in a naturalistic setting. Additionally, the role of trauma-related maladaptive cognitions in predicting changes in PTSD symptoms was examined, thereby testing the cognitive model of PTSD. Methods: The study is based on anonymous data provided by the LUBEC mental health care facility in Leiden, following the iPE procedure outlined by Oprel et al. (2017). Patients with PTSD received 12 sessions of iPE administered over four weeks and two booster sessions at one-month intervals. Assessment of PTSD symptoms, including maladaptive cognitions, was conducted using the PCL-5 questionnaire at eight measurement time points: before the beginning of the treatment (baseline), during each of the four weeks of active treatment, after the two monthly booster sessions, and three months after the end of the treatment (end evaluation). Results: data of 58 participants was included in the study. The treatment resulted in a large improvement in PTSD symptoms, with 43.1% of the patients showing a clinically significant change in symptoms. Maladaptive trauma-related cognitions significantly decreased throughout the course of treatment. In contrast with expectations, preceding changes in maladaptive cognitions did not predict changes in PCL-5 score, while preceding changes in PCL-5 score predicted later changes in maladaptive cognitions. Conclusion: iPE is effective in reducing PTSD symptoms and maladaptive cognitions in a naturalistic setting. Preceding decrease in PTSD symptoms predicts a decrease in trauma-related cognitions; conversely, changes in cognitions do not impact later PTSD symptoms severity.Show less
Background: Emotions mostly depend on the context in which they are experienced. Given how important emotions are for our social life and relationships, they need to be understood and adequately...Show moreBackground: Emotions mostly depend on the context in which they are experienced. Given how important emotions are for our social life and relationships, they need to be understood and adequately regulated. However, not all people can regulate their feeling appropriately. In more recent research, emotions have been studied within their social context and regarding the impact they have on interpersonal relationships. This study attempted to examine if one of the reasons why people cannot regulate their emotions in interpersonal contexts may depend on the severity of childhood trauma and if these associations may contribute to borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptoms. Methods: Data from N=196 participants were collected via an online survey where they completed questionnaires regarding traumatic childhood experiences, interpersonal emotion regulation techniques and a self-report regarding borderline personality disorder symptoms. Results: Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that there was a statistically significant correlation between childhood trauma severity and interpersonal emotion regulation, aligning with the first hypothesis. The associations with BPD symptoms were different for each interpersonal emotion regulation factor. Conclusion: The findings suggest that childhood trauma can have lasting effects on emotional regulation abilities in interpersonal contexts and contribute to the manifestation of BPD symptoms.Show less
This thesis analyses the impact of the colonization era of Japan on South Korea, and how this impacts the economic relations between these two countries over the last decade. Furthermore, this...Show moreThis thesis analyses the impact of the colonization era of Japan on South Korea, and how this impacts the economic relations between these two countries over the last decade. Furthermore, this thesis will look into the events that took place during the colonial era, such as the comfort women issue and the forced labor issue.Show less
Background: Previous studies have indicated a robust association between child maltreatment and a plethora of symptoms, such as somatic and PTSD symptoms. More specifically, sexual and emotional...Show moreBackground: Previous studies have indicated a robust association between child maltreatment and a plethora of symptoms, such as somatic and PTSD symptoms. More specifically, sexual and emotional abuse are linked to a higher likelihood of experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms. Furthermore, neglect and non-sexual abuse (emotional and physical abuse) have also been significantly associated with the re-experiencing and avoidance symptom clusters of PTSD. Objective: Subsequently, the purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship between the different forms of child maltreatment, somatic, and PTSD symptoms; and to identify whether differences exist in individuals with a PTSD diagnosis versus those without a diagnosis. Methods: Data were collected from 237 participants (mean age 15.6 years, SD: 2.07) between February 2012 and April 2015. The participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), the Children’s Somatization Inventory (CSI-35), the Children’s Response to Trauma Inventory (CRTI), and the Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI), at baseline. Partial correlation networks were estimated from the baseline measure to investigate the association between child maltreatment, somatic, and PTSD symptoms. Results: Overall, emotional abuse emerged as the most central node within the network. Out of the five forms of child maltreatment, emotional abuse formed the strongest associations with gastrointestinal symptoms, and the avoidance symptom cluster of PTSD, while sexual abuse formed the strongest association with non-gastrointestinal symptoms. Among individuals with and without a PTSD diagnosis, discrepancies were present in regard to the interrelationships of child maltreatment, somatic, and PTSD symptoms. Conclusion: Consequently, individuals who experience emotional abuse may also experience other forms of maltreatment, thus, mental health professionals need to take into consideration that multiple forms of maltreatment are often present, and implement personalized interventions based on the forms of child maltreatment and the associated symptoms.Show less
The relationship between financial scarcity and persistence was examined using an online performance-based measure of persistence, the Anagram and Riddles task (ART). It was hypothesized that...Show moreThe relationship between financial scarcity and persistence was examined using an online performance-based measure of persistence, the Anagram and Riddles task (ART). It was hypothesized that feelings of financial scarcity leads to less persistence, measured by time spent on the hard and unsolvable anagrams and riddles. The Household Task was used to provoke feelings of financial scarcity in the experimental group and the scores on the PIFS were used to measure each person’s financial scarcity in real life. Results showed a marginally significant relationship between persistence time on unsolvable trials and the ‘PIFS’. This would suggest that people who experience more financial scarcity, show more persistency than people without financial scarcity when trying to solve the unsolvable. Possible explanations for the lack of other significant findings include uncontrolled settings and absence of personal motivation during the task.Show less
The International Monetary Fund has often been criticised on account of its tendency to be lenient in loan conditionality to certain countries that it considers important. This research seeks to...Show moreThe International Monetary Fund has often been criticised on account of its tendency to be lenient in loan conditionality to certain countries that it considers important. This research seeks to narrow in on the effect of economic importance from the perspective of western donor states on IMF loan efficacy. Apart from providing a gap in the research, this topic is deemed important because of its value for developmental economics and upcoming issues in that field. Moreover, the results allow concrete policy decisions to be made. Employing a bivariate and multiple linear regression analysis, this paper seeks to answer the question what is the effect of the perceived economic importance of states for western actors on the efficacy of loans by the IMF? In foreshadowing results, this paper finds that a higher economic importance, and high rates of accountability and corruption, lead to a lower efficacy of IMF loans. It is argued that this is the case because of the moral hazard issue, time-inconsistency problem, and the structure of the IMF. The model does however lack full robustness.Show less
Presenteeism has negative consequences for both the individual and the employer, such as increased levels of stress and poorer psychological health. It can be found across countries and in various...Show morePresenteeism has negative consequences for both the individual and the employer, such as increased levels of stress and poorer psychological health. It can be found across countries and in various professions. Millennials will soon comprise the majority of the global workforce, however, this costly phenomenon is poorly understood in this population. The predictors and the reasoning behind opting for presenteeism in working millennials (n=192) were investigated in this study. Self-reports were used to measure presenteeism, neuroticism, optimism, and job satisfaction. Relationships between the variables were explored using partial correlations and hierarchical regression. The moderation pathway was examined using PROCESS macro. The results showed that job satisfaction was able to predict presenteeism regardless of the employee's age, level of education, and general health. Neuroticism and optimism shared significant negative associations with presenteeism but were unable to predict it. Optimism was also not found to moderate the relationship between job satisfaction and presenteeism. A qualitative exploration suggested that the most likely reason millennials opt for working while sick is not feeling sick enough or feeling able to work despite their illness. The findings of this study suggest that being satisfied with one’s job plays a more significant role in presenteeism, while personality characteristics such as optimism and neuroticism might not. Predictors of presenteeism should be further investigated in the millennial workforce. Finally, suitable interventions should be explored in order to decrease the negative effects of presenteeism.Show less
Százhalombatta-Földvár is one of the biggest and most extensively studied Bronze Age tell sites in Hungary. Due to its location on a dry loessy high bluff zone on the Western bank of the river...Show moreSzázhalombatta-Földvár is one of the biggest and most extensively studied Bronze Age tell sites in Hungary. Due to its location on a dry loessy high bluff zone on the Western bank of the river Danube, a sedimentary environment that is appropriate for pollen preservation to conduct pollen analysis was not found around the site (Sumegi & Bodor, 2000). Instead, regional pollen analysis has been conducted to study the environment relating to the Százhalombatta-Földvár site. This regional sediment sample was obtained by coring from an oxbow lake about 500 m away from the site. During the Százhalombatta-Földvár excavation in 2022, however, the lithological examination of the floor sediment from [House] 9000 indicated the possibility for pollen preservation, followed by palynological investigation including the comparison to the regional pollen record. This unconventional method of pollen analysis was successfully conducted, yielding a well-preserved pollen assemblage. The methods of pollen analysis applied are pollen counts, taxonomic identification and states of preservation analysis. These methods indicate that the well-preserved pollen assemblage obtained from the unconventional context does not reflect the pollen assemblage from the oxbow lake pollen record. Especially the absence of arboreal pollen at the site compared to that recorded in the regional pollen data is conspicuous. These results allow us to discuss and investigate the sample from [House] 9000. Specifically, in the sample, taphonomic agents contributing to the absence of arboreal pollen in contrast with the regional palynological signal are analysed and the predominance of Poaceae is explained with taphonomic processes. Furthermore, the taphonomic agents causing the primary pollen preservation states are investigated and the taphonomic processes resulting in the preservation biases are explored in archaeological interpretation. In consequence, the investigation of the taphonomic processes suggests anthropogenic agents causing the discrepancy and bias in the pollen assemblage with the construction and materials used for [House] 9000. The pollen preservation state analysis revealed that the primary states of pollen preservation are degraded and folded. These in turn are evidence of the taphonomic processes of oxidisation and physical stress, which in combination with archaeological evidence suggests anthropogenic activities as cause. To conclude, this thesis could contribute to multi-disciplinary research and greater understanding of the Bronze Age site, Százhalombatta-Földvár. Moreover, it demonstrates new potential of palynological analysis employing an innovative sampling method that directly relates to the human activities at the site. The results of this thesis have the potential to stimulate further application of this new approach.Show less
Kaput is about escaping hegemonical structures. Yet, I claim that these structures perpetuate themselves through escape, the harder we run the more rigid these structures get. So the question...Show moreKaput is about escaping hegemonical structures. Yet, I claim that these structures perpetuate themselves through escape, the harder we run the more rigid these structures get. So the question becomes, what can we do to get rid of these structures without resorting to fleeing from them?Show less
Academic studies of nonduality tend to focus on the phenomenology of what is called “nondual experience” or “nondual awareness” that is universal to a wide range of diverse spiritual traditions...Show moreAcademic studies of nonduality tend to focus on the phenomenology of what is called “nondual experience” or “nondual awareness” that is universal to a wide range of diverse spiritual traditions such as Mahāyāna Buddhism, Advaita Vedānta, Daoism, as well as Christianity and Sufism among others. A popular way of approaching nonduality from a philosophical perspective is to assume or argue that these contradictory metaphysical systems are grounded in the same or similar phenomenological experience, which is then taken as a basis for the resolution of ontological differences between these diverse systems to arrive at a conclusion proclaiming a single absolute truth or reality revealed by all of them. This work challenges such an understanding of nonduality by engaging with an influential study in the field of intercultural comparative philosophy authored by David Loy and showing how this type of interpretation leads to epistemologically dualistic consequences, which render it untenable. What follows is a presentation of an alternative way of approaching nonduality based on the Tibetan Buddhist tradition of Dzogchen. By tracing its origins in the Indian Mahāyāna Buddhist thought, this work presents how two fundamental kinds of nonduality are understood in Dzogchen: the relative-ultimate nonduality, based on Madhyamaka, and the subject-object nonduality, based on Yogācāra. The conclusion this study aims to establish is that the most philosophically cogent presentation of nonduality is one where the negations of duality are understood to be nonimplicative, revealing the inseparable identity of any two poles under consideration. Nonduality as inseparability means that neither of the given two poles is reducible to the other, as a negation of duality is not seen to imply a unified or singular absolute reality.Show less
