Entrepreneurial personality: the role of narcissism

Research has established a number of personality features and behaviours associated with business creation and success. The similarities between these traits and narcissism, a concept with roots in clinical psychology and psychiatry, led the authors to conduct this study, which proposes to measure whether entrepreneurs score higher on a narcissism scale than other vocational groups. The second goal of this study is to measure the role of narcissism on intention to start a business. Student entrepreneurs have been compared with non-entrepreneur students, city workers, and employees and managers from a branch of a large financial institution. Then, students filled out measures of general self-efficacy, locus of control and risk propensity as well as a narcissism scale. Results indicate that student entrepreneurs score significantly higher than all other vocational groups on a measure of narcissism. Results also indicate that narcissism is positively correlated with general self-efficacy, locus of control and risk propensity. Moreover, narcissism plays a significant role in explaining entrepreneurial intentions, even after controlling for self-efficacy, locus of control and risk propensity. Overall, these findings shed new light on the underlying personality traits of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial intentions and suggest new directions in the study of entrepreneurs' personality profile. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd

Developing attitudes toward an entrepreneurial career through mentoring: the mediating role of entrepreneurial self-efficacy

Mentoring is reputed to support the career choices and development of individuals in various contexts. This study is one of the few that investigates the effect of mentoring on career satisfaction and retention of novice entrepreneurs. We surveyed 360 novice entrepreneurs who had been supported by a mentor. Our analyses demonstrate the direct effect of mentoring on entrepreneurial self-efficacy, which mediates the relationship between satisfaction of being an entrepreneur and the intention of staying in the profession. Moreover, mentoring not only has an indirect effect on satisfaction; it seems to have a negative direct effect on intention. This result could possibly be due to the awareness of novices regarding the limitations of their initial business project. Given that entrepreneurs are closely tied to their business project, mentoring should come earlier in the entrepreneurial process in order to influence career satisfaction and retention of novice entrepreneur. © Curators of the University of Missouri 2015

Thérapie de groupe pour hommes violents envers leur conjointe : abandon thérapeutique chez ces hommes

Il est reconnu que le taux d’attrition très élevé chez les hommes qui suivent un traitement pour violence conjugale constitue un problème sérieux. La présente recherche tente de vérifier s’il existe un lien entre les variables individuelles (âge, revenu, abus de substances, avoir été témoin ou victime de violence à l’enfance) et celles liées au couple (ajustement dyadique, colère, attributions, style d’attachement, comportements violents) et l’abandon thérapeutique chez ces hommes. Quatre-vingt hommes inscrits à une thérapie de groupe pour hommes violents ont été recrutés. Des analyses corrélationnelles ont été effectuées. Seul l’âge du participant est ressorti comme étant corrélé au taux d’attrition. Plus les participants étaient jeunes, plus ils avaient tendance à abandonner la thérapie avant la fin du programme. Les implications de ces résultats sont discutées.It is now known that group treatment dropout rate for men who are violent towards their spouse constitutes a problem. The goal of this study is to verify if a link exists between attrition in a treatment for violent men and both partners’s personnal (age, revenue, substance abuse, having been subjected to violence as children) and marital variables (dyadic adjustment, anger, attribution, attachment style and violent behavior). Eighty men enroled in a group treatment for marital violence have been recruited. Correlational analysis showed us that age is the only variable correlated with treatment dropout. The younger the participants, the most likely they were to drop out of the group therapy. These results will be further discussed.Es sabido que la tasa de atrición elevada en los hombres que siguen un tratamiento por violencia conyugal constituye un problema serio. La presente investigación intenta verificar si existe una relación entre las variables individuales (edad, ingresos, abuso de substancias, haber sido testigo o víctima de violencia en la infancia), aquellas relacionadas con la pareja (ajuste diádico, cólera, atribuciones, estilo de apego, comportamientos violentos) y el abandono de la terapia por parte de estos hombres. Se reclutaron ochenta hombres inscritos a una terapia de grupo para hombres violentos y se realizaron análisis correlacionales. Sólo la edad del participante resaltó como correlacionada con la tasa de atrición. Mientras más jóvenes eran los participantes, más tendencia tenían a abandonar la terapia antes de terminar el programa. Se discuten las implicaciones de estos resultados.Como se sabe, a taxa de atrito muito elevada nos homens que recebem um tratamento contra a violência conjugal constitui um sério problema. A presente pesquisa tenta verificar se existe uma relação entre as variáveis individuais (idade, renda, abuso de substâncias, ter sido testemunha ou vítima de violência na infância) e as variáveis relacionadas com o casal (ajuste diádico, raiva, atribuições, estilo de vínculo, comportamentos violentos) e o abandono terapêutico destes homens. Foram recrutados 80 homens inscritos em uma terapia de grupo para homens violentos. Foram efetuadas análises correlacionais. Só a idade dos participantes revelou-se como estando relacionada à taxa de atrito. Quanto mais jovens eram os participantes, mais eles tinham tendência a abandonar a terapia antes do fim do programa. As implicações destes resultados são discutidas no artigo

Can less be more? Mentoring functions, learning goal orientation, and novice entrepreneurs' self-efficacy

Purpose: One of the main goals of entrepreneurial mentoring programs is to strengthen the mentee's self-efficacy. However, the conditions in which entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) is developed through mentoring are not yet fully explored. The purpose of this paper is to test the combined effects of mentee’s learning goal orientation (LGO) and perceived similarity with the mentor and demonstrates the role of these two variables in mentoring relationships. Design/methodology/approach: The current study is based on a sample of 360 novice Canadian entrepreneurs who completed an online questionnaire. The authors used a cross-sectional analysis as research design. Findings: Findings indicate that the development of ESE is optimal when mentees present low levels of LGO and perceive high similarities between their mentor and themselves. Mentees with high LGO decreased their level of ESE with more in-depth mentoring received. Research limitations/implications: This study investigated a formal mentoring program with volunteer (unpaid) mentors. Generalization to informal mentoring relationships needs to be tested. Practical implications: The study shows that, in order to effectively develop self-efficacy in a mentoring situation, LGO should be taken into account. Mentors can be trained to modify mentees’ LGO to increase their impact on this mindset and mentees’ ESE. Originality/value: This is the first empirical study that demonstrates the effects of mentoring on ESE and reveals a triple moderating effect of LGO and perceived similarity in mentoring relationships. © 2018, © Emerald Publishing Limited

Progressive Decline in Daily and Social Activities: A 9-year Longitudinal Study of Participation in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1

Abstract : Objective: To describe and compare changes in participation over a 9-year period in women and men with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). To compare participation restrictions with available reference values from a typical aging population living in the community. Design: Descriptive longitudinal design comparing data from baseline (2002) with data from follow-up (2011). Setting: Neuromuscular clinic and participant’s home. Participants: Adults with DM1 participated in the follow-up study (NZ115). Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measure: The Assessment of Life Habits measured participation in 10 domains of daily and social activities. The minimal clinically important difference is 0.5 on a 10-point scale for participation accomplishment level. Results: A total of 62% of participants were women, and the mean age was 52.3 10.3 years. A decline (P<.01) was observed with increasing difficulty and assistance required in global participation (mean SD, 0.5 0.9), social activities subscore ( 0.6 1.2), nutrition ( 0.7 1.4), fitness ( 1.0 1.6), personal care ( 0.7 1.2), mobility ( 0.5 1.9), community life ( 0.8 1.9), and recreation ( 1.5 3.0). More life areas are disrupted over time: 8 domains were below reference values from a population aged 55-64 years at follow-up compared with 2 domains at baseline. Satisfaction with participation remains high and stable over time. Conclusion: As disease duration increases, global participation and more daily and social domains were restricted with increasing difficulty and assistance required. Adults with DM1 showed not only age-associated but disease-specific changes in participation. Description over time of participation could improve clinical assessment and guide interdisciplinary management of DM1, leading to higher rehabilitation success. Further investigation of the factors influencing changes in participation is required to support disease management and services planning. [Symboles non conformes

A 9-year follow-up study of the natural progression of upper limb performance in myotonic dystrophy type 1: a similar decline for phenotypes but not for gender

Abstract: This study aimed to document and compare the decline of upper limb performance among adults with myotonic dystrophy type 1 according to phenotype and gender. A longitudinal descriptive design compared upper limb performance at baseline and follow-up of 70 women and 38 men with the late-onset or adult phenotypes. Grip strength and pinch strength as well as gross dexterity and fine dexterity were assessed. All four performance measures decreased significantly (p < 0.001). The decline over time was similar for individuals with the late-onset and adult-onset phenotypes, but differed according to gender. For late-onset and adult-onset phenotypes respectively, women lost less grip strength than men: 0.4 and minus 0.8 kg (2.0% and -9.4%) in women vs. minus 7.4 and minus 3.1 kg (-19.2% and -30.7%) in men. A similar situation was found for gross dexterity: minus 3.0 and minus 3.2 blocks (-4.6% and -5.9%) in women vs. minus 12.4 and minus 8.7 blocks (-19.4% and -16.6%) in men. Pinch gauge had the smallest standard deviations and was one of the only measurement tools with significant detectable changes in relation to the standard error of measurement. Given these results, health professionals and researchers should consider phenotype and gender differently when planning health services or future studies. Indeed, as their upper limb strength and dexterity differed, even if their decline was similar, the phenotypes should not be pooled. Finally, the use of the pinch gauge to assess long-term change in upper limb ability seems preferable to the three other measurements

Susciter l’engagement des mentors bénévoles pour entrepreneurs : une question de sélection ou d’encadrement ?

Les programmes de mentorat pour entrepreneurs reposent sur des bénévoles qui peuvent quitter leur engagement à tout moment. Sachant les coûts reliés à la gestion des programmes et aux formations de ces mentors, l’étude de leur rétention et de leur satisfaction face à leur engagement devient un impératif. Pour étudier cette problématique, nous avons réalisé une enquête auprès de 366 mentors du Réseau M de la Fondation de l’entrepreneurship (Québec). Nos résultats indiquent que trois des six raisons qui amènent les mentors à s’engager de manière bénévole ont une influence sur leur satisfaction à l’égard de leur engagement ainsi que sur leur rétention : pour comprendre et apprendre, parce que cela correspond à leurs valeurs et pour rehausser leur estime de soi. Il appert que l’investigation des raisons de s’engager pourrait être un outil important dans la sélection des mentors ayant le plus grand potentiel de demeurer actifs et d’être les plus satisfaits dans une organisation de cette nature. Néanmoins, les gestionnaires de programmes de mentorat doivent surtout considérer des activités suscitant la satisfaction envers l’engagement dans la cellule locale pour retenir leurs mentors

Allele length of the DMPK CTG repeat is a predictor of progressive myotonic dystrophy type 1 phenotypes

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is an autosomal dominant inherited disorder caused by expansion of a germline and somatically unstable CTG repeat in the DMPK gene. Previously, CTG repeat length at birth has been correlated to patient age at symptom onset. Attempts to correlate CTG repeat length with progressive DM1 phenotypes, such as muscle power, have proven difficult. To better correlate genotype with progressive phenotypes, we have measured CTG repeat tract length and screened for interrupting variant repeats in 192 study participants from a well-characterized Canadian cohort. We have assessed genotype–phenotype correlations with nine progressive measures of skeletal muscle power and respiratory function. We have built statistical models that include confounding factors such as sex, age, height and weight to further explain variation in muscle power. Our analysis reveals a strong correlation between DM1 genotype and respiratory function and skeletal muscle power, as part of a complex model that includes additional modulators such as sex, age, height, weight and the presence or absence of interrupting variant repeats. Distal skeletal muscle measurements, such as hand pinch and grip strength, show the strongest correlation with disease genotype. Detailed analysis of CTG repeat length, and incorporation of confounding factors, greatly improves the predictive ability of these models. They reveal a greater genetic influence on individual progressive phenotypes than on age at symptom onset and for clinical trials will help optimize stratification and explain patient variability. They will also help practitioners prioritize assessment of the muscular power measurements that correlate best with disease severity

Traduction, adaptation transculturelle, validité et fiabilité du "Whiplash Disability Questionnaire" de l’anglais vers le français

Les symptômes du Whiplash, qui sont souvent la conséquence d’un accident de la route, peuvent devenir chroniques. En tant que physiothérapeute, il est primordial de disposer d’un outil pour évaluer la progression de la prise en charge. A ce jour, il n’existe pas d’instrument de mesure valide à disposition des physiothérapeutes francophones pour évaluer cette progression chez les patients atteints d’un Whiplash. L’objectif de cette étude est d’effectuer une traduction transculturelle de l’anglais vers le français du « Whiplash Disability Questionnaire » afin de mettre à disposition des physiothérapeutes francophones un questionnaire pour la prise en charge des patients

gene DNA methylation levels are associated with muscular and respiratory profiles in DM1

Objective: To assess the effects of dystrophia myotonica protein kinase (DMPK) DNA methylation (DNAme) epivariation on muscular and respiratory profiles in patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). Methods: Phenotypes were assessed with standardized measures. Pyrosequencing of bisulfite-treated DNA was used to quantify DNAme levels in blood from 90 patients with DM1 (adult form). Modal CTG repeat length was assessed using small-pool PCR. The presence of Acil-sensitive variant repeats was also tested. Results: DNAme levels upstream of the CTG expansion (exon and intron 11) were correlated with modal CTG repeat length (rs = −0.224, p = 0.040; rs = −0.317, p = 0.003; and rs = −0.241, p = 0.027), whereas correlations were observed with epivariations downstream of the CTG repeats (rs = 0.227; p = 0.037). The presence of a variant repeat was associated with higher DNAme levels at multiple CpG sites (up to 10% higher; p = 0.001). Stepwise multiple linear regression modeling showed that DNAme contributed significantly and independently to explain phenotypic variability in ankle dorsiflexor (3 CpGs: p = 0.001, 0.013, and 0.001), grip (p = 0.089), and pinch (p = 0.028) strengths and in forced vital capacity (2 CpGs: p = 0.002 and 0.021) and maximal inspiratory pressure (p = 0.012). Conclusions: In addition to the CTG repeat length, DMPK epivariations independently explain phenotypic variability in DM1 and could thus improve prognostic accuracy for patients