Assessing the nomological network of the South African personality inventory with psychological traits

The purpose of this study was to expand internal construct validity and equivalence research of the South African Personality Inventory (SAPI), as well as to investigate the nomological validity of the SAPI by examining its relationship with specific and relevant psychological outcomes. The internal and external validity of the SAPI was assessed within three separate samples (N = 936). Using the combined data from all three samples, Exploratory Structural Equation Modelling (ESEM) indicated that the six-factor SAPI model fit proved to be excellent. Measurement invariance analyses showed that the SAPI dimensions in the ESEM model were invariant across gender and race groups. Next, two separate studies explored the associations of the SAPI factors with relevant psychological outcomes. An ESEM-within-CFA (set ESEM) method was used to add the factors into a new input file to correlate them with variables that were not part of the initial ESEM model. Both models generated excellent fit. In Study 1, psychological wellbeing and cultural intelligence were correlated with the SAPI factors within a sample of students and working adults. All of the psychological well-being dimensions significantly correlated with the SAPI factors, while for cultural intelligence, the highest correlations were between Meta-cognition and Openness and Meta-cognition and Positive Social- Relational Disposition. In Study 2, work locus of control and trait anxiety was correlated with the SAPI factors within a sample of adults from the general South African workforce. Work Locus of Control correlated with most factors of the SAPI, but more prominently with Positive Social-Relational Disposition, while Neuroticism correlated strongly with trait anxiety. Finding an appropriate internal structure that measures personality without bias in a culturally diverse context is difficult. This study provided strong evidence that the SAPI meets the demanding requirements of personality measurement in this context and generated promising results to support the relevance of the SAPI factors.The South African National Research Foundationhttp://www.frontiersin.org/Psychologyam2022Human Resource Managemen

EPG5-related Vici syndrome: a paradigm of neurodevelopmental disorders with defective autophagy

Vici syndrome is a progressive neurodevelopmental multisystem disorder due to recessive mutations in the key autophagy gene EPG5. We report genetic, clinical, neuroradiological, and neuropathological features of 50 children from 30 families, as well as the neuronal phenotype of EPG5 knock-down in Drosophila melanogaster. We identified 39 different EPG5 mutations, most of them truncating and predicted to result in reduced EPG5 protein. Most mutations were private, but three recurrent mutations (p.Met2242Cysfs*5, p.Arg417*, and p.Gln336Arg) indicated possible founder effects. Presentation was mainly neonatal, with marked hypotonia and feeding difficulties. In addition to the five principal features (callosal agenesis, cataracts, hypopigmentation, cardiomyopathy, and immune dysfunction), we identified three equally consistent features (profound developmental delay, progressive microcephaly, and failure to thrive). The manifestation of all eight of these features has a specificity of 97%, and a sensitivity of 89% for the presence of an EPG5 mutation and will allow informed decisions about genetic testing. Clinical progression was relentless and many children died in infancy. Survival analysis demonstrated a median survival time of 24 months (95% confidence interval 0–49 months), with only a 10th of patients surviving to 5 years of age. Survival outcomes were significantly better in patients with compound heterozygous mutations (P = 0.046), as well as in patients with the recurrent p.Gln336Arg mutation. Acquired microcephaly and regression of skills in long-term survivors suggests a neurodegenerative component superimposed on the principal neurodevelopmental defect. Two-thirds of patients had a severe seizure disorder, placing EPG5 within the rapidly expanding group of genes associated with early-onset epileptic encephalopathies. Consistent neuroradiological features comprised structural abnormalities, in particular callosal agenesis and pontine hypoplasia, delayed myelination and, less frequently, thalamic signal intensity changes evolving over time. Typical muscle biopsy features included fibre size variability, central/internal nuclei, abnormal glycogen storage, presence of autophagic vacuoles and secondary mitochondrial abnormalities. Nerve biopsy performed in one case revealed subtotal absence of myelinated axons. Post-mortem examinations in three patients confirmed neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative features and multisystem involvement. Finally, downregulation of epg5 (CG14299) in Drosophila resulted in autophagic abnormalities and progressive neurodegeneration. We conclude that EPG5-related Vici syndrome defines a novel group of neurodevelopmental disorders that should be considered in patients with suggestive features in whom mitochondrial, glycogen, or lysosomal storage disorders have been excluded. Neurological progression over time indicates an intriguing link between neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration, also supported by neurodegenerative features in epg5-deficient Drosophila, and recent implication of other autophagy regulators in late-onset neurodegenerative disease

Assessing the nomological network of the South African Personality Inventory among industrial psychologists

MCom (Industrial Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2016To date, personality has mostly been assessed using westernised inventories that evidently have limited reliability and validity in a diverse nation such as South Africa. The South African Personality Inventory (SAPI) project was initiated with the goal of providing South Africa with a valid and reliable personality measure that can be applied fairly across the diverse nation. The SAPI is currently in the developmental stage, and part of the developmental process requires rigorous analysis on its nomological network within different occupational groups. This study therefore assessed the nomological network of the SAPI among emerging and registered industrial psychologists. The general objective of this study was to assess the internal and external validity of the SAPI in order to expand its nomological network. Internal validity was determined though construct validity and discriminant validity, whereas external validity was determined through concurrent validity and predictive validity. The external validity was determined through analysing the personality constructs measured by the SAPI in relation to Cultural Intelligence and Psychological Wellbeing constructs. A quantitative research approach was used to examine the psychometric properties of the SAPI and contribute to the expansion of its nomological network. The study made use of a cross-sectional design and a purposive non-probability sampling procedure. The targeted sample consisted of emerging industrial psychologists and registered industrial psychologists (N=465). The results showed that the SAPI consists of a six-factor model (Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Neuroticism, Openness, Negative- and Positive Social Relational factor), which is dissimilar to the nine factor and five factor models that have been reported previously. The constructs of these models were distinct from each other and therefore unique. This finding confirmed both construct and discriminant validity. External validity in terms of concurrent validity and predictive validity were also proven. It is evident from the analysis that many of the SAPI constructs correlated with Cultural Intelligence and Psychological Wellbeing constructs and also predicted various constructs of these theoretical models as outcomes.Master

The Human Capital Risk Reporting of Listed South African Companies: Exploring a Reporting Framework to Support Corporate Governance

Despite the importance and requirement of integrated reporting on human capital (HC), research indicates a lack of reporting frameworks and adequate disclosure in organization reports. Thus, a unique research opportunity is created for researchers to determine what is being presented in reports and how it correlates with human resource management. This article investigates HC reporting practices and proposes a risk reporting framework in support of corporate governance. A qualitative method utilizing qualitative document analysis was followed to analyze a purposive sample (n = 39) of Johannesburg Stock Exchange top 40 listed companies’ annual integrated reports of 2020. Overall, companies followed a widely accepted risk management approach, with inconsistencies in the phases and methods of reporting the risk management phases directed at HC. The magnitude of the risk to the companies is also not understood. The most commonly reported HC risks were employee growth and development, diversity and inclusion, career paths, and employee turnover and turnover intention. Employee work-related well-being was largely neglected. An interesting finding is that the reported risks were metrics-deprived. Current HC practices are backward-looking instead of forward-looking, and they are fragmented. Therefore, an HC reporting framework is suggested for future research that addresses the gaps in integrated reports

The Human Capital Risk Reporting of Listed South African Companies: Exploring a Reporting Framework to Support Corporate Governance

Despite the importance and requirement of integrated reporting on human capital (HC), research indicates a lack of reporting frameworks and adequate disclosure in organization reports. Thus, a unique research opportunity is created for researchers to determine what is being presented in reports and how it correlates with human resource management. This article investigates HC reporting practices and proposes a risk reporting framework in support of corporate governance. A qualitative method utilizing qualitative document analysis was followed to analyze a purposive sample (n = 39) of Johannesburg Stock Exchange top 40 listed companies’ annual integrated reports of 2020. Overall, companies followed a widely accepted risk management approach, with inconsistencies in the phases and methods of reporting the risk management phases directed at HC. The magnitude of the risk to the companies is also not understood. The most commonly reported HC risks were employee growth and development, diversity and inclusion, career paths, and employee turnover and turnover intention. Employee work-related well-being was largely neglected. An interesting finding is that the reported risks were metrics-deprived. Current HC practices are backward-looking instead of forward-looking, and they are fragmented. Therefore, an HC reporting framework is suggested for future research that addresses the gaps in integrated reports