Relationship between adolescents' health beliefs and health behavior

This study aims to determine the relationship between Health Behavior and Health Locus of Control among 1270 adolescents (Boys N = 635 and Girls = 635) who were drawn from Bangalore rural and urban district government high schools (mean age 13.76 years). Methodology: The Global School based Health survey (WHO, 2004) and Multidimensional Health Locus of Control by Wallston and Wallston, questionnaires were used to assess health locus of control and health behavior respectively. The data obtained was subjected to statistical analysis using Pearson’s product moment correlation methods to examine the relationship between these variables. Results and Interpretation: Findings revealed that total health behavior score of adolescents is significantly correlated with ‘internal’ and ‘powerful others’ dimensions of health locus of control. Further, the ‘chance factor’ of health locus of control did not show any significant relationship with the total health behavior score. From this it can be inferred that adolescents with high inclinations towards ‘internal health locus of control’ and ‘powerful others’ have healthier dimensions of positive behaviors. Findings have also revealed that health behavior is not significantly correlated with the beliefs that ‘health is a function of chance/luck’

Learning and Study Strategies: Academic Achievement and Gender Differences

To do well in school and for enhanced academic success, effective Learning and Study strategies are important. The objectives of this research work were to determine gender differences, if any, in Learning and Study strategies in high school students and to find the relationship between these strategies and Academic achievement. To do this, Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) - Weinstein & Palmer, (2002) was administered to a group of 684, 8th std., school students, of which 363 were boys and 321 were girls. These students were selected from private schools of Bangalore; all the 4 zones – north, south, east, and west - were represented. All the students chosen were studying the state syllabus. The results of the research indicate gender differences in the following strategies – processing of information, motivation and selection of main ideas. No gender differences emerged for Academic achievement. Further, academic achievement was found to be significantly related to levels of anxiety, attitude, concentration ability, selection of main ideas, effective time management and test taking strategies

Running Head: Reading Comprehension: Reviving the Sentence Verification Technique

Reading success is largely determined by reading comprehension. Thus accurate assessment of reading comprehension is necessary to identify those who require remediation and to plan future instructions in classrooms. Sentence verification technique (SVT) is one of the methods of assessing comprehension and can function as a diagnostic tool in reading assessment. The aim of the current study was to determine whether the SVT could detect gender and grade differences in reading comprehension. The study targeted 1091 elementary grade students comprising both boys and girls who were assessed using the SVT. The students read two text passages selected according to their grade level and responded to four sentence types - original, paraphrase, meaning change and distracter sentences. Independent sample t test highlighted that girls were significantly better than boys with regard to reading comprehension ability. One way analysis of variance to analyse grade differences indicated that there were significant improvements in reading comprehension ability with higher grades, thus highlighting the sensitivity of SVTs in detecting developmental changes in reading comprehension. The findings of this study emphasize the diagnostic potential of the SVTs with regard to identifying children with reading comprehension difficulties which in turn would help in planning their remediation. These SVTs can be easily developed by school teachers and other non-psychometricians for the purpoe of identifying students requiring assistance. The paper will discuss the finding, purpose and uses of SVT along with its classroom implications

Team Building - a Tool for Management

This paper aims at analyzing the present definitions of a team and team building as a process. Existing models and research conducted on team and team building have been reviewed and evaluated. The tools used for evaluating team effectiveness and team building, approaches towards team roles and the changing views on team building over the years have also been discussed. The paper raises questions on the emphasis on interpersonal communication in teams in the present world scenario and the need to develop specific tools to meet role specific or organisation specific requirements with regard to team building. Finally, this paper also attempts to review the limitations in current research and training in team building and their applications, and suggests alternatives for further research

Stress and Burnout in Teachers Handling Children with Learning Disabilities

The present study was designed to explore the incidence of stress and burnout in teachers of children with learning disabilities (LD). It also attempted to investigate the effect of - (a) age of the teachers, (b) special training and (c) years of experience in teaching LD children on the stress level of these teachers. The sample for the present study included 44 female teachers from various institutions for children with learning disabilities in Bangalore. Stress & burnout level in teachers was assessed through a semi-structured interview schedule, Teacher Stress Scale (modified Wilson Stress Profile for Teachers, 1979) and Burnout Inventory (Maslach's Burnout Inventory, 1981). Both qualitative and quantitative analyses were made. The results revealed that of the total 44 teachers, 45.45 percent (20 of them) experienced moderate level of stress and only 2.27 percent (one teacher) experienced high level of stress. The results also revealed that age did not have a significant effect on the nature of stress, stress management and burnout level. It was seen that there is on effect of special training in teaching children with learning disabilities on the nature of stress, stress management & burnout level in terms of managing students in the class. There was a  significant difference in the stress and burnout level in teachers with regard to years of experience. It was also found that emotional exhaustion was significantly higher among teachers who reported moderate level of stress as compared to teachers reporting low level of stress. A qualitative analysis of the interview data suggests that there is a significant amount of denial in the teachers, in terms of their rating on the level of stress experienced by them

Software Stress Assessment Test: A Preliminary Investigation

Though research on stress has been on the increase in recent years, occupational stress literature is based, to a large extent, on individual perception rather than substantiated fact. The present study was undertaken with the objective of developing a stress assessment test for the software professional. The test consists of 57 items covering four factors namely, job-related, organisational, personal and behavioural. The test was administered to 33 software specialists from a software firm in Bangalore. Based on the data, percentile norms were established. The scale was subjected to reliability test. The split half reliability is 0.816**. Work is currently on in the area and further research is required in this direction. Individual moves into a state of exhaustion, from which tissue breakdown and even death can result. In other words, continued stress can lead to bodily damage. The body manifests the stress reaction by a rise in blood pressure, increased adrenaline, changed heartbeat, more RBCs, slower digestion, and so on. However, Selye argued that a moderate amount of stress could be a positive experience while too little stress could be negative

What Contributes to COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy? A Systematic Review of the Psychological Factors Associated with COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy

Vaccine hesitancy plays a crucial role in worldwide pandemic-control efforts. The multifaceted nature of vaccine hesitancy entails many psychological factors that are widely discussed in the literature, although few studies specifically compile these factors. Thus, this systematic review aims to synthesize the psychological factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy. As per the PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses) guidelines, a systematic search was conducted on electronic databases PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, PsycNET, and Web of Science, and a manual search was conducted on Google Scholar. Out of the 2289 articles obtained, 79 studies that met the inclusion criteria were deemed eligible for the review. The findings highlight appraisals of the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccine safety and side effects, vaccine confidence/trust, trust in government and healthcare professionals, scepticism around vaccine production, conspiracy beliefs, emotions, and information and knowledge about the vaccine as the major psychological factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy. Concerningly, misinformation on COVID-19 vaccination spread through social media platforms, increasing vaccine hesitancy. Recommendations for government authorities, healthcare professionals, and implications for future research are also outlined