The role of emotional intelligence in the experience of burnout among South African leaders working in financial roles

South African leaders serving a financial role within the corporate sector are prone to experience burnout due to the nature of their jobs. These leaders are also usually not inclined to regulate and manage emotions effectively. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of emotional intelligence in the experience of burnout. Quantitative data was obtained from financial leaders (n = 100). First, it was determined who were suffering from burnout. This was followed by MANOVAs to determine if these groups differed with regards to the display of emotional intelligence. Thereafter, stepwise regression analysis was performed to determine the extent to which emotional intelligence could predict the occurrence of burnout. Findings suggested that financial leaders who measure high on emotional intelligence were less at risk of experiencing burnout. It was also discovered that emotional self-management and emotional management of others were significant predictors of burnout.https://www.inderscience.com/jhome.php?jcode=ijwoehj2023Psycholog

Facial Adiposity, Attractiveness, and Health: A Review

The relationship between facial cues and perceptions of health and attractiveness in others plays an influential role in our social interactions and mating behaviors. Several facial cues have historically been investigated in this regard, with facial adiposity being the newest addition. Evidence is mounting that a robust link exists between facial adiposity and attractiveness, as well as perceived health. Facial adiposity has also been linked to various health outcomes such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, blood pressure, immune function, diabetes, arthritis, oxidative stress, hormones, and mental health. Though recent advances in the analysis of facial morphology has led to significant strides in the description and quantification of facial cues, it is becoming increasingly clear that there is a great deal of nuance in the way that humans use and integrate facial cues to form coherent social or health judgments of others. This paper serves as a review of the current literature on the relationship between facial adiposity, attractiveness, and health. A key component in utilizing facial adiposity as a cue to health and attractiveness perceptions is that people need to be able to estimate body mass from facial cues. To estimate the strength of the relationship between perceived facial adiposity and body mass, a meta-analysis was conducted on studies that quantified the relationship between perceived facial adiposity and BMI/percentage body fat. Summary effect size estimates indicate that participants could reliably estimate BMI from facial cues alone (r = 0.71, n = 458)

The role of the Eagala model in promoting psychological wellbeing in adolescents : a mixed-methods approach

The aim of the study was to determine if the Eagala model, an equine-assisted intervention, would enhance the psychological wellbeing of adolescents living in a township in South Africa. An embedded mixed-methods research design with convenience sampling was used. Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group. The experimental group participated in the Eagala intervention. The Ryff Scale of Psychological Wellbeing (RSPWB) was used to collect quantitative data while letters to the horses were used as qualitative data. Independent t-tests indicated significant differences between the two groups on the overall score of the RSPWB and five of its dimensions. Using thematic analysis, qualitative themes that enhanced understanding of the quantitative findings were identified. The results confirmed the effectiveness of the Eagala intervention. A Kruskal-Wallis test, however, indicated that between four to eight sessions need to be attended in order for the intervention to be effective.https://brill.com/view/journals/soan/soan-overview.xmlhj2024PsychologyStatisticsSDG-03:Good heatlh and well-bein

Measurement of cognitive and somatic anxiety amongst first team high school rugby players

Currently, knowledge is limited about how high school rugby players experience cognitive and somatic anxiety when playing competitive rugby. The first aim of the study was to determine if high school rugby players displayed significant differences in cognitive and somatic anxiety before and after an important rugby match. The second aim sought to determine to what extent the important rugby match alters the cognitive and somatic anxiety experienced by high school rugby players. In order to realize these aims, high school rugby players were compared to male adolescents who were not participating in any type of sport. A purposeful sample of 10 first team high school rugby players and 10 male adolescents not participating in any type of sport was drawn from a high school situated in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. Cognitive anxiety was measured through the administration of the State and Trait Anxiety subscales of the State-Trait Personality Inventory Form Y (STPI-Y) and the Sport Competition Anxiety Test (SCAT). Somatic anxiety was measured by investigating the salivary cortisol levels of the rugby players. A baseline measure, along with measures on the day of an important rugby match and one week after the important rugby match were taken. Statistical analysis within the group of rugby players revealed that significant differences occurred in the state anxiety and SCAT scores. No significant differences occurred within the cortisol measures. When the rugby players were compared to adolescents not participating in any type of sport, significant differences were observed between the two groups on state anxiety and SCAT scores. No differences with regards to cortisol levels had occurred. It was concluded that the rugby players had experienced cognitive but not somatic anxiety.http://www.ajol.info/journal_index.php?jid=153&ab=ajpherd2016-09-30hb201

The expression of personality among adolescents exposed to community interpersonal violence

The high level of crime in South Africa affects many adolescents. Experience of community interpersonal violence affects the social, emotional and cognitive functioning of adolescents and could have an impact on their personality development. The aim of the study was to explore possible differences in the expression of personality between adolescents exposed to community interpersonal violence and those not exposed to such violence. The sample comprised 183 grade 12 learners from a secondary school in a middle class community in Gauteng. Participants were divided into two groups: adolescents who reported exposure to community interpersonal violence (n = 93) and those who did not report exposure to such violence (n = 90). Both groups completed the 16 Personality Factor and Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scales. Differences between the groups were explored using a one-way between groups multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and t-tests for independent groups. Results indicated statistically significant differences between the two groups on Factor G (rule consciousness), Factor I (emotional sensitivity) and Factor Q4 (anxiety). Adolescents exposed to interpersonal violence reported higher levels of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms than the control group. The group that experienced PTSD symptoms differed more in terms of personality functioning (Factor I and Q4). Violence-exposed adolescents experienced more emotional volatility, difficulty to regulate emotions, anxiety and sensitivity to environmental stressors than those not exposed to such violence. Although causality cannot be assumed, it is possible that exposure to community interpersonal violence, which could result in PTSD symptoms, has implications for the personality development of adolescents. Interventions for adolescents exposed to interpersonal violence are recommended to prevent the development of PTSD symptoms.http://sap.sagepub.comhb2016Psycholog

Rock climbers : deliberate or precautionary risk takers in relation to sensation-seeking

A group of rock climbers were classified into two categories, deliberate or precautionary risk-takers, using the Risk-Taking Inventory (RTI). The aim of the study was to determine if these categories played a role in sensation-seeking behaviour. The study also aimed to determine if the type of risk-taking behaviour correlated with the number of injuries sustained by the participants. The study was quantitative in nature and an exploratory design was used. A sample of 70 rock climbers from the Mountain Club of South Africa participated. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, the RTI and the Sensation Seeking Scale-V. Non-parametric statistics were used. The results revealed statistically significant differences between the two risk-taking groups on the total score of the Sensation Seeking Scale-V and its subscales of Disinhibition and Boredom Susceptibility. No significant correlations were observed between the RTI groups and the number of injuries sustained. A significant positive correlation was, however, found between the number of injuries and number of years rock climbing. The results indicated that being a precautionary or deliberate risk-taker will have an impact on rock climbers’ sensation-seeking behaviour but will have no effect on the number of injuries these groups sustain.https://journals.nwu.ac.za/sajrsper/indexam2024PsychologyNon

Towards gaining a competitive advantage : the relationship between burnout, job satisfaction, social support and mindfulness

The prevalence of burnout has increased in the past 30 years. A review of the literature suggested that burnout could be prevented through the application of interpersonal as well as intrapersonal strategies. Interpersonal strategies consist of employees having access to social support systems and human resources management’s ability that may have a positive influence on job satisfaction. Intrapersonal strategies take the form of training individuals to become mindful, thus being aware of their physical as well as psychological states. Little research has been conducted on the successfulness of such strategies and the need was identified to explore the relationship between burnout, job satisfaction, social support and mindfulness among employees in a South African corporate organisation. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between burnout, job satisfaction, social support and mindfulness within a South African corporate organisation. The study was a quantitative study and a correlational research design was used. Systematic random sampling was used to compile the sample. The sample consisted of 209 employees working in a financial corporate environment in Johannesburg. Pearson correlation coefficients were computed for burnout, job satisfaction, social support and mindfulness. Moderate to strong inverse correlations were discovered among the constructs under investigation. Thereafter, a multiple regression analysis was deemed necessary to determine which of the independent variables (mindfulness, job satisfaction and social support) contributed significantly to explaining the variance in burnout scores. All the constructs (job satisfaction, mindfulness and social support) appear to be significant predictors of burnout. Job satisfaction displayed the highest beta value whilst mindfulness scored the second highest beta value in the multiple regression analysis.http://www.journals.co.za/ej/ejour_jcman.htm

Draft genome sequence of a “Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris”-related strain (aster yellows, subgroup 16SrI-B) from South Africa

Here, we report the draft genome sequence of a phytoplasma discovered in grapevine. The genome size is 600,116 nucleotides (nt), with 597 predicted open reading frames. It is most similar to a maize bushy stunt phytoplasma of group 16SrI-B (aster yellows). The possible presence of a 3,833-nt plasmid was also noted.University of Pretoria and European Union’s Horizon 2020 (EU H2020).https://mra.asm.orgpm2020BiochemistryGeneticsMicrobiology and Plant PathologyZoology and Entomolog

Draft genome sequence of a “Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris”-related strain (aster yellows, subgroup 16SrI-B) from South Africa

Here, we report the draft genome sequence of a phytoplasma discovered in grapevine. The genome size is 600,116 nucleotides (nt), with 597 predicted open reading frames. It is most similar to a maize bushy stunt phytoplasma of group 16SrI-B (aster yellows). The possible presence of a 3,833-nt plasmid was also noted.University of Pretoria and European Union’s Horizon 2020 (EU H2020).https://mra.asm.orgpm2020BiochemistryGeneticsMicrobiology and Plant PathologyZoology and Entomolog

The effect of emotional state on the learning of visual skills

Goeie visuele vaardighede is noodsaaklike komponente in die bereiking van opvoedkundige, ekonomiese en sosiale sukses, en onafhanklikheid. ’n Behoefte is geïdentifiseer om te bepaal of die visuele vaardighede van studente verbeter kan word deur visuele sportoefeninge, en of die potensiële voordele van hierdie soort oefeninge beïnvloed kan word deur emosionele toestande soos angs en nuuskierigheid. Albei laasgenoemde toestande kan ’n impak hê op die aanleer van visuele vaardighede. Aangesien daar tot dusver min navorsing gedoen is oor die verwantskap tussen die aanleer van visuele vaardighede en die aanwesigheid van dié twee emosionele toestande, is dit nodig om te bepaal in watter mate angs en weetgierigheid wel die aanleer van visuele vaardighede kan beïnvloed. ’n Kwantitatiewe navorsingsmetodologie is vir die doel van die studie gebruik. ’n Kwasi-eksperimentele ontwerp is uitgevoer ten einde data te versamel oor visuele vaardighede en die uitwerking van visuele sportoefeninge daarop. Die steekproef het bestaan uit tweedejaarse fisiologiestudente (n = 204) en het studente ingesluit van albei geslagte, uiteenlopende etnisiteite, almal in die ouderdomsgroep 18–27 jaar. Angs en weetgierigheid is gemeet aan die hand van die State-Trait Personality Inventory (STPI), terwyl die visuele vaardighede van die deelnemers gemeet is deur ’n battery toetse vir visuele vaardigheid. Die uitslae van die toetse kan moontlik aantoon dat oefeninge sommige visuele vaardighede kan verbeter. Dis egter belangrik om daarop te let dat angsvlakke in berekening gebring moet word wanneer die opleiding onderneem word. Volgens die bevindings van hierdie studie blyk dit dat angs in ’n mate ’n negatiewe uitwerking op die aanleer van fokus, sporingsvermoë en vergensie het. Volgens die huidige studie blyk dit egter dat weetgierigheid nie enige invloed gehad het op enige van die visuele vaardighede wat in die studie nagevors is nie.The findings of the present study suggest that anxiety, to some extent, influences the learning of focusing, tracking and vergence. Curiosity, on the other hand, did not influence the learning of any of the visual skills under investigation in the present study. Good visual skills are essential components in achieving educational, economic and social success, and independence. A need has been identified to determine whether the visual skills of students can be improved through sports vision exercises, and whether the potential benefits derived from these sports vision exercises could be influenced by emotional states such as anxiety and curiosity. Since little research has been conducted on the relationship between the learning of visual skills and the presence of these two emotional states, one needs to determine the extent to which anxiety and curiosity affect the learning of visual skills. For the purposes of this study, a quantitative research methodology was used. A quasi-experimental approach was employed to collect data on visual skills and the effects of sports vision exercises on these visual skills. The sample consisted of second-year physiology students (n = 204) and included students of genders, various ethnicities, and ages ranging from 18 to 27 years of age. Anxiety and curiosity were measured by using the State-Trait Personality Inventory (STPI), whilst the visual skills of the participants were measured by using a battery of visual skills tests. The results proved that sports vision exercises can improve some visual skills. It should, however, be noted that anxiety levels must be controlled when administering this training. The findings of the present study suggest that anxiety, to some extent, negatively influences the learning of focusing, tracking and vergence. Curiosity on the other hand did not influence the learning of any of the visual skills under investigation in the present study.http://www.satnt.ac.zaam201