South African Journal of Psychology, Ahead of Print.
Children exposed to alcohol in utero may suffer from cognitive and physical sequelae. The most impactful damage in terms of daily functioning is to higher order cognitive functions involved in planning and goal-directed behaviour, referred to as executive functions. Cognitive training interventions are used as a remedial tool for executive function deficits but require implementation by professionals. For the South African context, where resources are limited, a tablet computer-based cognitive training game was developed. This study aimed to establish the feasibility of implementing and evaluating this intervention in South Africa for children exposed to alcohol prenatally. This was a three-arm feasibility randomised control trial comparing an alcohol exposed intervention arm, to an alcohol exposed control arm, and a non-exposed normative arm. Arm allocation was based on self-reported maternal alcohol use during a structured interview. To assess feasibility, we evaluated participant recruitment and barriers to implementation. Executive functions were measured at baseline and following intervention to evaluate the preliminary impact of the intervention. No significant differences were found between the three arms on the post-intervention assessments. The retention rate was acceptable for a randomised control trial; however, there was significant variance in the length of time spent playing the game overall. The majority of participants learned to play the game quickly and progressed through the difficulty levels. In conclusion, a full randomised control trial using the recruitment, randomisation and implementation method would be suitable in the South African context. The statistical outcomes of this trial do not support a full-scale randomised control trial of this intervention.
The development and use of adolescent mobile mental health (m-mhealth) interventions in low- and middle-income countries: a scoping review
South African Journal of Psychology, Ahead of Print.
Adult mental health challenges frequently stem from undiagnosed poor mental health earlier in life. With increasing levels of poor adolescent mental health and insufficient health care resources in low- and middle-income countries, mobile mental health may offer expanded service access. Little is known about mobile mental health interventions for adolescents in low- and middle-income countries. Our aim was to review the literature on mobile mental health intervention, development and use for low- and middle-income country adolescents. We searched APA PsycInfo, Web of Science, Psychiatry online, and Ebscohost databases using keywords and phrases. Screening of the 6953 retrieved articles, generated 6 articles that met the inclusion criteria. Arksey and O’Malley’s adapted framework was followed using rigorous inclusion criteria and screening by two reviewers. Studies showed high heterogeneity. Two studies used short message service text messaging platforms, one used phone call reminders, two used smartphone applications (WhatsApp or game-based), and one study compared different short message service, web-based and smartphone app offerings. Generally, adolescents had a positive perception of mobile mental health interventions. Helpline messages, peer group sessions, access to a counsellor and games set in real-life environments were some of the preferred contents of mobile mental health interventions. Noted barriers include low personal mobile phone ownership, leading to lack of confidentiality, data costs and limited internet access. While adolescents in low- and middle-income countries find mobile mental health interventions acceptable and supportive, challenges remain. Mobile mental health interventions can potentially overcome barriers associated with face-to-face care, such as high cost and stigma. However, more research is needed to overcome these challenges and build the evidence-base in low- and middle-income countries for this field to grow.
Adult mental health challenges frequently stem from undiagnosed poor mental health earlier in life. With increasing levels of poor adolescent mental health and insufficient health care resources in low- and middle-income countries, mobile mental health may offer expanded service access. Little is known about mobile mental health interventions for adolescents in low- and middle-income countries. Our aim was to review the literature on mobile mental health intervention, development and use for low- and middle-income country adolescents. We searched APA PsycInfo, Web of Science, Psychiatry online, and Ebscohost databases using keywords and phrases. Screening of the 6953 retrieved articles, generated 6 articles that met the inclusion criteria. Arksey and O’Malley’s adapted framework was followed using rigorous inclusion criteria and screening by two reviewers. Studies showed high heterogeneity. Two studies used short message service text messaging platforms, one used phone call reminders, two used smartphone applications (WhatsApp or game-based), and one study compared different short message service, web-based and smartphone app offerings. Generally, adolescents had a positive perception of mobile mental health interventions. Helpline messages, peer group sessions, access to a counsellor and games set in real-life environments were some of the preferred contents of mobile mental health interventions. Noted barriers include low personal mobile phone ownership, leading to lack of confidentiality, data costs and limited internet access. While adolescents in low- and middle-income countries find mobile mental health interventions acceptable and supportive, challenges remain. Mobile mental health interventions can potentially overcome barriers associated with face-to-face care, such as high cost and stigma. However, more research is needed to overcome these challenges and build the evidence-base in low- and middle-income countries for this field to grow.
From Korea to the world: women’s role as peer-leaders in K-pop transnational online brand communities
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Missing the Impact in Impact Investing Research – A Systematic Review and Critical Reflection of the Literature
Abstract
Impact investing (II) aims to achieve intentional social impact in addition to financial return. Our systematic literature review of 104 articles finds that the growing academic literature on II is scattered across a variety of disciplines and topics, with inconsistencies in terminology and concepts and a paucity of theoretical explanations and frameworks. To provide an overview of common research areas and findings, we integrate the articles on II in nine emerging topics and shed light on inconsistencies in the literature. The analysis reveals one major shortcoming in II research: Despite the fact that II aims to create a measurable societal impact, this impact of II, its raison d’être, is not scrutinized in the literature. We argue that investigating the impact of II requires a holistic lens, for which we propose systems theory. We suggest prospective future research avenues which combine socio-economic research approaches (esp. longitudinal qualitative studies and experimental methods) with socio-technical methods (esp. life cycle analysis) to enable a holistic systems perspective of II.
Penalty Zones in International Sustainability Standards: Where Improved Sustainability Doesn’t Pay
Abstract
Adopting an international sustainability standard (ISS) helps firms improve their sustainability performance. It also acts as a credible market ‘signal’ that legitimizes firms' latent sustainability practices while improving their market value. But how do these signals function when firms adopt multiple ISSs? We show that the relationships between firms' ISSs adoption and their market value and their sustainability performance appear positive. However, beyond a tipping point of 2 ISSs, firms' market gains decline, even though their sustainability performance continues to improve until a tipping point of 3 ISSs. Differing tipping points create a gap that we refer to as the ‘penalty zone’ – the place where market value declines, even though firms' actual sustainability performance continues to improve. The penalty zone arises because of imprecisions in market signals and serves as a significant barrier to firms wishing to further their sustainability agenda through additional ISS adoption.
Interpersonal memory failure in the workplace: The effect of memory and hierarchy on employee’s affective commitment
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Queer and using substances, a ‘double whammy’: results from a needs assessment of substance use treatment professionals in South Africa
South African Journal of Psychology, Volume 53, Issue 3, Page 366-376, September 2023.
This study explored the training needs of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment practitioners in relation to their readiness in treating queer clients. We conducted a series of semi-structured interviews (N = 7) based in the Western Cape of South Africa. A thematic analysis identified themes related to treatment structures developed for a binary perception of gender, the burden of discrimination borne by queer clients that may impede treatment, and practitioner interest in further training and development. Our findings suggest that SUD treatment practitioners do not feel fully prepared to treat queer clients and are aware of a need for gender-sensitive training in this area. Improvements to practitioner training and readiness could yield benefits for both clients and practitioners within the treatment space.
This study explored the training needs of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment practitioners in relation to their readiness in treating queer clients. We conducted a series of semi-structured interviews (N = 7) based in the Western Cape of South Africa. A thematic analysis identified themes related to treatment structures developed for a binary perception of gender, the burden of discrimination borne by queer clients that may impede treatment, and practitioner interest in further training and development. Our findings suggest that SUD treatment practitioners do not feel fully prepared to treat queer clients and are aware of a need for gender-sensitive training in this area. Improvements to practitioner training and readiness could yield benefits for both clients and practitioners within the treatment space.
How can technology significantly contribute to climate change mitigation?
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Managerial short‐termism and financial statement comparability
Abstract
This study examines the association between managerial short-termism and financial statement comparability. Using a short-termism measure constructed through textual analysis and machine learning based on a Chinese language setting in management discussion and analysis (MD&A), we find that firms with higher short-termism produce financial statements with lower comparability and that this effect disappears in short-horizon industries. We further find that the increased comparability is associated with an improvement in analysts' forecasts only in non-short-horizon industries. Overall, our findings suggest that firms with greater managerial short-termism are more likely to have unusual corporate behaviours, thus having worse comparability with other firms.
Understanding the Link between Post‐Acquisition Resource Reconfiguration and Technology Out‐Licensing
Abstract
We develop a novel framework to explain how the unique properties of out-licensing enable R&D reconfiguration in the context of technology acquisitions. Out-licensing is an attractive R&D strategy following acquisitions as it expands opportunities for resource reconfiguration to outside the organization by using external partners while at the same time allowing firms to continue to benefit from the technology, both financially and strategically. We also propose that the positive relationship between technology acquisitions and out-licensing is weaker when firms cannot determine the full value potential of their R&D due to uncertainty or when they have high availability of short-term financial slack resources. Using a sample of bio-pharmaceutical firms, the result of a 2SLS fixed-effect regression that accounts for the potential endogeneity of technology acquisitions provides support for our theoretical framework.