An overview of the remaining challenges of the RILEM TC 274-TCE, testing and characterisation of earth-based building materials and elements

Based on the RILEM Technical Committee 274-TCE work, this paper is a discussion of the remaining engineering challenges faced by earthen architecture. The assessment of earth material performances requires the development of appropriate procedures and standards. This is discussed in particular for the characterisation, hygrothermal behaviour, mechanical behaviour, and durability of earth materials. One other important challenge, since one of the main advantages classically put forward, is its ecological performance, is a proper assessment of life cycle assessment of earth materials, elements and buildings. Moreover, the paper develops why the approach to earthen construction must be different compared to the dominant construction materials, to preserve its ability to contribute to the ecological transition in the construction sector. In particular, the needs of using local soils, with an architectural approach coping with the limits of the materials, and developing an architectural optimisation to preserve the earthen materials multifunctionality rather than selecting a sole property to be maximised. Lastly, the findings of the paper can be used to develop a holistic approach to earthen construction to foster the development of new earthen architecture projects.

Emotional approach coping and daily support behavior in romantic relationships

People differ in the degree to which they seek emotional support from romantic partners during times of stress. Moreover, receiving emotional support from partners is not always beneficial. Emotional approach coping (EAC)—the tendency to cope with stress by processing and expressing emotions—may play an important role in determining who seeks and who benefits from emotional support. This report used dyadic data from a two-week daily diary study ( N = 116 couples) to determine if those higher in EAC seek more emotional support, receive more emotional support, and perceive the support they receive from romantic partners as more effective than those lower in EAC. Further, we examined if these associations are stronger on days of above average perceived stress. Finally, we examined if participants higher in EAC, were more likely to benefit from receiving emotional support. Participants higher in EAC were more likely to seek emotional support from their partners. After adjusting for emotional support seeking, EAC was unrelated to receiving emotional support; however, participants higher in EAC rated the emotional support they received as more effective. Although participants reported greater individual well-being and higher relationship satisfaction on days they received emotional support from their partners, EAC did not moderate these associations. Taken together, these results suggest that people higher in EAC are more likely to experience benefits from receiving support because they seek more emotional support and report receiving more effective emotional support from their partners.

Working With a Psychopath: Is There Light at the End of the Tunnel?

Having a supervisor with psychopathic characteristics is related to being bullied, poorer job satisfaction, work/family life conflict, financial instability, and distress. To date, all research on corporate psychopathy victims considers how they are negatively impacted rather than potential positive outcomes. In response, this study examined how working with a psychopath impacts posttraumatic growth (PTG). Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, this study draws upon the experiences of 285 individuals who have worked with a colleague or supervisor with alleged psychopathic characteristics. Results indicated that approach coping and psychopathic characteristics predicted PTG. Qualitative analyses revealed that the majority of participants used various coping strategies (e.g., emotion-focused), received support (e.g., emotional), and underwent post-experiential growth or learning (e.g., positive personal growth); not all growth/learning was positive, however (e.g., less trusting). Results suggest that cultivating approach-focused coping strategies may enhance PTG following a traumatic event.

Family Communication and Psychological Distress in the Era of COVID-19 Pandemic: Mediating Role of Coping

This study aims to examine the association between family communication and psychological distress with coping as a potential mediator. The study also developed and validated the Family Communication Scale (FCS) in the context of COVID-19 pandemic. Participants ( n = 658; 74.9% female) were general public ranged in age between 18 and 58 years (mean age = 26.38, SD = 10.01). The results showed that family communication directly influenced psychological distress and indirectly influenced through approach coping. However, avoidant coping was not directly associated with psychological distress, nor did it mediate the association between family communication and psychological distress. The findings suggest that people, who have better family communication, highly engage in approach coping which in turn leads to better psychological health in face of adversity. The findings have important empirical and theoretical implications.

Posttraumatic Growth and Coping Strategies Among Patients With Head and Neck Cancer: Do Approach Coping and Avoidant Coping Predict Posttraumatic Growth Over Time?

Despite an enormous number of studies addressing the importance of posttraumatic growth (PTG) among cancer patients, the literature lacks data regarding how different coping strategies affect PTG among head and neck cancer (HNC) patients over time. This longitudinal study investigated the PTG trend and coping over 5–7months among a cohort of HNC patients within the first year after their diagnosis. It determined an association between coping strategies and PTG over time. The study’s HNC respondents were administered a socio-demographic and clinical characteristics questionnaire during their baseline assessments. Additionally, the Malay versions of the “PTG Inventory-Short Form” (PTGI-SF) and the “Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory” (Brief COPE) were administered during respondents’ baseline assessments and follow-up assessments (5–7months after the baseline assessments). In total, 200 respondents reported an increasing PTG trend and approach coping (active coping, planning, positive reframing, acceptance, emotional support, and instrumental support) and a decreasing trend of avoidant coping (self-distraction and denial) over time. Two approach coping strategies (acceptance and planning) significantly increased PTG while denial was the only avoidant coping strategy that significantly lowered PTG, after controlling for socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, over time. Our study’s findings identified the need to incorporate psychosocial interventions that enhance approach coping and reduce avoidant coping into HNC patients’ treatment regimes.

Self-management by Hospitalized Older Adults Based on Self-regulation: a Structural Equation Model

Background: Based on the common-sense model of self-regulation, this study aimed to examine the process of self-management through the proposed framework of “Self-system (type D personality)”→ “Cognitive illness perception,” “Emotional illness perception (Depression)”→ “Coping strategies (Approach coping)”→ “Illness Appraisal (Self-management),” using a structural equation model.Methods: The study was conducted at two care hospitals with 300 or more beds located in Jeolla Province, South Korea. The participants were 287 hospitalized older adults. The data collection period was February 17–March 10, 2021. The data were analyzed using SPSS WIN 23.0 and AMOS 23.0. To investigate the overall relationships among the factors influencing self-management among participants, a hypothetical model was created based on the common-sense model of self-regulation. The fit of the model and significance of its paths were analyzed. Results: The hypothetical model showed a good fit based on the following results: CMIN/DF(Q)=2.852, CFI=.955, TLI=.947, and RMSEA=.08. Type D personality had a significant direct effect on cognitive illness perception (β=-.491, p<.001) and depression (β=.844, p<.001). Cognitive illness perception (β=.650, p<.001) and depression (β=-.433, p<.001) had a direct effect on approach coping. Approach coping (β=.326, p<.001) had a direct effect on self-management. Notably, approach coping mediated illness perception and self-management. The explanatory power of the variables for self-management was 78.8%.Conclusion: These findings demonstrated the following mechanism: “type D personality” → “cognitive illness perception” and “depression” → “approach coping” → “self-management,” and highlighted the potential threat of type D personalities and depression on self-management. Cognitive illness perception and approach coping both contribute toward older adults’ self-management.

General and specific stress mindsets: Links with college student health and academic performance

The goal of this cross-sectional, correlational study was to evaluate (a) whether beliefs about stress as enhancing versus debilitating (i.e., stress mindsets) vary across sources of stress that differ in duration (acute vs. chronic) and controllability, and (b) how general and source-specific stress mindsets relate to health and academic performance. College students (n = 498) self-reported their general and source-specific stress mindsets, perceived distress, health, coping, and GPA. Stress mindsets varied as a function of duration and controllability, and general stress mindsets were only weakly associated with source-specific mindsets. Consistent with previous research, general stress mindsets were associated with health, but some source-specific mindsets were more predictive of health than others—viewing stress from chronic controllable sources as debilitating was most predictive of poor mental and physical health. Measures of stress were also associated with health, and this association was moderated by stress mindsets, suggesting that viewing stress as enhancing can provide a psychological “buffer” against the negative effects of stress. Approach coping and perceived distress were examined as potential mediators of the links between stress mindset and health. Viewing stress as enhancing was related to greater use of approach coping and lower perceived distress, which in turn was related to better health. This research suggests that stress mindset interventions may benefit students’ health, and that interventions targeting mindsets for chronic controllable sources of stress may be more effective than general stress mindset interventions.

Visual content of Twitter during the 2018 protests in Iran: Analysis of its role and function

This study examines the visual content of Twitter posts, including photos and videos, published during the 2018 protests in Iran. Our main objective is to understand how these protests were visually represented on Twitter. The theoretical framework of this study is drawn from the ‘dynamic dual path way model of approach coping’ that categorizes responses of collective action in emotion-focused and problem-focused coping. Our findings reveal that visual content with efficacy-eliciting characteristics was posted more often than emotion-arousing content. Furthermore, visual content with more protest activity is more likely to be retweeted.

The Role of Coping Strategies in the Resilience and Well-Being of College Students during COVID-19 Pandemic

The study aimed to investigate the relationship between resilience and well-being of college students during the Covid-19 pandemic and to determine the moderating role of coping strategies in this relationship. Resilience was defined based on the concept of Connor and Davidson (2003), who defined it as an individual characteristic that allows an individual to thrive in the face of adversity, coping strategies were categorized into approach or avoidant coping strategies as measured by COPE Brief, and well-being was conceptualized based on Warwick-Edinburgh's concept of mental well-being. It included 243 college students enrolled in one of the 12 online social science courses in one college in Metro Manila who were administered through online platform the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale, Brief COPE, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), and Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Life of Higher Education Students Questionnaire. Results showed a significant relationship between resilience and well-being. Approach coping strategy also showed significant positive relationships with the three criterion variables: academic, social, and mental well-being, indicating that the more a student employs approach coping strategy, the better is his or her academic, social, and mental well-being. On the other hand, the Avoidant coping strategy was negatively associated with academic-related emotions, showing that the less the use of the Avoidant coping approach, the more positive are the academic-related emotions felt by students during online classes. However, both coping strategies failed to moderate the relationship between resilience and well-being. It is recommended that schools implement programs and services that will train students on how to cope during pandemic.