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INTRODUCTION: Tongue strength reserve is the difference between the maximum isometric pressure (MIP) and swallowing pressure of the tongue. People with decreased tongue strength reserve may have a higher risk of presbyphagia or dysphagia. Thus, this study explored the effects of tongue strengthening exercise (TSE) on tongue strength reserve and detraining effects in healthy adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 102 healthy volunteers without any reported history of speech or swallowing deficits were recruited and assigned to experimental (n = 50) and control groups (n = 52). Exercises in the experimental group consisted of compressing an air-filled bulb between the tongue and hard palate for 30 min a day, 5 days a week, for 8 weeks. Thereafter, the experimental group underwent a 4-week detraining period. RESULTS: Following the TSE training, posterior tongue strength reserve (F = 4.92, p = 0.029) of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group. No significant detraining effects were observed on the MIP and swallowing pressure from 4 weeks after the completion of TSE training. CONCLUSIONS: According to the study results, TSE may be an effective approach for improving swallowing function.
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Trastornos de Deglución , Fuerza Muscular , Adulto , Deglución , Ejercicio Físico , Humanos , LenguaRESUMEN
AIM: Sexual self-efficacy plays an important role in adolescents' sexual health. The aim of this study was to test a cause-and-effect model of sexual self-concept and sexual risk cognition toward sexual self-efficacy in adolescents. METHODS: The study was a cross-sectional survey. Using a random sampling method, a total of 713 junior nursing students were invited to participate in the study, and 465 valid surveys were returned, resulting in a return rate of 65.2%. The data was collected using an anonymous mailed questionnaire. Structural equation modeling was used to test the relationships among sexual self-concept, sexual risk cognition, and sexual self-efficacy, as well as the mediating role of sexual risk cognition. RESULTS: The results revealed that the postulated model fits the data well. Sexual self-concept significantly predicted sexual risk cognition and sexual self-efficacy. Sexual risk cognition significantly predicted sexual self-efficacy and had a mediating effect on the relationship between sexual self-concept and sexual self-efficacy. CONCLUSION: Based on social cognitive theory and a structural equation model technique, this study confirmed the mediating role of sexual risk cognition in the relationship between sexual self-concept and sexual self-efficacy. Also, sexual self-concept's direct and indirect effects explaining adolescents' sexual self-efficacy were found in this study.
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Conducta del Adolescente , Modelos Psicológicos , Autoimagen , Autoeficacia , Conducta Sexual , Adolescente , Femenino , Humanos , MasculinoRESUMEN
AIMS: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between organisational support, organisational identification, and organisational citizenship behaviour and the predictors of organisational citizenship behaviour in Taiwanese male nurses. BACKGROUND: The turnover rate among male nurses is twice that of female nurses. Organisational citizenship behaviour is the predictor of turnover intention. Little information is available on the relationship between organisational support, organisational identification and organisational citizenship behaviour, particularly for male nurses. METHODS: Data were collected in 2010 from a questionnaire mailed to 167 male nurses in Taiwan. A cross-sectional survey with simple sampling was used in this study. RESULTS: The results showed that organisational identification and organisational support were correlated with organisational citizenship behaviour. Organisational distinctiveness, organisational support of work conditions and the type of organisation were the main predictors of organisational citizenship behaviour. Together they accounted for 40.7% of the total variation in organisational citizenship behaviour. Organisational distinctiveness was the most critical predictor, accounting for 29.6% of the variation. CONCLUSION: Organisational support and organisational identification have positive relationships with organisational behaviour. Organisational distinctiveness is an important factor in explaining organisational citizenship behaviour in male nurses. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: This finding provides concrete directions for managers to follow when providing organisational identification, in particular, the organisational distinctiveness will help male nurses to display increasingly more organisational citizenship behaviour.
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Enfermeros , Investigación en Administración de Enfermería , Personal de Enfermería en Hospital/organización & administración , Lealtad del Personal , Adulto , Estudios Transversales , Análisis Factorial , Humanos , Masculino , Enfermeras Administradoras , Enfermeros/psicología , Personal de Enfermería en Hospital/psicología , Cultura Organizacional , Reorganización del Personal , Salarios y Beneficios , Taiwán , Lugar de Trabajo , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
The purpose of this study is to explore the relationships among social support, professional empowerment, and nursing career development and to identify the significant factors that affect nursing career development among male nurses. A cross-sectional survey design was used with 314 male nurses in Taiwan. Social support and professional empowerment were significantly and positively correlated with nursing career development among male nurses. Social support, professional empowerment, salary, type of institution, type of clinical level, and nursing discipline were identified as factors that significantly influenced nursing career development. Together, they accounted for 55.9% of the total variation. Professional empowerment was the most critical predictor of nursing career development and accounted for 47.7% of the variation. Nursing managers should follow male nurses' empowerment with interest and specifically address professional empowerment to promote male nurses' career development.
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Movilidad Laboral , Enfermeros , Poder Psicológico , Apoyo Social , Adulto , Estudios Transversales , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , TaiwánRESUMEN
AIM: The purpose of this study was to test a model of sexual self-concept and sexual risk cognition affecting sexual communication in Taiwanese adolescents. BACKGROUND: Parent-adolescent sexual communication has been shown to influence adolescent sexual behaviour. Self-concept is an important predictor of human behaviour, especially sexual behaviour. Few researchers have assessed sexual self-concept in adolescents, despite its clear relevance to understanding adolescent sexual behaviour. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey with convenience sampling was used in this study. METHOD: In 2009, data were collected by questionnaire from 748 adolescent students at a junior college in Taiwan. RESULTS: The results revealed that the postulated model fits the data from this study well. Sexual self-concept significantly predicts sexual risk cognition and sexual communication. Sexual risk cognition significantly predicts sexual communication and has an intervening effect on the relationship between sexual self-concept and sexual communication. CONCLUSIONS: Sexual risk cognition is important in explaining sexuality in adolescents. Sexual self-concept has both direct and indirect effects on sexual communication. Our findings provide concrete directions for school educators in developing sexual health programmes to increase adolescent sexual self-concept and sexual communication with their parents. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Future sexual health programmes about sexual self-concept and sexual risk cognition must add for increasing adolescent's sexual communication with their parents.
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Modelos Teóricos , Negociación , Sexualidad , Adolescente , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Factores de Riesgo , TaiwánRESUMEN
AIM: The purpose of this study was to test a relationship model of self-esteem and job adjustment affecting the service attitude of male nurses in Taiwan. BACKGROUND: Service attitude of nurses may affect their intention to leave and the quality of health care for their patients. Self-esteem is an important predictor of service attitude. Very few researchers have assessed job adjustment and service attitude in male nurses. Reducing job stress and burnout would help to increase job satisfaction. DESIGN: A cross-sectional research design was used in this study. METHOD: In 2009, 338 male nurses were invited to participate in this study. Finally, 284 participants completed the questionnaire, and the response rate was 84.0%. RESULTS: The results revealed that the postulated model fits the data from this study well. Self-esteem did not significantly correlate to service attitude. Job adjustment was a significantly influencing factor on service attitude. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that job adjustment was indeed important in explaining the service attitude of male nurses. Nurse managers must help male nurses adjust their job as soon as possible to improve their service attitude. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: In clinical practice and management, our findings provide concrete directions for nursing management and professionals in helping male nurses adjust to their job to improve male nurses' service attitude. More clinical situation must be provided and practiced before male nursing students graduate from school. We suggest future study is needed to generalise this model to different populations.
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Actitud del Personal de Salud , Enfermeras y Enfermeros/psicología , Autoimagen , Humanos , Masculino , Modelos PsicológicosRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Further understanding the relationship between sexual cognition and sexual communication in adolescents may facilitate sexual health promotion in this population. PURPOSE: This study was designed to investigate associations between sexual cognitive variables and sexual communication in adolescents. METHODS: This study used a cross-sectional research design with conventional sampling. Data were collected from one medical college in central Taiwan. A total of 900 questionnaires were dispatched, with 748 copies returned, giving a response rate of 83.1%. Structural questionnaires were designed to collect demographic data, sexual self-concept inventory, sexual risk cognition, sexual self-efficacy, and sexual communication scale. This study applied statistical methods, including descriptive statistics, Pearson product-moment correlation, and multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: Major findings revealed that (a) adolescents talked about sexual activity and sexual issues with their parents at a moderate level (mean = 2.52, SD = 1.24), (b) all sexual cognitive variables (sexual self-concept, sexual risk cognitions, and sexual self-efficacy) correlated positively with sexual communication, and (c) predictors of sexual communication were supported by demographic data (having heterosexual friends, satisfaction with heterosexual friends, and duration of relationships with heterosexual friends) and sexual cognitive variables, which accounted for 62.0% of variance. CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Study results can contribute to the development of safe sexual health programs and improve healthcare provider knowledge of sexual communication among adolescents. More sexual communication between adolescents and their parents is encouraged. Moreover, sexual health programs must give increased focus on the issue of adolescent sexual cognition to help encourage increased discussion between adolescents and their parents regarding sexual activity and issues.
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Comunicación , Conocimientos, Actitudes y Práctica en Salud , Promoción de la Salud , Sexo Seguro , Sexualidad , Adolescente , Estudios Transversales , Análisis Factorial , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Análisis Multivariante , Relaciones Padres-Hijo , Sexo Seguro/psicología , Autoimagen , Conducta Sexual , Servicios de Salud para Estudiantes , Estudiantes de Medicina/psicología , TaiwánRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Understanding how male nursing students alleviate life stress during their academic career is conducive to their development as successful nursing professionals. PURPOSE: This study was designed to understand the personality traits, social support, and life stresses of male nursing students. The respective influences of personality traits and social support on life stress were also explored. METHODS: The study used a cross-sectional research design. A college in central Taiwan was targeted as the site for data collection. A total of 158 questionnaires were dispatched, with 145 valid copies returned (valid response rate = 91.7%). Structured questionnaires were designed to collect data on participant demographics, personality traits, social support, and life stress. Statistical methods such as descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance, and multiple regression analysis were applied to data analysis. RESULTS: Major findings of this study revealed that (a) in general, the personality traits, social support, and life stress of male nursing students scored in the medium to high range. Participants reported encountering more stress from learning and life goals than from interpersonal stress. (b) Male nursing student demographic variables (e.g., parent [father and mother considered separately] education level) and the personality traits of conscientiousness and family support, respectively, were found to impact significantly on participant life stress perceptions. And (c) the only significant predictors of life stress were support from family and education level of participant fathers and mothers, accounting for about 23.7% of variability. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: It is suggested that nursing students in each year of their academic career should be exposed to courses geared to reduce the life stress perceptions (especially in the areas of learning and career development) of male nursing students. Increased family support is an effective way to decrease male nursing student life stress. This study could be a reference for the design and application of strategies to reduce the perceived life stress of male nursing students.
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Acontecimientos que Cambian la Vida , Personalidad , Apoyo Social , Estrés Psicológico , Estudiantes de Enfermería/psicología , Estudios Transversales , Humanos , Masculino , TaiwánRESUMEN
AIM: This paper is a report of an exploration of job stress, achievement motivation and occupational burnout in male nurses and to identify predictors of occupational burnout. BACKGROUND: Since the Nightingale era, the nursing profession has been recognized as 'women's work'. The data indicate that there are more female nurses than male nurses in Taiwan. However, the turnover rate for male nurses is twice that of female nurses. Understanding the factors that affect occupational burnout of male nurses may help researchers find ways to reduce the likelihood that they will quit. METHOD: A survey was conducted in Taiwan in 2008 using a cross-sectional design. A total of 121 male nurses participated in the study. Mailed questionnaires were used to collect data, which were analysed using descriptive statistics and stepwise multiple regression. RESULTS: The job stress of male nurses was strongly correlated with occupational burnout (r = 0.64, P < 0.001). Stepwise multiple regression analyses indicated that job stress was the only factor to have a statistically significant direct influence on occupational burnout, accounting for 45.8% of the variance in this. Job stress was comprised of three dimensions, of which role conflict accounted for 40.8% of the variance in occupational burnout. CONCLUSION: The contribution of job stress to occupational burnout of male nurses was confirmed. As occupational burnout may influence the quality of care by these nurses, nurse managers should strive to decrease male nurses' job stress as this should lead to a reduction of negative outcomes of occupational burnout.
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Agotamiento Profesional/psicología , Empleo/psicología , Motivación , Enfermeros/psicología , Estrés Psicológico/etiología , Adulto , Agotamiento Profesional/epidemiología , Estudios Transversales , Humanos , Masculino , Taiwán/epidemiología , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
AIM: This paper is a report of a study conducted to test a theory of the relations of emotional labour and professional empowerment to nursing career development. BACKGROUND: Nurses are required to show high emotional labour, but this can bring about excessive pressure and emotional exhaustion. Male nurses usually perceive societal expectations in line with a more traditionally masculine role. Greater professional empowerment might assist them in attaining promotion and career success. METHOD: The study had a cross-sectional correlational design. Data were collected in 2007 using a mailed questionnaire. We used a database published by the National Union of Nurses' Associations, Republic of China, to find medical care institutions at which male nurses were working. A convenience sample of male nurses (308) working at clinical nursing centres completed the mailed questionnaires. RESULT: Emotional labour was not statistically significantly related to nursing career development, but was statistically significantly related to professional empowerment. Professional empowerment was statistically significantly related to nursing career development. Professional empowerment a mediating factor in the influence of emotional labour on nursing career development. We found that 75% of the variance in nursing career development could be explained by emotional labour and professional empowerment. CONCLUSION: The expected result, that emotional labour has a direct effect on nursing career development, was not supported by the analyses. Emotional labour has only an indirect effect on nursing career development. Professional empowerment was directly linked to nursing career development. Male nurses who perceived higher professional empowerment had better career development.
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Movilidad Laboral , Modelos de Enfermería , Enfermeros/psicología , Poder Psicológico , Adulto , Estudios Transversales , Humanos , Satisfacción en el Trabajo , Masculino , Factores Sexuales , Desarrollo de Personal , TaiwánRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Traditional health education may not provide adequate sexual information to female adolescents. Sexual health education for female adolescents broadens opportunities for nurses to help female adolescents adopt appropriate sexual attitudes and make appropriate decisions. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to understand the effect of sexual empowerment on sexual decision making in female adolescents. METHODS: Twenty-nine female students with steady boyfriends were invited to participate in a sexual empowerment course. Course activities specifically related to sexual empowerment were audio-tape-recorded. Dialogue content was analyzed, and content provided by each study participant was reconfirmed in face-to-face interviews to understand the entire empowerment process in terms of how such may affect responses and to assess the possibility of correctly reinterpreting findings during the member check process. This study also took into consideration degrees of reliability and rigorousness. RESULTS: The four themes found to underlie participant perceptions of their sexual empowerment to make sex-related decisions were as follows: (a) proactively seeking sexual knowledge, (b) reexamining relationships with boyfriends, (c) the right to say "no" and to engage in self-protection, and (d) the need to change sexual attitudes and behaviors. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Using the peer group intervention in sexual empowerment may positively impact sexual health decision making in adolescent girls. Nursing professionals may consider peer group intervention as a sexual empowering method in healthcare.
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Conducta del Adolescente , Toma de Decisiones , Poder Psicológico , Conducta Sexual , Adolescente , Femenino , Humanos , Parejas Sexuales , TaiwánRESUMEN
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to test a cause-and-effect model of factors affecting sexual health among Taiwanese adolescents. A structural equation model was proposed in which the relationships among sexual knowledge, sexual attitudes, and safe sex behaviour were explored. PARTICIPANTS: The study collected data from 823 adolescent students at a junior college in Central Taiwan. METHOD: Participants were assessed using the Sexual Knowledge Scale, Sexual Attitudes Scale, and Safe Sex Behaviour Questionnaire and the demographic data were collected. The preliminary model fit criteria, overall model fit, and fit of internal structure of model was used to assess the sexual health model fit. RESULTS: Results revealed that sexual knowledge had a negative effect on sex attitudes and had no significant effect on safe sex behaviour. Adolescents with more sexual knowledge had less positive sexual attitudes and did not show increased practices of safe sex behaviour. CONCLUSIONS: No significant correlation was found between sexual knowledge and safe sex behaviour of adolescents. Improvements in sexual attitudes were found to be irrelevant to the promotion of safe sex behaviour of adolescents. In order to ensure safe sexual health, it is strongly suggested that adolescents learn to be responsible for their own behaviours and attitudes and obtain correct knowledge about their understandings and evaluations of sexuality.
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Conducta del Adolescente , Conocimientos, Actitudes y Práctica en Salud , Modelos Teóricos , Sexo Seguro , Adolescente , Estudios Transversales , Humanos , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , TaiwánRESUMEN
Gender and sex role stereotyping are recognized as having the potential to limit the professional development of males within the nursing profession. The purpose of this study was to understand the relationships between demographic data and the dimensions of role stress, organizational commitment, and intentions to quit among male nurses in southern Taiwan. Research also investigated the correlations with three dependent variables and identified best predictors of male nurse intentions to quit the nursing profession. A total of 91 male nurses volunteered to participate in this cross-sectional research. Research results were based on data collected from questionnaires sent by mail to participants. A total of 76 valid questionnaires were returned and used in analysis (response rate = 83.5%). Findings pointed to patients, colleagues and society as the major sources of role stress for male nurses. These sources of stress, and the resultant intention to quit on the part of male nurses, are due in significant part to the widespread stereotyping of the profession of nursing as a "woman's occupation". Such stress pressures male nurses to consider quitting to take jobs in other professional fields. Role stress is correlated to intention to quit among male nurses. Role stress and years of service are highly relevant predictors of male nurse intention to quit and leave the nursing profession, explaining 33.8% of variability. We suggest that at various levels of education and society, promotion of male and female equality should be increased. There is also a need for psychological consultation as well as the promotion of male nurse role models to prevent male nurses turning away from nursing careers.