The life-course origins of mastery among older people

In this article, we aim to identify the sources of mastery--the understanding that individuals hold about their ability to control the circumstances of their lives. The sample for our inquiry was drawn from the Medicare beneficiary files of people 65 and older living in Washington, DC, and two adjoining Maryland counties. We find that past circumstances, particularly those reflecting status attainment and early exposure to intractable hardships, converge with stressors experienced in late life to influence elders' level of mastery. The impact of past conditions, however, does not necessarily directly affect the current mastery of older people. Instead, the effect of prior experiences on current mastery is mediated by what we refer to as life-course mastery: one's belief that one has directed and managed the trajectories that connect one's past to the present. Our analyses show that life-course mastery largely serves as the mediating channel through which individuals connect their past to their present.     

Quasi-binomial zero-inflated regression model suitable for variables with bounded support

In recent years, a variety of regression models, including zero-inflated and hurdle versions, have been proposed to explain the case of a dependent variable with respect to exogenous covariates. Apart from the classical Poisson, negative binomial and generalised Poisson distributions, many proposals have appeared in the statistical literature, perhaps in response to the new possibilities offered by advanced software that now enables researchers to implement numerous special functions in a relatively simple way. However, we believe that a significant research gap remains, since very little attention has been paid to the quasi-binomial distribution, which was first proposed over fifty years ago. We believe this distribution might constitute a valid alternative to existing regression models, in situations in which the variable has bounded support. Therefore, in this paper we present a zero-inflated regression model based on the quasi-binomial distribution, taking into account the moments and maximum likelihood estimators, and perform a score test to compare the zero-inflated quasi-binomial distribution with the zero-inflated binomial distribution, and the zero-inflated model with the homogeneous model (the model in which covariates are not considered). This analysis is illustrated with two data sets that are well known in the statistical literature and which contain a large number of zeros.     

On Comparing Alternative Advertising Policies of Pulsation*

In this paper, five alternative advertising policies that belong to the advertising pulsation class are compared analytically for linear and concave response functions using a modified version of the Vidale-Wolfe model. The results of the research show that (1) For both linear and concave response functions, advertising pulsing/maintenance policy dominates advertising pulsing policy but is dominated by the Uniform Advertising Policy. For convex response functions, the order of dominance is reversed. (2) For linear response functions, uniform advertising policy dominates the impulse advertising policy but is dominated by the chattering advertising policy. (3) For concave response functions, uniform advertising policy dominates both the impulse advertising policy and the chattering advertising policy. (4) For convex response functions, chattering advertising policy dominates both the advertising pulsing policy and the impulse advertising policy. The Vidale-Wolfe model is estimated using the well-known Lydia Pinkham data. Optimality analysis shows that the company was overadvertising about half of the time studied. Overadvertising seems to have produced appreciable gain in sales and created significant barriers to competitive entry at a little cost in terms of foregone profits.     

Olympic rankings based on objective weighting schemes

In this paper, we propose an objective principal components weighting scheme for all-time Winter Olympic gold, silver and bronze medals based solely on the number of medals won. Our results suggest that the approximately equal weights be assigned (or the total medal counts be used regardless of color) if all of the three medal types are retained for ranking purposes. When the proposed methodology is tested against five alternative weighting schemes that have been suggested in the literature using the results for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, we find a significant agreement in the country rankings. Furthermore, our implementation of principal components variable reduction strategy results in the identification of silver as the best representative medal count for parsimonious Winter Olympics rankings.KEYWORDS: Olympic rankings, principal components analysis, variable reduction strategy, medal counts, objective weighting schemeJEL Classifications: C18, C38, C43     

Faculty Performance Evaluation: Modeling to Improve Personnel Decisions*

Based on likely future changes in faculty evaluation practices, this paper examines how institutions of higher education might operationalize performance evaluation as related to research, teaching, and service. A model is developed that allows coupling performance evaluation and relevant market considerations with merit pay, tenure, and promotion decisions. The approach is specifically applicable to tenure-track faculty members in colleges and universities.     

On a control chart for the Gini index with simulations

In this work we suggest the use of the Gini index on control charts. The asymptotic properties of Gini index are presented and the control charts based on appropriate confidence intervals are constructed. The suitability of the proposed charts are investigated by means of extensive simulations.     

Growing up on the sidelines: identity negotiations of Palestinian youth from ‘collaborating’ families relocated to Israel

By examining the experiences of the children of Palestinian collaborators whose families have relocated to Israel, this study explores how youth negotiate self within the context of marginalisation and cultural dislocation. Due to the actions of their parents, the research participants have become outsiders and outcasts in their Palestinian communities of origin, outsiders in Israel, and outsiders among Israeli-Arabs. Based on qualitative, in-depth interviews with 11 Palestinian male youths, we describe and analyse the experience of identity negotiation in the context of fear and their families’ past deceit. Our findings highlight that the youths’ identities are negotiated by engaging in a dialogue of self on belonging and not belonging that is based on visions of their past, present and future selves. This is accompanied by a forced dialogue with others, explaining who they are in order to fit in with the ‘audience’, a presentation that is then acted out.     

Impact of mindful self-care and perceived stress on the health related quality of life among young-adult students in West Virginia

ABSTRACT

There are substantial gaps in research on Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in students aged 18 and above in West Virginia. The purpose of this study is to explore the associations between mindful self-care, perceived stress, and the HRQoL in this population. We conducted a cross-sectional study between March and April 2017. We included participants who were students, aged 18 years and above, living in West Virginia and were able to answer online questions in English. Data was obtained from an online survey using a structured questionnaire, including the SF12v2®, mindful self-care scale- SHORT, and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)-10. We applied linear regressions to determine the predictors of HRQoL (physical health and mental health) using SF12v2®. 194 participants met the inclusion criteria of the study. Mindful self-care was negatively associated with perceived stress. Better mindful self-care mediated the relationship between perceived stress and psychological well-being, controlling for gender, age, race, marital status, education level, annual household income, and chronic disease status. Perceived stress and mindful self-care were not related to the physical well-being. Better mindful self-care may safeguard against perceived stress among students aged 18 years and above. Our findings in this study recommend more mindfulness-based interventions targeted to this subpopulation to improve psychological well-being.