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Malaeb D, Hassan BAR, Mohammed AH, Farhan SS, Al-Ani OA, Sarray El Dine A, Fekih-Romdhane F, Obeid S, Hallit S. Association between textual and pictorial warnings on tumbac (waterpipe tobacco) boxes and motivation to quit waterpipe smoking among Lebanese and Iraqi adolescents. BMC Pediatr 2024; 24:169. [PMID: 38459469 PMCID: PMC10921803 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-024-04649-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Waterpipe tobacco smoking has increased tremendously at a global level among all age groups, particularly young people. Previous studies have examined the impact of waterpipe tobacco pictorial health warnings on adults but scarce studies were done on adolescents. The aim of this study was to assess the association of textual versus pictorial warnings on tumbac boxes and the motivation to quit waterpipe smoking among adolescents located in two Eastern Mediterranean countries Lebanon and Iraq. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted between May and November 2022, involving 294 adolescents waterpipe smokers from Lebanon and Iraq. The questionnaire included the Lebanese Waterpipe Dependence Smoking-11, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, the Waterpipe Harm Perception Scale, Waterpipe Knowledge Scale, Waterpipe Attitude Scale, the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence, and the Motivation to Stop Scale. RESULTS When adjusting the results over confounding variables, the results showed that compared to finding the warnings to stop smoking not efficacious at all, adolescents who find the warnings moderately (aOR = 2.83) and very (aOR = 6.64) efficacious had higher motivation to quit. Compared to finding the warnings not increasing their curiosity for information about how to stop waterpipe smoking at all, participants who confessed that warnings increased their curiosity a little (aOR = 2.59), moderately (aOR = 3.34) and very (aOR = 3.58) had higher motivation to quit. Compared to not considering changing the tumbac brand if the company uses pictorial warnings, adolescents who would consider changing the tumbac brand (aOR = 2.15) had higher motivation to quit. CONCLUSION Pictorial and textual warnings on waterpipe packs were associated with higher motivation to stop waterpipe smoking. Public health education programs for this purpose seem warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Malaeb
- College of Pharmacy, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | | | - Ali Haider Mohammed
- Department of Pharmacy, Al Rafidain University College, Baghdad, Iraq
- School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia, Selangor, 47500, Malaysia
| | - Sinan Subhi Farhan
- Department of Anesthesia, College of Medical Science Technology, University of Mashreq, Baghdad, Iraq
| | | | | | - Feten Fekih-Romdhane
- The Tunisian Center of Early Intervention in Psychosis, Department of psychiatry "Ibn Omrane", Razi hospital, Manouba, 2010, Tunisia
- Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Tunis El Manar University, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Sahar Obeid
- Social and Education Sciences Department, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Jbeil, Lebanon
| | - Souheil Hallit
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon.
- Applied Science Research Center, Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan.
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Dia N, Mansour S, Kharaba Z, Malaeb B, Sarray El Dine A, Kokash S, Nasser S, Hallit S, Malaeb D. Factors associated with infertility among the Lebanese population: a cross-sectional study. Int J Environ Health Res 2024; 34:934-942. [PMID: 36916125 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2023.2190084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The incidence of female infertility is growing worldwide and its rate varies across countries. . The goal of this study is to assess the rate of female infertility and identify its associated factors among Lebanese women. This cross-sectional study was conducted between January to May 2019, enrolling a total of 952 females. The mean age was 34.8 ± 8 years and the rate of infertility was 34.3%. The multivariable analysis taking presence vs absence of infertility as the dependent variable, showed that patients with advanced age (aOR = 1.04), endometriosis (aOR = 2.175) and polycystic ovarian syndrome (aOR = 1.41) were significantly associated with higher rate of infertility. On the other hand, having a college level of education compared to a school level was significantly associated with lower odds of infertility (aOR = 0.511). The study highlights that the rate of infertility is high in Lebanon and is mainly associated with various sociodemographic factors and disease states. The findings raise the need to establish awareness campaigns that focus on early diagnosis of infertility, control the associated factors, and treat underlying comorbid conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nada Dia
- School of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Sara Mansour
- School of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Zelal Kharaba
- College of Pharmacy, Al-Ain University, Abu Dhabi- Al-Ain, UAE
| | - Bassem Malaeb
- Bioengineering and Nanosciences Laboratory, University of Montpellier, France
| | | | - Sally Kokash
- School of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | | | - Souheil Hallit
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Jounieh, Lebanon
- Applied Science Research Center, Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan
- Research Department, Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, Jal Eddib, Lebanon
| | - Diana Malaeb
- College of Pharmacy, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, UAE
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Fekih-Romdhane F, Azzi V, Obeid S, Gerges S, Sarray El Dine A, Malaeb D, Soufia M, Hallit S. Psychometric properties of an Arabic translation of the short form of the metacognition questionnaire (MCQ-30) in a non-clinical adult sample. BMC Psychiatry 2023; 23:795. [PMID: 37907838 PMCID: PMC10619295 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-05308-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous linguistic validations of the 30-item Metacognition Questionnaire (MCQ-30) have been performed in Western/Eastern populations, and no Arabic validated version exists to date for the wide Arabic-speaking populations in the Middle East-North African region and abroad. In this regard, we sought through the present study to test the psychometric properties of an Arabic translation of the MCQ-30 in a sample of Arabic-speaking community adults from Lebanon. METHODS The sample of this cross-sectional study consisted of 423 participants (mean age: 38.13 ± 11.03 years; 61.2% females). The Metacognition Questionnaire-short form, Teruel Orthorexia Scale and Emotion regulation questionnaire were used to assess metacognition, orthorexia nervosa and emotion regulation (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression) respectively. RESULTS Findings of Confirmatory Factor Analyses revealed that the five-factor model provided a good fit to the data. McDonald's ω coefficients ranged from 0.78 to 0.94 for the five MCQ-30 subscales, and was of 0.93 for the total score, hence supporting the adequacy of scale reliability. Results also supported configural, metric, and scalar equivalence of the five-factor model across gender groups. The MCQ-30 subscales showed patterns of correlations with the emotion regulation and disordered eating constructs in the expected directions, providing evidence of the criterion-related validity of the measure. In particular, positive emotion regulation strategies (i.e., cognitive reappraisal) were negatively correlated with cognitive self-consciousness and need to control thoughts; whereas maladaptive emotion regulation strategies (i.e., expressive suppression) showed positive correlations with lack of cognitive confidence, negative beliefs and need to control thoughts. Additionally, all metacognition dimensions (except for cognitive self-consciousness) were significantly and positively correlated with higher levels of orthorexia nervosa behaviors. CONCLUSIONS Our findings preliminarily suggest that the scale is valid, reliable, and can be recommended for use among the broad Arabic-speaking community worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feten Fekih-Romdhane
- The Tunisian Center of Early Intervention in Psychosis, Department of Psychiatry "Ibn Omrane", Razi Hospital, Manouba, 2010, Tunisia.
- Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Tunis El Manar University, Tunis, Tunisia.
| | - Vanessa Azzi
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon
| | - Sahar Obeid
- Social and Education Sciences Department, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Jbeil, Lebanon
| | - Sarah Gerges
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon
| | - Abir Sarray El Dine
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Diana Malaeb
- College of Pharmacy, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - Michel Soufia
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon
| | - Souheil Hallit
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon.
- Applied Science Research Center, Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan.
- Research Department, Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, Jal Eddib, Lebanon.
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Gerges S, Obeid S, Malaeb D, Sarray El Dine A, Hallit R, Soufia M, Fekih-Romdhane F, Hallit S. Validation of an Arabic version of the eating disorder inventory's body dissatisfaction subscale among adolescents, adults, and pregnant women. J Eat Disord 2023; 11:187. [PMID: 37858280 PMCID: PMC10588257 DOI: 10.1186/s40337-023-00911-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The 9-item Body Dissatisfaction Subscale (BDS) of the Eating Disorder Inventory is one of the most used tools for assessing thinness-oriented body dissatisfaction in research and clinical practice. However, no validated Arabic version of this scale exists to date. In this study, we sought to validate this instrument in three samples of native Arabic-speaking adolescents, adults, and pregnant women from Lebanon. METHODS A total of 826 adults, 555 adolescents, and 433 pregnant women were included. To examine the factor structure of the BDS, we performed an exploratory factor analysis (EFA), using a principal component analysis via the FACTOR software on the first split-half subsample among Lebanese adults. We used data from the second split-half in the adult sample to conduct a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) through the SPSS AMOS v.29 software. That verified model was tested via CFA on adolescents and pregnant women. RESULTS The EFA showed a bidimensional structure for the BDS, with all 9 items retained and divided into Factor 1 = Body Satisfaction (negatively-worded items) and Factor 2 = Body Dissatisfaction (positively-worded items). The CFA demonstrated invariable goodness-of-fit of the instrument in the three studied populations. McDonald's omega values were also adequate in the three samples, demonstrating its reliability. Moreover, the BDS showed invariance across sex among both adolescents and adults. Finally, higher BDS scores were correlated with more disordered eating, less body appreciation and less functionality appreciation, thus attesting to convergent validity of the scale. In addition, BDS scores correlated positively with depression and anxiety scores, indicating adequate patterns of divergent validity. CONCLUSION In light of our findings, we endorse the use of the BDS by healthcare professionals in Arabic-speaking countries, in order to assess thinness-oriented body dissatisfaction in an appropriate and timely manner and ease early referral to a specialist, thereby preventing the deleterious health-related risks associated with this condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Gerges
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon
| | - Sahar Obeid
- Department of Social and Education Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon.
| | - Diana Malaeb
- College of Pharmacy, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - Abir Sarray El Dine
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Rabih Hallit
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon
- Department of Infectious Disease, Bellevue Medical Center, Mansourieh, Lebanon
- Department of Infectious Disease, Notre Dame Des Secours, University Hospital Center, Byblos, Lebanon
| | - Michel Soufia
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon
| | - Feten Fekih-Romdhane
- The Tunisian Center of Early Intervention in Psychosis, Department of Psychiatry "Ibn Omrane", Razi Hospital, 2010, Manouba, Tunisia
- Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Tunis El Manar University, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Souheil Hallit
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon.
- Applied Science Research Center, Applied Science Private University, Amman, 11931, Jordan.
- Research Department, Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, P.O. Box 60096, Jal Eddib, Lebanon.
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Fekih-Romdhane F, Azzi V, Malaeb D, Sarray El Dine A, Obeid S, Hallit S. Psychometric properties of an Arabic translation of the body appreciation scale (BAS-2) and its short forms (BAS-2SF) in a community sample of Lebanese adults. J Eat Disord 2023; 11:160. [PMID: 37723503 PMCID: PMC10506330 DOI: 10.1186/s40337-023-00885-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The present study sought to examine the factor structure, reliability, validity and gender invariance of the Arabic Body Appreciation Scale (BAS-2), and its two short forms (the 3-item and 2-item BAS-2SF) among community Lebanese Arabic-speaking adults. METHODS We carried-out an online cross-sectional survey. The 10-item BAS-2, the functionality appreciation scale and the Eating Attitudes Test-26 were completed by 826 Lebanese community adults (57.9% females, aged 25.42 ± 8.44 years). RESULTS The Arabic 10-item, 3-item and 2-item BAS-2 converged on a one-factor solution, and demonstrated high internal consistency (McDonald's ω value of .92, .88, and .86 respectively). All indices suggested that configural, metric, and scalar invariance was supported across gender. The 3-item and 2-item BAS-2SF were highly correlated with the original BAS-2 (r > 0.9). Higher 10-item, 3-item and 2-item BAS-2 scores correlated significantly and strongly with more positive eating attitudes and greater functionality appreciation, and higher 10-item BAS-2 scores correlated positively and weakly with BMI, supporting convergent validity. CONCLUSION The present work contributes to the literature by providing a psychometrically sound Arabic-translation of the BAS-2 and short-forms, benefitting both researchers and clinicians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feten Fekih-Romdhane
- The Tunisian Center of Early Intervention in Psychosis, Department of Psychiatry “Ibn Omrane”, Razi Hospital, 2010 Manouba, Tunisia
- Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Tunis El Manar University, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Vanessa Azzi
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon
| | - Diana Malaeb
- College of Pharmacy, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - Abir Sarray El Dine
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Sahar Obeid
- School of Arts and Sciences, Social and Education Sciences Department, Lebanese American University, Jbeil, Lebanon
| | - Souheil Hallit
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon
- Psychology Department, College of Humanities, Effat University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Applied Science Research Center, Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan
- Research Department, Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, Jal Eddib, Lebanon
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Obeid S, González-Nuevo C, Postigo Á, El Dine AS, Azzi V, Malaeb D, Hallit S. Psychometric properties of the Problematic Use of Social Networks (PUS) scale in Arabic among adolescents. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0291616. [PMID: 37708202 PMCID: PMC10501610 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Problematic Use of Social Networks (PUSN) scale assesses for the first time the comparative use of social networks along with addictive tendencies. However, it has only been validated in a Spanish sample. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the PUSN (PUSN-Ar) among Lebanese adolescents. METHODS A total of 379 adolescents aged between 15 to 18 years (M = 16.07 years; 64.9% females) participated in this cross-sectional study conducted between January and May 2022. The problematic use of social networks-SNS (PUSN) scale yields of two subscales: addiction-related consequences of SNS use (SNS-ARC) and negative social comparison (SNS-NSC). The Beirut Distress Scale, the Smartphone Addiction Scale and the Jong-Gierveld Loneliness Scale were used to assess psychological distress, smartphone addiction and loneliness respectively. RESULTS The PUS-Ar scale exhibited a two-dimensional structure (Comparative Fit Index [CFI] = .97; Root Mean Square Error of Approximation [RMSEA] = .08), consistent with the original scale. Both subscales, Negative Social Comparison (α = .96) and Addictive Consequences (α = .92), demonstrated excellent reliability. Additionally, measurement invariance was verified between males and females at the configural, metric and scalar levels. No significant difference was found between males and females in terms of SNS-NSC (20.75 ± 10.15 vs 21.09 ± 9.51; t(377) = -.32; p = .751) and SNS-ARC (19.08 ± 8.61 vs 19.76 ± 6.77; t(377) = -.79; p = .430). The SNS-ARC subscale was more correlated to smartphone addiction than the SNS-NSC (r = .73; p < .001 vs r = .54; p < .001) whereas both subscales were significantly associated with more stress and more loneliness. CONCLUSION The data collected in this study provided support for all the hypotheses formulated. Consequently, the PUS-Ar was deemed a suitable scale to measure problematic SNS among Lebanese adolescents. The PUS-Ar is currently available to researchers for use in evaluating PSNSU in Lebanon. However, it is important to note that further research is needed to explore its applicability and generalizability across different populations and contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahar Obeid
- School of Arts and Sciences, Social and Education Sciences Department, Lebanese American University, Jbeil, Lebanon
| | | | - Álvaro Postigo
- Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Abir Sarray El Dine
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of arts and Sciences, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Vanessa Azzi
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Jounieh, Lebanon
| | - Diana Malaeb
- School of Pharmacy, Gulf Med Uni, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - Souheil Hallit
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Jounieh, Lebanon
- Psychology Department, College of Humanities, Effat University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Applied Science Research Center, Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan
- Research Department, Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, Jal Eddib, Lebanon
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Yazbeck G, Malaeb D, Shaaban H, Sarray El Dine A, Hallit S, Hallit R. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) among Lebanese adults: unidentified IBS and associated factors. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:1589. [PMID: 37605160 PMCID: PMC10463955 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-16543-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most frequent functional gastrointestinal disorders, but the condition is still underdiagnosed. The high of rate of unidentified IBS by patients can be related to different factors. The aim of this study is to assess the rate of unidentified IBS among Lebanese adults and investigate the role of socio-demographic factors, anxiety, depression, insomnia and eating attitudes on IBS diagnosis. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted among Lebanese adults older than 18 years between June 2022 and December 2022, using a self-reporting questionnaire distributed via social media. RESULTS A total of 425 participants was enrolled in the study with around 184 (46.8%) having a possible unidentified IBS. Higher psychological distress (aOR = 1.07) and insomnia severity (aOR = 1.08) were significantly associated with higher odds of having possible unidentified IBS whereas a higher household crowding index (aOR = 0.67) was significantly associated with lower odds of having possible IBS. The correlation of eating attitudes with cigarette smoking (aOR = 1.33; p = .025; 95% CI 1.04; 1.70) and insomnia severity with cigarette smoking (aOR = .89; p = .023; 95% CI .80; .98) were significantly associated with the presence of possible IBS. In nonsmokers, higher psychological distress (aOR = 1.07) and insomnia severity (aOR = 1.10) were significantly associated with higher odds of having possible IBS. In smokers, higher BMI (aOR = .78) was significantly associated with lower odds of having possible IBS, whereas higher eating attitudes scores (more inappropriate eating) (aOR = 1.40) were significantly associated with higher odds of having possible IBS. CONCLUSION The study highlighted the implication of raising awareness about IBS among the Lebanese population to promote early diagnosis and minimize the rate of unidentified IBS by patients. Initiation of appropriate treatment plans, tailored symptomatic management approach, and diet programs should be highly encouraged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella Yazbeck
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon
| | - Diana Malaeb
- College of Pharmacy, Medical Gulf University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - Hamid Shaaban
- New York Medical College, New York, USA
- Department of Infectious Disease, Saint Michael's Medical Center, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Abir Sarray El Dine
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Souheil Hallit
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon.
- Applied Science Research Center, Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan.
- Research Department, Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, Jal Eddib, Lebanon.
| | - Rabih Hallit
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon.
- Department of Infectious Disease, Bellevue Medical Center, Mansourieh, Lebanon.
- Department of Infectious Disease, Notre Dame des Secours University Hospital Center, Street 93, Byblos, Postal Code 3, Lebanon.
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Fekih-Romdhane F, Azzi V, Malaeb D, Sarray El Dine A, Obeid S, Hallit S. Psychometric properties of an Arabic translation of the Inflexible Eating Questionnaire (IEQ) in a non-clinical sample of adults. J Eat Disord 2023; 11:115. [PMID: 37430320 DOI: 10.1186/s40337-023-00835-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Inflexible Eating Questionnaire (IEQ) is an 11-item instrument designed to evaluate the behavioural and psychological components of inflexible eating. However, the psychometric properties of the instrument have been infrequently examined, and no previous work has examined its utility in the context of the Middle East. METHODS A total of 826 Lebanese citizens and residents completed a novel Arabic translation of the IEQ, as well as previously validated measures of body appreciation, functionality appreciation, and disordered eating. RESULTS The unidimensional factor structure of the IEQ was upheld through both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, with all 11 items retained. We obtained evidence of scalar invariance across gender and found that there were no significant differences in observed IEQ scores between men and women. IEQ scores were also found to have adequate composite reliability and adequate patterns of concurrent validity. CONCLUSION The present findings provide support for the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the IEQ in examining inflexible eating in Arabic-speaking adults in Lebanon. Inflexible or rigid dietary restraint reflects an all-or-none approach that encompasses feeling compelled to obey a set of self-imposed dieting rules (e.g., avoiding high-calorie food, calorie counting, fasting to lose weight and/or skipping meals), having a sense of self-control and feeling empowered when adhering to these rules, and not respecting or following internal/external cues of hunger, satiety, and appetite. Therefore, the inflexible eating construct is composed of two dimensions, the first one is behavioural (i.e., obeying restrictive dietary rules) and the second one is psychological (i.e., the belief that following these rules is a consistent must). Until recently, the measures designed to assess inflexible eating focused on the behavioral dimension, while omitting to account for the psychological processes underlying the construct. To bridge this gap, the Inflexible Eating Questionnaire (IEQ), an 11-item self-report measure, was developed to assess both the behavioural and psychological components of dietary restraint. To date, the IEQ is not yet validated in Arabic. Through the present study, we aimed to examine the psychometric properties of an Arabic translation of the IEQ, which would in turn facilitate improved research and clinical practices related to dietary restraint in Arabic-speaking nations. Overall, findings provided support for the good psychometric qualities of the Arabic version of the IEQ, which suggests its utility for detecting inflexible eating in Arabic-speaking adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feten Fekih-Romdhane
- The Tunisian Center of Early Intervention in Psychosis, Department of Psychiatry "Ibn Omrane", Razi Hospital, 2010, Manouba, Tunisia
- Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Tunis El Manar University, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Vanessa Azzi
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon
| | - Diana Malaeb
- School of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon
- College of Pharmacy, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - Abir Sarray El Dine
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Sahar Obeid
- School of Arts and Sciences, Social and Education Sciences Department, Lebanese American University, Jbeil, Lebanon.
| | - Souheil Hallit
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon.
- Psychology Department, College of Humanities, Effat University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
- Applied Science Research Center, Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan.
- Research Department, Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, Jal Eddib, Lebanon.
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Malaeb D, Sacre H, Mansour S, Haddad C, Sarray El Dine A, Fleihan T, Hallit S, Salameh P, Hosseini H. Assessment of medication adherence among Lebanese adult patients with non-communicable diseases during COVID-19 lockdown: a cross-sectional study. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1145016. [PMID: 37415710 PMCID: PMC10322190 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1145016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Medical treatment is considered a cornerstone in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) management, lack of adherence remains the main challenge that may compromise optimal therapeutic outcome achievement. Purpose This study aimed to evaluate treatment adherence levels and associated factors among Lebanese adult patients with non-communicable diseases. Materials and methods A cross-sectional survey conducted during the COVID-19 lockdown imposed by the Lebanese Government (between September 2020 and January 2021) enrolled 263 adult patients through an anonymous online questionnaire to assess adherence to medications using the Lebanese Medication Adherence Scale (LMAS-14). Results Of the total sample, 50.2% showed low adherence with a total mean adherence score of 4.41 ± 3.94. The results showed that depression (β = 1.351) and peptic ulcer (β = 1.279) were significantly associated with higher LMAS scores (lower adherence). However, age between 50 and 70 (β = -1.591, p = 0.011), practicing physical exercise (β = -1.397, p = 0.006), having kidney disease (β = -1.701, p = 0.032), and an intermediate (β = -1.336, p = 0.006) to high income (β = -3.207, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with lower LMAS scores (higher adherence). Conclusion Our study shed light on the factors affecting medication adherence in patients with non-communicable diseases. It showed that depression and peptic ulcer were associated with lower adherence, contrary to older age, exercising, having chronic kidney disease, and a higher socioeconomic status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Malaeb
- College of Pharmacy, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
- School of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Hala Sacre
- INSPECT-LB (Institut National de Santé Publique, d’Épidémiologie Clinique et de Toxicologie-Liban), Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Sara Mansour
- School of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Chadia Haddad
- INSPECT-LB (Institut National de Santé Publique, d’Épidémiologie Clinique et de Toxicologie-Liban), Beirut, Lebanon
- School of Health Sciences, Modern University for Business and Science, Beirut, Lebanon
| | | | - Tamara Fleihan
- Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
| | - Souheil Hallit
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Jounieh, Lebanon
- Applied Science Research Center, Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan
- Department of Research, Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, Jal Eddib, Lebanon
| | - Pascale Salameh
- INSPECT-LB (Institut National de Santé Publique, d’Épidémiologie Clinique et de Toxicologie-Liban), Beirut, Lebanon
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Lebanese University, Hadath, Lebanon
- Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University of Nicosia Medical School, Nicosia, Cyprus
- School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
| | - Hassan Hosseini
- INSERM U955-E01, IMRB, Henri Mondor Hospital, Créteil, France
- Department of Neurology, Henri Mondor Hospital, AP-HP, Créteil, France
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Fekih-Romdhane F, Bitar Z, Rogoza R, Sarray El Dine A, Malaeb D, Rashid T, Obeid S, Hallit S. Validity and reliability of the arabic version of the self-report single-item self-esteem scale (A-SISE). BMC Psychiatry 2023; 23:351. [PMID: 37217890 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-04865-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Meta-analytic findings documented a substantial impact of self-esteem on a broad range of psychological and behavioral indicators, thus highlighting its high clinical relevance. Proving a simple and cost-effective measure of global self-esteem to the Arabic-speaking community, who mostly live in low- and middle-income countries, and where research may be challenging, would be highly valuable. In this context, we sought to investigate the psychometric characteristics of an Arabic translation of the Single-Item Self-Esteem Scale (A-SISE) in terms of factor structure, reliability, and construct validity. METHODS A total of 451 participants were enrolled between October and December 2022. An anonymous self-administered Google Forms link was shared on WhatsApp. To examine the factor structure of the A-SISE, we used the FACTOR software. We conducted an exploratory factor analysis (EFA), using a principal component analysis on the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) items first, then after adding the A-SISE. RESULTS The results of the EFA of the RSES revealed two factors (F1 = negatively-worded items; F2 = positively-worded items), which explained 60.63% of the common variance. When adding the A-SISE, the two-factor solution obtained explained 58.74% of the variance, with the A-SISE loading on the second factor. Both RSES and A-SISE correlated significantly and positively with each other, as well as with extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, open mindedness and satisfaction with life. Moreover, they correlated significantly and negatively with negative emotionality and depression. CONCLUSION These results suggest that the A-SISE is a simple-to-use, cost-effective, valid and reliable measure of self-esteem. We thus recommend its use in future research among Arabic-speaking people in Arab clinical and research settings, particularly when researchers are limited by time or resources constraints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feten Fekih-Romdhane
- The Tunisian Center of Early Intervention in Psychosis, Department of psychiatry "Ibn Omrane", Razi Hospital, Manouba, 2010, Tunisia
- Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Tunis El Manar University, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Zeinab Bitar
- Faculty of Medicine, Paris-Saclay University, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Radosław Rogoza
- University of Economics and Human Sciences in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
- Department of Psychology, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
| | - Abir Sarray El Dine
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Diana Malaeb
- School of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon
- College of Pharmacy, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - Tabassum Rashid
- Psychology Department, College of Humanities, Effat University, Jeddah, 21478, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sahar Obeid
- Social and Education Sciences Department, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Jbeil, Lebanon.
| | - Souheil Hallit
- Psychology Department, College of Humanities, Effat University, Jeddah, 21478, Saudi Arabia.
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon.
- Applied Science Research Center, Applied Science Private University, Amman, 11931, Jordan.
- Research Department, Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, Jal Eddib, Lebanon.
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11
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Tarabay R, Gerges S, Sarray El Dine A, Malaeb D, Obeid S, Hallit S, Soufia M. Exploring the indirect effect of loneliness in the association between problematic use of social networks and cognitive function in Lebanese adolescents. BMC Psychol 2023; 11:152. [PMID: 37158956 PMCID: PMC10166028 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-023-01168-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Problematic use of social networks is a widespread problem that may exert deleterious impacts on cognitive functions. Moreover, studies have added an important link between loneliness and its harmful effect on cognitive functions. Other studies have also revealed that problematic use of social networks among teenagers has a pejorative influence on their social interactions, leading to increased social isolation. Therefore, the goal of our research was to investigate the link between problematic use of social networks and cognitive function in a group of Lebanese adolescents while also taking into consideration the indirect role of loneliness in this relationship. METHODS This cross-sectional study, which was carried out between January and April 2022, included 379 teenagers (aged between 13 and 17 years), from all Lebanese governorates. The PROCESS SPSS Macro version 3.4, model four was used to compute three pathways. Pathway A determined the regression coefficient for the effect of problematic use of social networks on loneliness; Pathway B examined the association between loneliness and cognitive function, and Pathway C' estimated the direct effect of problematic use of social networks on cognitive function. RESULTS Higher negative social comparison, addictive consequences of problematic use of social networks, and loneliness were significantly associated with worse cognitive function. Loneliness mediated the association between negative social comparison and worse cognitive function, as well as between addictive consequences of problematic use of social networks and worse cognitive function. In addition, higher financial burden was significantly correlated with worse cognitive function, whereas higher physical activity was related to better cognitive function. CONCLUSION In sum, the current study supports that problematic use of social networks is negatively associated with adolescents' cognitive function, where loneliness seems to play a pivotal role in this equation. The results thus endorse the importance of helping Lebanese adolescents to overcome problematic use of social networks and recover from their loneliness, to achieve a better cognitive/academic performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rami Tarabay
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon
| | - Sarah Gerges
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon
| | - Abir Sarray El Dine
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of arts and Sciences, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Diana Malaeb
- School of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon
- College of Pharmacy, Gulf Med University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - Sahar Obeid
- School of Arts and Sciences, Social and Education Sciences Department, Lebanese American University, Jbeil, Lebanon
| | - Souheil Hallit
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon.
- Applied Science Research Center, Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan.
- Research Department, Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, P.O. Box 60096, Jal Eddib, Lebanon.
| | - Michel Soufia
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon
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Eid E, Fekih-Romdhane F, Sarray El Dine A, Malaeb D, Hallit S, Obeid S. Does Problematic Use of Social Network Mediate the Association between Bullying Victimization and Loneliness among Lebanese Adolescents? Children (Basel) 2023; 10:children10030599. [PMID: 36980157 PMCID: PMC10046980 DOI: 10.3390/children10030599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
(1) Background: Bullying victimization has been associated with several behavioral outcomes, particularly loneliness. Similarly, an increase in social network use has been identified in recent years, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has been shown to be associated with bullying and loneliness. Investigating the mediating factors of loneliness among bullied adolescents is useful for taking preventive measures in the Lebanese population. This study aims to examine the association between bullying victimization and loneliness among Lebanese adolescents while considering the indirect effect of problematic social network use. (2) Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study, between January and April 2022, that enrolled 379 adolescent Lebanese students (64.9% females, mean age 16.07 ± 1.19 years) who were current residents of Lebanon (15 to 18 years), and were from the five governorates of Lebanon (Beirut, Mount Lebanon, North, South and Bekaa). The snowball method was applied to select our sample; an electronic copy of the questionnaire was created using the Google Forms software and an online strategy was designed to collect the data. (3) Results: Negative social comparison and addictive consequences of problematic use of social network mediated the association between bullying victimization and loneliness. Higher bullying victimization was significantly associated with higher negative social comparison and addictive consequences of problematic use of social network, which in turn were significantly associated with more loneliness. Finally, higher bullying victimization was directly significantly associated with more loneliness. (4) Conclusions: Studying the mediating factors of loneliness in bullied adolescents can improve our understanding of this topic, allowing us to propose new interventions to prevent psychological problems in adolescents. Future studies are needed to further clarify the physiological processes that underlie the associations between social triggers and loneliness during adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elia Eid
- Research Department, Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, Jal Eddib P.O. Box 60096, Lebanon
| | - Feten Fekih-Romdhane
- Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Tunis El Manar University, Tunis 1068, Tunisia
- Department of Psychiatry "Ibn Omrane", The Tunisian Center of Early Intervention in Psychosis, Razi Hospital, Manouba 2010, Tunisia
| | - Abir Sarray El Dine
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese International University, Mazraa, Beirut P.O. Box 146404, Lebanon
| | - Diana Malaeb
- School of Pharmacy, Gulf Medical University, Ajman P.O. Box 4184, United Arab Emirates
- School of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Mazraa, Beirut P.O. Box 146404, Lebanon
| | - Souheil Hallit
- Research Department, Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, Jal Eddib P.O. Box 60096, Lebanon
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Jounieh P.O. Box 446, Lebanon
- Applied Science Research Center, Applied Science Private University, Amman 11937, Jordan
| | - Sahar Obeid
- Social and Education Sciences Department, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Jbeil P.O. Box 36, Lebanon
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Fekih-Romdhane F, Malaeb D, Sarray El Dine A, Yakın E, Hallit S, Obeid S. Association between Bullying Victimization and Aggression in Lebanese Adolescents: The Indirect Effect of Repetitive Negative Thinking-A Path Analysis Approach and Scales Validation. Children (Basel) 2023; 10:children10030598. [PMID: 36980156 PMCID: PMC10047793 DOI: 10.3390/children10030598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
(1) Background: The purpose of the present study was to validate the Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire (PTQ) and the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire-Short Form (BPAQ-SF) and test whether repetitive negative thinking plays an indirect role in the relationship between bullying victimization and aggression among Lebanese adolescents. (2) Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between January and May 2022 and included 379 Lebanese adolescent students (64.9% females, mean age 16.07 years). (3) Results: The three-factor solution of the PTQ and the four-factor solution of the BPAQ-SF showed excellent model fit. PTQ mediated the association between bullying victimization and physical aggression, verbal aggression, hostility, and anger. (4) Conclusions: This study expands on previous research by showing that repetitive negative thinking, an impactful socio-cognitive factor for students' mental health, has a mediating (indirect) effect on the cross-sectional relationship between bullying victimization and aggression. This suggests that interventions aiming to prevent aggressive behaviors among adolescent students may be more effective if focused on repetitive negative thinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feten Fekih-Romdhane
- Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Tunis el Manar University, Tunis 1068, Tunisia
- The Tunisian Center of Early Intervention in Psychosis, Department of Psychiatry "Ibn Omrane", Razi Hospital, Manouba 2010, Tunisia
| | - Diana Malaeb
- College of Pharmacy, Gulf Medical University, Ajman P.O. Box 4184, United Arab Emirates
| | - Abir Sarray El Dine
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese International University, Beirut P.O. Box 146404, Lebanon
| | - Ecem Yakın
- Centre d'Études et de Recherches en Psychopathologie et Psychologie de la Santé, Université de Toulouse-Jean Jaurès, UT2J, 5 allées Antonio Machado, 31058 Toulouse, France
| | - Souheil Hallit
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Jounieh P.O. Box 446, Lebanon
- Applied Science Research Center, Applied Science Private University, 11931 Amman, Jordan
- Research Department, Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, Jal Eddib P.O. Box 60096, Lebanon
| | - Sahar Obeid
- Department of Social and Education Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Jbeil P.O. Box 13-5053, Lebanon
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14
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Malaeb D, Asan AE, Fekih-Romdhane F, Azzi V, El Dine AS, Hallit S, Pincus AL. Validation of the pathological narcissistic inventory (PNI) and its brief form (B-PNI) in the Arabic language. BMC Psychiatry 2023; 23:168. [PMID: 36922814 PMCID: PMC10018913 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-04644-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Pathological Narcissism Inventory (PNI) is a multidimensional measure developed to assess narcissistic grandiosity and narcissistic vulnerability. We aimed to validate the Arabic version of the original Pathological Narcissistic Inventory (PNI) and its brief form (B-PNI) in a community sample of Lebanese adults. METHODS The English language PNI items were translated into Arabic following a rigorous translation, back-translation, and linguistic evaluation. A total of 401 participants were administered the translated PNI, as well as previously validated Arabic versions of the Big Five Inventory-2, the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and the Impulsivity-8 Scale. RESULTS Exploratory and confirmatory analyses supported the existence of seven first-order and two second-order factors of the PNI and B-PNI. Except for exploitativeness where females scored lower than males, no other significant differences by gender were observed for the remaining PNI subscale scores. Additionally, scores on all the subscales exhibited good reliability, while the associations with external measures supported the concurrent validity of the translated instrument. CONCLUSION The results of this study suggest that scores on the PNI and B-PNI are highly reliable with satisfactory concurrent and factorial validity, providing an assessment of broadly defined pathological narcissism among the Lebanese young adult population. The availability of the Arabic PNI and its brief form should facilitate improved understanding of pathological narcissism in Arabic cultures and the different factors that govern narcissistic personality pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Malaeb
- grid.411884.00000 0004 1762 9788College of Pharmacy, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
- grid.444421.30000 0004 0417 6142School of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - A. Esin Asan
- grid.29857.310000 0001 2097 4281Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA USA
| | - Feten Fekih-Romdhane
- grid.12574.350000000122959819Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Tunis El Manar University, Tunis, Tunisia
- grid.414302.00000 0004 0622 0397The Tunisian Center of Early Intervention in Psychosis, Department of Psychiatry Ibn Omrane, Razi Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Vanessa Azzi
- grid.444434.70000 0001 2106 3658School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon
| | - Abir Sarray El Dine
- grid.444421.30000 0004 0417 6142Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of arts and Sciences, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Souheil Hallit
- grid.444434.70000 0001 2106 3658School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon
- grid.512933.f0000 0004 0451 7867Research Department, Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, Jal Eddib, Lebanon
- grid.411423.10000 0004 0622 534XApplied Science Research Center, Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan
| | - Aaron L. Pincus
- grid.29857.310000 0001 2097 4281Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA USA
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15
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Fekih-Romdhane F, Malaeb D, Sarray El Dine A, Obeid S, Hallit S. The relationship between smartphone addiction and aggression among Lebanese adolescents: the indirect effect of cognitive function. BMC Pediatr 2022; 22:735. [PMID: 36572845 PMCID: PMC9791769 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-022-03808-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite a large body of research has shown that smartphone addiction (SA) is associated with aggressive behaviors, only a few mediators have been previously examined in this relationship among early adolescent students. No previous studies have explored, to our knowledge, the indirect role of cognitive function despite its great importance during this life period. This study is intended to verify whether cognitive function have indirect effects on the relationship between SA and aggression among high-school students in the context of Lebanese culture. METHODS This was a cross-sectional designed study, conducted between January and May 2022, and enrolling 379 Lebanese adolescent students (aged 13-17 years). The Cognitive Functioning Self-Assessment Scale, the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire-Short Form, and the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short form were used. RESULTS The bivariate analysis results revealed that higher SA and worse cognitive function were significantly associated with more physical aggression, verbal aggression, anger and hostility. The mediation analyses found that cognitive function mediated the association between SA and physical aggression, verbal aggression, anger and hostility. Higher SA was significantly associated with worse cognitive function and more physical aggression, verbal aggression, anger and hostility. Finally, worse cognitive function was significantly associated with more physical aggression, verbal aggression, anger and hostility. CONCLUSION Our findings cautiously suggest that, to reduce adolescent students' aggression, interventions that promote cognitive performance may be effective. Particularly, students who are addicted to smartphones and show aggressive tendencies require interventions designed to improve cognition function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feten Fekih-Romdhane
- The Tunisian Center of Early Intervention in Psychosis, Department of psychiatry “Ibn Omrane”, Razi hospital, 2010 Manouba, Tunisia ,grid.12574.350000000122959819Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Tunis El Manar University, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Diana Malaeb
- grid.444421.30000 0004 0417 6142School of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon ,grid.411884.00000 0004 1762 9788College of Pharmacy, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - Abir Sarray El Dine
- grid.444421.30000 0004 0417 6142Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Sahar Obeid
- grid.411323.60000 0001 2324 5973Social and Education Sciences Department, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Jbeil, Lebanon
| | - Souheil Hallit
- grid.444434.70000 0001 2106 3658School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon ,grid.411423.10000 0004 0622 534XApplied Science Research Center, Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan ,grid.512933.f0000 0004 0451 7867Research Department, Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, Jal Eddib, Lebanon
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Malaeb D, Sallam M, Younes S, Mourad N, Sarray El Dine A, Obeid S, Hallit S, Hallit R. Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice in a Sample of the Lebanese Population Regarding Cholera. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022; 19:ijerph192316243. [PMID: 36498316 PMCID: PMC9735709 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192316243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The evaluation of knowledge, attitude, and practices towards an emerging disease is an essential component of public health preventive measures during an outbreak. In October 2022, an outbreak of cholera was reported in Lebanon, which is the first to be reported in the Middle Eastern country for 30 years. This study aimed to explore the level of knowledge as well as attitude and practice of the general public in Lebanon towards cholera. A self-administered structured questionnaire was distributed via an online link to individuals living in Lebanon during October-November 2022. The survey instrument comprised items to assess the sociodemographic data; questions on knowledge about cholera symptoms, transmission, and prevention; as well as attitude and practice questions. Our study involved 553 participants, with a median age of 24 years and a majority of females (72.5%). The results showed that the majority of respondents correctly identified diarrhea as a symptom of cholera and recognized the spread via contaminated water and food. Having a university level education compared with secondary school or less (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.09), being married compared with single (aOR = 1.67), and working in the medical field compared with unemployed (aOR = 4.19) were significantly associated with higher odds of having good cholera knowledge. Having good knowledge compared with having a poor level of cholera knowledge (aOR = 1.83) and older age (aOR = 1.03) were significantly associated with higher odds of having a good attitude towards cholera. The current study showed an overall high knowledge score on cholera among the Lebanese population. Nevertheless, gaps in cholera knowledge were identified and should be addressed, particularly among workers in the medical field. Thus, we recommend targeted health education to the general population that aims to strengthen the health resilience in the community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Malaeb
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Gulf Medical University, Ajman P.O. Box 4184, United Arab Emirates
- School of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Malik Sallam
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan
- Department of Clinical Laboratories and Forensic Medicine, Jordan University Hospital, Amman 11942, Jordan
- Department of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, 22184 Malmö, Sweden
- Correspondence: (M.S.); (S.H.); Tel.: +962-79-184-5186 (M.S.)
| | - Samar Younes
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Bekaa, Lebanon
| | - Nisreen Mourad
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, School of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Bekaa, Lebanon
| | - Abir Sarray El Dine
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese International University, Beirut P.O. Box 146404, Lebanon
| | - Sahar Obeid
- Department of Social and Education Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
| | - Souheil Hallit
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Jounieh P.O. Box 446, Lebanon
- Research Department, Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, Jal Eddib, Lebanon
- Applied Science Research Center, Applied Science Private University, Amman 11931, Jordan
- Correspondence: (M.S.); (S.H.); Tel.: +962-79-184-5186 (M.S.)
| | - Rabih Hallit
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Jounieh P.O. Box 446, Lebanon
- Department of Infectious Disease, Bellevue Medical Center, Mansourieh, Lebanon
- Department of Infectious Disease, Notre Dame des Secours, University Hospital Center, Byblos, Lebanon
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Samaha S, Azzi R, Rizk R, Sarray El Dine A, Malaeb D, Hallit S, Obeid S, Soufia M. Association between the bi-dimensional aspect of orthorexia and healthy behaviors among lebanese adolescents. BMC Psychiatry 2022; 22:725. [PMID: 36411409 PMCID: PMC9676759 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-022-04374-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently, there has been a blooming focus on "eating healthy and clean", with the ideal of being healthy becoming a popular lifestyle trend. Previous research suggested the presence of two forms of orthorexia: Orthorexia Nervosa (OrNe) and Healthy Orthorexia (HeOr). Taking into consideration that orthorexia thoughts are led by the desire to reach an optimal physical health, the dedication to a healthy living may require healthy lifestyle habits: smoking cessation, moderate alcohol intake, and increased physical activity. The main study aim was to determine, among Lebanese adolescents, the association between healthy behaviors and the two likely forms of orthorexia (OrNe and HeOr), given that the adolescent phase is a risky period in the development of eating disorders. METHODS A cross-sectional study, conducted between January and April 2022, enrolled 444 adolescents aged between 14 and 18 years, with an equitable random sample from all the Lebanese governorates (mean age 16.23 ± 1.15 years; 60.1% females). The Teruel Orthorexia Scale (TOS) was used to assess orthorexic eating tendencies. The Lebanese Waterpipe Dependence Scale, the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence and the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test scales, all validated in adolescents, were used to evaluate the association between orthorexia and healthy behaviors. RESULTS Higher TOS OrNe scores were significantly and highly correlated with the TOS HeOr scores (r = 0.68; p < 0.001). In the bivariate analysis, waterpipe smoking was weakly but significantly associated with more OrNe, whereas more physical activity was significantly and moderately associated with more HeOr. After adjusting over all sociodemographic characteristics, other behaviors and the other dimension of orthorexia, more alcohol use disorder was significantly but strongly associated with higher OrNe, whereas more physical activity remained significantly associated with higher HeOr. CONCLUSION In light of our results, OrNe and HeOr might be considered as different entities, mainly in their associations with alcohol consumption and physical activity. This supports the hypothesis of OrNe being a new form of eating disorder, whereas HeOr possibly showing protective characteristics. Orthorexia is still a topic of controversy, especially in the probable presence of two facets that are still difficult to differentiate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Samaha
- grid.444434.70000 0001 2106 3658School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon
| | - Reine Azzi
- grid.444434.70000 0001 2106 3658School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon
| | - Rana Rizk
- grid.411323.60000 0001 2324 5973Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
| | - Abir Sarray El Dine
- grid.444421.30000 0004 0417 6142Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of arts and Sciences, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Diana Malaeb
- grid.444421.30000 0004 0417 6142School of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon ,grid.411884.00000 0004 1762 9788College of Pharmacy, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - Souheil Hallit
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon. .,Applied Science Research Center, Applied Science Private University, 11931, Amman, Jordan. .,Research Department, Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, Jal Eddib, Lebanon.
| | - Sahar Obeid
- grid.411323.60000 0001 2324 5973Social and Education Sciences Department, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Jbeil, Lebanon
| | - Michel Soufia
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon.
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Swami V, Todd J, Azzi V, Malaeb D, El Dine AS, Obeid S, Hallit S. Psychometric properties of an Arabic translation of the Functionality Appreciation Scale (FAS) in Lebanese adults. Body Image 2022; 42:361-369. [PMID: 35926365 DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2022.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The Functionality Appreciation Scale is a widely used instrument for the measurement of an individual's appreciation of their body for what it can do and is capable of doing (i.e., functionality appreciation). Here, we examined the psychometric properties of a novel Arabic translation of the FAS. A sample of 826 Lebanese adults completed the FAS, as well as previously validated measures of body appreciation, disordered eating attitudes, orthorexia, and self-esteem. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a unidimensional model of FAS scores, with all 7 items retained. Scores achieved scalar invariance across gender, with women reporting significantly greater functionality appreciation than men. FAS scores were found to have adequate composite reliability and adequate patterns of convergent and criterion-related validity. Additionally, functionality appreciation predicted self-esteem once the effects of all other variables had been accounted for, supporting incremental validity. Overall, these results suggest that the Arabic FAS is a psychometrically valid tool for the assessment of functionality appreciation. The availability of the Arabic FAS should facilitate improved understanding of the effectiveness of existing interventions designed to promote greater physical activity in the Lebanese context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viren Swami
- School of Psychology and Sport Science, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Centre for Psychological Medicine, Perdana University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
| | - Jennifer Todd
- School of Psychology and Sport Science, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Centre for Psychological Medicine, Perdana University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Vanessa Azzi
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Jounieh, Lebanon
| | - Diana Malaeb
- School of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon; School of Pharmacy, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, the United Arab Emirates
| | - Abir Sarray El Dine
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Sahar Obeid
- School of Arts and Sciences, Social and Education Sciences Department, Lebanese American University, Jbeil, Lebanon
| | - Souheil Hallit
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Jounieh, Lebanon; Psychology Department, College of Humanities, Effat University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Research Department, Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, Jal Eddib, Lebanon
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