Keywords:Theory of planned behavior Environmental behavior Sustainability Empathic concern High school students Beliefs a b s t r a c t This study relied on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to identify the beliefs that influence young people's pro-environmental behavior. High-school students completed a questionnaire regarding the performance of pro-environmental behaviors early in the school year and reported on their behavior toward the end of the year. In addition to the standard TPB constructs, the initial questionnaire assessed descriptive norms, moral norms, sex, and empathic concern. Results revealed an excellent fit for the standard TPB model; attitudes, descriptive subjective norms, and perceptions of control made independent contributions to the prediction of intentions, and intentions together with perceived control predicted behavior. Behavioral, normative, and control beliefs predicted, respectively, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. Empathic concern influenced intentions and behavior indirectly by its effects on behavioral, normative, and control beliefs. Examination of the effects of specific beliefs revealed important implications for designing effective behavior-change interventions.

Graphical abstract

No abstract

Background and purposeTo compare the dosimetric impact of organ and target variations relative to the applicator for intracavitary brachytherapy by a multicentre analysis with different application techniques and fractionation schemes.Material and methodsDVH data from 363 image/contour sets (120 patients, 6 institutions) were included for 1–6 fractions per patient, with imaging intervals ranging from several hours to ∼20 days. Variations between images acquired within one (intra-application) or between consecutive applicator insertions (inter-application) were evaluated. Dose plans based on a reference MR or CT image series were superimposed onto subsequent image sets and D2cm3 for the bladder, rectum and sigmoid and D90 for HR CTV were recorded.ResultsFor the whole sample, the systematic dosimetric variations for all organs at risk, i.e. mean variations of D2cm3, were found to be minor (<5%), while random variations, i.e. standard deviations were found to be high due to large variations in individual cases. The D2cm3 variations (mean ± 1SD) were 0.6 ± 19.5%, 4.1 ± 21.7% and 1.6 ± 26.8%, for the bladder, rectum and sigmoid. For HR CTV, the variations of D90 were found to be −1.1 ± 13.1% for the whole sample.Grouping of the results by intra- and inter-application variations showed that random uncertainties for bladder and sigmoid were 3–7% larger when re-implanting the applicator for individual fractions. No statistically significant differences between the two groups were detected in dosimetric variations for the HR CTV.Using 20% uncertainty of physical dose for OAR and 10% for HR CTV, the effects on total treatment dose for a 4 fraction HDR schedule at clinically relevant dose levels were found to be 4–8 Gy EQD2 for OAR and 3 Gy EQD2 for HR CTV.ConclusionsSubstantial variations occur in fractionated cervix cancer BT with higher impact close to clinical threshold levels. The treatment approach has to balance uncertainties for individual cases against the use of repetitive imaging, adaptive planning and dose delivery.

Purpose – This study had five objectives: explain the initial steps that led to the construction of the Ethical Leadership Questionnaire (ELQ); analyze the items and verify the ELQ reliability using item response theory (IRT); examine its factorial structure with a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and an exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) approach; test the item bias of the ELQ; assess the relation between the ELQ dimensions and ethical sensitivity. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Study 1 and Study 2 involved 200 and 668 respondents, respectively. Step 1 consisted in IRT; Step 2 in CFA and ESEM analysis; Step 3 in invariance of the ELQ items across gender, and Step 4 in structural equation modeling. Findings – Results indicated the presence of the three types of ethic in the resolution of moral dilemmas, validating Starratt's model. The factor structure was gender invariant. Ethic of critique was significantly related to ethical sensitivity. Research limitations/implications – More replications will be needed to fully support the ELQ's validity. Given that the instrument may be used in diverse cultural contexts, invariance across cultures would be warranted. Practical implications – As educational organizations become aware of the crucial need for more ethical leaders, they will need to pay particular attention to the ethic of critique as it appears to play a significant role in the development of ethical sensitivity. Social implications – Results presented in this paper answer a vital need for more ethical skills in educational leadership. Originality/value – The ELQ provides a validated measure of Starratt's conceptual framework and highlights the key role played by ethical sensitivity and the ethic of critique.

This study examined gender differences in university students' intentions to buy fair trade (FT) products through the lens of the moral-norm-extended theory of planned behaviour (TPB). Data were obtained from 782 students at the University of Luxemburg. Results of structural equation analysis indicated that the inclusion of moral norms increased the explained variance in behavioural intentions from 62% to 68%. Compared to men, women reported more favourable attitude, higher moral obligation, and stronger intentions toward buying FT products. Moderating analyses showed that the attitudeintentions relationship was stronger for men, whereas the perceived behavioural controlintentions relationship was stronger for women. The implications of the moderation analysis are that sustainability professionals seeking to encourage university students' intentions to buy FT products should develop gender-targeted interventions: for men, more emphasis should be placed on attitude toward buying FT products (i.e., the advantages of adopting this behaviour), and for women, more emphasis should be placed on perceived behavioural control (e.g., factors that facilitate the purchase of FT products).

No abstract

No abstract