Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
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Item Restricted The Relationship of Dispositional Optimism and Religiosity to Mental and Physical Health in Saudi Arabian Students Studying in The United States.(Barry University, 2023-02) Albattah, Majidah; Koncsol, StephenThe relationship between different forms of faith as belief systems and universal concepts of quality of life, health, well-being, etc., has attracted huge research attention. Data from Islamic samples support the positive link between religious belief, mental, and physical health. Little research has been done to examine the multiple dimensions of optimism and how it relates to religion and health. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of dispositional optimism and religiosity to the mental and physical health of Saudi Arabian students studying in the United States. Understanding the relationship between optimism and religiosity may allow the creation of different strategies and therapy plans that help to maintain good mental and physical health for students studying aboard. A sample of 316 Saudi Arabian college students studying in United State were recruited. The sample was collected through an anonymous online survey through online sources e.g. WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat that reach Saudi communities in United States. Participants were asked to complete five questionnaires anonymously including: A Demographic questionnaire, Physical Health questionnaire, The Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R; Scheier, Carver, & Bridges, 1994), The Muslim Daily Religiosity Assessment Scale (MUDRAS; Olufadi, Y., 2016), and the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS, Stewart-Brown & Janmohamed, 2008). For the first hypothesis, a correlational analysis was performed to assess the relationship between the scores for The Revised Life Orientation scale and The Muslim Daily Religiosity Assessment Scale. Results showed a significant positive relationship between dispositional optimism and Muslim religiosity. For second hypothesis, a correlational analysis was performed to assess the relationship between dispositional optimism and mental health. Results reveled that there was a significant positive relationship between dispositional optimism and mental health. Results for the third hypothesis showed a significant positive relationship between dispositional optimism and better mental health. In a fourth hypothesis a hierarchical regression was conducted to test that optimism (LOT-R Scores), Mental Health (WEMWBS Scores) and Physical health (Phy Scores) would predict religiosity (MUDRAS Scores). Mental health, physical health and disposition optimism were not found to have a significant impact on Muslim religiosity. As the fourth hypothesis was rejected it was decided to investigate the relationship of optimism as a mediator of religiosity, mental and physical health. Therefore, a hierarchical regression was conducted to test that religiosity, mental and physical health would predict dispositional optimism. Results showed that optimism significantly predicts mental health. There was a trend toward optimism predicting physical health but it was not significant. However, optimism did not significantly predict religiosity. Future research should be focused on a Saudi Arabian population who study and live in Saudi Arabia instead of the USA.22 0Item Restricted Factors impacting Saudi women’s adoption of non-traditional dress for use in public: An application of the theory of planned behavior(Saudi Digital Library, 2023) Alghamdi, Rawan; Fiore, Ann-MarieIn Saudi Arabia, women's rights are at the forefront of debate. Modernizing the country includes changes in various aspects of women’s lives, such as the relaxation of the strict public dress code. As of 2018, Saudi women are no longer required to wear traditional abayas (long black abayas with a hair covering and optional face covering) (Abdulaziz, 2019). Presently, Saudi women may choose to wear a fashionable and less conservative dress in public, as long as it is modest and adheres to Islamic guidelines. To date, it appears that research has not examined the factors that affect Saudi women's intention to purchase non-traditional abayas. The purpose of the present study was to examine the factors that impact Saudi women’s adoption of such abayas. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) was utilized. Its three key factors (attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control) are strong predictors of behavioral intention (Ajzen, 1991). To elucidate how appearance reflects an individual’s public identity, social and psychological aspects of dress theories were reviewed in the present study, including (1) the public, private, and secret self-model (Eicher, 1981), (2) self-concept theory (Sirgy, 1982), (3) symbolic consumption theory (Levy, 1959), (4) extended-self theory (Belk, 1988), and aspect of ambivalence and ambiguity. The objectives of the present study were to measure (1) the impact of the psychographic variables (the need for uniqueness and religiosity) on Saudi women’s fashion innovativeness, (2) the impact of fashion innovativeness on Saudi women’s attitude toward purchasing non- traditional public abayas, (3) the effect of attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control on Saudi women’s intentions to purchase non-traditional abayas for use in public, and (4) the moderating effect of the independent-self construal on the relationship between subjective norms and Saudi women’s intentions to purchase non-traditional abayas. A quantitative research approach (Creswell & Creswell, 2018) was implemented. A pilot study was conducted with 15 Saudi women to ensure the clarity of the survey’s wording and to determine the amount of time required. An online Arabic survey was distributed among a convenience sample of Saudi women through the social media platform (WhatsApp). A total of 1,101 Saudi women, 18 years old or older, participated in the study. The data were analyzed in three main stages, employing the following statistical tests: (1) exploratory factor analysis (EFA); (2) structural equation modeling (SEM), including confirmatory factor analysis (CFA); and (3) moderation analysis. The result of the EFA revealed that attitude and purchase intention were unexpectedly combined into one variable (attitude/purchase intention). The measurement model for the TPB variables and the combined attitude/purchase intention variable yielded an acceptable fit. Moreover, the structural model revealed the following findings: (1) the need for uniqueness had a nonsignificant impact on fashion innovativeness, (2) religiosity had a significant (but reverse) effect on fashion innovativeness, (3) fashion innovativeness had a nonsignificant impact on attitude toward purchasing non-traditional abayas, (4) subjective norms had a significant positive impact on attitude/purchase intention and perceived behavioral control, and (5) perceived behavioral control had a nonsignificant impact on attitude/purchase intention. Furthermore, the moderating effect of independent self-construal on the relationship between subjective norms and Saudi women's intentions to purchase non-traditional abayas was found to be statistically nonsignificant. The results of the fully recursive model showed the addition of six significant paths; the need for uniqueness and religiosity each had a significant direct effect on subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and attitude/purchase intention. The absence of confirmation regarding the TPB has theoretical implications for scholars who study consumer behavior in a collectivist society. However, incorporating antecedent variables, in this case--need for uniqueness and religiosity--to the TPB model may enhance its ability to predict collectivist consumers’ behavioral intentions. The findings have the potential to benefit marketers in Saudi Arabia by enhancing their understanding of the factors that influence Saudi women’s intention to purchase non-traditional abayas. For instance, the findings suggest take religiosity level should be taken into consideration when segmenting consumers.17 0Item Restricted The Influence of Religiosity on Intentions to Purchase Western Brands in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-09-23) Alshahrani, Sultan; Rhydian, HarryThe study discusses the relationship between religiosity, brand attitudes, and consumer behaviour within the Saudi Arabian context. The research discovers how religiosity in Saudi Arabian culture shapes consumer perceptions and intentions regarding brands. The study employs a quantitative approach, collecting data from 264 respondents through surveys to investigate the relationships between selected variables. The findings show that both males and females displayed comparable levels of religiosity and intention to purchase brands. Some disparities emerged in their attitudes towards branding. Males exhibited heightened brand consciousness, indicating heightened sensitivity to brand attributes, while females displayed a greater affinity for brand novelty. It shows females openness to innovative brands. Gender-specific tendencies offer valuable insights to make marketing strategies to reach the potential distinct consumer segments. Intrinsic religiosity emerges as a significant factor in alleviating feelings of guilt tied to brand purchases, while extrinsic religiosity positively correlates with guilt. The implications highlight the importance of religious and emotional dynamics in brand promotion, particularly in religiously sensitive environments. The research confirms the impact of brand consciousness and brand novelty on purchase intentions and the role of these factors in shaping consumer behaviour. The negative impact of guilt feelings on brand attitudes reinforces the significance of negative emotions in shaping consumer perceptions. While intrinsic religiosity aligns with prior research, its influence on brand attitudes remains limited. Extrinsic religiosity does not significantly impact brand attitudes, suggesting minimum religiosity effects. Future research should address these limitations with a broader influence on consumer behaviour in a unique cultural context.51 0Item Restricted Managing Food Waste Behaviour in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Investigating the Role of Social Marketing(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-04-30) Suliman, Albalawi; Quaddus, MohammedFood waste is a significant problem in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Approximately SAR 13 billion worth of food is wasted annually in the KSA. From moral, social and economic perspectives, it is essential to reduce the wastage of food. Although studies have identified the amount of food waste in the KSA, there is a lack of research on why people in the KSA waste food; therefore, it is difficult to design efficient intervention programs to reduce food waste. This research investigated the key factors that influenced the food waste behaviour of the people of the KSA. Based on the literature review, it was hypothesised that religiosity, hedonic value, frugality, and trait cynicism are the antecedents of moral disengagement impacting the food waste behaviour in the KSA. A food waste behaviour model was proposed with moral disengagement included at the model’s centre. The study further posits that an intervention strategy in the form of a social marketing campaign focused on lowering moral disengagement reduced people’s food waste behaviour. This study applied a pre-test/post-test control group experimental design with social marketing campaign as the treatment. A purposive sampling method was used to select participants from the KSA. The social marketing campaign (developed by the researcher) was used in the experiment and ran for six months. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to analyse the experimental data. The outcomes demonstrated the effectiveness of the social marketing campaign in improving the food waste behaviour of people of the KSA. The outcomes established the foundation for designing efficient intervention programs in the future. The pilot and main study results highlighted the confirmation of the structural modelling and assessment of the hypotheses. Partial least squares (PLS)-SEM path modelling was used to emphasise the relationships between the value and beliefs (religiosity and hedonic value) and psychological traits (frugality and trait cynicism) with food waste behaviour. This study contributed to the knowledge of food waste behaviour by testing a newly proposed food waste behaviour model in the KSA.27 0