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The spatial and spatio-temporal dependence modeling to extreme value distributions have been used to analyze the extremes of daily maximum rainfall data across selected weather stations in South Africa combining generalized Pareto distribution (GPD) with the flexible Bayesian Latent Gaussian Model (LGM). The paper demonstrated the spatio-temporal GPD model for applications in extreme rainfall data that capture systematic variation through spatial and spatio-temporal modeling framework, in which the temporal constitutes the week and month as random separately. The paper uses the Bayesian integrated Nested Laplace approximation (INLA) algorithm to estimate marginal posterior means of the parameters and hyper-parameters for Bayesian spatio-temporal models. The Bayesian inferences using INLA technique were applied to obtain prediction of the return levels at each station, which incorporate uncertainty due to model estimation, as well as the randomness that is inherent in the processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the measurement invariance of scores from the BDI-II as well as the differences in latent mean scores by gender. Participants were 919 South African university students (females = 72%). They completed the BDI-II, which is a measure of Negative Attitude (NA), Performance Difficulty (PD), Somatic Complaints (S) and Depression (D). The data were analysed utilising multigroup confirmatory factor analyses (MCFA). Evidence of factorial invariance was established at the level of configural, metric and scalar invariance, across gender groups. Females scored significantly higher latent means on measures of NA and S compared to males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the influence of family structure and functioning on the smoking behavior of students attending a historically Black university. Participants were 316 students (average age = 21.2 years) at a South African university campus. They completed a smoking behavior survey. The data analyses revealed that family structure and functioning, and parental smoking predicted the students' smoking status. Family context contributes to smoking behavior among young college going adults. Additionally, being male and older age increased the odds of smoking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI: Parker, Tupling & Brown, 1979) offers a practical way of conceptualizing parental experiences. In the present study, PBI scores of 522 students from a South African university were factor analyzed, yielding a three-factor structure for the maternal-PBI subscale. However, the paternal-PBI data were interpretable only for a four-factor solution. Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted and Kendler's (1996) three-factor model offered the best-fit to the maternal-PBI data. The regression analyses on depression versus PBI factors of warmth, protectiveness and authoritarianism showed that higher parenting-style scores of maternal authoritarianism and paternal warmth increased the subjective experience of depression, and paternal protectiveness predicted a decrease of depression reports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]