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Saudiscape
No full textThe tourism sector in Saudi Arabia is rapidly growing for the past couple of years. It welcomes
several international tourists who visit for either seasonal events or to look around the country to
experience a different scenery. The purpose of this study is to investigate the pain points in areas
of tourism in Jeddah that would need enhancement through integrating physical products from the
aspect of technological advancements or even a digital product, such as an application that would
aid international tourists in a country foreign to them. A whole service will be designed after
collecting data through ample research using methods of surveys, interviews, case studies and even
a literature review. Optimization of certain touristic operations would help the travelers as well
as the governmental sector of the Ministry of Tourism. This may include many obstacles, but there
will be intriguing solutions available through the integration of technologies, such as an enhanced
UX for tourism tailored to specific target audiences. The app, along with its companion product,
will address the needs of international tourists seeking navigation assistance and cultural
insights, domestic travelers exploring lesser-known destinations, and tech-savvy users drawn to
features like AR/VR tours and AI-driven recommendations. By focusing on these user groups, the
app will provide personalized, accessible, and immersive travel experiences, ensuring a seamless
journey despite challenges. To fully realize the potential of these technologies in revolutionizing
tourism and enhancing visitor outcomes worldwide, there must be sustained investment in
research, technological development, and multidisciplinary cooperation. The potential for smart
culture and tourism in Saudi Arabia continues to expand. With plans to integrate more advanced
AI (Artificial Intelligence) VR (Virtual Reality) and potentially even metaverse experiences into
its tourism offerings, Saudi Arabia could set the stage for a new era of travel. These exciting
developments promise will further enhance the accessibility and enjoyment of Saudi cultural sites,
ensuring that the Kingdom remains a key player on the global tourism stage while continuing to
preserve and celebrate its unique heritage.
Keywords- Tourism, products, application, service, technology, international tourists
Prevalence, correlates of postpartum depression during the COVID-19 pandemic; and validation of the arabic edinburgh postnatal depression scale among Lebanese women.
No full textCultural variations in pregnancy and childbirth experiences can influence the causes and contributing factors of postpartum depression (PPD). However, research on this issue remains scarce in Arab countries, especially in Lebanon. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of PPD and explore socio-contextual factors affecting it in Lebanon during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also sought to validate the psychometric reliability of the Arabic version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) among Lebanese women.A cross-sectional study was conducted between May 2022 and July 2022, with 402 Lebanese adult postpartum women (mean age 31.46 ± 4.88 years) enrolled from the maternity ward at CHU-Notre Dame des Secours Hospital in Byblos, Lebanon by responding to an online survey after obtaining informed concent. Along with the EPDS, the following measures were administered to participants: The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, and the Lebanese Anxiety Scale-10.Our findings demonstrated appropriate psychometric properties of the Arabic one-factor, 10-item EPDS in our sample of Lebanese women. The scale yielded good composite reliability (ω = 0.97), and appropriate patterns of correlations with anxiety and social support measures, thus attesting for its convergent validity. A total of 239 women (59.5%) had potential postpartum depression. Multivariate analysis showed that perceived childbirth experience (as "normal" (Beta= -2.57), "good" (Beta= -3.45) and "very good" (Beta= -4.14)), with worries that the newborn will get hurt/die during labor ("rarely" (Beta = 1.43) and "never" (Beta = 1.24)), a lower financial burden (Beta = - 0.19) and a higher social support (Beta = - 0.02) were significantly associated with lower rates of PPD; while higher levels of anxiety (Beta = 0.32) were associated with increased symptoms of PPD.The study highlights the significant burden of PPD among Lebanese women, with an alarmingly high prevalence. Key factors associated with PPD-such as anxiety, childbirth experience, and social support-are largely preventable and modifiable. Nonetheless, there is an imperative need for future longitudinal and qualitative research, to better understand obstetrical experiences, address PPD and confirm causality of the associations found
The Role of Family Support in Managing Anxiety and Depression
No full textThis study explores the role of family support in managing anxiety and depression among individuals in Saudi Arabia. It investigates key barriers that hinder effective emotional and practical support within families, including emotional disconnect, limited communication, and mental health stigma. Drawing on data from 215 participants through a survey aged 15 to 31, the study uses both quantitative and qualitative methods to assess how family dynamics, cohesion, and support systems influence mental well-being. The findings reveal a widespread lack of emotional awareness (r=0.61, p<0.001) and open dialogue about mental health within families, often leading to feelings of isolation. The results underscore the importance of improving mental health literacy, encouraging open family conversations, and addressing cultural stigma. The study contributes to the understanding of family-centered mental health support in non-Western settings and offers recommendations for culturally sensitive interventions
A Postpartum Retreat
No full textThis proposal presents Materni-Treat, a pioneering postpartum care retreat in Obhur, Jeddah,
envisioned as a sanctuary for healing, empowerment, and cultural revival. The project addresses a
critical gap in maternal healthcare by offering a holistic environment that integrates physical,
emotional, and spiritual well-being within a resort-like setting. Materni-Treat merges modern
medical care with traditional healing practices, aiming to support new mothers through a sensitive
period of transformation while aligning with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals for healthcare
innovation, community wellness, and sustainable tourism.
The design responds to the unique topography, climate, and natural beauty of the Red Sea coast
through curvilinear, organic architectural forms that evoke comfort, softness, and the nurturing
essence of the maternal experience. The site strategy incorporates native landscaping, shaded
courtyards, and a journey-like spatial progression, creating a “village-like” atmosphere that
encourages movement, reflection, and outdoor engagement. The spatial program is carefully
developed to accommodate diverse functions including healthcare, wellness, education, communal
support, and accommodation — supported by rigorous area planning, zoning, and regulatory
compliance
The Role of Audit Committee Characteristics In Enhancing Banks Performance: Evidence Form Saudia Arabia
No full textThe role of audit committees in the banking sector has gained attention,
especially in Saudi Arabia, where the banking industry is crucial for
economic stability and growth. This research aims to evaluate the
relationship between audit committee characteristics, such as independence,
size, and financial expertise, and the financial performance of banks listed
on the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul) from 2018 to 2024. The study uses
a quantitative methodological approach and focuses on key performance
indicators, primarily Return on Assets (ROA). Results show a positive
correlation between audit committee independence and bank performance,
suggesting greater independence enhances monitoring function and mitigates
agency conflicts. However, the study also highlights the need for optimizing
audit committee size to prevent inefficiencies and the presence of members
with substantial financial expertise to improve performance outcomes. The
research concludes that strengthening audit committee independence and
promoting financial expertise are essential steps banks can take to strengthen
their governance frameworks
Optimizing Federated Learning for Medical Images Analysis Through Traffic Efficiency
No full textFederated learning (FL) is an innovative approach to machine learning that emphasizes data privacy by allowing model training on decentralized data sources. This study focuses on the application of FL using medical data, specifically chest
X-ray images. We address the issue of traffic congestion between the server and clients by implementing three compression techniques: Pruning, Clustering, Quantization, and a hybrid technique that integrates these three methods which we name it (QPC). Our results demonstrate that clustering is the most effective compression technique, achieving superior upload and download speeds while preserving accuracy and significantly reducing traffic between the central server and clients. The average upload speed, download speed, and accuracy achieved were approximately 29.71 GB/s, 367.86 GB/s, and 97.53%, respectively. This research advances the field of FL by improving scalability and efficiency, offering valuable insights for future research in Federated Learning and healthcare applications
The Impact of Capital Structure on Firms Performance in the Healthcare Industry in Saudi Arabia
No full textThe Role of Family Support in Managing Anxiety and Depression
No full textThe function of family support in reducing anxiety and depression symptoms among Saudi
Arabian teenagers and young adults is investigated in this paper. Leveraging both quantitative and
qualitative approaches, the study looks at how psychological well-being is influenced by family
cohesion, open communication, emotional availability, and cultural context. Descriptive and
inferential statistical analyses of a sample of 215 individuals found strong positive relationships
between perceived family support, open emotional communication, and better mental health
outcomes. Over half of the participants said they found it difficult to talk about mental health
within the family; women were more likely to have emotional barriers in expressing discomfort.
Major obstacles to effective family support identified in the study include cultural stigma,
emotional neglect, and lack of participation in treatment. These results highlight the importance of
family presence, even if it is rather common, since psychological value depends on emotional
involvement and responsiveness. The findings highlight the need for culturally aware mental
health treatments, encouraging active family involvement. This study supports the inclusion of
family systems into therapeutic approaches, thus augmenting the increasing conversation on
mental health in non-Western environments.
Keywords: family support, anxiety, depression, Saudi Arabia, mental health, communication,
cultural stigma, psychological well-bein
Psychometric properties of the Arabic versions of the perceived social competence scale and the prosociality scale.
No full textProsocial behaviors refer to a variety of voluntary actions intended to benefit others and the society. They have consistently proven their capacity to promote individuals' well-being and personal development. Nevertheless, these constructs remain largely underexplored in the Arab world. Providing validated measures of prosocial behaviors in the Arabic language for the Lebanese population could direct research attention towards assessing these behaviors and their promoting factors, thereby enhancing positive psychology. In this regard, we aimed to psychometrically validate the Standard Arabic-translated versions of the Perceived Social Competence scale (PSCS) and Prosociality Scale (PS) among a sample of Lebanese adults.A total of 403 Lebanese adults (27% men and 73% women) completed an online questionnaire containing the PSCS and PS, as well as the Buss-Perry aggression questionnaire-short form, the Jong-Gierveld loneliness scale, and the depression anxiety stress scale.Both of the PSCS and PS yielded a unidimensional factor structure and demonstrated high levels of composite reliability, with McDonald ω values of 0.83 and 0.95, respectively. The analysis also supported configural, metric, and scalar invariance across gender for the two scales. Convergent validity was evidenced by a high correlation between the PSCS and PS, both measuring prosocial behaviors. In addition, weak and/or non-significant relations between prosocial behaviors and non-theoretically relevant variables (i.e., aggression, loneliness, and psychological distress) provided evidence for the divergent validity of both scales.Our study cautiously suggested that the Standard Arabic versions of the PSCS and PS are psychometrically valid for measuring prosocial behaviors. This study should prompt further research in the field of social competence/prosocial behaviors for the sake of promoting positive psychological interventions in Lebanon. Future research should prioritize the inclusion of more diverse samples, encompassing a wider range of sociodemographic characteristics, in order to enhance the generalizability of these findings to the broader Lebanese population