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Motivational interviewing (MI) is a long-established evidenced-based intervention aimed at guiding people to implement change. Originally developed by William Miller from the United States and Stephen Rollnick from the United Kingdom, a strong emphasis for MI is the underlying 'spirit', rather than merely the specific techniques within the model. The 'spirit' of MI consists of four key components: acceptance, partnership, evocation and compassion. These have direct overlap with concepts within the personal recovery model recognised as a critical framework in delivery of contemporary mental health services for consumers. Despite this recognition, recovery concepts have struggled to gain consistent traction, particularly within inpatient mental health units. This paper proposes that MI presents one strategy for integrating recovery-focused principles within routine mental health nursing (MHN) practice. An overview of MI and its relationship with recovery principles is discussed in the context of contemporary MHN practice. Evaluation results of a locally developed MI workshop for MHNs within a regional area of New South Wales (NSW) in Australia are presented to highlight the emerging evidence for this potential. Following the workshop, MHN participants showed key improvements in knowledge and confidence scores, as well as in understanding of key MI processes and strategies. The consolidation of these skills through training and a supervision framework is outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-level classroom disruption (LLCD) is characterised by pupils swinging on chairs, whispering or fidgeting in class. This paper provides initial data on the development and validation of the teacher-rated Low-Level Classroom Disruption Scale (LLCD-S), with two samples of primary school pupils. Exploratory factor analysis in Study 1 (N= 120) revealed one factor accounting for 61% of the variance; supported by confirmatory factor analysis in Study 2 (N= 274), with one factor accounting for 63% of the variance. Both studies reported high Cronbach's alpha values of.82 and.93 respectively. The evidence supports LLCD being a unidimensional construct, measured by the eight item LLCD-S. Weak convergence validity was found between the LLCD-S and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire's (SDQ) externalising behaviours: conduct problems and hyperactivity. This preliminary evidence indicates that LLCD-S is a valid and reliable measure of low-level classroom disruption. Further research is needed to test the utility of the LLCD-S across different levels of education, cultures and as a pupil-reported measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chewing of betel quid, popularly known as doma khamdo, is prevalent in Bhutan and is associated with Bhutanese customs and traditions. The objective of this paper was to determine the prevalence and explore the correlates of current betel quid use in Bhutan. Materials and methods: This is a retrospective study of secondary data from the National Health Survey 2012 (NHS 2012) of Bhutan. The outcome variable of interest was current betel quid use. The self-reported demographic characteristics were obtained using a questionnaire developed following the WHO STEPwise approach to the surveillance of non-communicable diseases (STEP). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were performed to identify correlates for betel quid use. Results: The prevalence of current betel quid use in this study was 45.0%. The correlates associated with current betel quid use were: being female; having a primary, high school or a monastic education; being professionals in the armed forces, managers, technicians, service and sales workers, and machine operators; being current smokers; alcohol consumption; and intake of drugs. Correlates associated with decreased betel quid use were: having a diploma/certificate-level and non-formal education, and living in urban areas. Conclusion: The findings indicate that betel quid was consumed by nearly half of the Bhutanese population. Bhutan should immediately initiate national prevention programs targeting these correlates of betel quid use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Purpose: Visual impairment is a disability more commonly caused by diseases that lead to several disadvantages to the daily activities amongst those blind. For almost a century since the white cane was first introduced, the cane has remained as the most reliable tool for those affected by blindness. Methods: By using a combination of the capabilities of Internet of Things (IoT) and existing devices, such as mobile phones, an InWalker system is proposed to expand the functionality of the typical white cane, so as to introduce several new features that enhance the safety and confidence amongst people who are blind. As such, this paper explores the existing works and projects to comprehend the motivation and the standard practices for each proposed feature. Each of the strength and drawback has been assessed thoroughly to refine the scope of this project. Results: The proposed project, InWalker, is an intelligent system that has an embedded board system with various sensors to enhance the usability of white cane. The inputs from the sensor are processed on a microcontroller, which then pass the data to a smartphone via Bluetooth for additional features, such as global positioning system (GPS) tracking and SMS services. Conclusions: Based on the initial user testing, the proposed system has successfully fulfilled most of the users' need. Visual impairment is a disability more commonly caused by diseases that lead to several disadvantages amongst those blind. The white cane has been seen as the most reliable tool for the visual impaired. This tool could be further improved with the integration of additional sensors that works with today's mobile devices. The proposed system, InWalker, is able to improve the overall quality of life among people who are blind through several features: obstacle detection, GPS tracking and a light illumination in dark environments for increased safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we analyze the family level and socio-demographic factors affecting women's decision-making ability over access to reproductive health care services in rural communities of Balkh province, Afghanistan. A questionnaire survey was conducted with a total of 176 married women. Using logistic regression analysis, we found that four out of seven variables significantly influenced women's decision-making ability over access to Reproductive Health Care Services (RHCS): extended family structure (OR = 14.31, p < 0.01), husbands accompanying their wives to RHCS (OR = 4.12, p < 0.05), discussing issues related to reproductive health with partner (OR = 3.57, p < 0.05), and distance from home to a health facility (OR =0.86, p < 0.01). Therefore, some policies or programs designed to improve husband-wife communication, in particular fostering discussions related to reproductive health and encouraging husbands to accompany their wives to health centers, are recommended to improve women's decision-making ability over access to RHCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical activity has been strongly associated with better physical and mental health outcomes. However, physical activity for better health outcomes depends on many factors, including the nature of the environment. In resource-challenged settings, the configurations of physical activities for salutogenic effects is rarely characterized. Using the Health Belief Model (HBM), this paper reviews and analyses factors that influence 150–300 minutes per week of Mild to Moderate Physical Activity (MMPA-150) among urban minority residents. Residents of a Racial and Ethnic Approach to Community Health (REACH)-targeted campaign funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including schools, housing projects, community health center and faith-based organizations in minority neighborhoods in a mid-west city were surveyed with a REACH Health Activity Assessment questionnaire. Using HBM constructs, multinomial logistic regression analyses were applied to determine levels of factors that impact MMPA-150. Black/African Americans were significantly more likely than others to engage in MMPA-150. Perceived vulnerability also predicted MMPA-150 in the bivariate model. There is need for planning and implementation, based on differences in resource access/availability. It is essential to clearly identify salutogenic activities that are living style based, which may not be vulnerable to lack of 'resources', for their implementation. Targeting these living style-based activities with health promotion and education interventions may help move the needle forward regarding the salutogenic effects of physical activities, and engaging in them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overall, adult men are less likely to seek and receive health care than women, but male circumcision for HIV prevention has been successful in engaging men in health services. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between masculine norms and health care-seeking among men participating in a voluntary male medical circumcision (VMMC) programme in the Dominican Republic (DR). We employed a mixed methods approach integrating survey data collected 6–12 months post-circumcision (n = 293) and in-depth interviews with a sub-sample of these men (n = 30). In our qualitative analysis, we found that health care-seeking is connected to masculine norms among men in the DR, including the perceptions of medical facilities as feminine spaces. Participants' narratives demonstrate that male circumcision programmes may facilitate men overcoming masculinity-related barriers to health care engagement. In quantitative analysis, we found that being concerned about being perceived as masculine was associated with health care-seeking behaviour in the past five years, though this association was not retained in multivariable analyses. Findings indicate that male circumcision programmes can familiarise men with the healthcare system and masculinise health care-seeking and utilisation, easing associated discomfort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Memory impairment can necessitate use of external memory aids to preserve functional independence. As external aids can be difficult to learn and remember to use, technology may improve the efficacy of current rehabilitation strategies. We detail the iterative development of a digital application of a paper-and-pencil memory notebook. Methods: Twenty participants (aged 54+) of varying levels of cognitive ability were recruited for four iterations of usability testing (five participants per iteration). Each participant completed a series of tasks using the digital memory notebook (DMN), followed by questionnaires that assessed satisfaction (Questionnaire for User Interface Satisfaction) and usability ratings (Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire) for the application. Results and Conclusions: Between Iterations 2 and 5, participants demonstrated marked reductions in time to complete several types of tasks (e.g., add event, navigate interface) using the DMN. Participants in Iteration 5 also rated all subscales of both the usability and satisfaction questionnaires very highly. Faster task completion times were correlated with more favourable system ratings. However, neither task performance times nor system ratings were correlated with cognitive abilities, scheduling tool use or comfort with technology. Both the questionnaire and performance-based data indicate the final iteration of the DMN was easy to use. Furthermore, the application was user-friendly despite individual differences in cognitive ability, familiarity with scheduling tools and comfort with technology. Future work will demonstrate whether the DMN will support everyday retrospective and prospective memory lapses and increase the functional independence and quality of life for persons with cognitive impairment. Building on practice standards and user-centred design, the digital memory notebook (DMN) application is an "all-in-one" memory aid and organizational tool with an intuitive interface designed to help improve everyday functioning. The DMN's today page, to do list and calendar functions can support everyday prospective and retrospective memory abilities. The DMN's notes, journaling and motivational functions can support longer-term goal planning and mood management. The DMN's alarm functions can support learning to use the DMN and serve as reminders to support prospective memory and aid in activity completion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To understand health disparities, it is important to use an intersectional framework that examines unique experiences of oppression faced by particular groups due to their intersecting identities and social positions linked to societal structures. We focus on Black and Latina women and their experiences with 'gendered racism' – unique forms of oppression due to the intersection of race/ethnicity and gender – to foster understanding of disparities between Black and Latina versus White women in sexual and reproductive health outcomes in the U.S. Specifically, we focus on stereotype-related gendered racism (ongoing discrimination and stereotype threat based on historically-rooted stereotypes about Black and Latina women's sexuality and motherhood) and birth control-related mistrust (ongoing mistrust of the government and medical system related to birth control due to historical and current abuses). Design: We analyzed data from two survey studies with adult women in New York (Study 1: paper-and-pencil community data collection, N = 135, Mage = 43.35) and across the U.S. (Study 2: online data collection, N = 343, Mage = 29.49) who were currently pregnant or had at least one child and identified as Black, Latina, or White. Results: Black and Latina women reported greater frequency of and concern over stereotype-related gendered racism (F(3,131) = 17.90, p <.001 Study 1; F(3,339) = 22.23, p <.001 Study 2) and greater birth control-related mistrust (F(3,131) = 7.55, p <.001 Study 1; F(3,339) = 17.32, p <.001 Study 2) than White women did. In turn, stereotype-related gendered racism was positively associated with pregnancy-specific stress (ß =.40, p <.001 Study 1; ß =.33, p <.001 Study 2), and birth control-related mistrust was negatively associated with sexual relationship power (ß = −.19, p =.002 Study 2), which are factors known to contribute to birth outcomes and sexual risk, respectively. Conclusion: Findings suggest that gendered racism may play an important role in existing racial/ethnic disparities in women's sexual and reproductive health outcomes, and interventions addressing gendered racism at multiple levels are needed to promote health equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple victimization and their impact on the mental health of immigrant women have been understudied. This paper assesses the relationship between multiple victimization and the emotional maladjustment of immigrant women in Portugal. Data were collected from a sample of 107 immigrant women via a set of questionnaires that assessed the victimization experience, psychological maladjustment, and resilience. The main objective was to analyze the role of resilience in the mental health of multiple victimized immigrant women in Portugal. The results showed that 78.5% of immigrant women in Portugal reported experiencing at least one type of victimization during life (66.4% experienced multiple victimization and 12.1% single victimization), 45% displayed psychological maladjustment and 14% suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Unemployment, low socioeconomic status and a higher number of types of victimization experienced constituted risk factors for mental health problems. A mediation model found that there is an indirect effect of the total index of victimization in psychological maladjustment, mediated by resilience. The results suggest a complex relationship between victimization and emotional maladjustment, combining individual, interpersonal, structural and social factors. The implications for practice are discussed, not only regarding the risk intervention, but also the empowerment of immigrant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assistive Technology (AT) product use occurs within a socio-cultural setting. The growth internationally in the AT product market suggests that designers need to be aware of the influences that diverse cultures may have on the societal perception of an AT product through its semantic attributes. The study aimed to evaluate the visual interaction with an AT product by young adults from Pakistan, a collectivist society, and the United Kingdom (UK), an individualist society. A paper-based questionnaire survey was carried out with 281 first-year undergraduate students from the UK and Pakistan to evaluate their perception towards the visual representation of a generic conventional wheelchair image. A semantics differential (SD) scale method was used involving a seven-point bipolar SD scale incorporating sixteen pairs of adjectives defining functional, meaning, and usability attributes of the product. The mean (M) and standard deviation (sd) values were obtained for each pair of adjectives and compared between both groups by employing appropriate parametric tests. The results show that having a diverse cultural background did not appear to have overtly influenced the meanings ascribed to the generic manual wheelchair, which was unexpected. The University 'Internationalist' environment may have influenced the results. Some minor but critical differences were found for some pairs of adjectives (bulky-compact, heavy-light), having p-value less than.05 (p <.05) that related to previous experience of wheelchairs and/or their use. Further studies are planned to investigate and validate outcomes with other student and non-student groups. The semantic attributes of assistive technologies highlight a number of aspects that have implications for those involved in Assistive Technology (AT) product development, manufacturing and marketing. • For online sales, the AT products rely on the web page image to communicate the purpose and attributes of the product. There are limited explorations related to the semantic/communicative attributes of AT product presented in images, as perceived by individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds. • The knowledge towards semantic meaning ascribed to the AT product is important to investigate to provide a perspective that goes beyond practical functions of the AT product towards the communicative function. • Information of comprehending semantics and significance of the AT product from a social (non-users) viewpoint may benefits manufacturers in the development of AT products that best meet the societal needs, preferences and expectations. • A model of best practice, with a focus on semantic manipulation will offer Industrial Designers (ID) internationally with the suitable process and tools to reframe perceptions of disability and enhance acceptance of AT products not only for users, but also for the society around them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Drawing on survey data (N = 7,826) collected in the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States, this paper examines whether sexual orientation is a differentiating factor in explaining relationship quality and maintenance. Previous research suggests that sexual orientation is not significant in determining relationship satisfaction; however, these analyses have used traditional variable driven approaches, which do not provide an holistic view of the relationship by considering the unique combination of characteristics. Method: In this study, latent profile analyses were used, which is a person-centered approach that allows for identification of different types of long-term relationships. Results: Data suggested that LGB individuals had marginally higher levels of relationship quality compared to their heterosexual counterparts, and sexual orientation was also associated with differing types of long-term relationships. Discussion: These findings are interrogated in more detail, in particular, how sexual orientation is associated with types of long-term relationships and how everyday practices are associated with relationship quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies in north-western Australia Aboriginal communities identified executive functioning and behavioural regulation as significant issues for children. Exposure to alcohol prenatally and adverse childhood experiences are known risk factors for impaired self-regulation and executive function, these risk factors being present in remote communities. In response, a partnership was initiated to trial a teacher-delivered self-regulation intervention based on the Alert Program®. While student outcomes were assessed, this paper describes the implementation and impact of the intervention on teachers through the five dimensions of the RE-AIM framework (Reach, Efficacy, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance). Trained classroom teachers (n = 29) delivered eight Alert Program® lessons to students over 8- weeks. Impact and implementation outcomes were assessed through teacher training and student lesson attendance data, and pre-training and post-intervention teacher questionnaires. Data were analysed using paired-samples t-tests and descriptive statistics. Eighty-one to 100% of prescribed lessons were implemented and teacher understanding of self-regulation and the Alert Program® improved significantly following the intervention (n = 14, p ≤.001). Most teachers (88%) reported changing their teaching and behaviour management practices because of the intervention and agreed there were benefits in teaching the Alert Program® to students in a region with high reported rates of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder and self-regulation impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: As part of a large mixed-method study aimed at capturing understandings of dignity, and care expectations of community dwelling older women from Black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds living in Wales, the aim of this paper is to compare service providers' perceptions of their care and support provided to older people in general, and to older women from BME backgrounds in particular, with a focus on two dignity indicators: care and support needs, and effective communication. Design: A survey design was used. Results: A total of 124 responses from service providers in Wales were received. Perceived inequalities in care and support were found. Although most respondents reported that care and support provision was generally acceptable, more respondents believed that compared to older people in general, older women from BME backgrounds were seldom or never offered opportunities and support to express their needs, were involved in their own care, were provided appropriate information, had their key needs especially less visible needs (psychological and religious needs) been taken into account, or were communicated with effectively (all p < 0.05). In some cases, respondents tended to report more positively in areas related to their own practice. Conclusion: We suggest that learning from the views and perceptions of service providers, as well as older people and their families, remains key to developing services for the UK's increasingly diverse and ageing population. A better understanding of how inequalities may occur, their impact on older people and their families, and how they may be minimised can inform the development of high quality care for older people regardless of their ethnic and cultural backgrounds in Wales, other parts of the UK and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internet technology has flourished in India keeping pace with other developing countries. In keeping pace with this advancement, the Internet of Things (IoT) technology is also spreading in India. Government of India (GOI) has realised IoT's business prospect and published draft policy on IoT in 2015. To achieve a better result, the prospective users are required to be kept aware regarding the prospect of IoT and for this, social media is expected to play a pivotal role. Social media can highlight advantages of IoT and in turn, these advantages would be made known to other potential users through Word of Month (WOM). This would bring in projection of a new business paradigm as contemplated by GOI. The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors affecting actual use of IoT by the potential users of India and to develop a conceptual model. The model has been verified through survey with inputs from 208 participants identified from three metropolitan cities of India. The responses have been quantified through 5-Point Likert scale. The result shows the implication that social media and WOM almost equally influence Indians to use IoT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the potential of ICT to support reflective learning for professionals. We aggregated data collected in 20 field studies with 12 different applications, involving a total of 321 participants. The applications addressed individual reflection as well as collaborative reflection. Such a systematic analysis with different applications used across industry sectors and companies is unique in the current literature on computer-supported reflective learning in the workplace. Primarily, we assessed the reaction to reflection applications and their effectiveness regarding learning, behaviour change, and organisational impact. In addition, we investigated differences with respect to work experience. Results show that users had a positive reaction to the apps and perceived their use to be beneficial for their work by using them. In collaborative reflection an inexperienced employee can benefit from the experiences and perspectives of more experienced (co-)workers. In contrast, individual reflection was more profitable for more experienced workers. Notwithstanding the overall positive results, the actual implementation of reflection applications requires careful adaptation to the specific organisational and situational context, as well as introductory and accompanying measures to assure efficient and beneficial usage of the tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the United Kingdom, undertaking continuing professional development (CPD) is required for revalidation with regulatory authorities for general practitioners, general practice nurses and registered pharmacy staff – pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. A survey of CPD preferences and activities of these four professions has been published and this paper focuses on one qualitative question in the survey: 'Please describe any changes that you anticipate in the way in which you will undertake CPD over the next 12 months.' Responses were analysed using content analysis, then codes and themes were developed into a coding framework. 1,159 respondents provided comments to the question and five themes were identified: options for learning, time, appraisal and revalidation, people in transition and use of technology. There was a desire for face-to-face courses, for interactive learning and for variety of learning methods. Respondents valued learning with others and Practice-Based Small Group Learning was considered to be flexible and promoted inter-professional learning and socialisation. Lack of time for learning was seen as a barrier for respondents. Respondents considered that CPD was needed to support them as their roles developed in primary healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global demand for capacity building has increased interest for eLearning. As eLearning resources become more common, effective implementation is required to scale up utilization in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). This paper describes the process of implementing a malnutrition eLearning course, effectiveness of course delivery models devised, factors affecting course completion, and cost comparison between the models and face-to-face training at healthcare and academic institutions in Ghana. Four delivery models: Mobile Training Centre (MTC), Online Delivery (OD), Institutional Computer Workstation (ICW) and Mixed Delivery (MD) – a combination of OD and ICW – were determined. Participants were enabled to access the course using one of the four models where contextually appropriate. Pre and post-assessments and questionnaires were administered to compare participants' course completion status and knowledge gain between delivery models. The effect of access to computer and Internet at home and relevance of course to job and academic progression on course completion were further investigated. Comparison of delivery model costs against face-to-face training was also undertaken. Of 7 academic and 9 healthcare institutions involving 915 people, 9 used MTC (34.8%), 3 OD (18.8%), 3 ICW (34.2%) and 1 MD (12.2%). Course completion was higher among institutions where the course was relevant to job or implemented as part of required curriculum activities. Knowledge gain was significant among most participants, but higher among those who found the course relevant to job or academic progression. The implementation costs per participant for training with MTC were £51.0, OD £2.2, ICW £1.2 and MD £1.1, compared with a face-to-face training estimate of £105.0 (1 GHS = 0.14 GBP). The malnutrition eLearning course makes global capacity building in malnutrition management achievable. Adopting contextually appropriate delivery models and ensuring training is relevant to job/academic progression can enhance eLearning effectiveness in LMICs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social workers (SW) and community health workers (CHW) have emerged as key workforce personnel in efforts to care for elders in the U.S. However, little is known about the presence and roles of SW and CHW in primary care practices. This paper presents findings from a nationally representative survey of geriatrics and primary care practices. Physician and nurse practitioner clinicians were randomly selected within practices, stratifying by practice staffing and presence/absence of geriatric clinicians; our final sample for this analysis included 341 practices. Key findings include: reported challenges in meeting the social service needs of elders, underutilization of SW, and fuller utilization of social work competencies in practices in which both SW and CHW were present. These findings offer a unique perspective of SW on interprofessional teams and have implications for the future of the profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Africa, high discontinuation of contraceptive use is thwarting goals for healthy birth spacing or limiting childbearing. This paper investigates how well the contraception program is addressing the needs of women and couples in the Arusha region, Tanzania by studying contraceptive use continuation. We measured the overall and method-specific discontinuation rate, reasons for discontinuation, post-discontinuation reproductive behaviours/outcomes, and examined the determinants of contraceptive discontinuation. We used data from a household survey conducted in Arusha from January to May 2018. Information on contraceptive use during the 31 months preceding the survey was recorded in a monthly calendar. Using the single- and multiple-decrement life-table approach, we calculated the overall and cause-specific discontinuation of contraceptive methods. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the determinants of discontinuation. The 12-month overall discontinuation of contraceptive use was 44.6%. Discontinuation was lowest for implants (12.3%) and highest for male condoms (60.1%), the most common reason being side effects (11.7%). 59.8% of women who discontinued did not switch to another method within 3 months following discontinuation and 20.9% experienced pregnancy. Longer distance to a health facility is associated with higher discontinuation of hormonal methods such as injectables, but lower discontinuation of non-hormonal methods such as condoms. Discontinuation due to side effects is not explained by most of the women's background characteristics other than the method they used. Discontinuation of contraception is high among Arusha women. Effective contraception programs, especially improved counselling, need to address the reasons for the discontinuation of contraceptive use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The appropriate use of language in context depends on the speaker's pragmatic language competencies. A coding system was used to develop a specific and adult-focused self-administered questionnaire to adults who stutter and adults who do not stutter, The Assessment of Language Use in Social Contexts for Adults, with three categories: precursors, basic exchanges, and extended literal/non-literal discourse. This paper presents the content validity, item analysis, reliability coefficients and evidences of construct validity of the instrument. Methods: Content validity analysis was based on a two-stage process: first, 11 pragmatic questionnaires were assessed to identify items that probe each pragmatic competency and to create the first version of the instrument; second, items were assessed qualitatively by an expert panel composed by adults who stutter and controls, and quantitatively and qualitatively by an expert panel composed by clinicians. A pilot study was conducted with five adults who stutter and five controls to analyse items and calculate reliability. Construct validity evidences were obtained using the hypothesized relationships method and factor analysis with 28 adults who stutter and 28 controls. Results: Concerning content validity, the questionnaires assessed up to 13 pragmatic competencies. Qualitative and quantitative analysis revealed ambiguities in items construction. Disagreement between experts was solved through item modification. The pilot study showed that the instrument presented internal consistency and temporal stability. Significant differences between adults who stutter and controls and different response profiles revealed the instrument's underlying construct. Conclusion: The instrument is reliable and presented evidences of construct validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child abuse linked to faith or belief (CALFB) is not a recent phenomenon; nor specific to any given culture or faith. This paper presents current work which articulates counsellors' understanding, experience and training needs around CALFB. An online survey collected data from participants, 79 of whom identified themselves as counsellors. Seventy-nine per cent of these counsellors stated that they had heard of the term CALFB. Sixty-six per cent were confident that they understood the term. However, only 46% were confident they could identify indicators with 54% being 'confident' to respond. Just 34% of the counsellors had received specific training on CALFB. It is argued here that awareness raising and training around the issues of CALFB are important to include in counsellor training courses and also as Continuous Professional Development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demographic shift marks the beginning of a social transformation with far reaching implications, and differences in aging processes across individuals render one-size fits-all policies ineffective. An area of increasing importance is assistive technology, including physical and Social Assistance Robots (SARs) for elderly support. In order to increase the effectiveness of such technologies, their design, functionality, and acceptance by target users must be evaluated. This paper presents a study that examines SAR technology acceptance among the future elderly (aged 20–60) in a German-speaking population (N=188). In doing this, we investigated the relationships between personality, resilience, technology experience, expectations for technology, fulfilment of expectations for technology, and technology acceptance. The study found significant correlations between age, gender, education, personality, resilience, experience, expectations, and technology acceptance and its subdimensions. Of the personality dimensions, agreeableness and neuroticism were found most relevant. Small effects were found between resilience and acceptance, and highly significant ones between technology acceptance, technology experience, expectations for SARs, and fulfilment of expectations for SARs. In keeping with previous research, the findings suggest that personality plays a significant role in the acceptance of SAR technologies. This study may be one of the first that considers and evaluates resilience as a factor in technology acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information on occupational health and safety practices in Brazilian aquaculture is limited. This paper reports preliminary results from an online survey based on research questions to identify occupational hazards, risk assessment practices, and prevention measures adopted in Brazilian aquaculture. Data were collected through an online questionnaire, comprising 25 questions, on a voluntary and anonymous basis. Aquaculture stakeholders were invited to participate in the study through email and social media channels. The demographic data demonstrated that the majority of respondents were men (72%) and having a higher education (95%). Most respondents employed administrative controls and personal protective equipment (PPE) rather than substitution and other risk elimination measures to reduce exposure. The most commonly adopted measures were PPE use (87%), adequate handling of chemicals (86%), and imparting knowledge of risks (90%). However, only 12% of participants reported the presence of safety protocols at their workplace, and 17% had some form of immunization of workers. In this study, it was possible to identify a lack of hazard signage in the workplace and lack of occupational health and safety training. The results further indicate that risk management in aquaculture continues to be a challenge in low-income countries. Aquaculture farmers should be encouraged and supported in adopting measures and appropriate technologies to eliminate risks in Brazilian aquaculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixing languages within a sentence or a conversation is a common practice among many speakers of multiple languages. Language mixing found in multilingual speakers with aphasia has been suggested to reflect deficits associated with the brain lesion. In this paper, we examine language mixing behaviour in multilingual people with aphasia to test the hypothesis that the use of language mixing reflects a communicative strategy. We analysed connected language production elicited from 11 individuals with aphasia. Words produced were coded as mixed or not. Frequencies of mixing were tabulated for each individual in each of her or his languages in each of two elicitation tasks (Picture sequence description, Narrative production). We tested the predictions that there would be more word mixing: for participants with greater aphasia severity; while speaking in a language of lower post-stroke proficiency; during a task that requires more restricted word retrieval; for people with non-fluent aphasia, while attempting to produce function words (compared to content words); and that there would be little use of a language not known to the interlocutors. The results supported three of the five predictions. We interpret our data to suggest that multilingual speakers with aphasia mix words in connected language production primarily to bypass instances of word-retrieval difficulties, and typically avoid pragmatically inappropriate language mixing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to examine the characteristics of students who withdrew from a university counselling service in northern Italy. Differences found in the socio-demographic characteristics of counselling completers and dropouts and in the scores obtained in questionnaires administered at the outset were analysed. Furthermore, in order to identify reasons for dropping out, a qualitative approach was also used. The results suggest that premature termination is not a unitary phenomenon and that dropouts are a heterogeneous group. It is important not to always consider dropouts as a negative outcome of university counselling services. Additional research on dropouts is needed to help university counselling services to serve students more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:There is a lack of evidence-based knowledge about the effectiveness of home-based OT for older adults aimed at improving occupational performance by practicing activities and tasks. Aim:This review synthesizes and discusses evidence for the effectiveness of occupation-focused and occupation-based OT for older adults at home. Material and methods:Peer-reviewed quantitative papers were included. Participants: ≥ 60-year-old adults with functional limitations. Intervention: OT aiming at improving occupational performance, primarily through the practice of activities and tasks. Outcome: Occupational performance. Context: Home. Three reviewers critically appraised 13 of 995 detected papers. Extracted data were presented and summarized descriptively. Results:Eight high-quality papers showed that occupation-focused and occupation-based OT using cognitive, behavioral and environmental strategies may significantly improve occupational performance in older, home-dwelling adults with physical health problems. Maintaining achieved improvements was a consistent challenge. Conclusions and significance:Evidence suggests that older adults’ occupational performance can be significantly improved through low-intensity occupation-focused and occupation-based intervention. It is recommended to develop and test high-intensity OT programs and maintenance programs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Current international targets aim for 90% of people diagnosed with HIV to be on antiretroviral treatment (ART). This paper aims to identify sociodemographic and attitudinal factors associated with ART non-use over time in three samples of Australian people living with HIV (PLHIV). Data for this paper were derived from an Australian cross-sectional survey of PLHIV that was repeated at three different time points: 1997, 2003, and 2012. There were approximately 1000 respondents to each survey (n = 3042 in total). The survey included approximately 250 items related broadly to health and well-being, ART use, and attitudes towards ART use. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used. While the proportion of participants using ART increased between 1997 and 2012 (78.8–87.6%,p < .001), there was a decrease between 1997 and 2003 to 70.6% (p < .001). Factors linked to ART non-use remained steady over those 15 years. In all cohorts, people less likely to be using ART were younger and had a more recent diagnosis of HIV. In 2003 and 2012, people in full-time employment were less likely to be using ART, while those whose main source of income was a pension or social security were more likely to be using ART. Multivariate models showed that, at each time point, a belief in the health benefits of delayed ART uptake was associated with non-use. These findings suggest that there may be barriers to ART uptake that have persisted over time despite changes to clinical guidelines that now encourage early uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose:The aim of the present paper was to study preferences for web based self-administered questionnaires (web SAQs) vs. paper-based self-administered questionnaires (paper SAQs) and to evaluate the feasibility of using web SAQs in patients referred to cardiac, lung, occupational and cancer rehabilitation programs. Methods:The patients were approached by mail and given the choice to answer the compulsory SAQs either on paper or on a web-based platform. Results:Hundred and twenty seven out of 183 eligible patients (69.3%) were willing to participate and 126 completed the study. Web SAQs were preferred by 77.7%, and these patients were significantly younger, more often cohabiting and tended to have higher level of education than paper SAQ users. Mean number of data missing per patient was less among the web SAQ users than the paper SAQ users (0.55 vs. 2.15,p < 0.001). Costs related to human resources were estimated to be 60% lower with web SAQs compared to paper SAQs. Conclusions:Web SAQs were well accepted among the patients scheduled for rehabilitation, led to less missing data and considerable cost savings related to human resources. Patients referred to rehabilitation should be offered the choice to complete self-administered questionnaires on internet platforms when internet access is common and available.Implications for RehabilitationThe high acceptability of web-based self-administered questionnaires among rehabilitation patients suggests that internet platforms are suitable tools to collect patient information for rehabilitation units.Web-based modes of patient data collection demonstrate low number of missing data and can therefore improve the quality of data collection from rehabilitation patients.Use of web-based questionnaires considerably reduces administrative costs of data collection in rehabilitation settings compared to traditional pen and paper methods. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

School-based comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) programmes play an important role in reducing young people's sexual risk behaviour and promoting health and well-being. There is limited evidence regarding the attitudes and beliefs of parents towards the implementation of school-based CSE programmes in Islamic cultural settings, including Oman, which this mixed-method study set out to explore. A convenience sample of 250 parents, with equal numbers of mothers and fathers of children aged 12–14 years (grades 7–9) at two urban public pre-secondary schools in Saham, completed a paper-based self-administered questionnaire in Arabic. We found most parents (72.8%) supported school-based CSE programmes that conformed to Islamic requirements of pre-marital sexual abstinence, but there was some opposition. Almost all parents supported comprehensive age-appropriate CSE being taught to students aged 10–15 years, including topics perceived as controversial in Omani culture, except for birth control and safer sex. Most parents considered themselves, school teachers and school nurses to be important sources of CSE. The study findings which suggest strong parental support for CSE programmes can facilitate education policy, CSE curriculum decision-makers and school healthcare-providers in Oman, other Middle Eastern countries, and countries with Muslim immigrant populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Sweden, physicians training to be psychiatrists must complete a basic course in psychotherapy. This study investigated the perceptions of this course by 18 physicians who completed a basic course in psychotherapy. All participants answered a paper-and-pencil questionnaire and four were also interviewed. The results show that most physicians were satisfied with the course, especially with its focus on different psychotherapeutic perspective that gave them the opportunity to train in both cognitive behavioural therapy and psychodynamic therapy. Continuing to offer physicians high-quality psychotherapy training, especially one that encourages knowledge of several theories and methods that will later be useful in clinical practice as a psychiatrist, will benefit future psychiatrists and their patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uganda suffered four Ebola and five Marburg virus outbreaks from 2000 to 2012 with significant health worker mortality. This paper describes findings from 41 interviews with health workers from three outbreaks. Interviewees frequently encountered stigma from their communities, sometimes accompanied by mistrust and violence. These difficulties were defined as 'challenges of society.' Health workers also suffered emotional trauma, depressive symptoms, and fear classified as 'challenges of psyche.' As the incidence of such outbreaks will likely increase due to ecological and economic trends, health workers require greater access to personal protective equipment (PPE) and knowledge of viral containment. Such improvements would create an optimal psychosocial climate for managing infectious patients ultimately decreasing the severity of future outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of secondary data analyses investigating the influence of religious coping on HIV medication adherence across time among 167 Black Americans living with HIV (BALWH) in the Southeastern United States. Participants were recruited from a large urban clinic in Atlanta, GA and completed questionnaires about their religious coping at baseline assessment and about their medication adherence at baseline and 12-month follow-up assessment. Descriptive analyses and multiple linear regression were used to determine the association between religious coping and HIV medication adherence. Findings indicated that after controlling for age and depressive symptoms at baseline, positive religious coping significantly predicted medication adherence at baseline and 12-month follow-up. Negative religious coping was inversely associated with medication adherence at baseline after controlling for age and depressive symptoms but not at 12-month follow-up. The implications of these findings for future research and intervention work related to medication adherence among BALWH are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the high incidence of comorbid conditions of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) among women living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), there is a critical need to develop integrated interventions to address the comorbidity of HIV/AIDS, PTSD and SUD. This paper discusses a study conducted with African American women living with HIV/AIDS and histories of substance abuse and trauma in a major metropolitan city in the U.S. The purpose was to have women respond to a presentation on the acceptability of an integrated intervention entitled Trauma Affect Regulation: Guide for Education and Therapy (TARGET). The women also generated ideas on how to adapt the intervention for African American women. Participants responded favorably to TARGET and indicated that a holistic focus on the stigma of HIV/AIDS, and disclosure of HIV/AIDS to children and sexual partners were important considerations to include in an integrated PTSD/SUD treatment intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a global health burden that affects a broad scope of individuals worldwide. Pharmacists, as members of the multidisciplinary team, play a significant role in promoting public awareness towards potential risk factors for NCDs. This study aims to gauge the knowledge of NCDs risk factors among pharmacy students of a Malaysian public university. This paper also outlines perspectives of pharmacy students on the strategies to raise the awareness of NCDs risk factors. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the Faculty of Pharmacy, International Islamic University Malaysia. Self-administered questionnaires were pretested and validated before being distributed to pharmacy students across different years of study. The data indicated an average level of knowledge towards risk factors of NCDs among study participants with no significant differences in knowledge between male and female genders (p = 0.583). However, there is a significant difference in knowledge concerning the year of study (p < 0.001); as positive correlation can be seen between the level of education and the knowledge of NCDs risk factor. Most of the students (75%) were unaware of the planning by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to control NCDs. Reinforcement of NCDs-related education activities is imperative in order to increase the overall awareness concerning the risk factors of NCDs among future pharmacy practitioners. Further collaborations between educational institutions and the MOH were proposed to help raise awareness of NCDs risk factors among the younger population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to analyze the overall picture of Indonesian civic engagement, particularly among Palangka Raya university students. Through a quantitative approach and survey method, the population and sample of the research include the students who were on their fourth (2015/2016) and second (2016/2017) semester about 2,422 students. The answers were then divided into three categories: good, moderate, and poor. As for the civic attitude and civic behavior variables, the maximum value is 5 and the minimum 1, and then the answers were divided into five categories: very high, high, moderate, low and very low. Findings reveal (i) the similarity of civic engagement in each faculty and level of the students who are on their fourth and second semester is in moderate category in terms of their knowledge based on identifying the governmental process, rights, and duties of citizens in terms of laws and politics, as well as the lecturers; (ii) the similarity of the high category of their attitude based on the values of humanity, empathy, openness, tolerance, ethics, and social responsibility; (iii) the difference of civic engagement between the second semester students who are low and the fourth semester who are high in terms of their behavior is determined by learning experience where the fourth semester students are more experienced in coping with the problems in community than the second semester counterparts. Recommendation for future research is the exploration of the reason behind the emerging unsynchronized results between the Indonesian civic knowledge, attitude, and behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: A screening instrument (0–100 points) to predict return-to-work (RTW) problems was developed. We tested the predictive validity in patients with mental diseases (MD) and musculoskeletal diseases (MSD). Materials and methods: A prospective multicenter study with questionnaires at admission and 3 months after rehabilitation was conducted. Patients with MD and MSD were included. The outcome was occurrence of RTW problems during the follow-up. Receiver operating characteristic analyses were performed. Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values were calculated for each disease group using the threshold of 27 points. Results: There were 401 patients with MD (n = 250) and MSD (n = 151) included in the study, and 31.8% and 46.4% reported RTW problems during the follow-up, respectively. The area under curve was 0.885 (0.838–0.920) and 0.899 (0.841–0.943). The sensitivity rates were 87.1% and 87.5% and the specificity rates were 79.9% and 88.4% for MD and MSD, respectively. The post-test probability of experiencing RTW problems was 78.9% for MD and 77.8% for MSD. Analyses including only employed patients showed similar results. Conclusions: The screening predicts short-term RTW problems after rehabilitation in patients with mental or MSD regardless of employment. The threshold of 27 points was confirmed as reasonable, but alternatives in the range of 20–30 points can also be recommended. The SIMBO is a short and economic screening predicting future problems during the return to work (RTW) in patients with mental or musculoskeletal diseases. The SIMBO can be recommended to detect the initial RTW chance at the beginning of the rehabilitation process. This paper implied that there are mainly generic factors predicting the success of an RTW. Based on this it is possible to use one screening for different disease groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this paper is to present the outcomes data from the largest United Kingdom's (UK) National Health Service (NHS) clinical rTMS service treating treatment resistant depression (TRD). Methods: The study was a retrospective investigation of routinely collected data on patients receiving rTMS between 2015 and 2017. Measures used were the clinician-rated Clinical Global Impression (CGI) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), and patient rated Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The outcome data of 73 patients with TRD were analysed. The sample included patients with co-morbid psychiatric diagnosis. Results: Response and remission rates, respectively, were 40.4% and 25.5% for the HAM-D; 35.6% and 20.8% for the BDI; and 51.1% and 52.1% for the CGI. Effect sizes were medium (0.54, 0.52 and 0.56, respectively). Conclusions: The results show that a UK-based clinical service achieves similar results to those published internationally and that clinical rTMS can have significant impact on symptoms of depression in many patients with TRD. Health services are under pressure to make financial savings, investment in rTMS could reduce the long-term treatment costs associated with TRD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes the development of Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy for use with complex depression (DITCC), and a pilot study testing DITCC's effectiveness. The pilot found large pre-post improvements in well-being and distress; moderate rates of reliable improvement and clinically significant change; and curvilinear declines in depression and anxiety. Treatment completers and near-completers (N= 19) showed a significant curvilinear decline in symptoms of depression (PHQ-9) and anxiety (GAD-7). The results provide preliminary evidence that DITCC can be used as an effective treatment approach for complex depression. However, further research is needed to test its effectiveness in different settings with a larger sample size, using appropriate comparison groups under controlled conditions to further elaborate the short-term and long-term effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the quality of perceived sound after stapedotomy over a 1-year follow-up period focussing on incidence of dysacusis, particularly distorted sound perception (DSP). DSP was assessed by (i) determination of the frequencies and hearing level that such perceptions are elicited by pure tones (pure-tone-evoked distorted sound perception, PTE-DSP), a novel psychoacoustic measurement introduced in this paper, and (ii) assessment of patient-reported occurrence of DSP using the Amsterdam Post Operative Sound Evaluation (APOSE) questionnaire (APOSE-DSP). Design: Prospective study. Study sample: Patients (n = 23) with otosclerosis undergoing stapedotomy. Results: An air-bone gap of <20 dB was achieved in 100% of the patients. Three weeks postoperatively, 48% of the patients reported measured PTE-DSP and 39% of the patients experienced APOSE-DSP. The PTE-DSP significantly decreased during the 1-year follow-up period (p = 0.03). Postoperatively, APOSE-DSP was associated with a smaller benefit (improvement in air conduction; p = 0.03), yet, a lower bone conduction pure-tone average was associated with PTE-DSP (p = 0.006). Conclusions: DSP after stapedotomy is associated with a smaller benefit 3 months after stapedotomy. DSP commonly occur after stapedotomy, but decrease over time. This is important information to be included in patient counselling before stapedotomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This commentary for the special issue on research that went wrong describes a study that explored factors that contribute to variability within Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) on organizational safety culture. We know from previous research that CNAs provide most direct care in nursing homes and that direct care workers often experience agency culture differently from agency management (Wolf et al., 2014). We were looking for factors that nursing homes could alter to improve the culture for CNAs, and thus, residents. We conducted a secondary analysis of data collected via a multi-component paper survey of CNAs employed in long term care. We used results from the Nursing Home Survey on Patient Safety Culture and primary shift, type of unit, and years as a CNA to identify modifiable characteristics that would explain variability in the perceptions of patient safety culture. The final sample included n = 106 from three nursing homes. Dimension scores were compared using bivariate tests appropriate to the scale and ordinal logistic regression. Despite support in the literature for the hypothesis, we found few significant differences on the total scale within groups. Differences in perceptions have implications for quality of care and the experiences of residents within nursing homes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, website aesthetics has received a fair amount of attention from the HCI community. This has led to the creation of a variety of multi-item questionnaires aimed at capturing users' aesthetic judgments. Researchers have used these questionnaires in several HCI studies to investigate the relationship between aesthetics and other evaluative constructs such as usability. However, their usefulness as evaluation tools in visual design practice remains underexplored. Lengthy multi-item questionnaires can be particularly problematic especially in studies where participants must evaluate multiple designs or when they are required to give responses repeatedly in predefined time intervals. Despite the criticism, single-item scales have been used in many past studies in which questionnaire length could be problematic. Another alternative available to practitioners/researchers are short versions of standardised multi-item questionnaires that have been created for the aesthetic evaluations of websites. In this paper, we present a study in which we compare the performance of three such condensed aesthetic questionnaires (i.e. aesthetics scale, AttrakDiff, VisAWI) during a website redesign project. The short versions of those questionnaires were used by 187 users during an evaluation of 7 alternative website designs. The questionnaires were compared on performance criteria such as reliability, validity, and predictive ability. Data analysis showed that although AttrakDiff's overall performance was better, a considerable amount of variance in aesthetic judgment could not be accounted for by any of the questionnaires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Technology holds great potential to support Deaf individuals as they age into older adulthood. However, it is unclear to what extent Deaf seniors are using technology in everyday life or whether they experience challenges in using technology. The current study explored technology use among older Deaf adults with regard to attitudes, adoption style, and frequency of use for a wide range of technologies, including assistive technologies (ATs) for persons with hearing loss and general, everyday technologies. Materials and methods: We developed a questionnaire that assessed older Deaf adults' use of and experiences with technology. The questionnaire was made available in online and paper versions. Participants (N = 109) were recruited from national conferences and organizations for the Deaf. Results: Overall, we found that the older Deaf adults were technology adopters and regularly use and feel comfortable with a variety of devices. However, we also identified a number of technologies that are not being used by this population, including an AT that appears to have become obsolete and technologies that use sound-based alerts. Conclusions: Insights on how older Deaf adults are embracing technology and which devices they are actually using can help policy makers, technology developers, and a range of aging services professionals, better meet the needs of this understudied population. Older Deaf adults use a variety of assistive and everyday technologies and must be considered as consumers and included in the design process. Older Deaf adults are generally positive in their attitudes towards technologies but they are infrequent users of potentially beneficial health technologies, highlighting opportunities for future research and development. Assistive technology for the Deaf (TTY/TTD) appears to have become obsolete with advances in modern communication technologies, which has implications for policy decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Survivorship is an under-recognized period in the care of women with breast cancer. This paper aimed to determine if supports provided by health services were adequate in meeting the expressed needs of women and partners during survivorship. A mixed-method study consisted of: (1) in-depth interviews with women (n = 18) and partners (n = 8) (completed June 2014–November 2014) and (2) a questionnaire with health providers (n = 34) (completed April 2015) regarding services offered, needs addressed, and barriers to service delivery. Both were completed in Perth, Western Australia. Findings were determined using thematic analysis and descriptive statistics. Many unmet needs were identified by women and partners, including: pain, fatigue, fear of recurrence, employment, leisure, and social and intimacy difficulties. Participants did not receive a formal plan to assist them. Health providers reported a range of supports, including cancer surveillance and management of physical, psychological, emotional, and relationship concerns. However, many barriers concerning service delivery were identified. Despite services reporting that they provided various supports, interview participants did not appear to use and benefit from these. Coordination of service delivery was identified as requiring improvement. The use of survivorship care plans also needs refinement to determine suitability for use during survivorship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Health-related quality of life constructs has been used to understand the multiple dimensions (i.e., physical health, psychological, environment and social relationships) that affect a person's health status. In order to improve health-related quality of life for young adults, it is important to understand the factors that influence each dimension. The purpose of this paper was to examine the influence of the presence of autism spectrum disorder and physical activity on the multiple domains of health-related quality of life for young adults. Methods: Three-hundred and twenty participants, including young adults with ASD, completed a questionnaire about their physical activity and health-related quality of life. Results: Five multiple regressions revealed that the presence of autism spectrum disorder significantly predicted overall health-related quality of life, the physical health domain, psychological domain, and the environment domain. Additionally, physical activity significantly predicted each domain and overall health-related quality of life regardless of the presence of autism spectrum disorder. Conclusion: Practitioners should recognize the limitations that individuals with autism spectrum disorder may experience regarding their health-related quality of life, and utilize physical activity as a tool for improving health-related quality of life. Implications for Rehabilitation: In order to address an individual's overall health, practitioners must consider multiple dimensions of health-related quality of life. Autism spectrum disorders influence how people perceive multiple dimensions of their health. Physical activity is a tool for improving perceptions of the multiple dimensions of health for individuals with and without autism spectrum disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Service dog programs are increasingly being explored as complementary or alternative interventions for military veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This paper details the results of a control group, pre-and-post pilot investigation evaluating the use of a 14-week service dog training program for veterans in central Florida. Thirty veterans diagnosed with PTSD, 15 in the intervention group and 15 in the waitlist controlled group, completed all pretests and posttests measures, consisting of the 136-item Trauma Symptom Inventory-2 and the 36-item World Health Organization-Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0. Compared to demographically similar veterans in the control group, participants who completed the service dog training program demonstrated significant decreases in posttraumatic symptomatology, intra/interpersonal difficulties associated with psychological trauma, and in disabilities secondary to their PTSD. Study findings, in combination with results from two other recently published controlled investigations, provide evidence supporting the endorsement and use of service dog programs as helpful complementary or alternative treatment options for some veterans. Social work practitioners may want to consider referring their veteran clients with PTSD to qualified service dog programs for adjunctive support when they are having difficulty engaging with or benefiting from office-based traditional therapy approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One way to ensure good user experience of IT systems is to conduct user centred evaluation, aimed to provide feedback to IT professionals on their IT systems from the user perspective. The objective of this paper is to explore a conceptual framework, named RAMES that supports evaluators when planning, comparing and documenting user centred evaluations in a structured way. The framework structures the elements of an evaluation into five categories: Roles, Activities, Materials, Environments, and System. The framework was developed based on a theoretical analysis. Two explorative studies with 92 participants in total show that two thirds of the participants found it easy or rather easy to use the framework, and 33% find it likely that they would use the framework again. The conclusion of the studies is that frameworks such as RAMES enhance the implementation of user centred evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Eczema is a pediatric skin disease that affects the psychosocial well-being of both children and their parent caregivers. This paper outlines a protocol for an experimental study that evaluates the effectiveness of a psychosocial empowerment program for children with eczema and their parent caregivers. Method: A multi-center randomized controlled trial is proposed, where parent–child dyads are randomized into two arms: an intervention group and wait-list control group. The intervention is delivered to participants in a parallel group format based on the Integrative Body-Mind-Spirit model which focuses on holistic well-being. Quality of life is measured before and after the intervention is provided, and five weeks after the intervention has been completed. Discussion: The suggested model fills a research gap in existing interventions, and provides new knowledge by evaluating the effectiveness of a tailored psychosocial intervention, delivered in group settings, for parent–child dyads affected by eczema. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper describes the development of a new psychoeducational universal prevention resilience program () designed to complement existing mental health services at a large public university. The first set of descriptive data (n = 229) from the project's student surveys is discussed. Methods: A voluntary and anonymous online questionnaire was used to determine student attitudes toward the new program. Results: A large majority of participants (more than 80%) perceived the website to be credible, rating it as believable, trustworthy, and accurate. 90% believe the university resources included in the project would help themselves and others overcome struggles and challenges. Other results are also discussed. Discussion: This data from a unique project shows the promise of using an online, integrative tool for a campus resilience initiative. The project is dynamic; analysis of student responses will inform ongoing revisions and refinements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the Celtic languages, Irish is among the few languages in the world that employ word initial mutations (IMs) in order to express grammatical functions. IMs express grammatical information by a way of systematic alternation of minimal phonological contrasts, which closely links segmental phonology to grammatical morphology (Irish also employs final consonant palatalization as a grammatical marker, but this will not be the focus of our paper). The overwhelming majority of Irish speakers are bilingual (with English), and virtually all Irish-speaking children grow up with varying degrees of exposure to and use of English in the home. Irish is undergoing rapid language change at present, and the system of IM is affected by this process of shift such that many fluent Irish speakers show inconsistent use of IM in their spoken language. Given inconsistency in the use of a grammatical system in the adult language, the question arises whether it will be possible to identify developmental norms for the use of IM in child language. This in turn has clinical implications, in terms of the presence (or absence) of clinical markers of language delay or disorder. The data we report on consist of narrative samples from typically developing children (aged between 3 and 6) and a group of parents, who completed the same task (telling a story from a wordless picture book). We plot consistency and accuracy IM use in the language of children and parents. A key finding is that inconsistent IM use by parents is mirrored by inconsistent use by children. We discuss clinical implications for language sampling for diagnostic purposes, and the importance of individualized assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]