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Background: Acute and late toxicities in patients treated with (chemo)radiotherapy for head and neck cancer (HNC) is common and can negatively impact quality of life and performance. Performance status instruments measure the functional ability to perform daily life activities and are important tools in the oncologic population. Aims: Since Dutch performance status scales for the HNC population are lacking, we conducted this study to translate the Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (PSS‐HN) into Dutch (D‐PSS‐HN) and to validate this version. Methods & Procedures: The D‐PSS‐HN was translated into Dutch according to the internationally described cross‐cultural adaptation process. It was administered to HNC patients and together with the Functional Oral Intake Scale completed by a speech and language pathologist at five different time points during the first 5 weeks of (chemo)radiotherapy. Patients were asked each time to complete the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy and the Swallowing Quality of Life Questionnaire. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to calculate convergent and discriminant validity and the evolution of D‐PSS‐HN scores was assessed by means of linear mixed models. Outcomes & Results: A total of 35 patients were recruited and > 98% of the clinician‐rated scales were completed. Convergent and discriminant validity were demonstrated, with all correlations rs between 0.467 and 0.819, and between 0.132 and 0.256, respectively. The subscales of the D‐PSS‐HN are sensitive to detect changes through time. Conclusion & Implications: The D‐PSS‐HN is a valid and reliable instrument to assess performance status in patients with HNC treated with (chemo)radiotherapy. It is a useful tool to measure HNC patients' current diet level and functional abilities to perform daily life activities. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject: Acute and late toxicities in patients treated with (chemo)radiotherapy for HNC are common and can negatively impact quality of life and performance. Performance status instruments measure the functional ability to perform daily life activities and are important tools in the oncologic population. However, Dutch performance status scales for the HNC population are lacking. Therefore, we translated the Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (PSS‐HN) into Dutch (D‐PSS‐HN) and validated this version. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: We translated the PSS‐HN and demonstrated its convergent and discriminant validity. The subscales of the D‐PSS‐HN are sensitive to detect changes through time. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: The D‐PSS‐HN is a useful tool to measure HNC patients' functional abilities to perform daily life activities. The tool can easily be used in clinical settings: since data collection duration is very short, this facilitates clinical (and research‐related) implementation of the scale. Patients' individual needs could be identified by using the D‐PSS‐HN, resulting in more appropriate approaches and (early) referrals if needed. Interdisciplinary communication could be facilitated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we revisit this well‐established linear relationship of person‐organisation, demands‐abilities, and needs‐supply fit with job satisfaction, commitment, and OCBs, and propose that this relationship may be linear for affective work outcomes but curvilinear for behavioural ones. We test this idea in a two‐wave sample of 212 employees, with measures taken 4 weeks apart. The results support the idea that the relationship between fit and behavioural outcomes can, indeed, be curvilinear. Overall, this study contributes to a better understanding of the nature of the relationship between fit and work outcomes by challenging the long‐held 'more fit is better' logic that pervades much of the PE fit research to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Text-to-speech technology can act as an important support tool in computer-based learning environments (CBLEs) as it provides auditory input, next to on-screen text. Particularly for students who use a language at home other than the language of instruction (LOI) applied at school, text-to-speech can be useful. The CBLE E-Validiv offers content in the LOI and one of six other languages. All content can be read aloud via text-to-speech. For students having a home language other than the LOI, the other language is set to their home language; students who use the LOI at home mostly have English or French available. This study aimed to determine fifth-grade students' use of bilingual text-to-speech and examine student characteristics related to this use ( n = 360). Multilevel hierarchical regression analyses show that particularly students having their home language available apply text-to-speech in their home language. However, their main focus remains on text-to-speech in the LOI. Students with a low self-assessed proficiency in their home language and those who often watch television and read books in the LOI use text-to-speech more in the LOI. Considerations for practice, the design of CBLEs with text-to-speech and future directions for research are discussed. Lay Description What is currently known about the subject? Text-to-speech (TTS) technology converts digital text to spoken language., Combining visual and auditory information extends working memory's capacity., TTS has potential to offer bilingual auditory support to language minority students., Learner characteristics may play a considerable role in the use of TTS., What does this paper add? Language minority students use TTS in the language of instruction and their home language., TTS in the home language is mainly applied as a support to strengthen understanding., Not being confident about the proficiency in the home language indicates a stronger focus on TTS in the language of instruction., Reading books and watching television in the language of instruction points to a stronger use of TTS in that language., What does this mean for practitioners? The computer-based learning environment can support students in meaning construction., TTS can assist language minority students both in the language of instruction and the home language., Students who are not confident in their home language need special attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2013; 23: 39-47 Background. Caries in preschool children remains an important public health issue. Aim. To determine (i) which teeth and tooth surfaces are most susceptible to dental caries by age 3, (ii) where do caries lesions develop during 2-year follow-up, and (iii) to evaluate the impact of caries onset on the distribution of new caries experience. Design. One thousand and fifty seven consecutively born children were recruited in Flanders (Belgium). Parents completed validated questionnaires on oral health-related behaviour and trained dentists examined the children at ages 3 and 5. Results. Children with visible caries experience at age 3 were significantly more vulnerable in developing additional caries during follow-up. In this group, new caries experience developed primarily in the occlusal and distal surfaces of the mandibular first molars and the occlusal surfaces of the maxillary second and first molars, whereas in the caries-free group, the occlusal surfaces of both mandibular and maxillary second molars ranked first. Conclusions. This paper confirms the higher vulnerability for further caries development in those children with caries experience at age 3. Visible caries develops most frequently in the occlusal surfaces of the second molars: in high-risk children already by age 3 and in children who were caries free at baseline by age 5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: The integration of evidence‐based practice (EBP) into speech and language therapy (SLT) curricula has been increasingly encouraged in recent years. Objectives: The study aimed to evaluate whether an educational module on EBP for undergraduate SLT students can improve their EBP competencies. Methods: The EBP module, taught by a SLT faculty member and a librarian, was delivered over 2 months. All fourth year SLT students (trained group) and all fourth year psychology students (control group) of the University of Liège (Belgium) were asked to participate in the study. Their performance on an adapted Fresno test was measured before and after the module. In addition, the SLT students took a computer‐based searching task. They were also asked to share their perceptions towards the module. Results: All the 47 SLT students and 57/108 psychology students took the pre‐ and post‐tests. Although both groups performed similarly at the baseline, only the trained students gained new skills and knowledge. Furthermore, 36 SLT students shared their perceptions on the module and offered suggestions on ways to improve it. Discussion‐Conclusion: Trained students improved their EBP competencies. Nevertheless, the module could be strengthened along with better integration of EBP into clinical modules and across the curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The typical emotional responses to certain types of situations differ across cultures. Being reprimanded by your teacher in front of the class may be cause for anger and indignation among pupils in one cultural context, but for anger, shame, and possibly respect for the teacher among pupils in another cultural context. The consequence for immigrant‐origin minorities is that they may not fit the emotions of the majority culture. Previous research has found that minorities who have majority contact have higher emotional fit with the majority culture. In the current study, we suggest that friendships with majority peers are particularly important to minorities' emotional fit. Students (945 minority and 1256 majority) from a representative sample of Belgian middle schools completed a sociometric questionnaire on their classroom friendships and rated their emotional experiences in two situations. Multilevel models yielded higher levels of emotional fit for minority youth with many (vs. few) majority friends as well as for minorities whose majority friends are connected (vs. less connected) to each other, or who are well‐connected in the majority peer network. Having majority friends predicted emotional fit over and above majority contact in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A retrospective cross‐sectional study was carried out in Wallonia (the southern region of Belgium) in which a 20‐question breastfeeding (BF) module was included in an immunization survey. The purpose of this paper is to compare exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) prevalences and BF practices for mothers giving birth in Baby‐friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) and non‐BFHI maternity facilities. A total of 557 mothers responded to BF questions when their child was 18–24 months old; 26.7% of them delivered in a BFHI maternity facility. At discharge, a larger proportion of children were exclusively breastfed if they were born in a BFHI maternity facility (76.5% vs. 65.8%, p = .02). The median duration of EBF (15.0 vs. 12.9 weeks, p = .3), and the proportion of children exclusively breastfed at 5 months (16.8% vs 15.8%, p = 1.0) were similar in both groups. Few mothers knew that EBF was recommended for the first 6 months of life (28.6% in BFHI vs 23.1% in non‐BFHI, p = .2). For most groups of the population examined, the rates of BF tended to be higher in BFHI facilities, but many differences were not significant. More specifically, BFHI seemed to boost BF practices among mothers more likely to breastfeed, but the Initiative did not seem to trigger enhanced BF practices in mothers traditionally less likely to breastfeed (except for indifferent/negative partner's attitude and mothers of Belgian origin). Influencing the BF practices of mothers less likely to breastfeed requires a special attention with complementary actions in maternity facilities as well as in community services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate and detailed data recording is indispensable for documenting archeological projects and for subsequent information exchange. To prevent comprehension and accessibility issues in these cases, data infrastructures can be useful. The establishment of such data infrastructures requires a clear understanding of the business processes and information flows within the archeological domain. This study attempts to provide insights into how information is managed in Flemish archeological processes and how this management process can be enhanced: an exploratory study based on an analysis of the new Flemish Immovable Heritage Decree, informal interviews with Flemish archeological organizations, and the results of an international survey. Three main processes, in which certified archeologists and the Flemish Heritage agency are key actors, were identified. Multiple types of information, the majority of which contain a geographical component, are recorded, acquired, used, and exchanged. Geographical information systems ( GIS) and geodatabases therefore appear to be valuable components of an archeology-specific data infrastructure. This is of interest because GIS are widely adopted in archeology and multiple Flemish archeological organizations are in favor of a government-provided exchange standard or database templates for data recording. Furthermore, free and open source software is preferred to ensure cost efficiency and customizability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Low back pain (LBP)‐related misbeliefs are known to be among risk factors for LBP chronification and for persistence of chronic pain. The main objective of this study was to investigate the current LBP‐related beliefs in the general population in Belgium, considering the fact that the last survey in Belgium about the topic was conducted more than 15 years ago. Methods: A cross‐sectional study design was used. Belgian adults (>17 years old) were recruited in the three regions of the country by means of non‐probabilistic recruitment methods. Participants were invited to fill in a battery of questionnaires including demographic questions as well as questions about their LBP history and the LBP Beliefs Questionnaire (LBPBQ). Results: A total of 3724 individuals participated in the study. The LBPBQ scores indicated several LBP‐related misbeliefs. About 15%–25% of participants still think that imaging tests can always identify the cause of pain and that bed rest is the mainstay of therapy. The majority of the participants think that "unnecessary" movements should be avoided when having LBP (58% of the respondents), and that they should "take it easy" until the pain goes away (69%). Most respondents also had maladaptive/wrong expectations, for example, a systematic worsening with time (65%) and a need for surgery in case of disc herniation (54%). Conclusions: The present study suggests that in 2020 several LBP‐related misbeliefs are still current in Belgium, particularly regarding the vulnerability of the spine. Therefore, further efforts to improve LBP‐related beliefs/knowledge in the general population are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This questionnaire‐based survey assessed the attitudes of dental hygiene students towards treating elderly patients. Methods: The 14‐item UCLA 14‐item Geriatrics Attitudes Scale (GAS‐14) questionnaire was used in this survey. A further set of nine questions evaluated the opinions of the students towards the existing geriatric curriculum in their respective institutions. Students from five dental hygiene schools from three countries (Switzerland, Belgium and Canada) participated in this survey. General demographic information from the participants was collected. Mean GAS‐14 scores were calculated; ANOVA and Bonferroni's tests were used for statistical analyses (p < 0.05). Results: Three hundred eighty‐five students (Switzerland: n = 157, mean age = 25.38 ± 4.6 years; Belgium: n = 82, mean age = 27.58 ± 12.8 years; Canada: n = 146, mean age = 25.95 ± 12.3 years) completed the survey for a response rate of 86.3%. The overall GAS‐14 scores for Switzerland, Belgium and Canada were 3.61 ± 0.42, 3.24 ± 0.37 and 3.32 ± 0.36, respectively. Switzerland scored significantly higher than Belgium and Canada (p < 0.0001). Overall scores revealed a significant effect of progressive training (p = 0.010). The GAS‐14 score was influenced by the nationality of the participants (p < 0.0001), but not influenced by sex, age, origin, religion, or marital and accommodation statuses. Majority of the students (75.8%) agreed that geriatric dentistry was an important part of their education. 77.4% agreed that they would like hands on experience in treating the elderly patient during their education. 85.1% of the participants considered mobile dental clinics as a good solution for the provision of dental care to the institutionalized elders. Conclusions: The general attitudes of DH students towards treating the elderly patients are on an acceptable level and improved as they progressed through their dental hygiene academic programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Doppler ultrasound cardiotocography is a non-invasive alternative that, despite its poor specificity, is often first choice for intrapartum monitoring. Doppler ultrasound suffers from signal loss due to fetal movements and is negatively correlated with maternal body mass index (BMI). Reported accuracy of fetal heart rate monitoring by Doppler ultrasound varies between 10.6 and 14.3 bpm and reliability between 62.4% and 73%. The fetal scalp electrode (FSE) is considered the reference standard for fetal monitoring but can only be applied after membranes have ruptured with sufficient cervical dilatation and is sometimes contra-indicated. A non-invasive alternative that overcomes the shortcomings of Doppler ultrasound, providing reliable information on fetal heart rate, could be the answer. Non-invasive fetal electrocardiography (NI-fECG) uses a wireless electrode patch on the maternal abdomen to obtain both fetal and maternal heart rate signals as well as an electrohysterogram. We aimed to validate a wireless NI-fECG device for intrapartum monitoring in term singleton pregnancies, by comparison with the FSE.Material and Methods: We performed a multicenter cross-sectional observational study at labor wards of 6 hospitals located in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain. Laboring women with a healthy singleton fetus in cephalic presentation and gestational age between 36 and 42 weeks were included. Participants received an abdominal electrode patch and FSE after written informed consent. Accuracy, reliability, and success rate of fetal heart rate readings were determined, using FSE as reference standard. Analysis was performed for the total population and measurement period as well as separated by labor stage and BMI class (≤30 and >30 kg/m2 ).Results: We included a total of 125 women. Simultaneous registrations with NI-fECG and FSE were available in 103 women. Overall accuracy is -1.46 bpm and overall reliability 86.84%. Overall success rate of the NI-fECG is around 90% for the total population as well as for both BMI subgroups. Success rate dropped to 63% during second stage of labor, similar results are found when looking at the separate BMI groups.Conclusions: Performance measures of the NI-fECG device are good in the overall group and the separate BMI groups. Compared with Doppler ultrasound performance measures from the literature, NI-fECG is a more accurate alternative. Especially, when women have a higher BMI, NI-fECG performs well, resembling FSE performance measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Trauma‐induced adverse reactions may trigger complications when moving teeth orthodontically. Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge of dental practitioners about this topic. Design: A questionnaire survey was organized among general dentists, paediatric dentists, and orthodontists in Flanders (Belgium). Three clinical cases describing trauma‐induced tooth damage (tooth ankylosis, apical root resorption, and pulp/root canal obliteration) were presented, followed by a set of questions. Results: The questionnaire was completed by 121 general dentists (GD), 47 paediatric dentists (PD), and 99 orthodontic specialists (OS). In the case with ankylosis, impossibility to move the tooth orthodontically was reported as most frequent adverse reaction (82.8% of GD, 95.7% of PD, and 100.0% of OS) (P <.001). In the situation of apical root resorption, the most frequently reported adverse event was progressive apical root resorption (78.9%, 85.7%, and 88.8% respectively; P =.265). Most frequently mentioned adverse reaction in the case with pulp and root canal obliteration was tooth discoloration (64.1%, 57.1%, and 78.3%; P =.055), followed by apical root resorption (57.4%, 56.8%, and 68.7%; P =.283). Orthodontic treatment recommendation differed among specific clinical situations but also among groups of dental practitioners. Conclusions: Important knowledge gaps exist regarding the orthodontic managment of traumatized teeth. This topic requires more attention in undergraduate training, specialist training, and continuing education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Plant‐based diets are recommended in the context of environmental sustainability and health. Since not all plant foods can be considered beneficial, a distinction needs to be made between healthful and unhealthful plant foods. The aim of this study was to investigate longitudinal associations between changes in an overall plant‐based diet index, a healthful plant‐based diet index and an unhealthful plant‐based diet index, with changes in anthropometrics and blood lipids as indicators of morphological and metabolic fitness, respectively. Methods: A 3‐day dietary record was completed by 650 Flemish adults (420 men, 230 women) in 2002‐2004 and 2012‐2014. Three plant‐based diet indices were calculated based on quintile scores regarding the intake of animal‐ or plant‐based food items. Associations between 10‐year changes in diet indices and changes in anthropometrics and blood lipids were tested using multivariate linear regression. Results: Plant‐based diet indices did not differ over time. Using the unadjusted model, few significant associations were found between changes in diet indices and changes in anthropometrics and blood lipids. However, these relationships disappeared after adjusting for confounding. In women, a positive association was found between changes in overall plant‐based diet index and changes in body mass index in the adjusted model. Conclusions: Index values did not differ over time and few longitudinal associations were found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Short‐term trials with a low‐FODMAP (fermentable oligosaccharides disaccharides monosaccharides and polyols) diet (LFD) show promising results in the symptomatic management of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The present study investigated the long‐term adherence to an LFD diet, factors associated with adherence, and associations between LFD and quality of life (QOL), IBS symptoms and disease course on a long‐term basis. Methods: A retrospective cross‐sectional study was conducted. Two hundred and thirty‐four patients were enrolled from Ghent University hospital. Health‐related QOL, long‐term adherence to the LFD, disease course and IBS symptoms were assessed using a validated and self‐developed questionnaire. Results: Ninety (38.5%) patients completed the questionnaires. The median time span between the first dietary consultation and completion of the questionnaires was 99.5 weeks (approaching 2 years). The predominant disease course was mild IBS with an indolent course (43.0%). Eighty percent reported still following a diet in which certain FODMAP‐rich food types are avoided. Eighty patients (88.9%) were satisfied that they follow or had followed the diet. The IBS‐QOL did not differ between patients following the diet strictly and patients deviating from the diet (P = 0.669). Patients still following the LFD experienced less severe abdominal pain than patients who stopped following the diet (P = 0.044). Conclusions: The long‐term adherence and satisfaction with the LFD is high in patients with IBS. Nevertheless, patients indicated that it was difficult to follow the LFD in daily life. Practical issues, social factors and the absence of symptoms were indicated as the main reasons for a drop in adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study illustrates the huge untapped potential of quantifying the impact of culture in making meaningful comparisons across groups. Our focus is on cross‐national differences in nurses' reports of their relations with physicians, and how the measurement of this complex construct and the evaluation of true differences are related to dimensions of national culture. Design: We examine across 14 European countries the association between indices of national culture from the seminal work of Hofstede and 39,435 nurses' ratings of their relations with physicians. Multilevel confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate strong factorial invariance across countries and to examine the influence of power distance and masculinity. Findings: There was wide variation across countries in nurses' reports of their relations with physicians. Strong factorial invariance was shown for a one‐factor model, which confirmed that across countries the seven survey items measure a common factor of physician‐nurse relations. This model showed no country bias for any of the seven survey items, which suggests that differences across countries reflect true differences. These true differences were significantly associated with variation in country values of power distance, which showed a significant negative correlation with physician–nurse relations. Conclusions: Continuously pursuing a better understanding of characteristics that impact the studied indicators, such as national culture, is elementary to better understand the construct under study. In this application, country values of power distance negatively impacted nurse‐reported relations with physicians, which strongly varied across countries. Clinical Relevance: Better nurse‐reported relations between nurses and physicians link to higher nurse job satisfaction, lower emotional exhaustion, better nurse‐perceived quality of care, and lower patient mortality. The Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index is an excellent instrument to characterize variation in working relations between nurses and physicians as well as physicians' professional posture towards nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shift toward individualistic career management requires a supportive and developmental career approach. Using coaching practices as a manifestation of such an approach, this study reports on coaching and other career practices that are part of supportive and developmental career management in a Belgium sample ( n = 154). Three other types of career management were identified as well. Supportive and developmental career management was most present in organizations that had a past or current prospector strategy, and was the least present in past or current defenders. The type of business strategy organizations indicated to pursue in the future did not have an influence on the type of career management they currently had. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Analogical mapping is a domain‐general cognitive process used notably in language development, and particularly in the abstraction of construction schemas. Children with developmental language disorders (DLD) display an impairment in linguistic productivity and creativity, which can be linked to a lack of generalization of construction schemas. Aims: To investigate analogical mapping in children with DLD, and especially the influence of processing load, as it could explain the lack of creativity observed in children with DLD. It was hypothesized that analogical mapping is altered in children with DLD and that greater cognitive load (sequential presentation and no perceptual support) would be linked to poorer performance in these children. Methods & Procedures: Fifteen children with DLD and their age‐matched peers were administrated a visual analogical reasoning task where they had to complete a sequence sharing the same relational structure as previously presented sequences. Two factors influencing processing load were studied: the modality of presentation (sequential versus simultaneous) and the perceptual support (with versus without). Outcomes & Results: Results showed an expected group effect with poorer performance in children with DLD compared with children with typical language development (TLD). Results corroborated hypotheses according to which children with DLD have difficulties with analogical mapping, which could hinder their abstraction of construction schemas. Results about the influence of processing load were mixed. While the difference between the two groups was more marked for the items without perceptual support than for those with perceptual support, children with DLD were not more affected by the sequential presentation than children with TLD. Conclusions & Implications: Children with DLD have impaired analogical mapping competences, especially when the relational similarities are not supported by perceptual cues. This impairment may be the cause of their difficulties in abstracting construction schemas, thus provoking their poor linguistic productivity and creativity. However, more studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis, as the influence of analogical reasoning on language development could also be reversed or could be linked to another external factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study assessed sociodemographics, general health, personal and environmental factors associated with fruit and vegetable (F&V) and total fat intake in Belgian university students. Methods: In total, 185 students completed a self‐reported online questionnaire assessing daily F&V and fat intake, as well as sociodemographic, personal and environmental variables related to F&V and fat intake. Mean F&V and fat consumption were compared with Belgian recommendations. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with F&V and fat intake. Results: Respectively, 90.3 and 50.8% of students failed to meet the recommendations for F&V and fat consumption. Agreeing more with the fact that one should eat F&V on most days of the week (individual subjective norm), finding it less difficult to eat F&V at home or at university (perceived behavioural control) and experiencing more modelling were associated with higher F&V consumption. Increasing age, higher educational level of the father and higher individual subjective norm about eating low‐fat foods were associated with lower fat intake. Conclusions: Future interventions aiming to improve dietary intake among university students should focus on younger students with lower socioeconomic status and should enhance students’ subjective norm and behavioural control concerning healthy eating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Team sports settings are challenging, dynamic environments in which coaches often benefit from proactive players who take initiative in providing valuable suggestions and feedback. Based on self‐determination theory and achievement goal theory, this study examined the mediating role of a mastery and performance motivational climate in the positive relation between coaches' psychological need‐supportive behavior and team athletes' proactivity. The study sample consisted of 75 male and 105 female volleyball players (Mage=21.92, SDage=4.92), whose level ranged from the highest national level in Belgium to the regional levels. They completed a questionnaire assessing coach need support, motivational climate and three primary types of proactivity (voice, taking charge, and upward communication). Multilevel structural equation modeling yielded a good fit for the hypothesized model. Consistent with our hypotheses, need support related positively to a mastery climate (β=0.74, P<.001), which, in turn, positively predicted proactivity (β=0.72, P<.001). Need‐supportive coaching behavior negatively predicted a performance climate (β=−0.39, P<.001). Rejecting our hypothesis, a performance climate positively predicted proactivity, albeit to a smaller extent than a mastery climate (β=0.21, P<.001). These findings suggest that a need‐supportive coaching style enables coaches to create a mastery climate. Such a climate seems to encourage athletes to be proactive, which enables teams to effectively tackle encountered challenges. The weaker but significant positive relation between a performance climate and proactivity will be discussed within the framework of social interdependence theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Oral hygiene instructions ( OHI) and patient motivation ( PM), often provided by dental hygienists, are essential attributes to establishing good oral health in patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the provision of OHI and PM by dental professionals in a dental care system without dental hygienists. Methods and materials A questionnaire, including 22 items (demographics, OHI and PM), was presented to 1037 dental professionals (=21.6% Flemish population). Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the provision of OHI and PM. Additionally, the Fisher-Freeman-Halton exact test was used to investigate the influence of qualification (general practitioner/specialist), work experience (< or ≥ 25 years), workload (< or ≥ 30 h), location of practice (rural/urban) and chair-side assistance (with/without). Results Response rate was 75%. Participants reported a single strategy for preventive care and felt their efforts were not in harmony with the results. Lack of time, remuneration and patient interest were reported as complicating factors and participants agreed on allowing assistants to provide preventive care. Significant variance was found based on qualification (12/17 items), work experience (7/17 items), workload (1/17 items), location of practice (2/17 items) and chair-side assistance (15/17 items). Conclusion In a context without dental hygienists, OHI and PM appeared non-compliant with current international guidelines. Although dental professionals were concerned with preventive dentistry, they reported barriers including lack of time, remuneration and patient compliance. Almost all participants expressed the need for delegation of in-mouth OHI, suggesting a need for dental hygienists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To explore the quality of interprofessional teamwork in acute geriatric care and to build a model of team types. Design Cross-sectional multicenter study. Setting Acute geriatric units in Belgium. Participants Team members of different professional backgrounds. Measurements Perceptions of interprofessional teamwork among team members of 55 acute geriatric units in Belgium were measured using a survey covering collaborative practice and experience, managerial coaching and open team culture, shared reflection and decision-making, patient files facilitating teamwork, members' belief in the power of teamwork, and members' comfort in reporting incidents. Cluster analysis was used to determine types of interprofessional teamwork. Professions and clusters were compared using analysis of variance. Results The overall response rate was 60%. Of the 890 respondents, 71% were nursing professionals, 20% other allied health professionals, 5% physicians, and 4% logistic and administrative staff. More than 70% of respondents scored highly on interprofessional teamwork competencies, consultation, experiences, meetings, management, and results. Fewer than 55% scored highly on items about shared reflection and decision-making, reporting incidents from a colleague, and patient files facilitating interprofessional teamwork. Nurses in this study rated shared reflection and decision-making lower than physicians on the same acute geriatric units ( P < .001). Using the mean score on each of the six areas, four clusters that differed significantly in all areas were identified using hierarchical cluster analysis and scree plot analysis ( P < .001). Conclusion Interprofessional teamwork in acute geriatric units is satisfactory, but shared reflection and decision-making needs improvement. Four types of interprofessional teamwork are identified and can be used to benchmark the teamwork of individual teams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To determine the prevalence, types, frequency, and duration of restraint use in older adults receiving home nursing care and to determine factors involved in the decision-making process for restraint use and application. Design Cross-sectional survey of restraint use in older adults receiving home care completed by primary care nurses. Setting Homes of older adults receiving care from a home nursing organization in Belgium. Participants Randomized sample of older adults receiving home care (N = 6,397; mean age 80.6; 66.8% female). Measurements For each participant, nurses completed an investigator-constructed and -validated questionnaire collecting information demographic, clinical, and behavioral characteristics and aspects of restraint use. A broad definition of restraint was used that includes a range of restrictive actions. Results Restraints were used in 24.7% of the participants, mostly on a daily basis (85%) and often for a long period (54.5%, 24 h/d). The most common reason for restraint use was safety (50.2%). Other reasons were that the individual wanted to remain at home longer, which necessitated the use of restraints (18.2%) and to provide respite for the informal caregiver (8.6%). The latter played an important role in the decision and application process. The physician was less involved in the process. In 64.5% of cases, there was no evaluation after restraint use was initiated. Conclusion Use of restraints is common in older adults receiving home care nursing in Belgium. These results contribute to a better understanding of the complexity of use of restraints in home care, a situation that may be even more complex than in nursing homes and acute hospital settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A quasi-experimental study was set up in secondary education to study the role of teachers while implementing tablet devices in science education. Three different classroom scripts that guided students and teachers' actions during the intervention on two social planes (group and classroom level) are compared. The main goal was to investigate which classroom script leads to the best results regarding progress in domain-specific knowledge and inquiry skills. Besides student achievement, students' experiences towards the role of the teacher and students' perceptions towards learning with tablets within the three conditions were investigated. In the first condition, the classroom script included learning activities that were balanced between the group and the classroom level. In the second condition, the learning activities occurred predominantly on the group level. The third condition entailed the classroom script as the control condition in which the learning activities were situated only on the classroom level, with the tablet used in a traditional way or as 'book behind glass'. Results show that students perform better on domain-specific knowledge in the conditions where the teacher intervened on the classroom level. Regarding the acquisition of inquiry skills, students performed best in the condition where the learning activities were balanced between the group and the classroom level. Moreover, students who perceived more structure achieved better. These results indicate that the role of the teacher cannot be ignored in technology-enhanced learning. Moreover, these results seem to suggest that one of the best apps remains the teacher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim This study investigated the role of social relationships in the sharing of cultural competence by testing two hypotheses: cultural competence is a socially shared behaviour; and central healthcare professionals are more culturally competent than non-central healthcare professionals. Background Sustaining cultural competence in healthcare services relies on the assumption that being culturally competent is a socially shared behaviour among health professionals. This assumption has never been tested. Introduction Organizational aspects surrounding cultural competence are poorly considered. This therefore leads to a heterogeneous implementation of cultural competence - especially in continental Europe. Methods We carried out a social network analysis in 24 Belgian inpatient and outpatient health services. All healthcare professionals ( ego) were requested to fill in a questionnaire (Survey on social relationships of health care professionals) on their level of cultural competence and to identify their professional relationships ( alter). We fitted regression models to assess whether (1) at the dyadic level, ego cultural competence was associated with alter cultural competence, and (2) health professionals of greater centrality had greater cultural competence. Results At the dyadic level, no significant associations were found between ego cultural competence and alter cultural competence, with the exception of subjective exposure to intercultural situations. No significant associations were found between centrality and cultural competence, except for subjective exposure to intercultural situations. Discussion Being culturally competent is not a shared behaviour among health professionals. The most central healthcare professionals are not more culturally competent than less central health professionals. Conclusions and implications for health policies Culturally competent health care is not yet a norm in health services. Health care and training authorities should either make cultural competent health care a licensing criteria or reward culturally competent health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background A short, reliable and valid tool to measure snack and beverage consumption in adolescents, taking into account the correct definitions, would benefit both epidemiological and intervention research. The present study aimed to develop a short quantitative beverage and snack food frequency questionnaire ( FFQ) and to assess the reliability and validity of this FFQ against three 24-h recalls. Methods Reliability was assessed by comparing estimates of the FFQ administered 14 days apart ( FFQ1 and FFQ2) in a convenience sample of 179 adolescents [60.3% male; mean (SD) 14.7 (0.9) years]. Validity was assessed by comparing FFQ1 with three telephone-administered 24-h recalls in a convenience sample of 99 adolescents [52.5% male, mean (SD) 14.8 (0.9) years]. Reliability and validity were assessed using Bland-Altman plots, classification agreements and correlation coefficients for the amount and frequency of consumption of unhealthy snacks, healthy snacks, unhealthy beverages, healthy beverages, and for the healthy snack and beverage ratios. Results Small mean differences ( FFQ1 versus FFQ2) were observed for reliability, ranking ability ranged from fair to substantial, and Spearman coefficients fell within normal ranges. For the validity, mean differences ( FFQ1 versus recalls) were small for beverage intake but large for snack intake, except for the healthy snack ratio. Ranking ability ranged from slightly to moderate, and Spearman coefficients fell within normal ranges. Conclusions Reliability and validity of the FFQ for all outcomes were found to be acceptable at a group level for epidemiological purposes, whereas for intervention purposes only the healthy snack and beverage ratios were found to be acceptable at a group level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates early maladaptive schemas (EMSs) in function of eating disorder (ED) subtypes (restrictive/bulimic) and the presence/absence of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). Female inpatients ( N = 491) completed the Young Schema Questionnaire and the Self-Injury Questionnaire. The influence of ED subtype and the presence/absence of NSSI and their interaction on the EMS were investigated by means of a MANCOVA. The results showed main effects of ED subtype and the presence of NSSI on EMS. Patients with bulimia scored significantly higher on insufficient self-control and emotional deprivation, which are more related to cluster B compared with restrictive patients, whereas restrictive patients scored significantly higher on social undesirability, failure to achieve, subjugation and unrelenting standards compared with patients with bulimia that are more related to cluster C. Patients with ED with NSSI reported significantly higher EMS levels compared with patients without NSSI, suggesting that they could be of particular interest to benefit from schema therapy. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How do minority adolescents' personal acculturation preferences and peer norms of acculturation affect their social inclusion in school? Turkish and Moroccan minority adolescents ( N = 681) reported their preferences for heritage culture maintenance, mainstream culture adoption, and their experiences of peer rejection as a key indicator of adjustment problems. Additionally, we aggregated peer acculturation norms of maintenance and adoption within ethnically diverse classrooms ( N = 230 in 50 Belgian schools), distinguishing between co-ethnic (Turkish or Moroccan classmates only, N = 681) and cross-ethnic norms (also including N = 1,930 other classmates). Cross-ethnic peer-group norms (of adoption and maintenance) and co-ethnic norms (of maintenance, marginally) predicted minority experiences of peer rejection (controlling for ethnic composition). Moreover, misfit of minorities' own acculturation preferences with both cross-ethnic and co-ethnic peer-group norms was harmful. When cross-ethnic norms stressed adoption, 'integrationist' minority youth - who combined culture adoption with maintenance - experienced most peer rejection. Yet, when co-ethnic peers stressed maintenance, 'assimilationist' minority youth experienced most rejection. In conclusion, acculturation misfit with peer-group norms is a risk factor for minority inclusion in ethnically diverse environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Speech-language therapists ( SLTs) are encouraged to implement evidence-based practice ( EBP). Nevertheless, EBP use by practitioners can be questioned. Objectives The objective of this study was to explore Belgian French-speaking SLTs' information behaviour and their awareness of EBP. The collected data allow one to determine how far they have embraced this approach. Methods The two Belgian French-speaking SLT professional associations promoted an online questionnaire survey by email. Additionally, clinical supervisors of students were asked to participate. In March 2012, 2068 emails were sent. Results The participation rate was at least 20% ( n = 415). The reported information needs mainly concerned treatment or diagnosis. Most of the time, to attempt to fulfil their information needs, SLTs relied on their own resources (personal experience and libraries) and on colleagues in the workplace. When they searched on the Internet, they preferred to use a general search engine rather than a specialised bibliographic database. Barriers to obtaining scientific information are highlighted. Only 12% of the respondents had already heard about EBP. Conclusion This study provides the first overview of the information behaviour of SLTs working in the French community of Belgium. Several recommendations are suggested for SLTs and librarians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate associations among the parental personality dimensions of self-criticism and dependency, parental relationship stress, and child development from a stress generation perspective. Data from 79 first-time parents and their children aged 8-13 months, who were followed up in a two-wave, 1-year longitudinal study, were analysed within a multilevel structural equation modelling framework in order to account for within-couple interdependence. Results revealed that, as hypothesised, both parental self-criticism and dependency were associated with increased levels of relationship stress, which in turn were negatively related to child development. Hence, parental personality features in combination with relationship stress may be an important target in couple and family-based interventions. Implications for further research on family dynamics and interventions are discussed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The first aim was to describe the intervention implementation and reception with specific regard to physical activity (PA) within Belgian schools participating in the IDEFICS (Identification and prevention of Dietary- and lifestyle-induced health EFfects In Children and infantS) intervention. Second, we examined if a higher intervention process score in schools showed more favourable effects on children's objectively measured PA and sedentary time (ST). Methods The IDEFICS intervention focused on improving children's health behaviour (including PA) at the community, school/kindergarten and family level. Five process evaluation questionnaires completed by school working groups, and (physical education) teachers were used for the process evaluation of four intervention modules (school working groups, healthy weeks, school environment, health-related physical education and PA). Items were summed to calculate a total intervention process score per school. Schools were subdivided into three groups (low, medium and high score). Multilevel models were used to examine if changes in PA or ST differed between schools with a low, medium or high score. In total, 333 children (54.1% girls, mean age 6.0 ± 1.5 years) from 34 intervention schools (18 pre-schools and 16 primary schools) in the town of Geraardsbergen, Belgium, provided valid accelerometer data for two weekdays and one weekend day. Results Mean intervention process score (maximum value = 44) was 20.9 ± 5.8 for schools. The breakdown per module showed which components were implemented and received well and which components could have been improved. After the intervention, the decrease in light PA and increase in ST was much higher in children from primary schools with a low intervention process score, whereas the behaviours remained relatively stable in children from primary schools with a medium or high score. The change in moderate to vigorous PA did not differ significantly between schools with a low, medium or high score. Conclusion The IDEFICS intervention was relatively able to prevent unfavourable changes in ST and light PA in schools with a medium and high intervention process score. Further process evaluation research is needed to obtain a more profound picture of the IDEFICS intervention process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present research aimed to develop and test a theoretical model that links players' perceived justice of the coach to a more optimal motivational climate, which in turn increases players' team identification and cohesion, and results in lower levels of social loafing in female sport teams. Belgian elite female basketball, volleyball, and football players (study 1; N = 259; Mage = 22.6) and Norwegian world-class female handball players (study 2; N = 110; Mage = 22.8) completed questionnaires assessing players' perceived justice (distributive and procedural), motivational climate, team identification, team cohesion (task and social), and social loafing (perceived and self-reported). In both studies, confirmatory and exploratory path analyses indicated that perceived justice was positively related to a mastery climate ( P < 0.05) and negatively to a performance climate ( P < 0.05). In turn, a mastery climate was linked to increased levels of team identification ( P < 0.05) and task cohesion ( P < 0.05). Consequently, players' perceived and self-reported social loafing decreased ( P < 0.05). The findings of both independent studies demonstrated the impact of coaches' fairness, and consequently, the motivational climate created by the coach on the optimal functioning of female sport teams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim was to examine the relationship between the quality of team–member exchange experienced by nursing staff and their intention to leave. Job satisfaction and affective organizational commitment are considered as mediators. Background: While the shortage of nurses is a management and policy priority, few studies have studied the relationships between nursing staff and their team, key organizational attitudes, and intentions to leave the organization. Method: A questionnaire was administered to 217 registered nurses and nurse assistants in Belgium. Data were collected in 2012. To analyse the data, descriptive statistics, correlation, regression and path analyses were conducted. Findings: Team–member exchange has a positive impact on nursing staff satisfaction and affective commitment. Job satisfaction and affective organizational commitment fully mediated the impact of team–member exchange on nursing staff's intention to leave. Conclusion and implications for nursing and health policy: This study illustrates the potential benefits of the positive influence of team–member exchange on key organizational attitudes of nursing staff, and the negative influence on intention to leave through affective commitment and job satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collective memory theories propose that groups' remembrances of their past depend upon their current social situation. In Belgium, a significant proportion of Dutch speakers share a collective memory of past victimisation by French speakers and fight for an ever-larger autonomy of their region. Yet, as the respective economic, political and social situations of the linguistic regions of Belgium recently evolved with a reversal of fortunes, the current experience of younger Dutch speakers does not fit the traditional memory anymore. We thus predicted that the collective memories of victimhood would decline amongst them, thus bringing changes in intergroup attitudes and political aspirations. Three generations were compared in a survey of 1226 French-speaking and 1457 Dutch-speaking individuals. For both groups, younger generations evidenced less regionalist and more integrative positions than older ones. However, these effects were stronger for Dutch-speaking respondents, and for them, collective memory of victimhood mediated the relation linking age and identification with Belgium, intergroup attitudes and political aspirations. We concluded that the current social context has decisive consequences for collective remembrances, which, in turn, impact intergroup relations and political attitudes and choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Nowadays, there is an abundance of health and cancer information in the mass media. Because of this high amount of information, it is possible for individuals to find or incidentally encounter cancer information, but it is also possible to be overloaded by this information and, consequently, to avoid it. Previous studies have indicated that fear of cancer could be both positively and negatively related to behaviours such as screening, help-seeking and information avoidance. Objective The aims of this study were (1) to assess the relationship between fear of cancer and cancer information acquisition and avoiding behaviour, (2) to examine whether this relationship was curvilinear, and (3) to determine whether this relationship was moderated by being diagnosed with cancer or not. Method Six hundred and twenty-one cancer diagnosed and 1387 non-diagnosed individuals were recruited through a convenience sample in Flanders (Belgium) and filled in a standardised survey questionnaire. Results The results showed a positive linear association between fear of cancer and information seeking, scanning and avoiding. Being diagnosed with cancer or not did not moderate this relationship. Conclusion Fear of cancer is positively associated with cancer information acquisition and avoiding behaviour. This suggests that fear of cancer predicts different behaviours in different individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To describe the prevalence and characteristics of end-of-life decisions in individuals dying with dementia in Belgium. Design Retrospective mail survey. Setting Brussels and Flanders, Belgium. Participants Physicians certifying a large random sample of deaths (n = 8,627). Measurements End-of-life decision-making in individuals dying with dementia (n = 361) was compared through bivariate and multivariable analyses with decision-making in individuals dying from cancer (n = 1,276) as reference group. Results Response rate was 54.7%. The intense pain and symptoms of individuals with dementia was alleviated less often than those of individuals with cancer (odds ratio ( OR) = 0.50, P < .001), and individuals with dementia were more likely to have life-prolonging treatment withheld or withdrawn ( OR = 1.40, P = .048). Five individuals with dementia (1.3%) requested euthanasia but did not receive it; 60 (4.7%) individuals with cancer who requested euthanasia received it, and 48 (3.8%) who requested it did not ( OR = 0.04, P = .047). Individuals with dementia rarely had capacity to participate in decision-making, which more often involved their families than in individuals with cancer ( OR = 1.99, P = .009). Little prospect of improvement (59.7%), pointless life prolongation (54.5%), poor quality of life (46.2%), and prevention of further suffering (37.6%) were important reasons for end-of-life decisions in individuals with dementia. Conclusion End-of-life decision-making in individuals dying with dementia differs from that in individuals with cancer, more often involving forgoing of life-prolonging treatment and less often involving intensifying pain and symptom treatment. Considerations typically involve the prospects of the individual with dementia as opposed to the severity of their present situation. Optimal processes of advance care planning may address the burdensome decision falling to physicians and family regarding when to allow the individual to die. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key word signing (KWS) is a means of augmentative and alternative communication frequently used with adults with intellectual disabilities (ID). Their acquisition of KWS has been described in the literature; however, little is known about the everyday KWS use among adults with ID and their support staff. This study aimed to give an account of the prevalence of KWS and the sign knowledge of adults with ID and their support staff in Flemish residential programs (RPs) and day care programs (DCPs). Communication specialists in all RPs and DCPs for adults with ID in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium, were contacted by phone and were asked whether they used KWS, and if so, whether they were willing to fill out a questionnaire about the KWS use of support staff and clients. Findings show that of 347 RPs and DCPs in Flanders, 85% met the inclusion criteria. Half (51.2%) of these programs used KWS. Of these 152 programs, 93 (61.2%) completed our questionnaire. A quarter (26.6%) of their adult clients with ID used KWS.Most of them knew 10-50 signs, whereas most support staff knew fewer than 10 signs. The presence of a speech and language therapist as well as sign knowledge and attitude of support staff were significantly related to the sign knowledge of their clients.Motivational problems for staff to use KWS were quite common. KWS support should be more widespread and more easily accessible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To investigate how continuous sedation until death ( CSD), the reduction or removal of consciousness of an incurably ill individual until death to relieve refractory suffering, is practiced in nursing homes. Design Nationwide cross-sectional retrospective survey. Setting Nursing homes in Flanders, Belgium. Participants Palliative care nurses (N = 660) in all nursing homes in Flanders. Measurements Nurse reports of their most recent patient treated with CSD. Results The response rate was 65.5%, and 249 nurses reported a case of CSD (57.6%). Most individuals had cancer (33.6%) or dementia (32.8%); lacked competence (65.7%); and had severe pain (71.2%), fatigue (62.3%), loss of dignity (59%), anxiety (58.4%), and longing for death (58.4%). Intractable pain (70.7%) and physical exhaustion (63.9%) were the most decisive symptoms for initiating CSD. Life expectancy was generally limited to 1 week (64.9%), and 88.4% had insufficient nutritional oral intake before the start of CSD. CSD was rarely combined with artificial nutrition or hydration. Benzodiazepines were most frequently used (84.8%). Overall, according to the reporting nurses, CSD provided adequate symptom relief and good quality of dying. Conclusion In nursing homes, CSD is typically used in residents with cancer or dementia and severe, intractable physical symptoms. Lack of competence prevents most residents from being involved in the decision-making process, which illustrates the importance of advance care planning in nursing homes in Flanders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Despite increasing interest in visual and hearing impairment in the older population, little attention has been paid to concurrent hearing and vision loss, also known as dual sensory loss. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of comorbid hearing disability and hearing aid ownership in visually impaired older adults. Methods In a cross-sectional survey, a self-report hearing disability screener was administered to 1396 visually impaired patients (aged ≥50 years) of outpatient low vision rehabilitation centers in the Netherlands and Belgium. Results Of all participants, 44.8% (95% CI 42.2-47.5) had insufficient or poor hearing; the prevalence increased quadratically with age. Of all dual sensory impaired participants, 31.2% in the Netherlands and 55.7% in Belgium did not own hearing aids. Conclusions The high prevalence of dual sensory loss calls for more awareness of related problems in these patients. Differences between the Netherlands and Belgium regarding hearing aid ownership might be due to different criteria used for hearing aid referral and insurance policies. For patients with dual sensory loss, specialized care implemented in low vision rehabilitation seems warranted. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2014; 14: 570-576. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of job stress on sickness absence of nurses and determine the predictive power of the Demand-Control-Support (DCS) model, the Effort-Reward Imbalance-Overcommitment (ERI-OC) model, and a combination of both. Design A survey was conducted to measure job stress in a sample of 527 Belgian nurses, followed by prospective data collection of sickness absence (long-term, short-term, and multiple episodes). Findings Perceptions of job strain and ERI increased the odds for long-term (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 2.26; 99% confidence interval [CI; 1.27-4.04]) and multiple episodes of sickness absence (adjusted OR = 1.64; 95% CI [1.01-2.65]). Iso-strain and ERI-OC increased the odds for long-term (OR = 1.75; 95% CI [0.98-3.11]), multiple episode (adjusted OR = 1.93; 95% CI [1.14-3.26]), and short-term (adjusted OR = 1.69; 95% CI [1.03-2.76]) sickness absence. Conclusions The combined model of DCS and ERI-OC predicts the odds for long-term and short-term sickness absence and multiple episodes. Clinical Relevance This study has implications for human resources management in nursing organizations. Nursing administrators are advised to monitor and balance nurses' job demands and efforts. They should recognize the importance of social support, job control, job rewards, and overcommitment in order to reduce the job stress of nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigates the issue of match between job demands and job resources in the prediction of changes in job-related well-being outcomes as outlined by the Demand- Induced Strain Compensation ( DISC) model. Job demands, resources, and well-being outcomes are considered to be multidimensional constructs comprising physical, cognitive, and/or emotional components. The Triple- Match Principle ( TMP) proposes that the strongest, interactive relationships between job demands and resources are observed when demands, resources, and outcomes are based on identical dimensions. This principle was tested using a two-wave longitudinal panel study among 720 Belgian employees in the technology sector. Analyses were conducted with cross-lagged structural equation modeling, and results tend to confirm the matching hypothesis. Specifically, the likelihood of finding valid interaction effects was nearly linearly related to the degree of match between demands, resources, and outcomes. Generalisability of the TMP in the technology sector was shown. Practically, findings indicate that enhancing specific, matching, job resources enables employees to deal with corresponding high job demands to improve employee well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organizational aspects of the medication management process ( MMP) have been investigated in hospital and nursing home settings. However, the amount of literature on medication management in residential care facilities ( RCF) for individuals with ID is limited to two studies from the Netherlands, focusing only on drug administration errors. To assess the organization of the MMP in Belgian RCFs for people with ID, the authors undertook a cross-sectional observational study in 34 Belgian RCFs for people with ID. Structured interviews were performed using a questionnaire: the first part (for the RCF directors) addressed administrative and policy issues. The second (for unit employees) and third parts (for medical office employees) addressed practical aspects of the MMP. The fourth part (for physicians) focused on the physician's role in the MMP, on the therapeutic drug formulary, and on communication with staff and delivering pharmacist. Standard operating procedures concerning the MMP were not available in 32% of the RCFs. About one-quarter of the RCFs did not have a medication error reporting system, and most RCFs did not systematically (i.e., at least annually) review their MMP for failures. Only two participating RCFs were equipped with an electronic prescribing system. The role of the pharmacist was mainly limited to delivery of medication. Medication was mostly administered by nonmedically qualified staff (e.g., educators). Most frequently cited problems by the interviewees were problems in the medication preparation and administration stage. Most frequently cited possible improvement actions were education/sensitization of staff and improved communication among all stakeholders. The authors note that as this study revealed operational inadequacies, problem areas can be identified and targeted quality improvement actions can be undertaken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims at exploring which factors predict the willingness of adolescents to disclose personal information in response to online marketing requests. Our analyses show that especially privacy concerns and perceived benefits explain a considerable portion of variance in both willingness to disclose profile data (e.g. age, hobbies, favourite products) and contact data (e.g. phone number, e-mail address, home address). An interesting interrelationship was found between profile data and contact data disclosure. Contrary to our expectations, parental mediation strategies were only a weak predictor of teenagers' willingness to disclose contact information. Policy implications that emerge from the central findings of this study are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a field experiment, we investigated the impact of a 'strange' recruitment medium on the quantity and quality of the applicant pool. Recruiting through an unusual medium (i.e., postcard) was associated with higher applicant pool quantity, as compared to a more frequently used medium (i.e., e-mail). With respect to quality, applicants recruited through the strange medium were higher educated. A follow-up questionnaire confirmed that the media were perceived to differ in strangeness, not in media richness or credibility. These results suggest that 'changing things up' in recruitment by employing strange recruitment media can positively affect key recruitment outcomes. Practitioner points Employing 'strange' recruitment media can enhance the effectiveness of recruitment (i.e., applicant quantity and quality)., 'Changing things up' in recruitment may help organizations to differentiate themselves from competitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared 50 depressed inpatients, 51 institutionalized delinquents and 51 control adolescents (total n = 152) regarding attachment and associated socio-emotional skills. All of the participants took an individual interview (i.e., anamnesis, diagnostic interview and intelligence test) and completed the attachment measure and self-report measures of socio-emotional skills (i.e., emotional intelligence, empathy and resilience). Results showed that controls scored higher on secure attachment, whereas both of the other groups scored higher on preoccupied attachment. Depressed adolescents had lower scores on emotional intelligence than did controls. Finally, depressed adolescents had lower scores than the other two groups on resilience. The anxious or preoccupied attachment in both clinical groups, the overall frailty of depressive adolescents and the apparent resilience of delinquent adolescents despite their cognitive limitations should inform the respective treatment plans for these groups of adolescents. Suggestions for future research into differences between depressed and delinquent adolescents are outlined. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Message Both depressed and delinquent adolescents show more anxious attachment., Depressed adolescents are less resilient than delinquent adolescents., Delinquent adolescents are less intelligent than the other two groups but well-adjusted overall., These differences should inform treatment plans for these two clinical groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The measurement of subjective well-being in people with severe and profound intellectual disabilities ( ID) is a difficult challenge. As they cannot self-report about their life satisfaction, because of severe communicative and cognitive limitations, behavioural observations of their emotions and moods are important in the measurement of their subjective well-being. It is, however, not known if observations of mood and emotion can be differentiated in people with severe and profound ID and if mood and emotions can give unique information about their affect. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the relationship between mood and emotions in people with severe and profound ID, using behavioural observations. As recommended in the literature, we investigated the frequency and intensity of the emotion separately. Method In a period of 3 weeks 27 participants with severe and profound ID were presented with four staff-selected negative and four staff-selected positive stimuli. During the presentation participants were videotaped using the observational method of Petry & Maes where each behaviour is coded on a 5-point scale, ranging from indicating a very negative emotion to indicating a very positive emotion. As a measure of mood, the staff completed the MIPQ in the beginning of the 3 weeks. Results We found a positive relationship between mood and respectively the total emotion score and the frequency of the emotion when the stimuli were positive but not when the stimuli were negative. There was no relationship between mood and the intensity of the emotion. Conclusions Our results indicate that mood and emotions can be distinguished from each other using behavioural observations. Both can give specific information about the affective life of people with severe or profound ID. Moreover, if further research could replicate the results of this study, an implication is that the direct support workers should be aware of a decline in the frequency of their clients reactions to positive stimuli as this could indicate a decline in their mood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent flood risk management puts an increasing emphasis on the public's risk perception and its preferences. It is now widely recognized that a better knowledge of the public's awareness and concern about risks is of vital importance to outline effective risk communication strategies. Models such as Risk Information Seeking and Processing address this evolution by considering the public's needs and its information-seeking behavior with regard to risk information. This study builds upon earlier information-seeking models and focuses on the empirical relationships between information-seeking behavior and the constructs of risk perception, perceived hazard knowledge, response efficacy, and information need in the context of coastal flood risks. Specific focus is given to the mediating role of information need in the model and to the differences in information-seeking behavior between permanent and temporary residents. By means of a structured on-line questionnaire, a cross-sectional survey was carried out in the city of Ostend, one of the most vulnerable places to coastal flooding on the Belgian coast. Three hundred thirteen respondents participated in the survey. Path analysis reveals that information need does not act as a mediator in contrast to risk perception and perceived knowledge. In addition, it is shown that risk perception and perceived hazard knowledge are higher for permanent than temporary residents, leading to increased information-seeking behavior among the former group. Implications for risk communication are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims The Modified Reasons for Smoking Scale (MRSS) is a widely accepted scale that measures psychological functions of smoking. The scale has been translated in Dutch and has been validated, in order to be used in clinical smoking cessation practice in the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium. This study examined the factorial structure, reliability and validity of the scale in a sample of smokers, who are characterized by a high level of dependence and an explicit motivation to stop smoking. Method The participants were 383 smokers, who volunteered at the stop-smoking clinic of a Belgian university hospital, and completed the translated scale. They were administered the translated MRSS, the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND). Through a clinical interview, smoking behaviour and smoking history was assessed (daily smoking consumption, years smoking, number of quit attempts, weeks stopped, alcohol and coffee consumption, CO level). Exploratory factor analysis was performed. Internal consistency was studied in order to examine the reliability. The concurrent validity was assessed by means of manova, anova and correlation analysis. Results Factor analysis identified four factors, named stimulation, pleasure of smoking, social smoking and automatism of smoking. Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.65 (automatism) to 0.72 (stimulation). manova indicated the influence of the variables age, sex, daily consumption and the FTND (the latter two variables showed a dose-dependent association with each subscale). Regression analysis revealed a relationship with dependence indicators, namely: the daily consumption, the number and duration of previous quit attempts, FTND, CO level and daily coffee intake. Conclusions The Dutch translation of the MRSS identified four factors and revealed acceptable validity and reliability. The adapted version of the translated scale as a component of the psychological assessment procedure in a smoking cessation treatment in Dutch-speaking areas should be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fluctuations in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms related to regulatory deficits in arousal states are themselves characterized by circadian rhythms. Although cortisol is an important circadian arousal-related marker, studies focusing on across-the-day cortisol variations in ADHD are scarce. There is no study with multiple measurements to take into account interday and intraday variability. Methods: Salivary cortisol was sampled five times a day (awakening, 30 min after awakening, noon, 4 p.m., 8 p.m.) across five consecutive days in 33 children with ADHD (22 with and 11 without oppositional defiant disorder; ODD) and 33 class- and sex-matched controls (aged 6-12). The cortisol awakening response (increase from awakening to 30 min after awakening) and the diurnal cortisol profile (across-the-day variations) were compared for ADHD with ODD (ADHD + ODD) and without ODD (ADHD) subgroups and the control group. Results: The cortisol awakening response was not significantly different between groups. However, longitudinal analyses to evaluate cortisol profiles across the day revealed a significant Group × Time effect ( p < .001). More specifically, compared to each other, the ADHD subgroup showed a flatter slope with relative morning hypo-arousal and evening hyperarousal, whereas the ADHD + ODD subgroup showed a steeper slope with relative morning hyperarousal and evening hypo-arousal ( p < .001). Conclusions: Findings support time-related arousal disruptions in children with ADHD associated with the presence or absence of ODD comorbidity. We recommend research on cortisol in larger samples for a better understanding of arousal mechanisms involved in ADHD not only with and without ODD but also with other comorbidities which may have implications for timing of arousal-based treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wouters, S., Germeijs, V., Colpin, H. & Verschueren, K. (2011). Academic self-concept in high school: Predictors and effects on adjustment in higher education. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 52, 586-594. Academic self-concept is considered a relevant psychological construct influencing many educational outcomes directly or indirectly. Therefore, the major focus of the current study is on the predictors and effects of academic self-concept in late adolescence. First, we studied the simultaneous effects of individual, class-average and school-average achievement (i.e., assessed by school grades) on academic self-concept in the final year of high school, thereby replicating and extending previous research on the big-fish-little-pond effect model. Second, the predictive value of high school academic self-concept for academic adjustment and success in the first year of higher education was examined. The sample comprised 536 twelfth grade students (44% boys) recruited from 24 schools (67 classes) that were representative with regard to geographical region and educational network in Flanders. Structural equation modeling showed that, when examining the joint contribution of school- and class-average achievement, only class-average achievement was significantly and negatively associated with academic self-concept. Furthermore, a significant effect of academic self-concept in high school on academic adjustment and success in higher education (in addition to any effects of high school academic achievement) was found. These results highlight the importance of considering academic self-concept in educational research and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]