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AbstractPurposeMaterials and methodsResultsConclusions\nIMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONWhile stroke is becoming increasingly prevalent in young people (<65 years), diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and management continue to reflect the needs of older people. This study aimed to characterise and appreciate the healthcare experiences of young stroke survivors, whose needs and trajectories differ from those of older people.Qualitative in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 stroke survivors aged 18–49 using virtual conferencing software. The data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis.Four main themes were identified that reflect the experiences and needs of young stroke survivors and are (1) The health system overlooks the experiences and needs of young stroke survivors; (2) Support is fragmented rather than holistic; (3) Feelings of helplessness at a time agency is required; and (4) Positive attitudes despite challenges.The experiences of young stroke survivors are distinct. Health services that consider the unique trajectories of young stroke survivors will better facilitate rehabilitation and support for this population.Stroke in young peopleStroke is becoming increasingly prevalent in young people (<65 years), and their experience as stroke survivors is distinct.Stroke units and rehabilitation centres are critical for stroke survivor rehabilitation, but the focus of care often caters to older patients, leaving young stroke survivors feeling alienated when their stroke is treated as an anomaly.Alienation and additional emotional concerns, coupled with memory and communication difficulties, compromised survivors’ sense of agency.To effectively support the rehabilitation of young stroke survivors, health services must consider their unique trajectory and develop tailored patient centred holistic rehabilitation programs.Stroke is becoming increasingly prevalent in young people (<65 years), and their experience as stroke survivors is distinct.Stroke units and rehabilitation centres are critical for stroke survivor rehabilitation, but the focus of care often caters to older patients, leaving young stroke survivors feeling alienated when their stroke is treated as an anomaly.Alienation and additional emotional concerns, coupled with memory and communication difficulties, compromised survivors’ sense of agency.To effectively support the rehabilitation of young stroke survivors, health services must consider their unique trajectory and develop tailored patient centred holistic rehabilitation programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a low-income country experiencing high rates of family violence and child maltreatment. Child protection services are under-developed, and few tertiary-trained social workers are employed by them. A research team was commissioned to develop a parenting programme for implementation in remote provinces. After development and co-design of the programme, a pre- and post-evaluation was conducted in 10 communities to test the programme's potential to facilitate change. Measures of harsh parenting, family well-being and parental attitudes were translated by experienced academics and administered to parents by a team of staff and students from a local university. Responses were subjected to factor analyses. A series of paired-sample t-tests was conducted to ascertain change in parents' reported family well-being and use of harsh disciplinary practices (sample n = 159). Encouraging numbers of caregivers attended the programme in all sites. The analysis of change between pre- and post-programme scores revealed statistically significant reductions in verbal abuse and corporal punishment, and in harsh parenting overall, with reductions in partner violence and family difficulties contributing to improvements in family well-being. The evaluation indicates that with further development, this programme could be implemented as a primary prevention measure to complement child protection services. To consolidate the programme's future implementation by building the pool of trained personnel, links with social work education should be further developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transferring individuals for treatment outside their geographic area occurs when healthcare demand exceeds local supply. This can result in significant financial cost while impacting patient outcomes and experience. The aim of this study was to assess initiatives to reduce psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU) out-of-area bed placements within a major healthcare system in South West England. Discrete event computer simulation was used to model patient flow across the healthcare system's three PICUs. A scenario analysis was performed to estimate the impact of management plans to decrease admissions and length of stay. The amount of capacity required to minimise total cost was also considered. Without increasing in-area capacity, mean out-of-area bed requirement can be reduced by 25.6% and 19.1% respectively through plausible initiatives to decrease admissions and length of stay. Reductions of 34.7% are possible if both initiatives are employed. Adjusting the in-area bed capacity can also lead to aggregate cost savings. This study supports the likely effectiveness of particular initiatives in reducing out-of-area placements for high-acuity bedded psychiatric care. This study also demonstrates the value of computer simulation in an area that has seen little such attention to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The SmartClic®/ClicWise® autoinjector is a new reusable, multi-use, single-patient device for the administration of subcutaneously administered biologics in the treatment of chronic conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis. The device will be used in conjunction with a mobile application (app). The aim of this study was to collect feedback on the usability, functionality, and applicability of the device and the companion app from health care professionals (HCPs) who perform injections as part of their role and care for patients with rheumatic conditions. Methods: The study was conducted from September to October 2020 in Germany. HCPs participated in a training session for the device and gained experience by performing simulated injections with water. Following the simulations, HCPs answered questions on the ease of use, feature design, effectiveness, and injection speed of the SmartClic/ClicWise device and estimate the patient training time required. They also answered questions on the functionality of the proposed app after attending a storyboard presentation. Responses were recorded as multiple-choice answers, Likert scale ratings (seven-point scale), or open-ended comments. The mean, median, and mode scores were recorded. Results: Twenty-five HCPs (mean age, 38.2 years; females, n = 22 [88%]; registered nurses, n = 19 [76%]) participated in the study. HCP feedback on questions related to the SmartClic/ClicWise device was positive overall, with mean scores > 4.50 across questions; mean scores < 5.00 were reported on 2/40 questions. Twenty-four of 25 participants (96%) estimated that a training time of ≤ 20 min would suffice for patients learning to use the device. Positive feedback was also reported on questions related to the companion app, with mean scores > 5.70. Conclusions: Initial feedback from HCPs on the SmartClic/ClicWise device and proposed app was generally favorable, suggesting they will provide an acceptable alternative for self-administration of biologics for patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Optimising capacity along clinical pathways is essential to avoid severe hospital pressure and help ensure best patient outcomes and financial sustainability. Yet, typical approaches, using only average arrival rate and average lengths of stay, are known to underestimate the number of beds required. This study investigates the extent to which averages-based estimates can be complemented by a robust assessment of additional 'flex capacity' requirements, to be used at times of peak demand.Methods: The setting was a major one million resident healthcare system in England, moving towards a centralised stroke pathway. A computer simulation was developed for modelling patient flow along the proposed stroke pathway, accounting for variability in patient arrivals, lengths of stay, and the time taken for transfer processes. The primary outcome measure was flex capacity utilisation over the simulation period.Results: For the hyper-acute, acute, and rehabilitation units respectively, flex capacities of 45%, 45%, and 36% above the averages-based calculation would be required to ensure that only 1% of stroke presentations find the hyper-acute unit full and have to wait. For each unit some amount of flex capacity would be required approximately 30%, 20%, and 18% of the time respectively.Conclusions: This study demonstrates the importance of appropriately capturing variability within capacity plans, and provides a practical and economical approach which can complement commonly-used averages-based methods. Results of this study have directly informed the healthcare system's new configuration of stroke services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many psychological inclinations, such as maladaptive beliefs, can diminish the capacity of individuals to manage their weight effectively and sustainably. Yet, interventions that purportedly address these psychological inclinations and improve weight management are not always beneficial. To be effective, these interventions should offer participants several choices, should be devoid of features that have not been validated in isolation, and should arrange the various activities in an efficient and effective sequence. Few if any programs fulfill these criteria. The aim of this paper was to construct an intervention that assimilates all the validated features of interventions that overcome the psychological impediments to weight loss. To achieve this goal, we blended a technique called intervention component analysis with thematic analysis. Specifically, we extracted refereed journal articles about weight loss from PsycInfo, distilled the practical recommendations from these articles, excluded recommendations that had not been validated in isolation of other features, integrated overlapping recommendations, and applied several principles to arrange these recommendations into the most effective sequence. This procedure generated an intervention that could comprise up to 43 features and activities, including self-affirmation to foster openness to change, anecdotes about dramatic improvements, ambitious rather than modest targets, an emphasis on strategies rather than targets, rewards for attempts, implementation intentions with partners, self-hypnosis, cognitive reframing, and distancing. If these features are unsuccessful, practices that demand more resources—such as group disclosure, virtual environments, motivational interviewing, and customized programs—were also recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Consumer stockpiling from pharmacies has been reported by media outlets throughout the course of COVID‐19. Aim: This study evaluated pharmacists' perceptions of consumer stockpiling from pharmacies, the impact of stockpiling, aggressive or hostile behaviour from customers and preparedness for COVID‐19 and future pandemics. Method: A self‐administered survey was disseminated between September and November of 2020. The survey comprised four major sections: demographic information, experiences of consumer stockpiling, impact of consumer stockpiling and preparedness for COVID‐19 and future pandemics. Survey results were analysed in Microsoft Excel using descriptive statistics. Results: Of the 56 responses analysed, most pharmacists observed consumer stockpiling of over‐the‐counter products (98.2%), schedule 2 and schedule 3 medications (92.8%) and prescription only medications (94.6%). The most commonly stockpiled items included face masks, hand‐sanitisers and wipes, alcohol wipes and antiseptic solutions, thermometers, paracetamol and salbutamol inhalers. Patients also requested the dispensing of several months' supply of regular prescription medications. Customer aggression was observed by 53.6% of pharmacists, with 63% of pharmacists agreeing that hostile behaviour impeded their practice. Only 36.7% of pharmacists felt adequately prepared to cope with the challenges of COVID‐19. Conclusion: Consumer stockpiling from pharmacies was observed throughout COVID‐19. Stockpiling as well as aggressive and hostile behaviour from customers affected pharmacists, their staff, business and other pharmacy customers. Additional studies are needed to investigate the severity of these issues and to inform policy changes to help mitigate consumer stockpiling and prepare the pharmacy profession for future pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) live in cold temperate or polar seas and molt annually, renewing their fur over a period of approximately 4 wk. Epidermal processes at this time require a warmskin; therefore, to avoid an excessive energy cost at sea during the molt, harbor seals and many other pinnipeds increase the proportion of time they are hauled out on land. We predicted that metabolic rate during haul-out would be greater during the molt to sustain an elevated skin temperature in order to optimize skin and hair growth. To examine this, we measured post-haul-out oxygen consumption (VO2) in captive harbor seals during molt and postmolt periods. We recorded greater VO2 of seals while they were molting than when the molt was complete. Post-haul-out VO2 increased faster and reached a greater maximum during the first 40 min. Thereafter, VO2 decreased but still remained greater, suggesting that while metabolic rate was relatively high throughout haulouts, it was most pronounced in the first 40 min. Air temperature, estimated heat increment of feeding, and mass also explained 15.5% of VO2 variation over 180 min after haul-out, suggesting that the environment, feeding state, and body size influenced the metabolic rate of individual animals. These results show that molting seals have greater metabolic rates when hauled out, especially during the early stages of the haul-out period. As a consequence, human disturbance that changes the haul-out behavior of molting seals will increase their energy costs and potentially extend the duration of the molt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has not definitively ascertained the circumstances that motivate people to live a healthier lifestyle. To redress this shortfall, we report two overlapping studies that examined whether people are more inclined to value health benefits that seem enduring and fundamental rather than transient or superficial—even after controlling effort and cost. In these studies, 242 participants indicated the degree to which they implement 17 health behaviours—as well as the extent to which they perceive the benefits of these behaviours as enduring and fundamental. Furthermore, participants completed a measure that gauges future clarity. Finally, they chose which of two drugs—drugs that differ only on the longevity of effects—they prefer. Participants were more inclined to implement health behaviours that seemed to generate enduring and fundamental benefits. This effect was more pronounced in people who perceive their future as vivid and certain. Furthermore, participants tended to choose the drug that was touted as generating more enduring benefits, even after controlling cost and effort. As these results imply, to encourage healthy behaviour, health practitioners should help people clarify their future goals and then advocate behaviours that generate lasting benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many impulsive behaviors, unpleasant emotions, and misguided cognitions increase the incidence of type 2 diabetes and other conditions. This study tests the premise that such risk factors are inversely related to future clarity—the extent to which the future seems vivid and certain. Specifically, 211 participants completed the measures of future clarity and various determinants of health. Future clarity was positively associated with the inclination of participants to consume healthy food, abstain from cigarettes, participate in physical activity, and experience positive emotions. Future research should examine whether interventions designed to help individuals clarify and pursue their aspirations could stem lifestyle diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interventions that are designed to stem plagiarism do not always override the motivation of individuals to cheat and, therefore, may not diminish misconduct. To inform more effective approaches, we conducted a systematic review to clarify the psychological causes of plagiarism. This review of 83 empirical papers showed that a specific blend of circumstances may foster plagiarism: an emphasis on competition and success rather than development and cooperation coupled with impaired resilience, limited confidence, impulsive tendencies, and biased cognitions. Fortunately, whenever students feel their life and studies align to their future aspirations, many of these circumstances tend to dissipate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Socioemotional selectivity theory assumes that older individuals tend to perceive their identity or life as limited in time and, therefore, prioritize meaningful relationships. Yet, other research shows that people who perceive their identity as limited in time tend to behave impulsively--contrary to the behavior of many older individuals. To redress this paradox, this article reports a systematic review, comprising 86 papers, that examined the consequences of whether individuals perceive their identity as limited or enduring. To reconcile conflicts in the literature, we propose that, before an impending transition, some individuals perceive their life now as dissociated from their future goals and, therefore, will tend to behave impulsively. Other individuals however, especially if older, tend to pursue a quest or motivation that transcends this transition, fostering delayed gratification, and responsible behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some research shows that people who often contemplate their future tend to be healthier. Yet the burgeoning literature on mindfulness demonstrates that people who are more attuned to their immediate experiences also enjoy many benefits. To reconcile these principles, many scholars recommend that people should distribute their attention, somewhat evenly, across the past, present, and future-but have not clarified how people should achieve this goal. We test the possibility that people who perceive their future as vivid and certain, called future clarity, might be able to both orient their attention to the future as well as experience mindfulness. Specifically, future clarity could diminish the inclination of people to reach decisions prematurely and dismiss information that contradicts these decisions, called need for closure-tendencies that diminish consideration of future consequences and mindfulness, respectively. In this cross-sectional study, 194 participants completed measures of mindfulness, consideration of future consequences, need for closure, and future clarity. Consistent with hypotheses, future clarity was positively associated with both mindfulness and consideration of future consequences. Need for closure partly mediated these relationships. Accordingly, interventions that empower people to shape and to clarify their future might generate the benefits of both mindfulness and a future orientation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers have uncovered an array of conditions, characteristics, and cognitions that can ignite, escalate, or reverse the radicalization of individuals. Because a multitude of events and circumstances determine the likelihood that people gravitate to violent extremism, practitioners cannot readily ascertain which individuals are most susceptible to this pathway. This paper explicates and explores a theory, derived from the meaning maintenance model and the socio-emotional selectivity theory, that integrates previous insights into a cohesive framework. According to this theory, to foster meaning in life, individuals are motivated to cultivate four conditions: a just and supportive environment, unambiguous standards, enduring values, and extensive capabilities. Violent extremism offers some individuals the opportunity to cultivate these conditions temporarily, galvanizing radicalization. Yet this pursuit can also impede these conditions, provoking the motivation to disengage from this endeavor. We presented a case study that illustrates this premise. In short, the motivations that can attract people to violent extremism can also promote disengagement as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims Lecturers often present entertaining videos, or organize a variety of amusing demonstrations, to foster student engagement or to encourage critical analysis. Magic tricks, in particular, have been shown to activate neural circuits that underpin motivation or problem-solving and, therefore, could be beneficial during lectures. Nevertheless, we hypothesize that, unless the method that underpins these tricks is revealed, students may ruminate over possible explanations, distracting attention from the lecture material. Sample and methods To test these arguments, in this study, 224 participants watched a video of a magic performance, watched a video of a circus act, or watched no video at all. In half the participants who watched the magic performance, the secret that underpinned the trick was disclosed. Next, participants watched a psychology tutorial, before answering questions that assessed engagement, need for cognition, and comprehension of the material. Results If the secret was withheld, magic tricks diminished subsequent need for cognition but did not affect comprehension. Furthermore, magic tricks tended to diminish engagement with the subsequent tutorial. These effects, however, were small. Conclusion Future research is warranted to ascertain whether information that is embedded within a magic trick, rather than presented after the trick, is more likely to be remembered or understood later. This research could clarify when performance can enhance or disrupt student engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat stress causes reductions in well-being and health. As average annual temperatures increase, heat stress is expected to affect more people. While most research on heat stress has explored how exposure to heat affects functioning of the human organism, stress from heat can be manifest long before clinical symptoms are evident, with profound effects on behavior. Here we add to the little research conducted on these subclinical effects of environmental heat using results from an Australian-wide cross-sectional study of nearly 2000 respondents on their self-reported level of heat stress. Slightly less than half (47%) of the respondents perceived themselves as at least sometimes, often or very often stressed by heat during the previous 12 months. Health status and smoking behavior had the expected impact on self-reported perceived heat stress. There were also regional differences with people living in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales most likely to have reported to have felt heat stressed. People generally worried about climate change, who had been influenced by recent heat waves and who thought there was a relationship between climate change and health were also more likely to have been heat stressed. Surprisingly average maximum temperatures did not significantly explain heat stress but stress was greater among people who perceived the day of the survey as hotter than usual. Currently heat stress indices are largely based on monitoring the environment and physical limitations to people coping with heat. Our results suggest that psychological perceptions of heat need to be considered when predicting how people will be affected by heat under climate change and when developing heat relief and climate change adaptation plans, at work, at home or in public spaces. We further conclude that the perception of temperature and heat stress complements measures that assess heat exposure and heat strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many professions strive to extend their gamut of services, yet other professions may attempt to stifle these changes. For example, in Australia, the prospect that pharmacists are permitted to administer vaccinations in some jurisdictions has ignited strident criticism from other professional bodies, including the Australian Medical Association. These criticisms may diminish the confidence of consumers and, therefore, stymie the attempts of professions to extend their services. The aim of this paper is to uncover strategies that professional bodies can implement to prevent unwarranted criticism. This paper first identifies the biases that evoke these criticisms, such as inflated judgements of the status quo. Second, this paper shows that these biases can be ascribed to a specific mindset, in which individuals feel dissociated from future aspirations. Finally, this paper delineates practices that may redress these biases, such as a retreat in which the proposal to extend services is discussed in collaboration with other professional bodies, years before the intended changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Zookeepers often introduce enrichment practices in which they provide animals with diverse stimuli and challenges to stimulate mental and physical activity, but enrichment can be difficult to implement and the enrichment used in zoos is not always effective at improving animal welfare. Limited information is available on how zookeepers apply enrichment practices in zoos. To identify some of the reasons that zoos cannot always provide effective enrichment, we interviewed keepers across multiple zoos. Keepers that work with big cats were deemed particularly well suited to the study, given the extensive recommendations in the literature for this group of animals in zoos. We discovered that many impediments obstructed the capacity of zookeepers to enrich animals effectively, such as conflicting priorities, uncertainty about which enrichment practices are effective, and concerns about the perceptions of visitors. To illustrate, zoos often impose routines for keepers to address more immediate and visible problems, such as sick animals or visitors who do not like unnatural objects in the enclosure. Hence, the enrichment and stimulation of animals is not always perceived as important or pressing and, therefore, may be deferred or neglected. We suggest that greater clarity and increased transparency on the objectives and means of assessing enrichment could curb confusion surrounding enrichment practices in zoos. The good intentions of zoos to introduce enrichment practices that stimulate animals mentally and physically are not always achievable. Changes to the policies and procedures in organisations are difficult to fulfil for a range of reasons frequently investigated in change management literature. The implementation of these changes can be the source of ineffective attempts to generate positive interventions in organisations. In this study, we investigate whether interventions to improve animal management in zoos through enrichment are subject to implementation impediments. Qualitative data gathered from interviews with 23 keepers working with big cats across 12 zoos globally provided valuable insights into the barriers and enablers to the implementation of enrichment. Keepers participated voluntarily and worked in accredited zoos across Australia, New Zealand, Europe, south-east Asia, South Africa, and the United States of America. Thematic analysis of the data revealed five key themes that described some of the challenges zoos and keepers experience when implementing enrichment for big cats, in their words: "let's just be cautious", "purely surviving", "struggle to understand the goal", "can't always provide what you should", and "judge the effectiveness". These themes provide additional insights into potential areas for improvement, including greater attention to the benefits of enrichment for animal mental health and increased transparency around enrichment objectives in zoos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The failure rate of in vitro fertilization (IVF) is around 75% per cycle. These unsuccessful attempts can provoke acute clinical depression and other problems. Although practitioners often recommend cognitive reappraisal, rather than avoidance, to cope with these difficulties, previous research has not established the psychosocial determinants of adaptive coping strategies. Arguably, resilience could encourage cognitive reappraisal, because resilient individuals feel confident they can overcome their emotions, whereas marital quality could prevent avoidance, because individuals feel secure enough to reflect upon their distress. Consequently, resilience and marital quality could facilitate recovery over time. To explore these possibilities, 184 women, all of whom had unsuccessfully completed IVF treatment, completed a questionnaire that gauged their levels of self-reported depression since their last IVF attempt as well as resilience and marital quality. Immediately after the unsuccessful attempt, resilience was inversely, whereas marital quality was positively, related to depression. However, within this cross-sectional sample after greater time had elapsed, marital quality became increasingly beneficial and was negatively associated with depression. These findings imply that resilience can curb the initial distress; in contrast, marital quality may enable individuals to reflect upon their trauma, initially amplifying distress but eventually facilitating recovery. Future research would benefit from longitudinal studies, illustrating whether resilience and marital quality at one time predict changes in distress at subsequent times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) is a widespread marine predator in Northern Hemisphere waters. British populations have been subject to rapid declines in recent years. Food supply or inter-specific competition may be implicated but basic ecological data are lacking and there are few studies of harbour seal foraging distribution and habits. In this study, satellite tagging conducted at the major seal haul outs around the British Isles showed both that seal movements were highly variable among individuals and that foraging strategy appears to be specialized within particular regions. We investigated whether these apparent differences could be explained by individual level factors: by modelling measures of trip duration and distance travelled as a function of size, sex and body condition. However, these were not found to be good predictors of foraging trip duration or distance, which instead was best predicted by tagging region, time of year and inter-trip duration. Therefore, we propose that local habitat conditions and the constraints they impose are the major determinants of foraging movements. Specifically the distance to profitable feeding grounds from suitable haul-out locations may dictate foraging strategy and behaviour. Accounting for proximity to productive foraging resources is likely to be an important component of understanding population processes. Despite more extensive offshore movements than expected, there was also marked fidelity to the local haulout region with limited connectivity between study regions. These empirical observations of regional exchange at short time scales demonstrates the value of large scale electronic tagging programs for robust characterization of at-sea foraging behaviour at a wide spatial scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Survival of seal pups may be affected by their ability to respond appropriately to stress. Chronic stress can adversely affect secretion of cortisol and thyroid hormones, which contribute to the control of fuel utilisation. Repeated handling could disrupt the endocrine response to stress and/or negatively impact upon mass changes during fasting. Here we investigated the effects of handling regime on cortisol and thyroid hormone levels, and body mass changes, in fasting male and female grey seal pups (Halichoerus grypus). Females had higher thyroid hormone levels than males throughout fasting and showed a reduction in cortisol midway through the fast that was not seen in males. This may reflect sex-specific fuel allocation or development. Neither handling frequency nor cumulative contact time affected plasma cortisol or thyroid hormone levels, the rate of increase in cortisol over the first five minutes of physical contact or the pattern of mass loss during fasting in either sex. The endocrine response to stress and the control of energy balance in grey seal pups appear to be robust to repeated, short periods of handling. Our results suggest that routine handling should have no additional impact on these animals than general disturbance caused by researchers moving around the colony. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A rise in perceived workload might partly reflect the need to boost self-esteem. This paper examines whether a decline in autonomy magnifies this need, and thus augments perceived workload, when employees feel detached from their social collectives. In study 1, 205 public servants completed a survey; autonomy was negatively related to perceived workload, especially when cohesion declined. In study 2, these results were replicated with 194 operations workers. In study 3, 164 employees completed a survey, demonstrating that personal belief in a just world was negatively associated with perceived workload when attachment to a social collective declined. Thus, individuals who feel detached from their social context, but experience a limited sense of control, demonstrate cognitive biases that amplify perceived workload. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Two obstacles impede the development of productive theories in personality, social, and organizational psychology. First, the distinct frameworks are seldom integrated; the various theories sometimes yield incompatible implications. Second, because many findings in these fields seem intuitive, these observations do not augment the validity of these theories. To override these issues, this paper integrates the 70 most unintuitive findings of 2007 into a unified framework, derived from personality systems interaction theory. Specifically, 10 participants extracted the most unintuitive observations from 17 scholarly journals. These findings were reconciled within a single framework that generates 41 testable propositions. The framework assumes that an associative self system, underpinned by a vast network of schemas, governs behavior as well as enhances intuition, engagement, creativity, and cooperation. When individuals experience a threat, this system is inhibited, unless the requisite defense mechanisms to accommodate potential hazards have been developed. Furthermore, individuals attempt to distance themselves from unassailable threats, which activate an analytical system that formulates plans that could accommodate future contingencies. These plans are retained in memory or executed if individuals have acquired sufficient confidence. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study addressed the question of whether the benefits of transformational leadership extend to virtual environments. Furthermore, whether regulatory focus or goal orientation moderate the extent to which these benefits apply to virtual environments was also explored. A total of 165 employees completed a survey that assessed the leadership style of their supervisors as well their own regulatory focus, goal orientation, work engagement, and job satisfaction. When followers and leaders worked at different locations, visionary leadership was positively related to work attitudes, provided that promotion focus was sufficiently high or prevention focus was sufficiently low. Furthermore, when followers and leaders worked in the same location, personal recognition was positively associated with work engagement, especially if prevention focus or performance goal orientation was high. These findings align with the proposition, derived from construal level theory, that leadership advice and support in which only the essence needs to be extracted apply to virtual environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disclosure of traumatic experiences is related to health benefits and is central to therapy for individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, neither naturalistic patterns of trauma disclosures nor the outcomes of such disclosures have been established empirically. This article reports the development and preliminary psychometric evaluation of a 16-item instrument assessing characteristics of traumatic event disclosure- inhibition, emotional disclosure, and cognitive disclosure-to spouses. Furthermore, the association between the trauma disclosure of 103 Australian police officers and their adjustment is presented. The disclosure subscales demonstrate adequate internal consistency and also predict several psychological outcomes. Consistent with prior literature, officers who did not discuss their trauma experience experienced more psychological distress and traumatic stress. However, failure to observe benefits for cognitive disclosure is discussed with regard to the role of negative appraisals in PTSD and differences between naturalistic and experimental disclosure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study ascertains whether the impact of workplace injustice on counterproductive work behavior is moderated by personality and team context. A sample of 131 public-service employees completed a questionnaire that assessed the extent to which they receive distributive, procedural, and interactional justice. Furthermore, team commitment, coworker satisfaction, and Big Five personality traits were assessed. Finally, respondents estimated the frequency with which they and their colleagues engage in counterproductive behaviors. Procedural, distributive, and interactional injustice all provoked counterproductive behaviors. The effect of justice on these destructive acts diminished when team commitment was elevated, coworker satisfaction was limited, agreeableness was pronounced, and neuroticism was reduced. The findings confirm that vulnerability amplifies the impact of injustice, but interdependence can diminish this effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Individuals are more inclined to trust a person they perceive as similar to themselves. Nevertheless, the perceived similarity of another person can be distorted by many personality and contextual factors. This study assessed whether neuroticism is related to perceived similarity and whether the familiarity of a context influences this association. Specifically, 87 participants received a hypothetical resume that described an applicant. Participants rated this job applicant along a series of trait adjectives. Furthermore, they completed the NEO FFI to characterize their own personality. While evaluating the job applicant, background music was presented, and this music was familiar to only a portion of participants. Participants with elevated levels of neuroticism were more likely to perceive the applicant as dissimilar to themselves on openness and extraversion. This perceived dissimilarity in extraversion was especially pronounced when the music was rated as familiar. These findings were ascribed to the sensitivity towards threat that underpins neuroticism, which provokes an inflated recognition of differences in familiar contexts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper examines whether workplace characteristics, particularly resource availability and transformational leadership, moderate the association between openness to experience and organizational commitment. In Study 1, 205 employees completed a questionnaire that assessed their openness, organizational commitment, and perceived availability of resources at their organization. Openness reduced the extent to which individuals felt obliged to remain loyal to the organization, although this association diminished as resources became more accessible. In Study 2, 312 employees completed a similar questionnaire that also gauged the perceived leadership style of their supervisors. Transformational leadership amplified the positive relationship between openness and organizational commitment. These findings align with the proposition that individuals are more committed in work environments that facilitate the expression of their traits. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract Caregiver burden can be alleviated by a sense of reciprocity or balance in the give-and-take between a caregiver and care-receiver (Dwyer & Miller, 1990). This study investigated whether self-esteem and intrinsic motivation influence the relationship between reciprocity and caregiver burden. Primary caregivers (N&ThickSpace;=&ThickSpace;56) of a patient with a disability, illness or frailty due to aging were recruited via carer organisations. Participants completed the Caregiver Burden Inventory (Novak & Guest, 1989a), the Caregiver Reciprocity Scale (Carruth, 1996) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965). Reciprocity decreased caregiver burden directly, although self-esteem did partially mediate the relationship between reciprocal warmth and emotional burden. Contrary to predictions, self-esteem and intrinsic motivation enhanced rather than diminished the impact of reciprocity on burden. Intervention strategies aimed at fostering reciprocity are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a visual search paradigm, this series of experiments determined whether threatening and nonthreatening facial expressions attract attention. In Experiment 1, participants were instructed to locate a face with a particular facial expression in an array of four or eight faces. Search time was reduced for a happy target among neutral distractors, compared with a neutral target among happy distractors. In contrast, when the stimuli were inverted, search time was faster when the target was neutral and slower when the target was happy. An increase in the number of distractors increased search times to a greater extent when the target face was neutral and inverted than in the other conditions. Experiment 2 revealed the same pattern of results for sad faces. Experiment 3 used a modified search array to directly compare search times for happy, sad, fearful, and angry facial expressions. The attentional advantage for happy and sad targets shown in Experiments 1 and 2 was examined further by comparing search times when participants were instructed to search for a particular expression with those obtained when they searched for any emotional expression. Angry and happy targets were located faster than sad or fearful faces, and at least part of this advantage was determined by task instructions rather than being automatic. These findings demonstrate that nonthreatening facial expressions (happy, sad) can capture attention relative to neutral expressions, and that threatening expressions differ in their effect. It is suggested that angry faces indicate potential threat to the observer (e.g., the threat of personal violence) and therefore attract attention, whereas fearful faces indicate threat elsewhere in the environment (e.g., the approach of a violent intruder), and therefore divert attention away from the face and towards the source of the threat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experiment utilized a masked priming paradigm to explore the early processes involved in face recognition. The first experiment investigated implicit processing of the eyes and mouth in an upright face, using prime durations of 33 and 50 ms. The results demonstrate implicit processing of both the eyes and mouth, and support the configural processing theory of face processing. The second experiment used the same method with inverted faces and the third experiment was a combination of Experiments 1 and 2. The fourth experiment utilized misaligned faces as the primes. Based on the pattern of results from these experiments, we suggest that, when a face is inverted, the eyes and mouth are initially processed individually and are not linked until a later stage of processing. An upright face is proposed to be processed by analysis of its configuration, whereas an inverted face is initially processed using first-order relational information, and then converted to an upright representation and transferred to face specific regions for configural analysis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

When a problem is abandoned, a solution may subsequently and unexpectedly emerge. The intervening period, known as incubation, has sometimes been ascribed to opportunity assimilation. According to this theory, impasses to a problem create failure indexes, which ensure that random clues in the environment are detected and utilized. To assess the notion that failure indexes enhance clue utilization, 50 participants undertook a series of word problems. After this initial attempt, the participants were deceived and told that half the unsolved problems were insoluble. A series of general knowledge questions was then presented; the answers to the original problems were surreptitiously incorporated within this questionnaire. The instruction that certain problems were insoluble was retracted, and the items that had yet to be solved were reinstated. High-ability problem solvers were less likely to correctly answer the items that were designated as insoluble. Low-ability problem solvers, however, generated the reverse pattern. A model that links failure indexes to the forgetting of suboptimal strategies was formulated to accommodate these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the ability of individuals with autism to generate a unique series of digits. Fourteen low-functioning individuals with autism, 14 intellectually disabled individuals, and 14 postgraduate university students generated a series of pseudo-random digits. Individuals with autism were more likely to repeat previous digits than were either of the control groups. The normal control group, however, was less likely to attempt cycling through all digits before repeating. Accordingly, low-functioning individuals with autism may exhibit a shortfall in response inhibition. This finding supports the executive dysfunction theory of autism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides information on a study which explored the factors and practices that influence the benefits provided by information technology. Research methodology and respondent profile; Analysis and results; Conclusions.

Abstract Are organizations responding to significant changes in Australian labour force demographics by providing more family-friendly programs? This article explores whether or not variations across companies in the implementation of work-family programs and policies relate to demands of key constituent groups. Findings of the present evaluation indicate that certain employee demographic factors, particularly employees with dependents, women, union members, and long-serving employees are more likely to predispose an organization to offer work-family benefits. Employers need to be able to characterise the demographics of their workforce to plan the type of policies and programs that might be most suitable and contribute to productivity outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Considers demand and capacity management at a COVID-19 mass vaccination centre. • Computer simulation used to inform a safe and effective operating model. • Inputs obtained through data collected from a live exercise conducted in December 2020. • Outputs directly informed the initial configuration of the site under consideration. • Demonstrates the value of Operational Research within the mass vaccination setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. The aim of this systematic review was to analyze and synthesize available evidence for the effects of somatic acupoint stimulation (SAS) on cancer-related sleep disturbance in adults with cancer. Methods. Nine databases and four clinical trial registries were searched from their inception to July 2019 to identify potential articles and registered trials. Two authors independently extracted data and appraised the methodological quality of the included studies. The included studies could not be subjected to meta-analysis due to the significant variations in SAS intervention protocols and outcome measurement instruments. This systematic review therefore reported the results of the included trials narratively. Results. Seven studies were identified, which involved 906 cancer patients. SAS protocols varied across trials without an optimal evidence-based standard intervention protocol to manage cancer-related sleep disturbance. Sanyinjiao (SP6) was the most commonly selected acupoint. Manual acupuncture was typically 15–30 min in duration and was conducted once a day or once a week for a period of 1–5 weeks, whereas self-administered acupressure was typically 1–3 min in duration per point and was conducted once a day, such as during night time before going to bed, for a period of 1–5 months. The results indicated that SAS could potentially relieve cancer-related sleep disturbance and improve quality of life. Mild adverse effects were reported in three of the included studies, but none of them performed a causality analysis to clarify the association between the reported adverse events and the intervention. Conclusions. This systematic review showed that SAS is a useful approach to relieving cancer-related sleep disturbance. However, research evidence on SAS for managing cancer-related sleep disturbance has not been fully conclusive due to the limited number of existing clinical studies with relatively small sample size and suboptimal methodological quality. Clinical trials with large sample size and robust methodology are warranted in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural hazards can turn into disasters when not managed well. An important part of disaster risk reduction is to understand how well communities are prepared for natural hazards and how well they can cope with and recover from shocks in the long term. This research assesses self‐reported community resilience and asks what makes a community resilient, using Australia as a case study. It reports on an Australian‐wide online survey which included questions related to the Conjoint Community Resiliency Assessment Measurement, a subjective indicator, as well as questions about risk perception, well‐being, and self‐efficacy. Community resilience was found to be moderately high but scores for community leadership and preparedness were low. Perceived community resilience was positively correlated with age and those with high scores for self‐efficacy and well‐being. There was, as expected, an inverse relationship between reliance on external support during natural hazards and self‐efficacy. The results complement previous studies which used different measures of community resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tidal energy converters (turbines) are being developed in many countries as part of attempts to reduce reliance on hydrocarbon fuels. However, the moving blades of tidal turbines pose potential collision risks for marine animals. Accurate assessment of mortality risk as a result of collisions is essential for risk management during planning and consenting processes for marine energy developments. In the absence of information on the physical consequences of such collisions, predicting likely risks relies on theoretical collision risk models. The application of these at a population level usually assumes that all collisions result in mortality. This is unlikely and the approach therefore produces upwardly biased estimates of population consequences.In this study, we estimate the pathological consequences of direct collisions with tidal turbines using seal carcasses and physical models of tidal turbine blades. We quantify severe trauma at a range of impact speeds and to different areas of seal carcasses. A dose–response model was developed with associated uncertainty to determine an impact speed threshold of severe trauma to use in future collision risk models.Results showed that severe trauma was restricted to the thoracic region, with no evidence of injury to the lumbar or cervical spine. Pathological indicators of mortality were only predicted to occur in collision speeds in excess of 5.1 m/s (95% C.I. 3.2–6.6) and was affected by body condition; increasing blubber depth reduced the likelihood of severe trauma.Synthesis and applications. This study provides important information for policy makers and regulators looking to predict the potential impacts of tidal turbines on marine mammals. We demonstrate that the probability of severe trauma in seals due to collisions with turbine blades is highly dependent upon collision speed, and that the majority of predicted collisions are unlikely to cause fatal skeletal trauma. We recommend that collision risk models incorporate appropriate mortality assumptions to ensure accurate estimates of the population consequences are produced in risk assessments for tidal turbine deployments. This study provides important information for policy makers and regulators looking to predict the potential impacts of tidal turbines on marine mammals. We demonstrate that the probability of severe trauma in seals due to collisions with turbine blades is highly dependent upon collision speed, and that the majority of predicted collisions are unlikely to cause fatal skeletal trauma. We recommend that collision risk models incorporate appropriate mortality assumptions to ensure accurate estimates of the population consequences are produced in risk assessments for tidal turbine deployments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses five cases of cannibalism by a male gray seal (Halichoerus grypus) in the North Sea. Topics covered include how intraspecific infanticide can facilitate the acquisition of resources, direct energy gains, and increased opportunities for mating and cannibalism as important indicators of individual, social, or ecosystem changes in other species such as polar bears that are exposed to rapidly changing environments.

Development of adequate diving capabilities is crucial for survival of seal pups and may depend on age and body size. We tracked the diving behavior of 20 gray seal pups during their first 3 mo at sea using satellite relay data loggers. We employed quantile analysis to track upper limits of dive duration and percentage time spent diving as well as lower limits of surface intervals. When pups first left the breeding colony, extreme (95th percentile) dive duration and percentage time spent diving were positively correlated with age, but not mass, at departure. Extreme dive durations and percentage time spent diving peaked at 67 ± 12 days of age at values comparable with those of adults but were not sustained. Greater peaks in extreme percentage time spent diving occurred in pups that had higher initial values, were older at their peak, and were heavier at departure. Pups that were smaller and lesscapable divers when they left the colony improved extreme dive durations and percentage time spent diving more rapidly once they were at sea. We speculate that once small pups have attained a minimum degree of physiological development to support diving, they would benefit by leaving the colony when younger, but larger, to maximize limited fuel reserves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Rail accidents can be understood in terms of the systemic and individual contributions to their causation. The current study was undertaken to determine whether errors and violations are more often associated with different local and organisational factors that contribute to rail accidents. The Contributing Factors Framework (CFF), a tool developed for the collection and codification of data regarding rail accidents and incidents, was applied to a sample of investigation reports. In addition, a more detailed categorisation of errors was undertaken. Ninety-six investigation reports into Australian accidents and incidents occurring between 1999 and 2008 were analysed. Each report was coded independently by two experienced coders. Task demand factors were significantly more often associated with skill-based errors, knowledge and training deficiencies significantly associated with mistakes, and violations significantly linked to social environmental factors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Williams syndrome (WS), a rare genetically based neurodevelopmental disorder, is characterized by gait abnormalities that resemble basal ganglia-parkinsonian deficits in the internal regulation of stride length. In the current study, we explored whether visual or attentional cues would improve gait function in adults with WS, when compared to adults with Down syndrome (DS) and neurologically normal controls. The spatiotemporal characteristics of gait were measured using the GAITRite walkway while participants walked with visual cues set at 20% greater than preferred stride length (externally cued), or with an attentional strategy of maintaining the stride length without the assistance of visual cues (internally cued). Although the WS and DS groups were able to achieve the criterion and normalize stride length in both conditions, the WS group significantly reduced their gait speed and cadence in the externally cued condition when compared to controls. In the internally cued condition, the WS group also showed reduced speed and increased intra-individual variability in speed and stride time. These findings suggest that the primary deficit is not one of difficulty regulating stride length in WS, but rather indicates more widespread dysfunction within visuomotor regions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Although charismatic, inspiring, and transformational leaders enhance work attitudes in stable work environments, their utility in dynamic contexts has not been investigated extensively. Furthermore, whether or not the benefits of this leadership style depend on openness to change has not been explored. To redress these shortfalls, leaders (n = 57) and followers (n = 91) in a post-merger Indonesian bank completed questionnaires that assess the perceived leadership style of supervisors, as well as the job satisfaction, intention to leave, commitment to the change, and openness to change in employees. Affectivity of leaders was also examined. Transformational leadership was positively related to job satisfaction, particularly when employees demonstrated openness to change. Furthermore, leaders who experienced positive affect were most likely to demonstrate transformational leadership. This finding indicates that leadership styles that are regarded as effective in stable environments are also applicable soon after mergers, especially if employees conceptualize change as an opportunity for growth and advancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the superior search abilities observed in autism/Asperger's disorder may in part be a consequence of a more pronounced inhibition of return (IOR). Contrary to our prediction, IOR in individuals with autism was comparable to the matched comparison group. However, the autism group committed more false alarm responses than the matched comparison group; this may reflect a possible inhibitory deficit, or suggest that individuals with autism rely more on probabilities to determine their behavioural responses. There was a borderline-significant trend (p = 0.052) to indicate that IOR may be more pronounced in individuals with Asperger's disorder. In contrast to the autism group, the Asperger's disorder group had a pattern of false alarm responses similar to that of the comparison group. The findings further inform Minshew's complex information processing theory which seeks to establish which areas of neuropsychological functioning are preserved and deficit in autism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few longitudinal studies have examined the principal determinants of long-term persistent offending, and even fewer studies have examined this issue using qualitative data. This study explores characteristics of the psychosocial construct of primary group deficiency that refers to situations where social support is compromised; that is, when the quality of the individual's emotional bonds is dysfunctional and the quality of the individual's social attachments with the primary group is deficient. The case-study narratives of the juvenile persistent offenders who became long-term persistent offenders, and who are reported in this study, provide a particularly rich source of data pertaining to primary group deficiency. Consistent with quantitative data analysis using a larger sample (N = 100), the current findings indicate especially pronounced deficits in attachments to parents, often characterized by the failure to form adequate primary attachments in early life or subsequent disruption of those primary attachments; defiance and opposition to authority figures; and sibling and peer attachments that influence offending. They are also suggestive of an avoidant attachment style, limited levels of availability and adequacy of social integration, as well as elevated levels of anxiety often manifesting in a high incidence of anxious dreams. These qualitative data enable a more comprehensive understanding of primary group deficiency than was possible on the basis of the quantitative data alone. The findings provide a deeper understanding of the personal and social setting in which the behaviours of a randomly selected subset of the individuals who participated in the quantitative study were grounded and provide further implications for prevention and management programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used supplementary feeding to test the hypothesis that fuel partitioning during the postweaning fast in grey seal pups is affected by size and composition of energy reserves at weaning, and by extra provisioning. Mass and body composition changes were measured during suckling and fasting to investigate the effect of natural differences in energy reserves at weaning on subsequent allocation of fat and protein to energy use. We fed seven pups for 5 days after weaning, to investigate the effect of increased fuel availability, and particularly protein, on fuel utilisation. After correcting for protein used during the moult, the proportional contribution of fat was 86-99% of total energy use. Pups with greater energy reserves, i.e. those that were heavier and fatter at weaning, had higher rates of fat and energy use. There was no significant relationship between adiposity at weaning and proportional contribution of fat to energy use, perhaps due to a limited sample size or range of body masses and adiposity. Supplemented individuals used energy, specifically fat, much faster and utilised proportionally less of their endogenous protein by departure than non-supplemented individuals. Fat metabolism contributed a similar percentage to daily energy use in both groups. These findings show that pups spare protein, even when energy use is dramatically increased. Pups that receive greater maternal provisioning and lay down more protein may have increased survival chances at sea. This study highlights the importance of protein reserves in first year survival of grey seal pups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This prospective study explored the psychosocial construct of primary group deficiency, which entails deficits in social attachment, social integration and psychological adjustment. Few studies in the realm of criminology have examined the consequences of this deficiency longitudinally. To explore the relationship over time between primary group deficiency and general as well as violent persistent offending, 100 male juvenile detainees were interviewed in 1980. The extent to which these youth regarded their attachments and social structures as adequate was determined. When compared with other documented demographic samples, deficiencies were found. In addition, levels of anxiety and neuroticism were assessed and found to be elevated, with more than half the sample recording a high to extreme level of anxiety, a level that is typically observed in only 5% of the general population. In 2002, the participants' convictions over the previous 22 years were determined. The results reveal that participants who demonstrated inadequate social attachment — an indicator of primary group deficiency — were more likely to have greater number of convictions at follow-up and were more likely to engage in violent rather than non-violent crimes compared to participants with adequate social attachment. In addition, elevated anxiety predicted long-term persistent offending. The findings contribute to psychosocial aetiological theories of general and violent long-term persistent offending and provide implications for prevention and management programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]