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Existing research shows that behavioural interventions can trigger pro-environmental behaviour change, but there is a lack of understanding around how these interventions change behaviour. In response to recent research that calls for studies to systematically test links between interventions and the psychological determinants of behaviour, this study 1) develops and tests a pro-environmental behavioural change intervention in the field, and 2) empirically investigates which psychological determinants the intervention triggers, using a survey experiment. Results indicate that the intervention promotes the pro-environmental target behaviour by increasing commitment. Commitment is predicted by beliefs (unaffected by the intervention) and ascription of responsibility (triggered by the intervention). The present study has practical significance by proving the effectiveness of an easily implementable intervention, as well as theoretical significance by providing empirical evidence about the hypothesised connections between interventions and the psychological determinants of behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally academic excellence and quality education is receiving paramount importance. With innovations in methodology of teaching and rapid changes in technologies, delivering quality education has become easy. Nudging is a tool that is now used globally to enhance academic excellence. Nudge is defined as "any attempt at influencing people's judgment, choice or behavior in a predictable way (1) made possible because of cognitive biases in individual and social decision-making posing barriers for people to perform rationally in their own interest, and (2) working by making use of those biases as an integral part of such attempts." It is used in business and by governments of welfare states to change behaviour of the masses. The study reviews a few successful implementations of nudges in academic filed, and explores the possibility of utilising it in Saudi education sector to solve a few compelling problems faced by it. A few suggestions to this effect are also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolic Syndrome (MetS), is a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases including type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Although MetS risk is transferred via the epigenome from both biological parents, periconceptional lifestyle interventions are generally directed towards mothers. There is a need for interventions to reflect the shared nature of epigenetic MetS risk between both biological parents. Couples-based lifestyle interventions have previously been used to improve adherence to behaviour change in conditions with shared risk responsibility such as sexually transmitted diseases. This systematic literature review sought to answer the research question: Are couples-based interventions more effective than individual interventions to address overweight and obesity as the primary modifiable risk for MetS in addition to other associated factors. Couples-based studies involving randomised controlled trials, published between 01/01/1990-31/12/2021, were identified in Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection, Cochrane, and Scopus. After screening 4742 articles, only five eligible trials remained. Statistically significant post-intervention maintenance of low glycaemic levels was observed in one study. Otherwise, no statistically significant group differences between couples' groups and control groups were observed in any of the five included studies. The included studies concluded that couple-based interventions can lead to weight reduction, maintenance, and adherence to modified health behaviours similar to interventions that target individuals. Overall, the findings indicate that, notwithstanding the paucity of authentic couples-based interventions, there is potential for such approaches to moderate MetS risk factors likely to flow onto epigenetic transmission of risk. • Couples based intervention are an effective tool in weight management interventions. • Increased adherence to modified behaviours and reduced risk of metabolic syndrome by targeting both members of a couple. • Pre-conception couples-based nutrition quality and physical activity intervention to reduce the risk of epigenetic transmission of metabolic risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing research waste and protecting research participants from unnecessary harm should be top priorities for researchers studying interventions. However, the traditional use of fixed sample sizes exposes trials to risks of under- and overrecruitment by requiring that effect sizes be determined a priori. One mitigating approach is to adopt a Bayesian sequential design, which enables evaluation of the available evidence continuously over the trial period to decide when to stop recruitment. Target criteria are defined, which encode researchers' intentions for what is considered findings of interest, and the trial is stopped once the scientific question is sufficiently addressed. In this tutorial, we revisit a trial of a digital alcohol intervention that used a fixed sample size of 2129 participants. We show that had a Bayesian sequential design been used, the trial could have ended after collecting data from approximately 300 participants. This would have meant exposing far fewer individuals to trial procedures, including being allocated to the waiting list control condition, and the evidence from the trial could have been made public sooner. J Med Internet Res 2022;24(12):e40730 doi:10.2196/40730 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Attributions of parent-referent stability negatively predicted acceptability of parent-focused behavioural interventions. [•] No association was found between attributional dimensions and acceptability of child-focused behavioural interventions. [•] Severity of child's disruptive behaviour was negatively related to mothers’ acceptability of behavioural interventions. [•] Low parent-referent stability may promote parental acceptance of a parent-focused behavioural intervention for children with ASD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Social Stories™ are a popular intervention used with individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and other disabilities. Most of the research conducted to date has involved small n designs. Previous meta-analyses of this research have involved relatively small numbers of studies and issues such as selection bias and failure to evaluate methodological quality and have confounded the findings. The present article addresses the limitations of the previous meta-analyses and evaluates 62 studies using three small n metrics, focussing on whether Social Stories were effective with individuals with ASD or other disabilities. It was also determined whether efficacy varied systematically across study or participant characteristics. Consistent with previous reviews, while there was considerable variation, on average Social Stories appear to have only a small clinical effect on behaviour. Implications for the selection of interventions strategies by practitioners are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study which compared the outcomes of graded exercise and graded exposure activity prescriptions for patients under a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program for chronic low back pain. The study included patients with chronic low back pain who were randomized to receive either graded exercise and graded exposure activities. It found that both behavioral intervention resulted to significant improvements in pain intensity and disability at discharge.

Abstract: Observing children during play finds them practising and mastering skills in planning, investigation, discovery, construction, imitation and imagination; there is no less need for the continuation of these skills during illness and hospitalization. Play produces comfort and reassurance at a time of unfamiliar and potentially frightening experiences. Play helps to coordinate developmental and learning strategies to help children understand their environment. The multifaceted nature of play contributes to the non-pharmacological approaches to hospital procedures; play is not just for passing time pleasurably or relieving boredom (though both are crucial for a positive experience within this setting). The influence of normal play in hospital, alongside distraction therapy, preparation for procedures, referrals and home visits, are explored using therapeutic, cognitive and behavioural interventions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Attempts to address the growing problem of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and their impact on healthcare systems have historically relied on infection control policies that recommend good hygiene through standard and enhanced precautions (e.g. barrier precautions and patient isolation). In order for infection control strategies to be effective, however, healthcare workers'' behaviour must be congruent with these policies. The purposes of this systematic review were to evaluate studies testing the effectiveness of interventions aimed at changing healthcare workers'' behaviour (in reducing HAIs) and to summarize the findings of the studies with the highest quality scores. A total of 33 published studies met the inclusion criteria and were evaluated. Four of these earned a study quality score of ≥80%. In all four significant reductions in HAI or colonization rates were reported. Behavioural interventions used in these high quality studies included an educational programme (in four), the formation of a multi-disciplinary quality improvement team (three), compliance monitoring and feedback (two), and a mandate to sign a hand hygiene requirement statement (one). In all 33 studies, bundles of two to five interventions were employed, making it difficult to determine the effectiveness of individual interventions. The usefulness of ‘care bundling’ has recently been recognized and recommended by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Considering the multi-factorial nature of the HAI problem and the logistical and ethical difficulties of applying the randomized clinical trial approach to infection control research, it may be necessary to study interventions as sets of practices. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]