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Purpose: With a historic lack of attention to synthesis methods such as systematic review and meta-analysis and a lack of randomised controlled trials, the evidence base for behavioural interventions for children and adults who are autistic or are diagnosed with developmental disabilities is patchy. The Sharland Foundation Developmental Disabilities Applied Behavioural Research and Impact Network (SF-DDARIN), a network of like-minded researchers and practitioners across the UK, aims to address this. The purpose of this paper is to describe the network's work and provide the context for the remaining articles in the special issue that exemplify network projects. Design/methodology/approach: In this case study paper, the authors describe how the SF-DDARIN works and is resourced, detailing the process used to maximise research opportunities by facilitating network members working together. The authors outline the progressive research steps that the SF-DDARIN has identified are needed to develop and improve the evidence base for behavioural interventions systematically and, with examples, describe how the network delivers these steps. Findings: Since its establishment in 2016, the SF-DDARIN network members have collectively worked on more than 53 projects involving over 50 researchers, had over 120 special schools contribute to projects and have recruited over 500 participants. This has been achieved through funding from the Sharland Foundation, primarily to cover the staffing costs of a small support team and internship partnerships with external organisations. Some projects have attracted external funding. Originality/value: SF-DDARIN may provide an innovative, effective and resource-efficient model for other groups seeking to develop and extend their evidence base in developmental disability research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to offer a commentary on Denne et al.'s (2024) article discussing the journey undertaken by the Sharland Foundation Developmental Disabilities Applied Behavioural Research and Impact Network to augment evidence surrounding the efficacy of the online Headsprout® Early Reading programme. Design/methodology/approach: Drawing from over 15 years of professional experience as a qualified teacher in special education settings, the author reflects on the network's approach and its alignment with their own expertise. Findings: While acknowledging the commendable focus of the network on amassing additional evidence, this commentary underscores the importance of identifying barriers and fostering adaptability within the educational landscape. Central to the discussion is the imperative to prioritise students' needs and tailor data collection methods to suit their unique contexts. Originality/value: This commentary is aimed at professionals working in special education settings striving to improve their practice and student outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Evidence-informed decision-making is considered best practice when choosing interventions in applied settings across health, social care and education. Developing that evidence base, however, is not straightforward. The pupose of this paper is to describe the process implemented by the Sharland Foundation Developmental Disabilities Applied Behavioural Research and Impact Network (SF-DDARIN) that systematically develops an evidence base for behaviorally based interventions. Design/methodology/approach: In this case study, the progressive research steps undertaken by the SF-DDARIN to develop the evidence base for an online reading intervention, the Headsprout® Early Reading programme (HER®), which uses behavioural principles to promote learning to read, are described. Findings: A series of discrete projects targeting gaps in the evidence base for HER® led to funding two randomised controlled trials in England, one in education and one in health and social care. Originality/value: This case study illustrates an original, creative and effective way of collaborating across academic research departments and applied settings to extend the evidence base for a chosen intervention systematically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Insomnia is highly prevalent in prisoners. The purpose of this paper is a review of research evidence on interventions with sleep as an outcome (2000 to 2020) and rates of insomnia prevalence and associated factors in prisons (2015 to 2020).Design/methodology/approach: An internet-based search used Medline, PubMed, PsycINFO (EBSCOhost), Embase, Web of Science and Scopus. Seven interventions and eight sleep prevalence or sleep-associated factor papers were identified.Findings: Intervention research was very limited and the quality of the research design was generally poor. Interventions such as cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), yoga and mindfulness can be beneficial in a prison setting. This review identified a high prevalence of insomnia in prisons across the world, which was supported by recent evidence. Factors associated with insomnia include anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, personality disorder and pain.Research Limitations/implications: There is a need for appropriately powered randomised control trials of CBT-I in prisons and a need to use objective measures of sleep quality.Originality/value: Due to a lack of an up-to-date review, this paper fulfils the need for a review of the evidence on interventions in prison settings with sleep as an outcome, rates of insomnia prevalence and associated factors in prisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to broaden the discussion on some of the barriers and solutions for co-production in positive behaviour support (PBS) planning as identified in the paper "Including people with intellectual disabilities in the development of their own Positive Behaviour Support Plans". Design/methodology/approach: Drawing on the literature associated with co-production in PBS planning, this commentary will reflect on the wider systems and culture needed to enable successful implementation of this way of working. Findings: Co-production in PBS planning is recommended as part of best practice guidelines. However, there is limited research in the area of co-production with regards to PBS and use of augmentative and alternative communication methods. Collaboration among speech and language therapy and PBS practitioners is an important factor for co-production to achieve the best outcomes for people with learning disabilities who display behaviours of concern. Along with identifying a range of communication tools/strategies needed for PBS assessment/planning, it also requires a whole systems approach and culture shift to ensure the necessary foundations are in place. Originality/value: Co-production in PBS planning remains an under practiced way of working. This commentary builds on the barriers and solutions identified for co-production and provides further insight into what might be needed to achieve this in health and social care settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to report a non-randomized control study undertaken to investigate prevalence and correlates of conduct disorder among male secondary education students in South-West Nigeria and to assess the impact of a problem-solving skills and attributional retraining (PSSAR) intervention with this population. Design/methodology/approach: In total, 787 male students from two schools were screened for conduct disorder. All participants who met criteria for the disorder were allocated to either treatment (n = 55) or control (n = 47) groups. Outcome measures comprised the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ; teacher and student versions) and the teacher rating of students' aggressive behaviors. Findings: Of the sample, 13% were found to present with difficulties that met criteria for conduct disorder. The presence of these difficulties correlated with several demographic variables, including parental conflict and alcohol use. A statistically significant reduction in mean scores was observed for the treatment group in the student rating of the SDQ emotional subscale and total difficulties scores. Teacher ratings were less consistent in that conduct problems, prosocial behavior and total difficulties increased following the intervention, whereas peer problems and aggressive behavior were reported by teachers to reduce. No statistically significant change was found in the outcome measures for the control group. Practical implications: In resource-constrained settings, school-based interventions are an important means through which treatment gaps in child and adolescent mental health can be addressed. Originality/value: In resource-constrained settings, school-based interventions are an important means through which treatment gaps in child and adolescent mental health can be addressed. This study's findings offer some preliminary support for the PSSAR intervention for conduct disorder in this context and indicate areas for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Intensive support teams (ISTs) are often poorly understood, despite reports of their effectiveness in managing behaviour that challenges for individuals with an intellectual disability. This paper aims to contribute to the understanding of ISTs through evaluating one IST's process and their use of positive behaviour support (PBS) as an intervention. Design/methodology/approach: Participants were obtained from the ISTs discharge database, and pre- and post-intervention data from these participants was used for analysis. Findings: Three-paired sample t-tests found that there were significant differences between pre- and post-scores on the behaviour problem inventory, Health of the Nation Outcomes Scale for people with Learning Disabilities and periodic service reviews, which measure quality of targeted, individualised support. This indicates that challenging behaviour frequency and severity were lower post-intervention, quality of life improved post-intervention and staff teams implemented recommended strategies more consistently by the end of the intervention. Originality/value: This service evaluation captured data over seven-year period, which helps to contribute to the understanding of the effectiveness of ISTs and the PBS framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Although the concept of transformative gamification is mentioned in previous research, no research has provided a theoretically based explanation of how gamification can lead to transformative change. This paper aims to provide the explanation for the first time by combining storytelling elements with cognitive behavioural therapy logic and incorporating these into a framework to show the process of transformative behaviour change through gamification. The proposed framework not only furthers the theoretical understanding of transformative gamification services but also provides practical insight into design and implication of such services. Design/methodology/approach: This paper is based on critical analysis and synthesis of literature from different fields of research such as transformative service research (TSR), gamification, game studies, social marketing, storytelling and journalism. Ergo, several propositions based on the extensive literature review are proposed and aggregated in a conceptual framework. Findings: This paper argues that apart from game mechanics that are often considered as an inseparable aspect of gamification services, immersive storytelling and a mechanism to encourage reflection are the pivotal components of transformative gamification services. In addition, this paper suggests that although reflection and immersive storytelling are often considered as opposite sides of the spectrum, they can have a synergistic effect once they work in tandem in gamification services. Originality/value: This paper proposes a novel framework and an operational definition for transformative gamification services. It contributes to TSR, gamification and health promotion research through differentiating this concept from similar concepts, such as mHealth, propelling gamification to a more meaningful and user-centric version and providing service researchers with a practical guide to make use of gamification as a tool to serve TSR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to assess the quality of systematic reviews on the effectiveness of psychological therapy for adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) and mental health difficulties. Design/methodology/approach: Four electronic databases were used: Cochrane, PsycINFO, PubMed and Scopus. Studies were included if they were a systematic review focused primarily on psychological therapy for adults with ID and mental health difficulties. Systematic reviews focused on anger were also considered for inclusion. These reviews were rated for quality on the Amstar-2, a quality rating tool designed to evaluate systematic reviews. Findings: Twelve relevant systematic reviews were identified, which included seven reviews focused primarily on cognitive behavioural therapy, two on psychodynamic therapy and three on third-wave therapies. The AMSTAR-2 indicated that all 12 reviews were of "critically low" quality. Thus, there are significant problems with the evidence base. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first systematic review of systematic reviews of the effectiveness of psychological therapies for people who have ID. It provides an overview of the quality of the evidence base into one place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Women with deafness are one of the vulnerable groups who experience sexual harassment. As a result, they experience psychological disorders such as stress, anxiety, fear and trauma. This problem is made worse because women with deafness have language and speech disorders. This paper aims to explore sexual harassment of women with deafness and develop Bisindo-based rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT) to deal with sexual harassment against women with deafness. Design/methodology/approach: Using the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation model of the R&D approach, this preliminary research study was carried out in four stages. The research respondents for the need assessment were 166 people with ten professional backgrounds spread throughout Indonesia. Respondents for model validation tests are ten people: REBT experts, psychologists, Bisindo experts, teachers, lecturers, Head of Women's Organization (WCC) and Head of the Deaf Community (Gerkatin) in West Sumatra. Data were collected by questionnaire. Findings: The results showed that many women with deafness experienced sexual harassment. The handling model using REBT mediated by Bisindo is needed in further research to test its effectiveness. The validity test results show that the Bisindo-based REBT model has been declared feasible, helpful, accurate and practical to be used as a response model for sexual harassment in women with deafness. Originality/value: The results of this study imply the need for the application of therapies that follow the characteristics of victims, such as Bisindo-based REBT for female sexual victims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide a commentary on "A logic model for the implementation of a regional workforce strategy in Positive Behavioural Support". Design/methodology/approach: This commentary provides a discussion of the importance of evaluating positive behaviour support (PBS) training and key issues relating to this. This provides a springboard from which researchers/practitioners may consider these issues when designing and evaluating PBS training courses. Findings: Three main issues are explored: the necessary diversity and breadth of PBS training approaches, the outcome domains to be evaluated and wider systemic issues that may influence PBS training and evaluation of its effectiveness. Originality/value: Effective PBS implementation requires robust training. To achieve this, it will be important for the field to overcome issues relating to the evaluation of training approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to propose and examine a conceptual model delineating how two different types of appearance-related self-discrepancies (i.e. the ideal appearance self-discrepancy vs. the ought appearance self-discrepancy) influence retail therapy shopping behavior through motivational route (i.e. approach motivation vs. avoidance motivation). Design/methodology/approach: This study utilized the online survey for data collection. Using a national sample of 532 US consumers who had retail therapy shopping experience, the conceptual model was tested through various statistical techniques, including confirmatory factor analysis, exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Findings: Results revealed that the ought appearance self-discrepancy positively influenced retail therapy shopping behavior through avoidance motivation and emotion-focused coping strategy, whereas the ideal appearance self-discrepancy did not influence retail therapy shopping behavior. The results also suggested that the effect of two different types of appearance-related self-discrepancies on motivations in retail therapy shopping context varied depending on the gender (i.e. male vs. female). Originality/value: Results suggest implications regarding potential target market strategies to retailers and provide a better understanding of retail therapy shoppers' characteristics and psychological mechanisms for consumer researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]