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Appropriate paper-based technology (APT) is used to provide postural support for children with cerebral palsy (CP) in low-resourced settings. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the impact of APT on the children's and families' lives. A convenience sample of children with CP and their families participated. Inclusion was based on the Gross Motor Function Classification System levels IV and V. APT seating or standing frames were provided for six months. A mixed methods impact of APT devices on the children and families included the Family Impact Assistive Technology Scale for Adaptive Seating (FIATS-AS); the Child Engagement in Daily Life (CEDL) questionnaire; and a qualitative assessment from diary/log and semi-structured interviews. Ten children (median 3 years, range 9 months to 7 years). Baseline to follow-up median (IQR) FIATS-AS were: 22.7 (9.3) and 30.3 (10.2), respectively (p=.002). Similarly mean (SD) CEDL scores for "frequency" changed from 30.5 (13.2) to 42.08 (5.96) (p=.021) and children's enjoyment scores from 2.23 (0.93) to 2.91 (0.79) (p=.019). CEDL questionnaire for self-care was not discriminatory; seven families scored zero at both baseline and 6 months. Qualitative interviews revealed three key findings; that APT improved functional ability, involvement/interaction in daily-life situations, and a reduced family burden of care. APT devices used in Kenyan children with non-ambulant CP had a meaningful positive effect on both the children's and their families' lives. Assistive devices are often unobtainable for children with cerebral palsy (CP) in low-income countries. APT is a low cost and sustainable solution to make seating and standing devices for disabled children in Kenya. The regular use of a postural support device enhanced the children's motor skills, ability to function and participate in everyday activities, reduced the burden of care for the families and promoted the children's social interaction. The postural support devices were highly valued and utilised by the children and families in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a narrative literature review on the evidence relating to the youth worker role with young people in the hospital setting, within which the research gaps and inconsistencies within the body of knowledge available are highlighted. Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, AMED and British Nursing Index databases were searched and screened for papers which involved the youth worker role with young people in a hospital setting. Data relating to the youth workers who worked with young people in the hospital setting were extracted by two independent reviewers. A total of 11 papers were identified dating from 1971 to 2018, from a range of countries. In order to present the available body of knowledge, this narrative synthesis of the literature is presented under three headings: descriptive work, service evaluation and empirical research. The findings suggest that the youth worker role in the hospital setting has a positive impact upon the lives of young people and this was accomplished through the interventions the youth worker employed when working with young people. Equally, challenges were highlighted relating to the youth worker undertaking their role in the hospital setting. However, changes during this time period in attitudes towards adolescent health particularly within the United Kingdom, along with the loss of funding for youth work has had an impact on the research in this area of clinical practice. The number of descriptive papers in this review, highlights the necessity for empirical evidence in both quantitative and qualitative research in order to gain a greater understanding of what the youth worker role in the hospital provides to young people and the impact of their interventions from the perspectives of young people, parents, youth workers and members of the multi-disciplinary team. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate medical students' impressions and attitudes toward scientific journal articles, and their accessibility to them in one of the developing countries, Jordan. Fourteen questions were asked to medical students to assess their knowledge and accessibility to papers, and to discover the impact of low interest in scientific papers on students' dealing with COVID-19. Data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics. The study found that there is an unsatisfactory reading for scientific journal articles among medical students, with only 47.2% of students reading them. Furthermore, there are unsatisfactory results regarding students' knowledge about journal types from the trust perspective (i.e., predatory and reliable journals). This was mainly because of a lack of adequate universal teaching about scientific journal articles, as 86.7% of medical students reported that their universities do not teach them about scientific journal articles. The absence of comprehensive learning about scientific journal articles had a potential negative impact on the medical student's handling of COVID-19 socially (i.e., advising people in the community about vaccination importance, social distancing, and other preventive measures). Librarians should be involved primarily in undergraduate education related to scientific journal articles, and their role in providing subscription-based journals free of charge, as well as protecting students from predatory journals through suitable library instructions, is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2016 WHO launched the priority assistive products list (APL) consisting of 50 products and recommended that using this as a reference, countries should develop their own contextually relevant national APLs. This paper describes the development of Malawi's APL. Two hundred and ninety-six persons with disabilities participated in a rapid Assistive Technology Assessment (rATA) survey. Six focus group discussions (FGDs) with people with various types of disabilities were conducted. The rATA questionnaire and FGDs collected data on assistive products (APs) participants used, APs they needed and the challenges they experienced. Data collection was done in six districts spread across the three regions in Malawi. All age groups were included in the survey. Persons with disabilities aged less than 18 participated but went with their guardians. All persons who participated in this study provided consent. Survey and FGDs results were presented at an APL consensus meeting with policymakers, service providers, disabled peoples' organizations and development partners in the disability sector. Based on the results and further discussions, a consensus was reached on the priority APs for Malawi. More than a third of respondents used wheelchairs (32%), followed by auxiliary crutches (25%), walking sticks (13%), reading glasses (11%), prosthesis (10%), elbow crutches (9%) and orthosis (8%). There is also a high demand for products such as pull-up underwear (incontinence products) (79%), hearing aids (70%), reading glasses (59%) and diapers (63%). After intensive discussions during a consensus meeting, an agreement was reached on the 22 priority APs for Malawi. There is a wide range of APs being used by people with different functional limitations in Malawi. There is also a demand for APs that are not readily available. When developing an APL, the list should include products in use, those in demand, and those recommended by service providers. Following the development of the priority assistive products list (APL) by WHO, member states should develop their own contextually based APL. The development of the APL should be based on research evidence. All key stakeholders including persons with disabilities and other functional limitations, government, and development partners should participate in this process. The APL should be part of the national health system or community services. The Department of Disability and Elderly Affairs in the Ministry of Gender, Community Development, being the Government of Malawi line ministry coordinating disability issues participated actively in this study including inviting participants in the stakeholders' validation workshop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The findings presented here derive from a wider study that sought to establish a baseline understanding of mental health and wellbeing among the agricultural community in England and Wales. This paper focuses on selected questions that investigated levels of anxiety and associated stress factors among farm women, a group which has been relatively neglected within previous research on farming mental health in the United Kingdom. A questionnaire survey was widely distributed to members of the agricultural community in England and Wales (n = 15,296) in both paper and online formats. The survey included a number of standardised instruments to assess mental health and wellbeing, including the Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 scale (GAD-7). Focusing on a sub-sample of female respondents (n = 3487), this paper details the findings from the GAD-7, alongside those from a selection of other questions investigating sources of stress, loneliness and perceived business viability. A significant proportion of female respondents were experiencing anxiety at the time of survey completion, with 23.3% reaching the threshold for clinically relevant anxiety based on their GAD-7 scores (medium or severe anxiety, scores≥10). A further 34.6% were classified as experiencing mild anxiety (scores 5–9) whilst 42.1% were not suffering from anxiety (scores 0–4). Medium/severe anxiety was identified as being associated with a number of stress factors, feelings of loneliness and pessimistic perceptions of farm business viability. There were important age-based differences, with working-aged women identified as more likely to suffer from anxiety, loneliness and certain stressors than older women. The findings reported here indicate concerning levels of anxiety among farming women and this should be seen as a call to action. There are clear associations between anxiety and a range of stressors and, although we cannot ascertain causality, these point to issues that demand attention in efforts to improve mental health within this social group. The factors contributing to anxiety are, however, multiple and complex and farm women may be affected by particular gender-based challenges that have not yet been explicitly explored in relation to mental health. Further research is needed to investigate and understand these issues in greater depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Teachers' views of nature of science (NOS) play a key-role in how they teach science and can significantly impact their students' understanding of and achievement in science. NOS has been a curriculum goal in science education for several decades. Therefore, there is a need for assessment tools that can examine views of NOS in the language spoken by teachers and used in their teaching. Purpose: This paper reports the development, through translation and validation of a measure for assessing NOS understanding in the Arabic language, specifically, the Reconceptualised Family Resemblance Approach to Nature of Science Questionnaire (RFNQ). The RFNQ has already been validated for use in English and Turkish languages; however, a validated version of the questionnaire in Arabic is lacking. Method: The RFNQ was adapted to Arabic and validated according to widely accepted guidelines for cross-cultural adaptation of questionnaires for different languages. These incorporated forward translation, critical assessment by a panel of Arabic native experts and experienced teachers, and back-translation. Sample: Subsequently, a total of 130 pre-service teachers completed the questionnaire to assess the internal consistency of the constructed Arabic version (RFNQ-AR). Results: The RNFQ-AR was developed through a comprehensive procedure to ensure accurate translation and meaning. Further, the RFNQ-AR questionnaire reliability coefficient for the whole items found to be acceptable (α = 0.89) and varied per scale between 0.72 and 0.74, which is standard for internal consistency reliability. Conclusions: Current estimates of 422 million Arabic speakers worldwide indicate the need for assessment tools to be available in Arabic. Questionnaires such as the RFNQ-AR will facilitate research into teacher understanding of NOS and enable evidence-based training in this area to ensure optimal student performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. Associations between shift-work, musculoskeletal symptoms and absenteeism are poorly investigated in the manufacturing industry. This study aimed to investigate associations between working schedule, musculoskeletal symptoms and days of absenteeism among pulp and paper industry workers. Methods. Musculoskeletal symptoms of 904 workers were assessed through the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. χ2 tests assessed associations between being a day-worker or shift-worker, the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms and days of absenteeism. Results. A significant association was found between working schedule and symptoms in the lower back in the last 12 months, with shift-workers presenting higher prevalence than day-workers (p = 0.022). Significant associations were also found between days of absenteeism and symptoms in the shoulders (p = 0.002), which mostly led to absenteeism of 100–365 days; elbows (p < 0.001), wrists/hands (p = 0.045) and ankles/feet (p = 0.042), which produced absenteeism mostly of 25–99 days; and dorsal region (p = 0.001), which mainly led to absenteeism of 10–24 days. No associations were found between working schedule and days of absenteeism (p = 0.265). Conclusion. Shift-work is associated with increased prevalence of lower back symptoms, but seems not to influence days of absenteeism. Shoulders seem to be the region leading to higher days of absenteeism, followed by elbows, wrists/hands, ankles/feet and the dorsal region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper, rooted in the field of cathedral studies, proposes a framework that analyses the qualitative results from a survey administered in Liverpool Cathedral at two Christmas Eve carol services on the afternoon of 24 December in 2019. The argument is introduced by a review of both quantitative and qualitative literature in the field of cathedral studies, as well the former and current mission priorities of Liverpool Cathedral. Attention is also paid to the liturgical celebration in which survey participants took part. The qualitative results from the Christmas Eve questionnaire are organised into six main themes: cathedral as place, cathedral liturgy, choir and music, general positive affirmation, cathedral local engagement, and cathedral welcome. Conclusions are drawn concerning the significance of the data to the field of cathedral studies, as well as praxis, and trajectories for further research are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To investigate the feasibility and acceptability of a serious mobile-game intervention on older adults' engagement, affect, and cognitive function. Methods: In this single-subject design, twenty older adults, six of whom living with dementia, participated in a 16-session mobile-game intervention. Before and after the intervention, participants had sessions involving traditional paper-based cognitive activities. Engagement and affect were measured in each session. Cognitive measures were administered before and after the intervention. Acceptability was explored through interviews. Results: After the intervention, there was a statistically significant increase in engagement in 37% of participants, and in affect in 21% of participants. Participants preferred the mobile games to the paper-based activities. Cognitive measures showed improvement in four participants with dementia. Conclusions: Although not conclusive, participants experienced higher levels of engagement and positive affect while playing the mobile games compared to paper-based activities. The results indicate feasibility and acceptability of the mobile game intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Usability and emotionality are important components of user experience. However, an equal consideration of both constructs in product design is not always possible due to sometimes competitive objectives. In order to foster a user-oriented design decision in such conflicting situations, this paper examines the general importance of both constructs and their dimensions from the user's perspective while taking into account socio-demographic variables. Examination was realised by conducting a product independent anonymous online survey (n = 130). The findings confirm that both constructs are important, yet in a direct comparison, usability is perceived as more important than emotionality. Taking selected dimensions of both constructs into account, an intuitive, easy and learnable usage, suitability for the user's task and freedom from impairment are particularly important in terms of usability. An aesthetic and pleasurable product design as well as originality is essential in terms of emotionality. Practitioner summary: This paper aims for supporting user-oriented design decisions in the context of conflicting objectives occurring in the consideration of usability and emotionality in product design. The conducted survey (n = 130) revealed usability as perceived more important than emotionality. Usability may thus be prioritised within conflicting design decisions. Abbreviations: DFG: German Research Foundation; e.g.: for example; GESIS: Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences; m: metric; M: Mean; n: number of participants; n: nominal; o: ordinal; p level: level of statistical significance; RQ: Research question; r: correlation coefficient; V: Cramer's V; χ2: Chi-square [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2015, Social Work Teaching Partnerships launched into a turbulent political and policy arena where a repositioning of social work education was taking place alongside the adoption of neoliberal ideologies promoting the operation of market forces within higher education nationally and globally. This paper presents findings from 11 respondents to an online survey undertaken in England to explore factors that support and hinder partnership working between universities in Social Work Teaching Partnerships. Findings suggest some merit to partnership working, with closer working relationships in practice education, student placements and research. Data suggest that some Social Work Teaching Partnerships were able to form collegiate relationships despite the competitive positioning of universities. However, respondents also commented on operational barriers, such as communication problems and size of Social Work Teaching Partnerships that created difficulties for collaboration. Tensions resulting from working in a competitive market driven environment clearly emerged from the data with some partnerships not able to engage fully in collaborative working as a result. This paper reflects on how the broader political and policy context influences the operationalisation of partnership working within Social Work Teaching Partnerships and suggests key avenues to explore further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been a major growth in global health networks in recent decades to address health issues including tobacco use, alcohol abuse, and maternal mortality. Most conditions that incur high costs have provoked networks of advocates working to mitigate the impact, increase investment in research, and establish campaigns. Global health networks often work simultaneously across policy, knowledge creation, and advocacy. Until recently there has been limited activity in global health networks and advocacy addressing hearing loss and deafness which has contributed to its relatively low visibility with policymakers compared to other health conditions. This discussion paper reports on a global consultation that explored the views of advocacy groups and individuals on advocacy for the management of hearing loss, and cochlear implantation (CI). It focussed on stakeholders' views of current advocacy endeavours, opportunities and barriers, and the possible development of a global advocacy network to improve access to cochlear implantation and the supporting services. The subsequent development of a global health network, the Cochlear Implant International Community of Action (CIICA) is discussed and the conditions necessary for the successful development of health networks are explored. This paper will be of interest to those wishing to understand the factors influencing the development of health networks and advocacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper overviews the importance of justice and health-care partnerships in a MOUD feasibility trial in a rural Appalachian community. Research partners included a local jail, a local community supervision office, and a local community federally qualified health center. This paper describes the pilot feasibility study participants and methodology, as well as lessons learned including the challenges encountered and needed changes to address feasibility as the environment changes over time. Implications for social work research, practice, and policy advocacy focused on delivery of extended-release naltrexone and other MOUDs are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex and enduring mental health problems require greater treatment resources, usually in the form of multidisciplinary support, including providing psychological therapies. This paper reports on an NHS, tertiary-level specialist psychotherapy service offering Psychodynamic therapies with longer-term, exploratory transdiagnostic approaches to support complexity and sustained personality functioning. This paper adopts a naturalistic study design evaluating the effectiveness of Psychodynamic therapy using pre- and post-outcomes across a 10-year period. A total of n = 474 participants self-report pre- and post-outcome measures were used as the marker of effectiveness along with therapist assessments during intake and engagement. The findings showed that Psychodynamic therapy was effective in reducing psychological distress based on service-user self-report and therapist assessments. While intake scores varied by socio-demographic factors, the rate of change across most groups was similar. There were several limitations relating to data quality and completeness which reflect the naturalistic design. Despite the limits of a naturalistic design, this study provides evidence of support for the place of Psychodynamic therapies within NHS mental health care, catering to those with complex and enduring mental health problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inclusion of children with disabilities in physical education (PE) classes is of the utmost importance and is addressed in teacher training programmes through a range of courses, aimed at providing teachers with knowledge and tools for enhancing inclusion in their PE classes. This paper provides a scoping review of research papers on such courses that are conducted online. The search was conducted through Google Scholar, Sport Discus (via EBSCO Host), and PubMed databases, using two search term clusters: population and subject matter and teaching. Eight articles were then assessed according to participants, programme content and procedures, methodology and instruments, and outcomes and discussion. Four studies provide comparative online/face-to-face courses data between participants. One applied a mixed methods design, three were quantitative, and four were qualitative studies. Most of the findings indicate participant satisfaction with online courses on inclusive PE classes, with scores of knowledge and self-efficacy regarding such inclusion being similar to those seen in face-to-face courses. However, some studies lacked important background variables, such as gender and previous experience working with people with disabilities. The findings of this scoping review highlight several directions for future exploration of such online courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of migrants and the creation of data identities lies at the core of datafied forms of migration and border control. In recent years, Frontex has made identification to one of its key tasks and conducted so-called screenings in many EU member states. Yet only little is known about the screening materials in use. Based on an ethnographic inquiry of Frontex' data practices, this paper analyses Frontex booklets, dossiers, questionnaires, images, and forms and studies how they structure the situation of identification. Making use of research in science and technology studies and recent research on suspicion and credibility assessment, it argues that those materials not only compile information but work as socio-material devices of suspicion that render migrants into fraudsters and translate peoples' actions, stories, and performances into accounts of truthfulness or deceit. As devices, they frame cases, script interactions, code statements, create stigmata of belonging, and produce purified accounts, and thus enact multiple forms of suspicion. The paper concludes with a critical reflection about the credibility of those materials and speculates about how devices could be designed otherwise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper makes available to the broader educational community the instruments which have been originally designed and validated within the European project CLIL for all: Attention to diversity in bilingual education (ADiBE) to determine how diversity is being catered to across a broad array of CLIL contexts in European Secondary Education (Austria, Finland, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom). They include three sets of questionnaires, interviews, and observation protocols and are qualitative and quantitative instruments whose design has been based on the latest research and which have undergone a carefully controlled double-fold pilot process for their validation (external ratings approach and pilot phase with a representative sample of 264 subjects). The questions included in the three sets of instruments are initially characterized, together with their format and main categories. The paper then details the steps undertaken for their research-based design and the double-fold pilot process followed for their validation. The questionnaires and interview and observation protocols are then presented in a format which is directly applicable in any CLIL classroom in order to determine the accessibility of bilingual programs for all types of achievers and to identify the chief difficulties and best practices in promoting inclusion in bilingual education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to determine the role cognitive control awareness plays in university students through their scientific writing. Results show that through an assessment-centred instruction approach embedded in reflective learning, tertiary students at a faculty of sciences can achieve greater metacognitive awareness of their learning. Fourth-year students in a physical oceanography class displayed cognitive control over established activities designed to develop their discursive writing skills (writing components included objectives, subject content, methodologies, contextualization and environmental implications on local and global scales). Scientific writing was promoted through students managing their own learning processes and cognitive control through metacognitive awareness, i.e. through a constructivist scheme embedded in formative learning. In the POST test, students scored higher primarily in the categories of writing methodologies, and bibliographies. Teacher expertise, which was mainly provided through feedback and scaffolding for student autonomy was highly valued by the students, and included considering the effects of a teacher assessing their writing and providing strategies to write a better scientific paper [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construct of fragility of happiness, which is not a theory-driven construct, refers to the idea that happiness is fleeting and can simply turn into unhappiness. This study investigated for the first time the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Fragility of Happiness Scale (FOHS) among university students, focusing on its internal consistency, factor structure, discriminant validity, convergent validity and predictive validity. Data were collected from two student samples (online sample, n = 228; paper-pencil sample, n = 200). Participants completed measures of fragility of happiness, fear of happiness, externality of happiness and life satisfaction either as online questionnaires or a paper-pencil version of the questionnaires. FOHS demonstrated good internal consistency. Results of exploratory and confirmatory yielded a one-factor model. The results also supported convergent, divergent and predictive validity. These results suggest that the FOHS is a reliable and valid instrument among Turkish university students. It can be used for research purposes and in clinical practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the extent to which teacher factors of the dynamic model of educational effectiveness can explain variation in student achievement in mathematics. It also searches for the extent to which any of these factors matters more for academically resilient students than for all the other low-socioeconomic-status students. Participants were all teachers (N = 66) of 14 schools in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas who teach mathematics to students of Grades 4–6 (N = 904). Teacher factors were measured through a student questionnaire, whereas mathematics achievement at the beginning and the end of the school year was measured through written tests. Student background characteristics were measured through a student questionnaire. Information on parents' occupational status was also collected. Multilevel modelling analysis revealed that all teacher factors explain variation in mathematics achievement. Differential effects for all factors but modelling and assessment were identified. Implications of findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to examine the ethical organizational culture of top sports organizations in Finland. We were especially interested in how employees of sports organizations evaluate perceptions of ethical organizational culture and perceive specific ethical organizational virtues. We applied a mixed methods approach. We gathered the empirical material through questionnaires and interviews with representatives from Finland's top sports organizations. The findings show that the questionnaire participants evaluated the perceptions of ethical organizational culture of the Finnish top sports organizations as being quite ethical. The findings also show that the ethical organizational virtues of transparency, discussability, congruency of management, and supportability have a special role in maintaining and developing but also challenging organizational ethics in sports organizations. This study contributes to the discussion on ethical organizational virtues and deepens the understanding of the virtuousness of organizations in the field of sports management research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the relationship between treatment organization characteristics and client outcomes or drug-related harms in community opiate substitution therapy. In the absence of sufficient scientific evidence, the organizational configuration of addiction treatment services is often decided on an ad hoc and sometimes politically motivated basis as the evaluation of the impact of policies or practices on clients at the organizational level is limited. The objective of this multi-site cross-sectional study was to identify and understand how client characteristics and staff perceptions of organizational functioning related to client engagement in community-based opiate substitution therapy services in Ireland. This paper reports on a cross-sectional survey of clients (n = 262) and staff (n = 132) questionnaires across 12 discrete community-based prescribing service providers (organizations) in Ireland. Measures of client engagement in treatment were shown to be higher in organizations with more positive staff ratings of organizational functioning. In particular, in organizations where staff reported having greater job autonomy, clients reported better overall engagement. Specifically, greater staff autonomy in organizations related to greater levels of treatment participation (p = 0.034), treatment satisfaction (p < 0.001), and better rapport with staff (p < 0.001). Clients who were the longest in treatment expressed significantly poorer rapport with staff (p = 0.44) and were less likely to seek out support from peers (p = 0.023), while those in stable accommodation reported greater participation in treatment (p = 0.009). Levels of peer support were not related to organizational characteristics, but clients with lower levels of education (p = 0.002) and those in early treatment (p = 0.017) were more likely to seek support from peers. The findings establish the importance of assessing organizational and client attributes as part of an overall strategy for enhancing the quality of treatment. This paper provides valuable information for policymakers and provides an ample basis for further exploration of how treatment organizations work, and not just that they work. Policymakers and planners need to consider introducing specific interventions for clients or staff in the context of a 'whole systems' approach. From an organizational and planning perspective, this should involve further consideration of measures that relate to increasing staff's sense of autonomy. This paper provides further evidence that the success of policy-making or planning relating to treatment organizations can be successfully measured at the client and organizational levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The present paper presents developments and advanced practical applications of Rasch's theory and statistical analysis to construct questionnaires for measuring a person's traits. The flaws of questionnaires providing raw scores are well known. Scores only approximate objective, linear measures. The Rasch Analysis allows you to turn raw scores into measures with an error estimate, satisfying fundamental measurement axioms (e.g., unidimensionality, linearity, generalizability). A previous companion article illustrated the most frequent graphic and numeric representations of results obtained through Rasch Analysis. A more advanced description of the method is presented here. Conclusions: Measures obtained through Rasch Analysis may foster the advancement of the scientific assessment of behaviours, perceptions, skills, attitudes, and knowledge so frequently faced in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, not less than in social and educational sciences. Furthermore, suggestions are given on interpreting and managing the inevitable discrepancies between observed scores and ideal measures (data-model "misfit"). Finally, twelve practical take-home messages for appraising published results are provided. The current work is the second of two papers addressed to rehabilitation clinicians looking for an in-depth introduction to the Rasch analysis. The first paper illustrates the most common results reported in published papers presenting the Rasch analysis of questionnaires. The present article illustrates more advanced applications of the Rasch analysis, also frequently found in publications. Twelve take-home messages are given for a critical appraisal of the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Driving distraction is an important cause of traffic crashes, as it diverts the driver's attention away from the primary driving task. This paper studies the engagement frequency of drivers in distracting activities due to modern devices used in vehicle dashboards, to improve roadway safety. Data were collected from Jordanian drivers through two questionnaires. In the first, a wide range of distracting activities and their influence on crashes were considered. The focus of the second questionnaire was on factors affecting the driver's distraction by the Human-Machine Interface (HMI) screens in vehicles. The collected data were analyzed statistically. Several significant factors were found that distract drivers, including but not limited to the use of HMI screens, the driver's age, experience and occupation. This paper raises public awareness of the risks of distracted driving due to modern devices, in order to boost traffic safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have shown that emitted electromagnetic field from telecommunication tower is possibly a threat to residents' health within the mast location. However, Nigerian residents' perception to live in mast location is yet to be researched in detail. This study examined the factors that influence residents' perception and willingness to live in telecommunication mast locations and proffer possible solutions to mitigate residents' concerns regarding likely health hazards. This was achieved consecutively. First, the developed questionnaire survey was conducted with 420 respondents, drawn from the six south-south states in Nigeria. This includes residents, academicians, environmentalists, government agencies, and medical experts. Second, results from the quantitative phase were further analyzed via face-to-face interviews in conjunction with observation in selected 40 mast stations across the research area. Factors that influence resident's willingness to live near the telecommunication masts were identified and grouped into three (physical, health, and environmental factors). As part of the study's implications, findings from this paper will enhance policymakers and other stakeholders in decision-making concerning resident's perception to live in mast locations. The government should set up a regulatory agency for non-ionizing radiation protection with a mandate, among others were proffered to mitigate possible health threats and concerns of the residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review aims to examine the instruments, approaches, scales, or assessment tools used to evaluate technology acceptance, technology adoption, and usability of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for people living with dementia and their care partners. A systematic literature review was conducted. Studies that explored the use of instruments, approaches, scales, or assessment tools to evaluate the technology acceptance and usability of ICTs for people living with dementia and their care partners were identified through five databases: Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Scopus. We included 74 out of 2182 papers. The most common scales used included the System Usability Scale (SUS) (11%), the ISONORM 9241/10 Questionnaire (4%), and the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ) (4%). Most (59%) of the included approaches, however, were bespoke (i.e., created by the authors for a particular study) and were not named. The approaches or tools used to assess technology acceptance, technology adoption, and usability of ICTs that applied to people living with dementia had an average of 15 items and used an average of 5.23 scale points. There is no clear, standardised approach for assessing the technology acceptance, technology adoption, and usability of ICTs for people living with dementia and their care partners. The findings of this review may be used by academics to design and implement improved and more consistent assessment tools to assess technology acceptance, technology adoption, and usability of ICTs for people living with dementia and their care partners. The number of ICTs for people with dementia and their care partners that can be used for rehabilitation is increasing The most commonly recognized assessment tools used in this study were the SUS, ISONORM 9241/10, and PSSUQ questionnaires. For the custom assessment tools, the average number of items included in this study was 15 with five-point bidirectional labelling. There is no clear, standardized approach for assessing the technology acceptance, technology adoption, or usability of ICTs for people with dementia and their care partners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this paper is to critically review studies on trust in e-commerce from the gender perspective. This paper is based on a systematic literature review (SLR) and applies the bibliometric technique. SLR reduces selection bias, which helps to produce more accurate scientific conclusions. We examine 148 published studies in the Scopus database using VOSviewer and the bibliometrix package in the R statistical software program. We summarize previous findings in the form of theories and methodologies in the literature. The findings show that trust in e-commerce from the gender perspective is underexplored. Specific underexplored areas include gender differences, information systems, and consumer trust and consumption patterns on social-networking sites, among others. Also, there is considerable scope for developing theories and models of cross-country variations in trust, e-commerce, and gender. The previous literature did not identify the methods and the structural research constructs. This study for the first time develops generates scientific insights that will contribute to future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

5.5 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease or some form of dementia and by mid-century, the number of people living with dementia in the United States is projected to grow to 13.8 million. About half of the persons with dementia currently live at home, 43% require occasional support, 47% daily support, and 10% continuous support; with most of this support provided by informal family caregivers. Caregivers face on-going significant risk throughout the ebb and flow of providing care, as care recipients may lose grasp of their understanding of their circumstances, relying heavily on caregivers for all aspects of support. This support includes prompting and cueing through the multi-step instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) such as meal preparation and house-keeping which require complex cognitive processing and are cognitively demanding. This paper describes the preliminary pilot study work laying the groundwork for ongoing development of a cognitive assistive technology (CAT) to support IADLs in dementia homecare. Through a user-centered design methodology, an online survey for caregivers identified areas of the home with the highest levels of IADL needs, aiding in the development of an 800 sq ft mock-up apartment for preliminary testing of the mobile interface for the CAT tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computerised rehabilitation programs can be used to address cognitive deficits typically caused by multiple sclerosis (MS). However, there are still doubts on their effectiveness, due to mixed results obtained in clinical trials. The objective of this paper is to improve cognitive rehabilitation (CR) practices in MS, by presenting and assessing a MS-specific cognitive rehabilitation software. We conducted a detailed analysis of how CR is carried out in practice in MS rehabilitation centres. From the analysis, we elicited a reference CR process, and identified the essential features a software supporting the process should have. We designed and implemented MS-rehab, a novel MS-specific computerised rehabilitation system having the identified features. We experimented MS-rehab in a pilot study involving eight MS patients. To highlight the improvement with respect to the state of the art, we compared MS-rehab with available professional tools selected using well defined criteria. This paper has three main contributions: (1) the identification of a set of essential features a computerised tool for CR in MS should provide; (2) MS-rehab, a novel CR system designed for MS therapists and patients, which embodies innovative MS specific features; (3) the assessment of MS-rehab efficacy in a pilot study with MS patients. The availability of a MS-specific CR system like MS-rehab fosters the design of more rigorous clinical studies on the effectiveness of computerised rehabilitation in MS. MS-rehab demonstrated its potential and innovativeness as a tool for cognitive rehabilitation in MS. Computerized tools for cognitive rehabilitation (CR) in multiple sclerosis (MS) can be improved by a set of MS-specific features. The availability of advanced home-based cognitive rehabilitation mechanisms is fundamental for supporting standardized cognitive rehabilitation protocols in MS. A MS-specific CR system has given promising results in a pilot study involving MS patients. Hardly do state-of-the-art professional tools include all the required MS specific features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Corona virus-19 pandemic has forced universities globally to shut down and shift their educational and assessment activities to online platforms. This study explores the perception of undergraduate preclinical medical students about online assessment during the ongoing pandemic. A cross-sectional study based on a semi-structured online self-administered questionnaire was conducted on 654 preclinical medical students following the final online exams at Faculty of Medicine for Girls, Al-Azhar University. Perception was investigated using a 3-point Likert scale. The overall mean score of students' satisfaction with the quality of online assessment was (31.7 ± 3.1), and they agreed that online exams create a sense of security. However, 69.7% of students preferred paper-based exams to online exams. Furthermore, high cost, lack of ability to concentrate and only knowledge-based exams were some of the reported drawbacks. These findings highlight the importance of students' perception through online assessment for promoting successful educational processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

QR codes provide potential opportunities to improve interaction in different areas of application. Even so, this technology has been utilised in punctual and specific standalone applications, being barely applied to broader contexts, such as the educational one, where different scenarios can be considered to take advantage of the same QR-code approach. In this paper, key issues for the development of applications that utilise QR codes to improve sharing and availability of resources are presented, specifically focusing on improving interaction and acceptance. In this way, a holistic approach has been developed where the system is aimed at improving the interaction between educators and students. On the one hand, educators use a web interface to manage educational resources and announcements and automatically generate QR codes. On the other hand, students scan those QR codes using a mobile device, obtaining updated information related to their lectures. This scenario has been evaluated by educators and students, obtaining good results in terms of acceptance, cognitive burden, and overall usability. The approach provides development clues and the evaluation method that can be applied to different contexts, thus representing a generalisable solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper synthesises critique from Māori patients with Bipolar Disorder (BD) and their whānau to identify barriers and propose changes to improve the structure and function of the New Zealand mental health system. A qualitative Kaupapa Māori Research methodology was used. Twenty-four semi-structured interviews were completed with Māori patients with BD and members of their whānau. Structural, descriptive and pattern coding was completed using an adapted cultural competence framework to organise and analyse the data. Three key themes identified the impact of structural features of the New Zealand mental health system on health equity for Māori with BD. Themes involved the accessibility, delivery and scope of the current health system, and described how structural features influenced the quality, utility and availability of BD services for Māori patients and whānau. Structural barriers in the existing design, and potential changes to improve the accessibility, delivery and scope of BD services for Māori, were proposed including a redesign of operational, environmental, staffing, and navigation points (information, transition, fatigue) to better meet the needs of Māori with BD. A commitment to equity when implementing structural change is needed, including ongoing evaluation and refinement. This paper provides specific recommendations that should be considered in health service redesign to ensure the New Zealand mental health system meets the needs of Māori patients with BD and their whānau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we paper evaluate the effectiveness of eight sessions of cognitive analytic therapy (CAT) for treating obsessive morbid jealousy (OMJ), using a mixed-methods A/B with followup single-case design. Ideographic jealousy measures were collected throughout baseline (2 sessions), treatment (6 sessions) and follow-up phases (one session), creating a 160-day time series. Nomothetic measures were completed at assessment, end of treatment and at followup. A structured qualitative interview was completed. Significant reductions to idiographic jealousy measures occurred during the treatment phase, with these gains maintained over followup. The intensity of the jealousy shifted from moderate to mild and this change was attributed to CAT. Methodological issues and future directions for the treatment of OMJ are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black Alaskans face serious barriers to health care. This paper reports on qualitative results of a health needs assessment to understand the health challenges facing Black Alaskans. Utilizing exploratory thematic analysis, the findings indicate that Black Alaskans experience barriers such as high cost of care, underinsurance, lack of information and education, a shortage of BIPOC health providers, stigma, negative perceptions by health-care providers, and racism both in the community and in the health-care system. The paper concludes by discussing emerging health equity initiatives to advance responsive care for Black Alaskans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper sets out the Collaborative Service Design Playbook, to guide planning, design, and implementation of co-created health services. Successful health service development and implementation is best guided by theoretically informed approaches; however, organisations often lack design and implementation know-how and have difficulty applying it. This study seeks to improve health service design and potential for scale-up by proposing a tool to guide an end-to-end process, drawing together service design, co-design, and implementation science; and exploring the tool's feasibility to establish a sustainable service solution developed with participants and experts that is scalable and sustainable. The Collaborative Service Design Playbook phases include, (1) Define the opportunity and initiatives, (2) Design the concept and prototype, (3) Deliver to scale and evaluate; and (4) Optimise to transform and sustain. This paper has implications for health marketing through providing an end-to-end approach with phased guidance for health service development, implementation, and scale up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent debates surrounding intimate partner violence (IPV) have focused on its gender symmetry and gender-oriented nature. These debates center on findings from various data sources, like victimization or self-reported surveys and police-based reports. Data by Statistics Canada, from 1999 to 2014, has shown that the prevalence of IPV is similar for male and female victims, except for sexual assaults. However, there has been a paucity of studies on the severity and risk factors of IPV against men by female partners. Thus, this paper examines the severity of and risk factors for physical IPV against heterosexual men in Canada using the General Social Survey (Victimization) data of 2014. This study revealed that there is a symmetry in the experiences of physical violence between male and female victims. This study also revealed that male victims experience more severe violence than female victims. Using binary logistic regression analysis, years of dwelling together, the victim's age, childhood victimization, and marijuana use were found to predict physical IPV against heterosexual men. This paper concludes with suggestions about how these predicting factors can be used to identify male victims and the need for a more inclusive approach toward addressing IPV, which should include male victims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Covid-induced lockdowns have increased the importance of technology in education. Though access to technology as well as availability of the internet remain a major concern for a lot of children in the global south, children with intellectual disabilities are disadvantaged even more as most of the e-content is developed keeping in mind the average learner. Unstructured interviews were conducted with children with intellectual disabilities studying in government schools in Haryana as well as their teachers and parents. Thematic analysis of the interviews was conducted to understand the use-patterns of mobile phones by children with intellectual disabilities. Findings suggest that these children are learning to use mobile phones on their own or with some support and are able to navigate the complexities of these smartphones quite well. They use these devices mostly for their entertainment. This paper then reflects on the need and strategies to develop these technologies in ways that they can be used as effective tools for teaching children with intellectual disabilities, especially in the inclusive education system in developing countries. The paper reflects on the need to develop technology and tools using flexible and exploratory designs to enhance the learning processes for children with intellectual disabilities from the lower income strata. This study highlights the importance of being able to use mobile phones by children with intellectual disabilities belonging to low income families. Following this, the article argues for designing of mobile phones suitable for use by children with intellectual disabilities using playfulness and explorations, and Building e-content keeping the elements of playfulness and exploration which can enhance the learnings of this group of students which is often ignored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although concepts such as research without borders have become more commonplace in recent decades, few studies have investigated the capabilities that global researchers require to cross both cultural and disciplinary borders. This paper explores global capabilities along with strategies and spaces that may facilitate academic researchers' acquisition and development of global research competence. The study's dataset comprises responses of 26 participants across 15 countries – all of whom are members of a specific comparative education society – who contributed their views via e-questionnaire. Findings indicate that research capacity building is a dynamic process and global competence calls for complex skills and conscious attitudes. Commitment to expand scientific curiosity beyond one's own culture and academic discipline appears to be a main criterion in achieving global competence. Results of this study are not meant to be prescriptive but rather exploratory and informative for a broad group of academic stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a brief screening questionnaire of child behaviour, used to evaluate mental health. It is applicable for children 2–17 years, available to both parents and professionals, and exists in a self-report version available from the age of 11 years. This paper aims to generate Greenlandic norms on the self-report and parent-report versions of the SDQ. In 2023, the self-report version was translated, and a representative sample of children and adolescents completed the SDQ (N = 641). In 2008, the parent-report version was translated into Greenlandic and used in a study of children's well-being (N = 939). Data from both samples were analysed, generating normative scores. Results show significant differences between genders (effect sizes of.006-.145), and discrepancies between parent and self-report. Parents report higher total problems for boys, while self-reporting indicate higher total problems for girls. Cut-off values are higher for self-report norms than parent-report norms. Mean scores on the SDQ total score and subscales differ across age, area of living, caregiver constellation and caregiver's educational level (effect sizes of.011–.064). With the availability of Greenlandic norms, we anticipate further use of the SDQ in clinical practice and research settings, strengthening screening and assessment of children and adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Game-based science learning (GBSL) provide an alternative route for learning genetics, but its effects on students' conceptual learning is contested. In this paper we assess the utility, in primary teacher education, of Recal: a game designed to promote participants' learning of key genetic concepts through acting as detectives investigating a case. The purpose of the study was to analyse and compare teacher students' learning of genetics through the game, and both their attitudes towards and experiences of it. Tests were conducted in Spanish and Swedish contexts to assess its potential utility in contrasting cultural and educational contexts to obtain indications of the potential breadth of its application. Participants included 120 pre-service teacher students from a university in north-eastern Spain and 51 from a university in western Sweden. The research involved an intervention, in which students played the game, and assessment of its efficacy by questionnaires designed to investigate students' knowledge of genetics before and after the game, their expectations and experience of it, and their satisfaction with it. The results were analysed statistically. The game appeared to enhance both Spanish and Swedish participants' knowledge of genetics, and they reportedly found it both educationally beneficial and engaging. It was also assessed in terms of the following characteristics of GBSL, based on experiential data: contextualisation, authenticity, collaboration, problem-solving, guided paths and competition. The results clearly indicate that the game has utility in different countries and educational contexts. The article discusses how the six characteristics of GBSL facilitate or hinder learning, and implications (for educational professionals and researchers) of the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to understand the role of an innovative Employability Programme on developing the resilience of young people Not in Education Training or Employment (NEET). Through a mixed-method approach, this paper explores the individual, contextual, and social aspects that impact on individual resilience. Combining the Child and Youth Resilience Measure-Revised (CYRM-R) with qualitative interviews allows for the investigation of how context, relationships, and support shape young people's resilience offering a holistic approach. The quantitative results reveal a significant association between higher levels of resilience and factors such as school attendance and living in areas with lower crime rates. Lower resilience is observed among individuals experiencing higher levels of deprivation. Qualitative findings shed light on the multifaceted nature of resilience, highlighting its connection to community and society (sub-themes: education and employment, external pressure, support and access to services) as well as individual and psychological aspects (sub-themes: managing stressful situations and bouncing back). These findings emphasize that resilience is not a static or one-dimensional process dependent on a single factor, it is a dynamic and ongoing process influenced by multiple factors. The interactions between young people and families, friends, education providers, and other service providers play a crucial role in promoting resilience. Overall, this research aids our understanding of how connections between all these levels can boost or limit individual resilience. It can help practitioners and policymakers understand how tailored activities, accounting for multiple aspects, are able to improve individual resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The objective of this paper is to undertake an in-depth exploration of how structural characteristics of on-farm demonstration events impact the effectiveness of the demonstration as perceived by participants. An explanatory mixed-methods approach was used based on the responses to 356 post-demonstration questionnaires filled out by the attendees of 31 demonstration events held in 12 EU countries in 2018, together with the qualitative data from an observation tool, interviews and case study reports relating to the same 31 events. Factor analysis was employed to predict general effectiveness, complemented with a qualitative analysis of participants' responses to improve the understanding of the quantitative results. Results indicate that peer-to-peer learning activities and good facilitation increase participants' perception of the effectiveness of a demonstration event. Furthermore, characteristics such as the structure of the day, the suitability of the host farm, a trustworthy demonstrator, and group size add much to the effectiveness of a demo event. Group dynamics – including group connectedness and composition – have the potential to impact perceived effectiveness. The paper contains clear messages for practitioners when designing a demonstration event. Our results connect with theories on motivation and adult learning in the context of farmer learning during on-farm demonstration. The paper is based on a rich empirical dataset. It reveals that group size and learning methods are crucial to achieve effective learning outcomes during demonstration events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inadequate on-campus student accommodation in Sub-Saharan higher educational institutions triggered the need for private sector intervention in the off-campus student private housing (SPH) delivery within university communities. This paper examines students' experiences of off-campus accommodation in terms of satisfaction indicators and driving factors in a vulnerable university's communities in South-southern Nigeria. The paper drew upon a sequential exploratory mixed method, comprising semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire survey. The paper explored interconnectivity of satisfaction indicators and factors within the threshold of building's physical attributes, community-related attributes, contract-related covenants, academic and social environment capability, through CAQDAS; Atlas.ti. The paper found disproportionate students' satisfaction level within the filtered elements and scored the overall satisfaction low. Methodologically, a convergence of results pointing to the factors for improving physical, locational, landlord commitment to tenancy agreement on services and management, and flexible regulation of students' social activities, from the two approaches, was observed. Variation surfaces from the individual rating of each indicator and the driving factors. Five distinct recommendations emerged; policy on planning, environment, and building regulations compliance, reform on SPH governance, stakeholders democracy, parent' involvement in off-campus governance, and a committee on private housing accreditation in the university communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual reality (VR) training offers the capability to industrial workers to acquire skills and address complex tasks by immersing them in a safe and controlled virtual environment. Immersive VR (IVR) training is adopted in many diverse settings, yet little systematic work currently exists on how researchers have applied it for industrial skills training and if it holds the potential to be applied remotely. In this review, 78 representative studies were analysed to answer three key questions: Is IVR an effective training method for industrial skills training? How is research in this field applied? And how can we make IVR training more effective and applicable for remote training? We can testify that IVR is a promising training method with high effectiveness scores. However, our analysis has uncovered several gaps in the application of IVR training, like the lack of learning theories in the design process and limited metrics beyond time and scores. Additionally, our review also exposed unexplored but intriguing avenues of research, like the utilisation of biosensors for users' data collection, haptics that increases realism and applications with remote training potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented natural experiment in drug policy, treatment delivery, and harm reduction strategies by exposing wide variation in public health infrastructures and social safety nets around the world. Using qualitative data including ethnographic methods, questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews with people who use drugs (PWUD) and Delphi-method with experts from field sites spanning 13 different countries, this paper compares national responses to substance use during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Field data was collected by the Substance Use x COVID-19 (SU x COVID) Data Collaborative, an international network of social scientists, public health scientists, and community health practitioners convened to identify and contextualise health service delivery models and social protections that influence the health and wellbeing of PWUD during COVID-19. Findings suggest that countries with stronger social welfare systems pre-COVID introduced durable interventions targeting structural drivers of health. Countries with fragmented social service infrastructures implemented temporary initiatives for PWUD led by non-governmental organisations. The paper summarises the most successful early pandemic responses seen across countries and ends by calling for greater systemic investments in social protections for PWUD, diversion away from criminal-legal systems toward health interventions, and integrated harm reduction, treatment and recovery supports for PWUD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bilingual language development is different from monolingual language development. The lack of appropriate assessment tools geared to the bilingual population has led to inaccurate over-diagnosis of bilingual children with typical language development (TLD) as children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and under-diagnosis of bilingual children with DLD. The present paper addresses this challenge by focusing on Hebrew as a second language (L2) of bilingual preschool children whose first language (L1) is either English or Russian, taking into consideration both chronological age (CA) and age of onset of bilingualism (AOB). This study aimed to generate bilingual standards for a monolingual screening test, Goralnik Screening Test for Hebrewby arriving at appropriate bilingual typical development cut-off points. A total of 443 bilingual Hebrew speaking children (397 with TLD and 46 with DLD), ages 61–78 months (M = 70; SD = 4), 199 with L1 English and 244 with L1 Russian, took part in the study. The results demonstrate low diagnostic accuracy when a monolingual test with monolingual norms is used for bilingual children, in contrast with increased diagnostic accuracy when bilingual standards are used for bilingual children. The paper concludes by showing the importance of bilingual standards when assessing clinical populations with varying ages of acquisition, and in particular, for those who were exposed to their second language after the age of four. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of nearly three decades of partnership between feminist researchers and activists to prevent violence against women and girls (VAWG) in Nicaragua. A household survey conducted in 1995 in León, the country's second-largest city, revealed that 55 per cent of women had experienced lifetime physical intimate partner violence (IPV), and 27 per cent had experienced IPV in the last 12 months. The study results were instrumental in changing domestic violence laws in Nicaragua. A follow-up study in 2016 found a decrease of 63 per cent in lifetime physical IPV and 70 per cent in 12-month physical IPV. This paper examines possible explanations for the reduction, including the policy reforms resulting from feminist advocacy. We compare risk and protective factors for physical IPV, such as changes in women's attitudes towards violence, their use of services, and knowledge of laws, using data from both the 1995 and 2016 surveys, as well as three waves of Demographic and Health Surveys. We conclude that the decline in IPV can be partially attributed to the efforts of the Nicaraguan women's movements to reform laws, provide services for survivors, transform gender norms, and increase women's knowledge of their human rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aim to study the the reliability and factorial structure of the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ)administered through two different formats, offline (paper-and-pencil) and online. We also compared clinical, obstetrical, reproductive, and psychopathological variables related to poor mother infant bonding (MIB). A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1,269 mothers. The offline group included 812 women who attended a 40-day postpartum clinical appointment. The online group consisted of 457 women recruited during admission for delivery who volunteered to carry out the online protocol 40 days postpartum. All the participants individually completed the PBQ, the Edinburg Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and other clinical and sociodemographic variables. The 4-factor solution proposed in the PBQ and its Spanish validation showed good model fit for both samples. Online participants reported higher levels of stress, depressive symptoms, and poor bonding, specifically on PBQ scores and the Rejection and Anger subscales. No differences were found in both samples regarding the type of statistical associations between PBQ and sociodemographic, reproductive, obstetric and psychological outcomes. Online assessment may be an appropriate option for detecting possible alterations in MIB due to the reduction of desirability bias, the increased perception of anonymity, and being a more cost-effective method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper discusses the results from the first formal needs assessment conducted in South Africa to identify university curriculum development needs for addiction science training, particularly Substance Use Disorders (SUDs). Aim: The aim of the study was to report on the current addiction science curricula available at South African universities, educator views on the need for a new specialized addiction science curriculum, and the feasibility of implementing such a curriculum. Method: A 33 item electronic survey was emailed to respondents. Results: There is no standardization in SUD curriculum content and training at South African universities. Academic staff responsible for offering SUD training and curriculum development pedagogies in addiction are inadequately trained with a lack of content expertise. The absence of clear accreditation and certification standards and protocols results in graduates of varying competency levels and no registration as an addiction professional. Conclusion: Standardized academic training in addiction science is crucial for the professionalization of an addiction workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]