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Peer mentoring programs have been shown to assist students with their college transition, and this study sought to understand the effects of peer mentorship participation of students in a STEM major. Using a semistructured interview method, six participants of a student-run, volunteer, peer mentorship program within the [Undergraduate STEM Program (USP)] provided participant feedback in one-on-one interviews. Using the constant comparison method, program outcome categories were identified based on participant responses. Participants were positive about the program and its benefits, including personal growth, development of a sense of responsibility for others, and learning from those who had gone through the program previously. However, issues with consistent engagement were identified that may be addressed through modifications to program structure and clarification of role expectations. Recommendations are included to address participant concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Past research has shown the benefit of cooperative learning in organizing instruction to promote students' engagement and achievement. However, it remains unclear whether students gain more from peers at relatively higher or similar levels of prior knowledge. Relatedly, it is important to distinguish collective performance from individual learning. Lastly, students' perceived value of cooperative learning, group dynamics, and self-concept could elucidate the importance of group composition. We conducted a mixed-methods experiment in five introductory statistics classrooms with 139 university students of relatively low (LPK) or high (HPK) prior statistics knowledge. Students were randomly assigned within-class to homogeneous (all LPKs) or heterogenous (at least one HPK) groups, with whom they completed exercises throughout the term. Without a more knowledgeable peer, LPKs in homogeneous groups nonetheless were able to clarify much of the conceptual confusion among themselves and eventually reach the same level of understanding as LPKs in heterogeneous groups. Group composition did not influence LPKs' individual learning on average. Within heterogeneous groups, LPKs had greater performance gains and similar individual learning when compared with HPKs. Regardless of prior knowledge or group composition, students found cooperative learning valuable, as it promoted opportunities for positive interactions, comparing work, and revealing misunderstandings for all. for this article are available online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moral distress (MD), the suffering experienced by professionals due to their restricted moral agency, has become a popular subject of study in the fields of social work and health care. Many of the existing measures of MD are targeted at certain professionals, such as health care workers, and are thus restricted to such contexts. This has challenged the conceptual development and empirical examination of MD as a phenomenon occurring across diverse professional groups in different work settings. This study introduces a general measure of MD, the Moral Distress Instrument (MDI). It is not bound to specific professional contexts, and it aims to enable comparative and cross-disciplinary analyses of MD. The MDI consists of seven items that capture different forms of constrained moral agency and follow-up items measuring the level of distress related to these experiences. The reliability and validity of the MDI is investigated, and its distinctiveness from and associations with burnout are studied among a sample of Finnish social workers (n = 367). The MDI was shown to be a reliable and valid measure among the sample. The measures of MD and burnout were shown to tap separate constructs, although these experiences were strongly associated with each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temporal and spatial patterns of fire regime disruption were reconstructed in conifer forests of western North America from information on pre-disruption and disrupted mean fire intervals (MFIs) of 498 dendrochronology-based fire chronologies. We identified the conifer forest types most affected by MFI shift and the influence of land category designation on MFI change. We also mapped the years of the MFI shift, the last fire recorded, and disrupted/pre-disruption MFI ratios. Fire cessation and longer MFIs predominated in most fire chronologies and conifer forest types. MFI was significantly higher in most conifer forest types, with most differences in dry conifer forests. MFI shift occurred mainly before the designation of protected, federal, social-property, and private areas. MFI shift began in 1829 in the United States of America Southwest, a region subjected to prolonged fire exclusion and with the highest disrupted/pre-disruption MFI ratios. Fire regime disruption moved gradually into the Pacific Northwest and the Sierra Nevada until reaching the northern conifer forests of Canada and Alaska. In contrast, one-third of fire chronologies in Mexican conifer forests retained pre-disruption MFIs. Our findings allowed us to identify areas with MFIs outside of their natural variability, with prolonged fire exclusion, or with intact fire regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moral distress is a complex phenomenon experienced by healthcare professionals. This study examined the relationships between key dimensions of Organizational Culture in Healthcare (OCHC)—perceived psychological safety, ethical climate, patient safety—and healthcare professionals' perception of moral distress. Cross-sectional survey Pediatric and adult critical care medicine, and adult hospital medicine healthcare professionals in the United States. Physicians (n = 260), nurses (n = 256), and advanced practice providers (n = 110) participated in the study. Three dimensions of OCHC were measured using validated questionnaires: Olson's Hospital Ethical Climate Survey, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Patient Safety Culture Survey, and Edmondson's Team Psychological Safety Survey. The perception of moral distress was measured using the Moral Distress Amidst a Pandemic Survey. The hypothesized relationships between various dimensions were tested with structural equation modeling (SEM). Adequate model fit was achieved in the SEM: a root-mean-square error of approximation =0.072 (90% CI 0.069 to 0.075), standardized root mean square residual = 0.056, and comparative fit index =0.926. Perceived psychological safety (β= −0.357, p <.001) and patient safety culture (β = −0.428, p<.001) were negatively related to moral distress experience. There was no significant association between ethical climate and moral distress (β = 0.106, p = 0.319). Ethical Climate, however, was highly correlated with Patient Safety Culture (factor correlation= 0.82). We used structural equation model to test a theoretical model of multi-dimensional organizational culture and healthcare climate (OCHC) and moral distress. Significant associations were found, supporting mitigating strategies to optimize psychological safety and patient safety culture to address moral distress among healthcare professionals. Future initiatives and studies should account for key dimensions of OCHC with multi-pronged targets to preserve the moral well-being of individuals, teams, and organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the past two decades, new insights have driven the development and optimization of aminated materials as aldol condensation catalysts. Amines, either primary or secondary, facilitate the reaction via an enamine mechanism. If the spatial placement with respect to the amine allows it, weak acid sites such as silanols or hydroxyls, can cooperate as hydrogen bond donors and aid in proton transfer steps. Furthermore, the reaction environment, i.e., support and solvent and their mutual interactions, is also a key determining factor. In particular, co-feeding small amounts of water suppresses the formation of inhibiting and site-blocking species. However, silica-based materials are susceptible to hydrolysis. This led to the development of water tolerant (bio)polymer supported amine catalysts which also exhibit selective component enrichment properties, opening up opportunities for further catalyst development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of European Journal of Psychotraumatology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)