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Summary: This article explores children's learning experiences from taking part in an educational intervention about social services in school. Data were collected from six group interviews with 27 children after they had participated in lessons about social services. Following a narrative evaluation approach, the analysis focuses on the narratives of change that are made visible through the children's shared reflections about their learning experiences. Findings: In their narratives of change, the children presented the educational intervention as meaningful for them because it increased their knowledge about social services as a possible support function for children and families. Some of the children related their previous more negative perceptions of social services to a collective story building on the idea that social services take children away from their families. Through the educational intervention, this collective story changed in part into another collective story building on the idea that social services help children and families to improve their relationships. Applications: The study shows that an educational intervention about social services in school has the potential to increase children's knowledge about social services and to influence in a positive direction the collective stories that shape public perceptions of social work. Although such changes in collective stories can be expected to benefit social work practice, welfare professionals must be careful to promote opportunities for children to share experiences of social services that challenge, as well as align with, any of these collective stories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the transition from correctional facilities to community among women living with HIV in Vancouver, Canada, we interviewed 19 recently incarcerated women and 6 service providers. Findings highlighted heightened risk of violence at release, a lack of immediate supports, challenges accessing safe housing and addictions treatment, and interruptions in HIV treatment and care. In the face of structural barriers, women blamed themselves for not being able to break the cycle of incarceration. There is a critical need for enhanced pre-release planning with a priority on housing and substance use services, alongside supports that are trauma-and violence-informed and culturally safe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To provide inclusive education to autistic students, it is important that teachers possess knowledge about autism, feel competent in teaching autistic students, and have a positive attitude toward the inclusion of autistic students. In this study, we explored knowledge, self-efficacy, and attitude concerning autism among N = 887 teachers in Germany. The results showed that knowledge about autism was only moderate and teachers held some typical misconceptions about autism. Moreover, teachers did not possess overwhelmingly high self-efficacy beliefs whereas their attitude toward inclusion of autistic students was rather positive. Experience with teaching autistic students was associated with more knowledge and higher self-efficacy. Also, female teachers were more knowledgeable about autism and felt more competent in teaching autistic students than male teachers. However, the type of school where teachers were working made hardly any difference in their knowledge, self-efficacy, and attitude. Overall, the results suggest that teachers in Germany need more autism training to increase their knowledge about autism and their self-efficacy beliefs in teaching autistic students. Nowadays, autistic students are often enrolled in mainstream schools. To successfully include autistic students in general education, teachers need to possess knowledge about autism, feel competent in teaching autistic students, and have a positive attitude toward their inclusion. However, in Germany, little is known about the knowledge, the self-efficacy, and the attitude concerning autism among teachers working at mainstream schools. Therefore, we conducted a study in which we used items to assess knowledge, self-efficacy, and attitude. A total of 887 general education teachers participated in the study. The results showed that the level of knowledge about autism was moderate among teachers. Similarly, teachers did not hold overwhelmingly high self-efficacy beliefs. However, their attitude toward inclusion of autistic students was rather positive. At the same time, teachers who had experience with teaching autistic students possessed more knowledge and higher self-efficacy than teachers who had no experience with teaching autistic students. In addition, female teachers were more knowledgeable about autism and felt more competent in teaching autistic students than male teachers. In contrast, knowledge, self-efficacy, and attitude were rather similar among teachers from different types of schools. The findings suggest that teachers in Germany should possess more knowledge about autism and feel more competent in teaching autistic students. Therefore, it is important to systematically include autism trainings in teacher education programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students with mental health needs, behavioral support needs, and/or emotional disturbance can engage in internalizing behaviors, externalizing behaviors, or both. Preservice and induction phase elementary general education teachers are reported to have limited education in providing evidence-based behavior management strategies, especially for students who engage in internalizing and/or externalizing behaviors. There is little understanding as to the differences in elementary general education teachers' knowledge, application, and self-efficacy in applying evidence-based behavior management strategies between preservice teachers, first-year teachers, second-year teachers, and third-year teachers. The purpose of this preliminary secondary data analysis was to examine differences in U.S. elementary general education teacher knowledge, application, and self-efficacy in evidence-based behavior management strategies from preservice to induction phase teaching. Results indicated third-year teachers had significantly less behavior management knowledge than preservice teachers. All other results were nonsignificant; however, there were practical differences when comparing the four groups on the knowledge and application measures. Implications for findings indicate the need for induction programs to focus on evidence-based behavior management strategies to support the development of behavior management for induction phase elementary education teachers as they progress through their first 3 years of teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policing domestic violence (DV) poses significant challenges in China due to cultural, legal, and organizational complexities. Policing DV in China favors mediation over assertive interventions, complicating law enforcement's role. While previous research has focused on coercive interventions by Chinese police, there is limited information on non-coercive, supportive approaches. This study investigates the relationship between police officers' knowledge and training regarding the Anti-DV law and their willingness to provide supportive services to DV victims in China. It also considers various individual and organizational factors. The data used in this study are derived from the Policing DV in China project, with a sample of 1,353 respondents who had experience dealing with DV cases within the past 3 years. The study focuses on three dependent variables representing supportive approaches to DV cases: Referral, Counseling, and Protection orders. Independent variables include officers' knowledge of the Anti-DV law and agency training. Control variables include the use of body-worn cameras (BWC) and attitudes toward Violence Tolerance, Male Dominance, and Gender Equality. Additionally, demographic variables, working environment, length of service, and police rank are considered. The analytical approach involves a three-step strategy, incorporating descriptive, bivariate analyses, and regression analyses. The results are interpreted using odds ratios and average marginal effects, and statistical software such as SPSS by IBM and R by Open-Source Model is utilized for data analysis. Key findings indicate that more than half of the officers referred intimate partner violence survivors to shelters and assisted victims in filing protection orders. Counseling practices varied across provinces and between male and female officers. Agency training and the use of BWC were positively associated with non-coercive and supportive approaches, while knowledge of the DV Act, male dominance score, and gender equality score did not predict the use of such approaches. Demographic characteristics, including police rank, length of service, and province of employment, influenced the utilization of non-coercive and supportive approaches. This study examines the challenges faced by Chinese police officers when responding to DV cases and their willingness to provide supportive interventions. The study highlights the complexities surrounding the initiation of protection orders due to officers' legal knowledge and discretion. The study emphasizes the importance of police support in addressing DV in China and the role of agency training in promoting non-coercive responses. It highlights regional variations in police support and underscores the need for addressing disparities in service provision across different provinces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The medical tourism industry has been observing significant developments in Iran. This country has been attracting tourists from countries in the Middle East and different regions of the world for a long time. However, nowadays, the Iran medical tourism industry faces serious barriers and challenges which deteriorate its participation in the global medical tourism market. The present article aims to investigate the barriers to the development of medical tourism in this country. In this regard, by reviewing the related literature and a weighted content validity ratio (CVR) analysis, 17 critical barriers were identified and finalised. Then, their casual relations were determined using a fuzzy cognitive mapping (FCM) methodology. The data gathered by a panel consisted of 10 experts in the field of medical tourism. The results show that five barriers, including managers' lack of knowledge, lack of strategic planning, lack of cooperation and coordination, weak government support and lack of enabling tourism sector, are considered the most important. The findings of this research provide opportunities for practitioners and policymakers to concentrate on Iran's medical tourism in order to overcome the barriers and consequently enhance the development of this lucrative industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex medical terminology utilized in clinical documentation can present barriers to patients understanding their medical findings. We aimed to generate easy-to-understand summaries of clinical radiology reports using large language models (LLMs) and evaluate their safety and quality. Eight board-certified physician reviewers evaluated 1982 LLM-generated radiology report summaries (computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, and x-ray) for safety and quality, using predefined rating criteria and the corresponding original radiology reports for reference. Physician reviewers determined 99.2% (1967 out of 1982) of the LLM-generated summaries to be safe. The reviewers scored the quality of the LLM-generated summaries from "5—Very Good" to "1—Very Poor," respectively, as follows: 80.6%, 11.1%, 5.7%, 1.7%, and 0.9%. Safety varied significantly across imaging modality (P =.002). Large language models can be used to generate safe and high-quality summaries of clinical radiology reports. Further investigation is warranted to determine the impact of LLM-generated summaries on patient perception of understanding, knowledge of their medical conditions, and overall experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated age effects in the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence–Second Edition (WASI-II) standardization sample. This extends work completed using previous editions of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scales. Of the four subtests, Vocabulary (VC) and Similarities (SI) were most resistant to aging. VC showed minimal variation regardless of age; SI peaked at 30 to 54 years followed by a decline. Block Design (BD) and Matrix Reasoning (MR) showed substantial drops from the younger to older groups. BD peaked at 17 to 44 years and then declined; MR peaked at 20 to 29 years and then consistently deteriorated. The WASI-II Verbal Comprehension Index peak at 30 to 44 years was followed by a maximum drop at 85 to 90 years. The Perceptual Reasoning Index peaked at 20 to 29 years, with a marked decline by 65 to 69 years. The Full Scale IQ was average until age 65 years followed by a decline. Minor changes in points of peak performance and subsequent decline were seen as a function of Full Scale IQ level. Results were consistent with crystallized and fluid intelligence theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated within-person variability across a cognitive test battery by analyzing the shape of the distribution of each individual's scores within a battery of tests. We hypothesized that most healthy adults would produce test scores that are normally distributed around their own personal battery-wide, within-person (wp) mean. Using cross-sectional data from 327 neurologically healthy adults, we computed each person's mean, standard deviation, skew, and kurtosis for 30 neuropsychological measures. Raw scores were converted to T -scores using three degrees of calibration: (a) none, (b) age, and (c) age, sex, race, education, and estimated premorbid IQ. Regardless of calibration, no participant showed abnormal within-person skew (wpskew) and only 10 (3.1%) to 16 (4.9%) showed wpkurtosis greater than 2. If replicated in other samples and measures, these findings could illuminate how healthy individuals are endowed with different cognitive abilities and provide the foundation for a new method of inference in clinical neuropsychology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Religion has had a mixed impact on society, with some followers engaging in violent behavior. It remains unclear why some followers perpetrate violence and others are peaceful. We argue that religious overclaiming is one facet of religion to be considered when trying to understand the relationship between religion and violence. Across two studies (N = 551), we tested the hypothesis that a higher tendency to overclaim knowledge of the Christian Bible would be associated with higher perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV). We also tested the hypotheses that men who overclaim would be most likely to engage in the perpetration of IPV, and that higher religiosity would attenuate the effects of religious overclaiming. In both studies, participants completed a measure of religious overclaiming, reported on their perpetration of IPV, and reported their religiosity. Our findings across both studies indicated that Bible overclaiming was associated with greater perpetration of IPV. Further, Study 1 found that those high in Bible overclaiming (especially men) engaged in the most perpetration of IPV. However, this gender-based finding did not replicate in Study 2. Both studies found that religiosity was unassociated with the perpetration of IPV. Our results provide evidence that Bible overclaiming is related to the perpetration of IPV. Specifically, individuals who claim to know religious concepts that do not exist are associated with a higher risk for IPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to make appropriate educational recommendations, psychologists must understand how cognitive test scores influence specific academic outcomes for students of different ability levels. We used data from the WISC-V and WIAT-III (N = 181) to examine which WISC-V Index scores predicted children's specific and broad academic skills and if cognitive-achievement relations varied by general intelligence. Verbal abilities predicted most academic skills for children of all ability levels, whereas processing speed, working memory, visual processing, and fluid reasoning abilities differentially predicted specific academic skills. Processing speed and working memory demonstrated significant interaction effects with full-scale IQ when predicting youth's essay writing. Findings suggest generalized intelligence may influence the predictive validity of certain cognitive tests, and replication studies in larger samples are encouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the complex nature of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) by juxtaposing the mental and sexual health of women who had undergone FGM/C as part of initiation/membership into a traditional women's society (TWS) with those who were also cut but not initiated into a TWS. While considerable differences emerged between TWS members and nonmembers, there was no evidence that TWS membership was protective against the physical and psychological trauma typically ascribed to FGM/C. In fact, the pattern of results would tend to suggest the opposite. Possible explanations for and implications of these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A majority of children's language learning experiences occur in inclusive early child care and education settings. Few evidence-based professional development (PD) programs exist to empower early childhood education providers to use language instruction practices with children in inclusive classrooms. There is little research on providers' implementation of naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention (NDBI) strategies to improve children's language outcomes in whole-group inclusive instruction. We conducted a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial to test the hypothesis that providers in the Early Achievements for Child Care Providers (EA-CP) PD program would show greater gains in NDBI implementation fidelity during shared book reading relative to business-as-usual (BAU) providers. This hypothesis was confirmed. Compared to BAU providers, EA-CP providers exhibited significantly greater fidelity gains from pre-training to mid-training, post-training, and 12-week maintenance assessments. A secondary hypothesis was that toddlers with and without developmental delays in the EA-CP condition would exhibit greater vocabulary and communication gains than toddlers in the BAU condition. Analyses of children with and without delays showed significantly greater expressive vocabulary and story-related engagement and communication in the EA-CP group. For children with delays, positive effects favoring the EA-CP group but not statistically significant were found. Implications for research, practice, and policy are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reproductive health emergencies, such as postpartum hemorrhage, contribute significantly to maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality in Uganda due to knowledge and skills gaps. Medical interns, intern midwives, and nurses are crucial as frontline healthcare workers in responding to these emergencies. Our proposed hands-on strategy involves comprehensive simulation-based training (SBT) to equip these healthcare workers with the essential knowledge to manage common reproductive health emergencies and procedures in the country. Objectives: The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of comprehensive SBT in improving the knowledge of interns and fifth-year medical students on reproductive health emergencies and procedures at Gulu University and its Teaching Hospitals in Uganda. Design: A before-and-after study. Methods: A 4-day SBT was conducted for fifth-year medical students and interns (nurses, midwives, and doctors) at Gulu University Teaching Hospitals, focusing on reproductive health emergencies. Pre- and post-tests with 40 multiple-choice questions were used to evaluate knowledge enhancement, the scores were summarized as medians and interquartile ranges. Paired sample t -tests was used to test the difference in pre- and post-test scores. Independent sample t -tests compared median post-test results between interns and students, with a p -value <0.05 considered significant. Results: A total of 153 participants were enrolled, the majority being males (78.4%, n = 120) and medical students (73.9%, n = 113). Among the 40 interns, 55% (n = 22) were doctors, 30% (n = 12) were midwives, and 15% (n = 6) were nurses. The study participants showed an increase in knowledge, with median post-test scores higher than pre-test scores for all participants [63% (interquartile ranges, IQR: 57–71%) versus 49% (42–54%), with a median difference of 14% (8–23%), p < 0.001]. Conclusion: The SBT effectively imparts key knowledge competencies to the interns and fifth-year medical students. We recommend that SBT be included as part of the course units that students should take and for continuous medical education for qualified healthcare workers in resource-limited settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to identify kindergarteners at risk for language and reading disorders and to determine predictors. A representative sample of 311 kindergarteners in general education classrooms in the U.S. Midwest were assessed with the Well Screening in fall, winter, and spring. Groups were compared using analysis of variance (ANOVA) on measures of memory, phonological awareness, retrieval speed, social communication, and letter knowledge. Children at risk for reading disorders performed most poorly on phonological awareness, whereas children at risk for language disorders struggled most with social communication. Retrieval speed alone was not a reliable predictor of reading risk in kindergarten. High performers scored best on working memory. The high-performing reading group outscored the high-performing language group on letter knowledge. Phonological awareness distinguished the high-performing reading group but not the high-performing language group from their non-high-performing classmates. Early identification of these relevant subgroups allows for early targeted interventions and monitoring of growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Bard by Google, a direct competitor to ChatGPT, was recently released. Understanding the relative performance of these different chatbots can provide important insight into their strengths and weaknesses as well as which roles they are most suited to fill. In this project, we aimed to compare the most recent version of ChatGPT, ChatGPT-4, and Bard by Google, in their ability to accurately respond to radiology board examination practice questions. Methods: Text-based questions were collected from the 2017-2021 American College of Radiology's Diagnostic Radiology In-Training (DXIT) examinations. ChatGPT-4 and Bard were queried, and their comparative accuracies, response lengths, and response times were documented. Subspecialty-specific performance was analyzed as well. Results: 318 questions were included in our analysis. ChatGPT answered significantly more accurately than Bard (87.11% vs 70.44%, P <.0001). ChatGPT's response length was significantly shorter than Bard's (935.28 ± 440.88 characters vs 1437.52 ± 415.91 characters, P <.0001). ChatGPT's response time was significantly longer than Bard's (26.79 ± 3.27 seconds vs 7.55 ± 1.88 seconds, P <.0001). ChatGPT performed superiorly to Bard in neuroradiology, (100.00% vs 86.21%, P =.03), general & physics (85.39% vs 68.54%, P <.001), nuclear medicine (80.00% vs 56.67%, P <.01), pediatric radiology (93.75% vs 68.75%, P =.03), and ultrasound (100.00% vs 63.64%, P <.001). In the remaining subspecialties, there were no significant differences between ChatGPT and Bard's performance. Conclusion: ChatGPT displayed superior radiology knowledge compared to Bard. While both chatbots display reasonable radiology knowledge, they should be used with conscious knowledge of their limitations and fallibility. Both chatbots provided incorrect or illogical answer explanations and did not always address the educational content of the question. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the experiences of frontline professionals in Kazakhstan. Although studies of frontline workers have been conducted worldwide, it is imperative that caution should be exercised when extrapolating findings from disparate societies and generalizing them to Central Asian countries. As such, the purpose of this study was to explore and describe the firsthand experiences, perceptions, and knowledge gained from the experience of Kazakh frontline physicians and nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. An exploratory-descriptive qualitative (EDQ) study was conducted over the course of a year in COVID-19 hospitals in Kazakhstan, with physicians (n = 23) and nurses (n = 7). Each participant was interviewed three times between May 2021 and May 2022. Braun and Clarke's six-step method was used for the thematic analysis. Three overarching themes and subthemes were identified: (1) Longitudinal Journey ("Nobody knew, nobody understood, nobody was ready"; "It's just life"); (2) Facets of Professionalism ("In my lifetime this is something unique"; "Who else if not us"; "We survived the war and the enemy"); and (3) Facets of Resilience ("God's providence"; "A good word heals too"). In light of the lack of research that has previously been conducted in Kazakhstan, the results of this study offer important new insight into the experiences of medical professionals during the COVID-19 epidemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: There is limited literature of the usage of Theatre of the Oppressed within Social work practice. In this study, a group of youth offenders (n = 9) and three social workers known to a Social Service Agency participated in a 9-week Theatre of the Oppressed workshop, consisting of activities aimed to raise critical consciousness. The workshop eventually culminated in a Forum Theatre performance, put up to an invited audience (n = 17). Data was collected throughout the workshop and performance and analyzed using an arts-based method. A focus group discussion was also held with the youths and the social workers separately at the end of the program. Findings: Data revealed that the Theatre of the Oppressed games and activities built solidarity among the youths, although the cultural subgroups of the youths played a part. There was also a general increase of awareness and understanding of power and privilege, and an ownership of the issues that they were experiencing. While the youths felt empowered by the process of designing the script and sharing their stories, the actual medium of performing in front of a group and the power differential with the audience members was seen to have created a negative experience for them. Applications: This study provides an idea of the impacts of Theatre of the Oppressed within group work settings, for marginalized youth offenders. Through the carefully curated activities, social workers may be able to tap on Boal's techniques as a way to build rapport, raise critical consciousness, and empower these youths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A major challenge for juvenile correctional facilities (JCF) is providing literacy instruction to a transitory student population with a wide range of literacy abilities. The purpose of this study was to identify unique literacy profiles of students in long-term JCF taking into consideration their reading abilities, language abilities, intelligence quotient (IQ), disability classification, age, and grade level. Using latent profile analyses with a sample of 370 in the southeastern United States, we identified three distinct classes. Three ability groups of students (average literacy abilities, below-average literacy abilities, substantially below-average literacy abilities) were identified. Thirty-six percent performed at the average level, 55% performed below grade level; and 8% had substantial literacy deficits with an overrepresentation of students with emotional disturbance (ED) and specific learning disability (SLD). Findings provide the foundation for an evidence-based multi-tiered system of supports literacy framework within JCF. Instructional implications concerning the provision of English Language Arts in JCF are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mathematical abilities of children with autism spectrum condition have been understudied. Magnitude representation is a fundamental numerical ability that emerges early in development and is linked to children's learning of formal mathematics. It remains unclear about whether children with autism spectrum condition differ from their peers without autism spectrum condition in the precision of magnitude representations. This study recruited preschool-aged children with autism spectrum condition (N = 70; 64 boys, M age = 5.20 years) and without autism spectrum condition (N = 117; 63 boys, M age = 5.11 years), and tested their precision of magnitude representation with an approximate number comparison task (dot comparison). Children with autism spectrum condition exhibited the lower numerical comparison accuracy (i.e. the weaker magnitude representation) than their peers without autism spectrum condition, regardless of the congruency between numerosity and surface area of dots. Moreover, the lower numerical comparison accuracy was observed even controlling for multiple general cognitive abilities (working memory, inhibitory control, and nonverbal intelligence) and language abilities. In addition, the variability of the comparison accuracy was larger in children with autism spectrum condition than without autism spectrum condition. These findings suggest that children with autism spectrum condition are at risk of weaker magnitude representation from an early age, emphasizing the need for specialized mathematics education or interventions to support their learning. The mathematical abilities of children with autism spectrum condition have been understudied. Magnitude representation (e.g. presenting the number of a collection of objects) is a fundamental numerical ability presented since early infancy and is correlated with children's later learning of formal mathematics. It remains unclear about whether children with autism spectrum condition differ from their peers without autism spectrum condition in precision of magnitude representations. This study compared preschool children with and without autism spectrum condition in their precision of magnitude representation with an approximate number comparison task, in which children compared two sets of dots without counting and chose the set with more dots. Children with autism spectrum condition exhibited the lower numerical comparison accuracy (i.e. the weaker magnitude representation) than their peers without autism spectrum condition. This difference existed even when multiple general cognitive abilities (working memory, inhibitory control, and nonverbal intelligence) and language abilities were statistically controlled. Moreover, the individual difference of the numerical comparison accuracy was larger in children with autism spectrum condition than without autism spectrum condition. These findings suggest that children with autism spectrum condition are at risk of weaker magnitude representation from an early age, emphasizing the need for specialized mathematics education or interventions to support their learning. In addition, the large variance in the precision of their magnitude representation suggests that individualized mathematics interventions are needed for children with autism spectrum condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid guessing (RG) is a form of non-effortful responding that is characterized by short response latencies. This construct-irrelevant behavior has been shown in previous research to bias inferences concerning measurement properties and scores. To mitigate these deleterious effects, a number of response time threshold scoring procedures have been proposed, which recode RG responses (e.g., treat them as incorrect or missing, or impute probable values) and then estimate parameters for the recoded dataset using a unidimensional or multidimensional IRT model. To date, there have been limited attempts to compare these methods under the possibility that RG may be misclassified in practice. To address this shortcoming, the present simulation study compared item and ability parameter recovery for four scoring procedures by manipulating sample size, the linear relationship between RG propensity and ability, the percentage of RG responses, and the type and rate of RG misclassifications. Results demonstrated two general trends. First, across all conditions, treating RG responses as incorrect produced the largest degree of combined systematic and random error (larger than ignoring RG). Second, the remaining scoring approaches generally provided equal accuracy in parameter recovery when RG was perfectly identified; however, the multidimensional IRT approach was susceptible to increased error as misclassification rates grew. Overall, the findings suggest that recoding RG as missing and employing a unidimensional IRT model is a promising approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An accurate assessment of cognitive abilities in populations that differ from the majority in cultural and linguistic characteristics is one of the main challenges in cognitive testing. Previously developed methods for assessment of the validity of cognitive scores in individuals with diverse backgrounds, such as the Culture-Language Interpretative Matrix (C-LIM), have not been empirically substantiated. We tested the applicability of the C-LIM in the European context, by comparing selected test scores from the Woodcock-Johnson-IV Test of Cognitive Abilities (WJ-IV) between Roma children aged 7–11 years (n = 399) and their counterparts from the normative population (n = 131). The largest differences were detected in WJ-IV tests requiring abstract reasoning and manipulation with complex signs. Furthermore, the C-LIM did not reliably discriminate between our groups and its use appears to be inappropriate for making diagnostic decisions about children from populations that do not traditionally rely on processes such as categorical thinking, abstract reasoning, and generalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seventy-five general and 65 special education teachers working in the same 65 elementary schools in 12 different U.S. school districts were surveyed about their mindsets concerning the malleability of writing and intelligence as well as their practices for teaching writing. All teachers taught writing to one or more fourth-grade students receiving special education services, including students with learning disabilities. Both general and special education teachers typically held a growth mindset toward the malleability of writing and intelligence. Collectively, these teachers' mindsets predicted writing frequency (i.e., frequency of students' writing) and how often they taught writing skills and processes once variance due to teachers' preparation, efficacy to teach writing, teaching experience, and type of teacher was first controlled. The observed relationships between teachers' mindsets and reported practices for teaching writing were not mediated by type of teacher (i.e., general or special education). General and special education teachers did not differ in writing frequency for three types of writing collectively (narrative, informative, and persuasive) or how frequently they made 18 adaptations for teaching writing collectively, but general education teachers reported teaching writing skills and processes more often than their special education counterparts. Recommendations for future research and implications for practice are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The importance of providing mental health from a transcultural perspective in establishing a therapeutic alliance is recognized. However, it is currently unknown how many mental health practitioners in the Netherlands feel capable of providing mental healthcare from a transcultural perspective, or if they are familiar with the Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI). The CFI is a tool used in mental health care to gather culturally relevant patient information, enhancing cultural sensitivity in treatment. It is also unknown if there is a difference between psychiatrist and psychiatry residents in terms of their cultural competence. Aims: This study aimed to assess the self-appraised cultural competence of Dutch psychiatrist and psychiatry residents, including their knowledge of the CFI, and the need for further training. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among psychiatrists and psychiatry residents by means of an online questionnaire. Results: Ninety-seven mental health practitioners completed the questionnaire. Of the psychiatrists 70% and of the residents 76% reported that treating patients from cultural backgrounds different from their own background is challenging. Only 44% of psychiatrists and 34% of residents considered themselves sufficiently culturally competent, and 56% and 47% respectively, were uninformed about the CFI. The majority of psychiatrists and residents (70 vs 84%) indicated a need for more training in cultural competence. Conclusion: The majority of psychiatrists and residents in The Netherlands considered treating patients from different cultural backgrounds a challenge, reported feeling insufficiently culturally competent, lacked experience with the cultural formulation interview and reported a need for more training in cultural competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined whether adolescent students' externalizing behavior and prosocial behavior affects their academic achievement (i.e., school grades and standardized test scores) in two major academic domains (i.e., mathematics and German) over and above well-established determinants of school achievement (i.e., prior achievement, intelligence, and domain-specific self-concepts). The study draws on longitudinal data from two independent samples of students (A/B) who were each followed from Grade 7 to Grade 9 (N A/B = 1143/1345). In each academic domain, structural equation models showed that externalizing behavior negatively predicted and prosocial behavior positively predicted academic achievement. When both behaviors were included simultaneously, prosocial behavior particularly predicted school grades in both domains, whereas externalizing behavior particularly predicted test scores in mathematics. Further analyses did not suggest differences between boys and girls in the effects of social behavior on academic achievement. Implications for future research and educational practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Employee-based flexible working hours are increasing, particularly among knowledge workers. Research indicates that women and men use work–time control (WTC; control over time off and daily hours) differently: while men work longer paid hours, women use WTC to counteract work–life interference. In a knowledge-worker sample, we examined associations between WTC and overtime, work–life interference and exhaustion and tested whether gender moderates the mediating role of overtime. Methods: The sample contained 2248 Swedish knowledge workers. Employing hierarchical regression modelling, we examined effects of control over time off/daily hours on subsequent overtime hours, work–life interference and exhaustion in general and in gender-stratified samples. Using conditional process analysis, we tested moderated mediation models. Results: Control over time off was related to less work–life interference (βmen= −0.117; 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.237 to 0.003; βwomen= −0.253; 95% CI: −0.386 to −0.120) and lower exhaustion (βmen= −0.199; 95% CI: −0.347 to −0.051; βwomen= −0.271; 95% CI: −0.443 to −0.100). For control over daily hours, estimates were close to zero. While men worked more overtime (42 min/week), we could not confirm gender moderating the indirect effect of control over time off/daily hours on work–life interference/exhaustion via overtime. Independent of gender, effects of control over time off on work–life interference were partly explained by working fewer overtime hours. Conclusions: Control over time off was related to lower exhaustion and better work–life balance (in particular for women). We found no evidence for men's work–life interference increasing with higher WTC owing to working more overtime. Knowledge workers' control over time off may help prevent work–life interference and burnout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/aim: Occupational therapists use different models and measurements for assessing children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). One of those measurements is the Child Occupational Self-Assessment. In this study, concurrent validity of the Child Occupational Self-Assessment with Pediatric Quality of Life was tested in children with ADHD. Methods: A correlational study was conducted. The Child Occupational Self-Assessment and Pediatric Quality of Life were filled by 128 children with ADHD aged between 8 and 11 years. Findings: The results indicated that in competency subscale the highest correlation coefficient was for the total score of Pediatric Quality of Life (r = 0.56, p < 0.01) and the lowest was for social performance (r = −0.44, p < 0.01). The highest and lowest correlation coefficient in value subscale were for the total score (r = −0.46, p < 0.01) and emotional performance of Pediatric Quality of Life (r = −0.34, p < 0.01), respectively. Conclusions: The Child Occupational Self-Assessment has an acceptable concurrent validity with Pediatric Quality of Life. It can be a suitable measurement for assessing of children with ADHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Latin American families' history and life experiences impact the priorities and values the families have for their children with disabilities. It may be beneficial for early intervention (EI) providers to explore and integrate Latin American families' backgrounds to improve EI services. We completed a qualitative interview study using a collective case study analysis to (a) learn about Latin American families' parenting values and (b) explore families' experiences with a statewide early intervention model. Three mothers with young children who had received EI services completed two interviews. We found that each family had unique histories, compositions, support networks, and priorities that impacted their experiences with a statewide coaching model. Families revealed how their funds of knowledge were, at times, integrated into the EI they received. Our study describes a valuable method of learning about Latin American families' cultural backgrounds so that EI providers may sustain families' cultures within the services they provide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multidimensional theory of mind assessments should include items assessing both explicit theory of mind (theory of mind knowledge) and applied theory of mind (application of theory of mind knowledge in real-life contexts). However, the two theory of mind scores cannot be interpreted collectively to identify children having mismatched explicit and applied theory of mind due to the lack of links between the two scores. To map the information between two theory of mind scores, data of 221 autistic children aged 3–12 years were extracted. Items of the Theory of Mind Task Battery and Theory of Mind Inventory-2 were used to respectively assess the explicit and applied theory of mind. Rasch analysis and correlation coefficients were used to examine the model fits/dimensionality and relationships. After the removal of misfit items, the remaining 45 items showed satisfactory model fits (infit and outfit mean squares < 1.35). Large correlation (r = 0.63) was found between the Rasch scores of the two theory of mind constructs. The scatter plots highlighted that each applied theory of mind score could reflect multiple explicit ToM scores. Accordingly, the information from each theory of mind measure is unique and irreplaceable. Moreover, cutoff scores for identifying children with mismatched explicit and applied theory of mind were proposed to determine the priority of interventions. Theory of mind is an ability to infer others' mental states, which is a foundation for generating appropriate social responses. Theory of mind can be conceptually divided into two related but distinguishable constructs: explicit theory of mind (conceptual knowledge/information about others' mental states) and applied theory of mind (the ability to use theory of mind skills in real-life contexts). Although these two theory of mind scores can be described by the percentages of children in the early, basic, and advanced developmental stages, the resulting information may not be sufficient to determine the corresponding relationships between these two theory of mind constructs or identify children with mismatched theory of mind abilities (e.g. children who have difficulty in effectively applying their theory of mind knowledge in real-life contexts). To resolve these limitations, methods for simultaneously interpreting the relationships between the two theory of mind scores are proposed. Based on the findings, each applied theory of mind score can reflect multiple scores of explicit theory of mind. In particular, the results do not take measurement error into consideration, which would make them more ambiguous. Therefore, the scores of applied theory of mind should be interpreted carefully, given that children who have the same applied theory of mind score may actually have high or low explicit theory of mind. Regarding the method for joint interpretation, cutoff scores were selected to identify children who have mismatched theory of mind abilities (high explicit theory of mind with low applied theory of mind or low explicit theory of mind with high applied theory of mind) and determine the priority for interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Words read correctly per minute (WCPM) is the reporting score metric in oral reading fluency (ORF) assessments, which is popularly utilized as part of curriculum-based measurements to screen at-risk readers and to monitor progress of students who receive interventions. Just like other types of assessments with multiple forms, equating would be necessary when WCPM scores are obtained from multiple ORF passages to be compared both between and within students. This article proposes a model-based approach for equating WCPM scores. A simulation study was conducted to evaluate the performance of the model-based equating approach along with some observed-score equating methods with external anchor test design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the youth version of the program Parents Taking Action in Bogota, Colombia, using a quasi-experimental design. We hypothesized that parents in the treatment groups would improve in levels of knowledge, empowerment, self-efficacy, and use of strategies related to topics of adolescence and sexuality compared to the control group. We recruited 25 Colombian parents of pre/adolescent youth with autism spectrum disorder between the ages of 10 and 17 in Bogota. The intervention included four weekly sessions in which the new content about sexuality and adolescence was delivered. Twelve parents were in the intervention group and 13 were in the control group. Intervention participants significantly improved in Knowledge (t = 4.37 p < 0.001), Self-Efficacy (t = 7.15, p < 0.001), Use of Strategies (t = 4.29, p < 0.001), and Family Empowerment (t = 3.82, p < 0.005) between baseline and follow-up. The control group did not improve on any of the outcome measures, and the mean differences between baseline and follow-up scores were significant between intervention and control groups. The program has potential for high impact as information is scarce and parents do not have resources related to pre/adolescence. The program shows promise as an efficacious tool for community organizations and health providers to support families. We evaluated the efficacy of the youth version of the program Parents Taking Action in Bogota, Colombia. This program aims to provide information, resources, and strategies about topics of puberty, sexuality, and adolescence for parents of preadolescents with autism spectrum disorder. We examined whether parents in the treatment groups would improve in levels of knowledge, empowerment, self-efficacy, and use of strategies compared to the control group. We recruited two groups of Colombian parents of pre/adolescent with autism spectrum disorder between the ages of 10 and 17 in the city of Bogota, Colombia, through a community-based organization. One of the groups received the intervention and the other served as a control group. Parents in the control group received the intervention after the 4-month follow-up. The intervention included four 3-h weekly sessions in which the curriculum with nine topic areas was delivered providing parents with a space to practice strategies, learn from others, and set goals. Parents in the intervention group reported significantly greater knowledge, self-efficacy, use of strategies, and empowerment compared to the control/waitlist group. Parents were also highly satisfied with the content, materials, and peer connections that the program offered. The program has potential for high impact as information is scarce and parents do not have resources related to the complicated developmental stages of pre/adolescence. The program shows promise as an efficacious tool for community organizations and health providers to provide extra support to families of youth with autism spectrum disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Describe the intelligence quotient (IQ) of children with Pierre Robin sequence (PRS). Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: Neurodevelopmental follow-up clinic within a hospital. Patients: Children with PRS (n = 45) who had been in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) were classified by a geneticist into 3 subgroups of isolated PRS (n = 20), PRS-plus additional medical features (n = 8), and syndromic PRS (n = 17) based on medical record review and genetic testing. Main Outcome Measure: Children with PRS completed IQ testing at 5 or 8 years of age with the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, Third Edition (WPPSI-III) or Fourth Edition (WPPSI-IV) or the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) or Fifth Edition (WISC-V). Results: IQ scores were more than 1 to 2 standard deviations below the mean for 36% of the overall sample, which was significantly greater compared to test norms (binomial test P =.001). There was a significant association between PRS subtype and IQ (Fisher's exact P =.026). While only 20% of children with isolated PRS were within 1 standard deviation below average and 35% of children with syndromic PRS were below 1 to 2 standard deviations, 75% of PRS-plus children scored lower than 1 to 2 standard deviations below the mean. Conclusion: PRS subgroups can help identify children at risk for cognitive delay. The majority of children with PRS-plus had low intellectual functioning, in contrast to the third of children with syndromic PRS who had low IQ and the majority of children with isolated PRS who had average or higher IQ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Maternal health service utilization decreases maternal morbidity and mortality. However, the existing evidence is inadequate to design effective intervention strategies in Ethiopia. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the utilization of maternal health service and identify its determinants among women of reproductive age in southern Ethiopia. Design: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from October 21 to November 11, 2022 on a sample of 1140 women selected randomly from the Northern Zone of the Sidama region. Methods: Data were collected using the Open Data Kit mobile application and exported to Stata version 15 for analysis. We used a multilevel mixed-effects modified Poisson regression with robust standard error to identify determinants of maternal health service utilization. Results: Utilization of antenatal care, health facility delivery, and postnatal care was 52.0% (95% confidence interval: 49.0%, 55.0%), 48.5% (95% confidence interval: 45.6%, 51.4%), and 26.0% (95% confidence interval: 23.0%, 29.0%), respectively. Antenatal care use was associated with receiving model family training (adjusted prevalence ratio: 1.19; 95% confidence interval: 1.06, 1.35), knowledge of antenatal care (adjusted prevalence ratio: 1.54; 95% confidence interval: 1.31, 1.81), perceived quality of antenatal care (adjusted prevalence ratio: 1.02; 95% confidence interval: 1.01, 1.03), and having birth preparedness plan (adjusted prevalence ratio: 1.13; 95% confidence interval: 1.02, 1.25). The identified determinants of health facility delivery use were middle wealth rank (adjusted prevalence ratio: 1.35; 95% confidence interval: 1.03, 1.77), perceived quality of health facility delivery (adjusted prevalence ratio: 1.02; 95% confidence interval: 1.01, 1.03), antenatal care (adjusted prevalence ratio: 1.76; 95% confidence interval: 1.36, 2.26), and high community-level women literacy (adjusted prevalence ratio: 1.55; 95% confidence interval: 1.10, 2.19). Postnatal care use was associated with facing health problems during postpartum period (adjusted prevalence ratio: 1.79; 95% confidence interval: 1.18, 2.72), urban residence (adjusted prevalence ratio: 3.52; 95% confidence interval: 2.15, 5.78), knowledge of postnatal care (adjusted prevalence ratio: 1.11; 95% confidence interval: 1.04, 1.19), and low community-level poverty (adjusted prevalence ratio: 0.43; 95% confidence interval: 0.25, 0.73). Conclusion: Maternal health service use was low in the study area and was influenced by individual- and community-level determinants. Any intervention strategies must consider multi-sectorial collaboration to address determinants at different levels. The programs should focus on the provision of model family training, the needs of women who have a poor perception, and knowledge of maternal health service at the individual level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite research indicating that responding with self-compassion to lapses in goal pursuit can help people to achieve their goals, there is evidence that people often struggle to respond with self-compassion when it would benefit them. One reason is that people may not be familiar with the concept of self-compassion or may think negatively of self-compassion. We propose that providing information about self-compassion and its benefits can help people to respond with self-compassion to lapses in goal pursuit. To test this, we randomly assigned participants to a self-compassion psychoeducation condition or control condition and then tested whether they responded with self-compassion to a recalled lapse. The results suggested that, although psychoeducation seemed to influence participants' beliefs about self-compassion, there was no evidence that psychoeducation increased self-compassionate responding. This finding highlights the need to develop additional strategies to help people to translate knowledge about self-compassion into self-compassionate responses to lapses and difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Monkeypox (Mpox) is an infectious illness that can spread to humans through infected humans, animals, or contaminated objects. In 2022, the monkeypox virus spread to over 60 countries, raising significant public health concerns. Nurses play a vital role in patient care and have critical responsibilities in managing infected patients and being aware of the potential impact on the general population. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the knowledge and attitudes (KAs) of Bangladeshi nurses regarding monkeypox infectious disease. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2022 and March 2023 to evaluate the KA of nurses. Semi-structured and self-administered questionnaires were used, distributed via Google Form, and a convenient sampling technique was implemented. The dataset was analyzed using the Chi-square test, multivariable logistic regression, and Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: A total of 1047 datasets were included in the final analysis. Overall, 57.97% of the participants demonstrated good knowledge, and 93.12% of the respondents had a positive attitude towards monkeypox disease. Female nurses exhibited better knowledge (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.36; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.88–1.98) and a more positive attitude (AOR 1.64; 95% CI 1.12–3.00) than male nurses. Furthermore, a strong correlation was observed between good knowledge of monkeypox disease and a positive attitude (r = 0.76, p < 0.001), while poor knowledge moderately correlated with a negative attitude (r = 0.53, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Given the need for further improvement in KA, we recommend implementing additional training programs to enhance the abilities and motivation of nurses in effectively managing patients affected by monkeypox. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physician assistants (PAs) have been integrated into primary care settings to reduce wait times and to optimize continuity of care. Though previous studies suggest that PA utilization leads to improved healthcare access, few studies have investigated patient experience with primary care PAs in Canada. The objective of this study is to explore patient perspectives on primary care PAs in Ontario. A patient survey was developed and distributed to patients seen by PAs in 4 family medicine practices across Ontario, Canada. Results demonstrate that many patients are highly satisfied with their experience including the PA's ability to address their medical needs, establish rapport, and provide fast access to care (including same-day and after-hours appointments). Despite preferring to see a physician for more complex concerns, participants felt that PAs demonstrate similar medical knowledge, competencies, and scope of practice as family physicians. Patients demonstrated a solid understanding of the PA role and recognized the collaborative PA–physician relationship. These findings describe successful patient awareness and acceptance of the PA profession, largely due to positive PA–patient interactions in family medicine settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female accessibility to the mosque as a social institution invokes gendered subject positions and power dynamics. In the holy month of Ramadan in 2018, a group of Muslim women in Johannesburg resisted their exclusion from a mosque space, which led to diverse reactions expressed on social media. Facebook posts between May 16 and June 14, 2018 were analysed using Foucauldian discourse analysis to map discursive constructions of the Muslim women's resistance. Subject positions, ranging from women as sexual temptation to women as holistic, spiritual beings, emerged from the analysis. Different action orientations were promoted, ranging from submission to the mosque leadership to equating the women's activism to the struggle against apartheid in South Africa. Implications for reformative theological scholarship and positionalities of resistance are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Healthcare providers carry the occupational risk of being exposed to pathogens. Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) requires proficiency whenever used. Yet, evidence shows significant errors and variation in competency when applying PPE. Objective: In this study, we developed a three-phase intervention to promote PPE proficiency. Methods: Education and assessment of participants' PPE knowledge and skills occurred at a large academic university in Western Canada. Participants first completed an online module; second, they experienced one-on-one coaching and deliberate practice with infection control professionals; and third, participants managed a COVID-19 clinical simulation scenario. The measured outcomes include a 15-item pre- and post-knowledge test and a pre- and post-skills assessment of donning and doffing behaviors. These behaviors were observed from video recordings and were assessed using two standardized checklists. Results: Knowledge and donning/doffing post-test scores (11.73, 0.95, and 0.96, respectively) were significantly higher after completing all three phases of the educational intervention, p <.001. Conclusions: An online module alone is insufficient for PPE knowledge and skill development. Rather, a module followed by practice and simulation allows learners to gain proficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students who engage in challenging behavior should receive preventive and intervening supports and services in general education settings based on their individual needs. These supports are necessary for students to be successful in school, yet preservice teachers receive limited education and training in both classroom and behavior management. As such, the purposes of this study were to identify the effects of an online behavior management training on newly graduated elementary education teachers immediately after completing their teacher preparation programs and to explore their perceptions regarding the training. A randomized-controlled trial was used, with 39 participants in the intervention group and 44 participants in the waitlist-control group. Results indicated participants in the intervention group showed a statistically significant increase in both knowledge and self-efficacy compared with participants in the waitlist-control group, and insignificant gains in their ability to analyze the use of behavior management strategies. Participants reported feeling the training was highly effective and were eager to implement the strategies with their future students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The care crisis manifests the tensions and profound changes which are taking place in contemporary long-term care systems, leading to new care views and modalities in society. Through 26 interviews conducted with caregivers, family members and elderly people with care needs, this study aims to make visible the transformation in the conceptions of care in the Basque Country. First, the results show the displacement of familiarist ideas and values. Second, we describe the daily management of the social and moral tensions associated with outsourcing and the meaning of care work. Third, the findings indicate the emergence of new perspectives on the modalities of care. The contribution of cognitive polyphasia towards analysing the management and integration of new knowledge associated with care in a specific socio-cultural context is discussed. Finally, we consider the applicability of our findings in terms of relevant solutions for care management and innovation in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study explored the impact of synchronous professional development regarding Nemeth Code Within Unified English Braille (UEB) Contexts on the knowledge and skills of 17 teachers of students with visual impairments. Methods: Participants attended the professional development sessions in June 2022 and submitted a pretest, posttest, final assignment, and posttraining survey. Results: Sixteen out of 17 participants scored higher on their posttest with a mean difference of 5.53. None of the participants submitted an error-free assignment. Total numbers of errors ranged from 8 to 60, and the categories with the highest percentage of errors were formatting, use of opening and terminating switch indicators, and Nemeth Code symbols. Discussion: In order to successfully progress in the general education curriculum, students who read braille must have access to timely, accurately prepared materials in all content areas including mathematics. Direct examination of the final assignment submitted by the 17 participants revealed similar error patterns to previous research. In addition, some of the participants struggled to correctly use Nemeth Code switch indicators. Implications for Practitioners: Teachers of students with visual impairments should continue to build their skills for Nemeth Code within UEB Contexts. Additional resources and professional development are urgently needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compares targeted fathers' beliefs in a just world with the beliefs of fathers who were divorced but not alienated from their children. Forty-two targeted fathers and 38 non-targeted fathers completed an online survey consisting of sociodemographic questions, the General Belief in a Just World Scale and Personal Belief in a Just World Scale. Targeted fathers reported lower beliefs in a just world than non-targeted fathers. Targeted fathers who reported that mental health and legal professionals have sufficient knowledge of parental alienation had higher belief in a just world scores than targeted parents who believed professionals have insufficient knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Tobacco exposure plays an important role in children's health. Little is known about pediatrician's experience with parental e-cigarette use. This pilot study aimed to assess pediatrician's knowledge, attitude, and behaviors regarding parental e-cigarette use. Methods: This cross-sectional survey at an academic clinic assessed residents' and attendings' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding parental combustible and e-cigarette use and counseling and cessation barriers. Results: Sixty of 69 care providers completed the survey. Participants reported asking about parental use (5% vs 58%, Δ = 53% [95% CI Δ = 40%-67%]), advising about harms (5% vs 52%, Δ = 47% [95% CI Δ = 33%-61%]), and assisting with quitting (2% vs 28%, Δ = 27% [95% CI Δ = 15%-39%]) significantly less for e-cigarettes than for combustible cigarettes. The most common barrier to discussing use was lack of time. Lack of knowledge, unsure of harm, and lack of training were reported significantly more for e-cigarettes than for combustible cigarettes. Conclusion: Parental screening and counseling rates are significantly lower for e-cigarettes than for combustible cigarettes in this pilot study. Increased training could help pediatricians better protect children from tobacco exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Knowledge of the continuity of sleep problems and the associations between sleep and psychiatric symptoms in child psychiatric patients is scarce. Objectives: To investigate the persistency of sleep problems and how sleep at preschool age predicts sleep problems and psychiatric symptoms at school age in child psychiatric patients. Methods: Participants (n = 68) were child psychiatry outpatients at Helsinki University Hospital in 2015–2017. Caregivers evaluated sleep with the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC) and psychiatric symptoms with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) at baseline (age 4–7 years) and again at follow-up (age 8–13 years). Family background information was collected at both time points. Results: Sleep problems at preschool age predicted sleep problems at school age (R2Adjusted =.48, p <.001). Persistent sleep problems associated strongly with the intensity of psychiatric symptoms (p =.001). Internalizing symptoms were predicted by sleep problems (p =.038) even after controlling for age, sex, and psychiatric symptoms at preschool age. Conclusion: Sleep problems are prevalent and persistent and relate to psychiatric symptoms in children treated at child psychiatry clinics. These results emphasize the need for identification and treatment of sleep problems in these children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A correct understanding of pregnancy and related issues would facilitate pregnant women to manage their pregnancies well. The objective of this study was to assess the pregnancyrelated information needed by pregnant women in Sri Lanka and the obstacles that they face when acquiring such information. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 420 pregnant women admitted to a teaching hospital in Southern Sri Lanka. Data related to demography, information needed, sources of information seeking, and barriers that they face in acquiring such information were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Mean scores of the information needed (ranges 0-4) in different areas and a total score of the information needed were calculated. Regression analysis was used to identify possible predictors of information needed by the target group. Results: Family members, visiting obstetrician and gynecologist, antenatal clinical staff, and midwives were the common sources of information for nearly 80% of the participants. Psychological and physical complications after delivery (2.61 ± 1.21), special tests during pregnancy (2.44 ± 1.26), development and growth of the fetus (2.40 ± 1.26), and nutrition during pregnancy (2.36 ± 1.26) were the main areas where accurate and more information was sought by the participants. Failures in making a distinction between correct and incorrect information received (n = 113 [26.9%]) and poor interactions between healthcare providers and pregnant women (n = 103 [24.5%]) were the main barriers identified in acquiring trustworthy information. About one-fourth of the participants had used pregnancy-related apps. Information needs were high among pregnant women with less number of children (ß = -0.14, p < .01). Age, income, and area of living (rural or urban) did not significantly predict information needs in this target population. Conclusion: The free maternal and child healthcare system prevailing in the country seems to be the main source of information gathering for pregnant mothers. Physical, psychological, and nutritional facts related to pregnancy and its management should be increased among pregnant mothers, and it is imperative to empower them in the identification of correct information from authenticated sources. Primigravida women need more educational support. Electronic platforms should be effectively used in the future to disseminate information required by pregnant women in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender differences in math-related professional achievements have been identified as a worldwide problem. Academic achievement assessments, however, have repeatedly revealed gender similarities. The observed gender similarity might be due to biased assessments that heavily rely on reading skills, which favors girls. The current study analyzed 29 international and within-country datasets representing a total of 9,471,692 students from 1,456 regions through four typical, large-scale student academic achievement assessments. The results showed a gender difference in mathematics achievements of greater than 0.76 (Cohen's d), favoring boys for each dataset after controlling for general reading achievements. The gender difference in mathematics achievements favoring boys exceeded 0.35 in each region, with a mean of 0.70 for 79 countries or jurisdictions in the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA 2018) after controlling for general reading achievements. Dataset- and region-level gender differences are robust, suggesting that there is a clear gender difference in mathematics achievements that previous analyses have not identified due to the effect of reading achievements differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Financial knowledge often does not translate into financial well-being. This study looks at how knowledge might be converted to well-being for people living in low-income environments, based on a theory called Financial PSS. Methods: The study tests the validity of the two scales that make up Financial PSS: Perceived Financial Barriers and Financial Hope. Then it examines how these measures along with an intervention measure called TIP are associated with financial capability. Results: Results validated the Perceived Financial Barrier Scale and Financial Hope Scale. Next, the study found that the Perceived Financial Barriers Scale and the Financial Hope Scale are associated with financial capability, as is the TIP score. Conclusions: The study concludes that Financial PSS as a newly applied practice-based theory should be further tested. Workforce providers could integrate financial education and empowerment-based F-PSS process models and see a positive impact on their placement and retention outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Aim of our study was to evaluate cancer patients' knowledge about their chemotherapy regimens in order to assess educational needs of patients. Methods: Study was conducted on 58 colorectal carcinoma patients who were treated in an outpatient chemotherapy unit. These patients had received a 2-page information pamphlet about their chemotherapy treatments before the commencement of treatment. During the first interview with patients, pharmacist collected demographic data and evaluated patients' knowledge about their medications using a standardized questionnaire. Findings: Mean age of the patients was 59.6 ± 1.3 years; 65.5% were male. Majority (77.6%) of patients were graduates of primary school. Sixty-four percent of these had at least one comorbid disease. Median number of chemotherapy courses already received by patients was 4 (1–9). Fifty-nine percent reported that they did not receive any patient education and 43.1% reported that they did not receive any informative document. Twenty-nine percent of patients did not know what actions to take in case of nausea-vomiting; while 53.4% did not know how to react if their body temperature exceeded 38 °C and 25.9% had no idea about dietary necessities. About one-third of patients did not pay attention to oral care. Conclusion: Our study showed that patients did not understand (or remember) the basic points about their chemotherapy sufficiently, but remembered the adverse effects they experienced occasionally. Pharmacists will have the chance to increase the level of knowledge of the patients receiving chemotherapy by providing patient education and follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Electronic health records (EHRs) are useful tools in healthcare settings but implementation in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) face challenges. Objective: To explore post-implementation challenges affecting the deployment of EHRs and their use in selected health facilities in Ghana. Method: Using a qualitative research approach, 21 in-depth interviews were conducted with health workers in two hospitals in the study area in Ghana, in February and June 2020. Purposive sampling was used to select participants. All interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and coded into themes using QSR Nvivo12 software to aid thematic analyses. Results: Post-implementation challenges were grouped into lack of technological, logistical and managerial support, and inadequate training. Inadequate equipment was the most reported post-implementation challenge that affected EHR use. Unreliable Internet and network connectivity was a source of frustration, which caused staff to develop negative attitudes towards use of the system. Lack of funding stalled implementation of the system and limited its use to critical care units only. It was also the reason replacement of equipment delayed. Conclusion: While EHR post-implementation challenges facing health facilities are surmountable, managerial support, backed with the requisite logistical and technical support is needed. It is not enough to rely on funding; health institutions should prioritise emerging EHR post-implementation challenges in their operating budgets. Implications: A national framework is needed to guide effective and sustainable EHR implementation across the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine cross-spouse associations between education and financial literacy among older couples, net of own education, and whether the cross-spouse associations differ by gender. Using data from the Cognitive Economics Study, we employ multilevel actor–partner interdependence regression models to examine both the actor and partner associations between education and financial literacy (N = 205 dyads) and the moderating role of gender. Findings indicate that the partner association between education and financial literacy was moderated by gender. Husbands' education was associated with wives' financial literacy, net of own education and controls, but wives' education was not associated with husbands' financial literacy. The study adds to our knowledge of the role of the family context in financial literacy, net of own education. Results suggest that factors shaping financial knowledge may spill over from husbands to wives. Interventions to enhance older adults' financial knowledge should take into account the family context and consider couple-based approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]