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Voice assistants (VAs), such as Alexa, Siri, or Google Now, are becoming increasingly ubiquitous. Consequently, the potential societal impacts of such systems are gaining relevance in public and academic discourses. Investigating the effects of VA voice features on user perception of VAs is one central aspect of research. Here, the potential effects of VAs on the perception of gender roles and the attribution of gender stereotypes stand out. Following the Computers as Social Actors paradigm, it is assumed that gendered voices have the potential to reproduce existing gender stereotypes. Yet, recently, the implementation of gender-ambiguous voices has been suggested to mitigate such effects and promote more diverse technology design. In this study, we set out to inquire about the relationship between gendered VA voice (male, female, gender-ambiguous) and gender stereotype activation. In two online surveys with an experimental manipulation (Study 1: N = 140, Study 2: N = 397), we test stereotype activation as a function of VA voice, user gender, and conversation topic. Empirical findings are mixed, with no effects for conversation topic but indications of small effects of VA voice. Implications for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contingency management (CM) is an evidence-based behavioral intervention highly effective at promoting behavior change. Despite evidence of its efficacy, the extension of CM to the treatment of harmful gambling has been slow. Wider dissemination of CM may be facilitated through identification of perceived obstacles and barriers. The present study developed items for a new scale, the Contingency Management for Gambling Provider Survey (ConGam-PS), to measure the views of gambling treatment providers of CM for gambling. In a mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative) based approach, N = 111 UK gambling treatment providers were surveyed about their positive, negative, and neutral beliefs about CM. Descriptive analyses found that participants were open to using and receiving training in CM, and supported research on CM for treatment of gambling. Common concerns involved the potential negative consequences for clients when incentives are withdrawn and the feasibility of objectively verifying gambling abstinence. No significant associations were found between participant characteristics and CM beliefs. Overall, there is openness toward CM among treatment providers and further research and evaluation of CM for harmful gambling is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alcohol use is a gendered behavior and motherhood is a life stage which may influence drinking motives. However, there are no drinking motive scales uniquely tailored to maternal populations. This work developed a new maternal drinking motives scale (M-DMS) and determined associations between the M-DMS and alcohol-related behavior. Methods: An online observational survey (n = 534) and online test–retest survey (n = 164) were conducted with adult, UK mothers. From the observational study, data on drinking motives was extracted to determine M-DMS items and factor loading. This was split into two data sets for exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and Timeline Follow back data, taken from both surveys, were combined to determine the M-DMS's predictive validity. Results: Following a parallel analysis and exploratory factor analysis, a two-factor model (positive reinforcement motives, negative reinforcement motives) was deemed the best fit. Probability functional analysis identified items with problematic responses. These were removed before confirmatory factor analysis (on the second dataset) demonstrated a good fit for the two-factor model. All factor loadings were significant and positive (βs > 0.56). Reliability of the two subscales was excellent: negative reinforcement (ωT = 0.95), positive reinforcement (ωT = 0.89). Test–retest reliability was good for both negative (ICC = 0.84, 95%CI = 0.80–0.88) and positive (ICC = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.71–0.82) subscales. Both subscales predicted AUDIT and quantity of alcohol consumption (ps < 0.001). Conclusion: The first tailored Maternal Drinking Motives Scale (M-DMS) provides a more valid research tool for assessing psychological mechanisms of alcohol use in mothers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Averting incidents of patient self-harm is an ongoing challenge in acute inpatient mental health settings. Novel technologies that do not require continuous human visual monitoring and that maintain patient privacy may support staff in managing patient safety and intervening proactively to prevent self-harm incidents. To assess the effect of implementing a contact-free vision-based patient monitoring and management (VBPMM) system on the rate of bedroom self-harm incidents. A mixed methods non-randomized controlled before-and-after evaluation was conducted over 24 months on one female and one male acute inpatient mental health ward with the VBPMM system. The rates of bedroom self-harm, and of bedroom ligatures specifically, before and after implementation were investigated using quantitative methods. Qualitative methods were also used to explore the perceived effectiveness of the system and its acceptability. A −44% relative percentage change in bedroom self-harm incidents and a −48% relative percentage change in bedroom ligatures incidents were observed in the observational wards with the VBPMM system. Staff and patient responses gave insights into system acceptability and the ways in which these reductions may have been achieved. The results indicate that using the VBPMM system helped staff to reduce self-harm incidents, including ligatures, in bedrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Responsibility for the provision of veterinary care and services is increasingly shared between veterinary surgeons/veterinarians and registered veterinary nurses/veterinary technicians. Interprofessional education of these clinical professionals is not widespread but is growing. Understanding students' perceptions of veterinary interprofessional education and working is therefore important; however, no validated scale exists to assess this. This study aimed to create and test the psychometric properties of a 'Student perceptions of veterinary interprofessional education and work scale' (SP-VIEWS). A scale was built using scales previously validated in other contexts, plus statements informed by veterinary interprofessional research, and sent to veterinary and veterinary nursing students at six UK institutions. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) on a randomly-selected half of the responses (n = 260) suggested a model with 16 items grouped within three factors: 'Benefits of learning with the other profession', 'Leadership and speaking up' and 'Teams and benefits of teamwork'. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) on the remaining 260 responses demonstrated appropriate fit based on conventional parameters, such as goodness of fit index. Overall internal consistency was good (Cronbach's alpha 0.82). CFA demonstrated that SP-VIEWS showed adequate, though not excellent, fit to the data. Future research should evaluate SP-VIEWS in other universities and countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To develop a valid preoperative scoring tool that predicts the probability of walking with a prosthetic limb after major lower limb amputation. Methods: A retrospective review of 338 patients who had undergone lower limb amputation was conducted to identify characteristics that affected the success of rehabilitation with a prosthetic limb. These data were used to devise an assessment tool (the BLARt score), which was then tested and validated in 199 patients planned to undergo lower limb amputation in two UK regional centers. Functional rehabilitation outcomes were recorded at 12 months after surgery using the SIGAM mobility grading. Results: No patient with a BLARt score ≥13 achieved good functional outcome (defined as independent mobility, SIGAM grade E or F) and only 6 patients with a BLARt score ≥17 achieved any functional outcome (defined as any ability to walk unaided, SIGAM grade C or greater). Conclusions: In the patient cohorts studied, the BLARt assessment tool was a strong predictor of whether or not patients would be able to walk with a prosthetic limb after surgery. It is simple to administer and could be useful in clinical practice to inform expectations for patients and clinicians. Patients undergoing lower limb amputation face major physical and psychological challenges after surgery that have a considerable impact on rehabilitation and their ability to walk independently. Many amputees are unable to walk with a prosthetic limb, but there are no validated tools to predict this before surgery. The BLARt is a potentially valuable measure that can predict the likelihood of being unable to walk after amputation. It is simple to use and could be useful to inform patients' and clinicians' expectations before surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Children sometimes wait 12 months or longer to access speech-language pathology services. Information on websites may support families' active waiting for speech-language pathology; however, there are few user-friendly, evidence-based websites specifically designed for children and families for this purpose. The current study aimed to: (1) ascertain appropriate website content, format, features and functions; (2) evaluate the quality of existing speech and language sites and (3) obtain feedback on a prototype website. Method: A three-stage explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was employed. Stage 1 involved 119 participants completing an online questionnaire recommending website content, format, features and functions. Stage 2 involved evaluating the quality of 25 online sites about children's speech and language. Stage 3 involved focus groups with 16 participants to explore aspirations and feedback on a website to support active waiting. Result: Participants wanted information about typical development and services to access while waiting; strategies to stimulate children's speech and language development; simple web architecture; and high readability. High scoring sites contained evidence-based information from trustworthy sources. Strategies from the theory of preparative waiting arose in the focus groups. Conclusion: Participants considered easily identifiable, trustworthy sources of information, and user-friendly strategies and resources to be important on a website to support active waiting for speech-language pathology. The theory of preparative waiting may be a viable framework informing waiting for speech-language pathology for children with speech and language difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This first psychometric evaluation of the Patient Categorisation Tool examined its properties as an instrument to measure complexity of needs in a mixed population of patients presenting for specialist neurorehabilitation. Materials/methods: Analysis of a large multicentre cohort of patients (n = 5396) from the national clinical dataset representing 63 specialist rehabilitation services across England. Structural validity was examined using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Concurrent and criterion-validity were tested through a priori hypothesized relationships with other validated measures of resource requirements and dependency. Results: All but two items loaded strongly onto a single principal component with Cronbach's alpha 0.88. A total score of ≥30 identified patients with complex (category A) needs with sensitivity 76% and specificity 75%. However, confirmatory factor analysis provided a better fit when the scale was split into two subscales – a 'Cognitive/psychosocial' and a 'Physical' sub-scale (alpha 0.83 and 0.84, respectively). Moderate convergent and discriminant correlations were consistent with hypothesized relationships. Conclusions: The findings provide some overall support for the Patient Categorisation Tool as a unidimensional tool for measuring complexity of needs for neurorehabilitation, but the subscales may be more suitable for certain groups of patients. Further analysis is now required to evaluate its performance in different conditions. A psychometrically robust tool for measuring the complexity of rehabilitation needs has potential value, both at an individual level for treatment planning, and at a population level for planning and commissioning rehabilitation services. The Patient Categorisation Tool now forms part of the United Kingdom national clinical dataset mandated by the National Health Service in England This psychometric analysis from a large national multicentre cohort representing a diverse range of conditions, provides evidence for its validity as a means to identity patients with complex rehabilitation needs requiring specialist rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study presents the development and validation of MIS-A (Medication Intake Survey-Asthma), a new self-report instrument measuring key adherence properties during long-term asthma treatment. Design: Within a longitudinal asthma cohort study in France and the United Kingdom, adult patients and caregivers of children responded to computer-assisted telephone interviews. Main outcome measures: Scores for distinct adherence properties (taking adherence, correct dosing, therapeutic coverage, drug holidays, overuse) and composite measures were computed for several time intervals. We examined distributions, longitudinal variation, associations between adherence scores and concordance with adherence calculated from medication prescribing or dispensing records. Results: Nine hundred and two participants reported on adherence to 4481 medications on 4140 occasions. About 59.47 and 70.36% revealed < 100% taking adherence in the last week and month; 42.76% had a drug holiday of > 1 week in the last 4 months. Adherence varied within patients during the follow-up (intra-class correlation = . 41-.71). Correlations between adherence scores were moderate to strong (p = .51-.85, p = .001), except medication overuse (p = .04-.19, p =.05). Four-month taking adherence was associated with dispensing adherence, but not with prescribing adherence (p = .33, p < .001; and .12, p = .26). Conclusion: MIS-A is a promising, easy-to-use self-report tool that can capture accurately different adherence properties over a long time period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Engaging and inspiring the next generation of physician-scientists at an early stage is recognised as key to ensure the future of medical research. However, little is known about medical student perceptions of research. Objectives:We attempted to ascertain perceptions of research and research-orientated careers from medical students studying in different countries. Methods:An online questionnaire was developed, piloted, and promoted to medical students in various countries. Results:1625 responses were collected from 38 countries. Analysis was restricted to data collected from countries with >100 responses (n = 890). Less than half the respondents felt their medical school provided adequate research training. Key perceived barriers to research participation as a student included lack of time and difficulty finding mentors or projects. A significant gender disparity existed in research ambitions of students with females desiring less research involvement. The importance of barriers and satisfaction with research training differed significantly between countries. Conclusions:Students perceive a number of key barriers to research involvement and pursuit of research-orientated careers. Programmes designed to engage students with research should focus on overcoming identified barriers. Greater effort is needed to engage female students who report more significant barriers and less desire to follow research-orientated careers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Dyadic interactions generate direct relationships in which interdependent sport behaviors can be destructured. The focus of this investigation was to develop a two-level performance framework and corresponding measures of individual- and dyad-level sport performance. The described procedures surrounded a male–female cheerleading paired-stunt task, as only team-level outcomes are currently assessed during sport competition. Multiple observers employed the developed measures (α = .89–.96; interclass correlation = .87–.95) to assess the videoed performance of 132 individuals within 66 intact dyads competing at a national competition. Unique information is revealed from each partner’s individual-level score, disjointedly assessed, and their dyad-level score, an assessment of combined efforts. Score differences are especially apparent when in contrast to an aggregated dyad-level score. A discussion of the outlined approach and interpretation of multilevel occurrences of interdependent processes and outcomes of sporting performance is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A task carried out in error creates a latent condition that can result in a future undesirable outcome if the error is not detected later. The paper presents a study of the relatively under-researched phenomenon of post-task latent error detection. Focusing on UK naval aircraft maintenance, it was hypothesised that time, location and systems cues influence individual latent error detection amongst naval air engineers who experience the phenomenon. The systems view of human error is combined with a multi-process approach to post-task latent error research, for which findings suggest that distributed cognition across the entire socio-technical system may be influential in post-task latent error detection. Directions for future research will be of benefit to those interested in furthering safety resilience using a systems approach to minimise the consequences arising from latent error. Relevance to human factors/ergonomics theoryThe nature and extent of post-task latent error detection is explored using a systems approach, for which distributed cognition across the entire socio-technical system appears influential. The aim of current research is to develop interventions to further mitigate for latent errors and thus advance the systems application of ergonomics theory. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Introduction: The study aimed to gain an understanding of the attitudes of trauma and orthopaedic (T&O) trainees regarding procedure-based assessments (PBAs) and identify factors that influence any perceived educational benefit. Methods and materials: A questionnaire was emailed to all T&O trainees in the UK via an established e-mail communication tool after an initial pilot exercise. The data were analysed using the online survey software. Results: Of the 616 trainees included 53% found PBAs useful as a learning tool for delivery of feedback. Trainees agreed that there were barriers to the successful use of PBAs (61%). Completing the PBA at the time of the procedure ( p < 0.001) and the trainer delivering quality feedback with PBAs ( p < 0.001) significantly increased the number of trainees perceiving an improvement in their practice. Completing higher numbers of PBAs did not have this effect ( p = 0.26). There was wide geographical variation in the use of PBAs by trainees. Conclusions: This is the first nationwide study offering a deeper insight into factors influencing T&O trainees' perceptions of the educational benefit gained from using PBAs. This study informs the debate on how to improve the effective use of PBAs in T&O training, and generally, of workplace-based assessments in surgical training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are existing measures of exercise motives (what people want from exercise), but corresponding measures of gains (what people get) are needed, because motives and gains could influence each other and together influence other variables. An exercise motives and gains inventory (EMGI) was developed by creating gains scales to complement existing Exercise Motivations Inventory 2 scales. Confirmatory factor analyses of EMGI items established that items reflected their intended constructs; and that motive and gain constructs were distinct. Exploratory structural equation modeling of EMGI scales established that the higher-order structures of motives and gains were somewhat different: Appearance motive was associated with weight management, whereas appearance gain was associated with health and fitness. Paired-samplet-tests established that gains were less than motives in some instances (ill-health avoidance, positive health), and greater in others (e.g., affiliation, challenge). The EMGI can be used to investigate the consequences and causes of motives and gains. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: Medical education and teaching skills are core competencies included in the generic curriculum for specialty training. To support the development of these skills, there is need for a validated instrument. This study aims to develop and test an instrument to measure the attributes of specialty trainees as effective teachers. Methods: The study was conducted in two phases. In first phase, the content of the instrument was generated from the literature and tested using the Delphi technique. In second phase, the instrument was field tested for validity and reliability using factor analysis and generalizability study. Feasibility was calculated by the time taken to complete the instrument. Acceptability and educational impact were determined by qualitative analysis of written feedback. Attributes of specialty trainees were assessed by clinical supervisors, peers, and students. Results: The Delphi study produced consensus on 15 statements which formed the basis of the instrument. In field study, a total of 415 instruments were completed. Factor analysis demonstrated a three-factor solution ('learning-teaching milieu', 'teaching skills', and 'learner-orientated'). A generalizability coefficient was 0.92. Mean time to complete the instrument was five minutes. Feedback indicated that it was an acceptable and useful method of assessment. Conclusion: This new instrument provides valid, reliable, feasible, and acceptable assessment of clinical teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Department of Health guidance on dual diagnosis (DD) recommends that services measure local need, and use this to inform service planning. This study aimed to use routine clinical data to estimate the prevalence of DD and unmet treatment need in a community drug and alcohol service, and to appraise the feasibility of using routine data for such purposes. Methods: First, a screening checklist was developed to determine whether a particular service-user met DD caseness criteria. Second, the electronic care records of 227 service-users were screened for DD caseness, as well as for documentation of current and/or previous receipt of mental health treatment. Findings: Seventy-two percent screened positive for having DD. Of these, around half were not receiving current treatment for their mental health, while 37% had never received mental health treatment. Higher rates of DD were found amongst women and those in treatment for alcohol dependence. Conclusions: The findings corroborate previous research showing high prevalences of DD and unmet treatment need within drug and alcohol services in general, and amongst certain high-risk subgroups in particular. The study demonstrates that using routine data to estimate unmet treatment need is feasible within the limited resources available to frontline services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To establish the validity and reliability of a questionnaire measuring the experience of informal carers of patients with stroke through acute and rehabilitation hospital treatment. Method: The settings were 6 stroke units in the United Kingdom. Participants were relatives of patients with stroke. The Stroke Carer Experience Questionnaire (SCEQ) asks about specific elements of care and was constructed using qualitative analyses. Convergent and discriminant validity were assessed by correlations with other questionnaires and variables. Criterion validity was examined by correlations with indices derived from qualitative data. Temporal stability was assessed by correlation with a repeated administration. The performance of the questionnaire was compared with that of the Carer Hospital Satisfaction Questionnaire (Carer HospSat). Results: Seventy-two (49%) of 147 questionnaires were returned. Test-retest reliability, assessed by a questionnaire mailed 7 days after the first completion, was 0.77. The correlation with the Carer HospSat was 0.57, indicating convergent validity. The SCEQ did not correlate with demographic variables or functional ability, which indicated discriminant validity. Significant correlations with indices derived from carers' qualitative descriptions evidenced criterion validity. The SCEQ detected specific negative experiences among carers with high global satisfaction scores on the Carer HospSat. In general, the SCEQ items were not strongly intercorrelated; only 6% of the intercorrelations were strong to moderate (30.6). Conclusions: The SCEQ is preferable to existing questionnaires for carers of patients with stroke, because it has established validity and reliability and assesses service characteristics important to carers. It also identifies experiences in services that elude global satisfaction ratings. It is a promising instrument for identifying service strengths and unmet needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]