Search

The purpose of the current study was to understand female rugby players’ perceptions of menstrual cycle (MC) tracking and identify the impact of MC tracking for the players. Interpretive descriptive methodology was adopted. Interviews were conducted with 12 elite female rugby players (age 25.2 ± 4.3 years), who were all naturally menstruating. Data were analysed following the four stages recommended within Interpretive Description. Results identified that athletes obtain personal benefits from MC tracking by; enhancing understanding of their MC and symptoms, and responding to their MC and symptoms. Athletes also reported that the process of tracking their MC enhanced relationships by; improving communication and interactions with coaches and support staff, and by facilitating team support. Specifically, using tracking increased the opportunities for open conversations with coaches, support staff and teammates regarding their MC. Overall, the findings highlight benefits of menstrual cycle tracking within this group of naturally menstruating rugby players, particularly in helping players and coaches understand the individual nature of the MC, engage in conversations, and establish support from teammates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intimate partner violence (IPV) significantly harms women globally, yet, research on perpetrator treatment efficacy is inconclusive. Understanding how perpetrators perceive their own perpetrations is crucial for effective prevention and treatment. This study examines how male IPV perpetrators describe their emotions and cognitions surrounding their violent acts, using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of interviews with seven convicted men, and six men who had sought treatment voluntarily. Two superordinate themes emerged: Aggression as a means to meet with unfulfilled psychological needs which encompasses how aggression is used to satisfy the need to gain control and protect the self, and Aggression as an automatic response which entails automatically reacting with aggression, for example due to perceiving the world through a hostile lens. These findings can increase our understanding of factors and dynamics related to precipitation and continuation of IPV perpetration, which, in turn, can be identified, assessed, and potential targets for intervention and prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People with cancer experience higher rates of psychological dysfunction than the general population, with extreme inequity among indigenous people. Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) is a reemerging area with promising evidence as a treatment for mental health difficulties. The current study aimed to investigate the perceptions of PAT in indigenous (Māori) and non-indigenous cancer patients in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Eighty-five cancer patients (Māori n = 32, non-Māori n = 53) completed a brief anonymous survey assessing demographics, psychological factors, and awareness and perceptions of PAT. Participants were recruited online (via social media and cancer support e-mail lists) and in person at Auckland City Hospital. Maori had significantly poorer psychological well-being than non-Māori. All participants had low awareness of this novel treatment and held largely neutral attitudes. Regression analyses revealed that predictors of more favorable attitudes toward PAT included greater awareness of psychedelics, advanced cancer stage, younger age, poorer holistic well-being, greater demoralization, and prioritizing treatment effectiveness over possible risks and uncertainty. The current study provides a foundational step in exploring perceptions toward PAT in indigenous and non-indigenous groups. These results have the potential to shape future research trials investigating PAT and further highlight the importance of indigenous involvement in the psychedelic research space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cannabidiol (CBD) shows promise for a variety of indications, including anxiety. Prior survey work indicates anxiety ranks as a top reason for which people use cannabidiol (CBD), but no work has evaluated individuals using CBD specifically for anxiety. The current study evaluated CBD product use patterns and perceptions within a sample of 81 participants (Mage = 32.63, SDage = 12.99) who reported using CBD products for anxiety-related concerns within the past 30 days. Family and friends, followed by popular and scientific literature, were the most common sources informing participants' decision to use CBD products to target anxiety. On average, participants reported using CBD products daily for at least a year and indicated it was very effective in targeting anxiety-related symptoms. The top three ranked symptoms improved by CBD products were subjective anxiety, difficulty falling asleep, and irritability. These findings were despite the fact that the most frequent dosing levels (∼50mg) were well below those empirically observed to yield anxiolytic effects. Most participants denied side effects, adding to the literature supporting CBD products' safety and tolerability. Finally, participants were generally poorly informed about the nature of CBD products (e.g., distinction from THC), suggesting a need for consumer education. Collectively, the current study extends prior survey work suggesting powerful expectancies about CBD products, particularly in terms of anxiety reduction, including among those using it to target anxiety-related symptoms. Findings also highlight the importance of addressing the gap between scientific and consumer knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming will lead to more frequent and intense heatwaves across all regions of the world in the coming decades. Adaptation at the individual level plays a key role in helping populations cope with these extreme events. This study undertakes a systematic review of the academic literature on the determinants of heat-adaptive behaviours (HABs) following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A Boolean algorithm was used on two online databases (PubMed and Web of Science Core Collection) to retrieve 73 relevant, quantitative, peer-reviewed papers. All included studies focus on high-income economies (N = 48) or middle-income economies (MIEs, N = 25). A meta-analysis was performed on 34 studies using a random-effects model, with an emphasis on heat-related perceptions (perceived efficacy, risk and threat) and heat-related knowledge (HRK), as these variables are the most likely levers of behavioural change. Perceived efficacy, HRK, perceived threat and gender (i.e. being female) are positively associated with the adoption of HABs. A moderation analysis reveals heterogeneity in the effect of these variables by country income group, with low HRK and perceived threat constituting stronger barriers to HABs in MIEs. This study also highlights various gaps in the current literature, regarding the populations studied, the statistical methods used, and the lack of standardization of HABs and perception concepts. Key policy insights: Heat-adaptive behaviours (HABs) are influenced by both psychological and non-psychological factors. Information and communication campaigns may be designed to influence the determinants of psychological factors and use them as adaptation levers. Policymakers should implement information campaigns to underline the characteristics and adverse health effects of heatwaves, as well as reminding people of ways to cope with heatwaves, especially in middle-income economies (MIEs). Information and prevention campaigns in MIEs should clearly highlight the frequency and severity of the health hazards associated with heatwaves in order to improve public awareness of these risks. Information campaigns based on simple infographics showing the most effective HABs and reminding people of the efficacy of HABs to reduce heatwave health risks may be especially impactful in high-income economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes toward raptors were assessed from July to December 2019 through exploratory research conducted online (n = 278) and in-depth interviews (n = 18) with participants having knowledge of information technologies in urban areas of the Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo, Mexico. Most respondents were young (ages 13–37), permanent residents of the cities of Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Puerto Morelos, and Tulum. We found heterogeneous attitudes toward raptors, including "scientific," "environmentalist-conservationist," "aesthetic," "dominant," and "utilitarian." Our results suggest that most participants had a relatively high level of knowledge, positive perceptions, and environmentalist-conservationist attitudes toward raptors, probably due to the nature of the convenient sampling applied. We recommend further studies on human-raptor relations in urban and rural localities of coastal Quintana Roo, including residents of Mayan origins. This information may help support strategies and programs to reduce negative perceptions and indifference toward raptors and might support their conservation in the Mexican Riviera Maya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Parenting a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may lead to emotional distress. However, it has been recognized that it can also be accompanied with positive experiences that may conduce parents to posttraumatic growth (PTG). Few studies have investigated the factors that may be associated with growth. The present study aimed to assess the role of maternal perceptions, coping strategies and depressive symptoms to PTG. Method: In this cross-sectional study, 123 mothers of ASD offspring completed self-reported questionnaires to assess posttraumatic growth (PTGI); coping strategies (Βrief-COPE); perceptions about ASD (B-IPQ) and depressive symptoms (PHQ-9). Hierarchical regression analysis was used to assess their independent associations. Results: A significant proportion of mothers (56.1%) reported moderate to high growth levels (PTGI ≥ 63). Nearly half of the mothers (46.3%) reported clinically significant depressive symptoms. Engagement (b = 0.361), cognitive reframing (b = 0.214), personal control (b = 0.200) and depressive symptoms (b = −0.232) were independently and significantly associated with PTG. Conclusions: Mothers of children with ASD may experience moderate to high PTG. Engagement, cognitive reframing, personal control and depressive symptoms were significant predictors of growth level. Interventions aiming to support mothers to potentiate their personal control over ASD, to use adaptive coping strategies and to reduce distress may facilitate their growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to investigate the smallholder paddy farmers’ perceptions of climate change and identify factors that affect their perceptions of it in Vietnam. A sample size of 260 was chosen from a total of 745 smallholder paddy farmers and a structured questionnaire was constructed to gather data. Descriptive, chi-square (χ2) and logistic regression analyses were used. The research results revealed that the socio-economic characteristics of smallholder paddy farmers vary, reflecting diverse paddy-farming systems in the study area. A large number of smallholder paddy farmers noticed temperature, drought and pest/disease increased, whereas rainfall and flood decreased over the past 20 years. A high proportion of smallholders reported that more irrigation for paddy rice (82.7%), followed by growing short duration rice (65.0%) and changing paddy rice planting and harvesting date (63.1%) are the main adaptation practices. A majority of smallholders indicated that lack of information about potential climate change (67.7%), followed by lack of knowledge concerning appropriate adaptation (66.2%) and lack of market access and storage facility (64.2%) are the key barriers to adaptation practices. The success of the regression model’s overall prediction is reported by model χ2 = 81.5, p < 0.000, indicating that the explanatory variables significantly explained the dependent variable. Among the explanatory variables, agricultural practice, information and communication technology possessed, participation in rural credit programmes, participation in technical training programmes, participation in community-based organisations, gender, age, level of education, size of farm and farming experiences are significantly important determinants of smallholders’ perception of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis case study contributes to the research on the environmental beliefs of extractive industry workers in an illiberal populist regime. This research is based on semi-structured interviews with logging sector workers of the Russian Northwest—a severely understudied population directly involved in resource extraction. The data shows that these workers understand forestland as two separate localities: the northwestern region of Russia, in which the loggers have expertise and knowledge, and the rest of the country, in which workers don’t have any work or travel experience. This division facilitates a process of hybridization of populist environmental narratives on one hand, and loggers’ science-supported knowledge and experiences on the other. This hybridization of the workers’ beliefs is anchored in, and perpetuated by, Russia’s state-controlled media and its modern authoritarian populist regime. This research offers policy implications and encourages future studies on the politicization of the environment and resources in authoritarian populist states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Girls’ experiences in Physical Education (PE) is an established area of research in the Western world. Yet, a lack of research on girls’ unique challenges and experiences in various parts of the world creates a gap in understanding how cultural, educational, social and economic factors affect girls’ experiences. The present study was designed to examine girls’ views and experiences of the implementation of PE in female-only state schools in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The national context of KSA is unique, with PE only recently being incorporated in girls’ curriculum, as part of a national reform effort to improve the quality of education and to empower girls (Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030). Between September-December 2022, 30 girls (aged 12–15) from three secondary schools were recruited to be study participants. A total of seven focus groups (with an average of 4–5 girls per group) were carried out utilizing interactive, participatory research activities. Two main themes are reported. Firstly, most girls persistently talked about the development of movement competency as a catalyst for personal growth and the accruement of health benefits. PE was also seen as a gateway for female empowerment, equitable access to sports, including competition in traditional non-female sports. Yet, girls expressed concerns about the lack of practical opportunities in PE, limited resources and teachers’ lack of expertise, which all appeared to affect their confidence in participating in PE and physical activity. The strength of the girls’ voice in the present study reinforces the need for careful (re)consideration of the PE curriculum to better align provision with girls’ interests in a genuine attempt to treat them fairly. To drive change in PE and advance future research, directing further investment towards appropriate professional development would better support teachers to review and improve the quality of provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundMethodsResultsDiscussionWorkplace-Based Assessment (WPBA) forms a major component of the UK General Practitioner (GP) licensing, together with knowledge and clinical skills examination. WPBA includes Case-based Discussion, Consultation Observation Tool, Mini-Consultation Exercise, Multisource Feedback, Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire, Clinical Examination and Procedural Skills, Clinical Supervisor’s Report, and Educational Supervisor Review. We aimed to investigate GP trainees’ and trainers’ perceptions and experiences of WPBA regarding validity and fairness.We used a national online survey, with Likert-scaled and free-text responses, to a convenience sample of GP trainees and trainers, on perceptions and experiences of WPBA. Analysis included descriptive statistics, scale development, and regression models to investigate factors associated with attitudes towards WPBA, with thematic analysis of free text responses supported by NVivo 12.There were 2,088 responses from 1,176 trainees and 912 trainers. Both groups were generally positive towards WPBA, with trainers more positive or similar to trainees towards individual assessments. In a multivariable regression model, accounting for sex, ethnicity and country of primary medical qualification, trainees were significantly less positive (p < 0.001) while international medical graduates (IMGs) trained outside the European Economic Area (EEA) were significantly more (p < 0.001) positive towards WPBA. Qualitative analysis revealed varying concerns about validity and relevance, assessment burden, potential for bias, fairness to protected characteristics groups, gaps in assessment, and perceptions of individual assessments.Trainers’ greater positivity towards elements of WPBA accords with their role as assessors. Despite concerns about bias, IMGs from outside the EEA were significantly more positive towards WPBA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have compared individuals who use cannabis for recreational versus medical purposes, but little is known about the moral norms and risk perceptions toward recreational versus medical cannabis while driving. This study aims to examine young Israeli adults’ behaviors, perceived moral norms, and perceived risk regarding driving under the influence of recreational versus medical cannabis. Methods: The study was conducted using quantitative questionnaires. Participants were 504 young adults, aged 18–30 (M = 25.26; SD = 5.40), of whom 314 (62.3%) were women. Results: Driving under the influence of medical cannabis was perceived as more moral and less risky than driving under the influence of recreational cannabis. Significant positive correlations were observed between perceived risk and perceived moral norms for both types of cannabis. Significant negative correlations were found between the frequency of driving under the influence of recreational cannabis and the perceived risk and perceived moral norms associated with both types of cannabis. Conclusion: Policymakers should promote prevention, harm reduction, and enforcement interventions to address the issue of driving under the influence of both recreational and medical cannabis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perceptions of neighbourhood change have been an important area of inquiry for several reasons, including for their effects upon place attachment, mobility intentions, and links to mental and physical health. In this article, we take a different perspective by assessing residents' perceptions of neighbourhood compositional changes relating to social class and ethnicity and considering them as potential pathways to other social and psychosocial outcomes. In addition, we examine how these relationships are moderated in situations where policy is a prime cause of neighbourhood change through state-led regeneration. Across deprived areas, perceptions of social mix are positively associated with residential satisfaction, community cohesion, and feelings of empowerment and safety. Perceptions of ethnic diversity are positively associated with empowerment and safety, and negatively with area reputation. In regeneration areas, perceived social mix is positively associated with most outcomes but perceived ethnic mix holds negative associations; neither appears to impact external reputations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses the attractiveness of Polytechnics (PTs) in India, which are part of the country's Vocational Education and Training (VET) system, from the perspectives of individuals. PTs as institutions of Higher VET are an essential part of the Indian VET system. As no findings on their attractiveness are available, interviews based on an attractiveness model were conducted with 33 students and 17 parents. Results show that although PTs are attractive from an individual point of view and offer numerous advantages for those striving for education, like a wide range of career opportunities or a high level of job security, their attractiveness is considerably affected because of the societal perspective. However, in particular, the emphasis on the strengths of a PT diploma, like the combination of both theoretical and practical elements and the assignment of PTs to Higher VET may help to improve the rather negative societal perception of PTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Home self-rehabilitation exercises for musculoskeletal conditions are a valuable complement to rehabilitation plans. Telerehabilitation systems using artificial intelligence can provide reliable solutions and empower patients by providing them with guidance and motivating them to engage in rehabilitation plans and activities. This study aims to understand the patient's and physiotherapist's perspective on the requirements of effective face-to-face physiotherapy sessions to inspire the design of a telerehabilitation platform to be used in home settings. The authors used an ethnography-informed approach through observation and semi-structured interviews with patients (n = 13) and physiotherapists (n = 10) in two outpatient rehabilitation clinics. The AEIOU framework was used to structure and analyse the observation. Thematic analysis was used to code and analyse the data collected from the observations and the interviews. Patients' and physiotherapists' perspectives emphasise the need for exercise instruction clarity, evolution monitoring, and feedback. In the absence of the physiotherapist, in home settings, patients feel insecure and fear execution difficulties and limited exercise instructions, while physiotherapists struggle with controlling patients' home exercise performance. Telerehabilitation is seen as an opportunity to move further into home self-rehabilitation programs. Besides home exercise monitoring and guidance, telerehabilitation platforms must allow personalization and effective communication between patients and physiotherapists. This work makes three important contributions, in which it extends existing research: Presents insights into the requirements of effective remote physiotherapy sessions; Highlights the challenges and concerns of patients and physiotherapists regarding telerehabilitation; Provides guidance for developing telerehabilitation platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite emerging research questioning the long-term effect of purposeful heading on players' brain health, heading-related perspectives and behaviours of stakeholders in amateur football in Australia (a country without heading guidelines) remain unknown. This study aimed to explore the current heading-related perspectives and behaviours of football stakeholders. In total, 290 players (aged over 11 years), 54 coaches, 34 non-coaching staff and 14 medical staff completed the survey. Of the 290 players, 56.5% reported being formally trained in heading, with female players less likely to be trained than male players (p < 0.05). Players were the least concerned about the long-term effects of heading, while medical staff were the most concerned (33.1% and 57.1%, respectively). From proposed strategies to reduce heading burden, a heading ban for all ages was least popular (2.3%), while teaching heading technique was most popular (67.3%). Our study provides insights into football stakeholders' heading-related perspectives, which could be used, along with scientific evidence, to inform pragmatic future heading guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism brings with it several positive and negative impacts on destination communities. However, the real impacts of tourism are different from residents' perspectives, which are shaped by multiple factors. The literature asserted a need for a more resident-oriented evaluation of tourism impacts, and this study aimed to develop and validate a scale to measure residents' perceptions of tourism impacts following the inductive scale development process. The steps of the study included the generation of items, purification of items, and testing the reliability and validity of the scale. The results confirmed the validity of the residents' perceptions scale that can be used in tourism research and practice to evaluate the impacts of tourism on residents' communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractObjectiveMethodResultsConclusionResearch has indicated potentially neutral or even positive cognitive effects of e-cigarette usage in adults, but whether these findings extend to adolescents remains uncertain. This study aimed to examine the interplay between e-cigarette use, mind wandering and self-efficacy, and mood.The responses of 432 adolescents aged 11-18 years from an online survey were analyzed. Among them, 88 adolescents had used e-cigarettes.Adolescents who have used e-cigarettes reported poorer academic self-efficacy, t (430) = 3.26, 95% CI [1.12, 4.51], p < 0.001; greater mind-wandering tendencies t(430) = −3.38, 95% CI [-4.14, −1.10], p < 0.001; and greater severity of depression, t(430) = −3.38, p < 0.001, anxiety t(430) = −2.67, p = 0.01, and stress t(430) = −3.32, p < .001. Increased frequency of e-cigarette use was also associated with attitudes toward e-cigarette use, r (86) = 0.31, p = 0.003 and lower academic self-efficacy, r (86) = −0.27, p = .010. However, there was no significant correlation between frequency of use and mind-wandering. Further network analysis suggested negative relationships between frequency of e-cigarette use, academic self-efficacy and mind-wandering.Our findings suggest a potential adverse impact of e-cigarette use on mind-wandering and academic confidence among adolescents. However, the direct or indirect relationship between e-cigarette use and these effects could not be definitively determined due to the cross-sectional survey design employed in our study. Nonetheless, our findings underscore the importance of considering developmental differences and the unique vulnerabilities of adolescents when assessing the impact of e-cigarette use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the associations between academic dishonesty, perceptions toward cheating and academic self-handicapping in 572 Greek University students using an online anonymous questionnaire. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was employed to form subgroups of students based on academic dishonesty – related constructs. The results showed that academic dishonesty was higher in males and among Sciences and Economics/ICT majors, and that it was associated with students' perceptions and a pattern of dysfunctional academic behavior. Moreover, students majoring in Science and Economics/ICT reported higher levels of witnessing a peer cheating, which was positively linked to academic dishonesty. LPA revealed three groups of students with low, medium, and high academic dishonesty-related variable scores. The implications of these findings for understanding how perceptions about cheating and academic self-handicapping are linked to academic dishonesty are discussed. The study also suggests some possible interventions to prevent and reduce academic dishonesty based on the emerged student profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canada legalized the use of non-medical cannabis in 2018. This study examines youth and young adults’ knowledge and perceptions of harms, benefits, and education around cannabis use since legalization. An online survey was completed by a convenience sample of 1,759 individuals aged 12–25 years living in Manitoba, Canada. Most participants (n = 1,525, 86.7%) reported receiving education on the potential effects/harms related to cannabis; the most common topics included driving and cannabis use (79.9%), the mental harms of cannabis (67.4%), and addiction and dependency (66.3%). Youth who reported using cannabis more than once (n = 1,203) were more knowledgeable about the effects of cannabis than youth who never used cannabis or used cannabis once (n = 580; mean score: 6.6 versus 5.7 out of 8, respectively; p < .001). Vaping cannabis oil was perceived as the most harmful cannabis product among all participants. Among participants with experience using cannabis, the most frequently reported benefits were relaxation, improved sleep, and enhanced enjoyment of food/music. Half of the participants reported ever being in a car with someone driving high, of which, 40% of these participants reported doing so in the last 30 days. Future tailored education is needed to address knowledge related to cannabis use among youth and young adults who use and do not use cannabis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utilitarian approach to pro-EU attitudes – noting that citizens establish their preferences based on their perceived self-interest – remains the dominant one in the social science literature on these attitudes. Yet previous work following this approach has overlooked the role of subjective financial insecurity. Based on prospect theory and marginal utility theory, we argue that individuals who feel financially insecure determine their preference for further European unification in terms of the gains and losses for themselves and that, since they are disproportionately sensitive to economic losses, they display more risk aversion and oppose further macro-political changes in the form of further European unification. Using hybrid models and 15 waves of a representative panel survey conducted in the Netherlands and covering 2008–2023, the evidence strongly supports our expectation. Controlling for individual education, occupational status, individual income, gender and age, subjective financial insecurity is cross-sectionally and longitudinally related to support for European integration. People generally feeling financially insecure (those who over time increased their feeling of financial insecurity) display significantly less support for further European unification than people who generally feel financially secure (people who over time did not feel more financially insecure). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a perception survey of 782 residents of 227 French coastal communities, this study examines the underlying motives for the acceptability of property relocation policies in response to sea level rise. These policies are concerned with new land-use management methods that aim to reduce coastal vulnerability and are recommended for adaptation to climate change. The originality of the approach is to simultaneously analyze both the perception and acceptability of relocation policies and, through econometric models, compare the factors that facilitate or hinder their implementation. A wide variety of variables were tested to demonstrate the complexity of social and psychological determinants. The data show 52% of the sample have a negative perception of relocation. The results highlight social norms and perceived sense of control as the variables that could help increase acceptability of relocation. Therefore, efficiency and trust in the implementing institutions are important to increase acceptability of public policies. Low acceptability of relocation policies depends on individual perception of policy feasibility (e.g. level of costs), status of the individual as owner or tenant, level of education and amenities that may benefit the individual (e.g. sea view). Citizens who believe their opinions are not shared by others are more likely to oppose relocation. Quality of governance influences the acceptability of relocation measures to citizens, notably through the inclusion of risk considerations in urbanization strategies, the existence of positive consent to a specific tax system, and by recognition of the courage of elected representatives to implement these policies. By adopting the theory of planned behaviour, we identify opposing or contradictory attitudes and behaviours. These demonstrate the existence of a NIMBY phenomenon and the importance of the degree of perceived control over relocation as key to acceptance (behaviour), which may be disconnected perceptions about relocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flavors contribute to the appeal of tobacco products, but less is known about flavors in cigar products. The current study is the first to focus on characterizing the use and perceptions of flavors in cigar products among pregnant women. Pregnant women (N = 124) reported their use, preferences (liking, attractiveness, smoothness, interest), perceptions of harm (general, pregnancy-specific, fetal), and postpartum intention to use eight flavor categories (menthol/mint, spices, fruit, chocolate, alcohol, other beverages, candy/sweet, tobacco). We utilized correspondence analysis of contingency tables to investigate clustering of preferences and perceptions of flavors across the sample, and examined how preferences and perceptions of flavors may differ based on history of cigar use (none vs. lifetime vs. prenatal). Overall, 37% reported never trying cigars, 51% reported lifetime use, and 12% reported prenatal use. Fruit (37%), tobacco (36%), and alcohol (14%) were the most common cigar flavors participants reported ever trying. Correspondence analysis revealed clustering in preferences for alcohol, fruit, and candy flavors compared to other flavors, and revealed lower intentions to use menthol/mint and tobacco flavors compared to other flavors. Participants who reported prenatal cigar use also reported more positive perceptions and greater intentions to use (1) spice and alcohol flavors compared to those who reported lifetime use (ps <.05); and (2) spice, alcohol, fruit, and tobacco cigar flavors compared to participants reporting never using cigars (ps <.04). Regulations to restrict the availability of flavors, especially fruit, spice, and alcohol, may reduce the appeal and use of cigar products in pregnant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kahoot!, a game-based student response system, is increasingly being incorporated into classrooms to maintain student engagement, improve classroom dynamics, and enhance learning outcomes. However, empirical studies exploring how using Kahoot! affects university students' learning, particularly in China, are scant. This exploratory, one-group, mixed-methods study investigates the effects of Kahoot! usage on pre-service teachers' academic achievement and perceptions within a Modern Educational Technology course in China. The results reveal that integrating Kahoot! into the course appears to positively impact students' test scores. Pre-service teachers maintain positive perceptions of using the tool in terms of its perceived learning effect, expected outcome, entertainment, engagement, and competition. Furthermore, the majority of pre-service teachers would like to use Kahoot! for future learning and teaching. The study underscores the potential of Kahoot! to improve pre-service teachers' learning outcomes, providing implications and recommendations for future practice and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The current study examined group differences in college students' views on e-cigarettes in terms of safety, popularity, health risks, social acceptability, efficacy as a cessation aid, and promoting combustible cigarette use. Participants: 337 undergraduates (Mage = 20.84, SD = 3.79; 72.1% female; 68.5% White) divided into three groups: Never Users (n = 178), Ever Users (n = 108), and Current Users (n = 51). Methods: Participants completed questionnaires for course credit. Results: Compared to Ever and Never Users, Current Users believed e-cigarettes were safer, healthier, a useful tool to quit smoking, did not lead to combustible cigarette smoking, and that nicotine was less dangerous. Current Users also were less likely to endorse boosting social image as a motive for use. Conclusions: Public health campaigns could benefit from targeting current users' positive beliefs about e-cigarettes to reduce the prevalence of e-cigarette use among college students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Safer Conception Services (SCS) refers to the provision of a package of care for individuals of reproductive age who are affected with HIV to have safe and healthy pregnancies. South Africa has one of the highest HIV burdens in the world, yet limited availability of SCS. Therefore, this study investigated healthcare managers' response to an implementation project piloting SCS integration into primary healthcare services in Johannesburg. As part of the implementation study, data was collected from six facility healthcare managers using In-Depth interviews between November 2017 - September 2018. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The following four (4) themes emerged: positive response to the implementation of SCS, capacity building, the impact of SCS, and the need to scale up SCS. The results suggested that providers engaged saw value in the implementation of SCS. The results further suggest that there was an openness, willingness, cheerful outlook, and support to make SCS more widely available; however, streamlined processes are important to ensure feasibility. Continuous training is necessary to routinize implementation and ensure adequate coverage of services. Available guidelines should be translated into training programs and more initiative-taking policies to support the scale-up of this essential service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Opioid-related deaths continue to rise and a sizable proportion of people who present the greatest risk for fatal overdose are admitted to local detention centers. Despite the evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of medication to address the symptoms of opioid use disorder and the recent legal decisions (Department of Justice, 2022) mandating access, this treatment is only available in about 25% of jails in the US and most of them are located in urban or semi-urban areas. The current study was designed to better understand the steps that need to be taken to implement these programs in rural detention centers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 sheriffs and jail administrators across a nine-county region in southern Appalachia to identify the best pathway toward the delivery of medication for opioid use in the detention centers. Administrators' views of these programs fell on a continuum from being completely opposed to highly receptive. Qualitative analysis of the barriers to implementation also varied according to these positions. Effective approaches to facilitating the adoption of medication programs in rural jails must address administrators' views, but they must also take into account the unique characteristics of the detention center and the community in which they are located. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition, typically first appearing in childhood. Teachers interact with children almost daily, are often the first to observe a child’s difficulties, and play a central role in recognising and supporting children with ADHD. This study reports on survey data highlighting Irish teachers’ knowledge of ADHD (measured as correctly identifying DSM ADHD and distractor symptoms) and attitudes towards ADHD, and points to key factors (personal, environmental and educational) that are associated with them. Overall, accurate ADHD knowledge was low (for a maximum total score of 18, the sample mean was 9.5). Significantly more teachers, 58% (n = 288) held ‘negative attitudes’ about ADHD than ‘positive attitudes’ (42%; n = 211). ‘Negative’ attitudes were significantly associated with those who worked in boys’ schools, with this cohort also reporting less knowledge of ADHD symptomatology. Those with ‘positive’ attitudes were significantly more likely to be male, to have fewer discussions with colleagues about ADHD and again to have less knowledge about ADHD. This study points to the complex relationship between knowledge, attitudes and behaviour, and highlights the need for the development of specific ADHD training which takes cultural and pre-existing personal and public perceptions into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Older adults often experience different forms of discrimination, whether it be on the basis of their age, gender, race, or ethnicity (Rochon et al. 2021). Many older adults have stated they have experienced the health care system differently because of their race or ethnicity . Understanding older adults’ experiences and their perceptions of ageism and racism can guide future work. This observational cross-sectional study captured community-dwelling older adults’ perceptions about their experiences with ageism and racism. A few opened-ended questions were included in the cross-sectional survey. While results did not yield differences with respect to perceptions of ageism by race; there were statistically significant results in regard to perceived racism, with higher scores on the racism scales for individuals who self-identified as Black. Discussion and implications for practice, policy and research are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PurposeMethodology/approachFindingsResearch implicationsPractical implicationsOriginality/value/contribution of the paperThere is no doubt that technology impacts organizational processes and key performance. However, the success of an organization is influenced by the openness and willingness of staff to accept a specific technology. This study focuses on B2B marketing employees and aims to determine employee readiness and acceptance of new technology based on the impact of technology characteristics on employee perceptions with an ensuing effect on technology readiness and technology acceptance.This study employed the Stimulus-Organism-Response theory, and made use of views pertaining to Technology Readiness Index (TRI), Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and Task-Technology Fit (TTF). Thus, the study investigated the impact of functionality, reliability, compatibility, and innovative features on perceived technological usefulness, task-technology fit, and trust in technology, and, further, their influence on technology readiness and technology acceptance. An online questionnaire was employed to collect data from B2B marketing employees in China working in companies that introduced at least one new technology for work purposes in the last 24 months. Based on a convenience sampling method, 450 valid questionnaires were collected. PLS-SEM was used to analyze the data.Functionality, reliability, compatibility, and innovative features had significant positive effects on perceived technological usefulness and task-technology fit. Functionality, reliability, and compatibility had significant positive effects on trust in technology. Among the four technology characteristics, the strongest influence was recorded in the case of compatibility on task-technology fit, while innovative features represented the only variable that displayed a non-significant relationship with an employee perception and trust in technology. Task-technology fit had significant positive impacts on perceived technological usefulness, trust in technology, technology readiness, and technology acceptance. Perceived technological usefulness and trust in technology displayed significant positive effects on technology readiness and technology acceptance. Among the three B2B marketing employee perceptions, the strongest relationship was the one between task-technology fit and trust in technology. Technology readiness had a significant positive influence on technology acceptance. Mediating effects were also computed, with indirect effects complementing the direct ones. Task-technology fit partially mediated the effects of functionality, reliability, compatibility, and innovative features on trust in technology. Trust in technology partially mediated the effects of task-technology fit on technology readiness and technology acceptance. Technology readiness partially mediated the effects of perceived technological usefulness and trust in technology on technology readiness. Innovative features, displaying a non-significant effect on trust in technology, had an indirect effect on it through task-technology fit.This study proposes a new research vein on B2B marketing employee technology adoption by investigating technology readiness and technology acceptance as dependent variables, as well as the impact of the former on the latter. Moreover, this research defined B2B marketing employee perceptions as perceived technological usefulness, task-technology fit, and trust in technology by combining two theories, TAM and TTF and arguing the importance of trust in technology in explaining employee behavior regarding technology usage. Trust in technology could compensate for lack of technology and build positive expectations about the effects of technology use, thus, acting as a trigger to adopt technology. Additionally, the selection of the characteristics of technology had as roots user perceptions, thus, integrating the two research streams on the impact of technology found in the literature, the user-centered and the technology-centered.B2B marketing managers can make use of the research findings by making sure that an implemented technology renders benefits connected to functionality, reliability, compatibility, and innovative features, as all of them were perceived by B2B marketing employees to be useful, supportive in meeting job requirements and being prerequisites of trust in technology. Managers should emphasize the matching between job requirements and technology features as compatibility, task-technology fit, and trust in technology showed the strongest connections. If employees understand that technology helps them in doing their jobs, they will build trust in technology and will be open to engage with technology and adopt it.The paper proposes a new avenue of exploring technology usage behavior. To this aim, the paper presents a model built on SOR, adding to the literature a different perspective. The stimuli (S) were technology characteristics built from the literature to match the four independent variables of TRI, namely optimism, innovativeness, discomfort, and insecurity. The organism variables (O) were drawn from TAM, adapting perceived usefulness from the model perceived, from TTF making use of task-technology fit, and adding trust in technology to these two in order to form employee perceptions on new technology. TAM and TTF were combined to document the appropriateness to use task-technology fit over perceived ease of use, moving the focus from the effort entailed to use the technology onto the matching between a job requirement and the technology. As responses (R), technology readiness and technology acceptance were used, combining dependent variables used in TRI and TAM. It is probably for the first time that these two variables are investigated so comprehensively in the same model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractTobacco use poses significant public health concerns, linked to various mental and physical health outcomes. Iraq has a high prevalence of smoking, predominantly with traditional cigarettes, but there is also growing popularity of electronic cigarettes and waterpipes among younger and middle-aged adults. This study aims to explore the perceptions and usage of traditional cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, and waterpipes among this population in Iraq. A descriptive study was conducted among 402 young and middle-aged adults (50.25% females), aged between 18 and 45 years, with a mean age of 25.88 (SD = 7.27). For the data collection, an online questionnaire was developed utilizing distribution channels on common social networking platforms. The results showed that 41.79% of respondents have used traditional cigarettes, while 31.1% of participants reported that they use electronic cigarettes. Ninety-four per cent of respondents acknowledged that they use waterpipes. The results also indicated that a significant proportion believe that using electronic cigarettes is either much more harmful or more harmful than traditional cigarettes. Participants commonly perceived all three types of tobacco products as highly harmful, including secondhand smoke, addictive qualities, and popularity among peers. Additionally, significant differences in perceptions emerged between smokers and nonsmokers regarding electronic cigarettes and traditional cigarettes, although no such differences were observed for waterpipes. These findings contribute to understanding the attitudes toward different forms of tobacco use among respondents, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to address the perceived harm associated with tobacco products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIntroductionMethodsResultsConclusionThe subjective experiences of healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic have been extensively studied; however, little research has focused on the experiences and perspectives of physiotherapists’, especially in the Nordic countries. The aim of this study was to explore the lived experiences and perceptions of physiotherapists regarding the rehabilitation of COVID-19 patients in hospital settings during the COVID-19-pandemic in Finland.Hermeneutic phenomenology was employed as a methodology. Ten physiotherapists were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed using thematic analysis.Four themes were identified: (1) pragmatic development of sensitive rehabilitation practices in a new and confusing working environment; (2) becoming a member of a cohesive team; (3) mixed feelings and reactions when facing the brutality of an unknown disease; and (4) being supported by colleagues but lacking support from the healthcare organisation.The results may benefit healthcare organisations in improving organisational processes for ensuring the wellbeing of physiotherapists during future crises. Concrete actions to support employees could be developed by arranging resources for professional counselling and reflection during and after such crises, and by developing appropriate systems for recognising professional conduct in spite of difficult circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis work analyzes the educational proposals designed by 130 future secondary school teachers (FTs) to address socioecological problems -in this case, the presence of microplastics in the environment-, and the relationship with their own perceptions and commitments regarding these problems. The research design was mixed, with both qualitative and quantitative analysis of the data. Results showed that systemic thinking regarding the problems, with a comprehensive ecological but also social perception, was correlated with proposals which were aimed at promoting critical thinking and reflection among pupils. Likewise, committed FTs -who show a greater willingness to reduce their plastics consumption and who, above all, assume greater personal responsibility- tend significantly towards action-oriented approaches. Nevertheless, these approaches continue to be scarce. This leads us to discuss the need for greater emphasis on instructional practices in education for sustainability in teacher training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A person-centred approach was used to examine whether children with various actual and perceived motor competence (AMC and PMC) profiles differ in (enjoyment of) physical fitness (PF). The strength of the relationship between AMC and PMC was also assessed through aligned assessment tools. A sample of 287 7–11-year-old children (47.40% boys, Mage = 8.92 ±.78 years) was assessed on AMC with the KörperkoordinationsTest für Kinder (KTK3), and on PF with six validated fitness tests. Animated videos fully aligned with the AMC- and PF-tests were used to assess children's PMC and enjoyment of PF, respectively. Cluster analyses identified one convergent (i.e. high AMC-high PMC) and three partially convergent AMC-PMC profiles (i.e. low AMC-high PMC). Furthermore, children with relatively high AMC (i.e. high-average profile) reported higher PF (F = 30.99, p <.001), while children with relatively high PMC (i.e. average-high profile) reported higher enjoyment of PF (F = 9.02, p <.001). The correlation between AMC and PMC was significant but weak (r =.16). Overall, it seems important to invest in both children's AMC and PMC as they may support a higher (enjoyment of) PF, potentially leading to higher PA-levels. Highlights: When it comes to physical fitness, actual motor competence rather than perceived motor competence seemed to play the biggest role. As extra high perceived motor competence did not add additional benefits in terms of physical fitness, there might have been a ceiling effect of perceived motor competence. When looking at enjoyment of physical fitness, perceived motor competence seemed to be a more important factor than actual motor competence. However, profile analyses revealed that a relatively high perceived motor competence score may not fully compensate the loss of enjoyment in physical fitness when children's actual motor competence is relatively low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate how a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of an adapted diabetes nutrition education programme (NEP) was received by adults with sub-optimally controlled (HbA1c of ≥ 8%) type 2 diabetes in a tertiary setting. This could aid in understanding the small effect of NEP on HbA1c and other outcomes and the high attrition rate. This qualitative study was done alongside the year-long RCT. In the RCT, intervention participants received four NEP components, and both intervention and control group participants received education materials (fridge/wall poster). Five focus-group discussions were held with the intervention group participants at two time periods: after they completed the NEP curriculum (7th month) (n = 26; 67% of randomised participants [RP](and at the end of the study (12 months) [n = 24; 61.5% RP). Nineteen (50% RP) control group participants were individually interviewed at the end of the study. Data were analysed using a thematic framework. All participants (control and intervention) reported high satisfaction with the NEP. Participants emphasised the value of the fridge/wall poster for themselves and their families. Participants (control and intervention) reported various benefits of the NEP: improved diabetes knowledge, skills in dietary self-care, family support for self-care, better health and motivation for appropriate self-care. Some participants also reported positive changes to their diet and physical activity behaviours. The perceived benefits were the main reason for completing the study. Irrespective of the arm of participation, the NEP was well received, and perceived benefits inspired participation. The limited NEP impact and the sub-optimal programme participation do not appear to be related to participants' perceptions of the adapted NEP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To synthesize common or differing perceptions of patients' and clinicians' that influence uptake of online-delivered exercise programmes (ODEPs) for chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions. Eight databases were searched from inception to April 2023 for studies including (1) patients with and/or clinicians delivering ODEPs for chronic MSK conditions, and (2) synchronous ODEPs, where information is exchanged simultaneously (mode A); asynchronous ODEPs, with at least one synchronous feature (mode B); or no ODEPs, documenting past experiences and/or likelihood of participating in an ODEP (mode C). Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklists were used to assess study quality. Perceptions of patients' and clinicians' influencing uptake of ODEPs were extracted. Quantitative and qualitative data were synthesised and integrated. Twenty-one studies were included (twelve quantitative, seven qualitative, and two mixed-methods) investigating the perceptions of 1275 patients and 534 clinicians on ODEP mode A (n = 7), mode B (n = 8), and mode C (n = 6). Sixteen of the 23 identified perceptions related to satisfaction, acceptability, usability, and effectiveness were common, with 70% of perceptions facilitating uptake and 30% hindering uptake. Findings highlight the need to promote targeted education for patients and clinicians addressing interconnected perceptions, and to develop evidence-based perception-centred strategies encouraging integrated care and guideline-based management of chronic MSK conditions. Almost 70% of perceptions related to satisfaction, acceptability, usability, and effectiveness that influence the uptake of online-delivered exercise programmes for chronic musculoskeletal conditions are shared by patients and clinicians. Patient perceptions that differ from clinicians and that hinder uptake include the risk of misdiagnosis, lack of social support, and advice from their clinic and/or clinician. Clinician perceptions that differ from patients and that hinder uptake include risk of last-minute appointment cancellations, the cost to set-up, and limitations of camera angles. Implementation of online-delivered exercise programmes may be supported by targeted education for patients and clinicians that addresses misinformed perceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the perceptions of ulama (Islamic scholars) regarding terrorism news in the Indonesian mass media. Employing a qualitative approach and descriptive method, data were collected through interviews with 25 ulama located in Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, North Sumatra, Padang, and West Kalimantan. The findings of this study revealed three significant perceptions among the ulama participants regarding the media coverage of terrorism in Indonesia. Firstly, they identified an unfair association between Islam and terrorism in the media coverage, expressing disagreement and concern over this portrayal. They emphasized that acts of terrorism should not be equated with the teachings of Islam. Secondly, the ulama perceived political, ideological, and economic motives behind the coverage of terrorism, suspecting specific agendas by Western or American entities. They also believed that economic interests influenced the media's emphasis on sensational aspects to attract viewers and generate advertising revenue. Thirdly, the ulama perceived negative repercussions for Islam due to the coverage of terrorism, including the potential tarnishing of Islam's image and the exacerbation of Islamophobic sentiments. This study provides additional insights and confirms previous research on the coverage of terrorism and Islam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractPurposeMethodResultConclusionThe aims of this project were to explore how youth justice staff perceive the speech-language pathology role and provision in an Australian youth justice setting, including the speech-language pathologist’s role in supporting young people to participate in the activities of the youth justice service studied.A narrative inquiry approach was employed to guide semi-structured interviews with youth justice staff. Perceptions and experiences were analysed via reflexive thematic analysis, with member checking and inter-rater coding utilised for rigour.Seven semi-structured interviews were conducted. Interviewees worked in either the custodial setting (n = 3) or the community setting (n = 4) for the youth justice service studied, though most had worked in both settings. Six themes and six subthemes were identified from the interview data and related to factors that supported improved participation in the activities of the youth justice service studied. These factors were the speech-language pathology skillset and approach, and that there were systemic barriers within the service. All participants perceived speech-language pathology input as valuable for the young people in the service studied. There was also acknowledgement by the participants of how speech, language, and communication needs of the young people impacted their participation in the activities of the service studied. These findings were despite the perceived need for organisation-wide education on the speech-language pathologist role and offering.Increased understanding of how youth justice staff perceive the role and benefits of speech-language pathology in supporting young people in contact with the youth justice system will assist with service planning, inform education strategies, and may support policy change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing research on bicameralism has paid rather limited attention to examining the legitimacy of upper chambers. This paper addresses this research gap and examines the unintended roles of upper chambers using the case of the Czech Senate. It explains how citizens perceive the role of the upper chamber and how their perceptions can differ from the chamber’s actual role. The research employs content analysis of semi-structured interviews with two groups of citizens (30 in total). The results show that the Senate is perceived as an elitist, apolitical institution that is or should be composed of wise, experienced, and moral people. A minority of citizens perceive the Senate as a body representative of local interests. However, these perceptions do not correspond to reality. The difference between the Senate’s perceived and real role can have both negative and positive effects on the institution’s legitimacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Probation remains at the forefront in relation to criminal justice supervision strategies. Many variations of probation exist, including intensive forms of community supervision for individuals classified as higher risk. Debate remains ongoing as to the efficacy of such forms of supervision, but most scholars agree that paired with services and treatment, community supervision at a variety of levels holds promise though the degree to which those under supervision agree remains in question. The current study examines the perceptions of those under an intensive supervision and services program, highlighting the experiences of 90 individuals participating in an intensive supervision with services program. Utilizing flexible coding and thematic analysis of responses to open-ended questions regarding the nature of supervision experiences, the results lend insight into what is perceived to be working – or challenging – regarding participation. Most participants indicated the structure, clarity, and service access promoted overall well-being and potential desistance, though structural challenges and time demands could limit the longer-term effectiveness of this type of supervision. These findings suggest probation programs may incorporate specific components to better supervision outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are many reasons to perpetrate intimate partner violence (IPV). This study analyzes the attributions and perceptions of Portuguese men who perpetrate IPV to understand their justifications for violence against their female partners. In-depth interviews were conducted with seven male perpetrators. Through thematic analysis, three main categories emerged: self, partner, and situational factors. Perpetrators identified self attributes as justifications to abuse, such as individual characteristics, emotional disturbances, and jealousy; partner attributes, such as partners' characteristics and the use of violence against them; and situational factors, such as alcohol abuse and relational stressors. Perpetrators' narratives evidenced a tendency to conceive violence as an unintentional and unplanned action, attributing violence to uncontrollable factors, and an attitude of non-accountability for their behaviors/actions. A deeper understanding of perpetrators' perceptions and attributions for IPV will help to develop more effective intervention programs with offenders or to improve the existent ones, for example, in terms of dropout prevention, to reduce violence against women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This exploratory, descriptive study sought to determine the perceptions of special education (SPED) directors and their respective SPED teachers regarding self-efficacy in meeting the diverse needs of students who have English learning challenges and have been identified as having special learning needs. Also, general information regarding the various programs used and ideas concerning the work and interventions with English learners (Els) who receive SPED services were reviewed for possible discussion. Researchers utilised content analysis procedures to review and code the narrative responses from 24 SPED educators and 3 SPED directors. Peer-debriefing sessions occurred and allowed researchers to collapse categories and form themes from the narrative responses. Two themes derived from SPED teachers' responses and one theme from SPED directors' responses. Theme 1 (T1)-SPED Teachers Valued Research-Based Practices, and Theme 2 (T2)-SPED Teachers Expressed Frustration or Lack of Knowledge with the District's ELs Curricular Program's Connection with SPED Services. Researchers determined one viable theme, after two debriefing sessions, from SPED directors' responses, Theme 3 (T3): SPED Directors Providing Outsourced Training Resources to Special Educators was a Source of Self-Efficacy. Researchers concluded more communication and the sharing of research-based instructional resources and coordinating cross curricular trainings were needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change beliefs and concerns are closely tied to socio-demographic traits and personal experience with extreme weather events. Here, we compare survey participants' perceptions of extreme weather trends in Knoxville, Tennessee, with observed trends in extreme weather during their residency. We also assess the relationship between climate change concerns and weather perceptions. We find that perceived weather trends, including hot summer days and cold/snowy winters, matched observed trends for some—but not all—residents, depending in part on the length of their residency. Perceived weather trends were also related to level of climate change concerns, belief in its anthropogenic nature, and some socio-demographic characteristics, including income. Our results suggest that as cities in the Southeast continue to grow in population and residents experience the effects of Earth's changing climate, these factors will play an important role in extreme weather perceptions and attribution to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the proven benefits of motorized lifting devices in reducing the physical stresses experienced by nurses during patient transfers, the low adoption of these devices remains limited. The study aimed to assess the perceptions of nurses regarding the new motorized lifting device (NEAR-1) in terms of their perceived workload and usability during patient transfers. A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the perceptions of nurses (n = 45) and students (n = 6) when performing patient transfers from bed to wheelchair and vice versa using the NEAR-1 compared to an existing floor lift, walking belt, and manual transfer. Participants filled out surveys evaluating the perceived task demands and usability of the NEAR-1, as well as open-ended interviews. The use of the NEAR-1 significantly reduced the mean of all NASA-TLX constructs (p < 0.001) when compared to manual transfer. When comparing with other existing lifting devices, the NEAR-1 (24.4 ± 3.0) recorded the lowest overall score of NASA-TLX perceived workload, followed by the existing floor lift (26.1 ± 11.6), a robotic-assisted transfer device (28.3 ± 6.8) and mechanical floor lift (31.5 ± 9.3). The participants recorded a usability score of 76.86, indicating positive perceptions of the nurses towards the technology. Overall, the NEAR-1 has the potential to reduce the physical stresses on nurses and decrease the likelihood of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). The NEAR-1 may represent a promising new intervention for transferring patients that is capable of minimizing the nurses' perceived workload in clinical and non-clinical settings. The NEAR-1 motorized lifting device reduced perceived workload for nurses while handling and transferring patients between a bed and wheelchair. The nurses recorded a usability score of 76.86 for the NEAR-1, reflecting their positive perceptions towards the technology. The new device has the potential to reduce the physical stress on nurses and decrease the incidence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research study investigated how clubs hosted in public libraries can affect the ways in which attendees of these clubs perceive and use libraries. Interviews were conducted with 15 library club attendees. Participants tended to be using library services more often – and in different ways – due to their attendance of library clubs. Interviewees believed that the library had become more relaxed over time, and that the purpose of public libraries went beyond a focus on books. These findings suggest that library clubs might lead to attendees expanding their ideas of the role libraries can play in their lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe development of an urban greenway as part of a major regeneration project may encourage usage and recreational physical activity (PA). However, how the awareness and perceptions of such a project influence the usage of the greenway and recreational PA after regeneration remains unclear. This study focused on these relationships in the context of a major urban regeneration project, the Connswater Community Greenway (CCG) in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Data were collected from residents living near the CCG at 6 months postimplementation (2016/2017). Awareness, perceptions, and expectations of the CCG were assessed using several self-reported questions. Respondents were split into intervention and control groups based on a 1-mile threshold distance to the CCG from their home address (intervention group ≤1 mile; control group >1 mile). Self-reported CCG usage included both frequency and duration of visits. Recreational PA was evaluated with the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire and PA stages of change measure. We used multilevel linear and logistic regressions to examine awareness, perceptions, and expectations of the CCG on visitation and recreational PA. Results showed that favorable awareness, perceptions, and expectations were positively associated with CCG visits and recreational PA. Frequent and longer durations of CCG visits were also important for encouraging recreational PA. These findings provide evidence that it is important to include awareness-raising programs and education regarding the urban greenway development for health benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractGenerative AI tools, like ChatGPT, have ignited global discussions and debates about potential educational impacts. By examining initial reactions to ChatGPT shared in online spaces, this study aims to deepen understanding of opportunities and concerns related to integrating such tools into education. With the keyword “chatgpt,” we searched 25 education-related subreddits on Reddit and conducted a content analysis of 7,009 posts and comments, identifying 4,397 containing reactions to the tool. Findings showed that initial ChatGPT discussions predominantly focused on perceived threats and educational applications, much less on strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities—although the discussions were multifaceted, nuanced, and contextualized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We designed a cross-cultural learning activity leveraging unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology to enhance historical and cultural understanding among twenty university students from Indonesia and China. By recording and exchanging aerial videos of local cultural and historical sites using UAVs equipped with the latest AI features, students gained unique perspectives on these landmarks, unavailable through traditional ground-level photography. This study examined how such activities foster cross-cultural understanding and deepen historical knowledge, alongside participants' perceptions of UAV video production. Employing a mixed method approach, including video analysis, questionnaires, and interviews, we discovered that UAV technology not only facilitated a unique learning experience but also significantly impacted participants' cross-cultural and historical insights. The ease of UAV use and its effectiveness in cross-cultural education were particularly noted, with participants expressing intentions to use UAV technology in future learning contexts. Based on these findings, we offer recommendations for educators and researchers to integrate UAV technology into educational settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing evidence on medical cannabis has moved its legislation forward in various countries, which has increased research on stakeholder reactions. While various studies looked at experts and users, research on public perceptions is scarce. This study aims to (1) examine the relationships between knowledge, perceptions, and behavioral intention toward medical cannabis, and (2) identify and profile key segments within the general public. An online survey was conducted among 656 respondents in Belgium. Findings showed that both subjective and objective knowledge are relatively poor, while risk/benefit perceptions and behavioral intention are much more positive. Subjective and objective knowledge as well as social trust have a positive influence on benefit perceptions and a negative influence on risk perceptions. In turn, risk and benefit perceptions are key determinants of behavioral intention, but in opposite directions. Furthermore, cluster analysis identified a cautious (23% of the sample), positive (50%), and enthusiastic cluster (27%). In terms of socio-demographic profile, older and highly educated people were significantly more represented in the latter two clusters. While our study demonstrated that cannabis is well accepted for medical purposes, research is needed to further validate the relationships between knowledge, perceptions, and (intended) behavior in different settings and policy contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Iran, many children spend a great deal of their time in home contexts where they often use different digital technologies such as smartphones, tablets, and some other digital devices. However, the way that children use these digital technologies largely depends on their mothers whose perceptions can shape their home digital literacy practices. While mothers' perceptions of their children's home digital literacy practices have been investigated in other contexts such as Turkey, Spain, England, and Sweden, there is a scarcity of knowledge about the perceptions of Iranian mothers. To bridge this gap, I conducted a qualitative case study using demographic profiles and semi-structured interviews to uncover Iranian mothers' perceptions of their bilingual children's home digital literacy practices in English. Drawing on thematic analysis, the findings demonstrated that while Iranian mothers urged their children to engage in home digital literacy practices in English, they had different motives such as migration, higher education, decision-making, practical skills, and early formal education. The findings of this study can offer valuable insights to the Iranian English language teaching (ELT) stakeholders to better address the needs of Iranian children and their parents using digital technologies in English. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]