Search

Preservice mathematics teachers are sometimes trained in programs so that they have both their own courses and joint courses with mathematics majors from the beginning of their studies. While this is thought to provide them with both deep mathematical knowledge and teaching-specific content right from the start, many of them report disaffection with and disengagement from mathematics during their very first semester. Current approaches often frame this from an individual's perspective, investigating cognitive and affective individual differences among students. In contrast, we aim to understand this issue from a sociocultural perspective, examining underlying social processes. In this study, we thus explored preservice teachers' experiences of the mathematics component of their training, using Holland and colleagues' theory of figured worlds as a theoretical lens. Three group interviews with 14 preservice higher secondary teachers in a common mixed setting in Germany (one course specific to preservice teachers, one general mathematics course together with major students) were analyzed. Our findings displayed that the preservice teachers experienced two dichotomous figured worlds of mathematics and mathematics teaching. Our further analysis of their positioning between these worlds provided new insights to explain their disaffection, disengagement, and consequent learning behavior. We discuss practical implications, focusing on different teaching systems and interventions in teacher education.

This study investigated the perception of role model attributes of women and men sport professors, how these attributes influence the choice of academic role models, and how such role models affect career objectives. The study draws on social cognitive (career) theory. Data were collected with a quantitative online survey (N = 792) targeted at major students (under- and postgraduate [n = 515], doctoral [n = 122]), and faculty members (postdoc researchers [n = 43] and professors [n = 112]), in sport management/economics/sociology or a general sports-science program in different countries. Data were analyzed by mean comparisons and regression analyses. The results suggest that women perceive women professors as more competent and as better teachers. Women perceive more similarity with women professors, and the intention to imitate the role model seems to influence both women and men in their role model choice. Women's interest in an academic career is positively impacted by women and men role models, while men's career objectives are only influenced by men professors. Implications of the study are that the applied theoretical framework is appropriate for investigating both women's and men's role models and career objectives. Furthermore, the study helps academic policymakers and sport faculty members to understand the importance of professors as role models.

Although calls for responding to migration-related diversity in education are not novel, few studies have examined linguistic and affective outcomes of diversity-sensitive approaches for vocabulary teaching. This article reports on an intervention study in which beginner English-foreign-language learners (N = 51, M[subscript age] = 8.67 years) worked on one textbook unit (five 45-min lessons). Teachers supplemented the unit with translingual scaffolds and encouraged students to draw on and use their linguistic resources (plurilingual group), or stimulated appreciation of plurilingualism and positive language attitudes (motivation group). We assessed language gains through pre-, post-, and follow-up tests, and measured affect after each lesson. Both intervention groups outperformed the control group, which worked only with the textbooks, regarding productive vocabulary learning. Translingual scaffolding was beneficial for sustaining vocabulary gains. The data further indicate that motivational activities stimulate positive affect, but only the plurilingual group showed lower negative affect than the control group. Overall, the data suggest that intervention activities can augment productive vocabulary and support student well-being. We argue that future studies should pay more attention to affective outcomes when exploring ways of addressing migration-related diversity in the classroom.

This paper focuses on the actions of learners on digital and analogue materials while dealing with a statistical problem. To investigate the learners' actions, a semiotic perspective of mathematical learning according to C. S. Peirce is used, since in this perspective learning mathematics is described as visible activities on diagrams. Through a qualitative semiotic analysis of the actions of two third-graders working with given data, the statistical diagram interpretations of the learners can be reconstructed. A comparison of the reconstructed diagram interpretations reveals whether different movements lead to similar diagram interpretations. In addition, it is of interest whether the diagram interpretations are the same when acting on digital and analogue diagrams because the same mathematical relationships have to be observed. Through this comparison, conclusions can be drawn about the similarities and differences in working with digital and analogue materials and how these materials may be used profitably in statistical learning.

Teachers' expectations are known to influence students' outcomes. Specifically, better performance is observed among students for whom teachers have high expectations, and vice versa. Teachers not only form their expectations on the basis of previous achievements, but also on the (presumed) group affiliation of students. One group for whom teachers have low-performance expectations are students with learning disabilities. Studies in English-speaking countries have shown that the explicit mention of the diagnosis "learning disability" lowers teachers' performance expectations for students labelled in this way. Our study aims to explore (1) whether the effects of this label on performance expectations can be replicated in a sample of prospective teachers in Germany, (2) whether regular and special education teachers generally differ in their expectations, and (3) whether the learning disability label influences the two professional groups differently. In an experimental design, N = 276 participants were randomly assigned to either the experimental or the control group. In both groups, they read the description of a fictitious student showing major academic problems. The student was labelled as having a learning disability in the experimental group only. Different dependent variables concerning performance expectations were evaluated. The results show that while no main effect of the learning disability label was observed, prospective special education teachers partially seem to have lower performance expectations than prospective regular education teachers. Further analysis showed that the participants in the experimental group and special education teachers suspect a learning disability more frequently. Limitations and directions for the further research are discussed.

Background: Joint physical custody is a parental care arrangement in which children live roughly an equal amount of time with each parent after family dissolution, residing alternately in each of the two parental households. Because joint physical custody is characterised by fathers' continued involvement in their children's lives, this care arrangement is believed to compensate for the negative effects of family dissolution, and to contribute to children's well-being in post-separation families. Objective: This study aims to investigate potential differences in the experiences of stress of children living in joint physical custody and sole physical custody arrangements, while considering both the proportion of time the children spend with each of their parents and the number of transitions the children make between the parental households. Methods: Based on data from the Family Models in Germany (FAMOD) study, a national convenience sample, linear regression models were estimated for 297 children between the ages of 11 and 14. Results: The statistical analysis suggests that there was no significant association between the physical custody type (sole physical custody vs. joint physical custody) and the children's levels of stress. In addition, the results revealed that children's experiences of stress did not depend on how often they moved between their parents' households. Conclusions: This study does not corroborate the assumption that joint physical custody has a protective effect on children, but instead suggests that different physical custody arrangements are associated with different stressors that lead to similar levels of stress in children living in different post-separation families.

Investigating the adoption and use of the host language is one common method for studying acculturation among immigrants. What is less known is how this type of acculturation changes over time and how individual patterns of change can affect other adaptation processes in the host country, for example within families. This study investigated immigrant adolescents' host language use by applying two recently introduced concepts of acculturative change, pace (the speed in which one acculturates) and relative timing (one's acculturation level relative to coethnic peer acculturation levels), and its relation with family interactions (child disclosure, acculturation-related family hassles). Data comprised a three-wave longitudinal sample of 378 ethnic German immigrant parent-adolescent dyads from former Soviet Union in Germany (adolescent M[subscript age] = 15.7, 62% girls). Latent True-Change models were used to model pace of acculturative changes between waves. Structural equation analyses revealed that acculturative pace in language use predicted family interactions over time: Pace between Wave 1 and 2 predicted higher levels of child disclosure, pace between Wave 2 and 3 increased acculturation-related family hassles. Associations were stronger among recently immigrated families. Relative timing was not related to family interactions at all. The results highlight that understanding the dynamics in immigrant adolescents' acculturation can explain differences in family functioning. Thus, insights into individual acculturative change trajectories have the potential to broaden current knowledge about immigrants' adaptation processes in general.

We analyse the predictive power of learning strategies for engineering students' performance in mathematics. Learning strategies play an important role in self-regulated learning. Based on a new learning strategy questionnaire that takes into account the specifics of mathematical learning at universities, we investigated what were the strategies that correlate with performance and predict future performance. We present data of a longitudinal study with N = 361 engineering students regressing their performance on students' use of their learning strategies as well as their prior performance. The results indicate that practicing but not repeating the content and resisting frustration predict students' performance. We discuss the findings with a specific view on what is tested and why some elaboration strategies might not be rewarded in exams.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and the resulting infringements of day-to-day life have affected families through school closures and home-learning. Yet, little research investigated how adolescents and their families could be supported during this time. Our two-wave study had three aims. First, we examined life satisfaction and academic self-efficacy trajectories among ethnic minority and majority adolescents. Second, we considered the role of the home learning environment (learning conditions and parental involvement) in explaining ethnic status group differences. Third, we studied pandemic-related familial factors that contributed to positive home learning environments. The sample comprised 121 ethnic minority (M[subscript age] = 14.04; SD = 1.25; 53% female) and 105 ethnic majority adolescents (M[subscript age] = 14.36; SD = 1.25; 59% female) in Germany. Results of repeated measures analyses of covariances (ANCOVAs) showed distinct trajectories in adolescents' adjustment (Time × Ethnic status group interaction: [partial eta-squared] = 0.02 for academic self-efficacy and [partial eta-squared] = 0.03 for life satisfaction). Whereas ethnic minority adolescents reported stable academic self-efficacy and a decrease in life satisfaction, ethnic majority adolescents reported stable life satisfaction and an increase in academic self-efficacy. Accounting for learning conditions reduced the differences between minority and majority adolescents to nonsignificance. Parental involvement did not explain these differences, although it was itself important for adjustment outcomes in both groups. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that good student-teacher communication, a positive family climate and fathers' short-time work contributed to the home learning environment. Findings highlight the decisive role of the family context during home-learning and the importance of learning conditions in overcoming educational disparities.

While intercultural learning is a key goal of study abroad, it is often difficult to assess or even achieve. Recent models, such as linguistic landscapes (which looks at the language of public signs, including road signs, advertising billboards, street, and place names), can help students reflect on and make sense of their intercultural experiences in more intentional ways. By working through tasks based on the four areas of social pedagogies, which serves as the framework for this study, students became more aware of their surroundings and documented their linguistic landscape visually and in digital form. They posted their findings to Padlet, a social media tool, which allowed students access to a collaborative and co-constructive participatory culture. Open coding was used to identify two themes that emerged from the data: (1) students became aware of their surroundings; and (2) students developed a sense of cultural awareness. We also comment on how students reflected on the project. Students noticed otherwise unobvious aspects of culture and used those observations to shape their own ideas about the target culture as they worked toward constructing an intellectual community through engagement with different perspectives. Finally, students gained skills in intercultural learning as they reevaluated both their own and the target cultures while considering new perspectives as well as historical and cultural contexts.

Mathematics learning support centres (MLSC) are widely established and evaluated in English-speaking countries (such as the UK, Ireland and Australia). In most of these countries, several national surveys on MLSCs exist. They give an overview of the number of MLSCs as well as their characteristics in these countries. In Germany, there is a lack of studies on MLSCs and the landscape of MLSCs has not been described yet. This article presents basic information concerning counts of MLSCs and their characteristics at universities. Based on a three-step approach of analysing university homepages and additional personal contact via email or phone calls, we gathered typical MLSC features (e.g. staff quantities and qualification, opening and support hours, supported study programmes). We analysed 190 universities from a web-based register on study programmes. In total, we found 61 MLSCs located at 51 German universities. Another 16 support centres were specialized on mathematics didactics, which means they focussed on didactical and methodological support for preservice teacher students and often provided different teaching materials. Thirty-eight centres were located at universities (62.3%) and 23 MLSCs at universities of applied sciences and comparable universities (37.7%). The MLSCs were different in their sizes of staff and opening hours, and both the numbers of staff and the service hours differed greatly. The student groups MLSCs at German universities focus on differ concerning characteristics like study programme or semester. We will provide the main categories describing these groups. We seek to answer research questions concerning the characteristics of MLSCs in Germany and discuss the results compared to international findings. This information is useful for further international collaborative research, for example a standardized international survey. From a national perspective, these findings support networking and collaborations between the MLSCs as well. As some German MLSCs are facing financial cuts, these results might help in gaining additional funding.

Perceived social support can help immigrant youth to deal with developmental acculturation: the simultaneous resolution of developmental and acculturative tasks. This person-oriented three-wave comparative study investigated perceived social support trajectories in two immigrant and one non-immigrant group. We investigated whether similar social support trajectory classes can be found across groups, whether developmental and/or acculturation-related processes predict class membership, and whether social support trajectory classes associate with changes in self-efficacy. The sample comprised 1326 ethnic German immigrant and 830 non-immigrant adolescents in Germany, and 1593 Russian Jewish adolescents in Israel (N = 3749; M[subscript age] = 15.45; SD = 2.01; 50% female). Results revealed two social support trajectory classes across all and within each group: a stable "well-supported class" and a low but "increasingly-supported class." Respective to the increasingly-supported class, membership in the well-supported class was associated with commonality in developmental predictors (female gender, high involvement with family and peers) in all groups and specificity in acculturation-related predictors (higher heritage and host culture orientation) in immigrant groups. Patterns of self-efficacy over time matched social support trajectories of both classes in all groups. Findings indicate that stakeholders looking to support immigrant adolescents should be aware of the nuanced coaction of development and migration.

Simple Summary: Melanocytic lesions, such as moles and melanomas, can be challenging to diagnose accurately. While current methods like conventional histopathologic analysis are time-consuming, this study explores the use of ex vivo confocal laser scanning microscopy (EVCM), a rapid imaging technique, to examine fresh tissue immediately after surgical removal. Our goal was to identify specific morphologic features and assess how well EVCM can differentiate between benign and malignant lesions. The results showed that EVCM can provide accurate and quick diagnoses, which could help as an adjunct to conventional histopathology and speed up treatment. Objective: Ex vivo confocal laser scanning microscopy (EVCM) is an emerging imaging technique, which offers rapid tissue examination. While the current literature shows promising results in the evaluation of non-melanoma skin cancer, only limited research exists on the application of EVCM in melanocytic lesions. This study aimed to assess the utility of EVCM in the characterization of melanocytic lesions and compare its findings with gold-standard histopathology. Methods: A total of 130 skin lesions, including 76 benign and 54 malignant melanocytic lesions, were prospectively collected and imaged using EVCM. Three blinded investigators were asked to identify characteristic morphologic features observed in the lesions and classify them into benign vs. malignant. The results were then compared with the corresponding histopathology. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated using contingency tables to assess the diagnostic performance. Results: The application of EVCM allowed for the visualization of cellular and tissue-level details, including cellular pleomorphism and atypical melanocytes. A comprehensive list of benign and malignant features identified by EVCM was compiled. Using these diagnostic criteria, the imaging of the inexperienced and dermatohistopathology-experienced investigator reached 67.7% concordance, and the imaging trained dermatologist obtained 69.2% agreement with dermatohistopathology in differentiating benign vs. malignant lesions. The imaging-trained dermatohistopathologist performed best with concordance up to 79.2%. Conclusions: In conclusion, EVCM is a promising technique for the rapid assessment of melanocytic lesions. Our study provides a comprehensive overview of morphologic EVCM features, which will contribute to the development of diagnostic algorithms for accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment planning. Further studies are needed to evaluate its clinical utility and validate our diagnostic criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cannabis use disorder (CUD) is the most frequent reason for psychiatric inpatient substance use disorder (SUD) treatment among 15–19-year-olds in Germany. Despite effective treatment programs, relapse rates remain high. Thus, existing multi-component programs (TAU) need to be enhanced with SUD-specific elements. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) seem promising as they can positively influence SUD-related behaviors (e. g. craving). Given limited research in adolescents, this randomized controlled trial investigated the extent to which MBI-based group therapy (Mind it!) as an add-on treatment to TAU led to fewer cannabis use days after 6 months in 84 adolescent inpatients with CUD. Additionally, craving, severity of CUD, and changes in mindfulness were monitored (pre-, post-, and follow-up (FU) assessments). The results revealed a significant reduction in cannabis use days in both groups at 6-month FU (d = − 0.72 and = − 0.75). Although minor additional benefits of Mind it! were evident post-treatment, specifically reduction of craving and SUD severity, by the 6-month mark, TAU exhibited a more substantial decrease in SUD severity (d = 0.78), and reward craving (d = 0.28) compared to Mind it!. Regarding self-regulation skills (mindfulness), Mind it! demonstrated superiority over TAU after 6-month FU (d = 0.27). Therapists judged the MBI as feasible. (Serious) adverse events were unrelated to Mind it!. There was a systematic dropout among Mind it! participants. Primarily, the results emphasize the effectiveness of TAU in reducing cannabis use. MBI also seem feasible for youth, but results remain inconsistent and unstable over time. Importantly, enhanced adherence to reduce dropouts is needed. Trial registration: German Clinical Trials Register, DRKS00014041. Registered on 17 April 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies have reported positive effects of physical activity on cognitive executive functions, such as inhibitory control and creativity. These studies predominantly compared scenarios of sports participation vs. no sports participation or reduced sports to simple aerobic exercises. However, whether the type or intensity of physical activity matters has not been clarified. Purpose: This study investigates creativity development in sports study programs, which fully capture the real-world physical and mental involvement of students, by comparing two study programs representing different approaches on how to accumulate knowledge and expertise in sports. In the divergence-oriented study program (DOSP), students participate in variety of noncompetitive sports throughout their studies. In the convergence-oriented study program (COSP), students focus on optimizing performance in a well-defined area of competitive sports. The hypothesis that divergent learning experiences in sports have a more positive influence on creativity than convergent learning experiences was tested. Method: Cognitive inhibitory strategies (Ruff Figural Fluency Test) and creativity (Figural Torrance Test of Creative Thinking) were compared in sport students from DOSP (n=33) and COSP (n=35). To examine the study period's influence, students were tested at the beginning and end of their studies. Findings: Creativity scores of DOSP students significantly increased in four out of five creativity measures (fluency, originality, elaboration, and resistance to premature closure) within two years, while those of COSP students declined significantly. However, both student groups incorporated significantly more cognitive strategies to fulfill the tasks. DOSP students used these strategies to produce more responses (fluency), leading to original and elaborated responses, while COSP students produced significantly fewer errors. Conclusions: The claim that physical activity has a generally positive influence on fluency does not correspond to our findings. We, therefore, conclude that not physical activities per se, rather the divergent learning experiences in sports positively influence creativity. Since fluency only improved in DOSP, we predict that fluid thinking benefits vastly from divergent learning experiences. Furthermore, we found evidence that the mechanism of high fluency in the divergent study group is partly related to cognitive inhibitory strategies. Therefore, study program coordinators should redesign sport curricula based on process-oriented learning opportunities in sports. This includes a shift away from early specialization and toward broad-based education and versatility training to prepare students to better adapt to the ever-changing societal needs. To enable teachers to promote students' creative potential, study program coordinators alongside universities must support teachers in receiving adequate training to shift from being controllers to facilitators in favor of promoting process-orientation and active, self-regulated knowledge construction in students.

High alexithymic traits and psychiatric comorbidities such as depression and social phobia are frequently observed among adults with autism spectrum disorder. In this study, we tested whether alexithymic and/or autistic traits are risk factors for depressive and social phobic symptoms in adults with autism spectrum disorder (n = 122), patients with social interaction difficulties other than autism (n = 62), and neurotypical participants (n = 261). Multiple regression analyses of these three groups demonstrated that both traits explained considerable variance of depressive and social phobic symptoms. In adults with autism spectrum disorder, alexithymic traits were predictive of depressive symptoms, while autistic traits predicted social phobic symptoms. In patients with social interaction difficulties other than autism, alexithymic and autistic traits were identified as predictors of social phobic symptoms, while no variable predicted depressive symptoms. In neurotypicals, both alexithymic and autistic traits were predictive of depressive and social phobic symptoms. Our results, therefore, highlight the importance of assessing both alexithymic and autistic traits in patients with and without autism spectrum disorder for identifying comorbid psychopathology. Depending on the underlying core symptomatology, alexithymic and/or autistic traits increase the risk of depressive and social phobic symptoms calling for therapeutic strategies to prevent or at least reduce comorbid psychopathology.

Despite a great deal of time and energy went into digitalisation of the world around us, education has been lagging behind. A question therefore arises to what extent higher education institutions should introduce e-learning as part of their programmes. The purpose of this study is to add to the body of knowledge on e-learning by examining perceptions and intentions of students regarding e-learning. There are two broader research objectives pursued in order to achieve the purpose. The first objective is to identify students' knowledge and perception of e-learning, along with their attitudes and experience with it. The second research objective is to assess readiness of students to engage in e-learning and determine their willingness to pay for it. This study uses mixed method research design. First, results of two focus groups are reported, followed by results of survey on 104 respondents in a country of Central Europe. Results show that, students are in general positively inclined towards e-learning and would be willing to take online courses. However, there are still some reservations connected to it and the preference is towards the blended format. In spite of e-learning's European roots, the majority of students do not want the full integration of Information Technology into the study process, meaning that the traditional learning methods combined with IT are preferred.

This article presents the translation and adaptation process of a mathematics test for the acquisition of key mathematical (arithmetic) concepts by children from four to eight years of age. The origin of this test was in Germany, whence it was sourced by researchers at the University of Johannesburg. A conceptual model of hierarchical mathematics competence development forms the theoretical foundation of the test. This notion of hierarchical competence was tested in a one-dimensional Rasch analysis, which confirmed the hierarchical structure of the test with five levels of ability. In the translation process, it was imperative to ascertain whether the items of the translation had retained the conceptual content of the original test and had been allocated to the same conceptual levels as in the original test. In a number of pilot studies with a total of 1 600 South African children, we focused on the items that had been allocated to a different level, aiming to find out whether this was the result of translation errors. In analyses of different samples, discussing and reflecting on the model fit, and especially on items that did not fit well, 'misfitting' items could mostly be attributed to translation difficulties and differences in the children's strategies, and not to a generally altered model. The final model was established after the rephrasing of critical items. This model has already been tested with 500 additional South African children. Results are presented and discussed, with the focus on the Sesotho test results.

Combinations of text and different types of pictures are commonplace in biology as in science in general. The single representations (i.e., text, picture) constituting a text-picture combination may contain redundant or complementary information. The ability to identify and integrate information in different kinds of text-picture combinations is indispensable for engaging in science and is normatively expected to be acquired in school. In this experimental study, which was not preregistered in an independent institutional registry, N = 240 undergraduate students worked on 2 constructed-response biology tasks originating from authentic final exams to obtain the higher education entrance qualification. The material carried equivalent information between conditions but consisted of redundant or non-redundant text-picture combinations or only texts. Analysis of variance revealed negative effects of the depictive representations on students' performance, but these effects only occurred in 1 of the 2 tasks: Students in the text-only group reached the highest mean score, those who worked with the non-redundant text-picture combinations the lowest mean score. Implications for science education are discussed.

One challenge of child-computer interaction research is surveying variation of children's attitudes towards novel educational technology, which often results in an opinion ceiling effect. In this article, the authors introduce BiCo -- a bipolar continuous rating scale which builds on children's ability to draw relative comparisons. They elaborate on the development of BiCo and on how they designed it to better survey children's attitudes. Beyond addressing the opinion ceiling effect, BiCo is suitable for surveying a wide range of concepts and its invertible design enables simulation of inverted items. The authors provide data comparing BiCo with the widely used Smileyometer instrument when used by fourth-graders (around 10 years old), demonstrating that BiCo mitigates the opinion ceiling effect. They discuss BiCo as a new tool for children's technology evaluation and provide directions for future research.

Background: Previous investigations of multiple sclerosis (MS)-related healthcare have focused on utilisation of specific individual health services (e.g. hospital care, office-based neurologists) by people with MS (PwMS). Meanwhile, little is known about possible patterns of utilisation across health services and their potential differences across patient characteristics. Objective: To comprehensively analyse and identify patterns of MS-related health service utilisation and detect patient characteristics explaining such patterns. Methods: In 2021, we invited all PwMS insured by the largest insurance company in Lower Saxony, Germany, to take part in an online survey. We merged respondents' survey and health insurance claims data. We analysed MS-related health service utilisation and defined individual characteristics for subgroup analyses based on Andersen's Behavioural Model. We executed non-parametric missing value imputation and conducted hierarchical clustering to find patterns in health service utilisation. Results: Of 6928 PwMS, 1935 responded to our survey and 1803 were included in the cluster analysis. We identified four distinct health service utilisation clusters: (1) regular users (n = 1130), (2) assistive care users (n = 443), (3) low users (n = 195) and (4) special services users (n = 35). Clusters differ by patient characteristics (e.g. age, impairment). Conclusion: Our findings highlight the complexity of MS-related health service utilisation and provide relevant stakeholders with information allowing them to tailor healthcare planning according to utilisation patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum computing (QC) is a new and disruptive technology with large economic potential especially in application and downstream value creation stages. Hence, it is important for an economy to understand the current implementation state and to know the ecosystem to support the successful industrial application of this technology. Regularly identifying potential areas of improvement and then defining appropriate actions is necessary to ensure a leading position. Therefore, the Quantum Technology and Application Consortium (QUTAC) has developed a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) framework consisting of 24 KPIs that represent a country's performance in applying QC. Detailed measurement guidelines and clear data sources ensure transparency of measurement, reproducibility of KPI values and comparability over time. An aggregation method allows summarizing the results of all KPIs. Thus, it is possible to assess the performance of each stakeholder involved and to calculate a single composite indicator that represents the country's performance. The KPI framework can be adapted to any country and enables the comparison of the performance of different countries. It is a proposal for standardizing the evaluation of QC and its ecosystem on a national level. Thus, strengths and weaknesses can be identified and measurements for improvement derived. The paper highlights the development of the framework, its main features and the application of the framework to Germany. Based on the results, we will discuss the current state of QC application in Germany and make possible suggestions for improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Preservice mathematics teachers are sometimes trained in programs so that they have both their own courses and joint courses with mathematics majors from the beginning of their studies. While this is thought to provide them with both deep mathematical knowledge and teaching-specific content right from the start, many of them report disaffection with and disengagement from mathematics during their very first semester. Current approaches often frame this from an individual's perspective, investigating cognitive and affective individual differences among students. In contrast, we aim to understand this issue from a sociocultural perspective, examining underlying social processes. In this study, we thus explored preservice teachers' experiences of the mathematics component of their training, using Holland and colleagues' theory of figured worlds as a theoretical lens. Three group interviews with 14 preservice higher secondary teachers in a common mixed setting in Germany (one course specific to preservice teachers, one general mathematics course together with major students) were analyzed. Our findings displayed that the preservice teachers experienced two dichotomous figured worlds of mathematics and mathematics teaching. Our further analysis of their positioning between these worlds provided new insights to explain their disaffection, disengagement, and consequent learning behavior. We discuss practical implications, focusing on different teaching systems and interventions in teacher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within state-owned enterprises (SOEs), supervisory board mandates are often given to politicians, many of whom are selected through political processes in which competence is not necessarily the decisive factor. This paper analyzes the impact of this form of governance, examining the business competence level of supervisory board members and their influence on the financial performance of 58 state-owned utility companies in Germany from 2011 to 2016 by applying OLS regression. For this purpose, the biographical backgrounds of 3350 supervisory board members were compiled to discern their education, management, and industry experience. Contrary to our hypotheses, the empirical analyses show no effects for any of the competence dimensions on companies' profitability. In a more detailed analysis, we find that board members with management experience from outside the energy sector seem detrimental to the company, which may indicate self-overestimation bias. This result is robust across different specifications and opens up an interesting new approach to analyzing the impact of board member competence on firm performance. The insignificance of the other competence areas indicates a rather low impact of supervisory boards on SOEs based on their unique institutional setting and in comparison to private sector corporate governance. Overall, this study contributes to both scholars and practitioners by providing new insights in the field of public corporate governance, focusing on the unique situation of the competence of politically connected boards and their influence on SOEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicidality are common among adolescents. School staff are often the first adults to be confronted with those behaviors. However, previous studies have shown a lack of knowledge and confidence in dealing with self-harming behaviors. Objectives of this study were to evaluate a workshop on NSSI and suicidality in adolescence for teachers, school social workers and school psychologists. In total, N = 267 school staff participated in 1 of 16 two-day workshops, which were offered in different cities in southern Germany. Pre-,post and 6-month follow-up assessments were conducted concerning attitudes, confidence in own skills, perceived knowledge, and knowledge on NSSI and suicidality. Satisfaction with the workshop was evaluated directly after the workshop; changes in handling situations involving youth with self-harm were evaluated at follow-up. Overall, participants were very satisfied with the workshop. Few negative attitudes regarding NSSI and suicidality were prevalent before and after the workshop. Large effect sizes were found for improvement in confidence, perceived knowledge, and knowledge at postassessment, which were still present at 6-month follow-up. There were significant differences between professions, with teachers seemingly benefitting the most from the workshop. At follow-up, participants reported more changes in their own behavior than having been able to implement changes on a school level. A 2-day workshop seems to be effective in changing knowledge and confidence in school staff regarding NSSI and suicidality. Workshops catered to different professions (i.e., teachers and school psychologists) might be feasible.

Background: As the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe at the beginning of 2020, healthcare systems were forced to rapidly adapt and expand to meet the sudden surge in demand for intensive care services. This study is the first systematic analysis of the strategies employed by German hospitals to recruit personnel and expand bed capacities during the first wave of the pandemic, and to evaluate the effectiveness of those recruitment measures. Methods: 152 German hospitals with intensive care capacities were selected and invited to participate in an online-based retrospective survey. Factors like the geographic distribution, individual COVID burden and level of care were considered for inclusion in the sample. The data were analyzed descriptively. Results: A total of 41 hospitals participated in the survey. The additional demand for intensive care beds was met primarily by activating intensive care beds that were previously considered as non-operational in existing intensive care units (81% of respondents) and by upgrading recovery rooms (73%). The physician staffing requirements were met at approximately 75%, while the nursing staffing requirements were only met by about 45%. Staffing needs were met through reallocations/transfers (85%), staff recruitment from parental leave or retirement (49%), increased hours worked by internal staff (49%), new staff hiring (44%) and increased use of temporary staff (32%). Staff reallocations/transfers to critical care within a hospital were rated as the most effective measure. In this context, specialized personnel mostly from anesthesiology departments were appointed to intensive care medicine. Conclusions: Despite multiple recruitment efforts, the pandemic has exacerbated the nursing staff shortage. The reallocation of existing staff within hospitals was a key element in covering the staffing needs. However, additional measures and efforts are required in order to ensure that critically ill patients can be cared for without compromise. The results of this study may have important implications for healthcare providers and policymakers, offering an evidence-based foundation for responding to future public health emergencies with agility, efficiency, and success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global COVID-19 pandemic forced changes in everyday life of children and adolescents due to government containment measures, an altered healthcare accessibility and utilization, and public concern about SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Data on the challenges and impact on children and their families with chronic diseases are limited. The primary objectives of this study were to assess (i) concerns for SARS-CoV-2 infection, (ii) perceived effects on health-related and overall quality of life (HRQoL and QoL), and (iii) accessibility and utilization of healthcare, comparing families with chronically ill children to families with healthy children during the second SARS-CoV-2 infection wave in Germany. A caregiver questionnaire was designed and participation offered in the emergency department and outpatient clinic of a German tertiary care children's hospital. 45.9% of the 205 participants were majorly concerned about their children contracting a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Caregivers of chronically ill children (128/205, 62.4%) stated significantly more often a negative impact on their child's QoL (w = 0.17; p = 0.014), while caregivers of chronically ill adolescents over the age of 13 expressed significantly more frequent a negative impact on their child's HRQoL (w = 0.21; p = 0.016). Outpatient appointments for chronically ill children were significantly more often canceled (w = 0.17; p = 0.025). Caregivers of chronically ill children were significantly more likely to report that they would actively delay hospital visits for emerging health issues due to the pandemic (w = 0.12; p = 0.049). Conclusion: Our findings underscore the importance of identifying families with chronically ill children as a vulnerable patient group with higher burdens during the COVID-19 pandemic and potential future pandemics. Healthcare providers may mitigate such burdens by ensuring reliable appointment allocation, offering contactless healthcare options, and providing tailored advice regarding vulnerabilities and preventive measures specific to their chronically ill children. What is Known: • The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has led to significant restrictions in everyday life and both accessibility and utilization of healthcare for children and adolescents. • Chronically ill children faced exceptional challenges as they depend on regular and functioning medical care, but data comparing the pandemic's impact between chronically ill and healthy children are lacking. What is New: • The perceived impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on quality of life is more negative for chronically ill children and their health-related quality of life is more often affected compared to healthy children. • Caregivers of chronically ill children would more often delay a visit to their child's doctor during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and their medical appointments are more often postponed which both could increase health burdens for such vulnerable patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Two headphone systems using different sound systems were compared to investigate the effects of a sound intervention on cardiovascular parameters, indicators of stress, and subjective feelings. Methods: One hundred volunteers who work in the health care sector reporting elevated workplace-related stress were enrolled and randomized to a 12-min sound intervention (classical music) with either conventional headphones ("MEZE 99 Classic") or with the same—but internally modified—headphone (called "Lautsaenger"). Cardiovascular parameters were measured with the VascAssist2.0, both before and after sound interventions. In addition, participants were asked to complete questionnaires on burnout risk and emotions/stress. Results: The study population consisted mainly of female participants (n = 83), with the majority being students (42%). Median age was 32.5 years (range 21–71). In terms of cardiovascular parameters, a significant reduction in aortic pulse wave velocity, as measure of arterial stiffness, and heart rate was observed within both treatment arms. Both systolic blood pressure and arterial flow resistance were reduced by sound intervention, while these effects were only documented with Lautsaenger. Treatment groups were comparable in terms of subjective feedback by participants: a significant increase in emotional wellbeing was achieved with both headphone systems. Conclusions: A single short-term sound intervention seems to be able to achieve objective cardiovascular improvements in healthy volunteers reporting subjective symptoms of workplace-related stress, using two different headphone systems. Moreover, significant emotional improvement was reported within both arms. Trial Registration: ISRCTN registry 70947363, date of registration August 13, 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community-supported agriculture (CSA) is a grassroots response to the threat the global industrial agri-food system poses to smallholders. The degrowth community, calling for a radical transformation away from the environmentally destructive and socially unjust primacy of economic growth in current societies, has started to pay tribute to CSA, commonly considering it an embodiment of degrowth ideas. However, the CSA movement does not reciprocate the interest of the degrowth community. This article therefore undertakes a systematic analysis of the potential for a coalition between CSA and degrowth in Germany. We draw on social movement theories to compare both movements' ideological and strategic alignment, as well as the conducive and/or hindering factors for coalition building. We find that the ideologies and political strategies of the two movements are not aligned, which manifests in their main frames and action repertoires, among other areas, which are articulated at different levels of abstraction; CSA has a practical focus on the safeguarding of smallholder agriculture, while degrowth more abstractly centres on the growth-dependent economy. Scarce resources, differing forms of internal organisation, and a lack of knowledge about degrowth on the side of CSA represent further obstacles to entering a coalition. At the same time, our analysis shows existing social ties and an initial ideological alignment between the CSA movement and sufficiency-oriented degrowth. We conclude that, despite prevailing differences, the two movements seem complementary, and that entering a coalition would bring with it the benefits of combining practice- and discourse-driven social change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reliance on self-reports in detecting noncredible symptom report of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adulthood (aADHD) has been questioned due to findings showing that symptoms can easily be feigned on self-report scales. In response, Suhr and colleagues developed an infrequency index for the Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scale (CII) and provided initial validation for its utility in detecting noncredible symptom report. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of the CII in detecting noncredible aADHD symptom report by using a simulation design. Data did not support the validity of the CII for the detection of noncredible aADHD symptoms, as it failed to differentiate instructed malingerers from genuine patients with sufficient accuracy. It is concluded that there is a need for infrequency scales composed of items that were specifically developed to be endorsed infrequently and embedded within valid self-report scales.

Due to the connection between Germany and sustainability studies, German Programs are well poised to offer a course on German history, culture, and sustainability to meet the needs of the next generation of students. Interdisciplinary humanities courses that incorporate critical thinking, problem solving, and collaborative learning will help to prepare students for their future careers and form thoughtful leaders of tomorrow who will be engaged in their communities and the environment. This article describes a German sustainability course taught in English that incorporates teaching strategies and goals of the liberal arts, while attracting students from a variety of majors and schools across campus. Examples demonstrate that the course discussions, weekly blog posts, exams, and final projects encouraged students to integrate ideas from a variety of disciplines and engage in critical thinking to support well-researched opinions regarding sustainability while also considering their role in their communities with an eye on sustainability.

The purpose of this research is to improve attitudes towards digital technology. To this end, we compared two ways of introducing technology: an enactive mastery versus a vicarious experience. The former aimed at improving employees' self-efficacy to use a robotic technology and, thereby, their attitudes towards it. We examined three attitude dimensions that are relevant when implementing new technology: (1) technology enthusiasm, (2) resistance to change, and (3) job insecurity. We also tested for self-efficacy as mediator between experience and attitudes. The results of the pre-registered quasi-experiment with operators working in the automotive sector (N = 106) supported our hypothesis: Enactive mastery experience, in which workers actively engaged with the technology, led to a higher technology enthusiasm as compared to vicarious experience. This effect was explained by an increase in self-efficacy. Additional analyses revealed that enactive mastery experience also led to lower resistance to change, but not to lower job insecurity. The findings highlight how organisations can apply a simple, yet effective strategy to successfully implement technology at work and motivate employees to use it. They also reveal self-efficacy as the underlying psychological mechanism of enactive mastery, thereby providing an important starting point for designing interventions in organisations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and trajectory of persistent symptoms following COVID-19 and to investigate factors influencing these among employees in the health and welfare services in Germany. Methods: This exploratory, mixed retro- and prospective cohort study using paper-and-pencil questionnaires was conducted among insured persons of the German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the health and welfare services with a SARS-CoV-2 infection in 2020. The baseline survey in February 2021 was succeeded by two follow-up surveys after 8 and 13 months. Demographic data, information on the acute illness and persistent symptoms were collected. Kaplan-Meier curves were created to visualize the course of recovery. Factors influencing the time to recovery were analyzed using multivariate Cox regressions. Results: Of the 4,325 people contacted, 2,053 took part in the survey (response rate: 47%). 1,810 people were included in the analysis. The most common persistent symptoms at all three survey time points were fatigue, concentration and memory problems, and dyspnea. After three months, 76.2% (95% CI: 74.2–78.2%) of participants still reported symptoms, after 18 months this dropped to 67.2% (95% CI: 65.0–69.4%). Significant risk factors for persistent symptoms were female sex (HR: 0.72; 95% CI: 0.58–0.88), age over 50 years (HR: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.50–0.78), a higher number of pre-existing illnesses and a higher number of severe acute symptoms. Respiratory and hormone-metabolic pre-existing conditions as well as severe dyspnea, smell or taste disorders, fatigue and memory or concentration problems during the acute COVID-19 illness also reduced the probability of complete recovery. Compared to other professions, working as a doctor had a protective effect (HR: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.11–1.80). Conclusion: More than a year after a COVID-19 illness, two-thirds of the healthcare staff surveyed reported persistent symptoms. This high number emphasizes the importance of long-term consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic for public health and the need for suitable therapy and rehabilitation concepts, especially for healthcare staff with post-COVID syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: During the Covid‐19 pandemic, there has been a substantial uptake of telemental health interventions. Consequently, the objective of this study was to assess psycho‐oncologists' attitudes toward and experiences with video consultations (VC) since the beginning of the Covid‐19 pandemic. Additionally, we sought to investigate psycho‐oncologists' perspectives on the benefits and drawbacks of VC and its' potential implementation beyond the pandemic. Methods: We used a multi‐methods study design. First, semi‐structured interviews with psycho‐oncologists (N = 6) were conducted to inform the development of a cross‐sectional online survey, which represented the quantitative part of our study. We invited psycho‐oncologists, working in different settings, from all over Germany to participate. Results: Data of N = 217 participants (88% female, 49% over 10 years work experience) of the online survey was analyzed. Psycho‐oncologists' acceptance toward VC was average to high. In their daily practice, they preferred in‐person consultations. Improved access to care and enhanced flexibility were seen as main advantages. The most significant disadvantages included technical issues, privacy concerns at home, loss of non‐verbal cues and absence of physical presence for emotional support. Nevertheless, on average, psycho‐oncologists wanted to continue seeing approximately 25% of their patients via VC in the future. Conclusions: Given the average to high acceptance of VC among psycho‐oncologists and their desire to continue using VC flexibly even after the pandemic, it may be beneficial to implement VC into future psycho‐oncology services. Still, future research should focus on the patients' perspective and the effectiveness of VC in psycho‐oncology services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An editorial is presented the Society for Reproductive and Infant Psychology's (SRIP) achievements in the past year, emphasizing successful conferences, collaborations, and growth. It discusses internationalization, visibility and support for Early Career Researchers (ECRs), showcasing accomplishments like expanded membership, collaborations, mentoring programs and heightened visibility through conferences and journal impact factor growth.

In Germany, 1.7 million individuals received reduced earning capacity pensions in 2020, but reintegrating them into the labor market remains challenging. For individuals who have a reduced earning capacity, this often leads to adverse consequences (e.g., low quality of life, poverty, social stigma). The project 'Cooperation for prevention, fitness and health in the job center (KOPF22)' focuses on early risk detection and prevention strategies for clients of the job center (who are recipients of Citizen's Income) as they face various challenges in maintaining their ability to work. The padaCura App, a key component of the project, assesses the risk of reduced earning capacity using an ICF-based questionnaire. It offers immediate feedback reports to clients, categorizing their risk levels and suggesting actions in plain language with visual aids. Since the project emphasizes the client's autonomy and voluntary participation, clients decide how to proceed with their results. If they decide to cooperate with the job center, then several offers for prevention and intervention measures can be used to increase employability. The first evaluations of the app and the questionnaire demonstrate its effectiveness in differentiating between employable persons and incapacitated individuals. Future developments should focus on enhancing the result reports to include more targeted interventions and on collaboration between employment support resources and healthcare systems to meet clients' needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim was to investigate the monitoring, interventions, and occurrence of critical, potentially life‐threatening incidents in patients with Dravet syndrome (DS) and caregivers' knowledge about sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). Methods: This multicenter, cross‐sectional study of patients with DS and their caregivers in Germany consisted of a questionnaire and prospective diary querying the disease characteristics and demographic data of patients and caregivers. Results: Our analysis included 108 questionnaires and 82 diaries. Patients with DS were 49.1% male (n = 53), with a mean age of 13.5 (SD ± 10.0 years) and primary caregivers were 92.6% (n = 100) female, with a mean age of 44.7 (SD ± 10.6 years). Monitoring devices were used regularly by 75.9% (n = 82) of caregivers, and most monitored daily/nightly. Frequently used devices were pulse oximeters (64.6%), baby monitors (64.6%), thermometers (24.1%), and Epi‐Care (26.8%). Younger caregiver and patient age and history of status epilepticus were associated with increased use of monitoring, and 81% of monitor users reported having avoided a critical incident with nocturnal monitoring. The need for resuscitation due to cardiac or respiratory arrest was reported by 22 caregivers (20.4%), and most cases (72.7%) were associated with a seizure. Caregivers reported frequently performing interventions at night, including oropharyngeal suction, oxygenation, personal hygiene, and change of body position. Most caregivers were well informed about SUDEP (n = 102; 94%) and monitored for a lateral or supine body position; however, only 39.8% reported receiving resuscitation training, whereas 52.8% (n = 57) knew what to do in case the child's breathing or heart activity failed. Significance: Critical incidents and the need for resuscitation are reported frequently by caregivers and may be related to high mortality and SUDEP rates in DS. Resuscitation training is welcomed by caregivers and should be continuously provided. Oxygen monitoring devices are frequently used and considered useful by caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased parental stress, poorer mental health, and an increase in the occurrence of child maltreatment (CM) have been reported in earlier phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, data from later phases of the pandemic are not yet available. We conducted a cross-sectional, representative survey among 1087 parents (48.8% female; mean age 41.72 years, SD = 9.15) in Germany in December 2021. Data were compared to a previous representative sample, assessed in August 2020 (N = 1024), and to normative scores of the outcome measures. Predictors for the occurrence of CM were analyzed by logistic regression. Pandemic-related stress and general stress were higher and physical and mental health were poorer in the December 2021 sample than in the August 2020 sample. Occurrence rates of CM varied between 5 and 56%. Verbal emotional abuse (n = 607, 56%), witnessing domestic violence (n = 446, 41%), and emotional neglect (n = 435, 40%) were most frequently reported. For these subtypes, parental risk for alcohol abuse (OR 2.1–2.7) and parental recent experience of violence (OR 2.1–5.1) were the strongest predictors. Across all subtypes of CM, parents reporting child maltreatment showed poorer scores on all stress outcomes, with medium–large-effect sizes. Results confirm a high burden within the families, almost 2 years into the pandemic. Occurrence rates of a broad spectrum of CM subtypes raise further concerns for the well-being of children. Family-oriented intervention efforts are needed to stabilize families and provide targeted support. Longitudinal studies are needed for a description of families at risk for poorer outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Habitat destruction is one of the main reasons for the decline and extinction of species. Even if patches of habitat suitable for a certain species persist, the populations of this species may go extinct if the patches are too far apart for individuals to migrate. This is called habitat fragmentation and may also affect species with good migrating abilities if distances are too long. The heath bushcricket Gampsocleis glabra is such a species: it is a specialist of steppe-like habitats that are very rare and fragmented across Europe today. We used genetic data to investigate if the remnant populations in Germany are entirely isolated or if individuals are still able to migrate between locations. Our results indicate that all studied populations are isolated to some degree, but a certain degree of gene flow may persist or may have persisted until the recent past. Even today, gene flow appears to persist, possibly with human assistance. This indicates that, aside from the importance of protecting surviving populations in larger habitat fragments, the preservation and restoration of small and isolated patches of steppe-like habitats may be helpful for the conservation of this rare and threatened species. Habitat destruction and fragmentation are among the major current threats to global biodiversity. Fragmentation may also affect species with good dispersal abilities. We study the heath bushcricket Gampsocleis glabra, a specialist of steppe-like habitats across Europe that are highly fragmented, investigating if these isolated populations can be distinguished using population genomics and if there are any traces of admixture or dispersal among them. We try to answer these questions using genome-wide SNP data generated with ddRAD sequencing. We calculated F-statistics and visualized differentiation using STRUCTURE plots. While limited by the difficulty of sampling this threatened species, our results show that all populations except one that was represented by a singleton were clearly distinct, with pairwise FST values between 0.010 and 0.181. STRUCTURE indicated limited but visible admixture across most populations and probably also an exchange of individuals between populations of Germany and The Netherlands. We conclude that in G. glabra, a certain amount of gene flow has persisted, at least in the past, also among populations that are isolated today. We also detect a possibly more recent dispersal event between a population in The Netherlands and one in Germany, which may be human aided. We suggest that the conservation of larger populations should be maintained, that efforts should be taken to restore abandoned habitat, that the preservation even of small habitat fragments may be beneficial for the conservation of this species, and that these habitats should be regularly monitored for possible (re-)colonization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic affected medical care for chronic diseases. This study aimed to systematically assess the pandemic impact on oncological care in Germany using a rapid review. Methods: MEDLINE, Embase, study and preprint registries and study bibliographies were searched for studies published between 2020 and 2 November 2022. Inclusion was based on the PCC framework: population (cancer), concept (oncological care) and context (COVID-19 pandemic in Germany). Studies were selected after title/abstract and full-text screening by two authors. Extracted data were synthesized using descriptive statistics or narratively. Risk of bias was assessed and summarized using descriptive statistics. Results: Overall, 77 records (59 peer-reviewed studies and 18 reports) with administrative, cancer registry and survey data were included. Disruptions in oncological care were reported and varied according to pandemic-related factors (e.g., pandemic stage) and other (non-pandemic) factors (e.g., care details). During higher restriction periods fewer consultations and non-urgent surgeries, and delayed diagnosis and screening were consistently reported. Heterogeneous results were reported for treatment types other than surgery (e.g., psychosocial care) and aftercare, while ongoing care remained mostly unchanged. The risk of bias was on average moderate. Conclusions: Disruptions in oncological care were reported during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. Such disruptions probably depended on factors that were insufficiently controlled for in statistical analyses and evidence quality was on average only moderate. Research focus on patient outcomes (e.g., longer term consequences of disruptions) and pandemic management by healthcare systems is potentially relevant for future pandemics or health emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Depression is one of the most common psychological disorders in later life. Although psychological interventions are recommended by treatment guidelines, most older adults with depression remain untreated. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the Portuguese version of Metacognitive Training for Depression in later life (MCT-Silver). Methods: This is a study protocol of an observer-blind, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial to compare the efficacy of MCT-Silver with a treatment as usual (TAU) control group among older adults (age 65 years and older) with depressive symptoms according to the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Scale. Participants will be tested at three assessment time points (baseline, immediately following the intervention [8 weeks], and 3 months after the intervention). The primary outcome is change in self-rated depression symptoms assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). Secondary outcomes include clinician-rated depression, self-esteem, dysfunctional beliefs, metacognitive beliefs, ruminations, attitudes toward aging and quality of life. A self-designed subjective appraisal rating scale consisting of 21-items will be used to assess participant acceptance of MCT-Silver. Discussion: MCT-Silver is an innovative intervention, which aims to reduce dysfunctional thoughts as well as depression-related behaviors and coping strategies through the metacognitive perspective. Until now, the training has only been tested in Germany. It is expected that after 8 weeks of treatment and 3 months later, the experimental group will demonstrate significant reductions in depressive symptoms, metacognitive beliefs, dysfunctional attitudes and ruminative responses compared to the TAU group. Moreover, quality of life, selfesteem, and attitudes towards aging will be significantly improved in MCT-Silver compared to the TAU group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The usage of the new language is a crucial aspect in immigrant youth adaptation. However, despite substantial inter- and intraindividual variability and dynamic changes, language usage has been studied primarily with a focus on static interindividual differences. This study utilized a recently introduced Temporal Model of Acculturative Change to test associations between language acquisition and friendship homophily. More specifically, three concepts were tested: pace (individual rate of change), relative timing (the deviation from peers with similar length of residence), and transition timing (preparedness for the relocation). Data comprised a three-wave-longitudinal sample of 820 ethnic German adolescents from Eastern European States who immigrated to Germany (Mage = 16.1, 57% girls). Results revealed, particularly among recent immigrant adolescents, that transition timing predicted earlier relative acculturation timing in language usage and that early relative timing in language usage predicted levels and change rates in friendship homophily (over and above acculturation pace and the actual level of language usage). Findings highlight the need to better understand the dynamics in acculturation processes of immigrant youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Levodopa (LD) is the most effective drug to treat Parkinson's disease (PD). The recently concluded multinational Parkinson's Real-World Impact Assessment (PRISM) trial revealed highly variable prescription patterns of LD monotherapy across six European countries. The reasons remain unclear. Methods: In this post hoc analysis of PRISM trial data, we used multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify socio-economic factors affecting prescription practice. We applied receiver-operated characteristics and split sample validation to test model accuracy to predict treatment class (LD monotherapy vs. all other treatments). Results: Subject age, disease duration, and country of residence were significant predictors of treatment class. The chance of receiving LD monotherapy increased by 6.9% per year of age. In contrast, longer disease duration reduced the likelihood of receiving LD monotherapy by 9.7% per year. Compared to the other countries, PD patients in Germany were 67.1% less likely and their counterparts in the UK 86.8% more likely to receive an LD monotherapy. The model classification accuracy of treatment class assignment was 80.1%. The area under the curve to predict treatment condition was 0.758 (95% CI [0.715, 0.802]). Split sample validation revealed poor sensitivity (36.6%), but excellent specificity (92.7%) to predict treatment class. Conclusion: The relative lack of socio-economic variables affecting prescription practice in the study sample and limited model accuracy to predict treatment class suggest the presence of additional, country-specific factors affecting prescription patterns that were not assessed in the PRISM trial. Our findings indicate that physicians still avoid prescribing LD monotherapy to younger PD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Lichen planus (LP) is an inflammatory skin disorder that can present in various forms across the body, including lesions on the skin (cutaneous LP [CLP]), scalp (lichen planopilaris [LPP]) and mucosal regions (mucosal LP [MLP]). Several existing patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) were identified for potential use in LP clinical development programs. This study aimed to assess the content validity and psychometric measurement properties of the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Scalpdex and Oral Lichen Planus Symptom Severity Measure (OLPSSM) in an LP population. Methods: Patients completed the PROs at various time points as part of an international Phase 2 clinical study in adults with MLP (n = 37), LPP (n = 37) and CLP (n = 37). Test-retest reliability, construct validity and sensitivity to change were assessed. In addition, qualitative cognitive debriefing interviews were conducted with adults with MLP (n = 20), LPP (n = 19) and CLP (n = 19) in the USA and Germany to examine the PROM content validity. Results: The DLQI demonstrated adequate reliability and validity, although its ability to detect change was modest and most items were considered not relevant in qualitative interviews. The ESS had good reliability but limited evidence of validity and ability to detect change. Conceptual relevance varied according to the qualitative interview data. The Scalpdex was miscellaneous across domains, but the 'Symptoms' domain performed well overall. Overall, Scalpdex concepts were reported as relevant by most LPP patients interviewed. The OLPSSM demonstrated good psychometric properties and strong evidence of content validity. Conclusions: The psychometric and qualitative findings support the use of the OLPSSM and Scalpdex within specific LP subtypes but cautioned use of the DLQI. Administration of the ESS is not recommended in LP because of its poor psychometric performance. Given these limitations, further validation of non-specific disease measures is needed and/or the development of additional LP-specific PROMs. Trial Registration: NCT04300296. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the population's perception of corporate social responsibility of three (inter)national sport organizations during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. Within an online survey in Germany, 389 open statements were gathered and analyzed using thematic analysis. Drawing on Carroll's CSR conceptualization, the identified themes were assigned to the economic, legal, ethical and discretionary responsibility of sport organizations. The analysis revealed a fifth dimension of responsibility referring to organizations' communication and transparency. Most answers were concerned with the economic and ethical theme, highlighting the importance of financial modesty and contributing to the health of others during the pandemic. This study stresses the importance for sport organizations to meet ethical and moral expectations of society during times of crisis to maintain mutually beneficial relationships with core stakeholders such as the resident population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vaccination hesitancy is an important barrier for the effective control of the COVID-19 pandemic. Identifying determinants of COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy is essential in order to reduce mortality rates. Further, given the variability of the factors and the different recommendations used in each country, it is important to conduct cross-country research to profile individuals who are hesitant toward COVID-19 vaccinations. This cross-sectional study aimed to examine cross-country differences and the behavioral, attitudinal and demographic characteristics of vaccine hesitant individuals. Adults living in six European countries (Cyprus, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain) were eligible to participate. A total of 832 individuals completed the online survey, with 17.9% reporting being hesitant to COVID-19 vaccination. Vaccine accepters were significantly older (M = 38.9, SD = 14.3), more educated (master/postgraduate studies) and lived in a place with a higher number of residents (>500,000 people) compared to those hesitant to COVID-19 vaccination. Discriminant analysis confirmed that the hesitant profile includes a person of younger age, living alone in smaller communities, and without children. Additionally, hesitant participants reported COVID-19-specific characteristics such as lower institutional trust, less adherence to COVID-19 protective behaviors and higher pandemic fatigue. When tackling COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy both socio-demographic and behavioral/attitudinal aspects should be taken into account. Stakeholders are advised to implement targeted vaccination programs while at the same time building trust with population illness cognitions addressed in order to reduce hesitancy rates. Further, stakeholders and public health authorities in each country are suggested to target interventions according to different population characteristics as behavioral and attitudinal determinants of COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy differed between countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]