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In this paper, we explore first-year undergraduate students' experiences and perceptions regarding the use of exemplars, with reference to the development of student self-regulation. The study was carried out at a tertiary education institution in New Zealand where the second author was a lecturer. This author used exemplars with two classes of first-year students enrolled in a core introductory paper taught as part of the students' undergraduate business studies degree. Data were gathered through three complementary approaches: students' responses to a short anonymous survey at the end of each of the four sessions where exemplars were used, written notes in the teacher's Teaching journal and semi-structured interviews with student volunteers. When strategically employed as part of the teaching design, it was found that exemplars have the capacity to motivate, enhance students' self-efficacy, promote understanding of task requirements, expand knowledge, understanding and skills in relation to the structure of academic tasks, support and advance subject knowledge, and develop evaluative and productive knowledge and expertise. We concluded the use of exemplars with these students demonstrated their potential as tools for the promotion of student self-efficacy, self-monitoring and to a lesser extent, self-regulation.

Research is increasingly linking mindfulness with better relationship outcomes. Less clear is whether these benefits extend to the sexual domain or whether the benefits of mindfulness are moderated by individual characteristics. Accordingly, the current report tested whether a brief online mindfulness intervention improved the cognitive, affective, and behavioral aspects of sexual experiences and whether effects varied by attachment anxiety and avoidance. Participants (N = 90) first completed a measure of attachment before reporting their sexual experiences each day for 7-days. Participants then listened to a mindfulness recording every day for 4 weeks. Finally, sexual experiences were reported on every day for 7 days again. Consistent with previous studies, no benefits of the mindfulness intervention were detected for more avoidant persons. Less consistent with expectation, however, the mindfulness intervention did not improve sexual outcomes in general, nor did it buffer other-focused avoidance-based sexual motivations or bolster sexual communal strength among more anxiously attached persons. However, the intervention did increase reports of positive sexuality among more anxious persons. Results are discussed in terms of the differential utility and limits of short mindfulness interventions looking to enhance sexual functioning in different populations and the potential mechanisms behind the presence and absence of effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Western Australian (WA) "LiveLighter" (LL) mass media campaign ran during June-August and September-October 2012. The principal campaign ad graphically depicts visceral fat of an overweight individual ("why" change message), whereas supporting ads demonstrate simple changes to increase activity and eat healthier ("how" to change message). Cross-sectional surveys among population samples aged 25-49 were undertaken pre-campaign (N = 2012) and following the two media waves (N = 2005 and N = 2009) in the intervention (WA) and comparison state (Victoria) to estimate the population impact of LL. Campaign awareness was 54% after the first media wave and overweight adults were more likely to recall LL and perceive it as personally relevant. Recall was also higher among parents, but equal between socio-economic groups. The "why" message about health-harms of overweight rated higher than "how" messages about lifestyle change, on perceived message effectiveness which is predictive of health-related intention and behaviour change. State-by-time interactions showed population-level increases in self-referent thoughts about the health-harms of overweight (P < 0.05) and physical activity intentions (P < 0.05). Endorsement of stereotypes of overweight individuals did not increase after LL aired. LL was associated with some population-level improvements in proximal and intermediate markers of campaign impact. However, sustained campaign activity will be needed to impact behaviour.

Helen Dixon,1 Catherine E Baker,2 Julien S Baker,3 Susan Dewhurst,4 Lawrence D Hayes4 1School of Human Sciences, London Metropolitan University, London, 2English Institute of Sport, Bisham Abbey National Sports Center, Buckinghamshire, 3Institute of Clinical Exercise and Health Science, University of the West of Scotland, Hamilton, 4Department of Medical and Sport Sciences, University of Cumbria, Lancaster, UK Abstract: This study investigated the effect of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3–) ingestion on the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test 1 (IR1). We tested the hypothesis that acute ingestion of NaHCO3– would increase blood lactate concentrations [BLa], enhance performance, and reduce rating of perceived exertion (RPE) in the Yo-Yo IR1. Eight recreationally active males (N=8, age: 26±4 yr, height: 178±6 cm, body mass: 82±10 kg) participated in the Yo-Yo IR1 on two separate occasions, separated by 1 wk, in a randomized crossover design. Following familiarization, during seated rest, participants’ pretest [BLa] was taken, and participants then consumed either a placebo of 0.3 g·kg–1 body weight sodium chloride or 0.3 g·kg–1 body weight NaHCO3–. Sixty minutes postingestion, a standardized warm-up preceded the Yo-Yo IR1. Upon completion, postexercise [BLa] (mmol·L–1), RPE (arbitrary units) and Yo-Yo IR1 time to fatigue (s) were recorded. Paired t-test revealed a small but significant improvement in Yo-Yo IR1 performance under the NaHCO3– condition (610±267 sec), compared to the placebo condition (556±259 sec; p=0.01; Cohen’s d=0.20). [BLa] increased more under the NaHCO3– condition (1.6±0.7 to 17.5±5.2 mmol·L–1; p

Individuals reporting greater insecure attachment are more likely to report maladaptive sexual motivations, such as sex to avoid negative relational and personal outcomes (e.g., conflict). Despite the costs of such sexual motivations, research is less clear regarding what might buffer the extent to which attachment insecurities manifest in such motives. The current study examined whether trait mindfulness moderates the links between attachment insecurity and maladaptive sexual motives. Participants (N = 194) completed measures of trait mindfulness, general sexual motivations, and attachment. As predicted, the links between attachment anxiety and having sex to cope and affirm the self were eliminated among individuals reporting higher levels of the acting with awareness facet of trait mindfulness. No such buffering effects were seen for attachment avoidance. Instead, acting with awareness mindfulness appeared to increase the extent to which more avoidantly attached individuals reported coping and self-affirmation-based sexual motives. These findings contribute to knowledge regarding the potential utility and limits of mindfulness in relational and sexual contexts, perhaps suggesting that mindfulness may help anxiously attached individuals manage the extent to which attachment concerns manifest in maladaptive sexual motivations. Findings of the study may inform both theory regarding mindfulness in interpersonal functioning and how mindfulness interventions might be deployed in sex therapy contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is increasing emphasis on involving the private sector in public health to harness the considerable resources and skills of the business world to address significant health issues. While such collaboration should be encouraged, the involvement of business in public health campaigns can raise unexpected challenges when the approaches and priorities of the public and private sectors clash. We report our experience in developing a public-private partnership to deliver a health promotion intervention using mobile phone text messages in Victoria, Australia. Although the partnership enabled the delivery of text messages on a far wider scale than previously possible, difficulties were experienced during implementation which are likely to have negatively impacted on project outcomes. Our experience has implications for any public health practitioner considering involving a private sector partner in program delivery.

Mobile phone text messages (SMS) are a promising method of health promotion, but a simple and low cost way to obtain phone numbers is required to reach a wide population. We conducted a randomised controlled trial with simultaneous brief interventions to (i) evaluate effectiveness of messages related to safer sex and sun safety and (ii) pilot the use of mobile advertising for health promotion. Mobile advertising subscribers aged 16-29 years residing in Victoria, Australia (n = 7606) were randomised to the "sex" or "sun" group and received eight messages during the 2008-2009 summer period. Changes in sex- and sun-related knowledge and behaviour were measured by questionnaires completed on mobile phones. At follow-up, the sex group had significantly higher sexual health knowledge and fewer sexual partners than the sun group. The sun group had no change in hat-wearing frequency compared with a significant decline in hat-wearing frequency in the sex group. This is the first study of mobile advertising for health promotion, which can successfully reach most young people. Challenges experienced with project implementation and evaluation should be considered as new technological approaches to health promotion continue to be expanded.