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Background: Social anxiety is one of the most prevalent anxiety-related disorders among adolescents with many adverse effects on the social and academic lives of this population. In addition, poor social problem-solving skills can aggravate anxiety in individuals suffering from anxiety. Emotion regulation can help adolescents control and moderate their feelings, thereby enabling them to understand their emotions better, cope with their negative emotions in a positive way, and adopt a more realistic approach to solving their problems. The objective of the present study is to investigate the effects of educating female students in emotion regulation techniques on their social problem-solving skills and social anxiety. Method: This study was a randomized controlled trial conducted in Iran, utilizing a pretest-posttest design with control and intervention groups. The subjects were 47 female high-school second graders who were randomly divided into a control (25 students) and an intervention group (22 students). The intervention group was collectively educated in emotion regulation techniques in weekly one-hour sessions for eight weeks. The control group did not receive any intervention. The social anxiety and social problem-solving scales were completed by both groups before, immediately after, and one month after the intervention. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS v. 22 and level of significance was set at p < 0.05. Result: Data analysis of the intervention group compared to the control group demonstrated that group training in emotional regulation techniques effectively increased social problem-solving skills scores (p = 0.003) and decreased social anxiety scores (p < 0.0001) among students in the intervention group compared to their pretest scores. These effects remained stable during the follow-up phase. Conclusion: In view of the prevalence of social anxiety among adolescents, it is suggested that the policymakers and administrators in the education system promote emotion regulation skills in adolescent students to facilitate their psychological adaptation and improve their emotional capabilities. Trial registration: The present study was registered under the code IRCT20220413054521N1 (Registration date: 27/02/2024) in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a need for well-described treatments targeting individuals at risk for suicidal behaviors. The present study aims to investigate the effectiveness of MBCT adapted to individuals who are suicidal (MBCT-S) in a randomized controlled trial, comparing an intervention group receiving MBCT-S and treatment as usual (TAU) with a control group receiving TAU only. Participants who were 18 years or older and experienced suicidal ideation were included. Assessments on suicidal ideation and symptoms associated with suicidal behavior were carried out at baseline, post-treatment, and 12 weeks after the end of the training. When comparing the intervention group with the control group, a significant reduction was found at follow-up in suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms. When focusing on the intervention group only, a significant reduction was found in suicidal ideation, depressive symptoms, hopelessness, worrying, defeat, and entrapment, and a significant increase in mindfulness both at post-treatment and at follow-up. The findings suggest that MBCT-S is a promising suicide-specific intervention as it may have the potential to reduce suicidal ideation and suicide-related components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study was to scrutinize how online occupational therapy group training for mothers influenced their attitudes and stress levels relating to feeding their children and the eating behaviours of the children. The secondary purpose of the study is to evaluate the satisfaction of the participants of this program. Twenty‐nine mothers of children aged 3–6 years, experiencing feeding issues, were randomly allocated to either an intervention or control group. Background: Feeding problems including selective eating, loss of appetite, and mealtime behaviour problems are prevalent during childhood. Parents play a fundamental role in acquiring knowledge about feeding. Problems in the feeding process may lead to parental stress, feelings of despair, and incorrect attitudes. Results: The mothers in the research group participated in the 4‐week training. Results indicated positive effects on both maternal attitudes and their children's eating behaviours (p < 0.05). No significant change was found in mothers' state and trait anxiety levels (p > 0.05). Participants were asked to score their satisfaction level with the program between 1 and 10, and the average of the scores was 9.78 ± 0.42. Conclusion: This study shows that online group education for mothers can support existing treatments and guide clinicians working with children with feeding problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: While the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral stress management trainings (SMTs) is well-documented, the underlying mechanisms, especially in an occupational context, are not fully understood. We tested whether SMT-induced improvements in stress management skills, particularly in the mastery of changing cognitions, may explain beneficial SMT effects. Methods: Our non-randomized controlled trial comprised 108 employees of a German health insurance company, with 65 of them participating in a cognitive-behavioral SMT and 43 participating in an alternative control training (AT). As outcome variables, we repeatedly assessed stress-related (functional stress management skills, relaxation, stress reactivity, exhaustion), work-related (job dissatisfaction), and specific-context-related (social support, trait anger) measures at baseline, 2 weeks, and 3 months after the trainings. Functional stress management skills and, in particular, a subscale assessing perceived mastery of changing cognitions ("cognitive-strategies-and-problem-solving") were tested as mediators of change. Results: Repeated measures (M)AN(C)OVAs and complementary multigroup latent difference models confirmed improvements in all outcomes in the SMT-group compared to the AT-group (p's ≤ 0.015). Multivariate mediation path analyses revealed that, regarding mechanisms of change, the subscale cognitive-strategies-and-problem-solving was identified as the most important mediator for all outcomes (95% CIs for expected increases in SMT- vs. AT-group = [lower limits (LLs) ≥ 0.004]; 95% CIs for expected decreases in the SMT- vs. AT-group = [upper limits(ULs) ≤ -0.078]) except for job dissatisfaction. Discussion: Our findings confirm that employees can effectively learn to master stress reduction techniques and consequently lower the resulting burden. Moreover, beneficial SMT effects seem to result from improvements in functional stress management skills, particularly in the ability to change cognitions. This points to the importance of training cognitive techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the usability and effectiveness of standardized circuit class group training (CCT) compared to individualized goal-directed group training (GDT) in subacute stroke survivors. This study consists of three parts. Part 1 involved a pragmatic, non-randomized controlled trial with subacute participants and their therapists, who participated in four weeks either CCT or GDT. Superiority of the intervention was defined as significantly larger improvement on the Motor Activity Log for patients and lower workload for therapists. In Part 2, six additional workstations were developed for CCT. Part 3 replicated the study of Part 1 with the expanded CCT. Part 1 showed no difference in effectiveness between training methods. CCT did not match the rehabilitation goals of the patient sufficiently, however mental workload seemed lower for therapists. An expansion of CCT could improve the match between the patient's goals and the training (Part 2). Results of Part 3 showed again no difference in effectiveness between methods. CCT was however perceived as less engaging compared to GDT, but mental load for therapists remained lower. A standardized training could reduce the mental workload for therapists, but patients seemed less engaged. A combination of both might be most beneficial.Trial registration: Dutch Trial Register: NL8844 and NL9471 Providing a standardized training program after stroke reduces therapists' mental workload. Individualized goal-directed group training results in the best achievement of rehabilitation goals. A combination of standardized and individual training would use best of both intervention modalities. Patients should be involved in the co-creation developing process of training programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to show how the iatrogenicity of the training of therapists is the effect of a form of leadership whereby a teacher/therapist, having not adequately elaborated their archaic narcissistic needs, produces a split group imago. This, projected onto the group, yields the phenomenon of the scapegoat, a specific psychological game signaling the developmental block of the group. The concepts of psychological games, enactment, and setting violation are used to describe how transference phenomena, when not elaborated, are acted out. The author describes a particular type of psychological game, from the psychodynamic literature on the educational setting, that exemplifies a harmful type of leadership based on a misuse of power. A clinical case highlights how the assumption of the dual role of trainer/therapist may have iatrogenic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reflective practice, a well-established professional development approach, involves learners enhancing their capability through deliberate, systematic evaluation of their thinking and actions. This study used a client-generated outcome measure and a coaching relationship measure to assess the effectiveness of group-based coaching development. It provides preliminary evidence that sessions reduced the level of concern for issues where participants received coaching, while levels of concern for issues that were not coached remained static. Participants rated the coaching relationship very highly. The study presents some evidence for the value of group-based reflective practice sessions, however, further research is needed to assess the finding’s generalisability.

Insufficient physical activity (PA) is associated with low cardiorespiratory fitness, which favors cardiovascular and other noncommunicable diseases. Additionally, it evidentially affects mental health. Considering the WHO PA guidelines, CrossFit® represents a versatile exercise program that combines aerobic and resistance training with mobility and could help reduce disease incidences among sedentary people. Yet, long-term CrossFit research is sparse. We conducted a nine-month intervention (≥2 CrossFit workouts/week) in 16 beginners (14 males, 35 ± 6.8 years, 180 ± 8.6 cm, 85. 5 ± 19.1 kg). As a primary endpoint, VO2max was assessed at baseline, four, and nine months. A repeated-measures ANOVA and Pearson correlation were conducted. Well-being was investigated by the WHO-5 Index pre- and post-intervention. For exploratory purposes, body composition and heart rate recovery (HRR) were tracked. In a second step, all males were categorized into two groups based on body fat percentage and analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA again. The main outcome was an 11.5% VO2max improvement with a large effect (p < 0.01, ηp2 = 0.27). Strong negative correlations between baseline VO2max and its progression after nine months (p = 0.006, r = −0.654) were found. Well-being increased by 8.7% (p = 0.024, d = 0.51). HRR improved both at 1 min (p < 0.05, ηp2 = 0.34) and at 5 min (p < 0.05, ηp2 = 0.27) post-exercise. Resting metabolic rate increased by 2.2% (p = 0.042). Analysis by group revealed improved HRR at 1 min (p < 0.05, ηp2 = 0.62) only for the “high body fat” group. This study reveals the potential of CrossFit to enhance physiological and psychological health in beginners. For more robust results, larger sample sizes with a higher proportion of women are needed.

Despite the current proliferation of psychoeducational groups in mental health settings and many programs' reliance on this modality for prevention and treatment interventions, there has been little focus on how to lead them effectively. This article presents a model for structuring psychoeducational groups based on educational principles and targeting the cognitive, behavioral, and affective domains of learning. It summarizes research suggesting additional competencies needed to manage the group process and discusses strategies for successful implementation. The author presents a case example of a group therapy course for master's level counseling students designed to teach skills in leading both process groups and psychoeducational groups. The article concludes with a discussion of implications for training, supervision, and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insufficient physical activity (PA) is associated with low cardiorespiratory fitness, which favors cardiovascular and other noncommunicable diseases. Additionally, it evidentially affects mental health. Considering the WHO PA guidelines, CrossFit® represents a versatile exercise program that combines aerobic and resistance training with mobility and could help reduce disease incidences among sedentary people. Yet, long-term CrossFit research is sparse. We conducted a nine-month intervention (≥2 CrossFit workouts/week) in 16 beginners (14 males, 35 ± 6.8 years, 180 ± 8.6 cm, 85. 5 ± 19.1 kg). As a primary endpoint, VO2max was assessed at baseline, four, and nine months. A repeated-measures ANOVA and Pearson correlation were conducted. Well-being was investigated by the WHO-5 Index pre- and post-intervention. For exploratory purposes, body composition and heart rate recovery (HRR) were tracked. In a second step, all males were categorized into two groups based on body fat percentage and analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA again. The main outcome was an 11.5% VO2max improvement with a large effect (p < 0.01, η p 2 = 0.27). Strong negative correlations between baseline VO2max and its progression after nine months (p = 0.006, r = −0.654) were found. Well-being increased by 8.7% (p = 0.024, d = 0.51). HRR improved both at 1 min (p < 0.05, η p 2 = 0.34) and at 5 min (p < 0.05, η p 2 = 0.27) post-exercise. Resting metabolic rate increased by 2.2% (p = 0.042). Analysis by group revealed improved HRR at 1 min (p < 0.05, η p 2 = 0.62) only for the "high body fat" group. This study reveals the potential of CrossFit to enhance physiological and psychological health in beginners. For more robust results, larger sample sizes with a higher proportion of women are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modern world is in constant technological change, which requires the society to have the relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities to effectively perform their professional duties, improve leadership skills, and unlock hidden potential. Today, training sessions and coaching sessions are popular methods of influencing the results and development of an individual or staff. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of group training and team coaching, and to analyse their systemic differences. To fulfil this purpose, the following methods were used: analysis and synthesis, hermeneutic method, comparative method, survey, interview method, and generalisation method. The results of the this study covered the essence and elements of group training and team coaching, identified the advantages of the group form of work, analysed the characteristics of the professional competence of trainers, investigated the role of the trainer and coach as a central figure in building trust and interaction in the team, analysed the types, techniques, methods of conducting group trainings and team coaching sessions, the methodology of their creation, determined the role of the use of “tactical empathy”, models, psychological technologies, and techniques used in training sessions to improve leadership qualities, covered the value-based approach to leadership, assessed the criteria for effectiveness and feasibility based on a survey on the need for coaching and training sessions. A clear separation of the concepts of coaching and training is essential for the practical application of these techniques to effectively develop leadership skills among the participants of these events. The findings of this study will be useful for both personal development specialists and their clients

In autism spectrum disorders (ASD), social communication and stereotypical behaviour patterns affect all areas of life, and can result in a decrease of its quality. Previous research has shown promising results for the social skills of groups of children with ASD. Furthermore, a pilot study of the Tübingen Group Training for Autism Spectrum Disorders (TüTASS) has demonstrated that mindfulness-based elements achieve additional positive effects. To build on these findings, the TüTASS training was adapted and expanded. Indeed, the TüTASS currently includes 20 90-min appointments starting with the basic skills of emotions, body, and communication, which are then transferred to personal, family, peer, and school spheres. The appointments have a fixed, consistent structure and each includes a body awareness exercise. In this study, we evaluated the TÜTASS with 27 children with ASD. The results showed improvements in pre-post comparison in behaviours associated with autism, as well as in externalising and internalising behaviours as assessed by parent reports, participant self-reports, and independent raters in participating children. Furthermore, the perceived parent burden in relation to their children decreased, whereas the participants' self-rated quality of life increased. Overall, both the participants and their parents rated the TüTASS very positively in rating sheets and in free feedback. If replicated in larger controlled trials, TÜTASS training might be a useful treatment tool for groups of children with ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes observations and findings related to home dialysis therapy. Dialyzing at home provides many benefits, giving patients more flexibility and autonomy. Ensuring proper education and training, and home adaptation is critical for patient safety. Survey findings related to group training, home visits, medical records, and the use of patient care technicians in home dialysis are reviewed. Implications for nephrology nursing in each scenario are discussed, including survey guidance for transitional care dialysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Managing stress in the post-COVID world requires a program that can efficaciously and cost-effectively address a large number of people who have differing experiences and needs and can also be adapted for internet presentation. The purpose of this paper is to share observations, collected over more than forty years, of group stress management training in university and community settings. The specific data reported are from a subgroup that is representative of the other groups. An in-person group stress-management program of 141 adults in community clinics with approximately 15 to 20 per group attended 10 training sessions across 5 weeks with pre-post personality measures. The group also documented 5 weeks of home practice, symptoms, and medication use. The average group improvement in well-being was 80%, following training in breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, autogenic training, visualization, quieting response, and alphagenics, with individual temperature biofeedback having been provided during the last 5 classes. A pre- to post-two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) trait anxiety and Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI) neuroticism significantly decreased. EPI extraversion increased only in females. Males and females equally preferred autogenic training (55%). The most successful males and females were older, practiced more, reported greater increases in self-confidence, and attributed more of their success to the group and/or instructor. The success of a program may also be associated with excellent home practice compliance, being a part of a group, and increases in self-confidence/efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine the efficacy of group training based on rational, emotive, behavioral theory (REBT) on enhancing self-esteem and decreasing occupational burnout in married working men. This research is applied in terms of purpose and the study method is a quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test design with the control group and one-month follow-up period. The statistical population of the study included married working men in Tehran in the winter of 2020. The research sample consisted of 40 subjects, who met the criteria for entering the research, were selected through convenience sampling method and randomly assigned to the experimental and control group (20 individuals in each group). Group training based on REBT was applied in eight weekly sessions only in the experimental group. The Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (CSEI) and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) were employed to collect data. The data were analyzed using SPSS-25 software applying ANCOVA, one-way ANOVA with repeated measures, and Bonferroni post hoc test. The results demonstrated a significant increase in the level of self-esteem in the experimental group, and this effect has remained steady in the follow-up phase (P

While the message emanating from physiological and psychological research has extolled the general advantages of exercise in physical and cognitive health, the social distancing and the impossibility of group exercises have revealed more complex conditions. Therefore, we performed an experimental study comparing the effect of individual and group cognitive-motor training on reconstructing subjective well-being (SWB) and quality of life (QOL) in older males who recovered from COVID-19. The study's design is a single-blind, randomized controlled trial (RCT). The participants, 36 older men (65–80 yrs.) recovering from COVID-19, were randomly divided into (1) Group A (cognitive-motor training, G-CMT); (2) Group B (individual cognitive-motor training, I-CMT); and (3) Group C (control). Both training interventions involved performing a training protocol (cognitive-motor training) twice a week for four weeks. The outcomes included an assessment of the SWB and QOL of participants by SWB scale and world health organization QOL scale at baseline and two weeks after interventions. Except for the effect of age and number of children variables on QOL, other demographic variables had no significant effect on the results of SWB or WHOQOL of participants (P > 0.05). The SWB results in G-CMT were better than I-CMT and control groups in emotional and social well-being domains. Also, WHOQOL test results in G-CMT were better than control groups in domains of psychological and social relationships, whereas I-CMT performed better than G-CMT and control groups in domains of cognitive well-being, physical health, and environment. The results revealed that the mean test scores of SWB and WHOQOL in G-CMT and I-CMT were better than the control group (P ≤ 0.001). The positive effects of cognitive-motor training on reconstructing SWB and QOL are associated with the synchronicity of cognitive and motor components in these exercises. We suggest that the emotional, social, and psychological benefits of cognitive-motor training override cognitive, physical, and environmental changes. The future line of the present study will include pathophysiology and further clinical aspect of recovering from COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of group nutrition training based on play therapy on anxiety and tendency to food diversity in preschool children with avoidance- restriction of food. Methods: The design of this study was a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest with a control group and a follow-up stage. The study population, available preschool children (3 to 5 years) had one of the eating disorders. By purposive sampling, 20 children with clinical symptoms of avoidance disorder / food restriction living in Sanandaj were selected; Which were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. At first, a 3-hour group training session was held for the mothers of the children in the experimental group on parenting style, child nutrition and introduction of games. Subsequently, the experimental group received 120 minutes of 120 minutes of group nutrition training through play therapy, to collect data from the Wardell, Guthrie, Sanderson, and Rapaport (2001) Children's Eating Behavior Questionnaire and the Revised Child Anxiety Anxiety Scale (CMAS). Reynolds and Richmond (1987). To describe the data, tables and graphs were used frequently, as well as central indices and scatter indices such as mean and standard deviation. To answer the questions, repeated measures analysis of variance and multivariate covariance were used. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 24. Results: An educational and treatment package to reduce avoidance- restrictive eating disorder was developed by a therapist who was validated by child clinical psychologists and nutrition and education experts. Findings showed that the significance level of anxiety and tendency to food diversity variables is less than 0.05. As a result, it can be said that there is a significant difference between the mean scores of these variables in the pre-test, post-test and follow-up stages. Considering the significance of the interaction of the stages * of the group, it is concluded that the rate of change in the variables of anxiety and tendency to food diversity during the pre-test, post-test and follow-up stages were not the same in the experimental and control groups; That is, treatment based on group nutrition education of preschool children with avoidance / restriction disorder based on play-therapy has been effective in reducing anxiety and tendency to food diversity. There is a difference between pre-test and post-test stages; That is, the intervention was effective in reducing anxiety and promoting dietary diversity. There is also a difference between the pre-test and follow-up stages and the significance level of 1.00 shows that there is no difference between the means between the post-test and follow-up stages; That is, the effectiveness of the intervention in the follow-up phase has shown that it has remained stable. It can be said that there is a difference between the children in the experimental group who received the intervention and the children in the control group in at least one of the variables of anxiety. The difference is 44% in the posttest and 78% in the follow-up. The level of significance obtained also shows that there is a difference between the children in the experimental group who received the intervention and the children in the control group at least in terms of one of the variables of the tendency to food diversity. The difference is 92% in post-test and 96% in follow-up. In the post-test, the level of significance of the components of physiological symptoms and anxiety is significant at the level of 0.05; That is, the intervention had an effect on reducing the physiological symptoms of anxiety and worry in children in the experimental group; However, the significance level of 0.102 obtained by Mankova test in the third component (social anxiety) shows that the intervention was not effective in reducing children's social anxiety in the post-test stage. In the follow-up stage, the level of significance of the components of physiological symptoms, anxiety and social anxiety is significant at the level of 0.05; That is, the intervention had an effect on reducing the physiological symptoms of anxiety, worry and social anxiety in children in the experimental group, and the rate of this effect in the component of physiological symptoms was 51%, anxiety 67% and social anxiety 42%. Also, the level of significance of the components of food pleasure, desire to drink, emotional overeating, excuse about food and emotional undereating is significant at the level of 0.05; That is, the intervention had an effect on the mentioned components in the post-test stage of the experimental group. The extent of this effect was in the components of food enjoyment (82%), desire to drink (72%), emotional overeating (82%), food excuses (42%) and emotional undereating (56%); However, the significance level of 0.183 and 0.433 obtained by Mancoa test in the fourth and fifth components (satiety responses and slow eating) shows that the mentioned intervention was not effective on these components in the post-test stage. In the follow-up stage, the significance level of all components is significant at the 0.05 level; That is, the intervention had an effect on the tendency to food diversity in children in the experimental group and the extent of this effect on the components of food enjoyment (90%), desire to drink (81%), emotional overeating (90%), satiety responses (35%), There were slow eating (51%), food excuses (57%) and emotional undereating (70%). Conclusion: According to the findings and the effect of the treatment package developed in this study on dependent variables, its use in therapeutic settings for children with avoidance / restriction of food is recommended to reduce anxiety and expand their dietary diversity. Also, considering that the subject of this study was to reduce children's social anxiety, satiety responses and slow eating; It has not been effective, so researchers can look into this in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The high prevalence of the Covid-19 disease and its rapid infection, the imposition of restrictions, and the high mortality had many negative effects on the psychological and social aspects of bereaved families. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of group counseling to deal with grief caused by Covid-19 regarding mournful women in Yazd. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design and a control group. The statistical population consisted of women with grief experience over losing their husbands due to Covid-19 in 2021. Through available sampling method, 30 participants were selected and randomly divided into experimental and control groups. Data was collected through Grief Experience Questionnaire (GEQ) by Barrett and Scott (1998). Moreover, the package of confrontation with mourning, a lived experience of mourning women in Yazd (Kalantari et al., 2021), was performed on the experimental group for ten 90- minute sessions. Covariance with repeated measurements and SPSS version 26 software were used in data analysis. Results: The research findings showed that the average score of grief experience in the experimental group was significantly lower than control group in posttest droup (p<0/001). Group training and intervention program could improve mourning experience in the experimental group compared to the control group in bereaved women. Conclusion: Educational intervention based on lived experience of mourning women in Yazd can be used as one of the effective methods to improve mourning experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: As natural or man-made shocks, disasters are sudden events that require emergency and fundamental measures. The need to be prepared for disasters has become clearer than ever worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the effect of earthquake preparedness training using the face-to-face or cascade method in rural households living in Juybar County (Iran) in 2018. METHODS AND MATERIAL: Following an experimental design with a pretest and posttest, the study was performed on married women aged 10–49 living in Kurdkolay village of Juybar county (n = 372). Participants were randomly categorized into two groups of training (n = 95) and face-to-face cascade method (n = 95). Data were collected using the Disaster Preparedness Assessment Index, comprising demographic and education sections. Data were collected using the disaster preparedness assessment index and analyzed using SPSS version 24. RESULTS: The findings indicated improved preparedness in all five dimensions in both groups. There was a significant difference between the study groups immediately and one week after the intervention (P < 0.05); i.e. a higher impact for the face-to-face cascade method. Meanwhile, both groups presented a similar level of preparedness 90 days after receiving the intervention (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The face-to-face cascade method was more effective in the short term, while no difference was found in the long term. Crisis managers and policymakers should choose their preferred method based on available facilities, human resources, and context to increase preparedness against earthquakes. Mothers play a vital role in educating and nurturing their children. It is suggested to conduct educational programs at the community level using the most appropriate methods that are chosen based on the best evidence.

Abstract Background and purpose Sleep disorder is one of the most common problems during menopause, which affects different areas of people's lives. Today, mindfulness is one of the concepts that have attracted a lot of attention due to its desirable effects and low side effects. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) group training on sleep quality of postmenopausal women. Method This is a quasi-experimental parallel study. The study involved 66 eligible postmenopausal women 45–60 years’ old (n = 33 in each group) during 2019–2020. The minimum score of women was 5 from Pittsburgh questionnaire. Eight sessions weekly (120-min/session) MBSR group training was conducted in the intervention group and menopausal health in the control group for two months. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Questionnaire was used as a data collection tool. Descriptive statistics and nonparametric tests were utilized to analyze the data using SPSS software (version 25). The significance level

Many individuals diagnosed with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are uncooperative during routine dental exams, leading to poor oral health in this population. Few studies have evaluated methodologies for preparing dental students and professionals to work effectively with patients diagnosed with IDD. In this study, experimenters used remote behavioral skills training (BST) to train dental students and professionals how to implement a practical intervention that included tell-show-do, contingent praise, and noncontingent reinforcement. Results suggested that group training conducted via videoconferencing was effective for teaching six of seven participants to implement the intervention in the absence of post-training feedback. This approach appears useful for quickly and efficiently training current and future dental professionals to implement behavior techniques to promote patient compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract:Aim: Parents can influence the Internet use (IUD) or gaming disorder (GD) in their children in various ways. However, there is scant published research and limited structured guidelines on the subject. This article describes a group training for parents that does not require the participation of the affected individuals. Methods: In this non-controlled pilot study, 42 parents (31 families) participated, completing diagnostic questionnaires before and after group training (adolescent's GD Symptomatology, adolescent's internalizing and externalizing problems, the parent's and adolescent's quality of life). The training included six sessions and was divided into four main topics (psychoeducation, parent-child-communication, analysing and changing, own limits and needs). Results: The training was well-received by the participants. The training itself and most of the content were rated as helpful. From the parents' point of view, there were significant improvements in the GD symptomatology, the adolescent's internalizing and externalizing problems, and adolescent's quality of life. The parents' quality of life was already at an average high level at the beginning of the training and hardly changed. Conclusions: The training program is easy to implement and is considered beneficial. There are indications that positive changes are triggered by the training, even though the affected persons themselves are not involved. A randomized controlled efficacy study is still pending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this group article, part of the teaching of advanced dynamics course has been done in the form of group-based training projects. In this project, the mechanism of a spinning ride is designed and then engineering analyzes are performed on it. The system of this spinning ride must be designed in such a way that the absolute acceleration of the human head is equal to six times the acceleration of gravity. The most basic thing to do is conceptual design. Engineering analyzes such as dynamic analysis and motion simulation; finite element analysis is also performed to obtain natural frequencies and to determine the deformations caused by loading. After completing the above steps, information will be provided about materials and manufacturing processes. Due to the fact that this project was carried out in the form of a new method of learning advanced dynamics in the form of nine groups at Sharif University of Technology and the groups competed with each other, in the end, students were surveyed about the amount of learning from this method of teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: People with intellectual disabilities (ID) are at higher risk of being sexually abused and developing psychiatric disorders in consequence. The effects of behavior prevention programs for children with ID have rarely been investigated. Previous studies suffer from methodical weaknesses, such as the lack of a control group, small sample size, or invalid outcome measures. This study aimed at demonstrating the efficacy of a prevention program by overcoming these flaws. Methods: A group prevention program was developed and evaluated. One hundred and six girls aged from 8 to 12 years with mild ID were enrolled in a randomized controlled study, comparing the training to a sham intervention. Effects were examined in a three-time follow-up design as individual changes in preventive knowledge (board game, verbal reports) and preventive behavior (role-play, in situ tests). Participants' behaviors were videotaped and rated by three blinded raters. Results: Girls from the intervention group (n = 64) showed significant improvements in preventive knowledge compared with the control group (n = 39) but showed non-significant improvements for preventive behavior. In situ tests with realistic seduction situations revealed no improvement. The intervention proved to be safe, but several risks need to be considered. Discussion: This is the first study that evaluates a behavioral prevention program on sexual abuse for children with ID on a high level of evidence. Group interventions empowering girls with ID to recognize abuse situations are suitable to enhance sexual preventive knowledge but are less suitable to enhance preventive behavior. Naturalistic settings are indispensable for providing evidence for preventive interventions in children with ID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavioral skills training (BST) is an effective modality to train parents in a variety of behavioral techniques for their children. However, extended wait times for behavioral health services can result in increased severity of children's problem behaviors. Furthermore, there is limited research demonstrating that behavior management techniques trained via BST generalizes beyond the setting in which they were trained. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of group‐based BST to improve three caregivers' use of effective instruction delivery (EID) for three children diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders and determine the extent to which effective instructions maintained and generalized to the home. Results indicated that all three caregivers' improved their EDI which resulted in children's improved response to instructions that maintained over time. Furthermore, caregivers' use of EID generalized to the home and maintained over time. Findings, implications, and areas for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectivePeople with intellectual disabilities (ID) are at higher risk of being sexually abused and developing psychiatric disorders in consequence. The effects of behavior prevention programs for children with ID have rarely been investigated. Previous studies suffer from methodical weaknesses, such as the lack of a control group, small sample size, or invalid outcome measures. This study aimed at demonstrating the efficacy of a prevention program by overcoming these flaws.MethodsA group prevention program was developed and evaluated. One hundred and six girls aged from 8 to 12 years with mild ID were enrolled in a randomized controlled study, comparing the training to a sham intervention. Effects were examined in a three-time follow-up design as individual changes in preventive knowledge (board game, verbal reports) and preventive behavior (role-play, in situ tests). Participants' behaviors were videotaped and rated by three blinded raters.ResultsGirls from the intervention group (n = 64) showed significant improvements in preventive knowledge compared with the control group (n = 39) but showed non-significant improvements for preventive behavior. In situ tests with realistic seduction situations revealed no improvement. The intervention proved to be safe, but several risks need to be considered.DiscussionThis is the first study that evaluates a behavioral prevention program on sexual abuse for children with ID on a high level of evidence. Group interventions empowering girls with ID to recognize abuse situations are suitable to enhance sexual preventive knowledge but are less suitable to enhance preventive behavior. Naturalistic settings are indispensable for providing evidence for preventive interventions in children with ID.

Background and Purpose: Adolescence is considered as one of the most critical life periods since adolescents are being exposed to a variety of potential stimuli, whose inappropriate response to such stimuli would prevent their proper performance in society. The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of choice theory-based group training on cognitive emotion regulation and parent-child relationships in male adolescents. Materials and Methods: The research method was experimental with a pretest-posttest-follow-up design and a control group. The statistical population included all male students of the senior -high school in Dogonbadan city in the academic year 2019. Using the multi-stage cluster sampling method, 30 samples were selected and randomly assigned into experimental and control groups (n=15 per group). The research instrument included the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) and The Parent-Child Relationship Survey. The reality therapy intervention was performed on the experimental group for ten 90-minute sessions. The follow-up was performed after 60 days. Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was then used to analyze the data. Results: The participants included 30 male adolescents, aged between 15 and 17 years old. The research findings indicated that the choice theory-based group training was effective in promoting cognitive emotion regulation (F= 27.39, P= 0.0001) and parent-child relationship (F= 44.32, P= 0.0001). Also, their effects were sustainable until the follow-up period (P= 0.0001). Conclusion: Choice theory-based group training, as a therapeutic and clinical intervention, can be used as an appropriate and effective technique to promote cognitive emotion regulation and parent-child relationships among adolescents.

Background and purpose: Sleep disorder is one of the most common problems during menopause, which affects different areas of people's lives. Today, mindfulness is one of the concepts that have attracted a lot of attention due to its desirable effects and low side effects. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) group training on sleep quality of postmenopausal women. Method: This is a quasi-experimental parallel study. The study involved 66 eligible postmenopausal women 45–60 years' old (n = 33 in each group) during 2019–2020. The minimum score of women was 5 from Pittsburgh questionnaire. Eight sessions weekly (120-min/session) MBSR group training was conducted in the intervention group and menopausal health in the control group for two months. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Questionnaire was used as a data collection tool. Descriptive statistics and nonparametric tests were utilized to analyze the data using SPSS software (version 25). The significance level < 0.05 was considered. Results: Socio-demographic characteristics of participants were no statistically significant difference between the study groups before the intervention. The results showed that mean of overall quality of sleep score was before the intervention 10.21 ± 3.03, after the intervention 4.7 ± 2.45, and one month after the intervention 4.69 ± 2.4 respectively in intervention group (P < 0.001). While there was no significant change in the mean overall quality of sleep quality in the control group. Conclusion: According to the results, MBSR group training is an effective strategy for improving the sleep quality of postmenopausal women. Therefore, could be used to improve the sleep quality of postmenopausal women by midwifery consultants in health centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various exercise types may slow disease progression and improve physical function for people with Parkinson's disease (PWP), including community-based boxing programs (CBP). Recent research suggests that high-intensity exercise may result in greater benefits for PWP. Participants in CBP, which are typically self-paced, may not be reaching this optimal intensity. This study examines if it is feasible and beneficial for PWP to perform high-intensity exercise in a CBP. Seven subjects diagnosed with Parkinson's disease participated in a multimodal CBP twice a week for six weeks while wearing heart rate (HR) monitors to help maintain an HR of 70-85% of the age-predicted maximum. Subjects completed pre- and post-testing, including Functional Gait Assessment (FGA), Five Time Sit to Stand (5xSTS), Timed Up and Go (TUG), and Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and paired-sample t-tests were used to evaluate improvements (p <0.05) from baseline. Both Cohen's d and minimally clinically important difference (MCID) were used to evaluate effect size and efficacy. Subjects completed 37.99±8.20 minutes of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) exercise. Results demonstrated significant improvement in FGA, TUG, and 5xSTS with large effect sizes and surpassing the MCID for the FGA and 5XSTS. It is feasible for PWP to perform high-intensity exercise in a CBP, which may improve balance and functional strength.

Background: The prevalence of self-injury behavior and negative emotions in adolescents is high. This study aimed to investigate the effect of emotional regulation group training on self-injury behavior, depression, and anger in adolescents. Methods: The research method is quasi-experimental with a Pre-test-post-test design and a control group. The study population comprised adolescents aged 13-15 years living in Shiraz City, Iran, in 2020 with self-injury experience. A total of 30 samples were selected by multi-stage cluster random sampling method and randomly assigned to the two groups of experimental and control (each 15 members). A Pre-test evaluated members of both groups. Then emotion regulation group training was applied online to the experimental group. After that, the participants in both groups were assessed in the post-test. Data collection tools were deliberate self-harm inventory, Kutcher adolescent depression scale, and state and trait anger expression inventory. Descriptive Statistics (SD) and inferential statistics (multivariate covariance) were used to analyze the obtained data Results: The results of the multivariate covariance test showed that group training of emotion regulation affected self-injury behavior, depression, and anger (P

Background: The prevalence of self-injury behavior and negative emotions in adolescents is high. This study aimed to investigate the effect of emotional regulation group training on selfinjury behavior, depression, and anger in adolescents. Methods: The research method is quasi-experimental with a Pre-test-post-test design and a control group. The study population comprised adolescents aged 13-15 years living in Shiraz City, Iran, in 2020 with self-injury experience. A total of 30 samples were selected by multistage cluster random sampling method and randomly assigned to the two groups of experimental and control (each 15 members). A Pre-test evaluated members of both groups. Then emotion regulation group training was applied online to the experimental group. After that, the participants in both groups were assessed in the post-test. Data collection tools were deliberate self-harm inventory, Kutcher adolescent depression scale, and state and trait anger expression inventory. Descriptive Statistics (SD) and inferential statistics (multivariate covariance) were used to analyze the obtained data Results: The results of the multivariate covariance test showed that group training of emotion regulation affected self-injury behavior, depression, and anger (P<0.05). Data analysis showed a significant difference between the experimental and control groups regarding self-injury, depression, and anger. Emotion-regulation group training reduced self-injury behavior and the rate of depression and anger in adolescents. Conclusion: Emotion-regulation group training is one of the new therapies to reduce problems. This study also confirms its effectiveness on emotions and dysfunctional behaviors of adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are often associated with intellectual disability (ID). ASD-specific group concepts usually focus on people on a high functioning level. The Autism-Competence-Group (AutCom) combines a psycho-educative approach with music and dance/movement interventions in adults with ASD and ID. AutCom includes 16 structured 90-minute sessions to foster social and emotional competencies. This study investigates the acceptability and effectiveness of AutCom. Practicability and acceptability were measured based on participation frequency and patient satisfaction (CSQ-8). Efficacy was assessed in a pre-post design (N = 12) based on self- and third-party assessment with a control group matched by gender and level of ID. Primary outcome variables were social and emotional competence, and secondary outcomes were challenging behavior and quality of life. A participation rate of 86% indicated practicability; high CSQ-8 scores (M = 30 of max. 32) indicated acceptability. Significant improvement was found in social competence compared to the control group and emotional competence in the pre-post self-assessment on the AutCom questionnaire. No significant improvement was found in challenging behavior and quality of life. AutCom is shown to be a promising and highly accepted group concept in fostering social and emotional skills in adults with ASD and ID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The imprisoned women usually have low self-esteem and suffer from various physical and mental complaints; they may suffer from feelings of emptiness, isolation, and depression. Transactional analysis (TA) is part of a comprehensive system attributed to the individual and social psychiatry for personal development of self-esteem among the imprisoned women. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of TA group-training on the self-esteem of imprisoned women. Methods This clinical trial was conducted among the imprisoned women in a prison in Southeastern Iran using pretest-posttest design. In this regard, 76 women were randomly allocated to the intervention (n = 35) and control (n = 41) groups. The TA group-training program was held for eight 90-min sessions for the intervention group. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and the Rosenberg’s self-esteem scale (RSES). Later, all participants were evaluated before and 1 month after the intervention. Results In pre-test, the mean scores of self-esteem were 11.8 ± 4.67 and 7.97 ± 4.52 for the intervention and control groups, respectively. These scores showed low levels of self-esteem and the difference between the two groups was significant (p = 0.001, t = − 3.61). In the post-test, the mean scores of self-esteem improved to the moderate level (22 ± 2.52) in the intervention group compared to the control group (8.92 ± 4.04). This indicates the significant improvement of self-esteem in the intervention group (p = 0.001, t = 17.15). Conclusions The results showed that TA group-training had a significant effect on self-esteem. Therefore, the experienced and expert counselors and psychologists are recommended to hold transactional analysis group-training courses to enhance self-esteem among women prisoners. Trial registration Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials, IRCT20170725035289N5 Date registered: 25/08/2018.

Background & aim: Hearing impairment of children is one of the disabilities which is accompanied by unpleasant psychological consequences for the child and his/her parents. The present research was aimed at investigating the effect of group training of parent-child relationship therapy (CPRT) for mothers to reduce the feeling of loneliness among daughters with hearing impairment. Methods: The present study was an applied research type which was conducted by semi-experimental method with pretest-posttest with control group design. The research population included all female students with hearing impairment in primary deaf school of Baghcheh-Ban 2 in Tehran, 2015. The sample included 16 students with hearing impairment who were selected via available sampling method and were assigned into two eight-subject groups of experiment and control by random assignment method. Before and after the intervention, the students of both groups were assessed by Asher and colleagues’ loneliness scale (1986). Group training based on parent-child relationship therapy was delivered to mothers of the students of the experiment group in 10 2-hour sessions while the mothers of the students in the control group didn’t receive the training package until the end of the posttest phase. The data were analyzed through univariate analysis of covariance in SPSSv20. Results: Results of the covariance analysis indicated that group training based on parent-child relationship therapy for mothers was effective in reducing loneliness among girls with hearing impairment in the experiment group. Mean scores of loneliness for the experimental group were 47.38 in the pre-test and 40.25 in the post-test. For the control group this score was 48.00 in pre-test and 49.25 in post-test. As evident, the scores of the experimental group in the post-test changed. According to the results the covariance analysis is univariate. The F value for Loneliness (F=25.53, p

Background & aim: Sexual health education is an important part of health promotion services. Families including mothers have a major role in boys’ sexual education so that they have to be equipped with enough knowledge regarding their young teens. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of group training on maternal knowledge and attitude toward sexual health education to boys within the age range of 12-14 years old Methods: This randomized controlled trial was carried out on a total of 90 mothers with young teens in Mashhad in 2016. They were randomly divided into intervention (n=46) and control (n=44) groups. The data were collected using a demographic and a self-structured questionnaire for maternal knowledge and attitude. The intervention group received four training sessions once a week and the control group did not receive any training. The outcome variables were measured 15 days after the intervention and were analyzed using the Chi-square, Fisher’s exact, Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U, and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, as well as the independent and paired t-test. Results: There was no significant difference between two groups before intervention (P>0.05). However, a significant difference was seen between the two groups in terms of differences in the scores of knowledge (P Conclusion: Group training can result in significant changes in maternal knowledge and attitude with regard to the young teens’ sexual health education.

Paraprofessionals are often tasked with providing instruction to students with severe disabilities despite little or no training in evidence-based practices. Previous studies have demonstrated that specific strategies (i.e., didactic instruction, modeling, and immediate performance feedback) in a 1-to-1 format can enable paraprofessionals to implement practices with fidelity; however, training all paraprofessionals exclusively in a 1-to-1 format with immediate feedback is not feasible. We tested two modifications to improve feasibility: delivery in a group and delayed performance feedback from video recordings. We randomized 17 paraprofessionals to a control condition or group training condition focused on simultaneous and least-to-most prompting. Paraprofessionals in the training condition implemented the prompting strategies with better adherence to steps (d = 0.91 and d = 1.56), better implementation quality (d = 0.60), and their students made more progress (d = 0.29). These findings provide evidence that effective coaching strategies can be utilized in a group context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though physical activity is an important aspect of health, lack of time or motivation impede people from working out regularly. One type of training program that is both efficient and motivating is functional interval-type outdoor training. To evaluate this, our study had 81 participants complete a battery of physical performance tests (incremental treadmill test, core stability test and functional fitness test) before and after an 8-week outdoor interval-type training intervention. Training procedures included multimodal and high-intensity exercises performed in consistent, small groups. Results showed that the interval training program produced significant increases in the intervention group (n = 43) in functional and strength exercises (p < 0.001; squat (+27%), burpee (+24%), bridge (+39%), push-up (+34%), sit-up (+25%), high knees (+25%), row (+19%), effect sizes 0.4–0.11) for almost all parameters in comparison to a non-intervention control population (n = 38). Interestingly, trunk stability increased significantly (p < 0.001; flexion (+86%), extension (+43%), lateral left (+39%), lateral right (+32%), effect sizes 0.3–0.15) even though it was not explicitly trained; this was rather a secondary outcome of the functional exercises. Drop-out rates (Intervention group: 27%) suggest that this form of training seems to improve adherence to exercise and may help participants to stay committed to regular, intense activity. By simultaneously triggering adaptations in functional fitness, endurance and whole-body movements, this program can be used by people at different training levels.

Objective: The goal of this study was to determine if a 6-week, peer-led intervention improves health literacy and numeracy among people living with HIV (PLWH).Methods: We used a randomized controlled trial with repeated measurements, which included six, 90-minute, group-based training sessions. We recruited PLWH participants (n = 359) from safety-net practices in the New York City Metropolitan area and Rochester, NY. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to an intervention group (n = 180) or a control group (n = 179). Outcome measures were collected at baseline, eight weeks post-baseline, and at six months using the Brief Estimate of Health Knowledge and Action-HIV (BEHKA-HIV), the Electronic Health Literacy Scale (eHEALS), the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy (REALM), and the Newest Vital Sign (NVS).Results: The intervention group had statistically significant improvements in eHealth literacy and BEHKA-HIV compared to the control group. There were no statistically significant changes in general health literacy or numeracy in either group. The intervention had the greatest impact on participants with the lowest levels of eHealth literacy at baseline.Conclusion: The intervention had a positive impact on participants' HIV health literacy and eHealth literacy.Practice Implications: Our findings have implications for broadening the function of peer-workers in the health care continuum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Many individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have deficits in conversation skills that can interfere with the development of personal and professional relationships. Further research is needed on efficient interventions for targeting conversation skills in adults with ASD and for evaluating the social validity of the outcomes. In this study, 2 practitioners implemented a 4‐week training program for 5 adults with ASD that combined individualized computer‐based instruction (CBI) and practice with peers to promote the acquisition, maintenance, and generalization of conversation skills. Training was associated with improvements in 12 of 13 skills across participants. These findings, along with peer ratings of the participants' conversation skills, suggest that this model is a promising, socially valid approach for improving conversation skills in adults with ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]