Search

The mindful sport performance enhancement (MSPE) protocol is designed to enhance mindfulness, emotional regulation, and attentional awareness and control. The MSPE consists of trainer led group sessions teaching the concepts of mindfulness through discussion and meditation practice. However, little research has tested the MSPE protocol's adaptability and generalizability to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division-I teams and practitioners independent of the MSPE protocol's creators. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to test the efficacy of an adapted MSPE protocol. The adapted MSPE protocol was delivered to a NCAA Division I team while a second team participated as a potentially equivalent control group. Both teams completed measures of attentional control, flow, rumination, and mindful attention as primary outcome variables. Results revealed significant decreases in rumination and trait anxiety, as well as improvements in concentration control and focusing ability compared with the control group. Findings support the external validity of the MSPE protocol to adapt to independent practitioners and a previously unstudied combination of sport and level of competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The teaching-learning process has been profoundly changed by pedagogy and information technology. The study employed a game-based conceptual approach to assess students' conceptual grasp of mathematics in order to improve the teaching-learning process. The research methodology is aligned with the quantitative design, particularly quasiexperimental research. The study's respondents were 60 grade 7 students in one of the public high schools in Senator Ninoy Aquino in Sultan Kudarat, Philippines. A researcher-made test questionnaire was used to assess the conceptual understanding of grade 7 students in mathematics, and the Evaluation of Instructional Technology Materials (EITM) was used to evaluate the game-based conceptual approach. After the intervention was administered, it was found that there was no significant difference between the two approaches. Based on the t-test result of the mean gain scores of the experimental and control groups, the result of the experimental group had a mean gain score of 16.60 and a standard deviation of 3.136, and the control group had a mean gain score of 15.03 with a deviation standard of 5.417. Since the t-computed value equals 1.37, which is less than ttab (0.05) = 2.002. The results revealed that the experimental group may likely have the same progress in conceptual understanding compared to the control group. This means that teaching topics in Mathematics 7 with a game-based conceptual approach is comparable to teaching them with a procedural approach. Moreover, a game-based conceptual approach may be a substitute for a procedural approach to teaching students mathematics 7. The use of the Game-Based Conceptual Approach and procedural approach are methods of improving the conceptual understanding of the students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the pupil's reading comprehension using the Preview, Question, Read, Reflect, Recite, and Review (PQ4R) and Annotations as a basis for an instructional tool. Grade six learners are struggling with reading comprehension, especially during the pandemic. It is pivotal that educational strategy and technique should be tested and explored to address the gap. This study used the PQ4R and annotations to help the learners understand the concepts and subject matter. This study utilized a sequential explanatory mixed-method research design. This design followed a sequence of gathering data from quantitative for analysis and interpretation to qualitative for exploration and triangulation. For the specific design of this method, a Quasi-experimental will be used to understand the numerical value of this study and a descriptive qualitative for the qualitative data. Purposive sampling design will be used in this study following criteria to identify the prospected respondents. There were 30 respondents from Tuble Elementary School. This study utilized a validated instrument. The findings of the study stipulated that the results of the experimental group (p-value = 0.28) and the control group (p-value = 0.34) established no significant difference. With this, teachers must explore more strategies and techniques in education so that learners can get the best learning experiences that they deserve. This will provide a reference on how teachers can create instructional tools to increase classroom productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This thesis explores the effectiveness of the phonic approach in teaching reading to students. The study focuses on helping nonreaders in their reading proficiency. Ten seventh graders from Union National High School-Mt. Diwata Annex were the subjects in the study. Pretest was administered before implementing the reading intervention and administered posttest after the experiment. Pretest and Posttest were implemented through oral reading test using the passage from the Phil-IR Manual. After, results were compared to determine the achievements and improvement of the students. Students' competency level improved dramatically following the experiment, according to the data. There was a significant difference between the pretest and the posttest scores. These results imply that the phonic approach is an effective method for raising students' reading skills. Therefore, the study offers recommendations to language teachers on how to create teaching strategies that will improve their students' reading abilities. And this suggests that when teaching reading, teachers should think about including the phonic approach into their lessons. Additionally, this study adds to the expanding corpus of data on the efficacy of the phonic approach in reading instruction. All things considered, this study offers insightful information on how well the phonic approach works to help students improve their reading abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of suggestopedia in teaching literature to Grade 11 students at Zapatera National High School, Cebu City, during the 2022-2023 academic year. Using a quasi-experimental design with 60 students divided into control and experimental groups, the study compares pretest and posttest performances. The experimental group received instruction through suggestopedia, while the control group followed traditional lecture-based methods. Both groups showed improvement in posttest scores, but the experimental group achieved significantly higher results. These findings suggest that suggestopedia enhances literature instruction, making learning more enjoyable and meaningful, and fostering a deeper understanding of the material. This serves as the foundation for a proposed action plan to integrate suggestopedia into literature teaching practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to determine the effectiveness of Text Talk strategy in teaching vocabulary of Grade III learners of Kabacsanan Elementary School, Iligan City, SY 2023-2024. A pretest and a posttest design were used. The study employed one group pretest posttest research design and made used of a questionnaire in gathering data. Results revealed that the analysis of the differences between the pretest and posttest scores of the participants demonstrated a remarkable and highly significant improvement in their performance. The mean pretest score of 9.90 increased substantially to 13.67 in the posttest, showcasing a significant positive change. The paired t-test, with a highly significant t-value of -19.837 (df=29) and a p-value of 0.000 (p<.001), confirmed that this improvement was not a result of chance but rather a direct outcome of the effectiveness of the intervention or program being assessed. Thus, the analysis explored the connection between learners' vocabulary scores and their attitudes toward the Text Talk strategy intervention. In this context, the "not significant" remark indicates that the relationship between vocabulary scores and attitude toward the intervention is not statistically significant, as the p-value exceeds the conventional significance level of 0.05. This implied that learners' vocabulary proficiency does not have a significant influence on their attitude toward the Text Talk strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the fact that care leavers are at significantly higher risk of homelessness than their peers who have not experienced care, there is a paucity of information on evidence-based interventions to address this risk. Lifelong Links is a program developed and delivered by the Family Rights Group in England. The intervention aims to ensure that a child in care has a positive support network around them to help during their time in care and into adulthood. In this article, we analyse the outcomes of a quasi-experimental evaluation of the Lifelong Links program. Specifically, we make use of a combination of coarsened exact matching, and a triple-differences approach (or difference in difference in differences analysis). Results of our analyses show that Lifelong Links is associated with a reduction in the risk of becoming homeless for care leavers aged eighteen to twenty in the years following its implementation. Our most robust model showed a reduction of around 10 per cent in the risk of a young care leaver being deemed at risk of, or experiencing homelessness, suggesting that improving ties between young people in care and their birth families (and/or building other sources of support) could have beneficial impacts on housing outcomes into adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The podcast is a tool that economic educators can employ in the classroom as an alternative approach to convey content. Using a unique quasi-experimental approach in four undergraduate economics classes, we measure student perceptions of podcast use and the effectiveness of the podcast as a pedagogical tool in the economics curriculum. This experiment controls for demographic characteristics, educational background, learning styles, instructor fixed effects, and class fixed effects while measuring the impact of podcast use on student learning outcomes. We find that exam scores of students assigned podcasts to supplement their learning were statistically no different than those of students assigned printed news articles to supplement their learning. However, in terms of perception, students believed they were learning more from podcasts than news articles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION METHODS RESULTS DISCUSSION Gender‐based violence is a worldwide problem. School‐based socio‐educational interventions could be effective in preventing gender‐based violence. We assessed the effectiveness of the Let's focus! program, aimed at health and equitable interpersonal relationships among high school students.We conducted a quasi‐experimental study in an intervention group (IG, n = 560) and a comparison group (CG, n = 366) of secondary school students in Terrassa, Spain between 2019 and 2021. Specifically, we performed an online questionnaire on sexism, acceptance of violence and machismo at baseline and after the intervention. We calculated multivariate linear regression models including satisfaction with the intervention, to evaluate the change in the variables' mean between CG and IG.In comparison to the CG, in the IG hostile and benevolent sexism, and acceptance of violence decreased from baseline to after‐intervention, in the group of participants highly satisfied with the intervention (42.4%); machismo did not vary. The multivariate regression analyses showed that the intervention was effective in reducing hostile sexism (β = −6.40; CI95% (−11.92; −0.88)), benevolent sexism (β = −5.57; CI95% (−10.52;−0.61)), and acceptance of violence (β = −4.79; CI95% (−9.50; −0.09)) in highly satisfied students from the IG, in comparison to the ones from the CG, regardless of their age or gender.Let's Focus! was effective in reducing sexism and decreasing acceptance of violence among students that were highly satisfied with the intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the effect of offering multiple means of representing content, one aspect of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Students across the full range of the dis/ability spectrum all too often struggle to achieve course success. UDL-based course design promises to help students with disabilities (whether disclosed or not) as well as help all students, but research is needed to verify UDL's specific benefits for student learning outcomes. This study aims to better understand the efficacy of representing course content using multiple means, which is one aspect of UDL pertaining to perception. Data were gathered from over 50 online courses in 14 subjects across the undergraduate curriculum taught with an adaptive learning system at a women's institution. A panel data analysis with almost 200,000 cases of student learning activities investigated the effect of representing content in multiple ways (i.e., text, video, audio, interactive, or mixed content presentation format). When students used multiple modalities, a positive effect was found on student learning measures of knowledge gained within the adaptive system. The results have implications for future UDL-related research, as well as faculty development and curricular design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early writing performance strongly predicts long-term literacy performance. It follows that early underachievement in writing is highly correlated with early underachievement in reading. One strategy teachers and students can use to approach writing in the kindergarten classroom is invented spelling. Invented spelling is children's spontaneous or self-directed attempts to represent words in print by matching sounds to known letters or phonics patterns. A quasi-experimental study was used to evaluate the impact of invented spelling on foundational literacy skills and writing motivation in 63 kindergarten students at a rural school in the Mid-South. The research questions focused on the impact of invented spelling instruction on a variety of literacy outcomes, including foundational skills, spelling, and motivation. The results indicate the significant main effects of invented spelling instruction on students' invented spelling (p < 0.001), conventional spelling (p < 0.001), complex vocabulary use (p < 0.001, writing motivation (p = 0.040), and writing achievement (p < 0.001). Other outcomes as well as implications and future directions are reported. The invented spelling intervention encouraged low-stake risk taking when writing and removed barriers to writing entry. Allowing time and space for invented spellings means students can focus on communicating their ideas in print without being hindered by the expectation to conform to conventional spellings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the development and efficacy of a virtual DC motor laboratory aimed at enhancing practical learning in electrical machines. Key aspects of the literature review emphasize the increasing adoption of digital simulations in education and the effectiveness of virtual labs in technical training. The primary research question is whether the virtual simulator can achieve learning outcomes comparable to traditional physical laboratory tools. Hypotheses posit that students using the virtual DC motor laboratory will demonstrate equivalent learning outcomes compared to those using traditional teaching aids. The study employs a quasi-experimental design following the ADDIE model for development, with a sample size of 32 students—19 in the control group and 13 in the experimental group. Results indicate significant improvements in learning outcomes across both groups, with no statistically significant difference observed between the virtual simulator and traditional methods in post-test assessments. These findings underscore the equivalence of virtual and physical tools in enhancing practical learning in electrical machine practice. Virtual labs offer scalable solutions for educational institutions seeking to modernize their curriculum, crucial in preparing students with relevant skills for the evolving demands of the workforce in electrical engineering and related fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early legal challenges to the 1990 Hate Crime Statistics Act were originally excused on the argument that hate crimes "hurt more," but there remain some empirical gaps on this topic. Although many works have concluded that biased offenders cause greater harms to their victims relative to unbiased perpetrators, this effect tends to be sensitive to individual and situational factors like victim and offender characteristics, bias motivation, weapon use, or crime location. This type of confounding has the potential to introduce selection bias in the estimation of victimization harms among biased criminal incidents. With data from the National Crime Victimization Survey (2010–2020), I use propensity scores and inverse-probability weighting to show that, on average, victims of bias motivated offenses are more likely to report later physical and emotional harms despite not suffering greater initial injury in incidence. Findings also demonstrate that the harm of hate varies across different bias motivations, with such crimes directed toward those on the basis of disability, gender, and sexual orientation causing greater short- and long-term individual trauma and damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates the integration of blockchain technology in vocational education in Indonesia, evaluating its impact on database system learning outcomes. Involving 86 Indonesian students, this study aims to assess the effectiveness of blockchain in improving students' understanding, skills, and academic performance. Using a quasi-experimental design, the findings of this study showed a significant improvement in learning outcomes, as evidenced by the analysis of pre-test and post-test scores. The measure of the effectiveness of the improvement in learning outcomes, with a substantial increase of approximately 46.50%, emphasizes the positive influence of blockchain technology on student achievement in the database systems course. The findings of this study will contribute valuable information to educational institutions, policy makers, and educators who wish to incorporate new technologies such as blockchain into their learning systems. The implication of this research is to provide recommendations in optimizing the integration of blockchain technology, which significantly affects learning outcomes in database systems. This is realized through facilitating fast and efficient access to learning materials, fostering a more interactive and engaging learning environment, and enhancing students' understanding of industry practices. The integration of blockchain into database systems learning not only improves the quality of learning but also equips students for a successful career in information technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prime objective of the study is to explore the effectiveness of situational language teaching method in improving extemporaneous speech skills of ESL learners. Extemporaneous speech is an important life skill that is required to excel in academic and professional settings. Situational language teaching focuses on activities that are essential to master in real-world scenarios. The methodology employed in this quasi-experimental study is based on the principles of action research cycle. A convenience sample of 30 ESL learners from The Islamia University of Bahawalpur was chosen and subjected to extemporaneous speech tasks before and after the intervention of seven days long situational language teaching. The grading of the speaking activity of ESL learners was done by adopting the rubrics of IELTS test for speaking. The scores of pretest and post-test were subjected to paired sample t-test. The results of the study showed a statistically significant improvement in extemporaneous speech skills of ESL learners. Hence, the study recommends the incorporation of situational language teaching activities for the enhancement of extemporaneous speech skills of ESL learners as it augments the academic achievement, language proficiency, fluency, grammar, pronunciation, and self-confidence of students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Jurnal Ekonomi dan Kebijakan Pembangunan is the property of IPB University 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.)

It is estimated that globally, millions of adolescents experience mental health problems, especially anxiety and depression. Adolescents with high perceptions of stress often encounter mental issues, have negative thoughts or are dissatisfied with daily life events. This study employed a quasi-experimental design with two groups and repeated measures to test an innovative nursing intervention, the Be Aware of Stress Smartphone Application. This application aims to increase positive thinking and reduce perceived stress among at-risk adolescents aged 13 to 16, and we sought to determine their satisfaction with its usability. The study was conducted with 44 junior high school students from an opportunity expansion high school in Eastern Thailand, who were randomly assigned to experimental and comparison groups (22 each). Data were collected between December 2023 and February 2024 using the General Information Questionnaire, Positive Thinking Test, Perceived Stress Questionnaire, and Satisfaction of Application Usability scale. The outcomes were measured at baseline, after completing the program at week 4, and at week 8 after using the application. The chi-square test and repeated measures analysis of variance were used to analyze the data. The results of this study have important implications for future research. They indicate a significant improvement in positive thinking and a reduction in perceived stress within the experimental group, compared to the comparison group, at weeks 4 and 8. Moreover, the experimental group reported high satisfaction with the application's usability. These findings suggest that the Be Aware of Stress application is beneficial for community nurses and others to prevent adolescent stress. The study also highlights the need for future research to enhance the application's functionality and compatibility with various phone operating systems to ensure widespread and effective use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Malnutrition remains a health challenge for women aged 15 to 49 years and their infants. While Nutrition Assessment Counselling and Support (NACS) is considered a promising strategy, evidence of its effectiveness remains scanty. This study assessed the effect of the comprehensive NACS package on the mother-infant practices, health and nutrition outcomes in two districts in Eastern Uganda. Methods: A comparative non-equivalent quasi-experimental design was employed with two groups; Comprehensive NACS (Tororo) and Routine NACS (Butaleja). Pregnant mothers were enrolled spanning various trimesters and followed through the antenatal periods and post-delivery to monitor their health and nutrition status. Infants were followed for feeding practices, health and nutritional status at birth and weeks 6, 10, 14 and at months 6, 9 and 12 post-delivery. Propensity score matching ensured study group comparability. The NACS effect was estimated by nearest neighbour matching and the logistic regression methods. Statistical analysis utilised STATA version 15 and R version 4.1.1. Results: A total of 666/784 (85%) with complete data were analysed (routine: 412, comprehensive: 254). Both groups were comparable by mothers' age, Mid Upper Arm Circumference, prior antenatal visits, meal frequency, micronutrient supplementation and instances of maternal headache, depression and diarrhoea. However, differences existed in gestation age, income, family size, education and other living conditions. Comprehensive NACS infants exhibited higher infant birth weights, weight-for-age z-scores at the 3rd -6th visits (p < 0.001), length-for-age z scores at the 4th -7th visits (p < 0.001) and weight-for-length z-scores at the 3rd − 5th (p < = 0.001) visits. Despite fewer episodes of diarrhoea and fever, upper respiration infections were higher. Conclusions: The comprehensive NACS demonstrated improved mother-infant nutritional and other health outcomes suggesting the need for integrated and holistic care for better maternal, infant and child health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundIndividuals who are newly diagnosed with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) or relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) may choose not to undergo disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) due to concerns about expenses or potential adverse effects. Thus, many individuals will opt for alternative therapies, such as dietary modifications. Among these dietary approaches, the modified Paleolithic elimination diet has shown promise for improving MS-related symptoms; however, restriction of certain food groups can lead to inadequate intake of nutrients.MethodsThree-day self-reported 24-h dietary recalls using the Automated Self-Administered 24-h (ASA24) Dietary Assessment Tool were assessed during a 12-month quasi-experimental (i.e., non-randomized) trial among individuals who either voluntarily declined DMTs and received health behavior (HB) intervention, (n = 29) or included DMTs and opted for the standard of care (SOC; n = 15). Participants in the HB group received a multimodal intervention that included dietary modifications, a walking program, and breathing exercises. Usual intake of each micronutrient was estimated and then evaluated with the estimated average requirement (EAR)-cut point method.ResultsAt 12 months, >80% of both HB and SOC groups completed 3 days of the self-reported 24-h recalls, indicating the potential feasibility of ASA24. From baseline to 12 months, the HB group had a decreased mean ratio in total grains (0.64; 95% CI 0.43–0.93; p = 0.02) and added sugars (0.52; 95% CI 0.35–0.75; p ≤ 0.001), and an increased mean ratio intake of cured meats (1.74; 95% CI 1.05–2.90; p = 0.04); whereas, the SOC group had a decreased mean ratio intake for beef, veal, pork, lamb, and game meat (0.60; 95% CI 0.40–0.90; p = 0.01). At baseline, both groups had high proportions with inadequate intake of vitamin E and calcium. The SOC group also had a high proportion with inadequate intake of vitamin D. By 12-months, the HB group exhibited severe proportions of nutrient inadequacies (>20% of the group) for vitamin D (43.5%), vitamin E (29.1%), calcium (69.9%), and copper (27.8%). The SOC group, following their own diet, had inadequacies for all the same micronutrients, except for copper, as the HB group. The SOC group also had additional inadequacies: vitamin A (21.3%), thiamin (26.3%), riboflavin (24.2%), folate (24.8%), vitamin B12 (27.8%), and zinc (28.2%).ConclusionCompared to the usual diet, adhering to the modified Paleolithic elimination diet, as a component of a 12-month multimodal intervention, may lead to reduced consumption of specific food groups, such as added sugars, as well as decreased risk of severe proportions of inadequacy for certain nutrients. The utilization of the ASA24 for acquiring dietary recalls from participants with MS may be feasible for future studies.Clinical trial registrationclinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT04009005.

This quasi-experimental study investigates the impact of using free-body diagrams on the critical thinking skills of students studying rotational dynamics at MAN 1 Sungai Penuh. The study involved 140 eleventh-grade students, divided into an experimental group and a control group, each consisting of 70 students. The experimental group received instruction using free-body diagrams, while the control group followed traditional teaching methods. Critical thinking skills were assessed using a test comprising five essay questions, each representing different aspects of critical thinking: likelihood and uncertainty analysis, problem solving and decision making, reasoning, hypothesis testing, and argument analysis. Descriptive statistics and independent samples t-tests were employed to analyze the data. The results revealed that the experimental group outperformed the control group in all aspects of critical thinking skills, with statistically significant differences and strong effect sizes. Specifically, the experimental group showed notable improvements in argument analysis, reasoning, and hypothesis testing. The findings suggest that the use of free-body diagrams significantly enhances students' critical thinking skills in the context of rotational dynamics. This study underscores the importance of incorporating visual learning aids in physics education to foster deeper understanding and improve analytical skills. The results have important implications for teaching practices, advocating for the integration of free-body diagrams to develop students' higher-order thinking skills effectively

The growing focus on the active student engagement in learning and education has generated interest in exploring and adopting innovative teaching approaches. One such approach is the flipped classroom model. This quasi-experimental study was conducted to assess the impact of flipped classroom teaching pedagogy on the academic performance of 5th semester pharmacy students as well as measure their level of satisfaction with this learning strategy. A Two-tailed paired t test was used to explore the difference in Mean class score pre and post flipped classroom teaching. A participant satisfaction survey was conducted to gather participants’ feedback about their experience of flipped classroom learning. A total of 92 participants (51 female, 41 male) enrolled in the 5th semester of the Doctor of Pharmacy program were included in the study. There was a statistically significant improvement in Mean class score after flipped classroom (8.62) when compared to before flipped classroom teaching (8.03) observed as P value = 0.039. The participants expressed satisfaction with their overall experience of flipped classroom in the participants’ satisfaction survey. 38 (68%) of the 56 participants who completed the satisfaction survey strongly agreed that the teaching methods used by the facilitator were appropriate. Similarly, 38 (68%) strongly agreed that they were encouraged to interact and participate in the flipped classroom sessions. The significant improvement in the participants’ academic performance reported in the study coupled with their satisfaction with flipped classroom pedagogy has highlighted the potential contribution of this learning approach in promoting effective learning among students.

Background Uncontrolled blood pressure (BP) remains a leading cause of death in the United States. The American Medical Association developed a quality improvement program to improve BP control, but it is unclear how to efficiently implement this program at scale across multiple health systems. Methods and Results We conducted BP MAP (Blood Pressure Measure Accurately, Act Rapidly, and Partner With Patients), a comparative effectiveness trial with clinic-level randomization to compare 2 scalable versions of the quality improvement program: Full Support (with support from quality improvement expert) and Self-Guided (using only online materials). Outcomes were clinic-level BP control (

Background: Early intervention is recommended for pre‐school children with low language. However, few robustly evaluated language interventions for young children exist. Furthermore, in many interventions the theoretical underpinnings are underspecified and the 'active ingredients' of the interventions not tested. This paper presents a quasi‐experimental study to test the efficacy and examine the active ingredients of Building Early Sentences Therapy (BEST): an intervention based on usage‐based theory designed to support young children to understand and produce two‐, three‐ and four‐clause element sentences. BEST manipulates the input children hear to support them to harness the cognitive mechanisms hypothesized in usage‐based theories to promote the development of abstract linguistic representations. One such input manipulation is the use of signing alongside verbal input signalling both content and morphology of target sentences. Aims: To examine whether (1) BEST is more efficacious than treatment as usual (TAU); and (2) signing of content and morphology is an active ingredient of the intervention. Methods & Procedures: A quasi‐experimental study recruited children aged 3;5–4;5 years from 13 schools. Schools were assigned to receive either BEST with sign, BEST without sign or TAU. The TAU group received their usual classroom provision. Across arms schools were matched with respect to classroom oral language environment and indices of deprivation. Participants were 48 children (28 boys) with expressive and/or receptive language abilities ≤ 16th centile measured using the New Reynell Developmental Language Scales (NRDLS). Outcomes gathered by researchers blind to treatment arm were NRDLS production and comprehension standard scores and measures of production of targeted sentence structures. Outcomes & Results: Primary outcomes indicate that BEST with sign was significantly more efficacious than TAU with respect to NRDLS production standard score, but not comprehension. The advantage for production was maintained at follow‐up. BEST without sign was significantly more efficacious than TAU on measures of targeted vocabulary, sentence structure and morphology. The results from this quasi‐experimental study provide evidence for the efficacy of a usage‐based intervention on expressive language outcomes for preschool children with low language abilities. There is also evidence to support the inclusion of sign as an active ingredient, and so efforts to train interventionists in its use are worthwhile. Conclusions & Implications: Patterns of findings across outcomes suggest signing of content and morphology may support the development of abstract linguistic representations and accelerate language learning. Given these positive results and the scale of this study, a fully powered randomized controlled trial is warranted. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject: Robust language skills are crucial for positive social, emotional, academic and economic outcomes across the lifespan. There is a paucity of robustly evaluated interventions for preschool children with language difficulties. The development of such interventions is crucial for ameliorating language difficulties and promoting positive educational and psychosocial outcomes. What this study adds to the existing knowledge: This paper evaluates BEST, a novel usage‐based language intervention targeting children with language difficulties in the early years. Findings indicate that a usage‐based intervention is efficacious for treating language difficulties. In particular, BEST benefited expressive language development, bringing benefits to both treated and untreated language structures and improving standard scores. The role of sign as an active ingredient is also supported. Further evaluation is warranted. What are the practical and clinical implications of this work?: Findings suggest that BEST may be effective for targeting children who have been identified as having language difficulties. In particular, expressive language may be improved when the intervention is delivered as it was originally manualized, including a signing system to represent content and grammatical morphology. More broadly, these findings also provide preliminary evidence that the use of a signing system does not hinder oral language development in children with language difficulties and may conversely support their expressive language. Future research exploring the role and underpinning mechanisms of sign in language intervention is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Timor-Leste's food insecurity, propelled by political conflicts, a fragile economy and biophysical limitations that characterize mountainous Small Island Developing States (SIDS), is expressed in a high incidence (50%) of stunted children. Hence, the Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund's Joint Program's (MDG-F JP) in 2009 was a timely intervention to reduce prevalence of underweight among under-fives. Since the impact of the program remains largely unclear, the current study investigates the contributions of the MDG-F JP on improving children's nutritional status in Timor-Leste, in order to inform policymakers on how to make future programs more effective. Methods: Using bivariate analyses and multiple linear regression models we analyzed Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data from under-fives in 2009–2010 and 2016, combined with spatially explicit data from geographic information systems (GIS). The analyses generated trends and factors associated with undernutrition, which were used in a quasi-experimental setting to compare districts that received the MDG-F JP with similar districts that did not receive MDG-F JP interventions. Results: A comprehensive set of factors dependent on seasons, locations, and individuals determine undernutrition in Timor-Leste. A positive impact of the MDG-F JP was found for the average severity of wasting, but not for stunting and underweight. Conclusions: The findings reinforce the pressing need for integrated and cross-sectoral programs, aimed especially at agricultural workers, mothers, and children. The agricultural challenge is to sustainably select, produce and conserve higher-yield and nutrient-rich crops, and educational enhancement should be aligned with local practices and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Driven by the widespread usage of mobile applications, the expansive development of TikTok application has carried considerable challenges and opportunities to the Physical Education industry. Hence, it is imperative to examine the usefulness of this application to mitigate the low cardiovascular endurance of college students since the conduct of research to improve their physical activity engagement is still significant. Thus, this action research sought to improve the cardiovascular endurance of undergraduate teacher education students using the TikTok application as a tool for their physical activity. This study utilized a quantitative approach, specifically, the pretest-post-test design which is classified as quasi-experimental research. Using the normative data from YMCA 3-minute step test, 50 participants from the Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEEd) enrolled in their physical education classes were determined to be qualified based on their pre-test scorecards. Two groups were formed out of them: 25 in the experimental group who were exposed to the intervention and another 25 in the control group who were instructed using the standard discussion. Descriptive statistics and ANOVA-type test analysis were utilized using participants' pre-test and post-test results to ascertain the efficacy of the intervention. Results unveiled that the intervention has significantly improved the experimental group's post-test scores compared to the control group since the post-test results of the control group remained almost stagnant, indicating the intervention's effectiveness by rejecting the null hypothesis. Therefore, this action research inferred that the intervention has efficiently strengthened the cardiovascular endurance of the 1st year BEEd students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescents with depression often experience negative automatic thoughts, which contribute to the development of suicidal ideation. Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy has now become a treatment to address negative automatic thoughts to prevent suicide. This quasi-experimental study aimed to assess the effects of an Internet-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program on the depression of Thai adolescents. The participants consisted of 60 adolescent students with a deviation from their usual mood who were enrolled in public high schools in a province adjacent to Bangkok. The participants were conveniently selected, paired based on gender and grade point average, and randomly assigned into two groups. The experimental group received the program, while the control group received usual care (n = 30 each). Data collection instruments included a personal data form and the Healthrelated Self-report Scale. One-way repeated measures ANCOVA was used to compare the mean depression scores between the two groups while controlling for baseline depression scores. The results indicate that the participants' depression scores decreased over time in both groups. However, a significant group effect suggests that being in the experimental group was associated with a greater decrease in depression scores both immediately after the intervention and at the two-week follow-up compared to the control group. These findings shed light on the potential benefits of implementing this Internet-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program by school nurses, teachers, or primary care nurses to prevent extreme depression and suicidal ideation among adolescents. Further investigation with longer follow-up is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In social service settings, client exposure to an intervention is often facilitated by workers (e.g., case managers, care coordinators) who have some discretion over the services their clients receive. This paper demonstrates how the empirical Bayes residuals (EBRs) of predicted random effects can reliably estimate these workers' latent decision-making tendencies, such as the tendency to refer clients to a particular intervention. As such, in nonexperimental evaluation studies, the EBR can provide a measured value for an unobserved assignment determinant, which can be included in treatment effect models to reduce confounding bias. Method: We used Monte Carlo simulation to generate data for a hypothetical evaluation scenario in which child welfare caseworkers nonrandomly referred youth to a behavioral health intervention. Model variations assessed for bias in treatment effect estimates when instrumenting for nonrandom assignment with the EBR. Results: When caseworker referral effects were evident, the EBR consistently performed well as an instrument to obtain unbiased treatment effects and generally outperformed other methods, such as partially adjusted regression and instrumenting with simple caseworker means. Conclusions: The EBR offers a useful measurement tool when estimating causal effects from nonexperimental data. Study conditions that do not support instrumental variable estimation are also considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Safe disposal of feces is ensured when it is deposited into a toilet, whereas unsafe disposal of child's feces plays a crucial role in disease transmission and environmental pollution. These areas are overlooked by many sanitation promotion interventions. Objective: To determine the effect of positive deviance (PD) approach on safe disposal of child's feces among households who owned a toilet. Materials and Methods: A community-based quasi-experimental study was conducted in the four field practice villages of the Urban Health Training Center, Villupuram, for 18 months. Households who owned a toilet and had a child less than 5 years old were included. After IEC clearance, information was collected from a representative sample of 100 households before intervention and another 100 households after intervention. PD approach was applied for 6 months to promote safe disposal practices in the study villages. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software (version 24). The Chi-square test was used to determine the significance of difference between baseline and endline data. The effect size was calculated to estimate the magnitude of difference between baseline and endline data. Results: Before intervention, only 3% of households disposed the feces into a toilet, while after intervention, almost 38% of households disposed in the toilet (χ2 = 37.39; df = 1; P = 0.001). The effect size (Cramer's V) was found to be 0.43. Conclusion: PD approach demonstrated considerable improvements in safe disposal of child's feces in rural settings. Further, to sustain the behavior change, frequent reinforcement of key messages at frequent intervals needs to be emphasized.

There has been an increasing concerns that the traditional instructional methods militate against students’ performance and positive attitudes towards school mathematics. This study employs cooperative learning strategy to provide an innovation as a way of ameliorating the canker. We utilised the quasi-expermental (prepost non-equivalent) design. In this design, two senior high schools selected. One school was the experimental (SHS A) and the other was the control (SHS B). A sample of 224 students were assigned to the experimental (110) and control (114) groups. After treatments, mathematics achievement tests were used to gather the data. The data was analysed with means, standard deviations, percentages, p-values and t-statistics. The outcomes revealed that students who had tutorials in the cooperative strategy performed better than those who had tuition through the traditional. Even within the experimental group, there was no statistically significance differences between boys and girls. It was concluded that students’ performance and attitudes toward learning mathematics were positively enhanced by cooperative learning. It was therefore recommended that stakeholders make conscious efforts to inspire teachers to model more cooperative learning techniques in mathematics instruction.

Abstract Background Simulation-based education enhances fundamental and clinical knowledge, procedural abilities, teamwork, and communication skills, as well as quality of care and patient safety. Due to excessive clinical loads and a lack of physicians, even classic teaching methods like bedside instruction are constrained in low-income settings. Thus, this study aimed to ascertain if simulation-based cesarean section education successfully raises non-physician clinician midwives’ competency in Ethiopia. Methods A quasi-experimental study design triangulated with a qualitative design was implemented. Sixty Masters Clinical Midwifery students (29 intervention and 31 control) were taken in 5 universities. Three questionnaires (knowledge, confidence levels, and skills) were used. Qualitative data was also collected from 14 participants. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted. P

Early writing performance strongly predicts long-term literacy performance. It follows that early underachievement in writing is highly correlated with early underachievement in reading. One strategy teachers and students can use to approach writing in the kindergarten classroom is invented spelling. Invented spelling is children’s spontaneous or self-directed attempts to represent words in print by matching sounds to known letters or phonics patterns. A quasi-experimental study was used to evaluate the impact of invented spelling on foundational literacy skills and writing motivation in 63 kindergarten students at a rural school in the Mid-South. The research questions focused on the impact of invented spelling instruction on a variety of literacy outcomes, including foundational skills, spelling, and motivation. The results indicate the significant main effects of invented spelling instruction on students’ invented spelling (p < 0.001), conventional spelling (p < 0.001), complex vocabulary use (p < 0.001, writing motivation (p = 0.040), and writing achievement (p < 0.001). Other outcomes as well as implications and future directions are reported. The invented spelling intervention encouraged low-stake risk taking when writing and removed barriers to writing entry. Allowing time and space for invented spellings means students can focus on communicating their ideas in print without being hindered by the expectation to conform to conventional spellings.

BackgroundThe Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program provides temporary relief from deportation and work permits for previously undocumented immigrants who arrived as children. DACA faced direct threats under the Trump administration. There is select evidence of the short-term impacts of DACA on population health, including on birth outcomes, but limited understanding of the long-term impacts.MethodsWe evaluated the association between DACA program and birth outcomes using California birth certificate data (2009-2018) and a difference-in-differences approach to compare post-DACA birth outcomes for likely DACA-eligible mothers to birth outcomes for demographically similar DACA-ineligible mothers. We also separately compared birth outcomes by DACA eligibility status in the first 3 years after DACA passage (2012-2015) and in the subsequent 3 years (2015-2018) - a period characterized by direct threats to the DACA program - as compared to outcomes in the years prior to DACA passage.ResultsIn the 7 years after its passage, DACA was associated with a lower risk of small-for-gestational age (- 0.018, 95% CI: - 0.035, - 0.002) and greater birthweight (45.8 g, 95% CI: 11.9, 79.7) for births to Mexican-origin individuals that were billed to Medicaid. Estimates were consistent but of smaller magnitude for other subgroups. Associations between DACA and birth outcomes were attenuated to the null in the period that began with the announcement of the Trump U.S. Presidential campaign (2015-2018), although confidence intervals overlapped with estimates from the immediate post-DACA period.ConclusionsThese findings suggest weak to modest initial benefits of DACA for select birthweight outcomes during the period immediately following DACA passage for Mexican-born individuals whose births were billed to Medicaid; any benefits were subsequently attenuated to the null. The benefits of DACA for population health may not have been sufficient to counteract the impacts of threats to the program's future and heightened immigration enforcement occurring in parallel over time.

Our study compared observed traffic volumes in the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT-Light) corridor to those predicted using two different quasi-experimental methods. The first quasi-experimental design, referred to as interrupted time series, assumes the trends in traffic on BRT alignment from 2013 to 2017 continue through to 2019 after BRT-Light is in place. Making that assumption, traffic volume on the BRT alignment is 2514 vehicles per day lower (−7.38%) than one would expect based on the preexisting trend. The second quasi-experimental design is called a before-after design with a control group, which assumes that traffic volume on the BRT route would increase by the same percentage as traffic on parallel streets to the BRT line, that is 2.30 percent or 645 VPD between before and after. Also, BRT alignment's traffic volume was reduced by 1249 VPD or 4.78 percent more rather than outside of BRT corridor, and 17,632 VPD or 9.33 percent considering trip generation. Meanwhile, transit ridership in the corridor increased by 8687 passengers per day (122.66%) more than expected with the introduction of BRT, which helps account for the effective reduction of vehicular traffic on the streets that comprise the BRT alignment. Through the section analysis, we found that dedicated right-of-way reduced traffic effectively. Our estimates suggest that BRT-Light will result in an annual reduction of 17,886,229 pounds of CO2 emissions and 914,614 gallons of gasoline consumption. Based on these results, we conclude that BRT-Light had a positive effect on easing vehicle traffic volume and emissions in the Provo-Orem metropolitan area. • BRT-Light, which is the lower limit of BRT, had a positive effect on easing vehicle traffic and emissions on BRT alignment. • BRT-Light reduced traffic not only on the BRT alignment but also on the entire streets in the half miles-buffered area. • The dedicated right-of-way reduced traffic effectively. • BRT-Light provoked significant nearby land-use development and increased trip generation. • Significantly increased transit ridership in the corridor explained to eased vehicular traffic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Safe disposal of feces is ensured when it is deposited into a toilet, whereas unsafe disposal of child's feces plays a crucial role in disease transmission and environmental pollution. These areas are overlooked by many sanitation promotion interventions. Objective: To determine the effect of positive deviance (PD) approach on safe disposal of child's feces among households who owned a toilet. Materials and Methods: A community-based quasi-experimental study was conducted in the four field practice villages of the Urban Health Training Center, Villupuram, for 18 months. Households who owned a toilet and had a child less than 5 years old were included. After IEC clearance, information was collected from a representative sample of 100 households before intervention and another 100 households after intervention. PD approach was applied for 6 months to promote safe disposal practices in the study villages. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software (version 24). The Chi-square test was used to determine the significance of difference between baseline and endline data. The effect size was calculated to estimate the magnitude of difference between baseline and endline data. Results: Before intervention, only 3% of households disposed the feces into a toilet, while after intervention, almost 38% of households disposed in the toilet (χ² = 37.39; df = 1; P = 0.001). The effect size (Cramer's V) was found to be 0.43. Conclusion: PD approach demonstrated considerable improvements in safe disposal of child's feces in rural settings. Further, to sustain the behavior change, frequent reinforcement of key messages at frequent intervals needs to be emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: The increasing number of mental disorders causes various problems, so treatment and rehabilitation programs are needed to increase adaptability and prevent recurrences in the community. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study used a quasiexperimental method with a pre-post test between the intervention and control groups. Effects of horticultural therapy on self-esteem were analysed using paired t-tests. RESULTS: The results showed a significant difference in the self-esteem scores of patients with mental disorders before and after treatment in the intervention group with horticultural therapy (p-value of 0.00). CONCLUSION: A significant difference exists in the self-esteem scores of patients with mental disorders before and after treatment in the intervention group given horticultural therapy marked. The participants in the study had various mental disorders, including schizophrenia and depression. Both schizophrenia and depression are associated with symptoms of low self-esteem. Horticultural therapy positively enhances self-esteem regardless of specific mental disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored whether incorporating specific research activities into the syllabus could develop the research self-efficacy of a group of English language student teachers in Vietnam who belong to a demographic group currently underrepresented in self-efficacy literature. It investigated whether the students in the experimental group exhibited higher self-efficacy scores and achieved better research performance after the treatment. Additionally, it explored the correlation between self-efficacy and research performance and examined the perceived effects of the treatment on self-efficacy. The study adopted a quasi-experimental research design and a mixedmethods methodology. The participants of this study were 90 student teachers divided into a control group and an experimental group. Pre- and post-questionnaires and weekly reflective journal entries were used as data tools. Students’ research proposal scores were used to compare their research performance. The findings indicated that including research activities enhanced students’ research self-efficacy in the experimental group. These students exhibited a stronger sense of research selfefficacy and performed better than those in the control group. The development of self-efficacy through the four sources of self-efficacy was confirmed. The study’s findings are informative to designing, refining, and optimising future programmes/interventions that facilitate the effects of research experiences, knowledge, and skills on undergraduates’ research self-efficacy beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Interventions involving diet, physical activity, and breathing exercises are shown to be beneficial in managing both fatigue and quality of life (QoL) related to MS; however, the impact of such interventions among people newly diagnosed with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) or relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who decline disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) is unknown. Methods: A 12-month prospective quasi-experimental non-inferiority trial recruited people newly diagnosed with CIS or RRMS who voluntarily declined DMTs (health behavior group; HB, n = 29) or followed standard of care (SOC, n = 15). Participants in the HB group were remotely coached on the study diet, moderate-intensity walking, and breathing exercises. All participants completed questionnaires validated to assess MS symptoms, including perceived mental and physical QoL (MSQOL54); fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale, FSS; and Modified Fatigue Impact Scale, MFIS); mood (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS); and cognitive function (Perceived Deficits Questionnaire, PDQ). Results: During the 12 months, the HB group experienced improvement in scores for mental QoL (MSQOL54 – Mental, 0.24, 95% CI 0.01, 0.47; p = 0.04), fatigue (Total MFIS, − 7.26, 95% CI − 13.3,-1.18; p = 0.02), and perceived cognitive function (Total PDQ, PDQ–Attention, PDQ–Promemory, and PDQ–Planning, p ≤ 0.03 for all). A between-group difference was observed only for PDQ–Planning (p = 0.048). Non-inferiority analysis revealed that the 12-month changes in means for the HB group were not worse than those for the SOC group with respect to fatigue (FSS, p = 0.02), mood (HDS–Anxiety, p = 0.02; HADS–Depression, p < 0.0001), physical QoL (MSQOL54 – Physical, p = 0.02), or cognitive dysfunction (Total PDQ, p = 0.01). Conclusion: The multimodal lifestyle intervention for individuals newly diagnosed with CIS or RRMS, who voluntarily decline DMTs, did not yield patient-reported outcomes worse than those observed in the SOC group regarding perceived mental quality of life, mood, fatigue, and cognitive function. Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT04009005. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) incurs a significant disease burden globally. Organised CRC screening programmes have been widely implemented for early detection and prevention. To understand the public health impact of these programmes, quantitative evidence of changes in overall and age-specific population incidences is fundamental. We aimed to provide such evidence by exploiting a time lag in the implementation of organised screening in Sweden: two out of 21 regions (these two regions comprise nearly 20% of the total Swedish population) have offered organised screening since 2008; the other regions have offered CRC screening since 2021. Using registry data on diagnosed CRC cases and socio-demographics for all regions in Sweden over the period 1970–2019, Bayesian structural time series modelling and difference-in-differences were applied to analyse the impact of screening on age-specific population incidences over time (CRC cases per 100.000 persons/year). After inviting birth-year cohorts aged 60–69 years for stool-based testing, the incidence rate in the 70–74-year age group decreased significantly over time, with an average reduction of − 44·40 (95% CI − 58·15 to − 31·31) from 2011 to 2019 in the intervention regions. In the overall population aged 60–74 years, there was a net incidence decrease of − 7·99 (95% CI − 13·85 to − 2·39) since the initiation of organised screening in the intervention regions (2008–2019). Organised CRC screening for 60–69-year-olds generated a change in age-specific incidence patterns with a long-lasting incidence decrease in the 70–74-year-old population, implying reductions in the excess mortality and burden of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research evaluated video-based instruction in PATHFIT 1 and muscle fitness in the University of Cebu Main Campus for the Academic Year 2021-2022 to propose enhancement of the video-based instructional material. The respondents were 70 students in two sections of PATHFIT 1. The study investigated students' performance using Video-Based Material in teaching muscular fitness exercises, their perceived level of encountered problems, and whether there is a significant difference between students' performance using video-based instructional material and traditional teaching material. The findings showed that the students' performance who use the video-based material enhances the students' performance. The acceptability level of the video-based instructional material revealed that students strongly agreed on learning processes. However, there is no significant relationship between the variables. Thus, it is recommended that the enhanced Video-Based Instructional Material in Teaching Muscle Fitness Exercises be implemented in the school, especially in teaching exercises in PATHFIT 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Simulation-based education enhances fundamental and clinical knowledge, procedural abilities, teamwork, and communication skills, as well as quality of care and patient safety. Due to excessive clinical loads and a lack of physicians, even classic teaching methods like bedside instruction are constrained in low-income settings. Thus, this study aimed to ascertain if simulation-based cesarean section education successfully raises non-physician clinician midwives' competency in Ethiopia. Methods: A quasi-experimental study design triangulated with a qualitative design was implemented. Sixty Masters Clinical Midwifery students (29 intervention and 31 control) were taken in 5 universities. Three questionnaires (knowledge, confidence levels, and skills) were used. Qualitative data was also collected from 14 participants. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted. P < 0.05 was used for statistical significance. A difference-in-difference with a 95% confidence level was employed to control the potential confounders for knowledge and self-confidence. Multiple linear regression was fitted to identify the independent effect of simulation-based education interventions while controlling for other variables. Thematic analysis was performed using MAXQDA 2020. Result: The age of the respondents varies from 24 to 34 years, with the control group's mean age being 28.8 (± 2.3) years and the intervention group's mean age being 27.2 (± 2.01) years. The intervention and control groups' pre-intervention and post-intervention knowledge scores showed a statistically significant difference. There was a substantial increase in self-confidence mean scores in both the intervention and control groups and between the pre-intervention and post-intervention periods in both the intervention and control groups. Furthermore, there was a substantial improvement in cesarean section skills in the intervention group as compared to the control group (59.6 (3.3) vs. 51.5 (4.8). The qualitative findings supported these. Conclusions: The study showed that simulation-based education improved students' procedural knowledge, self-confidence, and skills. As a result, professional care teams can create simulation-based teaching packages to help students prepare for their residency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Difficulty in adherence to treatment and self-care behaviours is a leading cause of preventable readmission in people with chronic heart failure (CHF). Although there is evidence of benefits of health coaching for the management of this situation, few interventions have been tested in the hospital setting. To evaluate a coaching programme (H-Coaching) designed to develop nursing capacity in health coaching for chronic heart failure inpatients. A quasi-experimental pre–post study including all nurses in a single centre cardiology ward (N = 19). The intervention consisted of two training packages: (1) five theoretical-practical sessions on health-coaching competencies, emotional intelligence, communication and support of chronic heart failure patients in their illness in the hospital setting; and (2) training sessions seven months after the first training package to reinforce the theoretical and practical knowledge. On four occasions, the Competence Instrument of Health Education for the Nursing professional was used to measure nurses' knowledge, skills and attitudes in health coaching for chronic heart failure patients. The difference between the preintervention and postintervention scores were statistically significant for knowledge [mean difference = 1.00 (95% CI −1.45 to −0.51; p = 0.000)], skills in general [mean difference = 0.50 (95% CI −1.41 to −0.21; p = 0.015)] and personal/social skills [mean difference = 1.00 (95% CI −1.10 to −0.01; p = 0.048)]. While attitudinal and affective domains did not differ, there were differences in knowledge and skills. The H-Coaching programme proved to be effective for building nursing capacity in health coaching CHF inpatients. Similar programmes designed to improve knowledge in verbal and nonverbal communication techniques, and skills for coaching interventions adapted to meet the needs of individual patients, should be tested in future interventional experimental studies. NCT05300880 To our knowledge, this is the first nursing training intervention in health coaching for chronic heart failure the inpatient setting. This study has demonstrate improvements in both the knowledge and personal and social skills of cardiology nurses with regard to the development of health coaching in a hospital setting. Given the study design, further research is warranted. Many patients with chronic heart failure have problems in adhering to the treatment and self-care behaviours and this is one of the main causes of preventable readmission. To promote self-care, patients need to be empowered to integrate these habits into their daily lives and we should implement innovative strategies to achieve this. Health coaching is an ideal alternative to this but very few nurses in the hospital cardiology setting are experienced in health coaching. Our study has shown preliminary results demonstrating that a structured theoretical and practical training programme for nurses can improve nurses' knowledge and skills in health coaching for inpatient patients with chronic heart failure. This study provides an opportunity for future research to demonstrate whether nurses with this training have a positive impact on the health outcomes of chronic heart failure patients and, more specifically, on their levels of self-care and empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statistical reasoning (SR) is an essential skill for students in studying statistics. This study aims to develop SR for university students through an appropriately designed course in statistics. Employing a quasi-experimental design, this study evaluated students' SR changes as they participated in a research-informed statistics course, designed to integrate statistical reasoning. The results showed that the course helps students improve their SR, with their scores increased by 23% from the pre-test to the post-test. Specifically, the SR scores on measures of central tendency of the experimental class increased by 8%; while the SR scores on the measures of variability of the experimental class increased by 34%. Suggestions about curriculum and teaching are included, such as offering opportunities for statistical investigations with real data; going deeper into building and understanding formulas; and training lecturers to teach statistics using approaches that are different from traditional teaching methods, as well as evaluating students' statistical learning with reliable tools.

Abstract Background Cardiac Arrest (CA) is one of the leading causes of death, either inside or outside hospitals. Recently, the use of creative teaching strategies, such as simulation, has gained popularity in Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) instruction. This study aimed to assess the effect of High-Fidelity Simulation (HFS) training on nursing students’ self-efficacy, attitude, and anxiety in the context of Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS). Methodology The study design is quasi-experimental employing a pre-test and post-test approach during April and May 2023. A convenient sample of 60 undergraduate nursing students in a 4-year class from a nursing college at the Arab American University/ Palestine (AAUP) participated in this study. The data were analyzed using a paired sample t-test in SPSS program version 26. Three data collection tools were used pre- and post-intervention; the Resuscitation Self-Efficacy Scale (RSES), The Attitudinal instrument, and the State Anxiety Inventory (SAI). Results The total number of nursing students was 60, out of them (56.7%) were female, while the mean age was (22.2) years. Improvements were seen in all four domains of self-efficacy following HFS training: recognition, debriefing, recording, responding and rescuing, and reporting. (t (59) = 26.80, p

Minimal guidance or maximal independence? How can teachers achieve that complex balance when teaching mathematics? This pre-and post-test quasi-experimental research study explored the above questions in Grade 10 Financial Mathematics following guided discovery and mathematical modelling frameworks. Fifty-four (54) Grade 10 students at a Government High School in Johannesburg, South Africa, participated in the study. One group of students was taught following guided discovery and modelling learning principles and another group was taught following direct instruction. Students mean scores were compared at the end of the intervention. The main findings revealed that although the overall performance in the post-test was similar in both groups, there was a significant difference in understanding the concept of compound interest in the guided discovery learning group. The research highlights the promise of guided discovery learning and modelling approach over direct instruction, especially on supporting the understanding of difficult concepts in financial mathematics.