100 research outputs found

    Measuring the effectiveness of virtual training : a systematic review

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    The amount of research on virtual reality learning tools increases with time. Despite the diverse environments and theoretical foundations, enough data have been accumulated in recent years to provide a systematic review of the methods used. We pose ten questions concerning the methodological aspects of these studies. We performed a search in three databases according to the PRISMA guidelines and evaluated several characteristics, with particular emphasis on researchers' methodological decisions. We found an increase over time in the number of studies on the effectiveness of VR-based learning. We also identified shortcomings related to how the duration and number of training sessions are reported. We believe that these two factors could affect the effectiveness of VR-based training. Furthermore, when using the Kirkpatrick model, a significant imbalance can be observed in favor of outcomes from the ‘Reaction’ and ‘Learning’ levels compared to the ‘Behavior’ and ‘Results’ levels. The last of these was not used in any of the 330 reviewed studies. These results highlight the importance of research on the effectiveness of VR training. Taking into account the identified methodological shortcomings will allow for more significant research on this topic in the future

    Health Literacy and Cardiovascular Disease: Fundamental Relevance to Primary and Secondary Prevention: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

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    Health literacy is the degree to which individuals are able to access and process basic health information and services and thereby participate in health-related decisions. Limited health literacy is highly prevalent in the United States and is strongly associated with patient morbidity, mortality, healthcare use, and costs. The objectives of this American Heart Association scientific statement are (1) to summarize the relevance of health literacy to cardiovascular health; (2) to present the adverse associations of health literacy with cardiovascular risk factors, conditions, and treatments; (3) to suggest strategies that address barriers imposed by limited health literacy on the management and prevention of cardiovascular disease; (4) to demonstrate the contributions of health literacy to health disparities, given its association with social determinants of health; and (5) to propose future directions for how health literacy can be integrated into the American Heart Association's mandate to advance cardiovascular treatment and research, thereby improving patient care and public health. Inadequate health literacy is a barrier to the American Heart Association meeting its 2020 Impact Goals, and this statement articulates the rationale to anticipate and address the adverse cardiovascular effects associated with health literacy

    Effects of Chairwork in Individual Psychotherapy: A Meta-Analytic and Systematic Review

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    Purpose: The present study aims to examine (1) the unique effects of chairwork on emotional process and distal outcomes across treatments in the context of individual psychotherapy, and (2) how these effects compare to those of other treatment interventions. Method: Based on the appropriateness of the data available, non-parametric within-group meta-analyses, parametric between-group meta-analyses, and narrative syntheses were conducted. Study 1: Noticeable improvements in resolution (d = 1.20) and symptom change (d = .96) are shown to emerge after a single-session of chairwork. Symptom change becomes increasingly more pronounced in multisession treatments (d = 1.42). Meanwhile, improvements in self-compassion/esteem seem to be less clear. Study 2: Single session chairwork were found to be more effective in deepening client experiencing (g = .88) and sequential transformation, but similarly effective in facilitating emotional arousal as other interventions. Improvements in resolution and symptom change after a single session of chairwork may be comparable to other interventions (g = -.02). However, when chairwork was used over multiple sessions, it accumulates a meaningful effect (g = .39) compared to treatments that did not use chairwork, with therapeutic orientation emerging as a potential moderator. Additional Syntheses: Notwithstanding its evocative nature, clients identify many components of chairwork as helpful in creating therapeutic change. Furthermore, the use of physical chairs offers a slight advantage in therapeutic gains but is not imperative for the intervention. Meanwhile the imaginal component of chairwork was identified as a crucial role in emotional processing. Conclusion: Incorporating chairwork into single-session and multisession treatments may bolster process and distal outcomes

    The clinical effectiveness of individual behaviour change interventions to reduce risky sexual behaviour after a negative human immunodeficiency virus test in men who have sex with men: systematic and realist reviews and intervention development

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    Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) experience significant inequalities in health and well-being. They are the group in the UK at the highest risk of acquiring a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Guidance relating to both HIV infection prevention, in general, and individual-level behaviour change interventions, in particular, is very limited. Objectives: To conduct an evidence synthesis of the clinical effectiveness of behaviour change interventions to reduce risky sexual behaviour among MSM after a negative HIV infection test. To identify effective components within interventions in reducing HIV risk-related behaviours and develop a candidate intervention. To host expert events addressing the implementation and optimisation of a candidate intervention. Data sources: All major electronic databases (British Education Index, BioMed Central, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, EMBASE, Educational Resource Index and Abstracts, Health and Medical Complete, MEDLINE, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, PubMed and Social Science Citation Index) were searched between January 2000 and December 2014. Review methods: A systematic review of the clinical effectiveness of individual behaviour change interventions was conducted. Interventions were examined using the behaviour change technique (BCT) taxonomy, theory coding assessment, mode of delivery and proximity to HIV infection testing. Data were summarised in narrative review and, when appropriate, meta-analysis was carried out. Supplemental analyses for the development of the candidate intervention focused on post hoc realist review method, the assessment of the sequential delivery and content of intervention components, and the social and historical context of primary studies. Expert panels reviewed the candidate intervention for issues of implementation and optimisation. Results: Overall, trials included in this review (n = 10) demonstrated that individual-level behaviour change interventions are effective in reducing key HIV infection risk-related behaviours. However, there was considerable clinical and methodological heterogeneity among the trials. Exploratory meta-analysis showed a statistically significant reduction in behaviours associated with high risk of HIV transmission (risk ratio 0.75, 95% confidence interval 0.62 to 0.91). Additional stratified analyses suggested that effectiveness may be enhanced through face-to-face contact immediately after testing, and that theory-based content and BCTs drawn from ‘goals and planning’ and ‘identity’ groups are important. All evidence collated in the review was synthesised to develop a candidate intervention. Experts highlighted overall acceptability of the intervention and outlined key ways that the candidate intervention could be optimised to enhance UK implementation. Limitations: There was a limited number of primary studies. All were from outside the UK and were subject to considerable clinical, methodological and statistical heterogeneity. The findings of the meta-analysis must therefore be treated with caution. The lack of detailed intervention manuals limited the assessment of intervention content, delivery and fidelity. Conclusions: Evidence regarding the effectiveness of behaviour change interventions suggests that they are effective in changing behaviour associated with HIV transmission. Exploratory stratified meta-analyses suggested that interventions should be delivered face to face and immediately after testing. There are uncertainties around the generalisability of these findings to the UK setting. However, UK experts found the intervention acceptable and provided ways of optimising the candidate intervention. Future work: There is a need for well-designed, UK-based trials of individual behaviour change interventions that clearly articulate intervention content and demonstrate intervention fidelity

    The Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on Facial Expression Approach/Avoidance in College Students and Faculty with Broad Autism Phenotype

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    Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) has been proposed as an alternative noninvasive therapy for individuals with autism. This study trained brain activity in college students and / or faculty with Broad Autism Phenotype (BAP) while eye tracking data was collected. The purpose of this study was to determine if tDCS training to the frontal lobes could increase approach toward social interactions in adults classified as BAP as demonstrated by eye-tracking measures in response to faces and gaze fixation. The study included 21 total participants recruited from the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) courses / professions at a Regional East Texas University. Participants were classified as BAP+ based on their scores on the Broad Autism Phenotype Questionnaire (BAPQ). Findings revealed statistically significant differences in the participant revisit gaze and a trend in reduction of fixations and in fixation duration increase after tDCS stimulation. Additionally, this study found a moderate correlation between BAPQ scores and revisit revistors and suggested the closer the family member of the BAP+ participant, the higher the BAP score. The results of the current study support the integration of eye tracking to provide early identification and intervention and propagate the importance of clinicians’ and researchers’ focus on the factors that modulate eye tracking measures to reduce symptomology of ASD and BAP as well as other conditions with overlapping brain regions

    Parenting Assessment Manual Software within Forensic Parenting Assessments: A Descriptive Study of Application and Perceived Value

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    Decisions being made within care proceedings can result in potentially life altering outcomes for families whereby children can be separated from their carers and placed for adoption. Judges and magistrates utilising forensic parenting assessments (FPAs) to help make these decisions need to be able to rely on consistently good practices to inform them; however, there are indications that the quality of FPAs can vary with many not meeting forensic guidelines. This study is about Parenting Assessment Manual Software (PAMS) which is a standardised parenting assessment package that can be incorporated into FPAs. It has established a presence in FPAs despite very limited research on its use or value. This mixed methods project administered an online survey (n=54) and telephone interviews (n=11) to practitioners who have incorporated PAMS into their FPAs in order to explore the process and value in doing so. This study found variations in how PAMS was being incorporated into FPAs resulting in the identification of 3 different ways in which PAMS was used; PAMS Informed, Full PAMS and PAMS Plus FPAs. It has also found a full continuum of practitioner opinion on the use of PAMS within FPAs; although most participants preferred to use PAMS than not. Finally, results indicate that there are minimal differences in a PAMS versus a non-PAMS FPA; however, certain types of FPAs using PAMS require the application of better practice guidelines, may take longer than non-PAMS counterparts and possibly include more parent-child observations. This study provides recommendations regarding the implementation of PAMS when it is incorporated into an FPA and develops knowledge around the use of PAMS within FPAs for the consideration of social workers, legal professionals, health practitioners, family support workers and any other interested parties

    EVALUATION OF A DIABETES SELF-MANAGEMENT PROGRAM FOR HISPANICS IN LEXINGTON KENTUCKY: A PILOT STUDY

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    Hispanics are more affected by diabetes than non-Hispanic whites and they tend to experience more severe complications. Research shows that although self-management is poor among ethnic minorities, it is even more so among Hispanics. The “Taking Ownership of Your Diabetes” (TOYD) program has been shown to be successful in helping individuals manage their diabetes. However, no work has been conducted with Hispanic audiences in Kentucky. TOYD program allows individuals to modify lifestyle risks and solve problems related to diabetes management. The program was translated from English to Spanish. Hispanics males and females between ages 19 to 75 years with type 2 diabetes were invited to participate in the study. A one group pretest-posttest design with a six-month follow-up was used in this study. McNemar tests, a paired t-test and Wilcoxon Signed Rank Tests were used for appropriate variables. This pilot study was shown to be effective in helping participants to move through the Stages of Change. This pilot study lasted for three weeks and it was observed that most of these gains were lost at the six-month follow-up time frame. It seems that interventions need to be of longer duration and that follow-up contact must be made with participants

    TĂ€tigkeitsbericht 2007-2008

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    A new integrated model for multitasking during web searching

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    Investigating multitasking information behaviour, particularly while using the web, has become an increasingly important research area. People s reliance on the web to seek and find information has encouraged a number of researchers to investigate the characteristics of information seeking behaviour and the web seeking strategies used. The current research set out to explore multitasking information behaviour while using the web in relation to people s personal characteristics, working memory, and flow (a state where people feel in control and immersed in the task). Also investigated were the effects of pre-determined knowledge about search tasks and the artefact characteristics. In addition, the study also investigated cognitive states (interactions between the user and the system) and cognitive coordination shifts (the way people change their actions to search effectively) while multitasking on the web. The research was exploratory using a mixed method approach. Thirty University students participated; 10 psychologists, 10 accountants and 10 mechanical engineers. The data collection tools used were: pre and post questionnaires, pre-interviews, a working memory test, a flow state scale test, audio-visual data, web search logs, think aloud data, observation, and the critical decision method. Based on the working memory test, the participants were divided into two groups, those with high scores and those with lower scores. Similarly, participants were divided into two groups based on their flow state scale tests. All participants searched information on the web for four topics: two for which they had prior knowledge and two more without prior knowledge. The results revealed that working memory capacity affects multitasking information behaviour during web searching. For example, the participants in the high working memory group and high flow group had a significantly greater number of cognitive coordination and state shifts than the low working memory group and low flow group. Further, the perception of task complexity was related to working memory capacity; those with low memory capacity thought task complexity increased towards the end of tasks for which they had no prior knowledge compared to tasks for which they had prior knowledge. The results also showed that all participants, regardless of their working memory capacity and flow level, had the same the first frequent cognitive coordination and cognitive state sequences: from strategy to topic. In respect of disciplinary differences, accountants rated task complexity at the end of the web seeking procedure to be statistically less significant for information tasks with prior knowledge compared to the participants from the other disciplines. Moreover, multitasking information behaviour characteristics such as the number of queries, web search sessions and opened tabs/windows during searches has been affected by the disciplines. The findings of the research enabled an exploratory integrated model to be created, which illustrates the nature of multitasking information behaviour when using the web. One other contribution of this research was to develop new more specific and closely grounded definitions of task complexity and artefact characteristics). This new research may influence the creation of more effective web search systems by placing more emphasis on our understanding of the complex cognitive mechanisms of multitasking information behaviour when using the web
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