Evaluation of a short message service diary methodology in a nonclinical, naturalistic setting

Particularly suited to repeated measures in naturalistic settings, Short Message Service (SMS) is garnering increasing attention as a viable method of data collection. The current study explored issues of practical importance for the development of this methodology, including factors impacting on attrition and compliance, and participant perception of SMS. Using a business-card-sized questionnaire key, 98 university students were sent prompt SMS messages nightly for a week. Completion and compliance were very high in all participants who responded to at least one prompt SMS; those who responded at least once (n=63) responded to 83 percent of all seven prompts, with 95 percent of responses containing appropriate alphanumeric answers to all questions. However, a time lag between recruitment and participation was associated with a failure to commence the diary study. Participants reported positive perceptions of SMS privacy and convenience

Role of learning material delivered by short message service in addressing to the gaps in the knowledge of nursing personnel related to newborn care by one of the reviewers in a selected neonatal intensive care unit of tertiary care facility

Objectives: The present study was undertaken (i) to evaluate the role of short message service (SMS) in improving the knowledge scores of nurses in the key areas of newborn care (NBC) and (ii) to explore the perception of nurses regarding the delivery of SMS on NBC. Methods: This pre-experimental (one group pre-test post-test) study was conducted on 30 nurses working in a tertiary level neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The effectiveness of SMS delivery in reducing the gaps in the knowledge of nurses related to NBC was measured in terms of gain in knowledge scores using a structured knowledge questionnaire. The perception of nurses toward the delivery of information on NBC using SMS was also assessed on 5 point likert scale. Results: The knowledge scores of nurses improved significantly after the SMS delivery on NBC (pre and post, 9.6±2.2, 17.13±1.2; p<0.005). The nurses’ overall perception about SMS delivery on NBC was good. Conclusion: SMS delivery on NBC has a potential role in updating and refreshing the knowledge of nurses working in NICU

Text messaging as a near synchronous method of remote support in outdoor adventurous settings

In transient outdoor adventurous settings such as expeditions, mobile communication is often used in a safety framework or for support. Text messaging (or SMS: Short Message Service) as a near synchronous method is explored in this non-representational micro-research in a cycling expedition context. This interactive approach is supplemented by telephone conversations and post-experience interviews. The dualistic methodological positioning within a phenomenological and ethnographic approach is situated in an expanding trans-disciplinary mobilities discourse. Text messaging is a valid tool for recording meaning and reflexivity of real, lived experiences in this setting and has application for remote supervisors of outdoor adventures

A Synthesis of E-therapy in Social Work: an Ecological Perspective

The purpose of this research is to explore how empirical studies surrounding e-therapy may affect the social work profession from an ecological perspective. Technology has played an important role in expanding contemporary society’s ability to connect to one another. Currently, there is a significant number of people who are in need of mental health services but do not have access for a variety of reasons such as lack of local resources, financial issues, or simply the stigma surrounding seeking mental health treatment. This review explores eleven quantitative research articles in an effort to determine who is being treated with online therapeutic interventions, why they are being treated, and the outcomes of selected studies. Findings suggest that many aspects of online mental health treatment are being explored at an international level across all mental health professions. Studies conducted in Europe (n=4) tend to focus on adults suffering from general psychological issues, to individuals experiencing chronic addictions. Articles from Australia or New Zealand (n=3) are oriented around addressing young people’s (under 20) psychological concerns and perceptions of mental health treatment as a whole. Clinician’s perspectives are also examined in the remaining articles (n=4). Online mental health services may provide another avenue for the implementation of successful therapeutic interventions. Future research should continue to explore the efficacy of CBT and psychotherapy delivered online, making a conscious effort to repeat Standardized Measurement Tools (SMT)

A Synthesis of E-therapy in Social Work: an Ecological Perspective

The purpose of this research is to explore how empirical studies surrounding e-therapy may affect the social work profession from an ecological perspective. Technology has played an important role in expanding contemporary society\u27s ability to connect to one another. Currently, there is a significant number of people who are in need of mental health services but do not have access for a variety of reasons such as lack of local resources, financial issues, or simply the stigma surrounding seeking mental health treatment. This review explores eleven quantitative research articles in an effort to determine who is being treated with online therapeutic interventions, why they are being treated, and the outcomes of selected studies. Findings suggest that many aspects of online mental health treatment are being explored at an international level across all mental health professions. Studies conducted in Europe (n=4) tend to focus on adults suffering from general psychological issues, to individuals experiencing chronic addictions. Articles from Australia or New Zealand (n=3) are oriented around addressing young people\u27s (under 20) psychological concerns and perceptions of mental health treatment as a whole. Clinician\u27s perspectives are also examined in the remaining articles (n=4). Online mental health services may provide another avenue for the implementation of successful therapeutic interventions. Future research should continue to explore the efficacy of CBT and psychotherapy delivered online, making a conscious effort to repeat Standardized Measurement Tools (SMT)

An exploration of the strengths and weaknesses of using text messaging as a tool for self-report data collection in psychological research

Short Message Service (SMS) has immense potential for self-report data collection because it makes use of mobile phones that people already own, and allows researchers to communicate with participants regardless of physical location. Though interest in the possibilities of SMS as a tool for psychological research is slowly growing, to date, there has been no structured investigation of how this potential may be applied in psychological research. The research within this thesis examined the feasibility of using SMS as a tool for self-report psychological research, focussing on its strengths and weaknesses as a research mode. Across fifteen studies, this was investigated using a mixture of literature review, meta-analysis, surveys, and interviews. Participant samples varied from the broad (general population, university students) to specific (the elderly, the deaf). Strengths of SMS as a tool for self-report psychological research included growing interest in research community; positive perceptions of SMS as a research tool amongst potential sample; prompt responses and high response rate; suitability for frequent repeated sampling; and usefulness as a reminder prompt to support other modes of data collection. Weaknesses included a disconnect between stated willingness to participate and actual participation; response incompleteness; unsuitability for infrequent sampling; and some problems with psychometric equivalence in relation to other research modes like online or paper surveys. This was the first structured evaluation of SMS as a tool for self-report data collection in psychological research. Conclusions are limited by somewhat arbitrary design choices (such as the psychological topic within surveys) made in the absence of guiding background literature. Future research can refine these choices and use the logic presented here to guide further investigation into how SMS performs with more varied samples, different psychological topics, and as part of different research designs. This research has shown that while SMS has great potential as a tool for psychological self-report research, it has a number of weaknesses. Identifying these strengths and weaknesses, and some design choices which may mitigate the weaknesses, will open up possibilities for a wide range of future psychological research

Comparing the effectiveness of thought suppression and cognitive defusion in managing obsessional intrusive thoughts

Background: Cognitive defusion is a core therapeutic process in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT helps clients distance themselves from cognitive content that functions as a barrier to pursuing valued behavioural directions. This systematic review focuses on cognitive defusion techniques that use deliteralisation to try to reduce the literal quality of thoughts and help individuals see them as just thoughts rather than absolute truths. Aims: To synthesise experimental findings regarding the effects of cognitive defusion on distress and believability in experimental laboratory-based component studies. Method: A systematic literature search was conducted in June 2013 using CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsychINFO, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library databases to identify relevant studies. Results: Nine studies met inclusion criteria for review. The majority of studies (i.e. 7) were rated “moderate” in quality, the remaining two were rated “good” and “low”. Cognitive defusion was generally shown to produce superior results to distraction, imaginal exposure, and control conditions, and similar results to cognitive restructuring and thought suppression. The studies reviewed also reported findings about potential moderator variables, namely the use of experiential exercises and the duration of cognitive defusion techniques. Conclusions: Given the promising findings in relation to cognitive defusion and the dearth of research in this area, it would seem that further research into this therapeutic technique is warranted

The Effect of Viewpoint Dependence in Spatial Memory Tasks on Intrusive Memories in Analogue Trauma

Part one of this thesis is a literature review on the use of Imagery Restructuring (IR) within anxiety disorders. Narrative methods were used to synthesise the findings of 18 studies. The review details the range of different IR methodology and revealed IR to be an effective short-term, long-term and preventative technique across different anxiety disorders, reducing anxiety, imagery and memory related symptomology. However, IR could not be established as an effective intervention in isolation with long-term therapeutic effects. Given the heterogeneity of the studies’ methodology, of IR and anxiety pathology, a range of potential mechanisms underpinning IR are theorised. However, underlying mechanisms were not explicitly explored in the studies. Finally, the clinical implications of IR and the limitations of the review are reflected upon before research recommendations are made. Part two is an empirical study which investigates the effect of egocentric and allocentric memory processing on intrusive memory (IM) frequency following exposure to analogue trauma films. Forty five healthy participants were allocated in turn, stratifying for gender to the egocentric or allocentric recognition memory task group or to the control group. Participants who undertook an egocentric memory task experienced significantly fewer intrusive images than the control group (who listened to music). This supports Dual Representation Theory (DRT) – that intrusive memories are underpinned by relatively stronger sensory-perceptual egocentric memory representations and relatively weaker contextualised, allocentric based memory representations. Allocentric memory tasks did not significantly increase or reduce the number of intrusive memories experienced. Theoretical, neurobiological and methodological explanations are offered for these findings. Part three is a critical appraisal which addresses four issues. Firstly, the conceptualisation of intrusive imagery as being transdiagnostic and on a continuum. Secondly, how the project prompted the consideration of PTSD as a construct more broadly. Thirdly, the issue of measuring intrusive memory and considerations for measurement in future research. Finally, two key learning experiences around ethics of trauma designs and the dynamics of working with a research assistant