Chronic health conditions and adolescent friendships: perspectives from social network analysis

Objective: The current study uses methods from social network analysis to examine the relationship between chronic health conditions (CHCs) and adolescent friendships. Particular attention is given to the processes of peer marginalization, peer withdrawal and homophily related to CHCs. Methods: Exponential random graph models were used to investigate the extent to which a CHC is associated with patterns in adolescent friendship connections, while controlling for important social network properties and covariates. The study uses cross-sectional data from six small US high schools (n = 461) within the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. Results: Findings demonstrate no significant differences between adolescents with CHCs and adolescents without CHCs in the number of incoming friendship nominations (peer marginalization) or outgoing friendship nominations (peer withdrawal). In addition, similarity in CHCs (homophily) was not significantly related to friendship between two individuals. Conclusions: In sum, the presence of an adolescent CHC was not significantly associated with adolescent social network structure, including peer marginalization, peer withdrawal, and homophily related to CHCs, after controlling for alternative social network processes. Although previous literature suggests that adolescents with CHCs experience negative social consequences, the current findings demonstrate that the social network structure of adolescents with CHCs did not differ significantly from that of their peers without CHCs. Thus, findings from the current study suggest that CHCs are not related to objective reductions in social connections

Implementing a Current Research Information System (CRIS) in Canada

The practice of research information management (RIM) is becoming more important as the research environment becomes increasingly complex, competitive and globalized. National mandates and requirements of national funding agencies regarding open access and research data management are creating added incentives for universities to showcase their publications and make them available in an open access format. Libraries are well situated to offer expertise throughout the adoption of a research information management system by a university. In aligning themselves with the wider strategic plans of the institution, libraries can use this as a platform to further their own goals and communicate their value and place in the institution by championing open access, ensuring discoverability and supporting the researcher endeavour. Dalhousie University is in the process of implementing a Research Information System (RIS) with the goal of providing a number of benefits to the university and its researchers. RIS serve to aid researchers when applying to funding agencies by creating consistent, standardized CVs, decrease workload when generating annual reports, increase the visibility and discoverability of an institution to potential collaborators and research contacts, augment the research currently being performed at an institution and make it more widely available, and manage and measure the research impact of individual researchers and institutions. While some challenges exist at Dalhousie that require mitigation and attention, the institution stands to benefit greatly from the implementation of this system

Discourses of HR : towards an emergent model of HR strategy formulation and implementation

This study uses a social constructivist epistemology and a compatible methodology to look at models of HR in three disparate organisational contexts: a British public sector organisation, an entrepreneurial European private sector company in high growth mode, and the Asian operation of the same company in the lead up to a major acquisition, providing an opportunity to examine an organisation in a time of considerable change and upheaval. The study originated in a dissatisfaction with the ability of current models of HR to explain the diversity of approaches to HR found in organisations, most notably theories of SHRM, best practice and best fit approaches and contextually based HR. It attempts to develop a new descriptive research model of HR which incorporates the discrete RBV and neo-institutional frameworks of HR into a flexible model which can explain the operation of HR in a variety of organisations. The social constructivist perspective allows the model to take a view of strategy formulation and implementation which gives weight to the profound influence of the actors on HR strategy and its deployment. The conclusion of this study is that a viable descriptive research model can be produced, which utilises contextually based HR as a diagnostic, but gives substantial weight to the influence of the organisational actors. Further research is, however, required in order to fully test the model and resolve several areas about which the projects in this study raised questions.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Inter-step Height Variation of Stairways and Observations of Fall-related Events

INTRODUCTION: Variation in step height within a stairway could negatively impact safe stairway negotiation by decreasing step height predictability, and consequently, increasing stair users’ fall risk. Unfortunately, inter-stairway step height variability is common, particularly in older stairways, but its impact may be lessened by highlighting steps’ edges using high-contrast stripes on the top front edge of each step. Such contrast enhancement may draw greater attention to the steps’ edges and potentially enhance the precision of the edge’s estimated location. PURPOSE: To determine (1) if fall-related events are associated with greater inter-step height variation, and (2) if such fall-related events are reduced in the presence of contrast enhanced step edges compared to a control stairway. METHODS: Stair users were video recorded on two public stairways in a university building. One stairway had black vinyl strips applied to the step’s edges and black-and-white vertical stripes on the last and top steps’ faces. The stairway with striping was switched halfway through data collection. Each stair user recorded was coded for whether they experienced a fall-related event. RESULTS: Each flight of stairs had varying inter-step height (e.g., 14 mm for both West and East lower, 12 mm for the West upper, and 5 mm for the East upper). The flights that had 14 mm in inter-step height variation were associated with 80% of the fall-related events observed. 13 of 16 (81%) fall-related events occurred on the control stairway (no striping) compared to 3 of 16 (19%) on the high-contrast striping stairway. A Monte Carlo simulation was used to predict the probability of the distribution of fall-related events given our hypotheses. The distribution of fall-related events we observed between conditions likely did not occur by chance, P = 0.0358. CONCLUSION: These data support that a vision-based strategy (i.e., striping) may counteract fall-risk associated with high inter-step height variability. While the mechanisms of its action remain unclear, the high-contrast striping appears to have a positive impact on the incidence of fall-related events in the presence of high inter-step height variability

Losing Ground: Awareness of Congenital Cytomegalovirus in the United States

One in 150 infants is born with cytomegalovirus (CMV) and one in 750 will have lifelong disabilities due to CMV. Even though congenital CMV is the leading viral cause of congenital disabilities and the leading non-genetic cause of childhood hearing loss, most adults have never heard of it. Data from the 2015 and 2016 HealthStylesTM surveys were analyzed and compared to data from similar studies and show an awareness rate of 7% for US adults (5% for men and 9% for women), a statistically significant decrease from 2005 and 2010 studies. Predictors of awareness include gender and education level. The presence of a child ages 0-5 in the household does not increase the chance that an adult in the household is aware of CMV. CMV presents a large public health burden and further research needs to be focused on awareness and prevention of the negative sequela associated with congenital CMV

Utah College Sexual Behavior Survey: Initial Findings Report

The purpose of the Utah College Sexual Behavior project was to establish the reliability and validity of the retrospective measures used in the survey and gain a better understanding of the sexual behaviors of Utah youth by asking Utah State University (USU) students about their sexual behaviors as youth

Moderators and Predictors in a Parent Hearing Aid Management eHealth Program

Objective: Consistent hearing-aid use is essential for spoken language development of children who are hard of hearing. A recent randomized controlled trial of an eHealth hearing aid management education program found the intervention increased knowledge, perceptions, confidence, and device monitoring among parents of young children. Yet, it is not known which variables can be a point of emphasis to improve treatment outcomes. The purpose of this study was to investigate potential moderators and predictors in the eHealth program. Design: Randomized controlled trial Study Sample: Parents (N=78) of children (42 months or younger) were randomized to the intervention or treatment-as-usual (TAU) group. Results: Results revealed that high psychological inflexibility, low parent activation, and low hours of hearing aid use may moderate device monitoring frequency and knowledge; parents in the intervention improved over time compared to the TAU group. Psychological inflexibility and parent activation also predicted treatment outcomes. Conclusion: The findings suggest the need to address parent psychological inflexibility related to hearing loss management, parents’ role in their child’s hearing aid management, and reported hours of hearing aid use as part of hearing aid service delivery. Identification of barriers to hearing aid management can assist audiologists in adjusting support to improve outcomes

The effects of dyad reading and text difficulty on third-graders’ reading achievement

This study replicated, with modifications, previous research of dyad reading using texts at various levels of difficulty (Morgan, 1997). The current project measured the effects of using above–grade-level texts on reading achievement and sought to determine the influences of dyad reading on both lead and assisted readers. Results indicate that weaker readers, using texts at two, three, and four grade levels above their instructional levels with the assistance of lead readers, outscored both proficient and less proficient students in the control group across multiple measures of reading achievement. However, the gains made by assisted readers were not significantly different relative to the various text levels. When all assessments were considered, assisted readers reading texts two grade levels above their instructional levels showed the most robust gains in oral reading fluency and comprehension. Lead readers also benefited from dyad reading and continued their respective reading developmental trajectories across measures

Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Measurement Invariance of the Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire-Body Image in a Clinical Eating Disorder Sample

Individuals with eating disorders (EDs) may be particularly susceptible to body image related cognitive fusion(i.e., excessive entanglement with one’s body image related thoughts such that they unduly influence on behavior). The Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire-Body Image (CFQ-BI) is the only existing measure of this construct, yet its psychometric properties have not been examined within a clinically diagnosed ED sample. The current study used confirmatory factor analysis and explored measurement invariance, construct validity, and incremental validity of the CFQ-BI when used with adolescent (n = 75) and adult (n= 100) females admitting to residential ED treatment. A modified version of the single-factor structure of the CFQ-BI best fit the data and configural, metric, and scalar in variance were supported across age groups (i.e., adolescents or adults) and ED behavioral presentations (i.e., restrictive behaviors or binge/purge behaviors). Adults’ and individuals with binge/purge behavioral presentations reported significantly more body image related fusion compared to adolescents and adults, respectively. Body image related psychological flexibility and ED severity were both significantly correlated CFQ-BI scores in expected directions.These findings suggest the CFQ-BI is a valid measure for assessing body image related fusion among adolescent and adult females with varying ED behavioral presentations. Implications and future research directions are discussed