How Ordering of Assignments Can Influence Beliefs About the Self and How These Beliefs Can Impact on Student Class Performance

This research examines whether the ordering of the difficulty of exams can influence student beliefs about their academic abilities and the impact of these beliefs on their performance. The ordering of the difficulty of test items has shown to affect performance. Study One (n=91) examined college student differences in reaction to a difficult and an easy exam. Results suggest that the ordering of difficulty of exams may influence self-efficacy of students. Study Two (n = 178) examines whether this self-efficacy (and other beliefs about the self) can impact college student performance on actual exam scores over time. The results of this research suggest that the ordering of difficulty of assignments can affect student’s self-efficacy about the class. It finds that the impact on self-efficacy may affect overall performance early in the class but that this impact may not be long lasting. This is due to the positive evidence received later in the course that may contradict initial low performance and give confidence in the student’s ability to achieve high performance. The results have implications for segments of the student population that may be disproportionately impacted by self-perceptions such as the first generation student. Cette recherche examine dans quelle mesure le classement des examens selon leur difficulté influence les croyances des étudiants par rapport à leurs habiletés académiques d’une part, et l’impact de ces croyances sur leur performance d’autre part. Il a été démontré que le classement des items d’un examen en fonction de leur difficulté a une incidence sur la performance. Étude #1 (n=91) porte sur les différences dans les réactions d’étudiants d’université à un examen difficile et à un examen facile. Les résultats portent à croire que l’ordre de présentation des examens selon leur difficulté peut influencer l’auto-efficacité des étudiants. Étude #2 (n=178) évalue dans quelle mesure cette auto-efficacité (et d’autres croyances relatives à soi) influence, à la longue, la performance aux examens des étudiants universitaires. Les résultats semblent indiquer que la présentation des examens en fonction de leur difficulté peut affecter la perception d’auto-efficacité chez les étudiants et que cet impact peut avoir des incidences sur la performance globale au début du cours mais que celles-ci peuvent être de courte durée. Ce phénomène s’explique par les indications positives qui peuvent venir contredire le faible rendement initial et rehausser la confiance des étudiants en leur capacité de bien réussir. Ces résultats comportent des implications touchant les secteurs de la population estudiantine qui pourraient être affectés de manière disproportionnée par leur image de soi, tels les étudiants de première génération

The state of psychosocial services in cancer care in the United States

Objective In 2009, the APOS commissioned a survey of its members and attendees of the annual meetings in 2008 and 2009. The goal of the survey was to assess the scope of psychosocial support services for cancer patients in the USA. Methods Two hundred thirty‐three individuals (27% response rate) completed the survey, which included questions assessing the extent to which respondents' institutions provided informational and psychosocial support services and conducted screening for psychosocial distress. Results Respondents were primarily psychologists, although oncologists, nurses, social workers, and others were represented, as well. A broad array of informational and support services were endorsed as being provided to cancer patients, both at no charge or for a fee. Respondents identified social workers as the professionals most often providing psychosocial services to cancer patients. Respondents also indicated that most psychosocial services have not been tailored to fit a culturally diverse population. Furthermore, most of the organizations represented in the survey do not routinely screen cancer patients for psychosocial distress. Conclusions A broad range of psychosocial services are provided in cancer treatment settings; however, despite National Comprehensive Cancer Network and Institute of Medicine recommendations, routine screening for distress is not offered in a majority of cancer care organizations. Despite the racial, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity of the US population, most organizations have not adapted their educational materials nor their psychosocial services to meet the needs of a diverse patient population. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/96770/1/pon3057.pd

Associations Between Social Media and Well-Being and Sleep Quality in Medical and Health Professions

This study was conducted to assess associations between social media use and overall well-being and sleep quality in medical and health professions graduate students. A cross-sectional survey was distributed to examine demographic information, social media use, and health behaviors and outcomes. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationships between sleep quality and potential covariates and/or independent variables, while proportional odds regression was performed to analyze potential associations between emotional wellbeing and independent variables. Survey respondents were more likely to have a low or depressed mood if they used social media as a way to help them sleep [odds ratio=2.1, 95% confidence interval = (1.0, 4.2)]. Participants who used social media to help them sleep also had poorer sleep quality than those who did not use social media for that purpose [odds ratio=2.3, 95% confidence interval= (1.1, 4.7)]. In addition, individuals who used social media to obtain health-related advice or information were 2.8 times [95% confidence interval= (1.4, 5.8)] more likely to have poor sleep quality compared to those who did not use social media for health-related advice or information. These study results expound upon the relationship between social media use and health outcomes in medical and graduate students