The impact of an adaptive learning environment on students’ classroom related and learning related emotions

One-to-one tuition has often been cited as a more beneficial approach to learning in large classroom environments. However, this is rarely practical in traditional classrooms such as those observed in most universities. The standard approach of one-lecturer-to-many-students can result in bottlenecks where multiple students require support simultaneously, a common occurrence in subjects of a technical nature such as those found in STEM subjects. Students encounter many emotions in the classroom as a result of how and when they receive support. Lecturer bottlenecks and delayed support can result in students having negative emotions. For example, weaker students may feel frustrated or even hopelessness when they fail to make progress on their own or in the case of stronger students, they may feel boredom when they are not sufficiently challenged. This research explores the impact that an adaptive learning environment (ALE), with adaptive content and worksheets, has on academic emotional engagement. It follows a design science approach which consists of three key phases: (1) Problem identification and needs analysis, (2) Design development and implementation and (3) Evaluation. This evaluation phase can further be described as an explanatory sequential mixed methods design. Using the ALE as opposed to traditional approaches, findings showed an overall significant increase in three aspects, namely, in overall academic emotional engagement, classroom academic emotional engagement and learning academic emotional engagement. When viewed from the perspective of separating positive and negative emotions, negative emotions were greater impacted, showing a significant decline in negative academic emotions with a large effect size for those students who used the ALE. This was further explained and supported by the qualitative findings. Finally, the findings help suggest how an ALE can be used in classroom environments. It also includes a discussion on possible limitations and highlighted areas for future research. These are discussed in the conclusion chapter of the thesis

Predicting posttraumatic stress disorder after childbirth

Objective: around 50% of women report symptoms that indicate some aspect of their childbirth experience was 'traumatic', and at least 3.1% meet diagnosis for PTSD six months post partum. Here we aimed to conduct a prospective longitudinal study and examine predictors of birth-related trauma - predictors that included a range of pre-event factors - as a first step in the creation of a screening questionnaire. Method: of the 933 women who completed an assessment in their third trimester, 866 were followed-up at four to six week post partum. Two canonical discriminant function analyses were conducted to ascertain factors associated with experiencing birth as traumatic and, of the women who found the birth traumatic, which factors were associated with those who developed PTSD. Findings: a mix of 16 pre-birth predictor variables and event-specific predictor variables distinguished women who reported symptoms consistent with trauma from those who did not. Fourteen predictor variables distinguished women who went on to develop PTSD from those who did not. Conclusions: anxiety sensitivity to possible birthing problems, breached birthing expectations, and severity of any actual birth problem, predicted those who found the birth traumatic. Prior trauma was the single most important predictive factor of PTSD. Evaluating the utility of brief, cost-effective, and accurate screening for women at risk of developing birth-related PTSD is suggested

The role of perceived social support in crime victimization

Abstract 8 There has been extensive research into social support (SS) and trauma, but there remains a paucit

The risk of secondary traumatic stress in the qualitative transcription process: A research note.

Kiyimba, N. & O'Reilly, M., The risk of secondary traumatic stress in the qualitative transcription process: a research note, Qualitative Research (16:4) pp. 468-476. Copyright © Nikki Kiyimba & Michelle O'Reilly, 2015. Reprinted by permission of SAGE Publications.It is recognised that transcribing is not merely a neutral and mechanical process, but is active and requires careful engagement with the qualitative data. Whether the researcher transcribes their own data or employs professional transcriptionists the process requires repeated listening to participants’ personal narratives. This repetition has a cumulative effect on the transcriptionist and hearing the participants’ personal narratives of a sensitive or distressing nature, can have an emotional impact. However, this potential emotional impact is often not something which is accounted for in the planning stages of research. In this article we critically discuss the importance of considering the effects on transcriptionists who engage with qualitative data

Development of a Measure of Postpartum PTSD: The City Birth Trauma Scale

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects 4% of women after birth yet there are very few questionnaire measures of postpartum PTSD that have been validated in this population. In addition, none of the available questionnaires assess postpartum PTSD in accordance with criteria specified in the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual [DSM-5, (1)]. The City Birth Trauma Scale is a 29-item questionnaire developed to measure birth-related PTSD according to DSM-5 criteria of: stressor criteria (A), symptoms of re-experiencing (B), avoidance (C), negative cognitions and mood (D), and hyperarousal (E), as well as duration of symptoms (F), significant distress or impairment (E), and exclusion criteria or other causes (H). Two additional items from DSM-IV were also included on the basis of evidence suggesting they might be important in this population. The first was criterion A2 that women responded to events during birth with intense fear, helplessness or horror. The second was symptoms of emotional numbing. Items were first reviewed by researchers (n = 9) and postpartum women (n = 8) and revised accordingly. The questionnaire was then completed by 950 women recruited online. Results showed the City Birth Trauma Scale had excellent reliability (Cronbach's α = 0.92) and is easy to understand (Flesch reading score 64.17). Exploratory factor analysis found two factors which together accounted for 56% of the variance: (i) Birth-related symptoms (40.8% variance) and (ii) General symptoms (15.5% variance). PTSD symptoms were highly associated with distress, impaired functioning, and women reporting they wanted treatment (r = 0.50–0.61). Removing DSM-IV A2 criteria only increased births classified as traumatic by 2%. Adding the item on emotional numbing did not change the psychometric properties of the scale. These items were therefore removed. The City Birth Trauma Scale has good psychometric properties and the two symptom clusters identified are consistent with previous research on symptoms of postpartum PTSD. This scale therefore provides a promising measure of PTSD following childbirth that can be used in research and clinical practice. Future research should examine the scale's predictive validity using clinical interviews

Review of phytoplankton monitoring 2005

A national phytoplankton monitoring programme, has been in operation in Ireland since 1986, and fulfils requirements of the EU Council Directive 91/492/EEC. This programme provides an important part of the baseline data in the overall integrated shellfish monitoring programme. The analysis of samples received on a regular basis from a site can provide very important information in assembling a population profile for the area. This helps in crucial decisions, for example in Management Cell Decisions - conducted by representatives from the industry, MI, FSAI and DCMNR - when borderline toxin results are present. Phytoplankton monitoring is also hugely important in the Water Framework Directive, which all EU countries must follow, in developing an index of water quality in Ireland and Europe. The Irish Monitoring programme also gives valuable public health information to County Councils, Environmental Health Officer’s and the public during times of bloom events. This paper provides an overview of phytoplankton sampling, analysis and reporting in 2005. The occurrence of potentially toxic and harmful phytoplankton found in Irish coastal and shelf waters in 2005 is also reviewed and the quality scheme in operation is described

Treating adults with acute stress disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder in general practice: a clinical update

The document attached has been archived with permission from the editor of the Medical Journal of Australia. An external link to the publisher’s copy is included.General practitioners have an important role to play in helping patients after exposure to severe psychological trauma. In the immediate aftermath of trauma, GPs should offer "psychological first aid", which includes monitoring of the patient's mental state, providing general emotional support and information, and encouraging the active use of social support networks, and self-care strategies. Drug treatments should be avoided as a preventive intervention after traumatic exposure; they may be used cautiously in cases of extreme distress that persists. Adults with acute stress disorder (ASD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) should be provided with trauma-focused cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) in addition to in-vivo exposure (confronting avoided situations, people or places in a graded and systematic manner) may also be provided for PTSD. Drug treatments should not normally replace trauma-focused psychological therapy as a first-line treatment for adults with PTSD. If medication is considered for treating PTSD in adults, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants are the first choice. Other new generation antidepressants and older tricyclic antidepressants should be considered as second-line pharmacological options. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors may be considered by mental health specialists for use in people with treatment-resistant symptoms.David Forbes, Mark C Creamer, Andrea J Phelps, Anne-Laure Couineau, John A Cooper, Richard A Bryant, Alexander C McFarlane, Grant J Devilly, Lynda R Matthews and Beverley Raphae

Increasing engagement with an occupational digital stress management program through the use of an online facilitated discussion group: results of a pilot randomised controlled trial.

Introduction Rates of work-related stress, depression and anxiety are high, resulting in reduced work performance and absenteeism. There is evidence that digital mental health interventions delivered in the workplace are an effective way of treating these conditions, but intervention engagement and adherence remain a challenge. Providing guidance can lead to greater engagement and adherence; an online facilitated discussion group may be one way of providing that guidance in a time efficient way. This study compares engagement with a minimally guided digital mental health program (WorkGuru) delivered in the workplace with a discussion group (DG) and without a discussion group (MSG), and with a wait list control (WLC); it was conducted as a pilot phase of a definitive trial. Methods Eighty four individuals with elevated levels of stress from six organisations were recruited to the study and randomised to one of two active conditions (DG or MSG) or a WLC. The program WorkGuru is a CBT based, eight-week stress management intervention that is delivered with minimal guidance from a coach. Data was collected at baseline, post–intervention and at 16-week follow-up via online questionnaires. The primary outcome measure was number of logins. Secondary measures included further engagement measures, and measures of depression, anxiety, stress, comfort and enthusiasm. Quality measures including satisfaction and system usability were also collected. Results A greater number of logins was observed for the DG compared with the MSG; this was a medium between group effect size (d=0.51; 95% CI: -0.04, 1.05). Small to medium effect size differences were found at T2 in favour of the active conditions compared with the control on the DASS subscales depression, anxiety and stress, and the IWP subscales enthusiasm and comfort. This was largely maintained at T3. Satisfaction with the intervention was high with individuals in the MSG reporting greater satisfaction than individuals in the DG. Conclusions This study shows that access to an online facilitated discussion group increases engagement with a minimally supported occupational digital mental health intervention (as defined by the number of logins), but that this doesn’t necessarily result in improved psychological outcomes or increased satisfaction when compared to access to the intervention without the group. Access to the web-based program was associated with lower levels of depression, anxiety and stress and an increase in comfort and enthusiasm post intervention; these changes were largely maintained at follow-up. Trial registration This trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov on March the 18th 2016 NCT02729987 (website link https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02729987?term=NCT02729987&rank=1