Mental health in women experiencing preterm birth

Background: The aim of the study was to explore the degree of psychological distress, anxiety, and trauma related stress reactions in mothers who experience preterm birth. Secondarily, we wanted to identify possible predictors of maternal mental health problems. Methods: Twenty-nine mothers of 35 premature children born before 33rd week of pregnancy were assessed within two weeks after given birth. The standardized psychometric methods; Impact of Event Scale (IES), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and State Anxiety Inventory (STAI) assessed mental health problems. The predictors for maternal distress, anxiety, and trauma related stress reactions were pregnancy variables, preterm delivery, Gestation Age, maternal trait anxiety and parity. In addition, maternal prevalence of mental health problems was assessed by clinical diagnoses. Results Our study revealed a high prevalence (52%) of posttraumatic stress responses in the mothers. Conclusions: Our results suggest an early examination of mothers’ psychological reactions to preterm birth at the maternity ward. An early intervention should be considered while the child still is in the neonatal intensive care unit

Innsatte i norske fengsel: Utdanningskvalitet, læringsstrategier og motivasjon

Denne rapporten bygger på en undersøkelse blant alle innsatte over 18 år i norske fengsel. Hvordan opplever innsatte som tar utdanning i fengsel ulike sider ved utdanningen, undervisningen og egen læring? Undersøkelsen tar for seg 1) hvordan de innsatte evaluerer undervisningstilbudet, 2) ulike vansker de måtte ha med utdanningen, 3) hvilken motivasjon de har for udanning og 4) hvilke læringsstrategier de benytter. To tusen to hundre og femtifem innsette svarte på spørreskjemaet. Dette gir en svarprosent på 71,1 av de som fekk skjemaet 2. – 9. februar 2006. 1509 av disse oppga at de ikke tok utdanning i fengsel. Av de resterende 746 var det 534 som hadde besvart tilstrekkelig på den delen av spørreskjemaet som omhandlet utdanning i fengsel. Nedenfor er de viktigste funn oppsummert.30,1 prosent av deltakerne i undersøkelsen er under opplæring. 55,9 prosent av de som er under opplæring tar videregående opplæring. 45,3 prosent av de som tar videregående opplæring tar allmenne/økonomiske/administrative fag. 42,9 prosent av de som tar videregående opplæring tar yrkesfag. 37,9 prosent oppgir at de har litt eller mye lese- eller skrivevansker. 47,8 prosent oppgir at de har litt eller mye regne- eller matematikkvansker. Det er ingen forskjell i selvrapporterte vansker (lese eller skrive/regne eller <De som tar universitets/høyskolefag oppgir mindre lærevansker og bedre ferdigheter. De som tar ungdomsskole og videregående grunnkurs oppgir større lærevansker og dårligere ferdigheter. Innsatte under utdanning er i gjennomsnitt fornøyd med utdanningskvaliteten.Innsatte under utdanning oppgir at de stort sett ikke synes kravene i utdanningen er for høye eller at vanskelighetsgraden er for stor. Innsatte under utdanning mener at tilgangen på datautstyr (IKT) er for dårlig. 42,5 prosent mener at manglende tilgang på datautstyr (IKT) skaper vansker for utdanningen de nå er i gang med. 33,5 prosent mener at sikkerhetsrutinene i fengsel skaper vansker for utdanningen. 26,0 prosent mener at overføring under soning skaper vansker for utdanningen. Deltakerne i undersøkelsen oppga i gjennomsnitt et høyt nivå av motivasjon i form av ’mestringsforventning’ (’self-efficacy’) og ’verdi’ (at de betraktet utdanningen som verdifull) og et lavt nivå av ’test-angst’. Deltakerne i undersøkelsen oppga i gjennomsnitt et nokså høyt nivå av læringsstrategier. Det var klare sammenhenger mellom motivasjon og bruk av læringsstrategier. De som har stor grad av lærevansker (lese/skrive/regne/matematikk) og dårlige ferdigheter til å lære har svakere motivasjon og dårligere læringsstrategier. De som har liten grad av lærevansker (lese/skrive/regne/matematikk) og gode ferdigheter til å lære har sterkere motivasjon og bedre læringsstrategier. De som vurderer undervisningskvaliteten som god og krav/vanskelighetsgrad som passende har sterkere motivasjon og bedre læringsstrategier. De som vurderer undervisningskvaliteten som dårlig og krav/vanskelighetsgrad som upassende har svakere motivasjon og dårligere læringsstrategier

Enriching the Hierarchical Model of Achievement Motivation: Autonomous and Controlling Reasons Underlying Achievement Goals

Cataloged from PDF version of article.Abstract BACKGROUND: The hierarchical model of achievement motivation presumes that achievement goals channel the achievement motives of need for achievement and fear of failure towards motivational outcomes. Yet, less is known whether autonomous and controlling reasons underlying the pursuit of achievement goals can serve as additional pathways between achievement motives and outcomes. AIMS: We tested whether mastery approach, performance approach, and performance avoidance goals and their underlying autonomous and controlling reasons would jointly explain the relation between achievement motives (i.e., fear of failure and need for achievement) and learning strategies (Study 1). Additionally, we examined whether the autonomous and controlling reasons underlying learners' dominant achievement goal would account for the link between achievement motives and the educational outcomes of learning strategies and cheating (Study 2). SAMPLE: Six hundred and six Greek adolescent students (Mage = 15.05, SD = 1.43) and 435 university students (Mage M = 20.51, SD = 2.80) participated in studies 1 and 2, respectively. METHOD: In both studies, a correlational design was used and the hypotheses were tested via path modelling. RESULTS: Autonomous and controlling reasons underlying the pursuit of achievement goals mediated, respectively, the relation of need for achievement and fear of failure to aspects of learning outcomes. CONCLUSION: Autonomous and controlling reasons underlying achievement goals could further explain learners' functioning in achievement settings

Academic Performance and Behavioral Patterns

Identifying the factors that influence academic performance is an essential part of educational research. Previous studies have documented the importance of personality traits, class attendance, and social network structure. Because most of these analyses were based on a single behavioral aspect and/or small sample sizes, there is currently no quantification of the interplay of these factors. Here, we study the academic performance among a cohort of 538 undergraduate students forming a single, densely connected social network. Our work is based on data collected using smartphones, which the students used as their primary phones for two years. The availability of multi-channel data from a single population allows us to directly compare the explanatory power of individual and social characteristics. We find that the most informative indicators of performance are based on social ties and that network indicators result in better model performance than individual characteristics (including both personality and class attendance). We confirm earlier findings that class attendance is the most important predictor among individual characteristics. Finally, our results suggest the presence of strong homophily and/or peer effects among university students

Multidimensional assessment of Game Transfer Phenomena: Intrusive cognitions, perceptual distortions, hallucinations and dissociations

Game Transfer Phenomena (GTP) refers to a cluster of involuntary phenomena related to playing videogames, including sensory and cognitive intrusions, transient changes in perception and self-agency. The Game Transfer Phenomena Scale (GTPS) has been used to measure the frequency of GTP with respect to five factors. The present study aimed to validate an instrument for assessing the multiple dimensions of GTP (GTP-MDS) that helps clarify the distinction between GTP experiences. GTP were contextualized onto the spectrum of intrusive cognitions, perceptual distortions, and dissociations. The relationship between GTP, involuntary phenomena without game content (INVWG) in terms of, e.g., hallucinations and perceptual distortions, and game-biased perceptions (GBPA), as well as the positive and negative impact of GTP and level of distress were also examined. The data were collected using a survey (N = 1,301, male 83.4%, mean age = 28.14). Separate confirmatory factor analyses of the dimensions of “inner intrusions/misperceptions,” “outer intrusions/distortions,” and “dissociations/mix-ups” produced acceptable fit indices. The findings show that phenomena manifesting as internal experiences are more common, while those manifesting as externalized intrusions are less common. Correlations between the GTP dimensions, INVWG, and GBPA, such as the insertion of game elements in thoughts, perceptions, and dreams, supported convergent validity. The correlations between the GTP dimensions and hours played supported criterion validity. Distress was correlated with outer intrusions and dissociations/mix-ups, but not with inner intrusions. Taken together, these results support the validity and reliability of the proposed assessment of GTP constructs.publishedVersio

Testing the METUX Model in Higher Education: Interface and Task Need–Satisfaction Predict Engagement, Learning, and Well-Being

The main aim of this study is to test the validity of the Motivation, Engagement, and Thriving in User Experience (METUX) model (Peters et al., 2018) in higher education. We propose a process model in which we investigate how the need-satisfaction of digital learning tools within the interface sphere and task sphere accounts for engagement, learning, and well-being. A total of 426 higher education students drawn from two subsamples participated in this cross-sectional study. A structural equation model shows that interface autonomy and competence satisfaction positively predict task autonomy and competence. Task competence, in turn, negatively predicts focused attention and positively predicts perceived usability and well-being. Task autonomy positively predicts perceived usability and reward. Based on our results, we provide some initial support for the METUX model in higher education. However, more validation work is needed to improve the scale that measures need-satisfaction in the interface and task spheres. Moreover, we find no support for the effect of task sphere on learning. Further investigations are needed into how METUX can be used in domain- and situation-specific contexts to account for increases in engagement, learning, and well-being. Finally, future studies need to include all aspects of the METUX model in order to fully test its validity.publishedVersio

Measuring health-related quality of life in young adolescents: Reliability and validity in the Norwegian version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ 4.0 (PedsQL) generic core scales

Background: Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) studies concerning children and adolescents are a growing field of research. The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL™) is considered as a promising HRQOL instrument with the availability of age appropriate versions and parallel forms for both child and parents. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Norwegian translation of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL™) 4.0 generic core scale in a sample of healthy young adolescents. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 425 healthy young adolescents and 237 of their caregivers participating as a proxy. Reliability was assessed by Cronbach's alpha. Construct validity was assessed using exploratory factor analysis and by exploring the intercorrelations between and among the four PedsQL subscales for adolescents and their parents. Results: All the self-report scales and proxy-report scales showed satisfactory reliability with Cronbach's alpha varying between 0.77 and 0.88. Factor analysis showed results comparable with the original version, except for the Physical Health scale. On average, monotrait-multimethod correlations were higher than multitrait-multimethod correlations. Sex differences were noted on the emotional functioning subscale, girls reported lower HRQOL than boys. Conclusion: The Norwegian PedsQL is a valid and reliable generic pediatric health-related Quality of Life measurement that can be recommended for self-reports and proxy-reports for children in the age groups ranging from 13–15 years.© 2006 Reinfjell et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

European consensus meeting of ARM-Net members concerning diagnosis and early management of newborns with anorectal malformations.

The ARM-Net (anorectal malformation network) consortium held a consensus meeting in which the classification of ARM and preoperative workup were evaluated with the aim of improving monitoring of treatment and outcome. The Krickenbeck classification of ARM and preoperative workup suggested by Levitt and Peña, used as a template, were discussed, and a collaborative consensus was achieved. The Krickenbeck classification is appropriate in describing ARM for clinical use. The preoperative workup was slightly modified. In males with a visible fistula, no cross-table lateral X-ray is needed and an anoplasty or (mini-) posterior sagittal anorectoplasty can directly be performed. In females with a small vestibular fistula (Hegar size 5 mm, and in the meantime, gentle painless dilatations can be performed. In both male and female perineal fistula and either a low birth weight (<2,000 g) or severe associated congenital anomalies, prolonged preoperative painless dilatations might be indicated to decrease perioperative morbidity caused by general anesthesia. The Krickenbeck classification is appropriate in describing ARM for clinical use. Some minor modifications to the preoperative workup by Levitt and Peña have been introduced in order to refine terminology and establish a comprehensive preoperative workup

Experiencing fear appeals as a challenge or a threat influences attainment value and academic self-efficacy

© 2015 Elsevier Ltd. Fear appeals are persuasive messages that highlight the negative consequences of a particular course of action. Studies have shown that attainment value and academic self-efficacy predict how fear appeals are appraised. In this study we examined how the appraisal of fear appeals might also influence subsequent attainment value and academic self-efficacy. Self-report data were collected from 1433 students in their final two years of secondary education over three waves. Findings revealed that when students saw fear appeals as a challenge attainment value and academic self-efficacy were higher. When students saw fear appeals as a threat, attainment value and academic self-efficacy were lower. These results highlight the functional importance of how fear appeals are appraised. Challenge and threat appraisals were not mere by products of attainment value or academic self-efficacy but impacted on attainment value and academic self-efficacy; variables that are likely to make a critical impact on educational progress and attainment. We conclude that initial teacher education and teacher professional development programs would benefit from enhanced interpersonal and relational-skills training to enable teachers to judge more effectively how fear appeals are appraised

Terapeutisk allianse i pilotprosjektet ”Rask psykisk helsehjelp”

Master i psykisk helsearbeidHensikt: Psykiske lidelser beskrives som en av våre største helseutfordringer. Angst, depresjon og rusrelaterte lidelser er de lidelsene som rammer flest. Forskning og erfaring tilsier at alliansen er viktig for utfallet av terapien og det tar lang tid å bygge gode og trygge allianser mellom terapeuter og klienter. Formålet med denne studien er å undersøke hvilke forhold som har betydning for allianse i korttidsterapi. Jeg har valgt å ta utgangspunkt i et spesifikt tilbud som er et pilotprosjekt, ”Rask psykisk helsehjelp”. Teoretisk forankring: I denne studien er det lagt vekt på teori og empiri fra flere aspekter som er innvirkning på problemstillingen. Det er beskrevet teori og empiri i forhold til diagnose, fellesfaktorer, kognitiv adferdsterapi, terapeutisk allianse og veiledet selvhjelp. Metode: Fire terapeuter i en bydel som er med i pilotprosjektet ”Rask psykisk helsehjelp” ble intervjuet ved hjelp av et semistrukturert intervju. De ble bedt om å beskrive hvilke forhold som har betydning for alliansebygging i korttidsterapi. Intervjuene ble tatt opp på lydbånd, transkribert og deretter analysert fenomenologisk, ved hjelp av metoden systematisk tekstkondensering. Resultater: Tre hovedkategorier ble identifisert; Prosjektets rammer, pasientens utgangspunkt og terapeutens ferdigheter. Konklusjon: Funn fra studien viser at det er flere forhold som påvirker alliansen i et korttidstilbud. Informantene vektlegger at det er viktig hvilke pasienter som kommer til terapi. Det må være pasienter uten for stor bagasje og alvorlig historikk og som er villige til og evner å jobbe hardt for å oppnå bedring. Informantene sier at CBT som tilnærmingsmåte har aspekter ved seg som påvirker alliansen. Dette fordi metoder og teknikker i CBT gir pasientene konkrete oppgaver å jobbe med, noe som i mange tilfeller fører til at pasientene raskt opplever bedring av symptomene, dette påvirker alliansen på en positiv måte. Informantene er også opptatt av at terapeutene må inneha noen egenskaper for å bygge allianse. Dette er blant annet å vise interesse, vise empati, være ekte og å dele av egne erfaringer. Når disse forholdene er på plass vektlegger ikke informantene den korte tiden de har til rådighet.acceptedVersio