Design and Testing of a Traction/Distraction Knee Brace

A new knee brace design is required to provide non-surgical distraction of the knee joint for extended periods of time. This knee brace needs to apply traction force to the joint directly, rather than indirectly unloading one compartment. In providing such a design, this research had two objectives: 1) to design a lower-leg knee brace that can apply traction load to the knee; and 2) to test prototypes of these lower-leg knee brace components and relate the traction load to wearer discomfort and interface force. The first objective was met through prospective analysis and iterative design. A planar finite element (FE) model of the lower leg was used to analyse the effect of knee brace coverage. It was observed that increasing the coverage of the knee brace may reduce interface pressures and concentrations of force. A lower-leg knee brace was designed responding to this model, using fibreglass casts with embedded fasteners to transfer load. Braces were manufactured in three lengths for testing: 3”, 7”, and a combined (“mixed”) design with components from each. Nine participants were recruited for pilot testing of the lower leg knee brace. A mechanical test frame was built to apply traction load to the participants’ legs through each of the prototype knee braces. The load in the test frame was increased in 3kgf increments as interface force measurements were taken. Participants self-reported their discomfort on an 11-point Likert scale or Numerical Rating Scale (NRS). Results of the pilot study showed significant differences among the brace designs. The 3” design showed higher NRS scores than the 7” and mixed designs by a full NRS step. Graphical profiles of the interface force suggested that this difference may be the result of higher interface forces distributed across the smaller area of the 3” brace. However, no significant correlation between maximum interface force and self-reported pain was found. Parameters characterizing the shape of the participant’s lower legs indicated that leg shape may influence brace effectiveness. This study concluded that a rigid knee brace is indeed a valid design, but a longer knee brace interface is required for the anterior surface of the leg to improve comfort. This length may not be required for the posterior surface. Further, this study demonstrated simple relationships among applied load, interface force, and wearer discomfort. Future work will adapt this design to the upper leg and optimize the design to minimize force concentrations at the joints

An interpretative phenomenological analysis of stress and coping in first year undergraduates

In the UK, changes to the higher education system have increased the range of stressors experienced by students above those traditionally associated with the transition to university. Despite this, there is little qualitative research examining how students experience and cope with the adjustment to university. The experience of the transition was investigated in depth amongst 10 first year UK undergraduates. Purposive sampling resulted in a group with demographics similar to national statistics on UK undergraduates. Semi-structured interviews were used beginning with a content specific vignette to develop rapport. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was utilised to analyse the transcripts and quality checks were implemented to increase the validity of the analysis. Five main themes were identified: all the change, with subthemes of independent living, homesickness, differences between post-compulsory education and university; expectations of university; academic focus with subthemes of self-discipline, motivation, learning from experience; support network with subthemes of establishing a support network, support for coping with problems; and difficulties with subthemes of difficulties experienced with housemates, finances and employment, and academic difficulties. Students used a range of coping strategies. By identifying the role of positive psychological strengths such as optimism, hope, self-efficacy and self-control in coping with stress and facilitating positive adaptation, the study locates positive psychological strengths within a transactional understanding of stress and provides depth and relevance to their role in facilitating adjustment. Such qualitative research is rare in the positive psychology and stress literature. Suggestions for easing the transition are made

Individual differences in cortisol stress response predict increases in voice pitch during exam stress

Despite a long history of empirical research, the potential vocal markers of stress remain unclear. Previous studies examining speech under stress most consistently report an increase in voice pitch (the acoustic correlate of fundamental frequency, F0), however numerous studies have failed to replicate this finding. In the present study we tested the prediction that these inconsistencies are tied to variation in the severity of the stress response, wherein voice changes may be observed predominantly among individuals who show a cortisol stress response (i.e., an increase in free cortisol levels) above a critical threshold. Voice recordings and saliva samples were collected from university psychology students at baseline and again immediately prior to an oral examination. Voice recordings included both read and spontaneous speech, from which we measured mean, minimum, maximum, and the standard deviation in F0. We observed an increase in mean and minimum F0 under stress in both read and spontaneous speech, whereas maximum F0 and its standard deviation showed no systematic changes under stress. Our results confirmed that free cortisol levels increased by an average of 74% (ranging from 0 to 270%) under stress. Critically, increases in cortisol concentrations significantly predicted increases in mean F0 under stress for both speech types, but did not predict variation in F0 at baseline. On average, stress induced increases in voice pitch occurred only when free cortisol levels more than doubled their baseline concentrations. Our results suggest that researchers examining speech under stress should control for individual differences in the magnitude of the stress response

Psychometric properties of Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal for a sample of education majors

Psychometric properties of the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal, Form A, were computed for 135 education majors. Analyses of reliability (internal consistency and split-half) and validity (concurrent and predictive) showed that the scale was reliable and valid measuring critical thinking abilities for students majoring in education. The best predictors of the Educational Psychology course grades were the Inference and Deduction subscale scores

Managing the transition: The role of optimism and self-efficacy for first-year Australian university students

Students making the transition from high school to university often encounter many stressors and new experiences. Many students adjust successfully to university; however, some students do not, often resulting in attrition from the university and mental health issues. The primary aim of the current study was to examine the effects that optimism, self-efficacy, depression, and anxiety have on an individual's life stress and adaptation to university. Eighty-four first-year, full-time students from the Queensland University of Technology (60 female, 24 male) who had entered university straight from high school completed the study. Participants completed a questionnaire assessing their levels of optimism, self-efficacy, depression, anxiety, perceived level of life stress and adaptation to university. In line with predictions, results showed that optimism, depression, and anxiety each had a significant relationship with students’ perceived level of stress. Furthermore, self-efficacy and depression had a significant relationship with adaptation to university. We conclude that students with high levels of optimism and low levels of depression and anxiety will adapt better when making the transition from high school to university. In addition, students with high levels of self-efficacy and low levels of depression will experience less life stress in their commencement year of university. The implications of this study are outlined