Eye-tracking Deaf and hearing viewing of sign language interpreted news broadcasts

In this study, the viewing habits of deaf and hearing adults are investigated using eye tracking while they watched interpreted news broadcasts. The study shows that deaf viewers primarily focus on the interpreter and secondarily access picture material, but make very little use of subtitles or lip-reading. In contrast, hearing viewers prioritise pictorial content but also spend significant proportions of time examining subtitles, lip-reading and even watching the interpreter. Viewing patterns are dependent on pictorial information density rather than comprehension. The study confirms the precedence of the interpreter as primary source for deaf viewers, but also questions the efficiency of subtitling as an alternative information source for deaf viewers if an interpreter is present

Developing a Framework for Understanding the Personal Motivations of Sustainability Leaders

This study explores the initial and sustaining motivations that drive leaders to pursue sustainability as a profession or vocation. Exploratory interviews were conducted with 16 sustainability leaders in the Philippines working in sectors ranging from corporate to social enterprise, NGO, and academia. Findings from thematic analysis reveal significant life experiences that drive initial motivation, how feedback sustains motivation, and the importance of self-awareness and positive psychological factors in starting and sustaining their work or advocacy. A framework for understanding motivations is developed therein, drawing on themes extracted from the interviews, Stern’s Value-Belief-Norm Theory, and Authentic and Transformational Leadership theories. Recommendations are given on how motivation can be instigated and sustained, namely, by cultivating hope and other positive psychological factors, integrating experiential learning to develop awareness, connectedness, and empathy, and creating social support and enabling environments. Further research to develop an instrument for measuring sustainability leadership motivation, one that can inform sustainability education facilitators of the effectiveness of their programs in inspiring participants to take action, is also recommended

A critical investigation of deaf comprehension of signed tv news interpretation

This study investigates factors hampering comprehension of sign language interpretations rendered on South African TV news bulletins in terms of Deaf viewers’ expectancy norms and corpus analysis of authentic interpretations. The research fills a gap in the emerging discipline of Sign Language Interpreting Studies, specifically with reference to corpus studies. The study presents a new model for translation/interpretation evaluation based on the introduction of Grounded Theory (GT) into a reception-oriented model. The research question is addressed holistically in terms of target audience competencies and expectations, aspects of the physical setting, interpreters’ use of language and interpreting choices. The South African Deaf community are incorporated as experts into the assessment process, thereby empirically grounding the research within the socio-dynamic context of the target audience. Triangulation in data collection and analysis was provided by applying multiple mixed data collection methods, namely questionnaires, interviews, eye-tracking and corpus tools. The primary variables identified by the study are the small picture size and use of dialect. Secondary variables identified include inconsistent or inadequate use of non-manual features, incoherent or non-simultaneous mouthing, careless or incorrect sign execution, too fast signing, loss of visibility against skin or clothing, omission of vital elements of sentence structure, adherence to source language structures, meaningless additions, incorrect referencing, oversimplification and violations of Deaf norms of restructuring, information transfer, gatekeeping and third person interpreting. The identification of these factors allows the construction of a series of testable hypotheses, thereby providing a broad platform for further research. Apart from pioneering corpus-driven sign language interpreting research, the study makes significant contributions to present knowledge of evaluative models, interpreting strategies and norms and systems of transcription and annotation.Linguistics and Modern LanguagesThesis (D. Litt.et Phil.) (Linguistics

A Longitudinal, Randomized and Controlled Study of App-Delivered Mindfulness in the Workplace

Introduction: Workplace mindfulness meditation programs are of great interest for improving employee well-being and job performance, fueled in part by the apparent effectiveness of mindfulness meditation as well as by the recent proliferation of mobile mindfulness applications (apps) that can be incorporated into a workplace setting. It is critical to examine the facilitators and barriers to engaging with app-delivered mindfulness in the workplace to understand how biological, psychological, and socio-demographic variables impact practice time. Methods: Using a longitudinal and randomized controlled design, we explored facilitators of and barriers to practicing app-delivered mindfulness in the workplace among predominately non-white call center employees. Mindfulness engagement was operationalized as practice time during a prescriptive study period as well as during the entire 1-year duration of the app subscription. In addition, we made preliminary estimates of the impact of app-delivered mindfulness, compared to wait-list open relaxation, on job performance, negative symptoms, well-being, and social connectedness. Results: Employee C-reactive protein levels were positively correlated with subsequent meditation practice time. Employees who reported wanting to use the app to manage stress were most likely to use it, and women practiced significantly more than men. No other psychological resources were significantly correlated with practice time. Employees randomized to mindfulness had a significant increase in self-reported mindfulness scores, but did not have significant improvements in any other psychological or performance domains. Conclusion: Together these data expand what is known about engagement with, and impact of, mindfulness on a population that is under-represented in the research on mindfulness meditation

Introducing Grounded Theory into translation studies

This article introduces tenets of Grounded Theory into a reception-oriented model for translation studies, in which the basis of comparison (tertium comparationis) between source and target texts is constructed from target audience expectancy norms. The model is primarily designed for projects where conformity to target audience norms plays a large role in the translation’s acceptance. It is not restricted to Translation Studies, but can also be used in Interpreting Studies, as is demonstrated in an evaluation of signed interpretations on South African television news broadcasts.The basic steps of the model comprise the extraction and testing of expectancy norms, the development of a tertium comparationis (TC) using Grounded Theory principles, translation analysis in terms of the TC and evaluation in terms of target audience expectancy norms, and using iterative and mixed-methods triangulated research. Although the model primarily envisages a collaborative, multi-disciplinary effort, it can be also used by individual researchers. Similarly, although primarily intended for reception-oriented evaluation, its principles can be adapted for translation production or evaluation using other norm bases

Impact of App-Delivered Mindfulness Meditation on Functional Connectivity, Mental Health, and Sleep Disturbances Among Physician Assistant Students: Randomized, Wait-list Controlled Pilot Study

BackgroundHealth care provider and trainee burnout results in substantial national and institutional costs and profound social effects. Identifying effective solutions and interventions to cultivate resilience among health care trainees is critical. Although less is known about the mental health needs of physician assistants (PAs) or PA students, accumulating research indicates that they experience similarly alarming rates of burnout, depression, and emotional exhaustion. Mobile app–delivered mindfulness meditation may be an effective part of salubrious programming to bolster long-term resilience and health among PA students. ObjectiveThis study aims to examine the impact of app-delivered mindfulness meditation on self-reported mental health symptoms among PA students. A secondary aim is to investigate changes in brain connectivity to identify neurobiological changes related to changes in mental health symptoms. MethodsWe recruited PA students enrolled in their third semester of PA school and used a longitudinal, randomized, wait-list–controlled design. Participants randomized to the mindfulness group were provided 1-year subscriptions to the 10% Happier app, a consumer-based meditation app, and asked to practice every day for 8 weeks. Before randomization and again after completion of the 8-week program, all participants completed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging as well as self-report assessments of burnout, depression, anxiety, and sleep impairment. App use was acquired as a measure of mindfulness practice time. ResultsPA students randomized to the mindfulness group reported improvements in sleep impairment compared with those randomized to the wait-list control group (ηp2=0.42; P=.01). Sleep impairment decreased significantly in the mindfulness group (19% reduction; P=.006) but not in the control group (1% reduction; P=.71). There were no other significant changes in mental health for those randomized to app-delivered mindfulness. Across all students, changes in sleep impairment were associated with increased resting-state functional connectivity between the medial prefrontal cortex (a component of the default mode network) and the superior temporal gyrus, as well as between areas important for working memory. Changes in connectivity predicted categorical conversion from impaired to nonimpaired sleep in the mindfulness group. ConclusionsThis pilot study is the first to examine app-based mindfulness for PA students’ mental health and investigate the impact of mindfulness on PA students’ brain function. These findings suggest that app-delivered mindfulness may be an effective tool to improve sleep dysfunction and that it may be an important part of the programming necessary to reduce the epidemic of suffering among health profession trainees

Randomized, wait-list–controlled pilot study of app-delivered mindfulness for patients reporting chronic pain

Abstract:. Introduction:. Chronic pain creates economic burden and exerts profound individual and societal harm. Mobile application (app)-delivered mindfulness meditation may be an important approach to self-management of chronic pain. Objectives:. We examined the feasibility, acceptability, and impact of app-delivered mindfulness meditation on pain cognition and daily functioning among patients reporting chronic pain. Methods:. We used a longitudinal, randomized, and wait-list–controlled design (NCT03495726) to evaluate changes in self-reported pain severity, pain catastrophizing, and social and physical functioning among participants randomized to 6 weeks of app-delivered mindfulness meditation, compared with participants randomized to a wait-list control group. Results:. Although most participants randomized to the mindfulness group used the app at least once, fewer than half adhered to the instructed program. Participants who did not use the app scored higher on the helplessness component of pain catastrophizing at the start of the study and were less likely to have completed 4 years of college. Participants who reported feeling pressured to enroll in the study were also less likely to adhere to the intervention. Compared with participants randomized to wait-list, those in the mindfulness group reported significant improvements in social functioning, even after controlling for pain severity. Participants randomized to the mindfulness intervention also reported significant improvements in helplessness. App usage was not significantly correlated with changes in social functioning or helplessness scores. Conclusions:. These results suggest that app-delivered mindfulness meditation is beneficial to patients with chronic pain. Identifying characteristics of patients who were adherent highlights important considerations for clinical settings