“Air Rage”: A Systematic review of Research on Disruptive Airline Passenger Behaviour 1985-2020

Purpose: Disruptive airline passenger behaviour (DAPB), i.e. “air rage”, has an adverse impact on crew and passenger well-being and is costly to manage and prevent. Given recent changes in airport management, aircraft design, air traffic volume and behavioural norms this review summaries research findings 1985-2020. Design/methodology: A systematic review of the research literature containing qualitative or quantitative data examining DAPB. Findings: Nineteen articles satisfied the criteria for inclusion. Most studies involved surveys of cabin crew members and to a lesser extent pilots, airline representatives, passengers and business customers. Content primarily focussed on the frequency and characteristics of DAPB, whilst consequences for staff and evaluation of training to manage DAPB was less represented. A paucity of current research was noted which is not in keeping with the changes over the last decade in the aviation industry and the increase in DAPB events. Practical implications: A better understanding of the environmental, social and psychological factors underlying DAPB and the effectiveness of staff training and interventions that promote a safe travel environment are required. Social implications: The current industry trend toward sustainability and better management of security challenges must extend its focus to DAPB, in order to reverse the recent trend of social irresponsibility in air travellers. Originality/value: This study presents a summary of current findings on DAPB.Peer Reviewe

Nonlinear aspects of the EEG during sleep in children

Electroencephalograph (EEG) analysis enables the neuronal behavior of a section of the brain to be examined. If the behavior is nonlinear then nonlinear tools can be used to glean information on brain behavior, and aid in the diagnosis of sleep abnormalities such as obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). In this paper the sleep EEGs of a set of normal and mild OSAS children are evaluated for nonlinear behaviour. We consider how the behaviour of the brain changes with sleep stage and between normal and OSAS children.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figures, 4 table

Relationship between Vascular Resistance and Sympathetic Nerve Fiber Density in Arterial Vessels in Children With Sleep Disordered Breathing

Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Background Sleep disordered breathing in children is associated with increased blood flow velocity and sympathetic overactivity. Sympathetic overactivity results in peripheral vasoconstriction and reduced systemic vascular compliance, which increases blood flow velocity during systole. Augmented blood flow velocity is recognized to promote vascular remodeling. Importantly, increased vascular sympathetic nerve fiber density and innervation in early life plays a key role in the development of early‐onset hypertension in animal models. Examination of sympathetic nerve fiber density of the tonsillar arteries in children undergoing adenotonsillectomy for Sleep disordered breathing will address this question in humans. Methods and Results Thirteen children scheduled for adenotonsillectomy to treat sleep disordered breathing underwent pupillometry, polysomnography, flow‐mediated dilation, resting brachial artery blood flow velocity (velocity time integral), and platelet aggregation. The dorsal lingual artery (tonsil) was stained and immunofluorescence techniques used to determine sympathetic nerve fiber density. Sympathetic nerve fiber density was correlated with increased resting velocity time integral (r=0.63; P<0.05) and a lower Neuronal Pupillary Index (r=−0.71, P<0.01), as well as a slower mean pupillary constriction velocity (mean, r=−0.64; P<0.05). A faster resting velocity time integral was associated with a slower peak pupillary constriction velocity (r=−0.77; P<0.01) and higher platelet aggregation to collagen antigen (r=0.64; P<0.05). Slower mean and peak pupillary constriction velocity were associated with higher platelet aggregation scores (P<0.05; P<0.01, respectively). Conclusions These results indicate that sympathetic activity is associated with change in both the function and structure of systemic vasculature in children with sleep disordered breathing

Rationale for and design of the "POSTA" study: Evaluation of neurocognitive outcomes after immediate adenotonsillectomy compared to watchful waiting in preschool children

Background: IQ deficits are linked to even mild obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) in children. Although OSA is commonly first diagnosed in the pre-school age group, a randomised trial is still needed to assess IQ outcomes after adenotonsillectomy in the pre-school age-group. This randomised control trial (RCT) will primarily determine whether adenotonsillectomy improves IQ compared to no adenotonsillectomy after 12 months, in preschool (3–5 year-old) children with mild to moderate OSA. Methods: This protocol is for an ongoing multi-centred RCT with a recruitment target of 210 subjects (105 in each arm). Children age 3–5 years with symptoms of OSA, are recruited through doctor referral, at the point of referral to the Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) services. Screening is initially with a questionnaire (Paediatric Sleep Questionnaire, PSQ) for symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Where questionnaires are positive (suggestive of OSA) and ENT surgeons recommend them for adenotonsillectomy, they are invited to participate in POSTA. Baseline testing includes neurocognitive testing (IQ and psychometric evaluation with the neuropsychologist blinded to randomisation) and overnight polysomnography (PSG). Where the Obstructive Apnoea-Hypopnea Index (OAHI) from the PSG is <10/h per hour, consent for randomisation is sought; children with severe OSA (OAHI ≥ 10/h) are sent for immediate treatment and excluded from the study. After consent is obtained, participants are randomised to early surgery (within 2 months) or to surgery after a usual wait time of 12 months. Follow-up studies include repeat neurocognitive testing and PSG at 12 (with the waiting list group studied before their surgery) and 24 months after randomisation. Analysis will be by intention to treat. The primary outcome is IQ at 12 months’ follow-up. Discussion: If IQ deficits associated with OSA are reversible 12 months after adenotonsillectomy compared to controls, future clinical practice advise would be to undertake early surgery in young children with OSA. The study could provide data on whether a window of opportunity exists for reversing IQ deficits linked to OSA in the pre-school age-group. Trial registration: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registration Number ACTRN12611000021976.Karen A. Waters, Jasneek Chawla, Margaret-Anne Harris, Carolyn Dakin, Helen Heussler, Robert Black, Alan Cheng, Hannah Burns, John D. Kennedy and Kurt Lushingto

Personality type and the male experience of identity in midlife : implications for counselling and psychotherapy

A better understanding of the role of personality type on the male experience of midlife is thought to be of value when providing counselling and psychotherapy support to men, but to date there are few available resources in this area. Based on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator®, the pilot study compared ten males aged 40-55 years with a preference for Intuitive-Feeling with ten with a Sensing-Thinking preference. The majority of both personality types reported a smooth transition into midlife with several gains including increased life mastery, greater self-awareness and enhanced intimacy in relationships. However, men in the Sensing-Thinking group compared with those in the Intuitive-Feeling group were more likely to have experienced an existential crisis, viewed their self/masculine identity primarily in terms of career/work and were less likely to have experienced increased intimacy with their spouse or partner in midlife. The tentative findings of this pilot study suggest that personality may influence the male experience of midlife

Effect of perceived stress on student performance in dental school

Copyright © 2002 by American Dental Education AssociationAnne E. Sanders, Kurt Lushingto

Personality type and the male experience of career in midlife : research findings

This study highlights the usefulness of personality assessment for employers in helping their employees more effectively manage their careers in midlife. Personality profiling can contribute to the implementation of personality meaningful and relevant career plans that enhance the ongoing growth, development and motivation of an organisation’s human resources. In particular, with the looming departure from the labour market of increasing numbers of ageing baby boomers, proactive career development strategies that acknowledge difference in personality type can assist in retaining and developing midlife employees

Factors associated with foster carer well-being, satisfaction and intention to continue providing out-of-home care

Foster carers have typically been found to play a key role in meeting the needs of foster children, yet little research has investigated their well-being, satisfaction and intention to continue providing out-of-home care. The current study investigated the relationships of child behavioural and emotional problems, parenting self-efficacy and the foster carer-child relationship, to foster carer well-being, satisfaction with fostering and intention to continue providing out-of-home care. Foster carers completed self-report measures of the above factors, as well as, foster carer and child demographics and placement factors. Univariately, foster carer well-being was predicted by foster care training, parenting self-efficacy and the foster carer-child relationship. Similarly, parenting self-efficacy and the foster carer-child relationship were also significantly related to foster carer satisfaction. Intention to continue providing out-of-home care was predicted by parenting self-efficacy. No significant associations were identified when multi-variate analyses were conducted, however. Clinical implications of the results are discussed, including the importance of continuing to refine and evaluate foster care training and interventions aimed to improve the self-efficacy of foster carers. Limitations of the study and directions for future research are also discussed.Foster carer Foster child Child behaviour Well-being Satisfaction with fostering Parenting self-efficacy

Feasibility of a brief, in-patient coping and sleep intervention to reduce potentially preventable readmission of cardiac patients to hospital

Background: Psychological distress is prevalent amongst hospital in-patient and may predispose patients to potentially preventable readmissions after discharge. A particularly vulnerable group are patients with cardiac disorders. This study tested the feasibility of a brief cognitive behavioural therapy consisting of an in-hospital coping session and a post-discharge healthy sleep session. Methods: Standardised questionnaire were used to assess sleep, coping/distress and wellbeing at baseline (pre-intervention) and one-month post-discharge (post-intervention). Treatment fidelity and acceptability were assessed at follow-up. Participants included 72 inpatients admitted with a cardiac disorder or reported to have a cardiac problem whilst in hospital from a single Australian public hospital. Results: Most (83 %) participants found the intervention helpful/very helpful. At baseline prior to admission, almost half of participants (46 %) reported poor wellbeing, 19 % high levels of distress and poor coping, and 47 % sleeping less than 7 h per night. Following the intervention, 45 % of participants with poor wellbeing at baseline had reliable change in wellbeing at follow-up. Conversely, only 22 % of patients with high levels of coping/distress at baseline demonstrated improved coping/distress at follow-up suggesting smaller gains. On average a large 43 min gain in sleep duration was observed post-treatment in patients with poor sleep at baseline. Fourteen percent of participants were readmitted to hospital within 34-days of discharge. Conclusions: The coping and sleep intervention was well received with positive outcomes in patients especially those reporting high levels of distress for sleep and to lesser extent coping and wellbeing. Future studies to assess the efficacy of the brief intervention at reducing hospital readmissions are needed