United States Elite Youth Tennis Athletes’ Use of Psychological Strategies in Competition

Young athletes are routinely faced with stressors and competitive structures that collegiate and adult athletes face. Psychological skills training (PST) can provide young athletes with strategies and skills to cope with these stressors and ultimately influence sport performance (Vealey, 2007). To date, the only study exploring in-competition experiences of young athletes was with participants between 16 and 18 years of age (Van Raalte, Brewer, Rivera, & Petitpas, 1994). The current study is the first investigation on the in-competition experiences of children and adolescents in sport. Twelve elite young tennis athletes (M[subscript]age = 11.83) who trained within a Player Development program in the Northeastern United States and had been exposed to a PST program participated in this study. Match observations and post-match interviews were used to capture athletes’ match experience and in-competition psychological strategy use. As a result of thematic content analysis (Braun & Clark, 2006), eight themes and 19 subthemes emerged. These eight themes included (a) pre-match feelings, (b) pre-match preparation, (c) competition was used to practice skills and strategies, (d) in-match feelings, (e), in-match use of and rationale for psychological strategies, (f) athletes’ thoughts and behaviors during changeovers, (g) frequency of psychological strategy use, and (h) psychological strategy learning process. Findings support for the notion that early adolescent athletes are capable of understanding their thoughts, focus, and feelings during competitions and are able to use psychological strategies to regulate their emotions and positively influence psychological and physical performance outcomes. In addition, the results of this study provide compelling evidence for the effectiveness of the PST program

Using Plain Language in Evaluation

Blog post to AEA365, a blog sponsored by the American Evaluation Association (AEA) dedicated to highlighting Hot Tips, Cool Tricks, Rad Resources, and Lessons Learned for evaluators. The American Evaluation Association is an international professional association of evaluators devoted to the application and exploration of program evaluation, personnel evaluation, technology, and many other forms of evaluation. Evaluation involves assessing the strengths and weaknesses of programs, policies, personnel, products, and organizations to improve their effectiveness

Developing an Operational Definition of Intellectual Disability for the Purpose of National Health Surveillance

This report summarizes recommendations that were developed to establish a more consistent approach to operationalizing the case definition for the purpose of public health surveillance among adults with intellectual disability in the United States. The approach included consideration of well established conceptual definitions, such as in the International Classification of Disability, Health, and Function (ICF), and the most recent version of the definition established by the American Association on Intellectual Disability (AAIDD). Additionally, the definitions used in current national and state level major data collection efforts, as well as those used in targeted research studies were considered, with a recognition that these sources are likely to remain the foundation upon which a national surveillance system will be built, and that any recommended definition must accommodate or ‘fit over’ those used in current data collection

Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services Medication Review

This presentation by Alixe Bonardi goes over the use of pharmaceutical drugs among adults with developmental disabilities, touching on why adults use drugs, when, and the situations that lead pharmacists to prescribe certain drugs. Presented at the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services (NASDDDS) Reinventing Quality Conference 2012

The Healthy People 2020 Roadmap for Massachusetts Children & Youth with ASD/DD: Understanding Needs and Measuring Outcomes

The Massachusetts Autism Commission 2012 report identified “a critical need to develop a comprehensive statewide approach” to respond to the needs of the rapidly increasing population of people with autism spectrum disorder and developmental disabilities (ASD/DD). In response, UMass Medical School has been conducting a needs assessment to inform efforts to establish a state-level data collection and surveillance plan for systems of services for children and youth with ASD/DD. Although Massachusetts is a resource rich state, through a review of secondary data analysis, key informant interviews, focus groups, and surveys, the needs assessment has identified certain gaps in services and coverage. Selected findings are shared here, though much more exists. Presented at the 2015 AUCD (Association of University Centers on Disabilities) Annual Conference

Moving Beyond Google Translate: What Massachusetts Families from Diverse Cultures Need for Effective Autism Services and Supports

The project team conducted a state needs assessment of children and youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Developmental Disabilities (DD) that aligns with the six MCHB Healthy People 2020 core indicators (i.e., early identification, medical home, access to community-based systems of care, family involvement, transition to adulthood, and insurance). The results will inform state efforts to establish a state-level data collection and surveillance plan for systems of services for children and youth with ASD and DD. Preliminary data from the needs assessment across multiple sources indicate that screening and evaluation for ASD and other DD’s in Massachusetts occur less frequently in non-native English-speaking populations and other minority cultures, demonstrating a need for systemic improvement

Massachusetts Innovative Action to Support those Aging with an Intellectual or Developmental Disability (IDD)

People with an Intellectual or Developmental Disability (IDD) may experience complex age-related issues, including dementia-related disorders, at earlier ages than the general population. To address changing needs, the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services (DDS) formed a multidisciplinary workgroup of disability and aging-related public and private agency partners. The workgroup explored key areas of age-related needs, including end of life care and services; screenings for onset of age-associated changes and conditions; and innovative models and resources to support aging in community settings

Supporting Family Members of Youth in Mental Health Crisis

The Sibling Support Program: A Family-Centered Mental Health Initiative, developed at the E.K. Shriver Center of UMass Medical School, addresses the impact of a youth’s mental health challenges on typically-developing siblings and caregivers. The project is an IRB-approved research study at Cambridge Health Alliance, and the principles of the project have been implemented at three sites in Worcester that provide gradated levels of care, ranging from residential to community-based. Findings show that regardless of the severity of a child’s mental health challenges, as evidenced by the level of care the child receives, family members display a similar need for support. The three sites in Worcester are: Continuing Care Units (CCU) at Worcester Recovery Center & Hospital; the Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (CANDO) at UMass Medical School; and a community collaboration between the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program (McPAP), the Parent/Professional Advocacy League (PPAL), and the department of psychiatry at UMass Medical School. The project aims to increase resiliency and mitigate the trauma commonly experienced by siblings of youth with mental health needs; build skills, competency and confidence among parents; strengthen the family unit; and build capacity among psychiatry trainees. Interventions include psycho-educational groups for caregivers and sibling support groups for children growing up alongside the affected youth. Participants completed surveys following the intervention to report on knowledge learned, satisfaction level, and behavioral change anticipated by the participant. This innovative program utilizes parent mentors and trainees to deliver interventions, with high satisfaction scores among participants. Results suggest that a child’s mental health challenges can be traumatic for family members, and that sharing stories and being introduced to coping skills can help alleviate the stress and anxiety related to living with a child with mental health issues. The program serves as a training elective for psychiatry residents at UMMS