Moving Beyond the Enduring Dominance of Positivism in Psychological Research: An Australian Perspective

Almost since its inception, the dominant narrative of modern psychology has embraced positivism through its insistence that psychological science is objective, generalisable, and value free (or neutral). Consequently, quantitative research and in particular, experimental designs, are privileged over other forms of enquiry and other epistemologies, methodologies, and methods remain marginalised within the discipline. Alternative epistemologies and methodologies remain predominantly at the margins within psychological research yet have resulted from the growing dissatisfaction with the dominance of positivism. We argue that the enduring hegemony of positivism needs to be opposed to enable psychology to genuinely understand the antecedents of, and provides meaningful sustainable solutions for, complex human issues without being constrained by a narrow focus on method. We discuss how psychology in Australia can move towards embracing methodological and epistemological pluralism and provide a number of suggestions for change across the interrelated areas of accreditation, curriculum, the Australian Psychological Society, and research

The Effect of Goal Setting, Motivation, and Fitness Trackers on Daily Step Counts

Purpose: Wearable devices for tracking health and fitness-related activities are thought to motivate individuals to participate in regular exercise. It has been suggested that personal activity trackers can empower individuals to create and keep fitness goals. Therefore, this research was conducted to examine whether using a fitness tracking device in combination with working towards a given goal, self-reporting daily steps, and receiving motivational emails would increase physical activity. Methods: 44 participants (13 males, 31 females) were recruited and randomized into either an experimental (goal setting) or control group (n=22 per group). Participants reported step counts every day for four weeks using an online form. After the first week of data collection, daily step count averages were calculated and goals were given to participants in the experimental group, by adding 500 steps to their daily average. Participants were notified of this goal and sent motivational emails each week, while participants in the control group were not given a specific goal or motivation. Results: Week one step count averages were similar between groups (8460.9 ± 3329.8 steps for the control group and 8783.6 ± 4317.6 steps for the experimental group). Step counts declined in both groups across the three-week period. The week three average was 7731.8 ± 4231.5 steps for the control group and 7642.1 ± 4208.9 steps for the experimental group. Despite email encouragement in the experimental group, only 40.9 percent met their given goal in week one. By the third week, only 27.3 percent of participants in the experimental group met their goal, missing this goal by an average of 1595.88 ± 3294 steps. Participants reported that the use of these devices encouraged them to participate in physical activity (44.8 percent of the control group and 63.7 percent of the experimental group) despite the declining step count trend observed. 69.6 percent of the control group and 72.7 percent of the experimental group reported that they would continue to wear a fitness tracking device outside of the study. Conclusion: There was no significant difference between experimental and control groups with their adherence to the program and step count levels throughout each week. Both groups on average did not reach the widely accepted recommendation of 10,000 steps per day. Interestingly, the majority of participants reported that they still plan to use a fitness tracking device in the future and consider them to be a piece of motivational technology

Prevalence and Use of Fitness Tracking Devices within a College Community

Purpose: Wearable devices for tracking health and fitness related activities are thought to motivate individuals to participate in regular exercise. The purpose of this study was to examine the frequency of these wearable fitness tracking devices in a college setting. Methods: Students, faculty, administration, and staff of Linfield College were asked to complete a survey that examined the types of fitness tracking devices owned, frequency of use, and application of the device. Results: Of 217 participants surveyed (67 males, 150 females), 29.49% own a fitness tracker, with the most common types being a phone app (46.2% of faculty, staff, and administration) and a specific wearable wrist device (44.7% of students). Step count tracking was the most popularly used feature among all participants (86.8% of students and 96.2% of faculty, staff, and administration). 84% of all participants reported that the device encouraged their participation in physical activity. For those not owning a device (70.51% of participants), lack of interest was the most prevalent reason reported against purchasing a device, followed by expense. Conclusion: Our results suggest that a small percentage of individuals across a college community own fitness tracking devices, despite the fact that they are perceived to encourage physical activity

Deaths of Despair in Ohio: The Changing Landscape of Addiction and Suicides

IMPACT. 1: Growth in deaths of despair at the county-level, relative to other counties in Ohio and the national level. -- 2. Characteristics of counties that are more severely affected, including location, demographics, and industrial and labor landscape. -- 3. Inform policy-makers on growing opioid and overdose crisis in Ohio.OSU PARTNERS: Department of Human Sciences; Family and Consumer Sciences; OSU ExtensionPRIMARY CONTACT: Lauren Jones ([email protected]); Mike Betz ([email protected])We investigate how so-called deaths of despair (including deaths due to drug overdose, alcohol, and suicide) in Ohio have changed from 1999 through 2014. Using data from the CDC, we track patterns and trends at the county level. We also explore the characteristics of communities that have been particularly afflicted, including the demographics and industrial landscape

Exploring the Relationship between Physical Activity and Executive Function in Early Childhood Populations: An Investigation of Maternal Encouragement of Activity

Researchers have found positive associations between physical activity and executive function in adolescence and adulthood. However, research in early childhood has revealed only negative relationships. In the present study, I explored whether maternal encouragement of physical activity might moderate this relationship in very young children. Using video recordings from an archival dataset, eight maternal encouragement measures were derived from mother-child free play sessions. Although it was expected that maternal encouragement of child activity would broadly play a moderating role in the relationship between children’s physical activity and their executive function, only maternal questions seemed to moderate this relationship. One explanation for these overarching null findings is that maternal encouragement of physical activity may not have a moderating effect until later, such as when children are well on their way into language. Future efforts to explore the impacts of physical activity on executive function may benefit from experimental approaches

Back to the floor Friday: evaluation of the impact on the patient experience.

Aim  The aim of the study was to evaluate the Back to the floor Friday (BtfF) initiative, whereby senior nurses returned to the floor, in particular its impact on patient experience and patient care. Background  Propositions were that improvements would result from strengthened visible clinical leadership through monitoring standards, supporting staff, resolving problems, acting as advocates and implementing change. Method  Participatory action research: BtfF population surveyed; five focus groups comprising 20 multi-professional staff; interviews with nine therapists, 45 nurses, one nurse specialist and four patients. Data analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results  Empowerment, learning together, professional networking, communication, championing change and ‘Matron Power’ were positive themes and perceived staff benefits arising from BtfF. Staff provided anecdotal examples of patient benefits but tangible evidence of improvements were more difficult to identify. Conclusions  Long-term evaluation of the impact of BtfF on patients is needed. Nurse specialists, matrons and clinical educators felt that the initiative did not impact significantly on day-to-day roles. Nurses across the workforce needed clarity around propositions behind the change. Implications for nursing management  Enablers to the initiative were supportive line management, senior leadership and peer support. Clarity of purpose is important to drive effective change

Examining facilitators of trust in a pediatric collaborative care model: a qualitative study

Community-based participatory research is an equitable approach to research involving the community in all aspects of the research process to help promote the application of research findings directly to populations. The current study employed a community-based participatory research approach to help identify barriers and facilitators of trust in providers in a collaborative care model of integrated behavioral health at a Federally Qualified Health Center serving mostly Latine children and families called the psychiatry conference. 14 parents and six children were interviewed qualitatively about their experiences with the psychiatry conference and a thematic analysis approach was employed to identify themes related to facilitators of trust in providers. Results found that facilitators of trust included: the primary care provider serving as a bridge to help trusting relationships form between the psychiatrist and families, reciprocal respect between providers and families, and the psychiatrist taking an educational approach. Barriers to trust included: the quality and availability of interpreter services as well as lack of a tailored approach for patients depending on diagnosis. Other factors such as parent-child synchrony and optimism contributed to final reactions to the psychiatry conference as well as retention processes. This study helps to elucidate how to implement a CBPR study in an integrated care setting as well as ways to improve the acceptability of primary care behavioral health services for Latine children and families.Educational Psycholog

A Tactful Conceptualization of Joint Attention: Joint Haptic Attention and Language Development

Research investigating associations between joint attention and language development have thus far only investigated joint attention by way of visual perceptions while neglecting the potential effects of joint attention engaged through other sensory modalities. In the present study, I aimed to investigate the joint attention-language development relationship by investigating the possible links between joint haptic attention and language development, while also exploring the likely contributions of joint visual attention through a mediation analysis. Using video recordings from an archival dataset, measures of joint haptic attention and joint visual attention were derived from behavioral tasks, and measures of vocabulary development were attained from a caregiver reported measure. Analyses revealed that joint haptic attention was associated with joint visual attention, and that joint visual attention was related to language development; however, there were no significant associations between joint haptic attention and language development. Study limitations, future directions, and conclusions are discussed

Chemical Vapour Deposition of Amorphous Ru(P) Thin Films from Ru Trialkylphosphite Hydride Complexes

The ruthenium phosphite hydride complexes H2Ru(P(OR)(3))(4) (R = Me (1), Et (2), Pr-i (3)) were used as CVD precursors for the deposition of films of amorphous ruthenium-phosphorus alloys. The as-deposited films were X-ray amorphous and XPS analysis revealed that they were predominantly comprised of Ru and P in zero oxidation states. XPS analysis also showed the presence of small amounts of oxidized ruthenium and phosphorus. The composition of the films was found to depend on ligand chemistry as well as the deposition conditions. The use of H-2 as the carrier gas had the effect of increasing the relative concentrations of P and O for all films. Annealing films to 700 degrees C under vacuum produced films of polycrystalline hcp Ru while a flowing stream of H-2 resulted in polycrystalline hcp RuP.Welch Foundation F-816Petroleum Research FundAmerican Chemical Society 47014-ACSNSF 0741973Chemistr