Group Separation and Classification of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in a University Student Population

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) has gained an increasing amount of attention in the research literature since being included as topic for future research in the DSM-5 (APA, 2013). Currently, two models of NSSI exist, and both place a primacy on the role of the behaviour in regulating negative affect (Chapman et al., 2006; Nock, 2009). Past research has shown that there is considerable heterogeneity in the contextual, functional, and psychiatric profiles of people engaging in this behaviour (Klonsky & Olino, 2008). This underlying heterogeneity likely indicates that distinct sub-populations of people engaging in NSSI exist based on these factors. In the current study, university students were placed into three groups based on the last episode of NSSI (e.g., no history, proximal episode or past year, and distal episode or not within past year) and these groups were separated based on responses to variables covering personality, emotionality, emotion regulation, impulsivity, psychopathology, resiliency, mindfulness, and self-compassion. Results revealed that the NSSI-Proximal year group was best separated from the other two groups by a linear discriminant function conceptualized as compassionate self-care. Higher scores on the function were more indicative of participants in both NSSI groupings. However, results from a MANOVA revealed no significant difference between No NSSI and the NSSI-Distal group on the variables. The results from the study provide additional support for the importance of identifying NSSI sub-groups in order to improvement the prevention and treatment of non-suicidal self-injury

The Efficacy of an Online Cognitive Assessment Tool for Enhancing and Improving Student Academic Outcomes

With technology at the fingertips of most undergraduate students, it has been difficult for instructors to fully engage students in the classroom, which has resulted in the creation of several innovative assessment platforms, such as mTuner. mTuner integrates several cognitive learning strategies within an assessment, with the goal of actually enhancing learning, as opposed to just measuring it. In the current study, students’ level of engagement and performance with mTuner were compared to their final multiple-choice paper and pencil exam mark to determine the efficacy of mTuner in achieving improved learning outcomes. Results indicated that students had high performance scores on the mTuner assessment despite their limited engagement in the cognitive learning features, putting to question mTuner’s facilitation of long-term learning. Implications and future recommendations of mTuner implementation in educational environments are discussed

Analysis of Outcomes in Ischemic vs Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation A Report From the GARFIELD-AF Registry

IMPORTANCE Congestive heart failure (CHF) is commonly associated with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF), and their combination may affect treatment strategies and outcomes