Chronic Sorrow in Family Members of Addicts: An Investigation of Partners of Addicts and Divorcees to Explore Chronic Sorrow as a Theoretical Understanding of the Experiences of Family Members of Addicts

CHRONIC SORROW IN FAMILY MEMBERS OF ADDICTS: AN INVESTIGATION OF PARTNERS OF ADDICTS AND DIVORCEES TO EXPLORE CHRONIC SORROW AS A THEORETICAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE EXPERIENCES OF FAMILY MEMBERS OF ADDICTS ABSTRACT This study attempted to examine chronic sorrow as a theoretical understanding of the negative psychological symptoms of family members of addicts (FMoAs). Partners of addicts (PoAs) (n = 94) were compared against divorcees (n = 66) for chronic sorrow and codependence. Males (n = 53) and females (n = 107) were also compared for chronic sorrow and codependence. Some hypotheses were supported, such as chronic sorrow increased as codependence increased; female PoAs scored significantly greater than the population mean for chronic sorrow; and male and female divorcee scores were equal to the population mean for chronic sorrow; however some hypotheses were not supported. Additionally, the statistical output appeared to indicate trends among certain groupings of variables: Both codependence and chronic sorrow may have application in a clinical setting for FMoAs, male PoAs consistently scored in the range below female PoAs, codependence was detected in both male divorcee and female PoA subgroups. The clinical application and significance of those findings for future research is explored, such as the influence of a recovery program on negative psychological symptoms of FMoAs. VICTORIA GRACE HARGENRADER MCLAUGHLIN DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY AND COUNSELOR EDUCATION THE COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY IN VIRGINI

Protocol for a systematic review exploring the psychometric properties of self-report health-related quality of life and subjective wellbeing measures used by adolescents with intellectual disabilities

BACKGROUND: Whilst there are studies that have systematically reviewed the psychometric properties of quality of life measures for children and young people with intellectual disabilities, these narrowly focus on disease or health conditions. The objective of this planned systematic review is therefore to collate, summarise, and critically appraise the psychometric properties of self-report health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and subjective wellbeing measures used by adolescents (aged 11-16) with an intellectual disability. METHODS: We designed and registered a study protocol for a systematic review of studies which explores the psychometric properties of self-report HRQoL and subjective wellbeing measures used by adolescents with intellectual disabilities. Electronic databases including PsycINFO, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and ERIC will be searched using predefined search terms to identify relevant studies. Quantitative and mixed-methods studies, and studies published in peer-reviewed journals or grey literature, will be included. Review papers, editorials, and case studies will be excluded. Eligible studies should identify self-report measures which assess HRQoL and subjective wellbeing among adolescents with intellectual disabilities. The methodological quality of the included studies will be assessed by applying the COSMIN Risk of Bias checklist. The quality of the evidence (i.e. the total body of evidence used for the overall ratings on each psychometric property of an instrument) will be evaluated in accordance with the modified GRADE guidelines. DISCUSSION: This systematic review will be among the first to systematically explore the psychometric properties of self-report HRQoL and subjective wellbeing measures used by adolescents with intellectual disabilities. By providing evidence-based knowledge about measures being used in HRQoL and subjective wellbeing research amongst this population, and more importantly how reliable and valid these measures are, the most suitable for use will be identified. Our findings will be of potential interest to clinicians, researchers, and service providers who need information about the methodological quality and the characteristics of measures to make informed decisions about the most reliable and valid tool for a specific purpose. The findings from this study will contribute to the knowledge surrounding available and appropriate measures to use for measuring HRQoL and subjective wellbeing of adolescents with intellectual disabilities, which are necessary to inform intervention development and future health policy. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: The protocol has been registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO). The registration number is CRD42021231697

Involving adolescents with intellectual disability in the adaptation of self-reported subjective well-being measures:participatory research and methodological considerations

BACKGROUND: The measurement of subjective well-being is challenging with samples of adolescents with intellectual disability (ID) given the cognitive and linguistic difficulties they face in comprehending standardised measures, and as such is primarily based on proxy reports. The lack of appropriate tools needs to be addressed so that adolescents with ID can self-report on their own well-being. The current study reports on the use of participatory research methods to adapt and modify two standardised self-report measures of subjective well-being suitable for completion by adolescents with ID. METHOD: Two special schools were recruited for this study. At each school, staff (n = 15) and pupils aged 11-17 years (n = 35) participated. A series of co-design workshops were conducted to adapt two standardised subjective well-being measures: Kidscreen-10 and short-form Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale. RESULTS: Specific aspects for measure adaption were identified: simplifying the item wording and phrasing; inclusion of pictorial communication symbols and visual prompts to represent the meaning of items; changing of tense of questions from past to present; asking questions rather than statements; reducing 5-point Likert scales to 3-point or dichotomous; presenting one item at a time during administration; and developing alternate formats of the survey to ensure inclusivity. CONCLUSIONS: This paper illustrates the value of using participatory research methods when working alongside adolescents with ID and offers methodological, as well as practical, guidance in the context of adapting subjective self-report measures for this target group, serving as a guide to fellow researchers and clinicians interested in modifying or developing self-report measures for adolescents with ID

Sand & Swim Leg

Sand and Swim Leg, is addressing the clinical need of limited options for lower-limb amputees to participate in water activities. We will follow the FDA Medical Device Design Process throughout our two semester course. Initially, we created our team agreement and delegated team roles and responsibilities. Then, we conducted background research on the clinical need, competitive products, and existing patents. After compiling and discussing research amongst our team, we contacted stakeholders that would be affected by our product. Our stakeholders include our below-the-knee amputee client, an above-the-knee amputee, pediatric prosthetists, and our client’s prosthetists. We conducted interviews with our stakeholders to gain perspective on issues, successes, experiences with current prosthetics. Some issues that are present for current solutions include, uncomfortable, lack of ability to enter and exit the water, and expensive. We will follow up the User Needs stage of the process with the Design Input, Design Process, and Design Output. Our end goal for this process is a way for below-the-knee amputees to participate in water activities that is more affordable, functional, and comfortable than current options

No detectable radio emission from the magnetar-like pulsar in Kes 75

The rotation-powered pulsar PSR J1846-0258 in the supernova remnant Kes 75 was recently shown to have exhibited magnetar-like X-ray bursts in mid-2006. Radio emission has not yet been observed from this source, but other magnetar-like sources have exhibited transient radio emission following X-ray bursts. We report on a deep 1.9 GHz radio observation of PSR J1846-0258 with the 100-m Green Bank Telescope in late 2007 designed to search for radio pulsations or bursts from this target. We have also analyzed three shorter serendipitous 1.4 GHz radio observations of the source taken with the 64-m Parkes telescope during the 2006 bursting period. We detected no radio emission from PSR J1846-0258 in either the Green Bank or Parkes datasets. We place an upper limit of 4.9 \mu Jy on coherent pulsed emission from PSR J1846-0258 based on the 2007 November 2 observation, and an upper limit of 27 \mu Jy around the time of the X-ray bursts. Serendipitously, we observed radio pulses from the nearby RRAT J1846-02, and place a 3\sigma confidence level upper limit on its period derivative of 1.7 * 10^{-13}, implying its surface dipole magnetic field is less than 2.6 * 10^{13} G.Comment: 15 pages, 2 figures, submitted to Ap