The Promise of Inclusion for Female Student Health

Despite extensive inclusion and diversity initiatives, females do not feel valued or included and still report higher stress, discrimination and microaggressions than males. Cumulative effects of social devaluation on health were examined for students at a STEM University. A sample of 292 undergraduates were asked about daily and chronic experiences of inclusion using surveys assessing personal perceived stress and subtle and overt social devaluation. Females reported significantly higher microaggressions and perceived stress, associated with lower physical and mental health. Females in high social devaluation (SD) reported lower total well-being (TWB) across several domains. An exploratory factor analyses examined factor loadings on perceptions of devaluation and extracted three factors; results showed that females and males perceive the poor treatments for markedly different reasons. Stress, low sense of control, objectification, and lack of positive exemplars varied by sex. These data suggest persistent implicit biases remain entrenched for females in STEM. This was unexpected since multiple early inclusion interventions exist. Inclusion initiatives may need to be reviewed specifically to address implicit attitudes and internalized acquiescence, training female students to explicitly interface with such experiences

Effects of Positive Regard and Induced Social Stress on Cognitive Function: A Psychophysiological Perspective

Background: Stress has repeatedly been shown to have detrimental effects on cognitive ability. This has specific implications within the medical field given findings that physicians with a biomedical epistemology face greater stress than their biopsychosocial counterparts in the face of uncertainty. Objective: The current study examined how induced stress affected participants’ cognitive abilities when prompted with positive or stoic regard, as well as observing possible intersecting factors that could affect this relationship. It was hypothesized that participants receiving positive regard during the stressor would have less impaired cognitive ability compared to participants receiving stoic regard. Furthermore, it was expected that the stoic condition would display increased arousal. Methods: Effects were measured using heart rate measurements, a mood pre-appraisal, and a timed backwards counting task as a measure of cognitive ability. Measurements were taken at three points during the study: at baseline, following the stressor, and post-debriefing. Stress was induced using the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Preliminary Results: Effects of condition on cognitive ability were approaching significance (p = .09) based on gender. Males matched expectations by performing better when receiving positive feedback, but female participants performed better only when receiving stoic feedback. Female participants also reported significantly lower positive mood at baseline (p \u3c .05). Participants in the stoic condition also matched expectations of approaching significance (p = .07) for increased arousal (increased heart rate) in response to the stressor when compared to the positive condition. Conclusion: The effect of regard on cognitive ability was dependent on gender. It is possible that female participants performed worse in the positive feedback condition due to increased sensitivity to perceived insincere compliments of cognitive ability. This effect could be amplified by females’ reported lower positive mood. Much still needs to be studied about the intersectionality of factors related to stress and cognition

A How-To Guide for Student Generated Video

The type of assessment used by the instructor is a major consideration that must be taken into account when designing a third level course. The importance of assessment can be understood if one frames it not only as assessment of learning but also as assessment for learning. In this new framework, in addition to measuring students’ knowledge of the material, assessment can be thought of as a tool used for providing feedback, for defining academic standards, and for directing student learning (Harris, 2005). There is currently a movement calling for a shift away from traditional high-stakes assessment towards alternative assessment practices based on the increasingly diverse student population, constructivist learning theory, and the need for more authentic evaluations of student performance (Anderson, 1998). Within this trend, it is important to consider the potential of technology. The use of student-generated videos as assessment tools can be one way to incorporate technology into the classroom when taking a blended learning approach. This can increase student motivation, improve attitudes and learning behaviors, and increase learning performance. Generating videos is a move from passive to active learning. This project aimed to produce a how-to guide for the creation of video assignments within a specific module. We intend this guide to serve as a resource for lectures to aid the students when using this innovative assessment method. The graphic nature of the resource makes it easy to follow and student-centred, especially when compared to existing resources which tend to be text-based and more difficult to follow. In addition, it is our hope that our guide can encourage uniformity, be reusable, and provide a clear process that students can follow when taking on video assessments

Nutrition, Behavior Change and Physical Activity Outcomes From the PEARS RCT—An mHealth-Supported, Lifestyle Intervention Among Pregnant Women With Overweight and Obesity

Background: Diet quality and physical activity positively impact pregnancy outcomes among women with obesity, but successful lifestyle interventions require intense clinician time. We aimed to investigate the impact of a behavioral-lifestyle intervention (PEARS) supported by a smartphone app among pregnant women with overweight and obesity, on nutrient intake, behavioral stage-of-change and physical activity. Methods: Pregnant women (BMI 25–39.9 kg/m2, measured, n = 565) were randomized at 15.6 weeks\u27 gestation to the intervention (n = 278), or a control group (n = 287) (ISRCTN29316280). The intervention was grounded in behavior-change theory. Participants received nutrition (low glycaemic index and healthy eating) and exercise advice, a smartphone app and fortnightly emails. The control group received usual care which does not include dietary advice. At baseline and 28 weeks\u27 gestation, dietary data were obtained through 3-day food diaries (n = 290 matched), and stage-of-change and physical activity data were self-reported. App usage data were collected. Results: There were no differences between the groups at baseline. Compared with the control group, the intervention group had improved dietary intakes post-intervention with; lower glycaemic index (MD −1.75); free sugars (%TE) (MD −0.98); fat (%TE) (MD −1.80); and sodium (mg) (MD −183.49). Physical activity (MET-minutes/week) was higher in the intervention group post-intervention (MD 141.4; 95% CI 62.9, 219.9). The proportion of participants at “maintenance” stage-of-change for physical activity was higher in the intervention group (56.3 vs. 31.2%). App use was associated with lower glycaemic index and less energy from free sugars, but not with physical activity. Conclusion: A behavioral-lifestyle intervention in pregnancy supported by a smartphone app improved dietary intakes, physical activity, and motivation to engage in exercise

An Observational Analysis of Meal Patterns in Overweight and Obese Pregnancy

Background Nutrient intakes are known to be poorer among pregnant women with raised body mass index (BMI) than those with a healthy BMI. While meal patterns have the potential to influence obstetric, metabolic and anthropometric measures for mother and infant, limited data exists regarding meal patterns among pregnant women with raised BMI. Aim To identify categories of meal patterns among pregnant women with overweight and obesity and determine whether patterns change with advancing gestation. To determine if maternal meal patterns are associated with dietary intakes and pregnancy outcomes. Methods Prospective, observational analysis of pregnant women (n = 143) (BMI 25–39.9 kg/m2). Meal pattern data were analysed from 3-day food diaries at 16 and 28 weeks’ gestation. Outcomes include maternal blood glucose, insulin resistance, gestational diabetes, gestational weight gain and infant anthropometry. Results Three meal pattern categories were identified: ‘main meal dominant’ (3 main eating occasions + 0–3 snacks), ‘large meal dominant’ (≤ 2 main eating occasions + \u3c 2 snacks), and ‘snack dominant’ (3 main eating occasions + \u3e 3 snacks and ≤2main + ≥ 2 snacks). A main meal–dominant pattern prevailed at 16 weeks’ (85.3%) and a snack-dominant pattern at 28 weeks’ (68.5%). Dietary glycaemic index was lower among the main meal versus large meal–dominant pattern at 28 weeks (P = 0.018). Infant birth weight (kg) and macrosomia were highest among participants with a large meal–dominant pattern at 28 weeks (P = 0.030 and P = 0.008, respectively). Conclusion Women with raised BMI changed eating patterns as pregnancy progressed, moving from main meal–dominant to snack-dominant patterns. Large meal–dominant meal patterns in later pregnancy were associated with higher glycaemic index and greater prevalence of macrosomia

Nexus of Despair: A Network Analysis of Suicidal Ideation among Veterans

The objective of this study was to estimate a network model of risk and resilience factors of suicidal ideation among veterans. Two network models of suicidal ideation among Operation Iraqi Freedom/ Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation New Dawn veterans (N = 276) incorporated key disorders, traumatic stress, and resilience constructs to contextualize suicidal ideation. Childhood trauma was positively connected with suicidal ideation and harassment and inversely connected with social support and distress tolerance. This exemplifies long-lasting associations between childhood trauma and revictimization, emotion regulation, and ability to form supportive social relationships. A subsequent model including lower-order facets indicated that combat trauma was predominantly associated with posttraumatic stress disorder–intrusion symptoms. This study highlights the importance of addressing both risk and resilience to reduce suicide risk among veterans and increases understanding of factors that contribute to suicidal ideation

PTSD Symptoms and Alcohol-Related Problems among Veterans: Temporal Associations and Vulnerability

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with elevated risk of both alcohol use disorder (AUD) and related conduct problems, which are associated with behavioral and emotional dysregulation. We conducted an intensive longitudinal burst design study with 10 weeks of experience sampling over the course of 1.5 years with 250 veterans of recent conflicts. We tested time-series models of daily associations between posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), alcohol dependence syndrome, and conduct problems. Exacerbations of PTSS predicted higher dependence syndrome and conduct problems the next day. This effect was significant after controlling for both concurrent (i.e., same-day) associations between drinking and the outcomes as well as the strength of associations between the outcomes from one day to the next (i.e., autoregression). Affect lability and disinhibition were hypothesized vulnerability factors increasing the strength of within-person predictors of dependence syndrome and conduct problems. Lability and disinhibition were associated with greater dependence syndrome symptoms and conduct problems over the follow-up period. Consistent with expectation, lability rather than disinhibition increased the association between drinking and dependence syndrome as well as the strength of association between dependence syndrome symptoms from one day to the next. Moderating effects of disinhibition in the conduct problems model were not significant. Importantly, results indicated reciprocal associations over time. Lability potentiated the association between dependence syndrome symptoms and next-day PTSS, whereas disinhibition potentiated the association between conduct problems and next-day PTSS. Results demonstrate complex dynamic associations between PTSS, AUD symptoms, and conduct problems over time indicative of broad regulatory impairments

Manual / Issue 1 / Hand in Hand

Manual, a journal about art and its making. Hand in Hand. The inaugural issue of The Manual, a twice-yearly publication by the RISD Museum. The theme of this first issue is “hand in hand,” a phrase first recorded in the 16th century. Its early usage described the clasping of palm to palm, but the term has since come to encompass more than this literal meaning. To be hand in hand is also to be connected, joined, concurrent, well matched. Thumb through these pages to find rigorous, imaginative musings as artists and academics make solid contact, gesture wildly, and put their fingers on the pulse of new ideas. In your grasp, an open invitation to explore objects and materials, and the meanings and makings of things. Softcover, 48 pages. Published 2013 by the RISD Museum. Proceeds from RISD Museum publications support the work of the museum. Manual 1 (Hand in Hand) contributors include Sheila Bonde, Robert Brinkerhoff, Kate Irvin, James McShane, Maureen C. O’Brien, and Elizabeth A. Williams.https://digitalcommons.risd.edu/risdmuseum_journals/1000/thumbnail.jp