Apprentissage d'une habileté cognitive mesuré à l'aide du test de la Tour de Londres

Le présent mémoire avait pour but de faire la synthèse des connaissances sur l’acquisition d’habiletés cognitives et de développer une nouvelle tâche qui permettrait l’étude des différents processus d’apprentissage impliqués dans ce type de mémoire. Pour ce faire, deux études utilisant deux schèmes expérimentaux différents chez des sujets sains volontaires ont été complétées à l’aide d’une version informatisée de la tâche de la Tour de Londres. Ces études avaient pour objectifs (1) d’examiner le cours de l’apprentissage, par la pratique, d’une nouvelle habileté de résolution de problèmes, (2) de tenter de caractériser les processus qui sous-tendent l’apprentissage de ce type d’habileté et (3) de démontrer qu’un apprentissage spécifique des procédures associées à la résolution de problèmes répétés peut être dissocié d’un apprentissage général des stratégies utilisées pour résoudre cette tâche. Dans l’ensemble, les sujets ont montré une amélioration significative de leur performance avec la pratique suggérant que cette nouvelle version du Test de la Tour de Londres constitue un bon outil pour mesurer l’apprentissage d’une habileté cognitive. Les résultats démontrent également que l’amélioration observée à cette épreuve est associée à une accélération de la phase de réflexion ou de planification au début de chaque essai, ainsi qu'à une mise en place et un contrôle plus efficaces des opérations nécessaires à l’exécution des solutions. Enfin, les résultats révèlent que les sujets ont développé un apprentissage spécifique aux procédures des problèmes répétés, au-delà de l’apprentissage général à la tâche acquis par la pratique à des problèmes différents

Une évaluation de programme à multiples facettes : l’intervention auprès des conjoints violents

Dans une étude sur l'efficacité d'un programme de traitement pour conjoints violents, trois dimensions ont été évaluées, soit l'effet du programme sur l'incidence des comportements de violence (physique, verbale, psychologique et sexuelle), sur l'attitude des participants à l'endroit des rôles des hommes et des femmes et sur l'estime de soi. Les données sur les comportements de violence des hommes ont été recueillies auprès d'eux et de leurs conjointes. Il ressort de cette étude que le programme tend à faire diminuer toutes les formes de violence et son efficacité maximale s'observe au temps « après » du traitement. Par ailleurs, l'efficacité du programme est jugée moins grande lorsque l'on s'appuie sur les déclarations des femmes plutôt que sur celles des hommes. Enfin, l'efficacité varie selon la forme de violence examinée.This article presents the results obtained from a study on the efficiency of a treatment program aimed at violent spouses. More particularly, three dimensions are evaluated, namely the program's effect on the incidence of violent behaviour (physical, verbal, psychological and sexual), on the participant's attitude toward the roles of men and women, as well as on the self-esteem of participants. Data on the violent behaviour of men was collected from them and from their spouses. The study reveals that the program tends to reduce all forms of violence and that its maximum efficiency is mostly noticed in the period following the program. On a different note, the program is less efficient when basing results on women's declarations than on men's. Finally, the program's efficiency varies according to the form of violence observed

La représentation des valeurs des adolescents en relation avec les compétences transversales du renouveau pédagogique

Cette étude fait partie d’un programme de recherche plus global visant à mieux cerner le processus lié au développement des compétences transversales d’ordre personnel et social telles qu’elles apparaissent dans le renouveau pédagogique québécois au secondaire. Les résultats issus d’un questionnaire administré à 573 adolescents révèlent que ceux-ci priorisent les valeurs traditionnelles ou permanentes et considèrent moins importantes les valeurs dites matérialistes. Outre l’influence de certaines variables sociodémographiques dans la représentation des valeurs des adolescents, la discussion fait valoir l’importance d’une explicitation plus formelle des valeurs par les différents groupes d’âges des adolescents pour favoriser la cohérence entre celles qu’ils priorisent et celles inhérentes au développement des compétences transversales Actualiser son potentiel et Coopérer.This study is part of a larger research program whose objective is to better delineate processes related to the development of transversal competencies in the area of personal and social aspects, part of the new Quebec secondary-level curriculum. The results of a questionnaire administered to 573 adolescents show that these students prioritize traditional or permanent values and consider less important those values seen as materialistic. Other than the influence of certain socio-demographic variables on adolescents’ representation of values, the authors point out the need for a more formal explanation of values held by different age groups among adolescents in order to develop a coherence between those that are prioritized and those inherent in the development of transversal competencies: “Actualization of one’s potential and co-operation”.Este estudio forma parte de un programa de investigación más amplio que tiene por propósito definir mejor el proceso ligado al desarrollo de las competencias transversales de orden personal y social tal como aparecen en la renovación pedagógica quebequense en la secundaria. Los resultados procedentes de un cuestionario administrado a 573 adolescentes revelan que éstos priorizan los valores tradicionales o permanentes y consideran menos importantes los valores llamados materialistas. Además de la influencia de algunas variables sociodemográficas en la representación de los valores de los adolescentes, la discusión destaca la importancia de una explicitación más formal de los valores por los diferentes grupos de edad de los adolescentes para favorecer la coherencia entre los que priorizan y los que son inherentes al desarrollo de las competencias transversales Actualizar su potencial y Cooperar

The impact of poor sleep on cognition and activities of daily living after traumatic brain injury : a review

Background/aim : Patients frequently report sleep disrup-tions or insomnia during their hospital stay, particularlyafter a traumatic brain injury (TBI). The consequences ofthese sleep disturbances on everyday activities are not welldocumented and are therefore not considered in the evalu-ation of independence in activities of daily living (ADLs).The goal of this narrative review is to explore the conse-quences of poor sleep quality on cognition and ADLs inthe acute and subacute stages of a moderate and severeTBI, when patients are in acute care or inpatient rehabili-tation.Methods:We will present an overview of normal sleepand its role in cognitive functioning, and then present thefindings of studies that have investigated sleep characteris-tics in hospital settings and the consequences of sleep dis-turbances on ADLs.Results:During hospitalisation, TBI patients presentsevere sleep disturbances such as insomnia and sleepfragmentation, which are probably influenced by both themedical condition and the hospital or rehabilitation environ-ment. Sleep disruption is associated with several cognitivedeficits, including attention, memory and executive func-tion impairments. Poor quality and/or insufficient quantityof sleep in acute TBI probably affect general functioningand ADLs calling for these cognitive functions.Conclusions and Significance:The cognitive impair-ments present following TBI are probably exacerbated bypoor sleep quality and sleep deprivation during hospitali-sation, which in turn impact ADLs among this popula-tion. Health-care personnel should further consider sleepdisturbances among people with TBI and a sleep protocolshould be established

Toward a Framework Understanding of Online Programs for Countering Violent Extremism

There is an emerging consensus that ideologically-based narratives play a central role in encouraging and sustaining radicalization to violence, and that preventing, arresting, or reversing radicalization requires some means by which to address the effects of these narratives. Countering violent extremism (CVE) is a broad umbrella phrase that covers a wide array of approaches that have been advanced to reduce the radicalizing effects of extremist narratives. There is considerably less agreement, however, regarding the most appropriate means by which the mitigation of extremist narratives might best be accomplished. An important emerging area of interest is the role of the Internet, both as a forum through which narratives are transmitted and as an avenue for delivering CVE programs. At present, very little is known about which principles and practices should inform online CVE initiatives. This study attempts to establish a foundation and framework for these programs: first, by identifying the concepts and constructs which may be most relevant to countering violent extremism online, and second, by examining the available material from six online CVE programs in relation to these concepts. This examination suggests that these programs are lacking strong theoretical foundations and do not address important elements of radicalization, such as contextual factors or identity issues. It is important that future iterations of CVE programs consider not just the specific content of the narratives, but also take into account why these narratives have resonance for particular individuals. Author’s Note: The authors wish to thank Public Safety Canada for their generous support of the research on which this article is based. The article has been adapted from material found in, Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, “Assessment of the State of Knowledge: Connections between Research on the Social Psychology of the Internet and Violent Extremism.” The views expressed in the current article only engage the authors

Efficacy of cognitive-behavioural therapy interventions on reducing burden for caregivers of older adults with a neurocognitive disorder : A systematic review and metaanalysis

Background: By 2025, 34 million people worldwide will be living with Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia (i.e., neurocognitive disorders). Symptoms of cognitive disorders include memory deficits and executive deficits; these and other symptoms have functional repercussions on daily activities such as doing chores, taking medication and preparing meals. People with neurocognitive disorders often rely on a caregiver to alleviate the impact of their symptoms, but this help has consequences for the caregiver. Indeed, caregivers report subjective burden, depressive symptoms, stress, anxiety and a lower quality of life than noncaregivers. Multiple cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) trials have been conducted to reduce these symptoms for caregivers, and two meta-analyses have suggested that this method could be beneficial in reducing depressive symptoms. However, no meta-analysis has been conducted to evaluate the efficacy of this type of intervention on reducing subjective burden. Method: Eligibility criteria for the individual studies were determined using the PICOS strategy recommended by the PRISMA Statement. Articles were selected from PsycNet, MEDLINE, AgeLine and ProQuest Dissertation and Theses for the period from 2000 to 2017. Article selection, data extraction and bias analysis for individual studies was completed by two independent authors who used a consensus procedure when discrepancies occurred. The statistics Q, df, p value, I-square and Tau-squared were computed. Standardized effect sizes (Hedges’s g) were also computed for all studies. Result: A total of 20 articles were included in the systematic review. Statistics suggested there was no significant heterogeneity, and a fixed-effect model was used. Ten studies (N = 200 caregivers) evaluated the efficacy of CBT in reducing subjective burden, and the meta-analysis suggested a significant reduction in subjective burden following CBT. Additionally, 17 studies (N = 437 caregivers) evaluated the efficacy of CBT in reducing depressive symptoms, and the meta-analysis revealed a significant reduction for these caregivers following CBT. Conclusion: CBT for caregivers of individuals with a neurocognitive disorder was beneficial in reducing subjective burden and depressive symptoms but had no impact on stress, anxiety or quality of life

Anxiety following mild traumatic brain injury

Purpose/Objective: The goals of the present study were (1) to document the prevalence of anxiety-related disorders and anxiety symptoms at 4, 8, and 12 months post-injury in individuals with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) while considering pre-injury history of anxiety disorders and (2) to verify whether the presence of anxiety in the first months following mTBI was associated with more symptoms present one year after the injury. Research Method/Design: One hundred and twenty participants hospitalized after an accident and having sustained mTBI were assessed at 4, 8, and 12 months post-accident with the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and questionnaires assessing fatigue, irritability, perceived stress, cognitive difficulties, depression, insomnia, and pain. Results: At 4 months, 23.8% of participants presented with at least one anxiety-related disorder compared to 15.2% at 8 months and 11.2% at 12 months. Overall, 32.5% presented with at least one anxiety disorder over the first 12 months post-mTBI. Participants with a history of anxiety (20.5%) were significantly more anxious following their accident. Individuals who were anxious 4 months after the accident presented with more symptoms in different areas 12 months post-injury compared to non-anxious individuals. Conclusions/Implications: The present results highlight that anxiety should be evaluated and managed carefully as it appears to be a key factor in the persistence of other mTBI-related symptom

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults: rapid review

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the lives of countless members of the general population. Older adults are known to experience loneliness, age discrimination, and excessive worry. It is therefore reasonable to anticipate that they would experience greater negative outcomes related to the COVID-19 pandemic given their increased isolation and risk for complications than younger adults. Objective: This study aims to synthesize the existing research on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and associated isolation and protective measures, on older adults. The secondary objective is to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and associated isolation and protective measures, on older adults with Alzheimer disease and related dementias. Methods: A rapid review of the published literature was conducted on October 6, 2020, through a search of 6 online databases to synthesize results from published original studies regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults. The Human Development Model conceptual framework–Disability Creation Process was used to describe and understand interactions between personal factors, environmental factors, and life habits. Methods and results are reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses Statement. Results: A total of 135 records were included from the initial search strategy of 13,452 individual studies. Of these, 113 (83.7%) studies were determined to be of level 4 according to the levels of evidence classification by the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine. The presence of psychological symptoms, exacerbation of ageism, and physical deterioration of aged populations were reported in the included studies. Decreased social life and fewer in-person social interactions reported during the COVID-19 pandemic were occasionally associated with reduced quality of life and increased depression. Difficulties accessing services, sleep disturbances, and a reduction of physical activity were also noted. Conclusions: Our results highlight the need for adequate isolation and protective measures. Older adults represent a heterogeneous group, which could explain the contradictory results found in the literature. Individual, organizational, and institutional strategies should be established to ensure that older adults are able to maintain social contacts, preserve family ties, and maintain the ability to give or receive help during the current pandemic. Future studies should focus on specific consequences and needs of more at-risk older adults to ensure their inclusion, both in public health recommendations and considerations made by policy makers