Low-Tech, Eye-Movement-Accessible AAC and Typical Adults

Low-tech, eye-gaze-accessible augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) options are important for individuals with motor impairments which result in limited voluntary movement, including many diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Available devices include EyeLink, partner-assisted scanning (PAS), and E-tran. The purpose of this study was to examine the rates of use for these devices, the user preferences related to them, and changes in rates and preferences over time. In another ongoing study component, Roman, Quach, Coggiola, and Moore (2010) investigated these devices with pairs of participants that included persons with ALS (PALS) and their communication partners. In this component, seven pairs of typical adults aged 45 or older participated. Over the course of five sessions with each pair, participants were taught to use and practiced use of these three devices. The quickest communication was accomplished through the use of EyeLink, but its rate of use did not differ significantly from that of E-tran. Use of PAS resulted in the slowest communication throughout the sessions. E-tran was the device most preferred by participants overall, and PAS was the least preferred. Through comparison of these results to those of the other study component, which included PALS as participants, the researchers hope to increase the generalizability of the study results and to better understand the ways a diagnosis of ALS may influence results

Reducing Car Use Amongst Older Drivers

Our work comprised a pilot study exploring potential means to support older people to reduce their car use. This group is under-represented in behaviour change research in transport, which often focuses on delaying the take up of driving or other critical stages in the life course such as having children. Indeed, research on older drivers is largely dominated by work exploring the potential negative impacts on their physical and mental health of driving cessation. Nonetheless, given the demands of the climate emergency and the scale of the requirement to reduce car use implied in any credible decarbonisation pathway, all sections of society will have to change their travel behaviour, at least to some extent. It is our contention that research into how this can be achieved for older drivers is not only a necessary component of informing wider car use reduction behaviour change strategies, but also that older age groups have a crucial role to play in signalling the need for change to others

Preliminary checklist of the Cerambycidae, Disteniidae, and Vesperidae (Coleoptera) of Peru

A preliminary checklist of the Cerambycidae, Disteniidae, and Vesperidae (Coleoptera) of Peru is presented. Within Cerambycidae, we record five subfamilies, 55 tribes, 345 genera and subgenera, and 714 species. Within Disteniidae, we record one tribe, six genera, and 11 species. We also record one subfamily, one tribe, one genus, and two species within Vesperidae. Four new country records are recorded: one species in the tribe Anacolini (Cerambycidae: Prioninae): Cycloprionus flavus Tippmann, 1953; and three species in the tribe Onciderini (Cerambycidae: Lamiinae): Cacostola simplex (Pascoe, 1859); Marensis simplex (Bates, 1865); Trachysomus cavigibba Martins, 1975. In addition, 161 species recorded are known only from Peru

Interactions in the classroom : an exploration of existing literature and teachers' perceptions to contribute to a model of understanding

PhD ThesisTeacher‐child interactions have long been documented in psychological theory and research as important within learning. Current policy is increasingly emphasising the achievement of outcomes, and research directly links quality teacher‐child interactions to outcomes. Interactions have been explored in relation to different concepts in the classroom. Engagement is one such concept and associated with different outcomes in research and policy. My systematic review sought to establish the effects of teacher‐child interactions on student engagement. The review revealed an existing model of teacher‐child interactions along with helping clarify ambiguity and variation in the definition and measurement of engagement. To better understand interactions in the classroom I explored the topic from teachers’ perspectives. An enquiry‐based cycle of learning was used to provide teachers with a process that they could adapt for practice. Within this the model of teacher‐child interactions from the systematic review formed an observation aid. Researcher facilitated peer supervision sessions generated the data, which was analysed using a realist grounded theory approach. Findings extended the original model of teacher‐child interactions and included: types of interactions including child‐child, outcomes being enabled by mediating effects such as engagement and a positive learning environment, and contextual factors influencing the balance of interactions. Implications included a greater understanding of the complexity of interactions in the classroom, and Educational Psychologists (EPs) using facilitated peer supervision as a process to support teachers in using one another as a resource in developing their practice

Guideline for UK midwives/health visitors to use with parents of infants at risk of developing childhood overweight/obesity

A guideline for members of the health visiting team to use with parents of infants at risk of overweight/obesity has been developed. The guideline contains recommendations about identification of infants at risk as well as a number of strategies that could be used for prevention of overweight/obesity. The guideline needs to be applied alongside health visitors’ professional judgement. It is not intended to replace normal UK clinical practice which is guided by the Healthy Child Programme and complements existing guidance such as the Framework for Action for tackling obesity

Development of an evidence-based practice guideline for UK public health nurses (health visitors) to use with parents of infants at risk of obesity

Introduction: Evidence about effective interventions that reduce obesity risk during infancy is needed. This project aimed to systematically review published Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) of behavioural and non-behavioural interventions which address potential risk factors for obesity to inform a guideline for UK health visitors. Methods: A multiprofessional Guideline Development Group (GDG) was convened to undertake a systematic review, based on the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines. Findings from the review were used to develop a guideline which was subsequently externally reviewed by national experts and practitioners. Results: We identified 28 RCTs reporting behavioural and non-behavioural interventions delivered during infancy with breastfeeding and/or weight outcomes measured during the first two years of life. A number of on-going studies were also identified. Inclusion criteria for intervention studies included parental breastfeeding intentions and first time parents. Good evidence exists for breastfeeding promotion and support interventions. Evidence exists for parental education around responsive feeding, aspects of infant diet and soothing/sleep expectations. These behavioural components informed the guideline. Despite good evidence that infants fed lower protein formula milk gained less weight compared to milk with higher protein levels, it was not possible to incorporate the evidence from the non-behavioural studies into the guideline. Conclusion: Further research is needed to establish clinically effective interventions for obesity prevention during infancy. Continuous dialogue between commissioners, policy makers, health visitors and parents is essential to ensure existing UK policies are not a barrier to implementing obesity prevention strategies in the first year of life

Validation, optimal threshold determination, and clinical utility of the Infant Risk of Overweight Checklist (IROC) for early prevention of child overweight

Background: Previous research has demonstrated the predictive validity of the Infant Risk of Overweight Checklist (IROC). This study further establishes the predictive accuracy of the IROC using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) and examines the optimal threshold for determining high risk of childhood overweight. Methods: Using the IROC algorithm, we calculated the risk of being overweight, based on International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) criteria, in the first year of life for 980 children in the ALSPAC cohort at 5 years. Discrimination was assessed by the area under the receiver operating curve (AUC c¬¬-statistic). Net reclassification index (NRI) was calculated for risk thresholds ranging from 2.5% to 30% which determine cut-offs for identifying infants at risk of becoming overweight. Results: At five years of age, 12.3% of boys and 19.6% of girls were categorised overweight. Discrimination (AUC c-statistic) ranged from 0.67 (95% CI 0.62 – 0.72) when risk scores were calculated directly to 0.93 (95% CI 0.88 – 0.98) when the algorithm was recalibrated and missing values of the risk factor algorithm were imputed. The NRI showed there were positive gains in reclassification using risk thresholds from 5% to 20%, with the maximum NRI being at 10%. Conclusions: This study confirms the IROC has moderately good validity for assessing overweight risk in infants and offers an optimal threshold for determining high risk. The IROC algorithm has been imbedded into a computer programme for Proactive Assessment of Obesity Risk during Infancy (ProAsk) which facilitates early overweight prevention through communication of risk to parents. http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/chi.2015.024

Editorial: Age-Based Stereotype Threat Effects on Performance Outcomes

Editorial on the Research Topic. Age-Based Stereotype Threat Effects on Performance Outcomes

Systematic review of randomised controlled trials of interventions that aim to reduce the risk, either directly or indirectly, of overweight and obesity in infancy and early childhood

The risk factors for childhood overweight and obesity are known and can be identified antenatally or during infancy, however, the majority of effective interventions are designed for older children. This review identified interventions designed to reduce the risk of overweight/obesity that were delivered antenatally or during the first 2 years of life, with outcomes reported from birth to 7 years of age. Six electronic databases were searched for papers reporting randomised controlled trials of interventions published from January 1990 to September 2013. A total of 35 eligible studies were identified, describing 27 unique trials of which 24 were behavioural and three were non-behavioural. The 24 behavioural trials were categorised by type of intervention: (1) nutritional and/or responsive feeding interventions targeted at parents of infants, which improved feeding practices and had some impact on child weight (n = 12); (2) breastfeeding promotion and lactation support for mothers, which had a positive effect on breastfeeding but not child weight (n = 5); (3) parenting and family lifestyle (n = 4); and (4) maternal health (n = 3) interventions that had some impact on feeding practices but not child weight. The non-behavioural trials comprised interventions manipulating formula milk composition (n = 3). Of these, lower/hydrolysed protein formula milk had a positive effect on weight outcomes. Interventions that aim to improve diet and parental responsiveness to infant cues showed most promise in terms of self-reported behavioural change. Despite the known risk factors, there were very few intervention studies for pregnant women that continue during infancy which should be a priority for future research

Systematic review of randomised controlled trials of interventions that aim to reduce the risk, either directly or indirectly, of overweight and obesity in infancy and early childhood

The risk factors for childhood overweight and obesity are known and can be identified antenatally or during infancy, however, the majority of effective interventions are designed for older children. This review identified interventions designed to reduce the risk of overweight/obesity that were delivered antenatally or during the first 2 years of life, with outcomes reported from birth to 7 years of age. Six electronic databases were searched for papers reporting randomised controlled trials of interventions published from January 1990 to September 2013. A total of 35 eligible studies were identified, describing 27 unique trials of which 24 were behavioural and three were non-behavioural. The 24 behavioural trials were categorised by type of intervention: (1) nutritional and/or responsive feeding interventions targeted at parents of infants, which improved feeding practices and had some impact on child weight (n = 12); (2) breastfeeding promotion and lactation support for mothers, which had a positive effect on breastfeeding but not child weight (n = 5); (3) parenting and family lifestyle (n = 4); and (4) maternal health (n = 3) interventions that had some impact on feeding practices but not child weight. The non-behavioural trials comprised interventions manipulating formula milk composition (n = 3). Of these, lower/hydrolysed protein formula milk had a positive effect on weight outcomes. Interventions that aim to improve diet and parental responsiveness to infant cues showed most promise in terms of self-reported behavioural change. Despite the known risk factors, there were very few intervention studies for pregnant women that continue during infancy which should be a priority for future research