A Web-Based Self-Guided Program to Promote Valued-Living in College Students: A Pilot Study

Web-based programs that focus on values, a core process within acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), may be a promising approach to cultivate positive psychosocial adjustment among undergraduates. The current study tested the usability, acceptability, and receptivity of the Living Your Values (LYV) program, a single-session, web-delivered, self-guided values intervention for undergraduates and its utility to promote valued-living and psychological wellbeing. In an undergraduate sample (N = 133), while the LVY program was deemed moderately usable, acceptability and receptivity findings were more attenuated. At follow-up (n = 98), a significant pre-intervention to follow-up increase in valued-living was evidenced both overall and for leisure/recreation/community/citizenship values. No significant changes in psychological well-being were demonstrated. Further program development considerations are discussed

Social norms information for alcohol misuse in university and college students.

To determine whether social norms interventions reduce alcohol-related negative consequences, alcohol misuse or alcohol consumption when compared with a control (ranging from assessment only/no intervention to other educational or psychosocial interventions) among university and college students. Search methods The following electronic databases were searched up to May 2014: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) (only to March 2008). Reference lists of included studies and review articles were manually searched. Selection criteria Randomised controlled trials or cluster-randomised controlled trials that compared a social normative intervention versus no intervention, alcohol education leaflet or other 'non-normative feedback' alcohol intervention and reported on alcohol consumption or alcohol-related problems in university or college students. Data collection and analysis We used standard methodological procedures as expected by The Cochrane Collaboration. Each outcome was analysed by mode of delivery: mailed normative feedback (MF); Web/computer normative feedback (WF); individual face-to-face normative feedback (IFF); group face-to-face normative feedback (GFF); and normative marketing campaign (MC). Main results A total of 66 studies (43,125 participants) were included in the review, and 59 studies (40,951 participants) in the meta-analyses. Outcomes at 4+ months post intervention were of particular interest to assess when effects were sustained beyond the immediate short term. We have reported pooled effects across delivery modes only for those analyses for which heterogeneity across delivery modes is not substantial (I2 < 50%). Alcohol-related problems at 4+ months: IFF standardised mean difference (SMD) -0.16, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.31 to -0.01 (participants = 1065; studies = 7; moderate quality of evidence), equivalent to a decrease of 1.5 points in the 69-point alcohol problems scale score. No effects were found for WF or MF. Binge drinking at 4+ months: results pooled across delivery modes: SMD -0.06, 95% CI -0.11 to -0.02 (participants = 11,292; studies = 16; moderate quality of evidence), equivalent to 2.7% fewer binge drinkers if 30-day prevalence is 43.9%. Drinking quantity at 4+ months: results pooled across delivery modes: SMD -0.08, 95% CI -0.12 to -0.05 (participants = 20,696; studies = 33; moderate quality of evidence), equivalent to a reduction of 0.9 drinks consumed each week, from a baseline of 13.7 drinks per week. Drinking frequency at 4+ months: WF SMD -0.12, 95% CI -0.18 to -0.05 (participants = 9456; studies = 9; moderate quality of evidence), equivalent to a decrease of 0.19 drinking days/wk, from a baseline of 2.74 days/wk; IFF SMD -0.21, 95% CI -0.31 to -0.10 (participants = 1464; studies = 8; moderate quality of evidence), equivalent to a decrease of 0.32 drinking days/wk, from a baseline of 2.74 days/wk. No effects were found for GFF or MC. Estimated blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at 4+ months: peak BAC results pooled across delivery modes: SMD -0.08, 95% CI -0.17 to 0.00 (participants = 7198; studies = 13; low quality of evidence), equivalent to a reduction in peak PAC from an average of 0.144% to 0.135%. No effects were found for typical BAC with IFF. Authors' conclusions The results of this review indicate that no substantive meaningful benefits are associated with social norms interventions for prevention of alcohol misuse among college/university students. Although some significant effects were found, we interpret the effect sizes as too small, given the measurement scales used in the studies included in this review, to be of relevance for policy or practice. Moreover, the statistically significant effects are not consistent for all misuse measures, heterogeneity was a problem in some analyses and bias cannot be discounted as a potential cause of these findings

Activities for gifted students in social and emotional areas in elementary schools

Gifted students often have social and emotional problems, which are usually different from their peers’ problems. In dealing with these problems, they need appropriate help and support. This master’s thesis gives a theoretical background on these problems and also provides suggestions on the types of activities that may help in dealing with them. The research problem seeks to investigate how to properly help gifted students in social and emotional areas. Participants of the investigation were elementary school teachers (N= 299) and elementary school counselors (N= 30). In the study, I have designed and used The Questionnaire for Teachers About Importance of Performing Activities for Gifted, to perform a survey. Furthermore, I have also used The Check List to analyze all individualized programs for gifted students at selected schools, which were filled in by school counselors. In this study, the quantitative and qualitative research complement each other. Within quantitative research, the following methods were used: factor analysis, chi square test for proportion, one-sample t test and independent-samples t test. Within qualitative research, the final theoretical formulation was implemented to arrange and manage a great number of answers and to find the connections between them. As a result of this study I have found that individualized programs for gifted students do not include sufficient activities in social or emotional areas. When planning individualized programs, the students’ needs in cognitive areas are mostly considered, even though more than half of the teachers (52%) notice that the gifted students they teach have problems in social or emotional areas. Results of the analysis also indicate that the most important activities for gifted students in social or emotional areas are those that give them the opportunity to socialize, learn social skills and meet true peers, indirectly through work and learning. It is also important to help gifted students to improve their self-esteem and to foster their positive self-evaluation. Counseling gifted students should be based on gifted students’ intrinsic motivation and should focus on facilitating them to be more independent