Towards a context-adaptive integrated shared work environment

Context-based adaptation can be used to support teams with shared workspace environments best meeting their needs. We propose an ontology representing context in a shared workspace environment, and a conceptual architecture for context sensing, reasoning, and adaptation. First experiences demonstrate the applicability of our approach

Extending a shared workspace environment with context-based adaptations

Nowadays, many teams collaborate via shared workspace environment which offer a suite of services supporting the group interaction. The needs for an effective group interaction vary over time and are dependent of the current problem and group goal. An ideal shared workspace environment has to take this into account and offer means for tailoring the offered the services to meet the current needs of the collaborating team. Current approaches barely offer means for manual tailoring which is difficult. Context-based adaptation mechanisms can be used to support teams with shared workspace environments best meeting their needs. In this article, we propose a service-oriented architecture of shared workspaces, analyze this architecture to identify adaptation possibilities, introduce the Context and Adaptation Framework (CAF) as a means to extend shared workspace environment for context-based adaptations and validate our approach by reporting on our prototype implementation

Der Rechtsextremismus und das Verantwortungsvakuum: 19. Februar 2012

Der Filmregisseur sowie Theater- und Drehbuchautor Andres Veiel setzt sich als engagierter Künstler mit den Themen Extremismus und der Gefährdung der Demokratie, hier vor allem mit den Wurzeln rechtsextremistischer Gewalt insbesondere im Brandenburgischen, in Jena und Zwickau, auseinander

Eine serviceorientierte Plattform für die Unterstützung kontextbasierter Adaption für Gruppen in gemeinsamen Arbeitsbereichen

Heutzutage werden viele komplexe Probleme von Gruppen gelöst, wobei die jeweilige Gruppe häufig einen gemeinsamen Arbeitsbereich einsetzt und für die Zusammenarbeit informelle Regeln definiert. Jedes Gruppenmitglied nutzt einen entsprechenden Client als Kollaborationsmedium. Die Kollaborationsrichtlinien legen fest, wie der gemeinsame Arbeitsbereich konfiguriert sein soll, um eine gegebene Kollaborationssituation zu unterstützen. Sie definieren außerdem die Konfiguration des Clients des jeweiligen Gruppenmitglieds. Den Gruppenmitgliedern obliegt jeweils selbst die Aufgabe, die aktuelle Kollaborationssituation zu überwachen und entsprechende Kollaborationsrichtlinien anzuwenden, d. h. die Konfiguration des gemeinsamen Arbeitsbereichs bzw. ihrer Clients manuell anzupassen. Sofern nicht alle Gruppenmitglieder zeitnah die entsprechenden Kollaborationsrichtlinien anwenden können Inkonsistenzen zwischen ihren Clients auftreten. Die ständige Überwachung sowohl der Kollaborationsrichtlinien als auch der aktuellen Kollaborationssituation reduziert die kognitiven Ressourcen jedes Gruppenmitglieds, die es für die Lösung des Problems einsetzen kann. Steht ein Gruppenmitglied nicht mehr länger zur Verfügung, kann dadurch auch Wissen über die vereinbarten Kollaborationsrichtlinien verloren gehen, sofern dieses nicht bereits im Vorfeld an andere Gruppenmitglieder weitergegeben wurde. Bestehende Ansätze im Bereich der kontextbasierten Adaption unterstützen die Gruppenmitglieder, indem sie bspw. einen Workflow anbieten, der einen Dokumenten-Upload mit anschließender Notifikation von ausgewählten Nutzern ermöglicht. Die Auswahl eines geeigneten und von allen beteiligten Nutzern unterstützten Dienstes wird auf Basis eines Kontextmodells durchgeführt. Ein Nachteil dieses Ansatzes ist allerdings, dass er nicht bei der Lösung komplexer Probleme eingesetzt werden kann, da im Vorfeld des Problemlösens oftmals kein vollständiger Workflow definiert werden kann. Außerdem müssen die Nutzer in diesen Ansätzen selbst ihren Kontext an ihre aktuelle Situation anpassen. Dies kann zu einem fehlerhaften Kontext führen. In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden diese Probleme durch eine serviceorientierte, kontextbasierte, adaptive Plattform adressiert, die gemeinsame Arbeitsbereiche bestehend aus Kollaborationsanwendungen und gemeinsamen Artefakten erzeugen und verändern kann. Hierbei wird das Adaptionsverhalten durch die Adaptionsregeln festgelegt, die die technisch in der Plattform umsetzbaren Aspekte der Kollaborationsrichtlinien darstellen. Die Plattform überwacht die Nutzerinteraktionen, aktualisiert den Gruppenkontext und führt auf Basis des aktuellen Kontexts anwendbare Adaptionsregeln aus, um Anwendungen und Artefakte vollautomatisch und konsistent anzupassen. Die Adaptionsregeln können hierbei nicht nur einzelne sondern auch mehrere Anwendungen und Artefakte betreffen, d. h. es sind anwendungsübergreifende Adaptionen möglich. Um den Einsatz der Plattform zu unterstützen, wird zudem ein Vorgehensmodell präsentiert, das für die Realisierung des Adaptionsverhaltens für eine gruppenspezifische Aufgabe in einem kontextadaptiven, gemeinsamen Arbeitsbereich eingesetzt werden kann. Die prototypische Implementierung zeigt die Umsetzbarkeit des Lösungsansatzes. Durch die Anwendung des Vorgehensmodells auf zwei typische Kollaborationsszenarien wird sowohl die Anwendbarkeit als auch die Validität des Vorgehensmodells und der Plattform gezeigt

Traumatic life events and suicide risk among jail inmates: The influence of types of events, time period and significant others.

Relationships between traumatic life events and suicide risk were studied in two samples of jail inmates with a low (N D 216) and a high (N D 51) suicide risk. Although nonsuicidal inmates reported a high prevalence of traumatic life events, suicidal inmates reported even higher prevalence rates. Suicidal inmates reported more episodes of sexual abuse, physical maltreatment, emotional maltreatment, abandonment, and suicide attempts by significant others. They also had experienced more traumatic life events during childhood, later life, and detention. It is concluded that traumatic life events are associated with suicide risk and that such an association remains in a population with a high prevalence of traumatic life events. It is also concluded that suicide risk is dependent of the type of life event, the timing of the event, and the type of persons involved in the event

Resilience as a Multimodal Dynamic Process

Aim Resilience is rapidly gaining momentum in mental health literature. It provides a new understanding of the highly variable trajectories of mental illness, and has consistently been linked with improved mental health outcomes. The present review aims to clarify the definition of resilience and to discuss new directions for the field. Methods After discussing the definition of resilience, this narrative review synthesizes evidence that identifies the specific protective factors involved in this process. This review also addresses the mechanisms that underlie resilience. Results Recent literature has clarified the three core components of resilience, which are the presence of an adversity or specific risk for mental illness; the influence of protective factors that supersede this risk; and finally, a subsequently more positive outcome than expected. Now that these are largely agreed upon, the field should move on to addressing other topics. Resilience is a dynamic process by which individuals utilize protective factors and resources to their benefit. It can vary within one individual across time and circumstance. It can also refer to good functional outcomes in the context of diagnosable illness. While previous research has focused on psychological resilience, it is essential that resilience is conceptualized across modalities. Conclusions The field should move towards the development of a multimodal model of resilience. Researchers should now focus on producing empirical research which clarifies the specific protective factors and mechanisms of the process, aligning with the core concepts of resilience. This growing, more homogeneous evidence base, can then inform new intervention strategies

The effects of perceived and received support on objective performance outcome.

This is a postprint of an article published in European Journal of Sport Science, 2008, Vol. 8, Issue 6, pp. 359 – 368 © 2008 copyright Taylor & Francis. European Journal of Sport Science is available online at: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tejs20In this study, we examined the main and stress-buffering effects of perceived and received support upon objective performance outcome. The sample consisted of 123 male British high performance golfers, mean age 25.3 years (SD = 5.4). Participants completed measures of perceived support, stressors, stress, and received support before competitions. After the competitions, performance outcome (number of shots) was recorded. When both types of support were considered separately, there were significant main effects for perceived (ΔR2 = .08, b = -.81, p < .01) and received support (ΔR2 = .05, b = -.68, p < .01) on performance. There were also significant stress-buffering effects for perceived (ΔR2 = .03, b = -.48, p = .02) and received support (ΔR2 = .06, b = -.61, p < .01). When both types of support were considered simultaneously, the significant main effect (DR2 = .09, p < .01) was primarily attributable to perceived support (b = -.63, p = .02). The significant stress-buffering effect (DR2 = .06, p = .01) was primarily attributable to received support (b = -.56, p = .04). These results demonstrate the beneficial influence of social support on performance. The findings highlight the need to recognise the distinction between perceived and received support, both in terms of theory and the design of social support interventions with athletes

Chronic Stress, Sense of Belonging, and Depression Among Survivors of Traumatic Brain Injury

To test whether chronic stress, interpersonal relatedness, and cognitive burden could explain depression after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design : A nonprobability sample of 75 mild-to-moderately injured TBI survivors and their significant others, were recruited from five TBI day-rehabilitation programs. All participants were within 2 years of the date of injury and were living in the community. Methods : During face-to-face interviews, demographic information, and estimates of brain injury severity were obtained and participants completed a cognitive battery of tests of directed attention and short-term memory, responses to the Perceived Stress Scale, Interpersonal Relatedness Inventory, Sense of Belonging Instrument, Neurobehavioral Functioning Inventory, and Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale;. Findings : Chronic stress was significantly and positively related to post-TBI depression. Depression and postinjury sense of belonging were negatively related. Social support and results from the cognitive battery did not explain depression. Conclusions : Postinjury chronic stress and sense of belonging were strong predictors of post-injury depression and are variables amenable to interventions by nurses in community health, neurological centers, or rehabilitation clinics. Future studies are needed to examine how these variables change over time during the recovery process.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72593/1/j.1547-5069.2002.00221.x.pd