Confidence and Expectations About Caring for Older People With Dementia: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Student Nurses

Older people who are living with dementia often need healthcare, including hospital admissions, due to additional health conditions. Caring for older people who are living with dementia is, therefore, a core nursing role. This study investigated student nurses’ expectations of, and confidence about, caring for older people with dementia and the effect of students’ age, precourse experience, and their academic year. The design was a cross-sectional survey using questionnaires to collect data. The participants (n = 328), based at one university in England, had all had at least one practice learning placement. Most student nurses (n = 202; 62%) had precourse contact with older people with dementia and had cared for them during the course (n = 291; 89%). The student's academic year significantly affected confidence about caring for older people with dementia (p = .006), but still only 52% (n = 26) of third-year students felt “generally confident.” Precourse contact with older people with dementia had a significant impact on expectations (p = .001) and confidence in caring for people with dementia (p = .002). Students who were >25 years were significantly more likely to have had precourse contact with older people with dementia (p = < .001). Nurse educators should ensure that students entering nurse education appreciate that caring for older people who are living with dementia will be a core part of their role. They must proactively prepare nursing students to care for people with dementia, recognizing that some students have no previous contact, which may affect their confidence and experiences.     

Study of an Educational Programme in Dementia Care for Family Carers in Taiwan

Currently there is a lack of understanding of dementia by the general public in Taiwan, and more importantly, those who care for dementia suffers. The aim of the current Educational Programme (EP) was to help the participants increase their knowledge of dementia, and thus to strengthen their caring skills for dealing with the Older Adults with Dementia (OAwD). The programme involved 282 participants and took 15 months to complete. All those participated were non-professional, private carers who looked after their family members that suffer from dementia. It was demonstrated that such a programme was greatly beneficial to participants in gaining knowledge about dementia, learning more caring skills, and other valuable information included in the educational programme curriculum. It was evident that after completion of the programme, the participants became more aware of the available community resources and more likely to access those additional support. All participants showed strong interest in repeating the educational programme to further enhance their caring skills.     

Cyberbullying victimisation and mental distress: testing the moderating role of attachment security,social support,and coping styles

Although it has been well established that cyberbullying leads to mental health problems, less is known about the factors that confer resilience to the adverse effects of cyberbullying among young people. To address this gap, adolescents aged 13–19 years (n = 476) completed a survey measuring cyberbullying victimisation, attachment styles, perceived social support, coping styles, and mental distress. Compared to non-victims, victims of cyberbullying experienced higher levels of depression and anxiety and endorsed more self-statements indicative of attachment anxiety. Peer support, security in attachment relationships, and the endorsement of positive coping strategies attenuated the positive relationship between cyberbullying victimisation and mental health difficulties. Family support did not appear to buffer adolescents from mental distress in this context. However, family support was the strongest bivariate predictor of reduced mental distress. Although peer relations should be the target of intervention programmes within school settings, the findings highlight the importance of including families in cyberbullying prevention programmes.     

Pathways to Parental Engagement: Contributions of Parents,Teachers, and Schools in Cultural Context

Research Findings: This study examined correlates of parents’ reported school engagement in an ethnically diverse, rural sample (N = 346) of parents and teachers in kindergarten through Grade 2. Of particular interest were role expectations and family–school relationships in American Indian families, who historically have been marginalized by schools. In terms of role expectations, parents and teachers agreed that they should support each other’s roles, parents should have more responsibility than schools for teaching social skills, and families and schools should have shared responsibility for children’s academic success. Teachers had higher expectations than parents for parent engagement, which in turn was greater when parent–teacher communication was more frequent and the school climate was more welcoming. American Indian parents more strongly endorsed a separation of family and school roles and felt less welcomed at school; ethnicity moderated correlates of reported parent engagement. Practice or Policy: These findings have practical promise given that parent–teacher communication, school climate, and role expectations are more easily altered than are structural barriers that also may hinder parents’ involvement in supporting their children’s early education.     

Decreased Self-Reported Cognitive Failures after Memory Training

In recent years, attention has been focused on investigating the effectiveness of composite memory intervention programs with different age and diagnostics groups. The goal of this study was to measure changes in cognitive lapses by Cognitive Failure Questionnaire (CFQ) in a large trained, dementia free group (Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE] > 26). The CFQ was administrated to older adults before training (Wave 1), after training (Wave 2), and in a six-month follow-up (Wave 3) to an experimental (N = 77; memory training) and control sample (N = 78, no intervention). Significant changes in subjective cognitive functioning in the experimental group and a plateau curve in the control group were observed. The results indicate support for the efficiency of a large memory-training group in promoting subjective cognitive functioning.     

Positive Youth Development and Resilience: Growth Patterns of Social Skills Among Youth Investigated for Maltreatment

Maltreated children are a vulnerable population, yet many of these youth follow positive developmental pathways. The primary aim was to identify social skills growth trajectories among at‐risk youth to understand processes underlying resilience. Nationally representative, longitudinal data from 1,179 families investigated for child maltreatment (M_age = 12.75) were obtained from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well‐Being. Four trajectories were identified—stress‐resistant, emergent resilience, breakdown, and unresponsive‐maladaptive. Protective resources from multiple levels of the youth ecology (individual, family, school, and social service) predicted positive growth social skills trajectories. Resilience process and attendant positive outcomes in multiple domains of functioning were evident among the stress‐resistant and emergent resilience trajectories. Results underscore the saliency of social skills development for resilient outcomes in youth.     

Variations in the Availability and Quality of Early Childhood Education and Care by Socioeconomic Status of Neighborhoods

Research Findings: This article provides Australian evidence of the availability and quality of early childhood education and care (ECEC) services in low–socioeconomic status (SES) neighborhoods. There is less availability of ECEC in low-SES areas in Australia, and these programs provide a lower average quality of care than in more advantaged neighborhoods. Families tend to travel short distances to ECEC programs (Mdn = 2.9 km), and therefore families in low-SES areas are limited in the programs they can choose or are faced with higher transport costs than families in more advantaged neighborhoods. This study uses government licensing data from a population of 6,937 ECEC services together with a sample of 2,494 children enrolled in 421 ECEC classrooms. Practice or Policy: Established measures of the local ECEC market tend to overestimate its size and in turn the availability of ECEC. Measures of ECEC market density should be tested for sensitivity to reductions in size. SES gradients are observed within local ECEC markets, meaning that attempts to lift supply and quality in low-SES areas require specific and targeted policy intervention.     

Perspective taking,empathic concern,and perceived humanness of people with dementia

Past work has documented the detrimental psychological and health outcomes of negative age stereotypes and dehumanization of older adults. We investigated the role of perspective taking in enhancing positive perceptions of humanness of older individuals with dementia. To manipulate perspective taking, participants either imagined the situation of an older woman with dementia (n = 35), remained objective and detached (n = 37), or received no instructions (n = 35). We measured evidence of impairments of humanness needed to conclude personhood loss for the woman with dementia (i.e., humanness standards). Compared to stay-objective participants, imagine-other and no-instructions participants asked for more evidence of impairments of uniquely human characteristics, but not of human nature characteristics, in order to conclude personhood loss for the woman with dementia. Empathic concern for the woman with dementia mediated this effect. We discuss the importance of studying perceptions of personhood of those with dementia with a focus on the person with dementia and his or her social and personal connections with others. Strategies for developing and maintaining healthy relationships with persons with dementia based on active perspective taking are also discussed.     

Education Affects Attitudes of Physical Therapy Providers Toward People with Dementia

A survey was sent to every skilled nursing home (N = 495) in Indiana regarding the demographics, education, and whether the severity of dementia impacts the attitudes of people in physical therapy practice. Physical therapists (PTs) and physical therapist assistants (PTAs) practicing in nursing homes spend considerable time (44.0%) working with patients who have a diagnosis of dementia. As patients with dementia disorders declined cognitively, attitudes of PTs/PTAs become increasingly negative, and respondents feel that education, training, and resources are insufficient to maximize outcomes in the later stages of the disease.     

Impact of teachers’ career adaptability and family on professional learning

Teachers’ engagement in professional learning is vital to the profession’s sustainability. Their professional learning is influenced by the demands of balancing work, family, and the strain of balancing the two. This challenge is addressed through the notion resilience, operationalized as career adaptability. In a sample of teachers (N = 193), the present research explored the relations between career adaptability, family-to-work conflict (time-based and strain-based), and engagement in professional learning. Structural equation modelling revealed that time-based conflict mediated the relation between career adaptability and strain-based conflict. Strain-based conflict, in turn, negatively predicted engagement with professional development studies. It is recommended that strategies for teachers’ professional learning are inclusive of contextual factors, such as family-to-work conflict, and focused on enhancing their career adaptability.     

The role of social community and individual differences in minority mentoring programs

Researchers have examined various outcomes of undergraduate minority mentoring programs. However, there is a significant gap in research about how program members with different demographic backgrounds may not have the same experiences or outcomes as other members despite being subject to the same program elements. To address these gaps, we employed a social community framework to examine the differences across the perceptions of connectedness to a social community and participant outcomes of members of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) Merit Program (MP) for Emerging Scholars. An ANOVA was performed for a study sample of n = 179 current and past MP participants. Results indicated a need to: (a) find ways to translate experiences to lower performing groups, (b) identify other approaches to build resilience and encourage connections and engagement in communities of practice, and (c) explicitly educate all participants in the importance of social community in their professional development.     

Relations of English and Heritage Language Proficiency to Response Inhibition and Attention Shifting in Dual Language Learners in Head Start

This study examined the concurrent relations of English (EL) and heritage language (HL) proficiency to executive functions (EF) among low-income dual language learners (DLLs) from immigrant families. In a sample of 90 children (age = 38–70 months) from Chinese-speaking Chinese American and Spanish-speaking Mexican American families recruited from Head Start preschools, children’s EL and HL proficiency was assessed using receptive and expressive vocabulary tests, and EF was assessed using behavioral tasks measuring response inhibition and attention shifting. Multiple regressions were conducted to test the unique and interactive relations of EL and HL vocabulary to EF, controlling for family socioeconomic status and other demographic characteristics. Higher EL and higher HL vocabulary were uniquely associated with higher attention shifting. By contrast, neither EL nor HL vocabulary was uniquely associated with response inhibition. Interaction effects of EL × HL in relation to EF were also found. The results provided some evidence for the dual benefits of EL and HL proficiency on EF (especially attention shifting) among DLLs from low-income, immigrant families.     

Assessing physicians' intentions to talk about sex when they vaccinate nine-year-old to 15-year-old girls against HPV

The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine provides physicians with an opportunity to have conversations with girls about sex and sex-related topics. Current research suggests that these conversations are not happening. This study was designed to assess whether physicians would use the HPV vaccination as an opening to communicate with nine-year-old to 15-year-old female patients about sex using the Theory of Planned Behavior as a framework. The study also assessed what sexual health topics physicians were willing to discuss when they vaccinated patients and at what ages they would be willing to discuss each topic. Differences in communication were also examined between older and younger physicians and female and male physicians. A random sample (n = 207) of all family practice and pediatric physicians in a rural, Midwest state in the USA were mailed a survey about the HPV vaccine and their intentions to talk about sex-related topics. Specifically, the survey questions assessed the theoretical constructs: attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behaviour control. The results point to physicians' intentions to talk about sex when they vaccinate. Most physicians intended to talk about sexually transmitted infections when they vaccinate against HPV (90.3%). A multivariate linear regression reveals that physicians' intentions to talk about sex are influenced by attitudes (β = 0.18, p < 0.05), subjective norms (β = 0.53, p < 0.001), and perceived behavioural control (β = 0.15, p < 0.05). Physicians intended to talk about a variety of sex-related topics when they vaccinate nine-year-old to 15-year-old girls against HPV. The research indicated that physicians' intentions were high, but do not indicate how well physicians are prepared for this communication with nine-year-old to 15-year-old girls about sex.     

Family strategies to support and develop resilience in early childhood

Early childhood is an important time for the development of resilience. A recently completed study has followed three cohorts of resilient children and young people living in disadvantaged areas in Victoria, Australia, through different transitions in their educational careers. This paper focuses on the early childhood cohort, where we have followed children from kindergarten/preschool into primary school. Using data gathered primarily through interviews with parents (mothers in each case), this paper presents a qualitative naturalistic sub-study that used deductive thematic analysis to explore the different strategies used by families to support their child’s resilience. Our findings highlight that resilience was a salient concept for all of the mothers in the study and each mother articulated a range of strategies they used within the family to try and support their child’s development and resilience. These strategies were constrained by the settings in which the families lived.     

The ‘secrets’ of Chinese students’ academic success: academic resilience among students from highly competitive academic environments

Abstract

Given Chinese students often perform well academically despite the challenges of their competitive academic environments, it is important to explore what enables the academic resilience of these students. Moreover, because the extant resilience literature is biased towards Western accounts of resilience, it is crucial that non-Western perspectives be added to this literature. In this study, three factors from family and school settings were examined: namely, parental supervision, school involvement and recognition, and school expectation of behaviour. We did so among 693 11th grade Chinese students from two of the largest provinces participating in the competitive college entrance examination in China. Participants completed a questionnaire comprising a series of individual, family, and school variables that were complemented by academic achievement data drawn from school records. Results showed that Chinese parents’ supervision and school involvement and recognition are significantly and negatively associated with low school commitment and individual conflict attitude, which are important protective factors in reducing adolescents’ risk of problem behaviours and promoting academic resilience. This study highlights the importance of taking a multidimensional approach to building academic resilience among those from highly competitive settings in China.     

A comprehensive approach to managing school safety: case studies in Catalonia,Spain

Background: Schools should be safe spaces for students, teaching staff and non-teaching staff. For the concept of ‘safety’ to be meaningful, it must be interpreted broadly to encompass well-being in its widest sense. A common challenge for schools and educational authorities is, therefore, to manage school safety appropriately not only to prevent physical accidents and incidents, but also with the purpose of creating an environment that promotes physical, emotional and social well-being, both individually and collectively.

Purpose: The aim of this research paper is twofold: (a) to explore the concept of safety as it is interpreted by schools and analyse the extent to which schools are committed to the goal of creating safe and healthy school environments; and (b) to identify organisational and management practices that promote the safety of school staff and users.

Design, sample and methods: The research was carried out from a qualitative perspective, based on a study of multiple cases carried out in Catalonia, Spain. The case studies (N = 9 schools) were selected by means of a purposive sampling process in order to obtain a selection of schools covering different education stages and under different types of ownership. The data collection process involved carrying out semistructured interviews (N = 39) with school principals, health and safety officers, teaching staff and non-teaching staff; focus groups with families (N = 2) and a review of general documentation and specific safety documents (N = 58). The data collected were completed and verified by means of interviews with experts (N = 3). The interviews, focus groups and notes arising from the document review were transcribed literally and analysed thematically, following a cross-case analysis structure.

Results: The data analysis indicated that creating safe and healthy environments was not always an explicitly endorsed principle or goal for schools. However, all members of the educational community were involved in ensuring adequate levels of school safety; and diverse management and organisational actions and measures were implemented to ensure physical, emotional and social safety.

Conclusions: We conclude that according to a broad interpretation of safety, which encompasses well-being in its widest sense, a comprehensive school safety management approach had not been fully adopted by schools in the studied sample. Whilst involvement in safety practices was evident, many actions appeared to be carried out without full consideration of the wider promotion of school safety. The study suggests the importance of training and awareness activities for education professionals in order to build and promote safety culture and to facilitate the introduction of a comprehensive school safety approach in the day-to-day management of schools.     

Correlates of dementia-related anxiety: self-perceived dementia risk and ageism

ABSTRACT

As public awareness of and exposure to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) have increased worldwide, the fear of developing ADRD, or dementia-related anxiety (DRA), is expected to increase as well. It was hypothesized that at least part of what makes dementia so anxiety-provoking is the association of ADRD with older adults, an often stigmatized group. To test this hypothesis, two online studies examined how ageist beliefs contribute to DRA; the roles of ADRD-related factors, such as self-perceived risk and personal exposure, were also examined. Study 1 included university students (n = 295, age range: 18 to 58 years, M_age  = 21.16, SD_age  = 4.85) to determine what factors may contribute to young adults’ DRA. Study 2 included adults of all ages (n = 352, age range: 18 to 81 years, M_age  = 37.85, SD_age  = 12.88) to determine whether Study 1 results were replicable among adults of all ages. Hierarchical multiple regressions were used. Results from both studies demonstrated that being female and having higher self-perceived dementia risk and benevolent ageism uniquely explicated higher levels of DRA. Within Study 2, significant relationships for both benevolent and hostile ageism were observed, suggesting that diverse negative attitudes toward older adults are associated with DRA. It is possible that strong ageist attitudes stigmatize older adults as those who are forgetful and this may contribute to DRA, as age is a major risk factor for developing dementia. Study limitations and directions for future research are discussed.     

Home literacy,television viewing,fidgeting and ADHD in young children

Factors related to parent ratings of young children’s (mean age = 3.72, range = 3–6) fidgeting and reports of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were examined in a nationally representative sample of US families via the National Household Education Surveys. In structural equation models, the number of television hours viewed daily was associated with more fidgeting (a sign of hyperactivity), which, in turn, was related to ADHD, when controlling for race/ethnicity, SES, family structure, autism, emotional disturbance and gender. The home literacy environment (shared reading, children’s books and library visits) was negatively associated with both fidgeting and hours of television. Home literacy was indirectly negatively related with ADHD via fidgeting. Boys and children with autism fidgeted more frequently, where as children from two-parent families were less likely to have ADHD. Overworked parents allowed more television viewing than other parents. The implications for future studies involving television viewing, home literacy, attention and hyperactivity are discussed.     

THE FAMILIES WHO CARE PROJECT: MEETING THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN AND RURAL FAMILY CARE GIVERS DEALING WITH DEMENTIA

Successful educational outreach to address the informational needs of African American and rural families dealing with dementia requires a concerted strategy that fosters trust and conveys a genuine commitment to the targeted communities. The Families Who Care project formed a partnership that included majority and minority institutions of higher education, state and local human services organizations, and two chapters of the Alzheimer's Association. These advisory groups were asked to identify the educational needs of family caregivers and guide the implementation of a train-the-trainer effort in Virginia. The results of strategic planning sessions are detailed, and analyses of evaluation data point to racial and cultural differences in the project's effect on participating family caregivers. Conclusions support increasing the availability of cultural competence training for those who provide services to diverse caregiving families. elders and their families and communities through the development and dissemination of culturally relevant materials emphasizing both the established facts about {Alzheimer's disease and related disorders} and the efficacy of seeking treatment''(Advisory Panel on Alzheimer's Disease, 1992, p. 50). There is a similar need to train family caregivers of rural elders with dementia, whose informational and service needs