Initial Validity Evidence for the State Mindfulness Scale for Physical Activity With Youth

Experiencing mindfulness during movement-based interventions (e.g., yoga) may help support adaptive physical activity motivation processes in youth. However, there is currently no measure for assessing state mindfulness with youth within the context of physical activity. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate a measure of state mindfulness for physical activity in youth. In study one, cognitive interviews with youth (N = 15) ages 8–13 evaluated the State Mindfulness Scale for Physical Activity item comprehension and preference for developmentally worded modifications. Results suggest that problems with item comprehension were more likely in youth younger than 10. In study two, the State Mindfulness Scale for Physical Activity, or a modified version, was administered randomly to middle-school students (N = 481). Internal consistency reliability, confirmatory factor analyses, model-based reliability omega, and correlations with theoretically relevant variables combined with the qualitative evidence provided stronger initial support for the use of the original State Mindfulness Scale for Physical Activity with middle-school students.     

Eliciting Behavior From Interactive Narratives: Isolating the Role of Agency in Connecting With and Modeling Characters

A key component differentiating interactive storytelling from non-interactive media is agency, or control over character choices. A series of experiments show that providing agency over a character increased the user-character connection, which then increased engagement in a character-consistent charitable act. Findings were observed in technologically simple online narratives that controlled for navigation/controller differences, graphics, sounds, lengthy play, and avatar customization. Effects emerged even though users did not practice these acts by making their character behave charitably. Findings were robust across happy and unfortunate endings and across first-, second-, and third-person narrative perspectives. Findings suggest promise for developing inexpensive “storygames” to encourage supportive behaviors.     

Externally Contingent and Unstable Self‐Worth as Predictors of Depression in College Women: A 3‐Month Study

Undergraduate women completed measures of externally contingent self‐worth, self‐esteem instability, and depression at the beginning (Time 1) and again 3 months later near the end (Time 2) of an academic semester. Findings indicated that when Time 1 depression scores were controlled for, each Time 1 facet of self‐esteem made significant contributions to Time 2 depression scores. Implications of these findings for the counseling of depressed college students are discussed.     

The assessment needs of families with children who are deaf and hard of hearing referred for an autism spectrum disorder evaluation

With the increasing prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), clinicians and schools are receiving a larger number of assessment referrals for eligibility or diagnostic clarification of ASD in children who are deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH). Meeting this increasing demand is often difficult given not all assessment professionals seek specialized ASD training and even fewer have experience working with D/HH children. Therefore, families are disadvantaged because of the lack of assessment professionals who specialize in both these areas. School psychologists without such experience are at-risk for misinterpreting or missing key diagnostic information. This study explored the assessment experiences of four families of D/HH children who have ASD. Hearing parents’ and D/HH parents’ perspectives were gathered to explore the family needs. An open-ended survey asked parents to recall the assessment techniques utilized during the process and relate how their child's language skills were accounted for by the clinician. Parent responses revealed interpreters were utilized for various reasons unique to each family. Families expressed difficulty finding ASD specialists who had experience working with D/HH children. This study highlights the importance of selecting a trained interpreter and emphasizes the need of more professionals who have experience assessing ASD in D/HH children.     

Teacher training in K–12 student mental health: A systematic review

Teachers are in a unique position to identify and support students who experience mental health concerns. The purpose of this systematic review was to (a) identify current available evidence-based teacher training programs related to students' mental health, (b) review the content and delivery methods of the training, and (c) evaluate the quality of the research designs and evaluation methods of the training. Most training programs are delivered face-to-face and include interactive discussion and content knowledge. Content varied among the training programs. Most studies found improved knowledge among teachers; however, no studies found improvement in effective communication.     

The Relationship between Behavioral Inattention,Meta‐Attention,and Graduate Students' Online Information Seeking

Success in postsecondary education requires proficiency with academic online information seeking. Navigating the internet to find information is a complicated task that is vulnerable to lapses in attention. This study examined the relationships among Canadian graduate students' self‐reported behavioral inattention symptoms, awareness and regulation of attentional focus (meta‐attention), and online academic information seeking abilities. One‐hundred and thirteen (99 female) graduate students (83 master's level, 27 doctoral level) completed an online self‐report questionnaire examining domain‐ and strategic‐experience, behavioral inattention symptoms, meta‐attention, and online information seeking ability. Results indicated that self‐reported inattention symptoms, both components of meta‐attention and domain experience each significantly predicted unique variance in online information seeking ability. Implications for research and intervention are discussed.     

Malala: the story of a Muslim girl and a Muslim nation

ABSTRACT

In this article, we analyze the coverage of Malala in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal to explore how these influential media sources characterize Islam and Pakistan to tell Malala’s story. Our discourse analysis reveals how these newspapers construct Malala’s status as a global icon as an embodiment of her subject position as a girl. This media discourse mobilizes Malala’s agency in relation to her potential as an individual whereas her vulnerability as a young girl is presented in reference to her Muslim heritage and culture. Malala’s image as a global icon, thus, is produced through approaching her as an agent in a culture where girls are vulnerable victims of patriarchy. Through focusing on this media discourse, this article argues that Malala’s image as a global icon of girls’ education has become a site to reinsert, rather than challenge, the dominant images about Islam and Muslim societies.     

Promoting Equity,Diversity and Social Justice Through Faculty-Led Transformative Projects

Innovative Higher Education - We present a transformative professional development project with a focus on equity, diversity and social justice (EDSJ) to raise cultural awareness among faculty,...     

Aiding Faculty Research Through Convenience in the Interlibrary Loan Department

The Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Department at Murray State University has developed convenient methods to aid faculty members in their research. Various means of communication and programs, such as Campus Delivery, Document Delivery, and “Free ILL,” have allowed faculty members to see the wide variety of research resources that are available through interlibrary loan. These methods have been used as key public relations tools to promote library resources and services, and have strengthened the relationship between faculty members and the Interlibrary Loan Department at Murray State University.