Validation of the Attitude-Older Adult and Aging-Visual Analogue Scales (At-O-A)

ABSTRACT

Occupational therapy programs have been developed in order to promote health in older adults. However, no published studies have yet been identified for the Spanish population. This study explores the benefits of an occupational therapy health promotion program called EnvejeHaciendo (AgeDoing). The study was conducted with 15 elderly Spanish adults, examining health perception and meaningful occupational participation using the Model of Human Occupation, as well as the pedagogical methodology See, Judge, Act. The results showed an increase in the perception of health with reference to social functioning and the number of roles in which the participants wanted to get involved in the future. The participants changed their own negative perception of elderly people, they adapted to the changes provoked by aging, and they got involved in meaningful activities such as physical exercise or social activities. This program allowed participants to engage in meaningful occupations with other people and to increase perceived health status through raising awareness of difficulties.     

The Stability of IRT b Values

This study investigated possible explanations for an observed change in Rasch item parameters (b values) obtained from consecutive administrations of a professional licensure examination. Considered in this investigation were variables related to item position, item type, item content, and elapsed time between administrations of the item. An analysis of covariance methodology was used to assess the relations between these variables and change in item b values, with the elapsed time index serving to control for differences that could be attributed to average or pool changes in b values over time. A series of analysis of covariance models were fitted to the data in an attempt to identify item characteristics that were significantly related to the change in b values after the time elapsed between item administrations had been controlled. The findings indicated that the change in item b values was not related either to item position or to item type. A small, positive relationship between this change and elapsed time indicated that the pool b values were increasing over time. A test of simple effects suggested the presence of greater change for one of the content categories analyzed. These findings are interpreted, and suggestions for future research are provided.     

Collaboration of Teacher Education and Child Disability Health Care: Transdisciplinary Approach to Inclusive Practice for Early Childhood Pre-Service Teachers

The purpose of this paper is to describe the collaborative efforts between an Early Childhood Teacher Education Program and a Child Disability Health Care Program to incorporate a transdisciplinary model in the preparation of early childhood teachers in inclusive practice. Recent studies suggest essential components of teacher preparation in early childhood inclusion include: helping students construct a positive image of inclusive practice, incorporating a family-centered approach, and collaborating and relationship building across disciplines (Campbell et al. 2003; Pretti-Frontczak et al. 2002 and Able-Boone et al. 2002). In this paper, we describe the collaboration between the University of Michigan-Dearborn Early Childhood Teacher Education Program and Oakwood Health Care Center for Exceptional Families to co-teach and mentor early childhood pre-service teachers as they create a family-centered event for children with disabilities and their typically developing peers in a natural environment. Researchers analyze student reflection papers about the family-centered event for evidence of new learning about child disability and inclusive practice. The reflections demonstrate the power of the students’ active role in creating and implementing family-centered activities in a collaborative context. Other key reflective components include rewards and challenges in creating inclusive contexts, integral role of families in supporting child relationships in natural settings, and collaboration and teaming.     

An Exploratory Evaluation of Conjoint Behavioral Consultation to Promote Collaboration Among Family,School, and Pediatric Systems: A Role for Pediatric School Psychologists

Pediatric school psychology is a relatively new subspecialty in the field; however, few specific, prescribed roles have been articulated, and fewer have yielded preliminary efficacy data. In this exploratory study, the acceptability and potential efficacy of conjoint behavioral consultation (CBC) as a model for linking families, schools, and pediatric settings to address concerns for children with medical issues were evaluated. Twenty-nine children, their parents, teachers, and consultants were involved in conjoint consultation, a model of cross-system collaboration to address shared concerns of medically referred children. In this structured indirect service delivery model, parents, teachers, and school psychology pediatric consultants worked collaboratively in interdisciplinary problem solving and joint decision making with extensive input regarding medical issues from a developmental pediatrician. Outcome measures included parent and teacher observations of child functioning across home and school settings as a result of consultation-mediated interventions and social validity indices assessing acceptability and consumer satisfaction. Results suggested that CBC is a socially valid procedure for addressing concerns of medically referred children across home and school systems. Both parents and teachers reported the consultation process to be highly acceptable. Preliminary effect size analyses of child outcomes, derived from uncontrolled case study designs, suggest generally positive effects across home and school, although limitations with the methodology preclude conclusive statements. Research is needed to determine the contexts and conditions under which the model is more or less effective using rigorous controlled trials.     

CS–US interval determines the transition from overshadowing to potentiation with flavor compounds

The present series of five flavor aversion experiments with rat subjects examined compound conditioning at varying CS-US intervals. Using a taste-taste design, Experiments 1A and 1B demonstrated overshadowing at a 0-min CS-US interval and potentiation at a 120-min CS-US interval, and these effects occurred with both tastes of the compound. Experiment 2 showed that the aversion to a single element is reduced when the CS-US interval is increased to 120 min, but the aversion for a compound taste is not. Experiments 3A and 3B explored odor + taste compound conditioning; the results demonstrated odor potentiation across the trace interval and a transition from taste overshadowing to taste potentiation. Collectively, the data show that the change from overshadowing to potentiation was not due to changes in the aversions produced by compound conditioning but, instead, was due to a more rapid loss of conditionability across a trace interval prior to the US in single-element conditioning. These experiments suggest that following compound conditioning, the aversion to each element represents generalization decrement from the configured compound, but the designation of overshadowing or potentiation actually depends on the status of conditioning in the single-element control.     

Sexuality education in New Zealand: a policy for social justice?

In 2015, the New Zealand Ministry of Education released a new curriculum policy document for sexuality education in all schools – Sexuality Education: A Guide for Boards of Trustees, Principals and Teachers. This policy is a rare international example of a curriculum document that explicitly values diversity, promotes inclusive school environments, and approaches sexuality education as an area of study (rather than a health promotion intervention). Since its release, the document has, however, gained little attention either of a scholarly nature or in terms of dedicated implementation in schools. One exception is a recent article in this journal by Sarah Garland-Levett, which raises some interesting and important concerns about the possibilities of such policy documents. I follow her lead here and continue the discussion about the place and potential of progressive sexuality education policy, and offer some thoughts about the content and intentions of this text.     

Comparison of Self-Reported and Objectively Measured Sedentary Behavior and Physical Activity in Undergraduate Students

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to investigate differences between estimates of sedentary behavior and physical activity (PA) from the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and accelerometry in undergraduate students. 91 students participated in the study. Sedentary behavior and PA were objectively measured by an accelerometer for 7 days and then self-reported with the IPAQ. Partial correlations were used to assess associations among PA variables and participant characteristics between the methods. Agreement was assessed via the Bland–Altman method. Correlation coefficients between self-reported and objectively measured PA ranged from 0.21 to 0.38 (p≤ 0.05 for all). A higher proportion of students were classified as meeting PA guidelines via self-report compared to objective measurements. Bland–Altman plots revealed acceptable agreement between methods, however, bias was evident for all PA intensities. Sex and lean body mass impacted these differences. Researchers should exercise caution when interpreting PA assessed via the IPAQ in undergraduate students.