Prior researchers have shown that school-aged staff can identify behavior function and function-matched interventions following training. Limited research has been done with preschool staff on the process of identifying function of behavior and selecting function-matched interventions to decrease problem behavior. A multiple baseline across participants’ design was used to measure preschool teachers’ accuracy of identification of behavior function and function-matched interventions. Participants analyzed descriptive data to identify function of behavior and select function-matched interventions. Results from this study demonstrated that preschool teachers can independently identify function-matched and nonfunction matched interventions with greater accuracy after training.

abstract: Although most Americans support capital punishment, many people have misconceptions about its efficacy and administration (e.g., that capital punishment deters crime). Can correcting people’s inaccurate attitudes change their support for the death penalty? If not, are there other strategies that might shift people’s attitudes about the death penalty? Some research suggests that statistical information can correct misconceptions about polarizing topics. Yet, statistics might be irrelevant if people support capital punishment for purely retributive reasons, suggesting other argumentative strategies may be more effective. In Study 1, I compared how two different interventions shifted attitudes towards the death penalty. In Studies 2 - 4 I examined what other attitudes shape endorsement of capital punishment, and used these findings to develop and test an educational intervention aimed at providing information about errors in the implementation of the death penalty. Altogether, these findings suggest that attitudes about capital punishment are based on more than just retributive motives, and that correcting misconceptions related to its administration and other relevant factors reduces support for the death penalty. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Psychology 2019

Mindfulness-based interventions use meditation and other learning exercises to help individuals become more aware of their current physiological and emotional experiences. Benefits of practicing mindfulness include an increase in positive psychological outcomes (e.g., psychological well-being, emotion regulation) and a decrease in negative psychological outcomes (e.g., anxiety, depression). The vast majority of studies focus on younger rather than older adults—setting the stage for the current study, which involved delivering a five-session mindfulness-based intervention to older adults (i.e., 60 and older). The smaller literature focused on older adults is promising but generally lacks methodological rigor (e.g., lack of no-treatment control groups). The current study added to the existing literature by conducting a longitudinal quasi-experimental delayed treatment trial in a sample of older adults. First, it was hypothesized that there would be an intervention effect on several variables. Specifically, it was hypothesized that participants would experience decreases in depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as increases in the five facets of mindfulness, psychological well-being, and emotional regulation. Second, it was hypothesized that the mindfulness-based intervention would be feasible and acceptable, as indicated by low levels of intervention noncompliance and participant attrition as well as high scores in satisfaction and practice log completion rates. Participants were 19 older adults from a local retirement community. Participants were assigned to either an immediate treatment (n = 11) or delayed treatment (n = 8) group. All participants were assessed at the universal baseline, week 5 (i.e. intervention completion of immediate treatment group), week 10 (i.e. intervention completion of delayed treatment group), and at week 15. The 5-week mindfulness-based intervention included psychoeducation (e.g., mindfulness, stress, aging, values), discussion of all concepts, and mindfulness practice. A series of two (group) by four (time of assessment) analysis of covariance models were estimated to evaluate primary outcomes. Results indicated that there was no significant treatment effect on primary outcomes. However, the mindfulness-based intervention was feasible and acceptable. Gaining additional knowledge of how mindfulness-based interventions influence coping strategies in older adults will allow clinicians and researchers to influence interventions for older adults and facilitate older adults receiving adequate psychological treatment while managing common stressors associated with aging.

Statement of the problem. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. It affects over 2.5 million people worldwide and approximately 350,000 Americans with new cases diagnosed weekly. MS significantly impacts activity participation, general health status, and quality of life. An extensive literature review reveals a gap in the rehabilitation and MS literature regarding evidence of the effectiveness of occupational therapy rehabilitation programs or occupational therapy wellness programs to improve the activity participation, general health and well-being, and quality of life for people living with MS. Methods. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) compared the long-term impact of an occupational therapy rehabilitation program, an occupational therapy wellness program, and a social activity program (control), on the occupational performance, general health and well-being, and quality of life of people living with MS, through repeated measures. Assessment tools used to measure occupational performance, general health and well-being and quality of life were the Occupational Self-Assessment, the Short Form-36 version 2 and the Quality of Life Inventory. Quality of life is a primary outcome in the provision of healthcare services for the chronically ill, and is the predominant measure in this clinical research, hence the choice of these assessment tools. Results. The effect of each of the group programs, rehabilitation, wellness and a social activity group was compared. Data were analyzed with MANOVA. The results yielded that the occupational therapy wellness group demonstrated a statistically significantly positive difference in the mental component summary measure of the SF-36v2 over the occupational therapy rehabilitation group (p = .093), two months post intervention. The results further revealed that the occupational therapy wellness group demonstrated a statistically significantly positive difference in the environmental impact scale of the OSA over the occupational therapy rehabilitation group (p = .115) and the social activity group (p = .065), over a period of three months. Conclusions. In this study an occupational therapy wellness approach showed statistically significantly positive effects on the environmental impact and mental health of people with MS over the long-term. This study also demonstrated the clinical significance associated with an occupational therapy rehabilitation and an occupational therapy wellness approach. These findings therefore contribute to evidence-based practice for the most effective occupational therapy interventions for persons with MS. This study was supported by grant #NSU012001 from the National Multiple Sclerosis Foundation and the Nova Southeastern University President's Scholarship Award 2001.

Supported by a research grant from the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, this randomized controlled trial was designed to compare the effectiveness of two occupational therapy interventions and a social activity intervention on the lives of people with multiple sclerosis. A multi-group pretest-posttest control group design was used to test the hypothesis that there would be a difference in impact between an occupational therapy rehabilitation intervention, a social activity intervention, and an occupational therapy wellness intervention on the occupational performance, quality of life, and general health status of people with MS. Multiple sclerosis affects approximately 350,000 Americans. It potentially limits occupational engagement in activities, roles, and meaningful participation in society. The economic impact both to the individual and to society is estimated to be 6 billion dollars annually. The literature described traditional occupational therapy (OT) practice for this population and highlighted some limitations of studies measuring the outcomes of traditional rehabilitation approaches. The literature suggested that health promotion and wellness approaches hold promise to improve health and quality of life for people with MS. Therefore, in an effort to contribute to evidence-based occupational therapy practice, two different occupational therapy interventions were developed: one based on the rehabilitation and biomechanical frames of reference and the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) and the other, a wellness intervention, based on the Person Environment Occupational Performance Model (PEOPM) and the MOHO. Participants were recruited from MS membership organizations. Those who met the inclusion criteria and who elected to participate in the study were randomly assigned to one of the two occupational therapy interventions or to a social activity control group. The Occupational Self Assessment, the SF-36, and the Quality of Life Inventory were administered at the beginning and upon completion of 10 sessions held weekly. The results suggest that both of the occupational therapy interventions used in this study can have a positive impact on the health and well-being and quality of life of people with MS, as compared to a social activity group. The researcher concluded that further occupational therapy research is needed that addresses quality, of life outcomes for people with MS and that other methods of assessing occupational performance outcomes need to be explored. A number of theoretical frameworks and models both within and outside the occupational therapy profession are recommended to guide the development of occupational therapy practice and outcome studies for this population.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Aim: Early psychosis has been identified as period during which rapid identification and treatment can lead to significant improvement in clinical and functional outcomes. Despite increased research, no studies have examined early psychosis in Veteran populations. It is unknown whether Veterans differ from non-Veterans at this stage of the disorder, and if the treatments offered to non-Veterans are appropriate to implement in Veteran Affairs Medical Centers. Given differences that appear between Veterans and non-Veterans in chronic psychosis, additional work is necessary to determine the best way to approach specialized treatment for Veterans experiencing early psychosis. Methods: The current study is a secondary analysis of assessment batteries collected at a community-based early intervention program and at a local Veteran Affairs Medical Center. Assessment results were compared for Veterans’ and non-Veterans’ background characteristics, symptoms, and neurocognitive deficits. Results: Significant differences were found between the two samples on age of illness onset, marital status, education level, positive symptoms of psychosis, and neurocognitive functioning. Logistic regression analyses identified age of onset as a potential underlying factor. Conclusions: While some aspects of illness presentation appear similar between Veterans and non-Veterans, there are important differences between these populations. Pre-existing treatment interventions, such as Social Skills Training, cognitive remediation approaches and cognitive behavior therapy for psychosis may be appropriate to implement with Veterans. Others– such as family based interventions or supported employment services – may need to be tailored to maximize the benefit for Veterans.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Adolescents with a type of conversion disorder called psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) experience many school, relationship, and health care struggles as they attempt to manage their mental health condition with PNES events that strikingly resemble epileptic seizures. Considered one of the top three neuropsychiatric problems, health care providers and school personnel remain ill-informed regarding how to care for adolescents with PNES. Because of the unique multidisciplinary approach needed to address adolescent PNES, school nurses are uniquely positioned to bridge health care and education systems. A review of literature examined the concept of school nurse selfmanagement support for PNES, existing school nurse-led mental health interventions, and the relationships between concepts for a conceptual framework guiding adolescent PNES research. This review of literature reveals an absence of adolescents’ perspective and school emphasis in PNES research. This study was designed to investigate adolescents’ experience attending school and self-managing PNES. This was accomplished through a qualitative content analysis of data generated from semi-structured interviews and magnitude coding of select quantifiable data. Data were obtained from 10 adolescents, 12 to 19 years of age, with current or recent in-person school attendance. The results indicate adolescents from the sample had school experiences that involved stress, bullying, accusations of faking seizures, and feelings of isolation or exclusion. Their mostly effective proactive selfmanagement activities included seeking protection, persevering in life despite PNES struggles, and progress monitoring through seizure tracking. Reactive activities of mixed effectiveness included coping responses to seizure warnings. School nurses, school personnel, family members, and peers served as both facilitators and barriers for PNES self-management. Adolescents also contributed information for three emerging themes— family-management, school-management, and illness representation. These findings reveal the difficulties of attending school and self-managing PNES and inform future PNES interventions to improve academic, mental health, and quality of life outcomes.

The village of Cekyne is officially registered as a district of the city of Prerov. Village centre consists of the square which is the oldest part of the village. This work is mainly focused on revitalization of the square. It contains small urban interventions like lamps, bus stop, greenery and one major architectural element - community housing for seniors. Until early 1980’s, there’re country houses surrounding the square from all sides. Since then, there’s been a self-service shop which disrupts the rural character of the village. Today the shop is closed and the building, where the shop sited, is deteriorating. The condition of this building and disturbed appearance of the square were the main reasons why I decided to bring a new life to the village centre through the community house for seniors. The concept of the community house is based on typical country houses which had formed the village square in the past. The community house is intended for active old generation as well as people who need professional care. Neighborly ties are the mainstay of this community housing.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(地球環境学) / 甲第21240号 / 地環博第176号 / 新制||地環||35(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院地球環境学舎地球環境学専攻 / (主査)教授 岡﨑 健二, 准教授 小林 広英, 准教授 西前 出 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Global Environmental Studies / Kyoto University / DFAM

SAMMANFATTNING I Sverige är cirka 40 procent av alla kvinnor i fertil ålder överviktiga eller har fetma. Detta medför ökade risker för kvinnan och fostret under graviditet såsom graviditetsdiabetes, preeklampsi, kejsarsnitt, intrauterin fosterdöd och barn som föds stora för tiden. I Sverige idag finns inga riktlinjer för vad som är lämplig viktuppgång utifrån Body mass index innan graviditet. Att banta under graviditet är inget som rekommenderas, men samtidigt visar studier att en överdriven viktuppgång under graviditet ökar riskerna för viktretention efter graviditeten. Det finns otillräcklig kunskap både hos gravida kvinnor och hos vårdpersonal om vad som är lämplig viktuppgång under graviditet. En kvinna som redan innan graviditet är överviktig eller har fetma utsätter sig själv och sitt ofödda barn för ytterligare risker genom överdriven viktuppgång under graviditet. Syftet med detta arbete var att undersöka interventioners effekt på att begränsa viktuppgång hos gravida kvinnor, med övervikt eller fetma, samt om dessa interventioner påverkar kvinnan eller barnet i övrigt under graviditet och förlossning. En litteraturöversikt utfördes där 15 vetenskapliga artiklar inkluderades. Artikelsökningen genomfördes i databaserna Cinahl och Pubmed. Genom att läsa artiklarna ett flertal gånger och göra understrykningar i texten hittades mönster som svarade på arbetets syfte och frågeställningar. Utifrån detta kategoriserades fakta i artiklarna. Resultatet visade att fysisk aktivitet, kostråd och beteendestrategier kan ha effekt på att begränsa viktuppgången hos gravida kvinnor med övervikt eller fetma. Många av kvinnorna som deltog i studierna förbättrade sina matvanor. I övrigt hade dessa interventioner även till viss del positiv effekt på blodtrycket och förekomsten av graviditetsdiabetes, men resultatet är på många områden inte entydigt. Ingen tydlig effekt på att begränsa födelsevikten kunde påvisas hos barnen, men det fanns en viss begränsning av barn som föddes med en födelsevikt över 4000 gram. Livsstilinterventioner kan vara effektiva för att begränsa viktuppgången under graviditet för kvinnor med övervikt eller fetma. Vidare forskning behövs för att säkerställa att detta sker på ett säkert sätt utifrån BMI klassificering.