In single-case research design (SCRD), experimental control is demonstrated when the researcher’s application of an intervention, known as the independent variable, reliably produces a change in behavior, known as the dependent variable, and the change is not otherwise explained by confounding or extraneous variables. SCRD studies that fail to demonstrate experimental control may not be published because researchers may be unwilling to submit these papers for publication due to null findings and journals may be unwilling and unlikely to publish null outcomes (i.e., publication bias). The lack of submission and publication of null findings, leading to a disproportion of positive studies in the published research literature, is known as the “file drawer effect” (Rosenthal, 1979; Ferguson & Heene, 2012). Recently, researchers and policy organizations have identified evidence-based practices (EBPs) for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) based on systematic reviews of SCRD studies (Odom, Collet-Klingenberg, Rogers, & Hatton, 2010). However, if SCRD studies that do not demonstrate experimental control (i.e., null studies) are disproportionately unpublished due to the file drawer effect, this may result in a misrepresentation of positive findings, leading interventions to be deemed evidence-based that, actually, lack sufficient empirical support (Sham & Smith, 2014; Shadish, Zelinsky, Vevea, & Kratochwill, 2016). Social narratives, exercise, self-management, and response interruption/redirection are interventions for children with ASD that has been named EBPs according to the National Autism Standards (NAC; 2009) and National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorder (NPDC; 2010); however, these interventions have not yet been evaluated for potential publication bias. The study employed and extended methods similar to Sham and Smith (2014), comparing the procedures and results of published articles and unpublished dissertations and theses for interventions identified as EBPs to evaluate the methodological rigor and evaluate the possibility of publication bias, file drawer effect, and lack of replication. Specifically, the results of published and unpublished studies were compared to determine if published studies showed greater treatment effect, which would indicate the file drawer effect. Also, SCRD quality indicators were employed to evaluate whether studies that were published tend to be of higher quality, as this would mitigate possible publication bias shown by larger effect sizes (ES) in published studies. The outcome resulted in three out of four EBPs (social narratives, antecedent exercise, and response interruption and redirection), yielding different ES when published studies were compared to unpublished studies; in contrast, self-management yielded a similar ES for published and unpublished studies. For social narratives and antecedent exercise, unpublished studies presented at lower estimated ES than published studies; whereas for response interruption and redirection, unpublished studies presented at a higher estimated ES compared to published studies. Generally, study quality presented at similar levels for published and unpublished studies for each EBP, with the exception of antecedent exercise. Differences were identified for antecedent exercise study quality based upon visual and statistical analyses. Lastly, there do not appear to be observed differences in treatment outcomes between published and unpublished studies when study quality was considered in the analysis. Implications of the results are discussed with respect to the file drawer effect and publication bias in EBPs, and the call to increase publications in peer-reviewed journals of negative findings and replication studies, which leads to identifying and establishing boundary criteria for EBPs. / Special Education

Islam, its texts and lived practice, finds growing importance within the global discourse on bioethics, as there is an increasing Muslim population and burgeoning interest in biomedical research and biotechnologies in the Muslim world. The aim of this thesis is to assess if and how Islam influences the ethical decision making of researchers, REC (researcher ethics committee) members, guideline developers and Islamic scholars in the biomedical research context. I began addressing this question by first reviewing the literature that has been published to explore the role that Islam plays in the literature on biomedical research ethics. There is evidence that some Muslim countries have developed "Islamic" guidelines. That is, guidelines with the explicit aim of setting out Islamic values and stating their relevance to the ethics of research. A review of research guidelines employed within countries with a significant Muslim population, was carried out, to investigate the role of Islam in such guidelines. The literature and guideline review revealed that although international guidelines have been adapted to incorporate Islamic views, studies have shown that the latter are of limited practical application within a "Muslim country" setting. An empirical study was carried out in two case study sites to assess the extent to which Islam influences ethical decision making within the context of biomedical research. 56 semi-structured interviews were carried out in Malaysia (38) and Iran (18) with researchers, REC members, guideline developers and Islamic scholars to understand whether Islam influences what they consider to be an ethico-legal problem, and if the latter emerges, then how such issues are addressed. The empirical study indicates five main conclusions. The first is that Islam and its institutional forms do impact ethical decision making in the day-to-day practice of biomedical research in countries with a Muslim population and/or in the research careers of Muslim researchers. Secondly, it shows that there are many distinctive mechanisms, such as the involvement of Islamic scholars, the process of ijtihad (independent reasoning) and the production of fatawah (legal edicts), by which Islam does identify and develop ethical views about biomedical matters. Thirdly, HIV/AIDS poses major challenges to the world of Islam as it does the rest of world. The epidemic raises issues that touch on cultural sensitivities that are important to Islamic societies and this study has shown that no simple or single response was observed to the ethical issues arising from HIV/AIDS. Fourthly, researchers face practical challenges when deliberating women's autonomy in contexts where Islam is appropriated within 'male dominated' contexts. The role and status of women is disputed in such contexts with views ranging from women needing their husband's permission to leave the home to men and women having equal freedoms. Finally, this study describes and analyses how the personal faith of researchers and their deep commitment to Islamic ethics and law influences their understanding of their legal and moral accountability and ethico-legal decision making. It shows that researchers adopt multiple roles and are required to balance numerous value systems and priorities and face moral anxiety and frustration when these different moral sources are in conflict. Overall, this study indicates that, in the countries studied, Islam does influence biomedical research ethics, and that this can be appreciated through the growing reference to Islam and its scriptural sources in biomedical research ethics literature, research ethics guidelines and the role of Islam in the day-to-day practice of biomedical researchers in the case study sites, that has been captured in the empirical study.

No description available.

本研究藉由整合相關之單一受試實驗研究結果來探討行為改變技術對學業行為影響之效果。研究中用來計算效應量的方法有兩種：未重疊資料百分率（Percentage of Nonoverlapping Data, PND）、超過基線中點資料百分率（Percentage of Data Points Exceeding the Median of Preceding Baseline Phase, PEM）。為了檢視超過基線中點資料百分率方法應用在單一受試實驗研究統合分析上之可行性，本研究以各原研究作者之判斷為效標，對超過基線中點資料百分率與未重疊資料百分率之效度進行比較。 一共有98篇單一受試實驗研究納入統合分析。實驗的介入處理共分成：1.電腦輔助教學、2.合作學習、3.精熟學習、4.增強、5.自我控制訓練、6.情境學習、7.社會學習、8.策略教學、9.其他。研究顯示各種介入處理對於受試的學習行為皆產生正向效果。此外，超過基線中點資料百分率方法亦獲得支持適用於單一受試實驗研究之量化統合分析。 / The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of behavioral modification on academic behaviors by aggregating relevant conclusions of primary single-subject researches. Two approaches are used to generate estimations of effect sizes: the PND (Percentage of Nonoverlapping Data) approach, and the PEM (Percentage of Data Points Exceeding the Median of Preceding Baseline Phase). To test the applicability of the PEM approach, the validity of the PEM scores is compared with that of the PND scores by using the judgments of original authors as a validity criterion. A total of 98 studies are reviewed. Treatments include (a) computer assisted instruction; (b) cooperative learning; (c) mastery learning; (d) reinforcement; (e) self-control training; (f) situated learning; (g) social learning; (h) strategy instruction; and (i) others. Results indicate that all kinds of interventions produce positive effects on participants’ academic behaviors. In addition, the PEM approach is shown to be an appropriate method for a quantitative synthesis of single-subject researches.

近年來，病人自主權意識高漲，醫療糾紛頻傳，每個醫師無不戒慎恐懼，而醫療爭議之處理模式與醫師專門職業之道德責任都受到社會高度的檢視及廣泛的討論。事實上，醫學的進步需要依賴不斷地創新與大膽地試驗研究，因此人體試驗相關的問題也受到大眾的關注。 由於人體試驗所面對的是複雜而變化多端的情境，所以參與人體試驗之受試者將會面對甚而遭到危險或傷害。我國人體試驗的相關法規，多散置於醫療法、醫師法、藥事法、藥品優良臨床試驗準則、藥品優良臨床試驗規範等，除了無整體之法規範外，且多為行政法令，在法律位階上均較低，加上衛生署主管機關無法落實對試驗過程中之管理與監控，因此參與人體試驗之受試者往往會受到損害而無法得到應有的保障。因為人體試驗的特殊性與常規醫療是不同的，如果僅由既有的傳統醫療糾紛處理方式，如醫療契約於受試者的關係、侵權行為於違反保護他人法律的標準、醫療倫理不傷害原則於人體試驗規範等，這些恐怕都是必須的，但是仍嫌不足。 本文參考國外人體試驗規範包括紐倫堡法則、赫爾辛基宣言、美國貝爾蒙特報告、美國聯邦法規、CIOMS國際生物醫學研究人體試驗倫理準則、國際醫藥法規協和會之優良人體臨床試驗準則等等，然後針對個別議題如受試者保護之告知後同意，受試者權益之醫療契約關係及侵權行為責任，受試者受傷害之損害賠償責任，作一整理分析與檢討，並進一步配合我國現行法律制度與社會倫理規範做出建議。 本文共分為七章，分別為「序論」、「人體試驗」、「人體試驗告知後同意法則」、「國外人體試驗之民事責任」、「我國人體試驗之民事責任」、「人體試驗之賠償責任及機制」及「結論」。 / In recent years, patients’ consciousness of self-determination has raised and many medical disputes occurred; doctors feel discomfort and developed the high intensity of self-defense. The solution of medical malpractice and professional liability of doctors have became the major public issues and received many discussions. We are quite sure that the medical progress is based on innovative and intensive clinical study on human subjects. Under this background, the topics on human subject research have been attracted more attention than ever. Since the situations in human research are complex and variable. If relative clinical standards and legal protections are not adequately provided, the human subjects involved in clinical researches may face many risks and even injured. In Taiwan, we don’t have a systemic regulations on human subject research, all regulations are distributed in different code, act, proceeding, and agreement. Furthermore, the government does not have enough resource and manpower to monitor or inspect the processes of human research, the issues of protection of human rights and benefits of testee has raised serious concern. The human subject research is not exactly the same as the clinical medical treatment, it’s impossible for legislators or institutions to regulate research through traditional medical regulations such as medical ethics doctor-involved informed consent, medical agreement (contract), tort laws, and compensation for injury. In this thesis, firstly, I reviewed the most important publications related to human subject research include Nuremberg Code, Declaration of Helsinki, USA’s Belmont Report and Code of Federal Regulations, CIOMS International Ethical Guidelines for Biomedical Research Involving Human Subjects, and ICH-GCP; secondly, focus on each specific topics especially the value of informed consent, the importance of medical agreement, the liabilities of torts and the policy of compensation for injury. Finally, I’ll make my comments and suggestions to the health care authorities to update and implement new regulating policies to protect human rights of subjects involved in clinical researches. My thesis is restricted to discuss the impact of civil liability on human subjects research focus on drug clinical trial and divided into seven chapters as follows: “Introduction”, “Human subject research”, “Principles of informed consent”, “International liability of civil law on human subject research”, “Liability of Taiwan civil law on human subject research”, “Policy of compensation for injured human research subject” and “Conclusion”.

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<p>This research was a pilot study in a larger project that focused on how to retrieve knowledge from retiring long-term employees of a small university utility plant, incorporate that material into their existing training program, and during the process reduce the training time for current and future employees. Wade utility plant faced the retirement of eight employees with nearly 200 years of corporate knowledge within three years, but their current training program required seven to nine years to complete. The study utilized interviews, first-hand observation and partnership with current employees to explore how best to obtain the corporate knowledge that would be lost when the proletarian workers retired. The study revealed that the training program needed to be updated, and communication, trust and training evaluation continuity needed to be addressed. Due to these issues, trust was built through transparency by the researcher, and suggestions were made to management for moving forward. This study adds to the body of knowledge by utilizing knowledge capture techniques in a utility plant, highlighting effective knowledge capture techniques for proletarian workers, the importance of corporate planning for the effect of group retirements, and how incorporating proletarian workers into training creation can make a positive impact on company relationships.</p>

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