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This study sought to investigate whether the popularity of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) would impact the behavioral intention (BI) to use of these technologies to aid in interpersonal task completion. Out of the ICTs available today, the most popular is textmessaging, especially among a sizable percentage of the college population. Approximately 600 students at a small, private junior college in eastern North Carolina were invited to participate in this study with a target of 248 responses needed to comprise an adequate sample. A total of 259 usable surveys (n = 259) were received and analyzed. Qualitative data collection instruments consisted of an openended questionnaire and other openended responses that were solicited throughout the data collection phase. Quantitative data collection instruments consisted of a 22item Likertscale survey and a forcedchoice ordinal scale instrument that measured computer user selfefficacy (CUSE) and experience using technology (EUT). Situated in the context of academic helpseeking (AHS), vignettes were developed, validated and administered to offer AHS scenarios where a problem was presented and the participants were then asked to reveal which type of ICT he or she would utilize to seek academic help (AH) in that particular situation.

Objectives: Systematic review: This article presents a systematic review of studies evaluating the evidence for mobile phone-based interventions with adolescents who have Type 1diabetes. Studies were critically appraised and findings synthesised with the aim of answering the question: do mobile phone technologies facilitate improved outcomes in adolescents who have Type 1diabetes? Empirical research study: Diabetes research has indicated an association between attachment security and metabolic control as well as increased prevalence of mental health difficulties in diabetes populations. There is limited research with an adolescent Type 1 diabetes population. The current study aimed to examine attachment, emotional distress and self-esteem in an adolescent Type 1 diabetes population in relation to metabolic control and quality of life. The current study also aimed to evaluate the impact of ‘wellbeing text-messaging support’ with the same population. Method: Systematic review: A systematic search strategy was employed to identify relevant studies. An electronic database search, combined with a hand search of key journals and reference sections of key papers, was undertaken. Methodological quality was determined using an idiosyncratic measure including information relating to study design, sample size, interventions and statistical analyses. A narrative synthesis was performed due to the heterogeneity of the sample. Empirical research study: 60 participants aged between 12-18 years old who had a diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes for over 12 months took part. A longitudinal questionnaire design was used to collect data using five validated psychological measures. HbA1c was used as a measure of metabolic control. Text-messaging comprised a wellbeing module delivered daily over a three-week period. Results: Systematic review: 12 eligible studies were identified. One achieved a rating of ‘very good’, two a rating of ‘good’ and the remaining nine were pilot and/or feasibility studies, of whom four received a rating of ‘fair’ and ‘five received a rating of ‘poor’ methodological quality. Results indicated limited good quality evidence which included improved adherence and self-efficacy and mixed results in relation to metabolic control. Limitations identified included the use of small, convenience samples and short study duration. Empirical research study: High levels of fearful attachment security predicted poorer metabolic control and poorer quality of life, and high levels of emotional distress predicted poorer quality of life. ‘Wellbeing text-messaging support’ resulted in significantly improved quality of life. Conclusion: Systematic review: There is limited evidence that mobile phone technology has consistently improved outcomes in adolescents with Type 1 diabetes. Due to the number of pilot or feasibility studies and predominantly poor/fair quality of the current literature, and the heterogeneity of the sample, only tentative conclusions can be drawn, thus highlighting the need for further research. Empirical research study: Adolescent attachment style and emotional distress may be assessed as part of routine diabetes care in order to identify individuals who are potentially most at risk of failing to engage with diabetes health care. This can subsequently impact negatively on metabolic control and/or quality of life. These findings highlight the importance of clinical psychology input in paediatric diabetes teams. Further research in relation to text-messaging support was recommended.

Despite the distance that often separates grandparents from their young adult grandchildren, the abundance of new technologies provides numerous means of connection for the grandparent-grandchild (GP-GC) dyad. The purpose of this study was to understand how grandparents use technology, namely text messaging and Facebook, in relationships with their young adult grandchildren. Specifically, the aim was to understand grandparents' purposes for using these technologies with their grandchildren, their motivations for using these technologies, and their perceptions of these technologies. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 23 grandparent participants and analyzed according to the procedures delineated in grounded theory analysis. Both text messaging and Facebook emerged as important tools for connection, as text messaging encourages more frequent communication and Facebook helps grandparents "fill in the gaps" about their grandchildren's lives. Furthermore, results indicated that grandparents' uses of text messaging, and to a lesser extent Facebook, are acts of accommodation to their grandchildren.

Obesity ascending rates are still a public health priority. The primary aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of tailored text messages on body weight change in overweight and obese adults in a community based weight management program. A secondary aim was to detect behavioral changes in the same population. The study design was quasi-experimental with pre and posttest analysis, conducted over 12 weeks. A total of 28 participants were included in the analysis. Body weight, eating behaviors, exercise and nutrition self-efficacy, attitude toward mobile technology, social support and physical activity were assessed at baseline and at 12 weeks. Text messages were sent biweekly to the intervention but not to the control group. At 12 weeks, the intervention group had lost significant weight as compared to the control group. There was a trend toward an improvement in eating behaviors, exercise and nutrition self-efficacy in the intervention group, with no significant difference between groups. A total of 79% of participants stated that text messages helped in adopting healthy behaviors. Tailored text messages appear to enhance weight loss in a weight management program at a community setting. Large scale and long term intervention studies are needed to confirm these findings.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether learners from different primary schools would respond to cell phone SMS (short message service) questions related to their schoolwork after school hours. As young people use cell phone technology to socialise, it seemed appropriate to consider integrating this technology within the school-framework, as many schools do not allow the use of cell phones during school. Another aim was to find out whether socio-economic backgrounds or gender groups responded differently to the SMS interaction study. A concurrent triangulation design research method was applied. The study examined how often and what types of answers learners would submit via SMS after school hours. The principal conclusion was that the learners reacted positively to the SMS feedback response sent in reply to an SMS answer and then engaged to a greater degree with the further questions.

Despite efforts to mitigate texting and driving in the United States, accidents as a result of distracted driving continue to increase, especially within the 16-24 age group. Considering the traits of the members of this age group, as well as the attributes of the various means that are utilized to mitigate such behavior, I hypothesize that the employment of filmed narratives in public service announcements is more effective than any other established approach. Testing the validity of this hypothesis, contributing to a lack of research, three methods of analysis were employed in this project: a textual analysis of a filmed narrative; an audience analysis of the comments accompanying the filmed narrative; and a video session followed by a self-administered questionnaire. The results of this study indicate that while the filmed narrative is more effective than the spoken narrative, more intensive analyses are necessary for further speculation. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2017. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Introdução: O acompanhamento do parceiro no pré-natal, parto e pós-parto de sua companheira mostram resultados positivos em relação à saúde materna, infantil e também relacionados à saúde do homem. É uma importante estratégia de aproximar os futuros pais dos serviços de saúde e melhorar o vínculo destes com a paternidade. Objetivo: Avaliar se a implementação da tecnologia SMS através do programa PRENACEL para o parceiro como um programa de educação em saúde é um suplemento útil ao acompanhamento pré-natal padrão. Método: Ensaio aleatorizado controlado por conglomerados representados por unidades de saúde. Selecionamos 20 unidades de saúde que foram aleatoriamente alocadas segundo critérios pré estabelecidos, 10 sendo controle e 10 como intervenção. Os parceiros das gestantes que iniciaram o pré-natal antes da 20ª semana de gestação foram a população do estudo. Os parceiros inscritos no PRENACEL receberam periodicamente mensagens curtas de texto via celular com informações sobre gestação e parto. Nas unidades do grupo controle os parceiros receberam, junto com suas companheiras, o pré-natal padrão. Resultados: 186 parceiros foram entrevistados, 62 do grupo PRENACEL, 73 do grupo intervenção, mas que não optaram pelo PRENACEL e 51 do grupo controle. Encontramos um perfil com idade média de 30 anos e a maioria dos entrevistados (51%) se declarou como raça/cor parda. Grande parte dos entrevistados (39,7%) relatou ter em média de 9,3 anos de estudo. A maioria dos homens (57,5%) coabita com a companheira e foi classificada como classe C (63,7%). A adesão ao programa PRENACEL foi de 53,4%. Houve uma maior participação dos parceiros do grupo PRENACEL nas consultas de pré- natal, assim como foi observada uma maior presença destes no momento do parto como acompanhante quando comparado aos demais grupos. Conclusão: O estudo mostrou que uma estratégia de educação em saúde utilizando as tecnologias de comunicação parece ter boa aceitabilidade e um papel promissor no engajamento de homens aos cuidados pré-natal, parto e pós-parto de suas companheiras. / Introduction: The partner accompanying the prenatal care, birth and postpartum care of the woman has presented positive results in relation to mother and child health and also in relation to the health of the man. This is an important strategy to bring future fathers closer to health services and to improve their link with paternity. Aim: To evaluate whether the implementation of SMS technology, through the PRENACEL program for the partner as a health education program, is a useful supplement to standard prenatal monitoring. Method: A parallel cluster randomized trial, with the clusters representing health units. The partners of the pregnant women who started prenatal care prior to the 20th week of gestation were the study population of the intervention group. The participants received periodic short text messages via mobile phone with information about the pregnancy and birth. In the control group units the partners, together with the women, received the standard prenatal care. Results: 186 partners were interviewed, 62 from the PRENACEL group, 73 from the intervention group that did not opt for PRENACEL and 51 from the control group. A profile with a mean age of 30 years was found and the majority of respondents (51%) declared themselves as brown race/color. The interviewees presented a mean of 9.3 years of study. The majority of the men (57.5%) cohabited with their partner and 63.7% were classified as socioeconomic class C. The adherence to the PRENACEL program was 53.4%. There was a greater participation of the PRENACEL partners in the prenatal consultations, as well as a greater presence of them accompanying the woman at the moment of the birth when compared to the other groups. Conclusion: The study showed that a health education strategy using communication technology seems to have good acceptability and a promising role in engaging men in the prenatal care, birth and postpartum care of their partners.

Introdução: O acompanhamento do parceiro no pré-natal, parto e pós-parto de sua companheira mostram resultados positivos em relação à saúde materna, infantil e também relacionados à saúde do homem. É uma importante estratégia de aproximar os futuros pais dos serviços de saúde e melhorar o vínculo destes com a paternidade. Objetivo: Avaliar se a implementação da tecnologia SMS através do programa PRENACEL para o parceiro como um programa de educação em saúde é um suplemento útil ao acompanhamento pré-natal padrão. Método: Ensaio aleatorizado controlado por conglomerados representados por unidades de saúde. Selecionamos 20 unidades de saúde que foram aleatoriamente alocadas segundo critérios pré estabelecidos, 10 sendo controle e 10 como intervenção. Os parceiros das gestantes que iniciaram o pré-natal antes da 20ª semana de gestação foram a população do estudo. Os parceiros inscritos no PRENACEL receberam periodicamente mensagens curtas de texto via celular com informações sobre gestação e parto. Nas unidades do grupo controle os parceiros receberam, junto com suas companheiras, o pré-natal padrão. Resultados: 186 parceiros foram entrevistados, 62 do grupo PRENACEL, 73 do grupo intervenção, mas que não optaram pelo PRENACEL e 51 do grupo controle. Encontramos um perfil com idade média de 30 anos e a maioria dos entrevistados (51%) se declarou como raça/cor parda. Grande parte dos entrevistados (39,7%) relatou ter em média de 9,3 anos de estudo. A maioria dos homens (57,5%) coabita com a companheira e foi classificada como classe C (63,7%). A adesão ao programa PRENACEL foi de 53,4%. Houve uma maior participação dos parceiros do grupo PRENACEL nas consultas de pré- natal, assim como foi observada uma maior presença destes no momento do parto como acompanhante quando comparado aos demais grupos. Conclusão: O estudo mostrou que uma estratégia de educação em saúde utilizando as tecnologias de comunicação parece ter boa aceitabilidade e um papel promissor no engajamento de homens aos cuidados pré-natal, parto e pós-parto de suas companheiras. / Introduction: The partner accompanying the prenatal care, birth and postpartum care of the woman has presented positive results in relation to mother and child health and also in relation to the health of the man. This is an important strategy to bring future fathers closer to health services and to improve their link with paternity. Aim: To evaluate whether the implementation of SMS technology, through the PRENACEL program for the partner as a health education program, is a useful supplement to standard prenatal monitoring. Method: A parallel cluster randomized trial, with the clusters representing health units. The partners of the pregnant women who started prenatal care prior to the 20th week of gestation were the study population of the intervention group. The participants received periodic short text messages via mobile phone with information about the pregnancy and birth. In the control group units the partners, together with the women, received the standard prenatal care. Results: 186 partners were interviewed, 62 from the PRENACEL group, 73 from the intervention group that did not opt for PRENACEL and 51 from the control group. A profile with a mean age of 30 years was found and the majority of respondents (51%) declared themselves as brown race/color. The interviewees presented a mean of 9.3 years of study. The majority of the men (57.5%) cohabited with their partner and 63.7% were classified as socioeconomic class C. The adherence to the PRENACEL program was 53.4%. There was a greater participation of the PRENACEL partners in the prenatal consultations, as well as a greater presence of them accompanying the woman at the moment of the birth when compared to the other groups. Conclusion: The study showed that a health education strategy using communication technology seems to have good acceptability and a promising role in engaging men in the prenatal care, birth and postpartum care of their partners.

The introduction of wireless device text messaging, as an alternative to a citizen placing a telephone call for police help, generates the need for new polices and processes relevant to police call-taker, police dispatcher, and police officer response to reported emergencies. Little scholarly research explores the policy issues around the use of text 9-1-1 within public safety answering point operations. Using systems theory as the foundation, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the potential use of written communication via a wireless device text message for reporting a police emergency. Research questions focused on the reciprocal relationships in communication used to initiate an emergency call for service and police response. A maximum variation purposeful sampling technique was used to recruit 16 individuals with knowledge of placing, receiving, or responding to a police emergency request, for this study. Data collection methods also included police call-taker observations of four active 9-1-1 calls, 9-1-1 and police radio recordings of the calls, physical artifacts, and documentation. All data were inductively coded and then subjected to a thematic analysis procedure. Findings indicate that text messages may be a preferred option in certain types of situations, such as home invasions, where the victim may not be able to speak to call-takers as a matter of protecting personal safety. However, the use of text messages is also perceived as creating a potential for delayed police response due to the asynchronous nature of the process. Recommendations to police executives and policy makers include enhancing call-taker training and citizen instruction prior to the text messaging integration, thereby promoting positive social change through enhancing public safety by providing another mechanism for direct citizen-police communication.