Dyscalculia is a specific learning disability that affects an individual’s core skills in mathematics, including calculation, recall of number facts, and approximating/comparing number. Research into the origins and aetiology of dyscalculia have suggested the presence of two different networks in the brain used for mathematics; one for verbal (symbolic) tasks such as recalling number facts, and one for non-verbal (non-symbolic) tasks such as approximation and number comparison. While these networks are located in different brain areas, they are often used together on calculation tasks, they are known to impact each other over the course of development, and they both appear to be impacted in dyscalculia. The current study used entertaining computer assisted instruction software, “Timez Attack”, to target the symbolic network, i.e. to improve the fluency of multiplication fact recall in three 9 and 10 year old children who were performing below the expected level on multiplication. An ABA (applied behaviour analysis) multiple-baseline across subject design was used to track participants’ performance on multiplication, addition, and number comparison over the course of the intervention. Results showed improved fluency of multiplication fact recall in all three participants; however this improvement did not generalise to addition or number comparison. This finding suggests that the symbolic and non-symbolic brain networks involved in mathematics are largely independent from each other by middle childhood, and that training targeting one network does not affect the other.

Evidence suggests that computer assisted interventions (CAI) have advantages over other types of instruction when teaching children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). A growing number of technology based tools for use in educational settings have been developed to address specific deficits associated with ASD; namely poor facial expression recognition. Given the proliferation of CAIs, there is an urgent need to test their application in real world and clinical settings. Based on previous research on the success of CAIs to support children with ASD in this area, this research was developed as a small scale pilot study to explore the feasibility and potential educational benefits of the relatively new CAI; Let’s Face It! Scrapbook (LFI!). This study examined the viability of the LFI! program in a clinical setting in which two groups of children with ASD worked one-on-one with behavioural interventionists to develop necessary life skills. The experimental condition (n=3) which received natural environment teaching (NET) of emotions plus LFI! exercises preformed better on tasks of facial expressions recognition in post-tests than the control condition (n=3) which received only natural environment teaching. Participating behavioural interventionists reporting on their experiences using the app. preferred this method of teaching citing the greater available teaching material, the enriched level of engagement required between client and interventionist, and the fun nature of the program. Though small in nature, the results of this pilot study would suggest that the LFI! program is a viable tool for use when training facial expression recognition with clients with ASD in clinical settings. / Graduate

No description available.

This study examined the level of satisfaction reported by participants of a technologically assisted intervention study (TAI). TAI is a type of teletherapy done through online, live video conferencing. Satisfaction was examined at three different time points, post therapy, 3-months post therapy, and 6-months post therapy. Analyses examined if there were any changes in reported satisfaction over the three time periods. Participants received cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) targeted at reducing symptoms of mild to moderately severe depression. A satisfaction measure was developed for this study, and included quantitative and qualitative items which were analyzed to determine participants' level of satisfaction. Seventeen women residing in the Vernal and Roosevelt, Uintah Basin areas, volunteered to participate in the study that was funded by a CURI and AES grant. This study found that the women experienced a high level of satisfaction with TAI across the various dimension measured. This high level of satisfaction remained consistent across the three time periods examined. Qualitative data offered a depth of understanding regarding what particularly participants were and weren't satisfied with. (106 pages)

Bakgrund: Hunden har länge funnits vid människans sida och varit en värdefull följeslagare. Aktuell forskning rymmer lovande bevis för hundens positiva effekter på människans hälsa. Djurassisterade interventioner med hundar är trots denna forskning i dagsläget en relativt oanvänd resurs i omvårdnadssammanhang. Syfte: Belysa hundens hälsofrämjande effekter för patienten. Metod: En allmän litteraturöversikt baserad på nio kvantitativa artiklar och en kvalitativ artikel. Resultat: Fyra huvudkategorier som speglar hundens hälsofrämjande effekter identifierades. Dessa var emotionella effekter, fysiska effekter, sociala och kognitiva effekter samt psykiska effekter. Slutsats: Det har identifierats att hunden kan påverka varierande hälsoaspekter hos människan i en positiv riktning. Klinisk betydelse: Genom att ha kunskap om vilka hälsofrämjande effekter hunden potentiellt kan medföra för patienten kan vårdpersonal få ännu ett verktyg för att närma sig personcentrerad omvårdnad. / Background: Dogs have for a long time been living by the human side and has been valued as meaningful companions. Current research contains promising evidence for the positive health benefits the dog may have on humans. Despite this research animal-assisted interventions containing dogs are a relatively unused resource in nursing context. Aim: To illuminate the health benefits that dogs in healthcare can have for the patient. Method: A general literature review based on nine quantitative articles and one qualitative article. Results: Four main categories that reflect health benefits dogs can contribute to were identified. These were: emotional effects, physical effects, social and cognitive effects and psychological effects. Conclusion: It was identified that dogs may affect several aspects of human health in a positive direction. Clinical relevance: By having knowledge about which health benefits dogs potentially can have for the patient, health professionals have yet another tool to approach person-centered care.

<p> </p> <p>Though literature on the influence and efficacy of service dogs as a complementary and integrative health intervention option for a variety of needs (e.g., medical, mobility, psychiatric) continues to emerge, a focus on how service dogs are integrated into the everyday lives of their handlers remains understudied. This dissertation offers new insights to this previously understudied area by first comparing the expectations versus lived experiences of veteran service dog handlers with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and then focusing in on the influence of service dogs beyond the handler, looking at the influence of service dogs on spouses, family members and caregivers. Using a rigorous multi-modal approach, both qualitative and quantitative insights emerge regarding the integration of a service dog for the handler and their families. Findings suggest that understanding the similarities and differences between expectations and experiences may help to inform practitioners and interested recipients about the service dog intervention and help to set realistic expectations about the integration process. Additionally, in populations of psychiatric assistance dogs for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and in populations of mobility and medical alert assistance dogs, findings suggest that the benefits and challenges of the intervention reach beyond the service dog recipient and handler, extending to affect the wellbeing of their families and caregivers. Researchers and practitioners should work together to develop programs that integrate these findings to provide family-focused educational interventions where both positive and negative experiences are shared alongside strategies to overcome the challenges associated with integrating a service dog into a home prior to pairing. Providing this opportunity enables setting realistic expectations for this complementary and integrative intervention option which in turn may affect its efficacy and success throughout and beyond the integration process. </p>

Bakgrund: Omvårdnadsteoretikern Florence Nightingale nämnde på 1800-talet idén med att använda djur i vården. Forskning som gjorts på vuxna där hundar varit inblandade har bland annat visat positiva effekter på blodtryck, hjärtfrekvens och apati. Forskning på området visar även att när en människa klappar ett djur frisätts hormonet oxytocin, som är ett lugnande hormon som får oss att må bra. Longitudinella studier har visat positiva effekter av att ha hund på särskilt boende, både stationär och besökande hund. De psykiska effekterna som påvisats var förbättrad sinnesstämning och upplevelser av stöd och trygghet. Syfte: Syftet med litteraturstudien var att undersöka hundens effekt på äldre personer boende på särskilt boende. Metod: En litteraturstudie där 12 artiklar valdes ut och granskades enligt Olsson & Sörensens granskningsmallar. Resultat: Analysen resulterade i tre huvudkategorier: Psykiska effekter, Fysiska effekter samt Socialt välbefinnande. Att spendera tid med en vårdhund kan reducera depression, minska ensamhet och öka den sociala interaktionen. Slutsats: Hundar kan ha positiva effekter på välbefinnandet hos äldre personer på särskilt boende.Nyckelord: Animal assisted intervention, effekt, hund, äldre människor, särskilt bonde. / Background: Nursing theorist Florence Nightingale mentioned in the 1800s the idea of using animals in care. Research done in adults where the dog has been involved has shown positive effects on blood pressure, heart rate and apathy. Research also show that when a human pats an animal the hormone oxytocin is released, which is a soothing hormone that makes us feel good. Longitudinal studies have shown the positive effects of having a dog in long-term care facilities, both stationary and visiting dog. The psychological effects detected were improved mood and experiences of support and security. Purpose: The purpose of this literature review was to investigate the dog's effect on older people living in long-term care facilities. Method: A literary review where 12 articles were selected and reviewed according to Olsson & Sörensen review protocol. Result: The results of the analysis were divided in three main categories: Physical effects, Psychological effects and Social wellbeing. Conclusion: Dogs can have positive effects on the wellbeing of elderly people living in long-term care facilities.Keywords: Animal assisted intervention, dog, effect, elderly, long-term care facility.

No description available.

Bakgrund Djurunderstödda interventioner är ett paraplybegrepp där bland annat djurunderstödda aktiviteter och djurunderstödd terapi ingår med syftet att på ett eller annat sätt förbättra en människas hälsa. Individer med diagnosen autism kan ha svårt att exempelvis socialt interagera med andra människor. Dessa svårigheter ger ofta sekundära hälsoproblem som exempelvis depression. Den aktuella behandlingen för diagnosen autism är symtomatisk, då det inte finns någon farmakologisk behandling mot diagnosen. Sjuksköterskan kan vara drivande i de insatser som kan främja en patients hälsa, därför behöver sjuksköterskan veta vilka insatser som är betydelsefulla för just denne individs situation. Syfte Syftet var att beskriva effekter av djurunderstödda interventioner för vuxna individer med den neuropsykiatriska diagnosen autism. Metod En litteraturöversikt med tio vetenskapliga artiklar hämtades från databaserna PubMed, CINAHL Complete och PsycINFO. Artiklarna analyserades enligt Fribergs analysmodell. Resultat Analysen av resultatet ledde till tre huvudteman med åtta tillhörande underteman: 1) Sociala effekter: Mindre ensamhet- en social kontakt utan mänsklig närvaro Kommunikationsförmåga- med andra individer Djuret som samtalsämne- ett socialt smörjmedel Sociala aktiviteter - en bro till samhället 2) Psykologiska effekter: Meningsskapande och ökat välbefinnande Ansvar och en känsla av självständighet 3) Fysiska effekter: Motion Taktil stimulans Slutsats Litteraturöversiktens slutsats är att individer med en autismdiagnos kan få positiva psykologiska-, fysiska- och sociala hälsoeffekter av djurunderstödda interventioner. Detta forskningsområde är relativt nytt och vår förhoppning är att litteraturöversiktens resultat ska kunna öka allmänsjuksköterskans kunskap. En hög kunskapskompetens kan bidra till en bättre vård med fler icke-farmakologiska behandlingsmöjligheter för individer med en autismdiagnos. Nyckelord Djurunderstödda interventioner, autism, effekter, vuxna / Background Animal assisted intervention is an umbrella-term that includes both animal assisted activities and animal assisted therapy with the aim of improving a person's health in one way or another. Individuals diagnosed with autism may have difficulty socializing with other people. These difficulties often give secondary health problems such as depression. The current treatment for the diagnosis of autism becomes symptomatic, since there is no pharmacological treatment against the diagnosis. The nurse can be a driving force in the efforts that can promote a patient's health, therefore, the nurse needs to know which interventions are important for this particular individual's situation. Aim The aim was to describe the effects of animal assisted interventions for adult individuals with the neuropsychiatric diagnosis of Autism. Method A literature review with ten articles was retrieved from the databases PubMed, CINAHL Complete and PsycINFO. The articles were analyzed according to Friberg's analysis model. Results The analysis of the results led to three main themes with eight associated subthemes: 1) Social effects: Less loneliness- a social contact without human presence Communication skills- with other individuals The animal as a conversation topic- a social lubricant Social activities - a bridge to the society 2) Psychological effects: Meaning of fulfillment and increased well-being Responsibility and a sense of independence 3) Physical effects: Exercise Tactile stimulation Conclusions The conclusion of the literature review is that individuals with an autism diagnosis can get positive psychological, physical and social health effects from animal-assisted interventions. This research area is relatively new and our hope is that the results of the literature review will be able to increase the general nurse's knowledge. A high level of competence can contribute to better care with more non-pharmacological treatment options for the individual with an autism diagnosis. Keywords Animal assisted intervention, autism, effects, adult

Au cours des dernières décennies, la chirurgie mini invasive a progressivement gagné en popularité face à la chirurgie ouverte, grâce à de meilleurs bénéfices cliniques. Cependant, ce type d'intervention introduit une perte de vision directe sur la scène pour le chirurgien. L'introduction de la réalité augmentée en chirurgie mini invasive semble être une solution viable afin de remédier à ce problème et a donc été activement considérée par la recherche. Néanmoins, augmenter correctement une scène laparoscopique reste difficile à cause de la non-rigidité des tissus et organes abdominaux. En conséquence, la littérature ne fournit pas d'approche satisfaisante à la réalité augmentée en laparoscopie, car de telles méthodes manquent de précision ou requièrent un équipement supplémentaire, contraignant et onéreux. Dans ce contexte, nous présentons un nouveau paradigme à la réalité augmentée en chirurgie laparoscopique. Se reposant uniquement sur l'équipement standard d'une salle opératoire hybride, notre approche peut fournir la relation statique entre l'endoscope et un scan intraopératoire 3D. De nombreuses expériences sur un motif radio-opaque montrent quantitativement que nos augmentations sont exactes à moins d'un millimètre près. Des tests sur des données in vivo consolident la démonstration du potentiel clinique de notre approche dans plusieurs cas chirurgicaux réalistes. / Over the past decades, minimally invasive surgery has progressively become more popular than open surgery thanks to greater clinical benefits. However, this kind of intervention introduced a loss of direct vision upon the scene for the surgeon. Introducing augmented reality to minimally invasive surgery appears to be a viable solution to alleviate this drawback and has thus been an attractive topic for the research community. Yet, correctly augmenting a laparoscopic scene remains challenging, due to the non-rigidity of abdominal tissues and organs. Therefore, the literature does not report a satisfactory approach to laparoscopic augmented reality, as such methods lack accuracy or require expensive and impractical additional equipment. In light of this, we present a novel paradigm to augmented reality in abdominal minimally invasive surgery. Based only on standard hybrid operating room equipment, our approach can provide the static relationship between the endoscope and an intraoperative 3D scan. Extensive experiments on a radio-opaque pattern quantitatively show that the accuracy of our augmentations is less than one millimeter. Tests on in vivo data further demonstrates the clinical potential of our approach in several realistic surgical cases.