A Pilot Study of the Effects of a Training Group on Irish Counseling Students

1992 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard C. Page ◽  
Eleanor O'Leary
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Counseling Students ◽  
Training Group

scholarly journals Effects of mindfulness training on regulatory and academic abilities in preadolescents: Results from a pilot study

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lena Wimmer ◽  
Lisa von Stockhausen ◽  
Silja Bellingrath
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Verbal Memory ◽  
Passive Control ◽  
Training Group ◽  
Mindfulness Training ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Coping With Stress ◽  
Stress Regulation ◽  
Diurnal Cortisol

AbstractRegulatory abilities such as self-regulation and stress regulation are key predictors of essential developmental outcomes, including intellectual and socioemotional milestones as well as academic achievement. Preadolescence has been proposed as a period that is crucial for training these abilities. The present pilot study investigated the effects of mindfulness training on preadolescents‘ regulatory abilities and school-related outcomes. A group of 34 fifth graders received either mindfulness training (experimental group), Marburg Concentration Training (alternative treatment group), or no treatment (passive control group) and were monitored over a four-month intervention period. Regulatory abilities were assessed first, with two self-report questionnaires that operationalized impulsivity and coping with stress, respectively. Second, physical stress regulation was examined on the basis of diurnal cortisol as well as salivary α-amylase (sAA) profiles. Finally, school-related outcomes were measured with a paperpencil based performance test of verbal memory. Results show that impulsivity increased in all groups over time, whereas there were no significant training effects on self-reported coping with stress. Both training groups showed more adaptive physiological stress regulation in terms of steeper diurnal cortisol slopes and marginally less pronounced sAA awakening responses, however, with respect to physiological measures, no data of the passive control group are available. With respect to school-related outcomes, the results indicate a slight superiority regarding verbal memory for the mindfulness training group compared to the Marburg Concentration Training group.

scholarly journals Turkish counselor trainees’ experiences regarding experiential groups: A qualitative study

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 560
Author(s):  
Burcu Pamukçu ◽  
Dilek Yelda Kağnıcı
Keyword(s):  
Group Process ◽  
Group Structure ◽  
Counselor Trainees ◽  
Counseling Students ◽  
Training Group ◽  
Experiential Training ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Phenomenological Research Design ◽  
Experiential Groups ◽  
Experiential Counseling

The purpose of the study was to examine Turkish counselor trainees’ experiences in participating in an experiential training group. The phenomenological research design was used to understand counselor trainees’ experiences in experiential group. The 18 undergraduate counseling students (14 female and 4 male) enrolled in a group counseling course were the participants of the study. The data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews after the completion of twelve- week experiential counseling groups. Content analysis was used to analyze the data and according to results, three main themes emerged: a) perceptions, b) contributions and c) problems. Under the perceptions theme emotions and metaphors codes emerged. Vocational and personal contributions were two main codes emerged under the contributions theme. And under the problems theme, two codes emerged as group structure and group process. The findings were discussed in the light of the literature and recommendations for counselor educators and researchers are presented. 

scholarly journals Working Memory Training and Cortical Arousal in Healthy Older Adults: A Resting-State EEG Pilot Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Spironelli ◽  
Erika Borella
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Training Group ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Intrusion Errors ◽  
High Beta

The current pilot study aimed to test the gains of working memory (WM) training, both at the short- and long-term, at a behavioral level, and by examining the electrophysiological changes induced by training in resting-state EEG activity among older adults. The study group included 24 older adults (from 64 to 75 years old) who were randomly assigned to a training group (TG) or an active control group (ACG) in a double-blind, repeated-measures experimental design in which open eyes, resting-state EEG recording, followed by a WM task, i.e., the Categorization Working Memory Span (CWMS) task, were collected before and after training, as well as at a 6-month follow-up session. At the behavioral level, medium to large Cohen's d effect sizes was found for the TG in immediate and long-term gains in the WM criterion task, as compared with small gains for the ACG. Regarding intrusion errors committed in the CWMS, an index of inhibitory control representing a transfer effect, results showed that medium to large effect sizes for immediate and long-term gains emerged for the TG, as compared to small effect sizes for the ACG. Spontaneous high-beta/alpha ratio analyses in four regions of interest (ROIs) revealed no pre-training group differences. Significantly greater TG anterior rates, particularly in the left ROI, were found after training, with frontal oscillatory responses being correlated with better post-training CWMS performance in only the TG. The follow-up analysis showed similar results, with greater anterior left high-beta/alpha rates among TG participants. Follow-up frontal high-beta/alpha rates in the right ROI were correlated with lower CWMS follow-up intrusion errors in only the TG. The present findings are further evidence of the efficacy of WM training in enhancing the cognitive functioning of older adults and their frontal oscillatory activity. Overall, these results suggested that WM training also can be a promising approach toward fostering the so-called functional cortical plasticity in aging.

scholarly journals Effect of Aerobic Training and Resistance Training on Circulating Irisin Level and Their Association With Change of Body Composition in Overweight/Obese Adults: a Pilot Study

2016 ◽  
pp. 271-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
H.-J. KIM ◽  
H.-J. LEE ◽  
B. SO ◽  
J. S. SON ◽  
D. YOON ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Composition ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Resistance Training ◽  
Aerobic Training ◽  
Exercise Program ◽  
Training Group ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Anthropometric Parameters ◽  
Obese Adults ◽  
Before And After

The novel myokine irisin has been reported as a therapeutic target for metabolic disease. The objective of this study is to reveal the effects of aerobic training (AT) and resistance training (RT) on circulating irisin levels and their associations with change of body composition in overweight/obese adults. Twenty eight overweight/obese adults (BMI>23 kg/m2) were included in this study and compared before and after 8 weeks of exercise program (60 min/day, 5 times in a week). The subjects, in both aerobic and resistance training, showed significant improvement in anthropometric parameters and exercise capacities including maximal oxygen uptake and muscle strength. Interestingly, the circulating irisin was significantly increased in resistance training group (p=0.002) but not in aerobic training (p=0.426) compared to control group. In addition, we found the positive correlation between change of the circulating irisin and muscle mass (r=0.432, p=0.022) and the negative correlation between change of the circulating irisin and fat mass (r=−0.407, p=0.031). In the present pilot study, we found that circulating irisin level was increased by 8 weeks of resistance training in overweight/obese adults, suggesting that resistance training could be the efficient exercise type in overweight/obese considering positive change of body composition concomitant with increase of irisin levels.

scholarly journals A Smartphone App for Attentional Bias Retraining in Smokers: Mixed Methods Pilot Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol C Choo ◽  
Yi Zhuang Tan ◽  
Melvyn W B Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Attentional Bias ◽  
Training Group ◽  
Smartphone App ◽  
Control Group ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Smartphone Apps ◽  
Probe Task ◽  
Visual Probe

BACKGROUND Smoking is a global health threat. Attentional bias influences smoking behaviors. Although attentional bias retraining has shown benefits and recent advances in technology suggest that attentional bias retraining can be delivered via smartphone apps, there is a paucity of research on this topic. OBJECTIVE This study aims to address this gap by exploring the use of attentional bias retraining via a novel smartphone app using a mixed methods pilot study. In the quantitative phase, it is hypothesized that participants in the training group who undertake attentional bias retraining via the app should have decreased levels of attentional bias, subjective craving, and smoking frequency, compared with those in the control group who do not undertake attentional bias retraining. The qualitative phase explores how the participants perceive and experience the novel app. METHODS In all, 10 adult smokers (3 females and 7 males) between the ages of 26 and 56 years (mean 34.4 years, SD 9.97 years) were recruited. The participants were randomly allocated to the training and control groups. In weeks 1 and 3, participants from both groups attempted the standard visual probe task and rated their smoking frequency and subjective craving. In week 2, the participants in the training group attempted the modified visual probe task. After week 3, participants from both groups were interviewed about their views and experiences of the novel app. RESULTS The results of the quantitative analysis did not support this study’s hypothesis. The qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The results yielded 5 themes: ease, helpfulness, unhelpful aspects, barriers, and refinement. CONCLUSIONS Findings from the qualitative study were consistent with those from previous studies on health-related smartphone apps. The qualitative results were helpful in understanding the user perspectives and experiences of the novel app, indicating that future research in this innovative area is necessary. CLINICALTRIAL

scholarly journals RCT comparing the clinical effectiveness of conventional instructor-facilitated cardiac compression training to technology enhanced training using high-fidelity mannequins-A pilot study

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 69
Author(s):  
Alison Pighills ◽  
Rachel Waye ◽  
Stephanie Taylor ◽  
Vicki Braithwaite ◽  
Daniel Lindsay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Clinical Effectiveness ◽  
Training Group ◽  
Hospital Staff ◽  
Training System ◽  
High Fidelity ◽  
Healthcare Staff ◽  
Skill Levels ◽  
Cardiac Compression

Introduction: Healthcare professionals often provide substandard chest compression following cardiac arrest. This is deemed a preventable harm because this skill can be acquired. The recent development of technology-enhanced cardiac compression training devices provides an alternative to traditional instructor-facilitated training. This pilot study compared the effectiveness of conventional and technology-enhanced training modalities.Methods: A pilot randomised controlled trial design was used in a regional hospital in Queensland. Following baseline assessment, healthcare staff were randomised to one of three groups: traditional instructor-facilitated training; high-fidelity mannequin training and continuous access to the training system to practise skills; and, high-fidelity mannequin training with no further access to the training system to practise skills. The primary outcome, cardiac compression skill levels, was analysed using analysis of co-variance, adjusting for predictive co-variates. Secondary measures were analysed using inferential statistics or presented descriptively.Results: Between January and February 2017, 502 healthcare staff were recruited. At baseline, 21\% were competent in cardiac compression, increasing to 38% on reassessment. The mode of training did not affect skill level (F(92,392) = 0.061, p = .94), however, participants in the high-fidelity mannequin training group who practised their skills had statistically significantly higher reassessment scores (z = -2.34, p = .019). Baseline score and the number of times participants practised their skills were significant predictors of reassessment scores (F(2,392) = 7.73, p = .001).Conclusions: Most hospital staff who may need to perform cardiac compression were not competent in this skill. Neither training modality was more effective. Both training and practise increased cardiac compression skill levels, indicating that frequent, low-dose training is required.

Direct Skills Teaching of Work-Related Conversational Skills for Individuals With Disabilities

2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 235-244
Author(s):  
Weili Lu ◽  
Janice D. Oursler ◽  
Samantha J. Herrick ◽  
Alison C. Durante ◽  
Crystal V. Socha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Group Intervention ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
Counseling Students ◽  
Cognitive Factors ◽  
Counselors In Training ◽  
Pedagogical Tool ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Conversational Skills ◽  
High Satisfaction

Work-related soft skills such as cultural awareness and effective communication, along with cognitive factors, influence success in school and in the workplace. This pilot study evaluated the feasibility of a small group intervention using the direct skills teaching (DST) approach to teach basic conversational skills in a work setting. A four-session group intervention using the “Conversing With Others” curriculum based on the DST approach was delivered to 146 participants in 22 groups by graduate counseling students. Participants reported greater confidence with engaging a coworker in conversation as well as high satisfaction with the group intervention in general. This pilot study provided data on the feasibility of this intervention and supported its use as a pedagogical tool for counselors-in-training.

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