scholarly journals 0391 Gateways, Disparities, and Finals Week, Oh My! Translating Sleep Science from the Laboratory to the Classroom

SLEEP ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A150-A150
Author(s):  
M K Scullin ◽  
C Gao ◽  
V Bermudez ◽  
J Diaz ◽  
P Zinke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Chemistry ◽  
Achievement Gaps ◽  
Drop Out ◽  
Causal Mechanism ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Underrepresented Minority ◽  
Sleep Habits ◽  
Underrepresented Minority Students ◽  
Extra Credit ◽  
Sleep Behaviors

Abstract Introduction Organic chemistry can be an insurmountable “gateway” course for otherwise-qualified students in pre-health pathways. Recent data indicate that organic chemistry increases drop-out risk for females and underrepresented minority students (URMs), raising the provocative possibility that sleep disparities are an underrecognized contributor to achievement gaps in gateway STEM courses. Methods In Study 1, 481 students enrolled in organic chemistry courses completed sleep questionnaires at the beginning, midpoint, and end of the semester. In Study 2, non-chemistry majors were randomly assigned to normal sleep (8 hours) or sleep restriction (5.5 hours) before taking an organic chemistry virtual lecture and test. In Study 3, 35 students wore actigraphy for five nights and could earn extra credit on a mid-semester test by averaging ≥8 hours of sleep; actigraphy sleep durations were compared to 40 active-control students who only received sleep education. Results In Study 1 (classroom), URM and female students earned lower organic chemistry grades than comparison students, p<.001. Baseline weekday sleep duration predicted test grades across the semester, and students who improved their weekday sleep subsequently improved their organic chemistry grades. In Study 2 (laboratory), mild sleep loss impaired meta-cognitive judgments of organic chemistry learning, a potential causal mechanism for reduced persistence in chemistry courses. In Study 3 (classroom), when better sleep behaviors were incentivized by extra credit, students slept an hour longer/night than control groups (7.8 vs 6.8 hours, p<.001). These benefits persisted 1 month later into finals week when sleep behaviors were not externally incentivized (7.3 vs 6.3 hours, p=.001). Improving sleep improved performance on difficult short answer questions after correcting for pre-final grades (Madjusted=78% vs 72%, p=.04). Conclusion Sleep disparities contribute to achievement gaps in gateway STEM courses, but incentives can reverse poor sleep habits. University administrators should develop and implement behavioral change programs to reduce sleep disparities. Support National Science Foundation (DRL 1920730)

Minority Achievement Gaps in STEM

2016 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula Olszewski-Kubilius ◽  
Saiying Steenbergen-Hu ◽  
Dana Thomson ◽  
Rhoda Rosen
Keyword(s):  
Minority Students ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Grade Level ◽  
Ninth Grade ◽  
Achievement Gaps ◽  
Underrepresented Minority ◽  
Minority Achievement ◽  
Underrepresented Minority Students ◽  
Science Courses ◽  
Illinois Standards Achievement Test

This longitudinal study examined the outcomes of Project Excite on reducing minority students’ achievement gaps in STEM over 14 years. Project Excite was designed to provide intensive supplemental enrichment and accelerated programming for high-potential, underrepresented minority students from third through eighth grades to better prepare them for advanced math and science courses in high school. This study compared the performance of Project Excite participants with that of students from their local school districts and the state on the Illinois Standards Achievement Test, the Explore test, the Measures of Academic Progress, and on rates of placement in above-grade-level math courses in ninth grade. Project Excite participants consistently outperformed their Black, Latino, and low-income peers, and they came close to the performance levels of White, Asian, and non-low-income students. They were more likely to be placed in above-grade-level math courses than their minority peers in ninth grade.

scholarly journals STEM faculty who believe ability is fixed have larger racial achievement gaps and inspire less student motivation in their classes

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. eaau4734 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A. Canning ◽  
Katherine Muenks ◽  
Dorainne J. Green ◽  
Mary C. Murphy
Keyword(s):  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Growth Mindset ◽  
Achievement Gaps ◽  
Course Evaluations ◽  
Underrepresented Minority ◽  
Negative Experiences ◽  
Underrepresented Minority Students ◽  
Race Ethnicity ◽  
Racial Achievement ◽  
Faculty Characteristic

An important goal of the scientific community is broadening the achievement and participation of racial minorities in STEM fields. Yet, professors’ beliefs about the fixedness of ability may be an unwitting and overlooked barrier for stigmatized students. Results from a longitudinal university-wide sample (150 STEM professors and more than 15,000 students) revealed that the racial achievement gaps in courses taught by more fixed mindset faculty were twice as large as the achievement gaps in courses taught by more growth mindset faculty. Course evaluations revealed that students were demotivated and had more negative experiences in classes taught by fixed (versus growth) mindset faculty. Faculty mindset beliefs predicted student achievement and motivation above and beyond any other faculty characteristic, including their gender, race/ethnicity, age, teaching experience, or tenure status. These findings suggest that faculty mindset beliefs have important implications for the classroom experiences and achievement of underrepresented minority students in STEM.

Sleep Behaviors in Persons With Alzheimer’s Disease: Associations With Caregiver Sleep and Affect

2020 ◽  
pp. 073346482097924
Author(s):  
Molly A. Mather ◽  
Holly B. Laws ◽  
Jasmine S. Dixon ◽  
Rebecca E. Ready ◽  
Anna M. Akerstedt
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Daily Diary ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Multilevel Mediation ◽  
Diary Data ◽  
Retrospective Reports ◽  
Disease Associations ◽  
Sleep Behaviors

Poor sleep in persons with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a common stressor for family caregivers. Retrospective reports support associations between sleep disturbance in persons with AD and worse caregiver mood; however, prospective associations between sleep in persons with AD and caregiver outcomes have not been studied. The current study determined associations between affect and sleep of persons with AD and their caregivers using daily diary data. Multilevel mediation models indicated that sleep in persons with AD is linked to caregiver affect; furthermore, these associations are mediated by sleep characteristics in caregivers and affect in persons with AD. Daily fluctuations in sleep behaviors in persons with AD—rather than average values—were most strongly associated with caregiver outcomes. Interventions to improve sleep in persons with AD may decrease their negative affect and improve caregiver mood.

scholarly journals 0262 An Exploratory Examination of the Relationship Between Negative Affect, Stress and Emotional Reactivity, Mindfulness, and Sleep Incompatible Behaviors

SLEEP ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A100-A100
Author(s):  
S Nagy ◽  
S M Pickett ◽  
J Sosa ◽  
A Garcell
Keyword(s):  
Negative Affect ◽  
Stress Management ◽  
Emotional Reactivity ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Negative Emotion ◽  
Sleep Hygiene ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Dispositional Mindfulness ◽  
Sleep Behaviors ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Introduction Stress has been identified as a barrier to engaging in positive health behaviors. Sleep interventions, including sleep hygiene recommendations, highlight stress management as an important treatment component. However, the relationship between negative emotion, stress management or emotion regulation, and positive sleep behaviors has largely been unexamined. Therefore, the current study, through secondary analyses, examined the relationships between negative affect, stress and emotional reactivity and sleep incompatible behaviors. Lastly, the indirect effect that dispositional mindfulness, as a possible self-regulatory mechanism, may have on the relationship was also examined. It was hypothesized that greater levels of stress, emotional reactivity, and negative arousal along with lower levels of dispositional mindfulness would predict higher engagement in sleep incompatible behaviors. Methods Participants (n=308) identified mostly as female (55.8%) and White/Caucasian (83.2%) and with an average age of 36.76 (SD = 12.20). Participants completed the Perceived Stress and Reactivity Scale (PSRS), the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), the Sleep Behaviors Self-Rating Scale, and the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). A multiple regression analysis was conducted using the relevant subscales from the PSRS, PANAS, and FFMQ to predict the occurrence of behaviors incompatible with healthy sleep. Results The hypothesis was partially supported. Results indicated that the model significantly predicted sleep incompatible behavior (R2= .108, F(9, 299) = 4.042, p < .001), with only negative affect (β= .163, t(299) = 2.555, p = .011) and nonreactivity (β= -.219, t(299) = -2.484, p = .014) remaining significant when all variables were entered in the model. Conclusion The findings demonstrate that negative affect and reactivity are significant predictors of engagement in poor sleep hygiene practices. They also suggest that certain facets of dispositional mindfulness has an indirect relationship with sleep incompatible behaviors. The results may contribute to the development of sleep health interventions and highlight the need for future research. Support N/A

scholarly journals “Looking at Myself in the Future”: how mentoring shapes scientific identity for STEM students from underrepresented groups

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaitlyn Atkins ◽  
Bryan M. Dougan ◽  
Michelle S. Dromgold-Sermen ◽  
Hannah Potter ◽  
Viji Sathy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Career Pathways ◽  
Underrepresented Minority ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
Underrepresented Minority Students ◽  
Research Mentorship ◽  
Demographic Similarity ◽  
Stem Students ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Scientific Identity ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Background Mentorship has been well-established in the literature as fostering scientific identity and career pathways for underrepresented minority students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Mentorship is prioritized by programs that aim to increase diversity and support future leadership in STEM fields, but in-depth understanding of mentorship in these contexts remains limited. Drawing on qualitative interview data, we sought to understand the relationship between mentoring and scientific identity among a diverse sample of 24 students in one such program, in order to inform program development. Results Qualitative analysis of the data revealed that mentorship, especially research mentorship, was common and played a role in formation of scientific identity. Students with research mentors tended to say they strongly identified as scientists, whereas those who lacked research mentorship varied in their level of scientific identity. In interviews, research-mentored students described mentors as colleagues who gave them opportunities to grow and as examples to look up to. Students valued mentors with whom they identified on the basis of demographic similarity or shared values, as well as those who challenged them in their academic and research endeavors. Conclusions Our analysis highlights how different mentoring experiences can contribute to development of future STEM leadership. We discuss implications for practice, including the need for tailored mentoring approaches and research-focused mentoring, and offer several recommendations for research and programming.

scholarly journals The influence of expressive and instrumental social capital from parents on women and underrepresented minority students’ declaration and persistence in engineering majors

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen Puccia ◽  
Julie P. Martin ◽  
Chrystal A. S. Smith ◽  
Gladis Kersaint ◽  
Rebecca Campbell-Montalvo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Minority Students ◽  
Transition To Adulthood ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
White Women ◽  
Underrepresented Minority ◽  
Engineering Majors ◽  
Underrepresented Minority Students ◽  
Parental Encouragement ◽  
And Mathematics

Abstract Background Social capital, defined as the people one knows and the resources available through that network of people, has been a key variable in research examining the participation of women and underrepresented minority students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This study focuses on two types of social capital: instrumental (concrete advice and resources) and expressive (emotional support and encouragement). The analysis of interviews with 55 White women and women and men underrepresented minority engineering undergraduate students shows how the instrumental and expressive social capital received from parents influenced their students’ declaration of and persistence in the engineering major. Within this analysis, we considered students’ transition to adulthood and the corresponding expectation that parents would still provide support but allow their children to independently determine their own paths. Results Participants shared the advice they received from people in their social networks, with the majority of participants highlighting parents as a major contributor of instrumental and expressive social capital. Instrumental social capital was helpful in students’ major declarations and offered them an opportunity to further develop their interests and aptitude in STEM as well as a pathway for obtaining an engineering degree. During the first year of their engineering major, students relied heavily on the expressive social capital of parents when considering whether to stay in engineering; parental encouragement of “you can do it” became a common resource. Conclusions These findings offer nuance to explanations of social capital’s influence on STEM degree major declaration and persistence, which often use deficit approaches. In highlighting the resources of social capital, especially expressive support, this work offers educators a new frame of reference for building upon the valuable advice offered by parents to their children completing engineering majors.

scholarly journals The Role of Altruistic Values in Motivating Underrepresented Minority Students for Biomedicine

BioScience ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dustin B. Thoman ◽  
Elizabeth R. Brown ◽  
Andrew Z. Mason ◽  
Allen G. Harmsen ◽  
Jessi L. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Minority Students ◽  
Underrepresented Minority ◽  
Underrepresented Minority Students

scholarly journals 0407 Sleep, Stress, Cardiovascular, and Psychological Health in College Students

SLEEP ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A156-A156
Author(s):  
A M Reynolds ◽  
K M Mullins
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Psychological Factors ◽  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
Sleep Efficiency ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Sleep Habits ◽  
Stress Symptoms

Abstract Introduction Epidemiological studies have long established that sleep factors, stress, and cardiovascular health are related. College students often struggle with the demands of college life, which leads to increased stress, symptoms of depression and anxiety, and poor sleep. The focus of the current study was to examine habitual sleep habits in college students, in association with psychological factors and physiological factors. Methods Participants included 51 undergraduate students (18 men, average age M=20.25 years, SD=1.78) who wore wrist actigraphs to measure their typical sleep habits. After one week, participants completed questionnaires about psychological symptoms (i.e., depression, anxiety, and stress; Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, DASS-21) and subjective physiological symptoms (i.e., fatigue; Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue Scale, MAF). Blood pressure and heart rate were measured using a wrist cuff. Results Overall total sleep time was 6.59 hours and sleep efficiency was 82.55%. Pearson correlational analyses revealed a negative moderate association between sleep efficiency and diastolic blood pressure (r(49) = -.318, p = .024). Global PSQI scores were moderately associated with stress (r(49) = .419, p = .002). MAF Global Fatigue Index scores revealed positive associations with depression (r(49) = .344, p =.014), anxiety (r(49) = .474, p<.001), and stress (r(49) = .620 p<.001). Heart rate was positively associated with depressive symptoms r(49) = .296, p= .035), stress symptoms r(49) = .447, p= .001), and fatigue r(49) = .456, p= .001). Conclusion As expected, college students’ sleep was short in duration and poor in efficiency. Sleep factors, cardiovascular factors, psychological factors, and stress were all related, demonstrating the importance of sleep on physiological and psychological health. More research should be conducted to further examine the relationships and directionality between sleep, psychological factors, and stress as there may be underlying mechanisms important for cardiovascular health. Support None.

scholarly journals Sleep Medication in Older Adults: Identifying the Need for Support by a Community Pharmacist

Healthcare ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 147
Author(s):  
Morgane Masse ◽  
Héloïse Henry ◽  
Elodie Cuvelier ◽  
Claire Pinçon ◽  
Margot Pavy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Sleep Disorders ◽  
Community Pharmacists ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Pharmacy Students ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Sleep Patterns ◽  
Sleep Habits ◽  
Sleep Habit ◽  
Hypnotic Medication

Many older adults take benzodiazepines and sedative-hypnotics for the treatment of sleep disorders. With a view to considering the possible discontinuation of hypnotics, the objectives of the present study were to describe bedtime habits and sleep patterns in older adults and to identify the sleep medications taken. An expert group developed a structured interview guide for assessing the patients’ bedtime habits, sleep patterns, and medications. During an internship in a community pharmacy, 103 sixth-year pharmacy students conducted around 10 interviews each with older adults (aged 65 or over) complaining of sleep disorders and taking at least one of the following medications: benzodiazepines, benzodiazepine derivatives (“Z-drugs”), antihistamines, and melatonin. A prospective, observational study was carried out from 4 January to 30 June 2016. The pharmacy students performed 960 interviews (with 330 men and 630 women; mean ± standard deviation age: 75.1 ± 8.8). The most commonly taken hypnotics were the Z-drugs zolpidem (n = 465, 48%) and zopiclone (n = 259, 27%). The vast majority of patients (n = 768, 80%) had only ever taken a single hypnotic medication. The median [interquartile range] prescription duration was 120 (48–180) months. About 75% (n = 696) of the patients had at least 1 poor sleep habit, and over 41% (n = 374) had 2 or more poor sleep habits. A total of 742 of the patients (77%) reported getting up at night—mainly due to nycturia (n = 481, 51%). Further, 330 of the patients (35%) stated that they were keen to discontinue their medication, of which 96 (29%) authorized the pharmacist to contact their family physician and discuss discontinuation. In France, pharmacy students and supervising community pharmacists can identify problems related to sleep disorders by asking simple questions about the patient’s sleep patterns. Together with family physicians, community pharmacists can encourage patients to discuss their hypnotic medications.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document