scholarly journals Evaluation of a Cognitive Tool for Enhanced Decision Making and Personal Change among College Students

2012 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Crystal Mata Kreitler ◽  
Donald F. Dansereau ◽  
Timothy M. Barth ◽  
Gregory T. Repasky ◽  
James Miller

Many college students have difficulty with decision making and personal change. In this study, we examine the impact of a fill-in-the-node spatial display that college students complete while considering alternatives and action plans related to dilemmas and behavior change. College students who utilized the cognitive tool reported greater positive expectations for future decision making and personal change than did those in a problem-based writing group and a no treatment group. Implications for academic advisors are discussed.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annette Brons ◽  
Katja Braam ◽  
Aline Broekema ◽  
Annieck Timmerman ◽  
Karel Millenaar ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Children with asthma can decrease the impact of their disease by improving their physical activity (PA). However, healthcare providers lack in interventions for children with asthma that effectively increase their PA levels and achieve behavior change regarding PA. A technology supported approach can positively influence PA and physical functioning in children. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to develop a technology supported intervention that facilitates healthcare providers in promoting PA for children with asthma and to systematically describe this developmental process. METHODS Intervention mapping (IM) was applied to develop a blended and technology supported intervention in co-creation with children with asthma, their parents, and healthcare providers. According to the IM framework, the following steps were performed: 1) conduct a needs assessment; 2) define the intervention outcome, performance objectives, and change objectives; 3) select theory based intervention methods and strategies; 4) create components of the intervention and conduct pilot tests; 5) create an implementation plan; and 6) create an evaluation plan. RESULTS We developed the blended intervention “Foxfit” that consists of an app with a physical activity monitor (PAM) for children with asthma, and a web-based dashboard for their healthcare provider. The intervention focusses on PA in everyday life to improve social participation. Foxfit contains components based on behavior change principles and gamification: goal setting, rewards, action planning, (self-)monitoring, shaping knowledge, a gamified story, personal coaching and feedback, and a tailored approach. CONCLUSIONS The IM framework was very useful to systematically develop a technology supported intervention and to describe the translational process from scientific evidence, the needs and wishes of future users, and behavior change principles into this intervention. This has led to the technology supported intervention Foxfit that facilitates healthcare providers in promoting PA in children with asthma. The structured description of the development process and functional components shows the way behavior change techniques are incorporated in the intervention. CLINICALTRIAL Dutch Trial Register: NTR6658


2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 107
Author(s):  
Fitri Hudayani ◽  
Ratu Ayu Dewi Sartika

HIV, AIDS and nutrition are interconnected. In the HIV Integrated Care Unit of Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Public Hospital, nutrition education and counseling services are provided within a collaborative service for people living with HIV (PLWH). This study aimed to determine influence of nutrition education and counseling to knowledge and behavior of PLWH. This study was conducted with quasi experimental design using treatment and control groups. The treatment group consisted of 25 samples and 29 samples for control group. Samples were adults between 18 – 50 years old selected by applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. A pretested questionnaire was used to assess knowledge. Paired t-test sample was used to analyze data. This study was conducted on May – July 2014. Based on results of this study, there was effect in form of knowledge change (p value = 0.000) with score 6.38 point lower on the control group and any significant differences in behavior change (p value = 0.048) for the treatment group after receiving nutrition education and counseling. This study shows that nutrition and counseling using media of education which is more complete and continuously provided may improve knowledge and change behavior of PLWH.Perubahan Pengetahuan dan Perilaku Orang yang Hidup dengan HIVmelalui Konseling dan Edukasi GiziHIV, AIDS, dan gizi saling berhubungan. Pada Unit Pelayanan Terpadu HIV Rumah Sakit Umum Pusat Nasional Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo, layanan edukasi dan konseling gizi disediakan secara kolaboratif untuk orang yang hidup dengan HIV. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh pendidikan dan konseling gizi terhadap pengetahuan dan perilaku orang yang hidup dengan HIV. Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan desain kuasi eksperimental menggunakan kelompok perlakuan dan kontrol. Kelompok perlakuan terdiri dari 25 sampel dan 29 sampel untuk kelompok kontrol, dilakukan sebelum dan setelah perlakuan. Sampel berusia dewasa antara 18 – 50 tahun dipilih dengan menerapkan kriteria inklusi dan eksklusi. Sampel uji-t berpasangan digunakan untuk menganalisis data. Penelitian ini dilakukan pada bulan Mei – Juli 2014. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian, diketahui bahwa adanya efek berupa perubahan pengetahuan (nilai p = 0,000) dengan nilai 6,38 poin lebih rendah pada kelompok kontrol dan terdapat perbedaan yang signifikan dalam perubahan perilaku (nilai p = 0,048) untuk kelompok perlakuan setelah menerima edukasi dan konseling gizi. Penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa edukasi dan konseling gizi menggunakan media edukasi yang lebih lengkap dan diberikan secara berkelanjutan dapat meningkatkan pengetahuan dan mengubah perilaku orang yang hidup dengan HIV.


10.2196/27472 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. e27472
Author(s):  
Leonardo W Heyerdahl ◽  
Benedetta Lana ◽  
Tamara Giles-Vernick

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has been widely described as an infodemic, an excess of rapidly circulating information in social and traditional media in which some information may be erroneous, contradictory, or inaccurate. One key theme cutting across many infodemic analyses is that it stymies users’ capacities to identify appropriate information and guidelines, encourages them to take inappropriate or even harmful actions, and should be managed through multiple transdisciplinary approaches. Yet, investigations demonstrating how the COVID-19 information ecosystem influences complex public decision making and behavior offline are relatively few. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate whether information reported through the social media channel Twitter, linked articles and websites, and selected traditional media affected the risk perception, engagement in field activities, and protective behaviors of French Red Cross (FRC) volunteers and health workers in the Paris region of France from June to October 2020. Methods We used a hybrid approach that blended online and offline data. We tracked daily Twitter discussions and selected traditional media in France for 7 months, qualitatively evaluating COVID-19 claims and debates about nonpharmaceutical protective measures. We conducted 24 semistructured interviews with FRC workers and volunteers. Results Social and traditional media debates about viral risks and nonpharmaceutical interventions fanned anxieties among FRC volunteers and workers. Decisions to continue conducting FRC field activities and daily protective practices were also influenced by other factors unrelated to the infodemic: familial and social obligations, gender expectations, financial pressures, FRC rules and communications, state regulations, and relationships with coworkers. Some respondents developed strategies for “tuning out” social and traditional media. Conclusions This study suggests that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the information ecosystem may be just one among multiple influences on one group’s offline perceptions and behavior. Measures to address users who have disengaged from online sources of health information and who rely on social relationships to obtain information are needed. Tuning out can potentially lead to less informed decision making, leading to worse health outcomes.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Cueva

The COVID-19 pandemic forced almost all professional football matches worlwide to be played in empty stadiums. This large-scale natural experiment offers a unique opportunity to assess the impact of social pressure on decision making and behavior. In particular, I investigate the effect of the home crowd on match outcomes and referee decisions. Using a large dataset from 41 professional football leagues in 30 different countries, I find that the home advantage in match outcomes drops by around one half and that referee bias against away teams completely disappears following the lockdowns. My results therefore suggest that social pressure exerted by home crowds has an important effect on the behavior of referees and on game outcomes.


2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. e45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin T Crookston ◽  
Joshua H West ◽  
P Cougar Hall ◽  
Kaitana Martinez Dahle ◽  
Thomas L Heaton ◽  
...  

Background Mental and emotional self-help apps have emerged as potential mental illness prevention and treatment tools. The health behavior theory mechanisms by which these apps influence mental health–related behavior change have not been thoroughly examined. Objective The objective of this study was to examine the association between theoretical behavior change mechanisms and use of mental and emotional self-help apps and whether the use of such apps is associated with mental health behaviors. Methods This study utilized a cross-sectional survey of 150 users of mental or emotional health apps in the past 6 months. Survey questions included theory-based items, app engagement and likeability items, and behavior change items. Stata version 14 was used to calculate all statistics. Descriptive statistics were calculated for each of the demographic, theory, engagement, and behavior variables. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with reported changes in theory and separately for reported changes in actual behavior after controlling for potentially confounding variables. Results Participants reported that app use increased their motivation, desire to set goals, confidence, control, and intentions to be mentally and emotionally healthy. Engagement (P<.001) was positively associated with the reported changes in theory items, whereas perceived behavior change was positively associated with theory (P<.001), engagement (P=.004), frequency of use of apps (P=.01), and income (P=.049). Conclusions Participants reported that app use increased their motivation, desire to set goals, confidence, control, and intentions to be mentally and emotionally healthy. This increase in perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes surrounding their mental and emotional health was considerably associated with perceived change in behavior. There was a positive association between the level of engagement with the app and the impact on theory items. Future efforts should consider the value of impacting key theoretical constructs when designing mental and emotional health apps. As apps are evaluated and additional theory-based apps are created, cost-effective self-help apps may become common preventative and treatment tools in the mental health field.


1987 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Sampson ◽  
Robert Reardon ◽  
Michael Shahnasarian ◽  
Gary Peterson ◽  
Rebecca Ryan-Jones ◽  
...  

2010 ◽  
pp. 1587-1609
Author(s):  
Robert Z. Zheng ◽  
Jill A. Flygare ◽  
Laura B. Dahl ◽  
Richard R. Hoffman

This chapter describes the college students’ online social communication patterns and behavior with a focus on the impact of individual differences on learners’ online communication. The study consisted of 27 college students who engaged in an online discussion over a period of fourteen weeks as part of requirements in an undergraduate educational technology course. The findings indicated that cognitive styles such as field dependence and field independence played a critical role in forming learners’ online social communication. Based on social compensation theory and Witkin et al.’s theory of individual differences, the authors claimed that effective individual communication in an online community can be fostered through creating learning support, taking into considerations factors like cognitive styles, complementary personality, interest and motivation in the process of design. Suggestions for future online learning are made with an emphasis on creating an effective online community for learning.


Author(s):  
Robert Z. Zheng ◽  
Jill A. Flygare ◽  
Laura B. Dahl ◽  
Richard R. Hoffman

This chapter describes the college students’ online social communication patterns and behavior with a focus on the impact of individual differences on learners’ online communication. The study consisted of 27 college students who engaged in an online discussion over a period of fourteen weeks as part of requirements in an undergraduate educational technology course. The findings indicated that cognitive styles such as field dependence and field independence played a critical role in forming learners’ online social communication. Based on social compensation theory and Witkin et al.’s theory of individual differences, the authors claimed that effective individual communication in an online community can be fostered through creating learning support, taking into considerations factors like cognitive styles, complementary personality, interest and motivation in the process of design. Suggestions for future online learning are made with an emphasis on creating an effective online community for learning.


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