Effects of a Metacognitive Smartphone Intervention for Patients with Schizophrenia: A Quasi-Experimental Study (Preprint)

BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a substantial burden on the global medical system. COVID-19-related restrictions on movement and face-to-face interactions to prevent the spread of infection have increased the risk for patients with schizophrenia being overlooked by medical professionals due to increased demands on staff and facilities. Therefore, application-based treatments and interventions developed for smartphones could provide effective and essential alternatives to traditional face-to-face treatment programs for patients with schizophrenia during the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to test the effect of a smartphone app-based metacognitive intervention program on the metacognitive beliefs, psychotic symptoms, and social functioning of patients with schizophrenia. METHODS The study used a quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent comparison group. Participants were patients with schizophrenia registered with community psychosocial rehabilitation centers. For the experimental group, the app-based intervention was combined with weekly contact mentoring sessions over 10 weeks (20 participants: severe psychotic symptoms and low social functions). The comparison group (24 participants: relatively light psychotic symptoms and good social functions) received only the app-based intervention over 10 weekly sessions. Changes in the Dysfunctional Metacognitive Beliefs (MCQ-30), Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, and Personal and Social Performance Scale were assessed at baseline (pre-intervention), post-intervention, and four-week follow-up. Data were collected from November 18, 2020, until July 15, 2021. The data analysis was carried out using IBM SPSS/WIN version 26.0. RESULTS The experimental group showed a significant improvement in the Positive Beliefs about Worries on the MCQ-30, Need for Control (P = .039), and Delusions (P < .001), and the Total Score for positive and negative syndromes, along with a decline in general psychotic symptoms (P = .027) and improved total social function scores (P = .001) over the three assessment periods. CONCLUSIONS Although there were no differences in the measures between the two groups; however, the experimental group showed a tendency toward improved psychotic symptoms and social functioning over time; while the comparison group showed no change over the assessment periods. These findings can provide an empirical basis for using smartphone applications to manage the symptoms of patients with schizophrenia.

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Geology and Environment: A Problem-Based Learning Study in Higher Education

Geosciences ◽

10.3390/geosciences11040173 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 173

Author(s):

Tânia Pinto ◽

António Guerner Dias ◽

Clara Vasconcelos

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Teaching And Learning ◽

Intervention Program ◽

Problem Based Learning ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

Post Test ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

Within Subjects ◽

Two Phases ◽

Experimental Group

We aimed to contribute to a shift in higher education teaching and learning methods by considering problem-based learning (PBL) as an approach capable of positively affecting students from a geology and environment (GE) curricular unit. In a convenience sample from a Portuguese public university, two groups of students were defined: (1) an experimental group (n = 16), to which an intervention program (IP) based on PBL was applied, and (2) a comparison group (n = 17), subjected to the traditional teaching approach. For nine weeks, students subject to the IP faced four problem scenarios about different themes. A triangulation of methods was chosen. The study involved two phases: (1) qualitative (sustained on content analysis of driving questions raised by students, registered in a monitoring sheet) and (2) quantitative (quasi-experimental study, based on data from a prior and post-test knowledge assessment). The qualitative results point to the development of more complex cognitive-level questioning skills after increasing familiarity with PBL. The data obtained in the quantitative study, which included both a “within-subjects” and a “between-subjects” design, show higher benefits in the experimental group, documenting gains in terms of scientific knowledge when using the PBL methodology.

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Quasi-Experimental study of effects of lighting on rest, activity and melatonin in postpartum women

Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem ◽

10.1590/0034-7167-2020-1064 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 74 (6) ◽

Author(s):

Cristina Furtado Volcov ◽

Eliana Moreira Pinheiro ◽

Miriam Harumi Tsunemi ◽

Fernanda Gaspar do Amaral ◽

Ariane Ferreira Machado Avelar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Experimental Study ◽

Comparison Group ◽

Total Load ◽

Long Wavelength ◽

Light Regimen ◽

Early Postpartum ◽

Comparison Groups ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

The Mean ◽

Experimental Group

ABSTRACT Objectives: to compare the parameters of the activity/rest cycle of early postpartum breastfeeding women under a controlled and uncontrolled long wavelength ray light regimen. Methods: quasi-experimental study with breastfeeding women and their babies during postnatal rooming-in, São Paulo, Brazil. Participants were allocated to either an experimental (intervention) or a comparison group. The intervention involved exposure of the woman in a controlled room with artificial long wavelength ray light at night. Each woman’s level of 6-sulfatoxymelatonin at 24 hours and activity/rest times was analyzed. Results: the mean activity/rest times of women in the experimental and comparison groups were similar. The mean percentages of total load of 6-sulfatoxymelatonin during the day and night were similar (p=0.09). At 24 hours, the experimental group presented a significantly lower mean percentage of total load compared to the comparison group (p=0.04). Conclusions: women who stayed in the room with long-wavelength artificial light showed no difference in activity/rest and 6-sulfatoxymelatonin levels in the early postpartum period.

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SCHOOL HEALTH PROMOTION: A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON CLEAN AND HEALTHY LIVING BEHAVIOR AMONG ELEMENTARY STUDENTS IN JAYAPURA, PAPUA, INDONESIA

Belitung Nursing Journal ◽

10.33546/bnj.781 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 (6) ◽

pp. 220-225

Author(s):

Ellen Rosawita Veronica Purba ◽

Lely Lusmilasari ◽

Janatin Hastuti

Keyword(s):

Experimental Study ◽

Health Promotion ◽

Elementary Students ◽

School Health ◽

Comparison Group ◽

School Health Promotion ◽

Healthy Living ◽

Knowledge And Attitudes ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

Experimental Group

Background: The Indonesian government has launched a clean and healthy living behavior program as one of the efforts for school health promotion. However, the healthy behaviors of the elementary students remain low. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the effect of audiovisual-based education on the knowledge and attitudes of clean and healthy behavior in elementary students.Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest comparison group design conducted from 1 October to 17 October 2018. A total sample of 272 students was selected using purposive sampling, with 136 assigned in an experimental group (audiovisual group) and a comparison group (poster only group). Knowledge and attitudes of clean and healthy living behavior were measured using validated questionnaires. Data were analyzed using a paired t-test and independent t-test.Results: There was a significant effect of the interventions given in the experimental and comparison group on knowledge and attitude of clean and healthy living behavior (p<0.05). However, the experimental group showed a higher mean score compared to the comparison group in knowledge and attitudes, which indicated that the use of audiovisual-based education was more effective than the use of poster alone in improving the knowledge and attitudes of clean and healthy living behavior.Conclusion: The students who received audiovisual-based education had higher knowledge and attitudes of clean and healthy living behavior than those who only received poster-based education. This study provides input for pediatric and community nurses to provide better health education for the community, specifically for school health promotion.

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Effect of the Leisure Activities on the Level of Psychological stress among the elderly during the Coronavirus Outbreak

Physical Activity Review ◽

10.16926/par.2021.09.09 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 70-78

Author(s):

Ayed Zureigat ◽

Osama Abdel Fattah

Keyword(s):

Psychological Stress ◽

Healthy Aging ◽

Leisure Activities ◽

The Elderly ◽

Control Group ◽

Face To Face ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

Physical Abilities ◽

The Individual ◽

Experimental Group

Background: It is well known that advancing age is accompanied by many negative feelings due to the feeling of loneliness and psychological emptiness, which leads to the individual feeling that society does not need him due to his weak physical abilities and thus this, will negatively affect healthy aging. Objective: The study aimed to investigate the effect of the leisure activities on the psychological stress among the elderly during Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak. Design: To achieve this, we used the quasi-experimental approach on a sample consisting of 54, with the average age of (65.4±2.3) years. Divided into two groups 27 as a control group and 27 as the experimental group and this sample was purposively selected. Because of the home quarantine and to reduce face-to-face interaction, we used a questionnaire to measure the psychological stress level by using the Google form. The study tool consisted of 7 paragraphs associated with depression and 6 paragraphs associated with anxiety, finally 6 paragraphs associated with aggression. Before applying the experiment, the psychological stress was measured among the study sample, and then the leisure activities program was sent to the experimental group by the WhatsApp application. The researchers used means, standard deviations, paired and independent sample t-test by using SPSS version 24 with a confidence level of 95% (p<0.05). Results: The results of the study have shown that the level of the psychological stress among both groups came with a high average in the pre-measurement, as well as the anxiety domain that were the most affected in a positive way through leisure activities practicing. Additionally, there were statistically significant differences between the pre and post measurement among experiment group and favor of the post measurement. Conclusion: the leisure activities practicing among the elderly have contributed positively to reducing the level of psychological stress represented by depression, anxiety.

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Development of a sensory and perceptual assessment test for psychosis and schizophrenia

10.31234/osf.io/5aymb ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Maria Lucia de Bustamante Simas ◽

Ana Cristina Taunay C. A. Maranhão ◽

Flora Silva Teixeira ◽

Aline Mendes Lacerda ◽

Carlos Henrique Resende Freire ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Assessment Tool ◽

Size Perception ◽

Psychotic Symptoms ◽

Control Group ◽

Salvador Dali ◽

Ex Post ◽

Perceptual Test ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

Visual Size ◽

Experimental Group

Results from the development of a novel sensory and perceptual test to assess the level of altered visual size perception in people with schizophrenia are presented. Here we compare the performances in a visual sensory and perceptual test between a control group and an experimental group of people diagnosed with schizophrenia. We have been using paintings by Salvador Dalí and Rorschach plates to assess images size perception. In this transversal, ex-post-fact and quasi-experimental study we show differences between EG (Experimental Group) and CG (Control Group). Schizophrenics in-patients as compared to controls perceived sizes about 1.3 fold greater than healthy volunteers (p=0.006), thus showing that size perception is altered in schizophrenia. Together with previous results, this particular sensory test for size perception seems to be a useful assessment tool to evaluate the degree and severity of psychotic symptoms in prodromal schizophrenic states, and neuropsychiatric patients in general. It may help prevent acute crisis with proper, and most likely, lower dosages of medication.

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The Use of Wiki in Teaching Programming

International Journal of Distance Education Technologies ◽

10.4018/ijdet.2018070102 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. 18-45 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Yu-Tzu Lin ◽

Cheng-Chih Wu ◽

Chiung-Fang Chiu

Keyword(s):

Program Implementation ◽

Procedural Knowledge ◽

Control Group ◽

Face To Face ◽

Cooperative Program ◽

Programming Students ◽

Collaborative Programming ◽

The Face ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

Experimental Group

This article explores the feasibility of employing cooperative program editing tools in teaching programming. A quasi-experimental study was conducted, in which the experimental group co-edited the programs with peers using the wiki. The control group co-edited the programs with peers using only the face-to-face approach. The findings show that the co-editing platform was effective in assisting collaborative learning of programming, especially for program implementation. By observing editing histories, students could compare programs and then reflect more deeply about programming. The use of the wiki history tool also helped to illuminate nonlinear and dynamic procedures utilized in programming. Students who engaged more in the collaborative programming or interacted more with partners on the wiki showed greater program implementation achievements. The major benefit of using the wiki was the enhanced ability to observe the dynamic programming procedure and to encounter programming conflicts, which contributed to the process of procedural knowledge acquisition and elaboration.

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Effectiveness of empathy enhancement programs for social workers working with older adults: A quasi-experimental study

Journal of Social Work ◽

10.1177/1468017320940591 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 146801732094059

Author(s):

Areum Han ◽

Tae Hui Kim

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Experimental Study ◽

Social Workers ◽

Comparison Group ◽

Compassion Satisfaction ◽

Cognitive Empathy ◽

Affective Empathy ◽

Simulation Based ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

Experimental Group

Summary Empathy is an essential attribute required for care providers to provide quality care and effective relationship-based practice. Cognitive empathy is understanding another person’s experiences, concerns, and perspectives, and affective empathy is sharing another person’s emotion. Cognitive empathy was found to be a significant protector to burnout and stress, while affective empathy was found to be a significant contributor to compassion satisfaction among social workers. This quasi-experimental study assessed the effectiveness of two empathy enhancement programs on 105 social workers working with older adults in South Korea. The experimental group (n = 52) received a simulation-based empathy enhancement program along with a brief mindfulness practice session, and the comparison group (n = 53) watched a 30-minute-long educational video about empathy. Data were collected prior to and two weeks after the intervention. Findings The experimental group showed significantly lower levels of psychosocial stress compared to the comparison group. It also showed significantly higher levels of cognitive empathy and significantly lower levels of compassion fatigue at posttest. Furthermore, the comparison group demonstrated significantly higher levels of a unidimensional factor of empathy, compassion satisfaction, and caring efficacy at posttest. Application Pre- and post-test differences, in different outcome measures from the groups, indicate the benefits of each empathy enhancement program on social workers working with older adults. In particular, the present study validates that the simulation-based empathy enhancement program can enhance the cognitive empathy of social workers and reduce burnout and stress. A further randomized controlled trial study is needed to examine the program’s effectiveness with minimal bias and confounding factors.

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Effect of education on anxiety and depression in patients with myocardial infarction

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/s0924-9338(11)71844-2 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 26 (S2) ◽

pp. 133-133

Author(s):

N. Aghakhani

Keyword(s):

Myocardial Infarction ◽

Medical Science ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Control Group ◽

Face To Face ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

Experimental Group

IntroductionAbout 65 percent of patients with myocardial infarction experience mental and emotional problems like depression and anxiety that causes delay in the return to work, decreased quality of life and increased risk of death.The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of education on anxiety and depression in patients with myocardial infarction in Urmia hospitals in 2009.MethodsThis study was a quasi-experimental study that compares the effect of education on anxiety and depression in patients with myocardial infarction in the Urmia University of medical science hospitals. 124 patients were selected randomly and divided into two groups. The experimental group was educated through face to face training and educational booklet. Control group did not receive any intervention.Level of anxiety and depression was evaluated by using HADS questionnaire at 3 intervals after 48 hours of admission, discharge day and 2 months after discharge.ResultsThere was no significant difference between control and experimental groups before the intervention, But after the intervention, anxiety and depression in the experimental group was significantly less than controls, p < 0.05.ConclusionConsidering the beneficial results obtained from education on reducing anxiety and depression in patients with myocardial infarction, it should be one of the health care goals.

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Benefits of breast milk for prevention of sore nipple & association with their demographic variables: A quasi-experimental study

IP Journal of Paediatrics and Nursing Science ◽

10.18231/j.ijpns.2021.027 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 4 (4) ◽

pp. 127-131

Author(s):

Javaid Ahmad Mir ◽

Nadiya Rashid

Keyword(s):

Experimental Study ◽

Breast Milk ◽

Comparison Group ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Postnatal Mothers ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

Sample Characteristics ◽

The Right ◽

Experimental Group

A newborn baby has only three demands. They are warmth in the arms of his mother, food from her breasts and security in the knowledge of her presence. Breastfeeding satisfies all three. While breastfeeding may not seem the right choice for every parent, it is the choice for every baby because it fulfills the physical needs as well as psychotic complementary of the child. The study aimedto find out the association of nipple soreness in experimental group and comparison group in terms of sample characteristics of postnatal mothers. A quasi experimental study was conducted on 70 postnatal mothers, (35 in experimental group and 35 in the comparison group) who breast feeds their babies were selected conveniently. Feeding pattern was assessed by LATCH scale four times in a day followed by the application of hind milk minimum four times in a day for three or four days as per discharge day of mother. The mother was asked to rub hind milk on nipples after feeding the baby and letting it air dry in front of researcher and nipple soreness scale was used to check the sore nipple at third and fifth day or at the day of discharge. Follow up of postnatal mothers was done telephonically by using interview questionnaire on day 15 in both groups. Study findings revealed that on 3rd day, the mean nipple soreness score was higher in comparison group (1.45) than experimental group (0.10) and thus there was significant difference (t value = 3.87) in nipple soreness score.Study concluded that breast milk application was effective in preventing sore nipples among postnatal mothers. Hence, it can be recommended to use breast milk for the prevention of sore nipple.

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Efficacy evaluation of a full-scale response to intervention program for enhancing student reading abilities in a Swedish school context

Reading and Writing ◽

10.1007/s11145-021-10237-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Camilla Nilvius ◽

Idor Svensson

Keyword(s):

Reading Comprehension ◽

Response To Intervention ◽

Reading Skills ◽

Intervention Program ◽

Comparison Group ◽

School Context ◽

Full Scale ◽

Reading Abilities ◽

Rti Model ◽

Experimental Group

AbstractReading abilities in Swedish students have declined in recent decades. The current study examined the effectiveness of a full-scale three-tier Response to Intervention (RtI) model designed to improve reading skills in Swedish students. Participants were grade 2 students in a primary school setting. A quasi-experimental between-group design was used to examine treatment effects. The RtI experimental group (n = 11) and comparison group (n = 11) were monitored longitudinally over 2.5 years. The interventions included specialized instruction on decoding and reading comprehension. The comparison group received treatment as usual. After the intervention, the number of students in need of support in the experimental RtI-group was reduced from six to one. Furthermore, decoding and reading comprehension improved in the experimental group relative to the comparison group; however, the results were not significant. The standard deviation in the experimental group was smaller than that in the comparison group for all follow-up measures. The intervention effect was sustained after one and a half year in most of the students who had responded to the intervention. In addition, the participating teachers mostly appreciated the RtI-model. These preliminary findings suggest that the RtI model possibly can enhance reading skills in Swedish students; however, more research is needed. Implications for using the RtI model are discussed.

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