scholarly journals At the End of the Day, Are Screens Good or Bad for You? A Critical Review of Randomized Controlled Studies

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noa Albelda ◽  
Carrah Simkins ◽  
Dalith Tal-Shir ◽  
Nava Levit-Binnun
Keyword(s):  
Critical Review ◽  
Well Being ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Comprehensive Review ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
The Past ◽  
Randomized Controlled Studies ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Screen Use

In recent years, screen-based technologies have changed the way we communicate, study and consume goods, entertainment and information. Thus, our environment has changed profoundly, and it is reasonable to assume that children today have a different developmental environment compared to the past, making it crucial to understand the impact of our technology-rich environment on development as well as on physical and psychological well-being. The goal of the present paper is to provide a comprehensive review of randomized controlled studies assessing effects of screen use on physiology and behavior, in order to give as wide as possible a picture of screen use and its various effects. We conclude with a discussion focusing on the ability to reach “bottom lines” regarding the down- and upsides of screen-use. We also highlight and discuss the major areas in which knowledge about the effects of screens is lacking, requiring further high-quality and well-controlled studies.

Temporal Focus

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abbie J. Shipp
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Psychology Research ◽  
The Past ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
The Future ◽  
Behavior Based ◽  
The Individual ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Temporal Focus

Temporal focus is the individual tendency to characteristically think more or less about the past, present, and future. Although originally rooted in early work from psychology, research on temporal focus has been steadily growing in a number of research areas, particularly since Zimbardo and Boyd’s (1999) influential article on the topic. This chapter will review temporal focus research from the past to the present, including how temporal focus has been conceptualized and measured, and which correlates and outcomes have been tested in terms of well-being and behavior. Based on this review, an agenda for research is created to direct temporal focus research in the future.

scholarly journals The Science of Ageism: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 646-646
Author(s):  
Jerin Lee ◽  
Natalie Shook
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Census Bureau ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
The Past ◽  
Growing Pains ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
One Step ◽  
Prejudicial Attitudes ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The past two decades have been marked by a rapidly aging population in the U.S. (U.S. Census Bureau, 2018), making prejudicial attitudes toward older adults (i.e., ageism) and the impact of such attitudes more relevant. As such, ageism researchers have worked tirelessly to not only understand this normalized and insidious form of bias, but also develop efforts to combat it. This symposium will feature four ageism researchers who will showcase both the growing pains and novel contributions of ageism research, ranging from the impact of ageism on psychological health to ageism interventions to issues related to the measurement of ageism. Specifically, Dr. Ayalon will present findings regarding difficulties with the assessment of exposure to ageism and the consequences of ageism for psychological well-being. Dr. Horhota will share research demonstrating challenges associated with confronting ageism. Dr. Levy will present a model showcasing factors associated with the reduction of ageism. Ms. Lee will discuss research findings examining the construct validity of several ageism measures. These talks highlight theoretical and real-world implications associated with the complex nature of ageism, providing important directions for enriching ageism research going forward.

Helping athletes flourish using mindfulness and acceptance approaches – an introduction and mini review

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Present Moment ◽  
Third Wave ◽  
Control Techniques ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Randomized Controlled Studies ◽  
Acceptance And Commitment ◽  
Core Concepts

Mindfulness and acceptance are core concepts of the third wave of cognitive and behavioral psychotherapies. Their aim is not to overpower thoughts and emotions by suppression and using control techniques but to change the relationships with them. This article focuses on mindfulness- and acceptance-based approaches in sports. It briefly outlines these approaches and concludes that they are characterized by promoting three processes, which are present-moment attention, metacognitive awareness, and acceptance. Subsequently, the paper describes one approach particularly suitable for sports in detail – Acceptance and Commitment Therapy – with a special focus on how athletes can promote psychological flexibility and thrive in their effort to perform. This paper further addresses the question of whether mindfulness- and acceptance-based approaches are effective in sports by summarizing research from the past five years in the form of a mini-review. Findings from 19 reviewed studies, including 15 controlled or randomized controlled studies, suggest that different athlete populations can benefit from mindfulness- and acceptance-based approaches in terms of athletic performance and well-being. Positive effects on performance and well-being could be mediated by other psychological processes, e.g., enhanced emotion regulation. Further research is needed, especially regarding the mechanisms that impact mindfulness- and acceptance-based interventions in sports.

Harnessing Telehealth to Mitigate the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Sleep and Well-being: A Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen P. O'Hora ◽  
Raquel A. Osorno ◽  
Dena Sadeghi-Bahmani ◽  
Mateo Lopez ◽  
Allison Morehouse ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Early Treatment ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Insomnia Symptoms

BACKGROUND The COVID-19 Pandemic led to drastic increases in the prevalence and severity of insomnia symptoms. These increases in insomnia complaints have been paralleled by significant decreases in well-being, including increased symptoms of depression, anxiety, and suicidality and decreased quality of life. However, the efficacy and impact of early treatment of insomnia symptoms on future sleep and well-being remains unknown. OBJECTIVE Here, we present the framework and protocol for a novel study that aims to investigate whether a brief telehealth insomnia intervention targeting new insomnia that developed during the pandemic prevents deterioration of well-being, including symptoms of insomnia, depression, anxiety, suicidality, and quality of life. METHODS The protocol details a two-arm randomized controlled trial to investigate the efficacy of a brief, telehealth-delivered, early treatment of insomnia and evaluate its potential to prevent a deterioration of well-being. Participants with clinically significant insomnia symptoms that began during the pandemic are randomized to either a treatment group or a 28-week waitlist control group. Treatment consists of 4 telehealth sessions of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) delivered over 5 weeks. All participants will complete assessments of insomnia symptom severity, well-being, and daily habits checklist at baseline (week 0), and at weeks 1-6, 12, 28, and 56. RESULTS The trial began enrollment June 3, 2020 and closed enrollment June 17, 2021. As of October 2021, 49 participants have been randomized to either immediate treatment or a 28-week waitlist. 23 participants are still active in the protocol. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this protocol would be represent the first study to test an early sleep intervention for improving insomnia that emerged during the COVID-19 Pandemic. The findings of this study could provide information about the utility of CBT-I for symptoms that emerge in the context of other stressors before they develop a chronic course and deepen understanding of the relationship between sleep and well-being. CLINICALTRIAL NCT04409743

Effect of Meditation on Social/Emotional Well-Being in a High-Performing High School

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 2156759X2094063
Author(s):  
Jane E. Bleasdale ◽  
Margaret C. Peterson ◽  
Sanford Nidich
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
School Counselors ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Social Emotional ◽  
High Performing ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
The Impact

This study explored the impact of a meditation program on stress, anxiety, and depression in a high-performing high school. Using a randomized controlled design with 52 students, the study took place over 4 months. Students participated in Transcendental Meditation (treatment) or silent reading (active control) twice daily. We observed significant reductions in perceived stress ( p = .040), anxiety ( p = .028), anger ( p = .047), depression ( p = .024), and fatigue ( p = .075), and improvement in self-esteem ( p = .054). The program has important implications for school counselors because of the impact on social/emotional well-being.

scholarly journals Biotechnological Approaches for Generating Zinc-Enriched Crops to Combat Malnutrition

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen Hefferon
Keyword(s):  
Research And Development ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Genetic Modification ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Food Crops ◽  
The Past ◽  
New Approaches ◽  
Staple Crops ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Health And Well Being

The past twenty years have seen the application of biotechnology to generate nutritionally improved food crops. Biofortified rice, cassava, maize, sorghum and other staple crops biofortified with essential micronutrients have great potential to benefit the world’s poor, in terms of both health and economics. This paper describes the use of genetic modification to generate crops that are biofortified with zinc. Examples of zinc-enhanced crops which have been developed using biotechnological approaches will be discussed, and new approaches for research and development will be outlined. The impact of these biofortified crops on human health and well-being will be examined. This paper will conclude with a discussion of the obstacles that must be overcome to enable zinc-fortified crops to be accessible for the world’s malnourished.

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