scholarly journals Variations and Patterns in Sleep: A Feasibility Study of Young Carers in Families with ALS

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (19) ◽  
pp. 4482
Author(s):  
Melinda S. Kavanaugh ◽  
Kayla T. Johnson ◽  
Matthew J. Zawadzki

Introduction: Children and youth under the age of 19 provide daily care for family members living with illness, including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Caregiving affects school performance, social support, stress, and anxiety. Yet, little is known about potential disruptions in sleep. Methods: A quasi-experimental matched comparison of age- and gender-matched young carers (n = 8) and non-carers (n = 12) was used in this study. Participants completed a pre/post survey, wore an actigraphy device, and journaled sleep/wake times for 5 days. Results: Young carers had shorter sleep duration (t = 51.19 (11.99)), efficiency (t = 55.49 (14.00)), sleep quality (t = 51.32 (12.26)), and higher rates of utilizing sleep medications (t = 50.81 (11.49)). The case study sleep data showed that carers had lower total sleep time (CG = 6.75 ± 1.47, NCG = 7.08 ± 1.36) and sleep efficiency than non-caregivers (0.80 ± 0.23). Case examples were reported across groups. Conclusions: The study results demonstrate feasibility, while providing crucial initial case data on sleep quality in young carers. The findings underscore the need to better document the impact of caregiving on young carer’s well-being across several areas, including sleep. This data has implications for larger scale studies examining how sleep disruption impacts well-being more broadly and in providing support and respite interventions for young carers across disorders.

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 723-723
Author(s):  
Mark Brennan-Ing ◽  
Charles Emlet

Abstract Kimberlé Crenshaw introduced the term “intersectionality” in the late 1980s to highlight the experience discrimination and marginalization of Black and African-American women originating from the confluence of their racial/ethnic and gender identities. Since that time the focus on intersectionality has broadened to consider other communities and individuals who may have multiple stigmatized and discredited identities, including older people with HIV (PWH). For example, Porter and Brennan-Ing described the “Five Corners” model as the intersection of ageism, racism, classism, sexism, and HIV stigma for older transgender and gender non-conforming PWH. HIV disproportionately affects marginalized communities (e.g., racial/ethnic and sexual minorities). Thus, for older PWH it is important to consider how HIV stigma may intersect with other marginalized identities and impact physical and psychological well-being. The first paper in this session examines how the intersection of HIV serostatus, gay identity, and age complicates identity disclosure, leading to social isolation and interference with care planning. The second paper describes how intersectional identities among older PWH interfere with access to mental health services in a population that is disproportionately affected by depression and PTSD. Our third paper examines the role of race, education, and behavioral health in neurocognitive functioning among a diverse sample of older HIV+ gay and bisexual men. Our last paper examines neurocognitive functioning among older Latinx PWH, finding that sexual and gender minorities were at greater risk for impairment. Implications of these findings for research and programming that accounts for the effects of intersectionality among older PWH will be discussed.


2021 ◽  
pp. 014303432110250
Author(s):  
Celeste Simões ◽  
Anabela C. Santos ◽  
Paula Lebre ◽  
João R. Daniel ◽  
Cátia Branquinho ◽  
...  

Resilience is an individual’s ability to adapt successfully to and persevere during and after significant challenges. Resilience programmes based on a socioemotional learning approach have been associated with an increase in protextive factors (e.g., prosocial competencies), improvements in physical and mental health, and a decrease in internalised and externalised symptoms. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of the RESCUR curriculum implemented in Portuguese schools on students’ academic, behavioural, and socioemotional outcomes, based on child and teacher reports. Participants included 1,084 children (53.2% male) aged 3-15 ( M = 7.24, SD = 2.31). A quasi-experimental study compared outcomes for an experimental intervention group (AIG) with a waiting list control group (WG). The results showed the RESCUR programme decreased mental health difficulties while increasing both prosocial behaviours and well-being. In addition, academic performance increased for those in preschool after implementation. Both teachers and children consistently reported positive behavioural changes in resilience-related competencies after implementing RESCUR. Our findings contribute to the recent research on the potential of RESCUR to address key socioemotional competencies and improve relevant protextive factors. Study limitations and future recommendations are addressed.


2012 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 126-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula G. Watkins ◽  
Husna Razee ◽  
Juliet Richters

This article examines factors influencing English language education, participation and achievement among Karen refugee women in Australia. Data were drawn from ethnographic observations and interviews with 67 participants between 2009 and 2011, collected as part of a larger qualitative study exploring the well-being of Karen refugee women in Sydney. Participants unanimously described difficulty with English language proficiency and communication as the ‘number one’ problem affecting their well-being. Gendered, cultural and socio-political factors act as barriers to education. We argue that greater sensitivity to refugees' backgrounds, culture and gender is necessary in education. Research is needed into the combined relationships between culture and gender across pre-displacement, displacement and resettlement and the impact of these factors on post-immigration educational opportunities. Training is needed to sensitise educators to the complex issues of refugee resettlement. The paper concludes with recommendations for service provision and policy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A50-A51
Author(s):  
L Mascaro ◽  
S Drummond ◽  
J Leota ◽  
J Boardman ◽  
D Hoffman ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction Mental fitness is increasingly considered key to an athlete’s competitive arsenal. Its active ingredients include cognitive fitness factors, such as impulse control, and recovery factors, such as sleep, which may differ between male and female athletes. Our study investigated: 1) gender differences in cognitive fitness; and 2) the associations of gender and cognitive fitness with sleep and mental health in competitive athletes during the COVID-19 lockdown. Methods 84 athletes competing at levels from regional/state to international (42F, mean age=23.2) completed a questionnaire battery containing validated measures of: a) depression, anxiety, and stress; b) sleep (Total Sleep Time, Sleep Latency, mid-sleep time on training- and competition-free days); and c) self-control, intolerance of uncertainty, and impulsivity (representing cognitive fitness constructs). Results Female athletes reported significantly higher depression, anxiety, and stress, a later mid-sleep time on free days, lower self-control, higher intolerance of uncertainty, and higher positive urgency impulsivity compared with male athletes. Self-control was negatively associated, and intolerance of uncertainty was positively associated, with depression, anxiety, and mid-sleep time on free days. Discussion Female athletes in our sample reported poorer mental health and cognitive fitness, and later sleeping times on free days. Greater cognitive fitness was associated with better mental health, independent of gender. Overall, these findings are consistent with prior work in community samples. Future work should examine the source(s) of these gender differences. If replicated, our findings would suggest a need to develop interventions aimed at improving athlete well-being, potentially with a particular focus on female athletes.


2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Kunene ◽  
S Ramklass ◽  
N Taukobong

Background: Anterior knee pain (AKP) is the most common injury among runners and has a negative impact on the quality of life (QOL) of many athletes. Objective: To determine the impact of anterior knee pain on the QOL among runners in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng. Materials & methods: A cross–sectional study design was used. A population of 73 runners with AKP were included. Participants included runners aged 13 to 55-year-old. The SF-36 questionnaire was used to collect data. Ethical clearance, permission from club managers and consent from participants were obtained. Data were collected over six weeks and analysed using SPSS. Descriptive statistics included frequencies, means, standard deviations and ranges. Inferential statistics included Spearman's correlation calculation. Results: The lowest QOL scores were found among: role functioning/physical (62), role functioning/emotional (59), energy/fatigue (59), emotional well-being (68) and pain scales (63). Males, youth and runners with least experience presented with lowest scores. Significant correlation was found between: role functioning/physical and experience (p =.030; rs =-.221), role functioning/emotional and gender (p =.017; rs =-.247) and race (p =.012; rs =-.265), general health and experience (p =.021; rs =-.239), energy/fatigue and race (p =.012; rs =.264), emotional well-being and age (p =.020; rs =.241), general health and gender (p =.013; rs =.456), social functioning and age (p =.010; rs =.271) and energy/fatigue and experience (p =.001; rs =-.371). Discussion & Conclusion: This study highlights the need to improve QOL among running population with AKP. Multidimensional rehabilitation programmes are recommended.  Key words: anterior knee pain, quality of life, runners


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (24) ◽  
pp. 155-166
Author(s):  
Jeļena Badjanova ◽  
Dzintra Iliško ◽  
Svetlana Ignatjeva ◽  
Margarita Nesterova

During the social distancing, an increasing number of people use communication applications, various types of digital tools and programs. Various video conferencing platforms are regularly used in the educational environment. The study presents the analyses how intensive is the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the educational environment and how it can change cognitive-behavioral gender differences. This is particularly important to pay a special attention to the analysis of gender as a dynamic category, to take into account the processes of gender socialization and transformation of gender identification in the changing social environment. The research methods also included a set of additional methods, such as a focus group on different aspects of gender-specific behavior in the digital learning environment, putting together collages, as well as the method of the unfinished sentence related to the impact of ICT on teachers' professional development and well-being. In the course of the study, it was recognised that the design of social models of male and female gender-specific behaviour includes more than the basic gender identity and gender stability: in today's society, there is a multiplicity of views on the similarities and differences of gender-specific behaviours, and a rapid change in the accepted social guidelines and behavioural patterns is in progress, socio-cultural norms that define the psychological characteristics of women and men, their patterns of behaviour.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-114
Author(s):  
Alanoud Ahmed Aldukhi

The present study investigated the impact of the station rotation model (SRM) on enhancing students’ descriptive writing skills. It adopted the quasi-experimental pre-post test control/ experimental group design. The tools of the study included a pre/post- descriptive writing skills test, and open-ended questionnaire. The participants of the study were selected randomly, 40 female students enrolled in the twelfth intermediate school in Riyadh. Students of the experimental group received the descriptive writing skills instructions in nine sessions based on the SRM, two of them were for training. The study results revealed statistically significant differences at 0.05 level between the mean scores of the control and the experimental groups on the post test in favor of the experimental group in overall descriptive writing skills as well as in each descriptive writing skill. The researcher recommended that there is a real necessity from educators and teachers to prepare appropriate curriculums that involve implementing the station rotation model inside the classrooms, in a way that corresponds with teachers’ ability and students’ need, aiming to gain the mentioned advantages.


2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarahjane Belton ◽  
Paul Prior ◽  
Eric Wickel ◽  
Catherine Woods

Extra-curricular physical activity (ECPA) may have an important role to play in the health and well-being of adolescents, but the actual benefits are relatively unknown. This study examined ECPA participation amongst adolescent males (age 12–15 years) from disadvantaged backgrounds, and evaluated its impact on overall physical activity (PA) accumulation and psychological well-being. At three time points over a single academic year, participants from four schools ( n = 174) wore a pedometer for seven days and completed a questionnaire assessing habitual PA, frequency of ECPA participation, barriers to ECPA participation and seven psychosocial subscales. An average year-long score was calculated for each participant, for each variable. Across seasons, 84% of participants reported regular (≥ twice a week) or occasional (once a week) participation in ECPA. Those reporting regular participation in ECPA were significantly ( p < .01) more active (steps/day) and scored higher ( p < .01) on each psychosocial subscale. Results of multinomial regression analysis showed that perceived physical competence ( p < .001) had a significant main effect on ECPA participation. Our study results indicate that students from disadvantaged backgrounds whom participate in ECPA at least once a week are significantly more physically active and have a higher level of psychological well-being than those who never participate.


2009 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey J. Martin ◽  
Jennifer J. Waldron ◽  
Andria McCabe ◽  
Yun Seok Choi

The purpose of our quasi-experimental study was to examine the impact of the Girls on the Run (GOTR) program on multidimensional self-concept and attitudes toward fat. Young girls (N= 21) participated in a 12-week running program designed to increase their running ability, self-esteem, and, in general, their emotional, social, and mental well-being. It was hypothesized that girls would experience favorable changes in their global self-esteem, appearance, peer, physical, and running self-concepts and their attitudes toward fat. The overall RM-ANOVA examining for pre to post differences was significant, F(13, 8) = 26.46, p < .001, η2 = .977, and follow-up within subjects contrasts revealed three significant differences: Physical, F(1, 20) = 6.24, p < .02, η2 = .24, and running self-concept, F(1, 20) = 11.18, p< .003, η2 = .36, as well as fear of fat, F(1, 20) = 4.37, p < .049, η2 = .18, were all significant with meaningful effect sizes. These findings provided preliminary support for the major goal of the GOTR program, enhancing physical and running self-concept with some support for secondary gains in nonphysical ability areas (i.e., reductions in fear of fat).


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document