scholarly journals Use of Causal Language in Studies on the Relationship between Spiritually-Based Treatments and Substance Abuse and Relapse Prevention

Religions ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 1075
Author(s):  
Iván Sánchez-Iglesias ◽  
Marta González-Castaño ◽  
Antonio J. Molina
Keyword(s):  
Substance Abuse ◽  
Behavioral Problems ◽  
Relapse Prevention ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Internal Validity ◽  
Experimental Methodology ◽  
Health Improvement ◽  
Causal Explanations ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
The Relationship

The main goal of scientific research is to explain what causes a phenomenon. However, only well-controlled studies guarantee sufficient internal validity to support causal explanations (i.e., experimental and some quasi-experimental designs). The use of causal claims in non-experimental studies can mislead readers into assuming a cause–effect relationship when alternative explanations have not been ruled out, undermining the principle of scientific rigor and the credibility of scientific findings. Although spiritual practices form part of some interventions for health and behavioral problems, their effectiveness cannot often be assessed via experimental methodology. This paper assesses the validity of causal inferences in published non-experimental studies, and more specifically in studies on the relationship between spiritually based treatments and substance abuse improvement and relapse prevention. We conducted a systematic review using Scopus, Pubmed, and several databases included in ProQuest, for the period 2015 to 2020. Out of 16 studies selected, six studies (37.5%) used correct language in the title, abstract, and discussion sections; 10 studies (68.8%) used tendentious or incorrect language in at least one section. Spiritually based treatments show promising results in some health improvement outcomes. Most studies show transparency when reporting results. However, researchers should be careful not to make causal assertions unless the internal validity of the research is sound.

Relation between understanding and agreeing in response to one-sentence assertion*

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
YASUHIRO OZURU ◽  
DAVID BOWIE ◽  
GIULIA KAUFMAN
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Cognitive Response ◽  
Response Options ◽  
Evaluative Response ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
The Relationship

abstractThree quasi-experimental studies were conducted to investigate the relationship between the evaluative (i.e., agree/true) and the meta-cognitive (i.e., understand) response, and to determine which type of response people are more likely to provide when responding to one-sentence assertive statements. In Studies 1 and 2, participants performed two separate tasks in which they were asked to indicate the levels of: (i) understanding and (ii) agreement / perceived truthfulness of 126 one-sentence statements. The results indicated that participants were likely to provide a negative evaluative response (i.e., disagree/false) to a statement that they did not understand. In Study 3, participants were asked to evaluate the same 126 statements and choose between four response options: agree, disagree, understand, do not understand. The results indicated that people are more likely provide an evaluative response regardless of the understandability of a statement. The results of these studies are discussed in relation to (i) pragmatic perspective of how people infer speakers’ meaning, and (ii) cognitive processes underlying evaluative and meta-cognitive response.

Measuring change

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
David L. Streiner ◽  
Geoffrey R. Norman ◽  
John Cairney
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Curve Analysis ◽  
Growth Curve Analysis ◽  
Clinical Assessments ◽  
Measuring Change ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Measure Change ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Methodological Difficulties

Although the goal of many clinical assessments and research studies is to measure how much people change between two occasions, the measurement of change is fraught with conceptual and methodological difficulties. One of the difficulties is that there are (at least) two different reasons to measure change: to determine if intervention had any effect, and to identify the correlates of change. These two goals work against each other, because the former requires there to be little difference in the amount of change among people in the same group, while the latter depends on inter-individual differences. The chapter also discusses various biases that exist when people are asked directly how much they think they have changed. This chapter addresses the issues of the relationship of change to the reliability of the scale, difficulties of measuring change in experimental and quasi-experimental studies, and new approaches to measuring change, such as growth curve analysis.

scholarly journals Evidence for an Association Between Hearing Impairment and Disrupted Sleep: Scoping Review

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 1015-1024
Author(s):  
Nathan A. Clarke ◽  
Derek J. Hoare ◽  
Edward C. Killan
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Impairment ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Sensory Impairment ◽  
Exposed Workers ◽  
Systematic Strategy ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose Hearing impairment (HI) is the most common sensory impairment and may negatively impact sleep through reduced auditory input. Factors associated with HI such as anxiety regarding communication in daily life may also adversely impact an individual's sleep. Here, research on the relationship between HI and sleep disruption was catalogued using scoping review methodology. Method A systematic strategy was employed to search various electronic databases. This review is reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses Scoping Review Extension. Results Sixteen records met inclusion criteria. Studies have investigated sleep in HI as a primary aim in noise-exposed workers or large surveys in older participants. Experimental and quasi-experimental studies report alterations to sleep architecture of potential neuroplastic origins. Studies reporting sleep as a secondary aim generally report poorer sleep in HI participants. Conclusions This scoping review has catalogued evidence that altered or negatively impacted sleep may be associated with HI. Potential confounding factors, mechanisms, and considerations for future research are discussed. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.9968369

scholarly journals Mentors of preservice teachers

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 261-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eli Lejonberg ◽  
Eyvind Elstad ◽  
Lise Vikan Sandvik ◽  
Trond Solhaug ◽  
Knut-Andreas Christophersen
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Mentor Training ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss how different styles of mentoring in teacher education relate to mentor characteristics. Pre-service teachers often want practical advice. However, in Norway, school mentors have traditionally been encouraged to promote reflection rather than offering advice. This study seeks to explore the relationship between mentors’ support for reflection based and clear mentoring (a relatively direct approach to mentoring) and mentors’ self-efficacy and effort. Design/methodology/approach Using structural equation modelling of cross-sectional survey data (from 272 school mentors), the researchers in this study tested empirical interrelations between reflection-based mentoring, clear mentoring, mentor efficacy and effort. Clear mentoring was a reasonably consistent construct, while refection-based mentoring was a more elusive concept. Findings Effort was associated with support for reflection, while self-efficacy was moderately related to clear mentoring and reflection-based mentoring. The results illustrate that reflection-based methods are demanding for mentors. If direct approaches are more effective, additional evidence would be required to support mentor training that heavily emphasises reflection. Research limitations/implications Longitudinal and quasi-experimental studies are needed to support inferences about causality. Variable omission may have influenced the models. More research is needed to better understand the concept of reflection-based mentoring. Originality/value This paper contributes to the mentoring field by examining mentors’ preference for reflection based and clear mentoring and how such preferences are related to self-efficacy and effort. It also contributes to general and theoretical discussions about the relationships between beliefs about mentoring and mentor characteristics.

scholarly journals BILINGUALISM AND IDENTITY – THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND BEHAVIOR

2020 ◽  
pp. 119-126
Author(s):  
Iva PANEVA
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Identity ◽  
Behavioral Problems ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Bicultural Identity ◽  
Identity Integration ◽  
Bicultural Identity Integration ◽  
Cultural Research ◽  
Extensive Body ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
The Relationship

The article focuses on key theoretical and experimental studies discussing the relationship between bilingualism and identity. Encompassing an extensive body of psychological, linguistic and cultural research of various international authors whose work emphasizes the interdependence between language, culture and behavior, the paper aims to explore the factors that prove and showcase the link between cultural identity and behavior. By defining bilingualism through outlining the differences between simultanious and sequencial acquisition, the article presents the different definitions and opinions on bilingualism. It also reflects on how the socio-cultural environment affects the self-perception and cultural identity of bilinguals based on their emotional response and age of language acquisition. It is particularly important to stress the measurement of Bicultural Identity Integration (BII), as the high and low BII explains the levels of integration of each culture and language in bilinguals. The detailed presentation of important psychological experiments and studies with bilinguals proves the author’s position on the direct link between cultural identity, language and behavior, which is particularly important for the prevention of behavioral problems of bilingual children and psychological work with them. The article stresses the importance of conducting further empirical research in order to establish the factors and predispositions contributing to nurturing a bicultural identity in bilinguals, which will assure an integrated, balanced and self-aware personality.

scholarly journals Unemployment rate, opioids misuse and other substance abuse: quasi-experimental evidence from treatment admissions data

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sunday Azagba ◽  
Lingpeng Shan ◽  
Fares Qeadan ◽  
Mark Wolfson
Keyword(s):  
Substance Abuse ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Substance Abuse Treatment ◽  
Unemployment Rate ◽  
Economic Conditions ◽  
Economic Downturns ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Abuse Treatment ◽  
Number Of Treatment ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Background The relationship between economic conditions and substance abuse is unclear, with few studies reporting drug-specific substance abuse. The present study examined the association between economic conditions and drug-specific substance abuse admissions. Methods State annual administrative data were drawn from the 1993–2016 Treatment Episode Data Set. The outcome variable was state-level aggregate number of treatment admissions for six categories of primary substance abuse (alcohol, marijuana/hashish, opiates, cocaine, stimulants, and other drugs). Additionally, we used a broader outcome for the number of treatment admissions, including primary, secondary, and tertiary diagnoses. We used a quasi-experimental approach -difference-in-difference model- to estimate the association between changes in economic conditions and substance abuse treatment admissions, adjusting for state characteristics. In addition, we performed two additional analyses to investigate (1) whether economic conditions have an asymmetric effect on the number of substance use admissions during economic downturns and upturns, and (2) the moderation effects of economic recessions (2001, 2008–09) on the relationship between economic conditions and substance use treatment. Results The baseline model showed that unemployment rate was significantly associated with substance abuse treatment admissions. A unit increase in state unemployment rate was associated with a 9% increase in treatment admissions for opiates (β = 0.087, p < .001). Similar results were found for other substance abuse treatment admissions (cocaine (β = 0.081, p < .001), alcohol (β = 0.050, p < .001), marijuana (β = 0.036, p < .01), and other drugs (β = 0.095, p < .001). Unemployment rate was negatively associated with treatment admissions for stimulants (β = − 0.081, p < .001). The relationship between unemployment rate and opioids treatment admissions was not statistically significant in models that adjusted for state fixed effects and allowed for a state- unique time trend. We found that the association between state unemployment rates and annual substance abuse admissions has the same direction during economic downturns and upturns. During the economic recession, the negative association between unemployment rate and treatment admissions for stimulants was weakened. Conclusion These findings suggest that economic hardship may have increased substance abuse. Treatment for substance use of certain drugs and alcohol should remain a priority even during economic downturns.

Relapse Prevention for Suicidal Adolescents With Depression and Substance Abuse

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
David B. Goldston ◽  
Karen C. Wells ◽  
John Curry ◽  
Yifrah Kaminer ◽  
Stephanie Daniel
Keyword(s):  
Substance Abuse ◽  
Relapse Prevention

Aplicabilidade clínica das técnicas de liberação manual diafragmática: uma revisão sistemática

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 111-116
Author(s):  
Dulce Marieli Danieli ◽  
Fabíola De Almeida Gomes ◽  
Bruna Eibel ◽  
William Dhein
Keyword(s):  
Low Back Pain ◽  
Back Pain ◽  
Gastroesophageal Reflux ◽  
Randomized Clinical Trials ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Scar Tissue ◽  
Low Back ◽  
Musculoskeletal Manipulations ◽  
Clinical Applicability ◽  
Quasi Experimental

INTRODUÇÃO: O diafragma é o principal músculo respiratório e desempenha um papel importante na respiração e na regulação fisiológica. Uma terapia que visa melhorar essas condições referentes ao diafragma, é a técnica de liberação manual diafragmática. OBJETIVO: O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar a aplicabilidade clínica das técnicas manuais de liberação diafragmática e identificar as principais técnicas, populações investigadas, variáveis avaliadas e seus desfechos. MÉTODOS: Foram pesquisadas as seguintes bases de dados: PubMed, Scielo e Science Direct, com os descritores “Diaphragm [Mesh]” e “Musculoskeletal Manipulations [Mesh]” com seus correspondentes no mesmo idioma. Foram incluídos ensaios clínicos randomizados, não randomizados, estudos semi, quase-experimentais e estudos pilotos ou de caso, que abordaram técnicas de liberação manuais diafragmáticas.RESULTADOS: Há variadas técnicas de liberação diafragmática, sendo as mais mencionadas: normalização dos pilares do diafragma, alongamento e estiramento do diafragma, relaxamento dos pilares do diafragma. Além disso, as técnicas de liberação diafragmática vêm sendo associadas a protocolos de terapia manipulativa osteopática (TMO). As principais populações estudadas foram de pacientes saudáveis, com lombalgia, cervicalgia, osteoartrite, asmáticos, doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica, constipados, cardiopatas e com refluxo gastroesofágico. Os principais desfechos avaliados são variáveis musculoesqueléticas (dor, flexibilidade, amplitude, espessura diafragmática), variáveis cardiorrespiratórias (pressão inspiratória/expiratória máxima (PImax e Pemax), mobilidade torácica, frequência cardíaca e respiratória), qualidade de vida e disfunções gastrointestinais/gastroesofágicas. CONCLUSÃO: A aplicabilidade clínica das técnicas de liberação diagramática está sendo investigada associado com outras técnicas osteopáticas, em protocolos de TMO em pacientes saudáveis, pneumopatas, cardiopatas, gestantes, em cicatriz pós-cirúrgica, constipados, com refluxo gastroesofágico, osteoartrite, cervicalgia e com lombalgia. Evidencia-se: diminuição ou eliminação das dores musculoesqueléticas, aumento da flexibilidade, ADM, Pimáx e Pemáx, aumento da mobilidade torácica, aumento da qualidade de vida, diminuição do inchaço e dor abdominal e sem efeito em cardiopatas.ABSTRACT. Clinical applicability of manual diaphragmatic release techniques: a systematic review.BACKGROUND: The diaphragm is the main respiratory muscle and plays an important role in breathing and physiological regulation. A therapy that aims to improve these conditions regarding the diaphragm, is the manual diaphragmatic release technique.OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to verify the clinical applicability of manual diaphragmatic release techniques and searching the main techniques, population, evaluated variables, and outcomes. METHODS: The following electronic databases were searched: PubMed, Scielo, and Science Direct, with the descriptors “Diaphragm [Mesh]” and “Musculoskeletal Manipulations [Mesh]” with their correspondents in the same language. There were included randomized clinical trial, non-randomized clinical trials, semi, and quasi-experimental studies, and pilot or case studies, which addressed manual diaphragmatic release techniques.RESULTS: There are various diaphragmatic release techniques, the most mentioned are: normalization of the diaphragm pillars, stretching of the diaphragm, relaxation of the diaphragm pillars, and protocols for osteopathic manipulative therapy (OMT) for the diaphragm. The main populations studied were healthy patients, with low back pain, asthmatics, chronic pulmonary obstructive disease, constipated, cardiac patients, and gastroesophageal reflux. The main outcomes assessed are musculoskeletal variables (pain, flexibility, range of motion, diaphragmatic thickness), cardiorespiratory variables (maximal inspiratory/expiratory pressure (MIP and MEP), chest mobility, heart, and respiratory rate), quality of life, and gastrointestinal/ gastroesophageal disorders.CONCLUSION: The clinical applicability of diagrammatic release techniques is being investigated in association with other osteopathic techniques, in protocols of OMT in healthy subjects, patients with lung diseases, heart disease, pregnant women, scar tissue, constipated, with gastroesophageal reflux, osteoarthritis, cervicalgia and with low back pain. There is evidence of reduction and elimination of musculoskeletal pain, increased MIP, increased chest mobility, an increase in health quality, a decrease of bloating and abdominal pain related to constipation, and a decrease of reflux symptoms.

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