Implementing an Intervention in the Spelman College African Diaspora and the World Course

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesina Jackson ◽  
Jimmeka Guillory Wright ◽  
A. Blankson ◽  
Angelino Viceisza ◽  
Bruce Wade
Keyword(s):  
African Diaspora ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
First Year ◽  
Developmental Approach ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Spelman College ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact

This article describes an interdisciplinary team of researchers’ exploration of the impact of metacognitive instruction on first-year students enrolled in Spelman’s signature course—African Diaspora and the World (ADW). The two-phased, randomized controlled trial influenced administrators to increase the number of ADW sections, focused faculty discussions on pedagogy rather than content, emphasized the interdisciplinary perspective of the course, used a long-term developmental approach to professional development, and required all students to use ADW peer tutoring. The majority of faculty and students viewed these changes positively.

Decoding Black Iconography

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alix Pierre
Keyword(s):  
Visual Culture ◽  
African Diaspora ◽  
Women Artists ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Critical Examination ◽  
First Year ◽  
Women's College ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Pedagogical Tool ◽  
Spelman College

The paper examines how the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, the only one in the country dedicated to the work of African descended women artists, is used as a pedagogical tool in the interdisciplinary African Diaspora and the World course to help students further explore the depiction and visualization of diasporan aesthetics during their matriculation. From a visual culture perspective, this is a critical examination of the process of looking among non-art major college goers. The emphasis of the analysis is on the perceiver or the “educand” as Paulo Freire puts it, and ways she is trained to visually represent Africa and its diasporas. The article discusses how the subjects, first year students at a black liberal arts women’s college, are taught to construct meaning from and respond to imagery made by women artists from the diaspora. At the heart of the study is the response of the perceivers, through an Audio Narrative assignment, to artefacts that communicate an African and Afro-descended iconography. 

The Effect of Mobile Instant Messaging versus Face-to-Face Counseling on the Primiparous Mothers’ Breastfeeding Self-efficacy: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manoosh Mehrabi ◽  
Shoale Zarei ◽  
Leila Bazrafkan ◽  
Ali Reza Safarpour
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
World Health ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract Background Increasing breastfeeding rates around the world is one of the most important goals of the World Health Organization. Self-efficacy is a modifying and predictive factor for initiation and continuation of breastfeeding. This study was conducted to investigate the impact of mobile-based education and regular delivery of designed messages on breastfeeding self-efficacy in primiparous mothers. Methods This study was a double blind pilot randomized controlled trial, in which a hundred and twenty primiparous breastfeeding mothers were randomly allocated into two groups using permuted block randomization. The standard method conseling arm received routine counseling interventions and the intervention arm received a mobile instant messaging program in addition to the usual counseling. The main objective of this study was to compare self-efficacy in face-to-face counseling group and mobile instant messaging group. Self-efficacy levels were compared in the two groups before and after the study procedures. Results In this study, 60 mothers were studied in each group, and then the collected data were analyzed. The mean post-test scores in the intervention group (60.40 ± 4.92) and the control group (50.10 ± 7.60) were compared in the main analysis. The results indicated a statistically significant difference (p <0.001). Given the amount of effect size ( d= 0.99; 95% CI=1.19-2.02 ) it appears that there is a high level correlation between the applied intervention and level of self-efficacy among the study participants, especially those with higher levels of education. Secondary findings of the study involved evaluating the effects of education, occupation, family income, lactation duration and spouse support for breastfeeding self-efficacy. Except for the maternal education level, which had a significant relationship with the level of breastfeeding self-efficacy (p= 0.02), the other factors did not show any correlation with self-efficacy in breastfeeding. Conclusion The pilot study provided valuable information for feasibility assessment of randomized controlled trials in future studies with larger sample sizes and more participant diversity.

scholarly journals Caring Near and Far by Connecting Community-Based Clients and Family Member/Friend Caregivers Using Passive Remote Monitoring: Protocol for a Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial

10.2196/15027 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. e15027
Author(s):  
Lorie Donelle ◽  
Sandra Regan ◽  
Michael Kerr ◽  
Merrick Zwarenstein ◽  
Michael Bauer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Home Care ◽  
Family Member ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
The Family ◽  
The Impact

Background Significant chronic disease challenges exist among older adults. However, most older adults want to remain at home even if their health conditions challenge their ability to live independently. Yet publicly funded home care resources are scarce, private home care is expensive, and family/friend caregivers have limited capacity. Many older adults with chronic illness would require institutional care without the support from family member/friend caregivers. This role raises the risk of physical health problems, stress, burnout, and depression. Passive remote monitoring (RM), the use of sensors that do not require any action by the individual for the system to work, may increase the older adult’s ability to live independently while also providing support and peace of mind to both the client and the family member/friend caregiver. Objective This paper presents the protocol of a study conducted in two provinces in Canada to investigate the impact of RM along with usual home care (the intervention) versus usual home care alone (control) on older adults with complex care. The primary outcome for this study is the occurrence of and time to events such as trips to emergency, short-term admission to the hospital, terminal admission to the hospital awaiting admission to long-term care, and direct admission to long-term care. The secondary outcomes for this study are (1) health care costs, (2) client functional status and quality of life in the home, (3) family/friend caregiver stress, and (4) family/friend caregiver functional health status. Methods The design for this study is an unblinded pragmatic randomized controlled trial (PRCT) with two parallel arms in two geographic strata (Ontario and Nova Scotia). Quantitative and qualitative methodologies will be used to address the study objectives. This PRCT is conceptually informed by the principles of client-centered care and viewing the family as the client and aims at providing supported self-management. Results This study is supported by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research. A primary completion date is anticipated in fall 2022. Conclusions Findings from this real-world rigorous randomized trial will support Canadian decision-makers, providers, and clients and their caregivers in assessing the health, well-being, and economic benefits and the social and technological challenges of integrating RM technologies to support older adults to stay in their home, including evaluating the impact on the burden of care experienced by family/friend caregivers. With an aging population, this technology may reduce institutionalization and promote safe and independent living for the elderly as long as possible. Trial Registration International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) 79884651; http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN79884651 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/15027

scholarly journals A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Impact of a Teaching Procedure Service on the Training of Internal Medicine Residents

2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 170-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Mourad ◽  
Sumant Ranji ◽  
Diane Sliwka
Keyword(s):  
Internal Medicine ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Control Group ◽  
First Year ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Teaching Procedure ◽  
Viable Solution ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Introduction Academic medical centers must provide safe inpatient procedures while balancing resident autonomy and education. We performed a randomized, controlled trial to evaluate the effect of a 2-week hospitalist procedure service (HPS) rotation on interns' self-perceived procedure ability, knowledge, and autonomy versus the standard curriculum. Methods We randomly selected 16 of 57 internal medicine interns (28%) to participate in the intervention group rotation, with 29 interns in the control group. All interns were surveyed before the start of residency and at the end of the postgraduate year-1 (PGY-1) and PGY-2 years to evaluate self-reported knowledge and ability to (1) safely perform procedures, (2) supervise procedures, and (3) use bedside ultrasound. Results Ninety-four percent of HPS interns (15/16) and 71% of control interns (29/41) completed all surveys. Baseline knowledge and experience did not differ significantly between the groups. The intervention group performed significantly more paracentesis (9 versus 4; P &lt; .001), thoracentesis (6 versus 2; P &lt; .001), and lumbar puncture (4 versus 3; P &lt; .001) procedures than did the control group. After their first year, residents who completed the HPS rotation rated their ability to safely perform and supervise all of the assessed procedures as higher (P &lt; .05 for all procedures) and were more likely to rate self-perceived knowledge as very good or excellent in all surveyed aspects of procedure performance (P &lt; .05). Discussion A 2-week hospitalist-supervised procedure service rotation substantially improved residents' experience, confidence, and knowledge in performing bedside procedures early in their training, with this effect sustained through the PGY-2 year. Standardized procedure service rotations are a viable solution for programs seeking to improve their procedure-based education.

scholarly journals Impact of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) on the levels of anxiety, depression, and subjective happiness in Russian first-year students of the Psychology Department

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anton Skolzkov
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Therapy ◽  
Mindfulness Meditation ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
First Year ◽  
Psychology Department ◽  
Subjective Happiness ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
The World ◽  
World Economic ◽  
Effective Program

<p>Social studies show an increasing number of people with anxiety disorders and depression around the world. Selected data on Russia confirm this trend. Despite the overall improvement in the world economic situation in recent decades, the stress level has not decreased. Freshmen are particularly vulnerable to stress. This pilot study assesses the mindfulness training effectiveness, which was aimed at maintaining mental and physical health of Russian students. Participants: 107 freshmen of the Psychology Department of the Ural Federal University named after B.N. Yeltsin. The data collection was completed in November 2019. Methods: A non-randomized controlled trial was conducted using Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) program. Results: MBCT reduced depression and increased subjective happiness among the first-year psychology students. More frequent mindfulness meditation practice and the study of the theoretical materials are associated with higher rates of positive results of the program. Conclusion: MBCT can be an effective program in working with first-year students of the Psychology Department of the Ural Federal University. Nevertheless, an additional research is required before putting the program into practice on a broad basis in Russian universities.</p>

scholarly journals Impact of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) on the levels of anxiety, depression, and subjective happiness in Russian first-year students of the Psychology Department

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anton Skolzkov
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Therapy ◽  
Mindfulness Meditation ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
First Year ◽  
Psychology Department ◽  
Subjective Happiness ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
The World ◽  
World Economic ◽  
Effective Program

<p>Social studies show an increasing number of people with anxiety disorders and depression around the world. Selected data on Russia confirm this trend. Despite the overall improvement in the world economic situation in recent decades, the stress level has not decreased. Freshmen are particularly vulnerable to stress. This pilot study assesses the mindfulness training effectiveness, which was aimed at maintaining mental and physical health of Russian students. Participants: 107 freshmen of the Psychology Department of the Ural Federal University named after B.N. Yeltsin. The data collection was completed in November 2019. Methods: A non-randomized controlled trial was conducted using Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) program. Results: MBCT reduced depression and increased subjective happiness among the first-year psychology students. More frequent mindfulness meditation practice and the study of the theoretical materials are associated with higher rates of positive results of the program. Conclusion: MBCT can be an effective program in working with first-year students of the Psychology Department of the Ural Federal University. Nevertheless, an additional research is required before putting the program into practice on a broad basis in Russian universities.</p>

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