Testing for COVID-19 regulates behavior in the general population: A qualitative study of experiences of awaiting test result for COVID-19

Aim: This study aimed to explore experiences of awaiting a test result for COVID-19 among individuals from the general population. Methods: Fifteen participants were recruited from COVID-19 testing tents in the Capital Region of Denmark in March and April 2020. A phenomenological–hermeneutic approach inspired by Ricoeur’s theory of interpretation was used. Results: The analysis revealed five themes. (1) The participants’ experiences of awaiting a COVID-19 test result illuminated concerns related to infecting others rather than their own health. Experiences of guilt for not taking all possible precautions to avoid the spread of COVID-19 were described and thoughts of potentially having exposed others bothered the participants. (2) The test result would guide their precautions and therefore regulate behaviour at home and in society. (3) Even though the participants did not take all possible precautions they made some changes in their everyday lives. (4) Leaving the individual with the responsibility for taking precautions based on their subjective experiences created feelings of insecurity and uncertainty. (5) Being met by health professionals was an experience that meant for the particpants that behaviour towards limiting the infection became very clear. The seriousness experienced around the test situation facilitated this attitude and behaviour in the participants. Conclusion: This study illuminated how testing for COVID-19 regulates behavior in the general population. The testing was both important for the individual’s cautious behavior towards other people, work and in getting around in society but also a way to regulate behavior from a societal perspective to quicken suppression and avoid transmission of COVID-19.

Communicating the results of psychological testing to adolescents: When, how and why?

The traditional process of psychological assessment involves an approach in which the diagnostician is focused on gathering relevant information about the subject using a standard test battery, which aims to assess key aspects of the subject's functioning. Modern tendencies indicate that there is a potentially constructive modification of the paradigm of work of a clinical psychologist/psychotherapist employed in a health institution with the daily task of psychodiagnostic assessment. Potential change of the way of working is actually moving the approach from "information-oriented" to "change-oriented" whose essential premise is that the clinical psychologist uses the test situation and the tests as a situation during the psychodiagnostic application of instruments in which the respondent can gain new psychological insights. Events that occur "Here and now" in the test situation and the use of test material as a "provocateur" of maladaptive mechanisms of feelings, opinions and behaviour can lead to therapeutic change. In this approach some elements of the therapeutic-collaborative approach can be used during the psychodiagnostic process, with special reference to the specifics of the adolescent population.

Effects of a 1-Day Training Course in Dermoscopy Among General Practitioners

Background: General practitioners (GPs) are often the first point of contact for Swedish patients seeking medical advice for skin lesions of concern, but many lack training in dermoscopy. Objective: To examine the effects of a 1-day training course in dermoscopy among Swedish GPs. Methods: The intervention group consisted of GPs who underwent a 1-day training course in dermoscopy and a control group that did not undergo any education. Before the training course, the intervention group performed a test consisting of 30 dermoscopy cases including 9 different benign and malignant melanocytic and nonmelanocytic diagnoses. The participants then took the same test directly after the course and again after 6 months. The control group took the same test twice with a 6-month interval in between tests in order to avoid recall bias. Results: Twenty-seven GPs in the intervention group took the test before and immediately after the course with an improvement of their median test scores by 8 points (13 vs 20 correct answers, P < 0.01). Eighteen participants also took the test a third time after 6 months with similar results compared with the second test (median scores of 20.5 vs 20.0, P = 0.3). In the control group, 16 persons preformed both tests with an improvement of their median score by 2 points (13.5 vs 15.5 correct answers, P = 0.06). Conclusions: The results of this study show positive effects on diagnostic accuracy in a test situation among GPs receiving a 1-day training course in dermoscopy.

A produção textual em situação orientada e a noção de possível: considerações sobre a validade desta atividade

Apresenta os resultados de uma pesquisa feita sobre a noção de "possível" e a produção textual em situação orientada, em classes de alfabetização de escola particular de Porto Alegre-RS, comparando os efeitos de duas modalidades diferentes de aplicação (quebra-cabeça e categorias gramaticais), em quatro anos letivos consecutivos. A sistemática proposta foi a formação de frases através de um número determinado de palavras dadas, em situação de teste, nas duas modalidades citadas. A seguir, analisou-se as frases formadas em relação ao número de palavras utilizadas, além de outras observações específicas. Os resultados desta pesquisa permitem afirmar que a aplicação da sistemática de categorias gramaticais favoreceu a formação de um maior número de frases, de frases com maior número de palavras e de formação por um maior número de crianças. Além disto, das duas sistemáticas, a das categorias gramaticais favoreceu a chegada à noção de "possível" em maior número de crianças do que a modalidade de quebra-cabeça. Houve também um resultado inesperado, a descoberta, pelas crianças, do aspecto lúdico da formação de frases na modalidade das categorias gramaticais. São apresentadas sugestões de variações e aprimoramentos para esta atividade didática e tecidas considerações sobre a sua validade. Finalmente, enfatiza-se a importância da atuação da professora alfabetizadora como pesquisadora em sua sala de aula. Abstract The present paper intends to present the results of a research about the notion of " possible" and the textual production in an orientated situation, in literacy grade in a private school of Porto Alegre (RS), comparing the effects of two different modalities of application (puzzles and grammatical categories), in four consecutive academic years. The systematic proposed was the formation of sentences by means of a determined number of given words, in a test situation, in the two mentioned modalities. After this, the sentences formed were analysed in relation to the number of the words utilized, and other specific observations. The results of this research permit to assert that the application of the grammatical category approach favoured the formation of a bigger number of sentences, of sentences with a bigger number of words and the formation of sentences by a bigger number of children. In addition, of the two approaches, that of the grammatical categories favoured the attainment of the notion of "possible''' by a bigger number of children than the puzzle's modality. There was, also, an unexpected result, the discovery, by the children, of the recreative aspect from the sentence formation, in the second modality, this is, that of the grammatical categories. There are presented proposals about variations and improvement for this didactic endeavours and expressed considerations about their worth. Finally, there are stressed the importance of the activity of the teacher of the beginners as researcher in the classroom. Résumé Cet article a l'intention de présenter les résultats d'une recherche faite sur la notion du "possible " et la production textuelle, en situation orientée, dans des classes d'alphabétisation d'une école particulière de Porto Alegre (RS), en comparant les effets de deux modalités différentes d'une application (casse-tête et catégories grammaticales) en quatre années scolaires consécutives. La systématique proposée a été la formation de phrases parmi un numéro déterminé de mots donnés, en situation d'essai, dans les deux modalités mentionnées. Ensuite, on a analysé les phrases faites par rapport au numéro de mots utilisés, au delà d'autres observations spécifiques. Les résultats de cette recherche permettent d'affirmer que l'application de la systématique de catégories grammaticales a favorisé la formation d'un numéro plus grand de phrases, de phrases avec un numéro plus grand de mots et de la formation par un numéro plus grand d'enfants. En outre, de deux systématiques, celle des catégories grammaticales a favorisé l'arrivée à la notion du "possible" dans un numéro plus grand d'enfants que la modalité du casse-tête. Il y a eu aussi un résultat inattendu, la découverte, par les enfants, du caractère joueur de la formation de phrases dans les catégories grammaticales. Ce sont présentées des suggestions des variations et des perfectionnements dans cette activité didactique aussi bien que des considérations sur sa validité. Finalement, on met en relief l'importance de l'action du professeur d'alphabétisation comme investigateur dans la salle de classe. Resumen Este artículo tiene por finalidad presentar los resultados de una investigación hecha acerca de la noción de lo "posible " y la producción textual en situación orientada, en clases de alfabetización de una escuela privada de Porto Alegre (RS), comparando los efectos de dos modalidades distintas de aplicación (rompecabezas y categorías gramaticales), en cuatro años lectivos sucesivos. La sistemática propuesta fué la formación de frases a través de un número determinado de palabras dadas, en situación de prueba, en las dos modalidades nombradas. A continuación, se han analisado las frases' formadas en relación con el número de palabras utilizadas, además de otras observaciones específicas. Los resultados de esta investigación permiten afirmar que la aplicación de la sistemática de categorías gramaticales favoreció la formación de un mayor número de frases, de frases con mayor número de palabras y de formación por un mayor número de niños. Además de las dos sistemáticas, la de las categorías gramaticales favoreció la llegada a la noción de "posible" en un mayor número de niños que la modalidad de rompecabezas. Hubo también un resultado inesperado, el descubrimiento, por los niños, del carácter juguetón de la formación de frases en la modalidad de categorías gramaticales. Son presentadas sugerencias de variaciones y perfeccionamientos en esta actividad didáctica y hechas consideraciones acerca de su validez. Por último, se acentua la importancia de la actuación de la profesora alfabetizadora como investigadora en su clase.

New Caledonian Crows Can Interconnect Behaviors Learned in Different Contexts, with Different Consequences, and After Exposure to Failure

Interconnection of behaviors is a process that describes how independently acquired behavioral repertoires can be combined together as a new sequence of behaviors. Manipulations of training, training context and experience of failure in the test situation can hinder this interconnection of previously acquired behaviors. We tested whether wild New Caledonian crows (Corvus moneduloides) could perform a sequence of six independently acquired behaviors in order to fetch a stone from inside a box in a nearby room and use it to gain food from a stone dropping apparatus. However, crows were only trained on three or four of the six behaviors required, and these prerequisites were trained in different contexts. One of the crows that learned four prerequisites solved the task. Neither of the crows that learned three prerequisites solved the task. The crows that learned four prerequisites, but did not solve the problem, were later trained in an additional behavior and then were able to solve the task. These results shows that New Caledonian crows are able to produce novel behavioral solutions to new problems by interconnecting behaviors learned in different contexts, with different consequences and despite experience of failure after the first exposure to the task.

Mathematics: I don't like it! I like it! Very much, a little, not at all... Social support and emotions in students from 2nd and 3rd cycles of education

This research analyses achievement emotions and their relationship to perceived classroom support (teacher and peers) as well as the effects of grade, achievement and gender on emotions in a specific subject domain: mathematics. The participants were 1,494 Portuguese students from the sixth and eighth grades who were asked about their perceptions of teacher and peer support and their achievement emotions towards mathematics (Boredom, Hopelessness, Anger, Anxiety, Enjoyment, Pride and Relief) in two different settings (classroom and test). Results provide empirical evidence that student perceptions of classroom support were positively related to positive activating emotions and negatively related to negative emotions. Furthermore students with higher mathematics grades were found to have higher scores in positive emotions and lower scores in negative emotions in both classroom and test situations. A decrease in positive emotions and an increase of negative emotions in older students were also found. In regard to gender the analysis highlighted that positive class emotions were not significantly different, and show a significant effect on Anxiety with girls achieving higher scores than boys. In the test situation gender had a significant effect on Hopelessness, Anxiety and Relief, with girls showing higher scores than boys. For positive test emotions boys reported more Enjoyment and Pride than girls.