A thalamo-centric neural signature for restructuring negative self-beliefs

Negative self-beliefs are a core feature of psychopathology. Despite this, we have a limited understanding of the brain mechanisms by which negative self-beliefs are cognitively restructured. Using a novel paradigm, we had participants use Socratic questioning techniques to restructure negative beliefs during ultra-high resolution 7-Tesla functional magnetic resonance imaging (UHF 7 T fMRI) scanning. Cognitive restructuring elicited prominent activation in a fronto-striato-thalamic circuit, including the mediodorsal thalamus (MD), a group of deep subcortical nuclei believed to synchronize and integrate prefrontal cortex activity, but which has seldom been directly examined with fMRI due to its small size. Increased activity was also identified in the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), a region consistently activated by internally focused mental processing, as well as in lateral prefrontal regions associated with regulating emotional reactivity. Using Dynamic Causal Modelling (DCM), evidence was found to support the MD as having a strong excitatory effect on the activity of regions within the broader network mediating cognitive restructuring. Moreover, the degree to which participants modulated MPFC-to-MD effective connectivity during cognitive restructuring predicted their individual tendency to engage in repetitive negative thinking. Our findings represent a major shift from a cortico-centric framework of cognition and provide important mechanistic insights into how the MD facilitates key processes in cognitive interventions for common psychiatric disorders. In addition to relaying integrative information across basal ganglia and the cortex, we propose a multifaceted role for the MD whose broad excitatory pathways act to increase synchrony between cortical regions to sustain complex mental representations, including the self.

COFCOE: Continuous Oral Feedback Continuous Oral Evaluation for Continuous Active Learning in Outcome Based Education, Teaching, Learning and Evaluation (OBTLE)

A new and extremely effective teaching-learning-assessment methodology is introduced for continuous active learning in outcome based education (Teaching, Learning and Evaluation-OBTLE). This method addresses the modern methods of education like personalized learning, participatory learning, peer evaluation, revised Bloom's Taxonomy, and all graduate Attributes including the corresponding competencies and performance indicators. Most importantly this method encourages socratic questioning which facilitates inquiry based learning, which is being projected as the future of learning in any context. The method may be extremely useful to identify and take remedial measures for students who may need additional attention from teachers.

A thalamo-centric neural signature for restructuring negative self-beliefs

Negative self-beliefs are a core feature of psychopathology. Despite this, we have a limited understanding of the brain mechanisms by which negative self-beliefs are cognitively restructured. Using a novel paradigm, we had participants use Socratic questioning techniques to restructure self-beliefs during ultra-high resolution 7-Tesla functional magnetic resonance imaging (UHF fMRI) scanning. Cognitive restructuring elicited prominent activation in a fronto-striato-thalamic circuit, including the mediodorsal thalamus (MD), a group of deep subcortical nuclei believed to synchronize and integrate prefrontal cortex activity, but which has seldom been directly examined with fMRI due to its small size. Increased activity was also identified in the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), a region consistently activated by internally focused mental processing, as well as in lateral prefrontal regions associated with regulating emotional reactivity. Using Dynamic Causal Modelling (DCM), evidence was found to support the MD as having a strong excitatory effect on the activity of regions within the broader network mediating cognitive restructuring. Moreover, the degree to which participants modulated MPFC-to-MD effective connectivity during cognitive restructuring predicted their individual tendency to engage in repetitive negative thinking. Our findings represent a major shift from a cortico-centric framework of cognition and provide important mechanistic insights into how the MD facilitates key processes in cognitive interventions for common psychiatric disorders. In addition to relaying integrative information across basal ganglia and the cortex, we propose a multifaceted role for the MD whose broad excitatory pathways act to increase synchrony between cortical regions to sustain complex mental representations, including the self.

Effect of Two Teaching Methods on Sexual Health Knowledge of In-School Adolescents in Enugu State, Nigeria

This quasi experimental study was designed to determine the effect of lecture and Socratic questioning teaching methods on mean sexual health knowledge gain of in-school adolescents in Enugu State, Nigeria. A sample of 310 senior secondary-two students in eight intact classes were drawn from 16,510 senior in-school adolescents using multi-stage sampling. Sexual health knowledge test comprising 50 items was used to test students’ knowledge of sexual health. Student t-test and ANOVA were used to test the hypotheses at α=0.05. There was significant difference in the mean sexual health knowledge gain scores of students taught with lecture and Socratic questioning methods (lecture x̄=9.25 > Socratic questioning x̄=7.25; p<0.01). There was statistically significant difference in the mean sexual health knowledge gain of students in urban and rural schools (P<0.001). Students in rural areas taught with lecture method had higher mean sexual health knowledge gain score (x̄=11.75) than those in the urban areas (x̄ = 7.50). Urban subjects taught with Socratic questioning had slightly higher mean sexual health knowledge gain score of x̄=7.26 compared to their rural counterparts that scored x̄=7.25. Lecture remains effective teaching method for improving sexual health knowledge of students. Health educators should use lecture methods for adolescents’ health instructions.

Addressing the COVID-19 challenges by SMEs in the hotel industry – a Czech sustainability message for emerging economies

Purpose Emerging economies have to address positive challenges such as sustainability, digitalization, entrepreneurial readiness and planning and behavioral strategies and negative challenges, such as corruption and bureaucracy. The COVID-19 pandemic hit all economies and arguably made hotel businesses that are from less typical emerging economies, such as the Czech Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to deal with similar challenges to that of their counterparts from typical emerging economies. How do Czech hotel SMEs address the COVID-19 challenges and what sustainability message can be extracted from that with the relevance for not only businesses from emerging economies? The purpose of this paper is to explore how Czech hotel SMEs address the COVID-19 challenges and what sustainability. Design/methodology/approach A consolidated parsing of the literature, legislative and analytical framework, along with an investigative case study of 11 Czech hotel SMEs was performed, based on the questionnaire survey and semi-structured in-depth direct interviews. The holistic thematic analysis processed this fresh data and allowed Socratic questioning and glossing while addressing both research questions. Findings The performed case study reveals that typical challenges faced by entrepreneurs in emerging economies became, via COVID-19, universal challenges, these challenges are a valuable impulse for digitalization and changes of entrepreneurial strategies, but not so much for sustainability, and the omnipresent negative impact of corruption and bureaucracy. Originality/value This paper presents a pioneering study regarding the addressing COVID-19 and sustainability concerns by SMEs in a less typical emerging economy and offering a universal, partially comparative and sadly not so sustainable, message which is not just limited to emerging economies.

Η θεραπευτική σχέση στη γνωσιακή συμπεριφοριστική θεραπεία

The article describes the distinctive features of the therapeutic relationship in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and the ways of dealing with problems in the therapeutic interaction. The development of the way that the therapeutic relationship is understood within the context of cogntive behavioral therapy is presented, from the initial view that the therapeutic relationship is a necessary but not sufficient condition in order to achieve therapeutic change, to the modern view that the therapeutic change is produced by the therapeutic techniques, as well as the therapeutic relationship. The role of the therapist and the features of the therapeutic alliance in CBT are described, central among which is collaborative empiricism and Socratic questioning. The difficulties in the therapeutic relationship and the ways that can be addressed are discussed in the context of the related concepts of resistance, of ruptures in the therapeutic alliance and of transference and countertransference. The rationale regarding boundaries to the therapeutic relationship is discussed. In conclusion, in CBT the emphasis on the therapeutic relationship is not so central as in other therapeutic models and the relationship is integrated with techniques, although there is ongoing effort to enhance and expand the understanding of the therapeutic interaction. Nonetheless the quality of the relationship is not inferior to that of other treatment models and the therapeutic change in CBT is attributed equally to the implementation of techniques and relationship factors.

A Resource for E-Moderators on Fostering Participatory Engagement Within Discussion Boards for Online Students in Higher Education

Through the lens of the ‘Community of Inquiry’ education experience (Vaughan & Garrison, 2006), this practice report provides guidance and examples for online instructors to engage students within discussions in the digital realm. Five elements will be discussed: embedding multi-media, affiliative humour and storytelling, Socratic questioning, ‘reframes’ and, summarising and ‘weaving’. Based on the lived experience of one eLearning Advisor, or online instructor/e-moderator, at Swinburne Online, this practice report offers useful strategies to build engaging, sustainable learning conversations within discussion forums that are abundant with collaborative inquiry, dialogue and sharing of personal learning experiences for online students in higher education.