Documenting the Interactive Effects of Project Manager and Team-Level Communication Behaviors in Integrated Project Delivery Teams

This study examines the influence of project managers’ communication behaviors in integrated project delivery (IPD) projects. This study also considers the impact of team-level information sharing on team-level outcomes (i.e., goal alignment, decision quality, process commitment, and project quality). Results indicate that team information sharing was perceived as beneficial, but the effects of project manager communication behaviors were inconsistent. Interaction analyses indicated that project managers’ communication behaviors hindered team functioning if teams were already engaging in adequate levels of information sharing. This manuscript contributes to the project management corpus by explicating an integrative model whereby project manager and team-level information-sharing behaviors are modeled simultaneously.

The Relationship between Social Norms, Avoidance, Future Orientation, and Willingness to Engage in Climate Change Advocacy Communications

This study examined factors associated with willingness to engage in communication behaviors related to climate change advocacy. Data were collected as part of an online, longitudinal US study beginning in March 2020. Outcomes included willingness to post materials online, contact state legislators, and talk with peers about climate change. Covariates included climate change-related social norms, avoidance of climate change information, and perceptions of the future impact of climate change. A minority of the 586 respondents (23%) reported regular conversations about climate change, while approximately half of the respondents reported willingness to discuss climate change with peers (58%), post materials online (47%), and contact state legislators (46%). Strong predictors of willingness to engage in each climate change communications behaviors included climate change social norms, not avoiding climate change information, and believing that climate change will have a negative impact on the future. Findings indicate the importance of designing programs to foster increased climate change communications in order to promote community-level climate change advocacy norms.

Enhancement of Social Communication Behaviors in Young Children With Autism Affects Maternal Stress

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show difficulties in social communication behaviors, emotion regulation and daily living skills, and they frequently present with challenging behaviors. In parents of children with ASD, higher rates of stress and mental health problems have been reported than in parents of either typically developing children or children with other conditions. In this study, we tested whether maternal well-being changes with improved social communicative behaviors of children with ASD receiving early intervention. We examined developmental changes in 72 pre-schoolers and stress levels in their mothers (measured by the Parental Stress Inventory) before and after a 12-month community-based intervention program based on the Early Start Denver Model, a naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention targeting social communication. Multiple regression analyses showed that maternal child-related stress was predicted by changes in children's social communication behaviors (measured with the Pervasive Developmental Disorder Behavior Inventory). Gains in the early social communication behavior domain were the strongest predictor of post-intervention child-related maternal stress, surpassing adaptive behavior, language and non-verbal cognitive gains, and reduction in challenging behavior. These findings support the hypothesis that, in children with ASD, the acquisition of social communication behaviors contribute to improvements in maternal well-being.

CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION TO ACCOMODATE GENERATION GAP IN DISRUPTIVE ERA

This research described about how Cross-Cultural Communication contributes its influence on accommodating the generation gap to improve a social structure in Indonesia, especially on Disruptive Era. In accommodating the generation gap, the cross-cultural communication focus on the patterns of convergence and divergence of communication behaviors, particularly as they relate to the goals of the people for social approval, communication efficiency, and identity. This research was done in Bina Nusantara (BINUS) University, and used a descriptive qualitative method with constructivism paradigm, and coding to analyze the data. The results showed that accommodation in cross-cultural communication can improved the ability on problem-solving skills, collective decisions and can resolved the problem that arise from generation gap to make it become harmonious interactions. The lack of the role in providing information from generation to another generation usually based on the assumption that the other generation already knew the condition, situation and also the meaning behind it as well without any discussion and deeper communication further. Due to the changes in social structure, BINUS creating a cross cultural communication model to accommodate the generation gap in social structure: openness, and engagement, through (for example) creative furniture arrangemement in some classes. The result also shown that engagement between the students and the lecturer will be more powerful in creating values to have a better social condition. The people who willing to build the communication instead of assumed will be more successful in all aspects of cross-cultural communication.

Verbal Communication in Dementia Family Caregiving: Using the VNVIS-CG Scale for In-Home Video Observations

Communication is fundamental for dementia care and identifying communication behaviors is key to identifying strategies that facilitate or impede communication. To measure caregiver verbal communication, we adapted the Verbal and Nonverbal Interaction Scale for Caregivers (VNVIS-CG) for second-by-second behavioral coding of video observations. The VNVIS-CG was adapted for computer-assisted Noldus Observer coding of video interactions captured at home by family caregivers from the FamTechCare clinical trial. Operational definitions for verbal communication behaviors were developed and inter-rater reliability was excellent (Kappa = .86) using two independent coders. Videos (N=232) were coded featuring 51 dyads; caregivers were primarily female (80%) spouses (69%) of men (55%) diagnosed with moderate to severe dementia (64.7%). Mean caregiver age was 65 years. Silence occurred most frequently (44.9% of the time), followed by caregiver direction or instruction (22.6%), and the person with dementia (PWD) verbalizing (22.8%). Caregiver communication also included asking questions (14.2%), verbalizing understanding (7.9%), repeating information (2.1%), affirmations (1.0%), acknowledging emotions (0.3%), and ignoring (0.0%). Questions most commonly requested clarification, showed interest, or repetitive quizzing; few questions sought to engage PWD input (ex. offers choices, encourages emotional expression, or ask permission). Tone was overwhelmingly neutral rather than humorous, aggressive, or patronizing. The adapted behavioral coding scheme provides a reliable measure that characterizes dementia caregiver verbal communication behaviors for analysis of video observations. Ongoing research will identify strategies that facilitate communication as well as determine how strategies vary by dementia stage, diagnosis, and dyad characteristics.

We Should Have Talked About Hospice: Transforming Communication With Bereaved LGB Aging Women

Because of historical discrimination, discomfort disclosing information, and differing definitions of family, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adults with serious illness need both improved palliative and end-of-life (EOL) care communication with clinicians and recognized inclusion of spouses/partners. Communicating about palliative and EOL care may improve the care goals and emotional trajectory for patients and significant others. Using a descriptive qualitative approach, this study’s aim was to analyze the communication experiences during a spouse’s/partner’s EOL care for bereaved LGB women (n=16) 60 and older. Drawing on queer gerontology, issues relating to access to resources and information and the systemic silencing of older LGB women illuminate areas where policy and practice may be improved. Semi-structured, one-on-one interviews were used to provide deep and meaningful information about palliative and EOL care communication between participants, their spouse or partner, and clinicians. While results reflect certain outcomes found in prior studies with non-LGBT adults, thematic analysis revealed three main findings with evidence specific to this population: 1) avoiding deep discussions about EOL; 2) lack of understanding about palliative or EOL care; and 3) limited communication with clinicians. Findings illuminate the need for better understanding among clinicians regarding palliative and EOL communication with LGBT dyads as well as communication strategies based on recognition and acceptance. Further dyadic communication research may improve care goals for LGBT older adults. Understanding couples’ interactions and examining different communication behaviors may lead to improved palliative and EOL care goals for older LGBT adults with serious illness and their spouses/partners.

Nonverbal Communication in Dementia Family Caregiving: Using the VNVIS-CG Scale for In-Home Video Observations

Communication is fundamental for dementia care and identifying communication behaviors is key to identifying strategies that facilitate or impede communication. To measure caregiver nonverbal communication, we adapted the Verbal and Nonverbal Interaction Scale for Caregivers (VNVIS-CG) for second-by-second behavioral coding of video observations. The VNVIS-CG was adapted for computer-assisted Noldus Observer coding of video interactions captured at home by family caregivers from the FamTechCare clinical trial. Operational definitions for nonverbal communication behaviors were developed and inter-rater reliability was excellent (Kappa = .88) using two independent coders. Videos N=232 were coded featuring 51 dyads; caregivers who were primarily female (80%) spouses (69%) of men (55%) diagnosed with moderate to severe dementia (64.7%). Mean caregiver age was 65 years. Emotional tone conveyed by caregivers was primarily respectful, occurring 68.1% of the time, followed by overly nurturing (9%), bossy, harsh, or antagonistic (6.2%), and silence occurred 16.7 % of the time. Caregiver gestures and positive postures (i.e., animated facial expressions, head nodding, or caregiver body movements) were the most commonly occurring overt behaviors (46.5%), followed by changing the environment to help the PWD (19.9%), and expressing laughter/joy (18.9%). The least common nonverbal behaviors were negative posture, aggression, compassion, and rejecting. The adapted behavioral coding scheme provides a reliable measure that characterizes dementia caregiver nonverbal communication behaviors for analysis of video observations. Ongoing research will identify strategies that facilitate communication as well as determine how strategies vary by dementia stage, diagnosis, and dyad characteristics.

EmbrASD: Android Mobile Application for Children with Autism as a Supplemental Tool for Therapy

Autism has a very wide range that influences people, specifically children in general. Usually, it affects a child’s social interaction, communication, behaviors, and interests. Providing a complete device for treatment which is planned to be used by kids with autism needs to be taken into consideration. There is no software available that will adhere to the main areas of autism. The development a multidimensional software that focuses the main areas of kids with autism was a specific goal that the paper is being addressed. It is planned from the viewpoint of several specialists: more particularly speech therapist, occupational therapist, Special Education (SPED) educator and an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) specialist. The specialists’ focused objectives were lengthily included into the planning of the software. The development of an application for the young with autism that would completely attend to all the main areas that are initiated by autism and serves as an addendum to treatment is the primary goal of the study. Interviews from, speech therapist, occupational therapist, SPED teacher, ABA therapist and a SPED therapist will serve as a basis and the prototyping methodology for system development. With the implemented system, the intended users gave an approval on the application to be integrated in the teaching of children with autism. Suggestions on the improvement of the application comprises of including video recording for API 22, implementing the system in the iOS environment, and concentration on older autism cases were recommended.

Sex differences in social communication behaviors in toddlers with suspected autism spectrum disorder as assessed by the ADOS-2 toddler module

The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, 2nd-edition (ADOS-2) Toddler Module is the current gold-standard measure of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental condition more frequently diagnosed in toddler boys than girls. Some evidence suggests that behaviors assessed by the Toddler Module may capture an ASD phenotype that is more common among boys than girls. Focus on these behaviors may contribute to sex differences in ASD diagnoses. Particularly, the ADOS-2 may equivalently weight social communication behaviors on which boys and girls are expected to look similar and behaviors that which girls may, due to early socialization, perform differently than boys. As a consequence, the Toddler Module may fail to identify ASD in girls who should qualify for the diagnosis. The current study examined the possibility that some ADOS-2 items may function differently for boys and girls by testing the degree to which eight items equivalently related to a social communication latent factor across sexes in toddlers with suspected ASD. Inconsistent with hypotheses, tests of differential item functioning revealed no evidence of sex differences, suggesting that the Toddler Module assesses these eight items similarly for boys and girls. Examination of factor loadings point to Creativity/Imagination as an area of interest for future research. Lay Abstract When toddlers are suspected of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the gold-standard assessment technique is with the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, 2nd edition (ADOS-2) Toddler Module, a behavioral observation system. ASD is a neurodevelopmental condition more frequently diagnosed in toddler boys than in toddler girls. There is some evidence that the ADOS-2 assesses behaviors that are more characteristic of boys with ASD than girls. Thus, it is possible that focusing on these behaviors contributes at least in part to why more boys are diagnosed than girls. Specifically, girls may show more social skills than boys during the ADOS-2 assessment due to their socialization histories, which may lead to missed diagnoses of ASD in toddler girls. The current study examined eight social behaviors assessed by the ADOS-2 in a sample of toddlers with suspected ASD to see if they contributed differently to the total score of those items. Examination of those items suggested that those social communication behaviors work the same for boys and girls with suspected ASD, which was inconsistent with hypotheses. However, examination of particular items raises the possibility of examining creative/imaginative play as an area for future research.