Using L2 interactional-pragmatic resources in CMC: A case of Japanese orthography and emoji

Increasingly prevalent use of technologies such as instant messaging and online chat has transformed our traditional ways of learning and teaching pragmatics. This study presents an example of such transformation by demonstrating how computer-mediated communication (CMC) may be employed as a tool to provide second language (L2) learners opportunities to use interactional resources specific to the context of CMC, namely unique orthography and emoji. For the study, we introduced four university-level learners of Japanese to a language exchange messaging application and recorded their online text-based chat interactions with native Japanese speakers over a period of 12 weeks. We followed up the chat data with weekly stimulated verbal recalls (SVR) to investigate L2 learners’ intentions and perceptions surrounding their own and others’ use of unique orthography and emoji (48 SVR sessions total; average 30 minutes per session). Coding and thematic analysis of the chat data revealed learners’ agentive use of orthography and emoji as resources for communication. In addition, the SVR data revealed a variety of personal and interpersonal reasons behind their use, including learners’ concerns over self-presentation, interpersonal relationships, identity, and discourse management. The findings not only demonstrate how CMC can afford learners a unique environment for experimenting with a range of context-appropriate interactional resources to convey pragmatic meaning, but also shed light on the various, sometimes competing, considerations and complex processes underlying learners’ pragmatic choices in CMC.

Identifying the Elements of Great Online Customer Encounters

Customer service is a major factor in the success of digital marketing. This study examines the service encounters between tourists and service providers, in this case, Visit Helsinki. The goal is to understand what are the dimensions of service quality in online chat discussions between tourists and DMO personnel and what elements in these discussions support the co-creation of great customer experiences. Altogether 123 chat discussions in June 2020 were downloaded and analysed using qualitative content analysis and statistical tests. The results show that great customer experiences are the result of extensive effort from the customer service agents where they go beyond just providing a satisfactory solution for the customer. The results are managerially important for destinations and tourism businesses around the world and increase the theoretical understanding of the moment of truth concept and its different elements in online service encounters.

Launching chat service during the pandemic: inaugurating a new public service under emergency conditions

PurposeThis article details the implementation of a live online chat service which was suddenly necessitated by the worldwide coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The approaches used to train chat operators during this time inform both current and future training initiatives toward continuous improvement in this academic library setting.Design/methodology/approachChat transcripts from the period of March 2020–April 2021 serve as the dataset for this study.FindingsIn bringing a live chat service online during a global pandemic, chat transcripts from this period reveal 19.3% of all chat interactions related directly to COVID-19. The transcripts also reveal the types of questions, whether reference or directional, and these, combined with staffing patterns, indicate that staff were addressing reference questions more often than librarians. In addition, 25.2% of all transactions, whether by staff or librarians, resulted in tickets or referrals to hand off the question to a subject or functional specialist. These findings help to inform targeted face-to-face refresher training for chat operators.Originality/valueWhile bringing a live chat service online is certainly not novel, the impetus behind the quick setup was. This unusual circumstance allowed for an in-depth look at the nature of chat and its training requirements and limitations due to campus stay-at-home orders. It also provided a new understanding that influenced subsequent face-to-face trainings.

Sociodemographic factors and social media use in 9-year-old children: the Generation R Study

Background We aimed to investigate the associations between sociodemographic factors and instant messaging and social network site exposure among 9-year-old children. Methods Data of 4568 children from the Generation R study, a population-based cohort study performed in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, were analyzed. Instant messaging exposure was defined as using online chat applications such as MSN, chat boxes, WhatsApp, and Ping. Social network site exposure was defined as using Hyves or Facebook. A series of multiple logistic regression analyses were performed, adjusting for covariates. Results Children of low educated mothers had a higher odds ratio (OR) for instant messaging (OR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.12, 1.86) and social network site exposure (OR: 1.73, 95% CI: 1.13, 2.66) than their counterparts. Being a child from a single-parent family was associated with instant messaging (OR: 1.48, 95% CI: 1.16, 1.88) and social network site exposure (OR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.78) more often than their counterparts. Children of low educated fathers (OR: 1.48, 95% CI: 1.12, 1.95) or from families with financial difficulties (OR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.59) were associated with a higher OR of social network site exposure than their counterparts. Conclusion The findings suggest that several indicators of lower social position are associated with higher social network site and instant messaging exposure among 9-year-old children. More research is needed in younger children to understand the determinants and impact of social media use.

Realizing the problem wasn’t necessarily me": The meaning of childhood adversity and resilience in the lives of autistic adults

Interview Data<p>There is ample evidence that childhood adversity correlates negatively with physical and mental health outcomes across the lifespan. Resilience results when internal and external protective factors in childhood mitigate the effects of adversity and mental and physical health outcomes are improved. However, the phenomena of childhood adversity and resilience among autistic children are understudied and not well understood. In this study, we engaged members of the autism community to advise on the research question, research design, and analysis. Following the engagement phase, three autistic young women and one nonbinary young adult, aged 19-27, participated in semi-structured interviews via phone, video conference, and online chat;. credibility checking interviews followed data analysis. Through interpretative phenomenological analysis we identified themes related to negative effects of adversity, including <i>social disconnection</i>, <i>mental and emotional well-being</i>, <i>sense of self</i>, and <i>development into young adulthood</i>. Resilience was developed in <i>places of refuge</i> and <i>identity</i>, and was evident in their <i>transitions into young adulthood</i>. These findings provide direction for fostering resilience in children and adolescents on the autism spectrum and planning and implementing mental health supports to autistic individuals across the lifespan. </p>

Realizing the problem wasn’t necessarily me": The meaning of childhood adversity and resilience in the lives of autistic adults

Interview Data<p>There is ample evidence that childhood adversity correlates negatively with physical and mental health outcomes across the lifespan. Resilience results when internal and external protective factors in childhood mitigate the effects of adversity and mental and physical health outcomes are improved. However, the phenomena of childhood adversity and resilience among autistic children are understudied and not well understood. In this study, we engaged members of the autism community to advise on the research question, research design, and analysis. Following the engagement phase, three autistic young women and one nonbinary young adult, aged 19-27, participated in semi-structured interviews via phone, video conference, and online chat;. credibility checking interviews followed data analysis. Through interpretative phenomenological analysis we identified themes related to negative effects of adversity, including <i>social disconnection</i>, <i>mental and emotional well-being</i>, <i>sense of self</i>, and <i>development into young adulthood</i>. Resilience was developed in <i>places of refuge</i> and <i>identity</i>, and was evident in their <i>transitions into young adulthood</i>. These findings provide direction for fostering resilience in children and adolescents on the autism spectrum and planning and implementing mental health supports to autistic individuals across the lifespan. </p>

Effects of remote monitoring of patients with heart failure based on smartphone application in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Kyrgyz Republic

Background Patients with CHF were the most vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given to reduce hospitalizations and outpatient appointments, remote monitoring of CHF patients using a mobile application in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has proven particularly relevant, providing continuous specialized medical care and ensuring social distancing. Purpose To study the clinical effectiveness of the implementation of a mobile application for remote monitoring of patients with CHF compared with standard practice during the COVID-19 pandemic in a mountainous country. Methods ERICA-HF is a randomized, controlled, open-label study. Were included patients with verified CHF III FC (NYHA) with randomization to the main group of remote monitoring of patients using a mobile application + standard treatment (n=200) or to the control group on standard outpatient follow-up at the place of residence (n=100), for 12 months. The assessment of the clinical course of CHF is carried out on the basis of clinical indicators that allow assessing the current state of patients, depending on the quantitative assessment of deviations above or below the threshold values, consisting of seven points: shortness of breath, position in bed, heartbeating, edema, weight, blood pressure, heart rate, which the patient fills twice a week, with the possibility of automatically notifying the doctor and the patient. The application is equipped with two-way feedback in the form of structured telephone support and online chat. Quality of life assessment according to the Minnesota Living With Heart Failure Questionnaire, the ability to self-control according to the scale EHFScBS_9. The primary outcome is the percentage of unplanned rehospitalizations for HF decompensation, quality of life, mortality from CHF. The main secondary outcomes are cost-effectiveness and adherence to treatment. Results During the COVID-19 pandemic, 209 patients on remote monitoring with CHF from all regions (63% men, age 65±11 years) were observed by coordinating cardiologists, 24 of them got sick with COVID-19, 7 received hospital treatment due to the development of HF decompensation, pneumonia and respiratory failure, 3 died of pneumonia. 9 participants dropped out of the study due to Internet traffic interruptions. 95% of patients noted high compliance, confidence, gave a positive assessment and use of the mobile application. Conclusion Remote monitoring using a mobile application was an effective means of managing patients with CHF in socially isolation. This suggests that remote monitoring using a smart phone can be a good alternative to outpatient practice, which we have demonstrated in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, the relatively low cost can greatly facilitate the implementation of remote monitoring programs using a mobile application. FUNDunding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: Public hospital(s). Main funding source(s): National center of cardiology and internal medicine named after academician M. Mirrakhimov

Evaluation of an interactive web-based programme on relapse management for people with multiple sclerosis (POWER@MS2): study protocol for a process evaluation accompanying a randomised controlled trial

IntroductionProcess evaluations accompanying complex interventions examine the implementation process of the underlying intervention, identify mechanisms of impact and assess contextual factors. This paper presents the protocol for a process evaluation conducted alongside the randomised controlled trial POWER@MS2. The trial comprises the evaluation of a web-based complex intervention on relapse management in 188 people with multiple sclerosis conducted in 20 centres. The web-based intervention programme focuses on relapse treatment decision making and includes a decision aid, a nurse-led webinar and an online chat. With the process evaluation presented here, we aim to assess participants’ responses to and interactions with the intervention to understand how and why the intervention produces change.Methods and analysisA mixed methods design is used to explore the acceptance of the intervention as well as its use and impact on participants. Participants are people with multiple sclerosis, neurologists, nurses and stakeholders. Quantitative semistandardised evaluation forms will be collected throughout the study. Qualitative semistructured telephone interviews will be conducted at the end of the study with selected participants, especially people with multiple sclerosis and neurologists. Quantitative data will be collected and analysed descriptively. Based on the results, the qualitative interviews will be conducted and analysed thematically, and the results will be merged in a joint display table.Ethics and disseminationThe process evaluation has received ethical approval from the Ethical Committee of the University of Lübeck (reference 19–024). Findings will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals, at conferences, meetings and on relevant patient websites.Trial registration numberNCT04233970.