Examining the Factor Structure of a Risk Assessment Inventory in Young Offenders: FER-R, Risk and Resource Assessment Form

The FER-R, Risk and Resource Assessment Form, is a multidimensional inventory of structured professional judgment that assesses criminogenic risks and resources for the design and management of individualized intervention plans with criminally sanctioned adolescents. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the FER-R, reviewing its factorial structure to contribute evidence of convergent and discriminant construct validity in a sample of adolescents sentenced for crimes in Chile. For each domain (risks and resources) with its respective facets, a unidimensional bifactor structure (CFA-BF) was obtained, with adequate indices of fit that confirmed its construct validity, while the convergent validity was demonstrated with the YLS/CMI and the divergent validity with two MACI scales. The FER-R adds factorial validity to the evidence of the previously reported predictive validity, making it a robust inventory for the evaluation of young offenders, and a relevant tool to manage differentiated interventions in Chile, with a high potential for use in Latin America. The importance of finding a suitable balance in assessing risks and protective factors is discussed, in order to manage interventions adjusted to the needs of the adolescents to promote their criminal desistance.

Autism Spectrum Disorder and the Paradigm of Neurodiversity

The new approaches for disability are characterized through respect towards the beneficiary. In practice, this means empowering the person with a disability or an association that fights for the rights to make choices about their personal life. Empowering a person with disabilities, trusting their potential, and encouraging them to look with optimism towards the future are just a few of the aspects of change. Involving the person in making decisions for themselves and promoting those changes that have an impact on the quality of life also has a pragmatic side in the sense that it requires considerable expenses. Several debates for child's rights and people's with disabilities rights proposed the definition of “rights for a future” (Crețu, 2006). The freedom of choice does not only represent a topic from the individualized intervention plan, but additionally refers to taking responsibility, taking ownership for what the person with a disability agreed with.

Patients’ Satisfaction With Pharmaceutical Care Services in Asthma: An Intervention Study in 2 Nigerian Hospitals

Quality in health care is commonly measured by patient satisfaction. This study assessed asthmatic patients’ satisfaction with the pharmaceutical care services rendered in 2 Nigerian tertiary hospitals. This 3-arm intervention study was single-blinded, prospective, and randomized. The 3 arms were Usual Care, Individual Intervention, and Caregiver-assisted Intervention. Intervention arms received education for 6 months, whereas the Usual Care arm received no education. The Patient Satisfaction with Pharmaceutical Services questionnaire was utilized. Data were analyzed using the IBM SPSS Version 25.0 with statistical significance set as P < .05. Seventy-eight asthma patients participated in the 3-arm study. The majority of the patients (82.1%) were happy with the services provided by the pharmacists. More of the patients who received Individualized Intervention were highly satisfied, compared to those in the Caregiver-assisted Intervention arm and Usual Care arm (52.6% vs 44.7% vs 2.6%, χ2 = 32.124, P < .001). The Individualized Intervention satisfied patients better than the Caregiver-assisted Intervention. Pharmacists should strive to have direct communication with their patients despite the involvement of caregivers.

Parents’ Experiences with an Individualized Intervention Designed to Strengthen the Family–School Partnership: The Parents in Partnership with Educators (PIPE) Program

Mental health challenges are common among children, and can interfere with learning and adjustment to school. Although early intervention is crucial and the family–school partnership plays an integral role in the development and implementation of individual education plans (IEPs), there are few supports to assist families in navigating this partnership. This study describes the experiences of parents who participated in the Parents in Partnership with Educators (PIPE) program, an individualized intervention for families who are struggling to communicate and problemsolve with schools around the mental health needs of their children. File review and semi-structured interviews were conducted for ten families. Results indicated that the program gave parents unconditional support and guidance, as well as new skills to help them communicate their perspective in a meaningful way. Parents reported feeling empowered, informed, and prepared to advocate for their children.