This study evaluates the efficacy of a school-based social cognitive intervention for children with autism. Seventy-four children and adolescents were taught visually scaffolded, theory of mind-based ...social skills program. Using a mixed-methods approach, children’s social competence was assessed at pre-test and post-test. Compared to a waitlist control group, children in the intervention group demonstrated significantly greater gains on theory-of-mind and social skill measures. Focus groups and interviews were conducted to explore parents’ views and generalization of children’s social skills across settings. Children’s social participation exhibited improvement in home, community, and school settings. The study findings offer promising evidence for a cost-effective program and support of the school-based social skills intervention for children with ASD in Hong Kong context.
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DOBA, EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, ODKLJ, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, VSZLJ, ZAGLJ
•Examination of the reliability and validity of the translated Chinese version of the SSIS-RS.•Acceptable to excellent internal consistency across all common SSIS-RS-C subscales was ...obtained.•Statistically differences were found between the American and Hong Kong samples of children and adolescents on most of SSIS-RS-C Social Skills scales and all of the SSIS-RS-C Problem Behavior scale scores.
The Social Skills Improvement System-Rating Scales (SSIS-RS; Gresham & Elliott, 2008) are designed to assist in the screening and classification of students (aged 5–18 years) who are suspected of presenting with social skills deficits and to offer guidelines in the development of interventions to remediate those types of problems. The objective of this study is to examine the preliminary reliability and validity of the translated Chinese version of the SSIS-RS, referred to as the SSIS-RS-C. In this study, parent-reported social skills and problem behaviors among students with typical development (n=79) were compared with those of age- and gender-matched students with a known developmental disability (n=79) using the SSIS-RS-C. The results indicated that the SSIS-RS-C subscale scores in all the disability groups were significantly different except for those in the Assertion scale for one disability group. Furthermore, the normative sample of typically developing children and adolescents (aged 5–12 and 13–18 years, n=567) from Hong Kong was established to improve the psychometric properties of the SSIS-RS-C. There were moderate to strong relationships between the common subscales across all forms of the SSIS-RS-C. Acceptable to excellent levels of internal consistency across all common subscales was also obtained. The scores for the Hong Kong sample (n=567) derived from the use of the SSIS-RS-C were then compared to the normative sample scores from the American version of the SSIS-RS. It was found that there were statistically significant differences on five out of the seven SSIS-RS-C Social Skill subscales for children aged 5–12 years and on four out of the seven SSIS-RS-C Social Skills subscales for the adolescent group (aged 13–18 years). Also, there were statistically significant differences between the American and Hong Kong samples on all of the SSIS-RS-C Problem Behavior scale scores. It was concluded that the SSIS-RS-C is a promising instrument for clinicians to be able to differentiate social skills and problem behaviors among students presenting with and without developmental disabilities in Hong Kong contexts.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
This study compared the patterns of sensory processing among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and children without disabilities. ...Parents reported on the frequency of sensory processing issues by completing the Chinese Sensory Profile (CSP). Children with disabilities (ASD or ADHD) exhibited significantly more sensory processing issues than children without disabilities. The results of GLM and discriminant analyses showed that the CSP effectively differentiated between children with and without developmental disabilities. But it failed to identify major differences in sensory processing issues between children with either ASD or ADHD. Sensory processing issues could be one of many criteria that characterize and differentiate the features of children with different developmental disabilities. Although no significant gender differences in sensory processing issues appeared, age was a significant cofounding factor in evaluating sensory processing. Children without disabilities showed some small decreases in sensory processing issues as they aged from 6 to 12 years old. Children with ASD showed some decrease in sensory processing issues over the span of their childhood, while children with ADHD showed a significant increase in auditory processing issues as well as small increases in many aspects of sensory processing.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Sensorimotor performance is influential in Chinese handwriting, but few studies have examined the efficacy of sensorimotor-based interventions on Chinese handwriting among primary school students ...with poor handwriting performance. The study aims to evaluate a sensorimotor-based intervention to improve handwriting in the mainstream primary schools.
This study adopted a two-group pretest-posttest design. An 8-session group-based sensorimotor intervention was delivered to school-aged children (mean age = 8.1, 68% male). Group A had 2 sessions every week, while Group B had 4 sessions every week. Analysis of variance with repeated measures was used to test the effects.
The intervention had a significant time effect (p < .05) in terms of improving handwriting process (d = 0.33–1.10), manual dexterity (d = 0.57), visual memory (d = 0.70), visual-spatial perception (d = 0.37), and motor and postural skills (d = 0.73). The effect sizes ranged from medium to large. For the handwriting process, time per character had a significant group × time interaction, with post hoc analysis showing that Group A had a significantly large effect (d = 1.89, p < .001) while Group B did not.
The group-based sensorimotor intervention programme appeared to show improvements in students with fair skills in writing Chinese characters. It appears that the effect is better if the training sessions are spaced out in one month rather than intensively conducted within two weeks. It might be related to more involvement from parents, and students need more time for practice after the training sessions.
Handwriting; sensorimotor; Chinese; intervention; primary school students.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Interoceptive awareness (IA) refers to one's ability to perceive and recognize internal bodily signals. Our behavioral and emotional responses to interoceptive signals are determined by ...self-regulation. Therefore, IA and self-regulation have considerable impacts on children's daily occupational engagement and performance. Nonetheless, the relationship between IA and self-regulation relevant to pediatric occupational therapy practice continues to lack empirical evidence. This study explores the association between school-age children's self-reported IA, emotional regulation, and academic self-regulation. Twenty-five children completed the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire for children (CERQ-k), the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness - Youth adapted version (MAIA-y), and the Academic Self-Regulation Scale; parents/caregivers completed a demographics questionnaire (n = 25). Data were analyzed using Spearman's rho (ρ) correlation and linear regression analyses with bootstrapping. Nineteen significant correlations were identified between MAIA-y and CERQ-k subscales (ρ = −.724 to .700, p < .05) and 14 between MAIA-y and ASRS subscales (ρ = .448 to .687, p < .05). Two MAIA-y subscales ("not-distracting" and "self-regulation") were predictive of cognitive emotional regulatory strategies (total variance = 33%, 74.1%; p < .05); one MAIA-y subscale ("trusting") was predictive of children's autonomous academic self-regulation (total variance = 64.1%; p = .005). The result demonstrates significant correlations in children's self-reported IA, emotional regulation, and academic self-regulation. Therapists should consider assessing children's IA to inform self-regulation goal setting and treatment planning.
Young people recovering from drug addiction often face challenges in returning to the job market and in maintaining their jobs. Many of them feel they have no choice but to do entry-level work, and ...they are often unsure about their work ability and vocational choice.
In collaboration with a youth outreach service, this study aims to provide a package of vocational assessment, guidance, and support for these clients.
Using a strength-based case management framework, we conducted a comprehensive vocational evaluation for each participant (N = 17), which covered self-perception of abilities, work and occupational interests, work readiness, work-related self-efficacy, and work aptitudes. We presented assessment results to each client and provided guidance on their education, training, or vocational choice.
The results of aptitude tests indicate that most participants can cope with an entry-level job. Many participants are strong in jobs that require quick decision-making, sorting, assembly, and clerical tasks, but many are weak in fine manual dexterity and eye-hand-foot coordination. Many participants preferred jobs that are creative, indefinite, and autonomous in nature.
Longer-term vocational counseling and coaching is needed to help clients make vocational choices and extend their job tenure. Many clients will also need training in job seeking and job maintenance skills.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK, VSZLJ
•Experimental study identifying uncertainty sources in FishMIP global model ensemble.•Warming and lower trophic level (LTL) impacts on model predictions isolated.•Coupling of lower and higher trophic ...levels a key driver of model warming response.•LTL impacts driven primarily by each model’s choice of LTL driver.•Overall climate projections mostly a linear combination of warming and LTL impacts.
Climate change is warming the ocean and impacting lower trophic level (LTL) organisms. Marine ecosystem models can provide estimates of how these changes will propagate to larger animals and impact societal services such as fisheries, but at present these estimates vary widely. A better understanding of what drives this inter-model variation will improve our ability to project fisheries and other ecosystem services into the future, while also helping to identify uncertainties in process understanding. Here, we explore the mechanisms that underlie the diversity of responses to changes in temperature and LTLs in eight global marine ecosystem models from the Fisheries and Marine Ecosystem Model Intercomparison Project (FishMIP). Temperature and LTL impacts on total consumer biomass and ecosystem structure (defined as the relative change of small and large organism biomass) were isolated using a comparative experimental protocol. Total model biomass varied between −35% to +3% in response to warming, and -17% to +15% in response to LTL changes. There was little consensus about the spatial redistribution of biomass or changes in the balance between small and large organisms (ecosystem structure) in response to warming, an LTL impacts on total consumer biomass varied depending on the choice of LTL forcing terms. Overall, climate change impacts on consumer biomass and ecosystem structure are well approximated by the sum of temperature and LTL impacts, indicating an absence of nonlinear interaction between the models’ drivers. Our results highlight a lack of theoretical clarity about how to represent fundamental ecological mechanisms, most importantly how temperature impacts scale from individual to ecosystem level, and the need to better understand the two-way coupling between LTL organisms and consumers. We finish by identifying future research needs to strengthen global marine ecosystem modelling and improve projections of climate change impacts.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Abstract Ng SS, Tsang WW, Cheung TH, Chung JS, To FP, Yu PC. Walkway length, but not turning direction, determines the six-minute walk test distance in individuals with stroke. Objectives To examine ...(1) the effect of different walkway distances, and (2) turning directions on the six-minute walk test (6MWT) in subjects with stroke. Design A cross-sectional study. Setting University-based rehabilitation center. Participants Subjects (N=26) with chronic stroke. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Total distance covered and number of turns in the 6MWT with different walkway lengths (10-, 20-, and 30-m walkway distances) and turning directions (turning to affected side and unaffected side); rate of perceived exertion (RPE) using Borg Scale, and heart rate (HR) using handheld pulse oximeter recorded before and immediately after the test. Results The distance covered and the number of turns in the 6MWT were significantly different between different walkway lengths ( P <.05), with the longest distance covered and lowest number of turns in the 30-m walkway distance. For all walkway lengths, turning to the affected or unaffected side did not result in significant differences in the distance covered and the number of turns in the 6MWT. Significant increases were found between the pretest and posttest for the HR and RPE ( P <.05) in all testing conditions. There was no significant effect of walkway distance and turning direction on the change in HR and RPE between the 6 conditions of the 6MWT. Conclusions Different walkway distances have a significant effect on the distance covered in the 6MWT, whereas turning direction did not significantly affect the distance covered in the 6MWT.
Abstract
Background
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) due to MDR organisms are increasingly common. The lack of paediatric data on efficacious antibiotics makes UTI treatment particularly challenging. ...Data on the efficacy of fosfomycin use for UTI in children are variable.
Methods
We conducted a retrospective audit of children aged 0–18 years who were treated with fosfomycin for UTI at seven tertiary paediatric hospitals in Australia over a 7 year period, from 2014 to 2020.
Results
Ninety-one children with a median age of 5 years (range 2 months to 18 years) received oral fosfomycin for UTI. The majority (57/91, 63%) had one or more comorbidity, with the most common being renal tract anomalies (24/91, 26%). Fifty-nine (65%) had febrile UTI, 14/91 (15%) had pyelonephritis and 1/91 (1%) was bacteraemic. A majority (80/91, 88%) of urinary cultures had an ESBL-producing Gram-negative pathogen isolated. Fosfomycin susceptibility was evident in all 80 isolates tested. For uncomplicated UTI, the most common dose in children aged <1, 1–12 and >12 years was 1, 2 and 3 g, respectively. For complicated UTI, doses of 2 and 3 g were most common. The median duration of fosfomycin administration was 5 days (range 1–82). Clinical cure was achieved in 84/90 (93%); the six with treatment failure had underlying comorbidities. Overall, 2/91 (2%) children experienced drug-related adverse effects comprising gastrointestinal symptoms in both, which resolved after treatment discontinuation.
Conclusions
Fosfomycin is well tolerated and associated with favourable treatment outcomes in children with UTI. Further research on the optimal dosing strategy is required.
Purpose: To adapt the Participation and Environment Measure for Children and Youth for use with Chinese children and youths, and to investigate its psychometric properties.
Materials and methods: The ...Participation and Environment Measure for Children and Youth was translated into Chinese using a cultural adaptation process. Parents of 69 children aged 5-12 years with disabilities and 319 children without disabilities completed the questionnaires. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, factorial structure, and known-group validity were examined using Cronbach's alpha, intraclass correlation coefficient, confirmatory factor analysis and t-test, respectively.
Results: We added and/or replaced activities with culturally-relevant activities in the Chinese version. Internal consistency was acceptable for most of the scales (0.55-0.86). Test-retest reliability of the summary scores was moderate to high (0.70-0.84). Data-model fit was confirmed in a one-factor structure for the participation scales and a two-factor structure for the environment scales. There were also significant differences in the summary scores between 65 gender- and age-matched pairs of children with and without disabilities on the school participation scales and all the environment scales.
Conclusion: This study provides psychometric evidence supporting the use of the Participation and Environment Measure for Children and Youth to assess Chinese children's participation and environmental supports/barriers.
Implications for rehabilitation
The Chinese version of the Participation and Environment Measure for Children and Youth was developed through a rigorous translation and cultural adaptation process.
There is evidence for the reliability (internal consistency and test-retest reliability) and construct validity (factorial structure and known-group validity) of the Chinese version of the Participation and Environment Measure for Children and Youth.
The Chinese version of the Participation and Environment Measure for Children and Youth can be used to assess children's participation in home, school and community settings and to identify environmental barriers that require further intervention.
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IJS, NUK, UL, UM, UPUK, VSZLJ
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