Parents have been described as vital in the process of developing an athlete's goal orientation. This article discusses topical efforts to deliver a formal educational program for parents of ...competitive gymnasts. The aim of this program was to educate and enhance the parents' ability to create and maintain a task-involved climate for their athletes, within a competitive gymnastics environment. Specifically discussed are the program's content, structure, practical tasks and parents' evaluations, alongside our personal reflections regarding the effectiveness of the program. Advice for fellow sport psychology and coaching practitioners is offered throughout.
Purpose
Alexithymia, a personality trait characterized by difficulties in emotional processing, has been associated with unhealthy behaviors and chronic medical conditions. This study aimed to ...further develop our understanding of this complex relationship by investigating whether alexithymia increases the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in participants with obesity or overweight through the mediating role of binge eating (BE).
Methods
A consecutive sample of 238 treatment-seeking patients with obesity or overweight were recruited. Alexithymia (TAS-20), binge eating symptoms (BES), body mass index (BMI), and depression and anxiety symptoms (HADS) were concurrently assessed.
Results
Almost half of the participants met the criteria for MetS (44.12%). Compared to patients without MetS, those with MetS were older, had a longer duration of overweight, and had a higher BMI (
p
< 0.01). Individual with MetS also had higher HADS, BES, and TAS-20 scores, particularly difficulty identifying and describing feelings. The structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis revealed that BES levels exerted a significant direct effect on MetS (
p
< 0.01), and that TAS-20 levels exerted a significant direct effect on BES (
p
< 0.01), anxiety (
p
< 0.001) and depression (
p
< 0.001). Moreover, psychological distress (anxiety,
p
= 0.01, and depression,
p
= .05) indirectly affected MetS through the mediating effect of BES, and TAS-20 (
p
= 0.01) indirectly affected MetS through the mediating effect of HADS and BES. Finally, age had a significant direct effect on MetS (
p
< 0.001).
Conclusion
Our findings indicate that alexithymia is a concurrent causative factor to the development of MetS through the mediating role of BE and psychological distress.
Level of evidence
Level III, case–control analytic study.
Global Reach of Social Work Katie Richards-Schuster; Mary Ruffolo; Charity Hoffman ...
Advances in social work,
04/2020, Volume:
19, Issue:
2
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Technological innovations in social work education support efforts to expand the global reach of social work education. Massive open online courses (MOOCs) represent one type of innovation; however, ...little is known about their potential for promoting global social work. In 2015, our school of social work developed the first known social work MOOC using the edX platform. In this paper, we explore the initial voluntary survey data from registrants (n=992) to determine participation patterns and motivations. Our data indicates that the MOOC engaged participants from over 180 countries, with over one-third (35%) from the United States. Over 40% of participants rated themselves as novices with social work content. Thematic analysis of open-ended responses suggests that many participants were working in organizations or NGOs and wanted information about how to be more effective as a worker in these settings. Their participation in the MOOC allowed for exploration of a social work educational program. Further analysis of demographic trends, motivations, and participation levels suggests that MOOCs can be a platform for extending the reach of social work education to global social work settings. More research is needed to fully explore the potential of this educational platform for expanding the reach of social work education globally.
This descriptive, exploratory, sequential mixed-methods study investigated youths’ articulations about racism via an open-ended survey question, and the extent to which these articulations differed ...based on youths’ demographic characteristics. This study included 384 youth who identified as African American (n = 98), Latinx/o/Hispanic (n = 74), Asian/Pacific Islander (n = 52), Multiracial (n = 38), Native American (n = 20), and White (n = 100). Youth were between 14 and 18 years of age (Mage = 16.66, SD = 1.28) and were primarily cisgender girls (51.3%) followed by cisgender boys (44.5%) and transgender (4.2%) youth. Thematic analysis was used to analyze youths’ responses, finding that youth displayed an analysis of intrapersonal/interpersonal racism, structural racism, and color-evasive ideology. Cross-tabulation analysis revealed that youth from lower socioeconomic statues (SES) were more likely than higher SES youth to describe racism as an intrapersonal/interpersonal phenomenon, and girls and transgender youth were more likely than boys to express a structural analysis of racism. Study findings suggest that youths’ beliefs about racism are multidimensional and primarily characterize racism as an intrapersonal/interpersonal phenomenon. Results may be used to inform the development of youth programs that aim to discuss racism in critical ways.
This thesis considers the extent to which ‘fraud unravels all’ explains the judicial response to fraudulent marine insurance claims and fraud in documentary credit transactions. The simplicity of the ...maxim suggests that fraud does not unduly trouble the courts and gives the impression of a uniform and deterrent approach to fraud within the civil law. The comparison made in this thesis demonstrates this impression to be misleading; the courts have conceived of fraud differently and have employed context-specific policy concerns to justify the shape of each fraud rule. The insurance discussions are dominated by deterrence with legal sanctions placed at the heart of the model. By contrast, the trade finance courts adopt a more laissez-faire attitude which prioritises the efficiency of the credit mechanism and considers deterrence an ex ante issue for the parties. Accordingly, this thesis examines the respective policy justifications and considers their continued validity in light of comparative and empirical evidence. In the insurance context, it is argued that the judicial understanding of deterrence is outdated which renders the resulting legal rule ineffective. An examination of approaches to fraud in other jurisdictions then demonstrates the possibility of constructing a more nuanced remedial framework which would balance the competing policy considerations of deterrence and proportionality. The documentary credit discussion contends that the narrow English approach to fraud is not an inevitable policy decision and moreover, has resulted in detrimental consequences for the credit mechanism. It employs empirical data to develop an explanation of deterrence for the duration of credit transactions. In both contexts, these arguments have important implications for the future development of the law. In summary, this research undermines the utility of ‘fraud unravels all’ and calls instead for courts and academics to resist instinctively attractive solutions in favour of a robust, empirically-informed approach to fraud.
This article describes the implementation of a massive open online course (MOOC) developed by a school of social work and piloted in the incoming 2016 MSW class (N=397). Using implementation science ...as a framework, we describe the MOOC as an intervention for preparing students for graduate school and share findings from the pilot evaluation. We argue that MOOCs can represent an innovative approach for other schools of social work, but our lessons learned suggest that they also require resources, time investment, organizational support, and understanding of the implications for students and the school. Future questions for research include examining the long-term benefits of MOOCs to students, their broader application, and the cost-benefit analysis for schools interested in developing MOOCs.
Rationale
Psychotherapies for eating disorders (EDs) are routinely assessed using standardised patient‐reported outcome measures (PROMs). PROMs have been criticised for their lack of patient ...centeredness and clinical utility. The Psychological Outcome Profiles (PSYCHLOPS) is an individualised PROM that allows patients to specify their own outcomes.
Aims
(1) To validate the use of the PSYCHLOPS in ED treatment, and (2) to identify patient concerns beyond those measured by common ED PROMs.
Methods
Two hundred and seventy‐eight emerging adult patients, presenting with a first‐episode ED (aged 16–25, illness duration <3 years) completed the PSYCHLOPS and two standardised ED PROMs (the EatingDisorder Examination Questionnaire EDE‐Q and the Clinical Impairment Assessment Questionnaire CIA) at four time points across 12 months. Psychometrics of the PSYCHLOPS were assessed quantitatively against the EDE‐Q and CIA. Content analysis assessed unique patient concerns identified by PSYCHLOPS.
Results
The PSYCHLOPS had adequate to good psychometric properties. A total of 53.3% of participants reported a concern not addressed by the EDE‐Q or the CIA, the most common being depression/anxiety, academic problems, treatment concerns and disturbed sleep.
Discussion
PROMs can be complemented by the PSYCHLOPS to identify problems specific to an individual's context. As ED patients are typically ambivalent about change, understanding their concerns is vital in building motivation for change.
Highlights
The psychometric properties of the Psychological Outcome Profiles (PSYCHLOPS) are acceptable and broadly comparable to the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire and Clinical Impairment Assessment Questionnaire
The PSYCHLOPS may effectively complement traditional patient reported outcome measures to allow for the identification of problems specific to an individual's context
Clinical applications include collaborative treatment planning, uncovering sources of/obstacles to patient treatment motivation and facilitation of a precision medicine approach.
•Three sets of relational practices emerged in the review: (1) facilitating critical dialogue, (2) sharing power, and (3) building a collective identity.•Facilitating critical dialogue included: ...critically exploring lived experiences and navigating difference, dissent, and conflict as a collective.•Sharing power included: providing opportunities for peer learning, collaborative goal setting, presence and engagement, and transparency.•Building a collective identity included: learning about ones’ communities, accountability and creating a sense of collective efficacy.•Together, they give insight into how adults may facilitate critical reflection and action in YPAR projects in youth development and out-of-school time spaces.
YPAR is increasingly used as a powerful tool for research and action but, its’ practice is often a ‘black box’, with the mechanisms in play absent or not described in detail. When methodological practice is made more explicit, it is illuminated that all too often, youth are not meaningfully integrated into many important aspects of the research. However, we know that relationships are central to the success of YPAR. As such we explore the research question of: ‘what are the relational practices in YPAR that can facilitate critical inquiry, reflection and action?’.We conducted a scoping review of 40 articles that discuss YPAR practice in youth development and out-of-school time spaces. Our results highlight a series of practices aimed at facilitating critical dialogue, sharing power and building a collective identity. These practices can help keep the YPAR practice aligned with its’ epistemological aims and support the practice of critical inquiry and reflection into action.
Facilitating Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR): A Scoping Review of Relational Practice in U.S. Youth Development & Out-of-School Time Projects.
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