ABSTRACT
Despite the widespread use of distance learning during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, little is known about the developmental appropriateness of this instructional format for preschoolers, particularly when implemented in inclusive settings. The current research was implemented in a university-affiliated, state-funded inclusive preschool classroom focused on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) where parents were given the option to enroll in a full distance program (FDP) during the first 9 weeks of the 2020/21 school year. Parents of four children, including two children with ASD, selected the FDP option. Synchronous whole group, small group, and individual online sessions were recorded using screen capture and coded for children's maintained attention and directed communication. Further, parents and teachers completed exit interviews or a focus group, which were transcribed and analyzed using qualitative research methods. This is the first study to use observational methods to measure child engagement during preschool FDP sessions. Results from this mixed-method multiple case study paint a rich picture of both opportunities and limitations inherent in distance learning when implemented in inclusive preschool settings. General conclusions, future directions, and study limitations are discussed.
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This study aimed to outline the profile of retractions of scientific articles on COVID-19 published in journals indexed in the Scopus database between 2020 and 2021. To analyze the data, we used a bibliometric technique, with the Bibliometrix package in the R-Studio software, and descriptive statistics. Twenty-nine retractions were analyzed, and we found that the most common reasons for retraction were related to ethical issues and that 68.97% of authors have previously retracted articles. We concluded that there appears to have been a change in the publication policies of journals, which resulted in an increase in scientific retractions related to COVID-19 during the study period.
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We explored parent's intention to vaccinate their children aged 5–11 against corona and factors influencing this. A survey, including open and closed questions, was distributed among parents (N = 214, 57,8% female) at booster vaccination locations in Rotterdam. The survey was subdivided in three categories: background variables of the participant (parent), background variables of his/her children, determinants of vaccination-intentions and information needs. Results show that 43% of the parents intended to vaccinate their children. Parents attitude towards vaccination was ambivalent, they rated the likelihood for children to get infected with corona relatively high and the severity of corona for children relatively low. The response to potential harmful effects of the vaccine were ambivalent as well. Attitude was the strongest correlate of vaccination-intention and mediated the effects of likelihood, severity and harmfulness. Most parents would take the decision together with the partner, but also with the child. The open questions showed that the most common reason to vaccinate the child was to protect the child or others. Reasons mentioned for not vaccinating the child were mostly worries regarding side-effects and doubts about the added value of vaccinating children. In the discussion, communication and intervention options to enhance vaccination intentions are described. Samenvatting: We hebben onderzocht wat de bereidheid van ouders is om hun kinderen van 5 tot 11 jaar te laten vaccineren tegen corona en factoren die hieraan bijdragen. Op boostervaccinatielocaties in Rotterdam is aan ouders (N = 214, 57,8 % vrouw) een vragenlijst uitgedeeld met open en gesloten vragen. De vragenlijst was onderverdeeld in drie categorieën: achtergrondvariabelen van de deelnemer (ouder), achtergrondvariabelen van zijn/haar kinderen, en determinanten van vaccinatiebereidheid en informatiebehoeften. De resultaten laten zien dat 43,0 % van de ouders bereid was hun kinderen te vaccineren. Ouders hadden een ambivalente attitude ten aanzien van vaccineren, en schatten de kans op corona bij kinderen relatief hoog en de ernst van corona bij kinderen relatief laag in. De visie op schadelijkheid van het vaccin was ambivalent. Attitude was de sterkste voorspeller van vaccinatie-intentie en medieerde de effecten van kans, ernst en schadelijkheid. Veel ouders zouden de beslissing met de partner, maar ook met het kind nemen. In de open vragen gaven ze als redenen om het kind wel te vaccineren vooral dat ze het kind of anderen wilden beschermen. Redenen om het kind niet te vaccineren waren vooral zorgen over bijwerkingen en twijfel over de meerwaarde van het vaccineren van kinderen. De beschouwing beschrijft communicatie- en interventiemogelijkheden om vaccinatiebereidheid te bevorderen.
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Background: Although research on mathematics learning programs has taken off in recent years, little is known about how different person characteristics are related to practice behaviour with such programs. When implementing a mathematics learning program in the classroom, it might be important to know whether students with specific characteristics need more encouragement to make use of this learning opportunity. Objectives: Using a supply‐use model, we analysed the predictive power of students' cognitive characteristics (prior mathematics knowledge), personality traits (conscientiousness), motivational‐affective characteristics (mathematics self‐concept and mathematics anxiety), and family background characteristics (socioeconomic status and migration background) for practising with an adaptive arithmetic learning program. Methods: We used longitudinal data from 203 fifth graders from seven non‐academic‐track schools in Germany. Practice behaviour, measured by completed tasks in the learning program, was recorded weekly for every student over a period of 22 weeks. Results and Conclusions: The results of our multilevel analyses showed that mathematics anxious students practised less with the program. We did not find any relationship with the other characteristics. Takeaways: Our results suggest that mathematics anxious students need more encouragement when practising with a mathematics learning program;otherwise, they do not get the chance to benefit from the use. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: The use of mathematics learning programmes in mathematics education has recently intensified.It is important that students practice with such learning programmes regularly over a longer period of time in order for them to achieve learning success.Students differ in their mathematics learning behaviour. What this paper adds: Little is known about how person characteristics are related to practice behaviour with mathematics learning programmes.Students may differ in their use of a mathematics learning programme, which is why cognitive characteristics, personality traits, motivational‐affective characteristics, and family background characteristics may affect students' practice behaviour. Implications for practice: Mathematics anxious students practiced less with a mathematics learning program, and need more encouragement to benefit equally from the implementation in school.Teachers should keep in mind that after the initial enthusiasm, practice with a programme may decrease over time, especially after school holidays.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has had massive impacts across the globe. Children with developmental delays are an increasingly vulnerable population, highlighting the importance of ensuring they have access to high-quality virtual services during this time. The Early Discovery program currently provides therapeutic interventions for children with mild developmental delays. We sought to compare the outcomes of 2 cohorts within the Early Discovery program using different delivery approaches (n = 238 families): children who received services in person before the pandemic (n = 126) and children who received services via telehealth in the acute phase of the pandemic (n = 112). Both groups of children showed significant improvements in language skills posttreatment, and, with regard to auditory comprehension, both groups showed similar rates of improvement. However, children receiving in-person services before the pandemic showed greater improvements in expressive communication skills than children receiving telehealth services during the pandemic. Results indicate that the Early Discovery program was able to make adjustments during the pandemic that assisted families in maintaining progress in improving their child's language skills.
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Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals experience high levels of minority stress, as well as a high prevalence of suicidality and self-harm. The current study investigates if emotion regulation mediates the relationships of minority stressors with self-harm and suicidality. TGD adult primary care patients (N = 115) completed a survey including measures of minority stressors, emotion dysregulation, self-harm, and suicidality. Emotion regulation mediated the relationship between victimisation and suicidality. Emotion regulation did not mediate the relationship between victimisation and self-harm. TGD individuals' suicide risk may be increased when they experience victimisation through increased emotion dysregulation.
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Main effect models contend that perceived social support benefits mental health in the presence and the absence of stressful events, whereas stress-buffering models contend that perceived social support benefits mental health especially when individuals are facing stressful events. We tested these models of how perceived social support impacts mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic and evaluated whether characteristics of everyday social interactions statistically mediated this association – namely, (a) received support, the visible and deliberate assistance provided by others, and (b) pleasantness, the extent to which an interaction is positive, flows easily, and leads individuals to feel understood and validated. 591 United States adults completed a 3-week ecological momentary assessment protocol sampling characteristics of their everyday social interactions that was used to evaluate between-person average values and within-person daily fluctuations in everyday social interaction characteristics. Global measures of perceived social support and pandemic-related stressors were assessed at baseline. Psychiatric symptoms of depression and anxiety were assessed at baseline, at the end of each day of ecological momentary assessment, and at 3-week follow-up. Consistent with a main effect model, higher baseline perceived social support predicted decreases in psychiatric symptoms at 3-week follow-up (β = −.09, p =.001). Contrary to a stress-buffering model, we did not find an interaction of pandemic-stressors × perceived social support. The main effect of perceived social support on mental health was mediated by the pleasantness of everyday social interactions, but not by received support in everyday social interactions. We found evidence for both main effects and stress-buffering effects of within-person fluctuations in interaction pleasantness on daily changes in mental health. Results suggest the importance of everyday social interaction characteristics, especially their pleasantness, in linking perceived social support and mental health.
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Numerous studies have captured the experiences of teachers teaching online, but the current 'emergency' to teach online is unprecedented and has been challenging. Grounded in the theory of cognitive dissonance, this paper attempts to recapitulate the experiences of university teachers and analyses whether they have developed the consonant cognitions to teach online during the pandemic period or would they prefer switching back to 'normal' teaching as soon as the circumstances permit. Technology-enabled teaching has been found to be complex as it mandates teaching in a computerised setting and lacks an element of social interaction, which is at the heart of face-to-face teaching. Using Structural Equation Modelling, this study presents the determining factors that motivate teachers to embrace technology-driven teaching more convincingly. The study finds that in the absence of adequate training imparted to the teachers for developing technological and pedagogical knowledge (TPK), high psychological capital and facilitating conditions are the two most important factors ensuring teaching proficiency, creating positive online experiences and a continued intention to teach online.
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Educational technological tools are now an integral part of the education industry. Various platforms used for educational purposes were analyzed to find the perception of the learner;however, the major analyzing trends revolve around Zoom, Google meet, Google Classroom, and Institutional LMS, overlooking the evaluation of the perception of Teachly: an Ed-tech application developed by Harvard Kennedy School. The objective of this study is to determine the perception of students at Stamford University (n = 36) who enrolled and completed a semester at Teachly using descriptive statistics. For precision, a slider scale was used to collect data using the Google form in a semi-structured questionnaire. The data were then analyzed using the mean and standard deviation to find the central tendency and the measure of variability. The analysis confirms that the student has a positive perception towards using Teachly covering Walgito's three components of perception, and it also points out some limitations identified by the student which hampers its future implementation. © 2023, North American Business Press. All rights reserved.
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Background/Aims: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the implementation of telehealth and virtual care services. Clinicians must be comfortable using this technology in order for it to be developed effectively and implemented consistently. This study evaluated the influence of various factors, including those theorised in the technology acceptance model, on physicians' intention to use teleconsultations in their clinical practice in Chennai, India. Methods: A snowball sampling method was used to distribute an online survey to physicians in Chennai, India. The survey measured respondents' intention to use teleconsultations (dependent variable), along seven independent variables relating to this technology (perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, physicians' attitudes, social influences, facilitating conditions, perceived compatibility with the clinical area and trust). A total of 165 responses were collected. Results were analysed using descriptive and correlational statistics, along with multiple linear regression. Results: All seven independent variables were found to be significantly associated with the dependent variable (P<0.01). Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that the independent variables accounted for 67.8% of the variance in respondents' intention to use teleconsultations. Conclusions: Physicians' intention to use teleconsultations is complex and multi-faceted. Although the factors theorised by the technology acceptance model were significantly associated with intention to use telemedicine, other factors were also found to be important, including social influences, external facilitating factors, perceived compatibility with the clinical area and personal trust in technology.
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The American education system has been significantly disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led schools to shut down and convert to remote learning environments in spring 2020. However, long before these school closures, school social workers (SSWs) have faced significant practice dilemmas, as they have encountered obstacles to their engagement in best practices. While initial pandemic school closures presented SSWs with a range of uncertain situations, they also provided the possibility to respond to practice demands in different and dynamic ways. This article explores the pandemic's impact upon SSWs' practice, and how SSWs responded in turn as they quickly adapted their practice during this widespread, ongoing crisis. Informed by crisis theory, previous analyses of SSW practice trends and dilemmas, and a review of traditional social work values and ethics, we conducted three focus groups in July 2020 with SSWs during the pandemic's early months. From these interviews, we learned that participants' work was disrupted by dramatic shifts in school and community settings, as well as changes in support needs within their respective school communities. Those disruptions gave way to substantial shifts in practice, which reflect a more prominent role for systemic practice and for traditional social work values in SSW decision-making. These findings offer implications for post-pandemic practice, and practice in other host settings.
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The article discusses research which analyzed the differences in stress levels between junior high school students and college students during online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. It discusses body change caused by stressors, the influence of sex on an individual's stress level, the potential of stress experienced by students to cause signs and symptoms of health problems, and factors influencing stress in male and female students.
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It is aimed to examine the reasons of Syrian migrant women getting married early. Universe selection has not been made. Participants were reached using the snowball sampling method. In this phenomenological qualitative study, 4 main themes were created with the method of description and examined. It has been determined that poverty, family coercion, love and the losses they suffered during the war are effective in the early marriage of Syrian migrant women. It has been investigated that most of the factors determined in the early marriage of Syrian migrant women are situations that develop against their will and that these women have to marry at an early age.
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Advance care plans (ACPs) increase patient-centered care, reduce caregiver burden and healthcare costs. However, only about 25% of Canadians over 50 years of age have completed an ACP. An anonymous, cross-sectional survey was distributed to those ≥70 years attending a primary care clinic-based COVID-19 vaccination event in Regina, SK in April 2021. The survey included questions about demographics, attitudes, engagement in ACPs according to the Stage of Change model, and patient-reported influence of COVID-19 on ACP thoughts or actions. One hundred thirty-four surveys were completed (96% response rate). Twenty-seven percent of respondents were at the precontemplation stage, 21% at contemplation stage, 16% at planning stage, 26% at action stage, and 10% at maintenance stage. Thirty-three percent of respondents had thought more about ACPs during the pandemic, but few updated or created plans. Most respondents felt comfortable talking with their physician and partners. There is a need for physicians to initiate ACP conversations with patients.
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The SARS-COV-2/ COVID-19 pandemic is a global challenge affecting hundreds of millions globally. The COVID-19 pandemic that began in Wuhan in China in 2019 has continued to pose a health concern and economic meltdown across the globe. Globally, numerous vaccines have been successfully rolled out against many vaccine-preventable diseases at all stages of human development. Despite the number of approved SARS-COV-2 vaccines, the seeming success in the global rollout, and the inoculation of billions globally, COVID-19 vaccination interventions still need improvement. However, for total control and eradication, there is a need to review the campaign methodologies to identify the drivers and inhibitors of COVID-19 vaccinations to promote booster uptake. Questions concerning the acceptability of the covid-19 vaccination were posed to respondents using a convenience sample method. This study contributes to the African vaccination literature and descriptively shows the drivers and inhibitors of COVID-19 vaccination. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
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This study utilizes Social Information Processing (SIP) theory to investigate the relationship between organizational preventive actions (substantive vs. symbolic), employee preventive behavior, the mediating role of conspiracy beliefs, and moderating role of leadership integrity in the context of Covid‐19. The study explains leadership integrity as a boundary condition to facilitate or hinder the mediated relationship between organizational actions and employee preventive behavior (EPB). The hypothesized model was tested using partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS‐SEM) on two‐wave data collected from 281 respondents. The results revealed that substantive actions do not predict EPB directly but through conspiracy beliefs. Contrary to these, symbolic actions negatively predict EPB directly. Leadership integrity moderates the relationship between substantive actions and conspiracy beliefs, while the interaction effect with symbolic actions is not supported. The findings of this study caution managers to walk their talk because employees critically observe the most apparent actions, especially when management fails to practice them. The study contributes to social information processing theory by pointing to leadership integrity as a source of authenticity to curb the negative impact of symbolic actions and catalyst the effect of substantive actions on employee preventive behavior.
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Background: School-based sleep education programmes can promote the importance of sleep health and may improve adolescent sleep. To date, only limited research has examined the feasibility of integrating sleep programmes into the school curriculum. Objectives: This study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary efficacy of the Strathclyde intervention to encourage good sleep health in teenagers (SIESTA). Methods: A total 171 students (12–15 years, 53% women) from secondary schools in Scotland participated in the study. Recruitment and retention, data collection and design procedures were assessed to establish feasibility. Qualitative feedback on acceptability was collected via focus group discussions. Outcome measures assessing insomnia symptoms, sleep hygiene, depression, anxiety and stress were completed at baseline and post-intervention to explore the preliminary effects of SIESTA. Results: All schools that were approached consented to participate, and most students completed assessments at both time points (171) with a dropout rate of 5%. Assessment measures provided sufficient data to compare baseline and post-intervention values. Training and delivery manuals ensured successful delivery of the programme. Qualitative feedback indicated SIESTA was acceptable, and students spoke favourably about the content, delivery and techniques. Students reported that SIESTA was age-appropriate, relevant and the techniques were beneficial. There were significant improvements in insomnia and stress, but no improvements were noted for sleep hygiene, depression or anxiety. Conclusion: The findings suggest that SIESTA is feasible and acceptable for delivery via the school curriculum. The results indicate that a controlled trial is required to further investigate the efficacy of SIESTA implemented in an educational context.
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As COVID-19 reached pandemic levels in March 2020, schools shifted to remote learning. Student parents in higher education had to adapt to their own remote learning and assume responsibility for childcare and their children's education. Few studies have explored the impact of COVID-19 on mothers who are also full-time students. This study utilized a phenomenological approach to understand the lived experiences of mothering students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Student mothers were recruited from a large, public, Hispanic-serving university in a Southern state. We conducted interviews with 15 student mothers who had at least one child under the age of 18 during the first six months of the pandemic. Three main themes emerged from the analyses: (1) successfully meeting educational requirements;(2) dealing with the mental health impact of the pandemic;and (3) changing the institutional structure. The first theme captured strategies mothering students implemented to ensure their own or their children's educational goals were met. The second theme encompassed how mothers handled the stress caused by the pandemic. The third theme explored ways that mothers resisted gendered expectations and norms around care. Implications for policy and social work practice include changing institutional structures to enhance support for mothering students.
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Objective: This research was carried out as a descriptive and cross-sectional study between January and April 2021 in order to determine the relationship between COVID-19 fear and COVID-19 hygiene behaviors in adults. Materials and Methods: The sample of the research consisted of 1876 individuals who accepted to participate in the online survey with the snowball sampling method and completed the research completely. Research data were obtained with an introductory questionnaire, COVID-19 Fear Scale and COVID-19 Hygiene Behavior Scale. In the analysis of the data, number-percentage calculations, mean, standard deviation, independent t test and ANOVA, Pearson Correlation and Linear regression tests were used. Results: The mean score of the individuals on the COVID-19 Fear Scale was found to be 19.51±.89 and the total mean score of the COVID-19 Hygiene Behaviors Scale was found to be 105.35±18.61. The COVID-19 fear level of the participants;It was determined that gender, education status, working status, place of residence, socio-economic status, individual with chronic disease at home, anxiety due to COVID-19, change in hygiene behavior, thinking that hygiene will prevent COVID-19 explained 21.4%. Variables of age, gender, education status, employment status, marital status, family type, presence of children, place of residence, socioeconomic status, individuals with chronic diseases at home, anxiety due to corona, change in hygiene behavior, thinking that hygiene will prevent corona, COVID-19 Hygiene The level of their behavior;It was determined that 14% explained. Conclusion: As the COVID-19 fear levels of individuals increase, the COVID-19 hygiene behaviors also increas. Amaç: Bu araştırma, yetişkinlerde COVID-19 korkusu ile COVID-19 hijyen davranışları arasındaki ilişkiyi belirlemek amacıyla Ocak-Nisan 2021 tarihleri arasında tanımlayıcı ve kesitsel olarak yapılmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntem: Araştırma verileri, "Veri Toplama Formu”, "COVID-19 Korkusu Ölçeği” ve "COVID-19 Hijyen Davranış Ölçeği” ile elde edilmiştir. Verilerin çözümlenmesinde sayı-yüzde hesaplamaları, ortalama, standart sapma, bağımsız t testi ve ANOVA, Pearson Korelasyon ve Lineer regresyon testleri kullanılmıştır. Bulgular: Bireylerin COVID-19 Korku Ölçeği puan ortalaması 19.51±6.89, COVID19 Hijyen Davranışları Ölçeği toplam puan ortalaması 105.35±18.61 olarak bulundu. Katılımcıların COVID-19 korku düzeyinin;cinsiyet, öğrenim durumu, çalışma durumu, yaşadığı yer, sosyoekonomik durum, evde kronik hastalığı olan birey, COVID-19 nedeniyle endişe, hijyen davranışı değişikliği, hijyenin COVID-19'u engelleyeceğini düşünme değişkenlerinin %21.4'ünü açıkladığı saptanmıştır. Yaş, cinsiyet, öğrenim durumu, çalışma durumu, medeni durum, aile tipi, çocuk varlığı, yaşadığı yer, sosyoekonomik durum, evde kronik hastalığı olan birey, korona nedeniyle endişe, hijyen davranışı değişikliği, hijyenin koronayı engelleyeceğini düşünme değişkenlerinin, COVID-19 Hijyen Davranışları düzeyinin;%14'ünü açıkladığı belirlenmiştir. Sonuç: Bireylerin COVID-19 korku düzeyleri arttıkça, COVID-19 hijyen davranışları da artmaktadır.