Occupational Performance Coaching for Children With Neurodisability: A Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol.

Background. Occupational Performance Coaching (OPC) is a goal-oriented approach in which client agency takes precedence in goal selection, analysis, choice of action, and evaluation of success. The intended outcomes of OPC are improved occupational performance and participation in clients' life situations. Randomized clinical trials are needed to determine the effectiveness of OPC. Purpose. This study protocol outlines a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of OPC compared to usual care with caregivers of children with neurodisability in improving child, caregiver, and family occupational performance. Method. A single-blind, 2-arm parallel-group, cluster RCT of OPC compared to usual care is planned. Therapists delivering the intervention (N = 14) are randomized to "OPC training" or "usual care" groups. The primary outcome is occupational performance improvement in caregiver (N = 84) identified goals. Implications. Findings will provide translational evidence of the effectiveness of OPC and clarify intervention processes. Areas of future OPC research and development will be indicated.

A qualitative study exploring high school students' understanding of, and attitudes towards, health information and claims.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to health claims, particularly in the media and social media, is pervasive, and the information conveyed is often inaccurate, incomplete or misleading. Some young people of high school ages are already making decisions about using readily available health interventions (such as sports drinks and beauty products).Although previous research has assessed adults' understanding of health claims, no research has examined this issue in young adults who are attending high school. OBJECTIVE: To explore high school students' understanding of, and attitudes towards, concepts relevant to assessing health information and claims. DESIGN: A qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews with 27 Australian high school students. Responses were recorded, transcribed and a thematic analysis performed. Three themes emerged as follows: (i) Variability in sources of health information and claims, and general understanding of their creation and accuracy of content, (ii) The use of substitute indicators to assess health information and claims and make judgements about their trustworthiness, (iii) Uncertainty about, and literal interpretation of, the language of health claims. Despite general scepticism of health claims and admitted uncertainty of research terminology, many students were generally convinced. Students had poor understanding about how health claims are generated and tended to rely on substitute indicators, such as endorsements, when evaluating the believability of claims. CONCLUSION: School students' lack of awareness of basic health research processes and methods of assessing the accuracy of health information and claims makes them vulnerable to distorted and misleading health information. This restricts their ability to make informed health decisions - a skill that increases in importance as they become adults.

Physical activity and depressive symptoms in American adolescents.

This study employed ordinal logistic regression analyses to investigate the relationship between American adolescents' participation in physical activity and depressive symptomatology. Data were drawn from the second Child Development Supplement to the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (CDS II), which was conducted over 2002-2003. Fewer than 60% of adolescents were found to accumulate 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) outside of school hours on week or weekend days. Accumulated duration of MVPA was not, however, significantly associated with severity of depressive symptoms for either gender. Males who were not involved in sporting clubs or lessons were more likely than males who were highly involved to experience greater severity of depressive symptoms (OR = 3.24, CI = 1.33, 7.87). Results highlight gender variability in the psychosocial correlates of sporting participation and prompt further investigation of the relevance of current physical activity guidelines for mental health in adolescence.