Influence of parameter changes to stability behavior of rotors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fritzen, C. P.; Nordmann, R.

1982-01-01

The occurrence of unstable vibrations in rotating machinery requires corrective measures for improvement of the stability behavior. A simple approximate method is represented to find out the influence of parameter changes to the stability behavior. The method is based on an expansion of the eigenvalues in terms of system parameters. Influence coefficients show the effect of structural modifications. The method first of all was applied to simple nonconservative rotor models. It was approved for an unsymmetric rotor of a test rig.

Why behavior change is difficult to sustain.

PubMed

Bouton, Mark E

2014-11-01

Unhealthy behavior is responsible for much human disease, and a common goal of contemporary preventive medicine is therefore to encourage behavior change. However, while behavior change often seems easy in the short run, it can be difficult to sustain. This article provides a selective review of research from the basic learning and behavior laboratory that provides some insight into why. The research suggests that methods used to create behavior change (including extinction, counterconditioning, punishment, reinforcement of alternative behavior, and abstinence reinforcement) tend to inhibit, rather than erase, the original behavior. Importantly, the inhibition, and thus behavior change more generally, is often specific to the "context" in which it is learned. In support of this view, the article discusses a number of lapse and relapse phenomena that occur after behavior has been changed (renewal, spontaneous recovery, reinstatement, rapid reacquisition, and resurgence). The findings suggest that changing a behavior can be an inherently unstable and unsteady process; frequent lapses should be expected. In the long run, behavior-change therapies might benefit from paying attention to the context in which behavior change occurs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gamification in Stress Management Apps: A Critical App Review.

PubMed

Hoffmann, Alexandra; Christmann, Corinna A; Bleser, Gabriele

2017-06-07

In today's society, stress is more and more often a cause of disease. This makes stress management an important target of behavior change programs. Gamification has been suggested as one way to support health behavior change. However, it remains unclear to which extend available gamification techniques are integrated in stress management apps, and if their occurrence is linked to the use of elements from behavior change theory. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of gamification techniques in stress management apps and the cooccurrence of these techniques with evidence-based stress management methods and behavior change techniques. A total of 62 stress management apps from the Google Play Store were reviewed on their inclusion of 17 gamification techniques, 15 stress management methods, and 26 behavior change techniques. For this purpose, an extended taxonomy of gamification techniques was constructed and applied by 2 trained, independent raters. Interrater-reliability was high, with agreement coefficient (AC)=.97. Results show an average of 0.5 gamification techniques for the tested apps and reveal no correlations between the use of gamification techniques and behavior change techniques (r=.17, P=.20), or stress management methods (r=.14, P=.26). This leads to the conclusion that designers of stress management apps do not use gamification techniques to influence the user's behaviors and reactions. Moreover, app designers do not exploit the potential of combining gamification techniques with behavior change theory. ©Alexandra Hoffmann, Corinna A Christmann, Gabriele Bleser. Originally published in JMIR Serious Games (http://games.jmir.org), 07.06.2017.

Social Support for Changing Multiple Behaviors: Factors Associated with Seeking Support and the Impact of Offered Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greaney, Mary L.; Puleo, Elaine; Sprunck-Harrild, Kim; Haines, Jess; Houghton, Serena C.; Emmons, Karen M.

2018-01-01

Introduction: Social support is important for behavior change, and it may be particularly important for the complexities of changing multiple risk behaviors (MRB). Research is needed to determine if participants in an MRB intervention can be encouraged to activate their social network to aid their change efforts. Methods: Healthy Directions 2, a…

The Feldenkrais Method: A Dynamic Approach to Changing Motor Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buchanan, Patricia A.; Ulrich, Beverly D.

2001-01-01

Describes the Feldenkrais Method of somatic education, noting parallels with a dynamic systems theory (DST) approach to motor behavior. Feldenkrais uses movement and perception to foster individualized improvement in function. DST explains that a human-environment system continually adapts to changing conditions and assembles behaviors…

Social Cognitive Predictors of Dietary Behavior among African Americans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stephens, Torrance T.; Resinicow, Ken; Latimer-Sport, Markita; Walker, Lauren

2015-01-01

Background: This study examined the extent to which social cognitive theory is involved in dietary behavior changes among a sample of African Americans in Georgia. Purpose: We examined whether outcome expectations, barriers, and self-efficacy mediate changes in fruit and vegetable intake behavior. Methods: To accomplish this, we used change scores…

A comparison of functional brain changes associated with surgical versus behavioral weight loss

PubMed Central

Bruce, Amanda S.; Bruce, Jared M.; Ness, Abigail R.; Lepping, Rebecca J.; Malley, Stephen; Hancock, Laura; Powell, Josh; Patrician, Trisha M.; Breslin, Florence J.; Martin, Laura E.; Donnelly, Joseph E.; Brooks, William M.; Savage, Cary R.

2013-01-01

Objective Few studies have examined brain changes in response to effective weight loss; none have compared different methods of weight-loss intervention. We compared functional brain changes associated with a behavioral weight loss intervention to those associated with bariatric surgery. Methods 15 obese participants were recruited prior to adjustable gastric banding surgery and 16 obese participants were recruited prior to a behavioral diet intervention. Groups were matched for demographics and amount of weight lost. fMRI scans (visual food motivation paradigm while hungry and following a meal) were conducted before, and 12 weeks after surgery/behavioral intervention. Results When compared to bariatric patients in the pre-meal analyses, behavioral dieters showed increased activation to food images in right medial PFC and left precuneus following weight loss. When compared to behavioral dieters, bariatric patients showed increased activation in in bilateral temporal cortex following the weight loss. Conclusions Behavioral dieters showed increased responses to food cues in medial PFC – a region associated with valuation and processing of self-referent information – when compared to bariatric patients. Bariatric patients showed increased responses to food cues in brain regions associated with higher level perception—when compared to behavioral dieters. The method of weight loss determines unique changes in brain function. PMID:24115765

Health Behavior Change for Obesity Management

PubMed Central

Teixeira, Pedro J.; Marques, Marta M.

2018-01-01

Health behavior change is central in obesity management. Due to its complexity, there has been a growing body of research on: i) the factors that predict the adoption and maintenance of health behaviors, ii) the development and testing of theories that conceptualize relationships among these factors and with health behaviors, and iii) how these factors can be implemented in effective behavior change interventions, considering characteristics of the content (techniques) and delivery. This short review provides an overview of advances in behavior change science theories and methods, focusing on obesity management, and includes a discussion of the main challenges imposed by this research field. PMID:29237167

The Impact of Cross-Cultural Training on Overseas Adjustment and Performance: An Integrative Review

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-06-01

approaches much of which focuses on cognitive changes . Behavior change methods have been successfully applied to Srelationship-enhancement, attitud ,- change ...environment and adjust organizational behaviors and attitudes ,, such as changing mission "statements, policies, procedures, redesigning the configuration of...Eds.). Helping people change . New York: Pergamon Press, 1975. Katz, J, The effects of a systematic training program on the attitudes and behaviors of

Behavioral Changes Based on a Course in Agroecology: A Mixed Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harms, Kristyn; King, James; Francis, Charles

2009-01-01

This study evaluated and described student perceptions of a course in agroecology to determine if participants experienced changed perceptions and behaviors resulting from the Agroecosystems Analysis course. A triangulation validating quantitative data mixed methods approach included a written survey comprised of both quantitative and open-ended…

Analysis of neighborhood behavior in lead optimization and array design.

PubMed

Papadatos, George; Cooper, Anthony W J; Kadirkamanathan, Visakan; Macdonald, Simon J F; McLay, Iain M; Pickett, Stephen D; Pritchard, John M; Willett, Peter; Gillet, Valerie J

2009-02-01

Neighborhood behavior describes the extent to which small structural changes defined by a molecular descriptor are likely to lead to small property changes. This study evaluates two methods for the quantification of neighborhood behavior: the optimal diagonal method of Patterson et al. and the optimality criterion method of Horvath and Jeandenans. The methods are evaluated using twelve different types of fingerprint (both 2D and 3D) with screening data derived from several lead optimization projects at GlaxoSmithKline. The principal focus of the work is the design of chemical arrays during lead optimization, and the study hence considers not only biological activity but also important drug properties such as metabolic stability, permeability, and lipophilicity. Evidence is provided to suggest that the optimality criterion method may provide a better quantitative description of neighborhood behavior than the optimal diagonal method.

Testing Theories of Dietary Behavior Change in Youth Using the Mediating Variable Model with Intervention Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cerin, Ester; Barnett, Anthony; Baranowski, Tom

2009-01-01

Objective: To review and critique current experimentally-based evidence of theoretical mechanisms of dietary behavior change in youth and provide recommendations on ways to enhance theory evaluation. Methods: Interventions that examined mediators of dietary behavior change in youth (age 5-18 years) were identified via electronic database searches…

“Causes” Of Pesticide Safety Behavior Change in Latino Farmworker Families

PubMed Central

Grzywacz, Joseph G.; Arcury, Thomas A.; Talton, Jennifer W.; D’Agostino, Ralph B.; Trejo, Grisel; Mirabelli, Maria C.; Quandt, Sara A.

2014-01-01

Objective To identify the source of behavior change resulting from a health education intervention focused on pesticide safety. Methods Data were from the La Familia Sana demonstration project, a promotora-delivered pesticide safety education intervention conducted with immigrant Latinos (N = 610). Results The La Familia Sana program produced changes in 3 sets of pesticide safety behaviors. Changes in the conceptual targets of the intervention and promotora attributes explained 0.45–6% and 0.5–3% of the changes in pesticide-related behavior, respectively. Discussion The conceptual targets of the La Familia Sana program explained the greatest amount of change in pesticide-related behavior. Promotora attributes also contributed to intervention success PMID:23985226

Structural and functional plasticity of dendritic spines – root or result of behavior?

PubMed Central

Gipson, Cassandra D.; Olive, M. Foster

2016-01-01

Dendritic spines are multifunctional integrative units of the nervous system and are highly diverse and dynamic in nature. Both internal and external stimuli influence dendritic spine density and morphology on the order of minutes. It is clear that the structural plasticity of dendritic spines is related to changes in synaptic efficacy, learning and memory, and other cognitive processes. However, it is currently unclear whether structural changes in dendritic spines are primary instigators of changes in specific behaviors, a consequence of behavioral changes, or both. In this review, we first review the basic structure and function of dendritic spines in the brain, as well as laboratory methods to characterize and quantify morphological changes in dendritic spines. We then discuss the existing literature on the temporal and functional relationship between changes in dendritic spines in specific brain regions and changes in specific behaviors mediated by those regions. Although technological advancements have allowed us to better understand the functional relevance of structural changes in dendritic spines that are influenced by environmental stimuli, the role of spine dynamics as an underlying driver or consequence of behavior still remains elusive. We conclude that while it is likely that structural changes in dendritic spines are both instigators and results of behavioral changes, improved research tools and methods are needed to experimentally and directly manipulate spine dynamics in order to more empirically delineate the relationship between spine structure and behavior. PMID:27561549

Lighting a Fire Under Public Health and Safety Education: Influence Through Rational Choice, Reasoned Behavior, and Behavioral Economics

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

97 A. INTEGRATION OF CORRELATED INTERVENTION METHODS...27 Ward Edwards, “The Theory of Decision Making,” Psychological Bulletin 51, no. 4 (1954): 381. 28...Changing Behavioral Intentions Engender Behavior Change? A Meta-Analysis of the Experimental Evidence,” Psychological Bulletin 132, no. 2 (2006): 250

Cognitive Neuroscience Approaches to Understanding Behavior Change in Alcohol Use Disorder Treatments.

PubMed

Naqvi, Nasir H; Morgenstern, Jon

2015-01-01

Researchers have begun to apply cognitive neuroscience concepts and methods to study behavior change mechanisms in alcohol use disorder (AUD) treatments. This review begins with an examination of the current state of treatment mechanisms research using clinical and social psychological approaches. It then summarizes what is currently understood about the pathophysiology of addiction from a cognitive neuroscience perspective. Finally, it reviews recent efforts to use cognitive neuroscience approaches to understand the neural mechanisms of behavior change in AUD, including studies that use neural functioning to predict relapse and abstinence; studies examining neural mechanisms that operate in current evidence-based behavioral interventions for AUD; as well as research on novel behavioral interventions that are being derived from our emerging understanding of the neural and cognitive mechanisms of behavior change in AUD. The article highlights how the regulation of subcortical regions involved in alcohol incentive motivation by prefrontal cortical regions involved in cognitive control may be a core mechanism that plays a role in these varied forms of behavior change in AUD. We also lay out a multilevel framework for integrating cognitive neuroscience approaches with more traditional methods for examining AUD treatment mechanisms.

The Role of Communication in Ensuring Sustained Behavior Change

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Webinar series on communications strategies and methods addresses how communications tools can be used throughout the implementation of climate and clean energy programs to achieve behavior change and ensure sustained.

Alpha Training: A Technique for Changing Behavior in Children and Adults.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Doris B.

Several counseling methods have attempted to help individuals change their behavior patterns. Techniques that teach control of the internal functions of the mind, body, and emotions are designed to allow the individual to reach his/her potential. Alpha training is one such method that is concerned with a brain wave pattern yielding an alert,…

Changing Attitudes Through Behavior Modification.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whipple, W. Scott

This article describes the philosophy and methods used by the staff at the Granite Alternative School in changing student attitudes through behavior modification. The students involved all have a failure syndrome or low self-image, and are dropouts from traditional high schools. Among the techniques used are: (1) reinforcing good behavior (praise…

Health behavior change in advance care planning: an agent-based model.

PubMed

Ernecoff, Natalie C; Keane, Christopher R; Albert, Steven M

2016-02-29

A practical and ethical challenge in advance care planning research is controlling and intervening on human behavior. Additionally, observing dynamic changes in advance care planning (ACP) behavior proves difficult, though tracking changes over time is important for intervention development. Agent-based modeling (ABM) allows researchers to integrate complex behavioral data about advance care planning behaviors and thought processes into a controlled environment that is more easily alterable and observable. Literature to date has not addressed how best to motivate individuals, increase facilitators and reduce barriers associated with ACP. We aimed to build an ABM that applies the Transtheoretical Model of behavior change to ACP as a health behavior and accurately reflects: 1) the rates at which individuals complete the process, 2) how individuals respond to barriers, facilitators, and behavioral variables, and 3) the interactions between these variables. We developed a dynamic ABM of the ACP decision making process based on the stages of change posited by the Transtheoretical Model. We integrated barriers, facilitators, and other behavioral variables that agents encounter as they move through the process. We successfully incorporated ACP barriers, facilitators, and other behavioral variables into our ABM, forming a plausible representation of ACP behavior and decision-making. The resulting distributions across the stages of change replicated those found in the literature, with approximately half of participants in the action-maintenance stage in both the model and the literature. Our ABM is a useful method for representing dynamic social and experiential influences on the ACP decision making process. This model suggests structural interventions, e.g. increasing access to ACP materials in primary care clinics, in addition to improved methods of data collection for behavioral studies, e.g. incorporating longitudinal data to capture behavioral dynamics.

Problem Internet Overuse Behaviors in College Students: Readiness-to-Change and Receptivity to Treatment.

PubMed

O'Brien, Jennifer E; Li, Wen; Snyder, Susan M; Howard, Matthew O

2016-01-01

This mixed methods study explores college students' readiness-to-change and receptivity to treatment for problem Internet overuse behaviors. Focus groups were conducted with 27 college students who self-identified as Internet over-users, and had experienced biopsychosocial problems related to Internet overuse. Participants completed standardized questionnaires assessing their Internet use and sociodemographic forms. Focus groups explored readiness to change problem Internet overuse behaviors and receptivity to treatment. Similar to college students with other addictive behaviors, students with problem Internet overuse fall along a continuum vis-à-vis readiness-to-change their behaviors. Over half of the participants were receptive to treatment for their problem Internet overuse behaviors.

Functions of behavior change interventions when implementing multi-professional teamwork at an emergency department: a comparative case study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background While there is strong support for the benefits of working in multi-professional teams in health care, the implementation of multi-professional teamwork is reported to be complex and challenging. Implementation strategies combining multiple behavior change interventions are recommended, but the understanding of how and why the behavior change interventions influence staff behavior is limited. There is a lack of studies focusing on the functions of different behavior change interventions and the mechanisms driving behavior change. In this study, applied behavior analysis is used to analyze the function and impact of different behavior change interventions when implementing multi-professional teamwork. Methods A comparative case study design was applied. Two sections of an emergency department implemented multi-professional teamwork involving changes in work processes, aimed at increasing inter-professional collaboration. Behavior change interventions and staff behavior change were studied using observations, interviews and document analysis. Using a hybrid thematic analysis, the behavior change interventions were categorized according to the DCOM® model. The functions of the behavior change interventions were then analyzed using applied behavior analysis. Results The two sections used different behavior change interventions, resulting in a large difference in the degree of staff behavior change. The successful section enabled staff performance of teamwork behaviors with a strategy based on ongoing problem-solving and frequent clarification of directions. Managerial feedback initially played an important role in motivating teamwork behaviors. Gradually, as staff started to experience positive outcomes of the intervention, motivation for teamwork behaviors was replaced by positive task-generated feedback. Conclusions The functional perspective of applied behavior analysis offers insight into the behavioral mechanisms that describe how and why behavior change interventions influence staff behavior. The analysis demonstrates how enabling behavior change interventions, managerial feedback and task-related feedback interact in their influence on behavior and have complementary functions during different stages of implementation. PMID:24885212

Plug Load Behavioral Change Demonstration Project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Metzger, I.; Kandt, A.; VanGeet, O.

2011-08-01

This report documents the methods and results of a plug load study of the Environmental Protection Agency's Region 8 Headquarters in Denver, Colorado, conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The study quantified the effect of mechanical and behavioral change approaches on plug load energy reduction and identified effective ways to reduce plug load energy. Load reduction approaches included automated energy management systems and behavioral change strategies.

Translating Basic Behavioral and Social Science Research to Clinical Application: The EVOLVE Mixed Methods Approach

PubMed Central

Peterson, Janey C.; Czajkowski, Susan; Charlson, Mary E.; Link, Alissa R.; Wells, Martin T.; Isen, Alice M.; Mancuso, Carol A.; Allegrante, John P.; Boutin-Foster, Carla; Ogedegbe, Gbenga; Jobe, Jared B.

2012-01-01

Objective To describe a mixed-methods approach to develop and test a basic behavioral science-informed intervention to motivate behavior change in three high-risk clinical populations. Our theoretically-derived intervention comprised a combination of positive affect and self-affirmation (PA/SA) which we applied to three clinical chronic disease populations. Methods We employed a sequential mixed methods model (EVOLVE) to design and test the PA/SA intervention in order to increase physical activity in people with coronary artery disease (post-percutaneous coronary intervention [PCI]) or asthma (ASM), and to improve medication adherence in African Americans with hypertension (HTN). In an initial qualitative phase, we explored participant values and beliefs. We next pilot tested and refined the intervention, and then conducted three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with parallel study design. Participants were randomized to combined PA/SA vs. an informational control (IC) and followed bimonthly for 12 months, assessing for health behaviors and interval medical events. Results Over 4.5 years, we enrolled 1,056 participants. Changes were sequentially made to the intervention during the qualitative and pilot phases. The three RCTs enrolled 242 PCI, 258 ASM and 256 HTN participants (n=756). Overall, 45.1% of PA/SA participants versus 33.6% of IC participants achieved successful behavior change (p=0.001). In multivariate analysis PA/SA intervention remained a significant predictor of achieving behavior change (p<0.002, OR=1.66, 95% CI 1.22–2.27), controlling for baseline negative affect, comorbidity, gender, race/ethnicity, medical events, smoking and age. Conclusions The EVOLVE method is a means by which basic behavioral science research can be translated into efficacious interventions for chronic disease populations. PMID:22963594

Effects of the stages of change model-based education and motivational interview on exercise behavior in diabetic women.

PubMed

Sekerci, Yasemin Gümüs; Kitis, Yeter

2018-05-08

In this study, we examined the effects of exercise education and a motivational interview program, based on the stages of change model (SCM), on stage of change, using cognitive and behavioral methods, perceived benefits and barriers and self-confidence in Turkish women with diabetes. This intervention study was carried out in 2015 on 55 women selected from a family health centers' population. An exercise guide was prepared based on the SCM for the intervention group. The intervention group was followed seven times at 1-month intervals via home visits, and exercise education and the motivational interview program were conducted to identify changes in behavior. The control group received no intervention. Data were collected from both groups using a personal description form, Exercise Stages of Change Scale, Exercise Processes of Change Scale, Exercise Decisional Balance Scale, and Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale. After the exercise program, each group was re-subjected to the same scales. We used a chi-square test and independent and paired sample t-tests to analyze the data. The stages of change, using cognitive and behavioral methods, perceived benefits and self-confidence for exercise in the intervention group significantly improved compared with that in the control group (p < .05). In the intervention group, 81.5% of the participants started exercising. The exercise education and motivational interview program based on SCM positively affected stages of change, using cognitive and behavioral methods, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, and self-confidence for exercise behavior in women with diabetes. We conclude that the education and motivational interview program based on SCM are effective in promoting exercise habit.

How do changes to the built environment influence walking behaviors? a longitudinal study within a university campus in Hong Kong

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Previous studies testing the association between the built environment and walking behavior have been largely cross-sectional and have yielded mixed results. This study reports on a natural experiment in which changes to the built environment were implemented at a university campus in Hong Kong. Longitudinal data on walking behaviors were collected using surveys, one before and one after changes to the built environment, to test the influence of changes to the built environment on walking behavior. Methods Built environment data are from a university campus in Hong Kong, and include land use, campus bus services, pedestrian network, and population density data collected from campus maps, the university developmental office, and field surveys. Walking behavior data were collected at baseline in March 2012 (n = 198) and after changes to the built environment from the same cohort of subjects in December 2012 (n = 169) using a walking diary. Geographic information systems (GIS) was used to map walking routes and built environment variables, and compare each subject’s walking behaviors and built environment exposure before and after the changes to the built environment. Walking behavior outcomes were changes in: i) walking distance, ii) destination-oriented walking, and iii) walked altitude range. Multivariable linear regression models were used to test for associations between changes to the built environment and changes in walking behaviors. Results Greater pedestrian network connectivity predicted longer walking distances and an increased likelihood of walking as a means of transportation. The increased use of recreational (vs. work) buildings, largely located at mid-range altitudes, as well as increased population density predicted greater walking distances.Having more bus services and a greater population density encouraged people to increase their walked altitude range. Conclusions In this longitudinal study, changes to the built environment were associated with changes in walking behaviors. Use of GIS combined with walking diaries presents a practical method for mapping and measuring changes in the built environment and walking behaviors, respectively. Additional longitudinal studies can help clarify the relationships between the built environment and walking behaviors identified in this natural experiment. PMID:25069949

Verbal Bullying Changes among Students Following an Educational Intervention Using the Integrated Model for Behavior Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naidoo, Saloshni; Satorius, Benn K.; de Vries, Hein; Taylor, Myra

2016-01-01

Background: Bullying behavior in schools can lead to psychosocial problems. School-based interventions are important in raising student awareness, developing their skills and in planning to reduce bullying behavior. Methods: A randomized controlled trial, using a school-based educational intervention to reduce verbal bullying, was conducted among…

Relationship of Initial Self-Regulatory Ability with Changes in Self-Regulation and Associated Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Severely Obese Women Initiating an Exercise and Nutrition Treatment: Moderation of Mood and Self-Efficacy

PubMed Central

Annesi, James J.

2011-01-01

An emphasis on increasing self-regulation is an alternate to nutrition education, which has had poor results in the behavioral treatment of obesity. Although appropriately designed weight-loss treatments may enhance one’s self-regulatory ability to control eating, whether improvements are moderated by psychosocial factors such as initial self-regulatory skills use, self-efficacy to control eating, and mood is unknown. Severely obese women (BMI 35-50 kg·m-2) were randomized into 26-week treatments of exercise supported by cognitive-behavioral methods paired with either nutrition education (n = 114) or cognitive-behavioral methods applied to controlled eating (n = 121). Improvement in self-regulation for controlled eating was 36.9% greater (p < 0.01) for the group incorporating cognitive-behavioral methods for controlled eating. Change in self-regulation was significantly associated with self-regulation at baseline (β = -0.33). Both mood and self-efficacy for controlled eating significantly moderated this relationship. Increased self-regulation was associated with both increases in fruit and vegetable consumption and fruit and vegetable intake at treatment end. The present findings increase our understanding of psychosocial variables associated with increased self-regulatory skills usage and improvements in eating that, after replication, may be used to improve the effects of behavioral weight-loss treatments. Key points Initial self-regulatory abilities do not appear to affect improvements in self-regulation for eating, however direct training in behavioral skills are predictors of change. The relationship of self-regulation improvements and improved eating is significant, and affected by mood and self-efficacy in women with obesity. Instruction in behavioral skills such as cognitive restructuring and relapse prevention is associated with better improvements in eating than typical methods of nutrition education. Cognitive-behavioral methods for exercise may be paired with cognitive-behavioral methods for eating to maximize longer-term effects on eating behaviors. PMID:24149553

Assessing the Impact of Psychotropic Medication Changes on Challenging Behavior of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities

PubMed Central

Valdovinos, Maria G.; Henninger-McMahon, Meara; Schieber, Elizabeth; Beard, Lisa; Conley, Brenna; Haas, Annette

2016-01-01

Objective The use of psychotropic medication to address challenging behavior in individuals diagnosed with intellectual disabilities is common practice; however, very few studies have examined how multiple medication use (or combination treatment) impacts the behaviors these medications are prescribed to treat. Method The current study followed eight individuals over a two-year period as they experienced changes in their psychotropic medication regimens. During that time, data from functional analyses and indirect assessments of challenging behavior were collected. Results The results suggest that changes in psychotropic medication regimens can produce changes in functional assessment outcomes, suggesting a need for continued behavioral assessment to better inform medication practices and behavioral treatment. Of the eight participants in the study, five participants’ behaviors varied in rate of responding in FAs across all medication changes. Additionally, three participants’ FAs produced changes in outcomes; however, those changes were not consistent across all medication changes, that is, not every medication change yielded different outcomes from previous assessments. Conclusion This study demonstrates how the outcome of an FA can be used to monitor the effects of psychotropic medication changes, specifically when medications are combined, on challenging behavior in individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. PMID:27429750

Family self-tailoring: Applying a systems approach to improving family healthy living behaviors.

PubMed

Moore, Shirley M; Jones, Lenette; Alemi, Farrokh

2016-01-01

The adoption and maintenance of healthy living behaviors by individuals and families is a major challenge. We describe a new model of health behavior change, SystemCHANGE (SC), which focuses on the redesign of family daily routines using system improvement methods. In the SC intervention, families are taught a set of skills to engage in a series of small, family self-designed experiments to test ideas to change their daily routines. The family system-oriented changes brought about by these experiments build healthy living behaviors into family daily routines so that these new behaviors happen as a matter of course, despite wavering motivation, willpower, or personal effort on the part of individuals. Case stories of the use of SC to improve family healthy living behaviors are provided. Results of several pilot tests of SC indicate its potential effectiveness to change health living behaviors across numerous populations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nanoscale Mechanical Stimulation Method for Quantifying C. elegans Mechanosensory Behavior and Memory.

PubMed

Sugi, Takuma; Okumura, Etsuko; Kiso, Kaori; Igarashi, Ryuji

2016-01-01

Withdrawal escape response of C. elegans to nonlocalized vibration is a useful behavioral paradigm to examine mechanisms underlying mechanosensory behavior and its memory-dependent change. However, there are very few methods for investigating the degree of vibration frequency, amplitude and duration needed to induce behavior and memory. Here, we establish a new system to quantify C. elegans mechanosensory behavior and memory using a piezoelectric sheet speaker. In the system, we can flexibly change the vibration properties at a nanoscale displacement level and quantify behavioral responses under each vibration property. This system is an economic setup and easily replicated in other laboratories. By using the system, we clearly detected withdrawal escape responses and confirmed habituation memory. This system will facilitate the understanding of physiological aspects of C. elegans mechanosensory behavior in the future.

[The positive deviance approach to change nutrition behavior: a systematic review].

PubMed

Machado, Juliana Costa; Cotta, Rosângela Minardi Mitre; Silva, Luciana Saraiva da

2014-08-01

To conduct a systematic review of the literature describing the use of the positive deviance approach to change nutrition behavior in order to identify the potentials of this method for health and nutrition education. Cochrane Library, LILACS, MEDLINE, SciELO, PubMed, and Scopus were searched. The following search terms were used: positive deviance, desvio positivo, positive deviance inquiry and positive deviants. Inclusion criteria were: reporting primary data, clearly defined methods, and availability of full text. The main results of the studies selected for inclusion were described and examined based on psychosocial (socioeconomic and health status, hygiene and nutrition habits), anthropometric (weight, height), and biochemical and clinical (presence of morbidity and biochemical tests) criteria to determine the potential and limitations of the positive deviance approach to change nutrition behavior. Of the 47 studies identified, nine met the inclusion criteria. The positive deviance method was used for prevention and rehabilitation of child and maternal malnutrition in areas of socioeconomic vulnerability and for the treatment of overweight and obesity in adults. An improvement in maternal and child nutrition and the maintenance of beneficial behaviors over time were underscored as positive impacts of the method. The positive deviance approach may help change nutrition behaviors with the aim of reversing child malnutrition and overweight and obesity in adults. This approach seems effective to promote health education in areas of socioeconomic vulnerability.

Playing for Real: Video Games and Stories for Health-Related Behavior Change

PubMed Central

Baranowski, Tom; Buday, Richard; Thompson, Debbe I.; Baranowski, Janice

2008-01-01

Background Video games provide extensive player involvement for large numbers of children and adults, and thereby provide a channel for delivering health behavior change experiences and messages in an engaging and entertaining format. Method Twenty-seven articles were identified on 25 video games that promoted health-related behavior change through December 2006. Results Most of the articles demonstrated positive health-related changes from playing the video games. Variability in what was reported about the games and measures employed precluded systematically relating characteristics of the games to outcomes. Many of these games merged the immersive, attention-maintaining properties of stories and fantasy, the engaging properties of interactivity, and behavior-change technology (e.g., tailored messages, goal setting). Stories in video games allow for modeling, vicarious identifying experiences, and learning a story’s “moral,” among other change possibilities. Conclusions Research is needed on the optimal use of game-based stories, fantasy, interactivity, and behavior change technology in promoting health-related behavior change. PMID:18083454

Behavior change interventions: the potential of ontologies for advancing science and practice.

PubMed

Larsen, Kai R; Michie, Susan; Hekler, Eric B; Gibson, Bryan; Spruijt-Metz, Donna; Ahern, David; Cole-Lewis, Heather; Ellis, Rebecca J Bartlett; Hesse, Bradford; Moser, Richard P; Yi, Jean

2017-02-01

A central goal of behavioral medicine is the creation of evidence-based interventions for promoting behavior change. Scientific knowledge about behavior change could be more effectively accumulated using "ontologies." In information science, an ontology is a systematic method for articulating a "controlled vocabulary" of agreed-upon terms and their inter-relationships. It involves three core elements: (1) a controlled vocabulary specifying and defining existing classes; (2) specification of the inter-relationships between classes; and (3) codification in a computer-readable format to enable knowledge generation, organization, reuse, integration, and analysis. This paper introduces ontologies, provides a review of current efforts to create ontologies related to behavior change interventions and suggests future work. This paper was written by behavioral medicine and information science experts and was developed in partnership between the Society of Behavioral Medicine's Technology Special Interest Group (SIG) and the Theories and Techniques of Behavior Change Interventions SIG. In recent years significant progress has been made in the foundational work needed to develop ontologies of behavior change. Ontologies of behavior change could facilitate a transformation of behavioral science from a field in which data from different experiments are siloed into one in which data across experiments could be compared and/or integrated. This could facilitate new approaches to hypothesis generation and knowledge discovery in behavioral science.

Theories Applied to m-Health Interventions for Behavior Change in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Cho, Yoon-Min; Lee, Seohyun; Islam, Sheikh Mohammed Shariful; Kim, Sun-Young

2018-02-13

Recently there has been dramatic increase in the use of mobile technologies for health (m-Health) in both high and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, little is known whether m-Health interventions in LMICs are based on relevant theories critical for effective implementation of such interventions. This review aimed to systematically identify m-Health studies on health behavioral changes in LMICs and to examine how each study applied behavior change theories. A systematic review was conducted using the standard method from the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline. By searching electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials [CENTRAL]), we identified eligible studies published in English from inception to June 30, 2017. For the identified m-Health studies in LMICs, we examined their theoretical bases, use of behavior change techniques (BCTs), and modes of delivery. A total of 14 m-Health studies on behavioral changes were identified and, among them, only 5 studies adopted behavior change theory. The most frequently cited theory was the health belief model, which was adopted in three studies. Likewise, studies have applied only a limited number of BCTs. Among the seven BCTs identified, the most frequently used one was the social support (practical) technique for medication reminder and medical appointment. m-Health studies in LMICs most commonly used short messaging services and phone calls as modes of delivery for behavior change interventions. m-Health studies in LMICs are suboptimally based on behavior change theory yet. To maximize effectiveness of m-Health, rigorous delivery methods as well as theory-based intervention designs will be needed.

Teachable moments for health behavior change and intermediate patient outcomes.

PubMed

Flocke, Susan A; Clark, Elizabeth; Antognoli, Elizabeth; Mason, Mary Jane; Lawson, Peter J; Smith, Samantha; Cohen, Deborah J

2014-07-01

Teachable moments (TM) are opportunities created through physician-patient interaction and used to encourage patients to change unhealthy behaviors. We examine the effectiveness of TMs to increase patients' recall of advice, motivation to modify behavior, and behavior change. A mixed-method observational study of 811 patient visits to 28 primary care clinicians used audio-recordings of visits to identify TMs and other types of advice in health behavior change talk. Patient surveys assessed smoking, exercise, fruit/vegetable consumption, height, weight, and readiness for change prior to the observed visit and 6-weeks post-visit. Compared to other identified categories of advice (i.e. missed opportunities or teachable moment attempts), recall was greatest after TMs occurred (83% vs. 49-74%). TMs had the greatest proportion of patients change in importance and confidence and increase readiness to change; however differences were small. TMs had greater positive behavior change scores than other categories of advice; however, this pattern was statistically non-significant and was not observed for BMI change. TMs have a greater positive influence on several intermediate markers of patient behavior change compared to other categories of advice. TMs show promise as an approach for clinicians to discuss behavior change with patients efficiently and effectively. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Behavior change is not one size fits all: psychosocial phenotypes of childhood obesity prevention intervention participants.

PubMed

Burgermaster, Marissa; Contento, Isobel; Koch, Pamela; Mamykina, Lena

2018-01-17

Variability in individuals' responses to interventions may contribute to small average treatment effects of childhood obesity prevention interventions. But, neither the causes of this individual variability nor the mechanism by which it influences behavior are clear. We used qualitative methods to characterize variability in students' responses to participating in a childhood obesity prevention intervention and psychosocial characteristics related to the behavior change process. We interviewed 18 students participating in a school-based curriculum and policy behavior change intervention. Descriptive coding, summary, and case-ordered descriptive meta-matrices were used to group participants by their psychosocial responses to the intervention and associated behavior changes. Four psychosocial phenotypes of responses emerged: (a) Activated-successful behavior-changers with strong internal supports; (b) Inspired-motivated, but not fully successful behavior-changers with some internal supports, whose taste preferences and food environment overwhelmed their motivation; (c) Reinforced-already practiced target behaviors, were motivated, and had strong family support; and (d) Indifferent-uninterested in behavior change and only did target behaviors if family insisted. Our findings contribute to the field of behavioral medicine by suggesting the presence of specific subgroups of participants who respond differently to behavior change interventions and salient psychosocial characteristics that differentiate among these phenotypes. Future research should examine the utility of prospectively identifying psychosocial phenotypes for improving the tailoring of nutrition behavior change interventions. © Society of Behavioral Medicine 2018.

How Do Mobile Phone Diabetes Programs Drive Behavior Change?

PubMed Central

Nundy, Shantanu; Mishra, Anjuli; Hogan, Patrick; Lee, Sang Mee; Solomon, Marla C.; Peek, Monica E.

2015-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the behavioral effects of a theory-driven, mobile phone–based intervention that combines automated text messaging and remote nursing, using an automated, interactive text messaging system. Methods This was a mixed methods observational cohort study. Study participants were members of the University of Chicago Health Plan (UCHP) who largely reside in a working-class, urban African American community. Surveys were conducted at baseline, 3 months (mid-intervention), and 6 months (postintervention) to test the hypothesis that the intervention would be associated with improvements in self-efficacy, social support, health beliefs, and self-care. In addition, in-depth individual interviews were conducted with 14 participants and then analyzed using the constant comparative method to identify new behavioral constructs affected by the intervention. Results The intervention was associated with improvements in 5 of 6 domains of self-care (medication taking, glucose monitoring, foot care, exercise, and healthy eating) and improvements in 1 or more measures of self-efficacy, social support, and health beliefs (perceived control). Qualitatively, participants reported that knowledge, attitudes, and ownership were also affected by the program. Together these findings were used to construct a new behavioral model. Conclusions This study’s findings challenge the prevailing assumption that mobile phones largely affect behavior change through reminders and support the idea that behaviorally driven mobile health interventions can address multiple behavioral pathways associated with sustained behavior change. PMID:25278512

Translating basic behavioral and social science research to clinical application: the EVOLVE mixed methods approach.

PubMed

Peterson, Janey C; Czajkowski, Susan; Charlson, Mary E; Link, Alissa R; Wells, Martin T; Isen, Alice M; Mancuso, Carol A; Allegrante, John P; Boutin-Foster, Carla; Ogedegbe, Gbenga; Jobe, Jared B

2013-04-01

To describe a mixed-methods approach to develop and test a basic behavioral science-informed intervention to motivate behavior change in 3 high-risk clinical populations. Our theoretically derived intervention comprised a combination of positive affect and self-affirmation (PA/SA), which we applied to 3 clinical chronic disease populations. We employed a sequential mixed methods model (EVOLVE) to design and test the PA/SA intervention in order to increase physical activity in people with coronary artery disease (post-percutaneous coronary intervention [PCI]) or asthma (ASM) and to improve medication adherence in African Americans with hypertension (HTN). In an initial qualitative phase, we explored participant values and beliefs. We next pilot tested and refined the intervention and then conducted 3 randomized controlled trials with parallel study design. Participants were randomized to combined PA/SA versus an informational control and were followed bimonthly for 12 months, assessing for health behaviors and interval medical events. Over 4.5 years, we enrolled 1,056 participants. Changes were sequentially made to the intervention during the qualitative and pilot phases. The 3 randomized controlled trials enrolled 242 participants who had undergone PCI, 258 with ASM, and 256 with HTN (n = 756). Overall, 45.1% of PA/SA participants versus 33.6% of informational control participants achieved successful behavior change (p = .001). In multivariate analysis, PA/SA intervention remained a significant predictor of achieving behavior change (p < .002, odds ratio = 1.66), 95% CI [1.22, 2.27], controlling for baseline negative affect, comorbidity, gender, race/ethnicity, medical events, smoking, and age. The EVOLVE method is a means by which basic behavioral science research can be translated into efficacious interventions for chronic disease populations.

A procedural model for planning and evaluating behavioral interventions.

PubMed

Hyner, G C

2005-01-01

A model for planning, implementing and evaluating health behavior change strategies is proposed. Variables are presented which can be used in the model or serve as examples for how the model is utilized once a theory of health behavior is adopted. Examples of three innovative strategies designed to influence behavior change are presented so that the proposed model can be modified for use following comprehensive screening and baseline measurements. Three measurement priorities: clients, methods and agency are subjected to three phases of assessment: goals, implementation and effects. Lifestyles account for the majority of variability in quality-of-life and premature morbidity and mortality. Interventions designed to influence healthy behavior changes must be driven by theory and carefully planned and evaluated. The proposed model is offered as a useful tool for the behavior change strategist.

A web-based intervention for health professionals and patients to decrease cardiovascular risk attributable to physical inactivity: development process.

PubMed

Sassen, Barbara; Kok, Gerjo; Mesters, Ilse; Crutzen, Rik; Cremers, Anita; Vanhees, Luc

2012-12-14

Patients with cardiovascular risk factors can reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease by increasing their physical activity and their physical fitness. According to the guidelines for cardiovascular risk management, health professionals should encourage their patients to engage in physical activity. In this paper, we provide insight regarding the systematic development of a Web-based intervention for both health professionals and patients with cardiovascular risk factors using the development method Intervention Mapping. The different steps of Intervention Mapping are described to open up the "black box" of Web-based intervention development and to support future Web-based intervention development. The development of the Professional and Patient Intention and Behavior Intervention (PIB2 intervention) was initiated with a needs assessment for both health professionals (ie, physiotherapy and nursing) and their patients. We formulated performance and change objectives and, subsequently, theory- and evidence-based intervention methods and strategies were selected that were thought to affect the intention and behavior of health professionals and patients. The rationale of the intervention was based on different behavioral change methods that allowed us to describe the scope and sequence of the intervention and produced the Web-based intervention components. The Web-based intervention consisted of 5 modules, including individualized messages and self-completion forms, and charts and tables. The systematic and planned development of the PIB2 intervention resulted in an Internet-delivered behavior change intervention. The intervention was not developed as a substitute for face-to-face contact between professionals and patients, but as an application to complement and optimize health services. The focus of the Web-based intervention was to extend professional behavior of health care professionals, as well as to improve the risk-reduction behavior of patients with cardiovascular risk factors. The Intervention Mapping protocol provided a systematic method for developing the intervention and each intervention design choice was carefully thought-out and justified. Although it was not a rapid or an easy method for developing an intervention, the protocol guided and directed the development process. The application of evidence-based behavior change methods used in our intervention offers insight regarding how an intervention may change intention and health behavior. The Web-based intervention appeared feasible and was implemented. Further research will test the effectiveness of the PIB2 intervention. Dutch Trial Register, Trial ID: ECP-92.

Supported Exercise Improves Controlled Eating and Weight through Its Effects on Psychosocial Factors: Extending a Systematic Research Program Toward Treatment Development

PubMed Central

Annesi, James J

2012-01-01

Background: Behavioral weight-loss treatments have been overwhelmingly unsuccessful. Many inadequately address both behavioral theory and extant research—especially in regard to the lack of viability of simply educating individuals on improved eating and exercise behaviors. Objective: The aim was to synthesize research on associations of changes in exercise behaviors, psychosocial factors, eating behaviors, and weight; and then conduct further direct testing to inform the development of an improved treatment approach. Methods: A systematic program of health behavior-change research based on social cognitive theory, and extensions of that theory applied to exercise and weight loss, was first reviewed. Then, to extend this research toward treatment development and application, a field-based study of obese adults was conducted. Treatments incorporated a consistent component of cognitive-behaviorally supported exercise during 26 weeks that was paired with either standard nutrition education (n = 183) or cognitive-behavioral methods for controlled eating that emphasized self-regulatory methods such as goal setting and caloric tracking, cognitive restructuring, and eating cue awareness (n = 247). Results: Both treatment conditions were associated with improved self-efficacy, self-regulation, mood, exercise, fruit and vegetable consumption, weight, and waist circumference; with improvements in self-regulation for eating, fruit and vegetable consumption, weight, and waist circumference significantly greater in the cognitive-behavioral nutrition condition. Changes in exercise- and eating-related self-efficacy and self-regulation were associated with changes in exercise and eating (R2 = 0.40 and 0.17, respectively), with mood change increasing the explanatory power to R2 = 0.43 and 0.20. Improved self-efficacy and self-regulation for exercise carried over to self-efficacy and self-regulation for controlled eating (β= 0.53 and 0.68, respectively). Conclusions: Development and longitudinal testing of a new and different approach to behavioral treatment for sustained weight loss that emphasizes exercise program-induced psychosocial changes preceding the facilitation of improved eating and weight loss should be guided by our present research. PMID:22529754

Evaluating the Theoretical Content of Online Physical Activity Information for People with Multiple Sclerosis

PubMed Central

Baillie, Colin P.T.; Galaviz, Karla; Jarvis, Jocelyn W.; Latimer-Cheung, Amy E.

2015-01-01

Background: Physical activity can aid people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in managing symptoms and maintaining functional abilities. The Internet is a preferred source of physical activity information for people with MS and, therefore, a method for the dissemination of behavior change techniques. The purpose of this study was to examine the coverage and quality of physical activity behavior change techniques delivered on the Internet for adults with MS using Abraham and Michie's taxonomy of behavior change techniques. Methods: Using the taxonomy, 20 websites were coded for quality (ie, accuracy of information) and coverage (ie, completeness of information) of theoretical behavior change techniques. Results: Results indicated that most websites covered a mean of 8.05 (SD 3.86, range 3–16) techniques out of a possible 20. Only one of the techniques, provide information on behavior–health link and consequences, was delivered on all websites. The websites demonstrated low mean coverage and quality across all behavior change techniques, with means of 0.64 (SD 0.67) and 0.62 (SD 0.37) on a scale of 0 to 2, respectively. However, coverage and quality improved when websites were examined solely for the techniques that they covered, as opposed to all 20 techniques. Conclusions: This study, which examined quality and coverage of physical activity behavior change techniques described online for people with MS, illustrated that the dissemination of these techniques requires improvement. PMID:25892979

Sharing Histories-a transformative learning/teaching method to empower community health workers to support health behavior change of mothers.

PubMed

Altobelli, Laura C

2017-08-23

One of the keys to improving health globally is promoting mothers' adoption of healthy home practices for improved nutrition and illness prevention in the first 1000 days of life from conception. Customarily, mothers are taught health messages which, even if simplified, are hard to remember. The challenge is how to promote learning and behavior change of mothers more effectively in low-resource settings where access to health information is poor, educational levels are low, and traditional beliefs are strong. In addressing that challenge, a new learning/teaching method called "Sharing Histories" is in development to improve the performance of female community health workers (CHWs) in promoting mothers' behaviors for maternal, neonatal and child health (MNCH). This method builds self-confidence and empowerment of CHWs in learning sessions that are built on guided sharing of their own memories of childbearing and child care. CHWs can later share histories with the mother, building her trust and empowerment to change. For professional primary health care staff who are not educators, Sharing Histories is simple to learn and use so that the method can be easily incorporated into government health systems and ongoing CHW programs. I present here the Sharing Histories method, describe how it differs from other social and behavior change methods, and discuss selected literature from psychology, communications, and neuroscience that helps to explain how and why this method works as a transformative tool to engage, teach, transform, and empower CHWs to be more effective change agents with other mothers in their communities, thereby contributing to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Identification of Reasons, Solutions, and Techniques Informing a Theory-Based Intervention Targeting Recreational Sports Participation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

St Quinton, Tom; Brunton, Julie A.

2018-01-01

Purpose: This study is the 3rd piece of formative research utilizing the theory of planned behavior to inform the development of a behavior change intervention. Focus groups were used to identify reasons for and solutions to previously identified key beliefs in addition to potentially effective behavior change techniques. Method: A purposive…

Determinants of First-Time Cancer Examinations in a Rural Community: A Mechanism for Behavior Change

PubMed Central

Guo, Yi; Emanuel, Amber S.; Shepperd, James A.; Dodd, Virginia J.; Marks, John G.; Muller, Keith E.; Riley, Joseph L.

2015-01-01

Objectives. After conducting a media campaign focusing on the importance of oral and pharyngeal cancer (OPC) examinations, we assessed mechanisms of behavior change among individuals receiving an OPC examination for the first time. Methods. We used data from 2 waves of telephone surveys of individuals residing in 36 rural census tracts in northern Florida (n = 806). The second survey occurred after our media intervention. We developed media messages and modes of message delivery with community members via focus groups and intercept interviews. We performed a mediation analysis to examine behavior change mechanisms. Results. Greater exposure to media messages corresponded with heightened concern about OPC. Heightened concern, in turn, predicted receipt of a first-time OPC examination, but only among men. Conclusions. We extended earlier studies by measuring an outcome behavior (receipt of an OPC examination) and demonstrating that the putative mechanism of action (concern about the disease) explained the link between a media intervention and engaging in the target behavior. Improving the quality of media campaigns by engaging community stakeholders in selecting messages and delivery methods is an effective strategy in building public health interventions aimed at changing behaviors. PMID:25973820

Translating Basic Behavioral and Social Science Research to Clinical Application: The EVOLVE Mixed Methods Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Janey C.; Czajkowski, Susan; Charlson, Mary E.; Link, Alissa R.; Wells, Martin T.; Isen, Alice M.; Mancuso, Carol A.; Allegrante, John P.; Boutin-Foster, Carla; Ogedegbe, Gbenga; Jobe, Jared B.

2013-01-01

Objective: To describe a mixed-methods approach to develop and test a basic behavioral science-informed intervention to motivate behavior change in 3 high-risk clinical populations. Our theoretically derived intervention comprised a combination of positive affect and self-affirmation (PA/SA), which we applied to 3 clinical chronic disease…

Behavioral Self-Monitoring of Safety and Productivity in the Workplace: A Methodological Primer and Quantitative Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Ryan; Winchester, Jamey

2008-01-01

Workplace applications of behavioral self-monitoring (BSM) methods have been studied periodically for over 35 years, yet the literature has never been systematically reviewed. Recent occupational safety interventions including BSM resulted in relatively large behavior changes. Moreover, BSM methods are functional for addressing a broad range of…

Using the Experience Sampling Method in the Context of Contingency Management for Substance Abuse Treatment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Husky, Mathilde M.; Mazure, Carolyn M.; Carroll, Kathleen M.; Barry, Danielle; Petry, Nancy M.

2008-01-01

Contingency management (CM) treatments have been shown to be effective in reducing substance use. This manuscript illustrates how the experience sampling method (ESM) can depict behavior and behavior change and can be used to explore CM treatment mechanisms. ESM characterizes idiosyncratic patterns of behavior and offers the potential to determine…

Neuroimaging mechanisms of change in psychotherapy for addictive behaviors: emerging translational approaches that bridge biology and behavior.

PubMed

Feldstein Ewing, Sarah W; Chung, Tammy

2013-06-01

Research on mechanisms of behavior change provides an innovative method to improve treatment for addictive behaviors. An important extension of mechanisms of change research involves the use of translational approaches, which examine how basic biological (i.e., brain-based mechanisms) and behavioral factors interact in initiating and sustaining positive behavior change as a result of psychotherapy. Articles in this special issue include integrative conceptual reviews and innovative empirical research on brain-based mechanisms that may underlie risk for addictive behaviors and response to psychotherapy from adolescence through adulthood. Review articles discuss hypothesized mechanisms of change for cognitive and behavioral therapies, mindfulness-based interventions, and neuroeconomic approaches. Empirical articles cover a range of addictive behaviors, including use of alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, cocaine, and pathological gambling and represent a variety of imaging approaches including fMRI, magneto-encephalography, real-time fMRI, and diffusion tensor imaging. Additionally, a few empirical studies directly examine brain-based mechanisms of change, whereas others examine brain-based indicators as predictors of treatment outcome. Finally, two commentaries discuss craving as a core feature of addiction, and the importance of a developmental approach to examining mechanisms of change. Ultimately, translational research on mechanisms of behavior change holds promise for increasing understanding of how psychotherapy may modify brain structure and functioning and facilitate the initiation and maintenance of positive treatment outcomes for addictive behaviors. 2013 APA, all rights reserved

Neuroimaging mechanisms of change in psychotherapy for addictive behaviors: Emerging translational approaches that bridge biology and behavior

PubMed Central

Feldstein Ewing, Sarah W.; Chung, Tammy

2013-01-01

Research on mechanisms of behavior change provides an innovative method to improve treatment for addictive behaviors. An important extension of mechanisms of change research involves the use of translational approaches, which examine how basic biological (i.e., brain-based mechanisms) and behavioral factors interact in initiating and sustaining positive behavior change as a result of psychotherapy. Articles in this special issue include integrative conceptual reviews and innovative empirical research on brain-based mechanisms that may underlie risk for addictive behaviors and response to psychotherapy from adolescence through adulthood. Review articles discuss hypothesized mechanisms of change for cognitive and behavioral therapies, mindfulness-based interventions, and neuroeconomic approaches. Empirical articles cover a range of addictive behaviors, including use of alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, cocaine, and pathological gambling and represent a variety of imaging approaches including fMRI, magneto-encephalography, real time fMRI, and diffusion tensor imaging. Additionally, a few empirical studies directly examined brain-based mechanisms of change, whereas others examined brain-based indicators as predictors of treatment outcome. Finally, two commentaries discuss craving as a core feature of addiction, and the importance of a developmental approach to examining mechanisms of change. Ultimately, translational research on mechanisms of behavior change holds promise for increasing understanding of how psychotherapy may modify brain structure and functioning and facilitate the initiation and maintenance of positive treatment outcomes for addictive behaviors. PMID:23815447

The research on user behavior evaluation method for network state

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Chengyuan; Xu, Haishui

2017-08-01

Based on the correlation between user behavior and network running state, this paper proposes a method of user behavior evaluation based on network state. Based on the analysis and evaluation methods in other fields of study, we introduce the theory and tools of data mining. Based on the network status information provided by the trusted network view, the user behavior data and the network state data are analysed. Finally, we construct the user behavior evaluation index and weight, and on this basis, we can accurately quantify the influence degree of the specific behavior of different users on the change of network running state, so as to provide the basis for user behavior control decision.

Better exercise adherence after treatment for cancer (BEAT Cancer) study: Rationale, design, and methods

PubMed Central

Rogers, Laura Q.; McAuley, Edward; Anton, Philip M.; Courneya, Kerry S.; Vicari, Sandra; Hopkins-Price, Patricia; Verhulst, Steven; Mocharnuk, Robert; Hoelzer, Karen

2011-01-01

Most breast cancer survivors do not engage in regular physical activity. Our physical activity behavior change intervention for breast cancer survivors significantly improved physical activity and health outcomes post-intervention during a pilot, feasibility study. Testing in additional sites with a larger sample and longer follow-up is warranted to confirm program effectiveness short and longer term. Importantly, the pilot intervention resulted in changes in physical activity and social cognitive theory constructs, enhancing our potential for testing mechanisms mediating physical activity behavior change. Here, we report the rationale, design, and methods for a two-site, randomized controlled trial comparing the effects of the BEAT Cancer physical activity behavior change intervention to usual care on short and longer term physical activity adherence among breast cancer survivors. Secondary aims include examining social cognitive theory mechanisms of physical activity behavior change and health benefits of the intervention. Study recruitment goal is 256 breast cancer survivors with a history of ductal carcinoma in situ or Stage I, II, or IIIA disease who have completed primary cancer treatment. Outcome measures are obtained at baseline, 3 months (i.e., immediately post-intervention), 6 months, and 12 months and include physical activity, psychosocial factors, fatigue, sleep quality, lower extremity joint dysfunction, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, and waist-to-hip ratio. Confirming behavior change effectiveness, health effects, and underlying mechanisms of physical activity behavior change interventions will facilitate translation to community settings for improving the health and well-being of breast cancer survivors. PMID:21983625

College Freshman Stress and Weight Change: Differences by Gender

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Economos, Christina D.; Hildebrandt, M. Lise; Hyatt, Raymond R.

2008-01-01

Objectives: To examine how stress and health-related behaviors affect freshman weight change by gender. Methods: Three hundred ninety-six freshmen completed a 40-item health behavior survey and height and weight were collected at baseline and follow-up. Results: Average weight change was 5.04 lbs for males, 5.49 lbs for females. Weight gain was…

Effectiveness of a College-Level Self-Management Course on Successful Behavior Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choi, Jean H.; Chung, Kyong-Mee

2012-01-01

Studies have shown that college-level self-management (SM) courses, which typically require students to complete an individual project as part of the course, can be an effective method for promoting successful self-change (i.e., targeted behavioral change). However, only a handful of studies have focused on and investigated the intensity of the SM…

Psychological Flexibility, ACT, and Organizational Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bond, Frank W.; Hayes, Steven C.; Barnes-Holmes, Dermot

2006-01-01

This paper offers organizational behavior management (OBM) a behavior analytically consistent way to expand its analysis of, and methods for changing, organizational behavior. It shows how Relational Frame Theory (RFT) suggests that common, problematic, psychological processes emerge from language itself, and they produce psychological…

Family Self-tailoring: Applying a Systems Approach to Improving Family Healthy Living Behaviors

PubMed Central

Moore, Shirley M.; Jones, Lenette; Alemi, Farrokh

2016-01-01

The adoption and maintenance of healthy living behaviors by individuals and families is a major challenge. We describe a new model of health behavior change, SystemCHANGE™ (SC), which focuses on the redesign of family daily routines using system improvement methods. In the SC intervention families are taught a set of skills to engage in a series of small, family self-designed experiments to test ideas to change their daily routines. The family system-oriented changes brought about by these experiments build healthy living behaviors into family daily routines so that these new behaviors happen as a matter of course, despite wavering motivation, willpower or personal effort on the part of individuals. Case stories of the use of SC to improve family healthy living behaviors are provided. Results of several pilot tests of SC indicate its potential effectiveness to change health living behaviors across numerous populations. PMID:27301950

A Web-Based Intervention for Health Professionals and Patients to Decrease Cardiovascular Risk Attributable to Physical Inactivity: Development Process

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Patients with cardiovascular risk factors can reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease by increasing their physical activity and their physical fitness. According to the guidelines for cardiovascular risk management, health professionals should encourage their patients to engage in physical activity. Objective In this paper, we provide insight regarding the systematic development of a Web-based intervention for both health professionals and patients with cardiovascular risk factors using the development method Intervention Mapping. The different steps of Intervention Mapping are described to open up the “black box” of Web-based intervention development and to support future Web-based intervention development. Methods The development of the Professional and Patient Intention and Behavior Intervention (PIB2 intervention) was initiated with a needs assessment for both health professionals (ie, physiotherapy and nursing) and their patients. We formulated performance and change objectives and, subsequently, theory- and evidence-based intervention methods and strategies were selected that were thought to affect the intention and behavior of health professionals and patients. The rationale of the intervention was based on different behavioral change methods that allowed us to describe the scope and sequence of the intervention and produced the Web-based intervention components. The Web-based intervention consisted of 5 modules, including individualized messages and self-completion forms, and charts and tables. Results The systematic and planned development of the PIB2 intervention resulted in an Internet-delivered behavior change intervention. The intervention was not developed as a substitute for face-to-face contact between professionals and patients, but as an application to complement and optimize health services. The focus of the Web-based intervention was to extend professional behavior of health care professionals, as well as to improve the risk-reduction behavior of patients with cardiovascular risk factors. Conclusions The Intervention Mapping protocol provided a systematic method for developing the intervention and each intervention design choice was carefully thought-out and justified. Although it was not a rapid or an easy method for developing an intervention, the protocol guided and directed the development process. The application of evidence-based behavior change methods used in our intervention offers insight regarding how an intervention may change intention and health behavior. The Web-based intervention appeared feasible and was implemented. Further research will test the effectiveness of the PIB2 intervention. Trial Registration Dutch Trial Register, Trial ID: ECP-92 PMID:23612470

The Science of Sustaining Health Behavior Change: The Health Maintenance Consortium

PubMed Central

Ory, Marcia G.; Smith, Matthew Lee; Mier, Nelda; Wernicke, Meghan M.

2013-01-01

Objective The Health Maintenance Consortium (HMC) is a multisite Grantee Consortium funded by the National Institutes of Health from 2004–2009. The goal of HMC is to enhance understanding of the long-term maintenance of behavior change, as well as effective strategies for achieving sustainable health promotion and disease prevention. Methods This introductory research synthesis prepared by the Resource Center gives context to this theme issue by providing an overview of the HMC and the articles in this journal. Results It explores the contributions to our conceptualization of behavior change processes and intervention strategies, the trajectory of effectiveness of behavioral and social interventions, and factors influencing the long-term maintenance of behavioral and social interventions. Conclusions Future directions for furthering the science of maintaining behavior change and reducing the gaps between research and practice are recommended. PMID:20604691

Behaviorism: part of the problem or part of the solution.

PubMed Central

Holland, J G

1978-01-01

The form frequently taken by behavior-modification programs is analyzed in terms of the parent science, Behaviorism. Whereas Behaviorism assumes that behavior is the result of contingencies, and that lasting behavior change involves changing the contingencies that give rise to and support the behavior, most behavior-modification programs merely arrange special contingencies in a special environment to eliminate the "problem" behavior. Even when the problem behavior is as widespread as alcoholism and crime, behavior modifiers focus on "fixing" the alcoholic and the criminal, not on changing the societal contingencies that prevail outside the therapeutic environment and continue to produce alcoholics and criminals. The contingencies that shape this method of dealing with behavioral problems are also analyzed, and this analysis leads to a criticism of the current social structure as a behavior control system. Although applied behaviorists have frequently focused on fixing individuals, the science of Behaviorism provides the means to analyze the structures, the system, and the forms of societal control that produce the "problems". PMID:649524

Preparing tomorrow's behavioral medicine scientists and practitioners: a survey of future directions for education and training.

PubMed

Goldstein, Carly M; Minges, Karl E; Schoffman, Danielle E; Cases, Mallory G

2017-02-01

Behavioral medicine training is due for an overhaul given the rapid evolution of the field, including a tight funding climate, changing job prospects, and new research and industry collaborations. The purpose of the present study was to collect responses from trainee and practicing members of a multidisciplinary professional society about their perceptions of behavioral medicine training and their suggestions for changes to training for future behavioral medicine scientists and practitioners. A total of 162 faculty and 110 students (total n = 272) completed a web-based survey on strengths of their current training programs and ideas for changes. Using a mixed-methods approach, the survey findings are used to highlight seven key areas for improved preparation of the next generation of behavioral medicine scientists and practitioners, which are grant writing, interdisciplinary teamwork, advanced statistics and methods, evolving research program, publishable products from coursework, evolution and use of theory, and non-traditional career paths.

Improving Health and Reducing Comorbidity Associated with HIV: The Development of TAVIE en santé, a Web-Based Tailored Intervention to Support the Adoption of Health Promoting Behaviors among People Living with HIV.

PubMed

Côté, José; Cossette, Sylvie; Ramirez-Garcia, Pilar; Rouleau, Geneviève; Auger, Patricia; Boudreau, François; Gagnon, Marie-Pierre

2017-01-01

Background . In the domain of health behavior change, the deployment and utilization of information and communications technologies as a way to deliver interventions appear to be promising. This article describes the development of a web-based tailored intervention, TAVIE en santé , to support people living with HIV in the adoption of healthy behaviors. Methods . This intervention was developed through an Intervention Mapping (IM) framework and is based on the theory of planned behavior. Results . Crucial steps of IM are the selection of key determinants of behavior and the selection of useful theory-based intervention methods to change the targeted determinants (active ingredients). The content and the sequence of the intervention are then created based on these parameters. TAVIE en santé is composed of 7 interactive web sessions hosted by a virtual nurse. It aims to develop and strengthen skills required for behavior change. Based on an algorithm using individual cognitive data (attitude, perceived behavioral control, and intention), the number of sessions, theory-based intervention methods, and messages contents are tailored to each user. Conclusion . TAVIE en santé is currently being evaluated. The use of IM allows developing intervention with a systematic approach based on theory, empirical evidence, and clinical and experiential knowledge.

Improving Health and Reducing Comorbidity Associated with HIV: The Development of TAVIE en santé, a Web-Based Tailored Intervention to Support the Adoption of Health Promoting Behaviors among People Living with HIV

PubMed Central

Cossette, Sylvie; Ramirez-Garcia, Pilar; Rouleau, Geneviève; Auger, Patricia; Boudreau, François; Gagnon, Marie-Pierre

2017-01-01

Background. In the domain of health behavior change, the deployment and utilization of information and communications technologies as a way to deliver interventions appear to be promising. This article describes the development of a web-based tailored intervention, TAVIE en santé, to support people living with HIV in the adoption of healthy behaviors. Methods. This intervention was developed through an Intervention Mapping (IM) framework and is based on the theory of planned behavior. Results. Crucial steps of IM are the selection of key determinants of behavior and the selection of useful theory-based intervention methods to change the targeted determinants (active ingredients). The content and the sequence of the intervention are then created based on these parameters. TAVIE en santé is composed of 7 interactive web sessions hosted by a virtual nurse. It aims to develop and strengthen skills required for behavior change. Based on an algorithm using individual cognitive data (attitude, perceived behavioral control, and intention), the number of sessions, theory-based intervention methods, and messages contents are tailored to each user. Conclusion. TAVIE en santé is currently being evaluated. The use of IM allows developing intervention with a systematic approach based on theory, empirical evidence, and clinical and experiential knowledge. PMID:28393077

Behavioral Regulations and Dispositional Flow in Exercise among American College Students Relative to Stages of Change and Gender

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ersöz, Gözde; Eklund, Robert C.

2017-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine behavioral regulations and dispositional flow in exercise among university students in terms of gender and stage of change. Participants: Data were collected from American college students (N = 257; M[subscript age] ± SD = 23.02 ± 4.05) in Spring 2013. Methods: Behavioral regulations and…

A Mixed Methods Evaluation of a 12-Week Insurance-Sponsored Weight Management Program Incorporating Cognitive-Behavioral Counseling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abildso, Christiaan; Zizzi, Sam; Gilleland, Diana; Thomas, James; Bonner, Daniel

2010-01-01

Physical activity is critical in healthy weight loss, yet there is still much to be learned about psychosocial mechanisms of physical activity behavior change in weight loss. A sequential mixed methods approach was used to assess the physical and psychosocial impact of a 12-week cognitive-behavioral weight management program and explore factors…

Possible Solutions as a Concept in Behavior Change Interventions.

PubMed

Mahoney, Diane E

2018-04-24

Nurses are uniquely positioned to implement behavior change interventions. Yet, nursing interventions have traditionally resulted from nurses problem-solving rather than allowing the patient to self-generate possible solutions for attaining specific health outcomes. The purpose of this review is to clarify the meaning of possible solutions in behavior change interventions. Walker and Avant's method on concept analysis serves as the framework for examination of the possible solutions. Possible solutions can be defined as continuous strategies initiated by patients and families to overcome existing health problems. As nurses engage in behavior change interventions, supporting patients and families in problem-solving will optimize health outcomes and transform clinical practice. © 2018 NANDA International, Inc.

IDEIA and the Means to Change Behavior Should Be Enough: Growing Support for Using Applied Behavior Analysis in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bloh, Christopher; Axelrod, Saul

2008-01-01

With the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, classrooms are now mandated to employ behavioral methods to address target behaviors. These relevant behavioral strategies have long been advanced and disseminated by the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Notwithstanding this capability, proponents of the…

Examining the relationship between psychosocial and behavioral proxies for future consumption behavior: self-reported impact and bidding behavior in an experimental auction study on cigarette labeling

PubMed Central

Rousu, Matthew C.; Thrasher, James F.

2014-01-01

Experimental and observational research often involves asking consumers to self-report the impact of some proposed option. Because self-reported responses involve no consequence to the respondent for falsely revealing how he or she feels about an issue, self-reports may be subject to social desirability and other influences that bias responses in important ways. In this article, we analyzed data from an experiment on the impact of cigarette packaging and pack warnings, comparing smokers’ self-reported impact (four-item scale) and the bids they placed in experimental auctions to estimate differences in demand. The results were consistent across methods; however, the estimated effect size associated with different warning labels was two times greater for the four-item self-reported response scale when compared to the change in demand as indicated by auction bids. Our study provides evidence that self-reported psychosocial responses provide a valid proxy for behavioral change as reflected by experimental auction bidding behavior. More research is needed to better understand the advantages and disadvantages of behavioral economic methods and traditional self-report approaches to evaluating health behavior change interventions. PMID:24399267

Asthma management simulation for children: translating theory, methods, and strategies to effect behavior change.

PubMed

Shegog, Ross; Bartholomew, L Kay; Gold, Robert S; Pierrel, Elaine; Parcel, Guy S; Sockrider, Marianna M; Czyzewski, Danita I; Fernandez, Maria E; Berlin, Nina J; Abramson, Stuart

2006-01-01

Translating behavioral theories, models, and strategies to guide the development and structure of computer-based health applications is well recognized, although a continued challenge for program developers. A stepped approach to translate behavioral theory in the design of simulations to teach chronic disease management to children is described. This includes the translation steps to: 1) define target behaviors and their determinants, 2) identify theoretical methods to optimize behavioral change, and 3) choose educational strategies to effectively apply these methods and combine these into a cohesive computer-based simulation for health education. Asthma is used to exemplify a chronic health management problem and a computer-based asthma management simulation (Watch, Discover, Think and Act) that has been evaluated and shown to effect asthma self-management in children is used to exemplify the application of theory to practice. Impact and outcome evaluation studies have indicated the effectiveness of these steps in providing increased rigor and accountability, suggesting their utility for educators and developers seeking to apply simulations to enhance self-management behaviors in patients.

Decreases in collision risk and derailments attributed to changing at-risk behavior process at Union Pacific.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-09-01

Changing At-Risk Behavior (CAB) is a safety process that is being conducted at Union Pacifics San Antonio Service Unit (SASU) with the aim of improving road and yard safety. CAB is an example of a proactive safety risk-reduction method, called Cle...

The Relationship between Self-Efficacy and Help Evasion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Persson, Roger; Cleal, Bryan; Jakobsen, Mette Øllgaard; Villadsen, Ebbe; Andersen, Lars L.

2014-01-01

Objective: To examine the relationship between self-efficacy and not wanting help to change health behaviors. Method: All employees in the Danish police department were invited to respond to an electronic questionnaire. All respondents expressing a desire to change health behaviors in relation to smoking ("n" = 845), alcohol…

Promising evidence of impact on road safety by changing at-risk behavior process at Union Pacific

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-06-01

Changing At-risk Behavior (CAB) is a safety process that is being conducted at Union Pacifics San Antonio Service Unit with the aim of improving locomotive cab safety related to constraining signals. CAB is an example of a risk reduction method th...

Effectiveness of Motivational Interviewing Interventions for Adolescent Substance Use Behavior Change: A Meta-Analytic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Chad D.; Cushing, Christopher C.; Aylward, Brandon S.; Craig, James T.; Sorell, Danielle M.; Steele, Ric G.

2011-01-01

Objective: This study was designed to quantitatively evaluate the effectiveness of motivational interviewing (MI) interventions for adolescent substance use behavior change. Method: Literature searches of electronic databases were undertaken in addition to manual reference searches of identified review articles. Databases searched include…

A review of economic evaluations of behavior change interventions: setting an agenda for research methods and practice.

PubMed

Alayli-Goebbels, Adrienne F G; Evers, Silvia M A A; Alexeeva, Daria; Ament, André J H A; de Vries, Nanne K; Tilly, Jan C; Severens, Johan L

2014-06-01

The objective of this study was to review methodological quality of economic evaluations of lifestyle behavior change interventions (LBCIs) and to examine how they address methodological challenges for public health economic evaluation identified in the literature. Pubmed and the NHS economic evaluation database were searched for published studies in six key areas for behavior change: smoking, physical activity, dietary behavior, (illegal) drug use, alcohol use and sexual behavior. From included studies (n = 142), we extracted data on general study characteristics, characteristics of the LBCIs, methodological quality and handling of methodological challenges. Economic evaluation evidence for LBCIs showed a number of weaknesses: methods, study design and characteristics of evaluated interventions were not well reported; methodological quality showed several shortcomings and progress with addressing methodological challenges remained limited. Based on the findings of this review we propose an agenda for improving future evidence to support decision-making. Recommendations for practice include improving reporting of essential study details and increasing adherence with good practice standards. Recommendations for research methods focus on mapping out complex causal pathways for modeling, developing measures to capture broader domains of wellbeing and community outcomes, testing methods for considering equity, identifying relevant non-health sector costs and advancing methods for evidence synthesis. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Diagnosing Cartman: Psychology Students' Use of Symptoms and Traits to Assess Child Antisocial Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yalch, Matthew M.; Vitale, Erika M.; Ford, J. Kevin

2016-01-01

Recent changes to the diagnosis of child antisocial behavior provide different methods of conceptualizing it (e.g., traditional symptom-based diagnoses and alternative trait-based methods). However, there is little research on how psychology students might use these different methods and what kind of instructional formats might be amenable to…

A Case Example of the Implementation of Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support in a High School Setting Using Change Point Test Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bohanon, Hank; Fenning, Pamela; Hicks, Kira; Weber, Stacey; Thier, Kimberly; Aikins, Brigit; Morrissey, Kelly; Briggs, Alissa; Bartucci, Gina; McArdle, Lauren; Hoeper, Lisa; Irvin, Larry

2012-01-01

The purpose of this case study was to expand the literature base regarding the application of high school schoolwide positive behavior support in an urban setting for practitioners and policymakers to address behavior issues. In addition, the study describes the use of the Change Point Test as a method for analyzing time series data that are…

Regression to the Mean and Changes in Risk Behavior following Study Enrollment in a Cohort of US Women at Risk for HIV

PubMed Central

Hughes, James P.; Haley, Danielle F.; Frew, Paula M.; Golin, Carol E.; Adimora, Adaora A; Kuo, Irene; Justman, Jessica; Soto-Torres, Lydia; Wang, Jing; Hodder, Sally

2015-01-01

Purpose Reductions in risk behaviors are common following enrollment in HIV prevention studies. We develop methods to quantify the proportion of change in risk behaviors that can be attributed to regression to the mean versus study participation and other factors. Methods A novel model that incorporates both regression to the mean and study participation effects is developed for binary measures. The model is used to estimate the proportion of change in the prevalence of “unprotected sex in the past 6 months” that can be attributed to study participation versus regression to the mean in a longitudinal cohort of women at risk for HIV infection who were recruited from ten US communities with high rates of HIV and poverty. HIV risk behaviors were evaluated using audio computer-assisted self-interviews at baseline and every 6 months for up to 12 months. Results The prevalence of “unprotected sex in the past 6 months” declined from 96% at baseline to 77% at 12 months. However, this change could be almost completely explained by regression to the mean. Conclusions Analyses that examine changes over time in cohorts selected for high or low risk behaviors should account for regression to the mean effects. PMID:25883065

Method of improving system performance and survivability through changing function

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinchey, Michael G. (Inventor); Vassev, Emil I. (Inventor)

2012-01-01

A biologically-inspired system and method is provided for self-adapting behavior of swarm-based exploration missions, whereby individual components, for example, spacecraft, in the system can sacrifice themselves for the greater good of the entire system. The swarm-based system can exhibit emergent self-adapting behavior. Each component can be configured to exhibit self-sacrifice behavior based on Autonomic System Specification Language (ASSL).

Supported exercise improves controlled eating and weight through its effects on psychosocial factors: extending a systematic research program toward treatment development.

PubMed

Annesi, James J

2012-01-01

Behavioral weight-loss treatments have been overwhelmingly unsuccessful. Many inadequately address both behavioral theory and extant research--especially in regard to the lack of viability of simply educating individuals on improved eating and exercise behaviors. The aim was to synthesize research on associations of changes in exercise behaviors, psychosocial factors, eating behaviors, and weight; and then conduct further direct testing to inform the development of an improved treatment approach. A systematic program of health behavior-change research based on social cognitive theory, and extensions of that theory applied to exercise and weight loss, was first reviewed. Then, to extend this research toward treatment development and application, a field-based study of obese adults was conducted. Treatments incorporated a consistent component of cognitive-behaviorally supported exercise during 26 weeks that was paired with either standard nutrition education (n = 183) or cognitive-behavioral methods for controlled eating that emphasized self-regulatory methods such as goal setting and caloric tracking, cognitive restructuring, and eating cue awareness (n = 247). Both treatment conditions were associated with improved self-efficacy, self-regulation, mood, exercise, fruit and vegetable consumption, weight, and waist circumference; with improvements in self-regulation for eating, fruit and vegetable consumption, weight, and waist circumference significantly greater in the cognitive-behavioral nutrition condition. Changes in exercise- and eating-related self-efficacy and self-regulation were associated with changes in exercise and eating (R(2) = 0.40 and 0.17, respectively), with mood change increasing the explanatory power to R(2) = 0.43 and 0.20. Improved self-efficacy and self-regulation for exercise carried over to self-efficacy and self-regulation for controlled eating (β= 0.53 and 0.68, respectively). Development and longitudinal testing of a new and different approach to behavioral treatment for sustained weight loss that emphasizes exercise program-induced psychosocial changes preceding the facilitation of improved eating and weight loss should be guided by our present research.

Teacher training as a behavior change process: principles and results from a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Kealey, K A; Peterson, A V; Gaul, M A; Dinh, K T

2000-02-01

For students to realize the benefits of behavior change curricula for disease prevention, programs must be implemented effectively. However, implementation failure is a common problem documented in the literature. In this article, teacher training is conceptualized as a behavior change process with explicit teacher motivation components included to help effect the intended behavior (i.e., implementation). Using this method, the Hutchinson Smoking Prevention Project, a randomized controlled trial in school-based smoking prevention, conducted 65 in-service programs, training nearly 500 teachers (Grades 3-10) from 72 schools. Implementation was monitored by teacher self-report and classroom observations by project staff. The results were favorable. All eligible teachers received training, virtually all trained teachers implemented the research curriculum, and 89% of observed lessons worked as intended. It is concluded that teacher training conceptualized as a behavior change process and including explicit teacher motivation components can promote effective implementation of behavior change curricula in public school classrooms.

Social marketing: application to medical education.

PubMed

David, S P; Greer, D S

2001-01-16

Medical education is often a frustrating endeavor, particularly when it attempts to change practice behavior. Traditional lecture-based educational methods are limited in their ability to sustain concentration and interest and to promote learner adherence to best-practice guidelines. Marketing techniques have been very effective in changing consumer behavior and physician behavior. However, the techniques of social marketing-goal identification, audience segmentation, and market research-have not been harnessed and applied to medical education. Social marketing can be applied to medical education in the effort to go beyond inoculation of learners with information and actually change behaviors. The tremendous potential of social marketing for medical education should be pilot-tested and systematically evaluated.

Associations between poor sleep quality and stages of change of multiple health behaviors among participants of employee wellness program

PubMed Central

Hui, Siu-kuen Azor; Grandner, Michael A.

2015-01-01

Objective Using the Transtheoretical Model of behavioral change, this study evaluates the relationship between sleep quality and the motivation and maintenance processes of healthy behavior change. Methods The current study is an analysis of data collected in 2008 from an online health risk assessment (HRA) survey completed by participants of the Kansas State employee wellness program (N = 13,322). Using multinomial logistic regression, associations between self-reported sleep quality and stages of change (i.e. precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance) in five health behaviors (stress management, weight management, physical activities, alcohol use, and smoking) were analyzed. Results Adjusted for covariates, poor sleep quality was associated with an increased likelihood of contemplation, preparation, and in some cases action stage when engaging in the health behavior change process, but generally a lower likelihood of maintenance of the healthy behavior. Conclusions The present study demonstrated that poor sleep quality was associated with an elevated likelihood of contemplating or initiating behavior change, but a decreased likelihood of maintaining healthy behavior change. It is important to include sleep improvement as one of the lifestyle management interventions offered in EWP to comprehensively reduce health risks and promote the health of a large employee population. PMID:26046013

Predicting Condom Use Using the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills (IMB) Model: A Multivariate Latent Growth Curve Analysis

PubMed Central

Senn, Theresa E.; Scott-Sheldon, Lori A. J.; Vanable, Peter A.; Carey, Michael P.

2011-01-01

Background The Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills (IMB) model often guides sexual risk reduction programs even though no studies have examined covariation in the theory’s constructs in a dynamic fashion with longitudinal data. Purpose Using new developments in latent growth modeling, we explore how changes in information, motivation, and behavioral skills over 9 months relate to changes in condom use among STD clinic patients. Methods Participants (N = 1281, 50% female, 66% African American) completed measures of IMB constructs at three time points. We used parallel process latent growth modeling to examine associations among intercepts and slopes of IMB constructs. Results Initial levels of motivation, behavioral skills, and condom use were all positively associated, with behavioral skills partially mediating associations between motivation and condom use. Changes over time in behavioral skills positively related to changes in condom use. Conclusions Results support the key role of behavioral skills in sexual risk reduction, suggesting these skills should be targeted in HIV prevention interventions. PMID:21638196

Active Assistance Technology for Health-Related Behavior Change: An Interdisciplinary Review

PubMed Central

Kennedy, Catriona M; Powell, John; Payne, Thomas H; Ainsworth, John; Boyd, Alan

2012-01-01

Background Information technology can help individuals to change their health behaviors. This is due to its potential for dynamic and unbiased information processing enabling users to monitor their own progress and be informed about risks and opportunities specific to evolving contexts and motivations. However, in many behavior change interventions, information technology is underused by treating it as a passive medium focused on efficient transmission of information and a positive user experience. Objective To conduct an interdisciplinary literature review to determine the extent to which the active technological capabilities of dynamic and adaptive information processing are being applied in behavior change interventions and to identify their role in these interventions. Methods We defined key categories of active technology such as semantic information processing, pattern recognition, and adaptation. We conducted the literature search using keywords derived from the categories and included studies that indicated a significant role for an active technology in health-related behavior change. In the data extraction, we looked specifically for the following technology roles: (1) dynamic adaptive tailoring of messages depending on context, (2) interactive education, (3) support for client self-monitoring of behavior change progress, and (4) novel ways in which interventions are grounded in behavior change theories using active technology. Results The search returned 228 potentially relevant articles, of which 41 satisfied the inclusion criteria. We found that significant research was focused on dialog systems, embodied conversational agents, and activity recognition. The most covered health topic was physical activity. The majority of the studies were early-stage research. Only 6 were randomized controlled trials, of which 4 were positive for behavior change and 5 were positive for acceptability. Empathy and relational behavior were significant research themes in dialog systems for behavior change, with many pilot studies showing a preference for those features. We found few studies that focused on interactive education (3 studies) and self-monitoring (2 studies). Some recent research is emerging in dynamic tailoring (15 studies) and theoretically grounded ontologies for automated semantic processing (4 studies). Conclusions The potential capabilities and risks of active assistance technologies are not being fully explored in most current behavior change research. Designers of health behavior interventions need to consider the relevant informatics methods and algorithms more fully. There is also a need to analyze the possibilities that can result from interaction between different technology components. This requires deep interdisciplinary collaboration, for example, between health psychology, computer science, health informatics, cognitive science, and educational methodology. PMID:22698679

Using nonlinear methods to quantify changes in infant limb movements and vocalizations.

PubMed

Abney, Drew H; Warlaumont, Anne S; Haussman, Anna; Ross, Jessica M; Wallot, Sebastian

2014-01-01

The pairing of dynamical systems theory and complexity science brings novel concepts and methods to the study of infant motor development. Accordingly, this longitudinal case study presents a new approach to characterizing the dynamics of infant limb and vocalization behaviors. A single infant's vocalizations and limb movements were recorded from 51-days to 305-days of age. On each recording day, accelerometers were placed on all four of the infant's limbs and an audio recorder was worn on the child's chest. Using nonlinear time series analysis methods, such as recurrence quantification analysis and Allan factor, we quantified changes in the stability and multiscale properties of the infant's behaviors across age as well as how these dynamics relate across modalities and effectors. We observed that particular changes in these dynamics preceded or coincided with the onset of various developmental milestones. For example, the largest changes in vocalization dynamics preceded the onset of canonical babbling. The results show that nonlinear analyses can help to understand the functional co-development of different aspects of infant behavior.

Using nonlinear methods to quantify changes in infant limb movements and vocalizations

PubMed Central

Abney, Drew H.; Warlaumont, Anne S.; Haussman, Anna; Ross, Jessica M.; Wallot, Sebastian

2014-01-01

The pairing of dynamical systems theory and complexity science brings novel concepts and methods to the study of infant motor development. Accordingly, this longitudinal case study presents a new approach to characterizing the dynamics of infant limb and vocalization behaviors. A single infant's vocalizations and limb movements were recorded from 51-days to 305-days of age. On each recording day, accelerometers were placed on all four of the infant's limbs and an audio recorder was worn on the child's chest. Using nonlinear time series analysis methods, such as recurrence quantification analysis and Allan factor, we quantified changes in the stability and multiscale properties of the infant's behaviors across age as well as how these dynamics relate across modalities and effectors. We observed that particular changes in these dynamics preceded or coincided with the onset of various developmental milestones. For example, the largest changes in vocalization dynamics preceded the onset of canonical babbling. The results show that nonlinear analyses can help to understand the functional co-development of different aspects of infant behavior. PMID:25161629

Do Increases in Patient Activation Result in Improved Self-Management Behaviors?

PubMed Central

Hibbard, Judith H; Mahoney, Eldon R; Stock, Ronald; Tusler, Martin

2007-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study is to determine whether patient activation is a changing or changeable characteristic and to assess whether changes in activation also are accompanied by changes in health behavior. Study Methods To obtain variability in activation and self-management behavior, a controlled trial with chronic disease patients randomized into either intervention or control conditions was employed. In addition, changes in activation that occurred in the total sample were also examined for the study period. Using Mplus growth models, activation latent growth classes were identified and used in the analysis to predict changes in health behaviors and health outcomes. Data Sources Survey data from the 479 participants were collected at baseline, 6 weeks, and 6 months. Principal Findings Positive change in activation is related to positive change in a variety of self-management behaviors. This is true even when the behavior in question is not being performed at baseline. When the behavior is already being performed at baseline, an increase in activation is related to maintaining a relatively high level of the behavior over time. The impact of the intervention, however, was less clear, as the increase in activation in the intervention group was matched by nearly equal increases in the control group. Conclusions Results suggest that if activation is increased, a variety of improved behaviors will follow. The question still remains, however, as to what interventions will improve activation. PMID:17610432

Evaluating Change in Behavioral Preferences: Multidimensional Scaling Single-Ideal Point Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ding, Cody

2016-01-01

The purpose of the article is to propose a multidimensional scaling single-ideal point model as a method to evaluate changes in individuals' preferences under the explicit methodological framework of behavioral preference assessment. One example is used to illustrate the approach for a clear idea of what this approach can accomplish.

Social Integration and Health Behavioral Change in San Luis, Honduras

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McQuestion, Michael J.; Calle, Ana Quijano; Drasbek, Christopher; Harkins, Thomas; Sagastume, Lourdes J.

2010-01-01

This study explores the effects of social integration on behavioral change in the course of an intensive, community-based public health intervention. The intervention trained volunteers and mobilized local organizations to promote 16 key family health practices in rural San Luis, Honduras, during 2004 to 2006. A mixed methods approach is used.…

The Impact of Faculty-Student Interactions on Teaching Behavior: An Investigation of Perceived Student Encounter Orientation, Interactive Confidence, and Interactive Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frankel, Robert; Swanson, Scott R.

2002-01-01

Data from 221 marketing professors were used to classify critical student incidents as service system failures, response to student needs, or unprompted instructor actions. Resulting behavior changes included methods and materials changes, requirement clarification, reinforcement, student praise, and authoritativeness. Influential factors were…

Improved safety culture and labor-management relations attributed to changing at-risk behavior process at Union Pacific.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-09-01

Changing At-Risk Behavior (CAB) is a safety process that is being conducted at Union Pacifics San Antonio Service Unit (SASU) with the aim of improving road and yard safety. CAB is an example of a proactive safety risk-reduction method called Clea...

Behavior Change after Adventure Education Courses: Do Work Colleagues Notice?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhodes, Heather M.; Martin, Andrew J.

2014-01-01

In this case study, a mixed-method approach is used to examine the extent and type of changes in workplace attitudes and behavior, as self-reported by soldiers who had participated in 6- to 10-day "Experiential Leadership Development Activities" (ELDAs) delivered by the New Zealand Army Leadership Centre. Observations made by workplace…

The role of Compensatory Health Beliefs in eating behavior change: A mixed method study.

PubMed

Amrein, Melanie A; Rackow, Pamela; Inauen, Jennifer; Radtke, Theda; Scholz, Urte

2017-09-01

Compensatory Health Beliefs (CHBs), defined as beliefs that an unhealthy behavior can be compensated for by engaging in another healthy behavior, are assumed to hinder health behavior change. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of CHBs for two distinct eating behaviors (increased fruit and vegetable consumption and eating fewer unhealthy snacks) with a mixed method approach. Participants (N = 232, mean age = 27.3 years, 76.3% women) were randomly assigned to a fruit and vegetable or an unhealthy snack condition. For the quantitative approach, path models were fitted to analyze the role of CHBs within a social-cognitive theory of health behavior change, the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA). With a content analysis, the qualitative approach investigated the occurrence of CHBs in smartphone chat groups when pursuing an eating goal. Both analyses were conducted for each eating behavior separately. Path models showed that CHBs added predictive value for intention, but not behavior over and above HAPA variables only in the unhealthy snack condition. CHBs were significantly negatively associated with intention and action planning. Content analysis revealed that people generated only a few CHB messages. However, CHBs were more likely to be present and were also more diverse in the unhealthy snack condition compared to the fruit and vegetable condition. Based on a mixed method approach, this study suggests that CHBs play a more important role for eating unhealthy snacks than for fruit and vegetable consumption. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sedentary Behavior and Health: Broadening the Knowledge Base and Strengthening the Science.

PubMed

Hadgraft, Nyssa; Owen, Neville

2017-06-01

We provide an overview of a recently published, edited book in a rapidly emerging field of research, policy, and practice for physical activity: Sedentary Behavior and Health. In this commentary, we highlight the broad perspectives provided in the 27 chapters of Sedentary Behavior and Health and suggest a research strategy to move the field forward-not only with scientific rigor, but also with breadth of scholarship. The book's chapters provide an overview of the background to and contexts for sedentary behavior and health. They then highlight the importance of understanding health consequences and underlying mechanisms; introduce key measurement technology and analytic strategies; consider sedentary behavior in subpopulations; describe conceptual models and theories to guide sedentary behavior interventions; and explain what is known about interventions in different settings. Considering the breadth of perspectives brought to bear on the field and the plethora of opportunities for research, policy, and practice, we suggest 3 elements of an interdisciplinary research strategy drawing upon the primary knowledge bases of physical activity and health: through the experimental methods of exercise science, through the observational tools of epidemiology, and through the conceptual approaches and methods of behavioral science. A better understanding of the health consequences of sedentary behavior and how they may be influenced can be encompassed by 3 key questions: What changes are needed to most effectively influence sedentary behaviors? What elements of sedentary behavior should be changed to improve health outcomes? What are the feasibility of and the benefits from changing sedentary behavior?

Consumer Education for the Mentally Handicapped

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alperstein, Neil M.

1977-01-01

Discusses community placement of mentally handicapped people and remedial procedures for encouraging independent decision making and behavior. Intertwines this behavior change with an alternative method of consumer education. (Author/RK)

Treatment of PCP addiction and PCP addiction-related behavior

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dewey, Stephen L.; Brodie, Jonathan D.; Ashby, Jr., Charles R.

2002-01-01

The present invention provides a method for changing addiction-related behavior of a mammal suffering from addiction to phencyclidine (PCP). The method includes administering to the mammal an effective amount of gamma vinylGABA (GVG) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or an enantiomer or a racemic mixture thereof, wherein the effective amount is sufficient to diminish, inhibit or eliminate behavior associated with craving or use of PCP.

Design Rationale Behind the Serious Self-Regulation Game Intervention "Balance It": Overweight Prevention Among Secondary Vocational Education Students in The Netherlands.

PubMed

Spook, Jorinde E; Paulussen, Theo; Paulissen, Rosie; Visschedijk, Gillian; Kok, Gerjo; van Empelen, Pepijn

2015-10-01

This article describes the design rationale behind a serious self-regulation game intervention. The aim of the game is to promote healthy dietary intake and physical activity among secondary vocational educational students in The Netherlands (approximately 16-20 years of age). The game "Balance It" was developed according to an intervention mapping (IM) protocol. Following IM, we specified health promotion and usability objectives and linked these objectives to selected behavior change and persuasive methods. Accordingly, these methods were translated into a coherent intervention program. The health behavior change objectives were derived from the determinants of the behavior and from Self-Regulation Theory (e.g., students are asked to set goals, monitor and evaluate their behavior, and create coping plans). Usability objectives were derived from the RE-AIM model (i.e., Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance). Next, behavior change and persuasive techniques were selected (e.g., goal setting and prompting, respectively) that did fit with the targeted change objectives and were translated in the design of a (mobile) serious self-regulation game intervention. Subsequently, three concept and usability tests were performed to improve intervention usability, and an evaluation plan was developed. The aim of this study was to provide a design rationale for game interventions targeting health-related behaviors. We developed a coherent program design in which both health behavior change and usability factors are addressed. The IM protocol can serve as a useful guide for decision making in program development and evaluation.

Social Behavior and Cortisol Reactivity in Children with Fragile X Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hessl, David; Glaser, Bronwyn; Dyer-Friedman, Jennifer; Reiss, Allan L.

2006-01-01

Objective: To examine the association between limbic-hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (L-HPA) axis reactivity and social behavior in children with fragile X syndrome (FXS). Method: Salivary cortisol changes and concurrent anxiety-related behaviors consistent with the behavioral phenotype of FXS were measured in 90 children with the fragile X full…

Women and AIDS-Related Concerns

PubMed Central

Cochran, Susan D.; Mays, Vickie M.

2014-01-01

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) has important implications for the practice of psychology. As the epidemic continues, the role of behavior change and psychosocial factors in the spread and transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections assumes increasing significance. Psychologists, as behavior change experts, have a special and challenging role to play in educating the public, particularly women, about AIDS. This article examines AIDS- and HIV-related concerns in women with a focus on the personal dilemmas for the practicing psychologist, problems in health behavior advocacy, and methods and pitfalls in modifying sexual behaviors. PMID:2930055

Inactivity periods and postural change speed can explain atypical postural change patterns of Caenorhabditis elegans mutants.

PubMed

Fukunaga, Tsukasa; Iwasaki, Wataru

2017-01-19

With rapid advances in genome sequencing and editing technologies, systematic and quantitative analysis of animal behavior is expected to be another key to facilitating data-driven behavioral genetics. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a model organism in this field. Several video-tracking systems are available for automatically recording behavioral data for the nematode, but computational methods for analyzing these data are still under development. In this study, we applied the Gaussian mixture model-based binning method to time-series postural data for 322 C. elegans strains. We revealed that the occurrence patterns of the postural states and the transition patterns among these states have a relationship as expected, and such a relationship must be taken into account to identify strains with atypical behaviors that are different from those of wild type. Based on this observation, we identified several strains that exhibit atypical transition patterns that cannot be fully explained by their occurrence patterns of postural states. Surprisingly, we found that two simple factors-overall acceleration of postural movement and elimination of inactivity periods-explained the behavioral characteristics of strains with very atypical transition patterns; therefore, computational analysis of animal behavior must be accompanied by evaluation of the effects of these simple factors. Finally, we found that the npr-1 and npr-3 mutants have similar behavioral patterns that were not predictable by sequence homology, proving that our data-driven approach can reveal the functions of genes that have not yet been characterized. We propose that elimination of inactivity periods and overall acceleration of postural change speed can explain behavioral phenotypes of strains with very atypical postural transition patterns. Our methods and results constitute guidelines for effectively finding strains that show "truly" interesting behaviors and systematically uncovering novel gene functions by bioimage-informatic approaches.

Adherence to dietary regimens. 2: Components of effective interventions.

PubMed

Brownell, K D; Cohen, L R

1995-01-01

Diet has an important impact not only on health but also on daily functioning, cognitive performance, and, perhaps, psychological well-being. Much is known about the specific dietary changes necessary to improve these factors, yet it becomes ever more clear that information about proper diet is rarely sufficient to change dietary behavior. Interventions aimed at changing diet must consider the typical dietary practices of the population in question and, as a corollary, must deal with the cultural obstacles to eating the "proper" foods. Psychological factors are paramount in setting the stage for dietary change. These include the individual's perception of being at risk, perceived benefits of a change in diet, confidence that the necessary change can be made, and the symbolic and real role food plays in a person's life. Nutrition education has traditionally focused on what changes should be made, and behavioral psychology has emphasized how to make the changes. These two fields must come together, and there must be recognition that nutrition education can provide necessary information, and behavioral change strategies can provide the necessary skills. There is now a considerable amount of information on strategies for nutrition education and on principles and techniques for behavioral change. Many intervention programs to alter dietary behavior have been undertaken. These have varied from programs aimed at an entire country, such as the National Cholesterol Education Program in the United States, to programs aimed at individuals. Although these vary considerably in size, strategy, and effects, collectively they yield valuable information on effective methods for changing behavior and for maintaining behavioral change. Programs that integrate behavioral procedures such as self-monitoring, stimulus control, coping skills, and relapse prevention appear to hold the most promise. Policy is an area that has received little attention as a means of changing dietary behavior. Government officials have made major efforts to enhance food safety, improve nutrition labeling on foods, and educate the public about a balanced diet. Much more may be possible, however. Financial incentives might be offered to increase production of healthy foods, thereby lowering cost and increasing availability. Legislation could govern food advertising and food availability (eg, vending machines) to which the entire population or selected groups (eg, children) are exposed. Existing studies on dietary adherence span different interventions, populations, disease targets, methods of evaluation, and other factors, so it is not surprising that results across studies are mixed. Enough of the studies have shown positive findings, however, to lead to the conclusion that meaningful dietary modification is possible, at least in some individuals making some dietary changes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Estimating the "impact" of out-of-home placement on child well-being: approaching the problem of selection bias.

PubMed

Berger, Lawrence M; Bruch, Sarah K; Johnson, Elizabeth I; James, Sigrid; Rubin, David

2009-01-01

This study used data on 2,453 children aged 4-17 from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being and 5 analytic methods that adjust for selection factors to estimate the impact of out-of-home placement on children's cognitive skills and behavior problems. Methods included ordinary least squares (OLS) regressions and residualized change, simple change, difference-in-difference, and fixed effects models. Models were estimated using the full sample and a matched sample generated by propensity scoring. Although results from the unmatched OLS and residualized change models suggested that out-of-home placement is associated with increased child behavior problems, estimates from models that more rigorously adjust for selection bias indicated that placement has little effect on children's cognitive skills or behavior problems.

Dynamic phase differences based on quantitative phase imaging for the objective evaluation of cell behavior.

PubMed

Krizova, Aneta; Collakova, Jana; Dostal, Zbynek; Kvasnica, Lukas; Uhlirova, Hana; Zikmund, Tomas; Vesely, Pavel; Chmelik, Radim

2015-01-01

Quantitative phase imaging (QPI) brought innovation to noninvasive observation of live cell dynamics seen as cell behavior. Unlike the Zernike phase contrast or differential interference contrast, QPI provides quantitative information about cell dry mass distribution. We used such data for objective evaluation of live cell behavioral dynamics by the advanced method of dynamic phase differences (DPDs). The DPDs method is considered a rational instrument offered by QPI. By subtracting the antecedent from the subsequent image in a time-lapse series, only the changes in mass distribution in the cell are detected. The result is either visualized as a two dimensional color-coded projection of these two states of the cell or as a time dependence of changes quantified in picograms. Then in a series of time-lapse recordings, the chain of cell mass distribution changes that would otherwise escape attention is revealed. Consequently, new salient features of live cell behavior should emerge. Construction of the DPDs method and results exhibiting the approach are presented. Advantage of the DPDs application is demonstrated on cells exposed to an osmotic challenge. For time-lapse acquisition of quantitative phase images, the recently developed coherence-controlled holographic microscope was employed.

Dynamic phase differences based on quantitative phase imaging for the objective evaluation of cell behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krizova, Aneta; Collakova, Jana; Dostal, Zbynek; Kvasnica, Lukas; Uhlirova, Hana; Zikmund, Tomas; Vesely, Pavel; Chmelik, Radim

2015-11-01

Quantitative phase imaging (QPI) brought innovation to noninvasive observation of live cell dynamics seen as cell behavior. Unlike the Zernike phase contrast or differential interference contrast, QPI provides quantitative information about cell dry mass distribution. We used such data for objective evaluation of live cell behavioral dynamics by the advanced method of dynamic phase differences (DPDs). The DPDs method is considered a rational instrument offered by QPI. By subtracting the antecedent from the subsequent image in a time-lapse series, only the changes in mass distribution in the cell are detected. The result is either visualized as a two-dimensional color-coded projection of these two states of the cell or as a time dependence of changes quantified in picograms. Then in a series of time-lapse recordings, the chain of cell mass distribution changes that would otherwise escape attention is revealed. Consequently, new salient features of live cell behavior should emerge. Construction of the DPDs method and results exhibiting the approach are presented. Advantage of the DPDs application is demonstrated on cells exposed to an osmotic challenge. For time-lapse acquisition of quantitative phase images, the recently developed coherence-controlled holographic microscope was employed.

Dietary factors and cancers of breast, endometrium, and ovary: strategies for modifying fat intake in African American women.

PubMed

Hargreaves, M K; Buchowski, M S; Hardy, R E; Rossi, S R; Rossi, J S

1997-06-01

Modification of dietary fat and fiber could help prevent cancers of the breast, endometrium, and ovary that are prevalent in African-American women. Dietary intervention programs aimed at reducing fat intake have had mixed results in this population. The transtheoretic model is proposed for achieving dietary change. Strategies for changing health behaviors in African-American women include heightening sensitivity to cultural values among health educators and the use of multiple strategies to reinforce messages. To stimulate healthier eating, it is important to incorporate the distinct habitual eating patterns into innovative intervention methods, using effective behavioral change methods.

Changing Beliefs and Behaviors Related to Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Vulnerable Women: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Boroumandfar, Zahra; Kianpour, Masoud; Zargham, Ali; Abdoli, Samereh; Tayeri, Katayoun; Salehi, Mehrdad; Momeni, Godratollah; Khorvash, Farzin

2017-01-01

The first step in health education is awareness of the people and their acceptance to change their behavior. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of empowerment program towards the concept of self-care and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in women at risk of STDs. The present study was conducted as a qualitative approach (step of action and observation of an action) by using conventional content analysis method. An empowerment program regarding STDs (Action) was performed among 32 (with convenient sample) drug user women with addicted husbands referring to the counseling center for vulnerable women (drop in enter) in Isfahan in 2015. The knowledge of quiddity, transmission, and prevention of STDs, as well as some items of life skills such as self-awareness, interpersonal communication, and assertive behavior were taught in an educational program. Teaching methods were lectures, group, and individual training and role play. The impact of the program on modified belief and behavior change regarding STDs was evaluated with structured interviews. Analysis of the obtained results yielded three categories. The categories were awareness of STD, believing in being at risk, and decision and change. Promoting self-care and prevention through education programs based on action research can make a significant reduction in the incidence of problems and cause a behavior change in women with the disease or those at risk for STDs.

Research on a Denial of Service (DoS) Detection System Based on Global Interdependent Behaviors in a Sensor Network Environment

PubMed Central

Song, Jae-gu; Jung, Sungmo; Kim, Jong Hyun; Seo, Dong Il; Kim, Seoksoo

2010-01-01

This research suggests a Denial of Service (DoS) detection method based on the collection of interdependent behavior data in a sensor network environment. In order to collect the interdependent behavior data, we use a base station to analyze traffic and behaviors among nodes and introduce methods of detecting changes in the environment with precursor symptoms. The study presents a DoS Detection System based on Global Interdependent Behaviors and shows the result of detecting a sensor carrying out DoS attacks through the test-bed. PMID:22163475

Appreciative Inquiry and Video Self Modeling Leadership Program: Achieving Skill or Behavior Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bilodeau, Bethany Jewell

2013-01-01

A leadership program was created for students to gain skills and/or change their behavior using Appreciative Inquiry and Video Self Modeling, VSM. In 2011a youth that experiences a disability had been unable to achieve a skill utilizing traditional methods of skill acquisition. He employed the Appreciative Inquiry and VSM leadership program and…

The Task, Relationship, and Change Behaviors of Successful Title I Elementary Principals in California

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bray, Beth Anne

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify and describe how successful Title I elementary school principals in California prioritize by importance to school success, the 12 literature-based task, relationship, and change dimensions of principal behaviors and which strategies or methods did successful Title I elementary school principals…

Trajectory of Externalizing Child Behaviors in a KEEP Replication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uretsky, Mathew C.; Lee, Bethany R.; Greeno, Elizabeth J.; Barth, Richard P.

2017-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine the correlates of child behavior change over time in a replication of the KEEP intervention. Method: The study sample was drawn from the treatment group of the Maryland replication of KEEP (n=65). Change over time was analyzed using multilevel linear mixed modeling. Results: Parents' use of…

Enhancing the Capacity to Create Behavior Change: Extension Key Leaders' Opinions about Social Marketing and Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warner, Laura A.

2014-01-01

Extension educators endeavor to create and measure outcomes beyond knowledge gain. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the role of social marketing as a method for creating behavior change within the University of Florida Extension system through key leader opinions. Additionally, the study sought to identify perceptions about…

Treatment of addiction and addiction-related behavior

DOEpatents

Dewey, Stephen L.; Brodie, Jonathan D.; Ashby, Jr., Charles R.

2003-07-15

The present invention provides a method for changing addiction-related behavior of a mammal suffering from addiction to a combination of abused drugs. The method includes administering to the mammal an effective amount of gamma vinylGABA (GVG) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or an enantiomer or a racemic mixture thereof, wherein the effective amount is sufficient to diminish, inhibit or eliminate behavior associated with craving or use of the combination of abused drugs.

Treatment of addiction to ethanol and addictive-related behavior

DOEpatents

Dewey, Stephen L.; Brodie, Jonathan D.; Ashby, Jr., Charles R.

2001-01-01

The present invention provides a highly efficient method for treating alcohol addiction and for changing addiction-related behavior of a mammal suffering from alcohol addiction. The method includes administering to a mammal an effective amount of gamma vinylGABA or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. In one embodiment, the method of the present invention includes administering to the mammal an effective amount of a composition which increase central nervous system GABA levels wherein the effective amount is sufficient to diminish, inhibit or eliminate behavior associated with craving or use of alcohol.

Behavioral changes following participation in a home health promotional program in King County, Washington.

PubMed Central

Leung, R; Koenig, J Q; Simcox, N; van Belle, G; Fenske, R; Gilbert, S G

1997-01-01

This study examined behavioral changes in households after participation in a home environmental assessment. Home assessment visits by a trained coach, which involved a walk-through in the home with the home residents, were conducted in 36 homes. The walk-through included a list of recommended behavioral changes that the residents could make to reduce their exposures to home pollutants in areas such as dust control, moisture problems, indoor air, hazardous household products, and hobbies. Recruited households were surveyed 3 months after the home assessment to evaluate their implementation of the recommendations. Following the home visits, 31 of 36 households reported making at least one behavioral change, and 41% of the recommendations made by the volunteer coaches were implemented. In conclusion, this study found that the majority of the households who participated in the home assessment reported implementing at least one recommendation. This home health promotional method was effective in influencing behavioral changes. PMID:9349831

Improving hand hygiene compliance in healthcare settings using behavior change theories: reflections.

PubMed

Al-Tawfiq, Jaffar A; Pittet, Didier

2013-01-01

Although hand hygiene is the most effective method for preventing healthcare-associated infections, hand hygiene practice falls short in many healthcare facilities. The compliance rate is mostly linked to system design and easily accessible hand hygiene products. System change, healthcare worker motivation, and complex behavioral considerations seem to play a significant role. This article discusses the application of behavioral theories in hand hygiene promotion in a theoretical manner. The program relies on the transtheoretical model (TTM) of health behavior change, John Keller's (ARCS) Model of Motivational Design, and the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Thus, the program links attitudes and behavior to hand hygiene promotion. The TTM of health behavior change helps to tailor interventions to predict and motivate individual movement across the pathway to change. A program could be based on this theory with multiple intercalations with John Keller's ARCS and the TPB. Such a program could be strengthened by linking attitudes and behavior to promote hand hygiene. The program could utilize different strategies such as organization cultural change that may increase the attention as well as fostering the movement in the ARCS stages. In addition, modeling TPB by creating peer pressure, ability to overcome obstacles, and increasing knowledge of the role of hand hygiene may lead to the desired outcome. The understanding and application of behavior change theories may result in an effective program to improve awareness and raise intention and thus may increase the potential for success of hand hygiene promotion programs.

Modeling Patterns of Activities using Activity Curves

PubMed Central

Dawadi, Prafulla N.; Cook, Diane J.; Schmitter-Edgecombe, Maureen

2016-01-01

Pervasive computing offers an unprecedented opportunity to unobtrusively monitor behavior and use the large amount of collected data to perform analysis of activity-based behavioral patterns. In this paper, we introduce the notion of an activity curve, which represents an abstraction of an individual’s normal daily routine based on automatically-recognized activities. We propose methods to detect changes in behavioral routines by comparing activity curves and use these changes to analyze the possibility of changes in cognitive or physical health. We demonstrate our model and evaluate our change detection approach using a longitudinal smart home sensor dataset collected from 18 smart homes with older adult residents. Finally, we demonstrate how big data-based pervasive analytics such as activity curve-based change detection can be used to perform functional health assessment. Our evaluation indicates that correlations do exist between behavior and health changes and that these changes can be automatically detected using smart homes, machine learning, and big data-based pervasive analytics. PMID:27346990

Modeling Patterns of Activities using Activity Curves.

PubMed

Dawadi, Prafulla N; Cook, Diane J; Schmitter-Edgecombe, Maureen

2016-06-01

Pervasive computing offers an unprecedented opportunity to unobtrusively monitor behavior and use the large amount of collected data to perform analysis of activity-based behavioral patterns. In this paper, we introduce the notion of an activity curve , which represents an abstraction of an individual's normal daily routine based on automatically-recognized activities. We propose methods to detect changes in behavioral routines by comparing activity curves and use these changes to analyze the possibility of changes in cognitive or physical health. We demonstrate our model and evaluate our change detection approach using a longitudinal smart home sensor dataset collected from 18 smart homes with older adult residents. Finally, we demonstrate how big data-based pervasive analytics such as activity curve-based change detection can be used to perform functional health assessment. Our evaluation indicates that correlations do exist between behavior and health changes and that these changes can be automatically detected using smart homes, machine learning, and big data-based pervasive analytics.

Temporal segmentation of animal trajectories informed by habitat use

USGS Publications Warehouse

van Toor, Marielle L.; Newman, Scott H.; Takekawa, John Y.; Wegmann, Martin; Safi, Kamran

2016-01-01

Most animals live in seasonal environments and experience very different conditions throughout the year. Behavioral strategies like migration, hibernation, and a life cycle adapted to the local seasonality help to cope with fluctuations in environmental conditions. Thus, how an individual utilizes the environment depends both on the current availability of habitat and the behavioral prerequisites of the individual at that time. While the increasing availability and richness of animal movement data has facilitated the development of algorithms that classify behavior by movement geometry, changes in the environmental correlates of animal movement have so far not been exploited for a behavioral annotation. Here, we suggest a method that uses these changes in individual–environment associations to divide animal location data into segments of higher ecological coherence, which we term niche segmentation. We use time series of random forest models to evaluate the transferability of habitat use over time to cluster observational data accordingly. We show that our method is able to identify relevant changes in habitat use corresponding to both changes in the availability of habitat and how it was used using simulated data, and apply our method to a tracking data set of common teal (Anas crecca). The niche segmentation proved to be robust, and segmented habitat suitability outperformed models neglecting the temporal dynamics of habitat use. Overall, we show that it is possible to classify animal trajectories based on changes of habitat use similar to geometric segmentation algorithms. We conclude that such an environmentally informed classification of animal trajectories can provide new insights into an individuals' behavior and enables us to make sensible predictions of how suitable areas might be connected by movement in space and time.

Impact of the Birkman Method Assessment on Pharmacy Student Self-Confidence, Self-Perceptions, and Self-Awareness

PubMed Central

Grant, Amy D.; Fabel, Patricia H.; Worrall, Cathy; Brittain, Kristy; Martinez, Breanne; Lu, Z. Kevin; Davis, Robert; Doran, Georgia H.; Ziegler, Bryan

2016-01-01

Objective. To identify changes in pharmacy student self-confidence, self-perceptions, and self-awareness after completing the Birkman Method assessment and training program. Methods. Survey tools were developed to evaluate students at baseline and following the co-curricular Birkman Method program. Following IRB approval, students participating in the Birkman Method program were recruited for enrollment in this survey-based study. Results. Student self-confidence was high at baseline (mean=4 out of 5) and did not significantly change after Birkman Method testing and training. Self-perceptions regarding usual and stressed communication style and behaviors and behavioral needs under stress changed significantly after Birkman Method testing and training for these endpoints. The Birkman Method intervention resulted in a significant improvement in self-awareness, as indicated by a mean self-perception accuracy score increase of 1.6 points (95% CI: 1.3-1.9). Conclusions. A Birkman Method assessment and training program is an effective self-assessment tool for students, and may be useful for accomplishing Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) 2016 Standard 4 affective domain elements, particularly self-awareness. PMID:28090097

Assessing nest-building behavior of mice using a 3D depth camera.

PubMed

Okayama, Tsuyoshi; Goto, Tatsuhiko; Toyoda, Atsushi

2015-08-15

We developed a novel method to evaluate the nest-building behavior of mice using an inexpensive depth camera. The depth camera clearly captured nest-building behavior. Using three-dimensional information from the depth camera, we obtained objective features for assessing nest-building behavior, including "volume," "radius," and "mean height". The "volume" represents the change in volume of the nesting material, a pressed cotton square that a mouse shreds and untangles in order to build its nest. During the nest-building process, the total volume of cotton fragments is increased. The "radius" refers to the radius of the circle enclosing the fragments of cotton. It describes the extent of nesting material dispersion. The "radius" averaged approximately 60mm when a nest was built. The "mean height" represents the change in the mean height of objects. If the nest walls were high, the "mean height" was also high. These features provided us with useful information for assessment of nest-building behavior, similar to conventional methods for the assessment of nest building. However, using the novel method, we found that JF1 mice built nests with higher walls than B6 mice, and B6 mice built nests faster than JF1 mice. Thus, our novel method can evaluate the differences in nest-building behavior that cannot be detected or quantified by conventional methods. In future studies, we will evaluate nest-building behaviors of genetically modified, as well as several inbred, strains of mice, with several nesting materials. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Changing Multiple Adolescent Health Behaviors through School-Based Interventions: A Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Busch, Vincent; de Leeuw, Johannes Rob Josephus; de Harder, Alinda; Schrijvers, Augustinus Jacobus Petrus

2013-01-01

Background: In approaches to health promotion in adolescents, unhealthy behaviors are no longer regarded as independent processes, but as interrelated. This article presents a systematic literature review of school-based interventions targeting multiple adolescent behaviors simultaneously. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed…

Managerial Behavior: Developing Skills for Management Effectiveness in Times of Economic Setbacks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beatty, Richard W.; Morgan, Cyril P.

1975-01-01

The skills necessary for managerial success can be developed through methods directed at behavior change such as assessment centers, behaviorally anchored rating scales, role renegotiation, and feedback from educators. (Available from Office of Publications, Graduate School of Business Administration, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48104,…

The Rationality of Alcoholics Anonymous and the Spirituality of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Velten, Emmett

1996-01-01

Argues that Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) share important rational objectives and numerous cognitive-behavioral methods. Both emphasize a philosophical shift as a principal ingredient for change. Provides definitions of rationality and spirituality and explains how REBT and smart recovery are spiritual…

Models of Pilot Behavior and Their Use to Evaluate the State of Pilot Training

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jirgl, Miroslav; Jalovecky, Rudolf; Bradac, Zdenek

2016-07-01

This article discusses the possibilities of obtaining new information related to human behavior, namely the changes or progressive development of pilots' abilities during training. The main assumption is that a pilot's ability can be evaluated based on a corresponding behavioral model whose parameters are estimated using mathematical identification procedures. The mean values of the identified parameters are obtained via statistical methods. These parameters are then monitored and their changes evaluated. In this context, the paper introduces and examines relevant mathematical models of human (pilot) behavior, the pilot-aircraft interaction, and an example of the mathematical analysis.

Behavior Change Interventions to Improve the Health of Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations: A Tool Kit of Adaptation Approaches

PubMed Central

Davidson, Emma M; Liu, Jing Jing; Bhopal, Raj; White, Martin; Johnson, Mark RD; Netto, Gina; Wabnitz, Cecile; Sheikh, Aziz

2013-01-01

Context Adapting behavior change interventions to meet the needs of racial and ethnic minority populations has the potential to enhance their effectiveness in the target populations. But because there is little guidance on how best to undertake these adaptations, work in this field has proceeded without any firm foundations. In this article, we present our Tool Kit of Adaptation Approaches as a framework for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers interested in delivering behavior change interventions to ethnically diverse, underserved populations in the United Kingdom. Methods We undertook a mixed-method program of research on interventions for smoking cessation, increasing physical activity, and promoting healthy eating that had been adapted to improve salience and acceptability for African-, Chinese-, and South Asian–origin minority populations. This program included a systematic review (reported using PRISMA criteria), qualitative interviews, and a realist synthesis of data. Findings We compiled a richly informative data set of 161 publications and twenty-six interviews detailing the adaptation of behavior change interventions and the contexts in which they were undertaken. On the basis of these data, we developed our Tool Kit of Adaptation Approaches, which contains (1) a forty-six-item Typology of Adaptation Approaches; (2) a Pathway to Adaptation, which shows how to use the Typology to create a generic behavior change intervention; and (3) RESET, a decision tool that provides practical guidance on which adaptations to use in different contexts. Conclusions Our Tool Kit of Adaptation Approaches provides the first evidence-derived suite of materials to support the development, design, implementation, and reporting of health behavior change interventions for minority groups. The Tool Kit now needs prospective, empirical evaluation in a range of intervention and population settings. PMID:24320170

Treatment of addiction and addiction-related behavior

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dewey, S.L.; Brodie, J.D.; Ashby, C.R. Jr.

2000-05-02

The present invention provides a highly efficient method for treating substance addiction and for changing addiction-related behavior of a primate suffering from substance addiction. The method includes administering to a primate an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition including gamma vinylGABA. The present invention also provides a method of treatment of nicotine addiction by treating a patient with an effective amount of a composition including gamma vinylGABA.

Treatment of addiction and addiction-related behavior

DOEpatents

Dewey, Stephen L.; Brodie, Jonathan D.; Ashby, Jr., Charles R.

2000-01-01

The present invention provides a highly efficient method for treating substance addiction and for changing addiction-related behavior of a primate suffering from substance addiction. The method includes administering to a primate an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition including gamma vinylGABA. The present invention also provides a method of treatment of nicotine addiction by treating a patient with an effective amount of a composition including gamma vinylGABA.

Gaming Your Way to Health: A Systematic Review of Exergaming Programs to Increase Health and Exercise Behaviors in Adults.

PubMed

Street, Tamara D; Lacey, Sarah J; Langdon, Rebecca R

2017-06-01

Adults who are not engaged by traditional exercise methods require a strategy to achieve and maintain sufficient physical activity for health benefits. Exergames, or active videogames, may motivate some adults to engage in physical activity. This review explored the use of exergaming to promote physical activity behaviors and health in adults. A systematic literature review of the use of exergaming was conducted. The review included experimental studies with a nonclinical adult population, which measured changes in physical activity behaviors and changes in anthropometric healthy weight indicators. From an initial search that yielded 1644 results, nine articles were found to satisfy the predetermined inclusion criteria and were included in this review. Exergaming provided a novel method for increasing or substituting physical activity in the short term. Although low participation was not associated with anthropometric changes, significant healthy anthropometric changes were associated with moderate to high exergaming participation. Exergaming may be employed as an effective exercise behavior change strategy in the short term and may have positive health benefits if recommendations are made regarding intensity and duration of play for optimal health outcomes. However, additional research is required to evaluate the effectiveness of exergaming as a long-term health promotion strategy.

Explaining clinical behaviors using multiple theoretical models

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background In the field of implementation research, there is an increased interest in use of theory when designing implementation research studies involving behavior change. In 2003, we initiated a series of five studies to establish a scientific rationale for interventions to translate research findings into clinical practice by exploring the performance of a number of different, commonly used, overlapping behavioral theories and models. We reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of the methods, the performance of the theories, and consider where these methods sit alongside the range of methods for studying healthcare professional behavior change. Methods These were five studies of the theory-based cognitions and clinical behaviors (taking dental radiographs, performing dental restorations, placing fissure sealants, managing upper respiratory tract infections without prescribing antibiotics, managing low back pain without ordering lumbar spine x-rays) of random samples of primary care dentists and physicians. Measures were derived for the explanatory theoretical constructs in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), and Illness Representations specified by the Common Sense Self Regulation Model (CSSRM). We constructed self-report measures of two constructs from Learning Theory (LT), a measure of Implementation Intentions (II), and the Precaution Adoption Process. We collected data on theory-based cognitions (explanatory measures) and two interim outcome measures (stated behavioral intention and simulated behavior) by postal questionnaire survey during the 12-month period to which objective measures of behavior (collected from routine administrative sources) were related. Planned analyses explored the predictive value of theories in explaining variance in intention, behavioral simulation and behavior. Results Response rates across the five surveys ranged from 21% to 48%; we achieved the target sample size for three of the five surveys. For the predictor variables, the mean construct scores were above the mid-point on the scale with median values across the five behaviors generally being above four out of seven and the range being from 1.53 to 6.01. Across all of the theories, the highest proportion of the variance explained was always for intention and the lowest was for behavior. The Knowledge-Attitudes-Behavior Model performed poorly across all behaviors and dependent variables; CSSRM also performed poorly. For TPB, SCT, II, and LT across the five behaviors, we predicted median R2 of 25% to 42.6% for intention, 6.2% to 16% for behavioral simulation, and 2.4% to 6.3% for behavior. Conclusions We operationalized multiple theories measuring across five behaviors. Continuing challenges that emerge from our work are: better specification of behaviors, better operationalization of theories; how best to appropriately extend the range of theories; further assessment of the value of theories in different settings and groups; exploring the implications of these methods for the management of chronic diseases; and moving to experimental designs to allow an understanding of behavior change. PMID:23075284

Ninth and Tenth Grade Students' Mathematics Self-Efficacy Beliefs: The Sources and Relationships to Teacher Classroom Interpersonal Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Amanda Garrett

2009-01-01

The purpose of the mix-methods action research study was to seek how the changes in students' perceptions about teacher classroom interpersonal behaviors, the four efficacy sources and mathematics self-efficacy beliefs were related. The methods used to accomplish this were: descriptive statistics, t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient…

Using Single-Case Design and Personalized Behavior Change Projects to Teach Research Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morgan, David L.

2009-01-01

Students in research methods courses, especially those taught in an intense format, might be hard pressed to actually conduct research studies due to logistics and time constraints. I describe the use of single-case research design and a personalized behavior project as an alternative research project for students in an undergraduate psychology…

Toward Quantifying the Mass-Based Hygroscopicity of Individual Submicron Atmospheric Aerosol Particles with STXM/NEXAFS and SEM/EDX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yancey Piens, D.; Kelly, S. T.; OBrien, R. E.; Wang, B.; Petters, M. D.; Laskin, A.; Gilles, M. K.

2014-12-01

The hygroscopic behavior of atmospheric aerosols influences their optical and cloud-nucleation properties, and therefore affects climate. Although changes in particle size as a function of relative humidity have often been used to quantify the hygroscopic behavior of submicron aerosol particles, it has been noted that calculations of hygroscopicity based on size contain error due to particle porosity, non-ideal volume additivity and changes in surface tension. We will present a method to quantify the hygroscopic behavior of submicron aerosol particles based on changes in mass, rather than size, as a function of relative humidity. This method results from a novel experimental approach combining scanning transmission x-ray microscopy with near-edge x-ray absorption fine spectroscopy (STXM/NEXAFS), as well as scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX) on the same individual particles. First, using STXM/NEXAFS, our methods are applied to aerosol particles of known composition ‒ for instance ammonium sulfate, sodium bromide and levoglucosan ‒ and validated by theory. Then, using STXM/NEXAFS and SEM/EDX, these methods are extended to mixed atmospheric aerosol particles collected in the field at the DOE Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility at the Southern Great Planes sampling site in Oklahoma, USA. We have observed and quantified a range of hygroscopic behaviors which are correlated to the composition and morphology of individual aerosol particles. These methods will have implications for parameterizing aerosol mixing state and cloud-nucleation activity in atmospheric models.

Developing a Method for Specifying the Components of Behavior Change Interventions in Practice: The Example of Smoking Cessation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorencatto, Fabiana; West, Robert; Seymour, Natalie; Michie, Susan

2013-01-01

Objective: There is a difference between interventions as planned and as delivered in practice. Unless we know what was actually delivered, we cannot understand "what worked" in effective interventions. This study aimed to (a) assess whether an established taxonomy of 53 smoking cessation behavior change techniques (BCTs) may be applied…

Early Childhood Behavior Changing in Terms of Communication between Parents and Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dewi, Nurul Fitria Kumala; Rachmi, Titi; Imaniah, Ikhfi; Firdaus, Moh Iqbal

2015-01-01

The study aims to explore the effectiveness of the approach of communication between parents and teachers to change the behavior of young children. Surely, it prioritizes on the social interaction between teachers and parents of the students. The method used in this study is field research that is qualitative, while the analysis of the data used…

The Impact of a 15-Week Lifetime Wellness Course on Behavior Change and Self-Efficacy in College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lockwood, Park; Wohl, Roy

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a lifetime wellness course on changing students' global self-efficacy, physical self-efficacy, and wellness behavior. Methods: Seventy-one college students from a lifetime wellness course completed the TestWell Wellness Inventory--Standard Edition (National Wellness Institute,…

Behavioral Health Integration in Large Multi-group Pediatric Practice.

PubMed

Schlesinger, Abigail Boden

2017-03-01

There is increasing interest in methods to improve access to behavioral health services for children and adolescents. Children's Community Pediatric Behavioral Health Service (CCPBHS) is an integrated behavioral health service whose method of (a) creating a leadership team with empowered administrative and clinical stakeholders who can act on a commitment to change and (b) having a clear mission statement with integrated administrative and clinical care processes can serve as a model for implementing integration efforts within the medical home. Community Pediatrics Behavioral Health Service (CPBHS) is a sustainable initiative that improved the utilization of physical health and behavioral health systems for youth and improved the utilization of evidence-based interventions for youth served in primary care.

Methods to Improve the Selection and Tailoring of Implementation Strategies

PubMed Central

Powell, Byron J.; Beidas, Rinad S.; Lewis, Cara C.; Aarons, Gregory A.; McMillen, J. Curtis; Proctor, Enola K.; Khinduka, Shanti K.; Mandell, David S.

2015-01-01

Implementing behavioral health interventions is a complicated process. It has been suggested that implementation strategies should be selected and tailored to address the contextual needs of a given change effort; however, there is limited guidance as to how to do this. This article proposes four methods (concept mapping, group model building, conjoint analysis, and intervention mapping) that could be used to match implementation strategies to identified barriers and facilitators for a particular evidence-based practice or process change being implemented in a given setting. Each method is reviewed, examples of their use are provided, and their strengths and weaknesses are discussed. The discussion includes suggestions for future research pertaining to implementation strategies and highlights these methods' relevance to behavioral health services and research. PMID:26289563

SOS! Help for Parents: A Practical Guide for Handling Common Everyday Behavior Problems [With Video Leader's Guide].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Lynn

This book provides parents with guidance for handling a variety of common behavior problems based on the behavioral approach to child rearing and discipline. This approach suggests that good and bad behavior are both learned and can be changed, and proposes specific methods, skills, procedures, and strategies for parents to use in getting improved…

[Elementary schoolchildren nutritional behaviors in pupils' and their parents' opinion].

PubMed

Gajewska, Małgorzata; Zawieska, Dorota

2009-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare pupils' and their parents' opinions of children nutrition behaviors. There were 97 pupils at the age of 10 and 87 parents participating in the study. Data was collected using questionnaire, filled by pupils and parents separately, including questions about: number and frequency of meals a day, frequency of fast food consumption and providing buying food in school shops. It was noted that parents' knowledge about children's nutrition behaviors was inadequate in comparison to pupils' declarations. School environment becomes important place to form health behaviors. It seems necessary to change nutrition policy in Polish schools by: changing of methods and teaching ranges of rational nutrition, improving school meals organization, changing assortment of food in school shops and regular education of people who are responsible for children nutrition behaviors.

Impact of a Dialectic Behavior Therapy - Corrections Modified (DBT-CM) Upon Behaviorally Challenged Incarcerated Male Adolescents

PubMed Central

Shelton, Deborah; Kesten, Karen; Zhang, Wanli; Trestman, Robert

2011-01-01

Purpose This article reports the findings of a Dialectical Behavioral Therapy- Corrections Modified (DBT-CM) intervention upon difficult to manage, impulsive and/or aggressive incarcerated male adolescents. Methods A secondary analysis of a sub-sample of 38 male adolescents who participated in the study was conducted. A one-group pretest-posttest design was used; descriptive statistics and t-tests were conducted. Results Significant changes were found in physical aggression, distancing coping methods and number of disciplinary tickets for behavior. Conclusion The study supports the value of DBT-CM for management of incarcerated male adolescents with difficult to manage aggressive behaviors. PMID:21501287

Relationship between behavioral and physiological spectral-ripple discrimination.

PubMed

Won, Jong Ho; Clinard, Christopher G; Kwon, Seeyoun; Dasika, Vasant K; Nie, Kaibao; Drennan, Ward R; Tremblay, Kelly L; Rubinstein, Jay T

2011-06-01

Previous studies have found a significant correlation between spectral-ripple discrimination and speech and music perception in cochlear implant (CI) users. This relationship could be of use to clinicians and scientists who are interested in using spectral-ripple stimuli in the assessment and habilitation of CI users. However, previous psychoacoustic tasks used to assess spectral discrimination are not suitable for all populations, and it would be beneficial to develop methods that could be used to test all age ranges, including pediatric implant users. Additionally, it is important to understand how ripple stimuli are processed in the central auditory system and how their neural representation contributes to behavioral performance. For this reason, we developed a single-interval, yes/no paradigm that could potentially be used both behaviorally and electrophysiologically to estimate spectral-ripple threshold. In experiment 1, behavioral thresholds obtained using the single-interval method were compared to thresholds obtained using a previously established three-alternative forced-choice method. A significant correlation was found (r = 0.84, p = 0.0002) in 14 adult CI users. The spectral-ripple threshold obtained using the new method also correlated with speech perception in quiet and noise. In experiment 2, the effect of the number of vocoder-processing channels on the behavioral and physiological threshold in normal-hearing listeners was determined. Behavioral thresholds, using the new single-interval method, as well as cortical P1-N1-P2 responses changed as a function of the number of channels. Better behavioral and physiological performance (i.e., better discrimination ability at higher ripple densities) was observed as more channels added. In experiment 3, the relationship between behavioral and physiological data was examined. Amplitudes of the P1-N1-P2 "change" responses were significantly correlated with d' values from the single-interval behavioral procedure. Results suggest that the single-interval procedure with spectral-ripple phase inversion in ongoing stimuli is a valid approach for measuring behavioral or physiological spectral resolution.

Crowd macro state detection using entropy model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Ying; Yuan, Mengqi; Su, Guofeng; Chen, Tao

2015-08-01

In the crowd security research area a primary concern is to identify the macro state of crowd behaviors to prevent disasters and to supervise the crowd behaviors. The entropy is used to describe the macro state of a self-organization system in physics. The entropy change indicates the system macro state change. This paper provides a method to construct crowd behavior microstates and the corresponded probability distribution using the individuals' velocity information (magnitude and direction). Then an entropy model was built up to describe the crowd behavior macro state. Simulation experiments and video detection experiments were conducted. It was verified that in the disordered state, the crowd behavior entropy is close to the theoretical maximum entropy; while in ordered state, the entropy is much lower than half of the theoretical maximum entropy. The crowd behavior macro state sudden change leads to the entropy change. The proposed entropy model is more applicable than the order parameter model in crowd behavior detection. By recognizing the entropy mutation, it is possible to detect the crowd behavior macro state automatically by utilizing cameras. Results will provide data support on crowd emergency prevention and on emergency manual intervention.

Explaining clinical behaviors using multiple theoretical models.

PubMed

Eccles, Martin P; Grimshaw, Jeremy M; MacLennan, Graeme; Bonetti, Debbie; Glidewell, Liz; Pitts, Nigel B; Steen, Nick; Thomas, Ruth; Walker, Anne; Johnston, Marie

2012-10-17

In the field of implementation research, there is an increased interest in use of theory when designing implementation research studies involving behavior change. In 2003, we initiated a series of five studies to establish a scientific rationale for interventions to translate research findings into clinical practice by exploring the performance of a number of different, commonly used, overlapping behavioral theories and models. We reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of the methods, the performance of the theories, and consider where these methods sit alongside the range of methods for studying healthcare professional behavior change. These were five studies of the theory-based cognitions and clinical behaviors (taking dental radiographs, performing dental restorations, placing fissure sealants, managing upper respiratory tract infections without prescribing antibiotics, managing low back pain without ordering lumbar spine x-rays) of random samples of primary care dentists and physicians. Measures were derived for the explanatory theoretical constructs in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), and Illness Representations specified by the Common Sense Self Regulation Model (CSSRM). We constructed self-report measures of two constructs from Learning Theory (LT), a measure of Implementation Intentions (II), and the Precaution Adoption Process. We collected data on theory-based cognitions (explanatory measures) and two interim outcome measures (stated behavioral intention and simulated behavior) by postal questionnaire survey during the 12-month period to which objective measures of behavior (collected from routine administrative sources) were related. Planned analyses explored the predictive value of theories in explaining variance in intention, behavioral simulation and behavior. Response rates across the five surveys ranged from 21% to 48%; we achieved the target sample size for three of the five surveys. For the predictor variables, the mean construct scores were above the mid-point on the scale with median values across the five behaviors generally being above four out of seven and the range being from 1.53 to 6.01. Across all of the theories, the highest proportion of the variance explained was always for intention and the lowest was for behavior. The Knowledge-Attitudes-Behavior Model performed poorly across all behaviors and dependent variables; CSSRM also performed poorly. For TPB, SCT, II, and LT across the five behaviors, we predicted median R2 of 25% to 42.6% for intention, 6.2% to 16% for behavioral simulation, and 2.4% to 6.3% for behavior. We operationalized multiple theories measuring across five behaviors. Continuing challenges that emerge from our work are: better specification of behaviors, better operationalization of theories; how best to appropriately extend the range of theories; further assessment of the value of theories in different settings and groups; exploring the implications of these methods for the management of chronic diseases; and moving to experimental designs to allow an understanding of behavior change.

A Structured Peer-Mentoring Method for Physical Activity Behavior Change Among Adolescents.

PubMed

Smith, Laureen H; Petosa, Rick L

2016-10-01

Despite national guidelines for regular physical activity, most adolescents are not physically active. Schools serve an estimated 60 million youth and provide an educational environment to meet the current physical activity guidelines. The obesity epidemic and chronic disease comorbidities associated with physical inactivity are not likely to be reversed without a strong contribution from local schools. This article describes how a structured peer-mentoring method provides a feasible, flexible, and tailored means to meet the current guidelines for best practice in a school setting. Structured peer mentoring using trained high school mentors to support behavior change in younger peers is an innovative method to meeting the School Health Guidelines to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Through structured peer mentoring, adolescents are provided consistent social support in a caring and personalized manner. This support builds skills and competencies enhancing self-efficacy to sustain a lifetime of physical activity behavior. © The Author(s) 2016.

A Structured Peer-Mentoring Method for Physical Activity Behavior Change Among Adolescents

PubMed Central

Smith, Laureen H.; Petosa, Rick L.

2016-01-01

Despite national guidelines for regular physical activity, most adolescents are not physically active. Schools serve an estimated 60 million youth and provide an educational environment to meet the current physical activity guidelines. The obesity epidemic and chronic disease comorbidities associated with physical inactivity are not likely to be reversed without a strong contribution from local schools. This article describes how a structured peer-mentoring method provides a feasible, flexible, and tailored means to meet the current guidelines for best practice in a school setting. Structured peer mentoring using trained high school mentors to support behavior change in younger peers is an innovative method to meeting the School Health Guidelines to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity. Through structured peer mentoring, adolescents are provided consistent social support in a caring and personalized manner. This support builds skills and competencies enhancing self-efficacy to sustain a lifetime of physical activity behavior. PMID:27257081

Apps Seeking Theories: Results of a Study on the Use of Health Behavior Change Theories in Cancer Survivorship Mobile Apps

PubMed Central

Fair, Kayla; Hong, Y Alicia; Beaudoin, Christopher E; Pulczinski, Jairus; Ory, Marcia G

2015-01-01

Background Thousands of mobile health apps are now available for use on mobile phones for a variety of uses and conditions, including cancer survivorship. Many of these apps appear to deliver health behavior interventions but may fail to consider design considerations based in human computer interface and health behavior change theories. Objective This study is designed to assess the presence of and manner in which health behavior change and health communication theories are applied in mobile phone cancer survivorship apps. Methods The research team selected a set of criteria-based health apps for mobile phones and assessed each app using qualitative coding methods to assess the application of health behavior change and communication theories. Each app was assessed using a coding derived from the taxonomy of 26 health behavior change techniques by Abraham and Michie with a few important changes based on the characteristics of mHealth apps that are specific to information processing and human computer interaction such as control theory and feedback systems. Results A total of 68 mobile phone apps and games built on the iOS and Android platforms were coded, with 65 being unique. Using a Cohen’s kappa analysis statistic, the inter-rater reliability for the iOS apps was 86.1 (P<.001) and for the Android apps, 77.4 (P<.001). For the most part, the scores for inclusion of theory-based health behavior change characteristics in the iOS platform cancer survivorship apps were consistently higher than those of the Android platform apps. For personalization and tailoring, 67% of the iOS apps (24/36) had these elements as compared to 38% of the Android apps (12/32). In the area of prompting for intention formation, 67% of the iOS apps (34/36) indicated these elements as compared to 16% (5/32) of the Android apps. Conclusions Mobile apps are rapidly emerging as a way to deliver health behavior change interventions that can be tailored or personalized for individuals. As these apps and games continue to evolve and include interactive and adaptive sensors and other forms of dynamic feedback, their content and interventional elements need to be grounded in human computer interface design and health behavior and communication theory and practice. PMID:25830810

Interactive Two-Way mHealth Interventions for Improving Medication Adherence: An Evaluation Using The Behaviour Change Wheel Framework

PubMed Central

Amico, K Rivet; Atkins, Lou; Lester, Richard T

2018-01-01

Background Medication adherence is an important but highly complex set of behaviors, which for life-threatening and infectious diseases such as HIV carry critical consequences for individual and public health. There is growing evidence that mobile phone text messaging interventions (mHealth) connecting providers with patients positively impact medication adherence, particularly two-way engagement platforms that require bidirectional communication versus one-way in which responses are not mandatory. However, mechanisms of action have not been well defined. The Behavior Change Wheel is a comprehensive framework for behavior change that includes an all-encompassing model of behavior known as Capability Opportunity Motivation-Behavior and is complemented by a taxonomy of behavior change techniques. Evaluating mHealth interventions for medication adherence using these tools could provide useful insights that may contribute to optimizing their integration into the healthcare system and successful scaling-up. Objective This study aimed to help address the current knowledge gap regarding how two-way mHealth interventions for medication adherence may work by applying the Behavior Change Wheel to characterize WelTel: an interactive digital health outreach platform with robust evidence for improving adherence to antiretroviral therapy. Methods To characterize how WelTel may promote medication adherence, we applied the Behavior Change Wheel to systematically (1) generate a behavioral diagnosis through mapping known antiretroviral therapy adherence barriers onto the Capability Opportunity Motivation-Behavior model of behavior, (2) specify the behavior change techniques that WelTel delivers, (3) link identified behavior change techniques to corresponding intervention functions of the Behavior Change Wheel, and (4) connect these behavior change techniques and intervention functions to respective Capability Opportunity Motivation-Behavior influences on behavior to determine potential mechanisms of action. Results Our evaluation of WelTel using the Behavior Change Wheel suggests that most of its impact is delivered primarily through its personalized communication component, in which 8 different behavior change techniques were identified and linked with 5 intervention functions (environmental restructuring, enablement, education, persuasion, and training). Its mechanisms of action in promoting antiretroviral therapy adherence may involve addressing all Capability Opportunity Motivation-Behavior influences on behavior (physical and psychological capability, physical and social opportunity, reflective and automatic motivation). Conclusions Systematically unpacking the potential active ingredients of effective interventions facilitates the creation and implementation of more parsimonious, tailored, and targeted approaches. Evaluating WelTel using the Behavior Change Wheel has provided valuable insights into how and why such interactive two-way mHealth interventions may produce greater impact than one-way in addressing both nonintentional and intentional forms of nonadherence. The application of the Behavior Change Wheel for evidence synthesis across mHealth interventions targeting various conditions would contribute to strengthening the knowledge base regarding how they may work to impact medication adherence behavior. PMID:29650504

Effects of dehydration on plasma osmolality, thirst-related behavior, and plasma and brain angiotensin concentrations in Couch's spadefoot toad, Scaphiopus couchii.

PubMed

Johnson, W E; Propper, C R

2000-05-01

Under dehydrating conditions, many terrestrial vertebrates species exhibit increases in plasma osmolality and their drinking behavior. Under some circumstances, this behavioral change is accompanied by changes in plasma and central angiotensin concentrations, and it has been proposed that these changes in angiotensin levels induce the thirst-related behaviors. In response to dehydration, the spadefoot toad, Scaphiopus couchii, exhibits thirst-related behavior in the form of cutaneous drinking. This behavior has been termed water absorption response (WR) behavior. Spadefoot toads live in harsh desert environments and are subject annually to dehydrating conditions that may induce thirst-related behavior. We tested the hypothesis that an increase in WR behavior is associated with both an increase in plasma osmolality and an increase in plasma and brain angiotensin concentrations. First, we determined the degree of dehydration that was necessary to initiate WR behavior. Animals dehydrated to 85% of their standard bladder-empty weight via deprivation of water exhibited WR behavior more frequently than control toads left in home containers with water available. Next, using the same dehydration methods, we determined the plasma osmolality and sodium concentrations of dehydrated toads. Toads dehydrated to 85% standard weight also had a significant increase in plasma osmolality, but exhibited no overall change in plasma sodium concentrations, indicating that while an overall increase in plasma osmolality appears to be associated with WR behavior in S. couchii, changes in sodium concentrations alone are not sufficient to induce the behavior. Finally, plasma and brain angiotensin concentrations were measured in control toads and toads dehydrated to 85% standard weight. Plasma and brain angiotensin concentrations did not increase in dehydrated toads, indicating that dehydration-induced WR behavior that is associated with changes in plasma osmolality may not be induced by changes in endogenous angiotensin concentrations in S. couchii.

Recommendation advertising method based on behavior retargeting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Yao; YIN, Xin-Chun; CHEN, Zhi-Min

2011-10-01

Online advertising has become an important business in e-commerce. Ad recommended algorithms are the most critical part in recommendation systems. We propose a recommendation advertising method based on behavior retargeting which can avoid leakage click of advertising due to objective reasons and can observe the changes of the user's interest in time. Experiments show that our new method can have a significant effect and can be further to apply to online system.

Practical Considerations in Creating School-Wide Positive Behavior Support in Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Handler, Marcie W.; Rey, Jannette; Connell, James; Thier, Kimberly; Feinberg, Adam; Putnam, Robert

2007-01-01

School-wide positive behavior support (SWPBS) has been identified as an effective and efficient method to teach students prosocial skills. It requires both effective behavior support practices and systems that will support these changes, including data-based decision making among the school leadership team. There are many practical and systemic…

Nutritional interventions protect against age-related deficits in behavior: from animals to humans

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Aged rats show impaired performance on motor and cognitive tasks. Similar changes in behavior occur in humans with age, and the development of methods to retard or reverse these age-related neuronal and behavioral deficits could increase healthy aging and decrease health care costs. In the present s...

Parental Functioning in Families of Children with ADHD: Evidence for Behavioral Parent Training and Importance of Clinically Meaningful Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerdes, Alyson C.; Haack, Lauren M.; Schneider, Brian W.

2012-01-01

Objective/Method: Statistically significant and clinically meaningful effects of behavioral parent training on parental functioning were examined for 20 children with ADHD and their parents who had successfully completed a psychosocial treatment for ADHD. Results/Conclusion: Findings suggest that behavioral parent training resulted in…

Sexual behavior of adolescent students in Chandigarh and their perceptions regarding family life education

PubMed Central

Kumar, Dinesh; Goel, Naveen Krishan; Bakshi, Ravleen Kaur; Sharma, Manoj Kumar; Ghosh, Abhik K.

2017-01-01

Background: With rapidly changing lifestyle and exposure to the Internet and mass media, lifestyle and sexual behavior of adolescent students are also changing rapidly. Objectives: To investigate the sexual behavior of adolescent students and to study misconceptions prevailing among them. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 1022 adolescent students aged 14–19 years as a part of an Indian Council of Medical Research sponsored survey. Sexual behavior explored by interview method. Logistic regression analysis for finding correlates. Results: Intimate friendship was reported by 19.2% respondents. The sexual behavior included 89% exposure to sex-related material, 74.7% were aware of sexual intercourse. Awareness regarding at least one contraceptive was found among 95.5% (94.5% of condoms and 67.2% of emergency contraception). About 6% respondents reported some sex-related problems and 2.5% of all respondents consulted some doctors for these problems. Awareness of HIV/AIDS was quite high (about 99%), and 96.4% of them were of the opinion that it is spread through sexual intercourse. Knowledge regarding transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) through sexual contact was found among 89.2% respondents. Avoidance/abstinence from sex (84.7%), faithful to one partner (81.7), and use of barrier methods (90.3%) was main reported preventive measures for STI's. About 33% want that the discussion about sex should be open and frank, and 69.4% showed the need of sex education in the schools mostly by doctors. Conclusions: Sexual behavior of adolescent students is changing, and awareness about sex acts is also increasing. There is likelihood of indulging in risky behavior by adolescents. Family life education was felt necessary mainly by qualified medical staff. PMID:29302554

Use of acoustic tools to reveal otherwise cryptic responses of forest elephants to oil exploration.

PubMed

Wrege, Peter H; Rowland, Elizabeth D; Thompson, Bruce G; Batruch, Nikolas

2010-12-01

Most evaluations of the effects of human activities on wild animals have focused on estimating changes in abundance and distribution of threatened species; however, ecosystem disturbances also affect aspects of animal behavior such as short-term movement, activity budgets, and reproduction. It may take a long time for changes in behavior to manifest as changes in abundance or distribution. Therefore, it is important to have methods with which to detect short-term behavioral responses to human activity. We used continuous acoustic and seismic monitoring to evaluate the short-term effects of seismic prospecting for oil on forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) in Gabon, Central Africa. We monitored changes in elephant abundance and activity as a function of the frequency and intensity of acoustic and seismic signals from dynamite detonation and human activity. Elephants did not flee the area being explored; the relative number of elephants increased in a seasonal pattern typical of elsewhere in the ecosystem. In the exploration area, however, they became more nocturnal. Neither the intensity nor the frequency of dynamite blasts affected the frequency of calling or the daily pattern of elephant activity. Nevertheless, the shift of activity to nocturnal hours became more pronounced as human activity neared each monitored area of forest. This change in activity pattern and its likely causes would not have been detected through standard monitoring methods, which are not sensitive to behavioral changes over short time scales (e.g., dung transects, point counts) or cover a limited area (e.g., camera traps). Simultaneous acoustic monitoring of animal communication, human, and environmental sounds allows the documentation of short-term behavioral changes in response to human disturbance. © 2010 Society for Conservation Biology.

Assessing Change in the Teaching Practice of Faculty in a Faculty Development Program for Primary Care Physicians: Toward a Mixed Method Evaluation Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pinheiro, Sandro O.; Rohrer, Jonathan D.; Heimann, C. F. Larry

This paper describes a mixed method evaluation study that was developed to assess faculty teaching behavior change in a faculty development fellowship program for community-based hospital faculty. Principles of adult learning were taught to faculty participants over the fellowship period. These included instruction in teaching methods, group…

Using Psychodynamic, Cognitive Behavioral, and Control Mastery Prototypes to Predict Change: A New Look at an Old Paradigm for Long-Term Single-Case Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pole, Nnamdi; Ablon, J. Stuart; O'Connor, Lynn E.

2008-01-01

This article illustrates a method of testing models of change in individual long-term psychotherapy cases. A depressed client was treated with 208 sessions of control mastery therapy (CMT), an unmanualized approach that integrates elements of psychodynamic therapy (PDT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Panels of experts developed prototypes…

Assessment of Physical Activity, Exercise Self-Efficacy, and Stages of Change in College Students Using a Street-Based Survey Method.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leenders, Nicole Y. J. M.; Silver, Lorraine Wallace; White, Susan L.; Buckworth, Janet; Sherman, W. Michael

2002-01-01

Used a street-based survey to assess college students' physical activity level, exercise self-efficacy, and stages of change for exercise behavior. A large proportion of respondents were not regularly active. Exercise self-efficacy was an important variable in exercise behavior. The low cost, ease of data collection, and short turnaround for…

Social Cognitive and Planned Behavior Variables Associated with Stages of Change for Physical Activity in Spinal Cord Injury: A Multivariate Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keegan, John; Ditchman, Nicole; Dutta, Alo; Chiu, Chung-Yi; Muller, Veronica; Chan, Fong; Kundu, Madan

2016-01-01

Purpose: To apply the constructs of social cognitive theory (SCT) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to understand the stages of change (SOC) for physical activities among individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI). Method: Ex post facto design using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). The participants were 144 individuals with SCI…

Behavioral versus Cognitive Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: An Examination of Outcome and Mediators of Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olatunji, Bunmi O.; Rosenfield, David; Tart, Candyce D.; Cottraux, Jean; Powers, Mark B.; Smits, Jasper A. J.

2013-01-01

Objective: To examine symptom change over time, the effect of attrition on treatment outcome, and the putative mediators of cognitive therapy (CT) versus behavior therapy (BT) for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) using archival data. Method: Sixty-two adults with OCD were randomized to 20 sessions of CT (N = 30) or BT (N = 32) that consisted of…

The role of mixed methods in improved cookstove research.

PubMed

Stanistreet, Debbi; Hyseni, Lirije; Bashin, Michelle; Sadumah, Ibrahim; Pope, Daniel; Sage, Michael; Bruce, Nigel

2015-01-01

The challenge of promoting access to clean and efficient household energy for cooking and heating is a critical issue facing low- and middle-income countries today. Along with clean fuels, improved cookstoves (ICSs) continue to play an important part in efforts to reduce the 4 million annual premature deaths attributed to household air pollution. Although a range of ICSs are available, there is little empirical evidence on appropriate behavior change approaches to inform adoption and sustained used at scale. Specifically, evaluations using either quantitative or qualitative methods provide an incomplete picture of the challenges in facilitating ICS adoption. This article examines how studies that use the strengths of both these approaches can offer important insights into behavior change in relation to ICS uptake and scale-up. Epistemological approaches, study design frameworks, methods of data collection, analytical approaches, and issues of validity and reliability in the context of mixed methods ICS research are examined, and the article presents an example study design from an evaluation study in Kenya incorporating a nested approach and a convergent case oriented design. The authors discuss the benefits and methodological challenges of mixed-methods approaches in the context of researching behavior change and ICS use recognizing that such methods represent relatively uncharted territory. The authors propose that more published examples are needed to provide frameworks for other researchers seeking to apply mixed methods in this context and suggest a comprehensive research agenda is required that incorporates integrated mixed-methods approaches, to provide best evidence for future scale-up.

Patient-Provider Concordance with Behavioral Change Goals Drives Measures of Motivational Interviewing Consistency

PubMed Central

Laws, M. Barton; Rose, Gary S.; Beach, Mary Catherine; Lee, Yoojin; Rogers, William S.; Velasco, Alyssa Bianca; Wilson, Ira B.

2015-01-01

Objective Motivational Interviewing (MI) consistent talk by a counselor is thought to produce “change talk” in clients. However, it is possible that client resistance to behavior change can produce MI inconsistent counselor behavior. Methods We applied a coding scheme which identifies all of the behavioral counseling about a given issue during a visit (“episodes”), assesses patient concordance with the behavioral goal, and labels providers’ counseling style as facilitative or directive, to a corpus of routine outpatient visits by people with HIV. Using a different data set of comparable encounters, we applied the concepts of episode and concordance, and coded using the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity system. Results Patient concordance/discordance was not observed to change during any episode. Provider directiveness was strongly associated with patient discordance in the first study, and MI inconsistency was strongly associated with discordance in the second. Conclusion Observations that MI-consistent behavior by medical providers is associated with patient change talk or outcomes should be evaluated cautiously, as patient resistance may provoke MI-inconsistency. Practice Implications Counseling episodes in routine medical visits are typically too brief for client talk to evolve toward change. Providers with limited training may have particular difficulty maintaining MI consistency with resistant clients. PMID:25791372

Risk-taking and decision-making in youth: relationships to addiction vulnerability

PubMed Central

Balogh, Kornelia N.; Mayes, Linda C.; Potenza, Marc N.

2013-01-01

Background Decision-making and risk-taking behavior undergo developmental changes during adolescence. Disadvantageous decision-making and increased risk-taking may lead to problematic behaviors such as substance use and abuse, pathological gambling and excessive internet use. Methods Based on MEDLINE searches, this article reviews the literature on decision-making and risk-taking and their relationship to addiction vulnerability in youth. Results Decision-making and risk-taking behaviors involve brain areas that undergoing developmental changes during puberty and young adulthood. Individual differences and peer pressure also relate importantly to decision-making and risk-taking. Conclusions Brain-based changes in emotional, motivational and cognitive processing may underlie risk-taking and decision-making propensities in adolescence, making this period a time of heightened vulnerability for engagement in additive behaviors. PMID:24294500

Effects of Sound on the Behavior of Wild, Unrestrained Fish Schools.

PubMed

Roberts, Louise; Cheesman, Samuel; Hawkins, Anthony D

2016-01-01

To assess and manage the impact of man-made sounds on fish, we need information on how behavior is affected. Here, wild unrestrained pelagic fish schools were observed under quiet conditions using sonar. Fish were exposed to synthetic piling sounds at different levels using custom-built sound projectors, and behavioral changes were examined. In some cases, the depth of schools changed after noise playback; full dispersal of schools was also evident. The methods we developed for examining the behavior of unrestrained fish to sound exposure have proved successful and may allow further testing of the relationship between responsiveness and sound level.

Changes in self-efficacy for exercise and improved nutrition fostered by increased self-regulation among adults with obesity.

PubMed

Annesi, James J; Johnson, Ping H; McEwen, Kristin L

2015-10-01

Behavioral theory suggests that treatments that increase participants' use of self-regulatory skills and/or their feelings of ability (self-efficacy) will improve exercise and nutrition behaviors. In addition, psychosocial factors associated with increased exercise may carry over to improved eating. Self-regulation might enhance self-efficacy through feelings of ability to manage barriers to maintaining weight-loss behaviors. Sedentary adults with severe or morbid obesity (M age = 43 years; M BMI = 40.1 kg/m(2)) participated in a 6-month study within a community-based YMCA center. We randomly assigned participants to one of the two groups that incorporated the same cognitive-behavioral support of exercise paired with methods for controlled, healthy eating emphasizing either (a) self-efficacy (n = 138), or (b) self-regulation (n = 136) methods. Mixed model repeated measures ANOVAs indicated significant improvements in exercise- and eating-related self-regulation over 3 months, and exercise- and eating-related self-efficacy over 6 months. The Self-Regulation Treatment Group demonstrated greater improvements in self-regulation for eating and fruit and vegetable intake than the Self-Efficacy Group. Regression analyses indicated that for both exercise and eating, self-regulation change significantly predicted self-efficacy change. In separate equations, changes in exercise and fruit and vegetable intake mediated those relationships, and change in self-efficacy and the corresponding behavioral changes demonstrated reciprocal, mutually reinforcing, relationships. There was evidence of carry-over, or generalization, of both self-regulation and self-efficacy changes from an exercise context to an eating context. We discussed findings in terms of leveraging self-regulation to improve self-efficacy, and provide a rationale for why exercise is the strongest predictor of success with weight loss. Results may be used to inform future behavioral weight-management treatments through improved knowledge of relationships among theoretically derived psychosocial factors.

A parameter control method in reinforcement learning to rapidly follow unexpected environmental changes.

PubMed

Murakoshi, Kazushi; Mizuno, Junya

2004-11-01

In order to rapidly follow unexpected environmental changes, we propose a parameter control method in reinforcement learning that changes each of learning parameters in appropriate directions. We determine each appropriate direction on the basis of relationships between behaviors and neuromodulators by considering an emergency as a key word. Computer experiments show that the agents using our proposed method could rapidly respond to unexpected environmental changes, not depending on either two reinforcement learning algorithms (Q-learning and actor-critic (AC) architecture) or two learning problems (discontinuous and continuous state-action problems).

Behavior dynamics: One perspective

PubMed Central

Marr, M. Jackson

1992-01-01

Behavior dynamics is a field devoted to analytic descriptions of behavior change. A principal source of both models and methods for these descriptions is found in physics. This approach is an extension of a long conceptual association between behavior analysis and physics. A theme common to both is the role of molar versus molecular events in description and prediction. Similarities and differences in how these events are treated are discussed. Two examples are presented that illustrate possible correspondence between mechanical and behavioral systems. The first demonstrates the use of a mechanical model to describe the molar properties of behavior under changing reinforcement conditions. The second, dealing with some features of concurrent schedules, focuses on the possible utility of nonlinear dynamical systems to the description of both molar and molecular behavioral events as the outcome of a deterministic, but chaotic, process. PMID:16812655

A novel method linking neural connectivity to behavioral fluctuations: Behavior-regressed connectivity.

PubMed

Passaro, Antony D; Vettel, Jean M; McDaniel, Jonathan; Lawhern, Vernon; Franaszczuk, Piotr J; Gordon, Stephen M

2017-03-01

During an experimental session, behavioral performance fluctuates, yet most neuroimaging analyses of functional connectivity derive a single connectivity pattern. These conventional connectivity approaches assume that since the underlying behavior of the task remains constant, the connectivity pattern is also constant. We introduce a novel method, behavior-regressed connectivity (BRC), to directly examine behavioral fluctuations within an experimental session and capture their relationship to changes in functional connectivity. This method employs the weighted phase lag index (WPLI) applied to a window of trials with a weighting function. Using two datasets, the BRC results are compared to conventional connectivity results during two time windows: the one second before stimulus onset to identify predictive relationships, and the one second after onset to capture task-dependent relationships. In both tasks, we replicate the expected results for the conventional connectivity analysis, and extend our understanding of the brain-behavior relationship using the BRC analysis, demonstrating subject-specific BRC maps that correspond to both positive and negative relationships with behavior. Comparison with Existing Method(s): Conventional connectivity analyses assume a consistent relationship between behaviors and functional connectivity, but the BRC method examines performance variability within an experimental session to understand dynamic connectivity and transient behavior. The BRC approach examines connectivity as it covaries with behavior to complement the knowledge of underlying neural activity derived from conventional connectivity analyses. Within this framework, BRC may be implemented for the purpose of understanding performance variability both within and between participants. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Five roles for using theory and evidence in the design and testing of behavior change interventions.

PubMed

Bartholomew, L Kay; Mullen, Patricia Dolan

2011-01-01

The prevailing wisdom in the field of health-related behavior change is that well-designed and effective interventions are guided by theory. Using the framework of intervention mapping, we describe and provide examples of how investigators can effectively select and use theory to design, test, and report interventions. We propose five roles for theory and evidence about theories: a) identification of behavior and determinants of behavior related to a specified health problem (i.e., the logic model of the problem); b) explication of a causal model that includes theoretical constructs for producing change in the behavior of interest (i.e., the logic model of change); c) selection of intervention methods and delivery of practical applications to achieve changes in health behavior; d) evaluation of the resulting intervention including theoretical mediating variables; and e) reporting of the active ingredients of the intervention together with the evaluation results. In problem-driven applied behavioral or social science, researchers use one or multiple theories, empiric evidence, and new research, both to assess a problem and to solve or prevent a problem. Furthermore, the theories for description of the problem may differ from the theories for its solution. In an applied approach, the main focus is on solving problems regarding health behavior change and improvement of health outcomes, and the criteria for success are formulated in terms of the problem rather than the theory. Resulting contributions to theory development may be quite useful, but they are peripheral to the problem-solving process.

Design and protocol of a randomized multiple behavior change trial: Make Better Choices 2 (MBC2).

PubMed

Pellegrini, Christine A; Steglitz, Jeremy; Johnston, Winter; Warnick, Jennifer; Adams, Tiara; McFadden, H G; Siddique, Juned; Hedeker, Donald; Spring, Bonnie

2015-03-01

Suboptimal diet and inactive lifestyle are among the most prevalent preventable causes of premature death. Interventions that target multiple behaviors are potentially efficient; however the optimal way to initiate and maintain multiple health behavior changes is unknown. The Make Better Choices 2 (MBC2) trial aims to examine whether sustained healthful diet and activity change are best achieved by targeting diet and activity behaviors simultaneously or sequentially. Study design approximately 250 inactive adults with poor quality diet will be randomized to 3 conditions examining the best way to prescribe healthy diet and activity change. The 3 intervention conditions prescribe: 1) an increase in fruit and vegetable consumption (F/V+), decrease in sedentary leisure screen time (Sed-), and increase in physical activity (PA+) simultaneously (Simultaneous); 2) F/V+ and Sed- first, and then sequentially add PA+ (Sequential); or 3) Stress Management Control that addresses stress, relaxation, and sleep. All participants will receive a smartphone application to self-monitor behaviors and regular coaching calls to help facilitate behavior change during the 9 month intervention. Healthy lifestyle change in fruit/vegetable and saturated fat intakes, sedentary leisure screen time, and physical activity will be assessed at 3, 6, and 9 months. MBC2 is a randomized m-Health intervention examining methods to maximize initiation and maintenance of multiple healthful behavior changes. Results from this trial will provide insight about an optimal technology supported approach to promote improvement in diet and physical activity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Clinical experimental stress studies: methods and assessment.

PubMed

Bali, Anjana; Jaggi, Amteshwar Singh

2015-01-01

Stress is a state of threatened homeostasis during which a variety of adaptive processes are activated to produce physiological and behavioral changes. Stress induction methods are pivotal for understanding these physiological or pathophysiological changes in the body in response to stress. Furthermore, these methods are also important for the development of novel pharmacological agents for stress management. The well-described methods to induce stress in humans include the cold pressor test, Trier Social Stress Test, Montreal Imaging Stress Task, Maastricht Acute Stress Test, CO2 challenge test, Stroop test, Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task, noise stress, and Mannheim Multicomponent Stress Test. Stress assessment in humans is done by measuring biochemical markers such as cortisol, cortisol awakening response, dexamethasone suppression test, salivary α-amylase, plasma/urinary norepinephrine, norepinephrine spillover rate, and interleukins. Physiological and behavioral changes such as galvanic skin response, heart rate variability, pupil size, and muscle and/or skin sympathetic nerve activity (microneurography) and cardiovascular parameters such as heart rate, blood pressure, and self-reported anxiety are also monitored to assess stress response. This present review describes these commonly employed methods to induce stress in humans along with stress assessment methods.

Motivating People To Be Physically Active. Physical Activity Intervention Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marcus, Bess H.; Forsyth, LeighAnn H.

This book describes proven methods for helping people change from inactive to active living. The behavior change methods are useful for healthy adults as well as individuals with chronic physical and psychological conditions. The book describes intervention programs for individuals and groups and for workplace and community settings. Part 1,…

Eliciting behavior change in a US sexual violence and intimate partner violence prevention program through utilization of Freire and discussion facilitation.

PubMed

Nelson, Atiba; Lewy, Robin; Ricardo, Francine; Dovydaitis, Tiffany; Hunter, Amber; Mitchell, Ashley; Loe, Claire; Kugel, Candace

2010-09-01

Designed by Migrant Clinicians Network, the Hombres Unidos Contra La Violencia Familiar (Men United Against Family Violence) Project used facilitated discussion groups as the method to encourage self-reflection and behavior change. Male participants were not taught to rectify any past sexual or intimate partner violence (SV/IPV) 'tendencies', rather the discussion facilitation allowed them to reflect on the SV/IPV that was present in their lives and in the Hispanic community. Subsequently, the sessions and self-reflection, coupled with the discussions with other participating males, empowered several participants to have further interactions about SV/IPV with individuals in their community. The discussions led participants to realize that SV/IPV existed in their community, but that there were males within their community that wanted to change. The Hombres Unidos Contra La Violencia Familiar project demonstrated that behavior change does not need to be actively persuaded, but that self-reflection, which elicits behavior change, can be achieved through facilitated discussion and by permitting the facilitators to become participants. By creating sessions that allow participants to construct their own understanding of the perceived problem while reflecting on their past behavior, true behavior change that is initiated by the participant can be achieved. Through discussion facilitation, a targeted and structured behavior change intervention can assist participants in realizing that their past actions were damaging to themselves and their community, while aiding the participant in employing self-initiated responses, learned within the discussions, to alter their behaviors.

Eliciting behavior change in a US sexual violence and intimate partner violence prevention program through utilization of Freire and discussion facilitation

PubMed Central

Nelson, Atiba; Lewy, Robin; Ricardo, Francine; Dovydaitis, Tiffany; Hunter, Amber; Mitchell, Ashley; Loe, Claire; Kugel, Candace

2010-01-01

Designed by Migrant Clinicians Network, the Hombres Unidos Contra La Violencia Familiar (Men United Against Family Violence) Project used facilitated discussion groups as the method to encourage self-reflection and behavior change. Male participants were not taught to rectify any past sexual or intimate partner violence (SV/IPV) ‘tendencies’, rather the discussion facilitation allowed them to reflect on the SV/IPV that was present in their lives and in the Hispanic community. Subsequently, the sessions and self-reflection, coupled with the discussions with other participating males, empowered several participants to have further interactions about SV/IPV with individuals in their community. The discussions led participants to realize that SV/IPV existed in their community, but that there were males within their community that wanted to change. The Hombres Unidos Contra La Violencia Familiar project demonstrated that behavior change does not need to be actively persuaded, but that self-reflection, which elicits behavior change, can be achieved through facilitated discussion and by permitting the facilitators to become participants. By creating sessions that allow participants to construct their own understanding of the perceived problem while reflecting on their past behavior, true behavior change that is initiated by the participant can be achieved. Through discussion facilitation, a targeted and structured behavior change intervention can assist participants in realizing that their past actions were damaging to themselves and their community, while aiding the participant in employing self-initiated responses, learned within the discussions, to alter their behaviors. PMID:20427371

Assessment of fruit and vegetable intake behavior among adolescents in Hangzhou, China.

PubMed

Mao, Chenjia; Xu, Liangwen; Xu, Li; Ma, Haiyan; Liu, Tingjie; Qu, Xuping; Hu, Hanqiong; Yang, Qifa

2012-09-01

To evaluate the fruit and vegetable (FV) intake of adolescents, assess factors influencing intake and discuss health education strategies related to this behavior. In Hangzhou, China, 861 students aged 13.68 ± 1.03 years were randomly recruited to carry out a cross-sectional, school-based survey. The design of the survey questionnaire was based on the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) of Behavior Change. Results of the survey rated FV consumption and children's readiness to assume healthier dietary choices. The study design incorporated the four core constructs of TTM: stages of change, processes of change, decisional balance and self-efficacy. Results were assessed by chi-square tests, analysis of variance, Tukey's post-hoc tests and logistic regression analysis. Majority of the participants were in the TTM contemplation stage of change. The average number of FV servings among participants was 3.12 ± 1.41 per day. The specific process of change, number of decisional balance pros (as opposed to cons), and self-efficacy ratings were positively correlated with stage of change transition (Spearman r > 0, P < 0.01). Stage transition, higher scores on self-efficacy and lower scores on cons predicted higher FV consumption (β > 0, P < 0.05). The use of TTM may be a powerful personalized means of decreasing poor dietary behaviors and promoting healthy behaviors, compared to traditional methods of behavioral change.

Decreased Taurine and Creatine in the Thalamus May Relate to Behavioral Impairments in Ethanol-Fed Mice: A Pilot Study of Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy.

PubMed

Xu, Su; Zhu, Wenjun; Wan, Yamin; Wang, JiaBei; Chen, Xi; Pi, Liya; Lobo, Mary Kay; Ren, Bin; Ying, Zhekang; Morris, Michael; Cao, Qi

2018-01-01

Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is highly prevalent, observed in up to 80% of patients with liver dysfunction. Minimal hepatic encephalopathy is defined as hepatic encephalopathy with cognitive deficits and no grossly evident neurologic abnormalities. Clinical management may be delayed due to the lack of in vivo quantitative methods needed to reveal changes in brain neurobiochemical biomarkers. To gain insight into the development of alcoholic liver disease-induced neurological dysfunction (NDF), a mouse model of late-stage alcoholic liver fibrosis (LALF) was used to investigate changes in neurochemical levels in the thalamus and hippocampus that relate to behavioral changes. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the brain and behavioral testing were performed to determine neurochemical alterations and their relationships to behavioral changes in LALF. Glutamine levels were higher in both the thalamus and hippocampus of alcohol-treated mice than in controls. Thalamic levels of taurine and creatine were significantly diminished and strongly correlated with alcohol-induced behavioral changes. Chronic long-term alcohol consumption gives rise to advanced liver fibrosis, neurochemical changes in the nuclei, and behavioral changes which may be linked to NDF. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy represents a sensitive and noninvasive measurement of pathological alterations in the brain, which may provide insight into the pathogenesis underlying the development of MHE.

Identification of DWI behavior patterns and methods for change

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1982-09-01

The purpose of this study was to identify patterns of behavior leading to driving while intoxicated (DWI), and to propose countermeasures for altering these patterns before they result in DWI. Two samples were studied: Los Angeles high school student...

An improved car-following model considering headway changes with memory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Shaowei; Shi, Zhongke

2015-03-01

To describe car-following behaviors in complex situations better, increase roadway traffic mobility and minimize cars' fuel consumptions, the linkage between headway changes with memory and car-following behaviors was explored with the field car-following data by using the gray correlation analysis method, and then an improved car-following model considering headway changes with memory on a single lane was proposed based on the full velocity difference model. Some numerical simulations were carried out by employing the improved car-following model to explore how headway changes with memory affected each car's velocity, acceleration, headway and fuel consumptions. The research results show that headway changes with memory have significant effects on car-following behaviors and fuel consumptions and that considering headway changes with memory in designing the adaptive cruise control strategy can improve the traffic flow stability and minimize cars' fuel consumptions.

Behaviors and Knowledge of Healthcorps New York City High School Students: Nutrition, Mental Health, and Physical Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heo, Moonseong; Irvin, Erica; Ostrovsky, Natania; Isasi, Carmen; Blank, Arthur E.; Lounsbury, David W.; Fredericks, Lynn; Yom, Tiana; Ginsberg, Mindy; Hayes, Shawn; Wylie-Rosett, Judith

2016-01-01

Background: HealthCorps provides school wellness programming using curricula to promote changes in nutrition, mental health, and physical activity behaviors. The research objective was to evaluate effects of implementing its curricula on nutrition, mental health, and physical activity knowledge and behavior. Methods: Pre- and postsurvey data were…

Determinants of responsibility for health, spiritual health and interpersonal relationship based on theory of planned behavior in high school girl students.

PubMed

Rezazadeh, Afsaneh; Solhi, Mahnaz; Azam, Kamal

2015-01-01

Adolescence is a sensitive period of acquiring normal and abnormal habits for all oflife. The study investigates determinants of responsibility for health, spiritual health and interpersonal relations and predictive factors based on the theory of planned behavior in high school girl students in Tabriz. In this Cross-sectional study, 340 students were selected thorough multi-stage sampling. An author-made questionnaire based on standard questionnaires of Health Promotion and Lifestyle II (HPLPII), spiritual health standards (Palutzian & Ellison) and components of the theory of planned behavior (attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and behavioral intention) was used for data collection. The questionnaire was validated in a pilot study. Data were analyzed using SPSS v.15 and descriptive and analytical tests (Chi-square test, Pearson correlation co-efficient and liner regression test in backward method). Students' responsibility for health, spiritual health, interpersonal relationships, and concepts of theory of planned behavior was moderate. We found a significant positive correlation (p<0/001) among all concepts of theory of planned behavior. Attitude and perceived behavioral control predicted 35% of intention of behavioral change (p<0.001). Attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control predicted 74% of behavioral change in accountability for health (p<0.0001), 56% for behavioral change in spiritual health (p<0.0001) and 63% for behavioral change in interpersonal relationship (p<0.0001). Status of responsibility for health, spiritual health and interpersonal relationships of students was moderate. Hence, behavioral intention and its determinants such as perceived behavioral control should be noted in promoting intervention programs.

Active Commuting: Workplace Health Promotion for Improved Employee Well-Being and Organizational Behavior

PubMed Central

Page, Nadine C.; Nilsson, Viktor O.

2017-01-01

Objective: This paper describes a behavior change intervention that encourages active commuting using electrically assisted bikes (e-bikes) for health promotion in the workplace. This paper presents the preliminary findings of the intervention’s impact on improving employee well-being and organizational behavior, as an indicator of potential business success. Method: Employees of a UK-based organization participated in a workplace travel behavior change intervention and used e-bikes as an active commuting mode; this was a change to their usual passive commuting behavior. The purpose of the intervention was to develop employee well-being and organizational behavior for improved business success. We explored the personal benefits and organizational co-benefits of active commuting and compared these to a travel-as-usual group of employees who did not change their behavior and continued taking non-active commutes. Results: Employees who changed their behavior to active commuting reported more positive affect, better physical health and more productive organizational behavior outcomes compared with passive commuters. In addition, there was an interactive effect of commuting mode and commuting distance: a more frequent active commute was positively associated with more productive organizational behavior and stronger overall positive employee well-being whereas a longer passive commute was associated with poorer well-being, although there was no impact on organizational behavior. Conclusion: This research provides emerging evidence of the value of an innovative workplace health promotion initiative focused on active commuting in protecting and improving employee well-being and organizational behavior for stronger business performance. It considers the significant opportunities for organizations pursuing improved workforce well-being, both in terms of employee health, and for improved organizational behavior and business success. PMID:28119640

Active Commuting: Workplace Health Promotion for Improved Employee Well-Being and Organizational Behavior.

PubMed

Page, Nadine C; Nilsson, Viktor O

2016-01-01

Objective: This paper describes a behavior change intervention that encourages active commuting using electrically assisted bikes (e-bikes) for health promotion in the workplace. This paper presents the preliminary findings of the intervention's impact on improving employee well-being and organizational behavior, as an indicator of potential business success. Method: Employees of a UK-based organization participated in a workplace travel behavior change intervention and used e-bikes as an active commuting mode; this was a change to their usual passive commuting behavior. The purpose of the intervention was to develop employee well-being and organizational behavior for improved business success. We explored the personal benefits and organizational co-benefits of active commuting and compared these to a travel-as-usual group of employees who did not change their behavior and continued taking non-active commutes. Results: Employees who changed their behavior to active commuting reported more positive affect, better physical health and more productive organizational behavior outcomes compared with passive commuters. In addition, there was an interactive effect of commuting mode and commuting distance: a more frequent active commute was positively associated with more productive organizational behavior and stronger overall positive employee well-being whereas a longer passive commute was associated with poorer well-being, although there was no impact on organizational behavior. Conclusion: This research provides emerging evidence of the value of an innovative workplace health promotion initiative focused on active commuting in protecting and improving employee well-being and organizational behavior for stronger business performance. It considers the significant opportunities for organizations pursuing improved workforce well-being, both in terms of employee health, and for improved organizational behavior and business success.

An evaluation of a storybook targeting parental attitudes, intention, and self-efficacy to change their child's oral health behavior.

PubMed

O'Malley, Lucy; Adair, Pauline; Burnside, Girvan; Robinson, Louise; Coffey, Margaret; Pine, Cynthia

2017-02-01

Methods for reducing dental disease have traditionally focused on health education rather than targeting psychosocial determinants of the core behaviors through behavior change strategies. This study tested a novel intervention in the form of a children's story (Kitten's First Tooth) embedded with behavior change techniques (Abraham & Michie, 2008) with the aim of investigating how effective the intervention was at improving parents' efficacy and intention to enact oral health behaviors for their child. A controlled before and after study conducted in a deprived area of England (n = 149; child mean age 4 years) with an intervention and control group. Changes in task specific parental self-efficacy (PSE) and intention were measured using the Oral Health Behaviors Questionnaire (OHBQ; Adair et al., 2004) at baseline and 3 months following intervention. Of the 149 participants, 129 returned both baseline and evaluation questionnaires (retention 86.6%), 125 of these pairs of questionnaires were used in the analysis (83.4%). The OHBQ was analyzed using a general linear model (ANCOVA). A significant difference was found in favor of the intervention group for PSE related to child tooth brushing behaviors, F ( 1,1 ) = 12.04, p = .001, however no change was observed for PSE related to control of dietary sugars. A theorized children's story can be effective as an oral health promotion intervention by supporting parents to improve their child's oral health-related behavior. Change was observed for child tooth brushing but not sugar control. This may reflect story contents or may be indicative of difficulties of changing dietary behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Systematic Review of Interventions to Prevent Spread of Sexually Transmitted Infections, Including HIV, Among Young People in Europe

PubMed Central

Lazarus, Jeffrey V.; Sihvonen-Riemenschneider, Henna; Laukamm-Josten, Ulrich; Wong, Fiona; Liljestrand, Jerker

2010-01-01

Aim To examine the effectiveness of interventions seeking to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STI), including HIV, among young people in the European Union. Methods For this systematic review, we examined interventions that aimed at STI risk reduction and health promotion conducted in schools, clinics, and in the community for reported effectiveness (in changing sexual behavior and/or knowledge) between 1995 and 2005. We also reviewed study design and intervention methodology to discover how these factors affected the results, and we compiled a list of characteristics associated with successful and unsuccessful programs. Studies were eligible if they employed a randomized control design or intervention-only design that examined change over time and measured behavioral, biologic, or certain psychosocial outcomes. Results Of the 19 studies that satisfied our review criteria, 11 reported improvements in the sexual health knowledge and/or attitudes of young people. Ten of the 19 studies aimed to change sexual risk behavior and 3 studies reported a significant reduction in a specific aspect of sexual risk behavior. Two of the interventions that led to behavioral change were peer-led and the other was teacher-led. Only 1 of the 8 randomized controlled trials reported any statistically significant change in sexual behavior, and then only for young females. Conclusion The young people studied were more accepting of peer-led than teacher-led interventions. Peer-led interventions were also more successful in improving sexual knowledge, though there was no clear difference in their effectiveness in changing behavior. The improvement in sexual health knowledge does not necessarily lead to behavioral change. While knowledge may help improve health-seeking behavior, additional interventions are needed to reduce STIs among young people. PMID:20162748

Threatening communication: A qualitative study of fear appeal effectiveness beliefs among intervention developers, policymakers, politicians, scientists, and advertising professionals

PubMed Central

Peters, Gjalt-Jorn Y; Ruiter, Robert A C; Kok, Gerjo

2014-01-01

Threatening communication is a widely applied method in behavior change interventions, which at the same time has been heavily criticized in the psychological literature. The current paper describes a study of the reasons for this persistent wide application of threatening communication. We conducted qualitative interviews with 33 key actors in behavior change intervention development in The Netherlands. Specifically, we interviewed intervention developers, policymakers, politicians, scientists, and advertising professionals. The interviews were transcribed and subsequently coded using NVivo. We found that participants most closely involved with the actual intervention development were generally convinced that threatening information was to be prevented, but often did not understand the exact processes involved. They were often under the impression that rather than a potent efficacy enhancing element, a behavioral suggestion would suffice to prevent threatening communication from backfiring. As participants were further removed from the actual intervention development, they generally tended to be more in favor of threatening communication. The main reasons for use of threatening information were to attract attention or prompt self-reflection through confrontation, because target population members were assumed to like threatening information and respond rationally to increased risk perceptions by changing their behavior, or simply because no alternatives were available. In addition, intervention developers frequently had to deal with supervisors or funders who preferred threatening communication. Thus, when communicating with practitioners, it seems fruitful to provide them with a toolbox of evidence-based behavior change methods that promote adaptive, rather than maladaptive, behavior; to promote basing interventions on the most relevant behavioral determinants as identified by determinant analyses; and to equip intervention developers with the tools to persuade other key stakeholders that fear is a bad counselor. PMID:24811877

The Systematic Development of an Internet-Based Smoking Cessation Intervention for Adults.

PubMed

Dalum, Peter; Brandt, Caroline Lyng; Skov-Ettrup, Lise; Tolstrup, Janne; Kok, Gerjo

2016-07-01

Objectives The objective of this project was to determine whether intervention mapping is a suitable strategy for developing an Internet- and text message-based smoking cessation intervention. Method We used the Intervention Mapping framework for planning health promotion programs. After a needs assessment, we identified important changeable determinants of cessation behavior, specified objectives for the intervention, selected theoretical methods for meeting our objectives, and operationalized change methods into practical intervention strategies. Results We found that "social cognitive theory," the "transtheoretical model/stages of change," "self-regulation theory," and "appreciative inquiry" were relevant theories for smoking cessation interventions. From these theories, we selected modeling/behavioral journalism, feedback, planning coping responses/if-then statements, gain frame/positive imaging, consciousness-raising, helping relationships, stimulus control, and goal-setting as suitable methods for an Internet- and text-based adult smoking cessation program. Furthermore, we identified computer tailoring as a useful strategy for adapting the intervention to individual users. Conclusion The Intervention Mapping method, with a clear link between behavioral goals, theoretical methods, and practical strategies and materials, proved useful for systematic development of a digital smoking cessation intervention for adults. © 2016 Society for Public Health Education.

Shift in fire-ecosystems and weather changes

Treesearch

Bongani Finiza

2013-01-01

During recent decades too much focus fell on fire suppression and fire engineering methods. Little attention has been given to understanding the shift in the changing fire weather resulting from the global change in weather patterns. Weather change have gradually changed the way vegetation cover respond to fire occurrence and brought about changes in fire behavior and...

Intervention mapping protocol for developing a theory-based diabetes self-management education program.

PubMed

Song, Misoon; Choi, Suyoung; Kim, Se-An; Seo, Kyoungsan; Lee, Soo Jin

2015-01-01

Development of behavior theory-based health promotion programs is encouraged with the paradigm shift from contents to behavior outcomes. This article describes the development process of the diabetes self-management program for older Koreans (DSME-OK) using intervention mapping (IM) protocol. The IM protocol includes needs assessment, defining goals and objectives, identifying theory and determinants, developing a matrix to form change objectives, selecting strategies and methods, structuring the program, and planning for evaluation and pilot testing. The DSME-OK adopted seven behavior objectives developed by the American Association of Diabetes Educators as behavioral outcomes. The program applied an information-motivation-behavioral skills model, and interventions were targeted to 3 determinants to change health behaviors. Specific methods were selected to achieve each objective guided by IM protocol. As the final step, program evaluation was planned including a pilot test. The DSME-OK was structured as the 3 determinants of the IMB model were intervened to achieve behavior objectives in each session. The program has 12 weekly 90-min sessions tailored for older adults. Using the IM protocol in developing a theory-based self-management program was beneficial in terms of providing a systematic guide to developing theory-based and behavior outcome-focused health education programs.

Modern Methods for Modeling Change in Obesity Research in Nursing.

PubMed

Sereika, Susan M; Zheng, Yaguang; Hu, Lu; Burke, Lora E

2017-08-01

Persons receiving treatment for weight loss often demonstrate heterogeneity in lifestyle behaviors and health outcomes over time. Traditional repeated measures approaches focus on the estimation and testing of an average temporal pattern, ignoring the interindividual variability about the trajectory. An alternate person-centered approach, group-based trajectory modeling, can be used to identify distinct latent classes of individuals following similar trajectories of behavior or outcome change as a function of age or time and can be expanded to include time-invariant and time-dependent covariates and outcomes. Another latent class method, growth mixture modeling, builds on group-based trajectory modeling to investigate heterogeneity within the distinct trajectory classes. In this applied methodologic study, group-based trajectory modeling for analyzing changes in behaviors or outcomes is described and contrasted with growth mixture modeling. An illustration of group-based trajectory modeling is provided using calorie intake data from a single-group, single-center prospective study for weight loss in adults who are either overweight or obese.

Change in neighborhood disadvantage and change in smoking behaviors in adults: a longitudinal, within-individual study

PubMed Central

Halonen, Jaana I; Pulakka, Anna; Stenholm, Sari; Pentti, Jaana; Kawachi, Ichiro; Kivimäki, Mika; Vahtera, Jussi

2017-01-01

Background Evidence for an association between neighborhood disadvantage and smoking is mixed and mainly based on cross-sectional studies. To shed light on the causality of this association we examined whether change in neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with within-individual change in smoking behaviors. Methods The study population comprised participants of the Finnish Public Sector study who reported a change in their smoking behavior between surveys in 2008/09 and 2012/13. We linked participants’ residential addresses to a total population database on neighborhood disadvantage with 250×250m resolution. The outcome variables were changes in smoking status (being a smoker vs. not) as well as the intensity (heavy/moderate vs. light smoker). We used longitudinal case-crossover design, a method that accounts for time-invariant confounders by design. We adjusted models for time-varying covariates. Results Of the 3443 participants, 1714 quit while 967 began to smoke between surveys. Smoking intensity increased among 398 and decreased among 364 participants. The level of neighborhood disadvantage changed for 1078 participants because they moved residence. Increased disadvantage was associated with increased odds of being a smoker (odds ratio (OR) of taking up smoking 1.23 (95% CI 1.04-1.47) per 1 standard deviation (SD) increase in standardized national disadvantage score). OR for being a heavy/moderate (vs. light) smoker was 1.14 (95% CI 0.85-1.52) when disadvantage increased by 1 SD. Conclusions These within-individual results link an increase in neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage, due to move in residence, with subsequent smoking behaviors. PMID:27337178

Facilitating Behavior Change with Low-Literacy Patient Education Materials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seligman, Hilary K.; Wallace, Andrea S.; DeWalt, Darren A.; Schillinger, Dean; Arnold, Connie L.; Shilliday, Betsy Bryant; Delgadillo, Adriana; Bengal, Nikki; Davis, Terry C.

2007-01-01

Objective: To describe a process for developing low-literacy health education materials that increase knowledge and activate patients toward healthier behaviors. Methods: We developed a theoretically informed process for developing educational materials. This process included convening a multidisciplinary creative team, soliciting stakeholder…

Utilizing Electronic Medical Records to Discover Changing Trends of Medical Behaviors Over Time*

PubMed Central

Yin, Liangying; Dong, Wei; He, Chunhua; Duan, Huilong

2017-01-01

Summary Objectives Medical behaviors are playing significant roles in the delivery of high quality and cost-effective health services. Timely discovery of changing frequencies of medical behaviors is beneficial for the improvement of health services. The main objective of this work is to discover the changing trends of medical behaviors over time. Methods This study proposes a two-steps approach to detect essential changing patterns of medical behaviors from Electronic Medical Records (EMRs). In detail, a probabilistic topic model, i.e., Latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA), is firstly applied to disclose yearly treatment patterns in regard to the risk stratification of patients from a large volume of EMRs. After that, the changing trends by comparing essential/critical medical behaviors in a specific time period are detected and analyzed, including changes of significant patient features with their values, and changes of critical treatment interventions with their occurring time stamps. Results We verify the effectiveness of the proposed approach on a clinical dataset containing 12,152 patient cases with a time range of 10 years. Totally, 135 patients features and 234 treatment interventions in three treatment patterns were selected to detect their changing trends. In particular, evolving trends of yearly occurring probabilities of the selected medical behaviors were categorized into six content changing patterns (i.e, 112 growing, 123 declining, 43 up-down, 16 down-up, 35 steady, and 40 jumping), using the proposed approach. Besides, changing trends of execution time of treatment interventions were classified into three occurring time changing patterns (i.e., 175 early-implemented, 50 steady-implemented and 9 delay-implemented). Conclusions Experimental results show that our approach has an ability to utilize EMRs to discover essential evolving trends of medical behaviors, and thus provide significant potential to be further explored for health services redesign and improvement. PMID:28474729

Changes in behavior as side effects in methylphenidate treatment: review of the literature

PubMed Central

Konrad-Bindl, Doris Susanne; Gresser, Ursula; Richartz, Barbara Maria

2016-01-01

Background Our review of the scientific literature focused on an analysis of studies describing instances of methylphenidate treatment leading (or not) to behavioral changes in the pediatric, adolescent, and adult populations. Materials and methods We conducted a literature search in PubMed, Medline, and Google using the keywords “methylphenidate”, “behavioral changes”, “adverse effects”, and “side effects”. A total of 44 studies were identified as reporting on the effects and adverse effects of methylphenidate administration, and were included in the analysis. Results Five studies specifically set out to study, record, and discuss changes in behavior. Eight studies did not set out to study behavioral effects, but record and discuss them. A total of 28 studies recorded behavioral effects, but failed to discuss these further. Three studies did not include behavioral effects. Conclusion This review records what data have been published in respect of changes in behavior in association with the use of methylphenidate. While there is some evidence to suggest that methylphenidate causes changes in behavior, the majority of the studies reviewed paid little or no attention to this issue. Based on the available data, it is impossible to determine the point at which such behavioral effects occur. The frequency of occurrence of behavioral effects is also impossible to determine with certainty. Based on the available data, it is not possible to rule out whether behavioral effects may persist or not persist once treatment is discontinued. In conclusion, despite countless publications and extensive administration, especially to children, we have insufficient data to judge the long-term effects and risks of methylphenidate taking. PMID:27789952

Reciprocal effects of treatment-induced increases in exercise and improved eating, and their psychosocial correlates, in obese adults seeking weight loss: a field-based trial

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background A better understanding of interrelations of exercise and improved eating, and their psychosocial correlates of self-efficacy, mood, and self-regulation, may be useful for the architecture of improved weight loss treatments. Theory-based research within field settings, with samples possessing high probabilities of health risks, might enable rapid application of useful findings. Methods Adult volunteers with severe obesity (body mass index [BMI] 35–50 kg/m2; age = 43.0 ± 9.5 y; 83% female) were randomly assigned to six monthly cognitive-behavioral exercise support sessions paired with either group-based nutrition education (n = 145) or cognitive behavioral methods applied to improved eating (n = 149). After specification of mediation models using a bias-corrected bootstrapping procedure, a series of reciprocal effects analyses assessed: a) the reciprocal effects of changes in exercise and fruit and vegetable intake, resulting from the treatments, b) the reciprocal effects of changes in the three psychosocial variables tested (i.e. self-efficacy, mood, and self-regulation) and fruit and vegetable change, resulting from change in exercise volume, and c) the reciprocal effects of changes in the three psychosocial variables and exercise change, resulting from change in fruit and vegetable intake. Results Mediation analyses suggested a reciprocal effect between changes in exercise volume and fruit and vegetable intake. After inclusion of psychosocial variables, also found were reciprocal effects between change in fruit and vegetable intake and change in mood, self-efficacy for controlled eating, and self-regulation for eating; and change in exercise volume and change in mood and exercise-related self-regulation. Conclusion Findings had implications for behavioral weight-loss theory and treatment. Specifically, results suggested that treatments should focus upon, and leverage, the transfer effects from each of the primary weight-loss behaviors (exercise and healthy eating) to the other. Findings on psychosocial correlates of these behavioral processes may also have practical applications. PMID:24308572

Focus on Teen Men: Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Wise Guys Program.

PubMed

Herrman, Judith W; Moore, Christopher; Rahmer, Brian

2016-04-01

Many interventions designed to promote safe sexual behaviors in teens focus on young women. Wise Guys is one curricular intervention designed to foster safe sexual practices in young men. This study assessed knowledge, attitude, and behavioral changes as the result of Wise Guys. This pre/posttest descriptive study measured changes in knowledge, attitudes, and sexual behaviors in 159 young men. This study detected limited knowledge and attitude changes but yielded statistically significant differences in safe sexual behaviors and likelihood to talk with parents or guardians about sexuality and dating. This study revealed important benefits of Wise Guys and proposed future mixed methods research to ensure that authentic teen voices inform programming. Nurses working with adolescents may find this information valuable as they address sexual health issues in their work. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Treatment of addiction and addiction-related behavior

DOEpatents

Dewey, Stephen L.; Brodie, Jonathan D.; Ashby, Jr., Charles R.

2004-12-07

The present invention provides a highly efficient method for treating substance addiction and for changing addiction-related behavior of a mammal suffering from substance addiction. The method includes administering to a mammal an effective amount of gamma vinylGABA or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. The present invention also provides a method of treatment of cocaine, morphine, heroin, nicotine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, or ethanol addiction by treating a mammal with an effective amount of gamma vinylGABA or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

Cognitive behavior therapy in the treatment of panic disorder

PubMed Central

Manjula, M.; Kumariah, V.; Prasadarao, P. S. D. V.; Raguram, R.

2009-01-01

Background: Comprehensive cognitive behavior therapies have been proved to be more effective than behavioral interventions. However, the efficacy of CBT is not studied in the Indian context and also, the amount of change brought about by CBT is not known. Aims: This study aims to examine the efficacy of cognitive behavioral intervention (CBI) in the treatment of panic disorder. Our specific objectives were to assess the effectiveness of CBI in reducing symptom severity as well as cognitions related to panic and panic-related behaviors. Design: The study adopted a two-group comparison with pre- and postassessments design. Materials and Methods: The sample consisted of 30 patients sequentially allotted to the CBI (n = 15) and behavioral intervention (BI, n = 15) groups. Assessment was done using a semistructured interview schedule, panic disorder severity scale, Texas panic attack record form, Anxiety Sensitivity Index, Agoraphobic cognitions questionnaire, Behavioral avoidance checklist, and Panic appraisal inventory. The CBI group was provided with comprehensive cognitive behavior therapy and the BI group with psycho-education and applied relaxation. Results: CBI was found to be superior to BI in the reduction of panic symptoms, behavioral avoidance, safety behaviors, and cognitions. A large percentage of the CBI group patients met the criteria for clinically significant change with a large magnitude of change. Conclusion: Multicomponent CBI is superior to BI in terms of the amount of change it brings about with respect to panic symptoms, avoidance, safety behaviors, and cognitions. PMID:19823629

Supporting Patient Behavior Change: Approaches Used by Primary Care Clinicians Whose Patients Have an Increase in Activation Levels.

PubMed

Greene, Jessica; Hibbard, Judith H; Alvarez, Carmen; Overton, Valerie

2016-03-01

We aimed to identify the strategies used to support patient behavior change by clinicians whose patients had an increase in patient activation. This mixed methods study was conducted in collaboration with Fairview Health Services, a Pioneer Accountable Care Organization. We aggregated data on the change in patient activation measure (PAM) score for 7,144 patients to the primary care clinician level. We conducted in-depth interviews with 10 clinicians whose patients' score increases were among the highest and 10 whose patients' score changes were among the lowest. Transcripts of the interviews were analyzed to identify key strategies that differentiated the clinicians whose patients had top PAM change scores. Clinicians whose patients had relatively large activation increases reported using 5 key strategies to support patient behavior change (mean = 3.9 strategies): emphasizing patient ownership; partnering with patients; identifying small steps; scheduling frequent follow-up visits to cheer successes, problem solve, or both; and showing caring and concern for patients. Clinicians whose patients had lesser change in activation were far less likely to describe using these approaches (mean = 1.3 strategies). Most clinicians, regardless of group, reported developing their own approach to support patient behavior change. Those whose patients showed high activation change reported spending more time with patients on counseling and education than did those whose patients showed less improvement in activation. Clinicians vary in the strategies they use to promote behavior change and in the time spent with patients on such activities. The 5 key strategies used by clinicians with high patient activation change are promising approaches to supporting patient behavior change that should be tested in a larger sample of clinicians to validate their effectiveness. © 2016 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.

Leading during change: the effects of leader behavior on sickness absence in a Norwegian health trust

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Organizational change often leads to negative employee outcomes such as increased absence. Because change is also often inevitable, it is important to know how these negative outcomes could be reduced. This study investigates how the line manager’s behavior relates to sickness absence in a Norwegian health trust during major restructuring. Methods Leader behavior was measured by questionnaire, where employees assessed their line manager’s behavior (N = 1008; response rate 40%). Data on sickness absence were provided at department level (N = 35) and were measured at two times. Analyses were primarily conducted using linear regression; leader behavior was aggregated and weighted by department size. Results The results show a relationship between several leader behaviors and sickness absence. The line managers’ display of loyalty to their superiors was related to higher sickness absence; whereas task monitoring was related to lower absence. Social support was related to higher sickness absence. However, the effect of social support was no longer significant when the line manager also displayed high levels of problem confrontation. Conclusions The findings clearly support the line manager’s importance for employee sickness absence during organizational change. We conclude that more awareness concerning the manager’s role in change processes is needed. PMID:22984817

DISASTER AND YOUTH VIOLENCE: THE EXPERIENCE OF SCHOOL ATTENDING YOUTH IN NEW ORLEANS

PubMed Central

Madkour, Aubrey S.; Johnson, Carolyn C.; Clum, Gretchen A.; Brown, Lisanne

2013-01-01

Purpose Although disaster exposure is linked with increased child aggression, population-level trends are unknown. Pre- to post-Katrina changes in violence-related behaviors among New Orleans high school youth (ages 12-18) were assessed. Methods Data from the 2003 (pre-Katrina), 2005 (pre-Katrina) and 2007 (post-Katrina) New Orleans Youth Risk Behavior Survey (n=5,267) were utilized. Crude comparisons across years of population characteristics and violence behavior prevalence were made with chi-square analyses. Changes in violence-related behaviors over time were assessed with logistic regression models including indicators for survey years and controls for compositional changes. Results Age, gender and race/ethnicity of school-attending youth were stable across years. In models controlling for demographics, most behaviors were stable over time. Some changes were observed for all groups: dating violence and forced sex increased prior to the storm; weapon carrying and missing school due to feeling unsafe decreased after the storm. Among African American adolescents only, being threatened at school increased before Katrina. Conclusions Results do not support significant population-level increases in violent behavior among New Orleans school-attending youths post-Katrina. Factors that buffered New Orleans students from post-Katrina violence increases, such as population composition changes or increased supportive services, may explain these findings. PMID:21783056

Effect of Certified Personal Trainer Services on Stage of Exercise Behavior and Exercise Mediators in Female College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischer, Donald V.; Bryant, Jennifer

2008-01-01

Objective: The authors examined the effect of certified personal trainer services on exercise behavior by using the transtheoretical model of behavioral change. Participants: Female college students (n = 449) completed surveys during the first week (T1) and last week (T2) of the fall semester. Methods: Students receiving personal trainer services…

Identifying moderators of the adherence-outcome relation in cognitive therapy for depression.

PubMed

Sasso, Katherine E; Strunk, Daniel R; Braun, Justin D; DeRubeis, Robert J; Brotman, Melissa A

2015-10-01

Little is known about the influence of patients' pretreatment characteristics on the adherence-outcome relation in cognitive therapy (CT) for depression. In a sample of 57 depressed adults participating in CT, the authors examined interactions between pretreatment patient characteristics and therapist adherence in predicting session-to-session symptom change. Using items from the Collaborative Study Psychotherapy Rating Scale, the authors assessed 3 facets of therapist adherence: cognitive methods, negotiating/structuring, and behavioral methods/homework. Two graduate students rated Sessions 1-4 for adherence. Symptoms were assessed prior to each session with the Beck Depression Inventory-II. Moderators were assessed as part of patients' intake evaluations. After correcting for multiple comparisons, patient gender remained a significant moderator of the relationship between cognitive methods and next-session symptom change; cognitive methods more strongly predicted greater symptom improvement for women as compared to men. Pretreatment anxiety and number of prior depressive episodes were significant moderators of the relationship between behavioral methods/homework and next-session symptom change, with greater behavioral methods/homework predicting symptom improvement more strongly among patients high in pretreatment anxiety and among patients with relatively few prior depressive episodes. This is the first study to provide evidence of how therapist adherence is differentially related to outcome among depressed patients with different characteristics. If replicated, these findings may inform clinical decisions regarding the use of specific facets of adherence in CT for depression with specific patients. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Photo-switchable membrane and method

DOEpatents

Marshall, Kenneth L; Glowacki, Eric

2013-05-07

Switchable gas permeation membranes in which a photo-switchable low-molecular-weight liquid crystalline (LC) material acts as the active element, and a method of making such membranes. Different LC eutectic mixtures were doped with mesogenic azo dyes and infused into track-etched porous membranes with regular cylindrical pores. Photo-induced isothermal phase changes in the imbibed mesogenic material afforded large, reversible changes in the permeability of the photo-switchable membrane to nitrogen. For example, membranes imbibed with a photo-switchable cyanobiphenyl LC material demonstrated low permeability in the nematic state, while the photo-generated isotropic state demonstrated a 16.times.-greater sorption coefficient. Both states obey a high linear sorption behavior in accordance with Henry's Law. In contrast, membranes imbibed with a photo-switchable phenyl benzoate LC material showed the opposite permeability behavior to the biphenyl-imbibed membrane, along with nonlinear sorption behavior.

SOS! Ayuda para Padres: Una Guia Practica para Manejar Problemas de Conducta Comunes y Corrientes. (SOS! Help for Parents: A Practical Guide for Handling Common Everyday Behavior Problems.) Leader's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Lynn

This Spanish-language version of "SOS" provides parents with guidance for handling a variety of common behavior problems based on the behavior approach to child rearing and discipline. This approach suggests that good and bad behavior are both learned and can be changed, and proposes specific methods, skills, procedures, and strategies…

The Healthy Hearts and Kidneys (HHK) study: Design of a 2×2 RCT of technology-supported self-monitoring and social cognitive theory-based counseling to engage overweight people with diabetes and chronic kidney disease in multiple lifestyle changes.

PubMed

Sevick, Mary Ann; Woolf, Kathleen; Mattoo, Aditya; Katz, Stuart D; Li, Huilin; St-Jules, David E; Jagannathan, Ram; Hu, Lu; Pompeii, Mary Lou; Ganguzza, Lisa; Li, Zhi; Sierra, Alex; Williams, Stephen K; Goldfarb, David S

2018-01-01

Patients with complex chronic diseases usually must make multiple lifestyle changes to limit and manage their conditions. Numerous studies have shown that education alone is insufficient for engaging people in lifestyle behavior change, and that theory-based behavioral approaches also are necessary. However, even the most motivated individual may have difficulty with making lifestyle changes because of the information complexity associated with multiple behavior changes. The goal of the current Healthy Hearts and Kidneys study was to evaluate, different mobile health (mHealth)-delivered intervention approaches for engaging individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and concurrent chronic kidney disease (CKD) in behavior changes. Participants were randomized to 1 of 4 groups, receiving: (1) a behavioral counseling, (2) technology-based self-monitoring to reduce information complexity, (3) combined behavioral counseling and technology-based self-monitoring, or (4) baseline advice. We will determine the impact of randomization assignment on weight loss success and 24-hour urinary excretion of sodium and phosphorus. With this report we describe the study design, methods, and approaches used to assure information security for this ongoing clinical trial. Clinical Trials.gov Identifier: NCT02276742. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

A practical, cost-effective method for recruiting people into healthy eating behavior programs.

PubMed

McDonald, Paul W

2007-04-01

The population impact of programs designed to develop healthy eating behaviors is limited by the number of people who use them. Most public health providers and researchers rely on purchased mass media, which can be expensive, on public service announcements, or clinic-based recruitment, which can have limited reach. Few studies offer assistance for selecting high-outreach and low-cost strategies to promote healthy eating programs. The purpose of this study was 1) to determine whether classified newspaper advertising is an effective and efficient method of recruiting participants into a healthy eating program and 2) to determine whether segmenting messages by transtheoretical stage of change would help engage individuals at all levels of motivation to change their eating behavior. For 5 days in 1997, three advertisements corresponding to different stages of change were placed in a Canadian newspaper with a daily circulation of 75,000. There were 282 eligible people who responded to newspaper advertisements, and the cost was Can $1.11 (U.S. $0.72) per recruit. This cost compares favorably with the cost efficiency of mass media, direct mail, and other common promotional methods. Message type was correlated with respondent's stage of change, and this correlation suggested that attempts to send different messages to different audience segments were successful. Classified advertisements appear to be a highly cost-efficient method for recruiting a diverse range of participants into healthy eating programs and research about healthy eating.

Counseling to Prevent Obesity Among Preschool Children: Acceptability of a Pilot Urban Primary Care Intervention

PubMed Central

McKee, M. Diane; Maher, Stacia; Deen, Darwin; Blank, Arthur E.

2010-01-01

PURPOSE To help design effective primary care-based interventions, we explored urban parents’ reactions to a pilot and feasibility study designed to address risk behaviors for obesity among preschool children. METHODS We conducted 3 focus groups (2 in English, 1 in Spanish) to evaluate the pilot intervention. Focus group participants explored the acceptability of the pilot intervention components (completion of a new screening tool for risk assessment, discussion of risk behaviors and behavior change goal setting by physicians, and follow-up contacts with a lifestyle counselor) and the fidelity of the pilot intervention delivery. RESULTS Parents expressed a desire to change behaviors to achieve healthier families. They believed that doctors should increase their focus on healthy habits during visits. Parents were more accepting of nutrition discussions than increasing activity (citing a lack of safe outdoor space) or decreasing sedentary behaviors (citing many benefits of television viewing). Contacts with the lifestyle counselor were described as empowering, with parents noting her focus on strategies to achieve change for the whole family while recognizing that many food behaviors relate to cultural heritage. Parents expressed frustration with physicians for offering advice about changing behavior but not how to achieve it, for dismissing concerns about picky eating or undereating, and in some cases for labels of overweight that they believed were inappropriately applied. CONCLUSIONS Parents welcomed efforts to address family lifestyle change in pediatric visits. The model of physician goal setting with referral for behavior change counseling is highly acceptable to families. Future interventions should acknowledge parental concerns about undereating and perceived benefits of television viewing. PMID:20458109

Consultant Training Workshop for Change Agents. Participant's Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carroll, Larry; And Others

This manual is designed for use in a workshop on leadership training. A discussion is given on the interaction between individuals that produces change in both personal behavior and gradual changes in organizational structures. Theories are presented on methods of bringing about desired change. The major theory under consideration is that of using…

Alcohol Use and Sexual Risk Behaviors in a Migrant Worker Community.

PubMed

McCoy, H Virginia; Shehadeh, Nancy; Rubens, Muni

2016-06-01

There are not many studies exploring the association between alcohol use and risky sexual behaviors among migrant workers. This study analyzed how changes in alcohol use was associated with changes in risky sexual behavior and psychosocial variables. Data for this study was drawn from an HIV risk reduction project. Repeated measures ANOVA and Linear mixed model statistical method was conducted to find changes and association between alcohol use, sexual risk and psychosocial variables over time. The sample (n = 203) was composed of African Americans (33.0 %) and Hispanics (77.0 %) men. Both groups, over time, showed reduction in sexual risk in accordance with reduction in alcohol use. Changes in alcohol use and psychosocial variables showed significant association with sexual risk changes over time. Psychological strategies like building social support should be considered for HIV risk reduction intervention directed towards high alcohol consuming migrant workers.

Exploring the Use of Sensors to Measure Behavioral Interactions: An Experimental Evaluation of Using Hand Trajectories

PubMed Central

Bergmann, Jeroen H. M.; Langdon, Patrick M.; Mayagoitia, Ruth E.; Howard, Newton

2014-01-01

Humans appear to be sensitive to relative small changes in their surroundings. These changes are often initially perceived as irrelevant, but they can cause significant changes in behavior. However, how exactly people’s behavior changes is often hard to quantify. A reliable and valid tool is needed in order to address such a question, ideally measuring an important point of interaction, such as the hand. Wearable-body-sensor systems can be used to obtain valuable, behavioral information. These systems are particularly useful for assessing functional interactions that occur between the endpoints of the upper limbs and our surroundings. A new method is explored that consists of computing hand position using a wearable sensor system and validating it against a gold standard reference measurement (optical tracking device). Initial outcomes related well to the gold standard measurements (r = 0.81) showing an acceptable average root mean square error of 0.09 meters. Subsequently, the use of this approach was further investigated by measuring differences in motor behavior, in response to a changing environment. Three subjects were asked to perform a water pouring task with three slightly different containers. Wavelet analysis was introduced to assess how motor consistency was affected by these small environmental changes. Results showed that the behavioral motor adjustments to a variable environment could be assessed by applying wavelet coherence techniques. Applying these procedures in everyday life, combined with correct research methodologies, can assist in quantifying how environmental changes can cause alterations in our motor behavior. PMID:24516583

Modeling early sexual initiation among young adolescents using quantum and continuous behavior change methods: implications for HIV prevention.

PubMed

Chen, Xinguang; Lunn, Sonja; Harris, Carole; Li, Xiaoming; Deveaux, Lynette; Marshall, Sharon; Cottrell, Leslie; Stanton, Bonita

2010-10-01

Behavioral research and prevention intervention science efforts have largely been based on hypotheses of linear or rational behavior change. Additional advances in the field may result from the integration of quantum behavior change and catastrophe models. Longitudinal data from a randomized trial for 1241 pre-adolescents 9-12 years old who self-described as virgin were analyzed. Data for 469 virgins in the control group were included for linear and cusp catastrophe models to describe sexual initiation; data for the rest in the intervention group were added for program effect assessment. Self-reported likelihood to have sex was positively associated with actual initiation of sex (OR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.43-2.06, R² = 0.13). Receipt of a behavioral prevention intervention based on a cognitive model prevented 15.6% (33.0% vs. 48.6%, OR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.24-1.11) of the participants from initiating sex among only those who reported 'very likely to have sex.' The beta coefficients for the cubic term of the usp assessing three bifurcating variables (planning to have sex, intrinsic rewards from sex and self-efficacy for abstinence) were 0.0726, 0.1116 and 0.1069 respectively; R² varied from 0.49 to 0.54 (p < 0.001 for all). Although an intervention based on a model of continuous behavior change did produce a modest impact on sexual initiation, quantum change has contributed more than continuous change in describing sexual initiation among young adolescents, suggesting the need for quantum change and chaotic models to advance behavioral prevention of HIV/AIDS.

Later Life Changes in Hippocampal Neurogenesis and Behavioral Functions After Low-Dose Prenatal Irradiation at Early Organogenesis Stage

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ganapathi, Ramya; Manda, Kailash, E-mail: kailashmanda@gmail.com

Purpose: To investigate long-term changes in behavioral functions of mice after exposure to low-dose prenatal radiation at an early organogenesis stage. Methods and Materials: Pregnant C57BL/6J mice were irradiated (20 cGy) at postcoitus day 5.5. The male and female offspring were subjected to different behavioral assays for affective, motor, and cognitive functions at 3, 6, and 12 months of age. Behavioral functions were further correlated with the population of CA1 and CA3 pyramidal neurons and immature neurons in hippocampal dentate gyrus. Results: Prenatally exposed mice of different age groups showed a sex-specific pattern of sustained changes in behavioral functions. Male mice showed significantmore » changes in anxiety-like phenotypes, learning, and long-term memory at age 3 months. At 6 months of age such behavioral functions were recovered to a normal level but could not be sustained at age 12 months. Female mice showed an appreciable recovery in almost all behavioral functions at 12 months. Patterns of change in learning and long-term memory were comparable to the population of CA1 and CA3 pyramidal neurons and doublecortin-positive neurons in hippocampus. Conclusion: Our finding suggests that prenatal (early organogenesis stage) irradiation even at a lower dose level (20 cGy) is sufficient to cause potential changes in neurobehavioral function at later stages of life. Male mice showed relatively higher vulnerability to radiation-induced neurobehavioral changes as compared with female.« less

Estimating endogenous changes in task performance from EEG

PubMed Central

Touryan, Jon; Apker, Gregory; Lance, Brent J.; Kerick, Scott E.; Ries, Anthony J.; McDowell, Kaleb

2014-01-01

Brain wave activity is known to correlate with decrements in behavioral performance as individuals enter states of fatigue, boredom, or low alertness.Many BCI technologies are adversely affected by these changes in user state, limiting their application and constraining their use to relatively short temporal epochs where behavioral performance is likely to be stable. Incorporating a passive BCI that detects when the user is performing poorly at a primary task, and adapts accordingly may prove to increase overall user performance. Here, we explore the potential for extending an established method to generate continuous estimates of behavioral performance from ongoing neural activity; evaluating the extended method by applying it to the original task domain, simulated driving; and generalizing the method by applying it to a BCI-relevant perceptual discrimination task. Specifically, we used EEG log power spectra and sequential forward floating selection (SFFS) to estimate endogenous changes in behavior in both a simulated driving task and a perceptual discrimination task. For the driving task the average correlation coefficient between the actual and estimated lane deviation was 0.37 ± 0.22 (μ ± σ). For the perceptual discrimination task we generated estimates of accuracy, reaction time, and button press duration for each participant. The correlation coefficients between the actual and estimated behavior were similar for these three metrics (accuracy = 0.25 ± 0.37, reaction time = 0.33 ± 0.23, button press duration = 0.36 ± 0.30). These findings illustrate the potential for modeling time-on-task decrements in performance from concurrent measures of neural activity. PMID:24994968

Proposed Model of the Neurobiological Mechanisms Underlying Psychosocial Alcohol Interventions: The Example of Motivational Interviewing*

PubMed Central

Feldstein Ewing, Sarah W.; Filbey, Francesca M.; Hendershot, Christian S.; McEachern, Amber D.; Hutchison, Kent E.

2011-01-01

Objective: Despite the prevalence and profound consequences of alcohol use disorders, psychosocial alcohol interventions have widely varying outcomes. The range of behavior following psychosocial alcohol treatment indicates the need to gain a better understanding of active ingredients and how they may operate. Although this is an area of great interest, at this time there is a limited understanding of how in-session behaviors may catalyze changes in the brain and subsequent alcohol use behavior. Thus, in this review, we aim to identify the neurobiological routes through which psychosocial alcohol interventions may lead to post-session behavior change as well as offer an approach to conceptualize and evaluate these translational relationships. Method: PubMed and PsycINFO searches identified studies that successfully integrated functional magnetic resonance imaging and psychosocial interventions. Results: Based on this research, we identified potential neurobiological substrates through which behavioral alcohol interventions may initiate and sustain behavior change. In addition, we proposed a testable model linking within-session active ingredients to outside-of-session behavior change. Conclusions: Through this review, we present a testable translational model. Additionally, we illustrate how the proposed model can help facilitate empirical evaluations of psychotherapeutic factors and their underlying neural mechanisms, both in the context of motivational interviewing and in the treatment of alcohol use disorders. PMID:22051204

Using education on irradiated foods to change behavior of Korean elementary, middle, and high school students

PubMed Central

Kim, Jaerok; Choi, Yoonseok

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Educational interventions targeted food selection perception, knowledge, attitude, and behavior. Education regarding irradiated food was intended to change food selection behavior specific to it. SUBJECTS AND METHODS There were 43 elementary students (35.0%), 45 middle school students (36.6%), and 35 high school students (28.5%). The first step was research design. Educational targets were selected and informed consent was obtained in step two. An initial survey was conducted as step three. Step four was a 45 minute-long theoretical educational intervention. Step five concluded with a survey and experiment on food selection behavior. RESULTS As a result of conducting a 45 minute-long education on the principles, actual state of usage, and pros and cons of irradiated food for elementary, middle, and high-school students in Korea, perception, knowledge, attitude, and behavior regarding the irradiated food was significantly higher after the education than before the education (P < 0.000). CONCLUSIONS The behavior of irradiated food selection shows high correlation with all variables of perception, knowledge, and attitude, and it is necessary to provide information of each level of change in perception, knowledge, and attitude in order to derive proper behavior change, which is the ultimate goal of the education. PMID:25324942

Increasing postpartum contraception in rural India: evaluation of a community-based behavior change communication intervention.

PubMed

Sebastian, Mary Philip; Khan, Mohammed Ejazduin; Kumari, Kaushal; Idnani, Rukma

2012-06-01

The Indian family planning program, though successful in increasing contraceptive use among couples who have achieved their desired family size, has not been equally successful in educating couples about the use of contraceptive methods for birth spacing. An evaluation was conducted of a behavior change communication intervention integrated into the existing government program to increase knowledge and use of the lactational amenorrhea method and postpartum contraception through counseling by community workers. The intervention, which ran between September 2006 and January 2007, was conducted among 959 pregnant women aged 15-24 who lived in Uttar Pradesh, India. The evaluation used logistic regression analyses to measure differences in knowledge and contraceptive use between baseline and the four- and nine-month postpartum follow-up surveys within and between the intervention and comparison groups. The follow-up data show increases in knowledge of the lactational amenorrhea method and spacing methods and in use of spacing methods. At four months postpartum, women in the intervention group were more likely to know the healthy spacing messages than those in the comparison group (odds ratio, 2.1). At nine months postpartum, women in the intervention group, those with higher knowledge of healthy spacing practices and those with correct knowledge of two or more spacing methods were more likely than others to be using a contraceptive method (1.5-3.5). Use of modern contraceptives for spacing at nine months postpartum was 57% in the intervention group versus 30% in the comparison group. Targeted behavior change communication using community workers is an effective and feasible strategy for promoting postpartum contraception.

Classroom Observation Techniques. IDEA Paper No. 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Acheson, Keith A.

Techniques for observing the classroom behavior of teachers and students are examined. These techniques provide a framework for analyzing and understanding classroom interaction, for making decisions about what should be happening, and for changing instructional behavior when it is necessary. The observation methods allow collection, analysis, and…

Changing physician behavior: what works?

PubMed

Mostofian, Fargoi; Ruban, Cynthiya; Simunovic, Nicole; Bhandari, Mohit

2015-01-01

There are various interventions for guideline implementation in clinical practice, but the effects of these interventions are generally unclear. We conducted a systematic review to identify effective methods of implementing clinical research findings and clinical guidelines to change physician practice patterns, in surgical and general practice. Systematic review of reviews. We searched electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PubMed) for systematic reviews published in English that evaluated the effectiveness of different implementation methods. Two reviewers independently assessed eligibility for inclusion and methodological quality, and extracted relevant data. Fourteen reviews covering a wide range of interventions were identified. The intervention methods used include: audit and feedback, computerized decision support systems, continuing medical education, financial incentives, local opinion leaders, marketing, passive dissemination of information, patient-mediated interventions, reminders, and multifaceted interventions. Active approaches, such as academic detailing, led to greater effects than traditional passive approaches. According to the findings of 3 reviews, 71% of studies included in these reviews showed positive change in physician behavior when exposed to active educational methods and multifaceted interventions. Active forms of continuing medical education and multifaceted interventions were found to be the most effective methods for implementing guidelines into general practice. Additionally, active approaches to changing physician performance were shown to improve practice to a greater extent than traditional passive methods. Further primary research is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of these methods in a surgical setting.

Adolescent Ethnolinguistic Stability and Change: A Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kohn, Mary Elizabeth

2013-01-01

Most sociolinguistic studies rely on apparent time, cross-sectional methods to analyze language change. On the basis of apparent time data, sociolinguists have hypothesized that cultural processes of lifespan change create predictable cycles of linguistic behavior in which adolescents lead in the use of vernacular variants and advance sound change…

Age- and treatment-related associations with health behavior change among breast cancer survivors

PubMed Central

Anderson, Chelsea; Sandler, Dale P.; Weinberg, Clarice R.; Houck, Kevin; Chunduri, Minal; Hodgson, M. Elizabeth; Sabatino, Susan A.; White, Mary C.; Rodriguez, Juan L.; Nichols, Hazel B.

2017-01-01

Objective The aim of this study was to identify demographic and treatment-related factors associated with health-promoting behavior changes after a breast cancer diagnosis. Changes in health behaviors were also evaluated according to weight, exercise, diet and alcohol consumption patterns before breast cancer diagnosis. Materials and methods We examined self-reported behavior changes among 1,415 women diagnosed with breast cancer in the NIEHS Sister Study cohort. Women reported changes in exercising, eating healthy foods, maintaining a healthy body weight, drinking alcohol, smoking, getting enough sleep, spending time with family and friends, and participating in breast cancer awareness events. Results: On average, women were 3.7 years from their breast cancer diagnosis. Overall, 20–36% reported positive changes in exercise, eating healthy foods, maintaining a healthy weight, or alcohol consumption. However, 17% exercised less. With each 5-year increase in diagnosis age, women were 11–16% less likely to report positive change in each of these behaviors (OR=0.84–0.89; p<0.05), except alcohol consumption (OR=0.97; CI: 0.81, 1.17). Women who underwent chemotherapy were more likely to report eating more healthy foods (OR =1.47; 95% CI 1.16–1.86), drinking less alcohol (OR=2.01; 95% CI: 1.01, 4.06), and sleeping enough (OR=1.41; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.91). The majority of women (50–84%) reported no change in exercise, eating healthy foods, efforts to maintain a healthy weight, alcohol consumption, sleep patterns, or time spent with family or friends. Conclusions Many women reported no change in cancer survivorship guideline-supported behaviors after diagnosis. Positive changes were more common among younger women or those who underwent chemotherapy. PMID:28254640

Changing behavior towards sustainable practices using Information Technology.

PubMed

Iveroth, Einar; Bengtsson, Fredrik

2014-06-15

This article addresses the question of how to change individuals' behavior towards more sustainable practices using Information Technology (IT). By following a multidisciplinary and socio-technical perspective, this inquiry is answered by applying a new framework-The Commonality Framework for IT-enabled Change-on a case study of sustainable behavioral change. The framework is grounded in practice theory and is used to analyze the implementation of an IT-system aimed at changing citizens' behavior towards more sustainable transport logistics and procurement in Uppsala, Sweden. The article applies case study research design and the empirical data consists of surveys, in-depth and semi-structured interviews, observations and archival documents. The results show how the change towards sustainable practices is an entanglement of both social and technical-structural elements across time. In this process, structures such as IT are the enablers, and the actors and their social activities are the tipping-point factors that ultimately determine the success of changing individuals' behavior towards a more sustainable direction. This article provides a more balanced view of how both actor and structure related properties interact during the on-going work with change towards greater sustainability practices than earlier research has offered. More specifically, the article offers both a lower-level theory and a method from which we can analyze change processes where technology is seen in its context, and where both technology and the human actor is brought forth to center stage. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Novel Model-Based Driving Behavior Recognition System Using Motion Sensors.

PubMed

Wu, Minglin; Zhang, Sheng; Dong, Yuhan

2016-10-20

In this article, a novel driving behavior recognition system based on a specific physical model and motion sensory data is developed to promote traffic safety. Based on the theory of rigid body kinematics, we build a specific physical model to reveal the data change rule during the vehicle moving process. In this work, we adopt a nine-axis motion sensor including a three-axis accelerometer, a three-axis gyroscope and a three-axis magnetometer, and apply a Kalman filter for noise elimination and an adaptive time window for data extraction. Based on the feature extraction guided by the built physical model, various classifiers are accomplished to recognize different driving behaviors. Leveraging the system, normal driving behaviors (such as accelerating, braking, lane changing and turning with caution) and aggressive driving behaviors (such as accelerating, braking, lane changing and turning with a sudden) can be classified with a high accuracy of 93.25%. Compared with traditional driving behavior recognition methods using machine learning only, the proposed system possesses a solid theoretical basis, performs better and has good prospects.

A Novel Model-Based Driving Behavior Recognition System Using Motion Sensors

PubMed Central

Wu, Minglin; Zhang, Sheng; Dong, Yuhan

2016-01-01

In this article, a novel driving behavior recognition system based on a specific physical model and motion sensory data is developed to promote traffic safety. Based on the theory of rigid body kinematics, we build a specific physical model to reveal the data change rule during the vehicle moving process. In this work, we adopt a nine-axis motion sensor including a three-axis accelerometer, a three-axis gyroscope and a three-axis magnetometer, and apply a Kalman filter for noise elimination and an adaptive time window for data extraction. Based on the feature extraction guided by the built physical model, various classifiers are accomplished to recognize different driving behaviors. Leveraging the system, normal driving behaviors (such as accelerating, braking, lane changing and turning with caution) and aggressive driving behaviors (such as accelerating, braking, lane changing and turning with a sudden) can be classified with a high accuracy of 93.25%. Compared with traditional driving behavior recognition methods using machine learning only, the proposed system possesses a solid theoretical basis, performs better and has good prospects. PMID:27775625

Rationale, design and methods of the HEALTHY study behavior intervention component

PubMed Central

Venditti, EM; Elliot, DL; Faith, MS; Firrell, LS; Giles, CM; Goldberg, L; Marcus, MD; Schneider, M; Solomon, S; Thompson, D; Yin, Z

2009-01-01

HEALTHY was a multi-center primary prevention trial designed to reduce risk factors for type 2 diabetes in adolescents. Seven centers each recruited six middle schools that were randomized to either intervention or control. The HEALTHY intervention integrated multiple components in nutrition, physical education, behavior change and communications and promotion. The conceptual rationale as well as the design and development of the behavior intervention component are described. Pilot study data informed the development of the behavior intervention component. Principles of social learning and health-related behavior change were incorporated. One element of the behavior intervention component was a sequence of peer-led, teacher-facilitated learning activities known as FLASH (Fun Learning Activities for Student Health). Five FLASH modules were implemented over five semesters of the HEALTHY study, with the first module delivered in the second semester of the sixth grade and the last module in the second semester of the eighth grade. Each module contained sessions that were designed to be delivered on a weekly basis to foster self-awareness, knowledge, decision-making skills and peer involvement for health behavior change. FLASH behavioral practice incorporated individual and group self-monitoring challenges for eating and activity. Another element of the behavior intervention component was the family outreach strategy for extending changes in physical activity and healthy eating beyond the school day and for supporting the student's lifestyle change choices. Family outreach strategies included the delivery of newsletters and supplemental packages with materials to promote healthy behavior in the home environment during school summer and winter holiday breaks. In conclusion, the HEALTHY behavior intervention component, when integrated with total school food and physical education environmental changes enhanced by communications and promotional campaigns, is a feasible and acceptable mechanism for delivering age-appropriate social learning for healthy eating and physical activity among an ethnically diverse group of middle school students across the United States. PMID:19623189

Rationale, design and methods of the HEALTHY study behavior intervention component.

PubMed

Venditti, E M; Elliot, D L; Faith, M S; Firrell, L S; Giles, C M; Goldberg, L; Marcus, M D; Schneider, M; Solomon, S; Thompson, D; Yin, Z

2009-08-01

HEALTHY was a multi-center primary prevention trial designed to reduce risk factors for type 2 diabetes in adolescents. Seven centers each recruited six middle schools that were randomized to either intervention or control. The HEALTHY intervention integrated multiple components in nutrition, physical education, behavior change and communications and promotion. The conceptual rationale as well as the design and development of the behavior intervention component are described. Pilot study data informed the development of the behavior intervention component. Principles of social learning and health-related behavior change were incorporated. One element of the behavior intervention component was a sequence of peer-led, teacher-facilitated learning activities known as FLASH (Fun Learning Activities for Student Health). Five FLASH modules were implemented over five semesters of the HEALTHY study, with the first module delivered in the second semester of the sixth grade and the last module in the second semester of the eighth grade. Each module contained sessions that were designed to be delivered on a weekly basis to foster self-awareness, knowledge, decision-making skills and peer involvement for health behavior change. FLASH behavioral practice incorporated individual and group self-monitoring challenges for eating and activity. Another element of the behavior intervention component was the family outreach strategy for extending changes in physical activity and healthy eating beyond the school day and for supporting the student's lifestyle change choices. Family outreach strategies included the delivery of newsletters and supplemental packages with materials to promote healthy behavior in the home environment during school summer and winter holiday breaks. In conclusion, the HEALTHY behavior intervention component, when integrated with total school food and physical education environmental changes enhanced by communications and promotional campaigns, is a feasible and acceptable mechanism for delivering age-appropriate social learning for healthy eating and physical activity among an ethnically diverse group of middle school students across the United States.

Fostering Sustainable Behavior: An Introduction to Community-Based Social Marketing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKenzie-Mohr, Doug; Smith, William

This book discusses incorporating community-based social marketing techniques programs. The first chapter explains why programs that rely heavily on conventional methods to promote behavior change are often ineffective, and introduces community-based social marketing as an attractive alternative for the delivery of programs. Chapter 2 describes…

Perceived Environmental Church Support and Physical Activity among Black Church Members

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baruth, Meghan; Wilcox, Sara; Saunders, Ruth P.; Hooker, Steven P.; Hussey, James R.; Blair, Steven N.

2013-01-01

Background: Churches are an appealing setting for implementing health-related behavior change programs. Purpose: The objective of the study was to examine the relationship between perceived environmental church support for physical activity (PA) and PA behaviors. Method: Black church members from South Carolina ("n" = 309) wore an…

Change Blindness as a Means of Studying Expertise in Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feil, Adam; Mestre, Jose P.

2010-01-01

Previous studies examining expertise have used a wide range of methods. Beyond characterizing expert and novice behavior in different contexts and circumstances, many studies have examined the processes that comprise the behavior itself and, more recently, processes that comprise training and practice that develop expertise. Other studies, dating…

Assessing the Impact of Continuing Medical Education through Structured Physician Dialogue.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wergin, Jon F.; And Others

A method for evaluating physicians' practice behavior after undertaking continuing medical education (CME) conducted by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) was developed and tested during 1983-1985. The literature on CME effectiveness and physician behavior change was reviewed. Physicians who were trained interviewers conducted telephone…

Treating Chronic Crisis Bearers and Their Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doyle, Averil Marie; Dorlac, Charles

1978-01-01

This article presents a method for family crisis intervention. The goal is extended from restoring the crisis bearing unit to its pre-crisis level of coping to a basic restructuring of maladaptive pre-crisis behaviors. It is aimed at general behavior change as well as resolution of the immediate situation. (Author)

Children's Emotion and Behavior In Painting Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, I-Ju

2013-01-01

This study adopted various methods such as qualitative research, observation, interviews, and document collection to examine the emotional responses, behavior changes, and counseling effects on a single-parent child in a skipped-generation family before or after a series of painting activities. The participant was asked to take part in 50-minute…

Methods for Evaluating the Content, Usability, and Efficacy of Commercial Mobile Health Apps

PubMed Central

Silfee, Valerie J; Waring, Molly E; Boudreaux, Edwin D; Sadasivam, Rajani S; Mullen, Sean P; Carey, Jennifer L; Hayes, Rashelle B; Ding, Eric Y; Bennett, Gary G; Pagoto, Sherry L

2017-01-01

Commercial mobile apps for health behavior change are flourishing in the marketplace, but little evidence exists to support their use. This paper summarizes methods for evaluating the content, usability, and efficacy of commercially available health apps. Content analyses can be used to compare app features with clinical guidelines, evidence-based protocols, and behavior change techniques. Usability testing can establish how well an app functions and serves its intended purpose for a target population. Observational studies can explore the association between use and clinical and behavioral outcomes. Finally, efficacy testing can establish whether a commercial app impacts an outcome of interest via a variety of study designs, including randomized trials, multiphase optimization studies, and N-of-1 studies. Evidence in all these forms would increase adoption of commercial apps in clinical practice, inform the development of the next generation of apps, and ultimately increase the impact of commercial apps. PMID:29254914

Behavioral, Ventilatory and Thermoregulatory Responses to Hypercapnia and Hypoxia in the Wistar Audiogenic Rat (WAR) Strain

PubMed Central

Giusti, Humberto; Oliveira, José Antonio; Glass, Mogens Lesner; Garcia-Cairasco, Norberto

2016-01-01

Introduction We investigated the behavioral, respiratory, and thermoregulatory responses elicited by acute exposure to both hypercapnic and hypoxic environments in Wistar audiogenic rats (WARs). The WAR strain represents a genetic animal model of epilepsy. Methods Behavioral analyses were performed using neuroethological methods, and flowcharts were constructed to illustrate behavioral findings. The body plethysmography method was used to obtain pulmonary ventilation (VE) measurements, and body temperature (Tb) measurements were taken via temperature sensors implanted in the abdominal cavities of the animals. Results No significant difference was observed between the WAR and Wistar control group with respect to the thermoregulatory response elicited by exposure to both acute hypercapnia and acute hypoxia (p>0.05). However, we found that the VE of WARs was attenuated relative to that of Wistar control animals during exposure to both hypercapnic (WAR: 133 ± 11% vs. Wistar: 243 ± 23%, p<0.01) and hypoxic conditions (WAR: 138 ± 8% vs. Wistar: 177 ± 8%; p<0.01). In addition, we noted that this ventilatory attenuation was followed by alterations in the behavioral responses of these animals. Conclusions Our results indicate that WARs, a genetic model of epilepsy, have important alterations in their ability to compensate for changes in levels of various arterial blood gasses. WARs present an attenuated ventilatory response to an increased PaCO2 or decreased PaO2, coupled to behavioral changes, which make them a suitable model to further study respiratory risks associated to epilepsy. PMID:27149672

Stages of change of behavior in women on a multi-professional program for treatment of obesity 1

PubMed Central

Bevilaqua, Cheila Aparecida; Pelloso, Sandra Marisa; Marcon, Sonia Silva

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective: to ascertain the effectiveness of an intervention program in relation to anthropometric measurements and stage of readiness for behavioral change in women with excess weight. Methods: the intervention group (IG) was made up of 13 women, and the control group (CG), by 20. The intervention lasted 16 weeks, and included the practice of guided physical activity three times a week, and health education once a week. The application of the questionnaire on stage of readiness for behavioral change, and the anthropometric evaluations, were undertaken at two points - before and after the period of intervention. The statistical analysis involved tests of comparison and association. Results: in general, at the first point, the participants in the two groups were predisposed to make changes in what they ate and in their physical activity. However, significant difference was only observed in relation to weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and waist-hip ratio and readiness for change among the members of the intervention group. Conclusion: the intervention programmed was effective in weight loss, reduction of waist circumference and waist-hip ratio, and in changing behaviors related to the practicing of physical exercise and eating habits. PMID:27737377

Depression and Delinquency Covariation in an Accelerated Longitudinal Sample of Adolescents

PubMed Central

Kofler, Michael J.; McCart, Michael R.; Zajac, Kristyn; Ruggiero, Kenneth J.; Saunders, Benjamin E.; Kilpatrick, Dean G.

2015-01-01

Objectives The current study tested opposing predictions stemming from the failure and acting out theories of depression-delinquency covariation. Methods Participants included a nationwide longitudinal sample of adolescents (N = 3,604) ages 12 to 17. Competing models were tested using cohort-sequential latent growth curve modeling to determine whether depressive symptoms at age 12 (baseline) predicted concurrent and age-related changes in delinquent behavior, whether the opposite pattern was apparent (delinquency predicting depression), and whether initial levels of depression predict changes in delinquency significantly better than vice versa. Results Early depressive symptoms predicted age-related changes in delinquent behavior significantly better than early delinquency predicted changes in depressive symptoms. In addition, the impact of gender on age-related changes in delinquent symptoms was mediated by gender differences in depressive symptom changes, indicating that depressive symptoms are a particularly salient risk factor for delinquent behavior in girls. Conclusion Early depressive symptoms represent a significant risk factor for later delinquent behavior – especially for girls – and appear to be a better predictor of later delinquency than early delinquency is of later depression. These findings provide support for the acting out theory and contradict failure theory predictions. PMID:21787049

Using an evidence-based online module to improve parents' ability to support their child with Developmental Coordination Disorder.

PubMed

Camden, Chantal; Foley, Véronique; Anaby, Dana; Shikako-Thomas, Keiko; Gauthier-Boudreault, Camille; Berbari, Jade; Missiuna, Cheryl

2016-07-01

Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder. Best practices include raising parents' awareness and building capacity but few interventions incorporating these best practices are documented. To examine whether an evidence-based online module can increase the perceived knowledge and skills of parents of children with DCD, and lead to behavioral changes when managing their child's health condition. A mixed-methods, before-after design guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior was employed. Data about the knowledge, skills and behaviors of parents of children with DCD were collected using questionnaires prior to completing the module, immediately after, and three months later. Paired T-tests, sensitivity analyses and thematic analyses were performed on data as appropriate. One hundred-sixteen, 81 and 58 participants respectively completed the three questionnaires. For knowledge and skills, post- and follow-up scores were significantly higher than baseline scores (p < 0.01). Fifty-two (64%) participants reported an intention to change behavior post-intervention and 29 (50%) participants had tried recommended strategies at follow-up. Three themes emerged to describe parents' behavioral change: sharing information, trialing strategies and changing attitudes. Factors influencing parents' ability to implement these behavioral changes included clear recommendations, time, and 'right' attitude. Perceived outcomes associated with the parental behavioral changes involved improvement in well-being for the children at school, at home, and for the family as a whole. The online module increased parents' self-reported knowledge and skills in DCD management. Future research should explore its impacts on children's long-term outcomes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using Confidence Interval-Based Estimation of Relevance to Select Social-Cognitive Determinants for Behavior Change Interventions.

PubMed

Crutzen, Rik; Peters, Gjalt-Jorn Ygram; Noijen, Judith

2017-01-01

When developing an intervention aimed at behavior change, one of the crucial steps in the development process is to select the most relevant social-cognitive determinants. These determinants can be seen as the buttons one needs to push to establish behavior change. Insight into these determinants is needed to select behavior change methods (i.e., general behavior change techniques that are applied in an intervention) in the development process. Therefore, a study on determinants is often conducted as formative research in the intervention development process. Ideally, all relevant determinants identified in such a study are addressed by an intervention. However, when developing a behavior change intervention, there are limits in terms of, for example, resources available for intervention development and the amount of content that participants of an intervention can be exposed to. Hence, it is important to select those determinants that are most relevant to the target behavior as these determinants should be addressed in an intervention. The aim of the current paper is to introduce a novel approach to select the most relevant social-cognitive determinants and use them in intervention development. This approach is based on visualization of confidence intervals for the means and correlation coefficients for all determinants simultaneously. This visualization facilitates comparison, which is necessary when making selections. By means of a case study on the determinants of using a high dose of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (commonly known as ecstasy), we illustrate this approach. We provide a freely available tool to facilitate the analyses needed in this approach.

Interventions to maximize facial cleanliness and achieve environmental improvement for trachoma elimination: A review of the grey literature

PubMed Central

Solomon, Hiwote; Solomon, Anthony W.; Freeman, Matthew C.

2018-01-01

Background Efforts are underway to scale-up the facial cleanliness and environmental improvement (F&E) components of the World Health Organization’s SAFE strategy for elimination of trachoma as a public health problem. Improving understanding of the F&E intervention landscape could inform advancements prior to scale-up, and lead to more effective and sustained behavior change. Methods/findings We systematically searched for relevant grey literature published from January 1965 through August 2016. Publications were eligible for review if they described interventions addressing F&E in the context of trachoma elimination programs. Subsequent to screening, we mapped attributes of F&E interventions. We then employed three behavior change frameworks to synthesize mapped data and identify potential intervention gaps. We identified 27 documents meeting inclusion criteria. With the exception of some recent programming, F&E interventions have largely focused on intermediate and distal antecedents of behavior change. Evidence from our analyses suggests many interventions are not designed to address documented determinants of improved F&E practices. No reviewed documents endorsed inclusion of intervention components related to behavioral maintenance or resilience–factors critical for sustaining improved behaviors. Conclusions If left unaddressed, identified gaps in intervention content may continue to challenge uptake and sustainability of improved F&E behaviors. Stakeholders designing and implementing trachoma elimination programs should review their F&E intervention content and delivery approaches with an eye toward improvement, including better alignment with established behavior change theories and empirical evidence. Implementation should move beyond information dissemination, and appropriately employ a variety of behavior change techniques to address more proximal influencers of change. PMID:29370169

A Labor of Love

PubMed Central

Ross, Alyson; Sundaramurthi, Thiruppavai; Bevans, Margaret

2014-01-01

Background Evidence suggests that emotional distress and objective demands of cancer caregiving are comparable to those of dementia caregiving, yet little research has focused on the physical health of cancer caregivers. Whether the stress leads directly to changes in health or whether the stress leads to changes in health behaviors, which in turn affect health, has not been systematically examined. Objective The objective of this study was to review the research literature regarding changes in health behaviors associated with caring for an individual with cancer. Methods Literature was reviewed from multiple databases including CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), CINAHL Plus, PsycNET, PubMed, SCOPUS, EMBASE, and Web of Science. Key words included “health behavior,” “health promotion,” ”caregivers/caregiving,” “cancer/oncology,” “diet/nutrition,” “exercise/physical activity,” “stress management,” “smoking” and “alcohol.” Studies were included if they involved informal adult caregivers and at least 1 behavior associated with a healthy lifestyle. Of the 866 studies identified, 8 met the criteria. Results Studies revealed conflicting information, with some suggesting deleterious changes in behaviors, whereas others found the changes protective. Conclusions The lack of uniformity of terminology and conflicting findings make it difficult to conclude the impact of the caregiving experience on the health behaviors of cancer caregivers. Something is placing caregivers at risk for illness and early death, but the mechanisms behind the risk and the role of unhealthy behaviors are not clear. Implications for Practice At a minimum, cancer caregivers should be screened for behavior changes and disease risk. Developing standardized measures for future research including controlled, longitudinal studies is needed. PMID:23132126

The influence of social networking sites on health behavior change: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Laranjo, Liliana; Arguel, Amaël; Neves, Ana L; Gallagher, Aideen M; Kaplan, Ruth; Mortimer, Nathan; Mendes, Guilherme A; Lau, Annie Y S

2015-01-01

Objective Our aim was to evaluate the use and effectiveness of interventions using social networking sites (SNSs) to change health behaviors. Materials and methods Five databases were scanned using a predefined search strategy. Studies were included if they focused on patients/consumers, involved an SNS intervention, had an outcome related to health behavior change, and were prospective. Studies were screened by independent investigators, and assessed using Cochrane's ‘risk of bias’ tool. Randomized controlled trials were pooled in a meta-analysis. Results The database search retrieved 4656 citations; 12 studies (7411 participants) met the inclusion criteria. Facebook was the most utilized SNS, followed by health-specific SNSs, and Twitter. Eight randomized controlled trials were combined in a meta-analysis. A positive effect of SNS interventions on health behavior outcomes was found (Hedges’ g 0.24; 95% CI 0.04 to 0.43). There was considerable heterogeneity (I2 = 84.0%; T2 = 0.058) and no evidence of publication bias. Discussion To the best of our knowledge, this is the first meta-analysis evaluating the effectiveness of SNS interventions in changing health-related behaviors. Most studies evaluated multi-component interventions, posing problems in isolating the specific effect of the SNS. Health behavior change theories were seldom mentioned in the included articles, but two particularly innovative studies used ‘network alteration’, showing a positive effect. Overall, SNS interventions appeared to be effective in promoting changes in health-related behaviors, and further research regarding the application of these promising tools is warranted. Conclusions Our study showed a positive effect of SNS interventions on health behavior-related outcomes, but there was considerable heterogeneity. Protocol registration The protocol for this systematic review is registered at http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO with the number CRD42013004140. PMID:25005606

Survey report on awareness and participation behavior in disabled sports and disability understanding after Tokyo's bid for the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics.

PubMed

Shiota, Kotomi

2018-01-01

[Purpose] This study analyzes awareness and participation behavior in disabled sports and disability understanding after Tokyo's bid for the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics. [Subjects and Methods] The study conducted a cross survey on 220 registrants of an Internet research firm. It analyzed: the awareness of citizens and their behavioral changes, in the aftermath of the allocation of Olympic and Paralympic Games; subject attributes and education level; recognition of disabled sports; and the awareness and behavior of participants, with regard to disabled sports. The analysis was conducted using SPSS Ver. 21 (IBM). [Results] The subjects were not interested in watching (72.2%), participating (76.8%), or volunteering (71.8%) in disabled sports. In addition, 76.8% of the subjects exhibited no behavioral changes-such as by watching, participating, or volunteering in disabled sports-after the Olympics and Paralympics bid decision. [Conclusion] This study's subjects had no confidence in their disability knowledge and no opportunities to interact with disabled persons. Furthermore, the bids for mega-events such as the Olympic and Paralympic Games did not lead to behavioral changes concerning disabled sports. Therefore, disability understanding should promote and deepen participation behavior in disabled sports.

An Example of How to Supplement Goal Setting to Promote Behavior Change for Families Using Motivational Interviewing.

PubMed

Draxten, Michelle; Flattum, Colleen; Fulkerson, Jayne

2016-10-01

The purpose of this study was to describe the components and use of motivational interviewing (MI) within a behavior change intervention to promote healthful eating and family meals and prevent childhood obesity. The Healthy Home Offerings via the Mealtime Environment (HOME) Plus intervention was part of a two-arm randomized-controlled trial and included 81 families (children 8-12 years old and their parents) in the intervention condition. The intervention included 10 monthly, 2-hour group sessions and 5 bimonthly motivational/goal-setting phone calls. Data were collected for intervention families only at each of the goal-setting calls and a behavior change assessment was administered at the 10th/final group session. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the MI call data and behavior assessment. Overall group attendance was high (68% attending ≥7 sessions). Motivational/goal-setting phone calls were well accepted by parents, with an 87% average completion rate. More than 85% of the time, families reported meeting their chosen goal between calls. Families completing the behavioral assessment reported the most change in having family meals more often and improving home food healthfulness. Researchers should use a combination of delivery methods using MI when implementing behavior change programs for families to promote goal setting and healthful eating within pediatric obesity interventions.

Apps to promote physical activity among adults: a review and content analysis

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background In May 2013, the iTunes and Google Play stores contained 23,490 and 17,756 smartphone applications (apps) categorized as Health and Fitness, respectively. The quality of these apps, in terms of applying established health behavior change techniques, remains unclear. Methods The study sample was identified through systematic searches in iTunes and Google Play. Search terms were based on Boolean logic and included AND combinations for physical activity, healthy lifestyle, exercise, fitness, coach, assistant, motivation, and support. Sixty-four apps were downloaded, reviewed, and rated based on the taxonomy of behavior change techniques used in the interventions. Mean and ranges were calculated for the number of observed behavior change techniques. Using nonparametric tests, we compared the number of techniques observed in free and paid apps and in iTunes and Google Play. Results On average, the reviewed apps included 5 behavior change techniques (range 2–8). Techniques such as self-monitoring, providing feedback on performance, and goal-setting were used most frequently, whereas some techniques such as motivational interviewing, stress management, relapse prevention, self-talk, role models, and prompted barrier identification were not. No differences in the number of behavior change techniques between free and paid apps, or between the app stores were found. Conclusions The present study demonstrated that apps promoting physical activity applied an average of 5 out of 23 possible behavior change techniques. This number was not different for paid and free apps or between app stores. The most frequently used behavior change techniques in apps were similar to those most frequently used in other types of physical activity promotion interventions. PMID:25059981

Implementation of behavioral health interventions in real world scenarios: Managing complex change.

PubMed

Clark, Khaya D; Miller, Benjamin F; Green, Larry A; de Gruy, Frank V; Davis, Melinda; Cohen, Deborah J

2017-03-01

A practice embarks on a radical reformulation of how care is designed and delivered when it decides to integrate medical and behavioral health care for its patients and success depends on managing complex change in a complex system. We examined the ways change is managed when integrating behavioral health and medical care. Observational cross-case comparative study of 19 primary care and community mental health practices. We collected mixed methods data through practice surveys, observation, and semistructured interviews. We analyzed data using a data-driven, emergent approach. The change management strategies that leadership employed to manage the changes of integrating behavioral health and medical care included: (a) advocating for a mission and vision focused on integrated care; (b) fostering collaboration, with a focus on population care and a team-based approaches; (c) attending to learning, which includes viewing the change process as continuous, and creating a culture that promoted reflection and continual improvement; (d) using data to manage change, and (e) developing approaches to finance integration. This paper reports the change management strategies employed by practice leaders making changes to integrate care, as observed by independent investigators. We offer an empirically based set of actionable recommendations that are relevant to a range of leaders (policymakers, medical directors) and practice members who wish to effectively manage the complex changes associated with integrated primary care. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Stress Management Apps With Regard to Emotion-Focused Coping and Behavior Change Techniques: A Content Analysis

PubMed Central

Hoffmann, Alexandra; Bleser, Gabriele

2017-01-01

Background Chronic stress has been shown to be associated with disease. This link is not only direct but also indirect through harmful health behavior such as smoking or changing eating habits. The recent mHealth trend offers a new and promising approach to support the adoption and maintenance of appropriate stress management techniques. However, only few studies have dealt with the inclusion of evidence-based content within stress management apps for mobile phones. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate stress management apps on the basis of a new taxonomy of effective emotion-focused stress management techniques and an established taxonomy of behavior change techniques. Methods Two trained and independent raters evaluated 62 free apps found in Google Play with regard to 26 behavior change and 15 emotion-focused stress management techniques in October 2015. Results The apps included an average of 4.3 behavior change techniques (SD 4.2) and 2.8 emotion-focused stress management techniques (SD 2.6). The behavior change technique score and stress management technique score were highly correlated (r=.82, P=.01). Conclusions The broad variation of different stress management strategies found in this sample of apps goes in line with those found in conventional stress management interventions and self-help literature. Moreover, this study provided a first step toward more detailed and standardized taxonomies, which can be used to investigate evidence-based content in stress management interventions and enable greater comparability between different intervention types. PMID:28232299

Construction of EFL Student Teachers' Beliefs about Method: Insights from Postmethod

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zeng, Zhengping

2018-01-01

Student Teachers' beliefs and their teaching behaviors are interactive and closely related. Student teachers' any adoption of teaching methods in micro-teaching or teaching practicum is largely hidden behind their beliefs. In this paper, starting with the origin and changes of methods in language teaching method era, the author explains certain…

Assessing senescence in Drosophila using video tracking.

PubMed

Ardekani, Reza; Tavaré, Simon; Tower, John

2013-01-01

Senescence is associated with changes in gene expression, including the upregulation of stress response- and innate immune response-related genes. In addition, aging animals exhibit characteristic changes in movement behaviors including decreased gait speed and a deterioration in sleep/wake rhythms. Here, we describe methods for tracking Drosophila melanogaster movements in 3D with simultaneous quantification of fluorescent transgenic reporters. This approach allows for the assessment of correlations between behavior, aging, and gene expression as well as for the quantification of biomarkers of aging.

Motivational interviewing for older adults in primary care: a systematic review.

PubMed

Purath, Janet; Keck, Annmarie; Fitzgerald, Cynthia E

2014-01-01

Chronic disease is now the leading cause of death and disability in United States. Many chronic illnesses experienced by older adults can be prevented or managed through behavior change, making patient counseling an essential component of disease prevention and management. Motivational Interviewing (MI), a type of conversational method, has been effective in eliciting health behavior changes in people in a variety of settings and may also be a useful tool to help older adults change. This review of the literature analyzes current research and describes potential biases of MI interventions that have been conducted in primary care settings with older adults. MI shows promise as a technique to elicit health behavior change among older adults. However, further study with this population is needed to evaluate efficacy of MI interventions in primary care settings. Copyright © 2014 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Perceptions of Zika Virus Prevention Among College Students in Florida.

PubMed

Thompson, Erika L; Vamos, Cheryl A; Jones, Julianna; Liggett, Langdon G; Griner, Stacey B; G Logan, Rachel; Daley, Ellen M

2018-01-29

Zika virus in Florida prompted a strong public health response, due to its causal association with birth defects. While primarily spread by mosquitos, Zika can be transmitted sexually. The spread of Zika may influence reproductive behaviors among sexually active persons in Florida. This study examined factors associated with willingness to change birth control method use in response to Zika virus among college women and men in Florida. Women and men ages 18-44 at a Florida university (N = 328) were surveyed about Zika knowledge, beliefs about Zika, use of contraceptives and condoms, and socio-demographics between November 2016-April 2017. The outcome variable was willingness to change birth control method were Zika in their area. Logistic regression models in SAS 9.4 were used. Most participants were women (80%), and 47% were 20-22 years old. Only 27% of participants said they would change their birth control method if Zika were in their area. Participants who knew that Zika was sexually transmitted were more likely to be willing to change their birth control method (aOR = 1.71, 95%CI 1.01-2.91). Participants who agreed or strongly agreed that they were fearful of being infected with Zika virus were more likely to be willing to change their birth control methods (aOR = 1.98, 95%CI 1.07-3.67). This study found that, among Florida college students, Zika beliefs and knowledge were associated with a willingness to change birth control method in response to Zika. Understanding the factors that motivate individuals to change reproductive behaviors during an emerging health issue can help tailor preventative messages.

Effects of treatment differences on psychosocial predictors of exercise and improved eating in obese, middle-age adults.

PubMed

Annesi, James

2013-09-01

Behavioral interventions for weight-loss have been largely unsuccessful. Exercise is the strongest predictor of maintained weight loss and much of its effects may be from associated changes in psychosocial factors. Middle-aged, formerly sedentary adults with severe obesity were randomly selected to 6-month treatments of cognitive-behavioral exercise support paired with either standard nutrition education (n = 99) or nutrition change supported by cognitive-behavioral means with an emphasis on self-regulation (n = 101). Overall improvements in self-efficacy and self-regulation for both exercise and managed eating, and mood, were found, with significantly greater improvements associated with the cognitive-behavioral nutrition condition in self-regulation for eating and mood. Change scores trended toward being stronger predictors of increased exercise and fruit and vegetable intake than scores at treatment end. Multiple regression analyses indicated that significant portions of the variance in both increased volume of exercise (R2 = 0.45) and fruit and vegetable intake (R2 = 0.21) were explained by changes in self-regulatory skill usage, self-efficacy, and mood. Cognitive-behavioral methods for improved eating paired with behavioral support of exercise may improve weight loss through effects on the psychosocial factors of self-regulation, self-efficacy, and overall mood more than when standard nutrition education is incorporated.

Automatic Screening for Perturbations in Boolean Networks.

PubMed

Schwab, Julian D; Kestler, Hans A

2018-01-01

A common approach to address biological questions in systems biology is to simulate regulatory mechanisms using dynamic models. Among others, Boolean networks can be used to model the dynamics of regulatory processes in biology. Boolean network models allow simulating the qualitative behavior of the modeled processes. A central objective in the simulation of Boolean networks is the computation of their long-term behavior-so-called attractors. These attractors are of special interest as they can often be linked to biologically relevant behaviors. Changing internal and external conditions can influence the long-term behavior of the Boolean network model. Perturbation of a Boolean network by stripping a component of the system or simulating a surplus of another element can lead to different attractors. Apparently, the number of possible perturbations and combinations of perturbations increases exponentially with the size of the network. Manually screening a set of possible components for combinations that have a desired effect on the long-term behavior can be very time consuming if not impossible. We developed a method to automatically screen for perturbations that lead to a user-specified change in the network's functioning. This method is implemented in the visual simulation framework ViSiBool utilizing satisfiability (SAT) solvers for fast exhaustive attractor search.

Is the authoritative parenting model effective in changing oral hygiene behavior in adolescents?

PubMed

Brukienė, Vilma; Aleksejūnienė, Jolanta

2012-12-01

This study examined whether the authoritative parenting model (APM) is more effective than conventional approaches for changing adolescent oral hygiene behavior. A total of 247 adolescents were recruited using a cluster random-sampling method. Subject groups were randomly allocated into an intervention group (APM-based interventions), a Control Group 1 (conventional dental education and behavior modification) or a Control Group 2 (conventional behavior modification). The results were assessed after 3 and 12 months. Oral hygiene level was assessed as percent dental plaque and the ratio of plaque percent change (RPC). At the 3-month follow-up, there were significant differences among the groups; the APM group had the largest decrease in plaque levels (24.5%), Control Group 1 showed a decrease in plaque levels of 15.4% and Control Group 2 showed an increase in plaque levels of 2.8%. At the 12-month follow-up, an improvement was observed in all groups, but there were no statistically significant differences among the groups. In the short term, the intervention based on the APM was more effective in changing adolescent oral hygiene behavior compared with the conventional approaches. The reasons for long-term positive change after discontinued interventions in control groups need to be explored in future studies.

Taxonomies of Organizational Change: Literature Review and Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-09-01

operational terms presented a sig- nificant problem. The redundancy and circularity in discussions of variable groups reflects this dilemma . -34...Behavioral event and structured inteview protocols to be used to collect data from internal Army OE change agent and client subjects are presented with a...TABLE 22: Data Collection Method Proposed for Each Intervention Variable 168 *1 ABSTRACT This report presents a taxonomy and data collection method

Processes of behavior change and weight loss in a theory-based weight loss intervention program: a test of the process model for lifestyle behavior change.

PubMed

Gillison, Fiona; Stathi, Afroditi; Reddy, Prasuna; Perry, Rachel; Taylor, Gordon; Bennett, Paul; Dunbar, James; Greaves, Colin

2015-01-16

Process evaluation is important for improving theories of behavior change and behavioral intervention methods. The present study reports on the process outcomes of a pilot test of the theoretical model (the Process Model for Lifestyle Behavior Change; PMLBC) underpinning an evidence-informed, theory-driven, group-based intervention designed to promote healthy eating and physical activity for people with high cardiovascular risk. 108 people at high risk of diabetes or heart disease were randomized to a group-based weight management intervention targeting diet and physical activity plus usual care, or to usual care. The intervention comprised nine group based sessions designed to promote motivation, social support, self-regulation and understanding of the behavior change process. Weight loss, diet, physical activity and theoretically defined mediators of change were measured pre-intervention, and after four and 12 months. The intervention resulted in significant improvements in fiber intake (M between-group difference = 5.7 g/day, p < .001) but not fat consumption (-2.3 g/day, p = 0.13), that were predictive of weight loss at both four months (M between-group difference = -1.98 kg, p < .01; R(2) = 0.2, p < 0.005), and 12 months (M difference = -1.85 kg, p = 0.1; R(2) = 0.1, p < 0.01). The intervention was successful in improving the majority of specified mediators of behavior change, and the predicted mechanisms of change specified in the PMBLC were largely supported. Improvements in self-efficacy and understanding of the behavior change process were associated with engagement in coping planning and self-monitoring activities, and successful dietary change at four and 12 months. While participants reported improvements in motivational and social support variables, there was no effect of these, or of the intervention overall, on physical activity. The data broadly support the theoretical model for supporting some dietary changes, but not for physical activity. Systematic intervention design allowed us to identify where improvements to the intervention may be implemented to promote change in all proposed mediators. More work is needed to explore effective mechanisms within interventions to promote physical activity behavior.

Suppression of anomalous synchronization and nonstationary behavior of neural network under small-world topology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boaretto, B. R. R.; Budzinski, R. C.; Prado, T. L.; Kurths, J.; Lopes, S. R.

2018-05-01

It is known that neural networks under small-world topology can present anomalous synchronization and nonstationary behavior for weak coupling regimes. Here, we propose methods to suppress the anomalous synchronization and also to diminish the nonstationary behavior occurring in weakly coupled neural network under small-world topology. We consider a network of 2000 thermally sensitive identical neurons, based on the model of Hodgkin-Huxley in a small-world topology, with the probability of adding non local connection equal to p = 0 . 001. Based on experimental protocols to suppress anomalous synchronization, as well as nonstationary behavior of the neural network dynamics, we make use of (i) external stimulus (pulsed current); (ii) biologic parameters changing (neuron membrane conductance changes); and (iii) body temperature changes. Quantification analysis to evaluate phase synchronization makes use of the Kuramoto's order parameter, while recurrence quantification analysis, particularly the determinism, computed over the easily accessible mean field of network, the local field potential (LFP), is used to evaluate nonstationary states. We show that the methods proposed can control the anomalous synchronization and nonstationarity occurring for weak coupling parameter without any effect on the individual neuron dynamics, neither in the expected asymptotic synchronized states occurring for large values of the coupling parameter.

Effects of Targeted Subsidies Policy on Health Behavior in Iranian Households: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

DOSHMANGIR, Leila; DOSHMANGIR, Parinaz; ABOLHASSANI, Nazanin; MOSHIRI, Esmaeil; JAFARI, Mehdi

2015-01-01

Background: This study aimed to explore the effects of national targeted subsidies policy on health behavior of Iranian households. Methods: In this qualitative study, data were collected between January 2012 and December 2013 through face-to-face interviews (23 experts in national and provincial levels of health system and 18 household heads) and through a comprehensive and purposive document analysis. The data was analyzed using a thematic analysis method (inductive-deductive) and assisted by Atlas-ti software. Results: Rising health care costs, removing some food subsidies and the increase in price of most goods and services due to the implementation of economic policy of targeted subsidies have led to significant changes in the demand for health services, changes in the consumption trends of goods and services affecting health as well as changes in the health habits of households. Conclusion: Targeted subsidies and the cash subsidy policy have some negative effects on population health behavior especially among poor people. Hence, maintaining or increasing the cash subsidy is not an efficient allocation of resources toward health care system. So, it is necessary to identify appropriate strategies and policies and apply interventions in order to moderate negative effects and enhance positive effects resulted from implementing this economic reform on population health behavior. PMID:26056676

Threatening communication: a qualitative study of fear appeal effectiveness beliefs among intervention developers, policymakers, politicians, scientists, and advertising professionals.

PubMed

Peters, Gjalt-Jorn Y; Ruiter, Robert A C; Kok, Gerjo

2014-04-01

Threatening communication is a widely applied method in behavior change interventions, which at the same time has been heavily criticized in the psychological literature. The current paper describes a study of the reasons for this persistent wide application of threatening communication. We conducted qualitative interviews with 33 key actors in behavior change intervention development in The Netherlands. Specifically, we interviewed intervention developers, policymakers, politicians, scientists, and advertising professionals. The interviews were transcribed and subsequently coded using NVivo. We found that participants most closely involved with the actual intervention development were generally convinced that threatening information was to be prevented, but often did not understand the exact processes involved. They were often under the impression that rather than a potent efficacy enhancing element, a behavioral suggestion would suffice to prevent threatening communication from backfiring. As participants were further removed from the actual intervention development, they generally tended to be more in favor of threatening communication. The main reasons for use of threatening information were to attract attention or prompt self-reflection through confrontation, because target population members were assumed to like threatening information and respond rationally to increased risk perceptions by changing their behavior, or simply because no alternatives were available. In addition, intervention developers frequently had to deal with supervisors or funders who preferred threatening communication. Thus, when communicating with practitioners, it seems fruitful to provide them with a toolbox of evidence-based behavior change methods that promote adaptive, rather than maladaptive, behavior; to promote basing interventions on the most relevant behavioral determinants as identified by determinant analyses; and to equip intervention developers with the tools to persuade other key stakeholders that fear is a bad counselor. © 2013 The Authors. International Journal of Psychology published by John Wiley © Sons Ltd on behalf of International Union of Psychological Science.

A standard methodology for the analysis, recording, and control of verbal behavior

PubMed Central

Drash, Philip W.; Tudor, Roger M.

1991-01-01

Lack of a standard methodology has been one of the major obstacles preventing advancement of behavior analytic research in verbal behavior. This article presents a standard method for the analysis, recording, and control of verbal behavior that overcomes several major methodological problems that have hindered operant research in verbal behavior. The system divides all verbal behavior into four functional response classes, correct, error, no response, and inappropriate behavior, from which all vocal responses of a subject may be classified and consequated. The effects of contingencies of reinforcement on verbal operants within each category are made immediately visible to the researcher as changes in frequency of response. Incorporating frequency of response within each category as the unit of response allows both rate and probability of verbal response to be utilized as basic dependent variables. This method makes it possible to record and consequate verbal behavior in essentially the same way as any other operant response. It may also facilitate an experimental investigation of Skinner's verbal response categories. PMID:22477629

Use of automated monitoring to assess behavioral toxicology in fish: Linking behavior and physiology

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brewer, S.K.; DeLonay, A.J.; Beauvais, S.L.; Little, E.E.; Jones, S.B.

1999-01-01

We measured locomotory behaviors (distance traveled, speed, tortuosity of path, and rate of change in direction) with computer-assisted analysis in 30 day posthatch rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) exposed to pesticides. We also examined cholinesterase inhibition as a potential endpoint linking physiology and behavior. Sublethal exposure to chemicals often causes changes in swimming behavior, reflecting alterations in sensory and motor systems. Swimming behavior also integrates functions of the nervous system. Rarely are the connections between physiology and behavior made. Although behavior is often suggested as a sensitive, early indicator of toxicity, behavioral toxicology has not been used to its full potential because conventional methods of behavioral assessment have relied on manual techniques, which are often time-consuming and difficult to quantify. This has severely limited the application and utility of behavioral procedures. Swimming behavior is particularly amenable to computerized assessment and automated monitoring. Locomotory responses are sensitive to toxicants and can be easily measured. We briefly discuss the use of behavior in toxicology and automated techniques used in behavioral toxicology. We also describe the system we used to determine locomotory behaviors of fish, and present data demonstrating the system's effectiveness in measuring alterations in response to chemical challenges. Lastly, we correlate behavioral and physiological endpoints.

Effective Classroom-Management & Positive Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sieberer-Nagler, Katharina

2016-01-01

This article offers practical information for primary teachers to become more knowledgable, skilled and effective in their work. Aspects of positive teaching and learning are explored. Innovative methods for transforming common classroom management struggles into opportunities for positive change and for changing negative behaviors into positive…

Lane-changing model with dynamic consideration of driver's propensity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xiaoyuan; Wang, Jianqiang; Zhang, Jinglei; Ban, Xuegang Jeff

2015-07-01

Lane-changing is the driver's selection result of the satisfaction degree in different lane driving conditions. There are many different factors influencing lane-changing behavior, such as diversity, randomicity and difficulty of measurement. So it is hard to accurately reflect the uncertainty of drivers' lane-changing behavior. As a result, the research of lane-changing models is behind that of car-following models. Driver's propensity is her/his emotion state or the corresponding preference of a decision or action toward the real objective traffic situations under the influence of various dynamic factors. It represents the psychological characteristics of the driver in the process of vehicle operation and movement. It is an important factor to influence lane-changing. In this paper, dynamic recognition of driver's propensity is considered during simulation based on its time-varying discipline and the analysis of the driver's psycho-physic characteristics. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method is used to quantify the hierarchy of driver's dynamic lane-changing decision-making process, especially the influence of the propensity. The model is validated using real data. Test results show that the developed lane-changing model with the dynamic consideration of a driver's time-varying propensity and the AHP method are feasible and with improved accuracy.

Active assistance technology for health-related behavior change: an interdisciplinary review.

PubMed

Kennedy, Catriona M; Powell, John; Payne, Thomas H; Ainsworth, John; Boyd, Alan; Buchan, Iain

2012-06-14

Information technology can help individuals to change their health behaviors. This is due to its potential for dynamic and unbiased information processing enabling users to monitor their own progress and be informed about risks and opportunities specific to evolving contexts and motivations. However, in many behavior change interventions, information technology is underused by treating it as a passive medium focused on efficient transmission of information and a positive user experience. To conduct an interdisciplinary literature review to determine the extent to which the active technological capabilities of dynamic and adaptive information processing are being applied in behavior change interventions and to identify their role in these interventions. We defined key categories of active technology such as semantic information processing, pattern recognition, and adaptation. We conducted the literature search using keywords derived from the categories and included studies that indicated a significant role for an active technology in health-related behavior change. In the data extraction, we looked specifically for the following technology roles: (1) dynamic adaptive tailoring of messages depending on context, (2) interactive education, (3) support for client self-monitoring of behavior change progress, and (4) novel ways in which interventions are grounded in behavior change theories using active technology. The search returned 228 potentially relevant articles, of which 41 satisfied the inclusion criteria. We found that significant research was focused on dialog systems, embodied conversational agents, and activity recognition. The most covered health topic was physical activity. The majority of the studies were early-stage research. Only 6 were randomized controlled trials, of which 4 were positive for behavior change and 5 were positive for acceptability. Empathy and relational behavior were significant research themes in dialog systems for behavior change, with many pilot studies showing a preference for those features. We found few studies that focused on interactive education (3 studies) and self-monitoring (2 studies). Some recent research is emerging in dynamic tailoring (15 studies) and theoretically grounded ontologies for automated semantic processing (4 studies). The potential capabilities and risks of active assistance technologies are not being fully explored in most current behavior change research. Designers of health behavior interventions need to consider the relevant informatics methods and algorithms more fully. There is also a need to analyze the possibilities that can result from interaction between different technology components. This requires deep interdisciplinary collaboration, for example, between health psychology, computer science, health informatics, cognitive science, and educational methodology.

Systematic development of a self-help and motivational enhancement intervention to promote sexual health in HIV-positive men who have sex with men.

PubMed

Van Kesteren, Nicole M C; Kok, Gerjo; Hospers, Harm J; Schippers, Jan; De Wildt, Wencke

2006-12-01

The objective of this study was to describe the application of a systematic process-Intervention Mapping-to developing a theory- and evidence-based intervention to promote sexual health in HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM). Intervention Mapping provides a framework that gives program planners a systematic method for decision-making in each phase of intervention development. In Step 1, we focused on the improvement of two health-promoting behaviors: satisfactory sexual functioning and safer sexual behavior. These behaviors were then linked with selected personal and external determinants, such as attitudes and social support, to produce a set of proximal program objectives. In Step 2, theoretical methods were identified to influence the proximal program objectives and were translated into practical strategies. Although theoretical methods were derived from various theories, self-regulation theory and a cognitive model of behavior change provided the main framework for selecting the intervention methods. The main strategies chosen were bibliotherapy (i.e., the use of written material to help people solve problems or change behavior) and motivational interviewing. In Step 3, the theoretical methods and practical strategies were applied in a program that comprised a self-help guide, a motivational interviewing session and a motivational interviewing telephone call, both delivered by specialist nurses in HIV treatment centers. In Step 4, implementation was anticipated by developing a linkage group to ensure involvement of program users in the planning process and conducting additional research to understand how to implement our program better. In Step 5, program evaluation was anticipated based on the planning process from the previous Intervention Mapping steps.

Contextualized analysis of a needs assessment using the Theoretical Domains Framework: a case example in endocrinology

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) is a set of 14 domains of behavior change that provide a framework for the critical issues and factors influencing optimal knowledge translation. Considering that a previous study has identified optimal knowledge translation techniques for each TDF domain, it was hypothesized that the TDF could be used to contextualize and interpret findings from a behavioral and educational needs assessment. To illustrate this hypothesis, findings and recommendations drawn from a 2012 national behavioral and educational needs assessment conducted with healthcare providers who treat and manage Growth and Growth Hormone Disorders, will be discussed using the TDF. Methods This needs assessment utilized a mixed-methods research approach that included a combination of: [a] data sources (Endocrinologists (n:120), Pediatric Endocrinologists (n:53), Pediatricians (n:52)), [b] data collection methods (focus groups, interviews, online survey), [c] analysis methodologies (qualitative - analyzed through thematic analysis, quantitative - analyzed using frequencies, cross-tabulations, and gap analysis). Triangulation was used to generate trustworthy findings on the clinical practice gaps of endocrinologists, pediatric endocrinologists, and general pediatricians in their provision of care to adult patients with adult growth hormone deficiency or acromegaly, or children/teenagers with pediatric growth disorders. The identified gaps were then broken into key underlying determinants, categorized according to the TDF domains, and linked to optimal behavioral change techniques. Results The needs assessment identified 13 gaps, each with one or more underlying determinant(s). Overall, these determinants were mapped to 9 of the 14 TDF domains. The Beliefs about Consequences domain was identified as a contributing determinant to 7 of the 13 challenges. Five of the gaps could be related to the Skills domain, while three were linked to the Knowledge domain. Conclusions The TDF categorization of the needs assessment findings allowed recommendation of appropriate behavior change techniques for each underlying determinant, and facilitated communication and understanding of the identified issues to a broader audience. This approach provides a means for health education researchers to categorize gaps and challenges identified through educational needs assessments, and facilitates the application of these findings by educators and knowledge translators, by linking the gaps to recommended behavioral change techniques. PMID:25060235

Computational neuroscience across the lifespan: Promises and pitfalls.

PubMed

van den Bos, Wouter; Bruckner, Rasmus; Nassar, Matthew R; Mata, Rui; Eppinger, Ben

2017-10-13

In recent years, the application of computational modeling in studies on age-related changes in decision making and learning has gained in popularity. One advantage of computational models is that they provide access to latent variables that cannot be directly observed from behavior. In combination with experimental manipulations, these latent variables can help to test hypotheses about age-related changes in behavioral and neurobiological measures at a level of specificity that is not achievable with descriptive analysis approaches alone. This level of specificity can in turn be beneficial to establish the identity of the corresponding behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms. In this paper, we will illustrate applications of computational methods using examples of lifespan research on risk taking, strategy selection and reinforcement learning. We will elaborate on problems that can occur when computational neuroscience methods are applied to data of different age groups. Finally, we will discuss potential targets for future applications and outline general shortcomings of computational neuroscience methods for research on human lifespan development. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Sexual behavior of adolescent students in Chandigarh and their perceptions regarding family life education.

PubMed

Kumar, Dinesh; Goel, Naveen Krishan; Bakshi, Ravleen Kaur; Sharma, Manoj Kumar; Ghosh, Abhik K

2017-01-01

With rapidly changing lifestyle and exposure to the Internet and mass media, lifestyle and sexual behavior of adolescent students are also changing rapidly. To investigate the sexual behavior of adolescent students and to study misconceptions prevailing among them. A cross-sectional survey of 1022 adolescent students aged 14-19 years as a part of an Indian Council of Medical Research sponsored survey. Sexual behavior explored by interview method. Logistic regression analysis for finding correlates. Intimate friendship was reported by 19.2% respondents. The sexual behavior included 89% exposure to sex-related material, 74.7% were aware of sexual intercourse. Awareness regarding at least one contraceptive was found among 95.5% (94.5% of condoms and 67.2% of emergency contraception). About 6% respondents reported some sex-related problems and 2.5% of all respondents consulted some doctors for these problems. Awareness of HIV/AIDS was quite high (about 99%), and 96.4% of them were of the opinion that it is spread through sexual intercourse. Knowledge regarding transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) through sexual contact was found among 89.2% respondents. Avoidance/abstinence from sex (84.7%), faithful to one partner (81.7), and use of barrier methods (90.3%) was main reported preventive measures for STI's. About 33% want that the discussion about sex should be open and frank, and 69.4% showed the need of sex education in the schools mostly by doctors. Sexual behavior of adolescent students is changing, and awareness about sex acts is also increasing. There is likelihood of indulging in risky behavior by adolescents. Family life education was felt necessary mainly by qualified medical staff.

A Psychometric Approach to Theory-Based Behavior Change Intervention Development: Example From the Colorado Meaning-Activity Project.

PubMed

Masters, Kevin S; Ross, Kaile M; Hooker, Stephanie A; Wooldridge, Jennalee L

2018-05-18

There has been a notable disconnect between theories of behavior change and behavior change interventions. Because few interventions are both explicitly and adequately theory-based, investigators cannot assess the impact of theory on intervention effectiveness. Theory-based interventions, designed to deliberately engage the theory's proposed mechanisms of change, are needed to adequately test theories. Thus, systematic approaches to theory-based intervention development are needed. This article will introduce and discuss the psychometric method of developing theory-based interventions. The psychometric approach to intervention development utilizes basic psychometric principles at each step of the intervention development process in order to build a theoretically driven intervention to, subsequently, be tested in process (mechanism) and outcome studies. Five stages of intervention development are presented as follows: (i) Choice of theory; (ii) Identification and characterization of key concepts and expected relations; (iii) Intervention construction; (iv) Initial testing and revision; and (v) Empirical testing of the intervention. Examples of this approach from the Colorado Meaning-Activity Project (COMAP) are presented. Based on self-determination theory integrated with meaning or purpose, and utilizing a motivational interviewing approach, the COMAP intervention is individually based with an initial interview followed by smart phone-delivered interventions for increasing daily activity. The psychometric approach to intervention development is one method to ensure careful consideration of theory in all steps of intervention development. This structured approach supports developing a research culture that endorses deliberate and systematic operationalization of theory into behavior change intervention from the outset of intervention development.

How Sources of Sexual Information Relate to Adolescents' Beliefs about Sex

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bleakley, Amy; Hennessy, Michael; Fishbein, Martin; Jordan, Amy

2009-01-01

Objectives: To examine how sources of sexual information are associated with adolescents' behavioral, normative, and control beliefs about having sexual intercourse using the integrative model of behavior change. Methods: Survey data from a quota sample of 459 youth. Results: The most frequently reported sources were friends, teachers, mothers,…

Auditory Assessment of Children from a Psychologist's Point of View.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mira, Mary P.

Behavioral studies of listening in children with both normal and exceptional hearing are presented. The conjugate of assessing listening is discussed. This method provides a continuous record of ongoing behavior allowing for observation of moment-to-moment changes in listening. It determines how sustained, how strong, and how continuous a child's…

Make Better Choices (MBC): Study design of a randomized controlled trial testing optimal technology-supported change in multiple diet and physical activity risk behaviors

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Suboptimal diet and physical inactivity are prevalent, co-occurring chronic disease risk factors, yet little is known about how to maximize multiple risk behavior change. Make Better Choices, a randomized controlled trial, tests competing hypotheses about the optimal way to promote healthy change in four bundled risk behaviors: high saturated fat intake, low fruit and vegetable intake, low physical activity, and high sedentary leisure screen time. The study aim is to determine which combination of two behavior change goals - one dietary, one activity - yields greatest overall healthy lifestyle change. Methods/Design Adults (n = 200) with poor quality diet and sedentary lifestyle will be recruited and screened for study eligibility. Participants will be trained to record their diet and activities onto a personal data assistant, and use it to complete two weeks of baseline. Those who continue to show all four risk behaviors after baseline recording will be randomized to one of four behavior change prescriptions: 1) increase fruits and vegetables and increase physical activity, 2) decrease saturated fat and increase physical activity, 3) increase fruits and vegetable and decrease saturated fat, or 4) decrease saturated fat and decrease sedentary activity. They will use decision support feedback on the personal digital assistant and receive counseling from a coach to alter their diet and activity during a 3-week prescription period when payment is contingent upon meeting behavior change goals. They will continue recording on an intermittent schedule during a 4.5-month maintenance period when payment is not contingent upon goal attainment. The primary outcome is overall healthy lifestyle change, aggregated across all four risk behaviors. Discussion The Make Better Choices trial tests a disseminable lifestyle intervention supported by handheld technology. Findings will fill a gap in knowledge about optimal goal prescription to facilitate simultaneous diet and activity change. Results will shed light on which goal prescription maximizes healthful lifestyle change. Trial Registration Clinical Trials Gov. Identifier NCT00113672 PMID:20920275

Taking dietary habits into account: A computational method for modeling food choices that goes beyond price

PubMed Central

Jones-Smith, Jessica C.; Igusa, Takeru

2017-01-01

Computational models have gained popularity as a predictive tool for assessing proposed policy changes affecting dietary choice. Specifically, they have been used for modeling dietary changes in response to economic interventions, such as price and income changes. Herein, we present a novel addition to this type of model by incorporating habitual behaviors that drive individuals to maintain or conform to prior eating patterns. We examine our method in a simulated case study of food choice behaviors of low-income adults in the US. We use data from several national datasets, including the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and the USDA, to parameterize our model and develop predictive capabilities in 1) quantifying the influence of prior diet preferences when food budgets are increased and 2) simulating the income elasticities of demand for four food categories. Food budgets can increase because of greater affordability (due to food aid and other nutritional assistance programs), or because of higher income. Our model predictions indicate that low-income adults consume unhealthy diets when they have highly constrained budgets, but that even after budget constraints are relaxed, these unhealthy eating behaviors are maintained. Specifically, diets in this population, before and after changes in food budgets, are characterized by relatively low consumption of fruits and vegetables and high consumption of fat. The model results for income elasticities also show almost no change in consumption of fruit and fat in response to changes in income, which is in agreement with data from the World Bank’s International Comparison Program (ICP). Hence, the proposed method can be used in assessing the influences of habitual dietary patterns on the effectiveness of food policies. PMID:28542615

Taking dietary habits into account: A computational method for modeling food choices that goes beyond price.

PubMed

Beheshti, Rahmatollah; Jones-Smith, Jessica C; Igusa, Takeru

2017-01-01

Computational models have gained popularity as a predictive tool for assessing proposed policy changes affecting dietary choice. Specifically, they have been used for modeling dietary changes in response to economic interventions, such as price and income changes. Herein, we present a novel addition to this type of model by incorporating habitual behaviors that drive individuals to maintain or conform to prior eating patterns. We examine our method in a simulated case study of food choice behaviors of low-income adults in the US. We use data from several national datasets, including the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and the USDA, to parameterize our model and develop predictive capabilities in 1) quantifying the influence of prior diet preferences when food budgets are increased and 2) simulating the income elasticities of demand for four food categories. Food budgets can increase because of greater affordability (due to food aid and other nutritional assistance programs), or because of higher income. Our model predictions indicate that low-income adults consume unhealthy diets when they have highly constrained budgets, but that even after budget constraints are relaxed, these unhealthy eating behaviors are maintained. Specifically, diets in this population, before and after changes in food budgets, are characterized by relatively low consumption of fruits and vegetables and high consumption of fat. The model results for income elasticities also show almost no change in consumption of fruit and fat in response to changes in income, which is in agreement with data from the World Bank's International Comparison Program (ICP). Hence, the proposed method can be used in assessing the influences of habitual dietary patterns on the effectiveness of food policies.

Developing a method for specifying the components of behavior change interventions in practice: the example of smoking cessation.

PubMed

Lorencatto, Fabiana; West, Robert; Seymour, Natalie; Michie, Susan

2013-06-01

There is a difference between interventions as planned and as delivered in practice. Unless we know what was actually delivered, we cannot understand "what worked" in effective interventions. This study aimed to (a) assess whether an established taxonomy of 53 smoking cessation behavior change techniques (BCTs) may be applied or adapted as a method for reliably specifying the content of smoking cessation behavioral support consultations and (b) develop an effective method for training researchers and practitioners in the reliable application of the taxonomy. Fifteen transcripts of audio-recorded consultations delivered by England's Stop Smoking Services were coded into component BCTs using the taxonomy. Interrater reliability and potential adaptations to the taxonomy to improve coding were discussed following 3 coding waves. A coding training manual was developed through expert consensus and piloted on 10 trainees, assessing coding reliability and self-perceived competence before and after training. An average of 33 BCTs from the taxonomy were identified at least once across sessions and coding waves. Consultations contained on average 12 BCTs (range = 8-31). Average interrater reliability was high (88% agreement). The taxonomy was adapted to simplify coding by merging co-occurring BCTs and refining BCT definitions. Coding reliability and self-perceived competence significantly improved posttraining for all trainees. It is possible to apply a taxonomy to reliably identify and classify BCTs in smoking cessation behavioral support delivered in practice, and train inexperienced coders to do so reliably. This method can be used to investigate variability in provision of behavioral support across services, monitor fidelity of delivery, and identify training needs.

Carry-over of self-regulation for physical activity to self-regulating eating in women with morbid obesity.

PubMed

Annesi, James J; Porter, Kandice J; Johnson, Ping H

2015-01-01

Poor outcomes from behavioral treatments of severe obesity have led to a dependence on invasive medical interventions, including surgery for morbidly obese individuals. Improved methods to self-regulate eating will be required to reduce obesity. The use of self-regulation methods for completing physical activity may carry over to increased self-regulation for eating through improved feelings of competence (self-efficacy) and mood. The study recruited women (Meanage = 43 years) with morbid obesity (MeanBMI = 44 kg/m(2)) to participate in 26 weeks of cognitive-behavioral support of physical activity paired with either nutrition education (n = 51) or cognitive-behavioral nutrition (n = 51) methods. Data collected were from 2011 and 2012. Significant improvements in self-regulation for physical activity, self-regulation for eating, overall mood, and self-efficacy for eating, with greater improvement in self-regulation for eating, were observed in the cognitive-behavioral nutrition group. Changes in mood and self-efficacy for eating significantly mediated the relationship between changes in self-regulation for physical activity and self-regulation for eating. When subscales of overall mood and self-efficacy were entered into separate regression equations as mediators, the only significant mediators were vigor, and controlling eating when socially pressured and when increased cues to overeat were present.

The Effect of Public Service Advertising on Cardiovascular Disease in Korea

PubMed Central

JANG, Juhyun; NA, Baeg Ju; LEE, Moo-Sik; SEO, Soonryu; SUNG, Changhyun; KIM, Hyun Joo; LEE, Jin Yong

2016-01-01

Background: Public Service Advertising (PSA) is a public interest message disseminated in the form of an advertisement communication and its main purpose is to promote public behavioral changes regarding a social issue. Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) has been delivering PSA by various media. However, the effect of PSAs has never been evaluated. The purpose of this study was to estimate the effects of broadcasted PSA produced by KCDC on cardiovascular disease (CVD). Methods: One thousand adult participants throughout 15 provinces in Korea were chosen through the quota sampling method in 2012. A face-to-face research survey with 13 questions was conducted using a Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) system. Previous exposure to the PSA message, understanding, and behavioral intention to change was assessed. Results: After watching the PSA, about 75% of participants answered that they could understand the contents well and 70% had willingness to change their behaviors associated with CVD. However, only 24% of participants answered they watched the PSA during the past year. Conclusion: The PSA had positive effects on increasing the level of understanding and intention to change behaviors regarding CVD. However, the level of exposure was low. KCDC should make an effort to increase the public exposure level, which could be an important success factor regarding the PSA. In addition, KCDC should consider customized PSA for vulnerable people such as multi-cultural families, the disabled, and the elderly. PMID:27928529

A Change Impact Analysis to Characterize Evolving Program Behaviors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rungta, Neha Shyam; Person, Suzette; Branchaud, Joshua

2012-01-01

Change impact analysis techniques estimate the potential effects of changes made to software. Directed Incremental Symbolic Execution (DiSE) is an intraprocedural technique for characterizing the impact of software changes on program behaviors. DiSE first estimates the impact of the changes on the source code using program slicing techniques, and then uses the impact sets to guide symbolic execution to generate path conditions that characterize impacted program behaviors. DiSE, however, cannot reason about the flow of impact between methods and will fail to generate path conditions for certain impacted program behaviors. In this work, we present iDiSE, an extension to DiSE that performs an interprocedural analysis. iDiSE combines static and dynamic calling context information to efficiently generate impacted program behaviors across calling contexts. Information about impacted program behaviors is useful for testing, verification, and debugging of evolving programs. We present a case-study of our implementation of the iDiSE algorithm to demonstrate its efficiency at computing impacted program behaviors. Traditional notions of coverage are insufficient for characterizing the testing efforts used to validate evolving program behaviors because they do not take into account the impact of changes to the code. In this work we present novel definitions of impacted coverage metrics that are useful for evaluating the testing effort required to test evolving programs. We then describe how the notions of impacted coverage can be used to configure techniques such as DiSE and iDiSE in order to support regression testing related tasks. We also discuss how DiSE and iDiSE can be configured for debugging finding the root cause of errors introduced by changes made to the code. In our empirical evaluation we demonstrate that the configurations of DiSE and iDiSE can be used to support various software maintenance tasks

Exercise program-induced mood improvement and improved eating in severely obese adults.

PubMed

Annesi, James J; Tennant, Gisèle A

Using a practical setting, this study aimed to test exercise and nutrition interventions' effects on negative mood, self-regulation, and self-efficacy to control eating; and to assess the ability of mood change to predict changes in eating behavior, while accounting for changes in self-regulation and self-efficacy. Severely obese adults participated in a cognitive-behavioral exercise support treatment paired with either nutrition education (n = 140) or cognitive-behavioral methods applied to improved eating (n = 146). They were assessed on measures of overall negative mood, self-regulatory skill usage, self-efficacy to control eating when negative moods are present, and fruit and vegetable consumption at baseline and Week 26. Significant improvements in each psychosocial variable and fruit and vegetable intake were found. Improved mood significantly predicted fruit and vegetable consumption change, R2 = 0.12, P < 0.001. Entry of changes in self-regulation and self-efficacy into the multiple regression equation significantly strengthened the variance explained, R2 = 0.18, P < 0.001. Findings suggest that exercise-induced improvements in mood improve eating behaviors, with increases in self-regulation and self-efficacy adding to this effect.

Better Off Alone Than With a Smoker: The Influence of Partner’s Smoking Behavior in Later Life

PubMed Central

Wright, Laura

2016-01-01

Objectives: We examine how the likelihood of smoking cessation among smokers and patterns of adherence to smoking cessation differ by partnership status, partnership changes, and partners’ smoking behavior. The data are a nationally representative sample of smokers in middle and older age from the Health and Retirement Study (1992–2010). Method: We use multivariate logistic regression models to analyze the likelihood of smoking cessation among smokers and then estimate adherence to smoking cessation using discrete-time event history models. Results: Those partnered with smokers and those whose partners relapse into smoking are much less likely than the unpartnered to quit smoking and adhere to smoking cessation. Respondents partnered with non-smokers and those whose partners quit smoking are more likely to quit smoking than the unpartnered. Those recently widowed, divorced, and repartnered have similar smoking changes to the consistently unpartnered. Discussion: Being partnered does not always mean healthier behavior changes. Rather, the association between partnership status and smoking changes depends greatly on the health behavior changes of the partner. The partnership context at the time of smoking cessation sets the stage for longer term patterns of adherence, shaping health in older age. PMID:25693998

Perianal disease, small bowel disease, smoking, prior steroid or early azathioprine/biological therapy are predictors of disease behavior change in patients with Crohn’s disease

PubMed Central

Lakatos, Peter Laszlo; Czegledi, Zsofia; Szamosi, Tamas; Banai, Janos; David, Gyula; Zsigmond, Ferenc; Pandur, Tunde; Erdelyi, Zsuzsanna; Gemela, Orsolya; Papp, Janos; Lakatos, Laszlo

2009-01-01

AIM: To assess the combined effect of disease phenotype, smoking and medical therapy [steroid, azathioprine (AZA), AZA/biological therapy] on the probability of disease behavior change in a Caucasian cohort of patients with Crohn’s disease (CD). METHODS: Three hundred and forty well-characterized, unrelated, consecutive CD patients were analyzed (M/F: 155/185, duration: 9.4 ± 7.5 years) with a complete clinical follow-up. Medical records including disease phenotype according to the Montreal classification, extraintestinal manifestations, use of medications and surgical events were analyzed retrospectively. Patients were interviewed on their smoking habits at the time of diagnosis and during the regular follow-up visits. RESULTS: A change in disease behavior was observed in 30.8% of patients with an initially non-stricturing, non-penetrating disease behavior after a mean disease duration of 9.0 ± 7.2 years. In a logistic regression analysis corrected for disease duration, perianal disease, smoking, steroid use, early AZA or AZA/biological therapy use were independent predictors of disease behavior change. In a subsequent Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and a proportional Cox regression analysis, disease location (P = 0.001), presence of perianal disease (P < 0.001), prior steroid use (P = 0.006), early AZA (P = 0.005) or AZA/biological therapy (P = 0.002), or smoking (P = 0.032) were independent predictors of disease behavior change. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that perianal disease, small bowel disease, smoking, prior steroid use, early AZA or AZA/biological therapy are all predictors of disease behavior change in CD patients. PMID:19630105

Results of a Multi-level Intervention to Prevent and Control Childhood Obesity among Latino Children: The Aventuras Para Niños Study

PubMed Central

Crespo, Noe C.; Elder, John P.; Ayala, Guadalupe X.; Campbell, Nadia R.; Arredondo, Elva M.; Slymen, Donald J.; Baquero, Barbara; Sallis, James F.; McKenzie, Thomas L.

2014-01-01

Background Community-based behavioral interventions are needed to reduce the burden of childhood obesity. Purpose This study evaluated the impact of a multi-level promotora-based (Community Health Advisor) intervention to promote healthy eating and physical activity (PA) and prevent excess weight gain among Latino children. Methods Thirteen elementary schools were randomized to one of four intervention conditions: individual and family level (Fam-only), school and community level (Comm-only), combined Fam+Comm intervention, or a measurement-only condition. Participants were 808 Latino parents and their children enrolled in kindergarten through 2nd grade. Measures included parent and child BMI and a self-administered parent survey that assessed several parent and child behaviors. Results There were no intervention effects on children's BMI z-score. The Fam-only and Fam+Comm interventions changed several obesity-related child behaviors and these were mediated by changes in parenting variables. Discussion A promotora-based behavioral intervention was efficacious at changing parental factors and child obesity-related health behaviors. PMID:22215470

Equilibria of an epidemic game with piecewise linear social distancing cost.

PubMed

Reluga, Timothy C

2013-10-01

Around the world, infectious disease epidemics continue to threaten people's health. When epidemics strike, we often respond by changing our behaviors to reduce our risk of infection. This response is sometimes called "social distancing." Since behavior changes can be costly, we would like to know the optimal social distancing behavior. But the benefits of changes in behavior depend on the course of the epidemic, which itself depends on our behaviors. Differential population game theory provides a method for resolving this circular dependence. Here, I present the analysis of a special case of the differential SIR epidemic population game with social distancing when the relative infection rate is linear, but bounded below by zero. Equilibrium solutions are constructed in closed-form for an open-ended epidemic. Constructions are also provided for epidemics that are stopped by the deployment of a vaccination that becomes available a fixed-time after the start of the epidemic. This can be used to anticipate a window of opportunity during which mass vaccination can significantly reduce the cost of an epidemic.

On Fitting a Multivariate Two-Part Latent Growth Model

PubMed Central

Xu, Shu; Blozis, Shelley A.; Vandewater, Elizabeth A.

2017-01-01

A 2-part latent growth model can be used to analyze semicontinuous data to simultaneously study change in the probability that an individual engages in a behavior, and if engaged, change in the behavior. This article uses a Monte Carlo (MC) integration algorithm to study the interrelationships between the growth factors of 2 variables measured longitudinally where each variable can follow a 2-part latent growth model. A SAS macro implementing Mplus is developed to estimate the model to take into account the sampling uncertainty of this simulation-based computational approach. A sample of time-use data is used to show how maximum likelihood estimates can be obtained using a rectangular numerical integration method and an MC integration method. PMID:29333054

Assessment of Physical Activity, Exercise Self-Efficacy, and Stages of Change in College Students Using a Street-Based Survey Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leenders, Nicole Y. J. M.; Silver, Lorraine Wallace; White, Susan L.; Buckworth, Janet; Sherman, W. Michael

2002-01-01

This study assessed the level of physical activity, exercise self-efficacy, and stages of change for exercise behavior among college students at a large midwestern university using a street-based survey method. The 50% response rate produced 925 student responses comprising 95% as young ([less than or equal to]24 years of age), 53% female, and 79%…

Evaluation and prediction of long-term environmental effects of nonmetallic materials, second phase

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

Changes in the functional properties of a number of nonmetallic materials were evaluated experimentally as a function of simulated space environments and to use such data to develop models for accelerated test methods useful for predicting such behavioral changes. The effects of changed particle irradiations on candidate space materials are evaluated.

Workers' Attitudes to Technical Change: An Integrated Survey of Research. Industrial Relations Aspects of Manpower Policy 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Touraine, Alain; And Others

Methods for encouraging positive worker attitude and behavior toward change were examined to provide a basis for re-evaluation of current policies and programs relating to introduction of technological changes. The literature reviewed is presented in sections of: (1) "The Worker and the Occupational System," by Claude Durand, (2)…

Application of finite-element methods to dynamic analysis of flexible spatial and co-planar linkage systems, part 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dubowsky, Steven

1989-01-01

An approach is described to modeling the flexibility effects in spatial mechanisms and manipulator systems. The method is based on finite element representations of the individual links in the system. However, it should be noted that conventional finite element methods and software packages will not handle the highly nonlinear dynamic behavior of these systems which results form their changing geometry. In order to design high-performance lightweight systems and their control systems, good models of their dynamic behavior which include the effects of flexibility are required.

Can we influence prescribing patterns?

PubMed

Sbarbaro, J A

2001-09-15

A variety of programming techniques and methods of training have been employed to change physician behavior. Didactic continuing medical education lectures and clinical guidelines have had minimal impact, although endorsement of national professional guidelines by local opinion leaders appears to have a positive influence on the impact of professional guidelines. Interactive, hands-on workshops, performance reporting, and peer/patient feedback are also effective. Changing prescribing habits has been equally difficult. Drug utilization letters involving both pharmacist and physician have more impact than do letters sent only to the physician. Academic detailing, when properly executed, has been consistently effective. When combined with these strategies, closed formularies become a powerful tool in changing prescribing behavior.

PREVIEW Behavior Modification Intervention Toolbox (PREMIT): A Study Protocol for a Psychological Element of a Multicenter Project

PubMed Central

Kahlert, Daniela; Unyi-Reicherz, Annelie; Stratton, Gareth; Meinert Larsen, Thomas; Fogelholm, Mikael; Raben, Anne; Schlicht, Wolfgang

2016-01-01

Background: Losing excess body weight and preventing weight regain by changing lifestyle is a challenging but promising task to prevent the incidence of type-2 diabetes. To be successful, it is necessary to use evidence-based and theory-driven interventions, which also contribute to the science of behavior modification by providing a deeper understanding of successful intervention components. Objective: To develop a physical activity and dietary behavior modification intervention toolbox (PREMIT) that fulfills current requirements of being theory-driven and evidence-based, comprehensively described and feasible to evaluate. PREMIT is part of an intervention trial, which aims to prevent the onset of type-2 diabetes in pre-diabetics in eight clinical centers across the world by guiding them in changing their physical activity and dietary behavior through a group counseling approach. Methods: The program development took five progressive steps, in line with the Public Health Action Cycle: (1) Summing-up the intervention goal(s), target group and the setting, (2) uncovering the generative psychological mechanisms, (3) identifying behavior change techniques and tools, (4) preparing for evaluation and (5) implementing the intervention and assuring quality. Results: PREMIT is based on a trans-theoretical approach referring to valid behavior modification theories, models and approaches. A major “product” of PREMIT is a matrix, constructed for use by onsite-instructors. The matrix includes objectives, tasks and activities ordered by periods. PREMIT is constructed to help instructors guide participants' behavior change. To ensure high fidelity and adherence of program-implementation across the eight intervention centers standardized operational procedures were defined and “train-the-trainer” workshops were held. In summary PREMIT is a theory-driven, evidence-based program carefully developed to change physical activity and dietary behaviors in pre-diabetic people. PMID:27559319

The Need for Speed: Neuroendocrine Regulation of Socially-controlled Sex Change.

PubMed

Lamm, Melissa S; Liu, Hui; Gemmell, Neil J; Godwin, John R

2015-08-01

Socially-controlled functional sex change in fishes is a dramatic example of adaptive reproductive plasticity. Functional gonadal sex change can occur within a week while behavioral sex change can begin within minutes. Significant progress has been made in understanding the neuroendocrine bases of this phenomenon at both the gonadal and the neurobiological levels, but a detailed mechanistic understanding remains elusive. We are working with sex-changing wrasses to identify evolutionarily-conserved neuroendocrine pathways underlying this reproductive adaptation. One key model is the bluehead wrasse (Thalassoma bifasciatum), in which sex change is well studied at the behavioral, ecological, and neuroendocrine levels. Bluehead wrasses show rapid increases in aggressive and courtship behaviors with sex change that do not depend on the presence of gonads. The display of male-typical behavior is correlated with the expression of arginine vasotocin, and experiments support a role for this neuropeptide. Estrogen synthesis is also critical in the process. Female bluehead wrasses have higher abundance of aromatase mRNA in the brain and gonads, and estrogen implants block behavioral sex change. While established methods have advanced our understanding of sex change, a full understanding will require new approaches and perspectives. First, contributions of other neuroendocrine systems should be better characterized, particularly glucocorticoid and thyroid signaling. Second, advances in genomics for non-traditional model species should allow conserved mechanisms to be identified with a key next-step being manipulative tests of these mechanisms. Finally, advances in genomics now also allow study of the role of epigenetic modifications and other regulatory mechanisms in the dramatic alterations across the sex-change process. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Using Integrative Data Analysis to Examine Changes in Alcohol Use and Changes in Sexual Risk Behavior across Four Samples of STI Clinic Patients

PubMed Central

Walsh, Jennifer L.; Weinhardt, Lance S.; Kalichman, Seth C.; Carey, Michael P.

2016-01-01

Background Patients in sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics report high levels of alcohol use, which are associated with risky sexual behavior. However, no studies have examined how changes in alcohol use relate to changes in sexual risk behavior. Purpose We used parallel process latent growth modeling to explore how changes in alcohol use related to changes in sexual behavior across four samples of clinic patients. Methods Patients participating in HIV prevention trials from urban clinics in the Northeastern and Midwestern U.S. (N = 3,761, 59% male, 72% Black) completed measures at 3mo intervals over 9-12mo. Integrative data analysis was used to create composite measures of alcohol use across samples. Sexual risk measures were counts of partners and unprotected sex acts. Parallel process models tested whether alcohol use changes were correlated with changes in number of partners and unprotected sex. Results Growth models with good fit showed decreases that slowed over time in sexual risk behaviors and alcohol use. Parallel process models showed positive correlations between levels of (rs =.17-.40, ps < .001) and changes in (rs = .21-.80, ps < .05) alcohol use and number of sexual partners across studies. There were strong associations between levels of (rs = .25-.43, ps < .001) and changes in (rs = .24-.57, ps < .01) alcohol use and unprotected sex in one study recruiting hazardous drinkers. Conclusions Across four samples of clinic patients, reductions in alcohol use were associated with reductions in the number of sexual partners. HIV prevention interventions may be strengthened by addressing alcohol use. PMID:27550626

Mechanisms of motivational interviewing in health promotion: a Bayesian mediation analysis

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Counselor behaviors that mediate the efficacy of motivational interviewing (MI) are not well understood, especially when applied to health behavior promotion. We hypothesized that client change talk mediates the relationship between counselor variables and subsequent client behavior change. Methods Purposeful sampling identified individuals from a prospective randomized worksite trial using an MI intervention to promote firefighters’ healthy diet and regular exercise that increased dietary intake of fruits and vegetables (n = 21) or did not increase intake of fruits and vegetables (n = 22). MI interactions were coded using the Motivational Interviewing Skill Code (MISC 2.1) to categorize counselor and firefighter verbal utterances. Both Bayesian and frequentist mediation analyses were used to investigate whether client change talk mediated the relationship between counselor skills and behavior change. Results Counselors’ global spirit, empathy, and direction and MI-consistent behavioral counts (e.g., reflections, open questions, affirmations, emphasize control) significantly correlated with firefighters’ total client change talk utterances (rs = 0.42, 0.40, 0.30, and 0.61, respectively), which correlated significantly with their fruit and vegetable intake increase (r = 0.33). Both Bayesian and frequentist mediation analyses demonstrated that findings were consistent with hypotheses, such that total client change talk mediated the relationship between counselor’s skills—MI-consistent behaviors [Bayesian mediated effect: αβ = .06 (.03), 95% CI = .02, .12] and MI spirit [Bayesian mediated effect: αβ = .06 (.03), 95% CI = .01, .13]—and increased fruit and vegetable consumption. Conclusion Motivational interviewing is a resource- and time-intensive intervention, and is currently being applied in many arenas. Previous research has identified the importance of counselor behaviors and client change talk in the treatment of substance use disorders. Our results indicate that similar mechanisms may underlie the effects of MI for dietary change. These results inform MI training and application by identifying those processes critical for MI success in health promotion domains. PMID:22681874

The Transtheoretical model for fruit, vegetable and fish consumption: associations between intakes, stages of change and stage transition determinants

PubMed Central

De Vet, Emely; de Nooijer, Jascha; de Vries, Nanne K; Brug, Johannes

2006-01-01

Background Cardiovascular diseases are caused by multiple behavioral factors, including different dietary factors. We examined to what extent fruit, vegetable and fish consumption are related, and whether behavioral determinants vary across these dietary behaviors from a Transtheoretical model perspective. Methods Data were collected among 1142 participants (T0; response rate 46%) selected from an Internet panel, who were followed-up one-week later (T1; N = 1055, response rate 92%). Mean age was 35.4 (SD = 11.9) years, 35% was male, and most respondents were of Dutch origin (90%). Of the respondents, 13%, 44% and 43% had a low, medium or high level of education, respectively. Electronic questionnaires assessed fruit, vegetable and fish intake (food frequency questionnaires), stages of change, decisional balance and self-efficacy, for each of these three behaviors. Results Stages of change and (changes in) fruit, vegetable and fish intake were only weakly associated; decisional balance and self-efficacy were more strongly associated. Some presumed predictors of stage transitions were similar for fruit, vegetable, and fish intake, i.e., strong pros predicted progress out of precontemplators and low self-efficacy predicted relapse from action/maintenance for all behaviors. However, progress out of contemplation and out of preparation showed different patterns for fruit, vegetable and fish intake. Conclusion The weak associations between intakes and potential determinants for fruit, vegetable, and fish consumption do not warrant an integrated dietary change approach targeting the same determinants for each behavior. PMID:16784520

Influences on children's dietary behavior, and innovative attempts to change it.

PubMed

Baranowski, Tom; Diep, Cassandra; Baranowski, Janice

2013-01-01

Fruit and vegetable (FV) intake may protect against several chronic diseases, and the preferences and habits in relation to FV intake appear to form in early childhood. Child FV intake reflects many influences from multiple levels (e.g. internal to the child, family, school, and neighborhood). We have documented influences at each of these levels, but more definitive research in longitudinal samples remains to be conducted. Even though validated comprehensive models of influences on child FV intake in longitudinal studies are not available to guide intervention design for children of different ages, there has been an urgency to initiate chronic disease prevention interventions to mitigate the substantial health consequences. Effective interventions use known behavior change procedures to change the influences on FV intake enough to change the behavior, but few such interventions have demonstrated effectiveness at meaningful levels. Innovative methods need to be explored. Videogames for Health offer a medium that is attractive to children and shows promising results, especially for dietary behavior change. Exciting additional research is needed to clarify possible bidirectional influences between the environmental and individual influences on child intake with possible age-related differences in influence and in the optimal design of video games for dietary change. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Latent Growth and Dynamic Structural Equation Models.

PubMed

Grimm, Kevin J; Ram, Nilam

2018-05-07

Latent growth models make up a class of methods to study within-person change-how it progresses, how it differs across individuals, what are its determinants, and what are its consequences. Latent growth methods have been applied in many domains to examine average and differential responses to interventions and treatments. In this review, we introduce the growth modeling approach to studying change by presenting different models of change and interpretations of their model parameters. We then apply these methods to examining sex differences in the development of binge drinking behavior through adolescence and into adulthood. Advances in growth modeling methods are then discussed and include inherently nonlinear growth models, derivative specification of growth models, and latent change score models to study stochastic change processes. We conclude with relevant design issues of longitudinal studies and considerations for the analysis of longitudinal data.

Positive Exercise Experience Facilitates Behavior Change via Self-Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parschau, Linda; Fleig, Lena; Warner, Lisa Marie; Pomp, Sarah; Barz, Milena; Knoll, Nina; Schwarzer, Ralf; Lippke, Sonia

2014-01-01

Purpose: Motivational processes can be set in motion when positive consequences of physical exercise are experienced. However, relationships between positive exercise experience and determinants of the motivational and the volitional phases of exercise change have attracted only sparse attention in research. Method: This research examines direct…

Staff Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Purcell, Larry O.

Staff development programs and activities are common methods of stimulating change in the behavior of educators. These programs may be designed for a number of purposes, including (1) problem-solving within the local school or district; (2) remediation to develop work-related skills; (3) motivation to change and improve staff; and (4) development…

Does Concern Motivate Behavior Change?: Exploring the Relationship between Physical Activity and Body Mass Index among Low-Income Housing Residents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tamers, Sara L.; Allen, Jennifer; Yang, May; Stoddard, Anne; Harley, Amy; Sorensen, Glorian

2014-01-01

Objective: To explore relationships between concerns and physical activity and body mass index (BMI) among a racially/ethnically diverse low-income population. Method: A cross-sectional survey documented behavioral risks among racially/ethnically diverse low-income residents in the Boston area (2005-2009). Multivariable logistic regressions were…

Exploring the Progression in Preservice Chemistry Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge Representations: The Case of "Behavior of Gases"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adadan, Emine; Oner, Diler

2014-01-01

This multiple case study investigated how two preservice chemistry teachers' pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) representations of behavior of gases progressed in the context of a semester-long chemistry teaching methods course. The change in the participants' PCK components was interpreted with respect to the theoretical PCK learning…

Food and Beverage Promotions in Minnesota Secondary Schools: Secular Changes, Correlates, and Associations with Adolescents' Dietary Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larson, Nicole; Davey, Cynthia S.; Coombes, Brandon; Caspi, Caitlin; Kubik, Martha Y.; Nanney, Marilyn S.

2014-01-01

Background: The purpose of this study was to describe promotions for unhealthy and healthy foods and beverages within Minnesota secondary schools from 2008 to 2012, and to examine associations with school-level coordination of environmental improvements and students' dietary behaviors. Methods: The Minnesota School Health Profiles and Minnesota…

Fire characteristics charts for fire behavior and U.S. fire danger rating

Treesearch

Faith Ann Heinsch; Pat Andrews

2010-01-01

The fire characteristics chart is a graphical method of presenting U.S. National Fire Danger Rating indices or primary surface or crown fire behavior characteristics. A desktop computer application has been developed to produce fire characteristics charts in a format suitable for inclusion in reports and presentations. Many options include change of scales, colors,...

Family Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Children and Adolescents with Clinical Anxiety Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bogels, Susan M.; Siqueland, Lynne

2006-01-01

Objective: A family cognitive-behavioral therapy for children and adolescents ages 8 to 18 years with clinical anxiety disorders was developed and evaluated. Method: Seventeen families were measured before and after waitlist, after treatment, and at 3-month and 1-year follow-up. Results: No children changed their diagnostic status during waitlist,…

Strategies to Facilitate Exposure to Internet-Delivered Health Behavior Change Interventions Aimed at Adolescents or Young Adults: A Systematic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crutzen, Rik; de Nooijer, Jascha; Brouwer, Wendy; Oenema, Anke; Brug, Johannes; de Vries, Nanne K.

2011-01-01

The Internet is considered to be a promising delivery channel of interventions aimed at promoting healthful behaviors, especially for adolescents and young adults. Exposure to these interventions, however, is generally low. A more extensive exploration of methods, strategies, and their effectiveness with regard to facilitating exposure is…

Analytical results for post-buckling behaviour of plates in compression and in shear

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stein, M.

1985-01-01

The postbuckling behavior of long rectangular isotropic and orthotropic plates is determined. By assuming trigonometric functions in one direction, the nonlinear partial differential equations of von Karman large deflection plate theory are converted into nonlinear ordinary differential equations. The ordinary differential equations are solved numerically using an available boundary value problem solver which makes use of Newton's method. Results for longitudinal compression show different postbuckling behavior between isotropic and orthotropic plates. Results for shear show that change in inplane edge constraints can cause large change in postbuckling stiffness.

Promoting Behavior Change from Alcohol Use through Mobile Technology: The Future of Ecological Momentary Assessment

PubMed Central

Cohn, Amy M.; Hunter-Reel, Dorian; Hagman, Brett T.; Mitchell, Jessica

2011-01-01

Background Interactive and mobile technologies (i.e., smartphones such as Blackberries, iPhones, and palm-top computers) show promise as an efficacious and cost-effective means of communicating health-behavior risks, improving public health outcomes, and accelerating behavior change (Abroms and Maibach, 2008). The present study was conducted as a “needs assessment” to examine the current available mobile smartphone applications (e.g., apps) that utilize principles of ecological momentary assessment (EMA) -- daily self-monitoring or near real-time self-assessment of alcohol use behavior -- to promote positive behavior change, alcohol harm reduction, psycho-education about alcohol use, or abstinence from alcohol. Methods Data were collected and analyzed from iTunes for Apple iPhone©. An inventory assessed the number of available apps that directly addressed alcohol use and consumption, alcohol treatment, or recovery, and whether these apps incorporated empirically-based components of alcohol treatment. Results Findings showed that few apps addressed alcohol use behavior change or recovery. Aside from tracking drinking consumption, a minority utilized empirically-based components of alcohol treatment. Some apps claimed they could serve as an intervention, however no empirical evidence was provided. Conclusions More studies are needed to examine the efficacy of mobile technology in alcohol intervention studies. The large gap between availability of mobile apps and their use in alcohol treatment programs indicate several important future directions for research. PMID:21689119

40-year trends in meal and snack eating behaviors of American adults.

PubMed

Kant, Ashima K; Graubard, Barry I

2015-01-01

Understanding changes in profiles of eating behaviors over time may provide insights into contributors to upward trajectories of obesity in the US population. Yet little is known about whether or not characteristics of meal and snack eating behaviors reported by adult Americans have changed over time. To examine time trends in the distribution of day's intake into individual meal and snack behaviors and related attributes in the US adult population. The study was observational with cross-sectional data from national surveys fielded over 40 years. Nationally representative dietary data from nine National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys conducted from 1971-1974 to 2009-2010 (N=62,298 participants aged 20-74 years) were used to describe eating behaviors. The respondent-labeled eating behaviors examined included main meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), and snacks (before breakfast, between breakfast and lunch, between lunch and dinner, after dinner, or other). For each eating behavior, percent of reporters, relative contribution to 24-hour energy intake, the clock time of report, and intermeal/snack intervals were examined. Multivariable logistic and linear regression methods for analysis of complex survey data adjusted for characteristics of respondents in each survey. Over the 40-year span examined reports of each individual named main meal (or all three main meals) declined, but reports of only two out of three meals or the same meal more than once increased; the percentage of 24-hour energy from snacks reported between lunch and dinner or snacks that displaced meals increased; clock times of breakfast and lunch were later, and intervals between dinner and after-dinner snack were shorter. Changes in several snack reporting behaviors (eg, report of any snack or ≥2 snacks), were significant in women only. Several meal and snack eating behaviors of American adults changed over time, with a greater change in snack behaviors of women relative to men. Copyright © 2015 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

40-year trends in meal and snack eating behaviors of American adults

PubMed Central

Kant, Ashima K.; Graubard, Barry I.

2014-01-01

Background Understanding of changes in profiles of eating behaviors over time may provide insights into contributors to upward trajectories of obesity in the United States population. Yet, little is known about whether characteristics of meal and snack eating behaviors reported by adult Americans have changed over time. Objective This study examined time trends in the distribution of day’s intake into individual meal and snack behaviors and related attributes in the United States adult population. Design The study was observational with cross-sectional data from national surveys fielded over 40 years. Participant/setting Nationally representative dietary data from nine National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys conducted from 1971–74 to 2009–2010 (n=62298; age 20–74 years) were used to describe eating behaviors. Outcomes examined The respondent-labeled eating behaviors examined included main meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), and snacks (before breakfast, between breakfast and lunch, between lunch and dinner, after dinner, or other). For each eating behavior, percent of reporters; relative contribution to 24-hour energy intake; the clock time of report; and intermeal/snack intervals were examined. Statistical Analysis Multivariable logistic and linear regression methods for analysis of complex survey data adjusted for characteristics of respondents in each survey. Results Over the 40-year span examined: 1) reports of each individual named main meal (or all three main meals) declined, but reports of only two out of three meals or the same meal more than once increased; 2) the percentage of 24-hour energy from snacks reported between lunch and dinner or snacks that displaced meals increased; 3) clock times of breakfast and lunch were later, and intervals between dinner and after dinner snack were shorter. Changes in several snack reporting behaviors (e.g., report of any snack or ≥2 snacks), were significant in women only. Conclusions Several meal and snack eating behaviors of American adults changed over time, with a greater change in snack behaviors of women relative to men. PMID:25088521

Nature of Persecutors and Their Behaviors in the Delusions of Schizophrenia: Changes between the 1990s and the 2000s

PubMed Central

Oh, Hyun Young; Kim, Daeho

2012-01-01

Objective Research suggests that the contents of delusions in schizophrenia are influenced by culture and social environment. However, few studies have investigated the chronological change of such delusions within a society. To investigate specifically the changes in the persecutory delusions of schizophrenia that have occurred over time, we compared the nature of the persecutors and their persecutory behaviors among inpatients with schizophrenia. Methods All admissions to the psychiatric unit of Hanyang University Guri Hospital with discharge diagnoses of schizophrenia during two different five-year time frames (1996-2000 and 2006-2010) were reviewed. From their inpatient medical records, we investigated the descriptions of persecutors and their persecutory behaviors in the delusions of 124 patients (54 in the1990s and 72 in the 2000s). Results Overall, persecutory behaviors and nature of persecutors in the delusions of schizophrenia did not differ between the two time frames. However, subgroup analysis revealed that in women but not in men, rejection as a persecutory behavior was significantly higher in the 1990s (p<0.05). Conclusion The ten-year time interval may be too short to find significant changes in delusional content in general. However, our additional finding in women may be a result of the tremendous change in status of Korean women during the last decade. PMID:23251194

Using Feedback to Promote Physical Activity: The Role of the Feedback Sign

PubMed Central

Kramer, Jan-Niklas

2017-01-01

Background Providing feedback is a technique to promote health behavior that is emphasized by behavior change theories. However, these theories make contradicting predictions regarding the effect of the feedback sign—that is, whether the feedback signals success or failure. Thus, it is unclear whether positive or negative feedback leads to more favorable behavior change in a health behavior intervention. Objective The aim of this study was to examine the effect of the feedback sign in a health behavior change intervention. Methods Data from participants (N=1623) of a 6-month physical activity intervention was used. Participants received a feedback email at the beginning of each month. Feedback was either positive or negative depending on the participants’ physical activity in the previous month. In an exploratory analysis, change in monthly step count averages was used to evaluate the feedback effect. Results The feedback sign did not predict the change in monthly step count averages over the course of the intervention (b=−84.28, P=.28). Descriptive differences between positive and negative feedback can be explained by regression to the mean. Conclusions The feedback sign might not influence the effect of monthly feedback emails sent out to participants of a large-scale physical activity intervention. However, randomized studies are needed to further support this conclusion. Limitations as well as opportunities for future research are discussed. PMID:28576757

Regression to the mean and changes in risk behavior following study enrollment in a cohort of U.S. women at risk for HIV.

PubMed

Hughes, James P; Haley, Danielle F; Frew, Paula M; Golin, Carol E; Adimora, Adaora A; Kuo, Irene; Justman, Jessica; Soto-Torres, Lydia; Wang, Jing; Hodder, Sally

2015-06-01

Reductions in risk behaviors are common following enrollment in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention studies. We develop methods to quantify the proportion of change in risk behaviors that can be attributed to regression to the mean versus study participation and other factors. A novel model that incorporates both regression to the mean and study participation effects is developed for binary measures. The model is used to estimate the proportion of change in the prevalence of "unprotected sex in the past 6 months" that can be attributed to study participation versus regression to the mean in a longitudinal cohort of women at risk for HIV infection who were recruited from ten U.S. communities with high rates of HIV and poverty. HIV risk behaviors were evaluated using audio computer-assisted self-interviews at baseline and every 6 months for up to 12 months. The prevalence of "unprotected sex in the past 6 months" declined from 96% at baseline to 77% at 12 months. However, this change could be almost completely explained by regression to the mean. Analyses that examine changes over time in cohorts selected for high- or low- risk behaviors should account for regression to the mean effects. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adult Tea Green Leafhoppers, Empoasca onukii (Matsuda), Change Behaviors under Varying Light Conditions

PubMed Central

Shi, Longqing; Vasseur, Liette; Huang, Huoshui; Zeng, Zhaohua; Hu, Guiping; Liu, Xin; You, Minsheng

2017-01-01

Insect behaviors are often influenced by light conditions including photoperiod, light intensity, and wavelength. Understanding pest insect responses to changing light conditions may help with developing alternative strategies for pest control. Little is known about the behavioral responses of leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) to light conditions. The behavior of the tea green leafhopper, Empoasca onukii Matsuda, was examined when exposed to different light photoperiods or wavelengths. Observations included the frequency of locomotion and cleaning activities, and the duration of time spent searching. The results suggested that under normal photoperiod both female and male adults were generally more active in darkness (i.e., at night) than in light. In continuous darkness (DD), the locomotion and cleaning events in Period 1 (7:00–19:00) were significantly increased, when compared to the leafhoppers under normal photoperiod (LD). Leafhoppers, especially females, changed their behavioral patterns to a two day cycle under DD. Under continuous illumination (continuous quartz lamp light, yellow light at night, and green light at night), the activities of locomotion, cleaning, and searching were significantly suppressed during the night (19:00–7:00) and locomotion activities of both females and males were significantly increased during the day (7:00–19:00), suggesting a shift in circadian rhythm. Our work suggests that changes in light conditions, including photoperiod and wavelength, can influence behavioral activities of leafhoppers, potentially affecting other life history traits such as reproduction and development, and may serve as a method for leafhopper behavioral control. PMID:28103237

Adult Tea Green Leafhoppers, Empoasca onukii (Matsuda), Change Behaviors under Varying Light Conditions.

PubMed

Shi, Longqing; Vasseur, Liette; Huang, Huoshui; Zeng, Zhaohua; Hu, Guiping; Liu, Xin; You, Minsheng

2017-01-01

Insect behaviors are often influenced by light conditions including photoperiod, light intensity, and wavelength. Understanding pest insect responses to changing light conditions may help with developing alternative strategies for pest control. Little is known about the behavioral responses of leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) to light conditions. The behavior of the tea green leafhopper, Empoasca onukii Matsuda, was examined when exposed to different light photoperiods or wavelengths. Observations included the frequency of locomotion and cleaning activities, and the duration of time spent searching. The results suggested that under normal photoperiod both female and male adults were generally more active in darkness (i.e., at night) than in light. In continuous darkness (DD), the locomotion and cleaning events in Period 1 (7:00-19:00) were significantly increased, when compared to the leafhoppers under normal photoperiod (LD). Leafhoppers, especially females, changed their behavioral patterns to a two day cycle under DD. Under continuous illumination (continuous quartz lamp light, yellow light at night, and green light at night), the activities of locomotion, cleaning, and searching were significantly suppressed during the night (19:00-7:00) and locomotion activities of both females and males were significantly increased during the day (7:00-19:00), suggesting a shift in circadian rhythm. Our work suggests that changes in light conditions, including photoperiod and wavelength, can influence behavioral activities of leafhoppers, potentially affecting other life history traits such as reproduction and development, and may serve as a method for leafhopper behavioral control.

In Pursuit of Theoretical Ground in Behavior Change Support Systems: Analysis of Peer-to-Peer Communication in a Health-Related Online Community

PubMed Central

Cobb, Nathan; Cohen, Trevor

2016-01-01

Background Research studies involving health-related online communities have focused on examining network structure to understand mechanisms underlying behavior change. Content analysis of the messages exchanged in these communities has been limited to the “social support” perspective. However, existing behavior change theories suggest that message content plays a prominent role reflecting several sociocognitive factors that affect an individual’s efforts to make a lifestyle change. An understanding of these factors is imperative to identify and harness the mechanisms of behavior change in the Health 2.0 era. Objective The objective of this work is two-fold: (1) to harness digital communication data to capture essential meaning of communication and factors affecting a desired behavior change, and (2) to understand the applicability of existing behavior change theories to characterize peer-to-peer communication in online platforms. Methods In this paper, we describe grounded theory–based qualitative analysis of digital communication in QuitNet, an online community promoting smoking cessation. A database of 16,492 de-identified public messages from 1456 users from March 1-April 30, 2007, was used in our study. We analyzed 795 messages using grounded theory techniques to ensure thematic saturation. This analysis enabled identification of key concepts contained in the messages exchanged by QuitNet members, allowing us to understand the sociobehavioral intricacies underlying an individual’s efforts to cease smoking in a group setting. We further ascertained the relevance of the identified themes to theoretical constructs in existing behavior change theories (eg, Health Belief Model) and theoretically linked techniques of behavior change taxonomy. Results We identified 43 different concepts, which were then grouped under 12 themes based on analysis of 795 messages. Examples of concepts include “sleepiness,” “pledge,” “patch,” “spouse,” and “slip.” Examples of themes include “traditions,” “social support,” “obstacles,” “relapse,” and “cravings.” Results indicate that themes consisting of member-generated strategies such as “virtual bonfires” and “pledges” were related to the highest number of theoretical constructs from the existing behavior change theories. In addition, results indicate that the member-generated communication content supports sociocognitive constructs from more than one behavior change model, unlike the majority of the existing theory-driven interventions. Conclusions With the onset of mobile phones and ubiquitous Internet connectivity, online social network data reflect the intricacies of human health behavior as experienced by health consumers in real time. This study offers methodological insights for qualitative investigations that examine the various kinds of behavioral constructs prevalent in the messages exchanged among users of online communities. Theoretically, this study establishes the manifestation of existing behavior change theories in QuitNet-like online health communities. Pragmatically, it sets the stage for real-time, data-driven sociobehavioral interventions promoting healthy lifestyle modifications by allowing us to understand the emergent user needs to sustain a desired behavior change. PMID:26839162

Experiential Exposure to Texting and Walking in Virtual Reality: A Randomized Trial to Reduce Distracted Pedestrian Behavior

PubMed Central

Schwebel, David C.; McClure, Leslie A.; Porter, Bryan E.

2017-01-01

Background Distracted pedestrian behavior is a significant public health concern, as research suggests distracted pedestrians have significantly higher risk of injury compared to fully attentive pedestrians. Despite this, efforts to reduce distracted pedestrian behavior are scant. Objective Using a repeated measures experimental research design, we implemented a behavioral intervention to reduce distracted pedestrian behavior in the high-risk environment of an urban college campus and simultaneously monitored behavior on a control urban college campus not exposed to the intervention. We had two primary aims: reduce perceived vulnerability to injury among individual pedestrians and reduce distracted pedestrian behavior in the environment through a change in community-based norms. Methods The hallmark of the behavioral intervention was a week-long opportunity for community members to experience personally the risks of distracted pedestrian behavior by attempting to cross a virtual pedestrian environment street while text-messaging. This was supplemented by traditional and social marketing and publicity through various campus partners. A sample of 219 individuals completed self-report surveys about perceived vulnerability to distracted pedestrian injury before experiencing the distracted virtual street-crossing and again after 2 weeks and 5 months. Observational assessment of distracted pedestrian behavior was conducted at a busy intersection on the campus as well as at a control campus not exposed to the intervention at baseline, post-intervention, 10 weeks, and 6 months. Results The intervention achieved mixed results. Individuals exposed to texting within a simulated pedestrian environment reported changes in their intentions to cross streets while distracted and in perceived vulnerability to risk while crossing streets, but we did not witness evidence of changed community norms based on observed rates of distracted pedestrian behavior before and after the intervention compared to a control campus not exposed to the intervention. Discussion The intervention created some change in self-reported intentions and thoughts but did not create significant behavior change on the campus exposed to it. Further efforts to develop interventions that will yield a reduction in distracted pedestrian behavior are needed. PMID:28279843

Enhancing behavioral science education at the Ohio State University College of Medicine.

PubMed

Post, Douglas M; Stone, Linda C; Knutson, Douglas J; Gutierrez, Tamara L; Sari, Firuzan; Hudson, William A

2008-01-01

The social and behavioral sciences play key roles in patient health outcomes. Given this reality, successful development of social and behavioral science curricula in medical education is critically important to the quality of patients' lives and the effectiveness of health care delivery systems. The Institute of Medicine, in a recent report, recommended that medical schools enhance their curricula in these areas and identified four institutions as "exemplars" of social and behavioral science education. The authors describe an ongoing curriculum development and improvement process that produced one such exemplary program at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. The authors provide a historical perspective on behavioral science education, discuss issues that led to curricular change, and describe the principles and processes used to implement reform. Critical factors underlying positive change are addressed: increase active learning, recruit a core group of small-group facilitators who are primary care physicians, diversify teaching methods, support student-directed educational initiatives, enhance student-teacher relationships, centralize course administration, obtain funding, implement a faculty development program, and apply curriculum quality improvement methods. Outcome data from evaluations completed by both students and small-group physician faculty are presented, and future directions regarding further revision are outlined. The authors believe that the strategies they describe can be applied at other institutions and assist behavioral science educators who may experience the challenges typically encountered in this important field of medical education.

Age-dependent effect of high cholesterol diets on anxiety-like behavior in elevated plus maze test in rats

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Cholesterol is an essential component of brain and nerve cells and is essential for maintaining the function of the nervous system. Epidemiological studies showed that patients suffering from anxiety disorders have higher serum cholesterol levels. In this study, we investigated the influence of high cholesterol diet on anxiety-like behavior in elevated plus maze in animal model and explored the relationship between cholesterol and anxiety-like behavior from the aspect of central neurochemical changes. Methods Young (3 weeks old) and adult (20 weeks old) rats were given a high cholesterol diet for 8 weeks. The anxiety-like behavior in elevated plus maze test and changes of central neurochemical implicated in anxiety were measured. Results In young rats, high cholesterol diet induced anxiolytic-like behavior, decreased serum corticosterone (CORT), increased hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), increased hippocampal mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and decreased glucocorticoid receptor (GR). In adult rats, high cholesterol diet induced anxiety-like behavior and increase of serum CORT and decrease of hippocampal BDNF comparing with their respective control group that fed the regular diet. Discussion High cholesterol diet induced age-dependent effects on anxiety-like behavior and central neurochemical changes. High cholesterol diet might affect the central nervous system (CNS) function differently, and resulting in different behavior performance of anxiety in different age period. PMID:25179125

A Consensus Approach to Investigate Undergraduate Pharmacy Students’ Experience of Interprofessional Education

PubMed Central

Obara, Ilona; Paterson, Alastair; Nazar, Zachariah; Portlock, Jane; Husband, Andrew

2017-01-01

Objective. To assess the development of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors for collaborative practice among first-year pharmacy students following completion of interprofessional education. Methods. A mixed-methods strategy was employed to detect student self-reported change in knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Validated survey tools were used to assess student perception and attitudes. The Nominal Group Technique (NGT) was used to capture student reflections and provide peer discussion on the individual IPE sessions. Results. The validated survey tools did not detect any change in students’ attitudes and perceptions. The NGT succeeded in providing a milieu for participating students to reflect on their IPE experiences. The peer review process allowed students to compare their initial perceptions and reactions and renew their reflections on the learning experience. Conclusion. The NGT process has provided the opportunity to assess the student experience through the reflective process that was enriched via peer discussion. Students have demonstrated more positive attitudes and behaviors toward interprofessional working through IPE. PMID:28381886

Automated Indexing of Internet Stories for Health Behavior Change: Weight Loss Attitude Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Manuvinakurike, Ramesh; Velicer, Wayne F

2014-01-01

Background Automated health behavior change interventions show promise, but suffer from high attrition and disuse. The Internet abounds with thousands of personal narrative accounts of health behavior change that could not only provide useful information and motivation for others who are also trying to change, but an endless source of novel, entertaining stories that may keep participants more engaged than messages authored by interventionists. Objective Given a collection of relevant personal health behavior change stories gathered from the Internet, the aim of this study was to develop and evaluate an automated indexing algorithm that could select the best possible story to provide to a user to have the greatest possible impact on their attitudes toward changing a targeted health behavior, in this case weight loss. Methods An indexing algorithm was developed using features informed by theories from behavioral medicine together with text classification and machine learning techniques. The algorithm was trained using a crowdsourced dataset, then evaluated in a 2×2 between-subjects randomized pilot study. One factor compared the effects of participants reading 2 indexed stories vs 2 randomly selected stories, whereas the second factor compared the medium used to tell the stories: text or animated conversational agent. Outcome measures included changes in self-efficacy and decisional balance for weight loss before and after the stories were read. Results Participants were recruited from a crowdsourcing website (N=103; 53.4%, 55/103 female; mean age 35, SD 10.8 years; 65.0%, 67/103 precontemplation; 19.4%, 20/103 contemplation for weight loss). Participants who read indexed stories exhibited a significantly greater increase in self-efficacy for weight loss compared to the control group (F 1,107=5.5, P=.02). There were no significant effects of indexing on change in decisional balance (F 1,97=0.05, P=.83) and no significant effects of medium on change in self-efficacy (F 1,107=0.04, P=.84) or decisional balance (F 1,97=0.78, P=.38). Conclusions Personal stories of health behavior change can be harvested from the Internet and used directly and automatically in interventions to affect participant attitudes, such as self-efficacy for changing behavior. Such approaches have the potential to provide highly tailored interventions that maximize engagement and retention with minimal intervention development effort. PMID:25491243

The Effect of Aging on Muscular Dynamics Underlying Movement Patterns Changes.

PubMed

Vernooij, Carlijn A; Rao, Guillaume; Berton, Eric; Retornaz, Frédérique; Temprado, Jean-Jacques

2016-01-01

Introduction: Aging leads to alterations not only within the complex subsystems of the neuro-musculo-skeletal system, but also in the coupling between them. Here, we studied how aging affects functional reorganizations that occur both within and between the behavioral and muscular levels, which must be coordinated to produce goal-directed movements. Using unimanual reciprocal Fitts' task, we examined the behavioral and muscular dynamics of older adults (74.4 ± 3.7 years) and compared them to those found for younger adults (23.2 ± 2.0 years). Methods: To achieve this objective, we manipulated the target size to trigger a phase transition in the behavioral regime and searched for concomitant signatures of a phase transition in the muscular coordination. Here, muscular coordination was derived by using the method of muscular synergy extraction. With this technique, we obtained functional muscular patterns through non-negative matrix factorization of the muscular signals followed by clustering the resulting synergies. Results: Older adults showed a phase transition in behavioral regime, although, in contrast to young participants, their kinematic profiles did not show a discontinuity. In parallel, muscular coordination displayed two typical signatures of a phase transition, that is, increased variability of coordination patterns and a reorganization of muscular synergies. Both signatures confirmed the existence of muscular reorganization in older adults, which is coupled with change in dynamical regime at behavioral level. However, relative to young adults, transition occurred at lower index of difficulty (ID) in older participants and the reorganization of muscular patterns lasted longer (over multiple IDs). Discussion: This implies that consistent changes occur in coordination processes across behavior and muscle. Furthermore, the repertoire of muscular patterns was reduced and somewhat modified for older adults, relative to young participants. This suggests that aging is not only related to changes in individual muscles (e.g., caused by dynapenia) but also in their coordination.

Electrofishing mark-recapture and depletion methodologies evoke behavioral and physiological changes in cutthroat trout

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mesa, M. G.; Schreck, C.B.

1989-01-01

We examined the behavioral and physiological responses of wild and hatchery-reared cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki subjected to a single electroshock, electroshock plus marking, and multiple electroshocks in natural and artificial streams. In a natural stream, cutthroat trout released after capture by electrofishing and marking showed distinct behavioral changes: fish immediately sought cover, remained relatively inactive, did not feed, and were easily approached by a diver. An average of 3–4 h was required for 50% of the fish to return to a seemingly normal mode of behavior, although responses varied widely among collection sites. Using the depletion method, we observed little change in normal behavior offish remaining in the stream section (i.e., uncaptured fish) after successive passes with electrofishing gear. In an artificial stream, hatchery-reared and wild cutthroat trout immediately decreased their rates of feeding and aggression after they were electroshocked and marked. Hatchery fish generally recovered in 2–3 h; wild fish required at least 24 h to recover. Analysis of feeding and aggression data by hierarchical rank revealed no distinct recovery trends among hatchery fish of different ranks; among wild cutthroat trout, however, socially dominant fish seemed to recover faster than intermediate and subordinate fish. Physiological indicators of stress (plasma cortisol and blood lactic acid) increased significantly in cutthroat trout subjected to electroshock plus marking or single or multiple electroshocks. As judged by the magnitude of the greatest change in cortisol and lactate, multiple electroshocks elicited the most severe stress response; however, plasma concentrations of both substances had returned to unstressed control levels by 6 h after treatment. It was evident that electrofishing and the procedures involved with estimating fish population size elicited a general stress response that was manifested not only physiologically but also behaviorally. These responses may affect the accuracy of population size estimates by violating key assumptions of the methods, especially the assumption of equal catchability offish.

Theory's role in shaping behavioral health research for population health.

PubMed

King, Abby C

2015-11-26

The careful application of theory often is used in the behavioral health field to enhance our understanding of how the world currently works. But theory also can help us visualize what the world can become, particularly through its potential impacts on population-wide health. Applying a multi-level ecological perspective can help in expanding the field's focus upward toward the population at large. While ecological frameworks have become increasingly popular, arguably such perspectives have fallen short of their potential to actively bridge conceptual constructs and, by extension, intervention approaches, across different levels of population impact. Theoretical and conceptual perspectives that explicitly span levels of impact offer arguably the greatest potential for achieving scientific insights that may in turn produce the largest population health effects. Examples of such "bridging" approaches include theories and models that span behavioral + micro-environment, behavioral + social/cultural, and social + physical environment constructs. Several recommendations are presented related to opportunities for leveraging theories to attain the greatest impact in the population health science field. These include applying the evidence obtained from person-level theories to inform methods for positively impacting the behaviors of community gatekeepers and decision-makers for greater population change and reach; leveraging the potential of residents as "citizen scientists"--a resource for enacting behavioral health changes at the individual, environmental, and policy levels; using empirical observations and theory in equal parts to build more robust, relevant, and solution-oriented behavior change programs; exploring moderators and mediators of change at levels of impact that go beyond the individual; and considering the circumstances in which applying conceptual methods that embrace a "complexity" as opposed to "causality" perspective may lead to more flexible and agile scientific approaches that could accelerate both population-relevant discoveries and applications in the field. The commentary closes with suggestions concerning additional areas to be considered to facilitate continued advances in the health behavior field more generally to attain the greatest impacts on population health.

Mass media health communication campaigns combined with health-related product distribution: a community guide systematic review.

PubMed

Robinson, Maren N; Tansil, Kristin A; Elder, Randy W; Soler, Robin E; Labre, Magdala P; Mercer, Shawna L; Eroglu, Dogan; Baur, Cynthia; Lyon-Daniel, Katherine; Fridinger, Fred; Sokler, Lynn A; Green, Lawrence W; Miller, Therese; Dearing, James W; Evans, William D; Snyder, Leslie B; Kasisomayajula Viswanath, K; Beistle, Diane M; Chervin, Doryn D; Bernhardt, Jay M; Rimer, Barbara K

2014-09-01

Health communication campaigns including mass media and health-related product distribution have been used to reduce mortality and morbidity through behavior change. The intervention is defined as having two core components reflecting two social marketing principles: (1) promoting behavior change through multiple communication channels, one being mass media, and (2) distributing a free or reduced-price product that facilitates adoption and maintenance of healthy behavior change, sustains cessation of harmful behaviors, or protects against behavior-related disease or injury. Using methods previously developed for the Community Guide, a systematic review (search period, January 1980-December 2009) was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of health communication campaigns that use multiple channels, including mass media, and distribute health-related products. The primary outcome of interest was use of distributed health-related products. Twenty-two studies that met Community Guide quality criteria were analyzed in 2010. Most studies showed favorable behavior change effects on health-related product use (a median increase of 8.4 percentage points). By product category, median increases in desired behaviors ranged from 4.0 percentage points for condom promotion and distribution campaigns to 10.0 percentage points for smoking-cessation campaigns. Health communication campaigns that combine mass media and other communication channels with distribution of free or reduced-price health-related products are effective in improving healthy behaviors. This intervention is expected to be applicable across U.S. demographic groups, with appropriate population targeting. The ability to draw more specific conclusions about other important social marketing practices is constrained by limited reporting of intervention components and characteristics. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Slow-rotation dynamic SPECT with a temporal second derivative constraint.

PubMed

Humphries, T; Celler, A; Trummer, M

2011-08-01

Dynamic tracer behavior in the human body arises as a result of continuous physiological processes. Hence, the change in tracer concentration within a region of interest (ROI) should follow a smooth curve. The authors propose a modification to an existing slow-rotation dynamic SPECT reconstruction algorithm (dSPECT) with the goal of improving the smoothness of time activity curves (TACs) and other properties of the reconstructed image. The new method, denoted d2EM, imposes a constraint on the second derivative (concavity) of the TAC in every voxel of the reconstructed image, allowing it to change sign at most once. Further constraints are enforced to prevent other nonphysical behaviors from arising. The new method is compared with dSPECT using digital phantom simulations and experimental dynamic 99mTc -DTPA renal SPECT data, to assess any improvement in image quality. In both phantom simulations and healthy volunteer experiments, the d2EM method provides smoother TACs than dSPECT, with more consistent shapes in regions with dynamic behavior. Magnitudes of TACs within an ROI still vary noticeably in both dSPECT and d2EM images, but also in images produced using an OSEM approach that reconstructs each time frame individually, based on much more complete projection data. TACs produced by averaging over a region are similar using either method, even for small ROIs. Results for experimental renal data show expected behavior in images produced by both methods, with d2EM providing somewhat smoother mean TACs and more consistent TAC shapes. The d2EM method is successful in improving the smoothness of time activity curves obtained from the reconstruction, as well as improving consistency of TAC shapes within ROIs.

Behavior sensitivities for control augmented structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manning, R. A.; Lust, R. V.; Schmit, L. A.

1987-01-01

During the past few years it has been recognized that combining passive structural design methods with active control techniques offers the prospect of being able to find substantially improved designs. These developments have stimulated interest in augmenting structural synthesis by adding active control system design variables to those usually considered in structural optimization. An essential step in extending the approximation concepts approach to control augmented structural synthesis is the development of a behavior sensitivity analysis capability for determining rates of change of dynamic response quantities with respect to changes in structural and control system design variables. Behavior sensitivity information is also useful for man-machine interactive design as well as in the context of system identification studies. Behavior sensitivity formulations for both steady state and transient response are presented and the quality of the resulting derivative information is evaluated.

Assessing Behavioral Stages From Social Media Data.

PubMed

Liu, Jason; Weitzman, Elissa R; Chunara, Rumi

2017-01-01

Important work rooted in psychological theory posits that health behavior change occurs through a series of discrete stages. Our work builds on the field of social computing by identifying how social media data can be used to resolve behavior stages at high resolution (e.g. hourly/daily) for key population subgroups and times. In essence this approach opens new opportunities to advance psychological theories and better understand how our health is shaped based on the real, dynamic, and rapid actions we make every day. To do so, we bring together domain knowledge and machine learning methods to form a hierarchical classification of Twitter data that resolves different stages of behavior. We identify and examine temporal patterns of the identified stages, with alcohol as a use case (planning or looking to drink, currently drinking, and reflecting on drinking). Known seasonal trends are compared with findings from our methods. We discuss the potential health policy implications of detecting high frequency behavior stages.

Effectiveness of an individual, online e-learning program about sexually transmitted infections: a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Bos-Bonnie, Linda H A; van Bergen, Jan E A M; Te Pas, Ellen; Kijser, Michael A; van Dijk, Nynke

2017-04-24

Primary health-care professionals play an important role in the treatment and prevention of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI). Continuing Medical Education (CME)-courses can influence the knowledge and behavior of health-care professionals concerning STI. We performed a prospective cohort study to evaluate if the individual and online e-learning program "The STI-consultation", which uses the Commitment-to-Change (CtC)-method, is able to improve the knowledge, attitude and behavior of Dutch General Practitioners (GPs), concerning the STI-consultation. This e-learning program is an individual, accredited, online CME-program, which is freely available for all GPs and GP-trainees in the Netherlands. In total 2192 participants completed the questionnaire before completing the e-learning program and 249 participants completed the follow-up questionnaire after completing the e-learning program. The effect of the program on their knowledge, attitude and behavior concerning the STI-consultation was evaluated. In total 193 participants formulated 601 learning points that matched the learning objectives of the program. The knowledge and attitude of the participants improved, which persisted up to two years after completing the program. Another 179 participants formulated a total of 261 intended changes concerning the sexual history taking, additional investigation and treatment of STI, 97.2% of these changes was partially or fully implemented in daily practice. Also, 114 participants formulated a total of 180 "unintended" changes in daily practice. These changes concerned the attitude of participants towards STI and the working conditions concerning the STI-consultation. The individual, online e-learning program "The STI-consultation", which uses the CtC-method, has a small but lasting, positive effect on the knowledge, attitude, and behavior of GPs concerning the STI-consultation.

Changing Attitudes about Spanking Using Alternative Biblical Interpretations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perrin, Robin; Miller-Perrin, Cindy; Song, Jeongbin

2017-01-01

Social scientists are generally in agreement that spanking is not an especially effective method of discipline and is associated with a variety of behavioral and mental health problems in children. Interventions that have focused on disseminating this empirical research have met with some success in changing pro-spanking attitudes. However, given…

Effect of a Significant Other on Client Change Talk in Motivational Interviewing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Apodaca, Timothy R.; Magill, Molly; Longabaugh, Richard; Jackson, Kristina M.; Monti, Peter M.

2013-01-01

Objective:To examine significant-other (SO) and therapist behaviors as predictors of client change language within motivational interviewing (MI) sessions. Method: Participants from an emergency department received a single session of MI that included SO participation (N = 157). Sessions were coded using therapy process coding systems. Sessions…

Case Study of Instructional Innovation among Elementary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCracklin, Patricia

2012-01-01

In one mid-western elementary school, teachers received training designed to change their teaching methods in their classrooms. Research has shown teachers have difficulty changing teaching behaviors. The research questions addressed teachers' beliefs and understandings of teaching in a new way. The theoretical framework for this study is…

The Effects of Exercise Advertising on Self-efficacy and Decisional Balance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berry, Tanya R.; Howe, Bruce L.

2005-01-01

Objectives: To investigate the effects of exercise advertising on self-efficacy and decisional balance for changing exercise behavior. Methods: One hundred seventy-four university students (females = 108; males = 66) watched a video that contained health, appearance, or control advertising and completed stage of change, exercise self-efficacy, and…

Behavioral ecology of captive species: using behavioral adaptations to assess and enhance welfare of nonhuman zoo animals.

PubMed

Koene, Paul

2013-01-01

This project aimed to estimate a species' adaptations in nature and in captivity, assess welfare, suggest environmental changes, and find species characteristics that underlie welfare problems in nonhuman animals in the zoo. First, the current status of zoo animal welfare assessment was reviewed, and the behavioral ecology approach was outlined. In this approach, databases of species characteristics were developed using (a) literature of natural behavior and (b) captive behavior. Species characteristics were grouped in 8 functional behavioral ecological fitness-related categories: space, time, metabolic, safety, reproductive, comfort, social, and information adaptations. Assessments of the strength of behavioral adaptations in relation to environmental demands were made based on the results available from the literature. The databases with literature at the species level were coupled with databases of (c) behavioral observations and (d) welfare assessments under captive conditions. Observation and welfare assessment methods were adapted from the animal on the farm realm and applied to zoo species. It was expected that the comparison of the repertoire of behaviors in natural and captive environments would highlight welfare problems, provide solutions to welfare problems by environmental changes, and identify species characteristics underlying zoo animal welfare problems.

Thickness Dependence of Failure in Ultra-thin Glassy Polymer Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bay, Reed; Shimomura, Shinichiro; Liu, Yujie; Ilton, Mark; Crosby, Alfred

The physical properties of polymer thin films change as the polymer chains become confined. Similar changes in mechanical properties have been observed, though these critical properties have only been explored a limited extent and with indirect methods. Here, we use a recently developed method to measure the complete uniaxial stress strain relationship of polymer thin films of polystyrene films (PS, Mw =130kg/mol, 490kg/mol, and 853kg/mol) as a function of thickness (20 nm-220nm). In this method, we hold a `dog-bone' shaped film on water between a flexible cantilever and a movable rigid boundary, measuring force-displacement from the cantilever deflection. From our measurements, we find that the modulus decreases as the PS chains become confined. The PS thin films exhibit ``ideal perfectly plastic'' behavior due to crazing, which differs from the typical brittle response of bulk PS. The draw stress due to crazing decreases with film thickness. These results provide new fundamental insight into how polymer behavior is altered due to structural changes in the entangled polymer network upon confinement. NSF DMR 1608614.

Behavior Change Techniques Implemented in Electronic Lifestyle Activity Monitors: A Systematic Content Analysis

PubMed Central

Lewis, Zakkoyya H; Mayrsohn, Brian G; Rowland, Jennifer L

2014-01-01

Background Electronic activity monitors (such as those manufactured by Fitbit, Jawbone, and Nike) improve on standard pedometers by providing automated feedback and interactive behavior change tools via mobile device or personal computer. These monitors are commercially popular and show promise for use in public health interventions. However, little is known about the content of their feedback applications and how individual monitors may differ from one another. Objective The purpose of this study was to describe the behavior change techniques implemented in commercially available electronic activity monitors. Methods Electronic activity monitors (N=13) were systematically identified and tested by 3 trained coders for at least 1 week each. All monitors measured lifestyle physical activity and provided feedback via an app (computer or mobile). Coding was based on a hierarchical list of 93 behavior change techniques. Further coding of potentially effective techniques and adherence to theory-based recommendations were based on findings from meta-analyses and meta-regressions in the research literature. Results All monitors provided tools for self-monitoring, feedback, and environmental change by definition. The next most prevalent techniques (13 out of 13 monitors) were goal-setting and emphasizing discrepancy between current and goal behavior. Review of behavioral goals, social support, social comparison, prompts/cues, rewards, and a focus on past success were found in more than half of the systems. The monitors included a range of 5-10 of 14 total techniques identified from the research literature as potentially effective. Most of the monitors included goal-setting, self-monitoring, and feedback content that closely matched recommendations from social cognitive theory. Conclusions Electronic activity monitors contain a wide range of behavior change techniques typically used in clinical behavioral interventions. Thus, the monitors may represent a medium by which these interventions could be translated for widespread use. This technology has broad applications for use in clinical, public health, and rehabilitation settings. PMID:25131661

A Trend Analysis of Change in Interpersonal Skill Training Using Laboratory Training Methodology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulig, Joanne C.; Madden, J. M.

Past research on the effectiveness of laboratory training (the use of small group methods of experienced-based learning to produce personal change in attitudes and behaviors) has been deficient both in experimental design and in the concept of change. College students (N=128) participated in a study which used a series of 11 measurements to assess…

Long-Term Effects of a Stage-Based Intervention for Changing Exercise Intentions and Behavior in Older Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greaney, Mary L.; Riebe, Deborah; Garber, Carol Ewing; Rossi, Joseph S.; Lees, Faith D.; Burbank, Patricia A.; Nigg, Claudio R.; Ferrone, Christine L.; Clark, Phillip G.

2008-01-01

Purpose: We examined the efficacy of an intervention tailored to the individual's stage of change for exercise adoption on exercise stage of change, physical activity, and physical function in community-dwelling older adults. Design and Methods: We randomized participants to a print and telephone intervention or a contact comparison group. Through…

Does behavioral bootstrapping boost weight control confidence?: a pilot study.

PubMed

Rohrer, James E; Vickers-Douglas, Kristin S; Stroebel, Robert J

2008-04-01

Since confidence is an important predictor of ability to lose weight, methods for increasing weight-control confidence are important. The purpose of this study was to test the relationship between short-term behavior changes ('behavioral bootstrapping') and change in weight-control confidence in a small prospective weight-loss project. Data were available from 38 patients who received an initial motivational interview and a follow-up visit. Body mass index at baseline ranged from 25.5 kg/m to 50.4 kg/m (mean = 35.8, median = 34.4). Independent variables were change in weight (measured in kilograms in the clinic), self-reported change in minutes of physical activity, age, sex, and marital status. Minutes of physical activity were assessed at baseline and after 30 days, using the following question, "How many minutes do you exercise per week (e.g. fast walking, biking, treadmill)?" Weights were measured in the clinic. Weight change was inversely correlated with change in confidence (p = 0.01). An increase in physical activity was associated with an increase in confidence (p = 0.01). Age, sex, and marital status were not related to change in confidence. Independent effects of weight change and physical activity were estimated using multiple linear regression analysis: b = -0.44, p = 0.04 for change in weight, and b = 0.02, p = 0.03 for change in physical activity (r = 0.28). Short-term changes in behavior (losing weight and exercising more) lead to increased weight-control confidence in primary-care patients.

Applying Behavior Change Theories and Qualitative Methods in Substance Misuse Implementation Research: Conceptualizing the Adoption of Breaking Free Online in Real-World Clinical Practice.

PubMed

Dugdale, Stephanie; Elison, Sarah; Davies, Glyn; Ward, Jonathan

2017-06-01

There is insufficient research examining the implementation of complex novel interventions within health care. This may be due to a lack of qualitative research providing subjective insights into these implementation processes. The authors investigate the advantages of applying behavior change theories to conceptualize qualitative data describing the processes of implementation of complex interventions. Breaking Free Online (BFO), a digital treatment intervention for substance misuse, is described as an example of a complex intervention. The authors review previous qualitative research which explored initial diffusion, or spread, of the BFO program, and its subsequent normalization as part of standard treatment for substance misuse within the health and social care charity, "Change, Grow, Live" (CGL). The use of behavior change models to structure qualitative interview findings enabled identification of facilitators and barriers to the use of BFO within CGL. These findings have implications for the development of implementation research in novel health care interventions.

Trend in the use of modern contraception in sub-Saharan Africa: Does women's education matter?

PubMed

Emina, Jacques B O; Chirwa, Tobias; Kandala, Ngianga-Bakwin

2014-08-01

Existing literature revealed positive association between women's education and modern contraceptive use in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Overall modern contraception prevalence (MCP) and proportion of women with formal education have increased in region. However, little is known about how much the change in the prevalence of modern contraceptive methods is relative to the compositional change in population and how much of the change is actually due to increases in the number of women adopting the new behavior. This study aims to (1) describe trends in modern contraception prevalence by female education; and (2) identify the source of changes in modern contraceptive use by educational attainment (changes in structure or in population behavior). This is a cross-sectional study using Demographic and Health Surveys from 27 SSA countries where at least two comparable surveys have been conducted. Overall modern contraception prevalence (MCP) has increased in SSA over the study period. The ongoing increase in the contraceptive use is due to changes in behavior consistent with the ongoing family planning promotion over the past 30 years. By contrast, an increase in the proportion of women with secondary education does not explain the change in MCP in most SSA countries. To achieve universal access to family planning, efforts in promoting female education should be complemented with economic, cultural and geographical access to MCP. Household-based sensitization, general hospitals, mobile family planning clinics, and community-based distributors of modern contraceptive methods are key strategies to improve access to modern contraceptive use. Findings from this study suggest that countries should combine social investments, including health services and education, with family planning programs using reproductive health services, mobile family planning clinics and community-based distributors of modern contraceptive methods. Therefore, governments' legislation measures that promote universal secondary education as well as universal access to modern contraception can be put in place. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A longitudinal, mixed methods study of sexual position identity, behavior, and fantasies among young sexual minority men.

PubMed

Pachankis, John E; Buttenwieser, Indiana G; Bernstein, Laura B; Bayles, Damon O

2013-10-01

Recent evidence suggests that young sexual minority men's sexual position identities (e.g., "top," "bottom," "versatile") may be governed by dynamic influences. Yet, no study has prospectively examined whether, how, and why this aspect of sexual minority men's sexuality changes over time. Consequently, the present study investigated the extent to which young sexual minority men use sexual position identities consistently over time, typical patterns of position identity change, explanations given for this change, and the correspondence of changing sexual position identities with changing sexual behavior and fantasies. A total of 93 young sexual minority men indicated their sexual position identity, behavior, and fantasies at two assessment points separated by 2 years. Following the second assessment, a subset (n = 28) of participants who represented the various sexual position identity change patterns provided explanations for their change. More than half (n = 48) of participants changed their sexual position identity. Participants showed a significant move away from not using sexual position identities toward using them and a significant move toward using "mostly top." Changes in position identity were reflected, although imperfectly, in changes in sexual behavior and largely not reflected in fantasy changes. Participants offered 11 classes of explanations for their identity changes referencing personal development, practical reasons, changing relationships, and sociocultural influences. Previous investigations of sexual minority men's sexual position identities have not adequately attended to the possibility of the changing use of the sexual position categories "top," "bottom," and "versatile" across young adulthood. Results of the present study suggest the possibility of a more fluid, context-dependent use of these terms than previously documented.

Sedentary Behavior as a Daily Process Regulated by Habits and Intentions

PubMed Central

Conroy, David E.; Maher, Jaclyn P.; Elavsky, Steriani; Hyde, Amanda L.; Doerksen, Shawna E.

2014-01-01

Objective Sedentary behavior is a health risk but little is known about the motivational processes that regulate daily sedentary behavior. This study was designed to test a dual-process model of daily sedentary behavior, with an emphasis on the role of intentions and habits in regulating daily sedentary behavior. Methods College students (N = 128) self-reported on their habit strength for sitting and completed a 14-day ecological momentary assessment study that combined daily diaries for reporting motivation and behavior with ambulatory monitoring of sedentary behavior using accelerometers. Results Less than half of the variance in daily sedentary behavior was attributable to between-person differences. People with stronger sedentary habits reported more sedentary behavior on average. People whose intentions for limiting sedentary behavior were stronger, on average, exhibited less self-reported sedentary behavior (and marginally less monitored sedentary behavior). Daily deviations in those intentions were negatively associated with changes in daily sedentary behavior (i.e., stronger than usual intentions to limit sedentary behavior were associated with reduced sedentary behavior). Sedentary behavior also varied within-people as a function of concurrent physical activity, the day of week, and the day in the sequence of the monitoring period. Conclusions Sedentary behavior was regulated by both automatic and controlled motivational processes. Interventions should target both of these motivational processes to facilitate and maintain behavior change. Links between sedentary behavior and daily deviations in intentions also indicate the need for ongoing efforts to support controlled motivational processes on a daily basis. PMID:23477579

Atomistic Modeling of Quaternary Alloys: Ti and Cu in NiAl

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bozzolo, Guillermo; Mosca, Hugo O.; Wilson, Allen W.; Noebe, Ronald D.; Garces, Jorge E.

2002-01-01

The change in site preference in NiAl(Ti,Cu) alloys with concentration is examined experimentally via ALCHEMI and theoretically using the Bozzolo-Ferrante-Smith (BFS) method for alloys. Results for the site occupancy of Ti and Cu additions as a function of concentration are determined experimentally for five alloys. These results are reproduced with large-scale BFS-based Monte Carlo atomistic simulations. The original set of five alloys is extended to 25 concentrations, which are modeled by means of the BFS method for alloys, showing in more detail the compositional range over which major changes in behavior occur. A simple but powerful approach based on the definition of atomic local environments also is introduced to describe energetically the interactions between the various elements and therefore to explain the observed behavior.

Change IS Possible: Reducing High-Risk Drinking Using a Collaborative Improvement Model.

PubMed

Lanter, Patricia L; Wolff, Kristina B; Johnson, Lisa C; Ercolano, Ellyn M; Kilmer, Jason R; Provost, Lloyd

2015-01-01

To describe the adoption of public health and improvement methodologies to address college students' high-risk drinking behaviors and to aid in prevention efforts. Members of 32 colleges and universities, content experts, and staff members of the National College Health Improvement Program (NCHIP). A 2-year learning collaborative developed by NCHIP trained individuals from 32 different college and universities in using the Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle as a method to create and implement initiatives aimed at reducing students' high-risk drinking behaviors and related harms. Participants experienced success ranging from noteworthy increases in type and amount of interventions directed at reducing high-risk drinking, to creating collaboratives across campus, the local community, and stakeholders. Challenges related to data collection and creating lasting cultural change remain. The use of quality improvement methodologies and creation of a national collaborative successfully effected meaningful change in high-risk drinking behaviors on college campuses.

Changing health behaviors with social marketing.

PubMed

Suarez-Almazor, M E

2011-08-01

Social marketing uses marketing techniques to promote healthy attitudes and behaviors. As in traditional marketing, the development and implementation of social marketing programs is based on the four P's: product, price, place, and promotion, but it also incorporates the partnership and participation of stakeholders to enhance public health and engage policy makers. The "product" in social marketing is generally a behavior, such as a change in lifestyle (e.g., diet) or an increase in a desired health practice (e.g., screening). In order for people to desire this product, it must offer a solution to a problem that is weighed with respect to the price to pay. The price is not just monetary, and it often involves giving something up, such as time (e.g., exercising) or a wanted, satisfying behavior (e.g., smoking). In its development phase, social marketing incorporates qualitative methods to create messages that are powerful and potentially effective. The implementation of the programs commonly involves mass campaigns with advertisement in various media. There have been a few social media campaigns targeting bone health that have been disseminated with substantial outreach. However, these have not been systematically evaluated, specifically with respect to change in behavior and health outcomes. Future campaigns should identify target behaviors that are amenable to change such as bone mass measurement screening or exercise. Audience segmentation will be crucial, since a message for young women to increase peak bone mass would be very different from a message for older individuals who have just experienced a fracture. Campaigns should involve key stakeholders, including policy makers, health providers, and the public. Finally, success must be carefully evaluated, not just by the outreach of the campaign, but also by a change in relevant behaviors and a decrease in deleterious health outcomes.

Driving working memory with frequency-tuned noninvasive brain stimulation.

PubMed

Albouy, Philippe; Baillet, Sylvain; Zatorre, Robert J

2018-04-29

Frequency-tuned noninvasive brain stimulation is a recent approach in cognitive neuroscience that involves matching the frequency of transcranially applied electromagnetic fields to that of specific oscillatory components of the underlying neurophysiology. The objective of this method is to modulate ongoing/intrinsic brain oscillations, which correspond to rhythmic fluctuations of neural excitability, to causally change behavior. We review the impact of frequency-tuned noninvasive brain stimulation on the research field of human working memory. We argue that this is a powerful method to probe and understand the mechanisms of memory functions, targeting specifically task-related oscillatory dynamics, neuronal representations, and brain networks. We report the main behavioral and neurophysiological outcomes published to date, in particular, how functionally relevant oscillatory signatures in signal power and interregional connectivity yield causal changes of working memory abilities. We also present recent developments of the technique that aim to modulate cross-frequency coupling in polyrhythmic neural activity. Overall, the method has led to significant advances in our understanding of the mechanisms of systems neuroscience, and the role of brain oscillations in cognition and behavior. We also emphasize the translational impact of noninvasive brain stimulation techniques in the development of therapeutic approaches. © 2018 New York Academy of Sciences.

Facilitating Behavior Change With Low-literacy Patient Education Materials

PubMed Central

Seligman, Hilary K.; Wallace, Andrea S.; DeWalt, Darren A.; Schillinger, Dean; Arnold, Connie L.; Shilliday, Betsy Bryant; Delgadillo, Adriana; Bengal, Nikki; Davis, Terry C.

2014-01-01

Objective To describe a process for developing low-literacy health education materials that increase knowledge and activate patients toward healthier behaviors. Methods We developed a theoretically informed process for developing educational materials. This process included convening a multidisciplinary creative team, soliciting stakeholder input, identifying key concepts to be communicated, mapping concepts to a behavioral theory, creating a supporting behavioral intervention, designing and refining materials, and assessing efficacy. Results We describe the use of this process to develop a diabetes self-management guide. Conclusions Developing low-literacy health education materials that will activate patients toward healthier behaviors requires attention to factors beyond reading level. PMID:17931139

Knowledge translation and implementation in spinal cord injury: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Noonan, VK; Wolfe, DL; Thorogood, NP; Park, SE; Hsieh, JT; Eng, JJ

2015-01-01

Objective To conduct a systematic review examining the effectiveness of knowledge translation (KT) interventions in changing clinical practice and patient outcomes. Methods MEDLINE/PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE and PsycINFO were searched for studies published from January 1980 to July 2012 that reported and evaluated an implemented KT intervention in spinal cord injury (SCI) care. We reviewed and summarized results from studies that documented the implemented KT intervention, its impact on changing clinician behavior and patient outcomes as well as the facilitators and barriers encountered during the implementation. Results A total of 13 articles featuring 10 studies were selected and abstracted from 4650 identified articles. KT interventions included developing and implementing patient care protocols, providing clinician education and incorporating outcome measures into clinical practice. The methods (or drivers) to facilitate the implementation included organizing training sessions for clinical staff, introducing computerized reminders and involving organizational leaders. The methodological quality of studies was mostly poor. Only 3 out of 10 studies evaluated the success of the implementation using statistical analyses, and all 3 reported significant behavior change. Out of the 10 studies, 6 evaluated the effect of the implementation on patient outcomes using statistical analyses, with 4 reporting significant improvements. The commonly cited facilitators and barriers were communication and resources, respectively. Conclusion The field of KT in SCI is in its infancy with only a few relevant publications. However, there is some evidence that KT interventions may change clinician behavior and improve patient outcomes. Future studies should ensure rigorous study methods are used to evaluate KT interventions. PMID:24796445

Through the Use of Gilbert's Behavioral Engineering Model, What Changes Can Management Make to Increase Blood Donations?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, Heather Gordy

2010-01-01

The mixed method study focused on increasing blood donations from staff who work in a blood collecting organization and relies on Gilbert's Behavior Engineering Model as a framework. The qualitative phase of the study involved focus groups. Information from the focus groups and the literature review were used to create hypotheses. A survey was…

Changes in Children's Behavior and Costs for Service Use Associated with Parents' Response to Treatment for Dysthymia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byrne, Carolyn; Browne, Gina; Roberts, Jacqueline; Mills, Michael; Bell, Barbara; Gafni, Amiram; Jamieson, Ellen; Webb, Michelle

2006-01-01

Objective: This study examined differences in children's behavior and expenditures for health and social services used when their parents with dysthymia did or did not respond to antidepressant therapy. Method: Children ages 4 to 16 years of consenting parents enrolled in a treatment trial for dysthymia who did and did not respond to treatment…

Changing Preschool Children's Attitudes into Behavior towards Selected Environmental Issues: An Action Research Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ertürk Kara, Gözde; Aydos, E. Hande; Aydin, Özge

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to provide the transform of attitudes into behavior of 60-72 month of age children continued early childhood education toward environmental issues. Collaborative action research method of qualitative design was used. The whole participants of the study were 60-72 months of age children who were attending in an early…

A Brief "DSM-IV"-Referenced Teacher Rating Scale for Monitoring Behavioral Improvement in ADHD and Co-Occurring Symptoms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sprafkin, Joyce; Mattison, Richard E.; Gadow, Kenneth D.; Schneider, Jayne; Lavigne, John V.

2011-01-01

Objective: To examine the psychometric properties of the 30-item teacher's version of the Child and Adolescent Symptom Inventory Progress Monitor (CASI-PM-T), a "DSM-IV"-referenced rating scale for monitoring change in ADHD and co-occurring symptoms in youths receiving behavioral or pharmacological interventions. Method: Three separate studies…

Cognitive Reappraisal Self-Efficacy Mediates the Effects of Individual Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldin, Philippe R.; Ziv, Michal; Jazaieri, Hooria; Werner, Kelly; Kraemer, Helena; Heimberg, Richard G.; Gross, James J.

2012-01-01

Objective: To examine whether changes in cognitive reappraisal self-efficacy (CR-SE) mediate the effects of individually administered cognitive-behavioral therapy (I-CBT) for social anxiety disorder (SAD) on severity of social anxiety symptoms. Method: A randomized controlled trial in which 75 adult patients (21-55 years of age; 53% male; 57%…

Adhesion behaviors on superhydrophobic surfaces.

PubMed

Zhu, Huan; Guo, Zhiguang; Liu, Weimin

2014-04-18

The adhesion behaviors of superhydrophobic surfaces have become an emerging topic to researchers in various fields as a vital step in the interactions between materials and organisms/materials. Controlling the chemical compositions and topological structures via various methods or technologies is essential to fabricate and modulate different adhesion properties, such as low-adhesion, high-adhesion and anisotropic adhesion on superhydrophobic surfaces. We summarize the recent developments in both natural superhydrophobic surfaces and artificial superhydrophobic surfaces with various adhesions and also pay attention to superhydrophobic surfaces switching between low- and high-adhesion. The methods to regulate or translate the adhesion of superhydrophobic surfaces can be considered from two perspectives. One is to control the chemical composition and change the surface geometric structure on the surfaces, respectively or simultaneously. The other is to provide external stimulations to induce transitions, which is the most common method for obtaining switchable adhesions. Additionally, adhesion behaviors on solid-solid interfaces, such as the behaviors of cells, bacteria, biomolecules and icing on superhydrophobic surfaces are also noticeable and controversial. This review is aimed at giving a brief and crucial overview of adhesion behaviors on superhydrophobic surfaces.

Smoking education programs 1960-1976.

PubMed Central

Thompson, E L

1978-01-01

This paper is a review of published reports, in English, of educational programs designed to change smoking behavior. Attempts to change the smoking behavior of young people have included anti-smoking campaigns, youth-to-youth programs, and a variety of message themes and teaching methods. Instruction has been presented both by teachers who were committed or persuasive and by teachers who were neutral or presented both sides of the issue. Didactic teaching, group discussion, individual study, peer instruction, and mass media have been employed. Health effects of smoking, both short- and long-term effects, have been emphasized. Most methods used with youth have shown little success. Studies of other methods have produced contradictory results. Educational programs for adults have included large scale anti-smoking campaigns, smoking cessation clinics, and a variety of more specific withdrawal methods. These methods have included individual counseling, emotional role playing, aversive conditioning, desensitization, and specific techniques to reduce the likelihood that smoking will occur in situations previously associated with smoking. Some of these techniques have produced poor results while studies of other methods have shown inconsistent results. The two methods showing the most promise are individual counseling and smoking withdrawal clinics. PMID:25026

Smoking education programs 1960-1976.

PubMed

Thompson, E L

1978-03-01

This paper is a review of published reports, in English, of educational programs designed to change smoking behavior. Attempts to change the smoking behavior of young people have included anti-smoking campaigns, youth-to-youth programs, and a variety of message themes and teaching methods. Instruction has been presented both by teachers who were committed or persuasive and by teachers who were neutral or presented both sides of the issue. Didactic teaching, group discussion, individual study, peer instruction, and mass media have been employed. Health effects of smoking, both short- and long-term effects, have been emphasized. Most methods used with youth have shown little success. Studies of other methods have produced contradictory results. Educational programs for adults have included large scale anti-smoking campaigns, smoking cessation clinics, and a variety of more specific withdrawal methods. These methods have included individual counseling, emotional role playing, aversive conditioning, desensitization, and specific techniques to reduce the likelihood that smoking will occur in situations previously associated with smoking. Some of these techniques have produced poor results while studies of other methods have shown inconsistent results. The two methods showing the most promise are individual counseling and smoking withdrawal clinics.

Short-term data forecasting based on wavelet transformation and chaos theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yi; Li, Cunbin; Zhang, Liang

2017-09-01

A sketch of wavelet transformation and its application was given. Concerning the characteristics of time sequence, Haar wavelet was used to do data reduction. After processing, the effect of “data nail” on forecasting was reduced. Chaos theory was also introduced, a new chaos time series forecasting flow based on wavelet transformation was proposed. The largest Lyapunov exponent was larger than zero from small data sets, it verified the data change behavior still met chaotic behavior. Based on this, chaos time series to forecast short-term change behavior could be used. At last, the example analysis of the price from a real electricity market showed that the forecasting method increased the precision of the forecasting more effectively and steadily.

Ecological Momentary Assessment and Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment

PubMed Central

Morgenstern, Jon; Kuerbis, Alexis; Muench, Frederick

2014-01-01

The ability to capture real-time data on human behavior inexpensively, efficiently, and accurately holds promise to transform and broaden our understanding of many areas of health science. One approach to acquiring this type of real-time data is ecological momentary assessment (EMA). This method has been used to collect data in many domains of addiction research, including research on the treatment of alcohol use disorders (AUDs). Empirical evidence supports the hypothesis that use of EMA can improve the quality of AUD treatment research when compared with standard assessment methods because it provides more accurate reporting, allows investigators to examine the dynamic unfolding of the behavior change process at an individual level, and can be used to augment and improve clinical assessment and treatment. Overall, the existing literature provides strong support for the advantages of EMA when combined with standard assessment of addictive behaviors in general. Nevertheless, use of EMA in AUD treatment research thus far has been limited, especially in the area of research on mechanisms of behavior change. Existing research indicates, however, that EMA can be used to deliver tailored feedback as a novel and potentially transformative approach to improving AUD treatment. This research area clearly warrants additional future efforts. PMID:26259004

Weight-Control Methods, 3-Year Weight Change, and Eating Behaviors: A Prospective Nationwide Study of Middle-Aged New Zealand Women.

PubMed

Leong, Sook Ling; Gray, Andrew; Haszard, Jillian; Horwath, Caroline

2016-08-01

The effectiveness of women's weight-control methods and the influences of dieting on eating behaviors remain unclear. Our aim was to determine the association of various weight-control methods at baseline with weight change to 3 years, and examine the association between baseline weight-control status (trying to lose weight, trying to prevent weight gain or no weight-control attempts) and changes in intuitive eating and binge eating at 3 years. A nationally representative sample of 1,601 New Zealand women (40 to 50 years) was recruited and completed a self-administered questionnaire at baseline regarding use of variety of weight-control methods. Information on demographic characteristics, weight, height, food habits, binge eating, and intuitive eating were collected at baseline and 3 years. Linear and logistic regression models examined associations between both weight status and weight-control methods at baseline and weight change to 3 years; and baseline weight-control status and change in intuitive eating from baseline to 3 years and binge eating at 3 years. χ(2) tests were used to cross-sectionally compare food habits across the weight status categories at both baseline and 3 years. Trying to lose weight and the use of weight-control methods at baseline were not associated with change in body weight to 3 years. There were a few differences in the frequency of consumption of high-energy-density foods between those trying to lose or maintain weight and those not attempting weight control. Trying to lose weight at baseline was associated with a 2.0-unit (95% CI 0.7 to 3.4, P=0.003) reduction in intuitive eating scores by 3 years (potential range=21 to 105), and 224% (odds ratio=3.24; 95% CI 1.69 to 6.20; P<0.001) higher odds of binge eating at 3 years. The apparent ineffectiveness of dieting and weight-control behaviors may reflect misconceptions about what constitutes healthy eating or energy-dense foods. Dieting may reduce women's ability to recognize hunger and satiety cues and place women at increased risk of binge eating. Copyright © 2016 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Family history of cardiovascular disease (CVD), perceived CVD risk, and health-related behavior: A review of the literature

PubMed Central

Imes, Christopher C.; Lewis, Frances Marcus

2012-01-01

Background Over 82 million Americans have one or more forms of cardiovascular disease (CVD), accounting for 32.8% of all deaths in the United States. Although the evidence for the familial aggregation of CVD is strong, the relationship between family history (FH) of CVD, perceived risk for CVD and their relationship to health-related behavior is poorly understood. Objective The objective of this article is to review and summarize the published research on the relationship between a FH of CVD, an individual’s perceived risk, and health-related behavior in order to make recommendations for clinical practice and future research. Methods A literature search was conducted using PubMed, CINAHL Plus, and PsycINFO to identify articles that examined the relationship between a FH of CVD, perceived CVD risk, and health-promoting behaviors. A total of 263 unique articles were reviewed. Two hundred thirty-eight were excluded, resulting in a total of 25 articles included in the paper. Results There was a positive relationship between a reported FH of CVD and perceived risk. However, the relationship between a FH of CVD and health-related behavior change and perceived risk and behavior change was inconsistent. Conclusions A person’s awareness of their FH of CVD or their own risk for CVD is not a sufficient predictor of changes in their health-related behavior. Future studies are needed to better explain the processes by which perceived CVD risk or FH of CVD can be used to affect health-related behavior changes. It appears that both FH and perceived personal risk for CVD are necessary but not sufficient conditions to change health-related behavior in high-risk populations. Future studies should also test interventions that help individuals with a FH of CVD attribute increased personal risk to themselves for developing CVD, while providing lifestyle management options to minimize their risk. PMID:23321782

Examining angler behavior using contingent behavior modeling: A case study of water quality change at a Wisconsin lake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eiswerth, Mark E.; Kashian, Russell D.; Skidmore, Mark

2008-11-01

We use contingent behavior (CB) analysis to examine the potential impacts of a hypothetical change in the clarity of a lake. We collect and use both CB and revealed preference data to estimate a pooled negative binomial count data travel cost model. From this analysis we calculate the consumer surplus per angling party day for our case study lake to be about $104, or a total annual consumer surplus of $1.4 million. Using this consumer surplus measure and changes in the intended number of visits obtained from the CB survey, we estimate the loss in consumer surplus associated with a decline in water clarity from 10 to 3 feet (1 foot = 0.3048 m) to be about $522,000 annually (a 38% decrease). Since this is the first such application of CB analysis to estimate the effects of a water clarity change, the study may illustrate a method well suited to analyzing changes in water quality attributes that are easily observable and well understood by recreators.

Behavioral change in patients with severe self-injurious behavior: a patient's perspective.

PubMed

Kool, Nienke; van Meijel, Berno; Bosman, Maartje

2009-02-01

Semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 women who had successfully stopped self-injuring to gain an understanding of the process of stopping self-injury. The data were analyzed based on the grounded theory method. The researchers found that the process of stopping self-injury consists of six phases. Connection was identified as key to all phases of the process. Nursing interventions should focus on forging a connection, encouraging people who self-injure to develop a positive self-image and learn alternative behavior.

Heart Rate Variability Responses of a Preterm Infant to Kangaroo Care

PubMed Central

McCain, Gail C.; Ludington-Hoe, Susan M.; Swinth, Joan Y.; Hadeed, Anthony J.

2006-01-01

A 35-week old preterm infant's behavior was fussy and restless in the open crib, but he calmed and fell asleep immediately on being placed skin-to-skin on his mother's chest. Heart rate variability (HRV), a noninvasive method to assess the autonomic nervous system's influence on heart rate, was increased with fussy behavior in the open crib and decreased with sleep during kangaroo care (KC). KC produced changes in behavior and HRV that are illustrative of decreasing stress. PMID:16282226

Toward a new methodological paradigm for testing theories of health behavior and health behavior change.

PubMed

Noar, Seth M; Mehrotra, Purnima

2011-03-01

Traditional theory testing commonly applies cross-sectional (and occasionally longitudinal) survey research to test health behavior theory. Since such correlational research cannot demonstrate causality, a number of researchers have called for the increased use of experimental methods for theory testing. We introduce the multi-methodological theory-testing (MMTT) framework for testing health behavior theory. The MMTT framework introduces a set of principles that broaden the perspective of how we view evidence for health behavior theory. It suggests that while correlational survey research designs represent one method of testing theory, the weaknesses of this approach demand that complementary approaches be applied. Such approaches include randomized lab and field experiments, mediation analysis of theory-based interventions, and meta-analysis. These alternative approaches to theory testing can demonstrate causality in a much more robust way than is possible with correlational survey research methods. Such approaches should thus be increasingly applied in order to more completely and rigorously test health behavior theory. Greater application of research derived from the MMTT may lead researchers to refine and modify theory and ultimately make theory more valuable to practitioners. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A story of change: The influence of narrative on African-Americans with diabetes

PubMed Central

Goddu, Anna P.; Raffel, Katie E.; Peek, Monica E.

2015-01-01

Objective To understand if narratives can be effective tools for diabetes empowerment, from the perspective of African-American participants in a program that improved diabetes self-efficacy and self-management. Methods In-depth interviews and focus groups were conducted with program graduates. Participants were asked to comment on the program's film, storytelling, and role-play, and whether those narratives had contributed to their diabetes behavior change. An iterative process of coding, analyzing, and summarizing transcripts was completed using the framework approach. Results African-American adults (n = 36) with diabetes reported that narratives positively influenced the diabetes behavior change they had experienced by improving their attitudes/beliefs while increasing their knowledge/skills. The social proliferation of narrative – discussing stories, rehearsing their messages with role-play, and building social support through storytelling – was reported as especially influential. Conclusion Utilizing narratives in group settings may facilitate health behavior change, particularly in minority communities with traditions of storytelling. Theoretical models explaining narrative's effect on behavior change should consider the social context of narratives. Practice implications Narratives may be promising tools to promote diabetes empowerment. Interventions using narratives may be more effective if they include group time to discuss and rehearse the stories presented, and if they foster an environment conducive to social support among participants. PMID:25986500

Reciprocal effects of treatment-induced increases in exercise and improved eating, and their psychosocial correlates, in obese adults seeking weight loss: a field-based trial.

PubMed

Annesi, James J; Porter, Kandice J

2013-12-05

A better understanding of interrelations of exercise and improved eating, and their psychosocial correlates of self-efficacy, mood, and self-regulation, may be useful for the architecture of improved weight loss treatments. Theory-based research within field settings, with samples possessing high probabilities of health risks, might enable rapid application of useful findings. Adult volunteers with severe obesity (body mass index [BMI] 35-50 kg/m²; age = 43.0 ± 9.5 y; 83% female) were randomly assigned to six monthly cognitive-behavioral exercise support sessions paired with either group-based nutrition education (n = 145) or cognitive behavioral methods applied to improved eating (n = 149). After specification of mediation models using a bias-corrected bootstrapping procedure, a series of reciprocal effects analyses assessed: a) the reciprocal effects of changes in exercise and fruit and vegetable intake, resulting from the treatments, b) the reciprocal effects of changes in the three psychosocial variables tested (i.e. self-efficacy, mood, and self-regulation) and fruit and vegetable change, resulting from change in exercise volume, and c) the reciprocal effects of changes in the three psychosocial variables and exercise change, resulting from change in fruit and vegetable intake. Mediation analyses suggested a reciprocal effect between changes in exercise volume and fruit and vegetable intake. After inclusion of psychosocial variables, also found were reciprocal effects between change in fruit and vegetable intake and change in mood, self-efficacy for controlled eating, and self-regulation for eating; and change in exercise volume and change in mood and exercise-related self-regulation. Findings had implications for behavioral weight-loss theory and treatment. Specifically, results suggested that treatments should focus upon, and leverage, the transfer effects from each of the primary weight-loss behaviors (exercise and healthy eating) to the other. Findings on psychosocial correlates of these behavioral processes may also have practical applications.

Effects of Tianeptine on Adult Rats Following Prenatal Stress

PubMed Central

Lee, Hwayoung; Kim, Hyung-Ki; Kwon, Jun-Tack; Kim, Young Ock; Seo, Jonghoon; Lee, Sanghyun; Cho, Ik-Hyun

2018-01-01

Objective Exposing a pregnant female to stress during the critical period of embryonic fetal brain development increases the risk of psychiatric disorders in the offspring. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of antidepressant tianeptine on prenatally stressed (PNS) rats. Methods In this study, a repeated variable stress paradigm was applied to pregnant rats during the last week of gestation. To investigate the effects of antidepressant tianeptine on PNS rats, behavioral and protein expression analyses were performed. Forced swim test, open field test, and social interaction test were performed to determine changes in PNS rats compared to non-stressed offspring. Haloperidol was used as a positive control as an antipsychotic drug based on previous studies. Results Behavioral changes were restored after treatment with tianeptine or haloperidol. Western blot and immunohistochemical analyses of the prefrontal cortex revealed downregulation of several neurodevelopmental proteins in PNS rats. After treatment with tianeptine or haloperidol, their expression levels were increased. Conclusion Downregulation of several proteins in PNS rats might have caused subsequent behavioral changes in PNS rats. After tianeptine or haloperidol treatment, behavioral changes in PNS rats were restored. Therefore, tianeptine might decrease incidence of prenatal stress related-psychiatric disorders such as depression and schizophrenia. PMID:29739134

Adaptive optimal training of animal behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bak, Ji Hyun; Choi, Jung Yoon; Akrami, Athena; Witten, Ilana; Pillow, Jonathan

Neuroscience experiments often require training animals to perform tasks designed to elicit various sensory, cognitive, and motor behaviors. Training typically involves a series of gradual adjustments of stimulus conditions and rewards in order to bring about learning. However, training protocols are usually hand-designed, and often require weeks or months to achieve a desired level of task performance. Here we combine ideas from reinforcement learning and adaptive optimal experimental design to formulate methods for efficient training of animal behavior. Our work addresses two intriguing problems at once: first, it seeks to infer the learning rules underlying an animal's behavioral changes during training; second, it seeks to exploit these rules to select stimuli that will maximize the rate of learning toward a desired objective. We develop and test these methods using data collected from rats during training on a two-interval sensory discrimination task. We show that we can accurately infer the parameters of a learning algorithm that describes how the animal's internal model of the task evolves over the course of training. We also demonstrate by simulation that our method can provide a substantial speedup over standard training methods.

The Effects of Sleep Problems on the Trajectory of Antisocial Behavior from Adolescence through Early Adulthood in Taiwan: Family Functioning as a Moderator

PubMed Central

Chang, Ling-Yin; Wu, Chi-Chen; Lin, Linen Nymphas; Yen, Lee-Lan; Chang, Hsing-Yi

2016-01-01

Study Objectives: To examine the longitudinal relationship between sleep problems and development of antisocial behavior from adolescence through young adulthood, and to investigate whether family functioning moderates the association being examined. Potential sex differences were also explored. Methods: A total of 2,491 adolescents participated in a prospective study spanning 2009 through 2014 in northern Taiwan. Measures included sleep problems, family functioning (parental support, family interaction, and family conflict), antisocial behavior, and other individual characteristics (sex, age, parental education, family economic stress, depressive symptoms, and stressful life events). Random coefficient growth models were used to test study hypotheses. Results: Sleep problems were significantly and positively associated with antisocial behavior (B = 0.088 and 0.038 for males and females, respectively). Sex differences further emerged in the moderating effects of family functioning. Among males, those with high family interaction had a weaker association between sleep problems and antisocial behavior; among females, the examined association was weaker in those with high parental support. For both sexes, the association between sleep problems and antisocial behavior was stronger for those with high family conflict. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the robust link between sleep problems and adolescent antisocial behavior over time. We also show for the first time that the association depends on family functioning. Prevention methods and treatment of sleep problems in youths that incorporate family functioning may yield significant benefits for decreasing antisocial behavior. Sex-specific intervention and prevention approaches should also be considered. Citation: Chang LY, Wu CC, Lin LN, Yen LL, Chang HY. The effects of sleep problems on the trajectory of antisocial behavior from adolescence through early adulthood in Taiwan: family functioning as a moderator. SLEEP 2016;39(7):1441–1449. PMID:27166239

Characterization and modeling of viscoelastic behavior of carbon nanotube reinforced polymers: The influence of interphase and nanotube morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Hua

The addition of nanoparticles into polymer materials has been observed to dramatically change the mechanical, thermal, electrical, and diffusion properties of the host polymers, promising a novel class of polymer matrix composite materials with superior properties and added functionalities that are ideal candidates in many applications, including aerospace, automobile, medical devices, and sporting goods. Understanding the behavior and underlying mechanisms of these polymer nanocomposites is critical. The research work presented in this dissertation represents one of the initial efforts in the long journey pursuing the ultimate understanding of nanoparticle reinforced polymer systems. Particular focal points are experimental evaluation and the development of appropriate modeling methods to capture the influence of the interphase on the overall viscoelastic behavior of carbon nanotube reinforced polymer nanocomposites. The first portion of this dissertation study investigates the viscoelastic behavior of MWCNT based PMMA nanocomposites, which complements our previous study of SWCNT/PMMA systems to confirm functionalization of nanotubes as an effective way to manipulate the interaction between nanotube and polymers and control the properties of the interphase region forming around the nanotubes and consequently change the overall performance of nanotube based polymer nanocomposites. In the second portion of this dissertation, we present a novel hybrid numerical-analytical modeling method that is capable of predicting viscoelastic behavior of multiphase polymer nanocomposites, in which the nanoscopic fillers can assume complex configurations. By combining the finite element technique and a micromechanical approach (particularly, the Mori-Tanaka method) with local phase properties, this method operates at low computational cost and effectively accounts for the influence of the interphase as well as in situ nanoparticle morphology. This modeling method is implemented two-dimensionally on nanotube and nanoplatelet based polymer nanocomposites. Given the experimentally measured frequency domain response of the bulk polymer, the viscoelastic behavior of the nanocomposites in both frequency and temperature domains can be calculated. The predicted pattern of influence of the interphase on the overall performance of the nanocomposites is consistent with the experimental observation. 3D parametric studies utilizing this modeling technique reveal that the nanotube morphology "modifies" the effect of interphase and hence profoundly influences the overall viscoelastic behavior. The findings help explain some experimental observations and furthermore, draw attention to the importance of morphology control through appropriate synthesis and processing techniques to further tune the thermomechanical behavior of the nanocomposites.

Simultaneous observation of cavitation bubbles generated in biological tissue by high-speed optical and acoustic imaging methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, Kai; Iwasaki, Ryosuke; Takagi, Ryo; Yoshizawa, Shin; Umemura, Shin-ichiro

2017-07-01

Acoustic cavitation bubbles are useful for enhancing the heating effect in high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment. Many studies were conducted to investigate the behavior of such bubbles in tissue-mimicking materials, such as a transparent gel phantom; however, the detailed behavior in tissue was still unclear owing to the difficulty in optical observation. In this study, a new biological phantom was developed to observe cavitation bubbles generated in an optically shallow area of tissue. Two imaging methods, high-speed photography using light scattering and high-speed ultrasonic imaging, were used for detecting the behavior of the bubbles simultaneously. The results agreed well with each other for the area of bubble formation and the temporal change in the region of bubbles, suggesting that both methods are useful for visualizing the bubbles.

Are Health Behavior Change Interventions That Use Online Social Networks Effective? A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Lewis, Lucy K; Ferrar, Katia; Marshall, Simon; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Vandelanotte, Corneel

2014-01-01

Background The dramatic growth of Web 2.0 technologies and online social networks offers immense potential for the delivery of health behavior change campaigns. However, it is currently unclear how online social networks may best be harnessed to achieve health behavior change. Objective The intent of the study was to systematically review the current level of evidence regarding the effectiveness of online social network health behavior interventions. Methods Eight databases (Scopus, CINAHL, Medline, ProQuest, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cochrane, Web of Science and Communication & Mass Media Complete) were searched from 2000 to present using a comprehensive search strategy. Study eligibility criteria were based on the PICOS format, where “population” included child or adult populations, including healthy and disease populations; “intervention” involved behavior change interventions targeting key modifiable health behaviors (tobacco and alcohol consumption, dietary intake, physical activity, and sedentary behavior) delivered either wholly or in part using online social networks; “comparator” was either a control group or within subject in the case of pre-post study designs; “outcomes” included health behavior change and closely related variables (such as theorized mediators of health behavior change, eg, self-efficacy); and “study design” included experimental studies reported in full-length peer-reviewed sources. Reports of intervention effectiveness were summarized and effect sizes (Cohen’s d and 95% confidence intervals) were calculated wherever possible. Attrition (percentage of people who completed the study), engagement (actual usage), and fidelity (actual usage/intended usage) with the social networking component of the interventions were scrutinized. Results A total of 2040 studies were identified from the database searches following removal of duplicates, of which 10 met inclusion criteria. The studies involved a total of 113,988 participants (ranging from n=10 to n=107,907). Interventions included commercial online health social network websites (n=2), research health social network websites (n=3), and multi-component interventions delivered in part via pre-existing popular online social network websites (Facebook n=4 and Twitter n=1). Nine of the 10 included studies reported significant improvements in some aspect of health behavior change or outcomes related to behavior change. Effect sizes for behavior change ranged widely from −0.05 (95% CI 0.45-0.35) to 0.84 (95% CI 0.49-1.19), but in general were small in magnitude and statistically non-significant. Participant attrition ranged from 0-84%. Engagement and fidelity were relatively low, with most studies achieving 5-15% fidelity (with one exception, which achieved 105% fidelity). Conclusions To date there is very modest evidence that interventions incorporating online social networks may be effective; however, this field of research is in its infancy. Further research is needed to determine how to maximize retention and engagement, whether behavior change can be sustained in the longer term, and to determine how to exploit online social networks to achieve mass dissemination. Specific recommendations for future research are provided. PMID:24550083

Can Mobile Phone Apps Influence People’s Health Behavior Change? An Evidence Review

PubMed Central

Freeman, Becky; Li, Mu

2016-01-01

Background Globally, mobile phones have achieved wide reach at an unprecedented rate, and mobile phone apps have become increasingly prevalent among users. The number of health-related apps that were published on the two leading platforms (iOS and Android) reached more than 100,000 in 2014. However, there is a lack of synthesized evidence regarding the effectiveness of mobile phone apps in changing people’s health-related behaviors. Objective The aim was to examine the effectiveness of mobile phone apps in achieving health-related behavior change in a broader range of interventions and the quality of the reported studies. Methods We conducted a comprehensive bibliographic search of articles on health behavior change using mobile phone apps in peer-reviewed journals published between January 1, 2010 and June 1, 2015. Databases searched included Medline, PreMedline, PsycINFO, Embase, Health Technology Assessment, Education Resource Information Center (ERIC), and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL). Articles published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research during that same period were hand-searched on the journal’s website. Behavior change mechanisms were coded and analyzed. The quality of each included study was assessed by the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool. Results A total of 23 articles met the inclusion criteria, arranged under 11 themes according to their target behaviors. All studies were conducted in high-income countries. Of these, 17 studies reported statistically significant effects in the direction of targeted behavior change; 19 studies included in this analysis had a 65% or greater retention rate in the intervention group (range 60%-100%); 6 studies reported using behavior change theories with the theory of planned behavior being the most commonly used (in 3 studies). Self-monitoring was the most common behavior change technique applied (in 12 studies). The studies suggest that some features improve the effectiveness of apps, such as less time consumption, user-friendly design, real-time feedback, individualized elements, detailed information, and health professional involvement. All studies were assessed as having some risk of bias. Conclusions Our results provide a snapshot of the current evidence of effectiveness for a range of health-related apps. Large sample, high-quality, adequately powered, randomized controlled trials are required. In light of the bias evident in the included studies, better reporting of health-related app interventions is also required. The widespread adoption of mobile phones highlights a significant opportunity to impact health behaviors globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. PMID:27806926

Hantavirus Public Health Outreach Effectiveness in Three Populations: An Overview of Northwestern New Mexico, Los Santos Panama, and Region IX Chile

PubMed Central

McConnell, Marjorie S.

2014-01-01

This research compared the effectiveness of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) outreach programs in New Mexico, Panama, and Chile. Understanding the role of human demographics, disease ecology, and human behavior in the disease process is critical to the examination of community responses in terms of behavior changes. Attitudes, knowledge, and behavior across three populations were measured through the implementation of a self-administered questionnaire (N = 601). Surveys implemented in Chile and Panama in 2004, followed by northwestern New Mexico in 2008, attempted to assess knowledge and behavior change with respect to hantavirus in high- and lower-risk prevalence areas during endemic periods. While levels of concern over contracting hantavirus were lowest in New Mexico, they were highest in Panama. Respondents in Chile showed mid-level concern and exhibited a tendency to practice proper cleaning methods more than in New Mexico and Panama. This indicates that public health messages appear to be more effective in Chile. However, since negative behavior changes, such as sweeping and vacuuming, occur at some level in all three populations, improved messages should help decrease risk of exposure to HPS. PMID:24584027

Design of a website on nutrition and physical activity for adolescents: results from formative research.

PubMed

Thompson, Debbe; Cullen, Karen Weber; Boushey, Carol; Konzelmann, Karen

2012-04-26

Teens do not meet guidelines for healthy eating and physical activity. The Internet may be an effective method for delivering programs that help them adopt healthy behaviors. To collect information to design content and structure for a teen-friendly website promoting healthy eating and physical activity behaviors. Qualitative research, encompassing both focus group and interview techniques, were used to design the website. Participants were 12-17 year olds in Houston, Texas, and West Lafayette, Indiana. A total of 133 participants took part in 26 focus groups while 15 participated in one-on-one interviews to provide guidance for the development of teen-friendly content and structure for an online behavior change program promoting healthy eating and physical activity to 12-17 year olds. The youth made suggestions to overcome common barriers to healthy eating and physical activity. Their feedback was used to develop "Teen Choice: Food & Fitness," a 12-week online behavior change program, populated by 4 cartoon character role models. It is critical that members of the target audience be included in formative research to develop behavior change programs that are relevant, appealing, and address their needs and interests.

Hantavirus Public Health outreach effectiveness in three populations: an overview of northwestern New Mexico, Los Santos Panama, and Region IX Chile.

PubMed

McConnell, Marjorie S

2014-02-27

This research compared the effectiveness of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) outreach programs in New Mexico, Panama, and Chile. Understanding the role of human demographics, disease ecology, and human behavior in the disease process is critical to the examination of community responses in terms of behavior changes. Attitudes, knowledge, and behavior across three populations were measured through the implementation of a self-administered questionnaire (N = 601). Surveys implemented in Chile and Panama in 2004, followed by northwestern New Mexico in 2008, attempted to assess knowledge and behavior change with respect to hantavirus in high- and lower-risk prevalence areas during endemic periods. While levels of concern over contracting hantavirus were lowest in New Mexico, they were highest in Panama. Respondents in Chile showed mid-level concern and exhibited a tendency to practice proper cleaning methods more than in New Mexico and Panama. This indicates that public health messages appear to be more effective in Chile. However, since negative behavior changes, such as sweeping and vacuuming, occur at some level in all three populations, improved messages should help decrease risk of exposure to HPS.

Using Growth Curves To Determine the Timing of the Booster Sessions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hennessy, Michael; Bolan, Gail A.; Hoxworth, Tamara; Iatesta, Michael; Rhodes, Fen; Zenilman, Jonathan M.

1999-01-01

Demonstrates an application of a method for using growth curves to determine the timing of booster sessions to reinforce the cognitive messages or behavior changes of interventions. Uses data from a multisite randomized experiment that compared three counseling and testing methods for preventing sexual disease transmission. Presents…

Apps seeking theories: results of a study on the use of health behavior change theories in cancer survivorship mobile apps.

PubMed

Vollmer Dahlke, Deborah; Fair, Kayla; Hong, Y Alicia; Beaudoin, Christopher E; Pulczinski, Jairus; Ory, Marcia G

2015-03-27

Thousands of mobile health apps are now available for use on mobile phones for a variety of uses and conditions, including cancer survivorship. Many of these apps appear to deliver health behavior interventions but may fail to consider design considerations based in human computer interface and health behavior change theories. This study is designed to assess the presence of and manner in which health behavior change and health communication theories are applied in mobile phone cancer survivorship apps. The research team selected a set of criteria-based health apps for mobile phones and assessed each app using qualitative coding methods to assess the application of health behavior change and communication theories. Each app was assessed using a coding derived from the taxonomy of 26 health behavior change techniques by Abraham and Michie with a few important changes based on the characteristics of mHealth apps that are specific to information processing and human computer interaction such as control theory and feedback systems. A total of 68 mobile phone apps and games built on the iOS and Android platforms were coded, with 65 being unique. Using a Cohen's kappa analysis statistic, the inter-rater reliability for the iOS apps was 86.1 (P<.001) and for the Android apps, 77.4 (P<.001). For the most part, the scores for inclusion of theory-based health behavior change characteristics in the iOS platform cancer survivorship apps were consistently higher than those of the Android platform apps. For personalization and tailoring, 67% of the iOS apps (24/36) had these elements as compared to 38% of the Android apps (12/32). In the area of prompting for intention formation, 67% of the iOS apps (34/36) indicated these elements as compared to 16% (5/32) of the Android apps. Mobile apps are rapidly emerging as a way to deliver health behavior change interventions that can be tailored or personalized for individuals. As these apps and games continue to evolve and include interactive and adaptive sensors and other forms of dynamic feedback, their content and interventional elements need to be grounded in human computer interface design and health behavior and communication theory and practice.

Analyzing change in short-term longitudinal research using cohort-sequential designs.

PubMed

Anderson, E R

1993-12-01

This article illustrates a method for approximating longitudinal data analysis by combining information from different overlapping age groups to form a single developmental growth curve. Using this method, hypotheses about the form of growth, the extent of individual differences in growth, and factors that affect the rate and pattern of growth are investigated. The example used to illustrate this method examines the growth of externalizing behavior and of negativity in parent-child relationships during early adolescence using assessments from multiple methods and multiple informants. These 3 dimensions changed significantly during this period, with parental negativity increasing more rapidly after age 12. However, there were substantial individual differences in the pattern of change in these dimensions. Gender of child and type of family situation (nondivorced, divorced, and remarried) were investigated as possible factors affecting change.

Online monitoring of corrosion behavior in molten metal using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Qiang; Pan, Congyuan; Li, Chaoyang; Fei, Teng; Ding, Xiaokang; Du, Xuewei; Wang, Qiuping

2018-04-01

The corrosion behavior of structure materials in direct contact with molten metals is widespread in metallurgical industry. The corrosion of casting equipment by molten metals is detrimental to the production process, and the corroded materials can also contaminate the metals being produced. Conventional methods for studying the corrosion behavior by molten metal are offline. This work explored the application of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for online monitoring of the corrosion behavior of molten metal. The compositional changes of molten aluminum in crucibles made of 304 stainless steel were obtained online at 1000 °C. Several offline techniques were combined to determine the corrosion mechanism, which was highly consistent with previous studies. Results proved that LIBS was an efficient method to study the corrosion mechanism of solid materials in molten metal.

An Objective Method of Measuring Psychological States Associated With Changes in Neural Function: Content Analysis of Verbal Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gottschalk, Louis A.

This paper examines the use of content analysis of speech in the objective recording and measurement of changes in emotional and cognitive function of humans in whom natural or experimental changes in neural status have occurred. A brief description of the data gathering process, details of numerous physiological effects, an anxiety scale, and a…

Self-regulation of Exercise Behavior in the TIGER Study

PubMed Central

Dishman, Rod K.; Jackson, Andrew S.; Bray, Molly S.

2014-01-01

Objective To test experiential and behavioral processes of change as mediators of the prediction of exercise behavior by two self-regulation traits, self-efficacy and self-motivation, while controlling for exercise enjoyment. Methods Structural equation modeling was applied to questionnaire responses obtained from a diverse sample of participants. Objective measures defined adherence (928 of 1279 participants attended 80% or more of sessions) and compliance (867 of 1145 participants exercised 30 minutes or more each session at their prescribed heart rate). Results Prediction of attendance by self-efficacy (inversely) and self-motivation was direct and also indirect, mediated through positive relations with the typical use of behavioral change processes. Enjoyment and self-efficacy (inversely) predicted compliance with the exercise prescription. Conclusions The results support the usefulness of self-regulatory behavioral processes of the Transtheoretical Model for predicting exercise adherence, but not compliance, extending the supportive evidence for self-regulation beyond self-reports of physical activity used in prior observational studies. PMID:24311018

Electrolyte and acid-base abnormalities associated with purging behaviors.

PubMed

Mehler, Philip S; Walsh, Kristine

2016-03-01

Eating disorders that are associated with purging behaviors are complicated by frequent blood electrolyte and acid-base abnormalities. Herein, we review the major electrolyte and acid-base abnormalities and their treatment methods. The body of rigorous, eating disorder-specific literature on this topical area is not robust enough to perform a systematic review as defined by PRISMA guidelines. Therefore, a qualitative review of mostly medical literature was conducted. Hypokalemia, hyponatremia, and sodium chloride-responsive metabolic alkalosis are the most common serum changes that occur as a result of purging behaviors. They vary depending on the mode and frequency of purging behaviors. They can all potentially cause dangerous medical complications and are in need of definitive medical treatment. Eating disorders that are associated with purging behaviors are associated with a number of electrolyte and acid-base changes which are complex in their origin, documented to be medically dangerous and this definitive treatment is necessary to help achieve a successful treatment outcome, and in need of definitive treatment as described herein. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Health behavior models and oral health: a review.

PubMed

Hollister, M Catherine; Anema, Marion G

2004-01-01

Dental hygienists help their clients develop health promoting behaviors, by providing essential information about general health, and oral health in particular. Individual health practices such as oral self-care are based on personal choices. The guiding principles found in health behavior models provide useful methods to the oral health care providers in promoting effective individual client behaviors. Theories provide explanations about observable facts in a systematic manner. Research regarding health behavior has explored the effectiveness and applicability of various health models in oral health behavior modification. The Health Belief Model, Transtheoretical Model and Stages of Change, Theory of Reasoned Action, Self-Efficacy, Locus of Control, and Sense of Coherence are examples of models that focus on individuals assuming responsibility for their own health. Understanding the strengths of each and their applicability to health behaviors is critical for oral health care providers who work with patients to adopt methods and modify behaviors that contribute to good oral health. This paper describes health behavior models that have been applied to oral health education, presents a critical analysis of the effectiveness of each model in oral health education, and provides examples of application to oral health education.

Multi-Family Groups for Multi-Stressed Families: Initial Outcomes and Future Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Jerrold M.

2015-01-01

Purpose: To examine the influence of caregiver stress on attendance among urban families involved in a multiple family group (MFG) intervention, as well as pre/post changes in childhood behavioral difficulties, caregiver stress, caregiver depressive symptoms, caregiver coping by substance use, and caregiver motivation to change. Methods:…

ACT for Leadership: Using Acceptance and Commitment Training to Develop Crisis-Resilient Change Managers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moran, Daniel J.; Consulting, Pickslyde

2010-01-01

The evidence-based executive coaching movement suggests translating empirical research into practical methods to help leaders develop a repertoire of crisis resiliency and value-directed change management skills. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an evidence-based modern cognitive-behavior therapy approach that has been and applied to…

Habit formation.

PubMed

Smith, Kyle S; Graybiel, Ann M

2016-03-01

Habits, both good ones and bad ones, are pervasive in animal behavior. Important frameworks have been developed to understand habits through psychological and neurobiological studies. This work has given us a rich understanding of brain networks that promote habits, and has also helped us to understand what constitutes a habitual behavior as opposed to a behavior that is more flexible and prospective. Mounting evidence from studies using neural recording methods suggests that habit formation is not a simple process. We review this evidence and take the position that habits could be sculpted from multiple dissociable changes in neural activity. These changes occur across multiple brain regions and even within single brain regions. This strategy of classifying components of a habit based on different brain signals provides a potentially useful new way to conceive of disorders that involve overly fixed behaviors as arising from different potential dysfunctions within the brain's habit network.

Habit formation

PubMed Central

Smith, Kyle S.; Graybiel, Ann M.

2016-01-01

Habits, both good ones and bad ones, are pervasive in animal behavior. Important frameworks have been developed to understand habits through psychological and neurobiological studies. This work has given us a rich understanding of brain networks that promote habits, and has also helped us to understand what constitutes a habitual behavior as opposed to a behavior that is more flexible and prospective. Mounting evidence from studies using neural recording methods suggests that habit formation is not a simple process. We review this evidence and take the position that habits could be sculpted from multiple dissociable changes in neural activity. These changes occur across multiple brain regions and even within single brain regions. This strategy of classifying components of a habit based on different brain signals provides a potentially useful new way to conceive of disorders that involve overly fixed behaviors as arising from different potential dysfunctions within the brain's habit network. PMID:27069378

The Influence of Lamellar Orientation on Corneal Material Behavior: Biomechanical and Structural Changes in an Avian Corneal Disorder

PubMed Central

Elsheikh, Ahmed; Kassem, Wael; Kamma-Lorger, Christina S.; Hocking, Paul M.; White, Nick; Inglehearn, Chris F.; Ali, Manir; Meek, Keith M.

2011-01-01

Purpose. Retinopathy, globe enlarged (RGE) is an inherited genetic disease of chickens with a corneal phenotype characterized by loss of tissue curvature and changes in peripheral collagen fibril alignment. This study aimed to characterize the material behavior of normal and RGE chicken corneas under inflation and compare this with new spatial- and depth-resolved microstructural information to investigate how stromal fibril architecture determines corneal behavior under intraocular pressure (IOP). Methods. Six RGE chicken corneas and six age-matched normal controls were tested using trephinate inflation and their stress-strain behavior determined as a function of posterior pressure. Second harmonic generation mulitphoton microscopy was used to compare the in-plane appearance and degree of through-plane interlacing of collagen lamellae between normal and mutant corneas. Results. RGE corneas displayed a 30–130% increase in material stiffness [Etangent(RGE) = 0.94 ± 0.18 MPa to 3.09 ± 0.66 MPa; Etangent(normals) = 0.72 ± 0.13 MPa to 1.34 ± 0.35 MPa] (P ≤ 0.05). The normal in-plane disposition of anterior collagen in the peripheral cornea was altered in RGE but through-plane lamellar interlacing was unaffected. Conclusions. This article demonstrates changes in corneal material behavior in RGE that are qualitatively consistent with microstructural collagen alterations identified both herein and previously. This study indicates that, in general, changes in stromal fibril orientation may significantly affect corneal material behavior and thereby its response to IOP. PMID:21051696

Application of the Theoretical Domains Framework and the Behaviour Change Wheel to Understand Physicians' Behaviors and Behavior Change in Using Temporary Work Modifications for Return to Work: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Horppu, Ritva; Martimo, K P; MacEachen, E; Lallukka, T; Viikari-Juntura, E

2018-03-01

Purpose Applying the theoretical domains framework (TDF) and the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) to understand physicians' behaviors and behavior change in using temporary work modifications (TWMs) for return to work (RTW). Methods Interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with 15 occupational physicians (OPs). Responses were coded using the TDF and the BCW. Results Key behaviors related to applying TWMs were initiating the process with the employee, making recommendations to the workplace, and following up the process. OP behaviors were influenced by several factors related to personal capability and motivation, and opportunities provided by the physical and social environment. Capability comprised relevant knowledge and skills related to applying TWMs, remembering to initiate TWMS and monitor the process, and being accustomed to reflective practice. Opportunity comprised physical resources (e.g., time, predefined procedures, and availability of modified work at companies), and social pressure from stakeholders. Motivation comprised conceptions of a proper OP role, confidence to carry out TWMs, personal RTW-related goals, beliefs about the outcomes of one's actions, feedback received from earlier cases, and feelings related to applying TWMs. OPs' perceived means to target these identified factors were linked to the following BCW intervention functions: education, training, persuasion, environmental restructuring, and enablement. The results suggest that at least these functions should be considered when designing future interventions. Conclusions Our study illustrates how theoretical frameworks TDF and BCW can be utilized in a RTW context to understand which determinants of physicians' behavior need to be targeted, and how, to promote desired behaviors.

Drink refusal training as part of a combined behavioral intervention: Effectiveness and mechanisms of change

PubMed Central

Witkiewitz, Katie; Donovan, Dennis M.; Hartzler, Bryan

2012-01-01

Objective Many trials have demonstrated the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral interventions for alcohol dependence, yet few studies have examined why particular treatments are effective. This study was designed to evaluate whether drink refusal training was an effective component of a combined behavioral intervention (CBI) and whether change in self-efficacy was a mechanism of change following drink refusal training for individuals with alcohol dependence. Method The current study is a secondary analysis of data from the COMBINE study, a randomized clinical trial that combined pharmacotherapy with behavioral intervention in the treatment of alcohol dependence. The goal of the current study was to examine whether a drink refusal skills training module, administered as part of a 16-week CBI (n=776; 31% female, 23% non-White, average age=44) predicted changes in drinking frequency and self-efficacy during and following the CBI, and whether changes in self-efficacy following drink refusal training predicted changes in drinking frequency up to one year following treatment. Results Participants (n=302) who received drink refusal skills training had significantly fewer drinking days during treatment (d=0.50) and up to one year following treatment (d=0.23). In addition the effect of the drink refusal skills training module on drinking outcomes following treatment was significantly mediated by changes in self-efficacy, even after controlling for changes in drinking outcomes during treatment (proportion mediated = 0.47). Conclusions Drink refusal training is an effective component of CBI and some of the effectiveness may be attributed to changes in client self-efficacy. PMID:22289131

Collaborative research in cardiovascular dynamics and bone elasticity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

A collaborative research program covering a variety of topics of biomechanics and biomedical engineering within the fields of cardiovascular dynamics, respiration, bone elasticity and vestibular physiology is described. The goals of the research were to promote: (1) a better understanding of the mechanical behavior of the circulatory system and its control mechanisms; (2) development of noninvasive methods of measuring the changes in the mechanical properties of blood vessels and other cardiovascular parameters in man; (3) application of these noninvasive methods to examine in man the physiological effects of environmental changes, including earth-simulated gravitational changes; and (4) development of in-flight methods for studying the events which lead to post-flight postural hypotension.

Use of intervention mapping to adapt a health behavior change intervention for endometrial cancer survivors: the shape-up following cancer treatment program.

PubMed

Koutoukidis, Dimitrios A; Lopes, Sonia; Atkins, Lou; Croker, Helen; Knobf, M Tish; Lanceley, Anne; Beeken, Rebecca J

2018-03-27

About 80% of endometrial cancer survivors (ECS) are overweight or obese and have sedentary behaviors. Lifestyle behavior interventions are promising for improving dietary and physical activity behaviors, but the constructs associated with their effectiveness are often inadequately reported. The aim of this study was to systematically adapt an evidence-based behavior change program to improve healthy lifestyle behaviors in ECS. Following a review of the literature, focus groups and interviews were conducted with ECS (n = 16). An intervention mapping protocol was used for the program adaptation, which consisted of six steps: a needs assessment, formulation of matrices of change objectives, selection of theoretical methods and practical applications, program production, adoption and implementation planning, and evaluation planning. Social Cognitive Theory and Control Theory guided the adaptation of the intervention. The process consisted of eight 90-min group sessions focusing on shaping outcome expectations, knowledge, self-efficacy, and goals about healthy eating and physical activity. The adapted performance objectives included establishment of regular eating, balanced diet, and portion sizes, reduction in sedentary behaviors, increase in lifestyle and organized activities, formulation of a discrepancy-reducing feedback loop for all above behaviors, and trigger management. Information on managing fatigue and bowel issues unique to ECS were added. Systematic intervention mapping provided a framework to design a cancer survivor-centered lifestyle intervention. ECS welcomed the intervention and provided essential feedback for its adaptation. The program has been evaluated through a randomized controlled trial.

Incorporating Behavioral Techniques into a Serious Videogame for Children

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Abstract Introduction: Little is known about how to design serious videogames for children. The purpose of this article is to describe how behavior change techniques promoting self-regulation were incorporated into a serious videogame to help children consume more fruits and vegetables (FVs) and the extent to which these techniques were used by players. A secondary goal is to contribute to the body of scientific knowledge regarding how to design effective serious videogames for children. Materials and Methods: This research examines the gameplay data from an effective 10-episode online serious videogame promoting FV consumption to preadolescent children in the United States (roughly 9–11-year-olds). Results: Children participated in the self-regulation components. Modifications to reduce potential cognitive overload and inform future game design were identified. Conclusion: This research provided suggestive evidence that behavior change techniques promoting self-regulation can be successfully integrated into a serious videogame for children without detracting from game appeal. It also emphasizes the importance of formative research to the design of an appealing game where children understand and can successfully perform the behavior change procedures. PMID:28231024

A Methodology Inventory for Composition Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donlan, Dan

1979-01-01

Illustrates one method for describing changes in classroom behavior of composition teachers: a methodology inventory that may be used as an indicator of expertise, a needs assessment, and a summative self-evaluation. (DD)

Preparation of Paraffin@Poly(styrene-co-acrylic acid) Phase Change Nanocapsules via Combined Miniemulsion/Emulsion Polymerization.

PubMed

Zhang, Feng; Liu, Tian-Yu; Hou, Gui-Hua; Guan, Rong-Feng; Zhang, Jun-Hao

2018-06-01

The fast development of solid-liquid phase change materials calls for nanomaterials with large specific surface area for rapid heat transfer and encapsulation of phase change materials to prevent potential leakage. Here we report a combined miniemulsion/emulsion polymerization method to prepare poly(styrene-co-acrylic acid)-encapsulated paraffin (paraffin@P(St-co-AA)) nanocapsules. The method could suppress the shortcomings of common miniemulsion polymerization (such as evaporation of monomer and decomposition of initiator during ultrasonication). The paraffin@P(St-co-AA) nanocapsules are uniform in size and the polymer shell can be controlled by the weight ratio of St to paraffin. The phase change behavior of the nanocapsules is similar to that of pure paraffin. We believe our method can also be utilized to synthesize other core-shell phase change materials.

A Meta-Analysis of Motivational Interviewing Process: Technical, Relational, and Conditional Process Models of Change

PubMed Central

Magill, Molly; Apodaca, Timothy R.; Borsari, Brian; Gaume, Jacques; Hoadley, Ariel; Gordon, Rebecca E.F.; Tonigan, J. Scott; Moyers, Theresa

2018-01-01

Objective In the present meta-analysis, we test the technical and relational hypotheses of Motivational Interviewing (MI) efficacy. We also propose an a priori conditional process model where heterogeneity of technical path effect sizes should be explained by interpersonal/relational (i.e., empathy, MI Spirit) and intrapersonal (i.e., client treatment seeking status) moderators. Method A systematic review identified k = 58 reports, describing 36 primary studies and 40 effect sizes (N = 3025 participants). Statistical methods calculated the inverse variance-weighted pooled correlation coefficient for the therapist to client and the client to outcome paths across multiple target behaviors (i.e., alcohol use, other drug use, other behavior change). Results Therapist MI-consistent skills were correlated with more client change talk (r = .55, p < .001) as well as more sustain talk (r = .40, p < .001). MI-inconsistent skills were correlated with more sustain talk (r = .16, p < .001), but not change talk. When these indicators were combined into proportions, as recommended in the Motivational Interviewing Skill Code, the overall technical hypothesis was supported. Specifically, proportion MI consistency was related to higher proportion change talk (r = .11, p = .004) and higher proportion change talk was related to reductions in risk behavior at follow up (r = −.16, p < .001). When tested as two independent effects, client change talk was not significant, but sustain talk was positively associated with worse outcome (r = .19, p < .001). Finally, the relational hypothesis was not supported, but heterogeneity in technical hypothesis path effect sizes was partially explained by inter- and intra-personal moderators. Conclusions This meta-analysis provides additional support for the technical hypothesis of MI efficacy; future research on the relational hypothesis should occur in the field rather than in the context of clinical trials. PMID:29265832

Using a Marginal Structural Model to Design a Theory-Based Mass Media Campaign

PubMed Central

Taguri, Masataka; Ishikawa, Yoshiki

2016-01-01

Background The essential first step in the development of mass media health campaigns is to identify specific beliefs of the target audience. The challenge is to prioritize suitable beliefs derived from behavioral theory. The purpose of this study was to identify suitable beliefs to target in a mass media campaign to change behavior using a new method to estimate the possible effect size of a small set of beliefs. Methods Data were drawn from the 2010 Japanese Young Female Smoker Survey (n = 500), conducted by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. Survey measures included intention to quit smoking, psychological beliefs (attitude, norms, and perceived control) based on the theory of planned behavior and socioeconomic status (age, education, household income, and marital status). To identify suitable candidate beliefs for a mass media health campaign, we estimated the possible effect size required to change the intention to quit smoking among the population of young Japanese women using the population attributable fraction from a marginal structural model. Results Thirteen percent of study participants intended to quit smoking. The marginal structural model estimated a population attributable fraction of 47 psychological beliefs (21 attitudes, 6 norms, and 19 perceived controls) after controlling for socioeconomic status. The belief, “I could quit smoking if my husband or significant other recommended it” suggested a promising target for a mass media campaign (population attributable fraction = 0.12, 95% CI = 0.02–0.23). Messages targeting this belief could possibly improve intention rates by up to 12% among this population. The analysis also suggested the potential for regulatory action. Conclusions This study proposed a method by which campaign planners can develop theory-based mass communication strategies to change health behaviors at the population level. This method might contribute to improving the quality of future mass health communication strategies and further research is needed. PMID:27441626

Preliminary Exploration of Adaptive State Predictor Based Human Operator Modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trujillo, Anna C.; Gregory, Irene M.

2012-01-01

Control-theoretic modeling of the human operator dynamic behavior in manual control tasks has a long and rich history. In the last two decades, there has been a renewed interest in modeling the human operator. There has also been significant work on techniques used to identify the pilot model of a given structure. The purpose of this research is to attempt to go beyond pilot identification based on collected experimental data and to develop a predictor of pilot behavior. An experiment was conducted to quantify the effects of changing aircraft dynamics on an operator s ability to track a signal in order to eventually model a pilot adapting to changing aircraft dynamics. A gradient descent estimator and a least squares estimator with exponential forgetting used these data to predict pilot stick input. The results indicate that individual pilot characteristics and vehicle dynamics did not affect the accuracy of either estimator method to estimate pilot stick input. These methods also were able to predict pilot stick input during changing aircraft dynamics and they may have the capability to detect a change in a subject due to workload, engagement, etc., or the effects of changes in vehicle dynamics on the pilot.

Apps of Steel: Are Exercise Apps Providing Consumers with Realistic Expectations?: A Content Analysis of Exercise Apps for Presence of Behavior Change Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowan, Logan T.; Van Wagenen, Sarah A.; Brown, Brittany A.; Hedin, Riley J.; Seino-Stephan, Yukiko; Hall, P. Cougar; West, Joshua H.

2013-01-01

Objective. To quantify the presence of health behavior theory constructs in iPhone apps targeting physical activity. Methods. This study used a content analysis of 127 apps from Apple's (App Store) "Health & Fitness" category. Coders downloaded the apps and then used an established theory-based instrument to rate each app's inclusion of…

Reliability and Validity of Measures for Investigating the Determinants of Health Behaviors among Women with a History of Gestational Diabetes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Ben J.; Cheung, N. Wah; Najnin, Nusrat; Bauman, Adrian; Razee, Husna; Blignault, Ilse; van der Ploeg, Hidde P.

2018-01-01

Aim: Assisting women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) to adopt healthy lifestyles is a priority for diabetes prevention. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate measures that can be used to assess the efficacy of behavior change interventions in this group. Method: Measures of psychosocial influences on physical…

Effects of Long-Term Musical Training on Cortical Auditory Evoked Potentials.

PubMed

Brown, Carolyn J; Jeon, Eun-Kyung; Driscoll, Virginia; Mussoi, Bruna; Deshpande, Shruti Balvalli; Gfeller, Kate; Abbas, Paul J

Evidence suggests that musicians, as a group, have superior frequency resolution abilities when compared with nonmusicians. It is possible to assess auditory discrimination using either behavioral or electrophysiologic methods. The purpose of this study was to determine if the acoustic change complex (ACC) is sensitive enough to reflect the differences in spectral processing exhibited by musicians and nonmusicians. Twenty individuals (10 musicians and 10 nonmusicians) participated in this study. Pitch and spectral ripple discrimination were assessed using both behavioral and electrophysiologic methods. Behavioral measures were obtained using a standard three interval, forced choice procedure. The ACC was recorded and used as an objective (i.e., nonbehavioral) measure of discrimination between two auditory signals. The same stimuli were used for both psychophysical and electrophysiologic testing. As a group, musicians were able to detect smaller changes in pitch than nonmusician. They also were able to detect a shift in the position of the peaks and valleys in a ripple noise stimulus at higher ripple densities than non-musicians. ACC responses recorded from musicians were larger than those recorded from non-musicians when the amplitude of the ACC response was normalized to the amplitude of the onset response in each stimulus pair. Visual detection thresholds derived from the evoked potential data were better for musicians than non-musicians regardless of whether the task was discrimination of musical pitch or detection of a change in the frequency spectrum of the ripple noise stimuli. Behavioral measures of discrimination were generally more sensitive than the electrophysiologic measures; however, the two metrics were correlated. Perhaps as a result of extensive training, musicians are better able to discriminate spectrally complex acoustic signals than nonmusicians. Those differences are evident not only in perceptual/behavioral tests but also in electrophysiologic measures of neural response at the level of the auditory cortex. While these results are based on observations made from normal-hearing listeners, they suggest that the ACC may provide a non-behavioral method of assessing auditory discrimination and as a result might prove useful in future studies that explore the efficacy of participation in a musically based, auditory training program perhaps geared toward pediatric or hearing-impaired listeners.

Hypertension Health Promotion via Text Messaging at a Community Health Center in South Africa: A Mixed Methods Study

PubMed Central

Haricharan, Hanne J; Brittain, Kirsty; Lau, Yan Kwan; Cassidy, Tali; Heap, Marion

2016-01-01

Background The use of mobile phones to deliver health care (mHealth) is increasing in popularity due to the high prevalence of mobile phone penetration. This is seen in developing countries, where mHealth may be particularly useful in overcoming traditional access barriers. Non-communicable diseases may be particularly amenable to mHealth interventions, and hypertension is one with an escalating burden in the developing world. Objective The objective of this study was to test whether the dissemination of health information via a short message service (SMS) led to improvements in health knowledge and self-reported health-related behaviors. Methods A mixed methods study was carried out among a cohort of 223 hypertension clinic patients, in a resource-poor setting in Cape Town, South Africa, in 2012. Hypertensive outpatients were recruited at the clinic and administered a baseline questionnaire to establish existing knowledge of hypertension. Participants were then randomly assigned to intervention or control groups. The intervention group received 90 SMSes over a period of 17 weeks. Thereafter, the baseline questionnaire was readministered to both groups to gauge if any improvements in health knowledge had occurred. Those who received SMSes were asked additional questions about health-related behavior changes. A focus group was then conducted to obtain in-depth feedback about participants’ experience with, and response to, the SMS campaign. Results No statistically significant changes in overall health knowledge were observed between the control and intervention groups. The intervention group had positive increases in self-reported behavior changes. These were reaffirmed by the focus groups, which also revealed a strong preference for the SMS campaign and the belief that the SMSes acted as a reminder to change, as opposed to providing new information. Conclusions Although the content of the SMSes was not new, and did not improve health knowledge, SMSes were effective in motivating positive self-reported behavior change among hypertensive patients. Trial Registration Pan African Clinical Trials Registry Number: PACTR201412000968462. Registered 18 December 2014 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6fhtyLRcO). PMID:26964505

Development of a Behavior Change Intervention to Improve Sexual Health Service Use Among University Undergraduate Students: Mixed Methods Study Protocol.

PubMed

Cassidy, Christine; Steenbeek, Audrey; Langille, Donald; Martin-Misener, Ruth; Curran, Janet

2017-11-02

University students are at risk for acquiring sexually transmitted infections and suffering other negative health outcomes. Sexual health services offer preventive and treatment interventions that aim to reduce these infections and associated health consequences. However, university students often delay or avoid seeking sexual health services. An in-depth understanding of the factors that influence student use of sexual health services is needed to underpin effective sexual health interventions. In this study, we aim to design a behavior change intervention to address university undergraduate students' use of sexual health services at two universities in Nova Scotia, Canada. This mixed methods study consists of three phases that follow a systematic approach to intervention design outlined in the Behaviour Change Wheel. In Phase 1, we examine patterns of sexual health service use among university students in Nova Scotia, Canada, using an existing dataset. In Phase 2, we identify the perceived barriers and enablers to students' use of sexual health services. This will include focus groups with university undergraduate students, health care providers, and university administrators using a semistructured guide, informed by the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation-Behaviour Model and Theoretical Domains Framework. In Phase 3, we identify behavior change techniques and intervention components to develop a theory-based intervention to improve students' use of sexual health services. This study will be completed in March 2018. Results from each phase and the finalized intervention design will be reported in 2018. Previous intervention research to improve university students' use of sexual health services lacks a theoretical assessment of barriers. This study will employ a mixed methods research design to examine university students' use of sexual health service and apply behavior change theory to design a theory- and evidence-based sexual health service intervention. Our approach will provide a comprehensive foundation to co-design a theory-based intervention with service users, health care providers, and administrators to improve sexual health service use among university students and ultimately improve their overall health and well-being. ©Christine Cassidy, Audrey Steenbeek, Donald Langille, Ruth Martin-Misener, Janet Curran. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (http://www.researchprotocols.org), 02.11.2017.

The Empowering Role of Mobile Apps in Behavior Change Interventions: The Gray Matters Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Nugent, Chris D; McClean, Sally I; Cleland, Ian; Tschanz, JoAnn T; Clark, Christine J; Norton, Maria C

2016-01-01

Background Health education and behavior change programs targeting specific risk factors have demonstrated their effectiveness in reducing the development of future diseases. Alzheimer disease (AD) shares many of the same risk factors, most of which can be addressed via behavior change. It is therefore theorized that a behavior change intervention targeting these risk factors would likely result in favorable rates of AD prevention. Objective The objective of this study was to reduce the future risk of developing AD, while in the short term promoting vascular health, through behavior change. Methods The study was an interventional randomized controlled trial consisting of subjects who were randomly assigned into either treatment (n=102) or control group (n=42). Outcome measures included various blood-based biomarkers, anthropometric measures, and behaviors related to AD risk. The treatment group was provided with a bespoke “Gray Matters” mobile phone app designed to encourage and facilitate behavior change. The app presented evidence-based educational material relating to AD risk and prevention strategies, facilitated self-reporting of behaviors across 6 behavioral domains, and presented feedback on the user’s performance, calculated from reported behaviors against recommended guidelines. Results This paper explores the rationale for a mobile phone–led intervention and details the app’s effect on behavior change and subsequent clinical outcomes. Via the app, the average participant submitted 7.3 (SD 3.2) behavioral logs/day (n=122,719). Analysis of these logs against primary outcome measures revealed that participants who improved their high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels during the study duration answered a statistically significant higher number of questions per day (mean 8.30, SD 2.29) than those with no improvement (mean 6.52, SD 3.612), t97.74=−3.051, P=.003. Participants who decreased their body mass index (BMI) performed significantly better in attaining their recommended daily goals (mean 56.21 SD 30.4%) than those who increased their BMI (mean 40.12 SD 29.1%), t80 = −2.449, P=.017. In total, 69.2% (n=18) of those who achieved a mean performance percentage of 60% or higher, across all domains, reduced their BMI during the study, whereas 60.7% (n=34) who did not, increased their BMI. One-way analysis of variance of systolic blood pressure category changes showed a significant correlation between reported efforts to reduce stress and category change as a whole, P=.035. An exit survey highlighted that respondents (n=83) reported that the app motivated them to perform physical activity (85.4%) and make healthier food choices (87.5%). Conclusions In this study, the ubiquitous nature of the mobile phone excelled as a delivery platform for the intervention, enabling the dissemination of educational intervention material while simultaneously monitoring and encouraging positive behavior change, resulting in desirable clinical effects. Sustained effort to maintain the achieved behaviors is expected to mitigate future AD risk. Trial Registration ClinicalTrails.gov NCT02290912; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02290912 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6ictUEwnm) PMID:27485822

Effectively identifying user profiles in network and host metrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, John P.; Berk, Vincent H.; Gregorio-de Souza, Ian

2010-04-01

This work presents a collection of methods that is used to effectively identify users of computers systems based on their particular usage of the software and the network. Not only are we able to identify individual computer users by their behavioral patterns, we are also able to detect significant deviations in their typical computer usage over time, or compared to a group of their peers. For instance, most people have a small, and relatively unique selection of regularly visited websites, certain email services, daily work hours, and typical preferred applications for mandated tasks. We argue that these habitual patterns are sufficiently specific to identify fully anonymized network users. We demonstrate that with only a modest data collection capability, profiles of individual computer users can be constructed so as to uniquely identify a profiled user from among their peers. As time progresses and habits or circumstances change, the methods presented update each profile so that changes in user behavior can be reliably detected over both abrupt and gradual time frames, without losing the ability to identify the profiled user. The primary benefit of our methodology allows one to efficiently detect deviant behaviors, such as subverted user accounts, or organizational policy violations. Thanks to the relative robustness, these techniques can be used in scenarios with very diverse data collection capabilities, and data privacy requirements. In addition to behavioral change detection, the generated profiles can also be compared against pre-defined examples of known adversarial patterns.

[Employees health education--challenges according to the educational level].

PubMed

Korzeniowska, Elzbieta; Puchalski, Krzysztof

2012-01-01

Article addresses the problem of increasing Polish employees health education effectiveness according to the differences in educational level. Research model assume that effective method of developing recommendations improving the health education will synthesise scientific findings regarding methodology of conducting such education and knowledge about needs of two target groups: low and high educated employees. Educational solutions were searched in publications related to: health education, andragogy, propaganda and direct marketing. The empirical material used to characterize two target groups came from four research (qualitative and quantitative) conducted by the National Centre for Workplace Health Promotion (Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine) in 2007-2010. Low educated employees' health education should be focused on increasing responsibility for health and strengthening their self-confidence according to the introduction of healthy lifestyle changes. To achieve these goals, important issue is to build their motivation to develop knowledge about taking care of health. In providing such information we should avoid the methods associated with school. Another important issue is creating an appropriate infrastructure and conditions facilitating the change of harmful behaviors undertaken at home and in the workplace. According to high-educated employees a challenge is to support taking health behaviors--although they are convinced it is important for their health, such behaviors are perceived as a difficult and freedom restriction. Promoting behavior change techniques, avoiding prohibitions in the educational messages and creating favorable climate for taking care of health in groups they participate are needed.

Impact of an Educational Text Message Intervention on Adolescents' Knowledge and High-Risk Behaviors.

PubMed

Hickman, Nichole Erin; Schaar, Gina

2018-03-01

Health care providers need to develop improved methods of educating adolescents. This study was developed to evaluate adolescents' responses to and satisfaction with an educational text message intervention to promote healthy behaviors, reduce the incidence of unhealthy behaviors, and prevent high-risk behaviors. Adolescent participants received weekly text messages regarding high-risk sexual behaviors, healthy dietary habits, exercise, drug, or alcohol use, and social issues. Results indicate adolescents learned something new, made a behavioral change, and overall liked the delivery of educational information via text message. This indicates long-term continuation of a text message intervention is a viable means to deliver adolescent health information, thereby improving an adolescent's current and future health status.

Developing Health Promotion Interventions: A Multi-Source Method Applied to Weight Loss among Low-Income Postpartum Women

PubMed Central

Kim, Sunghun; Sterling, Bobbie Sue; Latimer, Lara

2010-01-01

Developing focused and relevant health promotion interventions is critical for behavioral change in a low-resource or special population. Evidence-based interventions, however, may not match the specific population or health concern of interest. This article describes the Multi-Source Method (MSM) which, in combination with a workshop format, may be used by health professionals and researchers in health promotion program development. The MSM draws on positive deviance practices and processes, focus groups, community advisors, behavioral change theory, and evidence-based strategies. Use of the MSM is illustrated in development of ethnic-specific weight loss interventions for low-income postpartum women. The MSM may be useful in designing future health programs designed for other special populations for whom existing interventions are unavailable or lack relevance. PMID:20433674

Sexual behavior and contraception among young Polish women.

PubMed

Olszewski, Jaroslaw; Olszewska, Hanna; Abacjew-Chmylko, Anna; Chmylko, Lukasz; Gaworska-Krzeminska, Aleksandra; Wydra, Dariusz

2010-11-01

To analyze sexual behavior and the use of contraception among young women in Poland. Cross-sectional study. 1,478 young women in higher (78.9%) and secondary (21.1%) education. Gdansk region in Poland. The data were gathered between September and December 2008 by the use of a questionnaire prepared for the purpose of this study, completed anonymously and in person by the young women. Sexual activity had been initiated by 67.2% of the women studied at a mean age of 18.7 years (±1.97). Assessment was made of changes in their contraceptive practice between the time of sexual initiation and later sexual activity. Since their first experience of intercourse 67.0% did not change their contraceptive methods. As many as 40.1% continued using either low effective methods or no contraception. Early sexual initiation was linked to a significantly lower likelihood of highly effective contraception, more frequent unprotected sexual intercourse and more sexual partners (p < 0.05). Over half of women assigned to a 'high-risk' group with regard to the chance of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection, declared that their behavior did not carry any risk, similar (p > 0.05) to those who did not have a history of hazardous behavior. Sexual behavior differentiates Polish women from the women in Western Europe. Despite the welcome tendency toward choosing reliable contraceptives, use of appropriate contraception is still insufficient.

Working "upstream": why we shouldn't use heterosexual women as health promotion change agents in HIV-prevention interventions aimed at heterosexual men.

PubMed

Drake, Carly; Gahagan, Jacqueline

2015-01-01

The use of cognitive-behavioral interventions that aim to improve men's health-seeking behaviors via women-a trend that grows increasingly troublesome as gender inequality persists-cannot address the deep-seated social, economic, and political inequalities contributing to the spread of HIV/AIDS, such as sexism and poverty. Such methods often rely on generalizations about men and women and regard female empowerment as a key goal, despite employing shaky definitions of the concept. Here we use the principles of health promotion, particularly determinants of health, to reflect upon and critique current interventions and present alternative programming models that engage both men and women in changing men's health-seeking behaviors and working "upstream" rather than "downstream" of the epidemic.

Peer Observation of Rounds Leads to Collegial Discussion of Teaching.

PubMed

Pierce, J Rush; Rendón, Patrick; Rao, Deepti

2018-01-01

Faculty in the Division of Hospital Medicine provide most of the clinical teaching for learners at our institution. The majority of these faculty are Assistant Professors with limited formal instruction in clinical teaching. Previous Divisional strategies to improve clinical teaching ability included discussion of effective teaching behaviors, developing written expectations for teaching faculty, and instituting seminars on effective clinical teaching. Heretofore, the Division had not utilized a direct observation exercise. We developed a direct observation exercise to encourage discussion of teaching techniques and contemplation of change. Using a social learning model, we developed a peer-to-peer observation followed by a nonevaluative discussion. We created a tool for describing teaching behaviors in 5 domains that were similar to or different from the usual behavior of the observing peer: learner presentations, team leadership, bedside teaching, professionalism, and other. After the observation, the observing and observed faculty met to discuss observed teaching behaviors. Both faculty members discussed and then recorded any teaching behaviors that they planned to adopt or change. We implemented this intervention in a 22-member Academic Division of Hospital Medicine at a tertiary care medical center in the United States. A high proportion were junior faculty and graduates of our residency program. We reviewed records of 28 of 31 observations that were completed during the initial 9-month period of implementation and later surveyed faculty. The exercise resulted in planned changes in teaching behaviors that included instituting new methods to improve teaching team leadership, triaging of patients seen on rounds, faculty behaviors during oral presentations, giving real-time feedback, use of technology and humor, demonstrating physical examination findings, and modeling professional behaviors. Faculty later reported adoption of new teaching behaviors that were important to them. This exercise was easily implemented, resulted in planned changes by both observed and observing peers, and resulted in widespread adoption of some specific teaching behaviors. The most commonly planned change dealt with team leadership or organizational issues. When given the freedom to choose, junior faculty were more likely to observe senior faculty.

Investigating the Climate Change Beliefs, Knowledge, Behaviors, and Cultural Worldviews of Rural Middle School Students and Their Families during an Out-of-School Intervention: A Mixed-Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gutierrez, Kristie Susan

2016-01-01

In a recent nationwide survey, 63% of American adults believe that there is global warming, yet 52% received a "grade" of "F" on climate change knowledge and beliefs. Climate change is a politically-charged topic in the 21st century. Even for those who support the 97% of scientists who assert that climate change is occurring,…

A review of the in vivo and in vitro biomechanical behavior and performance of postoperative abdominal aortic aneurysms and implanted stent-grafts.

PubMed

Corbett, Timothy J; Callanan, Anthony; Morris, Liam G; Doyle, Barry J; Grace, Pierce A; Kavanagh, Eamon G; McGloughlin, Tim M

2008-08-01

Endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms has generated widespread interest since the procedure was first introduced two decades ago. It is frequently performed in patients who suffer from substantial comorbidities that may render them unsuitable for traditional open surgical repair. Although this minimally invasive technique substantially reduces operative risk, recovery time, and anesthesia usage in these patients, the endovascular method has been prone to a number of failure mechanisms not encountered with the open surgical method. Based on long-term results of second- and third-generation devices that are currently becoming available, this study sought to identify the most serious failure mechanisms, which may have a starting point in the morphological changes in the aneurysm and stent-graft. To investigate the "behavior" of the aneurysm after stent-graft repair, i.e., how its length, angulation, and diameter change, we utilized state-of-the-art ex vivo methods, which researchers worldwide are now using to recreate these failure modes.

Limitations of inclusive fitness.

PubMed

Allen, Benjamin; Nowak, Martin A; Wilson, Edward O

2013-12-10

Until recently, inclusive fitness has been widely accepted as a general method to explain the evolution of social behavior. Affirming and expanding earlier criticism, we demonstrate that inclusive fitness is instead a limited concept, which exists only for a small subset of evolutionary processes. Inclusive fitness assumes that personal fitness is the sum of additive components caused by individual actions. This assumption does not hold for the majority of evolutionary processes or scenarios. To sidestep this limitation, inclusive fitness theorists have proposed a method using linear regression. On the basis of this method, it is claimed that inclusive fitness theory (i) predicts the direction of allele frequency changes, (ii) reveals the reasons for these changes, (iii) is as general as natural selection, and (iv) provides a universal design principle for evolution. In this paper we evaluate these claims, and show that all of them are unfounded. If the objective is to analyze whether mutations that modify social behavior are favored or opposed by natural selection, then no aspect of inclusive fitness theory is needed.

Stimulating innovations in the measurement of parenting constructs.

PubMed

Mâsse, Louise C; Watts, Allison W

2013-08-01

Parents can play a crucial role in the development of children's behaviors associated with dietary habits, physical activity, and sedentary lifestyles. Many parenting practices and/or styles measures have been developed; however, there is little agreement as to how the influence of parenting should be measured. More importantly, our ability to relate parenting practices and/or styles to children's behaviors depends on its accurate assessment. While there is a need to standardize our assessment to further advance knowledge in this area, this article will discuss areas that may stimulate advances in the measurement of parenting constructs. Because self-report measures are important for the assessment of parenting, this article discusses whether solutions to improve self-report measures may lie in: (1) Improving the questions asked; (2) improving the methods used to correct for social desirability or measurement errors; (3) changing our measurement paradigm to assess implicit parenting behaviors; (4) changing how self-report is collected by taking advantage of ecological momentary assessment methods; (5) using better psychometric methods to validate parenting measures or alternatively using advances in psychometric methods, such as item banking and computerized adaptive testing, to solve common administration issues (i.e., response burden and comparability of results across studies); and (6) employing novel technologies to collect data such as portable technologies, gaming, and virtual reality simulation. This article will briefly discuss the potential of technologies to measure parenting constructs.

Stimulating Innovations in the Measurement of Parenting Constructs

PubMed Central

Watts, Allison W.

2013-01-01

Abstract Parents can play a crucial role in the development of children's behaviors associated with dietary habits, physical activity, and sedentary lifestyles. Many parenting practices and/or styles measures have been developed; however, there is little agreement as to how the influence of parenting should be measured. More importantly, our ability to relate parenting practices and/or styles to children's behaviors depends on its accurate assessment. While there is a need to standardize our assessment to further advance knowledge in this area, this article will discuss areas that may stimulate advances in the measurement of parenting constructs. Because self-report measures are important for the assessment of parenting, this article discusses whether solutions to improve self-report measures may lie in: (1) Improving the questions asked; (2) improving the methods used to correct for social desirability or measurement errors; (3) changing our measurement paradigm to assess implicit parenting behaviors; (4) changing how self-report is collected by taking advantage of ecological momentary assessment methods; (5) using better psychometric methods to validate parenting measures or alternatively using advances in psychometric methods, such as item banking and computerized adaptive testing, to solve common administration issues (i.e., response burden and comparability of results across studies); and (6) employing novel technologies to collect data such as portable technologies, gaming, and virtual reality simulation. This article will briefly discuss the potential of technologies to measure parenting constructs. PMID:23944924

Analysis of hardening behavior of sheet metals by a new simple shear test method taking into account the Bauschinger effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bang, Sungsik; Rickhey, Felix; Kim, Minsoo; Lee, Hyungyil; Kim, Naksoo

2013-12-01

In this study we establish a process to predict hardening behavior considering the Bauschinger effect for zircaloy-4 sheets. When a metal is compressed after tension in forming, the yield strength decreases. For this reason, the Bauschinger effect should be considered in FE simulations of spring-back. We suggested a suitable specimen size and a method for determining the optimum tightening torque for simple shear tests. Shear stress-strain curves are obtained for five materials. We developed a method to convert the shear load-displacement curve to the effective stress-strain curve with FEA. We simulated the simple shear forward/reverse test using the combined isotropic/kinematic hardening model. We also investigated the change of the load-displacement curve by varying the hardening coefficients. We determined the hardening coefficients so that they follow the hardening behavior of zircaloy-4 in experiments.

Of Mice and Meth: A New Media-Based Neuropsychopharmacology Lab to Teach Research Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatch, Daniel L.; Zschau, Tony; Hays, Arthur; McAllister, Kristin; Harrison, Michelle; Cate, Kelly L.; Shanks, Ryan A.; Lloyd, Steven A.

2014-01-01

This article describes an innovative neuropsychopharmacology laboratory that can be incorporated into any research methods class. The lab consists of a set of interconnected modules centered on observations of methamphetamine-induced behavioral changes in mice and is designed to provide students with an opportunity to acquire basic skills…

A serious video game to increase fruit and vegetable consumption among elementary aged youth (Squire's Quest! II): Rationale, design, and methods

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Youths eat fewer fruits and vegetables than recommended. Effective methods are needed to increase and maintain their fruit and vegetable consumption. Goal setting has been an effective behavior change procedure among adults, but has had limited effectiveness among youths. Implementation intentions a...

Characterization of ceramic powders by an X-ray measuring method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ziegler, B.

1983-01-01

X-ray line broadening analysis gives quantitative data on structural changes of ceramic powders after different processing steps. Various Al2O3 powders were investigated and the following points are discussed on the basis of these results: X-ray line broadening analysis, structural changes during grinding, structural changes during annealing, influence of structural properties on sintering behavior and application of line broadening analysis to quality control of powders.

Changes of Attitudes and Patronage Behaviors in Response to a Smoke-Free Bar Law

PubMed Central

Tang, Hao; Cowling, David W.; Lloyd, Jon C.; Rogers, Todd; Koumjian, Kristi L.; Stevens, Colleen M.; Bal, Dileep G.

2003-01-01

Objectives. We examined patron responses to a California smoke-free bar law. Methods. Three telephone surveys measured attitudes and behavior changes after implementation of the law. Results. Approval of the law rose from 59.8% to 73.2% (odds ratio [OR] = 1.95; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.58, 2.40). Self-reported noncompliance decreased from 24.6% to 14.0% (OR = 0.50; 95% CI = 0.30, 0.85). Likelihood of visiting a bar or of not changing bar patronage after the law was implemented increased from 86% to 91% (OR = 1.76; 95% CI = 1.29, 2.40). Conclusions. California bar patrons increasingly support and comply with the smoke-free bar law. PMID:12660206

Pilot Trial of a Dissonance-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Group Depression Prevention with College Students

PubMed Central

Rohde, Paul; Stice, Eric; Shaw, Heather; Gau, Jeff M.

2016-01-01

Objective Conduct a pilot trial testing whether a new cognitive-behavioral (CB) group prevention program that incorporated cognitive-dissonance change principles was feasible and appeared effective in reducing depressive symptoms and major depressive disorder onset relative to a brochure control condition in college students with elevated depressive symptoms. Method 59 college students (M age = 21.8, SD = 2.3; 68% female, 70% White) were randomized to the 6-session Change Ahead group or educational brochure control condition, completing assessments at pretest, posttest, and 3-month follow-up. Results Recruitment and screening methods were effective and intervention attendance was high (86% attended all 6 sessions). Change Ahead participants showed medium-large reductions in depressive symptoms at posttest (M d = .64), though the effect attenuated by 3-month follow-up. Incidence of major depression onset at 3-month follow-up was 4% for Change Ahead participants versus 13% (difference ns). Conclusions Change Ahead appears highly feasible and showed positive indications of reduced acute phase depressive symptoms and MDD onset relative to a minimal intervention control in this initial pilot. Given the brevity of the intervention, its apparent feasibility, and the lack of evidence-based depression prevention programs for college students, continued evaluation of Change Ahead appears warranted. PMID:27176493

Data-Independent MS/MS Quantification of Neuropeptides for Determination of Putative Feeding-Related Neurohormones in Microdialysate

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Food consumption is an important behavior that is regulated by an intricate array of neuropeptides (NPs). Although many feeding-related NPs have been identified in mammals, precise mechanisms are unclear and difficult to study in mammals, as current methods are not highly multiplexed and require extensive a priori knowledge about analytes. New advances in data-independent acquisition (DIA) MS/MS and the open-source quantification software Skyline have opened up the possibility to identify hundreds of compounds and quantify them from a single DIA MS/MS run. An untargeted DIA MSE quantification method using Skyline software for multiplexed, discovery-driven quantification was developed and found to produce linear calibration curves for peptides at physiologically relevant concentrations using a protein digest as internal standard. By using this method, preliminary relative quantification of the crab Cancer borealis neuropeptidome (<2 kDa, 137 peptides from 18 families) was possible in microdialysates from 8 replicate feeding experiments. Of these NPs, 55 were detected with an average mass error below 10 ppm. The time-resolved profiles of relative concentration changes for 6 are shown, and there is great potential for the use of this method in future experiments to aid in correlation of NP changes with behavior. This work presents an unbiased approach to winnowing candidate NPs related to a behavior of interest in a functionally relevant manner, and demonstrates the success of such a UPLC-MSE quantification method using the open source software Skyline. PMID:25552291

Data-independent MS/MS quantification of neuropeptides for determination of putative feeding-related neurohormones in microdialysate.

PubMed

Schmerberg, Claire M; Liang, Zhidan; Li, Lingjun

2015-01-21

Food consumption is an important behavior that is regulated by an intricate array of neuropeptides (NPs). Although many feeding-related NPs have been identified in mammals, precise mechanisms are unclear and difficult to study in mammals, as current methods are not highly multiplexed and require extensive a priori knowledge about analytes. New advances in data-independent acquisition (DIA) MS/MS and the open-source quantification software Skyline have opened up the possibility to identify hundreds of compounds and quantify them from a single DIA MS/MS run. An untargeted DIA MS(E) quantification method using Skyline software for multiplexed, discovery-driven quantification was developed and found to produce linear calibration curves for peptides at physiologically relevant concentrations using a protein digest as internal standard. By using this method, preliminary relative quantification of the crab Cancer borealis neuropeptidome (<2 kDa, 137 peptides from 18 families) was possible in microdialysates from 8 replicate feeding experiments. Of these NPs, 55 were detected with an average mass error below 10 ppm. The time-resolved profiles of relative concentration changes for 6 are shown, and there is great potential for the use of this method in future experiments to aid in correlation of NP changes with behavior. This work presents an unbiased approach to winnowing candidate NPs related to a behavior of interest in a functionally relevant manner, and demonstrates the success of such a UPLC-MS(E) quantification method using the open source software Skyline.

Recognizing Disordered Eating in Primary Care Patients with Obesity

PubMed Central

Chacko, Sara A.; Chiodi, Sarah N.; Wee, Christina C.

2015-01-01

Objective In clinical practice, behavioral approaches to obesity treatment focus heavily on diet and exercise recommendations. However, these approaches may not be effective for patients with disordered eating behaviors. Little is known about the prevalence of disordered eating behaviors in primary care patients with obesity or whether they affect difficulty making dietary changes. Methods We conducted a telephone interview of 337 primary care patients aged 18–65 years with BMI≥35kg/m2 in Greater-Boston, 2009–2011 (58% response rate, 69% women). We administered the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire R-18 (Scores 0–100) and the Impact of Weight on Quality of Life-Lite (IWQOL-lite) (Scores 0–100). We measured difficulty making dietary changes using four questions regarding perceived difficulty changing diet (Scores 0–10). Results 50% of patients reported high emotional eating (score>50) and 28% reported high uncontrolled eating (score>50). Women were more likely to report emotional [OR=4.14 (2.90, 5.92)] and uncontrolled eating [OR=2.11 (1.44, 3.08)] than men. African Americans were less likely than Caucasians to report emotional [OR=0.29 (95% CI: 0.19, 0.44)] and uncontrolled eating [OR=0.11 (0.07, 0.19)]. For every 10-point reduction in QOL score (IWQOL-lite), emotional and uncontrolled eating scores rose significantly by 7.82 and 5.48, respectively. Furthermore, participants who reported emotional and uncontrolled eating reported greater difficulty making dietary changes. Conclusions Disordered eating behaviors are prevalent among obese primary care patients and disproportionately affect women, Caucasians, and patients with poor QOL. These eating behaviors may impair patients' ability to make clinically recommended dietary changes. Clinicians should consider screening for disordered eating behaviors and tailoring obesity treatment accordingly. PMID:25572624

Behavioral Response of Hermit Crabs (Clibanarius digueti) to Dissolved Carbon Dioxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maier, H. J.

2016-02-01

CO2 induced ocean acidification is currently changing the population dynamics of marine organisms. This can involve increased stress in populations, and alteration in individual physiology, which can eventually be expressed through an organism's behavior. If sustained, CO2 induced ocean acidification has the potential to cause major impacts on marine food chains, including on services they provide. The purpose of this study was to understand whether and how ocean acidification affects the behavior of hermit crab Clibanarius digueti, a crustacean inhabiting the littoral zone. We hypothesized that an increase in dissolved carbonic acid would modify grazing and individual movement, because an increase in acidification alters the normal chemical composition of the water and potentially the physiology of C. digueti. A model tidal pool experiment consisting of two tanks (control and treatment) inhabited with seven living C. digueti was set up in the Ocean Biome of Biosphere-2. Each tank was also provided with uninhabited shells: two Turbo fluctuosa and four Cerithium sp. Gaseous CO2 was dissolved into the treatment tank and measured as dissolved CO2 by using a NaOH titration method. Additionally, water conditions were characterized for light and temperature. Two trials were run in this experiment with tanks and treatments interchanged in each trial. We found a marked treatment effect on C. digueti behavior. The population experiencing increased CO2 performed daily shell changes after first day of exposure for each of the 4-day trials, as compared to individuals unexposed to dissolved CO2, that experienced no shell changes. From this study we conclude that the behavior of C. Digueti can be a good indicator of changes in dissolved CO2. This would allow us to better interpret patterns in marine animal behavior in response to climate change.

Shared decision making and behavioral impairment: a national study among children with special health care needs

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The Institute of Medicine has prioritized shared decision making (SDM), yet little is known about the impact of SDM over time on behavioral outcomes for children. This study examined the longitudinal association of SDM with behavioral impairment among children with special health care needs (CSHCN). Method CSHCN aged 5-17 years in the 2002-2006 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey were followed for 2 years. The validated Columbia Impairment Scale measured impairment. SDM was measured with 7 items addressing the 4 components of SDM. The main exposures were (1) the mean level of SDM across the 2 study years and (2) the change in SDM over the 2 years. Using linear regression, we measured the association of SDM and behavioral impairment. Results Among 2,454 subjects representing 10.2 million CSHCN, SDM increased among 37% of the population, decreased among 36% and remained unchanged among 27%. For CSHCN impaired at baseline, the change in SDM was significant with each 1-point increase in SDM over time associated with a 2-point decrease in impairment (95% CI: 0.5, 3.4), whereas the mean level of SDM was not associated with impairment. In contrast, among those below the impairment threshold, the mean level of SDM was significant with each one point increase in the mean level of SDM associated with a 1.1-point decrease in impairment (0.4, 1.7), but the change was not associated with impairment. Conclusion Although the change in SDM may be more important for children with behavioral impairment and the mean level over time for those below the impairment threshold, results suggest that both the change in SDM and the mean level may impact behavioral health for CSHCN. PMID:22998626

Treatment of addiction and addiction-related behavior

DOEpatents

Dewey, Stephen L.; Brodie, Jonathan D.; Ashby, Jr., Charles R.

2003-01-01

The present invention provides a highly efficient method for treating substance addiction and for changing addiction-related behavior of a mammal suffering from substance addiction. The method includes administering to a mammal an effective amount of gamma vinylGABA or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. The present invention also provides a method of treatment of cocaine, morphine, heroin, nicotine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, or ethanol addiction by treating a mammal with an effective amount of gamma vinylGABA or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. In one embodiment, the method of the present invention includes administering to the mammal an effective amount of a composition which increases central nervous system GABA levels wherein the effective amount is sufficient to diminish, inhibit or eliminate behavior associated with craving or use of drugs of abuse. The composition includes GVG, gabapentin, valproic acid, progabide, gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, fengabine, cetylGABA, topiramate or tiagabine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or an enantiomer or a racemic mixture thereof.

Content-specific network analysis of peer-to-peer communication in an online community for smoking cessation.

PubMed

Myneni, Sahiti; Cobb, Nathan K; Cohen, Trevor

2016-01-01

Analysis of user interactions in online communities could improve our understanding of health-related behaviors and inform the design of technological solutions that support behavior change. However, to achieve this we would need methods that provide granular perspective, yet are scalable. In this paper, we present a methodology for high-throughput semantic and network analysis of large social media datasets, combining semi-automated text categorization with social network analytics. We apply this method to derive content-specific network visualizations of 16,492 user interactions in an online community for smoking cessation. Performance of the categorization system was reasonable (average F-measure of 0.74, with system-rater reliability approaching rater-rater reliability). The resulting semantically specific network analysis of user interactions reveals content- and behavior-specific network topologies. Implications for socio-behavioral health and wellness platforms are also discussed.

Validation of a Milk Consumption Stage of Change Algorithm among Adolescent Survivors of Childhood Cancer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mays, Darren; Gerfen, Elissa; Mosher, Revonda B.; Shad, Aziza T.; Tercyak, Kenneth P.

2012-01-01

Objective: To assess the construct validity of a milk consumption Stages of Change (SOC) algorithm among adolescent survivors of childhood cancer ages 11 to 21 years (n = 75). Methods: Baseline data from a randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate a health behavior intervention were analyzed. Assessments included a milk consumption SOC…

The Impact of a Tailgating Policy on Students' Drinking Behavior and Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oster-Aaland, Laura K.; Neighbors, Clayton

2007-01-01

In the fall of 2004, a midwestern public university changed its tailgating policy from one that did not allow alcohol consumption to one that did. Objective, Participants, and Methods: The authors surveyed students before and after the policy change to measure consumption, problems, perceptions of peer consumption, and reported game attendance.…

Heritability of Anxious-Depressive and Withdrawn Behavior: Age-Related Changes during Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamb, Diane J.; Middeldorp, Christel M.; van Beijsterveldt, Catarina E. M.; Bartels, Meike; van der Aa, Niels; Polderman, Tinca J. C.; Boomsma, Dorret I.

2010-01-01

Objective: To explain the differential course of anxiety and depression in individuals from childhood to adulthood by examining age-related changes in the genetic and environmental etiology of anxious and depressive symptoms. Method: A sample of 1470, 1839, and 2023 Dutch twins aged 12, 14, and 16 years reported on symptoms of anxious depression…

Assessing Student Behaviors and Motivation for Actively Learning Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Michael Edward

2017-01-01

Vision and Change states that one of the major changes in the way we design biology courses should be a switch in approach from teacher-centered learning to student-centered learning and identifies active learning as a recommended methods. Studies show performance benefits for students taking courses that use active learning. What is unknown is…

Timing Effects on Divorce: 20th Century Experience in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schoen, Robert; Canudas-Romo, Vladimir

2006-01-01

Period divorce measures can misrepresent the underlying behavior of birth cohorts as changes in cohort timing produce changes in period probabilities of divorce. Building on methods used to adjust period fertility and marriage measures, we adjust U.S. period divorce rates for timing effects, calculating a timing index for every year between 1910…

Phonation Interval Modification and Speech Performance Quality during Fluency-Inducing Conditions by Adults Who Stutter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ingham, Roger J.; Bothe, Anne K.; Wang, Yuedong; Purkhiser, Krystal; New, Anneliese

2012-01-01

Purpose: To relate changes in four variables previously defined as characteristic of normally fluent speech to changes in phonatory behavior during oral reading by persons who stutter (PWS) and normally fluent controls under multiple fluency-inducing (FI) conditions. Method: Twelve PWS and 12 controls each completed 4 ABA experiments. During A…

Effects of Long-Term Musical Training on Cortical Evoked Auditory Potentials

PubMed Central

Brown, Carolyn J.; Jeon, Eun-Kyung; Driscoll, Virginia; Mussoi, Bruna; Deshpande, Shruti Balvalli; Gfeller, Kate; Abbas, Paul

2016-01-01

Objective Evidence suggests that musicians, as a group, have superior frequency resolution abilities when compared to non-musicians. It is possible to assess auditory discrimination using either behavioral or electrophysiologic methods. The purpose of this study was to determine if the auditory change complex (ACC) is sensitive enough to reflect the differences in spectral processing exhibited by musicians and non-musicians. Design Twenty individuals (10 musicians and 10 non-musicians) participated in this study. Pitch and spectral ripple discrimination were assessed using both behavioral and electrophysiologic methods. Behavioral measures were obtained using a standard three interval, forced choice procedure and the ACC was recorded and used as an objective (i.e. non-behavioral) measure of discrimination between two auditory signals. The same stimuli were used for both psychophysical and electrophysiologic testing. Results As a group, musicians were able to detect smaller changes in pitch than non-musicians. They also were able to detect a shift in the position of the peaks and valleys in a ripple noise stimulus at higher ripple densities than non-musicians. ACC responses recorded from musicians were larger than those recorded from non-musicians when the amplitude of the ACC response was normalized to the amplitude of the onset response in each stimulus pair. Visual detection thresholds derived from the evoked potential data were better for musicians than non-musicians regardless of whether the task was discrimination of musical pitch or detection of a change in the frequency spectrum of the rippled noise stimuli. Behavioral measures of discrimination were generally more sensitive than the electrophysiologic measures; however, the two metrics were correlated. Conclusions Perhaps as a result of extensive training, musicians are better able to discriminate spectrally complex acoustic signals than non-musicians. Those differences are evident not only in perceptual/behavioral tests, but also in electrophysiologic measures of neural response at the level of the auditory cortex. While these results are based on observations made from normal hearing listeners, they suggest that the ACC may provide a non-behavioral method of assessing auditory discrimination and as a result might prove useful in future studies that explore the efficacy of participation in a musically based, auditory training program perhaps geared toward pediatric and/or hearing-impaired listeners. PMID:28225736

Residual Stress Reversal in Highly Strained Shot Peened Structural Elements. Degree awarded by Florida Univ.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mitchell, William S.; Throckmorton, David (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The purpose of this research was to further the understanding of a crack initiation problem in a highly strained pressure containment housing. Finite Element Analysis methods were used to model the behavior of shot peened materials undergoing plastic deformation. Analytical results are in agreement with laboratory tensile tests that simulated the actual housing load conditions. These results further validate the original investigation finding that the shot peened residual stress had reversed, changing from compressive to tensile, and demonstrate that analytical finite element methods can be used to predict this behavior.

A simple method used to evaluate phase-change materials based on focused-ion beam technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Cheng; Wu, Liangcai; Rao, Feng; Song, Zhitang; Lv, Shilong; Zhou, Xilin; Du, Xiaofeng; Cheng, Yan; Yang, Pingxiong; Chu, Junhao

2013-05-01

A nanoscale phase-change line cell based on focused-ion beam (FIB) technique has been proposed to evaluate the electrical property of the phase-change material. Thanks to the FIB-deposited SiO2 hardmask, only one etching step has been used during the fabrication process of the cell. Reversible phase-change behaviors are observed in the line cells based on Al-Sb-Te and Ge-Sb-Te films. The low power consumption of the Al-Sb-Te based cell has been explained by theoretical calculation accompanying with thermal simulation. This line cell is considered to be a simple and reliable method in evaluating the application prospect of a certain phase-change material.

A theory-based online health behavior intervention for new university students: study protocol

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Too few young people engage in behaviors that reduce the risk of morbidity and premature mortality, such as eating healthily, being physically active, drinking sensibly and not smoking. The present research developed an online intervention to target these health behaviors during the significant life transition from school to university when health beliefs and behaviors may be more open to change. This paper describes the intervention and the proposed approach to its evaluation. Methods/design Potential participants (all undergraduates about to enter the University of Sheffield) will be emailed an online questionnaire two weeks before starting university. On completion of the questionnaire, respondents will be randomly assigned to receive either an online health behavior intervention (U@Uni) or a control condition. The intervention employs three behavior change techniques (self-affirmation, theory-based messages, and implementation intentions) to target four heath behaviors (alcohol consumption, physical activity, fruit and vegetable intake, and smoking). Subsequently, all participants will be emailed follow-up questionnaires approximately one and six months after starting university. The questionnaires will assess the four targeted behaviors and associated cognitions (e.g., intentions, self-efficacy) as well as socio-demographic variables, health status, Body Mass Index (BMI), health service use and recreational drug use. A sub-sample of participants will provide a sample of hair to assess changes in biochemical markers of health behavior. A health economic evaluation of the cost effectiveness of the intervention will also be conducted. Discussion The findings will provide evidence on the effectiveness of online interventions as well as the potential for intervening during significant life transitions, such as the move from school to university. If successful, the intervention could be employed at other universities to promote healthy behaviors among new undergraduates. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials, ISRCTN67684181. PMID:23384237

Dieting and unhealthy weight control behaviors during adolescence: Associations with 10-year changes in body mass index

PubMed Central

Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne; Wall, Melanie; Story, Mary; Standish, Amber R

2011-01-01

Background Dieting and unhealthy weight control behaviors are common among adolescents and questions exist regarding their long-term effect on weight status. Objective To examine 10-year longitudinal associations between dieting and unhealthy weight control behaviors and changes in body mass index (BMI) from adolescence to young adulthood. Methods and Procedures A diverse population-based sample of middle school and high school adolescents was followed for 10 years. Participants (N=1,902) completed surveys in 1998–99 (Project EAT-I), 2003–04 (Project EAT-II), and 2008–09 (Project EAT-III). Dieting and unhealthy weight control behaviors at Time 1 and Time 2 were used to predict 10-year changes in BMI at Time 3, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and Time 1 BMI. Results Dieting and unhealthy weight control behaviors at both Time 1 and Time 2 predicted greater BMI increases at Time 3 in males and females, as compared to no use of these behaviors. For example, females using unhealthy weight control behaviors at both Time 1 and Time 2 increased their BMI by 4.63 units as compared to 2.29 units in females not using these behaviors (p<.001). Associations were found in both overweight and non-overweight respondents. Specific weight control behaviors at Time 1 that predicted larger BMI increases at Time 3 included skipping meals and reporting eating very little (females and males), use of food substitutes (males), and diet pill use (females). Conclusions Findings clearly indicate that dieting and unhealthy weight control behaviors, as reported by adolescents, predict significant weight gain over time. PMID:22188838

Characterizing Periodic Messaging Interventions Across Health Behaviors and Media: Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Fuentes, Laura W; Cohen, Joanna E

2014-01-01

Background Periodic prompts serve as tools for health behavior interventions to encourage and maintain behavior changes. Past literature reviews have examined periodic messages targeting specific behaviors (smoking, physical activity, diet, etc) or media (telephone, email, face-to-face, newsletter, etc) and have found them to be effective in impacting health behavior in the short term. Objective Our goal was to review the literature related to periodic messaging and prompts in order to explore typical characteristics, assess the role of prompt timing, identify common theoretical models used, and identify characteristics associated with the effectiveness of periodic prompts. Methods Electronic searches of PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Web of Science were conducted in October 2012 and May 2013. Database search terms included variant terms for periods, prompts, interventions, media, and health behaviors. Results Forty-two of the 55 included research articles found that prompts resulted in significant positive behavioral outcomes for participants. Prompts were delivered via text messages, email, mailed communications, and in a few instances via phone. Generally, the provision of feedback and specific strategies to accomplish behavior change appears to be important for the success of periodic prompts. Rationale for prompt timing was rarely provided, although some studies did organize message content around days of the week or times perceived to be high risk for particular behaviors. Smoking cessation interventions tended to be organized around quit date. Among studies using theoretical models to inform their interventions, the transtheoretical model was most common. Conclusions Periodic messaging interventions yield positive results for short-term health behavior changes. Interventions including feedback and prompts that included strategies were more likely to report significantly positive outcomes. Work remains to better understand elements that make periodic prompts successful and whether they are effective in producing long-term outcomes. PMID:24667840

Experiential or behavioral processes: which one is prominent in physical activity? Examining the processes of change 1 year after an intervention of therapeutic education among adults with obesity.

PubMed

Romain, A J; Attalin, V; Sultan, A; Boegner, C; Gernigon, C; Avignon, A

2014-11-01

Although physical activity (PA) is essential, most obese people will not engage in its practice. The transtheoretical model (TTM) and its processes of change (POC) contribute to the understanding of behavior change regarding PA. The present study aimed to test how POC are associated with a progression through the stages of change (SOC) and whether they predict BMI change. Interventional study. A total of 134 subjects participated in an education program, were called at 1 year and 62 of them provided follow-up data. Participants completed the SOC and POC questionnaires at baseline, at 1 year and were classified according to their SOC progression. Participants who progressed through SOC lost more weight (p<0.001). Significant interactions were found for three out of five POC (p<0.05). Progression through SOC was associated with an increased use of POC. Weight loss was predicted by two behavioral POC. Results support the previous cross-sectional studies showing that physically active people use more frequently POC. The present findings support the development of TTM-grounded behavioral interventions targeted to obese patients. Identifying methods to promote POC use to improve adherence to weight guidelines may lead to improved clinical outcomes and quality of life. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Effectiveness of School-based Interventions for the Prevention and/or Reduction of Psychosocial Problems among Children and Adolescents: A Review of Reviews].

PubMed

Muellmann, S; Landgraf-Rauf, K; Brand, T; Zeeb, H; Pischke, C R

2017-04-01

Objective: To summarize the current evidence on the effectiveness of school-based interventions for the maintenance of mental health and the prevention of psychosocial problems among pupils. Methods: A systematic literature search of reviews published between 2007 and 2015 was carried out. Databases searched included Medline, PsycINFO, Campbell Library, Cochrane Library, NICE, ERIC, and Web of Science. Study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment (using AMSTAR criteria) were performed by 2 independent reviewers. Results: 6 reviews covering 331 primary studies were included in this review of reviews. Findings of three reviews with a focus on the maintenance and/or promotion of mental health and general well-being suggested that interventions aimed at changes in the social and the school environment were more effective than those that only targeted individual behavior change among pupils. Interventions for the reduction of mobbing/bullying were most effective if they comprised organizational changes at schools, such as playground and schoolyard supervision, and disciplinary measures. One review suggested strong evidence for the effectiveness of classroom management to reduce violent behavior among pupils. Conclusions: Participation in interventions promoting changes in the school environment, in addition to individual behavior change, appears to be associated with improved mental health among pupils and reductions in mobbing/bullying and violent behavior at schools. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Socio-economic Aspects of Health-Related Behaviors and Their Dynamics: A Case Study for the Netherlands

PubMed Central

Rezayatmand, Reza; Pavlova, Milena; Groot, Wim

2016-01-01

Background: Previous studies have mostly focused on socio-demographic and health-related determinants of health-related behaviors. Although comprehensive health insurance coverage could discourage individual lifestyle improvement due to the ex-ante moral hazard problem, few studies have examined such effects. This study examines the association of a comprehensive set of factors including socio-demographic, health status, health insurance, and perceived change in health insurance coverage with health-related behaviors and their dynamics (ie, changes in behavior). Methods: Using Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) data (a European aging survey among 50+ years old) for the Netherlands in 2004 and 2007 (sample size: 1745), binary and multinomial logit models are employed to study health-related behaviors (daily smoking, excessive alcohol use, and physical inactivity in 2004) and their corresponding changes (stopping or starting unhealthy behavior between 2004 and 2007). Results: Our findings show that being older, being female, having higher education and living with a partner increase the likelihood not to be a daily smoker or to stop daily smoking. At the same time, being older (OR = 3.02 [1.31, 6.95]) and being female (OR = 1.77 [1.05, 2.96]) increases the likelihood to be or to become physically inactive. We also find that worse perceived health insurance coverage in 2007 is associated with a lower likelihood (OR = 0.19 [0.06, 0.57]) of stopping excessive alcohol use in that year. However, we do not find a strong association between the type of health insurance and health behavior. Conclusion: Our findings show that all above mentioned factors (ie, socio-demographic and health status factors) are associated with health-related behavior but not in a consistent way across all behaviors. Moreover, the dynamics of each behavior (positive or negative change) is not necessarily determined by the same factors that determine the state of that behavior. We also find that better perceived health insurance coverage is associated with a healthier lifestyle which is not compatible with an ex-ante moral hazard interpretation. Our results provide input to target policies towards elderly individuals in need of lifestyle change. However, further research should be done to identify the causal effect of health insurance on health-related behavior. PMID:27239865

Behavioral changes following PCB 153 exposure in the Spontaneously Hypertensive rat – an animal model of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity disorder

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a behavioral disorder affecting 3-5% of children. Although ADHD is highly heritable, environmental factors like exposure during early development to various toxic substances like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) may contribute to the prevalence. PCBs are a group of chemical industrial compounds with adverse effects on neurobiological and cognitive functioning, and may produce behavioral impairments that share significant similarities with ADHD. The present study examined the relation between exposure to PCB 153 and changes in ADHD-like behavior in an animal model of ADHD, the spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR/NCrl), and in Wistar Kyoto (WKY/NHsd) controls. Methods SHR/NCrl and WKY/NHsd, males and females, were orally given PCB 153 dissolved in corn oil at around postnatal day (PND) 8, 14, and 20 at a dosage of 1, 3 or 6 mg/kg bodyweight at each exposure. The control groups were orally administered corn oil only. The animals were behaviorally tested for exposure effects from PND 37 to 64 using an operant procedure. Results Exposure to PCB 153 was associated with pronounced and long-lasting behavioral changes in SHR/NCrl. Exposure effects in the SHR/NCrl depended on dose, where 1 mg/kg tended to reduce ADHD-like behaviors and produce opposite behavioral effects compared to 3 mg/kg and 6 mg/kg, especially in the females. In the WKY/NHsd controls and for the three doses tested, PCB 153 exposure produced a few specific behavioral changes only in males. The data suggest that PCB 153 exposure interacts with strain and sex, and also indicate a non-linear dose–response relation for the behaviors observed. Conclusions Exposure to PCB 153 seems to interact with several variables including strain, sex, dose, and time of testing. To the extent that the present findings can be generalized to humans, exposure effects of PCB 153 on ADHD behavior depends on amount of exposure, where high doses may aggravate ADHD symptoms in genetically vulnerable individuals. In normal controls, exposure may not constitute an environmental risk factor for developing the full range of ADHD symptoms, but can produce specific behavioral changes. PMID:24405777

Preventing HIV transmission in Chinese internal migrants: a behavioral approach.

PubMed

Liu, Xiaona; Erasmus, Vicki; Sun, Xinying; Cai, Rui; Shi, Yuhui; Richardus, Jan Hendrik

2014-01-01

This study is a step towards a behavioral intervention to prevent HIV transmission among Chinese internal migrants. To explore important and changeable determinants of condom use and inspect effective and feasible methods to increase condom use for the target population, we conducted a three-round web-based Delphi study among a panel of 62 experts between October 2012 and March 2013. The panelists were purposely selected using a stepwise procedure to represent topic-related areas of expertise. The response rate per round ranges from 21% to 81%. The panelists identified 19 possible determinants of condom use and reported 16 intervention methods they considered successful. They agreed that attitude towards condom use was the most important and changeable determinant, while applying behavioral theory, increasing sexual education and condom access, performing worksite health promotion, detecting risk factors, and working closely with relevant organizations and the government were effective and feasible methods to increase condom use among internal migrants in China. In conclusion, results of this study highlight the importance of attitude in changing condom use and underscore the need to apply behavior theory and integrate multiple educational approaches for developing behavioral HIV prevention interventions targeting internal migrants in China.

Perceived Risk of Dengue in Ones' Living Environment as a Determinant of Behavior Change through Social Mobilization and Communication: Evidence from a High Risk Area in Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Banneheke, Hasini; Paranavitane, Sarath; Jayasuriya, Vathsala; Banneheka, Sarath

2016-09-01

The aim of this study was to assess community knowledge and behavioral impact of the social mobilization and communication strategy applied in a dengue high-risk area in Sri Lanka. A group of adults visiting selected primary care facilities in Colombo district were interviewed to collect socio-demographic data, attributes of knowledge regarding dengue and the responsive behaviors adopted by them following the dengue control program though the media and social marketing campaigns. These attributes were classified as 'good', 'fair,' or 'poor' by developing a composite scale for analysis and interpretation of data. The primary source of information was television in the majority. The overall knowledge of the disease, vector and control methods was poor. The overall level of contribution to dengue control activities was good. Awareness of the disease and its complications had not contributed to favorable behavior changes. While the social mobilization and behavior change campaign in Sri Lanka had low impact on knowledge and behaviors, a better understating of community perceptions of DF and how these perceptions are formulated within the social and cultural context; would be useful to improve uptake. This knowledge would be valuable for program planners to strengthen dengue control activities in SL and other similar settings across the region.

USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Creates Positive Change in Children's Consumption and Other Behaviors Related to Eating Fruit and Vegetables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bica, Lori A.; Jamelske, Eric M.

2012-01-01

Purpose/Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the 2009-2010 USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) on fruit intake and other behaviors related to fruit and vegetable consumption among Wisconsin fourth- and fifth-grade students. Methods: Participants were fourth- and fifth-grade from one FFVP school (n = 51)…

Designing Caregiver-Implemented Shared-Reading Interventions to Overcome Implementation Barriers

PubMed Central

Logan, Jessica R.; Damschroder, Laura

2015-01-01

Purpose This study presents an application of the theoretical domains framework (TDF; Michie et al., 2005), an integrative framework drawing on behavior-change theories, to speech-language pathology. Methods A multistep procedure was used to identify barriers affecting caregivers' implementation of shared-reading interventions with their children with language impairment (LI). The authors examined caregiver-level data corresponding to implementation issues from two randomized controlled trials and mapped these to domains in the TDF as well as empirically validated behavior-change techniques. Results Four barriers to implementation were identified as potentially affecting caregivers' implementation: time pressures, reading difficulties, discomfort with reading, and lack of awareness of benefits. These were mapped to 3 TDF domains: intentions, beliefs about capabilities, and skills. In turn, 4 behavior-change techniques were identified as potential vehicles for affecting these domains: reward, feedback, model, and encourage. An ongoing study is described that is determining the effects of these techniques for improving caregivers' implementation of a shared-reading intervention. Conclusions A description of the steps to identifying barriers to implementation, in conjunction with an ongoing experiment that will explicitly determine whether behavior-change techniques affect these barriers, provides a model for how implementation science can be used to identify and overcome implementation barriers in the treatment of communication disorders. PMID:26262941

Efficient local behavioral-change strategies to reduce the spread of epidemics in networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bu, Yilei; Gregory, Steve; Mills, Harriet L.

2013-10-01

It has recently become established that the spread of infectious diseases between humans is affected not only by the pathogen itself but also by changes in behavior as the population becomes aware of the epidemic, for example, social distancing. It is also well known that community structure (the existence of relatively densely connected groups of vertices) in contact networks influences the spread of disease. We propose a set of local strategies for social distancing, based on community structure, that can be employed in the event of an epidemic to reduce the epidemic size. Unlike most social distancing methods, ours do not require individuals to know the disease state (infected or susceptible, etc.) of others, and we do not make the unrealistic assumption that the structure of the entire contact network is known. Instead, the recommended behavior change is based only on an individual's local view of the network. Each individual avoids contact with a fraction of his/her contacts, using knowledge of his/her local network to decide which contacts should be avoided. If the behavior change occurs only when an individual becomes ill or aware of the disease, these strategies can substantially reduce epidemic size with a relatively small cost, measured by the number of contacts avoided.

Transtheoretical Model of Change during Travel Behavior Interventions: An Integrative Review.

PubMed

Friman, Margareta; Huck, Jana; Olsson, Lars E

2017-05-30

This study aims to identify the relevant empirical work, to synthesize its findings, and to thus attain a general understanding of the application of the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) in transport behavior research. An integrative literature review was used to determine whether or not the implemented interventions impact the stages and processes of travel behavior change. Data was collected from different databases. English language articles published between 2002 and 2017 were included. After sequentially narrowing the search and removing duplicates, 53 relevant papers remained, 13 of which fulfilled the stated criteria of constituting a transport intervention study using the TTM as a reference frame. The final 13 studies were classified and categorized according to stages and processes in the TTM. Findings showed that none of the interventions met the method requirements for a proper evaluation of design and outcome measurement. Reporting did not follow a standardized structure desirable when enabling comparative analyses. Allowing for these shortcomings, it is inferred that positive travel behavior changes have been obtained during some interventions. Importantly, although it was stated that the empirical studies were based on the TTM, the included interventions were implemented irrespective of the individual's stage of change. For future research, it will be necessary to conduct evaluations of higher quality.

Transtheoretical Model of Change during Travel Behavior Interventions: An Integrative Review

PubMed Central

Friman, Margareta; Huck, Jana; Olsson, Lars E.

2017-01-01

This study aims to identify the relevant empirical work, to synthesize its findings, and to thus attain a general understanding of the application of the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) in transport behavior research. An integrative literature review was used to determine whether or not the implemented interventions impact the stages and processes of travel behavior change. Data was collected from different databases. English language articles published between 2002 and 2017 were included. After sequentially narrowing the search and removing duplicates, 53 relevant papers remained, 13 of which fulfilled the stated criteria of constituting a transport intervention study using the TTM as a reference frame. The final 13 studies were classified and categorized according to stages and processes in the TTM. Findings showed that none of the interventions met the method requirements for a proper evaluation of design and outcome measurement. Reporting did not follow a standardized structure desirable when enabling comparative analyses. Allowing for these shortcomings, it is inferred that positive travel behavior changes have been obtained during some interventions. Importantly, although it was stated that the empirical studies were based on the TTM, the included interventions were implemented irrespective of the individual’s stage of change. For future research, it will be necessary to conduct evaluations of higher quality. PMID:28556810

A Qualitative Study to Inform the Development of a Videogame for Adolescent Human Immunodeficiency Virus Prevention

PubMed Central

Rosenthal, Marjorie S.; Camenga, Deepa R.; Edelman, E. Jennifer; Fiellin, Lynn E.

2012-01-01

Abstract We used qualitative methods to inform the development of an interactive videogame focused on behavior change to reduce risk and promote human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention in young minority adolescents. Guided by community-partnered research principles, we conducted and analyzed 16 individual interviews and six focus groups with 10–15 year-old boys and girls (36 unique participants) at a neighborhood-based nonprofit organization serving youth from low-resource neighborhoods. Three recurrent themes lent themselves to translation into a videogame-based intervention. Adolescents reported protective factors and facilitators to engaging in risk behaviors, including (1) their personal ability to balance the tension between individuation and group membership, (2) the presence of stable mentor figures in their life, and (3) the neighborhood in which they live. We used these themes to inform the design of our videogame intervention with the goal that these methods may increase the intervention's efficacy at promoting HIV prevention by making them more tailored and relevant to a specific population. Our qualitative study provides a practical understanding of how important elements identified by minority youth regarding negotiating around risk behaviors can be integrated into a videogame intervention. These findings offer valuable insights to researchers whose goal is to design effective and tailored interventions to affect behavior change. PMID:24078897

Contextualized analysis of a needs assessment using the Theoretical Domains Framework: a case example in endocrinology.

PubMed

Lazure, Patrice; Bartel, Robert C; Biller, Beverly M K; Molitch, Mark E; Rosenthal, Stephen M; Ross, Judith L; Bernsten, Brock D; Hayes, Sean M

2014-07-24

The Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) is a set of 14 domains of behavior change that provide a framework for the critical issues and factors influencing optimal knowledge translation. Considering that a previous study has identified optimal knowledge translation techniques for each TDF domain, it was hypothesized that the TDF could be used to contextualize and interpret findings from a behavioral and educational needs assessment. To illustrate this hypothesis, findings and recommendations drawn from a 2012 national behavioral and educational needs assessment conducted with healthcare providers who treat and manage Growth and Growth Hormone Disorders, will be discussed using the TDF. This needs assessment utilized a mixed-methods research approach that included a combination of: [a] data sources (Endocrinologists (n:120), Pediatric Endocrinologists (n:53), Pediatricians (n:52)), [b] data collection methods (focus groups, interviews, online survey), [c] analysis methodologies (qualitative - analyzed through thematic analysis, quantitative - analyzed using frequencies, cross-tabulations, and gap analysis). Triangulation was used to generate trustworthy findings on the clinical practice gaps of endocrinologists, pediatric endocrinologists, and general pediatricians in their provision of care to adult patients with adult growth hormone deficiency or acromegaly, or children/teenagers with pediatric growth disorders. The identified gaps were then broken into key underlying determinants, categorized according to the TDF domains, and linked to optimal behavioral change techniques. The needs assessment identified 13 gaps, each with one or more underlying determinant(s). Overall, these determinants were mapped to 9 of the 14 TDF domains. The Beliefs about Consequences domain was identified as a contributing determinant to 7 of the 13 challenges. Five of the gaps could be related to the Skills domain, while three were linked to the Knowledge domain. The TDF categorization of the needs assessment findings allowed recommendation of appropriate behavior change techniques for each underlying determinant, and facilitated communication and understanding of the identified issues to a broader audience. This approach provides a means for health education researchers to categorize gaps and challenges identified through educational needs assessments, and facilitates the application of these findings by educators and knowledge translators, by linking the gaps to recommended behavioral change techniques.

Evolution of behavior and neural control of the fast-start escape response.

PubMed

Hale, Melina E; Long, John H; McHenry, Matthew J; Westneat, Mark W

2002-05-01

The fast-start startle behavior is the primary mechanism of rapid escape in fishes and is a model system for examining neural circuit design and musculoskeletal function. To develop a dataset for evolutionary analysis of the startle response, the kinematics and muscle activity patterns of the fast-start were analyzed for four fish species at key branches in the phylogeny of vertebrates. Three of these species (Polypterus palmas, Lepisosteus osseus, and Amia calva) represent the base of the actinopterygian radiation. A fourth species (Oncorhynchus mykiss) provided data for a species in the central region of the teleost phylogeny. Using these data, we explored the evolution of this behavior within the phylogeny of vertebrates. To test the hypothesis that startle features are evolutionarily conservative, the variability of motor patterns and kinematics in fast-starts was described. Results show that the evolution of the startle behavior in fishes, and more broadly among vertebrates, is not conservative. The fast-start has undergone substantial change in suites of kinematics and electromyogram features, including the presence of either a one- or a two-stage kinematic response and change in the extent of bilateral muscle activity. Comparative methods were used to test the evolutionary hypothesis that changes in motor control are correlated with key differences in the kinematics and behavior of the fast-start. Significant evolutionary correlations were found between several motor pattern and behavioral characters. These results suggest that the startle neural circuit itself is not conservative. By tracing the evolution of motor pattern and kinematics on a phylogeny, it is shown that major changes in the neural circuit of the startle behavior occur at several levels in the phylogeny of vertebrates.

Use of Pediatrician Toolkit to Address Parental Perception of Children’s Weight Status, Nutrition, and Activity Behaviors

PubMed Central

Perrin, Eliana M.; Jacobson Vann, Julie C.; Benjamin, John T.; Skinner, Asheley Cockrell; Wegner, Steven; Ammerman, Alice S.

2010-01-01

Background Communication of children’s weight status and targeted counseling by pediatricians may change parental perceptions or child dietary and physical activity (PA) behaviors. Purpose To determine whether accuracy of parental perception of children’s weight status and reports of related behaviors changed following a brief pediatrics resident intervention. Methods Parents (N=115) of children ages 4–12 years enrolled in Medicaid completed baseline questionnaires about prior communication of weight status and/or body mass index (BMI) with providers, perceptions of their children’s weight, and children s dietary and PA behaviors, and children were weighed and measured. Trained residents used a toolkit to communicate weight status to parents (via color-coded BMI charts) and counseled about mutually chosen healthy behaviors. Questionnaires were repeated at one and three months, and measurements were repeated for children with BMI≥85%. Results At baseline, 42% of parents of overweight children believed they were at healthy weight. Most (n=96; 83%) parents completed one-month, and 56% completed three month follow up questionnaires. Improvements in fruit and vegetable consumption, sweet drinks, unhealthy snacks, frequency of restaurant food, lower-fat milk, and screen time, occurred among both overweight and healthy weight children. There were also increases in discussions with providers about weight/BMI and parental accuracy of overweight assessment. Conclusions Parent accuracy of weight status and short term childhood dietary and PA behavior changes improved following resident pediatrician use of a toolkit to support communication of weight status and counseling. Further research needs to determine whether accurate parental perception motivates improved behavior change or healthier BMI trajectories. PMID:20554259

Diabetes-Related Behavior Change Knowledge Transfer to Primary Care Practitioners and Patients: Implementation and Evaluation of a Digital Health Platform

PubMed Central

Vallis, Michael; Piccinini-Vallis, Helena; Imran, Syed Ali; Abidi, Syed Sibte Raza

2018-01-01

Background Behavioral science is now being integrated into diabetes self-management interventions. However, the challenge that presents itself is how to translate these knowledge resources during care so that primary care practitioners can use them to offer evidence-informed behavior change support and diabetes management recommendations to patients with diabetes. Objective The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a computerized decision support platform called “Diabetes Web-Centric Information and Support Environment” (DWISE) that assists primary care practitioners in applying standardized behavior change strategies and clinical practice guidelines–based recommendations to an individual patient and empower the patient with the skills and knowledge required to self-manage their diabetes through planned, personalized, and pervasive behavior change strategies. Methods A health care knowledge management approach is used to implement DWISE so that it features the following functionalities: (1) assessment of primary care practitioners’ readiness to administer validated behavior change interventions to patients with diabetes; (2) educational support for primary care practitioners to help them offer behavior change interventions to patients; (3) access to evidence-based material, such as the Canadian Diabetes Association’s (CDA) clinical practice guidelines, to primary care practitioners; (4) development of personalized patient self-management programs to help patients with diabetes achieve healthy behaviors to meet CDA targets for managing type 2 diabetes; (5) educational support for patients to help them achieve behavior change; and (6) monitoring of the patients’ progress to assess their adherence to the behavior change program and motivating them to ensure compliance with their program. DWISE offers these functionalities through an interactive Web-based interface to primary care practitioners, whereas the patient’s self-management program and associated behavior interventions are delivered through a mobile patient diary via mobile phones and tablets. DWISE has been tested for its usability, functionality, usefulness, and acceptance through a series of qualitative studies. Results For the primary care practitioner tool, most usability problems were associated with the navigation of the tool and the presentation, formatting, understandability, and suitability of the content. For the patient tool, most issues were related to the tool’s screen layout, design features, understandability of the content, clarity of the labels used, and navigation across the tool. Facilitators and barriers to DWISE use in a shared decision-making environment have also been identified. Conclusions This work has provided a unique electronic health solution to translate complex health care knowledge in terms of easy-to-use, evidence-informed, point-of-care decision aids for primary care practitioners. Patients’ feedback is now being used to make necessary modification to DWISE. PMID:29669705

Attitude dynamics and control of a spacecraft using shifting mass distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahn, Young Tae

Spacecraft need specific attitude control methods that depend on the mission type or special tasks. The dynamics and the attitude control of a spacecraft with a shifting mass distribution within the system are examined. The behavior and use of conventional attitude control actuators are widely developed and performing at the present time. However, the advantage of a shifting mass distribution concept can complement spacecraft attitude control, save mass, and extend a satellite's life. This can be adopted in practice by moving mass from one tank to another, similar to what an airplane does to balance weight. Using this shifting mass distribution concept, in conjunction with other attitude control devices, can augment the three-axis attitude control process. Shifting mass involves changing the center-of-mass of the system, and/or changing the moments of inertia of the system, which then ultimately can change the attitude behavior of the system. This dissertation consists of two parts. First, the equations of motion for the shifting mass concept (also known as morphing) are developed. They are tested for their effects on attitude control by showing how shifting the mass changes the spacecraft's attitude behavior. Second, a method for optimal mass redistribution is shown using a combinatorial optimization theory under constraints. It closes with a simple example demonstrating an optimal reconfiguration. The procedure of optimal reconfiguration from one mass distribution to another to accomplish attitude control has been demonstrated for several simple examples. Mass shifting could work as an attitude controller for fine-tuning attitude behavior in small satellites. Various constraints can be applied for different situations, such as no mass shift between two tanks connected by a failed pipe or total amount of shifted mass per pipe being set for the time optimum solution. Euler angle changes influenced by the mass reconfiguration are accomplished while stability conditions are satisfied. In order to increase the accuracy, generally, more than two control systems are installed in a satellite. Combination with another actuator will be examined to fulfill the full attitude control maneuver. Future work can also include more realistic spacecraft design and operational considerations on the behavior of this type of control system.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Daleu, C. L.; Plant, R. S.; Woolnough, S. J.

As part of an international intercomparison project, the weak temperature gradient (WTG) and damped gravity wave (DGW) methods are used to parameterize large-scale dynamics in a set of cloud-resolving models (CRMs) and single column models (SCMs). The WTG or DGW method is implemented using a configuration that couples a model to a reference state defined with profiles obtained from the same model in radiative-convective equilibrium. We investigated the sensitivity of each model to changes in SST, given a fixed reference state. We performed a systematic comparison of the WTG and DGW methods in different models, and a systematic comparison ofmore » the behavior of those models using the WTG method and the DGW method. The sensitivity to the SST depends on both the large-scale parameterization method and the choice of the cloud model. In general, SCMs display a wider range of behaviors than CRMs. All CRMs using either the WTG or DGW method show an increase of precipitation with SST, while SCMs show sensitivities which are not always monotonic. CRMs using either the WTG or DGW method show a similar relationship between mean precipitation rate and column-relative humidity, while SCMs exhibit a much wider range of behaviors. DGW simulations produce large-scale velocity profiles which are smoother and less top-heavy compared to those produced by the WTG simulations. Lastly, these large-scale parameterization methods provide a useful tool to identify the impact of parameterization differences on model behavior in the presence of two-way feedback between convection and the large-scale circulation.« less

Testing a Risky Sex Behavior Intervention Pilot Website for Adolescents

PubMed Central

Starling, Randall; Helme, Don; Nodulman, Jessica A.; Bryan, Angela D.; Buller, David B.; Donohew, Robert Lewis; Woodall, W. Gill

2015-01-01

Background and Purpose Each year, teenagers account for about one-fifth of all unintended pregnancies in the United States. As such, delivering sexual risk reduction educational materials to teens in a timely fashion is of critical importance. Web-based delivery of these materials shows promise for reaching and persuading teens away from risky sexual and substance abuse behaviors. The purpose of this study was to pilot test a web-based program aimed at reducing risky sexual behavior and related outcomes among adolescents in a high school setting. Methods A beta-test of the website was conducted in three public schools in New Mexico, USA with 173 students in 9th and 10th grades recruited from existing health education classes. Participants spent approximately three hours over a period of two days completing the online program in school computer labs. Results Pretest to posttest results indicated that self-efficacy for condom use and condom use intentions, two theoretical mediators of changes in condom use behavior, were significantly changed. Adolescents also reported high satisfaction with the website content. Conclusion BReady4it provided an innovative sex and substance abuse education to teenagers that revealed promising positive changes in cognitive constructs that are inversely related to risky sexual behavior among users. PMID:26167134

Interventions directed at eating habits and physical activity using the Transtheoretical Model: a systematic review.

PubMed

Carvalho de Menezes, Mariana; Bedeschi, Lydiane Bragunci; Santos, Luana Caroline Dos; Lopes, Aline Cristine Souza

2016-09-20

The multi-behavioral Transtheoretical Model (TTM) addresses multiple behaviors and it is a promising strategy to control multifactorial morbidities, such as chronic diseases. The results obtained using the TTM are positive, but are not consistently methodical. The aim of this study was to systematically review the effectiveness of the Transtheoretical Model in multi-behavioral interventions for changing eating habits and levels of physical activity. A search on PubMed and SciELO databases was performed with inclusion criteria set for intervention studies before 2016 using the Transtheoretical Model for more than one behavior, including eating habits and/or engaging in physical activity. Eighteen studies were identified; there was a predominance of randomized clinical trials, studies conducted in the United States, and the use of the Internet and/or telephone. The selected studies were aimed at changing eating behaviors; five of the studies did not address physical activity. The main results were reduction of fat consumption, an increase in the consumption of fruit and vegetables, and increases in physical activity, which are progressions in the stages of change and weight loss identified by the Transtheoretical Model. However, the studies showed methodological weaknesses, including high participant loss and the omission of information about randomization and blinding.

Effects of auditory and audiovisual presentations on anxiety and behavioral changes in children undergoing elective surgery.

PubMed

Hatipoglu, Z; Gulec, E; Lafli, D; Ozcengiz, D

2018-06-01

: Preoperative anxiety is a critical issue in children, and associated with postoperative behavioral changes. : The purpose of the current study is to evaluate how audiovisual and auditory presentations about the perioperative period impact preoperative anxiety and postoperative behavioral disturbances of children undergoing elective ambulatory surgery. : A total of 99 patients between the ages of 5-12, scheduled to undergo outpatient surgery, participated in this study. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups; audiovisual group (Group V, n = 33), auditory group (Group A, n = 33), and control group (Group C, n = 33). During the evaluation, the Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (M-YPAS) and the posthospitalization behavioral questionnaire (PHBQ) were used. : There were no significant differences in demographic characteristics between the groups. M-YPAS scores were significantly lower in Group V than in Groups C and A (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). PHBQ scores in Group C were statistically higher than in Groups A and V, but, no statistical difference was found between Groups A and V. Compared to auditory presentations, audiovisual presentations, in terms of being memorable and interesting, may be more effective in reducing children's anxiety. In addition, we can suggest that both methods can be equally effective for postoperative behavioral changes.

Further Insight into the Effectiveness of a Behavioral Teacher Program Targeting ADHD Symptoms Using Actigraphy, Classroom Observations and Peer Ratings.

PubMed

Veenman, Betty; Luman, Marjolein; Oosterlaan, Jaap

2017-01-01

Objective: The Positivity and Rules program (PR program), a low-level behavioral teacher program targeting symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), has shown positive effects on teacher-rated ADHD symptoms and social functioning. This study aimed to assess whether program effects could be confirmed by instruments assessing classroom behavior other than teacher-ratings, given teachers' involvement with the training. Methods: Participants were 114 primary school children (age = 6-13) displaying ADHD symptoms in the classroom, who were randomly assigned to the treatment ( n = 58) or control group ( n = 65). ADHD symptoms were measured using classroom observations and actigraphy, and peer acceptance was measured using peer ratings. Intention-to-treat multilevel analyses were conducted to assess program effects. Results: No beneficial program effects were found for any of the measures. Conclusion: The earlier beneficial program effects on both ADHD symptoms and social functioning reported by teachers, may be explained by a change in the perception of teachers rather than changes in the child's behavior. Other methodological explanations are also discussed, such as differences between instruments in the sensitivity to program-related changes. The current study underlines the importance of using different measures of classroom behavior to study program effects. ClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT02518711.

Further Insight into the Effectiveness of a Behavioral Teacher Program Targeting ADHD Symptoms Using Actigraphy, Classroom Observations and Peer Ratings

PubMed Central

Veenman, Betty; Luman, Marjolein; Oosterlaan, Jaap

2017-01-01

Objective: The Positivity and Rules program (PR program), a low-level behavioral teacher program targeting symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), has shown positive effects on teacher-rated ADHD symptoms and social functioning. This study aimed to assess whether program effects could be confirmed by instruments assessing classroom behavior other than teacher-ratings, given teachers’ involvement with the training. Methods: Participants were 114 primary school children (age = 6–13) displaying ADHD symptoms in the classroom, who were randomly assigned to the treatment (n = 58) or control group (n = 65). ADHD symptoms were measured using classroom observations and actigraphy, and peer acceptance was measured using peer ratings. Intention-to-treat multilevel analyses were conducted to assess program effects. Results: No beneficial program effects were found for any of the measures. Conclusion: The earlier beneficial program effects on both ADHD symptoms and social functioning reported by teachers, may be explained by a change in the perception of teachers rather than changes in the child’s behavior. Other methodological explanations are also discussed, such as differences between instruments in the sensitivity to program-related changes. The current study underlines the importance of using different measures of classroom behavior to study program effects. ClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT02518711 PMID:28744244

Developing effective communication materials on the health effects of climate change for vulnerable groups: a mixed methods study.

PubMed

Kreslake, Jennifer M; Price, Katherine M; Sarfaty, Mona

2016-09-07

Individuals with chronic health conditions or low socioeconomic status (SES) are more vulnerable to the health impacts of climate change. Health communication can provide information on the management of these impacts. This study tested, among vulnerable audiences, whether viewing targeted materials increases knowledge about the health impacts of climate change and strength of climate change beliefs, and whether each are associated with stronger intentions to practice recommended behaviors. Low-SES respondents with chronic conditions were recruited for an online survey in six cities. Respondents were shown targeted materials illustrating the relationship between climate change and chronic conditions. Changes in knowledge and climate change beliefs (pre- and post-test) and behavioral intentions (post-test only) were tested using McNemar tests of marginal frequencies of two binary outcomes or paired t-tests, and multivariable linear regression. Qualitative interviews were conducted among target audiences to triangulate survey findings and make recommendations on the design of messages. Respondents (N = 122) reflected the target population regarding income, educational level and prevalence of household health conditions. (1) Knowledge. Significant increases in knowledge were found regarding: groups that are most vulnerable to heat (children [p < 0.001], individuals with heart disease [p < 0.001], or lung disease [p = 0.019]); and environmental conditions that increase allergy-producing pollen (increased heat [p = 0.003], increased carbon dioxide [p < 0.001]). (2) Strength of certainty that climate change is happening increased significantly between pre- and post-test (p < 0.001), as did belief that climate change affected respondents' health (p < 0.001). (3) Behavioral intention. At post-test, higher knowledge of heat vulnerabilities and environmental conditions that trigger pollen allergies were associated with greater behavioral intention scores (p = 0.001 and p = 0.002, respectively). In-depth interviews (N = 15) revealed that vulnerable audiences are interested in immediate-term advice on health management and protective behaviors related to their chronic conditions, but took less notice of messages about collective action to slow or stop climate change. Respondents identified both appealing and less favorable design elements in the materials. Individuals who are vulnerable to the health effects of climate change benefit from communication materials that explain, using graphics and concise language, how climate change affects health conditions and how to engage in protective adaptation behaviors.

Preventing weight gain in adults: the pound of prevention study.

PubMed Central

Jeffery, R W; French, S A

1999-01-01

OBJECTIVES: This study examined whether weight gain with age could be prevented through the use of a low-intensity intervention. METHODS: Participants, 228 men and 998 women recruited from diverse sources, were randomized to one of the following groups: (1) no-contact control, (2) education through monthly newsletters, or (3) education plus incentives for participation. All participants were weighed and completed questionnaires about behaviors and attitudes related to weight at baseline and annually for 3 years thereafter. RESULTS: Individuals in intervention groups reported favorable changes over time in frequency of weighting and healthy dieting practices relative to those in the control group. These behavior changes were in turn related to a reduced rate of weight gain over time. However, weight gain over 3 years did not differ significantly by treatment group. CONCLUSIONS: This low-intensity educational approach to weight gain prevention sustained interest over a lengthy time period and was associated positively with behavior change, but it was not strong enough to significantly reduce weight gain with age. PMID:10224988

Characterization of Temporal Semantic Shifts of Peer-to-Peer Communication in a Health-Related Online Community: Implications for Data-driven Health Promotion.

PubMed

Sridharan, Vishnupriya; Cohen, Trevor; Cobb, Nathan; Myneni, Sahiti

2016-01-01

With online social platforms gaining popularity as venues of behavior change, it is important to understand the ways in which these platforms facilitate peer interactions. In this paper, we characterize temporal trends in user communication through mapping of theoretically-linked semantic content. We used qualitative coding and automated text analysis to assign theoretical techniques to peer interactions in an online community for smoking cessation, subsequently facilitating temporal visualization of the observed techniques. Results indicate manifestation of several behavior change techniques such as feedback and monitoring' and 'rewards'. Automated methods yielded reasonable results (F-measure=0.77). Temporal trends among relapsers revealed reduction in communication after a relapse event. This social withdrawal may be attributed to failure guilt after the relapse. Results indicate significant change in thematic categories such as 'social support', 'natural consequences', and 'comparison of outcomes' pre and post relapse. Implications for development of behavioral support technologies that promote long-term abstinence are discussed.

Effects of surgical and chemical sterilization on the behavior of free-roaming male dogs in Puerto Natales, Chile.

PubMed

Garde, E; Pérez, G E; Vanderstichel, R; Dalla Villa, P F; Serpell, J A

2016-01-01

Population management of free-roaming domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) is of interest due to the threat these animals pose to people, other animals and the environment. Current sterilization procedures for male dogs include surgical and chemical methods. However, little is known about how these procedures affect their behavior. The primary objective of this study was to investigate changes in selected behaviors following chemical and surgical sterilization in a male free-roaming dog (FRD) population in southern Chile. We also examined the association between serum testosterone levels and behaviors thought to be influenced by circulating androgens. A total of 174 dogs were randomly assigned to either a surgical or chemical sterilization group, or a control group. At the onset of the intervention period, 119 dogs remained and 102 dogs successfully completed the study. Each dog was monitored pre- and post-intervention using video recordings, GPS collars, and blood samples for the measurement of testosterone. Analysis of behavior revealed that surgically castrated dogs showed no reduction of sexual activity or aggression when compared to their pre-intervention behavior. Chemically sterilized dogs showed a statistically significant increase in dog-directed aggression, but no change in sexual activity. There was no change in home range size in any groups between the pre- and post-intervention measurement. We found no consistent association between levels of serum testosterone concentration and behavioral changes in any of the groups. This study presents the first detailed behavioral observations following surgical and chemical sterilization in male FRDs. The information generated is highly relevant to communities struggling with the control of FRDs. Complementary studies to further our understanding of the effects of male sterilization on the behavioral and reproductive dynamics of FRD populations are needed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessing the effects of interpersonal and intrapersonal behavior change strategies on physical activity in older adults: a factorial experiment

PubMed Central

McMahon, Siobhan K; Lewis, Beth; Oakes, J Michael; Wyman, Jean F; Guan, Weihua; Rothman, Alexander J

2017-01-01

Background Little is known about which behavior change strategies motivate older adults to increase their physical activity. Purpose The purpose of this study was to assess the relative effects of two sets of behavior change strategies to motivate increased physical activity among older adults: interpersonal and intrapersonal. Methods Community-dwelling older adults (N=102, Mean age = 79) were randomized in a 2×2 factorial experiment to receive interpersonal (e.g., social support, friendly social comparison; No, Yes) and/or intrapersonal (e.g., goal-setting, barriers management; No, Yes) behavior change strategies, combined with an evidence-based, physical activity protocol (Otago exercise program) and a physical activity monitor (Fitbit One™). Results Based on monitor data, participants who received interpersonal strategies, compared to those who did not, increased their average minutes of total physical activity (light, moderate, vigorous) per week, immediately (p = .006) and 6-months (p = .048) post-intervention. Similar, increases were observed on measures of functional strength and balance, immediately (p = .012) and 6 months (p = .003) post-intervention. The intrapersonal strategies did not elicit a significant increase in physical activity or functional strength and balance. Conclusions Findings suggest a set of interpersonally oriented behavior change strategies combined with an evidence-based physical activity protocol can elicit modest, but statistically and clinically significant, increases in older adults’ physical activity and functional strength and balance. Future research should replicate these findings and investigate the sustained quantity of physical activity elicited by these strategies and their impact on older adults’ quality of life and falls. PMID:28188585

Changes in Dietary Intake and Eating Behavior in Adolescents After Bariatric Surgery: an Ancillary Study to the Teen-LABS Consortium.

PubMed

Sarwer, David B; Dilks, Rebecca J; Spitzer, Jacqueline C; Berkowitz, Robert I; Wadden, Thomas A; Moore, Renee H; Chittams, Jesse L; Brandt, Mary L; Chen, Mike K; Courcoulas, Anita P; Harmon, Carroll M; Helmrath, Michael A; Michalsky, Marc P; Xanthakos, Stavra A; Zeller, Meg H; Jenkins, Todd M; Inge, Thomas H

2017-12-01

A growing number of studies suggest that bariatric surgery is safe and effective for adolescents with severe obesity. However, surprisingly little is known about changes in dietary intake and eating behavior of adolescents who undergo bariatric surgery. Investigate changes in dietary intake and eating behavior of adolescents with obesity who underwent bariatric surgery (n = 119) or lifestyle modification (LM) (n = 169). University-based health systems METHODS: A prospective investigation of 288 participants (219 female and 69 male) prior to bariatric surgery or LM and again 6, 12, and 24 months (surgery patients only) after treatment. Measures included changes in weight, macronutrient intake, eating behavior, and relevant demographic and physiological variables. Adolescents who underwent bariatric surgery experienced significantly greater weight loss than those who received LM. The two groups differed in self-reported intake of a number of macronutrients at 6 and 12 months from baseline, but not total caloric intake. Patients treated with surgery, compared to those treated with LM, also reported significantly greater reductions in a number of disordered eating symptoms. After bariatric surgery, greater weight loss from postoperative month 6 to 12 was associated with self-reported weight consciousness, craving for sweets, and consumption of zinc. Adolescents who underwent bariatric surgery, compared to those who received LM, reported significantly greater reductions in weight after 1 year. They also reported greater reductions in disordered eating symptoms. These findings provide new information on changes in dietary intake and eating behavior among adolescents who undergo bariatric surgery.

Changes in Body Weight Among People With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in the United States, NHANES 2005-2012.

PubMed

Wang, Yiting; Bolge, Susan C; Lopez, Janice M S; Zhu, Vivienne J; Stang, Paul E

2016-06-01

To understand weight loss strategies, weight changes, goals, and behaviors in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and whether these differ by ethnicity. T2DM was identified by self-reported diagnosis using the NHANES 2005-2012 data, which also included measured and self-reported current body weight and height, self-reported weight the prior year, and self-reported aspired weight. Nineteen weight loss strategies were evaluated for association with ≥5% weight loss or weight gain versus <5% weight change. Among people with T2DM, 88.0% were overweight/obese (body mass index [BMI] ≥25 kg/m(2)) in the prior year and 86.1% the current year. About 60% of the overweight/obese took weight loss actions, mostly using diet-related methods with average weight lost <5%. Two most "effective" methods reported (smoking, taking laxatives/vomiting) are also potentially most harmful. Similar BMI distributions but different goals and behaviors about weight and weight loss were observed across ethnicity. Only physical activity meeting the recommended level and changing eating habits were consistently associated with favorable and statistically significant weight change. Weight management in T2DM is an ongoing challenge, regardless of ethnicity/race. Among overweight/obese T2DM subjects, recommended level of physical activity and changing eating habits were associated with statistically significant favorable weight change. © 2016 The Author(s).

Knowledge translation and implementation in spinal cord injury: a systematic review.

PubMed

Noonan, V K; Wolfe, D L; Thorogood, N P; Park, S E; Hsieh, J T; Eng, J J

2014-08-01

To conduct a systematic review examining the effectiveness of knowledge translation (KT) interventions in changing clinical practice and patient outcomes. MEDLINE/PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE and PsycINFO were searched for studies published from January 1980 to July 2012 that reported and evaluated an implemented KT intervention in spinal cord injury (SCI) care. We reviewed and summarized results from studies that documented the implemented KT intervention, its impact on changing clinician behavior and patient outcomes as well as the facilitators and barriers encountered during the implementation. A total of 13 articles featuring 10 studies were selected and abstracted from 4650 identified articles. KT interventions included developing and implementing patient care protocols, providing clinician education and incorporating outcome measures into clinical practice. The methods (or drivers) to facilitate the implementation included organizing training sessions for clinical staff, introducing computerized reminders and involving organizational leaders. The methodological quality of studies was mostly poor. Only 3 out of 10 studies evaluated the success of the implementation using statistical analyses, and all 3 reported significant behavior change. Out of the 10 studies, 6 evaluated the effect of the implementation on patient outcomes using statistical analyses, with 4 reporting significant improvements. The commonly cited facilitators and barriers were communication and resources, respectively. The field of KT in SCI is in its infancy with only a few relevant publications. However, there is some evidence that KT interventions may change clinician behavior and improve patient outcomes. Future studies should ensure rigorous study methods are used to evaluate KT interventions.

The potential for behavioral thermoregulation to buffer "cold-blooded" animals against climate warming.

PubMed

Kearney, Michael; Shine, Richard; Porter, Warren P

2009-03-10

Increasing concern about the impacts of global warming on biodiversity has stimulated extensive discussion, but methods to translate broad-scale shifts in climate into direct impacts on living animals remain simplistic. A key missing element from models of climatic change impacts on animals is the buffering influence of behavioral thermoregulation. Here, we show how behavioral and mass/energy balance models can be combined with spatial data on climate, topography, and vegetation to predict impacts of increased air temperature on thermoregulating ectotherms such as reptiles and insects (a large portion of global biodiversity). We show that for most "cold-blooded" terrestrial animals, the primary thermal challenge is not to attain high body temperatures (although this is important in temperate environments) but to stay cool (particularly in tropical and desert areas, where ectotherm biodiversity is greatest). The impact of climate warming on thermoregulating ectotherms will depend critically on how changes in vegetation cover alter the availability of shade as well as the animals' capacities to alter their seasonal timing of activity and reproduction. Warmer environments also may increase maintenance energy costs while simultaneously constraining activity time, putting pressure on mass and energy budgets. Energy- and mass-balance models provide a general method to integrate the complexity of these direct interactions between organisms and climate into spatial predictions of the impact of climate change on biodiversity. This methodology allows quantitative organism- and habitat-specific assessments of climate change impacts.

The potential for behavioral thermoregulation to buffer “cold-blooded” animals against climate warming

PubMed Central

Kearney, Michael; Shine, Richard; Porter, Warren P.

2009-01-01

Increasing concern about the impacts of global warming on biodiversity has stimulated extensive discussion, but methods to translate broad-scale shifts in climate into direct impacts on living animals remain simplistic. A key missing element from models of climatic change impacts on animals is the buffering influence of behavioral thermoregulation. Here, we show how behavioral and mass/energy balance models can be combined with spatial data on climate, topography, and vegetation to predict impacts of increased air temperature on thermoregulating ectotherms such as reptiles and insects (a large portion of global biodiversity). We show that for most “cold-blooded” terrestrial animals, the primary thermal challenge is not to attain high body temperatures (although this is important in temperate environments) but to stay cool (particularly in tropical and desert areas, where ectotherm biodiversity is greatest). The impact of climate warming on thermoregulating ectotherms will depend critically on how changes in vegetation cover alter the availability of shade as well as the animals' capacities to alter their seasonal timing of activity and reproduction. Warmer environments also may increase maintenance energy costs while simultaneously constraining activity time, putting pressure on mass and energy budgets. Energy- and mass-balance models provide a general method to integrate the complexity of these direct interactions between organisms and climate into spatial predictions of the impact of climate change on biodiversity. This methodology allows quantitative organism- and habitat-specific assessments of climate change impacts. PMID:19234117

Attention regulates anger and fear to predict changes in adolescent risk-taking behaviors

PubMed Central

Kim-Spoon, Jungmeen; Holmes, Christopher; Deater-Deckard, Kirby

2014-01-01

Background Regulation of negative affect is critical to healthy development in childhood and adolescence. We conducted a longitudinal study examining the moderating role of attention control in the effects of anger and fear on changes in risk-taking behaviors from early to middle adolescence. Method The sample involved participants from the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD), assessed at 9, 11, and 15 years of age. Composite scores for anger, fear, and attention control were computed using indicators from multiple informants, and risk-taking behaviors were assessed based on adolescents’ self-reports. Results Latent difference score analysis indicated significant moderating effects of attention control showing that increased anger between 9 and 11 years was related to increases in risk-taking behaviors between 11 and 15 years only for adolescents with low attention control but not for adolescents with high attention control. In contrast, significant moderating effects of attention control for the link between fear and risk-taking behaviors suggested increased fear between 9 and 11 years tended to be associated with decreases in risk-taking behaviors between 11 and 15 years only for adolescents with high attention control but not for adolescents with low attention control. Conclusions Attention control regulates the connections between negative affect such as anger and fear with changes in adolescent risk-taking behaviors. Our data suggest the protective role of strong attention control against the development of risk-taking behaviors in adolescence as it demotes the effects of anger and promotes the effects of fear. PMID:25280179

[Influence and Change of Self-Directedness in Dialectical Behavior Therapy].

PubMed

Bernheim, Dorothee; Becker, Mathias; Gander, Manuela; Lischke, Alexander; Mentel, Renate; Buchheim, Anna; Freyberger, Harald J

2017-07-01

Objective Investigate influence and change of self-directedness (SD) in Dialectical-Behavior Therapy (DBT) for 26 female outpatients with borderline personality disorder (BPS). Method Variance analyses are used to evaluate psychopathology and interpersonal problems in 2 subgroups (low vs. high SD) with questionnaires at 3 measuring times over the period of 1 year. Results Low SD was associated with higher psychopathology, more interpersonal problems and lower symptomreduction. Over time of intervention the SD of all patients improved significantly. Conclusion DBT strengthens the SD of patients with BPD. A screening of SD before intervention, and systematic support should be considered. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Treatment Effects of a Primary Care Intervention on Parenting Behaviors: Sometimes It's Relative.

PubMed

Shaffer, Anne; Lindhiem, Oliver; Kolko, David

2017-04-01

The goal of this brief report is to demonstrate the utility of quantifying parental discipline practices as relative frequencies in measuring changes in parenting behavior and relations to child behavior following intervention. We explored comparisons across methodological approaches of assessing parenting behavior via absolute and relative frequencies in measuring improvements in parent-reported disciplinary practices (increases in positive parenting practices in response to child behavior; decreases in inconsistent discipline and use of corporal punishment) and child behavior problems. The current study was conducted as part of a larger clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of a collaborative care intervention for behavior problems, ADHD, and anxiety in pediatric primary care practices (Doctor Office Collaborative Care; DOCC). Participants were 321 parent-child dyads (M child age = 8.00, 65 % male children) from eight pediatric practices that were cluster randomized to DOCC or enhanced usual care (EUC). Parents reported on their own discipline behaviors and child behavior problems. While treatment-related decreases in negative parenting were found using both the absolute and relative frequencies of parenting behaviors, results were different for positive parenting behaviors, which showed decreases when measured as absolute frequencies but increases when measured as relative frequencies. In addition, positive parenting was negatively correlated with child behavior problems when using relative frequencies, but not absolute frequencies, and relative frequencies of positive parenting mediated relations between treatment condition and outcomes. Our findings indicate that the methods used to measure treatment-related change warrant careful consideration.

Behavior of drilled shafts with high-strength reinforcement and casing.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-09-01

Drilled shafts provide significant geotechnical resistance for support of highway bridges, and are used throughout the States of Oregon : and Washington to meet their structural foundation requirements. Due to changes in construction methods and poor...

Applying Cognitive Behavioural Methods to Retrain Children's Attributions for Success and Failure in Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toland, John; Boyle, Christopher

2008-01-01

This study involves the use of methods derived from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to change the attributions for success and failure of school children with regard to learning. Children with learning difficulties and/or motivational and self-esteem difficulties (n = 29) were identified by their schools. The children then took part in twelve…

Applicability of optical scanner method for fine root dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kume, Tomonori; Ohashi, Mizue; Makita, Naoki; Khoon Kho, Lip; Katayama, Ayumi; Matsumoto, Kazuho; Ikeno, Hidetoshi

2016-04-01

Fine root dynamics is one of the important components in forest carbon cycling, as ~60 % of tree photosynthetic production can be allocated to root growth and metabolic activities. Various techniques have been developed for monitoring fine root biomass, production, mortality in order to understand carbon pools and fluxes resulting from fine roots dynamics. The minirhizotron method is now a widely used technique, in which a transparent tube is inserted into the soil and researchers count an increase and decrease of roots along the tube using images taken by a minirhizotron camera or minirhizotron video camera inside the tube. This method allows us to observe root behavior directly without destruction, but has several weaknesses; e.g., the difficulty of scaling up the results to stand level because of the small observation windows. Also, most of the image analysis are performed manually, which may yield insufficient quantitative and objective data. Recently, scanner method has been proposed, which can produce much bigger-size images (A4-size) with lower cost than those of the minirhizotron methods. However, laborious and time-consuming image analysis still limits the applicability of this method. In this study, therefore, we aimed to develop a new protocol for scanner image analysis to extract root behavior in soil. We evaluated applicability of this method in two ways; 1) the impact of different observers including root-study professionals, semi- and non-professionals on the detected results of root dynamics such as abundance, growth, and decomposition, and 2) the impact of window size on the results using a random sampling basis exercise. We applied our new protocol to analyze temporal changes of root behavior from sequential scanner images derived from a Bornean tropical forests. The results detected by the six observers showed considerable concordance in temporal changes in the abundance and the growth of fine roots but less in the decomposition. We also examined potential errors due to window size in the temporal changes in abundance and growth using the detected results, suggesting high applicability of the scanner methods with wide observation windows.

Study of swelling behavior in ArF resist during development by the QCM method (3): observations of swelling layer elastic modulus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sekiguchi, Atsushi

2013-03-01

The QCM method allows measurements of impedance, an index of swelling layer viscosity in a photoresist during development. While impedance is sometimes used as a qualitative index of change in the viscosity of the swelling layer, it has to date not been used quantitatively, for data analysis. We explored a method for converting impedance values to elastic modulus (Pa), a coefficient expressing viscosity. Applying this method, we compared changes in the viscosity of the swelling layer in an ArF resist generated during development in a TMAH developing solution and in a TBAH developing solution. This paper reports the results of this comparative study.

Through the Kinesthetic Lens: Observation of Social Attunement in Autism Spectrum Disorders

PubMed Central

Samaritter, Rosemarie; Payne, Helen

2017-01-01

This paper will present a movement-informed perspective to social attunement in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Background: Dance movement therapy (DMT) is a psychotherapeutic intervention that is used with participants with ASD in various settings. Regular clinical outcome monitoring in an outpatient setting in the Netherlands had shown positive effects on social attunement capacities in young people with ASD. However, a systematic study of the development of social attunement movement behaviors of participants with ASD throughout a DMT intervention was not yet available. Methods: A series of individual cases of DMT with young people with ASD (mean age 12.2 years.) were analyzed for changes in interpersonal movement behaviors employing video-based retrospective observation. Results: The findings were summarized in an observation scale for interpersonal movement behaviors. This scale was then tested for its applicability for the monitoring of social attunement behaviors throughout therapy. Discussion: A movement-informed perspective may be helpful to inventory changes in social attunement behaviors in participants with ASD. The relevance of a movement-informed perspective for the concept of social attunement in ASD will be discussed. PMID:28335467

Professional development that works: Impacting elementary science teachers' learning and practice during the implementation of an inquiry-oriented science curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schlang, Jodi A.

One of the most important factors for developing science literacy for all students is teacher knowledge of science content and pedagogy. This study was designed to evaluate the impact of professional development on teacher learning, changes in teacher behavior, and student learning. The goal was to develop a deeper understanding of how the Elementary Science Teaching and Learning (ESTL) program affected teacher learning and changed teacher behavior in the classroom. This study also provided insight into the effect of the ESTL program on student learning during the first year of the professional development. This mixed method case study was used to examine the link between participation in the ESTL program, teacher learning, changes in teacher classroom behavior, and student learning. Qualitative observations and videotaped sessions provided rich description of the professional development and implementation of inquiry-oriented strategies in participant's classrooms. Artifacts and interviews provided evidence of teacher learning and changes in teacher behaviors. Quantitative data included self-report survey data examining changes in teacher behavior and the measurement of student learning used both science district assessment scores and CSAP writing scores. Key findings include: (1) teacher learning was reported in the areas of questioning and scope and sequence of the curriculum occurred; (2) statistically significant changes teacher behavior were reported and were noted in teacher interviews; (3) participation in the ESTL program did not positively impact student learning; (4) unanticipated findings include the role of camaraderie in professional development and the role of additional training in teacher's confidence in both their own teaching and in helping others; and, (5) teacher's perceptions identified the role of inquiry-based science curriculum as providing the rich experiences necessary for improved student writing. Overall participation in the ESTL program increased the implementation of inquiry-oriented strategies and it strengthened teacher inquiry-based science teaching in the classroom even though no increases were found in student test scores.