self-reported language preference: Topics by Science.gov

Sample records for self-reported language preference

Differences in self-rated health by immigrant status and language preference among Arab Americans in the Detroit Metropolitan Area.

PubMed

Abdulrahim, Sawsan; Baker, Wayne

2009-06-01

Arab Americans are a growing minority in the U.S., yet only a few studies have examined their health utilizing representative samples. Using data from the 2003 Detroit Arab American Study, which is based on a probability sample, we examined the self-rated health (SRH) of Arab Americans by two measures of acculturation--immigrant status and language preference. We specified logistic regression models to test whether immigrants report better or poorer health status compared to U.S.-born Arab Americans and whether language preference among the immigrant generation accounts for the association between immigrant status and SRH. Our findings reveal that the health status of Arab Americans improves with acculturation. Arab immigrants are more likely to report poorer SRH compared to U.S.-born Arab Americans. When language preference is taken into account, Arabic-speaking immigrants are more likely to report poorer SRH compared to both U.S.-born Arab Americans and to English-speaking immigrants. We discuss these findings in light of similar ones obtained in the literature on SRH among other immigrant groups in the U.S. We conclude by arguing that language is an important measure to include in SRH studies among Arab Americans as well as other non-English speaking ethnic groups.
Issues of Language Choice, Ethics and Equity: Japanese Retirees Living in Malaysia as Their Second Home

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stapa, Siti Hamin; Musaev, Talaibek; Hieda, Natsue; Amzah, Normalis

2013-01-01

This paper will discuss two issues related to Japanese retirees adopting Malaysia as their second home. The first is that of the preferred language choice of the retirees. To collect data for language choice a self-report questionnaire was administered and an interview was conducted. The findings suggest that the majority of the retirees chose…
Disparities in Diabetes Care Quality by English Language Preference in Community Health Centers.

PubMed

Leung, Lucinda B; Vargas-Bustamante, Arturo; Martinez, Ana E; Chen, Xiao; Rodriguez, Hector P

2018-02-01

To conduct a parallel analysis of disparities in diabetes care quality among Latino and Asian community health center (CHC) patients by English language preference. Clinical outcomes (2011) and patient survey data (2012) for Type 2 diabetes adults from 14 CHCs (n = 1,053). We estimated separate regression models for Latino and Asian patients by English language preference for Clinician & Group-Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and System, Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care, hemoglobin A1c, and self-reported hypoglycemic events. We used the Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition method to parse out observed and unobserved differences in outcomes between English versus non-English language groups. After adjusting for socioeconomic and health characteristics, disparities in patient experiences by English language preference were found only among Asian patients. Unobserved factors largely accounted for linguistic disparities for most patient experience measures. There were no significant differences in glycemic control by language for either Latino or Asian patients. Given the importance of patient retention in CHCs, our findings indicate opportunities to improve CHC patients' experiences of care and to reduce disparities in patient experience by English preference for Asian diabetes patients. © Health Research and Educational Trust.
Ethnic identity and paranoid thinking: Implicit out-group preference and language dominance predict paranoia in Emirati women.

PubMed

Thomas, Justin; Bentall, Richard P; Hadden, Lowri; O'Hara, Lily

2017-09-01

Psychotic experiences including persecutory beliefs are elevated among immigrant and minority populations, especially when living in low ethnic density neighbourhoods (the ethnic density effect). Discrimination, victimization and experiencing a sense of 'not belonging' are hypothesized to play a role in this effect. Because a secure ethnic identity protects against poor self-esteem it may also protect against paranoia. This study explores the relationship between language proficiency (Arabic/English), in-group identity (implicit and explicit) and paranoia in female Emirati university students. Female citizens of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Emirati college women (N = 208), reported English/Arabic language proficiencies, and performed a computerized affective priming task engineered to implicitly assess in-group (Emirati) versus out-group (American) positivity. Participants also completed self-report measures of in-group identity (MIIS), and paranoia (PaDs). Arabic proficiency was negatively correlated with paranoia, as was implicit in-group positivity. Furthermore, participants reporting English language dominance, and those demonstrating an implicit out-group preference, reported the highest levels of paranoia. The study is limited by its use of an all female sample. Implicit in-group attitudes and linguistic competence protect against paranoia and may help to explain the ethnic density effect. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Preferences for Self-Management Support: Findings from a Survey of Diabetes Patients in Safety-Net Health Systems

PubMed Central

Sarkar, Urmimala; Piette, John D.; Gonzales, Ralph; Lessler, Daniel; Chew, Lisa D.; Reilly, Brendan; Johnson, Jolene; Brunt, Melanie; Huang, Jennifer; Regenstein, Marsha; Schillinger, Dean

2009-01-01

Objectives We sought to identify interest in different modes of self-management support among diabetes patients cared for in public hospitals, and to assess whether demographic or disease-specific factors were associated with patient preferences. We explored the possible role of a perceived communication need in influencing interest in self-management support. Methods Telephone survey of a random sample of 796 English and Spanish-speaking diabetes patients (esponse rate 47%) recruited from 4 urban US public hospital systems. In multivariate models, we measured the association of race/ ethnicity, primary language, self-reported health literacy, self-efficacy, and diabetes-related factors on patients’ interest in three self-management support strategies (telephone support, group medical visits, and internet -based support). We explored the extent to which patients believed that better communication with providers would improve their diabetes control, and whether this perception altered the relationship between patient factors and self-management support acceptance. Results Sixty-nine percent of respondents reported interest in telephone support, 55% in group medical visits, and 42% in internet. Compared to Non-Hispanic Whites, Spanish-speaking Hispanics were more interested in telephone support (OR 3.45, 95%CI 1.97–6.05) and group medical visits (OR 2.45, 95%CI 1.49–4.02), but less interested in internet self-management support (OR 0.56, 95%CI 0.33–0.93). African-Americans were more interested than Whites in all 3 self-management support strategies. Patients with limited self-reported health literacy were more likely to be interested in telephone support than those not reporting literacy deficits. Forty percent reported that their diabetes would be better controlled if they communicated better with their health care provider. This perceived communication benefit was independently associated with interest in self-management support (p<0.001), but its inclusion in models did not alter the strengths of the main associations between patient characteristics and self-management support preferences. Conclusion Many diabetes patients in safety-net settings report an interest in receiving self-management support, but preferences for modes of delivery of self-management support vary by race/ethnicity, language proficiency, and self-reported health literacy. Practice Implications Public health systems should consider offering a range of self-management support services to meet the needs of their diverse patient populations. More broad dissemination and implementation of self-management support may help address the unmet need for better provider communication among diabetes patients in these settings. PMID:17997264
Association between maternal acculturation and health beliefs related to oral health of Latino children.

PubMed

Tiwari, Tamanna; Mulvahill, Matthew; Wilson, Anne; Rai, Nayanjot; Albino, Judith

2018-04-24

This report is presenting the association of maternal acculturation, measured by preferred language, and oral health-related psychosocial measures in an urban Latino population. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 100 mother-child dyads from the Dental Center at the Children's Hospital Colorado, the University of Colorado. A portion of Basic Research Factors Questionnaire capturing information about parental dental knowledge, attitudes, behavior and psychosocial measures was used to collect data from the participating mothers. Descriptive statistics were calculated for demographics and psychosocial measures by acculturation. A univariate linear regression model was performed for each measure by preferred language for primary analysis followed by adjusted model adjusting for parent's education. The mean age of the children was 3.99 years (SD = 1.11), and that of the mother was 29.54 years (SD = 9.62). Dental caries, measured as dmfs, was significantly higher in children of Spanish-speaking mothers compared to children of English-speaking mothers. English-speaking mothers had higher mean scores of oral health knowledge, oral health behaviors, knowledge on dental utilization, self-efficacy, and Oral Health Locus of Control as compared to Spanish-speaking mothers. Univariate analysis demonstrated significant association for preference for Spanish language with knowledge on dental utilization, maternal self-efficacy, perceived susceptibility and perceived barriers. The effect of language was attenuated, but significant, for each of these variables after adjusting for parent's education. This study reported that higher acculturation measured by a preference for the English language had a positive association with oral health outcomes in children. Spanish-speaking mothers perceived that their children were less susceptible to caries. Additionally, they perceived barriers in visiting the dentist for preventive visits.
The psychometric properties of the generalized anxiety disorder-7 scale in Hispanic Americans with English or Spanish language preference.

PubMed

Mills, Sarah D; Fox, Rina S; Malcarne, Vanessa L; Roesch, Scott C; Champagne, Brian R; Sadler, Georgia Robins

2014-07-01

The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale (GAD-7) is a self-report questionnaire that is widely used to screen for anxiety. The GAD-7 has been translated into numerous languages, including Spanish. Previous studies evaluating the structural validity of the English and Spanish versions indicate a unidimensional factor structure in both languages. However, the psychometric properties of the Spanish language version have yet to be evaluated in samples outside of Spain, and the measure has not been tested for use among Hispanic Americans. This study evaluated the reliability, structural validity, and convergent validity of the English and Spanish language versions of the GAD-7 for Hispanic Americans in the United States. A community sample of 436 Hispanic Americans with an English (n = 210) or Spanish (n = 226) language preference completed the GAD-7. Multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to examine the goodness-of-fit of the unidimensional factor structure of the GAD-7 across language-preference groups. Results from the multiple-group CFA indicated a similar unidimensional factor structure with equivalent response patterns and item intercepts, but different variances, across language-preference groups. Internal consistency was good for both English and Spanish language-preference groups. The GAD-7 also evidenced good convergent validity as demonstrated by significant correlations in expected directions with the Perceived Stress Scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and the Physical Health domain of the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF assessment. The unidimensional GAD-7 is suitable for use among Hispanic Americans with an English or Spanish language preference.
The Psychometric Properties of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale in Hispanic Americans with English or Spanish Language Preference

PubMed Central

Mills, Sarah D.; Fox, Rina S.; Malcarne, Vanessa L.; Roesch, Scott C.; Champagne, Brian R.; Sadler, Georgia Robins

2014-01-01

The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale (GAD-7) is a self-report questionnaire that is widely used to screen for anxiety. The GAD-7 has been translated into numerous languages, including Spanish. Previous studies evaluating the structural validity of the English and Spanish versions indicate a uni-dimensional factor structure in both languages. However, the psychometric properties of the Spanish language version have yet to be evaluated in samples outside of Spain, and the measure has not been tested for use among Hispanic Americans. This study evaluated the reliability, structural validity, and convergent validity of the English and Spanish language versions of the GAD-7 for Hispanic Americans in the United States. A community sample of 436 Hispanic Americans with an English (n = 210) or Spanish (n = 226) language preference completed the GAD-7. Multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to examine the goodness of fit of the uni-dimensional factor structure of the GAD-7 across language-preference groups. Results from the multiple-group CFA indicated a similar unidimensional factor structure with equivalent response patterns and item intercepts, but different variances, across language-preference groups. Internal consistency was good for both English and Spanish language-preference groups. The GAD-7 also evidenced good convergent validity as demonstrated by significant correlations in expected directions with the Perceived Stress Scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and the Physical health domain of the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF assessment. The uni-dimensional GAD-7 is suitable for use among Hispanic Americans with an English or Spanish language preference. PMID:25045957
Weight Bias: A Systematic Review of Characteristics and Psychometric Properties of Self-Report Questionnaires.

PubMed

Lacroix, Emilie; Alberga, Angela; Russell-Mathew, Shelly; McLaren, Lindsay; von Ranson, Kristin

2017-01-01

People living with overweight and obesity often experience weight-based stigmatization. Investigations of the prevalence and correlates of weight bias and evaluation of weight bias reduction interventions depend upon psychometrically-sound measurement. Our paper is the first to comprehensively evaluate the psychometric properties, use of people-first language within items, and suitability for use with various populations of available self-report measures of weight bias. We searched five electronic databases to identify English-language self-report questionnaires of weight bias. We rated each questionnaire's psychometric properties based on initial validation reports and subsequent use, and examined item language. Our systematic review identified 40 original self-report questionnaires. Most questionnaires were brief, demonstrated adequate internal consistency, and tapped key cognitive and affective dimensions of weight bias such as stereotypes and blaming. Current psychometric evidence is incomplete for many questionnaires, particularly with regard to the properties of test-retest reliability, sensitivity to change as well as discriminant and structural validity. Most questionnaires were developed prior to debate surrounding terminology preferences, and do not employ people-first language in the items administered to participants. We provide information and recommendations for clinicians and researchers in selecting psychometrically sound measures of weight bias for various purposes and populations, and discuss future directions to improve measurement of this construct. © 2017 The Author(s) Published by S. Karger GmbH, Freiburg.
Towards Greater Individualization and Process-Oriented Learning through Electronic Self-Access: Project "e-daf"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Wai Meng; Kim, Dong-Ha

2004-01-01

Research in cognitive psychology and second language learning has underlined the significance of learners' cognitive processes and individual preferences in language learning. Helping learners to be aware of these processes and preferences has in fact become an important methodological principle of language teaching. Advances in information and…
Language of Interview, Self-Rated Health, and the Other Latino Health Puzzle

PubMed Central

Morenoff, Jeffrey D.; Williams, David R.; House, James S.

2011-01-01

Objectives. We investigated whether the conventional Spanish translation of the self-rated health survey question helps explain why Latinos' self-rated health is worse than Whites' despite more objective health measures showing them to be as healthy as or healthier than are Whites. Methods. We analyzed the relationship between language of interview and self-rated health in the Chicago Community Adult Health Study (2001–2003) and the 2003 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Results. Being interviewed in Spanish was associated with significantly higher odds of rating health as fair or poor in both data sets. Moreover, adjusting for language of interview substantially reduced the gap between Whites and Latinos. Spanish-language interviewees were more likely to rate their health as fair (regular in Spanish) than as any other choice, and this preference was strongest when compared with categories representing better health (good, very good, and excellent). Conclusions. Our findings suggest that translation of the English word “fair” to regular induces Spanish-language respondents to report poorer health than they would in English. Self-rated health should be interpreted with caution, especially in racial/ethnic comparisons, and research should explore alternative translations. PMID:21164101
Teachers' Implicit Theories of Intelligence: Influences from Different Disciplines and Scientific Theories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jonsson, Anna-Carin; Beach, Dennis; Korp, Helena; Erlandson, Peter

2012-01-01

A sample of 226 Swedish high school teachers from various knowledge domains completed self-report measures of intelligence regarding implicit theories and scientific theories of intelligence. A mixed ANOVA showed that teachers from language, social science and practical disciplines had a significant preference for an incremental theory of…
The Relationship between Language Learning Strategies, Proficiency, Age and Self-Efficacy Beliefs: A Study of Language Learners in Botswana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Magogwe, Joel Mokuedi; Oliver, Rhonda

2007-01-01

This research seeks to extend our current knowledge by exploring the relationship between preferred language strategies, age, proficiency, and self-efficacy beliefs. Responding to the call for more replication of strategy research and for research in different cultural contexts, this research was undertaken in Botswana between 2002 and 2005. The…
Using hypnosis to help deaf children help themselves: report of two cases.

PubMed

Kohen, D P; Mann-Rinehart, P; Schmitz, D; Wills, L M

1998-04-01

This is a report of deaf children who demonstrated the ability to quickly learn hypnotic skills and apply them effectively to the management of their problems. The children were taught hypnosis through American Sign Language, their preferred mode of communication. As with hypnosis with hearing children, we focused upon induction with fantasy and imaginative involvement, creation in imagination of a metaphor for, or imagery of, the desired outcome, and associated sense of pride (ego-strengthening), positive expectation, and teaching self-hypnosis to emphasize the importance of repeated, daily practice. Case examples presented are an 11-year-old deaf girl who used hypnosis to eliminate multiple warts, and a 9-year-old deaf boy with mild developmental disability whose self-hypnosis skills were applied to the management of myoclonus. In the former, the clinician is also the sign language communicator and in the latter, a professional sign language interpreter and parent are both intimately involved in the communication and hypnosis process.
Modeling the language learning strategies and English language proficiency of pre-university students in UMS: A case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiram, J. J.; Sulaiman, J.; Swanto, S.; Din, W. A.

2015-10-01

This study aims to construct a mathematical model of the relationship between a student's Language Learning Strategy usage and English Language proficiency. Fifty-six pre-university students of University Malaysia Sabah participated in this study. A self-report questionnaire called the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning was administered to them to measure their language learning strategy preferences before they sat for the Malaysian University English Test (MUET), the results of which were utilised to measure their English language proficiency. We attempted the model assessment specific to Multiple Linear Regression Analysis subject to variable selection using Stepwise regression. We conducted various assessments to the model obtained, including the Global F-test, Root Mean Square Error and R-squared. The model obtained suggests that not all language learning strategies should be included in the model in an attempt to predict Language Proficiency.
"We Don't Understand English That Is Why We Prefer English": Primary School Students' Preference for the Language of Instruction in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Ernest Kofi; Bishop, Alan J.; Seah, Wee Tiong

2015-01-01

This paper reports on a study which sought to investigate how social and political influences affect students' preference for language of instruction in mathematics in Ghana, where the language of instruction from grade 4 onwards in school is not the students' main language. 4 focus group interviews were carried out with 16 primary school…
Not a Hearing Loss, a Deaf Gain: Power, Self-Naming, and the Deaf Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, David James

2013-01-01

Self-naming has long stood as the primary assertion of power for disenfranchised communities in the western world. While person first language (e.g. "person who is deaf") has been the preferred language of disability and disability services for the last 20 years, members of the Deaf community have asserted their cultural capital, and…
The foreign language effect on the self-serving bias: A field experiment in the high school classroom.

PubMed

van Hugten, Joeri; van Witteloostuijn, Arjen

2018-01-01

The rise of bilingual education triggers an important question: which language is preferred for a particular school activity? Our field experiment (n = 120) shows that students (aged 13-15) who process feedback in non-native English have greater self-serving bias than students who process feedback in their native Dutch. By contrast, literature on the foreign-language emotionality effect suggests a weaker self-serving bias in the non-native language, so our result adds nuance to that literature. The result is important to schools as it suggests that teachers may be able to reduce students' defensiveness and demotivation by communicating negative feedback in the native language, and teachers may be able to increase students' confidence and motivation by communicating positive feedback in the foreign language.
CLIL Students' Perceptions of Their Language Learning Process: Delving into Self-Perceived Improvement and Instructional Preferences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lasagabaster, David; Doiz, Aintzane

2016-01-01

Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) has become a very popular approach in the belief that it may help to improve students' foreign language proficiency. Although some research has been conducted, there is a dearth of longitudinal studies on students' awareness of their language learning process in CLIL programmes. In this paper, 221…
The Psychometric Properties of English and Spanish Versions of the Life Orientation Test-Revised in Hispanic Americans.

PubMed

Pan, Tonya M; Mills, Sarah D; Fox, Rina S; Baik, Sharon H; Harry, Kadie M; Roesch, Scott C; Sadler, Georgia Robins; Malcarne, Vanessa L

2017-12-01

The Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R) is a widely used measure of optimism and pessimism, with three positively worded and three negatively worded content items. This study examined the structural validity and invariance, internal consistency reliability, and convergent and divergent validity of the English and Spanish versions of the LOT-R among Hispanic Americans. A community sample of Hispanic Americans ( N = 422) completed self-report measures, including the LOT-R, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, in their preferred language of English or Spanish. Based on the literature, four structural models were tested: one-factor , oblique two-factor , orthogonal two-factor method effects with positive specific factor , and orthogonal two-factor method effects with negative specific factor . Baseline support for both of the English and Spanish versions was not achieved for any model; in all models, the negatively worded items in Spanish had non-significant factor loadings. Therefore, the positively worded three-item optimism subscale of the LOT-R was examined separately and fit the data, with factor loadings equivalent across language-preference groups. Coefficient alphas for the optimism subscale were consistent across both language-preference groups (αs = .61 [English] and .66 [Spanish]). In contrast, the six-item total score and three-item pessimism subscale demonstrated extremely low or inconsistent alphas. Convergent and divergent validity were established for the optimism subscale in both languages. In sum, the optimism subscale of the LOT-R demonstrated minimally acceptable to good psychometric properties across English and Spanish language-preference groups. However, neither the total score nor the pessimism subscale showed adequate psychometric properties for Spanish-speaking Hispanic Americans, likely due to translation and cultural adaptation issues, and thus are not supported for use with this population.

Understanding Language, Hearing Status, and Visual-Spatial Skills

PubMed Central

Marschark, Marc; Spencer, Linda J.; Durkin, Andreana; Borgna, Georgianna; Convertino, Carol; Machmer, Elizabeth; Kronenberger, William G.; Trani, Alexandra

2015-01-01

It is frequently assumed that deaf individuals have superior visual-spatial abilities relative to hearing peers and thus, in educational settings, they are often considered visual learners. There is some empirical evidence to support the former assumption, although it is inconsistent, and apparently none to support the latter. Three experiments examined visual-spatial and related cognitive abilities among deaf individuals who varied in their preferred language modality and use of cochlear implants (CIs) and hearing individuals who varied in their sign language skills. Sign language and spoken language assessments accompanied tasks involving visual-spatial processing, working memory, nonverbal logical reasoning, and executive function. Results were consistent with other recent studies indicating no generalized visual-spatial advantage for deaf individuals and suggested that their performance in that domain may be linked to the strength of their preferred language skills regardless of modality. Hearing individuals performed more strongly than deaf individuals on several visual-spatial and self-reported executive functioning measures, regardless of sign language skills or use of CIs. Findings are inconsistent with assumptions that deaf individuals are visual learners or are superior to hearing individuals across a broad range of visual-spatial tasks. Further, performance of deaf and hearing individuals on the same visual-spatial tasks was associated with differing cognitive abilities, suggesting that different cognitive processes may be involved in visual-spatial processing in these groups. PMID:26141071
The foreign language effect on the self-serving bias: A field experiment in the high school classroom

PubMed Central

van Witteloostuijn, Arjen

2018-01-01

The rise of bilingual education triggers an important question: which language is preferred for a particular school activity? Our field experiment (n = 120) shows that students (aged 13–15) who process feedback in non-native English have greater self-serving bias than students who process feedback in their native Dutch. By contrast, literature on the foreign-language emotionality effect suggests a weaker self-serving bias in the non-native language, so our result adds nuance to that literature. The result is important to schools as it suggests that teachers may be able to reduce students’ defensiveness and demotivation by communicating negative feedback in the native language, and teachers may be able to increase students’ confidence and motivation by communicating positive feedback in the foreign language. PMID:29425224
English Teachers' Choice of Language for Publication: Qualitative Insights from Bangladesh

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamid, Md. Obaidul

2006-01-01

The aim of this small-scale research was to gain some understanding of Bangladeshi English language teachers' language preference for publication purposes and the extent of the use of Bangla (Bengali), the L1, in their professional practice. Qualitative data for the study were gathered by means of a self-produced questionnaire. Results show that…
Analysis of five-year trends in self-reported language preference and issues of item non-response among Hispanic persons in a large cross-sectional health survey: implications for the measurement of an ethnic minority population

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Significant differences in health outcomes have been documented among Hispanic persons, the fastest-growing demographic segment of the United States. The objective of this study was to examine trends in population growth and the collection of health data among Hispanic persons, including issues of language preference and survey completion using a national health survey to highlight issues of measurement of an increasingly important demographic segment of the United States. Design Data from the 2003-2007 United States Census and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were used to compare trends in population growth and survey sample size as well as differences in survey response based on language preference among a Hispanic population. Percentages of item non-response on selected survey questions were compared for Hispanic respondents choosing to complete the survey in Spanish and those choosing to complete the survey in English. The mean number of attempts to complete the survey was also compared based on language preference among Hispanic respondents. Results The sample size of Hispanic persons in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System saw little growth compared to the actual growth of the Hispanic population in the United States. Significant differences in survey item non-response for nine of 15 survey questions were seen based on language preference. Hispanic respondents choosing to complete the survey in Spanish had a significantly fewer number of call attempts for survey completion compared to their Hispanic counterparts choosing to communicate in English. Conclusions Including additional measures of acculturation and increasing the sample size of Hispanic persons in a national health survey such as the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System may result in more precise findings that could be used to better target prevention and health care needs for an ethnic minority population. PMID:20412575
Do Experiences with Medicare Managed Care Vary According to the Proportion of Same-Race/Ethnicity/Language Individuals Enrolled in One's Contract?

PubMed Central

Price, Rebecca Anhang; Haviland, Amelia M; Hambarsoomian, Katrin; Dembosky, Jacob W; Gaillot, Sarah; Weech-Maldonado, Robert; Williams, Malcolm V; Elliott, Marc N

2015-01-01

Objective To examine whether care experiences and immunization for racial/ethnic/language minority Medicare beneficiaries vary with the proportion of same-group beneficiaries in Medicare Advantage (MA) contracts. Data Sources/Study Setting Exactly 492,495 Medicare beneficiaries responding to the 2008–2009 MA Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Survey. Data Collection/Extraction Methods Mixed-effect regression models predicted eight CAHPS patient experience measures from self-reported race/ethnicity/language preference at individual and contract levels, beneficiary-level case-mix adjustors, along with contract and geographic random effects. Principal Findings As a contract's proportion of a given minority group increased, overall and non-Hispanic, white patient experiences were poorer on average; for the minority group in question, however, high-minority plans may score as well as low-minority plans. Spanish-preferring Hispanic beneficiaries also experience smaller disparities relative to non-Hispanic whites in plans with higher Spanish-preferring proportions. Conclusions The tendency for high-minority contracts to provide less positive patient experiences for others in the contract, but similar or even more positive patient experiences for concentrated minority group beneficiaries, may reflect cultural competency, particularly language services, that partially or fully counterbalance the poorer overall quality of these contracts. For some beneficiaries, experiences may be just as positive in some high-minority plans with low overall scores as in plans with higher overall scores. PMID:25752334
Understanding Language, Hearing Status, and Visual-Spatial Skills.

PubMed

Marschark, Marc; Spencer, Linda J; Durkin, Andreana; Borgna, Georgianna; Convertino, Carol; Machmer, Elizabeth; Kronenberger, William G; Trani, Alexandra

2015-10-01

It is frequently assumed that deaf individuals have superior visual-spatial abilities relative to hearing peers and thus, in educational settings, they are often considered visual learners. There is some empirical evidence to support the former assumption, although it is inconsistent, and apparently none to support the latter. Three experiments examined visual-spatial and related cognitive abilities among deaf individuals who varied in their preferred language modality and use of cochlear implants (CIs) and hearing individuals who varied in their sign language skills. Sign language and spoken language assessments accompanied tasks involving visual-spatial processing, working memory, nonverbal logical reasoning, and executive function. Results were consistent with other recent studies indicating no generalized visual-spatial advantage for deaf individuals and suggested that their performance in that domain may be linked to the strength of their preferred language skills regardless of modality. Hearing individuals performed more strongly than deaf individuals on several visual-spatial and self-reported executive functioning measures, regardless of sign language skills or use of CIs. Findings are inconsistent with assumptions that deaf individuals are visual learners or are superior to hearing individuals across a broad range of visual-spatial tasks. Further, performance of deaf and hearing individuals on the same visual-spatial tasks was associated with differing cognitive abilities, suggesting that different cognitive processes may be involved in visual-spatial processing in these groups. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Development and validation of a questionnaire to measure preferences and expectations of patients undergoing palliative chemotherapy: EXPECT questionnaire.

PubMed

Patil, V M; Chakraborty, S; Jithin, T K; Dessai, S; Sajith Babu, T P; Raghavan, V; Geetha, M; Kumar, T Shiva; Biji, M S; Bhattacharjee, A; Nair, C

2016-01-01

The objective was to design and validate the questionnaire for capturing palliative chemotherapy-related preferences and expectations. Single arm, unicentric, prospective observational study. EXPECT questionnaire was designed to capture preferences and expectations of patients undergoing palliative chemotherapy. This questionnaire underwent a linguistic validation and then was tested in patients. Ten patients are undergoing chemotherapy for solid tumors who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria self-administered the EXPECT questionnaire in regional language. After filling this questionnaire, they self-administered quick questionnaire-10 (QQ-10). SPSS version 16 (IBM New York) was used for analysis. Completion rate of EXPECT questionnaire was calculated. The feasibility, face validity, utility and time taken for completion of EXPECT questionnaire was also assessed. The completion rate of this questionnaire was 100%. All patients completed questionnaire within 5 min. The QQ-10 tool confirmed the feasibility, face validity and utility of the questionnaire. EXPECT questionnaire was validated in the regional language, and it's an effective tool for capturing patient's preferences and expectation from chemotherapy.
Native and Nonnative English Teachers' Perceptions of Their Professional Identity: Convergent or Divergent?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tajeddin, Zia; Adeh, Aylar

2016-01-01

There is still a preference for native speaker teachers in the language teaching profession, which is supposed to influence the self-perceptions of native and nonnative teachers. However, the status of English as a globalized language is changing the legitimacy of native/nonnative teacher dichotomy. This study sought to investigate native and…
Adolescent preferences and reactions to language about body weight.

PubMed

Puhl, R M; Himmelstein, M S; Armstrong, S C; Kingsford, E

2017-07-01

Over 30% of youth and adolescents have overweight or obesity, and health care providers are increasingly discussing weight-based health with these patients. Stigmatizing language in provider-patient communication about obesity is well documented and could be particularly detrimental to youth and adolescents. Although some research has examined preferences for weight-based terminology among adults, no studies have addressed these issues in youth populations. This study represents a preliminary and systematic investigation of weight-based language preferences among adolescents with overweight and obesity enrolled in a summer weight loss camp. Participants (N=50) indicated preferences for weight-based language and emotional responses to words that their family members used in reference to their body weight. Weight neutral terminology ('weight', 'body mass index') were most preferred, although some differences in word preferences emerged by the participants' gender. Boys preferred having their weight described as 'overweight' and 'heavy', while girls preferred the word 'curvy'. A large proportion of participants, particularly girls, reported experiencing sadness, shame, and embarrassment if parents used certain words to describe their body weight, which highlights the importance of considering the emotional impact of weight-based terminology. Providers may consider asking youth and adolescents for their preferences when discussing weight-based health.
How teachers would spend their time teaching language arts: the mismatch between self-reported and best practices.

PubMed

Cunningham, Anne E; Zibulsky, Jamie; Stanovich, Keith E; Stanovich, Paula J

2009-01-01

As teacher quality becomes a central issue in discussions of children's literacy, both researchers and policy makers alike express increasing concern with how teachers structure and allocate their lesson time for literacy-related activities as well as with what they know about reading development, processes, and pedagogy. The authors examined the beliefs, literacy knowledge, and proposed instructional practices of 121 first-grade teachers. Through teacher self-reports concerning the amount of instructional time they would prefer to devote to a variety of language arts activities, the authors investigated the structure of teachers' implicit beliefs about reading instruction and explored relationships between those beliefs, expertise with general or special education students, years of experience, disciplinary knowledge, and self-reported distribution of an array of instructional practices. They found that teachers' implicit beliefs were not significantly associated with their status as a regular or special education teacher, the number of years they had been teaching, or their disciplinary knowledge. However, it was observed that subgroups of teachers who highly valued particular approaches to reading instruction allocated their time to instructional activities associated with other approaches in vastly different ways. It is notable that the practices of teachers who privileged reading literature over other activities were not in keeping with current research and policy recommendations. Implications and considerations for further research are discussed.
Can Self-Reported Preference for Exercise Intensity Predict Physiologically Defined Self-Selected Exercise Intensity?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ekkekakis, Panteleimon; Lind, Erik; Joens-Matre, Roxane R.

2006-01-01

Exercise prescription guidelines emphasize the importance of individual preferences for different intensities, but such preferences have not been studied systematically. This study examined the hypothesis that the preference scale of the Preference for and Tolerance of the Intensity of Exercise Questionnaire would predict self-selected exercise…
Speech-independent production of communicative gestures: evidence from patients with complete callosal disconnection.

PubMed

Lausberg, Hedda; Zaidel, Eran; Cruz, Robyn F; Ptito, Alain

2007-10-01

Recent neuropsychological, psycholinguistic, and evolutionary theories on language and gesture associate communicative gesture production exclusively with left hemisphere language production. An argument for this approach is the finding that right-handers with left hemisphere language dominance prefer the right hand for communicative gestures. However, several studies have reported distinct patterns of hand preferences for different gesture types, such as deictics, batons, or physiographs, and this calls for an alternative hypothesis. We investigated hand preference and gesture types in spontaneous gesticulation during three semi-standardized interviews of three right-handed patients and one left-handed patient with complete callosal disconnection, all with left hemisphere dominance for praxis. Three of them, with left hemisphere language dominance, exhibited a reliable left-hand preference for spontaneous communicative gestures despite their left hand agraphia and apraxia. The fourth patient, with presumed bihemispheric language representation, revealed a consistent right-hand preference for gestures. All four patients displayed batons, tosses, and shrugs more often with the left hand/shoulder, but exhibited a right hand preference for pantomime gestures. We conclude that the hand preference for certain gesture types cannot be predicted by hemispheric dominance for language or by handedness. We found distinct hand preferences for specific gesture types. This suggests a conceptual specificity of the left and right hand gestures. We propose that left hand gestures are related to specialized right hemisphere functions, such as prosody or emotion, and that they are generated independently of left hemisphere language production. Our findings challenge the traditional neuropsychological and psycholinguistic view on communicative gesture production.
Acculturation Differentially Predicts Smoking Cessation Among Latino Men and Women

PubMed Central

Castro, Yessenia; Reitzel, Lorraine R.; Businelle, Michael S.; Kendzor, Darla E.; Mazas, Carlos; Li, Yisheng; Cofta-Woerpel, Ludmila; Wetter, David W.

2009-01-01

Objectives The current study examined the influence of gender, acculturation indicators, and their interaction on smoking cessation among Latinos. Methods Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the main effects of gender, acculturation indicators, and their interactions on self-reported 7-day abstinence at 12 week follow-up among 271 Latino smokers seeking cessation counseling. Results Analyses revealed significant main effects for several acculturation indicators, and significant interactions of gender with number of years lived in the United States (U.S.), proportion of life lived in the U.S., and preferred media language (all ps < .05). Follow-up analyses indicated no significant relationships between abstinence and acculturation indicators among women. Among men, abstinence rates increased with years in the U.S., proportion of life in the U.S., and preferred media language of English. Conclusions Greater acculturation predicted higher abstinence rates, but this relationship was restricted to men. This study is among the first to examine the effects of gender and acculturation on smoking abstinence among Latinos. Findings highlight the need for research focused on mechanisms underlying these relationships. PMID:19959697
Academic Performance and Learning Style Self-Predictions by Second Language Students in an Introductory Biology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Breckler, Jennifer; Teoh, Chia Shan; Role, Kemi

2011-01-01

Academic success in first-year college science coursework can strongly influence future career paths and usually includes a solid performance in introductory biology. We wanted to know whether factors affecting biology student performance might include learning style preferences and one's ability and confidence in self-assessing those learning…
Evaluation of Primary/Preferred Language Data Collection

PubMed Central

Duong, Linh M.; Singh, Simple D.; Buchanan, Natasha; Phillips, Joan L; Cerlach, Ken

2015-01-01

A literature review was conducted to identify peer-reviewed articles related to primary/preferred language and interpreter-use data collection practices in hospitals, clinics, and outpatient settings to assess its completeness and quality. In January 2011, Embase (Ovid), MEDLINE (Ovid), PubMed, and Web of Science databases were searched for eligible studies. Primary and secondary inclusion criteria were applied to selected eligible articles. This extensive literature search yielded 768 articles after duplicates were removed. After primary and secondary inclusion criteria were applied, 28 eligible articles remained for data abstraction. All 28 articles in this review reported collecting primary/preferred language data, but only 18% (5/28) collected information on interpreter use. This review revealed that there remains variability in the way that primary/preferred language and interpreter use data are collected; all studies used various methodologies for evaluating and abstracting these data. Likewise, the sources from which the data were abstracted differed. PMID:23443456
Evaluation of primary/preferred language data collection.

PubMed

Duong, Linh M; Singh, Simple D; Buchanan, Natasha; Phillips, Joan L; Gerlach, Ken

2012-01-01

A literature review was conducted to identify peer-reviewed articles related to primary/preferred language and interpreter-use data collection practices in hospitals, clinics, and outpatient settings to assess its completeness and quality. In January 2011, Embase (Ovid), MEDLINE (Ovid), PubMed, and Web of Science databases were searched for eligible studies. Primary and secondary inclusion criteria were applied to selected eligible articles. This extensive literature search yielded 768 articles after duplicates were removed. After primary and secondary inclusion criteria were applied, 28 eligible articles remained for data abstraction. All 28 articles in this review reported collecting primary/preferred language data, but only 18% (5/28) collected information on interpreter use. This review revealed that there remains variability in the way that primary/preferred language and interpreter use data are collected; all studies used various methodologies for evaluating and abstracting these data. Likewise, the sources from which the data were abstracted differed.
Connecting Language Proficiency to (Self-Reported) Teaching Ability: A Review and Analysis of Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Faez, Farahnaz; Karas, Michael

2017-01-01

This article provides a review and analysis of current research examining the connection between teacher language proficiency and their self-reported beliefs about their pedagogical abilities. Generally speaking, (English) language teachers require an advanced level of proficiency in order to be successful language teachers, but pedagogical skills…
Reexamining the Affective Advantage of Peer Feedback in the ESL Writing Class.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Shuqiang

1995-01-01

Examines hypotheses concerning the appeal of three types of feedback in the second-language writing process: teacher-, peer-, and self-directed feedback. Results show that students overwhelmingly prefer teacher feedback to peer feedback. (Author/CK)
The Effect of Multilingual Facilitation on Active Participation in MOOCs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colas, Jean-François; Sloep, Peter B.; Garreta-Domingo, Muriel

2016-01-01

A new approach for overcoming the language and culture barriers to participation in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) is reported. It is hypothesised that the juxtaposition of English as the "language of instruction," used for interacting with course materials, and one's preferred language as the "language of participation,"…
Issues in bilingualism and heritage language maintenance: perspectives of minority-language mothers of children with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Yu, Betty

2013-02-01

The author investigated the language practices of 10 bilingual, Chinese/English-speaking, immigrant mothers with their children with autism spectrum disorders. The aim was to understand (a) the nature of the language practices, (b) their constraints, and (c) their impact. The author employed in-depth phenomenological interviews with thematic and narrative analyses to yield themes. Interviewees reported that they adopted language practices perceived to be advantageous to intervention access and wellness. They valued Chinese language but did not pursue its use if it was believed to hinder the children's overall development of English acquisition. All of the mothers believed that bilingualism made learning more challenging. Many believed that it caused confusion or exacerbated disabilities. These deficit views of bilingualism were commonly reinforced by professionals. All of the mothers were motivated to help their children learn English but had no assistance to do so. Practices were sustainable only when they were aligned with families' preferred communication patterns. There is an urgent need for practitioners to be better informed about issues related to intergenerational language practices in minority-language families. Language use between parents and children is a complex matter that is unique to each family. Parents need to be supported to make language use decisions that are self-enhancing and congruent with their families' needs.

What Teachers Want: A Statewide Survey of Reading and English Language Arts Teachers' Instructional Materials, Preferences, and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lenski, Susan; Larson, Mindy; McElhone, Dot; Davis, Dennis S.; Lauritzen, Carol; Villagómez, Amanda; Yeigh, Maika; Landon-Hays, Melanie; LeJeune, Marie; Scales, W. David

2016-01-01

This study reports the results of a survey of a representative sample of 1,206 elementary reading and English Language Arts teachers in Oregon to learn (1) what materials are currently being used, (2) what materials teachers would prefer, and (3) what instructional practices teachers use. Qualitative data included 365 comments and 34 interviews…
Just ask: hospice familiarity in Asian and Hispanic adults.

PubMed

Pan, Cynthia X; Abraham, Olga; Giron, Fatima; LeMarie, Priscilla; Pollack, Simcha

2015-05-01

Previous research documents the under-utilization of hospice services by minority ethnic groups, but less data exist for Asian and Hispanic Americans. It is unclear whether these low utilization rates are a result of attitudinal or information barriers, or both. To examine self-reported familiarity and attitudes toward hospice among Asian and Hispanic groups in ethnically diverse Queens County, NY. We surveyed diverse adults during health fairs, at senior centers, and church programs directed at ethnic populations. Respondents completed surveys in their preferred language: Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin), and Korean. Analysis of variance was used to compare continuous variables among language groups; Fisher's exact test compared categorical variables. A total of 604 community adults were surveyed: 99 Chinese, 349 Korean, 156 Spanish. Respondents were mostly female, average age 53 years. Familiarity with hospice varied significantly among the groups (P < 0.001) and was lower in the Hispanic (16%) and higher in the Chinese (45%) and Korean (56%) groups. Personal experiences with hospice were low (8-16%) in all groups. A majority (75-94%) responded they would share hospice information with loved ones, but the Hispanic group was significantly less likely to do so compared with Chinese and Korean Americans. Between 74 and 95% reported willingness to receive future information about hospice, but the Korean group was significantly less likely to want information. When surveyed in their preferred language, Asian and Hispanic adults reported variable levels of familiarity with hospice services. Most responded positively to receiving future information and would tell friends and family members about hospice. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Responses of Massachusetts hospitals to a state mandate to collect race, ethnicity and language data from patients: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Jorgensen, Selena; Thorlby, Ruth; Weinick, Robin M; Ayanian, John Z

2010-12-31

A Massachusetts regulation implemented in 2007 has required all acute care hospitals to report patients' race, ethnicity and preferred language using standardized methodology based on self-reported information from patients. This study assessed implementation of the regulation and its impact on the use of race and ethnicity data in performance monitoring and quality improvement within hospitals. Thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with executives from a representative sample of 28 Massachusetts hospitals in 2009. The number of hospitals using race, ethnicity and language data internally beyond refining interpreter services increased substantially from 11 to 21 after the regulation. Thirteen of these hospitals were utilizing patient race and ethnicity data to identify disparities in quality performance measures for a variety of clinical processes and outcomes, while 16 had developed patient services and community outreach programs based on findings from these data. Commonly reported barriers to data utilization include small numbers within categories, insufficient resources, information system requirements, and lack of direction from the state. The responses of Massachusetts hospitals to this new state regulation indicate that requiring the collection of race, ethnicity and language data can be an effective method to promote performance monitoring and quality improvement, thereby setting the stage for federal standards and incentive programs to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in the quality of health care.
Parenting and Later Substance Use Among Mexican-Origin Youth: Moderation by Preference for a Common Language

PubMed Central

Schofield, Thomas J.; Toro, Rosa I.; Parke, Ross D.; Cookston, Jeffrey T.; Fabricius, William V.; Coltrane, Scott

2016-01-01

The primary goal of the current study was to test whether parent and adolescent preference for a common language moderates the association between parenting and rank-order change over time in offspring substance use. A sample of Mexican-origin seventh-grade adolescents (mean age = 12.5, N = 194, 52% female) was measured longitudinally on use of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana. Mother, father, and adolescent all reported on consistent discipline and monitoring of the adolescent. Consistent discipline and monitoring both predicted relative decreases in substance use into early adulthood, but only among parent-offspring dyads who expressed preference for the same language (either English or Spanish). This moderation held after controlling for parent substance use, family structure, having completed schooling in Mexico, years lived in the U.S., family income, and cultural values. An unintended consequence of the immigration process may be the loss of parenting effectiveness that is normally present when parents and adolescents prefer to communicate in a common language. PMID:28080082
Automatic personality assessment through social media language.

PubMed

Park, Gregory; Schwartz, H Andrew; Eichstaedt, Johannes C; Kern, Margaret L; Kosinski, Michal; Stillwell, David J; Ungar, Lyle H; Seligman, Martin E P

2015-06-01

Language use is a psychologically rich, stable individual difference with well-established correlations to personality. We describe a method for assessing personality using an open-vocabulary analysis of language from social media. We compiled the written language from 66,732 Facebook users and their questionnaire-based self-reported Big Five personality traits, and then we built a predictive model of personality based on their language. We used this model to predict the 5 personality factors in a separate sample of 4,824 Facebook users, examining (a) convergence with self-reports of personality at the domain- and facet-level; (b) discriminant validity between predictions of distinct traits; (c) agreement with informant reports of personality; (d) patterns of correlations with external criteria (e.g., number of friends, political attitudes, impulsiveness); and (e) test-retest reliability over 6-month intervals. Results indicated that language-based assessments can constitute valid personality measures: they agreed with self-reports and informant reports of personality, added incremental validity over informant reports, adequately discriminated between traits, exhibited patterns of correlations with external criteria similar to those found with self-reported personality, and were stable over 6-month intervals. Analysis of predictive language can provide rich portraits of the mental life associated with traits. This approach can complement and extend traditional methods, providing researchers with an additional measure that can quickly and cheaply assess large groups of participants with minimal burden. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).
Subject Relative Clauses Are Not Universally Easier to Process: Evidence from Basque

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carreiras, Manuel; Dunabeitia, Jon Andoni; Vergara, Marta; de la Cruz-Pavia, Irene; Laka, Itziar

2010-01-01

Studies from many languages consistently report that subject relative clauses (SR) are easier to process than object relatives (OR). However, Hsiao and Gibson (2003) report an OR preference for Chinese, a finding that has been contested. Here we report faster OR versus SR processing in Basque, an ergative, head-final language with pre-nominal…
Language Testing and the Assessment of Dementia in Second Language Settings: A Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Rosemary

1996-01-01

Reports on a patient of Japanese background with suspected dementia in an English-speaking geriatric unit. The subject was tested in Japanese using tasks such as naming, story recall, and processing by semantic category. Results demonstrate the potential contribution of information from language-based tasks in the person's preferred language to…
Resolving Number Ambiguities during Language Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bader, Markus; Haussler, Jana

2009-01-01

This paper investigates how readers process number ambiguous noun phrases in subject position. A speeded-grammaticality judgment experiment and two self-paced reading experiments were conducted involving number ambiguous subjects in German verb-end clauses. Number preferences for individual nouns were estimated by means of two questionnaire…
What about Me?: Individual Self-Assessment by Skill and Level of Language Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brantmeier, Cindy; Vanderplank, Robert; Strube, Michael

2012-01-01

In an investigation with advanced language learners, Brantmeier [Brantmeier, C., 2006. "Advanced L2 learners and reading placement: self-assessment, computer based testing, and subsequent performance." "System" 34 (1), 15-35.] reports that self-assessment (SA) of second language (L2) reading ability, when measured with self-rated scales, is not an…
Conceptualizing Learning Style Modalities for ESL/EFL Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wintergerst, Ann C.; DeCapua, Andrea; Verna, Marilyn Ann

2003-01-01

Reports results of testing a newly developed learning styles instrument on three groups of language learners: Russian English-as-a-Foreign-Language students, Russian English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students, and Asian ESL students to determine their learning style preference. Results indicate that these students learn English under three…
Environmental Correlates of Individual Differences in Language Acquisition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Furrow, David; Nelson, Katherine

1984-01-01

Reports on a study of mothers' uses of nouns and pronouns and their references to objects and persons as environmental variables which might relate to children's nominal preferences. Findings suggest that environmental factors do contribute to stylistic differences in language acquisition and that the communicative functions of language are an…
The Role of Language and Private Speech in Preschoolers' Self-Regulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bono, Katherine E.; Bizri, Rana

2014-01-01

The present study explored relations among language skills, private speech, and self-regulation in three- to five-year-old children. Language skills were assessed with a standardised measure of language ability and by teacher reports of adaptive use of language in the classroom. Private speech was measured by observing children during a…
Is Dutch Just Another Berber? An Investigation into the Language Preferences of Immigrants in the Netherlands.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weltens, Bert; de Bot, Kees

1995-01-01

Reports a study of language learning and language attitudes among immigrants to the Netherlands. Questionnaires obtained from college students studying Dutch showed no evidence that Dutch was threatened by English and indicated that the importance attached to English as an international language did not lessen the value of Dutch for living in the…
The Effect of Implicit Preferences on Food Consumption: Moderating Role of Ego Depletion and Impulsivity

PubMed Central

Wang, Yan; Zhu, Jinglei; Hu, Yi; Fang, Yuan; Wang, Guosen; Cui, Xianghua; Wang, Lei

2016-01-01

Ego depletion has been found to moderate the effect of implicit preferences on food consumption, such that implicit preferences predict consumption only under a depleted state. The present study tested how trait impulsivity impacts the effect of implicit preferences on food consumption in a depleted condition. Trait impulsivity was measured by means of self-report and a stop signal task. Results showed that both self-reported impulsivity and behavioral impulsivity moderated the ‘depletion and then eating according to implicit preferences’ effect, albeit in different ways. Participants high in self-reported impulsivity and low in behavioral impulsivity were more vulnerable to the effect of depletion on eating. The implications of these results for extant theories are discussed. Future research is needed to verify whether or not trait impulsivity is associated with vulnerability to depletion across different self-control domains. PMID:27881966
A Resource-Oriented Functional Approach to English Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Jia

2018-01-01

This article reports on a case study that investigates the learning preferences and strategies of Chinese students learning English as a second language (ESL) in Canadian school settings. It focuses on the interaction between second language (L2) learning methods that the students have adopted from their previous learning experience in China and…
Examining the Advantage of a Live Instructor vs. Video in a Laboratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caldwell-Harris, Catherine; Goodwin, Kimberly S.; Chu, Emma; Dahlen, Kristina

2014-01-01

Learners often anecdotally report preferring live instructors to videotaped lectures, but few controlled comparisons exist, and none have been conducted for foreign language learning. College students experienced a single foreign language lesson in an unknown foreign language, Samoan, either from a live instructor or from a videotape of the same…
Parenting and later substance use among Mexican-origin youth: Moderation by preference for a common language.

PubMed

Schofield, Thomas J; Toro, Rosa I; Parke, Ross D; Cookston, Jeffrey T; Fabricius, William V; Coltrane, Scott

2017-04-01

The primary goal of the current study was to test whether parent and adolescent preference for a common language moderates the association between parenting and rank-order change over time in offspring substance use. A sample of Mexican-origin 7th-grade adolescents (Mage = 12.5 years, N = 194, 52% female) was measured longitudinally on use of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana. Mothers, fathers, and adolescents all reported on consistent discipline and monitoring of adolescents. Both consistent discipline and monitoring predicted relative decreases in substance use into early adulthood but only among parent-offspring dyads who expressed preference for the same language (either English or Spanish). This moderation held after controlling for parent substance use, family structure, having completed schooling in Mexico, years lived in the United States, family income, and cultural values. An unintended consequence of the immigration process may be the loss of parenting effectiveness that is normally present when parents and adolescents prefer to communicate in a common language. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).
Language-Trained Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) Delay Gratification by Choosing Token Exchange Over Immediate Reward Consumption

PubMed Central

Beran, Michael J.; Evans, Theodore A.

2012-01-01

Token exchange inherently introduces an element of delay between behavior and reward and so token studies may help us better understand delay of gratification and self-control. To examine this possibility, we presented three language-trained chimpanzees with repeated choices involving different foods that could be eaten immediately or lexigram (graphic symbol) tokens that represented (and could be traded for) foods later. When both options were foods, chimpanzees always chose more preferred foods over less preferred foods. When both options were lexigram tokens representing those same foods, performance remained the same as chimpanzees selected the higher value token and then traded it for food. Then, when faced with choosing a token that could be traded later or choosing a food item that could be eaten immediately, most chimpanzees learned to make whatever response led to the more preferred food. They did this even when that meant selecting a high value lexigram token that could be traded only two to three minutes later instead of a medium value, but immediately available, food item. Thus, chimpanzees flexibly selected tokens even though such selections necessarily delayed gratification and required forgoing immediately available food. This finding illustrates the utility of symbolic token exchange for assessing self-control in nonhuman animals. PMID:22674686
The Effects of a Professional Development Program on English as a Foreign Language Teachers' Efficacy and Classroom Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ortaçtepe, DenIz; Akyel, Ayse S.

2015-01-01

The purpose of the present study is twofold: (1) to investigate the relationship between the efficacy of teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) and their self-reported practice of communicative language teaching (CLT) and (2) to examine the impact of an in-service teacher education program on teachers' efficacy and self-reported and…
Self-Construal, Ethnic Identity, and Classroom Organization Preferences: Findings from Black, Hispanic, and White College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kobayashi, Futoshi

2005-01-01

The purposes of this study were to examine whether ethnic differences in college students' self-construals exist and whether these self-construals are associated with preferences for different types of classroom organization; and also to test the validity of self-construal theory to explain psychological differences. Self-reports were collected…

Identification of limited English proficient patients in clinical care.

PubMed

Karliner, Leah S; Napoles-Springer, Anna M; Schillinger, Dean; Bibbins-Domingo, Kirsten; Pérez-Stable, Eliseo J

2008-10-01

Standardized means to identify patients likely to benefit from language assistance are needed. To evaluate the accuracy of the U.S. Census English proficiency question (Census-LEP) in predicting patients' ability to communicate effectively in English. We investigated the sensitivity and specificity of the Census-LEP alone or in combination with a question on preferred language for medical care for predicting patient-reported ability to discuss symptoms and understand physician recommendations in English. Three hundred and two patients > 18 who spoke Spanish and/or English recruited from a cardiology clinic and an inpatient general medical-surgical ward in 2004-2005. One hundred ninety-eight (66%) participants reported speaking English less than "very well" and 166 (55%) less than "well"; 157 (52%) preferred receiving their medical care in Spanish. Overall, 135 (45%) were able to discuss symptoms and 143 (48%) to understand physician recommendations in English. The Census-LEP with a high-threshold (less than "very well") had the highest sensitivity for predicting effective communication (100% Discuss; 98.7% Understand), but the lowest specificity (72.6% Discuss; 67.1% Understand). The composite measure of Census-LEP and preferred language for medical care provided a significant increase in specificity (91.9% Discuss; 83.9% Understand), with only a marginal decrease in sensitivity (99.4% Discuss; 96.7% Understand). Using the Census-LEP item with a high-threshold of less than "very well" as a screening question, followed by a language preference for medical care question, is recommended for inclusive and accurate identification of patients likely to benefit from language assistance.
Self-reported taste preference can be a proxy for daily sodium intake in middle-aged Japanese adults.

PubMed

Takachi, Ribeka; Ishihara, Junko; Iwasaki, Motoki; Ishii, Yuri; Tsugane, Shoichiro

2014-05-01

Reducing dietary salt intake remains a challenging issue in the management of chronic disease. Taste preference is suspected to be an important proxy index of daily sodium consumption. This study examined the difference in daily sodium intake according to self-reported taste preference for miso soup as representative of homemade cooking in middle-aged urban Japanese adults. Among 896 candidates randomly selected from examinees of cancer screening provided by the National Cancer Center, Japan, 143 men and women participated in this cross-sectional study. During the period from May 2007 through April 2008, participants provided a food frequency questionnaire, which included information on taste preference and dietary behaviors, a weighed food record over 4 consecutive days, a simultaneous 24-hour urine collection, and a sample of miso soup as it is usually prepared in the home. Mean 24-hour urinary sodium excretion and daily sodium intake were compared according to the self-reported taste preference for miso soup. Taste preference was significantly associated with both 24-hour urinary sodium excretion (trend P<0.01) and daily sodium intake (trend P=0.01), with a corresponding regression coefficient per 1 rank preference increment of 403 mg and 315 mg/day, respectively. The observed association between preference and urinary excretion was attenuated by further adjustment for discretionary salt-related behaviors. These findings suggest that self-reported taste preference for homemade cooking is a defining feature of daily sodium intake through discretionary salt-related dietary behaviors. A reduction in daily sodium consumption per 1 rank light preference was estimated to equate to approximately 1 g salt/day. Copyright © 2014 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Understanding vaccination rates and attitudes among patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Sandler, Diana S; Ruderman, Eric M; Brown, Tiffany; Lee, Ji Young; Mixon, Amanda; Liss, David T; Baker, David W

2016-03-01

Appropriate vaccinations are important for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), who are often treated with highly immunosuppressive therapies that increase their risk of infection. However, rates of vaccination among patients with RA are below optimal levels. We conducted a patient survey to assess self-reported vaccination status and to compare that status with electronic health record (EHR) data. We recruited randomly selected patients with RA in an academic practice in 2013. Eligible participants had a diagnosis of RA, at least 1 visit to a rheumatology clinic in each of the previous 2 years, were 18 years or older, and had English listed as their preferred language. The survey included the following domains: a) patient self-reported receipt of influenza, pneumococcal (PNVX), and herpes zoster (HZVX) vaccinations; b) attitudes about these vaccines, including reasons for unvaccinated status, if applicable; and c) provider recommendations about these vaccines. Based on participants' self-report, we found a high vaccination rate for influenza during the previous season (79.4%), a moderate rate of any previous vaccination for pneumococcus (53.9%), and a very low rate of any previous vaccination for herpes zoster (7.8%). If we assume that all self-reports are accurate and we include vaccinations recorded in the EHR that were not reported by patients, the vaccination rates were approximately 8% to 9% higher for PNVX and HZVX. Vaccination rates are low among patients with RA based on self-report data. Further research is needed to investigate system-level barriers to vaccination and the impact of evidence-based, provider-level interventions on vaccination rates.
Psychosocial adjustment in adolescents who have used cochlear implants since preschool.

PubMed

Moog, Jean S; Geers, Ann E; Gustus, Christine H; Brenner, Christine A

2011-02-01

This study examined psychosocial characteristics of students who had used a cochlear implant (CI) since preschool and were evaluated when they were in elementary grades and again in high school. The study had four goals: (1) to determine the extent to which psychosocial skills documented in elementary grades were maintained into high school; (2) to assess the extent to which long-term CI users identified with the Deaf community or the hearing world or both; (3) to examine the association between group identification and the student's sense of self-esteem, preferred communication mode, and spoken language skills; and (4) to describe the extracurricular world of the teenagers who were mainstreamed with hearing age-mates for most of their academic experience. As part of a larger study, 112 CI students (aged 15.0 to 18.6 yrs) or their parents completed questionnaires describing their social skills, and a subsample of 107 CI students completed group identification and self-esteem questionnaires. Results were compared with either a control group of hearing teenagers (N = 46) or age-appropriate hearing norms provided by the assessment developer. Average psychosocial ratings from both parents and students at both elementary grades and high school indicated a positive self-image throughout the school years. Seventy percent of the adolescents expressed either strong identification with the hearing community (32%) or mixed identification with both deaf and hearing communities (38%). Almost all CI students (95%) were mainstreamed for more than half of the day, and the majority of students (85%) were in the appropriate grade for their age. Virtually all CI students (98%) reported having hearing friends, and a majority reported having deaf friends. More than 75% of CI students reported that they used primarily spoken language to communicate and that good spoken language skills enabled them to participate more fully in all aspects of their lives. Identification with the hearing world was not associated with personal or social adjustment problems but was associated with better speech perception and English language skill. Ninety-four percent were active participants in high school activities and sports, and 50% held part-time jobs (a rate similar to that documented for hearing teens). The majority of these early-implanted adolescents reported strong social skills, high self-esteem, and at least mixed identification with the hearing world. However, these results must be viewed in light of possible sources of sample selection bias and may not represent the psychosocial characteristics of the entire population of children receiving CIs.
Psychosocial Adjustment in Adolescents Who Have Used Cochlear Implants Since Preschool

PubMed Central

Moog, Jean S.; Geers, Ann E.; Gustus, Chris; Brenner, Chris

2011-01-01

Objectives This study examined psychosocial characteristics of students who had used a cochlear implant (CI) since preschool and were evaluated when they were in elementary grades and again in high school. The study had four goals: (1) to determine the extent to which psychosocial skills documented in elementary grades were maintained into high school; (2) to assess the extent to which long-term CI users identified with the Deaf community or the hearing world or both; (3) to examine the association between group identification and the student’s sense of self-esteem, preferred communication mode, and spoken language skills; and (4) to describe the extracurricular world of the teenagers who were mainstreamed with hearing age-mates for most of their academic experience. Design As part of a larger study, 112 CI students (aged 15.0 to 18.6 yrs) or their parents completed questionnaires describing their social skills, and a subsample of 107 CI students completed group identification and self-esteem questionnaires. Results were compared with either a control group of hearing teenagers (N = 46) or age-appropriate hearing norms provided by the assessment developer. Results Average psychosocial ratings from both parents and students at both elementary grades and high school indicated a positive self-image throughout the school years. Seventy percent of the adolescents expressed either strong identification with the hearing community (32%) or mixed identification with both deaf and hearing communities (38%). Almost all CI students (95%) were mainstreamed for more than half of the day, and the majority of students (85%) were in the appropriate grade for their age. Virtually all CI students (98%) reported having hearing friends, and a majority reported having deaf friends. More than 75% of CI students reported that they used primarily spoken language to communicate and that good spoken language skills enabled them to participate more fully in all aspects of their lives. Identification with the hearing world was not associated with personal or social adjustment problems but was associated with better speech perception and English language skill. Ninety-four percent were active participants in high school activities and sports, and 50% held part-time jobs (a rate similar to that documented for hearing teens). Conclusions The majority of these early-implanted adolescents reported strong social skills, high self-esteem, and at least mixed identification with the hearing world. However, these results must be viewed in light of possible sources of sample selection bias and may not represent the psychosocial characteristics of the entire population of children receiving CIs. PMID:21832891
Self-Study with Language Learning Software in the Workplace: What Happens?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nielson, Katharine B.

2011-01-01

Many language training software packages are intended for self-study and marketed as complete language learning solutions; however, little is known about how well they work or under what conditions they should be used. This article reports on a research study conducted at the University of Maryland Center for Advanced Study of Language that…
Pleasure to play, arousal to stay: the effect of player emotions on digital game preferences and playing time.

PubMed

Poels, Karolien; van den Hoogen, Wouter; Ijsselsteijn, Wijnand; de Kort, Yvonne

2012-01-01

This study investigated how player emotions during game-play, measured through self-report and physiological recordings, predict playing time and game preferences. We distinguished between short-term (immediately after game-play) and long-term (after 3 weeks) playing time and game preferences. While pleasure was most predictive for short-term playing time and game preferences, arousal, particularly for game preferences, was most predictive on the longer term. This result was found through both self-report and physiological emotion measures. This study initiates theorizing about digital gaming as a hedonic consumer product and sketches future research endeavors of this topic.
Treatment preference among suicidal and self-injuring women with borderline personality disorder and PTSD.

PubMed

Harned, Melanie S; Tkachuck, Mathew A; Youngberg, Kelly A

2013-07-01

This study examined treatment preferences among suicidal and self-injuring women with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and PTSD. Women (N = 42, M(age) = 34) with BPD, PTSD and recent intentional self-injury were evaluated upon entry into a psychotherapy outcome study. The majority preferred a combined dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and prolonged exposure (PE) treatment (73.8%), followed by DBT alone (26.2%), and PE alone (0%). Women who preferred the combined treatment were more likely to report a desire to obtain relief from PTSD and to receive specific DBT and PE treatment components as reasons underlying this preference. Few women (21.4%) reported concerns about PE, but those who did were more likely to prefer DBT alone. More severe PTSD re-experiencing symptoms, a childhood index trauma, and less reduction in positive affect after a trauma interview predicted a preference for the combined treatment. These results may help to inform treatment for these complex patients. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Viewers can keep up with fast subtitles: Evidence from eye movements.

PubMed

Szarkowska, Agnieszka; Gerber-Morón, Olivia

2018-01-01

People watch subtitled audiovisual materials more than ever before. With the proliferation of subtitled content, we are also witnessing an increase in subtitle speeds. However, there is an ongoing controversy about what optimum subtitle speeds should be. This study looks into whether viewers can keep up with increasingly fast subtitles and whether the way people cope with subtitled content depends on their familiarity with subtitling and on their knowledge of the language of the film soundtrack. We tested 74 English, Polish and Spanish viewers watching films subtitled at different speeds (12, 16 and 20 characters per second). The films were either in Hungarian, a language unknown to the participants (Experiment 1), or in English (Experiment 2). We measured viewers' comprehension, self-reported cognitive load, scene and subtitle recognition, preferences and enjoyment. By analyzing people's eye gaze, we were able to discover that most viewers could read the subtitles as well as follow the images, coping well even with fast subtitle speeds. Slow subtitles triggered more re-reading, particularly in English clips, causing more frustration and less enjoyment. Faster subtitles with unreduced text were preferred in the case of English videos, and slower subtitles with text edited down in Hungarian videos. The results provide empirical grounds for revisiting current subtitling practices to enable more efficient processing of subtitled videos for viewers.
Translation and Adaptation of Five English Language Self-Report Health Measures to South Indian Kannada Language

PubMed Central

Thammaiah, Spoorthi; Manchaiah, Vinaya; Easwar, Vijayalakshmi; Krishna, Rajalakshmi

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to translate and adapt five English self-report health measures to a South Indian language Kannada. Currently, no systematically developed questionnaires assessing hearing rehabilitation outcomes are available for clinical or research use in Kannada. The questionnaires included for translation and adaptation were the hearing handicap questionnaire, the international outcome inventory - hearing aids, the self-assessment of communication, the participation scale, and the assessment of quality of life – 4 dimensions. The questionnaires were translated and adapted using the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) guidelines. The five stages followed in the study included: i) forward translation; ii) common translation synthesis; iii) backward translation; iv) expert committee review; v) pre-final testing. In this paper, in addition to a description of the process, we also highlight practical issues faced while adopting the procedure with an aim to help readers better understand the intricacies involved in such processes. This can be helpful to researchers and clinicians who are keen to adapt standard self-report questionnaires from other languages to their native language. PMID:27588165
An Evaluation of the Viles Tok Ples Skul Scheme in the North Solomons Province. ERU Report No. 51.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delpit, Lisa D.; Kemelfield, Graeme

The local-language-medium schools of North Solomons Province are described and evaluated. The Viles Tok Ples Skuls (VTPS) provide education in both the indigenous languages (tok ples) and English as a means of integrating the past with modern development, as is preferred by the local people. The report contains seven chapters. The first gives the…
Training and Self-Reported Confidence for Dysphagia Management among Speech-Language Pathologists in the Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Donoghue, Cynthia R.; Dean-Claytor, Ashli

2008-01-01

Purpose: The number of children requiring dysphagia management in the schools is increasing. This article reports survey findings relative to speech-language pathologists' (SLPs') training and self-rated confidence to treat children with swallowing and feeding disorders in the schools. Method: Surveys were completed by 222 SLPs representing…
Wellness in Sickness and Health (The W.I.S.H. Project): Advance Care Planning Preferences and Experiences Among Elderly Latino Patients.

PubMed

Maldonado, Lauren Y; Goodson, Ruth B; Mulroy, Matthew C; Johnson, Emily M; Reilly, Jo M; Homeier, Diana C

2017-10-25

To assess advance care planning (ACP) preferences, experiences, and comfort in discussing end-of-life (EOL) care among elderly Latinos. Patients aged 60 and older from the Los Angeles County and University of Southern California (LAC+USC) Medical Center Geriatrics Clinic (n = 41) participated in this intervention. Trained staff conducted ACP counseling with participants in their preferred language, which included: (a) pre-counseling survey about demographics and EOL care attitudes, (b) discussion of ACP and optional completion of an advance directive (AD), and (c) post-session survey. Patients were primarily Spanish speaking with an average of 2.7 chronic medical conditions. Most had not previously documented (95%) or discussed (76%) EOL wishes. Most were unaware they had control over their EOL treatment (61%), but valued learning about EOL options (83%). Post-counseling, 85% reported comfort discussing EOL goals compared to 66% pre-session, and 88% elected to complete an AD. Nearly half of patients reported a desire to discuss EOL wishes sooner. Elderly Latino patients are interested in ACP, given individualized, culturally competent counseling in their preferred language. Patients should be offered the opportunity to discuss and document EOL wishes at all primary care appointments, regardless of health status. Counseling should be completed in the patient's preferred language, using culturally competent materials, and with family members present if this is the patient's preference. Cultural-competency training for providers could enhance the impact of EOL discussions and improve ACP completion rates for Latino patients.
Standard Generalized Markup Language for self-defining structured reports.

PubMed

Kahn, C E

1999-01-01

Structured reporting is the process of using standardized data elements and predetermined data-entry formats to record observations. The Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML; International Standards Organization (ISO) 8879:1986)--an open, internationally accepted standard for document interchange was used to encode medical observations acquired in an Internet-based structured reporting system. The resulting report is self-documenting: it includes a definition of its allowable data fields and values encoded as a report-specific SGML document type definition (DTD). The data-entry forms, DTD, and report document instances are based on report specifications written in a simple, SGML-based language designed for that purpose. Reporting concepts can be linked with those of external vocabularies such as the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) Metathesaurus. The use of open standards such as SGML is an important step in the creation of open, universally comprehensible structured reports.
Limiting exercise options: depending on a proxy may inhibit exercise self-management.

PubMed

Shields, Christopher A; Brawley, Lawrence R

2007-07-01

We examined the influence of proxy-assistance on exercisers' social cognitions and behavior. Fifty-six fitness class participants reported preference for proxy-assistance and reacted to exercising in different contexts. A 2 (proxy-led vs self-managed exercise context) by 2 (preferred assistance) MANOVA revealed significant assistance by context interactions for self-regulatory efficacy (SRE) and difficulty. Regarding self-managed exercise, high-assistance individuals expressed lower SRE and higher difficulty. Chi-square analysis revealed that significantly fewer high-assistance participants chose self-managed exercise. A one-way MANOVA on preferred assistance indicated that high-assistance participants were less confident, satisfied and perceived their self-managed exercise as more difficult. Results support Bandura's theorizing that use of a proxy can limit SRE of those preferring the proxy's control of their behavior.
Social Risk and Peer Victimization in Elementary School Children: The Protective Role of Teacher-Student Relationships.

PubMed

Elledge, L Christian; Elledge, Allison R; Newgent, Rebecca A; Cavell, Timothy A

2016-05-01

Children not accepted or actively rejected by peers are at greater risk for peer victimization. We examined whether a positive teacher-student relationship can potentially buffer these children from the risk of peer victimization. Participants were 361 elementary school children in the 4th or 5th grade. Peer-report measures were used to assess teacher-student relationship quality (TSRQ), social preference, and rejected sociometric status; peer victimization was assessed via self-, peer-, and teacher-reports. As expected, social preference assessed in the fall semester was a significant negative predictor of self- and peer-reported victimization measured in the spring, controlling for prior levels of peer victimization. TSRQ in the fall was not a significant unique predictor of self-, peer-, or teacher-reported victimization the following spring, controlling for fall victimization and social preference scores. We found a significant interaction between social preference and TSRQ in predicting self-, peer-, and teacher-reported peer victimization: Social preference significantly predicted peer victimization, but only for those children with relatively poor student-teacher relationships. Subgroup analysis revealed that children actively rejected by peers in the fall reported significantly less peer victimization in the spring (controlling for fall victimization scores) when their fall TSRQ scores were at or above the sample mean compared to rejected children whose TSRQ scores were low (i.e., < -0.5 SD below the mean). Findings offer preliminary support for the notion that teacher-student relationship quality can buffer children at social risk for continued peer victimization.
Japanese Language Proficiency, Social Networking, and Language Use during Study Abroad: Learners' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dewey, Dan P.; Bown, Jennifer; Eggett, Dennis

2012-01-01

This study examines the self-perceived speaking proficiency development of 204 learners of Japanese who studied abroad in Japan and analyzes connections between self-reported social network development, language use, and speaking development. Learners perceived that they gained the most in areas associated with the intermediate and advanced levels…
Analysis of dermatology resident self-reported successful learning styles and implications for core competency curriculum development.

PubMed

Stratman, Erik J; Vogel, Curt A; Reck, Samuel J; Mukesh, Bickol N

2008-01-01

There are different teaching styles for delivering competency-based curricula. The education literature suggests that learning is maximized when teaching is delivered in a style preferred by learners. To determine if dermatology residents report learning style preferences aligned with adult learning. Dermatology residents attending an introductory cutaneous biology course completed a learning styles inventory assessing self-reported success in 35 active and passive learning activities. The 35 learning activities were ranked in order of preference by learners. Mean overall ratings for active learning activities were significantly higher than for passive learning activities (P = 0.002). Trends in dermatology resident learning style preferences should be considered during program curriculum development. Programs should integrate a variety of curriculum delivery methods to accommodate various learning styles, with an emphasis on the active learning styles preferred by residents.
Learning preference as a predictor of academic performance in first year accelerated graduate entry nursing students: a prospective follow-up study.

PubMed

Koch, Jane; Salamonson, Yenna; Rolley, John X; Davidson, Patricia M

2011-08-01

The growth of accelerated graduate entry nursing programs has challenged traditional approaches to teaching and learning. To date, limited research has been undertaken in the role of learning preferences, language proficiency and academic performance in accelerated programs. Sixty-two first year accelerated graduate entry nursing students, in a single cohort at a university in the western region of Sydney, Australia, were surveyed to assess their learning preference using the Visual, Aural, Read/write and Kinaesthetic (VARK) learning preference questionnaire, together with sociodemographic data, English language acculturation and perceived academic control. Six months following course commencement, the participant's grade point average (GPA) was studied as a measurement of academic performance. A 93% response rate was achieved. The majority of students (62%) reported preference for multiple approaches to learning with the kinaesthetic sensory mode a significant (p=0.009) predictor of academic performance. Students who spoke only English at home had higher mean scores across two of the four categories of VARK sensory modalities, visual and kinaesthetic compared to those who spoke non-English. Further research is warranted to investigate the reasons why the kinaesthetic sensory mode is a predictor of academic performance and to what extent the VARK mean scores of the four learning preference(s) change with improved English language proficiency. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Self-help and help-seeking for communication disability in Ghana: implications for the development of communication disability rehabilitation services.

PubMed

Wylie, Karen; McAllister, Lindy; Davidson, Bronwyn; Marshall, Julie; Amponsah, Clement; Bampoe, Josephine Ohenewa

2017-12-29

In low and middle-income countries, such as Ghana, communication disability is poorly recognised and rehabilitation services for people with communication disability are limited. As rehabilitation services for communication disability develop, and the profession of speech-language pathology grows, it is important to consider how services can most appropriately respond to the needs and preferences of the community. Understanding the ways in which people currently self-help and seek help for communication disability is central to developing services that build on existing local practices and are relevant to the community. A qualitative descriptive survey was used to explore likely self-help and help-seeking behaviours for communication disability, in Accra, Ghana. The survey required participants to describe responses to hypothetical scenarios related to communication disability. A mix of theoretical sampling and convenience sampling was used. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse data and develop categories and subcategories of reported self-help behaviours and sources of help and advice for communication disability. One hundred and thirty-six participants completed the survey. Results indicated that community members would be likely to engage in a variety self-help strategies in response to communication disability. These included working directly with a person with a communication disability to attempt to remediate a communication impairment, altering physical and communication environments, changing attitudes or care practices, educating themselves about the communication disability, providing resources, and responding in spiritual ways. Participants indicated that they would seek help for communication disability across a range of sectors - including the Western healthcare, religious, and traditional sectors. Understanding existing community actions to self-help and help-seek may allow emerging communication rehabilitation services, including the profession of speech-language pathology, to build on existing community practices in resource-limited contexts such as Ghana.

Non-adherence to Newly Prescribed Diabetes Medications among Insured Latino and White Patients with Diabetes

PubMed Central

Fernández, Alicia; Quan, Judy; Moffet, Howard; Parker, Melissa M.; Schillinger, Dean; Karter, Andrew J.

2017-01-01

Importance Medication adherence is essential to diabetes care. Patient-provider language barriers may impact medication adherence among Latinos. Objective Determine the role of patient ethnicity, preferred language, and provider language concordance on adherence to newly prescribed diabetes medications. Design Observational study, 2006–2012. Setting Large, integrated health care delivery system with professional interpreter services. Participants Insured patients with type 2 diabetes, including English-speaking whites, English-speaking Latinos, or Limited English proficiency (LEP) Latinos with newly prescribed diabetes medication. Exposures Patient ethnicity, preferred language, and provider self-reported Spanish language fluency. Main Outcomes and Measures Primary non-adherence (never dispensed), early stage non-persistence (dispensed only once), late stage non-persistence (received ≥2 dispensings, but discontinued within 24 months), inadequate overall medication adherence (>20% time without sufficient medication supply during 24 months after initial prescription) based on new prescription medication gaps (NPMG). Results Participants included 21,878 whites, 5,755 English-speaking Latinos, and 3,205 LEP Latinos with 46,131 prescriptions for new diabetes medications. Among LEP Latinos, 50.2% had a primary care provider reporting high Spanish fluency. For oral medications, early adherence varied substantially: 32.2% of LEP Latinos, 27.2% of English-speaking Latinos and 18.3% of whites were either primary non-adherent or early non-persistent (p<0.05). Inadequate overall adherence was observed in 60.2% of LEP Latinos, 51.7% of English-speaking Latinos and 37.5% of whites. For insulin, early stage non-persistence was 42.8% among LEP Latinos, 34.4% among English-speaking Latinos, and 28.5 % among whites (p<0.05). After adjustment for patient demographic and clinical characteristics and provider demographics, LEP Latinos were more likely to be non-adherent to oral medications and insulin than English-speaking Latinos [RRs 1.11–1.17, p<0.05] or whites [RRs 1.36–1.49, p<0.05]. English-speaking Latinos were more likely to be non-adherent compared to whites [RRs 1.23–1.30. p<0.05]. Patient-provider language concordance was not associated with rates of non-adherence among LEP Latinos. Conclusions and Relevance Non-adherence to newly prescribed diabetes medication is substantially greater among Latinos than whites, even among English-speaking Latinos. LEP Latino patients are more likely to be non-adherent than English-speaking Latinos independent of the Spanish language fluency of their providers. Interventions beyond ensuring access to interpreters or patient-provider language concordance will be required to improve medication adherence among Latino patients with diabetes. PMID:28114642
Content and Language Integrated Learning in the Netherlands: Teachers' Self-Reported Pedagogical Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Kampen, Evelyn; Admiraal, Wilfried; Berry, Amanda

2018-01-01

In recent years, a surging uptake of content and language integrated learning (CLIL) has permeated the European context. This article presents the outcomes of a study about the self-reported pedagogical practices of CLIL teachers in the Netherlands. To investigate these teachers' pedagogies, a questionnaire was designed, validated and,…
Teachers' Report of Strategies Used to Facilitate Language Development in Students with Hearing Loss

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Handley, Candace Michele

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the extent to which teachers of the deaf report using four identified language facilitation strategies: recasting, extension, responsivity, and self-talk/parallel talk. Participants self-selected in response to an advertisement on a state-wide listserv and to the state's residential school internal news.…
The Relationship of Health Literacy With Use of Digital Technology for Health Information: Implications for Public Health Practice.

PubMed

Manganello, Jennifer; Gerstner, Gena; Pergolino, Kristen; Graham, Yvonne; Falisi, Angela; Strogatz, David

An understanding of the association of health literacy with patterns related to access and usage of digital technologies and preferences for sources of health information is necessary for public health agencies and organizations to appropriately target channels for health information dissemination. A cross-sectional telephone survey was conducted in New York State. Health literacy was assessed using the Morris Single-Item Screener, a self-report question. A weighted analysis was conducted utilizing Stata/SE. The final sample size of New York State residents used for analysis was 1350. In general, self-report health literacy did not predict digital technology use (ie, Internet and smartphone use, text messaging) but was associated with certain digital activities. People with low self-report health literacy were less likely to use search engines (P = .026) but more likely to get health information from social networking sites (P = .002) and use health-related phone apps (P = .046). With respect to health information seeking, those with lower self-report health literacy reported greater difficulty with their most recent search for health information. Furthermore, they were more likely to prefer text messages (P = .013) and radio (P = .022), 2 text-limited communication channels, to receive health information than those with higher self-report health literacy. While self-report health literacy does not appear to influence access to and use of digital technologies, there is a strong association with experiences searching for health information and preferences for health information sources. Public health agencies and organizations should consider the needs and preferences of people with low health literacy when determining channels for health information dissemination. They should also consider implementing interventions to develop health information-seeking skills in populations they serve and prepare information and materials that are easily accessible and understandable.
Processing of Japanese Cleft Constructions in Context: Evidence from Event-Related Brain Potentials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yano, Masataka; Tateyama, Yuki; Sakamoto, Tsutomu

2015-01-01

Numerous studies have found "subject gap preference" in relative clauses and cleft constructions in English, French, and other languages. In contrast, previous studies have reported "object gap preference" in cleft constructions in Japanese. However, the effect of integrating a filler and its gap may be influenced by the effect…
Traditional, Natural, and TPR Approaches to ESL: A Study of Japanese Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Furuhata, Hamako

1999-01-01

Reports a study of Japanese students' perception of traditional methods versus the natural approach and total physical response (TPR) methods for learning English, and their preferred styles of learning. Subjects were Japanese students attending intensive language schools in the U.S. Students generally preferred innovative methods, such as…
Prospective Foreign Language Teachers' Preference of Teaching Methods for the Language Acquisition Course in Turkish Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

GüvendIr, Emre

2013-01-01

Considering the significance of taking student preferences into account while organizing teaching practices, the current study explores which teaching method prospective foreign language teachers mostly prefer their teacher to use in the language acquisition course. A teaching methods evaluation form that includes six commonly used teaching…
Communicating diabetes in Australian print media: a change in language use between 2010 and 2014?

PubMed

Bailey, Jannine; McCrossin, Timothy

2016-10-01

To assess if language used by Australian print media has changed in accordance with the 2011 Diabetes Australia position statement: a new language for diabetes. Five prominent Australian newspapers were reviewed to retrieve articles from 2010 and 2014 that focused on diabetes or discussed diabetes in detail. Individual terms or phrases used within each article were categorised as preferred language, neutral language or language to avoid. 111 and 79 diabetes-specific articles were retrieved for 2010 and 2014, respectively. A significant decrease (p<0.05) was observed in diabetes articles using language to avoid in 2014 (45.6%) compared to 2010 (70.3%); accompanied by a significant increase (p<0.05) in diabetes articles using preferred language. There was no significant increase in articles that only used preferred language with or without neutral language, indicating that most articles commonly use both preferred language and language to avoid. The Australian print news media has increased use of preferred language when communicating about diabetes, but have not eliminated the use of language to avoid. To realise the goals of the language position statement, continued championing of the recommendations by the health community is needed to ensure awareness and adoption. © 2016 Public Health Association of Australia.
"Trying to Get a Grip": Language Competence and Self-Reported Satisfaction With Social Relationships Three Decades Post-Childhood Traumatic Brain Injury.

PubMed

Atay, Christina; Ryan, Sarah J; Lewis, Fiona M

2016-01-01

(1) To investigate outcomes in language competence and self-reported satisfaction with social relationships in long-term survivors of childhood traumatic brain injury (TBI); and (2) to establish whether language competence contributes to self-reported satisfaction with social relationships decades after sustaining childhood TBI. Twelve females and 8 males aged 30 to 55 (mean = 39.80, standard deviation = 7.54) years who sustained a TBI during childhood and were on average 31 years postinjury (standard deviation = 9.69). An additional 20 participants matched for age, sex, handedness, years of education, and socioeconomic status constituted a control group. Test of Language Competence-Expanded Edition and the Quality of Life in Brain Injury questionnaire. Individuals with a history of childhood TBI performed significantly poorer than their non-injured peers on 2 (Ambiguous Sentences and Oral Expression: Recreating Sentences) out of the 4 Test of Language Competence-Expanded Edition subtests used and on the Quality of Life in Brain Injury subscale assessing satisfaction with social relationships. In the TBI group, scores obtained on the Ambiguous Sentences subtest were found to be a significant predictor of satisfaction with social relationships, explaining 25% of the variance observed. The implication of high-level language skills to self-reported satisfaction with social relationships many decades post-childhood TBI suggests that ongoing monitoring of emerging language skills and support throughout the school years and into adulthood may be warranted if adult survivors of childhood TBI are to experience satisfying social relationships.
Television viewing by young Hispanic children: evidence of heterogeneity.

PubMed

Thompson, Darcy A; Sibinga, Erica M S; Jennings, Jacky M; Bair-Merritt, Megan H; Christakis, Dimitri A

2010-02-01

To determine if hours of daily television viewed by varying age groups of young children with Hispanic mothers differs by maternal language preference and to compare these differences with young children with white mothers. Cross-sectional analysis of data collected in 2000 from the National Survey of Early Childhood Health. Nationally representative sample. One thousand three hundred forty-seven mothers of children aged 4 to 35 months. Subgroups of self-reported maternal race/ethnicity (white or Hispanic) and within Hispanic race/ethnicity, stratification by maternal language preference (English or Spanish). Hours of daily television the child viewed. Bivariate analyses showed that children of English- vs Spanish-speaking Hispanic mothers watched more television daily (1.88 vs 1.31 hours, P < .01). Multivariable regression analyses stratified by age revealed differences by age group. Among 4- to 11-month-old infants, those of English- and Spanish-speaking Hispanic mothers watched similar amounts. However, among children aged 12 to 23 and 24 to 35 months, those of English-speaking Hispanic mothers watched more television than children of Spanish-speaking Hispanic mothers (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17-2.22; IRR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.10-2.51, respectively). Compared with children of white mothers, children of both Hispanic subgroups watched similar amounts among the 4- to 11-month-old group. However, among 12- to 23-month-old children, those of English-speaking Hispanic mothers watched more compared with children of white mothers (IRR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.18-2.11). Among 24- to 35-month-old children, those of English-speaking Hispanic mothers watched similar amounts compared with children of white mothers, but children of Spanish-speaking Hispanic mothers watched less (IRR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.50-0.95). Television-viewing amounts among young children with Hispanic mothers vary by child age and maternal language preference, supporting the need to explore sociocultural factors that influence viewing in Hispanic children.
The Relative Utility of Three English Language Dominance Measures in Predicting the Neuropsychological Performance of HIV+ Bilingual Latino/a Adults

PubMed Central

Miranda, Caitlin; Rentería, Miguel Arce; Fuentes, Armando; Coulehan, Kelly; Arentoft, Alyssa; Byrd, Desiree; Rosario, Ana; Monzones, Jennifer; Morgello, Susan; Mindt, Monica Rivera

2016-01-01

Objective Given the disproportionate impact of neurologic disorders such as HIV on racial/ethnic minorities, neuropsychologists are increasingly evaluating individuals of diverse linguistic backgrounds. This study compares the utility of two brief and one comprehensive language measure to account for variation in English neuropsychological performance within a bilingual population. Method Sixty-two HIV+ English/Spanish bilingual Latino adults completed three language measures in English and Spanish: Self-Reported Language Ability; Verbal Fluency (FAS/PMR); and the Woodcock Munoz Language Survey-Revised (WMLS-R). All participants also completed an English language neuropsychological (NP) battery. Results It was hypothesized that the comprehensive English/Spanish WMLS-R language dominance index (LDI) would be significantly correlated with NP performance, as well as the best predictor of NP performance over and above the two brief language measures. Contrary to our hypothesis, the WMLS-R LDI was not significantly correlated to NP performance, whereas the easily administered Verbal Fluency and Self-Report LDIs were each correlated with global NP performance and multiple NP domains. After accounting for Verbal Fluency and Self-Report LDI in a multivariate regression predicting NP performance, the WMLS-R LDI did not provide a unique contribution to the model. Conclusions These findings suggest that the more comprehensive WMLS-R does not improve understanding of the effects of language on NP performance in an HIV+ bilingual Latino population. PMID:26934820
Clinical relevance of smartphone apps for diabetes management: A global overview.

PubMed

Huang, Zhilian; Soljak, Michael; Boehm, Bernhard Otto; Car, Josip

2018-05-01

We assessed the number, proportion, and clinical relevance of diabetes self-management apps in major languages spoken by 10 countries with the highest number of people with diabetes. China, India, USA, Brazil, Russian Federation, Mexico, Indonesia, Egypt, Japan, and Pakistan were identified as the 10 countries with the largest number of people with diabetes based on the latest NCD-RisC survey. Android and iOS apps in the 10 national languages were extracted with a search strategy. App titles and descriptions were systematically screened by trained reviewers, including apps specific for diabetes self-management and excluding apps for health care providers, general well-being, health and product promotion, and traditional cure. Eighteen apps in the above languages were then downloaded based on availability and popularity and assessed for clinical relevance to diabetes self-management with reference to current clinical guidelines. The diabetes-related search terms identified 3374 Android and 4477 iOS apps, where 1019 Android and 1303 iOS apps were screened as being relevant for diabetes self-management. Chinese and English language apps constitute above 80% of the diabetes apps, have more downloads, and more comprehensive clinically relevant functions compared with other languages. None of the apps assessed met all criteria for information provision and app functionalities nor provided information cited from accredited sources. Our study showed that apps could play an important role in complementing multifaceted diabetes care, but should preferably be regulated, context specific, and more tailored to users' needs with clear guidance for patients and clinicians about the choices. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Direction Asymmetries in Spoken and Signed Language Interpreting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicodemus, Brenda; Emmorey, Karen

2013-01-01

Spoken language (unimodal) interpreters often prefer to interpret from their non-dominant language (L2) into their native language (L1). Anecdotally, signed language (bimodal) interpreters express the opposite bias, preferring to interpret from L1 (spoken language) into L2 (signed language). We conducted a large survey study ("N" =…
Just a preference: racialised language in the sex-seeking profiles of gay and bisexual men.

PubMed

Callander, Denton; Holt, Martin; Newman, Christy E

2012-10-01

Racialised language is a salient and contested aspect of contemporary sexual cultures, particularly in the online domain. This paper explores the ways in which gay men in Australia employ race-related language when using online sex/dating websites. Using inductive content analysis, descriptive categories were developed to identify recurrent patterns in the racialised language employed by website users. A coding framework was then constructed to identify the 'subject' (self, other or concept) of each piece of race-related content, its 'purpose' (marketing, negative or positive discrimination, commentary) and the 'position' adopted (defensive, normalised or critical). Descriptive and comparative analyses revealed differences in the ways in which members of racial groups employed racialised language online. These differences are reviewed in relation to broader discourses on Whiteness and race in Australia, as well as recent community-produced anti-racism campaigns.
A Comparative Analysis of the English-Language Accent Preferences of Prospective and Practicing Businesspersons from around the World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, James C.; Green, Diana J.; Blaszczynski, Carol; Rosewarne, David D.

2007-01-01

Problem: The studies of the English-language accent preferences of prospective and practicing businesspersons from around the world have not been integrated. Research Questions: What are the English-language accent preferences of prospective and practicing businesspersons from around the world, and how are those preferences influenced by the…
Viewers can keep up with fast subtitles: Evidence from eye movements

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

People watch subtitled audiovisual materials more than ever before. With the proliferation of subtitled content, we are also witnessing an increase in subtitle speeds. However, there is an ongoing controversy about what optimum subtitle speeds should be. This study looks into whether viewers can keep up with increasingly fast subtitles and whether the way people cope with subtitled content depends on their familiarity with subtitling and on their knowledge of the language of the film soundtrack. We tested 74 English, Polish and Spanish viewers watching films subtitled at different speeds (12, 16 and 20 characters per second). The films were either in Hungarian, a language unknown to the participants (Experiment 1), or in English (Experiment 2). We measured viewers’ comprehension, self-reported cognitive load, scene and subtitle recognition, preferences and enjoyment. By analyzing people’s eye gaze, we were able to discover that most viewers could read the subtitles as well as follow the images, coping well even with fast subtitle speeds. Slow subtitles triggered more re-reading, particularly in English clips, causing more frustration and less enjoyment. Faster subtitles with unreduced text were preferred in the case of English videos, and slower subtitles with text edited down in Hungarian videos. The results provide empirical grounds for revisiting current subtitling practices to enable more efficient processing of subtitled videos for viewers. PMID:29920538
Outdoor physical activity and its relation with self-reported health in Japanese children: results from the Toyama birth cohort study.

PubMed

Liu, J; Sekine, M; Tatsuse, T; Fujimura, Y; Hamanishi, S; Lu, F; Zheng, X

2015-11-01

Few studies have examined trends in engagement in outdoor physical activity as children grow and whether changes in physical activity at different ages affect children's health. This study determined the preference for and frequency of physical activity among Japanese children from ages 6 to 12 years and investigated the effect of physical activity and of change in physical activity on children's self-reported health. Data were from the prospective, longitudinal Toyama Birth Cohort Study, a total of 5238 children were followed at their age of 12 years. Preference for and frequency of outdoor physical activity were from the self-administered questionnaire. Self-reported health was from the Japanese version of Dartmouth Primary Care Co-operative project charts. Reporting liking and participating in outdoor physical activity at both ages 6 and 12 years were associated with higher likelihood of good self-reported health (Odds ratio 1.24 [95% CI: 1.03-1.50] for liking activity and OR = 1.27[1.08, 1.50] for participating in activity) compared with those who did not like or participate in this at only one or at neither age, after adjustment for lifestyle factors and body pain. The adjusted OR was 1.23 (95% CI: 0.97-1.56) for girls whose preference for liking outdoor physical activity was not changed at both ages compared with those whose preference changed. The OR was 1.47 (95% CI: 1.14-1.89) for boys who persisted in participating in the outdoor physical activity than those who did not persist. There is an association between a persistent expression of liking outdoor physical activity and self- reported health. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Tutorial dynamics and participation in small groups: a student perspective in a multicultural setting.

PubMed

Gill, Emily; Tuck, Ailsa; Lee, Don Wai Gin; Beckert, Lutz

2004-11-05

This study investigated the language and cultural backgrounds of medical students, and explored their perspectives of the influences on student participation in small-group tutorial settings. A task group of students and staff from a variety of cultural backgrounds designed a cross-sectional survey using an anonymous questionnaire. The survey was conducted at the Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences (a campus of the University of Otago). Students attending a 4th-year and a 5th-year lecture were invited to participate. Seventy-five percent of students enrolled in the medical course responded to the survey. Half of the sample self-identified as New Zealand European or Maori. Sixty-four percent of students identified English as their first language. Ninety-one percent of students stated a preference for small-group tutorials rather than lectures. Most students reported that there was a 'lack of prior preparation' by students in these tutorials (no statistically significant difference between students with English as first or second language). Two thirds of students (66%) students felt there was a lack of full participation in small-group teaching. Personality, cultural, and language differences were perceived as contributing factors to the lack of participation. Lack of participation should not be assumed to be due to language difficulties. Barriers to participation are perceived differently by students from a variety of language and cultural backgrounds. Moreover, interactions between students who dominate and under-participate may influence student participation. Further research is needed to determine whether language and cultural backgrounds affect students' participation in small group teaching.
Self-Ratings of Spoken Language Dominance: A Multilingual Naming Test (MINT) and Preliminary Norms for Young and Aging Spanish-English Bilinguals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gollan, Tamar H.; Weissberger, Gali H.; Runnqvist, Elin; Montoya, Rosa I.; Cera, Cynthia M.

2012-01-01

This study investigated correspondence between different measures of bilingual language proficiency contrasting self-report, proficiency interview, and picture naming skills. Fifty-two young (Experiment 1) and 20 aging (Experiment 2) Spanish-English bilinguals provided self-ratings of proficiency level, were interviewed for spoken proficiency, and…
Self-reported sexual desire in homosexual men and women predicts preferences for sexually dimorphic facial cues.

PubMed

Welling, Lisa L M; Singh, Kevin; Puts, David A; Jones, Benedict C; Burriss, Robert P

2013-07-01

Recent studies investigating the relationship between self-reported sexual desire and attraction to same- and opposite-sex individuals have found that homosexual men's sexual desire is positively correlated with their self-reported attraction to own-sex individuals only, while homosexual women's sexual desire is positively correlated with their self-reported attraction to both men and women. These data have been interpreted as evidence that sexual desire strengthens men's pre-existing (i.e., dominant) sexual behaviors and strengthens women's sexual behaviors in general. Here we show that homosexual men's (n = 106) scores on the Sexual Desire Inventory-2 (SDI-2) were positively correlated with their preferences for exaggerated sex-typical shape cues in own-sex, but not opposite-sex, faces. Contrary to the hypothesis that sexual desire strengthens women's preferences for sexual dimorphism generally, homosexual women's (n = 83) SDI-2 scores were positively correlated with their preferences for exaggerated sex-typical shape cues in opposite-sex faces only. Together with previous research in heterosexual subjects, our findings support the proposal that sexual desire increases the incidence of existing sexual behaviors in homosexual and heterosexual men, and increases the incidence of sexual responses more generally in heterosexual women, although not necessarily in homosexual women.

Profiling Language and Culture Strategy Use Patterns of ESL Student Teachers in Study Abroad by Using Self-Reported Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ma, Anne; Wong, Ruth M. H.; Lam, Wendy Y. K.

2015-01-01

This paper addresses a niche in studies on immersion programmes for English as second language learners. While studies on the impact of the experience of studying abroad are replete with reports about the enhancement of participants' language proficiency or intercultural skills, the present study investigates the types of language and culture…
A Comparison of Self-Reported Educational Technology Integration Proficiencies and Evidence-Based Educational Technology Integration Practices among Select Elementary Language Arts Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Monika R.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to use a variety of techniques and data sources, to describe and to compare the self-reported educational technology integration proficiency levels with the evidence-based educational technology integration practices among select elementary language arts teachers. A collective case study design (Stake, 1995) was used…
Does acculturation narrow the health literacy gap between immigrants and non-immigrants-An explorative study.

PubMed

Mantwill, Sarah; Schulz, Peter J

2017-04-01

To compare functional health literacy (HL) levels in three immigrant groups to those of the German- and Italian-speaking non-immigrant population in Switzerland. Moreover, to investigate whether language-independent, respectively language-dependent, functional HL and variables of acculturation were associated with self-reported health status among immigrants. Language-independent HL was assessed with the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy (S-TOFHLA) in the respective native languages. Language-dependent HL was measured using Brief Health Literacy Screeners (BHLS) asking about participants' confidence in understanding medical information in the language of the host country. Measures of acculturation included length of stay and age when taking residency in Switzerland. In particular Albanian- and Portuguese-speaking immigrants had lower levels of functional HL. In unadjusted analysis "age when taking residency in Switzerland" was associated with the BHLS. Adjusted analysis showed that the BHLS were significantly associated with self-reported health among all immigrant groups (p≤0.01). Functional HL that is dependent on understanding of medical information in the language of the new host country is a better predictor for self-reported health status among immigrants than language-independent HL. In the clinical setting limited functional HL might be a significant obstacle to successful disease treatment and prevention in immigrants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Reading anxiety, classroom anxiety, language motivation, reader self-perception, and arabic achievement of Arab-American students learning arabic as a second language.

PubMed

Alkhateeb, Haitham M

2014-12-01

The present study assessed the relations between reading anxiety, classroom anxiety, language motivation, and readers' self-perception for a sample of Arab-American students in Arabic classes. The effects of sex, grade, and years studying Arabic on academic achievement were examined as well. Measures were administered to 118 middle school students (56 boys, 62 girls; M age = 13.0 yr., SD = 0.8), and teachers reported academic grades in Arabic. Reading anxiety was significantly correlated with classroom anxiety and reader self-perception. Classroom anxiety scores were significantly correlated with motivation and reader self-perception. Significant positive correlations were found between language motivation and reader self-perception scores, and between years studying Arabic and reader self-perception scores. Boys in the second year of Arabic had significantly lower classroom anxiety than girls, and students in Grade 7 had higher reader self-perception than those in Grade 8. Classroom anxiety, language motivation, and reader self-perception significantly predicted Arabic achievement. Pedagogical implications are discussed.
Does Preschool Self-Regulation Predict Later Behavior Problems in General or Specific Problem Behaviors?

PubMed

Lonigan, Christopher J; Spiegel, Jamie A; Goodrich, J Marc; Morris, Brittany M; Osborne, Colleen M; Lerner, Matthew D; Phillips, Beth M

2017-11-01

Findings from prior research have consistently indicated significant associations between self-regulation and externalizing behaviors. Significant associations have also been reported between children's language skills and both externalizing behaviors and self-regulation. Few studies to date, however, have examined these relations longitudinally, simultaneously, or with respect to unique clusters of externalizing problems. The current study examined the influence of preschool self-regulation on general and specific externalizing behavior problems in early elementary school and whether these relations were independent of associations between language, self-regulation, and externalizing behaviors in a sample of 815 children (44% female). Additionally, given a general pattern of sex differences in the presentations of externalizing behavior problems, self-regulation, and language skills, sex differences for these associations were examined. Results indicated unique relations of preschool self-regulation and language with both general externalizing behavior problems and specific problems of inattention. In general, self-regulation was a stronger longitudinal correlate of externalizing behavior for boys than it was for girls, and language was a stronger longitudinal predictor of hyperactive/impulsive behavior for girls than it was for boys.
Toddler hand preference trajectories predict 3-year language outcome.

PubMed

Nelson, Eliza L; Gonzalez, Sandy L; Coxe, Stefany; Campbell, Julie M; Marcinowski, Emily C; Michel, George F

2017-11-01

A growing body of work suggests that early motor experience affects development in unexpected domains. In the current study, children's hand preference for role-differentiated bimanual manipulation (RDBM) was measured at monthly intervals from 18 to 24 months of age (N = 90). At 3 years of age, children's language ability was assessed using the Preschool Language Scales 5th edition (PLS™-5). Three distinct RDBM hand preference trajectories were identified using latent class growth analysis: (1) children with a left hand preference but a moderate amount of right hand use; (2) children with a right hand preference but a moderate amount of left hand use; and (3) children with a right hand preference and only a mild amount of left hand use. Stability over time within all three trajectories indicated that children did not change hand use patterns from 18 to 24 months. Children with the greatest amount of preferred (i.e., right) hand use demonstrated higher expressive language scores compared to children in both trajectories with moderate levels of non-preferred hand use. Children with the greatest amount of right hand use also had higher scores for receptive language compared to children with a right hand preference but moderate left hand use. Results support that consistency in handedness as measured by the amount of preferred hand use is related to distal language outcomes in development. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Effects of a School-Based Nutrition Intervention on Fruit and Vegetable Preferences, Self-Efficacy, and Consumption among Low-Income, Hispanic and White Middle-School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCarthy, Erin; Wolff, Cindy; Bianco-Simeral, Stephanie; Crozier, Joseph; Goto, Keiko

2012-01-01

Purpose/Objectives: This study examined the effect of the Harvest of the Month (HOTM) nutrition education intervention program on middle-school students' fruit and vegetable preferences, self-efficacy and attitudes, and self-reported consumption. Perceptions of socio-environmental factors and demographic characteristics were also compared to…
Women's preferences for testing and management of sexually transmitted infections among low-income New York City family planning clients.

PubMed

Jones, H E; Holloway, I W; Pressman, E; Meier, J; Westhoff, C L

2013-06-01

High prevalence of chlamydia in the USA persists despite efforts to annually screen women under the age of 26. Tailoring sexually transmitted infection (STI) services to client preferences may strengthen existing programmes. We report women's preferences for STI services from a family planning clinic in New York City serving low-income women. Seventy-eight percent (995/1275) of eligible women participated, with a mean age of 26 (SD±7). Ninety-one percent self-identified as Latina. Nineteen percent reported a past STI. Women preferred self-collection (65%) for testing to a speculum exam (20%); 15% had no preference. Women with a previous STI were more likely to prefer a pelvic exam to women with no previous STI (50% versus 32%, P < 0.01). Nearly all women (94%) preferred informing a sex partner about a positive STI test themselves, but 88% were willing to bring expedited partner therapy to a partner. Women were more likely to prefer third party partner notification if their last partner was casual rather than a main partner (14% versus 3%, respectively, P < 0.01). Forty-four percent of participants worried about physical violence after partner notification. Self-collecting specimens for screening was widely acceptable. Partner notification strategies should be based on understanding partnership status, including fears of violence.
Self-Rated Attractiveness Moderates the Relationship Between Dark Personality Traits and Romantic Ideals in Women.

PubMed

Birkás, Béla; Láng, András; Meskó, Norbert

2018-02-01

Our study investigated the different mate preferences of the Dark Triad in women. In addition to former studies, we also examined the effect of self-evaluated attractiveness on these preferences. Attractiveness is a high-valued partner attribute, especially in short-term relationships. Accordingly, we predicted that women high in Dark Triad traits prefer characteristics related to short-term mating, because they possess traits favored in short-term relationships. Associations between ideal partner standards and Dark Triad traits were investigated with self-reports: 529 female undergraduate students filled out the Short Dark Triad and the Ideal Standards Scale. Results showed that all three Dark Triad traits were related to unique preferences of mate qualities corresponding to their self-rated partner qualities. Furthermore, despite the differences between the three Dark Triad traits, women's partner preferences were associated with their self-evaluated attractiveness (an indicator of mate value). In summary, according to our findings, qualities advertised by Dark Triad women as potential partner influence their expectation or preferences regarding mates, suggesting homogamous mate choice on the levels of these qualities.
An Evidence-Based Systematic Review of Amplitude Compression in Hearing Aids for School-Age Children With Hearing Loss

PubMed Central

McCreery, Ryan W.; Venediktov, Rebecca A.; Coleman, Jaumeiko J.; Leech, Hillary M.

2013-01-01

Purpose Two clinical questions were developed: one addressing the comparison of linear amplification with compression limiting to linear amplification with peak clipping, and the second comparing wide dynamic range compression with linear amplification for outcomes of audibility, speech recognition, speech and language, and self- or parent report in children with hearing loss. Method Twenty-six databases were systematically searched for studies addressing a clinical question and meeting all inclusion criteria. Studies were evaluated for methodological quality, and effect sizes were reported or calculated when possible. Results The literature search resulted in the inclusion of 8 studies. All 8 studies included comparisons of wide dynamic range compression to linear amplification, and 2 of the 8 studies provided comparisons of compression limiting versus peak clipping. Conclusions Moderate evidence from the included studies demonstrated that audibility was improved and speech recognition was either maintained or improved with wide dynamic range compression as compared with linear amplification. No significant differences were observed between compression limiting and peak clipping on outcomes (i.e., speech recognition and self-/parent report) reported across the 2 studies. Preference ratings appear to be influenced by participant characteristics and environmental factors. Further research is needed before conclusions can confidently be drawn. PMID:22858616
Preferences for Verb Interpretation in Children with Specific Language Impairment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Donna J.; Rice, Mabel L.

1994-01-01

This study examined initial preferences for verb interpretation by 15 5-year-old children with specific language impairment, 15 language-matched children, and 15 age-matched children. Children indicated preferred interpretations of novel verbs from videotapes of motion and change-of-state activity scenes. Findings suggested that children's verb…
Two measures of bilingualism in the memories of immigrants and indigenous minorities: crossover memories and codeswitching.

PubMed

Altman, Carmit

2015-04-01

Two indices of bilingualism, crossover memories and codeswitching (CS), were explored in five groups of immigrant (English-Hebrew, Georgian-Hebrew Russian-Hebrew) and indigenous bilinguals (Arabic-Hebrew, Hebrew-English). Participants recalled memories in response to cue words and then were asked to report the language of retrieval and provide a more elaborate narrative. More memories were 'same language' memories, recalled in the language of the experimental session/cue word, but as many as 48 % of the memories were crossovers, i.e. memories reported in a language other than the language of the session/cue word. In an effort to examine the ecological validity of the self-reported language of the memories, the frequency of CS in the elaborated narratives was investigated. For the entire sample, more CS was found for self-reported crossover memories in L2 sessions. In a further analysis of CS in crossover memories, collapsed across L1 and L2 sessions, significant differences emerged between immigrants and indigenous bilinguals. Differences between immigrant and non-immigrant bilinguals are discussed in terms of the role of activation in crossover memories.
Learning styles and teaching/learning strategy preferences: implications for educating nurses in critical care, the operating room, and infection control.

PubMed

Goldrick, B; Gruendemann, B; Larson, E

1993-01-01

To assess the learning styles and educational strategy preferences among critical care nurses, operating room nurses, and infection control practitioners. Descriptive multicenter survey using a self-report questionnaire. 108 hospitals from nine geographic regions of the United States. A random sample of 303 (93%) nurses in the three specialties responded to the survey questionnaires. The majority of participants (64%) had an abstract learning style and preferred the self-directed, discovery approach to learning. Nurses may be more abstract in their learning styles than previously reported. Experiential learning theory is an effective means of identifying nurses' learning styles and teaching/learning preferences, which can then be used to plan basic and continuing educational programs.
Hand/Wrist Disorders among Sign Language Communicators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Susan M.; Kress, Tyler A.; Hart, William M.

2000-01-01

A study assessed the frequency of self-reported hand/wrist problems among 184 sign-language communicators. Fifty-nine percent reported experiencing hand/wrist problems, 26 percent reported experiencing hand/wrist problems severe enough to limit their ability to work, and 18 percent reported a medical diagnosis of wrist tendinitis, carpal tunnel…
Text mining a self-report back-translation.

PubMed

Blanch, Angel; Aluja, Anton

2016-06-01

There are several recommendations about the routine to undertake when back translating self-report instruments in cross-cultural research. However, text mining methods have been generally ignored within this field. This work describes a text mining innovative application useful to adapt a personality questionnaire to 12 different languages. The method is divided in 3 different stages, a descriptive analysis of the available back-translated instrument versions, a dissimilarity assessment between the source language instrument and the 12 back-translations, and an item assessment of item meaning equivalence. The suggested method contributes to improve the back-translation process of self-report instruments for cross-cultural research in 2 significant intertwined ways. First, it defines a systematic approach to the back translation issue, allowing for a more orderly and informed evaluation concerning the equivalence of different versions of the same instrument in different languages. Second, it provides more accurate instrument back-translations, which has direct implications for the reliability and validity of the instrument's test scores when used in different cultures/languages. In addition, this procedure can be extended to the back-translation of self-reports measuring psychological constructs in clinical assessment. Future research works could refine the suggested methodology and use additional available text mining tools. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).
Patterns of language and auditory dysfunction in 6-year-old children with epilepsy.

PubMed

Selassie, Gunilla Rejnö-Habte; Olsson, Ingrid; Jennische, Margareta

2009-01-01

In a previous study we reported difficulty with expressive language and visuoperceptual ability in preschool children with epilepsy and otherwise normal development. The present study analysed speech and language dysfunction for each individual in relation to epilepsy variables, ear preference, and intelligence in these children and described their auditory function. Twenty 6-year-old children with epilepsy (14 females, 6 males; mean age 6:5 y, range 6 y-6 y 11 mo) and 30 reference children without epilepsy (18 females, 12 males; mean age 6:5 y, range 6 y-6 y 11 mo) were assessed for language and auditory ability. Low scores for the children with epilepsy were analysed with respect to speech-language domains, type of epilepsy, site of epileptiform activity, intelligence, and language laterality. Auditory attention, perception, discrimination, and ear preference were measured with a dichotic listening test, and group comparisons were performed. Children with left-sided partial epilepsy had extensive language dysfunction. Most children with partial epilepsy had phonological dysfunction. Language dysfunction was also found in children with generalized and unclassified epilepsies. The children with epilepsy performed significantly worse than the reference children in auditory attention, perception of vowels and discrimination of consonants for the right ear and had more left ear advantage for vowels, indicating undeveloped language laterality.
"Sounds Good to Me": Canadian Children's Perceptions of Popular Music

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bosacki, Sandra; Francis-Murray, Nancy; Pollon, Dawn E.; Elliott, Anne

2006-01-01

This cross-sectional study explored the role of age and socioeconomic status (SES) in relation to children's popular musical preferences. As part of a larger, multi-method, longitudinal study on children's and adolescents self-views and media preference, the present study investigated the popular music section of a self-report questionnaire. Data…
Applying Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) model to develop an online English writing course for nursing students.

PubMed

Tai, Hung-Cheng; Pan, Mei-Yu; Lee, Bih-O

2015-06-01

Learning English as foreign language and computer technology are two crucial skills for nursing students not only for the use in the medical institutions but also for the communication needs following the trend of globalization. Among language skills, writing has long been ignored in the curriculums although it is a core element of language learning. To apply the TPACK (Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge) model to design an online English writing course for nursing students, and to explore the effects of the course to the students' learning progress as well as their satisfactions and perceptions. A single-group experimental study, utilizing the CEEC (College Entrance Examination Center) writing grading criteria and a self-designed course satisfaction questionnaire, is used. Fifty one nursing students who were in their first/four semesters of the two year vocational pre-registration nursing course in a Taiwan university were selected using convenience sampling. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and repeated measure MANOVA. Qualitative data were analyzed by content analysis. Students' writing competence had been improved significantly in every dimension after the instruction. Only half of the learners preferred online writing compared to the traditional way of writing by hand. Additionally, participants reported that they would prefer to receive feedback from the teacher than peers, yet they did not like the indirect feedback. The teacher perceived the course as meaningful but demanding for both learning and teaching sides. To implement the peer review activities and give feedback on time were two major challenges during the cycles. The TPACK model suggests a comprehensive and effective teaching approach that can help enhance nursing students' English writing performance. Teachers are advised to consider its implementation when designing their syllabus. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Predicting the preferences for involvement in medical decision making among patients with mental disorders

PubMed Central

Michaelis, Svea; Kriston, Levente; Härter, Martin; Watzke, Birgit; Schulz, Holger; Melchior, Hanne

2017-01-01

Background The involvement of patients in medical decision making has been investigated widely in somatic diseases. However, little is known about the preferences for involvement and variables that could predict these preferences in patients with mental disorders. Objective This study aims to determine what roles mentally ill patients actually want to assume when making medical decisions and to identify the variables that could predict this role, including patients’ self-efficacy. Method Demographic and clinical data of 798 patients with mental disorders from three psychotherapeutic units in Germany were elicited using self-report questionnaires. Control preference was measured using the Control Preferences Scale, and patients’ perceived self-efficacy was assessed using the Self-Efficacy Scale. Bivariate and multivariate regression analyses were conducted to investigate the associations between patient variables and control preference. Results Most patients preferred a collaborative role (57.5%), followed by a semi passive (21.2%), a partly autonomous (16.2%), an autonomous (2.8%) and a fully passive (2.3%) role when making medical decisions. Age, sex, diagnosis, employment status, medical pretreatment and perceived self-efficacy were associated with the preference for involvement in the multivariate logistic model. Conclusion Our results confirm the preferences for involvement in medical decisions of mentally ill patients. We reconfirmed previous findings that older patients prefer a shared role over an autonomous role and that subjects with a high qualification prefer a more autonomous role over a shared role. The knowledge about predictors may help strengthen treatment effectiveness because matching the preferred and actual role preferences has been shown to improve clinical outcome. PMID:28837621
Predicting the preferences for involvement in medical decision making among patients with mental disorders.

PubMed

Michaelis, Svea; Kriston, Levente; Härter, Martin; Watzke, Birgit; Schulz, Holger; Melchior, Hanne

2017-01-01

The involvement of patients in medical decision making has been investigated widely in somatic diseases. However, little is known about the preferences for involvement and variables that could predict these preferences in patients with mental disorders. This study aims to determine what roles mentally ill patients actually want to assume when making medical decisions and to identify the variables that could predict this role, including patients' self-efficacy. Demographic and clinical data of 798 patients with mental disorders from three psychotherapeutic units in Germany were elicited using self-report questionnaires. Control preference was measured using the Control Preferences Scale, and patients' perceived self-efficacy was assessed using the Self-Efficacy Scale. Bivariate and multivariate regression analyses were conducted to investigate the associations between patient variables and control preference. Most patients preferred a collaborative role (57.5%), followed by a semi passive (21.2%), a partly autonomous (16.2%), an autonomous (2.8%) and a fully passive (2.3%) role when making medical decisions. Age, sex, diagnosis, employment status, medical pretreatment and perceived self-efficacy were associated with the preference for involvement in the multivariate logistic model. Our results confirm the preferences for involvement in medical decisions of mentally ill patients. We reconfirmed previous findings that older patients prefer a shared role over an autonomous role and that subjects with a high qualification prefer a more autonomous role over a shared role. The knowledge about predictors may help strengthen treatment effectiveness because matching the preferred and actual role preferences has been shown to improve clinical outcome.

Origins of "us" versus "them": prelinguistic infants prefer similar others.

PubMed

Mahajan, Neha; Wynn, Karen

2012-08-01

A central feature of human psychology is our pervasive tendency to divide the social world into "us" and "them". We prefer to associate with those who are similar to us over those who are different, preferentially allocate resources to similar others, and hold more positive beliefs about similar others. Here we investigate the developmental origins of these biases, asking if preference for similar others occurs prior to language and extensive exposure to cultural norms. We demonstrate that, like adults, prelinguistic infants prefer those who share even trivial similarities with themselves, and these preferences appear to reflect a cognitive comparison process ("like me"/"not like me"). However, unlike adults, infants do not appear to prefer others with an utterly arbitrary similarity to themselves. Together, these findings suggest that the phenomena of ingroup bias, and enhanced interpersonal attraction toward those who resemble ourselves, may be rooted in an inherent preference for similarity to self, which itself may be enhanced during development by the influence of cultural values. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Who art thou? Personality predictors of artistic preferences in a large UK sample: the importance of openness.

PubMed

Chamorro-Premuzic, Tomas; Reimers, Stian; Hsu, Anne; Ahmetoglu, Gorkan

2009-08-01

The present study examined individual differences in artistic preferences in a sample of 91,692 participants (60% women and 40% men), aged 13-90 years. Participants completed a Big Five personality inventory (Goldberg, 1999) and provided preference ratings for 24 different paintings corresponding to cubism, renaissance, impressionism, and Japanese art, which loaded on to a latent factor of overall art preferences. As expected, the personality trait openness to experience was the strongest and only consistent personality correlate of artistic preferences, affecting both overall and specific preferences, as well as visits to galleries, and artistic (rather than scientific) self-perception. Overall preferences were also positively influenced by age and visits to art galleries, and to a lesser degree, by artistic self-perception and conscientiousness (negatively). As for specific styles, after overall preferences were accounted for, more agreeable, more conscientious and less open individuals reported higher preference levels for impressionist, younger and more extraverted participants showed higher levels of preference for cubism (as did males), and younger participants, as well as males, reported higher levels of preferences for renaissance. Limitations and recommendations for future research are discussed.
Discrepancy between implicit and explicit preferences for food portions in obesity.

PubMed

Cserjesi, R; De Vos, I; Deroost, N

2016-09-01

We investigated the implicit preference in terms of food portion in obesity using the affective priming paradigm. Primes representing different portions of fast food (small, medium and large) were used to assess participants' readiness to respond to a positive or negative target word. A self-reported affective rating scale of food portion and a portion judgment task were administered to determine the explicit preference for food portion and portion misperception, respectively. The results of the affective priming paradigm showed an implicit preference for large food portions in the obese group. No implicit preference in terms of food portion was found in the non-obese group. The explicit preference measure of food portion demonstrated a rather negative attitude for large portions in the obese group, whereas the non-obese group reported no explicit preference in terms of food portion. Thus, unlike the non-obese group, the obese group showed clear discrepancies between implicit and explicit preferences in terms of food portion: obese participants demonstrated an implicit, but not an explicit preference for large food portions. These results could not be attributed to a misperception of food portion, as revealed by the portion judgment task. The current findings suggest that social desirability might conceal self-reported preference in terms of food portion and/or that obese individuals are less aware of their internal preferences.
Learning Style and Task Performance in Synchronous Computer-Mediated Communication: A Case Study of Iranian EFL Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hedayati, Mohsen; Foomani, Elham Mohammadi

2015-01-01

The study reported here explores whether English as a foreign Language (EFL) learners' preferred ways of learning (i.e., learning styles) affect their task performance in computer-mediated communication (CMC). As Ellis (2010) points out, while the increasing use of different sorts of technology is witnessed in language learning contexts, it is…
Reading, Mathematics, and Science Instructional Strategies for English Language Learners with Disabilities: Insights from Educators Nationwide. ELLs with Disabilities Report 19

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrera, Manuel; Shyyan, Vitaliy; Liu, Kristi K.; Thurlow, Martha L.

2008-01-01

This study, conducted in 2005-06, identified teacher-initiated instructional strategies currently preferred by practitioners who daily work with English language learners (ELLs) with disabilities. The findings generated in this study could potentially confirm strategies identified in the authors' earlier work (Thurlow et al., 2004) through the…
Research Self-Efficacy Sources and Research Motivation in a Foreign Language University Faculty in Mexico: Implications for Educational Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reyes-Cruz, María del Rosario; Perales-Escudero, Moisés Damián

2016-01-01

The research self-efficacy and motivation of foreign language (FL) faculty in periphery countries is under-researched, yet there is a need to understand the impact of public policies that drive such faculty to conduct research. This paper reports a qualitative case study investigating research self-efficacy and research motivation in a group of…
Rethinking Methodology: What Language Diaries Can Offer to the Study of Code Choice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Starks, Donna; Lee, Jeong

2010-01-01

The self-report questionnaire has served as the primary tool for investigating language maintenance in hundreds of communities over the past 40 years. More recently, it has been employed to investigate language shift amongst first-generation communities where one of the most useful indicators of generational change is the reported pattern of…
Self-Injury, Help-Seeking, and the Internet: Informing Online Service Provision for Young People.

PubMed

Frost, Mareka; Casey, Leanne; Rando, Natalie

2016-01-01

Although increasing numbers of young people are seeking help online for self-injury, relatively little is known about their online help-seeking preferences. To investigate the perspectives of young people who self-injure regarding online services, with the aim of informing online service delivery. A mixed-methods exploratory analysis regarding the perspectives of a subsample of young people who reported a history of self-injury and responded to questions regarding preferences for future online help-seeking (N = 457). The sample was identified as part of a larger study (N = 1,463) exploring self-injury and help-seeking. Seven themes emerged in relation to preferences for future online help-seeking: information, guidance, reduced isolation, online culture, facilitation of help-seeking, access, and privacy. Direct contact with a professional via instant messaging was the most highly endorsed form of online support. Young people expressed clear preferences regarding online services for self-injury, supporting the importance of consumer consultation in development of online services.
Self-Reported Frequency of Swearing in English: Do Situational, Psychological and Sociobiographical Variables Have Similar Effects on First and Foreign Language Users?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dewaele, Jean-Marc

2017-01-01

An analysis of data collected from 2347 users of English on their self-reported swearing behaviour in English revealed significant higher values for the 1159 native English (L1) users than for the 1165 English foreign language (LX) users. Parallel analyses on the data of the L1 and LX users revealed that the interlocutor effect was slightly…
Language Preference and Development of Dementia Among Bilingual Individuals

PubMed Central

McMurtray, Aaron; Saito, Erin; Nakamoto, Beau

2015-01-01

In bilingual individuals, regression to a primary language may be associated with development of cognitive impairment and increased risk for development of dementia. This report describes two bilingual patients who presented with early symptoms of dementia after regression to their primary language. The results of this study may help clinicians identify aging bilingual patients who are beginning to develop cognitive impairment or dementia and suggest that further studies on the long term cognitive effects of bilingualism and interactions with the aging process are indicated. PMID:19842364
Language preference and development of dementia among bilingual individuals.

PubMed

McMurtray, Aaron; Saito, Erin; Nakamoto, Beau

2009-10-01

In bilingual individuals, regression to a primary language may be associated with development of cognitive impairment and increased risk for development of dementia. This report describes two bilingual patients who presented with early symptoms of dementia after regression to their primary language. The results of this study may help clinicians identify aging bilingual patients who are beginning to develop cognitive impairment or dementia and suggest that further studies on the long term cognitive effects of bilingualism and interactions with the aging process are indicated.
The Effects of Language on English Language Learners' Music Preferences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gosselin, Pei-Ying Lin

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of songs in different languages on English language learners' (ELLs) music preferences. The participants (N = 62) were Chinese graduate students from a state university in the Midwestern United States. The survey contained nine excerpts from popular songs in three languages: Chinese (the…
Values and Preferences of Individuals with Dementia: Perceptions of Family Caregivers over Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reamy, Allison M.; Kim, Kyungmin; Zarit, Steven H.; Whitlatch, Carol J.

2013-01-01

Purpose of the Study: Cross-sectional evidence indicates that family caregivers reporting on the importance of daily care values and preferences of individuals with mild-to-moderate dementia consistently report less importance than individuals with dementia (IWDs) self-report. Discrepancy is primarily associated with caregivers' beliefs about…
The Use of Sign Language Pronouns by Native-Signing Children with Autism.

PubMed

Shield, Aaron; Meier, Richard P; Tager-Flusberg, Helen

2015-07-01

We report the first study on pronoun use by an under-studied research population, children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exposed to American Sign Language from birth by their deaf parents. Personal pronouns cause difficulties for hearing children with ASD, who sometimes reverse or avoid them. Unlike speech pronouns, sign pronouns are indexical points to self and other. Despite this transparency, we find evidence from an elicitation task and parental report that signing children with ASD avoid sign pronouns in favor of names. An analysis of spontaneous usage showed that all children demonstrated the ability to point, but only children with better-developed sign language produced pronouns. Differences in language abilities and self-representation may explain these phenomena in sign and speech.
Acceptability of self-conducted home-based HIV testing among men who have sex with men in Brazil: data from an on-line survey

PubMed Central

Lippman, Sheri A.; Périssé, André R. S.; Veloso, Valdiléa G.; Sullivan, Patrick S.; Buchbinder, Susan; Sineath, R. Craig; Grinsztejn, Beatriz

2014-01-01

The Brazilian HIV/AIDS epidemic is concentrated among men who have sex with men (MSM), however HIV testing rates among MSM are not commensurate with their risk. Strategies to expand early diagnosis may include use of self-conducted home-based testing kits, which are now available for purchase in the US. In April 2011 we conducted a survey with Brazilian MSM using Facebook to assess HIV testing preferences and acceptability of home-based testing. Among 356 previously tested, HIV-negative MSM, 47% reported a preference for home-based testing, 27% preferred clinic-based testing, and 26% had no preference. Less frequent testers and those who had considered testing but failed to test were more likely to prefer home-based testing. Close to 90% reported that they would use self-test kits; 62% and 54% said they would use home-based testing to make choices about unprotected sex with regular and new partners, respectively. Concerns included difficulty to understand the tests (32%) and receiving results alone (23%). Overall, home-based testing may appeal to MSM and result in increased testing frequency. Research on feasibility and utilization of self-tests in practice is needed. PMID:24896048
An Examination of Cultural Values and Pain Management in Foreign-Born Spanish-Speaking Hispanics Seeking Care at a Federally Qualified Health Center.

PubMed

Torres, Calia A; Thorn, Beverly E; Kapoor, Shweta; DeMonte, Colette

2017-11-01

Most studies done with Hispanics illustrate their preference for self-management practices; therefore, examining the factors driving patients to seek medical care for pain management will help elucidate what patients want and need from their doctors for pain management. The aim of the present study was to obtain patients' perspectives and enhance our understanding of the cultural beliefs influencing pain management decisions of foreign-born Spanish-speaking Hispanics with low acculturation. Twenty-four individuals (17 females and 7 males) with self-reported chronic pain completed the study. Participants attended a focus group and shared about pain management practices and their experiences with medical care for pain management. Descriptive data on pain and mood variables were collected to examine how this population compares with the norms reported in the pain literature for Hispanics. Participants reported a preference for pain self-management and noninvasive medical treatments and expressed negative attitudes toward pain medications, although wanting the option of pain medications as a "last resort." Satisfaction with medical care for pain was highly influenced by the participants' expectations and preference for personal, warm, and friendly interactions. Our findings are consistent with previous reports on Hispanics' preference for self-care practices. Perhaps foreign-born Hispanics may rely on self-care practices and delay medical attention for pain management because of their unfamiliarity with the US health care system. Other potential explanations for a reliance on self-care for pain management involve patients having a limited understanding of or access to effective treatment options for chronic pain and negative experiences with US medical providers. © 2016 American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com
Self-reported tactics of impulse control.

PubMed

Ainslie, G

1987-02-01

Recent behavioral research has suggested that delayed incentives are discounted in a highly concave curve, which should produce temporary preference for the poorer of two alternatives when that alternative is available earlier than the better one. Unlike the psychoanalytic model of impulsiveness, the temporary preference model implies a rational need for people to forestall impulses by committing their choices in advance. A questionnaire elicited college students' and prisoners' self-reports of approval of four basic kinds of precommitting tactics as applied to 14 commonplace temptations. Endorsement of private rules as a precommitting device was correlated with self-reported compulsive personality traits and negatively correlated with endorsement of extra-psychic (social or physical) devices; the latter endorsement was correlated with self-reported oral/paranoid traits. Female subjects endorsed attention control as a precommitting device more than males, and male subjects endorsed extrapsychic devices more than females. The ego psychology of conflict may be practical at the conscious level.
Learner Motivation in Self-Access Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, David; Yung, Kevin W. H.

2017-01-01

This paper reports on the findings of a study looking at students' motivation to engage in self-access language learning (SALL) while taking an English for Academic Purposes course which contains a substantial integrated SALL component. To-date there has been limited research into the motivation of such students but it is an important area of…
Self-Identified "Linguistic Microaggressions" among Monolingual Pre-Service Teachers: Why They Matter for English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shim, Jenna

2017-01-01

Using the concept of "racial microaggressions" as an analytical tool, this study reports on white monolingual pre-service teachers' self-identified linguistic microaggressions by exploring their attitudinal and affective responses to those who speak languages other than English. The assumption is that teachers' pedagogical practices and…
Understanding Transgender Men's Experiences with and Preferences for Cervical Cancer Screening: A Rapid Assessment Survey.

PubMed

Seay, Julia; Ranck, Atticus; Weiss, Roy; Salgado, Christopher; Fein, Lydia; Kobetz, Erin

2017-08-01

Transgender men are less likely than cisgender women to receive cervical cancer screening. The purpose of the current study was to understand experiences with and preferences for cervical cancer screening among transgender men. Ninety-one transgender men ages 21-63 completed the survey. The survey evaluated experiences with and preferences for screening, including opinions regarding human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling as a primary cervical cancer screening. Half (50.5%) of participants did not have Pap smear screening within the past 3 years. The majority (57.1%) of participants preferred HPV self-sampling over provider-collected Pap smear screening. Participants who reported discrimination were more likely to prefer HPV self-sampling (odds ratio = 3.29, 95% confidence interval 1.38-7.84, P = 0.007). Primary HPV testing via HPV self-sampling may improve cervical cancer screening uptake among transgender men. Future work should pilot this innovative cervical cancer screening method within this population.

Contrast of Hand Preferences between Communicative Gestures and Non-Communicative Actions in Baboons: Implications for the Origins of Hemispheric Specialization for Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meguerditchian, Adrien; Vauclair, Jacques

2009-01-01

Gestural communication is a modality considered in the literature as a candidate for determining the ancestral prerequisites of the emergence of human language. As reported in captive chimpanzees and human children, a study in captive baboons revealed that a communicative gesture elicits stronger degree of right-hand bias than non-communicative…
Preferences for (In)Formal Language: Correlations with Attitudes toward Linguistic Variation, Multilingualism, Tolerance of Ambiguity, and Residence Abroad

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Compernolle, Rémi A.

2017-01-01

Drawing on data collected via a web-based survey, the study investigates the relationship between preferences for (in)formal language and attitudes toward linguistic variation among a large group of monolingual and multilingual adults (n = 379). Also explored are the links between preferences for (in)formal language and several secondary…
Patient Perceptions and Preferences of Two Etanercept Autoinjectors for Rheumatoid Arthritis: Findings from a Patient Survey in Europe.

PubMed

Thakur, Kunal; Biberger, Anna; Handrich, Alexandra; Rezk, Mourad Farouk

2016-12-01

Benepali ® was the first etanercept (Enbrel ® ) biosimilar to be approved in the European Union. Both Benepali and Enbrel are available as autoinjector devices. In a recent survey, nurses from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom (UK) reported that their patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) would prefer the Benepali autoinjector compared to the Enbrel MYCLIC autoinjector. To determine whether patients' perceptions were similar to those of the nurses, this survey evaluated patients' perceptions and preferences of the Benepali autoinjector versus the Enbrel MYCLIC autoinjector in the same five European countries. Patients with RA using the Enbrel MYCLIC autoinjector participated in a 25-min, face-to-face questionnaire-interview. Patients were also shown an instructional video and device-handling leaflet, received a live demonstration on the Benepali autoinjector, and had access to both Benepali and Enbrel MYCLIC training autoinjectors. Patients rated the importance of ten autoinjector attributes on a seven-point scale (1 = not important at all; 7 = extremely important) and provided their autoinjector preferences based on specific attributes. Patients also gave their opinion on which autoinjector they would prefer to use for self-injection. Overall, 220 patients participated in the survey (France, n = 30; Germany, n = 65; Italy, n = 67; Spain, n = 12; UK, n = 46). 'Easy to operate the self-injection' was ranked as the most important attribute (mean score of 6.8), followed by 'easy to grip' (6.5), and 'intuitive/self-explaining usage' (6.3). Patients preferred the Benepali autoinjector, with the attribute of 'easier to operate' being a strong differentiator compared to the Enbrel MYCLIC autoinjector. Most patients (74%) reported that they would prefer to use the Benepali autoinjector over the Enbrel MYCLIC autoinjector. 'Easy to operate the self-injection' and 'button-free autoinjector' were key drivers when selecting an autoinjector. Patients in Europe reported a preference for the Benepali autoinjector compared to the Enbrel MYCLIC autoinjector. This finding is consistent with results from a recently reported nurse survey. Biogen.
The dark side of gendered language: The masculine-generic form as a cause for self-report bias.

PubMed

Vainapel, Sigal; Shamir, Opher Y; Tenenbaum, Yulie; Gilam, Gadi

2015-12-01

Language reflects sociocultural structures, such as gender, and affects individuals' perceptions and cognitions. In gendered languages, male-inflected parts of speech are generally used for both sexes (i.e., masculine generics), thus proliferating stereotypes, inequality, and misattributions. We hypothesized that masculine-generic inflection in a questionnaire would bias women's reports compared with a gender-neutral inflection (e.g., "he or she"). We tested our prediction using an academic motivation questionnaire. We found that women reported lower task value and intrinsic goal orientation in the masculine-generic form compared with the gender-neutral form, and lower self-efficacy than men in the masculine-generic form. These findings suggest that questionnaires and surveys written in gendered languages or translated into them may contain construct-irrelevant variance that may undermine the validity of their scores' interpretations, thus risking the possibility of false conclusions. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).
Aging in Australia: country of birth and language preferences of residents in aged care facilities.

PubMed

Petrov, Ljubica; Joyce, Catherine; Gucciardo-Masci, Tonina

2017-09-05

Objective There is a need to better understand the use of aged care services by people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The aim of the present study was to describe the prevalence of people living in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) who were born in non-English-speaking countries and/or have a preferred language other than English and to describe service utilisation rates. Methods The present study consisted of a secondary analysis of data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare National Aged Care Data Clearinghouse. Data were analysed by country of birth, preferred language, state or territory and Aged Care Planning Regions within Victoria. Results Nationally, over 30000 (18.3%) RACF residents were born in a non-English-speaking country. In Victoria, almost one in four RACF residents (23.9%) was born in a non-English-speaking country, and approximately one in eight (13.1%) has a preferred language other than English. Most Victorian RACFs (72.4%) have at least one resident with a preferred language other than English. Approximately one in four residents (26.1%) with a preferred language other than English are the sole speaker of the language in their facility. Conclusion All RACFs need to effectively address the needs and preferences of their residents, including those who were born in a non-English-speaking country or prefer to speak a language other than English. What is known about the topic? The number of older people from a non-English-speaking background continues to increase, but little is known about the prevalence of this cohort living in RACFs and how aged care providers are responding to their needs and preferences. What does this paper add? The present study provides detailed, service- and policy-relevant information, demonstrating a substantial degree of diversity among people living in RACFs, with wide distribution across facilities and regions. The findings confirm the need for a systematic, sector-wide approach to addressing linguistic diversity and developing inclusive practices. What are the implications for practitioners? All RACFs are required to develop policies and procedures in order to cater to the needs and preferences of residents who were born in non-English-speaking countries and/or who prefer to speak a language other than English.
Measuring the Wage Costs of Limited English: Issues with Using Interviewer versus Self-Reports in Determining Latino Wages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamilton, Darrick; Goldsmith, Arthur H.; Darity, William, Jr.

2008-01-01

Scholars have found that poor English proficiency is negatively associated with wages using self-reported measures. However, these estimates may suffer from misclassification bias. Interviewer ratings are likely to more accurately proxy employer assessment of worker language ability. Using self-reported and interviewer ratings from the Multi-City…
Language and the bicultural dialectical self.

PubMed

Boucher, Helen C; O'Dowd, Meghan C

2011-04-01

We examined the effect of language priming on naïve dialecticism, with special attention paid to effects on dialectical beliefs about the self. European Americans responding in English and bilingual Chinese responding in either Chinese or English completed several measures designed to tap dialectical thinking and dialectical self-perceptions, including tolerance of contradiction, change in thoughts and behavior over time and context, holistic beliefs, and self-concept inconsistency. As expected, those answering in Chinese reported greater dialecticism on most of these measures, relative to those responding in English. European American responses were highly similar to those of bilinguals responding in English. We discuss advantages of language priming and offer directions for future research.
Cancer Screening Among Patients Who Self-Identify as Muslim: Combining Self-Reported Data with Medical Records in a Family Practice Setting.

PubMed

Lofters, A K; Slater, M; Vahabi, M

2018-02-01

Cancer screening is a core component of family medicine but screening inequalities are well documented in Canada for foreign-born persons. Although people of Muslim faith and culture are the fastest growing immigrant population in Canada, there is little information in the literature about their cancer screening practices. Determining screening gaps could inform practice-based quality improvement initiatives. We conducted a retrospective chart review combining patient-level medical record data with self-reported religious affiliation to examine the relationship between religion and cancer screening in a large multi-site urban family practice. Religious affiliation was classified as Muslim, other affiliation, or atheist/no religious affiliation. 5311 patients were included in the study sample. Muslim patients were significantly less likely to prefer English for spoken communication than the other two groups, less likely to be Canadian-born, more likely to have a female family physician, and were over-represented in the lowest income quintile. Muslim women were most likely to be up-to-date on breast cancer screening (85.2 vs. 77.5 % for those with other religions vs. 69.5 % for those with no religious affiliation). There were no significant differences in cancer screening by physician sex. In this pilot study conducted within a primary care practice, we used self-reported data on religious affiliation to examine possible inequities in cancer screening and observed intriguing variations in screening by self-identified religious affiliation. Future efforts to collect and use similar patient-level data should incorporate non-official languages and intensively outreach to patients with less health system contact. Regardless, the family medicine context may be the ideal setting to collect and act on patient-level sociodemographic data such as religious affiliation.
Applicants' preference for impression management tactic in employment interviews by Transportation Security Administration.

PubMed

Scudder, Joseph N; Lamude, Kevin G

2009-04-01

Following past findings on employment interviews, this study hypothesized applicants would have a preference for using self-promoting tactics of impression management over other focuses. Self-reports of impression management tactics were collected from 124 applicants who had interviews for screener positions with the Transportation Security Administration. Contrary to the hypothesis, analysis indicated participants reported they used more ingratiation tactics attempting to praise the interviewer than self-promotion tactics which focused on their own accomplishments. Special qualifications for security jobs which required well-developed perceptual abilities and the controlling structure of the interview context were perhaps responsible for present results differing from prior findings.
Word order processing in a second language: from VO to OV.

PubMed

Erdocia, Kepa; Zawiszewski, Adam; Laka, Itziar

2014-12-01

Event-related potential studies on second language processing reveal that L1/L2 differences are due either to proficiency, age of acquisition or grammatical differences between L1 and L2 (Kotz in Brain Lang 109(2-3):68-74, 2009). However, the relative impact of these and other factors in second language processing is still not well understood. Here we present evidence from behavioral and ERP experiments on Basque sentence word order processing by L1Spanish-L2Basque early bilinguals (Age of Aquisition [Formula: see text] 3 years) with very high proficiency in their L2. Results reveal that these L2 speakers have a preference towards canonical Subject-Object-Verb word order, which they processed faster and with greater ease than non-canonical Object-Subject-Verb. This result converges with the processing preferences shown by natives and reported in Erdocia et al. (Brain Lang 109(1):1-17, 2009). However, electrophysiological measures associated to canonical (SOV) and non-canonical (OSV) sentences revealed a different pattern in the non-natives, as compared to that reported previously for natives. The non-native group elicited a P600 component that native group did not show when comparing S and O at sentence's second position. This pattern of results suggests that, despite high proficiency, non-native language processing recruits neural resources that are different from those employed in native languages.
Neural correlates of cognitive dissonance and choice-induced preference change

PubMed Central

Izuma, Keise; Matsumoto, Madoka; Murayama, Kou; Samejima, Kazuyuki; Sadato, Norihiro; Matsumoto, Kenji

2010-01-01

According to many modern economic theories, actions simply reflect an individual's preferences, whereas a psychological phenomenon called “cognitive dissonance” claims that actions can also create preference. Cognitive dissonance theory states that after making a difficult choice between two equally preferred items, the act of rejecting a favorite item induces an uncomfortable feeling (cognitive dissonance), which in turn motivates individuals to change their preferences to match their prior decision (i.e., reducing preference for rejected items). Recently, however, Chen and Risen [Chen K, Risen J (2010) J Pers Soc Psychol 99:573–594] pointed out a serious methodological problem, which casts a doubt on the very existence of this choice-induced preference change as studied over the past 50 y. Here, using a proper control condition and two measures of preferences (self-report and brain activity), we found that the mere act of making a choice can change self-report preference as well as its neural representation (i.e., striatum activity), thus providing strong evidence for choice-induced preference change. Furthermore, our data indicate that the anterior cingulate cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex tracked the degree of cognitive dissonance on a trial-by-trial basis. Our findings provide important insights into the neural basis of how actions can alter an individual's preferences. PMID:21135218
Neural correlates of cognitive dissonance and choice-induced preference change.

PubMed

Izuma, Keise; Matsumoto, Madoka; Murayama, Kou; Samejima, Kazuyuki; Sadato, Norihiro; Matsumoto, Kenji

2010-12-21

According to many modern economic theories, actions simply reflect an individual's preferences, whereas a psychological phenomenon called "cognitive dissonance" claims that actions can also create preference. Cognitive dissonance theory states that after making a difficult choice between two equally preferred items, the act of rejecting a favorite item induces an uncomfortable feeling (cognitive dissonance), which in turn motivates individuals to change their preferences to match their prior decision (i.e., reducing preference for rejected items). Recently, however, Chen and Risen [Chen K, Risen J (2010) J Pers Soc Psychol 99:573-594] pointed out a serious methodological problem, which casts a doubt on the very existence of this choice-induced preference change as studied over the past 50 y. Here, using a proper control condition and two measures of preferences (self-report and brain activity), we found that the mere act of making a choice can change self-report preference as well as its neural representation (i.e., striatum activity), thus providing strong evidence for choice-induced preference change. Furthermore, our data indicate that the anterior cingulate cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex tracked the degree of cognitive dissonance on a trial-by-trial basis. Our findings provide important insights into the neural basis of how actions can alter an individual's preferences.
Object of desire self-consciousness theory.

PubMed

Bogaert, Anthony F; Brotto, Lori A

2014-01-01

In this article, the authors discuss the construct of object of desire self-consciousness, the perception that one is romantically and sexually desirable in another's eyes. The authors discuss the nature of the construct, variations in its expression, and how it may function as part of a self-schemata or script related to romance and sexuality. The authors suggest that object of desire self-consciousness may be an adaptive, evolved psychological mechanism allowing sexual and romantic tactics suitable to one's mate value. The authors also suggest that it can act as a signal that one has high mate value in the sexual marketplace. The authors then review literature (e.g., on fantasies, on sexual activity preferences, on sexual dysfunctions, on language) suggesting that object of desire self-consciousness plays a particularly important role in heterosexual women's sexual/romantic functioning and desires.
Parental Language Mixing: Its Measurement and the Relation of Mixed Input to Young Bilingual Children's Vocabulary Size

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byers-Heinlein, Krista

2013-01-01

Is parental language mixing related to vocabulary acquisition in bilingual infants and children? Bilingual parents (who spoke English and another language; n = 181) completed the Language Mixing Scale questionnaire, a new self-report measure that assesses how frequently parents use words from two different languages in the same sentence, such as…
Exploring and Contrasting EFL Learners' Perceptions of Textbook-Assigned and Self-Selected Discussion Topics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolf, James P.

2013-01-01

In an attempt to explore the significance of a "willingness to communicate" (WTC) variable in second language (L2) acquisition, this article reports on a survey study that investigated 101 Japanese university English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' perceptions of textbook-assigned and self-selected discussion topics. Additionally,…
Implications from Self-Efficacy and Attribution Theories for an Understanding of Undergraduates' Motivation in a Foreign Language Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsieh, Pei-Hsuan Peggy; Schallert, Diane L.

2008-01-01

Although studies on self-efficacy and attribution have independently contributed to the motivation literature, these two constructs have rarely been considered together in the domain of foreign language learning. Here, 500 undergraduates in Spanish, German, and French courses were asked to report whether test scores represented a successful or…
"A Voice from Elsewhere": Acculturation, Personality and Migrants' Self-Perceptions across Languages and Cultures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Panicacci, Alessandra; Dewaele, Jean-Marc

2017-01-01

The majority of multilinguals immersed in different cultures report feeling different when switching languages. Although the influence of personality on self-perceptions has been investigated, little attention has been paid to acculturation aspects. The present study is based on a mixed-method approach combining questionnaire and interview data.…
Virtual Task-Based Situated Language-Learning with "Second Life": Developing EFL Pragmatic Writing and Technological Self-Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdallah, Mahmoud M. S.; Mansour, Marian M.

2015-01-01

This paper reports on an experimental research study that aimed at investigating the effectiveness of employing a virtual task-based situated language learning (TBSLL) environment mediated by Second Life (SL) in developing EFL student teachers' pragmatic writing skills and their technological self-efficacy. To reach this goal, a control-only…
Brain Hemisphericity and Developmental Dyslexia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vlachos, Filippos; Andreou, Eleni; Delliou, Afroditi

2013-01-01

The present study examined the link between brain hemisphericity and dyslexia in secondary school students, using the Preference Test (PT), a widely used self-report index of preferred hemisphere thinking styles. The hypothesis was that differences would be revealed between the dyslexic group and their peers in hemispheric preference. A total of…
The Soundtrack of Recklessness: Musical Preferences among Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arnett, Jeffrey

1992-01-01

Adolescents (n=248) with various musical preferences were compared. Adolescents who preferred hard rock or heavy metal music reported higher rates of reckless behavior and were associated with higher levels of sensation seeking, negative family relationships, and, among girls, lower self-esteem. The relationship between sensation seeking, reckless…

Toward a Testable Developmental Model of Pedophilia: The Development of Erotic Age Preference.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freund, Kurt; Kuban, Michael

1993-01-01

Analysis of retrospective self-reports about childhood curiosity to see persons in the nude, with heterosexual and homosexual pedophiles, gynephiles, and androphiles, suggests that establishment of erotic sex preference proceeded that of age preference, and a greater proportion of pedophiles than gynephiles or androphiles remembered childhood…
A Preliminary Survey of the Preferred Learning Methods for Interpretation Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heinz, Michael

2013-01-01

There are many different methods that individuals use to learn languages like reading books or writing essays. Not all methods are equally successful for second language learners but nor do all successful learners of a second language show identical preferences for learning methods. Additionally, at the highest level of language learning various…
Language experience changes subsequent learning

PubMed Central

Onnis, Luca; Thiessen, Erik

2013-01-01

What are the effects of experience on subsequent learning? We explored the effects of language-specific word order knowledge on the acquisition of sequential conditional information. Korean and English adults were engaged in a sequence learning task involving three different sets of stimuli: auditory linguistic (nonsense syllables), visual non-linguistic (nonsense shapes), and auditory non-linguistic (pure tones). The forward and backward probabilities between adjacent elements generated two equally probable and orthogonal perceptual parses of the elements, such that any significant preference at test must be due to either general cognitive biases, or prior language-induced biases. We found that language modulated parsing preferences with the linguistic stimuli only. Intriguingly, these preferences are congruent with the dominant word order patterns of each language, as corroborated by corpus analyses, and are driven by probabilistic preferences. Furthermore, although the Korean individuals had received extensive formal explicit training in English and lived in an English-speaking environment, they exhibited statistical learning biases congruent with their native language. Our findings suggest that mechanisms of statistical sequential learning are implicated in language across the lifespan, and experience with language may affect cognitive processes and later learning. PMID:23200510
[Traumatic Events, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Utilization of Psychotherapy in Immigrants of Polish Origin in Germany].

PubMed

Morawa, Eva; Erim, Yesim

2016-09-01

In 253 persons of Polish origin in Germany traumatic events and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were examined with the Essen Trauma Inventory (ETI). The utilization of psychotherapy and psychotropic drugs as well as the preferred language in the psychotherapy were also measured. At least one traumatic event was reported in 77.5% of the probands. Severe disease (52.6%) and death or loss of an important person (32.0%) were reported most frequently. In the psychometric assessment indices for a positive PTSD diagnosis were given among 6.2%. At the time of investigation, 3.6% of the immigrants were in psychiatric/psychotherapeutic treatment or were taking psychotropic drugs, respectively. More than half (53.9%) of the sample preferred Polish as the language for the psychotherapy. The study demonstrates a high frequency of PTSD in immigrants of Polish origin. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.
Weak hand preference in children with down syndrome is associated with language deficits.

PubMed

Groen, M A; Yasin, I; Laws, G; Barry, J G; Bishop, D V M

2008-04-01

This study explores associations between language ability and hand preference in children with Down syndrome. Compared to typically developing children of the same age, children with Down syndrome showed weaker hand preference, were less consistent in the hand they used and also less willing to reach to extreme positions in contralateral space. Within the group of children with Down syndrome, those who showed a stronger or more consistent hand preference had better language and memory skills. This association could not be explained by differences in non-verbal cognitive ability or hearing loss. These findings are discussed within the theory of neurolinguistic development proposed by Locke [Locke (1997). Brain & Language, 58, 265-326].
To what extent is treatment adherence of psychiatric patients influenced by their participation in shared decision making?

PubMed

De Las Cuevas, Carlos; Peñate, Wenceslao; de Rivera, Luis

2014-01-01

Nonadherence to prescribed medications is a significant barrier to the successful treatment of psychiatric disorders in clinical practice. It has been argued that patient participation in shared decision making improves adherence to treatment plans. To assess to what extent treatment adherence of psychiatric patients is influenced by the concordance between their preferred participation and their actual participation in decision making. A total of 967 consecutive psychiatric outpatients completed the Control Preference Scale twice consecutively before consultation, one for their preferences of participation, and the other for the style they had usually experienced until then, and the eight-item self-report Morisky Medication Adherence Scale 8. Most psychiatric outpatients preferred a collaborative role in decision making. Congruence was achieved in only 50% of the patients, with most mismatch cases preferring more involvement than had been experienced. Self-reported adherence was significantly higher in those patients in whom there was concordance between their preferences and their experiences of participation in decision making, regardless of the type of participation preferred. Congruence between patients' preferences and actual experiences for level of participation in shared decision making is relevant for their adherence to treatment.
A comparison of widowhood and well-being among older Greek and British-Australian migrant women.

PubMed

Panagiotopoulos, Georgia; Walker, Ruth; Luszcz, Mary

2013-12-01

The impact of widowhood on well-being has been well-documented, but to date has not focused extensively on the experience of older migrants who have aged in a foreign land. This study aimed to examine the well-being of older migrant widows from two groups in South Australia: British-born (n=61) and Greek-born (n=60) Australian migrants, who had been widowed, on average, 13 years. All participants completed a self-report questionnaire in their preferred language. Three indicators of current well-being (self-rated health, depression and loneliness) as well as variables expected to differ cross-culturally, and potentially influence well-being (mourning rituals; continuing bonds to one's spouse; religiosity; social support) were measured. Greek-born widows displayed higher levels of mourning rituals, continuing bonds and religiosity than the British. Both groups perceived similarly high levels of familial social support. Greek widows also reported worse self-rated health, and increased symptoms of depression and loneliness compared to the British. This paper suggests that the detrimental impact of widowhood on well-being may be greater for non-English speaking migrants who are ageing outside of their country of origin, and who, despite residing in an English-speaking host country for several decades, have retained the linguistic, cultural and religious practices and traditions of their home country. © 2013.
Impact of student ethnicity and primary childhood language on communication skill assessment in a clinical performance examination.

PubMed

Fernandez, Alicia; Wang, Frances; Braveman, Melissa; Finkas, Lindsay K; Hauer, Karen E

2007-08-01

Clinical performance examinations (CPX) with standardized patients (SPs) have become a preferred method to assess communication skills in US medical schools. Little is known about how trainees' backgrounds impact CPX performance. The objective of this paper is to examine the impact of student ethnicity, primary childhood language, and experience of diversity on the communication scores of a high-stakes CPX using SPs. This research was designed as an observational study. The participants of this study were third-year medical students at one US medical school. The measurements used in this study were CPX scores from mandatory exam, student demographics and experience with diversity measured by self-report on a survey, and Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) scores. A total of 135 students participated. Asian and black students scored lower than white students on the communication portion of the CPX by approximately half a standard deviation (Asian, 67.4%; black, 64.4%; white, 69.4%, p < .05). There were no differences by ethnicity on history/physical exam scores. Multivariate analysis controlling for MCAT verbal scores reduced ethnic differences in communication scores (Asian-white mean differences = 1.95, p = 0.02), but Asian-white differences were eliminated only after sequential models included primary childhood language (difference = 0.57, p = 0.6). Even after controlling for English language knowledge as measured in MCAT verbal scores, speaking a primary childhood language other than English is associated with lower CPX communication scores for Asian students. While poorer communication skills cannot be ruled out, SP exams may contain measurement bias associated with differences in childhood language or culture. Caution is indicated when interpreting CPX communication scores among diverse examinees.
Preventive attitudes and beliefs of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals.

PubMed

Tamaskar, P; Malia, T; Stern, C; Gorenflo, D; Meador, H; Zazove, P

2000-06-01

To investigate the unique health care issues of deaf and hard-of-hearing (D&HH) persons by studying their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors toward preventive medicine. A self-administered, cross-sectional survey, written in a format comprehensible to persons whose primary language is American Sign Language. One hundred forty D&HH persons recruited from southeastern Michigan, Chicago, Ill, and Rochester, NY, and 76 hearing subjects from southeastern Michigan and Rochester. No significant differences existed between D&HH or hearing persons from different states. However, numerous differences existed between D&HH and hearing persons. Deaf and hard-of-hearing persons were less likely to report receiving preventive information from physicians or the media, and more likely to report receiving it from a Deaf club. They rated the following physician-initiated procedures as less important than hearing persons: discussion of alcohol consumption, smoking, depression, and diet, plus screening for hypertension, hearing loss, and cancer. Deaf and hard-of-hearing persons often considered a preventive procedure important if it was reported performed at their last health maintenance examination. They were less likely to report being asked about alcohol consumption and smoking, or to having been examined for hypertension, cancer, height, and weight. They were more likely to report receiving a hearing examination, mammogram, and Papanicolaou smear. Deaf and hard-of-hearing persons were less likely to report believing that smoking less, exercising regularly, maintaining ideal weight, and regular physical examinations improve health. Differences existed within the D&HH cohort depending on the respondent's preferred language (oral English vs American Sign Language); our sample size was too small for a complete assessment of these differences. Deaf and hard-of-hearing persons appear to have unique knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding preventive medicine, and their attitudes are influenced by their personal experiences with physicians. Preventive practices addressed during health visits may differ between D&HH and hearing patients. Further research is needed to clarify the reasons for these differences, including within D&HH subgroups, and to develop effective mechanisms to improve the health care of all D&HH persons.
A Selective Mutism Arising from First Language Attrition, Successfully Treated with Paroxetine-CBT Combination Treatment.

PubMed

Serra, Agostino; Di Mauro, Paola; Andaloro, Claudio; Maiolino, Luigi; Pavone, Piero; Cocuzza, Salvatore

2015-10-01

After immersion in a foreign language, speakers often have difficulty retrieving native-language words and may experience a decrease in its proficiency, this phenomenon, in the non-pathological form, is known as first language attrition. Self-perception of this low native-language proficiency and apprehension occurring when speaking is expected and, may sometimes lead these people to a state of social anxiety and, in extreme forms, can involve the withholding of speech as a primitive tool for self-protection, linking them to selective mutism. We report an unusual case of selective mutism arising from first language attrition in an Italian girl after attending a two-year "German language school", who successfully responded to a paroxetine-cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) combination treatment.
A Selective Mutism Arising from First Language Attrition, Successfully Treated with Paroxetine-CBT Combination Treatment

PubMed Central

Serra, Agostino; Di Mauro, Paola; Andaloro, Claudio; Maiolino, Luigi; Pavone, Piero

2015-01-01

After immersion in a foreign language, speakers often have difficulty retrieving native-language words and may experience a decrease in its proficiency, this phenomenon, in the non-pathological form, is known as first language attrition. Self-perception of this low native-language proficiency and apprehension occurring when speaking is expected and, may sometimes lead these people to a state of social anxiety and, in extreme forms, can involve the withholding of speech as a primitive tool for self-protection, linking them to selective mutism. We report an unusual case of selective mutism arising from first language attrition in an Italian girl after attending a two-year "German language school", who successfully responded to a paroxetine-cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) combination treatment. PMID:26508972
Language Vitality among the Mako Communities of the Ventuari River

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosés Labrada, Jorge Emilio

2017-01-01

Mako [ISO 639-3: wpc], a Sáliban language spoken along the Ventuari River in the Venezuelan Amazon, has been variably reported as (critically) endangered and threatened. These reports, however, are based on second-hand information and/or self-reported census data. In this article, I present a vitality assessment of Mako that relies on first-hand…
Learning a Minoritized Language in a Majority Language Context: Student Agency and the Creation of Micro-Immersion Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DePalma, Renée

2015-01-01

This study investigates the self-reported experiences of students participating in a Galician language and culture course. Galician, a language historically spoken in northwestern Spain, has been losing ground with respect to Spanish, particularly in urban areas and among the younger generations. The research specifically focuses on informal…
Aesthetic breast shape preferences among plastic surgeons.

PubMed

Broer, Peter Niclas; Juran, Sabrina; Walker, Marc E; Ng, Reuben; Weichman, Katie; Tanna, Neil; Liu, Yuen-Jong; Shah, Ajul; Patel, Anup; Persing, John A; Thomson, James Grant

2015-06-01

There has been little discussion in the plastic surgery literature regarding breast shape preferences among plastic surgeons, despite strong evidence that such aesthetic preferences are influenced by multiple factors. Much effort has been focused on delineating the objective criteria by which an "attractive" breast might be defined. This study aimed at providing a better understanding of the presence and significance of differences in personal aesthetic perception, and how these relate to a plastic surgeon's demographic, ethnic, and cultural background, as well as practice type (academic vs private). An interactive online survey was designed. Modifiable ranges of upper pole fullness and areola size were achieved via digital alteration, enabling participants to interactively change the shape of a model's breasts. The questionnaire was translated into multiple languages and sent to plastic surgeons worldwide. Demographic data were also collected. Analysis of variance was used to elucidate plastic surgeon's breast shape preferences in respect to sex and age, geographic and ethnic background, as well as practice type. The authors gathered 614 responses from 29 different countries. Significant differences regarding preferences for upper pole fullness, areola size in the natural breast, and areola size in the augmented breast were identified across surgeons from the different countries. Further, significant relationships regarding breast shape preferences were distilled between the age and sex of the surgeon, as well as the practice type. No differences were found in respect to the surgeons' self-reported ethnic background. Country of residence, age, and practice type significantly impact breast shape preferences of plastic surgeons. These findings have implications for both patients seeking and surgeons performing cosmetic and reconstructive breast surgery. In an increasingly global environment, cultural differences and international variability must be considered when defining and publishing new techniques and aesthetic outcomes. When both the plastic surgeon and the patient are able to adequately and effectively communicate their preferences regarding the shape and relations of the breast, they will be more successful at achieving satisfying results.
Social desirability bias in self-reported dietary, physical activity and weight concerns measures in 8- to 10-year-old African-American girls: results from the Girls Health Enrichment Multisite Studies (GEMS).

PubMed

Klesges, Lisa M; Baranowski, Tom; Beech, Bettina; Cullen, Karen; Murray, David M; Rochon, Jim; Pratt, Charlotte

2004-05-01

Social desirability (SocD) may bias children's self-reported health behaviors and attitudes and confound relationships with health outcome measures. Ninety-five, 8- to 10-year-old African-American girls completed dietary recalls, a physical activity checklist, psychosocial questionnaires related to diet, and physical activity; and 3 days of physical activity monitoring. Potential SocD construct bias was investigated by comparing designated criterion measures of physical activity, beverage intake, and body mass index (BMI) with respective self-reported measures related to activity, beverage preferences, and body image and weight concerns in cross-sectional regression models. Potential confounding by SocD of associations between self-reported behaviors with BMI was assessed using change-in-coefficient regression analyses. Controlling for age and BMI, overestimates of self-reported activity (P = 0.02), underestimates of sweetened beverage preferences (P = 0.02), and lower ratings of weight concerns and dieting behaviors (P's < 0.05) were related to SocD. Confounding by SocD of associations between self-reported physical activity and energy intake with BMI was found. In 8- to 10-year-old African-American girls, SocD was found to bias self-reports of diet and physical activity and confound associations between BMI and self-reported physical activity and energy intake. Methods to measure and control SocD bias are needed to reduce potential distortion of relationships between diet and physical activity and health outcomes.
Quantifying Preferences for the Natural World Using Monetary and Nonmonetary Assessments of Value

PubMed Central

DALLIMER, MARTIN; TINCH, DUGALD; HANLEY, NICK; IRVINE, KATHERINE N; ROUQUETTE, JAMES R; WARREN, PHILIP H; MALTBY, LORRAINE; GASTON, KEVIN J; ARMSWORTH, PAUL R

2014-01-01

Given that funds for biodiversity conservation are limited, there is a need to understand people’s preferences for its different components. To date, such preferences have largely been measured in monetary terms. However, how people value biodiversity may differ from economic theory, and there is little consensus over whether monetary metrics are always appropriate or the degree to which other methods offer alternative and complementary perspectives on value. We used a choice experiment to compare monetary amounts recreational visitors to urban green spaces were willing to pay for biodiversity enhancement (increases in species richness for birds, plants, and aquatic macroinvertebrates) with self-reported psychological gains in well-being derived from visiting the same sites. Willingness-to-pay (WTP) estimates were significant and positive, and respondents reported high gains in well-being across 3 axes derived from environmental psychology theories (reflection, attachment, continuity with past). The 2 metrics were broadly congruent. Participants with above-median self-reported well-being scores were willing to pay significantly higher amounts for enhancing species richness than those with below-median scores, regardless of taxon. The socio-economic and demographic background of participants played little role in determining either their well-being or the probability of choosing a paying option within the choice experiment. Site-level environmental characteristics were only somewhat related to WTP, but showed strong associations with self-reported well-being. Both approaches are likely to reflect a combination of the environmental properties of a site and unobserved individual preference heterogeneity for the natural world. Our results suggest that either metric will deliver mutually consistent results in an assessment of environmental preferences, although which approach is preferable depends on why one wishes to measure values for the natural world. PMID:24372643
Development of patient-centric linguistically tailored psychoeducational messages to support nutrition and medication self-management in type 2 diabetes: a feasibility study

PubMed Central

Ellis, Rebecca J Bartlett; Connor, Ulla; Marshall, James

2014-01-01

Purpose This study evaluated the feasibility of developing linguistically tailored educational messages designed to match the linguistic styles of patients segmented into types with the Descriptor™, and to determine patient preferences for tailored or standard messages based on their segments. Patients and methods Twenty patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) were recruited from a diabetes health clinic. Participants were segmented using the Descriptor™, a language-based questionnaire, to identify patient types based on their control orientation (internal/external), agency (high/low), and affect (positive/negative), which are well studied constructs related to T2DM self-management. Two of the seven self-care behaviors described by the American Association of Diabetes Educators (healthy eating and taking medication) were used to develop standard messages and then linguistically tailored using features of the six different construct segment types of the Descriptor™. A subset of seven participants each provided feedback on their preference for standard or linguistically tailored messages; 12 comparisons between standard and tailored messages were made. Results Overall, the tailored messages were preferred to the standard messages. When the messages were matched to specific construct segment types, the tailored messages were preferred over the standard messages, although this was not statistically significant. Conclusion Linguistically tailoring messages based on construct segments is feasible. Furthermore, tailored messages were more often preferred over standard messages. This study provides some preliminary evidence for tailoring messages based on the linguistic features of control orientation, agency, and affect. The messages developed in this study should be tested in a larger more representative sample. The present study did not explore whether tailored messages were better understood. This research will serve as preliminary evidence to develop future studies with the ultimate goal to design intervention studies to investigate if linguistically tailoring communication within the context of patient education influences patient knowledge, motivation, and activation toward making healthy behavior changes in T2DM self-management. PMID:25336928
Acceptability of self-collection sampling for HPV-DNA testing in low-resource settings: a mixed methods approach.

PubMed

Bansil, Pooja; Wittet, Scott; Lim, Jeanette L; Winkler, Jennifer L; Paul, Proma; Jeronimo, Jose

2014-06-12

Vaginal self-sampling with HPV-DNA tests is a promising primary screening method for cervical cancer. However, women's experiences, concerns and the acceptability of such tests in low-resource settings remain unknown. In India, Nicaragua, and Uganda, a mixed-method design was used to collect data from surveys (N = 3,863), qualitative interviews (N = 72; 20 providers and 52 women) and focus groups (N = 30 women) on women's and providers' experiences with self-sampling, women's opinions of sampling at home, and their future needs. Among surveyed women, 90% provided a self- collected sample. Of these, 75% reported it was easy, although 52% were initially concerned about hurting themselves and 24% were worried about not getting a good sample. Most surveyed women preferred self-sampling (78%). However it was not clear if they responded to the privacy of self-sampling or the convenience of avoiding a pelvic examination, or both. In follow-up interviews, most women reported that they didn't mind self-sampling, but many preferred to have a provider collect the vaginal sample. Most women also preferred clinic-based screening (as opposed to home-based self-sampling), because the sample could be collected by a provider, women could receive treatment if needed, and the clinic was sanitary and provided privacy. Self-sampling acceptability was higher when providers prepared women through education, allowed women to examine the collection brush, and were present during the self-collection process. Among survey respondents, aids that would facilitate self-sampling in the future were: staff help (53%), additional images in the illustrated instructions (31%), and a chance to practice beforehand with a doll/model (26%). Self-and vaginal-sampling are widely acceptable among women in low-resource settings. Providers have a unique opportunity to educate and prepare women for self-sampling and be flexible in accommodating women's preference for self-sampling.
Subjective Fatigue in Children With Hearing Loss Assessed Using Self- and Parent-Proxy Report

PubMed Central

Gustafson, Samantha J.; Lancaster, Hope; Cho, Sun-Joo; Camarata, Stephen; Bess, Fred H.

2017-01-01

Purpose The primary purposes of this study were to examine the effects of hearing loss and respondent type (self- vs. parent-proxy report) on subjective fatigue in children. We also examined associations between child-specific factors and fatigue ratings. Method Subjective fatigue was assessed using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Multidimensional Fatigue Scale (PedsQL-MFS; Varni, Burwinkle, Katz, Meeske, & Dickinson, 2002). We compared self- and parent-proxy ratings from 60 children with hearing loss (CHL) and 43 children with normal hearing (CNH). The children ranged in age from 6 to 12 years. Results School-age CHL experienced more overall and cognitive fatigue than CNH, although the differences were smaller than previously reported. Parent-proxy report was not strongly associated with child self-report, and parents tended to underestimate their child's fatigue, particularly sleep/rest fatigue. Language ability was also associated with subjective fatigue. For CHL and CNH, as language abilities increased, cognitive fatigue decreased. Conclusions School-age CHL experience more subjective fatigue than CNH. The poor association between parent-proxy and child reports suggests that the parent-proxy version of the PedsQL-MFS should not be used in isolation when assessing fatigue in school-age children. Future research should examine how language abilities may modulate fatigue and its potential academic consequences in CHL. PMID:29049623
Age, Cohort and Perceived Age Discrimination: Using the Life Course to Assess Self-Reported Age Discrimination

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gee, Gilbert C.; Pavalko, Eliza K.; Long, J. Scott

2007-01-01

Self-reported discrimination is linked to diminished well-being, but the processes generating these reports remain poorly understood. Employing the life course perspective, this paper examines the correspondence between expected age preferences for workers and perceived age discrimination among a nationally representative sample of 7,225 working…

Young women's food preferences and taste responsiveness to 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP).

PubMed

Kaminski, L C; Henderson, S A; Drewnowski, A

2000-03-01

This study examined links between taste responsiveness to 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP), a heritable trait, and sensory responses to six common foods. Sixty-three young women subjects were divided into PROP tasters (n = 25) and nontasters (n = 25), based on their responses to PROP-impregnated filter paper and mean bitterness intensity ratings for seven PROP solutions. Thirteen subjects were excluded as unclassifiable. The 50 subjects sampled Brussels sprouts, broccoli, spinach, black coffee, soy milk, and soybean tofu. Sensory ratings for bitter intensity; pleasantness of taste, odor, and texture, and overall food acceptability scores were obtained using nine-point category scales. All subjects completed a food-preference checklist and a modified food-frequency questionnaire. PROP tasters rated Brussels sprouts as more bitter than did nontasters (p<0.05). Subjects who perceived the foods as more bitter also rated them as less pleasant and less acceptable. Taste preferences and food preferences were linked. Self-reported food preferences and self-reported frequencies of consumption for the same foods were also linked. Taste factors and food preferences may impact dietary choices and the frequency of food consumption.
Preferred Learning Styles in the Second Language Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cincotta, Madeline Strong

1998-01-01

Outlines the preferred learning styles of students studying second languages, offering suggestions for their application in second-language classrooms. The paper describes the right-brain/left-brain theory and how the two brain hemispheres are involved in learning; presents four classroom strategies (diversification, contextualization,…
The interface of language proficiency and identity: a profile analysis of bilingual adolescents and their writing.

PubMed

Danzak, Robin L

2011-10-01

The purpose of this study was to explore how adolescent English language learners' (ELLs') language and literacy experiences impacted their identities as bilingual writers. Six students were randomly selected from a group of 20 Spanish-speaking ELLs, ages 11-14, who participated in a larger, mixed-methods study on bilingual writing (see Danzak, 2011). The participants produced 10 written journal entries in their language of choice (English, Spanish, or both) and were interviewed. Qualitative analyses were applied to the participants' writing and interviews, both individually and cross-case. Findings were integrated to some extent with the outcomes of quantitative measures applied to the students' writing. Three patterns emerged: ethnic differences, language discrimination, and language preference. Also, the students' self-identification as monolingual or bilingual was reflected in their attitudes toward language learning and their outcomes on writing measures. Three portraits of emerging bilingual writers are discussed: struggling emerging, dominant emerging, and balanced emerging. Language and literacy learning strategies are recommended for each. Qualitative profiles of adolescent ELLs offer an understanding of students' experiences and identities that augments information provided by quantitative writing measures. Additionally, a mixed-methods profile analysis may aid in the identification of adolescent ELLs who may be struggling with undiagnosed language learning disabilities.
Social Stress in Young People with Specific Language Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wadman, Ruth; Durkin, Kevin; Conti-Ramsden, Gina

2011-01-01

Social interactions can be a source of social stress for adolescents. Little is known about how adolescents with developmental difficulties, such as specific language impairment (SLI), feel when interacting socially. Participants included 28 adolescents with SLI and 28 adolescents with typical language abilities (TL). Self-report measures of…
Foreign Language/Area Studies Enhancement Project. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Felker, William; Fuller, Clark

The Foreign Language/Area Studies Enhancement Program at Central State University (Ohio) is an experience-centered work and study program in Africa designed to give students training in language, culture, and technology. It parallels and supports the university's northern Senegal water management project designed to promote self-sufficiency among…
JPRS Report, Near East & South Asia.

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-03-08

23 Dec] 38 Obaidur Rahman Interview [THE NEW NATION 26 Dec] 38 Press Conference Told of New Party, ’Unity Process ’ [THE BANGLADESH OBSERVER 5...5 Feb] 58 Editorial Urges Freedom of Information Act [THE MUSLIM 3 Feb] 59 English Language Seen Necessary for National Progress • 59 Medium...for Learning Modern Languages [THE FRONTIER POST 2 Feb] 59 Students Prefer English [THE FRONTIER POST 27 Feb] 60 Urdu Said Failure as National
Influence of Grade Level on Perceptual Learning Style Preferences and Language Learning Strategies of Taiwanese English as a Foreign Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Mei-Ling

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between grade level, perceptual learning style preferences, and language learning strategies among Taiwanese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students in grades 7 through 9. Three hundred and ninety junior high school students participated in this study. The instruments for data…
Language experience changes subsequent learning.

PubMed

Onnis, Luca; Thiessen, Erik

2013-02-01

What are the effects of experience on subsequent learning? We explored the effects of language-specific word order knowledge on the acquisition of sequential conditional information. Korean and English adults were engaged in a sequence learning task involving three different sets of stimuli: auditory linguistic (nonsense syllables), visual non-linguistic (nonsense shapes), and auditory non-linguistic (pure tones). The forward and backward probabilities between adjacent elements generated two equally probable and orthogonal perceptual parses of the elements, such that any significant preference at test must be due to either general cognitive biases, or prior language-induced biases. We found that language modulated parsing preferences with the linguistic stimuli only. Intriguingly, these preferences are congruent with the dominant word order patterns of each language, as corroborated by corpus analyses, and are driven by probabilistic preferences. Furthermore, although the Korean individuals had received extensive formal explicit training in English and lived in an English-speaking environment, they exhibited statistical learning biases congruent with their native language. Our findings suggest that mechanisms of statistical sequential learning are implicated in language across the lifespan, and experience with language may affect cognitive processes and later learning. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Experiences of French Speaking Immigrants and Non-immigrants Accessing Health Care Services in a Large Canadian City

PubMed Central

Ngwakongnwi, Emmanuel; Hemmelgarn, Brenda R.; Musto, Richard; Quan, Hude; King-Shier, Kathryn M.

2012-01-01

French speakers residing in predominantly English-speaking communities have been linked to difficulties accessing health care. This study examined health care access experiences of immigrants and non-immigrants who self-identify as Francophone or French speakers in a mainly English speaking province of Canada. We used semi-structured interviews to gather opinions of recent users of physician and hospital services (N = 26). Language barriers and difficulties finding family doctors were experienced by both French speaking immigrants and non-immigrants alike. This was exacerbated by a general preference for health services in French and less interest in using language interpreters during a medical consultation. Some participants experienced emotional distress, were discontent with care received, often delayed seeking care due to language barriers. Recent immigrants identified lack of insurance coverage for drugs, transportation difficulties and limited knowledge of the healthcare system as major detractors to achieving health. This study provided the groundwork for future research on health issues of official language minorities in Canada. PMID:23202772
Colorectal Cancer Screening: Preferences, Past Behavior, and Future Intentions.

PubMed

Mansfield, Carol; Ekwueme, Donatus U; Tangka, Florence K L; Brown, Derek S; Smith, Judith Lee; Guy, Gery P; Li, Chunyu; Hauber, Brett

2018-05-09

Screening rates for colorectal cancer are below the Healthy People 2020 goal. There are several colorectal cancer screening tests that differ in terms of accuracy, recommended frequency, and administration. In this article, we compare how a set of personal characteristics correlates with preferences for colorectal cancer screening test attributes, past colorectal cancer screening behavior, and future colorectal cancer screening intentions. We conducted a discrete-choice experiment survey to assess relative preferences for attributes of colorectal cancer screening tests among adults aged 50-75 years in USA. We used a latent class logit model to identify classes of preferences and calculated willingness to pay for changes in test attributes. A set of personal characteristics were included in the latent class analysis and analyses of self-reported past screening behavior and self-assessed likelihood of future colorectal cancer screening. Latent class analysis identified three types of respondents. Class 1 valued test accuracy, class 2 valued removing polyps and avoiding discomfort, and class 3 valued cost. Having had a prior colonoscopy and a higher income were predictors of the likelihood of future screening and membership in classes 1 and 2. Health insurance and a self-reported higher risk of developing colorectal cancer were associated with prior screening and higher future screening intentions, but not class membership. We identified distinct classes of preferences focusing on different test features and personal characteristics associated with reported behavior and intentions. Healthcare providers should engage in a careful assessment of patient preferences when recommending colorectal cancer test options to encourage colorectal cancer screening uptake.
Gender Differences in Emotional Responses to Cooperative and Competitive Game Play

PubMed Central

Kivikangas, J. Matias; Kätsyri, Jari; Järvelä, Simo; Ravaja, Niklas

2014-01-01

Previous research indicates that males prefer competition over cooperation, and it is sometimes suggested that females show the opposite behavioral preference. In the present article, we investigate the emotions behind the preferences: Do males exhibit more positive emotions during competitive than cooperative activities, and do females show the opposite pattern? We conducted two experiments where we assessed the emotional responses of same-gender dyads (in total 130 participants, 50 female) during intrinsically motivating competitive and cooperative digital game play using facial electromyography (EMG), skin conductance, heart rate measures, and self-reported emotional experiences. We found higher positive emotional responses (as indexed by both physiological measures and self-reports) during competitive than cooperative play for males, but no differences for females. In addition, we found no differences in negative emotions, and heart rate, skin conductance, and self-reports yielded contradictory evidence for arousal. These results support the hypothesis that males not only prefer competitive over cooperative play, but they also exhibit more positive emotional responses during them. In contrast, the results suggest that the emotional experiences of females do not differ between cooperation and competition, which implies that less competitiveness does not mean more cooperativeness. Our results pertain to intrinsically motivated game play, but might be relevant also for other kinds of activities. PMID:24983952
Gender differences in emotional responses to cooperative and competitive game play.

PubMed

Kivikangas, J Matias; Kätsyri, Jari; Järvelä, Simo; Ravaja, Niklas

2014-01-01

Previous research indicates that males prefer competition over cooperation, and it is sometimes suggested that females show the opposite behavioral preference. In the present article, we investigate the emotions behind the preferences: Do males exhibit more positive emotions during competitive than cooperative activities, and do females show the opposite pattern? We conducted two experiments where we assessed the emotional responses of same-gender dyads (in total 130 participants, 50 female) during intrinsically motivating competitive and cooperative digital game play using facial electromyography (EMG), skin conductance, heart rate measures, and self-reported emotional experiences. We found higher positive emotional responses (as indexed by both physiological measures and self-reports) during competitive than cooperative play for males, but no differences for females. In addition, we found no differences in negative emotions, and heart rate, skin conductance, and self-reports yielded contradictory evidence for arousal. These results support the hypothesis that males not only prefer competitive over cooperative play, but they also exhibit more positive emotional responses during them. In contrast, the results suggest that the emotional experiences of females do not differ between cooperation and competition, which implies that less competitiveness does not mean more cooperativeness. Our results pertain to intrinsically motivated game play, but might be relevant also for other kinds of activities.
A Methodology for Studying the Relationship between Comprehension and Second Language Development in a Comprehension-Based ESL Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paribakht, T. Sima; Wesche, Marjorie Bingham

A study investigated the role of comprehension of meaningful language input in young adults' second language learning, focusing on: (1) what kinds of measurement instruments and procedures can be used in tracking student gains in specific aspects of target language proficiency; (2) development of a reliable self-report scale capturing different…
Helping Learners Succeed: Activities for the Foreign Language Classroom. Language in Education: Theory and Practice, No. 36.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Omaggio, Alice C.

In response to the need for dynamic foreign language materials with a communicative focus, this report addresses the relationship between learner characteristics and success in language learning. It suggests that a self-pacing individualized option should be available to students to deal with unique problems. The problems may be dealt with by…
Self-reported versus behavioral self-handicapping: empirical evidence for a theoretical distinction.

PubMed

Hirt, E R; Deppe, R K; Gordon, L J

1991-12-01

The present study was an investigation of how Ss would respond when given 2 self-handicapping options, 1 behavioral (withdrawal of practice effort) and 1 self-reported (reporting high levels of stress). Ss anticipating a diagnostic test of intellectual ability were given different instructions regarding the effects of stress and practice on test performance. Ss were told that (a) stress only, (b) practice only, (c) both stress and practice, or (d) neither stress nor practice affected test scores. Ss were then given the opportunity to self-report a handicap on a stress inventory and to behaviorally self-handicap by failing to practice before the test. High self-handicapping men and women showed evidence of self-reported handicapping, but only high self-handicapping men behaviorally self-handicapped. However, when both self-handicaps were viable, both high self-handicapping men and women preferred the self-reported over the behavioral self-handicap.
Trust in One’s Physician: The Role of Ethnic Match, Autonomy, Acculturation, and Religiosity Among Japanese and Japanese Americans

PubMed Central

Tarn, Derjung M.; Meredith, Lisa S.; Kagawa-Singer, Marjorie; Matsumura, Shinji; Bito, Seiji; Oye, Robert K.; Liu, Honghu; Kahn, Katherine L.; Fukuhara, Shunichi; Wenger, Neil S.

2005-01-01

PURPOSE Trust is a cornerstone of the physician-patient relationship. We investigated the relation of patient characteristics, religiosity, acculturation, physician ethnicity, and insurance-mandated physician change to levels of trust in Japanese American and Japanese patients. METHODS A self-administered, cross-sectional questionnaire in English and Japanese (completed in the language of their choice) was given to community-based samples of 539 English-speaking Japanese Americans, 340 Japanese-speaking Japanese Americans, and 304 Japanese living in Japan. RESULTS Eighty-seven percent of English-speaking Japanese Americans, 93% of Japanese-speaking Japanese Americans, and 58% of Japanese living in Japan responded to trust items and reported mean trust scores of 83, 80, and 68, respectively, on a scale ranging from 0 to 100. In multivariate analyses, English-speaking and Japanese-speaking Japanese American respondents reported more trust than Japanese respondents living in Japan (P values <.001). Greater religiosity (P <.001), less desire for autonomy (P <.001), and physician-patient relationships of longer duration (P <.001) were related to increased trust. Among Japanese Americans, more acculturated respondents reported more trust (P <.001), and Japanese physicians were trusted more than physicians of another ethnicity. Among respondents prompted to change physicians because of insurance coverage, the 48% who did not want to switch reported less trust in their current physician than in their former physician (mean score of 82 vs 89, P <.001). CONCLUSIONS Religiosity, autonomy preference, and acculturation were strongly related to trust in one’s physician among the Japanese American and Japanese samples studied and may provide avenues to enhance the physician-patient relationship. The strong relationship of trust with patient-physician ethnic match and the loss of trust when patients, in retrospect, report leaving a preferred physician suggest unintended consequences to patients not able to continue with their preferred physicians. PMID:16046567
Sociopsychological tailoring to address colorectal cancer screening disparities: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Jerant, Anthony; Kravitz, Richard L; Sohler, Nancy; Fiscella, Kevin; Romero, Raquel L; Parnes, Bennett; Tancredi, Daniel J; Aguilar-Gaxiola, Sergio; Slee, Christina; Dvorak, Simon; Turner, Charles; Hudnut, Andrew; Prieto, Francisco; Franks, Peter

2014-01-01

Interventions tailored to sociopsychological factors associated with health behaviors have promise for reducing colorectal cancer screening disparities, but limited research has assessed their impact in multiethnic populations. We examined whether an interactive multimedia computer program (IMCP) tailored to expanded health belief model sociopsychological factors could promote colorectal cancer screening in a multiethnic sample. We undertook a randomized controlled trial, comparing an IMCP tailored to colorectal cancer screening self-efficacy, knowledge, barriers, readiness, test preference, and experiences with a nontailored informational program, both delivered before office visits. The primary outcome was record-documented colorectal cancer screening during a 12-month follow-up period. Secondary outcomes included postvisit sociopsychological factor status and discussion, as well as clinician recommendation of screening during office visits. We enrolled 1,164 patients stratified by ethnicity and language (49.3% non-Hispanic, 27.2% Hispanic/English, 23.4% Hispanic/Spanish) from 26 offices around 5 centers (Sacramento, California; Rochester and the Bronx, New York; Denver, Colorado; and San Antonio, Texas). Adjusting for ethnicity/language, study center, and the previsit value of the dependent variable, compared with control patients, the IMCP led to significantly greater colorectal cancer screening knowledge, self-efficacy, readiness, test preference specificity, discussion, and recommendation. During the followup period, 132 (23%) IMCP and 123 (22%) control patients received screening (adjusted difference = 0.5 percentage points, 95% CI -4.3 to 5.3). IMCP effects did not differ significantly by ethnicity/language. Sociopsychological factor tailoring was no more effective than nontailored information in encouraging colorectal cancer screening in a multiethnic sample, despite enhancing sociopsychological factors and visit behaviors associated with screening. The utility of sociopsychological tailoring in addressing screening disparities remains uncertain.
LEAPing on with language: An on-line language programme to support classroom teachers and parents of primary school children (aged 5-11 years).

PubMed

Clare Allen, M; Kendrick, Andrew; Archbold, Sue; Harrigan, Suzanne

2014-05-01

The Leaping on with Language programme provides a combination of strategies and activities to accelerate children's spoken language use from simple sentences to complex language. Using a conversational philosophy it expands the building blocks of language (vocabulary, grammar, speech), whilst emphasising the importance of developing independent social communication and acknowledging a child's developing self esteem and self identity between the ages of 4-11. Three pilot projects evaluated the programme with a total of 51 delegates. The outcomes were hugely positive. Changes in behaviour were reported from the 3rd pilot 1 month later. Comments regarding the length of training, practical strategies and more film clips were implemented. Leaping on with language is now a free to access resource available on line.
Barriers to acceptance of self-sampling for human papillomavirus across ethnolinguistic groups of women.

PubMed

Howard, Michelle; Lytwyn, Alice; Lohfeld, Lynne; Redwood-Campbell, Lynda; Fowler, Nancy; Karwalajtys, Tina

2009-01-01

Immigrant and low socio-economic (SES) women in North America underutilize Papanicolaou screening. Vaginal swab self-sampling for oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) has the potential to increase cervical cancer screening participation. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the perceptions of lower SES and immigrant women regarding self-sampling for HPV. Eleven focus-group interviews were conducted: one with Canadian-born English-speaking lower SES women, and two groups each with Arabic, Cantonese, Dari (Afghani), Somali and Spanish (Latino)-speaking women (one group conducted in English, the other in the native language) recently immigrated to Canada. Five to nine women aged 35 to 65 years and married with children participated in each group. Themes included 1) who might use self-sampling and why; 2) aversion to self-sampling and reasons to prefer physician; 3) ways to improve the appeal of self-sampling. Women generally perceived benefits of self-sampling and a small number felt they might use the method, but all groups had some reservations. Reasons included: uncertainty over performing the sampling correctly; fear of hurting themselves; concern about obtaining appropriate material; and concerns about test accuracy. Women preferred testing by a health care professional because they were accustomed to pelvic examinations, it was more convenient, or they trusted the results. Perceptions of self-sampling for HPV were similar across cultures and pertained to issues of confidence in self-sampling and need for physician involvement in care. These findings can inform programs and studies planning to employ self-sampling as a screening modality for cervical cancer.
The L2 Motivational Self System and L2 Achievement: A Study of Saudi EFL Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moskovsky, Christo; Assulaimani, Turki; Racheva, Silvia; Harkins, Jean

2016-01-01

The research reported in this article explores the relationship between Dörnyei's (2005, 2009) Second Language Motivational Self System (L2MSS) and the L2 proficiency level of Saudi learners of English as a foreign language (EFL). Male and female participants (N = 360) responded to a questionnaire relating to the main components of L2MSS, the…

Background Languages, Learner Motivation and Self-Assessed Progress in Learning Zulu as an Additional Language in the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marten, Lutz; Mostert, Carola

2012-01-01

The article reports results of a study of beginner-level learners of Zulu in higher education in the UK, focussing on learners' linguistic background, their motivation and reasons for studying Zulu, and their self-assessed progress at the beginning of the second term of teaching. The study shows that participants typically studied Zulu as an…
Change in Self-Reported Health Status among Immigrants in the United States: Associations with Measures of Acculturation

PubMed Central

Lee, Sunmin; O’Neill, Allison H.; Ihara, Emily S.; Chae, David H.

2013-01-01

Although acculturation may have positive effects for immigrants, including better socioeconomic profiles and increased occupational opportunities, their health profiles deteriorate with longer duration in the U.S. Prior research indicates that increasing acculturation is associated with some poorer health outcomes among immigrants in the U.S. However, most of these studies have used length of stay or English language proficiency as proxies for acculturation, and have mainly examined self-reported “current” health outcomes. This study advances knowledge on associations between acculturation and health among immigrants by explicitly examining self-reported “change” in health since immigration, in relation to acculturation-related variables. We use data from the New Immigrant Survey (NIS; 2003-2004), a cross-sectional study of legal immigrants to the U.S. In addition to testing more conventionally examined proxies of acculturation (length of stay and English proficiency), we also examine English language use and self-reported change in diet. Multivariable logistic regression analyses on 5,982 participants generally supported previous literature indicating a deleterious impact of acculturation, with increasing duration of stay and greater self-reported change in diet being associated with a poorer change in health since moving to the U.S. Although English language proficiency and use were associated with greater odds of reporting a worse change in health when examined individually, they were non-significant in multivariable models including all acculturation measures. Findings from this study suggest that when taking into account multiple measures of acculturation, language may not necessarily indicate unhealthy assimilation and dietary change may be a pathway leading to declines in immigrant health. Increasing duration in the U.S. may also reflect the adoption of unhealthy behaviors, as well as greater exposure to harmful sources of psychosocial stress including racial and anti-immigrant discrimination. Our study suggests that multiple indicators of acculturation may be useful in examining the effect of acculturation on changes in health among immigrants. PMID:24098515
Change in self-reported health status among immigrants in the United States: associations with measures of acculturation.

PubMed

Lee, Sunmin; O'Neill, Allison H; Ihara, Emily S; Chae, David H

2013-01-01

Although acculturation may have positive effects for immigrants, including better socioeconomic profiles and increased occupational opportunities, their health profiles deteriorate with longer duration in the U.S. Prior research indicates that increasing acculturation is associated with some poorer health outcomes among immigrants in the U.S. However, most of these studies have used length of stay or English language proficiency as proxies for acculturation, and have mainly examined self-reported "current" health outcomes. This study advances knowledge on associations between acculturation and health among immigrants by explicitly examining self-reported "change" in health since immigration, in relation to acculturation-related variables. We use data from the New Immigrant Survey (NIS; 2003-2004), a cross-sectional study of legal immigrants to the U.S. In addition to testing more conventionally examined proxies of acculturation (length of stay and English proficiency), we also examine English language use and self-reported change in diet. Multivariable logistic regression analyses on 5,982 participants generally supported previous literature indicating a deleterious impact of acculturation, with increasing duration of stay and greater self-reported change in diet being associated with a poorer change in health since moving to the U.S. Although English language proficiency and use were associated with greater odds of reporting a worse change in health when examined individually, they were non-significant in multivariable models including all acculturation measures. Findings from this study suggest that when taking into account multiple measures of acculturation, language may not necessarily indicate unhealthy assimilation and dietary change may be a pathway leading to declines in immigrant health. Increasing duration in the U.S. may also reflect the adoption of unhealthy behaviors, as well as greater exposure to harmful sources of psychosocial stress including racial and anti-immigrant discrimination. Our study suggests that multiple indicators of acculturation may be useful in examining the effect of acculturation on changes in health among immigrants.
Dangerous Driving in a Chinese Sample: Associations with Morningness-Eveningness Preference and Personality

PubMed Central

Qu, Weina; Ge, Yan; Xiong, Yuexin; Carciofo, Richard; Zhao, Wenguo; Zhang, Kan

2015-01-01

Individual differences in morningness-eveningness preference may influence susceptibility and response to sleepiness. These differences could influence driving performance, but the influence of morningness-eveningness preference on driving behavior and accident risk has not been comprehensively studied. As morningness-eveningness preference is associated with personality characteristics, we also investigated how the interaction between morningness-eveningness preference and personality may be related to dangerous driving behaviors. Two hundred and ninety five drivers completed the reduced Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire, the Dula Dangerous Driving Index, and personality scales for agreeableness, conscientiousness and neuroticism, and reported demographic information (gender, age, level of education, driving years and annual average driving mileage) and self-reported traffic violations (accidents, penalty points and fines). The results showed that more Risky Driving, Aggressive Driving, Negative Cognitive/Emotional Driving and Drunk Driving, as measured by the Dula Dangerous Driving Index, were all significantly correlated with more eveningness, corresponding to lower scores on the reduced Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire. Moreover, eveningness was correlated with self-reported traffic accidents, penalty points and fines. Furthermore, a moderation effect was found: eveningness was more strongly associated with risky driving and negative emotional driving in those who scored high for trait agreeableness. PMID:25615447
Dangerous driving in a Chinese sample: associations with morningness-eveningness preference and personality.

PubMed

Qu, Weina; Ge, Yan; Xiong, Yuexin; Carciofo, Richard; Zhao, Wenguo; Zhang, Kan

2015-01-01

Individual differences in morningness-eveningness preference may influence susceptibility and response to sleepiness. These differences could influence driving performance, but the influence of morningness-eveningness preference on driving behavior and accident risk has not been comprehensively studied. As morningness-eveningness preference is associated with personality characteristics, we also investigated how the interaction between morningness-eveningness preference and personality may be related to dangerous driving behaviors. Two hundred and ninety five drivers completed the reduced Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire, the Dula Dangerous Driving Index, and personality scales for agreeableness, conscientiousness and neuroticism, and reported demographic information (gender, age, level of education, driving years and annual average driving mileage) and self-reported traffic violations (accidents, penalty points and fines). The results showed that more Risky Driving, Aggressive Driving, Negative Cognitive/Emotional Driving and Drunk Driving, as measured by the Dula Dangerous Driving Index, were all significantly correlated with more eveningness, corresponding to lower scores on the reduced Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire. Moreover, eveningness was correlated with self-reported traffic accidents, penalty points and fines. Furthermore, a moderation effect was found: eveningness was more strongly associated with risky driving and negative emotional driving in those who scored high for trait agreeableness.
EEG Beta Oscillations in the Temporoparietal Area Related to the Accuracy in Estimating Others' Preference

PubMed Central

Park, Jonghyeok; Kim, Hackjin; Sohn, Jeong-Woo; Choi, Jong-ryul; Kim, Sung-Phil

2018-01-01

Humans often attempt to predict what others prefer based on a narrow slice of experience, called thin-slicing. According to the theoretical bases for how humans can predict the preference of others, one tends to estimate the other's preference using a perceived difference between the other and self. Previous neuroimaging studies have revealed that the network of dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) and right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ) is related to the ability of predicting others' preference. However, it still remains unknown about the temporal patterns of neural activities for others' preference prediction through thin-slicing. To investigate such temporal aspects of neural activities, we investigated human electroencephalography (EEG) recorded during the task of predicting the preference of others while only a facial picture of others was provided. Twenty participants (all female, average age: 21.86) participated in the study. In each trial of the task, participants were shown a picture of either a target person or self for 3 s, followed by the presentation of a movie poster over which participants predicted the target person's preference as liking or disliking. The time-frequency EEG analysis was employed to analyze temporal changes in the amplitudes of brain oscillations. Participants could predict others' preference for movies with accuracy of 56.89 ± 3.16% and 10 out of 20 participants exhibited prediction accuracy higher than a chance level (95% interval). There was a significant difference in the power of the parietal alpha (10~13 Hz) oscillation 0.6~0.8 s after the onset of poster presentation between the cases when participants predicted others' preference and when they reported self-preference (p < 0.05). The power of brain oscillations at any frequency band and time period during the trial did not show a significant correlation with individual prediction accuracy. However, when we measured differences of the power between the trials of predicting other's preference and reporting self-preference, the right temporal beta oscillations 1.6~1.8 s after the onset of facial picture presentation exhibited a significant correlation with individual accuracy. Our results suggest that right temporoparietal beta oscillations may be correlated with one's ability to predict what others prefer with minimal information. PMID:29479312
EEG Beta Oscillations in the Temporoparietal Area Related to the Accuracy in Estimating Others' Preference.

PubMed

Park, Jonghyeok; Kim, Hackjin; Sohn, Jeong-Woo; Choi, Jong-Ryul; Kim, Sung-Phil

2018-01-01

Humans often attempt to predict what others prefer based on a narrow slice of experience, called thin-slicing. According to the theoretical bases for how humans can predict the preference of others, one tends to estimate the other's preference using a perceived difference between the other and self. Previous neuroimaging studies have revealed that the network of dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) and right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ) is related to the ability of predicting others' preference. However, it still remains unknown about the temporal patterns of neural activities for others' preference prediction through thin-slicing. To investigate such temporal aspects of neural activities, we investigated human electroencephalography (EEG) recorded during the task of predicting the preference of others while only a facial picture of others was provided. Twenty participants (all female, average age: 21.86) participated in the study. In each trial of the task, participants were shown a picture of either a target person or self for 3 s, followed by the presentation of a movie poster over which participants predicted the target person's preference as liking or disliking. The time-frequency EEG analysis was employed to analyze temporal changes in the amplitudes of brain oscillations. Participants could predict others' preference for movies with accuracy of 56.89 ± 3.16% and 10 out of 20 participants exhibited prediction accuracy higher than a chance level (95% interval). There was a significant difference in the power of the parietal alpha (10~13 Hz) oscillation 0.6~0.8 s after the onset of poster presentation between the cases when participants predicted others' preference and when they reported self-preference ( p < 0.05). The power of brain oscillations at any frequency band and time period during the trial did not show a significant correlation with individual prediction accuracy. However, when we measured differences of the power between the trials of predicting other's preference and reporting self-preference, the right temporal beta oscillations 1.6~1.8 s after the onset of facial picture presentation exhibited a significant correlation with individual accuracy. Our results suggest that right temporoparietal beta oscillations may be correlated with one's ability to predict what others prefer with minimal information.
Ambiguity Aversion in Rhesus Macaques

PubMed Central

Hayden, Benjamin Y.; Heilbronner, Sarah R.; Platt, Michael L.

2010-01-01

People generally prefer risky options, which have fully specified outcome probabilities, to ambiguous options, which have unspecified probabilities. This preference, formalized in economics, is strong enough that people will reliably prefer a risky option to an ambiguous option with a greater expected value. Explanations for ambiguity aversion often invoke uniquely human faculties like language, self-justification, or a desire to avoid public embarrassment. Challenging these ideas, here we demonstrate that a preference for unambiguous options is shared with rhesus macaques. We trained four monkeys to choose between pairs of options that both offered explicitly cued probabilities of large and small juice outcomes. We then introduced occasional trials where one of the options was obscured and examined their resulting preferences; we ran humans in a parallel experiment on a nearly identical task. We found that monkeys reliably preferred risky options to ambiguous ones, even when this bias was costly, closely matching the behavior of humans in the analogous task. Notably, ambiguity aversion varied parametrically with the extent of ambiguity. As expected, ambiguity aversion gradually declined as monkeys learned the underlying probability distribution of rewards. These data indicate that ambiguity aversion reflects fundamental cognitive biases shared with other animals rather than uniquely human factors guiding decisions. PMID:20922060
Targeted physical activity messages for parents of children with disabilities: A qualitative investigation of parents' informational needs and preferences.

PubMed

Bassett-Gunter, R L; Ruscitti, R J; Latimer-Cheung, A E; Fraser-Thomas, J L

2017-05-01

Physical activity (PA) has myriad benefits for children with disabilities (CWD). Information and messaging campaigns can promote PA among CWD. The overall purpose of the study was to gain an understanding of the development of PA information and messages targeting parents of CWD. The specific objectives were to identify parents' preferences regarding PA information and messaging content and preferred methods and sources of communication. Focus groups were conducted with parents of CWD (N=28). Qualitative data were collected and transcribed. Inductive content analyses were employed to identify key themes. Three key thematic areas were identified: 1) Preferred content (e.g., targeted information, self-regulatory strategies, inclusive images), 2) Challenges (e.g., lack of information and language clarity), 3) Preferred sources (e.g., other parents, reliable organizations, central information hub). Parents' needs and preferences regarding PA information could be incorporated into campaigns to enhance parent PA support and PA among CWD. Stakeholders (e.g., PA organizations, programs and practitioners) can employ these strategies in campaigns and resources targeting parents of CWD. Research is necessary to empirically develop and evaluate PA information and messaging campaigns targeting parents of CWD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Self-Love or Other-Love? Explicit Other-Preference but Implicit Self-Preference

PubMed Central

Gebauer, Jochen E.; Göritz, Anja S.; Hofmann, Wilhelm; Sedikides, Constantine

2012-01-01

Do humans prefer the self even over their favorite other person? This question has pervaded philosophy and social-behavioral sciences. Psychology’s distinction between explicit and implicit preferences calls for a two-tiered solution. Our evolutionarily-based Dissociative Self-Preference Model offers two hypotheses. Other-preferences prevail at an explicit level, because they convey caring for others, which strengthens interpersonal bonds–a major evolutionary advantage. Self-preferences, however, prevail at an implicit level, because they facilitate self-serving automatic behavior, which favors the self in life-or-die situations–also a major evolutionary advantage. We examined the data of 1,519 participants, who completed an explicit measure and one of five implicit measures of preferences for self versus favorite other. The results were consistent with the Dissociative Self-Preference Model. Explicitly, participants preferred their favorite other over the self. Implicitly, however, they preferred the self over their favorite other (be it their child, romantic partner, or best friend). Results are discussed in relation to evolutionary theorizing on self-deception. PMID:22848605
Value Preferences of Social Workers.

PubMed

Tartakovsky, Eugene; Walsh, Sophie D

2018-04-01

The current study examines value preferences of social workers in Israel. Using a theoretical framework of person-environment fit paradigm and theory of values, the study compared social workers (N = 641, mean age = 37.7 years, 91 percent female) with a representative sample of Israeli Jews (N = 1,600, mean age = 44.2, 52 percent female). Questionnaires included personal value preferences and sociodemographic variables (gender, age, education, religiosity, and immigrant status). Multivariate analysis of covariance showed that value preferences of social workers differed significantly from those of the general population. Analyses of covariance showed that social workers reported a higher preference for self-transcendence and a lower preference for conservation and self-enhancement values. Results have significance for the selection, training, and supervision of social workers. They suggest that it is important to assess to what extent selection processes for social workers are primarily recruiting social workers with shared values, thus creating an overly homogenous population of social workers. An understanding of personal value motivations can help social workers in their own process of self-development and growth, and to understand how the profession can fulfill their basic motivations.
Applying Disruptive Preference Test Protocols to Increase the Number of "No Preference" Responses in the Placebo Pair, Using Chinese Consumers.

PubMed

Xia, Yixun; Zhong, Fang; O'Mahony, Michael

2016-09-01

One form of paired preference test protocol requires consumers to assess 2 pairs of products. One is the target pair under consideration, while the other is a putatively identical pair named the "placebo pair" which is also presented as a control. Counterintuitively, the majority of consumers report preferences when presented with the placebo pair. Their response frequencies are hypothesized to be those of consumers having "no preference" and are compared with the response frequencies elicited by a target pair, to determine whether the target pair elicits significant preferences. The primary goal of this paper was to study the robustness of 2 new so called disruptive protocols that reduced the proportion of consumers, who reported preferences when assessing a putatively identical pair of products. For this task, the tests were performed in a different language, in a different country, using different products from before. The results showed that the proportion of consumers reporting preferences for the placebo pair was reduced, confirming earlier work. Also, comparison of d' values showed a lack of significant overall differences between the placebo and target pairs, while chi-squared analyses indicated significant differences in the response frequencies. This indicated that the sample was segmented into 2 balanced groups with opposing preferences. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®
Linking infant-directed speech and face preferences to language outcomes in infants at risk for autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Droucker, Danielle; Curtin, Suzanne; Vouloumanos, Athena

2013-04-01

In this study, the authors aimed to examine whether biases for infant-directed (ID) speech and faces differ between infant siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (SIBS-A) and infant siblings of typically developing children (SIBS-TD), and whether speech and face biases predict language outcomes and risk group membership. Thirty-six infants were tested at ages 6, 8, 12, and 18 months. Infants heard 2 ID and 2 adult-directed (AD) speech passages paired with either a checkerboard or a face. The authors assessed expressive language at 12 and 18 months and general functioning at 12 months using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (Mullen, 1995). Both infant groups preferred ID to AD speech and preferred faces to checkerboards. SIBS-TD demonstrated higher expressive language at 18 months than did SIBS-A, a finding that correlated with preferences for ID speech at 12 months. Although both groups looked longer to face stimuli than to the checkerboard, the magnitude of the preference was smaller in SIBS-A and predicted expressive vocabulary at 18 months in this group. Infants' preference for faces contributed to risk-group membership in a logistic regression analysis. Infants at heightened risk of ASD differ from typically developing infants in their preferences for ID speech and faces, which may underlie deficits in later language development and social communication.
Successful Use of CALL Software: An Investigation from the User's Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scagnoli, Norma; Yontz, Ruth; Choo, Jinhee

2014-01-01

This study explores the use and implementation of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) software in graduate professional education. The investigation looked into self-reported information on graduate students' use of ESL (English as a Second Language) software to improve language skills and their competencies in professional English…
Writing Motivation of Students with Language Impairments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brouwer, Kyle L.

2012-01-01

This study compared the writing motivation of students with language impairments (LI) and their typically developing (TD) peers. For the study 272 students (33 students with language impairments, 242 TD peers) aged 8-10 years, in 11 elementary schools, were sampled. The two groups completed self-report measures of writing motivation and 20…
Parent and Self-Ratings of Executive Function in Adolescents with Specific Language Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Deanna M.; Turkstra, Lyn S.; Wulfeck, Beverly B.

2009-01-01

Background: There is accumulating evidence that adolescents with specific language impairment (SLI) have impairments in domains beyond formal language that may affect academic and social outcomes. The findings of previous studies as well as parent reports of behavioural concerns suggest that they lag behind peers in functions such as…
Gaussian Mixture Modeling of Hemispheric Lateralization for Language in a Large Sample of Healthy Individuals Balanced for Handedness

PubMed Central

Mazoyer, Bernard; Zago, Laure; Jobard, Gaël; Crivello, Fabrice; Joliot, Marc; Perchey, Guy; Mellet, Emmanuel; Petit, Laurent; Tzourio-Mazoyer, Nathalie

2014-01-01

Hemispheric lateralization for language production and its relationships with manual preference and manual preference strength were studied in a sample of 297 subjects, including 153 left-handers (LH). A hemispheric functional lateralization index (HFLI) for language was derived from fMRI acquired during a covert sentence generation task as compared with a covert word list recitation. The multimodal HFLI distribution was optimally modeled using a mixture of 3 and 4 Gaussian functions in right-handers (RH) and LH, respectively. Gaussian function parameters helped to define 3 types of language hemispheric lateralization, namely “Typical” (left hemisphere dominance with clear positive HFLI values, 88% of RH, 78% of LH), “Ambilateral” (no dominant hemisphere with HFLI values close to 0, 12% of RH, 15% of LH) and “Strongly-atypical” (right-hemisphere dominance with clear negative HFLI values, 7% of LH). Concordance between dominant hemispheres for hand and for language did not exceed chance level, and most of the association between handedness and language lateralization was explained by the fact that all Strongly-atypical individuals were left-handed. Similarly, most of the relationship between language lateralization and manual preference strength was explained by the fact that Strongly-atypical individuals exhibited a strong preference for their left hand. These results indicate that concordance of hemispheric dominance for hand and for language occurs barely above the chance level, except in a group of rare individuals (less than 1% in the general population) who exhibit strong right hemisphere dominance for both language and their preferred hand. They call for a revisit of models hypothesizing common determinants for handedness and for language dominance. PMID:24977417
Gaussian mixture modeling of hemispheric lateralization for language in a large sample of healthy individuals balanced for handedness.

PubMed

Mazoyer, Bernard; Zago, Laure; Jobard, Gaël; Crivello, Fabrice; Joliot, Marc; Perchey, Guy; Mellet, Emmanuel; Petit, Laurent; Tzourio-Mazoyer, Nathalie

2014-01-01

Hemispheric lateralization for language production and its relationships with manual preference and manual preference strength were studied in a sample of 297 subjects, including 153 left-handers (LH). A hemispheric functional lateralization index (HFLI) for language was derived from fMRI acquired during a covert sentence generation task as compared with a covert word list recitation. The multimodal HFLI distribution was optimally modeled using a mixture of 3 and 4 Gaussian functions in right-handers (RH) and LH, respectively. Gaussian function parameters helped to define 3 types of language hemispheric lateralization, namely "Typical" (left hemisphere dominance with clear positive HFLI values, 88% of RH, 78% of LH), "Ambilateral" (no dominant hemisphere with HFLI values close to 0, 12% of RH, 15% of LH) and "Strongly-atypical" (right-hemisphere dominance with clear negative HFLI values, 7% of LH). Concordance between dominant hemispheres for hand and for language did not exceed chance level, and most of the association between handedness and language lateralization was explained by the fact that all Strongly-atypical individuals were left-handed. Similarly, most of the relationship between language lateralization and manual preference strength was explained by the fact that Strongly-atypical individuals exhibited a strong preference for their left hand. These results indicate that concordance of hemispheric dominance for hand and for language occurs barely above the chance level, except in a group of rare individuals (less than 1% in the general population) who exhibit strong right hemisphere dominance for both language and their preferred hand. They call for a revisit of models hypothesizing common determinants for handedness and for language dominance.
Nativity and language preference as drivers of health information seeking: examining differences and trends from a U.S. population-based survey.

PubMed

Massey, Philip M; Langellier, Brent A; Sentell, Tetine; Manganello, Jennifer

2017-12-01

To examine differences in health information seeking between U.S.-born and foreign-born populations in the U.S. Data from 2008 to 2014 from the Health Information National Trends Survey were used in this study (n = 15,249). Bivariate analyses, logistic regression, and predicted probabilities were used to examine health information seeking and sources of health information. Findings demonstrate that 59.3% of the Hispanic foreign-born population reported looking for health information, fewer than other racial/ethnic groups in the sample. Compared with non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black (OR = 0.62) and Hispanic foreign-born individuals (OR = 0.31) were the least likely to use the internet as a first source for health information. Adjustment for language preference explains much of the disparity in health information seeking between the Hispanic foreign-born population and Whites; controlling for nativity, respondents who prefer Spanish have 0.25 the odds of using the internet as a first source of health information compared to those who prefer English. Foreign-born nativity and language preference are significant determinants of health information seeking. Further research is needed to better understand how information seeking patterns can influence health care use, and ultimately health outcomes. To best serve diverse racial and ethnic minority populations, health care systems, health care providers, and public health professionals must provide culturally competent health information resources to strengthen access and use by vulnerable populations, and to ensure that all populations are able to benefit from evolving health information sources in the digital age.
Infants' Selectively Pay Attention to the Information They Receive from a Native Speaker of Their Language.

PubMed

Marno, Hanna; Guellai, Bahia; Vidal, Yamil; Franzoi, Julia; Nespor, Marina; Mehler, Jacques

2016-01-01

From the first moments of their life, infants show a preference for their native language, as well as toward speakers with whom they share the same language. This preference appears to have broad consequences in various domains later on, supporting group affiliations and collaborative actions in children. Here, we propose that infants' preference for native speakers of their language also serves a further purpose, specifically allowing them to efficiently acquire culture specific knowledge via social learning. By selectively attending to informants who are native speakers of their language and who probably also share the same cultural background with the infant, young learners can maximize the possibility to acquire cultural knowledge. To test whether infants would preferably attend the information they receive from a speaker of their native language, we familiarized 12-month-old infants with a native and a foreign speaker, and then presented them with movies where each of the speakers silently gazed toward unfamiliar objects. At test, infants' looking behavior to the two objects alone was measured. Results revealed that infants preferred to look longer at the object presented by the native speaker. Strikingly, the effect was replicated also with 5-month-old infants, indicating an early development of such preference. These findings provide evidence that young infants pay more attention to the information presented by a person with whom they share the same language. This selectivity can serve as a basis for efficient social learning by influencing how infants' allocate attention between potential sources of information in their environment.

E&V Guidebook, Version 1.1

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-08-15

checklist 14.1] Chapter 3, Language-related issues, extracts from the Ada language reference manua! [,_D 1982] those features exp!icitly a!owcd to vay...welcome. Please send comments electronically (preferred) to szymansk~aja;po.sei.cmu.edu, or by regular mail to Mr. Raymond Szymanski , AFWAL/AAAF, Wright...of Tool Features for the Ada Programming Support Environment (APSE) 4-3 4.3 E&V Report: DoD APSE Analysis 4-4 4.4 Classification Schema/E&V Taxonomy
Reliability and validity of the PedsQL™ Multidimensional Fatigue Scale in Japan.

PubMed

Kobayashi, Kyoko; Okano, Yoshiyuki; Hohashi, Naohiro

2011-09-01

To examine the reliability and validity of the Japanese-language version of the PedsQL™ Multidimensional Fatigue Scale and to investigate the agreement between child self-reported fatigue and parent proxy-reported fatigue. The Japanese-language version of the PedsQL™ Multidimensional Fatigue Scale was administered to 652 preschoolers and schoolchildren aged 5-12 and their parents, and to 91 parents of preschool children aged 1-4. Internal consistency reliability was 0.62-0.87 for children and 0.81-0.93 for parents. Known-group validity was examined between a group of healthy samples (n = 530) and chronic condition sample (n = 102); the chronically ill group reported a significantly higher perceived fatigue problem. Correlations between child self- and parent proxy reports ranged from poor to fair. In subgroups identified by cluster analysis based on child self-reported scores, the greatest agreement between child and parent reports was seen in the good HRQOL group, while the least occurred in the poor HRQOL group. The parents overestimated their child's fatigue more when the child's HRQOL was low. The Japanese-language version of the PedsQL™ Multidimensional Fatigue Scale demonstrated good reliability and validity and could be useful in evaluating Japanese children in school and health care settings.
Perceptual Learning Style Preferences for EFL Students in Junior Colleges in Taiwan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Hsiang-Pao; Shen, Shan-shan

This study investigated the learning style preferences of Taiwanese junior college students of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) and student characteristics, language experience, and attitudes that appeared related to learning style preference. Subjects were approximately 1,000 EFL students in the first through third years of study at seven…
Acculturation, discrimination and depressive symptoms among Korean immigrants in New York City.

PubMed

Bernstein, Kunsook Song; Park, So-Youn; Shin, Jinah; Cho, Sunhee; Park, Yeddi

2011-02-01

Immigrant mental health issues, especially depression in relation to discrimination and acculturation, are reported to be serious problems in the United States. The current study examines the prevalence of depressive symptoms among Korean immigrants in New York City (NYC) and its relation to self-reported discrimination and acculturation. A sample of 304 Korean immigrants residing in NYC completed a survey utilizing the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-Korean version, Discrimination Scale, and Acculturation Stress Scale. Results indicated that 13.2% of the sample population demonstrated some symptoms of depression and that variable such as living alone, marital status, education, years in US and income impact high depression scores. Results also indicate that higher self-reported exposure to discrimination and lower self-reported language proficiency were related to higher depressive symptoms. In a regression analysis, discrimination and English language proficiency were significant predictors of depression, but acculturation stress was not significantly related to depression.
Speech, Language, and Reading in 10-Year-Olds With Cleft: Associations With Teasing, Satisfaction With Speech, and Psychological Adjustment.

PubMed

Feragen, Kristin Billaud; Særvold, Tone Kristin; Aukner, Ragnhild; Stock, Nicola Marie

2017-03-01

Despite the use of multidisciplinary services, little research has addressed issues involved in the care of those with cleft lip and/or palate across disciplines. The aim was to investigate associations between speech, language, reading, and reports of teasing, subjective satisfaction with speech, and psychological adjustment. Cross-sectional data collected during routine, multidisciplinary assessments in a centralized treatment setting, including speech and language therapists and clinical psychologists. Children with cleft with palatal involvement aged 10 years from three birth cohorts (N = 170) and their parents. Speech: SVANTE-N. Language: Language 6-16 (sentence recall, serial recall, vocabulary, and phonological awareness). Reading: Word Chain Test and Reading Comprehension Test. Psychological measures: Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and extracts from the Satisfaction With Appearance Scale and Child Experience Questionnaire. Reading skills were associated with self- and parent-reported psychological adjustment in the child. Subjective satisfaction with speech was associated with psychological adjustment, while not being consistently associated with speech therapists' assessments. Parent-reported teasing was found to be associated with lower levels of reading skills. Having a medical and/or psychological condition in addition to the cleft was found to affect speech, language, and reading significantly. Cleft teams need to be aware of speech, language, and/or reading problems as potential indicators of psychological risk in children with cleft. This study highlights the importance of multiple reports (self, parent, and specialist) and a multidisciplinary approach to cleft care and research.
Preference for language in early infancy: the human language bias is not speech specific.

PubMed

Krentz, Ursula C; Corina, David P

2008-01-01

Fundamental to infants' acquisition of their native language is an inherent interest in the language spoken around them over non-linguistic environmental sounds. The following studies explored whether the bias for linguistic signals in hearing infants is specific to speech, or reflects a general bias for all human language, spoken and signed. Results indicate that 6-month-old infants prefer an unfamiliar, visual-gestural language (American Sign Language) over non-linguistic pantomime, but 10-month-olds do not. These data provide evidence against a speech-specific bias in early infancy and provide insights into those properties of human languages that may underlie this language-general attentional bias.
Friendship quality, social preference, proximity prestige, and self-perceived social competence: interactive influences on children's loneliness.

PubMed

Zhang, Fengjuan; You, Zhiqi; Fan, Cuiying; Gao, Chuang; Cohen, Robert; Hsueh, Yeh; Zhou, Zongkui

2014-10-01

The purpose of this study was to test an integrative model in which peer relations at different levels of social complexity (friendship quality, social preference, and proximity prestige) are associated with children's loneliness, with children's self-perceived social competence acting as a mediator of these associations. A middle childhood sample of 509 Chinese children (233 girls and 276 boys; 3rd to 6th grade) completed a battery of sociometric and self-report questionnaires. Bootstrap analysis showed that self-perceived social competence mediated the relations between each peer variable and loneliness. In the integrative model tested with SEM, the mediating effect of self-perceived social competence in the relation between friendship quality and loneliness and between social preference and loneliness remained significant. However, self-perceived social competence no longer mediated the association between proximity prestige and loneliness, when considering the simultaneous influences of the three peer variables (friendship quality, social preference, and proximity prestige). The whole model accounted for 56% of the variance in loneliness. These findings suggest that self-perceived social competence played an important role in children's loneliness, that the quality and the quantity of direct peer relations (friendship quality, social preference, and part of proximity prestige) were associated with loneliness, and that indirect friends had a relatively lower but significant influence on children's loneliness. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for preventing children's loneliness. Copyright © 2014 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Vulnerability to Bullying in Children with a History of Specific Speech and Language Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindsay, Geoff; Dockrell, Julie E.; Mackie, Clare

2008-01-01

This study examined the susceptibility to problems with peer relationships and being bullied in a UK sample of 12-year-old children with a history of specific speech and language difficulties. Data were derived from the children's self-reports and the reports of parents and teachers using measures of victimization, emotional and behavioral…
Adolescents' social status goals: relationships to social status insecurity, aggression, and prosocial behavior.

PubMed

Li, Yan; Wright, Michelle F

2014-01-01

Peer status is an important aspect of adolescents' social lives and is pursued actively by them. Although extensive research has examined how social behaviors are related to peer status (e.g., social preference, popularity), little attention has been given to adolescents' social goals to obtain a desired peer status. Thus, this study examined two types of social status goals, popularity goal and social preference goal, and their relationships to social status insecurity and social behaviors among 405 ethnically diverse early adolescents (267 girls; M age = 12.92 years; age range = 11-15 years). After accounting for adolescents' attained peer statuses (popularity and social preference), both social status goals were related distinctly to aggressive and prosocial behaviors as measured by self reports and peer nominations. Specifically, higher endorsement of the popularity goal was related to more self-reported relational aggression, but less peer-nominated prosocial behavior. In contrast, higher endorsement of the social preference goal was linked to less self-reported overt and relational aggression, but more self-reported and peer-nominated prosocial behavior. In addition, this study reveals that adolescents' social status insecurity was related positively to both social status goals and had an indirect effect on adolescents' social behaviors through the mediation of popularity goal endorsement. There were variations in goal endorsement as shown by groups of adolescents endorsing different levels of each goal. The group comparison results on social behaviors were largely consistent with the correlational findings. This study provides new insights into adolescents' social cognitive processes about peer status and the implications of the two social status goals on adolescents' behavioral development.
Can Online Course-Based Assessment Methods Be Fair and Equitable? Relationships between Students' Preferences and Performance within Online and Offline Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hewson, C.

2012-01-01

To address concerns raised regarding the use of online course-based summative assessment methods, a quasi-experimental design was implemented in which students who completed a summative assessment either online or offline were compared on performance scores when using their self-reported "preferred" or "non-preferred" modes.…
"I Want to Play Alone": Assessment and Correlates of Self-Reported Preference for Solitary Play in Young Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coplan, Robert J.; Ooi, Laura L.; Rose-Krasnor, Linda; Nocita, Gabriella

2014-01-01

The goal of this study was to develop and validate an interview assessment of "preference for solitary activities" for use with young children. We also tested the postulation that negative peer experiences would heighten preference for solitude, particularly among young shy children. Participants were N?=?193 children (87 boys, 106…
Role of self-reported individual differences in preference for and tolerance of exercise intensity in fitness testing performance.

PubMed

Hall, Eric E; Petruzzello, Steven J; Ekkekakis, Panteleimon; Miller, Paul C; Bixby, Walter R

2014-09-01

Performance in fitness tests could depend on factors beyond the bioenergetic and skeletomuscular systems, such as individual differences in preference for and tolerance of different levels of exercise-induced somatosensory stimulation. Although such individual-difference variables could play a role in exercise testing and prescription, they have been understudied. The purpose of these studies was to examine the relationships of self-reported preference for and tolerance of exercise intensity with performance in fitness tests. Participants in study I were 516 men and women volunteers from a campus community, and participants in study II were 42 men recruit firefighters undergoing a 6-week training program. Both the Preference and Tolerance scores exhibited significant relationships with performance in several fitness tests and with body composition and physical activity participation. Preference and Tolerance did not change after the training program in study II, despite improvements in objective and perceived fitness, supporting their conceptualization as dispositional traits. Preference and Tolerance scores could be useful not only in ameliorating the current understanding of the determinants of physical performance, but also in personalizing exercise prescriptions and, thus, delivering exercise experiences that are more pleasant, tolerable, and sustainable.
Psychological correlates of self-reported and objectively measured physical activity among Chinese children—psychological correlates of PA

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study aimed to explore the associations among psychological correlates and physical activity (PA) in Chinese children and to further examine whether these associations varied by different PA measures. PA self-efficacy, motivation, and preference were reported in 449 8–13-year-old Chinese childr...
Four Characteristics of Facebook Activities for English Language Learning: A Study of Malaysian University Students' Needs and Preferences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kasuma, Shaidatul Akma Adi

2017-01-01

This paper identifies Malaysian university students' needs and preferences for online English language activities on a Facebook group that supports their formal learning. Two methods of data collection were employed; content analysis of the Facebook interactions, and semi structured interviews. Four main learning preferences or characteristics of…
Secondary Mathematics Teachers' Beliefs, Attitudes, Knowledge Base, and Practices in Meeting the Needs of English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gann, Linda

2013-01-01

The research centered on secondary mathematics teachers' beliefs, attitudes, knowledge base, and practices in meeting the academic and language needs of English language learners. Using socio-cultural theory and social practice theory to frame the study, the research design employed a mixed methods approach incorporating self-reported surveys,…
The Impact of Candid Versus Legally Defensible Language on the Persuasiveness of Environmental Self-Assessments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Thomas

1998-01-01

Finds that managers were more likely to recommend that environmental remediation proposals receive priority for funding when they read proposals written in candid language than when they read proposals written in legally defensible language. Shows that threats and a negative tone are highly persuasive in internal environmental compliance reports.…
Does language affect personality perception? A functional approach to testing the Whorfian hypothesis.

PubMed

Chen, Sylvia Xiaohua; Benet-Martínez, Verónica; Ng, Jacky C K

2014-04-01

Whether language shapes cognition has long been a controversial issue. The present research adopts a functional approach to examining the effects of language use on personality perception and dialectical thinking. We propose that language use activates corresponding cultural mindsets, which in turn influence social perception, thinking, and behavior. Four studies recruited Chinese-English bilinguals (N = 129 in Study 1, 229 in Study 2, 68 in Study 3, 106 in Study 4) and used within-subjects and between-subjects design, written and behavioral reports, and self- and other perceptions. The four studies converged to show that Chinese-English bilinguals exhibit higher dialectical thinking and more variations in self- and observer ratings of personality when using the Chinese language than when using English. Furthermore, dialectical thinking predicted more self- and other-perceived variations in personality and behavior across bilingual contexts. These results highlight the important role of culture in understanding the relations between language and cognition, and attest to the malleability of personality perception and dialectical thinking within and across individuals in response to culture-related linguistic cues. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Being an adolescent with a cochlear implant in the world of hearing people: coping in school, in society and with self identity.

PubMed

Rich, Shanit; Levinger, Miriam; Werner, Shirli; Adelman, Cahtia

2013-08-01

The cochlear implant has revolutionized functioning with severe-to-profound sensori-neural loss. A deaf child implanted at an early age with good habilitation may have good language abilities and function well in daily life. As the implanted child grows up, managing in the world of hearing people may become more complex. During adolescence, the teenager copes with many issues, including identity, socialization with the peer group, and managing in the school setting. These issues may be even more challenging for the adolescents using a cochlear implant. This study was designed to shed light on how adolescents with cochlear implants experience coping with the issues mentioned. Twelve teenagers (14-18 years old), fairly similar to the entire adolescent implanted population at the center at which the study was conducted, participated in the study. They had been unilaterally or bilaterally implanted at differing ages. The participants filled out a questionnaire dealing with their functioning in the educational setting, their social preferences and functioning, and their identity as hearing or deaf. The results were analyzed using the principles of thematic analysis. At school, some reported better achievements than others but they all expressed some difficulty functioning in class mainly in situations involving several speakers. From a social point of view, some reported a preference for association with normal hearing peers, whereas others favored hard-of-hearing friends, and one had no preference. Of those who touched on the topic of self-identity, one referred to herself as deaf, eight defined themselves as hard-of-hearing, and two consider themselves hearing. From the responses of these teenagers, it is clear that adolescents with cochlear implants are a heterogeneous group. Parents and teachers should be aware that adolescents with implants, even when successful academically, may experience difficulties in the classroom setting. Most of the participants in this study learning in a mainstream setting, preferred social relationships with hearing peers (to hard of hearing/deaf). The responses of these adolescents with cochlear implants support the conjecture that they have both a hearing identity and a deaf identity, which may be expressed at varying intensities depending on the situation at the time. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Translating medical documents into plain language enhances communication skills in medical students--A pilot study.

PubMed

Bittner, Anja; Jonietz, Ansgar; Bittner, Johannes; Beickert, Luise; Harendza, Sigrid

2015-09-01

To train and assess undergraduate medical students' written communication skills by exercises in translating medical reports into plain language for real patients. 27 medical students participated in a newly developed communication course. They attended a 3-h seminar including a briefing on patient-centered communication and an introduction to working with the internet platform http://washabich.de. In the following ten weeks, participants "translated" one medical report every fortnight on this platform receiving feedback by a near-peer supervisor. A pre- and post-course assignment consisted of a self-assessment questionnaire on communication skills, analysis of a medical text with respect to medical jargon, and the translation of a medical report into plain language. In the self-assessment, students rated themselves in most aspects of patient-centered communication significantly higher after attending the course. After the course they marked significantly more medical jargon terms correctly than before (p<0.001). In a written plain language translation of a medical report they scored significantly higher with respect to communicative aspects (p<0.05) and medical correctness (p<0.001). Translating medical reports into plain language under near-peer supervision is associated with improved communication skills and medical knowledge in undergraduate medical students. To include translation exercises in the undergraduate medical curriculum. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Farmers' Risk Preferences in Rural China: Measurements and Determinants.

PubMed

Jin, Jianjun; He, Rui; Gong, Haozhou; Xu, Xia; He, Chunyang

2017-06-30

This study measures farmers' risk attitudes in rural China using a survey instrument and a complementary experiment conducted in the field with the same sample of subjects. Using a question asking people about their willingness to take risks "in general", we found that the average response of our sample is slightly risk averse. Farmers' exogenous factors (age, gender, and height) and self-reported happiness have a significant impact on farmers' willingness to take risks. The experiment results show that approximately 44% of farmers in the study area are risk averse. We compare farmers' self-reported measures of risk preferences derived from the survey instrument to preferences elicited through the experimental task. Results show that answers to the general risk attitude question in the survey can predict farmers' behaviors in the experiment to a statistically significant degree. This paper can contribute to the empirical literature on comparing local farmers' risk attitudes across different risk preference measurement methods in the developing world.

Selected Proceedings from the Texas Foreign Language Education Conference 2001.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luke, Christopher, Ed.

2001-01-01

This collection of papers includes: "Language Learning Motivation: The Student, the Teacher, and the Researcher" (Robert C. Gardner); "The Self-Reported Perspectives Regarding Academic Writing among Taiwanese Graduate Students Specializing in TEFL" (Robert Johanson); "Contradictions, Appropriation, and Transformation: An…
Acculturation and Intention to Breastfeed among a Population of Predominantly Puerto Rican Women.

PubMed

Barcelona de Mendoza, Veronica; Harville, Emily; Theall, Katherine; Buekens, Pierre; Chasan-Taber, Lisa

2016-03-01

Latinas have high overall breastfeeding initiation rates, yet Puerto Ricans have among the lowest exclusive breastfeeding rates. This study sought to determine if acculturation was associated with intent to breastfeed in a predominantly Puerto Rican population. A cohort of Latina women were enrolled in Proyecto Buena Salud, and provided information on infant feeding intent (n = 1,323). Acculturation was assessed via the Psychological Acculturation Scale (PAS), language preference, and generation in the United States. Increasing acculturation as measured by English language preference (aOR 0.61 [95% CI 0.42-0.88]) and second or third generation in the United States (aOR 0.70 [95% CI 0.52-0.95)] was inversely associated with odds of intending to exclusively breastfeed. Similarly, women with higher levels of acculturation as measured by the PAS (aOR 0.67 [95% CI 0.45-0.99]), English language preference (aOR 0.48 [95% CI 0.33-0.70]) and second or third generation in the United States (aOR 0.42 [95% CI 0.31-0.58]) were less likely to report intent to combination feed as compared with women with lower acculturation. Acculturation was inversely associated with intent to exclusively breastfeed and intent to combination feed in this predominantly Puerto Rican sample. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Development and evaluation of a Chinese-language newborn feeding hotline: a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Janssen, Patricia A; Livingstone, Verity H; Chang, Bruce; Klein, Michael C

2009-01-29

Preference for formula versus breast feeding among women of Chinese descent remains a concern in North America. The goal of this study was to develop an intervention targeting Chinese immigrant mothers to increase their rates of exclusive breastfeeding. We convened a focus group of immigrant women of Chinese descent in Vancouver, British Columbia to explore preferences for method of infant feeding. We subsequently surveyed 250 women of Chinese descent to validate focus group findings. Using a participatory approach, our focus group participants reviewed survey findings and developed a priority list for attributes of a community-based intervention to support exclusive breastfeeding in the Chinese community. The authors and focus group participants worked as a team to plan, implement and evaluate a Chinese language newborn feeding information telephone service staffed by registered nurses fluent in Chinese languages. Participants in the focus group reported a strong preference for formula feeding. Telephone survey results revealed that while pregnant Chinese women understood the benefits of breastfeeding, only 20.8% planned to breastfeed exclusively. Only 15.6% were breastfeeding exclusively at two months postpartum. After implementation of the feeding hotline, 20% of new Chinese mothers in Vancouver indicated that they had used the hotline. Among these women, the rate of exclusive breastfeeding was 44.1%; OR 3.02, (95% CI 1.78-5.09) compared to women in our survey. Initiation of a language-specific newborn feeding telephone hotline reached a previously underserved population and may have contributed to improved rates of exclusive breastfeeding.
Processing Tense/Aspect-Agreement Violations On-Line in the Second Language: A Self-Paced Reading Study with French and German L2 Learners of English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Leah; Liszka, Sarah Ann

2013-01-01

In this article, we report the results of a self-paced reading experiment designed to investigate the question of whether or not advanced French and German learners of English as a second language (L2) are sensitive to tense/aspect mismatches between a fronted temporal adverbial and the inflected verb that follows (e.g. *"Last week, James has…
The Impact of Different Types of Journaling Techniques on EFL Learners' Self-Efficacy (El impacto de diferentes tipos de diario en la autosuficiencia de estudiantes de inglés como lengua extranjera)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baleghizadeh, Sasan; Mortazavi, Mahboobeh

2014-01-01

This article reports on an investigation of the impact of different methods of journaling on self-efficacy of learners of English as a foreign language. Sixty upper-intermediate Iranian English language learners were randomly assigned to three experimental conditions, namely no-feedback, teacher-feedback, and peer-feedback, and one control…
Reflective Teaching and Self-Efficacy Beliefs: Exploring Relationships in the Context of Teaching EFL in Iran

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Babaei, Mehdi; Abednia, Arman

2016-01-01

This article reports on a study that explored the relationship between reflective teaching and teachers' self-efficacy beliefs. Two questionnaires, the English Language Teaching Reflection Inventory (Akbari, Behzadpoor, & Dadvand, 2010) and Teachers' Efficacy Beliefs System-Self (TEBS-Self) (Dellinger, Bobbett, Olivier, & Ellett, 2008),…
Amplifying Each Patient's Voice: A Systematic Review of Multi-criteria Decision Analyses Involving Patients.

PubMed

Marsh, Kevin; Caro, J Jaime; Hamed, Alaa; Zaiser, Erica

2017-04-01

Qualitative methods tend to be used to incorporate patient preferences into healthcare decision making. However, for patient preferences to be given adequate consideration by decision makers they need to be quantified. Multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) is one way to quantify and capture the patient voice. The objective of this review was to report on existing MCDAs involving patients to support the future use of MCDA to capture the patient voice. MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched in June 2014 for English-language papers with no date restriction. The following search terms were used: 'multi-criteria decision*', 'multiple criteria decision*', 'MCDA', 'benefit risk assessment*', 'risk benefit assessment*', 'multicriteri* decision*', 'MCDM', 'multi-criteri* decision*'. Abstracts were included if they reported the application of MCDA to assess healthcare interventions where patients were the source of weights. Abstracts were excluded if they did not apply MCDA, such as discussions of how MCDA could be used; or did not evaluate healthcare interventions, such as MCDAs to assess the level of health need in a locality. Data were extracted on weighting method, variation in patient and expert preferences, and discussion on different weighting techniques. The review identified ten English-language studies that reported an MCDA to assess healthcare interventions and involved patients as a source of weights. These studies reported 12 applications of MCDA. Different methods of preference elicitation were employed: direct weighting in workshops; discrete choice experiment surveys; and the analytical hierarchy process using both workshops and surveys. There was significant heterogeneity in patient responses and differences between patients, who put greater weight on disease characteristics and treatment convenience, and experts, who put more weight on efficacy. The studies highlighted cognitive challenges associated with some weighting methods, though patients' views on their ability to undertake weighting tasks was positive. This review identified several recent examples of MCDA used to elicit patient preferences, which support the feasibility of using MCDA to capture the patient voice. Challenges identified included, how best to reflect the heterogeneity of patient preferences in decision making and how to manage the cognitive burden associated with some MCDA tasks.
Alone is a crowd: social motivations, social withdrawal, and socioemotional functioning in later childhood.

PubMed

Coplan, Robert J; Rose-Krasnor, Linda; Weeks, Murray; Kingsbury, Adam; Kingsbury, Mila; Bullock, Amanda

2013-05-01

The primary goals of this study were to test a conceptual model linking social approach and avoidance motivations, socially withdrawn behaviors, and peer difficulties in later childhood and to compare the socioemotional functioning of different subtypes of withdrawn children (shy, unsociable, avoidant). Participants were 367 children, aged 9-12 years. Measures included assessments of social motivations (i.e., self-reported shyness and preference for solitude) and social withdrawal (observations of solitary behaviors in the schoolyard and self-reports of solitary activities outside of school), as well as self- and parent-reported peer difficulties and internalizing problems. Among the results, both shyness and preference for solitude were associated with socially withdrawn behaviors, which in turn predicted peer difficulties. However, only shyness (but not preference for solitude) also displayed a direct path to peer difficulties. As well, results from person-oriented analyses indicated that different subtypes of socially withdrawn children displayed decidedly different profiles with regard to indices of internalizing problems. For example, whereas unsociable children did not differ from their nonwithdrawn peers on indices of internalizing problems, socially avoidant (i.e., high in both shyness and unsociability) children reported the most pervasive socioemotional difficulties. Findings are discussed in terms of the implications of different forms of social withdrawal for socioemotional functioning in later childhood.
Quantifying preferences for the natural world using monetary and nonmonetary assessments of value.

PubMed

Dallimer, Martin; Tinch, Dugald; Hanley, Nick; Irvine, Katherine N; Rouquette, James R; Warren, Philip H; Maltby, Lorraine; Gaston, Kevin J; Armsworth, Paul R

2014-04-01

Given that funds for biodiversity conservation are limited, there is a need to understand people's preferences for its different components. To date, such preferences have largely been measured in monetary terms. However, how people value biodiversity may differ from economic theory, and there is little consensus over whether monetary metrics are always appropriate or the degree to which other methods offer alternative and complementary perspectives on value. We used a choice experiment to compare monetary amounts recreational visitors to urban green spaces were willing to pay for biodiversity enhancement (increases in species richness for birds, plants, and aquatic macroinvertebrates) with self-reported psychological gains in well-being derived from visiting the same sites. Willingness-to-pay (WTP) estimates were significant and positive, and respondents reported high gains in well-being across 3 axes derived from environmental psychology theories (reflection, attachment, continuity with past). The 2 metrics were broadly congruent. Participants with above-median self-reported well-being scores were willing to pay significantly higher amounts for enhancing species richness than those with below-median scores, regardless of taxon. The socio-economic and demographic background of participants played little role in determining either their well-being or the probability of choosing a paying option within the choice experiment. Site-level environmental characteristics were only somewhat related to WTP, but showed strong associations with self-reported well-being. Both approaches are likely to reflect a combination of the environmental properties of a site and unobserved individual preference heterogeneity for the natural world. Our results suggest that either metric will deliver mutually consistent results in an assessment of environmental preferences, although which approach is preferable depends on why one wishes to measure values for the natural world. © 2013 The Authors. Conservation Biology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc., on behalf of the Society for Conservation Biology.
A Combined fMRI and DTI Examination of Functional Language Lateralization and Arcuate Fasciculus Structure: Effects of Degree versus Direction of Hand Preference

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Propper, Ruthe E.; O'Donnell, Lauren J.; Whalen, Stephen; Tie, Yanmei; Norton, Isaiah H.; Suarez, Ralph O.; Zollei, Lilla; Radmanesh, Alireza; Golby, Alexandra J.

2010-01-01

The present study examined the relationship between hand preference degree and direction, functional language lateralization in Broca's and Wernicke's areas, and structural measures of the arcuate fasciculus. Results revealed an effect of degree of hand preference on arcuate fasciculus structure, such that consistently-handed individuals,…
Classroom Seating and Hypnotic Susceptibility.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sackeim, Harold A.; And Others

1979-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine whether people who differ in behavioral and self-report measures of lateralized seating preferences also differ in hypnotic susceptibility. Only right-handed subjects were used, and the associations between hypnotic susceptibility and seating preference were examined separately for males and females.…
Structural Priming and Frequency Effects Interact in Chinese Sentence Comprehension

PubMed Central

Wei, Hang; Dong, Yanping; Boland, Julie E.; Yuan, Fang

2016-01-01

Previous research in several European languages has shown that the language processing system is sensitive to both structural frequency and structural priming effects. However, it is currently not clear whether these two types of effects interact during online sentence comprehension, especially for languages that do not have morphological markings. To explore this issue, the present study investigated the possible interplay between structural priming and frequency effects for sentences containing the Chinese ambiguous construction V NP1 de NP2 in a self-paced reading experiment. The sentences were disambiguated to either the more frequent/preferred NP structure or the less frequent VP structure. Each target sentence was preceded by a prime sentence of three possible types: NP primes, VP primes, and neutral primes. When the ambiguous construction V NP1 de NP2 was disambiguated to the dispreferred VP structure, participants experienced more processing difficulty following an NP prime relative to following a VP prime or a neutral baseline. When the ambiguity was resolved to the preferred NP structure, prime type had no effect. These results suggest that structural priming in comprehension is modulated by the baseline frequency of alternative structures, with the less frequent structure being more subject to structural priming effects. These results are discussed in the context of the error-based, implicit learning account of structural priming. PMID:26869954
Work-family conflict and self-discrepant time allocation at work.

PubMed

Dahm, Patricia C; Glomb, Theresa M; Manchester, Colleen Flaherty; Leroy, Sophie

2015-05-01

We examine the relationships between work-to-family conflict, time allocation across work activities, and the outcomes of work satisfaction, well-being, and salary in the context of self-regulation and self-discrepancy theories. We posit work-to-family conflict is associated with self-discrepant time allocation such that employees with higher levels of work-to-family conflict are likely to allocate less time than preferred to work activities that require greater self-regulatory resources (e.g., tasks that are complex, or those with longer term goals that delay rewards and closure) and allocate more time than preferred to activities that demand fewer self-regulatory resources or are replenishing (e.g., those that provide closure or are prosocial). We suggest this self-discrepant time allocation (actual vs. preferred time allocation) is one mechanism by which work-to-family conflict leads to negative employee consequences (Allen, Herst, Bruck, & Sutton, 2000; Mesmer-Magnus & Viswesvaran, 2005). Using polynomial regression and response surface methodology, we find that discrepancies between actual and preferred time allocations to work activities negatively relate to work satisfaction, psychological well-being, and physical well-being. Self-discrepant time allocation mediates the relationship between work-to-family conflict and work satisfaction and well-being, while actual time allocation (rather than the discrepancy) mediates the relationship between work-to-family conflict and salary. We find that women are more likely than men to report self-discrepant time allocations as work-to-family conflict increases. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.
Self-Efficacy, Attitudes, and Choice of Strategies for English Pronunciation Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sardegna, Veronica G.; Lee, Juhee; Kusey, Crystal

2018-01-01

This article proposes a structural model of English language learners' self-efficacy beliefs, attitudes toward learning pronunciation skills, and choice of pronunciation learning strategies. Participants' responses (N = 704) to two self-reported questionnaires--Strategies for Pronunciation Improvement (SPI) inventory and Learner Attitudes for…
Preferences for Depression Treatment Including Internet-Based Interventions: Results From a Large Sample of Primary Care Patients

PubMed Central

Dorow, Marie; Löbner, Margrit; Pabst, Alexander; Stein, Janine; Riedel-Heller, Steffi G.

2018-01-01

Background: To date, little is known about treatment preferences for depression concerning new media. This study aims to (1) investigate treatment preferences for depression including internet-based interventions and (2) examine subgroup differences concerning age, gender and severity of depression as well as patient-related factors associated with treatment preferences. Methods: Data were derived from the baseline assessment of the @ktiv-trial. Depression treatment preferences were assessed from n = 641 primary care patients with mild to moderate depression regarding the following treatments: medication, psychotherapy, combined treatment, alternative treatment, talking to friends and family, exercise, self-help literature, and internet-based interventions. Depression severity was specified by GPs according to ICD-10 criteria. Ordinal logistic regression models were conducted to identify associated factors of treatment preferences. Results: Patients had a mean age of 43.9 years (SD = 13.8) and more than two thirds (68.6%) were female. About 43% of patients had mild depression while 57% were diagnosed with moderate depression. The majority of patients reported strong preferences for psychotherapy, talking to friends and family, and exercise. About one in five patients was very likely to consider internet-based interventions in case of depression. Younger patients expressed significantly stronger treatment preferences for psychotherapy and internet-based interventions than older patients. The most salient factors associated with treatment preferences were the patients' education and perceived self-efficacy. Conclusions: Patients with depression report individually different treatment preferences.Our results underline the importance of shared decision-making within primary care. Future studies should investigate treatment preferences for different types of internet-based interventions. PMID:29867605
Gaming as an English Language Learning Resource among Young Children in Denmark

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Signe Hannibal

2017-01-01

This article presents a study of Danish young English language learners' (YELLs') contact with and use of Extramural English (EE) (N = 107, aged 8 [n = 49] and 10 [n = 58]). They have received little formal English instruction: two lessons per week for one year. Data on EE-habits were collected with a one-week language diary (self-report with…
The Mediation of Multimodal Affordances on Willingness to Communicate in the English as a Foreign Language Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peng, Jian-E.; Zhang, Li; Chen, Yumin

2017-01-01

Willingness to communicate (WTC) in a second language class has been shown to be transient and situation-dependent. Previous studies mostly elicited data from learners' self-reports through interviews or diaries, and the data analyses were largely confined to the medium of language, marginalizing other semiotic resources such as gesture or…
Developing a Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) Assessment for Preservice Teachers Learning to Teach English as a Foreign Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baser, Derya; Kopcha, Theodore J.; Ozden, M. Yasar

2016-01-01

This paper reports the development and validation process of a self-assessment survey that examines technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) among preservice teachers learning to teach English as a foreign language (EFL). The survey, called TPACK-EFL, aims to provide an assessment tool for preservice foreign language teachers that…
Healthy eating patterns associated with acculturation, sex and BMI among Mexican Americans.

PubMed

Reininger, Belinda; Lee, MinJae; Jennings, Rose; Evans, Alexandra; Vidoni, Michelle

2017-05-01

Examine relationships of healthy and unhealthy dietary patterns with BMI, sex, age and acculturation among Mexican Americans. Cross-sectional. Participants completed culturally tailored Healthy and Unhealthy Eating Indices. Multivariable mixed-effect Poisson regression models compared food pattern index scores and dietary intake of specific foods by BMI, sex, age and acculturation defined by language preference and generational status. Participants recruited from the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort study, Texas-Mexico border region, between 2008 and 2011. Mexican-American males and females aged 18-97 years (n 1250). Participants were primarily female (55·3 %), overweight or obese (85·7 %), preferred Spanish language (68·0 %) and first-generation status (60·3 %). Among first-generation participants, bilingual participants were less likely to have a healthy eating pattern than preferred Spanish-speaking participants (rate ratio (RR)=0·79, P=0·0218). This association was also found in males (RR=0·81, P=0·0098). Preferred English-speaking females were less likely to consume healthy foods than preferred Spanish-speaking females (RR=0·84, P=0·0293). Among second-generation participants, preferred English-speaking participants were more likely to report a higher unhealthy eating pattern than preferred Spanish-speaking participants (RR=1·23, P=0·0114). Higher unhealthy eating patterns were also found in females who preferred English v. females who preferred Spanish (RR=1·23, P=0·0107) or were bilingual (RR=1·26, P=0·0159). Younger, male participants were more likely to have a higher unhealthy eating pattern. BMI and diabetes status were not significantly associated with healthy or unhealthy eating patterns. Acculturation, age, sex and education are associated with healthy and unhealthy dietary patterns. Nutrition interventions for Mexican Americans should tailor approaches by these characteristics.
Management of low-grade cervical abnormalities detected at screening: which method do women prefer?

PubMed

Whynes, D K; Woolley, C; Philips, Z

2008-12-01

To establish whether women with low-grade abnormalities detected during screening for cervical cancer prefer to be managed by cytological surveillance or by immediate colposcopy. TOMBOLA (Trial of Management of Borderline and Other Low-grade Abnormal smears) is a randomized controlled trial comparing alternative management strategies following the screen-detection of low-grade cytological abnormalities. At exit, a sample of TOMBOLA women completed a questionnaire eliciting opinions on their management, contingent valuations (CV) of the management methods and preferences. Within-trial quality of life (EQ-5D) data collected for a sample of TOMBOLA women throughout their follow-up enabled the comparison of self-reported health at various time points, by management method. Once management had been initiated, self-reported health in the colposcopy arm rose relative to that in the surveillance arm, although the effect was short-term only. For the majority of women, the satisfaction ratings and the CV indicated approval of the management method to which they had been randomized. Of the minority manifesting a preference for the method which they had not experienced, relatively more would have preferred colposcopy than would have preferred surveillance. The findings must be interpreted in the light of sample bias with respect to preferences, whereby enthusiasm for colposcopy was probably over-represented amongst trial participants. The study suggests that neither of the management methods is preferred unequivocally; rather, individual women have individual preferences, although many would be indifferent between methods.

Activations of "Motor" and Other Non-Language Structures during Sentence Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stowe, Laurie A.; Paans, Anne M. J.; Wijers, Albertus A.; Zwarts, Frans

2004-01-01

In this paper we report the results of an experiment in which subjects read syntactically unambiguous and ambiguous sentences which were disambiguated after several words to the less likely possibility. Understanding such sentences involves building an initial structure, inhibiting the non-preferred structure, detecting that later input is…
Research-study of a self-organizing computer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schaffner, M. R.

1974-01-01

It is shown that a self organizing system has two main components: an organizable physical part, and a programing part. This report presents the organizable part in the form of a programable hardware and its programing language.
Are Women More Emotionally Skilled When It Comes to Expression of Emotions in the Foreign Language? Gender, Emotional Intelligence and Personality Traits in Relation to Emotional Expression in the L2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozanska-Ponikwia, Katarzyna

2017-01-01

The present study investigates the link between gender, emotional intelligence (EI), personality traits and self-reported emotional expression in the second language (L2). Data analysis suggests that gender might not influence self-perceived emotional expression in the L2, as the results of the t-test show that both males and females declare…
Salience Effects: L2 Sentence Production as a Window on L1 Speech Planning.

PubMed

Antón-Méndez, Inés; Gerfen, Chip; Ramos, Miguel

2016-06-01

Salience influences grammatical structure during production in a language-dependent manner because different languages afford different options to satisfy preferences. During production, speakers may always try to satisfy all syntactic encoding preferences (e.g., salient entities to be mentioned early, themes to be assigned the syntactic function of object) and adjust when this is not possible (e.g., a salient theme in English) or, alternatively, they may learn early on to associate particular conceptual configurations with particular syntactic frames (e.g., salient themes with passives). To see which of these alternatives is responsible for the production of passives when dealing with a salient theme, we looked at the second language effects of salience for English-speaking learners of Spanish, where the two preferences can be satisfied simultaneously by fronting the object (Prat-Sala and Branigan in J Mem Lang 42:168-182, 2000). In accordance with highly incremental models of language production, English speakers appear to quickly make use of the alternatives in the second language that allow observance of more processing preferences.
The Relationship between Perceptual Learning Style Preferences and Multiple Intelligences among Iranian EFL Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baleghizadeh, Sasan; Shayeghi, Rose

2014-01-01

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the relationships between preferences of Multiple Intelligences and perceptual/social learning styles. Two self-report questionnaires were administered to a total of 207 male and female participants. Pearson correlation results revealed statistically significant positive relations between…
Online and Offline Gaming Social Preferences of Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaffer, Jeannette R.

2012-01-01

The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between the self-reported demographic characteristics of high school students that play games online and their social preferences when playing offline and online. Adolescents are using communication tools while playing games to meet new people, learn new strategies, and maintain…
Young Women's Work Value Preferences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Karen L.; Roscoe, Bruce

A study examined the work value preferences of young women in their late teens and early twenties. A descriptive self-report instrument was administered to 496 female undergraduate students at a midwestern university. Respondents were asked to rate the importance of 30 work values that were organized into two groups--work values that directly…
Some Generalization and Follow-Up Measures on Autistic Children in Behavior Therapy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lovaas, O. Ivar; And Others

Reported was a behavior therapy program emphasizing language training for 20 autistic children who variously exhibited apparent sensory deficit, severe affect isolation, self stimulatory behavior, mutism, echolalic speech, absence of receptive speech and social and self help behaviors, and self destructive tendencies. The treatment emphasized…
Contribution of Family Environment to Pediatric Cochlear Implant Users’ Speech and Language Outcomes: Some Preliminary Findings

PubMed Central

Holt, Rachael Frush; Beer, Jessica; Kronenberger, William G.; Pisoni, David B.; Lalonde, Kaylah

2012-01-01

Purpose To evaluate the family environments of children with cochlear implants and to examine relationships between family environment and post-implant language development and executive function. Method Forty-five families of children with cochlear implants completed a self-report family environment questionnaire (FES) and an inventory of executive function (BRIEF/BRIEF-P). Children’s receptive vocabulary (PPVT-4) and global language skills (PLS-4/CELF-4) were also evaluated. Results The family environments of children with cochlear implants differed from those of normal-hearing children, but not in clinically significant ways. Language development and executive function were found to be atypical, but not uncharacteristic of this clinical population. Families with higher levels of self-reported control had children with smaller vocabularies. Families reporting a higher emphasis on achievement had children with fewer executive function and working memory problems. Finally, families reporting a higher emphasis on organization had children with fewer problems related to inhibition. Conclusions Some of the variability in cochlear implantation outcomes that have protracted periods of development is related to family environment. Because family environment can be modified and enhanced by therapy or education, these preliminary findings hold promise for future work in helping families to create robust language-learning environments that can maximize their child’s potential with a cochlear implant. PMID:22232387
Assessing Acceptability of Self-Sampling Kits, Prevalence, and Risk Factors for Human Papillomavirus Infection in American Indian Women.

PubMed

Winer, Rachel L; Gonzales, Angela A; Noonan, Carolyn J; Cherne, Stephen L; Buchwald, Dedra S

2016-10-01

We evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of self-sampling for human papillomavirus (HPV) testing and calculated the prevalence of and risk factors for high-risk (hr) HPV infections in a community-based sample of American Indian women. To this end, we recruited 329 Hopi women aged 21-65 years to self-collect vaginal samples for hrHPV testing. Samples were tested by polymerase chain reaction for 14 hrHPV genotypes. We used Chi square tests to identify correlates of preference for clinician Pap testing versus HPV self-sampling, and age-adjusted Poisson regression to evaluate correlates of hrHPV prevalence. We found that satisfaction with HPV self-sampling was high, with 96 % of women reporting that the sample was easy to collect and 87 % reporting no discomfort. The majority (62 %) indicated that they preferred HPV self-sampling to receiving a Pap test from a clinician. Preference for Pap testing over HPV self-sampling was positively associated with adherence to Pap screening and employment outside the home. All samples evaluated were satisfactory for HPV testing, and 22 % were positive for hrHPV. HrHPV prevalence peaked in the late 20 s and declined with increasing age. HrHPV positivity was inversely associated with having children living the household. In conclusion, HPV self-sampling is feasible and acceptable to Hopi women, and could be effective in increasing rates of cervical cancer screening in Hopi communities. HrHPV prevalence was similar to estimates in the general United States population.
Gender differences in associations of sexual and romantic stimuli: do young men really prefer sex over romance?

PubMed

Thompson, Ashley E; O'Sullivan, Lucia F

2012-08-01

Theory and research emphasize differences in men's and women's sexual and romantic attitudes, concluding that men have stronger preferences for sexual than romantic stimuli as compared to women. However, most of the research on gender differences have relied on self-reports, which are plagued by problems of social desirability bias. The current study assessed young men's and women's implicit attitudes toward sexual and romantic stimuli to test whether, in fact, men have a stronger preference for sexual over romantic stimuli compared to women. We also assessed associations between implicit and explicit attitudes, as well as sex role ideology and personality. College students (68 men and 114 women) completed an Implicit Association Test (IAT) that assessed strengths of associations of sexual and romantic stimuli to both pleasant and unpleasant conditions. Results revealed that both men and women more strongly associated romantic images to the pleasant condition than they associated the sexual images to the pleasant condition. However, as predicted, women had a stronger preference toward romantic versus sexual stimuli compared to men. Our study challenges a common assumption that men prefer sexual over romantic stimuli. The findings indicate that measures of implicit attitudes may tap preferences that are not apparent in studies relying on self-reported (explicit) attitudes.
Parents' assessment of circadian preference in elementary school-aged children: Validity and relations to educational outcomes.

PubMed

Scherrer, Vsevolod; Roberts, Richard; Preckel, Franzis

2016-01-01

Meta-analyses suggest that morning-oriented students obtain better school grades than evening-oriented students. This finding has generally been found for students in high school using self-report data for the assessment of circadian preference. Two studies (N = 2718/192) investigated whether these findings generalize across samples (i.e. elementary school-aged students) and methods (i.e. parent reports). These studies also explored whether the relation between circadian preference and school achievement could be explained within an expectancy-value framework. To this end, the Lark-Owl Chronotype Indicator (LOCI) was modified to obtain parents' evaluations of their children's circadian preference, while students completed a battery of assessments designed to explore the test-criterion evidence. Structural equation modeling and correlational analyses revealed: (1) morning and evening orientation were two separable factors of children's circadian preference; (2) correlations with behavioral (e.g. sleep and eating times) and psychological (e.g. cognitive ability) data supported the test-criterion validity of both factors; (3) morning orientation was positively related to school achievement and (4) consistent with an expectancy-value framework this relation was mediated by children's academic self-concept (ASC). These findings have important research and policy implications for considering circadian preference in the schooling of elementary students.
Decisional Control Preferences, Disclosure of Information Preferences, and Satisfaction Among Hispanic Patients With Advanced Cancer

PubMed Central

Noguera, Antonio; Yennurajalingam, Sriram; Torres-Vigil, Isabel; Parsons, Henrique Afonseca; Duarte, Eva Rosina; Palma, Alejandra; Bunge, Sofia; Palmer, J. Lynn; Bruera, Eduardo

2017-01-01

Context Studies to determine the decisional control preferences (DCPs) in Hispanic patients receiving palliative care are limited. Objectives The aims of this study were to describe DCPs, disclosure of information, and satisfaction with decision making among Hispanics, and to determine the degree of concordance between patients’ DCPs and their self-reported decisions. Methods We surveyed 387 cancer patients referred to outpatient palliative care clinics in Argentina, Chile, Guatemala, and the U.S. DCPs were measured with the Control Preference Scale, disclosure preferences with the Disclosure of Information Preferences questionnaire, and satisfaction with care with the Satisfaction with Decision Scale. Results In this study, 182 patients (47.6%) preferred shared decisional control, 119 (31.2%) active decisional control, and 81 (21.2%) preferred a passive approach. Concerning diagnosis and prognosis, 345 (92%) patients wanted to know their diagnosis, and 355 (94%) wanted to know their prognosis. Three hundred thirty-seven (87%) patients were satisfied with the decision-making process. DCPs were concordant with the self-reported decision-making process in 264 (69%) patients (weighted kappa, 0.55). Patients’ greater satisfaction with the decision-making process was correlated with older age (P≤0.001) and with a preference for enhanced diagnostic disclosure (P≤0.024). Satisfaction did not correlate with concordance in the decision-making process. Conclusion The vast majority preferred a shared or active decision-making process and wanted information about their diagnosis and prognosis. Older patients and those who wanted to know their diagnosis seemed to be more satisfied with the way treatment decisions were made. PMID:24035071
Response Inhibition, Peer Preference and Victimization, and Self-Harm: Longitudinal Associations in Young Adult Women with and without ADHD.

PubMed

Meza, Jocelyn I; Owens, Elizabeth B; Hinshaw, Stephen P

2016-02-01

Self-harm (suicidal ideation and attempts; non-suicidal self-injuries behavior) peaks in adolescence and early-adulthood, with rates higher for women than men. Young women with childhood psychiatric diagnoses appear to be at particular risk, yet more remains to be learned about the key predictors or mediators of self-harm outcomes. Our aims were to examine, with respect to self-harm-related outcomes in early adulthood, the predictive validity of childhood response inhibition, a cardinal trait of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as well as the potential mediating effects of social preference and peer victimization, ascertained in early adolescence. Participants were an ethnically and socioeconomically diverse sample of 228 girls with and without ADHD, an enriched sample for deficits in response inhibition. Childhood response inhibition (RI) predicted young-adult suicide ideation (SI), suicide attempts (SA), and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), over and above full-scale IQ, mother's education, household income, and age. Importantly, teacher-rated social preference in adolescence was a partial mediator of the RI-SI/SA linkages; self-reported peer victimization in adolescence emerged as a significant partial mediator of the RI-NSSI linkage. We discuss implications for conceptual models of self-harm and for needed clinical services designed to detect and reduce self-harm.
Anxiety in early pregnancy: prevalence and contributing factors.

PubMed

Rubertsson, C; Hellström, J; Cross, M; Sydsjö, G

2014-06-01

Antenatal anxiety symptoms are not only a health problem for the expectant mother. Research has found that maternal anxiety may also have an impact on the developing baby. Therefore, it is important to estimate the prevalence of maternal anxiety and associated factors. The current study aims to estimate the prevalence of anxiety symptoms during the first trimester of pregnancy and to identify associated risk factors. Secondly, to investigate other factors associated with anxiety during early pregnancy including fear of childbirth and a preference for cesarean section. In a population-based community sample of 1,175 pregnant women, 916 women (78%) were investigated in the first trimester (gestation week 8-12). The Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS-A) was used to measure anxiety symptoms. The prevalence of anxiety symptoms (HADS-A scores≥8 during pregnancy) was 15.6% in early pregnancy. Women under 25 years of age were at an increased risk of anxiety symptoms during early pregnancy (OR 2.6, CI 1.7-4.0). Women who reported a language other than Swedish as their native language (OR 4.2, CI 2.7-7.0), reported high school as their highest level of education (OR 1.6, CI 1.1-2.3), were unemployed (OR 3.5, CI 2.1-5.8), used nicotine before pregnancy (OR 1.7, CI 1.1-2.5), and had a self-reported psychiatric history of either depression (OR 3.8, CI 2.6-5.6) or anxiety (OR 5.2, CI 3.5-7.9) before their current pregnancy were all at an increased risk of anxiety symptoms during early pregnancy. Anxiety symptoms during pregnancy increased the rate of fear of birth (OR 3.0, CI 1.9-4.7) and a preference for cesarean section (OR 1.7, CI 1.0-2.8). Caregivers should pay careful attention to history of mental illness to be able to identify women with symptoms of anxiety during early pregnancy. When presenting with symptoms of anxiety, the women might need counseling and or treatment in order to decrease her anxiety.
Which button will I press? Preference for correctly ordered counting sequences in 18-month-olds.

PubMed

Ip, Martin Ho Kwan; Imuta, Kana; Slaughter, Virginia

2018-04-16

Correct counting respects the stable order principle whereby the count terms are recited in a fixed order every time. The 4 experiments reported here tested whether precounting infants recognize and prefer correct stable-ordered counting. The authors introduced a novel preference paradigm in which infants could freely press two buttons to activate videos of counting events. In the "correct" counting video, number words were always recited in the canonical order ("1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6"). The "incorrect" counting video was identical except that the number words were recited in a random order (e.g., "5, 3, 1, 6, 4, 2"). In Experiment 1, 18-month-olds (n = 21), but not 15-month-olds (n = 24), significantly preferred to press the button that activated correct counting events. Experiment 2 revealed that English-learning 18-month-olds' (n = 21) preference for stable-ordered counting disappeared when the counting was done in Japanese. By contrast, Experiment 3 showed that multilingual 18-month-olds (n = 24) preferred correct stable-ordered counting in an unfamiliar foreign language. In Experiment 4, multilingual 18-month-olds (N = 21) showed no preference for stable-ordered alphabet sequences, ruling out some alternative explanations for the Experiment 3 results. Overall these findings are consistent with the idea that implicit recognition of the stable order principle of counting is acquired by 18 months of age, and that learning more than one language may accelerate infants' understanding of abstract counting principles. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
Development of a Measure to Assess Youth Self-Reported Experiences of Activity Settings (SEAS)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Gillian; Batorowicz, Beata; Rigby, Patty; McMain-Klein, Margot; Thompson, Laura; Pinto, Madhu

2014-01-01

There is a need for psychometrically sound measures of youth experiences of community/home leisure activity settings. The 22-item Self-Reported Experiences of Activity Settings (SEAS) captures the following experiences of youth with a Grade 3 level of language comprehension or more: Personal Growth, Psychological Engagement, Social Belonging,…
How and with What Accuracy Do Children Report Self-Regulated Learning in Contemporary EFL Instructional Settings?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferreira, P. Costa; Simão, A. M. Veiga; da Silva, A. Lopes

2017-01-01

This study aimed to understand how children reflect about learning, report their regulation of learning activity, and develop their performance in contemporary English as a Foreign Language instructional settings. A quasi-experimental design was used with one experimental group working in a self-regulated learning computer-supported instructional…
The Bridge: Linking Mood Induction, Self-Report, and Psychophysiology to Vocabulary Learning on a Paired-Associates Learning Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Jessica Kate

2017-01-01

Researchers in the field of second language acquisition continue to establish links between cognition and emotion (Dewaele, 2013; MacIntyre, 2002; MacIntyre & Gardner, 1989, 1991b, 1994; Segalowitz & Trofimovich, 2011). The purpose of the present study is to investigate to what extent physiological and self-report measures predict…
Students’ Attitudes, Academic Performance and Preferences for Content Delivery in a Very Large Self-Care Course Redesign

PubMed Central

Mistry, Amee; Schnee, David; Tataronis, Gary; Taglieri, Catherine; Zaiken, Kathy; Patel, Dhiren; Nigro, Stefanie; Jacobson, Susan; Goldman, Jennifer

2016-01-01

Objective. To evaluate students’ performance/attitudes toward a flipped team-based learning (TBL) format in a “very large” self-care course based on student content delivery preference. Design. Third-year students enrolled in the course were surveyed regarding elements of redesign and homework completion. Additionally, their performance and incoming grade point average were evaluated. Assessment. A survey was completed by 286 of 305 students. Nineteen percent of respondents preferred traditional content delivery, whereas 30% preferred flipped TBL, 48% preferred a mixed format, and 3% had no preference. The grades achieved in the course were: A (49%), B (48%), C (3%) and D (0%). The majority completed “all” or “most” of the homework, appreciated attributes of course redesign, felt home preparation and in-class activities engaged them, and reported improved communication/evaluation skills. Content delivery preference significantly affected attitudes. Conclusion. Students positively received a flipped team-based learning classroom format, especially those who preferred flipped TBL or mixed content delivery. A minority with preference for traditional teaching style did not enjoy the new format; however, their academic performance did not differ significantly from those who did. PMID:27293234

Specialist English as a foreign language for European public health: evaluation of competencies and needs among Polish and Lithuanian students.

PubMed

Sumskas, Linas; Czabanowska, Katarzyna; Bruneviciūte, Raimonda; Kregzdyte, Rima; Krikstaponyte, Zita; Ziomkiewicz, Anna

2010-01-01

Foreign languages are becoming an essential prerequisite for a successful carrier among all professions including public health professionals in many countries. The expanding role of English as a mode of communication allows for university graduates to project and to seek their career in English-speaking countries. The present study was carried out in the framework of EU Leonardo da Vinci project "Specialist English as a foreign language for European public health." The study aimed to get a deeper insight how the English language is perceived as a foreign language, by Polish and Lithuanian public health students, what is level of their language competence, which level of English proficiency they expect to use in future. MATERIAL AND METHODS. A total of 246 respondents completed the special questionnaires in autumn semester in 2005. A questionnaire form was developed by the international project team. For evaluation of English competences, the Language Passport (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages of Council of Europe) was applied. RESULTS. Current self-rated proficiency of the English language was at the same level for Lithuanian (3.47+/-1.14) and Polish (3.31+/-0.83) respondents (P>0.05). Majority of respondents (88.6% of Lithuanian and 87.8% of Polish) reported using the English language for their current studies. Respondents reported a significant increase in necessity for higher level of English proficiency in future: mean scores provided by respondents changed from B1 level to B2 level. Respondents gave priority to less formal and practice-based interactive English teaching methods (going abroad, contacts with native speakers) in comparison with theory-oriented methods of learning (self-studying, Internet courses). CONCLUSIONS. Similar levels of English language in all five areas of language skills were established in Polish and Lithuanian university students. Respondents gave more priorities to less formal and practice-based interactive English teaching methods (going abroad, contacts with native speakers) in comparison with theory-oriented or classroom-based methods of learning (self-studying, Internet courses). Survey showed a growing interest of students in improving English language in the future in Poland and Lithuania.
How Are Learning Strategies Reflected in the Eyes? Combining Results from Self-Reports and Eye-Tracking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Catrysse, Leen; Gijbels, David; Donche, Vincent; De Maeyer, Sven; Lesterhuis, Marije; Van den Bossche, Piet

2018-01-01

Background: Up until now, empirical studies in the Student Approaches to Learning field have mainly been focused on the use of self-report instruments, such as interviews and questionnaires, to uncover differences in students' general preferences towards learning strategies, but have focused less on the use of task-specific and online measures.…
How Portuguese and American Teachers Plan for Literacy Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spear-Swerling, Louise; Lopes, Joao; Oliveira, Celia; Zibulsky, Jamie

2016-01-01

This study explored American and Portuguese elementary teachers' preferences in planning for literacy instruction using the Language Arts Activity Grid (LAAG; Cunningham, Zibulsky, Stanovich, & Stanovich, 2009), on which teachers described their preferred instructional activities for a hypothetical 2-h language arts block. Portuguese teachers…
iPads, mobile technologies, and communication applications: a survey of family wants, needs, and preferences.

PubMed

Meder, Allison M; Wegner, Jane R

2015-03-01

Families of children with communication disabilities were surveyed to explore wants and preferences relative to mobile media technology, including iPads, as a form of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). The families surveyed reported wanting information and support from professionals, including speech language pathologists (SLPs), who are knowledgeable about AAC. These families wanted devices to meet their children's individual needs and reported that ease of use and affordability were the most influential characteristics in the purchase of mobile media devices and communication applications. SLPs who understand family decision making can utilize collaborative clinical decision making that respects families' wants and needs, while also focusing on device feature matching and family education.
Women prefer men who use metaphorical language when paying compliments in a romantic context.

PubMed

Gao, Zhao; Gao, Shan; Xu, Lei; Zheng, Xiaoxiao; Ma, Xiaole; Luo, Lizhu; Kendrick, Keith M

2017-02-09

Language plays an important role in romantic attachment. However, it is unclear whether the structure and topic of language use might influence potential mate choice. We investigated 124 female students' preference for compliments paid by males incorporating either literal or metaphoric (conventional/novel) language and targeting their appearance or possessions (house) throughout their menstrual cycle. Male faces paired with novel metaphorical compliments were rated as more attractive by women than those paired with literal ones. Compliments targeting appearance increased male attractiveness more than possessions. Interestingly, compliments on appearance using novel metaphors were preferred by women in a relationship during the fertile phase but by single women during the luteal phase. A similar pattern of altered face attraction ratings was subsequently shown by subjects in the absence of the verbal compliments and even though they were unable to recognize the faces. Thus the maintained attraction bias for faces previously associated with figurative language compliments appears to be unconscious. Overall this study provides the first evidence that women find men who typically use novel metaphorical language to compliment appearance more attractive than those using prosaic language or complimenting possessions. The evolutionary significance for such a language use bias in mate selection is discussed.
Parochialism or Self-Consciousness? Internationality in Medical History Journals 1997–2006

PubMed Central

Steinke, Hubert; Lang, Yves

2011-01-01

Research councils, universities and funding agencies are increasingly asking for tools to measure the quality of research in the humanities. One of their preferred methods is a ranking of journals according to their supposed level of internationality. Our quantitative survey of seventeen major journals of medical history reveals the futility of such an approach. Most journals have a strong national character with a dominance of native language, authors and topics. The most common case is a paper written by a local author in his own language on a national subject regarding the nineteenth or twentieth century. American and British journals are taken notice of internationally but they only rarely mention articles from other history of medicine journals. Continental European journals show a more international review of literature, but are in their turn not noticed globally. Increasing specialisation and fragmentation has changed the role of general medical history journals. They run the risk of losing their function as international platforms of discourse on general and theoretical issues and major trends in historiography, to international collections of papers. Journal editors should therefore force their authors to write a more international report, and authors should be encouraged to submit papers of international interest and from a more general, transnational and methodological point of view. PMID:22028500
Parochialism or self-consciousness? Internationality in medical history journals 1997-2006.

PubMed

Steinke, Hubert; Lang, Yves

2011-10-01

Research councils, universities and funding agencies are increasingly asking for tools to measure the quality of research in the humanities. One of their preferred methods is a ranking of journals according to their supposed level of internationality. Our quantitative survey of seventeen major journals of medical history reveals the futility of such an approach. Most journals have a strong national character with a dominance of native language, authors and topics. The most common case is a paper written by a local author in his own language on a national subject regarding the nineteenth or twentieth century. American and British journals are taken notice of internationally but they only rarely mention articles from other history of medicine journals. Continental European journals show a more international review of literature, but are in their turn not noticed globally. Increasing specialisation and fragmentation has changed the role of general medical history journals. They run the risk of losing their function as international platforms of discourse on general and theoretical issues and major trends in historiography, to international collections of papers. Journal editors should therefore force their authors to write a more international report, and authors should be encouraged to submit papers of international interest and from a more general, transnational and methodological point of view.
Building a Foundation to Reduce Health Inequities: Routine Collection of Sociodemographic Data in Primary Care.

PubMed

Pinto, Andrew D; Glattstein-Young, Gabriela; Mohamed, Anthony; Bloch, Gary; Leung, Fok-Han; Glazier, Richard H

2016-01-01

Detailed data on social determinants of health can facilitate the identification of inequities in access to health care. We report on a sociodemographic data collection tool used in a family medicine clinic. Four major health organizations in Toronto collaborated to identify a set of 14 questions that covered a range of social determinants of health. These were translated into 13 languages. This survey was self-administered using an electronic tablet to a convenience sample of 407 patients in the waiting room of a primary care clinic. Data were uploaded directly to the electronic medical record. The rate of valid responses provided for each question was high, ranging from 84% to 100%. The questions with the highest number of patients selecting "do not know" and "prefer not to answer" pertained to disabilities and income. Patients reported finding the process acceptable. In subsequent implementation across 5 clinics, 10,536 patients have been surveyed; only 724 (6.9%) declined to participate. Collecting data on social determinants of health through a self-administered survey, and linking them to a patient's chart, is feasible and acceptable. A modified survey is now administered to all patients. Such data are already being used to identify health inequities, develop novel interventions, and evaluate their impact on health outcomes. © Copyright 2016 by the American Board of Family Medicine.
Development and evaluation of a Chinese-language newborn feeding hotline: A prospective cohort study

PubMed Central

Janssen, Patricia A; Livingstone, Verity H; Chang, Bruce; Klein, Michael C

2009-01-01

Background Preference for formula versus breast feeding among women of Chinese descent remains a concern in North America. The goal of this study was to develop an intervention targeting Chinese immigrant mothers to increase their rates of exclusive breastfeeding. Methods We convened a focus group of immigrant women of Chinese descent in Vancouver, British Columbia to explore preferences for method of infant feeding. We subsequently surveyed 250 women of Chinese descent to validate focus group findings. Using a participatory approach, our focus group participants reviewed survey findings and developed a priority list for attributes of a community-based intervention to support exclusive breastfeeding in the Chinese community. The authors and focus group participants worked as a team to plan, implement and evaluate a Chinese language newborn feeding information telephone service staffed by registered nurses fluent in Chinese languages. Results Participants in the focus group reported a strong preference for formula feeding. Telephone survey results revealed that while pregnant Chinese women understood the benefits of breastfeeding, only 20.8% planned to breastfeed exclusively. Only 15.6% were breastfeeding exclusively at two months postpartum. After implementation of the feeding hotline, 20% of new Chinese mothers in Vancouver indicated that they had used the hotline. Among these women, the rate of exclusive breastfeeding was 44.1%; OR 3.02, (95% CI 1.78–5.09) compared to women in our survey. Conclusion Initiation of a language-specific newborn feeding telephone hotline reached a previously underserved population and may have contributed to improved rates of exclusive breastfeeding. PMID:19178746
Resounding failure to replicate links between developmental language disorder and cerebral lateralisation

PubMed Central

Bishop, Dorothy V.M.

2018-01-01

Background It has been suggested that failure to establish cerebral lateralisation may be related to developmental language disorder (DLD). There has been weak support for any link with handedness, but more consistent reports of associations with functional brain lateralisation for language. The consistency of lateralisation across different functions may also be important. We aimed to replicate previous findings of an association between DLD and reduced laterality on a quantitative measure of hand preference (reaching across the midline) and on language laterality assessed using functional transcranial Doppler ultrasound (fTCD). Methods From a sample of twin children aged from 6;0 to 11;11 years, we identified 107 cases of DLD and 156 typically-developing comparison cases for whom we had useable data from fTCD yielding a laterality index (LI) for language function during an animation description task. Handedness data were also available for these children. Results Indices of handedness and language laterality for this twin sample were similar to those previously reported for single-born children. There were no differences between the DLD and TD groups on measures of handedness or language lateralisation, or on a categorical measure of consistency of left hemisphere dominance. Contrary to prediction, there was a greater incidence of right lateralisation for language in the TD group (19.90%) than the DLD group (9.30%), confirming that atypical laterality is not inconsistent with typical language development. We also failed to replicate associations between language laterality and language test scores. Discussion and Conclusions Given the large sample studied here and the range of measures, we suggest that previous reports of atypical manual or language lateralisation in DLD may have been false positives. PMID:29333343
Preference conditioning in healthy individuals: correlates with hazardous drinking.

PubMed

Balodis, Iris M; Lockwood, Kathleen P; Magrys, Sylvia A; Olmstead, Mary C

2010-06-01

Conditioned reward is a classic measure of drug-induced brain changes in animal models of addiction. The process can be examined in humans using the Conditioned Pattern Preference (CPP) task, in which participants associate nonverbal cues with reward but demonstrate low awareness of this conditioning. Previously, we reported that alcohol intoxication does not affect CPP acquisition in humans, but our data indicated that prior drug use may impact conditioning scores. To test this possibility, the current study examined the relationship between self-reported alcohol use and preference conditioning in the CPP task. Working memory was assessed during conditioning by asking participants to count the cues that appeared at each location on a computer screen. Participants (69 female and 23 male undergraduate students) completed the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and the Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index (RAPI) as measures of hazardous drinking. Self-reported hazardous drinking was significantly correlated with preference conditioning in that individuals who scored higher on these scales exhibited an increased preference for the reward-paired cues. In contrast, hazardous drinking did not affect working memory errors on the CPP task. These findings support evidence that repeated drug use sensitizes neural pathways mediating conditioned reward and point to a neurocognitive disposition linking substance misuse and responses to reward-paired stimuli. The relationship between hazardous drinking and conditioned reward is independent of changes in cognitive function, such as working memory.
Decisional control preferences, disclosure of information preferences, and satisfaction among Hispanic patients with advanced cancer.

PubMed

Noguera, Antonio; Yennurajalingam, Sriram; Torres-Vigil, Isabel; Parsons, Henrique Afonseca; Duarte, Eva Rosina; Palma, Alejandra; Bunge, Sofia; Palmer, J Lynn; Bruera, Eduardo

2014-05-01

Studies to determine the decisional control preferences (DCPs) in Hispanic patients receiving palliative care are limited. The aims of this study were to describe DCPs, disclosure of information, and satisfaction with decision making among Hispanics and to determine the degree of concordance between patients' DCPs and their self-reported decisions. We surveyed 387 cancer patients referred to outpatient palliative care clinics in Argentina, Chile, Guatemala, and the U.S. DCPs were measured with the Control Preference Scale, disclosure preferences with the Disclosure of Information Preferences questionnaire, and satisfaction with care with the Satisfaction with Decision Scale. In this study, 182 patients (47.6%) preferred shared decisional control, 119 (31.2%) preferred active decisional control, and 81 (21.2%) preferred a passive approach. Concerning their diagnosis and prognosis, 345 (92%) patients wanted to know their diagnosis, and 355 (94%) wanted to know their prognosis. Three hundred thirty-seven (87%) patients were satisfied with the decision-making process. DCPs were concordant with the self-reported decision-making process in 264 (69%) patients (weighted kappa = 0.55). Patients' greater satisfaction with the decision-making process was correlated with older age (P ≤ 0.001) and with a preference for enhanced diagnostic disclosure (P ≤ 0.024). Satisfaction did not correlate with concordance in the decision-making process. The vast majority preferred a shared or active decision-making process and wanted information about their diagnosis and prognosis. Older patients and those who wanted to know their diagnosis seemed to be more satisfied with the way treatment decisions were made. Copyright © 2014 U.S. Cancer Pain Relief Committee. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Modern Orthodox Adults Self-Reporting on Their Adult Education Needs and Learning Preferences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohn, Ellen Sue

2016-01-01

This study explored the educational preferences and motivational typology of Modern Orthodox adults, a community that according to previous research appeared to present a contrasting educational paradigm than that evidenced by other adult students. The research conducted in the liberal Jewish community and in the broader contemporary field of…
Two languages, two personalities? Examining language effects on the expression of personality in a bilingual context.

PubMed

Chen, Sylvia Xiaohua; Bond, Michael Harris

2010-11-01

The issue of whether personality changes as a function of language is controversial. The present research tested the cultural accommodation hypothesis by examining the impact of language use on personality as perceived by the self and by others. In Study 1, Hong Kong Chinese-English bilinguals responded to personality inventories in Chinese or English on perceived traits for themselves, typical native speakers of Chinese, and typical native speakers of English. Study 2 adopted a repeated measures design and collected data at three time points from written measures and actual conversations to examine whether bilinguals exhibited different patterns of personality, each associated with one of their two languages and the ethnicity of their interlocutors. Self-reports and behavioral observations confirmed the effects of perceived cultural norms, language priming, and interlocutor ethnicity on various personality dimensions. It is suggested that use of a second language accesses the perceived cultural norms of the group most associated with that language, especially its prototypic trait profiles, thus activating behavioral expressions of personality that are appropriate in the corresponding linguistic-social context.
Color associations for days and letters across different languages

PubMed Central

Rouw, Romke; Case, Laura; Gosavi, Radhika; Ramachandran, Vilayanur

2014-01-01

While colors are commonplace in everyday metaphors, relatively little is known about implicit color associations to linguistic or semantic concepts in a general population. In this study, we test color associations for ordered linguistic concepts (letters and days). The culture and language specificity of these effects was examined in a large group (457) of Dutch-speaking participants, 92 English-speaking participants, and 49 Hindi-speaking participants. Non-random distributions of color choices were revealed; consistencies were found across the three language groups in color preferences for both days and letters. Interestingly, while the Hindi-speaking participants were presented with letter stimuli matched on phonology, their pattern of letter-to-color preferences still showed similarities with Dutch- and English-speaking participants. Furthermore, we found that that the color preferences corresponded between participants indicating to have conscious color experiences with letters or days (putative synesthetes) and participants who do not (non-synesthetes). We also explored possible mechanisms underlying the color preferences. There were a few specific associations, including red for “A,” red for “Monday,” and white for “Sunday.” We also explored more general mechanisms, such as overall color preferences as shown by Simner et al. (2005). While certainly not all variation can be explained or predicted, the results show that regularities are present in color-to-letter or color-to-day preferences in both putative synesthetes and non-synesthetes across languages. Both letter-to-color and day-to-color preferences were influenced by multiple factors. The findings support a notion of abstract concepts (such as days and letters) that are not represented in isolation, but are connected to perceptual representational systems. Interestingly, at least some of these connections to color representations are shared across different language/cultural groups. PMID:24904447
Multilingualism and Psychotherapy: Exploring Multilingual Clients' Experiences of Language Practices in Psychotherapy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rolland, Louise; Dewaele, Jean-Marc; Costa, Beverley

2017-01-01

This study investigates bi- and multilingual clients' self-reported language practices in counselling and psychotherapy. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through an international web survey inviting adults who had experienced one-to-one therapy to describe their experiences. Analysis of responses by 109 multilingual clients…
Unconscious Motivation. Part II: Implicit Attitudes and L2 Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Hoorie, Ali H.

2016-01-01

This paper investigates the attitudinal/motivational predictors of second language (L2) academic achievement. Young adult learners of English as a foreign language (N = 311) completed several self-report measures and the Single-Target Implicit Association Test. Examination of the motivational profiles of high and low achievers revealed that…
Mobile-Assisted Grammar Exercises: Effects on Self-Editing in L2 Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Zhi; Hegelheimer, Volker

2013-01-01

In this paper, we report on the development and implementation of a web-based mobile application, "Grammar Clinic," for an ESL writing class. Drawing on insights from the interactionist approach to Second Language Acquisition (SLA), the Noticing Hypothesis, and mobile-assisted language learning (MALL), "Grammar Clinic" was…
Patients' self-interested preferences: empirical evidence from a priority setting experiment.

PubMed

Alvarez, Begoña; Rodríguez-Míguez, Eva

2011-04-01

This paper explores whether patients act according to self-interest in priority setting experiments. The analysis is based on a ranking experiment, conducted in Galicia (Spain), to elicit preferences regarding the prioritization of patients on a waiting list for an elective surgical intervention (prostatectomy for benign prostatic hyperplasia). Participants were patients awaiting a similar intervention and members of the general populations. All of them were asked to rank hypothetical patients on a waiting list. A rank-ordered logit was then applied to their responses in order to obtain a prioritization scoring system. Using these estimations, we first test for differences in preferences between patients and general population. Second, we implement a procedure based on the similarity between respondents (true patients) and the hypothetical scenarios they evaluate (hypothetical patients) to analyze whether patients provide self-interested rankings. Our results show that patient preferences differ significantly from general population preferences. The findings also indicate that, when patients rank the hypothetical scenarios on the waiting list, they consider not only the explicit attributes but also the similarity of each scenario to their own. In particular, they assign a higher priority to scenarios that more closely match their own states. We also find that such a preference structure increases their likelihood of reporting "irrational" answers. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Do targeted written comments and the rubric method of delivery affect performance on future human physiology laboratory reports?

PubMed

Clayton, Zachary S; Wilds, Gabriel P; Mangum, Joshua E; Hocker, Austin D; Dawson, Sierra M

2016-09-01

We investigated how students performed on weekly two-page laboratory reports based on whether the grading rubric was provided to the student electronically or in paper form and the inclusion of one- to two-sentence targeted comments. Subjects were registered for a 289-student, third-year human physiology class with laboratory and were randomized into four groups related to rubric delivery and targeted comments. All students received feedback via the same detailed grading rubric. At the end of the term, subjects provided consent and a self-assessment of their rubric viewing rate and preferences. There were no differences in laboratory report scores between groups (P = 0.86), although scores did improve over time (P < 0.01). Students receiving targeted comments self-reported viewing their rubric more often than students that received no comments (P = 0.02), but the viewing rate was independent of the rubric delivery method (P = 0.15). Subjects with high rubric viewing rates did not have higher laboratory report grades than subjects with low viewing rates (P = 0.64). When asked about their preference for the future, 43% of respondents preferred the same method again (electronic or paper rubric) and 25% had no preference. We conclude that although student laboratory report grades improved over time, the rate and degree of improvement were not related to rubric delivery method or to the inclusion of targeted comments. Copyright © 2016 The American Physiological Society.

The processing and comprehension of wh-questions among L2 German speakers

PubMed Central

Jackson, Carrie N.; Bobb, Susan C.

2009-01-01

Using the self-paced-reading paradigm, the present study examines whether highly proficient second language (L2) speakers of German (English L1) use case-marking information during the on-line comprehension of unambiguous wh-extractions, even when task demands do not draw explicit attention to this morphosyntactic feature in German. Results support previous findings, in that both the native and the L2 German speakers exhibited an immediate subject-preference in the matrix clause, suggesting they were sensitive to case-marking information. However, only among the native speakers did this subject-preference carry over to reading times in the complement clause. The results from the present study are discussed in light of current debates regarding the ability of L2 speakers to attain native-like processing strategies in their L2. PMID:20161006
Overcoming barriers to HIV testing: preferences for new strategies among clients of a needle exchange, a sexually transmitted disease clinic, and sex venues for men who have sex with men.

PubMed

Spielberg, Freya; Branson, Bernard M; Goldbaum, Gary M; Lockhart, David; Kurth, Ann; Celum, Connie L; Rossini, Anthony; Critchlow, Cathy W; Wood, Robert W

2003-03-01

To determine strategies to overcome barriers to HIV testing among persons at risk. We developed a survey that elicited testing motivators, barriers, and preferences for new strategies among 460 participants at a needle exchange, three sex venues for men who have sex with men, and a sexually transmitted disease clinic. Barriers to testing included factors influenced by individual concern (fear and discrimination); by programs, policies, and laws (named reporting and inability to afford treatment); and by counseling and testing strategies (dislike of counseling, anxiety waiting for results, and venipuncture). The largest proportions of participants preferred rapid testing strategies, including clinic-based testing (27%) and home self-testing (20%); roughly equal proportions preferred oral fluid testing (18%), urine testing (17%), and standard blood testing (17%). One percent preferred home specimen collection. Participants who had never tested before were significantly more likely to prefer home self-testing compared with other strategies. Blacks were significantly more likely to prefer urine testing. Strategies for improving acceptance of HIV counseling and testing include information about access to anonymous testing and early treatment. Expanding options for rapid testing, urine testing, and home self-testing; providing alternatives to venipuncture; making pretest counseling optional; and allowing telephone results disclosure may encourage more persons to learn their HIV status.
Children's Self-Regulation and School Achievement in Cultural Contexts: The Role of Maternal Restrictive Control

PubMed Central

Weis, Mirjam; Trommsdorff, Gisela; Muñoz, Lorena

2016-01-01

Self-regulation can be developed through parent-child interactions and has been related to developmental outcomes, e.g., such as educational achievement. This study examined cross-cultural differences and similarities in maternal restrictive control, self-regulation (i.e., behavior and emotion regulation) and school achievement and relations among these variables in Germany and Chile. Seventy-six German and 167 Chilean fourth graders, their mothers, and their teachers participated. Mothers and teachers rated children's behavior regulation with a subscale of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Children reported their use of emotion regulation strategies on the Questionnaire for the Measurement of Stress and Coping. Mothers rated maternal restrictive control by answering the Parenting Practice Questionnaire. School achievement was assessed by grades for language and mathematics. Results showed higher behavior regulation of German children in comparison to Chilean children and a higher preference of restrictive parental control in Chilean mothers than in German mothers. Regression analyses revealed positive relations between children's behavior regulation and school achievement in Germany and in Chile. Further, in both cultural contexts, maternal restrictive control was related negatively to behavior regulation and positively to anger-oriented emotion regulation. In sum, the study showed the central function of behavior regulation for school achievement underlining negative relations of maternal restrictive control with children's self-regulation and school achievement in diverse cultural contexts. Culturally adapted interventions related to parenting practices to promote children's behavior regulation may assist in also promoting children's school achievement. PMID:27303318
Suprasegmental information affects processing of talking faces at birth.

PubMed

Guellai, Bahia; Mersad, Karima; Streri, Arlette

2015-02-01

From birth, newborns show a preference for faces talking a native language compared to silent faces. The present study addresses two questions that remained unanswered by previous research: (a) Does the familiarity with the language play a role in this process and (b) Are all the linguistic and paralinguistic cues necessary in this case? Experiment 1 extended newborns' preference for native speakers to non-native ones. Given that fetuses and newborns are sensitive to the prosodic characteristics of speech, Experiments 2 and 3 presented faces talking native and nonnative languages with the speech stream being low-pass filtered. Results showed that newborns preferred looking at a person who talked to them even when only the prosodic cues were provided for both languages. Nonetheless, a familiarity preference for the previously talking face is observed in the "normal speech" condition (i.e., Experiment 1) and a novelty preference in the "filtered speech" condition (Experiments 2 and 3). This asymmetry reveals that newborns process these two types of stimuli differently and that they may already be sensitive to a mismatch between the articulatory movements of the face and the corresponding speech sounds. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Exploring young adult perspectives on the use of gamification and social media in a smartphone platform for improving vegetable intake.

PubMed

Nour, Monica Marina; Rouf, Anika Saiyara; Allman-Farinelli, Margaret

2018-01-01

Young adults are the poorest consumers of vegetables. Social media and smartphones are frequently used by this demographic and could serve as an engaging medium for nutrition promotion. Five focus groups were conducted to capture participants' perceptions of a theory-based gamified self-monitoring app for improving vegetable intake of young adults. Ranking activities were used to gather feedback on preferences for social media posts. Data arising from group discussion were analysed using NVivo software using a deductive approach to group common ideas into themes. Thirty two participants (14 males) attended (mean age 23.1 (SD 2.7) years). Qualitative analyses of open discussion revealed two major themes regarding preferred features for a smartphone app; (1) the use of visual guides for estimating quantities of vegetables and tracking progress, and (2) a simple interface. Gamification strategies such as earning badges were viewed more positively than the use of a self-reward framework. Social media posts which presented food pictures and recipes were ranked most motivating, while awareness-raising posts received lower scores. Participants indicated a preference for viewing but reluctance to post information onto social media. "Just in time" situational cues were ranked highly and the use of an "authoritative" tone was preferred and associated with credibility. Young adults also ranked messages containing "Gen Y" language highly, with a preference for those which were personally relevant. The proposed use of social media and mobile-gaming was seen as an acceptable approach for improving vegetable intake. Materials should be visually appealing, simply designed, credible, and personally relevant to appeal to this population. This feedback may inform future mobile-phone based interventions targeting improved nutrition in young adults. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Adolescents with a history of specific language impairment (SLI): strengths and difficulties in social, emotional and behavioral functioning.

PubMed

Conti-Ramsden, Gina; Mok, Pearl L H; Pickles, Andrew; Durkin, Kevin

2013-11-01

Adolescents with specific language impairment (SLI) are at a greater risk of emotional and behavioral problems compared to their typically developing (TD) peers, but little is known about their self-perceived strengths and difficulties. In this study, the self-reported social, emotional and behavioral functioning of 139 adolescents with a history of SLI and 124 TD individuals at age 16 was examined. The self-report version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used to assess their prosocial behavior and levels of peer, emotional and behavioral difficulties. Associations of these areas of functioning with gender, verbal and non-verbal skills were also investigated. Adolescents with a history of SLI were more likely than their TD peers to report higher levels of peer problems, emotional symptoms, hyperactivity and conduct problems. The majority of adolescents in both groups (87% SLI and 96% TD), however, reported prosocial behavior within the typical range. Difficulty with peer relations was the strongest differentiator between the groups, with the odds of reporting borderline or abnormally high levels of peer problems being 12 times higher for individuals with a history of SLI. Adolescents with poorer receptive language skills were also more likely to report higher levels of emotional and behavioral difficulties. The findings of this study identify likely traits that may lead to referral to services. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
Cycling provision separated from motor traffic: a systematic review exploring whether stated preferences vary by gender and age.

PubMed

Aldred, Rachel; Elliott, Bridget; Woodcock, James; Goodman, Anna

2017-01-02

In this paper, we represent a systematic review of stated preference studies examining the extent to which cycle infrastructure preferences vary by gender and by age. A search of online, English-language academic and policy literature was followed by a three-stage screening process to identify relevant studies. We found 54 studies that investigated whether preferences for cycle infrastructure varied by gender and/or by age. Forty-four of these studies considered the extent of separation from motor traffic. The remainder of the studies covered diverse topics, including preferred winter maintenance methods and attitudes to cycle track lighting. We found that women reported stronger preferences than men for greater separation from motor traffic. There was weaker evidence of stronger preferences among older people. Differences in preferences were quantitative rather than qualitative; that is, preferences for separated infrastructure were stronger in some groups than in others, but no group preferred integration with motor traffic. Thus, in low-cycling countries seeking to increase cycling, this evidence suggests focusing on the stronger preferences of under-represented groups as a necessary element of universal design for cycling.
Cycling provision separated from motor traffic: a systematic review exploring whether stated preferences vary by gender and age

PubMed Central

Aldred, Rachel; Elliott, Bridget; Woodcock, James; Goodman, Anna

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT In this paper, we represent a systematic review of stated preference studies examining the extent to which cycle infrastructure preferences vary by gender and by age. A search of online, English-language academic and policy literature was followed by a three-stage screening process to identify relevant studies. We found 54 studies that investigated whether preferences for cycle infrastructure varied by gender and/or by age. Forty-four of these studies considered the extent of separation from motor traffic. The remainder of the studies covered diverse topics, including preferred winter maintenance methods and attitudes to cycle track lighting. We found that women reported stronger preferences than men for greater separation from motor traffic. There was weaker evidence of stronger preferences among older people. Differences in preferences were quantitative rather than qualitative; that is, preferences for separated infrastructure were stronger in some groups than in others, but no group preferred integration with motor traffic. Thus, in low-cycling countries seeking to increase cycling, this evidence suggests focusing on the stronger preferences of under-represented groups as a necessary element of universal design for cycling. PMID:28190905
The attitude-behavior relationship in consumer conduct: the role of norms, past behavior, and self-identity.

PubMed

Smith, Joanne R; Terry, Deborah J; Manstead, Antony S R; Louis, Winnifred R; Kotterman, Diana; Wolfs, Jacqueline

2008-06-01

The authors used a revised planned behavior model in the consumer domain. The revised model incorporated separate measures of descriptive and injunctive/ prescriptive norms, self-identity, and past behavior in an effort to improve the predictive power of the theory of planned behavior (TPB; I. Ajzen, 1985) in relation to a self-reported consumer behavior: purchasing one's preferred soft drink. At Time 1, respondents (N = 112) completed self-report measures of (a) attitudes, (b) perceived behavioral control, (c) descriptive and injunctive/prescriptive norms, (d) self-identity, (e) past behavior, and (f) intentions. The authors assessed self-reported behavior 1 week later (Time 2). Attitudes, injunctive/prescriptive norms, descriptive norms, past behavior, and self-identity were all positively related to purchase intentions, and intentions were predictive of self-reported behavior at Time 2. These findings highlight the utility of the TPB in the consumer domain.
Mental states and activities in Danish narratives: children with autism and children with language impairment.

PubMed

Engberg-Pedersen, Elisabeth; Christensen, Rikke Vang

2017-09-01

This study focuses on the relationship between content elements and mental-state language in narratives from twenty-seven children with autism (ASD), twelve children with language impairment (LI), and thirty typically developing children (TD). The groups did not differ on chronological age (10;6-14;0) and non-verbal cognitive skills, and the groups with ASD and TD did not differ on language measures. The children with ASD and LI had fewer content elements of the storyline than the TD children. Compared with the TD children, the children with ASD used fewer subordinate clauses about the characters' thoughts, and preferred talking about mental states as reported speech, especially in the form of direct speech. The children with LI did not differ from the TD children on these measures. The results are discussed in the context of difficulties with socio-cognition in children with ASD and of language difficulties in children with LI.
Self-Monitoring Processes and Holland Vocational Preferences among College Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Michael T.; And Others

1989-01-01

Used Holland's Vocational Preference Inventory (VPI) and a self-monitoring scale to examine 237 undergraduates' association between self-monitoring and occupational preferences. Regression analyses revealed correlations between gender, self-monitoring propensity, and preferred occupational types (i.e., social, enterprising, or artistic). (TE)
Candidates of Written Language Disabilities among Undergraduate Students at the University of Jordan as Perceived by Students and Their Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alkhamra, Hatem A.; AlNatour, Mayada M.; Abu Dahab, Sana M. N.; AlAbdallat, Bassam M.

2012-01-01

This study aimed to explore writing problems among undergraduate students at the university level, based on students self reporting technique and the verification from their teachers' ratings. Twenty-eight students were considered good candidates for this research using two criteria of self reporting and high means of responses. Twenty-five…
Two Preferences in Question-Answer Sequences in Language Classroom Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hosoda, Yuri; Aline, David

2013-01-01

Discussing two preferences associated with question-answer sequences, this study examines student responses to teacher questions in primary school English-as-a-foreign-language classes. The paper starts out with a reconsideration of institutional context, with a focus on classroom context from a conversation analysis perspective. We then introduce…
An experimental investigation of recruitment bias in eating pathology research.

PubMed

Moss, Erin L; von Ranson, Kristin M

2006-04-01

Previous, uncontrolled research has suggested a bias may exist in recruiting participants for eating disorder research. Recruitment biases may affect sample representativeness and generalizability of findings. This experiment investigated whether revealing that a study's topic was related to eating disorders created a self-selection bias. Young women at a university responded to advertisements containing contrasting information about the nature of a single study. We recruited one group by advertising the study under the title "Disordered Eating in Young Women" (n = 251) and another group using the title "Consumer Preferences" (n = 259). Results indicated similar levels of eating pathology in both groups, so the different recruitment techniques did not engender self-selection. However, the consumer preferences group scored higher in self-reported social desirability. The level of information conveyed in study advertising does not impact reporting of eating disturbances among nonclinical samples, although there is evidence social desirability might. 2006 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Physicians' participatory decision-making and quality of diabetes care processes and outcomes: results from the triad study.

PubMed

Heisler, M; Tierney, E; Ackermann, R T; Tseng, C; Narayan, K M Venkat; Crosson, J; Waitzfelder, B; Safford, M M; Duru, K; Herman, W H; Kim, C

2009-09-01

In participatory decision-making (PDM), physicians actively engage patients in treatment and other care decisions. Patients who report that their physicians engage in PDM have better disease self-management and health outcomes. We examined whether physicians' diabetes-specific treatment PDM preferences as well as their self-reported practices are associated with the quality of diabetes care their patients receive. 2003 cross-sectional survey and medical record review of a random sample of diabetes patients (n=4198) in 10 US health plans across the country and their physicians (n=1217). We characterized physicians' diabetes care PDM preferences and practices as 'no patient involvement,' 'physician-dominant,' 'shared,' or 'patient-dominant' and conducted multivariate analyses examining their effects on the following: (1) three diabetes care processes (annual hemoglobin A1c test; lipid test; and dilated retinal exam); (2) patients'satisfaction with physician communication; and (3) whether patients' A1c, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) were in control. Most physicians preferred 'shared' PDM (58%) rather than 'no patient involvement' (9%), 'physician-dominant' (28%) or 'patient dominant' PDM (5%). However, most reported practicing 'physician-dominant' PDM (43%) with most of their patients, rather than 'no patient involvement' (13%), 'shared' (37%) or 'patient-dominant' PDM (7%). After adjusting for patient and physician-level characteristics and clustering by health plan, patients of physicians who preferred 'shared' PDM were more likely to receive A1c tests [90% vs. 82%, AOR: 2.05, 95% CI: 1.03-3.07] and patients of physicians who preferred 'patient-dominant' treatment decision-making were more likely to receive lipid tests [60% vs. 50%, AOR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.04-2.39] than those of providers who preferred 'no patient involvement' in treatment decision-making. There were no differences in patients' satisfaction with their doctor's communication or control of A1c, SBP or LDL depending on their physicians' PDM preferences. Physicians' self-reported PDM practices were not associated with any of the examined aspects of diabetes care in multivariate analyses. Patients whose physicians prefer more patient involvement in decision-making are more likely than patients whose physicians prefer more physician-directed styles to receive some recommended risk factor screening tests, an important first step toward improved diabetes outcomes. Involving patients in treatment decision-making alone, however, appears not to be sufficient to improve biomedical outcomes.
Spontaneously Reported Symptoms by Informants Are Associated with Clinical Severity in Dementia Help-Seekers.

PubMed

Xu, Jia-Qi; Choy, Jacky C P; Tang, Jennifer Y M; Liu, Tian-Yin; Luo, Hao; Lou, Vivian W Q; Lum, Terry Y S; Wong, Gloria H Y

2017-09-01

To investigate the predictive value of symptoms of dementia that the person or an informant noticed spontaneously in determining the clinical severity of dementia. Cross-sectional. Community-based open-referral dementia assessment service in Hong Kong between 2005 and 2013. Help-seekers for dementia assessment service and their informants (N = 965 dyads). Participants underwent a clinical dementia interview based on the Clinical Dementia Rating. Spontaneous complaints that the person and the informant made that had prompted their help-seeking of groups with interview results suggestive of no impairment, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia were compared. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the predictive value of spontaneous complaints for clinical severity. Independent raters blinded to clinical results coded spontaneously reported symptoms into theoretical themes: memory, executive function, language, time and place orientation, neuropsychiatric, mood, and avolition. Memory problems were the most frequently reported complaints for participants (87.7%) and their informants (95.5%), followed by self-reported language (33.0%) and informant-reported orientation (33.0%) difficulties. Informant-reported but not self-reported symptoms predicted clinical severity. Compared with the persons themselves, informants reported more pervasive symptoms corresponding to clinical severity. Persons with dementia self-reported fewer types of symptoms than their healthy or mildly impaired counterparts. Spontaneously reported language and orientation symptoms by the informant distinguished persons with mild or worse dementia (P < .001, Nagelkerke coefficient of determination = 29.7%, percentage correct 85.6%). The type and pervasiveness of symptoms spontaneously that informants reported predicted clinical severity. This may provide a quick reference for triage. © 2017, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2017, The American Geriatrics Society.
Nativity, language spoken at home, length of time in the United States, and race/ethnicity: associations with self-reported hypertension.

PubMed

Yi, Stella; Elfassy, Tali; Gupta, Leena; Myers, Christa; Kerker, Bonnie

2014-02-01

Characterization of health conditions in recent immigrant subgroups, including foreign-born whites and Asians, is limited but important for identifying emerging health disparities. Hypertension, a major modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease, has been shown to be associated with acculturation, but the acculturative experience varies for different racial/ethnic groups. Assessing the impact of race/ethnicity on the relationship between acculturation-related factors and hypertension is therefore of interest. Data from the 2005-2008 waves (n = 36,550) of the NYC Community Health Survey were combined to estimate self-reported hypertension prevalence by nativity, language spoken at home, and time spent in the United States. Multivariable analyses were used to assess (i) the independent associations of acculturation-related factors and hypertension and (ii) potential effect modification by race/ethnicity. Sensitivity analysis recalibrating self-reported hypertension using measured blood pressures from a prior NYC population-based survey was performed. Prevalence was also explored by country of origin. Being foreign vs. US born was associated with higher self-reported hypertension in whites only. Speaking Russian vs. English at home was associated with a 2-fold adjusted odds of self-reported hypertension. Living in the United States for ≥10 years vs. less time was associated with higher self-reported hypertension prevalence in blacks and Hispanics. Hypertension prevalence in Hispanics was slightly lower when using a recalibrated definition, but other results did not change substantively. Race/ethnicity modifies the relationship between acculturation-related factors and hypertension. Consideration of disease prevalence in origin countries is critical to understanding health patterns in immigrant populations. Validation of self-reported hypertension in Hispanic populations is indicated.
Self-Instruction and Success: A Learner-Profile Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Francis R.

1998-01-01

Interviews with adults experienced in foreign language self-instruction generated profiles of language experience at learner and self-instructed language-token levels. Results showed separations between languages with and without self-instruction. The most effective learning route was starting with classwork. Ab initio self-instruction produced…
A pragmatic trial to improve adherence with scheduled appointments in an inner-city pain clinic by human phone calls in the patient's preferred language.

PubMed

Andreae, Michael H; Nair, Singh; Gabry, Jonah S; Goodrich, Ben; Hall, Charles; Shaparin, Naum

2017-11-01

We investigated if human reminder phone calls in the patient's preferred language increase adherence with scheduled appointments in an inner-city chronic pain clinic. We hypothesized that language and cultural incongruence is the underlying mechanism to explain poor attendance at clinic appointments in underserved Hispanic populations. Pragmatic randomized controlled clinical trial SETTING: Innercity academic chronic pain clinic with a diverse, predominantly African-American and Hispanic population PATIENTS: All (n=963) adult patients with a scheduled first appointment between October 2014 and October 2015 at the Montefiore Pain Center in the Bronx, New York were enrolled. Patients were randomized to receive a human reminder call in their preferred language before their appointment, or no contact. We recorded patients' demographic characteristics and as primary outcome attendance as scheduled, failure to attend and/or cancellation calls. We fit Bayesian and classical multinomial logistic regression models to test if the intervention improved adherence with scheduled appointments. Among the 953 predominantly African American and Hispanic/Latino patients, 475 patients were randomly selected to receive a language-congruent, human reminder call, while 478 were assigned to receive no prior contact, (after we excluded 10 patients, scheduled for repeat appointments). In the experimental group, 275 patients adhered to their scheduled appointment, while 84 cancelled and 116 failed to attend. In the control group, 249 patients adhered to their scheduled appointment, 31 cancelled and 198 failed to attend. Human phone reminders in the preferred language increased adherence (RR 1.89, CI95% [1.42, 1.42], (p<0.01). The intervention seemed particularly effective in Hispanic patients, supporting our hypothesis of cultural congruence as possible underlying mechanism. Human reminder phone calls prior in the patient's preferred language increased adherence with scheduled appointments. The intervention facilitated access to much needed care in an ethnically diverse, resource poor population, presumably by overcoming language barriers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Is Romantic Desire Predictable? Machine Learning Applied to Initial Romantic Attraction.

PubMed

Joel, Samantha; Eastwick, Paul W; Finkel, Eli J

2017-10-01

Matchmaking companies and theoretical perspectives on close relationships suggest that initial attraction is, to some extent, a product of two people's self-reported traits and preferences. We used machine learning to test how well such measures predict people's overall tendencies to romantically desire other people (actor variance) and to be desired by other people (partner variance), as well as people's desire for specific partners above and beyond actor and partner variance (relationship variance). In two speed-dating studies, romantically unattached individuals completed more than 100 self-report measures about traits and preferences that past researchers have identified as being relevant to mate selection. Each participant met each opposite-sex participant attending a speed-dating event for a 4-min speed date. Random forests models predicted 4% to 18% of actor variance and 7% to 27% of partner variance; crucially, however, they were unable to predict relationship variance using any combination of traits and preferences reported before the dates. These results suggest that compatibility elements of human mating are challenging to predict before two people meet.

[Pathological nighttime fears in children: Clinical specificities and effective therapeutics].

PubMed

Ducasse, D; Denis, H

2015-09-01

Pathological nighttime fears in children have been little studied. However, this disorder is commonly encountered in medical consultations and is discomforting and dysfunctional for both the child and the family. Most nighttime fears are part and parcel of normal development, and emanate from increasingly sophisticated cognitive development in the growing child. Thus, most children report a variety of coping strategies generally helpful in reducing their anxiety, which resolves spontaneously in the growing child. Nevertheless, in about 10% of children, nighttime fears are related to one or more anxiety disorders according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria. Then, it is estimated that severe nighttime fears and sleep problems occur in 20-30% of children. This problem is not transient and has to be treated. This study aims to review clinical features of nighttime fears and possible treatments for these patients and their families. This systematic review follows the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) statement guidelines. Two databases (Medline and Web of Science) were searched combining the search terms: nighttime fears AND children. English and French languages were imposed. There were no publication date or publication status limitations. Pathological nighttime fears are responsible for emotional (crying, panic, tantrums at bedtime, loss of confidence, self-disparaging negative statements, and feeling of social embarrassment) and behavioral (wandering alone in the house at night, calls for parental or sibling comfort, bed sharing with parents or siblings, light source at night, refusal to go to the toilet alone at night) disturbances. This leads to a poor quality of sleep interfering with school learning, and also affects social development and family functioning. A full assessment has to be made to eliminate organic causes, have a baseline functioning, and search for comorbid anxiety diseases. The treatments which have proved effective are some cognitive-behavioral techniques: systematic desensitization (with relaxation or emotive imagery), reinforcement (gain of points and techniques of self statement), and cognitive techniques (reinforcing self-statements, reducing the aversive aspects of being in the dark, involving reality-testing statements, and active control are preferred in children older than 6 years, whereas the "anti-monster letter" and the techniques using a doll are preferred in children under 6 years old). The modelling technique seems to be appropriate at any age. We have explained the clinical features of pathological nighttime fears and the way to assess this disease, and we have pointed out the treatments whose effectiveness has been evaluated in this indication. Copyright © 2014 L’Encéphale, Paris. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.
Understanding Sources of Self-Efficacy of Chinese Students Learning English in an American Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zuo, Huifang; Wang, Chuang

2016-01-01

This qualitative study explores the sources of the self-efficacy development of five Chinese doctoral students' use of English as a second language in a southeastern university in the United Sates. Although individual differences were reported, common themes were also recognized. Consistent with the self-efficacy theory and previous studies in…
A Short Version of the Occupational Self-Efficacy Scale: Structural and Construct Validity across Five Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rigotti, Thomas; Schyns, Birgit; Mohr, Gisela

2008-01-01

Occupational self-efficacy is an important resource for individuals in organizations. To be able to compare the occupational self-efficacy of employees across different countries, equivalent versions of the standard instruments need to be made available in different languages. In this article, the authors report on the structural and construct…
Predicting consumer liking and preference based on emotional responses and sensory perception: A study with basic taste solutions.

PubMed

Samant, Shilpa S; Chapko, Matthew J; Seo, Han-Seok

2017-10-01

Traditional methods of sensory testing focus on capturing information about multisensory perceptions, but do not necessarily measure emotions elicited by these food and beverages. The objective of this study was to develop an optimum model of predicting overall liking (rating) and preference (choice) based on taste intensity and evoked emotions. One hundred and two participants (51 females) were asked to taste water, sucrose, citric acid, salt, and caffeine solutions. Their emotional responses toward each sample were measured by a combination of a self-reported emotion questionnaire (EsSense25), facial expressions, and autonomic nervous system (ANS) responses. In addition, their perceived intensity and overall liking were measured. After a break, participants re-tasted the samples and ranked them according to their preference. The results showed that emotional responses measured using self-reported emotion questionnaire and facial expression analysis along with perceived taste intensity performed best to predict overall liking as well as preference, while ANS measures showed limited contribution. Contrary to some previous research, this study demonstrated that not only negative emotions, but also positive ones could help predict consumer liking and preference. In addition, since there were subtle differences in the prediction models of overall liking and preference, both aspects should be taken into account to understand consumer behavior. In conclusion, combination of evoked emotions along with sensory perception could help better understand consumer acceptance as well as preference toward basic taste solutions. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Reasons for self-medication and perceptions of risk among Mexican migrant farm workers.

PubMed

Horton, Sarah; Stewart, Analisia

2012-08-01

Although the frequency of self-medication among Mexican migrants has been well-documented in the public health literature, the multiple reasons for this practice are poorly understood. Most studies point to migrants' cultural preferences for Mexican medications, their prior experiences in countries where antibiotics are loosely regulated, and their lack of access to health care as the primary factors behind their self-medication. Based on participant observation and in-depth interviews with 23 Mexican migrants in a farm working community in the interior of California, we argue that occupational vulnerability is an equally important factor that encourages self-medication. All 23 of our interviewees reported having engaged in some degree of self-medication, notable in this location 8 h from the US-Mexico border. Among interviewees, occupational vulnerability represented an even more important factor influencing self-medication than lack of health insurance or lack of legal documentation. While interviewees did express a preference for Mexican medications as more potent and effective, this did not necessarily translate to a preference for using them without a doctor's supervision. Finally, we show that rather than remaining unaware of the risks of following this custom "transported from Latin America", Mexican migrants devised an elaborate hierarchy of resort of the safest self-medication practices to follow.
Fostering Reflective Writing and Interactive Exchange through Blogging in an Advanced Language Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Lina

2010-01-01

Blog technology is a potential medium for encouraging reflective writing through self-expression and interactive exchange through social networking. This paper reports on a study using blogs as out-of-class assignments for the development of learners' language competence. The study involved seventeen university students at advanced level who kept…
Reasons behind Young Learners' Learning of Foreign Languages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akçay, Aslihan; Ferzan Bütüner, Tuba; Arikan, Arda

2015-01-01

English has become a compulsory lesson starting at the second grade in Turkey while younger learners are growingly introduced to it at earlier ages through various pre-schools, day-care programs and private courses. This descriptive study focuses on young learners' self-reported reasons for learning English and other foreign languages. Twenty…
Final Technical Report on the Institute for Oral Language Programs for the Elementary School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ince, Robert L.

This document is a complete evaluation of a National Defense Education Act (NDEA) University of Illinois Summer Institute for Advanced Study in Oral Language Programs for Elementary Schools. The institute was designed to help teachers understand and implement fully detailed programs for oral communication instruction in self-contained elementary…
Contribution of Family Environment to Pediatric Cochlear Implant Users' Speech and Language Outcomes: Some Preliminary Findings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holt, Rachael Frush; Beer, Jessica; Kronenberger, William G.; Pisoni, David B.; Lalonde, Kaylah

2012-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the family environments of children with cochlear implants and to examine relationships between family environment and postimplant language development and executive function. Method: Forty-five families of children with cochlear implants completed a self-report family environment questionnaire (Family Environment Scale-Fourth…
Developing Oral Proficiency with VoiceThread: Learners' Strategic Uses and Views

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dugartsyrenova, Vera A.; Sardegna, Veronica G.

2017-01-01

This study explored Russian as a foreign language (RFL) learners' self-reported strategic uses of "VoiceThread" (VT)--a multimodal asynchronous computer-mediated communication tool--in order to gain insights into learner perceived effectiveness of VT for second language (L2) oral skills development and to determine the factors that…
Modern Foreign Language Learning and European Citizenship in the Irish Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hennebry, Mairin

2011-01-01

This paper presents some of the findings of a study investigating young people's attitudes towards Europe and the European Union and their self-reported learning about European citizenship in Ireland. The paper considers adolescents' attitudes and motivations for language learning in light of recent literature arguing for the role of modern…
Healthy Living Behaviors Among Chinese-American Preschool-Aged Children: Results of a Parent Survey.

PubMed

Chomitz, Virginia Rall; Brown, Alison; Lee, Victoria; Must, Aviva; Chui, Kenneth Kwan Ho

2017-07-17

Associations between diet, physical activity, parenting, and acculturation among Chinese-American children are understudied. Parents/caregivers of children attending child-care programs in Boston Chinatown completed a self-administered survey on demographics, child's diet, physical activities, anthropometrics, and parenting practices. Associations were evaluated in multivariable regression analysis, stratified by survey language preference, a proxy for acculturation. Responding Asian families = 132; 86.4% were immigrants; 75.8% completed the Chinese-version survey. Children (mean ± SD: 4.9 ± 1.1 years) did not eat vegetables (31.8%), or play actively outside (45.4%) daily, 64.8% watched television/screens daily; 32.6% were overweight/obese (based on parent report). Parenting practices associated with obesity were apparent. Although healthy-living behavioral outcomes were less prevalent among less acculturated parents; multivariable adjustment attenuated the observed significant differences. Findings suggest opportunities for improvement in study children's diet and healthy-living behaviors, and underscore the need for further research on acculturation, and parenting styles in this population.
Dependency distance: A new perspective on syntactic patterns in natural languages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Haitao; Xu, Chunshan; Liang, Junying

2017-07-01

Dependency distance, measured by the linear distance between two syntactically related words in a sentence, is generally held as an important index of memory burden and an indicator of syntactic difficulty. Since this constraint of memory is common for all human beings, there may well be a universal preference for dependency distance minimization (DDM) for the sake of reducing memory burden. This human-driven language universal is supported by big data analyses of various corpora that consistently report shorter overall dependency distance in natural languages than in artificial random languages and long-tailed distributions featuring a majority of short dependencies and a minority of long ones. Human languages, as complex systems, seem to have evolved to come up with diverse syntactic patterns under the universal pressure for dependency distance minimization. However, there always exist a small number of long-distance dependencies in natural languages, which may reflect some other biological or functional constraints. Language system may adapt itself to these sporadic long-distance dependencies. It is these universal constraints that have shaped such a rich diversity of syntactic patterns in human languages.
Women prefer men who use metaphorical language when paying compliments in a romantic context

PubMed Central

Gao, Zhao; Gao, Shan; Xu, Lei; Zheng, Xiaoxiao; Ma, Xiaole; Luo, Lizhu; Kendrick, Keith M.

2017-01-01

Language plays an important role in romantic attachment. However, it is unclear whether the structure and topic of language use might influence potential mate choice. We investigated 124 female students’ preference for compliments paid by males incorporating either literal or metaphoric (conventional/novel) language and targeting their appearance or possessions (house) throughout their menstrual cycle. Male faces paired with novel metaphorical compliments were rated as more attractive by women than those paired with literal ones. Compliments targeting appearance increased male attractiveness more than possessions. Interestingly, compliments on appearance using novel metaphors were preferred by women in a relationship during the fertile phase but by single women during the luteal phase. A similar pattern of altered face attraction ratings was subsequently shown by subjects in the absence of the verbal compliments and even though they were unable to recognize the faces. Thus the maintained attraction bias for faces previously associated with figurative language compliments appears to be unconscious. Overall this study provides the first evidence that women find men who typically use novel metaphorical language to compliment appearance more attractive than those using prosaic language or complimenting possessions. The evolutionary significance for such a language use bias in mate selection is discussed. PMID:28181992
Gender differences in health information needs and decisional preferences in patients recovering from an acute ischemic coronary event.

PubMed

Stewart, Donna E; Abbey, Susan E; Shnek, Zachary M; Irvine, Jane; Grace, Sherry L

2004-01-01

This study examined gender differences in health information needs and decisional preferences after an acute ischemic coronary event (ICE). Patients with ICE, recruited in 12 coronary intensive care units, completed a questionnaire on demographic, disease-related, and psychosocial topics. Six and 12 months later, they completed mailed follow-up questionnaires. Nine hundred six patients completed the baseline questionnaire, 541 (69%) completed the 6-month questionnaire, and 522 (64%) completed the 12-month questionnaire after hospital discharge. Men reported significantly more information received and greater satisfaction with healthcare practitioners meeting their information needs. Women wanted more information than men concerning angina and hypertension. Men wanted more information about sexual function and reported receiving more information about the role of each doctor, test results, treatments, cardiac rehabilitation, and how their families could support their lifestyle changes. Patients who reported receiving more information reported less depressive symptomatology and greater self-efficacy, healthcare satisfaction, and preventive health behaviors. Although most patients of both sexes preferred a shared decision-making role with their physician, the majority felt their doctor had made the main decisions. Patients after ICE, especially women, reported receiving much less information than they wanted from all health professionals. Most patients wanted a shared or autonomous treatment decision-making role with their doctor, but only a minority experienced this. Clinicians must do better, because meeting patients' information needs and respecting their decisional preferences are shown to be associated with better self-efficacy, satisfaction, and health-promoting behavior.
Developing the Stroke Exercise Preference Inventory (SEPI)

PubMed Central

Bonner, Nicholas S.; O’Halloran, Paul D.; Bernhardt, Julie; Cumming, Toby B.

2016-01-01

Background Physical inactivity is highly prevalent after stroke, increasing the risk of poor health outcomes including recurrent stroke. Tailoring of exercise programs to individual preferences can improve adherence, but no tools exist for this purpose in stroke. Methods We identified potential questionnaire items for establishing exercise preferences via: (i) our preliminary Exercise Preference Questionnaire in stroke, (ii) similar tools used in other conditions, and (iii) expert panel consultations. The resulting 35-item questionnaire (SEPI-35) was administered to stroke survivors, along with measures of disability, depression, anxiety, fatigue and self-reported physical activity. Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify a factor structure in exercise preferences, providing a framework for item reduction. Associations between exercise preferences and personal characteristics were analysed using multivariable regression. Results A group of 134 community-dwelling stroke survivors (mean age 64.0, SD 13.3) participated. Analysis of the SEPI-35 identified 7 exercise preference factors (Supervision-support, Confidence-challenge, Health-wellbeing, Exercise context, Home-alone, Similar others, Music-TV). Item reduction processes yielded a 13-item version (SEPI-13); in analysis of this version, the original factor structure was maintained. Lower scores on Confidence-challenge were significantly associated with disability (p = 0.002), depression (p = 0.001) and fatigue (p = 0.001). Self-reported barriers to exercise were particularly prevalent in those experiencing fatigue and anxiety. Conclusions The SEPI-13 is a brief instrument that allows assessment of exercise preferences and barriers in the stroke population. This new tool can be employed by health professionals to inform the development of individually tailored exercise interventions. PMID:27711242
Graduate Students' Perceptions of the Impact of the Alternative National English Course on the Improvement of Their English Language Learning and Their Learning Challenges at the University of Jordan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alkhawaldeh, Ahmad Mokbel

2017-01-01

This qualitative study addressed the English language learning needs and challenges expressed by a sample of 22 postgraduate students from diversified faculties in the University of Jordan. These students were required to take the Alternative National English course. They wrote a self-report reflecting on their English language learning needs and…
Do cultures vary in self-enhancement? ERP, behavioral, and self-report evidence.

PubMed

Hampton, Ryan S; Varnum, Michael E W

2017-08-02

Psychologists have long debated whether self-enhancement is universal or varies across cultures. Extant studies using explicit and implicit measures have provided mixed results. In this study (N = 93; 35 European American, 58 Chinese: 28 tested in English, 30 tested in Mandarin), we measured self-enhancement covertly using an ERP paradigm. Self-enhancement was also assessed via self-report and reaction-time based measures. Americans showed strong evidence of self-enhancement across all measures, whereas this effect was absent or weaker among Chinese, who instead showed an other-enhancing bias across measures. Language did not affect self-enhancement tendencies among Chinese participants, with the exception of one self-report measure. Nor did the two cultural groups differ in enhancement for a close other. This is the first study to directly compare self-enhancement across cultural groups using ERPs and provides evidence that positive self-regard does indeed vary by culture.
Asymmetries in Children's Production of Relative Clauses: Data from English and Korean

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Chae-Eun; O'Grady, William

2016-01-01

We report here on a series of elicited production experiments that investigate the production of indirect object and oblique relative clauses by monolingual child learners of English and Korean. Taken together, the results from the two languages point toward a pair of robust asymmetries: children manifest a preference for subject relative clauses…
Examining the Association between Patient-Reported Symptoms of Attention and Memory Dysfunction with Objective Cognitive Performance: A Latent Regression Rasch Model Approach.

PubMed

Li, Yuelin; Root, James C; Atkinson, Thomas M; Ahles, Tim A

2016-06-01

Patient-reported cognition generally exhibits poor concordance with objectively assessed cognitive performance. In this article, we introduce latent regression Rasch modeling and provide a step-by-step tutorial for applying Rasch methods as an alternative to traditional correlation to better clarify the relationship of self-report and objective cognitive performance. An example analysis using these methods is also included. Introduction to latent regression Rasch modeling is provided together with a tutorial on implementing it using the JAGS programming language for the Bayesian posterior parameter estimates. In an example analysis, data from a longitudinal neurocognitive outcomes study of 132 breast cancer patients and 45 non-cancer matched controls that included self-report and objective performance measures pre- and post-treatment were analyzed using both conventional and latent regression Rasch model approaches. Consistent with previous research, conventional analysis and correlations between neurocognitive decline and self-reported problems were generally near zero. In contrast, application of latent regression Rasch modeling found statistically reliable associations between objective attention and processing speed measures with self-reported Attention and Memory scores. Latent regression Rasch modeling, together with correlation of specific self-reported cognitive domains with neurocognitive measures, helps to clarify the relationship of self-report with objective performance. While the majority of patients attribute their cognitive difficulties to memory decline, the Rash modeling suggests the importance of processing speed and initial learning. To encourage the use of this method, a step-by-step guide and programming language for implementation is provided. Implications of this method in cognitive outcomes research are discussed. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Salience Effects: L2 Sentence Production as a Window on L1 Speech Planning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Antón-Méndez, Inés; Gerfen, Chip; Ramos, Miguel

2016-01-01

Salience influences grammatical structure during production in a language-dependent manner because different languages afford different options to satisfy preferences. During production, speakers may always try to satisfy all syntactic encoding preferences (e.g., salient entities to be mentioned early, themes to be assigned the syntactic function…
Oral Corrective Feedback in Second Language Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyster, Roy; Saito, Kazuya; Sato, Masatoshi

2013-01-01

This article reviews research on oral corrective feedback (CF) in second language (L2) classrooms. Various types of oral CF are first identified, and the results of research revealing CF frequency across instructional contexts are presented. Research on CF preferences is then reviewed, revealing a tendency for learners to prefer receiving CF more…
Use of Computer Technology for English Language Learning: Do Learning Styles, Gender, and Age Matter?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Cynthia; Yeung, Alexander Seeshing; Ip, Tiffany

2016-01-01

Computer technology provides spaces and locales for language learning. However, learning style preference and demographic variables may affect the effectiveness of technology use for a desired goal. Adapting Reid's pioneering Perceptual Learning Style Preference Questionnaire (PLSPQ), this study investigated the relations of university students'…
Young Listeners' Music Style Preferences: Patterns Related to Cultural Identification and Language Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brittin, Ruth V.

2014-01-01

Listeners ("N" = 543) in grades 4, 5, and 6 rated their preference for 10 instrumental and vocal selections from various styles, including four popular music selections with versions performed in English, Spanish, or an Asian language. Participants estimated their identification with Spanish/Hispanic/Latino and Asian cultures, the number…
Poverty, Depression, or Lost in Translation? Ethnic and Language Variation in Patient-Reported Outcomes in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

PubMed

Katz, Patricia P; Barton, Jennifer; Trupin, Laura; Schmajuk, Gabriela; Yazdany, Jinoos; Ruiz, Pedro J; Yelin, Edward

2016-05-01

Despite advances in therapies, disparities in outcomes have been documented for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients for both ethnicity and English language proficiency. The goals of these analyses were to compare differences in RA patient-reported outcomes, by both self-identification of ethnicity and English language proficiency, and to identify factors that might explain differences among groups. Data were collected through structured telephone interviews of a longitudinal cohort with physician-diagnosed RA (n = 438); only women were included (n = 335). Three groups were defined based on self-reported ethnicity and English proficiency: white/English (n = 219), Hispanic/English (n = 39), and Hispanic/Spanish (n = 77). Outcomes examined were patient-reported physical functioning, pain, and presence of moderate or severe fatigue. Multivariate regression analyses compared outcomes among groups, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, health and disease factors, and depression. Hispanic/Spanish women had worse function, pain, and fatigue than either English-proficient group. Depression was associated with all outcomes (P < 0.0001), and accounted for greater differentials in scores than ethnicity/language proficiency. In interaction analyses, differences between women who were and were not depressed were greater for Hispanic/English than for Hispanic/Spanish. Nondepressed Hispanic/Spanish scores were significantly worse than nondepressed Hispanic/English, i.e., the impact of depression was less for Hispanic/Spanish women because both depressed and nondepressed women in this group reported worse outcomes. After adjustment for sociodemographic factors and depression, language remained significantly associated with outcomes. Disparities in patient-reported outcomes may be driven less by ethnicity than by sociodemographic or psychological factors. Measurement instruments that are not culturally appropriate and equivalent may also hamper meaningful analyses of disparities. © 2016, American College of Rheumatology.
Evaluation of the NAL-NL1 and the DSL v.4.1 prescriptions for children: Paired-comparison intelligibility judgments and functional performance ratings.

PubMed

Ching, Teresa Y C; Scollie, Susan D; Dillon, Harvey; Seewald, Richard; Britton, Louise; Steinberg, Jane; Gilliver, Megan; King, Katrina A

2010-01-01

This paper reports intelligibility judgments and real-life functional performance of 48 children in a double-blind, cross-over trial comparing the NAL-NL1 and the DSL v.4.1 prescriptions. Intelligibility judgments were obtained by using a paired-comparisons procedure with audiovisual stimuli. Functional performance of children during two eight-week periods, each with hearing aids adjusted to one prescription, was assessed by parents and teachers (PEACH and TEACH) and by children's self reports (SELF). Consistently across reports, performance was significantly better in quiet than in noise. On average, better performance in noise (a higher Noise subscale score) was associated with NAL-NL1 than with DSL v.4.1, both for the PEACH and the SELF. This difference was significant for the SELF in Australia. Intelligibility judgments revealed preferences that were equally split between prescriptions in both countries, on average. In the Australian sample, intelligibility judgments agreed with the questionnaire ratings and with parents' ratings. An increase in preference for NAL was significantly associated with lesser hearing loss. The effect was not significant in the Canadian sample.
Knowledge, actual and potential use of HIV self-sampling testing kits among MSM recruited in eight European countries.

PubMed

Hoyos, J; Maté, T; Indave, B I; Agustí, C; Chanos, S; Pichon, F; Kuske, M; Cigan, B; Fuertes, R; Ooms, L; Stefanescu, R; Cabeza de Vaca, C; Arranz, B; de la Fuente, L; Belza, M J

2018-02-01

To describe the knowledge as well as current and potential use of self-sampling kits among men who have sex with men (MSM) and to analyse their preferred biological sample and result communication method. We analyse data of MSM of HIV negative or unknown serostatus from an online survey conducted in eight countries (Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and Spain) between April and December 2016. It was advertised mainly in gay dating websites. We conduct a descriptive analysis of the main characteristics of the participants, and present data on indicators of knowledge, use and potential use of HIV self-sampling as well as their preferences regarding blood or saliva sample and face or non-face-to-face result communication by country of residence. A total of 8.226 participants of HIV negative or unknown serostatus were included in the analysis. Overall, 25.5% of participants knew about self-sampling (range: 18.8-47.2%) and 1.1% had used it in the past (range: 0.3-8.9%). Potential use was high, with 66.6% of all participants reporting that they would have already used it if available in the past (range: 62.1-82.1%). Most (78.6%) reported that they would prefer using a blood-based kit, and receiving the result of the test through a non-face-to-face-method (70.8%), even in the case of receiving a reactive result. The high potential use reported by MSM recruited in eight different European countries suggests that self-sampling kits are a highly acceptable testing methodology that could contribute to the promotion of HIV testing in this population. © 2018 British HIV Association.
Language acquisition with limited input: Romanian institution and foster care.

PubMed

Windsor, Jennifer; Glaze, Leslie E; Koga, Sebastian F

2007-10-01

To provide the first detailed information about native language abilities of children who are or had been institutionalized. The language of ten 30-month-old children raised in Romanian orphanages was compared with that of 30 chronological-age-matched peers: 10 children who had moved recently from orphanages to foster care, 10 children in foster families for at least 1 year, and 10 children raised in their biological families. Ten language measures were obtained from communication during play and from parent/caregiver report. Children who were institutionalized and children in foster care for a brief time showed substantial language delays, with some of these children not yet producing intelligible words. Children in foster care for at least 1 year approximated the expressive output and receptive language of children who had never been institutionalized; however, they showed lower expressive grammatical abilities. Within the group of children who were institutionalized, the presence of a preferred caregiver and a measure of development, greater height, were associated with greater language output. Although children in orphanages produced fewer complex forms than children in biological families, there were no systematic qualitative differences in language structure across groups. Foster care facilitated language growth after substantial language delays associated with institutionalization.
Improving the provision of language services at an academic medical center: ensuring high-quality health communication for limited-English-proficient patients.

PubMed

Standiford, Connie J; Nolan, Elizabeth; Harris, Michelle; Bernstein, Steven J

2009-12-01

To evaluate and improve the provision of language services at an academic medicine center caring for a diverse population including many limited-English-proficient (LEP) patients. The authors performed a prospective observational study between November 2006 and December 2008 evaluating the provision of language services at the University of Michigan Health System. The primary performance measures were (1) screening patients for their preferred language for health care, (2) assessing the proportion of LEP patients receiving language services from a qualified language services provider, and (3) assessing whether there were any disparities in diabetes care for LEP patients compared with English-speaking patients. The proportion of patients screened for preferred language increased from 59% to 96% with targeted inventions, such as training staff to capture preferred language for health care and correcting prior inaccurate primary language data entry. The proportion of LEP outpatients with a qualified language services provider increased from 19% to 83% through the use of staff and contract interpreters, over-the-phone interpreting and bilingual providers. There were no systematic differences in diabetes quality performance measures between LEP and English-proficient patients. Academic medical centers should measure their provision of language services and compare quality and safety data (e.g., performance measures and adverse events) between LEP and English-speaking patients to identify disparities in care. Leadership support and ongoing training are needed to ensure language-specific services are embedded into clinical care to meet the needs of our diverse patient populations.
The double identity of linguistic doubling.

PubMed

Berent, Iris; Bat-El, Outi; Brentari, Diane; Dupuis, Amanda; Vaknin-Nusbaum, Vered

2016-11-29

Does knowledge of language consist of abstract principles, or is it fully embodied in the sensorimotor system? To address this question, we investigate the double identity of doubling (e.g., slaflaf, or generally, XX; where X stands for a phonological constituent). Across languages, doubling is known to elicit conflicting preferences at different levels of linguistic analysis (phonology vs. morphology). Here, we show that these preferences are active in the brains of individual speakers, and they are demonstrably distinct from sensorimotor pressures. We first demonstrate that doubling in novel English words elicits divergent percepts: Viewed as meaningless (phonological) forms, doubling is disliked (e.g., slaflaf < slafmak), but once doubling in form is systematically linked to meaning (e.g., slaf = ball, slaflaf = balls), the doubling aversion shifts into a reliable (morphological) preference. We next show that sign-naive speakers spontaneously project these principles to novel signs in American Sign Language, and their capacity to do so depends on the structure of their spoken language (English vs. Hebrew). These results demonstrate that linguistic preferences doubly dissociate from sensorimotor demands: A single stimulus can elicit diverse percepts, yet these percepts are invariant across stimulus modality--for speech and signs. These conclusions are in line with the possibility that some linguistic principles are abstract, and they apply broadly across language modality.
Involvement in home meal preparation is associated with food preference and self-efficacy among Canadian children.

PubMed

Chu, Yen Li; Farmer, Anna; Fung, Christina; Kuhle, Stefan; Storey, Kate E; Veugelers, Paul J

2013-01-01

To examine the association between frequency of assisting with home meal preparation and fruit and vegetable preference and self-efficacy for making healthier food choices among grade 5 children in Alberta, Canada. A cross-sectional survey design was used. Children were asked how often they helped prepare food at home and rated their preference for twelve fruits and vegetables on a 3-point Likert-type scale. Self-efficacy was measured with six items on a 4-point Likert-type scale asking children their level of confidence in selecting and eating healthy foods at home and at school. Schools (n =151) located in Alberta, Canada. Grade 5 students (n = 3398). A large majority (83-93 %) of the study children reported helping in home meal preparation at least once monthly. Higher frequency of helping prepare and cook food at home was associated with higher fruit and vegetable preference and with higher self-efficacy for selecting and eating healthy foods. Encouraging children to be more involved in home meal preparation could be an effective health promotion strategy. These findings suggest that the incorporation of activities teaching children how to prepare simple and healthy meals in health promotion programmes could potentially lead to improvement in dietary habits.
Literacy as a leisure activity: free-time preferences of older children and young adolescents.

PubMed

Nippold, Marilyn A; Duthie, Jill K; Larsen, Jennifer

2005-04-01

Literacy plays an important role in the development of language in school-age children and adolescents. For example, by reading a variety of books, magazines, and newspapers, students gain exposure to complex vocabulary, and reading becomes a prime opportunity for learning new words. Despite the importance of reading for lexical development, little is known about the pleasure reading habits of today's youth. The first goal of this investigation was to examine the preferences of older children and young adolescents with respect to reading as a leisure-time activity and its relationship to other free-time options that are likely to compete for their attention. The second goal was to examine the amount of time that young people spend reading for pleasure each day and the types of materials they most enjoy reading. The third goal was to determine if preferences for free-time activities and reading materials would evince age- and gender-related differences during the period of development from late childhood through early adolescence (ages 11-15 years). The findings could serve as a reference point for understanding what is reasonable to expect of students during this age range. The participants were 100 sixth graders (mean age = 11;7 [years; months]) and 100 ninth graders (mean age = 14;8) attending public schools in western Oregon. Each group contained an equal number of boys and girls, all of whom spoke English as their primary language and were considered to be typical achievers. All participants completed a survey concerning their preferred free-time activities and reading materials. They also reported the average amount of time they spent reading for pleasure each day. The most popular free-time activities were listening to music/going to concerts, watching television or videos, playing sports, and playing computer or video games. Least preferred activities were cooking, running or walking, writing, and arts and crafts. Reading was moderately popular. The most popular reading materials were magazines, novels, and comics; least popular were plays, technical books, and newspapers. Interest in pleasure reading declined during this age range (11-15 years), and boys were more likely than girls to report that they spent no time reading for pleasure. Given the importance of reading to lexical development in school-age children and adolescents, reading should be promoted as a leisure activity during these years. School-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs), in their role as language consultants, can benefit from understanding the pleasure-reading patterns of today's youth. It is especially important for SLPs to monitor these patterns in students who have language disorders, as it is common for these young people to experience deficits in reading and in lexical development. Fortunately, much can be done in school settings to encourage strong literacy habits in all students if SLPs work collaboratively with teachers, principals, psychologists, librarians, parents, and students. Suggestions are offered for ways to encourage young people to spend more time reading for pleasure.
Quasi-experimental trial of diabetes Self-Management Automated and Real-Time Telephonic Support (SMARTSteps) in a Medicaid managed care plan: study protocol.

PubMed

Ratanawongsa, Neda; Handley, Margaret A; Quan, Judy; Sarkar, Urmimala; Pfeifer, Kelly; Soria, Catalina; Schillinger, Dean

2012-01-26

Health information technology can enhance self-management and quality of life for patients with chronic disease and overcome healthcare barriers for patients with limited English proficiency. After a randomized controlled trial of a multilingual automated telephone self-management support program (ATSM) improved patient-centered dimensions of diabetes care in safety net clinics, we collaborated with a nonprofit Medicaid managed care plan to translate research into practice, offering ATSM as a covered benefit and augmenting ATSM to promote medication activation. This paper describes the protocol of the Self-Management Automated and Real-Time Telephonic Support Project (SMARTSteps). This controlled quasi-experimental trial used a wait-list variant of a stepped wedge design to enroll 362 adult health plan members with diabetes who speak English, Cantonese, or Spanish and receive care at 4 publicly-funded clinics. Through language-stratified randomization, participants were assigned to four intervention statuses: SMARTSteps-ONLY, SMARTSteps-PLUS, or wait-list for either intervention. In addition to usual primary care, intervention participants received 27 weekly calls in their preferred language with rotating queries and response-triggered education about self-care, medication adherence, safety concerns, psychological issues, and preventive services. Health coaches from the health plan called patients with out-of-range responses for collaborative goal setting and action planning. SMARTSteps-PLUS also included health coach calls to promote medication activation, adherence and intensification, if triggered by ATSM-reported non-adherence, refill non-adherence from pharmacy claims, or suboptimal cardiometabolic indicators. Wait-list patients crossed-over to SMARTSteps-ONLY or -PLUS at 6 months. For participants who agreed to structured telephone interviews at baseline and 6 months (n = 252), primary outcomes will be changes in quality of life and functional status with secondary outcomes of 6-month changes in self-management behaviors/efficacy and patient-centered processes of care. We will also evaluate 6-month changes in cardiometabolic (HbA1c, blood pressure, and LDL) and utilization indicators for all participants. Outcomes will provide evidence regarding real-world implementation of ATSM within a Medicaid managed care plan serving safety net settings. The evaluation trial will provide insight into translating and scaling up health information technology interventions for linguistically and culturally diverse vulnerable populations with chronic disease. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00683020.
Quasi-experimental trial of diabetes Self-Management Automated and Real-Time Telephonic Support (SMARTSteps) in a Medicaid managed care plan: study protocol

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Health information technology can enhance self-management and quality of life for patients with chronic disease and overcome healthcare barriers for patients with limited English proficiency. After a randomized controlled trial of a multilingual automated telephone self-management support program (ATSM) improved patient-centered dimensions of diabetes care in safety net clinics, we collaborated with a nonprofit Medicaid managed care plan to translate research into practice, offering ATSM as a covered benefit and augmenting ATSM to promote medication activation. This paper describes the protocol of the Self-Management Automated and Real-Time Telephonic Support Project (SMARTSteps). Methods/Design This controlled quasi-experimental trial used a wait-list variant of a stepped wedge design to enroll 362 adult health plan members with diabetes who speak English, Cantonese, or Spanish and receive care at 4 publicly-funded clinics. Through language-stratified randomization, participants were assigned to four intervention statuses: SMARTSteps-ONLY, SMARTSteps-PLUS, or wait-list for either intervention. In addition to usual primary care, intervention participants received 27 weekly calls in their preferred language with rotating queries and response-triggered education about self-care, medication adherence, safety concerns, psychological issues, and preventive services. Health coaches from the health plan called patients with out-of-range responses for collaborative goal setting and action planning. SMARTSteps-PLUS also included health coach calls to promote medication activation, adherence and intensification, if triggered by ATSM-reported non-adherence, refill non-adherence from pharmacy claims, or suboptimal cardiometabolic indicators. Wait-list patients crossed-over to SMARTSteps-ONLY or -PLUS at 6 months. For participants who agreed to structured telephone interviews at baseline and 6 months (n = 252), primary outcomes will be changes in quality of life and functional status with secondary outcomes of 6-month changes in self-management behaviors/efficacy and patient-centered processes of care. We will also evaluate 6-month changes in cardiometabolic (HbA1c, blood pressure, and LDL) and utilization indicators for all participants. Discussion Outcomes will provide evidence regarding real-world implementation of ATSM within a Medicaid managed care plan serving safety net settings. The evaluation trial will provide insight into translating and scaling up health information technology interventions for linguistically and culturally diverse vulnerable populations with chronic disease. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00683020 PMID:22280514
The writing approaches of secondary students.

PubMed

Lavelle, Ellen; Smith, Jennifer; O'Ryan, Leslie

2002-09-01

Research with college students has supported a model of writing approaches that defines the relationship between a writer and writing task along a deep and surface process continuum (Biggs, 1988). Based on that model, Lavelle (1993) developed the Inventory of Processes in College Composition which reflects students' motives and strategies as related to writing outcomes. It is also important to define the approaches of secondary students to better understand writing processes at that level, and development in written composition. This study was designed to define the writing approaches of secondary students by factor analysing students' responses to items regarding writing beliefs and writing strategies, and to compare the secondary approaches to those of college students. A related goal was to explore the relationships of the secondary writing approaches to perceived self-regulatory efficacy for writing (Zimmerman & Bandura, 1994), writing preferences, and writing outcomes. The initial, factor analytic phase involved 398 junior level high school students (11th grade) enrolled in a mandatory language arts class at each of three large Midwestern high schools (USA). Then, 49 junior level students enrolled in two language arts classes participated as subjects in the second phase. Classroom teachers administered the Inventory of Processes in College Composition (Lavelle, 1993), which contained 72 true-or-false items regarding writing beliefs and strategies, during regular class periods. Data were factor analysed and the structure compared to that of college students. In the second phase, the new inventory, Inventory of Processes in Secondary Composition, was administered in conjunction with the Perceived Self-Regulatory Efficacy for Writing Inventory (Zimmerman & Bandura, 1994), and a writing preferences survey. A writing sample and grade in Language Arts classes were obtained and served as outcome variables. The factor structure of secondary writing reflected three process dimensions. The first factor, Elaborative-Expressive, describes a writing strategy based on personal investment and audience concern. The second factor, Planful-Procedural, denotes sticking to a plan, following the rules, and 'preparing' for writing. Achieving-Competitive, the third factor, reflects a 'teacher pleasing' strategy or doing only what needs to be done to get a good grade. Two factors from the college model, Elaborative and Procedural, were replicated, and two were not, Reflective-Revision and Low Self-Efficacy. Regression analyses supported that the processes in writing under a timed condition are different from those used when writing over time, and that students' perceptions of writing self-regulatory efficacy were predictive of writing success under both conditions.
School Gardens: An Experiential Learning Approach for a Nutrition Education Program to Increase Fruit and Vegetable Knowledge, Preference, and Consumption among Second-Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parmer, Sondra M.; Salisbury-Glennon, Jill; Shannon, David; Struempler, Barbara

2009-01-01

Objective: To examine the effects of a school garden on children's fruit and vegetable knowledge, preference, and consumption. Design: Self-report questionnaires, interview-style taste and rate items, lunchroom observations. Setting: An elementary school. Participants: Second-grade students (n = 115). Intervention: Participants were assigned to…
Online Measurement of Academic Programme Preferences for Distance Learners in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Wei-yuan; Yeung, Lai-hung Au

2003-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to report on the development of the first online self-directed inventory on the measurement of academic programme preferences (MAPP) for potential students at the Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK). In this study, trait-factor theory and personality type theory were employed. 1,963 respondents in Hong Kong were…
International development and psychometric properties of the Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen (CATS).

PubMed

Sachser, Cedric; Berliner, Lucy; Holt, Tonje; Jensen, Tine K; Jungbluth, Nathaniel; Risch, Elizabeth; Rosner, Rita; Goldbeck, Lutz

2017-03-01

Systematic screening is a powerful means by which children and adolescents with posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) can be detected. Reliable and valid measures based on current diagnostic criteria are needed. To investigate the internal consistency and construct validity of the Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen (CATS) in three samples of trauma-exposed children in the US (self-reports: n=249; caregiver reports: n=267; pre-school n=190), in Germany (self-reports: n=117; caregiver reports: n=95) and in Norway (self-reports: n=109; caregiver reports: n=62). Internal consistency was calculated using Cronbach's α. Convergent-discriminant validity was investigated using bivariate correlation coefficients with measures of depression, anxiety and externalizing symptoms. CFA was used to investigate the DSM-5 factor structure. In all three language samples the 20 item symptom score of the self-report and the caregiver report proved good to excellent reliability with α ranging between .88 and .94. The convergent-discriminant validity pattern showed medium to strong correlations with measures of depression (r =.62-.82) and anxiety (r =.40-.77) and low to medium correlations with externalizing symptoms (r =-.15-.43) within informants in all language versions. Using CFA the underlying DSM-5 factor structure with four symptom clusters (re-experiencing, avoidance, negative alterations in mood and cognitions, hyperarousal) was supported (n =475 for self-report; n =424 for caregiver reports). The external validation of the CATS with a DSM-5 based semi-structured clinical interview and corresponding determination of cut-points is pending. The CATS has satisfactory psychometric properties. Clinicians may consider the CATS as a screening tool and for symptom monitoring. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Analysis of EFL Teachers' Use of Digital Components: Evidence from Self-Report and Classroom Observation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cinkara, Emrah

2018-01-01

Purpose: A coursebook is ranked among the fundamentals of language teaching, which directly affects the success of classroom activities. Therefore, investigations into the nature and efficiency of this relationship should yield invaluable insights to improving language teaching. In this regard, this study aims to investigate EFL teachers' views…
A Descriptive Study of Gender Differences in Proscribed Language Behavior, Beliefs, and Attitudes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Jean L.

A study investigated whether gender differences in proscribed language behavior, attitudes, and beliefs would emerge from an anonymous self-report questionnaire. A total of 87 men and 87 women enrolled in 6 sections of a required sophomore course at a regional southeastern university voluntarily completed the questionnaire which was designed to…

Foreign Language Anxiety among First-Year Saudi University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tanielian, Adam R.

2017-01-01

This study surveys 156 Saudi male and 131 Saudi female students in their first year at King Faisal University in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Demographic data is collected along with quantitative data using a self-reporting Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) with a 5- point Likert scale. English performance data is collected…
Language Learning Styles and Learning Strategies of Tertiary-Level English Learners in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jie, Li; Xiaoqing, Qin

2006-01-01

This study focuses on the relationship between learning styles and language learning strategies in the EFL context in China. The study presents two kinds of data: quantitative and qualitative. In the quantitative study, the subjects consisted of 187 second-year undergraduates. Two self-reported inventories, the Chinese version of MBTI-G and a…
Japanese Classroom Behavior: A Micro-Analysis of Self-Reports versus Classroom Observations--With Implications for Language Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bohn, Mariko T.

2004-01-01

This article examines the influence of Japanese cultural values, beliefs, and educational style on Japanese students learning English as a second language in an American classroom. In contrast to the Japanese students' high motivation to learn English, their classroom behavior and roles reflect their own cultural perspectives rather than the…
Using Computers to Enable Self-Management of Aphasia Therapy Exercises for Word Finding: The Patient and Carer Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palmer, Rebecca; Enderby, Pam; Paterson, Gail

2013-01-01

Background: Speech and language therapy (SLT) for aphasia can be difficult to access in the later stages of stroke recovery, despite evidence of continued improvement with sufficient therapeutic intensity. Computerized aphasia therapy has been reported to be useful for independent language practice, providing new opportunities for continued…
Qualitative studies using in-depth interviews with older people from multiple language groups: methodological systematic review.

PubMed

Fryer, Caroline; Mackintosh, Shylie; Stanley, Mandy; Crichton, Jonathan

2012-01-01

This paper is a report of a methodological review of language appropriate practice in qualitative research, when language groups were not determined prior to participant recruitment. When older people from multiple language groups participate in research using in-depth interviews, additional challenges are posed for the trustworthiness of findings. This raises the question of how such challenges are addressed. The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, Ageline, PsycINFO, Sociological abstracts, Google Scholar and Allied and Complementary Medicine databases were systematically searched for the period 1840 to September 2009. The combined search terms of 'ethnic', 'cultural', 'aged', 'health' and 'qualitative' were used. In this methodological review, studies were independently appraised by two authors using a quality appraisal tool developed for the review, based on a protocol from the McMaster University Occupational Therapy Evidence-Based Practice Research Group. Nine studies were included. Consideration of language diversity within research process was poor for all studies. The role of language assistants was largely absent from study methods. Only one study reported using participants' preferred languages for informed consent. More examples are needed of how to conduct rigorous in-depth interviews with older people from multiple language groups, when languages are not determined before recruitment. This will require both researchers and funding bodies to recognize the importance to contemporary healthcare of including linguistically diverse people in participant samples. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Advanced Nursing © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Hand Preference for Precision Grasping Predicts Language Lateralization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzalez, Claudia L. R.; Goodale, Melvyn A.

2009-01-01

We investigated whether or not there is a relationship between hand preference for grasping and hemispheric dominance for language--and how each of these is related to other traditional measures of handedness. To do this we asked right- and left-handed participants to put together two different sets of 3D puzzles made out of big or very small…
The Role of Perception, Language, and Preference in the Developmental Acquisition of Basic Color Terms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pitchford, N. J.; Mullen, K. T.

2005-01-01

When learning basic color vocabulary, young children show a selective delay in the acquisition of brown and gray relative to other basic color terms. In this study, we first establish the robustness of this finding and then investigate the extent to which perception, language, and color preference may influence color conceptualization.…
The Relative Importance of Language in Guiding Social Preferences Through Development

PubMed Central

Esseily, Rana; Somogyi, Eszter; Guellai, Bahia

2016-01-01

In this paper, we review evidence from infants, toddlers, and preschoolers to tackle the question of how individuals orient preferences and actions toward social partners and how these preferences change over development. We aim at emphasizing the importance of language in guiding categorization relatively to other cues such as age, race and gender. We discuss the importance of language as part of a communication system that orients infants and older children’s attention toward relevant information in their environment and toward affiliated social partners who are potential sources of knowledge. We argue that other cues (visually perceptible features) are less reliable in informing individuals whether others share a common knowledge and whether they can be source of information. PMID:27812345
The Relative Importance of Language in Guiding Social Preferences Through Development.

PubMed

Esseily, Rana; Somogyi, Eszter; Guellai, Bahia

2016-01-01

In this paper, we review evidence from infants, toddlers, and preschoolers to tackle the question of how individuals orient preferences and actions toward social partners and how these preferences change over development. We aim at emphasizing the importance of language in guiding categorization relatively to other cues such as age, race and gender. We discuss the importance of language as part of a communication system that orients infants and older children's attention toward relevant information in their environment and toward affiliated social partners who are potential sources of knowledge. We argue that other cues (visually perceptible features) are less reliable in informing individuals whether others share a common knowledge and whether they can be source of information.
Examining the accuracy of students' self-reported academic grades from a correlational and a discrepancy perspective: Evidence from a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Sticca, Fabio; Goetz, Thomas; Bieg, Madeleine; Hall, Nathan C; Eberle, Franz; Haag, Ludwig

2017-01-01

The present longitudinal study examined the reliability of self-reported academic grades across three phases in four subject domains for a sample of 916 high-school students. Self-reported grades were found to be highly positively correlated with actual grades in all academic subjects and across grades 9 to 11 underscoring the reliability of self-reported grades as an achievement indicator. Reliability of self-reported grades was found to differ across subject areas (e.g., mathematics self-reports more reliable than language studies), with a slight yet consistent tendency to over-report achievement levels also observed across grade levels and academic subjects. Overall, the absolute value of over- and underreporting was low and these patterns were not found to differ between mathematics and verbal subjects. In sum, study findings demonstrate the consistent predictive utility of students' self-reported achievement across grade levels and subject areas with the observed tendency to over-report academic grades and slight differences between domains nonetheless warranting consideration in future education research.
Examining the accuracy of students’ self-reported academic grades from a correlational and a discrepancy perspective: Evidence from a longitudinal study

PubMed Central

Goetz, Thomas

2017-01-01

The present longitudinal study examined the reliability of self-reported academic grades across three phases in four subject domains for a sample of 916 high-school students. Self-reported grades were found to be highly positively correlated with actual grades in all academic subjects and across grades 9 to 11 underscoring the reliability of self-reported grades as an achievement indicator. Reliability of self-reported grades was found to differ across subject areas (e.g., mathematics self-reports more reliable than language studies), with a slight yet consistent tendency to over-report achievement levels also observed across grade levels and academic subjects. Overall, the absolute value of over- and underreporting was low and these patterns were not found to differ between mathematics and verbal subjects. In sum, study findings demonstrate the consistent predictive utility of students’ self-reported achievement across grade levels and subject areas with the observed tendency to over-report academic grades and slight differences between domains nonetheless warranting consideration in future education research. PMID:29112979
Health education needs of intimate partner violence survivors: Perspectives from female survivors and social service providers.

PubMed

Ferranti, Dina; Lorenzo, Dalia; Munoz-Rojas, Derby; Gonzalez-Guarda, Rosa M

2018-03-01

To explore the health education needs and learning preferences of female intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors in a social service agency located in South Florida, United States. An exploratory two-phase sequential mixed-methods study was completed through semistructured interviews with social service providers (n = 10), followed by a survey with predominately female IPV survivors (n = 122, 98.4%). Data obtained from interviews with social service providers were analyzed through conventional thematic content analysis. Data from interviews were used in developing a health survey completed by IPV survivors and analyzed utilizing descriptive statistics, chi-square tests and t tests. Three themes emerged from interviews including multidimensional health needs, navigating barriers to health care, and self-improvement specific to survivors of intimate partner violence. Survey results indicated that depression and self-esteem were the health education needs of highest priority. Demographic characteristics, including age and language use, were significantly associated to preferred methods of learning, p < .05. IPV survivors present with various health education needs. Current study findings can inform public health nurses in developing interventions or health-based programs for female IPV survivors in social service agency settings. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Gender Differences in University EFL Students' Language Proficiency Corresponding to Self-Rated Attention, Hyperactivity and Impulsivity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liang, Hsin-Yi; Kelsen, Brent A.

2017-01-01

Introduction: This study examines university students' self-reported inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, and their relation to performance on a high-stakes English proficiency test while taking gender into consideration. Method: Inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity attributes were assessed using the Adult Attention…
Online and Offline Bullying of Autistic Youth: Anti-Bullying Strategies, Reporting, and Technological Solutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Scott Michael

2013-01-01

This dissertation investigated cyber- and face-to-face bullying of autistic youth (aged 13-18). Autism represents a neurological-developmental disability that affects language and communication, socialization, sensory processing, motor coordination, and thinking around planning, self-regulation, and self-reflection. Prior studies indicate that…
High Stakes Tests with Self-Selected Essay Questions: Addressing Issues of Fairness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamprianou, Iasonas

2008-01-01

This study investigates the effect of reporting the unadjusted raw scores in a high-stakes language exam when raters differ significantly in severity and self-selected questions differ significantly in difficulty. More sophisticated models, introducing meaningful facets and parameters, are successively used to investigate the characteristics of…
Active physiology learning in a diverse class: an analysis of medical student responses in terms of sex, home language, and self-reported test performance.

PubMed

Higgins-Opitz, Susan B; Tufts, Mark

2012-06-01

The student body at the Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine (NRMSM) is very diverse, representing many cultures, religions, and languages. Research has shown that weakness in English can impact student performance. Recent studies have also highlighted sex-based differences in students' learning and listening styles. These factors pose both challenges and opportunities for teachers of physiology. Student presentations were incorporated for a number of years into the traditional didactic second-year medical physiology curriculum at the NRMSM. Feedback obtained about the perceived benefits of these presentations for the learning of gastrointestinal and endocrine physiology included demographic data pertaining to students' sex, home language, and self-reported performance in tests. Analysis of the 50-item questionnaire responses, obtained over a 2-yr period, provided some interesting insights. Student responses to the items differed significantly in 27 of the 50 items in the questionnaire, based on sex alone (22%), sex and home language (7%), home language alone (37%), performance alone (26%), and performance and home language (7%). Our analyses of student perceptions support the findings of other studies and show that factors such as sex, home language, and student performance can play an important role in the way students are motivated to learn. In designing active learning strategies, academics need to take into account the potential influences that might affect student learning in diverse, multicultural, and multilingual classes.
Testing of a Model with Latino Patients That Explains the Links Among Patient-Perceived Provider Cultural Sensitivity, Language Preference, and Patient Treatment Adherence.

PubMed

Nielsen, Jessica D Jones; Wall, Whitney; Tucker, Carolyn M

2016-03-01

Disparities in treatment adherence based on race and ethnicity are well documented but poorly understood. Specifically, the causes of treatment nonadherence among Latino patients living in the USA are complex and include cultural and language barriers. The purpose of this study was to examine whether patients' perceptions in patient-provider interactions (i.e., trust in provider, patient satisfaction, and patient sense of interpersonal control in patient-provider interactions) mediate any found association between patient-perceived provider cultural sensitivity (PCS) and treatment adherence among English-preferred Latino (EPL) and Spanish-preferred Latino (SPL) patients. Data from 194 EPL patients and 361 SPL patients were obtained using questionnaires. A series of language-specific structural equation models were conducted to test the relationship between patient-perceived PCS and patient treatment adherence and the examined mediators of this relationship among the Latino patients. No significant direct effects of patient-perceived PCS on general treatment adherence were found. However, as hypothesized, several significant indirect effects emerged. Preferred language appeared to have moderating effects on the relationships between patient-perceived PCS and general treatment adherence. These results suggest that interventions to promote treatment adherence among Latino patients should likely include provider training to foster patient-defined PCS, trust in provider, and patient satisfaction with care. Furthermore, this training needs to be customized to be suitable for providing care to Latino patients who prefer speaking Spanish and Latino patients who prefer speaking English.
Fast-track services for all? The preferences of Chinese-, Korean-, and Thai-speaking women attending a sexual health service.

PubMed

Martin, Lynne; Knight, Vickie; Read, Phillip J; McNulty, Anna

2013-12-01

Sydney Sexual Health Centre (SSHC) Xpress clinic has significantly reduced the length of stay and waiting time for clients at SSHC but is currently only available to clients who can read and understand a high level of English. This reduces access for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) clients. This study sought to determine the acceptability of 4 proposed components of an express clinic model among CALD clients: computer-assisted self-interview (CASI), self-collection of swabs/urine specimens, not having a physical examination, and consultation with a health promotion officer rather than with a clinician. Differences in acceptability based on language group, new or return client status, sex worker status, clinic visited status, and age were analyzed. A cross-sectional, anonymous questionnaire was offered to all female Chinese, Thai, and Korean clients attending SSHC between March and November 2012. Multivariate regression and Pearson χ statistical analyses were conducted using STATA 12 software. A total of 366 questionnaires were returned from 149 Thai, 145 Chinese, and 72 Korean participants. After multivariate analysis, the only predictor of willingness to use an express model of service provision was language group: overall, 67% Thai (odds ratio, 3.74: confidence interval [CI], 2.03-6.89; P < 0.01) and 64% Korean (odds ratio, 3.58; CI, 1.77-7.25, P < 0.01) said that they would use it compared with 35% Chinese. Age, history of sex work, new or returning clients, and general or language clinic attendance did not impact on choices. Within the preference for individual components of the model, more Thai women were happy with using a health promotion officer (43.2%) than Chinese (14.1%) or Korean (8.5%) (P < 0.001); no groups were happy with forfeiting a physical examination; Thai (48.6%) and Korean (40.9%) were happier with self-swabbing than Chinese women (23.9%, P < 0.001); and more Thai were happy to use a CASI (44.2%) than Chinese (12%) or Korean (11.1%; P < 0.001). This research shows that the components of an express model used at SSHC are not favorable to our CALD client base. Despite a CALD express clinic having the potential to reduce waiting times, most clients did not favor reduced waiting time over being physically examined or using a CASI.
The preference to receive chemotherapy and cancer-related outcomes in older adults with breast cancer CALGB 49907 (Alliance).

PubMed

Gajra, Ajeet; McCall, Linda; Muss, Hyman B; Cohen, Harvey J; Jatoi, Aminah; Ballman, Karla V; Partridge, Ann H; Sutton, Linda; Parker, Barbara A; Magrinat, Gustav; Klepin, Heidi D; Lafky, Jacqueline M; Hurria, Arti

2018-05-01

Chemotherapy preference refers to a patient's interest in receiving chemotherapy. This study examined whether chemotherapy preference was associated with toxicity, efficacy, quality of life (QoL), and functional outcomes during and after completion of adjuvant chemotherapy in older women with breast cancer. This study is a secondary analysis of CALGB 49907, a randomized trial that compared standard adjuvant chemotherapy versus capecitabine in patients age 65 years or older with breast cancer. A subset of 145 patients completed a questionnaire to describe chemotherapy preference pre-treatment. The association of this pre-treatment preference with the patient's perception of self-health, predicted and actual QoL, patient- and professional-reported toxicity, mental health, self-rated function, and survival was studied during and after treatment. The median age of patients was 71 years and 47% had a high preference for chemotherapy. On baseline demographics, the low preference group had a higher proportion of white patients (95% vs. 78%, p = 0.004). Before treatment, low chemotherapy preference was associated with greater nausea/vomiting (p = 0.008). Mid-treatment, low preference was associated with lower QoL, worse social, emotional and physical function (all p ≤ 0.02) and worse nausea/vomiting, cancer symptoms and financial worries (all p < 0.05). The association noted mid-treatment, resolved after treatment completion except with financial worries which persisted at 24 months. Low preference was associated with higher rates of grade 3-5 adverse events (53% vs. 34%, p = 0.02) but was not associated with survival. Low chemotherapy preference prior to treatment initiation was associated with lower QoL, worse physical symptoms and self-rated function and more adverse events mid-treatment. There is no association of chemotherapy preference with survival. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
A preliminary 6-month prospective study examining self-reported religious preference, religiosity/spirituality, and retention at a Jewish residential treatment center for substance-related disorders.

PubMed

Parhami, Iman; Davtian, Margarit; Collard, Michael; Lopez, Jean; Fong, Timothy W

2014-07-01

Although there is a substantial amount of research suggesting that higher levels of religiosity/spirituality (R/S) are associated with better treatment outcomes of substance-related disorders, no studies have explored this relationship at a faith-based residential treatment center. The objective of this prospective study is to explore the relationship between R/S, self-reported religious preference, and retention at a Jewish residential treatment center for substance-related disorders. Using the Daily Spiritual Experience Scale, R/S levels were assessed for 33 subjects at baseline, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months. Results demonstrated a significant relationship between baseline R/S level and retention at 6 months, while R/S levels were unchanged during the course of treatment. Notably, no relationship was found between self-reported religious affiliation and retention. This study demonstrates that patients' R/S level, rather than religious affiliation, is a possible predictor for better outcome at faith-based residential centers for substance-related disorders.

A Preliminary 6-Month Prospective Study Examining Self-reported Religious Preference, Religiosity/Spirituality, and Retention at a Jewish Residential Treatment Center for Substance-Related Disorders

PubMed Central

Davtian, Margarit; Collard, Michael; Lopez, Jean; Fong, Timothy W.

2012-01-01

Although there is a substantial amount of research suggesting that higher levels of religiosity/spirituality (R/S) are associated with better treatment outcomes of substance-related disorders, no studies have explored this relationship at a faith-based residential treatment center. The objective of this prospective study is to explore the relationship between R/S, self-reported religious preference, and retention at a Jewish residential treatment center for substance-related disorders. Using the Daily Spiritual Experience Scale, R/S levels were assessed for 33 subjects at baseline, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months. Results demonstrated a significant relationship between baseline R/S level and retention at 6 months, while R/S levels were unchanged during the course of treatment. Notably, no relationship was found between self-reported religious affiliation and retention. This study demonstrates that patients’ R/S level, rather than religious affiliation, is a possible predictor for better outcome at faith-based residential centers for substance-related disorders. PMID:22460083
Neurolinguistics Programming: Method or Myth?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gumm, W. B.; And Others

1982-01-01

The preferred modality by which 50 right-handed female college students encoded experience was assessed by recordings of conjugate eye movements, content analysis of the subject's verbal report, and the subject's self-report. Kappa analyses failed to reveal any agreement of the three assessment methods. (Author)
Reliability and validity of the Perceived Stress Scale-10 in Hispanic Americans with English or Spanish language preference.

PubMed

Baik, Sharon H; Fox, Rina S; Mills, Sarah D; Roesch, Scott C; Sadler, Georgia Robins; Klonoff, Elizabeth A; Malcarne, Vanessa L

2017-01-01

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Perceived Stress Scale-10 among 436 community-dwelling Hispanic Americans with English or Spanish language preference. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis examined the factorial invariance of the Perceived Stress Scale-10 across language groups. Results supported a two-factor model (negative, positive) with equivalent response patterns and item intercepts but different factor covariances across languages. Internal consistency reliability of the Perceived Stress Scale-10 total and subscale scores was good in both language groups. Convergent validity was supported by expected relationships of Perceived Stress Scale-10 scores to measures of anxiety and depression. These results support the use of the Perceived Stress Scale-10 among Hispanic Americans.
The emotional impact of being myself: Emotions and foreign-language processing.

PubMed

Ivaz, Lela; Costa, Albert; Duñabeitia, Jon Andoni

2016-03-01

Native languages are acquired in emotionally rich contexts, whereas foreign languages are typically acquired in emotionally neutral academic environments. As a consequence of this difference, it has been suggested that bilinguals' emotional reactivity in foreign-language contexts is reduced as compared with native language contexts. In the current study, we investigated whether this emotional distance associated with foreign languages could modulate automatic responses to self-related linguistic stimuli. Self-related stimuli enhance performance by boosting memory, speed, and accuracy as compared with stimuli unrelated to the self (the so-called self-bias effect). We explored whether this effect depends on the language context by comparing self-biases in a native and a foreign language. Two experiments were conducted with native Spanish speakers with a high level of English proficiency in which they were asked to complete a perceptual matching task during which they associated simple geometric shapes (circles, squares, and triangles) with the labels "you," "friend," and "other" either in their native or foreign language. Results showed a robust asymmetry in the self-bias in the native- and foreign-language contexts: A larger self-bias was found in the native than in the foreign language. An additional control experiment demonstrated that the same materials administered to a group of native English speakers yielded robust self-bias effects that were comparable in magnitude to the ones obtained with the Spanish speakers when tested in their native language (but not in their foreign language). We suggest that the emotional distance evoked by the foreign-language contexts caused these differential effects across language contexts. These results demonstrate that the foreign-language effects are pervasive enough to affect automatic stages of emotional processing. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).
Microbes and masculinity: Does exposure to pathogenic cues alter women's preferences for male facial masculinity and beardedness?

PubMed

McIntosh, Toneya L; Lee, Anthony J; Sidari, Morgan J; Stower, Rebecca E; Sherlock, James M; Dixson, Barnaby J W

2017-01-01

Women's preferences for men's androgen dependent secondary sexual traits are proposed to be phenotypically plastic in response to exposure to pathogens and pathogen disgust. While previous studies report that masculinity in facial shape is more attractive to women who have recently been exposed to pathogenic cues and who are high in self-reported pathogen disgust, facial hair may reduce male attractiveness under conditions of high pathogens as beards are a possible breeding ground for disease carrying ectoparasites. In the present study, we test whether women's preferences for beardedness and facial masculinity vary due to exposure to different pathogenic cues. Participants (N = 688, mean age + 1SD = 31.94 years, SD = 6.69, range = 18-67) rated the attractiveness of facial composite stimuli of men when they were clean-shaven or fully bearded. These stimuli were also manipulated in order to vary sexual dimorphism by ±50%. Ratings were conducted before and after exposure to one of four experimental treatments in which participants were primed to either high pathogens (e.g. infected cuts), ectoparasites (e.g. body lice), a mixture of pathogens and ectoparasites, or a control condition (e.g. innocuous liquids). Participants then completed the three-domain disgust scale measuring attitudes to moral, sexual and pathogen disgust. We predicted that women would prefer facial masculinity following exposure to pathogenic cues, but would show reduced preferences for facial hair following exposure to ectoparasites. Women preferred full beards over clean-shaven faces and masculinised over feminised faces. However, none of the experimental treatments influenced the direction of preferences for facial masculinity or beardedness. We also found no association between women's self-reported pathogen disgust and their preferences for facial masculinity. However, there was a weak positive association between moral disgust scores and preferences for facial masculinity, which might reflect conservatism and preferences for gender typicality in faces. Women's preferences for beards were positively associated with their pathogen disgust, which runs contrary to our predictions and may reflect preferences for high quality individuals who can withstand any costs of beardedness, although further replications are necessary before firm conclusions can be made. We conclude that there is little support for pathogenic exposure being a mechanism that underpins women's directional preferences for masculine traits.
Microbes and masculinity: Does exposure to pathogenic cues alter women’s preferences for male facial masculinity and beardedness?

PubMed Central

McIntosh, Toneya L.; Lee, Anthony J.; Sidari, Morgan J.; Stower, Rebecca E.; Sherlock, James M.

2017-01-01

Women’s preferences for men’s androgen dependent secondary sexual traits are proposed to be phenotypically plastic in response to exposure to pathogens and pathogen disgust. While previous studies report that masculinity in facial shape is more attractive to women who have recently been exposed to pathogenic cues and who are high in self-reported pathogen disgust, facial hair may reduce male attractiveness under conditions of high pathogens as beards are a possible breeding ground for disease carrying ectoparasites. In the present study, we test whether women’s preferences for beardedness and facial masculinity vary due to exposure to different pathogenic cues. Participants (N = 688, mean age + 1SD = 31.94 years, SD = 6.69, range = 18–67) rated the attractiveness of facial composite stimuli of men when they were clean-shaven or fully bearded. These stimuli were also manipulated in order to vary sexual dimorphism by ±50%. Ratings were conducted before and after exposure to one of four experimental treatments in which participants were primed to either high pathogens (e.g. infected cuts), ectoparasites (e.g. body lice), a mixture of pathogens and ectoparasites, or a control condition (e.g. innocuous liquids). Participants then completed the three-domain disgust scale measuring attitudes to moral, sexual and pathogen disgust. We predicted that women would prefer facial masculinity following exposure to pathogenic cues, but would show reduced preferences for facial hair following exposure to ectoparasites. Women preferred full beards over clean-shaven faces and masculinised over feminised faces. However, none of the experimental treatments influenced the direction of preferences for facial masculinity or beardedness. We also found no association between women’s self-reported pathogen disgust and their preferences for facial masculinity. However, there was a weak positive association between moral disgust scores and preferences for facial masculinity, which might reflect conservatism and preferences for gender typicality in faces. Women’s preferences for beards were positively associated with their pathogen disgust, which runs contrary to our predictions and may reflect preferences for high quality individuals who can withstand any costs of beardedness, although further replications are necessary before firm conclusions can be made. We conclude that there is little support for pathogenic exposure being a mechanism that underpins women’s directional preferences for masculine traits. PMID:28594843
Aphasia from the inside: The cognitive world of the aphasic patient.

PubMed

Ardila, Alfredo; Rubio-Bruno, Silvia

2017-05-23

The purpose of this study was to analyze the question: how do people with aphasia experience the world? Three questions are approached: (1) how is behavior controlled in aphasia, considering that a normal linguistic control is no longer available; (2) what is the pattern of intellectual abilities in aphasia; and (3) what do aphasia patients' self-report regarding the experience of living without language. In aphasia, behavior can no longer be controlled through the "second signal system" and only the first signal system remains. Available information suggests that sometimes no verbal abilities may be affected in aphasia. However, an important variability is observed: whereas, in some patients, evident nonverbal defects are found; in other patients, performance verbal abilities are within normal limits. Several self-reports of recovered aphasic patients explain the experience of living without language. Considering that language represents the major instrument of cognition, in aphasia, surrounding information is evidently interpreted in a partially different way and cognitive strategies are reorganized, resulting in an idiosyncratic cognitive world.
Migration surrogates and their association with obesity among within-country migrants

PubMed Central

Bernabe-Ortiz, Antonio; Gilman, Robert H.; Smeeth, Liam; Miranda, J. Jaime

2010-01-01

Limited studies have evaluated the link between acculturation and health outcomes of within-country migrants. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether well-known acculturation surrogates were associated with obesity among Peruvian rural-to-urban migrants. We performed a cross sectional survey, the PERU MIGRANT study, using single-stage random sampling. Evaluation included weight, height, and waist circumference (WC) as well as acculturation surrogates. Obesity was assessed using body mass index (BMI) and WC. Length of residence, age at migration, language proficiency and language preferences (Spanish or Quechua) were assessed in logistic regression models to calculate odd ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) adjusting for potential confounders. A total of 589 rural-to-urban migrants were enrolled. The mean age was 47.8 (SD: 11.7, range: 30-92) and 280 (47.5%) were males. Obesity prevalence assessed by BMI was 30.4% among women and 10.7% among men (p<0.001), whereas abdominal obesity assessed by WC was 29.1% among women and 19.1% among men (p<0.01). Obesity was associated with older age at first migration, language speaking proficiency and language preferences. The association between obesity and acculturation surrogates is variable in this population. Thus, acculturation per se can explore positive channels associated with better health outcomes. The patterns shown in this report suggest a more complex association for these factors. PMID:20395946
Why bother with testing? The validity of immigrants' self-assessed language proficiency.

PubMed

Edele, Aileen; Seuring, Julian; Kristen, Cornelia; Stanat, Petra

2015-07-01

Due to its central role in social integration, immigrants' language proficiency is a matter of considerable societal concern and scientific interest. This study examines whether commonly applied self-assessments of linguistic skills yield results that are similar to those of competence tests and thus whether these self-assessments are valid measures of language proficiency. Analyses of data for immigrant youth reveal moderate correlations between language test scores and two types of self-assessments (general ability estimates and concrete performance estimates) for the participants' first and second languages. More importantly, multiple regression models using self-assessments and models using test scores yield different results. This finding holds true for a variety of analyses and for both types of self-assessments. Our findings further suggest that self-assessed language skills are systematically biased in certain groups. Subjective measures thus seem to be inadequate estimates of language skills, and future research should use them with caution when research questions pertain to actual language skills rather than self-perceptions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Prediction of advertisement preference by fusing EEG response and sentiment analysis.

PubMed

Gauba, Himaanshu; Kumar, Pradeep; Roy, Partha Pratim; Singh, Priyanka; Dogra, Debi Prosad; Raman, Balasubramanian

2017-08-01

This paper presents a novel approach to predict rating of video-advertisements based on a multimodal framework combining physiological analysis of the user and global sentiment-rating available on the internet. We have fused Electroencephalogram (EEG) waves of user and corresponding global textual comments of the video to understand the user's preference more precisely. In our framework, the users were asked to watch the video-advertisement and simultaneously EEG signals were recorded. Valence scores were obtained using self-report for each video. A higher valence corresponds to intrinsic attractiveness of the user. Furthermore, the multimedia data that comprised of the comments posted by global viewers, were retrieved and processed using Natural Language Processing (NLP) technique for sentiment analysis. Textual contents from review comments were analyzed to obtain a score to understand sentiment nature of the video. A regression technique based on Random forest was used to predict the rating of an advertisement using EEG data. Finally, EEG based rating is combined with NLP-based sentiment score to improve the overall prediction. The study was carried out using 15 video clips of advertisements available online. Twenty five participants were involved in our study to analyze our proposed system. The results are encouraging and these suggest that the proposed multimodal approach can achieve lower RMSE in rating prediction as compared to the prediction using only EEG data. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Physical attractiveness, attitudes toward career, and mate preferences among young Chinese women.

PubMed

Zhang, Hong; Teng, Fei; Chan, Darius K-S; Zhang, Denghao

2014-02-13

We examined young Chinese women's mate preferences as a function of their self-perceived attractiveness and career attitudes. A total of 264 young Chinese women rated their own attractiveness, reported their attitudes toward career, and rated the importance of 20 mate characteristics. The characteristics encompassed four facets that individuals typically consider when seeking a long-term mate: good-genes indicators, good investment ability indicators, good parenting indicators, and good partner indicators. We found that both self-perceived attractiveness and attitudes toward career were positively associated with the importance attached to several of the characteristics. Moreover, women who had high career focus but low self-perceived attractiveness attached more value to intelligence, ambition, and industriousness than women who had low career focus but high self-perceived attractiveness; women with low career focus but high self-perceived attractiveness attached more value to physical attractiveness in a mate than women with high career focus but low self-perceived attractiveness. We discussed the limitations of our research and directions for future research.
Preschool Teachers’ Language and Literacy Practices with Dual Language Learners

PubMed Central

Sawyer, Brook E.; Hammer, Carol Scheffner; Cycyk, Lauren M.; López, Lisa; Blair, Clancy; Sandilos, Lia; Komaroff, Eugene

2016-01-01

The purposes of this study were to (a) examine the degree to which teachers used linguistically responsive practices to support the language and literacy development of Spanish-speaking Dual Language Learners (DLL) and (b) to investigate the associations between these practices and select teacher-level factors. The sample consisted of 72 preschool teachers. Observational data were collected on practices. Teachers self-reported on language and culture beliefs, Spanish speaking ability, and classroom composition. Results indicated that teachers, including those who spoke Spanish, used few linguistically responsive practices to support preschool DLLs. Only Spanish-speaking ability was related to practices. Implications for targeted professional development are discussed. PMID:27667968
Preschool Teachers' Language and Literacy Practices with Dual Language Learners.

PubMed

Sawyer, Brook E; Hammer, Carol Scheffner; Cycyk, Lauren M; López, Lisa; Blair, Clancy; Sandilos, Lia; Komaroff, Eugene

The purposes of this study were to (a) examine the degree to which teachers used linguistically responsive practices to support the language and literacy development of Spanish-speaking Dual Language Learners (DLL) and (b) to investigate the associations between these practices and select teacher-level factors. The sample consisted of 72 preschool teachers. Observational data were collected on practices. Teachers self-reported on language and culture beliefs, Spanish speaking ability, and classroom composition. Results indicated that teachers, including those who spoke Spanish, used few linguistically responsive practices to support preschool DLLs. Only Spanish-speaking ability was related to practices. Implications for targeted professional development are discussed.
The Associations and Correlations Between Self-reported Health and Neighborhood Cohesion and Disorder in a Community-dwelling U.S. Chinese Population.

PubMed

Dong, XinQi; Bergren, Stephanie M

2017-08-01

Characteristics of neighborhood have been found to be associated with physical and psychological health status of older adults, especially in relationship to social dynamics like cohesion and disorder. This study aims to examine correlations and associations between sociodemographic characteristics, self-reported health status, cohesion, and disorder among Chinese older adults in the greater Chicago area. The Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago is a cross-sectional, population-based study with community-dwelling Chinese older adults aged 60 and older, recruited through a community-based participatory research approach. Cohesion was measured through six questions; disorder was measured through eight questions. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted using SAS. Among 3,158 participants enrolled in the study, 92.3% reported any neighborhood cohesion; 69.8% reported any neighborhood disorder. After controlling for age, sex, education, income, marital status, living arrangement, number of children, years in the community, years in the United States, country of origin, language preference, and location, a higher level of cohesion is associated with higher quality of life (odds ratio [OR]: 1.25, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.13, 1.39) and a higher level of disorder is associated with lower overall health status (OR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.95, 0.99) and lower quality of life (OR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.95, 0.98). Our findings suggest that neighborhood cohesion and neighborhood disorder are correlated to the health of U.S. Chinese older adults. Future longitudinal research should examine the relationship between community characteristics, both structural and social, and health-related outcomes. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Technology Use and Sleep Quality in Preadolescence and Adolescence.

PubMed

Bruni, Oliviero; Sette, Stefania; Fontanesi, Lilybeth; Baiocco, Roberto; Laghi, Fiorenzo; Baumgartner, Emma

2015-12-15

The purpose of this study was to analyze differences between preadolescents and adolescents on the use of technology and to test the contribution of using Internet and mobile phone, and circadian preference on sleep quality. We recruited a sample of 850 (364 males) preadolescents and adolescents. Self-report questionnaires about sleep schedule, sleep wake behavior problems, circadian preferences, and the use of technology (e.g., Internet and mobile phone) were administered. Students were asked to fill out the School Sleep Habits Survey, a self-report questionnaire on the use of technology, the Mobile Phone Involvement Questionnaire (MPIQ), and the Shorter Promis Questionnaire (SPQ). Adolescents reported more sleep problems, a tendency toward eveningness, and an increase of Internet and phone activities, as well as social network activities, while preadolescents were more involved in gaming console and television viewing. The regression analysis performed separately in the two age groups showed that sleep quality was affected by the circadian preference (eveningness) in both groups. Adolescents' bad sleep quality was consistently associated with the mobile phone use and number of devices in the bedroom, while in preadolescents, with Internet use and turning-off time. The evening circadian preference, mobile phone and Internet use, numbers of other activities after 21:00, late turning off time, and number of devices in the bedroom have different negative influence on sleep quality in preadolescents and adolescents. © 2015 American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
[Self- and informant-rating mood scales applied in elderly persons with Alzheimer's dementia, with or without a language disorder].

PubMed

Yildirim-Gorter, Margina; Groot, Djahill; Hermens, Linda; Diesfeldt, Han; Scherder, Erik

2018-06-01

Alzheimer's Dementia (AD) may be associated with symptoms of depression. In AD, problems of language expression or understanding will arise sooner or later. The aim of this study was to determine whether elderly persons with AD, with or without a language disorder, experience difficulties understanding and answering mood related questions. In addition to this, it was our object to test the validity of the answers of nurses as informants, on the mood of an elderly client. 53 elderly persons, living in care homes, and their nurses, took part in the study. 25 participants had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, 28 participants had no cognitive impairment. Language skills were tested using the SAN-test (Stichting Afasie Nederland) and subtests of the Aachen Aphasia Test (AAT). Mood was assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory-second edition (BDI-II-NL) and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-30). There were no significant differences in scores on the mood related questionnaires between participants without cognitive impairment and participants with Alzheimer's disease, with or without a language disorder. The correlation between self- and informant-rating was very limited. In general, nurses reported more depressive symptoms than the elderly persons did themselves. Disparities between self- and informant-ratings varied from informant scores overestimating low self-ratings of depression to informant scores underestimating high self-ratings. Alzheimer's disease, whether or not it is complicated by a language disorder, does not disturb the normal score distribution on either test (BDI or GDS). This means that elderly persons with Alzheimer's disease are capable of adequately answering questions related to their own mood. However, considerable discrepancies were found between observer- and self-ratings of emotional wellbeing. Therefore it is important to not only take into account the information of an informant when testing for depression, but also the elderly person's own assessment of their mood.
Obtaining Self-Samples to Diagnose Curable Sexually Transmitted Infections: A Systematic Review of Patients’ Experiences

PubMed Central

Paudyal, Priyamvada; Llewellyn, Carrie; Lau, Jason; Mahmud, Mohammad; Smith, Helen

2015-01-01

Background Routine screening is key to sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention and control. Previous studies suggest that clinic-based screening programmes capture only a small proportion of people with STIs. Self-sampling using non- or minimally invasive techniques may be beneficial for those reluctant to actively engage with conventional sampling methods. We systematically reviewed studies of patients’ experiences of obtaining self-samples to diagnose curable STIs. Methods We conducted an electronic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsychINFO, BNI, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews to identify relevant articles published in English between January 1980 and March 2014. Studies were included if participants self-sampled for the diagnosis of a curable STI and had specifically sought participants’ opinions of their experience, acceptability, preferences, or willingness to self-sample. Results The initial search yielded 558 references. Of these, 45 studies met the inclusion criteria. Thirty-six studies assessed patients’ acceptability and experiences of self-sampling. Pooled results from these studies shows that self-sampling is a highly acceptable method with 85% of patients reporting the method to be well received and acceptable. Twenty-eight studies reported on ease of self-sampling; the majority of patients (88%) in these studies found self-sampling an “easy” procedure. Self-sampling was favoured compared to clinician sampling, and home sampling was preferred to clinic-based sampling. Females and older participants were more accepting of self-sampling. Only a small minority of participants (13%) reported pain during self-sampling. Participants were willing to undergo self-sampling and recommend others. Privacy and safety were the most common concerns. Conclusion Self-sampling for diagnostic testing is well accepted with the majority having a positive experience and willingness to use again. Standardization of self-sampling procedures and rigorous validation of outcome measurement will lead to better comparability across studies. Future studies need to conduct rigorous economic evaluations of self-sampling to inform policy development for the management of STI. PMID:25909508
Ethnic minority women prefer strong recommendations to be screened for cancer.

PubMed

Marlow, Laura A V; Meisel, Susanne F; Wardle, Jane

2017-02-03

Cancer screening invitations can explicitly recommend attendance or encourage individuals to consider the risks and benefits before deciding for themselves. Public preferences for these approaches might vary. We explored ethnic minority women's preferences for a strong recommendation to be screened. Women aged 30-60 years from Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Caribbean, African and white British backgrounds (n = 120 per group) completed face-to-face interviews with a multi-lingual interviewer. The interview included a question on which approach to screening invitations they would prefer: i) A strong recommendation from the National Health Service (NHS) to go for screening, ii) A statement that the NHS thinks you should go for screening, but it's up to you to decide, iii) No recommendation. Analyses examined predictors of preference for a strong recommendation. Preferences varied by ethnicity (χ 2 (5) = 98.20, p <.001). All ethnic minority groups had a preference for a strong recommendation to be screened (53-86% across ethnic groups vs 31% white British). Socio-demographic factors (marital status, education and employment), and indicators of acculturation (main language and migration status), contributed to explaining recommendation preferences (χ 2 (5) = 35.95 and χ 2 (3) = 11.59, respectively, both p <.001), but did not mediate the ethnicity effect entirely. Self-rated comprehension of written health information did not contribute to the model. A strong recommendation to participate in cancer screening appears to be important for ethnic minority women, particularly non-English speakers. Future research could explore how to best arrive at a consensus that respects patient autonomy while also accommodating those that would prefer to be guided by a trusted source.
The Relationship between English Language Arts Teachers' Use of Instructional Strategies and Young Adolescents' Reading Motivation, Engagement, and Preference

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Varuzza, Michelle; Sinatra, Richard; Eschenauer, Robert; Blake, Brett Elizabeth

2014-01-01

Conducted at 10 schools in four communities, this study investigated relationships of young adolescents' reading motivation, reading preference, and reading engagement as influenced by their English Language Arts teachers' use of instructional strategies. Students in eight sixth grade (N = 196) and nine seventh grade (N = 218) classes completed a…
"Lösen Sie Schachtelsätze Möglichst Auf"': The Impact of Editorial Guidelines on Sentence Splitting in German Business Article Translations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bisiada, Mario

2016-01-01

Sentence splitting is assumed to occur mainly in translations from languages that prefer a hierarchical discourse structure, such as German, to languages that prefer an incremental structure. This article challenges that assumption by presenting findings from a diachronic corpus study of English-German business article translations, which shows…

The Influence of Religiosity, Gender, and Language Preference Acculturation on Sexual Activity among Latino/a Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Lisa M.; Fehring, Richard J.; Jarrett, Keyona M.; Haglund, Kristin A.

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the main and interactive effects of religiosity, gender, and language preference acculturation on sexual activity among 570 Latino/a adolescents from the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth. Results indicated that adolescents who viewed religion as very important, had frequent church attendance, and had…
Students' Preferences and Attitude toward Oral Error Correction Techniques at Yanbu University College, Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alamri, Bushra; Fawzi, Hala Hassan

2016-01-01

Error correction has been one of the core areas in the field of English language teaching. It is "seen as a form of feedback given to learners on their language use" (Amara, 2015). Many studies investigated the use of different techniques to correct students' oral errors. However, only a few focused on students' preferences and attitude…
Evaluation of function, performance, and preference as transfemoral amputees transition from mechanical to microprocessor control of the prosthetic knee.

PubMed

Hafner, Brian J; Willingham, Laura L; Buell, Noelle C; Allyn, Katheryn J; Smith, Douglas G

2007-02-01

To evaluate differences in function, performance, and preference between mechanical and microprocessor prosthetic knee control technologies. A-B-A-B reversal design. Home, community, and laboratory environments. Twenty-one unilateral, transfemoral amputees. Mechanical control prosthetic knee versus microprocessor control prosthetic knee (Otto Bock C-Leg). Stair rating, hill rating and time, obstacle course time, divided attention task accuracy and time, Amputee Mobility Predictor score, step activity, Prosthesis Evaluation Questionnaire score, Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey score, self-reported frequency of stumbles and falls, and self-reported concentration required for ambulation. Stair descent score, hill descent time, and hill sound-side step length showed significant (P<.01) improvement with the C-Leg. Users reported a significant (P<.05) decrease in frequency of stumbles and falls, frustration with falling, and difficulty in multitasking while using the microprocessor knee. Subject satisfaction with the C-Leg was significantly (P<.001) greater than the mechanical control prosthesis. The study population showed improved performance when negotiating stairs and hills, reduced frequency of stumbling and falling, and a preference for the microprocessor control C-Leg as compared with the mechanical control prosthetic knee.
Bidirectionality in Self-Regulation and Expressive Vocabulary: Comparisons between Monolingual and Dual Language Learners in Preschool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bohlmann, Natalie L.; Maier, Michelle F.; Palacios, Natalia

2015-01-01

Significant differences in language and self-regulation skills exist among children when they enter formal schooling. Contributing to these language differences is a growing population of dual language learners (DLLs) in the United States. Given evidence linking self-regulatory processes and language development, this study explored bidirectional…
A Natural Language Intelligent Tutoring System for Training Pathologists - Implementation and Evaluation

PubMed Central

El Saadawi, Gilan M.; Tseytlin, Eugene; Legowski, Elizabeth; Jukic, Drazen; Castine, Melissa; Fine, Jeffrey; Gormley, Robert; Crowley, Rebecca S.

2009-01-01

Introduction We developed and evaluated a Natural Language Interface (NLI) for an Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) in Diagnostic Pathology. The system teaches residents to examine pathologic slides and write accurate pathology reports while providing immediate feedback on errors they make in their slide review and diagnostic reports. Residents can ask for help at any point in the case, and will receive context-specific feedback. Research Questions We evaluated (1) the performance of our natural language system, (2) the effect of the system on learning (3) the effect of feedback timing on learning gains and (4) the effect of ReportTutor on performance to self-assessment correlations. Methods The study uses a crossover 2×2 factorial design. We recruited 20 subjects from 4 academic programs. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of the four conditions - two conditions for the immediate interface, and two for the delayed interface. An expert dermatopathologist created a reference standard and 2 board certified AP/CP pathology fellows manually coded the residents' assessment reports. Subjects were given the opportunity to self grade their performance and we used a survey to determine student response to both interfaces. Results Our results show a highly significant improvement in report writing after one tutoring session with 4-fold increase in the learning gains with both interfaces but no effect of feedback timing on performance gains. Residents who used the immediate feedback interface first experienced a feature learning gain that is correlated with the number of cases they viewed. There was no correlation between performance and self-assessment in either condition. PMID:17934789
A natural language intelligent tutoring system for training pathologists: implementation and evaluation.

PubMed

El Saadawi, Gilan M; Tseytlin, Eugene; Legowski, Elizabeth; Jukic, Drazen; Castine, Melissa; Fine, Jeffrey; Gormley, Robert; Crowley, Rebecca S

2008-12-01

We developed and evaluated a Natural Language Interface (NLI) for an Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) in Diagnostic Pathology. The system teaches residents to examine pathologic slides and write accurate pathology reports while providing immediate feedback on errors they make in their slide review and diagnostic reports. Residents can ask for help at any point in the case, and will receive context-specific feedback. We evaluated (1) the performance of our natural language system, (2) the effect of the system on learning (3) the effect of feedback timing on learning gains and (4) the effect of ReportTutor on performance to self-assessment correlations. The study uses a crossover 2 x 2 factorial design. We recruited 20 subjects from 4 academic programs. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of the four conditions--two conditions for the immediate interface, and two for the delayed interface. An expert dermatopathologist created a reference standard and 2 board certified AP/CP pathology fellows manually coded the residents' assessment reports. Subjects were given the opportunity to self grade their performance and we used a survey to determine student response to both interfaces. Our results show a highly significant improvement in report writing after one tutoring session with 4-fold increase in the learning gains with both interfaces but no effect of feedback timing on performance gains. Residents who used the immediate feedback interface first experienced a feature learning gain that is correlated with the number of cases they viewed. There was no correlation between performance and self-assessment in either condition.
Actes du colloque sur la didactique des langues aujourdi'hui: Pratiques et realite. (29 Sept./1 Oct. 1983) [Proceedings of a Colloquium on the Teaching of Modern Languages Today: Practice and Reality. (September 29-October 1, 1983)].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Travaux Neuchatelois de Linguistique (TRANEL), 1984

1984-01-01

The eight papers in this collection include: "Un enseignant de langues a la recherche de la pierre philosophale" (A Language Teacher in Search of the Philosopher's Stone); "Apprentissage autodirige: Compte rendu d'experience 1978-83" (Self-Directed Learning: Report of Experience 1978-83); "Teaching Without a Language Syllabus But With a Linguistic…
Foreign Language Study at Black Colleges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, James S.

1992-01-01

Presents a discussion with James J. Davis, interim chairman of Howard University's Department of Romance Languages. Offers Davis' view that African-American students often are ambivalent about foreign language study and frequently prefer African to European languages. Describes how Davis became involved in the field. (SG)
Children's feedback preferences in response to an experimentally manipulated peer evaluation outcome: the role of depressive symptoms.

PubMed

Reijntjes, Albert; Dekovic, Maja; Vermande, Marjolijn; Telch, Michael J

2007-06-01

The present study examined the linkage between pre-adolescent children's depressive symptoms and their preferences for receiving positive vs. negative feedback subsequent to being faced with an experimentally manipulated peer evaluation outcome in real time. Participants (n = 142) ages 10 to 13, played a computer contest based on the television show Survivor and were randomized to either a peer rejection (i.e., receiving the lowest total 'likeability' score from a group of peer-judges), a peer success (i.e., receiving the highest score), or a control peer evaluation condition. Children's self-reported feedback preferences were then assessed. Results revealed that participants assigned to the negative evaluation outcome, relative to either the success or the control outcome, showed a significantly higher subsequent preference for negatively tuned feedback. Contrary to previous work and predictions derived from self-verification theory, children higher in depressive symptoms were only more likely to prefer negative feedback in response to the negative peer evaluation outcome. These effects for depression were not accounted for by either state mood at baseline or mood change in response to the feedback manipulation.
A Survey of Patient and Partner Outcome and Treatment Preferences in Mild Cognitive Impairment.

PubMed

Smith, Glenn E; Chandler, Melanie; Fields, Julie A; Aakre, Jeremiah; Locke, Dona E C

2018-05-18

The patient-centered movement in health care is increasing efforts to design studies and interventions that address the outcomes that matter most to patients and their families. Research has not adequately addressed Alzheimer's disease patient and caregiver preferences. To survey the outcome and treatment preferences of patients and caregivers who had completed a multicomponent behavioral intervention for mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Extending prior work, we conducted an online survey regarding outcome and intervention preferences. Participants were patients with MCI and partners who completed the HABIT Healthy Action to Benefit Independence & Thinking ® program. Both patient and partner respondents ranked patient quality of life as the highest priority, followed by patient self-efficacy, functional status, patient mood, and patient memory performance. Distressing behaviors and caregiver outcomes (burden, mood, and self-efficacy) had low rankings. Regarding the importance of HABIT ® program components, memory compensation training was ranked highest and wellness education lowest by all groups. Additional research should compare patient preference for patient reported outcomes, traditional neuropsychological and clinician outcomes, and modern biomarker outcomes.
77 FR 40921 - Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-11

... READ] 4. Customer preferences: Preferences to receive USPS marketing information, preferences to...[supreg] is proposing to modify a Customer Privacy Act System of Records. These modifications reflect the addition of language preferences selected by the customer and an update to the system manager's title...
Motivation and Gender Differences in Learning Spanish as a Foreign Language in a Malaysian Technical University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khong, Hou-Keat; Hassan, Nurul Husna; Ramli, Norasrani

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate student motivation and gender differences in learning Spanish as a foreign language in the Malaysian context. Method: Student motivation was measured by means of a self-report questionnaire based on Gardner's social psychological model. The questionnaire contained both close-ended and open-ended…
Beneath Higher Ground: Vygotsky, Volosinov, and an Archaeology of Reported Speech in Primary EFL Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yi, Jungran; Kellogg, David

2006-01-01

This study is a modest attempt to use three Korean primary school children and their English diaries as go-betweens to mediate in an apparent dispute between the founding fathers of socio-cultural theory about the nature of language and language awareness. According to Bruner, Vygotsky holds that mediation by others and self-mediation of written…
Mobile Assisted Language Learning in University EFL Courses in Japan: Developing Attitudes and Skills for Self-Regulated Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kondo, Mutsumi; Ishikawa, Yasushige; Smith, Craig; Sakamoto, Kishio; Shimomura, Hidenori; Wada, Norihisa

2012-01-01

This paper reports a project in which researchers at universities in Japan explored the use of Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) practices by developing a learning module intended to help improve students' scores on the TOEIC Listening and Reading Tests. MALL practices are currently being developed at universities in Japan because almost…
The Influence of College EFL Teachers' Understandings of Intercultural Competence on Their Self-Reported Pedagogical Practices in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Ching-Mei

2012-01-01

In recent years, considerable concern has arisen over issues of intercultural competence (IC) in relation to English education in the fields of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) or English as a Second Language (ESL), due largely to globalisation. However, relatively little qualitative research has been conducted on EFL teachers' beliefs and…
MobileASL: intelligibility of sign language video over mobile phones.

PubMed

Cavender, Anna; Vanam, Rahul; Barney, Dane K; Ladner, Richard E; Riskin, Eve A

2008-01-01

For Deaf people, access to the mobile telephone network in the United States is currently limited to text messaging, forcing communication in English as opposed to American Sign Language (ASL), the preferred language. Because ASL is a visual language, mobile video phones have the potential to give Deaf people access to real-time mobile communication in their preferred language. However, even today's best video compression techniques can not yield intelligible ASL at limited cell phone network bandwidths. Motivated by this constraint, we conducted one focus group and two user studies with members of the Deaf Community to determine the intelligibility effects of video compression techniques that exploit the visual nature of sign language. Inspired by eye tracking results that show high resolution foveal vision is maintained around the face, we studied region-of-interest encodings (where the face is encoded at higher quality) as well as reduced frame rates (where fewer, better quality, frames are displayed every second). At all bit rates studied here, participants preferred moderate quality increases in the face region, sacrificing quality in other regions. They also preferred slightly lower frame rates because they yield better quality frames for a fixed bit rate. The limited processing power of cell phones is a serious concern because a real-time video encoder and decoder will be needed. Choosing less complex settings for the encoder can reduce encoding time, but will affect video quality. We studied the intelligibility effects of this tradeoff and found that we can significantly speed up encoding time without severely affecting intelligibility. These results show promise for real-time access to the current low-bandwidth cell phone network through sign-language-specific encoding techniques.
Using computers to enable self-management of aphasia therapy exercises for word finding: the patient and carer perspective.

PubMed

Palmer, Rebecca; Enderby, Pam; Paterson, Gail

2013-01-01

Speech and language therapy (SLT) for aphasia can be difficult to access in the later stages of stroke recovery, despite evidence of continued improvement with sufficient therapeutic intensity. Computerized aphasia therapy has been reported to be useful for independent language practice, providing new opportunities for continued rehabilitation. The success of this option depends on its acceptability to patients and carers. To investigate factors that affect the acceptability of independent home computerized aphasia therapy practice. An acceptability study of computerized therapy was carried out alongside a pilot randomized controlled trial of computer aphasia therapy versus usual care for people more than 6 months post-stroke. Following language assessment and computer exercise prescription by a speech and language therapist, participants practised three times a week for 5 months at home with monthly volunteer support. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 participants who received the intervention and ten carers (n = 24). Questions from a topic guide were presented and answered using picture, gesture and written support. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. Three research SLTs identified and cross-checked themes and subthemes emerging from the data. The key themes that emerged were benefits and disadvantages of computerized aphasia therapy, need for help and support, and comparisons with face-to-face therapy. The independence, flexibility and repetition afforded by the computer was viewed as beneficial and the personalized exercises motivated participants to practise. Participants and carers perceived improvements in word-finding and confidence-talking. Computer practice could cause fatigue and interference with other commitments. Support from carers or volunteers for motivation and technical assistance was seen as important. Although some participants preferred face-to-face therapy, using a computer for independent language practice was perceived to be an acceptable alternative. Independent computerized aphasia therapy is acceptable to stroke survivors. Acceptability can be maximized by tailoring exercises to personal interests of the individual, ensuring access to support and giving consideration to fatigue and life style when recommending practice schedules. © 2013 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.
Self-Reported Goals of Older Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

PubMed Central

Huang, Elbert S.; Gorawara-Bhat, Rita; Chin, Marshall H.

2008-01-01

OBJECTIVES New diabetes mellitus guidelines from the American Geriatrics Society promote the individualization of treatment goals and plans for patients aged 65 and older. Communicating with older patients about such complex medical decisions presents new challenges for providers. The self-reported healthcare goals, factors influencing these goals, and self-care practices of older patients with diabetes mellitus were explored. DESIGN Exploratory study involving semistructured interviews. SETTING Four clinics of a midwestern, urban academic medical center. PARTICIPANTS Patients aged 65 and older with type II diabetes mellitus (N = 28). MEASUREMENTS Semistructured, one-on-one interviews were conducted. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and evaluated for recurring themes using a grounded theory approach. RESULTS The majority of patients expressed their health-care goals in a social and functional language, in contrast to the biomedical language of risk factor control and complication prevention, even when specifically asked about goals for diabetes mellitus care. Patient’s predominant healthcare goals centered on maintaining their independence and their activities of daily living (71%). Medical experiences of friends and family (50%), social comparison with peers (7%), and medical professionals (43%) shaped patients’ goals. Self-reported medication adherence and glucose monitoring was high, but more than one-quarter of patients failed to adhere to any dietary recommendations, and one-third failed to adhere to their exercise regimens. CONCLUSION As diabetes mellitus care recommendations for older patients grow more complex, providers could enhance their communication about such medical decisions by exploring patients’ specific circumstances and reframing diabetes mellitus treatment goals in patients’ own language. These may be crucial steps to developing successful individualized care plans PMID:15673357
Self-reported goals of older patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Huang, Elbert S; Gorawara-Bhat, Rita; Chin, Marshall H

2005-02-01

New diabetes mellitus guidelines from the American Geriatrics Society promote the individualization of treatment goals and plans for patients aged 65 and older. Communicating with older patients about such complex medical decisions presents new challenges for providers. The self-reported healthcare goals, factors influencing these goals, and self-care practices of older patients with diabetes mellitus were explored. Exploratory study involving semistructured interviews. Four clinics of a midwestern, urban academic medical center. Patients aged 65 and older with type II diabetes mellitus (N=28). Semistructured, one-on-one interviews were conducted. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and evaluated for recurring themes using a grounded theory approach. The majority of patients expressed their healthcare goals in a social and functional language, in contrast to the biomedical language of risk factor control and complication prevention, even when specifically asked about goals for diabetes mellitus care. Patient's predominant healthcare goals centered on maintaining their independence and their activities of daily living (71%). Medical experiences of friends and family (50%), social comparison with peers (7%), and medical professionals (43%) shaped patients' goals. Self-reported medication adherence and glucose monitoring was high, but more than one-quarter of patients failed to adhere to any dietary recommendations, and one-third failed to adhere to their exercise regimens. As diabetes mellitus care recommendations for older patients grow more complex, providers could enhance their communication about such medical decisions by exploring patients' specific circumstances and reframing diabetes mellitus treatment goals in patients' own language. These may be crucial steps to developing successful individualized care plans.
Language barriers and patient safety risks in hospital care. A mixed methods study.

PubMed

van Rosse, Floor; de Bruijne, Martine; Suurmond, Jeanine; Essink-Bot, Marie-Louise; Wagner, Cordula

2016-02-01

A language barrier has been shown to be a threat for quality of hospital care. International studies highlighted a lack of adequate noticing, reporting, and bridging of a language barrier. However, studies on the link between language proficiency and patient safety are scarce, especially in Europe. The present study investigates patient safety risks due to language barriers during hospitalization, and the way language barriers are detected, reported, and bridged in Dutch hospital care. We combined quantitative and qualitative methods in a sample of 576 ethnic minority patients who were hospitalized on 30 wards within four urban hospitals. The nursing and medical records of 17 hospital admissions of patients with language barriers were qualitatively analyzed, and complemented by 12 in-depth interviews with care providers and patients and/or their relatives to identify patient safety risks during hospitalization. The medical records of all 576 patients were screened for language barrier reports. The results were compared to patients' self-reported Dutch language proficiency. The policies of wards regarding bridging language barriers were compared with the reported use of interpreters in the medical records. Situations in hospital care where a language barrier threatened patient safety included daily nursing tasks (i.e. medication administration, pain management, fluid balance management) and patient-physician interaction concerning diagnosis, risk communication and acute situations. In 30% of the patients that reported a low Dutch proficiency, no language barrier was documented in the patient record. Relatives of patients often functioned as interpreter for them and professional interpreters were hardly used. The present study showed a wide variety of risky situations in hospital care for patients with language barriers. These risks can be reduced by adequately bridging the language barrier, which, in the first place, demands adequate detecting and reporting of a language barrier. This is currently not sufficiently done in most Dutch hospitals. Moreover, new solutions to bridge language barriers are needed for situations such as routine safety checks performed by nurses, in which a professional or even informal interpreter is not feasible. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparing the Self-Report and Measured Smartphone Usage of College Students: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Lee, Heyoung; Ahn, Heejune; Nguyen, Trung Giang; Choi, Sam-Wook; Kim, Dae Jin

2017-03-01

Nowadays smartphone overuse has become a social and medical concern. For the diagnosis and treatment, clinicians use the self-report information, but the report data often does not match actual usage pattern. The paper examines the similarity and variance in smartphone usage patterns between the measured data and self-reported data. Together with the self-reported data, the real usage log data is collected from 35 college students in a metropolitan region of Northeast Asia, using Android smartphone monitoring application developed by the authors. The unconscious users underestimate their usage time by 40%, in spite of 15% more use in the actual usage. Messengers are most-used application regardless of their self-report, and significant preference to SNS applications was observed in addict group. The actual hourly pattern is consistent with the reported one. College students use more in the afternoon, when they have more free time and cannot use PCs. No significant difference in hourly pattern is observed between the measured and self-report. The result shows there are significant cognitive bias in actual usage patterns exists in self report of smartphone addictions. Clinicians are recommended to utilize measurement tools in diagnosis and treatment of smartphone overusing subjects.
Home-based HIV testing for men who have sex with men in China: a novel community-based partnership to complement government programs.

PubMed

Tao, Jun; Li, Ming-ying; Qian, Han-Zhu; Wang, Li-Juan; Zhang, Zheng; Ding, Hai-Feng; Ji, Ya-Cheng; Li, Dong-liang; Xiao, Dong; Hazlitt, Melissa; Vermund, Sten H; Xiu, Xiangfei; Bao, Yugang

2014-01-01

The coverage of HIV testing among Chinese men who have sex with men (MSM) remains low after the scale-up of free HIV testing at government-sponsored testing sites. We evaluated the feasibility of home-based HIV self-testing and the willingness to be HIV tested at community-based organizations (CBO). We recruited MSM via on-line advertisement, where they completed an on-line informed consent and subsequent questionnaire survey. Eligible MSM received HIV rapid testing kits by mail, performed the test themselves and reported the result remotely. Of the 220 men taking a home-based HIV self-testing, 33 MSM (15%) were seropositive. Nearly 65% of the men reported that they were willing to take HIV testing at CBO, while 28% preferred receiving free HIV testing in the government programs at local Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Older and lower-income MSM, those who self-reported homosexual orientation, men with no history of sexually transmitted diseases and a lower number of sexual partners in the past six months were associated with preference for taking HIV testing at CBOs. The top three self-reported existing barriers for HIV testing were: no perception of HIV risk (56%), fear of an HIV positive result being reported to the government (41%), and fear of a positive HIV test result (36%). Home-based HIV self-testing is an alternative approach for increasing the coverage of HIV testing among Chinese MSM. CBO-based HIV testing is a potential alternative, but further studies are needed to evaluate its feasibility.
Dependency distance: A new perspective on syntactic patterns in natural languages.

PubMed

Liu, Haitao; Xu, Chunshan; Liang, Junying

2017-07-01

Dependency distance, measured by the linear distance between two syntactically related words in a sentence, is generally held as an important index of memory burden and an indicator of syntactic difficulty. Since this constraint of memory is common for all human beings, there may well be a universal preference for dependency distance minimization (DDM) for the sake of reducing memory burden. This human-driven language universal is supported by big data analyses of various corpora that consistently report shorter overall dependency distance in natural languages than in artificial random languages and long-tailed distributions featuring a majority of short dependencies and a minority of long ones. Human languages, as complex systems, seem to have evolved to come up with diverse syntactic patterns under the universal pressure for dependency distance minimization. However, there always exist a small number of long-distance dependencies in natural languages, which may reflect some other biological or functional constraints. Language system may adapt itself to these sporadic long-distance dependencies. It is these universal constraints that have shaped such a rich diversity of syntactic patterns in human languages. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.
The Multiple Role of Oral Language Assessment: Language Status, Research, and Curriculum Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matluck, Joseph H.

An oral language assessment test not only can determine the relative proficiency of a child in one or more languages and his or her language preference, but also can provide diagnostic information as to the child's strengths and weaknesses in each language. This information can serve as a guide to curriculum development and to prescriptive…
A Model of Competition Among More than Two Languages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujie, Ryo; Aihara, Kazuyuki; Masuda, Naoki

2013-04-01

We extend the Abrams-Strogatz model for competition between two languages (Abrams and Strogatz in Nature 424:900, 2003) to the case of n (≥2) competing states (i.e., languages). Although the Abrams-Strogatz model for n=2 can be interpreted as modeling either majority preference or minority aversion, the two mechanisms are distinct when n≥3. We find that the condition for the coexistence of different states is independent of n under the pure majority preference, whereas it depends on n under the pure minority aversion. We also show that the stable coexistence equilibrium and stable monopoly equilibria can be multistable under the minority aversion and not under the majority preference. Furthermore, we obtain the phase diagram of the model when the effects of the majority preference and minority aversion are mixed, under the condition that different states have the same attractiveness. We show that the multistability is a generic property of the model facilitated by large n.
Exploration as a mediator of the relation between the attainment of motor milestones and the development of spatial cognition and spatial language.

PubMed

Oudgenoeg-Paz, Ora; Leseman, Paul P M; Volman, M Chiel J M

2015-09-01

The embodied-cognition approach views cognition and language as grounded in daily sensorimotor child-environment interactions. Therefore, the attainment of motor milestones is expected to play a role in cognitive-linguistic development. Early attainment of unsupported sitting and independent walking indeed predict better spatial cognition and language at later ages. However, evidence linking these milestones with the development of spatial language and evidence regarding factors that might mediate this relation are scarce. The current study examined whether exploration of spatial-relational object properties (e.g., the possibility of containing or stacking) and exploration of the space through self-locomotion mediate the effect of, respectively, age of sitting and age of walking on spatial cognition and spatial language. Thus, we hypothesized that an earlier age of sitting and walking predicts, respectively, higher levels of spatial-relational object exploration and exploration through self-locomotion, which in turn, predict better spatial cognition and spatial language at later ages. Fifty-nine Dutch children took part in a longitudinal study. A combination of tests, observations, and parental reports was used to measure motor development, exploratory behavior (age 20 months), spatial memory (age 24 months), spatial processing (age 32 months), and spatial language (age 36 months). Results show that attainment of sitting predicted spatial memory and spatial language, but spatial-relational object exploration did not mediate these effects. Attainment of independent walking predicted spatial processing and spatial language, and exploration through self-locomotion (partially) mediated these relations. These findings extend previous work and provide partial support for the hypotheses about the mediating role of exploration. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).
User Preferences and Design Recommendations for an mHealth App to Promote Cystic Fibrosis Self-Management

PubMed Central

Hilliard, Marisa E; Hahn, Amy; Ridge, Alana K; Eakin, Michelle N

2014-01-01

Background mHealth apps hold potential to provide automated, tailored support for treatment adherence among individuals with chronic medical conditions. Yet relatively little empirical research has guided app development and end users are infrequently involved in designing the app features or functions that would best suit their needs. Self-management apps may be particularly useful for people with chronic conditions like cystic fibrosis (CF) that have complex, demanding regimens. Objective The aim of this mixed-methods study was to involve individuals with CF in guiding the development of engaging, effective, user-friendly adherence promotion apps that meet their preferences and self-management needs. Methods Adults with CF (n=16, aged 21-48 years, 50% male) provided quantitative data via a secure Web survey and qualitative data via semi-structured telephone interviews regarding previous experiences using apps in general and for health, and preferred and unwanted features of potential future apps to support CF self-management. Results Participants were smartphone users who reported sending or receiving text messages (93%, 14/15) or emails (80%, 12/15) on their smartphone or device every day, and 87% (13/15) said it would be somewhat or very hard to give up their smartphone. Approximately one-half (53%, 8/15) reported having health apps, all diet/weight-related, yet many reported that existing nutrition apps were not well-suited for CF management. Participants wanted apps to support CF self-management with characteristics such as having multiple rather than single functions (eg, simple alarms), being specific to CF, and minimizing user burden. Common themes for desired CF app features were having information at one’s fingertips, automation of disease management activities such as pharmacy refills, integration with smartphones’ technological capabilities, enhancing communication with health care team, and facilitating socialization within the CF community. Opinions were mixed regarding gamification and earning rewards or prizes. Participants emphasized the need for customization options to meet individual preferences and disease management goals. Conclusions Unique capabilities of emerging smartphone technologies (eg, social networking integration, movement and location detection, integrated sensors, or electronic monitors) make many of these requests possible. Involving end users in all stages of mHealth app development and collaborating with technology experts and the health care system may result in apps that maintain engagement, improve integration and automation, and ultimately impact self-management and health outcomes. PMID:25344616
Motivated independence? Implicit party identity predicts political judgments among self-proclaimed Independents.

PubMed

Hawkins, Carlee Beth; Nosek, Brian A

2012-11-01

Reporting an Independent political identity does not guarantee the absence of partisanship. Independents demonstrated considerable variability in relative identification with Republicans versus Democrats as measured by an Implicit Association Test (IAT; M = 0.10, SD = 0.47). To test whether this variation predicted political judgment, participants read a newspaper article describing two competing welfare (Study 1) or special education (Study 2) policies. The authors manipulated which policy was proposed by which party. Among self-proclaimed Independents, those who were implicitly Democratic preferred the liberal welfare plan, and those who were implicitly Republican preferred the conservative welfare plan. Regardless of the policy details, these implicit partisans preferred the policy proposed by "their" party, and this effect occurred more strongly for implicit than explicit plan preference. The authors suggest that implicitly partisan Independents may consciously override some partisan influence when making explicit political judgments, and Independents may identify as such to appear objective even when they are not.
Self-Verification Strivings in Children Holding Negative Self-Views: The Mitigating Effects of a Preceding Success Experience

PubMed Central

Thomaes, Sander; Kamphuis, Jan Henk; de Castro, Bram Orobio; Telch, Michael J.

2010-01-01

Research among adults has consistently shown that people holding negative self-views prefer negative over positive feedback. The present study tested the hypothesis that this preference is less robust among pre-adolescents, such that it will be mitigated by a preceding positive event. Pre-adolescents (n = 75) holding positive or negative global self-esteem were randomized to a favorable or unfavorable peer evaluation outcome. Next, preferences for positive versus negative feedback were assessed using an unobtrusive behavioral viewing time measure. As expected, results showed that after being faced with the success outcome children holding negative self-views were as likely as their peers holding positive self-views to display a significant preference for positive feedback. In contrast, children holding negative self-views displayed a stronger preference for negative feedback after being faced with the unfavorable outcome that matched their pre-existing self-views. PMID:21151482
Self-Verification Strivings in Children Holding Negative Self-Views: The Mitigating Effects of a Preceding Success Experience.

PubMed

Reijntjes, Albert; Thomaes, Sander; Kamphuis, Jan Henk; de Castro, Bram Orobio; Telch, Michael J

2010-12-01

Research among adults has consistently shown that people holding negative self-views prefer negative over positive feedback. The present study tested the hypothesis that this preference is less robust among pre-adolescents, such that it will be mitigated by a preceding positive event. Pre-adolescents (n = 75) holding positive or negative global self-esteem were randomized to a favorable or unfavorable peer evaluation outcome. Next, preferences for positive versus negative feedback were assessed using an unobtrusive behavioral viewing time measure. As expected, results showed that after being faced with the success outcome children holding negative self-views were as likely as their peers holding positive self-views to display a significant preference for positive feedback. In contrast, children holding negative self-views displayed a stronger preference for negative feedback after being faced with the unfavorable outcome that matched their pre-existing self-views.
Music Taste Groups and Problem Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulder, Juul; ter Bogt, Tom; Raaijmakers, Quinten; Vollebergh, Wilma

2007-01-01

Internalizing and externalizing problems differ by musical tastes. A high school-based sample of 4159 adolescents, representative of Dutch youth aged 12 to 16, reported on their personal and social characteristics, music preferences and social-psychological functioning, measured with the Youth Self-Report (YSR). Cluster analysis on their music…
Implicit but not explicit self-esteem predicts future depressive symptomatology.

PubMed

Franck, Erik; De Raedt, Rudi; De Houwer, Jan

2007-10-01

To date, research on the predictive validity of implicit self-esteem for depressive relapse is very sparse. In the present study, we assessed implicit self-esteem using the Name Letter Preference Task and explicit self-esteem using the Rosenberg self-esteem scale in a group of currently depressed patients, formerly depressed individuals, and never depressed controls. In addition, we examined the predictive validity of explicit, implicit, and the interaction of explicit and implicit self-esteem in predicting future symptoms of depression in formerly depressed individuals and never depressed controls. The results showed that currently depressed individuals reported a lower explicit self-esteem as compared to formerly depressed individuals and never depressed controls. In line with previous research, all groups showed a positive implicit self-esteem not different from each other. Furthermore, after controlling for initial depressive symptomatology, implicit but not explicit self-esteem significantly predicted depressive symptoms at six months follow-up. Although implicit self-esteem assessed with the Name Letter Preference Test was not different between formerly depressed individuals and never depressed controls, the findings suggest it is an interesting variable in the study of vulnerability for depression relapse.
Language competence in forensic interviews for suspected child sexual abuse.

PubMed

Fontes, Lisa A; Tishelman, Amy C

2016-08-01

Forensic interviews with children for suspected child sexual abuse require meeting children "where they are" in terms of their developmental level, readiness to disclose, culture, and language. The field lacks research indicating how to accommodate children's diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. This article focuses on language competence, defined here as the ability of an organization and its personnel (in this case, Child Advocacy Centers and forensic interviewers) to communicate effectively with clients regardless of their preferred language(s). In this qualitative study, 39 U.S. child forensic interviewers and child advocacy center directors discussed their experiences, practices, and opinions regarding interviews with children and families who are not native speakers of English. Topics include the importance of interviewing children in their preferred language, problems in interpreted interviews, bilingual interviews, and current and recommended procedures. Recommendations for practice and further research are included. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The role of mating context and fecundability in women's preferences for men's facial masculinity and beardedness.

PubMed

Dixson, Barnaby J W; Blake, Khandis R; Denson, Thomas F; Gooda-Vossos, Amany; O'Dean, Siobhan M; Sulikowski, Danielle; Rantala, Markus J; Brooks, Robert C

2018-07-01

The ovulatory shift hypothesis proposes that women's preferences for masculine physical and behavioral traits are greater at the peri-ovulatory period than at other points of the menstrual cycle. However, many previous studies used self-reported menstrual cycle data to estimate fecundability rather than confirming the peri-ovulatory phase hormonally. Here we report two studies and three analyses revisiting the ovulatory shift hypothesis with respect to both facial masculinity and beardedness. In Study 1, a large sample of female participants (N = 2,161) self-reported their cycle phase and provided ratings for faces varying in beardedness (clean-shaven, light stubble, heavy stubble, full beards) and masculinity (-50%, -25%, natural, +25% and +50%) in a between-subjects design. In Study 2, 68 women provided the same ratings data, in a within-subjects design in which fertility was confirmed via luteinising hormone (LH) tests and analysed categorically. In Study 2, we also measured salivary estradiol (E) and progesterone (P) at the low and high fertility phases of the menstrual cycle among 36 of these women and tested whether shifts in E, P or E:P ratios predicted face preferences. Preferences for facial masculinity and beardedness did not vary as predicted with fecundability in Study 1, or with respect to fertility as confirmed via LH in Study 2. However, consistent with the ovulatory shift hypothesis, increasing E (associated with cyclical increases in fecundability) predicted increases in preferences for relatively more masculine faces; while high P (associated with cyclical decreases in fecundability) predicted increases in preferences for relatively more feminine faces. We also found an interaction between E and preferences for facial masculinity and beardedness, such that stubble was more attractive on un-manipulated than more masculine faces among women with high E. We consider discrepancies between our findings and those of other recent studies and suggest that closer scrutiny of the stimuli used to measure masculinity preferences across studies may help account for the many conflicting findings that have recently appeared regarding cycle phase preference shifts for facial masculinity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Parenting and Later Substance Use among Mexican-Origin Youth: Moderation by Preference for a Common Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schofield, Thomas J.; Toro, Rosa I.; Parke, Ross D.; Cookston, Jeffrey T.; Fabricius, William V.; Coltrane, Scott

2017-01-01

The primary goal of the current study was to test whether parent and adolescent preference for a common language moderates the association between parenting and rank-order change over time in offspring substance use. A sample of Mexican-origin 7th-grade adolescents (M[subscript age] = 12.5 years, N = 194, 52% female) was measured longitudinally on…
Assessing HPV and Cervical Knowledge, Preference and HPV Status Among Urban American Indian Women.

PubMed

Cina, Kristin R; Omidpanah, Adam A; Petereit, Daniel G

2017-10-01

To evaluate whether or not an educational intervention would lead to a change in knowledge and attitudes about human papillomavirus (HPV), HPV vaccines, and cervical cancer. The HPV status was also investigated for interested participants. We provided HPV and cervical cancer education to urban American Indian (AI) women 18 and older using a pre and post-knowledge exam to assess knowledge and attitudes. Women were also given the option to perform vaginal self-tests for high risk HPV (hrHPV) analysis immediately after the education. Ninety-six women participated in our educational sessions. Improvement in performance on a knowledge exam increased from 61.6 to 84.3 percent. Ninety-three women performed the vaginal self-test with 63.1 percent of women preferring vaginal self-testing over conventional screening methods. Thirty-five out of 91 women (38.5 percent) had hrHPV types with 12 of the 35 harboring multiple hrHPV types (13 percent overall). HPV and cervical cancer education was beneficial for urban AI women with the majority of women preferring vaginal self-testing. HPV self-testing may be a strategy to improve screening rates for cervical cancer. Urban AI women had high rates of hrHPV compared to rural AI populations as reported in previous studies.
The ability of cancer-specific and generic preference-based instruments to discriminate across clinical and self-reported measures of cancer severities

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Objective To evaluate the validity of cancer-specific and generic preference-based instruments to discriminate across different measures of cancer severities. Methods Patients with breast (n = 66), colorectal (n = 57), and lung (n = 61) cancer completed the EORTC QLQ-C30 and the FACT-G, as well as three generic instruments: the EQ-5D, the SF-6D, and the HUI2/3. Disease severity was quantified using cancer stage, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG-PS) score, and self-reported health status. Comparative analyses confirmed the multi-dimensional conceptualization of the instruments in terms of construct and convergent validity. Results In general, the instruments were able to discriminate across severity measures. The instruments demonstrated moderate to strong correlation with each other (r = 0.37-0.73). Not all of the measures could discriminate between different groups of disease severity: the EQ-5D and SF-6D were less discriminative than the HUI2/3 and the cancer-specific instruments. Conclusion The cancer-specific and generic preference-based instruments demonstrated to be valid in discriminating across levels of ECOG-PS scores and self-reported health states. However, the usefulness of the generic instruments may be limited if they are not able to detect small changes in health status within cancer patients. This raises concerns regarding the appropriateness of these instruments when comparing different cancer treatments within an economic evaluation framework. PMID:22123196
Evidence-based speech-language pathology practices in schools: findings from a national survey.

PubMed

Hoffman, Lavae M; Ireland, Marie; Hall-Mills, Shannon; Flynn, Perry

2013-07-01

This study documented evidence-based practice (EBP) patterns as reported by speech-language pathologists (SLPs) employed in public schools during 2010-2011. Using an online survey, practioners reported their EBP training experiences, resources available in their workplaces, and the frequency with which they engage in specific EBP activities, as well as their resource needs and future training format preferences. A total of 2,762 SLPs in 28 states participated in the online survey, 85% of whom reported holding the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology credential. Results revealed that one quarter of survey respondents had no formal training in EBP, 11% of SLPs worked in school districts with official EBP procedural guidelines, and 91% had no scheduled time to support EBP activities. The majority of SLPs posed and researched 0 to 2 EBP questions per year and read 0 to 4 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) journal articles per year on either assessment or intervention topics. Use of ASHA online resources and engagement in EBP activities were documented to be low. However, results also revealed that school-based SLPs have high interest in additional training and resources to support scientifically based practices. Suggestions for enhancing EBP support in public schools and augmenting knowledge transfer are provided.
Motivation, Test Results, Gender Differences, and Foreign Languages: How Do They Connect?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zammit, Susan A.

The testing of 32,000 students in Australia and New Zealand participating in The Australian Language Certificates (ALC) provided the opportunity to examine students' attitude and learning preferences when studying a language other than English. The ALC offered the opportunity to learn seven languages in a Languages Other Than English (LOTE)…
Language Policy and Group Identification in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Ruey-Ying

2012-01-01

Taiwan is a multicultural and multilingual society. Generally speaking, Taiwanese residents fall into one of four ethnic groups. Each ethnic group has a different cultural context and a preferred language. Therefore, one's use of language may reveal his/her identification with an ethnic group, and language policy implementation may imply the power…

Preverbal Infants Infer Third-Party Social Relationships Based on Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liberman, Zoe; Woodward, Amanda L.; Kinzler, Katherine D.

2017-01-01

Language provides rich social information about its speakers. For instance, adults and children make inferences about a speaker's social identity, geographic origins, and group membership based on her language and accent. Although infants prefer speakers of familiar languages (Kinzler, Dupoux, & Spelke, 2007), little is known about the…
Dynamic Approaches to Language Processing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Srinivasan, Narayanan

2007-01-01

Symbolic rule-based approaches have been a preferred way to study language and cognition. Dissatisfaction with rule-based approaches in the 1980s lead to alternative approaches to study language, the most notable being the dynamic approaches to language processing. Dynamic approaches provide a significant alternative by not being rule-based and…
Native Language Self-Concept and Reading Self-Concept: Same or Different?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arens, A. Katrin; Yeung, Alexander Seeshing; Hasselhorn, Marcus

2014-01-01

In assessing verbal academic self-concept with preadolescents, researchers have used scales for students' self-concepts in reading and in their native language interchangeably. The authors conducted 3 studies with German students to test whether reading and German (i.e., native language) self-concepts can be treated as the same or different…
Electrical stimulation therapy for dysphagia: a follow-up survey of USA dysphagia practitioners.

PubMed

Barikroo, Ali; Carnaby, Giselle; Crary, Michael

2017-12-01

The aim of this study was to compare current application, practice patterns, clinical outcomes, and professional attitudes of dysphagia practitioners regarding electrical stimulation (e-stim) therapy with similar data obtained in 2005. A web-based survey was posted on the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Special Interest Group 13 webpage for 1 month. A total of 271 survey responses were analyzed and descriptively compared with the archived responses from the 2005 survey. Results suggested that e-stim application increased by 47% among dysphagia practitioners over the last 10 years. The frequency of weekly e-stim therapy sessions decreased while the reported total number of treatment sessions increased between the two surveys. Advancement in oral diet was the most commonly reported improvement in both surveys. Overall, reported satisfaction levels of clinicians and patients regarding e-stim therapy decreased. Still, the majority of e-stim practitioners continue to recommend this treatment modality to other dysphagia practitioners. Results from the novel items in the current survey suggested that motor level e-stim (e.g. higher amplitude) is most commonly used during dysphagia therapy with no preferred electrode placement. Furthermore, the majority of clinicians reported high levels of self-confidence regarding their ability to perform e-stim. The results of this survey highlight ongoing changes in application, practice patterns, clinical outcomes, and professional attitudes associated with e-stim therapy among dysphagia practitioners.
Stepwise self-assembly of C60 mediated by atomic scale moiré magnifiers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gruznev, D. V.; Matetskiy, A. V.; Bondarenko, L. V.; Utas, O. A.; Zotov, A. V.; Saranin, A. A.; Chou, J. P.; Wei, C. M.; Lai, M. Y.; Wang, Y. L.

2013-04-01

Self-assembly of atoms or molecules on a crystal surface is considered one of the most promising methods to create molecular devices. Here we report a stepwise self-assembly of C60 molecules into islands with unusual shapes and preferred sizes on a gold-indium-covered Si(111) surface. Specifically, 19-mer islands prefer a non-compact boomerang shape, whereas hexagonal 37-mer islands exhibit extraordinarily enhanced stability and abundance. The stepwise self-assembly is mediated by the moiré interference between an island with its underlying lattice, which essentially maps out the adsorption-energy landscape of a C60 on different positions of the surface with a lateral magnification factor and dictates the probability for the subsequent attachment of C60 to an island’s periphery. Our discovery suggests a new method for exploiting the moiré interference to dynamically assist the self-assembly of particles and provides an unexplored tactic of engineering atomic scale moiré magnifiers to facilitate the growth of monodispersed mesoscopic structures.
Exploring the Ancestral Roots of American Sign Language: Lexical Borrowing from Cistercian Sign Language and French Sign Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cagle, Keith Martin

2010-01-01

American Sign Language (ASL) is the natural and preferred language of the Deaf community in both the United States and Canada. Woodward (1978) estimated that approximately 60% of the ASL lexicon is derived from early 19th century French Sign Language, which is known as "langue des signes francaise" (LSF). The lexicon of LSF and ASL may…
Directed Self-Inquiry: A Scaffold for Teaching Laboratory Report Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deiner, L. Jay; Newsome, Daniel; Samaroo, Diana

2012-01-01

A scaffold was created for the explicit instruction of laboratory report writing. The scaffold breaks the laboratory report into sections and teaches students to ask and answer questions in order to generate section-appropriate content and language. Implementation of the scaffold is done through a series of section-specific worksheets that are…
Differences in self-reported health among Asians, Latinos, and non-Hispanic whites: the role of language and nativity.

PubMed

Kandula, Namratha R; Lauderdale, Diane S; Baker, David W

2007-03-01

Self-reported overall health (SROH) is often used to compare the health status of multi-ethnic populations in the United States. SROH may not be comparable across cultural groups. We assessed if differences in SROH between non-Hispanic whites (NHW), Latinos, and Asians were explained primarily by differences in socioeconomic status (SES) or language and nativity. We used cross-sectional data on 36,660 NHW, 9399 Latinos, 1298 Chinese, 944 Filipinos, 803 Koreans, 857 Vietnamese, and 1036 "other Asians" from the 2001 California Health Interview Survey. Compared with NHW, all ethnic groups were less likely to report "excellent" or "very good" health. Latinos, Chinese, Filipinos, Koreans, and Vietnamese were also more likely to report "fair" or "poor" health. Adjusting for SES attenuated these differences for Latinos but did not explain the effect of being Asian on SROH. Among all ethnicities, individuals with limited English proficiency had worse SROH than individuals who were English-proficient. Differences in SROH between Asians and NHW do not appear to be mediated by SES and may be due to different perceptions of health that are rooted in culture and language. There remains a need for health status measures less susceptible to cultural bias in Asian and Latino populations.
The Digital Daily: How Will Readers React?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, David Russell

As publishers make the transition from ink-on-paper to digitalized messages, researchers must ask whether the system is the solution. Are there advantages to presenting newspaper content on computers? Or do people prefer to handle paper? A study reported subjects' self-report responses regarding interface between people (experimental subjects) and…
The Classroom Environment and Students' Reports of Avoidance Strategies in Mathematics: A Multimethod Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Julianne C.; Midgley, Carol; Meyer, Debra K.; Gheen, Margaret; Anderman, Eric M.; Kang, Yongjin; Patrick, Helen

2002-01-01

The relation between learning environment (perceptions of classroom goal structure and teachers' instructional discourse) and students' reported use of avoidance strategies (self-handicapping, avoidance of help seeking) and preference to avoid novelty in mathematics was examined. High incidence of motivational support was uniquely characteristic…
Conservatives report, but liberals display, greater happiness.

PubMed

Wojcik, Sean P; Hovasapian, Arpine; Graham, Jesse; Motyl, Matt; Ditto, Peter H

2015-03-13

Research suggesting that political conservatives are happier than political liberals has relied exclusively on self-report measures of subjective well-being. We show that this finding is fully mediated by conservatives' self-enhancing style of self-report (study 1; N = 1433) and then describe three studies drawing from "big data" sources to assess liberal-conservative differences in happiness-related behavior (studies 2 to 4; N = 4936). Relative to conservatives, liberals more frequently used positive emotional language in their speech and smiled more intensely and genuinely in photographs. Our results were consistent across large samples of online survey takers, U.S. politicians, Twitter users, and LinkedIn users. Our findings illustrate the nuanced relationship between political ideology, self-enhancement, and happiness and illuminate the contradictory ways that happiness differences can manifest across behavior and self-reports. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Active Physiology Learning in a Diverse Class: An Analysis of Medical Student Responses in Terms of Sex, Home Language, and Self-Reported Test Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Higgins-Opitz, Susan B.; Tufts, Mark

2012-01-01

The student body at the Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine (NRMSM) is very diverse, representing many cultures, religions, and languages. Research has shown that weakness in English can impact student performance. Recent studies have also highlighted sex-based differences in students' learning and listening styles. These factors pose both…
The relationship between language use and depression: illuminating the importance of self-reflection, self-rumination, and the need for absolute truth.

PubMed

Şimşek, Ömer Faruk

2013-01-01

The main aim of the present study was to provide additional knowledge about the mediatory processes through which language relates to depression. Although previous research gave clear evidence that language is closely related to depression, the research on intervening variables in the relationship has been limited. The present investigation tested a structural equation model in which self-concept clarity and self-consciousness mediated the relationship between personal perceptions of language and depression. Since "the need for absolute truth" construct has been shown to be important in providing greater consistency in estimates of the relationships among the variables, it has been added to the model as a control variable. The results supported the model and showed that personal perceptions of language predicted self-concept clarity, which in turn predicted the participants' self-reflection and self-rumination. Self-reflection and self-rumination, in turn, predicted depression.
Trait self-esteem and claimed self-handicapping motives in sports situations.

PubMed

Finez, Lucie; Berjot, Sophie; Rosnet, Elisabeth; Cleveland, Christena; Tice, Dianne M

2012-12-01

We examined the relationship between physical self-esteem and claimed self-handicapping among athletes by taking motives into consideration. In Study 1, 99 athletes were asked to report their tendency to engage in claimed self-handicapping for self-protective and self-enhancement motives (trait measures). Low self-esteem athletes reported a higher tendency to engage in claimed self-handicapping for these two motives compared with high self-esteem athletes. Neither low nor high self-esteem athletes reported a preference for one motive over the other. In Study 2, 107 athletes participated in a test that was ostensibly designed to assess high physical abilities - and thus to encourage self-handicapping for self-enhancement motives (success-meaningful condition) - or to assess low physical abilities, and thus to encourage self-handicapping for self-protective motives (failure-meaningful condition). Before starting the test, athletes were given the opportunity to claim handicaps that could impair their performance. Low self-esteem athletes claimed more handicaps than high self-esteem athletes in both conditions. Findings suggest that low physical self-esteem athletes engage more in claimed handicapping regardless of motives, relative to high physical self-esteem athletes.
Childhood language skills and adolescent self-esteem in preterm survivors.

PubMed

Islam, Umna A; Poole, Kristie L; Schmidt, Louis A; Ford, Jennifer; Saigal, Saroj; Van Lieshout, Ryan J

2018-03-01

Fifty-seven percent of children with poor language skills are affected by socio-emotional problems. Despite the importance of language skills to interpersonal functioning and school performance, relatively little is known about how they affect self-esteem in adolescence. Data on youth at high risk for language problems (e.g. those born extremely low birth weight (ELBW; <1000 grams)) are even more scarce. This prospective study examined associations between language skills at age 8 and self-esteem during adolescence (12-16 years) in individuals born at ELBW ( N = 138) or normal birth weight (NBW; >2500 grams) ( N = 111). Participants' language skills were assessed using the Verbal Scale of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised and the Token Test at age 8. In adolescence, participants completed the Harter Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents. Birth weight status was found to moderate associations between childhood language and adolescent global self-esteem (Token Test ( p = .006), Verbal Intelligence Quotient ( p = .033)) such that better language skills were associated with higher self-esteem in adolescent ELBW survivors, but not in NBW participants. Language skills may play a protective role in the development and maintenance of self-esteem in ELBW youth and could be an important target for optimizing their functioning, particularly before transitioning to the critical adolescent period.
Pre-Service English Language Teachers' Perceptions of Computer Self-Efficacy and General Self-Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Topkaya, Ece Zehir

2010-01-01

The primary aim of this study is to investigate pre-service English language teachers' perceptions of computer self-efficacy in relation to different variables. Secondarily, the study also explores the relationship between pre-service English language teachers' perceptions of computer self-efficacy and their perceptions of general self-efficacy.…
Perceived lactose intolerance in adult Canadians: a national survey.

PubMed

Barr, Susan I

2013-08-01

Although double-blind studies show that lactose-intolerant individuals can consume moderate quantities of milk products without perceptible symptoms, many who perceive that they are lactose intolerant limit or avoid milk products, potentially compromising calcium and vitamin D intakes. Adult Canadians are at risk of inadequate intakes of these nutrients, but no data exist on the prevalence, correlates, and potential impact of perceived lactose intolerance among Canadians. To address this, a Web-based survey of a population-representative sample of 2251 Canadians aged ≥19 years was conducted. Overall, 16% self-reported lactose intolerance. This was more common in women (odds ratio (OR), 1.84; 95% CI, 1.46-2.33) and in nonwhites (OR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.24-2.58) and less common in those >50 years of age (OR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.56-0.90) and in those completing the survey in French (OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.56-0.99). Those with self-reported lactose intolerance had lower covariate-adjusted milk product and alternative intakes (mean ± SE; 1.40 ± 0.08 servings·day(-1) vs. 2.33 ± 0.03 servings·day(-1), p < 0.001). A greater proportion used supplements containing calcium (52% vs. 37%, p < 0.001) and vitamin D (58% vs. 46%, p < 0.001), but calcium intakes from the combination of milk products, alternatives, and supplements were lower (739 ± 30 mg·day(-1) vs. 893 ± 13 mg·day(-1), p < 0.0001). Variation in self-reported lactose intolerance by sex, age, and language preference was unexpected and suggests that some groups may be more vulnerable to the perception that they are lactose intolerant. Regardless of whether lactose intolerance is physiologically based or perceptual, education is required to ensure that calcium intakes are not compromised.
Shifts in Food Preferences After Bariatric Surgery: Observational Reports and Proposed Mechanisms.

PubMed

Kapoor, Natasha; Al-Najim, Werd; le Roux, Carel W; Docherty, Neil G

2017-09-01

Bariatric surgery is currently the most effective treatment for obesity. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is the most commonly performed bariatric procedure and results in long-term weight loss. Alterations in food preference and choices may contribute to the long-term benefits of RYGB. This manuscript reviews the available literature documenting changes in food preference in both humans and experimental animals after RYGB and discusses the current theory on the underlying mechanisms involved. Obesity is associated with an increased preference for sweet and high-fat foods, and the most consistent evidence has been the shift away from these calorie-dense foods in both animal and human studies after RYGB. Self-reporting is the most common method used to record food preferences in humans, while more direct approaches have been used in animal work. This methodological heterogeneity may give rise to inconsistent findings. Future studies in humans should focus on direct measures to permit corroboration of mechanistic insights gained from animal studies.
Evidence-Informed Leadership in the Japanese Context: Middle Managers at a University Self-Access Center

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adamson, John; Brown, Howard

2012-01-01

This study reports on the steering of a self-access learning center in a Japanese university by its "middle management" committee over the first years of its operation. Middle management practice was informed by an ethnographic archive of various facets of center use, particularly concerning language policy and curriculum integration, issues about…
Development of the CoMac Adherence Descriptor™: a linguistically-based survey for segmenting patients on their worldviews

PubMed Central

Connor, Ulla M; Mac Neill, Robert S; Mzumara, Howard R; Sandy, Robert

2015-01-01

Nonadherence to prescribed medication and healthy behaviors is a pressing health care issue. Much research has been conducted in this area under a variety of labels, such as compliance, disease management and, most recently, adherence. However, the complex factors related to predicting and, more importantly, understanding and explaining adherence, have nevertheless remained elusive. However, through an in-depth linguistic analysis of patient talk, the International Center for Intercultural Communication (ICIC) at Indiana University has produced a psycholinguistic coding system that uses patients’ own language to cluster them into distinct groups based on their worldviews. ICIC’s studies have shown, for example, that patients reveal their fundamental perceptions about themselves and their environment in their life narratives; clustering of individual patients based on these different perceptions is possible via the use of differential language in survey questions, and differential language can be used to tailor messages for individual patients in a manner that these individuals prefer over generically worded communication. In grant-funded research, an interdisciplinary team of researchers at the ICIC reviewed the literature and identified three basic psychosocial tenets related to adherence: control orientation, based on locus of control research; agency, based on self-efficacy; and affect or attitude and emotion. These three constructs were selected because, in the published literature, they have been consistently found to be connected to patient adherence. Based on this research, a survey, the CoMac Descriptor™ was developed. This report shows that The Descriptor™ questions and responses are valid and reliable in segmenting patients across psychosocial constructs, which will have positive implications for health care providers and patients. PMID:25848230

The Role of Symbiont Genetic Distance and Potential Adaptability in Host Preference Towards Pseudonocardia Symbionts in Acromyrmex Leaf-Cutting Ants

PubMed Central

Poulsen, Michael; Maynard, Janielle; Roland, Damien L; Currie, Cameron R

2011-01-01

Fungus-growing ants display symbiont preference in behavioral assays, both towards the fungus they cultivate for food and Actinobacteria they maintain on their cuticle for antibiotic production against parasites. These Actinobacteria, genus Pseudonocardia Henssen (Pseudonocardiacea: Actinomycetales), help defend the ants' fungal mutualist from specialized parasites. In Acromyrmex Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) leaf-cutting ants, individual colonies maintain either a single or a few strains of Pseudonocardia, and the symbiont is primarily vertically transmitted between generations by colony-founding queens. A recent report found that Acromyrmex workers are able to differentiate between their native Pseudonocardia strain and non-native strains isolated from sympatric or allopatric Acromyrmex species, and show preference for their native strain. Here we explore worker preference when presented with two non-native strains, elucidating the role of genetic distance on preference between strains and Pseudonocardia origin. Our findings suggest that ants tend to prefer bacteria more closely related to their native bacterium and that genetic similarity is probably more important than whether symbionts are ant-associated or free-living. Preliminary findings suggest that when continued exposure to a novel Pseudonocardia strain occurs, ant symbiont preference is potentially adaptable, with colonies apparently being able to alter symbiont preference over time. These findings are discussed in relation to the role of adaptive recognition, potential ecological flexibility in symbiont preference, and more broadly, in relation to self versus non-self recognition. PMID:22225537
Domain-Specific Relationships in Sexual Measures of Impulsive Behavior.

PubMed

Mahoney, Colin T; Lawyer, Steven R

2018-04-25

Impulsivity is an important construct for understanding sexual behaviors, but behavioral and self-report measures of impulsivity often are not correlated. One possible explanation for this is that there is little shared variance in the measures because behavioral measures index impulsivity by asking questions about monetary preferences, while self-report measures index impulsivity by asking about a broad range of real-world outcomes (including those of a sexual nature) largely unrelated to money-related preferences. Undergraduate students (total N = 105; female n = 77, male n = 28) completed laboratory measures-delay discounting (DD) and probability discounting (PD)-for two different outcomes-money and sexual activity. Participants also completed the Delaying Gratification Inventory (DGI), which measures difficulty with delaying gratification (i.e., impulsivity) across different domains, including money and physical pleasures. Findings indicated that DD and PD for money were not related to any of the DGI subscales. However, DD for sexual activity was significantly related to the DGI Physical Pleasures subscale, but not other subscales. These findings suggest that the relationship between behavioral and self-report measures of impulsive choice may be stronger when both are measuring domain-specific rather than domain-general behavioral patterns, but further research is warranted.
High School Foreign Language Students' Perceptions of Language Learning Strategies Use and Self-Efficacy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Capital Language Resource Center, Washington, DC.

This study investigated the relationship of language learning strategies use and self-efficacy of high school students learning Chinese, German, Russian, Japanese, and Spanish. Through two questionnaires, The Language Learning Strategies Questionnaire and The Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, researchers were able to collect and analyze data on…
Exploring Prospective EFL Teachers' Perceived Self-Efficacy and Beliefs on English Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Genç, Gülten; Kulusakli, Emine; Aydin, Savas

2016-01-01

Learners' perceived self-efficacy and beliefs on English language learning are important in education. Taking into consideration the important impact of individual variables on language learning, this study seeks to highlight the relationship between Turkish EFL learners' beliefs about language learning and their sense of self-efficacy. The…
Project Refresh: Testing the Efficacy of a School-Based Classroom and Cafeteria Intervention in Elementary School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Song, Hee-Jung; Grutzmacher, Stephanie; Munger, Ash L.

2016-01-01

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of a school-based nutrition program using a cafeteria environment intervention and classroom nutrition education on self-reported fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption, self-efficacy to select FV, and preference for healthy foods. Methods: Using quasi-experimental pre-post design with 3…
Effects of Experience Abroad and Language Proficiency on Self-Efficacy Beliefs in Language Learning.

PubMed

Kim, Hyang-Il; Cha, Kyung-Ae

2017-01-01

Experience abroad has been recognized as one of the best investments for second or foreign language learning. A lot of research has examined its impact on language learning from linguistic as well as non-linguistic perspectives. Nonetheless, literature on the relationships between and among experience abroad, language proficiency, and self-efficacy beliefs in language learning seems to still be cursory and thus the present study chose to focus on these aspects in more detail. To do so, 259 Korean English as a foreign language students answered the Questionnaire of English Self-Efficacy as well as completed a background questionnaire. Statistical analyses identified two underlying factors of self-efficacy beliefs-production and comprehension-that helped analyze the data from a new perspective. Using this two-factor structure of self-efficacy, it was found that the combination of experience abroad and English proficiency were indeed related to these self-efficacy factors. In addition, the results indicate that students may have benefitted most in self-efficacy formation in production and comprehension aspects when they have four to six months of experience abroad.
An Investigation of School Counselor Self-Efficacy with English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Leonissa V.; Ziomek-Daigle, Jolie; Haskins, Natoya Hill; Paisley, Pamela O.

2017-01-01

This exploratory quantitative study described school counselors' self-efficacy with English language learners. Findings suggest that school counselors with exposure to and experiences with English language learners have higher levels of self-efficacy. Statistically significant and practical differences in self-efficacy were apparent by race, U.S.…
Influence of English proficiency on patient-provider communication and shared decision-making.

PubMed

Paredes, Anghela Z; Idrees, Jay J; Beal, Eliza W; Chen, Qinyu; Cerier, Emily; Okunrintemi, Victor; Olsen, Griffin; Sun, Steven; Cloyd, Jordan M; Pawlik, Timothy M

2018-06-01

The number of patients in the United States (US) who speak a language other than English is increasing. We evaluated the impact of English proficiency on self-reported patient-provider communication and shared decision-making. The 2013-2014 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey database was utilized to identify respondents who spoke a language other than English. Patient-provider communication (PPC) and shared decision-making (SDM) scores from 4-12 were categorized as "poor" (4-7), "average" (8-11), and "optimal." The relationship between PPC, SDM, and English proficiency was analyzed. Among 13,880 respondents, most were white (n = 10,281, 75%), age 18-39 (n = 6,677, 48%), male (n = 7,275, 52%), middle income (n = 4,125, 30%), and born outside of the US (n = 9,125, 65%). English proficiency was rated as "very well" (n = 7,221, 52%), "well" (n = 2,378, 17%), "not well" (n = 2,820, 20%), or "not at all" (n = 1,463, 10%). On multivariable analysis, patients who rated their English as "well" (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.37-2.18) or "not well" (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.10-2.14) were more likely to report "poor" PPC (both P < .01). Similarly, SDM was more commonly self-reported as "poor" among patients who reported English proficiency as "not well" (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.04-1.65, P = .02). Decreased English proficiency was associated with worse self-reported patient-provider communication and shared decision-making. Attention to patients' language needs is critical to patient satisfaction and improved perception of care. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Role of Sexuality in Body Integrity Identity Disorder (BIID): A Cross-Sectional Internet-Based Survey Study.

PubMed

Blom, Rianne M; van der Wal, Sija J; Vulink, Nienke C; Denys, Damiaan

2017-08-01

Body integrity identity disorder (BIID)-a strong desire for amputation or paralysis-is often accompanied by feelings and cognitions of sexual arousal, although this sexual component has been largely neglected in the recent literature. To examine the presence of BIID-related sexual arousal in subjects with BIID and explore clinical and demographic variables of subjects with BIID who do and do not possess this sexual arousal. Eighty individuals with BIID responded to an internet-based survey we created. For all subjects, restoring identity was the primary motivation for preferred body modification. We collected data about respondents' demographic, clinical, and sexual characteristics. Based on responses to questions about BIID-specific sexual desires, subjects were assigned to the group with BIID-related sexual feelings (S-BIID; n = 57) or the group without such feelings (NS-BIID; n = 23). Differences in clinical, demographic, and sexual characteristics between S-BIID and NS-BIID groups. Of the respondents, 71.3% endorsed S-BIID. Subjects with S-BIID were significantly more often men, religious, and of a homosexual identity compared with the NS-BIID group. Subjects with S-BIID also significantly more often reported a change in localization and/or intensity of their BIID feelings over time. Furthermore, 66.7% of subjects with S-BIID reported S-BIID as an additional motivation for body modification. Seven of the 57 subjects with S-BIID achieved their preferred body modification through (self)-amputation, whereas none of the subjects with NS-BIID did. BIID is a heterogeneous disorder in which subjects who self-reported comorbid sexual arousal more often resorted to (self-induced) amputation. This study contains the largest BIID cohort presented in the literature and is the first to genuinely research sexuality in BIID. The first limitation is the lack of face-to-face interviews with the subjects, so no clinical diagnoses could be made. Moreover, there is an ascertainment bias because subjects were collected through the internet and in English, which excluded those who spoke other languages or subjects without an internet connection. The present study provides preliminary evidence for a subpopulation or distinct group of individuals with BIID based on the presence of S-BIID. Blom RM, van der Wal SJ, Vulink NC, Denys D. Role of Sexuality in Body Integrity Identity Disorder (BIID): A Cross-Sectional Internet-Based Survey Study. J Sex Med 2017;14:1028-1035. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
E-Learning Turkish Language and Grammar: Analyzing Learners' Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Georgalas, Panagiotis

2012-01-01

This study analyses the behavior and the preferences of the Greek learners of Turkish language, who use a particular e-learning website in parallel with their studies, namely: http://turkish.pgeorgalas.gr. The website offers free online material in Greek and English language for learning the Turkish language and grammar. The traffic of several…
Musical Preferences Predict Personality: Evidence From Active Listening and Facebook Likes.

PubMed

Nave, Gideon; Minxha, Juri; Greenberg, David M; Kosinski, Michal; Stillwell, David; Rentfrow, Jason

2018-03-01

Research over the past decade has shown that various personality traits are communicated through musical preferences. One limitation of that research is external validity, as most studies have assessed individual differences in musical preferences using self-reports of music-genre preferences. Are personality traits communicated through behavioral manifestations of musical preferences? We addressed this question in two large-scale online studies with demographically diverse populations. Study 1 ( N = 22,252) shows that reactions to unfamiliar musical excerpts predicted individual differences in personality-most notably, openness and extraversion-above and beyond demographic characteristics. Moreover, these personality traits were differentially associated with particular music-preference dimensions. The results from Study 2 ( N = 21,929) replicated and extended these findings by showing that an active measure of naturally occurring behavior, Facebook Likes for musical artists, also predicted individual differences in personality. In general, our findings establish the robustness and external validity of the links between musical preferences and personality.
Acceptability of self-collected versus provider-collected sampling for HPV DNA testing among women in rural El Salvador.

PubMed

Rosenbaum, Alan J; Gage, Julia C; Alfaro, Karla M; Ditzian, Lauren R; Maza, Mauricio; Scarinci, Isabel C; Felix, Juan C; Castle, Philip E; Villalta, Sofia; Miranda, Esmeralda; Cremer, Miriam L

2014-08-01

To determine the acceptability of self-collected versus provider-collected sampling among women participating in public sector HPV-based cervical cancer screening in El Salvador. Two thousand women aged 30-49 years underwent self-collected and provider-collected sampling with careHPV between October 2012 and March 2013 (Qiagen, Gaithersburg, MD, USA). After sample collection, a random sample of women (n=518) were asked about their experience. Participants were questioned regarding sampling method preference, previous cervical cancer screening, HPV and cervical cancer knowledge, HPV risk factors, and demographic information. All 518 women approached to participate in this questionnaire study agreed and were enrolled, 27.8% (142 of 511 responding) of whom had not received cervical cancer screening within the past 3 years and were considered under-screened. Overall, 38.8% (n=201) preferred self-collection and 31.9% (n=165) preferred provider collection. Self-collection preference was associated with prior tubal ligation, HPV knowledge, future self-sampling preference, and future home-screening preference (P<0.05). Reasons for self-collection preference included privacy/embarrassment, ease, and less pain; reasons cited for provider-collection preference were result accuracy and provider knowledge/experience. Self-sampling was found to be acceptable, therefore screening programs could consider offering this option either in the clinic or at home. Self-sampling at home may increase coverage in low-resource countries and reduce the burden that screening places upon clinical infrastructure. Copyright © 2014 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. All rights reserved.
Depression treatment preferences of Hispanic individuals: exploring the influence of ethnicity, language, and explanatory models.

PubMed

Fernandez Y Garcia, Erik; Franks, Peter; Jerant, Anthony; Bell, Robert A; Kravitz, Richard L

2011-01-01

there is uncertainty regarding Hispanic individuals' depression treatment preferences, particularly regarding antidepressant medication, the most available primary care option. We assessed whether this uncertainty reflected heterogeneity among subgroups of Hispanic persons and investigated possible mechanisms. Specifically, we examined factors associated with medication preferences in non-Hispanic white and Spanish-speaking and English-speaking Hispanic persons. we analyzed data from a follow-up telephone interview of 839 non-Hispanic white and 139 Hispanic respondents originally surveyed via the 2008 California Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Measures included treatment preferences (for treatment plans including vs not including antidepressants); depression history and current symptoms; sociodemographics; and psychological measures. compared with non-Hispanic white respondents (adjusting for age, sex, history of depression diagnosis, and current depression symptoms), Spanish-speaking Hispanic (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.41; 95% CI, 0.19-0.90) but not English-speaking Hispanic (AOR, 1.18; 95% CI, 0.60-2.33) respondents had a lower preference for antidepressant inclusive options. Endorsing a biomedical explanation of depression was associated with a preference for antidepressant inclusive options (AOR, 4.76; 95% CI, 3.13-7.14) for all respondents and accounted for the effect of Spanish-language interview. Accounting for other factors did not change these relationships, although older age and history of depression diagnosis remained significant predictors of antidepressant inclusive treatment preference for all respondents. Spanish-language interview and less belief in a biomedical explanation for depression were associated with Hispanic respondents' lower preferences for pharmacologic treatment of depression; ethnicity was not. Understanding treatment preferences and illness beliefs could help optimize depression treatment in primary care.
Home-Based HIV Testing for Men Who Have Sex with Men in China: A Novel Community-Based Partnership to Complement Government Programs

PubMed Central

Qian, Han-Zhu; Wang, Li-Juan; Zhang, Zheng; Ding, Hai-Feng; Ji, Ya-Cheng; Li, Dong-liang; Xiao, Dong; Hazlitt, Melissa; Vermund, Sten H.; Xiu, Xiangfei; Bao, Yugang

2014-01-01

Background The coverage of HIV testing among Chinese men who have sex with men (MSM) remains low after the scale-up of free HIV testing at government-sponsored testing sites. We evaluated the feasibility of home-based HIV self-testing and the willingness to be HIV tested at community-based organizations (CBO). Methods We recruited MSM via on-line advertisement, where they completed an on-line informed consent and subsequent questionnaire survey. Eligible MSM received HIV rapid testing kits by mail, performed the test themselves and reported the result remotely. Results Of the 220 men taking a home-based HIV self-testing, 33 MSM (15%) were seropositive. Nearly 65% of the men reported that they were willing to take HIV testing at CBO, while 28% preferred receiving free HIV testing in the government programs at local Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Older and lower-income MSM, those who self-reported homosexual orientation, men with no history of sexually transmitted diseases and a lower number of sexual partners in the past six months were associated with preference for taking HIV testing at CBOs. The top three self-reported existing barriers for HIV testing were: no perception of HIV risk (56%), fear of an HIV positive result being reported to the government (41%), and fear of a positive HIV test result (36%). Conclusion Home-based HIV self-testing is an alternative approach for increasing the coverage of HIV testing among Chinese MSM. CBO-based HIV testing is a potential alternative, but further studies are needed to evaluate its feasibility. PMID:25051160
Transcultural telepsychiatry and its impact on patient satisfaction.

PubMed

Mucic, Davor

2010-01-01

A telepsychiatry project was conducted to improve access to culturally appropriate care providers (i.e. culturally competent, bilingual clinicians) by the use of videoconferencing. A self-completed retrospective questionnaire survey was conducted with asylum seekers, refugees and migrants. The purpose of the referral was either for diagnostic assessment with a subsequent treatment recommendation, or for treatment via telepsychiatry. The service was free of charge for the patients involved. Over a period of 34 months (starting in January 2005), 61 patients participated in the pilot project. The patients' residency status was: refugees (n = 45), asylum seekers (n = 12), migrants (n = 3) and domestic (n = 1). A total of 318 telepsychiatry sessions (lasting 35-45 min) was conducted, with an average of 5.2 sessions per patient. Nine languages were spoken during the study period (Danish, Arabic, Farsi, Somali, Kurdish, Polish, Bosnian, Serbian and Croatian). A total of 52 patients completed the questionnaire. Patients reported a high level of satisfaction and willingness to use telepsychiatry again and recommend it to others. They preferred telepsychiatry via their mother tongue, rather than interpreter-assisted care.
Comparing the Self-Report and Measured Smartphone Usage of College Students: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Lee, Heyoung; Nguyen, Trung Giang; Choi, Sam-Wook; Kim, Dae Jin

2017-01-01

Objective Nowadays smartphone overuse has become a social and medical concern. For the diagnosis and treatment, clinicians use the self-report information, but the report data often does not match actual usage pattern. The paper examines the similarity and variance in smartphone usage patterns between the measured data and self-reported data. Methods Together with the self-reported data, the real usage log data is collected from 35 college students in a metropolitan region of Northeast Asia, using Android smartphone monitoring application developed by the authors. Results The unconscious users underestimate their usage time by 40%, in spite of 15% more use in the actual usage. Messengers are most-used application regardless of their self-report, and significant preference to SNS applications was observed in addict group. The actual hourly pattern is consistent with the reported one. College students use more in the afternoon, when they have more free time and cannot use PCs. No significant difference in hourly pattern is observed between the measured and self-report. Conclusion The result shows there are significant cognitive bias in actual usage patterns exists in self report of smartphone addictions. Clinicians are recommended to utilize measurement tools in diagnosis and treatment of smartphone overusing subjects. PMID:28326119
Trichotomous goals of elementary school students learning English as a foreign language: a structural equation model.

PubMed

He, Tung-Hsien; Chang, Shan-Mao; Chen, Shu-Hui Eileen; Gou, Wen Johnny

2012-02-01

This study applied structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques to define the relations among trichotomous goals (mastery goals, performance-approach goals, and performance-avoidance goals), self-efficacy, use of metacognitive self-regulation strategies, positive belief in seeking help, and help-avoidance behavior. Elementary school students (N = 105), who were learning English as a foreign language, were surveyed using five self-report scales. The structural equation model showed that self-efficacy led to the adoption of mastery goals but discouraged the adoption of performance-approach goals and performance-avoidance goals. Furthermore, mastery goals increased the use of metacognitive self-regulation strategies, whereas performance-approach goals and performance-avoidance goals reduced their use. Mastery goals encouraged positive belief in help-seeking, but performance-avoidance goals decreased such belief. Finally, performance-avoidance goals directly led to help-avoidance behavior, whereas positive belief assumed a critical role in reducing help-avoidance. The established structural equation model illuminated the potential causal relations among these variables for the young learners in this study.
Middle-aged women's preferred theory-based features in mobile physical activity applications.

PubMed

Ehlers, Diane K; Huberty, Jennifer L

2014-09-01

The purpose of this study was to describe which theory-based behavioral and technological features middle-aged women prefer to be included in a mobile application designed to help them adopt and maintain regular physical activity (PA). Women aged 30 to 64 years (N = 120) completed an online survey measuring their demographics and mobile PA application preferences. The survey was developed upon behavioral principles of Social Cognitive Theory, recent mobile app research, and technology adoption principles of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. Frequencies were calculated and content analyses conducted to identify which features women most preferred. Behavioral features that help women self-regulate their PA (PA tracking, goal-setting, progress monitoring) were most preferred. Technological features that enhance perceived effort expectancy and playfulness were most preferred. Many women reported the desire to interact and compete with others through the application. Theory-based PA self-regulation features and theory-based design features that improve perceived effort expectancy and playfulness may be most beneficial in a mobile PA application for middle-aged women. Opportunities to interact with other people and the employment of social, game-like activities may also be attractive. Interdisciplinary engagement of experts in PA behavior change, technology adoption, and software development is needed.
The Sexual Orientation and Gender Presentation of Hijra, Kothi, and Panthi in Mumbai, India.

PubMed

Stief, Matthew

2017-01-01

Cultural categories related to sexuality and gender vary considerably cross-culturally. While Western cultures categorize people primarily in terms of sexual attractions (i.e., gay, straight, bisexual), many cultures distinguish between groups based on additional issues such as gender role presentation and position preference in anal sex (i.e., insertive/receptive). The current study gathered data on three categories of natal males in Mumbai, India-hijra, kothi, and panthi (N = 93). Hijra are androphilic (sexually attracted to adult men), typically sexually receptive, transgender, sometimes castrated, and live in fictive kinship networks that are hierarchically organized. Kothi are also androphilic, typically sexual receptive and relatively feminine but less so than hijra; unlike hijra, kothi are never castrated. Hijra and kothi were understood by some participants to be mutually compatible, and so three groups were identified-those endorsing hijra only (n = 11), kothi only (n = 22), and both hijra and kothi (n = 22). Panthi (n = 38) are the masculine insertive partners of hijra and kothi. Measures employed were self-report and viewing time measures of sexual attraction, sexual behavior and position preference, self-described masculinity/femininity, recalled childhood gender atypicality, gendered occupational preferences, and gender presentation milestones (i.e., wearing female clothes, castration). All hijra and kothi groups were found to be exclusively androphilic in viewing time and self-reported sexual attractions, and to be gender-atypical on all measures. Panthi were found to be relatively male-typical and to have a bisexual pattern of viewing time and self-reported sexual attractions. Kothi were found to be less extreme in their female typicality and to report less female gender presentation milestones than hijra or hijra/kothi. Most hijra and hijra/kothi and all kothi said that they were not castrated. Contrary to the manner in which they are socially defined, a third of panthi report having been receptive in anal sex, and a third of all hijra and kothi groups report having been insertive at some time.
Exploring Effectiveness and Moderators of Language Learning Strategy Instruction on Second Language and Self-Regulated Learning Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ardasheva, Yuliya; Wang, Zhe; Adesope, Olusola O.; Valentine, Jeffrey C.

2017-01-01

This meta-analysis synthesized recent research on strategy instruction (SI) effectiveness to estimate SI effects and their moderators for two domains: second/foreign language and self-regulated learning. A total of 37 studies (47 independent samples) for language domain and 16 studies (17 independent samples) for self-regulated learning domain…

Sexual risk factors for HIV and violence among Puerto Rican women in New York City.

PubMed

Moreno, Claudia L; Morrill, Allison C; El-Bassel, Nabila

2011-05-01

The authors examined sexual factors for HIV risk in 1,003 women of Puerto Rican heritage who attended a community-based NewYork City hospital clinic. Participants' ages ranged from 18 to 73 years. Half were born in the continental United States, and half were born in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. All were sexually active within the past 90 days with a male partner.The authors compared sociodemographic characteristics, experience of intimate partner violence (IPV), and HIV sexual risk factors (number of partners, history of sexually transmitted infections [STIs],condom use, and so on).Multiple regression analyses considering sociodemographic characteristics were a predictor for IPV and sexual risk behaviors. The authors found differences in sexual risk behaviors by place of birth (continental United States versus Commonwealth of Puerto Rico) and language chosen for the interview (Spanish or English).Puerto Rican women reported fewer sexual partners and STIs. Mainland-born and English-preference women reported more IPV, risky partners, and condom use. Birth in the continental United States and preference for English appear to be indicators of greater risk for IPV, risky sexual practices, and risky partners. HIV prevention intervention strategies for Puerto Rican women must address differences in heterosexual risk according to language and place of birth.
Associations between toddler-age communication and kindergarten-age self-regulatory skills.

PubMed

Aro, Tuija; Laakso, Marja-Leena; Määttä, Sira; Tolvanen, Asko; Poikkeus, Anna-Maija

2014-08-01

In this study, the authors aimed at gaining understanding on the associations of different types of early language and communication profiles with later self-regulation skills by using longitudinal data from toddler age to kindergarten age. Children with early language profiles representing expressive delay, broad delay (i.e., expressive, social, and/or symbolic), and typical language development were compared in domains of kindergarten-age executive and regulative skills (attentional/executive functions, regulation of emotions and behavioral activity, and social skills) assessed with parental questionnaires. Children with delay in toddler-age language development demonstrated poorer kindergarten-age self-regulation skills than children with typical early language development. Broad early language delays were associated with compromised social skills and attentional/executive functions, and early expressive delays were associated with a generally lower level of kindergarten-age executive and regulative skills. Regression analyses showed that both earlier and concurrent language had an effect especially on the attentional/executive functions. The findings suggest that different aspects of toddler-age language have differential associations with later self-regulation. Possible mechanisms linking early language development to later self-regulative development are discussed.
Homogamy and imprinting-like effect on mate choice preference for body height in the current Japanese population.

PubMed

Seki, Motohide; Ihara, Yasuo; Aoki, Kenichi

2012-01-01

Homogamy for body height has been repeatedly documented in Western societies. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanism is unclear and the reasons for its apparent absence in non-Western societies remain unexplained. This study investigates spousal correlation and mate preference for height in the Japanese population. This study analyses self-reported data on the height of individuals, their parents and their ideal marriage partners, collected by a series of questionnaires on university students. In contrast to a previous study, this study found a significant positive correlation between the heights of Japanese spouses, after controlling for age. It also found a positive correlation between the heights of subjects and of their ideal partners, suggesting that an individual's self-referent preference may contribute to the observed homogamy for height. However, a subject's preference is also influenced by the height of his/her opposite-sex--but not same-sex--parent, where this effect is more prominent in male subjects. This study shows that homogamy for body height is present in the current Japanese population and that it may in part result from an individual's preference. It also indicates a possible role of a sexual imprinting-like mechanism in human mate choice.
Social value orientation: theoretical and measurement issues in the study of social preferences.

PubMed

Murphy, Ryan O; Ackermann, Kurt A

2014-02-01

What motivates people when they make decisions and how those motivations are potentially entangled with concerns for others are central topics for the social, cognitive, and behavioral sciences. According to the postulate of narrow self-interest, decision makers have the goal of maximizing personal payoffs and are wholly indifferent to the consequences for others. The postulate of narrow self-interest-which has been influential in economics, psychology, and sociology-is precise and powerful but is often simply wrong. Its inadequacy is well known and efforts have been made to develop reliable and valid measurement methods to quantify the more nuanced social preferences that people really have. In this paper, we report on the emergence and development of the predominant conceptualization of social preferences in psychology: social value orientation (SVO). Second, we discuss the relationship between measurement and theory development of the SVO construct. We then provide an overview of the literature regarding measurement methods that have been used to assess individual variations in social preferences. We conclude with a comparative evaluation of the various measures and provide suggestions regarding the measures' constructive use in building psychologically realistic theories of people's social preferences.
Children’s Feedback Preferences in Response to an Experimentally Manipulated Peer Evaluation Outcome: The Role of Depressive Symptoms

PubMed Central

Dekovic, Maja; Vermande, Marjolijn; Telch, Michael J.

2007-01-01

The present study examined the linkage between pre-adolescent children’s depressive symptoms and their preferences for receiving positive vs. negative feedback subsequent to being faced with an experimentally manipulated peer evaluation outcome in real time. Participants (n = 142) ages 10 to 13, played a computer contest based on the television show Survivor and were randomized to either a peer rejection (i.e., receiving the lowest total ‘likeability’ score from a group of peer-judges), a peer success (i.e., receiving the highest score), or a control peer evaluation condition. Children’s self-reported feedback preferences were then assessed. Results revealed that participants assigned to the negative evaluation outcome, relative to either the success or the control outcome, showed a significantly higher subsequent preference for negatively tuned feedback. Contrary to previous work and predictions derived from self-verification theory, children higher in depressive symptoms were only more likely to prefer negative feedback in response to the negative peer evaluation outcome. These effects for depression were not accounted for by either state mood at baseline or mood change in response to the feedback manipulation. PMID:17279340
Speech and gesture in spatial language and cognition among the Yucatec Mayas.

PubMed

Le Guen, Olivier

2011-07-01

In previous analyses of the influence of language on cognition, speech has been the main channel examined. In studies conducted among Yucatec Mayas, efforts to determine the preferred frame of reference in use in this community have failed to reach an agreement (Bohnemeyer & Stolz, 2006; Levinson, 2003 vs. Le Guen, 2006, 2009). This paper argues for a multimodal analysis of language that encompasses gesture as well as speech, and shows that the preferred frame of reference in Yucatec Maya is only detectable through the analysis of co-speech gesture and not through speech alone. A series of experiments compares knowledge of the semantics of spatial terms, performance on nonlinguistic tasks and gestures produced by men and women. The results show a striking gender difference in the knowledge of the semantics of spatial terms, but an equal preference for a geocentric frame of reference in nonverbal tasks. In a localization task, participants used a variety of strategies in their speech, but they all exhibited a systematic preference for a geocentric frame of reference in their gestures. Copyright © 2011 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.
Feelings or Words? Understanding the Content in Self-Report Ratings of Experienced Emotion

PubMed Central

Barrett, Lisa Feldman

2005-01-01

People differ in the extent to which their verbal reports of experienced emotion are valence focused or arousal focused. Three multimethod studies are reported to explore whether differential focus reflects individual differences in the cognitive structure of emotion language versus differences in phenomenological experience. Although there was some evidence that valence focus and arousal focus were linked to variations differences in cognitive structure, the findings are also consistent with the view that self-report ratings are being driven by the properties of the feelings that are being reported. Implications for the study of experienced emotion are discussed. PMID:15301632
Understanding cultural issues in the diabetes self-management behaviors of Korean immigrants.

PubMed

Cha, EunSeok; Yang, Kyeongra; Lee, Jia; Min, Jiwon; Kim, Kevin H; Dunbar, Sandra B; Jennings, Bonnie Mowinski

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore potential factors affecting the self-management behaviors of Korean immigrants with type 2 diabetes mellitus (KIT2Ds). A qualitative descriptive design guided this study. Semistructured interviews lasting 45 to 60 minutes were conducted with 20 KIT2Ds in the participants' preferred language; in all cases, this was Korean. Each interview was audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed using conventional content analysis. Data analysis was performed in two steps. The data written in Korean were initially analyzed by 3 bilingual researchers. A qualitative researcher then participated in the analysis to refine the findings for presentation to an English-speaking audience while staying true to the data and preserving the nuanced Korean meanings. The mean age of the sample was 64. 5 ± 11.6 years (9 men and 11 women). The mean years of staying in the United States and age at diabetes mellitus diagnosis were 23.6 ± 9.7 years and 52.5 ± 12.3 years, respectively. Three major ideas were identified: (1) issues on treatment regimen related to medications and diet, (2) resources that helped or hindered ability to manage diabetes, and (3) the physician-patient relationship. Important cultural nuances need to be addressed to better prepare KIT2Ds to manage their diabetes more effectively. A culture-specific program should extend beyond a diabetes self-management education delivered in Korean language. Rather, content and education methods need to consider acculturation effects on diabetes management behaviors.
The Effect of Text Materials with Relevant Language, Illustrations and Content Upon the Reading Achievement and Reading Preference (Attitude) of Black Primary and Intermediate Inner-City Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grant, Gloria W.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of text materials with relevant language, illustrations, and content upon the reading achievement and reading preference (attitude) of black primary and intermediate grade inner-city students. The subjects for the study were 330 black students enrolled in three schools in a large urban area. A…
Redundancy and reduction: Speakers manage syntactic information density

PubMed Central

Florian Jaeger, T.

2010-01-01

A principle of efficient language production based on information theoretic considerations is proposed: Uniform Information Density predicts that language production is affected by a preference to distribute information uniformly across the linguistic signal. This prediction is tested against data from syntactic reduction. A single multilevel logit model analysis of naturally distributed data from a corpus of spontaneous speech is used to assess the effect of information density on complementizer that-mentioning, while simultaneously evaluating the predictions of several influential alternative accounts: availability, ambiguity avoidance, and dependency processing accounts. Information density emerges as an important predictor of speakers’ preferences during production. As information is defined in terms of probabilities, it follows that production is probability-sensitive, in that speakers’ preferences are affected by the contextual probability of syntactic structures. The merits of a corpus-based approach to the study of language production are discussed as well. PMID:20434141
Trajectory and outcomes of speech language therapy in the Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS): case report.

PubMed

Misquiatti, Andréa Regina Nunes; Cristovão, Melina Pavini; Brito, Maria Claudia

2011-03-01

The aim of this study was to describe the trajectory and the outcomes of speech-language therapy in Prader-Willi syndrome through a longitudinal study of the case of an 8 year-old boy, along four years of speech-language therapy follow-up. The therapy sessions were filmed and documental analysis of information from the child's records regarding anamnesis, evaluation and speech-language therapy reports and multidisciplinary evaluations were carried out. The child presented typical characteristics of Prader-Willi syndrome, such as obesity, hyperfagia, anxiety, behavioral problems and self aggression episodes. Speech-language pathology evaluation showed orofacial hypotony, sialorrhea, hypernasal voice, cognitive deficits, oral comprehension difficulties, communication using gestures and unintelligible isolated words. Initially, speech-language therapy had the aim to promote the language development emphasizing social interaction through recreational activities. With the evolution of the case, the main focus became the development of conversation and narrative abilities. It were observed improvements in attention, symbolic play, social contact and behavior. Moreover, there was an increase in vocabulary, and evolution in oral comprehension and the development of narrative abilities. Hence, speech-language pathology intervention in the case described was effective in different linguistic levels, regarding phonological, syntactic, lexical and pragmatic abilities.
Internet Self-Efficacy Preferences of Internet Based Environments and Achievement of Prospective Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozyalcin Oskay, Ozge

2011-01-01

The aims of this study are to determine prospective chemistry teachers' internet self-efficacy and preferences of constructivist internet-assisted environments and to examine the relationship between their internet self-efficacy and their preferences for constructivist internet-assisted environments, the relationship between their achievement in…
Hablo Inglés y Español: Cultural Self-Schemas as a Function of Language.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Arauz, Gloriana; Ramírez-Esparza, Nairán; Pérez-Brena, Norma; Boyd, Ryan L

2017-01-01

Research has demonstrated that bilingual individuals experience a "double personality," which allows them to shift their self-schemas when they are primed with different language modes. In this study, we examine whether self-schemas change in Mexican-American ( N = 193) bilinguals living in the U.S. when they provide open-ended personality self-descriptions in both English and Spanish. We used the Meaning Extraction Helper (MEH) software to extract the most salient self-schemas that influence individuals' self-defining process. Following a qualitative-inductive approach, words were extracted from the open-ended essays and organized into semantic clusters, which were analyzed qualitatively and named. The results show that as expected, language primed bilinguals to think about different self-schemas. In Spanish, their Mexican self-schemas were more salient; whereas, in English their U.S. American self-schemas were more salient. Similarities of self-schemas across languages were assessed using a quantitative approach. Language differences and similarities in theme definition and implications for self-identity of bilinguals are discussed.
Hablo Inglés y Español: Cultural Self-Schemas as a Function of Language

PubMed Central

Rodríguez-Arauz, Gloriana; Ramírez-Esparza, Nairán; Pérez-Brena, Norma; Boyd, Ryan L.

2017-01-01

Research has demonstrated that bilingual individuals experience a “double personality,” which allows them to shift their self-schemas when they are primed with different language modes. In this study, we examine whether self-schemas change in Mexican-American (N = 193) bilinguals living in the U.S. when they provide open-ended personality self-descriptions in both English and Spanish. We used the Meaning Extraction Helper (MEH) software to extract the most salient self-schemas that influence individuals' self-defining process. Following a qualitative-inductive approach, words were extracted from the open-ended essays and organized into semantic clusters, which were analyzed qualitatively and named. The results show that as expected, language primed bilinguals to think about different self-schemas. In Spanish, their Mexican self-schemas were more salient; whereas, in English their U.S. American self-schemas were more salient. Similarities of self-schemas across languages were assessed using a quantitative approach. Language differences and similarities in theme definition and implications for self-identity of bilinguals are discussed. PMID:28611719
Language Preferences on Websites and in Google Searches for Human Health and Food Information

PubMed Central

Singh, Punam Mony; Wight, Carly A; Sercinoglu, Olcan; Wilson, David C; Boytsov, Artem

2007-01-01

Background While it is known that the majority of pages on the World Wide Web are in English, little is known about the preferred language of users searching for health information online. Objectives (1) To help global and domestic publishers, for example health and food agencies, to determine the need for translation of online information from English into local languages. (2) To help these agencies determine which language(s) they should select when publishing information online in target nations and for target subpopulations within nations. Methods To estimate the percentage of Web publishers that translate their health and food websites, we measured the frequency at which domain names retrieved by Google overlap for language translations of the same health-related search term. To quantify language choice of searchers from different countries, Google provided estimates of the rate at which its search engine was queried in six languages relative to English for the terms “avian flu,” “tuberculosis,” “schizophrenia,” and “maize” (corn) from January 2004 to April 2006. The estimate was based on a 20% sample of all Google queries from 227 nations. Results We estimate that 80%-90% of health- and food-related institutions do not translate their websites into multiple languages, even when the information concerns pandemic disease such as avian influenza. Although Internet users are often well-educated, there was a strong preference for searching for health and food information in the local language, rather than English. For “avian flu,” we found that only 1% of searches in non-English-speaking nations were in English, whereas for “tuberculosis” or “schizophrenia,” about 4%-40% of searches in non-English countries employed English. A subset of searches for health information presumably originating from immigrants occurred in their native tongue, not the language of the adopted country. However, Spanish-language online searches for “avian flu,” “schizophrenia,” and “maize/corn” in the United States occurred at only <1% of the English search rate, although the US online Hispanic population constitutes 12% of the total US online population. Sub-Saharan Africa and Bangladesh searches for health information occurred in unexpected languages, perhaps reflecting the presence of aid workers and the global migration of Internet users, respectively. In Latin America, indigenous-language search terms were often used rather than Spanish. Conclusions (1) Based on the strong preference for searching the Internet for health information in the local language, indigenous language, or immigrant language of origin, global and domestic health and food agencies should continue their efforts to translate their institutional websites into more languages. (2) We have provided linguistic online search pattern data to help health and food agencies better select languages for targeted website publishing. PMID:17613488
Survey mode matters: adults' self-reported statistical confidence, ability to obtain health information, and perceptions of patient-health-care provider communication.

PubMed

Wallace, Lorraine S; Chisolm, Deena J; Abdel-Rasoul, Mahmoud; DeVoe, Jennifer E

2013-08-01

This study examined adults' self-reported understanding and formatting preferences of medical statistics, confidence in self-care and ability to obtain health advice or information, and perceptions of patient-health-care provider communication measured through dual survey modes (random digital dial and mail). Even while controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, significant differences in regard to adults' responses to survey variables emerged as a function of survey mode. While the analyses do not allow us to pinpoint the underlying causes of the differences observed, they do suggest that mode of administration should be carefully adjusted for and considered.
Type of Iconicity Matters in the Vocabulary Development of Signing Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ortega, Gerardo; Sümer, Beyza; Özyürek, Asli

2017-01-01

Recent research on signed as well as spoken language shows that the iconic features of the target language might play a role in language development. Here, we ask further whether different types of iconic depictions modulate children's preferences for certain types of sign-referent links during vocabulary development in sign language. Results from…
Bilingual Siblings: Language Use in Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barron-Hauwaert, Suzanne

2011-01-01

Taking a different perspective to traditional case studies on one bilingual child, this book discusses the whole family and the realities of life with two or more children and languages. What do we know about the language patterns of children in a growing and evolving bilingual family? Which languages do the siblings prefer to speak to each other?…
Closing the Gap: Student Attitudes toward First Language Use in Monolingual EFL Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neokleous, Georgios

2017-01-01

This article challenges the widely held assumption in monolingual English as a foreign language (EFL) settings that students prefer their teachers to rarely use their mother tongue (MT)--the language children initially learn in order to communicate. Through an examination of data derived from eight classrooms in four private language schools in…
Collaboration between Teachers and Speech and Language Therapists: Services for Primary School Children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glover, Anna; McCormack, Jane; Smith-Tamaray, Michelle

2015-01-01

Speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) are prevalent among primary school-aged children. Collaboration between speech and language therapists (SLTs) and teachers is beneficial for supporting children's communication skills. The aim of this study was to investigate the needs of both professional groups and their preferences for service…

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