Intercontinental telehealth coaching of therapists to improve verbalizations by children with autism

This study examined the effects of intercontinental telehealth coaching on the mastery of therapists’ skills and improvements in verbalizations by children with autism, testing whether telehealth can be a solution for underserved communities in developing countries such as Georgia‐Sakartvelo in Eastern Europe. Three therapists delivering and three children with autism receiving early‐intervention services from the nongovernmental organization Children of Georgia in Tbilisi participated. Experimenters provided coaching from Virginia, USA to therapists in Georgia‐Sakartvelo. Observers in Georgia‐Sakartvelo and in Virginia conducted the behavioral observations. We used inexpensive communications technology to provide the coaching and a multiple‐baseline design across participants to evaluate the effects of the intervention. Therapists demonstrated improvements in two classes of behaviors: correct command sequences and positive consequences. The children demonstrated improvements with echoics and mands. The study demonstrated that telehealth can be a good model for delivering early‐intervention services to children with autism in underserved and distant regions of the world.     

Can psychological interventions increase optimism? A meta-analysis

Greater optimism is related to better mental and physical health. A number of studies have investigated interventions intended to increase optimism. The aim of this meta-analysis was to consolidate effect sizes found in randomized controlled intervention studies of optimism training and to identify factors that may influence the effect of interventions. Twenty-nine studies, with a total of 3319 participants, met criteria for inclusion in the analysis. A significant meta-analytic effect size, g = .41, indicated that, across studies, interventions increased optimism. Moderator analyses showed that studies had significantly higher effect sizes if they used the Best Possible Self intervention, provided the intervention in person, used an active control, used separate positive and negative expectancy measures rather than a version of the LOT-R, had a final assessment within one day of the end of the intervention, and used completer analyses rather than intention-to-treat analyses. The results indicate that psychological interventions can increase optimism and that various factors may influence effect size.     

A randomised wait list-controlled pre–post–follow-up trial of a gratitude diary with a distressed sample

In a randomised wait list-controlled trial with repeated measures pre-, post- and follow-up design, participants (N = 109) with a current self-reported diagnosis of an anxiety disorder and/or depression, took part in an internet-based study. After completing a three-week gratitude diary returning participants had lower scores on measures of depression, anxiety, stress and perceived sleep difficulties and higher scores on a measure of subjective well-being than immediately pre-intervention. At three-week follow-up depression and sleep scores for returning participants were no longer significantly different from pre-intervention, however, improvements for subjective well-being and stress at post-intervention were maintained. At follow-up anxiety scores had not only been maintained but had improved significantly beyond post-intervention results. Intention to treat analyses were conducted and provided support for most completer results. Differences between the two sets of analyses are discussed below. This trial provides support for the use of gratitude diaries as an intervention with distressed populations.     

积极心理资本的结构、功能及干预研究述评*

积极心理资本自提出以来,便备受关注,它超越了人力资本和社会资本,是一种能够被有效开发和管理,并能够对个体的绩效产生重要影响的核心积极心理要素。在以往研究中,研究者提出了积极心理资本的四维结构说、三维结构说和多维结构说,并据此开发了相应的测量工具。在后果变量方面,主要探讨的是积极心理资本与工作态度、工作行为、工作绩效、幸福感等方面的关系。积极心理资本自身也是一个重要的中介与调节变量,而PCI干预模型可有效提高个体的心理资本水平。今后研究的重点包括研究对象与内容的拓宽、研究方法的改进与完善以及本土化和跨文化研究的加强等。     

中学女生身体不满意的认知取向干预

基于女性身体不满意的预测模型,试图通过以干预课程为主的认知干预活动,降低青春期女生的身体不满意,形成健康的身体观。结果表明,身体不满意的干预活动能够有效防止初中女生身体不满意的进一步增加,对高中女生的影响没有达到显著差异;自编实验组女生成长问卷结果和实验组女生访谈的结果显示,干预活动给初中和高中实验组女生带来了一定的积极影响;初中生父母调查的结果反映了大部分父母比较满意此干预活动。研究表明本干预研究具有一定的可行性,值得进一步探讨和拓展。     

书写表达及其对身心健康的作用

作为心理干预方法, 书写表达是通过书写披露和表达与个人重要经历有关的感受和想法, 由此促进身心健康。书写表达操作简便, 对身心健康均具有显著的促进作用, 但其干预效果会受干预对象的心理特征、卷入水平和书写主题等因素的影响。书写表达的作用机制主要是暴露、适应、注意转向和认知重构。     

出生缺陷干预模式探讨

出生缺陷(birth defection,BD)已经成为目前全世界共同关注的一个重大公共卫生问题。为此,世界卫生组织提出预防出生缺陷的“三级预防策略”,国家计生委于2000年组织实施“出生缺陷干预工程”。结合哲学思想对出生缺陷的三级预防以及干预模式进行综合分析。     

后医学时代的数字化证据——评杨功焕著《中国人群死亡及其危险因素流行水平、趋势和分布》

杨功焕教授的著作《中国人群死亡及其危险因素流行水平、趋势和分布》,调查20世纪80年代~90年代非人口因素对死亡的影响占81%,人口因素占19%。说明20世纪90年代是人群死亡模式发生巨大转变的10年。吸烟和饮食为主要行为因素。必须进行行为干预,靠非卫生部门的努力,包括医疗保险、实行健康促进战略、进行行为革命、对全部医务人员再教育,以适应后医学时代。