Web-based remote psychological intervention improves cancer treatment

Web-based-remote (WBR) intervention is a new approach that incorporates smart control technology and modern medicine to monitor patient compliance. It is based on computer control and communication technology. This study is to explore the benefits of WBR psychological intervention for cancer treatment. 128 patients diagnosed with cancer by Pathology Department of our hospital between 1 February 2013 and 1 August 2013 were included. Patients were randomly assigned to intervention and control group (n = 64). The Questionnaire-Core 30 (QLQ-C30) was used for the survey. Intervention group received WBR psychological intervention in addition to regular clinical follow-up care. Control group only received regular clinical follow-up care. The QLQ-C30 score was significantly better in the intervention group than the control group when the intervention and control groups were followed for three months. In conclusion, WBR psychological intervention substantially improves the quality of life in patients during cancer treatment.     

Work-anxiety-coping intervention improves work-coping perception while a recreational intervention leads to deterioration: Results from a randomized controlled trial

Work-anxieties are costly and need early intervention. The perception of being able to cope with work is a basic requirement for work ability. This randomized controlled trial investigates whether a cognitive behavioural, work-anxiety-coping group (WAG) intervention leads to better work-coping perception than an unspecific recreational group (RG). Heterogeneous people in medical rehabilitation, who were due to return to work, were interviewed concerning their work-anxieties, and either randomly assigned to a WAG (n = 85) or a RG (n = 95). The participants (with an average of 50 years old [range 23–64]; 51% women; 70% workers or employees, 25% academics, 5% unskilled) followed the group intervention for four or six sessions. The perceived work-coping was assessed by self-rating (Inventory for Job-Coping and Return Intention JoCoRi) after each group session. Although participants had a slight temporary decrease in work-coping after group session two (from M₁ = 2.47 to M₂ = 2.28, d_Cohen = ?.22), the WAG led to the improvement of perceived work-coping over the intervention course (from M₁ = 2.47 to M₆ = 2.65, d_Cohen = .18). In contrast, participants from the RG reported lower work-coping after six group sessions (from M₁ = 2.26 to M₆ = 2.02, d_Cohen = ?.18). It is considered that people with work-anxieties need training in work-coping. By focusing on recreation only, this may lead to deterioration of work-coping. Indeed, intervention designers should be aware of temporary deterioration (side effects) when confronting participants with work-coping.     

Manualised health support interventions: Their efficacy in a South African primary healthcare setting

The study examined the implementation efficacy of a stress-reduction intervention for people living with HIV/AIDS by health care workers in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Informants were 20 health care workers drawn from two health facilities. There were 17 females (85%) and 3 males (15%). Participants engaged in a focus group discussion on their experiences using a theory-based manualised stress-reduction support intervention in primary care settings. Thematic content analysis of the data yielded the following themes characterising costs to faithful implementation: departure from manualised instructions and ad hoc improvisation of theoretical concepts; disruptive power dynamics; lack of grounding in community values; and implementation resource limitations. Manualised intervention implementation efficacy by health workers needs customisation to local culture and health service support services.     

Generalizability and Dependability of a Multi-Item Direct Behavior Rating Scale in a Kindergarten Classroom Setting

Accurate and rapid identification of students displaying behavioral problems requires instrumentation that is user friendly and reliable. The purpose of the study was to evaluate a multi-item direct behavior rating scale called the Direct Behavior Rating-Multiple Item Scale (DBR–MIS) for disruptive behavior to determine the number of administrations necessary to achieve a dependable result. In addition, a study was conducted to determine to what degree the DBR-MIS correlated with a brief rating scale of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder behaviors. Participants were Kindergarten students (n = 18) who were observed and rated over nine 5-min observation periods by 2 raters with minimal training. Results indicated that the DBR-MIS provided reliable estimates of disruptive behavior by the seventh or eighth rating occasion. Correlations between the DBR-MIS and the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder rating scale were weak to moderate. Overall, the DBR-MIS for disruptive behavior efficiently achieved dependable results when screening groups of Kindergarten students in a public school setting.     

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。