Critical incident sparks critical incident sparks critical incident: an ‘aresolutionist’ method

In this article the authors propose a concept of aresolutionism and outline an aresolutionist method/ology which emerged from reflective practice research. This research was prompted by an event that occurred during a tutorial and the outlined methodology is illustrated by an account of subsequent events and processes. The authors draw on poststructuralist theorizing and methods such as writing as inquiry to counter the resolutionism that permeates dominant approaches to research and reflective practice. In their own research, the authors’ aim shifted from solving a pedagogic problem to analyzing the event as a complex assemblage and exploring the discourses that circled their discussions about the event. A problem to solve had become an object of curiosity.     

Cross-fertilization versus transmission: Recommendations for developing a bidirectional approach to psychotherapy dissemination research

Psychotherapy researchers are increasingly engaged in collaborations with clinical practitioners and mental health administrators. Each party brings its own perspectives, values, and agendas to bear in these encounters. Viable research—practice collaborations depend on understanding and negotiating some of the tensions in these relationships. In this article, we discuss the contexts that prevail for various participants in a psychotherapy dissemination study as well as the values, goals, costs, and benefits related to research participation. This article is a collaboration among the researchers, mental health administrators, therapists, and clients involved in an ongoing treatment dissemination study. Our recommendations for research—practice collaborations are based on our experiences and dialogues over the course of this study.     

Sleep dependent consolidation of gross motor sequence learning with motor imagery

Acquisition of gross motor sequence learning with physical and mental training elicits gains in performance. However, the effects of sleep or daytime consolidation after both types of practice remain unclear, especially the effects upon the goal- and movement-based components of a gross motor sequential task. The main purpose of this study was to test the effect of physical practice (PP) and motor imagery practice (MIP) on the acquisition and consolidation processes of gross motor sequence learning.Seventy-six participants were tested before and after PP or MIP on a whole-body sequential paradigm, following either a night of sleep (PP_sleep and MIP_sleep groups) or an equivalent daytime period (PP_day and MIP_day groups). Control groups without training were tested following similar timespans (CTRL_sleep and CTRL_day groups). The number of sequential movements and the centre of mass displacement – corresponding to goal and movement-based components, respectively – were assessed.Results showed that relative to the CTRL groups, the PP and MIP groups improved performance during acquisition. Importantly, only the MIP_sleep group further improved performance after a night of sleep; participants of other groups stabilised their performance after consolidation. Additionally, the number of sequential movements and the centre of mass displacement evolved conjointly without being influenced by the type of training or the nature of the consolidation.To conclude, these results confirm that sleep contributes to the consolidation of gross motor sequence learning acquired with MIP but not PP. The relationship between the goal- and movement-based components of a gross motor sequential task is discussed.     

The cost of treating substance use disorders: individual versus family therapy

This study examined the cost of substance use disorders treatment in a large healthcare organization. A survival analysis demonstrated that family therapy utilised the least number of sessions (M = 2.41) when treating substance use disorders followed by individual therapy (M = 3.38) and mixed therapy (M = 6.40). Family therapy was the least costly of the three types, at $124.55 per episode of care for a client, with individual therapy costing $170.22 and mixed therapy $319.55. The ratio of family therapists utilising family therapy was more than three to one compared to other licensed professionals. The percentages of clients coming back for more than one episode of care are fewest for family therapy (8.9%) followed by mixed therapy (9.5%) and individual therapy (12.0%).     

Stress experience and performance during an oral exam: the role of self-efficacy,threat appraisals,anxiety, and cortisol

Background and Objectives: High self-efficacy may reduce emotional and physiological stress responses in the context of an examination. The present study investigated how these stress responses develop on an exam day, and sequential indirect effects between self-efficacy, threat appraisals, stress responses and performance.

Design and Methods: The sample comprised 92 students (46 women). Self-efficacy, threat appraisals and state anxiety were assessed on a control day one week before an oral exam. Additionally, anxiety was assessed three times on the exam day. Salivary cortisol samples were collected at all time points.

Results: Pre-exam anxiety and cortisol decreased until grades were announced. For both responses, greater levels were related to a steeper decline. However, changes in anxiety and cortisol were unrelated. Self-efficacy was negatively related to threat appraisals and anxiety on the control day. Greater threat appraisals were associated with higher pre-exam anxiety and a steeper anxiety decrease on the exam day, which in turn, was related to better performance.

Conclusions: High levels of self-efficacy may reduce threat appraisals and anxiety in the lead up to an exam, which are related to the intensity and decline of anxiety on the exam day. A steeper decline of anxiety may be beneficial to performance.