An evaluation of counselling and rehabilitation courses for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

The aim of the current study was to evaluate the services offered by Action for ME to sufferers of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome using measures developed and validated in previous research. Preliminary studies had suggested that clients attending rehabilitation residential courses were benefiting from the service. A further, more in‐depth evaluation process with a greater number of health‐related outcome measures was warranted. In addition, assessment was widened to include other services offered to sufferers of the illness. Data relating to the usefulness and success of the services (rated by the clients) were also collected. Data from client volunteers were collected at baseline (that is, before intervention) and approximately six months later. Quantitative comparative analyses were conducted using within‐group comparisons to assess any improvements in scores at six‐month follow‐up from baseline. Fifty‐six participants completed wide‐ranging questionnaires assessing illness history, psychopathology, psychosocial factors and health and well‐being. Data relating to improvements in illness status and acceptability of treatment were also collected by means of global outcome measures. Both the counselling and residential groups showed improvements in many areas assessed at follow‐up. Most importantly, improvements were indicated in areas such as fatigue and the levels of disability suffered by patients. In addition, there were significant improvements in ratings of mood, anxiety, depression and physical symptoms. Overall, clients reported satisfaction with the care received and most found the services useful. All of the participants who completed the evaluation stated that they would recommend Action for ME services to fellow sufferers. The outcome of the current study is encouraging. The data presented provides evidence of the high level of support and advice Action for ME offers to sufferers of this illness. Furthermore, measurable improvements in scores relating to illness status were accompanied by improvements in mental health and psychosocial variables in the patient group.     

我国中学生职业兴趣的特点与测验编制

随着当前就业压力的增加,社会竞争也愈演愈烈,职业生涯规划的问题逐渐受到人们的重视。本文基于当代高中毕业生选报大学专业时对自身兴趣特点深入了解的需要,在国内外职业兴趣研究的基础上,探讨了我国高中生职业兴趣的特点,并编制出一套适合当前中国高中生兴趣特点的职业兴趣测验。该测验将职业兴趣分为七种类型：艺术型、事务型、经营型、研究型、自然型、社会型和技术型。测验的信、效度测量指标均达到比较满意的水平。经过初步推广使用,获得了广大使用者的好评。     

政策环境对实现残疾人康复服务的影响

根据《上海市残疾人"人人享有康复服务"评价指标体系》,采用综合评价法,对上海市6个区残疾人康复工作进行评价。研究发现,残疾人康复政策环境实现率为96.3%,5个二级指标实现率均超过80%,三级指标达标率63.3%。应明确残疾人康复工作的重要性,将残疾人康复纳入政策工作计划,各区残疾人康复政策环境建设应协调平衡发展。     

脑外伤患者内隐记忆康复护理可行性研究

探讨脑外伤患者在高强度练习和准确反馈条件下,内隐学习知识效应和底层规则迁移易化能力。结果发现：①脑外伤患者在汉字整体偏好深加工的非显著特征学习与对照组一样有效;在笔划浅加工的显著特征学习,明显低于对照组;在自由回忆和再认的重复测验中,患者组与对照组存在显著性差异。②脑外伤患者学习记忆具有整体性、直观性、模糊抽象性、无意识性等特点。③脑外伤患者存在着内隐学习知识效应和内隐知识学习效应,且随着训练强化和训练方法的改进,有增强和外显记忆转化的趋势。     

OPERANT TREATMENT OF OROFACIAL DYSFUNCTION IN NEUROMUSCULAR DISORDERS

The popularity and reported success of biofeedback treatment for neuromuscular disorders has occurred despite a lack of research identifying the critical variables responsible for therapeutic gain. In this study, we assessed the degree to which severe neurological dysfunction could be improved by using one of the components present in all biofeedback treatment, contingency management. Three cases of orofacial dysfunction were treated by reinforcing specific improvements reliably detectable without the use of biofeedback equipment. The results showed that contingency management procedures alone were sufficient to improve overt motor responses but, unlike biofeedback treatment, did not produce decreases in the hypertonic muscle groups associated with the trained motor behavior. The findings suggest that sophisticated, expensive biofeedback equipment may not be necessary in treating some neuromuscular disorders and that important clinical gains may be achieved by redesigning the patient's daily environment to be contingently therapeutic, rather than only accommodating the disabilities of the physically handicapped.     

EFFECTS OF PICTURE PROMPTS ON THE ACQUISITION OF COMPLEX VOCATIONAL TASKS BY MENTALLY RETARDED ADOLESCENTS

The effects of using picture prompts on the acquisition, generalization, and maintenance of complex vocational tasks were evaluated within a multiple baseline design across subjects and tasks. Five moderately and severely mentally retarded adolescents were first trained to use picture prompts to guide their performance on one or more complex tasks. Following training, posttesting with and without the picture prompts was conducted to evaluate the effects of training and to determine maintenance effects over a 2- to 4-week interval. Generalization of performance across tasks was assessed with three of the students who were provided novel tasks (with and without picture prompts) without training. Results indicated that picture prompts can be successfully used to promote both acquisition and generalization of performance, and that subsequent training time on a novel task was reduced when the use of picture prompts had been previously trained.     

EFFECT OF SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT ON THE VOCATIONAL OUTCOMES OF PERSONS WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

This paper reports the job placement of 5 males with severe traumatic brain injury. An individual placement model of supported employment was used. All individuals were placed in competitive employment and received staggered intervention over time by trained employment specialists. A multiple baseline design across persons was used to evaluate results. All individuals had been unable to work consistently or at all in competitive work environments. The range of wages was $4.25 to $5.00 per hour with an average of 339 hours of employment specialist intervention time required per case. The major problems experienced by employment specialists were insubordinate and disruptive behaviors as well as other inappropriate social behaviors displayed at the job site.     

TEACHING JOB INDEPENDENCE AND FLEXIBILITY TO MENTALLY RETARDED STUDENTS THROUGH THE USE OF A SELF-CONTROL PACKAGE

We examined mentally retarded individuals' use of picture cues and self-monitoring to initiate a series of tasks of varying type and order. Four severely to moderately retarded high school students participating in a vocational training program were trained to use a picture-cue system. The system consisted of photographs of vocational tasks that were inserted in the assigned order in a photoalbum sheet; self-management was accomplished by marking off each photo after its corresponding task was completed. Students were assigned seven tasks from a pool of 13 each day. Results indicated that the students quickly learned to use the picture-cue system to change tasks throughout their workday without trainer prompts and that performance was maintained as trainer feedback and presence were decreased. At the end of the study, two students who were exposed to novel photographs were able to initiate independently after only minimal training, suggesting that the use of the picture-cue system had become a generalized skill.     

Vocational Personality Types in College Engineering Students in Relation to Academic Achievement

This study explored whether and to what extent vocational personality types based on Holland (1994) correlate with and explain unique variance of academic success among 117 undergraduate civil engineering students by using the Self-Directed Search–Form R, 4th Edition. Findings indicated that the majority of participants’ 1st-letter code was Realistic (39.3%), 2nd-letter code was Investigative (24.8%), and 3rd-letter code was Social (21.4%), compared with Holland's 3-letter codes for civil engineering (Investigative, Realistic, Enterprising). The study also calculated the degree of congruence between personality type and occupational environment. For career counselors, the findings underscore the importance of using congruence scores to predict engineering students’ academic performance.     

家庭功能和生存质量对学生社会责任心的影响：普高生与职高生的比较

采用回归分析和结构方程建模技术探讨了708名普通高中和职业高中学生的家庭功能、生存质量和社会责任心的差异及其关系。结果发现：（1）普通高中学生的家庭功能、生存质量和社会责任心均显著优于职业高中学生;（2）普高、职高学生的家庭功能和生存质量对其社会责任心的预测效应不尽一致,普高学生社会责任心受家庭功能亲密度和适应性两维度及生存质量心理功能和社会功能两维度的复合影响,而职高学生社会责任心主要受家庭功能亲密度及生存质量的社会功能维度的影响;（3）普高学生的家庭功能通过中介变量生存质量间接影响社会责任心,而职高学生的家庭功能直接影响社会责任心和生存质量。