Behavioral and physiological indicators of pain in people with communication disorders: A systematic review
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AbstractThe aim of this review was to investigate the tools used to identify pain in patients who are non-communicative and therefore unable to communicate pain to their caregivers. A systematic review of the studies published with predetermined eligibility criteria was undertaken. A total of 32 studies were identified and reviewed. Among the articles included, we observed two different types of outcome measures: physiological and behavioral measurements. Eleven articles referred to physiological measurements and 20 referred to behavioral measurements, with one article referring to both types of measurements. All the papers described at least one instrument or measure, which was implemented to measure pain in non-communicative patients. The results confirmed the agreement among behavioral measurements of pain, while physiological measurements should be studied more in depth. This review suggests that the use of frequent items in each scale and in each physiological instrument may help healthcare professionals and caregivers to overcome the barrier of prognosis uncertainty and to identify patients that could benefit from their use.
The effective media to promote an accurate image of persons with disabilities: The perspective of social media users
AbstractThe objective of this qualitative study was to explore the perspective of persons with disabilities (PWDs) and of key stakeholders concerning the contents and genre of media that should be used to promote a positive attitude of society towards PWDs. The participants were Facebook and LINE users who were purposively selected by snowball sampling through the announcement on the Facebook page. Eight key informants participated in this study, including two PWDs, a private media producer, two general social media users and three researchers (one with disability and two without disability). Four focus groups and information sharing among participants via LINE group were conducted. Transcriptions from the participants were analyzed. The findings illustrate that a negative image of PWDs still persists in various plots in current and existing media. New media presenting the image of PWDs as multi-dimensional human beings should be promoted and created. Socialization and cultivation of inclusive living since childhood between PWDs and able bodied persons in the society are important to promote understanding, leading to positive attitudes. A short film is a current suitable media type to promote a positive attitude of society towards PWDs. Facebook and LINE platforms should be considered for data collection, particularly with PWDs who have limited mobility and difficulty to be transported.
Levels of physical activity and sleep patterns in university students: The effect on mood and daily life activities
AbstractThe aim of this study was to assess the effect of sleep patterns and levels of physical activity on depression and daily life activities in university students. An identification form, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) were used to collect the data. The mean age of the university students in the research was 20.37 ± 1.85 years. We found that, as the Part I subareas of the NHP (such as pain, emotional reactions, sleep, social isolation, physical activity, and energy) and the Part II scores increased, the PSQI score also increased (p < .05) and, in turn, the increase of the PSQI score brought to a proportional increase of the BDI score too (p < .05; r = .393). The correlation between variables was found to be low but statistically significant. As a result, periodical examinations on physical activity, sleep, depression, and daily living activities in university students should be highly recommended and students should be supported on these issues.
Parents’ expectations regarding the choice of secondary school and future employment for students with Specific Learning Disabilities
AbstractThe literature on parents' expectations on school choice and future employment of students with Specific Learning Disability (SLD) is somewhat limited. This study explored the point of view of parents of adolescents with SLD concerning the criteria for school choice in the transition to high school and the representations of the skills attributed to their son/daughter. Two hundred-and-two parents of students with a certification of specific learning disabilities took part in the study. They completed the following questionnaires online: Parents' coping, Efficacy and Resilience attribution, and Questionnaires on the school choice and the future employment. The results revealed that the parents’ educational qualification contributed to the expectations of future employment and career interest of their son/daughter. Furthermore, parental involvement supported the expectations regarding the intrinsic employment and the choice of a developmental school, which was sensitive to the growth of their son/daughter. These findings highlight the possibility of encouraging a better school choice and future employment for children with SLD by having a better understanding of the role of parental expectations and student characteristics.
The relationship between creative, cognitive, and emotional competences in Intellectual Disability. A case report
AbstractPeople with intellectual disabilities (ID) show cognitive deficits that are subject to an earlier deterioration and they experience difficulties in the social-emotional sphere. Various stimulation techniques exist to strengthen these skills that, however, are not usually proposed to individuals with ID because 1) the users are not necessarily in senile age, nor do they have an acquired impairment that requires rehabilitation. Consequently, it is erroneously assumed that their condition cannot be improved. 2) The standard pathways include socio-educational objectives, but not specifically neuro-cognitive ones. We believe that divergent thinking and creativity could be particularly suitable and proficient areas of intervention to promote a flexible, original, and autonomous thinking that can be extended in many different domains. To do so, we designed a research-intervention project named SoCraTEs (Social-emotional, Creative, and Thinking Enhancement), which is aimed at empowering these areas of interest, proposing creativity as an elective tool. In this paper we illustrate the results of a preliminary phase where we first explored the relationship between the aforementioned abilities to identify the most significant components that had the greatest potential. We found that creative abilities are strongly related to attentional, mnestic, and emotional skills, together with personal autonomy in everyday life. Implications for future research are discussed.
Emotional intelligence, age and origin: the mediating role of self-efficacy in the regulation of affectivity in future disability support teachers
AbstractIn the educational field, studies on emotional intelligence are fundamental because of the importance that this construct has for disability support teachers, who are called on to deal with affective and relational dynamics for which emotional intelligence, empathy and the ability to regulate their emotions play a crucial role. Based on previous research, the aim of this study was to examine whether certain variables such as age and origin - that is, having spent most of one’s life in large cities or small towns - play a role in increasing emotional intelligence, considering the mediating role of previous teaching experiences and self-efficacy in the regulation of positive, negative and empathetic emotions. Data was collected from 301 future disability support teachers. The tools used were the following: I) the self-report emotional intelligence test; II) the scale of perceived self-efficacy in the management of negative, positive, and empathic emotions. In addition, socio-demographic data, such as age, origin, educational qualifications and previous teaching experience, were also taken into consideration. The results show that age and origin were related to emotional intelligence; however, this relationship was mediated by a perception of self-efficacy in regulating emotions and, also, by past teaching experiences at school. The results discussed are in relation to the need to implement training courses that improve teachers, not only in terms of teaching and teaching skills in general, but also in terms of affective/relational skills.