Heart rate variability and its relation to prefrontal cognitive function: the effects of training and detraining

The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between physical fitness, heart rate variability (HRV) and cognitive function in 37 male sailors from the Royal Norwegian Navy. All subjects participated in an 8-week training program, after which the subjects completed the initial cognitive testing (pre-test). The subjects were assigned into a detrained group (DG) and a trained group (TG) based on their application for further duty. The DG withdrew from the training program for 4 weeks after which all subjects then completed the cognitive testing again (post-test). Physical fitness, measured as maximum oxygen consumption (O_2max), resting HRV, and cognitive function, measured using a continuous performance task (CPT) and a working memory test (WMT), were recorded during the pre-test and the post-test, and the data presented as the means and standard deviations. The results showed no between-group differences in O_2max or HRV at the pre-test. The DG showed a significant decrease in O_2max from the pre- to the post-test and a lower resting HRV than the TG on the post-test. Whereas there were no between-group differences on the CPT or WMT at the pre-test, the TG had faster reaction times and more true positive responses on tests of executive function at the post-test compared to the pre-test. The DG showed faster reaction times on non-executive tasks at the post-test compared to the pre-test. The results are discussed within a neurovisceral integration framework linking parasympathetic outflow to the heart to prefrontal neural functions.     

Effectiveness of lemon essential oil in reducing test anxiety in nursing students

PurposeThis study examines the effectiveness of lemon essential oil in reducing test anxiety in first-year nursing students.MethodA randomized, pre-test-post-test design was used in this study. The study included 46 first-year students from the Faculty of Medical Sciences of a private university in Istanbul, Turkey. Students were divided into two groups through randomization (Intervention, N = 22; Control, N = 24). In the pre-test, a personal information form, State Test Anxiety Scale (STAS) and Test Anxiety Schedule (TAS) were administered to students in both groups. The students in the intervention group smelled lemon essential oil for 15 min. The study was completed by applying STAS and TAS as post-test.ResultsAfter smelling lemon essential oil, a significant difference was found between the mean pre-test and post-test scores for STAS, its sub-dimensions and TAS (p < 0.01) in the intervention group. It was observed that the nursing students’ mean scores for STAS, its sub-dimensions and TAS decreased after smelling lemon essential oil (p<0.05). It was found that the intervention group's mean post-test scores for STAS, cognitive sub-dimension and TAS were lower than those of the control group. Mean post-test scores of physiological sub-dimension in the intervention group were also significantly lower than the control group. It was concluded that lemon essential oil reduced test anxiety by 43.3%.ConclusionLemon essential oil was found to be effective in reducing test anxiety in nursing students.     

心理辅导对独立学院新生学习动机的影响

目的探讨心理辅导对独立学院新生在学习动机方面起到的促进作用。方法选用《学习过程问卷》和《卡特尔十六种人格因素测验》为核心评估工具,对沿海某独立学院917名新生进行抽样测试,分为实验组(n=492人)与对照组(n=425人)。结果①独立学院学生学习动机的成分中,浅层动机占主导地位(t=-7.317,P<0.001);②实验组前测的浅层动机显著高于后测(t=5.296,P<0.001);而前测的深层动机则显著低于后测(t=-3.542,P<0.001);③实验组后测的浅层动机和深层策略显著低于对照组的浅层动机(t=-4.590,P<0.001)和深层策略(t=-3.489,P<0.001);④实验组学习过程的6个因素与卡特尔16种人格因素比较,系数标明其二者相关性显著(P均<0.01)。结论心理辅导能够提升独立学院新生自我效能感以获得良好的学习行为。     

情志顺势团体辅导对大学生网络依赖的干预效果研究

目的 依据中医学顺势利导、扶正祛邪、心身合一等治疗原则,制定适用于网络依赖的团体心理辅导方案,引导网络依赖成员宣泄心理能量,协助成员建立对网络全面客观的评价,发现心中正向的认知及情感,最终摆脱网络依赖.方法 以某中医药大学26名网络依赖大学生作为实验组,26名同质学生作为对照组,对其网络依赖行为进行团体辅导干预.在团体辅导前、结束及结束后6周时施测修订后的中文网络成瘾量表(CIAS-R).结果 团体辅导前实验组与对照组CIAS-R得分无显著差异,在辅导结束(F=11.29,P＜0.01)及结束后6周(F=16.89,P＜0.01),实验组网络使用得分显著低于对照组;实验组内干预前、后及6周追踪测试CIAS得分有显著差异(F=11.29,P＜0.01),对照组内3时间段CIAS得分无显著差异.结论 情志顺势团体辅导对大学生网络依赖有明显的干预效果.     

企业员工心理资本干预的实验研究

目的以Luthans建立的心理资本干预模型为基础，对企业员工的心理资本进行干预，考察干预的效果。方法采用实验组、对照组前后测实验设计，以修订以后的心理资本问卷和员工满意度问卷为测量工具。结果实验组（n=18）与对照组（n=20）的后测结果差异显著，实验组与对照组的前后测结果有显著差异，对前测结果进行控制的协方差分析也表明实验组与对照组的组间差异显著。结论研究设计的团体心理辅导方案是能够帮助企业员工提高心理资本的有效方法。     

Psychological functioning before predictive testing for Huntington's disease: the role of the parental disease, risk perception, and subjective proximity of the disease

BACKGROUND: Psychometric testing of participants in predictive DNA testing for Huntington's disease (HD) has shown that 15% of the subjects at risk for HD had at least mild depression or a high score for general anxiety or both in the pre-test period. The main aim of the study was the delineation of variables associated with pre-test distress of applicants for predictive testing for HD. Based on theoretical considerations, four specific hypotheses were tested regarding the role of (1) the test participant's age at the (perceived) parental onset of HD, (2) the affected parent's sex, (3) the perception of the risk for HD, and (4) the subjective proximity of the disease. Secondly, these four variables were used in multiple regression analyses to select the best predictors of pre- and post-test psychological functioning (one year after the test). Increasing the understanding of pre- and post-test distress is important for developing better counselling and support strategies for test applicants. METHODS: Data were collected by means of clinical interviews and psychometric questionnaires during the pre- and post-test (one year after the test) counselling sessions for predictive testing for HD. RESULTS: We found significant associations of the participant's age at the parental onset, the subjective proximity of the disease onset, and the perceived risk with pre-test psychometric measures of psychological functioning. Multiple regression analyses showed that the best predictors of pre-test functioning were the perceived proximity of the disease onset and its interaction with risk perception. Regarding post-test functioning, none of the proposed variables had a unique contribution beyond that accounted for by pre-test psychological functioning. CONCLUSIONS: Test participants who are close to the perceived age of onset of HD and who have a pessimistic risk perception should be given special attention during pre-test counselling because of their possible negative affective condition at that time. Pre-test psychological measures were the best predictors of post-test distress, irrespective of the test result. Suggestions for future longitudinal research are formulated. This kind of research should enable clinical geneticists and mental health professionals to refine the pre- and post-test counselling strategies for predictive DNA testing, not only for HD, but also for other incurable late onset disorders.     

The effects of scenario-based communication training on nurses’ communication competence and self-efficacy and myocardial infarction knowledge

Objective

The aim of the study was to determine the effects of a simulated communication training course on nurses’ communication competence, self-efficacy, communication performance, myocardial infarction knowledge, and general satisfaction with their learning experience.

Methods

A randomized controlled trial was conducted with a pre-test and two post-tests. The experimental group underwent simulated communication training course and the control group received a case-based communication training course.

Results

The experimental group made more significant improvement in competence and self-efficacy in communication from pre-test to the second post-test than the control group. Although both groups’ satisfaction with their learning experience significantly increased from the first post-test to the second post-test, the experimental group was found to be more satisfied with their learning experience than the control group. No significant differences in communication performance and myocardial infarction knowledge between the two groups were identified.

Conclusion

Scenario-based communication training can be more fully incorporated into in-service education for nurses to boost their competence and self-efficacy in communication and enhance their communication performance in myocardial infarction patient care.

Practice implications

Introduction of real-life communication scenarios through multimedia in communication education could make learners more motivated to practice communication, hence leading to improved communication capacity.     

Role of a graph in constructing situation models during learning from expository text: why do graphic aids facilitate learning?

This study investigated how graphic aids facilitate learning from text by examining what kinds of representations might be constructed when readers read either a text containing a line graph or the text only. Undergraduates (n=106) read a text concerning digitization. Then, they were asked what they had thought about while reading in order to examine whether they constructed graphical mental representations. Next, a comprehension test was administrated (pre-test). Next, they were shown either part of the text contained a line graph (graph group) or part of the text only (text group). Finally, the same test was administrated again (post-test). The results showed that when the readers had insufficient graphical representations, the graph group performed better on the post-test than on the pre-test, but text group did not. In contrast, when readers had elaborate graphical representations, there were no differences between the pre-test and the post-test for both groups. These findings suggest that graphic aids help readers to construct graphical representations, which might comprise the situation models that readers build for learning from text.     

An investigation of the effects of music on anxiety and pain perception in patients undergoing haemodialysis treatment

This study aimed to investigate the effects of preferred music listening on anxiety and pain perception in patients undergoing haemodialysis. A two group experimental design was used. Sixty people diagnosed with end stage renal failure undergoing haemodialysis treatment participated in this study. Preferred music listening was applied as an intervention. Anxiety and pain were measured pre-test and post-test. The control group scored significantly higher in state anxiety than the experimental group and experienced significantly higher pain intensity in post-test phase. Findings provide experimental evidence to support the effectiveness of preferred music listening in medical settings.     

校园心理剧促进小学一年级学生日常自立养成的实验研究

目的：探讨从日常自立入手制定的校园心理剧方案对小学一年级学生日常自立水平的影响。方法：采取6-12岁儿童自立行为问卷-日常自立分卷在长沙市某小学整群抽样2个班级施测,选取各班得分最低27%的儿童,以班为单位分别组成实验组（n=10）和控制组（n=10）,以校园心理剧的形式对实验组进行日常自立养成干预。结果：(1)实验组的后测得分和追踪测试得分显著高于前测得分（F=22.48, P<0.001）,控制组后测和追踪测试得分较前测得分也有显著提高（F=6.9, P<0.01）;(2)以前测分数为协变量,协方差分析结果发现,实验组的后测（F=20.94, P<0.001）及追踪测（F=4.74, P<0.05）结果均显著高于对照组。结论：以日常自立为主题的校园心理剧干预对小学一年级学生日常自立的发展有显著促进作用。     

大学生学习倦怠的综合干预效果分析

目的设计出一套心理教育、团体辅导和个别辅导相结合的综合干预方案,并考察其对学习倦怠的干预效果。方法对10名存在学习倦怠的大学生进行干预实验,采用李永鑫等的《大学生学习倦怠问卷》和自编《干预效果反馈表》对干预效果进行评估。结果实验组后测在情绪耗竭（t=2．465,P〈0．05）、成就感低（t=3．161,P〈0．05）上低于前测,追测在情绪耗竭（t=2．313,P〈0．05）、成就感低（t=2．555,P〈0．05）上低于前测;实验组与对照组在前测中不存在差异,但两组的后测在情绪耗竭（t=-2．422,P〈0．05）、成就感低（t=-2．746,P〈0．05）上,追测在情绪耗竭（t=-2．149,P〈0．05）、成就感低（t=-2．337,P〈0．05）上存在显著差异;被试对干预的主观评价较好。结论干预方案较为有效,但尚需改进和完善。     

Potentiating and fatiguing cortical reactions in a voluntary fatigue test of a human hand muscle

Fatigue-associated changes in the excitability of central motor mechanisms were investigated using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of the motor cortex. Test stimuli were applied before, during and after a voluntary fatigue test of the first dorsal interosseus muscle (FDI). Subjects were required to maintain 50% of their maximum voluntary force (MVC) for at least 2 min (1/2-MVC test) and electromyographic (EMG) reactions of FDI were measured with surface electrodes. Prior to the test, TMS pulses of 70% maximum output (about 1.4 T) produced muscle-evoked potentials (MEPs) of widely different amplitudes in different subjects, ranging from 13% to 55% of the maximum compound action potential (M-wave) evoked by ulnar nerve stimulation. During the test, MEPs of all subjects showed a potentiation; this effect was markedly greater in subjects with a small initial MEP. After the test, the differential degrees of contraction-evoked potentiation still influenced the MEP amplitudes; small pre-test MEPs showed a post-test net potentiation and larger pre-test MEPs showed a net post-test depression. The results underline that the net outcome of motor activation on motor cortex excitability, as studied with TMS, depends on a complex balance of fatiguing and potentiating effects.     

人际团体辅导对游戏成瘾大学生的干预效果

目的:探索以人际互动为主的团体辅导对电脑游戏成瘾大学生的干预效果。方法:按线索取样,对某大学17名游戏成瘾倾向严重的大学生进行团体干预,并与另外一所大学10名基线水平一致的个体进行对照,在实施团体辅导前后采用电脑游戏成瘾量表及多种情绪与认知问卷进行测量。结果:两组后测分数的协方差检验显示,在为期三周的人际团体辅导后,干预组电脑游戏成瘾量表得分低于对照组[(92.6±16.7)vs.(105.9±13.0)],也低于前测(98.9±16.4)(均P0.01)。团体辅导后,干预组抑郁、焦虑、人际自我负性认知得分均低于对照组[(6.4±7.9)vs.(13.5±5.6),(39.7±6.4)vs.(49.9±10.3),(15.1±4.3)vs.(19.9±3.0);均P0.01],而自尊量表得分高于对照组[(29.3±2.9)vs.(24.6±4.8),P0.01]。结论:以人际互动为主的团体辅导对游戏成瘾大学生具有积极的干预效果。     

Role of the inferior colliculus in the inhibition of acoustic startle in the rat

Fifteen rats were tested for amplitude reduction of the acoustic startle response using auditory and visual prestimuli. Eight subjects then received large lesions of the inferior colliculus, and the remaining subjects served as normal controls. All animals were reassessed on a post-test identical to the pre-test. In addition, all subjects were tested for latency reduction of startle using auditory prestimuli. There were no significant differences between groups on the pre-test for startle amplitude, visual amplitude reduction, or auditory amplitude reduction, nor did the control group differ significantly on these measures from pre-test to post-test. After surgery, the lesion group displayed a large, significant increase in startle amplitude. Auditory prestimuli were no longer effective in reducing startle amplitude in this group, but visual prestimuli still produced reliable amplitude reduction. Both groups displayed reliable latency reduction to auditory prestimuli; the groups were not significantly different from each other on this measure. These data support the proposition that the inferior colliculus is part of a neural circuit for startle amplitude reduction by auditory prestimuli.     

大学生积极心理资本干预的实验研究

目的:考察"贵州省大学生积极心理资本开发方案"对于提升大学生积极心理资本的效果。方法:采用实验组-对照组前测-后测实验设计,以积极心理资本量表作为测量工具。结果:1实验组一与对照组一、实验组二与对照组二的前测结果差异不显著;2实验组一与对照组一、实验组二与对照组二的后测结果差异显著,实验组一在积极心理资本及自我效能、希望、乐观3个维度(t=10.279,5.962,3.177,2.165;P0.05)显著高于对照组一,实验组二在积极心理资本及自我效能、希望、乐观(t=5.354,4.067,4.232,4.426;P0.001)3个维度显著高于对照组二;3实验组对照组前后测结果增量差异显著,实验组一在积极心理资本及自我效能(t=13.04,4.70;P0.001)维度的增量显著高于对照组一,实验组二在积极心理资本及自我效能、希望、乐观(t=7.12,3.75,5.27,4.04;P0.01)3个维度的增量显著高于对照组二;4将前测结果作为协变量进行的方差分析结果表明,实验组一与对照组一、实验组二与对照组二的组间差异显著,其中实验组一在积极心理资本及自我效能、希望、乐观(F=309.87,35.97;P0.001;F=9.43,P0.01;F=4.56,P0.05)3个维度显著高于对照组一,实验组二在积极心理资本及自我效能、希望、乐观(F=49.27,17.20,24.57,22.04;P0.001)3个维度显著高于对照组二。结论:研究设计的"贵州省大学生积极心理资本开发方案"对提升贵州省大学生积极心理资本水平有显著效果。     

小组心理辅导对初中生学习潜能开发的实验研究

目的探讨小组辅导对激发学生学习潜能及提高学生学业成绩的影响。方法将10名学业不良的初二学生作为实验组进行14次的小组辅导,将同质的10名学生作为对照组,采用一般效能感量表、考试焦虑量表、自我和谐量表在辅导前后对两组进行评定,并收集组员完成自我报告。结果①小组辅导后,实验组与对照组学生的学业成绩存在显著性差异(t=3.20,P<0.01);②实验组与对照组学生自我和谐水平在前、后测变化上差异显著(t=-2.17,P<0.01);③实验组学生的自我效能整体上呈上升趋势,对照组学生的一般自我效能整体上保持不变。结论小组辅导是一种行之有效的学校心理辅导模式,它可以改善学生的心理健康水平,激发学生的学习潜能进而改善学生学业发展的停滞状态。     

基于社会信息加工模型的团体干预对孤独症谱系障碍儿童社交能力的影响

目的：以社会信息加工(SIP)情绪-认知整合模型为理论依据,设计适用于改善孤独症谱系障碍(ASD)儿童社交能力的团体干预项目,并对其效果进行即时和短期追踪评估。方法：49名4～10岁孤独症谱系障碍(ASD)儿童被随机分为干预组和对照组,两组同时接受常规康复训练,干预组在此基础上给予每周3次,每次1.5小时,共计18次的团体训练,采用《社交反应量表》评估。结果：训练结束后,干预组社交反应后测及追踪测得分均显著低于前测,后测与追踪测差异不显著,对照组三次测量差异均不显著。干预组的社交能力得到提升,各项指标追踪效果能够有效保持,在社交沟通和ASD行为方式上,追踪阶段还有进步。结论：基于SIP情绪-认知整合模型的团体干预项目能够有效改善ASD儿童的社交能力。     

Testing the physician's knowledge of antibiotic use: Self-assessment and learning via videotape.

Because recent reports suggest that physicians in the United States do not use antimicrobial agents properly, we analyzed scores for the first 4513 physicians viewing the National Antibiotic Therapy Test, a nationally televised self-assessment test on the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases. The 75-minute videotape test, produced by the Network for Continuing Medical Education, contained three section: a 10-question pre-test, a 25-question teaching test, and a 15-question post-test. Scores were tabulated according to the specialty, years in practice, and volume of patients seen. The mean correct score was 68 per cent for all 50 questions, 55 per cent for the 10 pre-test questions, and 71 per cent for the 15 post-test questions. Physicians in practice for one to five years, residents and internists scored better than other subgroups. Answers to questions indicated deficiencies of knowledge and the need for further postgraduate education in the use of antibiotics.     

Immediate and delayed after-effects of long lasting mentally demanding work

This study investigates the hypothesis that long lasting mental work demands are reflected in after-effects on attention demanding post-test probe tasks. Sixteen subjects were engaged in 2 simulated workdays consisting of mentally demanding tasks. On the difficult day the afternoon consisted of highly demanding information processing tasks; on the easy day the demands during the afternoon were low. The mornings of both days were equally demanding. At the start (pre-test) and the end (post-test) of both days, after 5 min (immediate post-test) as well as after approximately 2 h of recuperation (delayed post-test), a probe task was carried out. A memory-search task (varied mapping) is used as probe task. After-effects were expected in terms of a shift in the ratio between performance and effort on the post-test probe tasks compared with the pre-test probe task. Performance measures were reaction time and errors; effort was indicated by heart rate variability in the 0.07-0. 14 Hz band, referred to as 0.1 Hz component. Dayload manipulation appeared to be effective because of the load-related differences between the urinary excretion rates of adrenaline during both afternoons. Compared with the pre-test, only the number of errors was significantly increased in the post-test, carried out immediately at the end of the difficult afternoon. However, compared with the easy day, in the delayed post-test probe task after the difficult day, subjects tended to shorten reaction times, made significantly more errors, and invested significantly less effort. Moreover, at that time they felt more fatigued and deactivated as indicated by the results of the 'Scale of Experienced Load' (SEB) (fatigue) and 'Groninger Adjective Checklist' (GACL) (mood) questionnaires. The observed shift towards low-effort, more 'risky' task strategies in the post-tests fits well with Hockey's (1993) fatigue after-effects degradation pattern expected after periods of high workload. The repeated measurement of the relation of performance, effort and feelings reveals the dynamics of the pattern of fatigue after-effects over the (recovery) time.     

Understanding and retention of the informed consent process among parents in rural northern Ghana

Background

In Nigeria, as in other developing countries, access to training in research ethics is limited, due to weak social, economic, and health infrastructure. The project described in this article was designed to develop the capacity of academic staff of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria to conduct ethically acceptable research involving human participants.

Methods

Three in-depth interviews and one focus group discussion were conducted to assess the training needs of participants. A research ethics training workshop was then conducted with College of Medicine faculty. A 23-item questionnaire that assessed knowledge of research ethics, application of principles of ethics, operations of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and ethics reasoning was developed to be a pre-post test evaluation of the training workshop. Ninety-seven workshop participants completed the questionnaire before and after the workshop; 59 of them completed a second post-test questionnaire one month after the workshop.

Results

The trainees came from a multi-disciplinary background including medicine, nursing, pharmacy, social science and laboratory science. The mean scores for knowledge of the principles of research ethics rose from 0.67 out of 3 points at pre-test to 2.25 at post-test (p < 0.05). Also, 42% correctly mentioned one international guideline or regulation at pretest, with most of those knowing of the Declaration of Helsinki. Trainees' knowledge of the operations of an IRB increased from 6.05 at pre-test to 6.29 at post test out of 7 points. Overall, participants retained much of the knowledge acquired from the workshop one month after its completion.

Conclusion

The training improved participants' knowledge of principles of research ethics, international guidelines and regulations and operations of IRBs. It thus provided an opportunity for research ethics capacity development among academic staff in a developing country institution.