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Evaluation of an approach-avoidance training intervention for children and adolescents with obesity
(2018)
This study evaluated the efficacy of approach-avoidance training as an additional treatment for children and adolescents with obesity seeking inpatient treatment. Two hundred thirty-two participants (8-16years, 53.9% girls) were randomly assigned either to multisession approach-avoidance (IG) or to placebo training (CG). As outcomes, cognitive biases post intervention, body mass index, eating behaviour, food intake, self-regulation, and weight-related quality of life were assessed, also at 6- and 12-month follow-up. Modification of approach-avoidance bias was observed, but lacked in transfer over sessions and in generalization to attention and association bias. After 6months, the IG reported less problematic food consumption, higher self-regulation, and higher quality of life; effects did not persist until the 12-month follow-up; no significant interaction effects were observed regarding weight course. Despite there was no direct effect on weight course, approach-avoidance training seems to be associated with promising effects on important pillars for weight loss. Further research concerning clinical effectiveness is warranted.
Web-based bereavement care
(2020)
Background:
Web-based interventions have been introduced as novel and effective treatments for mental disorders and, in recent years, specifically for the bereaved. However, a systematic summary of the effectiveness of online interventions for people experiencing bereavement is still missing.
Objective:
A systematic literature search was conducted by four reviewers who reviewed and meta-analytically summarized the evidence for web-based interventions for bereaved people.
Methods:
Systematic searches (PubMed, Web of Science, PsycInfo, PsycArticles, Medline, and CINAHL) resulted in seven randomized controlled trials (N= 1,257) that addressed adults having experienced bereavement using internet-based interventions. We used random effects models to summarize treatment effects for between-group comparisons (treatmentvs.control at post) and stability over time (postvs.follow-up).
Results:
All web-based interventions were based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). In comparison with control groups, the interventions showed moderate (g= .54) to large effects (g= .86) for symptoms of grief and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), respectively. The effect for depression was small (g= .44). All effects were stable over time. A higher number of treatment sessions achieved higher effects for grief symptoms and more individual feedback increased effects for depression. Other moderators (i.e.dropout rate, time since loss, exposure) did not significantly reduce moderate degrees of heterogeneity between the studies.
Limitations:
The number of includable studies was low in this review resulting to lower power for moderator analyses in particular.
Conclusions:
Overall, the results of web-based bereavement interventions are promising, and its low-threshold approach might reduce barriers to bereavement care. Nonetheless, future research should further examine potential moderators and specific treatment components (e.g.exposure, feedback) and compare interventions with active controls.
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 50years 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 M-1=2.47 to M-2=2.28, d(Cohen)=-.22), the WAG led to the improvement of perceived work-coping over the intervention course (from M-1=2.47 to M-6=2.65, d(Cohen)=.18). In contrast, participants from the RG reported lower work-coping after six group sessions (from M-1=2.26 to M-6=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.
This article presents the design and a first pilot evaluation of the computer-based training program Calcularis for children with developmental dyscalculia (DD) or difficulties in learning mathematics. The program has been designed according to insights on the typical and atypical development of mathematical abilities. The learning process is supported through multimodal cues, which encode different properties of numbers. To offer optimal learning conditions, a user model completes the program and allows flexible adaptation to a child's individual learning and knowledge profile. Thirty-two children with difficulties in learning mathematics completed the 6-12-weeks computer training. The children played the game for 20 min per day for 5 days a week. The training effects were evaluated using neuropsychological tests. Generally, children benefited significantly from the training regarding number representation and arithmetic operations. Furthermore, children liked to play with the program and reported that the training improved their mathematical abilities.
Objective: This study examined the sustained efficacy of a media violence intervention in reducing media violence use, normative acceptance of aggression, and aggressive behavior in adolescents. It used an experimental design to evaluate the effects of the intervention over a period of 30 months. Method: N = 627 German 7th and 8th graders were assigned to a 5-week school-based intervention to reduce media violence use or to a no-intervention control group. Media violence use, normative acceptance of aggression, and aggressive behavior were measured 3 months before the intervention (T1), 7 months post intervention (T2), and at 2 follow-ups 18 (T3) and 30 (T4) months after the intervention. This article focuses on the findings from the 2 follow-ups. Results: Controlling for baseline levels and various demographic covariates, media violence use at T2, T3, and T4 and self-reported physical aggression at T3 were significantly lower in the intervention group, and the indirect path from the intervention to T3 aggression via T2 media violence use was significant. Lower T2 media violence use predicted lower T3 normative acceptance of aggression among participants with lower initial aggression. No effects on nonviolent media use and relational aggression were observed. Conclusion: The findings show that a short class-based intervention can produce lasting changes in media violence use that are linked to a decrease in aggression.
We examined whether German adolescents who participated in an adapted 8-week school-based intervention, the Identity Project, reported greater changes in heritage and global identities and perceptions of classroom cultural climate. We used a longitudinal, wait-list control design pooling eight classrooms across the school years of 2018-2019 and 2019-2020. The sample included 195 seventh graders (M-age = 12.35 years, SD =.79, 39% female, 83% of migration background). Findings showed moderate support for more heritage identity exploration and greater perceptions of unequal treatment and critical consciousness climate in the intervention group. There were also important differences across conditions regarding how identity and climate related to adolescent outcomes. We conclude that the Identity Project can be adapted and applied in other cultural contexts such as Germany. It provides a necessary space for adolescents to engage in discussions about diversity, cultural heritage, social inequities, and their relevance to one's identities.
We examined whether German adolescents who participated in an adapted 8-week school-based intervention, the Identity Project, reported greater changes in heritage and global identities and perceptions of classroom cultural climate. We used a longitudinal, wait-list control design pooling eight classrooms across the school years of 2018-2019 and 2019-2020. The sample included 195 seventh graders (M-age = 12.35 years, SD =.79, 39% female, 83% of migration background). Findings showed moderate support for more heritage identity exploration and greater perceptions of unequal treatment and critical consciousness climate in the intervention group. There were also important differences across conditions regarding how identity and climate related to adolescent outcomes. We conclude that the Identity Project can be adapted and applied in other cultural contexts such as Germany. It provides a necessary space for adolescents to engage in discussions about diversity, cultural heritage, social inequities, and their relevance to one's identities.
Bullying ist eine Form wiederholten, aggressiven Verhaltens mit ernstzunehmenden Auswirkungen, unter denen Täter und Opfer häufig lange nach Ende des Bullying-Geschehens leiden. Dennoch ist die Therapie von Bullying und den damit einhergehenden Folgen ein bisher in der Forschung vernachlässigtes Thema. Im Rahmen eines systematischen Literaturüberblicks wurde daher untersucht, welche Therapieformen zur Behandlung von Bullying und dessen Folgen bei Opfern und bei Tätern bereits angewendet wurden. Eine systematische Suche in nationalen und internationalen Datenbanken führte zu 31 relevanten Publikationen, in denen 34 therapeutische Interventionen aus über 14 Ländern beschrieben wurden. In zehn Therapiestudien mit kontrolliertem Design zeigte sich, dass Behandlungsangebote, die sich sowohl an die betroffenen Personen als auch an ihr soziales Umfeld richten, besonders effektiv in der Behandlung von Bullying-Folgen sind. Die restlichen 24 Behandlungsansätze wurden keiner kontrollierten Evaluation unterzogen. Insgesamt zwei Drittel aller therapeutischen Interventionen wenden sich an die Gruppe der Opfer. Hier wird im Unterschied zur Behandlung von Tätern verstärkt auf Gruppentherapien zurückgegriffen. Unter der Bandbreite an Ansätzen ist die kognitive Verhaltenstherapie am häufigsten vertreten. Festzustellen bleibt ein Forschungsmangel an evidenzbasierten, gezielten Interventionen zur Behandlung von Bullying und dessen Folgen bei Opfern und Tätern. Unseres Wissens stellt diese Arbeit den ersten systematischen Überblick zu therapeutischen Interventionen bei Bullying für Kinder und Jugendliche dar.
Aufgrund verschiedener wissenschaftlicher Erkenntnisse wird jungen Sporttreibenden vom Gebrauch von Nahrungsergänzungsmitteln (NEM) abgeraten. Diese Dissertation verfolgt vor dem Hintergrund der Theorie der Zielsysteme (TDZ) das Ziel der Erstellung anwendungsorientieren Handlungswissens, anhand dessen Interventionsempfehlungen zur Reduzierung des prävalenten NEM-Konsums im Nachwuchssport ableitbar sind. Insgesamt wurden sechs Untersuchungen durchgeführt. Die Versuchsteilnehmenden absolvierten in sämtlichen Studien eine Variante der lexikalischen Entscheidungsaufgabe. Diese Aufgabe diente der Operationalisierung von automatisch aktivier- und abrufbaren nahrungsergänzungsmittelbezogenen Ziel-Mittel-Relationen.
In einer Stichprobe von Sportstudierenden zeigte sich, dass NEM mit dem Ziel Leistung assoziiert sind (Studie 1). Unter Berücksichtigung des NEM-Konsums wurde dieses Ergebnis für Nachwuchsathletinnen und -athleten aus dem Breitensport repliziert (Studie 2). Zusätzlich konnte in beiden Studien die Bedeutung dieser Ziel-Mittel-Relationen für das Verhalten nachgewiesen werden. In den nachfolgenden Untersuchungen wurden spezifische Veränderungsmechanismen der verhaltensleitenden Ziel-Mittel-Relation aus Leistung und NEM zunächst an Sportstudierenden experimentell evaluiert. Durch das Herausstellen der fehlenden leistungssteigernden Wirkung von NEM konnte diese Zielassoziation nicht modifiziert werden (Studie 3). Das Betonen gesundheitsschädigender Konsequenzen (Studie 4) und das Akzentuieren einer gesunden Ernährung (Studie 5) erwiesen sich demgegenüber als geeignet zur Veränderung der Ziel-Mittel-Relation. Das Herausstellen einer gesunden Ernährung führte deskriptiv bei Nachwuchsathletinnen und -athleten ebenfalls zur Modifikation der Zielassoziation (Studie 6). Die inferenzstatistische Bestätigung der Ergebnisse dieser Studie steht aufgrund der geringen Teststärke der Untersuchung noch aus.
Insgesamt verdeutlichen die Ergebnisse, dass die auf Ebene automatischer Kognitionen bestehende und verhaltensleitende Assoziation des Gebrauchs von NEM mit Leistung durch die Akzentuierung gesundheitlicher Perspektiven experimentell verändert werden kann. Abschließend wird die theoretische und praktische Bedeutung des erstellten Handlungswissen für künftige Interventionsempfehlungen zur Reduzierung des Gebrauchs von NEM diskutiert.