Attendance Patterns Research Articles

Types and correlates of school non-attendance in students with autism spectrum disorders

School non-attendance in autism spectrum disorders has received very little attention to date. The study aimed to provide a comprehensive description of school non-attendance in students with autism spectrum disorders. Through an online survey, parents of 486 children (mean age: 11 years) reported on school attendance over 1 month and reasons for instances of non-attendance. On average, students missed 5 days of school of a possible 23 days. Persistent non-attendance (absent on 10%+ of available sessions) occurred among 43% of students. School non-attendance was associated with child older age, not living in a two-parent household, parental unemployment and, especially, attending a mainstream school. School refusal accounted for 43% of non-attendance. School exclusion and school withdrawal each accounted for 9% of absences. Truancy was almost non-existent. Non-problematic absenteeism (mostly related to medical appointments and illness) accounted for 32% of absences. Non-problematic absenteeism was more likely among those with intellectual disability, school refusal was more likely among older students and school exclusion was more likely among students from single-parent, unemployed and well-educated households. Findings suggest that school non-attendance in autism spectrum disorders is a significant issue, and that it is important to capture detail about attendance patterns and reasons for school non-attendance.Lay abstractOur study aimed to describe school non-attendance in students with autism. We conducted an online survey. Parents of 486 students (mean age: 11 years) indicated which days their child had missed school (over a period of 1 month). If the child had missed a day, the parent was asked to select a reason from a list of 15 possible reasons (this is a measure of types of school non-attendance called SNACK (School Non-Attendance ChecKlist; Heyne et al., 2019)). On average, students missed 5 days of school of a possible 23 days. Missing over 10% of school is known as persistent absence, and in our study, 43% of students experienced persistent absence. Older students, who attended mainstream schools, who did not live in a two-parent household and whose caregiver was unemployed were more likely to miss school. Looking at the reasons for absence, school refusal was the most frequent reason, accounting for 43% of absences. Nine percent of absence was due to school exclusion. Nine percent of absence was due to school withdrawal. Truancy was almost non-existent. A final reason describes non-problematic absence that is mostly due to medical appointments and illness. This type of absence accounted for 32% of absences in our study, and it was more likely in student with intellectual disability. School refusal was more likely among older students. School exclusion was more likely among students from single-parent, unemployed and well-educated households. Findings from this study help us to understand better the difficulties students with autism experience attending school.

Factors influencing Cinnamon Teal nest attendance patterns

Patterns of nest attendance in birds result from complex behaviours and influence the success of reproductive events. Incubation behaviours vary based on individual body condition, energy requirements and environmental factors. We assessed nest attendance patterns in Cinnamon Teal Spatula cyanoptera breeding in the San Luis Valley of Colorado in 2016–2017 using trail and video cameras to observe behaviours throughout incubation. We evaluated the effect of temporal, life‐history and environmental covariates on the frequency and duration of incubation recesses as well as the incubation constancy. There was considerable model uncertainty among the models used to evaluate recess frequency. Recess duration varied according to the interaction between nest age and a quadratic effect of time of day, with hens on older nests taking longer recesses in the afternoon and hens on nests earlier in incubation taking longer recesses in the morning and evening. Incubation constancy decreased with higher ambient temperatures in the study area. This study provides evidence that Cinnamon Teal modify their behaviour during incubation according to the age of the nest and the time of day. These results improve our knowledge of Cinnamon Teal breeding ecology and shed light on the behaviours that fast‐lived species may use to cope with environmental factors during nesting.

Identifying overlapping terrorist cells from the Noordin Top actor–event network

Actor–event data are common in sociological settings, whereby one registers the pattern of attendance of a group of social actors to a number of events. We focus on 79 members of the Noordin Top terrorist network, who were monitored attending 45 events. The attendance or nonattendance of the terrorist to events defines the social fabric, such as group coherence and social communities. The aim of the analysis of such data is to learn about the affiliation structure. Actor–event data is often transformed to actor–actor data in order to be further analysed by network models, such as stochastic block models. This transformation and such analyses lead to a natural loss of information, particularly when one is interested in identifying, possibly overlapping, subgroups or communities of actors on the basis of their attendances to events. In this paper we propose an actor–event model for overlapping communities of terrorists which simplifies interpretation of the network. We propose a mixture model with overlapping clusters for the analysis of the binary actor–event network data, called $\mathtt{manet}$, and develop a Bayesian procedure for inference. After a simulation study, we show how this analysis of the terrorist network has clear interpretative advantages over the more traditional approaches of affiliation network analysis.

Exploring modes of lecturing as a teaching method in higher education: Student attendance, preference and motivation

This paper presents the findings of a large-scale study conducted at an Australian metropolitan university, which seeks to compare attendance in different modes of lecture delivery and student preference and motivation for attendance. The research design collected data for three different teaching methods - on-campus lectures, live streaming utility and lecture recordings via lecture capture. The study addresses the broader question of the value students place on the modes of lecturing, as indicated by their attendance patterns, usage of lecture recordings, and preferences and motivations for the same. Overall, the study confirms the student preference for flexibility when accessing or attending lectures, with those choosing both on-campus and live streaming lecture delivery, also having a strong preference for using recorded lectures. Implications of findings of the study which was conducted pre-COVID-19 extend to a post-coronavirus world as well with implications for infrastructure and resource planning for universities with changing student demographics and flexibility requirements and challenges brought on by a global health and economic crises.

Nimble, Together: A Training Program's Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Nimble, Together: A Training Program's Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Utilization of dental services among low and middle income pregnant, post-partum and six-month post-partum women

BackgroundThis study aims to explore the difference in the utilization pattern of dental services among pregnant, post-partum and six-month post-partum women.MethodsThis cross-sectional questionnaire survey was performed at two maternity and child care hospitals in India that primarily cater to middle and low income communities. Data were collected from 3 groups: 1) pregnant women in their first trimester; 2) post-partum women (< 48 h after delivery); and 3) six-month post-partum women. The primary outcome of interest was dental service utilization during pregnancy. Self-perceived oral health (SPOH) was calculated based on the four global dimensions- knowledge, function, quality of life and social. Multiple logistic regression analysis was carried out to assess the effect of each independent variable after adjustment for the effect of all other variables in the model.ResultsResponses of 450 (150 pregnant, 150 post-partum and 150 six-month post-partum) women were analyzed (response rate = 72%). Significant differences in the dental attendance pattern was observed between the study groups (p < 0.01). Dental attendance among pregnant and six-month post-partum women were 60 and 75%, respectively, however, only about 15% of the post-partum women reported to have sought dental care within the 6 months prior to the study. Post-partum women had the highest SPOH scores, indicating poor self-perceived oral health, followed by pregnant and then six-month post-partum women, which was statistically significant (p < 0.05). A significantly higher percentage of post-partum women reported to have poor oral and general health, as compared to both, pregnant and six-month post-partum women (p < 0.01). Higher percentage of women reporting ‘good’ oral and general health had sought dental care compared with others (p < 0.01). After adjusting for all the other variables in the model, women with lower levels of education (ORa = 1.42; 95% CI: 1.01–2.00), women with poor self-perceived oral health (ORa = 1.08; 95% CI: 1.02–1.14) and post-partum women (ORa = 0.15; 95% CI: 0.09–0.24) were found to be less likely to seek regular dental care.ConclusionPattern of dental service utilization among women in this population varied according to their pregnancy status, level of education and self-perceived oral health.

Music Therapy by Analyzing EEG Signals

The role emotions play in our life is inevitable right from the way we interact with other humans, in our decision-making process and even in the way we see the people around us. In this technological world, human computer interaction is almost everywhere. Right from fingerprint access in our mobile phones to face recognition- based attendance patterns at work places, human computer interaction has formed a strong base in day-today activities of human life. In such human computer interaction, EEG has gathered attention since it can provide simple, cheap, precise methods of emotion recognition. In this proposed work, a Music app is created which plays songs based on the emotion recognized from the given EEG signal. In MATLAB, the trained EEG signals are given and it is further processed to extract the features. The extracted features are classified to find the emotion and the result is sent to the music app. The music app which contains the playlist plays accordingly.

Sex-on-premise venues, associated risk behaviors, and attitudes toward venue-based HIV testing among men who have sex with men in Lima, Per\xfa

BackgroundIn Perú, HIV disproportionately affects men who have sex with men (MSM). Despite widespread access to treatment, the high rate of new HIV infections has remained unchanged over the last decade. Low knowledge of HIV status associated with late diagnosis is a key factor underlying the high HIV incidence observed in this setting, creating conditions for efficient onward transmission. Improving access to HIV testing and prevention services for those at highest risk is an important public health priority. Sex-on-premise venues (SOPVs) – saunas, sex clubs, pornographic movie theaters, hourly hotels, and bars/discos with areas where sex is permitted – may be opportune sites for outreach; however, further research on SOPVs and the populations who frequent them is needed to inform such efforts.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional online survey of adult MSM in Lima, Perú to evaluate patterns of SOPV attendance, associated sexual risk behaviors, and attitudes toward SOPV-based interventions. Participants were recruited through outreach to social media networks affiliated with local LGBTQ-aligned community groups. Our primary analytic objective was to estimate the association of HIV-related sexual risk behaviors and SOPV attendance. Additionally, we performed exploratory analyses to describe risk behavior stratified by SOPV category and to examine the relationship between SOPV attendance and the use of online platforms to meet sex partners.ResultsOverall, 389 MSM completed the survey from November 2018 through May 2019, of whom 68% reported attending an SOPV in the last 3 months. SOPV attendance was associated with multiple sexual risk behaviors, including transactional sex, group sex, substance use around the time of sex, and higher number of partners. Over two thirds of SOPV attendees indicated they would accept HIV testing if offered at SOPVs.ConclusionsSOPV attendance was common among MSM in Lima who participated in our survey, and SOPV attendees reported significantly greater engagement in sexual risk behaviors related to HIV transmission. Attitudes toward hypothetical SOPV-based interventions were generally favorable. These findings suggest that outreach at SOPVs may be an effective mechanism for reaching a particularly high-risk sub-population of MSM in Perú to deliver targeted HIV testing and prevention interventions.

Feasibility and Patient Experiences of Method of Levels Therapy in an Acute Mental Health Inpatient Setting

This study sought to investigate the feasibility and acceptability of a flexible psychotherapeutic approach – the Method of Levels (MOL) – in an acute mental health inpatient setting. A multi methods approach was used. The feasibility of implementation was investigated by examining the referral rate and the attendance patterns of participants. The acceptability of MOL was explored using a thematic analysis of participant interviews and by recording attendance patterns of participants. Inpatient staff consistently referred patients and the majority of eligible people accepted invitations for therapy. Thematic analysis of peoples’ experiences of the therapy generated themes that described participants’ experiences of MOL in contrast to routine NHS care, having spent meaningful time with the therapist, and having gained something from the session. The referral rate and uptake of MOL therapy indicates that the resource was appropriate for the setting and acceptable to most participants. Qualitative analyses indicated that participants were comfortable with the therapists’ approach, felt understood, and there was a meaningful quality to their interaction. Participants also valued the opportunity to reflect and generate new perspectives of their difficulties. Further research is required to determine the effectiveness of the approach and its translational value beyond this pilot investigation.

Patterns of Student Treatment Attendance and Dropout in an Urban School-Based Mental Health Program

Baltimore City Public Schools’ school-based mental health program sought to reduce barriers to treatment for students by providing on-site mental health care. This study examines differences in treatment attendance, dropout, and pharmacologic referral among students enrolled in the Johns Hopkins affiliated program. Enrolled student records for SY2015–2016 and SY2016–2017 (N = 655) were analyzed. Latent class analyses (LCAs) identified classes of youth who varied in demographic and clinical characteristics, and differences in treatment outcomes by class were examined. LCAs identified three classes: one with higher probability of being male, Black, in elementary/middle school, and with externalizing symptoms (33%), one with higher probability of being female, Black, in high school, and with internalizing symptoms or adjustment problems (34%), and one with higher probability of being male, ethnically diverse, in elementary/middle school, and with equal probability of having or not having externalizing symptoms (33%). Classes differed significantly in their likelihood of receiving a psychiatrist visit during treatment (χ2 = 10.7, p = .01), with younger classes more likely to receive psychiatric visits than the older class. No class had fewer than 50% of students attending more than 20 sessions. However, classes differed in achieving high treatment attendance (χ2 = 9.6, p = .01), with both younger classes more likely to exceed 20 visits than the older class of students. The older class of students was more likely to refuse treatment once it was initiated (χ2 = 7.1, p = .03). Overall, the ESMH delivery-of-care model studied showed great promise in retaining vulnerable students in treatment, though older students are more likely to stop treatment and questions remain about the clinical benefit of so many students remaining in treatment for such a prolonged period of time.

Developing a passive acoustic monitoring technique for Australia’s most numerous seabird, the Short-tailed Shearwater (Ardenna tenuirostris)

ABSTRACT Establishing appropriate conservation management objectives and actions for seabirds requires timely detection of changes in their populations. However, obtaining regular accurate measures of seabird population size and trends can be difficult due to logistical and financial constraints in accessing remote breeding sites. The Short-tailed Shearwater (Ardenna tenuirostris) is a wide-ranging, burrow-nesting Procellariiform with an estimated breeding population size of ca 23 million individuals. Despite its ecological significance, there is currently limited monitoring of the species. In the present study, eight acoustic data loggers were deployed across six sites over two breeding seasons to assess the efficacy of acoustic monitoring. Five acoustic indices were used to investigate vocal activity over the breeding season, detect phenology events, and to determine the most accurate period to assess the density of occupied nests. The general pattern over the breeding season was similar for several of the acoustic indices and reflected colony attendance patterns. Linear regressions fitted to the normalised difference soundscape index values and density of occupied nests (burrows·m−2) revealed significant relationships in both the incubation and chick-rearing. The results suggest that passive acoustic monitoring could be used as an effective method to predict nesting density in Short-tailed Shearwater breeding colonies. Used in conjunction with information on the breeding colony area, this could enable regular estimates of colony population size. Such information is crucial for the early detection of population trajectory changes. The method may also be applicable for other burrow- or surface-nesting seabirds for which regular wide-spread monitoring currently proves difficult.

Configurations of gentrification and displacement: chronic displacement as an effect of redevelopment in Seoul, South Korea

ABSTRACT Over the past two decades, gentrification scholarship has expanded to include larger and more diverse processes. At the same time, definitions of residential displacement have expanded from direct economic and physical displacement to include indirect price shadowing and the loss of a sense of place. These developments have complicated how scholars understand the relationship between gentrification and displacement, particularly as they apply to diverse gentrification processes. The paper uses metropolitan-scale redevelopment in Seoul and its attendant displacement patterns to interrogate this relationship. Analyses of the regulatory regimes, agents of change, and social geographies of redevelopment are combined with survey and interview data from displaced residents to demonstrate the relationship between metropolitan-scale redevelopment and the process of repeat and chronic displacement in Seoul. To more effectively conceptualize gentrification’s displacement impacts, more attention must be paid to investigating the complex relationship between varying development processes and the displacement they engender.

Characterizing attendance patterns at a multidisciplinary pediatric obesity clinic

ABSTRACTParticipants (N = 1050; ages 1–19) were from a multidisciplinary pediatric obesity clinic. There were no significant associations between patient characteristics and attrition from the initial visit to the first follow-up. Multiple linear regressions revealed race and the approximate distance traveled to the clinic was associated with the number of days elapsed between the initial visit and first follow-up, with a small effect size (such that Black/African American children and youth returned to the clinic later; individuals living farther away returned sooner). Days elapsed between the initial visit and first follow-up were associated with the rate of later clinic visits, with moderate effect size.

Perceived stigma and school attendance among children and adolescents with epilepsy in South Western Uganda.

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that has a high worldwide prevalence with eighty percent of the global burden being in low and middle-income countries. There is a high level of perceived stigma among children and adolescents with epilepsy, which has severe debilitating effects and affects school attendance. To assess the effect of perceived stigma on school attendance patterns among children and adolescents with epilepsy. We conducted a cross sectional study among 191 children and adolescents aged from 6-18 years with epilepsy at one large semi-urban hospital and a small rural health center in SouthWestern Uganda. Epilepsy-related perceived stigma was measured using the adapted Kilifi Stigma Scale of Epilepsy and school attendance patterns were assessed using a piloted investigator-designed questionnaire. Children with high-perceived stigma were more likely to have never attended school (13.8%) or started school late (average age 5.7 years) compared to those with low-perceived stigma (average age 4.9 years). Additionally, those with high epilepsy-related perceived stigma repeated classes 2.5 times more compared to those with low-perceived stigma. These preliminary findings suggest correlation between high-perceived stigma and disrupted school attendance patterns among children and adolescents with epilepsy, hence the need to address this social challenge.

Little auks under the midnight sun: diel activity rhythm of a small diving seabird during the Arctic summer

Many animal species exhibit a diel, 24-hr pattern of activity, which is steered by timing cues, with the daily light–dark cycle considered the most powerful. This cue, however, is reduced in polar zones under continuous daylight conditions associated with the midnight sun. The rhythm of animal behaviour under such conditions is poorly understood. Here, we examine periodicity and patterns of daily activity (colony attendance and foraging) in a High-Arctic seabird, the little auk (Alle alle). We demonstrated a regular rhythm of colony attendance at the population level, with birds being the most abundant in the colony during hours of relatively low sun elevation. This pattern is likely to be associated with predation pressure that may be perceived by birds as lower during hours with low sun elevation, because of better predator detectability. Regarding rhythms at an individual level, however, we found the most common periodicity to be 23.2 hr (range from 19.9 hr to 30.8 hr) but no clear pattern of daily colony attendance of individuals. Such a flexibility in daily rhythms indicates that individuals may become arrhythmic in regard to the 24-hr environmental cycle, despite regularities observed at the population level. Finally, we compared males and females in terms of daily activity patterns but we did not find significant sex differences.

Little auks under the midnight sun: diel activity rhythm of a small diving seabird during the Arctic summer

Many animal species exhibit a diel, 24-hr pattern of activity, which is steered by timing cues, with the daily light–dark cycle considered the most powerful. This cue, however, is reduced in polar zones under continuous daylight conditions associated with the midnight sun. The rhythm of animal behaviour under such conditions is poorly understood. Here, we examine periodicity and patterns of daily activity (colony attendance and foraging) in a High-Arctic seabird, the little auk (Alle alle). We demonstrated a regular rhythm of colony attendance at the population level, with birds being the most abundant in the colony during hours of relatively low sun elevation. This pattern is likely to be associated with predation pressure that may be perceived by birds as lower during hours with low sun elevation, because of better predator detectability. Regarding rhythms at an individual level, however, we found the most common periodicity to be 23.2 hr (range from 19.9 hr to 30.8 hr) but no clear pattern of daily colony attendance of individuals. Such a flexibility in daily rhythms indicates that individuals may become arrhythmic in regard to the 24-hr environmental cycle, despite regularities observed at the population level. Finally, we compared males and females in terms of daily activity patterns but we did not find significant sex differences.

GPs' role in caring for children and young people with life-limiting conditions: a retrospective cohort study.

BackgroundGPs are rarely actively involved in healthcare provision for children and young people (CYP) with life-limiting conditions (LLCs). This raises problems when these children develop minor illness or require management of other chronic diseases.AimTo investigate the association between GP attendance patterns and hospital urgent and emergency care use.Design and settingRetrospective cohort study using a primary care data source (Clinical Practice Research Datalink) in England. The cohort numbered 19 888.MethodCYP aged 0–25 years with an LLC were identified using Read codes (primary care) or International Classification of Diseases 10 th Revision (ICD-10) codes (secondary care). Emergency inpatient admissions and accident and emergency (A&E) attendances were separately analysed using multivariable, two-level random intercept negative binomial models with key variables of consistency and regularity of GP attendances.ResultsFace-to-face GP surgery consultations reduced, from a mean of 7.12 per person year in 2000 to 4.43 in 2015. Those consulting the GP less regularly had 15% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 10% to 20%) more emergency admissions and 5% more A&E visits (95% CI = 1% to 10%) than those with more regular consultations. CYP who had greater consistency of GP seen had 10% (95% CI = 6% to 14%) fewer A&E attendances but no significant difference in emergency inpatient admissions than those with lower consistency.ConclusionThere is an association between GP attendance patterns and use of urgent secondary care for CYP with LLCs, with less regular GP attendance associated with higher urgent secondary healthcare use. This is an important area for further investigation and warrants the attention of policymakers and GPs, as the number of CYP with LLCs living in the community rises.

Immersive event experience and attendee motivation: a quantitative analysis using sensory, localisation, and participatory factors

ABSTRACT ‘Immersive events' is a growing category within the range of event typologies that includes participatory theatre, interactive launch parties, ‘escape rooms’ and dress-up cinema. A conceptual model reflects three core elements of the immersive events: Interaction, Sensory experience, and Localisation. A targeted online survey obtained a sample of n = 201 participants who had attended an immersive event within the past year. The results reveal that novelty and entertainment are highly important to attendee motivation. Gender, marital status, age, and education affected attendance patterns. Attendees were drawn to the uniqueness and participatory aspects of the immersive event. Deterrents to attendance were cost and perceived value. Rapid developments in digital technology suggest even greater degrees of immersivity on the horizon. These findings offer a timely contribution to the better understanding of the immersiveness concept, and its influence on attendee motivation and experience.

Identifying Factors Associated with Patterns of Student Attendance and Participation in a Group Tier 2 Preventive Intervention: Implications for Adaptation

The extent to which youth attend Tier 2 evidence-based intervention is an important dimension of implementation. This study examined attendance patterns of 369 middle schoolers involved in a randomized trial testing the impact of Coping Power, an evidence-based Tier 2 preventive intervention. We conducted latent profile analysis to examine student attendance at the 25 Coping Power sessions and found three attendance patterns: 69.9% of youth had high and stable attendance, 19.5% of youth had moderate and modestly declining attendance, and 10.6% had poor and sharply declining attendance. We then examined whether students of a particular gender and race or in single-gender/race intervention groups were more likely to demonstrate certain attendance patterns and whether there were mean differences across attendance patterns on student behavioral risk, affect, and group engagement, group characteristics (e.g., group behavioral norms), and individual contacts with the group leader. Analyses indicated students demonstrating the poor and sharply declining attendance pattern had higher early-session negative affect than students with the other two attendance patterns and were less likely to be in gender-balanced groups than students with moderate and modestly declining attendance. Students with moderate and modestly declining attendance spent more time in contacts with group leaders than students with high and stable attendance. Students with high attendance were in groups with the highest early-session group attendance rates. Implications of these findings for adaptation and tailoring of the Tier 2 Coping Power program are discussed.

Variation in the production of plant tissues bearing extrafloral nectaries explains temporal patterns of ant attendance in Amazonian understorey plants

AbstractInformation on direct and indirect drivers of temporal variation in ant–plant interactions is scarce, compromising our ability to predict the functioning of these ecologically important interactions.We investigated the roles of precipitation, ant activity, abundance of young plant tissues bearing extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) and EFN phenotypes in the establishment of EFN‐mediated ant–plant interactions throughout the year in Amazonia, Brazil. We hypothesized that the frequency of ant–plant interactions follows a predictable seasonal pattern, being higher in wetter periods, during which plants invest more in the production of new plant tissues bearing EFNs, ultimately promoting ant attendance. We surveyed and tagged every understorey Bignonieae plant rooted inside 28,500‐m2plots, and recorded ant–EFN interactions on each plant five times throughout the year. We also sampled ants with honey baits to estimate temporal variation in general ant activity.Contrary to our hypothesis, the proportion of plants tended by ants in each plot was higher in drier, not wetter, months. Ant attendance was indirectly and negatively related to precipitation, which was attributed to a decrease in the proportion of plants producing new EFN‐bearing plant tissues during the wetter period. Additionally, seasonal variation in an ant activity did not explain temporal patterns of plant attendance. At the plant level, ant attendance increased strongly with the number of recently formed shoot nodes, and ants almost never attended plants with limited or no young tissue. Among the 12 most abundant Bignonieae species, the amount of young tissue was the most important predictor of ant attendance, secondarily explained by the EFN secretory area.Synthesis. Our results suggest that seasonal variation in the production of new plant tissues bearing EFNs is the primary driver of the temporal patterns of EFN–plant attendance by ants in this system. Contrary to our expectations, production of new plant tissue is higher in the drier months of the year, which in turn boosts the frequency of interactions between ants and EFN‐bearing plants in the dry season. These results highlight the role of plant phenology in the remarkable variation encountered in ant visitation to EFN‐bearing plants in both space and time.