Behavioral Science Research Research Articles

Importance of HIV/AIDS-Related Behavioral and Social Sciences Research at the NIH and Beyond.

Key topics discussed in this article were previously presented at the Center for AIDS Research Social and Behavioral Sciences Network's 12th National Scientific Meeting in August 2018. This article highlights the importance of behavioral and social sciences research (BSSR) in addressing the HIV/AIDS pandemic. NIH has made significant investments in HIV/AIDS-related BSSR. These investments support the development of effective, evidence-based sociobehavioral HIV prevention, treatment, and care strategies. The implementation and use of evidence-based sociobehavioral approaches in combination with biomedical strategies provide the availability of multiple tools to end the HIV epidemic in the United Sates and the pandemic globally. BSSR-related opportunities to mitigate the persistent challenges HIV/AIDS presents include, but are not limited to, further incorporating BSSR into HIV vaccine and cure research; improving interventions that address stigma and the social determinants of health that perpetuate HIV transmission within key populations; and conducting implementation science research that shapes national and international policies impacting HIV prevention, treatment, and care.

AB018. The impact of emotional priming on delayed discounting

Background: The aim of the current study is to investigate how consumer behaviour in a financial cost scenario, assessed by using a cost-discounting paradigm, can be influenced by an emotional state. To our knowledge, this is the first study to analyze the effect of emotional priming on cost discounting behavior. Cost discounting, is a phenomenon whereby a decline of subjective value is observed given a time delay before receiving, or losing, something of value. This raises the question: what traits and skills do these young individuals possess that allow them to inhibit acting to obtain an immediate reward? A common explanation by delayed discounting researchers is that individuals who have a higher subjective value as a function of time (i.e., discount less), are able to control their emotional response to the reward (Gómez-Miñambres et al., 2017). By delving further into both emotion and discounting research, it becomes more apparent that the two factors interact, and deserve more attention in behavioural science and consumer behaviour research.

PP 5.7.1 - From reservoirs to the real world: a framework for integrating behavioural and social sciences research into biomedical HIV cure-related research

PP 5.7.1 - From reservoirs to the real world: a framework for integrating behavioural and social sciences research into biomedical HIV cure-related research

Why the book "More than Medicine: the Broken Promise of American Health" is important to the future of behavioral medicine, health psychology, and public health.

In his book, "More than Medicine: The Broken Promise of American Health," Robert Kaplan brings together extensive data to make the case that healthcare priorities in the USA need to place greater emphasis on behavioral, social and environmental determinants of health. Kaplan argues that the effect sizes for health outcomes resulting from environmental exposures, stress, and socioeconomic status are all much larger than are many traditional biological risk factors. There are discrepancies between estimates of how much the National Institutes of Health spends on behavioral and social sciences research, but an independent evaluation suggests it is <5% of the entire budget. Addressing this neglect requires advocacy and bringing together of like-minded organizations to promote more funding for behavioral interventions, health promotion and public health policies to address important contextual factors such as poverty, lack of education, and poor environmental conditions. Importantly, Kaplan argues that several metrics to integrate life expectancy and quality of life have been proposed and allow healthcare providers to prioritize the value of health over the volume of healthcare delivered. Although standards exist, there are still a limited number of studies on the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of behavioral and public health interventions.

OVERVIEW OF NIA RESEARCH

Dr. Hodes will provide an overview of the latest research in basic biology, neuroscience, behavioral and social science, and geriatrics and clinical gerontology supported by the NIA.

INTEREST GROUP SESSION—RELIGION, SPIRITUALITY AND AGING: KEEPING FAITH ALIVE: ADVANCING THE NEXT GENERATION OF RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL INQUIRY IN GERONTOLOGY

A compelling body of evidence suggests that church attendance and spiritual practices increase as persons approach the end life. In fact, a growing number of baby boomers in the United States are returning to church and reconnecting with their faith communities. A primary reason for this surge in religious engagement involves a personal desire to turn away from the material pursuits of life and achieve a sense of meaning and fulfillment amid increasing frailty and vulnerability. However, most religious institutions do not have the necessary resources to support an ever increasing older membership. The graying of religion will require gerontologists to develop innovative approaches to advance theoretical thinking, measurement and assessment practices, and program evaluation. Therefore, the purpose of this symposium is to advocate and synergize a new generation of religious and spiritual inquiry in gerontology. Of particular interest is exposing theoretical models, measurement strategies, mixed-methodologies, and evidence-based findings to promote and sustain positive faith connections as persons grow old. Empirical advancements surrounding commitment and practice of one’s religious faith in old age, evolving feelings of religious belief versus doubt, disposition to seek and engage in acts of forgiveness, and faith-community responses to dementia care will be shared. Implications relevant for building interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary connections across behavioral and social science research, social work, clinical counseling, and pastoral ministry will be highlighted.

Mobilizing knowledge in behaviour change to promote health; the case of the Behaviour Change Wheel

Abstract Issue/problem Over the past decades, researchers from many fields have built an impressive body of knowledge regarding behaviour change. However, the use of this knowledge for accurately designing/delivering/executing behaviour change programs is challenging for many public health practitioners. Description of the problem To support effective knowledge mobilization in behaviour change and to build a coherent and useful body of scientific evidence, leading researchers in behavioural sciences have developed and refined a number of tools for designing interventions. Among these tools, the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) was built on an impressive effort to synthetize available evidence regarding intervention development frameworks, behaviour change theories, and behaviour change techniques. However, studies highlighted some issues associated with the use of these methodological innovations. Working with our public health partners in the field of health communication, we realized that applying models such as the BCW is far from being mundane practices. To support optimal knowledge mobilization in behavioural sciences, we are developing a research agenda to understand perceptions and motivations of public health practitioners toward innovations such as the BCW and to develop and evaluate knowledge mobilization strategies. Results The initiative will contribute to the development of new scientific knowledge regarding mechanisms underlying effective knowledge mobilization in behaviour change and will further support the adoption of these evidence-based practices within the field of public health. Lessons Although rapidly adopted by the community of researchers, it is not clear whether or not public health practitioners would be as willing, or capable of using the BCW to design and deliver programs. Issues regarding knowledge mobilization in behaviour change should be addressed to improve the uptake of this knowledge in practice.

Increasing Diversity and Capacity in HIV Behavioral and Social Science Research: Reflections and Recommendations From the Inaugural Cohort of the Mid-Atlantic CFAR Consortium (MACC) Scholars Program.

Problem Statement:There is a need to increase diversity among both researchers and participants in the area of HIV scholarship. The Mid-Atlantic Center for AIDS Research Consortium (MACC) Scholars Program was developed to promote diversity among HIV-related researchers and participants.Approach:Four Scholars were provided with mentorship from senior investigators at Johns Hopkins University, George Washington University, and the University of Pennsylvania. Each Scholar was awarded a grant to develop a pilot study on a topic related to HIV-prevention, treatment, or care. The paper will describe the benefits of the program, challenges that Scholars faced in their projects, and areas for growth of the program from the perspective of the Scholars.Findings:The Scholars unanimously agreed that the program was essential for gathering pilot data and for receiving practical training in grantsmanship and writing. For challenges, each Scholar encountered unanticipated delays in regulatory approval, resulting in a lag of project start-up. As an indication of the success of the program, Scholars reported on their productivity for grantsmanship, scientific publications, and grantsmanship over the first year of the program. Finally, the Scholars offered several suggestions for continuing to improve the MACC Program for future cohorts.Conclusion:The Scholars perceived the inaugural year of the MACC Scholars Program as extremely helpful and productive. Ongoing efforts should be made to continue to promote the development of diverse junior scientists in HIV research.

The Fight Against HIV Is a Fight for Human Rights: A Personal Reflection.

:The fight against HIV started and continues to be a fight for human rights. AIDS was observed first in the United States in marginalized and stigmatized populations such as men who have sex with men, injection drug users, and commercial sex workers. Next were the observations of generalized epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa, a continent crippled by the legacy of colonialism. AIDS appeared in post-World War II, which witnessed independence of the former European colonies and the creation of the United Nations. There was remarkable advocacy that led to important advances in the rights of ethnic and racial minorities, sexual minorities, and women. This foundation of activism laid the groundwork to ensure that AIDS, and those infected with HIV, were addressed using the best of human rights frameworks. Social and behavioral sciences contributed important data to the human rights advances in the second half of the 20th century, and to the tools and resources needed for a human rights-based response to HIV. Remarkable investment in science have brought us new tools to treat and prevent HIV. Vigorous social and behavioral science research continues to be needed to ensure that the continued response to the HIV epidemic remains evidence-based, recognizing human rights, and ensuring that the scientific advances are available to everyone who needs them. Generations of scientists and activists need to continue as we are far from finished in the fight against HIV and for human rights.

The Social and Behavioral Sciences Research Network: Shaping a Contemporary Agenda for Research in HIV.

The Social and Behavioral Sciences Research Network: Shaping a Contemporary Agenda for Research in HIV.

Applying the Behavioural and Social Sciences Research (BSSR) Functional Framework to HIV Cure Research.

IntroductionThe search for an HIV cure involves important behavioural and social processes that complement the domains of biomedicine. However, the field has yet to tap into the full potential of behavioural and social sciences research (BSSR). In this article, we apply Gaist and Stirratt’s BSSR Functional Framework to the field of HIV cure research.DiscussionThe BSSR Functional Framework describes four key research domains: (1) basic BSSR (understanding basic behavioural and social factors), (2) elemental BSSR (advancing behavioural and social interventions), (3) supportive BSSR (strengthening biomedically focused clinical trials), and (4) integrative BSSR (building multi‐disciplinary combination approaches for real‐world implementation). In revisiting and applying the BSSR Functional Framework, we clarify the importance of BSSR in HIV cure research by drawing attention to such things as: how language and communication affect the meaning of “cure” to people living with HIV (PLHIV) and broader communities; how cure affects the identity and social position of PLHIV; counselling and support interventions to address the psychosocial needs and concerns of study participants related to analytical treatment interruptions (ATIs); risk reduction in the course of ATI study participation; motivation, acceptability, and decision‐making processes of potential study participants related to different cure strategies; HIV care providers’ perceptions and attitudes about their patients’ participation in cure research; potential social harms or adverse social events associated with cure research participation; and the scalability of a proven cure strategy in the context of further advances in HIV prevention and treatment. We also discuss the BSSR Functional Framework in the context of ATIs, which involve processes at the confluence of the BSSR domains.ConclusionsTo move HIV cure regimens through the translational research pathway, attention will need to be paid to both biomedical and socio‐behavioural elements. BSSR can contribute an improved understanding of the human and social dimensions related to HIV cure research and the eventual application of HIV cure regimens. The BSSR Functional Framework provides a way to identify advances, gaps and opportunities to craft an integrated, multi‐disciplinary approach at all stages of cure research to ensure the real‐world applicability of any strategy that shows promise.

Behavioural Economics and Public Support for Carbon Pricing: A Revenue Recycling Scheme to Address the Political Economy of Carbon Taxation

Even though carbon pricing is widely accepted as the most efficient policy instrument for climate change mitigation, it has been severely held back by a lack of public support. Building on research in behavioural sciences, we propose a revenue recycling scheme that aims to foster public support for carbon taxes. The scheme has two main strengths: (i) it may allow the implementatin of carbon taxes with higher tax rates than those currently prevailing in most jurisdictions; (ii) it relies on a number of accessible technologies, and thus it can be implemented in a wide variety of settings, both in urban and rural areas of developing and developed countries.

Standards for economic analyses of interventions for the field of health psychology and behavioral medicine.

Behavioral interventions can be offered within a wide range of contexts, including public health, medicine, surgery, physical rehabilitation, nutrition, and other health services. These differing services compete for the same resources and it is difficult to compare their value. Systematic standardized methodologies for valuing outcomes are available and are being applied by economists and health services researchers, but are not widely used in our field. With support from the Society for Health Psychology, the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the Office for Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) at the National Institutes of Health, two working group meetings were held to consider the use of well-established cost-effectiveness methodologies for the evaluation of behavioral and public health interventions. In this special section, we acknowledge a wide range of variability in terms of behavioral interventions typically delivered in nonclinical versus more traditional clinical settings. Three articles address (1) standardizing methods for conducting cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analyses, (2) providing examples to illustrate progress in applying these methods to evaluate interventions delivered in whole or in part in clinical settings, and (3) providing nonclinical intervention examples selected to highlight the challenges and opportunities for evaluating the cost-effectiveness of interventions in more diverse settings. The ability of our field to communicate cost-effectiveness data to policy makers, employers, and insurers that incorporates implementation costs is central to the likelihood of our interventions being adopted by practitioners and reimbursed by payers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Social Comparison as a Tool to Promote Residential Water Conservation

Many regions around the world experience both chronic and intermittent needs for residents to reduce their water consumption. Recent advances in water metering infrastructure offer opportunities to provide customers with detailed feedback about their consumption, but research in behavioral science suggests that feedback by itself is not enough to motivate conservation. The current empirical work builds on previous studies showing the ability of an augmented feedback approach to promote reductions in residential water consumption, and extends previous research by exploring the variability in responses to this feedback. A sample of Sacramento customers was provided with printed home water reports in which they could see their household water consumption compared with similar homes in their area. The results showed that households that received the report used 8.5% less water in the subsequent six months than did similar households that did not receive the printed reports. Additional analyses showed that the effect was particularly strong for high-consuming households, and that the discrepancy between household consumption and similar homes influenced the amount of water savings.

Using and Reporting of Modified Scales in Behavioral and Social Sciences

This paper is to suggest a checklist for defending or justifying the use of scales that have been modified for the specific purpose of the research in behavioral sciences. The checklist contains issues about two measurement related concepts, reliability and validity. Examples based on empirical data are presented to illustrate and demonstrate the issues in the checklist. Discussion about the practical implications of the checklist is presented.

Ethics panels to oversee biomedical research in India

For the first time in India, ethics committees will oversee biomedical, social, and behavioral science research involving human participants, human biological material, and personal data, according...

MultiSCED: A tool for (meta-)analyzing single-case experimental data with multilevel modeling.

The MultiSCED web application has been developed to assist applied researchers in behavioral sciences to apply multilevel modeling to quantitatively summarize single-case experimental design (SCED) studies through a user-friendly point-and-click interface embedded within R. In this paper, we offer a brief introduction to the application, explaining how to define and estimate the relevant multilevel models and how to interpret the results numerically and graphically. The use of the application is illustrated through a re-analysis of an existing meta-analytic dataset. By guiding applied researchers through MultiSCED, we aim to make use of the multilevel modeling technique for combining SCED data across cases and across studies more comprehensible and accessible.

Data Papers.

Studies in Family PlanningVolume 50, Issue 4 p. e1-e2 INTRODUCTION Data Papers Ann K. Blanc, Ann K. BlancSearch for more papers by this authorThoai D. Ngo, Thoai D. NgoSearch for more papers by this author Ann K. Blanc, Ann K. BlancSearch for more papers by this authorThoai D. Ngo, Thoai D. NgoSearch for more papers by this author First published: 05 April 2019 https://doi.org/10.1111/sifp.12091 Ann K. Blanc is vice president of Social and Behavioral Science Research at the Population Council. Thoai D. Ngo is the director of the Poverty, Gender, and Youth Program and Girl Innovation, Research, and Learning (GIRL) Center at the Population Council. Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume50, Issue4December 2019Pages e1-e2 RelatedInformation

Reliability Estimation in Longitudinal Studies Using Latent Growth Curve Modeling

ABSTRACTLongitudinal data analysis has received widespread interest throughout educational, behavioral, and social science research, with latent growth curve modeling currently being one of the most popular methods of analysis. Despite the popularity of latent growth curve modeling, limited attention has been directed toward understanding the issues of reliability of measurement change in the context of this method. The purpose of this article is to outline the common difficulties that arise when estimating reliability within the context of growth models and extend the notion of reliability to a more general modeling framework that takes into account the specifics of longitudinal data. To highlight the importance of focusing on reliability of measurement change in the context of latent growth curve modeling, empirical data are examined.

Addressing the opioid crisis: social and behavioral research contributions at the National Institutes of Health.

This commentary highlights current NIH efforts aimed at addressing the opioid crisis, specifically activities related to behavioral and social science research. Implications for this commentary will inform researchers, practitioners, and policymakers on current endeavors and future funding opportunities.