Group Comparison Study Research Articles

Pseudo-Scientist: Towards Narrative Interventions for Imposter Syndrome

Imposter syndrome (IS) is a mental state that can severely inhibit a person's productivity and well-being. Although IS is extremely common (especially in high achievers, e.g., academics), few studies offer effective modes of support and recovery. In response, we introduce the application of relatable narrative as a way to help people overcome IS. We present a randomized group comparison study exploring the impact of various design factors -- specifically, choice-based interactivity and character relatability -- on our story's capacity to engage and impact 107 STEM undergraduates. Almost all participants enthusiastically endorsed the story as a valuable learning experience, and a majority reported positive impacts to mood and feelings of relatedness to peers. We discuss 1) how our specific digital story design can support positive changes in mental health at both individual and institutional levels and 2) how our findings can inform efficient design of interactive narrative content for educational applications.

Effect of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Among Subjects with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) in Uganda: A Comparative Study of Treatment Groups

Effect of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Among Subjects with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) in Uganda: A Comparative Study of Treatment Groups

A Comparative Study of Stress Reduction Groups With and Without Therapy Dogs in a Rural Pennsylvania Jail

Individuals who are incarcerated are often stressed, hopeless, and overwhelmed by this challenging life circumstance. Unfortunately, jails offer little treatment to assist in enhancing coping and fostering hope and resilience. This research study in a rural Pennsylvania jail provided four six-week coping and stress reduction groups, two with and two without therapy dogs. Findings indicate that all group participants experienced significant reductions in stress, improved resilience, and an increased sense of hope as measured by standardized scales. All four groups rated the interventions as very helpful.

Home Visiting and Child Welfare Involvement: A Matched Comparison Group Study.

The present study is one of the largest quasi-experimental studies to date on the effects of home visiting on documented child maltreatment during a child's first two years of life. In this matched comparison group study, we compare 8796 families that participated in a home visiting program (HV families) to 8796 similar non-participating families (non-HV families) selected from birth records using Coarsened Exact Matching. Using sequential logistic regression, we identify that HV families have significantly higher odds of experiencing a child maltreatment investigation by their child's second birthday compared to non-HV families; however, among those that were investigated, HV families have significantly lower odds of having their first investigation substantiated for maltreatment. Overall, HV families do not differ significantly from non-HV families in the odds of experiencing a substantiated investigation over 2years. We share implications for considering surveillance bias, and we highlight the importance of including both substantiated and unsubstantiated investigations when studying the effects of home visiting on documented child maltreatment.

LGBTQ and Politics: China and Japan Compared

This article explores the impact of state politics on LGBTQ individuals through a comparative study of LGBTQ groups in China and Japan. Despite both countries sharing similar cultural and demographic backgrounds, there is a great divergence in the political status of LGBTQ individuals in these two countries. Previous studies have highlighted cultural reasons for this divergence, but political factors are seldom examined. This article aims to analyze the political logic of China and Japan to explain the great divergence and examine the political mechanisms of their respective political systems. It argues that in China, the suppression of LGBTQ individuals is a complementary action towards the Second-Child/Third-Child Policy, due to the potential exacerbation of demographic challenges. Ideologically, this suppression is a form of Chinese anti-Westernism. On the other hand, in Japan, promoting LGBTQ activism is beneficial since it aligns the country with the global trend. Domestically, the LGBTQ population is considered a crucial political tool for elections, as public sentiment is influenced by a teleological social progressiveness that sees the U.S. as a model. In general, this article elucidates that authoritarian regimes tend to eradicate potential political threats by directly suppressing LGBTQ activism, which holds progressive or subversive ideologies and spreads them through various movements to avoid political instability. In contrast, democratic governments are more “short-sighted”, and tend to align with LGBTQ activism by following current influential ideologies to secure voting blocs.

Efficacy of silver-impregnated fabric in preventing spread of infection in the wrestling environment.

The best practice for cleaning wrestling mats is using a residual disinfectant with continued antibacterial action. Recently available wash-in silver additives claim to confer a residual effect to fabric. To test the efficacy of laundering with a wash-in silver additive in reducing exposure of athletes to potentially infectious microbes on apparel. 4-part Controlled Laboratory Study/Parallel Group Comparison Study: (1) To test whether fabrics in athletic clothing would be affected differently, we applied bacteria to control fabrics washed in detergent alone and test counterparts washed in detergent plus wash-in silver additive. Bacteria were applied to fabrics, extracted, plated, incubated, and counted. (2) To see if wash-in silver affected various bacteria differently, we washed cotton t-shirts with detergent alone or with detergent plus wash-in silver. We applied four bacterial species commonly found in the wrestling environment. Bacteria were extracted, plated, incubated, and counted. (3) To see if wash-in silver was effective in reducing bacterial contamination during practice, 32 collegiate wrestlers paired off with one wearing a test silver-treated t-shirt, and their partner wearing a control shirt. Wrestler rotations exposed shirts to 2, 4 or 8 wrestlers. Identical swatches of fabric were cut from the t-shirts. Bacteria were extracted, plated, incubated, and counted. (4) We simulated prolonged/repeated bacterial exposure as occurs during tournaments by applying bacteria directly to silver-treated and untreated singlet material repeatedly over time. Test samples were taken at regular intervals to see if bacterial growth was inhibited by the presence of the silver nanoparticles. Bacteria were extracted, plated, incubated, and counted. Laboratory and practice. Collegiate D3 Wrestling Team. Wash-in silver would be considered effective if statistically significant reduction in bacterial count was observed at 95% confidence. Wash-in silver reduced bacterial growth at low levels of contamination but did not significantly reduce bacterial growth at levels seen during contact sport competitions. This was true for all bacterial species and all fabrics tested. The environmental and potential health risks in using a wash-in silver nanoparticle laundry additive in the wash cycle for clothing worn by wrestlers outweigh any potential infection control benefits to these athletes. We do not currently recommend adopting wash-in silver treatment as part of the laundering regimen for wrestling programs until further testing of alternate methods of silver impregnation into sports fabrics has been investigated.

Unveiling the complex circumgalactic medium: a comparative study of merging and non-interacting galaxy groups

ABSTRACT While most galaxies live in group environments where they undergo an accelerated evolution, the characteristics of their circumgalactic medium (CGM) remain uncertain. We present an analysis of the CGM of two galaxy groups in different stages of interaction: (G1) a close pair of galaxies (z = 0.043) separated by 87 kpc that do not show signs of interactions and (G2) four merging galaxies (z = 0.098) separated by 10 kpc. We present spatially resolved Keck/Keck Cosmic Web Imager galaxy observations and Hubble Space Telescope (HST)/COS quasar spectra (G1 at 48 kpc and G2 at 100 kpc away) to quantify both the resolved galaxy and CGM properties in these two different group environments. G1 contains two typical star-forming galaxies with no evidence of strong outflows. G2 contains two star-forming, one post-starburst and one quiescent galaxy. Both groups have a range of CGM-detected metal lines (H i, C ii, Si ii, Si iii, N v, and O vi). Despite G2 being twice as far from the quasar, G2 has $\log (N({{{\rm H}{\small I}}})/{\rm cm}^{-2})=17.33$, compared to $\log (N({{{\rm H}{\small I}}})/{\rm cm}^{-2})=16.43$ for G1. We find that the CGM of the merging galaxies (G2) is more kinematically complex, is in a higher ionization state, spans a wider range of metallicities and column densities, has smaller cloud sizes, and is inconsistent with the simple superposition model that seems to match well with G1. We conclude that the complexity of the CGM in merging galaxies surpasses that of not strongly interacting galaxies, suggesting that mergers play a significant role in shaping the intricate structure of the CGM.

Adapting to the market: leftist ideological justifications of liberal economic policies, 1977–1986

ABSTRACT Why do leftist forces accept, support and adopt free-market policies? To answer this question, we carry out a comparative study of left-wing groups (both parties and trade unions) in France, Italy and Spain during the late 1970s and the early 1980s. This period is widely acknowledged in international political economy to have represented a paradigm shift from post-war Keynesianism to neoliberal policy-making. We employ in-depth content analysis of memoirs, interviews to the press, opinion articles and policy-papers to explain actors’ positions on landmark policies implemented during such transition. In alignment with a developing literature in political economy (e.g. Mudge 2018), we find a proactive role of progressives in developing the ideological justification for the resort to liberal policies. However, we emphasise that widespread consensus among so-called progressives, rather than a leading role of technocrats or party experts, best explains such shifts. In this way, the paper casts doubts on interpretations of the liberalisation process that place excessive emphasis on the role of external constraints as well as on elite power. Drawing on Hall (1993), we argue that left-wing forces in the early 1980s have enacted a ‘second order change’, whereby policymakers use new instruments to meet existing policy objectives.

Audiological Profile in Adenoid Hypertrophy.

The study aims to investigate the correlation between grade of adenoid hypertrophy and severity of hearing loss and to profile tympanometric findings in children with Adenoid Hypertrophy. A within group comparison study was carried out in Father Muller College, Department of Speech and Hearing, Mangalore where 123 patients diagnosed with Adenoid Hypertrophy (86 males and 37 females; mean age 7.146; range 2 to 12 years) were analyzed using detailed case history, Pure tone audiometry (PTA) and Tympanometry. The most prevalent presenting problems with adenoid hypertrophy were snoring (68.29%), mouth breathing (57.72%)and reduced hearing (35.77%). PTA results showed majority had bilateral hearing loss (60.27%). In the 230 ears that were tested, 50.85% had hearing loss. Majority of these ears had a minimal loss (23.91%), followed by mild loss (18.69%), moderate loss (7.82%), and moderately severe loss (0.43%). No correlation was found between the grade of Adenoid hypertrophy and the severity of hearing loss noted (p > 0.05). According to tympanometric findings, the most common tympanogram pattern was 'B' type (39.15%), 'A' type (31.60%), and 'C' type (18.39%). A small proportion of the population had 'As' (4.71%), 'Cs' (5.66%), and 'Ad' (0.47%).No correlation was found between the grade of adenoid hypertrophy and the type of tympanogram obtained (p > 0.05). In a significant percentage of cases, Adenoid hypertrophy affects the middle ear leading to conductive hearing loss. If left untreated it can lead to delayed speech and language development, auditory processing disorders, mental retardation, and physical and social complications. These are avoidable through primary health care education, accurate diagnosis, and effective treatment. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12070-024-04714-8.

Results of a comparative study of coulter groups of a seeder for strip sowing of grass seeds in the sod

For the effective use of sod seeders SDK in conditions of degraded forage lands, it is necessary to modernize the design of their coulter group to work in conditions of high soil moisture and increased content of plant residues in it. A method of strip sowing is proposed, which is based on the removal of the sowing working elements from under the casing of a milling furrow opener, and a design and technological scheme of the coulter group with a shoe opener mounted on a suspension mechanism in the form of torsion springs. The coulter group includes a mounting bracket on a seeder, a suspension mechanism, shoe openers, rollers, mechanisms for adjusting the position of coulters in the vertical and horizontal planes and the forces of deepening coulters and the pressure of rollers on the soil. Compared to the coulter group of SDK seeders, its weight (19.6 kg) is reduced by 3.8 kg while the total length of the seeder increases by 0.12 m. To assess the efficiency of the modernized coulter group of the sod seeder, experimental studies were carried out in the field, during which the quality indicators of seed placement were determined when using a serial coulter group of SDK seeders and a prototype coulter group. Comparative studies of coulter groups of a sod seeder showed that when sowing Eastern galega, the depth of seed placement complies with agrotechnical requirements and is: for the coulter group of SDK seeder – 19.4...22.4 mm, for the prototype - 18.6...19.5 mm, and for the prototype the value of the standard deviation is almost two times lower. The uniformity of the distribution of seeds over the width of the strip for the coulter group of the SDK seeder is 20.2...26.1 mm, for the prototype – 8.4...10.1 mm.

Short-term health effects of an urban regeneration programme in deprived neighbourhoods of Barcelona.

Urban regeneration programmes are interventions meant to enhance the wellbeing of residents in deprived areas, although empirical evidence reports mixed results. We evaluated the health impact of a participatory and neighbourhood-wide urban regeneration programme, Pla de Barris 2016-2020, in Barcelona. A pre-post with a comparison group study design. Using data from a cross-sectional survey performed in 2016 and 2021. The health outcomes analysed were mental health, alcohol and psychotropic drug use, perceived health status, physical activity and obesity. Depending on the investment, two intervention groups were defined: moderate- and high-intensity intervention groups. The analysis combined difference-in-difference estimation with an inverse weighting derived from a propensity score to reduce potential biases. The impact of the intervention in percentages and its confidence interval were estimated with a linear probability model with clustered adjusted errors. The intervention had a positive impact on health outcomes in women in the high-intensity intervention group: a reduction of 15.5% in the relative frequency of those experiencing poor mental health, and of 21.7% in the relative frequency of those with poor self-perceived health; and an increase of 13.7% in the relative frequency of those doing physical activity. No positive impact was observed for men, but an increase of 10.3% in the relative frequency of those using psychotropic drugs in the high-intensity intervention group. This study shows positive short-term effects of the urban regeneration programme Pla de Barris 2016-2020 on health outcomes in women in the high-intensity intervention group. These results can guide future interventions in other areas.

Mediation for Misdemeanor Assault

ABSTRACT Crime reduction strategies over the past 30 years have greatly expanded the criminalization of a wide variety of minor offenses, especially in communities of color, even as violence continues to damage individuals, families, and communities. Solutions that reduce both violence and over-criminalization are urgently needed. Community-based mediation for diversion of misdemeanor assault cases has been practiced since the 1970s, but little is known about its ability to prevent further violence between participants or reduce assault recidivism. From a state judiciary’s quasi-experimental longitudinal comparison group study of criminal court mediation recidivism, assault cases (n = 162) were isolated and analyzed using bivariate tests and logistic regression with inverse proportion of treatment weighting. Misdemeanor assault cases handled with community-based mediation had a small and statistically non-significant association with return to court at 6 months versus cases handled with usual court processes. Had assaults between couples been excluded, recidivism for mediation cases would have been one-third the rate of those treated as usual. Mediation centers and local prosecutors’ offices could improve screening for intimate partner violence and divert more cases earlier via police and court commissioners. Research with a dependent variable of self-reported violence would be best suited to understanding the ability of community mediation to meet its founding mission of community-created peace.

Life course studies – conceptual and methodological approaches and solution

Studies of the life course address the fundamental issue of social sciences – understanding the social change, its directions, reasons and perspectives, the interaction of micro- and macro levels of social reality. Studies of life course developed independently in different social sciences and scientific traditions cover a broad range of topics, issues and methodological approaches. These variety of studies were grouped into few major research frameworks: psychological within the studies of personality development; longitudinal sociological focused on life course of different cohorts and comparative studies of generations, social groups, countries and regions; domain-based – studies of trajectories in different life domains; demographic studying the timing of life events; studies of stability and transformation of values and biographical research. The multiple methodological approaches to study the life course are suggested to group in two main categories – concurrent and retrospective which differ by the time distance between the occurrence of an event and the reporting about the event. Concurrent approach is characterized by relatively high reliability of the measurement, but low flexibility in selecting research indicators, long time for the organization of data collection and large financial investments. Retrospective approach provides high flexibility in organization and design of the survey, allows free selection of indicators to test research hypotheses, but the reliability of the data is hampered by the memory errors and context effect. None of these approaches alone can satisfy the needs and requirements of studying the life course and collecting dynamic multi-level data. The possible solution is to design and test the multimodal approach combining the advantages of different research methods and mitigating their drawbacks. The new long-term longitudinal project “Life course, values and expectations of the generation of 1990s” (G90) included the test of an autobiographical method of data collection for random samples of the general population in quantitative design. The testing revealed high sensitivity of the method to the format (handwritten, printed or oral), high differentiation between respondents in completeness of information and the selection of events included in the autobiography. Supplementing autobiographies by in-depth interviews increased the data standardization, completeness and comparability. The drawbacks of this method found during the survey are high demand for resources for data analysis, individual approach to each autobiography, low respondents’ cooperation in highly demanding tasks, and ethical issues. The future of the life course studies can be found in the convergence of different research frameworks, multidisciplinary research projects, and the application of mixed-model integrated methodology.

Linear mixed models and latent growth curve models for group comparison studies contaminated by outliers.

The linear mixed model (LMM) and latent growth model (LGM) are frequently applied to within-subject two-group comparison studies to investigate group differences in the time effect, supposedly due to differential group treatments. Yet, research about LMM and LGM in the presence of outliers (defined as observations with a very low probability of occurrence if assumed from a given distribution) is scarce. Moreover, when such research exists, it focuses on estimation properties (bias and efficiency), neglecting inferential characteristics (e.g., power and type-I error). We study power and type-I error rates of Wald-type and bootstrap confidence intervals (CIs), as well as coverage and length of CIs and mean absolute error (MAE) of estimates, associated with classical and robust estimations of LMM and LGM, applied to a within-subject two-group comparison design. We conduct a Monte Carlo simulation experiment to compare CIs and MAEs under different conditions: data (a) without contamination, (b) contaminated by within-subject outliers, (c) contaminated by between-subject outliers, and (d) both contaminated by within- and between-subject outliers. Results show that without contamination, methods perform similarly, except CIs based on S, a robust LMM estimator, which are slightly less close to nominal values in their coverage. However, in the presence of both within- and between-subject outliers, CIs based on robust estimators, especially S, performed better than those of classical methods. In particular, the percentile CI with the wild bootstrap applied to the robust LMM estimators outperformed all other methods, especially with between-subject outliers, when we found the classical Wald-type CI based on the t statistic with Satterthwaite approximation for LMM to be highly misleading. We provide R code to compute all methods presented here. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Supplemental Material for Linear Mixed Models and Latent Growth Curve Models for Group Comparison Studies Contaminated by Outliers

Supplemental Material for Linear Mixed Models and Latent Growth Curve Models for Group Comparison Studies Contaminated by Outliers

Effects of Self-Management Interventions on Challenging Behavior: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Purpose: The systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness of self-management interventions on classroom behaviors and academic outcomes. Methods: Review procedures followed Campbell Collaboration guidelines to search, select, and extract data from published and unpublished studies employing an experimental/quasi-experimental comparison group or single-case experimental design assessing the effects of a self-management intervention in schools. Seventy-five single-case design studies (236 participants; 456 effects) and 4 comparison group studies (422 participants; 11 effects) were included. Results: Single-case results indicated self-management interventions positively impacted challenging behaviors (LRRi = 0.69 [0.59, 0.78]) and academic outcomes (LRRi = 0.58 [0.41, 0.76]). A significant main effect for improving challenging behaviors was revealed in group design studies ( g = 0.63 [0.08, 1.17]). Discussion: Limitations, including methodological shortcomings in the single-group design studies and the small number of comparison group studies, should be considered when interpreting findings. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Metabolic syndrome and its associated factors among adults with cardiac diseases: A cross-sectional comparative group study.

There is limited information about the extent of metabolic syndrome (MetS) among subjects with cardiac diseases in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of MetS among adults with cardiac diseases. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital in southern-Ethiopia between May 2021 and August 2021. Data pertaining to the study were collected from 319 participants (153 cardiac and 166 non-cardiac groups) using the WHO stepwise approach. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the revised National Cholesterol Education Program: Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP) were used to define MetS. The prevalence of MetS was 44.2% and 50.2% in IDF and ATP III, respectively. Among the cardiac group, 54.9% had MetS in IDF criteria, compared to 34.3% in the non-cardiac group (p < .001); whereas, it was 60.1% in the cardiac group and 41% in non-cardiac group (p < .001) by ATP III. Age >60 years, waist-height ratio ≥5, high waist-hip ratio, body mass index 25-29.9 and ≥30 kg/m2 were significantly associated with higher odds of MetS in both IDF and ATP III. Also, smoking history and monthly income were associated with MetS by ATP III, while being female was associated with higher odds of MetS by IDF. More than half of the subjects with cardiac diseases developed MetS as compared to non-cardiac controls. Periodic screening and focusing on the identified modifiable high-risk factors such as body weight, smoking, and central adiposity is important to effectively mitigate the risk of further comorbidity and complications in this high-risk population.

Image Content Indicators of Extremist Group Evolution: A Comparative Study of MENA-Based and Far-Right Groups

ABSTRACT Policymakers, researchers, and responders alike focus on the evolution of terrorist and other groups associated with political violence. This study offers a comparative analysis of the images of ISIS and U.S. far-right groups’ use of flag images, as such emblems contribute to community building, heighten emotional responses, and have political import. It adds to previous work by comparing groups across the ideological spectrum, by recognizing differences in media operations present as groups evolve, and by focusing on visual messaging that is vital for influence in the online environment. Using chi-square analyses, it compares almost 5000 images that include flags from ISIS publications between 2014 and 2020 with 600 images focused on the far-right events at the Unite the Right Rally and the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Specifically, it looks at the compositional elements of the flags appearing in the images, the immediate media context within the photographic frame, and the broader regulatory, political, religious, and economic situational contexts. The findings indicate that while the far right and ISIS both heavily rely on flags in their visual images, eight key differences emerge as related to the groups, their contexts, and the evolution of the media systems.

Lexical Knowledge in School-Aged Children with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder: Associations with Other Linguistic Skills

Background: This quasi-experimental comparative group study examined vocabulary knowledge and its associations with other language skills in Greek-speaking children with high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder and mild language impairment (HF-ASDLI) and typically developing (TD) peers. Methods: 25 children aged 7–10 years old participated in each group. Groups were matched in age, gender, and non-verbal IQ. Naming and word definition tasks were used to evaluate vocabulary knowledge in both groups. Results: Groups did not differ in the naming task; however, children with HF-ASDLI scored lower in the definition task. Both vocabulary tasks positively correlated with morpho-syntactic and overall language ability in both groups, although a significant positive correlation was detected between vocabulary knowledge and informational competence exclusively in the group with HF-ASDLI. Conclusions: Being in the HF-ASDLI group and having narrative ability significantly predicted participants’ performance in the definitions task, indicating that language impairment better explains vocabulary difficulties. These results agree with findings from the English language.

Effects of Daily Consumption of Scallop Oil Prepared from Internal Organs of Japanese Giant Scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis) on Serum Lipid Composition and Its Safety: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Parallel Group Comparison Study.

Scallop oil (SCO) prepared from the internal organs of the Japanese giant scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis) contains eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and phospholipids (PL). It was previously shown that SCO consumption improves cholesterol and triacylglycerols (TG) contents in mice. The present study demonstrated the effects of daily SCO consumption (1.2 g/day, containing 376 mg of EPA, 63 mg of DHA, and 150 mg of PL) for 12 weeks in human subjects. In this randomized, doubleblind, placebo-controlled, parallel group comparison study, 70 Japanese subjects with serum TG levels ≥120 but < 200 mg/dL were recruited and randomly assigned to the SCO or placebo group. All subjects ingested six capsules per day for 12 weeks. We conducted medical interviews, body composition measurements, vital sign examinations, and blood sampling at weeks 0 (baseline), 4, 8, and 12, and measured peripheral blood flow at weeks 0 and 12. In the case of subjects with higher serum TG levels, SCO consumption decreased the changes in serum TG and malondialdehyde-low density lipoprotein (MDA-LDL) levels compared with the placebo group. Safety assessment revealed no medically significant changes due to continuous SCO consumption. The findings indicate that 1.2 g/day of SCO consumption may be beneficial for reducing serum TG and MDA-LDL levels in persons with higher TG levels.