Current Beliefs Research Articles

Current and preservice teachers' views and beliefs regarding martial arts and the inclusion of martial arts in Australian school settings: A cross-sectional study.

This study investigates views and beliefs of current and preservice teachers regarding martial arts (MA) and the inclusion of martial arts in schools. Participants completed an anonymous, 28-item questionnaire made available online via Qualtrics (August-November 2020). Data was analysed using SPSS software to compare mean scores by sex, and between qualified teachers and preservice teachers. Qualitative data in the form of quotes was drawn upon and used to complement the quantitative results. Results indicate teachers and preservice teachers view MA as a worthwhile and beneficial activity for school-aged students, and support the inclusion of MA into school settings. These findings may be useful to inform policy and practice in schools, and the development of teacher education programs, professional development courses, and school-based education programs utilizing MA to meet physical education learning outcomes.

A Kazakhstani English Language teacher’s perspective on multilingual practices

Abstract Kazakhstan is now embracing a trilingual education policy through the use of Kazakh, Russian, and English as mediums of instruction. The policy expects multilingual practices from the teachers of content disciplines; however, the same cannot be said for English language teachers. English language teachers are still trapped in English-only practices, making them rely on only the target language when teaching. I, as a Kazakhstani teacher who worked in a trilingual school, decided to challenge this monolingual perspective and try to incorporate multilingual practices into my teaching. In this article, I present my reflections on my past and current teaching beliefs and propose that multilingual practices in the form of pedagogical translanguaging can be seen as legitimate teaching strategies that can be part of ELT classrooms.

Evidence-based versus expertise-based medicine in orthopedic and trauma surgery : There is nothing more practical than agood theory

About aquarter of acentury after the introduction of the concept and principles of evidence-based medicine (EbM), some healthcare providers are still adamant that these are incompatible with knowledge gained through experience. Across the surgical disciplines, it is often argued EbM underestimates or neglects the importance of intuition and surgical skills. To put it bluntly, these assumptions are wrong and often characterized by a misunderstanding of the methodology of EbM. Even the best controlled trial cannot be properly interpreted or implemented without clinical reasoning; furthermore, clinicians of all disciplines are obligated to provide care according to the current state of scientific knowledge. In an era of revolutionary biomedical developments, exponential increase of research but incremental innovations, they must become familiar with pragmatic tools to appraise the validity and relevance of clinical study results, and to decide whether there is aneed to adapt current beliefs and practices based on the new information. We herein use the recent example of anew medical device for the surgical treatment of rotator cuff tears and subacromial impingement syndrome to illustrate how important it is to interpret data in the context of aprecise, answerable question and to combine clinical expertise with methodological principles offered by EbM.

Cancer Prevention Literacy among Different Population Subgroups: Challenges and Enabling Factors for Adopting and Complying with Cancer Prevention Recommendations.

It is estimated that 40% of the cancer cases in Europe could be prevented if people had better information and tools to make healthier choices and thereby reduce some of the most important cancer risk factors. The aim of this study is to gain knowledge and understanding about cancer prevention literacy among people with intellectual disabilities, immigrants, young people and young cancer survivors. In this qualitative study, we conducted six online focus-group interviews, including forty participants, to explore the cancer prevention literacy of four population subgroups and determine how cancer prevention recommendations according to the European Code Against Cancer (ECAC) were perceived. The analysis resulted in the following main categories: current health beliefs and their impacts on how the ECAC recommendations were perceived, communication strategies and sources benefiting or hindering cancer prevention information from reaching out, and how vulnerabilities in these subgroups impact cancer prevention literacy. To improve cancer prevention literacy in Europe, more attention is needed this topic to overcome barriers among different population subgroups. Recommendations include improved and adapted cancer prevention information, support to individuals, as well as societal support, such as easy-access screening and vaccination programmes and regulations related to tobacco, alcohol, and diet.

Current practice and beliefs of parents toward sunscreen use for their children: A cross-sectional study

Parents are generally influencing the sun protection behaviors of their children, including sunscreen use. In Saudi Arabia, sunscreen use was estimated in adults but not children. The objective was to estimate the prevalence and predictors of sunscreen use among parents and their children. An observational cross-sectional study was conducted in April 2022. Parents who were visiting outpatient clinics at a university hospital in Al-Kharj city, Saudi Arabia, were invited to complete an online questionnaire. A total of 266 participants were included in the final analysis. The mean age of parents was 39.0 ± 8.9 years, and the mean age of children was 8.2 ± 3.2 years. The prevalence of sunscreen use was 38.7% in parents and 24.1% in their children. Females had higher sunscreen use than males in both parents (49.7% versus 7.2%, p < 0.001) and in children (31.9% versus 18.3%, p = 0.011). The most frequent sunburn protection measures practiced by children were wearing long-sleeved clothes (77.0%), sitting in the shade (70.6%), and wearing hats (39.2%). In multivariable analysis, predictors of sunscreen use in parents included female sex, history of sunburn, and sunscreen use by children. Independent predictors of sunscreen use in children included a history of sunburn, wearing hats, and practicing other sunburn protection measures on risky occasions, and sunscreen use in parents. Sunscreen use in parents and children in Saudi Arabia is still inadequate or limited. This calls for community/school intervention programs using educational activities and multimedia promotion. Further studies are needed.

Current Viewpoint on Female Urogenital Microbiome-The Cause or the Consequence?

An increasing amount of evidence implies that native microbiota is a constituent part of a healthy urinary tract (UT), making it an ecosystem on its own. What is still not clear is whether the origin of the urinary microbial community is the indirect consequence of the more abundant gut microbiota or a more distinct separation exists between these two systems. Another area of uncertainty is the existence of a link between the shifts in UT microbial composition and both the onset and persistence of cystitis symptoms. Cystitis is one of the most common reasons for antimicrobial drugs prescriptions in primary and secondary care and an important contributor to the problem of antimicrobial resistance. Despite this fact, we still have trouble distinguishing whether the primary cause of the majority of cystitis cases is a single pathogen overgrowth or a systemic disorder affecting the entire urinary microbiota. There is an increasing trend in studies monitoring changes and dynamics of UT microbiota, but this field of research is still in its infancy. Using NGS and bioinformatics, it is possible to obtain microbiota taxonomic profiles directly from urine samples, which can provide a window into microbial diversity (or the lack of) underlying each patient's cystitis symptoms. However, while microbiota refers to the living collection of microorganisms, an interchangeably used term microbiome referring to the genetic material of the microbiota is more often used in conjunction with sequencing data. It is this vast amount of sequences, which are truly "Big Data", that allow us to create models that describe interactions between different species contributing to an UT ecosystem, when coupled with machine-learning techniques. Although in a simplified predator-prey form these multi-species interaction models have the potential to further validate or disprove current beliefs; whether it is the presence or the absence of particular key players in a UT microbial ecosystem, the exact cause or consequence of the otherwise unknown etiology in the majority of cystitis cases. These insights might prove to be vital in our ongoing struggle against pathogen resistance and offer us new and promising clinical markers.

Editorial introduction: Punctuated equilibrium, multiple streams, environmental governance, and many more

Editorial introduction: Punctuated equilibrium, multiple streams, environmental governance, and many more

Theories of Skill Acquisition: Implications for Tennis Coaching

This article discusses different theories of skill learning, including ecological dynamics, and their implications for coaching and practice design. Concerns with current beliefs about skill acquisition and the associated traditional practice methods will be discussed. The major tenets of ecological dynamics will be presented, followed by some practice design recommendations for coaches. The goal of this paper is to introduce coaches to a more contemporary theoretical framework of skill acquisition that will drive the exploration of new practice methods to maximize skill development across all ages.

Outcome Predictors in Pediatric Nonfatal Drowning: Results of a Family Caregiver Survey (S2.006)

<h3>Objective:</h3> Drowning is the second cause of unintentional injury-related death in children ages 1–4. Pediatric non-fatal drowning (PnFD) is prevalent; for every child dying by drowning, eight receive emergency care and survive. Despite the high prevalence of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in PnFD, data on clinical outcomes and outcome predictors are sparse. This study addressed this gap. <h3>Background:</h3> In prior work, we used quantitative MRI to delineate an HIE lesion topography consistent with selective deefferentation. A network-based behavioral scoring instrument (NBBS) was developed (5-level Likert-scale) and agreed with MRI predictions. <h3>Design/Methods:</h3> The NBBS supplemented with additional clinical and demographic items was administered as <i>The Non-Fatal Drowning Survey</i>. Surveys were distributed online using REDCap via social media support sites for parents of children with neurological injury from PnFD. Analysis was performed using Excel and RStudio. <h3>Results:</h3> 161 responses met inclusion/exclusion criteria. Unsupervised clustering identified three groups: Group 1 (mild; n=37), Group 2 (moderate; n=75) and, Group 3 (severe; n=40). Severity of impairment ranged from near-normal to persistent vegetative state. Across the outcome spectrum (Groups 1–3), motor impairment predominated (p &lt; 0.01). Locked-in syndrome was endorsed for 99 (61%) of survivors. The most reliable predictor of good outcome was alterness at discharge (Relative Risk = 0.11), irrespective of motor status. Admission status was not predictive. Pessimistic management recommendations – terminate care (acute) or institutionalize (chronic) – were common (n = 127) but were not predictive. Furthermore, less aggressive management was associated with poorer outcome. <h3>Conclusions:</h3> The majority (112/161) of PnFD survivors were not severely impaired, contradicting current beliefs. Alertness on discharge was a reliable predictor of good outcome. Pessimistic prognoses and care recommendations, although commonly given, were not reliable and should be avoided. Pattern of injury – motor deficits predominating over perceptual and cognitive – replicated our prior work, consistent with the frequent endorsement of Locked-in Syndrome. <b>Disclosure:</b> The institution of Ms. Razaqyar has received research support from National Institutes of Health. Dr. Osta has nothing to disclose. The institution of Mr. Towne has received research support from NIH T32GM113896. Ms. Ishaque has nothing to disclose. Dr. Chiang has received research support from NIH/NICHD . Dr. Fox has received personal compensation in the range of $10,000-$49,999 for serving as an Editor, Associate Editor, or Editorial Advisory Board Member for Wiley. The institution of Dr. Fox has received research support from NIH. Dr. Fox has received intellectual property interests from a discovery or technology relating to health care. Dr. Fox has received personal compensation in the range of $500,000-$999,999 for serving as a Reviewer with NIH.

Management of Low Back Pain: Do Physiotherapists Know the Evidence-Based Guidelines?

Clinical practice guidelines promote bio-psychosocial management of patients suffering from low back pain (LBP). The objective of this study was to examine the current knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of physiotherapists about a guideline-adherent approach to LBP and to assess the ability of physiotherapists to recognise signs of a specific LBP in a clinical vignette. Physiotherapists were recruited to participate in an online study. They were asked to indicate whether they were familiar with evidence-based guidelines and then to fill in the Health Care Providers' Pain and Impairment Relationship Scale (HC-PAIRS), Back Pain Attitudes Questionnaire (Back-PAQ), Neurophysiology of Pain Questionnaire (NPQ), as well as questions related to two clinical vignettes. In total, 527 physiotherapists participated in this study. Only 38% reported being familiar with guidelines for the management of LBP. Sixty-three percent of the physiotherapists gave guideline-inconsistent recommendations regarding work. Only half of the physiotherapists recognised the signs of a specific LBP. The high proportion of physiotherapists unfamiliar with guidelines and demonstrating attitudes and beliefs not in line with evidence-based management of LBP is concerning. It is crucial to develop efficient strategies to enhance knowledge of guidelines among physiotherapists and increase their implementation in clinical practice.

Approaches to tracheoesophageal voice rehabilitation: a survey of the UK and Irish speech and language therapists' current practice and beliefs.

After total laryngectomy, surgical voice restoration is used to establish communication via tracheoesophageal voice prosthesis. Once voice is established, there is a paucity of information on what speech and language therapists (SLTs) should do to improve tracheoesophageal voice quality to ensure functional communication. No existing surveys or studies investigate this specific question. There is also a disconnect between guidelines, knowledge and clinical practice, whereby clinical guidelines stipulate the requirement for SLT intervention, but do not detail what this entails in the rehabilitation context. (1) To advance understanding of current clinical practice beyond voice prosthesis management and care. (2) To explore what approaches are implemented in clinical practice across the UK and Republic of Ireland to rehabilitate tracheoesophageal voice. (3) To investigate the barriers and facilitators to provision of tracheoesophageal voice therapy. A self-administered 10-min online survey was developed using Qualtrics software and piloted before dissemination. Survey development was informed by the Behaviour Change Wheel to identify barriers, facilitators and additional factors contributing to SLTs' provision of voice therapy to tracheoesophageal speakers. The survey was disseminated via social media and professional networks. Eligibility criteria included SLTs with at least one year post-registration experience and with experience of working with laryngectomy in the past 5 years. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse closed answer questions. Open question responses were analysed using content analysis. The survey received 147 responses. Participants were representative of the head and neck cancer SLT workforce. SLTs believe that tracheoesophageal voice therapy is an important aspect of laryngectomy rehabilitation; however, there was a lack of knowledge about therapy approaches and insufficient resources for implementing therapy. SLTs expressed a desire for more training, specific guidelines and a stronger evidence base to inform clinical practice. Some SLTs expressed feelings of frustration and lack of acknowledgement for the specialist skills required to undertake laryngectomy rehabilitation and tracheoesophageal work in general. The survey identifies the need for a robust training approach and detailed clinical guidelines to promote consistent practice across the profession. The evidence base within this clinical area is emergent, hence there is a need for increased research and clinical audit to inform practice. Under-resourcing was highlighted, which should be considered in service planning to ensure that adequate staff, access to expert practitioners or time ring-fenced for therapy are available for tracheoesophageal speakers to receive the support they require. What is already known on this subject Total laryngectomy results in life-altering changes to communication. Clinical guidelines advocate for speech and language therapy intervention; however, there is no clear information on what SLTs should do to optimize tracheoesophageal voice and the evidence base to support practice is lacking. What this study adds to existing knowledge This survey identifies what interventions SLTs provide in clinical practice to rehabilitate tracheoesophageal voice; and it explores the barriers and facilitators that influence the provision of tracheoesophageal voice therapy. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Specific training, clinical guidelines, increased research and audit are required to support clinical practice in laryngectomy rehabilitation. Service planning should address the under-resourcing of staff, expert practitioners and therapy allocated time.

PATHWAYS TO RADICALISM: EXAMINING ONLINE COMMUNITY AND POLITICAL PATHWAYS TO MORE RADICAL BELIEFS ON REDDIT

Recent research shows that “algorithmic radicalization” and “echo chambers”—the idea that recommendation algorithms on social media have a strong independent effect on radicalization and silo people into ideologically homogeneous communities—are not as prevalent nor influential as once feared. Yet, online political discourse is as toxic as ever while political misinformation continues to plague social media platforms. This begs the question: If algorithms aren’t encouraging radicalization, then what is producing it? Drawing from church-sect theory, this study interviews politically active Reddit users to better understand _how_ they arrived at their current media use, online engagement, and political beliefs. Results show that participants have a deep mistrust of mainstream media, leading them to seek alternative sources of political content. Reddit participation is also driven by a desire for “earnest” political discussions with like-minded individuals and cross-partisans, in part to “reject” partisan polarization. Despite engaging on more extreme subreddits, participants said their beliefs were unchanged, but that other Redditors had moved to more extreme beliefs over time. And, participants perceived their Reddit participation as necessary to _prevent_ radicalization and partisan polarization. Collectively, these results provide preliminary insight into the media and social/psychological pathways that could lead to online radicalization, providing an alternative explanation to algorithmic radicalization. This study also underscores the importance of interrogating the ecological pathways to radicalization for researchers and policy-makers; future interventions should account for attribution bias and the individual-level factors related to radicalization.

An examination of teachers’ beliefs about critical thinking in New Zealand high schools

With new directives from the New Zealand government (2022) to increase the use of critical thinking (CT) within curriculum, this study set out to find out New Zealand high school teachers current beliefs about the teaching and learning of critical thinking (CT), in what ways these beliefs aligned or misaligned with international high school teachers beliefs about CT and if there are any beliefs that are surprising or concerning. The study used a mixed methods designs with an anonymous online Qualtrics questionnaire posted on teachers curriculum webpages that contained both quantitative and qualitative questions. The quantitative results were analysed in Qualtrics. 353 teachers completed the entire survey, with 141 males and 212 females. The results of the quantitative and qualitative Qualtrics questionnaire demonstrated that most teachers agreed critical thinking (CT) should be taught within curriculum; that the biggest barriers to the teaching and learning of critical thinking (CT) were the lack of training in CT and time. The teachers recognised that to achieve the highest grades in the national current assessments in New Zealand students required CT. The teachers held low expectations of students’ abilities to use dialogue online to incorporate CT and believed students were most likely to use CT in whole class discussions, suggesting a teacher-led approach was preferable. The teachers held diverse views of the relevance of the teachers and students cultural background to CT. The implication of this study is that there needs to be much greater emphasis on CT within teacher education programmes and professional development with teachers, with a focus on culturally diverse definitions of CT, addressing teacher beliefs about the importance of cultural backgrounds of both teachers and students, and instruction in student-led discussions to foster CT.

Optimal adaptation to uncertain climate change

Enormous public investment will occur as communities adapt to climate change. Much of this investment will be irreversible and the future benefits are uncertain. The real options embedded in adaptation projects are therefore potentially important and their existence needs to be incorporated into investment decision-making. Standard real options analysis is inadequate for this purpose because the arrival of new climate information is unlikely to conform to the stochastic processes typically used in real options analysis. This paper presents a new framework that reflects current uncertainty about climate change and how that uncertainty might change over time. Optimal investment depends on current beliefs regarding the severity of future climate change, how quickly these beliefs will change in the future, and current economic conditions. Most of the net benefits of optimal investment can be captured if investment timing is decided using a simple alternative decision-making rule.

Current Concussion Knowledge, Beliefs, Education, and Management Practices Among Irish Post-Primary PE Teachers

ABSTRACT Purpose: Physical education (PE) teachers play an important role in concussion recognition and management in schools both in an academic and activity based setting. This study aimed to identify Irish post-primary PE teachers’ concussion knowledge, beliefs, education and management practices. Methods: An anonymous online survey, adapted to the Irish context from the validated BAKPAC-TEACH, was completed by 128 PE teachers (female = 74/123; 60.2%; male = 49/123; 39.8%, 36.1 ± 10.9 years), representing 4% of registered PE teachers in Ireland. Results: PE teachers reported 3.5 ± 4.7 students suffer with a sports-related concussion in their classroom annually and 43.9% previously had a student sustain a concussion during their PE class. Most received concussion education (58.6%), largely provided by sporting bodies. They frequently identified dizziness (93.0%) and headaches (92.2%) as concussion symptoms, but less commonly emotional (more emotional = 36.5%, nervous or anxious = 33.6%, sadness = 28.9%) or sleep (35.2%) symptoms. All PE teachers knew that a concussion requires immediate removal from a game/practice. PE teachers demonstrated less perceived knowledge and confidence relating to academic adjustments and return to learn criteria. Just 31.3% reported their school facilitates academic adjustments. Conclusion: Tailored concussion education addressing knowledge gaps highlighted in this study should be developed. A concussion policy and an academic support team in each school should be established and widely publicised to enhance the support of concussed students in returning to school.

Current investigator practices and beliefs on interviewing trafficked minors.

Current investigator practices and beliefs on interviewing trafficked minors.

Teacher Sensemaking in an Early Education Research–Practice Partnership

Background/Context: High quality early education, preschool through third grade, has received significant attention as a vehicle for addressing academic disparities. Research–practice partnerships (RPPs) offer a promising strategy for improving early education and closing the gap between research and practice; however, RPPs in the early learning context are understudied, and there is little information about how teachers experience them. Purpose/Research Questions: Grounded in a framework of sensemaking theory and research on teachers’ beliefs and RPPs, this paper addresses the following questions: (1) How did an early education RPP attempt to build a meaningful and trusting partnership and amplify teacher voices? (2) How did teachers make sense of new knowledge within the context of the RPP and their practical wisdom? (3) To what degree were teachers reaffirming existing beliefs vs. questioning or adjusting current beliefs through their participation in the RPP? Research Design: This paper relies on qualitative data gathered as part of an interdisciplinary education neuroscience longitudinal RPP project between university researchers and educators in a California school district. The data analyzed for this paper included field notes and artifacts from RPP meetings and transcripts of teacher interviews. Conclusions/Recommendations: The RPP intentionally created opportunities for teachers to amplify their perspectives and interpretations. Within RPP meeting spaces, teachers reflected on their beliefs and practices in light of research conducted in their schools and, more generally, sometimes adjusting and other times reaffirming their views. The extent to which teachers incorporated new knowledge into their cognitive schemas varied based on the topic and how and where the information was presented. These findings yield important implications for research–practice partnerships and system change in early childhood education.

Actively Open-Minded Thinking and Its Measurement.

Actively open-minded thinking (AOT) is measured by items that tap the willingness to consider alternative opinions, sensitivity to evidence contradictory to current beliefs, the willingness to postpone closure, and reflective thought. AOT scales are strong predictors of performance on heuristics and biases tasks and of the avoidance of reasoning traps such as superstitious thinking and belief in conspiracy theories. Nevertheless, AOT is most commonly measured with questionnaires rather than performance indicators. Questionnaire contamination becomes even more of a danger as the AOT concept is expanded into new areas such as the study of fake news, misinformation, ideology, and civic attitudes. We review our 25-year history of studying the AOT concept and developing our own AOT scale. We present a 13-item scale that both is brief and accommodates many previous criticisms and refinements. We include a discussion of why AOT scales are such good predictors of performance on heuristics and biases tasks. We conclude that it is because such scales tap important processes of cognitive decoupling and decontextualization that modernity increasingly requires. We conclude by discussing the paradox that although AOT scales are potent predictors of performance on most rational thinking tasks, they do not predict the avoidance of myside thinking, even though it is virtually the quintessence of the AOT concept.

The practices and beliefs of dental professionals regarding the management of patients taking anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs

AimThis study aimed to inform the implementation of the updated Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme (SDCEP) guidance, ‘Management of Dental Patients taking Anticoagulant or Antiplatelet Drugs’, and to determine training needs by investigating dental professionals’ current practice and beliefs regarding management of patients taking these medications.MethodsDental professionals were recruited via the NHS Education for Scotland Portal. The online questionnaire collected demographic information, data on current practice and information about beliefs regarding behaviours related to the management of patients on anticoagulant or antiplatelet medication. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS and subjected to frequency calculations, t-tests, one-way ANOVA and linear regression. Qualitative data were collected via free text boxes and analysed using thematic analysis.ResultsOne hundred and fifty-seven participants responded to the questionnaire. The majority of respondents stated they were aware of the guidance and always based their practice on it. The majority of respondents always assessed the patient’s individual bleeding risk prior to dental procedures. Most respondents felt that they did not know how to appropriately manage patients taking low doses of low molecular weight heparins (LMWH), and only 38% of respondents always followed SDCEP guidance about direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) medication and procedures with a low associated risk of bleeding.DiscussionThis study demonstrates a need for further educational support surrounding LMWHs and management of patients on DOAC medication. Time and remuneration represent barriers to guidance implementation in primary care.ConclusionThere is good awareness and adherence to the guidance in primary care settings, however training needs were identified to support implementation.

Seeing the Error in My "Bayes": A Quantified Degree of Belief Change Correlates with Children's Pupillary Surprise Responses Following Explicit Predictions.

Bayesian models allow us to investigate children's belief revision alongside physiological states, such as "surprise". Recent work finds that pupil dilation (or the "pupillary surprise response") following expectancy violations is predictive of belief revision. How can probabilistic models inform the interpretations of "surprise"? Shannon Information considers the likelihood of an observed event, given prior beliefs, and suggests stronger surprise occurs following unlikely events. In contrast, Kullback-Leibler divergence considers the dissimilarity between prior beliefs and updated beliefs following observations-with greater surprise indicating more change between belief states to accommodate information. To assess these accounts under different learning contexts, we use Bayesian models that compare these computational measures of "surprise" to contexts where children are asked to either predict or evaluate the same evidence during a water displacement task. We find correlations between the computed Kullback-Leibler divergence and the children's pupillometric responses only when the children actively make predictions, and no correlation between Shannon Information and pupillometry. This suggests that when children attend to their beliefs and make predictions, pupillary responses may signal the degree of divergence between a child's current beliefs and the updated, more accommodating beliefs.