Dialogue Intervention Research Articles

The Impact of a Dialogic Intervention on a Chinese Rural Teacher and Students' Stances Towards Texts

ABSTRACTIn language arts classrooms, dialogic teaching encourages diverse text interpretations, fostering discussions that enhance students' literacy skills like reasoning. However, adopting a dialogic stance poses challenges for both teachers and students. The study investigated the impact of a tailor‐made dialogic intervention on a Chinese rural teacher and students' stances towards texts. Chinese rural students shifted from efferent and instrumental stances to a more critical‐analytical stance, indicating a profound change in how rural students interacted with texts through exploratory talk, highlighting the potential of dialogic teaching practices to foster deep engagement with reading materials. However, after the intervention ended, the teacher reverted to a monologic approach due to limited dialogic texts and time constraints. The findings underscore the potential of dialogic teaching for engaging rural students, yet highlight the need for sustained teacher training and suitable texts. Future research should focus on cultivating and maintaining students' growth mindset effectively in rural settings.

Health dialogue intervention versus opportunistic screening in primary care for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease prevention in settings with low socioeconomic status (DETECT): study protocol for a pragmatic cluster-randomized trial

BackgroundMeta-analyses of randomized trials suggest that health checks and health promotion interventions targeting behavior change in primary care do not prevent cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in the general population. However, whether such interventions are more effective in high-risk populations, such as people living in low socioeconomic settings, remains unclear, as they have been poorly represented in previous trials. Therefore, we aim to evaluate the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and implementation of systematic screening followed by an individually oriented, lifestyle-focused, health dialogue intervention for prevention of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, as compared to opportunistic screening, in primary care in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas.MethodsUsing an overall pragmatic approach and a cluster-randomized design with two arms, we aim to enroll 3000 participants aged 50–59 years from 30 primary care centers (PCCs) with an above-average level of Care Need Index in Stockholm Region, Sweden. PCCs will be randomized (1:1) either to a health dialogue intervention, which includes inviting enlisted patients to a systematic screening of risk factors followed by an individually oriented lifestyle-focused health dialogue, or to opportunistic screening, which includes screening patients for a smaller set of risk factors during an appointment at their PCC taking place for other reasons. The main outcome will be change in systolic blood pressure during 6- and 12-month follow-ups. Additional short-term outcomes will be changes in other biological risk factors, health-related quality-of-life, and lifestyle habits, as well as process and implementation outcomes, and unintended side effects. The long-term effect on type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease incidence and mortality will be examined using regional and nationwide registers. Changes in systolic blood pressure and other health outcomes will be analyzed using mixed-effect generalized linear modeling and mixed-effect Cox regression to capture variability between and within PCCs. A health economic evaluation will assess resource use and costs in the short- and long-term.DiscussionThis trial of lifestyle-focused health dialogues and opportunistic screening in primary care in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas in the largest region of Sweden has the potential to yield valuable insights that could support evidence-based policymaking.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06067178). Prospectively registered September 27, 2023.

Communologue in Family Therapy

This article introduces communologue, a process and intervention whose aim is to create safe conversation and deep connecting dialogue within groups and between groups. Communologue originated after 9/11 from the Imago Dialogue intervention developed by Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt's Imago Relationship Therapy in addition to other dialogue and communication experts. This article presents the history and framework as well as a detailed description of the communologue intervention, and its application in family therapy. Special attention is given to the role of the therapist. The connection to the dialogical approach to family therapy and the difference between communologue's specific way of mirroring and active listening are also highlighted. A case study is presented which illustrates the profound ways in which working with a family using communologue can create safety, foster connection, and alter the family dynamics. Implications of communologue and limitations are discussed.

Development of a gratitude intervention model and investigation of the effects of such a program on employee well-being, engagement, job satisfaction and psychological capital.

In a demanding working life, it is important to determine how individuals can thrive at work. In a previous study we investigated whether a program of gratitude interventions can increase psychological wellbeing, engagement, job satisfaction, and psychological capital showing promising results. of the present study was to present the development of a manager coached group intervention program related to gratitude at workplaces and to investigate the effects of such a program on the same variables. The intervention included five group sessions of gratitude dialogue between employees, supervised by their first line managers. Participants were assigned to an intervention or control group. Assessments were made before and after the intervention program and followed-up at 6 months post-intervention. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses were performed. Both groups completed instruments measuring positive psychological capital (PCQ), work engagement (UWES), psychological wellbeing (PGWB-S), and job satisfaction (aJDI). All managers were interviewed after the intervention. Compared with the control group the gratitude dialogue intervention was found to significantly enhance psychological wellbeing, engagement, and job satisfaction. The results were supported by the interviews with managers. our results suggest that gratitude dialogues at work may be an effective way of improving employee wellbeing. Suggestions on how to improve the results from this kind of gratitude intervention further are presented.

Chatbot dialogic reading boosts comprehension for Chinese kindergarteners with higher language skills

Dialogic reading promotes early language and literacy development, but high-quality interactions may be inaccessible to disadvantaged children. This study examined whether a chatbot could deliver dialogic reading support comparable to a human partner for Chinese kindergarteners. Using a 2 × 2 factorial design, 148 children (83 girls; Mage = 70.07 months, SD = 7.64) from less resourced families in Beijing, China, were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: dialogic or non-dialogic reading techniques with either a chatbot or human partner. The chatbot provided comparable dialogic support to the human partner, enhancing story comprehension and word learning. Critically, the chatbot’s effect on story comprehension was moderated by children’s language proficiency rather than age or reading ability. This demonstrates that chatbots can facilitate dialogic reading and highlights the importance of considering children’s language skills when implementing chatbot dialogic interventions.

Increase in institutional delivery and child immunisation coverage through an appreciative inquiry-based community dialogue intervention in Afghanistan

ObjectiveA community dialogue intervention with an appreciative inquiry approach was undertaken to improve institutional delivery and child immunisation coverage in a hard-to-reach province, namely, Kandahar, in Afghanistan. This study aimed to evaluate the intervention's effectiveness in promoting institutional delivery and child immunisation. Study designA pre-post intervention evaluation study. MethodsAn intervention and a non-intervention district were selected in Kandahar. Children aged under 5 years participated in surveys at baseline (October 2018) and follow-up (Post-intervention: November 2019). We analysed age, sex, place of birth, and confirmed immunisation coverage data concerning 1046 and 927 children pre- and post-interventions, respectively. Changes in institutional delivery and confirmed immunisation status were evaluated using net intervention effect and difference-in-difference (DID) analysis. ResultsInstitutional delivery rates increased from 66.3% to 83.6% (p = 0.016) in the intervention district and decreased from 71.3% to 46.7% (p < 0.001) in the non-intervention district, with a net intervention effect of 41.9%. Full immunisation coverage among children aged 12–23 months and 24–35 months significantly increased from 26.4% to 76.9% (p < 0.001) and from 40.0% to 78.6% (p < 0.001), respectively, in the intervention district, whereas coverage significantly decreased in the non-intervention district. The net intervention effects were 59.1% and 44.8% for children aged 12–23 months and 24–35 months, respectively. The DID analysis also revealed significant differences in outcomes after intervention at follow-up. The results concerning antigen-specific immunisation coverage indicated a significant increase in immunisation coverage in the intervention district. ConclusionsThe appreciative inquiry-based community dialogue intervention considerably increased institutional delivery and child immunisation coverage, even in a hard-to-reach province in Afghanistan.

Improving NICU staff decision-making with parents in medical rounds: a pilot study of reflective group dialogue intervention.

The communication skills of healthcare professionals play a crucial role in successful shared decision-making with parents in neonatal intensive care. Improving communication skills can be achieved through practice and reflection on personal experiences after authentic interaction events with parents. The process of reflection typically involves three phases: description, reflection, and critical reflection. In this study, our aim was to explore the acceptability of the Reflective Group Dialogue intervention and its effectiveness in supporting the reflective process. This qualitative pilot study was conducted in the neonatal intensive care unit at Uppsala University Children's Hospital, Sweden. The sample consisted of nine medical rounds with seven families, five neonatologists, seven registered nurses, and five assistant nurses. Purposive sampling was used to collect the data. The intervention comprised four elements: (1) before the intervention, a recorded presentation on shared decision-making was given to the entire unit staff, (2) an observation of a normal medical round discussion with parents, (3) an interview with parents about their experience after the same round, and (4) a reflective discussion with the participating health care professionals after the round. The parent interviews and reflective discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. They were analyzed using thematic analysis as a theoretical strategy. Both parents and staff widely accepted the intervention and found it beneficial. We identified four discussions that remained in the descriptive phase of the reflection process, four that reached the reflective phase, and one that reached the critical reflection phase. The descriptive discussions were characterized by using a single perspective to reflect, often based on personal opinions. The reflective discussions included analyzing interaction sequences from both staff and parent perspectives and were primarily based on actual observations of communication during medical rounds. The critical discussion led to a new awareness of current practices concerning parental involvement in decision-making. These discussions also utilized "what-if" thinking to evaluate potential new practices and their pros and cons. The intervention seems promising as it was perceived as beneficial by the recipients and facilitated reflection in most cases. However, to enhance the feasibility of the intervention, some improvements are discussed.

Health care professionals’ experiences and perceptions of health promotion through the health dialogue intervention in the scania region, Sweden: a qualitative interview study

BackgroundCardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes are among the largest public health challenges in Sweden. Research indicates that a healthy lifestyle can prevent most cases. The health dialogue is an evidence-based public health programme for primary care with positive results in several regions of Sweden. This study aimed to describe health care professionals’ experiences and perceptions of health promotion through the health dialogue intervention during the pilot phase in the Scania region of Sweden.MethodsThe study consists of 12 individual interviews with health care professionals educated in the health dialogue method, implementing the intervention in Scania. Qualitative content analysis with an inductive approach was used.ResultsThe analysis resulted in 10 sub-categories and the four main categories: A more health-promoting mindset would benefit primary care; Empower individuals; Facilitate sustainable lifestyle changes; Challenges, tools and support for the implementation of the health dialogue. One overarching theme emerged: “Health dialogue, a potential start of a paradigm shift in Swedish primary care”.ConclusionsConclusions imply that the health dialogue is a well-structured method with tools to make health promotion and primary prevention an integrated part of primary care. A respectful and motivating approach during the health dialogue is recommended. It is important to have an ongoing discussion about the approach among the health care professionals. Incorporating the Health Belief Model in the health care professionals’ education in the method could increase the focus on self-efficacy during counselling, which could favour the participants’ change process.

A process oriented psychology (POP) approach to processing collective trauma in an Irish context

The island of Ireland and Irish people have experienced a vast array of social, political, and military and paramilitary events and occurrences throughout history. Many have given rise to different forms of collective trauma. This has influenced the development of a national psychology and the many sub-psychologies of different groups of Irish people. Unprocessed, this trauma is transferred to subsequent generations at an individual, group, and collective level. This article considers an integrative approach to working with collective issues within groups of people who have a relationship with Irishness. This is heavily based on process oriented psychology (POP) or its larger scale application, worldwork. Mapping and following the different roles that may emerge within the process is key. We combine this approach with the spirit or essence of ancient Irish storytelling in hosting community-based dialogue interventions. These groups explore ‘the experience of being Irish in 2022 or different relationships with, or to, Irishness in today’s world’. The different themes and topics that emerged across the initial groups are discussed with further reflections from participants and more in-depth commentary from the perspectives of the group facilitators. The next stages of this group-based psychotherapeutic work are considered within an Irish framework; as well as the potential benefit of this kind of work at an international level, given the many collective psychosocial challenges we face across a very interconnected globe.

Chemistry of Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Brazil’s Protagonism in the Fight Against HIV/AIDS: Exploring the Theme with High School Seniors

The Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for the prevention of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection consists in using antiretroviral medicine before sexual exposure to the virus to decrease probability of infection. The PrEP is capable of preventing the virus infection and promoting a healthier sexual life. Brazil has been a reference in HIV treatment not only because it was the first country in Latin America to offer free antiretroviral treatment to virus carriers but also because it participated in the Initiative in Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (iPrEP), a study that was carried out in several countries worldwide and proved effectiveness of the PrEP. Medication distributed by the Brazilian Public Health System (SUS) is quite unknown to the population. To mitigate current proliferation of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and increase in pregnancy cases among adolescents, sexual orientation has been intensified in schools and, thus, it has also become their responsibility, rather than parents’ responsibility alone. Therefore, this study aimed at carrying out dynamic and dialogic interventions about the PrEP in classes taught to High School seniors who attend technical courses in Commerce and in Development of Digital Games at the Instituto Federal do Triângulo Mineiro - Campus Uberlândia Centro, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais (MG), Brazil. A dialogical Chemistry class was taught to show students several images and chemical structures of active ingredients found in the medication (PrEP). Besides, students answered a questionnaire with open questions anonymously to evaluate the effect of the class on their learning about sexual education, HIV/AIDS and, mainly, the PrEP. Students showed much interest in the tasks and interacted positively. Results of the questionnaire enabled to observe students’ increase in knowledge about the PrEP. In sum, this study enabled the PrEP to be better disseminated, since doubts were mitigated.

Issue highlights

Syltern and Markestad surveyed Norwegian paediatric residents about whether they would chose life-sustaining treatment if their own child was born extremely premature at 22–26 weeks of gestation.1 The vast majority (94%) of the 80 residents who responded said that they would opt out of life-sustaining treatment if their baby was born as early as 22 weeks. Nearly three-quarters (73%) would also have opted out of such treatment at 23 weeks. A randomised trial showed that Israeli and Palestinian youths who took part in an eight-session dialogue intervention showed more empathy and less hostile behaviour than controls, when they met people on the opposite side of the ongoing Israeli–Palestinian conflict.2 Differences were also seen in brain markers for empathy and prejudice, as well as oxytocin and cortisol levels. The intervention group's peace-building attitudes persisted 7 years later. Paalanne et al. investigated the duration of clinical symptoms associated with various respiratory viruses in 737 acutely ill children in Finland.3 They found that 20%–30% of the children experienced clinical symptoms for more than 14 days after the onset of an infection, but only 2%–3% had symptoms that lasted for more than 28 days. Detecting both viral and bacterial infections appeared to increase the duration of symptoms. Another paper by Paalanne et al. looked at how long children were absent from day care or school, and parents were unable to go to work, during children's respiratory infections.4 Korppi comments on the findings.5 Sepsis is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in neonates. Early diagnosis is the key, but is difficult due to nonspecific signs. Honoré et al. evaluated a noninvasive machine learning-based algorithm that used vital signs and demographic factors to detect sepsis in neonates up to 24 h before the first clinical suspicion.6 The subjects were 325 hospitalised term and preterm infants. The authors found that the algorithm provided a useful predictive value for neonatal sepsis detection. Combining multiple vital signs improved the performance, compared with just heart rate characteristics. Paediatricians should make their voices heard in the abortion debate, because their mission is to protect the physical, mental and social well-being of their patients. That is the view expressed by Adams et al in a perspective paper.7 The authors believe that laws limiting access to safe and legal abortions during pregnancy inherently affect existing and future children. They also point out that children are exposed to the sequalae of any issues that jeopardise the health and welfare of their parents. Figures: istockphoto

Education for Sustainable Development: Challenges for Postgraduate Programmes.

As the world faces progressive and interconnected global crises and conflicts, the educational expectations set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development are in jeopardy. With the COVID-19 pandemic in its third year, the war in Ukraine has exacerbated the food, energy, humanitarian, and refugee crises, all against the backdrop of an unfolding climate emergency. The aim of this research is to analyse the challenges faced by postgraduate programmes in training human talent for sustainable development on the basis of Grounded Theory. To do so, we have used a dialogical intervention through the complementary experiences of authorities of higher-education institutions that live day by day for a fair, quality, and sustainable education. With a naturalistic qualitative method, where the hermeneutic analysis procedure is structured in five phases, and with data from key informants from 9 countries, 20 interviews are obtained with key informants in Latin American and Spanish universities during 2021, according to inclusion criteria such as: belonging to a higher-education institution, with a doctorate degree, with more than 10 years of experience in management, and training in postgraduate programmes. The data are processed through ATLAS.ti9, which allows for the analysis of the key informants' discourses. The findings show that the university institutions that currently offer postgraduate programmes are considering improving the quality of education; the first challenge is to redesign the curricula according to the demands of the current and future world, incorporating technological resources and knowledge of the environment; inter- and transdisciplinary curricula that form enterprising postgraduates with a solid ethical life project; critical, complex, and systemic thinking.

Memorials, landscape and white masculinity: dialogic interventions in South African art

The memorialisation of place and representation of land and landscape is topical in many societies that are dealing with the aftermath of political trauma, such as Post-Colonial or Post-Soviet countries. In such contexts, artists engage with land and notions of place through processes of memorialisation and landscape representation, or very often, the undoing of these traditions as they were entrenched by regimes that are now redundant. In this article we investigate two different artistic agendas that engage with such sites in South Africa, in the work of Paul Emmanuel, and the collective Avant Car Guard. Though separated by a decade, the artworks discussed here share a dialogic engagement with existing memorial sites, or indeed, traditions that memorialise settler belonging, such as the landscape painting tradition or military equestrian monuments. While Emmanuel's work may be understood to employ a dialogic, anti-monumental strategy in response to the statue of Louis Botha at the Union buildings in Tshwane in South Africa, Avant Car Guard insert themselves in spaces where they engage parodically with memorial sites and the tradition of landscape representation. In both cases, white masculinity is called into question through self-representation, engaging with notions of Afrikaner hegemony and white anxiety.

A psychological intervention for engaging dialogically with auditory hallucinations (Talking With Voices): A single-site, randomised controlled feasibility trial

There is growing clinical interest in addressing relationship dynamics between service-users and their voices. The Talking With Voices (TwV) trial aimed to establish feasibility and acceptability of a novel dialogical intervention to reduce distress associated with voices amongst adults diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. The single-site, single-blind (rater) randomised controlled trial recruited 50 participants who were allocated 1:1 to treatment as usual (TAU), or TAU plus up to 26 sessions of TwV therapy. Participants were assessed at baseline and again at end of treatment (six-months). The primary outcomes were quantitative and qualitative assessments of feasibility and acceptability. Secondary outcomes involved clinical measures, including targeted instruments for voice-hearing, dissociation, and emotional distress. The trial achieved 100 % of the target sample, 24 of whom were allocated to therapy and 26 to TAU. The trial had high retention (40/50 [80 %] participants at six-months) and high intervention adherence (21/24 [87.5 %] receiving ≥8 sessions). Signals of efficacy were shown in targeted measures of voice-hearing, dissociation, and perceptions of recovery. Analysis on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale indicated that there were no differences in means of general psychosis symptom scores in TwV compared to the control group. There were four serious adverse events in the therapy group and eight in TAU, none of which were related to study proceedings. The trial demonstrates the acceptability of the intervention and the feasibility of delivering it under controlled, randomised conditions. An adequately powered definitive trial is necessary to provide robust evidence regarding efficacy evaluation and cost-effectiveness.Trial registration: ISRCTN 45308981.

Postgraduate Trends in the Training of Human Talent for Sustainable Development

A sustainable university must educate its academic collaborators and its interest groups, focusing on the key dimensions, such as economic growth, respect for the environment and carrying out energy saving measures, and efficiency and reuse of resources. The aim of this research is to show the tendencies of postgraduate courses in the training of human talent for “Sustainable Development” based on grounded theory. The methodology is approached from the qualitative naturalistic perspective, where the hermeneutic analysis procedure is structured in five phases with data from nine countries obtained from 20 interviews conducted in the year 2021. For this, a dialogical intervention has been used through the complementary experiences of rectors, deans and specialists with doctoral degrees who are immersed in postgraduate programmes in Latin American and Spanish universities, safeguarding the identity under ethical criteria. The main findings show that this human capital that forms part of the universities through their postgraduate programmes is currently considering redesigning their educational programmes to contribute to sustainable development, not only academically but also through their educational model. The main evidence shows that today more than ever there is a need for change, a need for a new human resource that responds and aims for a triple balance: environmental, economic and social.

Dialogue intervention for youth amidst intractable conflict attenuates neural prejudice response and promotes adults' peacemaking.

Humans' dependence on group living has led to the formation of tenacious, often nonconscious negative perceptions of other social groups, a phenomenon termed "intergroup bias" that sustains one of the world's most imminent problem: intergroup conflicts. Adolescents' participation in intergroup conflicts has been continuously on the rise, rendering the need to devise interventions that can mitigate some of their deleterious effects on youth an urgent societal priority. Framed within the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and targeting youth, we implemented a dialogue-enhancing intervention for adolescents (16 to 18 years) reared amidst intractable conflict that builds on social synchrony and the neurobiology of affiliation. Implementing a randomized controlled trial design, before and after the 8-week intervention adolescents underwent magnetoencephalography to assess a neural marker of implicit prejudice and interviewed on their attitudes toward the conflict. Adolescents who received the intervention showed attenuation of the neural prejudice response, as indexed by sustained occipital alpha that was significantly reduced at post-intervention and adopted attitudes of peacemaking. Change in the neural prejudice response predicted attitudes of compromise and support in peacebuilding 7 years later, when young adults can already engage in active civil duties and responsibilities. These results underscore adolescence as a window of opportunity for enhancing inter-group dialogue and demonstrate the long-term associations between the neural evaluation of prejudice and self-reported measures of proclivity for compromise and peace in the context of an intractable century-long conflict.

Can a workplace dialogue impact the perceived influence of neck and/or backpain on everyday activities and performance at work? A secondary analysis from the randomized controlled trial WorkUp

BackgroundNeck- and back- pain are highly prevalent conditions in Sweden and world-wide. Such pain often has consequences on everyday activities, work- and personal life. One consequence is work absence and decreased productivity at work. Adding a workplace dialogue to structured physiotherapy was recently found to lead to increased workability, i.e., not being on sick leave during the 12th month of follow up.AimThe aim of the study was to explore the effect of a workplace dialogue intervention on secondary outcomes: perceived impact of neck and/or back pain on everyday activities and on performance at work, and total days of sick leave during 12 month follow up. A further aim was to examine associations between perceived influence of pain, and sick leave.MethodPatients with neck and/or back pain in primary care in the south of Sweden were randomized into structured physiotherapy alone (n = 206) or with the addition of a workplace dialogue (n = 146). Data regarding the pain’s influence on everyday activities and on performance at work were collected using weekly text messages for 52 weeks. The pattern of change in perceived influence of neck and/or back pain on everyday activities and performance at work was compared between the groups with linear mixed models. Cross sectional correlations between perceived influence of neck and/or back pain on everyday activities and performance at work, and days of sick leave, during the preceding four weeks at months 3, 6, 9 and 12 were examined.ResultWe found no differences in change of perceived influence of neck and/or back pain on daily activities or perceived performance at work, or total days of sick leave during the 12 months of follow up between the groups with structured physiotherapy with or without a workplace dialogue. There was a weak to moderate positive correlation between days of sick leave and perceived influence of neck and/or back pain on everyday activities and performance at work (rho 0.28–0.47).ConclusionA workplace dialogue was not found to affect the perceived impact of neck and/or back pain on everyday activities and performance at work.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT02609750.

The Safety and Efficacy of Psychosocial Adherence Interventions in Young People with Early Psychosis: A Systematic Review.

Background: The role of antipsychotic medication in supporting young people in their recovery from early psychosis is complex and controversial. It is common for young people, often given antipsychotic medication for the first time, to express a choice to stop treatment, potentially increasing the risk of relapse and admission to hospital. Our systematic review aimed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of psychosocial interventions to enhance antipsychotic medication adherence in young people with early psychosis. Methods: We reviewed studies using any experimental design of psychosocial interventions specifically focused on enhancing adherence with antipsychotic medication in young people with early psychosis. Cochrane CENTRAL Register, Medline, Embase, PsychINFO and CINAHL were searched on 19 November 2021 without time restriction. Studies were assessed for quality using the Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies. Results: Our initial search identified 3469 documents. Following title, abstract and full-text screening, we included three published studies and one unpublished experimental study that met our inclusion criteria. Outcome data were available for three studies that tested adherence–coping–education, adherence therapy, and a health dialogue intervention, all having a positive effect on medication adherence. None of the trials reported data on the safety of the experimental interventions. Conclusion: There is a paucity of evidence from high-quality randomized controlled trials that establish the safety and effectiveness of any type of psychosocial intervention to enhance medication adherence in young people with early psychosis. Further high-quality trials are warranted. This review was registered on the Open Science Framework prior to undertaking out initial searches.

Changes in perceived parental self-efficacy after a Child-Centred Health Dialogue about preventing obesity.

AimThis randomised controlled trial evaluated changes in parental self‐efficacy and children's weight, after a Child‐Centred Health Dialogue about preventing obesity.MethodsWe randomly assigned 37 Child Health Centres in Skåne county Sweden to provide usual care or the dialogue intervention. They included centres from high and low socioeconomic areas. The outcomes were changes in parental self‐efficacy and any moderating effect on their children's body mass index 1 year later.ResultsThe baseline data were based on 1115 mothers and 869 fathers representing 1197 children (52% females) aged 4 years (3.9–4.2) with a standardised body mass index (zBMI) of 0.1 ± 0.9. The participation rates at follow‐up, 1.1 ± 0.2 years after the intervention were 817 mothers and 508 fathers. Overall, parental self‐efficacy had decreased by the 1‐year follow‐up. There was a significant intervention effect on maternal self‐efficacy in promoting physical activity, however with unclear clinical relevance. Mothers' change in perceived self‐efficacy in promoting a healthy diet seemed to moderate the intervention effect on zBMI change in children with zBMI > 0 with −0.01 (95% CI: −0.025 to −0.001; p = 0.03).ConclusionOur study suggested a possible link between increased maternal self‐efficacy in promoting a healthy diet and a favourable development of zBMI.

The effect of the two‐chair dialogue intervention on self‐compassion ‐ adding an emotional evocative component to a basic Rogerian condition

AbstractObjectiveHow people relate to themselves when facing distress or failure influences general psychological well‐being and vulnerability to psychological disorders. The aim of the present study was to explore the effect of an emotionally evocative intervention on self‐compassion.MethodsThe data were retrieved from a larger study of Emotion‐Focused Therapy (EFT) utilising a multiple baseline design comparing two treatment phases. The baseline phase consisted of 5, 7 or 9 therapy sessions where the therapist solely adhered to Rogerian relational conditions, as prescribed in EFT. A two‐chair dialogue intervention was then added for five sessions. The sample consisted of 18 self‐critical clients with clinically significant symptoms of depression and/or anxiety. The “Self‐Compassion Scale” (SCS) was administered pre, mid and post therapy.ResultsThe baseline phase did not lead to significant changes in self‐compassion. However, the addition of the two‐chair dialogue was associated with a significant increase in self‐compassion. This increase was due to reductions in the negative subscales, especially the isolation subscale.ConclusionThe emotionally evocative two‐chair dialogue was associated with a significant change in self‐to‐self relating, compared to relational conditions alone. The two‐chair dialogue, thus, seems to be a promising intervention for promoting healthier self‐to‐self relating.