Foster Autonomy Research Articles

The Development of Self and Identity in Adolescence: Neural Evidence and Implications for a Value-Based Choice Perspective on Motivated Behavior.

Following a key developmental task of childhood-building a foundation of self-knowledge in the form of domain-specific self-concepts-adolescents begin to explore their emerging identities in ways that foster autonomy and connectedness. Neuroimaging studies of self-related processes demonstrate enhanced engagement of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex in adolescence, which may facilitate and reflect the development of identity by integrating the value of potential actions and choices. Drawing from neuroeconomic and social cognitive accounts, we propose that motivated behavior during adolescence can be modeled by a general value-based decision-making process centered around value accumulation in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. This approach advances models of adolescent neurodevelopment that focus on reward sensitivity and cognitive control by considering more diverse value inputs, including contributions of developing self- and identity-related processes. It also considers adolescent decision making and behavior from adolescents' point of view rather than adults' perspectives on what adolescents should value or how they should behave.

The Certainty of Uncertainty in Genomic Medicine: Managing the Challenge

While uncertainty has long been a hallmark of the practice of medicine, the need for attention to its management is gaining focus with the movement of genomic testing from the specialist genetics service into mainstream health care. Uncertainty management first requires an understanding of all of the dimensions of uncertainty including recognition of the sources (probability or risk, ambiguity and complexity), the issues (scientific, personal and practical) and the loci (patients/family/research participants, laboratory personnel, clinicians, research investigators and policy makers). At the same time, it is also important to recognise that uncertainty is not always problematic, and therefore needs to be avoided or eradicated or that its psychological impact is necessarily negative. This means that management strategies that foster resilience, welfare, autonomy and solidarity when offering genomic testing may assist in ensuring those receiving and offering genomic health care are prepared for the inevitable uncertainties generated and present results with positive framing. The genetic counseling interventions currently proposed as management strategies are underpinned by, first, pre-test counseling that addresses potential uncertainty as part of the informed consent process. Secondly, a care relationship developed at result delivery fosters trust. This may assist in continued engagement and re-contact with services to facilitate possible future resolution of the interpretation of the genomic result. Nevertheless, it is essential that any intervention is evaluated so that it can be promoted with assurance of rigor.

Vulnerabilities and the Use of Autologous Stem Cells for Medical Conditions in Australia.

Australia has a booming market of unproven autologous stem cell- based interventions (SCBIs) for a wide range of medical conditions. Multiple SCBIs are provided in private practices outside of formal clinical trials. Some defend the provision of unproven SCBIs on grounds of patient choice. This essay interrogates this argument for patient choice and explores patients' vulnerabilities in clinical practice with autologous SCBIs. While all patients are inherently vulnerable, the regulatory framework for autologous stem cells in Australia exacerbates the problems associated with inherent vulnerabilities and generates situational and pathogenic vulnerabilities. A just state ought to implement regulatory measures that mitigate vulnerabilities and foster patients' autonomy.

Impact of Adding Internet Technology on Student Performance and Perception of Autonomy in Fundamentals of Electronics Course

The coupling of the traditional classroom instruction and a virtual learning environment (VLE) in an engineering course is critical to stimulating the learning process and to encouraging students to develop competencies outside of the classroom. This can be achieved through planned activities and the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs), resources designed to complement students’ autonomous learning needs. A quantitative analysis of students’ academic performance using final course grades was performed for a fundamentals of electronics course and we examine students’ perception of their autonomy using surveys. The students’ progress and attitudes were monitored over four consecutive semesters. The first began with the design of the intervention and the following three consisted in the implementation. The strategy was focused on the development of course competencies through autonomous learning with ICT tools presented in the VLE. Findings indicate that the students who did the activities in the VLE showed an increase in performance scores in comparison with students who did not do them. The strategy used in this study, which enhanced perceived autonomy, was associated with a positive effect on their learning process. This research shows that a technology-enhanced course supported by ICT activities can both improve academic performance and foster autonomy in students.

Becoming Autonomous Learners to Become Autonomous Teachers

Autonomy appears to be a challenging concept for both language learners and teachers. This article attempts to ascertain the beliefs on learner autonomy (LA) and teacher autonomy (TA) of students on the MA in English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics at Coventry University (UK) engaging with this concept while reflecting on a distributed MOOC blend flip. This article explores the extent to which a MOOC blended into an existing curriculum can support students in their transition between LA and TA for their professional practice. The paper discusses the interpretations of autonomy in language education, including “technical”, “psychological” and “political” orientations and illustrates two categorises of autonomous perspectives: independent learning and interdependent learning. The article also discusses how blended learning can support language teacher with re-thinking their role. It moreover illustrates, some constraints regarding fostering autonomy in practice and highlights some problematic areas in the reconceptualization of learning and teaching with a MOOC blend.

Introduction: Reflecting on the human right to social security

AbstractThe United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 asserts that social security is an inalienable human right. Realizing this human right is often considered, simply, as a matter of political will and of administrative aptitude. In these terms, the progressive realization of the human right to social security may be viewed as the outcome of an appropriately‐resourced political and bureaucratic process. Such a perspective, however, is clearly inadequate. Characteristically, bureaucracies are designed to cater to the needs of all, based on common procedures and common deliverables designed for the “typical” case. Yet such approaches often lack the necessary flexibility and resources to make a distinction between individuals, which acknowledge their respective differences and needs. To meet the international commitment to progressively realize universal social security coverage, social security administrations are key actors. However imperative this role may be, if the pursuit of this commitment fails to respect people's differences this will put at risk the meeting in full of what is envisioned by the human right to social security. To this end, this special issue aims to foster an understanding that the goal of universal coverage must necessarily also respect and respond to the individual needs of each and every person.

Exploring the COMFORT Model for Complex Communication for Physiotherapists in Neurorehabilitation: A Critical Review

Literature has evaluated the level of accomplishment of the Patient-centred care (PCC) model from physiotherapists working in Neurorehabilitation. Reviewing the literature has revealed a lack of kills, confidence and training by physiotherapists to communicate difficult or complex information, such as poor prognosis or shared goal- setting, leading patients and families to complain about the need for more empathy, encouragement for patients to foster autonomy and rapport with physiotherapists. This problem is not unique to physiotherapists in neurorehabilitation and can be found in other medical disciplines. Many frameworks have been designed in order to teach how to successfully lead communication in stressful situations. However, the COMFORT model, which is an acronym for seven key principles of effective communication, is a grounded framework based on PCC ideals. This study aims to review the evidence of the effectiveness of the COMFORT model used by other health care professionals (HCPs) to implement it for physiotherapists in neurorehabilitation to explore patients' multifactorial lives, break bad news (BBN) effectively, and manage the emotional labour implied in complex scenarios such as discharging or setting treatment goals. Numerous databases were electronically searched and through a critical realist approach, six studies that applied this communication framework in different medical specialities have been reviewed. Through the scope of the self-efficacy theory, the COMFORT model can be considered a suitable communication framework to be used by physiotherapists due to increasing their confidence, teaching how to approach the emotional dimension implied in neurorehabilitation and having the potential to change clinical practice. Recommendations are to conduct studies on physiotherapists working in Neurorehabilitation in order to display the effectiveness of the COMFORT curriculum but also, to design specific communication frameworks tailored for physiotherapists working in a challenging setting as neurorehabilitation.

An evaluation of governance capacity of the specialized component of pharmaceutical services in Brazil.

This paper presents application of an indicator protocol to assessment of current levels of governance capacity of the Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services (CEAF) in a state of the South of Brazil. We chose the theoretical referential of 'governance capacity' proposed by Carlos Matus, which reflects in the concepts of management capacity and pharmaceutical service management, due to the perception of a need to overcome the fragmentation and technicist reductionism that we believe has been imposed on the area of pharmaceutical services. Data was collected using the protocol in 74 municipal or state units. The results of the analysis indicate that the currently existing governance capacity needs improvement in all three dimensions that were evaluated, principally in relation to the aspects that seek sustainability of the governance. The model and the protocol used indicate a way forward for governance of pharmaceutical service by proposing a change from the technicist-logistical focus to an emphasis on strategic and political actions, or ones which foster greater participation and autonomy. With these results in hand, it will be possible to develop strategies for improvement of access to medicines in the SUS, in the sense that the CEAF becomes able to guarantee integrality of medicines treatments.

Ex‐centric textualities and rehearsed narratives at a gender identity clinic in Brazil: Challenging discursive colonization

Transsexuality is classified as a disorder by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which shapes trans‐specific healthcare policies worldwide. This paper addresses the discursive effects the imposition of a psychiatric diagnosis impinges on the daily life of Brazilian gender identity clinics. It aims to assess the epistemological and political dynamics which make the global circulation of this manual possible and to understand the socialization trajectory that leads to the materialization of diagnostically driven, rehearsed narratives in a gender clinic in the global South. I argue that the globalization of medical epistemologies and their textualities homogenizes transsexuality and impels transsexual individuals and their doctors to engage in textually constrained interactional performances which make the construction of a trusting healthcare relationship virtually impossible. The paper, thus, discusses how a sociolinguistics from the South may contribute to foster (trans)autonomy in healthcare settings where epistemological imbalances produced by ex‐centric, globalized textualities constrain possibilities for agency.

Fostering Learner's Autonomy through Response Journals

Autonomy is a phenomenon that speculated many scholars and readers. It is a broad term found in many disciplines because it has a number of potential benefits. It is defined by Henric Holec (1981, p.3) as a capacity or a fundamentally critical process reflect on one's own experience and to take charge in one's own This paper investigated the promotion of autonomy through the use of response journals. The aspects of autonomy were examined generally in this study. Language teaching was approached through the task-based instruction. Students were asked write a response journal as the task language learning. The response journal was written before explaining the lesson in class ensure students’ responses the lesson were original and not blurred by the teacher’s explanation. The subjects were senior female English students in King Saud University. The subjects were given explicit instructions regarding the format and content of the journal. Then, an analysis of the first journals and fifteenth journals took place in terms of self-reflection, self-recognition, and other aspects of autonomy. The choices of the journals were taken randomly, just track the progress in the subjects. Therefore, the effectiveness of the use of response journal foster autonomy in language learners was the main concern of this paper. The analysis showed that learners throughout the process of writing journals used more of the mental verbs, personal pronouns, and attitudinal lexis. These three features can denote students' selfawareness, self- recognition, and self- reflection. As such, this study has found that the use of response journal is an effective method in fostering their autonomy. It provides students with a context learn, reflect, and evaluate, hence, promoting learners' autonomy.

How can coaches build mental toughness? Views from sport psychologists

ABSTRACTMuch has been written about athlete mental toughness in the past 15 years. Most of this literature is based on interviews with coaches, athletes, and to a lesser degree, parents. The present article presents views of sport psychologists who had applied and research experience in mental toughness and thus more integrated views of how coaches should build mental toughness. Results revealed that to build mental toughness, sport psychologists believe coaches need to be thoughtful and purposeful both in how they think about athletes (i.e., be instructive and encouraging, foster autonomy, see them as individuals) and their staff (i.e., be multidimensional and educate), as well as what they do (i.e., create adversity and at the same time teach mental skills).

Fostering Learners' Autonomy In Writing

In studying English as Second Language (ESL), learners' autonomy is needed. As we know, learner autonomy has been claimed to be an ultimate goal of education for a long time and has been identified as a complicated capacity that potentially has a great impact on personal growth and achievement. The autonomy positively affects language learning and it is no doubt that learners' autonomy is a prerequisite for effective language learning. This qualitative research aimed to describe the strategies to foster learners' autonomy in writing class. Participants consisted of students at Bina Nusantara University. Qualitative research was conducted because the researcher wanted to understand the context or setting in which the participants of the study addressed an issue connected with the strategies to promote the learners' autonomy in writing. The result showed that there were two strategies that foster learners' autonomy in writing class that covered the uses of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) and student-centered approach.

Family Formation and the Home

Intergenerational families, voluntary kin groups, non-conjugal adult room-mates, and unmarried couples with or without children, all build domestic family lives together without formal and consistent legal recognition. The variety of families that provide benefits to dependents and mutual support to adults is constantly evolving; but, living together and creating a joint home has always been a central aspect of family life. As traditional family life tied to marriage and biology is continuously challenged, and alternative forms of family formation are developed, the significance of the role of the home plays in creating legally significant ties has been largely overlooked. While domesticity has been intermittently used as a tool in defining family, we will demonstrate that the ways in which home sharing creates family rights and obligations is riddled with inconsistencies and conflicts. On the one hand, certain welfare-based entitlements and zoning cases use flexible standards for determining family based on domesticity. However, on the other hand, even the rare recognition of private rights and obligations among those who cohabit occurs when sexuality or reproduction are also involved in a manner that more closely mimics traditional marriage. Generally, domesticity is assumed to include sexuality and the focus on family formation has centered on the sexuality involved. However, in this article we consider how joint lives that are based under a common roof whether or not they include sexual relations can include many of the supports and normative benefits of family life. We will demonstrate based on social science studies and taking into account both the benefits and risks of home sharing, how domesticity has its own normative benefits and ways of creating emotional and physical bonds apart from sex. Finally, this article will lay out different possibilities for how the law can recognize and support the role home sharing plays in creating familial lives that provide mutual support, stability and other important benefits over an extended and stable period of time. Keeping in mind both the desire to foster diversity and autonomy and protect those who are most vulnerable, this article considers options for legal recognition of the status of domesticity in family formation. These alternatives include consideration of how vulnerability could justify the imposition of obligations and rights upon sexual or non-sexual cohabitants and how registrations systems can provide solutions to those seeking legal recognition of the mutual support systems and family lives they create in a diverse manner by sharing a home with loved ones and/or long-term trusted friends.

Authenticity in Ethical Decision Making: Reflections for Professional Counselors

Ethical competence, maturity, and autonomy are foundations of good counseling; however, ethical autonomy can be eroded by a risk‐management approach to ethics that tends to constrict counselors' creative responses to dilemmas. This article offers reflections on the notion of authenticity as described by existentialist philosophers Søren Kierkegaard and Martin Heidegger, as a means by which to balance risk‐management and reductionist perspectives on ethics and to foster ethical autonomy. Applications of authenticity to counselors' approach to ethics are suggested, as are limitations of this concept as a stand‐alone framework for decision making.

Psychosocial outcomes and interventions among cancer survivors diagnosed during adolescence and young adulthood (AYA): a systematic review.

A cancer diagnosis during adolescence or young adulthood (AYA; defined as ages 15-39) generates unique medical and psychosocial needs as developmental milestones are simultaneously impacted. Past research highlights that AYAs' experiences and psychosocial outcomes are different, and more research and attention is needed. We aimed to identify and synthesize literature regarding psychosocial outcomes, unique needs, and existing psychosocial interventions pertaining to individuals diagnosed with cancer exclusively during AYA, and to highlight areas for future research. A systematic literature search was conducted using MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE, Cochrane, Web of Science, and PsycINFO (via OVID). Grey literature was searched using key term variations and combinations. Overall, 15,301 records were assessed by two independent reviewers, with 38 studies meeting inclusion criteria. Data synthesis of the 38 articles was organized by four main themes based on quality of life and survivorship: physical well-being (7 studies), psychological well-being (8 studies), social well-being (9 studies), and survivorship care (14 studies). The paucity of studies for such broad inclusion criteria highlights that this population is often combined or subsumed under other age groups, missing needs unique to these AYAs. AYA cancer survivors' experiences are nuanced, with interacting variables contributing to post-treatment outcomes. AYAs require age-appropriate and flexible care, informational needs and treatment-related education that foster autonomy for long-term survivorship, as well as improved follow-up care and psychological outcomes. By incorporating these findings into practice, the informational and unmet needs of AYAs can be addressed effectively. Education and programming is lacking specific and general subject matter specific to AYAs, incorporating ranging needs at different treatment stages.

Nursing students’ views on rural nursing practice in China: A questionnaire survey

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate final year nursing students’ views on rural nursing practice in China. There are fewer nurses in rural areas compared to urban areas in China. Little is known about how current nursing students view rural nursing practice, and what influences their intentions to work rurally in their career. Methods: A questionnaire survey was designed. Data were collected in one area in Eastern China between December 2011 and March 2012. A self-completion questionnaire was hand distributed to final year nursing students in six nursing schools and collected by the researcher with a response rate of 89% (n = 445). Results: Nursing students in China had some unique perceptions on rural nursing practice. Respondents viewed nursing posts in rural areas as having lower incomes, lower professional status and fewer opportunities for learning skills. They also associated rural nursing with a light workload, less stress and few night shifts. In contrast to the wider literature, Chinese nursing students did not consider that rural nursing posts could foster autonomy in practice or offer the opportunities to broaden their skills. Conclusions: The perceived lower financial rewards, fewer opportunities for skills development and the low professional status of rural nurses make recruitment of a skilled nursing workforce to rural areas a major challenge in China. Policies, such as reforming the rural nursing delivery system, providing financial incentives and supporting for professional development, should be considered.

Motivational Situations of Choice

The present research explores situations that demonstrate enhancing effects on motivation based on the amount of choice seen by individuals. Individuals who are intrinsically motivated see more choice in certain academic settings, including those that foster self-regulation and autonomy. Extrinsically motivated individuals are predicted to see more promise in reward and external regulation strategies. We identified six separate situations: a free will situation, a learning of materials situation, an instructor feedback situation, an extra credit situation, and two time-based situations. Four of these situations target a certain type of motivation, either intrinsic or extrinsic. The other two situations were used as a means to analyze pressure and tension due to time constraints. The goal of the present research was to identify correlations in these crafted situations with motivational measures from previous studies which examined choice and autonomy.

A teacher's perspective on autonomy and self-access: from theory to perception to practice

ABSTRACTConsiderable resources are expended on the development of learner autonomy (LA), and in particular on the provision of self-access facilities as one of the most common ways in which institutions have tried to foster autonomy. Whether the intended outcomes are achieved depends in large part on teachers’ agreement with and understanding of the rationale behind these efforts. A mismatch between an institutional objective and a classroom implementation may, for example, negatively impact the student experience. This project looks at teachers’ perspectives on LA and self-access language learning in a university setting where a self-access component was introduced as a compulsory element of students’ first-year courses. How do teachers conceptualise autonomous learning, what importance do they assign to it, and how do they attempt to foster autonomy in practice? What role do they see for self-access learning in this? In this project, we used a mixed-methods approach and obtained questionnaire data from 47 teachers on an English as a Foreign Language programme at a university in Thailand, as well as qualitative data from in-depth interviews with 5 teachers, on their beliefs about autonomy and self-access. The results show a complex interplay between teachers’ beliefs, institutional constraints, and classroom implementation.

El fomento de la autonomía a través del diseño del sílabo: una guía paso a paso hacia el éxito

Promoting learner autonomy is relevant in the field of applied linguistics due to the multiple benefits it brings to the process of learning a new language. However, despite the vast array of research on how to foster autonomy in the language classroom, it is difficult to find step-by-step processes to design syllabi and curricula focused on the development of learner autonomy. This paper presents a model of a successful English course, implemented at Universidad del Valle (Colombia), which is expected to serve as a practical guide to articulate the stages of design, implementation, and evaluation of an autonomy-fostering syllabus.

La interacción dialógica en la comprensión de prácticas autónomas en educación desde Jürgen Habermas

<p>El siguiente trabajo pretende comprender el tránsito que hay entre las prácticas heterónomas y las prácticas autónomas de los docentes, siendo las últimas la base para la consolidación de ambientes éticos desde la interacción dialógica, ambientes que ofrecen elementos favorables para la formación de la autonomía en los estudiantes. Describe el recorrido teórico y documental, relacionado con las condiciones necesarias que ofrece la interacción dialógica desde la postura de la ética del discurso de Jürgen Habermas y otros autores propios de esta línea de la teoría crítica de la sociedad. Luego presenta la fase final del proyecto de investigación del que emerge, esto es, de sus resultados y conclusiones, en términos de orientaciones para acciones y prácticas autónomas docentes desde los principios fundamentales de la teoría de la acción comunicativa, particularmente desde la ética del discurso. En otras palabras, para la generación de prácticas docentes desde la interacción dialógica que propendan por la autonomía sin contradicciones.</p>